THE SHOES-LADY AGAIN
"I'll love you through the happy years,
Till I'm a nice old lady."
_Poems written for a Child._
WHEN they woke, both of them at the same moment it seemed, though
probably one had roused the other without knowing it, the sun had gone,
the sky looked dull, it felt chilly and strange. Peggy had thought it
must be past dinner-time before they had sat down to rest; it seemed now
as if it must be past tea-time too!
Sarah started up, Peggy feebly clinging to her.
"Oh dear, dear," said Sarah, "I shouldn't have gone to sleep, and it's
got that cold!" She was shivering herself, but Peggy seemed much the
worse of the two. She was white and pinched looking, and as if she were
half stupefied.
"I'm so cold," she said, "and so hungry. I thought I was in bed at home.
I do so want to go home. I'm sure it's very late, Light Smiley; do take
me home."
"I'm sure, missy, it's what I want to do," said poor Sarah. "I'm afeared
it's a-going to rain, and whatever 'ull we do then? You wouldn't wait
'ere a minute, would you, while I run to see if there's a road near?"
"No, no," said Peggy, "I won't stay alone. I'm very, very frightened,
Light Smiley, and I think I'm going to die."
"Oh Lor', missy, don't you say that," said Sarah, in terror. "If you
can't walk I'll carry you."
"I'll try to walk," said Peggy, picking up some spirit when she saw
Sarah's white face.
And then the two set off again, dazed and miserable, very different from
the bright little pair that had started up Fernley Road that morning.
Things, however, having got to the worst, began to mend, or at least
were beginning to mend for them, though Peggy and Sarah did not just yet
know it. Not far from the edge of the field where they were, a little
bridle-path led into a lane, and a few yards down this lane brought
them out upon Fernley Road again at last.
"I see the mountings," cried Peggy, "oh, Light Smiley, Peggy sees the
mountings. P'raps we won't die, oh p'raps we'll get home safe again."
But though she had been trying to be brave, now that she began to hope
again, it was too much for her poor little nerves--Peggy burst into loud
sobbing.
"Oh, dear missy, try not to cry," said Sarah. "There--there--where's
your hankercher?" and she dived into Peggy's pocket in search of it. And
as she pulled it out, out tumbled at the same time the two little
scarlet shoes, falling on the ground.
"Oh Light Smiley, my red shoes. They'll be all spoilt and dirtied," said
Peggy, as well as she could, for Sarah was dabbing the handkerchief all
over her face.
Sarah stooped to pick them up; both children were too much engaged to
notice the sound of wheels coming quickly along the quiet road. But the
sight of a speck of dirt on one of the shoes set Peggy off crying again,
and she cried for once pretty loudly. The wheels came nearer, and then
stopped, and this made Sarah look round. A pony-carriage driven by a
lady had drawn up just beside them. The groom, sitting behind, jumped
down, though looking as if he did not know what he was to do.
"What is the matter, little girls?" said the lady.
"It's, please'm--we've lost our road--it's all along o' me, mum--but I
didn't mean no 'arm, only missy's that wore out'm, and----" but before
Sarah could get farther, she was stopped by a sort of cry from both the
lady and Peggy at once.
"Oh, oh," called out Peggy, "it's the shoes-lady--oh, pelease, pelease,
take me home," and she seemed ready to dart into the lady's arms.
"I do believe," _she_ said, "I do believe it's the little girl I saw at
the bootmaker's, and--yes, of course it is--there are the shoes
themselves! My dear child, whatever are you doing to be so far from
home--at least I suppose you live in the town?--and what have you got
the dolly's shoes with you for?"
"I brought them for them to see the mountings and the white cottage,"
sobbed Peggy; "but I'm so cold and hungry, pelease take me home, oh,
pelease, do."
The lady seemed rather troubled. Even if she had not remembered Peggy,
she would have seen in a moment that she was a little lady, though
Peggy looked miserable enough with her torn clothes, and scratched and
tear-stained face.
"Poor child," she said, "tell me your name, and where you live."
"I'm Peggy, but I don't 'amember my nother name, 'cos I'm tired and it's
very long," she said.
The lady looked at Sarah. Sarah shook her head.
"No, mum, I don't know it neither, but I knows the name of the street.
'Tis Bernard Street'm--off Fernley Road, and their back winders looks
over to us. We're Simpkinses'm, and missy's mar knows as we're
'speckable, and mother she never thought when she told me to take back
the humberellar, as I'd lead missy sich a dance. I'll never do for the
nussery, no never. I'm not steady enough," and here Light Smiley gave
signs of crying herself.
