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[Illustration]
[Illustration: GOING TO THE MIDSUMMER BALL.]
THE
FAIRY NIGHTCAPS.
BY THE AUTHOR OF
THE FIVE NIGHTCAP BOOKS, "AUNT FANNY'S STORIES,"
ETC., ETC.
NEW YORK:
D. APPLETON & COMPANY,
443 & 445 BROADWAY.
LONDON: 16 LITTLE BRITAIN.
1861.
ENTERED, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1860, by
FANNY BARROW,
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the
Southern District of New York.
TO MASSA CHARLES,
WHOSE MOST LOVABLE QUALITIES WERE BUT FAINTLY
PORTRAYED IN THE
FIRST NIGHTCAP BOOK,
THIS
THE SIXTH AND LAST OF THE SERIES,
IS AFFECTIONATELY
Dedicated.
PREFACE TO THE CHILDREN.
DEAR CHILDREN,
Here is the last Nightcap book, making six in all. The story of "The
Three Little Fishes" was taken (but very much altered) from a clever
book for grown folks, written, I believe, nearly two hundred years
ago; but all the rest is true, "real true."
I have written them out with my heart full of love and good wishes
for you, and _you_, and YOU; and my only desire in return is,
that down in a cosy corner of your dear little hearts, you will keep warm,
one kind thought of your loving
AUNT FANNY.
CONTENTS.
PAGE
THE FAIRIES' LIFE; WITH AN ACCOUNT OF WHAT THEY DID IN THE
BEAUTIFUL HOLLOW, 9
THE CHILDREN'S LIFE; WITH THEIR JOURNEY TO WEST POINT, 37
THE FAIRIES' LIFE; WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THE MIDSUMMER BALL, 77
THE CHILDREN'S LIFE; WITH AN ACCOUNT OF IDLEWILD, THE STAG DANCE,
THE BATTLE OF THE FAIRIES, &c., 145
THE DEATH OF CHARLEY, 209
FAIRY NIGHTCAPS.
THE FAIRIES' LIFE.
In the deep shadow of the Highlands, at the foot of the old Crow Nest
Mountain, is a wild and beautiful hollow, closed around on every side
by tall trees, interlaced together by the clasping tendrils of the
honeysuckle, and the giant arms of luxuriant wild grape-vines.
The mossy edge of this magic circle is thickly embroidered with
violets, harebells, perfumed clover-blossoms, and delicate, feathery
ferns. A little brook, overhung with grasses and whispering leaves,
dances and dimples in the bright sunlight and soft moonbeams, and then
trips away, to offer the wild-rose leaves that have fallen upon his
bosom to his beloved tributary lord, the great Hudson River.
Not a bat dare spread his unclean leathern wings across this charmed
place, and the very owls that wink and blink in the hollow trees near
by keep their unmusical "hoot toot" to themselves.
In the short young velvety grass, a starry daisy, or a sly little
cowslip, peeps up here and there, but nothing else disturbs the
lawn-like smoothness, save a tiny mound of green moss near the centre
of the hollow, shaped marvellously like a throne.
It was the night of the eighteenth of June; and evidently there was
something of importance about to happen in the beautiful hollow, for
presently a train of glow-worms came marching gravely in, and arranged
themselves in a circle around the mossy throne; while thousands of
fire-flies flashed and twinkled through the trees. The soft,
coquetting wind wandered caressingly among the flowers, and the
moonbeams rested with a sweeter, tenderer light, upon the little brook
which murmured and rippled, and gave back many a glancing, loving
beam.
Suddenly a silvery tinkling bell was heard, like music at a distance.
Twelve times it sounded; and immediately after an invisible chorus of
sweet tiny voices were heard singing:
"Hasten, Elfin! hasten, Fay!
From old Crow Nest wing your way;
Through the bush and dewy brake,
Fairies, hasten, for the sake
Of a mortal, whose pure breath
Soon will fade, and sink in death:
We for him sweet dreams will find,
We will fill with balm the wind;
Watch his young life glide away,
Deck with beauty its decay--
Till the closing earthly strife,
Opens into heavenly life."
Instantly the air seemed filled with streams of light like falling
stars; the booming sound of humble-bees was heard, as fairy knights
and ladies came hastening to the call through the moon-lit air; the
knights pricking their chargers with their wasp-sting spurs, and the
ladies urging theirs quite as fast with their sweet, coaxing voices.
The grave, elderly fairies, came more soberly. They crept out from
under the velvet mullen leaves, and gravely mounted their palfreys,
which were small field mice, and held them well in, with corn-silk
bridles; for elderly fairies are inclined to be gouty, and don't like
to do any thing in a hurry; like other people, they are apt to go too
fast when they are young--and to balance the matter, are very slow
coaches when they are old.
Several ancient ladies, who had been napping in a secluded nook at the
root of an old tree, waited for their nutshells and four to be brought
up; and as the coach-horses were represented by hairy, white
caterpillars--who were so short-legged, that they took the longest
possible time to get over the ground--and as the ancient fairies had
much ado to fold their wings, and arrange their crinoline in their
carriages, you may be sure they were very fashionably late.
And now a strain of delicious music filled the air, the glow-worms
lighted up brilliantly, and the dew grew heavy with fragrance, as the
Fairy Queen, with a bright train of attendants, floated past in dark
green phaetons, made of the leaves of the camelia, and drawn by
magnificently painted butterflies, harnessed and caparisoned with
gold.
