THE LITTLE QUAKER-CITY MAID
There are many miracles, only we become used to them in time, and forget
their marvel. We look calmly at the tiny chick pecking its way out of
the egg, a downy thing with bright black eyes and crowded full of lively
motion where only a short while ago there was no more than a yolk and a
white with shell to keep them together. We see a worm turn to a
butterfly and go on unconcerned. We see a baby begin to walk and to
talk, and we behave as though that were to be expected—and so it is, for
we live in the midst of marvellous happenings, as I began by saying.
And here were Rose and Ruth in the thick of the miracle of spring. Only
yesterday there was nothing much to speak of. Just a beginning, a hint,
a mist over the trees, a green tinge to the grass. To-day ... what a
transformation.
Blue-birds were twittering and flying, song-sparrows tuning up. The
trees had brought out leaves and tassels and sweet-smelling fringes.
Willows were burning with yellow and rose, windflowers nodded, and
Marmie’s snowdrops and crocuses were all abloom along the south wall of
the house. There was a delirious quality to the air, and bees hummed.
One white butterfly teetered over the yellowest crocus.
The girls were wild for the school hours to pass—Marmie always taught
them, for there was no school within reach—so that they could be out in
it all. And Marmie let them take their luncheon and ride over to the
little lake with their rods after trout.
“Be home by sunset, dears,” she had said, “and have a good time. There
are many, many nice things in this old world, but being a child in
spring is one of the best.”
They had a wonderful day of it, and each of them had caught plenty of
fish, fine fellows that would make dandy eating for supper. Lunch had
been delicious, and the spring day increasingly beautiful. Now, in the
warm, mild afternoon, they felt delightfully lazy.
The ponies were cropping the grass, the fish were in the creel, and that
was hung up on the limb of a tree, where it reached the water. Side by
side the sisters lay, their heads resting on their saddles, drinking in
the lovely day through every pore.
“Winter’s really gone,” remarked Rose, dreamily. “And what a splendid
winter it’s been, Ruth.”
“Yep. We haven’t been a bit lonely this year, just because of Fairy
Honeysqueak. She’s given us a lot of glorious experience, hasn’t she?”
“It’s some time since we’ve seen—I mean heard her. I wonder if she isn’t
coming any more, now that spring is here at last? I wish we could at
least say good-bye and thank you, don’t you?”
“Then that’s just what you can do,” the silver-sounding voicelet spoke,
the clear and chiming voice they knew and loved so. “For I’m come, and
I’m going to take you one last trip for a sort of farewell, because I’m
too busy now that spring’s here to be able to play any more; and I
daresay you’ll not have any too much time on your hands yourselves.”
“Oh, Fairy Honeysqueak, how sweet and kind of you to come once more. We
shall miss you awfully. I guess we are the two luckiest girls in the
world to know you. When it’s cold again and you have nothing to do,
perhaps you’ll come back. Please.”
She laughed, and the sound was like the rocking of canterbury-bells atop
of their long stalks, if you could only hear them.
“It has been lots of fun for me too, and maybe I’ll see you next year,
though no one can tell about a fairy,” she answered. “Anyway, here we
are now. And now for our last trip. How about going to Quaker-town to
see a small maid called Darthea Penniston?”
“What larks! And shall we see Hugh Wynne too? And Washington? And....”
“I’m sure I don’t know what you’ll see or not see; keep your eyes open,
that’s what they’re for. Except that you must shut them now, and grab my
hands tight....”
So that’s what was done, and once more the two felt the singular
sensation, ending in a slight jar, which always accompanied their trips
through the Magic Gate.
They found themselves in a garden, very bright and pretty with many
flowers growing in beds bordered by little box hedges and separated by
paths of red brick. A sun-dial was in the centre of the garden, where
the paths met, while at the bottom of the garden ran a clear stream.
Willows bowed over this, dipping the fine long ends of their slender
branches in the water. A couple of benches stood under these trees. On
one of these sat a little girl in a rose-pink gown, her hat hanging from
her arm by long strings, a broad-brimmed leghorn with roses round the
brim. She seemed to be studying, for there was a school book open on her
knees.
Rose and Ruth were dressed in flowered muslin skirts, very full and
reaching to their boot tops, with pointed bodices of the same pretty
stuff having lace ruffles at the neck and elbow sleeves. Over this they
each wore a little apron. Their shoes were square-toed, with big bright
buckles, and they had on white stockings. Little bonnets were tied under
their chins.