It was not easy for the lady to make out the story, but by degrees, with
patience she did so. But while talking she had lifted Peggy into the
carriage beside her, and wrapped her up in a shawl that lay on the seat,
Peggy nestling in, quite contentedly.
"Now," said the lady, "you get in too, Sarah Simpkins, and I'll drive
you both home. I was on my way home out into the country, but I can't
leave you here on the road. This is Fernley Road, but it's quite four
miles from the town."
In scrambled Sarah, divided between fear of her own and Peggy's
relations' scoldings when they got home, and the delight and honour of
driving in a carriage! The groom would have liked to look grumpy, I am
quite sure, but he dared not. Peggy, for her part, crept closer and
closer to the lady, and ended by falling asleep again, so that it was a
good thing Light Smiley was sitting on the other side, to keep her from
falling out.
The four miles seemed very short to Sarah, and as they got into the
outskirts of the town her face grew longer and longer.
"I'm more'n half a mind to run away, I 'ave," she said to herself, quite
unaware she was speaking aloud. "It'll be more'n I can stand, mother and
Rebecca and all on 'em down on me, for I didn't mean no 'arm. I'd best
run away."
The lady turned to her, hitherto she had not taken much notice of Sarah,
but now she felt sorry for the little girl.
"What are you saying, my dear?" she said gently, though all the same her
voice made Sarah jump. "Are you afraid of going home? You have not done
anything naughty, exactly, as far as I understand. It was only
thoughtless. I will go with you to your home if you like, and explain to
your mother how it was."
"Oh thank you, mum," said Sarah, eagerly, her spirits rising again at
once; "you see, mum, I do so want to be in the nussery onst I'm big
enough, and I was so afeared mother'd never think of it again. I only
wanted to please little missy, for she seemed so lonely like, her mar
and all bein' away and no one for to take her a walk. She's a sweet
little missy, she is, but she's only a baby, so to say; she do have such
funny fancies. 'Twas all to see the cottage on the 'ills she wanted to
come up Fernley Road so badly."
"The cottage--what cottage?" asked the lady.
Sarah tried to explain, and gradually the lady got to understand what
little Peggy had meant about bringing the red shoes "to see the
mountings and the cottage."
"She's always a-talking of the country, and father lived there when he
was a boy, and missy had got it in her 'ead that he lived in a white
cottage, like the one she fancies about," Sarah went on.
"I would like to take her out into the real country, poor little pet,"
said the lady, looking tenderly at the sweet tiny face of the sleeping
child. She loved all children, but little girls of Peggy's age were
especially dear to her, for many years before she had had a younger
sister who had died, and the thought of her had come into her mind the
first time she had seen Peggy at the door of the shoe shop. "If I can
see any of her friends I will ask them to let her spend a day with me,"
she went on, speaking more to herself than to Sarah.
As they turned into Bernard Street a cab dashed past them coming very
fast from the opposite direction. It drew up in front of the house which
Sarah was just that moment pointing out to the lady as Peggy's home, and
a gentleman, followed by a young woman, sprang out. The door was opened
almost as soon as they rang, and then the three, the other servant who
had answered the bell, the young woman and the gentleman, all stood
together on the steps talking so anxiously and eagerly that for a moment
or two they did not notice the pony-carriage, and though the groom knew
the whole story by this time and had jumped down at once, he was far
too proper to do anything till he had his lady's orders.
"Ask the gentleman to speak to me," said the lady, "and you jump out,
little Sarah. I think he must be Peggy's father."
He had turned round by this time and came hurrying forward. The moment
the lady saw him she knew she had guessed right. He was so like
Peggy--fair and gray-eyed, and with the same gentle expression, and very
young looking to be the father not only of Peggy, but of _big_ little
boys like Thor and Terry. His face looked pale and anxious, but the
moment he caught sight of the little sleeping figure leaning against the
lady it all lighted up and a red flush came into his cheeks.
"Oh--thank God," he exclaimed, "my little Peggy! You have found her! How
good of you! But--she is not hurt?--she is all right?"
"Yes--yes--only cold and hungry and tired," said the lady eagerly, for
Peggy did look rather miserable still. "Will you lift her out?" and as
he did so, she got out herself, and turned to Sarah. "May I bring this
other child in for a moment," she said, "and then I can explain it all?"
Sarah followed gladly, but a sudden thought struck her, "Please'm," she
said, bravely, though the tears came to her eyes as she spoke, "p'raps
I'd best run 'ome; mother'll be frightened about me."
