MERRY TIMES.
When the long northeast storms set in, and the misty clouds hung over
the valley, and went hurrying away to the west, brushing the tops of the
trees; when the rain, hour after hour, and day after day, fell aslant
upon the roof of the little old house; when the wind swept around the
eaves, and dashed in wild gusts against the windows, and moaned and
wailed in the forests,--then it was that Paul sometimes felt his spirits
droop, for the circumstances of life were all against him. He was poor.
His dear, kind mother was sick. She had worked day and night to keep
that terrible wolf from the door, which is always prowling around the
houses of poor people. But the wolf had come, and was looking in at the
windows. There was a debt due Mr. Funk for rice, sugar, biscuit, tea,
and other things which Doctor Arnica said his mother must have. There
was the doctor's bill. The flour-barrel was getting low, and the
meal-bag was almost empty. Paul saw the wolf every night as he lay in
his bed, and he wished he could kill it.
When his mother was taken sick, he left school and became her nurse. It
was hard for him to lay down his books, for he loved them, but it was
pleasant to wait upon her. The neighbors were kind. Azalia Adams often
came tripping in with something nice,--a tumbler of jelly, or a plate of
toast, which her mother had prepared; and she had such cheerful words,
and spoke so pleasantly, and moved round the room so softly, putting
everything in order, that the room was lighter, even on the darkest
days, for her presence.
When, after weeks of confinement to her bed, Paul's mother was strong
enough to sit in her easy-chair, Paul went out to fight the wolf. He
worked for Mr. Middlekauf, in his cornfield. He helped Mr. Chrome paint
wagons. He surveyed land, and ran lines for the farmers, earning a
little here and a little there. As fast as he obtained a dollar, it went
to pay the debts. As the seasons passed away,--spring, summer, and
autumn,--Paul could see that the wolf howled less fiercely day by day.
He denied himself everything, except plain food. He was tall, stout,
hearty, and rugged. The winds gave him health; his hands were hard, but
his heart was tender. When through with his day's work, though his bones
ached and his eyes were drowsy, he seldom went to sleep without first
studying awhile, and closing with a chapter from the Bible, for he
remembered what his grandfather often said,--that a chapter from the
Bible was a good thing to sleep on.
The cool and bracing breezes of November, the nourishing food which Paul
obtained, brought the color once more to his mother's cheeks; and when
at length she was able to be about the house, they had a jubilee,--a
glad day of thanksgiving,--for, in addition to this blessing of health,
Paul had killed the wolf, and the debts were all paid.
As the winter came on, the subject of employing Mr. Rhythm to teach a
singing-school was discussed. Mr. Quaver, a tall, slim man, with a long,
red nose, had led the choir for many years. He had a loud voice, and
twisted his words so badly, that his singing was like the blare of a
trumpet. On Sundays, after Rev. Mr. Surplice read the hymn, the people
were accustomed to hear a loud Hawk! from Mr. Quaver, as he tossed his
tobacco-quid into a spittoon, and an Ahem! from Miss Gamut. She was the
leading first treble, a small lady with a sharp, shrill voice. Then Mr.
Fiddleman sounded the key on the bass-viol, do-mi-sol-do, helping the
trebles and tenors climb the stairs of the scale; then he hopped down
again, and rounded off with a thundering swell at the bottom, to let
them know he was safely down, and ready to go ahead. Mr. Quaver led, and
the choir followed like sheep, all in their own way and fashion.
The people had listened to this style of music till they were tired of
it. They wanted a change, and decided to engage Mr. Rhythm, a nice young
man, to teach a singing-school for the young folks. "We have a hundred
boys and girls here in the village, who ought to learn to sing, so that
they can sit in the singing-seats, and praise God," said Judge Adams.
But Mr. Quaver opposed the project. "The young folks want a frolic,
sir," he said; "yes, sir, a frolic, a high time. Rhythm will be teaching
them newfangled notions. You know, Judge, that I hate flummididdles; I
go for the good old things, sir. The old tunes which have stood the wear
and tear of time, and the good old style of singing, sir."
