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diff --git a/24970.txt b/24970.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3236ec1 --- /dev/null +++ b/24970.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1366 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Story of a Robin, by Agnes S. Underwood + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: The Story of a Robin + + +Author: Agnes S. Underwood + + + +Release Date: March 31, 2008 [eBook #24970] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE STORY OF A ROBIN*** + + +E-text prepared by David Clarke, Suzan Flanagan, and the Project Gutenberg +Online Distributed Proofreading Team (https://www.pgdp.net) + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustrations. + See 24970-h.htm or 24970-h.zip: + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/4/9/7/24970/24970-h/24970-h.htm) + or + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/4/9/7/24970/24970-h.zip) + + + + + +THE STORY OF A ROBIN + +[Illustration: "_Two old robins were consulting._" + + Page 9.] + +THE STORY OF A ROBIN + +[Illustration: A FEAST FOR A KING + + _Page 16_] + +T. Nelson and Sons +London, Edinburgh, and New York + + + + +THE STORY OF A ROBIN + +by + +AGNES S. UNDERWOOD + +[Illustration] + + + + + + + +T. Nelson and Sons +London, Edinburgh, and New York +1898 + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + THE STORY OF A ROBIN, 9 + + APPLE-PIE ORDER, 40 + + + + +THE STORY OF A ROBIN. + + +One fine summer morning two old robins were consulting about +breaking up their household. In other words, they thought the time +had come when their young ones should turn out of the nest and find +food for themselves. There were five little birds in that nice, +warm nest, but it was much too small for them now that they were so +well feathered; and as they quarrelled terribly about getting the +best place, the weakest one was in danger of being tumbled over the +side with the pushing and struggling that went on. Then they were +such hungry birds that their parents could not find enough of food +to satisfy them, and the poor old birds were getting quite thin, +and were tired flying from their nest to the plot where the +gardener was raising some early potatoes, which was the best place +to find food, and back with their mouths full. + +Cock Robin said to his wife,-- + +"This is going to be a very warm day, and I am not going to work +all through the sunshiny hours feeding birds old enough to look +after themselves. We shall say we are going away for a holiday, as +we require change of air, and they must go and find their own food. +Don't look so sad, my dear; it is the way of the world. The same +thing happened to us. I wonder what my father would have said had I +screamed to him for food when I was the age my sons are?" + +Mrs. Robin listened dutifully to this long speech, and, like a +good wife, acquiesced in what her husband said. But as she flew +with him to tell the youngsters of the change awaiting them, her +heart was a little sore on account of her latest hatched birdie. He +was not so big or so strong as the others, and she feared he might +be caught by a cat or die of cold. However, it was no use dwelling +on these dismal ideas; he must just take his chance, as all birds +before him had done. She would give him some good advice as to +avoiding cats, and the proper drying of his feathers when they got +wet, so that he should not get rheumatism in his bones. + +On reaching the nest, they found there had been a fierce fight +among their children. All the five were out of the nest, and four +of them were on the ground fluttering and screaming, each trying to +tell its own story and throw the blame on its neighbour. + +"What is the meaning of this noise?" said Cock Robin. + +"Where is Robinette?" cried Mrs. Robin. "Has a cat or a weasel been +here?" + +Chip, chip, chip was heard among the leaves close to the deserted +home, and the mother flew up to see if her darling was all right, +leaving the father of the family to settle matters with the others. +Robinette was safe, and as he took the breakfast his mother had +brought him, he told her what a fight there had been, and how he in +the struggle had been pushed over the side. He also told her he +could use his wings so well that he had been able to steady himself +and keep from falling, until he found a branch that he could rest +on comfortably. And there he had waited for his mother's return, +knowing that she would bring him something good to eat. + +The poor mother was wondering how she was to tell her wee birdie +that this was the last breakfast she would bring him, when he +introduced the subject himself by saying he wished he had not to +get back into that nest. Indeed he did not think he could do it, +for his wings were so stretched with using them that he was sure +they would never crumple up into so small a space as they used to +occupy. + +"Seeing that your wings are grown, my son, your father has decided +we must all fly away. Let us join him now, and hear what he is +saying to your brothers and sisters. He is very angry about this +quarrelling, which is out of all order, and quite contrary to the +doctrine taught by Dr. Watts that 'Birds in their little nests +agree;' and he does not like to think that his children are naughty +beyond all others." + +Robinette obediently accompanied his mother to the ground, and +Mrs. Robin was glad to see how cleverly he managed both legs and +wings. They found Cock Robin still haranguing his unruly family; +but on seeing his wife, he concluded his remarks thus,-- + +"You are old enough and strong enough to do for yourselves, so off +you go. Your mother and I will look after Robinette, and keep an +eye on you for a day or two to see how you get on. I hope the +gardener will be considerate enough to leave those worm-enticing +carrots in the ground, for then there will be plenty of food for us +all. Now good-bye." + +Cock Robin, having dismissed the four, turned to his wife and +Robinette. + +"I hope, my dear, he was not hurt by his rough brothers and +sisters?" + +"No," she replied, "he was not hurt; and I am now satisfied that +his legs and wings are all they should be. As for his brains, he +has more in his little head than all the others put together. I +feel sure Robinette will have a history." + +Cock Robin put his head first to one side, then to the other, and +gave a funny, chirrupy laugh. + +"Ah! you mother birds are all alike; you think your special +nursling is sure to turn out the flower of the flock." + +"Let us fly away. There is an uncomfortable feeling about my +feathers, plainly telling me there is a cat near us." + +At this moment there was a rustle among some leaves, and a +beautiful tabby cat came into view close to where the birds were. +Robinette got such a fright that he rose suddenly from the ground, +and he seemed to go on rising, rising, until he was far away from +his home in the rhododendron bush. + +In his pleasure at finding himself going along so easily up in the +air he quite forgot the cat, and, alas! he forgot his parents too. +He forgot everything but himself. + +"What a big place the world is!" thought he, as he sat on a branch +of a large walnut-tree and looked round about him. + +He was rather tired, so he rested there a while. Then he remembered +that he had no one to bring him his food now; he must look for it +himself. So he spread his wings and let himself gently down to the +ground, where he soon found some earth newly turned over, and there +was a feast for a king. Oh, those thoughtless wire-worms playing in +the sunshine, they little knew who was just going to pounce upon +them! + +Robinette was now quite "on his own hook," as people who speak +slang say. There was no one to consult as to what he should do; and +though this freedom was enjoyable in the full daylight, he began +to feel lonesome as evening drew on. He found a good supper where +he had found his dinner, then crept into a nice, thick rose-bush, +dropped a silent tear as he thought of his mother, and tucking his +head under his wing, fell fast asleep. + +For some time Robinette's life was much the same day by day. He met +with no accidents, and had no adventures. However, one morning he +saw something new and strange. He was on his usual point of +observation--the branch of the walnut-tree--when he saw the +gardeners bringing a long seat and putting it against the trunk of +his tree. Then a neat maid from the house brought cushions and +rugs. Next came a lady, and seated herself comfortably among those +cushions and rugs. + +"This must be 'the mistress' I hear the men speak about. She is +evidently at home here, and looks as though she were some one of +importance; but, poor thing, she seems lonely. I am lonely too. I +don't care for the other birds in the garden; they are a common lot +with no manners. I'll get acquainted with 'the mistress.' From what +the men say, it is a wise thing to be on friendly terms with those +in authority. I'll go down and speak to her." + +With this he flew down near to the lady's feet. She was reading +_The Standard_ with close attention, and did not see the wee bird. + +"Chip, chip, chip," said Robinette--his way of saying +"good-morning," you know. + +Down went the newspaper with a crackling noise that somewhat +alarmed him, so he withdrew to what he thought a safe distance. He +flew to a dahlia stake, and from there again addressed the lady. + +"Chip, chip, chip. Ah! she sees me now," he said to himself. + +The lady looked and saw him. He came near her, almost to her feet +again. Robinette was very brave--whether from real courage or from +ignorance is a disputed point. + +"What a very friendly bird! You seem quite tame." + +"I wonder what she means," thought the birdie. "Chip, chip, chip," +he said. + +"Come near, robin; I shall not hurt you. Sing me a song." And the +lady made that curious, kissing sound with her lips that people +always make when speaking to birds. + +Robinette thought she was very polite to sing to him on such a +slight acquaintance; and not to be behind in his manners, he sang +to her with his strange, twittering note. The two conversed and +sang to each other for some little time, when another lady came +under the tree. + +"Do look at that funny, little bird, Polly; it has been hopping +about close to me, and seems very tame. We must bring some crumbs +next time we come out.--Good-bye, Robin; but really you are so +small that we shall call you Robinette." + +The ladies moved away, and the bird was left wondering what +"crumbs" were like. + +For some days after this the rain came down so fast that poor +Robinette had much ado to keep himself dry. He cowered under his +rose-bush or kept close to the thick hedge; but all the places got +so very wet that the poor wee birdie thought life was not worth +living. However, just as he was in the depths of despair, out came +the sun from behind the clouds, and soon all nature was rejoicing +again. The two ladies came out from the house to breathe the +perfume-laden air and to enjoy the sounds of reviving nature. +Robinette was so glad to see them that he flew quite close to them, +saying in his own way, "Good-day to you--chip, chip, chip." + +"There is Robinette, I declare," said Polly; "how wet and draggled +he looks, poor birdie! He needs the sun to dry his wings." + +The next day was all that could be wished in the way of heat and +bright sunshine, so the ladies came to the garden seat. Robinette +was looking out for them, and could scarcely wait for the older +lady to be settled among the cushions and wrapped up in the rugs by +her daughter. There are treacherous draughts under trees, and Polly +was very careful of her mother. At last all arrangements were +complete, and Mrs. Lewis opened her book to read. Suddenly +Robinette flew on to it, quite startling her by such an approach. +But she was charmed with his trusting familiarity, and at once +asked Polly for the crumbs she had brought out. Polly produced them +from