A very curious little animal lies on the editor’s table this
week. It does not understand the use of cup, plate or spoon, yet
it feeds itself. It does not know any language, yet it makes
itself understood. It never bought itself a dress, yet it has a
whole wardrobe full of clothes. It does not know anybody, yet it
has plenty of friends. Can you guess what it is? It is our
little baby sister.
There were some questionings as to the name to be bestowed on the
newcomer. My father suggested the Greek name of Thyrza, but the good,
Anglo-Saxon name of Maud was finally and appropriately chosen. She was a
beautiful baby—indeed, she has been beautiful all her life. Sister Julia
began another editorial in _The Listener_, some five weeks later,
apropos of the ceremony of weighing the infant:
Wasn’t that a dainty dish to set before the king? George the
Fourth is said to have expressed himself in this manner when, in
his last illness, some water gruel was served to him in a silver
bowl. I wonder whether gruel would taste better out of a silver
dish, a silver spoon does not seem to add much to it.
Here my mother takes up the thread of the story.
The King had been used to the best of living—probably had always
had as much plum-cake as he wanted [did you, ever?] and so it
seemed rather an insult to set water gruel before him, even in
so rich a bowl. We happened to make the same remark as his
Majesty, to-day, when we saw our Baby Sister weighed in a
porcelain dish—she looked so fat and funny.
In the opinion of Julia and Flossy, at this tender age, the only form of
marriage offering any romance was a fleeing one, so to speak,
consummated after an elopement. Thus in Julia’s tale of _Leonora Mayre_,
the hero and heroine run away from England to America, where they are
married. The sequel is decidedly original. Leonora, now Mrs. Clough,
repents deeply the desertion of her parents. She returns, with her maid
but without her husband, to England and to her father’s house.
“The next day Mr. Mayre had a serious conversation with her.
“‘Leonora,’ he said, ‘did you not know that it was very wrong to
disobey me and run away?’
“‘I did not think so at the time, father. At least I did at
first. But then I loved Frank so much that I could not help it.’
“‘I knew, Leonora, that you would not have done it had it not
been for Mr. Clough.’
“‘Why?’
“‘Because I knew that you were too good a girl to do such a
thing.’
“‘I am not good, father,’ said Leonora, ‘or I should not have
been married without your permission.’
“‘Marry? You did not marry Mr. Clough, did you?’
“‘Yes.’
“‘Oh, Leonora! my child! Is it possible?’ said Mr. Mayre.
“He said no more, but looks were enough. He seemed perfectly
distracted. Leonora left the room and went up to her own; then,
throwing herself on the bed, burst into tears.”
We are glad to be able to reassure our readers about the sequel.
Mr. Mayre felt better in half an hour and ultimately forgave the
erring Frank, who returned from America. He argues the case with
his angry father-in-law.
“Frank was perfectly composed. ‘Mr. Mayre,’ said he, in answer
to the other’s angry words, ‘you think your daughter is good and
beautiful and attractive, do you not?’
“‘Certainly, sir.’
“‘And you love her very much?’
“‘Of course.’
“‘Well, then, if she has the same charms for others that she has
for you, can you blame me for loving her?’
“‘You had a right to love her, but you had no right to marry her
against my will.’
“‘I don’t suppose I had, but you ought to pardon me if I am
sorry.’
“‘I have not heard that you were sorry.’
“‘You now hear it, then. Have I your forgiveness or your anger;
your daughter or your scorn?’
“‘My daughter,’ said Mr. Mayre, with emphasis, ‘for she could
never have had a better husband.’”
If “Miss Flossy Howe” did not write for _The Listener_, the editors
were, nevertheless, generous enough to “figure her” in its pages. Her
appearance at sister Julia’s birthday party in the drama of “The Three
Bears” is thus chronicled by Mamma’s faithful pen. The Three Bears were
acted by my father and sisters Julia and Laura:
_The Listener_
_March 11th._