AUNT KITTY'S TALES.
BY MARIA J. M^cINTOSH,
AUTHOR OF "TWO LIVES, OR TO SEEM AND TO BE," "CONQUEST AND SELF-CONQUEST,"
"PRAISE AND PRINCIPLE," ETC., ETC.
A NEW REVISED EDITION.
NEW YORK:
D. APPLETON & COMPANY, 200 BROADWAY.
PHILADELPHIA:
GEO. S. APPLETON, 148 CHESNUT STREET.
M DCCC XLVII.
INTRODUCTION.
It has been several years since Aunt Kitty last presented herself to her
young friends, yet she hopes that she has not been forgotten by them,
and that her reappearance will give them pleasure. She introduces to
them in the present volume no new acquaintance, but she offers to them,
in one group, all who formerly interested them. Blind Alice and her
young benefactress--Jessie Graham and her ardent, generous, but
inconsiderate friend, Florence Arnott--Grace and Clara--and Ellen
Leslie, will here be found together. They have been carefully prepared
for this second presentation to the public by Aunt Kitty's own hand. It
is hoped that her efforts for their improvement have not been wholly
unsuccessful, and that they will be found not altogether unworthy
teachers of those lessons of benevolence and truth, generosity, justice
and self-government, which she designed to convey through them.
_New York_, Feb. 15th, 1847.
BLIND ALICE.
Good morning, my young friend! A merry Christmas, or happy New Year, or
at least a pleasant holiday to you;--for holiday I hope it is, as it is
on such festivals, when there is no danger of lessons being forgotten,
that I best love to see around me a group of happy children, all the
happier for having Aunt Kitty to direct their plays--to show them the
pleasantest walks, or, when they are tired both of playing and walking,
to sit with them by the fireside and tell them some entertaining story.
I am never however entirely without such young companions. I have always
with me an orphan niece--Harriet Armand--who is about ten years old. Her
father and mother died when she was quite an infant, and she has ever
since been to me as my own child. Then I have another niece--Mary
Mackay--just six years old, the merriest little girl on whom the sun
ever shone, who, as her father lives quite near me, spends part--her
mother says the largest part--of every day with me. Besides these, there
are Susan May and Lucy Ellis, who, living in a neat, pretty village near
us, seldom let a fine day pass without seeing Harriet and me.
I am the very intimate and confidential friend of all these little
girls. To me they intrust all their secrets. I know all the pleasant
surprises they intend for each other; am consulted on birth-day
presents, and have helped them out of many troubles, which, though they
might seem little to larger people, were to them very serious affairs. I
encourage them to tell me, not only what they say and do, but what they
think and feel. Sometimes when they are a little fretful and
discontented because their friends have not done just as they wished, we
talk the matter over together, and find that they have themselves been
unreasonable, and then the fretfulness is dismissed, and they try by a
very pleasant manner to make amends for their hard thoughts and unjust
feelings. If any one has really injured them, or been unkind to them,
and I find them too angry easily to forgive it, I bid them put on their
bonnets, and we go out together to look for their good-humor. Then, as
we see the gay flowers, and inhale the sweet perfumes, and listen to the
merry birds that hop around us, twittering and chirping, my little
friends forget to be angry; and while I talk to them of the good Father
in heaven, who made all these beautiful and pleasant things for his
children on earth, they feel such love and thankfulness to him, that it
seems easy for his sake even to forgive those who have done them wrong.
These are Aunt Kitty's lessons,--they are lessons for the heart, and
such as I hope all my readers will be pleased to learn.
The walk which these little girls and I best love is to a small house,
about half a mile from mine. Small as it is, it looks so pleasantly with
its white walls, (it is freshly whitewashed every spring,) and green
shutters, its neat paling and pretty flower-garden, peeping from the
midst of green trees, that any one might be contented to live there. In
this house lives a widow, with one only child, a daughter, a year older
than my niece Harriet. I will tell you their story, which I think will
make you feel almost as much interested in them as we do, and you will
then understand why we like them so well, and visit them so often.
About three years ago, my little friends, Susan May and Lucy Ellis,
began to talk a great deal of a child who had lately come to the school
in the village, which they attended. They said her name was Alice Scott;
that her teachers thought a great deal of her because she learned her
lessons so well, and that her schoolmates loved her because she was so
good-humored and merry. She had told them that she used to live a great
way off, and that her father and mother had left her other home because
it was sickly, and had come here because they had heard it was a healthy
place. The girls said Alice looked very well herself, but that Mrs.
Scott was pale, and that Alice said she was often sick. "A stranger and
sick," thought I, "then I must go to see her"--and so I did, very soon.
I found her a pleasing, as well as a good woman, though she seemed sad,
except when Alice was with her, and then she was happy and cheerful
enough. She told me that her husband was a carpenter, and as he was an
industrious and honest man, he had as much work given to him as he could
do, and would have made money enough for them to live on very
comfortably, had he not been so often ill himself, and obliged to pay so
much to the doctors who attended his family when they were ill. This
made them very poor, but it was not being poor, she said, that made her
look and feel sorrowful,--it was the thought of three sweet little
babies, all younger than Alice, who had died and been buried side by
side in the green churchyard of the place from which they had moved.
Then she would check herself, and say how very wrong it was for her to
grieve so much, when God had still left her dear Alice with her, and she
knew her babies were all happy in heaven.
Mrs. Scott was a very neat and careful woman, and poor as they were, she
made her home quite comfortable--a great deal more comfortable than that
of many people who have more money in their purses, and better furniture
in their houses. Their little court-yard too was filled with pretty
flowers, for Alice loved gardening, and was never so happy as when
cutting her finest carnations and roses to dress her mother's parlor,
and make nosegays for her young friends. And yet Alice was always happy,
and so you felt she was the moment you looked at her. She was now a
healthy, fine-looking child of nine years old. Her very eyes seemed to
sparkle with pleasure; she never walked when she was alone, but bounded
along like a young fawn. Her voice was very sweet, and was often heard,
when she was with her young companions, ringing out in a gay laugh, or
when she was by herself, singing some of the little hymns which her
mother had taught her. Yet, gay as Alice was, her laughter was hushed,
her bounding step became cautious and noiseless, and her bright eyes
were full of tears in a moment, if she saw either her father or her
mother suffering from any cause. When they first came to the village,
Mrs. Scott was subject to very distressing attacks of pain in the head,
and it was touching to see the playful Alice changed into a quiet,
watchful nurse.
A year had passed away, and Mrs. Scott was healthier and happier and
dear little Alice livelier than ever, when many people in our village
and in the country around, and especially many children, became ill with
a very dangerous disease, called scarlet fever. My little niece Harriet
was one of the first who had it, and she was so ill with it that we
feared she would die. As soon as she was well enough to travel, I took
her to her grandfather's, about twenty miles off, for a change of air.
When we left home, Mr. and Mrs. Scott and Alice were still well. Alice,
who loved Harriet very much, wished greatly to see her before she went
away, if only to bid her good-by, but I would not consent for fear she
should take the disease. Her mother however gave her permission to walk
out on the road by which we were to pass, and take one look at Harriet,
as we drove by. So when we were about half a mile from home, there stood
Alice by the road-side, with a bunch of flowers in her hand. As we
passed she threw the flowers into the carriage and called out "Good-by,
good-by; dear Harriet, I hope you will come back soon, and well."
I raised Harriet from the pillow on which she was leaning in a corner of
the carriage, to the window, that she might see Alice; and as I looked
at Alice's red cheeks and smiling face and lively motion, while she ran
along by the side of the carriage for a few minutes, I felt sadder than
ever to see Harriet so pale and weak.
Now, my little readers, if any of you have a grandfather and
grandmother, and have ever gone to visit them after having been ill, you
will know how very glad Harriet's grandfather and grandmother were to
see her, and how anxious they were to gratify and amuse her. Harriet got
well very slowly, and was obliged for some weeks to be much confined to
the house, and often to suffer pain. She was a good child, and bore all
this so patiently, that when at the end of six weeks we were about
returning home, her grandfather gave her a gold piece, worth two dollars
and a half, bidding her spend it as she liked. This, you know, was a
great deal of money for a little girl, and as Harriet had never had half
so much at one time, she was quite wild with delight, thinking at first
that it would buy every thing for which she had ever wished. On
calculation, however, she found it would take it all to buy one such
large wax doll as a little girl who had lately visited her had brought
with her. The wax doll she was determined to have, for she thought it by
far the most beautiful thing she had ever seen, and so her money was at
once disposed of in her own mind.
During the first part of her ride home, Harriet talked of nothing but
her doll, which I was to get from the city for her as soon as I could.
She had not quite decided what would be the prettiest name for it, or
the most becoming color for its dress, when we stopped at a friend's
house, about eight miles from our home, where we were to rest for two or
three hours. Here there was a very clever girl, a little older than
Harriet, who brought out all her books and toys to amuse her. Among the
books were several of those entertaining little volumes, called the
Boys' and Girls' Library, which Harriet had never read. The little girl
offered to lend them to her, and I allowed her to take one of them, as
she promised to be very careful of it. As soon as we were in the
carriage, Harriet begged me to read for her from this little book; and
she was not only much amused with it, but I was able to point out to her
some very useful lessons it contained.
We did not arrive at home till after sunset, and as Harriet was much
fatigued, she was soon put to bed. Her room opened into mine, and I went
in early in the morning to see how she was. She was already awake, and
gave me no time to speak to her, for as soon as she saw me, she cried
out, "Now, Aunt Kitty, I know what to do with my money."
"Why, my love," said I, "I thought you were going to buy a doll with it,
like Eliza Lewis's, and you know I told you that such a doll would take
it all."
"Oh yes, I know all that, Aunt Kitty, but I've something a great deal
better to do with it now,--I am going to buy books with it. It will buy
five volumes of the Boys' and Girls' Library; for see here, Aunt Kitty,"
showing me the price which was marked on a leaf of the book she had
brought home the day before, "see here, this only cost fifty cents, and
I've counted, and there are five times fifty cents in my two dollars and
a half."
"And are you very sure," said I, "that you will always like the books
better than the doll, and that when you have finished reading them you
will not feel sorry for having changed your mind?"
"Oh no! I am very sure I shall not, for you know I could only play with
my doll now and then, and if I kept it all to myself I should soon grow
tired of it, and if I let the other girls play with it, it would soon
get spoiled or broken, and I should have nothing left for my money; but
it will take me a long time to read through so many new books, and when
they get spoiled or torn up, if I remember what was in them, I shall
still have something for my gold piece. And then you know, Aunt Kitty,
you cannot play with my doll, but you can read my books."
I was always gratified that my little girl should wish me to share in
her pleasures, and so I told her, adding that I thought her choice of
the books rather than the doll was very wise. At the end of the book
which Harriet had just read, were the names of all the volumes of the
Boys' and Girls' Library that had yet been published. Harriet turned to
this leaf, and began to show me which of them she intended to buy. I
told her, however, that she had better not think any more of them just
now, but that after breakfast she might write down their names and give
them to me, and I would send for them to a bookseller in the city. In
the mean time I reminded her that she had not yet thanked her Heavenly
Father for his kind care of her while she was away, or asked him to
bless her through this day.
I then left her, as she was dressed, and went to the breakfast parlor,
intending to put some questions to the servant who was there about my
neighbors, which I had no time to ask the evening before. I now heard
very sad news indeed. The servant told me that a great many children,
and even some grown persons, had died with scarlet fever. Among the last
was Mr. Scott; and Alice had been near death,--indeed was still very
ill. This news made me very sad, and when Harriet heard it she forgot
both her gold coin and the books it was to buy, while she begged to go
with me to see the sick child. As I was no longer afraid of her taking
the disease, since persons usually have the scarlet fever but once, I
consented, and we set out as soon as we had breakfasted.
As we came in sight of the house, we found it looking very gloomy.
Though the morning was pleasant and the weather warm, the windows were
all closely shut. The little court-yard looked neglected; it was full of
weeds. Alice's flowers seemed to have withered on their stalks, and
wanted trimming and training sadly. We did not see a creature, or hear a
sound, and every thing was so still and seemed so lifeless, that it made
me feel melancholy, and Harriet appeared a little afraid, for she drew
close to my side and took hold of my hand. When we came quite near, I
found the door was ajar, and we went in at once without knocking. The
parlor door stood open, and I looked in, hoping to find some one there
who would tell Mrs. Scott of my coming, as I was afraid we might disturb
Alice by going straight to her room. There was no one in the parlor, and
bidding Harriet wait there for me, I stepped very softly on, to the room
door. I intended to knock at this door so lightly, that though Mrs.
Scott might hear me, it would not wake Alice if she were asleep. When I
came near the room, however, I heard a sound like some one speaking very
low, yet not whispering. The door was not latched, and every thing was
so quiet that I stood still and listened. I not only knew that it was
Alice's voice, but I could even hear what she said. Her tone was very
feeble, as if from her own great weakness, yet sharp, like that in which
persons speak who are frightened or distressed. She appeared, poor
child, to be both frightened and distressed. It seemed to me that she
was complaining to her mother of the darkness and silence around her,
while her mother did not answer her at all, but every now and then
moaned as if in great pain.
"Mother, dear mother," said Alice, "speak to me; and open the window,
mother--pray open the window and give me some light. I am afraid,
mother--I am afraid, it is so dark and still--so like the grave."
For a moment the child was silent, as if waiting for her mother's
answer; but as no one spoke to her, she cried out again, in still
sharper tones, "Oh, mother, mother, where are you? Wake up, mother, dear
mother, and open the window and let me look once, only once, on the
blessed light, and see your face; and then mother, I will be quiet and
go to sleep, and you may shut it all up again."
I began now to be quite anxious about Mrs. Scott, who I thought must be
ill herself, or she would certainly answer Alice. Besides, I could not
stand the poor child's distress any longer, and thinking it would be a
relief to her to hear anybody speak, I pushed the door open and went in.
The window was shut, as poor Alice supposed, but still there was light
enough for me to see her very plainly. Her face was as white as the
pillow on which it was lying, and her long and thick dark hair fell
around it in great confusion. This, and the terror she felt, made her
look very wild. Mrs. Scott was kneeling at the foot of the bed, her
hands were clasped over her head, and her face was buried in the
bedclothes. Alice's eyes were opened very widely, and their look,
together with what I had heard, told me the painful truth at once. Alice
was blind--perfectly blind,--an affliction that sometimes follows
scarlet fever. Till this morning she had been either out of her senses,
or so low and stupid from the disease, that she did not notice any
thing. But now she was better and stronger, and having heard the doctor
bid her mother good morning, when he came in to see her, she was first
surprised by the long-continued darkness, and then frightened by her
mother's silence and distress. And poor Mrs. Scott! she had long feared
for her child's eyes, as Alice would complain of the darkness when the
broad daylight was around her, and grieve that she could not see her
mother's face when she was weeping over her pillow, or pressing her cold
hand on her hot and aching head. But the fever gave Alice many strange
fancies, and Mrs. Scott had hoped that this was one of them, till this
morning, when the doctor told her that her precious child was blind,
quite blind, and must, he feared, be so always.
I have told you that Mrs. Scott had had many sorrows; that she had been
sick and poor, had lost three sweet children, and last and worst of all,
her husband; yet she had never complained; she had always said, "My
Father in heaven loves me, and he sees this sorrow will do me good, or
he would not let it happen to me." But she was now weak and worn with
grief and fatigue, and when she first heard that her gay, laughing Alice
must now be always in darkness--that she could never again see the green
earth, or the beautiful flowers, or the bright skies she had so loved
to look upon--that, instead of running, jumping, and dancing along, she
must now be led by another, or feel her way very slowly and carefully,
she was so distressed, so very, very sad, that she had no power to
answer Alice, except by low moans.
Much of what I have now told you I heard afterwards; but I saw enough at
once to show me what I had best do. Now I want my little readers to mark
what I say, and remember whenever any thing happens to another which
terrifies or distresses them, they are not to run away from it, but to
try to do something to remove it. It no doubt makes you feel very badly
to see another suffering, but then you know they feel a great deal worse
than you do, and if you will only think more of them than of yourself,
you will generally find something you can do to help them.
As soon as I saw how things were with Mrs. Scott and poor Alice, I said
to Mrs. Scott in as cheerful and quiet a manner as possible, "How d'ye
do, Mrs. Scott? I have called to see how Alice and you are to-day, and I
am very glad to find she is better." Then going up to Alice, and taking
her hand, I said, "I rejoice, my dear little girl, that you are getting
well again; but you have been very ill, and your mother has watched by
you so long that she seems quite overcome with sleep. Will you let me
take care of you for a little while, that she may rest?"
I spoke very gently, and the child seemed pleased to hear any voice
besides her own.
"Thank you, ma'am," said she, "I will be glad to have you sit by me
while my mother rests, if you will only open the window and give me some
light."
Her mother groaned.
"I will open the window, my dear, and let you feel the breeze, and know
that the light is around you, but your eyes are weak yet--so weak that
it would hurt them very much--perhaps blind them entirely, if the light
fell on them, so you must let me tie a handkerchief lightly over them
before I open the window, and promise me you will not take it off while
it is open."
In this I only told Alice the truth; for I knew if there was any hope of
her recovering her sight it must be by keeping her from using her eyes
for some time. She readily promised what I asked, and I then took my
pocket-handkerchief, which was fine and thin, and passing it lightly
over her eyes, tied it so as to cover them without pressing upon them. I
then opened the window, and as she heard me open it and felt the breeze
upon her, Alice said, "Oh, thank you, ma'am, it is so pleasant to know
that the light is here, and I can almost see it; but indeed you need not
be afraid of its hurting me, for I will keep my eyes shut all the time."
The poor mother had by this time risen up from the foot of the bed, and
was trying to be calm; but when she heard her little girl speak in such
cheerful tones, and especially when she heard her say that she could
almost see, knowing as she did that this was only a fancy which would
soon pass away, she was quite overcome, and bursting into tears she
hurried out of the room. I thought it was best to let her go by herself,
for I believed she would ask God to give her strength to bear this great
sorrow, and I knew that "like as a father pitieth his children, so the
Lord pitieth them that fear him," and that he could send into her heart
such thoughts of his love and tender care for her and her dear child, as
would comfort her more than any thing I could say to her.
I called Harriet in to see Alice. They were very glad to meet, and
chatted cheerfully together, while I moved about the room, putting
things in as neat order as I could. Harriet told Alice of every thing
she had seen since she had been away, which she thought could amuse her,
not forgetting the beautiful wax doll, nor was the gold piece left out,
nor what she intended to do with it. Alice quite approved of Harriet's
intention to buy books instead of a doll, and Harriet promised that she
would lend them to her as soon as her eyes were strong enough to read;
for Harriet never supposed that Alice was blind, but thought the
handkerchief was bound over her eyes because the light pained them, as
she remembered it had done hers when she was ill.
After a while, Mrs. Scott came in, and going straight up to Alice,
pressed her lips tenderly over the places in the handkerchief which
covered those dear eyes, and asked her gently how she was now. Alice
answered cheerfully, "I feel a great deal better, and so glad to hear
your voice again. You quite frightened me this morning, dear mother,
when you would not speak to me. Have you slept?"
"Not slept, my love, but rested, and I too feel a great deal better."
"I am very glad;" then raising her hand she passed it softly over her
mother's face, saying, "I will be satisfied while I can hear you and
feel that it is you, though they will not let me look at you."
Mrs. Scott's lip trembled, and the tears came into her eyes again, but
they did not run over. She kissed Alice, and then turning to me, thanked
me for coming over, and asked how long I had been at home.
"Only since yesterday evening," I replied, "and I have so much yet to
attend to before I shall feel quite at home, that now, as you are able
to come back to Alice, I must, I think, leave her till to-morrow; but
you are too much fatigued to be left alone with her. I know a very good
girl, who will not only help you to do your work, but who is so kind
that she will take care of Alice, and so cheerful and pleasant, that she
will amuse her when you cannot be with her. I will stop at her house on
my way home, and send her to you."
The poor woman did not speak directly, but after a little while she
said, "I think, ma'am, I ought not to let the girl you speak of come,
for I am not so well able to pay for help as I once was."
"I will settle all that with her," said I, "and I will find some way to
make your little girl here pay me for it, when she gets well. And now,
Alice, you will I know remember your promise to me, and not even ask
your mother to take the handkerchief off your eyes till she darkens the
room this evening. Perhaps, my dear child, you may have to be in the
dark for many days, but we will do every thing we can to help you to
bear it patiently. Harriet will spend part of every day with you, and
she can read for you till you are able to read for yourself again."
"Oh, thank you, ma'am, I do not think I shall mind the darkness at all,
now, if my mother stays with me, and you will let Harriet come very
often to see me."
"Well, my child, we will both come to-morrow, and now we will bid you
good-by, and I think you had better be still and try to sleep, for
while you are so weak, it is not right for you to talk long without
resting."
Harriet and I then left the room, followed by Mrs. Scott, who told Alice
she was going to the door with us, and would soon be back. She opened
the door for us, and when we had gone out, she stepped out too, and
taking my hand, thanked me again and again for the comfort I had given
her poor blind girl, as she called Alice, when she was too much stunned,
she said, to know what to do. I told her I thought it was very important
that Alice should not know her misfortune till she was stronger, for
fear she should grieve so much as to make her ill again; and that now,
till the doctor should think it right to tell her of it, I hoped Alice
would suppose that the bandage, or the darkness of the room, kept her
from seeing. "But," I asked Mrs. Scott, "does not the doctor think
something may be done to restore her sight?"
"Nothing that I can do, ma'am," said the poor woman, beginning to weep,
"and that's the worst part, and the hardest to bear;--though I try to
remember that my Father in heaven sends that too. The doctor says that
in the city there are eye-doctors,--he calls them oculists,--who know a
great deal which he does not, and that they might do her some good. But,
ah, ma'am! how am I to go to the city with her, even if they would
attend her for nothing after we got there, when I owe more money than I
fear I can pay for a long while, without working very hard, and living
myself, and what's worse, making my poor child live, on bread and
water!"
I tried to say something that might comfort this poor woman, but I felt
it was a very sad case, and could not say much. She answered to what I
did say, "True, ma'am, true, God will strengthen me to bear what only
His own hand could bring upon me. May he forgive my complaining heart.
He has given me back my child from the very gate of the grave, and now
He has sent you to me to be a kind friend in my time of great trouble,
and I ought to feel, and I will try to feel, very thankful. But,
good-by, ma'am, I hope to see you again to-morrow. I must not stay
longer now, for fear my poor child should want me." So saying, she shook
hands with Harriet and me, and went into the house.
As soon as she was gone, Harriet, who had stood while we were talking,
staring with a half-frightened look, first at Mrs. Scott, and then at
me, said in a low tone, "Aunt Kitty, what is the matter with Alice? What
does Mrs. Scott mean by calling her a blind girl? Surely, Alice will see
again soon--will she not, Aunt Kitty?"
"I fear not, my love, I fear not--certainly not, unless Mrs. Scott can
take her where she can have more done for her than anybody here can do,
and I know not how she will get money enough to do that."
"Money enough--why, Aunt Kitty, is Mrs. Scott so very poor?"
"You heard her say that she owed money which she could only hope to pay
by working very hard, and living very poorly. She has no husband to work
for her now, Harriet, and Mr. Scott's and Alice's illness must have made
her spend a great deal."
"Oh, Aunt Kitty! I am very sorry for Alice, and if I thought it would
help her, I would--"
What Harriet would have said was here interrupted by the coming up of
the very girl whom I had wished to get to help Mrs. Scott take care of
Alice. I told her of Alice's blindness, how anxious we were that she
should not hear of it just now, and that we wished to keep her amused,
as well as to have her made comfortable. I added, that I would pay her
for what she did, and then asked how soon she could go.
"Right away, right away, ma'am. Poor things, and such kind and clever
people as them are too. I only wish, ma'am, I could go to 'em without
pay; I am sure if it wasn't for them as depends on me, I'd do it with
all my heart."
I told her this was not necessary, though it was very kind, and again
bidding her take good care of Alice, I sent her to them while I went
home.
Harriet was very silent during the rest of our walk. I did not ask any
questions about what she had been going to tell me she would do for
Alice, if she thought it would help her; because, whatever she did, I
wished should be done from her own free will. When we were again at
home, she did not go to play or to read, as usual, but sat down in one
place, as if she were tired, and seemed very thoughtful; yet she never
named Alice, which surprised me a little, as she was accustomed to talk
to me of whatever distressed her. In the afternoon she tried to amuse
herself, bringing out first a book and then a toy from her room into the
parlor where I sat, until she had gathered together all she had; but
there seemed still to be something wanting, for in a short time the
books were laid aside, the toys pushed away, and Harriet, apparently
forgetting them, again sat as she had done in the morning, quiet and
thoughtful. After it began to grow dark, she carried her books and toys
back to her room, and came and seated herself at my feet. As the weather
was warm, we had no lights in the parlor, and the hall light just let us
see where objects stood, but was not bright enough to show us very
plainly what they were.
"Aunt Kitty," said Harriet, "can Alice see no more plainly than we do
now, when there is no light in the room?"
"Not so plainly, my love, for we can see a little. She can see no more
than you can of a dark night, when you wake up at midnight, with your
windows shut and your curtains down."
She was silent a few minutes, and then said, "It must be a dreadful
thing, Aunt Kitty, to be blind."
"Yes, my dear Harriet," said I, "it must be a dreadful thing--and I fear
neither you nor I have been thankful enough to God for saving you from
such an affliction, when you got well of the same disease which has made
Alice blind. When you pray for your little friend to-night, my love, do
not forget how much reason you have to be thankful that you can see."
Harriet did not say any thing more, but she laid her head on my lap, and
I heard her sob once or twice.
It was now getting late, and kissing her, I told her it was time for her
to go to bed, and that I would only sit up long enough after her to
write a letter to a bookseller to whom I intended sending for the books.
Harriet was now standing by me in the hall, where I had gone to light
her candle, and when I mentioned the books, she looked as if she was
about to speak, but stopped herself. After I had ended, she said, "Aunt
Kitty,"--then stopped again.
"What, my love?" said I.
"Nothing, ma'am--good-night," and taking her candle she went to her
room.
I wrote my letter and then went to mine, into which, you must remember,
I have told you hers opened. I turned my latch very softly, for fear of
waking Harriet if she was asleep; but as soon as I entered, she called
out, "I'm not asleep, Aunt Kitty; please come here, and let me speak to
you."
I went to her directly, asking what was the matter.
"I have been waiting and listening a long time for you, Aunt Kitty, for
there is something I wanted to say to you, and I could not go to sleep
till I had said it. I hope you did not write the letter about the books,
for I do not want them now, Aunt Kitty. I want you, if you please, to
give the money to poor Mrs. Scott, that it may help her to go to the
city and get something done for Alice's eyes."
"My dear Harriet, this money is yours, and you have a right to do what
you will with it, but I hope you have thought well of what you are going
to do now. It will not do afterwards to be sorry you did not buy the
books you want, which you will not be likely to get in any other way."
"Oh no, Aunt Kitty! I do not want them now; at least, I do not want them
half so much as I want Alice to see again, and I have thought very much
about it,--indeed I have.
"When I first heard Mrs. Scott and you talking this morning, and you
said Alice was blind, and Mrs. Scott was too poor to take her to the
good doctors, who might do something for her, I remembered my gold
piece, and thought I would give it to her to help her, and I was just
going to tell you so when Betty Maclaurin came up, and you stopped to
speak to her about going to Mrs. Scott's, and then I could not, you
know."
"Well, but you could have told me after she had gone, if you still
wished it."
"Yes, I know I could, but while you were talking to her, I remembered my
books, and I called all their names over, and thought how Alice would
like to hear me read them, till I wanted them more than ever; and then I
thought it would be a great deal kinder to get them and read some of
them every day to Alice, than to give Mrs. Scott my money, which,
though I think it so much, would hardly help her at all. Besides, Aunt
Kitty, I knew you and my uncle and my grandpapa would give Mrs. Scott a
great deal more money than my two dollars and a half, if it would help
Alice."
"And what made my little girl change her mind--what made her think this
would not be best?"
"I do not know, Aunt Kitty; I only know I could not think of any thing
but Alice all day, though I tried every way to forget her, and every
thing I looked at made me feel bad, because Alice could not see it too."
"Did my little Harriet never think, during all this time, of that verse
she learned from her Bible the other day, which I told her would always
teach her what she ought to do for others, 'As ye would that men should
do to you, do ye also to them likewise?'"
"Oh yes! Aunt Kitty, I thought of that this evening, when you were
telling me what a dreadful thing it is to be blind, and that I might
have been blind, as well as Alice, and I said to myself, if I had been
blind, I would have thought it very unkind in Alice not to do all she
could to help me to see again, and then I felt as if I was so cruel that
I could not help crying; and when you said you were going to write for
the books, I wanted to beg you not to do it, but somehow I could not--so
I only bid you good-night, and came to bed."
"And what happened then to make you feel differently? Tell me all you
felt and thought, dear child, and then I shall know whether you are
doing right now."
"Why you see, Aunt Kitty, after I was undressed I knelt down to say my
prayers, and after I had thanked God as you told me to do, for my own
eyesight, I tried to pray that He would give Alice back hers; but,
though I said the words over and over again, I could not feel as if I
was praying them, for I kept thinking, Aunt Kitty, how deceitful God
would think me, to pretend to care so much for Alice's eyes, when I
really cared so much more about my books; and then I remembered the
little prayer you taught me once, 'Oh God! I pray thee show me what is
right to do, and make me love to do it.' As soon as I said 'what is
right to do,' it came into my head that it was right for me to do all I
could for Alice, if everybody else did ever so much for her; and now,
Aunt Kitty, I wish I had a great deal more money, that I might give it
all to her--and though I am just as sorry for Alice, I do not feel half
so bad about her; for if we are willing to do all we can for her, God,
who loves her a great deal more than any of us, will certainly give her
back her eyesight. Don't you think he will, Aunt Kitty?"
"God does love her a great deal more than we do, my dear; but He is a
great deal wiser than we are, and He may see that it is best for Alice
that she should continue blind, though it seems so terrible to us. You
must remember, therefore, that Alice may go to the city and come back no
better. Should you not feel sorry then that you had given up your books
without doing her any good?"
Harriet thought for a moment, and then said, "No, Aunt Kitty, for I
should have done what was right, and I could never feel sorry for that,
you know."
I kissed the sweet child, and said, "Dear Harriet, always remember what
you now say. Do right, my child, and you will be happy, let what will
happen,--far happier than if by doing wrong you could get every thing in
the world you wished for. And now I may tell you that you could have
made no use of your money which I would have thought half so good, or
which would have given me half so much pleasure."
"I am very glad, Aunt Kitty; I was afraid at first that you did not like
me to give it away."
"Why, Harriet? What made you feel afraid of this?"
"Because you did not talk at first as you do when you are very much
pleased."
"I had a reason, my dear, for not seeming very much pleased until I had
heard _why_ you wished to give your money to Alice,--a very good reason,
I think, which it would take me too long to explain to you to-night, for
it is very late already for such a little girl to be sitting up. Go to
bed now, and to-morrow morning I will tell you all about it." Harriet
went to bed, and soon forgot her good intentions and my good reasons in
a sound sleep.
I dare say my little readers thought just as Harriet did, that I did not
seem at first as much pleased as I ought to have been with her kind and
generous feelings to her friend; but if they will read the conversation
I had with her the next morning, I think they will understand why this
was.
I did not wake Harriet as early as usual the next morning, because she
had been up so late at night. As soon, however, as she was well awake,
she remembered our conversation, and said, "Now, Aunt Kitty, you will
tell me what you promised?"
"Not now, my love, for it is late, and breakfast will soon be ready; but
after breakfast we will go to Mrs. Scott's, and on our way there, I will
answer all your questions."
As soon as we had set out for Mrs. Scott's, Harriet again reminded me of
my promise.
"Well, my love," said I, "you wish to know why I did not tell you at
once how much pleased I was with your intention to help Alice. It was
because I wanted first to hear your reasons for doing it, and so to know
whether you were acting from an impulse or a principle."
Now my little readers are doubtless very much puzzled by this "acting
from an impulse or a principle," and so was Harriet, too. She looked up
in my face with a very thoughtful air for a minute, then shook her head,
and said, "Aunt Kitty, I do not understand you at all, I do not even
know what _impulse_ means, or _principle_ either."
"I did not expect you would, my love; but I hope to be able to explain
them to you, if you will listen very carefully to what I am going to
say. Persons are said to act from impulse, when they are led to do a
thing from feeling, without pausing to ask whether the feeling be right
or wrong. Thus, if you were eating a piece of cake, and a very poor
child should come up to you, and saying she was hungry, ask you for it,
and you should give it to her without a moment's thought, from a feeling
of pity for her, this would be acting from impulse."
"And would it not be right, Aunt Kitty, to give the poor little child my
cake?"
"Very right, my love, and if you had asked yourself what it was right to
do, you would have given it, perhaps, just as quickly, for you know your
Bible tells you, 'Be pitiful'--'Feed the hungry.' Your feeling of pity,
then, was a right feeling, and your readiness to give your cake was what
we call a good impulse; but you know there are some very wrong
feelings, such as anger, which sometimes makes little girls give hard
words, and even hard blows, to their brothers and sisters, or playmates,
who will not do as they wish. This again is acting from impulse, though
it is a bad impulse. So you see, my dear Harriet, as the best-natured
people in the world sometimes have very wrong feelings, if they are
accustomed to do just what their feelings tell them to do, that is, to
act from impulse, you can never be sure whether their actions will be
good or bad."
"But, Aunt Kitty, when I find out my feeling is a right feeling, I may
do just what it tells me to do?"
"No, my love; even when a feeling is a right feeling, it will not be
well to do always just what it tells you, for a right feeling may lead
to a very wrong action. You think this strange, but I will tell you a
story which will show you that it sometimes is so. A little girl was
once sent by a lady who was making a visit to her mother, to a thread
and needle store, to buy a spool of cotton for her. The lady had given
her a shilling, which she held carefully between her finger and thumb,
for fear of losing it. Another girl who was passing saw the shilling,
and wanted it very much. Being a very wicked child, she began to cry, or
at least, to seem to cry, saying that she had just lost the only
shilling her mother had, as she was going to the baker's to buy a loaf
of bread with it; that they had nothing to eat at home, and she was
afraid her mother would beat her when she went back and told her what
she had done. The little girl who had the shilling felt very sorry for
her, and offered to help her look for the money. They did look for it a
long time, the wicked child crying piteously all the while, and saying
that her mother would kill her, till the other little girl felt so
grieved, that she gave her the shilling which she had in her hand. Now,
as she believed the wicked child's story, the sorrow she felt for her
was very right, and yet you see it led her to do a very wrong action--to
give away what did not belong to her. Nor did the wrong-doing stop here;
when she went home, her mamma, to whom she intended to tell all about
it, was gone out, and the lady asking for her cotton, she was afraid to
tell her what she had done with the money, and so she committed a
greater fault by saying what was not true,--she told her she had lost
the shilling. The lady thought her very careless, and thus she got blame
which she did not deserve, and as she was really a good little girl in
general, she was quite miserable for several days about the story she
had told, until she summoned courage to let her mamma know the whole
truth. Here you see, Harriet, a very kind feeling made this little girl
act very badly; but if she had been accustomed, when a feeling inclined
her to do any thing, to ask herself if it would be right, before she did
it, that is, to act from principle instead of impulse, she would have
said to the wicked child, 'I am very sorry for you, and if this shilling
was mine, I would give it to you, but it is not. You must wait till I
have bought the spool of cotton I was sent for, and then, if you will go
home with me, I will ask my mamma for another shilling for you.'"
"Now, Aunt Kitty, I think I understand you; if I had given my money to
Alice yesterday morning, when I first heard she was blind, and before I
had thought what was right for me to do, I would have acted from
impulse, would I not?"
"Yes, my love, and though it would have been a good impulse, and you
would even then have had more pleasure than in spending it in any thing
that was only for yourself, yet I am afraid your pleasure would not have
lasted long. You would soon have begun to think of your books, and if
other people offered to help Alice, you would have thought you had been
very foolish to give them up."
"But I shall not think so now, Aunt Kitty--I shall always think it was
right to give them up to do Alice good."
"That is true, Harriet, and the happiness you feel in doing what is
right, you will always feel; for that which makes you happy will not
change; what is right to-day, will be right to-morrow, and the next day,
and the next."
We walked on a little way in silence, and then Harriet said, looking up
at me with a smiling, pleasant face, "Then, Aunt Kitty, after all, it
was not very wrong for me not to give my money to Alice at once?"
"It was not wrong at all, my dear, for you not to give it till you had
asked yourself whether it was right to do so; but you might have asked
this question as soon as you felt sorry for Alice, and then you would
have done in the morning what you waited till night to do, and have
felt just as happy on account of doing it. I would be very sorry to have
my little girl suppose that when she sees anybody in distress, she must
wait a great while to think the matter over, before she does any thing
for them. There is only one question you need ask, before you try to
help them, and that is--What is it right for me to do? This, you can ask
immediately, and you need not wait long for an answer--conscience will
tell you very honestly and very quickly what is right."
Now perhaps some of my little readers may not know as well as Harriet
did, what I mean by conscience, so I will tell them. I mean something
within you, which makes you know whether you have been good or bad
children, before anybody else says any thing about it.
"But, Aunt Kitty," said Harriet, "how is my conscience always to know
what is right or wrong?"
"There are many ways, Harriet, in which conscience may learn something
about it; but the easiest and simplest way of all is by reading your
Bible, and trying to understand and remember what that tells you to do
or not to do. When conscience is thus taught, if it tells you that what
a feeling would lead you to do, is right, you must do it at once,
without thinking any farther about it; and if conscience tells you a
feeling is wrong, you must try to get rid of it at once."
"Get rid of it, Aunt Kitty!" said Harriet, with a wondering look, "how
can I get rid of a feeling?"
"The best way, my dear Harriet, is by refusing to do any thing it would
have you. Thus, if you are angry with any one, and the feeling of anger
would have you say some of those hard words to them which I spoke of
just now, refuse to say them, or if possible even to think them over in
your own mind, and you will very soon get rid of your anger."
Harriet did not say any thing for some minutes. When she next spoke, it
was in a very low and somewhat sad tone.
"Aunt Kitty, I am afraid I cannot do all you tell me, for I have tried
sometimes, when I have been angry, not to say any thing, and I could not
help talking."
"I know, my dear, that it is often very difficult, but the harder it
is, the happier will you feel if you can do it. But, my dear Harriet,
you planted some seeds in your garden this morning, and watered them,
yet you know they could not grow any more than a pebble could, if God
did not put life into them, and make them take in the water and the
warmth which will nourish them and cause them to swell out and put
forth; and so, after all the instructions which I can give you, or even
which you can get from your Bible, it is only God who can put into your
heart such a strong desire to do right, that you will receive these
instructions, as the little seeds receive the water and warmth, and put
forth right feelings and right actions, as they put forth their green
leaves. This you must ask Him to do. But here we are in sight of Mrs.
Scott's, slowly as we have walked, and you will not be sorry, I suppose,
to have such a very grave talk stopped."
"I am not glad to have you stop talking, Aunt Kitty, but I will be very
glad to see Alice, for I have brought a book to read for her, that I
know she wants to hear very much."
I was pleased to see, as I approached, that the house looked more
cheerful. The parlor windows were open, and as we went up the steps and
passed through the little porch, I saw that they had been nicely swept.
The door was latched, and on my knocking at it Mrs. Scott herself opened
it for us. She seemed very glad to see us, and said Alice felt stronger
and better, and that she had been looking, or rather listening for us
all the morning. We went directly to her room. There too every thing
seemed in order, and looked pleasantly. The sash was raised, and the
soft warm breeze brought to us the sweet smell of the clover, a field of
which was in bloom quite near the house. Alice was sitting in bed,
propped up with pillows, and though still very pale, looked much more
like herself than she had done the day before. The handkerchief was over
her eyes, as I had placed it, and I told her I was much pleased to see
she had not forgotten her promise. She smiled and answered me
cheerfully, "Indeed, ma'am, I have been very careful to keep it. I would
not ask to take off the handkerchief till my mother shut the window last
night, and told me it was quite dark, and I tied it on myself as soon as
I woke this morning, though that was long before daylight. But now," she
added, speaking very fast, as if she was afraid that something would
call off my attention before I had heard all she wished to say, "may not
I have it off just for one single minute? I do want to see the clover,
for I know it is in bloom by the smell."
"And I hope, my dear little girl, you will be satisfied to know it only
by the smell to-day, for it would be very imprudent to expose your eyes
to the light so soon. Harriet has come to spend the morning with you,
and you must see with her eyes. She will read for you, and when you grow
weary of listening, she will tell you how any thing looks which you want
very much to see."
"Oh! I shall like that, for then, Harriet, I can see all that you saw
when you were away, your grandfather's house, and all the places that
you passed on the road, for you know you can tell me how they looked,
and then I shall see them through your eyes. Will not that be pleasant!"
Having thus satisfied Alice, I proposed to Mrs. Scott that we should
leave the children, as I thought Harriet would read better, and Alice
and she would talk more freely, if we were not there to listen to them.
I had another reason too, as my little readers will presently see. I
wanted to speak to Mrs. Scott about Alice, to learn whether the doctor
had seen her after I went away the day before, and whether he still
thought that something might be done in the city for her eyes. Mrs.
Scott told me he had been there the evening before, when poor Alice
thought the room quite dark, and wondered her mother did not bring in a
light for the doctor, though a lamp was burning brightly on the table
near her. The doctor passed this lamp before her eyes, holding it quite
close to them, but she never winked. Poor Mrs. Scott told me this with
her eyes full of tears, which streamed down her cheeks as she added,
that the doctor did not speak a word, but that the mournful shake of his
head as he set down the lamp said as plainly as any words could do, that
he thought her child's a very bad case. The doctor's house was quite
near to Mrs. Scott's, and while she was speaking, we saw him coming home
from a visit he had been making. He was on horseback, and seeing me at
the open window, he stopped his horse at the gate of the court-yard to
say that he was glad to see me at home again, and to ask how his little
friend Harriet was, for Harriet having been, as I told you before, a
very good child in her sickness, she and her doctor were very close
friends.
Leaving Mrs. Scott in the parlor, I went to the gate of the court-yard,
and told the doctor I wanted to put some questions to him about Alice,
which I would rather Mrs. Scott should not hear. He very kindly got off
his horse and came quite near me. I then told him that I wished to know
from him whether there was the least hope that any thing could be done
in the city to restore Alice's sight. Looking very grave, he answered,
that he was afraid not, but as physicians who knew more about the eyes
than he did might think differently, if Mrs. Scott were a little richer,
or if he were rich enough to help her, he would still advise her to go.
I told the doctor that I had some friends who I thought would give Mrs.
Scott as much money as would take her to B. and pay her board as long as
it would be necessary for Alice to stay there, but that I was afraid the
attendance of these oculists would cost a great deal more perhaps than
they could give.
"Not if she go to B.," said the doctor quickly. "That, you know, is the
place from which I came, and I know many physicians there. To some of
these I would give Mrs. Scott letters, and through them, the pious and
excellent Dr. W., the best oculist there, might be made acquainted with
the case of our little Alice. He would, I am sure, do all he could for
her without any charge."
