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diff --git a/old/52214-h/52214-h.htm b/old/52214-h/52214-h.htm deleted file mode 100644 index ce2b0a7..0000000 --- a/old/52214-h/52214-h.htm +++ /dev/null @@ -1,11599 +0,0 @@ -<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" - "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> -<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> - <head> - <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=utf-8" /> - <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> - <title> - The Project Gutenberg eBook of Bessie on Her Travels, by Joanna H. 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Mathews - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world 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. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - - - -Title: Bessie on Her Travels - -Author: Joanna H. Mathews - -Release Date: June 1, 2016 [EBook #52214] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BESSIE ON HER TRAVELS *** - - - - -Produced by Juliet Sutherland and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - -</pre> - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[1]</a></span></p> - -<p class="center larger">BESSIE ON HER TRAVELS.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[2]</a></span></p> - -<p class="center larger"><i>BOOKS BY JOANNA H. MATHEWS.</i></p> - -<p class="center">I. THE BESSIE BOOKS.</p> - -<p class="center">6 vols. In a box. $7.50.</p> - -<table summary="Books" class="small"> - <tr> - <td><span class="smcap">Seaside</span></td><td class="tdr">$1.25</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td><span class="smcap">City</span></td><td class="tdr">1.25</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td><span class="smcap">Friends</span></td><td class="tdr">1.25</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td><span class="smcap">Mountains</span></td><td class="tdr">1.25</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td><span class="smcap">School</span></td><td class="tdr">1.25</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td><span class="smcap">Travels</span></td><td class="tdr">1.25</td> - </tr> - </table> - -<p class="center">II. THE FLOWERETS.<br /> -A SERIES OF STORIES ON THE COMMANDMENTS.</p> - -<p class="center">6 vols. In a box. $3.60.</p> - -<table summary="Books" class="small"> - <tr> - <td><span class="smcap">Violet’s Idol.</span></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td><span class="smcap">Daisy’s Work.</span></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td><span class="smcap">Rose’s Temptation.</span></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td><span class="smcap">Lily’s Lesson.</span></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td><span class="smcap">Hyacinthe and her Brothers.</span></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td><span class="smcap">Pinkie and the Rabbits.</span></td> - </tr> - </table> - -<p class="center">III. LITTLE SUNBEAMS.</p> - -<p class="center">6 vols. In a box. $6.00.</p> - -<table summary="Books" class="small"> - <tr> - <td><span class="smcap">Belle Powers’ Locket.</span></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td><span class="smcap">Dora’s Motto.</span> 16mo.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td><span class="smcap">Lily Norris’ Enemy.</span></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td><span class="smcap">Jessie’s Parrot.</span></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td><span class="smcap">Mamie’s Watchword.</span></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td><span class="smcap">Nellie’s Housekeeping.</span></td> - </tr> - </table> - -<p class="center">IV. KITTY AND LULU BOOKS.</p> - -<p class="center">6 vols. In a box. $6.00.</p> - -<table summary="Books" class="small"> - <tr> - <td><span class="smcap">Toutou and Pussy.</span></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td><span class="smcap">Kitty’s Robins.</span></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td><span class="smcap">The White Rabbit.</span></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td><span class="smcap">Rudie’s Goat.</span></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td><span class="smcap">Kitty’s Visit.</span></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td><span class="smcap">Kitty’s Scrap-Book.</span></td> - </tr> - </table> - -<p class="center">V. MISS ASHTON’S GIRLS.</p> - -<table summary="Books" class="small"> - <tr> - <td>1. <span class="smcap">Fanny’s Birthday</span></td><td class="tdr">$1.25</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td>2. <span class="smcap">The New Scholars</span></td><td class="tdr">1.25</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td>3. <span class="smcap">Rosalie’s Pet</span></td><td class="tdr">1.25</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td>4. <span class="smcap">Eleanor’s Visit</span></td><td class="tdr">1.25</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td>5. <span class="smcap">Mabel Walton</span></td><td class="tdr">1.25</td> - </tr> - </table> - -<p class="center">VI. HAPS AND MISHAPS.</p> - -<p class="center">6 vols. In a box. $7.50.</p> - -<table summary="Books" class="small"> - <tr> - <td>1. <span class="smcap">Little Friends</span></td><td class="tdr">$1.25</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td>2. <span class="smcap">The Broken Mallet</span></td><td class="tdr">1.25</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td>3. <span class="smcap">Blackberry Jam</span></td><td class="tdr">1.25</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td>4. <span class="smcap">Milly’s Whims</span></td><td class="tdr">1.25</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td>5. <span class="smcap">Lilies and Thistledown</span></td><td class="tdr">1.25</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td>6. <span class="smcap">Uncle Joe’s Thanksgiving</span></td><td class="tdr">1.25</td> - </tr> - </table> - -<p class="center smaller">ROBERT CARTER AND BROTHERS,<br /> -<i>New York</i>.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 450px;"> - -<img src="images/illus1.jpg" width="450" height="650" alt="Maggie suffering from seasickness" /> - -<p class="caption">FRONTISPIECE. Bessie’s Travels.</p> - -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[4]</a></span></p> - -<div class="frontmatter"> - -<p class="titlepage">BESSIE<br /> -ON<br /> -HER TRAVELS.</p> - -<p class="titlepage">BY<br /> -JOANNA H. MATHEWS.</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="verse">“Glad hearts, without reproach or blot,</div> -<div class="verse">Which do thy work, and know it not.”</div> -</div> -</div> - -<p class="titlepage">NEW YORK.<br /> -ROBERT CARTER AND BROTHERS,<br /> -530, <span class="smcap">Broadway</span>.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span></p> - -<p class="titlepage">Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1870, by<br /> -<br /> -ROBERT CARTER AND BROTHERS,</p> - -<p class="titlepage">In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States for the -Southern District of New York.</p> - -<p class="titlepage">CAMBRIDGE:<br /> -PRESS OF JOHN WILSON AND SON</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span></p> - -<p class="titlepage">DEDICATED<br /> -TO<br /> -LITTLE FLORENCE GUERNSEY,<br /> -<br /> -AS<br /> -<br /> -A SMALL TOKEN OF APPRECIATION OF HER FATHER’S LONG AND -FAITHFUL FRIENDSHIP; AND WITH THE HOPE THAT -THIS LAST MAY NOT PROVE TO HER THE -LEAST OF THE “BESSIE BOOKS.”</p> - -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CONTENTS.</h2> - -<table summary="Contents"> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">I.</td><td><a href="#I"><span class="smcap">Packing up</span></a></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_9">9</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">II.</td><td><a href="#II"><span class="smcap">At Sea</span></a></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_33">33</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">III.</td><td><a href="#III"><span class="smcap">Lucy</span></a></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_54">54</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">IV.</td><td><a href="#IV"><span class="smcap">An Old Enemy, but New Friend</span></a></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_80">80</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">V.</td><td><a href="#V"><span class="smcap">Belle’s Home</span></a></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_101">101</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">VI.</td><td><a href="#VI"><span class="smcap">Letters</span></a></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_127">127</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">VII.</td><td><a href="#VII"><span class="smcap">A “Real, Real Adventure”</span></a></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_157">157</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">VIII.</td><td><a href="#VIII"><span class="smcap">Old Joe</span></a></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_184">184</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">IX.</td><td><a href="#IX"><span class="smcap">Kate</span></a></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_211">211</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">X.</td><td><a href="#X"><span class="smcap">Maggie’s Poem</span></a></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_232">232</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">XI.</td><td><a href="#XI"><span class="smcap">Good Seed</span></a></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_256">256</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">XII.</td><td><a href="#XII"><span class="smcap">“Happy Delights”</span></a></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_275">275</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">XIII.</td><td><a href="#XIII"><span class="smcap">Little Acts of Kindness</span></a></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_301">301</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">XIV.</td><td><a href="#XIV"><span class="smcap">Water-Lilies</span></a></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_330">330</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">XV.</td><td><a href="#XV"><span class="smcap">“Of Such is the Kingdom of Heaven”</span></a></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_351">351</a></td> - </tr> -</table> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a><br /> -<a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> - -<img src="images/header-ch1-and-9.jpg" width="500" height="100" alt="(decorative)" /> - -</div> - -<h1>BESSIE ON HER TRAVELS.</h1> - -<h2 id="I">I.<br /> -<span class="smaller"><i>PACKING UP.</i></span></h2> - -<div> -<img class="dropcap" src="images/dropcap-w.jpg" width="100" height="100" alt="" /> -</div> - -<p class="dropcap">What a twitter and flutter and chirping -there was in the pretty nest -which Maggie and Bessie Bradford -called their own room; for there were four -little girls, who were to start together the next -day on their travels, and there was so much -to be talked over. All the new places they -were to visit, all the wonderful things they -were to see and do; and, more than all, that -sea voyage of three or four days. For none -of them but Belle had ever been to sea, and it -would be quite a new thing to all the rest.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span></p> - -<p>Then there was the packing, about which -both Maggie and Bessie, especially the former, -had been greatly concerned for the last week; -for it seemed impossible to them that nurse -and Jane could make all the necessary preparations -for this important journey on the day -before that on which they were to start.</p> - -<p>That morning Maggie’s excitement and impatience -had overflowed. Waking at a very -early hour, and finding Bessie still sleeping, -she lay a few moments thinking of all that -was to be done that day, and wondering that -the household should still be so quiet, with the -prospect of such important business before -them.</p> - -<p>“I just expect the end of the matter will be -that every one in the house, even poor mamma, -who is not so very well yet, will have to -turn to and help to make up for their pro-cras-to-na-tion!” -said she to herself, indignantly;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span> -“and I’ve just a great mind to begin packing -up myself, to set them a good example, and -make them ashamed of a little girl like me -taking time by the forelock so much better -than they do.”</p> - -<p>No sooner said than done; and Maggie -scrambled out of bed and into her dressing-gown -and slippers quite forgetting to pause -and think whether or no mamma would approve -of her running about the house in such -a guise, and if she would not be giving more -trouble than help by meddling with what she -did not understand.</p> - -<p>Upstairs she trotted to the topmost story, -where was a room which Fred called the “put-all-room,” -and which held, not only trunks -and boxes of all shapes and sizes, but a couple -of great, old-fashioned presses, and many -another article not in common daily use, and -stored there to be out of the way. The -children thought it rather a treat to go in now -and then with mamma or nurse, to rummage -there and see what they could spy out: but -none of them had ever gone there alone or -without permission; and if Maggie had taken -time to reflect, I think she would have known<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span> -that her mamma would not wish her to -do so, though she had never positively forbidden -it.</p> - -<p>But just now the busy little head was too -full of plans for making herself useful, to take -heed of any thing else; and finding what she -had hoped for, that the door was unlocked, -she opened it, and went in. The trunks were -not piled together at one end as they usually -were, but stood singly, here and there about -the room, just as Patrick had left them the -day before, when he had examined them to -see if they were in good order; and this Maggie -observed with great satisfaction.</p> - -<p>“It just seems as if it was fixed to be convenient -for me,” she said to herself; “and now -I can try which is the heaviest one I can pull. -I know I could not take those largest downstairs, -but I think I could one of the middlings.”</p> - -<p>But, after various trials, she found to her -great disappointment, that she could by no -means move even one of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span> “middlings;” -and was at last forced to content herself with -a small black leather trunk, in which she -thought she would put some of her own -and Bessie’s clothes.</p> - -<p>“For a pack in time saves nine,” said Maggie -to herself; “and even if it does not hold -much, this little trunk is a better beginning -than nothing.”</p> - -<p>Having fixed upon this prize, she contrived -with some trouble to drag it from the room, -and push and pull it to the head of the stairs. -But here a new difficulty arose. She could by -no means lift the trunk and carry it down: -small as it was for the amount of packing she -wished to do, it was quite too heavy for her -little strength; and though for one moment -she thought of pushing it over the edge of the -top stair, and allowing it to slide down by its -own weight, she soon reflected this would not -do.</p> - -<p>“For it will just go and smash itself all to -pieces, I suppose, and then make a horrid -noise to wake the people all up,” she said<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span> -again, feeling rather vexed with the innocent -trunk. “Oh! I know what I’ll do: I’ll go in -front of it and pull it down very gently, one -step at a time.”</p> - -<p>But in spite of all the pains she took, the -trunk seemed to Maggie to make the most outrageous -noise, sliding over each stair with a -grating sound, and coming down from the -edge of one to another with a thump and a -bang, which all her efforts could not silence. -She was soon heartily sorry that she had ever -touched it; but she must go on now, for she -could not possibly pull it up again, and if she -left her hold of it, it would go tumbling headlong -to the bottom.</p> - -<p>However, she took heart of grace again by -the time she had reached the foot of the top -flight, for no one seemed to have been disturbed; -the servants having all gone down -stairs, and the boys, who slept in the third -story, being sound sleepers. So she concluded -to go on and not have all her pains thrown -away; but she had gone only two or three<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span> -steps on the second flight, her troublesome -prize bumping after her, when she heard her -father’s voice from below.</p> - -<p>“What are you busy with there, Patrick?” -he said. “You are disturbing Mrs. Bradford, -and will wake the children. Leave it till later -in the day.”</p> - -<p>“O papa!” said Maggie, feeling rather -guilty, and very much mortified, “it’s not -Patrick, but me;” and as she spoke, she appeared -round the turn of the stairs, while her -attention being for the moment diverted, the -trunk slid after her with a bang which seemed -to jar the house.</p> - -<p>“You, my daughter!” said Mr. Bradford, -coming up to where Maggie stood; “and what -<em>are</em> you doing here at this time in the morning?” -and he looked down in great surprise -at the small figure whose cheeks matched her -scarlet dressing-gown, and whose curls were -tossed and tumbled in the wildest confusion.</p> - -<p>“It’s this mean old trunk, papa,” said Maggie, -pettishly;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span> “the more I try to make it go -softly, the more it won’t, but just squeaks and -bumps all it can, the horrid thing!” and now -she gave up the trunk very willingly into her -father’s strong grasp.</p> - -<p>“What were you doing with it?” asked -Mr. Bradford.</p> - -<p>“Taking it downstairs, so I could pack it -with my things and Bessie’s, papa. I wanted -to take mamma by surprise to see how useful -I could be.”</p> - -<p>“You have taken mamma rather too much -by surprise,” said her father, unable to help -smiling; “for you have wakened and startled -her. It is well to try to be useful, but one -should try to be thoughtful and considerate at -the same time, or our pains will be quite -thrown away, as yours are now. You must -go back to your bed, my daughter, and let this -trunk alone;” and lifting the trunk he carried -it to the third-story hall, Maggie looking on -with a very crestfallen feeling.</p> - -<p>“It may stay there till we see if it is -needed,” said Mr. Bradford, soothingly, as he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span> -saw her disturbed face; “and by and by, at the -proper time, you may ask mamma if you can -help her;” and taking the little hand which -was trembling with cold and over-exertion, he -led her back to her own room. Papa had -been very kind, and could scarcely be said to -have found fault with her; but Maggie, who -began to feel that she had been somewhat to -blame, would rather have been scolded than -hear him laugh as he did when he told mamma -how and where he had found her. She -did not hear what he said, but she knew very -well what he was talking about, and drew the -bed-clothes over her head that she might shut -out the sound of his laughter.</p> - -<p>“It’s too bad,” she thought:<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span> “most always -when I try to be very superior, I make a mistake -and people laugh at me about it. I feel -as if I’d like to be mad at some one, but I -can’t be mad at papa, and I don’t want to be -mad at myself, ’cause I didn’t mean to do -wrong; and it’s no use to be mad at the -trunk, but I b’lieve I do feel a little provoked -at it, it has made my hands hurt, and my arms -do ache so. I’m real tired too.” And coming -to the surface for air, Maggie turned over on -her side, and presently dropped off into a -sound morning nap; so that when nurse came -to tell her she might get up, she found her -still sleeping instead of wide awake as usual, -and was bidden by Mrs. Bradford to let her -sleep as long as she would after her exertion.</p> - -<p>Maggie was rather subdued and quiet all the -first part of the morning, and more than ever -grateful to papa, when she found that he had -not told the boys, and so given them the -opportunity to tease and laugh at her.</p> - -<p>“I suppose you couldn’t let me help you -after my <em>unconsiderate</em> unusefulness this morning: -could you, mamma?” she said, when she -saw her mother gathering together the articles -Jane was to stow in the trunks.</p> - -<p>“Well, yes: I think I can find something -for you and Bessie to do,” said mamma: “you -may take all these tapes, needles, spools, and -so forth, into your own room, and see how<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span> -neatly you can put them into this box; and all -these ribbons may go into that one.”</p> - -<p>“Oh! thank you, mamma: I will let Bessie -do the ribbons, ’cause they are the prettiest;” -and away ran generous Maggie with her sister -to begin the pleasant task.</p> - -<p>That done, mamma gave them leave to pack -the clothes belonging to Miss Bessie Margaret -Marian, and Miss Margaret Colonel Horace -Rush Bradford, in another box; saying that -since she did not feel as if she could do without -her own little daughters, she would not ask -them to leave the whole of their large family -behind, and thought the dolls might prove a -great diversion when they were tired, or perhaps -shut up in some hotel on a rainy day.</p> - -<p>They were busy deciding what dresses -should be taken and what left, when Mrs. Norris -came round to see Mrs. Bradford for a few -moments, bringing Lily with her; and while -the ladies talked in one room, the little girls -chattered away in the other, Belle coming in -about the same time.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Oh!” said Lily, “is your mamma going -to let you take your large dolls? my mamma -will only let me take a tiny, weeny one that -can go in a travelling-bag.”</p> - -<p>“I wouldn’t take any then,” said Belle. -“I’m going to take my largest, biggest one of -all.”</p> - -<p>“Not Belle Maggie Bessie?” questioned -Maggie.</p> - -<p>“Yes: Belle Maggie Bessie!” repeated -Belle, in a tone of determined obstinacy and -snappishness, which showed that the subject -was a sore one with her.</p> - -<p>“But your papa said last night that you -could not take her, ’cause such a large doll -would be too much trouble,” said Bessie.</p> - -<p>“Well, anyhow, I’m going to: he said I -could this morning,” answered Belle.</p> - -<p>“Then you cried and cried and bothered -him, till he said yes: I know you,” said Maggie, -reproachfully.</p> - -<p>“I don’t care,” said Belle; but she did -care, and now was ashamed that her little<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span> -playmates should guess how she had worried -her too indulgent papa.</p> - -<p>“You might repent yet and tell him you -won’t take her,” said Bessie.</p> - -<p>“Yes, do, and make a Rip Van Winkle of -her,” said Maggie.</p> - -<p>“I shan’t make her that ugly thing, and I -shall take her,” said Belle, indignantly.</p> - -<p>“You needn’t be so cross,” said Maggie: -“Bessie and I made all our other dolls Rip -Van Winkles and William Tells, and it was -good fun. Don’t you want to see them, -Lily?”</p> - -<p>Lily assented; and, opening a deep drawer -in the bureau, Maggie showed her all the various -dolls belonging to herself and Bessie, lying -with bandages on their eyes.</p> - -<p>“I don’t see what you call them William -Tells and that other name for,” said Lily. -“William Tell was the man Miss Ashton told -us about, who shot an apple off his son’s -head.”</p> - -<p>“Yes,” answered Maggie;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span> “and we told -Harry and Fred about it, but they knew before, -and told us that the Swiss people believe -that he and his companions went fast asleep -in a cave for a great many hundred years, and -some day they would wake up and rule over -them.”</p> - -<p>“And who was the Winkle man?” asked -Belle.</p> - -<p>“He was another old fellow who went up -into the mountains and went to sleep for ever -so many years; and when he woke up nobody -knew him, and he did not know anybody. -Harry told us about him. I don’t see how -people can be so foolish as to sleep for so -long; but it came into my head to make our -dolls Rip Van Winkles and William Tells till -we came back, and then we wouldn’t feel as -if they were so lonely when they were asleep -all the time.”</p> - -<p>“It’s only pretend, you know, and one can -make b’lieve about dolls even better than about -people,” said Bessie. “And it’s a great relief -to suffering to go to sleep and forget it,” she<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span> -added, as gravely as though there were no -“pretend” about it, and the dolls were real -children, feeling deeply the separation from -their little mammas.</p> - -<p>“That’s a very nice thing to do. You do -make such nice plays, Maggie,” said Lily, admiringly. -“I shall do it with my dolls: you’d -better too, Belle.”</p> - -<p>“Well, I don’t know; but I’m going to think -about it,” said Belle, in whose little heart -Maggie’s reproach had awakened a feeling of -remorse for the selfishness and obstinacy she -had shown about her doll. “I b’lieve Belle -Maggie Bessie <em>is</em> most too large. I can’t -carry her much myself, and papa did say she’d -be in everybody’s way. I guess I’ll make a -William Tell of her, if Maggie and Bessie -will let me put her with theirs.”</p> - -<p>“Yes, we will; and you can take a doll of -moderation,” said Maggie, meaning that Belle -could take a doll of moderate size.</p> - -<p>“Do you think you’ll be seasick on the -steamer?” asked Lily.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Pooh! no, I shan’t. I won’t be,” said -Maggie.</p> - -<p>“Perhaps you can’t help it,” said Belle. -“I’m sure I didn’t mean to be seasick when -I came here in the steamer, but I couldn’t help -it; and oh dear!—it’s—it is horrid.”</p> - -<p>“Is being seasick any thing like being -homesick?” asked Bessie.</p> - -<p>“Not exactly; but the two things very often -go together, darling,” said Aunt Bessie, laughing, -and speaking from the next room.</p> - -<p>“Then I’m more determined than ever not -to be it,” said Maggie, meaning seasick by -“it.” “But then I couldn’t be homesick -either, when I have so many of my own home -people with me.”</p> - -<p>But, in spite of her determination, Maggie -had privately a great dread of this same seasickness. -She could not bear to be sick; not -that she was impatient or cross when this was -the case with her, but that she thought sickness, -like sleep, was “a great waste of being -alive.” She wanted to be able to run about<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span> -and amuse herself all the time; and it was -“such fun” to go to sea, that she was very -much afraid lest any thing should interfere -with her enjoyment of it.</p> - -<p>“They give people sour things when they -are seasick,” said Belle, who, having once suffered -in this way, thought herself entitled to -give all necessary information on the subject. -“That’s the only nice thing about it. They -gave me lots of sour oranges and lemons.”</p> - -<p>“But Bessie and I don’t like sour things, -so that won’t make it any better for us,” said -Maggie, soberly. Nevertheless, she treasured -Belle’s remark; and not seeing her way clearly -to a private stock of oranges and lemons, -she watched her opportunity when her little -playmates were gone, and taking Patrick into -her confidence, begged him to give her “two -pickles and a whole lot of vinegar,” not to eat -herself, because mamma would not allow that, -but to be prepared, when all the rest of the -family were seasick and she had to take care -of them.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span></p> - -<p>The good-natured Irishman, expressing -great admiration at the “forethought of her,” -furnished her with what she wanted; and -Maggie went off, rejoicing in her spoils.</p> - -<p>The pickles were stowed away in the soup-tureen -belonging to her doll’s dinner-set; and -she contrived, when nurse and Jane were not -looking, to slip them into a corner of one of -the trunks. The vinegar she poured into a -vial she had also obtained from Patrick; and -as the cork did not fit very tightly, and she -feared the liquid might run out if she put it -into the trunk, she hid it in her bosom, heroically -enduring the smell of the vinegar, which -was exceedingly disagreeable to her, “for the -sake of my family,” as she told Bessie.</p> - -<p>For Bessie’s quick little nose soon smelt out -the vinegar, which she also disliked very -much; and after several sniffs and exclamations -of disgust from her, and much wondering -as to where that “horrid, vinegarish -smell did come from,” Maggie felt forced to -tell her the secret which she had meant to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span> -keep until they were safely on board the -steamer.</p> - -<p>But Bessie was by no means so struck with -admiration as Patrick had been, and for once -did not think Maggie’s plan a good one; at -least not unless she could be persuaded to tell -her mamma of it.</p> - -<p>“For you know, dear Maggie,” she said -with a doubtful shake of her head, “mamma -does not like us to keep secrets from her; and -don’t you think she will know what is best to -take?”</p> - -<p>“Well, I don’t know,” said Maggie, unwilling -to give up her cherished plan; “maybe -she won’t think about sour things, and I’m -sure she’d be very thankful when she’s seasick, -and finds an unexpected pickle just on -hand.”</p> - -<p>“I think she’ll like it just as well if she -knows about it before,” said Bessie.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span> “And I -don’t believe it is quite right; and, besides, it -is such a very bad-smelling secret to have. -Tell her, and see what she will say.”</p> - -<p>But even as they were talking, they found -that the “bad-smelling secret” had betrayed -itself; for nurse, going to finish the packing of -the trunk where the pickles were concealed, -also perceived the scent of vinegar.</p> - -<p>“What have you been putting in here that -smells so of vinegar?” she said to Jane.</p> - -<p>“Nothing,” was the answer. “I’ve had no -vinegar.”</p> - -<p>“But it’s here, surely,” said nurse, sniffing -around in her turn: “it’s about this trunk, -spilled on something I suppose: that’s some of -your carelessness, Jane.” And Mammy, who -was rather apt to snub her younger helpmate, -lifted several articles in turn to her nose.</p> - -<p>“Oh dear! I’ll have to tell: she’s scolding -poor Janey for it,” whispered Maggie, in great -dismay.</p> - -<p>“What’s this?” exclaimed nurse, when, -having pulled out half a dozen things, she -came upon the tiny tureen.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span> “Pickles! and the -vinegar dribbled out of them on the master’s -clean shirts. Well! that naughty Frankie! -he’s gone beyond himself in such a trick as -that. He’s been busy with your doll’s china, -Maggie, my honey; but where in the world -did he lay his mischievous hands on pickles? -I’ll just speak my mind to Patrick for leaving -them in the child’s reach. Pickles indeed! -but he’s a pickle!”</p> - -<p>This was too much for Maggie. She could -not hear her little brother and Patrick blamed, -and she spoke out at once.</p> - -<p>“It was not Frankie who put them there,” -she said: “it was I, and I want them to stay -there.”</p> - -<p>“Indeed, they’ll not then,” said nurse. -“Ye know your mother never lets ye touch -them; and what a way would that be to take -them anyhow? What ails ye the day, Maggie? -I think the spirit of mischief has hold -of ye.”</p> - -<p>Maggie was displeased in her turn, and, as -usual, was dignified and made use of all the -long words she could think of, which were -suitable to the case.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span></p> - -<p>“If you interfere with my pickle arrangements, -I shall not be responsible for the seasickness,” -she said solemnly.</p> - -<p>“Responsible for the seasickness! I should -think not,” said nurse, forgetting her vexation -in her amusement, and bursting into a hearty -laugh, in which she was joined by Jane; while -Maggie stood swelling and indignant; “responsible -for the seasickness! and what put -that into your head, my lamb, and what do -you think pickles stuffed into trunks have to -do with it?”</p> - -<p>But Maggie was too much hurt and disappointed -to answer, and could only reply -with a nod to Bessie’s plea that she would let -her explain.</p> - -<p>This was soon done; and nurse, sorry to see -Maggie so grieved, said,—</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span></p> - -<p>“The pickles would have done ye little good -packed away in the trunk which ye will not -see till we come to land again, honey; and -don’t ye fret your little soul about it, for your -mamma has provided all things needful; and I -promise you if all the rest are taken down but -yourself, ye shall play nurse to your heart’s -content, and wait on everybody. Ye did -mean to be considerate and thoughtful, I’m -sure; but it’s always best for such young -heads to take counsel of those that are wiser -and older in such things.”</p> - -<p>Having allowed so much to be confessed, -Maggie thought she might as well make a -clean breast of the whole affair; and produced -the bottle of vinegar, with many entreaties -to be allowed to keep it. Nurse -shook her head; but Mrs. Bradford came into -the room just then, and she turned the matter -over to her.</p> - -<p>Mamma laughed too when she heard the -story, and told Maggie to give up her pickles -and vinegar, and she would provide her with -something better; so taking both the little -girls into her own room, she delighted them -by presenting each with a beautiful morocco -satchel, just of a right size for small travellers, -and with lock and key all complete, to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span> -say nothing of a light chain by which they -could be hung over the shoulder.</p> - -<p>Maggie was farther consoled by a bottle of -smelling salts, one of hartshorn, and three -lemons; and this she appeared to think a -sufficient safeguard against seasickness for -all the passengers and crew of the steamer. -For the rest of the day her restless energies -found satisfaction in locking and unlocking, -arranging and rearranging this satchel and -its contents, and the busy head and fingers -were kept from farther mischief or hindering -“help.”</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 200px;"> - -<img src="images/footer-ch1.jpg" width="200" height="111" alt="(decorative)" /> - -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> - -<img src="images/header-ch2.jpg" width="500" height="100" alt="(decorative)" /> - -</div> - -<h2 id="II">II.<br /> -<span class="smaller"><i>AT SEA.</i></span></h2> - -<div> -<img class="dropcap" src="images/dropcap-a.jpg" width="100" height="100" alt="" /> -</div> - -<p class="dropcap">“Are we at sea now, papa?” said Maggie, -holding by her father’s hand as -she jumped up and down on the -deck of the steamer; “are we really at sea?”</p> - -<p>“Hardly at sea yet, little daughter: we are -still going down the bay. When we are fairly -at sea we shall lose sight of our own great -city, where we have left grandmamma and -the boys, and all the other dear ones.”</p> - -<p>“Yes,” said Bessie, who was by no means -in such overflowing spirits as Maggie; “it’s -rather sorrowful to leave so many of our own -people behind us. I wish everybody could -have come with us.”</p> - -<p>“Then we’d have no one to write to,” said -Maggie, who found consolation in all partings<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span> -in the thought of letter-writing, in which she -delighted.</p> - -<p>“But, papa, will you tell us when we are -really and truly at sea?”</p> - -<p>“You’ll be apt to know that without telling, -little maiden,” said a gentleman who was -passing: “we have had high winds the last -three days, and shall find it rough enough outside, -I take it;” and he passed on.</p> - -<p>“Who’s that, papa?” asked Bessie.</p> - -<p>“That is the captain,” said Mr. Bradford.</p> - -<p>“What a nice face he has,” said the little -girl.</p> - -<p>“What did he mean by ‘outside’?” asked -Maggie.</p> - -<p>“He meant outside of the bay or harbor. -We are going now through what is called -the Narrows, then we shall pass Sandy Hook, -where the light-house is, and be fairly out at -sea.”</p> - -<p>“And what did he mean by ‘rough’?” -asked Maggie.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Well, he meant the waves might be rather -high, and toss and roll the ship about more -than you would find quite comfortable.”</p> - -<p>“Oh! I shan’t mind it,” said Maggie. “It -will be fun.”</p> - -<p>“He meant you’d be seasick,” said Belle, -with a wise shake of her head.</p> - -<p>“I don’t believe he ever meant that,” answered -Maggie, in a tone which said she considered -the idea almost an insult. “He must -see how well and strong I look.”</p> - -<p>“I hope you may be able to keep to your -determination, my little girl,” said her father, -smiling.</p> - -<p>“Why, is this what people make such a fuss -about?” said Maggie, when some time after -the threatened rolling and pitching began: “I -think it is lovely. But, then, papa,” she -added presently, “perhaps it would be nicer -if you would ask that good-natured-looking -captain not to let the ship do it quite so much. -It seems to make my head so very <em>bobbly</em>.”</p> - -<p>“The captain cannot help it, dear,” said -her father, looking half in pity, half in amusement,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span> -at the face which Maggie was making -such desperate efforts to keep smiling and unconcerned. -“The waves roll the vessel about -in this way, and you know the captain does -not rule them. We must bear it as we can; -but I hope by and by you will become used to -it, and not mind it so much.”</p> - -<p>“Oh! I don’t <em>mind</em> it, papa,” said Maggie, -still determined that these rolling waves -should not conquer her; “at least not so very -much, and I’m not a bit seasick; only—only—I -don’t think the sea is quite so very comfortable -to be on as the land: do you?”</p> - -<p>Hapless little Maggie! Half an hour more, -and the “bobbly” head lay in mamma’s lap, -hands and feet hung helplessly, chattering -tongue was still, save for an occasional piteous, -“O mamma!” and the merry dancing -eyes, usually so wide-open and quick to notice -all around them, were closed as though they -never cared to lift their lids again. Even the -new satchel had lost its charm, and hung unheeded -at her side. Its cherished contents,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span> -which she had intended to be of so much use -to others, proved of none to herself. Lemons, -smelling salts, hartshorn, and many other -remedies, were tried without success; and it -would have been hard to find a more wretched -little girl than was poor Maggie, for the next -twenty-four hours. Belle and Lily were too -ill themselves to feel at all inclined to triumph -over the failure of Maggie’s “determination;” -though I do not think they would have been -unkind enough to do so, had they been ever -so well.</p> - -<p>As for Bessie, she made what the captain -called “a capital little sailor,” and to her fell -the part of nurse, which Maggie had intended -to fill. And never was a more gentle, tender, -thoughtful young nurse than our little “princess,” -handy and knowing enough for seven-and-twenty -instead of seven years old. Now -she was rubbing Maggie’s cold hands, now -bathing Belle’s dizzy, aching head with such -soothing fingers; now coaxing Lily to take -one of those oranges which were to work such<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span> -wonders; now amusing baby, for Mammy was -in a bad way too, and mamma’s attention was -pretty well taken up with her poor Maggie; -now showing a picture-book to some fretful -child whose mother was too ill to attend to it. -Always ready not only to do, but to see where -and how she could do, some small service for a -sufferer, she went about from one to another -like some dainty little fairy, with a mission of -healing and kindness. So long as she could -keep her feet, which was not always possible, -the rolling of the ship only troubled her by -the distress it brought to others, especially -Maggie; but all her pleasure in her beloved -sea was lost in her sympathy for her sister. -It was so strange and unusual to see Maggie -lying helpless and subdued, with no thought -or care for any thing about her, that it made -Bessie herself very miserable; and she could -scarcely believe her father’s assurances that -Maggie was not going to die, and would probably -soon feel better.</p> - -<p>But she thought despair and misery could<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span> -go no farther upon the following morning, -when, having dressed Margaret Bessie Marion -and Margaret Colonel Horace Rush in -the new travelling suits Aunt Annie had made -for them, and combed their “real live hair,” -she brought them and placed one on each side -of Maggie, as she lay among the pile of pillows -and shawls papa had arranged for her -upon the deck.</p> - -<p>“Maggie dear,” she said coaxingly, “would -it not comfort you a little to hold Bessie -Margaret Marion? She looks so sweet.”</p> - -<p>“No,” moaned Maggie, without opening her -eyes: “I never want her again, Bessie, never. -You can have her.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, no!” said Bessie, cheerily: “you’ll -want her when you feel better, and I hope that -will be pretty soon.”</p> - -<p>“No,” said Maggie again: “I’ll never be -better. And, Bessie, I think I’d better tell -you my will. I’m too sick to write it myself, -but you can remember.”</p> - -<p>“But you’re not going to die,” answered<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span> -Bessie, dropping the doll upon her lap and -looking at Maggie in fresh dismay.</p> - -<p>“Yes, I feel it,” said Maggie, with a tragic -whisper and shake of her head.</p> - -<p>“Oh, no, dear! Papa said not, and the -doctor said so too. They said people hardly -ever died of seasickness.”</p> - -<p>“Then I’m one of the ‘hardly evers,’ Bessie,” -persisted Maggie, seeming, poor child, to -find some relief in the idea; “and I’d better -make my will, and tell you who I want my playthings -and other <em>possessings</em> to go to.”</p> - -<p>Bessie did not know whether to be most -alarmed at Maggie’s words, or consoled by her -belief that her father and the doctor must -know best; and she listened in silence while -Maggie went on, speaking slowly and with -many pauses.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span></p> - -<p>“You can have all my dolls, Bessie, ’cept -Josephine Matilda, and she’ll be good for -Baby, ’cause she’s Indian rubber and can’t be -broken; and mamma my prize writing-desk, -and papa my new satchel; and my doll’s tea -set, the white and gilt one for you, and the -blue one for Lily; same with the dinner-sets—only, -red for Belle—and my tin kitchen -too—oh! I can’t tell any more—oh! mamma—mamma!” -and here poor Maggie’s will -came abruptly to an end.</p> - -<p>But things brightened towards the latter -part of that day, for they came into smoother -waters; and Maggie, as well as all the other -seasick passengers, began to feel easier.</p> - -<p>“Hallo!” said the captain, pausing as he -came by to look at the little, pale, tired face -upon the pillows: “is this the jolly little woman -who came on board yesterday afternoon? -Why, this will not do. I shall have to take -her in hand myself, Mrs. Bradford: will you -let me turn doctor?”</p> - -<p>“Most certainly, Captain, if you can do -any thing to relieve her. Every thing seems -to fail except time and patience, and of the -last my poor child has shown a fair sample,” -answered the anxious mother.</p> - -<p>With a nod to Maggie, who, at the sound<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span> -of his hearty, cheery voice had half opened -her eyes to look at him, and another to Bessie, -who sat upon the edge of her sister’s couch, -he walked away; coming back after a little -while, followed by the steward carrying a small -tray. On the tray were two plates, the one -holding a crisp slice of brown toast; the other, -something which Bessie thought very uninviting, -a dry, rather black-looking herring.</p> - -<p>“I wonder if he is going to ask Maggie to -eat that thing,” she said to herself. “Idea of -it! I know she never can do it. I’m afraid -he’s not so very nice as he looks, and that he -has very poor sense.”</p> - -<p>But the captain asked Maggie nothing about -the herring; but, sitting down beside her, he -took the tray from the steward, and cutting -a small bit from the fish, he held it to Maggie’s -lips. Maggie turned away her head in disgust, -in which Bessie sympathized.</p> - -<p>“Come, come,” said the captain,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span> “every -one has to do as I say on this ship, especially -when I turn doctor.”</p> - -<p>He did not smile, though he looked as good-natured -and pleasant as ever; and, doubtful if -he were in joke or in earnest, Maggie reluctantly -took the bit of fish from the fork, and -then a mouthful of the toast, which she swallowed -with the same martyr-like air. Another -and another followed, taken with less and less -reluctance; till at last Bessie was surprised -to see Maggie’s eyes remain open, and fix -themselves rather longingly upon the plate, as -if she wished the captain would make the intervals -shorter. He took no notice, however, -but fed her slowly, till fish and toast had both -entirely disappeared, when he said,—</p> - -<p>“I think we shall do now. I’ll be back -in half an hour, Mrs. Bradford, to see how my -patient here is getting on,” and walked away.</p> - -<p>“Maggie,” said Bessie, as soon as he had -gone, “wasn’t that meal very nas—, I mean -rather disagreeable?”</p> - -<p>“Why, no,” said Maggie,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span> “it was delicious; -and I think that captain is lovely, Bessie. He’s -the best doctor ever I saw. The next time I -come to sea—which I hope I never will again—I’ll -put herring in my satchel ’stead of -lemons. They never did me a bit of good.”</p> - -<p>Bessie privately thought this worse than -the “pickle arrangement;” but since the captain’s -prescription had done Maggie so much -good, she had nothing more to say against it -or him; and when he came back at the promised -time it was to find his little patient beginning -to look like herself, and talking and -smiling with something of her accustomed -brightness.</p> - -<p>This was the last of Maggie’s seasickness, -and by the next morning she was nearly as -lively and well as usual; though she now and -then fell into a fit of thought, as if she were -considering some knotty question; and she -was observed to regard Margaret Bessie -Marion with more than usual interest, and -to give her a great amount of petting and -tending. At length the question which was -weighing on her mind found words.</p> - -<p>“Papa,” she said,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span> “don’t lawyers know -about wills?”</p> - -<p>“They ought to, Maggie,” answered Mr. -Bradford. “Why, you don’t want to make -yours, do you?”</p> - -<p>“I have made it, papa,” said Maggie, with -all the gravity of a judge. “I told Bessie -about it, but I want to know if it’s against -the law to undo the things you’ve willed, if -you don’t die when you thought you were -going to.”</p> - -<p>“Not at all,” said papa, laughing: “you -may make your will, and ‘undo it’ as often -as you please, while you are living.”</p> - -<p>“For the people won’t be disappointed as -long as they don’t know you’ve willed them -the things,” said Maggie, meditatively. “Anyhow, -I s’pose my people would be more disappointed -to have me die, than not to have -my things.”</p> - -<p>“They would indeed, little daughter,” said -her father, drawing her tenderly to him:<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span> -“to lose our Maggie would be to take a great -deal of sunshine out of the lives of ‘your -people.’”</p> - -<p>“And I know Bessie don’t care for my -dollies so long as we can play with them -together: do you, Bessie?”</p> - -<p>“Oh, no! Maggie; and if I hadn’t you, I -should never play again, but be sorrowful all -my life;” and Bessie put on an air of extreme -melancholy at the bare idea of such a possibility.</p> - -<p>So this matter being settled to the satisfaction -of all, and Maggie feeling like her own -self once more, she and Bessie were free to -enjoy all the new pleasures about them.</p> - -<p>They were a merry, happy party, those four -little girls, Maggie, Bessie, Belle, and Lily; -always pleasant and good-natured with one -another; never fretting or quarrelling in their -play. As for Maggie, her new friend the -captain used to call her “Little Make-the-best-of-it;” -for her sunny temper found so much -good in all things, and so many reasons why -all that was, was best.