“So they all shall be some day, Josephine. But first you’ll have to get acquainted with Tom, Dick, Harry, and Penelope, and the sweetest Aunt Kitty that ever the sun shone on,” he answered heartily.
Josephine’s brown eyes opened in astonishment, and she said, with a deprecating look at the old Uncle Joe:
“I’d like to, if you’d like me to, but he--this one--_he_’d not like me to. He said, he told Michael, that lovely red-headed Michael, that I couldn’t hob-nob--whatever that is--with any Tom, Dick, or Harry who was in the square. Didn’t you, Uncle Joe?”
It pleased the old gentleman that she still retained her familiar name for him, and he lifted her tenderly to his breast, replying:
“Yes, little lassie, I did; but that was before I knew these were real children who were coming to live in my house yonder. Such boys as are brought up by this gentleman, and your own cousins--why, of course, it’s different.”
From her safe place within the first uncle’s arms, she questioned the younger man:
“Have you got all those to your house, Uncle Joe?”
“Yes, little girl. Will you come and live with them when we all move to that pretty house on the corner?” he responded.
Her arm went around her first friend’s neck, and he now didn’t fret in the least because it rumpled his fresh linen, as she cuddled her cheek against his, and asked:
“Who’ll live here with you in this big house, first Uncle Joe?”
“Oh, I suppose my colored ‘boys’ only; as before you came,” was his low-toned answer.
“Nobody else?” she continued, in tones equally low.
“Why, me! He’s got so many, and it’s only across the square. And Red Kimono, who’s your own cousin, you know. Shall we?”
“If you will, darling,” answered the old man, with moistened eyes.
“Then when papa and mamma come back from that far off red-pickley country maybe they’d be glad to stay, too. Can’t ’lectrickellers find places to earn money in this Baltimore, Uncle Joe?”
“Be sure that your Uncle Joe and I will find your electrician a fine place, little one; and we’ll call Red Kimono by her real name, Cousin Desire, because she was my mother’s twin sister’s child; and we’ll send for big Bridget to wait upon this real Tom, Dick, and Harry combination of youngsters; and--anything you like!” he answered, so gleefully that even Peter scarcely recognized him.