Oldal 27 [27]
LITTLE LORD FAUNTLEROY 7
—
look, as if he were sorry for me, and then he will come and pet me
or show me something. He is such a little man, I really think
he knows."
As he grew older, he had a great many quaint little ways which
amused and interested people greatly. He was so much of a com¬
panion for his mother that she scarcely cared for any other. They
used to walk together and talk together and play together. When
he was quite a little fellow, he learned to read; and after that he
used to lie on the hearth-rug, in the evening, and read aloud—some¬
times stories, and sometimes big books such as older people read,
and sometimes even the newspaper; and often at such times Mary,
in the kitchen, would hear Mrs. Errol laughing with delight at the
quaint thing's he said.
‘“ And, indade,” said Mary to the groceryman, ‘nobody cud help
laughin’ at the quare little ways of him—and his ould-fashioned
sayin's! Did n't he come into my kitchen the noight the new Prisi¬
dent was nominated and shtand afore the fire, lookin’ loike a pictur’,
wid his hands in his shmall pockets, an’ his innocent bit of a face as
Sayrious as a jedge? An sez he to me: ‘ Mary, sez he, ‘I m very
much int’rusted in the ‘lection,’ sez he. ‘I’m a ‘publican, an so is
Dearest. Are you a’publican, Mary?’ "Sorra a bit, sez 1; "I m
the bist o’ dimmycrats!’ An’ he looks up at me wid a look that ud
go to yer heart, an’ sez he: ‘ Mary, sez he, ‘the country will go to
)
ruin. An’ nivver a day since thin has he let go by widout argyin
wid me to change me polytics.
Mary was very fond of him, and very proud of him, too. She.
had been with his mother ever since he was born; and, after his
fathers death, had been cook and housemaid and nurse and every¬
thing else. She was proud of his graceful, strong little body and
his pretty manners, and especially proud of the bright curly hair
which waved over his forehead and fell in charming love-locks on