She held the boy close and put her cheek to his.
"Yes, dear. Mother understands how you feel about that. That's natural. But what hurts me is, that you won't be friends with Morris. You won't even call him 'Morris' and he's asked you to so often. Can't you do that much to please mother?"
Bobby got very red. He said in a rather strangled voice:
"Mother, please don't ask me to do that."
"Why, dear?"
"'Cause...." He hesitated—then said in a rush, very low:
"'Cause I don't like him 'nuff to do it."
"Oh, Bobby—that hurts mother."
"I'm sorry," he said gravely.
"Then, won't you try to feel differently—for mother's sake?"