Next morning I could not eat any breakfast, but kept calling for brother
Charley, Bob and grandpa. Everything was so still and silent here in the
big house. Oh the longing in a child's heart for the old familiar faces
and home! Child that I was it seemed to me all that made life sweet had
gone out of my life. I grew sick, I could not eat, and for several days
lay on my little bed. Little Lilly tried to amuse me with her dolls and
music box, but my heart was longing for grandpa, Charley and Bob. One
morning father came and took me up and carried me into another room.
There was Charley and Bob. It was a happy meeting with us all, but I
felt too weak to play. At night father took Bob home and left Charley
with us, but Charley, too, was not happy, he could not whittle his
sticks or spin his top like he could at home. Mother, too, missed her
home. Here everything was silent, and still all were very kind to us.
But mother missed our noise and singing. Little Charley, too, began to
droop. At night he went to look out of the window, and when he saw the
lights in our windows at home across the river he began to cry, saying
to mother, "I want to go home to grandpa." Next day we were both sent
home, and grandpa and Bob were so happy. Lewis and Toney, too, were
anxious for us all to be home again. At night we were taken again to the
big house, as mother wanted us with her. We three children played to
amuse ourselves, but all seemed so quiet to Charley and me. Charley was
more at home now. Miss Harriet let him spin his top and whittle in the
kitchen. After about two weeks mother was ready to go home and we were a
happy family.