Grandmother Dear: A Book for Boys and Girls

et bodes

en

" said

" said

" said

to express it, till that of the others had been got at. So each of the three said "Well?" to the other two, and stood waiting, as if they were playing the old game

e repeated emphatically, "I'm the youngest, and I suppose you'll say I shouldn't give my opinion

o," said Sylvia, "

ily, "you forget. I

at once. "You might just as well never have seen h

"I don't think she's

gnantly. "What do you mean, Ralph? What

n't be, you know. There are grandmothe

mother-not like Nora Leslie's, who is always scolding Nora's mother for spoiling her children, and wears such grand, quite young lady dresses, and has black hair," with

"She would almost do for a fairy godmother

e'd beat us with

e were naughty she'd point it at us, and then we'd all three turn into toads, or fro

a kind, cheery voice. "Aren't you ready for tea? I'm glad to see you are not very

mother dear," said Molly

d, and keep yourselves fresh for all that is before you. Aunty says she is very hungry, so you little people must be so t

ith some puzzle i

have been, grandmothe

, Molly. Once you were a baby in long clothes, and,

her," said Sylvia in a low voice,

ost upon g

n they were all seated round the tea-table, and thanks to the nice cold chicken and ham, and rolls

terested in the grounds at the bottom of his tea-cup;

replied; "at least

g at once about anything so uninteresting as nothing particu

g particular," said Molly: "it

achfully, but Molly was no

"that you had a gold-headed stick,

r's and aunty's t

u'd beat us with it, and I said no, most like

ow," said grandmother; "why should I wish to tu

d Molly. "Oh, Sylvia, you explain-

her," said Sylvia, blushing furiously, "and that p

hings turned mice into horses to please her god-daughter. Have you

ing and middle too, I sho

, complacently. "I never remember stories or any

ut them away carefully, is it the fault of the shape o

sn't," replied Molly, taking heed to her words half-way

smiled, but

g little brain it is,

s a dart; the "November roses" in her cheeks were of their kind as sweet as the June ones that nestled there long ago-ah! so long ago now; and the look in her eyes had a tenderness and depth which can only come from a life

ctly about the children in my books, each of whom had his or her distinct place in my affections. I liked to know their names, their ages, all about their homes and their relations most exactly, and more than once I was laughed at for writing out a

ut a dream, and, what was more, had lost its charm. She had grown to love her new home, endeared now by so many associations; she had got used to the ways of the people, and felt as if English ways would be strange to her, and as aunty's only idea of happiness was to find it in hers, the mother and daughter had decided to make their home where for nearly fourteen years it had been. They had gone to England this autumn for a few weeks, finally to arrange some matters that had been left unsettled, and while there something happened which made them very glad that they had done so. Mr. Heriott, the children's father, had received an appointment in India, which would take him there for two or three years, and though grandmother and aunty were sorry to think of his going so far away, they were-oh, I can't tell you how delighted! when he agreed to their proposal, that the children's home for the time should be with them. It would be an advantage for the girls' French, said grandmother, and would do Ralph no harm for a year or two, and if his father's absence lasted longer, it coul

roved to be all that could be wished of aunty-k

, with spectacles and a hookey nose?" thought Molly, and as the thought struck h

when reading very small print, or busied with some peculiar

staring at so? Is my cap cro

her seat, and in another moment was round the table with a rush, which would have been sadly t

when she was stopped by feeling two arms hugging her tightly, an

you dear little grandmother, and I thought I'd like to kiss you. I don't want you to have a gold-headed stick, but I do want one thing, and the

, my dear child," she said, but Molly detected t

tories-not real, I don't mean, for very often the nicest aren't real, about fairies, you know-but you k

ld be beautiful if I

ey would be. Will

t present. You have ever so much to think of with all the travelling

see,' just means, 'I can't be troubled,' or, 'don't bother.

dear; and now, what about going to bed?

ot a bit tire

half-past eight, and Ra

arted a new flow of i

ve, "that reminds me of one thing I wanted to ask you

ver come down?'" repeated grandmothe

heard," began Sylv

d in Paris by the top of the be

wanted to steal his

s a little girl; it really happened to a friend of my grandfather's, and afterwards I came across it in a little book about

ng your old child's books, mother. A queer little musty

y. "You see it frightened aunty too

he would rather not go to Paris at all. That's what I call being babyish-it isn't the feeling fright

. That is what mor

ed upon her. "I see. Then it doesn't matter

sensible, and to have good nerves, which it would take a good deal to startle

couldn't help telling," said Sylvia, laughi

nt Ralph. I wouldn't ever be frightened if I had Fusser, I don't think. I do so wish I had asked papa to let him come w

long after, Sylvia and Molly began to look so sleepy, in spite of their protestations that the dustman's cart was nowhere near their door, that au

olly, in a voice which tried hard to b

d candid, though of too pale a blue to show at first sight the expression they really contained. Just now too, they were blinking and winkin

other dear,' to you, my dear

really I mean," said Molly, laughing a

ou have nice honest e

ly. Ralph calls them 'cats',' and 'boiled gooseberries,'" she said.

her in turn, "and we won't make comparisons. Both p

ght wit

is an

e grand-daughters. Ralph, you'll sit u

er says, doesn't she, Sylvia?" sa

"I don't know about they're being fun

to bed, for then you're very o

part, and, after kissing each other good night, b