THE GREYSONS AND GRIMSBYS.
THE Greysons lived in a long, low, double house, situated near the
seashore, with nothing around it to render it attractive or agreeable.
The other part was occupied by a family named Grimsby. The father was
in California, and the mother went out washing. She was exceedingly
sensitive on this point, however, and was so much afraid the neighbors
would think less of her on account of it, that she never missed an
opportunity of telling them they were no better than herself--that
every cent she had, she earned honestly, and that was what everybody
couldn’t say. Some were foolish enough to reply, but they usually
suffered for it, as Mrs. Grimsby’s tongue was the terror of the whole
neighborhood. She was quite sure, she said, that the time would come
when she should be able to look down on those who despised her now, and
make them feel it an honor to have their children associate with hers.
Juliana, the oldest of the family, was a great, slovenly girl--idle
and disagreeable. Her long, black hair, of which she had a great
profusion, was always in a heap, her dress torn and dirty, her
stockings out at the heels, and to finish her appearance, she wore a
pair of her mother’s shoes which were much too large for her. It was
very easy to tell at what time Juliana arose in the morning, for the
great shoes could be heard clattering down the stairs and shuffling
through the entry. Then too, the quarrelling was louder, the baby cried
oftener, and Mrs. Grimsby scolded at the top of her voice.
There were also two boys in this family, George Washington and Benjamin
Franklin, who were a little older than Fred and Charlie Greyson. Their
mother said they would prove themselves worthy of their name, for two
such boys couldn’t be found anywhere, and in this last particular the
neighbors perfectly agreed with her. As there was no public school
within several miles, Hesper’s two brothers were obliged to remain
at home, and as might have been expected of two little fellows, six
and eight years of age, having nothing particular to do, they were
very restless and uneasy. Their father had no time to attend to them,
their mother was sick, and Hesper was always so busy that it was quite
impossible for her either to amuse or instruct them. Accordingly they
spent the greater part of their time in the back-yard where they kept a
pair of beautiful white rabbits, which they had named Billy and Bunny.
There was also a pigstye on their side of the yard, and in it a pig,
so small and black that the children called him Coaly, and made quite
a pet of him. Coaly was a knowing pig, and even Mose and Hesper liked
occasionally to make him a visit.
The opposite side of the yard belonged to the Grimsbys. George kept
ducks and Benny had a goat. There was but little grass for the poor
creature to subsist upon, for the yard was small, and at all seasons
there was always a large pile of wood or chips lying there, besides
which, the boys had scooped out a broad, deep hole, to make a duck
pond. Mrs. Grimsby threw all her slops and broken victuals into the
yard, and when she washed at home she hung her clothes there. This was
always sure to end in a great quarrel with the boys, who complained
that she never minded where she went, but upset everything and spoiled
all they did, just as though nobody had a right there but herself.
Directly across the middle of the yard, forming a line of division
between the two families, was planted a double row of sun-flowers,
which had grown up very tall and close. This had been done by the young
Grimsbys who were extremely jealous of the Greysons, and had often
accused them of stealing. Even their mother had thrown out broad hints
at times, to Hesper, about missing her wood and chips, which almost
broke the poor girl’s heart, and roused her father’s indignation to the
highest pitch. It so happened at one time, that she came in to make
a complaint when Mr. Greyson was at home. She had scarcely commenced
however, when to the great terror of the children, their father rose
up, and with a look and tone that could not be mistaken, he commanded
her to take herself out of his premises directly, or he would assist
her in a way that might not be very pleasing. Mrs. Grimsby did not wait
to finish her sentence, but beat a hasty retreat, and never ventured in
again unless fully assured of the enemy’s absence.
The yard, however, was the great scene of action. Notwithstanding all
Hesper’s persuasions and entreaties, Fred and Charlie would resent
every injury, and sometimes provoke assaults. In fact the Greysons and
Grimsbys were continually at war. Fred was a high-spirited boy, and it
was entirely useless for Hesper to reason with him.
“You wouldn’t talk so about it, if it was yourself,” he would answer.
“If they let out our rabbits, we will untie their goat, and if they
worry Coaly we will let off their duck pond.”
Through that palisade of sun-flower stalks many a word of defiance
was spoken which received an oyster shell for a reply, and many a
challenge was given which ended in a desperate conflict. The Grimsbys
being the oldest, were usually triumphant, and the Greysons would come
off with scratched faces and bloody noses. When Hesper wept and their
sick mother rose from her pillow to entreat and reason with them, as
she only knew how to do, they would promise that they would try to do
better; but at the next outbreak Fred’s excuse would be, “mother, I did
try, but I couldn’t help it.”
