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+The Project Gutenberg EBook of Jessie's Parrot, by Joanna Mathews
+
+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: Jessie's Parrot
+
+Author: Joanna Mathews
+
+Release Date: November 7, 2013 [EBook #44123]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ASCII
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JESSIE'S PARROT ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Melissa McDaniel, Chris Whitehead and the
+Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
+(This file was produced from images generously made
+available by The Internet Archive)
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+_LITTLE SUNBEAMS._
+
+
+
+IV.
+
+JESSIE'S PARROT.
+
+
+
+
+=By the Author of this Volume.=
+
+I.
+
+LITTLE SUNBEAMS.
+
+By JOANNA H. MATHEWS, Author of the "Bessie Books."
+
+    I. BELLE POWERS' LOCKET. 16mo           $1.00
+   II. DORA'S MOTTO. 16mo                    1.00
+  III. LILY NORRIS' ENEMY                    1.00
+   IV. JESSIE'S PARROT                       1.00
+    V. MAMIE'S WATCHWORD                     1.00
+
+II.
+
+THE FLOWERETS.
+
+A series of Stories on the Commandments. 6 vols. In a
+  box                                       $3.60
+
+"It is not easy to say too good a word for this admirable series.
+Interesting, graphic, impressive, they teach with great distinctness
+the cardinal lessons which they would have the youthful reader
+learn."--_S. S. Times._
+
+III.
+
+THE BESSIE BOOKS.
+
+  6 vols. In a box                          $7.50
+
+"Bessie is a very charming specimen of little girlhood. It is a lovely
+story of home and nursery life among a family of bright, merry little
+children."--_Presbyterian._
+
+
+ROBERT CARTER AND BROTHERS,
+_New York_.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: Jessie's Parrot.
+
+FRONTISPIECE.]
+
+
+
+
+  JESSIE'S PARROT.
+
+
+  "A HAUGHTY SPIRIT GOETH BEFORE A FALL."
+
+
+
+  "He that is down need fear no fall,
+    He that is low no pride,
+   He that is humble ever shall
+    Have God to be his guide."
+
+
+
+  BY
+
+  JOANNA H. MATHEWS,
+
+  AUTHOR OF THE "BESSIE BOOKS" AND THE "FLOWERETS."
+
+
+
+
+  NEW YORK:
+  ROBERT CARTER AND BROTHERS,
+  530 BROADWAY.
+  1876.
+
+
+
+
+  Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1871, by
+  ROBERT CARTER AND BROTHERS,
+  In the office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington.
+
+
+
+
+
+  CAMBRIDGE:
+  PRESS OF JOHN WILSON AND SON.
+
+
+
+
+  CONTENTS.
+
+
+  CHAP.                                        PAGE
+
+     I. THE NEW SCHOLAR                           9
+
+    II. AN EXCURSION                             31
+
+   III. JESSIE AND HER GRANDFATHER               52
+
+    IV. THE PARROT                               69
+
+     V. GRANDMAMMA HOWARD                        90
+
+    VI. JEALOUSY                                110
+
+   VII. A MISFORTUNE                            129
+
+  VIII. "THE SPIDER AND THE FLY"                148
+
+    IX. A GUILTY CONSCIENCE                     168
+
+     X. A GAME OF CHARACTERS                    189
+
+    XI. CONFESSION                              205
+
+   XII. THE FAIR                                223
+
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+JESSIE'S PARROT.
+
+I.
+
+_THE NEW SCHOLAR._
+
+
+"Fanny Leroy is going away from our school," said Carrie Ransom one
+morning to Belle Powers and two or three more of her young schoolmates.
+
+"Oh, dear! I'm sorry," said Belle.
+
+"So am I," said Dora Johnson. "Why is she going?"
+
+"Has she finished her education, and is she never going to school any
+more?" asked Mabel Walton.
+
+"Why, no," said Belle; "she's nothing but a little girl; and you don't
+finish your education till you're quite grown up and have long dresses."
+
+"Why is she going away?" asked Lily. "I don't want her to go. I like
+Fanny."
+
+"So do I. She's real nice," said Carrie; "but she is going, for all,
+'cause her father and mother and all her family are going to Europe and
+she is going with them."
+
+"I wish she wouldn't," said Belle; and one and another echoed their
+sorrow at the loss of their schoolmate.
+
+Fanny had always been well liked in the school; but now that they were
+about to lose her the little girls found that they were even more fond
+of her than they had supposed, and many regrets were expressed when, a
+moment later, she came in accompanied by Gracie Howard.
+
+Fanny herself was very melancholy and low, for this was to be the last
+day at school, as she informed the other children; the journey to
+Europe having been decided upon rather suddenly, and the departure was
+to take place within a few days. Nevertheless, although she was sorry
+to part with her teacher and classmates, and in mortal dread of the
+voyage, she felt herself rather of a heroine, and entitled to be made
+much of.
+
+"We'll have an empty place in our school then," said Belle.
+
+"No," said Fanny, "for my cousin Hattie is coming to take my place; it
+is all arranged, and Miss Ashton says she can come."
+
+"Is she nice?" asked Lily.
+
+"Well--yes," answered Fanny, half doubtfully.
+
+"You don't seem to think she's so _very_," said Belle.
+
+No, Fanny evidently had her own opinion on this subject; but as she
+was not a child who was ready to speak ill of the absent, she would
+not say more than she could help. But the interest and curiosity of
+her schoolmates were aroused, and they could not be satisfied without
+hearing more.
+
+"I know Hattie," said Gracie Howard, who was more intimate with Fanny
+and her family than any of the other children,--"I know Hattie, and I
+like her. She thinks I am very nice. She told me so."
+
+This was plainly the highest of recommendations in Gracie's eyes. Any
+one who admired her was sure of her favor; but this fact did not have
+quite as much weight with her companions as it did with herself, and
+they turned once more to Fanny.
+
+"But tell us, Fanny," said Lily Norris, "why don't you like her so very
+much?"
+
+Fanny looked, as she felt, uncomfortable at this close question.
+
+"Why," she answered reluctantly, "I do like her; she's my cousin, you
+know, so I have to; but then--but then--I think I'll let you wait till
+she comes to find out the kind of girl she is. Maybe you'll like her
+very much. Gracie does."
+
+Fanny had her own doubts whether Gracie or any of the others would
+always continue to like Hattie as well as they might do upon a first
+acquaintance; but she very properly and generously resolved not to tell
+tales and prejudice the minds of the other children against the new
+comer. Better to give Hattie all the chance she could and let it be her
+own fault if she were not popular with her classmates.
+
+I cannot say that Fanny reasoned this out in just such words; but the
+kind thought was in her mind, and she resolved to hold her peace and
+say nothing unkind about her cousin. Would Hattie have done as much for
+her or for any one else? You shall judge for yourself by and by.
+
+The parting with Fanny was rather a sad one, for the children were all
+fond of her, and she took it so very hardly herself, declaring that
+she never expected to see any one of them again. For Fanny, though
+a very good and amiable little girl, was one who was apt to "borrow
+trouble," as the saying is; that is, she was always worrying herself
+about misfortunes which would, could, or might happen to herself or her
+friends.
+
+Therefore she now expressed her expectation of never seeing any of
+her young friends again, and when Lily very naturally inquired if the
+family meant to stay "for ever an' ever an' ever," said, "No, but
+people were very often drowned when they went to Europe in a steamer,
+and very likely she would be."
+
+Nor was she to be persuaded to take a more cheerful view of the future,
+even when Dora Johnson suggested that many more people crossed the
+ocean and returned in safety than were lost upon it. She was determined
+to dwell upon the possibilities, and even probabilities of her being
+shipwrecked, and took leave of her schoolmates with a view to such a
+fate.
+
+"Fanny did not act as if she thought we'd like her cousin Hattie very
+much, did she?" questioned Nellie Ransom as she walked homeward with
+Gracie Howard, Dora Johnson, and Laura Middleton.
+
+"No, she did not," said Laura. "Fanny don't tell tales or say unkind
+things about people, but it was quite plain she does not think so very
+much of Hattie Leroy."
+
+"I know the reason why," said Gracie.
+
+"What is it?" asked Laura.
+
+"Fanny said something very hateful about me," answered Gracie, "and
+Hattie told me of it; and just for that Fanny was mad at Hattie."
+
+"Well, I should think Fanny might be mad," said Laura. "Hattie had no
+right to tell you if Fanny didn't mean her to, and I don't believe she
+did."
+
+"No," said Gracie, "I don't suppose Fanny did want me to know it; but
+then she had no business to say it."
+
+"Hattie had no business to repeat it," said Dora indignantly; "if she
+is that kind of a girl I don't wonder Fanny don't like her, and I wish
+she was not coming to our school."
+
+"What did Fanny say?" asked Laura, who had her full share of curiosity.
+
+"She said--she-er--she-er--I'm not going to tell you what she said,"
+answered Gracie, who was really ashamed to confess what slight cause
+for offence Fanny had given, and that it was her own wounded self-love
+which made it appear so "hateful."
+
+But although Gracie would not tell her schoolmates, I shall tell you,
+for I know all about it.
+
+The mighty trouble was just this.
+
+Hattie Leroy had but lately come to live in the city, and just when her
+parents were looking around for a good school to send her to, Fanny's
+papa and mamma made up their minds to take her abroad. This left her
+place vacant in Miss Ashton's class, and, as you have heard, it was at
+once secured for her little cousin.
+
+Meanwhile Gracie and Hattie, who had met at Fanny's house, had struck
+up a violent _intimate friendship_ and were now much together.
+
+As may be supposed, Hattie was very curious respecting her future
+teacher and classmates, and asked both Fanny and Gracie many questions
+about them.
+
+But, although the accounts given by the two children agreed in most
+points, yet, in some way, the story told by Gracie left a very
+different impression from that of Fanny. The latter thought her teacher
+and classmates very nearly, if not quite, perfect, and bestowed her
+praise freely and without stint. Well, and if you had heard Gracie's
+report you might have said that she did the same; but whenever
+Gracie said one good word for another she said a dozen for herself.
+One girl was a very bright scholar, but she stood second to Gracie;
+another was always punctual and steady, but Gracie had still a higher
+number of marks for these two virtues--or at least if she did not
+_have_ them, she _deserved_ them, and it was the fault of some one
+else that they had not fallen to her share. Nellie Ransom wrote such
+fine compositions; but then, they were by no means to be compared
+to Gracie's own,--oh, dear, no! So it was with each and every one;
+whatever merit any child in the class possessed, Gracie's went beyond
+it.
+
+So at last Hattie quite naturally asked Fanny if Gracie were really the
+best child, the finest scholar, and the most admired and praised of all
+her classmates.
+
+"Why, no," answered Fanny; "Gracie is a very good scholar, and 'most
+always knows her lessons perfectly; but Nellie is even better than she
+is, and has kept the head of the spelling and history classes ever so
+long. And she generally writes the best compositions; but Gracie don't
+think so, and always says Miss Ashton is unjust if she gives Nellie the
+highest marks. But Gracie _is_ very smart, and can learn quicker than
+any of the rest of us; and she 'most always behaves well in school too."
+
+"Better than any one else?" asked Hattie.
+
+"No," said Fanny, rather indignantly; "there's lots of the children
+that are just as good as she is. She's not the best one in the school
+at all. She's good enough, but not so wonderful."
+
+"She thinks she is," said Hattie.
+
+"That's nothing," answered Fanny; "people's thinking they are a thing
+don't make them that thing, you know."
+
+"Then you think Gracie is conceited and thinks a great deal of herself,
+do you?" asked Hattie.
+
+"Why, yes," answered Fanny, though half reluctantly; "no one could help
+thinking that, you know."
+
+Fanny expressed herself in this manner more as a way of _excusing_ her
+own opinion of Gracie than as accusing her little playmate.
+
+"Who do you think _is_ the best child in all the school?" asked Hattie.
+
+"Well," answered Fanny, after a moment's reflection, "I b'lieve Belle
+Powers is. At least I think it is the best in her to be as good as she
+is, for she has to try pretty hard sometimes."
+
+"Why?" asked inquisitive Hattie again.
+
+"Because she has no mother, and she has always been a good deal spoiled
+by her papa and her old nurse. But I never saw any child who wanted to
+be good more than Belle, and she tries very much; and we are all very
+fond of her, and Miss Ashton excuses her things sometimes because she
+is sorry for her."
+
+"Don't that make you mad?" said Hattie.
+
+"No," answered Fanny with much energy; "we'd be real mean if we were
+mad when Belle has no mother. No, indeed; no one could bear to have
+Belle scolded; we all love her too much."
+
+Now this was seemingly a most innocent conversation; was it not? and
+one could hardly have supposed that it would have made trouble for poor
+Fanny as it did.
+
+Gracie and Fanny lived within a few doors of one another, the latter a
+little nearer to Miss Ashton's house than the former; and Gracie was in
+the habit of stopping for Fanny on her way to school that they might
+walk there together.
+
+But one morning a day or two after this, Fanny, standing by the window
+and watching for her young friend as usual, saw her go by with her
+maid without so much as turning her head or casting her eye up at the
+window where she must know Fanny awaited her.
+
+"It is the queerest thing I ever knew," said Fanny to her father as she
+walked along by his side a few moments later; "it 'most seems as if
+Gracie was offended with me to do so; but then she can't be, for I have
+not done a thing to her. I shall ask her right away, as soon as I am at
+school."
+
+But Fanny was only just in time to take off her hat and cloak and go to
+her seat before the bell rang, and so had no opportunity before school
+to inquire into the cause of Gracie's strange behavior.
+
+There was no need of words, however, to show that Gracie was indeed
+offended with her, for averted looks and scornful tossings of the head
+showed that plainly enough. Poor Fanny was hurt and uncomfortable, and
+vainly tried to imagine what she could have done that offended Gracie
+so much.
+
+She ran to her as soon as recess gave her liberty to speak.
+
+"Why, Gracie! what is the matter?" she asked. "Why did you not stop for
+me this morning?"
+
+"'Cause I did not choose to," answered Gracie shortly.
+
+"Are you mad with me?" asked Fanny, putting a very unnecessary
+question, for it was quite plain to all beholders that this was
+Gracie's state of mind.
+
+"Yes, I am; and I have a good right to be too," answered Gracie, her
+eyes flashing at Fanny.
+
+"What _have_ I done?" asked the innocent Fanny.
+
+"You need not pretend you don't know, Miss Hateful," replied Gracie,
+"nor pretend you haven't a guilty conscience. I've found you out! I'll
+never be friends with you again."
+
+"You ought to tell Fanny what it is, and let her make it up," said
+Belle.
+
+"She can't make it up. I've found her out before it was too late. She
+is a false, treacherous friend," said Gracie, waxing magnificent and
+severe in her reproaches, as she imagined.
+
+Poor Fanny, a tender-hearted, sensitive little thing, was overwhelmed
+by these upbraidings, which she was not conscious of deserving; but
+neither her entreaties nor those of the other children could draw more
+than this from Gracie, who turned away from them with an air of great
+offence, and holding her head very high with insulted dignity.
+
+"Augh!" said Lily Norris, who generally took up the cudgels in
+defence of any one whom she considered oppressed or injured, and who
+generally contrived to be quite as cutting and severe in her remarks
+as the offender had been; "you had better take care, Gracie; some day
+that nose of yours won't come down again, it is growing so used to
+sticking itself up at people. If when you're grown up people call you
+'stuck-up-nose Miss Howard,' you won't feel very complimented; but you
+can just remember it is the consequence of your being such a proudy
+when you was young."
+
+Gracie made no reply, except by raising both nose and head higher
+still, which expressive motion Lily answered by saying,--
+
+"Oh, _don't_ I feel like giving you a good slap!" with which she walked
+away, fearing perhaps that she might be too strongly tempted to put her
+desire into execution.
+
+Fanny was a good deal distressed, and the other children all felt much
+sympathy for her, for, as you will doubtless do, they thought Gracie's
+behavior not only unkind but also unjust.
+
+For, although such scenes as this were becoming quite too frequent
+in consequence of Gracie's ever increasing vanity and conceit, she
+generally was ready enough to proclaim the cause of offence; but
+now she was not only "hateful," as Lily called it, but "mysterious"
+also, and would give Fanny no opportunity of explaining the supposed
+grievance.
+
+Fanny went home both unhappy and vexed,--Gracie still carrying matters
+with a high hand and refusing even to walk on the same side of the
+street with her--and finding her cousin there, as was quite natural,
+she told her of the trouble with Gracie.
+
+Had Fanny not been too much disturbed to pay much attention to Hattie's
+manner, she might have seen that she looked uncomfortable when she
+told her story, fidgeting and coloring and having so little to say
+that Fanny thought her wanting in sympathy. But it was not until the
+next day that she discovered that Hattie was really the cause of the
+difficulty with Gracie. By that time she had heard that she was to sail
+for Europe in a few days, and this made her more unwilling than ever to
+be on bad terms with her young friend.
+
+Meeting Gracie in the street, the poor little grieved heart overflowed,
+and rushing up to her, Fanny exclaimed, "Oh, Gracie! don't be cross
+with me any more, for I'm going to Europe, and I expect I'll be drowned
+in the steamer, and then you'll be sorry you did not make up with me."
+
+This affecting prospect somewhat mollified Gracie's vexation; but still
+she answered in a tone of strong resentment,--
+
+"Well, then; and why did you say hateful things about me to Hattie?"
+
+"I didn't," said Fanny, who had so little intention of making unkind
+remarks about Gracie that she had really forgotten her conversation
+with Hattie. "I didn't. I never said a thing about you."
+
+"Hattie said you did," answered Gracie; "she says you told her I
+thought myself very wonderful, but I was not; and that 'most all the
+girls were better scholars than me."
+
+"I didn't," said Fanny indignantly.
+
+"And she says," continued Gracie, "that you said 'cause I thought
+myself good did not make me good, and that Nellie wrote better
+compositions than I did. And she says"--this was plainly the first and
+worst count in Gracie's eyes--"she says you said no one could help
+knowing I was conceited and stuck up."
+
+This last speech suddenly recalled to Fanny's mind what she _had_ said,
+and she was dismayed; nor could she see how she was to explain it to
+Gracie.
+
+She was fond of Gracie, who, when her self-conceit did not come in her
+way, was really a pleasant and lovable child; and, oh! how she did wish
+she had never allowed Hattie to lead her into that conversation about
+her schoolmates.
+
+She colored violently and exclaimed,--
+
+"Well, I did say that, but I did not say it in that way, Gracie. I
+don't quite know how it was, but it did not seem so bad as that when I
+said it. And Hattie asked me, so I couldn't help saying what I thought;
+but it wasn't of my own accord and--and--well, you know, Gracie, most
+all of us do think you think a good deal of yourself--but--oh, dear! it
+was too mean for Hattie to go and tell you; and somehow I suppose she's
+made you think it was worse than it was. 'Cause I didn't mean to say
+any thing hateful about you; but Hattie asked such a lot of questions,
+and I never thought she'd go and tell; and I'm going away, and I expect
+I'll never come back, and, oh, dear, it's too mean!"
+
+All this Fanny poured forth in a very distressed and excited manner,
+finishing by a burst of tears.
+
+Yes, it was indeed "too mean," and Gracie felt that Fanny had been
+shabbily treated. She had listened to Hattie's tell-tale report with
+a half-ashamed feeling, knowing that Fanny could never have thought
+that her words would be repeated; and, although anger and mortification
+had taken a strong hold upon her heart, she could not help seeing that
+Fanny had more cause of complaint than she had.
+
+So she put her arm about Fanny's neck, and, with what she considered
+magnanimous forgiveness, told her not to cry any more and she would
+"stop being mad."
+
+And when they talked the matter over and Fanny recalled what she _had_
+said, both of Gracie and of the other children in the class, it could
+not but be seen that Hattie had exaggerated as well as "told tales," so
+making mischief and bringing discord between the two little friends.
+And had Fanny been revengeful, or too proud to overlook Gracie's
+unkindness and beg her to tell her what had come between them the
+trouble might have been lasting, and they have parted for a long time
+with bitterness and resentment rankling in their breasts.
+
+But now there was peace between them once more, though Gracie did still
+secretly feel some vexation at Fanny for even allowing that she could
+be wrong, and took great credit to herself for being so forgiving and
+generous.
+
+And now you will not wonder that Fanny did not feel disposed to think
+Hattie "so very nice," although she, far more generous and charitable
+than her cousin, would not tell tales and prejudice the minds of her
+future schoolmates against her.
+
+But Gracie hardly thought the less of Hattie for what she had learned
+of her; for she always liked any one who admired her, and this Hattie
+professed to do; perhaps she really did so, for, as I have said, Gracie
+was a pleasant child, and very clever in many things.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+II.
+
+_AN EXCURSION._
+
+
+A large omnibus stood before the door of Miss Ashton's house, and had
+been waiting there some minutes. This was on a street where a line of
+omnibuses ran, and every now and then some would-be passenger made for
+the door of this one, when the driver would turn and say something
+which plainly disappointed him of his ride, at least in this particular
+stage.
+
+If such an individual chanced to glance up at the windows of Miss
+Ashton's house, he saw there a row of little faces in each of the
+parlor windows; and these same faces brimming over with smiles and
+dimples at the sight of his discomfiture, and the consciousness
+that this omnibus had been chartered for their especial pleasure and
+convenience, and that no mere passer-by had any right or title therein.
+
+Some people smiled in return to the happy little group, and nodded
+good-naturedly, as if to say,--
+
+"Oh, yes! it is all right, and we are glad you are going to enjoy
+yourselves, and hope you will have a very pleasant time;" but one or
+two looked cross, frowning and shaking their heads or shoulders in
+a displeased manner, and as if they had no sympathy with any simple
+pleasure or frolic.
+
+Upon each and all of these did the little observers pass remarks,
+according to what they believed to be their deserts.
+
+"Look at that man," said Belle Powers, "how very displeased he looks.
+Just as cross as any thing, because the driver wouldn't let him go in
+our stage."
+
+"I don't believe he likes children," said Bessie Bradford.
+
+"No," said her sister Maggie, "I think he cannot be one of the happy
+kind the Bible speaks about, that have their 'quivers full of them,'
+for which he is to be pitied, and we need not be very severe with him."
+
+"But can't people like children and be glad they are going to have
+a nice time, even if they don't have any in their own homes?" asked
+Carrie Ransom.
+
+"Yes, of course," said Maggie, always ready to find excuses for others;
+"but then probably that gentleman never had nice times himself when he
+was a child, and so he does not know how to appreciate them."
+
+Maggie's long words and elegant sentences always settled any doubtful
+point, and the "cross gentleman," who still stood upon the sidewalk
+waiting for the next passing omnibus, was now regarded with eyes
+of sympathy and pity, which were quite lost upon him as he scolded
+and grumbled at the "fuss that was made nowadays about children's
+pleasures."
+
+"Chartered for a troop of youngsters," he growled forth to another
+gentleman, who coming up also opened the door of the omnibus, and would
+have jumped in.
+
+Upon which the new-comer drew back, looked up smilingly at the windows
+of the house, nodded and waved his hand, receiving in return blushes
+and smiles for himself, with an answering nod or two from some of the
+least shy of the group.
+
+"He's glad," said Lily; "he is a nice gentleman, and I expect he has
+lots of little children who love him dearly, and that he tries to give
+them a good time."
+
+"And so is made happy himself," said Maggie. "There comes Patrick with
+the shawls and wraps."
+
+And now came Miss Ashton and a couple of lady friends, who had
+volunteered to go with her and help take care of the little party,
+bound for an excursion and ramble in the Central Park; and the signal
+being given for the merry group to take their places in the stage,
+forth they all fluttered, like so many birds; and amid much laughing
+and chattering stowed themselves away in the roomy conveyance.
+
+They were all seated, and Patrick, Mrs. Bradford's man, who had been
+_lent_ for the occasion, was mounting to his seat beside the driver,
+when another gentleman, coming up with a quick step, pulled open the
+door of the omnibus, and popped in. He was plainly shortsighted, and
+did not see how matters stood until he was fairly inside and looking
+about for a seat.
+
+Perhaps, indeed, his hearing taught him first, for he might almost
+have thought himself in a nest of sparrows with all that chirping and
+fluttering. A smothered laugh or two also broke forth as he entered,
+and he speedily saw that he had no right to a place there.
