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+The Project Gutenberg EBook of Clematis, by Bertha B. Cobb and Ernest Cobb
+
+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: Clematis
+
+Author: Bertha B. Cobb
+        Ernest Cobb
+
+Illustrator: A. G. Cram
+             Willis Levis
+
+Release Date: September 6, 2008 [EBook #26543]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CLEMATIS ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed
+Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net
+
+
+
+
+
+OTHER BOOKS
+BY BERTHA B. AND ERNEST COBB
+
+ARLO
+CLEMATIS
+ANITA
+PATHWAYS
+ALLSPICE
+DAN'S BOY
+PENNIE
+ANDRÉ
+ONE FOOT ON THE GROUND
+ROBIN
+
+----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+[Illustration: "Are you going to sit here all day, little girl?"]
+
+----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+CLEMATIS
+
+By
+BERTHA B. AND ERNEST COBB
+
+Authors of Arlo, Busy Builder's Book,
+Hand in Hand With Father Time, etc.
+
+With illustrations by
+A. G. Cram
+and
+Willis Levis
+
+G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS
+New York and London
+
+----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+Copyright, 1917
+
+By BERTHA B. and ERNEST COBB
+
+Entered at Stationers' Hall, London
+for Foreign Countries
+
+Twenty-second Impression
+
+All rights reserved. This book, or parts thereof, must
+not be reproduced in any form without permission.
+
+Made in the United States of America
+
+----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+Somerset, Mass.
+
+Dear Priscilla:
+
+You have taken such a fancy to little Clematis that we hope other
+children may like her, too. We may not be able to buy you all the
+ponies, and goats, and dogs, and cats that you would like, but we
+will dedicate the book to you, and then you can play with all the
+animals Clematis has, any time you wish.
+
+                                          With much love, from
+                                       Bertha B. and Ernest Cobb.
+
+To Miss Priscilla Cobb.
+
+----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+CONTENTS
+
+Chapter                                  Page
+     1.  Lost in a Big City                 1
+     2.  The Children's Home               16
+     3.  The First Night                   28
+     4.  Who is Clematis?                  41
+     5.  Clematis Begins to Learn          52
+     6.  Clematis Has a Hard Row to Hoe    61
+     7.  What Clematis Found               72
+     8.  A Visitor                         86
+     9.  The Secret                        97
+    10.  Two Doctors                      109
+    11.  A Long, Anxious Night            121
+    12.  Getting Well                     134
+    13.  Off for Tilton                   145
+    14.  The Country                      160
+    15.  Clematis Tries to Help           172
+    16.  Only a Few Days More             186
+    17.  Where is Clematis?               200
+    18.  Hunting for Clematis             215
+    19.  New Plans                        230
+    20.  The True Fairy Story             237
+
+----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+ILLUSTRATIONS
+
+1. "Are you going to sit here all day, little girl?"
+2. "I don't want to stay here if you're going to throw my cat away."
+3. With Katie in the kitchen.
+4. Thinking of the land of flowers.
+5. Clematis held out her hand.
+6. Clematis is better.
+7. Off for Tilton.
+8. In the country at last.
+9. The little red hen.
+10. Clematis watched the little fishes by the shore.
+11. "I shan't be afraid."
+12. A little girl was coming up the path.
+13. Deborah was very hungry.
+14. "Didn't you ever peel potatoes?"
+15. "What are you sewing?"
+16. Clematis stuck one hand out.
+17. She could see the little fish.
+18. In Grandfather's house.
+
+----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+
+
+CLEMATIS
+
+CHAPTER I
+
+LOST IN THE BIG CITY
+
+
+It was early Spring. A warm sun shone down upon the city street. On
+the edge of the narrow brick sidewalk a little girl was sitting.
+
+Her gingham dress was old and shabby. The short, brown coat had lost
+all its buttons, and a rusty pin held it together.
+
+A faded blue cap partly covered her brown hair, which hung in short,
+loose curls around her face.
+
+She had been sitting there almost an hour when a policeman came
+along.
+
+"I wonder where that girl belongs," he said, as he looked down at
+her. "She is a new one on Chambers Street."
+
+He walked on, but he looked back as he walked, to see if she went
+away.
+
+The child slowly raised her big, brown eyes to look after him. She
+watched him till he reached the corner by the meat shop; then she
+looked down and began to kick at the stones with her thin boots.
+
+At this moment a bell rang. A door opened in a building across the
+street, and many children came out.
+
+As they passed the little girl, some of them looked at her. One
+little boy bent down to see her face, but she hid it under her arm.
+
+"What are you afraid of?" he asked. "Who's going to hurt you?"
+
+She did not answer.
+
+Another boy opened his lunch box as he passed, and shook out the
+pieces of bread, left from his lunch.
+
+Soon the children were gone, and the street was quiet again.
+
+The little girl kicked at the stones a few minutes; then she looked
+up. No one was looking at her, so she reached out one little hand
+and picked up a crust of bread.
+
+In a wink the bread was in her mouth. She reached out for another,
+brushed off a little dirt, and ate that also.
+
+Just then the policeman came down the street from the other corner.
+The child quickly bent her head and looked down.
+
+This time he came to where she sat, and stopped.
+
+"Are you going to sit here all day, little girl?" he asked.
+
+She did not answer.
+
+"Your mother will be looking for you. You'd better run home now,
+like a good girl. Where do you live, anyway?"
+
+He bent down and lifted her chin, so she had to look up at him.
+
+"Where do you live, miss? Tell us now, that's a good girl."
+
+"I don't know." The child spoke slowly, half afraid.
+
+"O come now, of course you know, a big girl like you ought to know.
+What's the name of the street?"
+
+"I don't know."
+
+"Ah, you're only afraid of me. Don't be afraid of Jim Cunneen now.
+I've a little girl at home just about your age."
+
+He waited for her to answer, but she said nothing.
+
+"Come miss, you must think. How can I take you home if you don't
+tell me where you live?"
+
+"I don't know."
+
+"Oh, dear me! That is all I get for an answer. Well then, I'll have
+to take you down to the station. May be you will find a tongue down
+there."
+
+As he spoke, he took hold of her arm to help her up. Then he tried
+one more question.
+
+"What is your name?"
+
+"My name is Clematis."
+
+As she spoke she moved her arm, and out from the coat peeped a
+kitten. It was white, with a black spot over one eye.
+
+"There, that is better," answered the policeman. "Now tell me your
+last name."
+
+"That is all the name I have, just Clematis."
+
+"Well then, what is your father's name?"
+
+"I haven't any father."
+
+"Ah, that is too bad, dear. Then tell me your mother's name." He
+bent down lower to hear her reply.
+
+"I haven't any mother, either."
+
+"No father? No mother?" The policeman lifted her gently to her feet.
+"Well miss, we won't stay here any longer. It is getting late."
+
+Just then the kitten stuck its head out from her coat and said,
+"Miew."
+
+It seemed very glad to move on.
+
+"What's that now, a cat? Where did you get that?"
+
+"It is my kitty, my very own, so I kept it. I didn't steal it. Its
+name is Deborah, and it is my very own."
+
+"Ah, now she is finding her tongue," said the policeman, smiling;
+while Clematis hugged the kitten.
+
+But the little girl could tell him no more, so he led her along the
+street toward the police station.
+
+Before they had gone very far, they passed a baker's shop.
+
+In the window were rolls, and cookies, and buns, and little cakes
+with jam and frosting on them.
+
+The smell of fresh bread came through the door.
+
+"What is the matter, miss?" The man looked down, as Clematis stood
+still before the window.
+
+She was looking through the glass, at the rolls, and cakes, and
+cookies.
+
+[Illustration: "I don't want to stay here if you are going to
+throw my cat away"]
+
+The policeman smelled the fresh bread, and it made him hungry.
+
+"Are you hungry, little girl?" he asked, looking down with a smile.
+
+"Wouldn't you be hungry if you hadn't had anything to eat all day
+long?" Clematis looked up at him with tears in her big brown eyes.
+
+"Nothing to eat all day? Why, you must be nearly starved!" As he
+spoke, the policeman started into the store, pulling Clematis after
+him.
+
+She was so surprised that she almost dropped her kitten.
+
+"Miew," said poor Deborah, as if she knew they were going to starve
+no longer. But it was really because she was squeezed so tight she
+couldn't help it.
+
+"Now, Miss Clematis, do you see anything there you like?"
+
+Jim Cunneen smiled down at Clematis, as she peeped through the glass
+case at the things inside.
+
+She stood silent, with her nose right against the glass.
+
+There were so many things to eat it almost took her breath away.
+
+"Well, what do you say, little girl? Don't you see anything you
+like?"
+
+"May I choose anything I want?"
+
+"Yes, miss. Just pick out what you like best."
+
+The lady behind the counter smiled, as the policeman lifted Clematis
+a little, so she could see better. There were cakes, and cookies,
+and buns, and doughnuts.
+
+"May I have a cream cake?" asked Clematis.
+
+"Of course you may. What else?" He lifted her a bit higher.
+
+"Miew!" said Deborah, from under her coat.
+
+"Oh, excuse me, cat," he said, as he set Clematis down. "I forgot
+you were there too."
+
+The woman laughed, as she took out a cream cake, a cookie with nuts
+on it, and a doughnut.
+
+"May I eat them now?" asked Clematis, as she took the bag.
+
+"You start right in, and if that's not enough, you can have more.
+But don't forget the cat."
+
+Jim Cunneen laughed with the baker woman, while Clematis began to
+eat the doughnut, as they started out.
+
+Before long they came to a brick building that had big doors.
+
+"Here we are," said the policeman. They turned, and went inside.
+
+There another policeman was sitting at a desk behind a railing.
+
+"Well, who comes here?" asked the policeman at the desk.
+
+"That is more than I know," replied Jim Cunneen. "I guess she's lost
+out of the flower show. She says her name is Clematis."
+
+Clematis said nothing. Her mouth was full of cream cake now, and a
+little cream was running over her fingers.
+
+Deborah was silent also. She was eating the last crumbs of the
+doughnut.
+
+"Is that all you could find out?" The other man looked at Clematis.
+
+"She says she has no father and no mother. Her cat is named Deborah.
+That is all she told me."
+
+"Oh, well, I guess you scared her, Jim. Let me ask her. I'll find
+out."
+
+The new policeman smiled at Clematis. "Come on now, sister," he
+said. "Tell us where you live. That's a good girl."
+
+Clematis reached up one hand and took hold of her friend's big
+finger. She looked at the new policeman a moment.
+
+"If you didn't know where you lived, how could you tell anyone?" she
+said.
+
+Jim Cunneen laughed. He liked to feel her little hand.
+
+"See how scared she is of me," he said. "We are old friends now."
+
+Again they asked the little girl all the questions they could think
+of. But it was of no use. She could not tell them where she lived.
+She would not tell them very much about herself.
+
+At last the Captain came in. They told him about this queer little
+girl.
+
+He asked her questions also. Then he said:
+
+"We shall have to send her to the Home. If anyone claims her he can
+find her there."
+
+So Clematis and Deborah were tucked into the big station wagon, and
+Jim Cunneen took her to the Home, where lost children are sheltered
+and fed.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II
+
+THE CHILDREN'S HOME
+
+
+As they climbed the steps leading to the Home, Clematis looked up at
+the policeman.
+
+"What is this place?" she asked.
+
+"This is the Children's Home, miss. You will have a fine time
+here."
+
+A young woman with a kind face opened the door.
+
+The policeman did not go in. "Here is a child I found on Chambers
+Street," he said. "We can't find out where she lives."
+
+"Oh, I see," said the woman.
+
+"Could you take her in for a while, till we can find her parents?"
+
+"Yes, I guess we have room for her. Come in, little girl."
+
+At that moment there was a scratching sound, and Deborah stuck her
+head out.
+
+"Miew," said Deborah, who was still hungry. Perhaps she thought it
+was another bakery.
+
+"Dear me!" cried the young woman, "we can't have that cat in here."
+
+Clematis drew back, and reached for Jim Cunneen's hand.
+
+"It's a very nice cat, I'm sure," said the policeman.
+
+He felt sorry for Clematis. He knew how she loved her kitten.
+
+"But it's against the rules. The children can never have cats or
+dogs in here."
+
+Clematis, with tears in her eyes, turned away.
+
+"Come on," she said to her big friend. "Let us go."
+
+But Jim Cunneen drew her back. He loved little girls, and was also
+fond of cats.
+
+"Don't you think the cook might need it for a day or two, to catch
+the rats?" he asked, with his best smile.
+
+"Oh dear me, I don't know. I don't think so. It's against the rules
+for children to bring in pets."
+
+"Ah then, just wait a minute. I'll be right back."
+
+The policeman ran down the steps and around the corner of the house,
+while the young woman asked Clematis questions.
+
+"It's all right then, I'm sure," he called as he came back. "Katie
+says she would be very glad to have that cat to help her catch the
+rats."
+
+The young woman laughed; Clematis dried her tears, and Jim Cunneen
+waved his hand and said goodby.
+
+In another moment the door opened, and Clematis, with Deborah still
+in her arms, was in her new home.
+
+It was supper hour at the Children's Home. In the big dining room
+three long tables were set.
+
+At each place on the clean, bare table was a plate, a small yellow
+bowl, and a spoon.
+
+Beside each plate was a blue gingham bib.
+
+Jane, one of the girls in the Home, was filling the bowls on her
+table with milk from a big brown pitcher.
+
+Two little girls worked at each of the tables. While one filled the
+bowls, the other brought the bread.
+
+She put two thick slices of bread and a big cookie on each plate.
+
+The young woman who had let Clematis in, came to the table near the
+door.
+
+"There is a new girl at your table tonight, Jane," she said. "She
+will sit next to me."
+
+"All right, Miss Rose," answered Jane, carefully filling the last
+yellow bowl.
+
+"Please may I ring the bell tonight, Miss Rose?" asked Sally, who
+had been helping Jane.
+
+Miss Rose looked at the table. Every slice of bread and every cookie
+was in place.
+
+"Yes, dear; your work is well done. You may ring."
+
+At the sound of the supper bell, a tramping of many feet sounded in
+the long hall.
+
+The doors of the dining room were opened, and Mrs. Snow came in,
+followed by a double line of little girls.
+
+Each girl knew just where to find her place, and stood waiting for
+the signal to sit.
+
+A teacher stood at the head of each table, and beside Miss Rose was
+the little stranger.
+
+Mrs. Snow was the housemother. She asked the blessing, while every
+little girl bowed her head.
+
+Clematis stared about at the other children all this time, and
+wondered what they were doing.
+
+Now they were seated, and each girl buttoned her bib in place before
+she tasted her supper.
+
+Sally sat next to Clematis.
+
+"They gave you a bath, didn't they?" she said, as she put her bread
+into her bowl.
+
+Clematis nodded.
+
+"And you got a nice clean apron like ours, didn't you?"
+
+Clematis nodded again.
+
+"Oh, see her hair, it's lovely!" sighed a little girl across the
+table, who had short, straight hair.
+
+Clematis' soft brown curls were neatly brushed, and tied with a dark
+red ribbon.
+
+She did not look much like the child who came in an hour before.
+
+"What's her name?" asked Jane, looking at Miss Rose.
+
+"We'll ask her tomorrow. Now stop talking please, so she can eat her
+supper."
+
+At that, the little girl looked up at Miss Rose and said: "My name
+is Clematis, and my kitty's name is Deborah."
+
+Just as she said this, a very strange noise was heard. Every child
+stopped eating. Miss Rose turned red, and Mrs. Snow looked up in
+surprise.
+
+"Miew, miew, miew," came from under the table. In another minute a
+little head peeped over the edge of the table where Clematis sat. It
+was a kitten, with a black spot over one eye.
+
+"Miew, miew," Deborah continued, and stuck her little red tongue
+right into the yellow bowl. She was very hungry, and could wait no
+longer.
+
+[Illustration: Deborah was very hungry]
+
+Mrs. Snow rapped on the table, for every child laughed right out.
+What fun it was! No one had ever seen a cat in there before.
+
+"Miss Rose, will you kindly put that cat out. Put her out the front
+door." Mrs. Snow was very stern. She didn't wish any cats in the
+Home.
+
+Clematis looked at Mrs. Snow. Her eyes filled with tears, and she
+began to sob.
+
+Miss Rose turned as red as Deborah's tongue. She had not asked Mrs.
+Snow if she might let the cat in. She thought it would stay in the
+kitchen with Katie.
