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diff --git a/27923-h/27923-h.htm b/27923-h/27923-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f2c498b --- /dev/null +++ b/27923-h/27923-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,8614 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Betty Leicester, by Sarah Orne Jewett. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + p {margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + text-indent: 1.25em; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + img {border: 0;} + .tnote {border: dashed 1px; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; padding-bottom: .5em; padding-top: .5em; + padding-left: .5em; padding-right: .5em;} + ins {text-decoration:none; border-bottom: thin dotted gray;} + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; + } + hr { width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; + } + + table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} + + body{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + + .pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; + } /* page numbers */ + .copyright {text-align: center; font-size: 70%;} + .blockquot{margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 10%; text-align: justify;} + + .bbox {border: solid 2px; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; padding-bottom: .5em; padding-top: .5em; + padding-left: .5em; padding-right: .5em;} + + .center {text-align: center;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + + .caption {font-weight: bold; font-size: 70%;} + + .figcenter {margin: auto; text-align: center;} + + .figleft {float: left; clear: left; margin-left: 0; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: + 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 0; text-align: center;} + + .figright {float: right; clear: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; + margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 0; padding: 0; text-align: center;} + + .unindent {margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + .right {text-align: right;} + .poem {margin-left: 30%; margin-right: 10%; text-align: left;} + .poem2 {margin-left: 15%; margin-right: 10%; text-align: left;} + .sig {margin-right: 10%; text-align: right;} + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Betty Leicester, by Sarah Orne Jewett + +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: Betty Leicester + A Story For Girls + +Author: Sarah Orne Jewett + +Release Date: January 28, 2009 [EBook #27923] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BETTY LEICESTER *** + + + + +Produced by David Edwards, Emmy and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + + + + + +</pre> + + + + + +<h1>BETTY LEICESTER</h1> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class='bbox'> +<h2>Books by Sarah Orne Jewett</h2> + + + + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="Jewett Books"> +<tr><td align='left'>STORIES AND TALES. 7 vols. Illustrated.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>THE LETTERS OF SARAH ORNE JEWETT. Illustrated.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>THE TORY LOVER. Illustrated.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>THE QUEEN'S TWIN AND OTHER STORIES.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>THE COUNTRY OF THE POINTED FIRS.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>DEEPHAVEN.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;"><i>Holiday Edition.</i> With 52 illustrations. Attractively bound.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>OLD FRIENDS AND NEW.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>COUNTRY BY-WAYS.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>THE MATE OF THE DAYLIGHT, AND FRIENDS ASHORE.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>A COUNTRY DOCTOR. A Novel.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>A MARSH ISLAND. A Novel.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>A WHITE HERON AND OTHER STORIES.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>THE KING OF FOLLY ISLAND, AND OTHER PEOPLE.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>STRANGERS AND WAYFARERS.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>A NATIVE OF WINBY, AND OTHER TALES.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>THE LIFE OF NANCY.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>TALES OF NEW ENGLAND.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">The Same.</span> In Riverside Aldine Series. In Riverside School Library.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>PLAY-DAYS. Stories for Girls.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>BETTY LEICESTER. A Story for Girls.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>BETTY LEICESTER'S CHRISTMAS. Illustrated.</td></tr> +</table></div> + +<div class='center'><br /> +HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY<br /> +<span class="smcap">Boston and New York</span><br /> +</div></div> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 369px;"> +<img src="images/frontis.jpg" width="369" height="500" alt="Betty" title="Betty" /> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h1>BETTY LEICESTER</h1> + +<h2><i>A STORY FOR GIRLS</i></h2> + +<h3>BY</h3> + +<h2>SARAH ORNE JEWETT</h2> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 162px;"> +<img src="images/emblem.png" width="162" height="200" alt="Emblem" title="" /> +</div> + +<div class='center'> +<small>BOSTON AND NEW YORK</small><br /> + +HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY<br /> + +<b>The Riverside Press Cambridge</b></div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class='copyright'> +COPYRIGHT, 1889, BY SARAH ORNE JEWETT<br /> + +COPYRIGHT, 1917, BY MARY R. JEWETT<br /> +<br /> +ALL RIGHTS RESERVED<br /> +<br /><br /><br /> +<b>The Riverside Press</b><br /> + +CAMBRIDGE · MASSACHUSETTS<br /> + +PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class='center'>WITH LOVE TO<br /> + +<b>M. G. L.</b><br /> + +ONE OF THE FIRST OF BETTY'S FRIENDS</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>CONTENTS.</h2> + + + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary=""> +<tr><td align='right'> </td><td align='right'> </td><td align='right'><small>PAGE</small></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>I.</td><td align='left'> <span class="smcap">As far as Riverport</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_1">1</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>II.</td><td align='left'> <span class="smcap">The Packet Boat</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_17">17</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>III.</td><td align='left'> <span class="smcap">A Bit of Color</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_28">28</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>IV.</td><td align='left'> <span class="smcap">Tideshead</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_40">40</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>V.</td><td align='left'> <span class="smcap">At Becky's House</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_50">50</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>VI.</td><td align='left'> <span class="smcap">The Garden Tea</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_60">60</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>VII.</td><td align='left'> <span class="smcap">The Sin Books</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_72">72</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>VIII.</td><td align='left'> <span class="smcap">A Chapter of Letters</span> </td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_93">93</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>IX.</td><td align='left'> <span class="smcap">Betty's Reflections</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_108">108</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>X.</td><td align='left'> <span class="smcap">Up-country</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_137">137</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XI.</td><td align='left'> <span class="smcap">The Two Friends</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_158">158</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XII.</td><td align='left'> <span class="smcap">Betty at Home</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_171">171</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XIII.</td><td align='left'> <span class="smcap">A Great Excitement</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_185">185</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XIV.</td><td align='left'> <span class="smcap">The Out-of-door Club</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_209">209</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XV.</td><td align='left'> <span class="smcap">The Starlight Comes in</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_221">221</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XVI.</td><td align='left'> <span class="smcap">Down the River</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_239">239</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XVII.</td><td align='left'> <span class="smcap">Going Away</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_276">276</a></td></tr> +</table></div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[1]</a></span></p> +<h2>BETTY LEICESTER.</h2> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>I.</h2> + +<h3>AS FAR AS RIVERPORT.</h3> + + +<p><span class="smcap">Two</span> persons sat at a small breakfast-table +near an open window, high up in Young's Hotel +in Boston. It was a pleasant June morning, +just after eight o'clock, and they could see +the white clouds blowing over; but the gray +walls of the Court House were just opposite, +so that one cannot say much of their view +of the world. The room was pleasanter than +most hotel rooms, and the persons at breakfast +were a girl of fifteen, named Betty Leicester, +and her father. Their friends thought them +both good-looking, but it ought to be revealed +in this story just what sort of good looks they +had, since character makes the expression of +people's faces. But this we can say, to begin<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[2]</a></span> +with: they had eyes very much alike, very +kind and frank and pleasant, and they had a +good fresh color, as if they spent much time +out-of-doors. In fact, they were just off the +sea, having come in only two days before on +the Catalonia from Liverpool; and the Catalonia, +though very comfortable, had made a +slower voyage than some steamers do in coming +across.</p> + +<p>They had nearly finished breakfast, but +Betty was buttering one more nice bit of toast +to finish her marmalade, while Mr. Leicester +helped himself to more strawberries. They +both looked a little grave, as if something important +were to be done when breakfast was +over; and if you had sat in the third place +by the table, and, instead of looking out of +the window, had looked to right and left into +the bedrooms that opened at either hand, you +would guess the reason. In Betty's room, on +her table, were ulster and her umbrella +and her traveling-bag beside a basket, these +last being labeled "Miss E. Leicester, Tideshead;" +and in the room opposite was a corresponding +array, excepting that the labels read, +"T. Leicester, Windsor Hotel, Montreal."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</a></span> +So for once the girl and her father were going +in different directions.</p> + +<p>"Papa, dear," said Betty, "how long will it +be before you can tell about coming back from +Alaska?"</p> + +<p>"Perhaps I shall know in a month," said +Mr. Leicester; "but you understand that it +will not be like a journey through civilized +countries, and there are likely to be many hindrances +and delays. Beside, you must count +upon our finding everything enormously interesting. +I shall try hard not to forget how +interesting a waiting young somebody called +Betty is!"</p> + +<p>Betty made an attempt to smile, but she began +to feel very dismal. "The aunts will ask +me, you know, papa dear," she said. "I am +sure that Aunt Barbara felt a little grumpy +about your not coming now."</p> + +<p>"Dear Aunt Barbara!" said Mr. Leicester +seriously; "I wish that I could have managed +it, but I will stay long enough to make up, +when I get back from the North."</p> + +<p>"Your birthday is the first of September; +thirty-nine this year, you poor old thing! Oh +if we could only have the day in Tideshead,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[4]</a></span> +it would be such fun!" Betty looked more +cheerful again with this hope taking possession +of her mind.</p> + +<p>"You are always insisting upon my having +a new birthday!" said Mr. Leicester, determined +upon being cheerful too. "You will +soon be calling me your grandfather. I mean +to expect a gold-headed cane for my present +this year. Now we must be getting ready for +the station, dear child. I am sure that we +shall miss each other, but I will do things for +you and you will do things for me, won't you, +Betsey?" and he kissed her affectionately, +while Betty clung fast to him with both arms +tight round his neck. Somehow she never had +felt so badly at saying good-by.</p> + +<p>"And you will be very good to the old +aunts? Remember how fond they have always +been of your dear mamma and of me, and +how ready they are to give you all their love. +I think you can grow to be a very great comfort +to them and a new pleasure. They must +really need you to play with."</p> + +<p>There was a loud knock at the door; the +porter came in and carried away a high-heaped +armful from Betty's room. "Carriage is ready<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span> +at the door, sir," he said. "Plenty of time, +sir;" and then went hurrying away again to +summon somebody else. Betty's eyes were full +of tears when she came out of her room and +met papa, who was just looking at his watch +in the little parlor.</p> + +<p>"Say 'God bless you, Betty,'" she managed +to ask.</p> + +<p>"God bless you, Betty, my dear Betty!" +Mr. Leicester said gravely. "God bless you, +dear, and make you a blessing."</p> + +<p>"Papa dear, I wasn't really crying. You +know that you're coming back within three +months, and we shall be writing letters all the +time, and Tideshead isn't like a strange place."</p> + +<p>"Dear me, no! you'll never wish to come +away from Tideshead; give it my love, and +'call every bush my cousin,'" answered Mr. +Leicester gayly as they went down in the elevator. +The trying moment of the real good-by +was over, and the excitement and interest +of Betty's journey had begun. She liked the +elevator boy and had time to find a bit of +money for him, that being the best way to recognize +his politeness and patience. "Thank +you; good-by," she said pleasantly as she put<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span> +it into his hand. She was hoarding the minutes +that were left, and tried to remember the +things that she wished to say to papa as they +drove to the Eastern Station; but the minutes +flew by, and presently Mr. Leicester was left +on the platform alone, while the cars moved +away with his girl. She waved her hand and +papa lifted his hat once more, though he had +already lost sight of her, and so they parted. +The girl thought it was very hard. She wondered +all over again if she couldn't possibly +have gone on the long journey to the far +North which she had heard discussed so often +and with such enthusiasm. It seemed wrong +and unnatural that she and her father should +not always be together everywhere.</p> + +<p>It was very comfortable in the train, and +the tide was high among the great marshes. +The car was not very full at first, but at one +or two stations there were crowds of people, +and Betty soon had a seat-mate, a good-natured +looking, stout woman, who was inclined to be +very sociable. She was a little out of breath +and much excited.</p> + +<p>"Would you like to sit next the window?" +inquired Betty.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span></p> + +<p>"No, lem me set where I be," replied the +anxious traveler. "'Tis as well one place as +another. I feel terrible unsartin' on the cars. +I don't expect you do?"</p> + +<p>"Not very," said Betty. "I have never had +anything happen."</p> + +<p>"You b'en on 'em before, then?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, indeed," said Betty.</p> + +<p>"Ever b'en in Boston?—perhaps you come +from that way?"</p> + +<p>"I came from there this morning, but I am +on my way from London to Tideshead." Somehow +this announcement sounded ostentatious, +and Betty, being modest, regretted it.</p> + +<p>"What London do you refer to?" asked +the woman, and, having been answered, said, +"Oh, bless ye! when it comes to seafarin' I'm +right to home, I tell you. I didn't know but +you'd had to come from some o' them Londons +out West; all the way by cars. I've got +a sister that lives to London, Iowy; she comes +East every three or four year; passes two days +an' two nights, I believe 't is, on the cars; +makes nothin' of it. I ain't been no great of +a traveler. Creation's real queer, <i>ain't</i> it!"</p> + +<p>Betty's fellow-traveler was looking earnestly<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span> +at the green fields, and seemed to express +everything she felt of wonder and interest by +her last remark, to which Betty answered +"yes," with a great shake of laughter—and +hoped that there would be still more to say.</p> + +<p>"Have you been to sea a good deal?" she +asked.</p> + +<p>"Lor' yes, dear. Father owned two thirds +o' the ship I was born on, and bought into another +when she got old, an' I was married off o' +her; the Sea Queen, Dexter, master, <i>she</i> was. +Then I sailed 'long o' my husband till the +child'n begun to come an' I found there was +some advantages in bringin' up a family on +shore, so I settled down for a spell; but just +as I got round to leavin' and goin' back, my +husband got tired o' the sea and shippin' all +run down, so home he come, and you wouldn't +know us now from shorefolks. Pretty good +sailor, be ye?" (looking at Betty sharply).</p> + +<p>"Yes, I love the sea," said Betty.</p> + +<p>"I want to know," said her new friend admiringly, +and then took a long breath and got +out of her gloves.</p> + +<p>"Your father a shipmaster?" she continued.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span></p> + +<p>"No," said Betty humbly.</p> + +<p>"What trade does he follow?"</p> + +<p>"He has written some books; he is a naturalist; +but papa can do almost anything," +replied Betty proudly.</p> + +<p>"I want to know," said the traveler again. +"Well, I don't realize just what naturalists +hold to; there's too many sects a-goin' nowadays +for me. I was brought up good old-fashioned +Methodist, but this very mornin' in the +depot I was speakin' with a stranger that said +she was a Calvin-Advent, and they was increasin' +fast. She did 'pear as well as anybody; a +nice appearin' woman. Well, there's room for +all."</p> + +<p>Betty was forced to smile, and tried to hide +her face by looking out of the window. Just +then the conductor kindly appeared, and so she +pulled her face straight again.</p> + +<p>"Ain't got no brothers an' sisters?" asked +the funny old soul.</p> + +<p>"No," said Betty. "Papa and I are all +alone."</p> + +<p>"Mother ain't livin'?" and the kind homely +face turned quickly toward her.</p> + +<p>"She died when I was a baby."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span></p> + +<p>"My sakes, how you talk! You don't <ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'fee'">feel</ins> +to miss her, but she would have set everything +by you." (There was something truly affectionate +in the way this was said.) "All my +child'n are married off," she continued. "The +house seems too big now. I do' know but +what, if you don't like where you're goin', I +will take ye in, long's you feel to stop."</p> + +<p>"Oh, thank you," said Betty gratefully. +"I'm sure I should have a good time. I'm +going to stay with my <ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'grand-aunts'">grandaunts</ins> this summer. +My father has gone to Alaska."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I do feel to hope it's by sea!" exclaimed +the listener.</p> + +<p>The cars rattled along and the country grew +greener and greener. Betty remembered it +very well, although she had not seen it for four +years, so long it was since she had been in +Tideshead before. After seeing the stonewalled +and thatched or tiled roofs of foreign +countries, the wooden buildings of New England +had a fragile look as if the wind and rain +would soon spoil and scatter them. The villages +and everything but some of the very +oldest farms looked so new and so temporary +that Betty Leicester was much surprised,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span> +knowing well that she was going through some +of the very oldest New England towns. She +had a delightful sense of getting home again, +which would have pleased her loyal father, and +indeed Betty herself believed that she could not +be proud enough of her native land. Papa always +said the faults of a young country were +so much better than the faults of an old one. +However, when the train crossed a bridge near +a certain harbor on the way and the young +traveler saw an English flag flying on a ship, +it looked very pleasant and familiar.</p> + +<p>The morning was growing hot, and the +good seafarer in the seat beside our friend +seemed to grow very uncomfortable. Her +dress was too thick, and she was trying to +hold on her bonnet with her chin, though it +slipped back farther and farther. Somehow +a great many women in the car looked very +warm and wretched in thick woolen gowns +and unsteady bonnets. Nobody looked as if +she were out on a pleasant holiday except one +neighbor, a brisk little person with a canary +bird and an Indian basket, out of which she +now and then let a kitten's head appear, long +enough to be patted and then tucked back +again.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span></p> + +<p>Betty's companion caught sight of this smiling +neighbor after a time and expressed herself +as surprised that anybody should take +the trouble to cart a kitten from town to +town, when there were two to every empty +saucer already. Betty laughed and supposed +that she didn't like cats, and was answered +gruffly that they were well enough in their +place. It was one of our friend's griefs that +she never was sure of being long enough in +one place to keep a kitten of her own, but the +pleasant thought came that she was almost +sure to find some at Aunt Barbara's where she +was going.</p> + +<p>It was not time to feel hungry, but Betty +caught sight of a paper box which the waiter +had brought to the carriage just as she was +leaving the hotel. She was having a hot and +dusty search under the car-seat for the sailor +woman's purse, which had suddenly gone overboard +from the upper deck of her wide lap, +but it was found at last, and Betty produced +the luncheon-box too and opened it. Her new +friend looked on with deep interest. "I'm +only goin's far as Newburyport," she explained +eagerly, "so I'm not provided."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Papa knew that I should be hungry by +noon," said Betty. "We always try not to +get too hungry when we are traveling because +one gets so much more tired. I always carry +some chocolate in my bag."</p> + +<p>"I expect you've had sights of experience. +You ain't be'n kep' short, that's plain. They +ain't many young gals looks so rugged. Enjoy +good health, dear, don't ye?" which Betty +answered with enthusiasm.</p> + +<p>The luncheon looked very inviting and Betty +offered a share most hospitably, and in spite +of its only being a quarter before eleven when +the feast began, the chicken sandwiches entirely +disappeared. There were only four, and +half a dozen small sponge-cakes which proved +to be somewhat dry and unattractive.</p> + +<p>"I only laid in a light breakfast," apologized +Betty's guest. "I'm obliged to you, +I'm sure, but then I wa' n't nigh so hungry +as when I got adrift once, in an open boat, +for two days and a night, and they give me +up"—</p> + +<p>But at this moment the train man shouted +"Newburyport," as if there were not a minute +to be lost, and the good soul gathered<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span> +her possessions in a great hurry, dropping +her purse again twice, and letting fall bits of +broken sentences with it from which Betty +could gather only "The fog come in," and +"coast o' France," and then, as they said good-by, +"'t was so divertin' ridin' along that I +took no note of stoppin'." After they had +parted affectionately, she stood for a minute +or two at the door of the still moving +train, nodding and bobbing her kind old head +at her young fellow-passenger whenever they +caught each other's eye. Betty was sorry to +lose this new friend so soon, and felt more +lonely than ever. She wished that they had +known each other's names, and especially that +there had been time to hear the whole of the +boat story.</p> + +<p>Now that there was no one else in the car +seat it seemed to be a good time to look over +some things in the pretty London traveling +bag, which had been pushed under its owner's +feet until then. Betty found a small bit of +chocolate for herself by way of dessert to the +early luncheon, and made an entry in a tidy +little account book which she meant to keep +carefully until she should be with papa again.