This was the greatest trial of Hesper’s life. She would send them into
the yard to get them out of the way, and would often have to bring them
back again, to keep them out of trouble. At last she appealed to her
father.
“Let them fight their own battles,” he said. “If our boys get beaten it
will teach them a good lesson, but if they beat the Grimsbys, they will
keep on their own premises.”
What could she do? her heart ached and her tears flowed freely, but she
said no more. Poor children! they little thought how cruel it was to
grieve so good a sister.
There was one other member of the Grimsby family, towards whom
Hesper’s whole heart went out in one great flood of affection. This
was little Tommy--an infant not a year old. There was something in
his little innocent face and soft dark eyes, which appealed to her
warmest sympathies. He was a neglected child, and therefore was often
troublesome. His mother, with her daily employment, could not attend
to him, and Juliana would not. Before his mother came home from work,
he would get tired and hungry, and would scream with all his might.
Juliana, by scolding, and shaking, and by various other unreasonable
methods, endeavored to still him, but finding it useless, she would
tumble him into his cradle or lay him down in the entry and run away
up stairs. She well knew that if she did this Hesper would take care
of him, for she never could bear to hear him cry. Little Johnny, too,
was very fond of him, and they would play together for hours. It was
very interesting to see how the poor simple child and the feeble infant
loved one another.
“They are very much alike,” Mrs. Greyson would say, as she watched
them. “One is an infant in mind, and the other in body. God help my
poor boy! He will never know what it is to grow in knowledge and
wisdom, till he is born unto a better life.” There was one person,
however, who did not agree with her in this, and that one was Mr.
Byers. He lived in an old tenant house, not far from the Greysons,
where he occupied two rooms by himself, and did his own house work.
He supported himself by doing light work, in the way of gardening and
other odd jobs, as people chose to employ him, and at night he wrote
little facetious articles or short sermons for the daily papers, which
were usually very acceptable. He had taken a great fancy to simple
Johnny, for he said there was more in that child than people imagined,
and if the poor innocent could only put his silent thoughts into words,
he would say some things that would astonish the world. Often when
he was at work in the fields, simple Johnny would come to visit him,
holding a corn-basket over his head as a protection from the sun, for
the singular child had taken a great dislike to wearing a hat. Mr.
Byers would help him through the fence with his basket, and provide him
a seat on some old log or a large stone. Then he would go about his
work again, while the child watched his progress with silent interest.
Now and then the good old man would stop to gather a few berries or
wild flowers for his little friend, or sing him a merry old song, with
which the child seemed to be particularly delighted.
Mr. Byers was very fond of children generally, and nothing delighted
him more than, after his day’s work was over, to wander along the
seashore with a whole troop of little ones around him, joining in
their sports, or telling them stories of such a marvellous and amusing
character, that the children always listened with the deepest interest.
At such times he usually carried Mrs. Grimsby’s baby in his arms, for
he took a particular fancy to infants, and truly speaking, if nature
had gifted Mr. Byers with another pair of arms, he would certainly have
borrowed another baby, for he held to the maxim, that “the more of a
good thing the better.” Simple Johnny clung to the skirt of his coat,
and the rest of the company followed promiscuously, as they pleased.
In his presence alone could the young Greysons and Grimsbys remain
for any length of time, upon amicable terms, and if any disagreement
did occur, which could not be settled by moral suasion, he had such
a summary manner of seizing the offender by the convenient parts of
his garments, and threatening him with a dip in the water, that they
were very careful not to provoke his indignation. George Grimsby,
however, being usually the largest boy of the party, had the audacity
to question in his mind whether this threat would ever be put into
execution. Accordingly, one night, he waxed so bold that in his play
he threw Fred Greyson’s cap into the water and tumbled Johnny into a
mud-hole. Quick as thought Mr. Byers laid the baby upon a heap of sea
weed, and seizing George by the collar, sprang upon a big rock near by,
with wonderful agility. In he plunged him at once, and, to use familiar
terms, he soused him up and down and swaddled him about like a big
dish cloth. Then, standing him upon his feet, and giving him a smart
shaking to start the circulation again, he ordered him off home in
such a decided manner that George obeyed without a moment’s hesitation.
Mr. Byers was greatly exhausted with this performance, nevertheless he
reflected upon it with great satisfaction. Out of this, however, grew a
long continued feud between the worthy gentleman and Mrs. Grimsby, to
which time alone was able to afford the least modification.