</p> - -<p>He escorted the young quartette all over the -steamer, taking them down into the machine<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span> -rooms, where they saw the great furnaces -glowing with hot coals, and tended by strong -men in scarlet shirts, with their sleeves rolled -up to the shoulders; where the iron beam and -pistons went up and down, up and down, without -a moment’s pause or irregularity; where -each little wheel and joint went steadily on -doing its appointed work, without which the -huge machinery must have stood motionless -and useless.</p> - -<p>The sympathies of the children, especially -those of Maggie, were greatly excited in behalf -of a man whom they saw watching the steam -dial plates at the upper end of the engine -room. There were three of these plates, the -centre one very large, the other two smaller; -and the man paced up and down the narrow -platform in front, almost without a moment’s -pause, turning his eyes every now and then to -the dials.</p> - -<p>“What funny clocks,” said Bessie,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span> “and -how that man watches them! Why is he so -anxious about the time?”</p> - -<p>“Only one of them is a clock,” said the -captain; “the others are to show how much -steam we have on, and how it is working, and -if all is right.”</p> - -<p>Bessie did not understand, and said so; and -the captain, taking her up in his arms, tried to -explain the use and working of the dials to the -little girls; but it was rather a difficult matter -for them to take in, and I do not know that he -made it very clear to them.</p> - -<p>“But I want to know about that man,” said -Maggie: “does he have to walk here and look -at these things all the time?”</p> - -<p>“All the time,” said Captain Brooks.</p> - -<p>“Doesn’t he eat and sleep?” asked Belle.</p> - -<p>“Oh! to be sure,” said the captain. “I -said he was here all the time; but I should -have said a man was here all the time; for -there is another who takes his turn while this -one rests.”</p> - -<p>“But are you not tired sometimes?” Bessie -asked of the man, who just then came to the -end of the platform where she was.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span></p> - -<p>He nodded assent as he turned, but made -no answer in words, did not even smile, being -a grum-looking man, and seeming altogether -intent on his dials.</p> - -<p>“He’s not very polite just to nod at you -and not speak,” said Lily.</p> - -<p>“It is against the rule of the ship for him -to talk while he is on duty, and he always -keeps the rule,” said the captain.</p> - -<p>“Oh!” said Maggie, her pity more than -ever roused for the object of her interest: -“does he have to walk on this little bit of a -place with nothing to amuse him, and can’t -even talk? I think that is pretty hard: <em>I</em> never -could do it.”</p> - -<p>“But if he were talking and chatting with -every one who came along, and thinking only -of his own amusement, he would forget his -work and have his attention taken off from -those plates which it is his business to watch -constantly,” said the captain.</p> - -<p>“And then we’d be blown up or burnt up -or drowned or something,” said Maggie.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Not as bad as that, I hope,” said Captain -Brooks, smiling; “but something might -readily go wrong before he perceived it.”</p> - -<p>“It seems like watching conscience all the -time for fear we do something naughty,” said -Bessie, who had been thoughtfully regarding -the man since she last spoke. “If we forget -conscience, or don’t pay attention where it -points, we can be naughty before we know -it.”</p> - -<p>“Just so,” said the captain, looking at her -half in amusement, half in surprise; “but tell -me, little one, do you find some moral lesson -in every thing?”</p> - -<p>“I don’t know what ‘moral’ is, sir,” said -Bessie, demurely; “but I think that man is a -pretty good lesson to us.”</p> - -<p>Here roguish Lily, for whom the prospect of -being “blown up or burnt up or drowned or -something,” did not seem to have any terrors, -and who had been all this time trying to distract -the watchman’s attention by shaking her -head and finger at him, flirting her pocket-handkerchief,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span> -and giving little squeaks and -“hems,” all without any avail, suddenly astonished -him and accomplished her object, by -firing a paper pellet which hit him directly -between the eyes. The gruff old fellow only -gave her a growl in return, however, and recommenced -his pacing up and down; but Lily -went capering about in an ecstasy of delight at -her unlooked-for success, till the captain, who -could not help laughing, called her to order -with,—</p> - -<p>“Here, here, you elf! have done with your -monkey tricks, or I shall shut you up in a cage -till we get to shore.”</p> - -<p>“You’ve none large enough,” said laughing -Lily.</p> - -<p>“There are plenty of hencoops on board,” -said the captain, pretending to look fierce, -“and carpenters too, to make any sized cage I -may order. You had better look out.”</p> - -<p>“I don’t think it’s fair to tease the poor -man,” said Bessie,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span> “he has to be so stupid all -the time, and he is so dutiful too. Let’s go -away, Captain Brooks, and not let him be -teased any more.”</p> - -<p>So the captain took them away in search of -other novelties; but Maggie and Bessie did -not forget “the poor, stupid man,” as the latter -called him, meaning only that she thought -he passed his time in such a dull, uninteresting -manner; and they set their young wits to -work to see if they could not do him some -kindness.</p> - -<p>“I don’t see the good of it,” said Lily. -“The captain said he was a surly old fellow, -any way, and didn’t care to talk much when -he could. I guess we’d better just let him -alone.”</p> - -<p>“We oughtn’t to judge by appearances,” -said Maggie, gravely. “Bessie and I have -learned that.”</p> - -<p>“But not till we’d performed some pretty -bad mistakes,” said Bessie: “so take a lesson -of us.”</p> - -<p>“Tell us about them,” said Belle; and accordingly -Belle and Lily were much interested<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span> -in hearing of Lem and the silver cup, and of -Aunt Patty; Maggie also confessing how she -had for a long time misjudged Mrs. Jones, of -Quam Beach, because she had a disagreeable -manner.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 200px;"> - -<img src="images/footer-ch2-and-9.jpg" width="200" height="200" alt="(decorative)" /> - -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> - -<img src="images/header-ch3-and-11.jpg" width="500" height="100" alt="(decorative)" /> - -</div> - -<h2 id="III">III.<br /> -<span class="smaller"><i>LUCY.</i></span></h2> - -<div> -<img class="dropcap" src="images/dropcap-o.jpg" width="100" height="100" alt="" /> -</div> - -<p class="dropcap">Old ocean seemed to wish to make -amends, during the last two days of -the short voyage, for the tossing and -rolling he had given our friends during the -first. It was as smooth as a river almost, -and broke itself up into little wavelets which -seemed formed only to sparkle and catch the -sunshine. The weather was warm and summer-like, -growing more and more so the farther -south they went; and the children spent -the whole of their time on deck, even taking -their meals there: for though Maggie declared -herself “all right now,” she could not eat -when taken below, and it was “such fun” to -have breakfast, dinner, and tea, sent up to -them and eaten on deck in such <i>impromptu</i><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span> -fashion, that the others were only too glad of -the excuse of bearing her company. Mamma -and Mrs. Norris preferred it too; so they had -quite a sociable, cosey time of it.</p> - -<p>As for Bessie, she wanted “no better contentment” -than to sit watching the sea. The -sky; the waves; the white sea-gulls, which now -and then came sailing round on their snowy -wings; the other vessels they saw in the far -distance, or sometimes near at hand; the huge -porpoises which threw themselves with a sudden -leap and plunge out from the water and -back again,—each and all had their charm for -her; and, if undisturbed, she would sit for -hours, her doll clasped in her arms, gazing her -fill, and thinking her own thoughts. Happy, -peaceful thoughts they were too, if one might -judge by the expression of her sweet little face.</p> - -<p>“How my Bessie loves the sea, does she -not?” said her father, sitting down beside her -one time when he found her thus absorbed.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Yes, papa, dearly; but then I love the real -sea better.”</p> - -<p>“But this is the real sea, darling.”</p> - -<p>“But I mean the <em>real, real</em> sea, papa; the -true, <em>very</em> sea,” said the little girl.</p> - -<p>“I do not know how you could have more -real sea than this, dear,” said her father, rather -at a loss to know what she could mean. -“We are many, many miles from land. You -can see none on any side. It is water, water, -the real true ocean, all around us, as far and -farther than our eyes can reach. You do not -mean that you would have it rough and -stormy?”</p> - -<p>“Oh, no, papa!” Bessie answered, rather -puzzled herself how to make her meaning plain -to her father; “but I mean that kind of sea -where the waves come slowly, slowly on the -beach, all white and curly, and make that nice -sound I like so much. It does not come in this -kind of a sea.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, ho!” said her father,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span> “I understand. -It is the <em>seashore</em> you are longing for, even -more than the open sea itself. Well, perhaps -one of these days, you may be there again.”</p> - -<p>“Oh! do you think I might be, papa? Oh, -that would be so delightful!” and she turned -her little, eager, wistful face to her father with -such a sparkle in her eye.</p> - -<p>“I think it more than likely that such a -thing will come to pass, Bessie,” said Mr. -Bradford; but he did not tell her what a pleasant -surprise awaited her in the course of her -summer travels.</p> - -<p>“Papa,” she said again presently, “do not -these dear little waves we have to-day make -you think of our Maggie? They seem just -like her, as if they were dancing and laughing, -and so glad and gay.”</p> - -<p>“Yes,” said her father, pleased at the pretty -conceit of the affectionate little sister, “and -God’s sunshine, pouring down upon these -merry waves and touching them with light and -sparkle, is like the love and tenderness which -make our Maggie’s heart so gay and happy.”</p> - -<p>“And I am a little bit of Maggie’s sunshine: -am I not, papa?” asked the sweet Bessie.</p> - -<p>The reply came in a squeeze, half a dozen<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span> -smothering kisses, and a squeal meant to express -affection and delight, from Maggie herself, -who, coming up behind them and hearing -Bessie’s question, answered after her own peculiar -fashion.</p> - -<p>Yes: they were both true sunbeams, these -two dear little girls: sunbeams as all children -may be, because they were happy; happy because -they were good and generous and loving; -sunbeams to one another and to all around -them, shedding light and brightness wherever -they passed.</p> - -<p>“Bessie,” said Maggie, when she had done -hugging and kissing her sister, “I’ve made -a very surprising discovery. Do you see that -little girl sitting over there? I’ve seen her -before.”</p> - -<p>“Yes,” answered Bessie. “She’s a kind of -errand girl and helps the stewardess. Yesterday -morning when you were so sick she -brought some ice for you; but I didn’t speak -to her, ’cause I felt so bad about you.”</p> - -<p>“But, do you know who her father is, Bessie?”<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span></p> - -<p>“No,” said Bessie. “Who?”</p> - -<p>“That man downstairs, the steam-clock -man. Isn’t that very curious?”</p> - -<p>“Why, yes. How did you find out, Maggie?”</p> - -<p>“Well, Belle and Lily and I were there, -while you looked at the water, and that child -came and stood by us; and she looked so -very wishful at our dolls, that I told her she -might hold Bessie Margaret Marion a little -while if she would be careful of her; and you -don’t know how pleased she seemed then; and, -Bessie, what do you think, the poor child never -had a doll in her life, ’cept only a rag one, -and she has no mother or sisters or any one -but her father; and the captain lets her live -with her father on board the steamer; and she -tries to help the stewardess and run about; -and she don’t like the sea a bit, she is so tired -of being on it most all the time; and she’s just -my age, only a year older; and Lily asked -her if her father was a cross patch to her, and -she was rather mad at that, and said no: he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span> -was good and kind as could be, and she loved -him dearly. And so I told her Lily did not -mean to make her mad,—only we thought -perhaps she did not find him very interesting -’cause he would not talk much. But she did -not seem to like that very much either: so I -said, very quickly, that maybe the reason her -father did not talk much was because he had -so much thinking to do; and then she looked -pleased again, and said yes, that was it, but -he always talked enough to her. And then I -told her I felt so very sorry for him, ’cause he -had to walk up and down that little place, -with nothing to do but to look at those old -clock things; and I knew I never could be so -strict with my duty, for I would be sure to -laugh or talk or something.”</p> - -<p>“And didn’t she look pleased when you said -that about her father?” asked Bessie, when -Maggie had come to the end of this long story.</p> - -<p>“Oh, yes! And she said he did not like -to do it, but he had to make a living,” answered -Maggie.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span></p> - -<p>“I’m real sorry for both of them,” said -Bessie. “You know, Maggie, we said we -would like to be kind to him if we could, -’cause he had such a stupid time; and I s’pose -he would be just as pleased if we did a kind -thing to his girl.”</p> - -<p>“Yes,” said Maggie: “if he’s a dutiful -father, he would. I was thinking we might -give her a doll to amuse herself with.”</p> - -<p>“Not one of ours?” said Bessie, holding -Margaret Colonel Horace fast, as if she -thought she was to be taken from her at once.</p> - -<p>“Oh, no! We never could give up these -dolls,” said Maggie. “We love them too -much; and besides the Colonel gave them to -us, so it would never do. But then, you know, -we have some of our own money with us; -and I thought when the steamer stopped going -and we come to that part of the world that -is land again, maybe we might find a toy-store -and buy her a doll of her own.”</p> - -<p>“Yes,” said Bessie. “Papa, do they have -stores in Savannah?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Plenty,” answered papa, “and doubtless -we shall find a toy-store without trouble.”</p> - -<p>“And we may buy Lucy a doll, may we not, -papa?” said Maggie. “You see, it’s pretty -hard for a child to have no relations, or dolls, -or other advantages, except only a father.”</p> - -<p>“Yes,” said Mr. Bradford, laughing, “if -you choose to spend your money to give pleasure -to this little girl, who is so poorly off, you -may certainly do so.”</p> - -<p>The children were delighted with their -papa’s consent; and when Belle and Lily -heard of the plan, they begged Maggie and -Bessie to let them join in giving this pleasure -to the poor child who had so few enjoyments. -Maggie and Bessie readily agreed: and it was -settled that when they reached Savannah, one -of the first things to be done should be the -purchase of a doll for Lucy Waters; for such -was the name of the little girl.</p> - -<p>Our four young friends were not the only -children on the steamer with whom Lucy had -something to do, as you shall hear.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Father,” she said, as she sat upon his -knee that evening, while he was off duty, -“there are some nice little girls on board, -this trip.”</p> - -<p>“Humph!” was all the answer she received; -for, in spite of Lucy’s assertion that her father -talked enough to her, he did not throw away -too many words, even upon her: but Lucy was -used to his way, and did not mind it, for she -knew he loved her dearly.</p> - -<p>“There are,” she insisted. “One of them -let me take her doll, and it can turn its head; -and she let me do it, and move its arms too. -And another one was kind to me when some -other children said bad things to me. There -they are, father: don’t you see them?” and -she pointed to where Maggie and Bessie were -sitting, with their father and mother.</p> - -<p>“Thought so,” said Waters, who was not -really surly, but only silent and unsociable.</p> - -<p>“Why how, father! Did you know about -it?”</p> - -<p>“No,” replied her father, “but thought like<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span> -enough it was them when you said some spoke -nice to you. Seem like kindly, loving, little -souls.”</p> - -<p>“There are two more nice ones, that play -with ’em,” said Lucy.</p> - -<p>“Humph!” said Waters again, “one of ’em -is a saucy mischief, I guess.”</p> - -<p>“Oh!” said Lucy, “I know which one -you mean. They call her Lily. I didn’t like -her so much at first; but I do now, ’cause she -slapped a boy’s face who said hateful things -to me.”</p> - -<p>If Lucy imagined her father would ask what -the boy had said, she was mistaken; for he -smoked away without a word more. But the -memory of her wrongs was too great to be -borne in silence, and presently she said,—</p> - -<p>“Are not my clothes very nice, father?”</p> - -<p>“Nice as I can afford, anyhow,” he answered -without taking his pipe from his lips.</p> - -<p>“I told that boy and his sisters they were -as nice as anybody’s,” said Lucy; “but maybe -they’re not.” And taking off her bonnet, she<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span> -turned it round and round, eying it rather -mournfully. “I don’t think this kind of a hat -is so nice as those little girls’, father; nor -this long apron so nice as their short frocks. -I wonder if I couldn’t make ’em look better, -so folks wouldn’t laugh at me.”</p> - -<p>Now, I think Waters was somewhat mistaken -when he said Lucy’s clothes were as nice -as he could afford. He had good wages, and -his little girl did not want for what was necessary -to make her neat and comfortable: but -he did not know how to dress her; and the -enormous shaker bonnet, which would have -fitted a grown woman; and long, scant apron -which came to her feet,—cost no less, perhaps -more, than the short frock and round straw -hat, which would have been more convenient -and suitable for a girl of her age.</p> - -<p>Poor Lucy knew she looked very different -from most children of her own size; but, although -she kept herself very tidy, she did not -see how she was to remedy this difficulty. She -was a funny little figure, certainly: more so than<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span> -she was aware of; but it had never troubled -her much until this afternoon, when some -rude but well-dressed boys and girls, who -would have been very indignant if they had -been told they were not half so well-bred and -polite as the engineer’s little daughter, had -annoyed her very much.</p> - -<p>Maggie and Bessie had noticed these children, -but, seeing how rough and boisterous -they were, had rather avoided them. But -that afternoon, while they, with Belle and -Lily, were talking to Lucy, and asking her -some questions about her homeless, seafaring -life, these boys and girls came up to them.</p> - -<p>Not having at that moment any dispute to -settle among themselves, they were ready to -band together against any one else; and Lucy -presented a tempting mark for attack.</p> - -<p>“Ho! you seem to have picked up a fine -acquaintance there!” said Arthur Lathrop, the -eldest of the brothers.</p> - -<p>“She is dressed in the last fashion,” said -Charlotte, his sister, with a scornful look at -Lucy.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Quite the style,” joined in the other boy. -“You brought your bonnet from the Paris -Exposition: did you not, ma’am?”</p> - -<p>Poor Lucy had not the least idea what the -Paris Exposition was; but she knew very well -that these unkind children were making fun -of her, and she drew back with a hurt and -angry look.</p> - -<p>“Couldn’t you give my sisters the pattern -of that lovely bonnet?” said Arthur.</p> - -<p>“And of that outside toggery too,” said -William, “whatever its name is. Not being -used to such an elegant style of dress, I don’t -know what to call it.”</p> - -<p>“You ought to be ashamed to talk so,” said -Bessie, indignantly. “She’s a nice, good, little -girl, who tries to be a help to every one; and -if her clothes are not so very pretty, she can’t -help it. It is better to have good clothes and -be bad, than to have bad clothes and be good,” -added the little girl, saying just the opposite -of what she intended.</p> - -<p>But no one noticed her mistake. The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span> -Lathrops were all too intent on their victim, -the other little ones too full of sympathy and -indignation, to pay much heed to a choice of -words.</p> - -<p>“Well,” returned William, provokingly, -“don’t we say she is the most stylish, fashionable -young lady we have seen this long time. -For me, I am struck dumb with admiration.”</p> - -<p>“To be sure,” said Charlotte, “didn’t you -say that bonnet was the latest fashion from -the Exposition?”</p> - -<p>“Or from Noah’s ark: which is it? Pray -tell us, miss,” put in Arthur with a loud laugh.</p> - -<p>“Let her be, you bad boys,” said Belle.</p> - -<p>“She looks a great deal nicer than any of -you,” said Lily, too anxious to take up Lucy’s -defence to think of the exact truth of her -statement.</p> - -<p>“Oh! of course, of course,” retorted Arthur. -“She is quite a model. I propose we -all ask our mothers to buy us just such -clothes. Don’t leave us, Miss Elegance;” and -he caught hold of poor Lucy, who had turned -to run away.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Let her be,” said Lily.</p> - -<p>“You’re very ungrateful,” said Maggie. -“This morning when you called the stewardess, -I saw Lucy run very quick to call her. -You ought to be ashamed all of you. You’re -as bad as the Elisha children in the Bible, -that were eaten up.”</p> - -<p>“Are you going to let her go?” asked -Lily, with a threatening shake of her head -at the young tyrant, who still held Lucy fast.</p> - -<p>“As soon as she tells us how many hundred -dollars she paid for this love of a bonnet,” -said Arthur, tossing off the unlucky -shaker with a jerk of his thumb and finger.</p> - -<p>Without another word, Lily reached up her -small hand, and gave the big boy a sounding -slap upon his cheek. In his surprise, he -loosed his hold of Lucy, who quickly snatched -up her bonnet, and made good her escape.</p> - -<p>Arthur turned fiercely upon Lily; but she -stood her ground, and not exactly caring, -bully though he was, to strike back at a girl -so much smaller than himself, he contented<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span> -himself with catching her still uplifted hand -in his, and saying,—</p> - -<p>“How dare you do that?”</p> - -<p>“’Cause you deserved it,” said Lily, sternly.</p> - -<p>“And I’ve a good mind to give you another,” -said Belle.</p> - -<p>“Children! Children!” said Mr. Powers, -who had seen from a distance that trouble -was threatening, and had come to prevent it. -“What is the matter here? Quarrelling and -striking?”</p> - -<p>“I’m striking,” said Lily, rather proud of -having given a blow in what she considered -a just cause; “but I’m not quarrelling, sir.”</p> - -<p>“No, papa,” said Belle. “We’re not quarrelling: -it’s only those bad, mean ones;” and -she pointed at the Lathrops with as much -scorn in her tone and manner as they had -used towards Lucy.</p> - -<p>But these children, knowing right well that -their share in the dispute was by far the worst, -did not choose to face Mr. Powers’s inquiries, -and now scattered in all directions.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Striking and calling names look a good deal -like quarrelling,” said Mr. Powers, smiling.</p> - -<p>“But we had to take Lucy’s side, papa,” -said Belle; and neither she nor Lily was to be -persuaded that it was not right for the latter -to strike a blow in Lucy’s defence. Indeed, -Maggie and Bessie were rather inclined to -hold the same opinion, and all four were quite -excited over Lucy’s wrongs.</p> - -<p>While Lucy was telling her father the story, -they were talking it over among themselves; -and knowing, in spite of their sympathy, that -she presented rather a comical figure, were -trying to think of some means by which they -might help her to dress herself more like -other children. But they did not see exactly -how it was to be done, nor did Mrs. Bradford -when they consulted her.</p> - -<p>“I fear it would not do to offer Lucy -clothes, my darlings,” she said:<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span> “those she -wears, though odd-looking, are good and -comfortable; and her father might be offended -if we offered her any thing which seemed like -charity, or let him know that we do not think -her properly dressed.”</p> - -<p>“Mamma,” said Bessie, gravely, “do you -think a thing is comfortable when it makes a -child laughed at?”</p> - -<p>“Well, no, dear, perhaps not,” answered -Mrs. Bradford, smiling, “and I am very sorry -for Lucy. Mrs. Norris and I were saying -this morning that we wished we might tell -the poor child how to make herself look less -like a little old woman, but we thought it -would not do to interfere.”</p> - -<p>“I’d wish somebody would interfere if it -was me,” said Maggie. “It must be most <em>too</em> -much to have a father who won’t talk, and -who has such very bad taste.”</p> - -<p>This was said with so much emphasis, and -with such a long-drawn sigh at the end, as if -the mere thought of such misfortune were almost -too much for Maggie, that every one -laughed.</p> - -<p>Bessie had less to say about Lucy’s troubles -than any of the others; but she thought more<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span> -of them: for we know how sensitive she herself -was to ridicule, and she could not bear to -think that Lucy might have to undergo the -same trial again.</p> - -<p>“Mamma,” she said, coming to her mother’s -side that evening, “there are Lucy and her -father sitting at the head of those steps, and -she is showing him those queer dressing-gown -frocks of hers. Could I go and speak to -them?”</p> - -<p>Mrs. Bradford turned to see if it was a proper -place for Bessie to go to, and then gave her -permission, thinking that her little girl might -possibly see some way to help Lucy, and trusting -to her good sense and kind heart not to say -any thing that might give offence.</p> - -<p>“Maybe they’re not just the right shape,” -said the engineer, as Bessie came near; “but I -don’t know how you are to better them;” and -he turned over and over the two frocks, just -like the one Lucy had on, which lay across his -knee. “Maybe Dorothy would show you.”</p> - -<p>“I don’t like to ask her,” said Lucy; or<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span> -Dorothy the stewardess, was rather sharp and -short with her.</p> - -<p>Bessie came close.</p> - -<p>“Would you be offended if some one tried -to be kind to Lucy?” she asked, seizing her -opportunity.</p> - -<p>She was quite surprised to see how pleasantly -Waters smiled as he answered,—</p> - -<p>“Not I. Those that are friends to my Lucy -are friends to me.”</p> - -<p>“Some children laughed at her,” said Bessie, -wishing to put the case as gently as she -could.</p> - -<p>The engineer frowned and nodded.</p> - -<p>“I told him,” said Lucy.</p> - -<p>“There’s no excuse for them,” continued -Bessie, looking out over the waters as if she -were talking more to herself than to the man, -“but perhaps they would not have done it, if—if—if -Lucy’s clothes were—were a little -prettier.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span></p> - -<p>“And I’ll warrant if your power was as -good as your will, you’d make them prettier -for her,” answered the engineer. “You’re a -kind little lady. Lucy was just asking me if -I could tell her how to fix up her things a bit; -but I don’t know. Old Mrs. Sims, who does -her washing and sewing, she bought them, -and I didn’t see but they were all right; but -now Lucy says they’re not, and she can’t do -’em over.”</p> - -<p>Lucy stood listening in amazement to this -unusually long speech from her father, who -was very rarely so sociable with any one as he -now was with Bessie.</p> - -<p>“But you wouldn’t mind if mamma was to -try and help her, would you?” Bessie asked -in a coaxing voice.</p> - -<p>“Mind!” said the engineer, “I’d be only -too thankful, and so would my Lucy; but such -a lady as your mamma doesn’t want to bother -with a little stranger girl.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, yes, she does!” said Bessie, eagerly, -“and mamma don’t think it a bit of bother if -she can do a kind thing for some one; and -she said she would like to fix Lucy up, ’cause<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span> -she was such a nice, tidy child. Come and -show her these, Lucy;” and without waiting for -more words, she snatched up one gown, and -taking Lucy by the hand drew her after her, -telling her to bring the other two with her.</p> - -<p>Lucy obeyed rather timidly; but the kind -manner and words of the two ladies, Mrs. -Bradford and Mrs. Norris, soon put her at her -ease, and she became deeply interested in the -plans for putting what Bessie called “the -dressing-gown” frocks into proper shape.</p> - -<p>There were four of them, all alike, of a -good but dull gingham, without the least shape -or fit, save what was given by a string about -the waist; very long and scant,—so scant, -that the ladies decided it would take two to -make one suitable frock. Lucy asked and -readily obtained leave from her father for this; -and Mrs. Bradford allowed the four little girls -to begin the work that very night by ripping -apart the seams.</p> - -<p>She and Mrs. Norris went to work also -that evening; and when the steamer came<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span> -into port the following night, Lucy was made -happy by having one dress made in a manner -proper for a girl of her age; and knowing that -the second was surely promised to her by Mrs. -Bradford. Belle presented her with “the doll -of moderation,” which she had brought with -her, she and her young friends having concluded -to keep their money for another purpose -instead of buying a new one.</p> - -<p>The day on which the vessel started on her -return voyage, Mr. Bradford and Mr. Powers -drove down with their little daughters and -Lily Norris; and the children brought Lucy -not only her own gingham frock, but also two -others, of bright, simple calico, all nicely made -up; and a straw hat with a blue ribbon upon it. -These were all their own presents, bought with -their own money, only the making having been -paid for by their mammas; so that the engineer -could find no fault with the kindness done -to his little girl by these thoughtful young -strangers.</p> - -<p>Lucy was contented beyond measure with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span> -her new clothes; but no words could do justice -to her satisfaction and pleasure in her doll. -What a treasure it was! What a delight in -her rather lonely little life! She talked to it, -and caressed it, slept with it in her arms at -night, kissed it the first thing in the morning, -dressed and undressed it, and learned to use -her needle in fashioning clothes for it. Her father -might be too busy to attend to her; Dorothy -might snub her; fretful, impatient passengers -send her hither and thither till she was ready -to drop from fatigue,—she had one solace and -delight that repaid her for all: the recollection -of that little china head, and the staring, blue -eyes which lay upon the pillow in her berth, -the kisses which she would run and snatch -now and then, till her time was her own once -more, and she could pet and nurse her little -treasure to her heart’s content.</p> - -<p>And so our four little travellers have begun -their journey with a kind deed which brought -pleasure and comfort, such as they did not -dream of, into this poor, craving, young heart,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span> -which had had so little to feed upon; and went -upon their way followed by blessings and grateful, -happy memories.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 200px;"> - -<img src="images/footer-ch3-and-11.jpg" width="200" height="200" alt="(decorative)" /> - -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> - -<img src="images/header-ch4-and-12.jpg" width="500" height="100" alt="(decorative)" /> - -</div> - -<h2 id="IV">IV.<br /> -<span class="smaller"><i>AN OLD ENEMY BUT NEW FRIEND.</i></span></h2> - -<div> -<img class="dropcap" src="images/dropcap-i.jpg" width="100" height="100" alt="" /> -</div> - -<p class="dropcap">It was late at night when our travellers -reached Savannah, so late and so -dark that even quick-sighted, wide-awake -Maggie could see nothing about her as -they rode to the hotel, save the twinkling -street-lamps; and she was as ready as the -other children to be put to bed at once and -postpone all questions and sight-seeing until -the morning.</p> - -<p>But you need not fear I am going to trouble -you with a long description of the beautiful, -quaint, old city, with its numberless green -squares which make it so bright and airy; its -broad avenues planted with three rows of trees, -so tall and wide-spread that their branches -have laced overhead, making lovely, leafy<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span> -arches for one to pass beneath; its roses—such -roses! the like of which we do not see -in our colder northern climate; roses, which -with us are only bushes, growing there into -trees, or running into luxuriant vines which -clothe the fronts and sides of the old-fashioned -houses, covered with a profusion of blossoms, -and filling the air with their delicious fragrance. -They were just in the perfection of -their glory when our friends arrived, and it -would be impossible to tell the delight Bessie -took in them. Her love of flowers here had -full enjoyment in these her favorites. Morning, -noon, and night, she was seen with her -little hands filled with roses,—for the family -were kept well supplied, thanks to the graceful -southern fashion of sending flowers to all newcomers -and strangers; they were twisted -among her curls and worn in her bosom, laid -beside her plate at meals, and she would even -have slept with them on her pillow, if mamma -would have allowed it.</p> - -<p>She made a pretty picture as she sat upon<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span> -the staircase of the —— House, the day after -their arrival, her lap full of red, white, and -yellow roses, which she was arranging with -no small taste and daintiness into bouquets -for her people.</p> - -<p>Three pair of eyes were watching her,—those -of a grave-looking gentleman, who stood -at the foot of the stairs; and those of Arthur -and Charlotte Lathrop, who were peering -at her over the banisters from above. But -Bessie noticed neither until Arthur called her -attention by making a sound like a snarling -dog. Bessie started and looked up, then went -on with her work in silence.</p> - -<p>“I say,” said Arthur, “are you making a -wreath of roses for that old Mother Hubbard -you took such a fancy to on board the steamer?”</p> - -<p>Bessie made no answer.</p> - -<p>“Why don’t you speak when you’re spoken -to?” said Arthur. “Did you give your tongue -to Mother Hubbard?”</p> - -<p>“When I’m talked to politely, I always do -speak,” said the little girl.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 450px;"> - -<img src="images/illus2.jpg" width="450" height="650" alt="Bessie sitting on the stairs arranging her bouquets" /> - -<p class="caption">Bessie’s Travels. <a href="#Page_82">p. 82.</a></p> - -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Oh! and we’re not polite enough to suit -you, I suppose,” said Arthur, sneeringly.</p> - -<p>“’Tis only engineers’ daughters and the -like who are fit company for her,” joined in -Charlotte.</p> - -<p>“We might go and take lessons from -Mother Hubbard, and then perhaps she’d like -us better,” said Arthur. “I say, Miss Bradford, -what school did you learn your manners -in, that you don’t speak when you’re spoken -to?”</p> - -<p>Bessie remained silent again.</p> - -<p>“Do you hear?” shouted Arthur.</p> - -<p>“Once I heard of a school where they only -paid two cents for learning manners,” said -Bessie, demurely.</p> - -<p>“What then?” asked Arthur.</p> - -<p>“I should think that was the kind of a -school you had been to,” answered Bessie.</p> - -<p>“And why, I’d like to know?”</p> - -<p>“’Cause I shouldn’t think they could teach -much manners for two cents.”</p> - -<p>Arthur was a clever boy with a quick sense<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span> -of humor; and he was so struck with what -he considered the wit and smartness of the -retort, that he forgot to be angry, and, instead -of making a sharp answer, broke out into a -hearty laugh.</p> - -<p>“Pretty good that!” he said. “You’ll do -yet.”</p> - -<p>“Pretty good, and pretty well deserved too, -my lad,” said the gentleman, who had been -standing below, coming up the stairs. “See -here, Clara, here is the Queen of the Fairies, -I believe,” and he turned around to a lady -who ran lightly up behind him.</p> - -<p>“Queen of the Fairies, indeed,” said the -lady, with a laughing look at the little figure -before her, in its white dress and shining hair, -and lap covered with brilliant flowers: “or -Queen of the”—What she would have -said was lost, for after a pause of astonishment -she exclaimed, “Why! it is—yes, it -is Bessie Bradford—dear little Bessie!”</p> - -<p>And regardless of her muslin dress with -its fluted flounces and ruffles, down went the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span> -lady on the stairs before Bessie; and, greatly -to her surprise, the little girl found herself -held fast in the embrace of a supposed -stranger.</p> - -<p>But it was no stranger, as she found when -she could free herself a little from that tight -clasp, and look in the lady’s face.</p> - -<p>“Don’t you know me, Bessie?” asked the -lady.</p> - -<p>“Why! it’s Miss Adams!” cried Bessie, -in as great amazement as the new-comer -herself.</p> - -<p>“And you are a little glad to see me, are -you not?” asked the lady, seeing with pleasure -the smile and glow on Bessie’s face.</p> - -<p>“Not a <em>little</em>, but very, Miss Adams,” she -replied. “I was very interested about you, -and always thought I’d like to see you again -after I heard you’d”—here she hesitated -for a word.</p> - -<p>“Well,” said the lady.</p> - -<p>“I can’t think of the word,” said Bessie.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[86]</a></span> -“Oh, yes! reformed, that’s it,—after you’d -reformed. You know you wrote and told us -about it yourself.”</p> - -<p>At this “Miss Adams” went off into a fit -of laughter, which sounded very natural to -Bessie’s ears; and yet there was a difference -in that and in her manner from those of the -old days at Quam Beach; something softer -and more gentle; “more as if she remembered -to be a lady, mamma,” Bessie said -afterwards.</p> - -<p>The gentleman smiled too.</p> - -<p>“Her words are to the point when she does -find them,” he said.</p> - -<p>“They always were,” said the lady, giving -Bessie another kiss. “Bessie, this is the -gentleman I found to make me ‘behave myself.’ -I hope you’ll find the ‘kitchen lady’ -improved under his teaching.”</p> - -<p>Bessie colored all over face and neck.</p> - -<p>“Oh! please don’t,” she said.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[87]</a></span> “I’m so -sorry I said that; but I was such a little child -then, I didn’t know any better. I wouldn’t -say such a saucy thing now for a great deal.”</p> - -<p>“You need not be sorry about it, Bessie: -I am not.”</p> - -<p>“Please don’t speak about it any more, -ma’am,” pleaded the child. “Couldn’t you -let bygones be bygones?”</p> - -<p>“What do you mean by ‘bygones’?” -asked the gentleman.</p> - -<p>“I thought it meant, sir,” said Bessie, -modestly, “when a person had done something -they were sorry for, not to say any thing -more about it.”</p> - -<p>“Very well,” said the lady, still smiling. -“It shall be so, if you wish it, Bessie. And -now tell me how your mamma and Maggie -and all the rest are.”</p> - -<p>“Oh! they are all very well, except mamma, -and she is better, and we are travelling to do -her good; and a great many things happened -to us, Miss Adams, since you knew us before.”</p> - -<p>“I don’t think it has ‘happened’ to you to -grow much,” said the lady.</p> - -<p>“Oh, yes’m!” answered Bessie.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[88]</a></span> “I used -to be five, and now I’m seven; and I’ve been -to school too. We’ve all grown pretty old. -Baby can walk and talk now.”</p> - -<p>“And how do you like my doctor?” asked -“Miss Adams,” as Bessie still called her, -glancing round at the gentleman who stood -beside her.</p> - -<p>Bessie looked up at him, and he looked -down at her, and when their eyes met, both -smiled.</p> - -<p>“I like him: he looks good and nice;” and -the little girl, who had already twisted a rose -or two into the bosom of the lady’s dress, -now handed two or three to the doctor in -her own graceful, gracious little way.</p> - -<p>“What are you going to do with all those -bouquets you have tied up so tastily?” asked -Dr. Gordon.</p> - -<p>Bessie told him whom they were for.</p> - -<p>“And who is this for?” asked Mrs. Gordon,—for -so she told Bessie to call her,—pointing -to that which the small fingers were now arranging.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span></p> - -<p>“It’s for a little girl down at the steamer, -who is rather hard off, and does not have a -nice time, and has extremely ugly clothes,” -answered Bessie. “But then if they are the -best she has, and she has no mother, no one -ought to laugh at her: ought they?”</p> - -<p>“Certainly not: who was so unkind?” -asked Mrs. Gordon.</p> - -<p>“Some children who didn’t behave half so -nice as she did, ma’am.”</p> - -<p>“Ah!” said the doctor; “and was that boy -you were talking to just now one of them?”</p> - -<p>“Why, yes, sir,” said Bessie, with some -hesitation. “But how did you know it?”</p> - -<p>“Oh! I am a good guesser,” answered Dr. -Gordon.</p> - -<p>“I don’t know if I ought to have said that -to him,” said Bessie, thoughtfully. “I b’lieve -I was pretty severe.”</p> - -<p>At this Mrs. Gordon went off into another -fit of laughter; and the doctor smiled as he -answered,—</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span></p> - -<p>“It was pretty severe, it is true, Bessie; -but not more so than he deserved, especially -if he had been teasing some poor child who -could not defend herself.”</p> - -<p>Bessie colored, and answered, “But I’m -afraid I did it more ’cause I was angry for -his being impolite to me than for his teasing -Lucy.”</p> - -<p>“But tell us all about it; and did you say -the child had no mother?” said Mrs. Gordon.</p> - -<p>In reply, Bessie told all she knew about -Lucy, omitting, however, to give any account -of the unkindness of Arthur Lathrop and his -brother and sisters to the poor child. This -was noticed by both Dr. and Mrs. Gordon, -but they pressed her no farther, seeing she -did not wish to speak of it.</p> - -<p>“There’s another will be glad to come,” -said Mrs. Gordon, eagerly, to her husband. -“That will make five. You’ll see this engineer -and speak to him about it: won’t you, -Aleck?”</p> - -<p>“All in good time, dear,” he answered -quietly.</p> - -<p>Five what? Bessie wondered; and where<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span> -would Lucy be glad to come? But as she -supposed they would tell her if they wished -her to know, she asked no questions.</p> - -<p>But her curiosity was not gratified just -then, for the doctor now said to his wife,—</p> - -<p>“Come, Clara, we are keeping our friends -waiting. You must tell little Bessie about -your plans some other time.”</p> - -<p>“Yes,” said Mrs. Gordon. “We have to -go to a sick friend here in the house, Bessie; -but I shall come to call on your mamma to-morrow, -and then I shall see you again and -ask her to let you come to me; for I have -something to tell you, in which I think you -will be interested.”</p> - -<p>“Don’t you live here, ma’am?” asked -Bessie.</p> - -<p>“Here? yes, here in Savannah, but not in -the hotel; and I want you to come to my -house. By the way, where is Maggie? I -thought you were always together.”</p> - -<p>“Most always,” said Bessie;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span> “but Maggie -and the other children went with Mr. Powers -and papa to see a cotton-press; and mamma -thought I was too tired, so I told Maggie she -need not mind leaving me. And now I am -glad I did not go.”</p> - -<p>“And I am sure I am glad,” said Mrs. Gordon, -as she kissed Bessie for good-by, and -once more told her she should be sure to see -her the next day, and would arrange with her -mamma the time when she and Maggie might -come and spend the day with her.</p> - -<p>Bessie was very anxious to know what Mrs. -Gordon could have to tell her which was to -interest her so much, and which seemed in -some way to concern Lucy Waters; but she -was a little doubtful regarding the prospect of -spending the whole day with her old enemy -“Miss Adams,” not feeling at all sure that she -would like it, or that she might not fall into -some trouble, in spite of the very evident and -pleasing change in that lady.</p> - -<p>Maggie was not at all doubtful, and positively -declared that she would not go on any -account; and she tried to persuade Bessie to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span> -join her in begging their mother to refuse -Mrs. Gordon’s invitation to them.</p> - -<p>“For Bessie,” she said, “you know a ‘bird -in the hand is worth two in the bush;’ and so, -even if Miss Adams is so much better than -she used to be, it is wiser to stay away from -her, and not give her the chance of being disagreeable -if she wanted to be.”</p> - -<p>Maggie had been much given to the use of -proverbs lately, as you will have perceived; -and if one could possibly be fitted to her purpose, -it was made to serve, as on this occasion.</p> - -<p>But Bessie did not feel as if they had any excuse -for refusing the invitation so kindly given, -nor did mamma when she was appealed to.</p> - -<p>“You certainly need not go if you do not -wish it, my darlings,” she said;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span> “but do you -think it likely, Maggie, that Mrs. Gordon -would invite you to her house, and then treat -you unkindly? She must be a good deal -changed, it seems to me; and would it not -look as if you were unforgiving, if you refuse -her kindness?”</p> - -<p>“Oh! I forgive her, mamma,” said Maggie, -“though it <em>was</em> my own Bessie she plagued so, -but then I thought her old habits might be too -strong for her, and break out again.”</p> - -<p>“You forgive, but don’t forget, eh, Maggie? -Suppose you were Mrs. Gordon, how would -you like Miss Adams’ faults to be treasured -up against you, and allowed to stand in the -way when you wished to show good-will and -kindness?”</p> - -<p>“I wouldn’t like it at all, mamma; and I -suppose it’s not very Golden Ruley for me to -say I won’t go; so, if she asks us, I’ll make up -my mind to it.”</p> - -<p>Mrs. Gordon came the next day, according -to promise, to call on Mrs. Bradford; and invited -not only Maggie and Bessie, but also -Belle and Lily, to spend the whole of Friday -with her, promising to call for them in the -morning and bring them back at night.</p> - -<p>But perhaps you will find it more interesting -to read Maggie’s own account of this visit, -which she wrote to Colonel Rush.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span></p> - -<div class="blockquote"> - -<p>“<span class="smcap">Dear Uncle Horace</span>,—Things are so -very surprising in this world that you never -quite know how they are going to turn out, of -which the case is at present, Miss Adams or -who was Miss Adams but now Mrs. Gordon -and you will remember her at Quam Beach but -under unpleasant circumstances to which we -will not refer but forget as well as forgive as -mamma reminded me. But you would be surprised -to see how much she is improved and -so different to what she used to be which was -greatly to be desired of all her friends and a -pleasure to all who wish her well. So seeing -she wished to make up for past offenses we -went to spend the day with her and she was -very horspitable. She came in her carriage -to take us to her house which is most handsome -with roses and flowers of many kinds of -which she brought mamma a whole lot at the -same time and invited all the big people to -dinner the next day. I think all this shows -she repents sincerely and is not the same -woman but much changed and ought to be encouraged<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span> -to keep on doing well. She has a -nice husband named Dr. Gordon, but sober -which is not his own fault if he was born so -and I pity him. And a sweet baby boy named -Aleck and crows and laughs with pleasure at -us. But I hope by no means you think we -think him so sweet as May Bessie which he -is not and May Bessie is so near to us, which -also he is not and we love her far the best. -Miss Adams was very kind to us all day, indeed -quite fond but most of all to Bessie, and -she played with us and amused us and I was -glad I did not let the devil which is a word -that is not best to write unless it is necessary -get the upper hand and make me stay away -out of revenge or being shy.