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 31
... head that rested on Mummy's breast . Such a little wee child , so long dead yet such a loving memory ! Did Robert Browning know of Phyllis Vane's child when he wrote of the one " that was given to me to lead me gently backward to the ...
... head that rested on Mummy's breast . Such a little wee child , so long dead yet such a loving memory ! Did Robert Browning know of Phyllis Vane's child when he wrote of the one " that was given to me to lead me gently backward to the ...
Page 34
... of loving ones , drooping head and feeble step instead of childish laughter , drove the dreadful truth home . Poor Phyllis , she could not credit it , could not think that it was meant . Three years 34 MOTHERS AND CHILDREN.
... of loving ones , drooping head and feeble step instead of childish laughter , drove the dreadful truth home . Poor Phyllis , she could not credit it , could not think that it was meant . Three years 34 MOTHERS AND CHILDREN.
Page 43
... head , or the tea - set with its broken cups , her mother would cry with her , understand- ing the trouble a great one . A new doll would be bought ; or the tea - set mended , and Maud would have all the happiness of cementing it ...
... head , or the tea - set with its broken cups , her mother would cry with her , understand- ing the trouble a great one . A new doll would be bought ; or the tea - set mended , and Maud would have all the happiness of cementing it ...
Page 65
... head and trotted demurely about the nursery . From see- ing her morning and evening , Mrs. Temple 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 ...
... head and trotted demurely about the nursery . From see- ing her morning and evening , Mrs. Temple 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 ...
Page 69
... head , straight into the mother's quiver- ing heart . Not a daughter to be proud of , to talk about , to hope great things for . No , only a " little Dumbie . " " Mother , I am afflicted , help me to bear it . Love me , Mother , I can't ...
... head , straight into the mother's quiver- ing heart . Not a daughter to be proud of , to talk about , to hope great things for . No , only a " little Dumbie . " " Mother , I am afflicted , help me to bear it . Love me , Mother , I can't ...
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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.