JULIANA.
THE story of the two silver dollars was soon known all about the
village. Capt. Clark heard of it, and so did aunt Betsey, but she
was careful not to say anything. She was so anxious, however, to see
the new frock, that she made an excuse to call. She took one of her
own flower-pots, containing a beautiful rose-bush in full bloom, and
carrying it down, made Hesper a present of it.
Of course Hesper was delighted, for she was very fond of flowers, and
when aunt Betsey saw how much real pleasure it gave her, she felt
very kindly towards her, and said many things in praise of her good
management.
Directly after aunt Betsey had left, the door was slowly opened,
and Juliana Grimsby stole into the room. The poor girl acted very
awkwardly, and Hesper thought she had never seen her look so ragged and
dirty before. Her hair was all in a heap, and, as if conscious of her
unattractive appearance, she did not raise her eyes from the floor when
she spoke.
“I want something of you, Hesper,” she said, “but I am almost afraid to
ask you.”
“O fie,” said Hesper, laughing, “don’t be afraid. What is it?”
“Well, mother said if I would ask you for a bit of your dress, she
would try to get me one like it. But I told her you wouldn’t want me to
have one from the same piece.”
“Why not?” said Hesper. “It would be just the thing; for then we could
see which would keep them whole and clean the longest.”
“Nothing ever keeps whole or clean to our house,” said Juliana, with a
doleful look. “I’ve got tired living so, for my part. You can’t think
how much ashamed I feel when I peep into your room and see it looking
so neat and orderly, while our house is nothing but dirt from one end
to the other.”
“Can’t you get a chance to clear up a little, while Tommy is asleep,”
asked Hesper.
“Clear up!” repeated Juliana, “just look here!” and she threw open the
door of the room, “Did you ever see such a sight?”
The breakfast table was standing in the middle of the floor, covered
with dishes and broken victuals. The beds were unmade, and dirt, and
grease, and cobwebs, met the eye wherever one looked. Old shoes, and
chips, and oyster shells, were strewn about the floor, and the chairs
were loaded with garments of every description.
“There,” said Juliana, “isn’t that enough to discourage anybody?
Mother calls me a real do-nothing, and so do all the neighbors, but I
won’t try to be any better, for it’s no use. If I could only run away
from this house and live among decent people, I should be as neat as
anybody, but now all I can do is, to take care of the baby, and quarrel
with the boys.”
The poor girl actually shed tears at her miserable condition.
“I don’t know as you will like it,” she continued, “but I feel, now I
have begun, that I want to tell you all. I have seen the time, Hesper
Greyson, when I actually hated you, because I knew you were better than
myself; and at the same time I tried to be like you. But I couldn’t,
for mother and all of ‘em were against me, so I gave it up and was ten
times worse than ever. What would you do if you were in my place?”
“I would never give up,” said Hesper, “so long as I was able to pick
up a chip, or handle a broom. I would begin now.” Juliana looked round
despairingly, and shook her head.
“It’s no use,” said she. “I might as well undertake to clear up the
duck-pond.”
“Try,” said Hesper. “Try, and I will help you.”
“I’ve almost a mind to,” replied Juliana, as she caught a little of the
hopeful, persevering spirit of her friend.
“Well,” said Hesper, “you put on some water to heat, while I run up and
change my dress”. It was not many minutes before she was back again.
While the water was heating, Juliana cleared away the table and made
the beds, and Hesper swept the floor. She brushed the cobwebs from the
windows and walls, and cleared out every nook and corner where the
dust had not been started for months. Then Juliana began to wash the
dishes, while Hesper took some water and cleaned the windows. It made
a wonderful difference in the appearance of the room--a whole flood
of sunshine seemed to come in at once. When this was done, they got a
great tub of water, and both together began to scour the floor. It was
really astonishing when one part was finished, to see how it contrasted
with the other.
“I wouldn’t have believed it,” said Juliana. “It certainly looks enough
better to pay us for the trouble!” Before they had finished, they heard
a great noise in the entry.
