Brandon was surprised to see how earnestly the two elder children, while he talked, had been looking at him, and then at their father and Valentine.

At last, when this pause occurred, and the two groups met, Janie said-- "I am sure papa is a great deal prettier than Mr.Brandon, and Cousin Val looks quite ugly beside him." "Yes, Janie," said Bertram, with an air of high satisfaction, "papa's much more beautiful than either of the others.

I shall ask Miss Crampton when I go in if she doesn't think so.

You would like to know what she thinks, wouldn't you, father ?" John had opened his mouth to say no, when his better sense coming to his aid, he forbore to speak.

For this lady taught his children to perfection, but his friends always would insist that she wanted to teach him too--something that he wouldn't learn.
Aunt Christie, his constant friend and champion, presently spoke for him.
"No, children," she said, as soon as she had composed her voice to a due gravity, "it's natural ye should admire your father, good children generally do, but, now, if I were you, I would never tell anybody at all, not even Miss Crampton--do ye hear me, all of you?
I would never tell anybody your opinion of him.