I asked the doctor if he knew any thing of the Institution for the blind
in B.
"Yes, ma'am," he replied. "It is a most noble institution, and its
manager, Dr. H., the most benevolent of men. To him I can give Mrs.
Scott a letter, and this poor child will, I doubt not, have all the aid
which he can give her."
Perhaps my little readers never heard of these institutions for the
blind, and I will therefore tell them, that there, those who are
perfectly blind are taught to read, write, sew, and do many fancy works,
which it would seem to us quite impossible to do without sight. Now you
will see at once, if Alice should continue blind, what a great advantage
it would be to her to be taught such things. To sit always in the dark,
and be able to do nothing, might make even a merry little girl sad,
while even blindness may be borne cheerfully, when the blind can be
employed. Besides, Alice, if able to do some of the works I have named,
might earn money by them, perhaps enough to support herself and her
mother too; and I need not tell you what a comfort that would be to a
good, affectionate child.
Before the doctor left me, I asked him how soon it would be prudent for
Alice to travel; and he said, if she continued to get better, she might
set out on the following Monday, as she would go almost all the way in a
steamboat, which would not fatigue her so much as travelling by land. He
added, if by Saturday evening I were able to get as much money for Mrs.
Scott as would be necessary, he would have the letters he had promised
to write ready for her, and we would then meet at her house on Sunday,
and tell the poor little girl of her blindness, as kindly and gently as
we could, if she should not discover it before that time.
When I went back to the house, finding Mrs. Scott still in the parlor, I
told her of what the doctor and I had been speaking, and asked her
whether, if she should go to B. and find that nothing could be done by
the physicians there for her child's eyes, she would be willing to have
her placed for a year or two at the Institution for the Blind.
"Willing, my dear ma'am!" said the good woman, "I shall be thankful
indeed to the kind people who give their money to support such a good
school, and still more to God, who put it in their hearts to do so. I
know it will be very hard to part from my poor little girl, even for an
hour, now she's so helpless, but I need not come far away from her, for
I dare say I can get some kind of work in B. by which I can make enough
to live upon, and if she can't come home to me at night, they will,
maybe, let me go to see her every day; don't you think they will,
ma'am?"
"I do not doubt it," I replied; "but now I will see Alice, and bid her
good-by, for I must hasten home to write a letter that I wish to send
away this afternoon."
I entered Alice's room as I spoke, and found her still listening to the
book which Harriet had not more than half finished reading, as she had
stopped to talk over with Alice whatever seemed to her most pleasant in
it. Alice seemed so unwilling to part with Harriet, that I gave her
permission to stay till evening, when I promised to send for her,
adding that I would call again myself the next morning.
"And then, ma'am," said Alice, "do you not think--" she stopped, and
seemed confused.
"Do I not think what, Alice--speak, my dear child,--what would you ask?"
"I am afraid you will think me very teasing, ma'am; but I am so tired of
the dark. Do you not think I can take off the handkerchief by that
time?"
It made me very sad to hear her speak of being tired of the dark--so sad
that I could not answer her directly. Thinking from my silence that I
was displeased with her, she burst into tears and said, "I was afraid
you would be angry with me."
"Indeed, my dear child," said I, kissing her and wiping the tears from
her face, "I am not angry, nor am I at all surprised that you should be
tired of this unpleasant bandage, but you will not now have to bear it
long. This is Thursday--on Sunday the doctor says he will take it off
altogether. You will try, I hope, for the next two days to bear it as
cheerfully, and think of it as little as possible."
"Oh yes, ma'am! indeed I will,--I will not say another word about it."
"And now, my dear little girl, I would have you remember in all your
troubles, little and great, that He who sends them is God, your kind and
tender heavenly Father. Do you think, Alice, that your mother would
willingly make you suffer pain?"
"No, ma'am, I am sure she would not."
"And yet she has given you, since you were sick, very bad-tasted and
sickening medicine, and even put a blister on you, which must have given
you great pain. Why was this?"
"To save me from being more ill, and having greater pain, and to make me
well," said Alice, in a very low voice.
"True, my dear child; and God, who tells us in the Bible that he loves
us better than even mothers love their children, never, we may be sure,
suffers any pain or trouble to come upon us which is not to save us from
greater pain, to make us better. Remember this, and it will help you to
bear a great many things easily, which would otherwise seem very hard
and fret you very much. Harriet, can you not repeat for Alice those
lines you learned the other day, called a conversation between a mother
and her sick child?"
As Alice looked very grave, I pressed her little hand in mine, and
without speaking went out of the room, as Harriet began to recite the
lines which I will set down here, as I think my little readers would
like to see them.
_Conversation between a Mother and her sick Child._
CHILD.
Mother, we read to-day, you know,
Where holy Scriptures tell
That Jesus, when he lived below,
Loved little children well.
And then you told me how his word,
From the bad spirit's power,
Freed him, who never spoke, nor heard,
Until that blessed hour.
Beside the ruler's lifeless child,
In pitying tone he spoke,
"The maiden sleeps"--though scorners smiled,
She heard his voice, and woke.
And now, you say, above the sky
Unchanged, he loves us still;
Then why did he let baby die,
And why am I so ill?--
MOTHER.
When Mary walk'd with mother last,
She saw a little flower,
Drooping its head and fading fast
Within her garden bower.
To a more sunny spot removed,
That flower blooms fair and bright;
Our drooping baby Jesus loved,
And bore from earthly blight.
And though, my child, I cannot tell
Why yet he leaves you ill,
As I am sure he loves you well,
I doubt not that he will,
At the best time, heal every pain,
And make my Mary well again.
The letter which I had told Mrs. Scott I wished to send off that
afternoon was to Harriet's grandfather, to whom I intended writing about
Alice; for he was a very kind, good man, and was always glad to be told
of those who wanted, when he had any thing to give. He had promised to
make us a visit soon, but I did not know that it would be so soon as
this week. However, about an hour after I had gone home, when I had
written, and just as I was folding my letter, a carriage drove to the
door, and he alighted from it. As I knew he would stay with us two or
three days I was in no hurry to speak of Alice, preferring to wait till
Harriet came home in the evening, and see whether she would think of
interesting her grandfather in her little friend. He had been with me
about two hours when I sent for her, and he told the servant who went
that she need not mention his coming, for he thought it would be very
pleasant to see Harriet's first joy at meeting him, when she so little
expected to see him.
As Harriet came back with the servant, we could now and then catch a
glimpse of her white dress through an opening of the wood, and while she
was still too far off to distinguish the faces of persons sitting in the
parlor, her grandfather moved away from the window, so that she might
not see him till she was quite in the parlor. She came up the steps and
through the porch and to the parlor door very quietly and rather slowly,
as if she was almost sorry to come in; but the moment she saw her
grandfather, she threw down the flowers she had been picking, and
springing towards him, was in his lap before he could even rise from his
chair to meet her, crying out, "Oh grandpapa! I am so glad to see
you--so very, very glad--more glad than I ever was in my life before."
"Why, how is that?" said he, smiling and kissing her, "I thought my
little pet was always as glad to see old grandpapa as she could possibly
be."
"So I thought, too, but now I am more glad than ever, for I want some
more money very, very much; and I know you will give me some."
Mr. Armand, for that was his name, looked all at once very grave, and
said, "So--it is to get money you are glad--not to see me!"
I saw he was not quite well pleased, for he turned aside his face as
Harriet would have kissed him, and seemed about to put her out of his
lap. But Harriet was too eager to notice all this; she kept her seat,
and putting her arm around his neck, spoke very fast, "Oh yes,
grandpapa! you know I am always glad to see you; but now I do want some
money for poor Alice."
"For poor Alice," said Mr. Armand, "that alters the case," and drawing
her close to him again, and looking much better satisfied with her, he
added, "And who is Alice?--and what makes her _poor_?"
"Alice! Why don't you remember Alice Scott, that I talked so much about
when I was at your house? Don't you remember I told you I loved to play
with her better than with any of the girls, because she was so
good-natured, and never was tired?"
"Ah! now I think I do remember something of her. And is it because she
is so pleasant a playfellow, that you wish me to give you some money for
her?"
"Oh no, grandpapa--that would be funny," said Harriet, laughing; but in
a minute she was looking very serious again, and went on speaking more
slowly--"Poor Alice's father is dead--he died while we were away--and
her mother is very poor, and Alice has been ill, and oh, grandpapa!
she's blind, quite blind, and Dr. Franks says he cannot do her any good,
but that there are some doctors, eye-doctors, oculists--is it not, Aunt
Kitty?--in B., who might do something for her, and poor Mrs. Scott has
not any money to carry her there. Now, grandpapa, will you not give me
some for her?"
"Have you given her some yourself, Harriet?"
"Yes, grandpapa, I have given her all I had, but though it was a great
deal for me it is not near enough for her, you know."
Mr. Armand was silent a minute, and then said, "I am very sorry, my dear
child, to disappoint you, and still more sorry not to help your little
friend, in whom I feel much interest; but what can I do? I have just
spent a great deal of money on a present for you, and I really have now
none to give."
"Spent a great deal of money on a present for me!" repeated Harriet,
with a wondering face.
"Yes, my dear. I think eighty dollars a great deal of money to spend
for a little girl, and I have just given all that for a present for you.
Do you remember the little pony you saw at Mr. Lewis's house, and do you
remember thinking Eliza Lewis must be a very happy little girl, because
she had such a large wax doll to play with in the house, and such a
little pony to ride when she went out?"
"Oh, grandpapa! I know that was very foolish in me, but I remember it
all--the beautiful pony and all."
"Well, my dear, that beautiful pony is now yours, and will be here this
evening with a new saddle and bridle, for all of which I gave, as I have
just told you, eighty dollars."
"Oh, Aunt Kitty!" cried Harriet, her eyes bright with joy, "only hear,
that beautiful little pony!--and he is so gentle I may ride him all by
myself--may I not, grandpapa?"
"Yes, I bought him on that account, for your aunt told me that she would
like to have you ride, but feared to put you on one of her horses. This
pony," he said, turning to me, "is as gentle as a lamb, and so well
broken and obedient, that you scarcely need a bridle for him. I made
them bring him very slowly, and rest him some hours on the road, that he
might not be at all tired when he got here, for I thought Harriet would
want a ride to-morrow morning."
"Yes, yes, dear grandpapa, that will be so pleasant, and I can ride him
to Mrs. Scott's, and let Alice see--oh grandpapa!" suddenly stopping
herself and looking very sad, "she cannot see him. I had forgotten all
about it--and now you have not any money for her, what will she do? Poor
Alice!"
"I am very sorry for her," said Mr. Armand, "for it must be a sad thing
to be blind. Had I heard about her this morning, I do not know that you
would have got your pony, for a gentleman, at whose house I stopped,
wanted him so much that he offered to buy him from me at any price.
However, he is now yours, and I have no right to him or to the money he
would bring. I hope you will enjoy riding him very much, and think of
dear grandpapa whenever you ride."
He kissed her again and put her down from his lap. Harriet stood beside
him, and smiled a little at first, but not so joyfully as she had done
when she first heard of pony. After a while her countenance grew more
and more serious. Several minutes had passed, and her grandfather and I
were talking of something else, when Harriet said to him, "Grandpapa,
would that gentleman who wanted pony, give you the whole eighty dollars
back again?"
"Yes, my love."
"And would you give it all to Alice, grandpapa?"
"I should have no right to give any of it, Harriet. The pony is now
yours, and should you choose me to sell him, the money would be yours,
and I should honestly pay every cent of it to you, and you could give it
to Alice if you liked."
Harriet was again silent for a minute or two, and seemed very
thoughtful; then, raising her head and putting her hand into her
grandfather's, she said, "Grandpapa, please take pony back and send me
the money."
Her grandfather laid his hand affectionately on her head, and said,
"Certainly, my child, if you wish it, when I am going,--that will give
you two nights and a day to think of it. You have not seen pony's new
saddle and bridle yet, and you may change your mind."
"Oh, no, grandpapa, I shall not change my mind, for I am sure it is
right to do without pony myself, and let Alice have the money."
She looked at me as she said this, and I replied, "I am pleased that you
have not forgotten what we talked of this morning."
Pony came, and beautiful he was, and very pretty was the new saddle and
bridle; and Harriet rode him to Mrs. Scott's, in the morning, and home
again, and very much did she enjoy her ride; yet she did not change her
mind, for when her grandfather asked, on the morning he left us, "Well,
Harriet, does pony go with me, or stay with you?" she answered directly,
"Go with you, grandpapa." And when he was brought to the door, all
saddled and bridled for his journey, she went up to him, and stroking
his sleek sides, said, smilingly, "Good-by, my pretty pony--good-by; I
could love you very much, but not so much as I love Alice."
So pony went on Saturday morning; and on Saturday evening (for the
gentleman who bought him only lived about ten miles from us) came the
eighty dollars, enclosed in a very affectionate note to Harriet, from
her grandfather. She seemed never tired of reading the note, or of
admiring the pretty new bills that were in it. When she gave me these
bills for Mrs. Scott, she begged me not to say any thing about her in
giving them. As I always liked to know my little girl's reasons for what
she did, I asked, "And why, my dear?"
She looked confused, hesitated a good deal, and said, "Aunt Kitty, do
you remember when that little baby's mother died last summer, and I
begged you to let me make its clothes, and--and--oh, you remember, Aunt
Kitty."
"Yes, Harriet, I remember that you sewed very industriously at first,
and afterwards, getting tired of your work, the poor little baby wanted
clothes sadly."
"But, Aunt Kitty, that is not all. Do you not remember what you told me
was the reason I felt tired so soon?"
"I think I do; was it not that you had done it from a desire for praise,
and that as soon as people were tired of praising you, you were tired of
working? But I do not see why you speak of that now; when you have given
the money to Alice, you cannot take it back, so you need not be afraid
of changing."
"No, Aunt Kitty, not of changing--at least I could not take it
back--but--but you know--" she stopped, and hung her head.
"If you did it for praise, you think you might get sorry for having done
it, and wish you could take it back, when people were done praising
you."
"Yes, Aunt Kitty, that is it--and if people knew it, I could not be
quite sure that I was not doing it to be praised, you know. I am very
happy, now that dear Alice will have it, and I do not think I can ever
want to take it back, or ever be sorry for giving it to her; but you
told me the other day, that doing right was the only thing I could be
_certain_ of always being glad of; so I would rather, if you please, you
would not say any thing about me, and then I shall know that I have done
it only because it is right, and that it will always make me just as
happy as I am now."
I was too much pleased with Harriet's reasons, to refuse her request; so
no one but her grandfather, her grandmother, and myself, ever knew what
she had done for Alice, till now that I have told it to you, which I
would not have done, did I not feel sure that after what I have said of
her wishes, you would not, if you should ever meet her, speak to her on
the subject.
I was able to add twenty dollars to Harriet's gift, and so there were
one hundred dollars for Mrs. Scott to begin her journey with. It would
cost her but little to go to B., and this would enable her to stay there
quite long enough to learn what could be done for Alice. Harriet thought
she would rather give her gold piece to her friend herself, to spend as
she liked.
On Sunday afternoon the doctor and I met, as we had agreed to do, at
Mrs. Scott's. We saw her first in the parlor. I gave her the money, and
the doctor had his letters ready for her, and explained very carefully
to her what he wished her to do. He had already sent by the mail a
letter to his sister, who lived in B., telling her of Mrs. Scott's
coming, and requesting her to look out for some quiet place, where she
might be cheaply boarded, as near as possible to the Institution for the
Blind, for there he thought Alice would have to go. He now gave Mrs.
Scott, on a card, his sister's name, and the name of the place where she
lived, telling her to go there when she arrived in B., and if his sister
had not found a place for her, he was sure she would keep her at her own
house till she did. Having arranged all these things with Mrs. Scott, we
went into Alice's room.
Alice was sitting up, and was so anxious for our coming, and so happy at
the thought of seeing once more, that she had quite a rosy color in her
cheeks. The doctor looked at her very sadly, and said "How d'ye do" to
her, with a very soft and kind voice. She seemed hardly to hear him--but
said very quickly, with a pleasant smile, "Now, doctor, must I take off
the handkerchief?" and raised her hand to take out the pin which
fastened it.
"Not yet, my dear," said the doctor, taking hold of her hand, "I wish to
say something to you first. I fear, Alice, that you are going to be very
much disappointed. You have no idea how very bad your eyes are. They
give you no pain, and therefore you think there cannot be much the
matter with them; but, my dear child, those are not the worst diseases
of the eye which give the most pain. You think that only this
handkerchief keeps you from seeing, but I am afraid that when I take it
off you will still see very dimly--very dimly indeed--nay, Alice, I may
as well tell you all,--I fear, that at present, at least, and perhaps
for many days to come, you will not see at all."
As Dr. Franks spoke, the smile had gone from Alice's lip, and the color
from her cheek, so that when he was done, instead of the bright, happy
face she had when we came in, she was looking very pale and very sad.
She seemed to have forgotten the handkerchief, her hands hung down in
her lap, and she did not speak a word. Both the doctor and I were much
grieved for her, and Mrs. Scott's tears fell upon her head as she stood
leaning over the back of her chair. Alice did not weep--indeed, she
seemed quite stunned.
After a while, the doctor said, "Alice, this handkerchief is of no use
to you, and it must be very warm and unpleasant--shall I take it off?"
Her lips moved, and she tried to say, "Yes, sir," but we could scarcely
hear her.
It was taken off. Alice kept her eyes shut for a little time, and then
opened them suddenly, and turning them first towards the window, looked
slowly around the room, then shut them again, without saying a word. She
soon opened them, and looking towards the doctor, said, in a low,
faltering voice, "Doctor, is it night?"
"No, my child, it is not more than four o'clock in the afternoon."
She was silent a minute, then said, "Is it cloudy?"
"No, Alice, the sun is shining brightly."
She was again still for a little while--the tears began to come into her
eyes, and her lip quivered very much, as speaking again, she said, "Are
the windows shut?"
The doctor again answered her, "No, they are open, and the sashes
raised."
Poor Alice covered her eyes with her hands for a second, then stretching
out her arms, and turning her head around as if looking for some one,
she cried mournfully, "Mother, mother, where are you?"
"Here, my own precious child," said Mrs. Scott, as coming round to the
side of the chair, she put her arms around her, and drew her head down
upon her bosom. Alice did not cry aloud, but her tears came fast, and
her sobs were so deep, that it seemed as though her heart would break
with this great sorrow. The doctor said, softly, to Mrs. Scott,
"Persuade her to go to bed, as soon as you can," and then both he and I
went out, for we knew her mother would be her best comforter.
Mrs. Scott was to leave her home at ten o'clock the next morning, and at
nine Harriet went over to say some parting words to Alice, and I to
receive some last directions from Mrs. Scott about taking care of the
house and furniture for her. I could see that Harriet was almost afraid
to meet Alice, thinking she must be very miserable now that her
blindness was known to her. But though she looked sadly, and turned away
with tears in her eyes when we first spoke to her, she soon began to
talk with Harriet about her journey. She seemed to hope to receive great
good from the physicians in B., and I was glad to find that her mother
had not tried to discourage this hope; for, I said to myself, if nothing
can be done for her, she will find it out soon enough, and every day
that passes will help to prepare her better for it. She seemed much
gratified by Harriet's present of the gold piece, and when she bade me
good-by, said, "I thank you, ma'am, very much, for all your goodness to
me."
Mrs. Scott, too, begged me to tell the friends who had helped her how
very grateful she was to them, and how earnestly she would pray to God
to reward them for all their goodness to her and her fatherless girl. I
knew by the color that came into Harriet's face, and the tears that
sprang into her eyes, as the good woman spoke, that she had heard her;
and I was glad of it, for I thought that she deserved to be made as
happy as I felt certain such thankfulness would make her, for her desire
to do right, and her readiness to give up her own pleasures for her
friend's good.
After our friends were gone, I spent some time in giving directions to
Betty about the cleaning and putting away things, so that she might
leave the house in order; and Harriet kept herself from being very sad
by working in Alice's garden, weeding the beds and tying up the flowers,
which, as I said before, had been left during her illness to trail upon
the ground.
Mrs. Scott had promised to write to me as soon as the physicians had
decided whether they could or could not be of any service to Alice; and
you may be sure we looked very anxiously for her letter. It came about
two weeks after she had left us, and I will copy it for you here, as I
am sure you will like to see it.
B----, July 2, 18--.
MY DEAR MADAM,--
You were so kind as to ask me to let you know what the doctors here
might think of my little girl's case, and I have only been waiting
for them to make up their minds about it, before I wrote to you.
Yesterday they told me, what I felt long ago, that they could not
help her. This is a great trial, ma'am, but, blessed be God, with
great trials He sends great mercies. I don't know, ma'am, how to
tell you the thankfulness that is in my heart, first to Him, and
then to you and Dr. Franks, and all the other kind friends that
have helped me through this affliction. It is a comfort to me to
feel that every thing has been done for my poor child that could be
done; indeed, I fear it would have broken my heart to think that
something might be done to make her see again, and to feel that I
could never get money enough to pay for that something, if I worked
till I was dead. Oh! I thank God that I have not got that to bear.
But I am forgetting all this time to tell you how kind everybody
here has been to me. Miss Franks is the doctor's own sister, I am
sure, for she is just such another kind and generous person. The
steamboat did not get here till it began to grow quite dark, and I
was very much troubled, thinking how I should find my way up
through the crowd, and fearing lest my little trunk should get
lost, which had all our clothes in it, or that if I went to see
about that, Alice would get hurt, when a man came on board and
asked for me. He said Miss Franks had sent him with a carriage to
bring us to her house. It was a hired carriage, as I found
afterwards, for I thought at first it was her own; but she would
not let me pay any thing for it. Was not this kind? She had us to
stay at her house the first night, and the next morning took us
again in a carriage to the place where she had got board for us.
This was in a very neat house, and with a clever, good woman. She
is an elderly, single woman, who seems to be pious, and is very
kind to us. Miss Franks sent round her brother's letters, after she
had written on them the name of the street and number of the house
we were staying at, that the doctors might know where to find
Alice.
The next day three doctors came and brought with them a Dr. W----,
who, they said, knew more about the eyes than any of them. At first
my little girl seemed shy of having so many strangers see her; but
they were so kind to her, that she does not feel at all afraid now.
Indeed, ma'am, everybody is kind to her, and they speak so softly
and pitifully to her, that it often makes the tears come into my
eyes, and my heart feel so full, that I have to go away to my room
and thank God for all His goodness and theirs to her; for you know,
ma'am, goodness to her child, and that a poor blind child too, is
more to a mother than any thing people could do for her.
Two or three days ago, Dr. H., who they say is at the head of that
Institution for the blind you talked to me about, came to see us,
and he talked so gentle and pleasant like, that Alice loved him
right away. He had some talk with the doctors when they came, and
then he asked Alice if she would not like to know how blind
children, who never had seen at all, read and wrote and sewed, and
told her, if she would come to his house, he would teach her as
they were taught, and that she would find many of them learning
there. Alice seemed very glad to hear that she might learn to do
these things now, and need not wait doing nothing till her eyes got
well, for you know, ma'am, she was always an industrious child, and
it grieves her sadly to sit all day idle. She asked though if I
could come with her, and the kind gentleman said I could come with
her in the morning, and bring her away in the afternoon. This made
my heart jump for joy, for I was afraid he was going to say she
must stay there all the time. She will begin to go next Monday.
And now, ma'am, I must tell you some more of Miss Franks' goodness.
She has got me some plain sewing, and so many of her friends
promise to employ me in that way, that I hope I shall be able to
live by my needle; and then, ma'am, I think, maybe I ought to send
back what money I have left, to them that were so good as to give
it to me. Will you please, ma'am, to tell me if this would be
right? Alice begs me to send her love to her dear friend, Miss
Harriet, and her dutiful respects to you. She bid me tell Miss
Harriet that she has not spent her gold piece yet. Please, ma'am,
to tell the doctor how kind his sister has been to us, and thank
him for all he has done for us. I am afraid, ma'am, I have tired
you with this long letter; but indeed when I began to write, I
could not help telling you of all the goodness which has been
showed to me. God bless you, ma'am, prays
Yours, very thankfully,
MARTHA SCOTT."
Mrs. Scott was told that those who had given her the money would not
have any of it returned, and she then, I afterwards found, paid every
one in our village to whom she owed any thing, saying, that though they
had told her to make herself easy, she could not be easy while she was
in debt to those who, she knew, needed the money.
In a few months after she went to the Institution for the Blind, Alice
wrote a letter to Harriet, and from that time they wrote to each other
as often at least as once in a month. It has been now about three months
since Dr. Franks, who had been making a visit in B----, brought Harriet
a letter from Alice, which gave her great delight. You shall read it for
yourself, and see how much reason she had to be pleased with it.
B----, April 14, 18--.
DEAR HARRIET,--
I am so happy that I can hardly write, or do any thing but tell
everybody near me how happy I am; or when there is nobody near me,
sit down and think of you and your good aunt, and Dr. Franks, and
Susan and Lucy, and everybody that lives at home. Oh, Harriet, we
are coming there--coming home next week--dear home. It is the
middle of April now, and so many flowers will be opening, and the
peach-trees and the apple-trees will be in bloom soon, and they
will look so beautiful. I cannot see them, but I can smell them,
and feel them, and think how they look. Oh, Harriet, how much
better off I am than the poor children who never did see, and who
cannot remember how such things looked! But I cannot write any
more now, except good-by, from your affectionate
ALICE.
P. S.--I have spent the gold piece; I will show you how, when I
come.
Mrs. Scott sent a message to me by the doctor, to ask, with many
apologies for troubling me, that I would get Betty Maclaurin to go to
her house early in the next week, and put every thing in order for her
by Wednesday evening, as she hoped to be at home some time in that
night. Betty liked Mrs. Scott and Alice, and was quite ready to do them
a kindness; so, early on Monday morning, she was at work, and she worked
so industriously in the house, and Harriet so industriously in Alice's
garden, that, before Wednesday evening, both house and garden were in
perfect order.
Harriet's grandfather had taken so much interest in Alice, that he had
said, when she came home he intended to come to see her; so Harriet
found time, in the midst of all her preparations for her friend's
arrival, to write him what day she was expected; and on Wednesday, not
only he, but her grandmother also, who seldom left home, came to spend a
week with us. I was not in the house when they arrived, and when I came
in, Harriet met me at the door before I had seen them, and cried out,
"Oh, Aunt Kitty! grandpapa's come, and grandmamma too; and only think
what they have brought me--dear, pretty pony--as pretty as ever, with
another beautiful new saddle and bridle. Is it not good in them, and am
I not a happy girl?"
Now my little readers must not suppose that Mr. Armand had only made
Harriet believe that pony was sold, while he really kept him for her. Oh
no! Mr. Armand always told just the truth, and pony was sold--really and
truly sold--to the gentleman he had spoken of, who had bought him for
his son. This boy was gone to a school at a distance from his home, and
besides, he was now so good a rider that his father thought he might
have a larger horse when he came back, so he was not unwilling to let
Mr. Armand have pony again, when he expressed a wish for him.
Harriet was indeed a happy girl this Wednesday evening, and still more
happy was she when she set out, after an early breakfast the next
morning, to ride on pony to Mrs. Scott's. As I started at the same time
to walk there, and she would not leave me, she rode very slowly. If any
of you can remember some morning in Spring, when the air, though cool,
had not the least frosty feeling in it, when the grass was fresh and
green, when the trees had put out their first tender leaves, and the
peach and the pear and the apple blossoms looked as if just ready to
open, to have risen early and walked or ridden out, while the leaves and
the blossoms were still glittering with the night-dew, you will know how
delightful Harriet and I found it. We went on, at a brisk pace for me,
and a slow one for pony, till we were in sight of Mrs. Scott's house,
when Harriet looked so eager, that I bade her hasten on. As I spoke, I
cheruped to pony, and he went off in a smart trot, which soon brought
Harriet to the gate. I had then just entered the clear space before the
house, and could see and hear all that passed. Alice was standing at the
open window, looking healthy and happy. As pony stopped, she called out
to her mother, who seemed to be in some other room, for she spoke
loudly, "Mother, mother, here is somebody on horseback--it must be the
doctor."
"No, Alice, it is Harriet," cried my little niece, as she sprang from
her pony, without much of the caution which she had promised her
grandfather always to use in getting down.
"Oh! it is Harriet," exclaimed Alice, clapping her hands joyfully
together, and then putting them out to feel her way to the door. Mrs.
Scott came from the next room, and taking her hand, led her to meet us.
The little girls were in each other's arms in a moment, and any one who
had looked at Alice's happy face, and her eyes bright with tender and
glad feelings, would never have believed they saw a blind girl. Harriet
told of the beautiful pony her grandpapa had brought her the evening
before, and Alice passed her hands over him to feel how small he was and
how sleek and glossy his sides were, and promised that she would
sometimes mount him and walk him over to my house with Harriet at her
side. Then they went into the flower-garden, and Alice exclaimed, "Oh,
Harriet! how nicely you have weeded my beds and trimmed my flowers."
"Betty told you that," said Harriet.
"Betty told me who did it, but I knew it was done without her telling
me, for I felt them. I did not have to feel my hyacinths and jonquils to
know they were in bloom, for I smelt them, and I know exactly how they
look. My rose-bushes too," said she, putting her hand on one, "are in
bud; they will soon be beautiful. You see, Harriet, I love my garden,
and can take pleasure in it, if I am blind;--but come into the house,
and let me show you the books they have taken pains to make for poor
blind people, and the different kinds of work I have learned to do."
Alice took Harriet's hand, and walked with a quick and lively step into
the house. When they had entered the door, she left Harriet, and putting
her hands out to feel that there was nothing in her way, passed into the
next room, and soon came out again with her arms full. There were only a
few books--I was sorry to see so few--but they were so large that she
could not well have carried any more. Having laid them on the table, she
opened one, and we saw that the letters were large, and so raised from
the paper that the blind could feel their form, and thus distinguish
them as readily as we can distinguish the letters in ordinary printing
by seeing them. Alice soon showed us how this was done, for passing her
finger over the lines of a sentence on the page to which she had opened,
she read it as correctly as anybody could have done. Then turning with
quickness to a box which stood near, she said, "Now see my work."--There
were baskets she had woven, purses and bags she had knitted, pincushions
and needle-books she had sewed as neatly as possible. Full of animation
and happy as Alice seemed in showing these things, I am certain she was
not half so happy in showing, as Harriet was in seeing them. Having
looked at them myself, I went into the garden to show Mrs. Scott where
some seeds were planted. From the garden I could still hear and see
through an open window what was passing in the parlor, and I was too
much interested in the feelings of these little girls not to attend to
them. I soon saw, however, that they did not think themselves observed;
for Harriet--who had hitherto spoken little, expressing her pleasure in
looks more than in words--as soon as they were left alone, took Alice's
hand, and said, "How glad I am you can do so much!"
"I knew you would be glad, and that made me show you; and I wish I could
show them to all the kind people who gave mother money to take me to B.,
for, you know, if it was not for that, I could not have learned to do
these things,--and you don't know, Harriet, how hard those first dark
weeks were to bear, and how often, when I thought it would be always so,
I wished I was in the grave-yard with my little brother and
sisters;--that was wicked, I know, Harriet, but I could not help it
then."
Harriet stood with her face turned from me, yet I could see by her
movements that she was weeping.
Alice put her arm around her, saying, "Don't cry, I am very happy now."
"And so am I," said Harriet, sobbing, "and I believe that's what makes
me cry."
"That's funny too," said Alice laughing, and Harriet laughed with her,
though the tears were still on her cheeks. Then Alice told that there
was a kind shopkeeper in B., who had promised to buy all she made, and
that her mother said, she got so much money from him, that she could
afford to keep a woman--Alice hoped it would be Betty--to do the hard
work, and as she would only take in a little plain sewing, she would
then be able to sit with Alice, and could sometimes spare time to read
to her. "And Harriet," she added, "I promised to show you what I had
bought with the gold piece you gave me. I bought the straw for my first
baskets, and the braids and ribands for my first purses and bags, and
the pieces of silk and velvet for my first pincushions and needle-books;
so you see how much it helped me," and she kissed Harriet, little
knowing how much more she owed to her.
And now, if any of my little readers have thought that Harriet made a
foolish choice, when she gave up her pony to help her friend, they will,
I am sure, change their minds when they remember what a sad house this
was at the time that Alice first became blind, and think that now, as
Harriet looked at Mrs. Scott's contented and Alice's cheerful face, and
saw how much her friend could do and could enjoy, and heard that by her
pleasant employments she could not only support herself comfortably, but
help her mother too, she could say to herself--"This is my work--it is
I who have made them so happy." Who would not have given pony for such a
feeling, even though they had never got him back again?
When we were going away, Alice very modestly gave me a beautiful
work-basket, a very neat needle-book, and pincushion, all of her own
make. For Harriet she had made a very pretty bag, and hearing that Mr.
and Mrs. Armand were with us, she selected a very handsome purse and
needle-book, and requested Harriet to present them to her grandfather
and grandmother, as the offerings of a blind girl.
And now, my young friends, I have little more to tell you of Alice. If
you could visit her, you would find her sometimes employed in making
those tasteful and pretty things, by the sale of which she aids in
supporting her mother and herself--sometimes in her garden, feeling for
the weeds and pulling them away from her plants, or tying up her vines,
or cutting flowers to dress their pleasant little parlor--sometimes
walking, leaning on her mother's arm, or on that of some young
companion,--and though you may see her look a little sad when her
friends speak of a beautiful flower, or admire a fine sunset, you will
oftener hear her sweet voice in cheerful talk, or merry laugh, or
singing some pleasant hymn, expressive of her gratitude to God for His
goodness to her. And when you see and hear all this, you will, I hope,
not envy Harriet, for that would be a wrong feeling, but watch every
opportunity of going and doing like her.
As this has been a very long story, and I do not wish to tire you, I
will now bid you good-by, hoping you will soon wish to hear from me
again. Whenever you do, I shall know it, and shall be quite ready to
have another talk with you.
THE END.
JESSIE GRAHAM:
OR,
FRIENDS DEAR, BUT TRUTH DEARER.
CHAPTER I.
SPRING--MRS. GRAHAM.
Spring is here. The sun is shining brightly, and the air is warm, and
the breeze is scented with the blossoms of the apple and the pear. The
trees whose branches have been bare all winter, except when the snow
wrapped them in a white mantle, have now put on a dress of the lightest
and liveliest green. The gardens, too, are beginning to look gayly.
There is in my garden one bed which is especially bright. This is
Harriet's. Here she digs and plants and manages all in her own way, and
here, at this season, she and her little friends may be often seen with
heads bent down to the ground, searching for the first appearance of a
crocus or a hyacinth. If one is seen, a joyful clapping of hands and a
general call for Aunt Kitty announces the discovery.
Doubtless all my little readers have noticed the changes which this
season brings. How pleasant is the first walk which you can take without
cloaks or shawls! And the first violet or buttercup which is found,--we
never think any other half so pretty. And the brooks which have been
frozen up all winter, now prattle away over the stones, as noisily as
little girls who have just got out from a schoolroom where they have
been obliged to be very still for two or three hours. And the little
birds which have spent their winter in a southern climate, sing as
merrily as if they were glad to get back again to their old homes, or as
if, as Jessie Graham says her grandmother told her, they were thanking
God for giving them such pleasant weather. I wish all little girls would
remember this, and imitate the birds,--thanking their Heavenly Father
for his goodness to them, not only in words when they kneel down to say
their prayers, but in bright looks and cheerful tones through the whole
day.
Jessie Graham is a very clever little girl, and very like a bird herself
as she goes singing and jumping about when she is out of doors, though
at home she is the most quiet, orderly, housewifely little thing you can
imagine. Her grandmother, of whom I have just spoken, is a Scotchwoman.
She is a widow, her husband having died soon after they came to this
country, and when her only child, Jessie's father, was still a little
boy. Mrs. Graham seemed to have nothing to live on but what she could
make by her own spinning and knitting, her gardening and poultry yard.
Yet she never asked alms, or even received them when offered, saying to
those who would have given them, "I am thankful to God for showing me
that when the time of need comes I shall have such kind friends, but
still more thankful to Him that it has not come yet." Her garden was
small, but in it were often the earliest and best vegetables that were
to be seen for miles around. Some of these she would send by little
Donald to the market of a neighboring town. Donald too had his bed of
flowers, from which he was sometimes able to sell slips of roses or a
few choice bulbous roots. Seeds and slips and roots to plant were given
him by my brother's gardener, who had employed the lad, and had, as he
said, "taken a liking" to him, because he had found him honest,
industrious, and intelligent. With his instructions, Donald became a
capital gardener, and when he afterwards removed to the city, was
employed by my brother in his place. With the wages which he thus
received, Donald was able to add to his garden, till with some work from
himself and constant watchfulness from his mother, it became quite
profitable. He enlarged their cottage, too, so that when he brought home
a wife there was room enough for her without taking any thing from his
mother's comfort. His wife was a good-tempered and kind-hearted young
woman whom he had known from a boy. They have six children, of whom
Jessie is the eldest. She is named after her grandmother; and as she is
almost always at her side, has learned many useful things from her
besides imitating the birds in keeping a thankful and a cheerful heart.
She is constantly busy,--sometimes helping her grandmother in her
housekeeping, or counting her eggs, or feeding her chickens for
her,--sometimes sewing beside her mother, or taking care of her young
brothers and sisters,--sometimes--and I think this is what Jessie likes
best--running after her father, and by his direction weeding a bed or
tying up a branch, picking the strawberries or making up into bouquets
the flowers which he is to take to market. She has the family taste for
gardening, and has already learned from her father a great deal more
about plants than their names. Harriet goes to her always for
instruction about the management of her flowers, and if a friend sends
me a rare plant, is never quite satisfied till Jessie has approved the
soil in which it is placed. It is from Jessie that I learn, in the
spring, where the most beautiful wild-flowers are to be found.
A stroll in the woods after these wild-flowers is one of the greatest
treats I can offer to my young favorites; and when, about a year ago, I
sent to several of them to come to my house on a fine, bright morning,
prepared for one of these rambles, with thick shoes which would keep
their feet dry if we went into low or damp places, and little baskets in
which to put their flowers, I was very sure there was not one who would
disappoint me. They all came, and Jessie the earliest and the gayest
among them. She had brought her father's trowel to take up the roots,
and away we all went,--the little ones talking as fast and laughing as
loud as they could, and Aunt Kitty listening, as much pleased as any of
them. Away we went,--not by the road, but through the woods,--now moving
swiftly and pleasantly along under the high trees, with the sunlight
falling only here and there in patches on our path,--then suddenly
hedged up by the tangled brushwood, and obliged to climb or jump over,
or to creep through, as some of the smallest of the party managed to
do,--the children now filling their baskets with buttercups, then
throwing them all away because they had found a piece of ground covered
with violets. At last, when the baskets were filled with the roots of
violets and wood-geraniums, and each one had gathered branches of the
wild-rose and clusters of the rich and graceful columbine, Aunt Kitty
remembering that they had yet to walk home, gave the signal to return,
and half unwillingly it was obeyed. After leaving the wood, we followed
a road which enabled me to leave my young companions at their different
homes before I went on to mine. Mr. Graham's was the last house on our
way, and there Harriet and Mary Mackay and I stopped with Jessie, as I
saw her father was at home and wanted to speak to him about some seeds.
Old Mrs. Graham was seated in the low, shaded porch, knitting, and there
I left the children showing her their treasures, while I stepped into
the garden where Mr. Graham was at work. Having finished my talk with
him I went into the house again. The children were still in the porch;
and as I entered the parlor that opened on it, I heard Mary Mackay's
earnest tone wishing that she could walk in the woods and pick flowers
every day.
"Why, Mary!" said Harriet, "what then would become of your books and
Miss Bennett?"--this was the name of Mary's governess.
"I would not care what became of them," said Mary, hastily, then added:
"Oh yes, I would care what became of Miss Bennett,--but as for the
books--"
"Send them to me, Mary," said Jessie, "send them to me, if you are tired
of them, and send Miss Bennett with them."
"Why, Jessie, do you want to study lessons?"
"I don't know about the studying, Mary, how I should like that,--but I
would be willing to try, rather than be a poor ignorant girl without any
schooling, as Nancy Orme called me the other day."
I saw old Mrs. Graham turn quickly round at this, and heard her ask
Jessie, "And what did you say to Nancy Orme?"
"Nothing, grandmother,--what could I say to her? It is the truth, you
know."
"It is not the truth," said Mrs. Graham, "and you are a silly child to
say so."
"Why, grandmother, what schooling have I ever had? You have taught me to
read, and father has begun to teach me to write, and that is all I know
or am like to know."
"You are a silly child, Jessie, as I said before. You have had the
schooling which is better for little Jessie Graham, the gardener's
daughter, than any that Miss Bennett and her books could give."
Mary, who really loved Miss Bennett, colored up, and Mrs. Graham said to
her, "Do not be vexed, my little lady, for I mean no offence. Miss Mary
Mackay, who is to be a young _lady_, and must talk to ladies and
gentlemen, cannot do without books and Miss Bennett to explain them. And
I do not mean to say that book-learning hurts anybody, but only that
Jessie, and poor little folks like Jessie, can do without it, and yet
that they must not call themselves without schooling; for what schooling
they really want, God takes care that they may have."
The girls looked puzzled, and as I had become quite interested in what
the old woman was saying, I was not sorry when my inquisitive little
niece, Mary, exclaimed, "Pray, Mrs. Graham, tell me what you mean, for I
cannot see what schooling little girls have who do not learn out of
books."
"Well, my dear," said Mrs. Graham, putting down her knitting, taking off
her spectacles, and looking very thoughtful, "I do not know whether I
can tell you just what I mean, so that you can understand me, but I will
try. I think God means that every father and mother shall be teachers to
their own children, or if the father and mother are dead, there is
almost always some friend who is bound to take their place, and then he
spreads out books on every side of them, so that they are almost obliged
to read, unless they wilfully shut their eyes;--for if they look up,
there is the sun in the day and the moon and stars at night, and though
they cannot tell, as I am told some great scholars can do, how far off
they are, and what the stars are named, they can see how much good they
do to us, lighting and warming us, and dividing the year into seasons,
which, everybody who knows any thing of gardening knows, is a great
good, and making day and night. They can learn out of this book, too, a
great deal of God's power and glory, for he must keep all these in their
places, and make them all come back to us day after day, and night after
night, and year after year, without ever failing once. Then, when they
look down on the ground, there is another beautiful book. They may not
be able to call every thing there by its right name, but they may learn
what is good to eat, and what for medicine, and what is only pretty to
the eye,--what soil each plant loves, and how God has provided for each
just what is best for it. And so, if they look at the birds, or the
poultry, or the different animals, they will find each kind has its own
ways, and from each one they may learn as many useful things as from any
book that was ever made. Now, my dear young ladies, this is the
schooling which God provides for us all, and though, as I said before,
learning from books is very good, yet those who cannot get it need not
be altogether ignorant, and of the two, maybe God's schooling is best
for poor people."
