suddenly, as if she had received a
shot there, and caught her breath; then she looked out of the window,
and then round at the wax flowers on the table, and then at the door,
and she really seemed to be thinking of running away. But she was too
lame to do that, and she at last clasped her fingers together tight in
her lap, and looked hard at Freddie. He was gazing at her calmly,
waiting for information.

"No," said Aunt Amanda, "I have never--had--any--children."

"Why not?" said Freddie.

"I have--never--been married," said Aunt Amanda.

Freddie thought about this for a moment.

"Didn't anybody ever want you?" said he.

"No," said she, "nobody--ever--wanted--me."

Freddie was puzzled.

"But you're nice," said he.

"That ain't enough," said Aunt Amanda.

"What else do you have to be?"

"You have to be pretty."

"Weren't you ever pretty?"

"I thought--so--once, but--but--I must have been mistaken. I guess I
never was."

Freddie thought it over, and announced his decision seriously.

"_I_ would want you, anyway."

Aunt Amanda stretched out a trembling hand to him and ran her fingers
through his hair; then she threw both her arms around him and pressed
him against her knee. He was much annoyed. He was afraid she might be
going to kiss him; but she did not; instead, she pulled out her
handkerchief and blew her nose.

"How many children were there that you didn't have?" said Freddie, to
change the subject. Aunt Amanda did not understand this at first, but
she finally saw what he meant. What _did_ he mean? you may say. What he
meant was--well, it is perfectly clear, but it is hard to explain.
Anyway, Aunt Amanda understood him. "Three," said she. "Bobby was the
oldest, and Jenny next, and James was the littlest one."

"Did they all go to school?"

"Oh dear no. Only Bobby. And once he played hookey, and was gone
all day, and didn't come home until after dark, all muddy. I
was terribly worried. He was a very mischievous boy, but he was
his--mother's--own----"

"Did he play marbles for keeps?"

"Yes, but he went to Sunday-school just as regular, and liked it,
and----"

"He _liked_ it?"

"Yes, of course, and he always took good care of Jenny----. She had
little yellow curls. They went to Sunday-school together hand in hand,
and he didn't even mind her carrying her dolly with her; she wouldn't go
without it. He was so careful of her at street-crossings. She loved her
dollies. She used to pretend t