The dignity and queenly presence of her Majesty would have rendered
her conspicuous above the rest, even if her tiny golden crown and
sceptre, tipped with a diamond that blazed like a meteor, had not
indicated that she was a monarch; and the acclamations that rose on
all sides attested the attachment her subjects felt for her person.
She was indeed most lovely; and kind and generous beyond words to
describe; and she had called her court together this very night to do
that which makes both fairies and mortals lovelier and better, with
every new effort. Do you know what it is? It is, _trying to add to the
happiness of another_.
And now the Queen and her maids of honor gracefully alighted with the
eagerly proffered assistance of the fashionable young fairy dandies;
and the court gathered respectfully around, as the beautiful Queen
seated herself on her throne, and gently waved her sceptre to command
attention.
"My lords, ladies, and gentlemen," said her Majesty, in a voice of
perfect music, "I have called you together three nights before our
opening midsummer festival, because I know by my fairy power, that a
mortal--a gentle, lovely boy--will arrive here to-morrow, across
whose young life the harsh wings of pain and affliction have passed.
For a month or more he has so drooped and faded, that I fear, before
long, his pure life will be ended. His mother watches over him with
the undying, untiring love, which only a mother knows. We can help
her, my beloved subjects, and we will; we can steal the venom from his
painful sleep, by giving him fairy dreams; and on our gala nights we
will gently lift him from his couch, and bring him here. His sweet
presence will cast no shadow on our festivities, so pure and lovely
have been all the thoughts, words, and actions of his short life."
A murmur of pleasure rose from the assembled court, and the good and
beautiful Queen saw with delight, that her proposal had given pleasure
to all her subjects, with one exception; and he was her very honest,
but still more disagreeable prime minister, who, being a sour,
meddlesome old bachelor, hated children. His temper was not
particularly sweet just then, because he was making wry faces over an
attack of the gout in his great toe, from indulging too freely in
May-dew wine, and eating too often of roasted tiger-lily, which is a
very highly seasoned dish, and difficult to digest, unless you take
immediately after eating, half a dozen lady-slipper pills, which my
lord the prime minister never would take, on account of the name--for
of course, if he hated children he hated the ladies also--and as I
was saying, he felt very cross, and inclined to find fault with any
thing anybody else proposed; so making as low a bow as his stiff back
would permit, he began, with an abominable nasal twang: "May it please
your Majesty, who is this child you deign to favor so highly?"
"He is called Lame Charley!" graciously answered the Queen. "He is the
darling of all who know him."
"Are there any other children in the family, my liege?" snarled the
prime minister.
"About three dozen, more or less," answered the Queen, frowning
slightly, for she was not quite certain as to the number, and did not
like to be questioned. "Humph!" grumbled the prime minister. Then
muttering to himself, "Three dozen children! all eating dreadful
pumpkin-pie--with cheeks like saddle-bags, and voices loud enough to
make a mummy jump out of his skin in an ecstasy of astonishment at the
noise! was there ever such a foolish freak?" whereupon, taking out his
beetle-back snuff-box, and giving it the traditional taps, he helped
himself to such a prodigious pinch, by way of consolation, that he was
obliged to retire precipitately behind the honeysuckles, and nearly
cracked his left wing by a tremendous fit of sneezing. For let me tell
you that the pollen, or dust of the snap-dragon, properly dried,
makes very powerful fairy snuff, and I advise you not to try it.
The maids of honor had great difficulty to keep from bursting out
laughing at the flight of the cross old prime minister; and the Queen
pretended to arrange her bodice, made of the gossamer wing of the
katydid, to hide a smile; but now, reclining on her throne, and
gracefully fanning herself with her right wing, she indulged in a
pleasant chat with her favorites, about Charley.
"Dear Cowslip!" she began, "I am so interested in this lovely boy.
Will you assist me to watch over him, and keep away all harm from his
loving brothers and sisters? Particularly we will protect them from
the Kelpies, those hateful water-sprites, who would drag them down to
their dark caves beneath the wave, if once the children ventured upon
their realm. We will bid their little mother to warn them from getting
into row-boats, or wading out into the river; the Kelpies shall
content themselves with water-rats and tadpoles for this time, for too
many lovely children have already been sacrificed to their cruel
spite."
"Ah, beloved Queen!" answered Cowslip, "I, for one, will help you with
heart and will; those damp, wretched little goblins shall not hurt a
hair of their heads."
"And I, with might and main, will do your behest!" said the handsome
young Ripple, twisting his mustache.
"And I, gracious Queen!" cried the pretty Lota, "for I dearly love
children."
"And I, your Majesty," said Beeswing with Ripple and Firefly, "will
order our regiment--the seventh--to encamp under the sedges on the
shore, half to keep watch, while the other half sleep in the swaying
branches of the water-willows."
"Give us something to do for the dear children, dearest Queen!" cried
Dewdrop and Lilliebelle, two of the most famous beauties of the court,
and, what is far better, as good as they were beautiful; "let us also
help to make them happy."
"Well said, fair ladies and brave knights!" exclaimed the Queen; "with
such true and loyal assistance, my labor of love will be most
delightful. Come now--to the dance--while they are preparing supper."
