Hildegarde's Neighbors

irely at home, the house looking as if they had always lived in it. The furniture was plain, and showed marks of hard usage; but there were

piles along the top. The centre-table was a magazine-stand, where Saint Nicholas and The Century, The Forum and The Scientific American jostled each other in friendly rivalry. Mrs. Merryweather sat

ss Grahame, I am delighted to see you!" and Mrs. Merryweather held out what she thought was her hand, but Hilde

am the most unceremonious person in the world. Dear me! isn't there a chair without books on it? Here, my dear Mrs. Grahame, sit do

y. Hildegarde found an ottoman which she could easily share with a volume of Punch, and Mrs. Mer

ell's help. She will be down in a moment, my dear. We have established an overflow bookcase in a cupboard upstairs, and sh

are so dear, the books; they are part of the family, and we want to be sure that they have places they like. I suppose Punch ought by rights to go with people of his own sort-if there is anybody!-but one wants him close at hand, don't y

other children," said Mrs. Merryweather, pres

Sibbes's 'Soul's Conflict,' and various other dreadful persons whom you would not let me burn; so I dumped them in Toots

introduced as "my daughter Gertrude." She confessed, on interrogation, that she had

?" asked her sister. "It is so dry, I

e about, and will bring in the book. Sibbes IS a little dry, Bell, but very sound writi

el had revolved swiftly past the

d hesitated. "I-I thi

she said

en-eyed. "My brother

eg your pardon! but w

You will have to make full confession, Hilda," she said. "I

ide of the tall hedge, just when you drove up, the other day; and-there is a most convenient little peep-hole, and I wanted to see our new neighbours, an

weather was about to speak, when a voice was hear

droppe

going to

ropped a

es her ve

red boy entered, walking on his hands, holding alo

d Mrs. Merryweather,

ove, Mrs. and

eet and saluted the strangers; but he was also atwinkle with laughter, the whole lithe, graceful body of him seeming

s cordially. "Awfully glad! Please excuse me, Mrs. Grahame, for coming in like that. I thou

ah." said Mrs. Grahame. "I congra

again. "He's the other of me, you know. Beg pardon! y

ather, "is my son Philip. Why these boys cannot call each oth

degarde, feeling sure that he was not, as the ot

eauty and the Beast' we call each other, too. Sometimes I am Beauty, an

at the curly hair, which was cer

lancing ruefully at the mirror, and r

locks of gold. Happy thought! Desiring to tear your hair in sorrow, walk o

as black," said

ands," said Gerald. "I see! Dropsy, you a

en window, and after waving wildly

coming aware of your presence, he has retired, to reverse legs, and w

ll boy entered, looking preternaturally

repressible Gerald, "and slicked hims

Merryweather. "This is Philip,

mother with grave courtesy, taking

egarde, sitting down on a table, the only available seat.

and conscious of Gerald's eyes fixed intently on her.

comfortable he looks, doesn't he, Miss Grahame? No use, F

ch discomposed. "Well, I'll p

e tennis-court," said Bell. "I am s

ften looked longingly at that nice smooth lawn, and

e, "you needn't mind a bit. Jerry came in walking on his hands, right into the room

r. "Well, that's some comfort; but I'll

ld cried

lares like an angry cow. He'll punch my head, and

ople went off laughin