Though I was very much pleased with what Mrs. Graham said, I was afraid
my little girls would begin to think very slightingly of books, so I
stepped out, and telling them that it was time to go home, they gathered
up their flowers, and bidding Mrs. Graham and Jessie good-morning, we
set out. I waited a while, hoping that, as they did not know I had
overheard Mrs. Graham, they would speak to me of what she had said. And
so they did; for I had not waited long, when Mary said, "Aunt Kitty, do
you not think Mrs. Graham is a very sensible woman?"
"Yes, my dear," I replied, "I do think she is a _very_ sensible woman."
"I wish you could have heard her, Aunt Kitty, talking about Jessie's
schooling--I liked what she said so much."
"And what did she say, Mary?"
"Oh, Aunt Kitty, I cannot remember half--but she said little girls need
not study books."
"Not all little girls, Mary," said Harriet, interrupting her.
"Well, Harriet, not all little girls,--but she said that little girls
who could not study books, might still have schooling,--for God gave
them teachers, and then they might look at the stars, and the flowers,
and the birds, and all the animals, and learn, Aunt Kitty, just as well
as we do out of books, and I am sure it must be a much pleasanter way of
learning."
"But how many little girls are there, Mary, do you think, who, if they
had never studied books or been directed by such sensible teachers as
Mrs. Graham herself, would look at the stars, and the flowers, and the
birds, and learn from them all which they can teach? Unless we see
something more in these than their bright light, their pretty colors, or
their gay plumage, they will teach us little, and it is generally from
books or from some person who has had what Mrs. Graham calls
book-learning, that we learn to look deeper."
"How did Mrs. Graham come to know so much about them then, Aunt Kitty,
for I do not think she reads many books?"
"Mrs. Graham, my dear Mary, has been accustomed to associate with people
much better educated than herself, and as she is a very observing and
thoughtful person, she has lost no opportunity of learning. And now,
Mary, you see that book-learning is of more use than you ever before
thought it, for the person who has it, may help to open the eyes of many
who have it not, to read what God has written for us all in the heavens
and the earth."
CHAPTER II.
THE SCHOOL.
The next morning before Harriet and I had breakfasted, Mary came running
in, her cheeks glowing and eyes sparkling with pleasure, crying out even
before she had said good-morning, "Aunt Kitty, Jessie is to go to school
with me and study lessons,--she is to begin to-day, and I am going to
tell her to get ready at once, so I have not a minute to stay."
"Stop, stop, my dear," said I, seizing her hand as she was passing me,
"just catch your breath and then tell us how all this was arranged."
"Oh, I told Miss Bennett how much Jessie wanted to go to school, and she
said she might come if my father had not any objection, and I asked my
father, and he said he had not any,--but I must go, Aunt Kitty, indeed I
must," and breaking away from me, she bounded off.
She soon came back bringing the smiling Jessie with her, and from that
day Jessie might be seen every morning about nine o'clock going to her
school. She spent only two hours there each day, but as she really
wished to learn, she improved very much, and Miss Bennett said, she
repaid her for all trouble in teaching her, by her good example to our
good-humored but wild little Mary. Jessie seemed to think she could
never say or do enough to thank Mary for inducing Miss Bennett to give
her lessons, and though Mary loved Jessie, and would never let any one
find the least fault with her without a warm defence, I sometimes feared
that Jessie's perfect submission to her will in all things would do her
harm--that she would become quite a little despot. But a circumstance
which happened in their school a short time after Jessie's lessons with
Miss Bennett began, taught us that there was one thing Jessie loved
better even than she loved Mary. I will relate the circumstance, and you
will find out what that one thing was.
Mary's father had a fine flock of sheep, and one morning as Mary stood
by him while he counted them, watching the lambs frisking from side to
side, Jessie came from the house to tell her that Miss Bennett had been
waiting some time for her.
"Stay just one minute, Jessie, and then I will go back with you," said
the little idler; "I want papa to be done counting, that I may beg him
for a little lamb--I want a pet lamb. See there, Jessie--that one that
is running along so fast, and then stops to wait for the others, is not
it a beauty? Oh! do, papa, give it to me," said she, as her father
counted the thirtieth sheep, for she knew that this was the full number.
"Give you what, my child?" asked her father, who had not been paying any
attention to her.
"That pretty lamb, papa--make haste to say yes, for there is Miss
Bennett's bell ringing for the third time. Stop, Jessie," said the
little despot, catching hold of her as she would have run in, "you shall
not go till I am ready."
"I am sorry my daughter should let any thing keep her from her lessons.
Besides, you are treating Miss Bennett with great disrespect, and here
she comes herself to see what has become of her truants."
As Mr. Mackay spoke, he took Mary's hand and walked with the children
towards the piazza where Miss Bennett stood. He is a very good-natured
man, and makes such a pet of his little daughter, that he was quite
ready to excuse her; so, as Miss Bennett was about to speak to Mary, he
said, "I believe, Miss Bennett, I must ask you to excuse her want of
punctuality to-day, for the fault was partly mine. If I had not been as
much engaged in counting my sheep as she was in watching the lambs at
play, I should have heard your bell and sent her to you."
"I do not wish to punish the fault of to-day," said Miss Bennett, with a
smile, "but to reform a habit persisted in for many days. Can you not
aid me, sir, in devising some mode by which Mary may be reminded that
her studies are of more importance than her play?"
"Yes, she has just been presenting a petition which I will not grant
till she can bring me proof that she has been punctual and attentive to
her studies for two months."
"Two whole months, papa?" said Mary, looking quite frightened at the
length of time.
"Yes, my daughter, two whole months, and--stay, where is Jessie?"
looking around for her.
"Stolen away, I suppose," said Miss Bennett, "for fear of hearing Mary
scolded. We shall probably find her in the schoolroom."
"Well, I will go there with you," said Mr. Mackay, entering the house
with the wondering Mary. On they went, Miss Bennett leading the way to
the schoolroom, where, as she had conjectured, they found Jessie,
looking very gravely.
"Do not be afraid, Jessie," said Mary, laughing, as she entered, "Miss
Bennett has not beaten me. Papa is going to do something to us both, I
think, but I do not know what."
"You shall soon hear," said Mr. Mackay. "If Miss Bennett will be so kind
as to give to the one who recites the best lesson a card marked merit;
and to the one who is not in her place by the time the bell has ceased
ringing, a blank card, for two months to come, we will then count both
kinds of tickets: for every blank card we will take away one from the
others, and to the little girl who has most merit cards left, I will
give--listen, Mary--the prettiest lamb in my flock."
"I will gladly agree to perform my part in the arrangement," said Miss
Bennett, "but will add another stipulation. As I would have my little
pupils careful, as well as studious and attentive, I will make no note
of the tickets given for merit, and the girl who loses her tickets will
therefore suffer the consequences."
"Do you understand?" said Mr. Mackay.
"Oh yes," said Mary, eagerly clapping her hands, "and I mean to have the
lamb."
"Yes, sir," said the smiling Jessie--pleased to see her friend so happy.
"Well," said Mr. Mackay, as he left the schoolroom, "you will begin
to-morrow."
For some time Miss Bennett had no blanks to give and few merit cards,
for the girls were always in their places at the proper time, and both
knew their lessons so perfectly that it could not with truth be said
either was _best_. After some weeks, however, things fell into their old
course. Mary got most blanks, and most merit cards too, for though
Jessie was both quick and studious, she had less time for study; and
what is of more consequence, she had no one at home to help her out of
difficulties by explaining what she did not understand. Besides, as Mary
had been much longer at school than her friend, the lessons which she
was going over for the second, or perhaps third time, were quite new to
Jessie, who felt her friend's advantages on this account to be so great
that she never dreamed there was any probability of receiving the prize
herself.
CHAPTER III.
MARY--MORE GENEROUS THAN JUST.
Harriet and I, walking over one pleasant afternoon to my brother's, met
Jessie sauntering slowly home, and Mary with her. We stopped to chat a
while with them, and then Mary, bidding Jessie good-by, turned back with
us. While I walked steadily on, she and Harriet were sometimes by my
side, sometimes running before me, and sometimes lingering far behind.
As we approached the house, we saw the sheep driven to their pen for
the night. The children were before me, but near enough for me to hear
Mary exclaim, "Harriet, there is my lamb--that is the one I mean to
choose--if it does not grow too large before the time."
"Maybe you will not have to choose at all," said Harriet, "for Jessie
may get it."
"Indeed she will not," said Mary.
"How do you know that?" asked Harriet, "only one month is gone. I wish
she may get it."
"I do not think that is very kind of you," said Mary, "to wish that
Jessie should get it instead of me, when you know I want the lamb so
much."
"Why, Mary," said Harriet, "though you may not get it just at this
particular time, you know your father would give you one afterwards if
you asked for it, and poor Jessie may never have another chance to get
one. Besides, I think it will do her a great deal more good than you."
"I do not see how," said Mary, still in a dissatisfied tone.
"Why," said Harriet, "you know she knits her own stockings, and her
father has to buy wool--now, she could have the wool from her own lamb
without paying any thing for it."
"I never thought of that," said Mary, earnestly, while I could not but
smile at Harriet's forethought. "But, Harriet, I should like to get the
lamb," said Mary, after thinking a while, "and then I could give it to
Jessie, you know."
"But are you sure Jessie would take it from you?"
"Oh yes! I could make her take it," said Mary, confidently.
"I do not know that," said Harriet, "if her grandmother told her not;
and you know Aunt Kitty told us Mrs. Graham never would take any thing
for herself when she was very poor."
"Well," said Mary, in a perplexed tone, "what shall I do?--for I want
her to have it now as much as you do, since you put me in mind how much
good it will do her. Oh! I will tell you, Harriet, what I will do; I
will not study at all, and so I cannot get any merit cards, and I will
stay out late, and get all the blanks."
As I did not quite approve of Mary's very ingenious plan for obliging
Jessie, I stepped up and said, "Do you think that would be quite right
to your papa and Miss Bennett, who are trying by the offer of this
reward to make you more studious and punctual?"
"Well, what shall I do, Aunt Kitty?"
"Do your best, my dear, to win the reward, and let Jessie do the same.
The habits you are thus forming will be of far more consequence to you
than the lamb to Jessie."
"But I want Jessie to have it," said Mary, whose generous feelings had
now been excited; "besides, I do not think it is a fair trial, for
Jessie has so little time to study."
"Then, Mary, suppose you and Harriet go every day and help her in her
work at home, so that she may have more time for study."
"So we will," said Mary, with great animation, "that is a real good
plan; and I will tell you what, Aunt Kitty, I will study and get the
tickets, since you say I ought, but before Miss Bennett counts them, I
will make Jessie take some of my merit cards, and I will take some of
her blanks, so as to be sure that she will have the most; so, you see, I
will have the good habits, and she will have the lamb too. Will not that
be clever?"
"Very clever on your part, Mary, but I hope you will not find it easy to
make Jessie do a thing which in her would be very wrong. Better lose the
lamb than be dishonest."
"Dishonest, Aunt Kitty!"
"Yes, Mary, would it not be dishonest in Jessie to get the lamb by
making your father and Miss Bennett believe that tickets which are in
reality yours, have been won by her."
Mary looked quite grave for a minute, then brightening up, said, "Well,
Harriet, at any rate it is not wrong to help Jessie, so I will come for
you to-morrow morning."
"Very well," said Harriet, "I will go with you, and when we have done
all the work, I will help Jessie get her lessons; so, maybe, she may
have the most tickets without taking yours."
Mary colored, and though she said nothing, I could not help thinking
that she would rather Jessie should get the lamb by any other means than
by having the most tickets.
CHAPTER IV.
THE DISAPPOINTMENT--THE SECRET.
The next morning Mary came over quite early for Harriet, and they ran to
Mr. Graham's full of glee; but they had been gone a very little while,
when they came back looking quite vexed. On my asking what was the
matter, Mary answered, "That cross Mr. Graham would not let us do any
thing."
"Why, Mary, I never heard Mr. Graham called cross before."
"Well, Aunt Kitty, he was cross, for Jessie was very glad to see us, and
wanted us to help her pick strawberries, and he would not let us do it,
but said we would tread on the vines,-as if we never picked strawberries
before."
"Perhaps, Mary, you never did pick them where it was so important to be
careful of the vines. You know Mr. Graham's garden is his only means of
support. But had Jessie nothing else to do which you could have done for
her?"
"I do not know," said Mary, "we were so vexed that we would not ask to
do any thing else."
"Do not say _we_, Mary," said Harriet, "for I would have asked old Mrs.
Graham to let me count the eggs and feed the chickens, which Jessie said
was all she had to do besides picking the strawberries, before school,
but you were so angry and talked so loud, that I thought it was better
to come away."
Mary looked very much ashamed, and hung her head, as she said, "Well,
Aunt Kitty, it is very hard when we mean to do good to be scolded for
it."
"And did Mr. Graham scold you, Mary?"
"He looked cross at us, Aunt Kitty, if he did not scold."
"Mr. Graham might have looked not very well pleased, at the thought of
having his fine strawberry-plants trampled, and still have felt obliged
by your kind feelings to Jessie. But I fear that my little niece must
have been thinking more of herself than of Jessie, more of the credit
which Mary Mackay deserved, than of the assistance she was going to
give, or she would not, because she found one service declined, have
been unwilling to offer to help her friend in some other way."--As I
spoke I put my arm around Mary and drew her to me.--"Was it not so,
Mary?"--she hid her face on my shoulder and was silent,--"Think of it,
Mary, and tell me if I am right."
In about a minute Mary raised her head, and said very frankly, "Yes,
Aunt Kitty, I believe you are right; and now, if Harriet will go with
me, I will go back and see if we can do any thing else for Jessie."
But Harriet exclaimed, "We need not go, Mary, for here is Jessie
herself; and now we will tell her what we meant to do, and if she would
like it, we will go to-morrow."
Jessie was much pleased with the kind intentions of her young friends,
and assured them that they could help her very much, for they could
count the eggs, feed the chickens, and put the kitchen pantry in order,
all which she generally did before coming to school. From this time
Jessie was able to study more, and with Harriet's aid, her lessons were
well learned. Still she gained few merit cards, for Mary studied too,
and was very punctual, seeming quite in earnest about the prize, which
she nevertheless declared, steadily and positively, would be Jessie's.
At this declaration Jessie only laughed, but Harriet seemed quite
puzzled, saying that she knew by Mary's looks she had some plan in her
head. And so it proved she had. The two months which had seemed to Mary,
when her father first named them, so long, were ended at last. Two days
before the tickets were to be counted by Miss Bennett, Mary begged
Jessie to bring hers with her to school, that she might see how many
they would each have before they were given in.
"It is of no use, Mary," said Jessie, "for I know exactly how many I
have, and I know you have more than twice as many merit cards."
"I know I have more than twice as many blanks," said Mary, "but that is
nothing, Jessie. I want to see your cards, and I think you might bring
them when I ask you."
"And so I will bring them, Mary," said Jessie; and when she came the
next morning she brought a neat little box, which she held up to Mary
as soon as she came in sight, calling out, "Here are my cards."
"That is right, Jessie," said Mary; "now you must leave them with me,
and to-morrow morning they will be here ready for you."
"Well, Mary," said Jessie, as somewhat reluctantly she gave them up,
"take care of them, because though I cannot get the lamb I would like
Miss Bennett to see that I have been careful of my cards as she wished
us to be."
Mary promised, and put the box very carefully into a basket where her
own cards were kept.
CHAPTER V.
JESSIE'S TRUTH.
On the day appointed, Harriet and I went over by Miss Bennett's request,
to see the prize delivered to her who should be found to deserve it. A
lamb had been chosen by Mr. Mackay, and without telling Mary any thing
of it, he had had a small silver collar engraved, "reward of merit."
After the lamb had been washed as white as snow, this had been put on
it, and a blue riband tied to the collar by which the lamb might be led,
so that Jessie, should she win it, would have no difficulty in getting
it home. As I entered my brother's house, I met Jessie and Mary in the
piazza. Mary was talking very earnestly, and I heard her say, "There is
your box, Jessie. Don't open it till you give it to papa."
"But I must open it, Mary. I want to divide the cards, so as not to give
Mr. Mackay much trouble."
"Nonsense, Jessie--what does papa care for trouble? You must _not_ open
it, I tell you. I have counted the cards, and you will have the lamb."
"Mary, how can you laugh at me so? You know that I cannot get it."
At this moment Mary was called away by her mother. I had watched her
closely, and I thought I could see some roguery in the demure smile
which played around her mouth, in spite of her evident efforts to be
serious. As soon as she was out of sight, Jessie seated herself on the
steps and took out her tickets. They were already made into parcels, and
I saw her turn her eyes with a wondering look from one to the
other,--then she loosed the string which tied each parcel together,
counted them rapidly, and then, dropping them into the box, said, "What
does this mean?"
I began to be quite interested in this little mystery, of which I
suspected Mary knew more than anybody else, so when I went into the
schoolroom, I took my seat at a window, the sash of which was raised,
and which overlooked the piazza, and kept my eye on Jessie. I was
scarcely seated before Mary ran up to her. As soon as she was near
enough to see the box opened and the cards loosed, she cried out in a
vexed tone, "And so, Jessie, you would open the box after all?"
"Oh, Mary!" said Jessie, "it is the strangest thing--my blank cards are
almost all gone, and here are a great many more merit cards than I had.
Where can they come from?"
Mary seemed very much amused, and said, "Why, Jessie, I think a good
fairy must have put them there."
Jessie looked up into her laughing face for a moment, and then said,
"Now, Mary, I know how it came--you put them there just to tease me.
Make haste and let us get them right before they call us. I ought to
have ten merit cards and four blanks, and here are only two blanks and
seventeen merit cards. Take yours, Mary, and give me mine--quick--before
Miss Bennett calls us."
As she spoke, she held out the box, but Mary stepped back, saying very
positively, "Indeed, Jessie, I will not do any such thing."
Jessie looked at her a moment, and seeing by her countenance that she
was resolved not to do it, turned round, saying, "Well, I must go and
tell your father just how it is."
She went towards the door, but before she reached it, Mary caught her
and drew her back, saying, as she did so, "Jessie, if you say a word to
my father or Miss Bennett or anybody about it, I will never play with
you again or love you, as long as I live."
Her face was red, and she spoke in a very angry tone.
"Oh! don't talk so, Mary," said Jessie, "please don't talk so. You would
not have me tell your father a story, and it would be just like telling
him a story if I gave him your cards for mine."
"You need not give them to him," said Mary, "I will do it myself, and
Aunt Kitty said it would not be any harm in me to do it. I told you that
you would have the lamb, and I am determined you shall have it."
"But I don't want it," said Jessie; "I hate the lamb, and I don't want
it."
"It is very ungrateful in you to say so, and I know you do it just to
vex me. I know you cannot help wanting that pretty little lamb with its
silver collar; and then it would please your father and mother and
grandmother so much to see the reward of merit on it."
"But what good would their being pleased do me when I knew I had told a
story to get it?" said Jessie mournfully.
"You are very obstinate, Jessie," said Mary; "did not I tell you that
you need not say a word, and that I would give papa the cards myself--so
how can you tell a story about it? Besides, I will tell him the whole
truth by-and-by, when I have had my fun out."
"Will you, Mary, will you tell him the whole truth--and is it only just
for fun?"
"To be sure it is, or I would not say so,--so now, Jessie, give me the
cards at once like a good girl, and I will love you so dearly," kissing
her as she spoke, "and just go in the schoolroom quietly, and look as
sober as you can while they are counting them."
With a reluctant hand Jessie gave up the box, saying, "Remember, Mary,
it is just for fun, and you will tell your father before I go home."
"I will tell him in the right time," said Mary; "but if you do not make
haste into the schoolroom we will not be there in the right time," and
she ran quickly and joyously in--while Jessie followed more slowly and
timidly.
Mary went straight to her father, who sat with Miss Bennett near a
table, and gave him first a parcel containing her own cards, then
handing him the box, said, "Jessie's are in this box, papa." Her father
took them, smilingly, from her, and she then came and stood by Jessie,
who had placed herself not far from me. The cards were counted. In
Mary's parcel were twenty merit cards and eight blanks, which, taken
from the others, left her only twelve. Jessie, it was found, had only
two blanks to be taken from seventeen merit cards; she could therefore
count fifteen, and the lamb was declared to be hers. I had looked
steadily upon her while my brother and Miss Bennett were counting, and I
saw that she looked very pale, except once when she caught Miss
Bennett's eye, and then her face became very red, and her eyes filled
with tears. As my brother said, "Jessie has won the prize," she looked
imploringly at Mary and whispered, "Now, Mary--please, Mary, tell him
now,"--but Mary turned away and seemed not to hear her.
My brother went into the next room and led in the lamb.
Again I heard Jessie's pleading tones, "Now, Mary--please, Mary,
now,"--but Mary said nothing.
The lamb was led up to Jessie, and my brother, saying to her, "Here is
your prize, my good little girl, which you have well deserved," would
have put the riband into her hand, but instead of taking it, she covered
her face with her hands and sobbed out, "I cannot take it, sir--indeed I
cannot take it, for it is not mine, it is Mary's, and I must tell if she
should be ever so angry with me."
Mr. Mackay looked around as for some one to explain Jessie's meaning,
but as no one said any thing, he again addressed himself to Jessie
herself: "But, my dear, why should you not take it? Perhaps you think,
because Mary had most merit cards, the lamb should have been hers,--but
you must remember, she had so many more blanks to be taken from them,
that they left her with less than you. As for Mary's being angry with
you, I am sure you need not be afraid of that,--Mary is not so selfish
and unjust as to be angry with her friend for doing better than
herself."
"Oh no, sir! that is not it--Mary wanted me to have the lamb, but--"
Jessie stopped, and Miss Bennett now came up to Mr. Mackay and said, "I
believe I can explain this. Jessie is very properly grieved at having
done a very wrong thing. You may remember that I said I would keep no
account of the merit cards given, in order to induce the children to be
careful, but Jessie seems to have forgotten that I did not say the same
of the blanks; of these I did take note, and I am grieved to find, on
reference to my memorandum, that two of Jessie's blanks have been added
to Mary's."
Miss Bennett spoke in a very grave tone, and looked at Jessie very
severely. She would have said something more, but Mary--who, half
ashamed and half angry, had stood with her eyes cast down and the
corners of her mouth twitching as if she were just ready to cry--now
looked up and interrupted her by exclaiming, "You are very wrong indeed,
Miss Bennett, to think Jessie had any thing to do with it. It was I that
did it, on purpose that Jessie might have the lamb, and she never knew a
word of it till just as we came in, and then she begged me to tell, and
I would not. So there--it is all told now--and the next time I try to
give anybody any thing, it shall be some one who will be more grateful
for it than Jessie."
Poor Jessie! she cried as if her heart would break, and tried to take
Mary's hand while she said, "Indeed, indeed, Mary, I could not help it."
But Mary would not be coaxed--she withdrew her hand and turned sullenly
away. Mr. Mackay looked at her sorrowfully, then stooping down he
unclasped the collar from the lamb's neck, and tying the riband in its
place, held it to her while he said, "You have won the prize,
Mary,--take it--but I must take off the collar. I cannot give a reward
of _merit_ to a girl who thinks a lamb more valuable than truth and
honesty."
It was now Mary's turn to weep and Jessie's to defend her. "Oh! Sir, do
not blame Mary--it was all from kindness to me, sir--indeed it was--and
you know, sir, Mary would not tell a story for any thing in the world."
"And yet Mary wished you, Jessie, to tell a story, and to take what you
knew did not justly belong to you, and now is angry with you because you
were not willing to do so. Either Mary is not very kind to you, or, as I
said before, she values more the lamb she would have given you, than
the truth and honesty she would have had you give up for it."
Jessie was silenced for a minute, and though Mary continued to weep, it
was more gently. Mr. Mackay stood before the children, still holding the
lamb,--which Mary seemed as little disposed to take as Jessie,--and
looking very gravely. At length Jessie raised her eyes to him and said,
"I do not think Mary is angry with me because I would not take the lamb,
sir; she is only a little vexed because I did not do as she wanted me
to."
We all smiled as Jessie said this, and Mr. Mackay answered, "I believe
you are quite right, my dear little girl,"--then, putting his hand on
Mary's head, he added, "My daughter, we will leave you alone for a
little while, to think whether you are most sorry that Jessie Graham has
lost the prize, or that Mary Mackay has not had her own way altogether."
He was turning away when Mary spoke, though in so low a tone that no one
could hear her. Mr. Mackay, putting his head down to her, asked what she
said, and she repeated, "I do not think it was wrong in me to want
Jessie to get the lamb and to give her my cards that she might get it."
"Are you quite sure, Mary, that you did wish Jessie to win the prize? Do
you think you would have been pleased that she should have got the lamb
in any other way than by your giving it to her? Still, however this may
be, the wish to give it was generous, and far from thinking it wrong, I
am more pleased with it in my daughter, than even with her studiousness
and punctuality;--but, was it right in you, when your kind intention
could not be accomplished without a very wrong action in Jessie, to wish
that she should do it, and to be angry with her because she would not?
Ought you to have thought so much more of your generosity than of
Jessie's truth?" Mr. Mackay waited a little while for an answer, then
said, "Speak, Mary--was this right?"
While her father had been speaking to her, Mary had ceased to weep,
though she still kept her head down, and her face covered with her
hands. Even now she could not lift her eyes, though she raised her head
a little as she said, almost in a whisper, "No, papa."
Jessie, whose eyes had been fixed upon Mary with the most earnest,
anxious look you can imagine, now put her arm quickly around her neck,
exclaiming in a joyful tone, "Then, Mary, you will not be vexed with me
any more, will you?"
"No, Jessie," said Mary, kissing her, "it was very wicked in me to be
vexed with you just because you were good."
"Now, my dear Mary," said Mr. Mackay, "in taking blame for your own
fault, and giving to your friend the credit she deserves, you are indeed
generous, and I may now put back the lamb's collar--you _merit_ the
reward."
As he spoke, he kissed both the little girls. Mary sprang into her
father's arms and hid her face on his shoulder. As she did so, I saw
that there were tears in her eyes, yet she smiled and looked very happy.
In a little while she looked up, and seeing Jessie seated on the floor
playing with the lamb, said, laughing, "Why, Jessie, I thought you hated
the lamb."
"Not now, Mary," said Jessie, "I love it now."
And now it will be easy for my little readers to see that the one thing
which Jessie loved more than Mary was "Truth."
CHAPTER VI.
THE COW.
It was but a few weeks after this, that, as Harriet and I were one
evening passing Mr. Graham's house, we saw a man tying a rope around the
neck of his fine cow, which was noted everywhere for her gentleness and
for the quantity of milk she gave. In the yard, not far from the cow,
stood Mr. Graham. He was looking very serious, but did not say any
thing. But poor Jessie!--her arm was over the cow's neck and her face
rested against her side, while she sobbed so loudly that we heard her
before we reached the gate. As I did not quite understand what was
going on, I hesitated a little about entering, but Mr. Graham saw me,
and stepping up opened the gate. As I went in, I said to him, "What is
the matter with my friend Jessie?"
He tried to smile as he replied, "Only parting with the cow, ma'am. It
is very foolish in her to take on so;--but she has always fed her, and
so the creature knows and follows her, and Jessie feels as if she was
just like a friend."
"But why are you parting with your cow, Mr. Graham?"
Mr. Graham colored and turned a little away from me as he said, "It is
not just convenient to me to keep her at present, ma'am."
I saw from his manner that it would pain him to have me ask further
about his reasons for selling her. Supposing that the cow was already
sold, I asked who had bought her.
"Nobody yet, ma'am," said Mr. Graham, "I am only sending her to town to
be sold."
"Then I am very glad I came here before she went," said I, "for I should
like very much to own her, and I will give you gladly whatever you
expected to get for her in town."
Jessie looked up at this, and as she saw her father hesitate, cried out,
"Oh yes! do, father, sell her to Aunt Kitty, and I can see poor Mooly
sometimes; and then too, if you are ever rich enough to buy her back, I
know she will let you have her again."
"You are a foolish thing," said Mr. Graham, as he put his hand kindly on
Jessie's head, for we had walked together to the cow--then turning to
me, he told me he would be very glad to sell the cow to one who he knew
would use her well. The business was soon arranged. The cow was to be
taken home at once to my house; but she need not be tied, for Jessie
would lead her there, and there was no difficulty in getting her to
follow Jessie. Mr. Graham went along with us too, to receive his money.
Before Jessie left us I begged her to feed the cow for me.
"That I will, ma'am," said the delighted girl, "and if you will let me,
I will come every evening and give her her supper, for I am sure she
will like it better, if she takes it from me."
"I shall be very much obliged to you, Jessie, and as your friend Mooly
may not be quite so gentle with strangers as with you, if you will come
over and keep her quiet when she is milked in the morning, you will be
doing me a favor, and then you can carry back the cup of warm milk which
Harriet tells me your grandmother drinks every morning."
Jessie looked at me for a moment with a happy smile, and then said, "Oh,
ma'am! how glad I am that you walked by our house this evening. This
will be almost as good as having Mooly at home ourselves."
CHAPTER VII.
SORROW AND SYMPATHY.
I could not easily forget poor Jessie's distress, and I found myself
often thinking what could have made Mr. Graham sell so good a cow.
Surely, I said to myself, it cannot be that he is poorer than he has
been, and in want of money which he could not get in any other way. I
knew that he had had rheumatism so badly during the past winter, that he
had not been able to get out to work till quite late in the spring; but,
notwithstanding this, as the seasons had been favorable, his garden did
not seem to have suffered much. Besides, his family were so prudent and
industrious, that I thought they always spent less in the year than he
made, and so, that he was able every year to lay up some money against
worse times. Jessie came over every morning to see her friend Mooly
milked, and to take a mug of milk to her grandmother, which Harriet took
care should be large enough to give the children some milk with their
breakfasts. In the evening she was always ready to give Mooly her
supper; and as I saw her, day after day, come skipping and singing
along, I felt comforted about her father's circumstances, for I was sure
that Jessie at least had not heard of his being in any great distress or
difficulty. One morning a servant came to me to ask whether Jessie
should be waited for, as it was, she said, quite time the milking was
done, and Jessie was not yet in sight.
"Oh yes! pray, Aunt Kitty, wait," said Harriet, "she will be here
presently, I am sure she will--just wait five minutes."
As she spoke, she ran to the window to watch for Jessie, and soon called
out, "Here's Jessie; but how slow she comes! Do, Aunt Kitty, look!--You
said, the other day, Jessie never walked, and I am sure she is walking
now as slowly as her grandmother could. Why, now, she has stopped and
turned around as if she was not coming at all. Why, I do believe she is
crying! What can be the matter?"
She darted out of the room as she finished speaking, and when I reached
the window through which she had been looking, she was already standing
beside Jessie with her arm around her, talking to her. For a long time
Jessie did not speak, but when she did, she seemed very much in earnest,
while Harriet listened with an expression of the most eager interest. At
length Jessie's story, whatever it was, was ended, and Harriet seemed to
have comforted her, for she wiped her eyes, and looked more cheerful as
they passed the window where I stood, walking hand in hand to the yard
where the cow and the dairywoman were waiting for them. In a little
while, Jessie passed by again on her way home. As she dropped a courtesy
to me and wished me good-morning, I saw that her eyes were still red and
her face swollen with weeping, though she had pushed her bonnet entirely
off her head, that the cool breeze might take away the inflammation.
Jessie was such a merry-hearted child that I felt it could be no
trifling thing which had distressed her so much; yet I would not ask
Harriet any thing about it, because I was sure she would speak of it
herself, if Jessie had not made her promise to keep it secret, and if
she had, I would have been sorry that she should do any thing so
dishonorable as to mention it. There was a servant in the room when she
came in, and I saw that Harriet was quite restless during the few
minutes that she stayed. As soon as she went out, Harriet closed the
door after her and began, "Oh, Aunt Kitty! I am so sorry. Jessie is
going away, and Mr. Graham and all--going to some far-off place in the
West. And Jessie says her father has lost a great deal of money, and
that he is so poor he cannot pay for his place, and so they are going to
take it from him. Jessie heard Mr. Butler talking to him about it this
morning, and she says Mr. Butler--"
"Stop, stop, Harriet, if Jessie only overheard a conversation between
her father and Mr. Butler she was very wrong to repeat it to you, and
the wrong must not go any further--you must not tell it even to me."
"Oh, but, Aunt Kitty, Mr. Graham told Jessie he did not mind her telling
anybody except her grandmother. He does not want old Mrs. Graham to know
it yet; I do not know why. It was Mr. Graham's talking about his mother
that made Mr. Butler tell him, Jessie says, that, if he thought he would
be able to pay him next year, he would wait for his money till then; but
Mr. Graham said something about a bank breaking down--I did not quite
understand that, Aunt Kitty,--but at any rate, all his money was in it,
and he told Mr. Butler that he never expected to be able to pay him, and
that he must take the house back. Mr. Butler said that he would try to
get some one to buy it who would not want it till next year, so that Mr.
Graham need not go till then; but then, Aunt Kitty, they will have to
go."
"I am very sorry for it, Harriet, very sorry indeed."
"I knew you would be, Aunt Kitty, and I told Jessie so, and that you
would try to think of something to help her father, and maybe they would
not have to go at all."
Harriet was silent and looked earnestly in my face for a minute, then
finding I did not answer her, she said, softly, "Will you not, Aunt
Kitty, will you not help Mr. Graham?"
"Most gladly, Harriet, if I can, but I do not yet see how. You know I am
not very rich just now myself."
Harriet looked quite discouraged and thoughtful for a while, then said,
"Could not Uncle Mackay help him?"
"You know that your uncle is about to travel on account of your aunt's
health, and you may have heard him complain of being kept here much
longer than he wished, in consequence of the difficulty of getting the
money which is necessary for himself. Besides, Harriet," said I,
interrupting her as she was about to speak, "I feel sure, from what I
know of Mr. Graham, that he would not take the money he needs, as a
_gift_ from anybody, while he is well and strong, and only to lend it to
him would be doing him little service, since it would be as difficult to
pay it back as to pay for his house."
Harriet looked quite desponding, and said, "Poor Jessie, she will have
to go, then."
"There is but one way, Harriet, which I now think of to prevent it. I
have heard Mr. Graham say that he had more leisure than he liked, and
that he could very well attend to another garden besides his own and
your Uncle Mackay's. Now, if we could get more work and more wages for
him, he could, perhaps, hire a house for the present, and might in time
again lay up money enough to buy."
"That's it, Aunt Kitty--that's it--that is the very best plan," said
Harriet, eagerly; "do let me run over and tell Jessie about it."
"Wait, Harriet, till we see some prospect of succeeding in it, before we
say any thing to Jessie. After breakfast we will go over to your
uncle's, and see if we can learn any thing from him likely to profit Mr.
Graham."
Before I had left the breakfast table, Harriet called out, "Aunt Kitty,
here are Uncle Mackay and Mr. Graham coming this way." When they reached
my gate, however, Mr. Graham passed on towards his own house, and my
brother came in alone. He had just heard from Mr. Graham, that he would
probably be obliged to leave us soon, and seemed much grieved about it.
Mr. Graham had told him that his father had leased his house and garden
from Mr. Butler for twenty-one years--that is, had engaged for that time
to pay a certain sum of money every year for them. When the twenty-one
years were out, Mr. Graham had offered to buy them, on condition that he
should not be asked to pay the money for ten years. During this time, he
had every year put by something towards paying this debt in a savings
bank, and now, when the ten years wanted but a very few months of being
ended, and he thought himself quite ready to pay for his house, he
discovered that the bank had failed, or, as Harriet said, broken--that
is, that it had nothing with which to pay him and others whom it owed.
My brother thought my plan for helping Mr. Graham would be a very good
one, if we could only find the work and the wages; but this he feared
would not be easy, as there were few persons in the neighborhood who
employed a gardener.
"There is my friend Dickinson," he said at length, "who told me, when I
saw him last, that he intended to dismiss his gardener, because he could
not keep his children out of the garden, where they were forever
annoying him by trampling on his flower-beds and breaking his flowers.
This would be an excellent place, for he gives his gardener a very
pretty house and some ground for himself, besides a high salary, but--"
"Oh!" said I, interrupting him, "do not put in a _but_, for that is the
very place we want."
"Yes, Aunt Kitty," said Harriet, eagerly, "that is the very place."
"I fear," said my brother, smiling at her earnestness, "that it is a
place which even Aunt Kitty with all her influence cannot get, for Mr.
Dickinson declared he was determined never again to employ a man who had
children, and you know his determination is not easily changed."
Still, discouraging as the case seemed, I resolved to try, and ordering
the carriage, I asked Harriet if she would like to go with me. "No,
thank you, Aunt Kitty. I would like the drive, but Mr. Dickinson looks
so cross I am always afraid he is going to scold me."
"Did you not tell me, when we were last there, that you would never be
afraid of him again, after seeing him play so good-humoredly with
William Temple?"
"Oh yes, Aunt Kitty; and now I remember that, I think I will go, if you
will ask Mrs. Temple, when we get there, to let me play with William in
the nursery."
Harriet was soon ready, and as the day was bright and the road good, we
had a very pleasant drive of a mile and a half to Mr. Dickinson's.
Before I tell you of our visit, however, you would perhaps like to hear
something of Mr. Dickinson himself, of Mrs. Temple, and of little
William.
CHAPTER VIII.
VISIT TO FLOWERHILL.
Mr. Dickinson was an elderly gentleman, who had had his own way pretty
much all his life. In the first place, when he was a child, having had
no brothers or sisters, and being of course a great pet with his
father--his mother died when he was too young to remember her--he was
seldom contradicted or opposed in any thing. When he was about fifteen
his father brought home another mother for him, but as he was then at
school, he was little under her control. In about a year she too died,
leaving a little girl who was his half-sister. As he loved this sister
very much, and was not a selfish boy, he would, I doubt not, sometimes
have given up his will to her, but she was taken away by an aunt, who
took care of her, and with whom she always lived till she married. This
sister is Mrs. Temple, and a very pleasant woman she is, and dearly does
she love her brother William, as she showed by naming her first son
after him. When Mr. Dickinson's father died, he was still a very young
man. As he was rich, had nothing to keep him at home, and was desirous
of seeing other countries, he went to England, and was for several years
travelling in Great Britain and on the continent of Europe. He could
tell very pleasant stories of what he had seen and heard abroad, but he
always ended by saying he had never seen any place which he liked half
so well as Flowerhill. This was the name he had given to his home.
And well might he like it, for it was indeed a beautiful place. The
house was built on the side of a hill. It had no up-stairs, being only
one story high, yet it was so large that a dozen children might have
played in one part of it without disturbing Mr. Dickinson in the other.
Then it was shaded by such beautiful large old elm-trees. And the
garden--there was not such another garden in the country, for Mr.
Dickinson had employed a very skilful English gardener, who had laid it
out with great taste, and he was constantly buying for it choice and
beautiful flowers. People must have something to pet. Now Mr. Dickinson
being a single man, with no children to pet, had learned to make pets of
his flowers. You will probably think, from all I have said, that Mr.
Dickinson, with no one ever to oppose him, and plenty of money to do
what he liked with, must have been a very happy man. When you are a
little older you will learn that those are not the happiest people who
always have their own way. There were very few people who seemed more
fretful and discontented than this Mr. Dickinson. Children, like
Harriet, called him cross, and ran away from him, while older people
often thought him proud and ill-tempered, and were rather distant with
him. Yet those who knew him well, liked him much, for he was a very
upright and honest and kind-hearted man. You will be a little surprised
perhaps at my calling him kind-hearted, but could you have heard from
some poor old people near him, how often he sent them food and fuel in
the winter season when they could not go out to work, and must have been
both cold and hungry but for him, you would not think it strange. To be
sure, they said, he would scold a little when he came to see them, if it
was only because they did not make better fires or boil their soup more;
but they did not mind this, for they had found out that the more he
scolded, the more he gave. Then, though Mr. Dickinson was never quite
satisfied with children, who either talked so loud that they made his
head ache, or so low that he could not hear them, and if they walked out
with him were certain to tread either on his feet or his flowers, he was
always very careful that they should not get hurt when near him, and
would often spend his money and give himself some trouble to gratify
their wishes, if they were not unreasonable. Mrs. Temple and her two
children, William, who was about six years old, and Flora, who was
nearly four years younger, had been spending the summer with Mr.
Dickinson; and William, who was a fine, spirited boy, was a great deal
with his uncle, and took more liberties with him than I believe
anybody--boy or man--had ever done before.
In driving to Mr. Dickinson's from my house, the road wound around his
garden, and passed, on the other side, the house which had been built
for his gardener. This was a very pretty cottage, with another garden at
the back of it, which, though much smaller than Mr. Dickinson's, and
very simply laid out, looked scarcely less pleasing,--with its raspberry
and strawberry vines--its currant and gooseberry bushes--its roses and
pinks, and its little arbor of grapes, over the entrance to which hung
the fragrant honeysuckle and bright red woodbine. The house was shut up,
but looked as if it might have quite room enough for Mr. Graham's
family. Harriet was sure it was just the thing, and even managed, in the
minute we were passing, to get a peep into the poultry-yard, and to
ascertain that there was good accommodation for all Jessie's ducks and
chickens.
We found Mr. Dickinson at home. He was reading to his sister, Mrs.
Temple, as she sat at work in a room with sashed doors opening into the
garden. One of these doors was open, and William Temple soon appeared at
it, calling out, "Uncle, do come here and tell me what this beautiful
flower is named?"
"Not now, sir, not now," said Mr. Dickinson; and then, before William
could speak, added, "Pray, sir, do you not see the ladies, that you take
no notice of them?"
William came in, and having spoken to me and to Harriet, who was a great
favorite with him, he waited patiently till there was a pause in the
conversation, when he edged up to his uncle, and taking his hand said,
"Come, now uncle,--do come--it will not take you two minutes, and I must
know the name of that flower,--it is the handsomest thing I ever saw in
my life."
"You are very persevering, sir," said Mr. Dickinson, but at the same
time rose and suffered the little boy to lead him off.
Mrs. Temple asked if I would not follow them and see this wonderful
flower; to which I readily agreed, as I thought while in the garden I
might find a very good opportunity to speak to Mr. Dickinson about his
gardener. We soon came up with William and his uncle. They were standing
by a large tub, in which was the flower William had so much admired. It
was indeed a splendid plant. When near enough, I heard Mr. Dickinson
pronouncing its name very slowly, while William carefully repeated it
after him. It was so long that I fear poor William with all his trouble
did not remember it long; yet, as you may like to know it I will tell
it to you. It was a Cactus Grandiflora. The flower was not yet fully
open, and on my saying I had never seen one before, Mr. Dickinson begged
that I would drive over the next day and look at it in greater
perfection, which I promised to do, if the weather remained pleasant. As
we returned to the house William drew Harriet off into another walk. Mr.
Dickinson looked after them for a moment, and then said, turning to me,
"William is the only child I ever saw who at six years old might be
trusted in a garden without fear. He will not pluck a leaf without
permission."
"Well taught children never do," said I.
"Then, ma'am," he replied, "there are very few well taught children. I
have just had to part with a most admirable gardener, because his
children were in this respect so ill taught, that they did my flowers
more harm than he, with all his skill, could do them good."
"Have you supplied his place yet?" I inquired.
"No, ma'am, I have not. I am determined to engage no one who has
children, and I have not yet heard of one who has none."
