'Oh, no, my son, it doesn't always turn out that way; but you know it wouldn't do for me to promise to have it just as soon as we get back,' she objected.

'I am always very busy just at our return.

It might be very inconvenient for me to prepare for a children's evening at that time; but when I am ready I shall take pleasure in getting up a nice party for you sometime in the autumn.' "This sounded well, but it was not definite enough to suit Johnny.
However he said no more at that time.

While the family were gone Bessie and I had the back porch to ourselves, and no one being there except the housemaid to whom she could display her superiority over me, she grew to be quite agreeable.

For some time before the Morrises had bought her, which was years and years before, long before Johnny was born, she had lived in a taxidermist's shop.