+
+"Ah! private, I see. Beg your pardon, ladies," he said good-naturedly,
+and jumped out again, turning with a bow, and "I wish you a pleasant
+time." Then, as he caught sight of a roguish face and a pair of
+dancing eyes watching him with a look of recognition, he said,--
+
+"Why, Lily, my dear! Glad to see you. Bound for a frolic? I hope you
+may enjoy yourself; and your schoolmates as well. A merry day to you,
+birdies." With which he banged the door and watched them off.
+
+"Who's that gentleman, Lily?" asked more than one voice.
+
+"He is Kitty Raymond's father. His name is Mr. Raymond," answered Lily.
+
+"He is a nice, pleasant gentleman, is he not?" asked Bessie.
+
+"Well, yes, he is very pleasant," said Lily, "but then he is an awful
+liar."
+
+"Oh-h-h! ah! ah!" broke from one and another of the children at Lily's
+very plain speaking; and Miss Ashton said reprovingly,--
+
+"Lily, my child! what a very improper expression for you to use, and of
+one so much older than yourself, too."
+
+"I don't care," said Lily, "it is true, Miss Ashton. I know he tells
+the most dreadful untrue stories, and that does make him a liar, I
+know. If children say what is very untrue, people say it is a lie; and
+when grown-ups say what is not true to children I don't see why they
+are not liars all the same. And Mr. Raymond don't tell little stories
+what you would call _fibs_, either, but real big, true _lies_, what Tom
+calls whoppers. So, though he is pleasant and good-natured, I don't
+think he is so very nice; and I'm glad he is not my papa."
+
+Miss Ashton hardly knew what to say, for if Lily's accusations were
+true,--and the child was not apt to accuse any one wrongfully,--her
+reasoning was quite just, and it was plainly to be seen that in some
+way her sense of right and truth had been grievously offended. But
+still she did not wish to have her speak in such an improper way, and
+she was about to say so again, when Lily broke forth once more with,--
+
+"Miss Ashton, I'll tell you, and you can just judge for yourself. The
+other day I was spending the afternoon with Kitty, and her little
+brother wanted to go down stairs with us, and his papa did not want him
+to go; so he told him that the big black man in the closet in the hall
+would catch him and put him up the chimney. And it _was a lie_! I say
+it was a real, true lie," persisted Lily, who was apt to be emphatic
+in her choice of words, "for Mr. Raymond knew there was no black man
+there, and he just made it up."
+
+"Was the little boy frightened?" asked Belle.
+
+"Yes, as frightened as any thing, and he really believes there is a
+black man in that closet; and Willie Raymond, who is six years old,
+will not go past that closet without some big person. And I did feel
+not very brave myself when I went past it," confessed Lily, "for all I
+knew there was no black man there--and if there was, he wouldn't hurt
+me, the poor, old fellow--and knew it was just a--well, if Miss Ashton
+says so, I'll call it a _fib_, but I shall _think_ it was a lie."
+
+Miss Ashton and the other ladies could hardly help smiling at Lily's
+tone; and the former felt that the child was so far right that she
+could scarcely reprove her again for her indignant attack upon this too
+common form of deceit.
+
+"And Mr. Raymond went and winked at me, just as if he thought _I_
+thought it was funny," pursued Lily; "but I thought it was only horrid,
+and I didn't smile a bit, but looked back at him very solemn. No, I
+don't like him, and I'm not going to."
+
+"You don't like him because you can't respect him," said Bessie with
+solemn gravity.
+
+"No, I just don't," answered Lily; "and I'm not going to go and have a
+respect for a person who tells--who says what is not true, not if they
+are as big and as old as a mountain."
+
+Lily's resolution was received with general approval; but now, at her
+suggestion, the subject was changed. There was enough to talk about
+without taking any unpleasant thing; and how those little tongues did
+go!
+
+It was a mild, lovely day in the early spring, uncommonly warm for
+the season,--just the day for an excursion. Modest crocuses, lovely
+hyacinths and gay tulips were in bloom; the willows were just clothing
+themselves in their first tender green, and every stream and spring
+rippled and sparkled and sang as if it were rejoicing in its new life
+and liberty.
+
+The park was fairly alive with children, who, like our little party,
+seemed determined to enjoy this bright, spring day to the utmost; but
+perhaps none were so gleeful and merry as our young friends.
+
+The windows of the omnibus were open, and the little girls had all
+scrambled upon their knees that they might the better see what was
+without; and many a grave countenance was won to smiles by the sight
+of the bright, joyous faces as they rolled past, and the merry peals
+of laughter which every now and then broke forth from the cumbrous
+vehicle. And they scattered not only smiles and bright looks wherever
+they went, but other good things also.
+
+Mabel Walton, who considered it almost impossible to enjoy oneself
+without a quantity of candies and sugar-plums on hand, had been
+furnished by her over-indulgent mother with a large supply of these
+delicacies; nor were most of the others without their share; so that
+Miss Ashton looked with some dismay upon the treasures which were
+displayed by one and another, fearing that her little flock might
+surfeit themselves with too many sweets before the day was over.
+
+However, her mind was soon relieved, at least in a measure. For Mabel
+having doled out a handful of sugar-plums to each of her companions,
+Bessie Bradford called out as the carriage rolled slowly up a hilly
+part of the road,--
+
+"Oh! see that little girl; what a nice face she has. But she looks so
+pale and sorry. I wish I had some pennies for her; but I will give her
+some of my sugar-plums. Perhaps she don't have many."
+
+Poor child! she looked as if she had not many loaves of bread, as
+she ran by the side of the omnibus, holding up her thin hand. A pale,
+sorrowful little face it was that looked up into those, so rosy and
+happy, above it; pinched, careworn, and old above its years, with
+that look so often seen in the faces of the children of the poor.
+Yet, in spite of her extreme poverty, she was not very ragged or very
+dirty; and as little Bessie had said, she had "a nice face," an open,
+straightforward look, a gentle expression, and a clear, honest eye.
+
+As she saw Bessie's hand outstretched, her face brightened, and as the
+little girl dropped two or three sugar-plums, she stooped hastily to
+pick them up; but when she raised her head again, the old weary look
+had come back, deepened now by disappointment.
+
+Just then the driver whipped up his horses and the omnibus rolled on
+faster, leaving the child looking sadly after it, and making no attempt
+to pick up the sugar-plums now thrown out freely by all the little
+girls.
+
+"Why! she looks as if she didn't like sugar-plums," said Belle.
+
+"Impossible!" said Maggie. "There never could be a person so wanting in
+sense as not to like sugar-plums."
+
+"Maybe that man who lived in a tub did not," said Lily. "Maggie, I was
+very much interested in that man when you wrote to me about him, and I
+meant to ask you a little more about him, but I did not think he could
+be a _wise_ man. What was his name?"
+
+"Mr. Diogenes," said Maggie; "and the reason they called the old
+cross-patch a wise man was because wise men were very scarce in those
+days. They only had seven in all that country; but when you are as far
+as I am in Parley's History you will learn all about them."
+
+"I wonder what did make that little girl look so sorry," said Bessie,
+unable to forget the look of disappointment so plainly visible on the
+child's face.
+
+"I think, darling," said Miss Ashton, "that she expected pennies when
+she saw you were about to throw something out, and so was not satisfied
+with the candies. There was something interesting and sweet in her
+face."
+
+"Here are some more poor children," said Bessie; "let's drop some
+sugar-plums to them and see if they care about them."
+
+There could be no doubt as to the approbation of these new recipients
+of the bounty of our little friends. At first it was difficult to tell
+whether the pleasure was most enjoyed by those within the omnibus
+who scattered with liberal hand, or by the outsiders who gathered
+the harvest; but as the enthusiasm of these last drew new claimants,
+and all waxed more and more clamorous, it soon became an annoyance,
+and Miss Ashton was obliged to put a stop to the shower, which had
+already received a check, as some of the younger children were becoming
+frightened.
+
+But Patrick and the driver were forced to threaten the obstreperous
+crowd, and even to call for the aid of a policeman before they could
+be scattered, so that this diversion did not end so agreeably.
+
+There was one thing gained, however, in Miss Ashton's opinion; and this
+was that the greater part of the sugar-plums had been disposed of,
+without hurt to her young charge.
+
+Not that she objected to sugar-plums altogether. Do not think, my
+little readers, that she was, as Maggie would have said, so "wanting in
+sense," as that; but she had been rather appalled by the sight of the
+numerous tempting looking parcels that were produced, to say nothing of
+Mabel's over-abundant supply.
+
+Our gay party made the round of the park, stopping for a while at any
+place of interest, and now and then alighting if they were so inclined.
+They hung for some time about the paddock where the deer are kept,
+putting their little hands through the palings and trying to tempt
+the pretty, gentle creatures to come nearer. But the deer were not to
+be persuaded and although they watched the children with their mild,
+soft eyes in a very amiable manner, they held aloof and would not
+condescend to a closer acquaintance.
+
+The swans were less timid, and, as the children flocked down to the
+border of the lake with their hands full of crackers and bread, came
+swimming up, arching their graceful necks, and looking eagerly for the
+bits with which they were speedily treated. It was enchanting to see
+them so friendly, and to have them feed from one's very hand.
+
+The old gray arsenal, with its collection of wild animals, was not to
+be visited until after they had taken their lunch. As they passed the
+Casino on their way up through the park, Patrick had been left there to
+make all ready for them; and now they drove back and alighted. Pleasant
+and mild though the day was, the ground was still too cold and the
+air too fresh to permit of lunching out of doors; and, although the
+children entreated that they might be permitted to do so, Miss Ashton
+was too wise to yield.
+
+The lunch was not quite ready when they reached the Casino, and the
+children were permitted to wander around and amuse themselves as they
+pleased for a few moments, provided they did not lose sight of the
+house, or go beyond call.
+
+Bessie, Lily, and Belle had strolled a short distance away together,
+and had disappeared from the view of Maggie, Nellie, and Dora, who
+stood at the head of a short flight of stone steps leading up to the
+Casino. They had but gone around the other side of the hedge, however,
+and could not be far off.
+
+Suddenly Lily and Belle came flying back with frightened faces, and
+rushed breathless and panting to where the other children stood.
+
+Then Belle turned, and exclaimed,--
+
+"Where's Bessie? Didn't Bessie come?"
+
+No Bessie was to be seen, certainly; and Maggie, noticing the startled
+faces of the other children, took alarm at once for her little sister,
+and started forward, crying,--
+
+"Where is she? What has happened? Where's my Bessie?"
+
+Before Belle or Lily could speak, Hattie darted from behind the hedge,
+laughing and mischievous; and, pointing her finger at the crimson faces
+of the two little ones, cried triumphantly,--
+
+"Oh! didn't I take you in? Didn't I give you a fright, though?"
+
+"What is it? Where's Bessie?" said Maggie again.
+
+Hattie sat down upon the lower step, and doubling herself over and
+rocking back and forth, said between paroxysms of laughter,--
+
+"Oh, dear! Bessie is round there talking to the old fellow. She's all
+right. Didn't I play you two geese a nice trick, though? How you did
+run! I didn't think you could be so taken in. Oh, what fun!"
+
+"What!" exclaimed Lily, indignation taking the place of her alarm,
+"were you tricking us? Didn't he try to take your hair? Hattie, Hattie!
+you mean, mean girl! And you told us a real wicked story, too. How dare
+you do it?" And Lily stamped her foot at Hattie, in a real passion at
+the trick which had been played upon her.
+
+The effect was different upon Belle. She was a sensitive little thing,
+easily overcome by any undue excitement; and, throwing herself upon
+Maggie, she burst into a violent fit of sobbing and crying.
+
+Miss Ashton and her friends heard and came to inquire into the trouble;
+and Hattie was now rather frightened herself as she saw the effect of
+her foolish deceit.
+
+Lily indignantly told the story, which amounted to this. It was a
+well-known fact, and had unfortunately come to the ears of our little
+girls, that some man had lately attacked several children, and suddenly
+severed the hair from their heads, making off as fast as possible after
+he had done so. He did this for the sake of the hair, which he probably
+sold; but he was, of course, a bad man and a thief, and the children
+all felt much dread of him.
+
+So when Hattie had come flying up to Bessie, Belle, and Lily, without
+any hat, and seemingly in a state of the wildest excitement, and
+had told them, with every appearance of truth and of being herself
+excessively frightened, that "that old man there" had snatched off her
+hat and tried to cut her hair, they had readily believed her--as an old
+man was really there--and had turned about and run away in great alarm.
+They had been terrified half out of their senses; and now here was
+Hattie confessing--yes, glorying, till Miss Ashton came--that she had
+"tricked" them, that she was "only in fun," it was all "a joke."
+
+But her triumph was speedily brought to an end, when Miss Ashton saw
+Belle's state, and heard how it had been brought about. She sternly
+reprimanded Hattie, and bade her go into the house, and remain there.
+
+But where was Bessie?
+
+The other children declared that "an old man was really there;" and, in
+spite of Hattie's confession that she had only been joking, Maggie's
+mind was filled with visions of her little sister's sunny curls in
+the hands of a ruffian; and away she flew in search of her, quite
+regardless of any supposed risk to her own wealth of dark, waving
+ringlets.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration]
+
+III.
+
+_JESSIE AND HER GRANDFATHER._
+
+
+Where was Bessie?
+
+When Lily and Belle turned to run from the figure which Hattie pointed
+out as that of the man who attacked her, she started with them, quite
+as much alarmed as the other two; and, if they thought about it at all,
+they imagined she was close behind them. But she had gone only a few
+steps when she heard a voice, a weak voice, calling after herself and
+her companions, and saying,--
+
+"Don't be afraid, little girls; don't run away, little ladies. Couldn't
+ye stop a minute to help an old man?"
+
+Something in the tones touched the tender little heart of Bessie; and
+she checked her steps, ready to start again, however, on the shortest
+notice, and looked back at the old man.
+
+A very old man he seemed, and a very feeble old man, scarcely able, if
+he had the will, to run after active little girls, or to do them any
+harm. His hair was very white, and his face pinched and thin; but he
+looked kind and gentle, as Bessie saw, even from the distance at which
+she stood; and her fears died away as she looked at him.
+
+The old man sat upon a bank; and Bessie stood hesitating and watching
+him, trying to make up her mind to go and ask if he was in trouble. She
+saw that he had dropped his stick, which had rolled away, and lay on
+the ground just beyond his reach.
+
+"Would you do an old man a kindness, and give him his stick, little
+Miss?" he called to her, pointing at the same time to the cane. "Why
+did ye all run that way? I wouldn't hurt a hair of your heads, more
+than I would of my own Jessie's."
+
+This reference to the "hair on their heads" was rather unfortunate, for
+it startled Bessie again, and brought back the cause for alarm. Was the
+old man really in trouble, and unable to reach his stick? she thought,
+or was this only a trap to catch her, and deprive her of her curls?
+
+So she stood still, hesitating; and the old man, as if in despair of
+receiving any help from her, tried to raise himself a little, and
+stretched out his trembling hand towards the stick. But it was useless;
+it lay too far; he could not rise without its aid, and he sank back
+again, looking more helpless and feeble than before. This was too much
+for Bessie. She could not bear to see suffering and not try to relieve
+it; and it seemed to her that it would be cruel and wicked not to lend
+a helping hand to this poor old creature.
+
+"Please, dear Father in heaven, not to let him hurt me," she whispered
+softly to herself; and then walked slowly towards the old man, her
+little heart beating painfully, it must be confessed, in spite of her
+petition, and the trust that it would be heard.
+
+Keeping at as great a distance as it would allow, she stooped for the
+stick, and held it out at arm's length to the owner.
+
+"Now may He that blesses the cup of cold water given in His name reward
+you," said the old man, as he took it from the timid little hand; "but
+why are you frightened at me, dear, and why did the other little ones
+run as if they were scared half out of their lives? When you passed all
+in the big stage, laughing and so gay, it put a warmth into my heart
+that hasn't been there for many a day, and I b'lieve it was your own
+loving, little face that smiled back at me as I waved my hat to you
+for a blessing on your joy. Why, I wouldn't hurt a living thing; least
+of all, little girls that always mind me of my Jessie. Though it's
+different enough that you are from her, my poor lamb," he added in a
+lower tone, which Bessie could not have heard had she not now drawn
+nearer to him.
+
+For with the first words of the old man's speech, all fear had vanished
+from her mind. He had called down a blessing on her in a name which she
+knew and loved, and she could not be afraid of him longer. Besides,
+now that she looked at him more closely and with unprejudiced eyes,
+she recognized him, and remembered how, as he said, when the stage had
+passed him with its merry load, he had taken off his hat and feebly
+cheered and waved to them as they went by.
+
+"Don't you try to cut off little girls' hair?" she could not help
+asking, in spite of her new confidence.
+
+"I?" answered the old man surprised; "and why would I do that? Ah! I
+see. Did you take me for _that_ fellow? My little lady, they have him
+fast in jail, as he deserves; but how did you ever think I would do a
+thing like that?"
+
+"A little girl said you tried to cut hers," answered the child.
+
+"Then that little girl slandered an old man who had never harmed her,"
+he said gravely. "I understand; she's frightened you for her own fun,
+or whatever it may be. Well, I'm up now,"--he had slowly and painfully
+raised himself by the help of his cane,--"and I'd better be moving
+away, or the sight of me after that may spoil your pleasure. It was
+hard in her to turn you against one who would never have harmed you;
+but you're a sensible little lady, and a kind, and you'll never be the
+worse for doing a good turn to an old man."
+
+"Don't go away," said Bessie, "the other children won't be afraid of
+you when I tell them Hattie--was--was--mistaken." Bessie feared that
+Hattie's tale was more than a mistake, but she would not accuse her
+until she was sure. "They won't want you to go away, poor, lame man."
+
+"Jessie stays so long," he answered, looking about him helplessly. "She
+sat me here to rest a while, and I think she can't know how long she's
+been gone."
+
+Before Bessie could speak again, around the hedge came Maggie, who
+stopped short in amazement at seeing her sister standing talking
+sociably to the dreaded old man. And with her curls all safe!
+
+Maggie could hardly believe her own eyes. She went forward more slowly,
+till Bessie called to her,--
+
+"O Maggie, dear! this old man wouldn't hurt us, or cut our hair for any
+thing. He likes little girls, and it made him feel badly because we ran
+away from him, and he is going away now 'cause he thinks we don't like
+him. Come and tell him not to."
+
+Timid Maggie, feeling very doubtful, but determined to share her
+sister's risk, whatever that might be--she had almost forgotten that
+Hattie had confessed she only wanted to trick them all--drew still
+nearer, and taking Bessie's hand, gazed up at the old man with eyes
+in which pity and sympathy began to struggle with her former fear. He
+looked so poor and feeble and helpless, so little like doing harm to
+any one.
+
+And now came Dora and Gracie, who had followed Maggie in search of
+Bessie; and as the little group gathered about the old man, Bessie
+said,--
+
+"Where is your Jessie? Can we call her to you?"
+
+"I can't tell, little Miss," he answered. "I've been sitting here more
+than an hour, I take it. Jessie was so eager about her parrot that she
+has maybe forgotten how long she's been away. Ah! there she comes now."
+
+As he spoke, a child came running towards them, but seeing the group
+about her grandfather, paused in amazement at a short distance.
+
+It was the very same little girl to whom they had thrown sugar-plums
+but an hour since, and who had looked so disappointed. The children
+recognized her immediately.
+
+"Why! that's the little girl who was not pleased with our sugar-plums,"
+said Bessie. "Is that your Jessie?"
+
+The old man beckoned to her, and she came forward.
+
+"This is my Jessie, Miss," he answered, "and a good girl she is too. I
+don't know what her old grandfather would do without her. She's given
+up the dearest thing she had for me, bless her!"
+
+Jessie was now standing beside her grandfather, blushing and hanging
+her head at the notice thus drawn upon her.
+
+"What was that?" asked Dora.
+
+"Her parrot, Miss. A splendid parrot that her father, who's now dead
+and gone, brought her from beyond the seas. You'd think he was a human
+creature 'most, to hear him talk, and she loved him next to her old
+grandfather; but she parted with him for my sake."
+
+"Didn't you like him?" asked Bessie.
+
+"Yes, indeed, Miss. I was 'most as fond of the bird as she was herself;
+but it wasn't to be helped. You see I was sick so long, and the doctor
+bid me take a medicine that cost a deal of money, to drive the pain
+out of my bones; and how were we to get it when we'd not enough to buy
+bread from day to day, or to pay the rent that was due? So she sold
+her bird, for I can't do a hand's turn of work just yet."
+
+"That was good of her," said Gracie; "did she get all the money she
+wanted for him?"
+
+"More than we expected, Miss, for the man that keeps the house here,"
+pointing to the Casino, "gave her ten dollars for him. And he lets her
+see him every day, and says when the summer is over she may have him
+back for eight dollars if she can raise it. For Poll draws people to
+the refreshment place, you see, with his funny ways, and his wonderful
+talk, and the keeper thinks he'll get two dollars worth out of him
+before the summer is over. But, Jessie 'll never raise all that money,
+though I have put by my pride, and let her ask charity here of the
+folks in the Park."
+
+"And I don't feel that I ought to take it for that, either," said
+Jessie, as soon as the talkative old man paused for breath, and let her
+have a chance to speak, "'cause grandfather needs so many things, and
+the rent will be falling due before long again, so I must save up for
+straws and ribbon."
+
+"For what?" asked Bessie, while at the same moment Dora said,--
+
+"Why don't you find some work and earn money that way?"
+
+"For straws and ribbon, Miss," said Jessie, answering Bessie's question
+first; then turning to Dora, she added,--
+
+"I would work, Miss, and I do, when I have the things. I make little
+baskets and catchalls, and allumette holders of ribbon and straw and
+beads, and I sell them wherever I can; but the stock was all gone long
+ago, and I've no more to begin on."
+
+"But," said Dora, "if people give you money, why don't you take that to
+buy your materials?"
+
+Jessie shook her head sadly.
+
+"It has taken every cent that's been given to me to buy just bread
+enough for me and grandfather to eat, Miss," she said; "there was
+nothing to spare for any thing else, and any way it is an uncertain
+thing, the selling of the baskets, till the weather is pleasant and
+warm, and people like to stop. Now, you see, is the time for me to be
+making them ready; but there's no use in thinking about it, and as for
+Poll,"--
+
+Jessie's sigh and filling eyes told of the despair with which she
+thought of the recovery of her pet.
+
+"I have some money in my charity-box at home," said Maggie eagerly;
+"I'll give you some to buy straws and ribbon. I have no money with me,
+but Miss Ashton will lend me some for such a good purpose, I know, and
+I'll pay her as soon as we go home. I'll run and ask her."
+
+But there was no need, for there was Miss Ashton come in search of her
+stray lambs, and in two minutes she had heard the story.
+
+Heard it, but scarcely understood it, for that was difficult with one
+and another putting in a word, patching it out in various bits; to say
+nothing of the circumstance that our little girls themselves scarcely
+understood what they were talking about.
+
+Jessie and her grandfather--who had nothing to say now that the lady
+had come, and who stood close to one another, the old man holding
+his hat in his hand and leaning on his stick--were somewhat confused
+themselves by the chatter and flutter of the eager little talkers; and
+when Miss Ashton turned to the latter and began to inquire into his
+story, his usual flow of words seemed to have failed him.
+
+Miss Ashton spoke to Jessie.
+
+"Grandfather was just telling the little ladies about my Polly, ma'am,"
+she said modestly. "If they'd like to see him he's in the house there.
+And if you'd like to have him show off he'll talk better for me than
+for any one else, and I'll go and coax him."
+
+"Oh! can we go and see him?" said Bessie; and Jessie once more saying,
+yes, and that she would go with them, the little girls ran off, while
+Miss Ashton remained to hear the old man's story.
+
+It was a sad, but by no means an uncommon one. Jessie's mother had died
+when she was a baby. Her father, who was mate on a sailing-vessel, had
+been drowned at sea about two years ago. Until his death, his wages,
+together with what the old man made at stone-cutting, had supported
+them all in comfort. And even after that, the grandfather and the child
+had continued to keep along on what the former earned. Jessie, who was
+twelve years old, had been to school pretty steadily till a year ago,
+could "read and write and do up sums," and had also learned to sew.