</p> - -<p>“But the most surprising and best thing of -all, Uncle Horace is what she is going to do -with some of her money. You know in those -days of which we will not speak she had a -great deal more than she knew what to do -with. Well, now she has found a good use for -some of it in a way well pleasing to God and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span> -men. But I am too tired to write more to-day -and will finish it to-morrow—Well, to return -on this day to Miss Adams and her good works -which shows she has read her Bible which -urges to repentance of sins and prophets by it -which is a sight to make the coldest heart to -rejoice. She has a house not very far from -her own where she lives and she is going to -have six little girls there in the care of a nice, -kind lady. And these little girls are not to be -happy children with mothers to take care of -them, but orfuns or without mothers or teaching -or training in the way they should go. -For Miss Adams says she knows what it is to -be without a mother or some wise person to -guide her, and now that God has been so good -to her she wants to give a helping hand to -some little girls who would be left too much to -themselves and not properly taught. She does -not mean to have very poor children, and if -their friends wish it they may pay a little -money for them but the contrary if they do -not, and prefer charity though she does not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span> -think it such and would like them to come -without any pay. And here they will have a -happy home and be taught to be desirable -women fit for teachers or other good things -and so it will be their own fault if they don’t -do it. And she has chosen four girls who are -to come in the fall when Miss Adams comes -back from the north because things cannot be -quite ready till then, as the lady has a sailor -son who is to go to sea which I think a hard -case for his friends to have him leave his native -land. And then the house will be ready -and the lady will go and the children will -come and Miss Adams is going to see if Lucy -Waters’ father who you know I told you -about in my last will let her come too. I -think if he does not he will be much wanting -in sence and proper behaviour, but I think he -will dont you? Miss Adams, Mrs. Gordon I -mean but I always forget to put her wedding -name says she feels so sorry for all little -motherless girls, and I am glad of it are not -you? And so is Bessie and we think the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span> -reason Miss Adams takes so much trouble for -these little girls is because she is afraid that -if they do not have good care they may grow -up to be such women as she used to be when -we knew her before but which is not to be -mentioned in these pages and now she is quite -ashamed of it. We cannot tell just yet if -Lucy’s father will let her come, but papa and -the doctor are going to the steamer this evening -to ask him and when we know Bessie will -write and tell you all about it. And Bessie -and I have quite made up our minds to take -Miss Adams for one of our friends because we -find her most sencible and kind and so changed -from her old ways which we will not remember -if we can help it.</p> - -<p>“And dear Uncle Horace and Aunt May we -wish you were here ’cause we are having such -a nice time and I wrote such a long letter I -am afraid you will be tired of it but such an -interesting subject my brains were quite full -and I had to and you must excuse it. We -send two kisses for May Bessie and four for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[100]</a></span> -you and hope to see you once more in the -future when we come home. And we send a -great deal of love from your loving</p> - -<p class="right">“<span class="smcap">Maggie and Bessie.</span>”</p> - -<p>“P. S. Savannah is such a fine city and so -many trees and roses that it seems strange to -me that Alexander the Great and Napoleon -Bonaparte did not try to take it, being both -men who never minded their own business -but always trying to take what did not belong -to them, speshally the latter whom in my -heart I heartily despise because he never did -as he would be done by.”</p> - -</div> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 200px;"> - -<img src="images/footer-ch4-and-12.jpg" width="200" height="200" alt="(decorative)" /> - -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[101]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> - -<img src="images/header-ch5.jpg" width="500" height="100" alt="(decorative)" /> - -</div> - -<h2 id="V">V.<br /> -<span class="smaller"><i>BELLE’S HOME.</i></span></h2> - -<div> -<img class="dropcap" src="images/dropcap-y.jpg" width="100" height="100" alt="" /> -</div> - -<p class="dropcap">You may be sure there was not much -trouble in gaining the consent of -Lucy’s father to the plan proposed -for her welfare. He was only too glad and -thankful to feel that his motherless little -daughter would be placed where she would -have a kind and prudent eye to oversee and -guide her; and where she would have the -opportunity of growing up into a useful and -steady woman. This he knew she could not -do in the unsettled life she now led on board -ship with him, and he had long been considering -what he should do with her.</p> - -<p>Lucy, though thankful, was not as much -pleased, and shed some bitter tears over the -prospect. The poor child wanted to learn,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[102]</a></span> -and was glad to have a settled home; but she -dreaded the thought of parting from her father, -who would only be able to see her at such -times as his vessel should be at the port of -Savannah, and who was the only person whom -she had to love her. But, in a day or two -after, when she had seen Mrs. Gordon, and -heard her talk so kindly of all the pleasures -and comforts she would find in this promised -home, she became more reconciled to it, especially -as the autumn still seemed a long way -off to her, and she had all the summer to go -back and forth with her father on the sea.</p> - -<p>So she told her troubles to her doll; and the -steady, blue eyes, which never winked or softened, -brought comfort to her, and seemed to -give her the assurance that she need not be -parted from her, even to go to her new home. -If she had not had this beloved companion, it -would have gone much harder with poor little -Lucy.</p> - -<p>Our little girls did not see her again; but -last autumn, when they were settled once<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span> -more in their city home, after all their summer -wanderings, Mrs. Gordon wrote to them, saying -that Lucy was quite contented and happy -under her care; and that she was a very good -child, being trustworthy and obedient, and -showing a great desire to learn.</p> - -<p>So there we will leave her, hoping that she -will, as Maggie says, “prophet by all that is -done for her and make a useful and happy -woman.” The doll went with her; and all the -other toys and amusements which were provided -for her never made her tired or forgetful -of this, her first love, or of the dear little -girls who had taken so much interest in her.</p> - -<p>Our party did not remain long in Savannah, -for the weather was becoming warm and oppressive; -but before they went away, they all -spent a day on Mr. Powers’ plantation.</p> - -<p>This was several miles from the city; and -starting in the morning, soon after breakfast, -they drove out in the cool of the day. Their -way lay through dense pine woods; tall, stately -pines, with long, straight trunks; shooting<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[104]</a></span> -upwards, without leaf or branch, for many a -foot, till they neared their height, when they -put forth their dark-green crowns, which cast -such a sombre shade below. The shade was -no objection on this warm day, and a light -breeze was stirring, which was very refreshing; -but it sounded rather mournful to Maggie and -Bessie, as it moaned through the mighty stems, -and rustled the thick, fragrant leaves overhead. -It has a strange, peculiar sound, the wind in -those dark, pine forests of the South,—a sound -rather saddening to any listener.</p> - -<p>Maggie did not like it at all, and said so, -which rather displeased Belle, who, in her delight -at returning to her beloved Southern -home, found every thing there perfect. However, -as they drove on, both Maggie and Bessie -spied out so many objects which called forth -their surprise and admiration, that she was -presently consoled, and concluded that they -“liked her own country pretty well, after all.”</p> - -<p>Here and there was a magnolia with its -magnificent cream-white blossoms, their delicious<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[105]</a></span> -perfume mingling with the fragrance of -the pines; there a group of scarlet cardinal -flowers, or a little pool bordered with bright -blue flags and spotted tiger-lilies; while -through the deep stillness of the woods came -the sweet notes of the blue-jay and mocking-bird. -Once, as they were passing over a -bridge which crossed a marsh, Maggie called -the attention of the others to two turtles, great -big fellows, larger than any the children had -ever seen at the North; “swamp turtles” -Belle said they were. They scuttled out of -the way in their clumsy fashion, diving out of -sight into the mud; and Bessie said she -thought they must be some of the unclean -animals spoken of in the Bible, since they -liked to live in such a dirty place.</p> - -<p>The entrance to the plantation was through -an avenue of magnificent live-oaks, some of -them so large that two or three men could not -have encircled them with their outstretched -arms; and these splendid trees were studded -all over the lawn, spreading far and wide their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span> -branches, which, unlike their neighbors the -pines, they sent out very low,—so near the -ground in fact, that even Bessie could reach -the gray Spanish moss which hung over them -in long festoons and wreaths. The children -had seen this curious moss before in the beautiful -old cemetery of Bonaventure, where the -oaks are perfectly clothed with it; and Bessie -had admired it so much, that Maggie had taken -up the idea of carrying home enough to make -“a bower” for her in their own little room. -But she thought it best to gain the consent of -her father and mother to this arrangement; -not only because it was right, but also because -nurse was rather apt to call such things “truck -and trash,” and to put them out of the way as -fast as possible. If papa and mamma said they -might have it, nurse might <em>call</em> it what she -pleased, but she could not throw it away.</p> - -<p>Mr. Powers stood awaiting them on the -steps of the veranda, for he had been at the -plantation for three or four days, while Belle -and Daphne had been left in Mrs. Bradfor<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[107]</a></span>d’s -charge at the hotel; for he did not think it -best for Belle to sleep on the plantation at that -time of the year.</p> - -<p>She shrieked with delight when she saw -him; and, in her hurry to reach him, had -nearly thrown herself from Daphne’s lap underneath -the carriage-wheels. There would -have been an end to the day’s pleasure then; -but Daphne’s hand grasped her skirts, and -saved her from a terrible death.</p> - -<p>As it was, the whole party were startled; -and her father’s face had lost its smile of welcome, -and looked rather pale as he came down -the steps and took her in his arms.</p> - -<p>“My pet!” he said, “always in too much -of a hurry. This would have been a sad meeting -for papa, if you had fallen; but a good God -took care of you for me.”</p> - -<p>Belle clung about his neck and did not -speak; for whether it were the fright, or the -sight of her father, or the return to the old -home which she had left at such a sad time, or -perhaps all three, her feelings took a sudden<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[108]</a></span> -turn, and when Mr. Powers had brought his -friends in and welcomed them, and raised the -little face to kiss it again, he found it drowned -in tears.</p> - -<p>“Why! my darling,” he said, “were you -so frightened?”</p> - -<p>“I don’t know, papa,” sobbed the excitable -little thing; “but, this is home—only—only—mamma -is not in it.”</p> - -<p>Tears, or something very like them, came to -the eyes of all, even of Mr. and Mrs. Norris, -who had never known Belle’s dead mother; -and Mr. Powers turned hastily away, and -stepped with her out on the veranda.</p> - -<p>“<em>Only</em> mamma was not in it!” Ah, yes! that -was the <em>only</em> that made all the difference in the -world, so that home did not seem like home -any longer.</p> - -<p>It was some few moments before either of -them were composed enough to return; and -when Mr. Powers came back he was alone, -and told Bessie that Belle wanted her to go to -her.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[109]</a></span></p> - -<p>Bessie went out upon the veranda, which -ran on all four sides of the house, and around -the corner she found Belle curled up on a -settee where her father had placed her. She -stretched out her arms to Bessie when she saw -her, saying,—</p> - -<p>“Bessie, I do remember mamma so much -in my home, and you are a comfit. You are -my next best comfit to papa, ever since the -first day you spoke to me in school.”</p> - -<p>This was a pleasant thing for Bessie to hear; -but she put aside her own pleasure for the -present, and thought only of being the “comfit” -her poor little friend called her. I wonder -if there was any one among all the people who -knew her, who could have said that our dear -Bessie was not more or less of a comfort to -them.</p> - -<p>Her sweet sympathy and gentle tenderness -soon did Belle good, and Bessie let her talk -on about her mother as long as she would.</p> - -<p>Belle had been very bright and cheerful -lately,—thanks to the friends with whom she<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[110]</a></span> -had been so much thrown,—and it was a good -while since she had had a fit of longing for -her mother; but the coming to her home had -brought her great loss back to her, and just -now she could think of nothing else.</p> - -<p>“Do you know where they put my mamma -before she went to heaven?” said Belle.</p> - -<p>“No. Where?” answered Bessie.</p> - -<p>“Do you see those high trees over there, -Bessie? They put her where little brother -and sister are, and ever so many grandpas and -grandmas.”</p> - -<p>“But they didn’t put her soul there,” said -Bessie.</p> - -<p>“No,” said Belle,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[111]</a></span> “’cause that was God’s -part, and it went to him. And then she -couldn’t speak or hear me or see me, but was -all deaded away; and so they put the rest of -her over there, and put a great many flowers -over her. But that was a long, long while -ago, before I went away to the North, and I -didn’t see where they put mamma this ever so -long. Maybe the flowers are all faded. Will -you come and see, Bessie?”</p> - -<p>“We must ask mamma or your papa first,” -said Bessie.</p> - -<p>“They would let us,” said Belle: “it’s a -very safe place. I used to often go there when -mamma was alive, to be by little brother and -sister, and she is there now. There couldn’t -any danger come to us where mamma is: -could there, Bessie?”</p> - -<p>“No: I guess not,” said Bessie. “I s’pose -mother-angels take care of their little children. -I’ll go with you, Belle dear, if you’re quite -sure your papa will let us.”</p> - -<p>“I know he would, Bessie; and I’d just as -lief ask him; only then Maggie and Lily will -come too. I’d like Maggie to come, but Lily -laughs so much. I love Lily; but I don’t want -any one to laugh where my mamma is dead.”</p> - -<p>“No,” said Bessie, with the most caressing -tenderness of tone and manner, “they shan’t; -and I’ll go, Belle.”</p> - -<p>With their arms about one another’s necks, -the two little things ran down the piazza steps, -and the shady path, through which Belle led<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[112]</a></span> -the way; but as they came near the small -burying-ground, their steps grew slow and more -reverent.</p> - -<p>It was an exquisite spot. An iron railing -enclosed it, but the rails were hidden by the -green vines which overran them, and within it -was beautifully sodded; the green broken -here and there by the white marble monuments -and slabs which marked the resting-place -of Belle’s relations. Flowers of the loveliest -kinds were blossoming over and around -them, and all showed the utmost care and loving -remembrance. Over the entrance was an -arch, also of white marble, and on the stone -were cut the words, “He giveth His beloved -sleep.”</p> - -<p>“How sweet it is!” exclaimed Bessie, struck -at once with the lovely quiet and peace of the -place; and then she looked up and spelled out -the letters on the arch.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[113]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Sleep! that was what mamma said: it was -only like a sleep if we loved Jesus and tried to -do what He wanted us to, and I think it must -mean Him when it says, ‘giveth His beloved -sleep.’ What dear words! are they not, -Belle?”</p> - -<p>“Yes,” said Belle, but without paying much -attention to what Bessie was saying, for her -eye had caught sight of a new object in the -enclosure.</p> - -<p>“See!” she went on, catching Bessie by the -arm: “there’s a stone there where they put -mamma;” and drawing Bessie with her, she -pushed open the light gate.</p> - -<p>It swung easily back, for it was unfastened. -There were none here to intrude, no one came -here who would not guard with the greatest -love and reverence the little spot sacred to -“His beloved.”</p> - -<p>“His beloved!” For of those who lay there, -not one but had closed their eyes in the full -faith that they should open them again upon -the brightness of His face. Truly that was -“God’s Acre.”</p> - -<p>The “stone” which had attracted Belle’s -attention was a shaft of pure white marble<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[114]</a></span> -upon her mother’s grave. The centre had been -cut away so as to leave four small arches, one -on each side, and beneath there was a cross, -with the letters “I. H. S.;” before that an -open Bible, with the words, “I will not leave -you comfortless.”</p> - -<p>The sculptor had done his work perfectly; -and the snowy marble showed in beautiful contrast -with the dark, glossy leaves of the bay -tree which spread its arms above it.</p> - -<p>“Papa put it there, I know he did,” said -Belle, after she and Bessie had stood looking -at it in silence for a moment or two.</p> - -<p>“Yes: I s’pose he did,” said Bessie: “let’s -see what these words are, Belle.”</p> - -<p>By standing on tiptoe, the little ones could -manage to see the letters carved upon the -book; and Bessie read them out as she had -done those over the gateway.</p> - -<p>“‘I will not leave you comfortless,’” Belle -repeated after her.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[115]</a></span> “Why! mamma said that -herself a little while before she went to heaven. -Maybe that was why papa put it there.”</p> - -<p>“And Jesus said it,” replied Bessie. “It’s -in the Bible, in a chapter I’ve heard very often. -Don’t you remember, Belle? It begins, ‘Let -not your heart be troubled;’ and Jesus said -it Himself. Perhaps the reason He told people -not to be troubled was He was going to -promise to comfort them when they had something -very bad to bear. It’s the best comfort -to know He loves you and will take you to -heaven to see your mamma some day: isn’t it, -Belle?”</p> - -<p>“He will if I’m good,” passing her little -hand slowly and caressingly over the marble; -“but then I’m not always good.”</p> - -<p>“No,” said Bessie, “not always; but mamma -said you was not near so spoiled as you used -to be. I think you’re pretty good now, Belle.”</p> - -<p>“I slapped Daphne’s face this morning,” -whispered Belle, remorsefully.</p> - -<p>“Oh! did you?” said Bessie.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[116]</a></span> “Well, Belle, -I used to slap people sometimes, even when I -had mamma to teach me better, and there was -no excuse for me.”</p> - -<p>“But my own mamma <em>did</em> teach me better, -Bessie. I slap Daphne pretty often, but she -never tells papa; and I promise myself I’ll -never do it again, and then I just do.”</p> - -<p>“Did you ever promise Jesus and ask Him -to help you not to do it?” asked Bessie.</p> - -<p>“No,” answered Belle. “I didn’t think of -it. I could do it now, couldn’t I?”</p> - -<p>“Yes,” said Bessie.</p> - -<p>They knelt down together side by side, and -Belle said in a soft but steady voice, for her -tears had now ceased,—</p> - -<p>“Dear Jesus, I promise not to slap Daphne -any more, or not to be naughty any more if -I can help it; and you will help me to be good. -Amen.”</p> - -<p>Then pressing her lips to the cold stone, as -if it were the warm, living cheek she had once -caressed, she said in a pleading, pathetic whisper,—</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[117]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Dear mamma, your little Belle will try to -be just as good as you would want her to be if -you were here wif her.”</p> - -<p>Will any doubt that the “mother-angel” -heard and rejoiced over the simple promise -uttered by her little one’s trusting lips?</p> - -<p>“Do you think it really makes Jesus glad -when I’m good?” asked Belle, when they had -risen from their knees.</p> - -<p>“Oh! to be sure it does,” answered Bessie.</p> - -<p>“And He <em>did</em> leave me some comfit: didn’t -He, Bessie? He left me papa, and He gave me -you and Maggie too; and your mamma is a -great comfit too.”</p> - -<p>“Mamma’s the best comfort of anybody,” -said Bessie.</p> - -<p>“Oh, no, Bessie! oh, no! Papa best—you -next.”</p> - -<p>Bessie did not contradict her, though she -thought it a very strange opinion for Belle to -hold, and was not at all convinced herself.</p> - -<p>“I wish papa was here to stay with me by -mamma a little while,” said Belle, presently.</p> - -<p>“Shall I go ask him to come?” asked Bessie.</p> - -<p>“Yes,” said Belle.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[118]</a></span> “Do you know the -way?”</p> - -<p>“Oh, yes! It’s right up that path, isn’t -it?”</p> - -<p>Then she kissed Belle and left her, turning -back as she passed through the gate, to look -at her little playmate sitting by her mother’s -grave and leaning her head pensively against -the monument. But Belle smiled as she met -Bessie’s eye, and the little girl felt that she -had not been left quite “comfortless.” Her -own heart was very full of love and sympathy.</p> - -<p>Bessie ran up the path till she was nearly -half way to the house, when she was brought -to a sudden stand-still by what she thought a -very alarming object. Just before her was a -large black dog, broad-chested, tall, and fierce-looking, -standing directly in the path, and -seeming as though he meant to dispute the -way.</p> - -<p>Bessie’s heart was in her mouth and her -knees shook; but she did not scream. She -looked at the dog and he looked at her, but he -did not bark or growl. Then she found her -voice, and tried what coaxing would do.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[119]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Nice doggie, nice little doggie,” she said -to the great creature. “Does little doggie -want Bessie to go away? Well, she will. But -then the good little fellow mustn’t bark at -Bessie and frighten her.”</p> - -<p>Bessie had an idea that her seeming enemy -could bite as well as bark if he saw fit occasion; -but she did not think it wisest to suggest -it to him.</p> - -<p>It must have been a hard-hearted dog, indeed, -which could have resisted that insinuating -voice and smile, and either bark or bite; -and this one did not seem inclined to do the -one or the other; but then neither did he seem -to intend to move out of the path, but stood -stock still gazing at his unwilling little companion.</p> - -<p>Seeing that he appeared peaceable, Bessie -took courage, and, edging off upon the grass, -went a few steps forward. But as she passed -the dog, he turned and placed himself before -her, though still without any show of attacking -her.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[120]</a></span></p> - -<p>Bessie was pretty well frightened; but she -began her wiles again, talking to him as she -would have done to Baby Annie or Flossy.</p> - -<p>“Poor fellow! nice doggie. Bessie wouldn’t -hurt little doggie for any thing. Doggie, doggie, -doggie! He’ll let Bessie go to the house, -won’t he? Don’t he want to go and see Belle -down there?”</p> - -<p>Now you must not think that Bessie wanted -to save herself by exposing her little friend; -for she knew that this must be Duke, the great -English blood-hound, of which Belle had often -spoken, saying how loving and good Duke -was to her, although he was fierce and unfriendly -with strangers.</p> - -<p>But no, all coaxing proved useless: the -dog stood his ground and would not suffer her -to pass, even giving a low growl and seizing -the skirt of her dress when she tried once -more to do so.</p> - -<p>Bessie was dreadfully frightened, and was -about to call aloud for help, when she saw Mr. -Powers coming towards her from the house.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[121]</a></span> -As he came down the path, a great snake glided -from beneath some low bushes on the other -side, passed swiftly over the narrow path, and -would have been out of sight in an instant, -had not the dog, suddenly all alert, bounded -forward, seized it by the back of the neck, and -giving it a violent shake, left it lying dead.</p> - -<p>“How is this, dear child?” said Mr. Powers, -looking from the dog and snake to the -child. “Old Ben told me he had seen you and -Belle going to the burying-ground. Where is -Belle?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, sir, we did,” answered Bessie; “and -Belle is there now, waiting for you to come to -her mamma’s grave. I was just coming to tell -you, and that dog stopped me. He’s a pretty -naughty dog; he wouldn’t let me go on, and -he killed the poor snake that did not do a bit -of harm, but was just running away as fast as -he could.”</p> - -<p>“Duke knew he would do harm if he but -found the chance, my child,” said Mr. Powers.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[122]</a></span> -“That is a very venomous snake, and the dog’s -care may have saved you from being badly -bitten. Good Duke! brave fellow!” and Mr. -Powers patted the dog’s head. “It is years -and years since we have seen a snake of this -kind upon the plantation, and I hope it may -be long before we see another. You and Belle -have each escaped a great danger this morning, -Bessie. I am glad too that old Duke was -not bitten.”</p> - -<p>Bessie was very grateful to Duke now, and -she too patted and caressed him. He seemed -to think himself, that he had performed a great -feat, as indeed he had; and kept looking up -at his master and thrusting his nose into his -hand as if to call for more thanks. Bessie’s -attentions he received more coolly, though he -permitted them.</p> - -<p>“Run up to the house now, you steady little -woman,” said Mr. Powers:<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[123]</a></span> “your mother -is wondering where you can be, though she -said you were to be trusted not to get into -mischief. It is a good thing to have such a -character, Bessie.”</p> - -<p>When Duke saw that Bessie and his master -were going in different directions, he seemed -to be divided in his own mind as to which one -he had better accompany. But after looking -from one to the other he seemed to decide that -Bessie needed his protection, and trotted gravely -along by her side till she reached the house, -when he turned about and raced after his -master.</p> - -<p>Bessie went in and told her story, but so -simply and with so little fuss that her mother -had no idea of the danger she had been in, -till Mr. Powers came with Belle and told how -she, as well as Belle, had been mercifully -preserved from harm that morning.</p> - -<p>When Belle came back with her father, -she was quite composed, and soon became -cheerful again, though she was rather more -quiet than usual all the morning.</p> - -<p>As soon as the party were rested after their -drive, they all went out for a walk about the -place. Mr. Powers’ estate was a rice plantation, -and the children were greatly interested<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[124]</a></span> -in going through the mills and seeing how the -rice, so familiar to them as an article of food, -was prepared for the market. They were particularly -so, in watching the husking of the -rice. The grain was stored on the second -story of the buildings, in great boxes or bins. -There was a little sliding-door in each of these, -just above the bottom of the bin; and when -the men were ready to go to work, a trough -was placed leading from that, through a trap-door, -to a hopper on the floor below. Then -the bin door was opened, and the rice in its -brown husks slid through the trough into the -hopper beneath, and from thence into the mill, -on each side of which stood a man who turned -the arms of the mill. In this, the outer husk -was stripped from the rice; then it passed -through another wide, covered trough, into the -sifting or winnowing machine. This was a -large box with a wheel at the bottom which -turned the rice over and over. As it came to -the top, the chaff was blown away by a great -“four sided fan,” as Bessie called it, made of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[125]</a></span> -four pieces of canvas stretched in different -directions, and fixed upon a roller which was -turned round by a man, and fanned away the -light husks broken from the grain on its passage -through the mill. But this was only the -outer husk; and it had to go down a third -trough into another mill, where the inner covering -was taken off; then through a second -fanning machine, from which it came out clean -and white; and lastly into a third building, -where it was led into another range of bins, -till it should be necessary to put it into the bags -and barrels in which it was sent to market.</p> - -<p>Maggie, as usual, wanted to “help;” and -the good-natured colored men who were about -let her try her hand at just what she chose, -provided it was safe for her. Indeed, all the -children, even Belle, to whom the amusement -was not new, were greatly pleased to pull up -the sliding panels of the bins, and see the rice -come pouring down into the mill-hopper, and -to thrust their hands and arms into the white -grain, and shovel it into the bags. So entertained<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[126]</a></span> -were they with this business, that the -older people walked on when they had satisfied -their own curiosity, leaving the children in the -care of old Cato, who promised to see that they -came to no harm.</p> - -<p>“We’ve done a whole lot of work, Mr. Powers,” -said Maggie, when they were called back -to the house to dinner. “I think your men -must be pretty glad we came.”</p> - -<p>“Yes,” said Lily: “we’ve most filled two -bags and a barrel.”</p> - -<p>“And we didn’t spill very much either,” -said Bessie, who was at that moment laboring -away with a wooden shovel, on which she contrived -to take up about two table-spoonsful of -rice.</p> - -<p>“Capital!” said Mr. Powers: “you’ve -earned your dinner to-day, have you not?”</p> - -<p>Whether the dinners were fairly earned or no, -the exercise had given them all good appetites, -and they were not sorry to go in and take their -seats at the well-furnished table.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[127]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> - -<img src="images/header-ch6.jpg" width="500" height="100" alt="(decorative)" /> - -</div> - -<h2 id="VI">VI.<br /> -<span class="smaller"><i>LETTERS.</i></span></h2> - -<div> -<img class="dropcap" src="images/dropcap-m.jpg" width="100" height="100" alt="" /> -</div> - -<p class="dropcap">Maggie had seized the opportunity -when Bessie was not near, to ask -Mr. Powers for the Spanish moss.</p> - -<p>“Mr. Powers,” she said, “is not that moss -private moss?”</p> - -<p>“Private moss? How private, Maggie?” -said the gentleman.</p> - -<p>“I mean is it not your own to do what you -like with?”</p> - -<p>“Certainly: if growing upon my trees and -on my grounds can make it mine, it is, -dear?”</p> - -<p>“Then could you let me have some of it, -quite a good deal?” said Maggie, to whom -it had been a great effort to ask this; but<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[128]</a></span> -the thought of pleasing Bessie upheld her -courage.</p> - -<p>“Oh! to be sure; a whole wagon-load if -you want it,” said Mr. Powers, smiling, and -without the least idea that Maggie would take -his words almost literally.</p> - -<p>The next thing was to ask mamma’s consent -to carry it home, and this also was obtained -without difficulty; Mrs. Bradford having -no idea of the extent of Maggie’s ideas, -and supposing she only wanted a small quantity -as a curiosity.</p> - -<p>Accordingly, Maggie took the other children -into her confidence as soon as they were all -sent out again to play under Daphne’s care. -Bessie was delighted with the plan, and kissed -and thanked her many times; and the other -two were quite ready to lend their aid.</p> - -<p>So they all set to work to gather the moss, -Daphne, too, giving a helping hand, at her -little lady’s request; though as she saw the -great pile they heaped together, she was more -than doubtful as to the use of such exertion.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[129]</a></span> -To gather it might be allowed,—it would -never be missed from the trees,—but to carry -it home was another thing.</p> - -<p>But she let them take their own way; for -she could never bear to refuse Belle any -thing, least of all to-day, when Belle had -come and put her arms around her neck, -and laid her soft fair cheek against her old -nurse’s dark one; telling her she was “sorry -for every time she had slapped her; but she -would never do it again, for Jesus was going -to help her, and mamma would ask Him to, -she was sure.”</p> - -<p>So if Belle had asked to dance upon -Daphne’s head, or do any other extraordinary -or unheard-of thing, I think the old woman -would have contrived in some way to grant -her darling’s wish; and she meekly stood pulling -off the long, gray, pendant mosses, and -heaping them in the little, eager, outstretched -arms which returned to her again and again.</p> - -<p>Great was the amazement of the grown -people to see the procession which appeared,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[130]</a></span> -when at last the carriages came to the door -to take them back to the city, and the children -were called to make ready.</p> - -<p>First came a negro lad whom Maggie and -Belle had pressed into the service, showing -his two rows of white teeth, and rolling up -his eyes with enjoyment of the fun; while -he pushed before him a small hand-cart filled -with the precious material, which was to -make such a lovely “Bessie’s Bower” of the -familiar little room far away at the North; -next Bessie and Belle trotting along, half -hidden beneath the moss which Maggie had -heaped in their arms and around their necks; -then followed Maggie herself, and Lily, toiling -away at a large wheelbarrow piled with -the spoil; old Daphne bringing up the rear, -also carrying her share and looking rather -sheepish.</p> - -<p>“Here’s ‘Birnam wood come to Dunsinane,’” -said Mr. Bradford, laughing, as he first -perceived the approaching show.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[131]</a></span> “What are -the little ones about? Some freak of Maggie’s, -doubtless. What a busy, contriving -little head it is. What is all that for, Maggie?” -as the children came within hearing.</p> - -<p>“To take home to New York to make a -bower for Bessie in our room, papa. Mamma -gave us leave, and Mr. Powers said we might -take all we wanted,” answered Maggie, not in -the least doubting that she was quite secure -with both these safe-guards.</p> - -<p>“Dearest child!” said Mrs. Bradford when -she could speak for laughing. “I never supposed -you had any idea of taking such a -quantity.”</p> - -<p>“I told you I wanted quite a good deal, -mamma,” answered Maggie, beginning to -quake for the success of her plan, when she -saw how astonished and amused the grown -people were.</p> - -<p>Poor Maggie! So many of her fine plans -had come to grief lately, and still she must -always be forming new ones.</p> - -<p>“And how do you propose carrying all this -home, Maggie?” asked Mr. Bradford.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[132]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Oh! Belle says there are boxes under all -the seats of the carriage, papa; and we can -carry it to the hotel in these. And then I -thought maybe you could find some way to -send it home in the steamer, when Mr. Powers -sends the sweet potatoes and things to grandmamma.”</p> - -<p>“And if there’s too much to go into the -carriage boxes, we have a great many baskets, -and we will lend Maggie some,” said Belle.</p> - -<p>“And we are all going to carry some on -our laps, we are anxious for Bessie to -have her bower,” said Lily.</p> - -<p>“I’d like it very much, mamma,” pleaded -Bessie, last of all.</p> - -<p>“My dear children,” said Mrs. Bradford, -“I am sorry to disappoint you; but it would -be impossible to carry all that moss home. -Not the half of it could go in the carriage, -even if we all made ourselves uncomfortable -for the sake of carrying it; and you would -soon grow tired of such a bower.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[133]</a></span></p> - -<p>“But it is useful as well as ornamental, -mamma,” said Maggie, with an air as if this -quite settled the matter in her favor; “for -Belle says the poor people here make beds -of it, and if we ever do grow tired of it we -could give it to some poor person, and they -might be very glad of it.”</p> - -<p>“And I never <em>will</em> be tired of it, mamma, -even when I’m grown up, Maggie made -it,” said Bessie.</p> - -<p>“My darlings,” said mamma, “it is impossible. -You may carry home a basket full -if you will, but I could not allow your room -to be filled with it, and it would be too much -trouble to pack such a quantity, and send it -to New York. You must rest content with -a little, dear Maggie. There are a great -many reasons why your plan will not do, -though it was kind in you to think of pleasing -Bessie; but we will find some other way of -doing that.”</p> - -<p>Maggie’s disappointment was very great, as -was that of all the little girls; but when -mamma said a thing, it was to be; and Maggie<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[134]</a></span> -knew she would never deprive them of -any pleasure that was best for them to have. -So she tried to bear it as cheerfully as she -might, though there were tears in her eyes, -and she gave a sigh which seemed to come -from her very shoes, as she dropped the arm -of the wheelbarrow.</p> - -<p>“I’m afraid you would have to call your -room the ‘Spider’s Bower,’ if you decked it -with that moss, Maggie,” said Mr. Powers; -“for those insects are very fond of it, and will -gather where it is.”</p> - -<p>“Ugh!” said Maggie; and the Spanish -moss at once lost half its charm for her, for -she had a great dislike to spiders.</p> - -<p>Seeing that she bore her disappointment so -well, Mr. Bradford took an opportunity of -telling Maggie a secret, which went a great -way towards consoling her. But she had -some time to wait before this secret bore -fruit; and as we are not going back with -Maggie and Bessie to their city home, perhaps -you would like to know what it was.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[135]</a></span></p> - -<p>In the autumn when their travels were -ended, and they reached home, where a great -deal of papering and painting had been done -during their absence, they found their own -little room decked forth with the most enchanting -wall-paper that ever was seen. On -a pearl-colored ground ran a vine of green -leaves, and bright berries, and here and there, -perched upon the stems, or hovering over and -pecking at the berries, were the most brilliant -colored birds. Never was seen a prettier -paper, or one more suited to a little girls’ -room; and both Maggie and Bessie were -quite satisfied with such a “bower” as it -made of their cosey little nook; and the -Spanish moss, well beaten and shaken, to destroy -all spiders who might have found a retreat -therein, was consigned to the boys’ play-room -in the top story of the house. Though -by that time it had lost its first novelty and -charm, both Maggie and Bessie still had a -clinging to it, as a memento of their pleasant -visit to Belle’s beautiful Southern home.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[136]</a></span></p> - -<p>Maggie was still farther consoled that evening -when they reached the city, by finding two -letters awaiting her, and one for Bessie. Maggie’s -were from Uncle Ruthven and Fred, and -Bessie’s was from Harry.</p> - -<p>You shall have them all. Uncle Ruthven -says,—</p> - -<div class="blockquote"> - -<p>“I cannot tell you, dear little Maggie, how -much we all miss you and darling Princess. -I do not like to go to your house and find no -smiling faces looking out of the window, or -running to the front door, or head of the stairs -when Uncle Ruthven comes. So I do not go -very often; only now and then to see that all -is going right during your absence. I hear -nothing from the William Tells and Rip Van -Winkles, and therefore conclude they are still -enjoying their long nap.</p> - -<p>“Our house is quite gay, however, what with -the three boys, Flossy, and Marygold, all of -whom are flourishing.</p> - -<p>“Flossy was very mopish for a day or two -after you left; and kept himself hidden under<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[137]</a></span> -sofas and behind curtains, in a most melancholy -manner, refusing to play, and eating -very little. He is in better spirits now, however, -though not as frisky as usual; and Harry -and Fred take him out every day for a walk; -but when they come towards home, he always -insists on turning into your street; and when -they take him up and bring him to our house, -he falls into low spirits again, and retires into -private life until the next meal-time.</p> - -<p>“Marygold is well, and sings away as merrily -as he did in your own room at home. Aunt -Annie wanted to put him in the conservatory -with the other birds, but grandmamma said, -no: he must hang in the bow-window of her -own sitting-room; for since she could not -have you, she must have something which belonged -to you about her. So there he swings -and sings, reminding us constantly of our -Maggie and Bessie so far away.</p> - -<p>“As for Frankie, he is as mischievous and -roguish as ever, and pretty saucy into the bargain. -He seems very much afraid that grandmamma<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[138]</a></span> -will think she is to take his mamma’s -place altogether; and every morning when he -comes down to breakfast, enters the room -with,—</p> - -<p>“‘Damma, I’ll stay wis oo, and mind oo des -dis one more day. Den I do back my mamma’s -house and mind her.’</p> - -<p>“If grandmamma tells him to do or not to -do any thing, he says: ‘Yes, I’ll mind oo dis -once; but oo’re not my mamma.’</p> - -<p>“‘But she is my mamma, and I make all little -boys mind her,’ I said to him this morning.</p> - -<p>“He looked gravely at me for a moment, -and then said, ‘Den be a dood boy ouself, and -den I will see ’bout it.’</p> - -<p>“The rogue gave us a good fright yesterday. -I was writing letters in the library, -when he came in, and asked if he might stay -with me. I gave him leave, provided he was -quiet; and for a wonder, he was so; standing -for some time looking out of the window, till -he saw a poor drunken man go by, when he -turned to me and said,—</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[139]</a></span></p> - -<p>“‘When tipseys walk, they run.’</p> - -<p>“After that he came down, and I gave him -the great book of animals you know so well, -with which he amused himself for some time, -telling the animals about the ‘poor tipseys.’ -He was very sweet and good, and being much -engaged with my letters, I did not pay much -attention to him. But, after a time, I looked -around to see if he was in mischief, and he -was nowhere to be seen.</p> - -<p>“The book lay open on the floor, and one or -two toys beside it, but no Frankie. The door -stood open, and thinking he must have slipped -out, I went in search of him. He was not to -be found. Grandmamma, your two aunts, and -all the servants were soon alarmed, and joined -in the search, but all in vain; and we were -just about sending to mamma’s house, to see -if he had run away there, when Aunt Bessie -saw a little fat hand peeping out of the almost -closed door of one of the bookcases. She ran -and pulled it open, and there lay our lost boy, -fast asleep. He had crept in among the papers<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[140]</a></span> -and pamphlets, and, drawing the door nearly -to, had fallen asleep without meaning to, in -his quiet nook. He woke to find us all looking -at him, and was very angry at himself -for going to sleep; exclaiming, ‘I des b’lieve -I went to seep, and I tates no more naps in -de daytime. I ’samed of myself.’</p> - -<p>“Harry and Fred are going to write to you, -so I will leave them to speak for themselves. -We are all well here, and last evening had the -great pleasure of reading the letters you and -Bessie wrote to the Colonel and Mrs. Rush, -and which they kindly brought around to us.</p> - -<p>“Write to me soon, and tell all your adventures -to your affectionate uncle,</p> - -<p class="right">“<span class="smcap">Ruthven Stanton.</span>”</p> - -</div> - -<p>Harry’s letter to Bessie came next, and ran -thus:—</p> - -<div class="blockquote"> - -<p>“<span class="smcap">Precious Pet Princess</span>,—It seems to -me as if it were two months instead of two -weeks since you went away, and I can’t tell<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[141]</a></span> -you how I want to see you. But it is all -right, for I know you are having first-rate -times, and dear mamma is getting ever so -much good. We’re not having such a bad -time either, though it’s not like having you all -home. Uncle Ruthven is a first-rate fellow to -stay with, I can tell you, and when we have -finished our lessons, he always has some fun -on hand for us. So we don’t have time to -feel very lonely. But I am glad for your sakes -that you and Mag were not left behind, for -you would have felt worse about it than Fred -and I do.</p> - -<p>“Last Saturday we all went to Riverside, we -boys on our ponies, of course, and had a famous -day. Uncle John has a new boat, and -he and Uncle Ruthven rowed us across the -river,—they let Fred and me take an oar by -turns, too,—and we went up the Palisades. -Isn’t there a splendid view up there, though? -You can see ever and ever so far. There -were lots of Bob Whites about, and we heard -them all round us, and we came upon two fellows<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[142]</a></span> -with dogs and guns hunting them. I -hope they didn’t have much luck, the old -rascals!</p> - -<p>“Haven’t we had a time this afternoon? -I don’t know just how it happened, but I think -Master Marygold must have opened the door -of his cage himself,—for we have seen him -pecking away at the catch several times lately; -and Uncle Ruthven, only this morning, told -Jane to twist a piece of wire round it when -she cleaned the cage. But Jane forgot it, and -so this afternoon Frankie came running in saying, -‘Marydold’s few away;’ and sure enough -the cage was empty and no Marygold to be -seen. But after awhile we heard a saucy -‘cheep,’ and there, on the top of grandpapa’s -picture, sat my gentleman as independent as -you please; and, before we had time to shut the -window, out he flew into the yard. Weren’t -we in a way though, thinking what you and -Maggie would say to come home and find him -lost. He hopped around for a while, flying -off every time any one went near him, and at<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[143]</a></span> -last flew clear away over the neighbors’ gardens, -and we gave him up for lost.</p> - -<p>“Grandmamma put his cage outside, hoping -he would grow homesick and come back. -And sure enough; for she was taking a nap -in her bow-window about sunset, when she -was waked by a ‘cheep, cheep,’ and there -was Marygold hopping about on her work-table, -and asking pardon for his naughtiness -as plainly as any bird could. She brought his -cage, and in he popped, glad enough to be at -home. So he’s all safe once more, and his -cage made secure, so he can’t try that dodge -again.