I am very glad you go to dancing-school. Boys, as a general thing, are
too fond of study, and ’t is a good plan to have some contrivance to
take their minds off their books. I suppose you’d like to know what is
going on here at home. Your grandmother sits by the fire knitting some
mittens for you to lose, so be sure you do it. [She says, tell him to be
sure when he goes to dancing-school to wear his overcoat.] Your aunt
Phebe is making jelly tarts. Says I can’t have any till meal-time. [Tell
him to be sure and get cooled off some before he comes away.] Your
grandmother can’t help worrying about that dancing-school. Matilda is
picking over raisins for the pies. She won’t sit very close to me. Now
Tommy has come in, crying with cold hands. Lucy Maria is soaking them in
cold water. I don’t doubt he’ll get a tart. Yes, he has. First he cries,
and then he takes a bite. [Tell him not to go and come in his slippers.]
Aunt Phebe says, “Now there’s William Henry growing up, you ought to
give him some advice.” But I tell her that a boy almost in his teens
knows himself what’s right and what’s wrong. Now Georgiana has come in
crying. Says she stepped her foot through a puddle of ice. Grandmother
has set her up to dry her foot. Now she’ll get a tart, I suppose! Yes
she has. [Tell him to look right at the teacher’s feet.] That’s good
advice if you expect to learn how. Now your aunt says I’m such a good
boy to write letters she’s going to give me this one that’s burnt on the
edge. [Tell him to brush his clothes and not go linty.] More good
advice. I guess now I’ve got the tart I won’t write any more. Of course
we expect you to do just about right. If you neglect your studies and so
waste your father’s money, you’ll be an ungrateful scamp. If you get
into any contemptible mean ways, we shall be ashamed to own you. Do you
mean to do anything or be anything now or ever? If you do, ’t is time
you were thinking about it.