Mothers and ChildrenW. Collins, 1918 - 166 pages These 14 brief, contrasting vignettes, which each stand alone and deal with one mother and her child, provide glimpses of a huge range of mother-child relationships. Most extol the passion, depth and fulfilment of maternal love, which is likened in some tales to divine love, even protecting a child from beyond the grave (EILEEN). Some mothers invest all ambition in their offspring (ARTHUR). Some stories describe tragedies – MARGUERITE turns out ‘a dumbie’, longed-for PHI-PHI is an ‘idiot’, clever GERALD has a serious accident at Eton, BOBBY dies aged 4, devastating his mother, idolised CHARLIE becomes delinquent and ruins the family (though retaining his mother’s adoration). DOUGLAS’s adoptive mother cannot love him as his own mother still does. Some children return this devotion - GERALD comforts his anguished mother after his accident, MAUD gives up married love to care for her blind mother. NORMAN’s mother, fleeing a drunken, murderous husband, is redeemed and comforted by her son. Other mothers, like DERRICK’s, hate their children, with reciprocal dislike. GLADYS, spoiled by her mother, grows up selfish and arrogant. JANEY’s mother despises husband and child, and Janey dreams of her absent father. |
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Page xi
... . They must all go , " she whispered . The nurse , uncomprehending , asked : Who must go ? Where ? " " My sons , " she whispered . " My three sons . They must all go to the war . They mustn't feel that I am a drag xi PREFACE.
... . They must all go , " she whispered . The nurse , uncomprehending , asked : Who must go ? Where ? " " My sons , " she whispered . " My three sons . They must all go to the war . They mustn't feel that I am a drag xi PREFACE.
Page xii
... asking nothing , giving all . The tears she shed when , one by one , we came to bid her good - bye , she shed in solitude ; the terrors that tore her for us , she faced alone . If , for herself , she feared death , she never voiced that ...
... asking nothing , giving all . The tears she shed when , one by one , we came to bid her good - bye , she shed in solitude ; the terrors that tore her for us , she faced alone . If , for herself , she feared death , she never voiced that ...
Page 22
... of " Mum , Mum , " as it issued from the baby - lips , woke her dormant womanhood ; perhaps it was the outstretched arms the baby held to her , and the crow with which it asked to be taken up . But whatever may have 22 MOTHERS AND CHILDREN.
... of " Mum , Mum , " as it issued from the baby - lips , woke her dormant womanhood ; perhaps it was the outstretched arms the baby held to her , and the crow with which it asked to be taken up . But whatever may have 22 MOTHERS AND CHILDREN.
Page 23
Julia Frankau. asked to be taken up . But whatever may have been the cause , the effect was elec- trical ; and from that moment to this , the little boy has been as an idol to her . Yet a woman like Joan might have been expected to train ...
Julia Frankau. asked to be taken up . But whatever may have been the cause , the effect was elec- trical ; and from that moment to this , the little boy has been as an idol to her . Yet a woman like Joan might have been expected to train ...
Page 44
... asked Maud to dance , and what he had said to her at supper . And Mrs. Devereux grew glad , for now the shadow of a great trouble travelled always at her side , and she wanted Maud , her Maud , her darling , to be away from her , safe ...
... asked Maud to dance , and what he had said to her at supper . And Mrs. Devereux grew glad , for now the shadow of a great trouble travelled always at her side , and she wanted Maud , her Maud , her darling , to be away from her , safe ...
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ambitions arms Arthur asked Aunt Bessie baby beautiful Bobby brain caresses Carson Charlie child Chisel Danby's Derrick Devereux Douglas dream Eileen Eric Eton everything face father Frank Danby Frazer friends genius Gerald girl glad Gladys grew growing hair hands happy head heard heart ache Heaven husband Janey Jessie Joanna John Evans kiss knee knew light lips little angel little one's lived look Marguérite Margy marriage married maternity Maud Maud's measles months mother-love mother's eyes MOTHERS AND CHILDREN Mummy Mumsey ness nestled never night nurse nursery old Celia old maid pain pale passion perhaps Phi-phi Phyllis Vane's pity Poor little Poor mother Reuben Carson's seemed shadow world Slowcumb smiled Stanford University story sympathy talk tears tell Temple thought tin soldier told touched tremulous trouble turn Ursula voice watch wife woman words Wyvern young young doctor
Popular passages
Page 21 - I HAD a little daughter, And she was given to me To lead me gently backward To ,the Heavenly Father's knee, That I, by the force of nature, Might in some dim wise divine The depth of his infinite patience To this wayward soul of mine.