A LESSON.
Evening was coming on. Poor Nelly sat sad and alone in the parlour of
her little cottage. She had seen little of Dick since the morning; and
when they had accidentally met, he had not uttered one word of regret
for his unkindness. Indeed, his manner had been so careless, that it
appeared that what had passed so lately between them had quite gone out
of his mind. Nelly tried to forgive and forget, but her spirit was sad
and low. Even Content seemed to droop his wing, and would scarcely give
even a chirp.
Nelly felt also--as what girl of her age would not feel!--being shutout
from the merry little party that were going to enjoy the fireworks. The
display, on account of the direction of the wind, was to be close in
front of Matty's cottage, instead of that of Dick; and as this dwelling,
as we know, adjoined Nelly's, the lame girl from her little window
could have but an imperfect view, and would lose all the general effect.
"Perhaps," thought poor Nelly, "I have been needlessly strict after all;
I have been a little too particular in doing what I thought that duty
might require. I have lost a great deal of pleasure, and I have offended
my own dear brother. Everything has seemed gloomy since the
morning--even my bird will not sing. Ah, how glad I am that my mother
will soon return. I shall never doubt what I ought to do when I have her
dear voice to guide me; and I am sure that when she is here, Content
will warble from morning till night."
"What, Nelly, here all alone?" said Lubin, putting his round,
good-humoured face in at the door.
Nelly only looked up and smiled, for at that moment she could not speak;
and her smile was so sad, that Lubin came in and seated himself at her
side.
"Why, you have been crying, Nelly!" he said. "What is the matter with
you, dear? Has Forgetfulness robbed you of your choicest facts, or
Procrastination--the sly rogue!--stolen your hours, or have you dropped
some nice little purchase of yours into the muddy waters of Bother?"
Nelly shook her head in reply to each question. "I have vexed Dick,"
she answered at last, "by refusing to join his party at the firework
display, because he has invited Pride and Miss Folly."
"I daresay that you did quite right," observed Lubin; "though it's
rather hard upon you to have to give up the fireworks and fun. You'll
hardly see anything from your window. Come to my cottage opposite; there
you will have a good view of it all."
"I would rather remain quietly here, dear Lubin; with many thanks to you
for the offer. I have no heart for amusement this evening, and would not
wish Dick to see me watching, as if by stealth, the fireworks which I
would not go openly to view." As Nelly spoke, she could not prevent two
large tears, which had been gathering beneath her lashes, from
overflowing her eyes.
Lubin, lazy sluggard as he was, yet was a kind-hearted boy, and would do
a good turn for any one, provided it gave him small trouble. "I'll stay
with you, Nelly," he said, kissing the tear from her cheek; "it will be
better for me, you know, to keep clear of Folly and Pride." Nelly
squeezed his hand to express her thanks. "There is Miss Folly
approaching already," continued Lubin. "One might know her coming were
she a mile off, by the sound of her jabbering voice."
Lubin rose and went to the window to look out. "Yes; there is Miss
Folly--peacock plume, balloon dress, and all; and she has a red cockatoo
on her wrist. Black-browed Pride is behind her. Matty and Dick are
running to meet them."
Nelly did not go to the window; but she heard the voices without, which
sounded distinctly through the still evening air.
"I wonder if it will ever get dark enough for the lovely, delightful
fireworks. I've been wishing all the afternoon that I could push on the
sun double-quick to the west. It's always dark when one wants it to be
light, and light when one wants it to be dark." My readers will scarcely
need to be told that these words were spoken by Folly.
"I'm glad that you've brought your cockatoo," said Dick; "you know that
I'm going to buy him."
"He's worth his weight in gold--he is; pretty creature!--just listen to
him now!" And Nelly could hear the harsh, grating voice of Parade:
"Pretty Poll! ain't I fine? ain't I fine?"
"I'm going to teach him something else," observed Dick. "Just let me
have him here for a few minutes. The fireworks are ready prepared, but
we must wait till the twilight grows darker. In the meantime, I will
amuse myself by giving Master Cockatoo a lesson in talking."
"You'll soon make him say what you like," observed Pride.
"Isn't it a beautiful bird?" cried Matty.
"They are gathering round the cockatoo, Nelly," said Lubin, who was
still at the window. "Only Miss Folly, with her painted face and goggle
eyes, is peeping at the preparations for the fireworks."
The last faint tinge of red had faded from the sky. Deeper and deeper
grew the gathering shades. Lubin could scarcely distinguish the features
of the group that were amusing themselves with Parade.
"Now, my good cockatoo," began Dick, standing in front of his
red-feathered pupil, "you know 'variety is charming,' says the proverb.
We may like to hear you say the same thing over nine hundred and
ninety-nine times; but when a question is asked for the thousandth time,
we begin to wish for a little variation. Suppose now, just for a change,
you say, 'Ain't I clever? ain't I clever?'"
"Ain't I fine?--ain't I fine?" screamed Parade.