her useful apron pocket, and threw some gently on the grass +at her feet, and Robinette was soon eating the finest feast he had +ever had. + +You may be sure, after having eaten these good things, Robinette +was always watching for the ladies, and he hopped beside them and +sang to them as they walked or worked in the garden. He was soon +tame enough to eat from their hands, and Polly, looking upon him as +a great curiosity, wished to show him off to some gentlemen +friends. But Robinette obstinately refused to be made a spectacle +of. Not the most enticing crumbs would bring him to her hands if +strangers were near, particularly of the male sex. He had no faith +in men. + +As the summer days passed away, and autumn came and went, the days +became shorter and colder, and Robinette found his way into the +house, and soon was as much at home there as in the garden. He +made friends with the cook in the kitchen, and had many a rich meal +when she was preparing the family dinner. He knew all the +meal-times. He came in by the morning-room window in time for +breakfast. But there he ran some risks. He sometimes encountered +the table-maid, who was very cross with him; and perhaps not +without reason, for he was not particular to wipe his feet before +flying on to the clean white table-cloth, and often left the marks +of his claws all over it; so she feared her mistress would insist +on her changing the cloth. As this young woman especially disliked +extra work, she used to frighten Robinette nearly out of his senses +by shaking her duster at him and pretending to catch him. + +Whenever the ladies came downstairs he was quite safe. They let him +do what he liked. He tasted the bacon, he feasted on butter, he +burned his toes on the tea-pot--in fact, he did whatever came into +his little head. At lunch he again presented himself, and he came +to the drawing-room for afternoon tea. + +With all this high living he became a big, fat bird, and I am sorry +to say he was very selfish and very jealous. He could not endure +the thought of any other bird sharing his privileges, as the +following incident proves. + +One morning after breakfast he heard a noise in the hall. + +"Whoever is Polly speaking to? It must be another bird," said he to +himself. "That is the way she speaks to me. I must see to this. If +it is another robin, I shall be the death of him." + +He ruffled up his feathers and flew into the hall, prepared to do +battle with any intruder. He was very angry to hear Polly speak in +such petting tones to any bird but himself, and he was tempted to +give her ear a bite as he sat on her shoulder. He found he had put +himself in a rage very needlessly. It was not another robin, but a +little wren. + +"Oh!" he thought, "I wonder what she wants.--Good-day, Miss Wren; +are you coming to live here?" + +"I was thinking of it," she replied, tossing her head; "but I don't +think the society is very select." + +As she made this speech, she gave it point by looking straight at +Robinette. + +"Indeed," he said, "you are rather a small person to have formed +such a large opinion; but as you are so small, you are welcome to +stay as long as you do not interfere with me." + +"Thank you for nothing, Cock Robin. I shall stay or I shall go +without asking your leave." + +"You are a very rude bird, Jenny Wren." + +"Am I, Cock Robin? There are various opinions about that. What a +great, fat, clumsy bird you are, to be sure! I would not have you +for a husband though there were not another bird in the garden." + +"You will perhaps wait until you are asked, Miss Wren," replied +Robinette, feeling he had better retire from the argument after +this retort, for Jenny, like all females, would try to have the +last word. + +Polly had been watching the birds fluttering towards each other, +and was a little fearful Robinette might be rough with Jenny, so +she was glad to see them part company after simply speaking, as she +thought. + +This is the only incident worth mentioning that occurred during the +winter months. Robinette's life was happy and comfortable. Free to +come and go as he pleased, he always felt himself a guest--never a +prisoner. + +At last winter was over, and the garden was beginning to have more +attractions. There were some rather pretty Miss Robins flying +about, and our bird thought he must go a-courting. He could not +easily make up his mind whether he should bring a wife into the +house, or whether he should go and live in the garden with her. +Finally he decided on the latter plan. + +One very fine morning he dressed his feathers most carefully, saw +that each one was lying exactly over the other, that his brown coat +was perfect and his red waist-coat faultless. He practised his +singing until his love-song was all he could wish it. He was +wonderfully well satisfied with himself; but Jenny Wren's +impertinent speeches would recur to his mind. The words fat and +clumsy had especially annoyed him, and he never could altogether +rid himself of their effect. + +As he flew past the greenhouse he saw a bucket with pure, clear +water in it. He thought he would rest on the edge and take a drink. +Imagine his delight when he saw reflected in the water a perfectly +beautiful cock robin, as charming a bird as any one could desire to +see. After such a vision, what cared he for Jenny Wren and her +impudence? Away he went, flying up and down the garden, quite sure +that no Miss Robin in her senses would say "no" to him. + +He rested a while on the branch of an apple-tree, while he +meditated on the various Miss Robins, and considered to which he +should pay his addresses. He was startled by a slight movement of +some leaves just beneath him, and on looking down to find the +cause, he saw his too candid friend Jenny. + +"So you are come out a-courting?" said she. "You are not a bit +thinner. Which of the Miss Robins do you think will have you--a +fat, over-fed house-bird?" + +"You are quite mistaken, Miss Wren, if you think I am out for any +such purpose. I am