“Dee Lord, not make me sho bad.”  He even retired to a corner and hid his face in self-imposed penance.

“Never mind, Toddie,” said I sadly; “you didn’t mean to do it, I know.”

“I wantsh to love you,” sobbed Toddie.

“Well, come here, you poor little fellow.”

Toddie came to my arms, shed tears freely upon my shirt-front, and finally remarked, “Wantsh you to love me!”

I kissed Toddie, and petted him, and at length succeeded in quieting him.  He looked earnestly, confidingly, in my eyes, and then said, “Kish my dolly, too!”

I obeyed.  My forgiveness was complete, and so was my humiliation.  I withdrew abruptly to write an apology.

III.—­Budge, the Interpreter

On Monday morning I devoted myself to Toddie’s expiatory bouquet, in which I had the benefit of my nephews’ assistance and counsel, and took enforced part in the conversation.

At two o’clock I instructed Maggie to dress my nephews, and at three we started to make our call.  As we approached, I saw Miss Mayton on the piazza.  Handing the bouquet to Toddie, we entered the garden, when he shrieked, “Oh, there’s a cutter-grass!” and with the carelessness born of perfect ecstasy, dropped the bouquet.

I snatched it before it reached the ground, dragged him up to Miss Mayton, and told him to give the bouquet to the lady.  As she stooped to kiss him, he wriggled off like a little eel, shouted “Tum on!” to his brother, and a moment later both were following the lawn-mower at a respectful distance.

“Bless the little darlings!” said Miss Mayton.  “I do love to see children enjoying themselves!”

We settled down to a pleasant chat about books, pictures, music, and the gossip of our set.  Handsome, intelligent, composed, tastefully dressed, she awakened to the uttermost every admiring sentiment and every manly feeling.  When I began to take leave, Miss Mayton’s mother insisted that we should stay to dinner.

“For myself, I should be delighted, Mrs. Mayton,” said I, “but my nephews have hardly learned company manners yet.”

“Oh, I’ll take care of the little dears,” said Miss Mayton.  “They’ll be good with me, I know.”

She insisted, and the pleasure of submitting to her will was so great that I would have risked even greater mischief.  The soup was served, and Toddie immediately tilted his plate so that part of its contents sought refuge in the folds of Miss Mayton’s dainty, snowy dress.  She treated that wretched boy with the most Christian forbearance during the rest of the meal.

When the dessert was finished, she quickly excused herself, and I removed Toddie to a secluded corner, and favoured him with a lecture which caused him to howl pitifully, and compelled me to caress him and undo all the good I had done.

I awaited Miss Mayton’s reappearance to offer an apology for Toddie, and to make my adieus.  The other ladies departed in twos and threes, and left us without witnesses.