THE WICKED NURSE.
For two days Mrs. Gray scarcely left the nursery for a moment. The poor
little babe would lie and sleep for hours together, and when he was
awake he would scream and throw his head back as if he was going into a
fit. The lady would take him from Maria, and hold him on her breast, and
carry him about the room trying to soothe him, until at last he would
fall asleep again. All this time she had never been able to see that
Maria gave him any thing but his food. This was cream and boiling water,
made pretty sweet with loaf sugar, and she fed him with a spoon.
One day the lady came in just as she was going to feed him, and asked to
taste of it.
Maria held up the cup without speaking.
"It is very nice," said the lady. "I can't see why it distresses him
so." She then turned to leave the room, but as she did so, she saw a
strange kind of smile come over Maria's face; and it brought all the old
suspicions to her mind. When she reached the entry, she came suddenly
back again, and saw Maria pouring some dark-colored drops from a small
vial into the cup. Then she took the spoon and began to feed the baby
again, laying the vial close behind her on the chair.
Mrs. Gray sprang forward before Maria knew she was in the room, caught
it, and held it up to the light. The word Laudanum was printed on the
label.
For one moment, her heart beat so fast that she could not speak; then
she snatched the poor baby from Maria's arms, threw a large cradle
blanket around him, and ran down stairs to the library, where her
brother was writing.
"Here, Edward," she exclaimed,--"here is the food Maria feeds your
little son upon;" and she held out the bottle toward him. "I have
suspected her all along; but to-day I saw her pouring some into the
cup."
"Where is the wretch?" asked the poor father, his cheeks growing very
white. "How dared she do this?"
When they returned to the nursery, Maria had run away to the chamber in
the attic, where she kept her trunk; but she had forgotten to take care
of the cup into which she had poured the laudanum.
While they were tasting and examining it, the doctor came in, and said
that he wondered, with such feeding, that the baby had not died long
before. "We have all been to blame," said the doctor; "and if it had
not been for your sister, Mr. Nelson, I think the child could not have
lived many days."
Mrs. Gray pressed the poor suffering baby to her heart, and resolved
that she would watch over it until a good, faithful nurse could be
provided. She then rang the bell for some fresh cream and water, while
her brother went to the attic to send Maria from the house.
He found her busy packing her trunks, for she had sense enough to know
that she would not be allowed to stay longer. He told her she must leave
immediately, and that her trunks should be sent after her. He took out
his pocket book, and paid her the week's wages that were her due, saying
he would not have such a wicked creature in the house another minute.
Maria cried, and begged on her knees to be allowed to take her trunks
with her, until her master began to think she had some things in them
which did not belong to her.
He stepped back into the entry, and told Nelly, who was in the lower
hall, to tell the cook to come up to him. This was a good woman, who had
lived with him ever since he was married. When she came, he told her to
examine Maria's trunks, and see whether there was any silver in them,
or other articles belonging to the house.
Maria cried, and wrung her hands, and said it was cruel to treat her so;
but her master stood by the door, his countenance growing every moment
more stern, while the cook drew out from the bottom of the trunk three
small jars of jelly, four silver teaspoons, one silver fork, a gold
thimble, and three richly-worked collars, all of which the gentleman
recognized as belonging to his wife.
In spite of the tears and groans of the wicked woman, Mr. Nelson sent
for an officer to arrest her, for he felt sure, if she would steal and
lie, and more than all, if she would give a child that which she knew
would destroy its life, she ought to be punished for her crimes.
Mrs. Gray did not return home for nearly two weeks, and then she left
the little baby, who had been named Eddy, in the care of a good woman,
who gave him nourishing milk from her own breast. The little fellow now
began to thrive and grow, though the doctor said he would be a long time
in recovering from Maria's cruel treatment.
Mr. Nelson was so much delighted with the improvement in his little
girl, that he consented to her returning with her aunty, though it was
a great trial to have her remain from home.
Nelly and Frankie had taken almost the whole care of themselves during
the three weeks of their stay, improving the pleasant autumn weather by
running all over the garden and grounds.
Back of the house, there was a beautiful grove of chestnut trees, from
two of which was suspended a swing. Here the children passed many happy
hours. Sometimes they sat under the delightful shade with their books in
their hands, reading aloud by turns as they did when at home. Sometimes
they would sing their pretty songs, or repeat favorite verses. Then,
when they were tired of these quiet amusements, they would skip through
the walks with arms interlaced, or jump the rope, or play at hide and
seek.
At the lower end of the garden, the smooth gravelled walks were lined
with high lattices upon which were trained peach trees, in the shape of
fans. These afforded fine places to hide, which were eagerly improved by
the children. Mrs. Gray often found herself joining the merry shout
which echoed through the garden when either Nelly or her cousin was
successful in the search.
"O, how I wish Ponto were here!" exclaimed Frankie one day, sinking on
the grass and panting for breath. "He would have found you out long
before I did. That was a real funny place to hide. I kept hearing you
call, 'Coop, coop,' but never thought of looking in there."
"Yes, indeed!" cried Nelly, laughing and shaking back her curls. "At
first I was afraid I couldn't creep in, the bushes grew so close to the
ground. I could peep through the leaves and see you looking every where.
When you were near, I kept as still as I could; but when you ran away to
look in another place I'd call 'coop' again. O, it's splendid fun!"
"Well, Master Frankie," said Nelly's papa on the morning when they were
leaving for home, "I am much obliged to you for taking such good care
of my little girl. Your mamma has promised to leave you and Nelly here
while she goes a journey in the autumn."
"We have had a real good visit, uncle," replied Frankie, his eye
sparkling with joy, "and I shall be very glad to come again."
"Now," said Nelly, as they drove away from the door, "we are ready to
begin school again."
Transcriber's Note:
Spelling, punctuation and hyphenation have been retained as they
appear in the original publication except as follows:
Page 29
gently in his trunk, or probosis _changed to_
gently in his trunk, or proboscis
End of Project Gutenberg's Little Frankie on a Journey, by Madeline Leslie