"I believe mother thinks of George oftener than I do, and I'd marry Arthur to-morrow if he wanted me to--except for the children." Then, as Archibald rushed into the room, she caught him in her arms, and held him hungrily to her bosom.
"My darling, you want to keep your mother, don't you ?" "I jolly well do.

What's the trouble, mother?
I believe it's all that sitting up over Fanny's old dresses.

Why don't you make something pretty for yourself ?" "She has to have things, and you love me just as well without them, don't you ?" "But I want you to have them, too.

I like you to look pretty, and you are pretty." "Then I can look pretty in plain clothes, can't I ?" "I tell you what I am going to do," he hesitated a minute, knitting his heavy brows over his spectacles, which looked so odd on a boy.

"Next summer when school is over I'm going to work and make some money so you can have a velvet dress in the autumn--a black velvet dress with lace on it--lots of lace--and a hat with feathers." "You foolish boy!" laughed Gabriella.