+
+But about that time the grandfather had taken a heavy cold, from being
+thoroughly wet with rain while at his work; and, neglecting to change
+his clothes, it had settled in all his joints, and a long and painful
+rheumatic illness followed. All the last summer he had lain bound hand
+and foot, the pretty trifles which Jessie had learned to make the
+sole support of the two. But with the winter the sale of her little
+wares had fallen off, poverty and suffering had increased upon them,
+and they had gone from bad to worse, till, as he had told the little
+girls, Jessie had been forced to sell her beloved parrot to keep a
+roof above their heads, and to buy the medicine so much needed for her
+grandfather. They had some help from the church at which they attended,
+but that was little. And now that it was warmer weather, and Jessie
+could begin to sell her wares, she had no money to buy materials, and
+he had consented that she should ask charity of passers-by, and so gain
+a few shillings to begin her trade.
+
+They lived over there in a sad, tumble-down place, the old man said,
+"and he never thought to bring his Jessie to that; but the Lord had His
+own ways, and when He saw fit, He could take them out of this trouble."
+
+The story was told with a straightforward simplicity, and a natural
+pathos which went far to convince Miss Ashton that it must be true; but
+she took down the name and address of the clergyman of whom the old man
+spoke. This gentleman lived in one of the streets bordering on the
+Park, and Miss Ashton resolved to see him and hear his report before
+she left for home. If these poor people were really in such need,
+and deserving of help, she could not let them suffer longer than was
+necessary.
+
+She told old Malcolm--for that he said was his name--that he did not
+do well to rest upon the bank. The ground, she said, was not yet warm
+enough for his aching bones.
+
+But he answered that it was far better than the damp, cold shanty where
+he and Jessie had lived for the last two months, for here on a bright
+day he had the sunshine, and the fresh, clear air, and little of either
+of these ever found their way into the miserable cabin.
+
+Malcolm's language and manner, as well as those of his grand-daughter,
+showed that he had indeed been used to "better days;" and he seemed so
+patient and uncomplaining that Miss Ashton felt much interested in him,
+and anxious to do something for his relief.
+
+She bade him come farther on, and find a seat upon a pleasant, sunny
+bench, where she would furnish him and Jessie with some food; but when
+she said this, he told her some of the little ones of her party were
+afraid of him, and he did not wish to trouble them.
+
+He looked troubled himself when he said this; and Miss Ashton had to
+tell him that one of her young scholars had been so foolish and wrong
+as to tell a falsehood--she could call it nothing less--to frighten the
+others; but that they all knew the truth now, and would be afraid of
+him no longer.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration]
+
+IV.
+
+_THE PARROT._
+
+
+Meanwhile the children were amusing themselves with the parrot. The
+whole flock had followed Jessie to make his acquaintance, Maggie having
+called the others to join them; and even the still sobbing Belle forgot
+her troubles in this new object of interest.
+
+The bird proved to be in a most amiable and sociable humor; and, to the
+great delight of his former little mistress, exhibited himself in a
+most gratifying manner.
+
+His cage was placed before a little stand just outside of a window
+opening upon the verandah; and when the children first saw him he was
+swinging head downwards from one of the bars, hanging by one claw, and
+appearing to take no notice of any thing until Jessie called to him.
+
+Then he put out the other claw, and swung himself upright; immediately
+commencing a kind of dance upon his perch, as if in an ecstacy, and
+calling out,--
+
+"Jessie! Jessie! pretty Jessie, good Jessie."
+
+"Good Polly," said Jessie, while the children gathered around in great
+delight. "How are you, Polly?"
+
+"Polly pretty well; Polly all right," answered the bird.
+
+The little girls were astonished, as indeed were the ladies who had
+accompanied them. Not one among the group but had often seen parrots
+who would repeat certain set phrases, but this bird actually answered
+questions, and as if he understood them too.
+
+"What does Polly want?" asked Jessie, delighted at the sensation her
+pet was producing.
+
+"Polly want a bit of sugar," answered the bird.
+
+Jessie put her hand into her pocket, and produced one of the
+sugar-plums the children had thrown to her, and held it up before the
+parrot's greedy eyes.
+
+"Dance a jig then, and sing a song, Polly," she said.
+
+Polly forthwith commenced a kind of seesaw on his perch, swaying his
+body back and forth, balancing himself first on one foot, then on
+the other, in a measured sort of way which he probably supposed to
+be dancing. At any rate, his audience were contented to accept it as
+such, and he met with continued applause, until suddenly bringing his
+gyrations to a close he screamed in a loud, discordant voice,--
+
+"Sugar!"
+
+"Sing then," said Jessie.
+
+In a sharp, cracked, but very distinct voice, and with some resemblance
+to a tune, the parrot began,--
+
+    "Mary had a little lamb,
+     Its fleece was white as snow,
+    And everywhere that"--
+
+Here he came to an abrupt close, eying the sugar-plum wistfully.
+
+"Sing it," said Jessie; and he began again.
+
+    "Mary had a little lamb,
+     Its fleece was white as snow,
+    And everywhere that Mary went,
+     The lamb--sugar--sugar--sugar,"
+
+screamed the creature, amid peals of laughter from the children,
+who now begged that he might have the coveted reward, which Jessie
+accordingly gave him.
+
+"He knows it all," she said; "but I can hardly ever make him sing it
+through."
+
+Poll took the sugar-plum gingerly in one claw, and sat nibbling at it
+till it was all gone, while the children crowded around him, admiring
+his gay, bright-colored feathers, and expressing their wonder at his
+accomplishments and sense.
+
+"Now you must show off some more," said Jessie, when the bird had
+disposed of his feast. "Polly, where is the naughty child?"
+
+To the intense delight of the children, Poll began to scream and cry
+exactly like a passionate child, after which he laughed and chuckled
+with satisfaction at his own performances, then crowed like a rooster,
+baa-ed like a nanny-goat, barked like a dog, and mewed like a cat.
+After all this he took up intelligent conversation again.
+
+"Polly's a pr-r-r-etty bird; Polly's a good bird; Polly's a wise bird,"
+he screamed, in all of which his little hearers entirely agreed.
+
+"Who do you love, Polly?" asked Jessie.
+
+"Polly love Jessie; Jessie a good girl," was the answer.
+
+"Where's your master, Polly?"
+
+"Bob Malcolm gone to sea. Good-bye, good-bye, good-bye," screamed the
+parrot.
+
+"Sing a song of"--began Jessie, and the parrot took up the strain.
+
+    "Sing a song of sixpence,
+     A pocket full of rye"--
+
+Here he came to a stop, nor could he be coaxed to finish the couplet,
+though Jessie assured the audience that he could, if he chose, sing the
+first four lines of the old song all through.
+
+However, he condescended to repeat some of his former performances. But
+it would take too long to tell all the feats of this remarkable bird;
+and you must not think that these I have related are quite impossible,
+for I have seen a parrot who could do all that is here described, and
+more too. The children were so interested and amused that they could
+scarcely be persuaded to leave him when Patrick announced that their
+lunch was ready; and Jessie, who was bidden by Miss Ashton to join her
+grandfather and share the meal provided for him, was begged to keep
+within call, so that they might return to the entertainment when they
+had finished their lunch.
+
+While this was going on, Miss Ashton told the story she had heard from
+old Malcolm, and said that she was so much interested in him and
+his grandchild, that she would go after lunch and see the clergyman,
+while the little girls amused themselves for a while under the care
+of the other ladies. She carried out this purpose, and went on her
+kind errand, followed by many a hope that she would find the story all
+correct.
+
+But when the children went back to the parrot they were disappointed,
+for he proved cross or tired or in a less sociable mood than he had
+been before, and he very rudely turned his back upon them, and would
+utter no words save,--
+
+"Hold your tongue! Hold your tongue!" every time any one spoke to him.
+So, finding this neither polite nor amusing, the company left him and
+scattered themselves in search of other entertainment.
+
+"How sober you look, Maggie; what are you thinking about?" asked Hattie
+Leroy, coming up to where Maggie Bradford stood leaning upon a stone
+railing.
+
+Maggie looked thoughtful, it may be, but hardly sober, for her
+thoughts seemed pleasant ones, to judge by the light in her eye, and
+the half smile upon her lip.
+
+"I have an idea," said Maggie, "and I think it's a nice one, at least
+if we are allowed to do it."
+
+"What is it?" asked Hattie.
+
+"Well," said Maggie, "I don't care to have it talked about very much
+till we know if we can do it; but I was thinking it would be so
+nice if we could have a little fair, just ourselves, you know, the
+school-children and Bessie and me. I know some children who had a fair
+in their own house, and they made money enough to pay for a bed in St.
+Luke's Hospital for a poor, lame child; and I thought perhaps we could
+make enough to buy back Jessie's parrot for her; and to make a more
+comfortable home for them. We could make things for the fair, and ask
+our friends to help us. Mamma would make some for us, I know, and so
+will Aunt Annie, and, I think, Aunt Bessie and Aunt May."
+
+"Where could we have it?" asked Hattie, who seemed much interested.
+
+"In one of our own houses," said Maggie, "or,--that was another thought
+I had,--perhaps Miss Ashton would be so very good as to let us have
+it at her house. The piazza would be lovely for it; and she generally
+lets us have some party-ish kind of a thing when school breaks up. Last
+year we had a giving of prizes; and at Christmas we had a Christmas
+festival, and a queen both times."
+
+"Yes," said Hattie, "and Gracie said it was shameful that you were
+queen both times. She thinks it was very selfish in you."
+
+Maggie colored violently.
+
+"The queen was chosen," she said, "and the girls chose me. I did not
+make myself queen."
+
+"Well, Gracie did not like it one bit," said Hattie, "and she thinks
+you had no right to be queen when you did not go to the school the last
+time."
+
+Maggie was silent, but the gladness was gone from her face.
+
+"Wouldn't it be too cold to have the fair on the piazza?" asked Hattie.
+
+"Not by the time we are ready," said Maggie. "You know it will take a
+good while to make enough things, and Miss Ashton does not close the
+school till the first of June. I heard her tell mamma so the other day.
+And by that time it will be quite warm and pleasant, and there will
+be plenty of flowers. I was thinking we could dress the piazza with
+wreaths and festoons and flags; and we could make some kind of a throne
+and canopy at one end. And there we could have the flower-table and the
+queen behind it, with some maids of honor to sell flowers."
+
+If Maggie imagined that Hattie would express any admiration or approval
+of her plan, she was mistaken. Hattie seemed interested, and asked a
+great many questions, as to how Maggie would arrange such and such
+matters, but she did not act as if she thought the "idea" very fine
+after all, and this was rather different from the way in which Maggie
+was accustomed to have her plans received. But she did not care for
+that; she was not a vain child, constantly seeking for admiration, and
+she was too full of her subject to pay much heed to Hattie's cool way
+of hearing this one.
+
+"I'm not going to say much about it till I see if mamma approves," she
+said. "Then I'll ask Miss Ashton and tell all the children about it.
+There are Bessie and Lily beckoning to me; let us go and see what they
+want."
+
+And away she ran, intending to tell her sister and Belle and Lily of
+her plan on the first convenient opportunity; but not willing, as she
+had said, to make it public till she learned if it could be carried
+out. She did not yet feel as if she knew Hattie very well, and she
+was rather astonished at herself for having talked so freely to her;
+but the truth was, that Hattie had come upon her rather unawares, and
+asked her what she was thinking of, at the moment when she was turning
+her "idea" over in her mind, and she had told her almost without
+reflection. Still she did not exactly regret having done so, and, after
+what she had said, never supposed that Hattie would mention what she
+had told her.
+
+Upright, honorable Maggie judged others by herself, and was entirely
+unsuspicious of evil.
+
+It would take too much space in this little book, and you would not
+care to have a particular description of all the various points of
+interest visited by our party throughout the day,--the Arsenal with
+its collection of wild beasts and monkeys; the great reservoir with
+its blue water, looking like a lake within walls, as indeed it is; the
+lovely Ramble through which they wandered for a long time, and many
+another pleasant spot. They are all familiar to many of you, and those
+to whom they are not, may make acquaintance with them some day.
+
+You may be sure that Miss Ashton did not leave old Malcolm and his
+grand-daughter without some remembrance of this day, for she was not
+only very sorry for them and felt that they were really in need of
+assistance, but she also knew that Jessie and her wonderful bird had
+added much to the entertainment of her little flock. She gave Jessie
+money enough to furnish herself with materials to begin her little
+trade again, and, leaving her address with her, bade her bring some of
+her pretty toys to her house when they should be made.
+
+They were all in the omnibus once more, and had started on their
+homeward way, all rather tired and quiet with the day's ramble, when
+what was Maggie's astonishment to hear Hattie say,--
+
+"Miss Ashton, Maggie and I have such a very nice plan. We thought we
+might have a fair, just us children, and ask our friends to help us;
+and then we could sell the things we made, or that were given to us,
+and so earn a good deal of money to help Jessie and her grandfather,
+and to buy back the parrot for her. And we might have it when the
+weather is warm and pleasant, just before school closes, so that we
+could have it out of doors; and perhaps, Miss Ashton, you would not
+mind letting us hold it on your piazza and in the garden. And Jessie
+might make some of her pretty baskets and things for it, and we could
+sell them for her. We thought we could raise a good deal of money that
+way, for almost all our friends would be glad to come."
+
+It would be hard to tell whether indignation or surprise was uppermost
+in Maggie's mind, as she sat utterly speechless and confounded, while
+Hattie ran on thus, disclosing in this public manner the plans which
+she had said were to be kept secret until her own mamma and Miss Ashton
+had heard and approved of them.
+
+Yes, here was Hattie not only doing this, but speaking as if she had
+been the inventor of the cherished "idea," and as if Maggie had only
+fallen in with it, perhaps helped it out a little.
+
+Maggie was too shy to speak out as many children would have done, and
+to say,--
+
+"That was my plan, Miss Ashton. I was the first one to think of that;"
+and she sat with her color changing, and her eyes fixed wonderingly and
+reproachfully on Hattie as she spoke, feeling somehow as if she had
+been wronged, and yet not exactly seeing the way to right herself.
+
+"Oh! that would be delightful," said Gracie. "Miss Ashton, do you think
+you could let us do it?"
+
+"Well, I might," said Miss Ashton. "That is not a bad idea, Hattie. I
+will talk to my mother about it and see what she thinks, and you may
+all tell your friends at home, and learn if they approve."
+
+"If we could have the fair on your piazza," continued Hattie eagerly,
+"we could dress it up very prettily with wreaths and flowers, and we
+could make a kind of a bower at one end, and choose one of the girls
+for a queen, and let it be her throne-room, and there we could have the
+flower-table. Some of the children told me you always let them have a
+festival before vacation, Miss Ashton; and we might put it off till a
+little later, so that it would be warm and pleasant, and we should have
+plenty of flowers."
+
+There was not one of the children who did not raise her voice in favor
+of the new plan except Nellie Ransom, who sat opposite to Maggie, and
+who watched her changing face, and looked from her to Hattie with
+inquiring and rather suspicious looks.
+
+Lily clapped her hands, and almost sprang from her seat.
+
+"I'll begin to work for the fair this very evening!" she said. "No
+more of your putting off for me. I'll bring down mamma's ribbon-box
+and worsted-box, if she'll let me, and ask her what I can have, and
+to-morrow I'll ask her to let me make something."
+
+"And we'll ask mamma and Aunt Annie, won't we, Maggie?" said Bessie;
+"and Belle, we'll ask them for some things for you too."
+
+Bessie received no answer from Maggie, who, feeling as if the whole
+matter had been taken out of her hands, poor child, and as if she had
+been robbed of her property, dared not speak, lest she should burst
+into tears.
+
+"I have a whole lot of money saved up," said Lily, "and I'll take some
+of it to buy what I want to make pretty things, and keep the rest to
+spend at the fair."
+
+"Haven't you to pay your missionary money to our box yet?" asked Bessie.
+
+"Well, I haven't paid it yet," said Lily, "but I don't know if I will
+give a dollar this year. I've supported the heathen for two years now,
+and I think I'd like a little change of charity. Wouldn't you, Maggie?"
+
+Maggie only nodded assent, scarce knowing what question she was
+replying to.
+
+"Maggie," said Belle, "you don't seem very interested; why don't you
+talk about the fair and give us new ideas, as you 'most always do?"
+
+"Does something provoke you or trouble you, Maggie, dear?" asked
+Bessie, looking into her sister's perplexed face.
+
+"Hattie," said Nellie suddenly, fixing her eyes searchingly on the
+little girl she addressed, "what put that idea of the fair into your
+head?"
+
+"Oh!" answered Hattie in some confusion, "I--that is, we, Maggie and I,
+just thought it would be nice, and so we talked about it a little, and
+made up our minds to ask Miss Ashton about it."
+
+Quick-witted Lily caught Nellie's suspicion, and so did Bessie; and the
+former, who had worn an air of displeasure with Hattie ever since the
+affair of the morning, asked promptly,--
+
+"Who was the _first_ to make up that idea,--the fair and the queen in
+the flower bower, and dressing the piazza and all? Who was it, I say?"
+
+"Well," answered Hattie reluctantly, "Maggie was the first to think
+about it, and we talked it over together and arranged it all."
+
+"I knew it!" cried Lily triumphantly; "I just knew it was Maggie. It
+sounds just like her making up. Hattie," she added reproachfully, "you
+tried to make us think it was yours."
+
+"I didn't," said Hattie. "I never said so."
+
+"You didn't just _say_ so," said Bessie solemnly, "but you tried to
+give that _depression_."
+
+"I didn't," pouted Hattie again; "and we did talk about it together,
+didn't we, Maggie?"
+
+Maggie only gave a faint smile by way of answer, for she felt that she
+could not honestly allow that Hattie had suggested one single idea; and
+still she was too generous to wish to blame her more than she could
+avoid.
+
+And for the second time that day was Hattie made to feel that her
+want of strict truthfulness had lowered her in the eyes of her young
+companions.
+
+"Umph!" said Lily severely; "appears to me, Miss Hattie"--
+
+But she was not allowed to finish the intended reproach, for Miss
+Ashton, seeing symptoms of a quarrel, hastened to avert it, and gently
+bade Lily be quiet.
+
+Lily obeyed; but her eye still rested sternly upon Hattie, and the
+latter was forced to bear more than one disapproving gaze during the
+remainder of the drive home.
+
+"I am afraid," said Miss Ashton to her mother that evening, "that
+Hattie Leroy is by no means a truthful child;" and she told of the
+occurrences of the day, adding that it was not the first time she had
+noticed a want of openness and uprightness, little acted deceits, a
+keeping back of the whole truth, and even, now and then a deliberate
+falsehood; and more than all, a manner of repeating a thing which gave
+it a very different meaning from what the speaker intended, so often
+making mischief and discomfort.
+
+"That is bad, very bad," said Mrs. Ashton; "it may affect the other
+children."
+
+"I would rather hope that they may have a good influence on her,"
+answered her daughter. "The standard of truth is so high in our school,
+thanks, I believe, to dear little Bessie Bradford, Maggie, Belle,
+and one or two others, that any departure from it is considered a
+very serious offence. Lily, with all her thoughtlessness and love of
+mischief, is strictly truthful; so are Dora and Nellie. Gracie is the
+only one for whom I fear, for, although I think she would be shocked at
+the idea of telling a deliberate untruth, her conceit and wish to be
+first are so great that they often lead her to exaggerate and give a
+false coloring to what she says of herself as compared with others."
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration]
+
+V.
+
+_GRANDMAMMA HOWARD._
+
+
+The proposal for the fair met with a pretty general approval from
+the parents and friends of the little girls, and they received many
+promises of help.
+
+"Aunt Annie" undertook to show Maggie, Bessie, and Belle how to make
+any pretty articles they might wish to undertake. Lily's mamma did
+the same for her, and none of the children were left entirely without
+assistance.
+
+When Jessie came to Miss Ashton with her pretty little wares, she
+was told what was proposed, and bidden to have as large a supply
+as possible, so that they might be offered for sale with the other
+articles; and the lady and some of her friends kindly bought so many
+of those already on hand that Jessie was furnished with the means of
+procuring her materials at once.
+
+The older class in Mrs. Ashton's room also entered with spirit into
+the affair, promising all the assistance that they could give, so that
+there was good prospect it would be a success. The time fixed was the
+first day of June, if the weather should be pleasant; if not, the first
+fair day after that.
+
+One morning Gracie Howard came to school in a state of great excitement.
+
+"My grandmamma," she said to the other children, "takes the greatest
+interest in our fair, and she is going to give us ever so many things
+for it. She told me to invite you all to come to her house this
+afternoon, and she has a whole lot of pieces of silk and ribbons, and
+worsteds and beads, and ever so many lovely things to divide among us.
+And what is better still, she says she would like each child to make
+some article expressly for her, and she will buy it."
+
+"Oh, delightful!" "How kind! how nice!" "What a great help!" came from
+one and another of her little hearers.
+
+"And," continued Gracie, warming with her subject, "she wants some
+particular things. Two toilet sets of lace and muslin, one lined and
+trimmed with blue, the other with pink; and two mats for flower vases,
+to be exactly alike. I am going to do one of the mats, and grandmamma
+says she thinks the other one and both the toilet sets had better be
+made by some of us older children, because she thinks the little ones
+can scarcely do them. And she will give ten dollars for the mat that is
+worked the most nicely and evenly, and nine for the other; eight for
+the best toilet set, and seven for the second; and she will give us all
+the materials. Just think of that! Why, whoever has the best mat will
+earn more than the price of Jessie's parrot! I wanted grandmamma to say
+that one might have the buying of the parrot for her own part; but she
+said that would not be just to the rest who had a share in the fair;
+and that she had no right to say so, either. I don't see why, and I
+think she might have let me."
+
+"Why, you don't know that you will have the nicest mat," said Lily.
+
+"See if I don't then," said Gracie. "I can work much better than any of
+you, I know."
+
+"If I didn't live in such a very glass house myself, I'd say
+_petticoat_ to you," said Lily, who had lately shown a fancy for the
+use of proverbs, after the manner of Maggie Bradford.
+
+Gracie tossed her head, and put on the expression which children call,
+"turning up their noses."
+
+She knew very well what Lily meant, how not long since she had boasted
+of herself, and been so very sure that she would outdo all others, and
+how she had miserably failed in the end.
+
+But, in spite of this consciousness, she was not at all taken down
+by Lily's reminder, for she felt herself a person of more than usual
+consideration and importance that morning; not without more than
+ordinary reason, was thought by most of her companions, for it was
+really a fine thing to have such a munificent grandmamma, who was ready
+to do so much for the grand object at present in the minds of each and
+every one.
+
+It was true also, and well known in the school that Gracie did worsted
+work remarkably well and evenly for a little girl, and that there was
+more reason than common for her belief that she should outshine all
+the others. Still her constant boasting was never agreeable, and Lily
+always would set herself to combat it with all her might.
+
+"Are not Maggie and Bessie to try with us too?" she asked.
+
+"Of course," answered Gracie; "they are just as much in the fair as we
+are; and Maggie works so nicely."
+
+"Should think she did," said Lily; "better than
+_a-ny--child--in--the--whole--world_."
+
+The extreme deliberation with which this was said, made it very
+forcible, and gave the remark all the point which was intended. Woe to
+the person who, in Lily's hearing, ventured to deny that her particular
+friends, Maggie and Bessie Bradford, were not all that was wisest,
+best, and prettiest.
+
+"Besides," said Belle, "Bessie was the first to find out Jessie and
+her grandfather, so it seems as if it was very much her charity and
+Maggie's. Good-morning, dear Miss Ashton;" and little Belle flew to
+meet her teacher, whom she dearly loved, and began to tell her of this
+new and delightful arrangement.
+
+But she had hardly commenced when she checked herself, and saying,--
+
+"But it is Gracie's to tell about, and I expect she would like to,"
+turned to her schoolmate, and allowed her, nothing loath, to take up
+the tale.
+
+Miss Ashton approved, and readily consented to what was proposed; but
+she was sorry to see that, as usual, Gracie took the chief credit,
+and claimed the first place for herself in the new plan; seeming, as
+before, not to have the slightest doubt that her work would be the
+best, and bring the highest premium. However, she would say nothing now
+to damp the general pleasure and enthusiasm, but called her young flock
+to the business of the day without reproof or remonstrance.
+
+On the way home from school, Gracie called to invite Maggie and Bessie
+to her grandmamma's house that afternoon; and at the appointed hour
+the whole "committee," as Maggie called it, were assembled in the
+drawing-room of the kind old lady.
