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diff --git a/34515.txt b/34515.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9fe6652 --- /dev/null +++ b/34515.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1833 @@ +Project Gutenberg's Lady Daisy and Other Stories, by Caroline Stewart + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Lady Daisy and Other Stories + +Author: Caroline Stewart + +Release Date: December 1, 2010 [EBook #34515] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LADY DAISY AND OTHER STORIES *** + + + + +Produced by Steven desJardins and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +Lady Daisy +and Other Stories + +BY CAROLINE STEWART + +Author of "A Kitten's Adventures" &c. + +[Illustration] + +BLACKIE AND SON LIMITED +LONDON GLASGOW DUBLIN BOMBAY + + + + +CONTENTS. + + Page +"LADY DAISY," 7 +PAPA'S CHRISTMAS STORY, 26 +STORY OF A GLOWWORM, 52 + + + + +"LADY DAISY." + +A DOLL STORY. + + +Little Flora's father gave her a small china doll on her fourth +birthday. It was only a little one, but Flora's father said that his +little girl was very small too, and he thought she could not carry a +big doll yet. When Flora was five years old her father gave her a +larger one, and when she was six her father presented her with a +beautiful baby doll in long clothes, that was almost as tall as Baby +Henry, her brother, in the nursery. Nurse even said the dollie's long +gowns would fit Baby if they were only wider, for, of course, Baby +Henry was much heavier and fatter than Dollie, though Dollie was +almost as tall. Now came the question of a name. Nurse said that in +the last house where she lived the little girl had had a doll called +Lady Sarah Maria, but Flora said she was not going to call her doll by +that name, because the funny old lady who lived opposite was Miss +Sarah Maria Higginson, and her doll was far too pretty to be like that +old lady. Miss Higginson had once looked very angrily at Flora when +her ball had happened to bounce over the wall into her precious +flower-garden, so Flora did not like her. Perhaps the old lady did not +like Flora for spoiling her flowers! Well, at last, after much +thinking, the doll had a name given to it. It was called Lady Emily +Mary Julia Gwendoline. Nurse thought it was too long, but Flora +reminded her that Emily was after her eldest sister, Mary after the +parlour-maid, whom Flora liked very much, Julia after Flora's Aunt +Julia, and Gwendoline after Flora's little sister; so that her doll +was like them all in something, of course, or she would not have given +her so many names. She had Emily's blue eyes, and Mary's pink cheeks, +and Aunt Julia's sweet smile, and Gwendoline's pretty light hair. + +"And, Nurse, I do think she has fingers like yours, rather stumpy at +the ends!" exclaimed Flora, after a pause. + +"No, no!" cried Nurse. "I won't have her called Ruth after me, that I +won't; and you're a very rude little girl Miss Flora!" + +So Flora contented herself with four names, and wrote them in her +copy-book lest she should forget them. After a while she grew tired of +calling her doll by four names, and changed them all to Daisy, for +short, she said; though Nurse said that Daisy was the short name for +Margaret, and not for Emily. + +Lady Daisy went out for many a long walk in the tender arms of her +little mother. Flora hardly ever let her out of her sight, except +while she went to dinner and breakfast. At tea-time Lady Daisy always +sat on a chair by her little mother, and was quite content to look at +her bread and honey without wanting any of it. + +The doll led a very happy life till one day when the whole family set +off to the seaside, and then her misfortunes began. Flora thought that +she was as careful as ever of her dear Lady Daisy, but I am afraid she +had grown a little tired of looking after her as much as before. At +first she had carefully kept her out of Baby Henry's reach, because he +pulled about everything till it was torn or spoiled; and also Snip, +the terrier, had such a way of worrying anything that he was never +allowed to go near Lady Daisy's cradle. Therefore, when the whole +party set off for the seaside the doll was as fresh and beautiful as +at first. But, alas, a change came! Little Flora was so excited about +going to the seaside, that after she had put her favourite on the +cushion of the railway carriage she forgot all about her in the +delight of looking out of the window. When they at last came to a +large station where the train was going to stop for ten minutes, half +the party got out of the carriage to go and have some tea in the +refreshment rooms. Little Flora begged to be allowed to go too; and +though her mother meant her to stay with Nurse, Charlie, and Baby in +the carriage, she let her come as a great treat for once in a way. So +Flora jumped out in the highest spirits, and quite forgot Lady Daisy +in her hurry. + +Nurse put Baby Henry on the cushion, as she wanted to untie the basket +that held a bottle of milk and some biscuits. While she was busy doing +this Baby Henry looked about him. He soon spied Lady Daisy sitting +bolt upright against the cushions, staring with her blue eyes at +Charlie. He stretched out his little hand and took her by the arm. +Charlie looked up at this moment and saw him do it, and though Charlie +was only a little boy himself he felt he ought to look after Baby +Henry. + +"Give Dollie to me, Baby," he said sharply. "You're not to have her, +bad boy!" + +But Baby only clasped Lady Daisy tighter by the arm. + +Charlie stretched out his hand and caught hold of Dollie by the hair +and tried to pull her away from Baby. Charlie pulled and Baby pulled. +They pulled and pulled, till poor Lady Daisy's hair came off in +Charlie's hand and her arm broke off in Baby's hand, and then she +tumbled right down on to the floor! + +"Oh, Nurse, see how naughty Baby has been!" cried Charlie. + +Nurse turned round, and when she saw the mischief that they had both +done she gave Charlie a good shaking that made him cry, and scolded +Baby Henry well till he roared out loudly. + +"Now, stop that noise, you bad children!" said Nurse angrily. "I can't +do anything for a minute but directly my back is turned you behave as +bad as bad can be. And now, what Miss Flora will say when she comes +back I don't know. I think I had better hide away Dollie till we get +to the seaside, and then we can get her mended, and trust to Miss +Flora forgetting all about her till then." + +So Nurse picked up the bits of arm and all the small pieces of yellow +hair, and stuffed them all together, with Lady Daisy, under the +cushion of the railway carriage; and then she looked out of the window +and said, "Here they all come back again. Ah, Master Charlie, you may +well look ashamed!" + +Charlie was very much frightened at what he and Baby had done; but, +of course, he thought it was all Baby's fault, being like so many +people who prefer to put the blame on others, instead of bravely +bearing a share of it themselves. He did so hope Nurse wouldn't tell. +I think he ought to have told himself; don't you? But he did not. Just +then Flora came running up to the carriage door with a huge Bath bun +in her hand. + +"Oh, Charlie, it's so nice out here!" she cried; "and I've had a lot +of refreshment. And, oh, I've bought you a big bun with my own money!" + +Charlie was just putting out his hand for the bun when his conscience +pricked him, and told him he hardly deserved to take Flora's gift +after what had happened. + +He suddenly withdrew his hand and said, "I'm not hungry, Flo, thank +you." + +"Oh, but do take it!" cried Flora. "It cost twopence." + +Charlie put out his hand slowly and took the bun; but it tasted heavy +to