It was a great trial to him that his parents could not look more leniently upon his children.

He had rarely brought them to visit their grandparents, because it always made his mother nervous and irritable.

But it was too absurd to think that such nervousness and irritation could cause her brown hair to turn almost white, a proceeding which he had always thought was a mere figure of speech anyway.
Breakfast proceeded in an uncomfortable silence.

It was useless to try to console Grandma Maynard, or to make her think that the gray hair was becoming to her.

Indeed, everything that was said only made her more disconsolate about the fate which had overtaken her, and more annoyed at the children, whom she considered to blame.
At last, sharp-eyed, practical Kitty volunteered the solution.