in my duty. My poor brother quarreled with me. It was his duty to
apologize. He did not do so. Had it been my duty to apologize I should
have done so. As I was right, and he was wrong, it was clearly not my
duty. I shall now do my duty to my niece and nephews. Yet I may be
allowed to say that I regret much that they are not all nieces. I do
not like boys. They are always noisy, and not always clean. They do
not wipe their shoes, they are always breaking things, they go about
with all sorts of rubbish and dirt in their pockets, their hair is
always rough, they are fond of worrying cats, and other cruel games.
Altogether they are objectionable. Had my brother made up his mind to
leave his children in my charge, it was clearly his duty to have had
girls instead of boys. However, it is not because other people fail
in their duty that I should fail in mine. Therefore, let them come to
me this day fortnight. By that time I shall have got some strong and
suitable furniture in the room that my nephews will occupy, and shall
have time to make other arrangements. This letter will, if all goes
well, reach you, I believe, in three days after the date of posting,
and they will take the same time coming here. Assure them that I am
prepared to do my duty, and that I hope that they will make a serious
effort at doing theirs. Ask my nephews, upon the occasion of their
first arrival, to make as little noise as they can, because my cat,
Minnie, is very shy, and if she is scared at the first meeting,
she will take a very long time to get accustomed to them. I also
particularly beg that they do not, as they come up to the house, throw
stones at any of the pigeons who may be resting upon the roof, for the
slates were all set right a few weeks ago, and I am sure I do not wish
to have the slater here again; they were hanging about for ten days
the last time they came. I do not know that I have anything else to
say."