Some people used to say that Dad had so many children that he couldn’t keep track of them. Dad himself used to (1) a story about one time (2) mother went off to fill a lecture engagement and (3) him in charge at home. When mother (4) , she asked him if everything had run smoothly.
"Didn’t have any trouble (5) with that one over there," he (6) . "But a spanking (打 屁股) brought him into line."
Mother could handle any cr without (7) her temper.
"That’s not one of (8) , dear," she said. "He belongs to next door."
None of us remembers it, and maybe it never (9) . Dad didn’t always tell the (10) ., because there was nothing he liked (11) than a joke, particularly if it were (12) him and even more particularly if it were on mother.
Dad was happiest in crowd, (13) a crowd of kids. Wherever be was, you’d see a string of them trailing him. He had a way with children and knew (14) to keep them on their toes. He had a respect (15) them, too, and didn’t mind showing it.
He believed that most s stopped thinking the (16) they left school and some even before that. "A child, on the (17) hand, stays impressionable and eager to learn. Catch one young enough," Dad insisted, "and there’s no limit (18) what you can teach."
Really, it was love of children (19) than anything else that made him want to give birth to a pack of his own. Even (20) a dozen, be wasn’t fully satisfied. Sometimes he’d look us over and say to Mother. "Never you mind, Lillie. You did the best you could.\