But they were heedless, forgetful people, and the whole household showed an
utter lack of systematic management.
Nothing was ever to be found in its place; meals were served at any hour
when old Hopalong got them ready. Sometimes the market orders were
neglected and there was almost nothing to eat, and then again there was
such an overstock that much had to be wasted. The children were allowed to
do exactly as they chose, and were never reproved; but if their own
mischief led them into misfortune, or their pranks turned out disastrously,
they were expected to stand the consequences bravely, and look for little
or no sympathy from their elders.
Patty had not been at the Hurly-Burly many days before she discovered that
its proportion of order and regularity was entirely too small. To be sure,
in the Fleming family it had been too large; but she thought there must be
a happy medium, a state of things whereby one could expect the ordinary
events of daily life to come in due course, without, however, living as if
by clockwork.
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