“There are the boys!” exclaimed Juliana. “Isn’t it too bad! but they
shan’t come in.” She sprang up, and pushing the door together quickly,
turned the key. The boys commenced kicking and pounding with all their
might, while Juliana scolded. This waked up Tommy and he began to cry.
“O dear!” whimpered Juliana, “I knew it would be so. I wish I hadn’t
begun.”
“Don’t be discouraged,” said Hesper, “but let the boys in.”
“No, no,” sobbed Juliana, “they will spoil everything if I do. I know
‘em too well.”
“Let me,” said Hesper. She opened the door very gently, and the two
boys were about to rush in, but when they saw Hesper, they stopped.
“Be very careful,” she said, “for we are washing up the floor, and want
it to look nice. Little Tommy has just waked up, and if you will take
care of him, it will help us very much.”
“I don’t want ter take care o’ Tommy,” said George, with a dogged
look--“and what’s more, I wont.”
“Well, then,” said Hesper, “perhaps you and Benny would like to take
the pail and get us some more water.”
“No; we wont do that nuther,” replied George, “for I don’t want to have
it clean.” He twisted the buttons of his jacket as he spoke, and pouted
out his lips in a very unbecoming manner. Hesper was puzzled. She
stopped to think one moment; then she laid her hand on his shoulder,
and stooping down so that she could look into his eyes, she said with a
pleasant smile--
“Please, George, wont you get us some water? We want to have it all
clean here to-night when your mother comes home, and make her wonder
how it was done. Then, too, I will give you and Benny some corn to
parch this evening, and you can have a nice time.” George glanced up to
Hesper’s face and half smiled; she put the pail into his hand and away
they went. When they came back, they sat the pail down by the door, and
stood without.
“Can’t we carry Tommy out to see the ducks?” asked George.
“Yes, if you please,” said Hesper. She put on the baby’s hood, and
after wrapping him up in his cradle quilt, laid him into George’s arms,
who carried him very carefully into the yard.
“There!” said Juliana, “I call that a complete victory! and I see how
it was gained, but I am sure I never should have the patience to do so
myself.”
“O, you would soon learn,” said Hesper, “and you would find that it
saved a great deal of trouble in the end.” After this, the girls went
on working and chatting together, till they became very social and
friendly. Juliana opened her whole heart to Hesper; and Hesper, in
return, wondered they had never been so well acquainted before. It was
almost night before they finished, but then the work was not only done,
but done well. The boys had been very obliging; they brought several
pails of water, and took care of Tommy all the time. Moreover, they
became gradually very much interested in the work, and when all was
finished, they confessed that it looked a great deal better. Last of
all, Juliana gave her own face and hands a good washing, which they
greatly needed. Then Hesper combed out her long, beautiful black hair,
and after braiding it, she tied it up behind with some bits of blue
ribbon. When the boys saw this, they were determined not to be outdone.
They carried a great basin of water and some soap out into the yard,
and scrubbed their faces and hands with all their might. It was quite a
novelty to the Grimsby family to be so clean, and they seemed to enjoy
it highly.
“There!” said Hesper, after they had spread the table for supper, “I
think I will go now, as there is nothing more to do,” and she looked
about the room with perfect satisfaction. There was a clean cloth
upon the table that night--the knives and forks had been scoured, and
the teapot, which set upon the stove, shone like new silver. The fire
burned briskly, and little Tommy was asleep in his cradle. As Hesper
turned away, she felt that a good work had been begun, and was quite
confident that it would not end here. Not long after her return home,
there came a low tap at the door. She opened it, and there stood
Juliana.
“O Hesper!” said she, “you can’t think how pleased mother is! She has
gone now to get my new dress. Father has sent us some money from
California, and she says we shall all have better clothes. I am
dreadfully tired, but O, I am so happy! and I can’t tell you how much I
love you,” She threw her arms around Hesper’s neck, and laying her head
upon her bosom, wept like a child.