+
+"Did you hear me, Miss Rose? I wish you would please put the cat out
+the door. We can't have it here."
+
+Miss Rose started to get up, when Clematis slipped out of her chair,
+hugging Deborah tightly to her breast.
+
+The tears were running down her cheeks, as she started for the
+door.
+
+"Where are you going, little girl?" said Mrs. Snow.
+
+Clematis did not answer, but kept right on.
+
+"Stop her, Miss Rose. What is the matter, anyway? Dear me, what a
+fuss!"
+
+Miss Rose caught Clematis by the arm.
+
+"Wait, dear," she said. "Don't act like that. Answer Mrs. Snow."
+
+"I don't care," sobbed Clematis, looking back. "I don't want to stay
+here if you are going to throw my cat away."
+
+"I should have asked you, Mrs. Snow," said Miss Rose. "She had the
+kitten with her. She cried to bring it in, and Katie said she would
+care for it in the kitchen."
+
+"Oh, so that is it. Well, don't cry, child. Take it back to Katie,
+and tell her to keep the door shut."
+
+"She's hungry," said Clematis, drying her eyes on her sleeve.
+
+"Well, ask Katie to feed her then, and come right back to the
+table."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III
+
+THE FIRST NIGHT
+
+
+Supper was soon finished, with many giggles from the little girls,
+who hoped that Deborah would get in again.
+
+Clematis ate every crumb of her bread and cookie. Her yellow bowl
+looked as if Deborah had lapped it dry.
+
+"After supper, we play games. It's great fun," said Sally, as they
+were folding their bibs.
+
+The bell rang, and the long line of children formed once more.
+
+They marched out through the long hall, up the broad stairs to the
+play room.
+
+There were little tables, with low chairs to match. Some of the
+tables held games.
+
+In one corner of the room was a great doll house, that a rich lady
+had given to the Home.
+
+In another corner was a small wooden swing with two seats.
+
+A rocking horse stood near the window, and a box of bean bags lay on
+a low shelf near by.
+
+Soon all were playing happily, except Clematis, who stood near the
+window.
+
+She was looking at the trees, which were sending out red buds. The
+sun had set, and the sky was rosy with the last light of day.
+
+"Don't you want to play?" asked Miss Rose, coming across the room.
+
+Clematis shook her head.
+
+"What would you like to do, dear?"
+
+Clematis thought a moment.
+
+"I should like to help Katie in the kitchen. She must need some
+little girl."
+
+Miss Rose smiled. "If Clematis can get down into the kitchen, she
+can see her kitten," she thought. "She is a sly little puss
+herself."
+
+"I don't think you could go down tonight, but if you are a good girl
+I am sure Katie will want you to help her before long."
+
+Clematis smiled.
+
+"Come now, and I will ask Jane to show you the doll house."
+
+So the little girls took Clematis over to the doll house that stood
+in the corner.
+
+Jane opened the front door, so they could look in and see four
+pretty rooms.
+
+Lace curtains hung at the tiny windows. New rugs were on the
+floors.
+
+There was a tiny kitchen, with a tiny stove and tiny kettles, all
+just like your own house. It was enough to make any girl happy.
+
+It was so much fun that Clematis forgot to be sad, and was not ready
+to leave the doll house when the bell rang once more. It was
+bedtime.
+
+"That is the sleepy bell," said Jane, closing the door to the doll
+house, and running toward the stairs.
+
+Clematis was at the end of the row, as the girls went out of the
+playroom, and Miss Rose spoke as she passed through the door.
+
+"I will show you where you are to sleep, my dear. You go with the
+other children, and I'll come in a few minutes."
+
+Clematis followed the other children up the stairs to the sleeping
+rooms.
+
+Miss Rose soon came, and together they went to the room at the end
+of the hall.
+
+How sweet that room looked to the tired little stranger!
+
+A white iron bed stood against the wall, near the window. A small
+table held a wash basin and pitcher. There was a cup and soap dish,
+too.
+
+Two clean towels hung near by.
+
+Best of all was the little white bureau, with a mirror. The mirror
+had a white frame.
+
+There was a pink rug before the bureau, and beside the bureau was a
+white chair.
+
+"Oh, my!" cried Clematis, "see the flowers on the wall!" The pink
+wall paper was covered with white roses and their green leaves.
+
+Miss Rose took a white nightdress from the bureau, and laid it on
+the bed.
+
+"Now, Clematis, I shall give you just ten minutes to undress. When I
+come back I want you to be all ready for me."
+
+Miss Rose went out, and Clematis started on her shoes.
+
+"I guess she don't know how fast I can undress," she said to
+herself.
+
+When Miss Rose came back, in ten minutes, she found Clematis already
+in bed, and half asleep.
+
+"Why Clematis, this will never do!" Miss Rose pulled back the sheet
+and made Clematis sit up.
+
+There, beside the bed, was a pile of clothes. There were the
+stockings, just as she had pulled them off.
+
+The boots were thrown down on the clean gingham dress, and the fresh
+apron was sadly crushed.
+
+"I am sorry, little girl," said Miss Rose, "but you will have to get
+right up."
+
+"Why?" asked Clematis.
+
+"No little girl can go to bed without washing her face and hands. No
+little girl can leave her clothes like this."
+
+"Isn't this my room?" said Clematis, slowly getting out of bed.
+
+"It is for tonight. We always let a new child sleep alone the first
+night."
+
+"Wasn't I quick in getting into bed? Why must I get up?"
+
+"Look, dear. Look at that pile of clothes."
+
+"Oh, I always leave them there," replied Clematis. "Then I know just
+where to find them in the morning."
+
+"We don't do so here, Clematis. Now please pick up the clothes, fold
+them, and put them on the chair.
+
+"Then put your boots under the chair, and take off your pretty hair
+ribbon."
+
+Clematis gathered the clothes together, but she was not happy.
+
+"I know you are tired, dear, but I am tired too, and we must do
+things right, even if we are tired.
+
+"Now I must show you how to wash, and brush your teeth, and then
+have you say your prayers, before I can leave you."
+
+"Oh bother!" sighed Clematis.
+
+"No, we mustn't say words like that. Come now, we will get washed."
+
+Miss Rose poured some water from the pitcher, and made Clematis wash
+her hands, and arms, and face, carefully. Then she took a toothbrush
+from a box and gave it to her.
+
+"What is this for?" asked Clematis.
+
+"Why dear," answered Miss Rose in surprise, "that is a tooth
+brush."
+
+"A tooth brush! Why, there is no hair on my teeth."
+
+Miss Rose laughed. "No dear, perhaps not, but we must brush them
+carefully each night with water, or they will soon be aching."
+
+"Will that stop teeth from aching?"
+
+"Yes indeed, it will help very much to keep them from aching."
+
+"All right, then." Clematis began to brush her teeth. "My teeth
+ached last week. I nearly died," she answered.
+
+The teeth were cleaned, and Clematis was ready for bed.
+
+"Now dear, let us say our prayers."
+
+"I don't know any prayers."
+
+Miss Rose looked at Clematis in pity. "Don't you really know any
+prayers at all?"
+
+"Would you know any prayers if you had never learned any?"
+
+Miss Rose smiled sadly.
+
+"Well, then," she said, "we will learn the Lord's Prayer, and then
+you will know the most beautiful prayer of all."
+
+They knelt down together, and Clematis said over the words after
+Miss Rose.
+
+"Now good night, dear, and pleasant dreams," said Miss Rose, as she
+tucked her in.
+
+"Good night," said Clematis.
+
+The door closed, and all was dark.
+
+The maple trees swayed gently outside the window.
+
+They nodded to Clematis, as she watched them with sleepy eyes.
+
+One little star peeped in at her through the maple tree.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV
+
+WHO IS CLEMATIS?
+
+
+The bright sun was shining on the red buds of the maple tree when
+Clematis woke the next morning.
+
+It was early. The rising bell had not rung. Clematis got up and
+looked out of the open window.
+
+She could see nothing but houses across the street, but the buds of
+the maple were beautiful in the sun.
+
+"I wish I had some of those buds to put in my room," said Clematis
+to herself.
+
+She took her clothes, and began to dress. While she was dressing,
+she looked again at the maple buds, and wanted them more than ever.
+
+"If I reached out a little way, I could get some of those, I just
+know I could," she thought.
+
+As soon as she got her shoes on she pushed the window wide open.
+
+She leaned out. Some beautiful buds were very near, but she could
+not quite reach them.
+
+She leaned out a little farther. Then she climbed upon the window
+sill.
+
+They were still out of her reach.
+
+For a minute she stopped. Then she put one foot out in the gutter.
+With one hand she held the blind, and reached out to the nearest
+branch.
+
+At last she had it. She drew it nearer, and broke off a piece with
+many buds.
+
+As the piece broke off, the branch flew back again to its place, and
+Clematis almost fell back through the window to the floor.
+
+She patted the red buds and made a little bunch of them. She filled
+her cup with water and put the buds in it; then she put it on the
+bureau.
+
+Clematis was looking proudly at them, when the door opened, and Miss
+Rose came in.
+
+She looked at Clematis, and then at the buds.
+
+"Why, Clematis!" she said.
+
+Then she looked out the window. There, several feet beyond the
+window, was the broken end. Drops of sap were running from the white
+wood.
+
+"How did you get those buds?" asked Miss Rose.
+
+"I reached out of the window," said Clematis, "why, was that
+stealing?"
+
+Miss Rose gasped.
+
+"Clematis, do you mean to tell me that you climbed out of the window
+and reached for that branch?"
+
+Clematis nodded. Tears came into her eyes. She must have done
+something very wrong, but she did not know just what was so wicked
+about taking a small branch from a maple tree.
+
+"I didn't know it was stealing," she sobbed.
+
+"It isn't that, Clematis. It is not wrong to take a twig, but think
+of the danger. Don't you know you might have fallen and killed
+yourself?"
+
+Clematis wiped her eyes on her sleeve.
+
+"Oh, that's nothing," she said, "I had hold of the blind all the
+time. I couldn't fall."
+
+"Now, Clematis, no child ever did such a thing before, and you must
+never, never, do it again. Do you understand?"
+
+"Yes'm."
+
+"Do you promise?"
+
+"Yes'm."
+
+"Well then, let's get ready for breakfast."
+
+Clematis washed her face and hands, brushed her hair, and cleaned
+her teeth carefully.
+
+Soon she was ready to go down stairs, and took one of the maple buds
+to put in her dress.
+
+As they went out, Miss Rose saw that she wanted to say something.
+
+"Do you want something?" she said.
+
+"Can I help Katie this morning?"
+
+"After breakfast I will ask Mrs. Snow, but breakfast is almost ready
+now."
+
+Just then the breakfast bell rang, and Clematis marched in with the
+other children. She was thinking about Deborah, and wondering if she
+had caught any rats.
+
+For breakfast they had baked apples, oatmeal with milk, and rye
+gems.
+
+It did not take them long to eat this. Soon they were through, and
+ready for the morning work.
+
+As they were getting up, Mrs. Snow came to speak to Miss Rose.
+
+Clematis held her breath when she heard what was said.
+
+"Perhaps this little girl would like to go down and play with her
+kitten a while. We can find some work for her by and by."
+
+"Oh yes," said Clematis, "I would."
+
+"Well, you can tell Katie I said you might. Be sure not to get in
+her way."
+
+Off ran Clematis to the kitchen, to find her dear Deborah.
+
+There she was, curled up like a little ball under the stove.
+
+She looked with sleepy eyes at Clematis, and crawled down into her
+lap.
+
+Then Clematis smoothed her and patted her, till she purred her very
+sweetest purr.
+
+"Ah," said Katie. "It's a fine cat. It caught a big rat in the
+night, and brought it in, as proud as pie."
+
+"Do you think they will let me keep her?" asked Clematis.
+
+"Oh, I guess so. If she catches the rats, she will be welcome here.
+You can be sure of that. I hate rats."
+
+While Clematis and Deborah were having such a good time in the
+kitchen, Mrs. Snow took Miss Rose to her room.
+
+"Well, Miss Rose, have you found out anything about that strange
+little child?"
+
+"Not very much yet. She talks very little, and has had very little
+care."
+
+"What makes you think so?"
+
+"Why, the poor child didn't know what a tooth brush was for. She
+said she always left her clothes in a pile by the bed, because she
+could find them all in the morning."
+
+Mrs. Snow sighed.
+
+"Dear me, she will need much care, to teach her how to do things
+well. But I guess her folks will come for her before long."
+
+"I don't know who her folks can be. She has never learned any
+prayers."
+
+"Poor child, she must be a sad case." Mrs. Snow sighed again.
+
+"But she is very fearless. This morning, before I went to her room,
+she had climbed out of the window and broken off a piece of the
+maple tree with buds on it."
+
+"What, way up there at the roof?"
+
+"Yes, she said that was nothing, for she had hold of the blind."
+
+"What did she want the branch for?"
+
+"She wanted it for the red buds. She broke them off and put them in
+her cup, like flowers."
+
+"Well, Miss Rose, take her out to walk this afternoon, and ask her
+some questions. Perhaps you can find out where she lives."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V
+
+CLEMATIS BEGINS TO LEARN
+
+
+Clematis played with Deborah all the morning. She forgot about
+helping Katie, and when Katie asked her if she wanted to help her
+peel some potatoes, she said:
+
+"I don't know how."
+
+[Illustration: "Didn't you ever peel potatoes?"]
+
+"Didn't you ever peel potatoes?" asked Katie.
+
+"No, I never had to do any work."
+
+"Well, you will have to be doing some work round here. It's lucky
+for you that Mrs. Snow is good to little girls. You would have a
+hard row to hoe in some homes, believe me."
+
+Clematis was busy tying her hair ribbon round Deborah's neck, and
+did not answer.
+
+The morning went fast, and the dinner was ready before Clematis was
+ready to leave her kitten.
+
+For dinner they had soup, in the little yellow bowls, with a big
+piece of Johnny cake, and some ginger bread.
+
+As soon as dinner was over, Miss Rose brought Clematis a brown
+coat.
+
+It was not new, but it was neat and warm, much better than the one
+she had worn the day before.
+
+"Come, Clematis," she said, "I am going out to walk. Don't you want
+to go with me?"
+
+"Where are you going?" asked Clematis, shrinking back.
+
+"Oh, out in the park, and down by the river. I think you will like
+it."
+
+Clematis put on the coat as quickly as she could. Then she took Miss
+Rose by the hand.
+
+"Come on, let's go," she said.
+
+"You might wait till I get my coat and hat on." Miss Rose was
+laughing at her.
+
+Soon they were down by the river. Miss Rose sat on the gravel, while
+Clematis ran along the edge of the water.
+
+She sailed bits of wood for boats, and threw little stones in, to
+see the rings they made. She was very, very happy.
+
+"Clematis," said Miss Rose, "don't you remember the street you lived
+on?"
+
+Clematis thought a minute.
+
+"How would you know the street you lived on if nobody ever told
+you?"
+
+Miss Rose thought a moment.
+
+"Don't you remember your mother's name?"
+
+Clematis shook her head.
+
+"I don't remember. It was a long time ago."
+
+"Do you mean she died a long time ago?"
+
+Miss Rose asked her some other questions. At last she said:
+
+"Well, tell me the name of the man you lived with."
+
+"His name was Smith."
+
+"Oh dear, there are so many Smiths, we shall never guess the right
+one. Dear me, Clematis. I don't know how we shall ever find your
+home."
+
+Clematis threw a big stone into the water, which made a big splash.
+
+"I hope you never will," she said.
+
+"Why, Clematis! Do you mean that you wish never to go back where you
+came from?"
+
+"Well, how would you like to live in a place where you had to stay
+in an old brick yard all day, and never saw even grass?"
+
+[Illustration: Thinking of the land of flowers]
+
+Miss Rose thought a while. Then she got up and started back to the
+Home.
+
+Clematis followed her slowly. She was sorry to go.
+
+That night Mrs. Snow talked with Miss Rose again.
+
+"She must have lived in the city," said Miss Rose. "She had to stay
+in a yard paved with bricks all day. She doesn't remember her
+parents at all. She ran away, that is sure."
+
+"I hardly know what to do," said Mrs. Snow, at last. "She can stay
+here for a while, and perhaps the people she lived with will find
+her here."
+
+So Mrs. Snow told the policeman what they had found out, and he said
+they would do the best they could to find her people.
+
+That night Clematis did not go to the little room near the maple
+tree to sleep. She went into the big room.
