number of little odd tricks, and, amongst others, would patiently wait
while his young master counted ten, and then would spring forwards and
receive the piece of bread or biscuit held out to him. Agnes thought she
never could be tired of playing with such a 'dear little dog,' to use
her own expression, and she expressed her wishes so strongly and so
earnestly that the little dog's master, after whispering to his mother,
told Agnes that if she liked she was very welcome to keep the dog, for
that he was going to school, and nobody at home cared for her but
himself. Mrs. Clavering felt vexed that Agnes had so warmly expressed
her admiration of the dog, but she did not see how she could decline her
acceptance, and by this arrangement Agnes for the remainder of the day
had nothing to wish for, excepting, indeed, it might be that the chapter
of the History of England she read to her mother in the evening had not
been quite so long, and that bedtime had not come before she had had
another game of play with little Chloe.
In the morning the first thing to be thought of was Chloe, and Chloe
occasioned in her mistress so many wandering thoughts when she ought to
have been occupied with her book that Mrs. Clavering was obliged to
threaten the loss of the new favourite before the morning task could be
accomplished. At length Chloe was turned out of the room, but then Chloe
would run downstairs, and into the hall, and back again upstairs, and
scratch at the drawing-room door for admittance, and when once more
admitted, on Agnes's promise to let her lie still quietly under the
sofa, Chloe wished to go out of the room again; and out of the room once
more, but only once, she was allowed to go. Then, on the hall-door being
left open for a minute, Chloe was out in the street, and it was with
considerable difficulty that James, the man-servant, could again catch
her. This suggested the necessity of a collar for Chloe, and a collar,
indeed, seemed indispensable if the dog was to be kept.
'But I am not sure that I shall have money enough to buy one,' said
Agnes, as she begged her mother to examine her purse, and assist her in
calculating how much the blue bag and its furniture were likely to cost.
Agnes thought, if father was at home she would have had the collar
purchased for her directly, and as Mrs. Clavering had allowed the dog to
be accepted, it seemed to her that it would not be an unreasonable
indulgence to make Chloe's mistress a present of a collar. She told
Agnes, therefore, that she would provide the little animal with a
collar, and thinking that the sooner the blue bag was bought the less
would be Agnes's temptation to encroach on the money set aside for its
purchase, she directed her little girl to get her hat and pelisse put
on, and they would proceed immediately to the Bazaar.
As Mrs. Clavering and Agnes were crossing the hall, a carriage drove to
the door. It was Mrs. Montague, a particular friend of Mrs. Clavering,
and she had called to invite her and Agnes to take a drive to a
bird-fancier's, who had a large collection of canary-birds; for Harriet
and Eliza Montague had been promised by their uncle that they should
each have one, and their mother thought that Agnes would like to go and
help choose them. The little girls had a very pleasant ride together,
and they all thought the birds very beautiful, and that they sung
delightfully. But it was rather an unfortunate excursion for Agnes, for
on her return home Chloe pleased her no longer, and she told her mother
she thought 'a canary-bird would be a much prettier pet than a rude,
troublesome little dog.'
'And yet you were very much pleased with your little dog yesterday,'
remarked Mrs. Clavering, 'and to-day she looks much prettier with her
smart collar on, and she frisks and gambols about, and is as anxious as
ever to be taken notice of.'
At this moment Chloe ran up to her little mistress, and Agnes could not
help acknowledging that her collar was very pretty. She kissed her
mother for having so soon obliged her by buying one, and for an hour or
two the canary-birds were forgotten. The next day, however, Agnes had
been invited to spend with Harriet and Eliza Montague. The birds had
been brought home. They looked even more beautiful in the play-room than
at the bird-fancier's, and they and their cages together were so very
ornamental that Agnes thought of them some minutes after she had laid
her head on her pillow. In the morning she asked her mother if she might
not buy a canary-bird. They were not very expensive, and she should like
one so very much.'
'I wish my dear little girl, you could learn to see what others have,
and be amused and pleased, without always wishing to possess what has
given you amusement and pleasure.'
'If I can but have a canary-bird,' replied Agnes, 'I shall not wish for
anything else, and shall be quite satisfied. Do, mother, let me buy one.
Father would, I know, if he were at home.'