only taking an airing this fine day. A-courting, +indeed! A bird like you would frighten any bachelor. I am sorry for +your husband, if you ever get one." + +Away he flew, for he did not like Miss Wren's remarks. You see, he +had not mixed much with other birds, so he had not, as it were, +found his level. He was in danger of thinking too much or too +little of himself; and then, you perceive, he was thin-skinned. + +Poor birdie! That pert young Jenny had put his spirits down to his +very toes. Had it not been for the glimpse he got in the bucket, he +would have returned to the house discouraged for that day. However, +like many other creatures, he did not know what the near future +had in store for him. + +The time of day was noon, and he bethought him the kitchen dinner +would be ready; so he prepared to fly towards the house, as he was +very hungry. Just at this moment he caught sight of the gardener +turning over some stuff for a hot-bed, and he also saw some fine, +fat worms thrown to the surface by the fork. He concluded to dine +there that day, and proceeded to make a very satisfactory meal. He +had with some difficulty swallowed a very large worm, when he heard +the gardener say, "Hush! gently; now we shall see some fun." +Robinette looked up. He saw, and he loved. The daintiest Miss Robin +in all the garden was hopping towards him. Alas! beside her was a +fine cock robin, and they seemed on the pleasantest terms with each +other, and hopped along, quite unaware of Robinette's presence. To +be ignored was what he could not stand. So he came near to them, +made a deep bow to the lady, and ruffled his feathers and scowled +at his rival. A fierce rage and jealousy took possession of him. He +would kill this bird or die in the fight. The other cock robin was +as eager for the fray as he was; so these two little birds were +soon fighting savagely for the lady of their choice. She watched +the duel from a twig close by. She had made up her mind to marry +the winner, and it did not seem to matter much which that was. Both +were handsome; and the victor would prove himself the stronger. The +birds were very equally matched, and fought for some time with +varying fortune. At last, however, Robinette was conqueror, and he +flew at once to the lady and claimed her as his bride. He knew he +now had a right to her; but just in case her mind should waver +towards another, he placed before her the advantages of an +alliance with him, the chief one being that he could get as much +food as ever they could eat, with very little trouble, and the food +was of the most rare and nourishing kind. + +"I can get some for you now, for I see my friends in the garden, +and Polly is sure to have crumbs in her pocket. Wait here until I +come back." + +The ladies had come out for a stroll in the garden. What a garden +that was! At almost any season it was beautiful, but in the summer +it was a paradise alike for birds and human beings. It was +surrounded by grand old trees of many kinds and flowering shrubs as +large as trees. Then the wealth of roses and sweet-scented, +old-fashioned flowers of all sorts, mixed here and there with their +more modern sisters, made it a perfect dream of delight. How the +town-wearied friends rejoiced when they were bidden to visit that +garden! There their eyes were refreshed by the softly-blended +colouring and exquisite beauty of the whole scene. They breathed in +the delicious air, and thought it better than wine as a restorer of +strength. No words can describe the feeling to the feet of those +soft, green avenues--the grass so short that the most delicate +could walk there without harm, and so smooth that a child's bare +foot could run there scathless. That garden is now to those dear +friends a place in their memory only. The ladies have passed away +from it, and strangers are in possession. + +Excuse this digression. + +Robinette flew to Polly's hand. + +"So here you are, Bobbie. We wondered what had become of you, as +you did not come in at lunch-time. Don't fill your mouth so full; +you will choke yourself. Oh! he is off." + +Polly had held the crumbs for him as usual, and he just stuffed his +mouth full and flew in the direction of the greenhouse. + +"Mother, Robinette must have a lady-love. He has taken the crumbs +away; he did not swallow them." + +Mrs. Robinette was charmed with the crumbs--that kind of food +suited her taste exactly; and she hoped her husband would keep her +well supplied with them when she was too much occupied with other +matters to seek food for herself. Robinette gallantly promised to +do his best for her. + +Now it was time to seek a place for their nest, and begin building. +Like most young people under similar circumstances, they were +difficult to please. Robinette, having been so much accustomed to a +house, thought the greenhouse the best place; Mrs. Robinette, +knowing nothing about houses, thought a nice, thick bush much +superior. She, like a good wife, gave in to her husband, and +allowed him to choose the site for their nest. He selected a nice, +quiet corner of the greenhouse, beside some large flower-pots that +looked as if they had not been disturbed for a century. Here they +would be safe from storms and cats and all creatures which terrify +small birds. As evening was drawing on, our little lovers parted, +having appointed a place to meet next morning at sunrise to begin +to build their nest. + +The following day the sun rose bright and beautiful, making all +things and creatures rejoice, and none more than our two little +birds, who were soon as busy as possible, finding and bringing the +materials necessary for their purpose. + +They had such a happy time building that nest; he was so gallant +and she was so sweet. How he sang to her when she was tired, and +what delicious crumbs he brought her! Some shortbread had been +sent to Polly as a present, and it is such a crumbling cake that +the birds feasted royally while it lasted. + +At last the nest was finished. The little builders