+
+Jane slept in the bed next to hers. Miss Rose told her to see that
+Clematis had what help she needed in going to bed.
+
+The day had been a busy one for Clematis. She was very sleepy.
+
+"I guess I won't bother with teeth and things tonight," she said to
+herself.
+
+So she pulled off her clothes, and got into bed.
+
+"Oh Clematis, you can't do that. You've got to pick up your clothes,
+and clean your teeth, and do lots of things."
+
+Jane came and shook her, as she snuggled under the clothes.
+
+"Oh, I'm too tired tonight. I'll do it tomorrow night."
+
+Clematis did not stir.
+
+Just then Miss Rose came into the sleeping room.
+
+She saw Jane trying to get Clematis out of bed. She also saw the
+pile of clothes.
+
+"Clematis, I can't have this. Get right out of bed, and do as I told
+you last night."
+
+She wanted children to obey her, and she had tried to be very kind
+to Clematis.
+
+The other children giggled, as Clematis got slowly out of bed.
+
+But Miss Rose frowned at them.
+
+"You see that she does every single thing she ought," said Miss Rose
+to Jane, "and if she doesn't, you tell me."
+
+Then Miss Rose went away, and left the girls to get ready for bed.
+
+Poor Clematis had a hard time of it. The other girls made fun of
+her, because she was so clumsy and slow. At last she got her clothes
+folded up, and went to wash.
+
+"She isn't washing her neck and ears," said Jane to herself, "but I
+guess I won't tell."
+
+So at last Clematis got into bed again, and went to sleep.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI
+
+CLEMATIS HAS A HARD ROW TO HOE
+
+
+It was all Jane could do the next morning to make Clematis get up
+when the rising bell rang.
+
+"I don't want to get up yet," grumbled Clematis. "I will get up
+pretty soon."
+
+"No you won't either. You'll get up right off now. We have to be
+ready for breakfast in fifteen minutes."
+
+Jane pulled down the clothes, while the other girls laughed. Poor
+Clematis had to get up.
+
+At first she was cross, but when she looked out of the window, she
+smiled.
+
+From this window she could see way off to a beautiful hill, golden
+brown in the morning sun.
+
+Part way to the hill was a river. Its little waves shimmered and
+danced. Its shores were quite green already.
+
+Now Clematis was wide awake and happy. She started to dress.
+
+"Wash first," said Jane.
+
+Clematis started to grumble again, but when she looked into the
+mirror above the wash stand, there was the river, smiling at her in
+the mirror.
+
+She knew this river. She had been there. Perhaps she would go again
+some day.
+
+For breakfast they had a bowl of oatmeal and milk, with two slices
+of bread.
+
+Clematis looked around while they were eating.
+
+"Don't you ever get a cup of coffee for breakfast?" she asked of
+Sally, who sat next to her.
+
+"Oh, no, never, but sometimes we have cocoa, on real cold
+mornings."
+
+Clematis turned up her nose a little. She did not care much for
+oatmeal.
+
+"I like doughnuts and coffee a great deal better," she said.
+
+"Huh, you won't have any doughnuts and coffee round here," said
+Jane. "You'd better eat what you have."
+
+Clematis took her advice, and had just finished her bread, when the
+bell sounded.
+
+"Now, Clematis," said Miss Rose, "you are going to stay here for a
+while anyway, so you must take your part in the daily work."
+
+"Yes'm."
+
+"I think you said yesterday you would like to help Katie in the
+kitchen."
+
+"Oh, yes'm," said Clematis. She had been thinking of Deborah and
+longing to see her.
+
+"Well, let's go down and see what Katie can find for you to do."
+
+There was Deborah, sleeping under the edge of the stove. Clematis
+took her while Miss Rose was asking Katie.
+
+"This little girl thinks she would like to have some work down here
+in the kitchen, Katie. Is there anything you would like her to do?"
+
+"Ah, no thank you, Miss Rose, she wouldn't be any use at all."
+
+Clematis looked up. She did not feel very happy.
+
+"Why, don't you think she could help you?" Miss Rose looked
+surprised.
+
+"No miss, she is no use at all. Yesterday I asked her to peel some
+potatoes, but she never lifted a finger. She said she didn't know
+how."
+
+"Why, Clematis, I am surprised."
+
+"Well," said Clematis, "if you never learned to peel potatoes, would
+you know how to do it?"
+
+"Yes, I think I should. Katie would have shown you, if you had been
+willing to try."
+
+Clematis hung her head, and buried her face in Deborah's soft fur.
+
+"You see, miss, she's of no use to me. She don't want to work at
+all. Her cat, now, is a worker. She caught a big rat in the night."
+
+"Well then, Clematis, we shall have to ask Mrs. Snow to find you
+something else to do."
+
+Clematis dropped her kitten, and the tears ran down her cheeks, as
+she followed Miss Rose upstairs.
+
+Katie looked after her with a sad smile.
+
+"She'll have a hard row to hoe round here, believe me," she said to
+herself.
+
+Mrs. Snow frowned when Miss Rose told her.
+
+"I am very sorry," she said. "She may work with Jane, then, in the
+dormitory. Jane is a good worker and can teach her."
+
+Poor Clematis was rather frightened when she heard that she was to
+work in the dormitory. She was afraid a dormitory was some dark
+place like a prison. She did not know that the dormitory was the big
+room where she had slept.
+
+Soon Clematis was back in the big room again. There she took the
+place of another little girl, who was making up the beds with Jane.
+
+"Hurry up now," said Jane. "We have got to get these beds all made
+up before nine o'clock. School begins then."
+
+She showed Clematis how to tuck the sheet in, down at the foot, and
+pull it up smooth at the head of the bed.
+
+Clematis was looking out of the window, way over the river, to the
+sunny brown hill.
+
+"There now. Why don't you look out?" said Jane. For Clematis had
+given such a pull that she pulled all the clothes out at the foot of
+the bed.
+
+"I was looking out, so there," said Clematis.
+
+"Yes, looking out of the window, that's all." Jane was vexed.
+
+"Now hurry up and get them tucked in again."
+
+But Clematis was very clumsy, and not very willing. She had never
+had to make beds before. She didn't see any need of it.
+
+"Why can't you leave the blankets till you go to bed, and then just
+pull them up?" she said, pouting.
+
+"Because you can't, that's why. And you'd better try, or you'll
+never get a chance to go to the country."
+
+"What do you mean? Who goes to the country?"
+
+Clematis came round the bed and took Jane by the arm.
+
+"Why, most of the children who do well, or try hard to do well, go
+to the country for two weeks in the summer."
+
+"To the country where the flowers grow, and where there is grass all
+around?"
+
+"Sure, and where they give you milk and apple pie. Oh, apple pie
+even for breakfast, and doughnuts between meals. I had doughnuts
+every day."
+
+"Crickety!" said Clematis.
+
+"You'd better not let Miss Rose hear you say that, and you needn't
+worry. You won't go to any country, when you can't even make beds."
+
+Clematis gave Jane a frightened look, and started to work the best
+she knew how.
+
+But the best Clematis knew how was very poor work, and by the time
+the bell rang for school, one bed still had to be done.
+
+"Let it alone," said Jane. "I can make it up faster myself."
+
+Her hands and feet moved fast enough to surprise little Clematis,
+who followed her friend down to the school room, wondering how long
+it would take her to learn to make beds.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII
+
+WHAT CLEMATIS FOUND
+
+
+School began with music, and Miss Rose went to the piano. The minute
+she began to play, Clematis stood up, and stared at her.
+
+"Sit down. Don't stand up now." Jane pulled her sleeve.
+
+But Clematis paid no attention. She kept her eyes on the piano, and
+seemed to hear nothing else.
+
+The song was of Spring; of birds, and brooks, and flowers. Clematis
+listened to every word, and when it was finished she sat down with a
+sigh.
+
+After the singing, they had a class in reading.
+
+Clematis stared at the words on the blackboard, but could not tell
+any of them.
+
+"Have you learned any of your letters?" asked Miss Rose.
+
+"No'm," said Clematis.
+
+The other children giggled, for Clematis was as large as Jane. Jane
+was eight, and could read very well.
+
+"Tomorrow you must go into the special class, and you must work
+hard, and catch up as fast as you can."
+
+"Yes'm."
+
+Clematis was angry. She didn't like to be laughed at.
+
+At recess, all the children ran out into the yard to play. It was a
+large yard, with a high wooden fence around it.
+
+Glad to be free, Jane ran off to find some chums, and left Clematis
+to play by herself.
+
+So Clematis wandered round by the fence till she came to a sunny
+spot, near the big maple tree with the red buds.
+
+Here she picked up a dead twig and sat down, turning over the dried
+leaves with the twig, and throwing them in the air.
+
+As she picked up the leaves, she saw some blades of grass beneath
+them.
+
+Then she picked up more leaves, and found many blades of grass
+growing beneath their warm shelter.
+
+Clematis got up and walked near the fence, where the leaves were
+thicker. There she poked them away, and found longer blades of
+grass, and new leaves, green and shiny.
+
+"Oh," she said to herself, "I hope I can come out here every day."
+
+Then she stopped. She pushed away some more leaves. She looked
+around at the other children.
+
+None of them were looking at her.
+
+She stooped, and took something from under the pile of leaves.
+
+Again she looked about, but nobody was paying attention to her. All
+the children were playing games.
+
+Then a sound made her look up. It was the bell. Recess was over, and
+all the children were going in.
+
+Clematis put her hand into her apron pocket quickly, and followed
+the other children back to school.
+
+"How has the new girl done today?" asked Mrs. Snow, just before they
+sat down to dinner.
+
+"She seems to feel more at home," replied Miss Rose. "She doesn't
+know her letters yet. I guess she has grown up all by herself."
+
+"That is too bad. I will give her a test this afternoon, about
+three. If she would like to play with her kitten in the playroom for
+an hour, after dinner, she may do so."
+
+"Oh, I am sure she would be glad to see her kitten. She is a queer
+child. At recess she stole away all by herself, to play by the
+fence."
+
+The children were coming in now, and Mrs. Snow nodded to Miss Rose,
+as she went to her chair.
+
+Little Sally had been just behind Miss Rose as she said the last
+words to Mrs. Snow. She heard part of the words she said, and began
+to whisper to her neighbor.
+
+"She said somebody stole something. It must be that new girl. See
+how queer she looks."
+
+Then of course the neighbor had to whisper to the girl next to her.
+
+"Do you know what it was the new girl stole? See how funny she
+looks. She'd better not steal anything of mine."
+
+In a minute Clematis knew they were talking about her. She didn't
+know what it was, but she knew it was unkind.
+
+They were looking at her, and talking to each other. Her face turned
+red. She could not eat. One hand went deep into her apron pocket.
+
+Miss Rose quickly saw that something was wrong. She knew that little
+girls often made fun of the strangers, and it vexed her.
+
+"Any little girl who is not polite," she said, "may leave the table
+at once."
+
+The girls stopped talking, but they poked each other with their feet
+under the table. They were sure Clematis had stolen something, for
+she looked just as if she had.
+
+"Come, Clematis, eat your dinner now."
+
+"Yes'm," said Clematis. But it was hard to swallow the bread.
+
+She drank the soup, and left most of the bread by her bowl.
+
+As soon as the bell rang, Miss Rose beckoned to her.
+
+"Would you like to take Deborah to the playroom for a while, and
+play with her there?"
+
+Clematis looked very much surprised. She had expected some new
+trouble.
+
+"Oh, yes'm," she gasped, and started down to the kitchen, glad to
+get away from the other girls, who had been watching.
+
+Then Miss Rose beckoned to Jane.
+
+"Jane, what were the girls saying about Clematis at the table?"
+
+Jane hung her head. She did not like to repeat such awful things
+about Clematis, for she really liked her, though it was hard to
+teach her to work.
+
+"Tell me, Jane. Miss Rose wants to know."
+
+"The girls were saying she stole something."
+
+"Stole something? Why, what did she steal, Jane?"
+
+"I don't know. I just heard them saying she had stolen something.
+She looked just as if she had."
+
+"Very well. Thank you, Jane."
+
+Jane went down to the school room, where all the girls were eager to
+know what Clematis had stolen. But Jane could tell them nothing.
+
+"She just asked me what you said," Jane declared.
+
+"That's just like Jane," cried Sally. "She knows all the time, only
+she won't tell."
+
+While they were talking, Clematis was finding a cosy corner in the
+playroom, and smoothing out every hair on Deborah's smooth back.
+
+Deborah seemed very happy, and purred all the time.
+
+"I don't care if they do say mean things, and make noses at me. You
+won't ever, will you, Debby?"
+
+"Purr, purr, purr," said Deborah. No indeed, she never would.
+
+Time went fast, and it was three o'clock before Clematis had got
+Deborah settled down for sleep in a little bed she made for her
+beneath the window.
+
+"Take her downstairs now, Clematis," said Miss Rose, coming in.
+"Then come up to Mrs. Snow's room. We want to ask you some
+questions."
+
+Again Clematis turned red. She went slowly downstairs, with Deborah
+under one arm. The other hand deep in her apron pocket.
+
+"She surely looks as if something were wrong," thought Miss Rose, as
+Clematis disappeared.
+
+Clematis looked very unhappy when she went to Mrs. Snow's room.
+
+"Come in, little girl," said Mrs. Snow, kindly. "There are some
+things I want to ask you about."
+
+"Yes'm," replied Clematis, her lips quivering.
+
+"First, I want to know what all this talk is about. Some of the
+girls were saying that you took something which did not belong to
+you. Can that be true?"
+
+Clematis hung her head. The tears came into her eyes.
+
+"Don't cry, Clematis," said Miss Rose. "Just tell Mrs. Snow what it
+is, and perhaps we can make it all right again."
+
+"What was it, little girl?" asked Mrs. Snow, as she drew her
+nearer.
+
+"It was mine, I found it first," sobbed Clematis.
+
+"Yes, but you must remember that if we find a thing, that does not
+make it ours. We must find the true owner, and give it back. That is
+the only honest thing to do."
+
+"What was it you found?" asked Miss Rose.
+
+"I don't kn-ow."
+
+"Where did you find it?"
+
+"Do-wn by the fe-ence."
+
+"Where is it now, Clematis?" Mrs. Snow spoke kindly, as she wiped
+the child's face with her handkerchief.
+
+"It's in my pocket," answered Clematis.
+
+She drew out her closed hand, held it before the two ladies, and
+slowly opened it.
+
+Within lay a limp, withered dandelion blossom.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII
+
+A VISITOR
+
+
+Mrs. Snow still tells the story of how Clematis stole the first
+dandelion of the springtime, out under the leaves.
+
+People laugh when they hear the story. You see, it all came about
+because the children told tales on each other, and it was a good
+joke on them.
+
+But as Clematis stood there, before Mrs. Snow and Miss Rose, she
+didn't see the joke at all. She cried, and hid her face in her
+arms.
+
+"Come here, dear," said Mrs. Snow. "It is all right, and you shall
+have every dandelion you find in the yard."
+
+"Wasn't it stealing?" sobbed Clematis.
+
+"No, it was all right, if you found it first."
+
+"And can I have all I find first?"
+
+"Yes, indeed you can."
+
+Clematis lifted her head, and wiped the tears from her eyes.
+
+"Oh," she said, and seemed happy once more. She smoothed the limp
+little flower in her hot hand.
+
+"And now," said Mrs. Snow, "I wonder if you can tell us some more
+about yourself."
+
+"Yes'm, I'll tell you all you ask, and I won't tell any lies."
+
+"I'm sure you won't. Perhaps you can remember, now, where you lived
+before you came here."
+
+Clematis shook her head. "I told Miss Rose every single thing," she
+said, "except--"
+
+"Except what?"
+
+"Except that I ran away."
+
+Clematis hung her head again.
+
+"Why did you run away?"
+
+"Well, wouldn't you run away, if you had to stay in a yard all day
+that was nothing but bricks?"
+
+Mrs. Snow smiled. "Perhaps I would," she replied.
+
+"Didn't you ever go out at all?" asked Miss Rose, who had been
+listening.
+
+"Just sometimes, to go over to the store. Just across the street and
+back, and that was all bricks, too."
+
+[Illustration: Clematis held out her hand]
+
+"Do you think you could find your way home again, if Miss Rose went
+with you?"
+
+Clematis shook her head. "Oh, no. It was a long, long way. I was
+most dead from walking."