+
+"Now," said Mrs. Howard, "we will settle first who among you are to
+take these pieces of work. Gracie seemed to think that all who were
+able to work nicely would prefer worsted work, so I have here two pairs
+of mats, as well as the toilet sets; and you may decide for yourselves
+which you will take. As for the younger ones, I will leave it to them
+to choose the things they will make for me, as each one knows what she
+is best able to do."
+
+Gracie looked dismayed and displeased at the first part of her
+grandmother's speech; and, not daring to object aloud, she whispered to
+Hattie, who stood next her,--
+
+"It's too bad! There grandmamma goes and gives three chances against
+me."
+
+"Never mind, you'll have the first," answered Hattie; "you know you
+work better than any of the others."
+
+"How many of you," continued the old lady, "are able to do worsted work
+nicely?"
+
+"I can, grandmamma, _very_ nicely," said Gracie promptly, while the
+others, more modest and shy, looked from one to another.
+
+"Maggie Bradford works very nicely, ma'am," said Nellie Ransom.
+
+"And so do you too, my dear, if I'm not mistaken," said Mrs. Howard.
+"Would you like to do one of the mats?"
+
+"If you please, ma'am," said Nellie, and stepping up, Mrs. Howard gave
+her her choice among the mats.
+
+"Ah! you have made the same choice as Gracie," said the old lady.
+"Well, we shall see who will do the best. Gracie, take the mat, my
+dear. Now for the other pair. Maggie, will you have one?"
+
+But Maggie held back a little; and at length, with many blushes said,
+that she would prefer to take one of the toilet sets, because Bessie
+was anxious to help her, and she could do some of the easy sewing on
+the ruffles, but she could not do worsted work evenly enough to go with
+her own.
+
+Dora took one of the second pair of mats; and Hattie, who was next
+in age, and who knew very little about embroidering, chose the other
+toilet set, as she believed she could do that better than the mat.
+
+Maggie looked wishfully at this, and Mrs. Howard saw the look.
+
+"Would you like to take this also, Maggie, dear?" she said. "You
+deserve some reward for being so unselfish, and if it is not too much
+for you to undertake, you are quite welcome to try it."
+
+"Oh no, ma'am!" said Maggie with brightening eyes; "we have nearly
+seven weeks, you know, and with Bessie's help, and Aunt Annie to
+arrange all the work for me, I think I could do both. But I don't care
+for a reward, Mrs. Howard, for you know if Jessie and her grandfather
+have the money, it does not make much difference who does the most."
+
+"No, truly," said Mrs. Howard; "and it is not that you may strive to
+outdo one another that I make these offers, but only that you may all
+try your best to have the work well done. I am an old-fashioned woman,
+my dears, and I like to see every little girl brought up to use her
+needle properly, and to keep her things in order; so I say that it is
+not so much the beauty of the work, as the care and neatness with which
+it is done that I shall look at. Keep it from spot or stain, or from
+being frayed or rubbed; this you can all do with proper care."
+
+Then Mrs. Howard repeated how much she would give for each article,
+promising also once more to buy some pretty trifle from each of the
+younger children; and they all felt as if a large sum was already
+secure for Jessie and her grandfather.
+
+After this, the treasures of lace, muslin, ribbons, flowers, beads,
+and worsteds of all colors were displayed to their delighted eyes,
+and divided with as much fairness as was possible. Not a child but
+carried home with her a most precious package, already in the eyes of
+the little ones transformed into many an article of use and beauty for
+the benefit of old Malcolm and his grandchild. The fair was now the
+all-absorbing subject of thought and conversation among Miss Ashton's
+young scholars and their little friends, Maggie and Bessie Bradford;
+and a fit of uncommon industry had seized upon each and every one.
+
+But, one morning, only two days after the meeting of the young people
+at her house, Mrs. Howard was surprised to hear that Maggie Bradford
+wanted to see her; and ordering her to be shown in, the little girl
+entered, followed by her sister and nurse.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Maggie looked flushed and uncomfortable, and held a small parcel in
+her hand; but, after she had said good-morning to Mrs. Howard a fit of
+shyness came over her, and she could not tell her errand.
+
+So Bessie spoke for her.
+
+"Mrs. Howard," said the little girl, who was herself rather confused,
+but who felt bound to help Maggie out of her trouble, "Maggie has come
+to bring you back the mat. She thinks it is rather better for her not
+to do it."
+
+"Did you find you had undertaken too much, Maggie, my dear?" asked the
+old lady encouragingly.
+
+"N-n-no, ma'am," whispered Maggie, plucking up a few crumbs of courage
+as she heard the kind tone, "no, it was not that; but we thought I'd
+better bring it back to you."
+
+"But you must have some reason," said Mrs. Howard. "Can you not tell me
+what it is? Has Gracie been saying any thing unkind to you?"
+
+"Gracie has not said any thing to me about it, ma'am," said Maggie
+rather evasively.
+
+"Please don't ask us, Mrs. Howard," said Bessie gravely. "Maggie and I
+overturned our minds about it, and thought we'd better bring back the
+mat; but we do not want to tell tales."
+
+"Then I shall not ask," said Mrs. Howard; but from the very fact that
+Bessie had innocently begged that they might not be pressed to "tell
+tales," she felt that her suspicions were tolerably correct. Gracie's
+desire to be _first_, and the fear that others should excel, or even
+equal her, were becoming so great that they often blinded her to what
+was just and kind.
+
+"There are plenty of pretty things that we can make, Mrs. Howard," said
+Maggie, "and I would rather not do any thing that any one might think
+was not my share."
+
+"Very well, dear, as you please," answered the old lady; "but since you
+do not choose to make this I shall not give it to any one else."
+
+When Maggie and Bessie had gone, the old lady put on her bonnet
+and went around to her son's house, where she found her little
+grand-daughter at home.
+
+"Gracie," she said, after a little talk, "Maggie Bradford came to see
+me just now, bringing back the mat which she was to have worked for the
+fair. Do you know any reason why she should have done so?"
+
+"Why, no, grandmamma!" answered Gracie, turning her eyes upon her
+grandmother in unfeigned and unmistakable surprise, which left no doubt
+of the perfect truth of her answer.
+
+"Think," said the old lady, believing that she might have forgotten.
+"You know you were not pleased that I should give Maggie the two things
+to make for me; have you said any thing that could hurt her feelings,
+and show her that you were displeased?"
+
+"I never said one word to Maggie about the mat, grandmamma," said
+Gracie, "and I can't see how"--she paused, as if struck by some sudden
+thought, and coloring, added uneasily--"I did talk to Hattie about it,
+and I was rather provoked, because I did not see why Maggie should
+have a better chance than the rest to make so much for the fair.
+And--and--perhaps Hattie went and told Maggie; but it was real mean of
+her if she did; and besides there was nothing for Maggie to be so mad
+at, and make such a fuss about."
+
+"Maggie was not 'mad,' as you call it, Gracie; so far from it that she
+would say nothing to throw blame upon you or any one else," said her
+grandmother; "but it was plain that she had been vexed and hurt."
+
+"Gracie," said her mother who sat by, "it would be a sad thing if _you_
+should show yourself so wanting in feeling and gratitude as to say
+unkind things of Maggie, or to injure her in any way, especially in
+such a matter as this."
+
+"Well, mamma, and I'm sure I wouldn't," said Gracie, with a little
+pout. "I am very fond of Maggie, and I wouldn't do a thing to her; but
+I did feel rather provoked about the mat, only I did not mean her to
+know it. I'm just going to ask Hattie if she told her what I said."
+
+Gracie was really uncomfortable. She remembered that she had in a
+moment of pettishness, made one or two remarks to Hattie which she
+would not have cared to make in Maggie's hearing; but she would not
+willingly have offended the latter. She knew very well to what her
+mother referred when she spoke of Maggie. How a year ago when a
+prize had been offered for composition by Miss Ashton's uncle, she
+and Maggie had been believed to stand far ahead of the rest; how her
+own composition, all ready for presentation, had been lost, and that
+through her own inordinate vanity; how Maggie and Bessie had found it,
+and like the honorable little girls they were, had brought it at once
+to her, although they believed that by so doing Maggie was deprived of
+all chance of the much wished-for prize. It was true that neither she
+nor Maggie had gained it, for it had fallen to Nellie Ransom; but that
+did not lessen, or should not have lessened, Gracie's gratitude to her
+little friend; and as her mother said, it ill became her to nurse any
+feeling of jealousy towards Maggie.
+
+"Gracie," said her mother, "can you remember exactly what you said
+about Maggie?"
+
+"No, mamma," answered the child, looking thoughtful and a little
+troubled; "but it was not much, I think."
+
+"I am afraid," said Mrs. Howard, "that a very little sometimes becomes
+much in Hattie's keeping. I do not know that she really wishes to make
+mischief, but her love of talking and her want of strict truthfulness
+lead her to exaggerate, and also, I fear, to repeat many a thing with a
+very different meaning from that which the speaker intended. The more
+I see of her, the plainer does this become to me; and I fear, Gracie,
+that she is not a safe friend for you."
+
+"Mamma," said Gracie, in a tone of some offence, "you'd never think
+that Hattie could make _me_ learn to tell stories, do you? Why, I never
+told a falsehood in my life, and I'm sure I'd never think of doing such
+a thing."
+
+"I am sure I hope not, my child," said her mother, "but I fear
+temptation for you, Gracie; and I think Hattie encourages you in your
+great fault, your self-conceit and desire for admiration. And, although
+I do not think that you ever mean to be untruthful, my daughter, your
+idea of your own merits often leads you into exaggeration of these, and
+makes you unwilling to see them in others."
+
+Gracie pouted, and put on the expression she always wore if she were
+found fault with.
+
+"Mamma," she said, "I think that is a very horrid character to give any
+one; and I am sure you need not think I ever could tell a falsehood or
+do any thing mean to any one."
+
+"I do not say you would, Gracie. I only want you to beware of
+temptation."
+
+"I shan't fall into temptation, no fear of that," said Gracie almost
+scornfully; not scorn of her mother, but of the idea that she was not
+quite able to take care of herself, and that she could be led into
+wrong-doing.
+
+"And I shall be obliged to say," continued Mrs. Howard, "that I do not
+think it best for you to be so much with Hattie. She is doing you no
+good. I cannot keep you apart altogether, but you must not ask me to
+let you have her here so often, nor can I allow you to go to her house
+as much as you have done. When I see you have a more gentle and humble
+spirit, Gracie, and learning to stand by another strength than your
+own, I may not so much fear evil companionship for you; but this very
+belief that you cannot fall makes you all the more ready to do so."
+
+Gracie flounced out of the room in high displeasure, muttering to
+herself as she went upstairs that her mother always thought "every one
+better than me," and "it was very unjust," and "just as if I could fall
+into the temptation of telling a story."
+
+Mrs. Howard sighed, and looked troubled, as she well might; and so did
+grandmamma, as they talked together on this subject, and considered
+what was best to be done with Gracie. Her overwhelming desire for
+admiration; her wish to be first in every thing; her self-conceit and
+impatience of reproof were day by day growing stronger and stronger,
+and overrunning all that was fair and lovely in her character. It was,
+as the mother had said, difficult to break off all intercourse between
+her and Hattie, although it was certain that the latter was exercising
+no good influence on Gracie; for the two families were intimate, and
+it was impossible, without giving offence, to keep the two children
+entirely apart. Moreover, they were schoolmates, and had grown really
+fond of one another, although Gracie was losing confidence in Hattie,
+as she could not but perceive that she had by no means a strict regard
+for truth.
+
+But little did Gracie dream that Hattie's influence or example could
+ever lead her astray in this way.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration]
+
+VI.
+
+_JEALOUSY._
+
+
+Days went by, and all was progressing famously for the fair; at least
+so thought the little workers. New offers of help came in; new articles
+were promised, and some even sent, early as it was, and these were
+committed to Miss Ashton's keeping until the appointed day--the first
+of June--should arrive. Mrs. Bradford promised all the ice-cream
+that should be needed for the refreshment table; Mrs. Howard the
+strawberries; another mamma offered jelly; two or three cake; Mr.
+Powers promised a quantity of French bonbons; and from all sides came
+offers of flowers. Mr. Stanton, the little Bradfords' "Uncle Ruthven,"
+said he would furnish flags and banners enough to deck the piazza; and
+mammas, grandmammas, aunts, and cousins were coaxed and wheedled out
+of so many bright ribbons for the same purpose, that it might have
+been supposed that they were expected to go in grave colors for the
+remainder of their days.
+
+And if you had seen the doll that Miss Annie Stanton and her
+sister-in-law were dressing as a baby!
+
+If you had but seen that doll!
+
+With a face so sweet, and so like a "real live baby" that it almost
+startled one to come upon it unawares in some place where the real
+live baby could not have been found! such hands and feet! and oh, such
+a fitting out! Day by day the progress of that doll's wardrobe was
+watched with eager, delighted eyes by Maggie, Bessie, Belle, and Lily,
+who had more opportunities for this than the rest of the children.
+These last were, however, invited in every now and then, to see the
+wonder as it grew; and that doll became the great object of interest,
+in comparison with which the remainder of the fair arrangements were
+as nothing. Every thing that was dainty and pretty and cunning was
+furnished for the baby doll; not only clothes without number, but also
+a tasteful cradle lined and trimmed with blue silk, white muslin, and
+lace; and a baby basket, furnished completely with all that the most
+exacting infant could require. In short, this was plainly to be the
+grand attraction of the fair, at least in the eyes of the younger
+portion of its patrons, for the fame of the doll spread far and wide,
+and great was the curiosity of those who had never had the opportunity
+of witnessing its beauties.
+
+And the question arose and was eagerly discussed, who was to be the
+munificent purchaser? who, oh! who, the fortunate possessor? Papas and
+mammas were besieged with petitions and coaxings, but wisely declined
+making positive promises till the price of the wonderful prize should
+be fixed, and the doll herself put up for sale. Money-jugs were broken,
+and "savings banks" emptied, that the contents might be counted over
+and over to ascertain if there was any possibility that they might
+reach the sum which would probably be required; allowances were saved
+up in the same hope.
+
+The only trouble about it was, that as Maggie Bradford said, "only one
+could have the doll, and so all the rest were doomed to disappointment,
+which made it a case in which it would be well if one man's meat were
+every other man's poison."
+
+Jessie and her grandfather were cared for in the meanwhile. Miss Ashton
+had interested several of her friends in them; the children had done
+the same with their parents; and Mr. Bradford, Mr. Norris, and one or
+two other gentlemen had been to see old Malcolm, and finding that there
+was little or no probability of his cure while he remained in the cold,
+damp shanty, where he had been living for the last few months, had
+furnished him with more comfortable lodging.
+
+Jessie's wares were also finding a good market, and every week she
+came down into the city with a number. Some of these she sold to such
+purchasers as came in her way, and whatever were left over she carried
+to Miss Ashton, and put in her hands for the fair.
+
+She was also making some particularly choice articles which she kept
+back for exhibition and sale on that occasion; and among them were half
+a dozen boxes of straw and bright-colored ribbons, with an initial
+letter woven in beads upon the top of each. There had been but four of
+them at first, bearing respectively an M, a B, a G, and a D, standing
+for Maggie, Bessie, Gracie, and Dora; for Jessie looked upon these as
+her first friends, because they had first become interested in her
+story. But Bessie having mentioned that Belle and Lily were "just
+like ourselves, and my sister and I would be pleased to buy boxes for
+them at the fair," Jessie completed two more with an L for Lily, and
+a B for Belle. There was a delightful amount of mystery respecting
+these boxes, for each one of the six knew what had been done for the
+other five; Jessie telling her in confidence, and leaving her with
+the suspicion that the same pleasure was in store for her. Not on any
+account would any one of them have spoken of this suspicion; oh dear,
+no! but was quite prepared to be very much surprised if a box bearing
+her initial should turn up at the fair.
+
+Maggie and Bessie owned a pretty little pony, the gift of their Uncle
+Ruthven; at least Fred said it was "Uncle Ruthven's present," but Mr.
+Stanton said it was Fred's. For, having offered Fred the choice of a
+present for himself as a reward for the pains he had taken to break
+himself of some troublesome faults, the generous brother asked for a
+pony for his little sisters. He and his brother Harry each owned one,
+and he wished Maggie and Bessie to enjoy the same pleasure. So Uncle
+Ruthven had bought the pony and equipped him, but he declared it was
+Fred's gift to the little girls, and I think he was about right.
+
+However that was, the pony had given no small amount of pleasure, and
+this was still farther increased when Belle's papa gave her one.
+
+It was a pretty sight to see two of the little girls on these ponies,
+escorted by Harry and Fred, and the whole party under the care of
+one of the papas, or Uncle Ruthven, or sometimes of old James, the
+coachman. Belle and Bessie rode as yet with a leading string to the
+pony's rein, but Maggie had grown to be a fearless little rider, and
+had no idea of being led. Lily would have been welcome to a ride now
+and then if she had chosen, but "the one thing in the world" which Lily
+feared was a horse, and she declined the most pressing offers of this
+nature.
+
+Now that the days were becoming so mild and pleasant, these rides took
+place quite frequently, and they were hardly looked forward to more
+eagerly by the children than they were by old Malcolm and Jessie, who
+delighted to see the little girls on horseback, and were always on the
+watch to meet them and receive a kind word.
+
+"I know who I think will have the best piece of work," said Lily,
+one day after school, when the little girls were discussing the
+arrangements for the fair as they prepared to go home.
+
+"Who?" asked Gracie quickly. "Maggie, I s'pose. You always think Maggie
+and Bessie do every thing better than anybody else."
+
+"Well, and so they do," answered Lily, unwilling to allow that her
+favorite playmates could be outdone in any thing by another,--"so they
+do; but it's not Maggie this time."
+
+"Who then?" asked Dora.
+
+"Nellie Ransom," said Lily. "Have you seen her mat?"
+
+No: none of the others had seen Nellie's mat; but now curiosity was all
+on tiptoe, and a general desire to see her work took possession of the
+class.
+
+"Bring all your works to-morrow, and let's see which is the best," said
+Lily.
+
+"Gracie's is, I know," said Hattie.
+
+"If you have not seen the others you _don't_ know," said Lily.
+
+Hattie whispered something to Gracie and laughed; but Gracie still wore
+the displeased look she had put on when Lily declared Nellie's work
+must be the best.
+
+For, during the whole of the last year, Gracie had been nourishing an
+intense and bitter jealousy of Nellie Ransom. As has been said before,
+Nellie was by no means as quick and brilliant a child as Gracie, but
+she was more persevering and industrious, and so made up for the lack
+of natural talent. She was the only child in the school who could keep
+up with Gracie in several studies, such as composition and arithmetic;
+and in all they learned these two generally stood in advance of the
+rest.
+
+And to outstrip Nellie, to be always the _first_, the _very first_ was
+Gracie's great ambition. She believed herself to be by far the wiser
+and cleverer of the two, but she was anxious that every one else
+should acknowledge it also.
+
+A year ago, when Miss Ashton's uncle had offered a prize for the best
+composition,--the occasion to which Mrs. Howard had referred when
+warning her little daughter against jealousy of Maggie Bradford,--the
+chances had seemed to lie between Maggie and herself; but to the
+astonishment of every one, Nellie's composition had proved the most
+deserving, and taken the much-coveted prize.
+
+Since that time Gracie's wish to excel Nellie in all things had known
+no bounds, and it is really to be feared that she was rejoiced at heart
+when her painstaking and industrious little schoolmate missed in her
+lessons, or failed in any work she undertook.
+
+So now the fear that Nellie's mat should prove to be more neatly worked
+than her own took complete possession of her, for it was not only the
+desire to be first, but the desire to outstrip Nellie especially, that
+filled her heart and made her envious and jealous.
+
+It was agreed that Nellie, Gracie, and Dora should each bring her mat
+to school the next morning, so as to compare their work and see which
+was likely to bring the highest price.
+
+Accordingly this was done, and the children all gathered early, anxious
+to decide on the respective merits of the three pieces of embroidery.
+
+All were well done, neatly and evenly worked; but there could be no
+doubt of it, even to Gracie's unwilling eyes,--Nellie Ransom's was
+somewhat the best. It was really astonishing for a child of her age.
+She was naturally handy with her needle, and had taken so much pains
+with this mat that it would have done credit to a much older person.
+The simple pattern was straight and even, and the stitches of the
+filling in lay in neat, regular rows, the worsted smooth and unfrayed,
+and not a speck or spot of any description to be seen upon the whole
+piece.
+
+Gracie's was very nearly a match for it; indeed, had the two pieces
+been looked at separately it might have seemed that there was nothing
+to choose between them; but laid side by side and closely compared,
+Nellie's would certainly bear off the palm.
+
+"Why, Nellie," said Dora, whose own work was by no means despicable,
+"how beautifully you have done it. I don't believe a grown-up lady
+could have worked it better. I know Mrs. Howard will say it's the best."
+
+Quiet Nellie colored and dimpled with pleasure. Praise was pleasant to
+her, as it is to all; but, although she would have been glad to have
+her work pronounced the best, it was with no overwhelming desire to
+outdo her companions. Nellie did her very best, but when another did
+better, she could be content with the feeling that it was not her own
+fault that she was excelled, and was ready to sympathize with her more
+fortunate classmate.
+
+"That will be priced ten dollars for certain and positive," said Lily,
+holding up the mat and regarding it with admiration. "It is lovely,
+Nellie. They are all very nice, 'specially Gracie's, but yours is the
+best."
+
+"It's not a bit better than Gracie's," said Hattie.
+
+"Don't you encourage Gracie more than she deserves," said Lily
+admonishingly. "She's pretty nice, but don't you puff her up too much."
+
+"I know something about you," said Hattie teasingly.
+
+"Well, know away," answered Lily scornfully. "You're always knowing
+something about somebody; and you want me to ask you what you know
+about me; but I don't want to know, and I'm not going to have you say
+some of the girls said hateful things of me. Besides--oh! I forgot; I
+b'lieve I was rather _anti-politing_;" and Lily, who was about to say
+that Hattie always made things seem worse than they were, put a check
+upon her saucy little tongue and turned once more to Nellie.
+
+One might have thought that Lily had worked the mat herself to see her
+pride and satisfaction in it.
+
+"Dora has done more on hers than Nellie and Gracie," said Belle.
+"Their two are pretty nearly the same. Let's see; Gracie has only
+two more rows done than Nellie; no, Nellie has two more done than
+Gracie--oh!--why--this is Gracie's, isn't it? I can hardly tell them
+apart, they are both so very nice."
+
+For, handing the mats about from one to another, the same mistake
+occurred more than once, Gracie's being taken for Nellie's or Nellie's
+for Gracie's, and they had to be held side by side before they could
+be distinguished. The children laughed and thought this rather funny;
+and it gave Gracie some hope that hers might be judged to be the best,
+after all. She would take more pains than ever.
+
+The thought of the mats and of outdoing Nellie was so busy with her
+that she did not give her usual attention to her lessons that morning;
+and, as the consequence, lost her place in the spelling-class, and was
+in a peevish humor for the rest of the day.
+
+Fresh cause of displeasure befell her at the close of school, when
+Miss Ashton said she thought it as well that the May Queen should be
+chosen soon.
+
+"Oh! we want Maggie, of course," said Lily.
+
+"Maggie again?" said Miss Ashton, smiling.
+
+"Yes'm," said Belle. "Maggie is used to it, and she makes the prettiest
+queen, so we'd rather have her; wouldn't we, girls?"
+
+There was a general murmur of assent, save from two voices.
+
+"Why don't we make some one else May Queen this year?" asked Hattie.
+"We might have Gracie."
+
+"Hattie," said Lily, endeavoring to make her voice of reproof one of
+extreme mildness, "as you have not been so very long in the school, it
+would be better if you let the old inhabitants be the judges."
+
+"Well, anyhow, I don't see why Maggie always has to be May Queen, and
+when she don't go to the school either," said Gracie pouting, and
+leaning back against her desk with a discontented air, till, catching
+Miss Ashton's eye fixed sadly and reproachfully upon her, she hung her
+head and looked ashamed.
+
+"Be-cause," said Lily with emphasis, "she's the prettiest child of our
+acquaintance. Not all the prettiness of all the rest of us make up
+one-half Maggie's prettiness, and she's not one bit vain or stuck-up
+about it either; and if she and Bessie don't just belong to the school,
+they belong to us, and so it's just the same. Whoever wants Maggie,
+hold up their hand."
