“Oh! but—” they all cried, and stopped short.
“He plagues about manners,” said Annie.
“He wanted Susie and me to be sent to school!” said Bessie.
“He said it was like dining with young Hottentots.”
“He told Papa it was disgraceful, when we had all been sliding on the great pond in the village,” added Annie.
“And he gave Sam a box on the ear, for only just taking a dear little river cray-fish in his fishing-net to show Aunt Alice.”
“The net was dripping wet,” observed Bessie.
“Yes,” said Anne; “but Aunt Alice is so finikin and fidgety; she never wets her feet, and can’t get over a stile, and is afraid of a cow; and he wants us all to be like her.”
“And he makes Papa and Mamma mind things that they don’t mind by nature,” said Susan.
“Mamma always tells us to be good, and never play at hockey in the house when he’s there,” said Anne.