+
+Mrs. Snow thought a moment. Then she said, "Miss Rose tells me that
+you have not learned to read. Is that true?"
+
+"Yes'm, I never learned to do anything except count the change I
+got. But I can learn to read, and do numbers, too."
+
+Clematis spoke without sobbing now. She was thinking of the country,
+where girls went who did well.
+
+"Do you think you could take her in a class by herself for a short
+time?" Mrs. Snow asked, turning to Miss Rose.
+
+Miss Rose was about to answer, when one of the older girls came to
+the door.
+
+"What is it, Ruth?"
+
+"Please, Mrs. Snow, a man wants to see you."
+
+"What is his name?"
+
+"His name is Smith. He wants to see you about a little girl."
+
+As she said this, Miss Rose looked up quickly.
+
+Clematis also looked up. Her face turned red, and she put a finger
+in her mouth.
+
+"Tell him to come in here."
+
+In another minute a small, thin man walked in.
+
+He was poorly dressed, and looked as if he had been ill.
+
+"Did you wish to see me about one of the children?" asked Mrs.
+Snow.
+
+"Yes, marm, about this little girl right here."
+
+The man turned and smiled at Clematis, who was standing close by
+Miss Rose.
+
+"Hello, Clematis, I thought I should find you somewhere."
+
+Clematis smiled too, but she did not speak.
+
+"Oh," said Mrs. Snow, "are you the one who took care of this little
+girl?"
+
+"Yes, marm. I've had her ever since she was a little baby."
+
+Mrs. Snow thought a minute.
+
+"I suppose you want to take her home with you."
+
+"I don't know about that. I have no home to keep a child in, and do
+right by her. You see, my wife is sick most of the time."
+
+"Don't you know any of her folks who could care for her?"
+
+"No, marm. Her mother came to our house when Clematis was a tiny
+baby. She said the father was dead. Then she died too, and we could
+never find out who she was."
+
+"Do you know her last name?" asked Miss Rose.
+
+"No, miss. We never knew her last name. She said it was Jones, but
+we never believed that was the truth. This little girl we just
+called Clematis."
+
+"Didn't she have anything to help you find out who she was?" asked
+Mrs. Snow in surprise.
+
+"Not a single thing, except this picture."
+
+The man took out a small photograph.
+
+It showed three girls standing together in front of a brick
+building.
+
+"That is her mother on the left, marm, but I don't see how the
+picture helps very much."
+
+"That is true. Still, the picture is better than nothing."
+
+"That is just what we thought, marm," Mr. Smith replied. "We kept
+her along, hoping we should find some one to claim her, but no one
+came. She is too big for us to care for now."
+
+"Then you are ready to give her up?"
+
+"Yes, marm, if you will care for her. She is very restless, and
+always wanting to run off."
+
+Mrs. Snow turned to Clematis.
+
+"Do you think you would rather stay here, than go back with Mr.
+Smith?"
+
+"Yes'm," said Clematis, quickly. She had been thinking of the visits
+to the country. If she went back to the yard, all made of bricks,
+how would she ever see the grass and flowers?
+
+"Very well, Mr. Smith. I think you have done a good deal to keep her
+as long as you have. She was well fed, even if she didn't learn
+much."
+
+"Thank you, marm."
+
+Then Miss Rose took Clematis out of the office, while Mrs. Snow
+talked with Mr. Smith.
+
+All the afternoon Clematis wondered what they were going to do with
+her.
+
+After supper Miss Rose called to her, as the children were going to
+the playroom.
+
+"Clematis," she said, "do you think that if you stayed here you
+could work real hard, and learn to do as the other children do?"
+
+"Yes'm."
+
+"Very well. Mrs. Snow finds that we can keep you here. I will try to
+teach you myself, so you can catch up with the other children."
+
+"Yes'm," said Clematis.
+
+That is all she said, but she was so glad, that she could not sleep
+for a long time after she went to bed.
+
+She lay awake thinking, and thinking, of the things she would learn
+to do, so she might go at last to the country, the land of flowers,
+and grass, and birds; the land where white clouds floated always in
+a blue, blue sky.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IX
+
+THE SECRET
+
+
+The next morning Clematis did better in helping Jane with the beds,
+and before many mornings had passed she learned so well that Miss
+Rose praised her for her work.
+
+When she wanted to stop trying, and wanted to get up without washing
+her face and hands, and cleaning her teeth, she would look out the
+window at the hill beyond the river.
+
+It seemed to smile at her and say:
+
+"Don't forget the beautiful country, little girl. Remember the birds
+and the flowers. Do the best you can."
+
+But there were so many things to do that it seemed to poor Clematis
+as if she would never learn half of them.
+
+When she tried to help in setting the table, she dropped some
+plates.
+
+She said things that made the other girls cross, for she had never
+learned to play with other girls, and she forgot that she could no
+longer do just as she pleased.
+
+Worst of all, she did not always pay attention to study, and when
+Miss Rose left her to do some numbers, would be looking out of the
+window, instead of working on her paper.
+
+So the days went on, and spring was almost over.
+
+The dandelions had all blossomed and grown up tall, with white caps
+on their heads, and there were no other flowers in the yard.
+
+One day Clematis found something which made her almost as happy as
+if she had found some flowers.
+
+At first she thought she would keep it a secret, and tell no one
+about it. Then she thought how good Jane had been to her, so she
+went up to her when she was standing alone.
+
+"Say, Jane, if I tell you a secret will you promise not to tell
+anybody else?"
+
+"Sure, I'll promise," said Jane. "What is it?"
+
+Clematis looked around. The other children were playing games.
+
+"Come over here," she said.
+
+She led Jane to the big board fence which stood at the back of the
+yard.
+
+Then she got down on her knees and took hold of one of the boards.
+It was loose, and she could pull it out.
+
+"See, look through there," said Clematis, in a low voice.
+
+Her face shone with pleasure as she peeped through.
+
+Jane knelt down, and peeped through too. Beyond the fence she could
+see into another yard.
+
+In this yard there was grass growing, and flower-beds, where the
+flowers were beginning to grow up in green shoots.
+
+But this was not all. Not far from the fence, by a corner of the
+garden, stood a low bush. She could smell its sweet fragrance from
+where she knelt.
+
+"Do you see it?" whispered Clematis.
+
+"Of course I see it. I can smell it too. It's great."
+
+Jane took in a long breath of the fragrance, and smiled at
+Clematis.
+
+"Oh, I wish I had some of those blossoms." Clematis looked eagerly
+at the blossoms. "Do you know what they are, Jane?"
+
+"Oh, yes; those are lilacs."
+
+The two girls had just time to take one more deep breath, full of
+the fragrance from the lilac blossoms, before the bell rang.
+
+Jane kept her promise, and while the lilacs lasted, they used to go
+often to their secret place and smell the fragrance of the
+blossoms.
+
+The first of July, some of the girls began to start for their
+vacations in the country.
+
+Now it was harder than ever for Clematis to stick to her work. She
+kept thinking of the beautiful fields, when she should have been
+thinking of numbers.
+
+"I don't know what we are going to do with you, Clematis," said Miss
+Rose one day.
+
+"You do try hard sometimes. You have learned to make beds well. You
+are a good girl about your clothes, morning and night. But you are
+dreaming of other things, I fear. What is it you dream about so
+much?"
+
+Clematis thought a moment.
+
+"Do you think I will have a chance to go to the country?"
+
+She looked up at Miss Rose. Her face was white and anxious.
+
+"Why Clematis. I don't know. You wouldn't be very much help I am
+afraid. You quarrel with the other children, and you are very slow
+to learn."
+
+"Yes'm," said Clematis, and hung her head.
+
+"Still," said Miss Rose, "you might have a chance later. If you try
+hard I will not forget you."
+
+Clematis tried to feel happier then, but there were so many things
+to learn, and so few days to learn them in, that she hardly dared to
+hope very much.
+
+She found it very hard to learn to play happily with the other
+children, and liked it much better just to get Deborah all by
+herself and play with her.
+
+July went by, and the children began to come back again. They told
+stories of the wonderful things they had seen, and now Clematis was
+only too glad to sit near them and listen.
+
+[Illustration: Clematis is better]
+
+"Oh," said Sally, who had been to Maine, "Mr. Lane had a field
+almost as big as a whole city, full of long grass and daisies."
+
+"Would he let you pick the daisies?" asked Clematis.
+
+"Of course he would; all you wanted."
+
+"Where is Maine?" asked Clematis, eagerly.
+
+"Hear her talk," said another girl, named Betty, with a sniff. "She
+needn't worry, she'll never get a chance to pick any."
+
+Betty was not very kind, and did not like Clematis. She often made
+fun of the younger children.
+
+Clematis turned red. Her eyes flashed, and she was about to answer,
+when the supper bell rang.
+
+They had just sat down at the table, when Betty said to a girl near
+by:
+
+"You ought to hear Clematis. She thinks she is going to the country.
+Just as if anybody would have her around."
+
+Betty sat next to Clematis, who heard every word.
+
+She had tried to be a good girl and learn, just as Miss Rose asked
+her to.
+
+Her face burned, and her eyes flashed more than ever.
+
+Before she stopped to think, she turned and waved her spoon before
+Betty's face, saying:
+
+"You can't stop me. You'd better keep quiet, you old pig!"
+
+Betty was so startled that she moved back. Her arm struck her bowl
+of milk, and the milk spilled out, all over the table.
+
+Part of it spilled down into her lap.
+
+Then Clematis began to cry. When Miss Rose sent her away from the
+table, and up to her bed, she went willingly.
+
+She was glad to get away from the other children.
+
+Miss Rose saw how sad she was, and knew how naughty Betty had been,
+so she did not punish her.
+
+"I am very sorry you have not learned to behave more politely,
+Clematis. Perhaps this will be a lesson to you."
+
+That was all she said before Clematis went to bed, but Clematis
+cried quietly a long, long time.
+
+She felt that she had made every one look at her, right in front of
+Mrs. Snow. What would Mrs. Snow think of her now?
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER X
+
+TWO DOCTORS
+
+
+It was very late before Clematis fell asleep that night, and in the
+morning she had a headache.
+
+When she got up she had to sit on the bed, she felt so dizzy.
+
+Miss Rose found her sitting there.
+
+"Why, Clematis," she said. "Are you sick?"
+
+"Yes'm, I guess so," whispered the poor little girl.
+
+"Lie right down again, dear, and perhaps you will feel better."
+
+They brought her a cup of cocoa, and some toast, for breakfast, but
+she could not eat.
+
+All day she lay there, pale and sick.
+
+In the afternoon old Doctor Field came in to see her. He sat down by
+the bed and asked her some questions.
+
+He looked at her tongue, and felt her pulse. Then he took out some
+little pills and gave them to Miss Rose.
+
+"I guess you had better put her in a single room," he said. "Give
+her some of these in water, every two hours during the day."
+
+He smiled at Clematis before he went out. "I guess she will feel
+better in the morning, when I come again."
+
+But in the morning Clematis was not better. She was worse.
+
+"How did she pass the night?" asked Doctor Field, as he felt her
+pulse.
+
+"Not very well," said Miss Rose. "She did not sleep much, and had a
+good deal of pain."
+
+Doctor Field looked at her chest and arms.
+
+"It might be chicken pox, or measles," he said, "but I don't see any
+of the usual signs."
+
+Little Clematis lay and looked at him steadily.
+
+"Did you want something, dear?" he asked.
+
+"I want a drink," she said. "I want a drink of cold, cold water."
+
+"Yes, dear, you shall have a drink, of course you shall."
+
+The old doctor went into the hall with Miss Rose.
+
+"She may have a drink, but only a little at a time. And I wouldn't
+let it be too cold. She really gets enough water with her
+medicine."
+
+Soon they brought Clematis a little water in a cup. She raised her
+head and drank it, but then made a face and turned her head away.
+
+"It isn't any good," she said.
+
+That evening old Doctor Field came again. He looked carefully at
+Clematis, and shook his head.
+
+"I guess it's only a slow fever. It's nothing catching," he said.
+"She'll be better in a few days."
+
+The few days passed, but Clematis was not better.
+
+At night she was restless, and slept little. Even when she did
+sleep, her slumber was disturbed by bad dreams.
+
+She talked to herself during these dreams, though people couldn't
+understand what she said.
+
+Doctor Field came to see her every day or two, but he could not tell
+what her sickness was. He always said:
+
+"Just give her the medicine as directed, and she will be better
+soon."
+
+Miss Rose had asked Mrs. Snow if she might take care of her, for she
+had come to love little Clematis, and Clematis loved her in return.
+
+The school work did not take her time very much now, so Mrs. Snow
+was glad to let Miss Rose care for Clematis.
+
+If she stayed away very long, Clematis would call for her. She
+wanted her in the room.
+
+"Mrs. Snow," said Miss Rose, one day, after Clematis had been ill
+more than two weeks, "I am very anxious about Clematis."
+
+"Is she no better?"
+
+"No, I feel she is worse. She keeps asking for a cold drink of
+water, and says she is burning up. I wish I dared give her some, and
+keep her cooler."
+
+"Well, I think I should follow the doctor's directions. It wouldn't
+be wise to do anything that is not directed by him."
+
+"Don't you suppose we could have another doctor to look at her, Mrs.
+Snow?"
+
+"No, I fear not; not just now, anyway."
+
+Miss Rose went back to the little room upstairs with a sad heart.
+She knew Clematis was very ill.
+
+That night she prayed that something might be done for the little
+sick girl, and the next morning she felt as if her prayers had been
+answered, when Doctor Field came.
+
+"I shall have to be away for a short time, Miss Rose," he said,
+after he looked at Clematis, and felt her pulse.
+
+"A young man, Doctor Wyatt, will take my place, and I am sure he
+will do all that can be done."
+
+"Can he come today?" asked Miss Rose. "I wish he could see her
+soon."
+
+"I will ask him. I think he will be much interested in Clematis. I
+should like to see her well again myself, but I must be out of town
+a few weeks."
+
+"Oh, I hope he will come today, and I hope he will take an interest
+in my little girl," said Miss Rose to herself.
+
+"I know she can be cured, if we only know what is the matter."
+
+That afternoon Doctor Wyatt came. Miss Rose was glad when she saw
+him, for he was so kind, and so wise, that she knew he would do the
+best he could.
+
+The afternoon was hot, and Clematis was covered with hot blankets,
+as directed by Doctor Field.
+
+Dr. Wyatt took the blankets, and threw them off.
+
+"The poor child will roast under those," he said.
+
+Then he sat beside her, and watched her.
+
+"Is there anything you would like?" he said at last, in a pleasant
+voice.
+
+"Yes, I want a cold drink of water." Her voice sounded faint and
+feeble now.
+
+"What does she have to drink?" asked Doctor Wyatt.
+
+"We give her water now and then, as directed by Dr. Field. But we do
+not give her very much, and not very cold."
+
+"Have you any oranges in the house?"
+
+"I could get some."
+
+"Then take the white of an egg, and put with it the juice of a whole
+orange. Add half a glass of water, with pieces of ice.
+
+"Have good big pieces of ice," Doctor Wyatt called after her, as he
+saw that Clematis had fixed her eye on him.
+
+Clematis smiled when he said that, and turned toward him with a
+sigh.
+
+Soon Miss Rose came back with the glass. Dr. Wyatt held it to the
+lips of the little sick girl. She drank slowly.
+
+"Oh thanks," she whispered, when he took the glass away.
+
+"Give her some of that whenever she asks for it," he said.
+
+"Now tell me about the nights," the doctor went on.
+
+"She is restless, and sleeps very little. She has bad dreams when
+she does sleep, and talks to herself."
+
+"What does she talk about?"
+
+"I don't know. We can't make out."
+
+"Do you keep the room lighted at night?"
+
+"Oh, no, it is kept dark."
+
+"Well, tonight keep it lighted. People who have bad dreams are often
+frightened by the dark."
+
+"Shall I give her the medicine as directed?"
+
+"No, don't give her any more medicine at present. Give her all she
+wants of the orange and egg. I'll be back in the morning."
+
+And Dr. Wyatt was gone.
+
+"He's a good doctor," said Clematis, licking her dry lips. "I want a
+drink."
+
+Miss Rose smiled, and put the glass to her lips.
+
+[Illustration: Off for Tilton]
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XI
+
+A LONG, ANXIOUS NIGHT
+
+
+"Well," said Doctor Wyatt, the next morning, "how is Clematis
+today?"
