A Christmas Posy   By: Mrs. Molesworth (1839-1921)

by

MRS MOLESWORTH

With illustrations by Walter Crane

[Illustration: GRANDMOTHER DEAR'S OLD WATCH

"Come out here for a moment, Sylvia," she called to her sister; "we can see her as far as the corner " P. 2]

[Illustration]

London: MacMillan And Co. 1888

TO

MY TWO LITTLE FRIENDS

Julia and Isabel

TWIN SISTERS

LONDON, 29th February 1888 .

CONTENTS

PAGE

"GRANDMOTHER DEAR'S" OLD WATCH 1

MY PINK PET 28

AN HONEST LITTLE MAN 53

THE SIX POOR LITTLE PRINCESSES 61

BASIL'S VIOLIN 77

THE MISSING BON BONS 124

LOST ROLLO 147

THE BLUE DWARFS 177

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE

"GRANDMOTHER DEAR'S" OLD WATCH

"'Come out here for a moment, Sylvia,' she called to her sister; 'we can see her as far as the corner.'" 2

MY PINK PET

"One day I was playing as usual in my own little room, when the door suddenly opened." 43

AN HONEST LITTLE MAN

"Him has one, zank you." 55

THE SIX POOR LITTLE PRINCESSES

"Ginevra found herself running upstairs, though not so fast as the evening before, for fear of dropping the precious parcel she held in her arms." 71

BASIL'S VIOLIN

"In the pantry, when he took it into his head to pay a visit to the footmen." 101

THE MISSING BON BONS

"'Yes,' said Maggie, 'I was getting the parasol.'" 139

LOST ROLLO

"He stopped when he got up to us and began wagging his tail and rubbing his head against us in the sweetest way." 160

THE BLUE DWARFS

"They were sliding down the branches of the tree in all directions." 195

GRANDMOTHER DEAR'S OLD WATCH

A FRAGMENT

PART I

"Those never loved Who dream that they 'loved once.'" E. B. BROWNING.

"YOU won't be long any way, dear Auntie?" said Sylvia with a little sigh. "I don't half like your going. Couldn't you wait till the day after to morrow?"

"Or at least take me with you," said Molly, Sylvia's younger sister, eagerly.

Auntie hesitated she glanced up at as much of the sky as could be seen through the lace shrouded windows of their pretty Paris salon it was already beginning to grow dusky, for though only half past three, it was the thirty first of December, and a dull day and then turned with decision towards the door.

"No, dears," she said; "I shall go more quickly alone. Sylvia's cold would be none the better for going out so late, and I would rather you, Molly, stayed with her. So good bye, darlings; I shall not be long."

"I should not like to think of poor Sylvia sitting alone in the gloaming, to day of all days," said Auntie to herself as she made her way down the three flights of handsome marble stairs which led to their appartement . "I can see she is very sad remembering how different it was this day last year. And dear Molly's good spirits are an inestimable blessing. Ah, my darlings, I may do my best, I will do my best, but I cannot make up to you for grandmother;" and with the tears in her eyes, and many a tender thought in her heart, Auntie made her way along the street.

The two girls were watching her, though she did not know it. There was a tiny balcony outside the window on to which Molly stepped almost as soon as the door had closed on Auntie.