Mr. Quaver did not say all he thought, for he could see that, if the
singing-school was kept, he would be in danger of losing his position as
chorister. But, notwithstanding his opposition, Mr. Rhythm was engaged
to teach the school. Paul determined to attend. He loved music.
"You haven't any coat fit to wear," said his mother. "I have altered
over your grandfather's pants and vest for you, but I cannot alter his
coat. You will have to stay at home, I guess."
"I can't do that, mother, for Mr. Rhythm is one of the best teachers
that ever was, and I don't want to miss the chance. I'll wear grandpa's
coat just as it is."
"The school will laugh at you."
"Well, let them laugh, I sha'n't stay at home for that. I guess I can
stand it," said Paul, resolutely.
The evening fixed upon for the school to commence arrived. All the young
folks in the town were there. Those who lived out of the village,--the
farmers' sons and daughters,--came in red, yellow, and green wagons. The
girls wore close-fitting hoods with pink linings, which they called
"kiss-me-if-ye-dares." Their cheeks were all aglow with the excitement
of the occasion. When they saw Mr. Rhythm, how pleasant and smiling he
was,--when they heard his voice, so sweet and melodious,--when they saw
how spryly he walked, as if he meant to accomplish what he had
undertaken,--they said to one another, "How different he is from Mr.
Quaver!"
Paul was late on the first evening; for when he put on his grandfather's
coat, his mother planned a long while to see if there was not some way
by which she could make it look better. Once she took the shears and was
going to cut off the tail, but Paul stopped her. "I don't want it
curtailed, mother."
"It makes you look like a little old man, Paul; I wouldn't go."
"If I had better clothes, I should wear them, mother; but as I haven't,
I shall wear these. I hope to earn money enough some time to get a
better coat; but grandpa wore this, and I am not ashamed to wear what he
wore," he replied, more resolute than ever. Perhaps, if he could have
seen how he looked, he would not have been quite so determined, for the
sleeves hung like bags on his arms, and the tail almost touched the
floor.
Mr. Rhythm had just rapped the scholars to their seats when Paul
entered. There was a tittering, a giggle, then a roar of laughter. Mr.
Rhythm looked round to see what was the matter, and smiled. For a moment
Paul's courage failed him. It was not so easy to be laughed at as he had
imagined. He was all but ready to turn about and leave the room. "No I
won't, I'll face it out," he said to himself, walking deliberately to a
seat, and looking bravely round, as if asking, "What are you laughing
at?"
There was something in his manner which instantly won Mr. Rhythm's
respect, and which made him ashamed of himself for having laughed.
"Silence! No more laughing," he said; but, notwithstanding the command,
there was a constant tittering among the girls. Mr. Rhythm began by
saying, "We will sing Old Hundred. I want you all to sing, whether you
can sing right or not." He snapped his tuning-fork, and began. The
school followed, each one singing,--putting in sharps, flats, naturals,
notes, and rests, just as they pleased. "Very well. Good volume of
sound. Only I don't think Old Hundred ever was sung so before, or ever
will be again," said the master, smiling.
Michael Murphy was confident that he sang gloriously, though he never
varied his tone up or down. He was ciphering in fractions at school, and
what most puzzled him were the figures set to the bass. He wondered if
6/4 was a vulgar fraction, and if so, he thought it would be better to
express it as a mixed number, 1-1/2.
During the evening, Mr. Rhythm, noticing that Michael sang without any
variation of tone, said, "Now, Master Murphy, please sing _la_ with
me";--and Michael sang bravely, not frightened in the least.
"Very well. Now please sing it a little higher."
"_La_," sang Michael on the same pitch, but louder.
"Not louder, but higher."
"LA!" responded Michael, still louder, but with the pitch unchanged.
There was tittering among the girls.
"Not so, but thus,"--and Mr. Rhythm gave an example, first low, then
high. "Now once more."
"LA!" bellowed Michael on the same pitch.
Daphne Dare giggled aloud, and the laughter, like a train of powder,
ran through the girls' seats over to the boys' side of the house, where
it exploded in a loud haw! haw! Michael laughed with the others, but he
did not know what for.