+
+"She seems a little more comfortable," said Miss Rose.
+
+The doctor sat by her for half an hour. He felt her pulse, and
+looked her all over. Then he shook his head.
+
+That day he spent a long time studying his books.
+
+In the evening he came again, and sat by Clematis. He shook his
+head, sadly.
+
+"I must tell you, Miss Rose, that Clematis is a very sick little
+girl," he said, as they stood in the hall.
+
+"Can't you do anything for her?" The tears sprang to her eyes.
+
+"Perhaps I can. If she is no better tomorrow, I shall feel very
+anxious."
+
+Again that night the doctor spent a long time over his big books.
+Then he went and talked with doctors in the hospital.
+
+"I shall be here most of the time tonight," he said the next
+morning. "Keep her cool, and as comfortable as you can."
+
+Miss Rose went back to the bed with aching heart.
+
+"Oh, if we only knew what was the matter with you, Clematis," she
+thought, as she looked at the little white face.
+
+In the evening Doctor Wyatt came back once more.
+
+"Now, Miss Rose," he said, "you are very tired. You must go away for
+a walk, or a visit, or a rest. I will take care of her tonight."
+
+"Don't you think I had better stay, too?"
+
+"No, you must rest. Please have a cup of coffee sent to me about
+ten. I shall stay right here. You will be needed tomorrow."
+
+Doctor Wyatt sat down to watch by Clematis.
+
+It was a warm evening, so he gave her a drink, and fanned her, to
+cool her hot face.
+
+As it grew late, she fell into a light sleep. As she slept, she
+began to talk in low tones.
+
+The doctor bent his head down very near her lips, and listened
+carefully to everything she said.
+
+Hour after hour he watched and listened, until he, too, fell asleep,
+just as the sun was coming up.
+
+Miss Rose found him there in the morning, sleeping in his chair,
+close by the bed.
+
+"Miss Rose," he asked, as he started up, "did this little girl want
+anything very much indeed?"
+
+"Yes, she did. She wanted to go to the country, as the other
+children did, but it did not seem quite possible."
+
+"That's it! That's just it!" exclaimed Doctor Wyatt. "She spoke of
+flowers, of lilacs and daisies. I couldn't tell much what she said,
+but I could hear those words."
+
+At that moment, Clematis opened her eyes and stared about her.
+
+Doctor Wyatt took one thin, frail hand in his big brown ones.
+
+"Clematis," he said in a loud, firm tone, "I know a lovely place in
+the country. If you will get well, you can go there for two whole
+weeks."
+
+Clematis stared at him, but did not seem to hear him.
+
+"I want a drink," she said feebly.
+
+He put the glass to her lips.
+
+"You can pick daisies, and goldenrod, and all sorts of flowers in
+the country, if you'll just get well, can't she, Miss Rose?"
+
+"Yes, Clematis, you can." Miss Rose tried to speak cheerfully, but
+it was hard. She wanted to cry.
+
+Clematis stared at her also for a minute, and then turned away.
+
+"I'll go get some sleep now. Keep her cool and comfortable, till I
+come back again this evening."
+
+The day passed slowly. Mrs. Snow came in two or three times to look
+at Clematis, and feel her pulse.
+
+Some of the other teachers came to peep in also. They went away
+softly, wiping their eyes.
+
+"She is a queer little girl," said one, "but I do love her."
+
+That is what they all felt.
+
+At evening Doctor Wyatt returned. He looked anxious, as he took his
+seat beside the bed.
+
+"I shall stay till about ten, Miss Rose, so you must rest now."
+
+"I don't want to go," said Miss Rose.
+
+"You must, you will be needed later. She will need great care
+tonight, I think."
+
+At ten, Miss Rose returned. She had not rested much, and was glad to
+get back to the bedside.
+
+"Here is my telephone number, Miss Rose. You can get me very soon by
+calling me up. Watch her carefully, and if you see any change at
+all, send for me at once."
+
+"Do you think there may be a change tonight?" Miss Rose looked
+straight into his face to see just what he meant.
+
+"Yes, Miss Rose, there may be, and I hope it will be for the
+better."
+
+"You hope?" Miss Rose held her breath a minute.
+
+"Yes, let us hope. Hope does more than all the medicine in the
+world."
+
+The minutes crept along into hours, and midnight passed, while Miss
+Rose watched.
+
+Clematis seemed restless, but she did not talk to herself any more.
+
+Miss Rose held the glass to her lips now and then, but she did not
+drink.
+
+When Miss Rose wiped her face with a cold, wet cloth, she smiled a
+faint little smile, as if she liked it. Then the look of pain would
+come again, as she turned restlessly.
+
+The clock outside struck one. How slowly the minutes went.
+
+At last it struck two, and a breeze stirred the leaves outside.
+
+They were the leaves of the maple Clematis had broken in the early
+Spring. Now they seemed to whisper softly to each other.
+
+All else was silent.
+
+Miss Rose had watched a long time. Many days she had been by the
+bed. Her eyes began to droop.
+
+"I'll rest my head just a minute," she thought, and leaned back upon
+the chair.
+
+Slowly the clock struck three. As the last stroke came, Miss Rose
+stirred, and opened her eyes.
+
+Then she started up.
+
+"I must have been asleep," she said aloud. "Oh, shame on me for
+sleeping, when I promised to watch."
+
+She looked down at the bed.
+
+Clematis lay there, peaceful and quiet. Her little hand was white
+and still as marble. Her face seemed very happy. All pain was gone,
+and a smile lay upon the pale lips.
+
+"Oh, little Clematis. To think I should have been asleep!"
+
+Miss Rose took out her handkerchief, and bent her head down on the
+bed, weeping.
+
+A slight sound seemed to come from the pillow. Miss Rose looked up.
+
+The child's eyes were open wide. She was looking at her in wonder.
+
+"He said I could go, didn't he?" said Clematis in a faint voice.
+
+Miss Rose choked down her sobs.
+
+"Yes, yes, Clematis, he did, he did."
+
+"Well, then, what are you crying about?"
+
+Clematis closed her eyes again and lay, still as before, with a
+little smile on her lips.
+
+Miss Rose was so astonished that she sat staring at her for some
+minutes, until she heard a step in the hall.
+
+It was Doctor Wyatt.
+
+He came in softly and looked at the little figure on the bed.
+
+He felt her pulse, and listened to her heart. Then he smiled, and
+led Miss Rose from the room.
+
+"She is all right now," he whispered. "Let her sleep as long as she
+can."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XII
+
+GETTING WELL
+
+
+Clematis slept all night, and all the next day. It was evening when
+she woke.
+
+Miss Rose was beside the bed, and heard her as she moved.
+
+"Do you feel better now, dear little girl?" asked Miss Rose.
+
+Clematis looked at her a moment with eyes wide open.
+
+"He said I could go, didn't he?" she asked.
+
+"Yes, surely he did, and you can go; you shall go just as soon as
+you are well."
+
+Clematis smiled a happy smile.
+
+"I want a drink of that orange juice."
+
+Miss Rose brought a glass with ice in it, and held it, while
+Clematis sipped it slowly. Then she washed her face and hands in
+cold water.
+
+"Thanks," the little girl whispered, as she turned on the pillow,
+and went off to sleep again.
+
+There was great joy all through the Home, for every one knew that
+Clematis was getting well.
+
+Doctor Wyatt came every day to look at his little sick girl, and
+laugh, and pat her cheeks.
+
+"You just wait till you see the apple pies my aunt can make," he
+would say.
+
+Then Clematis would smile.
+
+"Tell me about the garden. Are there any lilacs?"
+
+"No lilac blossoms now, little sister, but asters, and hollyhocks,
+and goldenrod. You just wait till you see them."
+
+Then the doctor would go out, with another laugh.
+
+Soon Clematis got so well that she could sit up in bed.
+
+Miss Rose would sit by the window, sewing, and sometimes she would
+read a story.
+
+One afternoon she saw that Clematis was anxious about something. She
+had a little wrinkle in her forehead.
+
+"What is it you are thinking about? Is there something you want?"
+
+[Illustration: In the country at last]
+
+Miss Rose went and stood by the bed, smoothing her forehead with her
+soft hand.
+
+"I was thinking," said Clematis. "I was thinking that--that perhaps
+I could have Deborah come to see me, just for a minute."
+
+"Well, you wait a minute, and I'll see."
+
+Miss Rose went out, and Clematis waited to hear her steps again. She
+had not seen Deborah for a long time.
+
+Soon she heard Miss Rose coming back. She shut her eyes till the
+footsteps came up to the bed, and before she opened them, there was
+a little pounce beside her.
+
+Her dear Deborah was rubbing a cold nose against her cheek, and
+purring how glad she was to see her.
+
+Clematis smoothed and patted her a long time, as she lay purring
+close by her side.
+
+After that, Deborah came up often, and lay there on the bed, while
+Miss Rose sewed by the window.
+
+"What are you sewing?" asked Clematis one day, when she was well
+enough to sit up.
+
+"What do you suppose?"
+
+"It looks like a dress."
+
+"That's just what it is. It's a new dress for a little girl to wear
+to the country."
+
+"Oh, who is going to have it? Let me see it. Please hold it up."
+
+Miss Rose held the dress before her. It was nearly done.
+
+The skirt was of serge, navy blue, with two pockets. With it went a
+middy blouse, with white lacings at the neck, and white stars on the
+sleeves.
+
+"Oh, please tell me. Who is going to have it?" The child's eyes
+danced as she saw the pretty dress.
+
+"I'll give you just one guess," said Miss Rose, smiling.
+
+Clematis gasped. Could it be for her? She had never dreamed of
+owning a dress like that.
+
+The little girl sat there a moment, without speaking. Then she
+pointed one finger at herself.
+
+"Right, the very first time," said Miss Rose. "This blouse is to
+travel in. There is another."
+
+She reached down and lifted another blouse. This was white, with
+blue collar and cuffs, and a blue star on the sleeve.
+
+All this was too much for Clematis. The tears stood in her eyes, and
+she breathed fast. But she did not say very much to speak her
+gratitude.
+
+"Oh, thanks," was all she said. Miss Rose saw in her face how much
+it all meant to her.
+
+"I am proud of this little patient," said Doctor Wyatt, the next
+day. "If she keeps on at this rate, we can send her up to Tilton
+next week."
+
+[Illustration: "What are you sewing?"]
+
+How her eyes shone! How her heart jumped! The very next week she
+would be starting for the land of her dreams.
+
+She could see great fields of grass, with daisies and clover.
+Already she could see them stretching out before her.
+
+How she got through the days before she was to start, she never
+knew. She was well enough now to sleep in the dormitory once more;
+to eat with the other children, and do some of the work.
+
+"Now dear," said Miss Rose, the day before she was to start, "I must
+leave you. I am going away, too, for a vacation, so I must say
+goodby today."
+
+Clematis looked up in surprise. She never thought that grown people
+wanted to go away. She did not notice how pale and tired Miss Rose
+was. It had been hard work for her.
+
+"You will try to help all you can, won't you, dear? Think every
+minute of what you can do to help. Then people will love you, even
+if you make mistakes."
+
+"Yes'm, I will promise."
+
+"You can wear the blue blouse, and you can put the white one in the
+box I gave you, if you are afraid of crushing it in the little
+bag."
+
+"Oh, yes'm, I don't want to put it in the bag."
+
+"Well, then, goodby, and have a good time. Jerry will see that you
+get on the right train."
+
+Jerry was the old cab man, who had a stand near the school, and
+carried people to the station.
+
+This was a new delight for Clematis. What fun to ride to the station
+with Jerry, in a cab!
+
+All day the joyful thoughts of her trip filled her mind. She could
+think of nothing else. The other children laughed at her, but she
+never minded them at all.
+
+She was going to the country, to the birds, and flowers, and fields,
+and that was all she cared.
+
+But as she was going to bed, one thought seemed to disturb her. She
+lay there thinking, with the little anxious line across her
+forehead.
+
+A long time she thought. Then she spoke half aloud.
+
+"That's just what I'll do," she said. "I've got to, anyway. I don't
+care if the blouse is crushed a little."
+
+Then she went to sleep.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIII
+
+OFF FOR TILTON
+
+
+The day that she had longed for came at last. The sun was bright,
+the breeze was cool, and Clematis was as happy as the sparrows that
+hopped about in the maple tree.
+
+All the morning she ran here and there, getting her things ready.
+
+She had a small, black bag, and the box Miss Rose left for her extra
+blouse. Her things were put into these.
+
+Mrs. Snow had an early lunch for Clematis, because she was going on
+the one o'clock train.
+
+"I would rather eat it down in the kitchen with Katie," she said,
+when they started to put a bowl on the big table.
+
+Katie was willing, so Clematis had some bread and soup on the corner
+of the kitchen table.
+
+[Illustration: With Katie in the kitchen]
+
+"It will be nearer the street, so I will bring my things down here,"
+she said.
+
+She seemed very nervous, but Katie thought it was because of her
+trip.
+
+"Don't worry, Miss Clematis," she said. "Jerry will soon be here."
+
+"I know it." Clematis looked around. Then she slipped out of her
+chair and went up to Katie.
+
+She whispered a minute in her friendly ear.
+
+"Oh, now dearie, I wouldn't be doing that."
+
+Katie put her hand on the little girl's cheek, and shook her head.
+"I don't think they would like it."
+
+But Clematis was very serious. The tears came into her eyes as she
+whispered again.
+
+"Oh, please, please! I don't know what might happen."
+
+"Well, then," answered Katie, "what I don't see, I don't know about.
+I'm going upstairs a minute. Be quick now."
+
+She went upstairs, and Clematis hurried into the small room near the
+kitchen, with her box.
+
+In a minute she came out again, looking all about.
+
+When Katie came down, she was drinking her soup. She could not
+swallow the bread.
+
+"Dear child," said Katie, as the bell rang. "I hope the worry
+doesn't make her sick again."
+
+Jerry was ready with the cab.
+
+"All aboard, mum, I'll take your things."
+
+He started to take the box, which she hugged up under one arm.
+
+"Oh, no thank you," she cried, and held on to it tighter than ever.
+
+Katie gave him the black bag she had in her hand, and the next
+minute Clematis was safe inside, and throwing a kiss to the friendly
+cook.
+
+Before he got to the station, old Jerry stopped, and went into a
+store. He came out with a big paper bag.
+
+"Katie told me to get this for you, miss," he said, as he passed the
+bag to her through the open window.
+
+She peeped inside. There was a smaller bag, and several big
+peaches.
+
+In the smaller bag were sandwiches, and cream cakes.
+
+What a treat! Clematis often longed for peaches, but had not tasted
+them very often.
+
+In the station Jerry got down, and led her to the train.
+
+"Here is a passenger for Tilton, New Hampshire," he said to the
+conductor.
+
+"All right, Jerry, I'll look after her."
+
+The big conductor smiled at the little passenger.
+
+"Come on, sister," he said, as he stooped to take her box.
+
+"Oh, no, thank you," said Clematis, hugging it closer than ever.
+
+"She must have her money in that," laughed Jerry.
+
+So the conductor took the two bags, while Clematis carried the box.
+He found her a seat where she could be right by the window.
+
+Soon the train started. They went across bridges, and through the
+yards, till at last they came to the open country.
+
+There Clematis could see the fields, and the flowers, which grew
+close by the tracks.
+
+As the train flew on, they came to quiet woods, with little brooks,
+and cows resting comfortably in the shade.
+
+There was so much to see, that Clematis could not take her face from
+the window a minute.
+
+Farmers were at work in the fields of wheat, and corn, and oats.
+They were mowing and raking. Some were throwing hay into the big
+carts.
+
+At last they came to a big river that ran along by the track.
+Clematis could see people fishing along the banks, and rowing on the
+smooth water.
+
+"I hope there is a river in Tilton," she thought.
+
+It was a long time before she thought of the peaches, and
+sandwiches. When she did, she knew she was very hungry, so she
+opened the bag, and ate, while she watched the river, and fields,
+and forests.
+
+One sandwich she broke in halves. She raised the cover of the box a
+little, and put one half inside. Then she shut the cover and tied
+the string.
+
+"Tilton is the next station," said the conductor, at last.
+
+They went along beside a small river, across a bridge, and the train
+stopped at Tilton.
+
+"I guess that little girl is for me," said a tall man with a
+pleasant face, as Clematis came down the steps.
+
+"Her tag says Mrs. Alder on it, is that the one?" asked the
+conductor.