'Your father is very indulgent, Agnes,' replied Mrs. Clavering. 'He sees
you but seldom, and never likes to refuse you anything you wish for when
he does see you; but I should not think you a good girl to impose upon
his kindness by asking anything of him which I had thought it better to
refuse you.'
'I cannot see why I should not have a canary-bird, mother,' said Agnes,
not, I am sorry to say, very good-humouredly, 'and I do not wish you to
buy it for me. I could buy it myself, for, you know, I have money of my
own.'
'I do not mean to argue with you,' replied Mrs. Clavering, 'for little
girls of your age are not always capable of understanding the reason why
indulgences are refused them, though they are quite equal to knowing
that it is their duty not to repine when they are withheld. However, do
as you please about the canary-bird. If you have money sufficient to pay
for one, let the bird be bought. The money was given you to spend
exactly as you please.'
Agnes looked at her mother. No, mother did not look pleased--she looked
grave; and when Agnes's countenance once more brightened at the
prospect of possessing the canary-bird, Mrs. Clavering neither smiled
nor even looked at Agnes. She continued looking at her work, and her
needle went in and out very, very fast. Agnes walked up to her mother,
and taking her purse from the box where it was always kept, took from it
the money, and began to count it.
Presently Mrs. Clavering said:
'Well, Agnes, what is this beautiful bird to cost?'
'Only five shillings,' replied Agnes.
'And have you five shillings to spare?' said Mrs. Clavering.
'Oh yes, mother; I think I have,' replied Agnes. 'Oh yes, I can do it
very well. You know I talked of buying a gold scissor-sheath for Laura,
but I think a leather one will do just as well. And then I shall have
more than money enough for the canary-bird.'
'Poor Laura!' said Mrs. Clavering. 'I am afraid she does not stand a
very good chance of having any New Year's gift. However, the money is
your own, and you are to do what you please with it. But if you did
think of others a little more, and less of yourself, Agnes, you would be
a much more amiable little girl.'
Agnes for a minute looked grave, for she saw a tear in her mother's eye.
But her mother did not look angry, and she went on with her calculations
and schemes about canary-birds and cages. James was commissioned to
purchase the bird so much desired, and as it was positively necessary
that the bird, when bought, should have a habitation to live in, the
tortoiseshell box designed for Laura was to be changed into a card
needle-case, and the next morning Agnes's play-room was adorned with a
very pretty canary-bird in a smart wire cage.
The next day Laura and Augusta Parker came to visit their cousin, but
they did not seem to take so much pleasure in the new purchase as it was
supposed they would. They were very willing to assist Agnes in feeding
her bird, and admired its plumage, which they thought very pretty and
very soft, and they expressed no desire to be playing with anything
else, for they saw Agnes was better pleased to be taking down and
putting up her cage than in following any other amusement. But they
would much rather have been playing with Agnes's new doll, or looking at
some of her story-books, or puzzles, or play-things, of which she had
such useless stores; and when she did lead them to some of these,
neither Laura nor Augusta thought more of the canary-bird, except when
it sang so loudly as to prevent the little girls from hearing each other
speak. Indeed, it did sing so loudly that nothing else could be heard,
and Agnes herself was at length so tired of it that she was sorry it had
been purchased. Her dear cousin Laura, too, who was so gentle and
good-natured, had lost part of her pretty present by the purchase of
this useless bird, and she should be ashamed to tell her mother she was
tired of it.
But she did not allow these thoughts to make her miserable, and the
three little girls spent a very happy as well as a very busy day, for
Laura set all Agnes's cupboards and drawers to rights for her, and
looked over her maps and puzzles, and placed the right pieces in the
right boxes; and she sewed in some leaves that were torn out of some of
the prettiest story-books, for Agnes was very careless with her books,
and she placed them all in nice even rows upon the shelves. Then she
mended the doll's frock, and made a very pretty new doll's bonnet; and
Augusta made a tippet, all herself, even the cutting out and fitting,
though she was only six years old; and she set the doll's house in
order, and wiped the dust from off the little chairs and tables; and, in
short, nothing could be so happy and comfortable as were the three
little girls together. Then at last they came to the box with the
shells, but this Agnes preferred not looking at, for she had very few
shells, compared to her cousin's collection, and the box was not half so
pretty, for Laura's box was inlaid with ivory; and as Augusta was
seizing upon the shells with her little dusting-cloth in her hand, Agnes
said:
'Oh, leave those, Augusta; they are not worth thinking about.'
