Probable Sons

to her quaintness of speech and action, attracted him greatly. He became interested in watching her little figure as i

nd pieces. Hearing the crash, Sir Edward came out of his study, and completely losing his temper, he turned furiously upon the child, giving vent to language that was hardly fit for her ears to hear. She stood before him with round, frightened eyes and quivering lips, her little

e Edward is a fearful angry man; he doesn't love me a bit. I wish I had a

charge in from the cold, wet grass, she had not the heart to scold her,

ne loves me here. I've been telling God all a

uietly into the dining-room, wondering in her littl

le, she eyed him doubtfully through her long eyelashes; then gathering courage

ry fine ni

w hours before, he said, by way of excusing himself,-"Look here, Millicent, you made me exceedingly angry by your piece of mischief this afternoon. That statue can never be replaced,

dn't mean to do it. Nurse says it was a most 'unfortunate accident.' I asked her what an accident was. She says it's a thing that happens when you don'

there was a knock at his door, and, to his astonishment, his little niece walked in. T

ion, Millicent? You know you are ne

er uncle, her small lips tightly closed, and then, st

tell you some

pallor of the child's face and the scared expression in her eyes, that it w

told nurse I must tell you at once. I-I felt so bad here

, child! You are wasting my ti

ve broken so

e. Then Sir Edwa

at is i

z's head for a hat, you know. He did look so funny, but he tossed up his head and ran away, and it fe

ue in Sir Edward's eyes that he al

uch the flower-pots in future. Now ru

stood he

if I broke anything again you would punish me 'most sever

s chair. He always prided himself upon being a man of his word, but muc

s little niece's anxious gaze with some embarrassme

xceedingly careless and mischievous. What

ly. "When I was a very little girl I used to stand in th

punishments were quite unknown to him.

hed when you were a

. Many is the whipping that

you gave Fritz when he

es

her lips firmer, as she saw before her eyes a strong arm dealing very

that is how you ha

he looked at the baby figure

ink you are a fit subject f

ed a sigh

was commiseration in her tone. The situation was becoming ludicrous to Sir Edward, thoug

punishment; but he was found nearly dead, and really died the next day, from fright. There is a dark cupboard on the kit

ble. The child went

as made a leper, and some children were killed by a bear, and a prophet by a lion, and Annas and Sophia were struck dead. All of them were

time longed to dispense with the punishment altogether; "as i

face bri

ee-"I think if I were to go to bed instead of coming down to desser

and let this be your last breakage. I

n bed that night, "because Uncle Edward is very puzzled when he has to punish m

d his dinner in silence and

quite miss her this evening. Children after all are original, if they are

church. As he stood over the blazing fire in the hall butt

ay I come down a

stairs, and then, slipping her little hand int

thinks I'm almost big enough now, and I have

u come, you will fidget, I e

till as a mouse.

ver take you again. Yes, you ma

walking down the avenue, she clasping a large Bible unde

very particular to follow her uncle's example in every respect, though she nearly upset his gravity at the outset by taking off her hat in imitation of him

against Heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son";

, "do you know, I heard all the sermon, and understood it pretty well

. Cannot you pronounc

e had not been feeling very comfor

d is as good as another sometimes. Uncle, what did the clergym

do," was the

e. No one can't get away from God, and why

prodigal want

cons

tree, but-but it's so different with God. Why, I should be fearful unhappy if I got away from Him. I couldn't, could I, uncle? Who would take care of me and

r Edward's coat in her growing excitement. He g

from God. Don't be so excitable. We will change the subjec

ge at the edge of the wood. It was Milly's first visit, and Mrs. Maxwell, a motherly-looking

the homely little kitchen with a child's admiring

chair, a fat tabby cat on her lap, and while Sir Edward was occ

ve and were walking homewards, "Mrs. Maxwell has asked

rse; I have

s talk to one another? I always think they do. Look at them now. They are just shaking their heads together and whispering, aren't they? Whispering very gently to-day, because it is Sunday. Sometimes they get angry with one another and scream, but I like to hear them hum and sing best. Nurse says it's

e told her when they entered the house that she could go to church every Sunday morning in future with him, and that sent Milly to the nursery with a