“So this is little William,” said Uncle Frederick, putting his hand on William’s head. “And how is little William?”
William removed his head from Uncle Frederick’s hand in silence then said distantly:
“V’ well, thank you.”
“And so grateful to your Uncle and Aunt for asking you to stay with them, aren’t you, William?” went on his mother.
William remembered that his career of truthfulness did not begin till the next day so he said still more distantly, “Yes.”
That evening Ethel said to her mother in William’s presence:
“Well, he’s not been so bad to-day, considering.”
“You wait,” said William unctiously. “You wait till to-morrow when I start castin’ aside deceit an’ ... an’. To-day’ll be nothin’ to it.”
******
William awoke early on Christmas day. He had hung up his stocking the night before and was pleased to see it fairly full. He took out the presents quickly but not very optimistically. He had been early disillusioned in the matter of grown-ups’ capacity for choosing suitable presents. Memories of prayer books and history books and socks and handkerchiefs floated before his mental vision.... Yes, as bad as ever! ... a case containing a pen and pencil and ruler, a new brush and comb, a purse (empty) and a new tie ... a penknife and a box of toffee were the only redeeming features. On the chair by his bedside was a book of Church History from Aunt Emma and a box containing a pair of compasses, a protractor and a set square from Uncle Frederick....