Demurely they walked down the sweet-smelling garden path toward the
small, dark-haired maid seated on the bench. She pored over her book,
and seemed in no special good spirits.
Just as they were on the point of speaking she looked up. Instantly a
smile flooded her face like sudden sunshine on a dark day.
Up she jumped and was beside them in an instant.
“So you’ve really come! What good news this will be to Hugh and Jack,
for I have promised them if you came that we will go to Hugh’s house
after school; his mother has told him to bring one or two or his
school-mates to play in the garden this afternoon. And they look forward
to meeting you. But we must hurry, we shall be late else, and there is
no knowing what that hateful David Dove may not do in such a case.”
Somewhat to their surprise Rose and Ruth found they had a few books
strapped together under their arms. Evidently school it must be. So with
Darthea they set off, through the gate that opened on a pretty street
faced by neat houses, with cosy porches vine-embowered. Other children,
singly and in groups, were bound the same way with themselves. Many of
these were clad in sober grey, with white kerchiefs worn fichu-wise on
the girls, and broad-brimmed Quaker hats on the boys.
“How grown-up they look in those funny clothes,” Ruth whispered to Rose.
“Not at all like children. And how gravely they go along.”
Just here two boys, clad like those Ruth was criticising, in
full-skirted coats and breeches reaching to the knee, with buckled shoes
and wide-brimmed hats, sober-hued as mice, came round the corner of
another street. When they saw Darthea and her friends they hastened
their steps, and presently bowed before them gravely.
Darthea looked at them shyly under her long black lashes, introducing
Rose and Ruth very prettily, however, in spite of her apparent
confusion.
“This is Hugh Wynne, and his friend Jack Warner, Rose and Ruth. They are
coming with me to your mother’s after school,” she added, turning to the
boys.
“That is fine news,” answered Hugh smiling. “And she will have good
cakes for us, and damson jam, and has promised to play at hide-and-find
in the orchard with us.”
“What a dear mother you have, Hugh,” Darthea replied. “She is like one
of us, yet so lovely a lady, too.”
Hugh nodded, looking much pleased. By this time the five of them had
reached the school, a brick building rather plain and grim in
appearance. The room where they were to study was long and low, with a
huge blackboard at the upper end, near the master’s desk, and a globe by
that. The master himself, a thin man with a prominent nose on which
rested a pair of horn-bowed spectacles, sat waiting for the shuffling
feet to be still and the children to be seated. Then he rose and began
the afternoon exercises in a high, disagreeable voice.
Rose and Ruth looked about them, at the subdued rows of children, girls
and boys, bent over their slates and books. When the teacher addressed
one of these he or she stood up, put hands behind back, and answered in
the best manner possible. Often they failed to please the master,
however, whereupon he sneered at them, calling them in front of him to
his desk. Once he made a boy stand up beside his desk with a paper
pinned foolscap fashion on his head, at which the class giggled. But
Rose and Ruth felt a helpless anger stir in them. They forthwith hated
David Dove with a very real hatred.
Suddenly his eye fell on Ruth, and pointing a long finger at her, he
asked her something in an abrupt tone. Confused, she did not catch his
meaning.
“What did you say, sir?” she asked, her voice trembling a little.
“You know very well what I said,” returned the teacher, in a cold, slow
way. “Answer me at once, or ’twill be the worse for you.”
Ruth looked helplessly at Rose, who flushed, fire leaping into her eyes.
“My sister is not a liar,” she said, addressing the teacher. “She told
you she didn’t hear what you asked her, and she didn’t. Ask it again.”
There was a terrified hush over the school, and every eye turned to Rose
and Ruth. As for the teacher, he seemed stunned.
Darthea jumped to her feet.
“These are friends of mine, sir,” she called out, though her voice shook
more than Ruth’s had done. “They do not know the ways of this school
yet, and have only come this morning for trial.”
“Ha,” exclaimed the teacher. “Then, since they are no scholars of mine,
and cannot be punished for this insolence, you will please step up here,
Darthea, and take a whipping for them.”
With tears, barely suppressed, Darthea stepped into the aisle and began
to walk toward the desk. Utterly astounded for a second, Rose and Ruth
stood motionless. Then they rushed after her, and all three came to halt
before the master.
The two sisters were shaking with excitement and anger, so unjust and
brutal the whole thing seemed to them. Looking up into the cold and
sneering eyes of Mr. Dove, Rose spoke.
“Do you mean to say you are going to hit her! A man, and ... and ... you
coward!”