"Would it not be as well if you could find one whose children were in
this respect as well taught as William Temple?"
"That, ma'am, I think would be even more difficult."
"It is perhaps not common, but I know a man who would, I think, suit you
in all respects."
"Not if he have children, ma'am," said Mr. Dickinson, with a very
determined air.
"You have seen his children, and I think must acknowledge them to be
well behaved, for it is of Mr. Graham, my brother's gardener, that I
speak."
"I never saw his children in a garden, ma'am," said Mr. Dickinson.
"Suppose I give you an opportunity of doing so," said I, "by bringing
his eldest daughter over with me to-morrow. She is, I assure you, a
great favorite both with Harriet and with me."
Before Mr. Dickinson could reply to me, Mrs. Temple asked if my brother
was going to give up his gardener, that I was seeking other employment
for him. I replied that my brother would part with him very unwillingly,
but that Mr. Graham had met with great losses, and unless he could
obtain a more profitable situation, would have to move away to some
distant part of the country where living was cheaper, and where his
large family might therefore be more easily supported. I saw that Mr.
Dickinson was listening to me, though he said nothing; so, still
speaking to Mrs. Temple, I explained the cause of Mr. Graham's
difficulties, and then added, "It is for the aged mother of Mr. Graham
that I feel this change most. Your brother and I were children when she
came to this country with her husband, who soon died, leaving her with
this son to support, and nothing but her own labor with which to do it.
Your father and some other friends offered her the means of going back
to her own family in Scotland. She thanked them, but said, there was no
home so dear to her as that where she had lived with her husband, and
that she could not leave him, even in his grave, alone with strangers.
And now--"
"I will tell you what I will do, ma'am," said Mr. Dickinson, "I will
lend Mr. Graham the money to pay for his house."
"Ah! but, Mr. Dickinson, how is he to make the money to pay you again?"
"I will give it to him, ma'am, I will give it to him."
"That will not do," said I, "for Mr. Graham is a proud man, and as
determined in his way as Mr. Dickinson is in his. He will not receive
alms while he can earn a living."
Mr. Dickinson was silent a little while, then said, "I do not see what I
can do, for I cannot have children here, that is certain."
"May I bring little Jessie with me to-morrow, and show you that she,
like William Temple, can walk through a garden without plucking a leaf?"
"If she be cautioned beforehand," said Mr. Dickinson.
"No," said I, "I will give her no cautions."
The children were now again beside us, and William, who had heard the
last part of our conversation, called out, "Oh yes, Uncle, let Jessie
come--do--she is the greatest gardener in the country, and taught me a
great deal,--now I will see if she ever heard of Cac-tus Grand-iflo-ra,"
pronouncing every syllable with great emphasis.
"For once," said Mrs. Temple, smiling, "I will second William's
request,--let the little girl come."
"Oh, certainly, certainly, ladies, let her come. I have no objection to
her coming--but, remember, I make no promise to employ her father as my
gardener."
"And, uncle, Mary Mackay too, I love Mary Mackay--pray, ask Aunt Kitty
to bring her."
William's influence seemed irresistible, and I left Mr. Dickinson's with
permission to bring both Mary and Jessie with me the next day.
CHAPTER IX.
HOPES AND FEARS.
We dined at Mr. Dickinson's, and as the weather was warm, waited till
near sunset before we returned home. As we got into the carriage, Mr.
Dickinson said, "I shall expect you to-morrow, if the weather be fine."
Harriet turned her head anxiously towards the west to see what weather
the setting sun would promise us. It was just then under a cloud, but we
had not gone a quarter of a mile before it shone out very brightly.
Harriet clapped her hands and cried out, "Oh, Aunt Kitty, is it not
delightful?"
"It is very beautiful, my dear, certainly," said I, looking at the cloud
which glittered like the brightest gold in the sunlight.
"But, Aunt Kitty, I mean, is it not delightful to think that we shall
have such a fine day to-morrow to go to Flowerhill?"
"Why, Harriet, are you not a little whimsical, to be so highly delighted
with the prospect of doing to-morrow what, when I first proposed it to
you to-day, you seemed rather disinclined to do?"
"That was because I thought Mr. Dickinson was cross, but William says he
is not cross at all; and then, you know, Aunt Kitty, Jessie is to go
with us to-morrow, and I am sure, almost, that Mr. Graham will get the
place."
"I wish I felt sure, Harriet, or even _almost_ sure of it; but Mr.
Dickinson seems very decided not to have any children about his garden."
"But, Aunt Kitty, when he sees how careful Jessie is, do you not think
he may?"
"We will hope for the best, Harriet. But even should Mr. Graham not gain
the place, Harriet Armand may gain a lesson from this business, and a
very useful lesson too. Do you see what this lesson is, or shall I tell
you?"
Harriet thought a minute, and then said, "You must tell me, Aunt Kitty,
unless it is that I must be very careful in a garden, and especially in
Mr. Dickinson's garden." This last was said with a laugh.
"No, Harriet, it is a far graver and more important lesson than this. It
is, that you must be careful everywhere to do no wrong--not the
least--for that which seems to you a very little wrong may be followed
by very great evil, and by evil to others as well as to yourself. Those
children who have offended Mr. Dickinson, I dare say, thought it no
great harm that they now and then picked a flower, or, in their play,
ran over and trampled down the beds in his garden; yet you see how much
evil has followed,--their own parents have lost their pleasant home, and
now the remembrance of their bad conduct may prevent a good man's
getting a situation which would save his family from great distress. God
has taught us, my child, that wrong-doing always brings suffering, but
what, or how great that suffering may be, we know not. Remember this,
Harriet; and remember, too, that when once the wrong is done, however
bitterly we may mourn over it, we cannot undo it, and the suffering
_will_ follow--we cannot escape it."
"But, Aunt Kitty," said Harriet, in a low and hesitating tone, "if we
are sorry for what we do wrong,--if we mourn over it, as you say, will
not God forgive us?"
"Yes, Harriet, He will forgive us, and so take away from us the worst of
all evils--His displeasure. He will pity us, and his 'loving-kindness'
will comfort us under our suffering;--but the suffering must come, and
either by enduring it ourselves or by seeing others endure it, we shall
be taught how much better it would have been if we had not done the
wrong--how wise was that commandment of God which forbade us to do it."
The sun had set before we were at home. Harriet's first inquiry was, if
Jessie had been yet to feed the cow. She had been, the servant said, and
had gone back home only a few minutes before we arrived. I told Harriet
that after we had taken tea we would walk over to Mr. Graham's together,
and invite Jessie to go with us in the morning.
"And may I tell her, Aunt Kitty, all about your trying to get the place
for her father, and beg her to be very careful not to touch the
flowers?"
"No, Harriet, Jessie would, like you, probably feel almost sure of the
place for her father, and the disappointment would be very hard to bear
if he did not get it. Besides, I promised Mr. Dickinson to give her no
caution."
"But, Aunt Kitty, I may just tell her how cross Mr. Dickinson is, so
that she may feel very much afraid to touch any thing."
"Harriet!" said I, "have you forgotten already William Temple's
assurances that his uncle is not cross at all?"
"No, Aunt Kitty, I have not forgotten--I did not mean how cross, but how
_particular_ he is."
"I think you had better say nothing to spoil Jessie's enjoyment of a
pleasant day. You would do no good by making her afraid to move. Mr.
Dickinson would see quickly enough that she was not acting naturally,
and would place no confidence in the continuance of such extreme
cautiousness." Harriet still looked anxious, and I added, "I can trust
Jessie without any cautions."
The evening was very still--so still, that, as we walked to Mr.
Graham's, we could hear the grasshoppers jumping from our path, and the
lowing of a cow in a field near us sounded so loud, that Harriet started
as if it had been some strange noise. As we passed the garden we heard
old Mrs. Graham's voice, and though the fence was too high for me to see
them, I soon found that she and Jessie were walking just inside of it,
and therefore near enough for us to hear what they said. Had they been
talking of any thing which they might not have wished a stranger to
hear, I would have spoken to them, but as this was not the case, and as
I was interested in their conversation, I motioned to Harriet to keep
quiet and listen to it.
"Ah, yes, Jessie, it is a pretty place--a very pretty place," said Mrs.
Graham.
"But, grandmother," said Jessie, "there are a great many other places
just as pretty."
"Maybe so, Jessie, maybe so, but there are none, child, we love so
well."
"But when we get used to them, grandmother, we should get to love them,
should we not?"
Mrs. Graham was silent for a minute or two, till Jessie said, "Say,
grandmother, should we not?"
"I was thinking, my dear, and I do not think I could. You would, Jessie,
for the hearts of young people like you are full of hope. You are always
thinking of the pleasure you will have to-morrow, or the next week, or
the next month, and every change, you think, will bring some enjoyment.
But our hearts, Jessie, the hearts of the old, are full of what we
remember of the pleasures we have had already, and which can never come
back to us, and we love the old places best where we can look around and
say to ourselves--'There I had a pleasant walk with such a dear friend;
and, There I sat when I heard such a piece of good news; and so on.' Do
you understand me, Jessie?"
"Yes, grandmother." After a while, Jessie said in a very low voice, so
that I could just hear her, "Grandmother, did not grandfather live
here?"
"Yes, my child, and I was just going to tell you, Jessie, that there is
one move I would be willing to make; I would be willing to live near,
quite near, the church, for it is getting to be hard work for me to get
in and out of a wagon, and I cannot walk so far now, and though I am
sure you take good care of grandfather's grave, I shall still want to
see it sometimes myself."
Flowerhill was quite near the country church in whose grave-yard Mr.
Graham had been buried, and Harriet could not resist whispering to me,
"Oh, Aunt Kitty, it will just do."
Mrs. Graham said nothing more, and when we entered the house at the
front door, she and Jessie were just coming up the steps which led from
the garden. Jessie was delighted with the promise for to-morrow, and so
often repeated how good it was in Mr. Dickinson to let William Temple
ask her, that I saw Harriet was quite afraid that Mr. Dickinson would
not appear awful enough in Jessie's eyes, and that she longed to add,
"but he is very particular." It was arranged that we were to go quite
early in the morning, that is, by nine o'clock, when it would be still
cool and pleasant. This hour did not make it necessary for us to rise
earlier than we usually did, as we always breakfasted at seven o'clock
in summer. Yet, so much was Harriet excited, that three times in the
night she called out from her little room, to ask if I thought it near
daylight, and she started up in the morning with the first ray of
sunlight. As soon as she was dressed, I sent her for Mary Mackay. Before
breakfast was on table all my company was collected, and a merrier
company was certainly never seen, except Harriet, who, though pleased,
was anxious. Mary jumped, and danced, and laughed, and sung, till
Harriet exclaimed, "Mary, if you do so at Mr. Dickinson's he will think
you crazy. I am sure he would not trust anybody who danced about as you
are doing, in his garden for one moment."
"I do not care to go in his garden," said Mary, "I would rather a great
deal play under the trees with William."
"But you must go in the garden, Mary, or you will not see the flower,
and you know you were asked to see the flower."
"Don't be afraid, Harriet; I'll go in the garden, and when I do, I'll
walk so," putting her hands down close to her side as she spoke, and
mincing her steps as if she was treading on something she was afraid of
crushing. I had a little suspicion that this lesson was intended by
Harriet more for Jessie than for Mary.
CHAPTER X.
THE GARDEN--THE LITTLE AND THE GRAND FLORA.
As Harriet had been taught always to speak kindly to servants, she was
quite a favorite with them, and her petition to the coachman that he
would drive fast, made him put the horses into such rapid motion that
the mile and a half was soon passed, and we were landed at Flowerhill
before Mary had half arranged her plans of amusement for the day.
Notwithstanding our speed, however, William called out, as we drove up,
"What made you wait so long? I have been watching for you this great
while."
Mr. Dickinson spoke to the children very pleasantly, and asked very
kindly after Jessie's grandmother. As he caught my eye, however, on
turning away from her, he shook his head with a look which seemed to
say, "Remember, I promise nothing."
William was so impatient to show Jessie the flower and to exhibit his
own accomplishments as a florist, that he carried the children off at
once to the garden. Mr. Dickinson looked rather anxiously after them as
they went tripping gayly along the walks, and very soon proposed that we
should follow them. I acknowledge that, confident as I had expressed
myself to be, and as I really was, of Jessie's good behavior, my great
anxiety that she should be particularly cautious, made me a little
nervous, a little fearful that she might at least let the skirt of her
dress brush off a leaf, and thus give Mr. Dickinson an excuse for
adhering to his determination. I was, therefore, quite ready to join the
children, who would, I thought, be more quiet when we were near. The
first sight of them, however, set my fears at rest, and I glanced at Mr.
Dickinson with something of triumph. There they stood ranged around the
tub in which was the strange and beautiful flower they were admiring,
yet not a finger was raised even to point at it; on the contrary, they
were holding each other's hands as if they feared their own
forgetfulness. They moved away as we came up, though not far, and
William Temple continued to repeat to Jessie all which he had learned
from his uncle of the nature and habits of the plant. After I had
observed all the beauties of this pride of the garden, and exhibited as
much admiration for them as even Mr. Dickinson could desire, he invited
me to walk with him to a distant part of the garden, where he had some
other plants scarce less beautiful or less rare than this. Little Flora
Temple, who, as I have before told you, was only about two years old,
had held her mother's finger and run along by her side from the house,
prattling all the way of the "pitty fower" which she was going to see.
She now refused to go any farther, saying, "Fola tired--stay, Willy."
Mrs. Temple looked at Mr. Dickinson doubtfully, but as if to show the
confidence which the good conduct of the children had given him, he made
no objection, saying, indeed, "William will take good care of her,"--so
she was left.
With a lightened heart, beginning to feel as Harriet did, _almost_ sure
that Mr. Graham would have the place, I went. What happened after we had
left the children, I must tell you as I learned it from themselves. It
seems, that finding her brother too much engaged with Jessie and his new
office of teacher to attend much to her, Flora became weary and teased
him to take her into the house. "Poor thing," said William, "she is
tired standing up. If brother Willy finds a pretty place for her, will
she sit down quite still till he runs to the house for Nursey to come
and take her up?"
The child assented. Now, unfortunately, just by the Cactus stood a
flower-stand, not intended for a parlor, but large and high, making a
pretty ornament in a garden when covered with small plants, which were
better sunned in this way than if placed on the earth. This flower-stand
was in the shape of a half moon; the shelves looked like steps, and were
quite strong enough to bear Flora's weight, or indeed William's. They
were dry and clean, and seemed to him to offer a very nice and safe seat
for Flora, especially as she would be within sight of the house all the
time. William was only six years old, and perhaps does not deserve to be
blamed very much for forgetting, in this arrangement, that as his back
would be towards Flora in going to the house, and as the other children
were standing behind the flower-stand, neither he nor they would be able
to see her or provide for her safety. They had paid little attention to
her, and supposed, when they missed her, that William had taken her to
the house with him, while he had in reality placed her on the third
shelf, or step, as he called it, of the flower-stand. Giving her a few
common flowers to amuse her, he ran on without thought of harm. Jessie
was still occupied with the strange stalk and leaves of this wonderful
plant, which she was every minute wishing her father could see--Harriet,
equally intent on guarding Mr. Dickinson's treasures from the touch
even of Jessie's dress, and Mary in looking for a weed, of which William
Temple had declared there was not one in his uncle's garden, when they
were all startled by a scream. It was William's voice--then followed a
few eager words, "Jessie, look up--Jessie--Harriet--catch her!"
Jessie looked up, and there stood Flora Temple on the topmost height of
the narrow flower-stand. Attracted probably by the voices, she had
climbed up, intending, no doubt, to get down to them on the other side.
William, who first saw her, was too far away to help her, and when
Jessie looked at her, she had already become frightened and was leaning
forwards with her arms outstretched. Harriet ran around the stand to go
up to her--Jessie saw it was too late for this--in one instant she was
standing on the tub--the Cactus tub--the next, Flora was in her arms,
the child was safe, and the flower, the splendid flower, the pride of
Mr. Dickinson's garden, and admiration of his guests, lay on the ground.
Falling from such a height, Flora's weight had been too much for Jessie.
She had bent under it, and pressing against the stake supporting the
flower, it had broken, and before Jessie could raise herself, the flower
was at her feet. For a time it was unseen, for all were occupied with
Flora, who screamed as if she had really met the fall she had so
narrowly escaped. Her nurse took her from Jessie, and moved towards the
house with her, followed by all the children, without any one of them
having even glanced at the Cactus. After going a short distance,
however, the girls, finding they could do nothing to pacify her,
returned to look for Mary's gloves and handkerchief, which she had laid
down and quite forgotten in her fright about Flora. As they came near
the flower, Harriet was the first to perceive the mischief done, and to
exclaim, "Oh, Jessie, see what you have done! What will Mr. Dickinson
say?"
Jessie was a timid child, and Mr. Dickinson seemed to her the most awful
person in the world. Distressed and frightened, she stood for a minute
with her hands clasped, looking down at the prostrate flower without
speaking a word, then suddenly looking up, said, "Harriet, I am very
sorry, but I could not help it, and I must just go to Mr. Dickinson and
tell him I did it."
"Ah, Jessie! you do not know all," said Harriet, "or it would not seem
so easy to tell him that."
"It does not seem easy, Harriet," Jessie began--but Mary interrupted
her, exclaiming warmly, "Why, Harriet! I do believe you think Jessie
ought to have let Flora fall rather than have broken that one single
flower."
"No, Mary, I do not think so, but I wish anybody else had done it rather
than Jessie."
"Why, Harriet?" said Jessie, "why would you rather anybody else had done
it?"
"Because, Jessie, I would rather Mr. Dickinson should be angry to-day
with anybody than with you."
"But why?" persisted Jessie.
Harriet hesitated--then said, "I may as well tell you, Jessie; for the
only reason Aunt Kitty did not wish me to, was that you would be too
sure, and there's no danger of that now."
"Too sure of what?"
"Why, that he would have your father for his gardener,"--and then
Harriet told of all her hopes and fears, and of my efforts, and of the
beautiful house and garden, and six hundred dollars a-year which Mr.
Dickinson gave his gardener,--"And then you know, Jessie, you would not
be too far to come every day to school to Miss Bennett; and see, Jessie,
there's the church," pointing to the steeple, "so near, and you know
your grandmother wants to live near the church, and this was what made
me want you to come so very much that Mr. Dickinson might see how
careful you were, and then I was almost sure he would let your father
have the place; but now--" and she looked down sorrowfully at the
prostrate flower.
Jessie, who had listened with wondering and eager ears, looked down too
and said nothing.
After a short pause, Mary Mackay exclaimed, "They are coming,--I hear
Mr. Dickinson--but do not look so pale and so frightened, Jessie. I will
tell you what I will do--I am not afraid of Mr. Dickinson--he cannot do
any thing to hurt me. Now, Jessie, do not begin to say no--I am not
going to tell a story--I am just going to _let him think_ it was I who
broke the flower."
"No, no, Mary," said Jessie--but before she had finished speaking, Mary
had picked up the broken branch, and stood in the path before the
astonished Mr. Dickinson and myself. Mrs. Temple had excused herself and
returned to the house by another way some time before. There stood Mary
with the branch in her hand--the branch, with its flower broken and
soiled.
"Mr. Dickinson," her voice faltered, and she evidently began to grow
frightened, but she continued, "I am very sorry, sir, your flower has
got broke."
Mr. Dickinson turned first red and then pale. He said not a word to
Mary, but turned to me with a look which I well understood--it said as
plainly as words could have done, "You see how right I was about
children." This passed in an instant, for you know looks do not take
long, and before I could say a word to him--before I could even ask Mary
how it happened, Jessie stood beside her. She was very pale. Laying her
hand on the branch which Mary held, she said very distinctly, though her
voice was low, "She did not break it, sir--it was I."
We were all silent for a moment, and then Mr. Dickinson spoke, "It was
you?"
"Yes, sir."
"Then, my dear," he continued, speaking very slowly, "I am very much
obliged to you, for you have saved me probably from a great many such
trials. Had you been as careful and well-behaved as this lady thought
you, I should have been hardly able to refuse her request that I would
take your father as my gardener, at least on trial for one year, and at
the end of that time, I should, it seems, have had little of a garden to
keep."
Mr. Dickinson walked on without another word or even look at the little
culprits. And I walked on too. You will think me very cruel, and so I
thought myself but a minute after, as I heard Jessie's low,
half-smothered sobs, and the efforts of Harriet and Mary to console her;
but I was really vexed with Jessie, for you must remember I did not know
how she had been so unfortunate as to break the plant,--the children had
been too much frightened even to think of telling us that. Besides, I
was on my way to see a new dairy of Mr. Dickinson's, and as I had asked
to see it, he would have thought my leaving him unpardonably impolite. I
fear, as it was, I must have seemed very inattentive, for I often forgot
to answer him while listening to poor Jessie's sobs, or looking back to
the garden walk where she still stood with her head resting on Harriet's
shoulder, while Mary held one of her hands and talked with even more
than her usual earnestness. What they said I must repeat to you as I
heard it from themselves, since it is necessary you should know it in
order to understand what afterwards happened.
"I would not cry, Jessie," said Mary, "I would be glad my father was not
to live with such a cross, bad man."
"Oh, Mary! you do not know how badly father feels about going away. He
thinks it will kill grandmother only to hear about it--and he might have
come here if it had not been for me--I am so sorry I came. What shall I
do, Harriet?--What shall I do?"
"Let us all go and beg Mr. Dickinson," said Mary; "I am sure if we told
him that Jessie had done it all to keep little Flora Temple from hurting
herself, he could not be so cross."
"Well," said Harriet, "let us try--we can do no harm--for he cannot be
more angry than he is."
Poor Jessie was willing to try any thing, though she had little hope.
When she came near us, however, her heart failed her and she drew back.
Mary, who was always ready to be speaker, proposed that Jessie and
Harriet should stay where they were, while she went forward and told the
story. This was agreed to, and we had scarcely entered the dairy when
Mary followed us in. Breathing very hard and quick, and looking quite
flushed and agitated, she began, "Mr. Dickinson--Aunt Kitty--Aunt Kitty,
I am come to tell Mr. Dickinson how Jessie broke the flower."
"There is no occasion, my dear," said Mr. Dickinson, looking quite
fretted and angry; "I do not care to know how she broke it, it is quite
enough for me to know that it is broken."
"But I want to tell you, sir," persisted Mary, "because I am sure if you
knew, you would not be angry with her."
"Angry with her!--I am not at all angry with her. I do not doubt that
she is a very good girl, and that I should like her very much, but not
in my garden, Miss Mary--not in my garden."
I saw that Mr. Dickinson felt worried, and that Jessie's cause was not
gaining any thing from Mary's application, so taking her hand, I said,
"Do not tease Mr. Dickinson, my dear,--tell Jessie Mr. Dickinson says he
is not angry with her, and that Aunt Kitty loves her better than ever
for having told the truth so readily and firmly."
Mary looked very much dissatisfied, but as Mr. Dickinson turned his back
to her and talked to me as if she had not been there, it was of no use
to stay, and she soon left us.
"Jessie," said Mary, when she got back to her, "Mr. Dickinson is a cross
bad man, and I would not mind him at all. He said he was not angry with
you, but he was just as angry as he could be, for he would not hear a
word I had to say about you--but Aunt Kitty says you must not cry, and
that she loves you better than ever for telling the truth."
Pleased as Jessie was with my praise, it could not comfort her for her
father's loss, or give her courage to meet the dreaded Mr. Dickinson.
"Harriet," said she, "I do want to go home."
"Well, Jessie, you shall go--I will ask Aunt Kitty to send you there in
the carriage, and then let it come back for us."
"No, no, Harriet--then they will all talk to me and want me to stay.
It's only a little way, and I walk every week to the church--why cannot
I just slip through that garden gate and get home without anybody's
knowing it? I shall feel so much better when I have told father and
grandmother all about it."
"I dare say you will," said Harriet, "for when any thing troubles me I
want to tell Aunt Kitty directly, and your grandmother is just the same
to you. I would tell her all, Jessie, for I am sure she would a great
deal rather go away anywhere than to have had you tell a story."
"That I am sure of too," said Jessie.
"Well," said Mary, coloring up, "I did not mean to tell a story, but I
do not see what harm it would have been to let Mr. Dickinson think it
was I that broke his plant, just from seeing the branch in my hand."
"Oh, Mary!" said Jessie, "I know you would not tell a story, and it was
very kind in you to want to take the blame from me,--but indeed, Mary,
it would not have been right, I'm sure it would not; and badly as I do
feel now, I should have felt a great deal worse if I had not told Mr.
Dickinson all the truth,--but good-by, girls," for they had walked on
while talking, and both Harriet and Mary had gone with her beyond the
gate, "I'll go and tell father, and beg him to let me tell grandmother
all about it. He said last night he wished she knew, only he could not
bear to tell her."
Jessie's tears had ceased as soon as she determined to go home and tell
her troubles there, and Harriet and Mary parted from her with smiles,
promising to beg me to go back early, and to let them go directly to her
house.
CHAPTER XI.
TRUTH REWARDED.
I do not know exactly how long it was before Mr. Dickinson and I
returned to the house, but the children were there before us, and were
already telling the story of Jessie's griefs to William, who was quite
as much distressed for her, and as angry with his uncle as even Mary
could desire. As we entered the piazza where the children stood, I asked
for Jessie.
"She has gone home," said Harriet.
"Gone home!" I repeated in surprise.
"Yes," said William, looking very boldly at his uncle, "and I think she
was very right to go. I would not stay where I was scolded just for
breaking a flower."
"William!" said Mrs. Temple, in surprise at his violence, for he was
usually very gentle in his temper. Mr. Dickinson folded his arms and
looked at him without speaking, as if he wished to hear all he had to
say before answering him.
"Well, mother," said William, still trying to speak boldly, though tears
were in his eyes, and he could not prevent the quivering of his lip, "I
do think it was very hard that Jessie should be scolded just for saving
my little sister from being hurt, or maybe killed. I am sure our little
Flora is worth a great deal more than any grand Flora."
"Saved little Flora!" repeated Mr. Dickinson, "what does the child
mean?" looking at me, while I turned to Mrs. Temple for an explanation.
"William is right," she answered, "in what he says, though very wrong in
his manner of saying it. I am sorry Jessie has gone without my thanks,
for, from the account given both by William and the nurse, she has
evinced extraordinary presence of mind for so young a child, and has
saved Flora from a very dangerous fall."
"Fall from what?"
"From the large flower-stand which stood near the Cactus, on a shelf of
which William seated her while he came to the house for her nurse. Flora
climbed to the top, and would have fallen on the flower, or worse, on
the stake which supported it, had not Jessie saved her."
"And in saving her broke the flower. I see it all now," said Mr.
Dickinson; "but why did not the child tell me so?"
"I tried to tell you, sir," said Mary, "in the dairy, but you would not
let me."
Mr. Dickinson colored, as if he was ashamed to remember how angry he had
been.
"And, Miss Mary Mackay, I think you had some intention of telling me a
story; of making me believe, if Jessie had let you, that you had broken
the flower; why was this?"
Mary hung her head and looked very much ashamed, but answered, "I did
not mean to tell a story, Mr. Dickinson, I only meant to let you think
it was I, because it was better for you to be angry with me than to be
angry with Jessie."
"You only meant to let me think it was you;--and have you been so ill
taught, young lady, that you do not know that in deceiving me by your
looks and manner, you were as guilty of falsehood as if you had spoken
it? But why would it have been better for me to be angry with you than
with Jessie?"--then, without waiting for an answer, Mr. Dickinson turned
to me and asked, "Did I not understand you, ma'am, that Jessie was to
know nothing of your plans, that I might see how she would behave when
unrestrained by any cautions?"
"I did tell you so," said I, "and was, I assure you, true to my
promise."
"Aunt Kitty," said Harriet, "after Jessie had broken the flower, I was
so sorry that I told her and Mary all about it."
"All about what?" asked Mr. Dickinson.
"About Aunt Kitty's wanting you to have Mr. Graham for your gardener,
sir; and that I thought you would have had him, and have given him that
pretty house and garden, and six hundred dollars a year, if Jessie had
not hurt any thing."
"Then Jessie knew all this when she told me what she had done?"
"Yes, sir, it was this that made Mary want her to let you think she had
done it; but Jessie said she should never feel happy if she did not tell
you the truth, and that she was sure her grandmother would rather go
away than have her tell a story."
"She is a noble little girl," said Mr. Dickinson, "and her father shall
be my gardener, and have the house and garden, and six hundred dollars,
and another hundred besides for Jessie's sake; and if you will excuse
me, ma'am, I will order my horse and ride over to Mr. Graham's at once.
I may overtake the child."
How happy Harriet looked--how Mary jumped and danced--how William,
springing into his uncle's arms, kissed him, declaring he loved him
better than he had ever done in his life, you may all imagine without my
telling. As soon as they were still enough for me to be heard, I begged
that Mrs. Temple would excuse me, and that Mr. Dickinson would order my
carriage and permit me to accompany him, as I would not miss seeing
Jessie's joyful surprise for any thing.
The carriage was ordered, and in a very few minutes we were on the road
to Mr. Graham's. We looked eagerly at every turn for Jessie's straw
bonnet and plaided gingham dress, but nothing was seen of her. As we
could not overtake her, and did not wish to startle Mr. Graham's family
by driving unexpectedly to his house, we determined to leave the
carriage at mine and walk quietly over. We had gone but a few steps from
my door when we met Mr. Graham. He colored, on seeing Mr. Dickinson,
and would have turned off without stopping to speak to us. I was sure
from this, he had seen Jessie and heard her story, and that he felt a
little hurt that Mr. Dickinson should have been so angry with her, for
an accident which she could not help. Before he could get out of our
way, Mr. Dickinson was up with him and said, "Excuse me for stopping
you, Mr. Graham, but I have come to apologize to your little girl for my
anger to-day, which I find was very unreasonable. I was told, sir,
before she came to my house, that she had been taught to be careful in a
garden. I find she has been well taught in more important things. She is
a noble child, sir. I shall ask her to appoint my gardener, and if she
offer the place to her father I hope he will not refuse it, for I shall
be pleased to have in my employment a man so well principled as I am
sure he must be."
Mr. Graham was quite confused, and stood a little while looking at Mr.
Dickinson, as if he did not understand him; then seizing his hand, he
said in a hoarse voice, while his lip trembled like a child's, "God
bless you, sir--God bless you. You have saved me from the greatest
sorrow I ever had--not that I minded the money so much, sir, for thank
God, I am strong yet, and could work for it again--but my mother,
sir--my poor old mother, it would have killed her, sir. I always thought
it would, and this morning when I summoned courage to tell her about it,
though she tried to talk cheerfully, I saw she was struck down, and I
knew if we went away, we should leave her behind--she would never live
to go--and now, oh sir! I can only say again, God bless you!"
Mr. Graham could not say another word, for the tears came in spite of
him, and covering his face with his hands, he turned away from us, as if
he did not like that we should see him weep. He need not have been
ashamed, for I was sobbing, and even Mr. Dickinson's voice trembled as
he said, "It is your daughter you must bless, Mr. Graham; but we will
leave you now, sir, for I am quite anxious to make my peace with
Jessie."
We both passed on, knowing that Mr. Graham would rather be by himself
while he was so agitated.
CHAPTER XII.
A GOOD CONSCIENCE MAKES ALL PLEASANT.
When we asked at the house for Jessie, we were told she was not there,
having followed her grandmother, who, before she returned, had walked
out. On inquiring in what direction they had gone, we were shown a
footpath which led first across a field and then through a wood, down to
a stream of water on which a saw-mill had been built many years ago. The
old mill had been long out of order, and the spot where it stood was so
shut in by trees, and was so still, that but for the occasional sound of
a wagon rumbling over a bridge not far off, or the merry whoop of a
child at play in the wood, you might have fancied, when there, that
there was not another person within miles of you. Mr. Dickinson and I
both knew the place well, and we walked on quite briskly, he leading the
way, for the path was too narrow for even two persons to walk side by
side. We were quite silent, for Mr. Dickinson never talked much, and I
was engaged with my own pleasant thoughts. In less than ten minutes we
came in sight of the old mill, and the open space around it. In this
open space, near to the stream, one large old oak had been left
standing, the roots of which grew out of the ground and then bent down
into it again, so as to form quite a comfortable seat. As we came near
this tree, we heard a child's voice speaking, and Mr. Dickinson,
supposing that Jessie was just telling her tale to her grandmother,
motioned to me to stop. As I was quite sure that Jessie would tell the
simple truth, I had no hesitation in doing this. Mrs. Graham was seated
on the root of which I have told you. Her face was towards the water,
and she was leaning back against the body of the tree. She had brought
her knitting with her, and her needles were moving as quickly and as
constantly as if she had been in her parlor at home. As we stood we had
a good side view of her, though she could only see us by turning quite
around. As Jessie sat on the grass at her grandmother's feet, she was
quite hidden from us, except the back of her head, a part of her dress,
and one hand which rested on Mrs. Graham's lap. We soon found that
Jessie's story must have been told before we came, for her voice ceased
as I obeyed Mr. Dickinson's sign to stop, and Mrs. Graham replied to
her, "Yes, Jessie, this is one of the places that I spoke to you of
yesterday evening that I love so well. Many a pleasant hour have I
passed with your dear grandfather under these shady trees, talking of
old friends and of our home across the sea, and this morning when I
heard that we were to go to a new home among strangers, I came here to
mourn that I must leave it. But, Jessie, this was wrong, and now I feel
it was, for while my child and my child's children are true and honest,
I have much more cause to be grateful than to grieve. If we carry with
us good consciences we shall find some prettiness in every place and
some good in every person."
"How is that, grandmother? our goodness cannot make them pretty and
good."
"It does not make them so, Jessie, but it makes us feel them to be so."
"I do not see how, grandmother."
"Look, Jessie, at the water, and tell me what you see in it."
"The blue sky and a white cloud sailing over it, and the trees on the
other side--the water is so clear, grandmother, that I can see every
leaf."
"Well, Jessie, when we came here last and the water was low and
muddy--do you remember what you saw then?"
"I could hardly see any thing at all, grandmother, and what I did see
looked black and ugly."
"And yet, Jessie, there was the same bright blue sky above, and the same
green trees on the other side. Now, Jessie, there is some beauty and
some goodness in every thing God has made, and he who has a pure
conscience is like one looking into a clear stream; he sees it all;
while to him who has a bad conscience, all things look as you say they
did in the muddy stream--black and ugly."
"Now, grandmother, I know what you mean, and I know it is true too, for
if I had told a story to-day, and so father had got that pretty place, I
am sure I never should have liked it or thought it pretty again; and
then I should have been afraid of Mr. Dickinson, and have felt as if he
made me tell the story, and so I should not have liked him. But now,
grandmother, I think he is a very good man, though he is a little cross
sometimes, and I do not feel afraid of him at all."
"No, Jessie, those who do right are seldom afraid, for you know the
Bible says, 'the righteous are as bold as a lion.' I am very glad, my
child, of all that has happened to you to-day. You may have harder
trials of your truth than even this before you die, but you will
remember this day, and how happy you have felt for telling the truth;
and you will remember, too, if all the good things on earth are offered
to you as the price of one falsehood, that your old grandmother told you
truth is better than all, Jessie,--truth is better than all. Will you
not remember this, Jessie?"
"Yes, grandmother," said the child, in a low earnest voice.
"So may God bless you, my daughter," and Mrs. Graham laid her hand
solemnly on Jessie's head.
Mr. Dickinson and I had been unwilling to interrupt this conversation,
but he now stood aside that I might pass on, as he thought they would be
less startled at seeing me than at seeing him. Jessie was the first to
hear my step, and, turning her head quickly, to see me. She was on her
feet in a moment, and said, with a bright happy smile, "Oh! I am so glad
to see you, ma'am, for you will hear me, and I can tell you how it was,
and then I am sure you will not be angry with me."
"I know all already, Jessie, and am only angry with myself that I should
have seemed displeased with you even for a moment. No one is angry with
you now, Jessie, and Mr. Dickinson has come with me to tell you himself
that he is not."
"Oh! ma'am!" said Jessie, with a little start, though she had just said
she did not feel at all afraid of him. She looked around and saw Mr.
Dickinson already standing close beside her.
"Do not be afraid, Jessie," said he, "for, as your grandmother told you,
those who do right need not fear any one. If either of us should be
afraid, it is I, for I was very unjust to you in refusing to hear your
excuses, when I might have known, from what had already passed, that you
would have told me nothing but the truth. But I have heard all since,
Jessie, and have come to make amends for my injustice."
How Mr. Dickinson was to make amends to Jessie I need not repeat to you,
for you have heard it already. But Jessie's joy--this cannot be
described. She was wild with delight. Her grandmother was her first
thought, and as soon as she understood Mr. Dickinson, she was at her
side exclaiming, "Just hear, grandmother--just hear! Father is to have
that pretty place after all, and it is just by the church--and you know,
grandmother, you wanted to be by the church. Oh, grandmother! do tell
Mr. Dickinson how glad you are."
Mrs. Graham's gladness showed itself in a way that Jessie did not quite
understand. Tears sprang to her eyes and rolled down her cheeks, while
yet there was a smile upon her lips; and when she attempted to speak,
her voice was so choked with weeping that she could say nothing.
Surprised and disappointed, Jessie turned to Mr. Dickinson, and as if to
apologize for what seemed to her so strange, said, "Indeed, sir, I am
sure she is very glad, though she is crying."
"I do not doubt it, Jessie," said Mr. Dickinson.
"I hope not, sir, I hope not," said Mrs. Graham, who had by this time
recovered her voice; "I am both glad and thankful--first to Him,"
looking up to heaven, "who gave you the heart to be so kind, and then to
you, sir, whom I hope God will bless for all your goodness."
Mr. Dickinson soon left us, having an engagement at home. He was to take
my carriage and send Harriet and Mary, who had remained to spend the day
with William, back in it. I begged that they might leave his house in
time to be at home by five o'clock, and I invited Jessie to come over at
that hour to meet them. I will leave you to imagine what a happy evening
they passed, for though they said a great deal, and it all seemed very
pleasant at the time, I doubt whether much of it would look very wise
when written down. I will tell you, however, of three things which were
decided upon. First--Mary Mackay promised to try to remember Mrs.
Graham's lesson to Jessie, that "truth is better than all," especially
as Jessie assured her that she had found it so; for that even before she
knew of Mr. Dickinson's kind intentions, she had felt quite happy at
having told the truth--happier a great deal than any thing could have
made her which she had gotten by telling a story. Next, that Jessie was
to have Mooly back again, Harriet having begged her of me as a present
for her friend. Last, that when Mr. Graham had moved, Harriet and Mary,
and two or three other little girls, of whom the first named was "Blind
Alice,"[1] were to spend an evening with Jessie.
[Footnote 1: See the story of Blind Alice, by Aunt Kitty.]
CHAPTER XIII.
THE HAPPY PARTY.
It was the first week in September before Mr. Graham moved, and the
beginning of the second before his family were so settled as that Jessie
could fulfil her promise of an evening's entertainment to her young
friends. They were all invited the day before to come at four o'clock,
that they might have an hour to see all the beauties which Jessie had
discovered, and all the improvements which she had made in her new home,
and then, taking tea at five o'clock, might all be at their homes again
before the evening became chill. I had a whispered request from Jessie,
that though there were to be no grown ladies there, I would just come
with the children; a request which you may suppose I did not refuse.
When the afternoon came, I took Mary and Alice and two other little
girls with me in the carriage, while Harriet rode her own pony. Jessie
was waiting in the piazza to welcome us, and William Temple stood
gallantly ready to help us from the carriage; and before the hour was
gone, every nook and corner of the poultry-yard and garden had been
explored. They were both in very nice order, and Alice, as Jessie led
her around the garden, was constantly exclaiming, "How delightful!"
while she inhaled the perfume of roses and pinks, and honeysuckles and
jessamines. It was too late for strawberries or raspberries, but when
this garden was made, Mr. Dickinson had had some fine peach and pear
trees set in it, and these were now covered with ripe fruit, and from
the grape-vine hung large clusters of the rich purple grape. The table
for the children was spread under the grape-arbor, and when at five
o'clock they were called to it, they found,--not cakes and sweetmeats
and tea,--but a dish of warm, light biscuits, of Mrs. Graham's own
making--a bowl of soft peaches with cream and sugar--baskets of pears
and grapes, and a cup of Mooly's rich milk for each child. The sun was
low, and only a few of its rays found their way through the
reddish-colored grape-leaves into the arbor; and, sure I am, those rays
never fell upon a happier group. They were still enjoying their feast,
when hearing some one speak to Mr. Graham, who was busy propping up an
overloaded branch of a pear-tree, I looked around and saw Mrs. Temple
and Mr. Dickinson with Flora Temple in his arms, coming towards the
arbor.
"Mr. Graham," I heard Mr. Dickinson say, "why have you not taken your
little visiters through the other garden?"
"Why, sir," said Mr. Graham, "though they are all very good children,
they are not just as used to gardens as Jessie, and they might be
careless--but if you would let me, I would like to take that poor blind
child through the green-house, for she is so fond of flowers, and I
doubt if she ever smelt a lemon blossom."
"Certainly, Mr. Graham, I shall be pleased to have you take her."
Mrs. Temple took Flora from her brother and joined the little party
under the arbor, while Mr. Dickinson remained outside, seemingly engaged
with Mr. Graham, but I suspect much more attentive to the merry voices
of the children. At length William called him in, and I am sure no one
who saw him then for the first time would have called him "the cross Mr.
Dickinson." I said this to old Mrs. Graham, and her reply was, "Nothing,
I think, ma'am, makes people so pleasant and good-humored as seeing
happy faces,--especially when they know, as Mr. Dickinson does, that
they made the happiness."
Our party separated in good time, but not before Mr. Graham had taken
Alice to the green-house. She went with him, not knowing where he was
taking her, and was so delighted with the strange perfume, and so
curious to know from what it came, that Mr. Dickinson, who had followed
them, cut off a cluster of flowers from a lemon-tree for her. After
this, the highest expression of satisfaction with any thing which Alice
ever gave, was to say, "It is almost as pleasant as Mr. Dickinson's
green-house."
When William was leading me to the carriage, he begged me to put my head
down, as he wanted to tell me a secret. I did so, and he whispered, "I
am coming to spend Christmas with my uncle, and I told him I wanted to
see a play acted, for I never saw one; and he says I shall see one then
and act in it too, and he will write it himself, and it is to be called,
"All for Truth, or the Flower well Lost."
That I shall have an invitation to see this play I have little doubt; so
my next story for you may be of Christmas merry-making at Flowerhill--at
the cross Mr. Dickinson's. Let this teach my little readers, that if
children are good and pleasant themselves, they will seldom find any one
cross to them long.
THE END.
FLORENCE ARNOTT:
OR,
IS SHE GENEROUS?
CHAPTER I.
A WINTER MORNING.
When last I took leave of my young friends, it was autumn, and we were
looking forward to Christmas entertainments at Flowerhill, where a play
written by Mr. Dickinson himself was to be acted. Those of you who have
read Jessie Graham, may remember that I thought it probable my next
story for you would be of these entertainments.
