is is only
one's admiration for the buds of the present season. None of them has
ever been so winning as this little maid, who even attracts Dr. Hoxton
himself, and obtains sugar-plums and kisses. 'Rather she than I,' says
Harry, but notice is notice to the white Mayflower, and there is my
anxiety--I am afraid it is not wholesome to be too engaging ever to get
a rebuff. I hope having a younger sister, and outgrowing baby charms may
be salutary. Flora soon left off thinking about her beauty, and the fit
of vanity does less harm at five than fifteen. My poor Tom has not such
a happy life as Blanche, he is often in trouble at lessons, and bullied
by Harry at play, in spite of his champion, Mary; and yet I cannot
interfere, for it is good for him to have all this preparatory teasing
before he goes into school. He has good abilities, but not much
perseverance or energy, and I must take the teaching of him into my
own hands till his school-days begin, in hopes of instilling them.
The girlishness and timidity will be knocked out of him by the boys,
I suppose; Harry is too kind and generous to do more than tease him
moderately, and Norman will see that it does not go too far. It is a
common saying that Tom and Mary made a mistake, that he is the girl,
and she the boy, for she is a rough, merry creature, the noisiest in the
house, always skirmishing with Harry in defence of Tom, and yet devoted
to him, and wanting to do everything he does. Those two, Harry and Mary,
are exactly alike, except for Harry's curly mane of lion-coloured wig.
The yellow-haired laddie, is papa's name for Harry, which he does not
mind from him, though furious if the girls attempt to call him so.
Harry is the thorough boy of the family, all spirit, recklessness, and
mischief, but so true, and kind, and noble-hearted, that one loves him
the better after every freely confessed scrape. I cannot tell you how
grateful I am to my boy for his perfect confidence, the thing that
chiefly lessens my anxiety for him in his half-school, half-home life,
which does not seem to me to work quite well with him. There are two
sons of Mrs. Anderson's at the school, who are more his friends than I
like, and he is too easily led by the desire not to be outdone, and to
show that he fears nothing. Lately, our sailor-guest has inspired him
with a vehement wish to go to sea; I wish it was not necessary that the
decision should be made so early in life, for this fault is just what
w