For Rose had never imagined such a thing as this.
And Ruth said too, in a voice that was hoarse with emotion, “Yes, you
coward.”
Darthea looked from one to the other in amazement.
Behind them there was a rustle all over the school. Murmurs rose, and
some of the boys, including Hugh and Jack, stood up. The master faced
the crowd of children for an instant, his eyes glittering.
“I will take this to your parents,” he said presently, looking icily
around the room. Motioning to the girls, he added, “Sit down.”
Silently they returned to their places, though their hearts beat hard
for some time. The hour dragged along, and at last the master rose,
dismissing the school. In a moment every one was outside, crowding round
the newcomers.
“You’ll catch it yet,” they said. “Wait till he’s had time to think over
what to do.”
“Come along,” said Darthea. Hugh and Jack had quickly joined them, and
off they went to Hugh’s big, comfortable house in the midst of its
orchards and gardens. At the garden gate they were met by Mrs. Wynne,
lovely in her Quaker dress, her eyes as blue as lakes, and a smile on
the merriest mouth in the world.
“So here you are, the little friends of this boy of mine,” she cried.
“And I have a bite or two of good things out in the garden for you. How
went it at school to-day?”
They all told her at once, and she was much interested. “Brave words,”
she said, “and brave behaviour too. And now let us forget all about this
unkind Dove, who has the heart of a hawk, methinks.”
As they went into the garden, where under a sort of summer-house was set
a table looking most hospitably loaded, she told them that Hugh’s father
was at a friend’s house talking over the troubles between the Colonies
and England.
“Colonel Washington and his lady are in town, up from Virginia on a
visit, and the Colonel is pressing for some decisive action, so I heard
your father say, Hugh. Naturally he is not too pleased at this, being a
man of peace.”
“George Washington near here!” It was Rose who ejaculated these words,
while Ruth stood rooted, her eyes fairly bulging.
“Yes,” returned Mrs. Wynne, calmly, and turning to Hugh, “your father
thinks him a dangerous man, my son.”
“But, but, can we see him?” stuttered Rose.
Hugh’s mother laughed. “Are you so fond of the soldiers, Rose? But ’tis
long since the colonel served. He is a married man now, very much
settled and with a big estate to take care of in Virginia. Of course you
shall see him, if you wish to. The meeting will be over in half an hour,
and he and his friends will pass here on the way to take a boat down the
river.”
“It isn’t only that we love soldiers, it’s because, because....” Rose
couldn’t remember just why it was so important to see Washington, though
she felt her heart thumping at the thought, and saw in Ruth’s eyes the
same puzzled excitement.
Mrs. Wynne turned to Darthea.
“I hear thy mother is better, child, which is good news. And you make
school a far pleasanter place for Hugh, for which I thank you. Now come
and help me with the tea and cakes.”
“Thank you, Mistress Wynne,” replied Darthea, smiling shyly. “Hugh and
Jack and I have grown good friends at school, even though they be
Quakers and I of Christ Church. May I fill these cups?” And very
prettily she set about helping the others to the refreshments, while
Mistress Wynne cut the cakes and served the preserves, luscious as can
be imagined. Rose and Ruth and the two boys fell to in high delight,
presently joined by Darthea. Then came the games, and none more joyous
at these than Hugh’s sweet mother herself. They were all laughing and
racing like wild things when Ruth, hiding behind a clump of Rose of
Sharon, saw a group of gentlemen appearing down the street.
Instantly she rushed across the lawn, calling out, “Here comes
Washington, here comes Washington,” and waving her arms. Rose was beside
her in a moment, and the rest came laughing, Mrs. Wynne greatly amused
at the two girls’ excitement over the Colonel.
“One would think him a hero to hear you two,” she declared. “But be
quiet or Mr. Wynne will not be pleased. Softly now, we will walk down to
the gate and speak to the gentlemen.”
A demure little crowd they were, standing primly, hand in hand, the
three maids in front and Mrs. Wynne, with the boys either side of her,
looking uncommonly pretty, behind them. Rose and Ruth saw some four or
five men, two of unusual height, one of these in Quaker clothes, the
other in a blue coat and cocked hat, with his hair in a queue ... the
great Washington beyond a doubt!
As soon as they saw the lady the men removed their hats and bowed
gravely, while the tall Quaker, frowning somewhat, asked what was
wanted.
“These two maids were desirous of seeing you pass, Colonel Washington,”
Mrs. Wynne told the man in blue, who stood smiling. “They could only
tell me ‘because’ when I wanted to know why they were so pressing, but
so it was.”
