"What is yours?" asked Mildred, resuming the sewing she had dropped on Percy's fall.
"Oh, I've always made a fuss over my boy's hurts, pitied him, and blamed the chair, or table, or whatever he had struck against, for hurting him, and have pretended to punish it, just to take his attention from his hurt and so stop his crying."
"Are you not afraid of teaching him to be selfish and revengeful?" Mildred asked, with a look of grave concern.
"I never thought of that, and am afraid it may," said Zillah frankly. "I shall not do so any more."
Annis was laying herself out for the entertainment of her little nephews. Presently she came with a request. "The boys want me to take them out to the garden to play horse. May I?"
"I have no objection to Percy's going," said Mildred; "the fresh air will be very good for him, I think, as well as the exercise."
"But I don't want Stuart to go," Zillah said; "he has a bad cold, and ought to be kept in the house. Slip away from him if you can, Annis, for if he sees you and Percy start out he'll scream himself sick. Or if not himself, other people," she added with a laugh.
"I'll do my best, but you will have to engage his attention for a while," said Annis.
"Yes. Stuart, come here; mamma wants to speak to you."