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span> +It was a very interesting bag, with a dressing-case +fitted into it and a writing case, all furnished +with glass and ivory and silver fittings +and yet very plain, and nice, and convenient. +Betty's dear friend, Mrs. Duncan, had given it +to her that very spring, before she thought of +coming to America, and on the voyage it had +been worth its weight in gold. Out of long +experience the young traveler had learned not +to burden herself with too many things, but all +her belongings had some pleasant associations: +her button-hook was bought in Amsterdam, +and a queer little silver box for buttons came +from a village very far north in Norway, while +a useful jackknife had been found in Spain, +although it bore J. Crookes of Sheffield's name +on the haft. Somehow the traveling bag itself +brought up Mrs. Duncan's dear face, and +Betty's eyes glistened with tears for one moment. +The Duncan girls were her best friends, +and she had had lessons with them for many +months at a time in the last few years, so they +had the strong bond in friendship of having +worked as well as played together. But Mrs. +Duncan had been very motherly and dear to +our friend, and just now seemed nearer and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span> +more helpful than ever. The train whistled +along and the homesick feeling soon passed, +though Betty remembered that Mrs. Duncan +had said once that wherever you may put two +persons one is always hostess and the other +always guest, either from circumstances alone +or from their different natures, and they must +be careful about their duties to each other. +Betty had not quite understood this when she +heard it said, though the words had stayed in +her mind. Now the meaning flashed clearly +into her thought, and she was pleased to think +that she had just now been the one who knew +most about traveling. She wished so much +that she could have been of more use to the +old lady, but after all she seemed to have a +good little journey, and Betty hoped that she +could remember all about this droll companion +when she was writing, at her own journey's +end, to papa.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span></p> +<h2>II.</h2> + +<h3>THE PACKET BOAT.</h3> + + +<p><span class="smcap">The</span> day was one of the best days in June, +with warm sunshine and a cool breeze from +the east, for when Betty Leicester stepped +from a hot car to the station platform in +Riverport the air had a delicious sea-flavor. +She wondered for a moment what this flavor +was like, and then thought of a salt oyster. +She was hungry and tired, the journey had +been longer than she expected, and, as she +made her way slowly through the crowded +station and was pushed about by people who +were hurrying out of or into the train, she felt +unusually disturbed and lonely. Betty had +traveled far and wide for a girl of fifteen, but +she had seldom been alone, and was used to +taking care of other people. Papa himself +was very apt to forget important minor details, +and she had learned out of her loving young +heart to remember them, and was not without<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span> +high ambitions to make their journeys as comfortable +as possible. Still, she and her father +had almost always been together, and Betty +wondered if it had not after all been foolish +to make a certain decision which involved not +seeing him again until a great many weeks +had gone by.</p> + +<p>The cars moved away and the young traveler +went to the ticket-office to ask about the +Tideshead train. The ticket-agent looked at +her with a smile.</p> + +<p>"Train's gone half an hour ago!" he said, +as if he were telling Betty some good news. +"There'll be another one at eight o'clock to-morrow +morning, and the express goes, same +as to-day, at half past one. I suppose you +want to go to Tideshead town; this road only +goes to the junction and then there's a stage, +you know." He looked at Betty doubtfully +and as if he expected an instant decision on +her part as to what she meant to do next.</p> + +<p>"I knew that there was a stage," she answered, +feeling a little alarmed, but hoping +that she did not show it. "The time-table +said there was a train to meet this"—</p> + +<p>"Oh, that train is an express now and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span> +doesn't stop. Everything's got to be sacrificed +to speed."</p> + +<p>The ticket-agent had turned his back and +was looking over some papers and grumbling +to himself, so that Betty could no longer hear +what he was pleased to say. As she left the +window an elderly man, whose face was very +familiar, was standing in the doorway.</p> + +<p>"Well, ma'am, you an' I 'pear to have got +left. Tideshead, you said, if I rightly understood?"</p> + +<p>"Perhaps there is somebody who would +drive us there," said Betty. She never had +been called ma'am before, and it was most +surprising. "It isn't a great many miles, is +it?"</p> + +<p>"No, no!" said the new acquaintance. "I +was in considerable of a hurry to get home, +but 't isn't so bad as you think. We can go +right up on the packet, up river, you know; +get there by supper-time; the wind's hauling +round into the east a little. I understood you +to speak about getting to Tideshead?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Betty, gratefully.</p> + +<p>"Got a trunk, I expect. Well, I'll go out +and look round for Asa Chick and his han'cart,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span> +and we'll make for the wharf as quick as we +can. You may step this way."</p> + +<p>Betty "stepped" gladly, and Asa Chick +and the handcart soon led the way riverward +through the pleasant old-fashioned streets of +Riverport. Her new friend pointed out one +or two landmarks as they hurried along, for, +strange to say, although a sea-captain, he was +not sure whether the tide turned at half past +two or at half past three. When they came to +the river-side, however, the packet-boat was +still made fast to the pier, and nothing showed +signs of her immediate departure.</p> + +<p>"It is always a good thing to be in time," +said the captain, who found himself much too +warm and nearly out of breath. "Now, we've +got a good hour to wait. Like to go right +aboard, my dear?"</p> + +<p>Betty paid Asa Chick, and then turned to +see the packet. It was a queer, heavy-looking +craft, with a short, thick mast and high, +pointed lateen-sail, half unfurled and dropping +in heavy pocket-like loops. There was a dark +low cabin and a long deck; a very old man +and a fat, yellow dog seemed to be the whole +ship's company. The old man was smoking a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span> +pipe and took no notice of anything, but the +dog rose slowly to his feet and came wagging +his tail and looking up at the new passenger.</p> + +<p>"I do' know but I'll coast round up into the +town a little," said the captain. "'T ain't no +use asking old Mr. Plunkett there any questions, +he's deef as a ha'dick."</p> + +<p>"Will my trunk be safe?" asked Betty; +to which the captain answered that he would +put it right aboard for her. It was not a very +heavy trunk, but the captain managed it beautifully, +and put Betty's hand-bag and wrap +into the dark cabin. Old Plunkett nodded as +he saw this done, and the captain said again +that Betty might feel perfectly safe about +everything; but, for all that, she refused to +take a walk in order to see what was going on +in the town, as she was kindly invited to do. +She went a short distance by herself, however, +and came first to a bakery, where she bought +some buns, not so good as the English ones, +but still very good buns indeed, and two apples, +which the baker's wife told her had grown +in her own garden. You could see the tree +out of the back window, by which the hospitable +woman had left her sewing, and they were,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span> +indeed, well-kept and delicious apples for that +late season of the year. Betty lingered for +some minutes in the pleasant shop. She was +very hungry, and the buns were all the better +for that. She looked through a door and saw +the oven, but the baking was all done for the +day. The baker himself was out in his cart; +he had just gone up to Tideshead. Here was +another way in which one might have gone +to Tideshead by land; it would have been +good fun to go on the baker's cart and stop in +the farm-house yards and see everybody; but +on the whole there was more adventure in going +by water. Papa had always told Betty that +the river was beautiful. She did not remember +much about it herself, but this would be a +fine way of getting a first look at so large a +part of the great stream.</p> + +<p>It was slack water now, and the wharf +seemed high, and the landing-stage altogether +too steep and slippery. When Betty reached +the packet's deck, old Mr. Plunkett was sound +asleep; but while she was eating her buns the +dog came most good-naturedly and stood before +her, cocking his head sideways, and +putting on a most engaging expression, so<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span> +that they lunched together, and Betty left off +nearly as hungry as she began. The old dog +knew an apple when he saw it, and was disappointed +after the last one was brought out +from Betty's pocket, and lay down at her feet +and went to sleep again. Betty got into the +shade of the wharf and sat there looking down +at the flounders and sculpins in the clear water, +and at the dripping green sea-weeds on +the piles of the wharf. She was almost startled +when a heavy wagon was driven on the +planks above, and a man shouted suddenly to +the horses. Presently some barrels of flour +were rolled down and put on deck—twelve +of them in all—by a man and boy who gave +her, the young stranger, a careful glance every +time they turned to go back. Then a mowing-machine +arrived, and was carefully put +on board with a great deal of bustle and loud +talking. There was somebody on deck, now, +whom Betty believed to be the packet's skipper, +and after a while the old captain returned. +He seated himself by Mr. Plunkett and shook +hands with him warmly, and asked him for +the news; but there did not seem to be any.</p> + +<p>"I've been up to see my wife's cousin Jake<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span> +Hallet's folks," he explained, "and I thought +sure I'd get left," and old Plunkett nodded +soberly. They did not sail for at least half an +hour after this, and Betty sat discreetly on the +low cabin roof next the wharf all the time. +When they were out in the stream at last she +could get a pretty view of the town. There +was some shipping farther down the shore, +and some tall steeples and beautiful trees and +quaintly built warehouses; it was very pleasant, +looking back at it from the water.</p> + +<p>A little past the middle of the afternoon +they moved steadily up the river. The men +all sat together in a group at the stern, and +appeared to find a great deal to talk about. +Old Mr. Plunkett may have thought that +Betty looked lonely, for after he waked for +the second time he came over to where she +sat and nodded to her; so Betty nodded back, +and then the old man reached for her umbrella, +which was very pretty, with a round +piece of agate in the handle, and looked at it +and rubbed it with his thumb, and gave it +back to her. "Present to ye?" he asked, and +Betty nodded assent. Then old Plunkett went +away again, but she felt a sense of his kind<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span> +companionship. She wondered whom she must +pay for her passage and how much it would +be, but it was no use to ask so deaf a fellow-passenger. +He had put on a great pair of +spectacles and was walking round her trunk, +apparently much puzzled by the battered labels +of foreign hotels and railway stations.</p> + +<p>Betty thought that she had seldom seen half +so pleasant a place as this New England river. +She kept longing that her father could see it, +too. As they went up from the town the +shores grew greener and greener, and there +were some belated apple-trees still in bloom, +and the farm-houses were so old and stood so +pleasantly toward the southern sunshine that +they looked as if they might have grown like +the apple-trees and willows and elms. There +were great white clouds in the blue sky; the +air was delicious. Betty could make out at +last that old Mr. Plunkett was the skipper's +father, that Captain Beck was an old shipmaster +and a former acquaintance of her own, +and that the flour and some heavy boxes belonged +to one store-keeping passenger with a +long sandy beard, and the mowing-machine +to the other, who was called Jim Foss, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span> +that he was a farmer. He was a great joker +and kept making everybody laugh. Old Mr. +Plunkett laughed too, now that he was wide +awake, but it was only through sympathy; +he seemed to be a very kind old man. One +by one all the men came and looked at the +trunk labels, and they all asked whether Betty +hadn't been considerable of a traveler, or +some question very much like it. At last +the captain came with Captain Beck to collect +the passage money, which proved to be thirty-seven +cents.</p> + +<p>"Where did you say you was goin' to stop +in Tideshead?" asked Captain Beck.</p> + +<p>"I'm going to Miss Leicester's. Don't +you remember me? Aren't you Mary Beck's +grandfather? I'm Betty Leicester."</p> + +<p>"Toe be sure, toe be sure," said the old +gentleman, much pleased. "I wonder that I +had not thought of you at first, but you have +grown as much as little Mary has. You're +getting to be quite a young woman. Command +me," said the shipmaster, making a +handsome bow. "I am glad that I fell in with +you. I see your father's looks, now. The +ladies had a hard fight some years ago to keep<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span> +him from running off to sea with me. He's +been a great traveler since then, hasn't he?" +to which Betty responded heartily, again feeling +as if she were among friends. The storekeeper +offered to take her trunk right up the +hill in his wagon, when they got to the Tideshead +landing, and on the whole it was delightful +that the trains had been changed just in +time for her to take this pleasant voyage.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span></p> +<h2>III.</h2> + +<h3>A BIT OF COLOR.</h3> + + +<p><span class="smcap">Betty</span> had seen strange countries since her +last visit to Tideshead. Then she was only a +child, but now she was so tall that strangers +treated her as if she were already a young +lady. At fifteen one does not always know +just where to find one's self. A year before +it was hard to leave childish things alone, but +there soon came a time when they seemed to +have left Betty, while one by one the graver +interests of life were pushing themselves forward. +It was reasonable enough that she +should be taking care of herself; and, as we +have seen, she knew how better than most girls +of her age. Her father's rough journey to the +far North had been decided upon suddenly; +Mr. Leicester and Betty had been comfortably +settled at Lynton in Devonshire for the +summer, with a comfortable prospect of some +charming excursions and a good bit of work<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span> +on papa's new scientific book. Betty was used +to sudden changes of their plans, but it was +a hard trial when he had come back from +London one day, filled with enthusiasm about +the Alaska business.</p> + +<p>"The only thing against it is that I don't +know what to do with you, Betty dear," said +papa, with a most wistful but affectionate +glance. "Perhaps you would like to go to +Switzerland with the Duncans? You know +they were very anxious that I should lend you +for a while."</p> + +<p>"I will think about it," said Betty, trying +to smile, but she could not talk any more just +then. She didn't believe that the hardships +of this new journey were too great; it was +papa who minded dust and hated the care of +railway rugs and car-tickets, not she. But she +gave him a kiss and hurried out through the +garden and went as fast as she could along the +lonely long cliff-walk above the sea, to think +the sad matter over.</p> + +<p>That evening Betty came down to dinner +with a serene face. She looked more like a +young lady than she ever had before. "I have +quite decided what I should like to do," she<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span> +said. "Please let me go home with you and +stay in Tideshead with Aunt Barbara and +Aunt Mary. They speak about seeing us in +their letters, and I should be nearer where you +are going." Betty's brave voice failed her for +a moment just there.</p> + +<p>"Why, Betty, what a wise little woman you +are!" said Mr. Leicester, looking very much +pleased. "That's exactly right. I was thinking +about the dear souls as I came from town, +and promised myself that I would run down +for a few days before I go North. That is, if +you say I may go!" and he looked seriously at +Betty.</p> + +<p>"Yes," answered Betty slowly; "yes, I am +sure you may, papa dear, if you will be very, +very careful."</p> + +<p>They had a beloved old custom of papa's +asking his girl's leave to do anything that was +particularly important. In Betty's baby-days +she had reproved him for going out one morning. +"Who said you might go, Master Papa?" +demanded the little thing severely; and it had +been a dear bit of fun to remember the old +story from time to time ever since. Betty's +mother had died before she could remember;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span> +the two who were left were most dependent +upon each other.</p> + +<p>You will see how Betty came to have care-taking +ways and how she had learned to think +more than most girls about what it was best +to do. You will understand how lonely she +felt in this day or two when the story begins. +Mr. Leicester was too much hurried after all +when he reached America, and could not go +down to Tideshead for a few days' visit, as +they had both hoped and promised. And here, +at last, was Betty going up the long village +street with Captain Beck for company. She +had not seen Tideshead for four years, but it +looked exactly the same. There was the great, +square, white house, with the poplars and lilac +bushes. There were Aunt Barbara and Aunt +Mary sitting in the wide hall doorway as if +they had never left their high-backed chairs +since she saw them last.</p> + +<p>"Who is this coming up the walk?" said +Aunt Barbara, rising and turning toward her +placid younger sister in sudden excitement. +"It can't be—why, yes, it is Betty, after +all!" and she hurried down the steps.</p> + +<p>"Grown out of all reason, of course!" she<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span> +said sharply, as she kissed the surprising +grandniece, and then held her at arm's-length +to look at her again most fondly. "Where +did you find her, Captain Beck? We sent +over to the train; in fact, I went myself with +Jonathan, but we were disappointed. Your +father always telegraphs two or three times +before he really gets here, Betty; but you +have not brought him, after all."</p> + +<p>"We had to come up river by the packet," +said Captain Beck; "the young lady's had +quite a voyage; her sea-chest'll be here directly."</p> + +<p>The captain left Betty's traveling-bag on the +great stone doorstep, and turned to go away, +but Betty thanked him prettily for his kindness, +and said that she had spent a delightful +afternoon. She was now warmly kissed and +hugged by Aunt Mary, who looked much +younger than Aunt Barbara, and she saw two +heads appear at the end of the long hall.</p> + +<p>"There are Serena and Letty; you must +run and speak to them. They have been +looking forward to seeing you," suggested +Aunt Barbara, who seemed to see everything +at once; but when Betty went that way nobody<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span> +was to be found until she came to the +kitchen, where Serena and Letty were, or pretended +to be, much surprised at her arrival. +They were now bustling about to get Betty +some supper, and she frankly confessed that +she was very hungry, which seemed to vastly +please the good women.</p> + +<p>"What in the world shall we do with her?" +worried Aunt Mary, while Betty was gone. +"I had no idea she would seem so well grown. +She used to be small for her age, you know, +sister."</p> + +<p>"Do? do?" answered Miss Barbara Leicester +sternly. "If she can't take care of herself +by this time, she never will know how. +Tom Leicester should have let her stay here +altogether, instead of roaming about the world +with him, or else have settled himself down in +respectable fashion. I can't get on with teasing +children at my age. I'm sure I'm glad +she's well grown. She mustn't expect us to +turn out of our ways," grumbled Aunt Barbara, +who had the kindest heart in the world, +and was listening anxiously every minute for +Betty's footsteps.</p> + +<p>It was very pleasant to be safe in the old<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span> +house at last. The young guest did not feel +any sense of strangeness. She used to be +afraid of Aunt Barbara when she was a child, +but she was not a bit afraid now; and Aunt +Mary, who seemed a very lovely person then, +was now a little bit tiresome,—or else Betty +herself was tired and did not find it easy to +listen.</p> + +<p>After supper; and it was such a too-good +supper, with pound-cakes, and peach jam, and +crisp shortcakes, and four tall silver candlesticks, +and Betty being asked to her great astonishment +if she would take tea and meekly +preferring some milk instead; they came back +to the doorway. The moon had come up, and +the wide lawn in front of the house (which +the ladies always called the yard) was almost +as light as day. The syringa bushes were in +full bloom and fragrance, and other sweet +odors filled the air beside. There were two +irreverent little dogs playing and chasing each +other on the wide front walk and bustling +among the box and borders. Betty could hear +the voices of people who drove by, or walked +along the sidewalk, but Tideshead village was +almost as still as the fields outside the town.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span> +She answered all the questions that the aunts +kindly asked her for conversation's sake, and +she tried to think of ways of seeming interested +in return.</p> + +<p>"Can I climb the cherry-tree this summer, +Aunt Barbara?" she asked once. "Don't +you remember the day when there was a tea +company of ladies here, and Mary Beck and I +got some of the company's bonnets and shawls +off the best bed and dressed up in them and +climbed up in the trees?"</p> + +<p>"You looked like two fat black crows," +laughed Aunt Barbara, though she had been +very angry at the time. "All the fringes of +those thin best shawls were catching and snapping +as you came down. Oh, dear me, I +couldn't think what the old ladies would say. +None of your mischief now, Miss Betty!" and +she held up a warning forefinger. "Mary +Beck is coming to see you to-morrow; you +will find some pleasant girls here."</p> + +<p>"Tideshead has always been celebrated for +its cultivated society, you know, dear," added +Aunt Mary.</p> + +<p>Just now a sad feeling of loneliness began +to assail Betty. The summer might be very<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span> +long in passing, and anything might happen +to papa. She put her hand into her pocket to +have the comfort of feeling a crumpled note, a +very dear short note, which papa had written +her only the day before, when he had suddenly +decided to go out to Cambridge and not come +back to the hotel for luncheon.</p> + +<p>They talked a little longer, Betty and the +grandaunts, until sensible Aunt Barbara said, +"Now run <ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'upstairs'">up-stairs</ins> to bed, my dear; I am +sure that you must be tired," and Betty, who +usually begged to stay up as long as the grown +folks, was glad for once to be sent away like +a small child. Aunt Barbara marched up +the stairway and led the way to the east bedroom. +It was an astonishing tribute of respect +to Betty, the young guest, and she admired +such large-minded hospitality; but after all +she had expected a comfortable snug little +room next Aunt Mary's, where she had always +slept years before. Aunt Barbara assured her +that this one was much cooler and pleasanter, +and she must remember what a young lady +she had grown to be. "But you may change +to some other room if you like, my dear child," +said the old lady kindly. "I wouldn't unpack<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span> +to-night, but just go to bed and get rested. +I have my breakfast at half past seven, but +your Aunt Mary doesn't come down. I hope +that you will be ready as early as that, for I +like company;" and then, after seeing that +everything was in order and comfortable, she +kissed Betty twice most kindly and told her +that she was thankful to have her come to +them, and went away downstairs.</p> + +<p>It was a solemn, big, best bedroom, with +dark India-silk curtains to the bed and windows, +and dull coverings on the furniture. +This all looked as if there were pretty figures +and touches of gay color by daylight, but now +by the light of the two candles on the dressing-table +it seemed a dim and dismal place +that night. Betty was not a bit afraid; she +only felt lonely. She was but fifteen years +old, and she did not know how to get on by +herself after all. But Betty was no coward. +She had been taught to show energy and to +make light of difficulties. What could she +do? Why, unpack a little, and then go to +bed and go to sleep; that would be the best +thing.