And to your mamma--my dear daughter. Nothing else could give me so
much pleasure."
"I love Mamma Vi!" exclaimed Max. 'I'm sure there couldn't be a sweeter
lady. And I like Grandpa Dinsmore, too, but--don't you think now he's very
strict and ready to punish a fellow for a mere trifle, Grandma Elsie?"
"I dare say it seems but a trifle to you for a boy of your age to go into
town and do an errand for himself without asking leave," she replied, "but
that might lead to much worse things; the boy might take to loitering
about the town and fall into bad company and so be led into I know not
what wickedness. For that reason parents and guardians should know all
about a boy's comings and goings."
"That's so, Grandma Elsie," Max said reflectively. "I don't mean to get
into bad company ever, but papa says I'm a heedless fellow, so perhaps I
might do it before I thought. I'll try to keep to rules after this."
"I hope so, for both your own sake and ours," she said; then with a
motherly kiss bade him good-night.
CHAPTER XVI.
"O jealousy! thou merciless destroyer,
More cruel than the grave! what ravages
Does thy wild war make in the noblest bosoms!"
--Mullet.
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