Grandmother Dear: A Book for Boys and Girls

e every morning w

g, and c

win R

othing more was said about Molly before her, but on

ou to see me some day. And your sister may come, too, if she

nervous: it would never do for Sylvia, too, to shock Miss Wren's notion of the proprieties by bursting out with some speech in Molly's defence

for Molly. Sylvia came back looking rather alarmed. No Molly was t

w her go out about half-an-hour ago. She is very fond of the little

ome till four;" for Ralph had begun going to school every day. "Laura," she w

with Molly now, grandmother," she said. "I know it seemed l

then, do you think

t was a plan of her own, but it wasn'

tation of young trees, where any one could be easily perceived, especially now when the leaves were

y had left the house by the back gate-"and see

e lodge they saw old Ma

re for half-an-hour. Poor little lady, she was in trouble, and I tried to console her. But the dear ladies have not bee

ou, we should have been quite satisfied. Run in, Sylvia, and tel

g forward, but Mar

" it sounded so pretty-"a moment. The little sister has fallen asleep. She was sitting by

lf sitting, by the rough open fireplace, her head on a little wooden stool on which Marie had placed a cushion, her lon

yes filled

ems so careless, you know, but once she does care, she cares more than any one I know. And look, aunty." She pointed to a little parcel on the floor at Molly's

g permission, off she set. She had not far to go. Coming down the g

fallen fast asleep. She'd been crying so, old Marie said. And she had

broke the very splotchy-look

indeed, I didn't mean to mock you, dear grandmother. It is that that I can't bear, that you should think so. It was a plan I had made to teach me to be caref

ol

seem strange to you my little Sylvia, that an old woman like me should talk of having lessons? It is true all the same-and I hope, do you know, dear?-I hope that up to the very last

lvia, and then

what,

big people and children was that the big people had learnt their lessons, and that was why they could help us

ill rising in front. And knowing and remembering the difficulties we had long ago when we first began climbing, we can help and advise the little ones who in their turn are at the outset of the journey. On

r gave a l

t those people who haven't learnt when they were little, they ca

lessons they neglected yesterday. We all feel that, Sylvia, all of us. Only in another way we may get good o

hich had slipped half off the stool, Molly opened her eyes, and gazed up at grandmother in bewilde

e said. "I wrote a note, where is it?"

r? of course I will if there is anything to forgive. But te

all my brooches every day for a good while-a month perhaps. For you know it is very difficult to put brooches in quite straight and neat, not to break the pins. It has always been such a

now that the flush of sleep had faded from it, and her poor e

am sure you will try to be careful. But the next time you make a plan for t

k and hugged her, and old Marie looked quite

cottage she came forward wit

o grandmother. "Might she send them up to the hou

other

the apples? oh, yes, of course. I see th

ew years now and they will be indeed all over for me. 'Tis to-morrow my fête day, Madame; that was why they sent t

ounger lately-does it not?-with my little girls and my boy beside me. You must come up to see us to-morrow that we may give you

. "A stupid old woman like me to be asked to tell her little stories-but we shall se

e-tree, grandmother?" said Sylvia,

be coming up to-morrow morning to see us, as it is her

ime with you, grandmot

n, poor thing; but she will tell you all about it. She is getting old, you see, and ol

ng her, for by this time they were in the drawing-

n in France, had grown so exceedingly "John Bull," that he could hardly b

nded him his second one, "they're fairy apples

lph, taking a good bite

e that, any way," persisted

! I think your ears

idn't exactly say so, but what you sa

l hear to-morrow all there is to tell-a very simple lit

's about thirteen, a year or so younger than I-his name's Prosper something or other-I actually met him out of school

or boy?" as

ne of them are that. But he got precious red, I

es he not do his lessons

ured fellow. It was only so like a cad to g

never saw your uncle Jack, of course; h

ed in the Crimea?" he said, lowering his voice a

ou a little adventure of his. He wrote it out to please me not long before his death. I

children all together, Molly adding, ecstatically clasping her

ardly tell you what it is about, without telling the whole. The

dmother did not agree with him that carrying a bundle of wood th