At the Back of the North Wind Illustrated - online book

A Complete Illustrated children's fantasy book by George MacDonald.

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The Seaside                       141
" Are you very hungry, mother? There's the basket.
I thought you put something to eat in it."
" Oh you darling stupid! I didn't say I was hungry," returned his mother, smiling through her tears.
"Then I don't understand you at all," said Diamond.
II Do tell me what's the matter."
"There are people in the world who have nothing to eat, Diamond."
"Then I suppose they don't stop in it any longer. They—they—what you call—die—don't they?"
" Yes, they do. How would you like that?"
" I don't know. I never tried. But I suppose thev go where they get something to eat."
"Like enough they don't want it," said his mother petulantly.
"That's all right then," said Diamond, thinking I daresay more than he chose to put in words.
" Is it though? Poor boy! how little you know about things! Mr. Coleman's lost all his money, and your father has nothing to do, and we shall have nothing to eat by and by."
"Are you sure, mother?"
"Sure of what?"
" Sure that we shall have nothing to eat."
"No, thank Heaven! I'm not sure of it. I hope not."
"Then I can't understand it, mother. There's a piece of gingerbread in the basket, I know."
"O you little bird! You have no more sense than a sparrow that picks what it wants, and never thinks of the winter and the frost and the snow."
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