</p> - -<p>“You know Colonel Rush has taken a house -at Newport for the summer, and he wants us -all to come there when we get through with -our other wanderings. Won’t it be jolly? -Then you know we are to spend October at -dear, old Chalecoo; so you will have change -enough for one six months. What travelled -young ladies you and Maggie will be!</p> - -<p>“I think I have written the most correct<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[144]</a></span> -and proper letter in the world, and hope your -dear little highness will not find any ‘unproper -impressions,’ as you once said when Fred used -some slang word; and that it will altogether -suit your notions. Lots of love and kisses to -all from</p> - -<p class="signature">“Your loving brother,</p> - -<p class="right">“<span class="smcap">Harry</span>.”</p> - -</div> - -<p>Here is Fred’s letter to Maggie.</p> - -<div class="blockquote"> - -<p>“<span class="smcap">Dear old Midget</span>,—Don’t I wish you -were here that I might give you a good squeeze -and hear you call out, ‘O Fred! you are -cur-r-rushing me!’ I’ll play the bear in the -matter of hugs, when I do get you back,—that -is certain. By the way, there’s a mean chap -leading a poor, old, black bear about the -streets here, making him dance, and scrape a -fiddle, and other jigs of that kind. It is not -a bit of fun to see the poor, poky, old thing -perform, and he must have been beaten ever -so much before he could be taught. You can<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[145]</a></span> -see that by the way he is frightened when his -master lifts his stick. It’s a mean shame, so -it is. Don’t you say so, Mag?</p> - -<p>“What jolly times you are having! so are -we for the matter of that. Uncle Ruthven is a -regular brick,—though I always knew that,—and -so are grandmamma and the colonel, and -all the rest. School breaks up the twentieth of -June, and then, hurrah! for the country. Uncle -John has invited Tom Norris to go with us -to Riverside, and stay all the time that we stay. -First-rate in him, wasn’t it? Tom is the jolliest -good boy I ever saw: you never catch -him in the least thing that isn’t just up to the -right, and yet he’s the best company and merriest -fellow in the world. He keeps me out -of a heap of mischief, many a time, dear, old -chap! that’s so, I know. Dear, old, steady-going -Hal! he often wonders at my tantrums, -I know; but he’s good too, and it is awful -hard work to keep out of scrapes in school -when you’ve a quick temper like mine, and -not too much thought. I’ll tell you a secret,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[146]</a></span> -Mag: I believe it has helped me a good deal -to see you and Queen Bess take so much pains -to cure yourselves of those two very faults,—you, -with your carelessness, and Bessie, with -her passionate temper. I thought it was a -shame if you two little girls did it, that a great -fellow like me shouldn’t. And for that reason -I’m going to let you tell dear mamma some -thing that will make her dear eyes dance. -Mr. Peters called me to him this morning,—and -I thought for sure I must be in some row, -though I didn’t see what,—and he said he -wanted to tell me that no boy in the school -had improved in character, or taken so much -pains with his faults, as I had during the last -year. I don’t want to be puffed up, but didn’t -I feel some pumpkins; but I could most have -cried that mamma wasn’t home for me to tell -the good news to. However, when I went -home, there sat grandmamma, the dear, precious, -old soul, so sweet and good and loving; -so I just pitched into her and gave her the -news, and a tight squeeze into the bargain.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[147]</a></span> -She was as pleased as could be, but then she -isn’t mamma; so just you tell the darling -mother, and bid her shut her eyes, and do you -give her a good choke for me, just as I do, -Ducky-Daddles! and see if she don’t gasp out, -‘Oh, my dear boy!’ and you write it to me, -Mag. And tell papa, Mr. Peters told me if I -turned out such a man as my father,—a true -Christian, a perfect gentleman, and a thorough -scholar,—no one could ask more for me. I -never expect to be all that, but it’s something -to have one’s father spoken of that way, and, -Mag, do you believe, I just bawled. And old -Peters—I’ll never call him that again if I remember, -only it comes so handy—asked me -to go of a little errand for him. I knew that -it was just that he knew I didn’t want to go -back to the school-room with red eyes, and I -was all right again before I came back. He’s -a jolly old soul, if he is strict. But I just tell -you, you and her royal highness can take some -of the credit to yourselves; for I know you have -helped me without meaning it. And Uncle<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[148]</a></span> -Ruthven is as pleased as any thing, and he -said he had seen it himself, and he had meant -to give me a handsome pony for taking pains -with myself; but as papa had given me one -when he gave Hal a watch just before you -went away, he would let me say what the -present should be.</p> - -<p>“And so, Midget, I told him I should like -him to give you and Bess the pony between -you; and he said I had better take a couple -of days to think it over, and he would give -me leave to change my mind. I suppose he -thinks I’ll slink out of it; but I shan’t, so you -two may just count on a pony of your own. -I guess there’ll be a side-saddle too, for Uncle -Ruth don’t do things by halves. I’m awfully -sleepy, and anybody but you would be tired of -this long letter.</p> - -<p class="signature">“Your loving brother,</p> - -<p class="right">“<span class="smcap">Frederick Talbot Bradford, Esq.</span>”</p> - -</div> - -<p>Maggie answered her Uncle Ruthven’s letter -the very next morning in these words:—</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[149]</a></span></p> - -<div class="blockquote"> - -<p>“<span class="smcap">Dear Uncle Ruthven</span>,—Whenever I -think of the pleasure of writing to my absent -friends who are away from me in distant lands -I am always very thankful that I am not a -quadrewped or other animal which has only -legs and no arms to write with. And if it had, -no brains or ideas, but only instinct which is -not enough to write with. So I thank God He -gave me a sencible soul which thinks, and -arms and also pen, ink, and paper. And also -pencils for Bessie has to print with them, and -also friends which we can write to, for if I was -an orfun and had no friends I would be badly of -and very lonesome and my ideas of no use. -So I think every one ought to be very grateful -for these things (if they have them) and if -they have not let them say God knows best; -and I think it is the duty of the human race -to make use of these things and to write long -letters to all their friends, for it is such a -pleasure to have letters and to answer them. -And I am going to write you the longest letter -I ever wrote in my life, because the Bible<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[150]</a></span> -says, ‘Whatsoever ye would that men should -do unto you, do ye also unto them.’</p> - -<p>“But, dear Uncle Ruthven, we have had -no adventures to tell you about. I mean <em>real -real</em> adventures; except only one which was -most terrible to hear and was that Bessie met -a snake that was poisonous and nearly bit her, -but a good dog of Mr. Powrs would not let -her go on, and so she did not come in the way -of the snake which was a wonderful blessing -or she might have died. And then I would -have been like the king Miss Ashton told us -about, whose son was drowned and he never -smiled again nor would I if my Bessie came -to such a sad end but would be unhappy all -the days of my existence and never laugh at -the funniest thing that could happen. And I -pray our Father in Heaven that my Bessie will -not die while I am alive even to go to Heaven -for I would miss her so very, very much. But -I will not write any more of this most unhappy -thing or else my beloved uncle you will say -‘what a sad, stupid letter Maggie has written<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[151]</a></span> -to me,’ and I would not wish any one to take -the liberty of saying such a thing about me.</p> - -<p>“Belle’s home which is named Oakdale is -a place most beautiful to behold with such -large oak trees that make the most pleasant of -shades and magnolias and vines of jessamine -and other sweet smells most delicious to the -nose. I do wish there was a nicer name to -call a nose, it don’t sound nice in a letter. -And such lots and heaps of rice, enough for a -million dinner and breakfasts I should think -but I hope I shall never be in the necessity to -eat it for I hate rice. But Bessie likes it very -much so I am glad it grows for her and others. -And we had such fun playing with it and working -too for we helped the men a great deal. -Now you need not laugh Uncle Ruthven nor -the boys either if you let them read this letter, -for the men said we did and if you had seen -the great bag we filled you would know it. It -was real funny to see the rice run down the -wooden gutters into the hoppers. Isn’t that -a queer name?</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[152]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Papa said such a funny thing. He said -he knew a hopper that would not be of much -use in that mill because it always shut its -mouth whenever any rice came near it, and he -meant me. It made us all laugh so. The -next day after to-morrow we are going to take -adieu of Savannah and all the kind people we -have come to know; and of Miss Adams and -the doctor; and most of all of Mr. and -Mrs. Norris and Lily. Lily cries about it and -wants to stay with us but her parents have to -stay in this place for a short time and to go -home by the steamer, and I am glad and thankful -such is not my fate to be seasick again. -Oh! Uncle Ruthven! it is awful! and you -can’t help it if you make up your mind ever -so much. But we go by land which is much -better than the sea to travel on and shall visit -many places and see many surprising things -which I shall advertise you of when I know -them myself.</p> - -<p>“Bessie and I think we never heard of any -thing so kind and generous as Fred to say he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[153]</a></span> -wanted you to give us a pony for his present -and never no never again will I say Fred -teases, no not if he plages me ever so much. -But I think he does not plage so much as he -used to. Mamma was so pleased about him -and is at this present moment writing to him. -It is a very charming thing to have sencible -and religious parents and I suppose also it -must be so for the parents to have their children -improve and be as sencible and good as is -in their natures. But it is not in mine to be -so good as Bessie and I despair of it for it is -not in me. The other day a lady was talking -to Bessie and I heard her say afterwards, -‘That child is a little angel.’ I suppose she -meant <em>like</em> an angel which would be far better -for her to say as it is always best to say -just what you mean but I thank her for the -complement to my Bessie and think she must -be a woman of sense.</p> - -<p>“Harry wrote to Mamma and said something -that hurt my feelings. He said I wrote -very nice letters but they were so full of moral<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[154]</a></span> -reflextions and centiment that he almost killed -himself laughing. Now I know he didn’t -almost kill himself and Miss Ashton never -taught us reflextions and centiment and I don’t -know what they mean and I wouldn’t do such -a thing as to put them in my letters. I don’t -think Harry is very kind to say that and make -fun of me. But don’t you tell any one I said -so for you know I tell you all my secrets dear -Uncle Ruthven and maybe Harry would think -I was cross.</p> - -<p>“Please give my love to every body I know -if I do love them and if I don’t my complements -and most of all to all my own people. -It took me two days to write all this letter -which I hope will give satisfaction from your -affectionate beloved</p> - -<p class="right">“<span class="smcap">Maggie</span>.”</p> - -</div> - -<p>Last of all here is a little letter which Bessie -wrote to her grandmamma,—</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[155]</a></span></p><div class="blockquote"> - -<p>“<span class="smcap">Dear darling Granmamma</span>,—Your Bessie -is going to send a letter to you to tell you -how I love you but I cant rite such nice -leters as Maggie. Dont Maggie make nice -leters and she said she would help me but -I toled her I wanted to make it all myself -so you would kno how much I love you. -Please dear Granmamma to rite me an answer -to my leter and I hope you will keep alife till -we come home or if you are not dear Manma -will cry and all the rest of us two. I saw a -carf in a cart with all its legs tied and it mad -me sorry and I wish it was mine to let it luse. -Baby is so sweet and she has a new trik that -is so cuning. All the time she pulls off her -shoes and soks and Mamma don’t want her to -so Nursey says shame shame when she does -it and when baby sees any one else do it now -she always calls shame and she saw a gentelman -in the parlor who did not kno how to be -very polite and he sat with his slipper hanging -on his toe and Baby pointed her finger at -him and called out very loud Oh shame shame -and every boddy lafed it was so funny. Every<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[156]</a></span> -day I am more and more glad for dear Manma -feels so much better and it makes such a joy -in my hart that I can’t tell it but you kno it -don’t you dear Granmanma for you are her -own mother and you love her just like she -loves me. I am too tired to make it any -longer and I love you and my solger and all -my peple and I send them kisses.</p> - -<p>“Good by dear Granmanma</p> - -<p class="signature">“Your little pet</p> - -<p class="right">“<span class="smcap">Bessie</span>.”</p> - -</div> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 200px;"> - -<img src="images/footer-ch6-and-10.jpg" width="200" height="135" alt="(decorative)" /> - -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[157]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> - -<img src="images/header-ch7-and-13.jpg" width="500" height="100" alt="(decorative)" /> - -</div> - -<h2 id="VII">VII.<br /> -<span class="smaller"><i>A “REAL, REAL ADVENTURE.”</i></span></h2> - -<div> -<img class="dropcap" src="images/dropcap-t.jpg" width="100" height="100" alt="" /> -</div> - -<p class="dropcap">They were all in the railway train -bound for ——; that is, Mr. and Mrs. -Bradford, with their three little girls -and nurse, Mr. Powers, Belle, and old Daphne.</p> - -<p>Maggie, Bessie, and Belle, with their dolls, -had two whole seats to themselves, one having -been turned so as to face the other, and -give them what Bessie called a “nice, cunning -travelling-house.” Here they had established -themselves in great comfort, papa and -mamma being just behind; while Mr. Powers, -and the two nurses with Baby, were seated -on the opposite side of the car.</p> - -<p>And here, by and by, seeing the nice play -that was going on, did Miss Baby think it best<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[158]</a></span> -to betake herself and her own doll, named Peter -Bartholomew. This gentleman with the long -name, which had been given to him by Fred, -was made entirely of worsted, face, cap, coat, -and pants, all knit of the brightest colors, and -could be knocked about or thrown from any -height without damage to his head or limbs. -So for this reason he had come travelling with -Baby Annie, as her dolls were apt to receive -some hard knocks and severe falls, not altogether -wholesome for more brittle materials.</p> - -<p>But Annie was not very fond of Peter Bartholomew, -and he received some pretty hard -usage at her tiny hands; so that it was well -he was not a gentleman of tender feelings, and -was able to take thumps, hard squeezes, and -scoldings with the utmost composure.</p> - -<p>However, on this occasion she thought it -wise to praise Peter Bartholomew, by way of -persuading her sisters that his company, as -well as her own, was desirable; and, putting -her little head on one side in the most insinuating -manner, she spoke thus from nurse’s lap,—</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[159]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Baby tome too. Peter tome too. Baby -dood. Peter dood. Nice Peter. Oh, pitty -Peter!”</p> - -<p>“Oh! isn’t she too cunning, the darling?” -said Bessie. “Let’s let her come play with -us.”</p> - -<p>“Yes, we’ll take her in our house,” said -Belle.</p> - -<p>So baby was taken into the enclosure, which -Maggie had made quite complete by fastening -a handkerchief from the arm of one seat to -that of the other, and calling it “the door.” -Nurse could have lifted baby at once into the -place which was offered for her; but that would -not do at all. Baby must wait till the door -was untied, and she admitted in due form.</p> - -<p>Once there, and seated in a snug corner, -she behaved herself very well for a long time, -watching her little sisters and Belle with grave -admiration and wonder, and submitting to be -played and “<em>pretended</em>” with just as they -chose, only now and then insisting that they -should all “tiss Peter,” a thing which she<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[160]</a></span> -would by no means be induced to do herself.</p> - -<p>But at last she took it into her head to look -out of the window, and in order to do that she -must stand upon her feet, which was not safe -to let her do without some careful hand to -guard her; and as she objected very decidedly -to returning to the other side of the car where -nurse sat, there was nothing for it but to let -nurse come to her.</p> - -<p>Now this interfered very much with the -arrangements of the three little girls, who were -having a grand “family” play; and not one of -them was at all inclined to be so disturbed, -and there was even some pouting when nurse -said they must make room for her for a short -time.</p> - -<p>But Maggie, Bessie, and Belle could all understand -better than Baby Annie, that in travelling -one must consider the comfort and -convenience of one’s fellow-passengers, as well -as one’s own. Baby was very little, and not -very well: they had a long day’s journey before<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[161]</a></span> -them, and it was necessary that she should -be indulged in a measure, and kept in a good -humor as long as possible; and Bessie was the -first to think of this.</p> - -<p>“Now, just let me in here for a bit, my -honeys,” said nurse, as Maggie stood with her -hand on the pocket-handkerchief door, determined -to defend her “house” as long as possible. -“Baby’ll fret if I take her to the other -side when she don’t like it, and that will worry -your mother; besides it’s sunny there when -we come out of the woods. Let her look out -of your window awhile, with me to hold her, -and it will soon be her sleepy time, when ye -may have your place to yourselves.”</p> - -<p>Now old nurse was by no means a small -woman; and the children knew that their -quarters would be very much narrowed when -she should find entrance there, and she might -have found it hard work to persuade them to -yield without interference from their father -or mother, had not Bessie bethought herself -when nurse spoke of her mother.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[162]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Oh, yes!” she said to her sister and Belle, -“you know we came on our travels to do -mamma good, and so we mustn’t let any thing -trouble her. If we do, maybe our Father would -think we didn’t care very much that He made -her better, and that we are ungrateful. Any -thing must be choosed ’cept to worry mamma. -And baby don’t know any better; so let’s give -up to her this time, if she cries everybody -will be uncomf’able.”</p> - -<p>“Well,” said Maggie, once more untying -the handkerchief, “I won’t be selfish.”</p> - -<p>“Nor I,” said Belle, who had been the most -unwilling to give up her own way.</p> - -<p>The “cunning house” was certainly far less -roomy when Mammy was seated therein; but -having made up their minds to do a kind act, -our little girls did it pleasantly and made no -fussing about it; the only thing that was said -being when Bessie remarked,—</p> - -<p>“Nursey, it would be rather convenienter if -you were not <em>quite</em> so fat,” which nurse thought -a great joke, and laughed heartily, saying,—</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[163]</a></span></p> - -<p>“And there’s nobody knows that better -than your old Mammy, my pet; but just put -by your play till baby’s had her fill of looking -out, and I’ll tell ye a story.”</p> - -<p>Nurse’s stories always found a market; and -the three little girls ranged themselves in the -seat facing her, and listened eagerly while she -told them the most marvellous of fairy tales.</p> - -<p>Meanwhile, Baby Annie, happy and contented, -amused herself with watching the -swiftly passing objects; and Peter Bartholomew, -held by one foot, hung dangling head -downwards from the car window. How much -he enjoyed this novel mode of riding, neither he -nor his little mistress ever told, though baby -had enough to say both to herself and him -while nurse talked to the other children.</p> - -<p>But at last Mrs. Bradford suddenly exclaimed,—</p> - -<p>“Take care, nurse; baby has her head out!” -and Mammy, who had turned her face for a -moment from her charge, drew her in and -seated her on her lap.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[164]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Baby must not put her head out,” said -mamma: “she’ll be hurt.”</p> - -<p>“Peter out,” said baby.</p> - -<p>“Why! she’s lost Peter Barfolomew,” said -Belle.</p> - -<p>“Sure enough,” said nurse, when she had -shaken out her skirts, and looked on the floor, -without finding that gentleman.</p> - -<p>“Bad Peter. Peter all don,” chuckled the -baby.</p> - -<p>“Did ye throw Peter out?” asked Mammy.</p> - -<p>Baby could not say yes; but she nodded her -little head till it seemed as if she would wag -it off, seeming to think she had done something -very praiseworthy.</p> - -<p>“Oh, you naughty girl!” said nurse.</p> - -<p>“No, no: baby dood; bad Peter. Peter -all don, Peter out,” said baby again, clapping -her hands, and laughing with the most self-satisfied -air.</p> - -<p>Yes, Peter Bartholomew was “all gone,” -left far behind as the train sped on its way;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[165]</a></span> -and though the children went off into merry -peals of laughter at little Annie’s bit of mischief, -Mrs. Bradford was rather sorry, since -Aunt Patty had taken such pains to make him -for her. However, the baby knew no better, -and his loss could not trouble her much.</p> - -<p>Nurse had not finished her story, and when -the children’s mirth had subsided, she went -on with it. Having disposed of Peter Bartholomew, -and finding that she was not allowed -to put her head out, the window lost its -charms for baby, and she sat still on nurse’s -lap for a few moments, gravely regarding her -fellow-passengers, and trying to find amusement -in them.</p> - -<p>Nor was it long before she found a new object -of interest. In the seat next to Mammy and -herself, and of course with his back towards -them as they rode backwards, was a gentleman -who wore an enormous Panama straw hat. -The older children had remarked this hat and -wondered at it, but after the first moment they -forgot both the hat and its wearer, and noticed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[166]</a></span> -them no more. But I cannot say that the gentleman -had not noticed them, although he gave -no sign of doing so.</p> - -<p>The hat by no means took baby’s fancy: -perhaps she thought it took up more than its -share of room in the world; however that may -be, she concluded to take a closer look at it, -and raised herself upon her little feet on the -cushioned seat beside Mammy. First she -looked at the hat on one side, then on the -other; then she peeped under it; then tried -to lift herself on the tips of her small toes and -peer over it; then carefully touched it with one -little finger, and finally expressed her opinion -in a loud, emphatic,</p> - -<p>“Bad hat!”</p> - -<p>But the owner of the offending article of -dress did not turn his head or appear to take -the slightest notice, not even when baby repeated,—</p> - -<p>“Bad, bad hat! Off hat!”</p> - -<p>“Sh! sh! my lamb. What’s come to ye -to-day?” said nurse.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[167]</a></span></p> - -<p>Not the spirit of a lamb certainly, for baby -was in a contrary mood, and determined to -have her own way by one means or another; -and, finding the hat remained in its place in -spite of her orders, she seized hold of it; and, -before nurse could stop her, had snatched it -from the stranger’s head and tossed it into his -lap. Still, without turning his head or seeming -at all disturbed, the gentleman put it on again, -while baby struggled to free herself from nurse’s -hold, shouting,—</p> - -<p>“Off hat, off! Bad hat!” again and again, -till her mother was obliged to call her to -order.</p> - -<p>Little as she was, baby had learned to obey -when mamma spoke; but the sight of that hat -was not to be endured by any baby of taste, -and even when seated upon mamma’s lap, and -treated to a bit of sponge-cake and papa’s -watch, she could not forget it, but now and -then broke forth in a wailing tone with,—</p> - -<p>“Oh dear! Bad hat, off hat!” till at last -the gentleman removed the hat, and submitted<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[168]</a></span> -to ride bareheaded till his little tormentor -should be asleep.</p> - -<p>This was soon the case when the cause of her -trouble was out of sight; for it was, as nurse -said, “her sleepy time,”—one reason perhaps -why she was so fractious,—and she forgot hat, -watch, and cake in a sound mid-day nap.</p> - -<p>Her two sisters and Belle thought all this -remarkably funny, and had had much ado -to stifle their laughter, so that it should not -reach the ears of the stranger with whom baby -had made so free. But in spite of their amusement, -which had been shared by more than -one of the grown people around, Bessie was -rather troubled lest mamma should be worried -by the little thing’s misbehavior and crying, -and also lest the gentleman should have been -vexed.</p> - -<p>To tell the truth, he was rather annoyed at -the notice which all this had brought upon -him and his unfortunate hat; but his vexation -passed away the moment he heard a soft voice -at his ear, whispering,—</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[169]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Thank you very much, sir, for taking off -your hat; and will you please to s’cuse baby, -she don’t know any better than to take -a liberty. As soon as she can understand, -mamma will teach her to be polite.”</p> - -<p>The gentleman turned his face towards her. -A pleasant, good-natured face it was, with a -merry twinkle in the eyes just now.</p> - -<p>“Mamma is a first-rate teacher of politeness -and some other good things, I see,” he said, -smiling.</p> - -<p>“Yes, sir; ’deed she is,” answered Bessie; -wondering what mamma had said or done -since they had been in the cars by which this -stranger could know so much; and then, thinking -her duty done, she turned away and began -her play with the other children again. After -this, all went smoothly and quietly enough till -they reached a town where they were to change -cars, and where two different railroads crossed -one another at the depot. Here they had to -wait for an hour until their train should be -ready to start; and here Mrs. Bradford<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[170]</a></span> -thought she might have a good rest after her -long ride.</p> - -<p>But a fair was going on in the small town, -and the dirty little hotel was full to overflowing; -so that the only place that could be had -for Mrs. Bradford and her sleeping baby was -an eight feet square room with a hard sofa, -and two equally uninviting chairs. However, -by means of cloaks and shawls, a tolerably -comfortable resting-place was arranged for -these two; and the three children who had -no mind to be shut up in the tiny room, were -taken for a walk by Mr. Bradford and Daphne; -Mr. Powers going to call on an old friend who -lived near by.</p> - -<p>But there was a good deal of noise, dust, -and confusion in the street, and the little girls -soon tired of it and wanted to go back to the -hotel. When they reached it, two trains were -standing at the station, and Daphne exclaimed, -pointing to the nearest,—</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[171]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Dere’s de train, Massa Bradford. S’posin’ -I jis takes de little ladies into de cars. Better -for dem waitin’ dere dan in de verandy where -all dem folks is; an’ we’ll wake Miss Baby for -sure all goin’ into dat little room.”</p> - -<p>This last was more than likely; and the -veranda where all those men were lounging -about, smoking and drinking and swearing, -was certainly no place for little ladies; and -Daphne’s idea seemed a good one to Mr. -Bradford.</p> - -<p>“You are sure that is our train, Daphne?” -he asked.</p> - -<p>“Sure, Massa Bradford. Ain’t I been in it -a hundred times?”</p> - -<p>“Is this the train for ——?” asked Mr. -Bradford of a man standing beside the cars.</p> - -<p>“All right, sir. Last car, sir,” was the -reply.</p> - -<p>Mr. Bradford thinking himself quite sure, -helped the children and Daphne into the car, -found them good places, and looking at his -watch, said,—</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[172]</a></span></p> - -<p>“We have half an hour still. Keep these -seats for the rest of our party, and I will bring -them all soon. You are right, Daphne: it is -more comfortable here than in the hotel.”</p> - -<p>Then he went away; and for a few moments -the children were well amused, watching all -the bustle around the station, and now and -then dipping rosy little fingers into a basket -of delicious strawberries just given to Daphne -by a friend whom she had met. The old -woman’s pleasure in the splendid fruit, was -to see her young mistress and her little friends -enjoy it, and she encouraged them to eat as -long as they would.</p> - -<p>But presently a steam whistle sounded, and -she looked about her uneasily, saying,—</p> - -<p>“’Pears like this train ain’t maybe right, -after all. I go see ’bout him, Miss Belle. Jes -you sit still one minute.”</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 450px;"> - -<img src="images/illus3.jpg" width="450" height="650" alt="Daphne chasing the train, waving her umbrella" /> - -<p class="caption">Bessie’s Travels. <a href="#Page_172">p. 172.</a></p> - -</div> - -<p>If Daphne had not been so engaged in feeding -her young charge, she would have known -that this was the second time the whistle had -sounded; and she was terribly startled when -just as she set her foot upon the ground in -order to seek Mr. Bradford and make all sure,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[173]</a></span> -it was blown again, there was a call of “all -aboard,” and before the bewildered old woman -had collected her senses, the train steamed -out of the station. Had she instantly made -known her trouble to those about her, it might -not even then have been too late; but instead -of that she rushed after the cars, gesticulating -and beckoning with an umbrella which was -the pride of her heart, and which she always -carried, and crying aloud,—</p> - -<p>“Hi there! Hi! Hold on dem cars; hold -on till I get my chillen. Hi! Hi!”</p> - -<p>The people about thought her crazy, and -laughed and cheered as she tore after the fast -receding train; but to poor old Daphne it was -no joke, and as it turned a curve in the road -and was lost to sight, she dropped her umbrella -and stood still wringing her hands, and -crying,—</p> - -<p>“Oh, de chillen, de chillen! Oh, my little -Miss Belle! what I gone and done, and what -dey faders say?”</p> - -<p>But we must leave Daphne, and go in the -cars with our three little girls.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[174]</a></span></p> - -<p>For the first few moments they did not -understand it, and even after the cars were -in rapid motion, looked about them expecting -to see their parents and nurses come in. The -truth came first to Maggie, and her poor little -heart almost stood still with terror and dismay.</p> - -<p>“Why, we’re going!” exclaimed Belle. -“Where’s papa?”</p> - -<p>“And papa and mamma, and all our people?” -cried Bessie in a terrified voice.</p> - -<p>Then Maggie broke forth.</p> - -<p>“Oh, we’re gone off with! They’re left -behind! What shall we do? Oh! what shall -we do? There’s nobody to take care of us: -we’re gone off with.”</p> - -<p>Belle immediately set up the most violent -screams; and Maggie and Bessie were as much -distressed, though they did not cry as loudly.</p> - -<p>The people around them soon understood -the cause of their trouble: indeed Maggie’s -exclamations left no room for doubt, that -they were really “gone off with;” though it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[175]</a></span> -was some time before either of the three -could speak coherently enough to say how it -had happened. In fact the poor little things -hardly knew themselves: all they could tell -was that Daphne had thought they were in -the wrong train, had gone to see, and before -she came back they were speeding away, they -knew not where, without their natural protectors, -and in the midst of perfect strangers.</p> - -<p>Bessie was the first to collect herself -enough to make the story understood, though -even then, her tears would hardly let her -speak to the group of curious and sympathizing -people, who gathered around the three -as they clung weeping together.</p> - -<p>“And now we’re quite, quite lost; and -there’s no policeman to help us,” she sobbed; -“and what will mamma do?”</p> - -<p>“Poor little dears,” said a lady, pressing -forward, and laying her hand soothingly on -the little, pitiful, upturned face.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[176]</a></span> “Don’t cry -so, my children: you’ll be taken back in -some way to your parents.”</p> - -<p>“I’m all papa has,” gasped Belle: “he -can’t do wifout me.”</p> - -<p>“Please let us get out,” moaned Maggie: -“we could run back to where our papa and -mamma are.”</p> - -<p>“The train must be put back,” said one -of the by-standers, and he went to find the -conductor, and see what could be done; while -the lady who had spoken to the children sat -down beside them and tried to quiet them -with assurances that their parents would -certainly find them again.</p> - -<p>“But dear mamma will be so frightened -and worried, and it’s so bad for her,” said -Bessie; her first thought always that tender -care for her mother.</p> - -<p>The story had spread through the train; and -people were coming in from the other cars to -look at the three little waifs, who, all by themselves, -were each instant being taken farther -from their friends; and Belle, looking up as -the door was opened afresh, spied a familiar -object.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[177]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Oh! there’s the ‘bad hat’ man!” she -cried, glad to see any thing on which she had -ever laid her eyes before, even though it -might be that ugly hat with the strange face -beneath it.</p> - -<p>At the same moment there came in also -the conductor, and the gentleman who had -gone to find him; and now the children felt -a faint hope that there might be some way -out of this trouble.</p> - -<p>But the conductor was surly, and absolutely -refused to put back,—which indeed would -have been hardly safe,—or to stop the train -and let out the children, as was proposed by -some person, and pleaded for by the little -ones themselves.</p> - -<p>And here the “bad hat” man put in his -word.</p> - -<p>“That would never do,” he said;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[178]</a></span> “those -little things could not possibly walk back to -——, and no conveyance could be found along -here. They must come on to the next station, -and there we will see what can be done.”</p> - -<p>Down went the three heads and up went -Belle’s voice again at these unwelcome words; -but the “bad hat” had a kind heart beneath -it, and the wearer at once set himself to -comfort the forlorn children.</p> - -<p>“Come, come, take heart,” he said cheerily. -“Now let us see how soon we shall get back -to papa and mamma. It will not take us -more than one hour or so, to reach the next -station, and then—well, to be sure, we’ll -have to wait awhile there for the up-train,”—he -did not think it best to say it would be -more than four hours,—“but we’ll telegraph -them and let them know you are all safe, and -will be with them before long.”</p> - -<p>“Do you know the children sir?” asked -a lady.</p> - -<p>“Well, no, madam, and they don’t know -me; but they know my <em>hat</em> pretty well, and I -think that is ground for an acquaintance. -It’s a broad one, anyhow, is it not?” he said -with a nod at Belle,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[179]</a></span> “and we’re going to take -advantage of it.”</p> - -<p>“It’s a great while for poor mamma to wait -for us, and she’ll be very frightened,” said -Bessie, wiping the tears from her eyes, though -they were immediately filled again. “I s’pose -she’ll think we’re never coming back to her.”</p> - -<p>“Not a bit of it,” said “Bad Hat:” “she’ll -think you’ll find some one to look after you -and bring you back; and how delighted she’ll -be to see you safe after such an adventure.”</p> - -<p>At this last word all the children pricked -up their ears, especially Maggie. She, being -the most timid of the three, had been the -most broken down by terror, and had, until -now, remained in the very depths of despair. -But it was really almost a consolation to hear -this called “an adventure,” and to remember -that here was a subject for the most interesting -of letters, provided they ever again reached -home and friends, and had the opportunity of -writing such. She was still rather doubtful -how this was to be brought about, in spite of -Mr. “Bad Hat’s” assurances.</p> - -<p>“Why! so it is an adventure,” said Bessie;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[180]</a></span> -“and Maggie said she wished we’d have some -great adventure, but she didn’t mean this kind -of a one; did you, Maggie?”</p> - -<p>“No, <em>indeed</em> I didn’t,” sobbed Maggie.</p> - -<p>“But you can write a letter about it,” said -Belle, catching her breath between almost -every two words; “and it will be so interesting: -all the people you know will want to read -it.”</p> - -<p>Belle, as well as Bessie, had the greatest admiration -for Maggie’s letters, and thought them -the most marvellous works of genius.</p> - -<p>“Of course they will,” said the gentleman, -whom our little strays were already beginning -to look upon as a friend. “And so, Maggie -writes letters, does she? I wish she would -write one to me one of these days.”</p> - -<p>“But she don’t know your name,” said -Bessie.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[181]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Well, perhaps she might find out. I am -not ashamed of it. But I think this little -lady has found a name for me. When I came -in the car I heard her say, ‘There’s the bad -hat man.’ Now suppose Maggie writes a letter -and directs it to the ‘bad hat man,’ do you -think it would reach me?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, I fink it would,” said Belle with -emphasis, and eyeing the hat with a look -which seemed to add, “there’s no possibility -of mistaking that hat.”</p> - -<p>So, in pleasant, cheerful talk, the friendly -stranger tried to beguile the way, and help -the little ones to bear their troubles; and he -partly succeeded, though now and then a heavy -sigh, or a murmured “Are we most at the -next station?” or “Oh, mamma!” showed -that they were not forgotten. The other people, -who had gathered round in pitying sympathy, -saw that they had fallen into good -hands, and went back to their seats, leaving -them to his care.</p> - -<p>“But what shall we do now?” asked Maggie, -in new alarm, as they at last approached -the longed-for station where they were to leave -this train, and at least feel that they were to -be borne no farther from their friends.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[182]</a></span> “I -don’t know about the streets.”</p> - -<p>Now it was rather a strange, but a very -good thing that, timid as Maggie was, she -seldom lost her presence of mind; and, however -frightened she might be, could still think -what was best to do for herself and others. -You will remember how she thought of her own -sash and Bessie’s, as a means for saving Aunt -Bessie’s life when she fell over the precipice -at Chalecoo. So now feeling as if the care of -Bessie and Belle rather fell upon her, since she -was the oldest of the three, she tried to collect -her thoughts and plan how she should act. -But it was all useless, this was such a new and -untried place, and so many dangers and difficulties -seemed to beset her, that she could not -see her way out of them. But her fears were -speedily set at rest.</p> - -<p>“Oh! you are only going to do as I tell -you,” said their new friend. “I shall see -you safe in your parents’ hands.”</p> - -<p>“Will you, sir?” cried Maggie joyfully, -and slipped her hand into his, in her great -relief.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[183]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Are you going to get out here?” asked -Bessie, as the train slackened its speed.</p> - -<p>“Yes: you did not think I would leave you -to shift for yourselves?”</p> - -<p>“Do you live here?” asked Belle.</p> - -<p>“No: I live down in Florida,” was the answer.</p> - -<p>“And are you going to get out here just to -take care of us?” asked Bessie.</p> - -<p>He smiled and nodded assent.</p> - -<p>“You are very good, sir,” said Bessie. “Is -it just as convenient as not for you?”</p> - -<p>“Well, no,” he returned. “I cannot say -it is; but then I heard a little girl say, this -morning, that ‘any thing was to be choosed -before mamma should be worried,’ so after -that I think I must do all I can to relieve -mamma’s anxiety, and get you back to her as -soon as possible.”</p> - -<p>So Bessie’s thoughtfulness and care for her -dear mother was reaping its own reward.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[184]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> - -<img src="images/header-ch8-and-15.jpg" width="500" height="100" alt="(decorative)" /> - -</div> - -<h2 id="VIII">VIII.<br /> -<span class="smaller"><i>OLD JOE.</i></span></h2> - -<div> -<img class="dropcap" src="images/dropcap-r.jpg" width="100" height="100" alt="" /> -</div> - -<p class="dropcap">R Station was not much of a place. -There were only about half a dozen -houses, as many barns, and one store, -which was part of the little station-house. -And there was no telegraph; but when our -little girls and their protector left the train, -another gentleman promised to send a message -to their parents from the next stopping-place.</p> - -<p>There was not much to entertain the children, -even had they been in a mood to be -amused; and the hours dragged very wearily. -The kind gentleman would have taken them -for a walk in the pleasant pine woods, but they -were so fearful lest they should miss the up -train, which was to carry them back to their -mother and father, that they could not be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[185]</a></span> -induced to lose sight of the railroad track. -Maggie and Belle could be persuaded to do -nothing but sit on the low bank at the side of -the road, and look up and down the long line -of rail for the train, which was still so far -away. Bessie, naturally more trusting and -less timid than the others, had more confidence -in their new friend and what he told -her; but she would not leave her sister and -Belle, and, moreover, was too tired to do more -than wait with what patience she might. So -the “bad hat” let them do as they would, -furnishing them with some dinner, for which -they had little appetite, and telling them droll -stories, which could not draw forth more -than faint smiles. But at last Bessie found -something to interest her.</p> - -<p>There was an old colored man working -around the station, cutting wood, drawing water, -and so forth, and he cast many a pitying -glance toward the sorrowful little strangers. -Nor did he content himself with looking; for, -having finished his work for the time, he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[186]</a></span> -walked away into the woods, and soon came -back with a large leaf full of wood-strawberries, -and a bunch of scarlet cardinal flowers -and yellow jasmine, which he offered to them.</p> - -<p>Bessie took them, and, after thanking him -prettily, divided them with Maggie and Belle; -then, out of her own share, arranged a little -bouquet for Mr. Travers; for that, the “bad -hat man” had said was his name.</p> - -<p>“How pale and tired you look, my little -girl!” he said as she fastened it in his button-hole: -“suppose you lie down and take a sleep? -It would be well if the others would do it -too.”</p> - -<p>They all thought they could not possibly do -such a thing, “the train might go by” while -they were asleep; but when Mr. Travers proposed -that he should spread his railway rug -under the shade of the pine-trees, where they -could not miss hearing the train, and said he -would sit beside them and wake them the -moment it was near, Bessie and Belle felt as if -they should be glad to take advantage of his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[187]</a></span> -kindness. For it was true that they were all -three quite worn out with fatigue and excitement. -But Maggie was very decided in her -refusal to take a nap, saying that she “never -went to sleep except at night, when it was no -use to stay awake, there was nothing -to do.”</p> - -<p>But when the rug was spread beneath the -trees, she took her seat upon it with the others, -leaning her back against a great pine, with -Bessie’s head in her lap. Belle, too, cuddled -close up to her; and Mr. Travers seated himself -opposite, with his book.</p> - -<p>“I wish I had a story-book for you, Maggie,” -he said.</p> - -<p>“It’s no matter, sir,” said Maggie, dolefully. -“I’m not in good enough spirits to read. I’d -rather think about going back.”</p> - -<p>“Suppose you pass the time by composing -that letter you are to send home, telling of -this adventure?” said the gentleman.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[188]</a></span> “Here -are a pencil, and the back of a letter, if you’ll -have them.”</p> - -<p>Maggie brightened considerably at this suggestion, -and gratefully accepted the kind offer.</p> - -<p>Bessie lay with her head in Maggie’s lap, -drowsily thinking how pleasant it would be -to go to sleep in this nice place, if papa and -mamma and baby were only here too. It was -so cool and quiet. No one seemed to be stirring -in the cottages or the small station; not -a sound was heard but the gentle whisper of -the breeze in the tree-tops, the chirp of the -crickets, and the varied notes of a mocking-bird -perched not far from them. Then the -spicy smell of the pines was so delicious and -balmy.</p> - -<p>Not a human being was to be seen but their -own party, and the old negro man, who now -sat upon a wheelbarrow at a little distance, -reading what looked like a leaf or two from a -book. He seemed to read very slowly and -with great pains, pointing his finger along -from word to word, and forming the words -with his mouth, as people do who cannot read -very well; but he appeared to be very intent -over it.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[189]</a></span></p> - -<p>“I wonder what he is reading,” said Bessie -to herself, as she sleepily watched him: “it -looks like a piece out of an old torn book. -Maybe it’s a newspaper, and they have such a -very little one this is such a very little -place, and there isn’t much to tell about. I -shouldn’t think it was very interesting here.”</p> - -<p>The last thing she saw before she went -to sleep, was the old negro; and the first on -which her eyes opened was the white-haired -man, still sitting there, poring over his leaf, as -if he had not moved from that spot; and yet -she felt as if she had taken quite a long, refreshing -nap.</p> - -<p>She gently turned her head, and looked at -her companions. Belle did not appear to -have moved, lying fast asleep with her cheek -on Maggie’s dress, and her hat over her -eyes, just as she had lain down. Mr. Travers -sat with his back against a tree, his arms -folded, his eyes closed, and bareheaded. Bessie -turned a little more, so that she could see -Maggie.