</p> + +<p>She knelt down before her trunk, and had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span> +an affectionate feeling toward it as she turned +the key and saw her familiar properties inside. +She took out her pictures of her father and +mother and Mrs. Duncan, and shook out a +crumpled dress or two and left them to lie on +the old couch until morning. Deep down in +the sea-chest, as Captain Beck had called it, +she felt the soft folds of a gay piece of Indian +silk made like a little shawl, which papa had +pleased himself with buying for her one day at +Liberty's shop in London. Mrs. Duncan had +laughed when she saw it, and told Betty not to +dare to wear it for at least ten years; but the +color of it was marvelous in the shadowy old +room. Betty threw the shining red thing over +the back of a great easy-chair and it seemed +to light the whole place. She could not help +feeling more cheerful for the sight of that gay +bit of color. Then a great wish filled her +heart, dear little Betty; perhaps she could +really bring some new pleasure to Tideshead +that summer! The old aunties' lives looked +very gray and dull to her young eyes; it was +a dull place, perhaps, for Betty, who had lived +a long time where the brightest and busiest +people were. The last thing she thought of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span> +before she fell asleep was the little silk shawl. +She had often heard artistic people say "a bit +of color;" now she had a new idea, though a +dim one, of what a bit of color might be expected +to do in every-day life. Good-night, +Betty. Good-night, dear Betty, in your best +bedroom, sound asleep all the summer night +and dreaming of those you love!</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span></p> +<h2>IV.</h2> + +<h3>TIDESHEAD.</h3> + + +<p><span class="smcap">However</span> old and responsible Betty Leicester +felt overnight, she seemed to return to +early childhood in spite of herself next day. +She must see the old house again and chatter +with Aunt Barbara about the things and people +she remembered best. She looked all +about the garden, and spent an hour in the +kitchen talking to Serena and Letty while +they worked there, and then she went out to +see Jonathan and a new acquaintance called +Seth Pond, an awkward young man, who took +occasion to tell Betty that he had come from +way up-country where there was plenty greener'n +he was. There were a great many interesting +things to see and hear in Jonathan's +and Seth's domains, and Betty found the remains +of one of her own old cubby-holes in the +shed-chamber, and was touched to the heart +when she found that it had never been cleared<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span> +away. She had known so many places and so +many people that it was almost startling to +find Tideshead looking and behaving exactly +the same, while she had changed so much. +The garden was a most lovely place, with its +long, vine-covered summer-house, and just now +all the roses were in bloom. Here was that +cherry-tree into which she and Mary Beck had +climbed, decked in the proper black shawls +and bonnets and black lace veils. But where +could dear Becky be all the morning? They +had been famous cronies in that last visit, +when they were eleven years old. Betty hurried +into the house to find her hat and tell +Aunt Barbara where she was going.</p> + +<p>Aunt Barbara took the matter into serious +consideration. "Why, Mary will come to see +you this afternoon, I don't doubt, my dear, +and perhaps you had better wait until after +dinner. They dine earlier than we, and are +apt to be busy."</p> + +<p>Betty turned away disappointed. She wished +that she had thought to find Mary just after +breakfast in their friendly old fashion, but it +was too late now. She would sit down at the +old secretary in the library and begin a letter +to papa.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Dear Papa," she wrote, "Here I am at +Tideshead, and I feel just as I used when I +was a little girl, but people treat me, even +Mary Beck, as if I were grown up, and it is a +little lonely just at first. Everything looks +just the same, and Serena made me some +hearts and rounds for supper; wasn't she kind +to remember? And they put on the old silver +mug that you used to have, for me to drink out +of. And I like Aunt Barbara best of the two +aunts, after all, which is sure to make you +laugh, though Aunt Mary is very kind and +seems ill, so that I mean to be as nice to her +as I possibly can. They seemed to think that +you were going off just as far as you possibly +could without going to a star, and it made me +miss you more than ever. Jonathan talked +about politics, whether I listened or not, and +didn't like it when I said that you believed in +tariff reform. He really scolded and said the +country would go to the dogs, and I was sorry +that I knew so little about politics. People +expect you to know so many new things with +every inch you grow. Dear papa, I wish that +I were with you. Remember not to smoke too +often, even if you wish to very much; and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span> +please, dear papa, think very often that I am +your only dear child,</p> + +<div class='sig'> +<span class="smcap">Betty.</span><br /> +</div> + +<p>"P. S.—I miss you more because they are +all so much older than we are, papa dear. +Perhaps you will tell me about the tariff reform +for a lesson letter when you can't think +of anything else to write about. I have not +seen Mary Beck yet, or any of the girls I +used to know. Mary always came right over +before. I must tell you next time about such +a funny, nice old woman who came most of +the way with me in the cars, and what will +you think when I tell you the most important +thing,—I had to come up river on the packet! +I wished and wished for you.</p> + +<div class='sig'> +<span class="smcap">Betty.</span>"<br /> +</div> + +<p>Dinner-time was very pleasant, and Aunt +Mary, who first appeared then, was most kind +and cheerful; but both the ladies took naps, +after dinner was over and they had read their +letters, so Betty went to her own room, meaning +to put away her belongings; but Letty +had done this beforehand, and the large room +looked very comfortable and orderly. Aunt +Barbara had smiled when another protest was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span> +timidly offered about the best bedroom, and +told Betty that it was pleasant to have her +just across the hall. "I am well used to my +housekeeping cares," added Aunt Barbara, +with a funny look across the table at her +young niece; and Betty thought again, how +much she liked this grandaunt.</p> + +<p>The house was very quiet and she did not +know exactly what to do, so she looked about +the guest-chamber.</p> + +<p>There were some quaint-looking silhouettes +on the walls of the room, and in a deep oval +frame a fine sort of ornament which seemed +to be made of beautiful grasses and leaves, all +covered with glistening crystals. The dust had +crept in a little at one side. Betty remembered +it well, and always thought it very interesting. +Then there were two old engravings +of Angelica Kauffmann and Madame +Le Brun. Nothing pleased her so much, however, +as papa's bright little shawl. It looked +brighter than ever, and Letty had folded it +and left it on the old chair.</p> + +<p>Just then there came a timid rap or two with +the old knocker on the hall-door. It was early +for visitors, and the aunts were both in their<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span> +rooms. Betty went out to see what could be +done about so exciting a thing, and met quick-footed +Letty, who had been close at hand in +the dining-room.</p> + +<p>"'Tis Miss Mary Beck come to call upon +you, Miss Betty," said Letty, with an air of +high festivity, and Betty went quickly downstairs. +She was brimful of gladness to see +Mary Beck, and went straight toward her in +the shaded parlor to kiss her and tell her so.</p> + +<p>Mary Beck was sitting on the edge of a +chair, and was dressed as if she were going to +church, with a pair of tight shiny best gloves +on and shiny new boots, which hurt her feet +if Betty had only known it. She wore a hat +that looked too small for her head, and had a +queer, long, waving bird-of-paradise feather in +it, and a dress that was much too old for her, +and of a cold, smooth, gray color, trimmed +with a shade of satin that neither matched it +nor made a contrast. She had grown to be +even taller than Betty, and she looked uncomfortable, +and as if she had been forced to +come. That was a silly, limp shake of the +hand with which she returned Betty's warm +grasp. Oh dear, it was evidently a dreadful<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span> +thing to go to make a call! It had been an +anxious, discouraged getting-ready, and Betty +thought of the short, red-cheeked, friendly +little Becky whom she used to play with, and +was grieved to the heart. But she bravely +pushed a chair close to the guest and sat +down. She could not get over the old feeling +of affection.</p> + +<p>"I thought you would be over here long +ago. I ought to have gone to see you. Why, +you're more grown up than I am; isn't it too +bad?" said Betty, feeling afraid that one or +the other of them might cry, they were both +blushing so deeply and the occasion was so +solemn.</p> + +<p>"Oh, do let's play in the shed-chamber all +day to-morrow!"</p> + +<p>And then they both laughed as hard as they +could, and there was the dear old Mary Beck +after all, and a tough bit of ice was forever +broken.</p> + +<p>Betty threw open the parlor blinds, regardless +of Serena's feelings about flies, and the +two friends spent a delightful hour together. +The call ended in Mary's being urged to go +home to take off her best gown and put on<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span> +an every-day one, and away they went afterward +for a long walk.</p> + +<p>"What are the girls doing?" asked Betty, +as if she considered herself a member already +of this branch of the great secret society of +girls.</p> + +<p>"Oh, nothing; we hardly ever do anything," +answered Mary Beck, with a surprised +and uneasy glance. "It is so slow in Tideshead, +everybody says."</p> + +<p>"I suppose it is slow anywhere if we don't +do anything about it," laughed Betty, so good-naturedly +that Mary laughed too. "I like to +play out-of-doors just as well as ever I did, +don't you?"</p> + +<p>Mary Beck gave a somewhat doubtful answer. +She had dreaded this ceremonious call. +She could not quite understand why Betty +Leicester, who had traveled abroad and done +so many things and had, as people say, such +unusual advantages, should seem the same as +ever, and only wear that plain, comfortable-looking +little gingham dress.</p> + +<p>"When my other big trunk comes there are +some presents I brought over for you," confessed +Betty shyly. "I have had to keep one<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span> +of them a long time because papa has always +been saying every year that we were sure to +come to Tideshead, and then we haven't after +all."</p> + +<p>"He has been here two or three times," +said Mary. "I saw him go by and I wanted +to run out and ask him about you, but I was +afraid to"—</p> + +<p>"Afraid of papa? What a funny thing! +You never would be if you really knew him," +exclaimed Betty, with delighted assurance. She +laughed heartily and stopped to lean against a +stone wall, and gave Mary Beck a little push +which was meant to express a great deal of +affection and amusement. Then she forgot +everything in looking at the beautiful view +across the farms and the river and toward the +great hills and mountains beyond.</p> + +<p>"I knew you would think it was pretty +here," said Mary. "I have always thought +that when you came back I would bring you +here first. I liked to call this our tree," she +said shyly, looking up into the great oak +branches. "It seems so strange to be here +with you, at last, after all the times I have +thought about it"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span>—</p> + +<p>Betty was touched by this bit of real sentiment. +She was thankful from that moment +that she was going to spend most of the summer +in Tideshead. Here was the best of good +things,—a real friend, who had been waiting +for her all the time.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span></p> +<h2>V.</h2> + +<h3>AT BECKY'S HOUSE.</h3> + + +<p><span class="smcap">When</span> the happy Becky flew in to free herself +from her Sunday clothes she did not meet +either member of her family, but on her +return from the walk she found her mother +grimly getting the supper ready.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I have had such a lovely time," cried +Becky, brimful of the pleasure of Betty's return. +"She is just the same as she used to +be, exactly; only grown like everything. And +I saw Miss Barbara Leicester, and she was +lovely and asked me to stay to tea, and Betty +did too, but I didn't know whether you would +like it."</p> + +<p>"I am going to have her come and take tea +with us as soon as I can, but I don't see how +to manage it this week," said Mrs. Beck complainingly. +"I have so much to do every day +that I dread having company. What made you +put on that spotted old dress? I don't know<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span> +what she could have thought, I'm sure. If you +wanted to take off your best one, why didn't +you put on your satine?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, I don't know, mother!" answered +Becky fretfully. "Betty had on a gingham +dress, and she said I couldn't get over the +fences in my best one, and I didn't think it +made any difference."</p> + +<p>"Well, no matter," said Mrs. Beck sighing, +"they saw you dressed up decently at +first. I think you girls are too old to climb +fences and be tomboys, for my part. When +I was growing up, young ladies were expected +to interest themselves in things at home."</p> + +<p>The good cheer of the afternoon served +Becky in good stead. She was already helping +her mother with the table, and was sorry +in a more understanding way than ever before +for the sad-looking little woman in black, who +got so few real pleasures out of life. "Betty +Leicester says that we can have this one summer +more any way before we are really grown +up," she suggested, and Mrs. Beck smiled and +hoped they would enjoy it, but they couldn't +keep time back do what they might.</p> + +<p>"Did she show you anything she brought +home, Mary?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span></p> + +<p>"No, not a single thing; we were out-doors +almost all the time after I made the call, but +she says she has brought me some presents."</p> + +<p>"I wonder what they are?" said Mrs. Beck, +much pleased. "There's one thing about the +Leicesters, they are all generous where they +take a liking. But then, they have got plenty +to do with; everybody hasn't. You might +have stayed to tea, I suppose, if they wanted +you, but I wouldn't run after them."</p> + +<p>"Why mother!" exclaimed honest Becky. +"Betty Leicester and I always played together; +it isn't running after her to expect to +be friends just the same now. Betty always +comes here oftenest; she said she was coming +right over."</p> + +<p>"I want you to show proper pride," said the +mistaken mother. It would have been so much +better to let the two girls go their own unsuspecting +ways. But poor little Mrs. Beck had +suffered many sorrows and disappointments, +and had not learned yet that such lessons ought +to make one's life larger instead of smaller.</p> + +<p>Mary's eyes were shining with delight in +spite of her mother's plaintive discouragements, +and now as they both turned away<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span> +from the plain little supper-table, she took +hold of her hand and held it fast as they +went out to the kitchen together. They very +seldom indulged in any signs of affection, but +there was a very happy feeling roused by +Betty Leicester's coming. "Oh good! drop-cakes +for tea!" and Mary capered a little to +show how pleased she was. "I wish I had +asked her to come home with me, she always +used to eat so many of our drop-cakes when +she was a little girl; don't you remember, +mother?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; but you mustn't expect her to be +the same now," answered Mrs. Beck. "She +is used to having things very different, and +we can't do as we could if father had lived."</p> + +<p>"Grandpa says nobody has things as nice +as you do," said Mary, trying to make the sun +shine again. "I know Betty will eat more +drop-cakes than ever, just because she can hold +so many more. She'll be glad of that, now +you see, mother!" and Mrs. Beck gave a +faint smile.</p> + +<p>That very evening there were quick steps up +the yard toward the side door, and Betty +opened the door and came in to the Becks' sitting-room.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span> +She stopped a moment on the +threshold, it all looked so familiar. Becky +had grown, as we know; that was the only +change, and the old captain sat reading his +newspaper as usual, with a small lamp held +close against it in his right hand; Mrs. Beck +was sewing, and on the wall hung the picture +of Daniel Webster and the portraits in watercolors +of two of the captain's former ships. +Betty spoke to Captain Beck with an air of +intimacy and then went over to Becky's mother, +who stood there with a pale apprehensive look +as if she thought there was no chance of anybody's +being glad to see <i>her</i>. However, Betty +kissed her warmly and said she was so glad +to get back to Tideshead, and then displayed a +white paper bundle which she had held under +her wrap. It looked like presents!</p> + +<p>"Aunt Barbara had to write some letters +for the early mail and Aunt Mary was resting, +so I thought I would run over for a few minutes," +said the eager girl. "My big trunk +came this afternoon, Becky."</p> + +<p>"How is your Aunt Mary to-day?" asked +Mrs. Beck ceremoniously, though a light crept +into her face which may have been a reflection +from her daughter's broad smile.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Oh, she is just the same as ever," replied +Betty sadly. "I believe she isn't sleeping +so well lately, but she looks a great deal better +than when I was a little girl. Aunt Barbara +is always so anxious."</p> + +<p>"They were surprised, I observed, when you +and I came up the street together last night; +quite a voyage we had," said the captain.</p> + +<p>"Some day I mean to go down and come +back again in the old packet; can't you go +too, Becky?" said our friend. "Captain +Beck'll be going again, won't you, Captain +Beck? I didn't look at the river half enough +because I was in such a hurry to get here."</p> + +<p>"You're sunburnt, aren't you?" said Mrs. +Beck, looking very friendly.</p> + +<p>"I'm always brown in summer," acknowledged +Betty frankly. "Hasn't Mary grown +like everything? I didn't known how tall I +must look until I saw her. I'm so glad that +school is done; I was afraid it wouldn't be."</p> + +<p>"She goes to the academy now, you know," +said Mrs. Beck. "The term ended abruptly +because the principal's wife met with affliction +and they had to go out of town to her old +home."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span></p> + +<p>Betty, it must be confessed, had at this +point an instinctive remembrance of Mrs. +Beck's love for dismal tales, so she hastened +to change the subject of conversation. Mrs. +Beck was very kind-hearted when any one +was ill or in trouble. Betty herself had a grateful +memory of such devotion when she had a +long childish illness once at Aunt Barbara's, +but Mary Beck's mother never seemed to take +half the pleasure in cheerful things and in +well people who went about their every-day +affairs. It seemed a good chance now to open +the little package of presents. There were +two pretty Roman cravats, and a carved Swiss +box with a quantity of French chocolate in it, +and a nice cake of violet soap, and a pretty +ivory pin carved like an edelweiss, like one +that Betty herself wore; for the captain there +was a photograph of Bergen harbor in Norway, +with all manner of strange vessels at +the wharves. Then for Mrs. Beck Betty had +brought a pretty handkerchief with some fine +embroidery round the edge. It was a charming +little heap of things. "I have been getting +them at different times and keeping them +until I came," said Betty.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span></p> + +<p>Mary Beck was delighted, as well she +might be, and yet it was very hard to express +any such feeling. Somehow the awkward +feeling with which she went to make the call +that afternoon was again making her dreadfully +uncomfortable.</p> + +<p>The old captain was friendly and smiling, +and Mary and her mother said "Thank you," +a good many times, but Mrs. Beck took half +the pleasure away by a sigh and lament that +her girl couldn't make any return.</p> + +<p>"It's the best return to be so glad to see +each other, Becky!" said Betty Leicester, suddenly +turning to her friend and blushing a +good deal as they kissed one another, while +the old captain gave a satisfied <i>humph</i> and +turned to his newspaper again.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Beck was really much pleased, and yet +was overwhelmed with a suspicion that Betty +thought her ungrateful. She was sorry that +if there were going to be a handkerchief it +had not been one with a black border, but +after all this was a pretty one and very fine; +it would be just right for Mary by and by.</p> + +<p>The old cat seemed to know the young visitor, +and came presently purring very loud and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span> +rubbing against Betty's gown, and was promptly +lifted into her lap for a little patting and +cuddling before she must run back again to +the aunts. This cat had been known to Betty +as a young kitten, and she and Becky had +sometimes dressed her with a neat white ruffle +about her neck to which they added a doll's +dress. She was one of the limp obliging kittens +which make such capital playmates, and +the two girls laughed a great deal now as they +reminded each other of certain frolics that had +taken place. Once Mrs. Beck had entertained +the Maternal Meeting in her staid best parlor, +and the Busy B's, as the captain sometimes +called them, had dressed the kitten and encouraged +her to enter the room at a most +serious moment in the proceedings. Even +Mrs. Beck laughed about it now, though she +was very angry at the time. Her heart seemed +to warm more and more, and by the time our +friend had gone she was in really good spirits. +Becky must keep the cake of soap in her +upper drawer, she said; nothing gave such a +nice clean smell to things. It seemed to her +it was a strange present, but it was nice to +have it, and all the things were pretty; it<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span> +wasn't likely that any of them were very +expensive.</p> + +<p>"Oh mother!" pleaded Becky affectionately; +"and then, just think! you said last +night perhaps she hadn't brought me anything, +and it had been out of sight out of +mind with her!" Mary was truly fond of +her friend, but she could not help looking at +life sometimes from her mother's carping point +of view. It was good for her to be so pleased +and happy as she was that evening, and she +looked at her new treasures again and prudently +counted the seventeen little chocolates +in their gay papers twice over before she +treated herself to any. She could keep their +little cases even after the chocolates were +gone.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Beck mended and sewed on buttons +long after the captain and Mary had gone to +bed. She could not help feeling happier for +Betty Leicester's coming. She knew that she +had been a little grumpy to the child; but +Betty had luckily not been discomforted by it, +and had even thought, as she ran across the +street in the dark evening and up the long +front walk, that Becky's mother was not half +so disapproving as she used to be.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span></p> +<h2>VI.</h2> + +<h3>THE GARDEN TEA.</h3> + + +<p><span class="smcap">There</span> was a gnarled old pear-tree of great +age and size that grew near Betty Leicester's +east window. By leaning out a little she could +touch the nearest bough. Aunt Barbara and +Aunt Mary said that it was a most beautiful +thing to see it in bloom in the spring; and the +family cats were fond of climbing up and leaping +across to the window-sill, while there were +usually some birds perching in it when the +coast was clear of pussies.</p> + +<p>One day Betty was looking over from Mary +Beck's and saw that the east window and the +pear-tree branch were in plain sight; so the +two girls invented a system of signals: one +white handkerchief meant <i>come over</i>, and two +meant <i>no</i>, but a single one in answer was for +<i>yes</i>. A yellow handkerchief on the bough proposed +a walk; and so the code went on, and +was found capable of imparting much secret<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span> +information. Sometimes the exchange of these +signals took a far longer time than it did to +run across from house to house, and at any +rate in the first fortnight Mary and Betty +spent the greater part of their waking hours +together. Still the signal service, as they +proudly called it, was of great use.