Differences

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--- the_ninth_child_2 [2026/04/26 06:22] – iam
+++ the_ninth_child_2 [2026/07/21 08:59] (current) – iam
@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
-The baby was a tiny little creature, but finely formed. She
+<WRAP justify>
-rarely smiled, but her serious face was illumined by two great
+The baby was a tiny little creature, but finely formed. She rarely smiled, but her serious face was illumined by two great brown eyes. She was called Dolores.
-brown eyes. She was called Dolores.
-When she grew into childhood she developed a bewildering
+When she grew into childhood she developed a bewildering personality. As a rule she was so bright and merry, but there were days when she was strangely sober, when her eyes were wistful and her tiny figure bent as though she bore a burden on her back. Strangely enough at those times she would choose to dance, and in front of the long mirror in her own room, with her little face puckered into a tragic mask, she would sing an air and dance in perfect measure with her songs. Her adopted mother often watched her, and wondered what the future would hold for this odd child. She decided to allow Dolores to cultivate her talent, and for this purpose took her to a great artist.
-personality. As a rule she was so bright and merry, but there were
-days when she was strangely sober, when her eyes were wistful
-and her tiny figure bent as though she bore a burden on her back.
-Strangely enough at those times she would choose to dance, and
-in front of the long mirror in her own room, with her little face
-puckered into a tragic mask, she would sing an air and dance in
-perfect measure with her songs. Her adopted mother often
-watched her, and wondered what the future would hold for this
-odd child. She decided to allow Dolores to cultivate her talent,
-and for this purpose took her to a great artist.
-Dolores was an apt pupil. Her hands and feet were docile to
+Dolores was an apt pupil. Her hands and feet were docile to her will, and soon her nerves and muscles grew equally submissive. She became an expert in the intricate art of harmonious movement.
-her will, and soon her nerves and muscles grew equally submissive.
-She became an expert in the intricate art of harmonious movement.
-In her ninth year two events occurred. She knew nothing of
+In her ninth year two events occurred. She knew nothing of the mother who had died at her birth, nor had anyone ever spoken to her of her brothers and sisters. Yet on her ninth birthday Dolores climbed on to the lap of her adopted mother, and laying her head on her shoulder whispered:
-the mother who had died at her birth, nor had anyone ever spoken
-to her of her brothers and sisters. Yet on her ninth birthday
-Dolores climbed on to the lap of her adopted mother, and laying
-her head on her shoulder whispered:
 “I should like to see the others.”
@@ Line 34: / Line 17: @@
 “What others?”
-“Daisy, Bob and Bill, and Nell, who is a cripple, and needs more
+“Daisy, Bob and Bill, and Nell, who is a cripple, and needs more care than all of them.”
-care than all of them.”
-Her adopted mother sought to conceal her surprise. How did
+Her adopted mother sought to conceal her surprise. How did the child know of her brothers and sisters?
-the child know of her brothers and sisters?
-It seemed best to accept the strange occurrence as a natural
+It seemed best to accept the strange occurrence as a natural event, and Dolores was allowed to see her eldest sister. Daisy came with Jim, the youngest boy. They seemed made of coarser clay than Dolores. Daisy was a strong girl in her teens, coarsened by hard work, with red, raw hands, a good-natured face, and the common accent of her class.
-event, and Dolores was allowed to see her eldest sister. Daisy
-came with Jim, the youngest boy. They seemed made of coarser
-clay than Dolores. Daisy was a strong girl in her teens, coarsened
-by hard work, with red, raw hands, a good-natured face, and the
-common accent of her class.
-Jim was a pale and sickly boy, with slow, heavy movements,
+Jim was a pale and sickly boy, with slow, heavy movements, but his eyes were bright and intelligent, although they were reddened round the lids with crying. Dolores at once noticed this.
-but his eyes were bright and intelligent, although they were
+</WRAP>
-reddened round the lids with crying. Dolores at once noticed this.