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[190]</a></span></p> - -<p>Why! was it possible? Yes, surely: watchful -Maggie was fast asleep too. The pine-tree -against which she leaned did not shoot up -with a straight, unbroken trunk, as they generally -do, but was a kind of twin tree, parting -into two a foot above the ground, and forming -a crook or fork. In this fork was the -“bad hat,” and on the “bad hat” lay Maggie’s -head, as peacefully as though it were -the pillow of her own pretty bed at home; -and Maggie was as sound asleep as if it were -that same familiar pillow. One dimpled hand -loosely held Mr. Travers’ pencil, and the paper -lay fluttering unheeded on the ground at -her feet. Bessie picked it up lest the breeze -should blow it away, and Maggie’s precious -thoughts be lost. But it was evident that the -letter had not made much progress, for Bessie -found only these words written:—</p> - -<div class="blockquote"> - -<p>“<span class="smcap">Oh, dear, darling Uncle Ruthven</span>,—Such -a horrible, dreadful adventure!”</p> - -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[191]</a></span></p> - -<p>She would not disturb any of the others, -but sat quiet a moment watching them, then -turned her eyes again towards the old negro.</p> - -<p>“I think I’ll go speak to him,” she said to -herself. “He is a great while reading his -paper, and I s’pose he can’t make it out very -well. Maybe I could help him, and he was -very kind to us.”</p> - -<p>She rose softly, and walked slowly towards -the old man. He looked up and smiled, saying,—</p> - -<p>“Little Miss want for any ting ole Joe can -do for her?”</p> - -<p>“No, thank you,” said Bessie, now feeling -rather shy of asking him if she could help -him; then after a moment’s pause she added, -“You were reading when I went to sleep, and -you are reading now.”</p> - -<p>“Yes, little Miss,” he answered, “Joe read -most all de time when no trains on hand and -he work all done up.”</p> - -<p>“Is it a little newspaper?” asked Bessie.</p> - -<p>“A newspaper?” he answered, spreading<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[192]</a></span> -the sheet on his knee, and laying his hand -reverently upon it. “Yes, Missy, a newspaper -what habs great news in it, de best news in -de worl’,—de news how de Lord Jesus come -down to save sinners, and old Joe among -’em. Do little Miss know dat news?”</p> - -<p>“Oh, yes!” said Bessie, simply. “I always -knew it. I’m glad you think it’s good news, -Joe, then I know you love Him.”</p> - -<p>“Sure, Missy,” said Joe, “how I gwine for -help love Him when I knows He done such -a ting for Joe?”</p> - -<p>Feeling on the instant a bond of sympathy -between herself and the old negro, Bessie -slipped her soft little hand into his hard, -black palm, as she said,—</p> - -<p>“But some people who know it don’t love -Him.”</p> - -<p>Joe shook his head sorrowfully.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[193]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Yes, an’ I bery sorry for dem folks; but I -bery glad for Joe, and for little Miss too, for -I ’spect she love Him by de way she speak, -an’ I know de Lord love her.”</p> - -<p>“Did you mean that was out of the Bible?” -asked Bessie, looking at the printed sheet -which she now saw was torn, scorched, and -soiled.</p> - -<p>“Yes,” answered Joe, triumphantly, “it out -ob de Bible;” and he placed it in Bessie’s hand.</p> - -<p>Yes, it was out of the Bible, two leaves: -one containing the second chapter of Luke, -with the account of the Saviour’s birth; the -other, part of the fifteenth and the whole of -the sixteenth of Mark, relating his death and -resurrection.</p> - -<p>“I hab de beginnin’ an’ de end,” said Joe, -“an’ I hab some more too, some ob my Lord’s -own bressed words what He preach to His -people;” and he drew from his pocket a -single leaf, containing most of the sixth chapter -of Matthew.</p> - -<p>“Is that all you have of the Bible?” asked -Bessie.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[194]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Dat’s all, Missy, but dey’s a deal ob -preciousness in it: dey’s words what bears -readin’ ober and ober. To be sure, dey’s -times when I gets longin’ for more; but I jes -says, ‘Come now, old Joe, don’t be so ongrateful. -Ef de Lord had meant you to hab more -He would ha’ sent it you;’ and I tank Him -for not lettin’ dis be burn up an’ for lettin’ me -fin’ it ’fore it was blowed away by de wind.”</p> - -<p>“Where did you find it, and how did it -come so burnt and torn?” asked Bessie.</p> - -<p>“Foun’ it ober by Miss Sims’ house. ’Spect -she use it for her bakin’, and when de bread -done she trow it out, an’ de Lord He let old -Joe fin’ it. Bress His holy name.”</p> - -<p>“Do you mean she baked her bread on the -leaves of the Bible?” asked Bessie, exceedingly -shocked.</p> - -<p>“’Pears like it, Missy. I ’spect she don’t -know its wort’, poor woman!” said Joe, with -a pitying thought for the owner of the pretty, -comfortable cottage, who was so much poorer -than himself.</p> - -<p>Bessie stood looking at him with a multitude -of feelings struggling for expression on -her sweet, wistful, little face. Indignation at<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[195]</a></span> -the treatment received by God’s Holy Word; -pity, respect, and tender sympathy for the old -negro,—were almost too much for her, and -her color rose, and the tears came to her eyes.</p> - -<p>“Little Miss feel so bad ’bout it as did old -Joe,” he said, “but, Missy, dat was de Lord’s -way to help old Joe. Long time he ben -wantin’ a Bible an’ save up he money, and -hab mos’ enough; an’ one day a poor feller -come along what hab no shoes an’ hab cut -he foot awful, an’ he mus’ go on to de city -to see his chile what dyin’; an’ de Lord say -in my heart, ‘Joe, you gib dat money for -shoes for dis poor feller,’ an’ I couldn’t help -it no way, Missy, an’ I buys him de shoes -out de store. An’ he ain’t gone but little -time, an’ I walkin’ roun’ by Miss Sims’ feelin’ -down in de mout’ along ob my Bible; an’ a -piece ob paper come blowin’ to my feet, an’ -I picks him up, an’ ain’t he a bit out my -Lord’s book, an’ I sarch roun’ an’ fin’ noder -one. Praise de name ob de Lord what sen’ -Joe such comfort till he hab more money!”<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[196]</a></span></p> - -<p>Bessie still stood silent, her heart too full -for words at the simple story of this old disciple’s -self-sacrifice. And he had only these -three leaves out of God’s precious Book, while -at home there were Bibles without number for -all who needed them. Oh! if she only had -one to give him. But here there was none,—yes, -there was too.</p> - -<p>Just before they left home, grandmamma -had given to each of the little girls a Testament -and Psalms bound together. She thought -they might be more convenient for daily use in -travelling, than the handsomely bound Bibles -which they generally used at home; and if -they should happen to be lost would not be so -much regretted. They had been carried in -the little satchels all the way; and now, as -usual, Bessie’s satchel hung by her side. The -book was not large; but the print was good and -clear, far better than that on old Joe’s cherished -leaf, and what a world of riches it would -hold for him.</p> - -<p>“I could give him mine,” thought Bessie,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[197]</a></span> -“and he would be so glad. I don’t b’lieve -grandmamma would mind if I gave away her -present for such a reason as this; and Maggie -will let me use hers when I want to read. I -think I ought to give it to him, and I know I -would like to.”</p> - -<p>“S’pose little miss kin read fus’ rate,” said -Joe, interrupting her thoughts.</p> - -<p>“Mamma says I can read very nicely,” she -answered.</p> - -<p>“Maybe she wouldn’t min’ readin’ out a -piece. Some words most too hard for Joe, but -he kin listen fus’ rate.”</p> - -<p>Bessie drew her satchel around, and unfastened -it.</p> - -<p>“Shall I read you some out of my own little -Testament?” she said, drawing forth the -book.</p> - -<p>Joe’s eyes brightened.</p> - -<p>“If Missy be so good,” he said, eagerly.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[198]</a></span> -“She hab it all dere: all how de Lord Jesus -lib an die, an lib again, an’ talk for his people?”</p> - -<p>“Yes,” said Bessie. “What would you -like me to read?”</p> - -<p>“If Missy read where He say, ‘Let not your -heart be trouble’; an’ how He go to make a -place for dose what follers Him.”</p> - -<p>Bessie found the fourteenth of John, and -read it carefully and distinctly, the old man -listening intently. When she came to the -fourteenth verse, he raised his hand and -said,—</p> - -<p>“I t’ought so. I t’ought dere war a promise -like dat. Now I know sure some day He gib -me a Bible, I allers do ax it in His -name, an’ He promise allers stan’ sure.”</p> - -<p>“Yes,” said Bessie, thoughtfully; then -added, in a tone of some self-reproach, “but, -Joe, I forgot that promise once this morning.”</p> - -<p>“But Missy mind it now?”</p> - -<p>“Yes,” answered Bessie.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[199]</a></span> “You see we -had such a dreadful trouble, Joe, and it’s not -quite over yet. Somehow the cars took us -away without papa and mamma, and we didn’t -know where we were going, and there was no -one to take care of us. It was worse than -once when I was lost in New York; cause -that was my own country where I live, and -the policemen were there; and it seemed to -me that even our Father couldn’t help us in -such a trouble as this. But in a minute I -knew that was wrong, and I asked Him to -send us help: and right away he did; for a -kind gentleman came who we saw in the cars -before, and he is taking care of us, and will -take us back to papa and mamma. That is -the gentleman there by the tree.”</p> - -<p>Joe nodded, as much as to say he knew, as -indeed he did; for the story of the little wayfarers -had come to his ears. Little he thought -when he first heard it, what a blessing they -had brought to him.</p> - -<p>“And, Joe,” continued the child, “I think -maybe our Father had a purpose in letting us be -run away with, and bringing us to this place.”</p> - -<p>“Sure, Missy,” replied the old man.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[200]</a></span> “He -allers hab a purpose in what He do, an’ a good -one too; but sometimes we don’t see it, -we ain’t fait’ enough.”</p> - -<p>“But I think I do see it now,” said Bessie, -her tiny fingers still resting on the blessed words -of Jesus’ promise. “I think He sent me here, -so I could bring you my little Testament.”</p> - -<p>“Yes, Missy. I ’spect He did, dat’s a fac’,” -answered Joe, not taking in at once that she -meant to give him the book; “an’ dose words -done Joe a heap of good. Yes: He send you -here for read ’em to Joe.”</p> - -<p>“But you don’t understand,” said Bessie. -“I mean He sent me here to <em>give</em> you the -Testament. I think He meant you to have it, -you asked it in His name. It isn’t all -the Bible: but it has all about Jesus, and a -good deal besides, and the Psalms too; and you -will love it very much, won’t you?”</p> - -<p>“Missy don’t mean she gwine fur gib Joe -her own book?”</p> - -<p>“Oh yes, I do,” answered Bessie.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[201]</a></span> “I have -another Bible at home, and papa would give -me as many as I want, and I can read my sister’s -till we go home. I am going to give it to -you for your own, Joe.”</p> - -<p>The old man sat for a moment speechless -with wonder and gratitude, then covered his -face with his hands.</p> - -<p>“I t’ank de Lord fust, and you next, Missy,” -he said, when he removed them. “I t’ank -Him, and bress His name, fur sen’ his little -white dove to bring His word to ole black Joe. -Yes, yes; for sure His promise stan’ in all -place an’ all time. Missy fin’ it, an’ Joe fin’ -it: de ole an’ de young, de black an’ de -white, de rich an’ de poor,—all who lub and -trust Him. He hear all, an’ do for all.”</p> - -<p>He took the baby hand, and kissed it with -a tender reverence that was very touching to -see, but which the child in her innocence -scarcely understood.</p> - -<p>“Shall I read some more?” she asked.</p> - -<p>Joe thankfully assented; and she finished -the chapter, and read also the fifteenth then, -closing the book, placed it in the old black -man’s hand.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[202]</a></span></p> - -<p>“De Lord know what’s in my heart, but I -can’t speak it out no way,” he said, as he received -it, drawing his rough coat-sleeve across -his eyes; “but, Missy, I t’ink it a great t’ing -to be de Lord’s little messenger to bring His -word to his poor ole servant, what been thirstin’ -for it so long.”</p> - -<p>Belle had wakened while Bessie was reading, -and sat up rather surprised at her little -friend’s occupation, but did not interrupt it.</p> - -<p>“It’s just like my dear Bessie,” she said to -herself; “she’s always doing somefin’ for -somebody.”</p> - -<p>She looked about her as she listened to the -reading; for every word came distinctly in the -deep stillness around. Maggie was asleep still, -and Mr. Travers’ eyes remained closed; but -as Belle watched his face she said to herself,—</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[203]</a></span></p> - -<p>“I guess he’s just pretending. If he was -papa, I’d go and wake him up, and tell him he -is. Maybe he finks Bessie would be too bashful -to read before him if she fought he was -awake.”</p> - -<p>Perhaps Belle was right; for Mr. Travers -woke or seemed to wake very suddenly when -Bessie ceased reading; and, looking at his -watch, said that it was time for the train, and -they must rouse the sleeping Maggie. This -was done; and Maggie woke rather indignant -at herself for going to sleep at all, and a little -ashamed at finding all the others awake before -her.</p> - -<p>“Why! Did you put that there, sir?” she -asked, as Mr. Travers picked up the hat which -had proved such a comfortable pillow, and put -it on his head.</p> - -<p>“Yes,” he answered, “I thought the tree -rather a hard resting-place for that little head -in spite of the mass of curls which came between -them, so when I saw it going down I -popped in the ‘bad hat’ without your knowing -it.”</p> - -<p>“I’m very much obliged to you, sir,” said -Maggie. “I <em>wish</em> I could do something for -you.”</p> - -<p>All the children were very grateful to this<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[204]</a></span> -kind stranger who had taken such good care -of them, and Belle said,—</p> - -<p>“I wish I could too. If I was big I’d ask -you when your birfday was; and I’d make you -a pair of slippers, and a pin-cushion, and a -watch-case, and every fing nice for a birfday -present.”</p> - -<p>“And I’d help,” said Maggie.</p> - -<p>“And I,” said Bessie.</p> - -<p>Here was ground for Maggie to build a new -plan upon; and, in the few minutes which -passed before the train came, she had enough -to think about to keep her from feeling very -impatient for its arrival.</p> - -<p>And there it came, rushing up the long line -of rail,—yet hardly fast enough for the little -ones who had been so long away from their -dear friends,—hailed with clapping of hands, -dancing steps, and glad exclamations: never -was a train more welcome.</p> - -<p>The place was alive in a moment. Women -and children came out to the doors and gates -of the cottages, dogs barked, and hens<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[205]</a></span> -cackled. Half a dozen men, white and colored, -seemed to spring out of the ground, ready -to busy themselves on the arrival of the cars; -and old Joe drew up his wheelbarrow to the -side of the track, ready for any chance trunk -or box which might need to be wheeled away, -and bring him a few pennies. Joe was a rich -man now, to be sure, rich in the wealth which -should pave with shining gold the path he -must tread to the heavenly mansion his -Saviour had gone to prepare for him: but he -must still have a care for his few worldly -needs; and now that his one great desire had -been granted, he would yet put by something -that he might have a little to help along such -of his Lord’s work as should be given into his -hand.</p> - -<p>His hand was shaken, not only by the three -children, but also by Mr. Travers; and they -were gone: but their coming had brought -light and gladness to old Joe; and, in his own -simple language, he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[206]</a></span> “will nebber disremember -dis day while de Lord remembers me.”</p> - -<p>There they were,—mamma, and the two -papas, baby, nurse, and Daphne,—still at the -station at ——, and watching as eagerly for -the train which was to bring back the sorely -missed darlings, as those same little darlings -were looking for the first glimpse of the -dearly loved faces of their “own people.” -What joy there was! What huggings and -kissings! some happy tears too; and as for -Mr. Travers, if he had had six arms to be -shaken instead of two, they would all have -been in use at once. There was some time -to spare before the arrival of the train -which was to carry them on the right route, -which had been missed that morning; and -it would be still longer before kind Mr. -Travers would be able to proceed on the -journey he had so generously interrupted, at -some inconvenience to himself, for the sake -of the little fellow-passengers who had so -unconsciously attracted his notice that morning.</p> - -<p>They gathered in the small room, which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[207]</a></span> -seemed large enough to hold them all now, -and Mr. Travers was thanked over and over -again, his address taken by Mr. Bradford, -and a promise drawn from him that he would -make his house his home when he should -come to New York. More than this, Maggie -privately drew from him the date of his “birfday,” -which happened to be on the twenty-fifth -of December: and you may like to know -that this “plan” of Maggie’s was successfully -carried out; and, last Christmas, Mr. Travers -received a box containing a pair of slippers -worked by Maggie, a pin-cushion by Bessie, -and a watch-case by Belle. I do not believe -that Mr. Travers thought the less of them -because there were some crooked stitches in -them,—especially in the two last,—and that -the pocket of the watch-case was so small that -by no possibility could a watch be squeezed -therein.</p> - -<p>But he did not part from the children that -day without some token of remembrance, for -when Maggie inquired about his birthday, and -repeated,—</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[208]</a></span></p> - -<p>“I would so like to do something for -you, sir, you was so kind to us,” he -answered,—</p> - -<p>“You can do something for me, Maggie. -Give me your little Testament, if you will; -and when I look at it, it will bring back to -me some very sweet recollections of this day.”</p> - -<p>Dear Maggie, only too happy when she -could give or do any thing which brought -pleasure to another, readily consented, thinking -as Bessie had done, that “grandmamma -wouldn’t mind when she knew the reason;” -and the second little Testament went forth -on its mission of love and life, in the hands -of a new owner.</p> - -<p>And pray what do you think had been -that ungrateful baby’s greeting to her little -sisters’ new friend? Nothing less than that -oft-repeated “Oh, bad hat!” But being rested -and at her ease now, she was not fretful, and -was more astonished than displeased at its -reappearance. We ought not to call her ungrateful -either. She was glad to see her<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[209]</a></span> -sisters, and offered plenty of “love Maggies’” -and “love Bessies’,” which meant a -tight squeeze of the little arms about the -neck; but she could not understand the distress -and anxiety their absence had occasioned -on all sides, nor did she know what care had -been bestowed upon them by the owner of the -hat.</p> - -<p>But Mr. Travers having taken off the hat -and placed it beneath his chair, Baby made -the most of her opportunities, and, seating -herself on the carpet behind him, pulled it -forth, and turned it over and over on her lap. -Finding on a closer acquaintance that it was -not so objectionable as she had thought it, she -proceeded to try it on; and, nothing daunted -by the fact that she was nearly extinguished -by it, was, greatly to the amusement of all, -presently discovered toddling blindly about -the room, with her small head and dimpled -shoulders quite hidden; while from beneath -the hat came a muffled voice saying, in lisping -tones,—</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[210]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Nice hat! oh, nice hat! Baby on nice -hat.”</p> - -<p>Bessie almost fell from her mother’s lap, -and Belle from her father’s knee, with laughing -at this joke, and Maggie hopped around -and squealed in an ecstasy of fun and delight; -and even the grown people could not help -laughing heartily at the little “turncoat,” as -nurse called her pet.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 200px;"> - -<img src="images/footer-ch8.jpg" width="200" height="200" alt="(decorative)" /> - -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[211]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> - -<img src="images/header-ch1-and-9.jpg" width="500" height="100" alt="(decorative)" /> - -</div> - -<h2 id="IX">IX.<br /> -<span class="smaller"><i>KATE.</i></span></h2> - -<div> -<img class="dropcap" src="images/dropcap-i.jpg" width="100" height="100" alt="" /> -</div> - -<p class="dropcap">It would take too long to follow Maggie -and Bessie through all their -travels, or to visit all the places -visited by them, going from one to another -by easy stages, as best suited mamma; and -staying a day or two, or a week or two, -according to the amount of interest and -pleasure they found in each. Charleston and -Richmond, Virginia Springs, the famous -Natural Bridge, and many another spot, were -described in Maggie’s letters to her friends -at home; but the place of which she most -delighted to write, because there she found -the most to describe, was Washington. Here -is one of her letters from that city:—</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[212]</a></span></p> - -<div class="blockquote"> - -<p>“<span class="smcap">My beloved Uncle Horace</span>,—I think -Washington is the most interesting city I ever -met with. It has so much to see and buildings -which are quite surprising and such a -credit to themselves and the people who built -them that I am proud of the nation to which I -belong. But the most interesting place I find -is the <em>Pattern</em> Office where are to be seen -thousands and thousands of things one can -never be tired of looking at. There are jewels -and beautiful birds and butterflies, and very -nasty bugs and spiders and oh! Uncle Horace -an awful spider so large with his legs out he -is as big as a dinner plate, I am thankful I do -not live in that country, for he bites too and -the people die, and I don’t see the use of spiders -but I suppose some, or God would not -have made them. And there are machines -but we children did not care much for those -and Indian things very interesting and all -kinds of curiosities and beautiful toys. But -the most interesting of all General Washington’s -furniture and his clothes. But his furniture<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[213]</a></span> -was very shabby and I think his grateful -country ought to make him a present of -some better and his coat—why, Uncle Horace -it was all ragged and if it was not the father -of his country’s I would say it looked like an -old beggar man’s. But please do not think I -am a traitor because I say this, for I would -not be such a thing I hope, nor a Benedict -Arnold either, I shan’t call him Mr. for he is -not good enough, and I think he was the -meanest man that ever lived not to take his -own punishment but to let poor Mr. Andre be -killed for him. And Bessie and I do think -the father of his country might have let Mr. -Andre off that once if he would promise never -to do so again and we are afraid he forgot that -time that Jesus wanted us to forgive one -another as He forgave us. Papa says he had -to make an example of Mr. Andre but I think -he would have been a better example himself -if he had showed mercy. And in the Pattern -Office are some stufed animals some very -pretty and some ugly as is in the nature of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[214]</a></span> -animals to be, for we all know they did not -make themselves any more than people who -are some ugly and some very handsome and -they can’t help it. And so I don’t see why -they have animals for patterns for no man nor -woman either could make an animal but only -God, but they are interesting to see though it -must be disagreeable to stuff them.</p> - -<p>“We saw the President and we are very -much disappointed for he looks just like -another man, not a bit better, and we did not -expect it of him but thought he would be very -grand and somehow different. I don’t care a -bit if I never see another President. I think -it is real mean. But he has a very grand -house and he lets people come in and see it -which is very kind of him, for I would not -like people I did not know to come in my -house, and pass remarks about it; but Papa -says Presidents and kings and things of that -kind have to do a great many things they do -not like very much, so I hope I will never be -a President or his wife either and if he asks<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[215]</a></span> -me to marry him I will certainly say no and -Bessie will too.</p> - -<p>“There are a great many lovely toys in -the Pattern Office but I will not say I wish -they were mine because I cannot have them -so it is of no use and it might be to break the -tenth commandment. Papa says they belong -to the government, but I don’t see what the -government which is nothing but a lot of big -men wants of playthings, and I think they -would be much more use if children had them -to take pleasure in them. If they were mine -I would give the largest share to my Bessie, -and then divide them with all my children -friends and send some to the little cripples’ -hospital.</p> - -<p>“To-morrow Papa is going to take us to the -Smithsonian <em>Institude</em> where they say are a -great many curious and wonderful things and -lots of animals dead ones I mean from all -parts of the world. Which must be very instructif -and if I do not improve my advantages -I ought to be ashamed of myself and deserve<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[216]</a></span> -to be a dunce. Mamma says it is time for us -to go to bed, which I wish it was not and -I wish there was no such place as bed but -I do not tell dear Mamma so or she might -think I did not honor her and I hope I may -never be such an unnatural child. So good -night dear Uncle Horace and Aunt May and -May Bessie the same from your devoted -till death do us part friend</p> - -<p class="right">“<span class="smcap">Maggie</span>.”</p> - -</div> - -<p>They did not stay long in Washington; for -the weather was growing warm and oppressive, -and our party were anxious to hurry northward, -where it was cooler and pleasanter. -We will not stop with them at Baltimore or -Philadelphia, where nothing particularly interesting -occurred; or even in their own city, -where they stopped for a few days to rest and -have a sight of all the dear home-faces, as -well as to leave all the “curiosities and wonderful -memories,” as Maggie called them, which -they had collected in their southern rambles:<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[217]</a></span> -but start off with them once more on their -further journeyings.</p> - -<p>They had parted from Mr. Powers and -Belle: but Uncle Ruthven and Aunt Bessie -had joined the party, adding much to the -enjoyment of all; and they were now on their -way to beautiful Trenton and Niagara Falls.</p> - -<p>A young lady and two gentlemen were coming -up the brass-covered staircase of the steamboat -which was carrying our friends up the -river.</p> - -<p>“Hallo!” said one of the latter as some -small object fell at his feet. “What is this? -Who is pelting me with flowers? No: it’s not -a flower either. What is it, Mary?” and he -stooped and picked it up, turning it round and -round very gingerly, as if afraid it would fall -to pieces in his fingers. “Looks like a small -edition of that thing on your head.”</p> - -<p>“Just what it is,” replied his sister. “It -is a doll’s hat. Ah! there is the little owner, -I suppose,” and she looked up at Bessie who -was peeping over the banisters with watchful,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[218]</a></span> -earnest eyes, and holding Margaret Colonel -Horace in her arms.</p> - -<p>“Are you the young lady who has been -pelting me with dolls’ hats, and trying to -make me think they were flowers?” asked -the young man as he came to the top of the -stairs.</p> - -<p>“It is only one hat, and I didn’t try to -make you think it was a flower, and I didn’t -pelt you with it, and I’m only a little girl,” -answered Bessie, demurely. “It fell off my -dolly’s head; but I’m very glad you came up -just then, before any one stepped on it.”</p> - -<p>The gentleman put the hat on the forefinger -of one hand, and twirled it slowly round with -the other, while Bessie looked on, rather -aggravated.</p> - -<p>“Give it to her, George; aren’t you ashamed -to tease her?” said the young lady.</p> - -<p>“What will you give me for it?” asked he.</p> - -<p>“I’ll give you ‘thank you,’ sir,” replied the -child.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[219]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Nothing else?”</p> - -<p>“No, sir, nothing else,” answered Bessie, -with as much dignity as any young lady could -have worn.</p> - -<p>He felt the silent reproof of the child’s -manner; and, ashamed of having teased her, -he handed her the little hat, saying, almost -without intending it,—</p> - -<p>“I beg your pardon.”</p> - -<p>“I am very much obliged to you, sir,” she -said, now smiling again. “I was ’fraid it -would be spoiled ’fore I could call some one to -pick it up.”</p> - -<p>“Why didn’t you run down, and pick it up -yourself?” asked the young lady.</p> - -<p>“I thought maybe mamma wouldn’t want -me to,” said Bessie, putting on her doll’s hat. -“She told me on the Savannah steamer never -to go up and down the stairs alone; and I -didn’t know if she would like me to here.”</p> - -<p>“Here’s a match for Kate’s paragon of obedience -and straightforwardness,” said the -young lady, laughing as she turned to the -other gentleman who had not yet spoken.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[220]</a></span></p> - -<p>“What is your name, little lady?” he -asked.</p> - -<p>Bessie looked up at him. Where had she -seen that face before? Those sparkling black -eyes, the roguish curve of the lips, seemed very -familiar to her; and yet she was sure the gentleman -was a stranger, as the others were.</p> - -<p>But she had a fancy that these same strangers -were making rather free with her; and -she put on her dignified air again as she -answered slowly,—</p> - -<p>“Bessie Bradford, sir,” and turned away. -But her steps were again checked as she heard -her last questioner exclaim,—</p> - -<p>“Why, it is Kate’s pet! The paragon herself!”</p> - -<p>“Kate’s pet!” The old school-name so -often given to her by the older girls at Miss -Ashton’s, and now uttered by the owner of the -black eyes which seemed so familiar, made it -at once clear to her who it was. Perhaps it -was just as well that she did not know what -paragon meant: she only thought it rather an<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[221]</a></span> -ugly-sounding name, and at another time she -might have been displeased and thought it was -intended to tease her; but, as it flashed upon -her who he was, vexation was lost in pleased -surprise.</p> - -<p>“Oh!” she exclaimed, in the tone she -sometimes used when she was both gratified -and astonished, and looking up at him with -flushed and sparkling face.</p> - -<p>“Well?” said the gentleman, laughing; as -did both of his companions.</p> - -<p>“I just believe you are Katie’s brother,” -cried the child.</p> - -<p>“That is an accusation I cannot deny,” he -said, much amused. “Yes; I am Charlie -Maynard. But how did you know that?”</p> - -<p>“’Cause you look a great deal like her, sir,” -answered Bessie; “and she used to talk about -you very often. She thinks you are very -nice.”</p> - -<p>“That shows her good taste,” he said.</p> - -<p>“She is very, very nice herself,” said the -little girl, no longer feeling as if she were<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[222]</a></span> -talking to a stranger; “and I am very fond -of her. But it is a great while since I have -seen her. Will you please to give her my love -when you see her, sir?”</p> - -<p>“On one condition,” he answered; “that -you come with me now and let me show you -something. Something I think you will like -to see,” he added, seeing that she hesitated.</p> - -<p>“I must ask mamma first,” she said. “She -only gave me leave to wait here until Uncle -Ruthven and Maggie came up.”</p> - -<p>She ran to where her mother sat, and eagerly -asked if she might go with Katie Maynard’s -brother to “see something.” Mamma gave -permission; and, putting her hand confidingly -in that of her new acquaintance, Bessie suffered -him to lead her to the other side of the -boat.</p> - -<p>Like what he had brought her to see! Bessie -thought so indeed, when she caught sight -of the “something;” and Margaret Colonel -Horace nearly fell from her mamma’s arms as -the latter sprang into those of Katie Maynard -herself.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[223]</a></span></p> - -<p>Kate was as much delighted and surprised -as the child, and kissed Bessie over and over -again; while the loving little soul nestled close -to her, and looked up with eyes which left no -need for words.</p> - -<p>Then Bessie had to be introduced to Katie’s -father and mother, who were with her; but her -brother said there was no occasion for him to -go through with this ceremony, since he and -Bessie had already made acquaintance; and he -took a good deal of credit to himself for having -guessed that the demure little damsel, who was -so careful about obeying her mamma, might -be his sister’s favorite and pet, whose name he -had so often heard. The other lady and gentleman -were friends of the Maynards, and -travelling with them; and the whole party -were, like our friends, bound for Niagara.</p> - -<p>“And where is the honey-bee?” asked Kate, -who had heard Colonel Rush call Maggie by -that name, and from that time used it for her. -“We’ll go and bring her too.”</p> - -<p>But Maggie,—who had by this time come upstairs,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[224]</a></span> -having chosen to go down with Uncle -Ruthven to buy some papers and “see what -she could see” below, while Bessie preferred -to wait above,—Maggie was by no means to be -persuaded to join a party consisting of so many -strangers. So Kate, who was really rejoiced -to see her little schoolmates, and wanted to -talk to both, must needs accept Bessie’s invitation, -and stay with them for a while.</p> - -<p>“For you know you’re not a bit troubled -with bashfulness,” said Bessie, innocently; -“and poor Maggie is;” a speech which made -Kate’s friends smile, and Kate herself laugh -outright.</p> - -<p>But Bessie was mistaken; for Kate, in spite -of her laugh, was for once “a bit troubled with -bashfulness” before Mrs. Bradford. For she -had a little feeling of consciousness in the -presence of Bessie’s mother, which rose from -the recollection of the affair of the clock at -school, and the knowledge that Mrs. Bradford -had heard of it. Mrs. Ashton had told Kate -that she had thought it only right to tell Mrs.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[225]</a></span> -Bradford of Bessie’s trial, and her steadfast resistance -to temptation; and Kate, who had not -seen Mrs. Bradford since the day of the giving -of the prizes, felt a little doubtful how she would -be received. But the lady’s kind and friendly -greeting soon put the young girl at her ease, -and she felt there was no need for any feeling -of embarrassment now that her own conscience -was at rest. She had a pleasant talk with the -little girls, hearing of their travels and adventures, -and telling them in return of all that -had taken place at school after they left.</p> - -<p>The acquaintance between the young folks -brought about one between their elders, which -gave much pleasure all around; and, during -the next two or three weeks, the two parties -saw a good deal of one another.</p> - -<p>The children took a great fancy to the -younger Mr. Maynard, Kate’s brother, as he -did to them; and even Maggie was quite -friendly with him from the time that he came -and took his place near his sister, as she sat -a little apart with Bessie on her lap, and Maggie<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[226]</a></span> -close beside her, talking of all that had -happened since they parted. He was very -much amused with Bessie’s quaint ways and -sayings, and with Maggie’s glowing descriptions -of all they had seen and done during -their travels; but he did not let his amusement -appear, and they talked away without restraint -before him. Now and then he would join in -the conversation, putting a question, or making -a remark, as though he were interested in -what they were saying, but not so as to embarrass -them at all; and he was so kind and -pleasant in his manner to them, that they both -speedily honored him with their “approval,” -and a place in the ranks of their friends.</p> - -<p>Not so with Mr. Temple, Charlie Maynard’s -companion. When, after a time, he sauntered -up and joined the group, he soon put a check -upon the merry chatter of the little girls. -Not intentionally, for he had more to say to -them, and asked more questions than Mr. -Maynard himself: but it was done with a tone -and manner which they did not like; in a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[227]</a></span> -half-mocking way, which irritated Bessie, and -brought on a fit of shyness with Maggie. Indeed, -the latter would not stand it long, but -moved away to her mamma.</p> - -<p>“What is it, dear?” asked her mother, -seeing that something had disturbed her.</p> - -<p>“That hateful man, mamma,” said Maggie, -lowering her voice that she might not be -heard by the object of her displeasure.</p> - -<p>“Do not call names, dear,” said her mother. -“What has he done to you?”</p> - -<p>“He talks disagreeable nonsense, mamma.”</p> - -<p>“I thought you liked nonsense once in a -while,” said Mr. Stanton.</p> - -<p>“Oh! it’s not nice, amusing nonsense like -yours, Uncle Ruthven. He talks compliments, -and compliments he don’t mean either. He -is horrid, and very silly, too.”</p> - -<p>“Perhaps he thinks you like it,” said Mr. -Stanton.</p> - -<p>“He has no business to think so,” said -Maggie, waxing more indignant.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[228]</a></span> “We were -having a very nice time with Miss Kate, and -he made himself a great interruption. He -teased us about our dolls; and then he asked -us a great many ridiculous questions, and -talked a great many foolish things about Bessie’s -eyes and my hair. If it was grown ladies -he talked to that way they would say he was -impertinent, and I don’t see what children -have to stand it for. It is horrid nonsense.”</p> - -<p>Mamma thought it horrid nonsense too. She -did not like to have such things said to her -little girls, and was glad that they were too -wise to be pleased with such foolish flattery, -which might otherwise have made them vain.</p> - -<p>Meanwhile, Mr. Temple was continuing his -“horrid nonsense” to Bessie, in spite of more -than one reproof from Kate and her brother; -but the little “princess” received it in the -most disdainful silence, which greatly amused -not only the two last, but also the offender -himself. But at last it became more than -Bessie could bear, and she too slipped from -Kate’s hold and went back to her mother. -From this time, the children avoided Mr.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[229]</a></span> -Temple as much as possible; and, if they could -help it, would not join the Maynards when he -was with them.</p> - -<p>“What is the reason you don’t like George -Temple?” asked Kate of Bessie one day.</p> - -<p>“I don’t know,” said Bessie, coloring: for -she did not know she had made her dislike so -plain; and she really found it difficult to put -in words the cause of her annoyance. “I -don’t know, Miss Kate; but I <em>don’t</em> like him. -I believe I don’t approve of young men,” she -added doubtfully, as if she were not quite sure -of the latter fact.</p> - -<p>“But you like Charlie, don’t you?” said -Kate, smiling, “and he is a young man, -younger than Mr. Temple.”</p> - -<p>“Yes,” answered Bessie, with an air of -deep reflection,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[230]</a></span> “but—then—I b’lieve the -reason is, that Mr. Temple is not so very -gentleman as Mr. Maynard. Your brother -plays with us, and makes fun for us, but he -is just as polite as if we were big ladies; but -I think Mr. Temple is one of those people who -seem to think children don’t have feelings. -You know there is such a kind of people, Miss -Kate.”</p> - -<p>“She knows the ring of the pure metal,” -said Kate afterwards to her mother, “and -distinguishes the true gentleman in heart and -feeling, as well, or better than her elders. -She did not mean her words for me, I am -sure; but I could not but remember that it is -not so long since I was myself one of that -“kind of people who seem to think children -don’t have feelings”;” and Kate laughed at the -recollection of Bessie’s solemn air, when she -had pronounced her opinion of Mr. Temple. -“Poor Maggie! how I used to tease her.”</p> - -<p>“Yes, indeed, Kate,” said Mrs. Maynard,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[231]</a></span> -“grown people, I fear, too often forget how -easily a child’s feelings are wounded; how -the word, the look, or laugh, which to us is a -matter of indifference, or some passing moment’s -amusement, may mortify and grieve -some sensitive little heart, and leave there a -sore spot long after we have forgotten it.”</p> - -<p>“Yes,” said Kate, regretfully, “my conscience -is not at ease on that point. And you -may thank darling Bessie, mother, for giving -me more than one innocent lesson in consideration -and thoughtfulness for others, both -old and young. The honey-bee, too, with all -her heedlessness,—and she is naturally a careless -little thing,—leaves no sting behind her, -for she never forgets the rule which she calls, -‘doing unto others.’”</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 200px;"> - -<img src="images/footer-ch2-and-9.jpg" width="200" height="200" alt="(decorative)" /> - -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">[232]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> - -<img src="images/header-ch10.jpg" width="500" height="100" alt="(decorative)" /> - -</div> - -<h2 id="X">X.<br /> -<span class="smaller"><i>MAGGIE’S POEM.</i></span></h2> - -<div> -<img class="dropcap" src="images/dropcap-i.jpg" width="100" height="100" alt="" /> -</div> - -<p class="dropcap">“Isn’t it a nice day, Maggie?” said -Bessie, coming to her sister, who -was leaning with both arms on the -railing which guarded the upper-deck, watching -the flashing water, the magnificent mountains, -the blue sky, and all the other beauties -around and above her.</p> - -<p>“Yes,” answered Maggie; “and we’re -having such a nice sail, except for that man. -Bessie, my head is quite full of poetry about -it.”</p> - -<p>“Write some then,” said Bessie; “and we’ll -send it to my soldier. He’ll be so pleased. -I’ll ask papa for a pencil and some paper;” -and she made her request to her father, who -let her take his memorandum-book for the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">[233]</a></span> -purpose; and, furnished with this and excited -by all the beauty around, Maggie broke forth -into the following verses, the first of which -was thought remarkably fine by Bessie and -herself, as being not only extremely poetical, -but also as containing a great deal of religious -sentiment very touchingly expressed:—</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<p class="center">“POEM ON A STEAMBOAT SAIL.</p> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">“I have so very many mercies,</div> -<div class="verse">I have to write them down in verses;</div> -<div class="verse">Because my heart in praise goes up</div> -<div class="verse">For such a full and heaped-up cup.</div> -</div> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">“But, ah! ’tis my unhappy fate</div> -<div class="verse">To see on board a man I hate:</div> -<div class="verse">I know I should not be so mad;</div> -<div class="verse">But he behaves so very bad.”</div> -</div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>“‘Hate’ there only means ‘can’t bear,’” -said Maggie, when she had finished this last -verse and read it aloud to her sister:<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">[234]</a></span> “but you -see ‘can’t bear’ don’t rhyme very well with -‘fate;’ and I want to put that, it is such a very -poetical word, and sounds so very grown-up-y. -I had to put that verse about Mr. Temple -for a relief to my feelings; and ‘hate’ must -be excused.”</p> - -<p>“That first verse is lovely,” said Bessie. -“It sounds so very nice; and, besides, it is -so pious.”</p> - -<p>“Yes,” said Maggie. “I thought I’d better -begin with a little religion and gratitude. -Besides, it was that made the poetry come -into my ideas, Bessie. I was thinking how -very good and grateful we ought to be, when -God gives us such a very beautiful world to -look at, and travel about in.”</p> - -<p>“Yes,” said Bessie, putting her head on -one side and giving her sister a look which -expressed as much admiration and affection -as a look could do, “yes: what a very smart, -nice girl you are, Maggie!”</p> - -<p>“You think so,” said Maggie; “but everybody -don’t.”</p> - -<p>“That’s they don’t know any better,” -said Bessie, whose praise might have spoiled -Maggie, if the latter had been at all vain and -conceited.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">[235]</a></span></p> - -<p>“The second verse isn’t very pious,” said -Maggie, looking at it doubtfully; “but I guess -I’ll leave it in.”</p> - -<p>“And you can explain it to Uncle Horace -when you write to him,” said Bessie. “But -make some more, Maggie: your poetry is -splendid.”</p> - -<p>Thus encouraged, Maggie went on,—</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">“I look upon the blue, blue sky,</div> -<div class="verse">That spreads above us there on high:</div> -<div class="verse">Below, the water sparkles bright,</div> -<div class="verse">And all around the land is light.</div> -</div> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">“The sun is shining, too, above,</div> -<div class="verse">And whispers to us, ‘God is love!’</div> -<div class="verse">The moon, also, will shine to-night,</div> -<div class="verse">And pretty stars will twinkle bright.”</div> -</div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>“Oh, what lovely description you do make!” -exclaimed Bessie, when Maggie read these -two verses.</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="verse">“This world is all so beautiful,</div> -<div class="verse">We should be very grateful;</div> -<div class="verse">But then, you know, sometimes we’re not,</div> -<div class="verse">And do forget our happy lot.”</div> -</div> -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">[236]</a></span></p> - -<p>“We’ll have to read gra-te-ful to make it -come right with beautiful,” said Maggie, -“but it sounds good enough.”</p> - -<p>“Oh! it’s perfectly lovely,” said Bessie.</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">“Our father and our mother dear,</div> -<div class="verse">Each sitting in a steamboat chair;</div> -<div class="verse">Aunt Bessie too, the darling dear,</div> -<div class="verse">And Uncle Ruthven sitting near.</div> -</div> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">“Oh! it doth make my heart rejoice</div> -<div class="verse">To hear each loved and pleasant voice;</div> -<div class="verse">And then I have my sisters sweet,</div> -<div class="verse">Who with kind smiles me always greet.”</div> -</div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>“What does ‘greet’ mean?” asked Bessie.</p> - -<p>“It means something like welcome,” answered -Maggie. “I can’t explain exactly; -but I know it is a word poetry-writers use a -great deal, and I thought I had better put it -in.”</p> - -<p>Maggie wrote on,—</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="verse">“And then I’ve lots of friends at home,</div> -<div class="verse">From whom just now away I roam;</div> -<div class="verse">I trust they’ll all be safe and sound</div> -<div class="verse">When I again at home am found.”</div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>“That is enough for to-day,” said Maggie<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237">[237]</a></span> -“but I am going to make a long poem out of -it, and I’ll do some more another time. I -s’pose Niagara will be a good thing to put in -it. You know they say it is splendid.”</p> - -<p>“What is ‘roam’?” asked Bessie, who must -always inquire the meaning of every word she -did not understand.