Recess came. "Halloo, Grandpa! How are you, Old Pensioner? Your coat
puckers under the arms, and there is a wrinkle in the back," said Philip
Funk to Paul. His sister Fanny pointed her finger at him; and Paul heard
her whisper to one of the girls, "Did you ever see such a monkey?"
It nettled him, and so, losing his temper, he said to Philip, "Mind your
business."
"Just hear Grandaddy Parker, the old gentleman in the bob-tailed coat,"
said Philip.
"You are a puppy," said Paul. But he was vexed with himself for having
said it. If he had held his tongue, and kept his temper, and braved the
sneers of Philip in silence, he might have won a victory; for he
remembered a Sunday-school lesson upon the text, "He that ruleth his
spirit is greater than he that taketh a city." As it was, he had
suffered a defeat, and went home that night disgusted with himself.
Pleasant were those singing-school evenings. Under Mr. Rhythm's
instructions the young people made rapid progress. Then what fine times
they had at recess, eating nuts, apples, and confectionery, picking out
the love-rhymes from the sugar-cockles!
"I cannot tell the love
I feel for you, my dove."
was Philip's gift to Azalia. Paul had no money to purchase sweet things
at the store; his presents were nuts which he had gathered in the
autumn. In the kindness of his heart he gave a double-handful to
Philip's sister, Fanny; but she turned up her nose, and let them drop
upon the floor.
Society in New Hope was mixed. Judge Adams, Colonel Dare, and Mr. Funk
were rich men. Colonel Dare was said to be worth a hundred thousand
dollars. No one knew what Mr. Funk was worth; but he had a store, and a
distillery, which kept smoking day and night and Sunday, without
cessation, grinding up corn, and distilling it into whiskey. There was
always a great black smoke rising from the distillery-chimney. The fires
were always roaring, and the great vats steaming. Colonel Dare made his
money by buying and selling land, wool, corn, and cattle. Judge Adams
was an able lawyer, known far and near as honest, upright, and learned.
He had a large practice; but though the Judge and Colonel were so
wealthy, and lived in fine houses, they did not feel that they were
better than their neighbors, so that there was no aristocracy in the
place, but the rich and the poor were alike respected and esteemed.
The New Year was at hand, and Daphne Dare was to give a party. She was
Colonel Dare's only child,--a laughing, blue-eyed, sensible girl, who
attended the village school, and was in the same class with Paul.
"Whom shall I invite to my party, father?" she asked.
"Just whom you please, my dear," said the Colonel.
"I don't know what to do about inviting Paul Parker. Fanny Funk says she
don't want to associate with a fellow who is so poor that he wears his
grandfather's old clothes," said Daphne.
"Poverty is not a crime, my daughter. I was poor once,--poor as Paul is.
Money is not virtue, my dear. It is a good thing to have; but persons
are not necessarily bad because they are poor, neither are they good
because they are rich," said the Colonel.
"Should you invite him, father, if you were in my place?"
"I do not wish to say, my child, for I want you to decide the matter
yourself."
"Azalia says that she would invite him; but Fanny says that if I invite
him, she shall not come."
"Aha!" The Colonel opened his eyes wide. "Well, my dear, you are not to
be influenced wholly by what Azalia says, and you are to pay no
attention to what Fanny threatens. You make the party. You have a
perfect right to invite whom you please; and if Fanny don't choose to
come, she has the privilege of staying away. I think, however, that she
will not be likely to stay at home even if you give Paul an invitation.
Be guided by your own sense of right, my darling. That is the best
guide."
"I wish you'd give Paul a coat, father. You can afford to, can't you?"
"Yes; but he can't afford to receive it," Daphne looked at her father in
amazement. "He can't afford to receive such a gift from me, because it
is better for him to fight the battle of life without any help from me
or anybody else at present. A good man offered to help me when I was a
poor boy; but I thanked him, and said, 'No, sir.' I had made up my mind
to cut my own way, and I guess Paul has made up his mind to do the same
thing," said the Colonel.
"I shall invite him. I'll let Fanny know that I have a mind of my own,"
said Daphne, with determination in her voice.