"Fine? Yes, we know that you are; dark as it is growing, we see that you
are; it's a fact which no one will dispute. But just try now--"
Dick had not time to conclude his sentence. Bang!--crash!--there was a
loud deafening noise, as if a cannon had been suddenly fired at their
ears. Nelly started in terror to her feet, and rushed to the window to
see what had happened--frightened by the shrieks and cries which
succeeded the terrible explosion, that had smashed every pane of glass
in the cottages! The whole air was full of thick smoke, through which
Nelly beheld Miss Folly, with her flounces all on fire, rushing wildly
into the dwelling of Dick, which was just opposite to that of Matty.
"O Lubin! something terrible has happened. Plunge the table-cover into
that pailful of water--let us fly to save--oh, help! help!"
Back again through Dick's doorway rushed screaming Miss Folly, after
having set fire to his curtains within. Happily she was met by Lubin and
Nelly, who threw over her flaming, flaring dress the damp folds of the
dripping table-cover. She struggled fiercely to get away from them, as
though she thought that they meant to smother her; and it was with the
utmost difficulty that the two succeeded in throwing Folly on the
ground, and putting out the flames entirely, by rolling her round and
round in the mire.
Matty's screams of alarm mingled with those of Miss Folly; and not
without cause, for the explosion had set fire to the thatch of her
cottage; and through the windows of Dick's came a terrible fiery
glow--his furniture was all in a blaze. The whole scene around was as
light as day in the fierce red glare of the burning.
Happily assistance was near--very near. Duty and Affection had been
ascending the hill to pay an evening visit to Nelly, when they had been
startled by the noise of the explosion, the shrieks, and then the sight
of the blazing thatch. Without a moment's delay they had shouted for
assistance to a party of men who were going homewards at the close of a
day's work. A cart full of empty barrels happened to be passing at the
same time, and its contents were instantly seized upon for use. The
labourers, incited and directed by the sisters, rushed down at once to
the brook, thankful that water was so nigh. Happily there was no wind to
fan the fierce conflagration, a heavy mist was beginning to rise, and
strong and willing hands were at work to put out the fire. Duty and
Affection were everywhere--encouraging the men, directing their efforts,
nay, labouring themselves with an energy and courage which filled all
beholders with surprise. Never could Nelly forget that night. The
rushing to and fro--the crackling of the flames--the hissing of the
water thrown upon them--the volumes of smoke that arose, the cries, the
screams, the hallooing--then the shout of triumph when at length the
fire was completely subdued.
Nelly's chief alarm was on account of her brother and sister. While the
tumult yet raged around, she rushed, guided by Matty's screams, to a
spot where she found the poor girl trembling in an agony of terror.
"Oh, Matty, are you injured?" exclaimed Nelly.
"I don't know--I can't tell," sobbed Matty, who was much more frightened
than hurt, though her hair, and even her eyebrows, had been singed by
the explosion of the fireworks.
"And Dick--poor Dick--is he safe?" cried Nelly, glancing anxiously
around.
"There he is--lying on the ground!" exclaimed Lubin, who had just
discovered his brother stretched senseless upon the earth, having been
struck on the head by a large piece of wood at the time of the
explosion.
"Oh, I hope and trust that he is not killed!" exclaimed Nelly, running
to him, in bitter distress.
"Not killed, only stunned--see, he is opening his eyes," said Lubin, who
was now on his knees, supporting his brother in his arms. "If Matty
would only assist us, we could carry him into your cottage, Nelly, out
of this noise and confusion."
Tenderly the three young Desleys raised their poor wounded brother, and
carried him into the cottage. Affection soon followed, to attend to his
hurts and bind up his bleeding brow--for Affection is a nurse of great
skill.
The fire was out--the danger over; Duty rewarded the labourers, and the
cottages were left to the children and their two faithful friends in
need. Duty and Affection remained through all the dark hours of that
trying night, soothing Matty, encouraging Lubin, cheering the heart of
poor Nelly. Even when obliged to leave for awhile, the sisters paid
repeated visits to the cottage, bearing with them everything needful.
Nelly now found, indeed, what it was to have such friends as Duty and
Affection.
Dick's injury had brought on brain-fever. For three days and nights
Nelly scarcely quitted her brother. All his unkindness was quite
forgotten, and she would not have left her place at his side for ought
that the world could give. Dick had been severely, though not
dangerously, hurt. It would be some time, the doctor said, before he
would be fit for any exertion. Books must be kept from his sight; he
must not, for weeks to come, be allowed to visit the town of Education.
But his life had been happily spared; gradually his strength would
return. Nelly did not like to tell the poor invalid that all the
furniture of his cottage, which he had regarded with so much
satisfaction, had been destroyed by the fire; nor that poor Matty's
thatch had been burned, and her pretty white wall all blackened and
scorched by the flame.
Dear reader! should you ever be tempted to harbour Pride, on account of
a well-furnished head or a beautiful face--oh, remember how soon the
fairest features may be made unsightly, the most talented mind rendered
feeble and weak, by a sudden accident or fever. The labours of years may
be swept away--the highest powers rendered useless; and one whom all
admire to-day, may be but an object of pity to-morrow.