+
+"That's right. I told Mrs. Alder I would bring her along when I came
+from the train."
+
+"Well, here's her bag. She won't let any one touch her box. She
+keeps her money in it. Goodby, little girl."
+
+"Too--too--too-too."
+
+The whistle blew, the wheels began to turn, and the long train drew
+slowly away.
+
+"Right over here, little girl. Climb right up on the seat. I'll hold
+your box."
+
+"Oh, no thank you," said Clematis. "I'll keep it."
+
+Then she looked up at the seat. How was she to climb up there and
+hold her box?
+
+Suddenly she was lifted off the ground, and found herself safe on
+the high seat.
+
+"That's the way we'll fix it," said the man, with a smile. "Up you
+go, money, box, and all."
+
+"Now I want to go up the street about a mile or so, before I take
+you to Mrs. Alder. I don't suppose you mind, do you?"
+
+Clematis shook her head. She was happy at the thought of another
+ride.
+
+So they drove up a long hill. As they reached the top, the man
+stopped his horse, and looked about.
+
+"It's pretty, isn't it?" he said.
+
+Clematis nodded, and looked all about her.
+
+The hill sloped down again into a little valley, where the brook ran
+between green meadows.
+
+Beyond that, the pastures ran up to meet the forest on another
+hill.
+
+Looking past this hill, she could see the blue waters of a lake,
+sparkling in the evening sun.
+
+From the lake the ground rose once more. Up and up it went, with
+pastures and forests, until it came to the rocky crowns of three
+mountains.
+
+The mountains were a deep, misty blue. Above them rose the white
+August clouds, rolling on and on, into the highest heaven.
+
+Clematis drew a long breath.
+
+"It is lovely," she whispered.
+
+Not far from where they stopped was a white house, with the blinds
+closed. Vines ran about the front, and all seemed lonely.
+
+"Who lives there?" she asked, finding her tongue at last.
+
+"No one lives there now. A nice old man used to live there, but he
+had a good deal of sadness. He shut up the house, and went to live
+in a little place over near Bean Hill."
+
+He pointed over to another hill which rose in the east.
+
+Clematis would have liked to know more about the man who could leave
+such a lovely place, but the horse started on again.
+
+Soon they turned into another road, and before long were turning
+back toward the village.
+
+All the way along, Clematis could see the blue mountains in the
+distance. She could not take her eyes from them.
+
+"Well, there is your house," said the man, at last, pointing to a
+neat, white house.
+
+Clematis looked all about. Yes, there were gardens, and flowers, and
+fields, and trees.
+
+There was a cow down by a little brook.
+
+Everything she had hoped to find was there. There was a tall maple
+beside the house.
+
+"Well, this is Clematis, I guess," said a lady, coming down the
+path.
+
+"Thank you very much, Mr. Ladd. I see she came right side up."
+
+She took the bag Mr. Ladd handed down, and reached for the box that
+Clematis still hugged in her lap.
+
+Clematis started to explain, but Mrs. Alder did not wait. She was
+nervous and quick.
+
+She pulled the box out of her hands.
+
+"Why Clematis, what is in this box?" Mrs. Alder looked at it in
+surprise.
+
+Clematis did not answer. She gasped, and turned red as a rooster's
+comb.
+
+"It's her money, Mrs. Alder," said Mr. Ladd, laughing. "She has it
+tied up for safe keeping. The conductor told me so."
+
+Mrs. Alder lifted one corner of the box to peep in.
+
+There was a scratching sound, and then out popped a little white,
+furry head, with sharp ears, and one black eye.
+
+It was Deborah.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIV
+
+THE COUNTRY
+
+
+When Mr. Ladd saw the little white head peep out, he put his head
+back and laughed.
+
+"I pity the rats in your barn now, Mrs. Alder," he shouted.
+
+Mrs. Alder frowned at first, but when she looked at Clematis, and
+saw her anxious face, she smiled.
+
+"What on earth made you bring that cat way up here?" she asked.
+
+"She's my own cat. I was afraid to leave her at the Home all alone.
+Would you like to leave your cat alone, where people might throw it
+away while you were gone?"
+
+Just then a tall man with a gray beard walked up.
+
+"Never mind, Mary," he said. "We have plenty of milk in the dairy,
+and plenty of rats in the barn."
+
+By this time Clematis had Deborah safe in her arms, and Mr. Alder
+led the way to the house, while Mr. Ladd drove off, laughing as he
+went.
+
+"Well, you can take the cat down to the barn. I won't have it in the
+house," said Mrs. Alder.
+
+"All right, we'll find a place for her," said Mr. Alder. He took
+Clematis by the hand, and they went down to the barn.
+
+A gray horse poked his head from a box stall to look at the little
+visitor, and a little red hen called her chickens, and hastened
+away, clucking, as if she were very angry.
+
+Clematis turned to look at her.
+
+"Did you ever have any chickens?" asked Mr. Alder.
+
+"Oh, no, I never saw any." Clematis could not take her eyes from the
+little chicks, as they ran after their anxious mother.
+
+"We have lots of things to show you here. Let's put your cat up in
+the loft now."
+
+They went up a set of stairs, and there was a loft, full of sweet
+hay.
+
+[Illustration: Clematis stuck one hand out]
+
+"There now, Mrs. Tabby, you will find a good bed, and good hunting
+here."
+
+"Her name isn't Tabby, it's Deborah," said Clematis, as she put her
+down.
+
+"Oh, that's quite a name. It suits her very well." Mr. Alder led the
+way down again.
+
+At the other end of the barn, a red and white calf came up to meet
+them.
+
+It put out its wet nose to smell the little visitor, and made her
+start back.
+
+"He wants to say 'how do'. He loves little girls," said Mr. Alder.
+
+Clematis stuck one hand out timidly, and pulled it back again, when
+the calf tried to lick it with his rough tongue.
+
+"He wants just a little taste," laughed Mr. Alder. "Come on now.
+Here is something else."
+
+At the end of the barn, Clematis could hear strange noises. There,
+in the yard, were some smooth, white animals running about.
+
+When Clematis came near the fence, they ran and put their fore feet
+up, and stuck their noses out.
+
+"Uff, uff," they said. Then they squealed.
+
+"Oh, I know! Those are pigs!" cried Clematis, clapping her hands.
+
+Eight clean, white pigs were grunting and squealing for their
+supper.
+
+"Squeal away, piggies," said Mr. Alder. "Supper will be along
+soon."
+
+In a moment, he brought from the dairy a bright milk pail. Then they
+went down to the gate, and he called:
+
+"Come boss, come boss. Come Betty."
+
+A sleek, plump cow came over the hill, and hurried down to the gate.
+It was just the color of a mouse.
+
+"Dear old Betty. Steady now." Betty pushed through, and walked fast
+to the barn, where she began to whisper to her calf, and lap it with
+her great rough tongue.
+
+As Clematis came up, Betty put her head down, and shook her horns.
+
+"Behave, Betty. You ought to be ashamed," said Mr. Alder. "You see,
+she won't let any strangers near her calf."
+
+Then he took some grain and put it in Betty's box, while he tied her
+head, and sat down on the stool beside her.
+
+Clematis had never seen a cow milked before, and stood watching the
+white streams which filled the foaming pail, as if Mr. Alder were a
+fairy. It seemed like magic.
+
+When the pail was full, Mr. Alder poured some into a shiny can, and
+took the rest to the dairy.
+
+There he poured it into a red machine, with a big bowl. He turned
+the handle, and soon two streams came out.
+
+"What is that for?" Clematis thought this might be some new magic.
+Indeed it was magic, almost.
+
+"This is the separator," answered Mr. Alder. "I pour the milk in at
+the top, and turn the handle. Then the cream comes out of one spout,
+and the skimmed milk from the other."
+
+"Oh, I see," said Clematis, though it really was all like magic to
+her.
+
+"Now I guess we are through. Let's go up and see what they have for
+supper."
+
+Mr. Alder took the empty pail, and led her back to the house, where
+supper was ready and waiting.
+
+The smell of hot biscuit made Clematis feel very hungry, and she was
+glad that supper was all ready.
+
+With the biscuit, was golden butter, and apple sauce.
+
+"Do you like warm milk right from the cow?" asked Mrs. Alder.
+
+"Yes'm," replied Clematis, with a nod.
+
+So Mrs. Alder put a little pitcher, with a glass, not much bigger
+than a thimble, beside her plate.
+
+She could pour it out herself, as often as she emptied her glass.
+
+"Better leave room for some fresh blueberry pie, and a piece of
+cheese," said Mr. Alder.
+
+[Illustration: The little red hen]
+
+Blueberry pie and cheese, hot biscuit and fresh milk, and golden
+butter, all she wanted; surely, Sally never had any supper better
+than this.
+
+The shadows were falling, and the August crickets were beginning
+their evening concert, when Clematis had eaten the last bit of pie
+on her plate.
+
+"The Sand Man is coming, I do believe," said Mr. Alder, as he
+reached over to pinch her cheek.
+
+"Well, I don't wonder, the trip was a long one for a little girl.
+You shall go right to bed, Clematis."
+
+Mrs. Alder took a lamp as she spoke, and led the little visitor to
+the stairs.
+
+"Good night, sleep tight, don't let the skeeters bite."
+
+Mr. Alder called after her as she went up.
+
+Clematis laughed. Her eyes were drooping, and her feet were heavy,
+as she climbed the stairs.
+
+"There now, we'll have you tucked in before a cat can say Jack
+Sprat," said Mrs. Alder, as she unbuttoned her boots.
+
+"Haven't I got to fold my clothes?" asked Clematis, as Mrs. Alder
+began picking them up.
+
+"Never mind about them tonight. Here's a wet cloth. We'll just have
+a quick wash, and into bed you go."
+
+The bed was soft; the pillows were softer; and the song of the
+evening breeze in the maple, without her open window, was softer
+still.
+
+"I am in the country," sighed Clematis. "I can hear the trees, and I
+can smell the flowers now. Tomorrow I will--"
+
+I wish I could tell you what she was going to do. I can't, for just
+then, she fell fast asleep.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XV
+
+CLEMATIS TRIES TO HELP
+
+
+The birds in the maple tree woke Clematis early the next morning.
+
+For a minute she did not know where she was. Then she hopped out of
+bed and ran to the window.
+
+The sun was up. The birds were singing all about. The smell of
+clover and sweet grass came to her open window.
+
+There, across the valley, lay the mountains she saw in the evening.
+
+Now they were not blue. She could see the rocks and the bushes, in
+the morning light. But they were just as lovely as before.
+
+"Oh," she thought, "some day I'll go and climb up those mountains."
+
+Then she washed carefully at the stand by the window, for she
+remembered what Miss Rose had said.
+
+When she was dressed, she started down stairs. Then she thought
+again.
+
+"I must help all I can. I guess I'll make the bed."
+
+So she drew the clothes neatly over the bed, and smoothed the
+pillow. Then she went down.
+
+"Good morning, Clematis," said Mrs. Alder. "I see you get up before
+breakfast. Did you have a good sleep?"
+
+"Yes'm," replied Clematis. "Would you like me to help you?"
+
+"No, you had better run out and see what Mr. Alder is doing. You can
+help me after breakfast."
+
+So Clematis ran out.
+
+How loud the birds sounded in the clear air. How they chirped and
+twittered. How sweet the smell of the flowers, and how bright the
+sun.
+
+"Oh, there's the little red hen!" she cried. "But she has lost her
+chickens. Every one is gone."
+
+There was the little hen, sitting on the ground, near the barn
+door.
+
+Just then Mr. Alder came out with a pail of milk.
+
+"Oh, Mr. Alder, where have all the chickens gone?" cried Clematis.
+
+He laughed. "Dear me," he said. "I don't see them anywhere, do
+you?"
+
+"No, but they were all here last night."
+
+"I wonder if the rats caught them." Mr. Alder looked very sad.
+
+"Oh, dear, if they did, I'll tell Deborah."
+
+Clematis looked as if she were ready to cry.
+
+"Don't cry. I'll get a fairy to bring them back. You turn around and
+shut your eyes."
+
+He turned her around. "Now, are your eyes shut?"
+
+"Yes."
+
+"Now you must say, 'Fairy, Fairy, bring back my chicks.'"
+
+"Fairy, Fairy, bring back my chicks," said Clematis, laughing.
+
+She heard the little red hen clucking behind her. Then she heard the
+chickens peeping.
+
+"Turn round," said Mr. Alder.
+
+She opened her eyes; she turned around; and there were the chicks,
+running about their mother.
+
+She was just going to cry out in surprise, when the hen lifted her
+wings, and two more ran out from beneath them.
+
+"Oh, I know. She had them under her feathers all the time."
+
+Clematis laughed and danced about, while the red hen clucked to her
+chicks and walked off very angry indeed.
+
+Mr. Alder laughed also, and picked up the pail.
+
+"Do you see that patch of raspberries down there, just beyond the
+hen house?" he asked.
+
+Clematis nodded.
+
+"I think there are some big, late raspberries down there. Would you
+like to pick a few? You'll find them good."
+
+"For me to eat?"
+
+"Yes, eat all you can find. They are good for little city girls."
+
+"Oh, thank you." Clematis started toward the patch of raspberries.
+
+Then she stopped.
+
+"I must see Deborah first," she said. "I wonder if she caught any
+rats."
+
+"To be sure, I forgot Deborah. Give her my love."
+
+Mr. Alder went to separate his milk, while Clematis found Deborah
+sound asleep on the hay, and ready to visit the raspberry patch.
+
+Soon the bell for breakfast rang, and Clematis ran to the house. Her
+lips and fingers were red with raspberries, for she had found big
+ones.
+
+By her plate was her tiny glass, and a pitcher of rich milk. There
+were corn flakes, and shredded wheat first, and then toast, and
+bacon, and big baked apples with cream.
+
+Clematis had never really expected to have such things to eat. The
+stories other little girls had told her, all had seemed like fairy
+tales.
+
+"Now you can help me a while, if you wish," said Mrs. Alder, after
+breakfast. "Can you wash dishes?"
+
+"Oh, yes'm, I can do that all right."
+
+Clematis looked after Mr. Alder with longing eyes. He was going to
+feed the pigs. She longed to go too, but she knew she must help all
+she could.
+
+So she started in on the plates and cups.
+
+The water was hot, and she found it hard work to hold the china.
+Just as she was lifting a cup, it slipped from her hand.
+
+"Snick."
+
+"Gracious, what was that?" asked Mrs. Alder. She thought a good deal
+of her china.
+
+The cup was taken out. A piece was broken from the edge.
+
+"Oh, dear me. I have had those cups for twenty years. I guess I'll
+finish the dishes."
+
+Clematis said nothing, but turned very red. She almost cried, she
+was so ashamed.
+
+"Well, don't worry too much about it," said Mrs. Alder. "You can
+help me with the beds. I'm sure you can make your bed without doing
+any harm."
+
+"Oh, yes'm, I've made it already."
+
+"Made it already? When?"
+
+"Why, when I got up, before breakfast."
+
+"Mercy! Go right up and pull the clothes back. It must always air
+for an hour."
+
+Poor Clematis went up and pulled the clothes back to air.
+
+"How can I help, if every single thing I do is wrong?" Clematis
+spoke crossly out the window at the robin on the edge of the roof.
+
+Then she felt a crumb in her pocket, and pushed up the screen to
+throw it out.
+
+Mr. Robin flew away, and Mrs. Alder came in at that moment.
+
+"Dear child, what on earth have you put up that screen for? Do you
+want to fill the house with flies?"
+
+"No'm, I didn't know--"
+
+"Oh, well, never mind. You don't know much, I guess. I promised to
+take you, and I'll keep my word, but it's no use trying to fit city
+children into real homes."
+
+Mrs. Alder shut the screen with a bang.
+
+"There now, you run along out doors. I guess you and Mr. Alder will
+get along all right, but don't touch anything."
+
+"Hello, it looks like rain. What's the trouble, sister?"
+
+Mr. Alder smiled and pinched her cheek, as he met Clematis at the
+back door.
+
+"I tried to help," said Clematis, drying her eyes.
+
+"Oh, I see. You didn't do things quite right, did you? Well, I
+wouldn't fret about that. I don't do things quite right, myself."
+
+Clematis smiled through her tears.
+
+"Come on now, and help me pick some late peas for dinner. You will
+like that, I am sure."
+
+He took her hand, and soon she was happy again.
