"A LETTER for Miss Bella Curtis," shouted the postman; "four cents." It
was quite a thick letter this time, and Bella had to pay twice two cents
for it. How much was that? If you will give me a kiss I will tell
you--two and two make four.
But, dear me! she was just as glad to get it--and I do believe if she
had had four dollars she would have given every speck of it for one
letter. Why, certainly! A letter from your MOTHER?--_you_ would do so,
too. Of course you would, you sweet little Ba-be-bi-bo-BOO!!!
So it was taken to Edith, and if you had been an hundred years old, you
would have felt quite young again--only to have watched Bella's eyes
while the letter was read--diamonds don't sparkle half as much, and I
for one would rather have had her bright eyes to look at, than a whole
bushel of diamonds, each as big as my head.
The delightful letter commenced thus:
"+CHARLESTON.+
"DEAR, DARLING BELLA:
"I have your sweet little letter, and I am so much obliged to you for
telling papa such nice things to write to me, that I have sent you a
long, long answer in return, which I hope will please you.
"I left Savannah yesterday. When I was leaving, I kissed little Richard,
and said: 'Good-bye, Richard; don't forget Aunt Fanny.'
[Illustration: GOOD-BYE, RICHARD, DON'T FORGET AUNT FANNY.]
"'I forgot you already,' he shouted. Then I kissed Sallie, the
twin-girl, and she said so sweetly: 'Aunt Fanny, can you remember where
Bella lives? If you can find her house, go and tell her I am coming to
see her--next day before to-morrow.'
"Wasn't it funny that she should think I had been so long away from
you, my little darling, that I had forgotten where you lived?
"Do you remember a story I once read to you, about 'Good Little Henry,'
in a book called 'Nightcaps'? Well, strange to say, I know this Henry,
and love him very much. He is now almost a young man, and just as good
as ever; yes! better than ever, for he is the comfort and joy of his
father and mother. Only think, dear Bella! that from a good and lovely
little child he has grown better and lovelier every year, till now he is
almost a man. God loves Henry; and He has helped him to be good, and He
will love you and help you to be good, if you will ask Him.
"I tell you all this now, because in looking over my writing-desk a
moment ago, I came upon an amusing story Henry wrote to me, about some
little cousins of his."
Of course you would like to know what he wrote, and here it is:
"One day my dear Aunt Sarah was sitting up-stairs with the children,
when the front door bell rang, and the servant came up and said: 'Mr.
Robinson wants to see you, ma'am.' So aunt put on her best collar, and a
little lace cap, and down she went.
"'My!' said Loulou, 'I should like to see him, too.'
"'So should I,' said Bolton, whose pet name is 'Pepper.'
"'Dear me! I, too,' cried Anna, whose pet name is 'Tot.'
"'And me! me! me!' said little Walter, jumping up and down.
"So Loulou, in a great state of delight, rushed up to the washstand and
washed her face and hands; then she took Pepper and scrubbed him
well--rubbing his nose almost off to get his face dry--and dressed him
in all his best Sunday clothes, and told him to sit down in his little
chair, perfectly stiff and straight, till the rest were ready; and down
little Pepper sat, and hardly dared to wink, for fear of getting his
clothes tumbled.
"Then she took little Tot, and polished her face, and brushed her hair
as hard as she could, and Tot never cried the least bit, when Loulou
accidentally turned the brush round and gave her a thump with the back
of it; but just sat down by Pepper when her dressing was over, and kept
as still and looked as grave as if she were in church.
"And now Loulou took dear little Walter in hands, and made him as fine
as you please; and then they all marched down stairs on tip-toe,
trembling with expectation.
"They opened the parlor door and entered very softly, and stared with
all their eyes. But where was he?
"There was nobody there but their mamma, and a very quiet-looking
gentleman in a plain black coat, and a pair of spectacles, set on the
very end of his nose, who appeared to be showing her some curious coins.
[Illustration: ROBINSON CRUSOE.]
"The children stood perfectly still for a moment. They seemed to be
struck dumb. Then Loulou exclaimed:
"'Why, _mamma_, we have come down on purpose to see ROBINSON CRUSOE!!
all dressed in fur, with his monkeys and parrots, and Man Friday. Where
_is_ he, mamma? where _has_ he gone?' and they looked again in every
corner of the room.
"How her mamma did laugh! and how Mr. Robinson did laugh! when they
found that the children thought that Robinson Crusoe had come to see
them; but Loulou and the rest of the dear little children were
dreadfully disappointed. Wasn't that a pity?
"And now I have a great secret to tell you; I am so much better, and I
want to see you s--o much, that I mean to return home in the steamship
which leaves on Saturday. This is Thursday--you will get this long
letter next Monday--and on Tuesday have ready at least a hundred kisses,
and fifty squeezes for your loving
"MAMMA."