This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1885 Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XXXIX. THE LADIES' "FREE-AND-EASY." A FEW days passed away very quietly at Oakenshaw. Frank Howard was but little at home; for his uncle was very ill, and quite unable to give the smallest attention to business; little Frankie, too, was, on the whole, decidedly weaker, and, as Susan vehemently protested, "much worse in every respect." One evening Mr. Howard came home unusually early, and found, rather to his surprise, that dinner had been ordered for an earlier hour than was customary. That such was the case was to him, however, rather a satisfaction than otherwise, for he had missed his luncheon through an impromptu visit to his uncle, and was, moreover, more than ordinarily anxious about his little son, who had, before his departure for business that morning, evinced symptoms that were decidedly calculated to make a tender parent not a little uneasy. Queenie had not at all expected to see her husband, when--still in morning-dress--she hurried down, a few minutes after the sounding of the dinner-gong, and took her seat at the table; though the regular covers for two were laid, she had fully anticipated dining alone. "I was quite thankful, I can tell you," said Frank, as he seated himself opposite his wife, "to find that dinner had been expedited, for I am pretty well sharp set already, and should not have cared to wait for another hour and a half, getting hungrier every moment. It is a melancholy fact that I have only taken a hard biscuit and a glass of sherry since breakfast." "What made you miss your proper luncheon?" "I went to Kensington to spend an hour with my uncle." "He is not worse than usual, I hope?" "On the contrary, he is better; he has improved considerably during the last few days; those magnetic appliances seem to suit him. And hear...