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 19
... pale ; a gap represents the place where his front teeth ought to be . He is preternaturally intelligent , and has the self - possession of an Irish beggar . He has execrable manners ; habitually forgets to say " How do you do ? " when ...
... pale ; a gap represents the place where his front teeth ought to be . He is preternaturally intelligent , and has the self - possession of an Irish beggar . He has execrable manners ; habitually forgets to say " How do you do ? " when ...
Page 27
... pale - faced boy , grown to sturdy manhood , teaching his mother , by the very strength of her satisfaction in him , a kinder and gentler view of all the world . I prefer to see the charm of affection between these two grown so as to ...
... pale - faced boy , grown to sturdy manhood , teaching his mother , by the very strength of her satisfaction in him , a kinder and gentler view of all the world . I prefer to see the charm of affection between these two grown so as to ...
Page 35
... pale child rested in his mother's arms , and drew his last feeble breaths painfully , so painfully that each one stabbed her as she felt it . " Mummy , Mummy , " he said , so low that she only just heard it , " father's coming ...
... pale child rested in his mother's arms , and drew his last feeble breaths painfully , so painfully that each one stabbed her as she felt it . " Mummy , Mummy , " he said , so low that she only just heard it , " father's coming ...
Page 47
... pale ; the words seemed wrung from her as she answered : " I did not mean to tell you . " " Not tell me ? Not tell me ? " Maud's arms were about her , Maud's face against hers , me who have told you every- thing ? " << " To save you ...
... pale ; the words seemed wrung from her as she answered : " I did not mean to tell you . " " Not tell me ? Not tell me ? " Maud's arms were about her , Maud's face against hers , me who have told you every- thing ? " << " To save you ...
Page 58
Julia Frankau. by it . Imagine how much warmth and sunshine lies about the pale life of a little child whose mother does her duty by it ! Janey inherited her mother's plainness ; and pretty clothes did not come under the category of ...
Julia Frankau. by it . Imagine how much warmth and sunshine lies about the pale life of a little child whose mother does her duty by it ! Janey inherited her mother's plainness ; and pretty clothes did not come under the category of ...
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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.