Some blow with a puff , Some turn down and snuff ; But neat folks prefer A nice extinguis_her . So here I send you back One to put on Mr. Jack . '' `` Now , I call that regularly smart ; not one of us could do it , and I just wish Joe was here to see it . I want to send once more , something good for tea ; she hates gruel so ; '' and the last despatch which the Great International Telegraph carried that day was a baked apple and a warm muffin , with `` J. M. 's best regards . '' Chapter IV . Ward No. 2 . Things were not so gay in Ward No. 2 , for Mrs. Pecq was very busy , and Jill had nothing to amuse her but flying visits from the girls , and such little plays as she could invent for herself in bed . Fortunately , she had a lively fancy , and so got on pretty well , till keeping still grew unbearable , and the active child ached in every limb to be up and out . That , however , was impossible , for the least attempt to sit or stand brought on the pain that took her breath away and made her glad to lie flat again . The doctor spoke cheerfully , but looked sober , and Mrs. Pecq began to fear that Janey was to be a cripple for life . She said nothing , but Jill 's quick eyes saw an added trouble in the always anxious face , and it depressed her spirits , though she never guessed half the mischief the fall had done . The telegraph was a great comfort , and the two invalids kept up a lively correspondence , not to say traffic in light articles , for the Great International was the only aerial express in existence . But even this amusement flagged after a time ; neither had much to tell , and when the daily health bulletins had been exchanged , messages gave out , and the basket 's travels grew more and more infrequent . Neither could read all the time , games were soon used up , their mates were at school most of the day , and after a week or two the poor children began to get pale and fractious with the confinement , always so irksome to young people . `` I do believe the child will fret herself into a fever , mem , and I 'm clean distraught to know what to do for her . She never used to mind trifles , but now she frets about the oddest things , and I ca n't change them . This wall-paper is well enough , but she has taken a fancy that the spots on it look like spiders , and it makes her nervous . I 've no other warm place to put her , and no money for a new paper . Poor lass ! There are hard times before her , I 'm fearing . ''
Mrs. XXXXX said this in a low voice to Mrs. Minot , who came in as often as she could , to see what her neighbor needed ; for both mothers were anxious , and sympathy drew them to one another .
International Janey Jill Pecq Telegraph daily day despatch gruel wall-paper