</p> + +<p>One morning, when Mary had been summoned, +Betty came rushing to meet her.</p> + +<p>"Aunt Barbara is going to let me have a +tea-party. What do you think of that?" she +cried.</p> + +<p>Mary Beck looked pleased, and then a +doubting look crept over her face.</p> + +<p>"I don't know any of the boys and girls +very well except you," Betty explained, "and +Aunt Barbara likes the idea of having them +come. Aunt Mary thinks that she can't come +down, for the excitement would be too much +for her, but I am going to tease her again as +soon as I have time. It is to be a summer-house +tea at six o'clock; it is lovely in the +garden then. Just as soon as I have helped +Serena a little longer, you and I will go to +invite everybody. Serena is letting me beat +eggs."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span></p> + +<p>It was a great astonishment that Betty should +take the serious occasion so lightly. Mary +Beck would have planned it at least a week +beforehand, and have worried and worked and +been in despair; but here was Betty as gay as +possible, and as for Aunt Barbara and Serena +and Letty, they were gay too. It was entirely +mysterious.</p> + +<p>"I have sent word by Jonathan to the Picknell +girls; he had an errand on that road. +They looked so old and scared in church last +Sunday that I kept thinking that they ought +to have a good time. They don't come in to +the village much, do they?" inquired Betty +with great interest.</p> + +<p>"Hardly ever, except Sundays," answered +Mary Beck. "They turn red if you only look +at them, but they are always talking together +when they go by. One of them can draw +beautifully. Oh, of course I go to school +with them, but I don't know them very well."</p> + +<p>"I hope they'll come, don't you?" said +Betty, whisking away at the eggs. "I don't +know when I've ever been where I could have +a little party. I can have two or three girls +to luncheon or tea almost any time, especially<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span> +in London, but that's different. Who else +now, Becky? Let's see if we choose the same +ones."</p> + +<p>"Mary and Julia Picknell, and Mary and +Ellen Grant, and Lizzie French, and George +Max, and Frank Crane, and my cousin Jim +Beck,—Dan's too little. They would be +eight, and you and I make ten—oh, that's +too many!"</p> + +<p>"Dear me, no!" said Betty lightly. "I +thought of the Fosters, too"—</p> + +<p>"We don't have much to do with the Fosters," +said Mary Beck. "I don't see why +that Nelly Foster started up and came to see +you. I never go inside her house now. Everybody +despises her father"—</p> + +<p>"I think that Nelly is a dear-looking girl," +insisted Betty. "I like her ever so much."</p> + +<p>"They acted so stuck-up after Mr. Foster +was put in jail," Mary went on. "People +pitied them at first and were carrying about a +subscription-paper, but Mrs. Foster wouldn't +take anything, and said that they were going +to support themselves. People don't like Mrs. +Foster very well."</p> + +<p>"Aunt Barbara respects her very much.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span> +She says that few women would show the +courage she has shown. Perhaps she hasn't +a nice way of speaking, but Aunt Barbara said +that I must ask Harry and Nelly, when we +were talking about to-night." Betty could +not help a tone of triumph; she and Becky +had fought a little about the Fosters before +this.</p> + +<p>"Harry is just like a wild Indian," said +Mary Beck; "he goes fishing and trapping +almost all the time. He won't know what to +do at a party. I believe he makes ever so +much money with his fish, and pays bills with +it." Becky relented a little now. "Oh, dear, +I haven't anything nice enough to wear," she +added suddenly. "We never have parties in +Tideshead, except at the vestry in the winter; +and they're so poky."</p> + +<p>"Oh, wear anything; it's going to be hot, +that's all," said industrious Betty, in her business-like +checked apron; and it now first +dawned upon Becky's honest mind that it was +not worth while to make one's self utterly +miserable about one's clothes.</p> + +<p>The two girls went scurrying away like squirrels +presently to invite the guests. Nelly Foster<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span> +looked delighted at the thought of such a +pleasure.</p> + +<p>"But I don't know what Harry will say," +she added, doubtfully.</p> + +<p>"Please ask him to be sure to come," urged +Betty. "I should be so disappointed, and +Aunt Barbara asked me to say that she depended +upon him, for she knows him better +than she does almost any of the young people." +Nelly looked radiant at this, but Mary Beck +was much offended. "I go to your Aunt Barbara's +oftener than anybody," she said jealously, +as they came away.</p> + +<p>"She asked me to say that, and I did," +maintained Betty. "Don't be cross, Becky, +it's going to be such a jolly tea-party. Why, +here's Jonathan back again already. Oh, +good! the Picknells are happy to come."</p> + +<p>The rest of the guests were quickly made +sure of, and Betty and reluctant Mary went +back to the house. It made Betty a little disheartened +to find that her friend took every +proposition on the wrong side; she seemed to +think most things about a tea-party were impossible, +and that all were difficult, and she +saw lions in the way at every turn. It struck<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span> +Betty, who was used to taking social events +easily, that there was no pleasuring at all in +the old village, though people were always saying +how gay and delightful it <i>used</i> to be and +how many guests <i>used</i> to come to town in the +summer.</p> + +<p>The old Leicester garden was a lovely place +on a summer evening. Aunt Barbara had been +surprised when Betty insisted that she wished +to have supper there instead of in the dining-room; +but Betty had known too many out-of-door +feasts in foreign countries not to remember +how charming they were and how small +any dining-room seems in summer by contrast. +And after a few minutes' thought, Aunt Barbara, +too, who had been in France long before, +asked Serena and Letty to spread the table +under the large cherry-tree near the arbor; +and there it stood presently, with its white +cloth, and pink roses in two china bowls, all +ready for the sandwiches and bread and butter +and strawberries and sponge-cake, and chocolate +to drink out of the prettiest cups in Tideshead. +It was all simple and gay and charming, the +little feast; and full of grievous self-consciousness +as the shyest guest might have been when<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span> +first met by Betty at the doorstep, the pleasure +of the party itself proved most contagious, and +all fears were forgotten. Everybody met on +common ground for once, without any thought +of self. It came with surprise to more than +one girl's mind that a party was really so +little trouble. It was such a pity that somebody +did not have one every week.</p> + +<p>Aunt Barbara was very good to Harry Foster, +who seemed at first much older and soberer +than the rest; but Betty demanded his services +when she was going to pass the sandwiches +again, and Letty had gone to the house +for another pot of chocolate. "I will take +the bread and butter; won't you please pass +these?" she said. And away they went to +the rest of the company, who were scattered +along the arbor benches by twos and threes.</p> + +<p>"I saw you in your boat when I first came +up the river," Betty found time to say. "I +didn't know who you were then, though I was +sure you were one of the boys whom I used to +play with. Some time when Nelly is going +down couldn't you take me too? I can row."</p> + +<p>"Nelly would go if you would. I never +thought to ask her. I always wish there were<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span> +somebody else to see how pleasant it is"—and +then a voice interrupted to ask what Harry +was catching now.</p> + +<p>"Bass," said Harry, with brightening face. +"I do so well that I am sending them down to +Riverport every day that the packet goes, and +I wish that I had somebody to help me. You +don't know what a rich old river it is!"</p> + +<p>"Why, if here isn't Aunt Mary!" cried +Betty. Sure enough, the eager voices and the +laughter had attracted another guest. And +Aunt Barbara sprang up joyfully and called +for a shawl and footstool from the house; but +Betty didn't wait for them, and brought Aunt +Mary to the arbor bench. Nobody knew when +the poor lady had been in her own garden before, +but here she was at last, and had her +supper with the rest. The good doctor would +have been delighted enough if he had seen the +sight.</p> + +<p>Nothing had ever tasted so good as that out-of-door +supper. The white June moon came +up, and its bright light made the day longer; +and when everybody had eaten a last piece of +sponge-cake, and the heap of strawberries on +a great round India dish had been leveled,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span> +what should be heard but sounds of a violin. +Betty had discovered that Seth Pond,—the +clumsy, good-natured Seth of all people!—had, +as he said, "ears for music," and had +taught himself to play.</p> + +<p>So they had a country-dance on the green, +girls and boys and Aunt Barbara, who had +been a famous dancer in her youth; and those +who didn't know the steps of "Money Musk" +and the Virginia reel were put in the middle +of the line, and had plenty of time to learn before +their turns came. Afterward Seth played +"Bonny Doon," and "Nelly was a Lady," and +"Johnny Comes Marching Home," and "Annie +Laurie," and half a dozen other songs, and +everybody sang, but, to Betty's delight, Mary +Beck's voice led all the rest.</p> + +<p>The moon was high in the sky when the +guests went away. It seemed like a new world +to some young folks who were there, and everybody +was surprised because everybody else +looked so pretty and was so surprisingly gay. +Yet, here it was, the same old Tideshead after +all!</p> + +<p>"Aunt Barbara," said Betty, as that aunt sat +on the side of Betty's four-post bed,—"Aunt<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span> +Barbara, don't say good-night just yet. I +must talk about one or two things before I +forget them in the morning. Mary Picknell +asked me ever so many questions about some +of the pictures, but she knows more about +them than I do, and I thought I would ask +her to come some day so that you could tell +her everything. She ought to be an artist. +Didn't you see how she kept looking at the +pictures? And then Harry Foster knows a +lovely place down the river for a picnic, and +can borrow boats enough beside his own to +take us all there, only it's a secret yet. Harry +said that it was a beautiful point of land, with +large trees, and that there was a lane that +came across the fields from the road, so that +you could be driven down to meet us, if you +disliked the boats."</p> + +<p>"I am very fond of going on the water," +said Aunt Barbara, with great spirit. "I +knew that point, and those oak-trees, long +before either of you were born. It was very +polite of Harry to think of my coming with +the young folks. Yes, we'll think about the +picnic, certainly, but you must go to sleep +now, Betty."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Aunt Barbara must have been such a nice +girl," thinks Betty, as the door shuts. "And +if we go, Harry must take her in his boat. +It is strange that Mary Beck should not like +the Fosters, just because their father was a +scamp."</p> + +<p>But the room was still and dark, and sleepiness +got the better of Betty's thoughts that +night.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span></p> +<h2>VII.</h2> + +<h3>THE SIN BOOKS.</h3> + + +<p><span class="smcap">One</span> morning Betty was hurrying down +Tideshead street to the post-office, and happened +to meet the minister's girls and Lizzie +French, who were great friends with each +other. They seemed to be unusually confidential +and interested about something.</p> + +<p>"We've got a secret club and we're going +to let you belong," said Lizzie French. +"Where can we go to tell you about it, and +make you take the oath?"</p> + +<p>"Come home with me just as soon as I post +this letter," responded Betty with great pleasure. +"Do you think my front steps would +be a good place?"</p> + +<p>"It would be too hot; beside, we don't want +Mary Beck to see us," objected Ellen Grant, +who was the most pale and quiet of the two +sisters. They were both pleasant, persistent, +mild-faced girls, who never seemed tired or confused,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span> +and never liked to change their minds +or to go out of their own way. Usually all the +other girls liked to do as they said, and they +were accordingly very much pleased with Betty, +apparently because she hardly ever agreed with +them.</p> + +<p>"Let's go to walk, then," said Betty.</p> + +<p>"I'll tell you what we'll do," Lizzie +Grant said in a business-like tone. "Let's go +down the old road a little way, toward the +river, and sit under the black cherry-tree +on the stone wall; you know how cool it +is there in the morning? I can't stay but +a little while any way. I am going to help +mother."</p> + +<p>Nobody objected and away they went two +by two. Evidently there was serious business +on hand, which could by no means be told +lightly or without some regard to the surroundings.</p> + +<p>"Now what is it?" demanded Betty, when +they had seated themselves under the old black +cherry-tree; but neither of the girls took it +upon her to speak first. "I promise never, +never to tell."</p> + +<p>Mary Grant took a thin, square little book<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span> +out of her pocket, half of a tiny account book +of the plainest sort, and held it up to Betty so +that she could see the letters S. B. C. on the +pale brown pasteboard cover. It certainly +looked very interesting and mysterious. "We +thought that we would admit another member," +said Mary; "but it is a very difficult +thing to belong, and you must hold up your +right hand and promise on your word of honor +that you will never speak of it to any girl in +Tideshead."</p> + +<p>"I may have to speak of it to papa. I always +tell papa if I am not quite certain about +things. He said a great while ago that it was +the safest way. I mean I am on my honor +about it, that's all. He never asks me." +Betty's cheeks grew red as she spoke, but she +did speak bravely, and the girls were more +impressed than ever by the seriousness of the +club.</p> + +<p>"I don't believe that she will have to tell +him, do you, girls?" Lizzie French insisted. +"Any way we want you to belong, Betty. You +be the one to tell her, Mary."</p> + +<p>"It is a society to help us not to say things +about people," said Mary Grant solemnly, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span> +Betty Leicester gave a little sigh of relief. +She thought that would be a most worthy object, +though somewhat poky.</p> + +<p>"We have made a league that we will try +to break ourselves of speaking harshly and +making fun of people, and of not standing up +for them when others talk scandal. There, +you see this book is ruled into little squares +for the days of the week, a month on a page, +and when we get through a day without saying +anything against anybody we can put a +nice little cross in, but when we have broken +the pledge we must mark it with a cipher, and +then when we are just horrid and keep on +being cross, we must black the day all over. +Then once a week we have to show the books +to each other and make our confessions."</p> + +<p>"Wouldn't it be splendid, if we could have +a whole week of good marks, to wear a little +badge or something?" proposed Lizzie French.</p> + +<p>"Oh Lizzie! we never can, it will be so +hard to get through one single day," Betty +answered quickly. "I should just love to belong, +though; I am always saying ugly things +and being sorry. What does S. B. C. mean? +How did you ever think of it?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span></p> + +<p>"The Sin Book Club," Ellen Grant explained. +"Mary and I heard of one that our +cousin belonged to at boarding-school. She +said that it took weeks and weeks for some of +the members to make one good mark, but +after you get into the habit of it, you find it +quite easy. I will let you take my book to +make yours by, if you will let me have it back +to-night. I bought a little book for Mary +and me that was only three cents, and cut it in +two; and Lizzie hasn't got hers yet, so you +can buy one together and go halves."</p> + +<p>"I'd like to know who will pay the two +cents," laughed Betty. "I will, and then you +can give me half a one-cent lead pencil to +make change. Papa always has such a joke +about a man in one of Mr. Lowell's poems +who used to change a board nail for a shingle +nail so as to make the weight come right."</p> + +<p>"No, you give me the pencil," said Lizzie, +"I lost mine yesterday," and the new members +became unduly frivolous.</p> + +<p>"Now we mustn't laugh, girls, because it is a +solemn moment," said Ellen Grant, though she +did not succeed in looking very sober herself.</p> + +<p>Betty was looking at Mary Grant's sin<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span> +book, which had kept the record of two days, +both with bad marks. If Mary had failed, what +could impulsive Betty hope for? it was one of +her worst temptations to make fun or to find +petty faults in people. She did not know +what her friends would think of her as time +went on, but she meant to try very hard.</p> + +<p>"Just think how lovely it will be if we learn +never to say anything against any one! Perhaps +we ought to make it a big club instead of +a little one," but one of the girls said that people +would laugh and would be watching them.</p> + +<p>"Oughtn't we to ask Becky to belong?" It +was difficult for Betty to ask this question, but +she feared that her dear friend and neighbor's +sharp eyes would detect the secret alliance, and +Mary Beck was very hard to console when she +was once roused into displeasure. Somehow +Betty liked the idea of belonging to a club +that Mary Beck did not know about. She +was a little ashamed of this feeling, but there +it was! The Grants and Lizzie refused to +have Becky join, at any rate just now; and so +Betty said no more. Perhaps it would be just +as well at first, and she would be as careful +as possible to gain good marks for her friend's<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span> +sake as well as her own. Then the four members +of the S. B. C. came back together into +the village, and if the black cherry-tree heard +their secret it never told. Whom should they +meet as they turned the corner into the main +street but Mary Beck herself, and Betty for +one moment felt guilty of great disloyalty.</p> + +<p>"We have been to walk a little way; I met +the girls as I was going to the post-office, and +we just went down the old road and sat under +the cherry-tree," she hastened to explain, but +Becky was in a most friendly mood and joined +them with no suspicion of having been left out +of any pleasure. Betty felt a secret joy in belonging +to the club while Becky did not, and yet +she was sorry all the time for Becky, who had +a great pride in being at the front when anything +important was going on. Becky liked +to keep Betty Leicester to herself, and indeed +the two girls were growing more and more +fond of each other, though a touch of jealousy +in one and a spirit of independence and freedom +in the other sometimes blew clouds over +their sunny spring sky. Mary Beck had a +way of seeing how people treated her and rating +them accordingly—a silly self-compassionate<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span> +way of saying that one was good to her, +and a surly suspicion of another who did not +pay her an expected attention, and these traits +offended Betty Leicester, who was not given to +putting either herself or other people under a +microscope. There was nothing morbid about +Betty and no sentimentality in her way of looking +at herself. Becky's sensitiveness and prejudice +were sometimes very tiresome, but they +made nobody half so miserable as they did +Becky herself; the talk she had always heard +at home was very narrowing; a good deal of +fruitless talk about small neighborhood affairs +went on continually and had nothing to do +with the real interests of life. It was a house +where there was very little to show for the time +that was spent. Mary Beck and her mother +let many chances for their own usefulness and +pleasure slip by, while they said mournfully +that everything would have been so different +if Mary's father had lived. Betty Leicester +was taught to do the things that ought to be +done.</p> + +<p>The Sin Book Club continued to be a profound +secret, and was considered of great +value. Some days passed without a second<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span> +meeting of the members for reports, but they +gave each other significant looks and tried very +hard to gain the little crosses that were to mark +a good day. Betty was in despair when evening +after evening she had to put down a cipher, +and it was a great humiliation to find how often +she yielded to a temptation to say funny +things about people. To be sure old Mrs. Max +was an ugly old gossip, but Betty need not +have confided this opinion to Serena and Letty +as they happened to look out of the kitchen windows, +to see Mrs. Max go by. Betty had succeeded +in being blameless until past six o'clock +that day, and it was the fifth day of trial; +lost now, and black-marked like those that +had gone before. She went back to the garden +and sat down in the summer-house much +dejected. The light that came through the +grape and clematis leaves was dim and tinted +with green; it was a little damp there too, and +quite like a sorrowful little hermitage. It is +very hard work trying to cure a fault. Betty +did so like to make people laugh, and she was +always seeing what funny things people looked +like; and altogether life was much soberer if +one could no longer say whatever came into<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span> +one's head. She was sure that all funny personalities +did not make people think the less of +their fellows, but it seemed as if most, and the +very funniest, did. Our friend dreaded the inspection +of her sin book, but when the Grants +and Lizzie French showed theirs too in solemn +conclave there was only one good mark for the +whole four. This was Ellen Grant's, who talked +much less than either of the others and so may +have found that silence cost less effort.</p> + +<p>"Even if we never succeed it will make us +more careful," Lizzie French said, trying to +keep up good courage.</p> + +<p>"I keep wishing that Mary Beck belonged;" +urged Betty loyally, but the others +were resolute and insisted, nobody could tell +exactly why, that Becky would spoil it all.</p> + +<p>Betty was valiant enough in case of open +war, but she hated heartily—as who does not +hate?—a chilling atmosphere of disapproval, +in which no good-fellowship can flourish. Of +course the club soon betrayed its common interest, +and because Mary Beck was unobservant +for the first week or two, Betty took +little pains to conceal the fact that she and +the Grants had a new interest in common.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span> +Then one day Becky did not come over, though +the white handkerchief was displayed betimes; +and when, as soon as possible, Betty hurried +over to see what the matter was, Becky +showed unmistakable signs of briefness and +grumpiness of speech, and declared that she +was busy at home, and evidently did not care +for the news that an old Æolian harp had +been discovered on a high upper shelf and +carried to one of the dormer windows, where +it was then wailing. The plaintive strains +of it would have suited Becky's spirit and +temper of mind excellently. It did not occur +to Betty until she was going home, disappointed, +that the club was beginning to make +trouble; then her own good temper was spoiled +for that day, and she was angry with Becky +for thinking that she had no right to be intimate +with anybody else. So serious a disagreement +had never parted them before. +Betty Leicester assured herself that Mary +knew she was fond of her and liked to be with +her best, and that ought to be enough. The +Æolian harp was quite forgotten.</p> + +<p>Later in the day Betty happened to look +across the street as she was shutting the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span> +blinds in the upper hall, and saw Mary Beck +come proudly down her short front walk with +her best hat on and go stiffly away without +a look across. The sight made her feel misunderstood +and lonely; and one minute later +she was just going to shout to Becky when she +remembered that it was a far cry and would +wake the aunts from their afternoon naps. +Then she ran lightly down the wide staircase +and all the way to the gate and called as loud +as she could, "Mary! Mary!" but either +Becky was too far away or would not turn her +proud head. There were some other persons +in the street, who looked with surprise and interest +to see where such an eager shout came +from, but Betty Leicester had turned toward +the house again with a heartful of rage and +sorrow. It seemed to be the sudden and unlooked-for +end of the summer's pleasure. +When Aunt Barbara waked she asked Betty, +being somewhat surprised to find her in the +house alone, to go to the other end of the village +to do an errand.