'But I thought you were very fond of shells,' said Laura.
'Yes, so I am,' replied Agnes; 'but not such a set as these. They are
nothing to yours.' And she turned from them with contempt, and drew
Augusta to the other end of the room. 'Come, Augusta, we will play at
mother and children. I will be your mother, and Laura and you shall be
my children.'
Laura and Augusta instantly agreed to what their cousin proposed, and
for some time the play went on smoothly enough. But well inclined as was
Augusta to do everything to make herself pleasant and agreeable, she did
not like to 'pretend to be naughty' so often as her little mother
required of her; and Agnes, as little mothers, I believe, frequently
are, was very fond of having her play-child to punish, and set in the
corner, and to lecture and scold. Laura thought there was a little too
much disgrace, and that she had much rather have been allowed to be
good; but Laura never consulted her own wishes in opposition to her
playfellows. Besides, Laura was a great girl and could not be supposed
to care about these things. But poor Augusta was a very little child and
had been accustomed to a great deal of indulgence from Laura, and she
began to feel very serious at being so frequently reproved and
disgraced. She really thought she must be naughty, or, at least, that
Agnes thought her so; and after her little heart had been some time
swelling with emotion, she at length burst out into tears, saying at the
same time, with great vehemence:
'Indeed, Cousin Agnes, I am not naughty!'
'No, you only pretend to be naughty,' said Agnes. 'There, be a good
child, and go in the corner, and pretend to be naughty once more, and
presently, when you have done crying, I shall come and ask you if you
are good.'
'But, indeed, I am good now!' exclaimed Augusta, resisting Agnes as she
tried to lead her back to the corner. And I don't like to be naughty! I
like to be good!'
'Let me be naughty; it is my turn to be naughty now, Agnes,' said Laura,
stepping forwards and taking Augusta's other hand.
'Oh, but it is not half so much fun for you to be naughty,' said Agnes;
'you are such a great girl. Besides, Augusta pretends to cry so well.'
'I don't pretend to cry, and I will not be naughty any more!' said
Augusta, who was now irritated into a violent pet; and as she struggled
against her cousin, who attempted to draw her to the corner, the poor
child was thrown down, and her head hit against the sharp corner of the
shell-box.
She gave a loud scream, and Mrs. Clavering and Mrs. Parker hastened to
the room. Laura picked up her little sister, on whose forehead there was
a severe bruise. Agnes looked pale and ashamed, but no one explained how
the accident had happened.
Mrs. Clavering caught up the sobbing Augusta and rang the bell for cold
water. The child ran to her mother, who drew aside the curls which
almost hid the bruise, and kissing her cheek and forehead, good
humouredly assured Mrs. Clavering that it was only a trifling hurt, and
in a few minutes tranquillity was restored. But Augusta, whose temper
had been more hurt than her forehead, begged that she might accompany
her mother to the drawing-room; and as the tea was now nearly ready,
Mrs. Clavering told Agnes she might as well bring both of her cousins
with her. This arrangement was not very pleasing to Agnes, for she had
gained a half-promise from her mother in the morning that she should
herself make tea for her cousins in a set of beautiful china which she
had lately received from Nottinghamshire; but Mrs. Clavering saw from
Augusta's manner of clinging to her mother that something of
disagreement had taken place amongst the children, and as she was aware
of Agnes's inclination to be the mistress of the party, she judged that
it would be better for this evening that the elder and younger parts of
the family should make but one party. Agnes was disappointed--very much
disappointed; but she fortunately recollected that the disappointment
was owing to her own exertion of authority over the poor little Augusta,
and she was wise enough to submit in silence. Mrs. Parker, who was
always lively and agreeable, brought forward a great many laughable
stories for the amusement of the young party; and the mortification of
the young tea-maker, and the pain of Augusta's forehead, and, more than
this, her anger against her cousin, had all subsided before the urn had
done hissing and a pile of plum cakes had been consumed.