</p> - -<p>“To travel about. Just what we’re doing,” -answered Maggie.</p> - -<p>“Then why don’t you say travel? I think -it’s the nicest word.”</p> - -<p>“But it is not so uncommon,” said Maggie; -“and you know when people write poetry -they always put in all the uncommon words -they can find.”</p> - -<p>“Do they?” said Bessie, as if she did not -quite approve of this rule.</p> - -<p>“Yes, to be sure,” answered Maggie. “You -know prose is just common talking; but -poetry is uncommon talking, and you have to -make it sound as fine as you can, and put -words you don’t use every day.”</p> - -<p>“Oh!” said Bessie.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238">[238]</a></span> “Well, if you have -done, I guess we’d better give papa back his -book.”</p> - -<p>Accordingly, the book was carried to papa, -who had not had any idea that Maggie’s poetical -fancy would carry her so far, and who was -rather surprised to see several pages scribbled -over with verses that were lined and interlined, -scratched out and written over, in a -manner which did not add to the beauty or -neatness of the book.</p> - -<p>However, he only laughed, and taking out -his penknife carefully cut out the scribbled -leaves and gave them to the little poetess, -who rolled them up, and tying them round -with a bit of twine, stowed them away in her -satchel, till such time as she should be ready -to copy and add to them.</p> - -<p>But she did not find leisure for this till -they had been at Niagara for two or three -days; and then, when she looked in her travelling-bag -for the precious poem, lo! it was -gone! In vain did she and Bessie take out -all the other contents from the satchel, shake<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239">[239]</a></span> -it, and feel in each corner and pocket: no -poem came to light, and great was the sorrowing -over its loss.</p> - -<p>“Then I s’pose I’ll never hear of it again,” -said Bessie, regretfully, when mamma said -she thought Maggie must have pulled it out -with some of the other things her bag contained, -and so dropped it, unseen.</p> - -<p>But poor Maggie <em>was</em> to hear of her poem -again; to hear a little too much of it.</p> - -<p>The two parties spent a week or more at -Niagara Falls, visiting many a point of interest -and beauty,—sometimes together, sometimes -apart; now standing below the level of -the Rapids, and looking backward at their -white foaming crests drawn sharply against -the blue sky, as the mad waters went whirling -and rushing over the slope; now, in the early -morning, looking up to the top of the Great -Fall, which shone and flashed like jewels in -the rays of the sun, the gray mist curling -below, and a glorious rainbow stretching from -shore to shore; now taking the little steamer<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240">[240]</a></span> -which plies to the foot of the cataract, into -the very midst of the thick, blinding spray. -Mamma did not think it best for Bessie to go -on this expedition; but strong, hardy, little -Maggie was allowed to go, well wrapped in -water-proof, and held fast in papa’s or Uncle -Ruthven’s arms. On the whole, however, -Maggie did not enjoy this as much as she did -the other excursions. In the first place, Bessie -was not with her, and then she wanted to -laugh at the droll, miserable-looking figures -about her, but would not do so, lest she -should “hurt their feelings, when they looked -so very unhappy, and as if they wished they -had not come.”</p> - -<p>Then again they would pass over to some -of the lovely little islands, which here and -there break the rapids above the American -Fall. Two of them, Ship and Brig Islands, -had a special interest for the children, from -their resemblance to ships under full sail. -Even Bessie, who could never be persuaded to -imagine any thing which she did not distinctly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241">[241]</a></span> -see, noticed this, and said she felt almost -sorry for them, for it seemed as if they were -“real live ships trying to sail out of the -waters that were hurrying them away so -fast.”</p> - -<p>Mr. Bradford and Mr. Stanton had gone -over to Goat Island one afternoon, taking the -little girls with them. Here they were lying -and sitting under the overarching trees, looking -at the Hermit’s Cascade, and listening -to the deep, never-ceasing voice of the great -cataract, when they were joined by the younger -portion of the Maynard party,—Kate and -her brother, and Mr. and Miss Temple.</p> - -<p>Maggie and Bessie had by this time taken -Mr. Charlie Maynard into special favor, looking -upon him with eyes nearly as friendly as -those with which they regarded his sister; -and they were glad to see both him and Kate. -Miss Temple, too, a quiet, lady-like girl, they -liked very well, and did not object to her; but -they could very well have dispensed with her -brother’s society. However, he did not on<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242">[242]</a></span> -this occasion seem at first disposed to prove -teasing or troublesome, but stretched himself -upon the grass, with his head supported on -his arm and his hat half over his eyes.</p> - -<p>But, by and by, Mr. Bradford and Mr. Stanton, -seeing an old friend at a little distance, -went to speak to him; the former telling his -little girls to remain where they were till he -returned. They were scarcely out of hearing, -when George Temple, turning lazily over so -as to face Maggie, though he still kept his -eyes shaded by his hat, said,—</p> - -<p>“This is delightful! One could dream half -one’s life away in this enchanting place and -in such pleasant company. Have we not a -poet or poetess among us to put it all into -verse? What! no answer to the call? Then -I shall have to try my hand at it.”</p> - -<p>“You making verses!” said his sister, -laughing, and playfully pulling the brown -locks which escaped from beneath his hat.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243">[243]</a></span> -“You making verses! a lame style of poetry -that would be, to be sure.”</p> - -<p>“I don’t know,” said George. “Certainly -I never appeared to have much talent that -way; but no one can tell what he may be -able to do when a fitting time arrives. I -feel on the present occasion like the gifted -authoress who says so touchingly,—</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="verse">‘I have so very many mercies</div> -<div class="verse">I have to write them down in verses.’”</div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>Maggie started, and looked up from the little -bunch of wild flowers she was arranging to -carry home to her mother.</p> - -<p>Mr. Maynard and the young ladies laughed; -and Charlie said,—</p> - -<p>“What a gem! Who is your authoress?”</p> - -<p>“She is Anon., I believe,” said George, -sleepily. “She closes the couplet with,—</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="verse">‘Because my heart in praise goes up</div> -<div class="verse">For such a full and heaped-up cup.’</div> -</div> -</div> - -<p class="noindent">Now I am in just such a frame of mind, and -quite agree with her when she goes on to say,—</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="verse">‘This world is all so beautiful,</div> -<div class="verse">We should be very gra-te-ful;</div> -<div class="verse">But then, you know, sometimes we’re not,</div> -<div class="verse">And do forget our happy lot.’”</div> -</div> -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244">[244]</a></span></p> - -<p>“George,” said Miss Temple, “how can you -be so foolish?” but she laughed again, and -the others, too, went on laughing and joking -him about his “nonsense;” while poor Maggie -sat,—with downcast-eyes, changing color, and -beating heart,—listening intently to every -word her tormentor uttered, and wondering -how much more pain he would put her through. -As for Bessie, she had at first heard in wondering -surprise those strangely familiar lines; -but surprise soon changed to sympathy for her -Maggie, and indignation against Mr. Temple.</p> - -<p>Suddenly Kate turned her eyes towards the -two little faces, and the expression of both left -no room for doubt as to who was the author of -the unfortunate verses. Maggie was in an -agony of embarrassment: too well did Kate -know the signs, and remember with shame -how, not long since, she herself had found as -much amusement in them as George Temple -was probably now doing, since he was taking -so much pains to excite them. But Kate had -learned better, and had grown more thoughtful<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_245" id="Page_245">[245]</a></span> -and considerate, more careful not to give -pain to another for the sake of a little passing -enjoyment to herself. How cruel Mr. Temple’s -teasing seemed to her now, and how she -felt for Maggie!</p> - -<p>For Bessie, too, who she saw was trying to -keep down her rising temper, she was very -sorry. She must come to the rescue in some -way.</p> - -<p>“I might have known from the first,” she -said to herself, “that those were Maggie’s -verses. They sound just like her,—just like -her happy, grateful, little heart, always so -ready and eager to give praise and gratitude -where they are due. They are not bad for -such a child, either; but I must help her out -of this. Poor little Maggie!”</p> - -<p>“There’s another sentiment of the talented -writer, to which I shall also say amen,” began -Mr. Temple again,—</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="verse">“‘And then I’ve lots of friends at home</div> -<div class="verse">From whom just now away I roam;</div> -<div class="verse">I hope they’ll all be safe and sound</div> -<div class="verse">When I again at home am found.’”</div> -</div> -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_246" id="Page_246">[246]</a></span></p> - -<p>“I thought you meant to try your own -powers of rhyming,” said Kate. “I am glad -you have not, for I know you could not do -nearly as well as the writer you quote; and I -am sure you have not half as feeling a heart. -But we have had enough.”</p> - -<p>This was an unlucky speech of Kate’s; for -it gave Mr. Temple an opportunity of doing -still worse.</p> - -<p>“A feeling heart!” he repeated: “well, I -don’t know about that; her feelings seem to -have been mixed, for she says,—</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="verse">‘Alas! ’tis my unhappy fate</div> -<div class="verse">To see on board a man I hate:</div> -<div class="verse">I know I should not be so mad;</div> -<div class="verse">But he behaves so very bad.’</div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>Now, I am in a much more amiable frame of -mind; for I do not see in this present company -a single person whom it is ‘my unhappy fate’ -to hate. How is it with you, Maggie?”</p> - -<p>But Maggie was overwhelmed, and could -not possibly have answered if she had wished -to do so ever so much.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_247" id="Page_247">[247]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Maggie,” said Kate, seeing no way to -spare the child further confusion but by taking -her away, “you have not enough green with -those flowers. Come over there, I see some -pretty leaves, and we will gather them.”</p> - -<p>Maggie sprang to her feet, letting the flowers -fall to the ground, and seized eagerly upon -the kind hand held out for her relief. The -tears, which she had been struggling to hold -back, flowed freely the moment she was beyond -the sound of her tormentor’s voice; but -she felt better for them and for Kate’s sympathy.</p> - -<p>“Never mind, dear,” said Kate, soothingly. -“I know the poetry is yours, Maggie, -and it is very nice indeed; but I would not -say so before Charlie and Mary. I thought -you would not like it. George Temple could -not have written it himself, and he ought to -be ashamed to tease you so.”</p> - -<p>“It’s <em>too, too</em> mean,” sobbed Maggie;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_248" id="Page_248">[248]</a></span> “and -that man is too horrid. I didn’t really mean -I hated him; but now I most feel as if I did.”</p> - -<p>Meanwhile Bessie, who had lingered a moment -to pick up Maggie’s flowers, was receiving -in dignified silence Mr. Temple’s questions -as he asked “what ailed her sister?”</p> - -<p>“What is the matter, George?” said Miss -Temple, seeing something was wrong. “Are -you teasing Maggie? Are those verses hers?”</p> - -<p>“I told you they were Anon.,” replied her -brother.</p> - -<p>This was a little too much. It was quite -bad enough for Mr. Temple to torment Maggie -so; but that he should give the credit of those -beautiful verses to another, was more than -could be borne, and Bessie turned upon him, -saying, with the utmost severity, but without -passion,—</p> - -<p>“They’re not. Miss Anon. didn’t write -them. My Maggie did; and you know it, and -you took them out of her bag.”</p> - -<p>Mr. Temple laughed with the others at the -first part of the speech, but looked grave again -at its ending.</p> - -<p>“Hallo!” he said, rousing himself from the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_249" id="Page_249">[249]</a></span> -lazy attitude he had kept until now, “do you -know what you are saying, little lady? That -would be stealing.”</p> - -<p>Bessie stood looking at him for a moment -in silence.</p> - -<p>“I picked them up off the deck of the steamboat,” -said the young gentleman, a shade of -vexation crossing his face as he noted the -expression of the child’s.</p> - -<p>With grave reproach in her great, serious -eyes, she made answer,—</p> - -<p>“I don’t see why it’s not just the same.”</p> - -<p>“The same as what, as stealing?”</p> - -<p>“You knew they were not yours, sir,” answered -the child. “I don’t suppose it was -just stealing, but I think it was”—</p> - -<p>“Well,” said Mr. Temple, seeing she hesitated.</p> - -<p>“I had better go away,” said Bessie: “I -feel pretty saucy and I might say something -you deserved;” with which she turned away, -and ran after Kate and Maggie.</p> - -<p>Mr. Temple looked, as he felt, uncomfortable.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_250" id="Page_250">[250]</a></span> -The joke had proved more serious than he had -intended; and the remarks made by his two -companions, and their amusement at Bessie’s -words, did not tend to make him better pleased -with the consequences of his own conduct.</p> - -<p>Kate added her reproaches when she returned, -after leaving Maggie and Bessie in -their father’s care, saying,—</p> - -<p>“I had rather, for your own sake, that you -had done this thing to any other children than -those two, George. They are both so truly -just, and have such a high sense of honor, -which you have rudely shocked.”</p> - -<p>“A child’s sense of honor,” repeated George, -rather scornfully. “I am sorry I teased them, -and had no idea Maggie would take it so -hardly; but I am not troubled in regard to my -self. A child’s opinion does not signify much.”</p> - -<p>“It does with me,” said Kate,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_251" id="Page_251">[251]</a></span> “and I can -tell you a story to the point, and which may -show you what a child’s sense of honor is -worth. I think they sometimes see the right -and wrong more clearly than we do.”</p> - -<p>“You seem to have great faith in these -little friends of yours,” said Mr. Temple.</p> - -<p>“Yes,” replied Kate, “I have reason. They -have been tried and not found wanting, as -you shall hear;” and Kate told the story of -the prize composition,—the hopes and fears -regarding it, its loss and recovery, and the -noble way in which our little girls had acted.</p> - -<p>“Capital!” said Charlie, as she ended.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_252" id="Page_252">[252]</a></span> -“They judge others only by the rules by which -their own conduct is guided; and there is a -wise saying in an old book we all know of, -which we would do well to remember: namely, -‘Take heed that ye offend not one of these -little ones.’ I take that to mean, not only -that we are to set a good example to them, -and that we must so act and speak as not to -confuse and disturb their ideas of right and -wrong; but also, that whoever purposely hurts -or grieves one of them, commits a sin in the -eyes of Him who gave them His special care -and blessing. Which of us could have calmly -borne ridicule thrown upon some cherished -work of our own, such as you cast, George, -on the simple verses of that shy, sensitive, -little Maggie? Poor little poetess! And I -honor Bessie, baby though she is, for the way -in which she struggled with her temper, and -removed herself from the temptation to give -way to it, and ‘say something you deserved.’ -Could there have been a more severe reproof -than that?” and Mr. Maynard laughed again -at Bessie’s speech and manner, though he felt -that this had become no laughing matter.</p> - -<p>“They have both forgiven him now,” said -Kate, dryly;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_253" id="Page_253">[253]</a></span> “and Bessie made the excuse for -him which she usually makes for others who -do what she considers wrong, that ‘maybe -Mr. Temple had never been taught better, and -so didn’t know what was very true and honest, -or he wouldn’t have kept Maggie’s verses, -when he knew they were hers, for such a very -unkind purpose as to tease her.’ ‘And maybe -he didn’t know how very bad I felt, and -never thought much about doing unto others,’ -added Maggie. I cannot believe you meant -to be as cruel as you were, George; for you -did not know how much Maggie dreads notice -drawn upon herself. You see,” she added, -playfully, “I have myself so lately learned the -lesson how much suffering such thoughtlessness -may cause another, that I feel entitled to -preach on the subject to others.”</p> - -<p>Mr. Temple took the preaching in good part. -He had a lazy kind of good-nature which would -not allow him to take offence readily; and, -besides, he was really sorry and vexed with -himself for what he had done. Perhaps he -would have regretted it still more, had he -seen part of a letter written that afternoon by -Maggie to Colonel Rush:—</p> - -<div class="blockquote"> - -<p>“<span class="smcap">Dear Uncle Horace</span>,—I think there are -a kind of people in the world who seem to be -created only for a very bad business, namely, -to tease poor children and make their shyness -come back to them when they have been trying -very hard to cure themselves of it. Of -this nature is a man whose name I will not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_254" id="Page_254">[254]</a></span> -mention, for some day you might know him -and say ‘there is the trecherous man who -was so cruel to Maggie and I will not be acquainted -with him’ which would be a punishment -I would not wish even him to bear -because I am trying to forgive him but it is -very hard. He picked up a poem I wrote on -the boat to send to you, and he kept it and -said it before me just to plage me and there -was a verse in it about him which was not at -all a compliment and oh! dear Uncle Horace -he said that too, and it was dreadful I was so -frightened. I am quite sure he knew it was -mine and Bessie is too and I don’t think it -was very honest not to give it right back do -you? but to read it which was not like what -a gentleman should do. He made believe he -thought it was nice but he did not and was -only making fun of it which was a hard distress -to bear and I think I shall never recover -it and feel as pleasant with that man as I -would wish to feel with all my fellow cretures. -Miss Kate was very nice and took me away<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_255" id="Page_255">[255]</a></span> -and she is much improved and never teases -any more and now I love her dearly; but she -never teased me so badly as that man who I -will not name and I pity Miss Temple for having -such a brother for she is a very nice young -lady and deserves better. When Harry and -Fred are young men which I wish they did -not have to be I hope they will remember this -and take pattern by Mr. Maynard and not by -M—— that other man I mean. But no more -on this melancorly subject so sad to think on -but I will tell you about Niagara Falls.</p> - -<p>“N. B. Mr. Temple is a very good looking -young man in his appearance but I find all is -not gold that glitters.”</p> - -</div> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 200px;"> - -<img src="images/footer-ch6-and-10.jpg" width="200" height="135" alt="(decorative)" /> - -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_256" id="Page_256">[256]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> - -<img src="images/header-ch3-and-11.jpg" width="500" height="100" alt="(decorative)" /> - -</div> - -<h2 id="XI">XI.<br /> -<span class="smaller"><i>GOOD SEED.</i></span></h2> - -<div class="blockquote"> - -<div> -<img class="dropcap" src="images/dropcap-m.jpg" width="100" height="100" alt="" /> -</div> - -<p class="dropcap"><span class="smcap">“My own dear Solger</span>,—I do want to -see you so much I don’t kno wat -to do and Ant May too and May -Bessie. I did not see you ever so long and -it is such a grate wile I miss you so. But -Mamma says some day we will go to your -house in that place where you live and I will -be so glad and my Maggie too. They are -indians in Nigra Falls and they have pretty -things and we bort some for all our peple and -a baskit for Ant May and a rattel for May -Bessie and something for you that is a secret. -Plese dont tell them so they will be surprised -and Nigra Falls is so fast you cant think. I -never saw such fast water and it makes such -a noise but not so nice as the sea and I like it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_257" id="Page_257">[257]</a></span> -best when we go on the ilans or up the river -where it is not so much noise or such hie -water to fall over. Some ilans are named the -three sisters and we call one Maggie and one -Bessie and one Annie don’t you think that is -nice. I want to see Belle so much. Belle -loves me and I love Belle and Maggie does too -and I love her more that her mama went -away to Jesus and she wants her but I know -she loves her yet and is glad when she is good. -And Belle is sweet. Don’t you love Belle? -I send you forty nine kisses and I love you -dear Uncle Horace from your pet</p> - -<p class="right">“<span class="smcap">Bessie</span>.”</p> - -</div> - -<p>It would be hard to tell who took the most -pleasure in these letters from our little travellers,—those -who wrote them, or those who received -them. One thing is certain,—that they -were all carefully kept and laid away, and -some time, when they are older, Maggie and -Bessie may find some amusement in looking -over these records of their childish days. Many<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_258" id="Page_258">[258]</a></span> -a pleasant scene and circumstance will they -bring back to them, and some not so bright -perhaps; for the little ones have their trials, as -we know, and do not, I fear, forget as readily -as we grown people would believe. It is -strange we do not see that too; looking back, -as we often do, with a sort of tender pity for our -own former grieved and mortified <em>little</em> selves, -and remembering with such distinctness the -sharp or quick word of reproof, the thoughtless -teasing, or the loud, sudden laugh at some -innocent speech or action.</p> - -<p>Little did Bessie think when she wrote that -last letter, how soon her wishes to see her -dear friends were to be gratified.</p> - -<p>It had been intended to take the steamer -down Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence to -Montreal: but on the day before that on which -our friends were to leave Niagara, there was a -severe storm which tossed and roughened the -waters of the great lake; and fearing that -Maggie might have an attack of the old enemy -she so dreaded, and knowing that fresh water<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_259" id="Page_259">[259]</a></span> -seasickness is even worse than that which -comes from the salt water, the elders of the -party decided not to take the boat down the -lake.</p> - -<p>They therefore went by the cars to Kingston, -in Canada, and, after passing a day there, -took the boat down the river St. Lawrence; -for here Maggie had nothing to fear from her -foe. There was no part of their long journey -which the children enjoyed more than their -passage down this beautiful river, so different -from any thing they had yet seen. The Lake -of the Thousand Isles, as the entrance to the -St. Lawrence is called, full of little islets up -to the number that is named, a thousand: -some larger, and covered with graceful, feathery -trees; some so small as scarce to afford -room for some solitary tree or bush; clustering -together so as scarce to leave room for the -steamer to pass, then again separating, with a -broad, clear sheet of water between them.</p> - -<p>Here something occurred which greatly interested -not only the children, but also the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_260" id="Page_260">[260]</a></span> -grown people on board. As the steamer was -slowly making her way between two small -islands, the passengers saw a very exciting -chase before them. A fine stag was swimming -across the river, pursued by dogs and -two boats with men in them. The poor beast -was trying with all his strength to escape -from his cruel enemies, and the sympathies -of all the passengers were with him. The men -in the boats had no guns, but a net, which they -were trying to throw over his head; but each -time they neared him, he shot forward beyond -their reach. Maggie and Bessie were in a -state of the wildest excitement, as they watched -the innocent and beautiful creature panting -with terror and fatigue; and their elders were -hardly less so. Bessie held fast her father’s -hand, gazing with eager eyes and parted lips, -her color coming and going, her little frame -trembling with distress and indignation; and -Maggie seized upon Uncle Ruthven and danced -up and down in frantic suspense and alarm -at the danger of the poor beast. His courage<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_261" id="Page_261">[261]</a></span> -seemed giving out, and his pursuers cheered in -triumph; when, summoning up all his strength, -he suddenly turned, and, passing almost under -the bow of the steamer, made for the opposite -and nearer shore, thus gaining upon his enemies -as they took time to turn their boats; and -cleaving the water, almost like lightning, he -reached the thickly wooded bank, bounded up, -and was lost to sight among the forest trees, -and beyond the reach of his would-be destroyers. -A cheer burst from those on board, as -the noble creature disappeared in safety,—a -cheer in which Maggie joined with all her -heart, “for I couldn’t help it, and most forgot -it was rather tomboyish,” she afterwards said. -But no one found fault with her: indeed no -one could. As for Bessie, she fairly cried, -but it was only with pleasure and the feeling -of relief.</p> - -<p>Later in the day, they were greatly interested -in seeing the shooting of the Rapids, -as the passage of the steamer over the foaming -waters is called. It was a curious sight.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_262" id="Page_262">[262]</a></span> -The water foamed and bubbled around the -steamer, seeming as though it were eager to -draw it down; but the vessel glided on, rose -a little to the billows, plunged, rose again, and -was once more in smooth waters. There were -several of these rapids to be passed; and, although -our little girls had been rather frightened -at the first, they soon became accustomed -to it, and enjoyed the swift descent. The -crew of the steamer were all Canadians; and, -as they came to each rapid, they struck up -some cheery boat-song, which rose sweet and -clear above the roar of the waves, and put -heart and courage into the more timid ones -among the passengers.</p> - -<p>They soon reached Montreal, where they -spent a week; and here again the opportunity -to do a kind act, and leave a blessing behind -them, came in the way of our little sisters.</p> - -<p>They were one day passing through the long -upper hall of the hotel at which they stayed, -when they met the chamber-maid who waited -on their rooms, crying bitterly. The girl, who<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_263" id="Page_263">[263]</a></span> -was quite young, had her apron thrown over -her head, and seemed in great distress.</p> - -<p>“What is the matter, Matilda?” asked -nurse, who was with the children.</p> - -<p>“I’ve lost my place,” sobbed Matilda; “and -I’ve my mother and my two little brothers to -take care of. Oh! whatever will I do?”</p> - -<p>“Why are you turned away?” asked nurse, -who thought the girl attended to her duties -very well, and was civil and obliging.</p> - -<p>Then Matilda took down her apron, showing -her face all streaked with tears, and told her -story.</p> - -<p>She had, it appeared, been unfortunate,—perhaps -rather careless,—and had broken one -or two articles, the loss of which had greatly -vexed the house-keeper, who had told her she -should leave her place the next time she broke -any thing. This had made her more careful; -but that morning an accident had occurred -which might have happened to any one. -Turning the corner of a corridor, with a pitcher -full of water in her hand, some one had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_264" id="Page_264">[264]</a></span> -run against her, the pitcher was knocked from -her hold, and broken into a hundred pieces. -The house-keeper would hear of no excuse, -and bade her leave the house at once, or pay -for the pitcher.</p> - -<p>“And I haven’t a penny,” said the girl; -“for I sent all my wages to my mother yesterday -to pay her rent, and there’s nothing for -it but I must go. And what is to become of -us all, if I don’t get another place right -away?”</p> - -<p>Nurse tried to comfort her, by saying she -would soon find another situation; but Matilda -replied that was not so easy, and she feared -they would all suffer before she found it; and -went away, still crying bitterly. Maggie and -Bessie were very sorry for her.</p> - -<p>“I wonder if we haven’t money enough to -pay for the pitcher, Bessie,” said Maggie.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_265" id="Page_265">[265]</a></span> -“If we had, then maybe the house-keeper -would let her stay; and if she won’t we could -give Matilda the money to keep her mother -and brothers from starving.”</p> - -<p>“Yes, that’s a good thought of you, Maggie,” -said Bessie; “and there’s the house-keeper -now. Let’s run and ask her quick: -may we, nursey?”</p> - -<p>Nurse gave permission, though she did not -think the children would be successful in their -errand of kindness; and said low, either to -herself or baby, whom she carried in her -arms,—</p> - -<p>“Eh! the little dears will do naught with -her. She’s a cross-grained creature, that -house-keeper, and as short in her way as a -snapping-turtle.”</p> - -<p>Maggie’s courage began to fail her when -she and Bessie ran up to the house-keeper, and -heard the severe tone in which she was speaking -to another servant. It was true that her -manner and speech were apt to be rather -harsh and short in dealing with those about -her, especially to the girls who were under -her orders; but it must be said in her excuse -that she led rather a trying life, and had a -good deal to vex and trouble her.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_266" id="Page_266">[266]</a></span></p> - -<p>Maggie and Bessie stood waiting behind the -house-keeper’s stout figure, till she had, as -Maggie afterwards said, “finished up her -scoldings,” when Bessie said rather timidly:—</p> - -<p>“Mrs. Housekeeper?”</p> - -<p>“Well, what’s wanted now?” asked the -woman, turning sharply round; but, when she -saw who was speaking to her, her face softened -and her manner changed.</p> - -<p>Now the worst of all this poor woman’s -troubles was the long tedious sickness of her -only child, a little girl about Bessie’s age, but -not bright and happy, and able to run about -and play like our little “princess.” This -poor child had been ailing for more than six -months, sometimes suffering a great deal, and -always very weak; and her mother had not -much time to give to her, since she was -obliged to attend to her duties about the hotel -of which she had charge.</p> - -<p>When the child was well enough, she was -put into a perambulator and taken out for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_267" id="Page_267">[267]</a></span> -fresh air; and she had just returned from one -of these rides on the day before this, as Maggie -and Bessie came in from a drive with the -elders of their party. They had been to visit -an Indian encampment just outside the city, -and returned laden with all manner of pretty -trifles purchased for the dear ones at home, -and some for themselves.</p> - -<p>They had each of them also a handful of -flowers given to them by some friend; and, as -they passed the sick child lying in her wagon, -and turned towards her with a look of sympathy, -Bessie saw her eyes fixed longingly on -the sweet blossoms she held.</p> - -<p>She stopped and turning to Maggie said,—</p> - -<p>“I think I’ll give my flowers to that sick -child, she looks as if she’d like them,” and -then going to the child she put the flowers in -her hand, and said, “Here are some flowers -for you, and I am sorry you are sick.”</p> - -<p>“And here’s a basket for you,” said Maggie, -coming forward with her offering too; and she -gave a pretty little basket, the work of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_268" id="Page_268">[268]</a></span> -Indians, which she had bought for her own -use: “you can put Bessie’s flowers in it, and -it will look lovely. See, let me fix them for -you,” and in two minutes her skilful little -fingers had arranged the flowers most tastefully, -greatly to the child’s delight.</p> - -<p>“And am I to keep the basket?” asked the -sick child.</p> - -<p>“Oh, yes! for ever and ever if you like,” -said Maggie; “and when the flowers are faded -you can take them out and put some more -in.”</p> - -<p>“I don’t often have flowers,” said the child; -“but I love them so: only I don’t like to -take all yours,” she added, looking at Bessie.</p> - -<p>“Oh! she is going to have half mine,” said -Maggie; “you needn’t be troubled about that. -Good-by now,” and she and Bessie ran after -their parents, leaving the sick child brightened -and happy.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 450px;"> - -<img src="images/illus4.jpg" width="450" height="650" alt="Maggie giving flowers to the sick child" /> - -<p class="caption">Bessie’s Travels. <a href="#Page_268">p. 268.</a></p> - -</div> - -<p>Her mother had been standing near enough -to hear and see all that had passed; and so -you will not wonder that now, when she turned<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_269" id="Page_269">[269]</a></span> -and saw Maggie and Bessie, her harsh look -and tone became gentle and pleasant.</p> - -<p>“Oh! it’s you, you little dears,” she said. -“Now, is there ever a thing I can do for -you?”</p> - -<p>“Yes,” said Bessie. “We are so sorry for -Matilda, and we wanted to know if you would -let us pay for the pitcher she broke if we -have money enough, and try her just once -more?”</p> - -<p>“I like to please you,” said the woman; -“but Matilda is so careless I cannot put up -with her.”</p> - -<p>“But it really wasn’t her fault this time,” -pleaded Bessie; “she says a man ran against -her, and knocked it out of her hand when she -was carrying it so carefully.”</p> - -<p>“And we’ll pay for it if we have enough,” -said Maggie.</p> - -<p>“And her mother is sick,” said Bessie;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_270" id="Page_270">[270]</a></span> “and -you know we ought to be sorry and kind to -sick people; and you know, too, we ought to -forgive as we want to be forgiven. Couldn’t -you do it for the sick mother’s sake? And -maybe this will be a good lesson to Matilda.”</p> - -<p>“I’ll keep her for your sake, and strive to -be more patient with her too,” said the house-keeper; -“and I think you’ll never lack for -comfort and kindness when you’re sick yourselves: -at least, not if the Lord repays what’s -done for Him, as the good book says He does.”</p> - -<p>“And how much must we pay for the -pitcher?” asked Bessie.</p> - -<p>“Not a penny. I don’t know as Matilda -was to blame this time, and I didn’t listen to -her story as I should, I own; but I’ve been so -put about this morning. You go your ways, -you little dears; and Matilda shall stay for -your good word.”</p> - -<p>Now the children did not know it, but probably -the good word of the two little strangers -would have gone but little way with the angry -house-keeper, had it not been for the kindness -done to her sick child the day before; but so -it was, and so the one good thing sprang from -the other.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_271" id="Page_271">[271]</a></span></p> - -<p>They left Montreal the next morning, and -then came two long days of railway travelling, -ending in Boston. Here they stayed only a -few hours, and then started afresh about six -o’clock in the evening, bound “for Narragansett -Bay,” papa said, when he was asked where -they were now going. Bessie was so thoroughly -tired that she was soon glad to nestle her -head against her father and go to sleep: a very -comfortable sleep it was too, from which she -did not wake even when she was carried from -the cars to a carriage, and from the carriage -into a certain house. Maggie, too, after refusing -similar accommodation from Uncle -Ruthven, and holding herself very upright, -and stretching her eyes very wide open, at last -gave in, and accepted the repeated offer of his -arm as a pillow.</p> - -<p>But they both roused up at last when they -were brought into that house. Where were -they now? and whose voices were those, so -familiar and so dear, but not heard for many -weeks?</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_272" id="Page_272">[272]</a></span></p> - -<p>Maggie opened her eyes with a start, wide-awake -on the instant, and, immediately understanding -all, gave a shriek of delight, sprang -off the sofa where Uncle Ruthven had placed -her, and was fast about Mrs. Rush’s neck, exclaiming,—</p> - -<p>“It’s Newport! it is Newport! and this is -Aunt May’s house, and papa has surprised us. -Oh! lovely, lovely! Bessie! Bessie! wake up, -and hear the good news.”</p> - -<p>Bessie slowly opened her eyes at the call, -not yet understanding; but as she saw the -face that was bending over her, and knew that -here was her “own dear solger,” whom she -had so longed to see, she gave a long sigh of -intense satisfaction, and, after her usual manner -when her heart was full of love and tenderness, -let two words speak for her,—</p> - -<p>“Uncle Horace.”</p> - -<p>There was no surprise in the tone, only -unspeakable pleasure and affection; and she -laid her head against his shoulder with an expression -of utter content.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_273" id="Page_273">[273]</a></span></p> - -<p>“This is the very best thing in all our -travels,” said Maggie. “Where is May Bessie, -Aunt May?”</p> - -<p>“Fast asleep in her cradle, and I can’t let -you peep at her to-night,” said Mrs. Rush. -“We’ll keep that for the morning.”</p> - -<p>Mamma said all other pleasures must be -kept for the morning, save that of following -May Bessie’s example; and Bessie, who could -scarcely keep her eyes open, even for the purpose -of looking at her beloved Colonel Rush, -was quite ready to obey; but Maggie thought -she had had sleep enough for one night, and -would like at once to make acquaintance with -all her new surroundings.</p> - -<p>“But we are all going to rest, for it is -nearly midnight,” said the colonel; which -caused Maggie to change her mind, as she -had no fancy for staying up alone; and she -was now eager to go to sleep at once, so that -“morning might come before she knew it,” -and she went off saying,—</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_274" id="Page_274">[274]</a></span></p> - -<p>“I never saw children who had such heaps -and heaps of happiness as we do. I don’t -know how I’m ever going to make up enough -gratitude for it.”</p> - -<p>Perhaps her gratitude to the kind hand -which showered so much happiness upon her -was best shown in the sunny spirit with which -she took both trials and blessings, and in her -readiness to share the latter with all whom -she met.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 200px;"> - -<img src="images/footer-ch3-and-11.jpg" width="200" height="200" alt="(decorative)" /> - -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_275" id="Page_275">[275]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> - -<img src="images/header-ch4-and-12.jpg" width="500" height="100" alt="(decorative)" /> - -</div> - -<h2 id="XII">XII.<br /> -<span class="smaller">“<i>HAPPY DELIGHTS.</i>”</span></h2> - -<div> -<img class="dropcap" src="images/dropcap-w.jpg" width="100" height="100" alt="" /> -</div> - -<p class="dropcap">“Woof! woof! woof! woof!”</p> - -<p>Was it possible Flossie knew who -was in that pretty room where -Maggie and Bessie had been snugly tucked -away last night? Certain it is that these -sounds, accompanied by a violent scratching -at the door, as if he were in a great hurry -to have it opened, awakened our little sisters -in the morning.</p> - -<p>“Why!” said Maggie, in great surprise, -“if that don’t sound like—why, Janie!” as -her eyes fell upon the smiling face of Jane, -looking at her over the foot-board of her bed.</p> - -<p>“Why, Janie!” repeated Bessie in her -turn. “Who is barking?” she added, as a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_276" id="Page_276">[276]</a></span> -fresh burst of scratching, and “woof, woof”-ing, -came from the door.</p> - -<p>“Shall I open it and see?” asked Jane; -and she opened the door, when in rushed -Flossie, who, jumping on the bed, went into an -ecstasy of delight and welcome that fell little -short of speaking. He wriggled and twisted -and barked, and nearly wagged his tail off, -and behaved altogether as if he were half frantic. -His little mistresses almost smothered -him; but he did not object, and put his cold -nose in their faces, and wagged and wriggled -harder than ever. Never was such a delighted -little dog.</p> - -<p>Before the children had time to ask any -questions, Frankie came running in, exclaiming,—</p> - -<p>“Hi! Maddie and Bessie. Flossie and me -and Janie found you. All the peoples is downstairs -to brekwis.”</p> - -<p>Maggie was dismayed. All the people down -to breakfast! and she had meant to be awake -with the first streak of daylight. Frankie had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_277" id="Page_277">[277]</a></span> -to be squeezed and kissed of course; and then -Jane and nurse were begged to wash and dress -them as fast as possible.</p> - -<p>“Why, what’s that noise?” asked Bessie -while nurse was busy with her. “It sounds -just like the sea.”</p> - -<p>“The wind is high this morning,” said -nurse, who had had her orders.</p> - -<p>“How much it sounds like my dear sea,” -said Bessie, unsuspectingly, as she glanced up -at the window and saw the branches of the -trees waving about in what was, as Mammy -said, rather a high wind. “Can’t we have -the window open, so we could hear it plainer? -I could most think it was the sea.”</p> - -<p>“It’s cool this morning. Wait for open -windows till you’re dressed and downstairs,” -said nurse.</p> - -<p>Bessie said no more; but she kept turning -her head and listening to the sound, which -seemed to her to be distinct from that of the -wind, and which sounded so very much like -her beloved sea.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_278" id="Page_278">[278]</a></span></p> - -<p>Meanwhile, Maggie was quite taken up with -asking questions; hearing how grandmamma, -Aunt Annie, the boys, Jane, and Flossie, had -come to Newport by last night’s boat, reaching -there early in the morning, before she had -been roused from that ridiculously long sleep. -Nothing less than having the whole family -beneath their hospitable roof, would satisfy -Colonel and Mrs. Rush; and they had contrived -to carry their point.</p> - -<p>Maggie’s “heaps of happiness” were rising -higher and higher. When they were ready, -Jane took them downstairs; but she led them -by a back corridor, and seemed to take pains to -keep them away from windows and doors which -opened upon the outside of the house. Certainly -she and nurse acted in a rather strange -and “mysterious” manner that morning. But -at last she had them safely at the door of the -breakfast room, where she left them.</p> - -<p>The whole party were still seated round the -table, though the meal was about over when -they entered; and they were going from one<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_279" id="Page_279">[279]</a></span> -to another, offering kisses, smiles, and welcomes, -when Bessie’s eyes fell through the -open sash of a large bow-window, drawn there -by that same sound she had heard upstairs.</p> - -<p>For an instant she stood speechless with -astonishment and delight; then, stretching -out her hands towards the window, with her -whole face lighting up, she cried,—</p> - -<p>“It is, it is, it is the very, very sea! my -own true sea!”</p> - -<p>Yes: there it was, the “true sea,” as she -called it, or more properly the seashore she -loved so much. Her friends watched her -for a moment with smiling interest. They -had expected to see her so pleased; and, wishing -to be present when she first beheld it, Mrs. -Rush had so arranged that she and Maggie -should be on the other side of the house on -the first morning, and nurse and Jane had -been told to keep them as much as possible -from the sight and sound of the sea.</p> - -<p>The Colonel rose, and, taking her hand, led -her out upon the broad piazza, where she<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_280" id="Page_280">[280]</a></span> -might see the whole extent of land and water -which the magnificent view afforded.</p> - -<p>The house stood on very high ground, overlooking -a cliff in front, which fell sheer down -to the water. To the left, was a broad, sweeping -curve of beach, on which the waves were -breaking; the long white rollers, with their -curling tops, following one another in grand -procession, and making beautiful and solemn -music as their march was ended. Away to -the right lay a wilder, but hardly a grander, -scene. Here were great, rugged rocks, among -and over which dashed and foamed the waves, -whose course they barred. Some were hidden -beneath the surface of the water, and the -feathery foam which boiled and bubbled over -their jagged faces, alone told where they lay. -Beyond, and far away, stretched the boundless -ocean, the sea Bessie so loved; the white crests -of its waves flashing and sparkling in the -glorious sunshine of that bright morning; -the blue and cloudless sky, overhead. And the -hymn which the grand old king was sounding<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_281" id="Page_281">[281]</a></span> -in Bessie’s ear, was still that she had so loved -two summers ago, the chant of praise which -bids all who can hear, “remember our Father -who made it.”</p> - -<p>She stood holding the Colonel’s hand, gazing -and listening, as though eye and ear could -not take their fill; breakfast was unheeded, -and it was not till grandmamma reproachfully -asked if she was to be forgotten for the sea, -that Bessie could be persuaded to turn away.</p> - -<p>Maggie, too, was delighted to be once more -at the seashore; but she had not the longing -for it that Bessie had, and all places were -about equally pleasant to her, provided she -had those she loved with her.</p> - -<p>But now May Bessie was brought, and even -the sea was for the time forgotten in the pleasure -of seeing her and noticing how much she -had grown and improved. When a little life is -counted by months, two of these make a great -difference, and it was as long as that since -Maggie and Bessie had seen Mrs. Rush’s baby. -She was a sweet, bright, little thing; and it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_282" id="Page_282">[282]</a></span> -might have been thought that she had seen the -children every day, so speedily did she make -friends with them. Indeed, Bessie was sure -the baby recognized them, and intended to -show she was glad to see them; and no one -cared to disturb this belief, in which she took -great satisfaction. It was funny to see the -patronizing airs which little Annie put on -towards the younger baby, and the care which -she showed for her. She called her “Dolly,” -and seemed to think it hard and strange that -she was not allowed to pull and carry her -about as she would have done a real doll. -Aunt Patty, who had taken a great fancy to -Mrs. Rush, had made several toys and pretty -things for her baby’s use, and among them -was a worsted doll, in all respects like the lost -Peter Bartholomew.</p> - -<p>May Bessie had not the same objections to -this gentleman that little Annie had to hers, -but opened great eyes, and cooed and crowed -at him; and altogether showed more pleasure -in him than in any other plaything she possessed.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_283" id="Page_283">[283]</a></span> -Not so Annie, when he was introduced -to her.