“See the fond mother, and her offspring round,
Her soft soul melting with maternal love;
Some to her breast she clasps, and others prove
By kisses her affection. On the ground,
Her ready foot affords a seat for one,
Another smiling sits upon her knee;
By their desiring eyes, and actions free,
And lisping words their little wants are known:
To those she gives a smile, a frown to these,—
But all in love.”
The young and amiable Mrs. Monson fully realized this pleasing picture of
a fond mother. On the morning which thus introduces her and her little
family to our young readers, she had employed the valuable hours of
its prime as usual, in the tender duties of the nursery and the school
room; and the children having fulfilled their appointed tasks to her
satisfaction, she readily yielded to the request of Harry and Joanna, the
two eldest, for permission to amuse themselves on the lawn, upon which
the sun shone gloriously; while she took the three younger to visit an
old lady in the village, whose partiality to children, and her great
kindness to them, made her a general favorite.
The storm of the preceding night had left ample evidences of its power,
among the shrubs and flowers in the borders of the lawn; and the walks
were covered with the leaves of which its violence had bereft some fine
old elms and chesnuts, in an irregular sort of avenue, which formed the
approach to the lawn; while those portions of the garden appropriated to
the children, were of course, as well as every other, in the greatest
disorder, and choked by the drifted leaves. Almost unable to find a
single flower, Harry proposed that Joanna should be his _horse and cart_,
to _make-believe_ being gardener, and _really_ to clear away the leaves
from their little gardens. Joanna hesitated, but was at last persuaded
by the entreaties of Harry, and his promise that she should be gardener
in her turn. He accordingly, with not a little ingenuity, fastened an
old basket to her back, and finding some list in the garden-house,
soon harnessed her in good style, and quickly manufacturing his emblem
of power and command—the whip, proceeded to load his cart with great
energy, though, it must be confessed, rather too heavily for his vehicle,
which was at the point of loosening from its fastenings, when the
well-known sound of grandpapa’s phaeton, and the regular trot of his
ponies, arrested the attention of the _labourers_, and in a moment, the
ever-welcome visitant was seen driving up the avenue. Joanna struggled
to free herself from the trammels, but in vain, they were too skilfully
fastened for her ingenuity and impatience to loosen; and half in tears
at the delay and obstruction, she petitioned “dear Harry” to free her.
Harry, however, although equally desirous, found it not quite so easy
as he expected, and Mr. Elmer had arrived at the gate before Joanna’s
liberation was effected. “How now, my young despot,” exclaimed Mr. Elmer
good humouredly, “what, exercising your power over the weak thus early?”
“Oh grandpapa,” replied Harry, still busy in untying knots, “it is only
make-believe,—Joanna was soon going to drive me about.” “Pray take this
piece off my arm, Harry,” entreated Joanna, as she made her arm red
in her attempt to slide from it a piece of rough list, tied with no
_gentle knot_, and in the attempt pushing off her bonnet, and disclosing
her animated countenance, glowing with exercise and impatience. Alan
quickly however lent his assistance, and Harry dashing off his cap,
and shaking his dark locks from the perspiration which burst from his
forehead, declared that Joanna trotted as well as grandpapa’s ponies,
and only wanted a little practice to be just the thing to get his hand
in to drive _them_. “Upon my word, sir, you have appointed your sister
to an honourable post; but as she seems to have been sufficiently
_practised_ this morning, what say you to a ride with me;—will you, my
young Phaeton, condescend to be driven by your old grandfather?” “Dear
grandpapa, you know what a treat it is always to me, and may not dear
Joanna go too?” “Certainly, and Ellen too if she likes it; I am come
for you to dine with me to-day; but these hands must be washed, jacket
brushed, locks arranged, and stockings made tight, or it will certainly
be thought I have picked up a gipsy, particularly if Joanna keeps her
bonnet hanging behind her, as it now does.” “Oh! we will be ready in a
minute, grandpapa; but, dear me, Ellen is gone out with mamma!” “Well, I
will wait a little while for you all, for look here (spreading out the
bill of the menagerie) I am going to place you all amongst these animals;
you look a little like an ourang-outang, Harry, and Joanna reminded me
when her arms were so pinioned, of the kangaroo with its short fore
feet.” “Oh dear grandpapa, how droll you are,—but I declare there is
an elephant, what is there a real one to be seen? and are you going to
take us to see it? Oh how good you are. Joanna dear, you wont be afraid,
will you?” “No, Harry, that I shall not, for I am sure grandpapa would
not take us any where to hurt or frighten us; but I shall like very
much to see an elephant; Mamma told me her beautiful fan was made of
ivory,—so the elephant’s teeth are called.” “It is a very large animal,
is it not grandpapa?” inquired Harry. “Yes, my dear, very large and
very wonderful, as well as useful.” “I suppose it is taller than you,
grandpapa?” “Rather,” replied Mr. Elmer, with a significant smile, amused
at the artless estimate of Harry, and anticipating with pleasure the
astonishment of the children, when they should behold the magnitude of
the animal. While some further conversation passed, and the children were
dressing for their jaunt, Mrs. Monson returned. Of course, an interchange
of kisses, embraces, blessings, &c. took place; but at length Mr. Elmer
placed himself, with gratified affection, in his little vehicle, with
his juvenile companions, and they merrily proceeded on their way to C——,
asking a thousand questions about what they were going to see. Having
arrived at Rose Mount, they alighted, and proceeded on foot to C——. The
amusement they enjoyed there, will be found recounted in the following
chapter.