This and a great many more days had passed before Agnes paid another
visit to her purse, which lay snugly in her mothers' drawer. Neither had
her mother's drawer been opened, for Mrs. Clavering had caught a severe
cold, and for several days she kept her bed. During this time Agnes was
very dull, for although she spent one whole day with her cousins, and
another with the little Montagues, there was a great deal of time she
was by herself, and being a very sociable little girl, she never
preferred being without a companion. Her aunt Parker invited her to come
and stay with her entirely during her mother's illness, but Mrs.
Clavering preferred her remaining at home. It was fortunate that she did
so, for Laura and Augusta Parker a few days after fell severely ill with
an infectious fever, and, of course, it was no longer right that they
should be visited by their cousin. They were for some days dangerously
ill, and when they did begin to get better, it was very slowly, and some
weeks passed before it was thought fit that the cousins should meet. It
was also some time before Mrs. Clavering was sufficiently recovered to
leave the house again, either on foot or in the carriage; but Mrs.
Montague frequently called for Agnes, and gave her a ride in her
carriage, and after her own way was very kind to her. But her way was
that of indulging her, as she did her own children, in every wish they
expressed. Whatever toys or trinkets they wished for were purchased for
them, and so unreasonable had they been in their wishes that Mrs.
Montague had at length been driven to refuse their going to the Bazaar
altogether; for when there she had not the resolution, as she ought to
have had, to deny them any particular thing they had set their minds on.
For this reason, they had not been for some time to this tempting
repository of pretty things; but, finding that their young friend Agnes
was wishing to go thither to purchase a blue bag, they engaged their
mother to take them once more, and a day was fixed on for the proposed
treat.
Mrs. Clavering was sufficiently recovered to be sitting on the sofa in
the drawing-room when Agnes came to petition for her purse.
'And you have settled everything that you are to buy, have you not, my
little girl?' said Mrs. Clavering, as she took from the drawer the
silken purse and placed it in the hand of the eager Agnes.
'Oh yes, mother,' replied Agnes, scarcely allowing herself time to draw
on her gloves, so anxious was she to be going, and she ran towards the
door.
'But Mrs. Montague is not come yet, Agnes,' said Mrs. Clavering.
'Oh, I forgot,' replied Agnes, returning towards her mother. Then,
telling upon her fingers she went on: 'Blue bag, thimble, needle-book,
scissors, winders.'
'And pincushion,' said Mrs. Clavering.
'Oh yes, pincushion; I had forgotten pincushion. Yes, there must be a
pincushion.'
'Now, could not you make the pincushion yourself, Agnes?' asked Mrs.
Clavering. 'And the needle-case, I should think, too; and Laura would
like them better for your making them.'
'I do not think I should be able to make them well enough, mother,'
replied Agnes; 'and I should not like to give anything clumsy to Laura.
No, I think I shall buy them.'
'Well, do as you please about this,' replied Mrs. Clavering; and Mrs.
Montague's carriage being now heard to rattle down to the door, she gave
her little girl a hasty kiss, and Agnes ran downstairs and was very soon
on her road to the Bazaar.
As they drove through the streets the little Montagues were very eager
in describing a beautiful new stall which had been opened since they had
been to the Bazaar. It was one of French toys and trinkets, and there
were a great many very pretty and very ingenious things exhibiting
there. There were dolls, and workboxes, and wire-dancers, and puzzles of
every description. And so very anxious were all three of the little
girls to see and admire what all the little and great girls, too, of
their acquaintance thought so very well worth seeing and admiring that,
when they had left the carriage and entered the room, Mrs. Montague
could scarcely keep pace with the nimble-footed little party. They paced
round and round the lower room, and were just ascending into the upper,
when the first thought of the blue bag crossed the recollection of
Agnes.
'Oh, my little blue bag!' she said to her young companions; and slipping
behind them, stopped at the stall where she had before seen it
displayed.
It was sold. This was not the fault of Agnes.
Should they make another for the young lady? It would be ready by
to-morrow, and it should be sent home to any place she should appoint.
'Yes--no.'
Agnes was in a great hurry to go upstairs to the French stall, and
Harriet and Eliza were both urging her to make haste.