looked it all +over and could find no fault with it. As they were rather exhausted +with their hard work, they agreed to rest themselves a while near +the hot-bed where the memorable fight had taken place. There they +could find plenty of worms without fatigue, and they would sleep or +chat as they felt disposed. When they were sufficiently rested, +they went back to look at their pretty, new house. Alas! alas! what +desolation they found! The gardener, who had been cleaning his +greenhouse, had moved the big, dirty flower-pots, and had thrown +out the robins' nest. Poor, tired birds, they had to begin all over +again. Mrs. Robinette burst into tears, saying,-- + +"I told you not to choose a house to build in; I was sure a bush +would have been safer. Do, dear husband, come away now to some +other place; I do not like the men." + +Robinette was very angry at his work being spoiled, and he answered +a little sharply,-- + +"Nonsense, my dear; I am not going to be driven out of my way by a +stupid old gardener. We shall build here again. Let us set to work +at once; and if that man interferes I shall tell the mistress. +Hallo! here is a piece of good-luck for us; he has only thrown it +down here. To be sure, it is torn to pieces. But never mind; we +shall soon have it up again." + +You see Robinette had a temper; but he was a cheery wee bird, +inclined to make the best of things. When his anger had cooled, he +chirped to his down-hearted little wife so brightly that she was +obliged to pluck up spirit, and they were soon as merry as before +the terrible misfortune. + +A few days after these events Mrs. Lewis came into her greenhouse, +and seeing it look so much brighter and lighter than usual, she +said to the gardener,-- + +"You must acknowledge that the house looks better for being clean. +Try to keep it so." + +"I'll try, ma'am; but it is not much use when these mischievous +birds come in, bringing their stuff to build with. Just look there. +I threw away a nest from that very spot three days ago, and there +is another. And there is a robin in it." + +"It is Robinette," cried Polly. "I am sure it is.--Bobbie, come for +crumbs." + +Robinette, sly bird, had been watching and listening; and when he +saw that attention was drawn to the nest, he sat down in it as +though he were the lady on her eggs, knowing well "the mistress" +would give orders that he was not to be disturbed. And when she +saw it was her own pet robin, of course she was more decided, and +told the gardener he was on no account to take down the nest, and +every possible arrangement was to be made for the comfort and +happiness of Robinette and his wife. + +It is customary to close all stories when the hero marries. So, +having come to the end of Robinette's bachelor days, we shall take +leave of him and his bride, hoping that, now they are married, they +will "live happy ever after." + + + + +APPLE-PIE ORDER. + + +What a bright, sunshiny forenoon! and how green the meadow looked +before Simon Copland's farm! The thrush in the great thorn was +singing loudly, and the old clock, which stood in its dark oak case +in the corner of the kitchen, struck twelve as little Phoebe came +into the porch. + +This little girl, though, whose face was so sad, and whose +straw-hat hung so droopingly from her arm, was not like the Phoebe +of most days, who, on her return from school about this hour, came +popping her happy little face in at the door, and if dinner were +ready, would eat hers quickly, and be off again. + +The kitchen at Simon Copland's was a long, large room, and had +great beams across the ceiling, from which hung hams and other good +things. Mrs. Copland was busy at the table, and near one of the +windows sat her brother, Phoebe's uncle, Roger, who lived some +miles away at pretty Lady's Mead, and who was very dear to his +little niece. To him, however, she had no mind to go at present, +and would have slipped upstairs; but he quickly spied out the +little figure in the doorway, and opened his arms to her, saying, +"Here's the little lass; give thy Uncle Rogie a kiss, Phoebe." +There was no escape for Phoebe, and in a minute more she was on her +uncle's knee, while his large forefinger was placed on the marks of +tears on her cheeks, and his kind inquiring eyes asked as well as +his words, "Phoebe, my lass, what ails thee?" + +Her mother turned round from the table. "What is it, Phoebe?" she +said. + +And then came a burst of tears from the little girl, and a +confession, poured into Uncle Roger's ear, of misfortunes that day, +and many days before, at Mrs. Nott's school in the village; how +diligently Phoebe had always prepared her lessons overnight, but +how first one book was lost, and then another; and how to-day, +because the pencil had been carelessly fastened to the slate, it +too had disappeared, and was not there when wanted, and in +consequence Margaret Prettyman had got above her--sly Margaret +Prettyman, who often did not learn her lessons at all, but kept her +place at the head of the class by writing down her task on a slip +of paper, and keeping it in her hand while she repeated it; and +how Mrs. Nott had said that Margaret was so tidy and Phoebe so +careless; and how she reproved the latter when the class was over, +and told her that, unless girls were tidy and careful, all their +learning was of no use. "Every girl ought to keep herself and her +things in apple-pie order," Mrs. Nott said. "And, O uncle," sobbed +Phoebe, "I know I'm careless, but I never can remember to be tidy; +and I can't keep apple-pie order, for I don't know what it is." And +so, with many more tears, Phoebe's confession ended. + +"Well, child," said her mother, "it's as I've often told you. Your +drawer is a shame to be seen; and I'm glad Mrs. Nott spoke to you +as she did." + +Uncle Roger stroked his chin, and sat looking out through the +window for a little, saying nothing, till Phoebe's sobs grew less +frequent, and at last almost ceased. He then reached his hand +through the open lattice, and