The Year of 1901

Chapter 1 "We are in a Hurry!"

          A middle-aged woman ran across the floor to the base of the stairs. "Girls, please hurry! We will be late!" shouted Mrs. Billing up the steep steps. In less than a few seconds, two girls came leaping out of an upstairs bedroom. Kitty, the second eldest, came out leading the way. Her long blond hair was pinned up in a bun, but a few curls still hung partway down her back. The eldest, Priscilla, followed. Her brown hair was done similarly; only her hair was shorter, so her curled hair barely passed her shoulders. They walked quickly down the stairs not even minding the railing and trying to not trip on their long skirts nor their heeled shoes. They both held a coat, hat, and handbag which they had not placed properly on themselves. For when their mother had called them, they were not getting ready at all but merely chatting and glancing at themselves in the mirror. Reader, I shall now babble a bit and tell you what has happened in the previous 20 minutes. Mostly about one of the younger Billing sisters.

          Now, the three Billing girls had been getting ready for the Crawford's lady tea in Priscilla's, the eldest, bedroom. The youngest of the three, Esther, had disappeared to her bedroom, which she shared with her next eldest sister Kitty. She had gone to get her earrings because it was nearly time to leave if they did not want to be late. Placing small shiny dangles in her ears was something that she did not do. At least at first. First, she glanced at her appearance in the mirror to see how she looked in Priscilla's old pink dress. Priscilla did not fit it anymore and was kind enough to let Esther wear it. The dress was simply lovely with lace at the throat and the hem of the skirt. Esther gently spun two or three times looking at her reflection and then posing for her own pleasure. Her wavy hair, which Priscilla had helped her put part up, flew around as she spun. Esther's eyes though did not stay on herself. For when she looked in the full-length mirror, she quickly noticed the book on her nightstand. She had been interrupted by Kitty telling her to get ready earlier that afternoon. I shall just read a bit and then get my earrings. Was something like the thought that crossed her mind. Reading the small book, she did but reading her book for just a page or two she did not. She finished off that chapter which was about five more pages and then being invited to the next chapter by a cliffhanger, she quickly read on as if it was still the same chapter. She took no notice of what chapter she was on nor the title of it for that was not important. Even though the book was extremely noteworthy she did not get two pages into the next chapter before her mind was enthralled by the description of the hero. The heroine's description was of no importance to her. No notice of it was taken. For her own description she had put in its place. But the hero's description was so boldly placed in her mind's eye that she immediately put her book down (without moving the bookmark) and raced to her desk. She pulled a piece of paper and pencil from her desk's top drawer and started on what was a masterpiece in her brain. Now reader, at this time all thoughts of the earring and the lady's tea were very much gone. For her mind was in another world's universe. Now, I shall come back to the present time.

          The 20 minutes have now ended. 16-year-old Esther, who had been called Es all her life, still sat at her desk with her lovely pink dress flowing over the sides of the chair. One hand was covered with charcoal marks. Her right hand held a charcoal pencil drawing the face of a man while her left steadied the paper. So far Es was not exactly pleased with the portrait. What she had in her mind was not what was leaking out of her pencil. Her mother's voice from the bottom of the stairs had not been heard by her small ears. For her bedroom door was closed and (as I said earlier) her mind in another world.

.....

          "Where is Es?" asked Mrs. Billing when her two daughters had reached the bottom.

          "She went to get her earring a while ago," said Kitty, the second oldest Billings girl, "She's probably coming." Mrs. Billing had heard what her daughter said and then quickly turned her head toward the kitchen door.