FOR THE CHILFREN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16696, 14 November 1917, Page 9

FOR THE CHILFREN.

WHEN MOTHER WENT AWAY. "It was bother enough to have. a nurse," said Philip"; "but a' : governess will ha' ten times worse!" » ~ ; -". , "Why? What sort.. of things will she do?" asked six-year-old Slab who thought that Phillip knew everything just because -was a year older than she was. ; .i .. " Oh, she might do -anything. She might 'starve us: "as the stepmother Cinderella, or she might bury us like the Babes in the Wood—" V: -*j,;: -•

"Oh, oh,: Phil. u Suppose she's cruel!" "-■/// sobbed Mab;-r v and-her tears overflowed..; : - " Mother and daddy are going away, and ■"/.: nurseis going; too, and the new governess/ is going to starve us and bury us in the wood." ; '.-' , :. ; - ;;. ■<:/:. : ..H«: -~/-.. '•s#..'■ "I never said she would, really,** said : -: : .'f Phillip. [.^. 511 said .she".: might., listen to ' . \ me, Mab. ; ilf you'll stop crying I'll tell- ' you of>a plan."/ ■,- " ',;"■-'. :. ";:(<' ' „Mab stopped at once she loved "plans." " ■" j "It',g this," said Philip. "Mother and dad are going early to-morrow, and nurse . is going as soon as the. new governess >. comes. We'll run away before,' she.' gets V here; we'll go Vto/ the woods and live! ' there : / :"f." - "Won't it be cold?" asked Mab. : - ■' -' . :". What In the summer!"; said Philip.. • "Ola, ; you. can '-■ stay / behind Jif , you like* Girls '■: are all cowards l., I'm going anway. ; Lv; I'm too cisr , for , nurses, and governesses!" B ' ; * ;; ' _ "Oh, -Phil; let me come too,''., begged Mab ;• "I won't be 1 " a girL At least I'll be as like a boy as I can."/,.. .. :>■ Two very thoughtful children,' went into ' : ''. .the house ■when;nurse called "them; very, grave and sober:; they looked.--'",-- •' ''"'"-'" -; -"Fm.:afraid; you're, sad l) darlings,"?said" ?& ! mother, kissing them "Good-night." fi " Never mind; you'll like the new gover- •'■.•;' "'■■ ness', I i know, and three months will pass '"■■■■" very quickly, and then daddy, and I will':- > be,home again;" '.. , '.; ,'L \__". ~, ■-■'■ ' The two children \ said nothing, but they ' hugged her with all their might, for she was going ;so '■ early^ next; morning, that '' ';' i "'■? they- would not see her again. ;..-.'-. '•.; . " I'm afraid ; they're dreadfully miser* '-'-'■ able, nurse," said v ;; mother % later"? on >> /' f they hardly r spoke to,me.-"""- ■ .--. : •-'■ " They've not lost, their appetites,' then, ma'am,"; said nurse with a sniff. 'J* left ::• i them to their supper, and thev eat it every crumb, and Master jPhil's last words;?v;; to me were to J bring* up plenty, of-.-breaks Sv # fast to-morrow morning.' - - Mother- smiled and. sighed, and went downstairs. She and ; nurse Avould have '•■/■• been surprised if ■ they had seen ; the pile ; ■;- °[; of bread 'and butter that was . lying'; in - Phil's tool-chest waiting for the next day's // adventure. ■'"'<.PJ- f ',-:'- .-r.-v--. ~;.:■.;-.? -' ..•'• ''•■.'.

-At breakfast the next morning the chil-.... dren felt » very sad. -Mother : and daddy - .were' really .gone, and the- house ifelfcquiij b empty, and nurse had Jed eyes, and • sniffed as she poured out: their milk." .. "You'll forget ;! me when the new; governess comes," she said. - " Mab cried outright at this, and Philip and nurse could not stop her until cook, hearing the sobs, brought up some, cherries that gardener had just sent in from the orchard. - -•' ~'-'.-'. v--.i;. ;, As. soon as her hack was turned out came the saved supper • from the toolchest, and it was carried out into the garden hidden in ' Phil's, blouse,' while" Slab followed with the cherries in a paper bag..'- ■ r •;;.:-.'..; ■ "Now we're !"._said. Phil, as they reached the garden. "No-governesses for us!" •; • ~■- "-■■■'■■' -,* ■.. ■-.'■-y-tf.i- ■,-': •. " -No governesses for. us!" echoed Mab as she followed him through the r gap irk the -hedge that led to the wood;:. ** It was a dreadfully hot day- - and th« children wandcfred ' farther : and -farther among the trees until, even if .they had wanted to, they couldn't have found their way home. .>..■■.•' ■■■ hha " Oh, Phil, lam so tired!" said Mab at last; ''where are we going to live?" "I expect we'll find " somewhere," said Phil; " but let's sit down and have dinner; that'll be nice." '

After the meal Mab,. better, and went off to sleep with her head on Phil's shoulder. ■:' , ..,.,.-.

Phil stayed awake as long as he could, just in case any bears came along, hut suddenlv he, ■' too, went off to sleep with his head against a tree. It was a very loud noise indeed that woke them both up. .- " Oh! What's that?" cried Mab clinging to Phil. "How dark it is!" "It's thunder, silly!" said Phil, but he was feeling frightened, too. Dark clouds had gathered, and rain fell .and lightning flashed until the children were wet through, and terrified as well. • " Oh! on!" sobbed Mab. " I don't lika living in the woods!" • .-,-* -.;' ,"* '. " Coo-ee!" shouted a voice." and through' the trees came—Auntie "j1ne11L...., \ "Oh, you naughty,. beloved children she said. "How did you get here? Coma' home at once!" »-, :-i .c "Oh, darling, Auntie Nell! we can't, cried they; . "there's, a new governess •<-./■' there!" . .. . i--**.*, si.; \,w4- v-^-TM] "No, she isn't! She's> here!" said] ;'; ' Auntie Nell. :■: .i? ■;?:'; IL ■ - ... ..'■'" - "Why? Why?". said.the children.witK 1 ,: wide-open eyes;'-"* ■■••'■''-'•' ■ " "Why I» I'm the new governess sajcV Auntie Nell; " I'm going to "take care :ol - you "till mother : comes tack. "Fancy run*' ning away from me!" , ■■*.---*■■ ■■■:-■•_ y- "We never; will again I" said the chik dren; and just then the bud peenedonS tough'-flia &h& " --WiM - 7... . ' :.-•-■'