Elizabeth Jordan

“ The governess summoned all her courage for a final appeal.
"Once more, Professor, pardon," she said, quietly. "It is necessary that I speak; the time has come. It is worse, always worse, each day. The child has a most beautiful nature; it is becoming ruined. Her life it is not natural. She has no playmates, except by stealth; she does what pleases her. ”

“ Some fings have to be twue."
She began to cry—a most unusual thing for Hildegarde to do. Apparently the many disappointments of a short life had at last destroyed even her optimism. Professor Seymour turned rather pale. His scientific friends had warned him that some such time would come, and here it was, with a vengeance! Somehow the usual arguments did not spring to his lips, the usual sense of keen disapproval of traditions did not fill his heart. He wondered why. The tradition of Christmas was an especially beautiful one, with its Christ-child—
"Some fings have to be true." ”

“ As to playmates, she is better alone. It is when she disobeys us and seeks other children that trouble invariably follows. We have had mournful demonstration of that to-day."
The governess dropped her eyes. She knew what that narrow line of the lips meant. She had seen it too often during the past six months not to recognize obstinacy it noted. In matters save this of his special hobby Professor Seymour was gentle and easily moved. Here—he apparently stood like a rock, and not even Hildegarde's small local explosions could shake his firm convictions concerning her. ”

“ However, she is still very young. In fact, she has not yet reached the fifth anniversary of her birth. I venture therefore to hope that as her mind matures and she becomes able to lend me more intelligent cooperation— Dear, dear, what is she doing now?"
He stopped and gazed helplessly over his glasses at the deeply engrossed child. In one hand she held a mucilage-bottle and in the other the end of a small Shiraz rug, on which she poured the sticky fluid quickly and with lavish generosity. ”

“ Moreover, she must be spared the myths of childhood—the fairy-tales, the goblins, the Santa Claus and reindeer fables. Nor must reference be made in her hearing to the various traditions of religion. She is not aware that there is fear or falsehood in the world. The time will come when I will no longer be able to spare her this knowledge, but at least we can do so now. She must not play with other children, as their minds and conversation are full of trivialities. There must be no corporal punishment. ”

“ He was born then, God was, in a stable. So now folks are glad, and evewybody gets pwesents. Santa Claus bwings 'em—the pwesents, you know. An' he comes down the chimney wif a big sleigh, an' he dwives lots and lots of deers in the sleigh. An' evewybody gets fings in 'tockings. We hang them up, you know. It's just booful. I never heerd such nice 'tories. Georgie told me. He came frough the hedge. He bwought his picture-books. Santa Claus was in them. Georgie said I must hang my 'tockings up, bofe. All the children will hang theirs up. Then Santa Claus will fill them. ”