John Habberton

“ To see the child, even afar off, was to break my resolution not to see her again: so I followed the broad-shouldered fellow in front of me, though I could not keep pace with his rapid stride.
"Fahver," said little Alice, who as we approached her got into my hammock, "here's teacher's hammock, an' I want you to swing me in it. Teacher, you get in too; my fahver's strong enough to swing two people."
"Thank you, dear, but I'd rather look at you, I think."
"Oh, come on!"
"You haven't the heart to disappoint a child, have you?" said Frank, with a mock-solemn look which I remembered very well. ”

“ The only notable change—except that I am the happiest woman who ever lived—is in Alice Hope: her dolls, or "babies," as she persisted in calling them, are entirely neglected; even Agonies, whom she most pitied, departed unmourned in an ash-barrel. The child spends all her waking moments in as close proximity as possible to a tiny being whom she calls "Buvver." ”

“ I suppose you are passing the summer here?" asked Frank, wisely hurrying to commonplace.
"I am here only for this week," said I, quickly.
"She's over at Miss Dorcas's and Mistress Drusilla's," said the child; "but, oh, dear——"
"Then we are all on the way home. Shall we walk along, and get out of this hot sun?" said Frank.
He took a step or two forward, leading the child; I stood an instant trying hard to frame an excuse to return to one of the farm-houses we had passed, but Alice, looking back, returned, took my hand, and said,—
"Come along, teacher." ”

“ There's a full day before Sunday, though, and we ought to be able to nurse you into feeling all right by that time. 'Twould be a real pity to disappoint folks that'll be going to church for the purpose of seeing you. They've heard so much about you, you know, my dear."
"Heard so much? About me? From whom?" I asked, rapidly, wondering if I were really awake or only dreaming. How could any one have heard anything about me, when I had met absolutely no one but my landladies and Alice Hope? ”

“ I know, as I have said, that I was not entirely an agreeable companion in old times, but I beg you won't think me conceited if I say I am now a better man. I have cultivated the virtue of patience, and I abominate men who insist upon arguing about everything. ”

“ Swing, ah, swingee, swing, swong!"
"Say, fahver," little Alice suddenly shouted, "is you gettin' up a s'prise for me?"
"A surprise?" said Frank from behind us, as he gave the hammock another push. "That's hardly a fair question, darling, and so near your birthday, too. Why do you ask?"
"Oh, I fought maybe you was; dat's all," said the child, drawing back some flying locks from the brow of Agonies.
"Christmas is a good way off, and your birthday is not long past," said the father, as he continued to swing the hammock. "So I scarcely think surprises in order. ”

“ I wished he would have tact enough to take himself away, even if he took my little friend with him,—take himself rudely if necessary, rather than prolong my discomfort.
"I declare," exclaimed Alice Hope at last, finding her tongue, "I do b'lieve you bofe knowed each uvver, an' I didn't know noffin' about it."
"You're quite right, my darling," said Frank. "I was acquainted with Ruth—with Miss Brown before there was any such little girl as you, and I found her the best woman in the world." ”

“ What have you got into your little rattle-trap of a head?"
"I hasn't got anyfin' dere; somebody else put it dere," was the reply. "A lot of folks has been wantin' to know if I was goin' to have a new muvver, an' I fought mebbe you was gettin' up dat kind of s'prise for me." ”