him, as he was not happy. Soon the rest of the party were settled +back in their former seats, and the engine steamed on again. And poor +Lady Daisy was quite forgotten! One by one the children dropped off to +sleep, and only once did little Flora murmur her doll's name in her +dreams. At last they came to the end of their journey, and everyone +had to bustle out so quickly. Nurse had to carry the sleepy children +into the waiting-room whilst the luggage was being got out, and in +five minutes the engine gave a puff and a shriek and the train rolled +on somewhere else, with Lady Daisy crushed under one of the cushions +of a carriage. Nurse had quite forgotten her! + +Poor thing, she hardly deserved such a fate! I think we must follow +her on her journey, for somebody must look after her. Well, at the +next station an old gentleman got into that very carriage, and he sat +down at the end by the window and began to curl himself up comfortably +in the corner. But somehow something prevented him. He thought the +cushion edged up-hill very oddly, and the seat seemed very hard. So he +threw off his travelling rug again, in which he had wrapped himself, +and stood up to search, thinking it might be crackers or squibs or +something horrid. When he pulled up the seat and found poor Lady Daisy +he was very angry. + +"I'll speak to the guard!" he muttered to himself, while he held the +battered, crushed doll at arm's length. "Some wretched child has left +this here for I don't know how long, and they never take the trouble +to settle the cushions properly, these railway people. Lazy set!" + +By which remark he did the hard-working railway people a great +injustice, so I am glad there was no one in the carriage to hear. + +He threw the doll roughly down on the opposite side, and composed +himself once more to rest. When people are angry they are very often +unjust. _We_ know--you and I--that it was not the guard's fault nor +the porter's fault that poor Lady Daisy disturbed the rest of this +grumbling old gentleman. _We_ know that she had only been left in that +carriage ten minutes by herself. However, at the next station the +guard was called to the door and shown the poor battered doll, and +angrily asked why the cushions were not made smooth before the train +started on its journey? + +The guard said he was sorry for any discomfort the gentleman might +have had, but explained that he remembered a party of children had +only just got out at the last station, so he was sure they must have +left it there. In the meantime he would take "Miss Doll," as he +called her, into his own van; and he lifted her up, and picked up the +broken arm and all the yellow hair and rolled them into a big bundle, +and went off to his part of the train. + +"It'll do for my little Polly," thought the guard to himself. + +All this while what was Flora doing? Hard-hearted little girl, she was +thinking how hungry she was as they rolled along the streets in a cab +to their lodgings. When the family were all seated at tea, and Flora +was busy with a plateful of bread and jam, Nurse suddenly came into +the room looking rather sad, and she whispered something to Flora's +mother. Flora heard some of the words. They were, "Break it to her, +please, ma'am; I'm afraid." + +All at once, like a flash, Flora remembered Lady Daisy. She darted up +from her chair, crying out, "Oh, Nurse, where _is_ my doll? I've left +her in the train! Oh, Mother, please send to the station and ask them +for her! Oh, Mother, how could Nurse forget her? Nurse, Nurse, are you +sure you haven't got her? I heard you say you were afraid! I know +you've left her behind!" And thus Flora ran on--now accusing Nurse, +now mourning the loss of her doll, now asking her mother to send for +her--till her mother drew her calmly to herself, and said, "Flora, +dear, do not blame Nurse for forgetting your doll when she had a +hundred other things to think of. If you forgot her, don't accuse +others of it. I am afraid my little girl forgot her Lady Daisy for +many hours, too, in the train. Nurse tells me you left your dollie all +alone when you got out of the train at B---- Station, and that Charlie +and Baby Henry got hold of her, and pulled her very much about, so +that she had to put the poor broken thing under the seat lest you +should see it, and it would grieve you. She meant to act kindly to +you, and it was hardly her fault if, when we got out, she should +forget Lady Daisy was still there, since Lady Daisy's own mistress, my +little Flora, never missed her at all; was it?" + +Flora hung her head. "No, Mother," she whispered. "But I _did_ love +her." + +"Then my little girl must be more thoughtful," said her mother; "and I +am afraid, as the train has gone on a long way, that Lady Daisy must +have gone too, so she won't be at the station. But think of this: +perhaps some other little girl may find her, and take care of her, and +love her too." + +At which Flora burst into a flood of tears, and it took a long time +for her to get over the idea that Lady Daisy was lost for ever! + +They stayed at the seaside for six weeks, and one day Nurse packed up +all their things and said they were going home again. Flora watched +her fastening all the boxes and bags. She had a sorrowful look on her +face. Even now she had not forgotten Lady Daisy. + +"Nurse, I've nothing to carry in my hands _this_ time," she said, and +then turned away to look out of the window. She did not try to blame +anyone else now for her forgetfulness of her poor Lady Daisy. She saw +it was her own fault having left her, alone and forgotten, so long +that day when they first came to the sea. + +When they got to the station they had to cross over to the other side +of the railway. There was a train just coming up, and they waited till +it should go by. However, it was going to stop there altogether, and +the guard got out and was walking towards them, when suddenly Nurse +recognized his face as being that of the same man who had been with +them in the train when they came down to the sea. She remembered faces +very well, and as she was still sorry for poor Flora, she ran up to +him, and said hastily: + +"Please, sir, did you happen to find a doll in your train some six +weeks ago? My little lady's doll, that was!" + +The guard stood still with a puzzled face for a moment, then suddenly +a smile lit up his face, and he answered quite briskly: + +"Oh! are _you_ the party as got out of my train about that time and +left a doll under the seat?" + +"Yes, sure enough!" exclaimed Nurse. + +"Ah! I see _'twas_ you now!" replied the guard. "You know where it +was; and there is the little missy, too, whom I remembers lifting out +dead-asleep in my arms that day. Yes, yes. I found it right enough; +not but what it were a bit crushed through an old party sitting on it +at the next station; but, bless you, I took it home all right, and +give it to my poor Poll in hospital. Not afore I'd mended it, though. +I'm a good hand at carpentering, though sticking on the yellow hair +was a bit of a puzzle." And he laughed loud. + +Flora had ran up to her nurse at this moment. + +"Dollie's found," said Nurse, quickly turning round to her. + +"Did you find her, please, guard?" inquired Flora rather shyly. + +"Yes, missy; and if I'd known where you lived I'd have fetched her +back to you. As it is, my Poll's had a lot of fun out of her; but you +shall have her back--you shall have her back." + +As Flora's mother just then came out of the ticket-office and joined +the group, she heard the whole history. The end of it was that she +gave the guard sixpence to send Lady Daisy back by parcel post, as he +declared he wouldn't let his Polly keep her a day longer, no, "not if +the lady wished it ever so." I