</p> + +<p>It was good to have something to do beside +growing crosser and crosser, and Betty gladly +hurried away. She hoped that she should<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span> +meet Becky, and yet she did not mean to make +up too easily, and when she saw Mrs. Beck +watching her out of a front window she felt +certain that Mrs. Beck was cross too. "Let +them get pleased again!" grumbled Miss +Betty Leicester, and Mary Beck herself had +not borne a more forbidding expression. She +lingered a moment at Nelly Foster's gate, hoping +to find Nelly free, but the noise of the +sewing-machine was plainly to be heard, and +Nelly said wistfully that she could not go out +until after tea; then she would come down to +the house for a little while if Betty would like +it, and Betty gladly said yes. Her heart was +shaken as she walked on alone and came to +the oak-tree on the high ridge where Becky +had taken her to see the view and told her +that she always called it their tree, in that first +afternoon's walk. What could make poor old +Becky so untrustful and unkind? Perhaps +after all everything would be right when they +met again; it might be one of Becky's freaks, +only a little worse than usual. Alas, Mary +with Julia Picknell, who happened to be in +the village that afternoon, came out of one of +the stores as the returning Betty was passing,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span> +and Becky looked another way and pushed by, +though Betty had spoken pleasantly and tried +to stop her.</p> + +<p>"I don't care one bit; you're rude and +hateful, Mary Beck!" said Betty hotly, at +which Julia, mild little friend that she was, +looked frightened and amazed. She had +thought many times how lovely it must be to +live in town and have friendships of a close +and intimate kind with the girls. She pitied +Betty Leicester, who looked as if she could +hardly keep from crying; but the grievous +Becky was more grumpy than before.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>Serena was walking in the side yard in her +nice plain afternoon dress, and somehow Betty +felt more like seeking comfort from her than +from Aunt Barbara, and was glad to go in at +the little gate and join her kind old friend.</p> + +<p>"What's fell upon <i>you?</i>" asked Serena, +with sincere compassion.</p> + +<p>"Mary Beck's just as disagreeable as she +can be to-day," responded Betty, regardless of +her sin book. "Serena! I just hate her, and +I hate that horrid best hat of hers with the +feather in it."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[86]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Oh, no you don't, sweetin's;" Serena protested +peacefully. "You'll be keepin' company +same's ever to-morrow. Now I think +of 't, you've been off a good deal with the +Grants and that French girl" (not a favorite +of Serena's); "I wonder if that's all?"</p> + +<p>"Yes—no"—wavered Betty. "Don't you +tell anybody, but I do belong to a little club, +but Becky doesn't really understand, for we've +kept it very secret indeed."</p> + +<p>"I want to know," exclaimed Serena.</p> + +<p>"Yes, and it's for such a good object. I'll +tell you some time, perhaps, but we want to +cure ourselves of a fault." It seemed no harm +to tell good old Serena; the compact had only +been that none of the other girls should +know. "We keep a little book, and we can +have a good mark at night if we haven't said +anything against anybody, but to-day I shall +have such a black one! It makes us careful +how we speak; truly, Serena; but Becky +doesn't know, and she's making me feel so +badly just because she suspects something."</p> + +<p>"The tongue is an evil member," said +Serena. "I don't know but doing things is +full as bad as sayin' 'em, though. I s'pose<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[87]</a></span> +you ain't kind of flaunted it a little speck that +you had some secret amon'st you, to spite +Mary?"</p> + +<p>"She was stuffy about it and she had no +right to be," Betty said this at first hastily, +and then added: "I did wish yesterday that +she would ask to belong and find that for once +she couldn't."</p> + +<p>Serena took Betty's light hand in her own +work-worn one and held it fast. "Le's come +and set on the doorstep a spell," she said; +"I want to tell you something about me an' +a girl I thought everything of when we was +young.</p> + +<p>"She was real pretty, and we went together +and had our young men—not serious, only +kind o' going together; an' Cynthy an' me +we had a misunderstandin' o' one another and +we didn't speak for much's a fortnight an' +said spiteful things. I was here same's I be +now, an' your Aunt Barbara, she was young +too, an' the old lady, Madam Leicester, she was +alive and they all was inquirin' what had come +over me. I used to have a pretty voice then, +and I wouldn't go to singin'-school or evenin' +meetin' nor nothin'. I set out to leave here an'<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[88]</a></span> +my good kind home an' go off to Lowell working +in the mill, 't was when so many did, and +girls liked it. Cynthy lived to the minister's +folks. I've never got over it how ugly spoken +I was about that poor girl, and she used to +look kind of beseechin' at me the two or three +times we met, as if she'd make up if I would, +but I wouldn't. An' don't you think, one +night her brother come after her to take her +home, up Great Hill way, and the horse got +scared and threw 'em out on the ice; an' when +they picked Cynthy up she was just breathin' +an' that was all, an' never spoke nor knew +nothin' again. 'T was at the foot o' that hill +just this side o' the Picknells. It give me a +fit o' sickness; it did so," said Serena mournfully. +"I can't bear to think about her never. +Oh, she was one of the prettiest girls you ever +saw. I try to go every summer an' lay a +bunch o' pink roses on to her grave; she used +to like 'em. I know 't was a fault o' youth +an' hastiness, but I ain't never forgot it all +my long life. I tell you with a reason. Folks +says it takes two to make a quarrel but only +one to end it. Now you bear that in your +mind."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span></p> + +<p>Betty glanced at old Serena, and saw two +great tears slowly running down her faded +cheek. She was much moved by the sad little +story, and Serena's pretty friend and the pink +roses. She wondered what the quarrel had +been about, but she did not like to ask, and as +Serena still held one hand she put the other +over it, while Serena took the corner of her +afternoon apron to wipe away the tears.</p> + +<p>"It's very hard to be good, isn't it, Serena +dear?" asked Betty.</p> + +<p>"It's master hard, sweetin's," answered Serena +gravely,—"master hard; but it can be +done with help." They sat there on the shady +doorstep for some minutes without speaking. +A robin was chirping loud, as if for rain, high +in one of the elms overhead, and the sun was +getting low. Presently Serena was mindful of +her evening duties and rose to go in, but not +before Betty had put both arms round her and +kissed her.</p> + +<p>"There, there! somebody 'll see you," protested +the kind soul, but her face shone with +joy. "Which d' you want for your supper, +shortcakes or some o' them crispy rye ones?" +she asked, trying to be very matter-of-fact. As<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span> +for Betty, she turned and went down the yard +and out of the carriage gate and straight across +the wide street. She opened the Becks' front +door and saw Becky at the end of the entry +trying to escape to the garden.</p> + +<p>"Don't let's be grumpy," she said in a +friendly tone, "I've come over to make up."</p> + +<p>Becky tried to preserve a stern expression, +but somehow there was a warmth at her heart +which suddenly came to the surface in a smile +and the two girls were friends again. That +night Betty put down a black mark, but not +without feeling that the day had ended well in +spite of its dark shadows.</p> + +<p>"I don't believe that we ought to keep the +sin books secret," she told the members of the +club one afternoon when the second week's trial +was over and there had been four or five good +days for encouragement. "I don't wish everybody +to know, but now that we find how much +good they do us, we ought to let somebody else +try; only Becky and the Picknells and Nelly +Foster."</p> + +<p>But there was no expression of approval.</p> + +<p>"Then I'm going to do this: not tell them +about this club, but behave as if it was something<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span> +new and start another club. I could belong +to two as well as one, you know."</p> + +<p>"I wouldn't be such a copy-cat," said Lizzie +French quickly. "It's <i>our</i> secret; we shall +be provoked that we ever asked you," and with +this verdict Betty was forced to be contented. +She felt as if she had taken most inflexible +vows, but there was a pleasing excitement in +such dark mystery. The girls had to employ +much stratagem in order to have their weekly +meetings unsuspected, for Betty was determined +not to make any more trouble among +her friends. When she was first in Tideshead +she often felt more enlightened than her neighbors, +as if she had been beyond those bounds +and experiences of every-day life known to the +other girls, but she soon discovered herself to +be single-handed and weak before their force +of habit and prejudice. With all their friendliness +and affection for Betty Leicester they +held their own with great decision, and sometimes +she found herself nothing but a despised +minority. This was very good for her, especially +when, as it sometimes happened, she was +quite in the wrong, while if she were right she +became more sure of it and was able to make +her reasons clear.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span></p> + +<p>There were several solemn evening meetings +of the Sin Book Club after this; the favorite +place of assemblage was a shady corner of Lizzie +French's damp garden, where the records +were sorrowfully inspected by the fleeting light +of burnt matches, and gratified crowds of mosquitoes +forced the sessions to be extremely +brief. Whether it was that new interests took +the place of the club, or whether the members +thought best to keep their trials to themselves, +no one can say, but by the middle of August +the regular meetings had ceased. Yet sometimes +the little books came accidentally out of +pocket with a member's handkerchief, and +were not without a good and lasting effect +upon four quick young tongues; perhaps this +will be seen as the story goes on.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span></p> +<h2>VIII.</h2> + +<h3>A CHAPTER OF LETTERS.</h3> + + +<p><span class="smcap">The</span> summer days flew by. Some letters +came from Mr. Leicester on his rapid journey +northward, and Betty said once that it seemed +months since she left England instead of a +few weeks, everybody was so friendly and +pleasant. Tideshead was most delightful to +a girl who had been used to seeing strange +places and to knowing nobody but papa at +first, and only getting acquainted by degrees +with the lodgings people and the shops, and +perhaps with some new or old friends of +papa's who lived out of the town. Once or +twice she had stayed for many weeks in rough +places in the north of Scotland, going from +village to village and finding many queer people, +and sometimes being a little lonely when +her father was away on his scientific quests. +Mr. Leicester insisted that Betty learned more +than she would from books in seeing the country<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span> +and the people, and Betty herself liked it +much better than if she had been kept steadily +at her lessons. The most doleful time that she +could remember was once when papa had gone +to the south of Italy late in spring and had +left her at a French convent school until his +return. However, there were delightful things +to remember, especially about some of the good +sisters whom Betty learned to love dearly, and +it may be imagined how brimful of stories she +was, after all these queer and pleasant experiences, +and how short she made the evenings to +Aunt Barbara and Aunt Mary by recounting +them. It was no use for the ladies to worry +any more about Betty's being spoiled by such +an erratic course of education, as they often +used to worry while she was away. They had +blamed Betty's father for letting her go about +with him so much, but there did not seem to +be any great harm wrought after all. She +knew a great many things that she never would +have known if she had stayed at school. Still, +she had a great many things to learn, and the +summer in Tideshead would help to teach her +those. She was really a home-loving girl, our +Betty Leicester, and the best part of any new<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span> +town was always the familiar homelike place +that she and papa at once made in it with +their "kits," as Betty called their traveling +array of books and a few little pictures, and +papa's special kits and collections of the time +being. Aunt Barbara could never know upon +how many different rooms her little framed +photograph had looked. She had grown older +since it was taken, but when she said so Betty +insisted that it was a picture of herself and +would always look exactly like her. Betty had +grown so attached to it that it was still displayed +on the dressing-table of the east bedroom, +even though the original was hourly to +be seen.</p> + +<p>In this summer quiet of the old town it +seemed impossible that papa should not come +hurrying home, as he used in their long London +winters, to demand an instant start for +some distant place. When the traveling +kit was first bestowed in the lower drawer +of one of the deep bureaus, Betty felt as if it +might have to come out again next day, but +there it stayed, and was abandoned to neglect +unless its owner needed the tumbler in its +stiff leather box for a picnic, or thought of a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span> +particular spool that might be found in the +traveling work-bag. But with all the quiet +and security of her surroundings, sometimes +her thoughts followed papa most wistfully, or +she wondered what her friends were doing on +the other side of the sea. It was very queer to +be obliged to talk about entirely new and different +things, and Tideshead affairs alone, and +not to have anybody near who knew the same +every-day life that had stopped when she came +to Tideshead, and so letters were most welcome. +Indeed, they made a great part of the +summer's pleasure. Suppose we read a handful +as if we had picked them from Betty's +pocket:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<div class='right'><span class="smcap">Interlaken</span>, <i>July 2.</i><br /> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">My dear Betty,</span>—It was very good of +you to write me so soon. You would be sure +that I was eager to hear from you, and to know +whether you had a good voyage and found +yourself contented in Tideshead. I am sure +that your grandaunts are even more glad to +have you than I was sorry to let you go. But +we must have a summer here together one of +these days; you would be sure to like Interlaken. +It seems to me pleasanter and quainter<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span> +than ever; that is, if one takes the trouble to +step a little one side of the torrent of tourists. +Our rooms in the old <i>pension</i> are well lighted +and aired, and two of my windows give on the +valley toward the Jungfrau and the high green +mountain slopes. Every morning since we +have been here I have looked out to see a fresh +dazzling whiteness of new snow that has covered +the Jungfrau in the night, and we always +say with a sigh every evening, as we look up +out of the shadowy valley and see the high peak +still flushed with red sunset light, that such +clear weather cannot possibly last another day. +There are some old Swiss châlets across the +green, and we hear pleasant sounds of every-day +life now and then; last night there was a +festival of some sort, and the young people +sang very loud and very late, jodeling famously +and as if breath never failed them. I suppose +that the girls have already written to you, and +that you will have two full descriptions of +our scramble up to one of the highest châlets +which I can see now as I look up from my +writing-table, like a toy from a Nürnberg box +with a tiny patch of greenest grass beside it +and two or three tufts of trees. In truth it is<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span> +a good-sized, very old house, and the green +square is a large field. It is so steep that I +wonder all the small children have not rolled +out of the door and down to the valley one +after the other, which is indeed a foolish remark +to have made.</p> + +<p>I take great pleasure in my early morning +walks, in which you have so often kept me +company, dear child. I meet the little peasants +coming down from the hillsides to eight o'clock +school in their quaint long frocks like little old +fairies, they look so wise and sedate. Often +I go to the village of Unterseen, just beyond +the great modern hotels, but looking as if it +belonged to another century than ours. We +have some friends, artists, who have lodgings +in one of the old houses, and when I go to see +them I envy them heartily. Here it is very +comfortable, but some of the people at <i>table +d'hôte</i> are very tiresome to see, noisy strangers, +who eat their dinners in most unpleasant fashion; +but I should not forget two delightful +German ladies from Hanover, who are taking +their first journey after many years, and are +most simple and enviable in their deep enjoyment +of the Kursaal and other pleasures<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span> +easily to be had. But I must not write too +long about familiar pictures of travel. I will +not even tell you our enthusiastic plan for a +long journey afoot which will take nine days +even with the best of weather. Ada and +Bessie will be sure to keep a journal for your +benefit and their own. Are you really well, +my dear Betty, and busy, and do you find +yourself making new friends with your old +friends and playmates? It goes without saying +that you are missing your papa, but before +one knows we shall all be at home in +London, as hurried and surprised as ever with +the interesting people and events that pass +by. Mr. Duncan is to join us for the walking +tour, and has planned at least one daring +ascent with the Alpine Club. I came upon +his terrible shoes this morning in one of +his boxes and they made me quite gloomy. +Pray give my best regards to Miss Leicester, +and Miss Mary Leicester; they seem very +dear friends to me already, and when I come +to America I shall be seeing old friends for +the first time, which is always charming. I +leave the girls to write their own words to you, +but Standish desires her duty to Miss Betty,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[100]</a></span> +and says that her winter coat is to be new-lined, +if she would kindly bear it in mind; +the silk is badly frayed, if Standish may say +so! I do not think from what I know of the +American climate that you will be needing it +yet, but dear old Standish is very thoughtful +of all her charges. We had only a flying note +from your papa, written on his way north, and +shall be glad when you can send us news of +him. God bless you, my dear child, and make +you a blessing! I hope that you will do good +and get good in this quiet summer. Write +to me often; I feel as if you were almost my +own girl. Yours most tenderly,</p> + +<div class='sig'> +<span class="smcap">Mary Duncan</span>.<br /> +</div> +</div> + +<p>From papa, these:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p><span class="smcap">Dearest Betty,</span>—This morning it is a +wild country all along the way, untamed and +unhumanized for the most part, and we go +flying along through dark forests and forlorn +burnt lands from tiny station to station. I am +getting a good bit of writing done with the only +decent stylographic pen I ever saw. I thought +I had brought plenty of pencils, but they were +not in my small portmanteau, and after going<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[101]</a></span> +to the baggage-car and putting everybody to +great trouble to get out my large one, they +were not there either. Can any one explain? +I found the dear small copy of Florio's "Montaigne" +which you must have tucked in at the +last moment. I like to have it with me more +than I can say. You must have bought it that +last morning when I had to leave you to go to +Cambridge. I do so like to own such a Betty! +Why do you still wish that you had come with +me? Tideshead is much the best place in the +world. I send my dear love to the best of aunts, +and you must assure Serena and Jonathan +and all my old friends of my kind remembrance. +I wish every day that our friend +Mr. Duncan could have come with me. The +country seems more and more wide and wonderful, +and I am quite unconscious now of the +motion of the cars and feel as fresh every morning +and as sleepy every night as possible; so +don't worry about me, but pick me a sprig of +Aunt Barbara's sweetbrier roses now and then, +and try not to be displeasing to any one, dear +little girl. Your fond father,</p> + +<div class='sig'> +<span class="smcap">Thomas Leicester</span>.<br /></div> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[102]</a></span></p> + + +<div class='right'><br /> +<span class="smcap">Canadian Pacific Railway</span>, <i>18th June.</i><br /> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">Dear Betty,</span>—The pencils all tumbled on +the car-floor out of my light overcoat pocket. +I then recalled somebody's command that I +should put them into the portmanteau at once, +the day they came home from the stationer's. +I have found a fortune-telling, second-sighted +person in the car. She has the section next +to mine and has been directed by a familiar +spirit to go to Seattle. She has a parrot with +her, and they are both very excitable and +communicative. She just told me that it is +revealed to her that my youngest boy will +have a genius for sculpture. I miss you more +than usual to-day. You could help me with +some copying, and there is positively nothing +interesting to see out of the window; what +there is of uninteresting twirls itself about. +We shall soon be reaching the mountains, in +fact, I have just caught my first glimpse of +them beyond these great plains. I must really +have some one to write for me next year, but +this winter we keep holiday, you and I, if we +get in for nothing new. It pleases me to write +to you and takes up the long day. You will<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span> +have finished "L'Allegro" by this time; suppose +you learn two of the "Sonnets" next. I +wish you to know your Milton as well as possible, +but I am sorry to have you take it while +I am away. Take Lowell's "Biglow Papers" +and learn the Spring poem. You will find +nothing better to have in your mind in the +Tideshead June weather. And so good-by for +this day.</p> + +<div class='sig'> +<span class="smcap">T. Leicester</span>.<br /> +<br /></div> + + +<p><span class="smcap">Mr dear Betty,</span>—Your letter is very +good, and I am more glad than ever that you +chose to go to Tideshead. You will learn so +much from Aunt Barbara that I wish my girl +to know and to be. And you must remember, +in Aunt Mary's self-pitying moments, all her +sympathy and her true love for us both, and +remember that she has in her character something +that makes her the dearest being in the +world to such a woman as Aunt Barbara. She +is a person, in fact they both are, to be liked +and appreciated more and more. You and +your Mary Beck interest me very much, Are +you sure that it is wise to call her Becky? I +thought that she was a new girl, but a nickname +is indeed hard to drop. I remember<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[104]</a></span> +her, a good little red-cheeked child. Let me +say this: You have indeed lived a wider sort +of life, but I fear that I have made you spread +your young self over too great a space, while +your Becky has stepped patiently to and fro in +a smaller one. You each have your advantages +and disadvantages, so be "very observant +and respectful of your neighbor," as that +good old Scottish preacher prayed for us in +Kelso. Be sure that you don't "feel superior," +as your Miss Murdon used to say. It is a +great thing to know Tideshead well. Remember +Selborne and how famous that town came +to be!</p> + +<div class='sig'> +<span style="margin-right: 2em;">Yours fondly,</span><br /> +T. L.<br /><br /> +</div> + + +<div class='right'> +<span class="smcap">Interlaken</span>, <i>July 11th.</i><br /> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">Dear Betty,</span>—Ada and I mean to take +turns in writing to you,—one letter on Sunday +and one in the middle of the week; for if +we write together we shall tell you exactly the +same things. So, you see, this is my turn. +We do so wish for you and think that you +cannot possibly be having so much fun in +Tideshead as if you had come with us. We +see such droll people in traveling; they do not<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[105]</a></span> +look as if they were going anywhere, but as +if they were lost and trying hard to find their +way back, poor dears! There was an old woman +sitting near us on a bench with a stupid-looking +young man, to hear the band play, +and when it stopped she said to him: "Now +we've only got three tunes more, and <i>they</i> will +soon be done." We wondered why she couldn't +go and do something else if she hated them so +much. Ada and I play a game every morning +when we walk in the town: We take sides and +one has the Germans and one the English, and +then see which of us can count the most. Of +course we don't always know them apart, and +then we squabble for little families that pass +by, and Ada is <i>sure</i> they are Germans,—you +know how sure Ada always is if she feels +a little doubtful!