But
at no other time did this busy man suffer his work to interfere
with that first duty to his children; and there is a pleasant tale
of the inventive Master Frewen, engaged at the time upon a toy
crane, bringing to the study where his father sat at work a half-
wound reel that formed some part of his design, and observing,
'Papa, you might finiss windin' this for me; I am so very busy to-
day.'
I put together here a few brief extracts from Fleeming's letters,
none very important in itself, but all together building up a
pleasant picture of the father with his sons.
'JAN. 15TH, 1875. - Frewen contemplates suspending soap bubbles by
silk threads for experimental purposes. I don't think he will
manage that. Bernard' [the youngest] 'volunteered to blow the
bubbles with enthusiasm.'
'JAN. 17TH. - I am learning a great deal of electrostatics in
consequence of the perpetual cross-examination to which I am
subjected. I long for you on many grounds, but one is that I may
not be obliged to deliver a running lecture on abstract points of
science, subject to cross- examination by two acute students.
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