Page:Live and Let Live.djvu/136

 Lucy's faculties who has seen "mother's room," in a house where there are half a dozen boys, a baby, and a "never mind!" mother. The Lovetts' hospitality was the first ray of kindness that had fallen on the poor stranger since he had reached our shore, whither he had come full of hope as the pioneer of starving friends at home. In Charles's absence not one of the family could speak an intelligible word to him; but each, eagerly offering some kindness, employed a language as universal as human feelings. Bobby set his favourite cat on the stranger's knee, and the baby, sitting on Lucy's lap, snatched from her plate a "buckwheat" and offered it to him. "Willie, dear!" exclaimed Lucy, repressing his hand, "you are dripping the molasses all over the cloth." A tear of pleasure started into the mother's eye. "Never mind, Lucy!" she said; "dear little fellow, how strange he should enter into his feelings!"

"Mother!" cried out one of the little boys, "do see Bob and puss drinking milk out of the same cup!" The mother reproved Bobby, but, joining in the general laugh, the reproof was neutralized.

"You need not all laugh at me," retorted Bobby, "for Sam lets his dog eat out of his plate."

"But not when he does," interposed Lucy.

"No, but he lets Jerry Bantam pick the corns off his lips, and I am sure my pussy's mouth is as clean as Jerry's—you need not laugh so, mother, it's cleaner than baby's was yesterday when you kissed it, and said you did not mind such a sweet little fellow's dirt."

"Oh, Bob! I guess not."

"Well, if you did not say so, mother, you did not mind it."