—but yesterday there were +Cook's tourists as thick as ants and so she had +no chance at all. Miss Winter writes that she +will be ready to join us the first of August, +which will be delightful, and mamma won't +have us to worry about. She said yesterday +that we were much less wild without you and +Miss Winter, and we told her that it was because +life was quite <i>triste</i>. She wishes to go<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span> +to some far little villages quite off the usual +line of travel, with papa, and does not yet +know whether to go now and take us, or wait +and leave us with Miss Winter. I promised +to be <i>triste</i> if she would let us go. <i>Triste</i> is +my word for everything. Do you still wear +out two or three dozen <i>hates</i> a day? Ada said +this morning that you would <i>hate</i> so many hard +little green pears for breakfast; but we are +coming to plum-time now, and they are so good +and sweet. Every morning such a nice Swiss +maiden called Marie (they are all Maries, I +believe) comes and bumps the corner of her +tray against our door and smiles a very wide +smile and says "Das frühstück" in exactly +the same tone as she comes in, and we have +such delectable breakfasts of crisp little rolls +and Swiss honey and very weak and hot-milky +<i>café au lait</i>. I don't believe Miss Winter +will let us have honey every day, but mamma +doesn't mind. I think she gives orders for a +very small dish of it, because Ada and I have +requested more until we are disheartened. +Mamma says that while we run up so many +hillsides here we may eat what we please. +Oh, and one thing more: no end of dry little<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[107]</a></span> +mountain strawberries, sometimes they taste +like strawberries and sometimes they don't; +but this is enough about what one eats in +Interlaken. I have filled my four pages and +Ada is calling me to walk. We are going on +with our botany. Are you? I send a better +edelweiss which I plucked myself. I must let +Ada tell you next time about that day. She +is the best at a description, but I love you +more than ever and I am always your fond +and faithful</p> + +<div class='sig'> +<span class="smcap">Bessie Duncan</span>.<br /> +</div> + +<p>P. S. I forgot to say that Ada has made +such clever sketches. Papa says that they +quite surprise him, and we just long to show +them to Miss Winter. There is one of a little +girl whom we saw making lace at Lauterbrunnen. +The Drummonds of Park Lane drove +by us yesterday; we couldn't hear the name +of their hotel, though they called it out, but +we are sure to find them. They looked, however, +as if they were on a journey, the carriage +was so dusty. It was so nice to see the girls +again.</p></div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[108]</a></span></p> +<h2>IX.</h2> + +<h3>BETTY'S REFLECTIONS.</h3> + + +<p><span class="smcap">As</span> Betty shut the gate behind her one day +and walked down the main street of Tideshead +she felt more than ever as if the past +four years had been a dream, and as if she +were exactly the same girl who had paid that +last visit when she was eleven years old. Yet +she seemed to herself to have clearer eyes +than before; her years of travel had taught +her to observe, the best gift that traveling can +bestow. She saw new beauties in the gardens +and the queer-shaped porches over the front +doors, and noticed particularly the cupolas of +one or two barns that were clear and sharp +in their good outlines. More than all, she +was astonished at the beauty of the old trees. +Tideshead was not a forest of maples, like +many other New England towns, but there +were oaks along the village streets, and ash-trees, +and willows, beside great elms in stately<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[109]</a></span> +rows, and silver poplars, and mountain ashes, +and even some fruit-trees along the roadsides +outside the village. Betty remembered a story +that she had often heard with great interest +about one of the old Tideshead ministers who +had been much beloved, and whose influence +was still felt. Every year he had brought ten +trees from the woods and planted them either +on the streets or in his neighbor's yards; one +year he chose one sort of tree and the next another, +and at last, when he grew older and could +not go far afield in his search he asked his +friends for fruit-trees and planted them for the +benefit of wayfarers. These had made a delightful +memorial of the good old man, but many +of the trees had fallen by this time, and though +everybody said that they ought to be replaced, +and complained of such shiftless neglect, as +usual what was everybody's business was nobody's +business, and Tideshead looked as if it +were sorry to be forgotten. Betty had been +used to the thrifty English and French care of +woodlands, and felt as if it were a great pity +not to take better care of the precious legacy. +Aunt Barbara sometimes sent Jonathan and +Seth Pond to care for the trees that needed<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[110]</a></span> +pruning or covering at the roots, but hardly +any one else in Tideshead did anything but +chop them up and clear them away when they +blew down.</p> + +<p>It seemed very strange that all the old +houses were so handsome and all the new ones +so ugly. A stranger might wonder, why, with +the good proportions, and even a touch of simple +elegance that the house builders of the last +century almost always gave, their successors +seemed to have no idea of either, and to take +no lessons from the good models before their +eyes. "Makeshifts o' splendor," sensible old +Serena called some of the new houses which +had run much to cheap decoration and irregular +roofs and fancy colors of paint. But the +old minister's elms and willows hung their +green boughs before some of these architectural +failures as if to kindly screen them from +the passers-by. They looked like imitations +of houses, one or two of them, and as if they +were put down to fill spaces, and not meant +to live in, as the old plain-roofed and wide-roomed +dwellings are. The sober old village +looked here and there as if it were a placid +elderly lady upon whom a child had put it's<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[111]</a></span> +own gay raiment. People do not consider the +becomingness of a building to its surroundings +as they should, but Betty did not make this +clear to herself exactly, though she was sorry +at the change in the familiar streets. She +was more delighted than she knew because she +felt so complete a sense of belongingness; as +if she were indeed made of the very dust of +Tideshead, and were a part of it. It was +much better than getting used to new places, +though even in the dullest ones she had known +there was some charm and some attaching +quality ever to be remembered. She liked +dearly to think of some of the places where +she and papa had made their home, but after +all there was the temporary feeling about +every one. She could bear transplanting from +most of them with equanimity, no matter how +deep her roots had seemed to strike.</p> + +<p>After she had posted her letters there was a +question of what to do next. She had really +come out for a walk, but Mary Beck's mother +had a dressmaker that day and Becky was not +at liberty; and Nelly Foster was busy, too. +The Grants were away for a few days on a +visit; it was a lonely morning with our friend,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[112]</a></span> +who felt a hearty wish for one of her usual companions. +She strayed out toward the fields +and seated herself in the shade of Becky's +favorite tree, looking off toward the hills. The +country was very green and fresh-looking after +a long rain, and the farmers were out cutting +the later hay in the lower meadows. She could +hear the mowing-machines like the whirr of +great locusts, and the men's voices as they +shouted to each other and the horses. On the +field side of the fence, in the field corner, she +and Becky had made a comfortable seat by +putting a piece of board across the angle of +the two fences, and there was a black cherry-tree +thicket near, so that the two girls could +not be seen from the road as they sat there. +As Betty perched herself here alone she could +look along the road, but not be discovered +easily. She wished for Becky more than ever +after the first few minutes, but her thoughts +were very busy. She had had a misunderstanding +with both the aunts that morning, +and was still moved by a little pity for herself. +They had grown used to their own orderly +habits, and it seemed to be no trouble to them +to keep their possessions in order, and Betty<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[113]</a></span> +had found them standing before an open bureau +drawer in her room quite aghast with the +general disarray, and also with the buttonless +and be-ripped condition of different articles of +her underclothing. They had laughed good-naturedly +and were not so hard upon Betty as +they meant to be, when they saw her shame-stricken +face, and Betty herself tried to laugh. +She did not mind Aunt Barbara's seeing the +things so much as Aunt Mary's aggravating +assumption that it was a perfectly hopeless +case, and nothing could be done about it.</p> + +<p>"Nobody knows how or where they were +washed," Aunt Barbara said in her brisk way; +and though she looked very stern, Betty knew +that she meant it partly for an excuse.</p> + +<p>"You certainly ought to have been looking +them over in this rainy weather," complained +Aunt Mary. "A young lady of your age +is expected to keep her clothing in exquisite +order."</p> + +<p>Betty hated being called a young lady of +her age.</p> + +<p>"I hope that you take better care of your +father's wardrobe than this: why, there isn't +a whole thing here, and they are most expensive<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[114]</a></span> +new things, one can see; unmended and +spoiled." Aunt Mary held up a pretty underwaist +and sighed deeply.</p> + +<p>"Mrs. Duncan chose them with me; one +doesn't have to give so much for such things +in London," explained Betty somewhat hotly. +"It is no use to pick out ugly things to wear."</p> + +<p>"Dear, dear!" said Aunt Barbara, "don't +fret about it, either of you! We'll look them +over by and by, Betty, and see what can be +done;" and she shut the drawer upon the pathetic +relics. "You must be ready to meet +your responsibilities better than this," she said +sharply to her niece, but Betty was already +hurrying out of the door. She did not mind +Aunt Barbara, but Aunt Mary in the distressing +silk wrapper that belonged to cross days +was too much for one to bear. They had no +business to be looking over her bureau drawer; +then Betty was sorry for having been so ill-natured +about it. Letty had told her, earlier, +that some of her clothes could not be worn +again until they were mended, and Aunt Barbara +had, no doubt, been consulted also, and +was wondering what was best to be done. +Betty's great pride had been in being able to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[115]</a></span> +take care of papa, and she had almost boasted +of her skill, and of her management of +housekeeping affairs when they were in lodgings. +She was too old now to be treated +like a child, and hated being what Serena +called "stood over."</p> + +<p>Betty's temper was usually very good, and +such provocations could not make her miserable +very long. As she sat under the oak-tree +she even laughed at the remembrance of Aunt +Mary's expression of perfect hopelessness as +she held up the underwaist. Aunt Barbara's +favorite maxim that there was "nothing so inconvenient +as disorder" seemed to have deeper +reason and wisdom than ever. Betty considered +the propriety of throwing away all her +subterfuges of pins, so that a proper stitch +must be inevitably taken when it was needed. +Pins in underclothes are not always comfortable, +but our heroine was apt to be in a hurry, +and to suffer the consequences in more ways +than one. She made some brave resolutions +now, and promised herself to look over her +belongings, and to mend all that could be +mended and throw away the remainder rags +that very day after dinner. Betty was fond<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[116]</a></span> +of making good resolutions, and it seemed to +help her much about keeping them if she wrote +them down. She had learned lately from +Aunt Barbara, who complained of forgetting +things over night, to make little lists of things +to be done, and it appeared a good deal easier +to mark off the items on the list one by one, +than to carry them in one's mind and wonder +what should be done next. Our friend liked +to make notes about life in general and her +own responsibilities, and had many serious +thoughts now that she was growing older.</p> + +<p>She made her lead pencil as pointed as possible +with a knife newly sharpened by Jonathan, +and wrote at the end of her slip of paper, +which had come out much crumpled from +her pocket: "Look over my clothes and every +one of my stockings, and put them in as good +order as possible." Then she smoothed out +another larger piece of paper on her knee and +read it. One day she had copied some scattered +sentences from a book, and prefaced them +with some things that her father often had +said: "Learn the right way to do things. Do +everything that you can for yourself. Try to +make yourself fit to live with other people.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[117]</a></span> +Try to avoid making other people wait upon +you. Remember that every person stands in +a different place from every other and so sees +life from a different point of view. Remember +that nobody likes to be proved in the +wrong, and be careful in what manner you say +things to people that they do not wish to hear."</p> + +<p>Betty read slowly with great approval at +first, but the end seemed disturbing. "That's +just what Aunt Mary likes!" she reflected, +with suddenly rising wrath. "She says things +over twice, for fear I don't hear them the first +time. I wish she would let me alone!" but +Betty's conscience smote her at this point. +She really was beginning to wish most heartily +that she were good, and like every one else +wished for the approval of others as well as +for the peace of her own conscience. This was +a black-mark day when she had neither, and +she thought about her life more intently than +usual. When she liked herself everybody +liked her, but when she was on bad terms +with herself everybody else seemed ready to +join in the stern disapproval. Papa was +always ready to lend a helping hand at such +times, but papa was far away. Nothing was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[118]</a></span> +so pleasant as usual that morning, and a fog +of discouragement seemed to shut out all the +sunshine in Betty Leicester's heart. She did +not often get low-spirited, but for that hour all +the excitement of coming to Tideshead and +being liked and befriended by her old friends +had vanished and left only a miserable hopelessness +in its place. The road of life appeared +to lead nowhere, and perhaps our +friend missed the constant change and excitement +of interest brought to her by living +alongside such a busy, inspiriting life as her +father's. Here in Tideshead she had to provide +her own motive power instead of being +tributary to a stronger current.</p> + +<p>"I don't seem to have anything to do," +thought Betty. "I used to be so busy all the +time last spring in London and never had half +time enough, and now everything is raveling +out instead of knitting up. I poke through +the days hoping something nice will happen, +just like the Tideshead girls." This thought +came with a curious flash of self-recognition +such as rarely comes, and always is the minute +of inspiration. "I must think and think what +to do," Betty went on, leaning her cheek on her<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[119]</a></span> +hand and looking off at the blue mountains +far to the northward. There was a tuft of +rudbeckias in bloom near by, and just then the +breeze made them bow at her as if they were +watching and approved her serious thoughts. +They had indeed a friendly and cheering look, +as if there were still much hope in life, and +Betty forgot herself for a minute as she was +suddenly conscious of their companionship. +She even gave the gay yellow flowers a friendly +nod, and resolved to carry some of them +home to the aunts. It would be a good thing +to make a rule for devoting the first half hour +after breakfast to the care of her clothes and +that sort of thing: then she could take the +next hour for her writing. But it was often +very pleasant to scurry down into the garden +or to the yard for a word with Jonathan +or Seth. Aunt Barbara was always busy +housekeeping with Serena just after breakfast, +and Betty was left to herself for a +while; it would take stern principle to settle +at once to the day's work, but to-morrow morning +the plan should be tried. Betty had offered, +soon after she came, to take care of the +flowers in the house, to pick fresh ones or to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[120]</a></span> +put fresh water in the vases, but she had forgotten +to do it regularly of late, though Aunt +Barbara had been so pleased in the beginning. +"I ought to do my part in the house," she +thought, and again the gay "rude beckies" +nodded approval, and a catbird overhead said +a great deal on the subject which was difficult +to understand but very insistent. Betty was +beginning to be cheerful again; in truth, nothing +gets a girl out of a tangle of provocations +and bewilderments and regrets like going out +into the fields alone.</p> + +<p>Nobody had driven by in all the time that +Betty had sat in the fence corner until now +there was a noise of wheels in the distance. +It seemed suddenly as if the session were over, +and Betty, quite restored to her usual serenity, +said good-by to her solitary self and the cheerful +wild-flowers. "I am going to be good, +papa," she thought with a warm love in her +hopeful heart, as she looked out through the +young black cherry-trees to see who was going +by in the road. "Seth! Seth Pond!" she +called, "Where are you going?" for it proved +to be that important member of the aunts' +household, with the old wagon and Jimmy, the +old black horse.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[121]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Goin' to mill," answered Seth, recognizing +the voice and looking about him, much pleased. +"Want to come? be pleased to have ye," and +Betty was over the fence in a minute and appeared +to his view from behind the thicket. +I dare say the flowers waved a farewell and +looked fondly after her as she drove away.</p> + +<p>Seth was not in the least vexed by his +thoughts. He was much gratified by Betty's +company and behaved with great dignity, giving +her much information about the hay crop, +and how many tons were likely to be cut in +this field and the next. They could not drive +very fast because the wagon was well loaded +with bags of corn, and so they jogged on at an +even pace, though Seth flourished his whip a +good deal, striking sometimes at the old horse, +and sometimes at the bushes by the roadside.</p> + +<p>"Do you expect I shall ever get to be much +of a hand to play the violin?" he inquired +with much earnestness.</p> + +<p>"I don't know, Seth," answered Betty, a +little distressed by the responsibility of answering. +"Do you mean to be a musician and +do nothing else?"</p> + +<p>"I used to count on it when I was little,"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[122]</a></span> +said Seth humbly. "I heard a fellow play +splendid in a show once, and I just used to lay +awake nights an' be good for nothin' days, +wonderin' how I could learn; but I can play +now 'bout's good's he could, I s'pose, an' it +don't seem to be nothin'. Them tunes in the +book you give me let in some light on me +as to what playin' was. I mean them tough +ones over in the back part."</p> + +<p>"I suppose you would have to go away and +study; teachers cost a great deal. That is, +the best ones do."</p> + +<p>"They're wuth it; I don't grudge 'em the +best they get," said Seth, honorably. "I've +got to think o' marm, you see, up-country. She +couldn't get along nohow without my wages +comin' in. You see I send her the most part. +I ain't to no expense myself while I live there +to Miss Leicester's. If there was only me I'd +fetch it to live somehow up in somebody's +garret, and go to one o' them crack teachers +after I'd saved up consid'able. Then I'd go +to work again an' practice them lessons till I +earnt some more. But I ain't never goin' +to pinch marm; she worked an' slaved an' +picked huckleberries and went out nussin' and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[123]</a></span> +tailorin' an' any work she could git, slick or +rough, an' give me everything she could till +I got a little schoolin' together and was big +enough to work. She's kind o' slim now; I +think she worked too hard. I was awful +homesick when I was first to your aunts', but +Jonathan he used me real good. He come +there a boy from up to our place just the same, +an' used to know marm. Miss Leicester she +lets me go up and spend Sunday consid'able +often. Marm's all alone except what use she +gets of the neighbors comin' in. But seems +if I'd lived for nothin', if I can't learn to +play a fiddle better than I can now," and Seth +struck hard with his whip at an unoffending +thistle.</p> + +<p>"Then you're sure to do it," said Betty. +"I believe you <i>must</i> learn, Seth. Where there's +a will there's a way."</p> + +<p>"Why, that's just what Sereny says," exclaimed +Seth with surprise. "Well, they say +'t was the little dog that kep' runnin' that got +there Saturday night."</p> + +<p>"Should you play in concerts, do you suppose?" +asked Betty, with reverence for such +overpowering ambition in the rough lad.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[124]</a></span></p> + +<p>"You bet, an' travel with shows an' things," +responded Seth. "But if I kep' to work on +<ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'something'">somethin</ins>' else that give mother an' me a good +livin', I'd like to be the one they sent for all +round this part of the country when they +wanted first-rate playin'; an' I'd be ready, you +know, and just make the old fiddle squeak +lovely for dancin' or set pieces for weddings +an' any occasions that might rise. I'd like +to be <i>the</i> player, an' I tell ye I'm goin' to be +'fore I die. Marm she knows I can, but one +spell she used to expect 't would draw me into +bad company."</p> + +<p>"Oh you wouldn't let it, I'm sure, Seth," +agreed Betty, with pleasing confidence. "I +like to hear you play now," she said. "I +wish we could get you a teacher. Perhaps +papa can tell you, and—well, we'll see."</p> + +<p>"I'd just like to have you see marm," said +Seth shyly as they drove to the mill door. +"She'd like you an' you'd like her. I don't +suppose your aunts would let you go up-country, +would they? It's pretty up there; mountains, +an' cleared pastur's way up their sides +higher 'n you'd git in an afternoon. You can +see way down here right from our house,<ins title="Transcriber's Note: original had a single quotation mark">'</ins> he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[125]</a></span> +whispered, as they stopped before the mill, +door.</p> + +<p>Betty thought it was very pleasant in the old +mill. While Seth and the miller were transacting +their business, she went to one of the +little windows on the side next the swift rushing +mill-stream and looked out awhile, and +watched some swallows and the clear water +and the house on the other side where the +miller lived. Then she was shown how the +corn was ground and tasted the hot meal as +it came sifting down from the little boxes on +the band, and the miller even had the big +wheel stopped in its dripping dark closet +where it seemed to labor hard to keep the +mill going. "Something works hard for us +in our lives to make them all come right," +she thought with wistful gratitude, and looked +with new interest at the busy maze of wheels +and hoppers and rude machinery that joggled +on steadily from the touch of the hidden wheel +and the plash of its live water. She wandered +out into the sunshine and down the river side +a little way. There was a clean yellow sandy +bottom in one place with shoals of frisky little +minnows and a small green island only a little<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[126]</a></span> +way out, and Betty was much tempted to take +off her shoes and stockings and wade across. +Her toes curled themselves in their shoes with +pleased anticipation, but she thought with a +sigh that she was too tall to go wading now, +that is, near a public place like the mill. It +was impossible not to give a heavy sigh over +such lost delights. Then she looked up at the +mill and discovered that there were only one +or two high and dusty windows at that end, +and down she sat on the short green turf to +pull off the shoes and stockings as fast as +she could, lest second thoughts might again +hinder this last wade. She gathered her +petticoats and over to the island she splashed, +causing awful apprehension of disaster among +the minnows.