+
+Up went every hand at once, save those of Gracie and Hattie, and
+presently Gracie's followed the example of the others, though half
+unwillingly.
+
+"Now," said Lily triumphantly, "that's voted, and for ever after let
+him hold his peace."
+
+The last allusion was perhaps not exactly clear either to Lily or her
+hearers; but it was thought extremely fine, and as having clinched the
+matter without farther argument. Miss Ashton laughed, and asked if Lily
+and Belle would undertake to let Maggie know that she was elected May
+Queen, which they readily promised to do.
+
+But the next morning these two little friends returned to school,
+and told their astonished and disappointed classmates that Maggie
+positively refused to be May Queen. Why they could not say, but
+all their persuasions had proved of no avail. Maggie was not to be
+"coaxed," and would give no reason for her refusal, though she had
+"seemed to feel awfully about it," Lily said, and had "cried about it"
+before they left. Bessie had been as much mystified as they were, and
+even Maggie's mamma, when appealed to, said that she knew of no reason
+why Maggie should decline the offered honor. Maggie, however, had said
+she would "tell mamma and Bessie," but she could tell no one else.
+
+Miss Ashton, when informed of Maggie's refusal, said that she would
+call on her and see what could be done, and until then the matter might
+rest.
+
+"Hattie," said Gracie, drawing her "intimate friend" into a corner
+during recess, "did you tell Maggie Bradford what I said about her
+being Queen twice?"
+
+"Well--no," said Hattie, hesitating at first, but then uttering her
+denial boldly as she saw the frown gathering upon Gracie's brow.
+
+Gracie looked at her as if she only half believed her, for she was
+learning to doubt Hattie's word, and although she was greedy of her
+flattery, she could not help feeling that her chosen friend was not
+sincere.
+
+"You know you've told a good many things I did not mean you to," said
+Gracie, "and I wouldn't like not to be friends with Maggie, or to let
+her think I'm hateful."
+
+And Hattie declared over and over again that she had never said one
+word to Maggie on the subject.
+
+"I do feel badly about it," said Gracie remorsefully. "I wish I had
+never said I thought Maggie ought not to be May Queen. Maggie's been my
+friend this ever so long, since I was quite little; and I believe I
+had rather the girls chose her. I've a good mind to write her a note,
+and tell her I wish she would be Queen."
+
+All the other children had left the school-room to go down and play on
+the piazza, and Gracie and Hattie were alone together.
+
+"I wouldn't," said Hattie; "you are the one who ought to be May Queen,
+'cause you are the smartest child in the school."
+
+Gracie believed this, and thought Hattie gave her no more than her due;
+still, although she liked to hear Hattie say it, the compliment did not
+turn her from her purpose.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration]
+
+VII.
+
+_A MISFORTUNE._
+
+
+As the two children talked, Gracie had been putting a few stitches in
+her mat.
+
+"I b'lieve I'll do it," she said. "I'll tell Maggie we _all_ want her
+to be May Queen."
+
+"Then she'll know you've said something about it," said Hattie
+anxiously, feeling that this proceeding was likely to bring her into
+trouble.
+
+"No, she needn't," said Gracie; "perhaps she does think I don't want
+her to be, 'cause at Christmas she knew I was mad about it."
+
+"Are you going to beg her pardon?" asked Hattie.
+
+"No," said Gracie, with one of her scornful tosses of her head. "I
+think I see myself doing such a thing! But I can write her a little
+note, and tell her we are all sorry because she won't be May Queen, and
+beg her to change her mind. I might do as much as that for Maggie," she
+added to herself.
+
+Hattie tried to dissuade her no longer, and Gracie laid the mat down
+upon her desk, opened the lid, and took out a slip of paper and a pen.
+She dipped the pen in the ink, wrote, "My dear Maggie," at the top of
+the sheet, and then paused, biting the top of her pen.
+
+"I can't think what to say, or how to begin it," she said. "My dear
+Maggie, I am very sorry--no. I had better say _we_--we are very sorry
+that you--that you--oh, pshaw! I've a great mind not to do it"--here
+she dipped her pen in the ink again, and so carelessly that it came
+forth quite too full. "Oh, bother!" she exclaimed with increasing
+ill-humor; "look at this hateful pen;" and, forgetting the precious
+piece of work which lay so near at hand, she gave a careless fillip to
+the pen which spattered forth the ink.
+
+Gracie gave another impatient exclamation, and pushed away the paper,
+saying,--
+
+"I shan't do it; if Maggie likes to be so foolish about nothing, she
+just can;" but she did not see the extent of the mischief she had done
+till Hattie said in a tone of great dismay,--
+
+"O Gracie! just see what you've done!"
+
+And there upon her beautiful mat was a great spot of ink.
+
+Gracie gave a horrified little cry, and, snatching up the mat,
+thoughtlessly sopped up the spot with her handkerchief, thereby
+spreading and smearing it till it grew to the size of a two-cent piece,
+and left an ugly blotch on the bright blue worsted.
+
+"What shall I do? oh! what shall I do? It's spoiled; it's quite
+spoiled!" she said despairingly.
+
+"I don't believe it is; maybe it can be taken out," said Hattie, though
+she was almost as much startled as her little companion. "I'll bring
+some water, and we'll try to take it out."
+
+"No, no," said Gracie; "I wish I had not touched it at all. We'll only
+make it worse; and I'll ask mamma to try as soon as I go home. Oh,
+dear, dear, dear! what shall I do? Grandmamma will surely say Nellie's
+is the best now. That hateful girl!"
+
+"It's a great shame if she does," said Hattie. "Nellie is always trying
+to get ahead of you; and she don't deserve it, and I don't think your
+grandmamma is fair to you. She ought to think her own grandchild's work
+is the best."
+
+"I suppose Nellie will just be glad when she sees what has happened to
+me," said Gracie, whose jealous eyes could now see nothing that was
+good or fair in Nellie's conduct.
+
+Innocent, kind-hearted Nellie, who would not willingly harbor an unkind
+or unjust thought of another!
+
+"I shan't let her see it," she continued, hastily rolling up the mat
+and putting it into her desk, as she heard the other children coming.
+"Don't say a word about it, Hattie, not to any one."
+
+Hattie promised, really grieving herself for Gracie's misfortune, for
+she truly loved her, and was anxious that she should be the first.
+
+This was to be a black day for Gracie; but all through her own jealousy
+and pride.
+
+Her mind was so taken up with the remembrance of the defaced mat that
+she could not keep her thoughts upon her lessons; and, although she had
+known her history very well, her attention wandered so much that she
+answered incorrectly more than once.
+
+Seeing, however, that something had disturbed her, Miss Ashton made
+allowances, and gave her one or two opportunities to correct herself
+and bring her thoughts back to the task before her.
+
+But it was all in vain; Gracie had already lost her place in the
+spelling-class, and gone down below Dora Johnson and Laura Middleton;
+and now the fear of a fresh mortification, and of giving Nellie her
+place at the head of the history class added to her confusion, and she
+floundered more and more hopelessly. Nellie begged too that she might
+have still another chance, when at last Miss Ashton passed the question
+to her; but again Gracie failed and was obliged to yield her place.
+
+Angry, mortified, and jealous, Gracie showed such determined ill-temper
+towards her generous little classmate, that Miss Ashton was obliged to
+reprove her, but without effect.
+
+Again she called Gracie to order, and this time more severely.
+
+The angry and wilful child hesitated for one moment, then pride and
+passion burst all bounds, and she answered Miss Ashton with such
+insolence, such ungoverned and unjustifiable impertinence that the
+whole class stood aghast.
+
+There was a moment's perfect stillness. Miss Ashton turned very pale,
+and laying her book down upon the table, covered her face with her
+hand, while the children looked from her to Gracie and back again, in
+utter dismay and astonishment.
+
+Then the stillness was broken by a piteous, "Oh, dear!" from poor
+little Belle, who finished with a burst of tears, and her example was
+followed by more than one of the others.
+
+Miss Ashton raised her head.
+
+"Go into the cloak-room, Grace," she said quietly.
+
+Gracie was herself frightened at what she had done; but her pride
+and temper were still farther roused by the shocked and disapproving
+looks of her schoolmates, and she stood for an instant with determined
+stubbornness, while the words, "I won't," formed themselves upon her
+lips.
+
+But they were not uttered, for there was something in Miss Ashton's
+face which checked her; something which not one of the little flock had
+ever seen before; and when the lady repeated her words in the same calm
+tone,--
+
+"Go into the cloak-room," Gracie turned away and obeyed.
+
+It was with head held high, and scornful look, however, that she passed
+out, although bitter shame and regret were burning in the poor, foolish
+little heart. But she called up all her pride and jealousy to stifle
+the better feeling which urged her to run to her teacher, and, in the
+face of the whole school, confess her fault, and beg Miss Ashton's
+pardon for the insulting words she had spoken.
+
+"What will she do, I wonder," she said to herself; "will she tell
+mamma? What will mamma say, and papa too?" and, as the recollection of
+her parents' oft-repeated warnings against the pride and vanity which
+were her besetting sins came back to her mind, she could not but feel
+that this was the consequence of allowing them to gain such a hold upon
+her.
+
+She _felt_ it, for conscience would make itself heard; but she would
+not acknowledge it even to herself, and drowned the reproving whisper
+with such thoughts as,--
+
+"Well, then, why is Miss Ashton so unjust? She is always trying to make
+me miss and lose my place. She is always glad when any one goes above
+me. She never praises me as much as I deserve;" and such unjust and
+untrue accusations.
+
+It might be that Miss Ashton did not always bestow upon Gracie all the
+praise she would have given to another for a perfect lesson or good
+composition, for she did not think much praise good for her, as it only
+seemed to minister to Gracie's over-weening vanity. But only eyes that
+were wilfully blind and suspicious could find the slightest injustice
+or unkindness in her treatment of any one of her little scholars, and
+her gentleness and patience might have won gratitude from the most
+stubborn young heart.
+
+But Gracie would not listen to the promptings of her better spirit; and
+the recollection of the dismayed and averted looks of her schoolmates
+added fuel to the flame of her angry pride. Even the ever admiring
+Hattie had looked shocked at her outburst.
+
+"I don't care," she said again to herself. "It's only 'cause they know
+I am so much cleverer than any of them, and they are jealous of me.
+That hateful Nellie! She was so proud to go above me."
+
+Wretched and unhappy, she spent the time in her solitude till the close
+of school, when the other children came into the cloak-room for their
+hats.
+
+No one said a word to her, for they had been forbidden to do so; and
+if they had occasion to speak to one another they did so in whispers,
+as if something terrible had happened, and a great awe had fallen upon
+them. She sat in a corner, sullen and defiant, trying to put on an
+appearance of the utmost indifference, but succeeding very poorly. She
+even tried to hum a tune, but something rose in her throat and choked
+her. She scarcely knew what to do; whether or no to rise, and take her
+hat, and go down as usual to find the nurse, who was probably waiting
+for her below; and while she sat hesitating, one and another of her
+young companions passed out, as if glad to hurry from her presence, and
+she was left once more alone.
+
+She had just taken down her hat, when Miss Ashton came in, and, handing
+her a note, said gravely,--
+
+"Give this to your mother, Gracie," and left her again.
+
+Ashamed and alarmed at the thought of what might follow when she should
+reach home, but with her pride and anger not one whit abated, Gracie
+went slowly on, giving short and snappish answers to the inquiries of
+her nurse, who plainly saw that something was wrong.
+
+But she dared not face her mother when she should hear of her
+misconduct; and when they entered the house, she thrust the note into
+the hand of the maid, bidding her give it to Mrs. Howard, and ran
+quickly up to her own little room.
+
+There she stayed, wondering and waiting. Five, ten, fifteen, twenty
+minutes, half an hour passed away, and still her mamma did not come.
+
+Was it possible? could she really hope that the note had not been one
+of complaint of her conduct?
+
+No, that could never be; there was the bell for the children's early
+dinner. Well, she would go down and act as if nothing had happened. But
+could she with this uncertainty of how much or how little mamma knew?
+
+But there was mamma's step, and now Mrs. Howard entered the room. One
+half glance at her face and Gracie's eyes fell. It was enough to show
+her that her mother knew all.
+
+"Mean old thing!" she said to herself, meaning Miss Ashton. "She's gone
+and told, and now I s'pose I'll be punished."
+
+"Gracie," said her mother, "I suppose you scarcely need to be told what
+is in this note which Miss Ashton has sent me."
+
+Gracie stood with head erect, pouting lip, and defiant eyes, idly
+tossing back and forth the tassel of the window curtain with as much
+indifference as she could assume.
+
+"Has it come to this, my child," continued Mrs. Howard sorrowfully,
+"that you have allowed conceit and self-will to gain such a hold upon
+you, that you could wilfully and deliberately insult your teacher? I
+have been sure that you would fall into trouble, Gracie, for I knew
+that such foolish pride must sooner or later have a fall, but I could
+not have believed that you would be guilty of this. What did you say to
+Miss Ashton?"
+
+"I don't care," said Gracie passionately, without directly answering
+her mother's question. "It was all true, every word of it. She's as
+hateful as she can be, and unjust and mean;" and Gracie went on,
+pouring forth a torrent of invective and reproach against Miss Ashton
+and Nellie Ransom, without paying the slightest heed to her mother's
+commands to be silent. It was the long pent-up feeling of jealousy and
+ill-will and pride, that she had been nourishing for months past, and
+which now burst all bounds and swept every thing before it.
+
+Respect, and even obedience towards her mother, reason, justice,
+and truth itself were totally lost sight of, as she poured forth
+accusation after accusation against the offenders, and upheld her own
+conduct in all she had done and said.
+
+"And you have said all this to Miss Ashton, perhaps?" said her mother
+sternly, when the angry child at last came to a pause.
+
+"It is true enough if I did," muttered Gracie again, though her passion
+was by this time beginning to cool down in a measure. "I'm sure I wish
+I never went to her hateful old school."
+
+"It is more than probable that Miss Ashton wishes so now; but I
+shall leave you to think over what you have said to me and to Miss
+Ashton, and to find out how much of it is true. One thing Miss Ashton
+desires,--that you do not return to her school till you are ready to
+acknowledge your fault, and to apologize for your impertinence. And
+until this is the case, you must remain in your room. Your meals will
+be sent to you, and I shall not allow your brothers and sisters to have
+any intercourse with you till you are ready to make such amends as
+you can. You may send for me when you have any thing to say to me. Oh,
+Gracie, Gracie!"
+
+With which words, spoken in a sad, despondent tone, Mrs. Howard went
+away, closing the door upon her stubborn, rebellious little daughter.
+
+Gracie stood where her mother had left her, not one whit softened or
+humbled; for now her angry pride began to accuse her mother also of
+injustice and partiality and unkindness.
+
+"Everybody in the world takes part against me," she said to herself;
+"but I don't care. Indeed, I won't beg Miss Ashton's pardon, not if I
+stay here a year. Mamma makes such a fuss about her being so kind and
+patient and all that. She's paid for teaching me, so it's nothing so
+wonderfully good. I hope I never will go back to the school where that
+hateful Nellie is."
+
+Soon the door opened, and the nurse appeared, bearing a tray on which
+was Gracie's dinner. She set it upon a table, placed a chair, and went
+away without a word to her.
+
+"I don't care," said Gracie once more, "no one need talk to me if they
+don't want to. I'm just as good as they are, and I'd just as lief stay
+here by myself."
+
+She sat down before the dinner-tray, trying to believe that she would
+"just as lief eat her dinner alone;" but she found it was not so
+agreeable after all. She wondered what they were doing downstairs; if
+the children were chattering as merrily as usual, or if her absence
+made any difference in the family enjoyment. She had little appetite,
+as may be supposed, and left the nicely served meal scarcely touched.
+
+But it must not be thought that she had any idea of yielding or
+acknowledging herself in the wrong. By and by she heard her brothers
+and sisters coming upstairs, then their voices in the nursery as they
+prattled to one another; and she knew that they were being made ready
+for their afternoon airing. Then tiny feet pattered along the hall,
+and little May's voice sounded through her closed door,--
+
+"Am oo dood now, Dacie? We'm doin out, Dacie; am oo most dood? Pease
+don't be naughty dirl, Dacie," and the soft little hand tapped upon the
+panel as the baby voice pleaded.
+
+"Come away, darling. Gracie may come out when she is good and says she
+is sorry," said mamma's voice; and Gracie knew that her mother had led
+the little pet away.
+
+But all this only seemed to harden her. May was such a darling, the
+sweetest and dearest of all her brothers and sisters, Gracie thought;
+and, although the sweet, coaxing voice had touched her, she only found
+in her mother's interference fresh cause of offence.
+
+"Mamma tries to set even May against me, and I s'pose she's been
+telling all the children what I did," she thought; "but I don't care.
+I believe they'll grow tired of having me away before I am tired of
+staying here. There's plenty for me to do. I can read, and I'll work on
+my mat."
+
+But here it suddenly flashed upon her that she had not brought her mat
+home with her. Being sent away in disgrace and not returning to the
+school-room before leaving, she had quite forgotten it, and it still
+lay there in her desk. And that stain upon it, too, which she had
+intended to ask her mother to take out if possible. Mamma would not
+feel like doing it for her now, and she could ask no favors from her.
+Not unless she repented and--and--apologized to Miss Ashton. And this
+last she would not do; no, never, never.
+
+She heard the children going downstairs, stood at the window and
+watched them get into the carriage and drive away with mamma, and began
+to wish that she were there too. And such a lovely afternoon, it was
+too bad to be shut up here. But still she never blamed herself for her
+imprisonment; no, mamma, Miss Ashton, Nellie, any one was in the wrong,
+but not her own wilful, stubborn little self. What was to be the end of
+this she did not know, but Gracie had no thought of yielding.
+
+She whiled away the afternoon as she best could; but every thing seemed
+to have lost its zest. Her prettiest story-books had no interest;
+her dolls were "stupid" and poor company; even her stock of pretty
+materials for articles for the fair seemed less attractive than usual
+as she turned them over, and her work "would not go."
+
+This was the first time in her life that Gracie had ever been punished
+in such a manner; and apart from the disgrace, which she was determined
+not to feel, she was a child who was fond of society and did not know
+how to bear being deprived of it.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration]
+
+VIII.
+
+"_THE SPIDER AND THE FLY._"
+
+
+If Mrs. Howard had perhaps hoped that little May's pleading would have
+any softening effect on Gracie, she was mistaken. The message she had
+expected to receive on reaching home did not come to her. Nor did she
+hear a word from Gracie through the evening until the little girl's
+bed-time came. Then she sent word that the hour had come, still hoping
+and believing that the stubborn heart must relent, and that Gracie
+would feel that she could not go to rest unforgiven and without her
+mother's good-night kiss. But she was mistaken. Gracie received the
+message in sullen silence, but obeyed and went to bed without one word
+of sorrow or repentance.
+
+It was the same in the morning. Gracie rose and was dressed; her
+breakfast was brought and eaten in solitude, as her dinner and supper
+had been yesterday; and still the nurse who waited upon her passed
+in and out, as it was necessary, and brought no word to comfort the
+sorrowing heart of her mother.
+
+School-time came, and Gracie knew that the children in her class would
+believe that her absence was caused by her misconduct of the previous
+day, as was indeed too true; but this only made her feel more and more
+proud and obstinate.
+
+The long, weary morning wore away, the solitary dinner was once more
+over, and again the house seemed so still and lonely, for mamma and the
+children had gone out again, and the servants were all downstairs.
+
+By and by Gracie heard a light, quick foot running up the stairs and
+coming towards her own door. The latch was turned and the door softly
+opened,--Mrs. Howard had not locked her in, for she believed that she
+could trust Gracie and that she would not disobey so far as to leave
+the room she had been bidden to keep,--and Hattie's face peeped in.
+
+Gracie started, partly in astonishment, partly in dismay; for what must
+she do now? Mamma would not have allowed her to see Hattie, she knew,
+if she had been at home; and must she send her away? She was so glad to
+see some one, to be able to speak to some one.
+
+Hattie came in, closed the door behind her, and, running to Gracie, put
+her arm about her neck and kissed her, saying with much energy,--
+
+"It's too mean, Gracie! it's the meanest thing I ever knew! It's a
+great shame!"
+
+There could be no doubt of her sympathy, of her belief that Gracie was
+in the right, or at least that she was not so very much to blame, and
+was undeservedly punished. For Hattie was really and truly very fond
+of Gracie, admired her and considered her very clever; and, although
+even she had been dismayed by Gracie's outburst yesterday, she was now
+disposed to treat it lightly, and to say that Gracie had been provoked.
+There was another reason, too, which induced Hattie to take part
+against Nellie Ransom, and to wish to put her in the wrong.
+
+"O Hattie!" said Gracie, "how did you come up here? Mamma wouldn't
+allow it, I know."
+
+Hattie laughed triumphantly.
+
+"I knew that," she said, "for I came to the door a little while ago and
+the servant said you were up in your room, but he thought you could
+not see any one to-day, and he said every one else was out. But I said
+I had a message from school for you, and that you must have it this
+afternoon. So of course he thought it was from Miss Ashton, as I meant
+he should, and he let me come up."
+
+"Mamma will be displeased," said Gracie; "you ought not, Hattie. I'm
+very glad to see you, but I must not let you stay."
+
+"I'll only stay a few minutes," said Hattie, taking the seat which
+Gracie had not ventured to offer her. "I've something perfectly
+splendid to tell you."
+
+"Was everybody saying ugly things about me to-day, and talking as if
+I was as wicked as a murderer?" asked Gracie, more interested in the
+opinion others might hold of her than in Hattie's promised news.
+
+There had really been very little said on the matter; the offence was
+too serious and too shocking to Gracie's young companions to make it an
+agreeable subject of conversation; and, although there had been some
+wondering as to whether Gracie would ever be allowed to return to the
+school, but few unkind remarks had been made, and these were more in
+sorrow than in censure.
+
+And Hattie was too full of her errand and of the fear of being found on
+forbidden ground to make as good a story of that little as she might
+have chosen to do at another time.
+
+"Well, no, not much," she answered. "I suppose that old Nellie,
+hateful thing, was glad enough."
+
+"Did she say so?" questioned Gracie.
+
+"No," said Hattie; "she did not speak about it. Gracie, did Miss Ashton
+send word to your mother and ask her to punish you?"
+
+"She wrote to her about it, and I suppose mamma punished me of her own
+accord," answered Gracie.
+
+"How long is she going to keep you up here?" asked Hattie.
+
+"Till--till--I beg Miss Ashton's pardon," said Gracie, her angry pride
+rising again at the thought; "and I _never_ will do it, no, _never_,
+not if I stay here a year!"
+
+"But the fair," said Hattie; "you know the fair is in two weeks, and if
+you don't come out before that you'll miss all the fun."
+
+Now, apart from the interest which all the little girls took in the
+fair, Gracie had a strong desire, as usual, to play some very prominent
+part therein. As we know, she had wished to be Queen, and had been
+vexed because Maggie Bradford had been chosen again; but, although she
+could not have this coveted honor, she still hoped and intended to make
+herself very conspicuous there.
+
+It was true that the thought of the fair and all that concerned it had
+been much in her mind, even during her imprisonment; but it had not
+occurred to her that her resolution of never, never apologizing to Miss
+Ashton, "even if she stayed shut up for a whole year," would scarcely
+agree with her appearance at the festival.
+
+She sat as if confounded at Hattie's words.
+
+"I'd do it if I were you," continued the latter, seeing the effect she
+had produced. "It's a great shame that you have to, but then you _will_
+have to, you know; and I'd do it and have it over. If you're going to
+fret and fuss here about it, you'll feel a great deal worse at last
+when you come to do it."
+
+Hattie's advice on this subject was certainly good in itself, though
+she did not put it before Gracie in a right light.
+
+"Miss Ashton is so unjust and so awfully partial to Nellie," pouted
+Gracie, although her resolution was beginning to waver a little for the
+first time.
+
+"I know it," said Hattie; "but she can't make other people think Nellie
+is the smartest child. Every one knows you are, Gracie, even if they
+won't say so."
+
+"I can learn three lessons while Nellie learns one; but Miss Ashton is
+always praising her and never praises me," was Gracie's answer.
