"Oh, she has got a cold, I suppose," said Florrie, impatiently; "she is always having colds."
"Then we shall have to stay indoors. How horrid!" exclaimed Gertie.
"Oh; I hope not," said Katie, in a tone of dismay, for one of the chief pleasures of a visit to Grandmamma was a game in the large old-fashioned garden, which lay at the back of the house. "Surely it can't hurt her to be out on such a lovely day as this!"
But they soon learned that there was to be no play in the garden for them that afternoon. Cousin Edith, a pretty delicate-looking child, who was often ailing in health, had a bad cold and sore throat, and her mother, who idolised this her only child, was tenderly anxious that her darling should run no risk of increasing her cold. The cousins had been invited for Edith's amusement; and since she could not go into the garden, it was out of the question that they should do so.
"I don't believe it would hurt Edith, aunt," Kate took it upon herself to remark; "papa says that it is a mistake to coddle children."
"My dear Kate, you should not be so ready to give your opinion," Mrs. Hobson said, reprovingly. "There is no coddling in this case. A delicate little creature like my Edith requires to be more carefully cherished than strong robust girls like you."
"We are not so very strong," said Florrie. "Gertie often catches cold, and she had to take cod liver oil in the spring. But mamma never keeps her in when the weather is fine."
"Really, you young people are very forward in expressing yourselves," said their aunt; "I understand that you have a new governess. I hope she will do something to improve your manners, for they need improvement."
"How do you like her?" asked Edith, in a hoarse little voice.
"Very much indeed," said Florrie; "she is the nicest governess we have ever had."