Magnum Bonum; Or, Mother Carey's BroodYonge, Charlotte M. (Charlotte Mary)
General
Magnum Bonum; Or, Mother Carey's Brood
Yonge, Charlotte M. (Charlotte Mary)
Domestic fiction; England -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction; Religious fiction
So, as a kind of compromise, she looked at the photograph which hung
below, and to it she almost spoke out her answer. “Yes, I’ll be very
good, and give away lots of things. Mary Ogilvie shall come and keep me
in order, and she won’t let me be naughty, if I ever want to be naughty
when I get away from Ellen. Then Magnum Bonum shall have its turn too.
Don’t be afraid, dearest. If Allen does not take to it now, I am sure
Bobus will be a great chemical discoverer, able to give all his time
and spare no expense, and then we will fit up this dear old house for
a hospital for very poor people. That’s what you would have done if you
had been here! Oh, if this money had only come in time! But here are
these horrid tears! If I once begin crying I shall be good for nothing.
If I don’t go at once, there’s no saying what Jock mayn’t have bought.”
She was just in time to find Jock asking the price of all the animals
in the Pantheon Bazaar, and expecting her to supply the cost of a
vicious-looking monkey. The whole flock collected in due time at the
station, and so did their parcels. Allen brought with him his chief
purchase, the most lovely toy-terrier in the world, whom he presented on
the spot to Elvira, and who divided the journey between licking himself
and devouring the fragments of biscuit with which Jock supplied him.
Allen had also bought a beautiful statuette for himself, and a set of
studs. Janet had set herself up with a case of mathematical instruments
and various books; Bobus’s purchases were divers chemical appliances
and a pocket microscope, also what he thrust into Jessie’s lap and she
presently proclaimed to be a lovely little work-case; Jessie herself was
hugging a parcel, which turned out to contain warm pelisses for the two
nursery boys just above the baby. For the adaptation of their seniors’
last year’s garments had not proved so successful as not to have much
grieved the good girl and her mother.
Elvira’s money had all gone into an accordion, and a necklace of large
blue beads.
“Didn’t you get anything for your grandfather or your cousins?” said
Caroline.
“I wanted it all,” said Elfie; “and you only gave me two sovereigns, or
I would have had the bracelets too.”
“Never mind, Elfie,” cried Babie, “I’ve got something for Mr. Gould and
for Kate and Mary.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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