Mr. Dickinson kept his promise. The play was written; and a fortnight
before Christmas, came William Temple, full of joyful expectation. The
day after his arrival he rode over with his uncle to see me, and to
invite Harriet and Mary to be at Flowerhill the next morning, to hear
the play read, and to receive their parts, for parts they were both to
have. Soon after Mr. Dickinson and William left us, the sky was overcast
with heavy clouds, which, as evening approached, became more and more
wild and dark. I predicted a snow-storm, and Harriet and Mary went to
sleep with little hope of being able to fulfil their engagement.
The snow-storm came, but it lasted only a few hours of the night, and
the next morning's sun rose clear and bright. Bright indeed, dazzlingly
bright, as its rays fell on the pure, white snow with which the whole
ground was covered, or shone through the icicles, with which every tree
was hung, making them look like glittering diamonds, in each of which
there seemed a tiny rainbow.
I had ordered the carriage at an early hour, and we had scarcely
breakfasted when the merry jingle of the sleigh-bells told that it was
at the door. Even the horses seemed gayer than usual, and whirled us
along so rapidly, that had not the reins been in the hands of Henry,
whom I knew to be the steadiest and most careful coachman in the
country, I should have been half frightened. William saw us from the
parlor window, and had the door open for us as soon as we were out of
the sleigh. We were just cold enough to enjoy the warm parlor; and as we
drew close to the blazing wood fire, Mary exclaimed, "Aunt Kitty, do you
not wish it was always winter?"
"No, Mary, for I love spring flowers and summer and autumn fruits."
"Oh! I had forgotten them," said Mary, "but I am very glad there is a
winter too."
"So am I, Mary, very glad, and very thankful to Him who gives us the
varying pleasures which make each season welcome."
We were interrupted by Mr. Dickinson, who came in with the play. He read
it for us, and I am sure no play was ever heard with more pleasure.
Harriet and Mary received their parts, and were now quite impatient to
get home, that they might begin to study them.
This pleasant morning visit was all which I saw of the Christmas
entertainments at Flowerhill, for on my return home, I found a carriage
waiting for me, and a letter requesting me to come to a very dear
friend, who was both ill and in trouble, and needed a nurse and a
comforter. You may be sure that I made no delay in complying with this
request; but before I tell you any thing of my visit, I would give you
some account of my friend, Mrs. Arnott, and of her daughter Florence, as
she had appeared to me about eighteen months before, when I had spent
some weeks with her mother under very different circumstances.
CHAPTER II.
THE VISIT.
Mrs. Arnott was younger than I, yet not so much younger but that we had
been playmates in childhood. As we grew older we continued warm
friends. When she married, I rejoiced in her happy prospects, and found
but one thing in Mr. Arnott I would have desired to change--he lived
thirty miles from me, and this was felt as a wide separation between
friends who had been accustomed to meet every day. I soon found that the
separation was to be much greater. Mr. Arnott liked travelling, had a
large fortune, and little to do. He took his wife to England; and after
travelling in England, Scotland, and Wales, they passed over to the
continent of Europe, and having seen whatever was of most interest in
France, Switzerland, and Germany, went into Italy, and spent more than a
year in the city of Florence. Here their little girl was born, and
received her name in remembrance of a home which they had found very
agreeable. When Florence was about two years old, her father and mother
returned to America. They came in the autumn, and joyfully as I welcomed
back my friend, I soon began to fear that she would not be able to spend
many winters with us. Her constitution had always been delicate, and her
long abode in the soft, warm climate of Italy, seemed to have unfitted
her completely for the endurance of our rough and cold northern winters.
The first winter she went out very seldom, the second not at all, and
the third she showed symptoms of serious illness so early, that her
physician advised Mr. Arnott to take her at once to a more southern
climate. They went to Florida, and their delightful country place was
again let for several years, while they spent their winters at the south
and their summers in travelling through the middle and northern states.
In this way, Mrs. Arnott seemed gradually to acquire more vigorous
health, yet it was not till Florence was more than ten years old, that
they returned to their own home with some hope of being able to remain
at it during the whole year. As soon as they began to feel themselves
settled, Mrs. Arnott wrote to ask a visit from me, requesting that I
would bring my nieces, Harriet Armand and Mary Mackay, with me. She was
very urgent in this last request, saying, that she hoped to benefit her
little Florence by the society of children of nearly her own age, who
had been as carefully educated as she knew Harriet and Mary had been. I
will copy for you a part of my friend's letter, from which I gained
some knowledge of the disposition of Florence, even before I made this
visit.
"You will soon see," wrote Mrs. Arnott, "that my little girl's education
has been sadly neglected. By her education, I do not mean what is
ordinarily taught in schools. Wherever we have made our home, even for a
few months, we have procured for her the best teachers we could find,
and as she is a child of quick mind, she is quite as well informed as
most children of her age. But to the education of her _heart_, which I
know you will think with me of far more importance, no attention has
been paid. Her father's extreme indulgence to this only child, my feeble
health, and our roving life, have left her so unrestrained, that I begin
to fear she is becoming very self-willed. Yet her temper is naturally so
amiable, and her feelings so affectionate, she is so anxious to please
those she loves, and so grieved at the least appearance of blame from
them, that I hope it will not be difficult to correct her faults."
As I felt much interested in this little girl, and thought, with her
mother, that the association with other and more carefully taught
children might be serviceable to her, I determined at once to accept the
invitation for Harriet and myself, and if my brother and Mrs. Mackay
would consent, for Mary too. Indeed, I hoped more advantage for Florence
from the companionship of Mary than of Harriet. Harriet was so gentle,
and would yield to her young friend so quietly, that Florence would
seldom discover from her how much she was yielding, and how unreasonable
her own exactions were. But Mary had a strong will, and though she had
been taught that she must on many occasions submit to the will of
others, it was always done with a very great effort. I was quite sure,
therefore, that Florence would know whenever Mary yielded a point to
her, and moreover, that she would be very plainly informed if Mary
thought her demands unreasonable.
Mr. and Mrs. Mackay readily consented that Mary should go with me, and
Mary was always pleased with the prospect of a visit, especially if the
visit could be made with Harriet and Aunt Kitty. Of my designs for the
improvement of Florence, I did not, of course, say any thing to either
of my nieces.
Our visit was made in June, when it was too warm to travel in midday,
so, rising very early, we were five miles from home before the sun rose;
and before it became uncomfortably warm, had gone seventeen miles, to a
little village where we were to dine, rest our horses, and remain quiet
till the afternoon became cool, when fourteen miles more of travelling
would bring us to Mr. Arnott's. We arrived there just about sunset.
Florence was playing on the green before the door with a little dog,
which ran jumping and barking beside her, when the carriage swept round
a turn of the road, which brought us in sight of the house.
Florence had travelled too much, and been, therefore, too much
accustomed to new faces, to run away from us, even had we been
strangers, and we were not strangers, for she had seen us all in the
preceding summer, when her mother had made a visit of a few days in our
neighborhood; so, instead of running away, she called out, on seeing us,
"Papa, mamma, here they come!" and opening the gate, stood ready to
receive us, with a face full of smiles.
Bed-time soon follows sunset in summer, at least for children. Yet it
came not too soon this evening for Harriet and Mary, who were tired by
their thirty miles travelling. But Florence thought it very unkind in
them to leave her so soon "this first evening." Her entreaties were so
urgent that they would stay a little while longer, that her young
companions would have found some difficulty in getting away without aid
from me. Taking Florence's hand, as she was endeavoring to hold Harriet
and Mary back from following the servant, who was going to show them
their bed, I said, "Did you hear me tell those little girls that they
must go to bed?"
"Yes," she replied; "but they have been here such a little time, and it
is so early yet; I only want them to stay a little longer."
"I do not doubt they would try to oblige you, though they are tired and
sleepy, but they are accustomed to do just as I wish them; and I wish
them to go to bed at once. You will have a long summer's day for talk
and play to-morrow, and only a short summer's night for sleep. So now
bid them good-night; and I think you had better go too, for I shall call
you up very early in the morning, as I expect you to show me the garden
and the dairy before breakfast."
"And the fish-pond, too," said Florence, "the fish-pond, too."
"Is there a fish-pond, too? Well, all these will require us to rise
early,--shall I bid you good-night, too?"
"Yes; I may as well go," said she, looking around and seeing that
Harriet and Mary were already gone.
So closed the first evening of our visit.
CHAPTER III.
THE SWING.
The morning was cloudless, and the garden looked beautifully, with its
leaves and flowers glittering with dew-drops. But I only saw it from my
window, for though Harriet and Mary, starting from sleep at the first
sound of my voice, sprang eagerly up, and, dressing in haste, waited
impatiently for the tap of Florence, which was to summon us to our
morning walk; they waited in vain. Florence could not be awoke, or when
awake, could not be induced to rise; and breakfast was announced, and we
were all seated at table before she made her appearance. She looked far
more discontented and dull than those whom she had disappointed. This
did not surprise me, for I knew she could not feel very well pleased
with herself; and those who are not, are seldom pleased with others.
"Well, Florence," said her father, "so you have slept so long that your
friends have lost this fine morning in waiting for you, and have seen
nothing of all you promised last evening to show them."
Florence colored, hung her head, and replied in rather a sulky tone, "I
could not wake myself."
"No," said Mr. Arnott, "but--"
"Come, Mr. Arnott," said I, interrupting him, "the disappointment is
past--we have many other pleasures in store for to-day, we can afford to
postpone this one; and I doubt not Florence will be ready in time
to-morrow. To secure it I will call her myself. May I, Florence?"
She looked pleased, and replied promptly, "Yes, ma'am."
I had two reasons for interrupting Mr. Arnott. One was, I thought
Florence was already so much grieved and disappointed that it was
useless to distress her farther. Another, and perhaps a more important
reason was, that I wished to serve this little girl by helping her to
correct her faults; and I felt that in order to be able to do this, it
was quite necessary that she should learn to love me, to place
confidence in my kindness, and take pleasure in my society. Now you will
readily see that she would not be likely to do any of these things, if
through me she were made to feel uncomfortably.
After breakfast, Mr. Arnott invited the children to take a walk with
him, adding, "I have something to show you, which even Florence has not
seen."
"Which I have not seen? What can it be? Do, papa, tell me what it is,"
said Florence, coming back from the door, which she had reached on her
way for her bonnet.
"You will know in a few minutes," said Mr. Arnott, "that is, if you will
put on your bonnet and come with me, instead of keeping us all waiting.
See, Harriet and Mary are ready," pointing to them as they now entered
the parlor.
Florence ran off for her bonnet, saying, however, as she went, "I will
ask nursey--if she knows, I am sure she will tell me."
"She does not know," Mr. Arnott called out.
As I love pleasant surprises, especially when children are to enjoy the
pleasure, this little mystery was a temptation to join the walkers too
strong for me to resist, so before Florence came back, I was ready too,
and went off as full of curiosity and pleased expectation as any of the
party. Mr. Arnott led us through the garden into the orchard beyond it.
As we entered the garden, Florence said, "Now I know what it is,
papa--you are going to show us a new flower."
"Indeed, I am not, Florence."
As we passed into the orchard, she suddenly exclaimed, "Now I have it,
papa, now I have it; the cherries we were looking at the other day are
ripe, and you are going to get us some."
Her father smiled, but said nothing.
"That is it, papa, is it not?"
"Wait a few minutes, Florence, and you will see."
"Well, I give it up, now, for we have passed all the cherry-trees."
Mr. Arnott turned towards a wood which skirted the orchard on the north,
and long before we reached it the secret was told; for, on the stoutest
branch of a magnificent oak, which he had, by removing his fence,
enclosed within the orchard, hung a swing--a new and strongly made
swing, with a very comfortable seat. We all quickened our pace as we
came in sight of it, and many were the exclamations of admiration and
delight from the children.
"Such a beautiful swing, under such a cool, shady tree, how delightful!"
Florence jumped, danced, clapped her hands, and at length darted off,
and, bounding into the swing, called to her father, "Come quick, quick,
papa, and swing me."
"After I have swung your friends, my dear."
Florence looked disappointed, and both Harriet and Mary drew back,
saying, "Oh no, sir! Swing Florence first."
Mr. Arnott saw that to persist in his politeness would distress them, so
saying, "I will swing you twelve times, Florence," he touched the swing,
and away it rose, rapidly yet steadily, through the air, higher and
higher each time, till, as Mr. Arnott counted twelve, Florence shrieked,
half with fear and half with delight. Mr. Arnott caught the swing as it
descended, and stopped it.
"Oh papa! is that twelve?"
"Yes, Florence; did you not hear me count?"
"Well, just once more, papa."
Mr. Arnott stooped and whispered to her--she reddened, and getting down
slowly, said, "Now, Harriet, you get in."
Harriet got in, and counting for herself, sprang out as the swing
descended for the twelfth time. Mary had her turn, and looked so well
pleased, that, had her father been in Mr. Arnott's place, she would, I
doubt not, have said, like Florence, "Just once more, papa." As she came
out Florence again sprang in.
"Now, papa, once, only once--or twice," she added, as her father
extended his arm at her entreaty.
But after giving one toss to the swing, Mr. Arnott turned resolutely
away, saying, "You are never satisfied, Florence, but I will not
indulge you any farther this morning, for the sun is getting too warm
for any of you to be here longer--in the cool of the evening we will try
it again."
Florence looked not very well pleased, but as we all turned towards the
house, she came out and followed us.
CHAPTER IV.
GIVING.
I do not intend to give you a history of what was done by the children
each day of our visit, for this would make a very long story. When it
was fine weather they helped the gardener, as _they_ said, or hindered
him, as _he_ sometimes complained--walked in the orchard, looking for
ripe fruit--or swung, and on a cool evening Mr. Arnott would sometimes
take them out on the river in a pretty little sailing boat, or drive
them two or thee miles in a light, open carriage. When it rained, they
overhauled Florence's toys, of which there were trunks full, or amused
themselves with her books. They seemed to agree very well, at least we
heard of no disagreements, though I fancied, towards the latter part of
our stay, that I sometimes saw a cloud on Mary's brow, but I asked no
questions, and it passed off without any complaint.
One afternoon, when we had been there about a week, as Mr. and Mrs.
Arnott and I were seated in the piazza enjoying the pleasant breeze, the
children rushed in from the garden, seeming very anxious to give us some
information, which, as each tried to speak louder than the others, it
was quite impossible for some time for us to understand. At length, by
hearing a little from each, we made out that there were ripe
strawberries in the neighborhood--_really ripe_--for the gardener had
seen them, and he said they were as large around as his thumb.
"And you want me to send for some," Mr. Arnott began,--but, "Oh no,
papa!" "Oh no, sir!" every voice again exclaimed, "we want to go for
them."
"Go for them!--and pray, young ladies, how will you go?--am I to drive
you?"
"Oh no, papa! we want to walk; and Andrew"--this was the name of Mr.
Arnott's gardener--"says they will let us go into the garden and pick
them ourselves--and you know, mamma, Eliza can go with us and carry our
baskets," added Florence, anticipating her mother's objection to their
going without some attendant to a place a mile off.
And so it was arranged, and in a few minutes they set out, Eliza
carrying the baskets, and each taking a shilling to pay for her berries.
It seems they had gone only about half-way, when they met a poor woman
with a sick child in her arms, sitting to rest herself in the shade by
the side of the road. The woman looked so pale and sad that the servant,
Eliza, who was a kind-hearted girl, spoke to her, and asked what was the
matter?
"Sick and weary," said the poor woman.
"But how did you come to be in the road here by yourself?--and where are
you going?" asked Florence.
"Why you see, Miss, I have been to the city, where a great many people
told me that I might make twice as much money without slaving myself to
death, as I was doing, for the children; and so I took this baby and
went; but the baby fell sick, and indeed I think the city air did not
suit either of us, for I fell sick too, and could not work at all, and I
longed so to get home and smell the country air, and see the other
children and friends' faces, instead of strangers, strangers always,
that, as soon as I could walk, I set out, and thank God, I have got only
eight miles more to walk, for I live at M----."
"But why do you walk?" asked the children.
"Ah, young ladies, poor folks that have not any money to pay for rides,
must walk. As long as my money held out I got a ride on a cart now and
then for a sixpence, or a shilling, and that was a great help; but I
have not even a sixpence left now to buy a bit of bread if I was ever so
hungry."
In a moment Harriet's shilling was in the poor woman's hand; Mary's
followed. She burst into tears, and thanked them again and again.
Florence looked at her shilling, then at the woman, and said, "I have
half a dollar at home, and that is four times as much as a shilling,
you know, and if you will wait here till I have got the strawberries I
am going for, you can go back with me and I will give you that."
"Thank you, my dear young lady," said the poor creature, "but I hope to
get home this evening, and that I shall not do if I stop and go back on
my way--yet," she added, "half a dollar is a great deal. I wish I were
not so tired."
"Florence," cried Harriet and Mary, both at once, "I will go back for
the money if you will tell me where it is, and the poor woman can rest
here till I come back."
"My good woman," said Eliza, "you are not fit to walk or even to ride
eight miles to-night. Now our gardener's wife has a spare room in her
house, and she is a kind woman, and will do every thing she can to make
you comfortable; and to-morrow morning, I dare say, the gardener can get
you a lift on some farmer's cart all the way to M. So now, instead of
waiting here, you had better go back at once, and Miss Florence can give
you the half dollar when she comes home."
"Yes, I will give you the half dollar," said Florence, "and that," she
repeated, turning to Mary, "is four times as much as a shilling, you
know."
So it was arranged--the woman went back--the gardener's wife
accommodated her--the gardener found a farmer going to M. the next
morning, who promised to take her there on his cart--and when Florence
came home she gave her the half dollar, which, being four times as much
as a shilling, evidently made her, in her own opinion, and in Mary's
too, four times as generous as Harriet or herself.
CHAPTER V.
GENEROSITY.
A few days after the events related in the last chapter, Mary came into
my room to show me a basket and a doll's dress which Florence had given
her. They were neither of them quite new, but they were not at all the
worse for wear, and Mary was quite delighted with them, and with
Florence for giving them. "Aunt Kitty, I do love Florence," said she,
"she is so generous."
"Is she, my dear?" said I, in a very quiet tone.
"Why yes, Aunt Kitty, do you not see what she has given me?--and she has
a book for Harriet, a very pretty book, which she means to give her when
she is going away,--and she gives away money; you know she gave half a
dollar to that poor woman the other day."
"All this, Mary, does not prove that Florence is generous."
"Well, I do not see, Aunt Kitty, how anybody can be more generous than
to give away their playthings, and their books, and their money."
At this moment Harriet entered the room. Mary, from thinking that I was
opposed to her in opinion, had become very much in earnest on the
subject, and she called out, "I am very glad you are come, Harriet. Only
think, Aunt Kitty does not think Florence is generous. Now Harriet, is
she not generous--is she not very generous?"
"I do not know, Mary,--sometimes she is, but I did not think she was the
other day, when she would not give her ripe plum to that poor sick child
who wanted it so much."
Mary colored; "But, Harriet, I am sure the wooden horse she gave him was
worth more than a dozen plums."
"I dare say it was, Mary, but the child did not want that."
Mary became now a little angry, as she was apt to do when she could not
convince those with whom she was arguing.
"Well, Harriet, I think it is very unkind in you to speak so of
Florence, and to say she is not generous, when she thinks so much of
you."
"Stop, stop, Mary," said I, "you are now as unjust to Harriet as you
accuse her of being to Florence. She did not say that Florence was not
generous, but only that she had not made up her mind on that subject,
that she had not seen enough to convince her that she was; and this,
remember, was all which I said. Florence may be as generous as you think
her, but you have not told me enough to convince me of it. When we have
known her longer we shall all be able to judge better what she is. In
the mean time I am very glad you like her, for I am very much interested
in her myself."
"Well, Aunt Kitty, I do like her," said Mary, in a very energetic
manner, "and I am sure I shall never be any better able to judge her
than I am now."
I made no reply, and the conversation ended.
Mary did not forget it, however, nor feel quite satisfied with its
termination, for the next morning, as I was sitting in my room alone,
she came in, and after moving about a little while, seated herself by me
and said, "Aunt Kitty, I want to ask you a question."
"Well, my dear, what is it?"
"I want to know when you do think a person is generous?"
"A person is generous, Mary, when he gives up his own gratification or
advantage for the gratification or advantage of another."
"Well, that was what I always thought, Aunt Kitty--and now I am sure a
little girl does that when she gives away her books and her playthings,
and her money, does she not?"
"When a little girl becomes tired of books and playthings, Mary, they
cease to amuse her, do they not?"
"Yes, Aunt Kitty," said Mary, "if she get tired of them,--but I never
get tired of books and playthings if they are pretty."
"Perhaps you may not, my dear," I replied, "but some other little girls
do, and those little girls are most apt to do so who have the greatest
number of such things. Now, should they give away those of which they
are tired--which had ceased to amuse them--could you say they had given
up a gratification?"
"No, Aunt Kitty," said Mary, speaking very slowly, for she was beginning
to understand my meaning.
"Then this would not be what we mean by being generous?"
"No, Aunt Kitty,--but money--you know nobody gets tired of
money--suppose a little girl gives _that_."
"Well, Mary, suppose she gives money, and that she knows when giving it
that some kind friend will replace it, or indeed, give her a yet larger
sum to encourage what he thinks a good feeling--could you say she had
_given up_ a gratification--would this prove her to be very generous?"
As I asked this question I looked in Mary's face with a smile,--the
smile she gave me in return was plainly forced.
After waiting a moment, during which she seemed to be thinking very
deeply, she spoke again. "Well, Aunt Kitty, but suppose she is not tired
of the books and playthings, and does not expect to get the money back?"
Mary felt quite sure of her ground now, and looked steadily in my face.
"Then, Mary, she would be a generous girl, provided she did not expect
to receive in exchange for her gift some other _selfish_ gratification
or advantage which she valued yet more highly."
Again Mary was silent and thoughtful for a while, then said, "Why, Aunt
Kitty, I heard my father say once, when he gave some money to help some
poor sick soldiers, that it was a great gratification to him; did that
make him not generous?"
"No, no, Mary, for that was not a _selfish_ gratification. That
gratification was caused by the good which he knew the money would do
them,--but if your father had given it for the praise which he expected
to receive for so doing, or if he had done it to please persons from
whom he hoped afterwards to receive some other favor in return--would he
have been generous, do you think?"
"No, Aunt Kitty," said Mary, promptly.
"I think, Mary, you are now beginning to understand fully what
generosity is. Remember, to be generous, you must not only give up
something--but it must be something you value--something which is a
gratification or advantage to you--and you must give it up for the
gratification or advantage of another. Ignorant or thoughtless people
sometimes call a person generous because he is careless of money, and
throws it away on foolish, useless things; do you think him so?"
"No, Aunt Kitty."
"And why not, my dear?" Mary hesitated. "I have been teaching you a
useful lesson, Mary," said I, "and I would see if you have learned it
well,--tell me, then, why you would not think such a person generous."
"Because, Aunt Kitty, what he gives up is not for the gratification or
advantage of another."
"Right, my love, you have learned your lesson well, and will, I hope,
often put it in practice."
At this moment, Harriet put her head into the room, calling out, "Mary,
do come and see how Florence has dressed up Rover."
Rover was the name of a dog which had been lately given to Florence, and
which was a great pet with her. Away ran Mary--all her grave thoughts
quite forgotten for the present.
CHAPTER VI.
PARTING SCENES.
Though Mrs. Arnott's health was, as I have said, so much improved that
she now hoped to be able to remain through the winter at her own home,
Mr. Arnott was desirous that she should spend some weeks of the summer
at the warm springs of Virginia, from the waters of which she had always
seemed to derive great benefit. Mrs. Arnott was quite willing to do any
thing by which she might hope that her health would continue to improve,
but she acknowledged to me that the idea of taking Florence there
distressed her.
"Since I have been at home," she said, "and have been able to observe
closely my child's habits and temper, I see much reason to fear that she
has already suffered greatly from the careless indulgence which can
scarcely be avoided when we are always surrounded by strangers. She is
now almost eleven years old, and I feel there is no time to be lost in
endeavoring to correct the faults of her character, and that this can
only be done by a degree of watchfulness, and of steady, yet gentle
control, which I know from experience it is impossible to exercise
either in travelling or at a crowded watering-place."
"Why should you take Florence with you?" I asked.
"What else can I do with her?"
"Send her home with me. You will not be gone, Mr. Arnott says, more than
six weeks. For an object so important as your child's improvement, you
will not, I am sure, my dear friend, hesitate to separate yourself from
her for so short a time. You know nothing pleases me more than to
surround myself with children; and though I acknowledge there is no
teacher like a mother, when the choice lies between a mother at a
watering-place, and--"
"There is no room to hesitate," said Mrs. Arnott, interrupting me: "I
should rejoice to have Florence with you even were I to remain at home;
and if I can win her consent, your invitation will be gladly and
thankfully accepted, for of her father's wishes I have not a doubt."
"Well," said I, "you will remember that I leave you in two days, so that
you have little time to lose in deciding."
"To-morrow," said Mrs. Arnott, "to-morrow I will speak to Florence; then
if she give her consent, there will be no time for change."
The morrow came, and when I met Mr. Arnott, he said to me in a low
voice, which was unheard by any other person, "I am very much obliged to
you for your offer to relieve us and benefit our little daughter, for a
great benefit I am sure it will be to Florence to be placed with other
children, and under what I know will be your kind and gentle, yet firm
influence."
Mrs. Arnott looked pale and sad, and complained of a bad headache. As I
saw her look tenderly at Florence, and heard how her voice softened in
speaking to her, I knew what caused both her headache and her paleness.
It was the thought of parting with her child for the first time in her
life. The separation would, I knew, be very painful to this fond mother;
but I also knew that she would willingly bear the pain to herself, for
the advantage which she hoped Florence would derive from it.
After breakfast, Mrs. Arnott and I passed into another room, where we
had been accustomed to spend the morning, because it was at that time of
the day shaded and cool. We had scarcely entered when the three children
passed the window near which we sat. They seemed very merry, amusing
themselves with the wonderful but awkward efforts made by Rover to catch
an elastic ball that Florence was tossing up.
Mrs. Arnott called Florence.
"What is it, mamma?" said she, scarcely stopping from her play long
enough to look around.
"Come here, my daughter, I have something to say to you."
Florence came to the window.
"No, Florence, you must come in, I want to talk to you a little."
For a moment Florence's countenance was clouded; but it was only for a
moment, when, laughing, she cried out, "Here, Rover, here, sir--come in
with me, Rover, for mamma wants to talk to me, and while she is talking
you can be playing ball,"--and she came racing in, Rover at her heels,
and Harriet and Mary following to see the fun.
Mrs. Arnott pressed her hand to her forehead, and I saw that all this
uproar increased her headache, but it was impossible for several seconds
to make the children hear us. At length I succeeded in silencing Harriet
and Mary, and in making Florence understand that the noise gave her
mother pain, and that she had better send Rover out.
"Does mamma's head ache?" she said; "I am sorry for it--but just see
Rover, mamma, try to catch this ball--just see him once--do, mamma--that
can't hurt you, I am sure, and it is so funny."
Before I could remonstrate, or Mrs. Arnott could refuse, if she intended
to refuse, the ball was thrown. Again Rover, who had been watching every
movement of Florence, was barking, leaping, and turning somersets in the
air; and again the children were laughing, Florence as loudly as ever,
and Harriet and Mary with quite as much enjoyment, though a little less
noise. As I found speaking of little use, I stepped up quietly to the
merry group, and, catching the ball as it rebounded from the floor, put
a stop at once to their mirth and Rover's efforts.
"Now, my dear," said I to Florence, "your mother wants to speak a few
words to you, so sit down quietly by her while I take Rover out, for she
is in too much pain to be amused by him."
Florence looked surprised, and for a moment not very well pleased, but
as she found that I spoke gently and pleasantly to the dog, and praised
his beauty, while he ran good-humoredly by my side, rubbing his curly
head against me, her countenance brightened, and she seated herself
without any objection. I beckoned to Harriet and Mary to follow me, and
when we were out of the room, I gave Rover and the ball into their
charge. Telling them to wait in the piazza for Florence, and obtaining
from them a promise that they would be very quiet, I returned. I had
left the door of the room open, and as I reached it, I heard Florence
say, "Oh no, mamma! I had a great deal rather go to the Springs with you
and papa." At this moment she heard my step, and turning, looked quite
confused as her eye met mine.
"Do not be ashamed, Florence," said I, "that I should have heard you. I
should be sorry if you did not love your papa and mamma well enough to
prefer their company to mine; but I hope you love them so well that you
will do cheerfully what is not quite so pleasant to yourself, when you
are told that it will please them." Florence hung her head, looked very
grave, and said nothing. "Speak, Florence," said I, "would you not be
willing, for your mother's sake, to do what might not be very pleasant
to yourself?"
After a little hesitation, Florence, without raising her head, said in a
dissatisfied tone, "I don't see what good it could do mamma for me to go
where I do not want to go."
I would have told Florence of her mother's delicate health, and of how
much more benefit she would probably receive from travelling if she
could be free from care; but Mrs. Arnott, seeming to think there was
little hope of influencing Florence in this way, interrupted me, saying,
"But, my love, why should you not wish to go home with Harriet and Mary?
You know how much you enjoyed your visit of two or three days to them
last summer,--and Harriet has since then got a pony--you might ride on
horseback if you went now."
"Will she let me ride him?" asked Florence, looking up at me with sudden
animation.
"I am sure she will," I replied.
"And may I carry Rover?"
"Yes."
"Well, then, I will go, for I should like to ride on horseback; and
then, mamma, I'll have Rover with me, and how odd it will be to see him
jumping up and trying to get to me on the horse, just as he tried
to-day to catch the ball," and she laughed out, and was again all smiles
and good-humor.
The consent of Florence having been obtained, the preparations for her
visit were soon completed, and as we set out before the sun had risen on
the following morning, there was, as Mrs. Arnott had said, no time for
her to change her mind.
Florence could not but love her kind and gentle mother dearly, and I did
not wonder to see the tears start as she bade her good-by; but Rover was
to be looked after--the wild-flowers with which the road was lined were
to be admired--the rising sun was to be seen--and amidst all these,
Florence soon forgot to be sad.
CHAPTER VII.
CHANGES.
I have nothing strange to tell you of our journey. Mary's father and
mother were expecting us, and we arrived in time to take tea with them,
sending the carriage home with our trunks. After tea, I walked home with
Harriet and Florence, while Rover gambolled along as gayly as if he had
had no travelling that day.
The next morning there was no difficulty in getting Florence up, for she
was so impatient to mount the pony, that I could scarcely persuade her
to wait till I was dressed and able to go with her and witness her first
lesson in horsemanship. Pony was so gentle that I felt there was little
danger in trusting her on him, and so delighted was she with her new
amusement, that she rode wherever she went, and I think Harriet was only
twice on horseback during her visit, and one of these rides was not
taken for her own pleasure. They seldom went out without me, but one
morning when I was very much engaged, Mary came over to say, that her
governess having gone on a visit to a sick friend, from which she would
not return for two days, her mother had given her permission to invite
her young friends in the neighborhood to spend the next day with her,
and as she was going this morning to give her invitations herself, she
wished Florence and Harriet to go with her. Florence was quite ready to
go, provided she could ride; so pony was saddled, and as I knew where
they were going, and felt there was really no danger in the way, I
allowed them to go without me, sending with them, however, a servant
whom I knew to be careful and discreet. Gay, laughing and chatting, they
set out. The farthest house to which Mary intended extending her
invitations was only three quarters of a mile distant, yet as she had
several calls to make, I did not expect them to return under an hour and
a half, or perhaps two hours. Greatly surprised was I, therefore, when
in about half an hour I heard tones which seemed to me very like Mary's,
but not gay and laughing, as I had last heard them. Then came a few
words from Florence, and there was no mistaking the fact, that her voice
was decidedly sulky. Mary was already in the piazza, when, laying aside
my work, I approached the window. Harriet was not with her, nor was
Florence in sight. With some alarm I inquired, "Where are Harriet and
Florence?"
"Florence has rode to the stable, and Harriet has gone for the doctor,"
Mary replied.
"The doctor!" I exclaimed, still more alarmed; "for whom? Is any thing
the matter with Harriet?"
"No, but Mrs. O'Donnel's baby is ill--oh! so ill, Aunt Kitty!--and
Harriet has gone for the doctor, and Margaret has stayed with the baby,
and sent me back to beg you to go there."
Confused as Mary's account was, it was clear enough that aid was wanted,
and without waiting to ask any further questions, I set out, taking with
me such simple medicines as I thought might be useful, if I should
arrive before the doctor. As I left the parlor Mary followed me, and
begged very earnestly to be allowed to go with me and carry some of my
vials.
"But Florence, Mary, would you leave her alone?"
"I do not believe Florence cares to have me stay with her, Aunt Kitty,
and I am sure I do not wish to stay," said Mary, coloring.
I remembered the angry tones I had heard, and thought it was perhaps
wisest not to leave these children together while they were so evidently
out of temper, so returning to the parlor, where Florence had just made
her appearance, I asked her if she would like to go with me.
"No," she replied, "I am tired."
"Then, my dear, rest yourself on the sofa a while, and when you get up,
look in that closet and you will find some peaches. Mary is going with
me, but I will send Harriet to you as soon as I see her."
"I do not want Harriet or Mary either," said Florence, impatiently.
I soon found that I had not left all the ill-humor behind when I left
Florence, for we were scarcely down the steps before Mary expressed her
conviction, that "there never was such another selfish girl as Florence
Arnott."
"Mary," said I, "I once told you that you were hasty in pronouncing
Florence to be very generous; but that was not so blameable as your
present condemnation of her, whatever she may have done. It may be
unwise to be ready to praise so highly on the acquaintance of a few
days, but it is unamiable to blame so severely for a single fault."
"But, Aunt Kitty, it is not a single fault. I have been thinking a long
time, almost ever since you told me what made a person generous, that
Florence was not so generous as I thought at first; but I do think
anybody that would rather a poor little baby should die than to lose a
ride for themselves, is very selfish, very selfish indeed," repeated
Mary, with great emphasis.--"And now, Aunt Kitty," she continued, "I
will tell you how it was, and then you will see if I am not right."
"Stop, my dear Mary," said I, as she was about to commence her story,
"you are just now very angry with Florence, and would not therefore be a
fair witness in the case. I had rather hear from some one else how it
was."
"Why, Aunt Kitty," said Mary, with a very proud look, "you do not think
I would tell you a story, I hope."
"No, my love, I am sure you would tell me nothing which you did not
believe to be true; but anger makes the words and looks, and even the
actions of people, appear to us very unlike what they really are.
However, you have no time to tell me any thing, even if I wished it,
for here we are at Mrs. O'Donnel's."
My readers may not be as unwilling as I was to hear what Mary had to
say, so I will tell them what I afterwards heard of the morning's
adventures from Margaret and Harriet, as soon as I have given them some
account of Mrs. O'Donnel and her baby.
CHAPTER VIII.
A MOTHER AND CHILD.
The little cabin, for it was nothing more, in which Mrs. O'Donnel lived,
had been put up only a few months. It was built in a little wood which
skirted the road between my house and the village, and stood so near the
road that the traveller, as he passed along, could hear the baby who
lived there, crying, or the song with which his young mother was hushing
him to sleep. She was a very young mother; and there she lived, you
might almost say, with no one but her baby--for Pat O'Donnel, her
husband, was one of the hands on board a steamboat which went from our
village to H---- every morning and returned in the evening, and though
he was always at home at night, he was away every day except Sunday,
from day-dawn till dark. He had built this cabin, and brought his young
wife and his baby son to live there, that he might spend every night
with them.
I know nothing more of these people than I have now told you, when the
circumstances occurred which I am about to relate, except that Mrs.
O'Donnel worked very industriously in a little garden which had been
fenced in for her near her cabin, and that on Sunday, the husband and
wife, with their bright-eyed boy, might be seen going to church, looking
clean, and healthy, and happy. But Harriet had become better acquainted
with the family than I, for she loved children, and could never pass
little Jem--this was the name of the baby--without a smile or a
pleasant word, and the child soon learned to know her; and when she came
near, would jump and spring in his mother's arms, give her back smile
for smile, and since he could not talk yet, would crow to her words. The
mother was pleased with the notice taken of her boy, and whenever we
passed the house, would bring him to the low fence nearest the road, and
with a courtesy, and "How d'ye do, ma'am?" to me, would hold him to
Harriet to kiss, sometimes putting in his hand a bunch of flowers for
his young friend, who seldom left home to walk in that direction without
taking some present for him. Even when setting out with Mary to deliver
her invitations, little Jem had not been forgotten; and when I saw
Harriet saving the largest of two peaches I had given her, and putting
it in a little basket which she carried in her hand, I well knew that it
would go no farther than to Mrs. O'Donnel's cabin. Accordingly, when she
came in sight of it, she quickened her pace, saying to her companions,
"I want to stop at Mrs. O'Donnel's a minute, so I will run on; and if
you do not go too fast, I will be with you again before you have passed
there."
Before she reached the house, she called out for little Jem, and
wondered that neither his laugh nor his mother's pleasant voice answered
her. She would have thought they were not at home, but the door was
open, and Mrs. O'Donnel was too careful to leave it so, when she was far
away. Unlatching the little gate which opened on the road, she crossed
the yard and entered the house. There sat Mrs. O'Donnel, her hands
clasped in an agony of grief, and tears washing her face, and falling
unheeded on that of her poor boy, who lay extended on her lap, no longer
laughing and crowing, but pale and still, with his eyes half closed.
Harriet's exclamation of, "What is the matter, Mrs. O'Donnel?" roused
the poor mother, who, looking up, said, "Oh, Miss, and glad am I you're
come, for my poor baby loved you, and you're just in time to see him
die."
"Oh! I hope not, Mrs. O'Donnel," said Harriet. "He will not die. Do you
think he will?" she added, more doubtingly, as again she looked in his
pale face, and kneeling down by him, took the little hand which lay so
feebly by his side.
"And indeed, Miss, I fear he will die," said the poor woman. "All
yesterday I saw he was not well, and grieved was I to see Pat going this
morning, and leaving me with him all alone--but Pat laughed at me for a
coward, and when I heard him laugh, I took heart and thought it was all
my foolishness--but ah, Miss! it isn't laughing he'll do when he comes
home the night;" and at the thought of her husband's sorrow, Mrs.
O'Donnel sobbed aloud. Soon recovering herself, she continued: "I saw
Pat off, and when he was out of sight I came back, and looked at my baby
as he lay asleep. It was daylight then, and I saw he had a beautiful
color. Now I know the color was just the fever burning him up, but then
I thought he was better, and I was so glad that I couldn't help singing,
though I did it softly for fear of waking him; and little was the work I
did, going back again and again to the bed to see my pretty baby looking
so well--and at last I stooped down to kiss him, and whether I woke him,
Miss, I don't know, but all at once he opened his eyes wide and stared
at me, and he doubled his fists and stretched himself out, and made such
a noise in the throat, that it was dying I thought he was just then--and
I screamed and cried, but there was nobody to hear me, and soon he
stopped making the noise and shut his eyes again, and ever since he has
lain still, just like this."
Any one who has seen a child in convulsions, will know what had been the
matter with little Jem; but Harriet knew nothing about it, and, you may
suppose her dismay, when, as she was looking at her little playfellow, a
spasm crossed his face, his head was thrown back, his limbs stiffened,
and that distressing noise in the throat was again heard. The mother
shrieked, and Harriet, rushing to the door, screamed to Margaret, who,
with Florence and Mary, was waiting in the road for her, that little Jem
was dying. Margaret was a good nurse, and one of those useful people who
think more of helping those who suffer, than of mourning over them. As
soon as she entered the house, she saw what was the matter, and saw,
too, the very thing which she most needed,--a large pot of water, under
which Mrs. O'Donnel had made a fire before she became alarmed about her
child. In another minute, she had drawn a tub from under a table, poured
into it the hot water from the pot, cooled it to the proper
temperature, by the addition of some from a pail which stood near, and
before Mrs. O'Donnel at all understood her proceedings, her child was
stripped and laid in a warm bath.
As the convulsion passed off, Margaret said, "Now, Mrs. O'Donnel, your
child is coming to, and you must not be so frightened, for I have seen
many a child have fits, and be just as well as ever afterwards; but you
must be very quiet, ma'am, for if he goes to sleep afterwards he ought
not to be woke; and, Miss Harriet, you cannot do any good crying here,
but if you will get on pony and ride for the doctor as fast as you can,
you will be doing a great deal of good, and Miss Mary had better go back
and tell her aunt."
In an instant Harriet was by the side of the pony, urging Florence to
get off, that she might mount and go for the doctor. But to this
arrangement Florence strongly objected. My readers must not be too angry
with her, they must remember she had not seen the child, and did not
know how very important even a few minutes might be in such a case as
his. Still, it must be confessed, she thought more of herself than of
any one else, as she replied to Harriet's entreaties, "Why cannot I go
for the doctor? I can carry a message just as well as you."
"But, Florence, you do not know where the doctor lives."
"Well, you can go with me and show me."
"Florence, I cannot walk as fast as the pony can go. Do, Florence, come
down and let me have him."
Florence did not stir, and Harriet wrung her hands with impatience, as,
turning to the door, she called out, "Margaret, Florence will not let me
have the pony."
Margaret came out, but neither her remonstrances, nor Harriet's
entreaties, nor the reproaches of Mary, had any effect upon Florence.
Indeed, Mary's reproaches probably only strengthened her resolution, as
it is not by making people angry that we induce them to yield their
wishes to ours. Some minutes were lost in this useless contest, when
Harriet said, "Margaret, I will not wait any longer, I will walk as fast
as I can, and if the doctor is only at home he will soon be here."
When Mary and I arrived at Mrs. O'Donnel's, neither the doctor nor
Harriet had yet made their appearance. I did for the poor baby all I
could venture to do without a physician's advice, and then watched with
much anxiety for Dr. Franks. I had been there probably half an hour,
when Harriet came in, flushed and panting. "Where is the doctor?" was
the first question.
"He will soon be here," she replied; "I am sure he will, for Mrs. Franks
knew where he was, and she sent off a boy on horseback for him."
Harriet looked so heated, that, fearing the effect of further excitement
on her, I determined to return home immediately. So, giving Margaret
some directions, and telling Mrs. O'Donnel that I would see her again in
the afternoon, I left them.
CHAPTER IX.
REPENTANCE.
We walked home quite slowly, on Harriet's account. We had been so long
away that Florence would, I thought, have become quite tired of
loneliness and ill-humor, and quite prepared to welcome us with
cheerful, friendly smiles; indeed I should not have been greatly
surprised to meet her on the way, or at least to see her in the piazza
watching for us. But we reached the house--entered the piazza--passed
into the parlor, and still no Florence was seen. I called her, but she
did not answer, and a servant told me she thought Miss Florence had gone
to lie down, as she had told her that she was sick, and did not want any
dinner. I went to her room immediately, and found her asleep. She had
evidently been weeping, for her face was flushed, her eyelids red and
swollen, and as I stood by her, she sobbed heavily more than once.
Harriet had stolen in after me without my seeing her, and as I turned to
darken a window, the light from which shone directly on Florence, she
looked anxiously in my face, and asked in a whisper, "Is she very sick,
Aunt Kitty?"
