Page:Harper's New Monthly Magazine - v109.djvu/169



ONY, looking back on the six years of his existence, could not remember any event so productive of delight as the coming of gran'muvvie. At first her advent had been bewildering. Tony didn't understand about her. Tony knew about fathers and mothers and Tony knew about God. He had vague ideas about grandfathers and grandmothers, because two "gran'pas" and one "gran'ma" were in heaven. He was going there some day, he told his mother—in the winter, when he could not play outdoors—"just to see what they were like," assuring her at the same time, "In course I'll come back."

But gran'muvvie was a new proposition. She certainly was not "gran'ma in the city," because she was "awful old—older than I can count, and I can count till fifty." Favver had said "gran 'ma in the city" was old like Mrs. Brown next door. True, gran'muvvie had white hair and wore specs, but Mrs. Brown chased little boys and scolded, while gran'muvvie loved little boys—she told Tony so. Gran'muvvie laughed almost all the time when she didn't cough. It was such a beautiful cough. All the little boys wanted to hear it. Tony charged an apple or a lick of taffy for the privilege. His mother failed to understand the sudden invasion of boy. His grandmother thought them very polite to call upon her. Once it was very embarrassing. Tony had whetted the curiosity of Bertie Simmons. Consequently Bertie was overcharged. Tony demanded two apples and four licks of taffy. Gran'muvvie smiled and shook hands with Bertie. But she did not cough. She went on reading the newspaper. Bertie waited. Then he grew wrathful.

"Give me back my apple. She don't cough." Then gran'muvvie laughed and laughed and coughed until she cried. Tony wished he had asked for five licks of taffy. For Bertie ruined trade. Muvvie heard.

Gran'muvvie was such fun. She went fishing and helped put on the worms. She never grew nervous when a fellow sat on a log and offered to hold him on.

Sometimes they had great luck. One day they caught a sunfish, a perch, and three minnows. Tony guessed, "It's 'coz it's Friday, fish-day." The excitement must have been too much for gran'muvvie. Anyway, she suggested going home. Tony gave gracious assent. Possibly his readiness to abandon the scene of his triumph was not disinterested. In common with all anglers he yearned to Haunt the catch of the season. With apparent guilelessness he chose the longer way home, explaining, "The other path ain't shady." They might meet Bertie Simmons. Anyway, there were the circus posters. Gran'muvvie had not displayed much interest in the coming of the circus. Maybe she would be as anxious to go as he was if she saw the pictures. Tony was killing