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 21
... Perhaps she has cause for her aloof- ness , for her harsh judgment ; perhaps her bitterness is only the cloak for an early love that was slighted , an early belief that was shattered . There are people who can remember Joan Danvers as ...
... Perhaps she has cause for her aloof- ness , for her harsh judgment ; perhaps her bitterness is only the cloak for an early love that was slighted , an early belief that was shattered . There are people who can remember Joan Danvers as ...
Page 22
... Perhaps the glow of pride when one of her acquaint- ances exclaimed that they had never seen a child commence to walk so young ; perhaps the first sound of " Mum , Mum , " as it issued from the baby - lips , woke her dormant womanhood ...
... Perhaps the glow of pride when one of her acquaint- ances exclaimed that they had never seen a child commence to walk so young ; perhaps the first sound of " Mum , Mum , " as it issued from the baby - lips , woke her dormant womanhood ...
Page 31
... perhaps , but unutterably sweet to her —those thin , soft baby - lips that cooled themselves on Mummy's cheek , that tired baby - head that rested on Mummy's breast . Such a little wee child , so long dead yet such a loving memory ! Did ...
... perhaps , but unutterably sweet to her —those thin , soft baby - lips that cooled themselves on Mummy's cheek , that tired baby - head that rested on Mummy's breast . Such a little wee child , so long dead yet such a loving memory ! Did ...
Page 53
... Perhaps it was mere perverse- ness , a desire to see what his friends would say , a reckless disregard of con- sequences , that led him into it . He liked to be the hero of a nine days ' wonder , and he had arrived at a position where ...
... Perhaps it was mere perverse- ness , a desire to see what his friends would say , a reckless disregard of con- sequences , that led him into it . He liked to be the hero of a nine days ' wonder , and he had arrived at a position where ...
Page 64
... perhaps still with le monde qui s'amuse , but no longer of it . Marguerite was the cause of her awakening the little one , with the blue , wistful eyes , who three years ago had been an unwelcome interruption to her social life . It had ...
... perhaps still with le monde qui s'amuse , but no longer of it . Marguerite was the cause of her awakening the little one , with the blue , wistful eyes , who three years ago had been an unwelcome interruption to her social life . It had ...
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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.