Pure-hearted little innocents! compared with older people whom we endure, how great thy faith and how few thy faults! How superior thy love——
A knock at the door interrupted me. "Come in!" I shouted.
In stepped Mike, with an air of the greatest secrecy, handed me a letter and the identical box in which I had sent the flowers to Miss Mayton. What could it mean? I hastily opened the envelope, and at the same time Toddie shrieked:—
"Oh, darsh my dolly's k'adle—dare tizh!" snatched and opened the box, and displayed—his doll! My heart sickened, and did not regain its strength during the perusal of the following note:—
"Miss Mayton herewith returns to Mr. Burton the package which just arrived, with his card. She recognizes the contents as a portion of the apparent property of one of Mr. Burton's nephews, but is unable to understand why it should have been sent to her.
"June 20, 1875."
"Toddie," I roared, as my younger nephew caressed his loathsome doll, and murmured endearing words to it, "where did you get that box?"
"On the hat-wack," replied the youth, with perfect fearlessness. "I keeps it in ze book-case djawer, and somebody took it 'way, and put nasty ole flowers in it."
"Where are those flowers?" I demanded.
Toddie looked up with considerable surprise, but promptly replied:—
"I froed 'em away—don't want no ole flowers in my dolly's k'adle. That's ze way she wocks—see!" And the horrible little destroyer of human hopes rolled that box back and forth with the most utter unconcern, as he spoke endearing words to the substitute for my beautiful bouquet!