“Glad he isn’t,” returned Lucy, patting baby’s cheek. “I want him for a little brother. What do I want of a little sister? I’m a little sister myse’f!”
It was time now for dinner. There were two guests in the parlor, Mrs. Alvord and Mrs. Lewis. As Mrs. Alvord took Jimmy-boy’s hand, she said,—
“May I kiss you on your cheek, Master James? You don’t know how I wanted to kiss you this morning!”
Jimmy offered both cheeks with a blush and a smile. He was proud and happy to be admired by this sweet lady; and he was sure, too, that she had told, or was going to tell, his mamma all about his call at “the yellow house by the corner” with Gilly Irwin.
“I am glad to know you too, Master Jimmy-boy,” said Mrs. Lewis, a tall lady with tiny white curls about her face. “Mrs. Alvord and I love little children; but we have none at our house, and your mamma has five. I’m going to ask her if she can’t spare us one,—you or Lucy or the baby. Which do you think she would give away?”
Jimmy knew very well by the twinkle in the lady’s eye that this was only said in sport. He reflected a moment, then replied,—
“It’s polite to give away the largest pieces and things; so I think mamma ought to give me!”
Both the ladies laughed, and thought this a bright answer. Jimmy felt rather proud of it himself, and looked around to see if mamma had heard it. But Mrs. Dunlee was not in the parlor.
She had stolen into her husband’s study just for a moment, to tell him Mrs. Alvord’s story of Jimmy-boy.
“A small thing, to be sure,” said she; “he only gave up seven peppermints!”