prepared to explain. The desire for
knowledge in the young cannot be too strongly encouraged, and I have
always flattered myself that I can explain in perfectly simple language
anything which a child wants to know. For instance, I once told Margery
what "Miniature Rifle Shooting" meant; it was a head-line which she had
come across in her paper. The explanation took some time, owing to
Margery's pre-conceived idea that a bird entered into it somewhere;
several times, when I thought the lesson was over, she said, "Well, what
about the bird?" But I think I made it plain to her in the end, though
maybe she has forgotten about it now.

"What," said Margery, "does it mean when it says 'Home Rails Firm'?"

I took up my paper again. The Cambridge fifteen I was glad to see, were
rapidly developing into a first-class team, and----

"'Home Rails Firm,'" repeated Margery, and looked up at me.

My mind worked rapidly, as it always does in a crisis.

"What did you say?" I asked in surprise.

"What does 'Home Rails Firm' mean?"

"Where does it say that?" I went on, still thinking at lightning speed.

"There. It said it yesterday too."

"Ah, yes." I made up my mind. "Well, that," I said--"I think that is
something you must ask your father."

"I did ask him yesterday."

"Well, then----"

"He told me to ask Mummy."

Coward!

"You can be sure," I said firmly, "that what Mummy told you would be
right," and I returned to my paper.

"Mummy told me to wait till _you_ came."

Really, these parents! The way they shirk their responsibilities
nowadays is disgusting.

"'Home Rails Firm.'" said Margery, and settled herself to listen.

It is good that children should be encouraged to take an interest in the
affairs of the day, but I do think that a little girl might be taught by
its father (or if more convenient, mother) which part of a newspaper to
read. Had Margery asked me the difference between a bunker and a banker,
had she demanded an explanation of "ultimatum" or "guillotine," I could
have done something with it; but to let a child of six fill her head
with ideas as to the firmness or otherwise of Home Rails is hardly nice.
However, an explanation had to be given.

"Well, it's like this, Margery," I said at last. "Supposing--well--you
see, supposing,--that is to say, if I----" and then I stopped. I had a
sort of feeling--intuition, they call it--that I was beginning in the
wrong way.

"Go on," said Margery.

"Perha