She clapped her tiny hands thrice, and immediately the fairy band
commenced playing the most enchanting dances; and the beautiful hollow
was speedily filled with couples, whisking away in such rapid
evolutions, that you would have thought they would soon tumble head
over heels, from sheer dizziness; but as the dances were, after all,
not very different from ours, I suppose the fairies were quite as well
used to the rushing style; and, in good truth, as they were _fairies_,
it seemed more in keeping, for these rapid, gracefully undulating
movements, were the very poetry of motion.
Of course the elderly gentlemen fairies lounged among the
honeysuckles, and talked politics, and quarrelled dreadfully about who
should be the next President; for they took an immense interest in the
affairs of us mortals; and the elderly lady fairies just as much, of
course, pulled the characters of their best friends to pieces, without
so much as a single regret; while the lovely young Queen, with
half-a-dozen of her favorites, after dancing once, to set the fashion,
ordered her pages to shake down a perfect shower of wild-rose leaves,
on the edge of the hollow, of which they made soft and freshly
perfumed couches; and there they listened to the exquisite music, and
watched the dancers, and gaily devised plans for the comfort of our
dear little friend, Lame Charley.
While they were thus conversing, a queer little elfin sped down one of
the moonbeams, like a flash of summer lightning, and in an instant was
on his knee before the Queen.
It was the fairy, Slyboots, the Queen's favorite messenger, and the
most mischievous sprite in her dominions.
"Welcome, good Slyboots," cried the Queen; "by your bright eyes and
unsoiled wings, methinks you must have fulfilled our commands
faithfully. How fared you? and how did you find our dear 'Nightcap'
family?"
"Most gracious Majesty! I hurried to the great city, without folding
wing; merely stopping a moment to torment a miserly old landlord, who,
the day before, had turned a poor widow, with two little children, out
of his tenement house, because she was not quite ready with the rent.
I put a great fly on his nose, and a great flea in his ear, and
ordered them to stay there, and buzz, and bite him, till he went
nearly into fits."
A chorus of sweet fairy laughter greeted this mad-cap caper, and
Slyboots embraced the opportunity to whisper something to a small
brown spider, who had been listening with all his ears, and staring at
Slyboots with all his eyes, of which he had more than his share, and
who immediately scampered off with all his legs.
"Then, your Majesty," continued the elfin, "I hastened on, and flew
through the window into the room where Charley slept. All was sweet,
still, and hushed; and oh! how pure and lovely the pale boy looked, as
he lay there, his hands folded across his breast. As I gazed, a
radiant smile parted his lips, and a faint color came into his white
cheek. He was dreaming--his soul was full of holy thoughts--and the
smile had come, as he saw in his dream the Beautiful Home above, for
which he was preparing.
"The little mother, looking wearied with watching, lay upon a couch
near him. As I hovered over her, a large tear crept from under her
closed eyelid, and a quick convulsive sob broke from her breast. She
too was dreaming, dreaming of the sorrowful time when her darling
would be taken from her.
"I swept my wings lightly across her brow, and bade her waken. She
opened her eyes, looked upon Charley, and rising, with a sigh of
relief, she murmured: 'I have thee yet, oh my child! my darling!' and
hastening to him, she softly drew back the golden curls from his
forehead, sprinkled a few drops of grateful, refreshing perfume upon
his pillow, and then, tenderly touching his cheek with her loving
lips, went comforted back to her couch.
"The rest of the children were in the other rooms, fast asleep in
two-story cribs, and various dear little beds; and I left some of
them laughing merrily in their sleep, by telling them one or two
ridiculous anecdotes about your Majesty's stuffy old prime min----"
"Silence, Slyboots!" cried the Queen, trying not to laugh. "You shall
not make fun of our minister to our face. Go and order the supper."
Slyboots grinned sideways at the maids of honor, but bowed, with a
great show of penitence, to his Queen. Retiring from the presence, he
placed a tiny bugle, fashioned out of a small honeysuckle, to his
lips, and blew a shrill, peculiar blast.
It was perfectly well understood, for in an instant, a hundred small
pink and white mushrooms sprang out of the earth, making the most
delightful little tables imaginable, quite equal to the finest
satin-wood, upon which the fairy servants and pages hastened to place
dishes of rose-leaves filled with honey-dust, and golden buttercups of
sparkling May-dew, which, having been bottled up for six weeks, foamed
and effervesced, and gave out a most exquisite aroma.
This was for the young fairies, who cared only for sweets. The elderly
fays were to be feasted upon broiled fly's legs, brought up hot, and
each one was rolled up in a leaf of pepper-grass, which gave them a
very piquant seasoning. These were garnished with small pearls,
steeped and softened in crab-apple vinegar, sharp enough and sour
enough to draw squeals from a Japanese ambassador, who never smiles
or squeals at any thing.
When all was ready, the fairies sat down at the tables, in pleasant
little parties of four and six, while the band played the most admired
fairy opera airs. But before the banquet was through, I am sadly
afraid some of the gay young fellows forgot they were in the presence
of ladies, they laughed so loud, and talked so much nonsense, and one
of them came very near upsetting the table at which he sat, spilling
his buttercup of dew all over the new gossamer dress of Lilliebelle,
who was next to him.