pulling a little flower from among +the creepers, gently raised Phoebe's face, saying,-- + +"Look thee here, little niece; mark this small, pretty flower, with +its white blossoms so perfect and tidy; look at the stalk below, +and each little leaf upon it, regular, one after the other. There +isn't one part of this pretty flower out of its place, Phoebe; and +who made it?" + +Phoebe's sobs ceased altogether as she replied, "God, uncle." + +"And look there," Uncle Roger went on, drawing towards him as he +spoke a large china dish, on which lay a beautiful honeycomb, which +Mrs. Copland had set aside for a sick friend--"look at this too. +See each cell, and each of these beautiful little arches; there is +not one unlike its neighbour. What do you think of order like that, +niece Phoebe? isn't it perfect?" + +"Yes, uncle," she whispered, quieted and wondering. + +"Well, little lass, our God, who made the pretty flower, and caused +the bees to make the sweet honeycomb, is a God of order, and He +loves order. He does not wish my little Phoebe to be the untidy +little maid she is." + +Phoebe lay quiet for a few minutes, thinking to herself how kindly +Uncle Roger always spoke to her, and how much easier it was to +"feel good" with him than with Mrs. Nott or Margaret Prettyman. +"But what did Mrs. Nott mean by 'apple-pie order,' uncle?" she said +after a little, looking up in her uncle's face. + +Uncle Roger smiled and smoothed her hair, not saying anything for a +moment or two; then, instead of answering her question, he asked, +"When is your birthday, Phoebe?" + +"The twenty-sixth of next month," she replied quickly, and +wondering very much. + +"Do you remember," continued Uncle Roger, "the custard feast I gave +you last birthday? I've been asking your mother here to bring you +over this year too to Lady's Mead, and I'll give you another feast, +and father, and mother, and Bob, and little Charlie; and we'll have +Uncle and Aunt Leyton, and little Mary-Anne to keep you company; +and then, Niece Phoebe, I'm thinking of showing you by that time +what apple-pie order is. Don't you know how good Uncle Roger's +apple-pies are?" + +"O uncle!" cried Phoebe, clasping him closely round the neck; "how +good you are to me, Uncle Roger--custards and apple-pies, and +Cousin Mary-Anne!" + +"Fair and softly," said her uncle, loosening her hold. "You haven't +heard it all yet, Phoebe. It is nearly a month till that, you +know. Well, you must promise me that every day of that month you +will please your mother by keeping your drawer, or whatever it is, +as tidy as a nut; and I must have from Mrs. Nott a good account of +your order and neatness. Mind, _every day_; no books lost, no +pencils falling off, else no apple-pies for you, Niece Phoebe." + +Phoebe's face fell. "O uncle!" she said. + +Her mother looked round again. "Roger, you spoil the child," she +exclaimed. + +"Not if I teach her order, Sister Marjory," was his reply. + +"I'll _try_, uncle," whispered Phoebe; and Uncle Roger kissed her. + +You all know the difference well, I don't doubt, betwixt _trying_ +and _doing_--how easy it seems to perform a promise at first, when +resolves are fresh and strong, but how each day takes, as it were, +a little bit of strength out of the wish to do the disagreeable +duty. Little Phoebe was truly anxious to overcome her bad habit; +and I can also say that, though apple-pies and custards, and her +dear little cousin Mary-Anne's company, had at first given her an +inducement to do so, yet after a little that part of it became very +faint indeed in comparison with the wish to succeed in fulfilling +her promise to Uncle Roger. + +Difficult enough the task was; and sometimes Phoebe felt as if the +month would never pass. But the days went on somehow, and Mrs. +Copland was much amused, and secretly much pleased, to see the +important air with which her little daughter would retire daily to +her small bedroom, next her father and mother's, and after a great +deal of knocking about and noise overhead, would run downstairs, +and coming to Mrs. Copland, say, "Please, mother, come and look at +my drawer. I'm sure it's tidy." + +After a little time had passed, Mrs. Copland explained to her +daughter the secret of true order; which is, not to keep things +untidy, and to have constantly to _put them to rights_, but to +_keep them right_--to put everything in its own place _at once_. +This was a new part to learn in Phoebe's lesson, but she tried it, +and heartily too; and things were going on in this way when, just +two days before the month was over, there came a sad misfortune to +her, which took away the hopes of apple-pies and other things which +her birthday was to bring her. + +All this time she had been going regularly to Mrs. Nott's school, +and the schoolmistress was much surprised at the change in her +careless little pupil. Her companions, too, could not tell what +had come to Phoebe Copland; and as for sly Margaret Prettyman, she +was filled with dislike and envy of her little rival; for Phoebe, +having put aside her careless habits, took her place as first in +the class, and Margaret had been first till now. + +On this particular afternoon Mrs. Nott had given her girls an +additional task to learn; and Phoebe, having a quarter of an hour +to spare, sat down, as was her habit sometimes, to look over the +lesson before leaving school. She was putting up her books, when +one of the other girls, Esther Heywood, came to her with a message +from her (Esther's) mother, asking Phoebe to step down to the Mill +Farm, where the Heywoods lived. They had got a jar of fine +citron-preserves, which the sailor son, Jem, had brought from +across the seas to his mother; and she was going to send some over +to Mrs. Copland to taste. + +"You might leave your books here," said Esther, "and I'll walk +back a bit with you. We'll get them when we come." + +The citron-preserves were very, very good, and Phoebe was kept a +little while at the Mill Farm to taste them, and to hear the +wonderful