+
+"I know it," said Hattie again. "Nellie--oh, I can't bear that
+girl!--sets up to be so wonderfully good, and Miss Ashton always
+believes whatever she says, and makes such a fuss about her; but you
+can just _say_ you beg Miss Ashton's pardon, and have it over. The rest
+of the class will have every thing their own way if you don't come out
+pretty soon and have your word about the fair; and there's your mat,
+too, you know, Gracie."
+
+"I forgot my mat yesterday when I came away," said Gracie. "I wish you
+had known it and then you could have brought it to me."
+
+Again Hattie gave a triumphant little laugh, and putting her hand into
+her pocket drew out the mat,--that is, _a_ mat.
+
+Gracie seized it eagerly, gave Hattie a kiss, saying, "Oh, you dear
+thing! I'm so glad."
+
+Then she looked for the stain, but there was no stain to be seen.
+
+"Where's that ink-spot? Oh, Hattie, did you take it out? There's not a
+sign of it."
+
+"No," said Hattie, "I did not take it out."
+
+"Why!" exclaimed Gracie, turning the mat over. "Why, it is--it is--it's
+not mine. It's Nellie's mat!"
+
+"I'm going to tell you," said Hattie. "This morning Miss Ashton handed
+me your history, which I believe you left in the cloak-room yesterday,
+and told me to put it in your desk. So when I opened the desk, the
+first thing I saw was the mat, and I knew you must have forgotten it.
+Nellie, the mean thing, she had brought her mat to school to-day again,
+and said she was going to work on it in recess; but when recess came
+the other children coaxed her to go out in the garden 'cause it was
+so pleasant, and she went. So while they were all down there, I saw
+the way to play Miss Nellie a good trick and to help you, dear; and I
+ran up to the school-room, changed Nellie's mat for yours, put hers
+back just as she had left it, and she'll never know the difference and
+think that somehow that ink-spot has come on her mat. And do you know,
+Gracie, it was the most fortunate thing that Nellie had just worked
+those two rows more that made her work even with yours; so she never
+can know. You remember yesterday we could scarcely tell them apart, and
+now they look almost exactly alike."
+
+"But what then?" said Gracie, almost frightened at the thought of
+Hattie's probable meaning.
+
+"Why, don't you see?" said Hattie, who told her story as if she thought
+she had done something very clever and praiseworthy; "you can just
+finish this mat as if it was your own, and need not bother yourself
+about the ink-stain."
+
+"But--but--Hattie--this one is Nellie's," said Gracie in a shocked
+voice.
+
+"What of that? we'll keep the secret, and no one will ever know but
+us two," said Hattie. "Nellie has the other one, and that's good
+enough for her. She has no right to expect the most money from your
+grandmamma. Take a great deal of pains with this, Gracie, and make the
+work look just like Nellie's."
+
+"But, I can't, I can't," said Gracie. "It seems to me almost
+like--stealing."
+
+"Stealing!" repeated Hattie. "I'd like to know who has been stealing! I
+only changed the mats, and you have the best right to the nicest one.
+I was not going to have Nellie get every thing away from you. She just
+thinks she's going to make herself the head of the school and beat you
+in every thing."
+
+Now as I have said, and as you will readily believe, there was more at
+the bottom of Hattie's desire to thwart Nellie than her wish to see
+Gracie stand first, although she was really very fond of the latter,
+and it was this.
+
+It had so happened that Nellie's rather blunt truthfulness and
+clear-sighted honesty had more than once detected Hattie's want of
+straightforwardness, and even defeated some object she had in view, and
+for this Hattie bore her a grudge. She was particularly displeased with
+her at the present time because of a reprimand from Miss Ashton which
+she chose to consider she owed to Nellie.
+
+Coming to school rather early one morning, a day or two since, Nellie
+found Belle Powers and Hattie there before her.
+
+Belle sat upon the lower step of the upper flight of stairs, in a
+state of utter woe, with the saddest of little faces, and wiping the
+tears from her eyes. Hattie, grasping the banister with one hand, was
+swinging herself back and forth, saying, "I wouldn't care if I were
+you. 'Tis nothing to cry about;" but she looked ashamed and rather
+caught when she saw Nellie coming up the stairs.
+
+"What is the matter, Belle?" asked Nellie, sitting down beside the
+school pet and darling, and putting her arm around her neck.
+
+"Fanny Leroy said things about me," sobbed Belle.
+
+"What things?" questioned Nellie with a searching look at Hattie.
+
+"She said I was so bad and spoiled I could hardly ever be good, even
+when I wanted to," answered Belle piteously; "and she said Miss Ashton
+had to be excusing me all the time for the naughty things I did in
+school. And I loved Fanny, and I wouldn't have said such bad things
+about her; and, oh, dear! I thought she loved me too. She came to
+Aunt Margaret's when I was there the day before she went away, to say
+good-bye to Maggie and Bessie and me; and she gave us each a nutmeg to
+remember her by and to keep for ever an' ever an' ever for a keepsake,
+and she kissed me ever so many times. And all the time she had been
+saying bad things about me, and so I'm going to throw away the nutmeg,
+'cause I don't want a keepsake of a girl who made b'lieve she liked me
+when she didn't."
+
+"I don't believe it," said Nellie with far more energy than was usual
+with her, and still regarding Hattie with searching looks.
+
+"But Hattie says she did," repeated Belle.
+
+Hattie's _saying_ a thing made it by no means sure in Nellie's
+eyes, and although she was not apt to interfere or meddle where she
+had no right to do so, she would not let this pass without further
+questioning. She was fond of the absent Fanny and loved Belle dearly;
+and believing that both were now wronged, she set herself to right them
+if possible.
+
+"I don't believe it," she said again.
+
+"Well, you just can believe it," said Hattie resentfully. "Don't I know
+what Fanny said to me? It's nothing to make such a fuss about, anyhow."
+
+"Belle has very easily hurt feelings," said Nellie; "and besides, it
+_is_ something to make a fuss about. And Fanny hardly ever would say
+unkind things of other people; the girls used to think she was 'most
+too particular about it. And, Hattie Leroy, I don't believe she ever
+said such things about Belle; anyhow, not in that way."
+
+"She did, too, I tell you," persisted Hattie, secure in Fanny's
+absence, and determined not to acknowledge that she had misrepresented
+her innocent words, from the mere love of talking and exaggeration,
+too; for she had not intended to hurt Belle so much, and was now really
+sorry to see her so grieved. "She did, too, I tell you. How do you know
+what Fanny said to me?"
+
+"I don't know what she did say, but I am sure she never said that,"
+repeated Nellie.
+
+Both little girls had raised their voices as they contradicted one
+another, and as the tones of neither were very amicable by this time,
+they drew the attention of Miss Ashton.
+
+"What is this, my little girls; what is the trouble?" she asked, coming
+up the stairs to them; then, seeing Belle's still distressed and
+tear-stained face she inquired, "Belle, darling, what is wrong?"
+
+Nellie and Hattie were both rather abashed, especially the latter,
+who knew herself to be in the wrong; but Belle answered, "Hattie
+thinks Fanny Leroy said something, and Nellie thinks she didn't.
+I don't know," she added with a mournful shake of her head, "but
+somehow somebody must be rather 'deceitful and _despicably_ wicked.'"
+Desperately, Belle meant, and she quoted her words in no spirit of
+irreverence, but because she thought them suited to the, to her,
+solemnity of the occasion.
+
+Miss Ashton, too, feared that there was some deceitfulness, or at least
+exaggeration; and seeing that little Belle was in real trouble she
+questioned further, and Nellie told her what Hattie had said.
+
+This was not the first time, by any means, that Miss Ashton had known
+mischief to arise from Hattie's thoughtless way, to call it by no
+worse name, of repeating things; and she reproved her pretty sharply,
+telling her that such speeches were not at all like her gentle,
+amiable cousin Fanny, and she could not believe her guilty of them;
+and even had she said them she, Hattie, had no right to repeat them
+and make needless sorrow and trouble for Belle. Then she soothed Belle
+and encouraged her to think that Fanny had not so wronged her; and
+after school she kept Hattie for a few moments, and spoke to her very
+seriously but kindly on her idle, foolish habit of telling tales with
+exaggeration and untruthfulness.
+
+But Hattie, in repeating this, had said that "Miss Ashton kept her in
+and gave her an awful scolding just because she had said something that
+cry-baby Belle did not like, and Nellie went and told her and so put
+her in a scrape;" nor did she see that it had been her own blame in
+the first instance. And ever since she had been vexed with Nellie, and
+this added strength to her wish to have Gracie outstrip Nellie. It was
+not altogether this, let us do her justice, for she really loved Gracie
+better than any other child in the school, and was anxious to have her
+win for her own sake.
+
+But we must go back to these two little girls as they sat together in
+Gracie's room.
+
+"Yes, so she does," echoed Gracie; "and I suppose now Miss Ashton will
+take away my conduct marks, and being away to-day, I'll lose my place
+in all the classes too. Not that I could not get ahead of her again
+easily enough," she added contemptuously.
+
+"But she can't have the best mat now," said Hattie.
+
+"I don't see how I _could_ do that," said Gracie. "It is her's, you
+know, Hattie, and I can't, really I can't."
+
+"But you'll have to now," said Hattie. "You know Nellie has found the
+ink-spot on the other mat by this time, and there's no way to give her
+this one back."
+
+Yes, there was one way, but that did not enter Hattie's thoughts.
+
+"I couldn't," said Gracie again, shrinking at the idea of doing what
+she knew to be so dishonest and deceitful. "I must have my own mat,
+Hattie; but I do wish this was mine and the other Nellie's."
+
+"But we can't put it back now, and I took it for you," said Hattie
+complainingly. "Gracie, you must keep it now. I shall get into an awful
+scrape if you don't; and it's real mean of you."
+
+It would take too long to tell you of all the arguments and persuasions
+Hattie used. How she pleaded and reproached; how she insisted that
+there was no way of undoing what she had done; how she excited and
+increased Gracie's jealous pride and desire to outdo Nellie; and this
+last she found by far the most effectual argument.
+
+And--Gracie yielded. Persuading herself that she had the best right to
+receive the highest premium because her own grandmamma had offered it;
+putting from her the thought of the only way in which justice could now
+be done to Nellie, on the plea that Hattie would be disgraced, and she
+would be "too mean" to bring this upon her; rousing up all her own
+naughty and envious feelings against innocent Nellie, she gave way at
+last and fell before temptation. Fell into the very sin, or even worse,
+from which she felt herself so very secure,--deceit and theft, for it
+was no less.
+
+"Now I'll go, dear," said Hattie, jumping up as soon as Gracie had
+yielded, perhaps afraid that she might repent and insist that she could
+not keep the mat, "and no one but us two will ever know the secret.
+And, Gracie, make up your mind to ask Miss Ashton's pardon, so you
+won't lose all the fun."
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration]
+
+IX.
+
+_A GUILTY CONSCIENCE._
+
+
+If Gracie had been an unhappy and miserable child before, what was
+she now with all this load upon her conscience? For even pride and
+self-conceit could not attempt to justify such a deed. Jealousy had
+a good deal to say; and she tried to listen to that, and to believe
+also that she was not really to blame: she had been forced into it;
+she could not betray Hattie, who had done this from love to her. But
+she was more wretched than it would be easy to tell; and she was
+beginning to feel such a contempt for her chosen friend that this also
+was a sore spot in her heart. Day by day she was learning that there
+was nothing true or honorable or upright about Hattie. She hardly
+even seemed to think it much harm to tell a falsehood, or appeared
+ashamed when she was found out; and for some days she had had a growing
+feeling that it was not pleasant to have a friend with the character
+of a "story-teller," which Hattie now bore among her school-fellows.
+And Gracie; was she not just as bad, perhaps even worse? For Gracie
+had been taught all the value and beauty of truth, and had never till
+now wilfully fallen away from it; but she knew that the worth of that
+jewel was not much considered in Hattie's home, and so it had lost its
+preciousness in her eyes.
+
+Miss Ashton, too, knew this; and so she was less severe with Hattie
+than she might have been with another child who had a better example
+and more encouragement to do right in this particular.
+
+Lily, in her plain speaking, would probably have called Mr. and Mrs.
+Leroy by the same uncomplimentary name she had given to Mr. Raymond;
+for the same foolish system of management was carried on in their
+family. Probably they would have been much shocked to hear it said
+that they taught the lesson of deceit; but was it to be expected that
+Hattie could have much regard for the truth when she heard herself and
+her brothers and sisters threatened with punishments, which were not,
+perhaps could not be carried out; when promises were made to them which
+were not kept; when they were frightened by tales of bears, wolves, and
+old black men, and such things which had no existence?
+
+"Willie, your mamma said she would send you to bed if you went there,"
+was said to little Willie Leroy one day.
+
+"Oh, I'm not afraid," answered Willie, contemptuously. "Mamma never
+does what she says;" and off he ran to the forbidden spot, his words
+proving quite true, although his mamma heard that he had disobeyed her
+so deliberately.
+
+"Is your mother going to make you something for the fair?" Hattie was
+asked by one of her schoolmates.
+
+"She says so; but I don't know if she will," was the answer.
+
+Hattie's was not the simple faith of "Mamma says so," so sweet in
+little children. Mamma might or might not do as she had said she would,
+according to the convenience of the moment.
+
+So it was no marvel that Hattie thought it no great harm to escape
+punishment or gain some fancied good by stretching the truth, or
+even telling a deliberate falsehood; or that, having a great love of
+talking, a story should outgrow its true dimensions in her hands;
+or that she did not see what was honest and upright as well as some
+children.
+
+But with Gracie Howard it was very different.
+
+Truth, and truth before all things, was the motto in her home, the
+lesson which from her babyhood had been taught to her by precept and
+by example; and the conscience which, in Hattie, was so easily put to
+sleep, would not let her rest. In vain did jealousy and ambition try to
+reconcile her to the act of dishonesty and meanness into which she had
+allowed herself to be drawn; in vain did she argue with herself that
+"it was all Hattie's fault;" she could not betray Hattie when she had
+done this just for her; or "there was no way of putting the mat back
+now; she could not help herself." Gracie sinned with her eyes open, and
+her conscience all alive to the wickedness of which she was guilty.
+
+But her stubborn pride was beginning to give way in one point; for she
+had no mind to "lose the fun of the fair," as Hattie said,--though even
+the fair had lost some of its attraction with this weight upon her
+conscience,--and she resolved to send for her mother, and tell her she
+would ask Miss Ashton's pardon.
+
+So when the long, weary afternoon had worn away, and Mrs. Howard came
+home, Gracie rang the bell, and sent a message begging her mother to
+come to her.
+
+Mamma came thankfully; but one look at her little daughter's face was
+enough to convince her that she was in no softened mood, in no gentle
+and humbled spirit. It was with a sullen and still half-defiant manner
+that Gracie offered to do what was required of her; and her mother
+saw that it was fear of farther punishment, and not real sorrow and
+repentance, which moved her.
+
+"I suppose I ought not to have spoken so, mamma," she answered, when
+her mother asked her if she did not see how very naughty she had been;
+"but Miss Ashton is so unjust, and Nellie provokes me so."
+
+"How is Miss Ashton unjust?" asked Mrs. Howard.
+
+Gracie fidgeted and pouted, knowing that her mother would not be
+willing to accept the charges she was ready to bring.
+
+"She's always praising Nellie for every thing she does, mamma; and in
+these days she never gives me one word of praise, even when every one
+has to see that I do the best. And--and--I b'lieve she tries to make
+me miss, so Nellie can go above me in the classes."
+
+"Gracie," said her mother, "you know that that last accusation is
+untrue. As for the first, if Miss Ashton is sparing of her praise, my
+daughter, it is because she knows it is hurtful to you. Nellie is a
+timid child, trying to do her best, but with little confidence in her
+own powers; and praise, while it encourages and helps her to persevere,
+does not make her vain or conceited. But Miss Ashton sees that that
+which is needful for Nellie is hurtful to you; for it only increases
+your foolish vanity and self-esteem, and it is for your own good that
+she gives you a smaller share. You have, unhappily, so good an opinion
+of yourself, Gracie, that praise not only makes you disagreeable, but
+disposes you to take less trouble to improve yourself. Let me hear
+no more of Miss Ashton's injustice. When you deserve it, or it does
+not hurt you, Miss Ashton is as ready to give praise to you as she
+is to another. You say you are willing to ask her pardon for your
+impertinence; but I fear that you do not really see your fault."
+
+"Are you not going to let me come out, then, mamma?"
+
+"Yes, since you promise to do as I say; but I fear you are in no proper
+spirit, Gracie, and that you will fall into further trouble unless you
+become more submissive and modest."
+
+"Hattie was here this afternoon, mamma," said Gracie, as she followed
+her mother from the room.
+
+"So I understood," said Mrs. Howard, who had been waiting for the
+confession, having been informed of the circumstance by the servant.
+
+"I left my mat in school yesterday," said Gracie, "and she thought I
+would want it, and came to bring it back."
+
+She spoke in a low tone and with downcast eyes; for Gracie was so
+unused to deceit that she could not carry it out boldly, as a more
+practised child might have done.
+
+Something in her manner struck her mother, who turned and looked at
+her.
+
+"Did Hattie bring you any message from Miss Ashton?" she asked.
+
+"No, mamma: she only came about the mat; and she begged me to ask Miss
+Ashton's pardon," answered Gracie with the same hesitation.
+
+But her mother only thought that the averted face and drooping look
+were due to the shame which she felt at meeting the rest of the family
+after her late punishment and disgrace.
+
+"I told Hattie you would not wish her to stay with me, mamma; but she
+would not go right away, but I would not let her stay very long."
+
+"I am glad you were so honest, dear," said Mrs Howard.
+
+Honest! Gracie knew how little she deserved such a character, and her
+mother's praise made her feel more guilty than ever.
+
+She was received with open arms by the other children; for Gracie was
+the eldest of the flock, and, in spite of her self-conceit, she was a
+kind little sister, and the younger ones quite shared her own opinion,
+thinking no child so good and wise as their Gracie. And they had missed
+her very much; so now they all treated her as if she had been ill or
+absent, and made much of her.
+
+But for once Gracie could not enjoy this, and it only seemed to make
+her feel more ashamed and guilty. What would mamma say, what would all
+say if they only knew?
+
+Mrs. Howard had told Gracie that she might either go to school early
+in the morning and make her apology to Miss Ashton before the other
+scholars came, or she might write to her this evening, and send the
+note to her teacher.
+
+Gracie had chosen to do the last; but when the younger children had
+gone to bed, and she tried to write the note, she found she could not
+bring her mind to it. Her conscience was so troubled, and her thoughts
+so full of her guilty secret, that the words she needed would not come
+to her; and as her mother saw her sitting with her elbows upon the
+table, biting the end of her pencil or scrawling idly over her blotter
+and seeming to make no progress at all, she believed, and with reason,
+that Gracie was not truly repentant for what she had done, and had
+only promised to beg Miss Ashton's pardon in order that she might be
+released from the imprisonment of which she had tired. Gracie was not
+usually at a loss for ideas or words where she had any thing to write.
+
+"I can't do it," she said pettishly at last, pushing paper and pencil
+from her. "I s'pose I'll have to go to Miss Ashton in the morning, and
+I b'lieve I'll go to bed now. Good-night, mamma."
+
+And Gracie went to her room, wishing to escape from her own thoughts,
+and bring this miserable day to a close as soon as possible.
+
+But the next morning it was no better; and now it seemed harder to go
+to Miss Ashton and speak than it would be to write. But it was too late
+now: she had no time to compose a note, "make it up" as she would have
+said, and to copy it before school, and she must abide by her choice
+of the previous night.
+
+She started early for school, according to her mother's desire, with
+many charges from her to remember how grievously she had offended Miss
+Ashton, and to put away pride and self-conceit and make her apology in
+a proper spirit.
+
+Had there not been that guilty secret fretting at Gracie's heart, she
+might have been induced to be more submissive; but, as it was, she felt
+so unhappy that it only increased her reluctance to make amends to Miss
+Ashton and acknowledge how wrong she had been.
+
+She asked for her teacher at once when she reached the house, anxious
+to "have it over;" and, when the young lady appeared, blurted out, "I
+beg your pardon, Miss Ashton."
+
+Miss Ashton sat down, and, taking Gracie's half-reluctant hand, drew
+her kindly towards her.
+
+"It is freely granted, my dear," she said. "And are you truly sorry,
+Gracie?"
+
+Gracie fidgeted and wriggled uneasily; but we who know what she had
+done can readily believe that it was more pride than a strict love of
+the truth which led her to say to herself that she was "not sorry," and
+"she could not tell a story by saying so."
+
+"I beg your pardon, ma'am, and I won't do so again," she repeated,
+seeing that Miss Ashton waited for her answer.
+
+Miss Ashton did not wish to force her to say that which she did not
+feel, and she saw that it was of no use to argue with her in her
+present stubborn mood; but she talked quietly and kindly to her,
+setting before her the folly and the wrong of the self-love and vanity
+which were ruling her conduct, and day by day spoiling all that was
+good and fair in her character.
+
+"See what trouble they have brought you into now, Gracie," she said;
+"and unless you check them in time, my child, they will lead you deeper
+into sin. I scarcely know you for the same little girl who first came
+to me, so much have these faults grown upon you; and they are fast
+destroying all the affection and confidence of your school-fellows.
+Why, Gracie, I have heard one little girl say that 'Gracie thought so
+much of herself that it sometimes made her forget to be very true.'"
+
+Gracie started. Was this the character her self-love was earning for
+her? she who desired to stand so high in all points with the world.
+
+Ah! but it was for the praise of man, and not for the honor and glory
+of God that Gracie strove to outshine all others; and she walked by her
+own strength, and the poor, weak prop must fail her and would lay her
+low.
+
+"Forget to be very true!"
+
+How far she had done this, even Miss Ashton did not dream; but it
+seemed to Gracie that she had chosen her words to give her the deepest
+thrust, and she bowed her head in shame and fear.
+
+But Miss Ashton, knowing nothing of what was passing in that guilty
+young heart, was glad to see this, and believed that her words were
+at last making some impression on Gracie, and that she was taking
+her counsel and reproof in a different spirit from that in which she
+generally received them.
+
+Strange to say, in all the miserable and remorseful thoughts which had
+made her wretched since yesterday afternoon, it had not once entered
+her mind how she was to face Nellie when the poor child should make
+known the misfortune which had befallen her.
+
+One by one the children came in, and how awkward Gracie felt in meeting
+them may readily be imagined by any one who has suffered from some
+similar and well-merited disgrace. Still she tried, as she whispered
+to Hattie she should do, to "behave as if nothing had happened;" and
+when little Belle, after looking at her wistfully for a moment as if
+undecided how to act, came up and kissed her, saying, "I'm glad to see
+you, Gracie," she answered rather ungraciously, "I'm sure it's not
+so very long since you saw me," and sent the dear little girl away
+feeling very much rebuffed.
+
+And yet she really felt Belle's innocent friendliness, and her sweet
+attempt to make her welcome and at her ease; but pride would not let
+her show it.
+
+Nellie was one of the last to arrive, and her troubled and woe-begone
+face startled Gracie and smote her to the heart.
+
+"Such a dreadful thing has happened to me," said Nellie, when she was
+questioned by the other children; and the tears started to her eyes
+afresh as she spoke.
+
+"What is it? What is it?" asked a number of eager voices.
+
+"I don't know how it can have happened," said Nellie, hardly able to
+speak for the sobs she vainly tried to keep back. "I have been so, so
+careful; but there is an ugly spot like ink or something on my mat.
+I can't think how it ever came there, for I put it in my desk very
+carefully when school began yesterday, and did not take it out till I
+got home, and I did not know there was any ink near it. But when I
+unrolled it last evening the stain was there, and mamma thinks it is
+ink, and she cannot get it out. And I've taken such pains to keep the
+mat clean and nice."
+
+And here poor Nellie's voice broke down entirely, while Gracie, feeling
+as if her self-command, too, must give way, opened her desk and put her
+head therein, with a horrible choking feeling in her throat.
+
+"We'll all tell Mrs. Howard it came somehow through not any fault of
+yours," said Lily. "Never mind, Nellie, yours is the best mat, anyhow:
+we all know it;" and Lily cast a defiant and provoking glance at
+Gracie, which was quite lost upon the latter.
