"S'all I hold it for oo?"
Lifting my eyes in surprise—for I had thought the movement in the dingle was only Leah, coming to see after me—there stood the sweetest fairy of a child before me. The sleeves of her cotton frock and white pinafore were tied up with black ribbons; her face was delicately fair, her eyes were blue as the sky, and her light curls fell low on her pretty neck. My child heart went out to her with a bound, then and there.
"What oo trying for, 'ittle boy?"
"I was crying for mamma. She's gone away from me to heaven."
"S'all I tiss oo?"
And she put her little arms round my neck, without waiting for permission, and gave me a dozen kisses.
"Now we make the ball, 'ittle boy. S'all oo dive it to me?"
"Yes, I will give it to you. What is your name?"
"Baby. What is oors?"
"Charles. Do you——"