With the best intentions in the world , Mr. and Mrs. Fairbairn were spoiling their children by constant fault-finding , too many rules and too little sympathy with the active young souls and bodies under their care . As Harry said , they were ordered about , corrected and fussed over from morning till night , and were getting so tired of it that the most desperate ideas began to enter their heads . Now , in the house was a quiet old maiden aunt , who saw the mischief brewing , and tried to cure it by suggesting more liberty and less ` nagging , ' as the boys call it . But Mr. and Mrs. F. always silenced her by saying , -- ` My dear Betsey , you never had a family , so how can you know anything about the proper management of children ? ' They quite forgot that sister Betsey had brought up a flock of motherless brothers and sisters , and done it wisely and well , though she never got any thanks or praise for it , and never expected any for doing her duty faithfully . If it had not been for aunty , Harry and Kitty would have long ago carried out their favorite plan , and have run away together , like Roland and Maybird . She kept them from this foolish prank by all sorts of unsuspected means , and was their refuge in troublous times . For all her quiet ways , aunty was full of fun as well as sympathy and patience , and she smoothed the thorny road to virtue with the innocent and kindly little arts that make some people as useful and beloved as good fairy godmothers were once upon a time . As they sat at tea that evening papa and mamma were most affable and lively ; but the children 's spirits were depressed by a long day of restraint , and they sat like well-bred mutes , languidly eating their supper . ` It 's the warm weather . They need something bracing . I 'll give them a dose of iron mixture to-morrow , ' said mamma . ` I 've taken enough now to make a cooking-stove , ' groaned Kitty , who hated being dosed . ` If you 'd let me go swimming every night I 'd be all right , ' added Harry . ` Not another word on that point . I will not let you do it , for you will get drowned as sure as you try , ' said mamma , who was so timid she had panics the minute her boy was out of sight . ` Aunt Betsey let her boys go , and they never came to grief , ' began Harry . ` Aunt Betsey 's ideas and mine differ . Children are not brought up now as they were in her day , ' answered mamma with a superior air . ' I just wish they were .
Jolly good XXXXX her boys had . '
air boy ideas papa restraint sisters something supper sympathy times