[Transcriber's Note _Italic words_ in the original have been enclosed in underscores in this version. A few minor typographical errors have been silently corrected. A page number in the Contents was corrected from 77 to 79.] [Illustration: Day after day Johnny watched.--PAGE 15.] NEW BED-TIME STORIES. BY LOUISE CHANDLER MOULTON, AUTHOR OF “BED-TIME STORIES,” “MORE BED-TIME STORIES,” “SOME WOMEN’S HEARTS,” AND “POEMS.” _WITH ILLUSTRATIONS._ [Illustration] BOSTON: LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY, 1907 _Copyright_, 1880, BY LOUISE CHANDLER MOULTON. ALFRED MUDGE & SON, INC., PRINTERS, BOSTON, MASS., U. S. A. _TO MISTRESS BROWN-EYES._ _At Christmas-tide, by Christmas fire, You’ll read these tales of mine;-- I see, above my story-book, Your happy brown eyes shine._ _Dear eyes, that front the future time So fearlessly to-day, Oh, may from them some kindly Fate Keep future tears away,_ _And give you all your heart desires, My little English maid, For whom, in this far-distant land, My loving prayers are said!_ _I pray for Peace, since Peace is good, For Love, since Love is best: If prayers bring blessings, Brown-eyed Girl, How much you will be blest!_ _L. C. M._ _August, 1880._ CONTENTS. PAGE “ALL A-GROWIN’ AND A-BLOWIN’” 5 MY VAGRANT 20 HELEN’S TEMPTATION 35 THE SURGEON OF THE DOLLS’ HOSPITAL 56 PRETTY MISS KATE 79 A BORROWED ROSEBUD 94 TOM’S THANKSGIVING 106 FINDING JACK 124 HER MOTHER’S DAUGHTER 139 MY QUARREL WITH RUTH 158 WAS IT HER MOTHER? 172 THE LADY FROM OVER THE WAY 186 HIS MOTHER’S BOY 200 DR. JOE’S VALENTINE 217 NEW BED-TIME STORIES. “ALL A-GROWIN’ AND A-BLOWIN’.” It had been such a weary hunt for lodgings. Not that lodgings are scarce in London. There are scores of streets, whole districts, indeed, where the house that did not say “Apartments” in its window would be the exception. But Miss Endell wanted to combine a great deal. She must be economical, for her funds were running low; she must be near the British Museum, for she wanted to consult many authorities for the book about “Noted Irishwomen,” by which she hoped to retrieve her fortunes; she wanted quiet, too, and reasonably pretty things about her.