But this was nothing to the uproar which arose when the old prime
minister, who had been eating flies' legs, and little pearl pickles,
till he could scarcely breathe, attempted to leave his seat. The
little brown spider, sent by that mischievous Slyboots, had been hard
at work fastening his wings together in a net, and then tying them in
a most complicated cobweb knot to the honeysuckle vine just behind
him. The old prime minister fairly howled with rage; he turned and
twisted from side to side; he kicked and made awful faces at Slyboots,
who was giggling and laughing, and shaking his wings with glee at a
safe distance. An impudent mosquito came past, and sneered out in his
abominable nasal drone, "You don't seem to like a net any better than
I do;" while myriads of midges up in the air danced around him,
singing, Why-don't-you-get-out? Why-don't-you-get-out? Why-don't-you-
get-out? to which myriads of others answered, He-would-if-he-could-
but-he-couldn't! He-would-if-he-could-but-he-couldn't! He-would-if-
he-could-but-he-couldn't!
At last the Queen, who had been giving some private orders, inquired
what all the noise and laughter meant; and, in great anger with
Slyboots for thus turning her old prime minister into ridicule,
ordered the saucy goblin to draw his sword and release the old
minister. The young fairy knights hastened to help, for they all liked
Slyboots, and a tremendous slashing and cutting at the cobweb net
ensued, which speedily released the poor old prime minister, who went
off breathing fury and vengeance.
But hark! What is that? A faint, far-off tramp is heard; the galloping
hoofs of the steeds of the morning were sounding in the eastern sky,
and the stir of their coming rustled the leaves that crowned the tops
of the grand old trees. The first cock-crow was heard in the distance,
and the fairy sentinels sounded the coming of the dawn loud and clear
on their great morning-glory trumpets, from the top of old Crow Nest.
The sky became dappled, and a rosy streak marched up to the zenith
like the banner of a herald.
Up sprang the knights and ladies and mounted their chargers; the Queen
and her maids entered their phaetons; the elderly fairies made what
haste their dignity permitted to their nutshells and four, and
field-mice palfreys, and away they all sped; some through the air,
some through the velvety grass; banners flying, and music playing,
until naught was left but a shining trail that melted into the first
bright golden beam of the morning.
THE CHILDREN'S LIFE.
It was early in the sweet summer time. The young green leaves were
bending over, and tenderly caressing the budding fruit and flowers,
and the air was balmy with orchard blooms.
Your old friends, the Nightcap children, were as merry and happy and
well as ever, except Charley--poor lame Charley. He was much worse;
his sufferings had greatly increased with the dreadful hip disease,
and a terrible cough racked his delicate and wasted frame. Death had
been coming slowly on for a long time; but now he hastened his
footsteps, and Charley knew that he should never see another summer in
this world. He was not _afraid_ to die--oh, no! the guileless, holy
life of the gentle boy had robbed death of its sting. He well knew
that _this_ life was but a small part of our career, and the
separation from those he loved so well, would be short. His faith in
his Saviour was perfect and entire. _He_ would soften the pang of
parting to those left behind, and _He_ would guide them with unchanged
love to their darling in heaven.
The good little mother was advised by the doctor to take Charley into
the country, somewhere up the beautiful Hudson River, among those
grand old hills where the air is so bracing and pure.
It happened, fortunately, that one of her oldest friends, who was an
officer at West Point, was obliged to leave there upon some government
expedition for about three months; and he offered his pretty cottage
to his friend for that time. This was most delightful, as Charley
could have far more comfort living in this way than in a
boarding-house; and the rest of the children would not have to be tied
up by the leg to the bedposts, because their noise disturbed other
people.
So the little mother gladly and gratefully accepted the offer, and was
now very busy making up dozens of petticoats and pantaloons, and
coarse brown aprons, and great sun-bonnets, buying copper-toed shoes,
so that the children might go where they pleased, and do any thing
they liked, except tumble into the river, or fall down a well to live
with the bull-frogs.
A few days before they left, the grand Japanese procession took place
in New York; and Minnie said, "Oh, mamma, please take us to see the
_Jackanapes_," which made the rest laugh. So down Broadway they all
went, looking like a boarding-school that took boys as well as girls,
with the little mother marching like a captain at their head, and
turned into a fine store, opposite the City Hall Park, that belonged
to their uncle, where they had such an excellent view, that their
faces were a perfect picture of wonder and delight while the
procession was passing.
"Dear me!" exclaimed George, "I am nearly crazy with joy; I wish the
Japanese would come every day. How funny! they all look like old women
in black nightgowns!"
"And their heads have little top-knots, like Poland hens," said Henry;
"and see that fellow sticking his foot on the edge of the
carriage--look! his great toe is put in a thumb!"
At this they all laughed, and Harry, laughing too, cried out: "I don't
mean that; I mean that they knit thumbs in their stockings, and stick
their great toes in;--dear! how it must tickle!"
It was a grand sight. Many of the stores were decorated with numerous
little Japanese flags, which consist of a large red ball in the centre
of a plain white surface, and many Japanese lanterns were hung around.
The soldiers looked and marched splendidly; and the fine music was
enchanting. Guns were firing in the Park, and smoking and flaming like
steamboat funnels: little boys were popping off squibs and crackers,
and everybody seemed perfectly happy.
"Dear me!" cried Arthur, "I wish I could hear the speeches they intend
to make. I suppose they will be stuck full of compliments, not a word
of which the Mayor will understand; but, of course, he will bow a
great many times to show that he agrees with it all: and then he, in
return, will make a speech to the ambassadors, all flaming over with
fine words and flummery, and the Japanese will bow all in a row like
four-and-twenty fiddlers--and oh! how nice it will all be!"