"But I promised you should not be scolded," said the lady; "stay," and
she turned to Fanny, "she lives close to, she says."
"At the back--over the cobbler's," said Sarah, readily.
"Can you let her mother know she's all right, then? And say I am coming
to speak to her in a moment," said the lady, and Fanny went off. She had
been so terrified about Peggy, and so afraid that she would be blamed
for carelessness, that she dared not wait, though she was dying with
curiosity to know the whole story and what one of the Simpkins children
could have had to do with it.
Peggy awoke by the time her father had got her into the dining-room,
where cook had made a good fire and laid out Peggy's dinner and tea in
one to be all ready, for the poor woman had been hoping every instant
for the last few hours that the little girl would be brought home again.
It had been difficult to find Peggy's father, as he was not at his
office, and Fanny had been there two or three times to fetch him.
"Oh dear papa," were Peggy's first words, "I'm so glad to be home. I'll
never go up Fernley Road again; but I did so want to see the cottage and
the mountings plainer. And it wasn't Light Smiley's fault. She was very
good to me, and I was very cross."
This did not much clear up matters. Indeed Peggy's papa was afraid for a
minute or two that his little girl was going to have a fever, and that
her mind was wandering. But all such fears were soon set at rest, and
when the lady went off with Sarah, she left Peggy setting to work very
happily at her dinner or tea, she was not sure which to call it.
"And you will let her come to spend the day with me to-morrow?" said the
lady, as she shook hands with Peggy's father. "I shall be driving this
way, and I can call for her. I should not be happy not to know that she
was none the worse for her adventures to-day."
Then the lady took Sarah by the hand and went round with her to her home
in the back street, telling the groom to wait for her at the corner.
It was well she went herself, for otherwise I am afraid poor Light
Smiley would not have escaped the scolding she dreaded. Her mother and
sisters had been very unhappy and frightened about her, and when
people--especially poor mothers like Mrs. Simpkins, with "so many
children that they don't know what to do"--are anxious and frightened, I
have often noticed that it makes them very cross.
As it was, however, the lady managed to smoothe it all down, and before
she left she got not only Sarah's mother, but Rebecca and Mary-Hann and
all of them to promise to say no more about it.
"'Tisn't only for myself I was feelin' so put about, you see, ma'am,"
said Mrs. Simpkins, "but when I sent over the way and found the little
missy was not to be found it flashed upon me like a lightenin'
streak--it did that, ma'am--that the two was off together. And if any
'arm had come to the little lady through one of mine, so to say, it
would 'ave gone nigh to break my 'art. For their mar is a sweet lady--a
real feelin' lady is their mar."
"And a kind friend to you, I daresay," said the stranger.
"Couldn't be a kinder as far as friendly words and old clotheses goes,"
said Mrs. Simpkins. "But she's a large little fam'ly of her own, and not
so very strong in 'ealth, and plenty to do with their money. And so to
speak strangers in the place, though she 'ave said she'd do her best to
get a place in a nice fam'ly for one of my girls."
The lady glanced at the group of sisters.
"Yes," she said, "I should think you could spare one or two. How would
you like to be in a kitchen?" she added, turning to Rebecca.
The girl blushed so that her face matched her arms, and she looked more
"reddy" than ever. But she shook her head.
"I'm afraid----" she began.
"No, ma'am, thank you kindly, but I couldn't spare Rebecca," the mother
interrupted. "If it were for Mary-Hann now--Matilda-Jane's coming on and
could take her place. Only, for I couldn't deceive you, ma'am, she's
rather deaf."
"I shouldn't mind that," said the lady, who was pleased by Mary-Ann's
bright eyes and pleasant face. "I think deaf people sometimes work
better than quick-hearing ones, besides, it may perhaps be cured. I will
speak about her to my housekeeper and let you know. And you, Sarah, you
are to be in the nursery some day."
Sarah grinned with delight.
"Not just yet," said Mrs. Simpkins; "she 'ave a deal to learn, 'ave
Sarah. Schooling and stiddiness to begin with. She don't mean no 'arm,
I'll allow."
"No; I'm sure she wants to be a very good girl," said the lady. "She was
very kind and gentle to little Miss Peggy. So I won't forget you either,
Sarah, when the time comes."
And then the lady said good-bye to them all, and Mrs. Simpkins's heart
felt lighter than for long, for she was sure that through this new
friend she might get the start in life she had been hoping for, for her
many daughters.
Peggy slept off her fatigue, and by the next morning she was quite
bright again and able to listen to and understand papa's explanation of
how, though without meaning to be disobedient, she had done wrong the
day before in setting off with Sarah Simpkins as she had done. Two or
three tears rolled slowly down her cheeks as she heard what he said.
