The Little School-Mothers by L.T. Meade

When Ralph Durrant's father came for him on the day of the great break-up at the school, he found a little boy who said with emphasis that he had several school-mothers, and that he did not wish to say good-bye to any of them. This state of things rather puzzled Mr Durrant, whose one desire in life was to make Ralph intensely happy.

"How am I to manage such a lot of mothers, little man? " he said.