From e0ce6898d6733a4ce57790a1a0e4c09f5871a171 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Ronan Crowley
and, though still a tiny toddler, was just beginning to lisp his first babyish
words. Cissy Caffrey bent over to him to tease his fat little plucks and the
dainty dimple in his chin.
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And baby prattled after her:
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Cissy Caffrey cuddled the wee chap for she was awfully fond of
children, so patient with little sufferers and Tommy Caffrey could never be
got to take his castor oil unless it was Cissy Caffrey that held his nose and
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@
assailant came to grief and (alas to relate!) the coveted castle too. Needless
to say the cries of discomfited Master Tommy drew the attention of the girl
friends.
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Jacky, for shame to throw poor Tommy in the dirty sand. Wait till I catch
you for that.
His eyes misty with unshed tears Master Tommy came at her call for
@@ -61,18 +61,18 @@
would well up so she kissed away the hurtness and shook her hand at
Master Jacky the culprit and said if she was near him she wouldn't be far
from him, her eyes dancing in admonition.
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She put an arm round the little mariner and coaxed winningly:
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sweetheart?
her shortsighted eyes.
her shortsighted eyes.
Tommy's sweetheart.
Cissy's quick motherwit guessed what was amiss and she whispered
to Edy Boardman to take him there behind the pushcar where the
gentleman couldn't see and to mind he didn't wet his new tan shoes.
But Cissy Caffrey told baby Boardman to look up, look up high at her
finger and she snatched the ball quickly and threw it along the sand and
Tommy after it in full career, having won the day.
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And she tickled tiny tot's two cheeks to make him forget and played
here's the lord mayor, here's his two horses, here's his gingerbread carriage
and here he walks in, chinchopper, chinchopper, chinchopper chin. But
Edy got as cross as two sticks about him getting his own way like that from
everyone always petting him.
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Gerty MacDowell bent down her head and crimsoned at the idea of
Cissy saying an unladylike thing like that out loud she'd be ashamed of her
life to say, flushing a deep rosy red, and Edy Boardman said she was sure
the gentleman opposite heard what she said. But not a pin cared Ciss.
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nose.
Madcap Ciss with her golliwog curls. You had to laugh at her
sometimes. For instance when she asked you would you have some more
Chinese tea and jaspberry ram and when she drew the jugs too and the
@@ -357,7 +357,7 @@
it and Cissy told her to kick it away and let them fight for it so Gerty drew
back her foot but she wished their stupid ball hadn't come rolling down to
her and she gave a kick but she missed and Edy and Cissy laughed.
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Gerty smiled assent and bit her lip. A delicate pink crept into her
pretty cheek but she was determined to let them see so she just lifted her
skirt a little but just enough and took good aim and gave the ball a jolly
@@ -385,18 +385,18 @@
she cried behind the hood of the pushcar and Edy asked where was Cissy
gone and then Cissy popped up her head and cried ah! and, my word,
didn't the little chap enjoy that! And then she told him to say papa.
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And baby did his level best to say it for he was very intelligent for
eleven months everyone said and big for his age and the picture of health, a
perfect little bunch of love, and he would certainly turn out to be something
great, they said.
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Cissy wiped his little mouth with the dribbling bib and wanted him to
sit up properly and say pa pa pa but when she undid the strap she cried out,
holy saint Denis, that he was possing wet and to double the half blanket the
other way under him. Of course his infant majesty was most obstreperous
at such toilet formalities and he let everyone know it:
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And two great big lovely big tears coursing down his cheeks. It was
all no use soothering him with no, nono, baby, no and telling him about the
geegee and where was the puffpuff but Ciss, always readywitted, gave him
@@ -470,7 +470,7 @@
them a good hiding for themselves to keep them in their places, the both of
them. And Cissy and Edy shouted after them to come back because they
were afraid the tide might come in on them and be drowned.
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Not they! What a great notion they had! So Cissy said it was the very
last time she'd ever bring them out. She jumped up and called them and she
ran down the slope past him, tossing her hair behind her which had a good
@@ -524,8 +524,8 @@
baby. Irritable little gnat she was and always would be and that was why
no-one could get on with her poking her nose into what was no concern of
hers. And she said to Gerty:
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only wondering was it late.
Because she wished to goodness they'd take the snottynosed twins and
their babby home to the mischief out of that so that was why she just gave a
@@ -533,7 +533,7 @@
time and Miss Cissy, as glib as you like, said it was half past kissing time,
time to kiss again. But Edy wanted to know because they were told to be in
early.
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his conundrum.
So over she went and when he saw her coming she could see him take
his hand out of his pocket, getting nervous, and beginning to play with his
@@ -587,8 +587,8 @@
an instant there was in the blue eyes a quick stinging of tears. Their eyes
were probing her mercilessly but with a brave effort she sparkled back in
sympathy as she glanced at her new conquest for them to see.
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flashed up.
Her words rang out crystalclear, more musical than the cooing of the
ringdove, but they cut the silence icily. There was that in her young voice
that told that she was not a one to be lightly trifled with. As for Mr Reggy
@@ -611,7 +611,7 @@
and Cissy poked him like that out of fun in his wee fat tummy and baby,
without as much as by your leave, sent up his compliments to all and sundry
on to his brandnew dribbling bib.
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The slight
that little matter to rights.
Gerty stifled a smothered exclamation and gave a nervous cough and
@@ -677,14 +677,14 @@
then he locked the tabernacle door because the benediction was over and
Father Conroy handed him his hat to put on and crosscat Edy asked wasn't
she coming but Jacky Caffrey called out:
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And they all looked was it sheet lightning but Tommy saw it too over
the trees beside the church, blue and then green and purple.
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And they all ran down the strand to see over the houses and the
church, helterskelter, Edy with the pushcar with baby Boardman in it and
Cissy holding Tommy and Jacky by the hand so they wouldn't fall running.
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But Gerty was adamant. She had no intention of being at their beck
and call. If they could run like rossies she could sit so she said she could see
from where she was. The eyes that were fastened upon her set her pulses
@@ -754,7 +754,7 @@
don't tell.
Cissy Caffrey whistled, imitating the boys in the football field to show
what a great person she was: and then she cried:
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Gerty had an idea, one of love's little ruses. She slipped a hand into
her kerchief pocket and took out the wadding and waved in reply of course
without letting him and then slipped it back. Wonder if he's too far to. She