memory of Maimie, and
because he still loves to do just as he believes real boys would do.

But you must not think that, because somewhere among the trees the
little house is twinkling, it is a safe thing to remain in the Gardens
after Lock-out time. If the bad ones among the fairies happen to be
out that night they will certainly mischief you, and even though they
are not, you may perish of cold and dark before Peter Pan comes round.
He has been too late several times, and when he sees he is too late he
runs back to the Thrush's Nest for his paddle, of which Maimie had told
him the true use, and he digs a grave for the child and erects a little
tombstone, and carves the poor thing's initials on it. He does this at
once because he thinks it is what real boys would do, and you must have
noticed the little stones, and that there are always two together. He
puts them in twos because they seem less lonely. I think that quite
the most touching sight in the Gardens is the two tombstones of Walter
Stephen Matthews and Phoebe Phelps. They stand together at the spot
where the parish of Westminster St. Mary's is said to meet the Parish
of Paddington. Here Peter found the two babes, who had fallen
unnoticed from their perambulators, Phoebe aged thirteen months and
Walter probably still younger, for Peter seems to have felt a delicacy
about putting any age on his stone. They lie side by side, and the
simple inscriptions read

+---------+ +---------+
| W. | | 13a |
| St. M. | and | P. P. |
| | | 1841. |
+---------+ +---------+

David sometimes places white flowers on these two innocent graves.

But how strange for parents, when they hurry into the Gardens at the
opening of the gates looking for their lost one, to find the sweetest
little tombstone instead. I do hope that Peter is not too ready with
his spade. It is all rather sad.

[Illustration: Rear cover art]

End of Project Gutenberg's Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens, by J. M. Barrie

*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PETER PAN IN KENSINGTON GARDENS ***

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