The Adventures of Herr Baby
only you
n keep sec
pussy, no
d her tail
only know the cat was there, and that when Baby could get a chance of playing with it he was very pleased. He didn't often have a chance, in his own room, for "Mademoiselle," as Celia was always called by the new servants, a title which she thought much nicer than "Miss Aylmer," or "Miss Celia," Mademoiselle, said "the stupid little footman," had given strict orders that "Minet" was not to be allowed upstairs for fear of the "pets," the "calanies," and the Bully, and Peepy-Snoozle,
el girl to d'ive Minet away, Minet wouldn't hurt the calanies
a would say. "Cats are cats all the
d heart. Him asked Minet if her would hurt the calanies a
stories! Cats can't talk.
and if her means 'no,' her humps up her back and s'akes her tail. When him asked Minet if her would like
went on stroking Minet with great satisfact
as happy downstairs, and, you see, it would frighten the birds and the dormice if th
by, and he went on pl
later; "mine child, how is it that your coat is so dirty? Al
kitchen window," said Denny of the ready tongue
talk to me. You distairb m
looked at each
" went on Baby, who wanted to st
"There are commissions for your lady ma
e pattyser?
ctioner,"
cked up
for to-morrow, when Miladi's friends come to dine; and perhaps we will buy s
d not say anything till he was out on the road with Lisa. Denny was not with them; she had got leave to go a walk with Celia an
a few minutes, "are mothe
isa, "just some Miladis and some
k very pitty
n The Manor-that was the name of "home"-as the most lovely place in the world; "there's no nice
actly copying Lisa's voic
. Fran?ois, he is too stupid. Peters and I, we will make the
ught him's pennies. Him would like to know if him has 'nuff pennies; perha
new ones. But he said nothing to Lisa-he had never spoken of the jugs to her-mother had been "so kind," never to tell any one about what a silly little boy he had been, for mother knew that he didn't like being laughed at. Perhaps "they" would laugh at him now if he told about wanting to buy the shiny jugs-he wouldn't mind so much if he had bought them, but "'appose they wouldn't let him go to the shop to get them?" Poor little mother! She wouldn't have her pitty glasses then for the party-no, it was much best to settle it all his own self. Whom he meant by "they" I d
he was such a very little boy, that it was very good of him not to think of touching any of the tempting dainties. In a few minutes Lisa had ordered all she wanted-then she chose some nice biscuits and a very few little chocolate bon-bons, which she had pu
ed, mine chi
nd it would take far too long to see them all. But she went to the end of that street with him, and then back again down the opposite side, and then he begged her to turn down the other street they had crossed on their way to the confectioner's, and they had gone quite to
ried, and when Lisa asked him wh
d Lisa, who had forgotten all about the old shop window with the shiny
" she said, "I am not sur
side, but Baby did not mind that. He could see across quite plainly, for the street was narrow, and ther
the way, but Lisa was accustomed to his grave fits, and did not pay much attention
oing to have all the pitty
Herr Baby and Fr?ulein Denny will be goot and play peacefully in the garden to-morro
, "him won't want you
him to count over the different kinds of "pennies;" he called them all "pennies," brown, white, and even yellow pennies, for Baby had a pound and a ten shilling
ws there's five, for him can count up to five, 'cos five's just as old as him is going to be. See, Denny, isn't there a lot? And the yellow pennies could be turn
lly don't know. I wish you wouldn't cha
a row of French words which she had to learn to say the next morning. Baby went quietly off into the corner with his money-box, but finding it rather dull to have no one to show his pennies to, he went out of the room, which you remember was downstairs, and, opening a door which led to the kitchen, peeped about in hopes of seeing his friend Minet. He had not long to wait-Minet had a corner of her own by the
ry coat against his little bare legs, "Minet, dear, come and sit wif him o
d now to sit on stone steps; for warm as it was in
ny won't let dear Minet come there, and him must sta
chool-room," said Lisa. "There is no l
d Denny was too busy wi
said Lisa. So Baby and Minet went o
see what lots of pennies him has. Yellow pe
ing her softly with one hand all the time h
has so many pennies. Now, Minet, him will tell you a secret, a gat
of words; Baby might safely tell Minet his secret. Still he lowered his voice so low that certainly no one but Minet could hear. And when he left off speaking, Minet purred more than ever. Onl
to go a regular walk that day, Lisa told him, for in the afternoon she would be
ne?" ask
f Herr Baby wishes," said Lisa; "she
e, 'cept Minet. Fritz is very good to him, but Fritz will
is very happy at school, and when
ull about Fritz being at school-I forgot to tell you that Fritz went every day now to a very
Baby, seated on the grass, one arm fondly clasping Minet's neck, while with the other he firmly held the famous money-box. He was dressed in his garden blouse only, b
med to have ma
ou get werry tired, Minet, him'll try to carry you. If you could carry the money-box, and him could carry y
t pu
f what was before her, Baby made his way down the path to the garden gate. It was open, at least not latched. Baby easily p
was guarded by a lodge, and the "concierge," as they called the lodge-keeper, came out to open it for every one who went in and out. And "p'
-box found themselves out on
to have the table at home, and giving themselves a great deal more trouble than grandfather or mother would have wished had they known about it. Lisa was very clever at arranging flowers prettily, and she was so sure of Baby's quiet ways when he was left to himself, that she never gave a thought to him once she saw him safely settled in the garden with Minet. It was such a safe garden. There really was no part of it where a child could get into any trouble,
e his best hat to-day-but he is one good
was that Lisa spoilt h
She did not see Herr Baby this time,
s doing, and got so interested in helping Peters to explain to Fran?ois that in England people always changed the wine glasses at the end of dinn
ed of returning from their drive. They had gone a
h, "but I told him to be sure to wait till we came. He is too little to go home
ny to call for him, as they are o
e in the town now, auntie's eyes caught sight of
ture. I told you about it, you remember, May?"-May, you know,
e late already," said
day will do quite well,
ng a moment to pick up Fritz, who was wa
p, how surprised they would have been; but what a great d
the table and the flowers and the stupidness of Fran?ois
r; "it will do very well, I am
how, in this family-in every family there are little habits of the kind-Baby was not often spoken of among "the children." They had all got so used to the name of Herr Baby, which Lisa had c
r, and try and get some of your lessons done before tea. Made
Lisa and the others than that they cared, mother and auntie went into the dining-room. They were sta
and he's not in the garden. Linley said you told hi
, and her fa
t-ah, how long ago was it? Have I forgotten him for so long? He must be hiding-to play, to-how do you say?" for Lisa'
e and Fritz look
aid Fritz, with a v
ie. "Lisa is so easily
once," said mother. "What a good th