But Kate esteemed it a great holiday, when, as sometimes happened,
Aunt Barbara went out to spend the evening with some friends; and
she, under promise of being very good, used to be Aunt Jane's
companion.
Those were the times when her tongue took a holiday, and it must be
confessed, rather to the astonishment and confusion of Lady Jane.
"Aunt Jane, do tell me about yourself when you were a little girl?"
"Ah! my dear, that does not seem so very long ago. Time passes very
quickly. To think of such a great girl as you being poor James's
grandchild!"
"Was my grandpapa much older than you, Aunt Jane?"
"Only three years older, my dear."
"Then do tell me how you played with him?"
"I never did, my dear; I played with your Aunt Barbara."
"Dear me how stupid! One can't do things without boys."
"No, my dear; boys always spoil girls' play, they are so rough."
"Oh! no, no, Aunt Jane; there's no fun unless one is rough--I mean,
not rough exactly; but it's no use playing unless one makes a jolly
good noise."
"My dear," said Lady Jane, greatly shocked, "I can't bear to hear you
talk so, nor to use such words."
"Dear me, Aunt Jane, we say 'Jolly' twenty times a day at St.
James's, and nobody minds."
"Ah! yes, you see you played with boys."
"But our boys are not rough, Aunt Jane," persisted Kate, who liked
hearing herself talk much better than anyone else. "Mary says
Charlie is a great deal less riotous than I am, especially since he
went to school; and Armyn is too big to be riotous.
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