Rose and Ruth blushed, but they looked hard at the wonderful Washington,
nevertheless. How tall he was, how kindly the look in his eyes, and his
faint smile, as though his mind was busy with thoughts beyond the
present moment, touched them. They curtsied instinctively, and Darthea
did the same, flashing a mischievous look upward as she dropped her
bonny head.
The Colonel laughed outright at the youngsters.
“Why these maids should desire to see me is beyond my guessing, Mistress
Wynne,” he replied to the lady. “But after the somewhat grim
consultation we have been engaged in, I know it is a pleasure to look on
them.”
Every one bowed once more, and with another smile at the young girls,
Washington turned to resume his way, bending once again to the speech of
Mr. Wynne. The other men had meanwhile strolled on ahead.
The boys and Mrs. Wynne turned back to the house, but Rose, Ruth and
Darthea remained hanging over the gate, watching their hero depart. At
the street corner the group turned and disappeared. With a sigh the
girls were about to follow their hostess into the house, when Rose
noticed something lying on the pavement just where the men had turned.
“They’ve dropped something ... see!” she said, pointing this out to the
two others.
“So they have!”
“Let’s go after them....”
And through the gate they flew, down the street, and there Rose picked
up a wallet, initialled G. W.
“It’s HIS!” her voice struck with awe.
Already the men were out of sight. There stood the three girls, the
wallet in Rose’s hands, all their eyes big with the wonder of it. What
to do next?
“We must take it to him,” Darthea said. “He may not miss it until he is
on board, and so too late.”
It certainly seemed the thing to do. With a backward glance at the
house, but in vain so far as seeing Mrs. Wynne or the boys went, the
three set briskly off down the street.
“You know the way, do you, Darthea?” Ruth panted, as they flew along.
“Oh yes! It is not far. Two turns, and then straight down to the river
and the dock where the ship lies. Is this not fortunate? But how fast
they have gone.”
They reached the next corner just in time to see the Colonel with Mr.
Wynne turn again out of sight. Passers-by stared at them, for the
streets of Philadelphia were unused to seeing three girls, bare-headed
and panting, hurrying frantically along.
“Suppose we miss him, what will we do?” Ruth gasped.
“We won’t,” Rose returned. “Look, there’s the river now.”
There was the flash of water, to be sure, and the street down which
Darthea now led them stepped to its edge. At the foot of it there was a
dock, busy with all the stir of departing ships and arriving passengers.
Sailors were rushing about, porters hoisting baggage, a crowd of men and
boys jostled each other, women and children too were to be seen.
Grasping the wallet firmly, and closely pursued by Ruth and Darthea,
Rose dodged in and out of the crowd to the gangway leading on board.
There a soldier was stationed, and as the three came running up, looking
everywhere for Colonel Washington or the men of his party, he halted
them.
“Are you sailing by this ship?” he wanted to know, looking doubtfully at
their hatless state.
“No, but we have something of Colonel Washington’s which he let fall on
the way here,” said Rose. “Let us in quickly, so that we can find him
before the ship sails.”
The man hesitated. “Colonel who? I know him not. What game are you
playing?”
He looked stupid and sullen, and the girls drew back dismayed. Just then
Mr. Wynne appeared on deck, coming toward the gangway.
Rose flourished the wallet at him. “Make this man let us through,” she
cried. “Colonel Washington dropped this beyond your gate, and we’ve
brought it.”
The Quaker looked at them severely, but motioned the soldier to allow
them to pass.
“It is not meet for you to come like this,” he said sternly, looking at
them gravely as they came timidly up to him. “Where was Hugh that he
could not have fetched the packet hither?”
“They had gone into the house, and I happened to see it as you all
turned the corner,” explained Rose. “Please, may I give it to the
Colonel?” and she clutched the wallet tightly to her breast.
“Nonsense. Give it to me,” said Mr. Wynne.
Rose stood uncertainly, and Darthea gave her a look of encouragement,
just a flash, but it heartened her.
“I want to give it, please, myself,” she repeated.
Mr. Wynne looked surprised, but before he could say anything Ruth saw
the Colonel, talking with two of the men who had passed their gate,
standing just inside a door leading into the ship’s cabin. She slipped
hastily up to him.
“Please, Colonel Washington,” she whispered, touching his sleeve, “my
sister has brought your wallet, which you dropped....”