</p> - -<p>“See here, baby. Who is this?” said Mrs. -Bradford, wishing to see if she would recognize -it, and she held up the doll before the -eyes of her by no means gratified baby daughter.</p> - -<p>The pet drew up her rose-bud of a mouth -into the most comical expression of astonishment -and disgust at the sight of the old object -of her dislike; for, as was quite natural, -she took it to be the very same Peter Bartholomew. -Then, taking him from her mother’s -hand, she gravely marched with him to the -hearth-rug, and, tucking him beneath it, sat -down upon it, saying, “Tit on Peter,” in a -tone of triumph, as though she thought she -had now altogether extinguished the unlucky -offender. Great was her indignation when, -later in the day, she was brought in from her -drive, and found Peter Bartholomew No. 2 -had reappeared. Finding the hearth-rug was -not a safe hiding-place, she was from this<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_284" id="Page_284">[284]</a></span> -time constantly contriving ways and means -for putting him out of sight; but only to find -that he as constantly turned up again. In -vain did she throw him out of windows, and -behind doors; poke him through the banisters, -and let him fall in the hall below: tuck -him behind sofa-cushions, and squeeze him -into the smallest possible corners, with all -manner of things piled on top of him: he -still proved a source of trouble to her. The -other children found great amusement in this, -and in pretending to hunt for Peter, while -they knew very well where he was.</p> - -<p>But on the third day they really hunted in -vain. Peter Bartholomew the second seemed -to be as thoroughly “all don,” as his namesake -who had been left on the far-away Southern -railroad; and the nurses joined in the -search with no better success. Annie seemed -to have accomplished her object this time; -and the little one herself could not be persuaded -to say where she had put him. Her -mother tried to make her tell; but the child<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_285" id="Page_285">[285]</a></span> -seemed really to have forgotten, and the matter -was allowed to rest.</p> - -<p>However, Peter came to light at last, to -light very nearly in earnest. In Mrs. Rush’s -nursery was a large, open fireplace, where -wood was always laid ready for lighting when -a fire should be needed for the baby. One -cool morning, about a week after Peter’s disappearance, -May Bessie’s nurse lit the fire, -when Annie, who sat upon Mammy’s knee, -suddenly exclaimed, as the smoke began to -curl up the chimney,—</p> - -<p>“Oh, dear, dear! Peter ’moke.”</p> - -<p>“You monkey,” said nurse, “I believe -you’ve put him behind the wood;” and the -two nurses hastened to scatter the fire, when, -sure enough, Peter Bartholomew was drawn -forth, slightly scorched and smelling somewhat -of “’moke,” but otherwise unhurt. Annie -took it hard, however, and was so grieved -at his reappearance that Mrs. Rush, who was -in the nursery, said he had better be put away -while she stayed. Probably the lighting of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_286" id="Page_286">[286]</a></span> -the fire recalled to baby’s mind where she had -put the lost Peter.</p> - -<p>But we must go back to the first morning -of their stay at Newport. The ladies were all -rather tired with their journey and were disposed -to rest; but the children, refreshed by -a good night’s sleep, were quite ready to start -out with the gentlemen for a ramble on the -beach.</p> - -<p>“Do you like this as well as Quam Beach?” -asked the Colonel of Bessie, as she sat beside -him on a rock, with his arm drawn close -about her, as in the old days of two summers -since: those days when she had come, a little -Heaven-sent messenger, across his path, to -guide his wandering feet into the road which -leads to Eternal Life. Was it any wonder -that, thinking of this, he looked down with a -very tender love on the dear little one, over -whose work the angels of Heaven had rejoiced?</p> - -<p>They had both sat silent for some time, the -rest of the party having wandered to a short<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_287" id="Page_287">[287]</a></span> -distance, when the Colonel asked this question,—</p> - -<p>“Do you like this as well as Quam Beach, -Bessie?”</p> - -<p>“Oh, yes, sir! better,” said Bessie. “I -never <em>did</em> see such a lovely, lovely place as -this, or feel such nice air. It’s the best place -we went to in all our travels; and then we -have you and most all the people we love here. -I am so very contented.”</p> - -<p>She looked so indeed, as she sat smiling and -happy, looking out over the sapphire blue -waters, and watching the white-capped waves -which broke almost at her feet.</p> - -<p>“Yes,” said the Colonel, smiling. “I -thought it would add to your contentment to -have all your people here to meet you, if I -could bring it about.”</p> - -<p>“Yes,” said Maggie, who came dancing up -in time to hear these last words.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_288" id="Page_288">[288]</a></span> “It was so -very considerate of you and Aunt May. Oh! -this is the very happiest world I ever lived in. -I wish, I <em>wish</em>, I could live a thousand years in -it.”</p> - -<p>“But Maggie,” said Bessie, “then you’d be -so very long away from heaven.”</p> - -<p>“Well, yes,” said Maggie; “but then I’d -hope to go to heaven after the thousand years, -and I’d try to be very good all the time.”</p> - -<p>“But long before the thousand years were -past, all whom you love would have gone away -to that still happier home our Lord has prepared -for us,” said the Colonel, “and then you -would be lonely and wish to follow, would you -not, Maggie?”</p> - -<p>“Yes,” answered Maggie, a shade of -thoughtfulness coming over her sunny face. -“I’m sure I would if all my dear friends -went to heaven, and maybe some of them -wouldn’t want to live a thousand years.”</p> - -<p>“And it’s so hard always to be good,” said -Bessie, “and sometimes even <em>we</em> have troubles, -and are sick, even though we are so happy -’most all the time.”</p> - -<p>“Yes,” said Maggie,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_289" id="Page_289">[289]</a></span> “so we do. I’m not -sick much ’cept when I have the earache: but -maybe I’d be lame and deaf and blind and -hump-backed, and all kind of things, before I -was a thousand years old; and that would be -horrid. I wouldn’t like to have a great many -troubles either; so I guess it’s better it is fixed -for me just as God chooses.”</p> - -<p>“We may be sure of that, dear,” said the -Colonel. “God knows what is best for us, -and rules our lives for our good and His -glory.”</p> - -<p>“I’m not sure I mind so very much about -the being naughty now and then,” said Maggie. -“I know I ought to, but I’m afraid I -don’t. I s’pose when I have so much to make -me happy I ought to be full of remorse all the -time for ever being naughty, but somehow I -can’t be. And I do have afflictions sometimes. -Oh!” she added, as the thought of -her last severe trouble came over her,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_290" id="Page_290">[290]</a></span> “we -forgot to give Uncle Horace the things we -prepared for him. You see, Uncle Horace, -one day I found such a very nice proverb, -‘though lost to sight to memory dear;’ and -Bessie and I thought we would like to practise -it on you; so I finished up that poem I -began, and Bessie drew a picture for you, and -here is the poem,” and Maggie drew from her -pocket the poem, nicely finished and copied -out.</p> - -<p>“Thank you very much, dear,” said the -Colonel. “I am very much pleased; but I -thought that the poem was lost, or that you -had been robbed of it.”</p> - -<p>“Papa got it back for me,” said Maggie.</p> - -<p>“Yes,” said Bessie; “and I was with papa -when he asked Mr. Temple for it; and I was -sorry for Mr. Temple, even though he did -tease you so, Maggie.”</p> - -<p>“Why, papa didn’t scold him, did he?” -asked Maggie.</p> - -<p>“No,” answered Bessie;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_291" id="Page_291">[291]</a></span> “he only said, -‘Mr. Temple, may I trouble you for that -paper belonging to my little girl;’ but he -<em>mannered</em> him, and I wouldn’t like papa to -have such a manner to me, and Mr. Temple -looked ashamed. He is a very unpleasant -gentleman; but I was sorry for him.”</p> - -<p>“But where is the picture?” asked Colonel -Rush.</p> - -<p>“Here,” said Bessie, and in her turn she -produced a paper from her pocket and unfolded -it before the Colonel’s eyes. “It is -Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden,” she -went on to say: “here they are, and there is -the tree with the serpent on it, and there is -another with birds and squir’ls on it. The -squir’ls are eating nuts, and the birds are -pecking peaches, and they are having a nice -time.”</p> - -<p>“This is very interesting,” said the Colonel, -not thinking it necessary to tell her that -peaches and nuts did not usually grow on the -same tree; “and what is this in the corner, -Bessie?”</p> - -<p>“That is the bower they made for a home -to live in,” said Bessie; “and there is Adam’s -wheelbarrow and Eve’s watering-pot. I s’pose -she helped Adam take care of the garden: -don’t you, sir?”</p> - -<p>“And this?” asked the Colonel, pointing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_292" id="Page_292">[292]</a></span> -to another object which he had vainly been -endeavoring to make out. “It is a pigeon -house, I think.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, no, sir!” said Bessie, rather mortified. -“It is a flag, the flag of England. I was -going to put the ’merican flag: but I thought -it would be more a compliment to you to put -your own country’s; and so I did. There’s the -lion;” and she pointed out something which -looked rather more like a spider than a lion; -feeling the while, poor little soul, rather hurt -that her compliment had not been appreciated -without explanation.</p> - -<p>Now Maggie had had her doubts as to -whether a flag was altogether a suitable ornament -for the garden of Eden, but she had not -chosen to say so to Bessie, who had taken -great pains with her picture; and she watched -the Colonel’s face closely to see if she could -find any sign of amusement or surprise.</p> - -<p>Not the slightest. He sat gravely smoothing -down his moustache, as Bessie explained -the picture to him, not a smile disturbing the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_293" id="Page_293">[293]</a></span> -lines of his face, not a twinkle breaking into -those black eyes, looking only interested and -pleased; and Maggie dismissed her fears and -satisfied herself that the flag was not at all -out of place.</p> - -<p>“This is a compliment, indeed,” said the -Colonel with the utmost gravity. “You were -very, very kind to think of it, Bessie; and -Adam and Eve were, as Maggie says, extremely -considerate to allow the flag of my country -to be planted in the garden of Eden. I must -show this to Aunt May, and shall certainly -keep it for May Bessie when she is old enough -to understand it. But see, who is coming -here?”</p> - -<p>The children followed the direction of his -eye. Two figures were coming down the -beach,—a tall one, and a little one. Was it -possible? Yes; it really was Mr. Powers and -Belle, dear little Belle, whom Bessie had been -longing to see.</p> - -<p>A shriek from Maggie, who went tumbling -over a rock in her haste to reach them, but<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_294" id="Page_294">[294]</a></span> -picked herself up and rushed on, regardless -of grazed knees and elbows; an exclamation, -less noisy, but quite as full of pleasure, from -Bessie,—and the three little friends had met -again. There was Frankie too, who had been -carting sea-weed, but had dropped spade and -wagon-tongue at sight of Belle, of whom he -was very fond; and then there was such a -hugging and kissing, such an interlacing of -heads and arms and feet, that it would have -been difficult to tell to which little person each -set belonged. Belle did not object to the -smothering she received; on the contrary, she -seemed to enjoy it, and Frankie soon relieved -her from his share, saying in a tone of great -importance,—</p> - -<p>“I have bis-er-ness to ’tend to,” and -marched off to his sea-weed.</p> - -<p>“I shall call Newport the ‘Country of Happy -Delights’ when I write about it in the -‘Complete Family,’” said Maggie.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_295" id="Page_295">[295]</a></span> “I never -<em>did</em> see such a place. Did you happen here, -Belle, or did you know you were coming?”</p> - -<p>“We happened,” said Belle, “least Daphne -and I did; but I think papa knew we -were coming when he brought us.”</p> - -<p>“That was just the way with us,” said Bessie: -“all the big people knew we were coming; -but Maggie and I were so glad and surprised. -How long have you been here, Belle?”</p> - -<p>“Oh! about half a year,” said Belle.</p> - -<p>“Why, no,” said Maggie; “for it’s only a -month since we left you in New York.”</p> - -<p>“Is it?” said Belle. “Well, we came last -Friday; and then papa brought me here to -see Aunt May. We live in the hotel; but -Aunt May says I must come over every day -and play with you. It was so lonesome wifout -you,” and Belle put an arm about the neck of -each of her little playmates, looking from one -to the other with loving, satisfied eyes. “You -see, Bessie, I grew to love you and Maggie so -much, I can’t very well stay away from you; -and so I wasn’t very patient till you came.”</p> - -<p>“Did you know we were coming?” asked -Maggie.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_296" id="Page_296">[296]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Yes, Aunt May told me I was so -homesick for you; and papa said he brought -me here so I could see you sooner. Wasn’t -it good of him?”</p> - -<p>“Yes,” said Maggie. “Now let’s go and -have a good play. Aunt May gave us pails -and spades to play in the sand with, Belle, and -I will lend you mine.”</p> - -<p>But there proved to be no need of this; for -Belle had been furnished with a spade and -pail of her own, and Daphne now appeared -with them; so the little girls joined Frankie.</p> - -<p>“What are you doing, Frankie?” asked -Belle.</p> - -<p>“Helpin’ Dod,” said Frankie.</p> - -<p>“Why, Frankie!” said Bessie, rather -shocked: “it’s not respectful for you to say -you’re helping God. He can do every thing -Himself, without any one to help Him.”</p> - -<p>“Well,” said Frankie, taking up another -spadeful of sea-weed and tossing it into his -wagon,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_297" id="Page_297">[297]</a></span> “maybe so; but I dess He has too -much trouble to make so much waves, and -keep pushing dis sea-weed up all de time; so I -jest putting it a little way farder for Him,” -and away he went with another wagon-load of -sea-weed, which he was carting higher up the -beach.</p> - -<p>The three little girls did not know whether -to laugh or not; but, presently, Maggie said,—</p> - -<p>“I guess we need not be shocked at him. -He thinks he’s doing something right, and -we won’t disturb his mind about it. He’s such -a funny child.”</p> - -<p>He was a droll fellow, to be sure, that -Frankie; always making odd speeches; and -like Maggie in one thing, that one never knew -which way his ideas would turn. Like Maggie, -also, he would never allow that he could -not reply to any question which might be put to -him; but, if he had not the right answer, -would contrive one which would fit the occasion -more or less well.</p> - -<p>He now came running up to his father, who, -with the other gentlemen, had joined Colonel -Rush, and exclaimed eagerly,—</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_298" id="Page_298">[298]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Papa, papa, tome quit. I taught a nassy -lobster; let’s tate him to the house and eat -him.”</p> - -<p>This was not a very inviting proposal, certainly; -but the little boy was so anxious that -some one should see his “nassy lobster,” that -Mr. Bradford and Mr. Stanton went with him; -the little girls also running to see.</p> - -<p>The “nassy lobster” proved to be one of -those ugly shell-fish called horseshoes, which -had been left there by the tide, and which -Frankie had contrived to turn over on its -back. He was rather disgusted with his prize, -however, now that he had captured it; and, in -spite of his request that it should be taken -home and cooked, looked very scornfully at it, -and pronounced it “degusting as any sing.”</p> - -<p>Talking of cooking his fish had put him in -mind that he was hungry, after his play in the -fresh sea-air; and now, coming back and -standing at his father’s knee, he said rather -plaintively,—</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_299" id="Page_299">[299]</a></span></p> - -<p>“I wish Jesus was here.”</p> - -<p>“Why, Frankie?” asked Mr. Bradford.</p> - -<p>“’Tause He would dive me some fish and -bread lite He did all those many people,” replied -Frankie, who had lately heard the story -of Christ feeding the multitude with the five -loaves and two fishes. He was very fond of -Bible stories, this little boy, and liked to apply -them to himself and those about him.</p> - -<p>“Tell me about that, Frankie, while Daphne -goes to the house for some biscuits for you,” -said the Colonel; and Frankie repeated in a -droll, but still sweet and simple way, the story -of the grand miracle.</p> - -<p>“But how was it that there was enough for -so many people when there was so little food, -Frankie?” asked Mr. Powers, wishing to hear -what the child would say.</p> - -<p>The little fellow looked thoughtful for a moment, -and stood rubbing up his hair with his -hand; but he was not to be conquered even -by a question hard as this, and presently, -seeing a way out of his difficulty, his face -lighted up as he exclaimed,—</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_300" id="Page_300">[300]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Betause our Lord did not dive ’em dood -appetites. You ought to know dat yousef, -sir;” and, with this, he ran away to meet -Daphne, whom he saw coming with his wished-for -biscuits.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 200px;"> - -<img src="images/footer-ch4-and-12.jpg" width="200" height="200" alt="(decorative)" /> - -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_301" id="Page_301">[301]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> - -<img src="images/header-ch7-and-13.jpg" width="500" height="100" alt="(decorative)" /> - -</div> - -<h2 id="XIII">XIII.<br /> -<span class="smaller"><i>LITTLE ACTS OF KINDNESS; LITTLE DEEDS -OF LOVE.</i></span></h2> - -<div> -<img class="dropcap" src="images/dropcap-a.jpg" width="100" height="100" alt="" /> -</div> - -<p class="dropcap">Aunt May’s invitation to come every -day and play with Maggie and Bessie -was never once lost sight of by Belle, -who was only too glad to accept it, and be -with her beloved little playmates as much as -possible.</p> - -<p>It was surprising to see how much Belle -had improved during these months she had -been so much with Maggie and Bessie: no, -not surprising either to any one who knew -how much a good example can do; at least -when it shines before eyes which are willing -and ready to profit by its light.</p> - -<p>And this was so with dear little Belle. She<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_302" id="Page_302">[302]</a></span> -was not naturally an obstinate or selfish child; -and her faults had come chiefly from the over-indulgence -of her father and Daphne, who seldom -or never contradicted her, but allowed her -to think that she must always have her own -way. She had never been taught the duty and -pleasure of yielding to others, until she was -thrown so constantly with our little girls; and -then the lesson came to her almost without -words. She could not have better teaching -than she found in the grave surprise in Bessie’s -sweet eyes when she worried her father, -and fretted herself for some forbidden pleasure, -or when she was wilful and imperious with -her devoted old nurse; or in her gentle, “You -wouldn’t tease your father when you’re his -little comfort: would you, Belle?” She could -not but learn ready obedience, generosity, and -thoughtfulness for others, when she saw them -put in daily practice even by Maggie, who had -so much natural heedlessness to struggle with; -and, almost without knowing it, she strove to -copy her little friends, and to put away the old -self-will and impatience.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_303" id="Page_303">[303]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Why! how obedient and good my little -daughter is growing,” said her father, one -day, surprised at her ready submission when -he was obliged to refuse her some pleasure she -had begged for.</p> - -<p>“’Cause Bessie says mamma and Jesus will -be glad when I’m good,” Belle answered, laying -her cheek against her father’s; “and she -said that was the best way to make you happy -too, papa. She says when we love um we try -to please um. Isn’t that true, papa?”</p> - -<p>“Very true, my darling. Bessie is a dear -little girl, and I am glad that you remember -when she tells you what is right.”</p> - -<p>“She <em>does</em> it more than she <em>tells</em> it, papa: -that’s why I ’member so much. It makes me -feel ’shamed when Maggie and Bessie see I am -naughty.”</p> - -<p>“I won’t go to Aunt May’s this morning, -papa,” she said another day when her father -told her to go and be made ready.</p> - -<p>“What! stay away from your dear Maggie -and Bessie?” said Mr. Powers.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_304" id="Page_304">[304]</a></span> “How is -that?”</p> - -<p>“Daphne is sick, papa: she has such a hegget”—Belle -meant headache—“she could -hardly dress me this morning, and had to lie -right down. If she has to get up again, I’m -afraid she will be more worse, so I will stay -home to-day.”</p> - -<p>But Belle’s voice shook as she proposed this, -for it was a great sacrifice for her. Six months -since she would not have thought of denying -herself any thing for the sake of her old nurse, -and her father was both pleased and touched.</p> - -<p>“Then papa’s unaccustomed fingers will see -what they can do,” he said, unwilling that his -little girl should lose her day’s pleasure; and, -if Belle were not quite as neatly dressed as -usual, no fault was found, and “Aunt Margaret” -soon remedied all that was wrong.</p> - -<p>But another bit of self-denial came in Belle’s -way that day, and that she carried out.</p> - -<p>Coming in with two or three bunches of fine -hot-house grapes,—the first of the season,—in -his hand, Colonel Rush found the children on -the piazza, playing “party” with their dolls<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_305" id="Page_305">[305]</a></span>’ -teacups and saucers. Two other little girls, -the children of a neighbor, were playing with -them. He stopped and gave Maggie a bunch -to divide amongst them. They were greatly -pleased with this little treat; but Maggie and -Bessie were rather surprised to see Belle put -hers aside on one of the doll’s plates, as if -she did not intend to eat, or even play with -them.</p> - -<p>“Are you not going to play with yours?” -asked Maggie, rather reproachfully.</p> - -<p>Belle colored a little, and said with some -hesitation,—</p> - -<p>“I wanted to save them.”</p> - -<p>Belle was not like some children who would -rather enjoy a nice thing by themselves, and -the others were surprised.</p> - -<p>Now Belle would have been ready enough to -tell Maggie and Bessie why she wanted to keep -the grapes, but she did not care to do so before -the young visitors; lest as she afterwards said, -they should think she was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_306" id="Page_306">[306]</a></span> “proud of herself -for doing it.”</p> - -<p>“She thinks we’ll give her some of ours, -and then she’ll eat up her own afterwards,” -said Minnie Barlow, one of the little guests.</p> - -<p>“I don’t either,” said Belle, flushing angrily: -“I wouldn’t eat one of your old grapes, -not if you begged and begged me to.”</p> - -<p>“No,” said Bessie, putting her arm about -Belle’s neck: “Belle never does greedy things. -I know she has a very excellent reason if she -don’t eat them. Are you sick, Belle?”</p> - -<p>“No,” said Belle; and then she whispered -in Bessie’s ear, “but poor Daphne is sick, and -I am going to keep my grapes for her. She -likes them very much.”</p> - -<p>“And I’ll give you mine for her too,” said -Bessie, “yours make only a few for -her when she is sick.” Then she said aloud: -“I’m going to keep my grapes too; and Maggie, -I think you’d keep yours, if you knew the -circumstance.”</p> - -<p>“Then I will,” said Maggie; and turning -to the little strangers she added,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_307" id="Page_307">[307]</a></span> “Bessie -knows what’s inside of my mind most as well -as I do myself; so if she tells me I would do a -thing, I just know I would.”</p> - -<p>So Maggie, too, put by her share of the grapes, -till the company had gone, and Belle felt free -to tell what she wanted to do with them; when -she agreed that Bessie was right, and she was -quite ready to save her grapes for such a “circumstance.” -It was but a small act of self-denial -for these little girls to make out of their -abundance; but who can tell the pleasure the -gift gave to old Daphne. And verily Belle had -her reward.</p> - -<p>“Now Heaven bress my child,” said the old -woman, when Belle offered the grapes, and -told that she and her young friends had kept -them from their play: “if she ain’t growin’ -jes like her dear mamma, who was allus -thinkin’ for oders.”</p> - -<p>Nothing could have pleased Belle more than -to be told she was like her dear mother; but -she said,—</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_308" id="Page_308">[308]</a></span></p> - -<p>“I didn’t used to think for ofers much, -Daphne; not till I saw Bessie do it, and Maggie -too. They taught me.”</p> - -<p>“Never min’ who taught ye, so long as -you’re willin’ to learn,” said Daphne. “But -I say Heaven bress them dear little girls too, -as I knows it will.”</p> - -<p>Pleased as Daphne was, she would have -been better satisfied if her little mistress had -taken back her gift for her own use; but Belle -insisted that she should eat the grapes herself, -and indeed climbed on her lap and stuffed them -one after the other into her mouth, refusing to -taste one herself.</p> - -<p>“What is that, Uncle Horace?” asked -Maggie, one afternoon when she and Bessie -were out driving on the Avenue with Colonel -Rush, Aunt Bessie, and the boys.</p> - -<p>The object of her interest was certainly of -a nature to excite curiosity. It was a round -building of stone, supported by eight pillars, -with open arches between. In the wall, above -the pillars, were three narrow loop-holes or -openings. It could scarcely have been told, -however, that it was built of stone; for pillars -and round walls were alike covered with beautiful<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_309" id="Page_309">[309]</a></span> -green vines, just now in all their summer -glory. It stood in the centre of a small park -or common, where children and nurses were -playing and wandering about.</p> - -<p>“That,” said Colonel Rush, “is the old -stone mill.”</p> - -<p>“I don’t think it looks much like a mill,” -said Bessie: “it don’t have any things to go -round.”</p> - -<p>“Probably it had things to go round, as -you call them, once upon a time,” said the -Colonel.</p> - -<p>“I thought it was a tower built by the early -settlers to defend themselves from the Indians,” -said Harry. “Willie Thorn told me -so.”</p> - -<p>“Many people think so,” said the Colonel, -“and some still believe that it was built by -the Danes, hundreds of years ago.”</p> - -<p>“Oh!” said Fred, “this is the tower Longfellow -wrote about in his ‘Skeleton in Armor,’ -isn’t it, sir?”</p> - -<p>“The very same,” said the Colonel;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_310" id="Page_310">[310]</a></span> “but, -I believe, Fred, that it has been pretty well -proved, from old papers, that it had no such -romantic beginning, but was really and truly -a windmill.”</p> - -<p>“Tell me about the skeleton, Fred,” said -Maggie.</p> - -<p>So Fred told how a skeleton in armor, having -been found in a place called Fall River, -some miles from Newport, the poet, Longfellow, -had written a ballad about it; telling -how a viking, or Norwegian sailor of the -olden time, had fallen in love with the daughter -of a prince, who refused to give his child -to the roving sailor; but they had run away -together, and crossing the sea had come to -this spot, where the viking had built this -tower for his wife to live in.</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="verse">“Here for my lady’s bower</div> -<div class="verse">Built I the lofty tower,</div> -<div class="verse">Which to this very hour</div> -<div class="verse">Stands looking seaward,”</div> -</div> -</div> - -<p class="noindent">chanted Fred, stretching out his hand with a -magnificent air towards the old tower.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_311" id="Page_311">[311]</a></span></p> - -<p>“That’s nice,” said Maggie, with a satisfied -nod of her curly head. “I shall just believe -that. It’s a great deal nicer than to think it -was just a common old windmill for grinding -up corn.”</p> - -<p>“I shan’t,” said matter-of-fact Bessie, “not -when Uncle Horace says it’s not true.”</p> - -<p>“I don’t see that any one can be very <em>sure</em> -what it was,” said Maggie, determined to have -faith in the most romantic story, “and I shall -make up my mind it was the lady’s bower. -But what about the skeleton, Fred?”</p> - -<p>“Oh! Mr. Longfellow goes on to say how -the lady died, and her husband could not -bear to live without her; so he went out into -the woods and killed himself, and the skeleton -in armor which was really found is supposed -to be his.”</p> - -<p>“He oughtn’t to kill hisse’f. He ought to -wait till Dod killed him,” said Frankie, who -had been listening with great interest to the -story.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_312" id="Page_312">[312]</a></span> “He could play with all these nice -chillen, if he’d ’haved hisself.”</p> - -<p>“Yes,” said Bessie, who had received the -story with as much displeasure as she had -done that of the “Chief’s Head,” last summer, -at Chalecoo, “if God chooses people to stay -here, they ought to do it, even if they are having -very hard times.”</p> - -<p>“So they ought, Bess,” said Fred; “but I -guess those old vikings did not care much -about playing with children. They were very -brave, daring fellows.”</p> - -<p>“People can be brave and like children,” -said Bessie, slipping her little hand into that -of her own hero. “Uncle Horace likes children -and plays with them, and no one could -be braver than he is. And besides, Fred, -if people have very good courage, I should -think they would be brave to bear the trouble -God sends them, and not go kill themselves -out of it.”</p> - -<p>“Well reasoned, little one,” said the Colonel, -bending his tall head to kiss her;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_313" id="Page_313">[313]</a></span> “that -man is certainly a coward who cannot bear -what God sends to him, but takes the life his -Maker has given.”</p> - -<p>“And I shall think it is a windmill,” said -Bessie, quite as resolved to stick to facts as -Maggie was to believe the poet’s story.</p> - -<p>“And I shall think it the viking’s tower, -and write a story-book about it when I’m -grown up,” said Maggie. “I’ll put it down -for a subject.”</p> - -<p>If Maggie lives to write a book on each -“subject” she has put down for that purpose, -she will be very old indeed.</p> - -<p>Bessie said no more; for if she and Maggie -differed on something which was not important, -she never argued about it, and this -was probably one reason why they never quarrelled; -for each was content to let the other -be of her own way of thinking, so long as it -did no harm. If we could all learn that lesson -it would save many hard words and -thoughts, and the trouble which arises from -such.</p> - -<p>They all now went back to the carriage, -which they had left for a closer view of the -old mill, and drove on to what is called the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_314" id="Page_314">[314]</a></span> -Point, and around the north-western side of -the island, from which road they gained a -beautiful view of the harbor and bay.</p> - -<p>“What is that over there, Uncle Horace?” -asked Fred, “it looks like an old fort.”</p> - -<p>“Just what it is, my boy,” replied Colonel -Rush. “That point is called the ‘Dumpling -Rocks,’ and that ruin is old Fort Lewis, -or Fort Dumpling.”</p> - -<p>“What a funny name,” said Maggie.</p> - -<p>They now crossed the long stone causeway -which leads to Coaster’s Harbor Island; and, -as they went over this, the children were all -greatly delighted with the number of pretty -little birds which went whirling round them -on every side, darting almost under the horses’ -feet, and in their very faces; passing round -and round, above and beneath the carriage. -They were sand-martins, the Colonel said, and -being disturbed by the rolling of the wheels, -were probably trying to draw attention from -their nests, which were built in the crevices -of the stones that formed the causeway.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_315" id="Page_315">[315]</a></span></p> - -<p>On this island stood the poor-house which -they had come to visit; and here another -carriage, containing several of the elders of -the party, had arrived before them. Papa -was there and took the little girls out of the -carriage when it stopped.</p> - -<p>“What a nice place for the poor people to -be in, when they don’t have any house of their -own!” said Bessie: “I s’pose they’re very -grateful for it.”</p> - -<p>“Well, I don’t know about that,” said Maggie. -“I find poor people in this world are -not always grateful when they ought to be. -Don’t you remember Mrs. Bent, Bessie?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, I do,” said Bessie, in a tone which -told that Mrs. Bent’s ingratitude, as she and -Maggie thought it, was not to be easily forgotten. -Indeed, the way in which Mrs. Bent -had received the gift of the hospital-bed for -her lame boy, had left a very disagreeable -impression on the minds of our two little -girls.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_316" id="Page_316">[316]</a></span></p> - -<p>“But I s’pose rich people are not always so -grateful as they ought to be, either,” added -Bessie.</p> - -<p>“No,” said Maggie, thoughtfully: “maybe -some are not, but I think <em>we</em> are, generally. -I think I feel my blessings, Bessie,—I think I -do, ’specially being in Newport.”</p> - -<p>“There can be no doubt about that,” said -Uncle Ruthven, who had overheard this short -conversation, to his wife: “if ever there was -a grateful, contented, little heart it is that of -our sunny Maggie.”</p> - -<p>Certainly a more comfortable home, or one -more beautifully situated, could scarcely have -been found for those who could furnish none -for themselves. The grown people, as well as -the children, were greatly pleased with the -order, neatness, and quiet of the whole place. -This visit having been planned, the ladies had -come provided with little parcels of tea, fruit, -and other small delicacies, as a treat for some -of the sick and old people. There were a few -toys and books also for such of the children -as had behaved well, and these things Maggie -and Bessie were allowed to present.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_317" id="Page_317">[317]</a></span></p> - -<p>“I b’lieve I’ll change my mind about poor -people being grateful,” said Maggie, when -she had witnessed the pleasure these trifles -gave; “and I’m glad I can, for an ungrateful -person is ‘sharper than a serpent’s tooth,’ -’specially if it’s an old woman.”</p> - -<p>Bessie looked at her sister in great admiration, -as she always did when Maggie made -any of these fine speeches; but Harry turned -away lest she should see him laughing. For -as Maggie was so careful of other people’s -feelings, Harry felt bound not to trouble her -in that way when he could avoid it.</p> - -<p>“The band plays at Fort Adams to-morrow -afternoon,” said the Colonel, as they drove -homeward: “who will be for a drive over -there?”</p> - -<p>There was no want of assenting voices; -and, the next afternoon, the whole family went -over to the fort,—some driving, some on horseback, -Mr. Powers and Belle being of the party -this time.</p> - -<p>Maggie and Bessie had never in their lives<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_318" id="Page_318">[318]</a></span> -been inside of a fort, so that this was quite an -event to them. Harry and Fred had visited -several; but they were all much smaller than -Fort Adams, which indeed is the second in -size in the country, only Fortress Monroe -being larger. Passing around the road, which -runs between the water and the immense -earthworks which rise above it, they entered -the fort beneath a stone arch, and over a -stone pavement on which the horses’ feet rang -with a loud clatter. Just without this gateway, -was the guard-house, a low stone building, -with grated door and loop-holes, where drunken -soldiers, and those who have broken the rules, -are confined. Two or three sullen-looking -men were peeping through the iron bars of -the door, for whom Bessie’s tender little heart -was much moved; but Maggie was afraid of -them, and turned her face away, though they -could not possibly have hurt her, and probably -had no will to do so.</p> - -<p>Within the fort, the children were much -astonished at the number of enormous cannon,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_319" id="Page_319">[319]</a></span> -and at the great black balls and shells -piled together in pyramids upon the green in -the centre, and beneath the casemates. The -side of the fort next the water was entirely -taken up with these warlike-looking arrangements; -while on the inner side were the -officers’ quarters, or little houses where they -lived, and the soldiers’ barracks and mess-rooms. -All was neat, clean, and orderly; -and, in spite of the purpose for which it was -intended, the whole place had a bright, cheerful -look. The band were playing delightful -music on the green, and the drive was filled -with gay equipages. The handsome carriages, -fine horses, and beautifully dressed ladies and -children, made it a pretty and lively scene, -and it was all so new to the children, that -each moment some exclamation of pleasure or -wonder escaped them. Some of the officers -were sauntering about, talking to their acquaintances; -and the general who commanded -the fort, being a friend of Colonel Rush, came -and asked the ladies and children to alight<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_320" id="Page_320">[320]</a></span> -from the carriages, and he would show them -over the works. They were glad to accept -his invitation, and the general took them over -the fort, and explained all that was interesting.</p> - -<p>But in spite of the many new and curious -things she saw, in spite of the lovely music, -and the merry crowd, Bessie’s mind was full -of the “poor, naughty soldiers in the prison;” -and when her older friends were resting in the -general’s quarters, while she with the other -children stayed without and watched the gay -scene, she went quietly to Belle and said,—</p> - -<p>“Belle, dear, don’t you feel rather bad -about those soldiers shut up in that prison -place?”</p> - -<p>“Not when I don’t see ’em,” answered -Belle. “I guess they were pretty naughty to -be put in there.”</p> - -<p>“May be so,” said Bessie; “but wouldn’t -you like to be kind to them?”</p> - -<p>“No,” said Belle.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_321" id="Page_321">[321]</a></span> “I b’lieve not. One of -them looked so cross.”</p> - -<p>“Maybe it makes him cross to be shut up -there when the music is playing, and every -thing is so nice out here,” said Bessie. “Let’s -go and ask them if they will promise to be -good if they are let out.”</p> - -<p>“We can’t let them out,” said Belle.</p> - -<p>“No; but we’ll tell some one they have repented -and ask for them to be let out. You -know that soldier with a gun, that was walking -up and down there? well, I guess he’s a -kind of soldier-policeman and we’ll ask him. -The prison is just outside of that gate-hole,” -said Bessie, pointing to the archway by which -the fort was entered; “and we will be back -in a moment.”</p> - -<p>“Shall we ask Maggie to go?” said Belle.</p> - -<p>“No, Maggie was so frightened at -them. She is over there with Harry, looking -at those ugly black balls; so we won’t ’sturb -her, but just go by ourselves.”</p> - -<p>So, hand in hand, the two little things ran -out under the archway, and over to the guard-house -beyond. Not unnoticed, however; for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_322" id="Page_322">[322]</a></span> -though they were not seen by their own -friends, they were by some acquaintances, -who were driving past at the moment, and -who, fearing that they might be run over by -the constantly passing carriages, or fall into -some other mischief, told Colonel Rush’s -servants to see after the children. One of -the men called his master, and the Colonel -speedily followed the little runaways.</p> - -<p>They made for the grated door, with what -purpose Bessie hardly knew herself, save that -there was kindness in her heart for the poor -prisoners; but, as they reached it, the guard -or “soldier-policeman,” as Bessie called him, -stopped them by crossing his musket in their -way.</p> - -<p>Belle was frightened,—partly by this, partly -by the two or three astonished faces that -peeped at them through the bars,—and would -have drawn back, but Bessie stood her ground, -and, looking up at the guard with her innocent, -serious eyes, said,—</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_323" id="Page_323">[323]</a></span></p> - -<p>“We only want to speak to the poor shut-up -soldiers.”</p> - -<p>The man shook his head.</p> - -<p>“It’s against the rules, miss,” he said.</p> - -<p>“But I’m not in rules,” said Bessie. “I -don’t live here you know, and I think I might -do it. If you were in prison you would like -some one to coax you to be good: wouldn’t -you?”</p> - -<p>The soldier looked at her in astonished -silence; but his gun still barred the way.</p> - -<p>“You’ll let them out, won’t you?” she went -on with pleading voice and eyes: “you’ll let -them out so they can come in there where -there is such sweet music, and it is all nice -and bright? I think they are sorry now.”</p> - -<p>“Yes,” said Belle: “see that poor fellow -sitting on the floor with his head down. I’m -sure he is sorry, and will be good, and the -ofers will too.”</p> - -<p>While the little girls were speaking, two -more soldiers had come round from the other -side of the guard-house. One of them was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_324" id="Page_324">[324]</a></span> -the corporal; and, hearing what the children -said, he answered for the sentry.</p> - -<p>“He can’t let them out, little ladies,” he -said: “if he did he’d be put there himself.”</p> - -<p>As he finished speaking, Colonel Rush stood -behind the children. The corporal and the -soldiers, even the men behind the grating, -saluted the brave English officer, whom they -knew by sight, and whom they greatly admired; -for the story of his daring and courage -were known to the garrison. But the -third man, who was hardly more than a lad, -still sat with his arms folded, and his head -sunk upon his breast.</p> - -<p>“My dear children,” said the Colonel, “this -is no place for you. What brought you -here?”</p> - -<p>“Oh! Uncle Horace,” said Bessie, seizing -upon his hand; “won’t you ask these policemen-soldiers -to let out those poor prisoners? -We feel so badly about them.”</p> - -<p>“My darling,” answered the Colonel,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_325" id="Page_325">[325]</a></span> “they -cannot let out these men. They are under -arrest, and shut up here because they have -done wrong, and the guard are here to keep -them from getting out.”</p> - -<p>“But see that poor soldier sitting down -there,” said Bessie: “he looks so sorry. Maybe, -he’s thinking of somebody of his, far -away, who will hear he has been in prison, -and feel badly about it.”</p> - -<p>In her earnestness, she was using every -argument she could think of; but she had -innocently touched almost the only soft spot -in the man’s heart. If he was not at the -moment thinking of “somebody of his” who -was far away, her words brought the thought -of that one to his mind,—that “somebody,” -his poor young sister, who would be grieved -at his disgrace, hurt at his obstinate wrong-doing, -if it ever came to her ears.</p> - -<p>He raised his head, and gave a quick glance -at the innocent little pleader; and a softened -look came over the hard, sullen face.</p> - -<p>“He’s not sorry, but just sullen, little -lady,” said the corporal:<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_326" id="Page_326">[326]</a></span> “that fellow has -been in the guard-house four times in the last -week, for insubordination, and they’ll have to -try some harder measures to take it out of -him, I’m thinking. Your pity is only wasted.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, no!” said Bessie; “for you know -Jesus said we must be sorry with people when -they are in trouble, and happy with them -when they are glad. I’m <em>very</em> sorry for him -and the other men too. Who can let them -out, Uncle Horace?”</p> - -<p>“Only their officers, Bessie; and I fear they -must stay here now till their time is up: but -we will hope they will do better in future, and -not deserve punishment again. Come away -now: your mother will be anxious.”</p> - -<p>Bessie obeyed; but both she and Belle cast -backward pitying looks at the poor prisoners. -The man they had noticed most, still sat -silent; but the other two, as well as the -soldiers without, talked with pleasure and -amusement of their pretty ways and innocent -simplicity.</p> - -<p>But the man who had seemed to pay little<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_327" id="Page_327">[327]</a></span> -or no regard to their words was the one who -remembered them the longest, and to whom -they brought the most good. He had been -hard, obstinate, and disobedient, and, as the -corporal said, had been punished four times -during the last week. Punishment and persuasion -had alike proved useless in bringing -him to do better; but he was softened now. -He could not resist that sweet little face, the -pitying eyes and gentle tones that asked for -his release. He thought of them, and of that -“somebody of his,” all that night as he lay -upon the hard floor of the guard-house; and, -when he was set free in the morning, went to -his commanding officer whom he had disobeyed -and insulted; asked forgiveness, and -promised that he would try not to offend again. -And he kept his word, striving hard with himself -for he always felt, from this time, as if -there were two “somebodies” who would be -grieved to hear of his bad behavior and disgrace.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_328" id="Page_328">[328]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Who could let them out, Uncle Horace?” -repeated Bessie as the Colonel led her and -Belle away.</p> - -<p>“Only the officer who ordered them to be -shut up, dear,” said the Colonel.</p> - -<p>“And couldn’t we ask him?” said Bessie.</p> - -<p>“Not very well, dear: the rules in the -army must be strictly kept; and if these men -were let out without good reason, it would be a -bad example for the other soldiers, who might -think they would not be punished if they were -disobedient.”</p> - -<p>“But what had that man on the floor been -doing?” asked Belle.</p> - -<p>“I do not know, dear. Misbehaving in -some way which deserved punishment.”</p> - -<p>“The soldier-policeman said he had been -shut up four times for—for—in—su—such -a long word I can’t remember it, Uncle Horace, -and I didn’t know what it meant,” said -Bessie.</p> - -<p>“Insubordination?” said the Colonel.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_329" id="Page_329">[329]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Yes, sir: what does it mean?”</p> - -<p>“Disobeying orders, or being impertinent, -and so forth,” said the Colonel.</p> - -<p>“And we’d better not ask the General to -let them come out of that dark house?” said -Belle.</p> - -<p>“No, I think not,” said the Colonel. “They -would not have been shut up if it had not been -necessary, and we had better let the matter -rest. We can do no good by interfering.”</p> - -<p>So thought the Colonel, believing and knowing -that discipline must be sternly kept up; -knowing nothing the while of the good which -had already been done,—of the tiny seed unconsciously -dropped upon the hard and stony -ground of an obstinate heart, but which had -brought “forth fruit meet for repentance.”</p> - -<p>This was by no means Bessie’s last visit to -Fort Adams; but she never saw the prisoner -soldiers again, at least she did not recognize -them; but they saw and knew her, the innocent -little fairy, so she seemed to these rough -men, who had stood outside the prison bars, -pleading so pityingly for their release.