He is a torment , but I think she could tame him , if she took the right way . The other day she would n't let him in because she had washed up her kitchen and his boots were muddy . He wiped them on the grass , but that would n't do ; and , after going at her with his head down , like a battering ram , he gave it up , or seemed to ; for , the minute she locked the door behind her and came out to take in her clothes , that sly dog whipped up one of the low windows , scrambled in , and danced a hornpipe all over the kitchen , while the fat cook scolded and fumbled for her key , for she could n't follow through the window . Of course he was off upstairs by the time she got in ; but I 'm afraid he had a shaking , for I saw him glowering fiercely as he came out later with a basket , going some ` confounded errand . ' Occasionally his father brings him out and whips him for some extra bad offence , during which performance he howls dismally ; but when he is left sitting despondently and miraculously on an old chair without any seat , he soon cheers up , boos at a strange cat , whistles to his dog , -- who is just like him , -- or falls back on that standing cure for all the ills that boys are heir to , and whittles vigorously . I know I ought to frown upon this reprehensible young person , and morally close my eyes to his pranks ; but I really ca n't do it , and am afraid I find this little black sheep the most interesting of the flock . The girls have tea-parties , make calls , and play mother , of course ; and the sisters of the good boy have capital times up in a big nursery , with such large dollies that I can hardly tell which are the babies and which the mammas . One little girl plays about at home with a dirty face , tumbled hair , and an old pinafore on . She wo n't be made tidy , and I see her kick and cry when they try to make her neat . Now and then there is a great dressing and curling ; and then I see her prancing away in her light boots , smart hat , and pretty dress , looking as fresh as a daisy . But I do n't admire her ; for I 've been behind the scenes , you see , and I know that she likes to be fine rather than neat . So is the girl who torments her kitty , slaps her sister , and runs away when her mother tells her not to go out of the yard . But the house-wifely little girl who tends the baby , washes the cups , and goes to school early with a sunshiny face and kiss all round , she , now , is a neighbour worth having , and I 'd put a good mark against her name if I knew it . I do n't know as it would be proper for me to mention the grown-up people over the way . They go on very much as the children do ; for there is the lazy , dandified man , who gets up late , and drinks ; the cross man , who swears at the shed-door when it wo n't shut ; the fatherly man , who sits among his children every evening , and the cheery old man up in the attic , who has a flower in his window , and looks out at the world with very much the same serene smile as my orange-coloured baby . The women , too , keep house , make calls , and play mother ; and some do n't do it well either . The forlorn baby 's mamma never seems to cuddle and comfort him ; and some day , when the little fist lies cold and quiet , I 'm afraid she 'll wish she had . Then the naughty boy 's mother . I 'm very sure , if she put her arms round him sometimes , and smoothed that rough head of his , and spoke to him as only mothers can speak , that it would tame him far better than the scoldings and thrashings : for I know there is a true boy 's heart , warm and tender , somewhere under the jacket that gets dusted so often . As for the fine lady who lets her children do as they can , while she trims her bonnet , or makes panniers , I would n't be introduced to her on any account .
But as some might think it was unjustifiable curiosity on my part to see these things , and an actionable XXXXX to speak of them , I wo n't mention them .
daisy evening hornpipe left offence right shed-door tea-parties whistles whittles