When the children got home, they told Charley about the grand
procession, all speaking at once; and one of them put on an old black
gown of his mother's, and half shut his eyes, and would have shaved
his head, if his mother had let him, to show Charley just how they
looked; because he, poor little fellow, had to stay behind--he could
not have endured the fatigue of that long day away from home. But his
kind little mother never forgot him; she was determined he should see
something; so about eight o'clock that evening, two horses, with a
nice comfortable barouche, were driven up to the door, and Charley was
tenderly lifted in, and two large pillows were placed behind and at
his side, and his mother and two of the oldest children were driven
slowly down Broadway to see the illumination.
[Illustration: THE JAPANESE RECEPTION.]
The street was crowded. Beautiful colored lanterns were hung here and
there, and little Japanese flags fluttered in every direction. As they
came near the great Metropolitan Hotel, where the Japanese were
staying, the crowd increased, and a burst of delightful surprise broke
from Charley and the rest, as the beautiful blazing windows came in
view. In each of the several hundred windows were fine Japanese
lanterns of different colors and two little flags. Such a glittering
and a fluttering as they made! and over the door was the word
"Welcome," in blazing gas-burners, with the splendid flag of the
United States on one side, and a great Japanese banner on the other.
Everybody was shouting and hurrahing, and every up-turned face looked
happy, but none so merry and joyous as the children in the carriage;
their eyes fairly danced with delight, and their faces looked as if
they had been illuminated too. All they wanted was to have two little
Japanese flags fastened to their ears, and to be placed in the
windows, to have beaten the lanterns and gas-burners all to pieces.
After they had looked just as long as they liked, and shouted and
waved their hats, when they saw any of the Japanese at the windows
shaking out their queer-looking black pocket-handkerchiefs with round
white spots, the carriage turned round, and the children had a fine
drive home, perfectly delighted with the unusual grandeur of a ride in
a carriage at night; _that_ was almost the best of all, to be out
after bed-time. They thought they could never admire the bright stars
enough, which, with their sleepless eyes, watched the world below--fit
emblems of the difference between the things made by man, and the
enduring works of God. Before long those glittering lights below would
fade and die; while these heavenly luminaries would shine on forever.
The next evening the little mother thought she would call upon Captain
Porter, who had the Japanese in charge. He was a brave, noble-hearted
officer, and an old friend, and accordingly she went with some other
friends. Captain Porter received them very kindly, and amused them
very much with funny accounts of how the Japanese were stared at, and
sometimes annoyed by people who ought to know better. While she sat
there, there came a knock at the door, and a morocco case was handed
in: it was opened; and what do you think appeared? You will hardly
believe it: some sets _of false teeth_; one set of them _jet black_,
as a present! The little mother laughed, and wondered if the dentist
who sent them, thought the Japanese would want to have their own
teeth pulled right out, and these put right in. Then two gentlemen
came in, and wanted Captain Porter to persuade the Japanese to buy a
lot of guns from them, very cheap, indeed. Then, who do you think came
in? Why, "Little Tommy," the young Japanese that everybody was talking
about.
He looked so very smiling, that the two comical little triangular
slits in his head which served for eyes nearly disappeared, when
Captain Porter took him by the hand and introduced him to the little
mother.
"How do?" said he, and shook hands with her; then he took up Captain
Porter's sword and belt and buckled it round his waist, and said, "Ver
good sword, indeed;" then he tried on the Captain's naval uniform
cap, with the gold band round it, and ran and looked in the glass. It
would not go on very well, on account of Tommy's pig-tail, which was
fastened in a knot on the very top of his half-shaven pate, and which
stuck up rather inconveniently: then the Captain said, "Tommy, this
lady wants to see the portrait of your little Washington sweetheart;
come, show it to her."
"No show," said Tommy; which answer made the little mother esteem him
very much, because it was plain that he had too much self-respect, and
_too much respect_ for the young lady, if she _was_ a little girl only
twelve years old, to show her likeness to every stranger. He was not
going to be made fun of. Not he!
Presently the little mother got up to go; and, shaking hands with
Tommy, said, "Good-bye Tommy; I mean to send you a 'Nightcap' book. It
is written by 'Aunt Fanny.' Say, Aunt Fanny."
"Arnta Farnny. Yes! I like it," answered Tommy, holding the little
mother's hand; "but you," he continued, "I like you; are you Spaniss?"
"No," said she.
"You Frence?"
"No," said she, smiling.
"You Angliss?"
"No," said she.
"Why, Tommy, she is an American," said Captain Porter.
"Ah," cried Tommy; "she so leetle--she ver good--good-bye:" then he
wrote his name on a card for her, and she went home very much pleased.
But just before she went, Captain Porter told her that the great
phrenologist, Mr. Fowler, who knows all about you by merely looking at
the outside of your head, had been to see Tommy, and had told him that
he had the most tremendous bumps for reading, writing, and arithmetic,
that ever were seen; a great bump of trying on American clothes;
making love to little girls; eating sugar-candy, and having a good
time generally; and scarcely any bump at all for getting up early in
the morning, working hard, or taking medicine; in fact, that his
cranium was as full as the Metropolitan Hotel, of all sorts of good
things; which flattering description delighted Tommy so much, that he
wrote Mr. Fowler of his own accord, and without any assistance from
Captain Porter or any other dictionary, the following note of thanks:
METROPOLITAN HOTEL, NEW YORK,
June 22, 1860.
