"They consulted me at breakfast (they had ordered sweet milk and water,
and toast and currant jelly, over night) about the pony, and I told 'em
that it did unfortunately happen that the pony was half clipped, but
that he'd be finished clipping in the course of the day, and that
to-morrow morning at eight o'clock he would be ready. My own opinion is
that Mrs. Harry Walmers junior was beginning to give in. She hadn't had
her hair curled when she went to bed, and she didn't seem quite up to
brushing it herself, and it getting into her eyes put her out. But
nothing put out Mr. Harry. He sat behind his breakfast cup tearing away
at the jelly, as if he'd been his own father.
"In the course of the morning, Master Harry rung the bell,--it was
surprising how that there boy did carry on,--and said in a sprightly
way, 'Cobbs, is there any good walks in the neighborhood?'
"'Yes, sir, there's Love Lane.'
"'Get out with you, Cobbs!'--that was that there mite's
expression--'you're joking.'
"'Begging your pardon, sir, there really is a Love Lane, and a pleasant
walk it is; and proud shall I be to show it to yourself and Mrs. Harry
Walmers junior.'
"Well, I took him down Love Lane to the water meadows, and there Master
Harry would have drowned himself in another minute a getting out a
water-lily for her. But they was tired out. All being so new and strange
to them, they were as tired as tired could be. And they laid down on a
bank of daisies and fell asleep.
"They woke up at last, and then one thing was getting pretty clear to
me, namely, that Mrs. Harry Walmers junior's temper was on the move.
When Master Harry took her round the waist, she said he 'teased her so';
and when he says, 'Norah, my young May moon, your Harry tease you?' she
tells him, 'Yes, and I want to go home.'
"A boiled fowl, and baked bread and butter pudding, brought Mrs. Walmers
up a little; but I could have wished, I must privately own, to have seen
her more sensible to the voice of love and less abandoning herself to
the currants in the pudding. However, Master Harry, he kep' up, and his
noble heart was as fond as ever. Mrs. Walmers turned very sleepy about
dusk, and began to cry. Therefore, Mrs. Walmers went off to bed as per
yesterday; and Master Harry ditto repeated.
"About eleven at night comes back the governor in a chaise, along of
Master Harry's father and a elderly lady. And Master Harry's door being
unlocked by me, Master Harry's father goes in, goes up to the bedside,
bends gently down, and kisses the little sleeping face. Then he stands
looking at it for a moment, looking wonderfully like it; and then he
gently shakes the little shoulder. 'Harry, my dear boy! Harry!'
"Master Harry starts up and looks at his pa. Such is the honor of that
mite, that he looks at me, too, to see whether he has brought me into
trouble.
"'I am not angry, my child. I only want you to dress yourself and come
home.'
"'Yes, Pa.' Master Harry dresses himself quick.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account