</p> + +<p>The green island was a delightful place +indeed; the upper end was near the roaring +dam, and the water plashed and dashed as it +ran away on either side. There were two or +three young elms and some alders on the +island, and the alders were full of clematis just +coming into bloom. The lower end of this +strip of island-ground was much less noisy, +and Betty went down to sit there after she had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[127]</a></span> +seen two or three turtles slide into the water, +and more minnows slip away into deeper pools +out of sight. There was a pleasant damp smell +of cool water, and a ripple of light went dancing +up the high stone foundation of the old +mill. Betty could still hear the great wet wheel +lumbering round. She thought that she never +had found a more delightful place, so much +business was going on all about her and yet it +was so quiet there, and as she looked under a +young alder what should she see but a wild +duck on its nest. Even if the shy thing had +fluttered off at her approach, it had gone back +again, and now watched her steadily as if to +be ready to fly, yet not really frightened. It +was a dear kind of relationship to be in this +wild little place with another living creature, +and Betty settled herself on the soft turf, +against the straight young elm trunk, determined +not to give another glance in the duck's +direction. It would be great fun to come and +see it go away with its ducklings when they +were hatched, if one only knew the proper +minute. She wished that she could paint a +picture of the mill and the river, or could write +a song about it, even if she could not sing it,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[128]</a></span> +so many girls had such gifts and did not care +half so much for them as Betty herself <ins title="Transcriber's Note: original missing period">would.</ins> +Dear Betty! she did not know what a rare +gift she had in being able to enjoy so many +things, and to understand the pictures and +songs of every day.</p> + +<p>Then it was time to wade back to shore, and +so she rose and left the duck to her peaceful +seclusion, not knowing how often she would +think of this pretty place in years to come. +The best thing about such pleasures is that +they seem more and more delightful, as years +go on. Seth was just coming to tell Betty that +the meal was all ground and ready when she +appeared discreetly from behind the willows +that grew at the mill end, and so they drove +home without anything exciting to mark the +way.</p> + +<p>Betty had taken many music lessons, but +she was by no means a musician, and seldom +played for the pleasure of it. For some reason, +after tea was over that evening she opened +Aunt Barbara's piano and began to play a +gay military march which she had toilsomely +learned from one of the familiar English +operas. She played it once or twice, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[129]</a></span> +played it very well; in fact, an old gentleman +who was going slowly along the street stopped +and leaned on the fence to listen. He had +been a captain in the militia in the days of the +old New England trainings, and now though +he walked with two canes and was quite decrepit, +he liked to be reminded of his military +service, and the march gave him a great +pleasure and made him young again while he +stood there beating time on the front fence, +and nodding his head. One may often give +pleasure without knowing it, if one does pleasant +things.</p> + +<p>Next morning, early after breakfast, Betty +appeared at Miss Mary Leicester's door with +an armful of mending. Aunt Mary waked up +early and had her breakfast in bed, and liked +very much to be called upon afterward and to +hear something pleasant. One of the windows +of her room looked down into the garden +and it was cool and shady there at this +time of the day, so Betty seated herself with +a dutiful and sober feeling not unmixed with +enjoyment.</p> + +<p>"I have thought ever since yesterday that +I was too severe, my dear," said Aunt Mary<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[130]</a></span> +somewhat wistfully from her three pillows. +"But you see, Betty, I am so conscious of the +mistakes of my own life that I wish to help you +to avoid them. It is a terrible thing to become +dependent upon other people,—especially if +they are busy people," she added plaintively.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I ought to have managed everything +better," responded Betty, looking at the ends +of two fingers that had poked directly through +a stocking toe. "I don't mean to let things +get so bad again. I never do when I am with +papa, because—I know better. But it has +been such fun to play since I came to Tideshead! +I don't feel a bit grown up here."</p> + +<p>Aunt Mary looked at little Betty with an +affectionate smile.</p> + +<p>"I think fifteen is such a funny age," Betty +went on; "you seem to just perch there between +being a little girl and a young lady, +and first you think you are one and then you +think you are the other. I feel like a bird on +a bough, or as if I were living in a railway station, +waiting for a train to come in before I +could do anything."</p> + +<p>Betty said this gravely, and then felt a little +shy and self-conscious. Aunt Mary watched<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[131]</a></span> +her as she sat by the window sewing, and was +wise enough not to answer, but she could not +help thinking that Betty was a dear girl. It +was one of Aunt Mary's very best days, and +there were some things one could say more +easily to her than to Aunt Barbara, though +Aunt Barbara was what Betty was pleased to +irreverently call her pal.</p> + +<p>"I do wish that I had a talent for something," +said Betty. "I can't sing: if I could, +I am sure that I would sing for everybody +who asked me. I don't see what makes people +so silly about it; hear that old robin +now!" and they both laughed. "Nobody +asks me to play who knows anything about +music. I wish I had Aunt Barbara's fingers; +I don't believe I can ever learn. I told papa +it was just throwing money away, and he said +it was good to know how to play even a little, +and good for my hands, to make them quick +and clever."</p> + +<p>"You played that march very well last +night," said Aunt Mary kindly.</p> + +<p>"Oh, that sort of thing! But I mean other +music, the hard things that papa likes. There +is one of the Chopin nocturnes that Mrs. Duncan<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[132]</a></span> +plays, oh, it is so beautiful! I wish you +and Aunt Barbara knew it."</p> + +<p>"You must ask Aunt Barbara to practice it. +I like to have her keep on playing. We used +to hear a great deal of music when I was well +enough to go to Boston in the winter, years +ago," and Aunt Mary sighed. "I think it is +a great thing to have a gift for home life, as +you really have, Betty dear."</p> + +<p>"Papa and I have been in such queer holes," +laughed Betty. "Mrs. Duncan and some of +our friends are never tired of hearing about +them. But you know we always try to do the +same things. If I hadn't any other teacher +when we were just flying about, papa always +heard my lessons and made me keep lesson +hours; and he goes on with his affairs and +we are quite orderly, indeed we are, so it +doesn't make much difference where we happen +to be. Then I have been whole winters +in London, and Mrs. Duncan looks after us +a good deal."</p> + +<p>"Mary Duncan is a wise and charming +woman," said Aunt Mary.</p> + +<p>"All the big Duncans are so nice to the +little ones!" said Betty; "but papa and I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[133]</a></span> +can be old or young just as we choose, and we +try to make up for not being a large family," +which seemed to amuse both Aunt Mary and +Letty, who had just come in.</p> + +<p>The hour soon slipped by and Betty's needle +had done great execution, but a little heap was +laid aside for the rag-bag as too hopeless a +wreck for any mending. It was plain that too +much trust had been reposed in strange washerwomen, +for one could put a finger through +the underwaists anywhere, such damaging soap +had evidently been used to make them clean. +Betty had heard that paper clothes were coming +into fashion from Japan, and informed her +aunt of this probable change for the better +with great glee. Then she went away to the +garden to cut some flowers for the house, and +found Aunt Barbara there before her, tying up +the hollyhock stalks to some stakes that Seth +Pond was driving down. Aunt Barbara had a +shallow basket and was going to cut the sweet-clover +flowers that morning, to dry and put +on her linen shelves along with some sprigs of +lavender, and this pleasant employment took +another half hour.</p> + +<p>"Aunt Mary was so dear this morning!"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[134]</a></span> +said Betty, as they stood on opposite sides of a +tall sweet-clover top.</p> + +<p>"She feels pretty well, then," answered Miss +Leicester, much pleased.</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Betty, snipping away industriously; +"she didn't wish to be pitied one bit. +Don't you think we could give her some chloroform, +Aunt Bab, and put her on the steamer +and take her to England? She would get so +excited and have such a good time and be +well forever after."</p> + +<p>"I really have thought so," acknowledged +Aunt Barbara, smiling at Betty's audacity. +<ins title="Transcriber's Note: quotation mark missing in original">"But</ins> your Aunt Mary has suffered many +things, and has lost her motive power. She +cannot rouse herself when she wishes to, nowadays, +but must take life as it comes. I can +see that it was a mistake to yield years ago to +her nervous illness, but I was not so wise then, +and now it is too late. You know, Betty, she +had a great sorrow, and has never been the +same person since."</p> + +<p>"So had papa when mamma died," said +Betty gravely, and trying hard to understand; +"but he cured himself by just living for other +people, and thinking whether <i>they</i> were happy."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[135]</a></span></p> + +<p>"It is the only way, dear," said Aunt Barbara, +"but when you are older you will know +better how it has been with my poor sister."</p> + +<p>Betty said no more, but she had many +thoughts. Something that had been said +about losing one's motive power had struck +very deep. She had said something herself +about waiting for her train in the station, and +she had a sudden vision of the aimlessness +of it, and of even the train bills and advertisements +on the wall. She was eager, as all +girls are, for one single controlling fate or fortune +to call out all her growing energies, but +she was aware at this moment that she herself +must choose and provide; she must learn +to throw herself heartily into her life just as +it was. It was a moment of clear vision to +Betty Leicester, and her cheeks flushed with +bright color. It wasn't the thing one had +to do, but the way one learned to do it, that +distinguished one's life. Perhaps she could be +famous for every-day homely things and have +a real genius for something so simple that +nobody else had thought of it. That night +when Betty said her prayers one new thing +came into her mind to be asked for, and was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[136]</a></span> +a great help, so that she often remembered it +afterward. "Help me to have a good time +doing every-day things, and to make my work +my pleasure."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[137]</a></span></p> +<h2>X.</h2> + +<h3>UP-COUNTRY.</h3> + + +<p><span class="smcap">Aunt Barbara</span> and Betty had finished +their breakfast in the cool breakfast-room, or +little dining-room as it was sometimes called by +the family. This looked out on the short elm-shaded +grass of the side yard, but it was apt +to get too warm later in the day. The dining-room +was much larger, and had most of the +family portraits in it and a ponderous sideboard +and side tables, and Betty sometimes +thought that a good deal of machinery had to +be set running there to give a quiet dinner or +supper just to Aunt Barbara and herself. But +the little dining-room was very cosy, with a +small sideboard and a tall clock and an old +looking-glass and very old-fashioned slender +wooden armchairs. The sun came dancing +in through the leaves at a square window. +The breakfast-room was nearer the kitchen, +and Serena had a sociable custom of appearing<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[138]</a></span> +now and then to ask Miss Leicester about +the housekeeping.</p> + +<p>"There now, Miss Barb'ra," she exclaimed, +putting her head in at the door, while Betty +and her aunt still lingered. "You excuse me +this time, but here's Jonathan considers it +best to go off up-country looking for winter's +wood, of all things! I told him I'd like to +ride up long of him to see sister Sarah when +he went, but I never expected he'd select the +very day I set two weeks ago for us to pick the +currants."</p> + +<p>"But one day will make very little difference; +I thought yesterday when you spoke +of them that they needed a little more sun," +said Miss Leicester persuasively.</p> + +<p>"'T will bring the jelly right into the last o' +the week when there's enough to do any +way." One would have thought that Serena +was being forced into unpleasant duty, but +this was her way of beginning a day's pleasure, +and Miss Leicester had been familiar with it +for many years.</p> + +<p>"He's goin' right off; puttin' the hosses +in now; never gives nobody a moment to +consider," grumbled Serena, but Miss Leicester<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[139]</a></span> +laughed and bade the good soul hurry +and get herself ready. There was nothing to +be done that day that Letty could not manage, +or Letty's sister would come over in the +afternoon, or Mrs. Grimshaw, the extra helper +who was frequently on hand. "I think Jonathan +is wise not to give you any more time to +think about it. There's no use in scouring +the whole house outside and in before you take +a day's pleasure," she suggested cheerfully.</p> + +<p>"I like to have my mind at rest," responded +Serena, but still there was something unsaid. +Betty's eyes were eager, but she considerately +waited for Serena to speak first. "You see, +Miss Barb'ra, Jonathan's got to take up the +rag-bags, 't is most a year since I got 'em up +to sister Sarah's before, and they're in the +way here, we all know, and I've got some +bundles beside, and I told Seth Pond to run +out an' pick a mess o' snap beans. Sister +Sarah's piece is very late land and I s'pose she +won't have any; and Jonathan he knows when +I start I fill up more than the little wagon; +so he's got the big one, and that makes empty +seats, an' Miss Betty was saying that when I +was goin' up again"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[140]</a></span>—</p> + +<p>"You are base conspirators, both of you," +said Aunt Barbara, much amused. "It is +a delightful day; the weather couldn't be +better. Now hurry, Betty, and don't keep +Serena waiting."</p> + +<p>"If it's so that you really want to go, Miss +Betty."</p> + +<p>"I do, indeed, Miss Serena," responded Betty +with great spirit, and off she ran up-stairs, +while her aunt hurried to find something to +send by way of remembrance, not only to +Serena's sister Sarah, but to Seth's mother, +who lived two miles this side.</p> + +<p>There was great excitement for the next +half hour. Everybody behaved as if there +were danger of missing a train, and Seth and +Letty were sent this way and that, and Serena +gave as many last charges as if she meant to +be absent a fortnight, while Jonathan, already +in the wagon, grumbled at the delay and +shouted to the horses if they so much as lifted +a foot at a fly. When they had fairly started +he gave a chuckle of satisfaction and said that +he didn't expect when he was harnessing to +get off until much as an hour later, whereat +Serena with unwonted levity called him a "deceivin'<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[141]</a></span> +old sarpent." The wind was blowing +gently from the north, and was cool enough +to make one comfortable in a jacket, though +Betty could not be persuaded that hers was +needed. Serena's shawl was pinned neatly +about her shoulders. She sat alone on the +back seat of the wagon, for Jonathan had said +that it would ride better not to be too heavy +behind and therefore Betty was keeping him +company in front, of which scheme Serena had +her own secret opinion. The piece-bags took +up a large part of the spare seat. Sister Sarah +was lame and took great joy in working the +waste material of the Leicester house into rugs +and rag carpets, and it was one of Serena's joys +to fill the round piece-bags even to bursting.</p> + +<p>Then there were the beans, and the bundles +large and small, and Betty was in charge of +a package of newspapers and magazines and +patent medicine almanacs and interesting circulars +of all sorts which Seth had been saving +for his mother.</p> + +<p>Jonathan was a tall, thin man, with a shrewd +clean-shaven face. He wore a new straw hat +that day, with a faded linen coat, and a much +washed-out plaid gingham cravat under his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[142]</a></span> +shirt collar. The best hat was worn on Betty's +account, and was evidently a little stiff +and uncomfortable, for he took it off once or +twice and looked into the crown soberly and +then put it on again.</p> + +<p>"Sorry you wore it, I s'pose?" observed +Serena on one of these occasions.</p> + +<p>"Got to wear it some time," answered +Jonathan gruffly, so that nobody thought best +to speak of the hat again even when a sudden +puff of wind blew it over into a field. Betty +had been ready to put on one of her old +play-gowns, as she still called them, but upon +reflection decided that it would be hardly respectful +when she had been invited to go visiting +with such kind and proper friends, and +indeed Serena had given her a hasty and complacent +glance from head to foot when she +came down dressed in one of the prettiest of +the London ginghams. Mrs. Duncan, Betty's +kind friend and adviser, had been sure that +these ginghams would all four be needed to +clothe our heroine comfortably through the +summer, that is to judge from experience in +other summers; but it made a difference in the +stress put upon ginghams, to be a year older.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[143]</a></span></p> + +<p>The up-country road wound first among +farms and within sight of the river, then it +took a sudden northward turn and there were +not so many white elder flowers by the way as +there were junipers and young birches. There +were long reaches through the cool woods, and +the road was always rising to a higher part of +the country, veritable up-country, among the +hills. From one high point where they stopped +to let the horses rest a minute there was a +beautiful view of the low lands that lay toward +the sea, and the river which ran southward +in shining lines. It would be hard to +say who most enjoyed the morning. The elder +members of the party seldom felt themselves +free for a holiday, and Betty was always ready +to enjoy whatever came in her way; but there +was a delicious novelty in being asked to +spend a day with Serena and Jonathan. They +were hostess and host, and Betty felt an unusual +spirit of deference and gratitude toward +them; it seemed as if they were both quite +conscious of a different relationship toward +Betty from that at home. It was wonderful +to see what cordial greetings most of the people +gave them along the road, and how many<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[144]</a></span> +warm friends they seemed to possess. The +farther they went, the more struck by this was +our Betty, who gave a little sigh at some unworded +thought about always being a newcomer +and stranger. She had begun to feel so +recognized and at home in Tideshead that it +was a little hard now to find herself unknown +again.</p> + +<p>But Serena liked to tell her who every one +was, and there was as much friendly interest +shown in Miss Betty Leicester as any heart +could wish.</p> + +<p>They had gone almost fourteen miles, and +Betty was just nearing the end of a long description +of her experiences at the Queen's +Jubilee, when Jonathan said: "Now you can +rec'lect just where you put the mark in. I +don't calc'late to lose none of it, but here +we've got to stop top of the hill an' see Seth's +folks. You've got them papers an' things +handy, ain't you, Serena?"</p> + +<p>Betty saw a yellow story-and-a-half house +by the roadside with some queer little sheds +and outbuildings, and looked with great interest +to see if any one came to the window. +"Seth's folks" meant nobody but his mother,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[145]</a></span> +who lived alone as Betty knew, and there she +was standing in the door, a kind-faced, round-shouldered +little creature, who had the patient, +half-apprehensive look of those women who +live alone in lonely places. She threw her big +clean gingham apron over her head and came +forward just as Jonathan had got out of the +wagon and Betty followed him.</p> + +<p>"There, bless ye!" said "Seth's folks." +"I waked up this morning kind of expecting +that I should see somebody from down Seth's +way. I expect he's well's common?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes," responded Jonathan. "We had +to leave him to keep house. He was full o' +messages, but I can't seem to remember none +on 'em now."</p> + +<p>"No matter, so long I know's he's well," +said the little woman, shaking hands with +Betty and looking at her delightedly. "Now +I want you all to come in and stop to dinner," +but Serena could not even be persuaded to +"'light down" on account of her duty to sister +Sarah. Betty carried in the armful of reading +matter and Mrs. Pond followed her, and +while our friend looked at the plain little +house and fancied Seth practicing his tunes,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[146]</a></span> +and saw the beautiful cone frame which he +had helped his mother to make, the hospitable +little mother was getting some home-made +root-beer out of a big stone jug, and soon served +it to her three guests in pretty old-fashioned +blue and white mugs. Betty thought she had +never tasted anything so delicious as the flavor +of spice and pleasing bitterness in the cold +drink, and Jonathan smacked his lips loudly +and promised to call for more as he came +back. Mrs. Pond took another good long +look at Betty before they parted. "I wasn't +expectin' you to be so much of a young lady, +I do' know's you be quite growed up yet, +though," she said. This was not the least of +the pleasures of that day, and they went on +next to sister Sarah's, where Betty and Serena +and the freight were to be left while Jonathan +went off about his business.</p> + +<p>It almost seemed as if up-country existed +for the sake of its market town of Tideshead. +Betty had been there once or twice in her childhood, +but her memories even of sister Sarah +were rather indistinct. She had taken a long +nap once on the patchwork quilt in the bedroom, +and had waked to find four or five<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[147]</a></span> +women hooking a large rug in the kitchen, all +talking together, which had made an impression +upon her young mind. It was strawberry-time +too on that last visit. But sister Sarah +remembered a great deal more about it than +this, and was delighted to see Betty once more. +There was the very rug on the floor, already +beginning to look worn. One could remember +it by a white, or rather a gray, rabbit +under some large green leaves which made +part of the design. It was impossible to say +how many rugs there were in the house, as +if life went on for the sole purpose of making +hooked and braided rugs. Those in the +kitchen at Aunt Barbara's were evidently the +work of sister Sarah's industrious fingers. +Serena might have left the place of her birth +the week before instead of nearly forty years, +if one might judge by the manner in which she +hung her bonnet and shawl on a nail behind +the door and put her gray thread gloves into +the table drawer.</p> + +<p>Sister Sarah looked like a neat little nun, +and limped painfully as she went about the +room. Sometimes she used a crutch, but she +seemed as lame with it as without it, and she<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[148]</a></span> +was such a brisk little creature in spirit, and +was so little depressed by her misfortune that +one felt it would be unwelcome to express any +pity. Betty knew that sometimes the poor +woman suffered a great deal of pain and could +not move at all, and that a neighbor who also +lived alone came at those times and stayed +with her for a few weeks. "Sister Sarah +ain't one mite lame in her mind," Serena said +proudly one day, and Betty found this to be +the truth. She did not like to read, however, +and told Betty that it was never anything but +a task, except to study geography, and she only +had one old geography, fairly worn to pieces, +which she knew by heart, with all its lists of +towns and countries and rivers, the productions +and boundaries and capitals and climatic conditions +and wild animals were at her tongue's +end for anybody who cared to hear them. +"The old folks used to think she'd better exercise +her memory learning hymns, and Sister +Sarah favored geography," Serena once explained; +"but she knows what other folks +knows, and has got a head crammed full o' +learning. She never forgets nothing, whilst +I leak by the way, myself, and do' know<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[149]</a></span> +whether I know anything or not," she ended +triumphantly.