But Susan was cool as a fish and knew just what to do , and by morning Jims was all right . That child is a cross between a duck and an imp . He 's a year and four months old , trots about everywhere , and says quite a few words . He has the cutest little way of calling me `` Willa-will . '' It always brings back that dreadful , ridiculous , delightful night when Ken came to say good-bye , and I was so furious and happy . Jims is pink and white and big-eyed and curly-haired and every now and then I discover a new dimple in him . I can never quite believe he is really the same creature as that scrawny , yellow , ugly little changeling I brought home in the soup tureen . Nobody has ever heard a word from Jim Anderson . If he never comes back I shall keep Jims always . Everybody here worships and spoils him -- or would spoil him if Morgan and I did n't stand remorselessly in the way . Susan says Jims is the cleverest child she ever saw and can recognize Old Nick when he sees him -- this because Jims threw poor Doc out of an upstairs window one day . Doc turned into Mr. Hyde on his way down and landed in a currant bush , spitting and swearing . I tried to console his inner cat with a saucer of milk but he would have none of it , and remained Mr. Hyde the rest of the day . Jims 's latest exploit was to paint the cushion of the big arm-chair in the sun parlour with molasses ; and before anybody found it out Mrs. Fred Clow came in on Red Cross business and sat down on it . Her new silk dress was ruined and nobody could blame her for being vexed . But she went into one of her tempers and said nasty things and gave me such slams about ` spoiling ' Jims that I nearly boiled over , too . But I kept the lid on till she had waddled away and then I exploded . '' ` The fat , clumsy , horrid old thing , ' I said -- and oh , what a satisfaction it was to say it . '' ` She has three sons at the front , ' mother said rebukingly . '' ' I suppose that covers all her shortcomings in manners , ' I retorted .
But I was ashamed -- for it is true that all her boys have gone and she was very plucky and loyal XXXXX it too ; and she is a perfect tower of strength in the Red Cross .
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