I did not like to tell Harriet that I thought Florence more sulky than
sick, so I only replied, "I hope not, my dear. She has cried herself to
sleep, and if awoke now, will probably have a headache, so we will let
her sleep on."
When we had dined, Mary prepared to return home. Harriet had quite
recovered from her fatigue, and I proposed that she should go home with
Mary and spend the afternoon. She hesitated at this for a little while,
and then said, "I had rather go to Mrs. O'Donnel's with you, Aunt
Kitty."
"But, Harriet, I would rather you should go to your uncle's."
Seeing she still lingered by me, and looked dissatisfied, I added, "I
have a very good reason for my wish, Harriet, which, if I should tell it
to you, would, I am sure, make you go cheerfully; but I would rather you
should trust me, and do what I ask without hearing my reason. Can you
not?"
She readily answered, "Yes," and getting her bonnet, only stopped to ask
that I would let her know how little Jem was as soon as I came back.
This I promised, and she and Mary set out.
It was on account of Florence that I had sent Harriet away. I had at
first been interested in this little girl for her mother's sake, but I
had now become much attached to her and deeply interested in her for her
own sake. She was naturally a child of quick feelings and warm
affections, and I could not see her anxiety to please me, her loving
remembrance of her father and mother, her constant solicitude about
them, and her delight at hearing of them, without regarding her
tenderly, and earnestly desiring to see that one fault removed, which
was daily acquiring strength, and which would in time destroy all that
was pleasing or amiable in her character. For this one fault, which I am
sure I need not tell my readers was selfishness, I found, too, more
excuse in the circumstances of Florence, than I could have found in
those of most children. She was an only child, and her fond father and
mother had always so plainly shown that they considered her the first
object in life, and thought that every thing should yield to her wishes,
that Florence is perhaps scarcely very much to blame for having learned
to think so too. I had long wished for an opportunity to show Florence
her own selfishness and its great evil, and as Margaret had, while I was
at Mrs. O'Donnel's, told me what she knew of the morning's adventures, I
believed that this opportunity I had now found. That Mary had spoken the
truth to Florence on this subject, I did not doubt; but I was as sure
that this truth had been spoken, not in love, but in anger, and this
never profits any one. I did not think it would be necessary for me to
speak at all, for I thought Florence had now prepared for herself a
lesson which would tell her all I wished her to know, far more forcibly
than any words of mine could do. What this lesson was, how I induced
Florence to look at it, and what were its effects on her, you shall now
hear.
When Florence awoke, I was sitting by her bedside, and I met her first
glance with a pleasant smile. She cast a wondering look around her, and
again resting her eyes on me, asked, "Where is Harriet?"
"Gone home with Mary," I replied; "and I want you to make a visit, and
take a drive with me,--so get up, lazy one, and when you have washed
your face and brushed your hair, come to the parlor, and you shall have
some dinner."
As I spoke, I playfully lifted Florence from the bed, and placed her
standing on the floor, and before she had time to ask any further
questions, or make any objections, I was gone. When she came out, I had
such a dinner prepared for her, as I knew would best please her taste,
and near it stood a small basket filled with choice fruit. Florence was
hungry, and said little till she had finished her dinner. She then asked
where I was going.
"I am going to take a drive to a farmer's about four miles off, who has
the best cherries in the neighborhood,--but first, I am going to Mrs.
O'Donnel's to see her sick baby, and I want you to go with me, and help
me take her some things which I think may be of use to him."
While speaking, I laid a small bundle on the table by Florence. She
looked at the bundle, then at me, and then down on the floor. At last
she spoke, "I do not want to go to Mrs. O'Donnel's."
"Do not want to go to Mrs. O'Donnel's! I am very sorry for that, for I
must take these things to the baby. But why do you not wish to go?"
"Mary called me selfish this morning, and--and--I do not want to go
there."
"Mary called you selfish! I will not ask you why she did so, because, as
I would not let her tell me your quarrels, I must not be partial and
hear them from you; but surely to refuse to do a kind action to a sick
baby, is not the best way to convince her that she was unjust." I saw
that Florence hesitated, and pursuing my purpose, said, "Come, put on
your bonnet, and do not let Mary's petulance prevent your doing right,
and deprive me of my companion."
As she had no objection to make, Florence put on her bonnet, took up the
bundle, and followed me, though I could see it was with inward
reluctance. During our walk I spoke to her cheerfully and pleasantly,
leaving her but little time for thought.
When we came in sight of the house, she became grave and silent. I, too,
ceased talking. I held Florence's hand, and, as we approached the door,
I could feel that she drew back; but I took no notice of her efforts,
and she entered with me into the presence, to all appearance, of the
dying. Florence had never before stood by the side of one so ill; and to
see the pretty, laughing baby, with whom she had played so gayly but a
few days since, lying so changed; to hear his deep, groaning breath; to
see the poor mother, as she sat, shedding no tear, making no moan, but
gazing on her child with a hopeless agony which none could mistake, was
enough to cause her to turn pale and burst into tears; yet I thought it
probable that Mary's angry speeches were now remembered, and that some
of the bitterness of remorse was in the heart of Florence. No one moved
when we entered. Even Dr. Franks, who was there, remained seated,
holding his watch in his hand, and occasionally making a sign to
Margaret to give the child some medicine which stood on a table by her.
I was myself overcome, for though I had expected to find the child ill,
I had not been prepared for such apparent hopelessness in his case. Poor
Florence! Her lesson was likely to be more severe than I had
anticipated.
Seeing that I could do no good, feeling that I could speak no comfort
there, I quietly laid down what I had brought on the floor beside Mrs.
O'Donnel, and taking the hand of the weeping Florence, passed out. Dr.
Franks followed me. I heard his step, and turning, when we were far
enough from the door not to be heard within the house, I asked him
whether he had any hope that the child would recover.
"Only that hope," he replied, "which we feel as long as there is life.
He cannot long remain as he now is; if he recover at all, he will soon
show signs of being better. If I could have been called earlier, even
half an hour earlier, before the child's strength had been so far
exhausted, the case would have been comparatively simple, and easily
relieved; but now--" and he shook his head despondingly.
Florence had looked up anxiously in Dr. Franks' face while he was
speaking. She now dropped her head, covered her face with her hands, and
sobbed loudly and violently. This caused the doctor to look at her, and
that look probably reminded him of Harriet, for he said, "By the by, I
never knew Harriet so thoughtless as in this business. Why, when she
found I was not at home, did she not ride on for me herself, instead of
waiting for a boy to catch and saddle another horse, a business of half
an hour at least, all which time I was riding away from here, so that it
made a difference of fully an hour in the time of my arriving. That hour
would, in all probability, have saved the child."
Any excuse for Harriet would have seemed an accusation to poor
Florence's excited mind, and I was silent, but as the doctor said, "That
hour would in all probability have saved the child," her cries became so
wild and distressing, that I moved with her farther from the house,
while the doctor returned to his post.
"What is the matter, Florence?" said I; "why are you so much distressed?
Is it because you fear the baby will die?"
"No, no, it's because I've killed him--oh! I've killed him," she
repeated, with almost frantic vehemence; "the doctor says so; the doctor
says if Harriet had rode he would have got well, and I would not let
Harriet ride."
I never felt my own helplessness, my own littleness, and God's supreme
power, so much as at this moment. Here was the very lesson which I had
wished to teach Florence, which I had brought her there to learn, _the
great evil of her selfishness_. I had wished her to see that pale,
suffering baby--to feel grieved--to be angry with herself, that for a
trifling amusement she had been willing to prolong those sufferings, to
lengthen out his mother's sorrow,--perhaps, to make the lesson more
impressive, I would have been willing that Florence should feel for some
minutes an apprehension that the disease would terminate fatally. But
here was no vain apprehension; the child was, to all appearance, dying;
his physician believed that he would die, and I felt that, if he did,
Florence would always suffer from the conviction that she had caused his
death. As I heard her frantic cries, and saw her agitated frame, I
trembled for the consequences. I stood awed before that Almighty Being
who was teaching me as well as her, the great sin of selfishness, the
suffering which follows all sin, was teaching us that the only path of
safety is that narrow path of right-doing which He has marked out for
us, and that the slightest wandering from this path might lead to woes
of which we had not even dreamed. These are solemn lessons, which I hope
my little readers will learn from the example of others, that they may
never, like Florence, be taught them in their own persons.
In my fears for Florence I could find no comfort, but in the remembrance
that God, her great Teacher, was also her loving Father. While I was
standing beside her, unable to speak, striving, with mute caresses, to
sooth her agony, with a sudden movement she looked up to me, exclaiming,
"Oh! beg the doctor to make him well."
"The doctor, my dear Florence, cannot make him well; God only can do
that."
"Well, beg God, then."
"I will, dear Florence, and so may you, for He is as near to you as to
me, and He hears the simplest prayer of the simplest child."
In an instant she was on her knees beside me, exclaiming, in the most
imploring tones, "Oh, God! please to make the baby well,--oh! please to
make him well."
Florence had often said her prayers, but this was probably the first
time she had ever prayed from the heart. I stooped down to her, and
said--"And please take this wicked selfishness from the heart of
Florence, that she may not do such great wrong again, and bring such
sorrow on herself and others." She repeated my words slowly and
solemnly, adding, "and oh! please make the baby well," and concluding
her prayer with the sacred form to which she had been accustomed, "For
Christ's sake, Amen," she rose up comparatively calm. Hers had been a
prayer of such simple faith as none but a simple-hearted child, and
those who, in the words of our Saviour, become as little children, can
offer, and such prayer always brings consolation.
"Now, Aunt Kitty, let us go back to the house:"--seeing I hesitated,
Florence added, "you need not be afraid that I will make any noise; I
will be very still. I only want to go where I can see him."
The fear that Florence would make a noise had not been the cause of my
hesitation. It was on her own account. I had wished Florence, as I have
already said, to feel the evil of her selfishness; I did not wish her to
forget the pain she had suffered and was suffering; I would not have
driven away, if I could, the serious thoughts which were now in her
mind; but her agitation had been so great as to make me very anxious,
and I hesitated to take her back where she might be yet further excited.
She appeared, however, so much in earnest in her wish, that, after a
little consideration, I thought it wisest to indulge her, and we
returned to the house. Florence seated herself on a low stool by
Margaret, on whose lap the baby now lay, and watched him with scarcely
less constancy than his mother. Her lips frequently moved, and I had no
doubt that she was again asking God to make him well.
I will not weary you by telling you how long we watched there, or
through what changes the little sufferer passed. The sun was not yet
set, when his symptoms were so materially amended that the doctor said
to Mrs. O'Donnel, "Now, my good woman, be comforted; your child is
better, and will, I hope, with care, soon be well."
The poor mother had uttered no sound for many hours, but now her
long-smothered feelings burst out. With a wild cry she started up, and,
holding out her arms, would have caught her child to her bosom; but the
doctor, pushing her back into her seat, whispered, "Hush, hush--he is
sensible now, and you may frighten him into another fit."
She hushed her cry in a moment, and remained quiet in her chair; but she
burst into tears and wept piteously. As soon as she recovered her voice,
she exclaimed, "God bless you, sir; God bless you all, for it's good
you've been to me, watching by the poor, lone woman's child, as if he
had been the rich man's son. And he will be better, you say, before Pat
comes. Oh! glad am I, poor fellow, that he didn't see him at the worst."
When I could look around for Florence, she had left the cabin. I went
out and saw her standing by the carriage, which had been some time
waiting for us. She was speaking eagerly to Henry, and as she turned to
meet me, I saw that she looked much excited, though very happy. I found,
too, that her head and hands were feverish to the touch, and I became
very anxious to get her quietly home. When I proposed going, however,
Florence replied, "Not yet," and turned towards the house.
I put my arm around her, and drawing her to me, said very seriously,
"Florence, you asked God a little while ago to take away all selfishness
from your heart. Do you remember it?"
"Yes," she immediately replied, "and I hope he will, now that He has
made the baby well."
"I am sure He will, Florence, if you only show that you were sincere in
asking it, by watching your own feelings, and resisting your selfish
inclinations."
"Well, so I will," said Florence.
"Then, my love, you will do now as I wish you. By remaining longer here
you may make yourself sick from fatigue and excitement, and so, for the
gratification of your own inclinations, give great pain to me and to all
who love you. This would be selfish, would it not?"
"Yes," said Florence, "so it would, though I did not know it;" and she
entered the carriage without further hesitation.
This was probably the first time that Florence had ever voluntarily
yielded her own wishes to those of another--the first generous act she
had ever performed. It may seem to my readers a very little thing, but I
felt that Florence had resisted herself, had conquered herself, and this
is never a little thing.
When we got home I sent the carriage on for Harriet, and giving Florence
her tea without any delay, went with her, early as it was, to her room,
promising, if she went to bed at once, to sit with her till she slept.
She had been accustomed by her mother to say her prayers aloud, and I
was glad to hear, as I listened to her this evening, that she did not
forget to thank God for making little Jem well. She was very much
disposed to talk when she had lain down; but as I was desirous to keep
her as quiet as possible, I told her that in the morning I would hear
all she had to say, and that now I would tell her a story of her mother
and myself when we were children. A story was what of all things
Florence most liked to hear, so she was very attentive to me, and
begged, when I had ended one, that I would tell her another. I took care
that the second should not be very interesting, and before it was
finished, Florence was in a sleep which, though at first disturbed and
nervous, soon became quiet, and from which she did not awake till the
sun was shining brightly on another day.
CHAPTER X.
A GOOD BEGINNING.
"Well, Harriet," said Dr. Franks, as he came into our breakfast room
before we had risen from table, "I was half angry with you yesterday,
when I thought you had ridden to my house and then turned back and sent
a boy for me, instead of following me yourself. But my wife saved you a
scolding by telling me you walked there. And now, Miss Simple, pray what
was that for? Of what use is your pony if he cannot bring you for a
doctor when a child is in convulsions?"
Harriet colored and looked confused, but Florence colored still more
deeply. I saw that the doctor expected an answer, and both the children
looked at me to explain, but I would not interfere. The doctor seemed
annoyed at our silence, and catching hold of Mary Mackay, who was just
entering the parlor, he drew her forward, saying, "Why, Mary Wild," a
name he had long given her, "could not have done a more thoughtless
thing."
Low and hesitatingly, Florence spoke, "It was not Harriet's fault."
"It was not Harriet's fault!" the doctor impatiently repeated; "whose
fault was it then, pray?"
"It was mine,"--the first difficulty conquered, Florence spoke more
boldly--"It was mine. I was riding the pony, and would not let her have
him."
I knew Dr. Franks well, and I saw that he was about to reply to this
with a severity which, however Florence might have deserved the day
before, would then have been cruel; so before he could speak, I drew her
to me, and said, "Not a word of blame, doctor, for Florence has already
said harder things to herself than you can say to her. Besides, you
would have known nothing of it but for her, and she must not suffer for
her truth telling."
I was pleased with this little incident, for though Florence had only
done justice to Harriet, selfishness often makes us unjust as well as
ungenerous; and I knew to tell the truth as fully as she had done, must
have given her great pain. I was glad, too, to find that Harriet and
Mary both seemed to feel this, and were very cordial and pleasant in
their manner to her afterwards.
The next afternoon we went to the farm where we were to find the best
cherries in the neighborhood; and there Florence's new principle of
action displayed itself frequently. She was evidently on the watch for
opportunities to be generous. The best place under the trees, the finest
cherries, for which she would once have striven, she now pressed upon
Harriet and Mary; and whenever she had thus conquered her former habits,
she would turn her eyes to me with a timid appeal for my approval. But
the act on which she evidently most valued herself, was, asking to
return in the carriage, and so giving up the pony to Harriet, when we
were going home.
It was but a few days after this that Mr. and Mrs. Arnott came for
Florence, on their way home from the Virginia Springs. During these few
days, she continued to manifest the same earnest desire to correct her
faults. I told her father and mother of the interesting scenes through
which she had passed, and of what seemed to be their happy result. Mrs.
Arnott shed tears, and Mr. Arnott shook my hand repeatedly, declaring
that I had done more for their happiness than I could conceive, if I had
brought Florence to see and endeavor to correct this one great fault.
The evening before we parted, I had a conversation with Florence which
interested me very much. We were walking, and I had purposely taken the
path which led by Mrs. O'Donnel's cabin. When we came in sight of it,
Mrs. O'Donnel was standing at the door with little Jem, now quite well,
in her arms. We spoke to her as we passed, and then Florence said, "I
shall always love little Jem, Aunt Kitty."
"Why, Florence?"
"Because, if it had not been for him I should not have found out what a
selfish child I was, or have learned to be generous."
"And do you think you have learned to be generous, Florence?"
She colored and seemed confused for a moment, then looking up in my face
said, with great simplicity, "I hope so. Do you not think I have?"
"I think you are learning, and learning very fast. It was fortunate,
dear Florence, that you discovered the evil of your selfish habits while
you were so young; but the habits even of ten years are not to be broken
in a day. You will often find it difficult to resist them. If you will
write to me when you go away, and tell me all the difficulties and
trials you meet in your efforts to conquer them, I may sometimes be able
to help you. Will you do this? Will you write to me?"
"Write to you! oh! I shall like it,--at least I shall like to get your
letters, and read mamma just as much as I choose of them."
"But you must remember, Florence, that my object in our correspondence
will be to give you my aid in learning to be generous. That I may be
able to do this, you must be very honest with me, and tell me whenever
you have done, or even been tempted to do a selfish thing."
"May I not tell you, too, when I have been generous?"
"Certainly, my dear; tell me all you wish to tell me of yourself, I
shall be glad to hear it all; but I hope you will soon feel that you
have a great deal more to tell me of your selfishness, than of your
generosity." Florence looked at me in speechless surprise. "Because,
Florence, I hope you will soon become really generous, generous _at
heart_, and then those things which, now that you are only trying to be
generous, it is hard for you to do, which you notice because they are
done with a great effort, will be so easy and so common that you will
forget to tell me about them--that you will not even notice them
yourself."
"But how, when I get to be so generous, can I have any selfishness to
write you about?"
"Ah, Florence! we are never quite free from selfishness, any of us, and
the more generous we become, the more plainly do we see selfishness in
acts and feelings which seemed to us quite free from it once. Do you not
feel this yourself? Do not things seem selfish to you now, which only a
week ago you did not think so at all?"
"Yes," said Florence, in a low voice, and then walked thoughtfully and
silently by my side.
The next morning Florence returned home, and I did not see her again for
nearly eighteen months. But I heard from her often, for our
correspondence commenced very soon. Her first letters were filled with
her own generous acts,--how she had risen early when she was very
sleepy, that she might not keep nurse waiting--how she had sat quite
still almost all day, when she had wanted to run about very much,
because mamma was not well, and would have been disturbed by noise--how
she had given her cousin Mary her very prettiest book, because she said
she liked it. But it was not long before Florence began to write of her
grief for selfish feelings, which, to use her own language, "if she
tried ever so hard to get rid of them, would come back." Once or twice a
letter came from her full of the bitterest shame and self-reproach for
the selfishness of some action, which, a little while before, Florence
would not have felt to be in the least degree wrong. I rejoiced at all
this, for I saw it was as I hoped; Florence was becoming generous _at
heart_--selfishness was becoming a hateful thing to her, and a strange
thing, which like other strange things, could not make its appearance
without being noticed. I would copy some of these letters for you, but I
have other things to tell you of Florence, which I think will interest
you more than her letters.
CHAPTER XI.
A NEW CREATURE.
Almost eighteen months after Florence had left us, came that bright and
beautiful winter's morning which I described to you at the commencement
of this book. You may remember that on that morning I accompanied
Harriet and Mary to Mr. Dickinson's to hear a play, which was to form
part of their Christmas entertainments, and that on returning home, I
found Mr. Arnott's carriage waiting for me. The driver brought a letter
from Florence, begging me to come as soon as possible to her sick and
sorrowing mother. The letter was short, and did not tell me what was the
cause of Mrs. Arnott's distress. I immediately packed a trunk, and
sending Harriet home with Mary, prepared for my journey. It was one
o'clock, however, before, with my utmost haste, I could set out, and the
roads were so filled up with the snow of the previous night, that we
travelled slowly, and I had gone little more than half way when the
short winter's day was over. I therefore stopped all night at the same
little inn where I had dined when going to Mr. Arnott's with Harriet and
Mary. The next morning I was again on the road so early that I arrived
at Mr. Arnott's before breakfast,--indeed, before any of the family,
except Florence, was up. She did not expect me so early, and I entered
the house so quietly, that I stood in the parlor with her before she
knew that I had arrived.
No one who had seen the face of Florence, as her eye rested on me, could
have doubted her delight at seeing me; yet, surprised and delighted as
she was, she made no exclamation, but coming close to me, put her arms
around me, and kissing me repeatedly, said, in a very low voice, almost
a whisper, "How kind you were, Aunt Kitty, to come so quickly! We did
not think you could be here before this evening."
In the same low tone I answered, "Your letter made me too anxious to
admit of any unnecessary delay. But how is your mother now?"
"She will be better, I am sure, when she sees you, for I think it is
agitation which has made mamma ill. She slept but little last night, and
is asleep now, which makes me try to keep every thing quiet."
While Florence was speaking, she was helping me to take off my cloak and
bonnet. Then drawing a large rocking-chair before the fire, she seated
me in it, and kneeling down by me, loosened the lacings of the moccasins
which I had worn over my shoes in travelling, and took them off. Before
she rose, she rested her head for a moment affectionately on my
shoulder, and said, "Aunt Kitty, I am very, very glad to see you again."
Florence was greatly changed in appearance as well as in manners, since
we parted. She had left me, a child, looking even younger than Harriet,
though, in reality, two years older; but a year and a half had passed,
and she had grown so rapidly, that, though not yet thirteen, she might
easily have passed for fourteen or fifteen. Her face, too, had changed.
Florence had always been spoken of as a pretty child. I suppose she was
so, for she had a fair, smooth skin, very dark, glossy, and curling
hair, and fine eyes; yet her face never particularly pleased me, and
even those who talked of her beauty, did not seem to care much about
looking at her. But now there was a sweet thoughtfulness and
peacefulness in her countenance, which made me turn my eyes again and
again on her with increasing love. Not that I loved her for being
beautiful, but for the serious and gentle spirit, which I was sure had
given the expression, of which I have spoken, to her countenance,--which
would have given the same expression to the plainest features, and which
I would advise all my little readers to cultivate, if they are desirous
of beauty--that beauty which all admire most, and which nothing, not
even old age or disease, can destroy.
But these changes in appearance were by no means the most important
which I already saw in Florence. In every word and action I saw that she
was thinking more of others than of herself. I have told you how quietly
she received me, never forgetting, in her surprise at my unexpected
appearance, that a loud exclamation from her might awaken and agitate
her mother, while for my comfort she seemed equally considerate. My
readers will, perhaps, think that these things were little worthy of
notice, and gave slight proof of any great change of character in
Florence--slight assurance that she had conquered her selfishness. But
in this they are mistaken. It is precisely in these little things which
occur daily, hourly, in the life of each of us, that a generous nature
shows itself most truly. A very selfish person may, on some rare
occasion, make a great display of generosity,--may even be excited into
doing a really generous action, but it is only the generous in heart who
can be generous daily, hourly, in little as in great things, without
excitement and without effort. Some of my young friends may have been
accustomed to think themselves very generous, yet to keep their
generosity, as fine ladies keep their diamonds, only to be exhibited on
great occasions. Let me assure them that if it is not shown, too, in
everyday life--in thoughtfulness of the feelings of others, readiness to
yield their own gratifications for the advantage of others--it is no
true diamond of generosity, but only some worthless imitation. Others,
perhaps, have wished that they had opportunities of showing how generous
they are. Let them now learn that they have such opportunities every
day--every hour. Whenever your parents call on you to do what is not
agreeable to your inclinations, and you obey them cheerfully,
pleasantly, instead of showing by your ill-humor that you only do not
disobey because you dare not, you are sacrificing your own inclinations
to promote their pleasure, and in so doing you are generous. Whenever
you give up the plays you like best, the walks you most admire, and
choose those which you know will give the greatest pleasure to your
companions, you are generous. You will now be able to judge for
yourselves of the alteration in Florence's character, from her conduct
under the circumstances I am about to relate to you, and I need not,
therefore, trouble you again with such long explanations.
Soon after my arrival, Florence left the parlor, saying she would go to
the kitchen and tell them to bring up our breakfast, as she did not like
to ring the bell, which was very loud. She returned in a few minutes,
followed by a servant with the breakfast tray. As we seated ourselves at
table, I inquired for Mr. Arnott.
"He is asleep still," said Florence. "He told me last night to call him
before breakfast, so I went to his room just now to do it; but I knew he
had been up a great deal with mamma last night, and he seemed to sleep
so sweetly, that I just said, 'Papa,' very softly, and as he did not
stir for that, I came out as quietly as I could."
"So if I had not been here you would have breakfasted alone."
"No--I should have waited for papa--it is so much pleasanter to
breakfast with him."
An early ride is a great quickener of the appetite. I was consequently
somewhat longer than usual at the breakfast table, and before I had
risen, Mr. Arnott appeared. After welcoming me very cordially, he kissed
Florence, saying, however, as he did so, "You deserve to lose your kiss
for not calling me this morning. You should never break a promise,
Florence, however trifling it may seem to you."
"I kept my promise, papa, and called you. Indeed I did," she added, as
Mr. Arnott shook his head, "though I acknowledge I did it very softly."
"Ah, Florence! we are told of people who, only seeming to keep their
promises, are said 'to keep the word of promise to the ear;' but you did
not even keep yours to the ear, at least not to my ear, for I heard
nothing of your call."
"But you believe I did call you, papa," said Florence, earnestly.
"Certainly, my daughter, I believe what you tell me, but I would have
you remember that promises should be kept in the sense in which they are
made, and that, though it should be at some inconvenience to ourselves."
"I will remember it, papa, but it was _your_ inconvenience I was
thinking of, when I did not awake you," said Florence, smiling.
"I do not doubt that," said her father.
While Mr. Arnott and I were conversing, Florence was called out of the
parlor, and as soon as the door closed on her, he interrupted some
observation he was making on the state of the roads, to say, "I am truly
obliged to you for coming so quickly, for it is necessary that I should
leave home immediately on very important business, which I will more
fully explain to you before I go; yet I have not been willing even to
announce my intention of going, till my poor wife could have the support
of your presence."
When Florence returned, Mr. Arnott asked, "Where is Rover, that he does
not come to share my breakfast this morning?"
"Why, is my old friend Rover still alive?" said I; "I wonder he has not
been here to welcome me."
"He would have been, I dare say, Aunt Kitty, for Rover never forgets his
friends, but he is three miles away from here now," and in spite of
Florence's efforts to speak carelessly, her voice trembled.
"Three miles away from here! What do you mean, Florence?" said Mr.
Arnott.
"Just what I said, papa. Edward Morton lives three miles away, does he
not? Rover belongs to him now."
Florence spoke very fast, and turned her face away from her father, so
that he did not see, as I did, that her lip was quivering, and her eyes
were full of tears.
"Why, Florence, I am surprised at you. I would not have believed it
possible that you could part with Rover to any one. I thought you loved
him almost as well as he loved you."
Mr. Arnott spoke almost angrily at this proof, as he thought it, of want
of kindness in his daughter for her old playfellow. Florence, unable
longer to control herself, burst into tears, and sobbing, said, "So I
do, papa, love Rover just as well as he loves me, and yet I do not feel
sorry he is gone, for nurse said he kept mamma awake at night barking
under her window; and you know we could not keep him out of her room in
the day, and when she was nervous and in pain, I saw it worried her to
have him there."
Mr. Arnott's eyes glistened as he drew his daughter to him, and kissed
and soothed her. I remembered the scene with Rover and the ball during
my last visit to Mrs. Arnott, and, I dare say, my readers will remember
it too. After a while Mr. Arnott said, "Well, Florence, it was very
right in you to think of your mother's comfort, and I suppose I must
reconcile myself to parting with Rover for a time--but only _for a
time_, Florence; when your mother gets well, Edward, I doubt not, will
give him back to you."
"Perhaps he would, papa, but--" Florence hesitated, looked in her
father's face, colored, and looked down again.
"But what, Florence? Surely you would like to have Rover back."
"To be sure I would, papa, but I thought a great deal about it before I
gave Rover away, and I chose Edward Morton to give him to, because I
knew he would love Rover and take good care of him; and do you think,
papa, it would be right, after Edward gets to love him almost as well as
I do, to ask him to give him up?"
"No, my daughter, it would not be right. You have thought very justly."
I could not help adding, "And very generously too."
Florence colored with pleasure at our approbation; but Mrs. Arnott's
bell rang, and she left us at once to inform her mother of my arrival.
CHAPTER XII.
CLOUDS AND SUNSHINE.
Matters of business are never, I think, very interesting to young
persons. I will not, therefore, attempt to give you a very particular
account of the circumstances from which Mr. Arnott's present
perplexities and his wife's sorrowful anticipations arose. All that is
necessary for you to know, is soon told.
Mr. Arnott had some years before placed in the hands of a merchant, who
was an old and valued friend, a large sum of money to be employed for
him--so large a sum that, if lost, he would be no longer a wealthy man.
His pleasant home must then be given up, and his wife and daughter be
deprived of many of those comforts to which they had been accustomed,
and which delicate health made almost necessary to Mrs. Arnott's life.
This merchant, who had resided in Montreal, had lately died very
suddenly. Not long before his death, some changes had taken place in his
business which made new arrangements necessary to secure Mr. Arnott from
loss. He had urged Mr. Arnott's coming to Montreal, as an interview
between them was very desirable before the completion of these
arrangements. But Mr. Arnott had very imprudently delayed going, till
the death of his friend had made the evil past remedy. The letter which
announced his death, mentioned also, that he had left no will--at least
none had yet been found--and that his nephew would therefore inherit his
property. Mr. Arnott knew this nephew, and thought him to be a very
avaricious, and not very honorable man, and was sure that he would take
every advantage of what he now felt to be his own culpable negligence.
You will easily see how important it was, under such circumstances, that
Mr. Arnott should go as soon as possible, and examine for himself,
whether there yet remained any means of making good his claims.
When he spoke of his intended departure, Mrs. Arnott turned pale, and I
saw that she was much agitated, but she tried both to look and to speak
cheerfully. Florence, to whom it was quite a new thought, could not so
command herself. She looked from her father to her mother, said in an
accent of the utmost surprise, "Go away, papa?" and burst into tears.
Mr. Arnott rose, and with an agitated countenance left the room. Mrs.
Arnott knew that her husband had much at present to disturb him, much
which would make any unhappiness in her or Florence peculiarly painful
to him. He was parting from them for a long and dangerous winter's
journey--he left her in feeble health--knew not how long he might be
detained from home, or whether he should ever return to this place as to
a home. As soon as he went out, she turned to Florence, and while her
own voice trembled with emotion, said, "My daughter, we must not let our
regret make us selfish. Remember, your father is the greatest sufferer.
He must not only endure the pain of parting, but he goes to meet great
difficulty and perplexity of mind, and perhaps much hardship. Let us do
our best not to add to his distress by ours. To leave us cheerful and
well, will do much to keep him so." Florence tried to subdue her sobs,
but for some time very unsuccessfully. "Go to your own room, my love,"
said the tender mother, as she drew Florence to her and kissed her
cheek, "go to your own room, and come back to us when you can come with
a happy face. It is not an easy effort, Florence, but you can make it, I
am sure, for your father's sake."
Florence went to her room, and when, in about an hour, she returned to
us, it was with a cheerful face, and all her usual animation of manner;
and though I often saw the tears rush to her eyes when her father's
absence was named, I never again saw them fall. Even when he went, in
their parting interview, she tried to look and speak cheerfully; and,
though some tears would not be restrained, it was not till he was out of
sight and hearing, that she gave full vent to her sorrow.
Mr. Arnott left us early in January. The weather, during the whole of
this month, was very cold and stormy, and the bleak, cheerless days
seemed drearier than ever after his departure. Mrs. Arnott's health,
too, continued delicate, and yet I felt that she really little needed
me, for she could not have a more careful nurse, a more tender
comforter, than she found in the young Florence.
The last week in January brought letters from Mr. Arnott. He had just
arrived in Montreal when he wrote. Of course he could say nothing of
business, but he was safe and well, and Mrs. Arnott felt that her worst
apprehensions were relieved. She had tried to be cheerful before, she
was now cheerful without trying.
February opened with mild, delightful weather. Florence went out one
morning for a walk, but she soon came back with a bounding step, a
bright color, and a countenance animated and joyous. "Oh, mamma!" she
exclaimed, "it is a most delightful day, just such a day as you used to
enjoy so much at the South. I almost thought I could smell the jessamine
and orange flowers."
"Why, Florence," said Mrs. Arnott, "you almost tempt me to go out too,"
and she looked wistfully from the windows.
"And why not, dear mamma, why should you not go too? It could not hurt
you--do you think it could?--to take a drive in this bright, sunshiny
day. I dare say, Aunt Kitty would enjoy it, too," turning to me.
Mrs. Arnott smiled; "Not such a drive as I should have strength for,
Florence. I could not go more than a mile or two, and that must be in
the close carriage. No, no, it would be a very dull drive for both of
you.
"Dull, mamma, a dull drive with you, the first time you were able to go
out after being so long sick? I am sure Aunt Kitty does not think so--do
you, Aunt Kitty?"
"No, my dear; and, I think, if you will order the carriage, that your
mother will be persuaded to try it."
Florence was off like an arrow. Every thing was so soon prepared for our
excursion, that Mrs. Arnott had no time to change her mind. Our drive
was a very quiet one, yet Mrs. Arnott enjoyed keenly the change, the
motion, and the little air which she ventured to admit. To see her
enjoyment was very pleasant to me, and put Florence into the gayest
spirits. We went about two miles, and were again approaching home, when
we saw a handsome open sleigh coming towards us, driven by a gentleman,
and almost filled with young people of Florence's age. The bells drew
Mrs. Arnott's attention.
"Who are those, Florence? Can you see at this distance?"
"It looks like Mr. Morton's sleigh, mamma," said Florence, coloring.
"But I did not think they would come this way," she added.
"Come this way!--to go where, my child? Do you know where they are
going, Florence?"
"Yes, mamma, they are going--at least they were going to M., to see some
animals that were to be exhibited there to-day."
"And which you have talked so much of, and wished so much to see. I
think it was scarcely kind in Clara and Edward not to ask you to go with
them."
"Oh, mamma! they did ask me."
"And why did you not go, Florence?"
"I meant to go, mamma--that is, I meant to ask you this morning if I
might go, but I thought--that is--when you talked of coming, I liked so
much better to come with you that I gave it up."
"_That is_," said Mrs. Arnott, smiling, "you thought I would enjoy my
drive more if you were with me, and you thought very truly, but you
should not have broken your promise, Florence, without some apology,
even for such a reason."
"It was not a positive promise, mamma, and you know it would not take
them out of their way at all to stop for me, and I did leave a note for
Clara, to tell her why I did not go. But what can bring them this way, I
wonder?"
The sleigh was now quite near, and the gentleman driver, who proved to
be Mr. Morton himself, the father of Edward and Clara, making a sign to
our coachman to stop, drew up alongside of our carriage. Giving the
reins to Edward, Mr. Morton sprang out, and opening the door of the
carriage, shook his finger playfully at Florence, saying, "So, young
lady, this is your good manners, is it?--to tell not only young ladies
and gentlemen, but an old man like me, that you like your mother's
company better than ours, with all the lions, and elephants, and
giraffes to boot. But we have caught you at last;--I may take her, may I
not, Mrs. Arnott?"
"Oh, yes," said Mrs. Arnott, smiling at his playfulness.
"How kind it was of you, Mr. Morton, to come so much out of your way for
me!"
"Kind, was it?--I understand your wheedling ways; but come along, Miss
Florence, you are my prisoner now," and snatching up the laughing
Florence, he bore her in triumph to the sleigh. After seating her there,
and seeing that she was carefully wrapped up, he turned back to the
carriage with more grave inquiries after Mrs. Arnott's health, and
assurances that he would take good care of Florence.
"I am very much obliged to you for coming for her," said Mrs. Arnott,
"for this exhibition is one which she has long wished to see, and I
should have been grieved had she lost it."
"As to my coming for her, I could not well help myself," said the
good-humored Mr. Morton, with a laugh. Then turning to me, he added,
"Our friend Florence never thinks of herself, so we feel obliged to
think a great deal of her, and the grave looks and grumbling tones with
which the announcement that she would not go with us was received,
showed me that the only chance I had of making our little party a party
of pleasure, was to overtake and capture her. You were easily tracked by
your wheels, for nobody else seems willing to lose the little sleighing
which this fine weather will probably leave us; but, fine as it is, I
am keeping you out too long in it," seeing Mrs. Arnott draw her cloak
more closely around her, "so good-by."
Hastily mounting his sleigh, he drove rapidly off, many a hearty laugh
and gay voice mingling their music with the merry bells.
Another letter from Mr. Arnott came about this time, written cheerfully,
hopefully, though he had not yet made even an effort to accomplish the
objects of his journey. This delay was occasioned by the absence of a
lawyer, who had always been employed by his deceased friend, Mr.
Atwater, and from whom Mr. Arnott hoped to receive important information
and advice. He had been absent when Mr. Atwater died, and no one knew
enough of his movements to be quite certain when he would return, yet
Mr. Arnott determined to wait his arrival as patiently as he could, and
to do nothing till he saw him. He would probably be detained but a short
time after seeing him.
From the day this letter arrived, Florence began to prepare for her
father's return, and to cast many an eager glance up the road with the
hope of seeing him. But even her father's return was not the most
interesting subject of thought to Florence just now. She knew the
apprehensions of her parents, the change of circumstances which possibly
awaited them. For herself, this change of circumstances was not at all
dreaded; for, though Florence loved her home, and would be sorry to
leave it, she thought it would be almost as pleasant to live in a
beautiful little cottage, covered over with roses and woodbine, with a
pretty flower-garden before the door; and to raise chickens, and make
butter and cheese for the market, seemed to her delightful employments.
Pleasant as this picture was, and it was the only one which poverty
presented to her, Florence saw that her father and mother did not regard
it with quite such agreeable feelings as herself, and for their sakes
she began to think how it might be avoided.
Mr. Arnott had always been a great lover of music, and to this part of
Florence's education great attention had been paid, yet I had never
heard her play so frequently as now. Had she not been afraid of wearying
her mother, she would, I think, scarce ever have left her piano. She
suddenly stopped, one morning, when I was the only person in the room
with her, in the midst of a piece of music, and turning quickly to me,
said, "Aunt Kitty, do you not think I play very well?"
I was amazed, for Florence had never seemed to me a vain child. I looked
at her--she met my eye, and did not seem in the least confused.
"Yes, Florence, I think you do play very well."
"As well as Miss Delany?" she again asked. This was a young lady who was
a teacher of music, and whom I had once heard play at Mr. Arnott's.
Still more amazed, I replied, "I am not, perhaps, a fair judge of Miss
Delany's powers, as I heard her play but once, but I think you do."
"Oh! I am so glad you think so," said Florence, springing from her seat,
"for then I can give music lessons too, and make something for papa and
mamma, if he should lose that money. Do you not think I may, Aunt
Kitty?"
"Yes, my dear Florence, I do not doubt you can, if it become necessary,
which I hope it will not--but what put such an idea into your head?"
"I have had a great many ideas in my head about making money, since I
heard papa talking of this business; but I believe what made me think of
this, was Lucy Dermot's coming here last week. Lucy's mother, you know,
Aunt Kitty, is very poor, and I remembered hearing Miss Delany say once,
that Lucy had the finest voice and quickest ear for music of any child
she had ever known, and that she thought it a great pity they could not
be cultivated, for then she might support both her mother and herself
handsomely. So I said to myself, mine have been cultivated, and if they
are not so good as Lucy's, I may do something for papa and mamma with
them."
Mrs. Arnott came in, and nothing more was said on the subject, but I now
understood Florence's devotion to her music, and the pleasant expression
which her countenance wore when she was practising. It was her generous
motive which gave a charm to what would otherwise have been very
tiresome.
CHAPTER XIII.
THE THREE WISHES.
"Run to the window, mamma, run to the window, and see who is come,"
cried Florence, a few days after, bursting into the room where her
mother and I were sitting, just before dinner.
It was not necessary to run to the window, it was only necessary to look
into Florence's joyful face to see that her father had come. I lifted my
eyes to Mr. Arnott's face as he entered: there was no cloud on his brow,
no expression but that of grateful joy in his eyes, and I said to
myself, all has gone prosperously with him. It was even so. The lawyer,
on his return, delivered to Mr. Arnott papers which he had drawn up for
Mr. Atwater, and which, with his will, had been left in his hands for
safe-keeping. These papers fully secured Mr. Arnott's property. He had
lost nothing, but had gained from past anxiety a very useful
lesson--never to put off important business, even for a day.
In the evening we gathered around the fire, with grateful and happy
hearts, to hear and to tell the events of those weeks of separation.
Already, however, when Florence was not present, Mr. Arnott had heard
from his wife of her constant tenderness, and watchful attention to her
comfort, and from me of her generous plans for aiding them, should the
ill fortune come which they anticipated. He did not praise her in words,
but she could not meet his eye, or hear his tones, without feeling that
she was dearer than ever to her father's heart. Just before we separated
for the night, he drew her to him, and seating her on his knee, said,
"Florence, did you ever read the fairy story of the three wishes?"
"Yes, papa."
"Well, I will be your good fairy. Make three wishes, and they shall be
granted."
Florence laughed gayly.
"Why, papa! fairies are always women."
"Well, I will be a magician; they are men, are they not?"
"Yes."
"Now make your wishes."
"What shall I wish for, mamma?"
"Stop," said Mr. Arnott, "they must be your own wishes; nobody must
prompt them, or the spell is broken."
"And if I make a wrong wish, may I not take it back, and wish over
again?"
"No--so be careful what you say."
Florence became grave, and was silent for a few minutes; then looking up
with a smile, said, "I have two wishes, but I cannot think of a third."
"Let me hear the two, and you can take a longer time to think of the
third."
"Well, first, I wish little Jem O'Donnel could be sent to school, and
when he gets big enough, could be taught a trade--that is one wish."
"That is one wish! I thought that was two wishes."
"Oh no, papa! only one."
"Well, let it pass for one. It shall be done, that is, with his parents'
consent, which you must get Aunt Kitty to procure for you. Now for the
second wish."
"I wish little Lucy Dermot could be taught music, so as to give lessons,
and support her mother and herself."
"You extravagant girl," said Mr. Arnott, "it is well I limited your
wishes to three, or I should be a ruined man."
"Oh, papa! fairies and magicians never find any fault with our wishes,
if they are ever so extravagant."
"Well, Lucy Dermot shall be taught music, if she be able and willing to
learn. Now for the third wish."
"Oh! I must have till to-morrow to think of that. That is my last wish,
and it must be something very good."
"To-morrow, then, I shall expect to hear it; and now you may go and
dream of it. Good-night."
I went down early the next morning to put some books, which I had
finished reading, into their places in the library, an apartment
communicating with the breakfast-parlor by a door, now standing open.