think he had seen Flora's sorrowful +face turn quite joyful when he had mentioned Lady Daisy. + +"And, Mother," whispered Flora, "if he so kindly sends dear Daisy +back, will you take my four-and-sixpence out of my money-box and buy +Polly another great big doll instead. You see, it won't matter to +_her_ losing Daisy as it mattered to me, and if I buy her another doll +she will be just as happy; don't you think so? You see, she didn't +have her _always_, as I did." + +And so it was settled; and when poor little Poll in the hospital with +the broken leg one day received a lovely new doll by the post, she +said wonderingly to her father: + +"I can't think, Father, why that little lady liked that battered old +thing instead of keeping this here lovely new one!" + +But you and I know why. We all like our old favourites best, don't we? +And so Lady Daisy came back after all safe and sound to her first +home at the Grange, and you may be sure Flora never lost sight of her +again. + + + + +PAPA'S CHRISTMAS STORY. + + +"Papa, do please tell us one of your nice stories," said Clement +Percival to his father, as the family drew their chairs round the fire +after dinner one bitterly cold winter's evening just before Christmas +Day. + +"Oh, do, do!" struck in a chorus of youthful voices. + +"I should like a funny tale," said Clement. + +"I don't mind rather a sad one," said Lucy. "I mean one about naughty +children." + +"I like just what Papa likes to tell," said George, who had set +himself down on a footstool at his father's feet. + +"Mamma, dear," said little Nelly, the youngest of the party, "do +please shut your eyes and go to sleep, that you mayn't be able to say, +'Nelly, it's time for you to go to bed' _just_ in the middle." + +"Well," said Mr. Percival laughing, "I will try what I can do to +please you all. Let me think a minute. Oh, I know! + +"Once upon a time--" + +"_Once upon a time!_ That is the way you _always_ begin, Papa," said +Lucy. + +"Well, then, will this do for you, young lady?" + + * * * * * + +It was getting dusk on a September evening when a young traveller +entered the village of Seely. Foot-sore and weary, he sank upon a +grassy bank to rest. + +He had not been there long before a strange sound met his ears. At +first it seemed to be nothing but one continued buzz. He listened +closely. + +What could it be? + +The noise came from behind a garden wall at his back. He rose quietly, +and climbing up into an oak-tree from which he could look over into +that garden, he seated himself safely amongst the branches and held +his breath, for--the fruit-trees and vegetables were talking! and he +wished to hear what they could be saying. + +"It is no use asking me this evening," said a portly Cauliflower. "My +head is so heavy I cannot take my turn. Ask the Scarlet-runner." + +"Me!" said the Scarlet-runner. "Don't ask me! I've been running all +day, and have got to run all night, to get up to the top of these +sticks. You may see by the colour of my flowers how hot and tired I +am! Try the Parsley." + +"I'm sure _I_ have not a moment to tell a tale," said the Parsley. +"I'm _so_ busy curling my leaves ready to make the dishes to-morrow, +for I heard the gardener tell the cook I should have a place on the +table, and I like to be pretty." + +"Vain creature!" said the Cauliflower. "Black Currant! what say you to +taking your turn now?" + +"Better not ask me," drawled the Black Currant. "You see by my dress +how dismal my story would be, and as for my sisters Red and White, the +birds have been pecking at them all day, till there is nothing but +their stalks left. It is no use to ask _them_." + +"I _would_ take my turn," said a large Pear hanging against the brick +wall, "but I'm _so_ sleepy I am sure I should fall down with the +exertion." + +"I am longing to speak," cried a Potato from under the ground, "but I +can't make my voice heard through the mould. There are many wonderful +things going on down here which I, with eyes about me, can see, that +you have no idea of, but I must wait till I am dug up to take my +turn." + +"You are all very tiresome to-night," said the Cauliflower. "I _would_ +ask the Cabbage, because I know it has a good heart, but I heard the +Fig-tree say the other day it wouldn't give a fig for its stories, +they are so vulgar. Who is that coughing?" + +"I," said the Artichoke. "I was thinking I might be the speaker +to-night; but you see I could only get half through what I had to say +before I was stopped by coughing, so it's no use _my_ trying." + +"French Bean! could not _you_ oblige us?" + +"If so, I must speak in French," said the French Bean. + +"Oh, that will never do!" cried several voices at once; "we cannot +understand that language." + +The French Bean hung its head and was silent. + +"Did I not see a head peeping from that tall red pot?" said the +Cauliflower. "Sea-kale! is that you? Come! it is really your turn +to-night." + +"No, no!" said the Sea-kale. "The gardener can force me to grow; but +you can't force me to tell a story. My stories are only fit for the +shells and fishes to listen to. None of you land creatures would +understand them." + +"_I_ could, for I--I have relations amongst the shells," said the +Crab-apple proudly. + +"And I'm sure I'm _well_ known to one of the fishes," said the Fennel, +"for whenever the Mackerel comes to dinner I'm always asked to meet +him." + +"I see we must fall back upon the Mustard and Cress," said the +Cauliflower. + +"Us, indeed!" cried hot angry voices from a box in a corner, "what +could _we_ tell of, who live only for a few days, and can never look +over the wall? Surely the old Apple-tree who has lived for so many +years, and can stretch out its branches far enough to see what is +going on outside, is the one to tell us something worth listening to." + +"Yes! yes! the Apple-tree!" cried all the vegetables at once, making a +very loud confused noise. + +"My friend," said the Apple-tree, "my fruit is blushing rosy red with +the compliment you pay me. What the Mustard and Cress say is quite +true. I _can_ see the world beyond, and I have a tale to tell. It is +not a merry one; but if you like to hear it you shall." + +"I'm quite ready to cry," said the Onion, "so pray begin." + +The Apple-tree shook off a few dead leaves and two over-ripe apples, +and began as follows:-- + +"The earliest thing that I can remember is standing in a neat row of +young apple-trees in a nursery-garden. An old gentleman came and +bought me, carried me off in his carriage and had me planted here. He +lived in the house you see over the wall. No, by the by, you can +hardly any of you see the house till your heads are cut off and the +gardener carries you through the gate; but there _is_ a house, and I +will tell you what it is like. + +"It is a large white house, with a roof of gray slates. There are only +three windows on this side, but then this is not the grand side. I +only saw the other sides once, and that was when I was taken out of +the carriage and brought round here, and I passed plenty of windows +and a large house-door then. Well, for many a long year I lived a dull +quiet life, seeing nobody but the gardener. When first I had apples, +beautiful rosy apples, I was in hopes the old gentleman would come and +see them, but no--as soon as they were ripe the gardener took them all +from me, or else they fell upon the grass below, and the slugs came +and ate them. At last the old gentleman died. + +"I heard the gardener tell the bees this one fine morning, and he +wiped the corner of his eyes with his coat sleeve as he did so, which +showed he had been a good master to him. After this the place looked +very lonely, with the windows of the house closed and not a creature +to be seen