+
+"There, you picked two quarts, and did it well, too. Now take these
+up to Mrs. Alder, and tell her you can shell them out, every one,
+without hurting a thing."
+
+"Oh," said Mrs. Alder, in the kitchen. "You think you can shell
+peas, do you? Well, take them out under the maple tree. Then I won't
+have the pods all around the kitchen."
+
+And Clematis proved that she could shell peas, after all.
+
+Mrs. Alder gave her a cookie for her pay, and said she had done very
+well.
+
+"I guess you'll get along all right, if you stay out doors," she
+said.
+
+"Thanks," said Clematis, eating the cookie as she went out. She was
+glad enough to stay out doors.
+
+[Illustration: Clematis watched the little fishes by the shore]
+
+"I'll help Mr. Alder all the time," she said to herself. "I'll feed
+the pigs, and the hens, and I guess he'll be glad I'm here."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVI
+
+ONLY A FEW DAYS MORE
+
+
+Clematis did help Mr. Alder, and tried hard, in her way, to make
+herself useful.
+
+She helped Mrs. Alder too, for she went on errands to the village
+every time she was asked.
+
+Every day she went to the Post Office. She took home the letters and
+carried home bundles from the stores.
+
+Clematis loved this walk, because the road ran down by Knapp's saw
+mill, and by the river.
+
+Near the stocking mill, the river came right up to the road, and she
+could even see the little fish, in the clear water.
+
+Sometimes she stopped longer than she thought, and was late getting
+back, but Mrs. Alder did not scold her.
+
+"The less we expect of her, the less we shall be disappointed," she
+would say.
+
+On Sunday, they all went down to church to hear Mr. Sampson preach.
+
+He smiled at her in his kindly way, when she went out.
+
+"Let me see, I don't know your name, do I?" he asked, taking her
+hand.
+
+"It's Clematis."
+
+"Well, Clematis, I'm glad to see you. I hope you will come again."
+
+"That little girl looks just like another little girl I used to
+know," he said to Mr. Alder.
+
+"She is here for a week or two. Doctor Wyatt sent her up." Mr. Alder
+whispered to him a minute, before they went away.
+
+"How would you like to take a long walk this afternoon, Clematis?"
+said Mr. Alder, while she was eating her ice cream and cake.
+
+"Oh, yes, let's." Clematis was glad enough. She never liked Sundays
+very well.
+
+"Good, we can walk up Bean Hill, if you think you can go that far."
+
+[Illustration: She could see the little fish]
+
+"Oh, I can walk farther than that."
+
+So they started out, while Mrs. Alder lay down for a nap.
+
+They didn't go by the road, but crossed the river in a boat that Mr.
+Alder kept tied to the bank.
+
+Then they walked through the trees and meadows by the path.
+
+Clematis was full of joy. New birds sang here. New trees, and new
+flowers met her at each turn.
+
+After they had walked about a mile, they came to a little cabin, set
+among maple trees.
+
+"Who lives here?" asked Clematis. It looked like the cabins she had
+seen in her picture books.
+
+"No one lives here now. This is where they boil down their sap in
+the spring. They make maple syrup, and maple sugar."
+
+There were the big pans, turned upside down, and the pails that
+caught the sap.
+
+Her mouth watered as she thought of all the maple sugar they had
+made in that little cabin. She wanted to stay longer, but Mr. Alder
+started on.
+
+"We must get along, I want to see Mr. Brooks before we go home."
+
+"Who is Mr. Brooks?"
+
+"Mr. Brooks is a good man who lives over here on the side of Bean
+Hill. He lives all alone by himself."
+
+"Oh," replied Clematis, "is he the man who owns the white house with
+the vines, and has had so much sadness?"
+
+"Yes. How did you know about him?"
+
+"Mr. Ladd stopped near his house. He told me."
+
+The walk was a long one, and Clematis was glad when she saw the
+little cottage on the hillside.
+
+"Here we are. There is Mr. Brooks now, working over his flowers."
+Mr. Alder went over to the little garden, where a man with white
+hair was pulling out weeds.
+
+"Good day, Mr. Alder. Glad enough to see you. Come up and sit on the
+piazza."
+
+Mr. Brooks smiled, as he wiped his hands.
+
+"And here is a lady, too," he added. "I believe I have never met
+her."
+
+He held out his hand to Clematis with a kindly smile, and led them
+to the piazza.
+
+Mr. Alder told him who she was, while Clematis was looking at the
+neat little cottage.
+
+A vine was growing about the door, with little white flowers,
+peeping out from its green leaves.
+
+Mr. Brooks saw her looking at it.
+
+"Do you like the flowers?" he asked.
+
+"Yes,--it is just the same."
+
+"What do you mean? What is just the same?"
+
+"Why, just the same vine as the one on the white house."
+
+"She saw the old home place when she drove over with Mr. Ladd," said
+Mr. Alder. "She remembered the vine."
+
+"I am glad you like it. You ought to like it, Clematis, because it
+has your own name," added Mr. Alder.
+
+"Well, well, is her name Clematis?" Mr. Brooks took her on his knee
+and looked into her face.
+
+"I wish I had a little girl like you," he said.
+
+She sat there on his knee, while he talked with Mr. Alder.
+
+"I hope you will come again, Clematis. You will, if you get a
+chance, won't you?" Mr. Brooks said, as they started to go.
+
+He brought out a big, sweet pear, and put it into her hand.
+
+"You can eat that on the way home," he said.
+
+All the way home Clematis kept thinking of Mr. Brooks, and the vine,
+and how he had looked into her face while she sat on his knee.
+
+She had never known any father or mother, and people didn't have
+time to hold her that way at the Home.
+
+"Could we go again?" she asked, as they crossed the river.
+
+"Well, perhaps. We'll see."
+
+When they got home, Mrs. Alder was sitting on the back steps.
+
+Beside her, in the grass, lay three dead chickens.
+
+"How on earth did those chickens get killed?" asked Mr. Alder, as he
+took one in his hand.
+
+"Why on earth did that child ever bring her old cat up here? That's
+what I'd like to know." Mrs. Alder was cross.
+
+"Did Deborah do that? Dear me! We'll have to shut her up in the
+loft."
+
+"That's where she is, and that's where she'll stay," said Mrs.
+Alder. "Remember now, Clematis. Don't you let her get out again."
+
+"Yes'm," said Clematis.
+
+She didn't know what else to say, so she went sadly to the loft.
+There she found Deborah, sleeping sweetly, as if she had never done
+a thing wrong in the world.
+
+She sat down by the open window, and looked across the river valley,
+and across the lake, to the mountains.
+
+"Oh dear!" she sighed.
+
+She heard Mrs. Alder speaking.
+
+"I don't care, I think the Doctor was asking a good deal of us, to
+keep a strange child like that."
+
+"Well, Mary, never mind. It is only for a few days longer. I guess
+we can stand it. Think of the pleasure it gives Clematis."
+
+Mr. Alder spoke kindly, but as Clematis heard the words, she turned
+pale.
+
+"Only a few days more. Only a few days more." The words went through
+her mind again and again.
+
+She had never thought about going back. Two weeks seems a long, long
+time to little girls. Only a few days more before she must leave
+Tilton.
+
+Clematis put her elbows on the window sill, and rested her chin in
+her hands.
+
+The sun was setting behind the maple tree. The golden rays gleamed
+in the white mist that had risen from the river, for it was a cold
+evening.
+
+In the distance the Belmont mountains were a deep, misty blue, and
+the clouds above them all white and gold.
+
+Now all the valley was filling with a golden mist. The birds were
+singing in the trees along the banks of the river. They filled the
+evening air with joyous songs.
+
+"Only a few days more. Only a few days more."
+
+Soon she must go back to the brick walls, and the yard with the high
+fence around it.
+
+When Mr. Alder came to call Clematis for supper, her eyes were red,
+and her cheeks pale.
+
+"Never mind, dear little girl," he said. "We'll keep Deborah shut
+up. I guess we can spare the chickens. We have plenty more."
+
+She said nothing, but went silently in for the evening meal. She had
+forgotten all about the chickens. All through supper the words ran
+in her head, and the last thing in her mind as she fell asleep was
+this thought:
+
+"Only a few days more."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVII
+
+WHERE IS CLEMATIS?
+
+
+On Monday Clematis found a big, blue envelope, with the other mail.
+
+"I guess you have a letter for your own self this time," said Mr.
+Morse, as he handed her the mail.
+
+Clematis did not stop to look at the little fishes by the shore. She
+hurried straight home.
+
+It was a letter for her own self. Miss Rose sent it to her.
+
+"Oh, I wish I had learned to read. Please read mine first, Mrs.
+Alder?"
+
+"Do you think that is polite?" asked Mrs. Alder.
+
+"No'm, but you get lots of letters."
+
+"That is true. Well, let us see."
+
+She opened the envelope, while Clematis got close to her side.
+
+  "Dear little Clematis:
+
+  I hope you are well, and having a good time. I am sure you
+  must be having a splendid time, for Tilton is a lovely place.
+  I wish I were with you.
+
+  What a naughty girl you were to take Deborah, when she was not
+  invited. I hope Mrs. Alder has forgiven you.
+
+  I am going to ask Mrs. Alder to send you home on the afternoon
+  train Saturday, so you will be all ready when school begins.
+
+  I shall be at the train to meet you. Don't forget Deborah.
+
+                                         Your true friend,
+                                              Rose Thornton."
+
+"That is a good letter for a little girl to get, I am sure. Now run
+out and play, while I read my letters."
+
+Clematis went out, rather slowly. The letter made her think again of
+the end of her stay, and she was sad.
+
+But the sun was bright, the breeze was cool, and the birds sang
+merrily.
+
+She saw Mr. Alder down in the garden, and ran to him.
+
+"Can I help you, Mr. Alder?"
+
+"I think not. I am weeding late carrots, and I think you would not
+know them from weeds."
+
+"I should know them, honestly. Just let me try a little bit."
+
+"Well, then, take this little trowel. Make the earth loose around
+them, and then pull the weeds out with your fingers."
+
+Clematis kneeled in the soft earth, and began to work with the
+trowel.
+
+She weeded the row across from Mr. Alder, where he could see what
+she was doing.
+
+"Well, I declare! You are a real gardener." Mr. Alder patted her
+shoulder, and praised her well when she had done several feet of her
+row.
+
+The little green tops of the carrots all stood straight and clean.
+Every weed was gone, but no carrots were hurt.
+
+"I told you I could do it. You did not believe me, did you?"
+
+Clematis smiled happily.
+
+"Well, I do now. I never saw any one do better."
+
+So the man and the little girl worked side by side beneath the
+August sun.
+
+The smell of the warm earth, and the fresh growing things all around
+her, made Clematis breathe deeply.
+
+She could hear the birds singing, and see the mountains, across the
+lakes.
+
+While she was hard at work, she almost forgot to be sad because she
+was going back on the Saturday train.
+
+"Just look at that child," said Mrs. Alder, when they went in to
+wash for dinner. "Has she been weeding in her good clothes?"
+
+"She has weeded two whole rows of carrots, I know that much. I'll
+get her some new clothes when those wear out. She is as much help at
+weeding as a man."
+
+Clematis was as proud of that, as Deborah was with her first rat. In
+the afternoon Mrs. Alder found her a pair of small overalls. These
+covered her dress and kept her clean.
+
+It was a happy child that came in at evening. She had worked
+steadily, in the hot sun and the breeze, and had finished all the
+carrots.
+
+"You don't know how much help that has been, Clematis," said Mr.
+Alder. "It tires my back to weed carrots, and now they are all
+done."
+
+"I will weed tomorrow, too," she said, happy with her praise.
+
+There was plenty to do, as there always is on a farm, and Clematis
+was busy all day.
+
+"I don't see how she learns so quickly," exclaimed Mr. Alder, when
+he was telling Mr. Ladd about her.
+
+"I suppose it is because she naturally loves it," he answered. "It
+seems too bad that she couldn't live here in the country, she seems
+to love it so."
+
+"Yes. I wish Mrs. Alder was better, and took to children more.
+Clematis is clumsy in the house, but out in the garden she is right
+at home."
+
+So the days went on, with sunshine and clouds, and Saturday came
+nearer and nearer.
+
+"Clematis, what have you been doing to the calendar in your room?"
+asked Mrs. Alder, at dinner on Friday.
+
+"I was just looking to see how many days till Saturday."
+
+"Well, you needn't muss it up that way."
+
+Every morning Clematis had taken it down and counted the days with
+her fingers.
+
+Friday evening she did not eat much supper, and was very silent.
+
+"Longing to get back home, I guess," said Mrs. Alder. "Well, dear,
+you will be back with the other children tomorrow. I know what it
+is. I was homesick myself when I was a child."
+
+Clematis did not answer. She didn't know how to tell what it was
+that troubled her, so she said nothing.
+
+The stars were bright, and the tiny moon was low in the sky, before
+the weary eyes closed in sleep.
+
+Clematis had been thinking, and thinking. Tomorrow was Saturday.
+
+Early in the morning she was awake again, by the window.
+
+She leaned her head on her hands, and began to think again.
+
+"That is what he said," she repeated, half aloud.
+
+"That is just what he said. If he didn't mean it, why did he say
+it?"
+
+At the breakfast table, Mrs. Alder noticed how pale her cheeks
+were.
+
+"Try to eat some toast, dear," said Mrs. Alder. "You will soon be
+home again. Only a few hours more now."
+
+Clematis raised her eyes, and gave Mrs. Alder a strange look.
+
+"That child does beat all," said Mrs. Alder, after breakfast. "She
+seems to be thinking a lot, but she keeps as quiet as a stone jug."
+
+"She is thinking; you may be sure of that," Mr. Alder replied.
+
+All the morning Clematis went about silently, except when she was in
+the loft with Deborah. Then she talked.
+
+"I shan't be afraid. I am a big girl, Debby, and I shan't be a mite
+afraid."
+
+Deborah could not speak, but she snuggled up close, and purred, so
+Clematis knew just what she meant.
+
+"Be sure to have all your things ready, Clematis," called Mrs.
+Alder.
+
+"We shall have an early dinner, for Mr. Ladd will be here about one
+o'clock to take you to the station."
+
+"Yes'm," said Clematis, and she went slowly to her room.
+
+Before long, all was ready, and dinner was on the table.
+
+"Now, let's eat a big dinner. I roasted a chicken especially for
+you."
+
+How good the roast chicken smelled! There were baked potatoes, and
+peas, and beans, too.
+
+Clematis was hungry now. She ate, and ate, and ate.
+
+"Good girl." Mr. Alder patted her on the head. "Travelers must be
+well fed."
+
+"Be sure to wash all the blueberry off your mouth," added Mrs.
+Alder, as Clematis got down.
+
+Clematis went to the sink and washed her face and hands. Then she
+went to the back door.
+
+"Don't forget Deborah's satin dress, and velvet hat?" called Mr.
+Alder.
+
+She turned and smiled back at him, as she went out.
+
+Soon Mr. Ladd drove up.
+
+"I came a bit early," he said. "I've got some milk for the Seminary.
+Is Clematis ready?"
+
+"Yes, all ready, I guess. She just went out to get her cat."
+
+Mrs. Alder went to the back door and called.
+
+She waited a minute, but Clematis did not come.
+
+She called again. No Clematis. "Please go and get her, Henry," she
+said to Mr. Alder. "Tell her to come right in."
+
+After a few minutes Mr. Alder came back. He looked puzzled.
+
+"Well, where is Clematis?" asked Mrs. Alder.
+
+"I don't know."
+
+"Don't know? Isn't she in the loft?"
+
+"No."
+
+"Well, perhaps she went to say goodby to the pigs."
+
+"She isn't there."
+
+"She must be around here somewhere. She has no wings; she can't
+fly."
+
+"I'm not so sure of that." Mr. Alder smiled in a puzzled way at Mr.
+Ladd.
+
+"That's just like you men."
+
+Mrs. Alder went to the door and called as loudly as she could. Then
+she went to the barn and called again.
+
+She looked all about. Mr. Alder looked all about. Mr. Ladd looked
+all about.
+
+They all called once more.
+
+It was of no use. Clematis was gone.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVIII
+
+HUNTING FOR CLEMATIS
+
+
+Mr. Alder looked at Mr. Ladd. Mr. Ladd looked at Mrs. Alder. They
+all looked at each other.
+
+What should they do?
+
+"Well," said Mrs. Alder at last, "you drive down street with Mr.
+Ladd and find out if any one has seen her. I will look all about the
+farm."