Her father kissed her, but kept his thoughts to himself. He appeared to
be pleased, and Daphne thought that he approved her decision.
The day before New Year Paul received a neatly folded note, addressed to
Mr. Paul Parker. How funny it looked! It was the first time in his life
that he had seen "Mr." prefixed to his name. He opened it, and read that
Miss Daphne Dare would receive her friends on New Year's eve at seven
o'clock. A great many thoughts passed through his mind. How could he go
and wear his grandfather's coat? At school he was on equal footing with
all; but to be one of a party in a richly furnished parlor, where
Philip, Fanny, and Azalia, and other boys and girls whose fathers had
money, could turn their backs on him and snub him, was very different.
It was very kind in Daphne to invite him, and ought he not to accept her
invitation? Would she not think it a slight if he did not go? What
excuse could he offer if he stayed away? None, except that he had no
nice clothes. But she knew that, yet she had invited him. She was a
true-hearted girl, and would not have asked him if she had not wanted
him. Thus he turned the matter over, and decided to go.
But when the time came, Paul was in no haste to be there. Two or three
times his heart failed him, while on his way; but looking across the
square, and seeing Colonel Dare's house all aglow,--lights in the
parlors and chambers, he pushed on resolutely, determined to be manly,
notwithstanding his poverty. He reached the house, rang the bell, and
was welcomed by Daphne in the hall.
"Good evening, Paul. You are very late. I was afraid you were not
coming. All the others are here," she said, her face beaming with
happiness, joy, and excitement. She was elegantly dressed, for she was
her father's pet, and he bought everything for her which he thought
would make her happy.
"Better late than never, isn't it?" said Paul, not knowing what else to
say.
Although the party had been assembled nearly an hour, there had been no
games. The girls were huddled in groups on one side of the room, and the
boys on the other, all shy, timid, and waiting for somebody to break the
ice. Azalia was playing the piano, while Philip stood by her side. He
was dressed in a new suit of broadcloth, and wore an eye-glass. Fanny
was present, though she had threatened not to attend if Paul was
invited. She had changed her mind. She thought it would be better to
attend and make the place too hot for Paul; she would get up such a
laugh upon him that he would be glad to take his hat and sneak away, and
never show himself in respectable society again. Philip was in the
secret, and so were a dozen others who looked up to Philip and Fanny.
Daphne entered the parlor, followed by Paul. There was a sudden
tittering, snickering, and laughing. Paul stopped and bowed, then stood
erect.
"I declare, if there isn't old Grandaddy," said Philip, squinting
through his eye-glass.
"O my! how funny!" said a girl from Fairview.
"Ridiculous! It is a shame!" said Fanny, turning up her nose.
"Who is he?" the Fairview girl asked.
"A poor fellow who lives on charity,--so poor that he wears his
grandfather's old clothes. We don't associate with him," was Fanny's
reply.
Paul heard it. His cheek flushed, but he stood there, determined to
brave it out. Azalia heard and saw it all. She stopped playing in the
middle of a measure, rose from her seat with her cheeks all aflame, and
walked towards Paul, extending her hand and welcoming him. "I am glad
you have come, Paul. We want you to wake us up. We have been half
asleep," she said.
The laughter ceased instantly, for Azalia was queen among them.
Beautiful in form and feature, her chestnut hair falling in luxuriant
curls upon her shoulders, her dark hazel eyes flashing indignantly, her
cheeks like blush-roses, every feature of her countenance lighted up by
the excitement of the moment, her bearing subdued the conspiracy at
once, hushing the derisive laughter, and compelling respect, not only
for herself, but for Paul. It required an effort on his part to keep
back the tears from his eyes, so grateful was he for her kindness.
"Yes, Paul, we want you to be our general, and tell us what to do," said
Daphne.
"Very well, let us have Copenhagen to begin with," he said.
The ice was broken. Daphne brought in her mother's clothes-line, the
chairs were taken from the room, and in five minutes the parlor was
humming like a beehive.
"I don't see what you can find to like in that disagreeable creature,"
said Philip to Azalia.