about except the gardener, and he seldom appeared. + +"A fine battle with the wind now and then was the only fun I had. It +would come gently at first and rock me to and fro as if it would lull +me to sleep, then, suddenly it would rush at me in all its fury and +try to tear me to pieces; but although it used to bend me down almost +to touch the ground, I would start up again as if I didn't mind it a +bit. Somehow or other I always gained the victory, for the poor wind +died away while I was the stronger and better for the fight. + +"In course of time I became so stout and firm it couldn't shake me at +all. When it did rise up and try to do its worst, it could only +whistle round me and make my branches dance. Late one evening I was +surprised by seeing a small head peering over the wall. At first there +was only a pair of eyes, presently the whole head, and then the body +of a small boy, who scrambled over and crept up to me. + +"He got up into my branches and filled his pockets as full as they +could hold. Then he slid down and climbed back over the wall by which +he came. + +"The next day the gardener happened to pay me a visit." + +"'Holloa! who's been here?' he said; 'this won't do!' and he went to +his toolhouse and took out something which he laid in the grass at my +roots, and went away. + +"When night came the same small head appeared again, and the boy was +close upon me, when suddenly he was brought to a stand-still, and +uttered a loud cry. He had been caught in a trap, and the harder he +tried to get out the faster he was held, and there he stayed till the +gardener came and gave him a good thrashing. You may be sure I never +saw that little boy again! + +"Autumn, winter, and spring, all passed away very quietly, and then +came a stir in the place. Windows were opened; workmen began to hammer +and paint; the gardener made the walks and borders all so neat and +trim; and one fine afternoon a carriage covered with boxes drove up to +the door. Then the bustle was greater than ever. Servants ran about, +horses clattered in the yard, dogs barked, and children's voices were +louder than all. The next morning the garden gate opened and a lady +and gentleman walked in, arm in arm, followed by two fine-grown lads. + +"They paced round the gravel walks, then came up to me and admired my +beautiful blossoms. Then and there the gentleman told the boys they +should each have a garden of their own, and he pointed to the piece of +ground by the Sweet-brier, and made the gardener divide it into two +equal portions. After this the boys seemed to live out of doors. + +"I soon found out that their names were 'Richard' and 'Joe,' although +they called one another 'Dick' and 'Joey.' They dug, and planted, and +sowed, and watered from morning till evening. The poor little +trembling plants did not know what to be about. If they came above the +ground, as often as not they were plucked up and thrown upon the +dirt-heap as weeds. If they stayed below, the mould was grubbed up to +see why they were so long coming. These boys often quarrelled, but +their quarrels did not last long. They would begin with hard words, +then go on to throwing mud and stones upon one another's ground; at +last it would come to fighting, till Joey burst out crying, when they +made up and were good friends again. + +"What I did feel pity for was that poor old Pump at the end of the +terrace walk. She was _once_ a tidy-looking, green-coloured, upright +Pump, with a stone basin to catch the water. + +"See what she is now--a broken-down, good-for-nothing ruin! The boys +were for ever filling their watering-pots and soaking their +flower-beds with water. Then they must needs sink wells made of large +flower-pots with the hole at the bottom stopped up with clay. These +they filled and refilled till they overflowed and made the gravel-walk +a pond. + +"The gardener often got angry with them, and they begged pardon, but +went on the same as ever. + +"At last the weather became very hot and sultry, and the Pump would +only give a thin stream of water and that only with hard pumping. The +boys couldn't stand this. They got upon the stone basin, lifted off +her head, and threw a stone down to hear how much water there was in +the well. The sound of the splash was so charming to their ears that +nothing would satisfy them but that they must needs go on throwing in +stone after stone, till the poor thing was quite choked and could only +give a drop at a time, and that with a gurgle. + +"And then, what do you think they did? Why, they lifted up her handle +as high as it could go and let it fall again with a sudden jerk. That +almost shook the poor thing to pieces. At last, her arm slipped quite +out of its socket, and dropped down useless! + +"No wonder that the Willow sprang up by her side to cry over her, and +has been weeping there ever since, for she has never been pumped +again. + +"The gardener became furious, and I think he must have had the boys +punished, for it was weeks before they came to work in their little +gardens again, and the weeds had a fine time of it then. They ran in +and out, and up and down, and round and round about the plants just as +they liked. + +"The Sweet-brier was of no sort of use in keeping them in order. She +only looked down, and smiled to see them so wild. + +"As the boys grew bigger I saw less of them. They went away for long +seasons, and only came home now and then. + +"I must say they always let me know directly they did return. I think +they liked me the best of all the trees in the garden." + +"You think so," said a voice from behind a netting on the wall; "but +that is because we wall-fruit are so rich and rare, young fingers are +forbidden to touch us, while they are allowed to play with you; and +besides, we keep a large army of wasps, in bright yellow uniforms, to +protect us against thieves. Late one evening Master Richard came into +the garden. He crept up to me and stared me full in the face. 'I know +what you want, my young man,' thought I; and I gently dropped one of +my very ripest to the ground. He looked round to see that no one was +watching, then he made a dart forward; but no sooner had he picked it +up than a wasp flew out and stung his hand so sharply he let it fall, +and went back yelling into the house. But I beg your pardon, +Apple-tree. Pray, go on with your story, for we are much interested in +all you are telling us." + +"Yes, I must make haste," said the Apple-tree, "for the night is +passing away very rapidly. Well, one bright afternoon the boys came +with their books in their hands and threw themselves on the grass +under me to learn their holiday tasks, which I heard them say must be +perfect before they left home the next day. + +"They had not been there long before two splendid blackbirds flew up +into the tree at the bottom of the garden. Every now and then they +dived down into the gooseberry bushes and then flew back again, +chattering to one another in a language which I did not understand, +but which sounded very pretty and joyous. + +"'Oh!' exclaimed Dick, 'how I should like to have a shot at those +birds! Wouldn't they be nice in a pie?' + +"'I'll set a trap,' said Joe. + +"'A trap?' said Dick. 'They won't be caught in a trap at this time of +year. If I had only a gun I could pick them off so easily,' and he +made as though he was holding a gun and pointing at them. + +"'I say, Joey, I'll go and get father's gun and have a shot,' he +added. + +"'You mustn't,' said Joe. 