things which Jem Heywood had to tell about the parrots +and the beautiful birds in the countries where he had been; and +then Phoebe started on her way home over the fields, and Esther +with her. Sailor Jem said he'd "go a bit too with the girls," to +see them "under way," as he called it; and it ended by Esther and +Jem going the whole way with her, to carry her books, which they +got as they passed the school-house. + +All the evening Jem was telling them such funny stories that she +could not attend to her lessons, but went to bed quite tired with +laughing, and dreamed that she was a parrot, and that Jem Heywood +was teaching her tasks off by heart. + +Next morning, with the sunshine, up jumped Phoebe, to learn her +lessons before going to school. She felt very happy. The next day +but one was her birthday; and next day itself Uncle Roger would be +over from Lady's Mead, she knew, and then she would tell him how +faithfully she had kept her promise; and how pleased and kind he +would look--she could fancy she saw his face so well. And singing a +little song to herself, Phoebe sat down at her bedroom window, +opening her books out before her on her knee. But there were only +three books there, and she ought to have _four_. + +How Phoebe sought for that book--through all her drawers and her +little room, then through the house, and lastly, down all the lane, +and by every step of the path through the fields which they had +crossed the evening before! Oh, what a weary search that was, and +what a sad story to tell her mother, when, _without_ the book, +Phoebe returned. + +If Mrs. Copland looked so vexed, what would Uncle Roger be? And +then all the happy birthday pleasures which she had lost! She would +have to dine with little Charlie, she knew, and to feel as if in +disgrace all day; and in disgrace even Lady's Mead itself could +bring her no pleasure. Poor little Phoebe! + +Her mother would not allow her to stay at home from school, but +said she must tell Mrs. Nott the plain truth, and, if she had time +before the class began, learn the lesson from some of the other +girls' books. Fortunately, the missing task was that which Phoebe +had learned before leaving the school the day before; but, owing to +her haste and agitation, it was so incorrectly repeated that +Margaret Prettyman again triumphantly took her place at the head of +the class. It was hard enough to see Margaret's malicious face as +she pushed past, and Phoebe had much trouble in choking down her +temper and her tears at the same time. + +The next day Esther Heywood came to meet her with a very sorrowful +face, and told her that Jem had been "all up the fields" the +evening before, searching the path they had gone by, and that he +had looked into every nook and corner he could think of, but he +could not see the book anywhere. His opinion was, though, that +Uncle Roger would never keep to his word; that he would never +disappoint Phoebe on her birthday for such a trifle. + +Phoebe shook her head. "Uncle Roger always keeps his word," she +said. "I'll be in disgrace, I know, though perhaps I'll go to +Lady's Mead all the same; but that will be quite as bad as not +going at all." + +Hardest of all it was when Uncle Roger came over that afternoon. +Mrs. Copland had to tell him the story, for Phoebe was so drowned +in tears that she could not speak a word. Uncle Roger looked grave +when he heard how it was, but soothed his weeping little niece +kindly, and gave her no reproof. He spoke little or nothing about +the following day, only saying, while stroking her hair as usual, +"Well, my little maid, we must stick to our bargain. Apple-pie +order must wait till next year, I fancy; but come over all the +same, and welcome, to Lady's Mead. You and Mary-Anne can have your +romp together; and you must forget it's your own birthday, that's +all. I'm just about as much pleased with you for your last month's +doings as if all your books were safe in your bag, mind you that; +and now wipe your tears, my little lass." + +The next morning rose as bright and beautiful as you could well +wish to see, and Phoebe, seated by her father behind the old grey +horse Robin, with her mother and Charlie in the back seat, almost +forgot her sorrows while driving down the sweet, shady lanes in all +their beautiful autumn colours, and while looking forward to Lady's +Mead, and the delight of seeing her dear little cousin Mary-Anne. + +Lady's Mead was such a pretty place, with a very large orchard full +of rosy-cheeked apples; and there was a dairy, large, and cool, and +sweet, with great bowls of delicious milk, and such a beautifully +white, clean floor. Out of doors there was a swing, and a pretty +mossy summer-house down by the stream, and such delightful little +paths through clipped yew hedges, and an old sun-dial on the grass, +and in one corner a stone figure of a little boy kneeling, with his +hands clasped and his face looking up to heaven. It was altogether +such a place as children did not weary of; and had it not been for +little Phoebe's late troubles, she would have been as joyous as the +birds which were singing in the trees all round them. + +There were many "rubs" to bear, though; first, the meeting with her +uncle and aunt and Mary-Anne, and receiving from them no happy +birthday wishes as usual; and then seeing her brother Bob's +disappointed face when he came over from the county town where he +was serving his apprenticeship, bringing with him a nice little +parcel, which looked very like a doll, wrapped up in thin brown +paper, and stowed away in one of his pockets for his little sister. +The parcel was not taken out, however. + +Cousin Mary-Anne, who was a dear, good little girl, no sooner heard +that Phoebe was to dine at a side-table with little Charlie, +instead of the treat of sitting at the great long one with the +older people, than she declared that she would do so too; and +though Phoebe would not listen to this at first, yet Mary-Anne +would have it so, and it was accordingly