Australian Tales - Setis

Grinn's brain was rather over-taxed, and he was as indisposed for
infantile fun as a giant with a broken jaw. He was on a visit to a friend in
a neighbouring colony; and was one morning busily engaged preparing a
lecture which he had promised to deliver that evening. His quiet studies
were frequently intruded upon by the son of his host, a pretty, merry little
fellow, just beginning to chatter; and though at most times Mr. Grinn
would have been glad to see him, and have a frolic with him, his private
opinion, on that occasion, was that Jamie was a little nuisance. At one
time he would open the door to show Mr. Grinn a wooden horse, without
head or tail; then he would apply for instruction in spinning his
humming-top; and soon afterwards tease his old friend with a box of
puzzles, or a squeaking cat. At each visit Mr. Grinn received his little
tormentor as blandly as he could, and used every legitimate artifice to
induce Jamie to stay outside, but to very little purpose, for at intervals of
seven minutes he would return, in full song, and though Mr. Grinn had
fastened the door, it did not avail him in the least degree, for Jamie
would kick it until it was opened.
“Here, Jamie, my dear, run and get some lollies; and don't come in here
again, there's a good boy. I am very busy this morning, and can't spare
time to play with you,” said Mr. Grinn, with an appealing look at the
boy, on his ninth visit. “Here's a penny for you; run away now, there's a
man.”
Jamie took the money and ran away to buy his lollies, and probably ran
all the way back too, for he was not gone long, and of course he rushed
directly into the room, to share his purchase with his generous friend.
“I don't want any lollies, Jamie. Do go away, there's a good boy,”
groaned Mr. Grinn, who was just finishing a passage which he expected
would produce thunder-claps of applause from the body of the hall, and
“hear, hear,” from all the sedate gentlemen on the platform. “Go away,
Jamie; I think mamma wants you. Go and give her a lolly.”
Jamie ran away, and Mr. Grinn resumed his work, but in less than five
minutes the boy was back again, disarranging the lecturer's papers with
his sugary fingers, and singing “diddle daddle, diddle daddle dum,” with
all his vocal energy. Mr. Grinn's patience forsook him for an instant, and
he grew positively savage. Throwing down his pen, and looking straight
at the boy, he made a grimace hideous enough to make an old cab-horse
bolt, and exclaimed in hissing tones, “If you don't go away this instant,
I'll eat you up.”
“Hoo-o! hoo-o! hoo-o-o!” roared Jamie, as he ran out of the room in
terror, while his mother rushed down-stairs to meet him, and to learn the
cause of his unusual outcry. “Hey, Jamie, my darling! what's the matter?”
asked his fond mother, in excited tones.
“O mammy, mammy! gent'man going to eat me up,” screamed Jamie,
while poor Mr. Grinn felt that he would be glad for somebody to eat him