'There will be prettier bags at the French stall, love, most likely,'
whispered Mrs. Montague; 'and, if not, you could give this order as you
returned downstairs.'
Agnes wanted very little persuasion to despatch her business below, and
the three little girls again quickened their pace towards the upstair
room.
'How pretty!' 'How beautiful!' 'How curious!' 'Agnes look here,' and
'Harriet see this'; and 'Eliza, pray look at that'; and 'Mother, may I
buy this?' and 'Mother, may I buy that?' were the hasty and rapid
exclamations of the first few minutes after the young party had arrived
at the famed French stall; and so very much inclined were all of them to
touch as well as look at everything that the chattering lady behind the
counter was at length obliged in the most civil and polite manner to beg
that they would be careful, and not touch what they did not want to buy.
But they wanted to buy everything, and found it very difficult to
determine what they wanted to buy most; and whatever Harriet and Eliza
fixed upon for themselves, Agnes thought that she should like the same
for herself. There was no blue bag at this stall, or, if there was,
Agnes saw none, nor any other bag. Her attention was first drawn to a
droll little fellow upon wires who tumbled over and over again as fast
as the eye could follow him. Harriet bought one of these, and Agnes
longed for one. By the side of the famous little tumbler there was a
glittering row of bright shining scissors, and a thought of Laura
glanced across our little Agnes. But the bag was not yet bought.
Besides, the bag might be given without the scissors, and the woman said
there were but two of these little tumblers ever made. Harriet had
purchased the other, and while Laura and the scissors made Agnes for a
moment hesitate, a gentleman put his hand upon the remaining tumbler.
Agnes looked up eagerly in his face, and then at the woman; and the
woman said she believed the young lady was going to buy that. The
chance of losing it determined the young lady's wavering resolution, and
the tumbler was paid for, and the scissors forgotten. Then came other
things equally charming and equally attractive. Laura was again thought
of in conjunction with a box of splendid thimbles, a tray of ivory
winders, and pincushions, and needle-cases without number. But she could
make the pincushion and needle-case, as her mother had advised her, and
her mother, no doubt, would give her silk for the purpose; and she could
make a thread-case on to the pincushion; and then she should not want
any winders. And the thimble, and the scissors? Agnes found it rather
difficult to reason away these, but the sudden recollection that her
father would be home before New Year's Day, and that he would assist her
in purchasing what she herself could not afford to buy, turned the scale
against poor Laura; and at length all the whole list of useful articles
designed for the New Year's gift were by degrees abandoned for a
collection of showy but childish toys, which were to amuse their
possessor a day, but not longer, and perhaps not so long.
On returning downstairs the party again passed the stall where the blue
bag had first attracted Agnes's admiration on a former visit. The woman
who was keeping the stall curtseyed civilly, and asked if she might be
allowed to make another bag. Agnes felt ashamed, and hastened on, for
her purse was empty. But the feeling did not continue painful very
long, for the little party were all in high spirits, and when they were
reseated in the carriage, their tongues went fast, and their merriment
continued till they arrived at Mrs. Clavering's. The carriage stopped,
the step was let down, and Agnes, scarcely allowing herself time to say
good-bye to her companions or thank Mrs. Montague for her morning's
pleasure, ran upstairs and into the drawing-room to show her treasures
to her mother.
[Illustration: Agnes felt ashamed, and hastened on, for her purse was
empty.]
'Oh, mother!' said the eager child, as she flew across the room, and
began to exhibit the contents of all her little packets, 'did you ever
see anything so droll as this pretty fellow?' And the tumbler was placed
upon the table. 'And I am sure I never saw anything half so curious as
this!' And another paper packet was unrolled.
'And how hot you are, my poor child!' said Mrs. Clavering, thinking of
nothing for the first few moments but the heated countenance of her
child, and her tippet, which was hanging half off, and her bonnet, which
was crushed into any shape but its own. 'Why, what have you been doing
with yourself?'
'Only playing with Harriet and Eliza in the carriage,' replied the
breathless child, at the same time shrugging her shoulders, for now that
the game of romps was over she was beginning to feel rather
uncomfortable. 'And look at this very small wee-wee humming-top!' And
another paper was unrolled. 'And did you ever see such beautiful
sweetmeats?' as the fourth and last packet was displayed.