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 22
... began to inspire her with the passion that now dominates her so exclusively . What precise moment of emotion lit the spark , it is impossible to say . Perhaps the glow of pride when one of her acquaint- ances exclaimed that they had ...
... began to inspire her with the passion that now dominates her so exclusively . What precise moment of emotion lit the spark , it is impossible to say . Perhaps the glow of pride when one of her acquaint- ances exclaimed that they had ...
Page 46
... began to notice something , something that made her heart sink , that struck her in the midst of her joy , that turned her being cold , and terrified her with the first terror she had ever known . She noticed , so gradually that she ...
... began to notice something , something that made her heart sink , that struck her in the midst of her joy , that turned her being cold , and terrified her with the first terror she had ever known . She noticed , so gradually that she ...
Page 65
... began to send for her in the afternoons ; made her come down on at home " days to be exhibited to her mother's friends , in white lace frock and satin sash . She was a sweet little figure , and as everybody said , never had there been ...
... began to send for her in the afternoons ; made her come down on at home " days to be exhibited to her mother's friends , in white lace frock and satin sash . She was a sweet little figure , and as everybody said , never had there been ...
Page 66
... began to feel something like a thrill of excitement when the little warm hand was put nervously into hers , when Margy seemed to need her . Her evening visit to the nursery grew longer ; Margy would now be brought to her in the morning ...
... began to feel something like a thrill of excitement when the little warm hand was put nervously into hers , when Margy seemed to need her . Her evening visit to the nursery grew longer ; Margy would now be brought to her in the morning ...
Page 67
... began to picture herself as a chaperone , half - closed her eyes , and dreamily saw , when the band played , the slender fair - haired girl dan- cing with the best match of the season ! Yes ; with the best match of the season : that was ...
... began to picture herself as a chaperone , half - closed her eyes , and dreamily saw , when the band played , the slender fair - haired girl dan- cing with the best match of the season ! Yes ; with the best match of the season : that was ...
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Common terms and phrases
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.