1 00:00:08,520 --> 00:00:19,159 Speaker 1: Hello, friends, and welcome to sleep Tight Stories. This is 2 00:00:19,200 --> 00:00:22,919 Speaker 1: another special shout out to our friends who filled out 3 00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:29,680 Speaker 1: our survey. I would like to say hi to Reggie, Edie, 4 00:00:29,760 --> 00:00:40,640 Speaker 1: Rose and Tully, Francis, Desiree and Josiah Key, Roslin and Grayson, Simone, 5 00:00:41,080 --> 00:00:52,279 Speaker 1: gab Nrick, Jasmine and Maya Joel from Colorado, Hannah and 6 00:00:52,320 --> 00:00:59,440 Speaker 1: her sister Wren and their dog Moose, Thalia, Ophelia and 7 00:00:59,480 --> 00:01:11,880 Speaker 1: Sophia u Armando Perez, Eli Moran, Athena Perez, Emily, Jancel, Novarro, 8 00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:23,800 Speaker 1: River and Hayes, Simone, Richard and Ivy. Lucas MacDonald returned 9 00:01:23,920 --> 00:01:35,360 Speaker 1: four on November thirtieth. Penny from Australia, Juan and Juie Kenniston, Joyce, Remo, 10 00:01:37,280 --> 00:01:48,120 Speaker 1: Richie and Ashland, Laura and Jack, Regina, Suzie, Shea and 11 00:01:48,440 --> 00:02:01,120 Speaker 1: Xavier Marco, Johanna and Elias Paxton from Grant Ranch, Mackenzie, 12 00:02:03,120 --> 00:02:14,440 Speaker 1: Reuben and Llewellyn, Holly, Sasha, Saul Stasa, Nancy and Leo 13 00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:30,320 Speaker 1: Avage and Mayer, Zoe, Eleanor and Rosemary, Tavy, de Basio, Luca, Amber, Oliver, Victoria, 14 00:02:32,200 --> 00:02:43,760 Speaker 1: Amberlyn and Bella, Penelope and Dominic, Frankie, Brightness, Levi Caden 15 00:02:43,880 --> 00:02:52,840 Speaker 1: and Caleb, Jonas and Stella, Dexter and Valerie, Jasmine, Tobias, 16 00:02:53,480 --> 00:03:01,080 Speaker 1: Jewel and Ruth, Joy Armida and all of those grown 17 00:03:01,160 --> 00:03:10,320 Speaker 1: ups who still enjoy a bedtime story. This is one 18 00:03:10,360 --> 00:03:16,120 Speaker 1: of my favorite times of the year. There's Christmas music playing, 19 00:03:17,080 --> 00:03:21,239 Speaker 1: it's getting colder, and there are lots of good smells. 20 00:03:23,760 --> 00:03:26,880 Speaker 1: I am looking forward to spending time with family over 21 00:03:26,919 --> 00:03:30,760 Speaker 1: the next few weeks and sharing the joy of the season. 22 00:03:36,760 --> 00:03:44,040 Speaker 1: Christmas Day, boys, said Missus Howard one morning, looking up 23 00:03:44,080 --> 00:03:46,920 Speaker 1: from a letter she was reading. I have had a 24 00:03:47,000 --> 00:03:50,920 Speaker 1: letter from your Grandmamma. She writes that she is returning 25 00:03:50,960 --> 00:03:56,840 Speaker 1: to England. Shortly. The boys went on with their breakfast 26 00:03:57,280 --> 00:04:01,080 Speaker 1: without showing any great amount of intro in this piece 27 00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:05,480 Speaker 1: of news, for they had never seen their grandmother and 28 00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:13,600 Speaker 1: therefore could not very well be expected to show any excitement. Now. 29 00:04:13,640 --> 00:04:17,160 Speaker 1: Missus Howard, the mother of two of the boys, an 30 00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:21,359 Speaker 1: aunt to the third Little Fellow, was a widow and 31 00:04:21,680 --> 00:04:26,159 Speaker 1: very poor, and often found it hard to provide for 32 00:04:26,279 --> 00:04:30,800 Speaker 1: her three boys, as she called them, or Having adopted 33 00:04:30,880 --> 00:04:35,280 Speaker 1: her little orphan nephew, she always treated him as her 34 00:04:35,320 --> 00:04:41,760 Speaker 1: own son. She had sometimes thought it strange that old 35 00:04:41,880 --> 00:04:45,880 Speaker 1: Missus Howard should not have offered to provide for Leslie herself, 36 00:04:46,640 --> 00:04:50,000 Speaker 1: but she had never done so, and at last Missus 37 00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:55,240 Speaker 1: Howard had ceased to expect it. But now write at 38 00:04:55,240 --> 00:05:00,960 Speaker 1: the end of her letter, Grandmamma Howard wrote, I have 39 00:05:01,080 --> 00:05:04,480 Speaker 1: been thinking that perhaps it would be a little hard 40 00:05:04,520 --> 00:05:07,799 Speaker 1: for you to support not only your own two boys, 41 00:05:08,560 --> 00:05:14,600 Speaker 1: but poor Alice's son, and so on my return to England, 42 00:05:15,320 --> 00:05:20,080 Speaker 1: I propose if you are willing to adopt one of 43 00:05:20,120 --> 00:05:24,560 Speaker 1: the boys, for I am a lonely old woman and 44 00:05:24,640 --> 00:05:27,480 Speaker 1: shall be glad of a young face about me. Again. 