settled. She proved +herself, too, such a good little comforter and companion, that +Phoebe became quite cheerful again, though perhaps their play was +not quite so merry as usual. + +First they went to the poultry-yard, where there was a brood of +very fine little ducklings, just hatched, to see. Then to the +dairy, where they both were allowed to pat away at the butter and +make it up for tea. Then Matty, the dairy-maid, said that she must +leave the dairy, and that they must go too; so they sauntered away +down by the stream to the pretty summer-house. They were glad to +get there, because of the shade, for the sun was hot, and they were +tired with butter-making. So for some little time they sat +resting, and making boats of the large leaves, to float down the +stream. + +By-and-by they heard a step coming quickly down the path towards +them, and directly afterwards Bob came hurrying into the +summer-house, saying, "Phoebe, come along; Uncle Roger's seeking +you.--And you, Mary-Anne, if you like, you little duck;" and with +that Bob gave a loud "hurrah," which made both the girls spring to +their feet in astonishment. + +"But why, Bob?" asked Phoebe excitedly, as he hurried them along, +one in each hand, as fast as they could go up the path. + +"Never you mind," said Bob--"you'll soon know;" and then he gave +another "hurrah" and jumped like a madman. + +On they rushed, through the orchard, round the yew hedge, and so +past the old dial, and over the grass, on to the house. At the +window, which was a very large one, Phoebe saw quite a crowd; for +they were all collected there, and amongst them, to her +astonishment, stood tall Jem Heywood. When she and Bob and +Mary-Anne came in sight, he set up a cheer, in which little Charlie +joined lustily; and Phoebe turned first red and then pale, and at +last stopped altogether in fright and bewilderment, dragging the +two others back with her. Then her father's face looked out and +smiled to her, and then her mother's and Aunt Leyton's; and then +out came Uncle Roger, and Phoebe was lifted on his shoulder, and +carried through the midst of the smiling faces to where the dinner +was laid out. + +There she saw a little bower of green branches over a chair at +Uncle Roger's right hand, at the end of the table; and on this +chair, under the boughs, Uncle Roger set her down, while before her +rose the most enormous apple-pie you can imagine! Instead of crust, +which it looked like, its cover was of china-ware; and Uncle Roger +raised it in his hand when every one had sat down all round the +table, and there--what do you think? Phoebe saw the wonderful pie +filled, not with apples, but with beautiful birthday gifts--Bob's +doll, dressed all in pink ribbons and lace; a little straw-hat, +trimmed with bright blue ribbons, from Aunt Leyton; a pretty china +cottage, covered with roses, from Mary-Anne; a beautiful little +work-box, lined with red silk, and filled with every pretty, useful +thing for sewing, and also a crown-piece in it, from her father and +mother; and better than all these, a small Bible, beautifully bound +in purple velvet, with gold clasps, from Uncle Roger; and beside +this lay _another book_, and with a cry of surprise Phoebe saw +before her, torn and stained, her own lost lesson-book! What a +cheer rose up all round the table! And sailor Jem cheered louder +than any one. But all this joy was too much for poor Phoebe, and +she fell a-crying on Uncle Roger's shoulder. + +If any of you wish to know how the lost book was found again, I +must tell you what Jem Heywood said about it, though it won't be in +his own words. + +He had been down the evening before at Mrs. Prettyman's (Margaret's +mother), and one of the little ones having come toddling into the +room, Jem had lifted it on his knee, taking as he did so a crushed, +torn book out of its hand. On the fly-leaf, though almost torn +away, Jem read, to his surprise, the first letters of Phoebe's +name. The child said it had got the book "in Maggie's bag." Then +Margaret came in herself, and Jem asked her what was the meaning of +this. Her angry, guilty face and confused replies immediately +roused his suspicions; and on going home he took care to let his +sister Esther know all he had seen and heard. The truth was soon +found out. It was Margaret who had done this spiteful thing, to +bring disgrace upon Phoebe. + +Can you all picture to yourselves Phoebe's joy on this happy +evening? How grateful she was to Jem Heywood, and how the hours +flew away, supper-time coming before the games seemed half done! +Phoebe found time, though, for a long, happy talk with Uncle Roger; +and it was then she told him how she had made up her mind not to +quarrel with Margaret because of all this, but to try, if possible, +to be better friends than before; for she now saw, she said, that +their quarrelling had brought all this about. + +I may as well add here, as some of you may wish to know, that +Phoebe's resolution had its own reward, for her change of conduct +seemed to bring about a change in Margaret's too. Of course this +took some time, for bad feelings cannot be rooted up all at once. +But as the months passed on, every one could see a great +improvement in Margaret. Little beginnings often bring much greater +endings; and Margaret could look back afterwards to this time with +feelings of gratitude for the lesson which had been taught her by +means of one forgiving little heart. + +On this birthday night Uncle Roger was much pleased to hear Phoebe +speak as she did; and her happiness was quite full when, drawing +her on his knee, he added, "And my little Phoebe has shown me that, +with God's help, she has learned the meaning of 'APPLE-PIE ORDER.'" + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE STORY OF A ROBIN*** + + +******* This file should be named 24970.txt or 24970.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/4/9/7/24970 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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