lovely, and of good report; finery is in disdaining what is homely or
humble.

Boys of all degrees are usually, when they are good for anything, the
greatest enemies of the finery tending to affectation; and Alfred at
once began to make a little fun of his sister, and tell her it would
be a famous thing for her, he believed she had quite forgotten how to
run, and did not know a rake from a fork when she saw it. He knew
she was longing for a ride in the waggon, if she would but own it.

Ellen used to be teased by this kind of joking; but she was too glad
to see Alfred well enough so to entertain himself, to think of
anything but pleasing him, so she answered good-humouredly that
Harold must make hay for them all three to-day, no doubt but he would
be pleased enough.

He was heard trotting home at this moment, and whistling as he
hitched up the pony at the gate, and ran in with the letter-bag, to
snap up his breakfast while the letters were sorted.

'Here, let me have them,' called Alfred, and they were glad he should
do it, for he was the quickest of the family at reading handwriting;
but he was often too ill to attend to it, and more often the weary
fretfulness and languor of his state made him dislike to exert
himself, so it was apt to depend on his will or caprice.

'Look sharp, Alf!' hallooed out Harold, rushing up-stairs with the
bags in one hand, and his bread-and-butter in the other. 'If you
find a letter for that there Ragglesford, I don't know what I shall
do to you! I must be back in no time for the hay!'