Washington clapped his hand to his breast, a look of consternation on
his face. “Dropped ... good heavens, so I did,” he exclaimed. “What,
your sister you say?” he added, looking down at Ruth’s flushed face.
“Yes,” and catching his hand, she drew him toward the group, where Rose
and Darthea faced Mr. Wynne.
As the two approached, the Colonel stepping eagerly forward, Rose saw
him, and ran to meet him, holding up the precious find.
“Thank you, a thousand thanks,” he said, in his deep voice, as he took
the thing from her hand. “Did you three race hither with this for me? It
was a sweet and thoughtful act, and I cannot tell you how much I am
under obligation to you. Even the temporary loss of this wallet would
mean more to me than I care to think of.”
“But it’s wonderful to do something for you,” returned Rose, and her
eyes filled with tears.
“Dear maid,” said the tall Colonel, touched to the quick, “I hope your
kindness to me will not prove more than I deserve. You have done me no
small service. I wish I might requite it.” He held out both hands as he
spoke, smiling so winningly that without an instant’s hesitation Rose
put hers into them and lifted her face to be kissed. Then Ruth and then
Darthea must have one too, while they all laughed, even Mr. Wynne.
“Foolish children,” he said. “You must forgive them, Colonel. Since
Braddock’s day, you have been a hero, you know.”
The Colonel shook his head.
“The maids have put me doubly in their debt,” he said. The soldier now
called out that the gangway was to be withdrawn, so Mr. Wynne drove them
all before him off the ship. On the dock they stood waving as the ship
drew away, watching that tall figure in blue as he returned the salute.
Waving farewell till the Quaker bade them follow him home, and be
sensible.
They turned back to the town as the last streak of sunlight shone on the
sails, tingeing them with a pale salmony pink, and flushing the waves
that rippled by the prow. Washington waved his handkerchief a last time,
his white head clear against the dark woodwork behind him. Gulls swept
the air above, and a chantey rose upward as the sailors worked at the
ropes. Rose and Ruth felt their hearts swell to think they had served
this man. Hand in hand with Darthea they followed the tall Quaker back
through the streets, chatting of the adventure they had had.
“Why do you think so much of Mr. Washington?” Darthea was asking, as
they reached the gate of her house, to which Mr. Wynne had taken them.
It was odd that Rose and Ruth could not quite remember what it was they
knew of him. Surely he ... he....
“Why, he was the Father of his country,” exclaimed Ruth, and at the same
instant Rose actually shouted: “He is the first, the greatest, the man
who made us America.”
But where was Darthea? Where the bricked street, the green-bowered
garden, the stiff figure of the Quaker moving off?
Gone like a dream. And there instead was the placid lake, the
cottonwoods, the grazing ponies and the sun low in the western sky.
It was time to saddle and get home.
They rode back talking of it, and wondering why they hadn’t been able to
tell Darthea about Washington. But at last Rose thought she understood.
“You see, where we were, it hadn’t happened yet,” she said. “The fairy
took us to the time before Washington had beaten the English and made us
a nation, so of course we didn’t remember ... what hadn’t yet happened.”
“But I _almost_ did,” Ruth asserted.
“Think of having been kissed by Washington,” Rose continued. “I guess
we’ll never forget _that_, anyhow.”
And they never did, though they never remembered at the right time to
tell Marmie or Dad or anybody else, except once when Rose was talking in
her sleep, her mother heard her say something to the effect that she and
Ruth were the only little girls in America Washington had ever kissed.
When she told Rose about it next morning, the little girl was confused.
“Somehow I think he really did, Marmie ... only I can’t explain,” she
said. But Marmie only laughed, calling her a funny little dreamer.
In the summer that followed Rose and Ruth saw no more of the Winter
Fairy who had taken them on so many delightful excursions through the
Magic Gate. Often they talked of her, and occasionally, just before
falling asleep, they thought they caught a faint sound of her voice,
almost like moonbeams singing. But of this they could not be quite sure.
When they turned the pages of the books in which lived the heroines she
had taken them to see, it almost seemed to them at times that she had
left the key of that Gate in their hands, and that the story was real to
them ... real as the house in which they lived, real as themselves.
But when they told this to their mother she smiled, and said it was
imagination, and kissed them.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES
1. Silently corrected typographical errors and variations in spelling.
2. Archaic, non-standard, and uncertain spellings retained as printed.
3. Enclosed italics font in _underscores_.
End of Project Gutenberg's Girls in Bookland, by Hildegarde Hawthorne