Usually, when Little Jakey stopped his sweet talk, it was like the
running down of a music-box, but not always as easy to set him going
again. Besides, at the close of the last chapter he seemed to think his
story ended, and put up his face for a kiss, as much as to say, Now
please love me a little, and not tease me any more. So I yielded to his
mood, and petted him awhile; wound his curls around my finger, and
talked with him about everything likely to amuse him, until coming to a
little pause in the conversation, I said,--
"How long did you stay with those _thee_ and _thou_ friends, Jakey? How
long did the good man keep you with him in his house?"
"O, big long time I stay dare," he said, "and von time I come mit Mary
in ze school vare ce go, and all ze Sundays ze lady and ze good man say
dot I come mit zem all to ze Meeting. I love Mary; ce give me ze
flowers, and I sleept mit her in ze bed; and all ze time I go mit her
in ze garden, and ce tell me ze vords and ze flowers vot I not know.
"Much times ven ze peoples come dare vot say zee and zou, ze good man
lif me in hees arms, and he tell me dot I talk mit zem, and much zey
kiss me. Von time von man give me in my pocket ze big moneys, and zen
Mary ce come mit me to ze store, and ce sell zem, and ce buy me ze coat
mit ze but-tens, vot I vear in ze Meeting. And ven I go to ze Meeting,
Mary ce tie ze ribbon roun my hat, and ce bruss me, and ce vash me, and
ce make my curls come roun her fing-er, like my moder; and ce valk mit
me to ze Meeting, and all ze time I sit mit her dare.
"Von day, ven ze good man say dot he bring me here in ze Institution,
vare I read ze letters mit my fing-er, Mary say dot ce vill come mit
me, and Georgy say dot he come; and Franky say dot he come; and
Franky's fader say dot he may, and zey all come in ze carriage, and ze
lady come. Ven zey go avay I not go mit zem, I stay here. Von time Mary
have come here, and ce kiss me much times, and ce bring me ze flowers,
and ce bring me ze cakes; and ven ce go avay ce cry, and ce say dot ce
vill come von oder time, and ce vill bring Franky mit her. But ce have
not come; von day ce vill come.
"Vill Gott know vare I bees, and vill he fine me here, ven he come? My
moder say dot he vill come, and I know he vill."