'Father said we were never to touch his gun, +or go out shooting without him.' + +"'Why, he taught me to shoot,' said Dick; 'and he says I'm a very good +shot. I'm not a child now. I understand all about a gun, and I'm very +careful. Besides, father is out for the whole day, and he won't know +anything about it, if you don't tell, for I can load it again and put +it back just as it was before. Oh, I _must_ have those birds!' and +saying this he got up. + +"'Pray, pray, don't!' said Joe. + +"But Richard did go, and came back with the loaded gun. + +"'Now, Joe,' said he, 'keep out of the way. Get behind the tree and +you'll be quite safe.' + +"Joe ran behind me, and Dick fired. One of the blackbirds fell into +the bushes. + +"'Here, Joe,' said Dick, 'just hold the gun while I go and look for +the bird. Wasn't it a fine shot! Take care, for the other barrel is +loaded! Don't move an inch for fear you should pull the trigger, and +I'll be back in one minute!' Joe came forward and took the gun from +his brother. Away ran Dick, and there sat poor Joe, afraid almost to +breathe for fear of what might happen. Presently Dick appeared at the +end of the walk holding up the unfortunate blackbird by its extended +wings. + +"Joe jumped up and went down to meet him. I couldn't see how it +happened, but as they met there was a loud report, and I heard Dick +call out, 'Oh, Joey, you have killed me!' + +"Joe threw away the gun which he had been carrying, and ran screaming +into the house. + +"Then there _was_ a hubbub! All the servants ran out. The gardener +picked up Dick, the footman picked up the gun, the housekeeper scolded +at the pitch of her voice, and the housemaid shrieked, while Joe +himself shed bitter tears of grief and wrung his hands in despair. + +"They all passed through the gate. If you remember, I told you there +were three windows on this side of the house. Well, one of the rooms +seemed seldom used; but now I saw people moving about in it till the +housekeeper came and drew down the blind. + +"Then there was such a clattering of horses in the yard; the groom +rode off in one direction, the coachman put the horses to and drove +off in another, and then they all came back, and another carriage +stood for ever so long at the door. I could just see the tips of the +wheels round the corner till it got dusk. + +"Then lights appeared in the room, and figures passed and repassed +behind the blind. + +"Now, the other windows belonged to the boys' rooms, and I thought I +would just stretch out my highest branch and see if I could look into +them. Richard's room was empty, but Joe was sitting in his. + +"There he was, poor fellow, with his arms upon the table and his head +resting upon them. A plate was near him, but he didn't seem to have +tasted the food. + +"While I was watching the door opened, and his mother came in. She +leant over him and pointed to the bed. Then, putting down a candle, +she left the room. Joe undressed and got into bed, but he seemed so +restless he could not keep still for a minute. When the clock in the +old church-tower struck ten I think he must have fallen asleep, for +his mother crept in again softly, went up to him, and pushing back the +hair from his forehead, gave him a kiss, and he didn't seem to notice +it. + +"The clock in the old church-tower struck eleven, and everything about +the house was so quiet. + +"The only light was in the room with the blind down, and on that blind +the figure of the mother, sitting watching all through the long hours +of the night, might be clearly seen. + +"The clock in the old church-tower struck twelve! The glimmering of a +light in Joe's room drew my attention. I peeped in again. He was out +of bed, had lit his candle, and was putting on his clothes! As soon as +he was dressed, he went to his chest of drawers, took out a +pocket-handkerchief, and spread it upon the table. Into this +handkerchief he put a pair of boots, a brush and comb, and a clean +shirt; then he tied it up with two knots, and proceeded to take down a +desk from a shelf. Out of this he took some money, counted it, and put +it into his purse." + +"I wonder how much he put in!" exclaimed the Mint from its bed of +herbs. + +"As much as he had got, and no more, you may be sure," answered the +Sage. + +"I hope it was not all silver," said the Pennyroyal. + +"Oh, pray, don't interrupt!" cried the Thyme, "for the moments are +flying, the minutes are running so fast, and the half-hours declare +the hours are about to strike! Do, please, go on, Apple-tree!" + +"Well, having put his purse in his pocket, Joe went to the fireplace, +and unhooking a small picture from the wall, he wrapt it in a clean +handkerchief and put it in another pocket. Then he came to the window, +drew it gently up, and looked out. First, he threw his bundle down on +the flower-border below, then he scrambled out upon the trellis-work +and crept down by his hands and feet till he reached the ground. +Picking up his bundle, he passed quietly through the gate into the +yard, and going up to a rabbit-hutch, he took out a most beautiful +large white rabbit. This he hugged in his arms and talked to, but I +couldn't hear what he said. He rubbed his cheek several times up and +down against its soft fur, then put it back, and taking his bundle +under his arm, unlatched the gate leading into the fields, and set off +running as fast as his legs could carry him. + +"When he came to the stile he jumped over, and stood still to take one +long last look at the old white house standing out so clear in the +bright moonshine. + +"I saw him kiss his hand towards it, then turn round and set off +running again. He was soon quite out of sight, and from that day to +this he has never been seen here again. And he needn't have gone after +all. I heard the groom tell the gardener the foolish servants had +frightened him by telling him 'he had murdered his brother, and must +take the consequences.' But Dick wasn't killed. He got all right +again, although he was ill for a very long time, and never looked the +same bright lad he was before he lost his brother. But, hark! I hear a +human being near--silence all!" + +At that moment there was a crash as of a bough of a tree snapping, and +the young traveller was over the wall with a bound. + +"Tell me, tell me!" he cried, "are they all alive?" + +There was a dead silence. + +He stamped his foot, and implored the voices to speak once more, but +no answer came. + +"Can I," he said, striking his forehead with his hand--"can I have +been dreaming?" + +He rushed to the garden gate, passed through, and shut it with such a +slam that the poor sleepy Pear fell at once to the ground. + +A very short time after, the sun came laughing up from behind the +horizon, the birds began to sing, smoke danced merrily out of the +kitchen chimney, the church-bells rang out a merry peal, and all to +celebrate Joey's return to his home! + +That afternoon there was a grand feast in the old white house, to +which all the fruit and vegetables were invited. + + * * * * * + +"What a very strange story, Papa!" exclaimed Clement. + +"It is a very nice one," said Lucy; "only I suppose it isn't quite +true." + +"I wish I had got Joey's soft white rabbit," murmured George. + +No words fell from little Nelly's lips, for she had fallen fast asleep +on her mother's lap. + + + + +STORY OF A GLOWWORM. + + +Did you ever see a glowworm? There are plenty of them shining on the +grass during the long nights of June and July. Shall we come out on to +the lawn one evening and see them? Look! there they are! shining like +little fairy lamps all over the grass. If you try to disturb them they +will hide their light, for they like to keep quiet. Now you cannot +find them, for they are all dark again. I do not think a glowworm is a +pretty insect when it has no light. Shall we catch one very quietly +while it is shining and place it on a leaf? In the morning you will +see it is a rather long insect, with brown scales over its back and +it has