"'Why, Frank,' said his mother, 'what spirits you have. But it is rude to treat your little cousin in that way. Go and tell her you are sorry.'
"'I won't,' said Frank.
"'Very well, then you shall not dine with me to-day.' Thereupon he set up one of his dreadful shrieks, when Lily said, 'Don't cry; on the whole it won't do to forbid you dining with me, because it would annoy grandma. Ask Aunt Belle if that isn't the case.'
"She looked at me, and I said, 'Lily, dear, don't break your word; for the child's sake, I beg you not.'
'Oh,' she said, 'I spoke impulsively; it will just spoil my lunch if Franky is in disgrace. Belle, I wish you didn't make so much of every trifle.' I said I could not think it a trifle to break one's word."
"I hope Franky did not hear this discussion," interposed Mrs. Grey.
"Not he; the moment Lily let him off as to the matter of dinner he was at his ease, and rushed off into some other piece of mischief. I said a good deal to Lily, and at last, she called Frank and said to him, 'Your aunt thinks you ought to be punished for your naughty ways; now, if I let you off about the dinner, I shall have to think of some other way of dealing with you. Perhaps I shall use papa's little rod.'
"'Ho, papa's little rod! You can't hurt me with it.'
"'Yes, I can, and I shall, too; and now, go away, and play.'
"This morning I reminded her of her threat to the child, and asked her if she had carried it out.