“I used to live in Good Children Land,” he answered, pushing back his wig and setting it all awry; “I was happy there; but you see I could not bear the thought of the naughty children. They must be so miserable. So I made up my mind to come and live among them, and whistle sweet tunes to them, and tell them pretty stories that would put beautiful dreams into their hearts, and give them toys. Bribe the little darlings to be good.”
“They are not very good to you,” said Kitty, looking at his tattered coat.
“No; I am often a mass of misery and rags,” said the old man; and as he looked at her a moist brightness like tears came into his eyes. He showed the skirts of his coat-tails all torn, his pockets ragged, his hands scratched. “I sometimes think I’ll go back to Good Children Land,” he continued. “Then I say they don’t want me there so much as they do here. So here I remain, and I don’t mind being scratched and pulled about, if only I keep one child out of Punishment Land.”
“Punishment Land!” said Kitty. “What is that?”
“Oh, it is a dreadful place!” said Daddy Coax, shaking his head till his wig slipped right off, and then he gave it a pull over to his right eyebrow. “I long to keep the children out of it. The little dears, I am sometimes afraid of them, when they are getting angry, and going to have a cry. They tell me I spoil them, and somehow the children don’t love me as I love them; but I have not the heart to see a dear little thing punished—not if it tears my coat-tails. Oh! I don’t know why they won’t love me. They say the little dears won’t respect me, and they say a dreadful thing, that one may be unjust by kindness as well as by severity. It often makes me sad.” Then he gave a little chirruping laugh.
“Ah! it makes me happy to coax the little dears out of their tantrums and their passions. There is great virtue in a big burnt-almond, my honey! Have one!”
He took out a transparent amber box full of bon-bons, and opened it.
“I think I had better wait till I am naughty to have one,” laughed Kitty. The old man laughed also, as if Kitty’s joke delighted him.
“Come and see Daddy Coax’s school-room,” he said, getting up.
Kitty put her hand into his little plump old hand, and they went indoors. The room was full of children.