She poured half the milk into the cup.

"Drink this," she said, holding it to him.
The boy gulped the milk and swore joyously, gripping the cup with shaking fingers.
"Hush!" cried Elnora.

"That's dreadful!" "What's dreadful ?" "To say such awful words." "Huh! pa says worser 'an that every breath he draws." Elnora saw that the child was older than she had thought.

He might have been forty judging by his hard, unchildish expression.
"Do you want to be like your father ?" "No, I want to be like you.

Couldn't a angel be prettier 'an you.