CHAPTER IV. THE GRANDMAMMA

Isparemyreaderstheaccountofmydelightoncominghome,myhappinesswhilethere—enjoyingabriefspaceofrestandlibertyinthatdear,familiarplace,amongthelovingandtheloved—andmysorrowonbeingobligedtobidthem,oncemore,alongadieu. Ireturned,however,withunabatedvigourtomywork—amorearduoustaskthananyonecanimagine,whohasnotfeltsomethinglikethemiseryofbeingchargedwiththecareanddirectionofasetofmischievous,turbulentrebels,whomhisutmostexertionscannotbindtotheirdutywhile,atthesametime,heisresponsiblefortheirconducttoahigherpower,whoexactsfromhimwhatcannotbeachievedwithouttheaidofthesuperior’smorepotentauthoritywhich,eitherfromindolence,orthefearofbecomingunpopularwiththesaidrebelliousgang,thelatterrefusestogive.Icanconceivefewsituationsmoreharassingthanthatwherein,howeveryoumaylongforsuccess,howeveryoumaylabourtofulfilyourduty,youreffortsarebaffledandsetatnoughtbythosebeneathyou,andunjustlycensuredandmisjudgedbythoseabove. Ihavenotenumeratedhalfthevexatiouspropensitiesofmypupils,orhalfthetroublesresultingfrommyheavyresponsibilities,forfearoftrespassingtoomuchuponthereader’spatienceas,perhaps,Ihavealreadydonebutmydesigninwritingthefewlastpageswasnottoamuse,buttobenefitthosewhomitmightconcernhethathasnointerestinsuchmatterswilldoubtlesshaveskippedthemoverwithacursoryglance,and,perhaps,amaledictionagainsttheprolixityofthewriterbutifaparenthas,therefrom,gatheredanyusefulhint,oranunfortunategovernessreceivedtherebytheslightestbenefit,Iamwellrewardedformypains. Toavoidtroubleandconfusion,Ihavetakenmypupilsonebyone,anddiscussedtheirvariousqualitiesbutthiscangivenoadequateideaofbeingworriedbythewholethreetogetherwhen,aswasoftenthecase,allweredeterminedto“benaughty,andtoteaseMissGrey,andputherinapassion.” Sometimes,onsuchoccasions,thethoughthassuddenlyoccurredtome—“Iftheycouldseemenow!”meaning,ofcourse,myfriendsathomeandtheideaofhowtheywouldpitymehasmademepitymyself—sogreatlythatIhavehadtheutmostdifficultytorestrainmytears:butIhaverestrainedthem,tillmylittletormentorsweregonetodessert,orclearedofftobed(myonlyprospectsofdeliverance),andthen,inalltheblissofsolitude,Ihavegivenmyselfuptotheluxuryofanunrestrictedburstofweeping.ButthiswasaweaknessIdidnotoftenindulge:myemploymentsweretoonumerous,myleisuremomentstooprecious,toadmitofmuchtimebeinggiventofruitlesslamentations. Iparticularlyrememberonewild,snowyafternoon,soonaftermyreturninJanuary:thechildrenhadallcomeupfromdinner,loudlydeclaringthattheymeant“tobenaughty”andtheyhadwellkepttheirresolution,thoughIhadtalkedmyselfhoarse,andweariedeverymuscleinmythroat,inthevainattempttoreasonthemoutofit.IhadgotTompinnedupinacorner,whence,Itoldhim,heshouldnotescapetillhehaddonehisappointedtask.Meantime,Fannyhadpossessedherselfofmywork-bag,andwasriflingitscontents—andspittingintoitbesides.Itoldhertoletitalone,buttonopurpose,ofcourse.“Burnit,Fanny!”criedTom:andthiscommandshehastenedtoobey.Isprangtosnatchitfromthefire,andTomdartedtothedoor.“MaryAnn,throwherdesko