Princess Sukey by Marshall Saunders

Until the coming of Bethany and Dallas the Judge had never seen Titus in contact with other boys and girls.

The boy had been brought up alone; when he wanted playmates he went abroad to seek them. He very seldom brought a boy home to play with him. The Judge had often remarked this, and had attributed the absence of children from his own house as an outward sign of Mrs. Blodgett's inward dislike of "clutter. " However, since his adoption of Bethany and Dallas he had noticed that boys and girls came about the house quite freely.