Page:History of the yellow dwarf.pdf/18

18 him best; and pleading a violent headache as an excuse for not undrawing the curtain, said, cleaning should be left until the following week, when she trusted to be better.

“Do so,” said Celia, who dearly loved her grandmother; “then I will come and bring you some custards, and every thing we have got that is nice.”

The cruel wolf heard all she said without feeling the least pity or desisting from his plan; for though he had made a hearty meal of the poor grandmother, Red Riding-Hood was too dainty a treat for the glutton to withstand; he acccerdinglyaccordingly [sic] again desired her to come to bed.

“Only look up dear grandmother, and see how nicely I have decorated your chimney-piece, I know you aroare [sic] fond of flowers, ”said the artless girl.

“True, darling,” replied thothe [sic] wolf, burying his head under thothe [sic] clothes lest he should betray himself, “but my head aches so sadly I cannot raise it from the pillow.”

“How sorry I am,” said Celia, “and how grieved my parents, mother in particular, will be, to hear you aroare [sic] so ill; when they know it they will soon be herohere [sic]. Shall I help you to some of the nice white cake, and a glass of wine?”

“No, thank you,” answered he, “I can take none just now, for I made a hearty meal, which I relished much, just beforobefore [sic] you came and I heard your welcome voice.”

Here the wolf spoke true; hohe [sic] had so filled his stomach with poor granny, that at present he had no appetitoappetite [sic] for another ropast, or he would not have spared LittloLittle [sic] Red Riding-Hood so long.

ColiaCelia [sic] had not beonbeen [sic] long in bed when she thus began;—“Grandmother, as I was coming along, who do you think I met.”

“I cannot guess, child, so pray tell mome [sic], that is thothe [sic] readiest and most proper way.”

“I met the wolf of the wood; and at first I was so frightened that I thought to hasten to some farmer’s men who were near, and cry for aid, as you and my mother have often told me if any thing happened on the road to alarm me, to do.”

"So you ought to have done,” said the wolf, “If