"DEAR SIR:--I am much oblige to you the history and head some paper
and the letter with it whole my head examination. I shall take it to
Japan, and esteemed much doctor Kawasake is also much please have been
receive it.
"I am very true your friend,
"TATEISH ONAJEIRO (TOMMY)."
And now every thing was made in the way of "anti-tear-clothes," as
the children called them, and the express wagon was sent for on the
afternoon of the 19th of June to carry the baggage down to the
steamboat.
The express man stared with amazement at the quantity of children
whisking and frisking, and rushing and brushing about in the hall;
and, still more, at the trunks, boxes, and bundles, that were brought
clattering and tumbling down the stairs for him to take away.
Just before he was leaving with the last bundle, little Johnny rushed
breathless down the stairs with what looked like a horse's tail, only
shorter and smaller, in one hand, and an old tin-box that had once
contained preserved tomatoes in the other, and screamed out,
"Here!--say! man, man! take this! here, take it! It's mamma's hair!
she's forgotten to sew it on her head! here, pack it up in this
tin-box, and tie it with a rope, and put it on board the
steamboat--will you?"
Dear me! how the poor express man did bite his lips and swell his
cheeks, and turn very red, and try not to laugh: but it _would_ come
out, and he laughed himself nearly into fits, while the little mother
felt for a moment as if she could have shaken _Johnny_ into fits, but
only for a moment; for, after all, what was the use of being angry: he
_meant_ to be so useful and thoughtful, and if her hair was so thin,
she had to buy some to put with it--why, it was nothing to be ashamed
of; so she laughed, too, at last, and all the children joined in with
such good-will, that the canary bird over the way hearing such a
pleasant noise, set up his pipes and twittered in company, and sang so
shrill and loud, that all his feathers stood out on end; and, on the
whole, it was thought a very good joke.
And now a great hotel carriage, which is about three times as large as
any other, drove up, and the children were packed in it, till it was
as full as an egg; and they gave three cheers, as it started, to the
astonishment of all the neighbors, and sang "John Brown had a little
Indian" all the way down to the boat.
There had been so many berths engaged for one name, that the Captain
thought there must be a colony going out west to set up a town for
themselves. But when he saw the family marching down the gang-plank
two-and-two, like the animals that went into the ark, from the biggest
to the smallest, he lifted up his hands and exclaimed, "Dew tell! what
an orful lot of children! I shud think that old lady'd want the
patience of Job, any how!"
Ah! the Yankee-talking Captain didn't know what you and I know--that
these children all "_loved one another_" and _that_ made every thing
easy to the little mother.
There was no wrangling in that family. They left all that to "dogs and
cats," and "bears and lions," as I am sure all good children do. There
was plenty of noise, to be sure; but this the great power of love
changed into sweet melody, so that, instead of irritating you, as a
rude blustering wind would do, it charmed and delighted, because it
was first passed over the AEolian harp-strings of _love_.
And now, before I forget it, let's have a little laugh you and I, over
that ridiculous picture of our "Nightcap children" in "Baby
Nightcaps." I intended to have had a picture of the little mother
surrounded by lots of pretty children playing about her; but, instead
of that, I was presented with a family that made my sides ache with
laughter. Such noses and such hats! I want to tip that tall-spook-of-
a-boy's hat off his head every time I look at it; And _such_ a baby!
Apple-dumpling face and squint eyes! Never mind! The funny printer
wanted to make us laugh, and I am sure he did--_one_ of us, any way;
but don't _you_ believe, for a moment, that _our_ Nightcap children
looked the least like his. Not a bit of it!
When the family were all comfortably settled, the splendid palace-like
steamboat--the Alida--started from the pier, and was soon gliding so
swiftly over the water, that the magnificent Palisades rose in the
blue evening air, while the golden glory of sunset was still lingering
upon them. Charley sat by his mother, with his curly head pressed
close against her breast; his pure and simple thoughts mirrored in his
sweet face. He was silently thanking God for the beautiful changing
picture before his eyes. All the children were enjoying the trip; for
their mother had taught them to feel and appreciate the beauty,
goodness, and grandeur of all God's works; and, save an exclamation of
delight now and then, they sat quite still.
But the silence did not last long. Of course not. If children are
quite still for more than five minutes at a time, you may be sure they
are either sick or in mischief; so presently George exclaimed,--
"Just see that sea-gull dipping his wings in the river!"
"That's the way he does his washing," said Annie.
"Oh! look at that row-boat," cried Harry; "four gentlemen and three
ladies rowing with parasols."
How the children laughed, and pretended to see the parasols rowing,
till Harry explained that he meant that the ladies had the parasols,
and the gentlemen were rowing. His mother said she would have to give
him a dish of boiled grammar for his breakfast, if he did not mind his
antecedents better.
"Grammar!" cried George; "dreadful! Aren't you all glad school-days
are over for the summer?"
At this blissful recollection all the children clapped their hands at
such a rate, that a fat old lady jumped up in a hurry and gave a queer
little squeak, because she thought the boiler was bursting; and
although they were now in the very middle of the broad Tappaan Sea,
she waddled off to order the captain to set her immediately on shore;
and a select company of blue jays, who had just started from the
Palisades to take tea with some brown sparrows on the other side,
turned somersets and flew back again, almost tripping each other up in
their hurry.
