E Nesbit

The Magic City E Nesbit

Philip Haldane and his sister lived in a little red-roofed house in a little red-roofed town. They had a little garden and a little balcony, and a little stable with a little pony in it-and alittle cart for the pony to draw; a little canary hung in a little cage in the little bow-window, and the neat little servant kept everything as bright and clean as a little new pin. Philip had no one but his sister, and she had no one but Philip. Their parents were dead, and Helen, who was twenty years older than Philip and was really his half-sister, was allthe mother he had ever known. And he had never envied other boys their mothers, becauseHelen was so kind and clever and dear. She gave up almost all her time to him; she taughthim all the lessons he learned; she played with him, inventing the most wonderful newgames and adventures. So that every morning when Philip woke he knew that he waswaking to a new day of joyous and interesting happenings. And this went on till Philip wasten years old, and he had no least shadow of a doubt that it would go on for ever. Thebeginning of the change came one day when he and Helen had gone for a picnic to the woodwhere the waterfall was, and as they were driving back behind the stout old pony, who wasso good and quiet that Philip was allowed to drive it. They were coming up the last lanebefore the turning where their house was, and Helen said: 'To-morrow we'll weed the aster bed and have tea in the garde