While I was there, Mr. Arnott entered the parlor, and immediately after,
Florence bounded in, exclaiming, "Oh, papa! I have found out my third
wish."
"Well, my daughter, what is it?"
"Why, you know, papa, nurse has a daughter, and she is her only child,
just as I am your only child; and she is very good, too, nurse says."
"Just as you are very good, I suppose."
"Oh no, papa, I did not mean that; but she is going to be married--at
least, she would have been married a year ago, nurse says, but the man
she is to be married to is working hard to try and get a house for her
to live in first--"
"And how did you hear all this, Florence? Did nurse know of my promise
to you, and did she ask you to speak of this?"
"Oh no, papa! she does not know any thing about it. I thought when I had
such a good chance, I ought to do something for nurse; so, when she was
putting me to bed last night, I asked her what she wished for most in
the world, and she said she was so well taken care of that she had not
any thing to wish for; and I said, 'Not if anybody was to promise to
give you just what you should ask for, nurse, could you not find any
thing to wish for then?' and so nurse told me about her daughter, and
said she did wish sometimes she had a home for her, and I thought my
third wish should be for a house for her. Just a small house, you know,
papa, with flowers all about it, and a garden, and a poultry yard, and a
dairy, and--"
"Stop, Florence--here are half a dozen wishes at once. I will tell you
what I will do. I will have a small but comfortable house built--"
"And a garden to it, papa?"
"Yes, a garden and a poultry yard; the dairy can wait until it is
wanted, and the flowers they can plant themselves. This house you shall
give to nurse, and she can let her children have it until she wants to
occupy it herself. It is only right, as you say, that something should
be done for her."
"Oh, thank you--thank you, papa! That will be my very wish."
"And now, Florence, your three wishes have been wished, and not one of
them for yourself. Have you no selfish desires, my child?"
"Oh yes, papa!" said Florence, in a serious tone, "a great many."
"I should like to know how you find them, Florence?"
Mr. Arnott meant to express by this, that he never saw these selfish
desires manifested by Florence; but she understood him literally to
mean, that he wished to know how she discovered them, and she answered;
"Why, you know, papa, Aunt Kitty made a little prayer for me once, when
I was very, very selfish, and I thought I would say that prayer every
night till I had no more selfishness left; so every night I went over in
my own mind what had happened in the day, to see if I must say it, and,
papa, there has never been a single night that I have not had to say it,
and I am afraid it always will be so."
"It will, my dear child, for there is selfishness in our hearts as long
as we live; but while you watch over yourself, and pray earnestly to God
against it, he will give you power always to act generously--to subdue
your selfish feelings."
I have told you enough of Florence, my dear young friends, to enable you
to answer the question--is she generous? But my book has done little if
it has not made you ask a question of much more importance to each one
of you--are you yourself generous? Before you answer, yes, remember that
the truly excellent are always humble, and that Florence never felt how
much selfishness was in her heart, till she became generous. Should your
conscience answer, no, imitate Florence in her simple, earnest prayer,
and honest efforts to amend, and be assured that the same heavenly
Father will hear and help you.
THE END.
GRACE AND CLARA:
OR,
BE JUST AS WELL AS GENEROUS.
CHAPTER I.
AUNT KITTY'S GREETING.
Nearly a year has passed, my dear young friends, since first Aunt Kitty
met you with a "Merry Christmas or Happy New-Year." The snow, which then
spread a veil over all things, has long since melted away. The spring
flowers which succeeded it have withered. The summer and autumn fruits
have been gathered. Again winter has stripped even the leaves from the
trees, and we awake each morning expecting to find that again he has
clothed them in robes of spotless white. And now that the season for
holidays and merriment has returned,--now that your friends greet you
not only with smiling faces and pleasant words, but with presents, as
marks of their affection and approbation, Aunt Kitty, too, comes with
her token of remembrance.
Before she presents it, will you permit her to ask how you have received
those which she has already sent you. Have you learned from "Blind
Alice" and her young friend Harriet, that to do right is the only way to
be happy, and from "Jessie Graham," that it is true wisdom to speak the
simple truth always, and from "Florence Arnott," that selfishness is a
great evil, and will, if you indulge it, bring great sufferings on
yourselves and others? If you have learned these lessons and practise
them, then am I sure that your Christmas will be merry and your New-Year
happy,--that the good-humored tones and ringing laughter of your young
companions will never be changed into wrangling and fretful cries, or
the smiles of your older friends into grave and disapproving looks. That
I think of you, this little book will prove, and though I may not see
you, I shall probably hear of your improvement and enjoyment, and my
holidays will be the pleasanter for them.
These holidays I shall pass in the country at the house of my friend
Mrs. Wilmot, to whom I have already made a very long visit. There are
residing here six young girls, the eldest little over twelve, and the
youngest under ten years of age. Already they have learned to regard a
walk with Aunt Kitty, as a reward for a well-recited lesson, and to
cluster around her by the evening fire, with wishful eyes and earnest
voices asking for one story more. At any hint of my going home, their
remonstrances and entreaties are so vehement, that, I think, when it
becomes absolutely necessary to leave them, I shall have to steal away.
I am about to introduce these little girls to you by name, to tell you
how their time is generally employed, how their holidays are passed, and
thus to make you quite well acquainted with them.
CHAPTER II.
HAZEL GROVE.
Mrs. Wilmot was left a widow when her two daughters, Grace and Lucy,
were very young--so young that Lucy, who is now ten years old, does not
remember her father at all, and Grace, who is twelve, has only a very
faint recollection of a gentleman, who, when he was lying on a couch in
the parlor, used to have her brought to him, and kiss her, and give her
some of the candies which he always seemed to have near him. Mrs. Wilmot
found herself not very rich on the death of her husband, and as she was
a very highly educated and accomplished woman, she was advised to keep a
school for young ladies. She did not remove into a city to do this, for
her own pleasant house is near enough to a large town to admit of her
having day scholars from it; and she took no boarders, but four girls,
the children of friends who had known her long, and who were glad to
have their daughters under her care, on any terms. These four girls are
about the age of her own children, and have been educated with them as
sisters. Indeed, as they call her "Mamma Wilmot," but for their being so
much of the same age, a stranger might suppose them all her own
children. Their names are Clara Devaux, Martha Williams, and Kate and
Emma Ormesby. These two last-named girls are twin sisters, and so much
alike that it was formerly frequent sport with them to perplex their
young companions by answering to each other's names. This they can no
longer do, as Kate has grown tall and thin, while Emma is still a fat,
chubby little girl. Mrs. Wilmot, about two years ago, had some property
left her, which would have supported herself and her daughters very
comfortably without the profits of her school, but she had become so
much interested in her young boarders, that she was not willing to part
with them. She gave up, however, all her day scholars, and then wrote to
me requesting that I would visit her, as she would now, she said, have
only her six little girls to teach, and would therefore have leisure
enough to admit of her enjoying a friend's society. As soon as possible
after I received this letter, I went to Hazel Grove, the name of Mrs.
Wilmot's place, taking Harriet with me.
We arrived at noon of a bright day in October. We had already begun to
enjoy the glow of a fire in the chill mornings and evenings, but, at
that hour, the sun was so warm that it might almost have cheated us, as
well as the little birds and insects, into believing that summer was not
quite gone.
Hazel Grove is a very pretty place. It fronts a fine, bold river, to
whose very edge the lawn, on which the house stands, slopes gently down.
On the opposite side of the river, the banks are steep and thickly
wooded. On the left of the house, as we approached, lay a large orchard,
which still looked inviting, with its yellow pears and its red or
speckled apples. On the right, was a fine old wood of oak and maple and
beach trees, intermingled with the smaller hazels, from which the place
takes its name. Have you ever, in Autumn, when the nights became cold,
watched the trees, as their green first grew deeper and more vivid, and
then was changed from day to day into every varying shade of color,
from russet brown to pale yellow--from deep rich crimson, to bright
scarlet and flaunting orange? If you have, you may know how gayly this
wood was looking when first we saw it.
But pleasant as all this was, there was something in the old stone
cottage, with its yard bordered with flowers and shaded with large
black-walnut trees, which pleased me yet better; and best of all was the
view which I caught of the parlor through the open windows. There sat
Mrs. Wilmot in a rocking-chair, with six little girls around her, to
whom she was reading. These girls were all busily at work, except one
bright-eyed, curly-headed little thing, seated on a low stool at Mrs.
Wilmot's feet, whom I afterwards found to be her youngest daughter,
Lucy. She, too, had some work in her hand, but she was so much
interested in what she was hearing, that her needle stood still, while
she looked up into her mother's eyes, as if she would read the story in
them. I had only a single minute to see all this, for the noise of
letting down the carriage steps caused Mrs. Wilmot to look out, and in
an instant the book was laid aside, the work thrown down, and she
hastened to meet us, followed by her children.
The rest of this day was a holiday to the children, and while Mrs.
Wilmot and I sat talking over old friends and old times, they led
Harriet to their gardens and their baby-houses, their swing, and the
playground where they were accustomed to trundle their hoops and jump
the rope,--showed her the calf, Martha's pet lamb, Kate's and Emma's
English rabbits, Clara's dove, Lucy's kitten, and Grace's puppy, which
were each the most beautiful of their kind that had ever been seen. The
next morning I was introduced to all these beauties, and quite won the
hearts of their owners by my evident admiration of them. When my visits
were over, Mrs. Wilmot called her little girls to their lessons, in
which Harriet, at her own request, joined them. Mrs. Wilmot had a good
library, and while she and the girls were engaged with their studies in
the morning, I was generally there, reading or writing. At dinner we met
again, and the afternoon was passed together in some entertaining and
pleasant way at home, or in driving, walking, or visiting some of the
agreeable people with whom Mrs. Wilmot was acquainted in the town.
CHAPTER III.
THE FRIENDS.
Amongst the children at Hazel Grove, there were, as you may suppose,
varieties of disposition and character, and though they seemed all to
feel kindly and affectionately to each other, each of them had some
chosen companion, to whom their plans were confided, and with whom all
their pleasures were shared. Kate and Emma, the twins, were almost
inseparable; Lucy Wilmot and Martha Williams walked together, assisted
each other in their gardens, and nursed each other's pets; while Clara
Devaux and Grace Wilmot read from the same book, pursued the same
studies, and sought the same amusements. Yet there could scarce have
been two persons less alike than Clara Devaux and Grace Wilmot. Clara
was gay and spirited, generous and thoughtless. A quick temper often
made her say unkind words, which an affectionate heart made her feel, in
a short time, far more painfully than the person to whom they were
addressed. Grace was, on the contrary, of a grave, serious nature, and
seemed always to take time to think before she acted. She, too,
possessed a very affectionate heart, and the least appearance of
coldness or anger from one she loved, would distress her much, but she
had scarcely ever been known to speak or even to look angrily. In one
thing, however, these girls were alike,--they were both remarkable for
their truth. I do not mean only that they would not tell a story, for
this I hope few little girls would do, but they would not in any way
deceive another, and if they had done wrong, they did not wait to be
questioned, but would frankly tell of themselves. Mrs. Wilmot, in
speaking to me of their attachment, said she was pleased at it, for she
thought they had been of use to each other; that Clara had sometimes
stimulated Grace to do right things which, without her persuasions, she
would have been too timid to attempt, and that Grace had often prevented
Clara from doing wrong things into which her heedlessness would have led
her but for her friend's prudent advice.
Not far from Mrs. Wilmot's lived a man who was feeble in health and
somewhat indolent in his habits. He had three little daughters, the
eldest of whom was little more than four years old when their mother
died. She was an active, industrious woman, and had always taken good
care of them, but as their father was far from rich, they fared hardly
after her death, and were often sadly neglected. They could not go to
any school except Sunday-school, because their father could not afford
to pay any thing for their education, and at Sunday-school they were
seldom seen, because there was no one to take care that their clothes
were mended and washed in time.
"Poor children," said Grace one day, when she and Clara had passed them
in walking, "how sorry I am for them! They have no kind mother to take
care of them and teach them as I have."
"No, but they might go to Sunday-school, if they would," said Clara;
"and they could learn a great deal there."
"Yes, Clara, but are you sure that we should ever have gone to
Sunday-school, if we had had no one to see that we were ready, and send
us there?"
"No," said Clara, "I do not think we should."
The girls walked silently on for a few minutes, when Clara said, "Grace,
suppose we teach these poor little children."
"We teach them, Clara--what an idea!" exclaimed Grace.
"And why not? I am sure we can teach them to read and to say hymns and
verses from the Bible, and we shall be learning something more and more
every day to teach them, as they grow older. Come, let us turn back and
ask them if they will come to school to us."
Clara was already retracing her steps, but Grace put her hand on her arm
and stopped her. "Stay, Clara,--it seems very good, and I am sure I
should like to teach them if I can,--but let us ask mamma about it
first, and if she thinks it right, she will show us the best way to do
it."
Clara readily agreed to this proposal. When they returned home, Mrs.
Wilmot was consulted. She highly approved the plan, and promised to aid
them in its execution, provided the time which they gave to their little
pupils was taken, not from their studies or work, but from their
amusements. For many months before my visit, Clara and Grace had
commenced their school, devoting one hour each day to these motherless
children. There was something very touching to me in seeing these young
teachers' patient and persevering efforts to instruct their charge.
Especially did it please me to see the gay, pleasure-loving Clara, lay
aside her bonnet, when ready for a walk or ride, put up her battledoor,
or jump from the just-entered swing, when she saw the little girls
approaching. I said something of this kind one day to Mrs. Wilmot, and
Clara, who was nearer than I thought, overheard me. She colored, looked
quickly at me, as if she would speak, and then, her courage failing,
looked down again.
"What would you say, Clara?" asked Mrs. Wilmot.
"That if it had not been for Grace, ma'am, I should have often put off
teaching them, and maybe, should have given it up altogether before
this."
"And how has Grace prevented you, my dear?"
"Why, the first time I wanted to put off the lesson was once that Mr.
Gilbert called to give me a drive in his new carriage, just as the
children came. But when I said 'let us put them off,' Grace looked very
sorry, and said, I must remember how much trouble we had had in getting
them to come to us; and now, if we put them off for a drive, they would
think we did not care much for the lessons, and would perhaps not come
again. Grace seemed so serious and earnest, that I was ashamed of having
even thought of putting them off; and so I have never said any thing
about it since, though I have been very tired sometimes."
Grace had entered while Clara was speaking, and now said, "Ah, Clara!
but we would never have begun to teach them if it had not been for you."
My young readers may understand from this sketch what Mrs. Wilmot meant
by saying that Clara stimulated Grace to do right things, and Grace
prevented Clara from doing wrong ones.
CHAPTER IV.
THE YOUNG TEACHER.
The first Saturday after my arrival at Hazel Grove, I found, after
breakfast, that Clara, instead of getting her books, as usual, produced
some colored silks and a frame for embroidery, in which was an apron
with a border of beautifully shaded white, pink, and crimson rose-buds,
just commenced. At the same time, Grace brought out her paints and
brushes and an unfinished flower-piece, which showed both great taste in
its design and great care in its execution. These things were laid on
the table, and then these two girls seemed to have nothing to do but to
watch for the arrival of some one whom they evidently expected with
impatience. At length Clara cried out, "I see her, Grace--there she is."
I looked and saw, still at a distance from the house, the figure of a
girl apparently not older than those who were so anxiously expecting
her. She carried a portfolio under her arm, and walked with a quick,
buoyant step, which showed that she was both well and cheerful.
"Who is that?" said I to Grace.
"Cecille L'Estrange, ma'am," she replied.
"And is she coming to take lessons with you?"
"No, ma'am," she said, smiling, "she is coming to teach us."
"To teach you!" I exclaimed, with surprise, "why, she is a child, like
yourselves. What can she teach you?"
"Oh! a great deal more than we have time to learn," said Clara, while
Grace added,
"She is two years older than Clara and I,--she is thirteen."
I had no time to ask farther questions, for Cecille was at the door. She
entered smiling, and said, "Ah! you wait for me--but I am punctual, it
is just the time," pointing to a clock on the mantelpiece, which said
exactly nine o'clock. As she spoke, her eye turning towards that part of
the room where I was sitting, she colored, and looked down. Grace, who
always seemed thoughtful of the comfort of others, saw this little
embarrassment, and introduced her to me.
Either this introduction, or something in my manner to her, set her
quite at her ease; and when I asked if I should be in their way, it was
with a very sweet, engaging smile that she replied, "Oh no, indeed! I
should very much like to have you stay, if you please."
Before I say any thing more of Cecille L'Estrange, it will, perhaps, be
best to tell my young readers, that she was a French girl, and
therefore, though she understood English perfectly well, and spoke it
better than most foreigners do, she sometimes expressed herself in a
different manner from what an English person or an American would have
done: and when she was very much excited from any cause, either pleasant
or painful, she would bring in a French word here and there, without
seeming to notice, or even to know it herself. These words, however, I
will always translate into English for you.
I had nothing to do for some time but to watch my companions as they sat
busily engaged, and their silence only broken now and then by a
direction from their young instructress. Seldom have I seen any one who
interested me more than this young instructress. Now that I saw her more
nearly, I still thought that she did not look older than Clara or Grace;
indeed, she was smaller than either of them. Her features, too, were
small; and though, when quite still, there was an earnest, grave
expression in her face, when she spoke or smiled, it was lighted up with
such animation and gayety that she seemed like a playful child. I
watched her very earnestly, for there was something about her which made
me think, that young as she was, and cheerful as she now appeared, she
had felt sorrow and trial. At one time, in moving some things which
stood on the table out of Clara's way, she took up a small bronze figure
of Napoleon Bonaparte. She did not put this down immediately, but
continued to hold it and look at it, till her countenance grew very sad,
and she sighed heavily. Just then, Grace, having put the finishing touch
to a splendid rose, placed the piece before her eyes without speaking.
In an instant all sadness was gone from her face, and, clapping her
hands together, she exclaimed, in French, "What a beautiful flower!"
then, laughing at her own forgetfulness, added, in English, "It is
beautiful! is it not, madam?" showing it to me as she spoke.
It was beautiful, and I praised it as it deserved.
A few minutes after this, Cecille, glancing at the clock, started up,
exclaiming, "I must go, it is after eleven!"
"Wait five minutes," said Clara, "and just show me how to put in that
last shade, and I will soon finish this corner."
Cecille looked distressed, turned her eyes from the work to the clock,
took the needle from Clara's fingers, and then dropping it, said, "I
will come back this afternoon, and show you; but you must let me go now.
I told my grandmamma that I would come back to her at half-past eleven.
I shall just have the time now to get home before that; and if I stay
longer she will be frightened for me."
She took up her portfolio, courtesied to me, bade the girls good-by,
again assuring Clara that she would come back, and in less than two
minutes was out of sight.
"I am sorry," said Clara, as she was putting up her work, "that I asked
her to show me any more to-day, for now she will take that long,
tiresome walk back again."
"Besides, Clara," said Grace, "you know she is always at work when she
is at home, and she will lose so much time coming twice to-day."
"Well, I am sure, Grace," said Clara, reddening at what seemed to her a
reproach, "I did not ask her to come again, and I can do no more than be
sorry for it now."
"Yes, we can do something more," said Grace, "we can walk over after
dinner and tell her not to come."
"So we can and so we will," said Clara, relieved at once by seeing that
she could do something to remedy the evil.
CHAPTER V.
CECILLE.
When Mrs. Wilmot joined us I told her how much I had been interested by
the young Cecille, and begged her to tell me all she knew of her.
"That I will readily do," Mrs. Wilmot replied, "but the all is not much.
She has been but a short time near us, for it was only late in the last
winter, when the roads were full of snow and ice, that a stage full of
passengers from B. was upset, not far from us. None were hurt but an old
lady, who had her arm broken. It was quite impossible for her to
continue her journey, yet she seemed, I was afterwards told, much
distressed at being compelled to remain. The pain occasioned by her
removal from the road to a neighboring house caused her to faint; and
before she recovered her consciousness the surgeon had been called, and
every thing was in readiness for setting the arm. A little girl, who had
been travelling with her, stood weeping beside her, addressing her in
French in the most plaintive and tender tones, and by the endearing
title of 'mamma.' As the poor lady revived she spoke to this child in
the most rapid and energetic manner, while she repulsed the proffered
assistance of the surgeon. She spoke in French, which no one present
understood, but it was evident from her manner that she was insisting on
something which the poor child was vehemently, yet respectfully and
tenderly opposing. At length the surgeon said, 'Your mamma, is wrong, my
dear, to leave her arm so long unattended to. It is already swelling,
and every minute's delay will make the operation more painful.' As he
ceased speaking the old lady turned to the child and said something with
great energy. The little girl now, in a very hesitating and embarrassed
manner, explained that the lady whom, when speaking in English, she
called grandmamma, did not want any thing done to her arm. 'She will die
then,' said the blunt but honest and kind-hearted Dr. Willis. The little
girl wrung her hands in agony, and a groan for the first time burst
from the lips of the old lady, showing that though she either could not
or would not speak English, she understood it well. A sentence addressed
to her by the child in the most imploring tone caused the tears to
spring to her eyes. As Cecille,--for she was the child,--spoke to her
grandmother, she had drawn out a small embroidered purse. This action
revealed to Dr. Willis the secret of the old lady's reluctance to have
any thing done to her arm. She was afraid to incur the expense of a
surgical operation. The bluntest people become gentle when their kindly
feelings are excited, and I have no doubt it was with great tenderness
that Dr. Willis addressed himself to Madame L'Estrange in his endeavors
to induce her to accept of assistance which, though necessary to her
life, she would have rejected from the fear that she could not pay for
it. How he managed it I know not; but he did at length win her consent,
to the almost frantic joy of Cecille.
"A fractured limb is, you know, a very serious thing with an old person,
and it was many weeks before Madame L'Estrange recovered from the fever
occasioned by hers. Dr. Willis saw that she was often painfully anxious
on some subject, and remembering the little purse, he was not long at a
loss to conjecture the cause. Yet it was a subject on which he knew not
how to speak. It was no easy matter, you know, to say to a lady, 'I see
that you are very poor, and I would like to help you.'
"One morning the doctor found Cecille weeping bitterly. With some
soothing and some questioning he gained her confidence, and found that
the week's board paid that morning had nearly emptied the little
purse--that her grandmother felt that they could not continue to live on
the poor widow, to whose house she had been carried, and where they had
since remained, without the means of paying her,--yet that they knew not
where or how to go. 'And what did you mean to do if you had not been
stopped here? Your money would not have supported you any longer in
another place,' said Dr. Willis. 'Oh sir! if we could only have got to
some large city, grandmamma says I could soon have made money enough for
her and myself too.' 'You make money!' repeated the doctor with
surprise, looking at the delicate figure and soft white hands of the
child. 'What could you do?' 'I can do a great many things. I can
embroider on muslin and silk--I can make pretty fancy boxes--I can
paint--and grandmamma thinks, with some practice, I could take
miniatures.' The doctor listened to this list of Cecille's
accomplishments and shook his head dejectedly. Had Cecille said she
could scrub and she could wash, he could have seen how money could be
made by her, but these fine lady works he had been accustomed to think
only so many ways of wasting time. Fortunately for our little Cecille,
all persons did not consider them so unprofitable. The doctor called at
our house after visiting Madame L'Estrange, and with his own mind full
of Cecille's sorrows, he repeated to me, in the presence of my children,
what he had just heard. Clara scarcely allowed him to finish before she
expressed a determination to have a muslin cape and a silk apron
embroidered, a fancy box made, a picture painted, and a miniature either
of Grace or herself taken. I begged, however, that before giving her
orders she would calculate her means of paying for them. These means
amounted to five dollars a month, which her father had permitted her to
spend as she pleased from the day she became ten years old. Clara soon
found that it would be long before this would remunerate Cecille for
half the employment she was arranging for her. She looked at me in
despair, and seemed half provoked when I smiled at her perplexity. 'Then
I cannot help her,' she exclaimed sorrowfully. 'Stay, stay, my dear,'
said I, 'do not be so hasty in your conclusions. You may help her very
much, though you cannot do every thing for her. How would you like to
take lessons of Cecille, and learn to do these things for yourself
instead of having them done for you?' 'Oh! I should like it above all
things, but will papa let me, do you think?' 'I have no doubt that your
papa will not only let you, but be very much pleased if you choose to
devote a part of your pocket-money to your own improvement. Your
allowance of five dollars a month will pay Cecille a fair price for so
much of her time as will enable her to teach you some one of her
accomplishments, and will leave you something for other pleasures too.'
Clara was delighted with my proposal. I permitted Grace to join her in
her lessons, and for ten dollars a quarter from each of them, Cecille
spends two hours in their instruction on every Wednesday and Saturday
morning. But this is not all she does. She works very industriously at
home, and when her work is completed she brings the article to me, and I
forward it to a friend of mine in the city, who has hitherto been able
to dispose of whatever she has done to great advantage. In this way this
little girl has for some months supported not only herself but her
feeble and aged grandmother."
"Poor things," said I, "if this is all their support, I fear they must
often want."
"Indeed, I think you are mistaken. Their clothing is always neat, and
they appear to live comfortably."
"Then," said I, "they must have some assistance from others; for
according to your own account, the sum which Cecille receives from her
pupils would amount in a year to only eighty dollars. She must gain as
much more from other work to be able to pay even the most moderate board
for two persons; and then what becomes of their other expenses?"
"Ah! our Cecille, or rather her grandmother, is a better manager than
you would be of her little funds," said Mrs. Wilmot, smiling. "They do
not board, but hire from the widow Daly two rooms in her cottage. For
these they pay only half of what Cecille receives from Clara and Grace.
They keep no servant, but for a trifle obtain each day, from one of Mrs.
Daly's daughters, an hour's assistance in putting every thing around
them into neat order. How they live, I know not; but I am sure Cecille
could not be so cheerful as she is, if her grandmother suffered any
serious want. Of one thing I am sure--they do not run in debt for any
thing; for Cecille, with many blushes and great timidity, begged her
young pupils here to pay her by the month, as her grandmother had
engaged to pay her rent in that way, and would be very much distressed
if she were obliged to be in debt, even for a single day."
CHAPTER VI.
THE VISIT.
If my readers have been only half as much interested in Mrs. Wilmot's
account of Cecille as I was, they will not have thought it too long.
Before it was concluded, I had determined to become better acquainted
with Cecille L'Estrange; and when, immediately after an early, one
o'clock dinner, Clara and Grace put on their bonnets, knowing that they
were going to see her, I asked to walk with them. They were very glad to
have my company, but asked if I would go with them through the wood and
across the fields--there were only two fences to climb, and if they went
by the road, they were afraid Cecille would have set out before they
could get to her house. This suited me well; for I had always rather go
through a wood and across fields, than by a dusty road--so we were soon
on the way. We walked on very quickly, not even stopping to pick the
late fall flowers which we saw, though we marked their places that we
might get them as we came back. The second field we crossed opened upon
Mrs. Daly's orchard, from which we passed through the yard, and would
have entered the house by the back door, had not Mrs. Daly met us and
begged that we would go around to the front. "Not that I care about it,
ma'am," said she to me in an apologizing manner: "front or back, it's
all the same to me; but the good old lady in there"--pointing to the
room near which we stood--"she's a clever body, but she has some queer
notions. I guess she's been a lady born, and she don't like somehow that
people should see them work--so she wants everybody to go to the front
door, and in the parlor, where they only do some of their light works;
and as I said before, it's all the same to widow Daly--so if you please,
ma'am, I'll show you the way round."
While Mrs. Daly was speaking, I had caught a view through the half open
shutter of the inside of the room to which she had pointed. An old lady,
dressed in a silk wrapper which even at that distance looked old and
faded, was seated in one of Mrs. Daly's high-backed, straw-bottomed
chairs, near a small table on which was spread a clean white towel. A
plate with a slice of bread was before her. At the fireplace stood a
young girl stooping over a furnace of coal, on which was a small pan.
Though she had changed her dress and covered her head with a
handkerchief, probably to keep her hair free from ashes or soot, I had
no difficulty in recognising Cecille. She held a spoon in her hand, and
occasionally used it to turn or stir what was in the pan. I was so much
interested in observing her movements, that I said to Mrs. Daly that I
would let Clara and Grace go to the front door, and speak to Cecille,
and I would await them where I then was. The children and Mrs. Daly had
just left me, when I saw Cecille's glowing and pleased face turned
towards her grandmother, while by the motion of her hand she seemed to
ask for her plate. The old lady held it out, the pan was taken from the
fire, and what seemed to me an omelet was laid on the plate. This, you
know, is made of eggs, and it requires some skill in cookery to make it
well. I judged from Cecille's looks that she thought this was well done.
She was evidently more pleased with her success, more vain of her
powers, in cooking, than in painting and embroidery. From her
grandmother's pleased countenance, I was sure she was praising the
omelet and its maker. After a while, however, the old lady looked a
little sad. She kissed Cecille's cheek as she was bending over her, and
taking the handkerchief from her head, smoothed the hair back from her
forehead. Then she offered Cecille her plate, and seemed to urge her to
take some of her own cookery; but, with a smile and shake of the head,
Cecille turned to a cupboard, and taking from it a bowl of milk and
another plate of bread, placed them on the table. She was just seating
herself by her grandmother, when Mrs. Daly opened the door. After some
words from her, Cecille rose and left the room, and but a few minutes
passed before I was again joined by my young companions. We walked more
leisurely home again, and did not now leave the flowers unplucked.
CHAPTER VII.
THE BLIND MAN.
As we were sitting, one afternoon during the next week, near the parlor
windows, the girls and myself at work while Mrs. Wilmot read out for us,
we heard the gate open, and looking up, saw an old man, whose clothes
seemed to have been long worn, and whose white hairs were covered with a
ragged straw hat, approaching the house. A little boy was with him, and
as he came near, we saw that this little boy was leading him, by which
we knew that the poor old man was blind. He seated himself on the step
of the house, and taking off a bag, which was slung over his shoulder,
drew a violin from it, and began to play. The children wished to go out
and speak with him, and as Mrs. Wilmot did not object, they were soon
gathered round him. I followed them. They listened for a while without
speaking. Then Lucy Wilmot, the youngest of the group, pressed up to his
side, saying, "Cannot you see at all, sir?"
"No, my little miss. But though I cannot see you, I can hear your
pleasant voice, and I know that you are sorry for the old blind man, and
feel kindly to him, and I am sure that when you know he has had nothing
to eat to-day, though he has come a great way, you will give him
something."
In an instant all were in motion, and Mrs. Wilmot was soon busy
preparing a plate of victuals, with a dozen little hands waiting to
carry it to the old man, when prepared. After they had given it to him,
the girls came back into the house till the first note of his violin
told them that he had dined, when again they flocked around him. Most
people, and especially most old people, like to tell their sorrows. The
old man was therefore quite ready to answer their questions, and they
soon learned his little story. It was a very sad one. He had removed
some years before with his son's family to a newly settled western
state. The land on which they had made their home proved very unhealthy.
His son and his son's wife were both in their graves. He had been very
ill himself, and had only recovered with the entire loss of sight, and
with a constitution so broken that he felt he had not long to live. "And
glad shall I be," he said, "to lay this weary, sightless body down in
the grave, to which so many I love have gone before me; but first I
would take this poor orphan boy to those who will take care of him."
The tired travellers had yet fifty miles to go before they would reach
the home of the old man's only remaining child, a daughter, who, though
she had children of her own, would take care of the boy, he said, for
the love of him and of her dead brother. Poor little boy! how sad and
weary he looked, and how bitterly he wept when the old man talked of his
father and mother!
My little readers will easily believe that this sad story excited great
pity, and they will not be surprised to hear that on Clara Devaux's
proposing that they should give the old man something, each little girl
brought her sixpence or her shilling and threw it into a bag which Clara
herself held. As the proposal had been hers, I was very desirous to see
what she would give, but this I could not do. Whatever it was, it made
no noise as it fell into the bag, from which I thought it must be paper
money, and consequently could not be less than one dollar.
Some of Grace Wilmot's movements on this occasion excited my surprise
and curiosity very much. As soon as Clara's proposal was made, she ran
into the parlor, took from her work-basket a pocket-book, and taking out
all the money it contained, counted it carefully upon the table before
her. I could see that there were two bills and two silver half dollars.
Grace took one of the bills, and putting the rest of the money away,
turned towards the door, but before she had reached it, she seemed
suddenly to have changed her mind, and going back, returned the bill and
took in its place one of the half dollars. As there was no one in the
parlor but herself, Grace did not suppose she was seen, till raising her
head, she caught my eye, as I stood at the window, looking fixedly at
her. She colored very much, and running hastily to Clara dropped her
half dollar into the bag.
Now you will say that this was a great deal for a young girl like Grace
to give. So it was, and few little girls could have given so much. But
I had seen that Grace had more money, and that she had thought of giving
more and then had withdrawn it, and I could not help asking myself over
and over again what could have been her reason for doing so, whether she
had kept it back for some more important purpose, or whether it had been
only for some selfish gratification. On the answer to this question my
opinion of Grace Wilmot would, I felt, greatly depend. Though I had to
wait many weeks for this answer, you will learn, when you have read this
little book, that I received an answer, and what that answer was.
CHAPTER VIII.
INDIAN SUMMER.
About a fortnight after my first arrival at Hazel Grove commenced that
delightful season which we call Indian Summer. I dare say you all know
that by this we mean the two or three weeks of mild pleasant weather
which we generally have in November, after the frosty nights and cold
winds have made us suppose that Winter has come. I have no doubt that
you all love better to be in the open air at this season than at any
other,--that you play more merrily when out, and go in more reluctantly.
But you have perhaps enjoyed the season without exactly knowing the
reason of your enjoyment. Now I would have you, when next there is an
Indian Summer, notice how pure and balmy the air is, and of how deep and
rich a yellow are the beams of the sun. I would have my young friends
observe all the beautiful and pleasant things with which God has
surrounded them, for if they do not, they will fail to give Him, in
return, the tribute of loving and grateful hearts which is due to Him.
It was on one of these bright, pure, golden days in Indian Summer that I
seated myself as usual after breakfast in Mrs. Wilmot's library, but I
tried in vain either to read or write. Do what I would, my eyes would
turn to the windows, and instead of the words on the page before me, I
saw the leaves on the trees, the white clouds sailing over the bright
blue sky, or the little birds hopping from branch to branch. If I had
had lessons to learn that day I know not what I should have done,--but I
had no lessons to learn, so I threw my book aside, put on my shawl and
bonnet, and was soon walking in that beautiful wood whose appearance on
my first arrival I have described to you. Delightful indeed was my
walk--full of pleasant sights and sounds,--and often did I wish for some
of my young friends to partake of my enjoyments, as I saw a shower of
bright-colored leaves whirling about in the air whenever the wind
stirred the branches of the trees, or a shy rabbit spring away to a
safer hiding-place, or a startled squirrel dart to the topmost boughs
which overhung my path, as the dry leaves rustled under my feet. So I
wandered on, observing all these things, but meeting no one till I had
nearly passed the wood. Then I heard a low, gentle voice singing. I
listened, approaching as softly as possible. Soon I could hear the
words, and found that they were French. It was a hymn describing the
beauties of nature, and expressing the devotion of a grateful loving
heart to Him who made it so beautiful. I afterwards had the words of
this hymn from Cecille, and have tried to translate them into English
verse for you. Here is my translation.
CECILLE'S HYMN.
I.
Thine, Father, is yon sky so bright,
And Thine the sun, whose golden light
Is shed alike on brook and sea,
On lowly flower and lofty tree.
So Thou, in equal love, hast smiled
On seraph high and humble child.
II.
No sea on which the sun doth look
Gleams brighter than yon little brook,
The loftiest tree, the lowliest flower,
Alike rejoice to feel his power;
And Thou, while seraphs hymn thy praise,
Dost bend to hear my simple lays.
When I was quite near Cecille my steps caused her to look around. She
did not seem at all startled or surprised at seeing me, but with a
pleasant smile held out her hand to me as I bade her good morning.
"I see, Cecille," said I, "that this lovely weather makes you an idler
as well as me."
"Not quite an idler, ma'am," she replied, showing me a drawing she had
made while sitting there, of the Widow Daly's cottage and orchard.
"For what is that pretty drawing intended, Cecille?"
"I hardly know yet, ma'am. The sun looked so bright and warm, that
grandmamma knew I longed to be in it, so she made me put away my
embroidery and come out, and this was the only thing I could do out
here."
After looking at it a moment in silence, she added, "Do you not think it
would make a pretty painting for the top of a work-box?"
"Yes, very pretty; but are you never idle, Cecille?"
"Not often, ma'am," said she, modestly.
"And do you not get weary of being always at work?"
"Weary of working for grandmamma--dear, good grandmamma!" she exclaimed,
with energy. "Oh, no!--never." A minute after, speaking more quietly,
she said, "Perhaps I should get tired, but when the work seems dull and
hard, I always remember what Mr. Logan told me to do."
"And what was that, Cecille?"
"He said that at such times I must think of something that grandmamma
wanted very much, and say to myself, this will help me to buy it when it
is done, and he was sure then I would not get tired, or want to put my
work down."
"Mr. Logan was a very wise man. Where did you know him?"
"In N., a little village that we went to when we first came over from
France, when my dear papa was with us. He lived there with us for four
years before he went back to France. My own dear papa, how I wish I
could see him!"
"You remember your father then," said I.
"Remember him!" she repeated; "why it is only two years since he left us
to go back to France."
"And what made him leave you, Cecille?" said I--then in an instant,
feeling that my interest in Cecille had made me ask a question which it
might be wrong in her to answer, I added, "Do not answer me, my child,
if it was any thing which you think your father would not wish you to
tell."
"Oh, no!" said Cecille, smiling, "it was only because some friends wrote
to him to say that if he would come to France, they thought they could
get the king to give him back an estate that had been unjustly taken
from him."
"And should he get it, would you return to France, Cecille?"
"Yes, for papa and grandmamma love France so well, that they will never,
I think, be quite happy anywhere else. My mamma is buried there too, on
that same estate."
"Do you remember her, Cecille?"
"No--she died when I was a very little baby, and my grandmamma took care
of me just as if she had been my own mamma. Papa told me all about it
the night before he went away from us, and then he divided all the money
that was left of what he had brought from France into two parcels, and
he made me count what he took, and showed me that it was just enough to
pay for his going back; and he told me how much was in the other parcel,
that he was to leave with grandmamma. It seemed a great deal to me then,
but papa said it was very little, and that it could not last long. Then
he told me that he had taught me all he could himself, and had others
teach me what he could not, in order that I might be able to work for
grandmamma and myself, and I must do it when that money was gone, if I
hoped for his blessing."
"And what made you leave N.?"
"Because it was such a little village that I could hardly get any work
there. Mr. Logan advised us to go to New York; and we set out to go
there, but the stage broke down with us here, and if it was not that
poor grandmamma had suffered so much, I should be glad it did."
"You like your home here, then?"
"Oh, yes! dear Dr. Willis and Mrs. Wilmot are so kind to us. And then it
is so pleasant to teach Clara and Grace, and every month to carry home
some money to grandmamma."
"Then you carry to her whatever is paid you?"
"Yes; and after she has taken out what will pay Mrs. Daly our rent, and
any thing else we happen to owe, she gives me back the rest to do what I
please with. I long for this month to be gone, that I may get my
money,--for I have something very good to do with it this month."
She looked up so pleasantly in my face, that I said, "Will you not tell
me what it is, Cecille?"
"Yes, if you will not tell, for I want to surprise grandmamma. I am
going to get her some flannel. I have found out already how much it will
cost, and I will have a plenty of money, with a little that I laid by
from the last month, to get it. Then I will get some one to show me how
to cut it out, and it shall be all made before grandmamma sees it. Do
you not think she will be pleased?"
"Very much pleased, I doubt not," I replied, "and you must let me cut it
for you, and assist you in making it."
"Will you do that? That will be very kind."
We were both silent a little while, when Cecille, suddenly looking up,
asked, "Do you not speak French?"
"Yes," I replied.
"Then you must come and see my grandmamma. Will you not?"
"Certainly--with pleasure; but does she not speak English?"
"A little, but it is not easy to her--and so I do not ask people to see
her who cannot understand her French."
"Shall I go with you now?" I asked.
Cecille looked up to the sun and down again, without speaking. I saw she
was a little embarrassed, and said, "You would rather I should not go
to-day."
"Yes--for it is near grandmamma's dinner-time, and I must go to get it
for her," she added, rising.
I rose too, and taking her hand, said, "Well, good-by, Cecille--remember
we are not to be strangers any longer."
"No, no," she said, warmly, "friends--good friends now." She held up her
face to be kissed, picked up her pencil and drawing, and hastened away.
Before she had gone far I could again hear her carolling cheerfully,
"Thine, Father, is yon sky so bright."
CHAPTER IX.
PREPARATION.
After this pleasant meeting, Cecille and I, as you may suppose, were
very friendly. I visited her grandmother, as I had promised, and found
her a very agreeable and excellent old lady. I often made my visits to
her when Cecille was obliged to be away, and then she loved to sit and
talk to me of her. I told her that Cecille said she had taken care of
her when she was an infant, and had been to her as her own mamma. She
replied to this, that she had tried to do her duty by her, and that she
had been repaid tenfold for whatever she had done by Cecille's
tenderness and respect.
"Ah, ma'am," she would say, "you do not know what it is to suffer want.
We often did this, and I would have been sad indeed, if my little girl's
cheerfulness had not made me ashamed. I could then speak little English,
and Mr. Logan, who was our only friend after my son left us, could speak
no French; so that all my comfort came through Cecille. One day, just
before we left our last home, she came running to me, full of gladness,
exclaiming, 'O, grandmamma, I have good news for you.' I thought at
first that my son had come back, or at least that there was a letter
from him; but it was that Cecille, in reading her Bible, had just met
with a verse saying, that 'the young ravens may lack and suffer hunger,
but they that fear the Lord shall not want any good thing.' 'And now,
grandmamma,' she said, 'I am sure you will have whatever is good for
you, for you fear the Lord.' I had often read the same verse in my
Bible, but I had never felt it to be so full of comfort as I did then;
and if ever I live to see my son's face again, and to go back to the
home I love in France, I shall feel that I owe it to that dear child,
for whom I thank God every day."
Madame L'Estrange always spoke in French, but I have translated what she
said, that my readers may learn from Cecille's example that the
youngest child may do good to the oldest and wisest. I would have them
remark, too, how much wiser it is to cultivate cheerful feelings than to
be fretful and dissatisfied. Do you not suppose that Cecille, though
poor and alone in a strange country with her feeble old grandmother, was
happier with her cheerful temper and her trust in the goodness of her
kind heavenly Father, than those children who fret at being awoke in the
morning, though they are surrounded with every comfort and have the
kindest people to attend upon them,--who sit down with dissatisfied
faces to a breakfast-table covered with good things because they fancy
something which is not there, and who thus go through the whole day
complaining of what they have and wishing for what they cannot get?
But, interested as I was in Cecille, you must not suppose that my whole
attention was given to her, or that I failed to make friends of Clara
and Grace and the rest of Mrs. Wilmot's children.
