HERE once lived a little boy called Basil. He had a good mamma, who worked hard to educate her child. They lived alone: they had no relatives, no servants. His mamma tried never to leave Basil alone in the evening; when she had some work to carry to her employer she always tried to do it in the daytime.
A friend once presented Basil's mamma with a ticket for the theatre. This took place in her absence. When she returned home Basil met her with great joy. 'Mamma dearest, Petr Petróvich (Mr. Peter) has been here and left a ticket for you. You shall go to hear the opera to-night. You like the opera, don't you?'
'But, my dear boy, what shall I do with the ticket? I cannot go.'
'And why, mamma?'
'Why, I can't leave you all alone at home; if we had two tickets we could both go; but without you I can't go.'
'No, no, you must go, mamma,' insisted Basil.
'No, my darling, I can't leave you,' said his mother, sighing; 'you would be afraid, and something might happen to you.'
'You might ask Mrs. Lookina to stay with me.'
Mrs. Lookina was their neighbour, living on the same landing in the same large house.
'It is hard to be under an obligation to any one, my dear; the last time when I had to take home some hurried work I asked Mrs. Lookina to stay some time with you. I cannot do so too often; she has work of her own.'