. The story of a short life . ust then with the vexa-tion of his thoughts; but thelines of annoyance on hisforehead were to some ex-tent fixed lines. They helpedto make him look older thanhis age—he was not forty—and they gathered into afierce frown as his elbow wassoftly touched by his littleson. The child was defiantlylike his father, even to aknitted brow, for his wholeface was crumpled with thevigour of some resolve whichhe found it hard to keep, andwhich was symbolised by hisholding the little red tip ofhis tongue betwixt finger and thumb. Put your hands down, Leonard ! Put your tongue in
. The story of a short life . ust then with the vexa-tion of his thoughts; but thelines of annoyance on hisforehead were to some ex-tent fixed lines. They helpedto make him look older thanhis age—he was not forty—and they gathered into afierce frown as his elbow wassoftly touched by his littleson. The child was defiantlylike his father, even to aknitted brow, for his wholeface was crumpled with thevigour of some resolve whichhe found it hard to keep, andwhich was symbolised by hisholding the little red tip ofhis tongue betwixt finger and thumb. Put your hands down, Leonard ! Put your tongue in, sir ! Whatare you after ? What do you want ? What are you doing here ? Beoff to the nursery, and tell Jemima to keep you there. Your motherand I are busy. Far behind the boy, on the wall, hung the portrait of one of hisancestors—a youth of sixteen. The painting was by Vandyck, and itwas the most valuable of the many valuable things that strewed anddecorated the room. A very perfect example of the great masters work, r. 0 DULCE ET DECORUM EST PRO PATRIA MORI. and uninjured by Time. The young Cavaliers face was more interest-ing than handsome, but so eager and refined that, set off as it was bypule-hued satin and falling hair, he might have been called effeminate, ifhis brief life, which ended on the field of Naseby, had not done morethan common to prove his manhood. A coat-of-arms, blazoned in thecorner of the painting, had some appearance of having been added this was rudely inscribed, in yellow paint, the motto which alsodecorated the elaborate stone mantlepiece opposite—Lcstus sorte meet. Leonard was very fond of that picture. It was known to his child-ish affections as Uncle Rupert. He constantly wished that he couldget into the frame and play with the dog—the dog with the upturnedface and melancholy eyes, and odd resemblance to a long haired Cava-lier—on whose faithful head Uncle Ruperts slender fingers perpetuallyreposed. Though not able to play w
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectchildre, bookyear1887
