family, she was only too glad that Cassandra took upon her-
self so much of the care of Jane. The younger child repaid
her sister's affection a hundred-fold, and Mrs. Austen said
that if Cassandra were to have her head cut off, she believed
Jane would insist on having hers cut off too.

Life in the Rectory was pleasant for a large party of chil-
dren; for one thing, the Austens, though very lively, were
unusually good-tempered. Family disagreements, to say
nothing of family quarrels, were unknown to them, and
besides being fond of each other, they were very friendly
with the pupils their father took into the house. Mr. Austen
was careful as to whom he accepted, taking only "a few
youths of chosen friends and acquaintances," and there are
several references to the comfortable way the boys settled
in with the family. "Jemmy and Neddy" were "very happy
in a new playfellow, Lord Lymington." He was between five
and six years old; then there was Master Vanderstegen; he
was nearly fourteen, and backward, but "very good tem-
pered and well disposed." Another reason for the general
pleasantness of a family which, living in somewhat close
quarters, might have been expected to get in each other's
way, was that the boys had vigorous interests of their own.
Intelligent as they all were, their father's teaching was at
least not irksome to them, and James and Henry had a strong
academic bent; but all of them were wildly eager sportsmen.
From their earliest years they hunted and shot, and Francis
displayed not only the sporting enthusiasm of the family,
but a keen business capacity into the bargain. At the age
of seven he bought a pony for one pound, eleven shillings
and sixpence. It was a bright chestnut and he called it
Squirrel. He rode to hounds on it for two years, jumping
"everything that the pony could get his nose over," and then
sold it for two pounds, twelve and six.

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