She left it twice again in her life; once
going as teacher to a school in Halifax for six months, and afterwards
accompanying Charlotte to Brussels for ten. When at home, she took the
principal part of the cooking upon herself, and did all the household
ironing; and after Tabby grew old and infirm, it was Emily who made all
the bread for the family; and any one passing by the kitchen-door, might
have seen her studying German out of an open book, propped up before her,
as she kneaded the dough; but no study, however interesting, interfered
with the goodness of the bread, which was always light and excellent.
Books were, indeed, a very common sight in that kitchen; the girls were
taught by their father theoretically, and by their aunt, practically,
that to take an active part in all household work was, in their position,
woman's simple duty; but in their careful employment of time, they found
many an odd five minutes for reading while watching the cakes, and
managed the union of two kinds of employment better than King Alfred.
Charlotte's life at Miss W---'s was a very happy one, until her health
failed. She sincerely loved and respected the former schoolmistress, to
whom she was now become both companion and friend. The girls were hardly
strangers to her, some of them being younger sisters of those who had
been her own playmates.
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