"I meant to be so good while mamma was away," she whispered. "But I'll
never do it again, papa. I'll stay quiet in the nursery all alone, even
if Miss Earnshaw doesn't come back at all."
For a message had come from the dressmaker that her mother was very ill,
as Fanny had feared, and that she was afraid she would not be able to
leave her for several days.
"It won't be so bad as that, dear," said her father. "Mamma will be back
in five days now, and I don't think you are likely to be left alone in
the nursery--certainly not to-day;" and then he told her about the lady
having asked her to spend the day out in the country with her, and that
Peggy must be ready by twelve o'clock, not to keep her new friend
waiting.
Peggy's eyes gleamed with delight.
"Out into the country?" she said. "Oh, how lovely! And oh, papa, do you
think _p'raps_ she lives in a white cottage?"
Papa shook his head.
"I'm afraid it's not a cottage at all where she lives," he said. "But
I'm sure it is a very pretty house, and let us hope it is a white one."
"No," said Peggy, "you don't understand, papa--not as well as mamma
does. I don't care what colour it is if it's only an 'ouse."
And she couldn't understand why papa laughed so that he really couldn't
correct her. "I'm afraid, Peggy," he said, "you've been taking lessons
from little Miss Simpkins. It's time mamma came home again to look after
you."
"Yes, I wish mamma was come home again," said Peggy. "We can't do
without her, can we, papa?"
But when the dear little pony carriage came up to the door, and Peggy
got in and drove off with her kind friend, she was so happy that she had
not even time to wish for mamma.
And what a delightful day she had! The lady's house was very pretty, and
the gardens and woods in which it stood even prettier in Peggy's
opinion. And though it was not a cottage, there were all the country
things to see which Peggy was so fond of--cocks and hens, and cows, and
in one field lots of sheep and sweet little lambkins. There were pigs
too, which Peggy would not look at, but ran away to the other end of the
yard as soon as she heard them "grumphing," which amused the lady very
much. And in the afternoon she went a walk with her friend through the
village, where there were several pretty cottages, but none that quite
fitted Peggy's fancy. When they came in again Peggy stood at the
drawing-room window, which looked out towards Brackenshire, without
speaking.
"You like that view, don't you, dear?" said the lady. "You can see the
hills?"
"Yes," said Peggy, "I can see the mountings, but not the white cottage.
It's got turned wrong somehow, from here. I can only see _it_ from the
nursery window at home," and she gave a very little sigh.
"Some day," said the lady, "some day in the summer when the afternoons
are very long, I will drive you right out a long way among the hills,
and perhaps we'll find the cottage then. For I hope your mamma will
often let you come to see me, my little Peggy."
"Yes," said Peggy, "that would be lovely. I _wonder_ if we'd find the
white cottage."
No, they never did! The sweet long summer days came, and many a bright
and happy one Peggy spent with her kind friend, but they never found the
white cottage on the hill. Peggy knew it so well in her mind, she felt
she could not mistake it, but though she saw many white cottages which
any one else _might_ have thought was it, she knew better. And each
time, though she sighed a little, she hoped again.
But before another summer came round Peggy and her father and mother,
and Thor, and Terry, and Hal, and Baldwin, and Baby had all gone
away--far away to the south, many hours' journey from the dingy town
and the Fernley Road, and the queer old house in the back street where
lived the cobbler and old Mother Whelan and Brown Smiley and Light
Smiley and all the rest of them. Far away too from the hills and the
strange white speck in the distance which Peggy called her cottage.
So it never was more than a dream to her after all, and perhaps--perhaps
it was best so? For nothing has ever spoilt the sweetness and the
mystery of the childish fancy--she can see it with her mind's eye
still--the soft white speck on the far-away, blue hills--she can see it
and think of it and make fancies about it even now--now that she has
climbed a long, long way up the mountain of life, and will soon be
creeping slowly down the other side, where the sun still shines,
however, and there are even more beautiful things to hope for than the
sweetest dreams of childhood.
THE END
_Printed by_ R. & R. CLARK, _Edinburgh._
* * * * *
Transcriber's Notes:
Obvious punctuation errors repaired.
Page 16, caption of illustration, "accomodate" changed to "accommodate"
(to accommodate the whole)
Page 47, word "a" added to text (it a waste of time)
Page 101, the text mentions a "Ferndale Road". There are many references
elsewhere to "Fernley Road" so this might be a misprint. It was
retained.