"Yes, indeed," answered Annie, "glad enough. Just think; no more hard
sums either. I do believe arithmetic is meant on purpose to torment
us, and that's the reason Willie made that mistake with such a grave
face, when the lady asked him how far he had gotten in his sums."
"So it is," cried Clara; "Willie said he had got to _dis_traction; I,
for one, wish that all the people that make the arithmetic books had
to eat them with pepper-sauce the moment they were printed--and that
would be the end of them."
"But compositions! Just think of compositions!" cried Harry; "they are
the most hateful things. Just because I wrote in my last one, that 'a
mule is a beast of burden which draws a rail-car shaped like a zebra,
and is sometimes used for carts with two long ears and a miserable
tail,' they all burst out laughing at me, and I very nearly cried--I
_did_ cry."
"Well, never mind, Harry," cried George; "it is all over now, and we
are going to that delightful West Point: I wonder if those soldiers we
saw parading with the Japanese last Saturday came from West Point?
they were such splendid fellows."
"Yes, indeed," cried Harry; "I dare say they did; they looked as if
they were afraid of nothing, but would be really glad to have an arm
or a leg shot off in every battle, and are so brave, that they would
keep on fighting the enemies of America, if they had only an ear and
one great-toe left."
Charley lifted his head and laughed at this, for he could hear all the
children were saying; and he whispered to his mother, "Isn't Harry a
funny fellow? The idea of one ear, and a great-toe firing a gun!" and
he laughed again a sweet, low laugh; and Clara, who was sitting
nearest, took his small thin white hand and kissed it, and patted it,
and murmured, "Oh, Charley, I'm so glad you are happy; I'm so glad
that cruel pain has gone away."
All this time they had been passing many beautiful villages and
elegant country mansions, half buried in luxuriant foliage. They were
now leaving the Tappaan Sea; and soon after the little mother showed
the children Sunnyside, the lovely home of the great Washington
Irving.
"He does not live there any more," said she; "his home is now 'Eternal
in the Heavens;' but his fame, and goodness, and renown will live in
every land for many, many years; and I hope the beautiful Sunnyside
will never fall into neglect or decay as long as his memory lasts."
The children looked with mournful interest at the beautiful place;
but when their mother pointed out the spot where Major Andre was
captured, there was quite a difference of opinion; the boys were glad
that he, the spy, was taken and hung by the great Washington, while
the more tender-hearted girls wished he could have escaped: and
Minnie said, "General _Wassingter_ ought to have forgiven him, because
he would not like to be hung himself--would he?" which, _I_ think, was
_the golden-rule way_ of putting the case.
And now the banks seemed to close in, and great dark mountains rose on
either side.
"There's Anthony's nose," said the little mother.
"Where? where?" cried the children, and looked with eager interest,
as the profile of a great Roman nose was pointed out on the edge of a
mountain. They were also delighted with Sugar-loaf Mountain, and
wished it had really been made of sugar, for they thought they would
like to eat a hole through it. As they were eagerly gazing at the
splendid view which had now darkened and deepened with twilight
shadows, a saucy puff of wind came round a jutting point, and in an
instant blew off Minnie's round hat.
"Oh! my hat! my hat!" she screamed; "get it! get it! quick! before it
goes across the Atlantic Ocean, and runs up the big mountains. Oh! get
it! get it!"
How everybody around did laugh, as George jumped after the hat, which
Minnie thought would walk on the Atlantic Ocean; and how Minnie
jumped and laughed when he caught it just as it was flying off on its
travels. I have no words to tell, but everybody after that listened to
the comical talk of the Nightcap children, who caused so much
merriment, that they arrived at West Point before they knew it; but
had to burst out with laughter again as Minnie, gravely looking up,
said, "Is this West Point? Well, I don't think it looks so very,
_very_ Pointy."
The first stars were peeping out, and the little birds had sung their
evening hymns and were hushed into stillness, as the children got into
the stage, the strong horses of which toiled up the short but steep
ascent, and they soon arrived at their summer home. "Oh, what a
beautiful cottage!" exclaimed Harry, and George, and Clara; "it seems
covered with roses; it must be the Castle of Perfect Happiness."
They all hurried in, in the most delightful bustle; and the children
had a grand time assisting the little mother to unpack every thing.
You would have imagined, to look in at the windows, that the house was
full of fishes out of water; they kept up such a continual bouncing
and fluttering about, but they were not fishes, nor pollywogs, nor
tadpoles, nor any thing like them; they were a company of capering
children, taking all sorts of little boxes and bundles out of trunks,
and putting them in the wrong places, and then running to get some
more, because they liked the fun of _helping_.
The good-natured little mother did not think them at all in the way:
she only laughed softly to herself, and would not for forty new
bandboxes have given them any _ear_-boxes for what they were doing.
No, indeed! she just let them trot about as much as they liked with
the pillows, boxes, bags, and bundles, of which there seemed to be
about a hundred and fifty; and when they were tired of _helping_, she
quietly arranged the things in their proper places.
Oh! how soundly the children slept that night with the "fragrant
stillness" all around them, far away from the roar and whirl of the
great city. The moonlight, sweet and mournful, flooded the earth, and
a white ray stole into the room where Charley lay and rested lovingly
above his head.
