Fashion -- 19th century -- Periodicals; United States -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Periodicals; Women's periodicals, American
But Emma roused up at the moment, and began to fret and cry for
something to eat.
"Don't cry, dear. You shall have your supper in a little while. I have
brought you home some nice bread and molasses," said the mother, in
tones meant to soothe and quiet her hungry and impatient little one.
But Emma continued to fret and cry on.
"It's so cold, mamma!" she said. "It's so cold, and I'm hungry!"
"Don't cry, dear," again urged the mother. "I'll make the fire up nice
and warm in a little while, and then you shall have something good to
eat."
But--"It's so cold, mamma! it's so cold! and I'm hungry!" was the
continued and incessant complaint of the poor child.
All this time, Ella had been busily engaged in peeling her orange and
dividing it into four quarters.
"See here, Emma! Look what I've got!" she said, in a lively, cheerful
tone, as soon as her orange had been properly divided. "Come, cover up
in bed here with me, until the fire's made, and you shall have this
nice bit of orange."
Emma's complaints ceased in a moment, and she turned towards her
sister, and clambered upon the bed.
"And here's a piece for you, Henry, and a piece for mother, too,"
continued Ella, reaching out two other portions.
"No, dear, keep it for yourself. I don't want it," said the mother.
"And Emma shall have my piece," responded Henry; "she wants it worse
than I do."
"That is right. Be good children, and love one another," said Mrs.
Gaston, encouragingly. "But Emma don't want brother Henry's piece, does
she?"
"No, Emma don't want brother Henry's piece," repeated the child; and
she took up a portion of the orange as she spoke, and handed it to her
brother.
Henry received it, and, getting upon the bed with his sisters, shared
with them not only the orange, but kind fraternal feelings. The taste
of the fruit revived Ella a good deal, and she, with the assistance of
Henry, succeeded in amusing Emma until their mother had made the fire
and boiled some water. Into a portion of the water she poured about
half of the milk she had brought home, and, filling a couple of tin
cups with this, set it with bread and molasses upon a little table, and
called Henry and Emma to supper. The children, at this announcement,
scrambled from the bed, and, pushing chairs up to the table, commenced
eating the supper provided for them with keen appetites. Into what
remained of the pint of milk, Mrs. Gaston poured a small portion of
hot water, and then crumbled some bread, and put a few grains of salt
into it, and took this to the bed for Ella. The child ate two or three
spoonfuls; but her stomach soon turned against the food.
"I don't feel hungry, mother," said she, as she laid herself back upon
the pillow.
"But you've eaten scarcely anything to-day. Try and take a little
more, dear. It will do you good."
"I can't, indeed, mother." And a slight expression of loathing passed
over the child's face.
"Can't you think of something you could eat?" urged the mother.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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