Book Description

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1871 edition. Excerpt: ...with sand out of the gravel-walk, and stir it all up together with the egg-spoon; a piece of untidiness which Little Sunshine resented extremely. She had never grown reconciled to Austin Thomas. In spite of his burly good-nature, and his broad beaming countenance (which earned him the nick-name of 'Cheshire, ' from its supposed likeness to the Cheshire Cat in 'Alice's Adventures'), she refused to play with him; whenever he appeared, her eye followed him with distrust and suspicion, and when he said 'Danmamma, ' she would contradict him indignantly. 'It isn't grandmamma, it's my mamma, my own mamma. Go away, naughty boy ' If he presumed to touch the said mamma, it was always, 'Take me up in your arms, in your own arms'--so as to prevent all possibility of Austin Thomas's getting there. But one unlucky day Austin tumbled down, and though more frightened than hurt, cried so much that, his own mamma being away, Sunny's mamma took him and comforted him, soothing him on her shoulder till he ceased sobbing. This was more than human nature could bear. Sunny did nothing at the time, except pull frantically at her mamma's gown, but shortly afterwards she and Austin Thomas were found by themselves, engaged in single combat on the gravel walk. She had seized him by the collar of his frock, and was kicking him with all her might, while he on his part was pommelling at her with both his little fat fists, like an infant prize-fighter. It was a pitched battle, pretty equal on both sides; and conducted so silently, in such dead earnest, that it would have been quite funny--if it had not been so very wrong. Of course, such things could not be allowed, even in babies under three years old. Sunny's mamma ran to the spot and separated the combatants by carrying...