"
"I guess the sun'll be disappointed if it don't have us to look
at," suggested Budge.
"Never mind," said I, "the sun's old enough to have learned to be
patient."
Breakfast over, the boys moved reluctantly away to the play-room,
while I inspected the house and grounds pretty closely, to see
that everything should at least fail to do my management
discredit. A dollar given to Mike and another to Maggie were of
material assistance in this work, so I felt free to adorn the
parlors and Helen's chamber with flowers. As I went into the
latter room I heard some one at the wash-stand, which was in the
alcove, and on looking I saw Toddie drinking the last of the
contents of a goblet which contained a dark-colored mixture.
"Ize takin' black medshin," said Toddie; "I likes black medshin
awfoo muts."
"What do you make it of?" I asked, with some sympathy, and tracing
parental influence again. When Helen and I were children we spent
hours in soaking liquorice in water and administering it as
medicine.
"Makesh it out of shoda mitsture," said Toddie.
This was another medicine of our childhood days, but one prepared
according to physician's prescription, and not beneficial when
taken ad libitum. As I took the vial--a two-ounce one--I asked:--
"How much did you take, Toddie?"
"Took whole bottoo full--twas nysh," said he.
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