ld devote my energy to the steering
of my arms into sleeves, and the disposal of my waist to the adjustment
of a sash. Indeed, I believe I am doing myself more than justice when I
put forward two hours as the time spent in personal decoration during
those tender years.

But of all my infant duties the one I dawdled over most was going to
sleep. The act of laying me in my little cot seemed to be the signal
for waking me to a most unwonted energy. Instead of burying my nose in
the pillows, as most babies do, I must needs struggle into a sitting
posture, and make night vocal with crows and calls. I must needs chew
the head of my indiarubber doll, or perform a solo on my rattle--
anything, in fact, but go to sleep like a respectable, well-conducted
child.

If my mother came and rocked my cradle, I got alarmingly lively and
entered into the sport with spirit. If she, with weary eyes and
faltering voice, attempted to sing me to sleep, I lent my shrill treble
to aid my own lullaby; or else I lay quiet with my eyes wide open, and
defied every effort to coax them into shutting.

Not that I was wilfully perverse or bad--I am proud to say no one can
lay that to my charge; but I was a dawdler, one who from my earliest
years could not find it in me to settle down promptly to anything--nay,
who, knowing a certain thing was to be done, therefore deferred the
doing of it as long as possible.

Need I say that as I grew older and bequeathed my long clothes and cot
to another baby, I dawdled still?

My twin brother's brick house was roofed in before my foundations were
laid. Not that I could not build as quickly and as well as he, if I
chose. I could, but I never chose. While he, with serious face and
rapt attention, piled layer upon layer, and pinnacle upon pinnacle,
absorbed in his architectural ambition, I sat by watching him, or
wondering who drew the beautiful picture on the lid of my box, or
speculating on the quantity of bricks I should use in my building, but
always neglecting to set myself to work till Jim's shout of triumph
declared his task accomplished. Then I took a fit of industry till my
tower was half built, and by that time the bricks had to be put away.

When we walked abroad with nurse I was sure to lag behind to look at
other children, or gaze into shops. Many a time I narrowly escaped
being lost as the result. Indeed, one of my earliest recollections is
of being conducted home in state by a policeman