THE BOOK OF BETTY BARBER.
“You walked on their toes, and you tumbled over them and scolded them,” said Minora, “and, if you’ll excuse my mentioning it—well—you are heavy.”
“Poor Minora,” said the Major. “He tumbles over her and hurts her, and she thinks his house is dull; but she comes to help him when he is in trouble.”
“Of course,” said Minora. ‘I can’t help grumbling and groaning, that’s the way I’m made; but I’d help you any way I could any time, Major dear.”
“Well, I’ve quite made up my mind about one thing,” said the Major, “I’ll never have a Sharp or a Flat on my staircase. Whatever Betty Barber may say, I’ll have nothing to do with them.”
“They certainly were very rude and disagreeable this morning,” said Minora, “but sometimes they are quite pleasant. I have two.”
“Then keep them out of my way,” said the Major.
“Go and have a rest,” said Minora, for the Major spoke quite angrily, “you’ll feel better presently.”
“I’ll walk up and down my own clean white staircase,” he said, “that will make me feel better.”
And Minora heard him tramping up and down all that day. She did not go near him, but left him alone to get rested and forgethis troubles.
“It was a pity,” she said as she walked up her own staircase. “He began badly by hurting their feelings, and their toes, and their fingers; and they ended by hurting his feelings and his toes. He wouldn’t have minded his toes, but his feelings are serious, and when any one abuses the children his feelings are very much hurt.”
She found her own two Sharps on the way down her own staircase, and told them all about it.
“His staircase must be very dull,” said one of the Sharps, “I find this one dull sometimes, and have to run out and get a change.”
“I stop at home,” said the other. “I’m always comfortable; but I must say I shouldn’t be comfortable on Major C’s staircase.”