+
+The men had not gone far down the street when they met a boy.
+
+"Hi, Ned! have you seen our little girl?" called Mr. Alder.
+
+"Who, Clematis? Have you lost her?"
+
+"No, she has lost herself. Have you seen her?"
+
+"My gracious, no." His blue eyes opened almost as wide as butter
+plates.
+
+"Well, tell any one you see that she's lost; that's a good boy."
+
+"My gracious, I guess I will."
+
+Off ran little Ned Atkinson, as fast as his legs would carry him.
+
+He told every one he met, but no one had seen Clematis.
+
+Not far down the street Mr. Knapp came rolling out of his yard.
+
+"Have you seen that little girl of ours, Mr. Knapp?"
+
+"Yes, yes. I saw her. She's a likely gal. Quite spry."
+
+"Where was she?" Both men spoke at once.
+
+[Illustration: "I sha'n't be afraid"]
+
+"Oh, right along here, yesterday morning."
+
+"I mean today. Have you seen her today?"
+
+"No, no, I haven't set eyes on her today. What's the matter? Is she
+lost?"
+
+"It looks as if she were lost. We can't find her."
+
+"Well, she'll be back.
+
+                  'Let 'em alone,
+                  And they'll come home,
+                  Wagging their tails behind them.'"
+
+They heard his great voice echo down the river, as they drove on.
+
+Nobody had seen Clematis. Nobody knew anything about her.
+
+Mrs. Alder looked everywhere at home.
+
+Her bag and box were neatly packed and ready, but there was no sign
+of the little girl who owned them.
+
+Many people were looking for Clematis that afternoon.
+
+Ned Atkinson ran everywhere, telling people about the lost girl.
+
+They looked in the woods and in the fields. They looked all along
+the river banks.
+
+When night came, they were still hunting, but had found no trace of
+Clematis.
+
+"I can't sleep a wink tonight," said Mrs. Alder. "I think the child
+must be crazy, to run off like that."
+
+"I don't feel much like sleep myself," Mr. Alder replied.
+
+"I wonder where she can be hiding."
+
+The next morning many people came to ask if Clematis had been
+found.
+
+"No, no, no. There isn't a sign of her anywhere. I don't know what
+we shall do."
+
+Mrs. Alder made the same answer to every one.
+
+During the day people still looked about in new places.
+
+Afternoon came again, but no Clematis came with it.
+
+Towards evening, Mr. Brooks was sitting in his chair by his little
+cottage, reading a book.
+
+The sun was sinking behind the mountains in the west.
+
+The birds were singing their evening songs, in the trees by the
+brook.
+
+All was quiet and peaceful.
+
+As he sat there, Mr. Brooks heard steps on the path.
+
+He looked down and saw a little girl. In her arms was a cat, with a
+black spot over one eye.
+
+The child stumbled as she walked. She seemed ready to drop, she was
+so tired.
+
+"Why, little girl, where did you come from?" cried Mr. Brooks.
+
+He got up and went down to meet her.
+
+Then she raised her pale face, and he saw that it was Clematis. Her
+face and hands were soiled; her hair was tangled; her dress was
+dusty and torn.
+
+"Oh, little maid," he said. "Did you walk way over here to see me?"
+
+"Yes," said Clematis, faintly. "I said I would, and I did."
+
+"Dear child, you are worn out. Come in and rest."
+
+He took her into the little house, and got a basin and water.
+
+"There, dear, wash your face and hands. You will feel better.
+
+"Now sit down, Clematis," said Mr. Brooks, when she had finished
+washing her face and hands, "and we will have a bite to eat."
+
+He cut a slice of bread. On this he spread some butter, and
+sprinkled a little sugar.
+
+Clematis watched him with hungry eyes.
+
+"Dear child, you must be starved," he said, as she took a great
+bite.
+
+"Wouldn't you be hungry if you hadn't had any breakfast or dinner?"
+
+Clematis took another big bite.
+
+"No breakfast? No dinner? Where have you been all day?"
+
+"I stayed in the little house where they boil the sap."
+
+The bread was nearly gone now.
+
+"Did you run away this morning?"
+
+Mr. Brooks was cutting another slice.
+
+"No, I stayed there last night."
+
+"You stayed there all last night? Child! I should think you would
+have frozen. There was frost last night."
+
+"I did freeze," said Clematis, beginning on the second slice.
+
+Mr. Brooks looked at her a moment in silence, while she ate.
+
+"I never heard anything to beat that," he said at last, as he
+reached once more for the bread.
+
+"Mrs. Alder will be very anxious."
+
+Clematis shook her head.
+
+"No she won't. She'll be glad I'm gone."
+
+Mr. Brooks smiled.
+
+"Well, Mr. Alder will, anyway. As soon as you have eaten a few
+loaves of bread, I'll get Mr. Giles's horse. They will be glad
+enough to see you again."
+
+Clematis put down her bread. Her lips quivered, and her eyes filled
+with tears.
+
+"Don't you want me?" she said.
+
+"My dear child, what do you mean?"
+
+"You said you wished you had a little girl."
+
+"Did I say that?"
+
+"Yes, you said you wished you had a little girl, and you can have
+me. Nobody wants me, except you.
+
+"I can make my bed, and wash dishes, and I don't say slang words any
+more, and I can weed everything in your garden."
+
+[Illustration: In Grandfather's house]
+
+Poor Clematis, she had never said so much at one time in her life.
+
+Then she burst into tears. She was tired, and worn, and faint.
+
+Mr. Brooks took her into his lap. He hardly knew what to say to
+comfort her.
+
+"Have you no father or mother?" he asked.
+
+"No," she sobbed, "I haven't anybody at all."
+
+"You see I am all alone here. I haven't any good place to keep a
+little girl."
+
+"I don't care, I can sleep on the floor."
+
+Her eyes were drooping, and she was growing quiet. Her head rested
+on his shoulder.
+
+Mr. Brooks was thinking what to say, when he looked down at her
+face.
+
+Her brown eyes were closed, and she was fast asleep.
+
+He held her there a while. Then he took her into the next room, and
+laid her on the bed.
+
+Covered with a warm blanket, she sighed softly, and sank into a deep
+slumber.
+
+"I can't take her home tonight. She ought to have a long, quiet
+sleep," said Mr. Brooks to himself.
+
+He watched her a while. Then he went out, up the mountain to Mr.
+Giles's house.
+
+There he telephoned to Atkinson's store.
+
+In another minute a little boy was racing up the street. He called
+to every one on his way:
+
+"Clematis is found! Clematis is found! She's up on Bean Hill."
+
+Ned shouted at the top of his voice.
+
+Clematis would have been surprised, if she had seen how glad Mrs.
+Alder was to know that she was safe.
+
+They sent a message to Miss Rose, and told her that Clematis was
+found.
+
+Every one was glad. Every one asked how she ever got way up there on
+Bean Hill, but no one knew.
+
+All this time Clematis was sleeping quietly.
+
+When Mr. Brooks returned, she had not stirred.
+
+He stood and looked at her a long, long time.
+
+When he turned away there were tears in his eyes.
+
+"Poor little elf," he whispered. "She thought I meant just what I
+said."
+
+He spread some blankets on the floor, and lay down, but he did not
+go to sleep.
+
+His thoughts went back to a book he had been reading.
+
+It was about Silas Marner, a man who was sad and lonely.
+
+Silas Marner took a little girl into his tiny house to care for, and
+she made his life happy again.
+
+"Silas Marner did not have so large a home as this," he thought.
+"But he took good care of the little girl. How happy they were
+together."
+
+The little face, all wet with tears, came before him again and
+again.
+
+"I might keep her for a little while, at least," he said to himself.
+"I will see what Mr. Alder thinks in the morning."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIX
+
+NEW PLANS
+
+
+When Mr. Brooks woke in the morning, Clematis was already up. She
+had washed her face and hands at the spring, near the door, and was
+sitting on the step.
+
+"Oho, so the little bird woke first, did she?" said Mr. Brooks.
+
+Clematis nodded, and looked up shyly.
+
+"I was thinking about you last night before I went to sleep. Suppose
+I should keep you with me for a little while. Do you think you would
+like that?"
+
+"Oh, I would help like anything," she cried. "You just try me, and
+see."
+
+"Well, I will talk to Mr. Alder, and perhaps you can stay for a
+while, at least."
+
+So Mr. Brooks talked with Mr. Alder. Then he wrote to Mrs. Snow.
+
+Yes, Clematis might stay a week.
+
+How hard she tried!
+
+"I'll wash and wipe all the dishes," she said.
+
+The very first day she broke a cup. Then she cried.
+
+"Dear me, don't feel bad about that. You are doing the best you can,
+I know."
+
+Mr. Brooks laughed, and Clematis smiled again.
+
+"Men don't care so much about dishes," she said to herself.
+
+To be sure, Clematis had not learned to do much, but she had learned
+to do her best.
+
+Mr. Brooks found that she could help in many ways, and she was so
+anxious to do her best, that he gladly forgave her mistakes.
+
+He made her a little bed in the room upstairs.
+
+At evening, she could hear the wind whispering in the trees, and the
+little brook that ran down from the spring.
+
+In the morning, she could see the lakes and mountains across the
+valley, as she sat by her open window, while the birds hopped about
+on the twigs, and sang their sweetest songs.
+
+[Illustration: A little girl was coming up the path]
+
+Deborah slept each night in a little box close by her bed, and
+followed her about all day long.
+
+The week passed very quickly. On Friday, Mr. Brooks saw that she was
+silent and thoughtful.
+
+"I don't think I can spare you yet," he said at breakfast. "I must
+ask Mrs. Snow to let you stay another week, at least."
+
+Clematis was never so happy. She smiled and hummed a little song all
+the morning. Now and then she would stop to pat Deborah, who slept
+by the stove.
+
+"He is going to let me stay another week, Debby!" she would whisper.
+"Another week, another whole week."
+
+This week was passing also, when Clematis had a great surprise.
+
+It was a letter from Miss Rose.
+
+"Oh, read it to me, read it to me!" she exclaimed, as she climbed up
+into Mr. Brooks's lap.
+
+So he opened the envelope and read:
+
+  "Dear Clematis:
+
+  Mr. Brooks has asked us if he might keep you for a year. Do
+  you think you would like to stay?
+
+  I shall go to see you in Tilton next week, so you must be
+  thinking it over, and decide if you really want to stay?
+
+                                         Your true friend,
+                                              Rose Thornton."
+
+After he had finished, Clematis was silent for a moment. Then she
+looked up at him with a happy smile.
+
+"Please read it again," she said.
+
+So he read it again, while she sat still in his lap.
+
+"Do you think you would really like to stay?" he asked, when he had
+finished.
+
+Clematis patted his hand, and snuggled her face against his
+shoulder.
+
+"Can Debby stay, too?" she asked.
+
+"Of course she can. We couldn't get along without Debby."
+
+That night Clematis looked out at the golden light, just fading from
+the mountains.
+
+A star was twinkling in the sky. The brook was bubbling down among
+the trees, and the wind hummed a little tune in their soft
+branches.
+
+She was very happy.
+
+"I am going to be happy always now," she said.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XX
+
+THE TRUE FAIRY STORY
+
+
+The next week they got Mr. Giles's horse, and drove down to meet
+Miss Rose at the station.
+
+How glad Clematis was to see her!
+
+She sat in her lap all the way back to Bean Hill, and told her about
+the mountains, the lakes, the trees, and the birds.
+
+"So you think you would like to stay a whole year, do you?" asked
+Miss Rose.
+
+Clematis smiled and nodded.
+
+"Deborah can stay too," she said.
+
+When they got to the little cottage, Miss Rose went in with Mr.
+Brooks, and had a long talk.
+
+She told him all she knew about Clematis.
+
+He listened while she told him how Clematis ran away, how the
+policeman found her, and how she came to the Home.
+
+"Have you any trace of her father and mother?"
+
+"No, they said the father's name was Jones, but I am not sure that
+was her father's true name. Both her father and mother died when she
+was a baby, they say."
+
+Mr. Brooks looked puzzled.
+
+"Did the mother leave nothing when she died, that people might know
+her by?"
+
+Miss Rose reached into her little black bag and brought out the
+picture. Mr. Brooks did not take it at first.
+
+"They said the father's name was Jones; did they tell you his first
+name?" he asked.
+
+"No, just Jones. I could learn no other name."
+
+Miss Rose held out the picture, and Mr. Brooks's hand trembled as he
+took it.
+
+After one look, he carried it to the window.
+
+There he held it to the light, and gazed at it a long time.
+
+"Do you see some one there you know?" asked Miss Rose.
+
+"Wouldn't you know your own daughter, if you saw her?"
+
+Miss Rose smiled. Then she saw tears in his eyes.
+
+"Please forgive me for smiling," she said. "You reminded me so much
+of Clematis. She asks questions just like that."
+
+"Well, wouldn't you expect her to be like her own grandfather?"
+
+Then Mr. Brooks smiled too.
+
+"Is she really your grandchild?" exclaimed Miss Rose.
+
+"Yes, she is, she must be. This is her mother here."
+
+He pointed to one of the girls in the picture.
+
+"This was taken in front of the Seminary, a year before she ran away
+to be married."
+
+"Oh, it seems just like a fairy story. I can hardly believe it."
+
+Miss Rose looked again at the picture.
+
+"Yes, it is like a fairy story," Mr. Brooks replied. "Dear, wayward
+girl. She needn't have run away. I would have gladly forgiven her."
+
+"Then you will take Clematis to live with you, I suppose."
+
+"Yes indeed. I have wondered about that name, Clematis. Her mother
+loved flowers. She loved the clematis vine about the door most of
+all."
+
+"I suppose she named Clematis in memory of her dear old home," said
+Miss Rose.
+
+Then Mr. Brooks told Miss Rose about the white house on the hill.
+
+"I suppose we ought to move back there, now," he said. "Then
+Clematis can go to the Union School, and grow up like other
+children."
+
+"It is wonderful. It is a fairy story, I am sure," she replied, "for
+the fairies must have led Clematis to your door. She will be the
+happiest child alive, when we tell her."
+
+And Clematis was the happiest girl alive, when they called her in
+and told her the whole story.
+
+She climbed into her grandfather's lap, and held his hand, while
+Miss Rose told it just like a fairy tale.
+
+"Are we going to live in the house where all the vines are?" she
+asked, when Miss Rose was done.
+
+"Yes, dear, you are."
+
+"And I can stay there always?"
+
+"Yes, Clematis."
+
+"And will you be my grandpa always?"
+
+She looked up at Mr. Brooks. He smiled and kissed her hot cheek.
+
+"Yes, little maiden. You shall be my housekeeper, and we shall be as
+happy as robins in an apple tree."
+
+So Miss Rose went back to Boston, and told them all the story.
+
+The children made her tell it over and over again. They said it was
+better than any fairy tale they had ever read.
+
+"And did she really sleep out in the woods alone?" asked Sally.
+
+"And does her grandfather really and truly have a big white house on
+a hill?" asked Jane.
+
+"Yes, yes, yes. It is all true, every word of it," answered Miss
+Rose.
+
+Even Clematis could hardly believe it all, at first.
+
+She followed her grandfather all about, wherever he went, for fear
+he might fly away, and never come back.
+
+In the golden October, they moved up to the white house on the hill,
+grandfather, Clematis, and Deborah.
+
+There Clematis had the room over the porch, where the vines climbed
+around her window. She could look out each morning, and see the
+river, and the lakes, with the mountains beyond.
+
+She felt a little strange among all the new people she saw each day,
+and she had very much to learn. But Clematis learned the best thing
+of all, to do the best she could, and she soon grew into a sweet,
+useful girl.
+
+Her little friends loved her, and her teachers helped her, for she
+tried to please them, and never complained because things were not
+easy to do.
+
+When she heard that Sally and the other girls could hardly believe
+her story, she went and whispered to her grandfather.
+
+"May I?" she asked.
+
+"Of course you may," he said, "as many as you want."
+
+Then she wrote a letter all her own self. She invited all the girls
+her own age, at the Home, to visit her the next summer, and see for
+themselves.
+
+So if you ever go to Tilton, you must look about for a strong, happy
+girl, with big brown eyes, who studies her lessons, and works in the
+garden, and has the happiest time any girl ever had, with her
+grandfather, in the big white house on the hill.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+End of Project Gutenberg's Clematis, by Bertha B. Cobb and Ernest Cobb
+
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