PRESTON KEEPING HOUSE.
Now I should not have told this bad story about Preston if I had not had a better one to tell after it, "to take the taste out," as Flaxie said about the orange.
Grandpa Pressy went home a little while after this, and took Ninny with him, because he was not very well, and wanted her to amuse him; but nobody felt alarmed about him, till, one day at noon, a message came for Dr. and Mrs. Gray, that he was very ill.
As it happened, Dora Whalen had gone away that morning in the cars to spend the day in Jersey City; and there was no one to take charge of the house.
"Just as if I couldn't do it," said Preston.
"Now, my son, do you really think you can be trusted?" said Mrs. Gray. "Will you watch Flaxie carefully, and keep her out of mischief? I don't want to take her to Aunt Jane's; for, if I take the baby there, that will be quite enough."
"Poh, yes'm: guess I'm ten years old!"