More William

usy

It was a jolly day, of course-presents and turkey and crackers and staying up late. On the other hand, there were generally too many rel

a Happy Day." That had not been there the day before. Brightly-coloured roses and forget-me-nots and honeysuckle twined round all the words. William ha

ng. Much more promising. After inspecting a penknife, a pocket-compass, and a pencil-box (which shared the fate of "Po

gifts had cost him much thought. The knowledge that his father never touched sweets, and that Robert professed scorn of pirate stories, had led him to hope that the recipients of his gifts would make no objection to the unobtrusive theft of them by their recent donor in the course of the next

anding, putting his gifts outside the doors of his family, and pausing to yell "Happ

e not down yet. He switched on lights recklessly, and discovered that he was not the only person in the hall. Hi

ster Barbara were in the happy position of spending Christmas wi

or presents yesterday, an' they've gotten out. I've b

said W

ells. I put 'em in a tin for presents an' they've

ed into d

surveyed

ey've got out right enough. Jus' look at our hall! Ju

ails shone over hats, and coats

s apt to overwork his phrases.

again and brightened. Ji

he cried,

ack to his bedroom wall-"

come down. We'll be busy. You tell me if you feel happy when we've done. It

vided them with a large pail of

all gone. Each soaked garment on the hat-stand was sending a steady drip on to the already flooded floor.

rush is in many ways almost as good as a hose. Each had a pail of ammunition. Each had a good-sized brush. During the next few mi

he said shor

unning stream of water, th

the skin could not disclaim a

lected when confronted w

et wet-not if you do it prop'ly. You said to try an' make Christmas Day happy for other folks and then I'd be happy. Well, I don't know as I'm very happy," he said, bitterly, "but I've been workin' hard enough since early this mornin'. I've been workin'," he went on pathetically. His eye

looked down at

er with just cleaning up

t. "Well," he said, deprecatingly, "m

istmas Day ..." s

re was certainly something

her. It was felt-and not without reason-that William's father's feelings of respect

ed, descended the stairs as the gong sounded in a hall which was

iam, despondently, "that it's

om of the stairs. William's fath

that on this relation-infested day one's feelings may be harrowed by you as little as possible. And w

nce. William's face was a study in holy innocence. His father glanced at him

's sister Barbara-a small bundle of curls and w

d, politely, "did you h

d her wit

ane, Evangeline, and Lucy were consuming porridge with that mixtu

d, radiant, with

d, proudly. "Got prese

t Evangeline's gift was a centipede-a live centipede that ran gaily off the tablecloth on to Aunt Evangeline's lap before anyone could stop it. With a y

ed. "The horrible boy

Barbara looked with interest at Aun

she said pleasantly and conver

wn out of the window. William looked across the table at Jimmy with respect in his eye. Jimmy, in

f the centipede had left the coast clear, and refused to retu

have insects concealed on his person. And someone's be

murmured Aun

d up from h

n't like insecks?" he said

his time William was not the culprit. To William also it was a

t. The aunts sat round the drawing-room fire talking and doing crochet-work. I

l inquiries about th

t 10.30, and if you go to get ready when the clock in t

tly exposed, the internal arr

the day. The aunts in the drawing-room discussing over their crochet-work the terrible way in

eacefully. Then William's mot

were going to c

e clock has

s eleven

a gasp o

ck never

oor sat William and Jimmy gazing with frowns of concentration at an open page of "Things a Boy

! You wi

ised a fro

o long. I dunno how it's been goin' at all. It's lucky we found it out. It's put together wrong. I guess it's made wrong. It's goin' to be a lot of troubl

, admiringly. "Mendi

r, "you've ruined the clock.

prop'ly-not like what this book says it ought to be. Seems we've got to take it all to pieces to get i

iet, W

you came in," said Jimmy,

it is, William,"

g-wheel. Well, it oughtn't to be like wot it was. It was put on all wrong. Well, we was mendin' it. An' we was doin' it for you," he ended, bitterly, "jus' to help

lked proudly from the room f

to say anything unkind, and I hope you won't remember all your

murmured Aun

hould have sunk into the earth, answere

wasted much valuable time in the discussion of such futilities as the weather an

fing. Yes, I'll have a little more turkey, too. And, of course, the vicar may not preach to-night. That makes such a difference. The gra

ly that or any other glance, but at present he was too busy for minor hostilities. He was extr

bara pleasantly, "I

e no a

usin, William,"

ively, "You always say not to t

when you've finis

fill it again then,"

!" murmured

usual contribution

of horrified aunts' eyes around hi

ersation. The art of combining the duties of m

withdrew from public life. Aunt Lucy found a book of se

, I think," she said with

ing definitely to

an hour later, "the minc

lliam's mother, raisin

I could get it done this afternoon so as to go to church thi

ome and

idea. William's mother had not been William's mother for eleven years

o." Around him lay various parts of the mincing machine. His face was set

ne," he said, crushingly. "It's not

t we've all been looking for that min

for it. It's wrong," he went on aggrievedly. "I can't make anything with it. Look! It says in my book 'How to make a

row it?" sai

ven't I? I went all the way

nt it t

lway signal. I thought you'd be interested. Anyone would think anyone woul

you haven't got a right sort of mincin' machine. It's wrong. Its parts are the wrong

ke them all down to the kitchen to coo

met Aunt Lucy carrying

aid. "It hasn't the force. The written word doesn't reach the hear

on as if he had

nsisted on the little

te," she said. "I'm sure they all have

th shy delight t

seed, lickle

ay, are you

ppy as white

e a popp

sunflower? Oh, h

are golde

all the bees u

wn bwother

ushing, amid ra

rner. He stood up as one prepared

ndness lick

denliketheeav'na

one breath, and

d with slightly

Will

know any,

he one you learnt at school last term

liam rose

r Hesperus that sai

beg

ghed, cleared his th

r Hesperus that sai

uttered his bro

iled the wintry sea an' i'm not goin'

sternly. "How can I get on if you keep takin' all the time

goin' on if Ethel's goin' to keep gigglin'. It's not a funny piece, a

turned her chair completely round and left her back onl

d his mother, "begin again an

the preliminaries of coughi

r Hesperus that sai

raightened his collar and smoothed back the l

rought--" prompted

turned

I can't say off a great long pome like that without stoppin' to think sometimes, can I? I'll-I'll do a conjuri

. Brown took out his handke

y, "how long this exhibition

ockets bulging. He held a la

oss the room. "Well, I put the penny into the handkerchief. You can see me do it, can't you? If anyone wants to come an' feel the penny is in the handkerchief, they can. Well," he turned his back on them and took something out of his pocket. After a few contor

crack and sending a shining stream partly on to the carpet and partly o

"and then this messy stuff all over me. It's a good thing I

ar!" said

laid egg for that,"

s pale and

n the pocket.' Well, I took an egg an' I concealed it in the pocket. Seems to me," he said

se slowly fr

nds and went over with it to a small cupboard in the wall. In this cupboard reposed an airgun, a bugle, a catapult, and a mouth-organ.

stmas Da

ith silent indignation Aun

sermon was beautiful. As I say, I don't want William to reproach

mured Jimmy sleepi

gaze fell upon the flower-bedecked

, indignantly. "It's ju