+
+Lily had suggested on the day before, that when Gracie came back to
+school they should "all behave just as if nothing had happened," just
+what Gracie intended to do; but generous Lily had said it in quite a
+different spirit from that in which Gracie proposed it to herself.
+
+But Gracie's rebuff to Belle, and the seeming indifference with
+which she treated Nellie's misfortune, roused Lily's indignation once
+more; for she thought, as did many of the other children, that Gracie
+did not feel sorry for Nellie's trouble, since it gave her the greater
+chance of having her own work pronounced the best.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+"Yes, we will tell Mrs. Howard," said Dora Johnson: "yours was really
+the best mat of all, though Gracie's was almost as nice; and we will
+tell her something happened to it that you could not help, and perhaps
+she will not mind it."
+
+"Perhaps a vase standing on it would cover the spot," said Laura
+Middleton.
+
+Nellie shook her head.
+
+"No," she said, "that would not make it any better. Mrs. Howard said
+that the best and neatest mat must take the highest premium, and mine
+is not the neatest now. I wouldn't feel comfortable to do any thing
+that was not quite fair, even if you all said I might."
+
+"That was not quite fair!"
+
+More and more ashamed, and feeling how far behind Nellie left her in
+honesty and fairness, Gracie still sat fumbling in her desk, looking
+for nothing.
+
+"Well," said Dora, "we'll speak to Mrs. Howard about it, and see what
+she says: won't we, Gracie?"
+
+Gracie muttered something which might mean either yes or no.
+
+"Augh!" said Lily, "what do you talk to that proudy about it for? She
+don't care a bit. I b'lieve she's just glad and wouldn't help Nellie if
+she could."
+
+Gracie made no answer: she was too miserable for words or to think of
+answering Lily's taunts, and she would have given up all thought of
+having any thing to do with the fair to have had Nellie's mat safely in
+her possession once more. Oh, if she had never yielded to temptation or
+to Hattie's persuasions!
+
+"How you do act!" whispered Hattie to Gracie. "If you don't take care
+they will suspect something."
+
+"I can't help it," returned Gracie in the same tone: "it is such an
+awful story that we have told."
+
+"It is not a story," said Hattie; "we've neither of us said one word
+about the mat."
+
+This was a new view of the matter; but it brought no comfort to
+Gracie's conscience She knew that the acted deceit was as bad as the
+spoken one, perhaps in this case even worse.
+
+She felt as if she could not bear this any longer, as if she must
+tell, must confess what she had done; and yet--how? How could she
+lower herself so in the eyes of her schoolmates? she who had always
+held herself so high, been so scornful over the least meanness,
+equivocation, or approach to falsehood!
+
+A more wretched little girl than Gracie was that morning it would have
+been hard to find; but her teacher and schoolmates thought her want
+of spirit arose from the recollection of her late naughtiness and the
+feeling of shame, and took as little notice of it as possible.
+
+And Lily, repenting of her resentment when she saw how dull and
+miserable Gracie seemed, threw her arms about her neck as they were
+leaving school, and said, "Please forgive me my provokingness this
+morning, Gracie. I ought to be ashamed, and I am."
+
+But Gracie could not return, scarcely suffer, the caress, and dared not
+trust herself to speak, as she thought how furious Lily's indignation
+would be if she but knew the truth.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration]
+
+X.
+
+_A GAME OF CHARACTERS._
+
+
+At home or at school, studying, working or playing--for the latter she
+had little heart now--Gracie could not shake off the weight that was
+upon her mind and spirits. Even her work for the fair had lost its
+interest; and as for the mat, Nellie's mat, she could not bear the
+sight of it. She went to sleep at night thinking of it, and trying to
+contrive some way out of her difficulty, though she would not listen to
+the voice of her conscience which whispered that there was but one way;
+and she woke in the morning with the feeling that something dreadful
+had happened. Appetite and spirits failed; she grew fretful and
+irritable, and her mother imagined that she must be ill, though Gracie
+resolutely persisted that there was nothing the matter with her, and
+that she felt quite well.
+
+"Gracie," said Mrs. Howard one morning after three or four days had
+passed, "it appears to me that you are not doing much on your mat. How
+is that?"
+
+"I don't care," answered Gracie, fretfully. "I don't believe I'll
+finish it. I'm tired of the old thing."
+
+"That will not do, my child," said her mother. "You have undertaken to
+do this for your grandmamma and for the fair, and I cannot have you
+stop it now without some good reason. Bring the mat to me."
+
+Gracie went for the mat very unwillingly, though she dared not refuse
+nor even show her reluctance.
+
+"It really does you credit," said Mrs. Howard, taking it from her
+hands: "it is so smooth and even, and you have kept it so neat. But
+you must be more industrious, dear, if you are to have it finished
+in time. And see, Gracie," she continued, looking at it more closely,
+"these last few lines look not _quite_ as nicely as the rest. There is
+a difference in the work, and you will have to take more pains than you
+have done here. It looks almost as if another person had worked it. You
+have not let any one help you with it, have you?"
+
+"No, mamma," replied Gracie in a low tone and with a frightened
+feeling. Was there really such a difference between her work and
+Nellie's that it was so easily detected?
+
+It had not occurred either to her or to Hattie, perhaps they did not
+know, that the work of two different hands seldom or never matches well
+upon embroidery in worsted, and that it is almost sure to be perceived.
+She was dismayed at the thought that her mother had noticed this, and
+now every stitch that she took seemed to make the difference more
+plain, take what pains she might.
+
+She began to feel angry and indignant at Hattie for leading her into
+this sin, shutting her eyes to the fact that, if she had not allowed
+proud and jealous thoughts to creep into her heart, temptation would
+not have had so much influence over her.
+
+She no longer took any pleasure in the society of her little friend,
+and shrank from her in a way that Hattie perceived, and by which she
+was hurt; for she was disposed in her own mind to throw all the blame
+upon Hattie, forgetting that she was really the most to blame, since
+she had been better taught, and saw more clearly the difference between
+right and wrong.
+
+As for Nellie, poor, innocent, injured Nellie, Gracie felt as if she
+could not bear the sight of her; and when she saw in what a gentle,
+patient spirit she took her great misfortune,--for so all the children
+considered it,--she grew more and more ashamed and lowered in her own
+sight. Pride and self-esteem could not now blind her to the fact that
+Nellie was better, far better, than herself.
+
+Meanwhile the change in Gracie was exciting the wonder of all, the
+pity of some, of her young friends and schoolmates. Only Hattie held
+the clew to it; and she was surprised that such "a trifle," as she
+considered it, should have such an effect upon Gracie and make her so
+unhappy.
+
+But Gracie was not a really bad or deceitful child, although she had
+suffered herself to be led so far astray. She was not naturally more
+unkind or selfish than most of us who have not the love and fear of
+God before us; indeed she was what children call "generous" in giving
+or sharing what she had, and she was always glad to do a helpful
+or obliging act for another. But she had always trusted to her own
+strength, and believed she could not fall, and now she was learning
+that her high thoughts of herself, and her carelessness of what she
+considered little faults, had made her an easy prey to temptation and
+the indulgence of a foolish pride and jealousy had led her into this
+great sin into which she had not imagined she could fall. But although
+she saw this now, she was not truly repentant; for she would not take
+the only right and true way to make amends; and spent her time wishing
+vain wishes, and trying to contrive some way out of her difficulty
+without bringing disgrace upon herself or losing her character for
+honor and truthfulness among her young companions. It troubled Gracie
+far less to think how she already stood in the eyes of God, than it did
+to imagine how she might appear in the sight of her earthly friends if
+this thing were known.
+
+There was a small children's party at Mrs. Bradford's. Gracie did not
+care to go; indeed she would much rather not have done so: but her
+mother had accepted for her, and she had no good excuse for staying
+away.
+
+She was more restless and miserable than usual that afternoon: she
+set up her opinion against that of all the rest, found fault with her
+playmates in every game that was begun, was more than usually sure that
+she knew every thing and could do better than any one else, and, not
+having her wits and thoughts about her, miserably failed in all the
+plays in which she meant to shine.
+
+"What shall we play now?" asked Bessie at length, when they had all
+tired of some romping game.
+
+"Let's take a little rest, and play 'Characters,'" said Gracie, who was
+very good in this, having no match among her present playmates save
+Maggie.
+
+"Well," said Maggie, willing to please her if possible, although she
+saw some objections to the game just now; "we'll play it; but it is
+rather hard for the younger ones, so we must take easy characters.
+Who'll go out?"
+
+"I will," said Lily; "but mind you do take an easy one. Somebody we
+know very well, not any history or jography character. I don't want to
+bother my head about lesson people when I'm playing."
+
+"Very well," said Maggie; and Lily went out, singing loudly in the hall
+that she might "be sure and not hear."
+
+"Let's take Cromwell," said Gracie, always anxious, no matter what her
+frame of mind, to display her knowledge.
+
+"No," said Maggie, "that's too hard for Lily; and she wants us to take
+some one we know."
+
+"I should think any goose might know about Cromwell," said Gracie.
+
+"We did not know about him till a few weeks ago," said Dora Johnson.
+"We've only just had him in our history, and I don't b'lieve Lily knows
+much about him."
+
+"Then take Lafayette," said Gracie.
+
+"Lily means some of the people we have in our own lives," said Bessie.
+"Make haste: she'll be tired."
+
+This was seconded by Lily's voice calling from without, "Why don't you
+make haste? I should think you were choosing a hundred people."
+
+"Let's take Flossey," said Belle, looking at the dog, who had jumped
+upon a chair beside Maggie, where he sat with a wise and sedate air as
+if he were listening to all that passed, and ready to take his share in
+the game.
+
+This was agreed upon by all but Gracie, who declared that it was
+"ridiculous to choose a dog," and she had "a great mind not to play the
+game in such an absurd way."
+
+Lily was called in and proceeded to ask her questions.
+
+"Male or female?" was the first, beginning at Dora.
+
+"Male," answered Dora.
+
+"Black or white?" asked Lily.
+
+"Neither," said Belle, who was next in turn, "least he's not black at
+all; but he's some white."
+
+Lily looked rather puzzled at this.
+
+"And what color besides is he?"
+
+"Brown," answered Bessie.
+
+"A brown and white man," said Lily. "Oh! I know. It's old black Peter."
+
+"No, no, no," echoed around the circle.
+
+"Not one scrap of Peter is white," said Mamie Stone. "He's the blackest
+old man I ever saw."
+
+"Part of his eyes are white and his teeth too," said Lily, who was
+generally pretty sure of her ground when she stated a fact. "Where does
+he live?"
+
+"In this country," said Nellie.
+
+"In this city?"
+
+"Yes," answered Maggie.
+
+"Is he good or bad?"
+
+"Good, most generally," answered Mabel; "only sometimes pretty
+mischievous."
+
+"Oh," said Lily, light beginning to break upon her. "Can he talk?"
+
+"He tan't talt, but he tan bart pretty well," said Frankie, to whom the
+question fell.
+
+"Oh! oh! that's too plain," cried one and another laughing; and Maggie,
+thinking Frankie did not understand the game well enough to be allowed
+to go out, gave a hint to Lily, but not wishing to hurt her little
+brother's feelings took refuge in the French language, and said:--
+
+"Ne _guessez_ pas a lui."
+
+Frankie, however, was too sharp for her; there was not much that
+escaped him, and he exclaimed in a very aggrieved tone that it was
+"not fair," and that Lily should guess at him.
+
+So Lily said "Flossey" was the character; and, amid much laughter, the
+young gentleman betook himself to the hall with a pompous air, telling
+the little girls to make haste.
+
+"Let's take himself," said Bessie, which being agreed upon, Frankie was
+called back almost before he was well out of the room.
+
+"Is he blat or white?" he asked, following Lily's example, and
+beginning as she had done at Dora.
+
+"He's white," said Dora laughing; and, in obedience to a suggestion
+from Maggie to help him out, she added,--"white, with brown eyes and
+red cheeks and brown hair."
+
+"Flossey," cried Frankie triumphantly.
+
+"No, no; not Flossey again," said the children.
+
+"Does he have four feets?" asked the little boy.
+
+"No, only two," said Belle.
+
+"Does he live in the stable?" asked Frankie.
+
+"No, he lives in this house," said Bessie.
+
+"Blackie," said Frankie, who was unable to give up the idea that since
+it was not Flossey it must be the little pony owned by his sisters.
+
+"Does he eat hay?" was his next question.
+
+"No," answered Nellie, "he eats fruit and meat and bread and milk, and,
+oh! how he does love sugar and candy!"
+
+"Me," cried Frankie, feeling that this description exactly suited
+himself.
+
+The character having been guessed at Nellie she now went out, and
+Maggie, willing to put Gracie in a good humor if possible, asked her
+who they should take this time.
+
+"Mary, Queen of Scots," answered Gracie promptly.
+
+It was not altogether probable that the younger children knew much of
+this unfortunate lady, but Gracie's choice was acceded to and Nellie
+called.
+
+"Male or female?" was of course the first question.
+
+"Female," answered Dora.
+
+"Old or young?"
+
+"Um--m--m, pretty old," said Belle; "at least she was grown up."
+
+"Is she alive now?"
+
+"No," answered Bessie.
+
+"Where did she live?"
+
+"Well," said Lily, "she lived in a good many places. But not in this
+country. Generally in France or Scotland."
+
+"Oh," said Nellie to whom this answer gave an inkling of the truth; but
+she passed on to the next.
+
+"Was she good or bad, Maggie?"
+
+"Some think her quite celestial and some think her quite infernal,"
+answered Maggie with grand emphasis; "but on the whole I think she was
+not either, only rather middling like the most of us."
+
+Nellie felt more confident than ever; but not caring to risk one of her
+three guesses as yet, she passed on. The questions she put to Mabel and
+Frankie were simple and very easily answered; then came Gracie's turn.
+
+"What was she celebrated for?"
+
+"For cruelty and persecuting people," answered Gracie confidently; and
+Nellie's idea was at once put to flight by the reply.
+
+"That's a mistake," said Dora. "You are thinking of another character,
+Gracie."
+
+"I'm not, either," said Gracie. "Don't I know history better than any
+of you?"
+
+"You don't know _that_, anyway," said Maggie. "Gracie, you _are_ wrong.
+_She_ was not the character you are thinking of, and was not celebrated
+for that."
+
+"But she _was_," persisted Gracie.
+
+"Nellie," said Maggie, "you need not guess by what Gracie has told you,
+for she is not right."
+
+"I'll put my question another way," said Nellie. "Can I ask Gracie once
+again?"
+
+All agreed and Nellie asked,--
+
+"Was she celebrated for her beauty and her misfortunes?"
+
+"I shan't tell you," said Gracie snappishly. "If I do, I shan't be
+believed, but they'll all go and contradict me. I suppose I know what
+I know; and any of you might be proud if you knew as much history as I
+do and had kept the head of the class so long."
+
+Gracie had for a moment forgotten how disgracefully she had lost her
+place at the head of the history class, but the silence that followed
+her ill-tempered speech brought it back to her and increased her
+vexation.
+
+"You all think you know so much," she said, throwing herself back
+sullenly in her chair.
+
+Bessie had begged Lily to bear with Gracie and not to aggravate her
+as she seemed so miserable and out of spirits, and Lily had been very
+forbearing; at least, so she thought. But now her small stock of
+patience was quite exhausted and she exclaimed vehemently:--
+
+"Gracie, we try to stand you; we do try with all our might and main;
+but you use up every bit of standing there is in me!"
+
+This did not mend matters in Gracie's present state of mind, but led to
+a pretty severe quarrel between her and Lily which the others vainly
+tried to heal, Lily being rather provoking, and Gracie obstinately
+sullen and ill-tempered.
+
+It ended in a violent burst of tears from the latter, and a declaration
+that she would go home at once. But this was impossible, since it was
+now evening; and the children's supper-time being near at hand, Mrs.
+Bradford could not just then spare a servant to go home with Gracie.
+
+No soothing or coaxing proved of any avail, nor did Lily's repentance;
+for she was sorry now that she had been provoking, and would readily
+have kissed and made up if Gracie could have been persuaded to do so.
+
+Gracie said that she would not stay where Lily was, and went sulkily
+upstairs to the room where Maggie and Bessie slept.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration]
+
+XI.
+
+_CONFESSION._
+
+
+Gracie expected and wished to be left to herself till it was time to
+go home; at least she thought she did, and she had quite made up her
+mind that if any one came and begged her to go down to supper she would
+steadily refuse.
+
+She stood there with all manner of unhappy and wretched feelings,
+wishing vain and fruitless wishes, as she had so often done since she
+had fallen into this sin,--that she had never allowed Hattie to tempt
+her into doing what she knew to be wrong; that grandmamma had never
+made this plan or offered to put a price on the different pieces of
+work; that she had never gone to the school, or that Nellie had never
+belonged to it; but still she did not think of wishing that she had not
+thought so much of herself or been so very anxious above all things to
+be first.
+
+Poor Gracie! Only those can tell how unhappy she was who have
+themselves so fallen and so suffered. There was no way out of her
+trouble but by confessing all the truth, and she could not bring
+herself to that.
+
+She had not closed the door when she came in, and presently she heard a
+gentle foot-fall, then Bessie's soft voice, saying, "Are you in here,
+Gracie?"
+
+There was no light in the room save the faint glimmer of moonlight
+which came through the window, and as Gracie stood in the shade, Bessie
+did not at first see her.
+
+"Yes, I'm here, but I don't want any supper, and I'm not coming down
+till I go home," answered Gracie, not as ungraciously as she had
+intended to speak, for somehow she could not be disagreeable to dear
+Bessie.
+
+"Supper is not quite ready yet, and you shall have some up here if you
+had very much rather not come down," said Bessie with a coaxing tone in
+her voice; "but you'd better come down, Gracie. They're all very sorry
+for you and don't think you meant to be cross, 'cause Nellie said she
+was sure something troubled you for a good many days, or you did not
+feel well, and that often made people impatient, so we ought not to be
+mad at you."
+
+Gracie made no answer, but presently Bessie heard a low sob.
+
+"Gracie, dear," she said, coming closer to her little friend and
+putting her arms about her neck, "something does trouble you, doesn't
+it? Couldn't you tell me what it is, and let me see if I could comfort
+you? Sometimes it makes people feel better to tell their troubles and
+have some one feel sorry for them."
+
+The caressing touch, the tender manner, the earnest, pleading voice
+were too much for Gracie, and, throwing herself down on a chair, she
+buried her face in her arms and sobbed bitterly.
+
+Bessie let her cry for a moment, for the wise little woman knew that
+tears often do one good for a while, and contented herself with giving
+soft touches to Gracie's hair and neck to let her know she was still
+beside her and ready to give her her sympathy.
+
+At last Gracie raised her head and said brokenly, "Oh, Bessie, I am so
+bad! I am so wicked!"
+
+"I don't think being rather--rather--well, rather cross, is so very
+_wicked_," said Bessie, hesitating to give a hard name to Gracie's
+ill-temper, "and if you are sorry now and will come downstairs, we'll
+all be very glad to see you."
+
+"Oh, it isn't that," sobbed Gracie. "Bessie, if you knew what I've
+done, you'd hate me. I know you would."
+
+"No, I wouldn't," said Bessie. "I'd never hate you, Gracie. I'd only be
+sorry for you and try to help you."
+
+"You can't help me. No one can help me," said Gracie, in a fresh
+paroxysm of distress.
+
+"Can't your mamma? Mammas generally can," said Bessie.
+
+"No, not even mamma," answered Gracie. "Oh, Bessie, I do feel as if it
+would be a kind of relief to tell you; but you'd hate me, you couldn't
+help it; and so would every one else."
+
+"Every one else need not know it because you tell me," said Bessie.
+"Tell Jesus, and ask Him to help you, Gracie."
+
+"Even He can't," said Gracie; "at least--at least--not unless I tell
+other people who ought to know it."
+
+"Do you mean He would want you to tell it?"
+
+"Yes, I s'pose so," almost whispered Gracie.
+
+Bessie considered a moment. That Gracie was full of a vain, foolish
+pride and self-conceit, she knew; also that she was not the Gracie of a
+year or two since; but that she would wrong any one she never dreamed,
+and she could not imagine any cause for this great distress.
+
+"Gracie," she said, "I think by what you say that you must have done
+something to me. I can't think what it can be; but I promise not to be
+angry. I will be friends with you all the same."
+
+"It was not you; no, it was not you; but, Bessie, it was such a
+dreadful thing and so mean that you never can bear me after you know
+it. You are so very true yourself."
+
+"Have you told a story?" asked Bessie in a troubled voice.
+
+"Not told a story, but I acted one," sobbed Gracie. "O Bessie! sit down
+here and let me tell you. I can't keep it in any longer. Maybe you'll
+tell me what to do; but I know what you'll say, and I can't do that."
+
+Bessie did as she was requested, and, in as few whispered words as
+possible, Gracie poured her wretched story into her ears.
+
+Bessie sprang to her feet, and her arms which she had clasped about
+Gracie's neck fell away from it. It was as the latter had feared; this
+was so much worse than any thing Bessie had expected, she was herself
+so truthful and upright, that her whole soul was filled with horror and
+dismay. No wonder that Gracie was distressed. This was indeed dreadful.
+
+"I knew it, I knew it," said Gracie, burying her face again. "I knew
+you never could bear me again. It seemed as if I couldn't help telling
+you, Bessie; but you never, never will speak to me again. I wish--I
+wish--oh, I almost wish I was an orphan and had no one to care for me,
+so I could wish I was dead, only I'm too bad to go to God."
+
+Sympathy and pity were regaining their place in Bessie's heart in spite
+of her horror and indignation at what Gracie had done, and once more
+she sat down beside her and tried to soothe and comfort.
+
+She succeeded in part at least. Gracie's sobs grew less violent, and
+she let Bessie persuade her to raise her head. Then they sat side by
+side, Bessie holding her hand.
+
+"What would you do, Bessie?" asked Gracie. "I know I ought to tell, but
+I don't see how I can. It will be such a disgrace, and all the girls
+will have to know, and I've made such a fuss about myself, and always
+thought I never could do any thing that was very bad. And now this."
+
+And now this!
+
+Yes, after all her boasting, after all her self-confidence, her belief
+that she could not and would not fall into greater sin through her own
+conceit and vanity.
+
+Bessie knew all this; knew how confident Gracie had been in her own
+strength; knew what a bitter shame and mortification it must be to
+have this known; knew that it must be long before she could regain the
+trust and respect of her schoolmates after this thing should once be
+told. During the last few months Gracie had lost much of the liking and
+affection of her little friends; but not one among them would have
+believed her capable of deliberate deceit or of that which was not
+strictly honest.
+
+Ah! it was a great and terrible fall. Bessie felt this as well as
+Gracie.
+
+But she knew also that there was but one thing for Gracie to do; but
+one way in which she could have any peace or comfort once more.
+
+Bessie was not the child for Gracie to put confidence in, if she
+expected advice that was not plain and straightforward.
+
+"What _shall_ I do, Bessie?" she repeated.
+
+"I think you'll have to tell, dear," said the pitying little voice
+beside her.
+
+Gracie actually shrank in a kind of terror at the thought; and yet she
+had known that this was what Bessie would say.
+
+"Oh! I can't, I can't; I never can," she moaned.
+
+"But, Gracie, dear," said the little monitress, "I don't think you
+will ever feel happy and comfortable again till you do; and Jesus is
+displeased with you all the time till you do it. If you told about
+it and tried to make it up to Nellie, then He would be pleased with
+you again. And then you could have comfort in that even if people were
+rather cross to you about it. And, Gracie, Maggie and I will not be
+offended with you. I know Maggie will not; and we'll coax the other
+girls not to tease you or be unkind to you about it."
+
+"Don't you think it was so very wicked in me then?" asked Gracie. "O
+Bessie! you are such a good child, I don't believe you ever have wicked
+thoughts. You don't know how hard it is sometimes not to do wrong when
+you want to do it very much,--when a very, very great temptation comes,
+like this."
+
+"Yes," said Bessie, "I think I do, Gracie. And you are very much
+mistaken when you say I never have naughty thoughts. I have them very
+often, and the only way I can make them go is, to ask Jesus to help
+me, and to keep asking Him till they do go, and the temptation too.
+Perhaps, when you had the temptation to do this you did not remember to
+ask."