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_330" id="Page_330">[330]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> - -<img src="images/header-ch14.jpg" width="500" height="100" alt="(decorative)" /> - -</div> - -<h2 id="XIV">XIV.<br /> -<span class="smaller"><i>WATER-LILIES.</i></span></h2> - -<div> -<img class="dropcap" src="images/dropcap-o.jpg" width="100" height="100" alt="" /> -</div> - -<p class="dropcap">One great object of delight and interest -to the children was the immense -number of robins around Newport. -These pretty, saucy, little birds were constantly -to be seen hopping about the soft, velvety -lawns for which this place is famous; picking -up whatever crumbs fell in their way, or such -unwary worms and caterpillars as had ventured -forth for air and exercise; swinging on the -branches of the trees, or perched with an independent, -look-at-me sort of an air, upon the -fences and railings; shaking down showers of -diamond dew-drops from slender sprays, in -the early morning; charming all ears with -their sweet notes; welcome guests whenever -and wherever they came.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_331" id="Page_331">[331]</a></span></p> - -<p>The first thing done by the children after -breakfast, was each morning to beg for crumbs -and bits of bread to feed the robins, who would -come hopping close to the piazza to receive -the welcome gift. Even Baby Annie must -throw out her share, and would hold up her -tiny little finger to keep off any one who, she -feared, would disturb the birds, saying,—</p> - -<p>“Ss, ss, badie fy,” which meant, “Hush, -hush, birdie fly.”</p> - -<p>Then there was the bathing in the sea, now -as formerly, such a source of pleasure to Bessie. -Maggie, too, enjoyed it, for she had lost -all fear of the waves while she was at Quam -Beach. It afforded endless amusement, too, -to Maggie, to see the droll figures presented -by the bathers when they were dressed for -their dip in the sea. Her merry, ringing laugh -provoked smiles not only from lookers-on, but -from the very wearers themselves; for there -was no rudeness or unkindness in that laugh, -and she was quite as much diverted at her -own appearance as she was at that of others.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_332" id="Page_332">[332]</a></span></p> - -<p>From nine to twelve, the beach was generally -crowded with bathers; some coming from -the water, others going from the line of bathing-houses -towards it; others still, in every -color and style of dress, bobbing up and down -in the waves. There were carriages driving -back and forth over the yielding sand; many -walkers, too,—people who came only to look -at the bathers, or who were moving about after -their own bath. The beach was a merry, -lively place, where there was never a lack of -“something to do;” for the children always -brought their little pails and shovels with -them, and when their frolic in the water was -over, they would dig in the sand, or pick up -small shells. Sometimes they would watch -the clam-fishers turning over the sea-weed with -their long-pronged instruments, or sail bits of -wood and light scallop-shells down the pretty, -shallow stream of fresh water; which, running -from the pond beyond, and crossing the beach -near its upper end, mingles its pure waters -with the salt waves of the sea.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_333" id="Page_333">[333]</a></span></p> - -<p>There was a story connected with this beach, -told by Mr. Bradford to his children,—a story -strange and romantic enough to satisfy even -Maggie’s love of the marvellous, yet perfectly -true.</p> - -<p>One fine, bright morning, more than a hundred -years ago, a vessel was seen coming down -directly towards the beach, where no vessel -had ever been known to venture before. Her -sails were all set, her colors flying; and the -alarmed spectators watched her with the most -painful interest, expecting each instant to see -her dashed to pieces upon the rocks. But no: -on she came safely; past craggy points and -over hidden reefs, and struck her keel into -the soft sand of the beach. No person was -seen on board; and, when the anxious townspeople -reached her decks, the only living creature -there was a dog. A cat was found in the -cabin, where coffee was boiling, and other -preparations made for breakfast; but not a -sailor was to be seen. What became of her -crew was never known: but it was supposed,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_334" id="Page_334">[334]</a></span> -that, finding themselves too near the rocks, -they took to the life-boat, which was missing, -and were lost; while the vessel came safely to -land, without hand or eye to guide her.</p> - -<p>Beyond this beach, a most lovely drive, with -the ocean in view all the way, leads to Purgatory -and Paradise. The former is a great -gulf or chasm in the solid rock of the point or -bluff which separates the first from the second -beach; a dark, gloomy-looking place, from -which Maggie, Bessie, and Belle drew back in -alarm, without the least desire to look down. -Neither did they like to hear the stones which -the boys threw into the cleft, and which went -bounding with a dull sound, from side to side, -till they plunged sullenly into the dark waters -below.</p> - -<p>Reckless Fred ventured too near the edge, -where a slip upon the short grass, or a stray -pebble would have sent him down into the -dark abyss. The Colonel drew him back with -no gentle hand, and a sharp reprimand, all of -which made the little girls still more ready to -seek a pleasanter spot.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_335" id="Page_335">[335]</a></span></p> - -<p>“For,” said Maggie, in a tone of great wisdom, -“I don’t think it is at all prudent to come -into places where one can be killed with such -felicity.”</p> - -<p>Maggie meant facility.</p> - -<p>Paradise, as might be supposed, proved much -more attractive. This is a succession of lovely -groves and mossy glades lying below and -on the sides of a rocky hill, and as great a -contrast as can be imagined to its neighbor, -Purgatory.</p> - -<p>But the place which the children loved the -best, and where they spent the most of their -time, was the lovely little beach lying just below -the bluff on which stood Colonel Rush’s -house. Here, too, they often bathed, instead -of driving over to the larger and more frequented -beach; and here they might be found -at almost every hour of the day. Here Bessie -would sit, forgetting her play, as she watched -the blue billows with their crests of white foam, -rolling up one after the other on the smooth -sands, and listening to the chiming sound of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_336" id="Page_336">[336]</a></span> -the waves, the grand music of old ocean sounding -ceaselessly, and speaking to all hearts, that -will hear, of the power and goodness of the -Almighty hand which holds it in its place.</p> - -<p>Even in bad weather, when she could not go -out, the sea afforded endless pleasure to Bessie; -for she could sit at the window watching -it, as the waves, lashed into fury by the wind, -rushed foaming and dashing over the rocks -and reefs, and sometimes even flung their -spray above the edge of the cliff on which the -house stood.</p> - -<p>And sitting here one day, looking out from -her perch over the stormy waters, the leaping -waves, and foam-covered rocks, she was the -first to observe, and call all the family to see -a spectacle which they had long desired to -witness.</p> - -<p>This was the famous Spouting Rock in full -play.</p> - -<p>At a little distance from Colonel Rush’s -house was a ledge of rocks, the under side of -which has been worn into deep caverns by the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_337" id="Page_337">[337]</a></span> -constant fretting of the waves. One of them -has an open shaft, or sort of natural chimney, -which ends on the surface of the rock. In -stormy weather, when the wind has blown for -some time in a particular direction, the sea -rushes with great power into these caverns, -and forces itself up through the spout or chimney, -often to a great height. But this does -not happen very often, and one may spend -months, perhaps years, at Newport, without -ever seeing it.</p> - -<p>All of Mr. Bradford’s children, and indeed -the grown people of the party as well, had -been very anxious to see this singular sight; -and when Bessie, sitting by the window, and -looking over towards these rocks, saw a jet of -water forcing itself above them, she knew at -once what it was, and called out eagerly,—</p> - -<p>“Oh, the horn is horning! it is really horning; -come and see, everybody.”</p> - -<p>The horn spouted all that day, and the children -never tired of looking at it; and Frankie, -when he was asked if he knew what it was, -answered,—</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_338" id="Page_338">[338]</a></span></p> - -<p>“I dess it is Dod’s fountain,” than which -no answer could have been truer.</p> - -<p>Not very far from Colonel Rush’s house, lay -a calm, lovely lake, called Lily Pond, separated -from the ocean only by a narrow belt of land, -and making a striking contrast to the rolling -billows of the ocean so near.</p> - -<p>As may be supposed, the lake is named from -the number of water-lilies with which it is covered -during the season when these exquisite -flowers are in bloom. They fill the air with -their delicious fragrance; and the delicate, -pearly, white blossoms are seen by all the passers-by, -resting among their green leaves on -the surface of the water.</p> - -<p>Bessie’s mother, and Bessie herself, were -both extremely fond of these lovely flowers; -and when Harry came in one day with two -which he had fished up from their watery bed -with some trouble to himself, great was the -rejoicing over them.</p> - -<p>The next afternoon, Maggie and Bessie were -out driving with Mrs. Rush and Aunt Bessie,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_339" id="Page_339">[339]</a></span> -when they came upon a boy and girl, perched -upon a fence at the side of the road, and having -a basket half-filled with water-lilies.</p> - -<p>“Water-lilies! oh, water-lilies!” cried Bessie; -“where did they gather so many I wonder. -Could we find some for dear mamma, do you -think, Aunt May?”</p> - -<p>“I think those children have them for sale: -we can buy some from them,” said Mrs. Rush; -and she ordered the coachman to stop.</p> - -<p>“But we have left all our money at home,” -said Maggie, in a tone of regret.</p> - -<p>“Well, I will buy them, and you may give -them to mamma,” said Mrs. Rush.</p> - -<p>“But that is not at all the same, Aunt May,” -said Bessie: “it would only be pretend our -present.”</p> - -<p>“Suppose I lend you the money. You may -give it back to me if you like, as soon as you -go home.”</p> - -<p>So Maggie and Bessie each bought a bunch -of water-lilies from the boy and girl, who had -come down from the fence and now stood beside<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_340" id="Page_340">[340]</a></span> -the carriage, and Aunt May purchased the -rest, leaving the basket empty.</p> - -<p>The girl tossed her basket above her head, -and, after thanking the ladies, bounded across -the road and over the fence on the other side, -making for Lily Pond as if she were after a -fresh supply. The boy followed more slowly.</p> - -<p>“I wonder why they sell lilies,” said Maggie: -“they do not look so very poor. At least -they’re not ragged and dirty, though the girl -has a pretty ugly frock.”</p> - -<p>“If I was poor and had to make some -money, I would choose to be a water-lily girl,” -said Bessie; “and I would try to be so polite, -and ask so nicely, that people would like to -buy of me.”</p> - -<p>“I do not think people would be very apt to -refuse you, my lily girl,” said Aunt Bessie, -with a loving look at the sweet little face before -her, which was bent over the lovely white -blossoms, not purer than itself.</p> - -<p>“I would like to paddle in and pick the -lilies,” said Maggie;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_341" id="Page_341">[341]</a></span> “but I would not like -to sit on top of a fence, waiting for people to -come and buy my flowers: it must be so -stupid.”</p> - -<p>“The boy looks as if he were better able -to do that than to pick the lilies,” said Mrs. -Rush. “He has an interesting, thoughtful -face, but looks delicate.”</p> - -<p>“My anxiety is all upsidedown about him,” -said Maggie. “Maybe he wants money to pay -a doctor. Bessie, when we go out to walk to-morrow -morning, let’s ask nurse to come this -way, and see if we can find these children. -Maybe we could help them a little. We must -have a whole lot of charity money, for you -know we have not had much use for it on our -travels.”</p> - -<p>Accordingly, the next morning the children -waited for Belle; and, as soon as she came, -the whole flock started with Mammy and Jane -on the road towards Lily Pond, the little girls -having taken care to be provided with money. -They found the boy and girl, not sitting on top -of the fence this time, but near the lake; the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_342" id="Page_342">[342]</a></span> -boy lying flat upon a rock with a book in his -hand, the girl sitting beside him, busy shelling -pease.</p> - -<p>They looked up as our party drew near, and -the girl said with a pleased look,—</p> - -<p>“Oh! it’s the little girls who bought all the -lilies yesterday.”</p> - -<p>“Yes, it is us,” said Maggie. “Have you -more to sell us to-day? We meant to buy a -whole lot, and have brought a basket in baby’s -wagon.”</p> - -<p>“We haven’t picked any to-day,” said the -boy: “we don’t generally gather them till -later, when it’s time for the gentle-folks to come -riding this way; but we can get some for you -right away. In a few days, when they’re more -plenty, there’ll be lots of fellows up here after -them; but they mostly take them down to the -beach and around the town to sell.”</p> - -<p>“We have a little pond of our own, where -there are a few,” said the girl; “but we get -most off of this one.”</p> - -<p>“Where do you live?” asked Belle.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_343" id="Page_343">[343]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Over yonder,” said the girl, pointing to -a small farm-house standing among its out-buildings -on the other side of the road. -“Now, Johnny, I’m ready.”</p> - -<p>Johnny went a few steps off, where the bushes -grew thickly, and drew from among them two -long, hooked sticks. One of these he gave to -the girl, and kept the other in his own hand. -While they had been talking, the girl had -pulled off her shoes and stockings; and now, -to the surprise of all the children, she waded -into the water, while her brother stayed upon -the rock, without offering to follow.</p> - -<p>Sallie, so he called her, stepped out till the -water touched her knees; and having gathered -such lilies as she could reach with her hand, -drew others towards her with the hooked stick. -The long, slender stems yielded easily; and, -as she plucked one after another, she tossed -them towards her brother, who drew them in -with his own stick.</p> - -<p>How lovely and delicious they were, just -fresh from their watery bed, with the drops<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_344" id="Page_344">[344]</a></span> -still glittering like diamonds on the rich, -creamy-white petals! how they filled the whole -air with their fragrance!</p> - -<p>“I think if I could carry flowers to heaven, -I would like to take these,” whispered Bessie -to Maggie and Belle, as all three hung delighted -over their prize. “They look as if -they were very large stars fallen down out of -God’s sky, to tell us how sweet every thing is -there.”</p> - -<p>“O Bessie, you darling!” said Maggie. -“What a lovely idea! That’s good enough to -put in a book. Bessie, do you know that is -talking prose?”</p> - -<p>“What is prose?” asked Belle.</p> - -<p>“You know what rhyme is,” said Maggie.</p> - -<p>“Yes,” said Belle: “it means cat and -hat, and mouse and house, and mean and -queen.”</p> - -<p>“That’s right,” said Maggie. “Well, if -you say a nice thing in rhyme, that’s poetry; -but if you say it in unrhyme, then it’s prose.”</p> - -<p>“Oh!” said Belle, quite satisfied with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_345" id="Page_345">[345]</a></span> -Maggie’s explanation. “I wish I were as -smart as you two. You write poetry, Maggie; -and Bessie can talk prose: and I can’t do -either.”</p> - -<p>“Never mind,” said Maggie, consolingly. -“Maybe you’ll be able to some day.”</p> - -<p>“And you’re just good enough for us, any -way,” said Bessie, with an affectionate kiss to -her little friend; an example which was followed -by Maggie.</p> - -<p>“Why don’t you go in the water, and let -your sister stay out?” said Belle to Johnny, -rather reprovingly.</p> - -<p>Johnny, who was a gentle-looking boy, -colored a little, but answered quietly,—</p> - -<p>“They say I ought not to wet my feet, and -I want to keep well very much.”</p> - -<p>“Yes,” said Sallie, who had just stepped -out of the water, and was wringing out her -dripping skirts: “it don’t hurt me to go in -the water; but it’s not good for him.”</p> - -<p>“Are you sick?” asked Bessie.</p> - -<p>“No,” said Johnny, looking as if he thought<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_346" id="Page_346">[346]</a></span> -the little girls were blaming him in their own -minds for not taking the wetting himself, as -indeed they were.</p> - -<p>“He’s not just sick,” said Sallie; “but he’s -not just strong, and we’re bound he shall go -to school this winter, at least for one quarter. -He’s an awful fellow for his books and learning.”</p> - -<p>“Will one quarter make him too sick to go -any more?” asked Bessie.</p> - -<p>“Oh! I didn’t mean that,” said Sallie, sitting -down on the rock, and spreading out her -wet feet and dress to dry in the sun; “but, -you see, we’re not sure we’ll put by enough -money even to pay for one quarter. Shall I -tell you about it?” she added, seeing her little -customers looked interested.</p> - -<p>“Yes,” said Bessie.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_347" id="Page_347">[347]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Well, as I said, Johnny’s such a fellow for -book learning, and he’s smart too; and these -two winters he’s tried hard for going to the -Common School down in the town; but it’s a -terrible long walk, and so cold; and both -years he’s been taken down sick, and had to -give it up; and the doctor told father he was -not to try it again. But there’s a young man -lives just round the turn of the road who is -learning to be a minister, and he’s ready to -teach a few boys if they pay him for it; and -father said he couldn’t afford to pay a dollar -this winter, for it’s been a bad year with him; -but he said we might keep all we could make -ourselves to pay for Johnny’s schooling; but -I don’t know as we’re likely to put by even -enough for one quarter. So that’s the reason, -you see, why I go in the water. I’m hearty, -but Johnny takes cold easy, and then he -coughs.”</p> - -<p>“Yes, ‘one man’s meat is another man’s -poison,’” said Maggie. “Well, you’re a good -girl and a dutiful sister.”</p> - -<p>“We’ll buy water-lilies of you every day,” -said Bessie, “so we can help along. But -we don’t come this way every day,” she added, -thoughtfully.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_348" id="Page_348">[348]</a></span></p> - -<p>“We could bring them to you, if you liked,” -said Johnny. “We do take them every day -to a lady down yonder,” and he pointed in the -direction of the bluff on which Colonel Rush’s -house stood, with several others.</p> - -<p>This was agreed upon; and the nurse, saying -they must be moving homeward, as it was -time to go to the beach and bathe, they said -good-by to Johnny and Sallie.</p> - -<p>“I’ve a plan in my head,” said Maggie; -“but then, I’ve learned experience by a very -bad lesson, so I thought I’d better not mention -it till I’ve advised with mamma.”</p> - -<p>Maggie’s bad lesson was this,—</p> - -<p>One day, just before they left home for the -Southern trip, Maggie was standing on the -front stoop, waiting for her mother and Bessie, -with whom she was going out, when a poor-looking -man spoke to her. He told a most -pitiful story; and Maggie, full of sympathy, -emptied her little purse into his hand. But -this did not satisfy the beggar; and he asked<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_349" id="Page_349">[349]</a></span> -“if the little lady had not an old coat to give -a poor soldier.”</p> - -<p>“I’ll ask mamma,” said Maggie, and off -she rushed upstairs, leaving the beggar-man -standing on the stoop by the open hall-door.</p> - -<p>Mamma said she could not give old clothes -away, unless she was sure the man was deserving: -for she knew of many such who needed -them; and told Maggie to go back at once -and tell Patrick to shut the door, and she -would see the man when she came down.</p> - -<p>But when Maggie reached the foot of the -stairs, the beggar was gone. So far from waiting -for the old coat, it was soon found that he -had walked off with a new one of papa’s, which -lay on the hall table.</p> - -<p>Poor Maggie was excessively mortified, and -much distressed, not only at the loss of the -coat, but at that of her little stock of spending -money. Mamma made the last good to her; -but told her she should not do so again if -she acted without thought; and begged her -to take counsel of some older person when -she felt inclined to help those she did not -know.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_350" id="Page_350">[350]</a></span></p> - -<p>So Maggie had “learned experience,” and -since that time had been careful to ask advice -before she allowed her sympathies to run too -far with her.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 200px;"> - -<img src="images/footer-ch14.jpg" width="200" height="200" alt="(decorative)" /> - -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_351" id="Page_351">[351]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> - -<img src="images/header-ch8-and-15.jpg" width="500" height="100" alt="(decorative)" /> - -</div> - -<h2 id="XV">XV.<br /> -<span class="smaller">“<i>OF SUCH IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.</i>”</span></h2> - -<div> -<img class="dropcap" src="images/dropcap-t.jpg" width="100" height="100" alt="" /> -</div> - -<p class="dropcap">They all bathed on the little beach near -home that morning; and, as soon as -they had gone back to the house, -Maggie called Bessie and Belle, and they went -together to mamma’s room to unfold Maggie’s -plan and ask her consent to it.</p> - -<p>What a pretty room that was! Mrs. Rush -had taken a fancy to call it the “Lily Room,” -and to furnish it accordingly. The carpet was -green, and the furniture painted the same -color, and ornamented with water-lilies wherever -they could be put,—on the head and foot -boards of the bed, on each drawer of the dressing -bureaus, on the panels of the wardrobe -and the backs of the chairs, in short, wherever -there was room for them. Over the mantelpiece<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_352" id="Page_352">[352]</a></span> -hung an oil-painting of the same lovely -flowers; and now the room was filled with the -natural blossoms brought in by the little girls -that morning.</p> - -<p>Mamma lay upon the couch,—this was -covered with chintz printed with water-lilies, -too,—resting after her salt-water bath. Her -long hair was spread over the cushions to dry; -and Maggie and Bessie were busy at it in a -moment: it was their great delight to comb it -and thread their fingers through it; and dearly -mamma loved to feel their little hands twisting -it into all manner of fantastic braids and -loops.</p> - -<p>Maggie told her story about the water-lily -boy and girl, and then, saying that she thought -there must be a good deal of “glove money” -due the little box at home, asked her mother -if she did not think it would be a “reasonable -charity” to pay for Johnny’s schooling next -winter.</p> - -<p>Bessie looked surprised at this; but Belle -clapped her hands, saying,—</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_353" id="Page_353">[353]</a></span></p> - -<p>“You’ll let me help too, won’t you?”</p> - -<p>“But,” said Mrs. Bradford, “I thought you -were saving that money for another purpose.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, so we <em>were</em>,” said Maggie, biting her -underlip; “if I didn’t forget it. What a child -I am! always forgetting one thing in another.”</p> - -<p>“What is it?” asked Belle.</p> - -<p>“To buy a warm cloak and a pair of better -<em>spetacles</em> for good Mrs. Granby, who is always -being kind to other people, and never -thinks about herself,” said Bessie.</p> - -<p>“And I suppose it wouldn’t be fair to put -by a person we’ve known for so long for people -we’re hardly acquainted with, only through -water-lilies,” said Maggie. “Oh! I wish, I -wish, I wish I had the greatest lots of money -that ever were seen, so I could give every one -every thing they wanted.”</p> - -<p>Maggie was always wishing for lots of money; -but it is only justice to her to say that it was -generally for the benefit of others, and not for -herself.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_354" id="Page_354">[354]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Did you promise Mrs. Granby?” asked -Belle.</p> - -<p>“No, we did not promise, not with words,” -said Bessie; “but then, we made up our minds -to do it, and we wouldn’t like not to. I think -it would seem a little like not being very true -in our hearts to Mrs. Granby.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, dear!” said Maggie, “there are such -lots of things one wants to do; but somehow, -one can’t seem to do every thing.”</p> - -<p>“Mamma,” said Bessie, “don’t you think -papa would like to help this boy? He has -enough of money.”</p> - -<p>“My dear child,” said mamma, laughing: -“you must not think there is no end to papa’s -money. He has a good many people to help -now, and he cannot do for every one, you -know.”</p> - -<p>“Well, then,” said Maggie,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_355" id="Page_355">[355]</a></span> “we’ll tell -Uncle Ruthven and the Colonel, and see what -they will do. I don’t mean we’ll ask them to -help the lily boy; but we’ll just let them know -about him, and then leave it to their own conscience.”</p> - -<p>“Uncle Ruthven has a good deal of conscience -about poor people; and so has Uncle -Horace too,” said Bessie.</p> - -<p>But somehow the children could not find an -opportunity to tell their uncle and Colonel -Rush about the “lily boy.” For the next few -days there was a good deal of company coming -and going, and they did not care to talk about -it before strangers; then papa, Uncle Ruthven, -and the Colonel went off yachting, and -stayed a week.</p> - -<p>Meanwhile, Johnny and Sallie came to the -house every morning, bringing their basket of -lilies; and when the little girls had bought as -many as they wanted for their daily gift to -their mother, Mrs. Rush and the other ladies -would purchase the remainder. So Maggie -and Bessie knew that they were helping Johnny -towards his heart’s desire in this way, even -if they had devoted their “charity money” to -another object.</p> - -<p>Early on the morning after the gentlemen -had returned, the children had gone down to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_356" id="Page_356">[356]</a></span> -the sands, and were playing happily together, -when Belle came on her daily visit. Belle -considered herself almost as much at home in -Mrs. Rush’s house as Maggie and Bessie did.</p> - -<p>“You live at the Ocean House, don’t you?” -asked a little girl one day.</p> - -<p>“Oh, no!” said Belle; “I don’t live there. -I only sleep there, and eat my breakfast -there. I live at Aunt May’s, even when it -rains, Maggie and Bessie and I can’t do -wifout oneanofer.”</p> - -<p>She now came running swiftly over the -beach towards Maggie and Bessie; and, as -soon as she had kissed them for good-morning, -said eagerly,—</p> - -<p>“O Maggie and Bessie! what do you fink? -It is my birfday next week, and papa told me -to choose what he should give me, and I can’t -think of any thing I want. Do you know any -thing I want?”</p> - -<p>“Well, no,” said Maggie.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_357" id="Page_357">[357]</a></span> “I think you -have about every thing a sensible child could -want. I can’t remember a single thing; and -that is rather a bad business not to have some -thing you <em>want</em> for your birthday present. I -think, after all, maybe it is a better economy -not to have all you want; but to save up your -wishes, so you can think of something when -any person tells you to choose a present.”</p> - -<p>Maggie said this with her wiseacre air, and -Belle and Bessie listened with solemn admiration, -believing it to be a speech containing a -great deal of wisdom; nor, indeed, do I know -that they were far wrong.</p> - -<p>“How much is your father going to cost for -your present?” asked Bessie.</p> - -<p>“I asked him that,” said Belle;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_358" id="Page_358">[358]</a></span> “and he -said that ’pended on what I wanted. He said -if it was a locket or necklace, or any thing that -would keep till I was a big girl, he would not -mind giving a good deal of money for it, -he had to give me a present from mamma and -himself too; but if it was only a toy I could -break or be tired of in a little while, it would -not be right to frow away much money on it. -That is just what he said. I ’member it very -well. But I don’t want a locket or those -kind of things, there’s a whole lot -of my own mamma’s pretty things I can have -when I’m a big girl. Papa is keeping them -for me, and I like those best. And I can’t -think of a toy, not one;” and Belle looked -quite melancholy over her want of wants.</p> - -<p>“Yes,” said Maggie again, “I b’lieve you -have every thing in the world a child could -want.”</p> - -<p>“Not my mamma,” said Belle, with the -touch of sadness which always came over her -when she thought or spoke of her dead mother.</p> - -<p>“Dear Belle,” said Maggie, tenderly. “But -then God gives us our mammas; and I only -meant things that earth people could give -you.”</p> - -<p>“And, Belle, darling,” said Bessie, “your -mamma is yours yet, even if she has gone to -Jesus! It is only that she is more of Jesus’s, -and He is more of hers now she is in His home -with Him.”</p> - -<p>Belle wiped away the tears which had gathered<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_359" id="Page_359">[359]</a></span> -in her eyes; and then, with Bessie’s arm -about her neck, and Maggie holding her -hand, sat gazing up into the cloudless, blue -sky, almost as if she expected to see the face -of her “angel-mother” looking down with -tender love upon her.</p> - -<p>They all three sat silent for a few moments. -The waves—they were hardly more than wavelets, -on this still, calm day—came up with their -gentle murmur upon the beach; and there was -a sort of golden haze upon the sea, and far off -on the horizon, telling, perhaps, of a coming -fog later in the day: but the sky was clear -above them now, and all was bright and fair -around.</p> - -<p>The quiet and the peace stole into all three -little hearts,—God’s peace, which He gives to -those who love and trust in Him, and who -strive to do His work, and bear His will, with -simple faith that He knows best, and will order -all things right.</p> - -<p>Old Daphne and Jane, each with her work, -sat at a little distance, but did not interfere<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_360" id="Page_360">[360]</a></span> -with the children more than to see they did -not run into any danger; and were occupied -with their own conversation, the burden -of which, on Daphne’s side, was the extreme -loveliness and sweetness of her young mistress; -while each story that she told of Belle’s -goodness and smartness was immediately -matched with one from Jane of the wisdom -and droll sayings of her particular young -charge. Each bird sang loud in praise of her -own nestling; but the little birds themselves -neither heard nor heeded.</p> - -<p>“Belle,” said Bessie, after a little, “a -thought came into my mind just now; no, not -into my <em>mind</em> either. I guess it was into my -<em>heart</em>, it was such a thought of love.”</p> - -<p>“What was it?” asked Belle, looking as if -all thoughts of love were in <em>her</em> heart towards -the dear Bessie.</p> - -<p>“About your mamma,” said Bessie.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_361" id="Page_361">[361]</a></span> “You -know your papa said he had to give you a -present from her. I just thought if maybe -you wouldn’t like to have her present something -that by and by would be fit to go back to -heaven like a jewel for our Father.”</p> - -<p>“Yes, I would,” answered Belle, to whom -the oft-repeated, oft-referred-to story was nearly -as familiar and as dear as it was to Maggie -and Bessie. “Yes, I would; but what thing -could I ask for that would be like that? If -you want any thing or Maggie, I’ll ask papa -for it, and give it to you, liever than to have it -myself, you’re so dear and good to me. -I would, Bessie.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, no, Belle!” said Bessie. “I never -would <em>hint</em> you to give me a thing. Mamma -says that is not a nice thing to do; and I was -thinking of something better than that, something -that would be a great, great help to -some one, and last a great, great while, maybe -for ever.”</p> - -<p>“Well,” said Belle,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_362" id="Page_362">[362]</a></span> “why don’t you tell -me what it is? You know I don’t have a great -deal of <em>think</em> in me to find out how to do good -for ofers; but I b’lieve I have some <em>do</em> in me -when I know how.”</p> - -<p>“Yes, you have,” said Maggie, “and some -day you’ll learn how to think for yourself. -You see you have not been quite so much -brought up to it as we have. That’s the mercy -of having such a papa and mamma as ours.”</p> - -<p>“Well,” said Belle rather hurt, “my papa is -very such too, and I’d rafer have him than any -papa.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, yes!” said Maggie quickly, seeing -that she had made a mistake, and hastening -to heal the wound she had unintentionally -given; “to be sure you would, and I didn’t -mean the least discompliment to your papa, -Belle; but you know he has had a great deal -of trouble, and so has not had time to teach -you so much as our papa and mamma have -taught us.”</p> - -<p>“Yes, I know it,” said Belle, quite satisfied -with this apology; “but tell me now, Bessie, I -can’t think what you mean.”</p> - -<p>“Water-lily boy,” said Bessie, willing to -give Belle the credit of thinking out the matter -for herself.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_363" id="Page_363">[363]</a></span></p> - -<p>Belle looked puzzled.</p> - -<p>“Lily boy, Johnny, school,” said Bessie, -helping her along.</p> - -<p>“Oh!” said Belle, as Bessie’s meaning -came to her, “do you mean I could ask papa -to give the money for Johnny to go to school -next winter?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, dear,” said Bessie; “and it’s -partly your mamma’s present it would seem -as if you and she were doing good together, -and as if the help for Johnny came from -heaven.”</p> - -<p>“Bessie! oh, you precious love!” burst -forth Maggie. “You need never say another -word about my having good ideas. If I have -ideas about compositions and things, you have -a great deal better ones about living. I never -did see such a child as you are,—no, never; -and I hope I never will: one of such a kind -as you are is quite enough for <em>me</em>;” and Maggie, -after gazing at her sister with an air of -the most intense pride and satisfaction, threw -her arms about her neck and kissed her.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_364" id="Page_364">[364]</a></span> -“Don’t you think that is lovely, Belle?” she -said; “and don’t you want to do it?”</p> - -<p>But little Belle sat silent for a moment, her -eyes raised again towards her dear mother’s -home, her hands clasped, and a gentle, happy -smile on her lips.</p> - -<p>Then she spoke, with that same, soft smile, -and with a peaceful light in her eyes.</p> - -<p>“I was just saying a little prayer inside of -my mouf,” she said, “to ask Jesus to make -papa feel like doing it, so dear mamma and I -can do some work for Him togefer. And -papa will be helping too, all fee of us togefer,” -added the dear little thing, to whom -no thought could bring more happiness than -the one that mamma in heaven, waiting for -papa and Belle, would know and be glad when -she tried to please Jesus and to do His work.</p> - -<p>“I shall tell your papa Johnny is an honest -boy,” said Maggie.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_365" id="Page_365">[365]</a></span> “You know we know he -is, that day when the lilies were six -cents a bunch, and he had no pennies change -for the ten cents I gave him, he would not -keep it, but pulled four lilies out of another -bunch to make it even with me. I told him -he could keep it all, too.”</p> - -<p>“I guess he is a pretty good boy,” said -Bessie. “Sallie says he is.”</p> - -<p>“I’ll tell papa all about him,” said Belle, -which she did as her father drove home -with her that evening in the starlight. The -fog which the morning haze had foretold had -lasted but a few hours, and all was now again -fair and clear.</p> - -<p>“Has my pet thought of what she wants -me to give her on her birthday?” said Mr. -Powers.</p> - -<p>“Yes, papa.”</p> - -<p>“Ah! Maggie and Bessie helped you to it, -I suppose. I thought they would,” said Mr. -Powers.</p> - -<p>“Papa,” said Belle, leaning her head upon -her father’s breast, and gazing upward at the -stars,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_366" id="Page_366">[366]</a></span> “if a present comes from mamma, it -must come from heaven, and so it ought to be -somefing very, very good: don’t you think -so?”</p> - -<p>“It shall be what my darling pleases, if papa -can bring it about,” said Mr. Powers, drawing -her closer to him as she sat upon his knee.</p> - -<p>“The fought of it came from heaven, I -know papa,” Belle went on. “Bessie gave it to -me; and I am sure Jesus gave it to her.”</p> - -<p>“What is it, dearest?” asked her father.</p> - -<p>So Belle told her father of the “lily boy” -and his desire to go to school, and of what -she wanted for her birthday gift from him and -dear mamma.</p> - -<p>“And you would really rather I should do -this than to have any thing for yourself, my -little girl?” said he.</p> - -<p>“Yes, papa, really, really I would; and -then you know, papa, if the present comes -from mamma and you, it will be as if she and -me and you did a little work for Jesus, all fee -togefer,” and she put up her little soft hand -caressingly against his mouth.</p> - -<p>He took it in his and kissed it, but no more -was said for a little while, as they drove slowly -home in the still summer night.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_367" id="Page_367">[367]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Will you promise, papa?” said Belle at last.</p> - -<p>“Yes, darling, I will promise; that is, you -shall send the boy to school if I find he is -steady and good, and his parents are deserving -people.”</p> - -<p>“And if not, papa?” questioned his little -daughter, fearful lest this plan, which seemed -to bring her nearer to her mother, should fail -her at the last.</p> - -<p>“If not, or if I find any reason why this -thing is not wise, I will set aside the sum of -money it would have taken, and we will soon -find some way in which mamma’s gift may -do work for Jesus.”</p> - -<p>Belle was satisfied.</p> - -<p>“I am so glad my darling is learning to be -unselfish, and to take thought for others,” -continued Mr. Powers.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_368" id="Page_368">[368]</a></span></p> - -<p>“It’s all Maggie’s and Bessie’s fault, papa, -all their fault. It never came to me, myself; -but they taught me how. And it makes me -want to be good when I see them good, even -when they don’t tell me a word.”</p> - -<p>“Yes,” said her father: “I think it has -been a great blessing to you to know Maggie -and Bessie.”</p> - -<p>“They’re the best of all my blessings, ’cept -only you, papa. I’m a great, great deal happier -since I knew them, and I guess gooder -too. I don’t slap Daphne now; and I don’t -fret so much when you tell me a thing can’t -not: do I papa?”</p> - -<p>“No, my darling,” said her father: “my -little Belle is becoming very good and obedient, -and I see she takes pains with her quick -temper too.”</p> - -<p>Mr. Powers felt as if he could not bear to -part from his darling that night, and when -Daphne had undressed her and laid her in her -bed, he went and sat beside her, and held her -little hand.</p> - -<p>“Put out the light, and leave the window -open, papa,” she pleaded;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_369" id="Page_369">[369]</a></span> “so we can look -up at dear mamma’s home. See how bright -the stars are. Bessie says the water-lilies are -like the stars come down here, so we can -think the stars are heaven’s lilies; but they -do not fade like the lilies; do they, papa?” -She rambled on half sleepily, without waiting -for an answer. “And Jesus never fades, nor -the angels He takes up to His heaven. Papa, -I’ll try to be like a little water-lily, and then -when Jesus has done wif me on earf, He -will gafer me up to His home where mamma -is.”</p> - -<p>So she talked on about mamma and Jesus -and heaven till sleep came, and she forgot -alike the joys and sorrows of her young life.</p> - -<p>But her father sat there, long after she fell -asleep, and thought with more pleasure than -any thing had given him since his wife’s -death, of the work which “all fee togefer” -might do for Jesus. And as he remembered -the many mercies which God had still left to -him, especially the blessing of this loving -little child, he took shame to himself that he -had allowed his own great grief to make him -forget the wants and troubles of others; and -he resolved that on each Christmas and birthday,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_370" id="Page_370">[370]</a></span> -from this time forth, Belle’s gift from her -“mamma in heaven,” should be the means of -doing good to some one who needed it.</p> - -<p>He was as good as his word respecting the -water-lily boy; and the very next day went to -work to find if Johnny Howe and his parents -were worthy of the help his little daughter -wished to offer them.</p> - -<p>All was satisfactory. Johnny’s parents -proved to be industrious, deserving people, -with whom the world had gone rather hardly -for the last year or two. Johnny himself, a -bright boy, eager to learn, and who made the -most of all his opportunities. His father and -mother thankfully accepted the offer Mr. -Powers made to provide for his education as -long as they should need such help; and dear -little Belle was made happy in this “birfday -present.”</p> - -<p>Belle’s were not the only young eyes which -gazed upward at the starry sky that night with -sweet thoughts of the heaven beyond.</p> - -<p>Maggie and Bessie had gone out with Colonel<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_371" id="Page_371">[371]</a></span> -Rush to see Mr. Powers and Belle drive -away; and the evening was so soft, and warm -and lovely, that after they had gone the Colonel -sat down upon the steps of the piazza to -enjoy it, with one of his pets on either side of -him.</p> - -<p>It was very quiet: only two sounds broke -the stillness; the ceaseless song of the sea,—very -low and gentle it was to-night,—and -mingling with it came the sweet tones of Mrs. -Rush’s voice, as she sang her baby to sleep in -one of the upper rooms. They all sat listening -to the two hymns; so different, yet with -no discord between them; the music of the -one blending so perfectly with the music of -the other.</p> - -<p>For a moment the sweet singer above -paused; then, unconscious of the listening -ears below, began,—</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="verse">“I was a wandering sheep.”</div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>It carried the Colonel back, back to that -time, now nearly two years since, when on -just such a night as this, with those same<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_372" id="Page_372">[372]</a></span> -mingling voices sounding in his ears, peace -and rest had flowed in on his troubled soul; -when striving to reach the light pointed out -by the beloved little messenger beside him, -he had laid hold upon the cross, and felt -its brightness all about him. Its rays had -beamed clearly for him ever since; for he -knew from whence they shone, and that they -should never fail him.</p> - -<p>The baby slept, and the young mother’s -voice ceased as she laid it in its cradle: but -its father sat on, with the music still sounding -in his heart; and, as if the holy spell were -on them too, his little companions sat as -motionless and silent,—Maggie leaning on his -knee, Bessie with her hand nestled in his, her -head laid lovingly against his arm.</p> - -<p>Suddenly, some one threw back a blind from -the library-window, and a stream of light was -thrown from within upon the sunny, brown -curls which lay against the Colonel’s shoulder. -He looked down at her.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_373" id="Page_373">[373]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Bessie, what were you thinking of, darling?” -he asked, as he saw the wistful face -and earnest eyes, which seemed as if they saw -beyond the stars.</p> - -<p>“A good many things, Uncle Horace,” -answered the little one. “I thought about -Belle, and how glad her mamma must be to -see how hard she tries to be good, and I know -it is hard for Belle to be good sometimes; and -about heaven and Jesus. And then I thought -about our travels, and how good our Father in -heaven has been to us, and how I wished I -could do something very much for Him; and -then—and then—Uncle Horace, I don’t -know what made me, I think it was the sound -of the waves—I thought about one night at -Quam Beach, when I lay awake a great while, -and looked out at the stars and heard the -waves making just such a soft sound—and—and—I -was saying a good many little prayers -about you, Uncle Horace: it was the night -before the next morning when you told me -you had found Jesus, and was going to be His -soldier.”<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_374" id="Page_374">[374]</a></span></p> - -<p>There was no answer in words; but his arm -found its way around her, and clasped her -closer, and when the brave soldier could -steady his voice, it was to Maggie he spoke.</p> - -<p>“And what was my honey-bee thinking of, -to keep her so quiet?”</p> - -<p>“I was thinking of our travels too, Uncle -Horace,” answered Maggie; “but not in such -a very superior manner as Bessie. I was thinking -what a lovely time we have had all these -months; and now how glad I am that papa -and mamma have come to decision to stay in -Newport till it is time to go home in the -autumn. I like Chalecoo; but I’d rather -stay in this lovely place than to go anywhere -else. And now our travels are done.”</p> - -<p>“For the present, yes,” said the Colonel; -“but we have all still one road to keep, -one journey to go, dear Maggie: that journey -that shall end at last in our Father’s -house.”</p> - -<p>“Yes,” said Maggie, with grave sweetness:<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_375" id="Page_375">[375]</a></span> -“the narrow road, where the golden letters -and the silver thread shall guide us, and -where our Brother will help us where it is too -hard for us to go alone.”</p> - -<p>“And where our Father has let us find a -few jewels for Him, I b’lieve,” chimed in Bessie’s -soft voice. “I hope we may find some -more, but He knows best.”</p> - -<p>“‘They that seek shall find,’ if they search -by the light of God’s Holy Word,” said the -Colonel, laying a loving hand on each little -head; “but we may not know what treasures -are ours, till the day when he shall make up -His jewels.”</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>And now go forth on your travels, my Maggie -and Bessie, followed by the earnest prayer -that you may be the means of drawing other -little pilgrims to journey beside the green -pastures and still waters of the way of salvation, -led by the hand of the gentle Shepherd,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_376" id="Page_376">[376]</a></span> -who has said, “Suffer little children to come -unto me;” and who will guide them at last -to that perfect home, prepared for such as are -of “the kingdom of heaven.”</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 150px;"> - -<img src="images/footer-ch15.jpg" width="150" height="200" alt="(decorative)" /> - -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<h2>ROBERT CARTER & BROTHERS’<br /> -NEW BOOKS.</h2> - -<p class="right">530 Broadway, New-York.</p> - -<div class="booklist"> - -<p class="title"><b>NOBODY.</b> A story by the author of the “Wide, Wide -World.” 12mo. <span class="price">$1.75</span></p> - -<p class="review">“Her style is felicitous, her humor delicate, her pathos sincere. 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