THE FRIGHTENED OLD BACHELOR.
"Did you ever!" exclaimed the children, eagerly. "What a perfect bird of an Aunt Fanny! How perfectly delightful!"
"She wishes me to ask how you would like her to send you each a story, that you would know had been written especially for you?"
"Oh! oh! oh! what a capital idea!" cried all the children, clapping their hands at such a rate, that an old bachelor opposite opened the window and looked out with a spy-glass, to see where the fire was; and nearly frightened a lamplighter into fits, who was just at that very moment lighting a lamp at his door.
This most delightful announcement made the children chatter so fast, that Charley became nearly sick, laughing at what they said; for George again called Aunt Fanny a "perfect bird!" and Harry improved it by exclaiming that she was a perfect cat bird! which, of course, meant something very complimentary.
"Won't she write stories like a mice!" cried Johnny.
"And won't mamma read the writing like a precious kitten!" said Clara.
"Well, I never knew kittens could read writing before," laughed Harry.