45 00:05:32,160 --> 00:05:36,719 Speaker 1: After thinking the matter over, Missus Howard decided she would 46 00:05:36,720 --> 00:05:41,800 Speaker 1: say nothing about the grandmother's intention, as she thought that 47 00:05:41,880 --> 00:05:45,120 Speaker 1: it might just be possible that she would change her 48 00:05:45,160 --> 00:05:53,640 Speaker 1: mind again. Time passed on and winter set in, and 49 00:05:53,720 --> 00:05:58,159 Speaker 1: full of the delights of skating, the boys forgot all 50 00:05:58,240 --> 00:06:07,159 Speaker 1: about the expected arrival of their grandmother. During the Christmas holidays, 51 00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:11,720 Speaker 1: the boys one morning started off to Brome Meadow for 52 00:06:11,839 --> 00:06:16,960 Speaker 1: a good days skating on the pond. There, they carried 53 00:06:16,960 --> 00:06:20,159 Speaker 1: their lunch with them and were told to be sure 54 00:06:20,240 --> 00:06:26,480 Speaker 1: and be home before dark. As they ran along the 55 00:06:26,520 --> 00:06:31,040 Speaker 1: frosty road, they came suddenly upon a poor old woman, 56 00:06:32,240 --> 00:06:36,760 Speaker 1: so suddenly that Leslie ran right up against her before 57 00:06:36,880 --> 00:06:43,080 Speaker 1: he could stop himself. The old woman grumbled about lazy, 58 00:06:43,279 --> 00:06:47,479 Speaker 1: selfish boys only thinking of their own pleasure and not 59 00:06:47,680 --> 00:06:52,880 Speaker 1: caring what happened to the poor old woman. But Leslie 60 00:06:52,920 --> 00:06:57,480 Speaker 1: stopped at once and apologized in his polite little way 61 00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:05,000 Speaker 1: for his carelessness. I am sorry, he said, I hope 62 00:07:05,040 --> 00:07:07,920 Speaker 1: I did not hurt you. And you have such heavy 63 00:07:07,960 --> 00:07:13,360 Speaker 1: parcels to carry too, won't you let me help you? Oh? 64 00:07:13,440 --> 00:07:17,280 Speaker 1: Come on, Leslie, said his cousins. We shall never get 65 00:07:17,320 --> 00:07:22,440 Speaker 1: to the pond at this rate. Yes, go on, said 66 00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:25,600 Speaker 1: the old woman. Your skating is of a great deal 67 00:07:25,640 --> 00:07:31,320 Speaker 1: more importance than an old woman, eh. But Leslie's only 68 00:07:31,440 --> 00:07:35,640 Speaker 1: answer was to take the parcels and trudge merrily along 69 00:07:35,800 --> 00:07:42,240 Speaker 1: beside his companion. On the way to her cottage. The 70 00:07:42,320 --> 00:07:46,200 Speaker 1: old woman asked him all sorts of questions about himself 71 00:07:46,640 --> 00:07:52,280 Speaker 1: and his cousins, and then, having reached her cottage, dismissed 72 00:07:52,360 --> 00:07:55,480 Speaker 1: him with scarcely a thank you for the trouble he 73 00:07:55,560 --> 00:07:59,600 Speaker 1: had taken. But Leslie did not take it much to heart. 74 00:08:01,360 --> 00:08:05,280 Speaker 1: He raced along, trying his hardest to overtake his cousins 75 00:08:05,360 --> 00:08:10,440 Speaker 1: before they reached the pond, and was soon skimming about 76 00:08:10,720 --> 00:08:18,400 Speaker 1: with the rest of them. Squire Leah Holme, in whose 77 00:08:18,480 --> 00:08:22,720 Speaker 1: grounds the boys were skating afterwards, came down to the 78 00:08:22,760 --> 00:08:28,320 Speaker 1: pond to watch the fun, and, being a kind hearted 79 00:08:28,400 --> 00:08:33,559 Speaker 1: old gentleman, offered to give a prize of a new 80 00:08:33,800 --> 00:08:37,440 Speaker 1: pair of skates to the boy who should win the 81 00:08:37,600 --> 00:08:44,920 Speaker 1: greatest number of races. As it was getting late, it 82 00:08:45,000 --> 00:08:48,120 Speaker 1: was arranged that the racing should take place on the 83 00:08:48,160 --> 00:08:53,800 Speaker 1: following day, and the Squire invited all the boys who 84 00:08:53,840 --> 00:08:56,520 Speaker 1: took part in it to come up to his house 85 00:08:56,920 --> 00:09:04,160 Speaker 1: for a tea after the fun was over. How delighted 86 