THE BROWNIES VISIT GOVERNOR WILLE.
All that their unaided powers could do the Brownies had now done. But
the higher Decrees of Nature had linked their destiny with the will and
conduct of the Household whose welfare they guarded. Mysterious
relation! you exclaim. True; and the creatures of the Universe are bound
to one another and to the Great Whole in relations whose mystery none
has fathomed, and which perplex the wisest. So what could the Brownies
do, or what could men do in like estate, but continue steadfast in
watching and duty, and do their best to change the wills upon whose
action turned weal or woe, success or failure?
The truth is, Governor Wille had fallen into bad ways. It was a proud
day to the Brownies, and joyously had they celebrated it, when their
friend had been elected Governor of the Great State of Ohio. But joy had
been turned into mourning. New faces began to be seen around Hillside,
and they carried little spiritual force and beauty upon them. Rude
voices, coarse laughter, profane words, angry tones were no longer
strange sounds in the Wille Mansion.
The lads who read this will soon be voters. Let them mark this: the man
who goes into political life must take heed or he will be swept away
from safe moorings by a class of so-called "party friends," who are poor
companions and worse counsellors, and who elbow and crowd away the best
elements of community. Now, Governor Wille did not take heed. He gave
himself up to those who surrounded him for low, selfish ends, and
drifted under their convoy into perilous channels. As the Governor fell
off from the good old ways, the Pixies triumphed at Hillside, and the
Brownies lost control. That was the state of things when these Records
began. Indeed, it had well nigh come to such a pass with the Brownies
that they ceased to ask: How shall we beat back the Pixies? and were
beginning to wonder, How shall we escape with our lives?
There could not have been a better leader than Bruce. He was bold but
prudent, having courage without rashness. He was cool, hopeful and
persevering. All the fairies loved and trusted him. He had risked his
life a hundred times for them and theirs. He was covered with scars.
Amidst all troubles and losses he had not lost heart. But now he was
cast down and doubtful.
Never did captain have a better helper than Lieutenant MacWhirlie.
Active, tireless, with spirits that never drooped, and zeal that never
flagged; prompt, obedient, brave and intelligent, MacWhirlie was a model
officer. His one fault was that he sometimes failed in caution; careless
of his own life, he was apt to risk unduly the lives of his men. But in
the wild, guerilla warfare that the Brownies waged, such a fault seemed
very like a virtue. Therefore the Lieutenant was loved by his troopers
and honored by all. Affairs were truly serious when MacWhirlie became
discouraged; and he was discouraged now, beyond a doubt.
The fact that the Pixies were fortified upon the lawn, and encamped
therein, bag and baggage, was bad enough. Yet this difficulty, courage,
patience and skill might overcome. But the destiny which linked their
success with the behavior of Governor Wille, bore heavily upon the good
Brownies since the Governor had taken to evil ways. Therefore the
Captain and Lieutenant set out with heavy hearts for the Mansion. A
crowd of Brownies followed a little way behind their officers. They saw
them cross the Lawn, spring into the great Sugar maple tree, run along
the lowest limbs and swing themselves upon the sill of the chamber
window. The window was open. Governor Wille sat beside it in an easy
chair, reading a newspaper, and enjoying the fresh morning air.
The Brownies saluted him. He dropped his paper and answered the greeting
heartily.
"Welcome, good brothers, a thousand welcomes!" His tone grew less cheery
as he spoke the last words, for his eye caught the grave bearing and sad
faces of his visitors. He knew at once that they must have come on
serious business. Indeed, he might have guessed that at first, for
except at Christmas times, and on birthday and wedding anniversaries,
the Brownies rarely entered the Mansion unless some urgent need
required. They were always near at hand, the Governor well knew, and
hovered about house and grounds doing kindly deeds in secret. But the
family did not often hear or see them. In fact, Governor Wille had been
so busy, and was away from home so often, that he had lost much of the
old family interest in the gentle little people who loved and guarded
him and his so tenderly. Yet, he had not wholly forgotten them. They had
visited him several times of late with complaints about their own
dangers, and warnings about his. He had thought lightly of the matter,
and of that, indeed, he was a little ashamed. But, then, he was so busy!
He rose from his chair. "Brothers," he said, "Your sober faces bode a
gloomy message. I know you are never pleased to waste words. Speak your
errand freely. What troubles you?"
[Illustration: FIG. 23.--The Pixies Spinning Gossamer over the Eyes of
Governor Wille and Dido.]
"Brother Wille," answered Bruce, "we bring nothing new. It is the old
trouble about the Pixies the same complaint and warning that we have
urged upon you of late more than once. Our enemies--and well you know
they are yours too!--are pressing closely upon us. They have driven us
to the lawn at last, and even upon that they have built their fort and
camp. A little space further and we must flee into the house. And what
most troubles us is that they will follow us. Ah, brother Wille, our
hearts are sad at the thought of Pixies filling your home! We have done
our best and we come to you for aid. You must help us drive back these
wicked spirits. That is our petition, and our request."
The two Brownies stood quietly with their bonnets or Scotch caps under
their arms. Governor Wille impatiently crumpled the paper in his hand,
came to the window and replied. "Tut, tut, Bruce, it certainly can't be
as bad as that. You are a little blue this morning, I fear. Why, when
did Brownies ever give up to Pixies? It was never heard of!"
"Softly, brother Wille," said the Captain. "That has often happened,
right here at Hillside, too! And it will happen again you may depend
on't, if Wille and Dido do not soon bestir themselves to help their old
home fairies."
Governor Wille hesitated, ahemmed, and at last said: "I am loath to
meddle in this affair, and really, I don't see that there is such
pressing danger. I have little fear for my good, brave Brownie friends.
But,--I shall talk to Madam Dido about it, and if she is agreed, look
out for aid, and get your troopers ready for a good chase after the
Pixies."
The two Brownies withdrew, leaving the house by the way they had
entered. They looked sad, although they tried to hide their feelings
from the friends who awaited their coming.
"What is the news?" cried the Brownies.
"Nothing as yet," answered Bruce. "But we hope for good news soon."
"What will come of all this, Captain?" asked MacWhirlie privately.
"Very little, I fear," was the answer. "I can't think what has come over
the Governor of late. The Pixies seem to have spun their webs over his
heart."
"Over his eyes rather!" said MacWhirlie, "or his hands and feet. His
heart is still true to the Brownies, I am sure. But he can't or don't
understand our troubles and his own perils."
"Well, well, we shall soon know." With that poor consolation they sat
down on the edge of the lawn by the gravel walk and waited.
Presently Governor Wille and his wife Dido came out of the house, and
walked slowly up the path. Wille was relating his interview with the
Brownies.
"What do you think, wife? I fancy their stories about the Pixies are a
good deal exaggerated--by fear of course I mean, for Brownies are clear
truth always. Bruce said that the lawn was full of their tents and nets.
Do you see them? I cannot see one, and I've been looking all along the
walk."[R]
"I quite agree with you, my dear," said the affectionate Dido. "As for
the Pixie snares, I can see no more of them than you. Perhaps we had
better wait a few days before we interfere."
"A few days!" sighed Bruce, who heard all the conversation. "It will be
too late by that time, I fear!"
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote R: On a dewy summer morning one sees the fields and shrubbery
covered with innumerable spider webs of various sorts. By midday these
webs are invisible. What has become of them? In truth, the sun has
simply dried the dew which clung to the delicate filaments of the webs
and thus made them visible; and from careless eyes the webs are hidden,
as was the case with Governor Wille.--THE EDITOR.]