+
+"No, I did not," said Gracie. "But, Bessie, it never seemed to me that
+I _could_ do a thing that was not quite true and honest. And I suppose
+it has come because I thought too much of myself and wanted too much to
+have my work the best. It was not that I cared about the money, for you
+know that was for Jessie and her grandfather; but I wanted every one to
+say mine was the best; and it made me so mad that any one should say
+Nellie's was better than mine. If I had not cared so very much, Hattie
+would not have persuaded me, for I _did_ know it was horribly mean. You
+never had a temptation like this, Bessie."
+
+"I don't know," said Bessie slowly. "I think I once had one something
+like it. Don't you remember, Gracie, that time you lost your prize
+composition and we found it in the drawer of the hall-table?"
+
+"Yes," answered Gracie, "and how cross I was about it, and how hateful
+to you and Maggie."
+
+"Well," said Bessie, "I had a very hard temptation that time. I found
+the composition first, and I wanted to leave it there and not tell any
+one, 'cause I wanted Maggie to have the prize so much; and at first it
+did not seem so very wrong to me, and I tried to think I _ought_ not to
+tell, because then my own Maggie could have the prize; but I did not
+feel sure about it, so I asked Jesus to let me see what I ought to do,
+and then I saw it quite plain, and knew I must take the composition to
+you. But it was a dreadful temptation, Gracie."
+
+"Yes," said Gracie with a sigh, feeling deeply the difference between
+herself and her dear little playmate who had so bravely resisted
+temptation. For she knew how very anxious Bessie had been that Maggie
+should gain the prize.
+
+"But you did not _do_ the thing you were tempted to do," she said.
+"What would you do if you had, Bessie?"
+
+"I should go right away and tell my mamma; and perhaps she could find
+some way to help me out of it," said Bessie. "Anyway, she ought to
+know, and she will tell you what you ought to do."
+
+"Oh, it will make mamma feel dreadfully," said Gracie. "She was always
+telling me I would fall into trouble some day because I thought too
+much of myself; but, oh, dear! she never could have believed I would do
+this. Wouldn't you feel awfully, Bessie, if you had done it?"
+
+Yes, indeed. Bessie felt that she should; it almost seemed to her that
+she should die if she had such a weight on her mind and conscience, and
+she felt for Gracie most deeply.
+
+But still she knew that Gracie would never feel right again till she
+had made confession, and she once more urged it upon her; confession to
+God and man; and at last Gracie promised.
+
+Promised with many tears and sobs; but that promise once given, she
+became in haste to have it over and to go home to her mamma at once.
+
+"Ask your mamma to let me go home as soon as she can, Bessie," she
+pleaded. "Tell her I do not feel well, for I do not really. My head
+aches and I feel all shaky, as if I could not hold still; and I don't
+want to see any one down stairs again or to have any supper."
+
+Bessie was about to leave her to do as she was asked, when Mrs.
+Bradford came in.
+
+"Gracie and Bessie," she said, "are you here? You were so long in
+coming that I feared something was wrong. Will you not come down and
+have some supper, Gracie?"
+
+Gracie did not speak, but held fast to Bessie's hand.
+
+"Mamma," said the little girl, "Gracie does not feel well, and she
+would like to go home as soon as you could send her. She's quite
+trembling, mamma. I feel her."
+
+Mrs. Bradford took Gracie's hand in hers and found that it was indeed
+cold and trembling, while her temples were hot and throbbing; for
+over-excitement and worry had made her really ill, and the lady saw
+that she was more fit for bed than for the supper-room.
+
+She told Gracie she should go home immediately, and putting on her hat
+led her down stairs, and calling Mr. Bradford, begged him to take the
+poor little girl home and explain matters to her mamma.
+
+Gracie clung to Bessie for a good-night kiss, whispering, "I will do
+it, Bessie; no matter what comes after, I will do it."
+
+Mr. Bradford took her home,--it was not far from his house,--talking
+cheerfully by the way and trying to keep her amused; but, though Gracie
+felt he was kind, she hardly knew what he was saying, her mind was so
+taken up with the thought of the dreadful secret she had to confess.
+
+Mrs. Howard was startled, as was only natural, to see her little girl
+coming home so much before she had expected her; and Mr. Bradford's
+assurance that he did not think there was much wrong with Gracie, and
+that she would be well after a good night's sleep, did not quiet her
+fears, especially when she looked in Gracie's face.
+
+She quickly undressed her and put her to bed; but, longing as Gracie
+was to have her confession over, she could not tell it while the nurse
+was in the room; and it was not until she was safely in bed, and the
+woman sent to prepare some medicine, that she gave vent to the tears
+she had managed to keep back before her.
+
+"There, there, my darling," said her mother soothingly. "You will be
+better soon. Do not be frightened; this is only a little nervousness."
+
+"O mamma, mamma!" cried poor Gracie; "you ought not to be so kind to
+me. You don't know how bad, how very bad I am."
+
+"Is there any thing especially wrong just now, Gracie?" asked her
+mother gently.
+
+"Yes, mamma; oh, yes. I have--I have--put your head closer, mamma, and
+let me whisper;" and then, with her face hidden against her mother's
+shoulder, came the confession, made with many bitter tears and sobs.
+
+Mrs. Howard was greatly shocked; she could hardly speak when she heard
+all.
+
+"Shall you ever be able to forgive me, mamma?" sobbed Gracie. "I know,
+I know you think me perfectly dreadful, but if you could try me just
+this once, and see if I ever do such a thing again. Indeed, I don't
+think I could. I know I am not too good to do it, as I thought I was
+before; but I have felt so dreadfully ever since I did it, I don't
+think I could ever punish myself so again."
+
+"I can believe that you have been very unhappy, my child," said her
+mother; "indeed I have seen it, though I did not know the cause. But
+you have need to ask a higher forgiveness than mine."
+
+"I will, mamma," said Gracie; "but--but--I suppose Nellie and the other
+children must be told?"
+
+"I fear so, Gracie," said her mother. "Nellie must be righted and have
+her own mat again, and I do not see how we are to avoid having the rest
+of the children hear this terrible thing also. I must see Miss Ashton
+in the morning and talk it over with her, and we will arrange what is
+best to be done. But now you must try to be quiet and go to sleep. You
+are over-excited and will be really ill, so I can allow you to talk no
+more. But before you sleep, my child, make your peace with your Father
+in heaven, and ask Him to help you to bear the punishment you have
+brought upon yourself by your naughty pride and ambition."
+
+Gracie obeyed her mother as well as she was able; and, truly repentant,
+we may hope, at last fell into a troubled sleep.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration]
+
+XII.
+
+_THE FAIR._
+
+
+The next day was Saturday, when there was no school, so that Mrs.
+Howard was able to see Miss Ashton and tell her the sad story, quite
+early in the morning.
+
+Miss Ashton was much grieved and surprised; for, as she told Mrs.
+Howard, although she had known that Gracie's high thoughts of herself
+and belief that she was wiser and better than any of her companions
+often led her into exaggeration, yet she could not have believed her
+capable of any thing that was really mean and dishonorable.
+
+She was distressed, too, at the thought of the exposure and
+mortification which must follow; for it seemed necessary, for Nellie's
+sake, that not only Grandmamma Howard, but the whole school should
+know the truth. She and Mrs. Howard talked it all over for some time,
+but neither of the two ladies saw any way to avoid this disgrace
+for Gracie. They would willingly have spared her the punishment, if
+possible, for she had already suffered severely, and she seemed so
+truly humble and repentant that her mother did not believe there was
+much fear she would again fall into this sin.
+
+Mrs. Howard had thought last night that perhaps she ought to deprive
+Gracie of any share in the fair; but that must make her disgrace
+very well known, and now she hoped that there was no need of further
+punishment to make her see and feel her great fault.
+
+And now Grandmamma Howard must be seen and told the sad story. Mrs.
+Howard knew that she would be much distressed that her kind plan should
+turn out so badly. Neither Gracie's mamma nor Miss Ashton had quite
+approved of that plan; especially on Gracie's account, but they could
+not well say so and cross the good old lady.
+
+It was as they had feared. Grandmamma was very much grieved and
+disturbed to know that what she had intended to be a help and a
+kindness, had only proved a source of trouble, and an encouragement to
+Gracie's besetting sin.
+
+There yet remained to Mrs. Howard the still more painful task of
+telling Nellie how she had been wronged. She would have thought it
+right to make Gracie do this herself, had it not been that the child
+was really ill that morning, and in no state for further excitement;
+and it was not just to Nellie to put off the confession any longer.
+
+Nellie was filled with amazement. Much as she had wondered over the
+unfortunate spot upon the mat she supposed to be hers, she had never
+dreamed of a thing like this, nor had she the least suspicion of the
+truth. Indeed, how should she?
+
+She was a quiet child, with a more wise and thoughtful little head
+than those who did not know her well would have given her credit for;
+but words did not come to her very readily, and, after the first
+surprise was over, she only said to Mrs. Howard, with the tears in her
+eyes,--
+
+"Please tell Gracie I am not angry with her, and hope she will be
+friends with me once more. Let's try not to think about it any more
+than we can help; will you, Mrs. Howard?"
+
+Generous, forgiving Nellie! How ashamed Gracie felt when her mother
+told her this, and she contrasted Nellie's conduct with her own.
+
+She lay upon her little bed that afternoon, feeling wretched both
+in mind and body, though it was a relief to remember that she had
+confessed all to mamma, and that she had set her face toward the right
+way once more, when Mrs. Howard came in bringing Nellie with her.
+
+Poor Gracie gave a low sob, and covered her face with her hands in
+utter shame and distress, feeling as if she could not bear to have
+Nellie look at her.
+
+But in a moment Nellie was beside her, saying,--
+
+"Don't, Gracie; please don't. You needn't feel so very badly about it
+now. I don't care much, and we'll make it all up."
+
+"Oh, Nellie, Nellie! I don't deserve you to be so kind to me," sobbed
+Gracie. "I was so hateful to you and so jealous, and it seemed as if I
+could not bear to have you go before me in any thing. I know I've been
+just too hateful to you."
+
+"Well, never mind now," said Nellie.
+
+Mrs. Howard had gone out and left the two children together.
+
+"I can't help minding," said Gracie; "and, only think, Nellie, all
+the other girls in the school will have to know, and it will shame me
+almost to death. I hope, I hope mamma will never make me go back to
+school, and I mean to stay away from the fair, any way."
+
+"That is what I came to see you about," said Nellie. "The girls need
+not know, Gracie. You see my--your--the mat with the ink-spot on it is
+nearly finished now, so I have done about as much work on one as on the
+other. And I don't care so very much about having mine called the best,
+for the money will do Jessie and her grandfather just as much good, no
+matter who earns it. So if each of us finishes the one she has now, it
+will be all the same, and the rest of the children need never know it.
+I am sure, Gracie, I should feel just as you do, and never want to come
+back to school again or see any of our class if I had done this, and I
+know just how badly you must feel. So I thought about it, and it seemed
+to me it would come right again if we just went on with the work as if
+this had not been found out; I mean if you had not told. I'd rather no
+one would know it but just those who know now. Don't you think we could
+arrange it so, Gracie? Your mother gave me leave to tell you this, and
+says she would be very glad for you if it can be done, and she thinks
+Miss Ashton will be willing."
+
+To hear the earnest, wistful voice one might have supposed that
+generous, great-hearted Nellie was pleading for some great boon for
+herself.
+
+But she could not tell all that Gracie felt. No, indeed; she did not
+know what coals of fire she was heaping on her head; how perfectly
+humbled and remorseful she felt as she remembered all the hard thoughts
+she had cherished toward her; the unkind words and unjust actions of
+which she had been guilty; all forgotten now, it seemed, by Nellie, who
+was only anxious to make the path of repentance as easy as possible to
+her, and to avoid all unnecessary shame and exposure to the one who had
+so greatly injured her.
+
+With many sobs and broken words she told Nellie all that was in her
+heart, beseeching her forgiveness, and thanking her over and over for
+her consideration and sweet thoughtfulness; not that she put it in just
+such words, but in those that were very simple and very touching to
+Nellie.
+
+So peace was made between them,--a peace that was sure to be lasting
+and true where there was such sincere repentance on one side, such good
+will and hearty forgiveness on the other.
+
+Grandmamma Howard was only too glad on Gracie's account to accept
+Nellie's generous proposal.
+
+Miss Ashton also agreed that the matter should go no further, and so
+it was arranged, and further disgrace to Gracie avoided, although the
+weight of shame and remorse was not readily lifted from her heart, and
+she felt as if her schoolmates must know her secret and that she dared
+scarcely look them in the face.
+
+They all wondered at the new humility and modesty which she now began
+to show; but the change was an agreeable one, and drew forth no unkind
+remarks.
+
+A prettier sight than Miss Ashton's garden and piazza on that lovely
+June afternoon when the long-talked-of fair took place, would have been
+hard to find. Kind friends had decked the spot tastefully; flowers
+were everywhere in abundance; the tables conveniently and becomingly
+arranged; and the display of articles upon them was not only tempting,
+but such as had been manufactured by the children did them wonderful
+credit. Flags, ribbons, wreaths, and festoons, all joined to make the
+scene gay; and in and out, among and below them flitted the white-robed
+"little sunbeams," who lent the fairest life and brightness to the
+scene.
+
+"Sunbeams" they all were that day, indeed. No cloud appeared to darken
+their happiness, no ill-temper, jealousy, or desire to outvie one
+another was heard or seen. Even Gracie and Hattie, who were each rather
+oppressed with the sense of past naughtiness, and the feeling of what
+the others would say and think if they knew all, could not but be
+bright and gay amid this pleasant companionship.
+
+Gracie had told Hattie that she had confessed her sin to her mother,
+and the latter knew that some share of blame must have fallen to her;
+so, although she did not look upon it in as serious a light as Gracie
+did, she had an uncomfortable and conscious feeling. Miss Ashton had
+talked to her more seriously than she had ever done before, and had
+also informed her parents of what had taken place, telling them that
+she did not wish to disgrace Hattie, and so, as it was near the close
+of school, she would not ask them to remove her now; but that she could
+not take her back in the fall. Hattie's utter disregard of truth had
+already brought too much trouble into her little flock for her to risk
+any further mischief from that source.
+
+Hattie's parents had been much mortified and displeased, and the child
+herself had been severely punished; but I doubt if the punishment had
+been altogether just; for how was the child who saw equivocation and
+deceit used at home as a means of family government when convenience
+demanded it, to learn the value of the jewel thus sullied, or to judge
+of the line where it was believed that falsehood must stop and truth
+and uprightness begin?
+
+As for generous Nellie, she seemed to have no recollection of what had
+passed, unless it was in the new and caressing tenderness of her manner
+toward Gracie; not a patronizing manner, but one full of encouragement
+and helpfulness.
+
+The other children wondered not only at Gracie's new gentleness and
+modesty, but also at the sudden intimacy which seemed to have sprung up
+between these two.
+
+"Maybe," said Lily privately, "it is because Gracie is learning to
+think better of herself"--which was just the opposite from what Lily
+meant--"and Nellie's trying to help her."
+
+"Yes," said Maggie; "perhaps Gracie is learning it is 'never too late
+to mend,' which would make her much more agreeable, and other people
+would think more of her. I do think she is improved."
+
+Maggie had yielded not alone to the persuasions of Miss Ashton, but
+also to an earnest appeal from Gracie, and accepted once more the
+title of Queen. And very well she became it, standing in front of her
+throne--which she could not be persuaded to occupy--within the pretty
+bower into which one end of the piazza had been turned, according to
+her ideas. Bessie, Belle, and Lily were her "maids of honor," and
+helped her to sell the bouquets and baskets of flowers with which she
+was bountifully supplied; and they drove a thriving trade; for so many
+sweet smiles, bright looks, and winning words went with the flowers
+that the stock within the "Queen's Bower" was much in demand. She had
+her band of music too, for half a dozen canary-birds hung within and
+around the bower, and, excited by the laughter and chatter about them,
+seemed to try which could sing the loudest and sweetest.
+
+Jessie's parrot was on exhibition, lent by his present owner for the
+occasion, down in the old summer-house at the end of the garden, where
+Jessie herself took the ten cents admission fee, and made him display
+all his accomplishments.
+
+And the Doll! She must have a capital letter to do justice to her
+perfections. Of all the dolls that ever were seen or heard or thought
+of, that doll surely took the lead. It would be of no use for me to
+describe her or her toilet, for if you should ever see her, you would
+surely tell me that I had not told one half.
+
+It was nearly the hour at which the fair was "to begin," and the
+children were all gathered about the table on which she was displayed,
+when there came a ring at the front door-bell.
+
+Away fluttered every little saleswoman to her appointed stand, hoping
+that this might be the first customer.
+
+And so it proved; for it was no less a person than old Mrs. Howard, who
+had purposely timed her arrival so that she might be there before any
+other person.
+
+"Well, my dears," she said, looking round upon the smiling young faces
+about her, "this is a pretty sight. And, industrious as I know you have
+been, and kind as your friends have been, I should hardly have thought
+it possible that you should have made such a fine show on your tables.
+But you know I have some especial business with you, and I have come
+early that we may have it over before the rush begins."
+
+This was very encouraging. Mrs. Howard thought it probable they would
+have "a rush" of customers, and who should know better than she?
+
+"You remember I offered six prizes for different articles to be worked
+for me," continued the old lady, "but there are only four finished,
+as you know. My little grand-daughter, Gracie, felt that she had not
+displayed a proper spirit about them, and she decided not to finish
+hers for the fair, but to leave it and complete it for me afterwards."
+
+This had been Gracie's own proposal to her mother and grandmother,
+and they had allowed her to have her own way, thinking that this
+willingness to put herself behind the others, and to give up even the
+show of strife with Nellie, told of a spirit of true repentance, as
+indeed it did. When the other children had asked with much surprise
+where her mat was, she had answered quietly that she could not finish
+it. This had not proved any loss to the fair, because the time she
+would have devoted to the mat had been given to other articles.
+
+"Here, then," continued Mrs. Howard, "are two toilet sets and two mats
+for me to judge between. Of the latter, the one Nellie Ransom brings is
+certainly the best in point of work; but it has unfortunately received
+a bad ink-stain. Now those of us who know Nellie are very sure that
+this has not come through any neglect or carelessness of her own, and
+since she did not do it herself it seems hard that she should suffer
+for it. I should be quite willing to overlook it, for this is really
+the best piece of work among the four; but I cannot do so unless the
+others are willing. Those among you who think Nellie ought not to be a
+loser by this misfortune, raise your hands."
+
+Instantly every little hand was raised, and if one were before another
+it was Gracie's.
+
+"Very well; that is satisfactory," said Mrs. Howard. "Nellie, my dear,
+here are ten dollars for your mat, the first money taken in for your
+fair. The second sum, I think, must go to Maggie's toilet set--ah!
+yes, Maggie's and Bessie's, I should have said," as she saw the look
+which Maggie turned upon her sister, as if wishing that she should have
+her full share of credit--"the third to Dora's mat, and the fourth
+to Hattie's toilet set. You are all satisfied, I trust, with this
+arrangement."
+
+There was a murmur of assent, and this part of the business was settled.
+
+"And now," said Mrs. Howard, "I want to say that I think I made a
+mistake in offering these rates of prices, and so exciting you to
+outvie one another. I meant to give you a motive for trying to improve
+yourselves, but I believe it was not a good principle to set you thus
+one against the other, and I know that it has led to some hard feeling
+and unkindness. But that, I trust, is now all healed, and I shall take
+care not to put such temptation in your way again."
+
+The children all thought they knew what Mrs. Howard meant, and with
+true courteousness they all avoided looking at Gracie.
+
+But this was as much as was ever known by any of them, save the two
+or three who had been in the secret, of Gracie's temptation and fall.
+That she had been jealous and unkind to Nellie, they had all seen; that
+she had gone further and been led into deceit and meanness, they never
+heard. Hattie, for her own sake, held her peace for once; and penitent
+Gracie had not to face the scorn and wonder of all her schoolmates.
+
+After this Mrs. Howard went about from table to table, purchasing
+not only one article, but generally two or three, from each little
+saleswoman; but she said she would not remove them till the fair was
+over, so that they might still add to the appearance of their tables.
+They were all marked SOLD in enormous, staring letters, that there
+might be no possibility of mistake.
+
+And now, customer after customer began to flock in, and among the
+earlier arrivals came Mr. Powers, who was immediately seized upon by
+Belle, and led to the table where the baby doll lay in her glory.
+
+Now it had been announced that whoever offered the highest price for
+this famous infant was to have her, and it was not to be told till the
+close of the fair who had done this. The names of would-be purchasers,
+with the amount each offered, were written down by Miss Annie Stanton,
+who still held the doll in charge, lest too eager little hands should
+mar her beauties.
+
+"Please offer a whole lot, papa; I do want her so," said Belle. "Isn't
+she lovely? Did you ever see such a doll?"
+
+Mr. Powers expressed all the admiration he thought needful, which
+did not nearly satisfy Belle, who was only half consoled by what she
+thought a want of proper interest by Maggie's whispered assurance that
+men "never did appreciate dolls, and it was quite useless to expect it
+of them. It did not seem to be born in them."
+
+However, Mr. Powers put down his name and the sum he would give, which
+last remained for the present a secret between him and Miss Annie
+Stanton.
+
+Mamie Stone was as eager about the doll as Belle, and her mamma was
+called upon also to offer a high price for the treasure.
+
+But my "Sunbeam" would lengthen itself far beyond its sister rays if
+I should tell you all that took place at the fair. Enough to say that
+it was a great success, and that a sum was taken in that was more
+than sufficient to purchase Jessie's parrot back and to provide a
+comfortable home for herself and her grandfather for at least a year to
+come. That is, with what the little girl might hope to make herself by
+the further sale of her wares.
+
+Evening came, bringing with it the great interest of the day, the
+announcement of the munificent purchaser of the doll, and every little
+heart beat high with hope that it might be some friend of her own, who
+would bestow the coveted prize upon her.
+
+It proved to be Grandmamma Howard.
+
+Belle stood in an agony of expectation, squeezing her father's hand and
+scarcely breathing in the hush that came before the name was spoken;
+and when she heard "Mrs. Howard," a rush of color dyed her face, and a
+look of blank disappointment overspread it. She looked up and caught
+her father's gaze fixed anxiously upon her. She dashed her little hand
+across her eyes to scatter the tears that would well up, and, forcing a
+smile, said with a trembling lip, "Never mind, papa, you meant me to
+have it, so it was just as good of you."
+
+Her father stooped and kissed her, rejoicing in her sweetness and
+determined good temper. A little more than a year since, a tempest
+of tears and sobs would have broken from his over-indulged child;
+but now she had learned to control herself and to be contented and
+pleasant even when things did not go quite her own way. She was all
+smiles and brightness again in a few minutes, nearly consoled for her
+disappointment by her papa's caress and his few whispered words of
+blessing.
+
+All believed that Gracie or one of her little sisters would be
+presented with the doll by her grandmother; and great, therefore, was
+the amazement of the circle of young friends when the next day it was
+rumored, then made certain, that Mrs. Howard had sent it to Nellie
+Ransom.
+
+Every child wondered "why," and so did more than one grown person; for
+the Howards and the Ransoms were not, as Maggie said, "very intimate,
+and it was rather surprising Mrs. Howard should think of giving such a
+present to Nellie. But she seems to have taken a great fancy to her,
+and Nellie quite deserves it," she added.
+
+"I wonder if she gave it to her because of the mat," said Mamie Stone.
+
+"I think it was because she is such a serious child," said Lily. "I
+find old people like _seriosity_, and Nellie has a great deal of it."
+
+So they judged, these little ones. Nellie, gentle, unobtrusive "little
+sunbeam" that she was, went on her quiet way, shedding light and warmth
+in many an unsuspected nook and corner, and bringing now and then some
+hidden seed to blossom in beauty and fragrance.
+
+Only one of her schoolmates ever suspected that it was her thoughtful
+care for Gracie's character and feelings, her sweet forgiving spirit
+which led her to forget past injuries, which had won for her the gift
+of the much coveted doll, and given her a high place in the love and
+admiration of the few who knew all the story.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+     Cambridge: Press of John Wilson and Son.
+
+
+
+
+TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE:
+
+Obvious printer errors have been corrected. Otherwise, the author's
+original spelling, punctuation and hyphenation have been left intact.
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Jessie's Parrot, by Joanna Mathews
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