some tiny legs, in front. You must give it some lettuce leaf, +and a few of those little dead flies we found on the window-sill this +morning. Do you want to keep it altogether? I think you had better not +do so, it would soon die. It can feed itself better than you can. And +now, shall I tell you the story of a glowworm while you put this one +carefully on a lettuce leaf which I have placed in a pot? + +Many years ago, when I was a little girl, I was very fond of pets of +all sorts. I was a funny little girl, for I did not even dislike +spiders! and I often wished I could catch and tame a little mouse for +my very own. There were plenty of them behind the wainscot in our +large London house; but the cat would eat them one by one, so that I +never got a chance of keeping one to myself. Indeed I do not think old +nurse would have let me do so. She hated all such horrid creepy +things, she said; but I told her I was sure a mouse was anything but +horrid, because I had just been watching one come out of his hole that +the carpenter had forgot to stop up. + +"And indeed, Nurse," I said, "he ran so prettily about the room, and +got into your basket of work. I was so happy to think he had found a +warm snug corner this windy day, but directly you came in again he ran +away." + +You may be sure old nurse looked very frightened on hearing about the +mouse in her basket, and the carpenter had no peace till he had +brought his tools and put a board neatly across the hole. So I never +saw my little mouse again. And it had such a soft little coat of fur +too! When I grumbled to Nurse she told me not to be a tiresome little +girl; that mousey was all very well to look at, but he was very, very +mischievous, and would eat up everything in the cupboard if we would +let him. + +Well, to return to my story, one evening my eldest brother, who was a +great tall fellow fresh from school, and much older than I was, came +to the foot of the stairs and called out, "Elsie! I've brought +something for you." + +Now, I knew he had just returned from a cricket match in the country, +where he had gone that morning by train, and I thought it very kind of +him to think of me at all. + +"What is it, George?" I asked eagerly as I bounded down the nursery +stairs. + +George stood under the gas-lamp of the second landing waiting for me, +and now he pulled out a pocket-handkerchief. Out of the handkerchief +he drew a little cardboard box, with air holes pricked in it, and when +he opened the lid I stood on tiptoe and looked into it. + +"Why, George, you've only brought me a caterpillar!" I said not quite +pleased. + +"No, it isn't," replied George, "it's a glowworm. After the cricket +match we went to supper at the squire's, and on the lawn there were +hundreds of these pretty things, so I brought you one." + +"But I thought a glowworm had fire in its tail?" said I. + +"You are quite right," replied George. "It has; but then you can only +see it in the dark, and there is the gas-lamp burning over us. Suppose +we take it into the dark greenhouse and put it in a pot?" + +I thanked George very much for his trouble in bringing me such a +treasure, and we hastened to a sort of glass place we had built out +over an extra room, and in which my mother placed all her favourite +plants. We put the little creature on to a flower-pot, and true enough +when it was left quite quiet it began to shine. + +"What is that light for?" I asked George. + +"I believe it is a lamp for it to see its food by in the dark as it +crawls over the grass. And another thing, nightingales are fond of +glowworms, and nightingales too must live, so you see they can easily +spy them out, can't they?" + +"I'm glad, George, you saved this one from the nightingale," I said. +"Now it will shine here every night like a little fairy lamp, and when +we give my party it will be of great use, won't it?" + +George laughed at me, and said he thought the glowworm would have to +grow a good deal larger before it could do that. Nurse now called me +to bed, so after we had put some leaves close to the glowworm we left +it shining brightly. + +The next morning I ran to see if my glowworm was pretty or ugly by +daylight, but it was gone! + +I looked in every pot, but I could not find anything like a +caterpillar. + +"Of course it had crawled away somewhere!" said Nurse, and she gave a +shudder as she felt sure it would come up to her bed-room. I was very +unhappy at my loss. However, nothing could be done. But what was my +surprise and delight when, that same evening, as it grew dark, my +mother called to me as she was passing the greenhouse, "Elsie! Elsie! +is not this your fairy lamp on the floor?" + +I ran down quickly, and found my dear little glowworm shining merrily +on the stone pavement of the greenhouse. It was walking across to the +other side of the wall, "only just to take an airing," as I said to +mother. + +She said, "Look, it has saved itself because of its light, otherwise I +would have put my foot on it when I came to shut the windows." I +quickly got a leaf and put "Glowy" back again into the pot till I had +got something else. + +"You are not going to run away again, my little dear," said I. "No, +no, you must go into a cage now." So I got an old tumbler with a chip +in it and put some leaves in it, and then tumbled my glowworm in, +head-foremost, and covered up the top with a piece of paper. + +But my mother said that would not do, as there was no air; so she +pricked the paper full of holes as I remembered George had done to his +box, and we put on the lid again. The next morning I found my pet +quite alive; but it had not eaten any of the lettuce leaf, and I was +very sorry. Still it was alive, which was a great deal. I gave "Glowy" +some fresh leaves and left it there. George said he thought "Glowy" +would not like so much hot sun beating down upon him through the glass +roof; but I reminded George that glowworms liked hot countries, for +Uncle Bob told me he had seen splendid ones abroad when he went on +voyages. + +That was all very well, said George, but did I not know that they +came out when it was quite cool in the evenings? Still I had my way, +and left my little friend in the blue glass tumbler, because he would +look so pretty shining through it at night. I was so afraid he would +run away again. When evening came there he was crawling on a leaf and +shining so brightly. I gave him some mustard and cress to eat, for a +change, and felt quite delighted. + +The next day I found he had not eaten anything. Perhaps he did not +like the green food. I resolved to try him with flies; but after +hunting I could not find any that were dead, so he had to go without. +The next day I found little "Glowy" all curled up at the bottom of the +glass as if he was going to faint. "Oh, George," I said, "I quite +forgot he had no water to drink!" and I ran to fetch a few drops in a +cup. + +"You'll drown him in all that," laughed George; but I was very +careful and only dropped a few drops close to him on the leaf. But he +would not move. I was so afraid he would get ill that I took him out +and placed him on a pot of Virginian creeper to see if he would +recover. To my delight he began to crawl again, so I left him to roam +about. + +I knew I should find him again in the evening by his light, as I did +before. But when I came in from my afternoon walk with Miss Smith, our +governess, Nurse told me that John the man-servant had been watering +all the plants that afternoon, and she hoped there was an end to my +funny fancies. + +Oh, how silly I was not to tell everybody where "Glowy" was! for, of +course, Nurse hoped he was drowned; but John wouldn't have done it if +he had known. I hunted by daylight in vain for him; but when evening +came to my joy I found him feebly shining, and perched on the edge of +the earthenware saucer in which the Virginian creeper pot stood. The +saucer was full of water, so I don't know how he had got across; I +wondered if glowworms could swim. I pushed little "Glowy" gently on to +a leaf with a piece of stick, and put the whole on an orange plant for +him to get dry again. + +Alas, the next morning poor "Glowy" looked very ill--at least George +said he must be, because he had not moved from the spot, and glowworms +always like to crawl about in search of food. I looked forward to the +evening to see if he would shine again; but no, poor "Glowy" was quite +still and would not shine. George said he was dead because I did not +feed him properly; but it was not my fault, it was John's for watering +him. I was very sorry, because I had had a little pet for a week, and +now I did not know where to find another one so pretty. But George +after a while showed me it was my fault. You see I had not let the +glowworm roam about in the back garden to look for his own food, +because I thought I could feed him much better. But it was not so much +that; it was the glass cage into which I put poor "Glowy" that he did +not like. It was too hot in the greenhouse. So I made a mistake. We +learn to do better by experience--we learn that we are often in the +wrong. But I would not believe it when George told me so; when I lost +my little glowworm I had to believe it, but it was too late, and my +fairy lamp had gone out. + +George told me he had also learnt the same thing by experience, when +he caught three very young blackbirds once. We were living in the +country then. He thought he could feed them, though the gardener said +they would die, because, while they could not feed themselves, the old +blackbird could do it best and not George. So they did die one by one. +The bread and milk George gave them was not enough to keep them alive. +So I think now, it is very cruel of boys when they take little birds +out of their nest, and besides it makes the mother-bird so unhappy. + +Well, I had lost my little glowworm. It was an ugly little insect in +itself, but you get fond of a thing you have taken care of, and I felt +quite sorry when I had no fairy lamp left. + +Now that is the end of my story. So, shall we profit by it and take +this little one you have found and put it on the lawn again? If we +want it to go on shining, night after night, we had better leave it to +feed itself. In hot countries they are far more brilliant than in +England. I remember them in India, where they are perfectly beautiful; +but I never tried to catch one there, as I recalled my experience when +I was a little girl in England. + + +THE END. + + + + +BLACKIE AND SON'S + +BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE + + +EIGHTEENPENNY SERIES + +_With Illustrations. Crown 8vo, cloth extra_ + + +EXCELSIOR SERIES + +All the books of the _Excelsior Series_ contain inspiriting examples +of lives of well-doing and unselfishness, while at the same time they +are extremely interesting. + +In the Days of Prince Hal. By H. ELRINGTON. +Tales of Daring and Danger. By G. A. HENTY. +Yarns on the Beach. By G. A. HENTY. +The "Saucy May". By HENRY FRITH. +A Terrible Coward. By G. MANVILLE FENN. +The Reign of Princess Naska. By A. H. STIRLING. + + +PLAYTIME SERIES + +This is a series of amusing stories of children's pranks and +escapades. All young readers will have a fellow-feeling for the high +spirits and love of mischief shown by the merry boys and girls +described in the _Playtime_ books. + +Town Mice in the Country. By M. E. FRANCIS. +Penelope and the Others. By AMY WALTON. +Joan's Adventures. By ALICE CORKRAN. +An Africander Trio. By JANE H. SPETTIGUE. + + +SUNBEAM SERIES + +In these stories of the joys and sorrows of children, amusement and +instruction are so happily blended that they will be approved both by +young people and by their elders. + +Tony Maxwell's Pluck. By GERALDINE MOCKLER. +Twin Brothers. By FRANCES PALMER. +A Chum Worth Having. By FLORENCE COOMBE. + + +MARIGOLD SERIES + +The books of the _Marigold Series_ contain stories of girls' life +under varied conditions, which will be appreciated by all girl readers +for their lifelike descriptions and spirited writing. + +That Examination Paper! By EDITH KING HALL. +The Whispering Winds. By MARY H. DEBENHAM. +The Late Miss Hollingford. By ROSA MULHOLLAND (Lady Gilbert). +The Mystery of the Manor House. By MRS. HENRY CLARKE. +Doris's High School Days. By CLARICE MARCH. + + +GOLDEN CHAIN SERIES + +These books inculcate, by means of interesting, well-written stories, +those sound moral principles which, like links in a chain, help to +form a strong and useful character. + +Hammond's Hard Lines. By SKELTON KUPPORD. +Our Frank. By AMY WALTON. +Phil and his Father. By ISMAY THORN. +A Soldier's Son. By ANNETTE LYSTER. +The Happy Lad. From the Norwegian. +Down and Up Again. By GREGSON GOW. + + +[Illustration: Reduced from an Illustration in "BLACKIE'S NATURE STORY +PICTURE-BOOKS"] + + +BLACKIE'S SHILLING SERIES + +_Each book contains 128 pages, Illustrated_ +_Neatly bound in cloth extra_ + +Holidays at Sunnycroft. By A. S. SWAN. +Elsie Wins. By E. DAVENPORT ADAMS. +At Lathom's Siege. By SARAH TYTLER. +Fleckie. By BESSIE MARCHANT. +A Saxon Maid. By ELIZA F. POLLARD. +Uncle Bob. By MEREDITH FLETCHER. +Bears and Dacoits. By G. A. HENTY. +Crusoes of the Frozen North. By G. STABLES. +Miss Mary's Little Maid. By E. D. ADAMS. +Betty the Bold. By E. DAVENPORT ADAMS. +Jack of Both Sides. By FLORENCE COOMBE. +The Skipper. By E. CUTHELL. +Do Your Duty. By G. A. HENTY. +Terry. By ROSA MULHOLLAND (Lady Gilbert). +The Choir School. By FREDERICK HARRISON. +What Mother Said. By L. E. TIDDEMAN. +Little Miss Vanity. By Mrs. HENRY CLARKE. +Two Girls and a Dog. By JENNIE CHAPPELL. +Tony's Pains and Gains. By W. L. ROOPER. +Jack's Victory. +The Lost Dog. By ASCOTT R. HOPE. +Rambles of Three Children. By G. MOCKLER. +Red Umbrella. By E. KING HALL. +Arthur's Temptation. By EMMA LESLIE. +Eric Sinclair's Luck. By A. B. ROMNEY. +Cynthia's Holiday. By S. E. BRAINE. +Little Aunt Dorothy. By JENNIE CHAPPELL. +Our Little Nan. By EMMA LESLIE. +A Gipsy Against Her Will. By EMMA LESLIE. +Only a Shilling. M. CORBET-SEYMOUR. +Twin Pickles. By ELLEN CAMPBELL. +Nell, Edie, and Toby. By GERALDINE MOCKLER. +Jack's Two Sovereigns. By ANNIE S. FENN. +Missy. By F. B. HARRISON. +A Boy Musician. +Cinderella's Cousin. By PENELOPE. +Cubie's Adventures. By W. L. ROOPER. +Piecrust Promises. By W. L. ROOPER. +Ronald and Chryssie. By JENNIE CHAPPELL. +Just Like a Girl. By PENELOPE LESLIE. +Prince Alexis: A Tale of old Russia. +In the Summer Holidays. By JENNETT HUMPHREYS. +The Redfords. By G. CUPPLES. +Marjorie. By L. E. TIDDEMAN. +Long Time Ago. By M. CORBET-SEYMOUR. +Brave Dorette. By JULIA GODDARD. +Emigrant Boy's Story. By ASCOTT R. HOPE. +The Cruise of the "Petrel". By F. M. HOLMES. +The New Boy at Merriton. By JULIA GODDARD. +Jon of Iceland: A True Story. +The Children of Haycombe. By ANNIE S. FENN. +Gladys. By EDITH JOHNSTONE. +A Little Adventurer. By GREGSON GOW. +Bogie and Fluff. By L. E. TIDDEMAN. +Jock and his Friend. By CORA LANGTON. + + +BLACKIE'S NINEPENNY SERIES + +_Square f'cap 8vo. Illustrated. Neatly bound in cloth extra_ + +Gipsy Dick. By Mrs. HENRY CLARKE. +Two to One. By FLORENCE COOMBE. +Cherrythorpe Fair. By MABEL MACKNESS. +Little Greycoat. By E. DAVENPORT ADAMS. +Tommy's Trek. By BESSIE MARCHANT. +That Boy Jim. By Mrs. HENRY CLARKE. +The Adventures of Carlo. By K. TYNAN. +The Shoeblack's Cat. By W. L. ROOPER. +Three Troublesome Monkeys. By A. B. ROMNEY. +Put to the Proof. By Mrs. HENRY CLARKE. +Teddy's Ship. By A. B. ROMNEY. +Irma's Zither. By EDITH KING HALL. +The