At the Back of the North Wind

ber anything about it in the morning, he had been all night at the back of the north wind. Sometimes something did seem to remain in his mind like the low far-off murmur

se that everything went right there and co

at once saying, “I’ve been ill a long time and given a gre

ared for him till his mother had the breakfast ready. She was looking gloomy and his father too was silent. Diamond felt that in a few mi

if you were a girl — nursing the baby and toasting the bread, and sweeping

the north wind,” said Di

rful too. “Won’t you come out an

st a minute after I

im made him feel very queer. He could not make it out. What horse was it that looked so familiar? When he came around in front and the old horse put

rse again and kissed both his big, hairy cheeks. He could only manage one at a time, however — the other cheek

s father put the reins into his hands and began to show him how to drive. He let Diamon

little Diamond was to learn to drive. And that evening, shortly before Diamond’s father

d his mother, “for he i

ly as far as the sq

and showed him how to drive safely through the gate and Diamond got along famously. Just as they were turning into the square, they had an adventure. It was getting quite

d beginning to run into y

ding for you to run into your own son!” answ

. “He would be fit to drive on his own hook in a w

father. Diamond jumped across into th

p in and at first he did hear a good many rough and bad words. But as he did not like them, he never learned to say them and they did him little harm. Before long, the

try his hand on old Diamond’s coat. He used the

ld him. “It won’t do to clean a horse half

ushed and combed and brushed. Every now and then, old Diamond would whisk his tail and once he sent the comb flying o

id himself down at full length on old Diamond’s back. The men were mu

a few minutes. Hearing a noise, Diamond looked around to see what it was. There was a crossing near the cab-stand where a girl was sweeping. Some young roughs had picked a quarrel with her and were now trying to pull her broom away from her. Dia

en Diamond’s father reached the curbstone, who should it be but Mrs. Coleman and Miss Coleman! Diamond and his father were very happy to see the

He was wondering what made him feel as if he knew her quite well when he could not remember anything of her. But a picture arose in his mind of a little girl running before the

g around the chimneys, to be sure, for she was not very happy that night. But it was not her voice that had wakened Diamond. It was a loud angry voice, now growli

ething. He jumped up and went to see. The voice of the crying baby guided him to the right door and he peeped in. T

d lifted it into his arms and soon had it on his knee, smiling at the light that came in from the street lamp. He began to sing to it in a low voice — the song of the river as it ran over the soft grass and among the flowers in the country at the back of the north wind. He sang on

cabman, “did yo

“it is little Diamond wh

dwich on that rainy, gloomy night. Her husband was somehow very sorry now and ashamed of the misery he had caused — was it the song of the river

anny and her broom were to be found in all weathers. Just as he was going to speak to her a tall gentleman stepped upon the crossing. He was gl

ed. “Next door to the Adam

u live with

ld granny,”

your granny wicked,

you don’t believe me, you ca

a nice way for a little girl to talk. He was turning away

uel to her sometimes — and shuts her out in th

t can you do?” asked the ge

,” said Diam

” asked the gen

ond; “clean father’s boots and mak

le man,” said the gent

ther can and they are

earn to read, come to me and I will give you s

ocket. The gentleman walked away but he saw Diamond give the penny to Nanny and say, “I have a fathe

er pocket and Diamond asked

elf some food. She is so blind that she doesn’t see that

you want

en he was young, so he isn’t good for much. Bu

d!” called his f

m about the gentleman and showe

father looking at the address. “Take care of it, Diamo

d the baby and old Diamond — and the man next door who drinks — and hi

ust laughed