November seemed to be quite a busy month with these young girls, and I
was told by Mrs. Wilmot that they were preparing for an examination,
which would take place early in December, when their friends came to
take them home for the Christmas holidays. This explained to me their
unusual attention to their studies, but I saw there was something more
in their minds, of which Mrs. Wilmot knew nothing. Instead of sitting,
when they were at work, with their kind mamma Wilmot and myself, as they
had formerly loved to do, they now asked to sit together in the
schoolroom; and if, while they were there, either of us entered
unexpectedly, they would shuffle away their work, as if they did not
wish it seen. Harriet was with them at these times, but though I could
not help feeling a little curious about their movements, I would not ask
her any questions, because I was sure, if not bound to secrecy, she
would tell me without questioning. I was not kept many days in
ignorance. Mrs. Wilmot and I were sitting at work one afternoon, when
Harriet came into the parlor and said, "Aunt Kitty, the girls ask you to
go into the schoolroom; they want you to show them something about their
work."
"I will do it, my dear," said Mrs. Wilmot, rising before me.
"Oh no, Mrs. Wilmot," said Harriet in most earnest tones, "they do not
want you to go, ma'am; that is," she continued in a confused manner,
"they did not tell me to ask you."
"Oh, well, my dear child, do not look so agitated," said Mrs. Wilmot
smiling, "I will not go. I suppose I shall hear the secret in time. I am
quite sure there is nothing improper in it, or Aunt Kitty would not be
chosen as their confidant."
I went with Harriet to the schoolroom, and found that my assistance was
wanted in showing Kate Ormesby how to make up a work-bag which she had
been embroidering in worsted.
"And why was this a secret?" I asked.
Clara undertook to explain. They were getting some presents ready for
Mamma Wilmot, and they did not wish her to know any thing about them
till the day of the examination, when they intended to put them on her
table with a note which they would all sign. Then their work was
exhibited. There was a needle-book from one--a pincushion from
another--a pair of slippers embroidered on canvass from a third, and the
work-bag which I have already named. These were the presents prepared by
Lucy, Martha, Emma, and Kate.
"And now where are your presents?" I asked, turning to Clara and Grace.
"Mine is not done yet," said Clara.
"Well, what is it to be?"
"A locket, set with Grace's hair and mine, and with our names on the
back of it."
"And yours, Grace?"
She colored and looked down.
"Show it to Aunt Kitty, Grace," said Harriet; "I am sure she will think
it very pretty."
"I do not wonder you are ashamed of it, Grace," said Clara, quickly,
"when you might have had such a handsome one, so cheaply too."
"It would not have been cheap for me, Clara."
"Well, I should think a handsome hair bracelet cheap for anybody at two
dollars and a half, but some people never think they can get enough for
their money."
I saw that these words were very painful to Grace, who turned away with
her eyes full of tears; and as there is nothing more disagreeable to me
than to hear little girls quarrel, I interrupted any farther remarks
from Clara, by urging Grace to show me her present. With a timid manner
she took out of her basket a bracelet of hair, very simply woven, which
she had just commenced. It was pretty, and I said so; yet I acknowledge
I thought, with Clara, it would scarce be handsome enough for such a
locket as she described. Again I asked myself, can Grace be selfish,
that she would not spend her money on a present for her mother? That she
had the money for the bracelet I could not doubt, for I knew that she
had the same allowance for pocket-money that Clara had, and she was able
to buy a locket, which I was sure, from the description, must cost more
than two dollars and a half. Besides, if she had not the money, Clara
could not have expected her to buy it, or have been angry with her, as
she evidently was, for not doing so. These thoughts probably made me
look grave, and, if I might judge from her sad countenance, poor Grace
was little comforted by my praise of her work. I observed, after this,
that there was a little coolness between Clara and Grace. They were not
so constantly together as they had been, and sometimes Clara spoke to
her friend in a very tart tone, while Grace always seemed gentle, and
even humble, as if she was seeking forgiveness for some wrong she had
done. This did not convince me that Clara was right and Grace was wrong,
for I have often seen the person who was most to blame in a quarrel, the
most angry--while the least faulty was conciliating and anxious for
peace.
After this the girls admitted me into all the mysteries of their little
plot. I assisted them in their work where assistance was needed, and was
consulted on all their arrangements. There was a very interesting debate
on the question whether the presents should be placed on Mrs. Wilmot's
toilet table before she was awake in the morning, and so meet her eye
when she first arose; or whether they should be laid on the library
table, while she was at breakfast. I gave my opinion in favor of the
last arrangement; and at length brought them all over to my way of
thinking, by reminding them that we could not be quite sure Mrs. Wilmot
would sleep on that morning until we were ready for her to awake.
About a week before the examination Clara's locket was sent home by the
jeweller. She brought it to me, and I saw, by his mark on the paper
around it, that its cost was four dollars. It was plainly but handsomely
made, and the initial letters of her name and Grace's were very prettily
engraved upon the back. When the bracelet was finished they were both to
be sent to the jeweller, who would put them together with small gold
rings. For this Grace would pay him. Clara continued to look, and even
sometimes to speak, as if she thought it would be quite a disgrace to
her locket to be seen in such company. Grace bore this in silence,
though she was evidently much distressed at it.
CHAPTER X.
A DISAPPOINTMENT.
The preparations for the examination had not interfered with Cecille's
teaching. She came as regularly, stayed as long, and seemed as welcome
to Clara and Grace as when they had only their usual employments. It was
the last Wednesday in November, and just one week before the day fixed
for the examination, that, knowing Cecille would be at Hazel Grove, I
determined to walk over and spend the morning with her grandmother. On
my way I met Cecille. She was walking very briskly, but stopped to shake
hands with me.
"I am going to see your grandmother, Cecille," said I.
"I am very glad; I will not now have any thing to make me sorry to-day.
This is one of my bright days. Do you know why?"
I shook my head.
"No?--Do you not know that this is my pay-day? Grandmamma will soon have
her flannel, if you help me as you promised, and she wants it in this
weather."
I congratulated Cecille on her coming pleasure, promised her my help,
and we parted.
I spent my morning very agreeably with Madame L'Estrange, yet I
listened to Mrs. Daly's clock, which stood on the mantelpiece, and
watched its hands with as much impatience as if I had been weary and
longed to get away. The truth was, I was impatient for Cecille's coming,
which I had determined to await, that I might have the pleasure of
seeing her happy looks when her wishes were accomplished and the money
was actually in her hands. Did you ever observe how slowly the hands of
a clock appear to move when they are watched? I thought this morning
that the hour from ten to eleven was the longest I had ever passed. It
did pass, however, and at length I saw the hour hand at eleven and the
minute hand at twelve. Now I began to watch the windows, for I thought
that Cecille must soon be in sight. But here again I was disappointed,
and both her grandmother and myself had more than once expressed our
surprise at her delay, before she appeared;--and then I could scarcely
believe it was the same Cecille whom I had seen in the morning, bounding
along as if her feet scarce touched the earth. She walked now slowly and
pensively, and I even fancied once that I saw her wipe her eyes.
As she came near the house, however, she looked up and her step became
more brisk. She entered the room where we sat. I looked at her
anxiously, but she turned her face away as if she could not bear to meet
my eye, and walking straight up to her grandmother, put a parcel into
her hand and stood still by her side.
"You do not speak to your friend, my dear," said Madame L'Estrange
without opening the parcel, about which she seemed to feel no curiosity.
Cecille put her hand in mine without speaking--then looked again at her
grandmother, who had by this time slowly unfolded the packet. She looked
at its contents, and then lifting up her face with a smile to Cecille,
said, "Ah, little pilferer! where is the rest?"
In a choked voice Cecille answered, "There is no more."
"There is no more!" exclaimed Madame L'Estrange; "why how is this,
Cecille? This is but half of what you have always received for a month's
teaching."
Cecille tried to answer, but in vain. Her throat swelled, her lip
quivered, and throwing herself upon her grandmother's bosom, she burst
into tears. Madame L'Estrange was, as you may easily suppose, greatly
distressed. She stroked Cecille's hair, pressed her lips to her head,
calling her at the same time by every endearing name which the French
language furnishes, and repeatedly asking, "What is the matter? Has any
one been harsh to my child? Cecille, what have they done to you, my
darling?"
"Nothing, grandmamma," sobbed out Cecille; "I was only grieved because I
had no more money to bring you to-day."
"My dear child! I am ashamed of you, Cecille. You should have been more
thankful for this, which will pay Mrs. Daly, and we owe no one else."
"I know it, grandmamma. Besides, Clara will pay me next week when her
father comes for her, and that is a very little while to wait."
"And what made you grieve so unreasonably, Cecille?"
Cecille looked at me with a half smile as she answered, "Because I
wanted that money just to-day very much, grandmamma."
"And why just to-day, Cecille?"
"Ah, grandmamma! that is a secret," and Cecille now laughed with as much
glee as if she had never cried in her life.
The old lady laughed too; but she said, "Take care, Cecille,--it is not
well for little girls to have secrets from their grandmammas."
"This is a very harmless secret," said I.
Madame L'Estrange looked at me with some surprise as she said, "You know
it then?"
"Yes," said I; "but you must not be jealous that Cecille chose me for
her confidant, all little girls do. Mrs. Wilmot's children have just
been consulting me on a very important secret."
"They told me about it to-day," said Cecille quickly, "and I asked them
to let me tell grandmamma. They were quite willing I should, so you need
not mind speaking of it."
The story of the examination and of the presents prepared for Mrs.
Wilmot on that day, was soon told to Madame L'Estrange, who entered into
the little plot of the children with great enjoyment. After we had
talked of it a while, I said to Cecille that the bracelet Grace was
preparing did not please Clara very much, and indeed I scarcely thought
it handsome enough for the locket.
"I wish she had told me sooner," said Cecille, "I would have shown her
how to weave a handsome one. I learned from a lady who came over from
France with us. I have done several since I came here for Mr. Brenner
the jeweller."
"Then perhaps you made the one which Clara wanted Grace to buy, and was
half angry with her for not buying."
"I dare say it is one of mine; but if it is, Grace could not buy it, for
it would cost two dollars and a half, and she had but little more than a
dollar left after paving me to-day."
"How did you find that out, Cecille?" asked her grandmother.
"Because, grandmamma, Grace saw that I looked very sorry when Clara said
she could not pay me, and she followed me out and begged me to take what
she had left, and to pay her back when Clara paid me."
"You did not take it I hope, my dear."
"No, grandmamma, though I would have done it if I had not known that you
would dislike it, and so I told Grace."
"You were right, Cecille, in not taking it. Better even weep as you have
done to-day for an ungratified wish, than borrow money and perhaps be
disappointed in your expectation of repaying it."
"I shall not be disappointed in that, grandmamma, for Clara says she
will certainly pay me the next week."
"Clara no doubt once thought, my dear, that she would certainly pay you
to-day. She may be mistaken again."
"Clara was very sorry, grandmamma," said Cecille kindly.
"I do not doubt it, my dear. She is, I dare say, a good little girl and
means well, but she is thoughtless, or she would not have spent her
money even on a present for Mrs. Wilmot before she had paid her debts.
What she owed to you was in truth not her own, but yours."
"Grandmamma, don't be angry with Clara. You could not help loving her if
you knew her, she is so generous."
"I am not angry with her, my dear. I do love her for her kindness to
you, and from many things you have told me, I believe she is generous,
but, Cecille, she is not just."
"That locket cost a great deal, I dare say, grandmamma, and then Clara
gives something to everybody that asks for money. She is so generous."
"Generous but not just, Cecille, when she gives what she already owes to
another."
I saw that Cecille was hardly satisfied with her grandmother's views of
Clara, and yet they were so true that she could not oppose them.
For my part, I had been thinking of Grace. My readers will not have
forgotten that Grace's having changed the bill she at first intended
giving the blind man for a half dollar, and her contenting herself with
giving her mother a bracelet of her own weaving, instead of spending
money on her present, as the other girls had done, had made me fear that
she might be a little selfish--that her money might be saved for some
gratification that should be entirely her own. I now began to hope that
Grace was not less generous, but that she was more just than Clara.
"Is not Grace generous too?" said I to Cecille.
"Is not Grace generous!" she repeated, as if surprised at my question.
"Have you ever thought that she was selfish?" I asked in yet stronger
language.
"Grace selfish!" exclaimed, Cecille: "oh, no! I never saw her do a
selfish thing."
"Do you think her as generous as Clara?"
"As generous as Clara," she again repeated, and then said doubtfully,
"Clara is so generous."
"You do not think then that Grace takes as much pleasure in giving to
another as Clara does?"
"Oh, yes! I think she does. Grace never seems so happy as when she
happens to have what another person wants."
"In what then is she less generous than Clara?"
"Why"--Cecille stopped suddenly--thought a little, and then said, "I do
not know what could have made me think so,--only that I never saw Grace
give all that she had in her purse as I have seen Clara do."
"Perhaps that is because Grace remembers what Clara seems sometimes to
forget, that she has no right to give away that which belongs to
another."
"Clara does not give away what belongs to another."
"Does not Clara's father allow her as much money as Mrs. Wilmot allows
Grace?"
"Yes--just the same."
"Then how is it that Grace could pay you and Clara could not? If Clara
has given away what should have been paid to you, she has given away
what did not belong to her. In her generosity she has forgotten justice,
while Grace seems to have remembered, 'to be just before she was
generous.'"
The clock striking twelve interrupted our conversation, by reminding me
that it was time to return home.
CHAPTER XI.
PLEASURE AND PAIN.
The third of December had been fixed for the day of examination, and the
children at Hazel Grove were so industrious that some days before that,
both the presents and the studies were completed--except the bracelet,
which went on very slowly indeed--but which Grace assured Clara should
be ready in time. For the last few days, when the girls were out of
school, time seemed to pass as slowly with them as it did with me on the
morning I sat with Madame L'Estrange expecting Cecille. Now, as then,
however, it did pass.
The first of December had been a stormy day, but the next morning was as
clear and bright as if no cloud had ever been seen. But it was so cold
that even the children preferred gathering around the fire to running
out, and for me, I could scarcely persuade myself to look out. Poor Dr.
Willis! how he shivered, and how cold even his horse looked, as he drove
up to the gate at Hazel Grove, where he had been sent for, to visit a
servant who was sick. He came in, rubbing his hands, and declaring it
was the coldest day he had felt this year. "Ah! young ladies," said he,
"you none of you know the comfort of this warm fire as I do. You must
ride three miles facing this northwest wind before you can really enjoy
it. But even that," he added a moment after, "is better than to sit
still in the house with little or no fire as some poor people must do.
By the by," he continued, turning to Mrs. Wilmot, "I stopped to see
Cecille and her grandmother on my way here, and very glad I was to see
them enjoying a blazing fire."
"I have been thinking of them this morning, and fearing that they would
not be prepared for this suddenly severe cold," said Mrs. Wilmot. "How
do they get their fuel?"
"It was wanting to know that which made me call this morning. Poverty
certainly sharpens the wit, for that little child"--Cecille was so small
that everybody thought of her as a little child--"manages as well as any
man could do. The widow Daly supplies them with fuel for a small
additional charge to her month's rent. The old lady needs a warm fire,
for her dress is not thick enough--she ought to have flannel."
"And has she not?"
"No--I asked Cecille about it and she colored up and looked as much
distressed, poor child, as if it had been her fault that her grandmother
was without it. She shall have it, she says, in a few days, as soon as
she gets some money that she is expecting. I offered to lend her some
till then, but her grandmother had forbidden her borrowing."
"In which I think she is very wise," said Mrs. Wilmot, "but I wish
whoever owes her money, knew how much she needs it just now; they might
pay her, even if it be a little before the time. No one I hope would be
so cruelly unjust as to keep her out of her little earnings one day
after they were due."
I could not see Clara's face as I tried to do at this time, for she was
looking out of the windows, but Grace colored as violently and looked as
confused as if she had been guilty of what her mother thought so wrong.
Her confusion attracted Mrs. Wilmot's attention. "Grace," said she, "you
do not owe Cecille any thing I hope."
"No, mamma, I paid her the last week."
Mrs. Wilmot turned to speak to Clara, but she had left the room. Dr.
Willis, having warmed himself, now asked to see his patient. This
withdrew Mrs. Wilmot's attention from Cecille, and she probably did not
again think of what had passed,--at least she asked no more questions
about it. She left the parlor with Dr. Willis, and soon after I rose to
go to my room. In going there I had to pass through the library. There
were heavy curtains to the windows of this room, and as I entered, I
heard sobs which seemed to come from behind one of these curtains, and
then Grace, who had left the parlor a little before me, saying, "Do not
cry so, Clara, pray do not cry so. Let us carry Cecille what money we
have--that will be some help, you know, and your father will be here
this evening and give you the rest."
"How often must I tell you, Grace, that I have not any money? Did you
not see me give all that I had to the jeweller?" asked Clara
impatiently.
"Yes, dear Clara,--but I have some."
"But I will not take your money, I tell you, after your saving it up so
carefully."
"Yes, Clara, you will take it, if you love me as you used to do; you
know I did not save it up for myself, Clara,--you know I would have
given it all to that poor blind man, if I had not promised you to buy a
bracelet for your locket. How glad I am now that it was not enough for
the bracelet, so that we can have it for Cecille."
"And if I take it for Cecille," said Clara, "I should like to know how
the locket will get fastened to the bracelet."
"Oh, never mind that," said Grace, "we can sew it on now and have it
fastened better by-and-by, mamma will not care how it is done. So come,
Clara, I know you will feel a great deal better after you have seen
Cecille and given her some money, and told her how soon you hope to have
the rest for her."
I heard no more, but after I went to my room I saw the two girls,
wrapped in their cloaks, set out for Cecille's; so I knew that Clara had
been persuaded.
Early in the afternoon of this day the children began to gaze from the
windows which looked towards the road for the carriages of their
friends, who were expected to attend the examination of the next day and
to take them home on the day after. In about two hours after their watch
commenced, a carriage arrived with Mr. and Mrs. Ormesby, and shortly
after Mrs. Williams came, but the evening passed away--it was
bed-time--and nothing had been seen or heard of Mr. Devaux. Clara
became so agitated that as Mrs. Wilmot bade her good-night, she said to
her in an affectionate and soothing tone, "Do not look so distressed,
dear child, your father will be here perhaps before you are up in the
morning."
But Clara rose the next morning to fresh disappointment. Her father had
not come. Knowing the cause of her anxiety, I was much interested in her
feelings and observed her closely. She ate but little breakfast, and
every time the door opened she turned quickly towards it.
The other children were full of interest about their presents. They had
been placed on the library table when Mrs. Wilmot went into the
breakfast parlor. With them was the following note, sealed, and placed
so that it must attract her attention the moment she entered the room:
"DEAR MAMMA--
Accept these keepsakes from your affectionate and grateful
children, Clara, Martha, Kate, Emma, Grace, Lucy."
Clara was so much absorbed in her anxiety about her father's delay that
she seemed to have little interest in these arrangements, and Grace was
occupied with her. Thus to the younger children was left the management
of an affair which had occupied all their minds so long. I had
undertaken to get Mrs. Wilmot to the library, so, after breakfast,
calling her out of the parlor, I led the way thither and walked directly
up to the table. The children followed, and were in time to see her
glistening eyes as she read the note, and to receive her caresses as she
raised her head and saw them standing near the door. After the first
emotion of receiving the presents had subsided, they were examined and
admired. "This," said Mrs. Wilmot, as she clasped the locket on her arm,
"is a joint present, I suppose, from Grace and Clara. It is too
expensive to have been from one."
"The bracelet only is mine, mamma," said Grace in a low voice, as if
again she felt a little ashamed of her present, "Clara bought the locket
herself."
"My dear Clara, how long you must have been saving your money, and how
much self-denial you must have practised before you could pay for so
costly an ornament! It is paid for," she added inquiringly, as she saw
the color mount to Clara's very temples on hearing her praise.
"Yes, ma'am," said Clara, and Mrs. Wilmot again fastened the locket,
which she had unclasped while asking her question.
"Is not this hair yours and Clara's, Grace?" asked Mrs. Wilmot, bending
down her head to examine the bracelet.
"Yes, mamma."
"And who wove the bracelet for you?"
"I wove it. I know it is not handsome enough for the locket, mamma, but
it was the best I could do, and I had not money enough to buy one."
"It is very neatly done, my dear, and if it were less pretty than it is,
I should thank you for it far more than for a handsomer one which had
cost more than you could properly give. But I thank all my children, and
accept all their presents with pleasure, because I am sure they all know
that they cannot be generous without first being just. You would none of
you," she continued, looking tenderly round upon them, "you would none
of you grieve me, by giving me that which was not really your own, and
nothing is your own till it is paid for--not even the premiums you are
to have to-day, and which you must now come to the schoolroom and win by
well-said lessons." This was said gayly, as Mrs. Wilmot turned towards
the schoolroom, whither she was followed by all the children--all
light-hearted and happy, except Clara.
Poor Clara! how painfully she felt every word Mrs. Wilmot had said.
Whatever were her faults, she had always been quite sure that she had
one virtue--generosity, and now she began to feel that, in this instance
at least, she had been very ungenerous, for she had gratified herself in
making the most costly present to her mamma Wilmot at the expense of
poor Cecille. And when she entered the schoolroom, there stood Cecille,
whom the girls had invited. How she shrank from meeting her eye! How she
dreaded to approach her, lest Cecille should ask if her father had come!
Some of Mrs. Wilmot's friends from the neighboring village arrived, and
then the examination commenced. Examinations I doubt not you have all
attended, but perhaps none conducted exactly as this was. The object
here, was not to show which scholar was best, or how far one surpassed
all others, but how good all were. Each little girl was encouraged to do
her best, and they all rejoiced in the success of each one. After they
had been examined in their various studies, some of their work was
exhibited--among the rest, Clara's embroidery and Grace's painting.
These were very highly extolled, and Cecille, being pointed out by Mrs.
Wilmot as their teacher, received many compliments, and some persons
from the village inquired her terms, and thought she might have several
pupils there when the holidays were over. I was much pleased to hear
this, as it promised greater gain for my little friend.
Clara had appeared well in all her studies, her work had been admired,
her young companions had evinced their affection for her in a hundred
different ways, and Mrs. Wilmot had spoken to her with more than her
usual tenderness, because she saw that she was distressed by her
father's delay. Yet, notwithstanding all this, Clara had never been so
unhappy as on this day. All coldness, however, had vanished between her
and Grace, who never passed her without a pressure of the hand, or some
soothing word or action. As the day passed on and the afternoon wore
away without any tidings of Mr. Devaux, the color deepened on Clara's
face, and she grew so nervous and agitated, that I, who watched her
closely, expected every moment to see her burst into tears. All this
distress must have appeared very unreasonable to those who supposed that
it was caused only by anxiety about her father, whom Mrs. Wilmot had not
very confidently expected. But there were three persons
present--Cecille, Grace, and I--who better understood its cause. On her
father's coming would depend Clara's power of keeping her promise with
Cecille. Cecille's present want of the money, of which perhaps Clara
would have thought little but for the remarks of Dr. Willis on the day
before, was sufficient to make her earnestly desirous of paying her: but
Clara had yet another reason; she dreaded lest Mrs. Wilmot should hear
of this debt.
My young readers will have learned from the remarks made by Mrs. Wilmot
in the morning to her children, even at the very moment of receiving
their presents, how strict was her sense of justice. No principle had
she endeavored to inculcate on her pupils more earnestly than this, and
Clara could not forget that she had only the day before called the
person cruelly unjust, who should keep Cecille's money from her for a
day. It was the first time Clara had ever desired to keep secret from
Mrs. Wilmot any thing she had done, and this, my dear young friends, is
the worst of all unhappiness, to have done what we are ashamed or afraid
to confess. Clara had been perhaps a little vain of her locket and of
her generosity, as she thought it, in making such a present, but I have
no doubt she would now gladly have changed places with Grace, and have
been the giver of only the humble bracelet. I do not think Grace was now
at all ashamed of her bracelet--indeed she seemed to love to look upon
it; and well she might, since it was a proof that not even Clara's
contempt or anger, or the desire to show her regard to her mother, could
make her forget the principles of justice which that dear mother had
taught her. She had proved her generosity by giving all she had--all
that was her own--but she had refused, for any reason, to spend that
which was not her own.
CHAPTER XII.
THE DISCLOSURE.
The day was past, the visiters from the village had left us, and we were
gathered around the parlor fire to spend our last evening together, for
the next morning our little party at Hazel Grove would separate. Mrs.
Wilmot had promised to return home with me for the holidays. Grace had
long ago promised to spend that time with Clara, and Mrs. Wilmot had
been prevailed upon to consent that Lucy should accompany her friend
Martha.
The sound of carriage wheels drew Clara and Grace to the window.
"Oh, Clara!" exclaimed Grace, "it is your father."
"Yes," said Clara, joyfully, "I know the white horses,--but why do they
not drive to the door? What is papa going to the stables for?"
The question was soon answered. A servant entered with a note for Mrs.
Wilmot; she glanced at it and then handed it to Clara, saying, "There,
my dear Clara, you will find there is no further cause for anxiety. Your
father has been detained by business, but he has sent the carriage for
you and Grace."
Clara had seized the offered note, and was reading with such eagerness,
that I do not think she heard what Mrs. Wilmot said. As she saw from the
note that her father was not coming,--still more, that he would have
left home before she could arrive there the next day, on business which
might oblige him to be absent for some weeks--the thought that she must
either keep Cecille waiting during all that time, or make the dreaded
betrayal of her fault to Mrs. Wilmot, oppressed her so much that she
burst into tears.
"Clara, my dear child, what is the matter?" said Mrs. Wilmot drawing to
her side. "This is something more than sorrow at not seeing your
father." She paused, but Clara did not speak. "Is there any thing you
wished him to do for you, my dear? Surely, if there is, you will not
hesitate to speak your wish to me." Clara was still silent. "I am
grieved at this silence, Clara, I thought you loved me and confided in
my affection; but perhaps you would rather speak to me alone. Come with
me to the library."
Mrs. Wilmot then left us, leading Clara with her. She closed the library
door after her, and we could then hear only the low murmur of her voice
or Clara's heavy sobs. Grace seemed very anxious. She approached the
library door at one time as if she was going in,--then went to the
farthest part of the room from it. At length, her mother opened the door
and called her. Grace sprang to the door and was admitted. There was
something sad in the tone of Mrs. Wilmot's voice, which made me certain
that Clara had told her all; but I did not hear how she had told it,
till many days after, when Mrs. Wilmot related the scene to me as I am
about to describe it to you.
As soon as they entered, Mrs. Wilmot seated herself on a sofa, and
placing Clara by her side, strove to win her confidence by every
soothing and affectionate word and action. At last with great effort
Clara said, "You will be so angry with me, mamma Wilmot, if I tell you,
that you will never love me again."
"Clara, I am angry only with those who are obstinate in doing
wrong--never with those who confess their faults and try to amend."
"But you will think me so cruel and unjust."
"Cruel I cannot believe you to have been, Clara, and if you have
committed an act of injustice, and you may by confiding in me be
assisted in making amends for it, it is a new reason, my child, why you
should speak at once. What is it, Clara?" Mrs. Wilmot's eye rested just
then on the locket which she wore on her wrist, and this prompted the
question--"Clara, did you speak the whole truth to-day when you told me
this locket was paid for? Do you owe nothing on it?"
"No, mamma Wilmot; nothing on that, but I owe--" she stopped.
"Not Cecille, Clara," said Mrs. Wilmot; "you could not be so
thoughtless--so selfish--as to keep her hard earnings from her for a
single day, for any purpose of your own. Speak, my child, and tell me it
is not so."
Clara spoke not--moved not--except that her head sunk lower and lower,
till it almost rested on her knees. "Tell me, Clara, if you have done
this wrong, that I may make amends for it at once. Do you owe Cecille?"
"Yes," faltered Clara.
Mrs. Wilmot rose, and after calling Grace, seated herself at the library
table and wrote a few lines to Cecille, in which she was about to
enclose the price of a month's tuition, when Grace, who had seen her
counting it out, said, "Mamma, Clara does not owe Cecille so much, she
paid her some."
"Clara," asked Mrs. Wilmot, "how much do you owe Cecille?"
"I do not know exactly, ma'am."
"How much did you pay her?"
"All that Grace had. I do not know how much it was."
"How much was it, Grace?"
"One dollar and fifteen cents, mamma."
The money was enclosed, Mrs. Wilmot sealed the note and handed it to
Grace, bidding her give it to a servant and tell him to take it
immediately to Cecille. "But stay, Grace," she added, laying her hand on
her arm and looking into her face, "you owe her nothing?"
"No, mamma--nothing," said Grace, meeting her mother's eye fully.
"God bless you, my child, for saving me that pain. I can wear your
bracelet, Grace, with pleasure, for it has cost no one sorrow; but this
locket, Clara,--you must receive it again, for I cannot wear it."
Mrs. Wilmot, while she was speaking, had taken the bracelet from her
arm, and severing with a small penknife the silk which fastened the
locket, replaced the bracelet on her wrist, confining it with a pin, and
approaching Clara, laid the locket on her lap.
This was the deepest humiliation, the severest punishment that could
have been inflicted on poor Clara.
She started up, flinging the now unvalued locket on the floor, and
falling on her knees, clasped Mrs. Wilmot's hand, exclaiming, "Oh, mamma
Wilmot! forgive me, and love me again."
Mrs. Wilmot seated herself, and raising Clara, said, "I do forgive you,
my child, and it is because I love you, Clara, that I am so deeply
pained by your doing wrong; but I must see some effort to amend--some
proof that you have learned to regard what belongs to others, before I
can again confide in you. I will give you an opportunity of recovering
my confidence. You are now in my debt to the amount of one month's
payment of Cecille, for I will return to Grace the money which she lent
you. When, by _economy_ and _self-denial_, you have paid this debt, I
shall think that you have learned that you have no right to gratify even
your amiable and generous feelings at the expense of another--that you
have learned to be just before you are generous,--and then, Clara, I
shall again confide in you as well as love you. But remember, it must be
by _economy_ and _self-denial_, not by any present from your father or
any increase of your allowance. When this task is accomplished, give me
back the locket, and I will wear it, with both pleasure and pride. Till
then, you must wear it yourself, Clara. It may be useful to you by
reminding you of your task and the reward of your success."
Clara wept--but more gently. There was now hope before her, and when
Mrs. Wilmot kissed her and bade her good-night, though she was sad and
humbled, she was more composed than she had been since telling Cecille
that she could not pay her. Her fault had now been told--there was
nothing to conceal, and this would have made her feel far happier than
she had done, even had her punishment been much more severe than it was.
It must have been very mortifying to Clara to wear the locket herself
before those who knew for what purpose she had bought it; but so anxious
was she to regain her mamma Wilmot's good opinion by compliance with her
wishes, that she appeared at breakfast the next morning with it on her
wrist sewed to a piece of riband. She looked very unlike the lively and
high-spirited Clara, for she was silent, and if others spoke to her,
while answering them, she colored and seemed abashed.
Mrs. Wilmot had prepared a parting present for each of the children--for
the four youngest, books, for Grace a very handsome paint-box, and for
Clara, a work-box with many colored silks for her embroidery. After
breakfast, calling them to her own room, she delivered these presents to
them, commencing with the youngest. To all except Clara she said, that
they were premiums or rewards for their good conduct. To Clara she said,
the box was a mark of her affection and her approval of her _as a
scholar_. Clara felt this distinction, and stood still without
attempting to take her box.
"Why do you not take it, Clara?" asked Mrs. Wilmot.
She burst into tears as she replied, "I do not want it, mamma Wilmot,
till you can love me just as well as you used to do."
"I do love you, my dear Clara, just as well as ever," said Mrs. Wilmot,
kissing her; "but I will keep the box, since you wish it, until I can
restore to you my full esteem and confidence, and then we will exchange
gifts," touching the locket with her finger.
In an hour after this scene, we had said "good-by" to each other, and
were travelling on our different roads.
CHAPTER XIII.
THE REWARD.
Mrs. Wilmot was with me three weeks, and then returned home to prepare
for receiving her children again. It was from a letter of hers that I
learned what I am now going to tell you.
Clara returned wearing the locket. Did you ever read a fairy tale in
which a young prince is said to have been presented with a ring that
pricked his finger whenever he was in danger of doing wrong? Clara's
locket was to her what this ring was to the young prince. Whenever she
was about to spend money either on her own fancies or the fancies of
others, it would remind her that till her debt was paid, the money in
her purse was not hers, and that to be truly generous, she must first be
just. A month passed, and she took to Mrs. Wilmot nearly two dollars,
which was all that remained of her pocket-money after paying Cecille.
Mrs. Wilmot praised her for the effort she had made to do rightly, and
Clara was almost happy. Another month went by.
Cecille came to give her morning lesson, and immediately after it, Clara
and Grace appeared at the door of the room in which Mrs. Wilmot was
seated.
"Come in, my children," she said very pleasantly, for she thought she
knew their errand.
They walked up to her. Clara paid her debt even to the last penny.
"Now, mamma Wilmot," said she, when it had been received, "can you
confide in me again?"
"Yes, Clara, fully, entirely, far more than before you had ever made it
necessary that I should try you as I have done. Before that trial I
_hoped_ that you would persevere in doing right at the expense of some
pain to yourself, _I am now sure_ that you will. I always knew that you
had right feelings, Clara, and I loved you for them; I now know that you
have right principles, and honor you for them. Why do you smile, Grace?"
"Because it seems so strange, mamma, that you should talk of honoring a
little girl like Clara."
"A little girl, Grace, who resists the temptation to do wrong and
steadily perseveres in doing right, is as deserving of honor as any one,
and I repeat that I honor Clara."
Tears stood in Clara's eyes, and her cheeks were flushed with emotion.
"Then, mamma Wilmot, you will not be ashamed to wear the locket?"
"No, my love, I shall be proud to wear it."
Clara took something from Grace, saying, "You must let me put it on,
Grace."
"But you must first sew it to my bracelet," said Mrs. Wilmot, taking off
that which Grace had woven and which she wore tied with a piece of
riband.
"No," said Clara, "here is the bracelet as well as the locket," and she
produced a very handsome hair bracelet, fastened to the locket with
small gold rings, and clasped it with a most triumphant air on Mrs.
Wilmot's wrist.
"You did not weave this, Grace."
"No, mamma, Cecille wove it, and I paid her for it just what the
jeweller pays her, and then I got Mr. Brenner to put it on the locket,
and yet I have some of the money left that I have saved up these two
months."
"Why, have you been saving too?"
"Yes, mamma, Clara would not let me spend my money on her, because she
said you told her she must practise self-denial, and it would not be
self-denial if I gave her what she wanted."
"That was being a little extravagant in your understanding of what I
meant, Clara; I only intended that you should be self-denying in the use
of your own money."
"Was I wrong to refuse Grace?" asked Clara anxiously.
"No, my dear--not wrong. It was more than I demanded of you, but with
your understanding of my words, it was quite right."
"But, mamma," said Grace, a little impatiently, "I was going to tell you
that Clara and I both have some money left, and now that we see how much
we can save, we thought--that is, we wanted to ask you whether we could
not do some good with it."
Mrs. Wilmot smiled.
"Don't laugh at us, mamma: it is not very foolish--is it?"
"Foolish, my child!--it is very wise; and if I smiled, it was with
pleasure that my children should have had such a thought. This is being
truly generous. Older people than you sometimes make the mistake of
calling those generous who value money so little that they throw it away
without thought or care; but the truly generous value it much, because
they know that it can buy clothing for the naked, and food for the
starving. What they so value, they can neither keep from those to whom
it is due, nor throw away on foolish trifles. So, you see, the truly
generous are just and economical. But what _good_ have you thought of
doing first with your money?"
Clara now spoke: "We thought first we would try to get some good clothes
for the Sandfords, that they may go to Sunday School."
The Sandfords were the three little girls whom Clara and Grace taught. I
cannot repeat to you all that Mrs. Wilmot said in reply to this
proposal, but I can tell you what she did. She went with the girls to
make their purchases, showed them how to lay out their money most
advantageously for their little pupils, cut out the garments for them
when the cloth was brought home, and directed them how to make them. In
this work Martha and Lucy, Kate and Emma assisted--so that their kindly
and generous feelings were awakened, and they too began to save from
their own selfish gratifications to give to those who were in want.
Mrs. Wilmot now takes the children with her when she goes to visit the
sick and the poor around her, and in these visits they often find some
object for their charity. Sometimes it is an old woman who needs a
flannel wrapper--sometimes, a child who is walking on snow and ice
without shoes. These they would once, perhaps, have passed without
notice; but now they do, what we all should do--they look out for
opportunities to do good.
CHAPTER XIV.
THE RETURN.
In the commencement of this book, I told you that I was again at Hazel
Grove. Again Harriet and I arrived in October, when the woods were
bright with many colors. We were received with even more joy than on our
first visit, and though some weeks have passed since I began to tell you
of my young acquaintances here, they seem quite as unwilling to hear of
my return home as I then told you they were.
And I have seen Cecille too, and her good grandmother. They are still at
the widow Daly's cottage, but times are greatly changed with them since
we parted. Cecille is no longer a teacher for money--though she is never
so well pleased as when she can gratify her companions by imparting to
them some of her own accomplishments. She assists too in all their works
of charity, and seems to think the poor have double claims on her
because she knows what their trials are. She will leave us ere long, for
Mr. L'Estrange having regained his estate, is preparing his home in
France for the return of his mother and daughter, and will come for them
in the Spring. Cecille will, I am sure, part with us with pain; yet she
will soon forget her pain in her grandmother's pleasure--and in the
midst of our sorrow, we shall none of us, I hope, be too selfish to
rejoice in her prosperity.
Mrs. Wilmot's children will all spend their holidays at Hazel Grove this
year. I have promised to remain with them during that time, and Madame
L'Estrange and Cecille are to be with us on Christmas day. We are
anticipating great enjoyment on that day. I should like to be able to
tell you how it passes; but that I must do in another book,--for if I
keep this till then, it will be too late to bring you Aunt Kitty's Merry
Christmas.
THE END.
ELLEN LESLIE:
OR,
THE REWARD OF SELF-CONTROL.
CHAPTER I.
THE BIRTH-DAY PARTY.
"Who will be invited to your party?" asked Harriet of Anna Melville, the
eldest daughter of my old friends, Col. and Mrs. Melville, who resided
in the town of H., and to whom I had been making a visit of some weeks.
Anna was a lively good-tempered girl, who wanted only two days of being
twelve years old. For the last week, she had scarcely been able to speak
of any thing but the party which was to be given on her birth-day, and
to which Harriet's question referred.
"Who?" said Anna in reply; "oh, all the girls I know. Let me see--there
are Helen Lamar, and Lucy Liston, and Mary and Ellen Leslie--"
"Ellen Leslie," exclaimed Emma, a younger sister of Anna who stood near
her listening, "Ellen Leslie--why, Anna, you surely will not ask her.
You know she will get into a passion with somebody before the evening is
over; or even if she should not, we shall all be so much afraid of
offending her that there will be no fun."
"But, Emma, if we do not ask Ellen, Mary will not come, and you know
none of us would enjoy ourselves half so much if Mary were not here."
"No, we should not; but at any rate I will take care not to bring out my
handsome doll and my best teacups, for if Miss Ellen gets angry, she
will not mind breaking them."
Having overheard this dialogue, I felt no little curiosity to see the
two sisters who were so differently regarded by their young friends.
The two days passed away slowly enough to the expecting children; but
they did pass, and the birth-day arrived. All was bustle and preparation
at Col. Melville's. Anna superintended and directed and hurried every
one, and was dressed herself an hour before the time appointed for her
visiters. At length, just as she had become weary of watching for them,
and was beginning to express her opinion that no one was coming, a group
was seen approaching. Then came another and another, till twenty young
girls, neatly dressed, and with smiling, happy faces, were collected.
Among the latest arrivals were Mary and Ellen Leslie. I had seen them
from the windows before they entered the house, and was much pleased
with their appearance. They wore very simple white dresses, and their
hair fell in natural ringlets over their shoulders, unconfined and
without ornament of any kind. As they entered the parlor, all the girls
went forward to welcome them; but it was easy to see that the gladness
which all expressed was more for Mary than for Ellen--their greetings
being made something in this way:
"Oh, Mary! I am so delighted to see you--and Ellen too!"
But for the conversation between Anna and Emma Melville which I had
overheard, I should not have known how to account for this difference,
for Ellen was not at all less pleasing in appearance than Mary. Indeed
she would have impressed many persons more agreeably, for Mary's
countenance, though very gentle, was very serious, while Ellen's was gay
and animated.
All was pleasantness in the little party for about an hour, when the
children were called to tea. I did not go to the table till they were
seated. When I did, I saw that there was a cloud on Ellen Leslie's face,
but what had caused it I could not discover. When tea was over, the
various entertainments of the evening commenced. On one side of the
parlor, around a table, was seated a group of girls playing what they
called an historical game--that is, amusing themselves with cards
containing questions and answers on historical subjects. In this game,
the questions were held by one person, and the cards containing the
answers were distributed equally among the rest of the players. As a
question was asked, any girl who found among her cards an answer which
seemed to her the correct one, read it. Sometimes two or three would
begin to read together, and so long as they could bear to be laughed at
without losing their tempers, those who made the greatest mistakes,
perhaps contributed most to the merriment of the party. At this game
about eight or ten girls were engaged. A few others amused themselves
with dissected maps, and the rest gathered together in one corner of the
room with Emma's cups and saucers, baby-house and doll.
From the brightening up of Ellen Leslie's countenance when the
historical cards were produced, and her evident desire to make one in
that game, I had felt quite sure that she was well acquainted with its
subjects, and so it proved. For some time her answers were ready and
correct, while her laugh was first and loudest at the blunders made by
others. At length, the questions seemed to relate to a portion of
history on which Ellen was not so much at home, and once and again her
answer was followed by a laugh. In the first laugh which she thus
excited Ellen made a feeble effort to join, but it was very feeble. At
the second, her face flushed, she looked gloomily down, and from that
time, though she sat with the cards in her hands, she did not answer a
question or take any part in the game. After a while some wonder was
expressed that no answers could be found to several of the questions.
All around the table carefully examined their cards and declared they
did not have them, except Ellen--she remained silent, and held her cards
without looking at them.
"Ellen, perhaps you have them," said Anna Melville.
"You can see," said Ellen, laying her cards down before Anna.
"Oh no!" said Anna quickly, "you look at them yourself."
"I do not suppose I should know the answers if I saw them," said Ellen
sulkily; "and besides, I am tired playing," and she rose from the table.
As she moved off to a distant part of the room and seated herself alone,
I glanced at Mary and saw her eyes fixed on her sister with such an
expression of sorrowing tenderness, that for her sake I determined to
try whether I could not restore Ellen to a happier mood. I approached
her with a book of prints, and seating myself near her, drew a stand
towards us and invited her to look at them with me. She looked as if she
would like to refuse, but ashamed probably to do this to one so much
older than herself, she contented herself with remaining sulkily silent,
scarcely glancing at first at the pictures as I turned the leaves and
announced the different subjects. At length, however, some anecdote I
told attracted her attention. She asked a question--she smiled--she
laughed aloud. Again I turned my eyes upon Mary Leslie. She was looking
at me with a countenance so full of thankfulness and lit up with so
sweet a smile, that I no longer wondered at her young companions loving
her so tenderly.