Island of Refuge. By MABEL MACKNESS. +The Little Red Purse. By JENNIE CHAPPELL. +Cross Purposes. By GEORGE MACDONALD. +Little Ladybird. By L. E. TIDDEMAN. +Up the Rainbow Stairs. By S. E. BRAINE. +Prince Jon's Pilgrimage. By J. FLEMING. +In the Gipsies' Van. By E. LESLIE. +Little Hero. By Mrs. MUSGRAVE. +Kitty Carroll. By L. E. TIDDEMAN. +Shucks. By EMMA LESLIE. +Doctor's Lass. By L. E. TIDDEMAN. +The Finding of Nina. By C. R. SHAND. +Walter's Feats. By A. R. HOPE. +What Hilda Saw. By PENELOPE LESLIE. +Sylvia Brooke. By H. M. CAPES. +Aboard the "Mersey". By GEORGE CUPPLES. +Max or Baby. By ISMAY THORN. +Ella's Brown Gown. By W. L. ROOPER. +The Adventures of a Leather Purse. By M. CORBET-SEYMOUR. +Lost Thimble. By Mrs. MUSGRAVE. +Jack and the Gypsies. By KATE WOOD. +Tom in a Tangle. By T. SPARROW. +The Golden Plums. By FRANCIS CLARE. +Hollow Tree. By GERALDINE MOCKLER. +Patty's Ideas. By L. E. TIDDEMAN. +John Hawke's Fortune. By G. A. HENTY. +Harold's Ambition. By JENNIE PERRETT. +A Pair of Ducks. By W. PERCY SMITH. +Little Miss Masterful. By L. E. TIDDEMAN. +Bright Little Pair. By L. E. TIDDEMAN. +Things will Take a Turn. By B. HARRADEN. +The Little Cousin. By ANNIE S. FENN. +Rosa's Repentance. By L. E. TIDDEMAN. +My Aunt Nan. By E. K. HALL. + + +BLACKIE'S SIXPENNY SERIES + +_F'cap 8vo. Illustrated. Neatly bound in cloth extra_ + +Rita's Triumph. By ISMAY THORN. +Hi-tum, Ti-tum, and Scrub. By J. CHAPPELL. +Edie's Adventure. By GERALDINE MOCKLER. +Two Little Crusoes. By A. B. ROMNEY. +The Lost Doll. By JENNIE CHAPPELL. +Bunny and Furry. By GERALDINE MOCKLER. +Bravest of All. By MABEL MACKNESS. +The Secret in the Loft. By MABEL MACKNESS. +Winnie's White Frock. By JENNIE CHAPPELL. +Lost Toby. By M. S. HAYCRAFT. +Travels of Fuzz and Buzz. By G. MOCKLER. +A Boy Cousin. By GERALDINE MOCKLER. +Sahib's Birthday. By L. E. TIDDEMAN. +Tony's Pets. By A. B. ROMNEY. +Two Little Friends. By JENNIE CHAPPELL. +Andy's Trust. By EDITH KING HALL. +Teddy's Adventures. By MRS. H. CLARKE. +Fairy Stories: told by PENELOPE. +Tales from a Farmyard. By E. KING HALL. +Her New Kitten. By GERALDINE MOCKLER. +Flix and Flox. By MRS. STATHAM. +The Kitchen Cat. By AMY WALTON. +A New Friend. By GERALDINE MOCKLER. +A Long Chase. By GERALDINE MOCKLER. +Two is Company. By L. E. TIDDEMAN. +From Over the Sea. By L. E. TIDDEMAN. +King's Castle. By HILDA B. LEATHAM. +Six in a Doll's House. By E. M. WATERWORTH. +Big Brother Dick. By HILDA B. LEATHAM. +Lady Patience. By F. S. HOLLINGS. +Kitty's Cousin. By HANNAH B. MACKENZIE. +Daisy's Visit to Uncle Jack. By GRACE MARA. +Mrs. Holland's Peaches. By PENELOPE LESLIE. +Top Brick off the Chimney. By J. CHAPPELL. +Jake's Birthday Present. By G. MOCKLER. +Mischievous Jack. By ALICE CORKRAN. +Millie's Silk-Worms. By PENELOPE LESLIE. +Nobody's Pet. By AIMEE DE VENOIX DAWSON. +Lady Daisy. By CAROLINE STEWART. +Little Dolly Forbes. By A. S. FENN. +Mother's Little Lady. By EDITH KING HALL. +Verta and Jaunette. By WYNYARD THORP. +Chris's Old Violin. By J. LOCKHART. +A New Year's Tale. By M. A. CURRIE. +Jim: a Story of Child Life. By C. BURKE. +The Twins. By L. E. TIDDEMAN. +Little Neighbours. By ANNIE S. FENN. +Uncle Ben the Whaler. +Little Mop. By MRS. BRAY. +Little Eric: a Story of Honesty. +Wild Marsh Marigolds. By DARLEY DALE. +Charcoal-Burner: or, Kindness Repaid. +Year with Nellie. By A. S. FENN. +Royal Eagle. By LOUISA THOMPSON. +Pet's Project. By CORA LANGTON. +Dew. By H. MARY WILSON. + + +BLACKIE'S POPULAR PICTURE BOOKS + +_Crown quarto, picture boards. Coloured Illustrations throughout_ +_Also cloth extra, gilt edges, 2s._ + +Robinson Crusoe. +Gulliver's Travels. +Out of Doors. +Jumbo's Jolly Tales. +My Book of Brave Men. +Our Wonderful World. +More Nursery Rhymes. +The Good Old Nursery Rhymes. +Road, Rail, and Sea. +Round the World. +A Picture Book of Animals. +True Stories About Animals. +My Book of True Stories. +Our Darling's First Book. +My Book of Nursery Stories. +Faithful Friends. +My Very Best Book. +Arm-Chair Stories. +Stories from the Life of Christ. +Stories from the Bible. + + +THE FAIRY STORY SERIES + +_Folio Picture Boards. Newly Illustrated +in colour by Helen Stratton_ + +Aladdin. +Ali Baba. +Sindbad. +The Wild Swans. +The Ugly Duckling. +The Tinder-Box. +Hansel and Grettel. +Cherryblossom. +Roland and Maybird. + + +THE HASSALL PICTURE BOOKS + +_Newly Illustrated by John Hassall_ + +Favourite Nursery Rhymes. +A Story Book for Me. +The Dear Old Nursery Tales. +My Book of Nursery Tales. +Favourite Nursery Tales. +My Book of Nursery Rhymes. + + +BLACKIE'S SIXPENNY PICTURE BOOKS + +_Crown quarto. Picture Boards. Coloured +Illustrations throughout_ + +Delightful Days. +Happy Rambles. +Out and About. +What the Children Saw. +Everyday Wonders. +Things Great and Small. +My Book of Brave Soldiers. +My Book of Brave Sailors. +My Book of Brave Firemen. +Little Bo-Peep. +Peter Piper. +Little Boy Blue. +Jack and Jill. +Once Upon a Time. +Long, Long Ago. +Fairy Tales for Little Folk. +Fun at the Seaside. +Naughty Little Jumbos. +Pussy-Cat Hunt. +True Tales of Animal Life. +True Stories of Bird and Beast. +My Book of Animal Stories. +Talks about Animals. +Animals of all Lands. +My Book of Animals. +Bow-Wow Picture Book. +Cats and Kits. +Friends at the Farm. +Children of Many Lands. +Little Folks of Far Away. +Little Folks of Other Lands. +Children on the Road. +Children on the Rail. +Children on the Sea. +For Kittie and Me. +Little Bright-Eyes. +Round the Mulberry Bush. +Little Rosebud. +Smiles and Dimples. +As Nice as Nice Can Be. +True Stories of Olden Days. +True Stories of Great Deeds. +My Book of Noble Deeds. +Glad Tidings. +Gentle Jesus. +The Good Shepherd. +Bible Stories for Little Folk. +My Book of Bible Pictures. +Scripture Stories. + + +USEFUL PICTURE BOOKS FOR CHILDREN + +Over 30 coloured pages, and many full-page +black-and-white Illustrations and Vignettes. Quarto, +10 1/8 inches by 7 3/4 inches. Picture boards, 2_s._ +6_d._; cloth, gilt edges, 3_s._ 6_d._ + +Most attractive books of stories, rhymes, and pictures +for little readers. There is no double page without a +picture, and the many colour pages in bright tints +will prove specially acceptable to young folk. + +Tales and Talks in Nature's Garden. +Tales and Talks about Children. +Tales and Talks about Animals. +The Little Ones' Book of Bible Stories. +Story-Book Time. + + +_THE BEST ANNUAL PUBLISHED_ + +BLACKIE'S CHILDREN'S ANNUAL + +All the authors and artists who are most popular with +children are among the contributors. Special features +of this volume are stories by Evelyn Sharp, E. Nesbit, +Alice Talwin Morris, May Byron, A. G. Herbertson, &c.; +verses by Florence Harrison, W. Gurney Benham, Felix +Leigh, &c. Such names as John Hassall, R.I., Gordon +Browne, R.I., H. M. Brock, H. R. Millar, &c., are a +guarantee that the artistic quality of the book is the +highest possible. + +Picture boards, 3s. 6d.; cloth, gilt edges, 5s. + + +LONDON: BLACKIE & SON, LIMITED, GLASGOW AND DUBLIN + + + + + * * * * * + + + +[Transcriber's Note: The following typographical errors present in the +original book have been corrected. In "Papa's Christmas Story", "None +of you land creatures would understand then" was changed to "None of +you land creatures would understand them". In the advertisements, +"Litttle Hero" was changed to "Little Hero".] + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Lady Daisy and Other Stories, by Caroline Stewart + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LADY DAISY AND OTHER STORIES *** + +***** This file should be named 34515.txt or 34515.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/4/5/1/34515/ + +Produced by Steven desJardins and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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