"Mamma, what's the matter?" asked Adelaide Dinsmore.
They were at the breakfast table; Mrs. Dinsmore was reading a letter from her husband, and Adelaide had been studying her face the while, noting the gathering frown upon the brow, the flushing of the cheek, the compression of the lips that spoke of increasing anger.
"Matter? I was never so provoked in my life!" cried Mrs. Dinsmore, crushing the letter passionately in her hands, then tearing it into bits. "The idea of bringing that child here! and not merely for a visit (which would be bad enough), but to stay permanently. I don't know what your father can be thinking of! It seems it's not enough that I've been tormented with a stepson, but I must have a step—"

"Step what, mamma?" from all three of the little girls, as she broke off abruptly, leaving her sentence unfinished.
"Nonsense! be quiet, will you!" she answered angrily.
They waited a moment for her passion to cool; then Adelaide began again... #story #kidsstory AcreSoft Story Classic ✝️❣️?️ acresoft.com cointr.ee/acresoft