Naughty Miss Bunny

Naughty Miss Bunny, by Clara
Mulholland

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Title: Naughty Miss Bunny A Story for Little Children
Author: Clara Mulholland
Release Date: November 21, 2006 [EBook #19889]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
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MISS BUNNY ***

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NAUGHTY MISS BUNNY.
[Illustration: THE BUTLER SURPRISES BUNNY.]

NAUGHTY MISS BUNNY
A STORY FOR LITTLE CHILDREN.
BY
CLARA MULHOLLAND Author of "The Little Bog-trotters," &c.
[Illustration: Logo]
LONDON BLACKIE & SON, LIMITED, 50 OLD BAILEY, E.C.
GLASGOW AND DUBLIN

CONTENTS.
Chap. Page
I. ONLY FOR FUN, 9
II. PLEASANT NEWS FOR BUNNY, 27
III. BUNNY GETS UP EARLY, 37
IV. BUNNY GETS A FRIGHT, 49
V. THE LITTLE INDIAN, 59
VI. BUNNY FORGETS AGAIN, 69
VII. IN MISS KERR'S ROOM, 83
VIII. BUNNY TRIES TO SHOW OFF, 99
IX. MISS KERR PROMISES A PRIZE, 125
X. ON OLIVER'S MOUNT, 138
XI. WAS IT CRUEL? 152

XII. THE FIREWORKS, 167
XIII. QUIET TIMES, 179
XIV. BUNNY'S IMPROVEMENT. HOME AGAIN, 185

ILLUSTRATIONS.
Page
THE BUTLER SURPRISES BUNNY, Frontispiece 19
BUNNY WELCOMES HER FATHER, 50
FRANCIS SAVES BUNNY, 115

[Illustration: Chapter decoration.]
NAUGHTY MISS BUNNY.
CHAPTER I.
ONLY FOR FUN.
"How nice!" cried Bunny. "Mama has sent for Miss Kerr, so I can do
exactly as I like for a little while. I am very glad papa brought us up
here, for it is so pretty and so cool, and these gardens are so lovely;"
and she gazed about her at the garden and the lawn and then at the
distant sea that lay just beyond them, sparkling and dancing in the
sunshine. "If I had no governess," continued the little girl, "and no
lessons, and no nasty nurse to say, 'Sit still, Miss Bunny,' and 'Don't
make dirty your frock, Miss Bunny,' I think I should be jolly--yes, that's
papa's word, jolly. But, oh dear, big people are so happy, for they can
do what they like, but chindrel must do everything they are told." And
quite forgetting her pretty white frock and dainty sash, and the many
orders she had received not on any account to soil them, she lay back

comfortably upon the grass.
Bunny, whose real name was Ethel Dashwood, was six years old, and
was one of the spoilt "chindrel," as she called children. If she had had
brothers and sisters, very likely Bunny would have been kept in better
order, but as she was quite alone no one could bear to correct her, and
so she became very hard to manage indeed. Her papa indulged her, and
thought she could do nothing wrong, whilst her mama was so delicate
that she was very seldom able to look after her little girl, and left her to
the care of a kind-hearted, but foolish old nurse, who allowed her to
have her own way in everything and never for an instant thought of
finding fault with her.
This was all very well so long as Bunny was no more than a baby, but
when she came to be six years old Mr. Dashwood suddenly found that
her little girl was much too naughty, so she resolved to make a change
in the nursery, that would, she hoped, have a good effect in every way.
First of all old nurse was sent away, and a trim French maid, with a
quick sharp manner, was engaged to take her place.
Bunny was sorry to part with nurse, who had always been kind to her,
but Sophie was so amusing, spoke such funny English, and sang such
merry songs that the little girl soon ceased to fret, and became quite
pleased with her new maid.
The change of nurses Bunny bore in a quiet way that surprised
everyone in the house; but when her mother told her that she had
arranged with a young lady to come and live with them and be her
governess, the little girl burst into a passion, and stamping her foot
declared she would have no one to teach her, that she would say no
lessons, and that her mama was very unkind to think of such a thing.
Mrs. Dashwood was greatly shocked, and unable to understand such
naughtiness, rang the bell and ordered Sophie to take the child away,
and Bunny was carried off weeping bitterly. But this fit of anger only
made her mama more anxious to have some one