ake complaints about "unfairness in
the teachers," and said his "schoolmistress had favorites, he was very
sure," with many other things, equally untrue.

His mother listened to his list of troubles, and told him, that she
feared the fault lay nearer home, and that he had not taken all the
pains he ought, nor sought to profit by her kind instructions.

George strove to justify himself, but failed in his endeavors to
convince his mother that he had been dutiful and diligent; but as her
strength was small, she gave up the debate, and listened languidly,
whilst he talked on unceasingly about "The Crystal Palace," and wondered
whether Frank would _ever_ think about his promise, and listened
for the sound of every carriage wheel that rumbled in the distance and
rushed up to the window, whenever any vehicle came down the quiet
street, and wearied both himself and all around him, by his useless
lamentations.

Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday too, thus passed away. But on Wednesday he
had grown quite insupportable, and his mother was compelled to banish
him from her own bedroom, and giving him a puzzle she had purchased,
requested him to go into the dining-room, and put them all together. But
George rejected all amusements but the _very_ one he wanted, and
went instead into the nursery, where he plagued the younger children,
took away their little toys, played with them so roughly, that he threw
them on the floor, made _them_ all fretful, and the maid so vexed,
that she told him he had grown quite tiresome, and "that she panted for
the time when he would be packed off to school again." Whereupon he flew
into a passion, which ended in a fit of sobbing and crying: the noise
awoke the baby, nurse grew very angry, and pushed him out into the
dining-room, bidding him stay there alone, and come no more near her.

Just at this very time Frank saw his dear Grandma appeared much better,
coughed much less frequently, spoke much more easily, and moved about
more freely. So he thought the time was come to talk about "The Crystal
Palace." He said "how much he wished to see it, when it was convenient,
and that he should also like to show it to George Grant, if she had no
objection, for that his parents had no time to take him to it."

Pleased with his consideration, his grandmamma immediately complied with
his request, and, as the day was very fine for winter, ordered the
carriage to be ready in two hours, and promised to go round and take up