"He is a good scholar, and kind to his mother, and you know how
courageous he was when he killed that terrible dog," was her reply.
"I think he is an impudent puppy. What right has he to thrust himself
into good company, wearing his grandfather's old clothes?" Philip
responded, dangling his eye-glass and running his soft hand through his
hair.
"Paul is poor; but I never have heard anything against his character,"
said Azalia.
"Poor folks ought to be kept out of good society," said Philip.
"What do you say to that picture?" said Azalia, directing his attention
towards a magnificent picture of Franklin crowned with laurel by the
ladies of the court of France, which hung on the wall. "Benjamin
Franklin was a poor boy, and dipped candles for a living; but he became
a great man."
"Dipped candles! Why, I never heard of that before," said Philip,
looking at the engraving through his eye-glass.
"I don't think it is any disgrace to Paul to be poor. I am glad that
Daphne invited him," said Azalia, so resolutely that Philip remained
silent. He was shallow-brained and ignorant, and thought it not best to
hazard an exposure of his ignorance by pursuing the conversation.
After Copenhagen they had Fox and Geese, and Blind-man's-buff. They
guessed riddles and conundrums, had magic writing, questions and
answers, and made the parlor, the sitting-room, the spacious halls, and
the wide stairway ring with their merry laughter. How pleasant the
hours! Time flew on swiftest wings. They had a nice supper,--sandwiches,
tongue, ham, cakes, custards, floating-islands, apples, and nuts. After
supper they had stories, serious and laughable, about ghosts and
witches, till the clock in the dining-room held up both of its hands and
pointed to the figure twelve, as if in amazement at their late staying.
"Twelve o'clock! Why, how short the evening has been!" said they, when
they found how late it was. They had forgotten all about Paul's coat,
for he had been the life of the party, suggesting something new when the
games lagged. He was so gentlemanly, and laughed so heartily and
pleasantly, and was so wide awake, and managed everything so well, that,
notwithstanding the conspiracy to put him down, he had won the good will
of all the party.
During the evening Colonel Dare and Mrs. Dare entered the room. The
Colonel shook hands with Paul, and said, "I am very happy to see you
here to-night, Paul." It was spoken so heartily and pleasantly that Paul
knew the Colonel meant it.
The young gentlemen were to wait upon the young ladies home. Their
hearts went pit-a-pat. They thought over whom to ask and what to say.
They walked nervously about the hall, pulling on their gloves, while the
girls were putting on their cloaks and hoods up stairs. They also were
in a fever of expectation and excitement, whispering mysteriously, their
hearts going like trip-hammers.
Daphne stood by the door to bid her guests good night. "I am very glad
that you came to-night, Paul," she said, pressing his hand in
gratitude, "I don't know what we should have done without you."
"I have passed a very pleasant evening," he replied.
Azalia came tripping down the stairs. "Shall I see you home, Azalia?"
Paul asked.
"Miss Adams, shall I have the delightful pleasure of being permitted to
escort you to your residence?" said Philip, with his most gallant air,
at the same time pushing by Paul with a contemptuous look.
"Thank you, Philip, but I have an escort," said Azalia, accepting Paul's
arm.
The night was frosty and cold, though it was clear and pleasant. The
full moon was high in the heavens, the air was still, and there were no
sounds to break the peaceful silence, except the water dashing over the
dam by the mill, the footsteps of the departing guests upon the frozen
ground, and the echoing of their voices. Now that he was with Azalia
alone, Paul wanted to tell her how grateful he was for all she had done
for him; but he could only say, "I thank you, Azalia, for your kindness
to me to-night."
"O, don't mention it, Paul; I am glad if I have helped you. Good
night."
How light-hearted he was! He went home, and climbed the creaking
stairway, to his chamber. The moon looked in upon him, and smiled. He
could not sleep, so happy was he. How sweet those parting words! The
water babbled them to the rocks, and beyond the river in the grand old
forest, where the breezes were blowing, there was a pleasant murmuring
of voices, as if the elms and oaks were having a party, and all were
saying, "We are glad if we have helped you."