The Compleat Bachelor

thrown me into a half whimsical, half melancholy musing, from which I was roused

had my ears boxed. Jack Wharton is a large creature with fat fingers, and more rings on each of them than a P

f-there is not so much of it as there once was. A certain tendency to early harvest in hair is a family trait, and I

the last wisp, a

ol," she said,

joy, my dear

to me. She we

e we give a chi

e. A children's party in m

ked ball or a grandmot

ine said, sitting straight up, and adj

ou going to ask to a ch

lots and lots of children. There'

s seventeen years

Bassishaw,"

ifteen, and old-fashio

But there are heaps and heaps of nice children. There's Molly Chatterton, a

yourself and young Bassishaw would loo

p," she answered. I had evidently no

lf a dozen young Bassisha

expect he w

ordered a magic-

he did suggest a magic-lantern-childr

ren like magic-lanterns. I leaned back an

you say you had d

r; "that is, if you'll be a good bro

Only, mind you," I added, "I insist that there shall be children. I will not be turned out of my rooms f

down the back of my collar. "But you mustn't go out

as, perhaps?"

laughing. "You can call the forfeits-you used to know

when they get cross, I thought. But it was of no use demurrin

the corner devoted to my armchair, and of being able to look forward to a week or two of occasional pine-needles and grease-spots from toy candles whenever I wanted to read. A hairy man also came with a tool-bag, which he threw on my d

semaid arrived with some pink-legged, fluffy little lump, muffled up to its bright eyes. Young Ted Carmichael brought my little friend Chris, who clasped my knees and demanded that I should be a dragon on the spot. Miss Nellie Bassishaw came with half a dozen little

purely a guest, or whether his age qualified him for attendance on the kids, a perplexity in which his palpable devotion to Nellie did not help him much. Nellie was difficult to woo that evening, and was playing off a smaller schoolboy on her half-grown-up admirer in a way that I l

he had taken in, children were romping here and there, regardless of whispering nurses who reminded them they were still at table. They were swept into another room by C

minutes to ourselves-perhaps time for a cigar. He stiffened up in pleased pride, and the front of his first dress-suit e

ust come in.) "She looks almost grown up, but any one can see she's the biggest child of the lot. Look at her

know-Nellie's not so very-she was fifteen last-sh

for the

terfield?" said Ted, proff

ll have a cigar. Won't you have

fully at it, and

m very fond of a pipe now and then-after breakfast, yo

d elegantly at his cigarette.

sishaw there, you know-we used to be rather flames when we were young. A year or two since, that is

ld," I said softly

house at nights, you know-darned silly, of course-and she used to drop me notes from her bedroom

hat case I have greatly misjudged her. S

he's awfully clever and grown up, and all that-that is,

idn't want to

irthday," he went on, "and then she'll be q

is cigarette, and looked r

agic-lantern yet. Half an hour or so.

rls, don't they, Butterfield? I went to a dance the other week, and of course Nellie can't go to dances yet. But the men

o keep a surreptitious wife at Eton, whither he was to return shortly. I rather took to Master Ted, and decided that Carrie and Bassishaw should not have all the fun out of the m

Carrie and Arthur Bassishaw joining in, but join in they did, while Miss Nellie looked intelligently patronising. Ted wa

aving a good time

ossed he

line," I continued, "but you can spare

lip; she felt t

es, Mr. Butterfield

prejudiced against dancing. But I see no wrong

e the humiliat

replied Nellie, turning half away.

d; "motives of h

considered

es too far. "That is a pity. There is such fun at dances-sitting out

ed my young friend Ted's affair as good as arranged. I heard h

to the whispering anticipation of eager children. When, a few minutes later, I had taken Chris Carmichael on my knee, and the pictures had begun, certain quiet indications from the back told

and myself were left, gathered round the cold magic-lantern. I looked a

now, Rol?"

birthday," I s

you talk

otes from her bedro

hake him,

I looked severe

you've done," I said, "yo

ook of innocence,

, Bassishaw," I said, "you can thank this child

at they are mischievous young beggars," r

moral laxity of sixteen-you know the latent depravity of female sixteen especially-you provide them with a handy magic-lantern and every convenience-

row the responsibil