Madame.—"Thank you, thank you, and my pretty Winifred. Have you not observed how she turns in her right foot?"
Schillie.—"No indeed, Madame, I never observed either right or left foot, but I'll look out, if I remember, for the future."
Madame.—"Thanks, dear friend, I think that is all about my darlings, save Lilly's eyes."
Schillie.—"They are very good eyes, Madame, and neither poke or turn in, which would be a squint I suppose."
Madame.—"They are lovely eyes, of heaven's own blue, but she ruins them by reading no much."
Schillie.—"Well, I'll stop her reading. Anything more Madame?"
Madame.—"Yes, I should like to be buried under trees near our church."
Schillie.—"Very well, I can safely promise that, as I suppose I shall help to dig your grave myself."
Madame then wound up in such a pathetic manner that Schillie was obliged to have recourse to her pocket handkerchief, and came blubbering out of the room, muttering that though she believed she was only an old humbug she would be very sorry if the old lady really died.
She was only just recovering this fit one very sultry day when we carried her to the edge of the cliff to catch a breath of air if she could. It was so extremely hot we could do nothing, and therefore lay beside her, instead of leaving a little girl in attendance as usual. We fancied something must be about to occur, for every breath seemed as if drawing in hot air. I, with what Schillie called my usual fidgetiness, was imagining horror upon horrors, when, suddenly looking at the sea, we beheld it rise and fall as if one tremendous wave passed over it. Almost immediately the whole island seemed to tremble under our feet, a rumbling and at the same time crashing sound quite surrounded us. "An earthquake," cried some, while all sprang to their feet. A breathless silence ensued, but all nature seemed as if nothing had occurred. "The house," said Schillie. "The boys!" I exclaimed. We flew down headlong towards the rocks from which they usually fished. Not a trace of them or the rocks, the sea was boiling beyond what we had never seen covered before. I sat stupidly down on the sands, as if waiting for the waves to cast my sons up at my feet.