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.But there was the old horse,and there was the cab all right, and there was Diamond in the box,his pale face looking triumphant as a full moon in the twilight.When he drew up at the stable-door, Jack came out, and after a goodmany friendly questions and congratulations, said:"You go in to your mother, Diamond.I'll put up the old 'oss.I'll take care on him.He do deserve some small attention,he do.""Thank you, Jack," said Diamond, and bounded into the house,and into the arms of his mother, who was waiting him at the topof the stair.The poor, anxious woman led him into his own room, sat down on his bed,took him on her lap as if he had been a baby, and cried."How's father?" asked Diamond, almost afraid to ask."Better, my child," she answered, "but uneasy about you, my dear.""Didn't you tell him I was the early bird gone out to catch the worm?""That was what put it in your head, was it, you monkey?"said his mother, beginning to get better."That or something else," answered Diamond, so very quietlythat his mother held his head back and stared in his face."Well! of all the children!" she said, and said no more."And here's my worm," resumed Diamond.But to see her face as he poured the shillings and sixpencesand pence into her lap! She burst out crying a second time,and ran with the money to her husband.And how pleased he was! It did him no end of good.But while hewas counting the coins, Diamond turned to baby, who was lying awakein his cradle, sucking his precious thumb, and took him up, saying:"Baby, baby! I haven't seen you for a whole year."And then he began to sing to him as usual.And what he sang was this,for he was too happy either to make a song of his own or to sing sense.It was one out of Mr.Raymond's book.THE TRUE STORY OF THE CAT AND THE FIDDLEHey, diddle, diddle!The cat and the fiddle!He played such a merry tune,That the cow went madWith the pleasure she had,And jumped right over the moon.But then, don't you see?Before that could be,The moon had come down and listened.The little dog hearkened,So loud that he barkened,"There's nothing like it, there isn't."Hey, diddle, diddle!Went the cat and the fiddle,Hey diddle, diddle, dee, dee!The dog laughed at the sportTill his cough cut him short,It was hey diddle, diddle, oh me!And back came the cowWith a merry, merry low,For she'd humbled the man in the moon.The dish got excited,The spoon was delighted,And the dish waltzed away with the spoon.But the man in the moon,Coming back too soonFrom the famous town of Norwich,Caught up the dish,Said, "It's just what I wishTo hold my cold plum-porridge!"Gave the cow a rat-tat,Flung water on the cat,And sent him away like a rocket.Said, "O Moon there you are!"Got into her car,And went off with the spoon in his pocketHey ho! diddle, diddle!The wet cat and wet fiddle,They made such a caterwauling,That the cow in a frightStood bolt uprightBellowing now, and bawling;And the dog on his tail,Stretched his neck with a wail.But "Ho! ho!" said the man in the moon --"No more in the SouthShall I burn my mouth,For I've found a dish and a spoon."CHAPTER XXVDIAMOND'S DREAM"THERE, baby!" said Diamond; "I'm so happy that I can onlysing nonsense.Oh, father, think if you had been a poor man,and hadn't had a cab and old Diamond! What should I have done?""I don't know indeed what you could have done," said his fatherfrom the bed."We should have all starved, my precious Diamond," said his mother,whose pride in her boy was even greater than her joy in the shillings.Both of them together made her heart ache, for pleasure can do thatas well as pain."Oh no! we shouldn't," said Diamond."I could have taken Nanny'scrossing till she came back; and then the money, instead of goingfor Old Sal's gin, would have gone for father's beef-tea.I wonderwhat Nanny will do when she gets well again.Somebody elsewill be sure to have taken the crossing by that time.I wonderif she will fight for it, and whether I shall have to help her.I won't bother my head about that.Time enough yet! Hey diddle!hey diddle! hey diddle diddle! I wonder whether Mr.Raymond wouldtake me to see Nanny.Hey diddle! hey diddle! hey diddle diddle!The baby and fiddle! O, mother, I'm such a silly! But I can't help it.I wish I could think of something else, but there's nothing willcome into my head but hey diddle diddle! the cat and the fiddle!I wonder what the angels do--when they're extra happy, you know--when they've been driving cabs all day and taking home the money totheir mothers.Do you think they ever sing nonsense, mother?""I daresay they've got their own sort of it," answered his mother,"else they wouldn't be like other people." She was thinking moreof her twenty-one shillings and sixpence, and of the nice dinnershe would get for her sick husband next day, than of the angelsand their nonsense, when she said it.But Diamond found her answerall right."Yes, to be sure," he replied."They wouldn't be like other peopleif they hadn't their nonsense sometimes.But it must be verypretty nonsense, and not like that silly hey diddle diddle! the catand the fiddle! I wish I could get it out of my head.I wonderwhat the angels' nonsense is like.Nonsense is a very good thing,ain't it, mother?--a little of it now and then; more of it for baby,and not so much for grown people like cabmen and their mothers?It's like the pepper and salt that goes in the soup--that's it--isn't it, mother? There's baby fast asleep! Oh, what a nonsense babyit is--to sleep so much! Shall I put him down, mother?"Diamond chattered away.What rose in his happy little heart ranout of his mouth, and did his father and mother good.When he wentto bed, which he did early, being more tired, as you may suppose,than usual, he was still thinking what the nonsense could be likewhich the angels sang when they were too happy to sing sense.But before coming to any conclusion he fell fast asleep.And no wonder,for it must be acknowledged a difficult question.That night he had a very curious dream which I think my readers wouldlike to have told them.They would, at least, if they are as fondof nice dreams as I am, and don't have enough of them of their own.He dreamed that he was running about in the twilight in the old garden.He thought he was waiting for North Wind, but she did not come
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