every thing about," responded Mrs. Pelby.

"Oh, never mind, mother! Give him some meat, and he'll be quiet
enough. I never like to see little folks made to wait for grown
people; they cannot understand nor appreciate the reason of it."

And so little Henry was permitted to remain at the table, picking
first at one thing and then at another, much to the discomfort and
mortification of his mother, who could not see in this indulgence
any thing very interesting. Mrs. Little was relieved, although her
collar was disfigured for the evening past hope.

After a while tea was announced, and the company sat down.

"Me toffee! me toffee!" cried Henry, stretching out his hands
impatiently. "Me toffee, ma! me toffee, ma!" as soon as Mrs. Pelby
was seated before the tea-tray, and had commenced supplying the cups
with cream and sugar.

"Yes--yes--Henry shall have coffee. H-u-s-h--there--be quiet--that's
a good boy," she said, soothingly. But--

"Me toffee, ma! me toffee, ma! me toffee, ma!" was continued without
a moment's cessation. "Ma! ma! ma! me toffee! me toffee!"

"Yes, yes, yes! you shall have coffee in a moment; only be patient,
child!" Mrs. Pelby now said, evidently worried; for Henry was crying
at the top of his voice, and impatiently shaking his hands and
vibrating his whole body.