The next day Charley was very ill indeed. Even the short journey from
the city had overtasked his strength. He lay in a darkened chamber,
for his mother had to shut out the sweet sunshine, his head and side
were so racked with pain.
The children crept lovingly up to the door of the room they were not
permitted to enter many times during the day; to hope in a whisper
that he felt better, and went about the pretty cottage on tip-toe--all
their merriment gone. You would hardly believe they were the same
children that yesterday had kept half the people in the steamboat
laughing; so changed and still were they become, through their love
for their sick brother.
The little mother sent for the doctor. He belonged to the army, and,
of course dressed like the officers in military uniform.
When he entered, the children gazed with wonder and delight upon his
bright buttons, each of which had an astonishing spread-eagle
engraved upon it, and thought they could never admire enough the
beautiful gold lace upon his coat-sleeves. Really, he was quite a
shining doctor.
He became interested with Charley at once: the sweet, patient smile of
the suffering boy won his heart.
"My dear madam," said he to the little mother, "this is nothing but
temporary exhaustion; with some strengthening medicine which I shall
leave, and a good night's rest, our dear little friend will be as well
as he was before he came up; and I am in great hopes that this bracing
mountain air will soon make him much better than he was before he
came."
The children now approached the door and begged leave to enter, for
they wanted to hear about Charley, and have a "_good look_" at the
"soldier doctor."
"Well, my little friends," said he, in a hearty, cheery voice, "so
you've come up, I suppose, to help the fairies amuse Charley this
summer."
"FAIRIES!" exclaimed the children; "DELIGHTFUL! Are there _fairies_
here?"
"Lots of them," answered the doctor, laughing--"_that is_, if I may
believe my man, Patrick O'Neal. He declares he has seen the fairy
rings in the beautiful hollow at the foot of Crow Nest mountain many
and many a time."
"Oh dear! how perfect!" cried the children; "only fancy the dear
little fairies dancing on the parade-ground in the moonlight."
"Not exactly," said the doctor, laughing again; "fairies don't come so
near the haunts of mortals; besides, the cadets want the parade-ground
for their own dances and rings--not fairy rings--for those are made
with sparkling dew-drops, while the cadets have to content themselves
with tallow candles stuck into scooped-out turnips and placed in a
circle, and the lights throwing the shadows up, make the long legs of
the cadets look like ever so many great goblin black spiders, hopping
harem-scarem over each other; but the cadets call them 'Stag-dances.'"
"_Stag dances_," cried the children, "who ever heard of such a thing?
Why! do they nail antlers on their foreheads and go on all-fours? Dear
doctor! how _do_ they go?"
"Some on their heels, and some on their toes; but _I_ never saw one
dance on all-fours; and, as to the antlers, _without_ them they
prance: 'tis because they're all _boys_, that it's called a 'stag
dance.'"
"Why, only listen," whispered George to Annie, "he is talking
poetry--how queer!"
"Isn't he a nice bright doctor?" said Minnie; "he shines so shiny, and
he's so very _buttony_; I think his buttons are splendid."
The doctor heard this speech and burst out laughing, and then seeing
that Minnie looked abashed, he took out his penknife, and in a moment
had snipt off one of the spread-eagle buttons, and said,--"Here,
little lady-bird--here is a bright button, which you can fasten up
your cloak with to-night when you go to the fairies' midsummer ball;
for, I suppose, you will all have an invitation, and when I come
to-morrow, I expect to hear all about it. Good-bye, Charley; old
fellows like you and I don't care to go to balls, but we won't object
to hearing about the fairy festival, because that you know will be
something particularly superfine;" and he went away smiling, leaving
the delighted children chattering like a perfect army of magpies about
the fairies, and pretending to think that the good-natured doctor was
really in earnest.
THE FAIRIES' LIFE.
It was Midsummer eve; the moon in regal splendor proudly sailed above;
the fair, lovely June flowers were sleeping, fanned by the wings of
the tiny zephyrs floating past. A spell of enchantment was upon every
thing, for a deep stillness reigned around; the little brown cricket
had ceased to chirp; the katydid no longer quarrelled in shrill tones
with her neighbor; the wail of the sad whippoorwill was hushed; the
rugged sides of old Crow Nest were rounded and softened in the
silvery moonbeams, adown which the little brooklet sprang this night
with a more lightsome leap and a sweeter song.
Charley lay sleeping in his room, his cheek resting on his hand, and
his golden curls lightly stirred by the soft west wind, were floating
upon the pillow: a faint flush rested upon his sweet face, giving it a
lovely, but, alas! deceptive hue of health; his lips were slightly
apart, and now they were moving as if he was softly and slowly
answering some question.
The window was wide open, and the room was bright with moonbeams; but
now a softer, tenderer light, shone through the apartments; the air
was filled with delicious fragrance, and low sweet music was heard:
afar off, a halo in the moonlight was seen; it came near and nearer;
now it was close to the window, and one could plainly perceive that it
was a shining band of fairies, floating on the moonbeams with their
beautiful Queen at their head.
They stopped at the window, for the Queen, with a wave of her sceptre,
gave them to understand that she would enter alone.
She was radiant to-night; a magnificent necklace of many-colored
stones cut from a rainbow, sparkled like a wreath of prismatic fire
around her white and slender throat; her wings were fringed with small
diamond dew-drops; her robe was fashioned of the royal purple velvet
of the pansy; and her crown and sceptre flashed with precious gems.