CHAPTER VIII.

GRANDMOTHER LEE.

Mrs. Lee, the grandmother of the Preston children, remained with the family for several weeks, after Thanksgiving.  Her visit was, on the whole, a pleasant one, though there were some shadows thoughtlessly cast over it by the children.  Age had somewhat impaired her sense of hearing, but yet she always wanted to understand everything that was said in her presence.  Often, when the children were talking to each other in a low tone, she would ask them what they were saying.  Ella did not like these interruptions, and was the first to complain of them.

“O dear,” said she, one day, “I do wonder what makes grandmother so inquisitive.  I really believe she thinks we are talking about her all the time.  I can’t open my mouth, but she wants to know what I said.  Don’t you think she is getting childish, Alice?”

“Why, Ella!” exclaimed Alice, in astonishment, “I should think you would be ashamed to speak so of your poor old grandmother.  What do you think mother would say if she knew what you said!”

“I can’t help it,” replied Ella; “I don’t see why grandmother need be so curious about every little thing that’s said.  I mean to ask her some time when I have a good chance.”

“I should think you had better, Miss Impudence,” said Alice; “perhaps she would like to have you give her some lessons in good behavior.”

Alice did not for a moment suppose that her sister meant to speak to their grandmother upon this subject.  But she had miscalculated the pertness of Ella.  A day or two after this, as several of the children were talking among themselves, the attention of the old lady was arrested.  She could not hear distinctly what they said, but Oscar took a prominent part in the conversation; and a moment after, on his leaving the room, she asked Ella what he wanted.

“O, it was n’t anything that you care about, grandma’am,” replied Ella.

“Is that the way your mother teaches you to answer questions, Ella?” inquired Mrs. Lee, in a mild, reproachful tone.

“No, no, grandmother,” replied Alice, with considerable earnestness; “I shall tell mother how impudently she spoke to you.  A boy has given a little dog to Oscar, and that was what he was telling us about, just before he went out.”

“Why, grandmother,” added Ella, “I did n’t mean to be impudent; but I ’ve noticed that you always want to hear what everybody says, even when they are not talking to you, and mother says that is n’t polite.”

“I am much obliged to you, my dear,” replied her grandmother, very meekly; “after I have taken a few more lessons from you, perhaps I shall know how to behave.”