00:09:04,280 --> 00:09:09,240 Speaker 1: Leslie was, for he was a first rate skater and 87 00:09:09,320 --> 00:09:15,440 Speaker 1: he did so want a new pair of skates, But 88 00:09:16,160 --> 00:09:20,480 Speaker 1: the Squire's skates were not to be won by him, 89 00:09:21,120 --> 00:09:25,160 Speaker 1: for on the following day, as he and his cousins 90 00:09:25,200 --> 00:09:29,040 Speaker 1: were on their way to the pond, they came across 91 00:09:29,080 --> 00:09:32,320 Speaker 1: the strange old woman who they had met on the 92 00:09:32,400 --> 00:09:39,000 Speaker 1: previous day. She was sitting on the ground and seemed 93 00:09:39,120 --> 00:09:44,160 Speaker 1: to be in great pain. The boys stopped to ask 94 00:09:44,240 --> 00:09:47,160 Speaker 1: what was wrong, and she told them that she had 95 00:09:47,200 --> 00:09:51,800 Speaker 1: slipped and twisted her foot and was afraid that her 96 00:09:51,800 --> 00:09:55,600 Speaker 1: ankle was sprained or she could not bear to put 97 00:09:55,600 --> 00:10:00,920 Speaker 1: it on the ground. You mustn't sit here in the cold, 98 00:10:01,440 --> 00:10:04,520 Speaker 1: said Leslie. Come try and get up, and I will 99 00:10:04,520 --> 00:10:10,400 Speaker 1: help you home. Oh, Leslie cried both his cousins. Don't go. 100 00:10:10,960 --> 00:10:13,040 Speaker 1: You will be late for the races and lose your 101 00:10:13,120 --> 00:10:19,640 Speaker 1: chance of the prize. Poor Leslie, he first turned red, 102 00:10:20,360 --> 00:10:24,520 Speaker 1: then white, and then said, in a husky tone of voice, 103 00:10:25,480 --> 00:10:31,480 Speaker 1: never mind, you go on without me. You're a good lad, 104 00:10:31,679 --> 00:10:35,000 Speaker 1: said the old woman. Will you be very sorry to 105 00:10:35,120 --> 00:10:41,640 Speaker 1: miss the fun? Leslie muttered something about not minding too much, 106 00:10:42,679 --> 00:10:46,120 Speaker 1: and then the brave little fellow set himself to help 107 00:10:46,200 --> 00:10:50,760 Speaker 1: the poor old woman home as gently and tenderly as 108 00:10:50,800 --> 00:10:55,920 Speaker 1: he could. She would not let him come in with her, 109 00:10:56,480 --> 00:10:59,720 Speaker 1: but told him to run off as quickly as he could, 110 00:11:00,280 --> 00:11:04,200 Speaker 1: and perhaps, after all he would not be too late 111 00:11:04,280 --> 00:11:08,640 Speaker 1: for the skating. But Leslie could not bear to leave 112 00:11:08,679 --> 00:11:12,480 Speaker 1: her alone and in pain, so he decided to run 113 00:11:12,559 --> 00:11:19,120 Speaker 1: home and fetch his aunt. When missus Howard arrived at 114 00:11:19,160 --> 00:11:22,880 Speaker 1: the cottage, you can think how surprised she was to 115 00:11:22,920 --> 00:11:28,160 Speaker 1: find that Leslie's poor old woman was none other than 116 00:11:28,280 --> 00:11:33,839 Speaker 1: Grandmamma Howard herself, who, wishing to find out the real 117 00:11:33,960 --> 00:11:37,720 Speaker 1: characters of her grandsons, had chosen to come in this 118 00:11:37,920 --> 00:11:43,480 Speaker 1: disguise to the little village where they lived. You can 119 00:11:43,559 --> 00:11:47,200 Speaker 1: easily guess which of the three boys Grandmamma had to 120 00:11:47,240 --> 00:11:53,000 Speaker 1: be her little companion. And oh what a lovely grandmamma 121 00:11:53,240 --> 00:11:57,640 Speaker 1: she was, not only to Leslie, but his cousins too. 122 00:11:59,240 --> 00:12:03,400 Speaker 1: She always seemed to know exactly what a boy wanted, 123 00:12:04,000 --> 00:12:09,880 Speaker 1: and still better to give it to him. Walter and 124 00:12:09,960 --> 00:12:13,880 Speaker 1: Stanley often felt terrible about the way they had behaved, 125 00:12:14,440 --> 00:12:20,559 Speaker 1: and wished they were more like Leslie, But Grandmama told 126 00:12:20,640 --> 00:12:24,080 Speaker 1: them that it was never too late to mend, and 127 00:12:24,120 --> 00:12:28,040 Speaker 1: they took her advice. And I am quite sure that 128 00:12:28,160 --> 00:12:31,480 Speaker 1: at the present moment, if they were to meet a 129 00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:35,960 Speaker 1: poor old woman in distress by the roadside, they would 130 00:12:36,040 --> 00:12:41,720 Speaker 1: not pass her by as they once did. Grandmamma Howard, 131 00:12:46,840 --> 00:12:57,840 Speaker 1: good night and sleep tight.