And the child came all the way from Californy , and here he is . I 've been just distracted ever since . I 've never been used to children , and to have the house kept in perpetual uproar is more than I can stand . He 's about twelve and a born mischief . He 'll tear through the rooms with his dirty feet , and he 's smashed one of my blue vases and torn down a curtain and set Towser on the cat half a dozen times already -- I never was so worried . I 've got him out on the verandah shelling peas now , to keep him quiet for a little spell . '' `` I 'm really sorry for you , '' said Mrs. John Joe . `` But , poor child , I suppose he 's never had anyone to look after him . And come all the way from Californy alone , too -- he must be real smart . '' `` Too smart , I guess . He must take after his mother , whoever she was , for there ai n't a bit of Merrivale in him . And he 's been brought up pretty rough . '' `` Well , it 'll be a great responsibility for you , Cynthia , of course . But he 'll be company , too , and he 'll be real handy to run errands and -- '' '' I 'm not going to keep him , '' said Miss Cynthia determinedly . Her thin lips set themselves firmly and her voice had a hard ring . `` Not going to keep him ? '' said Mrs. John Joe blankly . `` You ca n't send him back to Californy ! '' `` I do n't intend to . But as for having him here to worry my life out and keep me in a perpetual stew , I just wo n't do it .
D'ye think I 'm going XXXXX trouble myself about children at my age ?
about after from in of on since than to with