</p> + +<p>Serena's mind was full of plans that day, +and after resting a little while and hearing the +news, she asked Betty whether she would go +with her to a cousin's about a mile away by a +pasture path, or whether she would stay where +she was. The path sounded very pleasant, but +from the tone of the invitation it seemed best +to remain behind, so she quickly decided and +Serena set forth alone. It was only about +eleven o'clock and she meant to be back by +twelve, and dinner was put off half an hour. +Then Serena would have the afternoon clear +until it was time to go. The cousin had seen +trouble since the last visit, so it never would do +to go home without seeing her. Sister Sarah +and Betty sat by the front windows of the living-room, +and Betty obeyed a parting charge +to tell her companion "about seeing the Queen +and the times when she used to go and see the +Prince o' Wales's girls," so that the last of the +morning was soon gone.</p> + +<p>"Such folks has their aches an' pains just +like us," commented sister Sarah at last. "I +expected, though, they was more pompous-behaved<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[150]</a></span> +than you seem to describe. Well, they +have to think o' their example, and so does +others, for that matter. I wonder'f'mongst all +they've learned to do, anybody ever showed +'em how to braid or hook 'em a nice mat. I +s'pose not, but with all their hired help an' all +their rags that must come of a year's wear, +'t would be a shame for them to buy."</p> + +<p>"I never saw any rugs just like these," said +Betty, turning quickly to look out of the window. +"I don't believe people make them except +in America. But the princesses know how +to do a good many things." It was very funny +to Betty to think of their hooking rugs for +themselves, however, but Serena's sister did not +appear to suspect it.</p> + +<p>"Land, won't I have a good time picking +over those big full bags!" said she, looking at +Aunt Barbara's rag-bags with delight, and forgetting +the employments of royalty. "Your +aunt's real generous, she is so! I sort out +everything into heaps on the spare floor and if +I have too much white I just reach for the dyepot. +I do enjoy myself over them piece-bags."</p> + +<p>"I don't know what would become of Aunt +Barbara and Aunt Mary without Serena," said<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[151]</a></span> +Betty, "but I don't see how you can spare her +all the time."</p> + +<p>"She wouldn't be spared by them," said sister +Sarah, putting her head on one side like +a bird. "When I was first left alone after +marm's decease, folks thought she'd ought to +come back, but I says No. She wouldn't be +contented now same's she was before she went, +and I should get wuss and wuss if I was waited +on stiddy. 'No!' says I to every one, 'let me +be and let her be. She's free to come, and +she's puttin' by her good earnin's. I wept all +night when she first went off to Tideshead, seventeen +year old, to be maid to Madam Leicester, +but I knew from that day she was set to go +her way same's I was mine. But she's be'n +a good sister to me; we never passed an hour +unfriendly, and 't ain't all can say the same."</p> + +<p>"No, indeed," said Betty cheerfully.</p> + +<p>"Queen Victori' knows what it is to be +alone," continued the little sister. "I always +read how she was a real mourner. Now I +seem to enter into her feelin's, bein' left by +myself, though not a widow-woman."</p> + +<p>Betty thought of the contrast between the +Queen's life, with its formality and crowded<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[152]</a></span> +households, and its retinues and solemn pageantry +and this empty little New England +farm-house on a long hillside that sloped eastward. +It was so funny to hear the Queen discussed +and to find her a familiar personage, +just as one might in old England, where one +was always hearing about "our dear Queen." +But to sister Sarah the Queen was only another +woman who lived alone, and had many responsibilities.</p> + +<p>"I expect you're a regular little Britisher +by this time, ain't you, Miss Betty?"</p> + +<p>"Indeed, I'm not," answered our friend +with spirit. "Papa would be ashamed of me. +I'm a great American. What made you think +so?" Sister Sarah looked pleased, but did +not have anything more to offer on the subject. +"We're all English to start with, but +with the glory of America added on," said +Betty with girlish enthusiasm. "You can't +take away our English inheritance. I used to +be always insisting upon that with the girls, +that Shakespeare and King Arthur were just +as much ours as theirs."</p> + +<p>"I expect you know a sight o' things I +never dreamt of," said sister Sarah, "but to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[153]</a></span> +me what takes place in this neighborhood is +just as interesting as foreign parts. Folks is +folks, I tell 'em. There ain't but a few kinds, +neither, but they're put into all sorts of places, +ain't they?"</p> + +<p>Betty found that her hostess had a great +many entertaining things to say, but presently +there was a fear expressed lest Serena might +be beguiled into staying too long at the cousin's, +and so delay the dinner.</p> + +<p>"Let me begin; oh please let me," said +Betty, springing up. She had a sudden delighted +instinct that it would be charming to +wait upon Serena to-day and sister Sarah, and +take her turn at making them comfortable. As +quick as thought she turned up her skirt and +pinned it behind her and said, "What next, +if you please, ma'm," in a funny little tone +copied from that of a precise London damsel +in Mrs. Duncan's employ, who always amused +the family very much.</p> + +<p>Sister Sarah was fond of a joke, and to tell +the truth this was one of her aching days and +she had been dreading to take so many steps. +She saw how pleased Betty was with her kind +little plan.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[154]</a></span></p> + +<p>"To lay the table and step lively," she answered, +shaking with laughter. And Betty followed +her directions until the square dinner-table +stood in the middle of the floor, covered +with a nice homespun linen cloth of which the +history had to be told; and the old blue crockery; +and Betty had cut just so many slices of +bread, and brought just so many spiced pears +from the brown jar in the cellar-way, and +found the nice little square piece of cold +corned beef which the hostess was so glad +to have on hand, and had looked at the potatoes +two or three times where they were +baking in the stove oven in the shed-room +where sister Sarah did her summer cooking; +all these and other things were done when Serena, +out of breath, and heated with hurrying, +came in at the door.</p> + +<p>"I'm going to finish since I have begun," +said Betty proudly. "Now please use this fan, +Serena, and rest yourself, and I shall be ready +in a few minutes. I'm having a beautiful +good time. Which pitcher shall I take for the +fresh water?" and out she went to the cool old +well under the apple-tree.</p> + +<p>"Now was there ever such a darlin' <ins title="Transcriber's Note: period changed to a comma">gal,"</ins><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[155]</a></span> +said sister Sarah, and Serena nodded her head. +"I dare say she does like to take holt. Miss +Barb'ra never was one that shirked at nothing," +she had time to reply before Betty came +back and filled the tumblers and called the +sisters to their dinner.</p> + +<p>"Sarah," said Serena decisively, as she saw +how hard it was for sister Sarah to move, +"you've got to get Ann Sparks, ain't ye?"</p> + +<p>And the lame woman answered Yes.</p> + +<p>"I hate to give up, as you know, but one of +my poor times is coming on," she said sadly.</p> + +<p>The dinner was a great pleasure; Betty +would do all the waiting, and there was an unexpected +dessert of a jelly cake which Serena +had brought with her, being mindful of her sister's +fondness for it. Betty was touched with +the sisters' delight in being together, for in +spite of what Miss Sarah had said about their +being contented apart, she knew that the family +had seen trouble in earlier times, and that +Serena's wages had been the main dependence +while sister Sarah could not be happy any +where but in her own home.</p> + +<p>There never were such delicious baked potatoes, +and Betty humbly waited until she was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[156]</a></span> +perfectly sure neither of the sisters wanted the +last one before she eagerly took it. It was +delightful to be so hungry, as hungry as one +could be on shipboard! And when the gay +little dinner was over Betty made the hostess +still play guest, and put on her apron again +and carried the plates to the shed kitchen, and +found the dish pan and the soap, and in spite +of what anybody could say she washed them +every one and only let Serena wipe them and +put them away. Serena entered into the spirit +of the thing and was so funny and nice—making +believe to be afraid they were not doing +things right and that "sister Sarah would turn +to and do 'em over again, being amazing particular."</p> + +<p>Then when the flies were whisked out by +two efficient aprons, Betty left the sisters to +themselves for a good talk and rest, and wandered +out along the hillsides by the path Serena +had taken, and there she sat and thought and +looked off at the green country and at the sky. +A little black and white dog came trotting +along the path on some errand of his own, and +when he saw Betty he held up one paw and +looked at her and then came to be patted and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[157]</a></span> +to snuggle down by her side as if she were an +old friend. Betty was touched by this expression +of confidence and sympathy, as indeed she +might be, and was sorry to say good-by to the +little dog when it was time to go back to the +house. He licked her fingers affectionately as +she gave him a last patting, and seemed disappointed +because she left him so soon, as if he +had gone trotting about the world all his life +to find her and now she was going away again. +He did not offer to follow her, but whenever +she looked back there he was, sitting quite still +and watching.</p> + +<p>Jonathan was already at the house, impatient +to be on his way home, and Serena's bonnet +was just being taken down from its nail +as Betty came in. It seemed too bad to leave +sister Sarah behind, but then she had all the +piece-bags for company, as Serena said.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[158]</a></span></p> +<h2>XI</h2> + +<h3>THE TWO FRIENDS.</h3> + + +<p><span class="smcap">The</span> Leicester household had been so long +drifting into a staid and ceremonious fashion +of life that this visit of Betty's threatened at +times to be disturbing. If Aunt Barbara's +heart had not been kept young, under all her +austere look and manners, Betty might have +felt constrained more than once, but there +always was an excuse to give Aunt Mary, who +sometimes complained of too much chattering +on the front door steps, or too much scurrying +up and down stairs from Betty's room. It was +impossible to count the number of times that +important secrets had to be considered in the +course of a week, or to understand why there +were so many flurries of excitement among the +girls of Betty's set, while the general course +of events in Tideshead flowed so smoothly. +Miss Barbara Leicester was always a frank +and outspoken person, and the young people<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[159]</a></span> +were sure to hear her opinion whenever they +asked for it; but she herself seemed to grow +younger, in these days, and Betty pleased her +immensely one day, when it was mentioned +that a certain person who wore caps, and was +what Betty called "poky," was about Miss +Barbara's age: "Aunt Barbara, you are +always the same age as anybody except a +baby!"</p> + +<p>"I must acknowledge that I feel younger +than my <ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'grand-niece'">grandniece</ins>, sometimes," said Aunt +Barbara, with a funny little laugh; but Betty +was puzzled to know exactly what she meant.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>In one corner of the upper story of the large +old house there was a delightful little place +by one of the dormer-windows. It lighted the +crooked stairway which came up to the open +garret-floor, and the way to some bedrooms +which were finished off in a row. Betty remembered +playing with her dolls in this pleasant little +corner on rainy days, years before, and revived +its old name of the "cubby-house." Her +father had kept his guns and a collection of minerals +there, in his boyhood. It was over Betty's +own room, and noises made there did not<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[160]</a></span> +affect Aunt Mary's nerves, while it was a great +relief from the dignity of the east bedroom, +or, still more, the lower rooms of the house, to +betake one's self with one's friend to this +queer-shaped, brown-raftered little corner of +the world. There was a great sea-chest under +the eaves, and an astounding fireboard, with +a picture of Apollo in his chariot. There +was a shelf with some old brown books that +everybody had forgotten, an old guitar, and +a comfortable wooden rocking-chair, beside +Betty's favorite perch in the broad window-seat +that looked out into the tops of the trees. +Her father's boyish trophies of rose-quartz and +beryl crystals and mica were still scattered +along on the narrow ledges of the old beams, +and hanging to a nail overhead were two dusty +bunches of pennyroyal, which had left a mild +fragrance behind them as they withered.</p> + +<p>Betty had added to this array a toppling +light-stand from another part of the garret and +a china mug which she kept full of fresh wild +flowers. She pinned "London Graphic" pictures +here and there, to make a little brightness, +and there were some of her favorite artist's +(Caldecott's) sketches of country squires<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[161]</a></span> +and dames, reproduced in faint bright colors, +which looked delightfully in keeping with +their surroundings. As midsummer came on +the cubby-house grew too hot for comfort, but +one afternoon, when rain had been falling all +the morning to cool the high roof, Mary Beck +and Betty sat there together in great comfort +and peace. See for yourself Mary in the +rocking-chair, and Betty in the window-seat; +they were deep in thought of girlish problems, +and, as usual, taking nearly opposite sides. +They had been discussing their plans for the +future. Mary Beck had confessed that she +wished to learn to be a splendid singer and +sing in a great church or even in public concerts. +She knew that she could, if she were +only well taught; but there was nobody to give +her lessons in Tideshead, and her mother +would not hear of her going to Riverport +twice a week.</p> + +<p>"She says that I can keep up with my +singing at home, and she wants me to go into +the choir, and I can't bear it. I hate to hear +'we can't afford it,' and I am sure to, if I set +my heart on anything. Mother says that it +will be time enough to learn to sing when I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[162]</a></span> +am through school. Oh, dear me!" and poor +Mary looked disappointed and fretful.</p> + +<p>A disheartening picture of the present Becky +on the concert-stage flashed through Betty's +usually hopeful mind. She felt a heartache, +as she thought of her friend's unfitness and +inevitable disappointment. Becky—plain, ungainly, +honest Becky—felt it in her to do +great things, yet she hardly knew what great +things were. Persons of Betty's age never +count upon having years of time in which to +make themselves better. Everything must be +finally decided by the state of things at the +moment. Years of patient study were sure to +develop the wonderful gift of Becky's strong, +sweet voice.</p> + +<p>"Why don't you sing in the choir, Becky?" +asked Betty suddenly. "It would make the +singing so much better. I should love to do +it, if I could, and it would help to make Sunday +so pleasant for everybody, to hear you +sing. Poor Miss Fedge's voice sounds funny, +doesn't it? Sing me something now, Becky +dear; sing 'Bonny Doon'!"</p> + +<p>But Becky took no notice of the request. +"What do you mean to be, yourself?" she +asked her companion, with great interest.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[163]</a></span></p> + +<p>"You know that I can't sing or paint or do +any of those things," answered Betty <ins title="Transcriber's Note: period missing in original">humbly.</ins> +"I used to wish that I could write books when +I grew up, or at any rate help papa to write +his. I am almost discouraged, though papa +says I must keep on trying to do the things +I really wish to do." And a bright flush covered +Betty's eager face.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Becky dear!" she said suddenly. +"You have something that I envy you more +than even your singing: just living at home +in one place and having your mother and the +boys. I am always wishing and wishing, and +telling myself stories about living somewhere +in the same house all the time, with papa, and +having a real home and taking care of him. +You don't know how good it would feel! Papa +says the best we can do now is to make +a home wherever we are, for ourselves and +others—but I think it is pretty hard, sometimes."</p> + +<p>"Well, I think the nicest thing would be +to see the world, as you do," insisted Mary +Beck. "I just <i>hate</i> dusting and keeping +things to rights, and I never <i>shall</i> learn to +cook! I like to do fancy work pretty well.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[164]</a></span> +You would think Tideshead was perfectly +awful, in winter!"</p> + +<p>"Why should it be?" asked Betty innocently. +"Winter is house-time. I save things +to do in winter, and"—</p> + +<p>"Oh, you are so preachy, you are so +good-natured, you believe all the prim things +that grown people say!" exclaimed Becky. +"What would you say if you never went to +Boston but once, and then had the toothache +all the time? You have been everywhere, +and you think it's great fun to stay a little +while in poky old Tideshead, this one summer!"</p> + +<p>"Why, it is because I have seen so many +other places that I know just how pleasant +Tideshead is."</p> + +<p>"Well, I want to see other places, too," +maintained the dissatisfied Becky.</p> + +<p>"Papa says that we ourselves are the places +we live in," said Betty, as if it took a great +deal of courage to tell Mary Beck so unwelcome +a truth. "I like to remember just what +he says, for sometimes, when I haven't understood +at first, something will happen, may +be a year after, to make it flash right into my<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[165]</a></span> +mind. Once I heard a girl say London was +stupid; just think! <i>London!</i>"</p> + +<p>Mary Beck was rocking steadily, but Betty +sat still, with her feet on the window-seat and +her hands clasped about her knees. She could +look down into the green yard below, and +watch some birds that were fluttering near by +in the wet trees. The wind blew in very soft +and sweet after the rain.</p> + +<p>"I used to think, when I was a little bit +of a girl, that I would be a missionary, but I +should perfectly hate it now!" said Mary, +with great vehemence. "I just hate to go +to Sunday-school and be asked the questions; +it makes me prickle all over. I always feel +sorry when I wake up and find it is Sunday +morning. I suppose you think that's heathen +and horrid."</p> + +<p>"I always have my Sunday lessons with +papa; he reads to me, and gives me something +to learn by heart,—a hymn or some +lovely verses of poetry. I suppose that his +telling me what things in the Bible really +mean keeps me from being 'prickly' when +other people talk about it. What made you +wish to be a missionary?" Betty inquired, +with interest.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[166]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Oh, there used to be some who came here +and talked in the vestry Sunday evenings +about riding on donkeys and camels. Sometimes +they would dress up in Syrian costumes, +and I used to look grandpa's 'Missionary +Herald' all through, to find their names afterward. +It was so nice to hear about their +travels and the natives; but that was a long +while ago," and Becky rocked angrily, so that +the boards creaked underneath.</p> + +<p>"Last summer I used to go to such a dear +old church, in the Isle of Wight," said Betty. +"You could look out of the open door by our +pew and see the old churchyard, and look away +over the green downs and the blue sea. You +could see the red poppies in the fields, and +hear the larks, too."</p> + +<p>"What kind of a church was it?" asked +Mary, with suspicion. "Episcopal?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," answered Betty. "Church of England, +people say there."</p> + +<p>"I heard somebody say once that your +father was very lax in religious matters," said +Becky seriously.</p> + +<p>"I'd rather be very lax and love my Sundays," +said Betty severely. "I don't think it<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[167]</a></span> +makes any difference, really, about what one +does in church. I want to be good, and it +helps me to be in church and think and hear +about it. Oh, dear! my foot's getting asleep," +said Betty, beginning to pound it up and +down. The two girls did not like to look at +each other; they were considering questions +that were very hard to talk about.</p> + +<p>"I suppose it's being good that made you +run after Nelly Foster. I wished that I had +gone to see her more, when you went; but she +used to act hatefully sometimes before you +came. She used to cry in school, though," +confessed Becky.</p> + +<p>"I didn't 'run after' her. You do call +things such dreadful names, Mary Beck! +There, I'm getting cross, my foot is all stinging."</p> + +<p>"Turn it just the other way," advised Mary +eagerly. "Let me pound it for you," and she +briskly went to the rescue. Betty wondered +afresh why she liked this friend herself so +much, and yet disliked so many things that +she said and did.</p> + +<p>Serena always said that Betty had a won't-you-please-like-me +sort of way with her, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[168]</a></span> +Mary Beck felt it more than ever as she returned +to her rocking-chair and jogged on +again, but she could not bend from her high +sense of disapproval immediately. "What do +you think the unjust steward parable means, +then?" she asked, not exactly returning to +the fray, but with an injured manner. "It is +in the Sunday-school lesson to-morrow, and I +can't understand it a bit,—I never could."</p> + +<p>"Nor I," said Betty, in a most cheerful tone. +"See here, Becky, it doesn't rain, and we can +go and ask Mr. Grant to tell us about it."</p> + +<p>"Go ask the minister!" exclaimed Mary +Beck, much shocked. "Why, would you dare +to?"</p> + +<p>"That's what ministers are for," answered +Betty simply. "We can stay a little while +and see the girls, if he is busy. Come now, +Becky," and Becky reluctantly came. She +was to think a great many times afterward of +that talk in the garret. She was beginning +to doubt whether she had really succeeded in +settling all the questions of life, at the age of +fifteen.</p> + +<p>The two friends went along arm-in-arm under +the still-dripping trees. The parsonage<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[169]</a></span> +was some distance up the long Tideshead +street, and the sun was coming out as they +stood on the doorsteps. The minister was +amazed when he found that these parishioners +had come to have a talk with him in the study, +and to ask something directly at his willing +hands. He preached the better for it, next +day, and the two girls listened the better. As +for Mary Beck, the revelation to her honest +heart of having a right in the minister, and +the welcome convenience of his fund of knowledge +and his desire to be of use to her personally, +was an immense surprise. Kind Mr. +Grant had been a part of the dreaded Sundays, +a fixture of the day and the church +and the pulpit, before that; he was, indirectly, +a reproach, and, until this day, had never +seemed like other people exactly, or an every-day +friend. Perhaps the good man wondered +if it were not his own fault, a little. He tried +to be very gay and friendly with his own girls +at supper-time, and said afterward that they +must have Mary Beck and Betty Leicester to +take tea with them some time during the next +week.</p> + +<p>"But there are others in the parish who will<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[170]</a></span> +feel hurt," urged Mrs. Grant anxiously; and +Mr. Grant only answered that there must be a +dozen tea-parties, then, as if there were no +such things as sponge-cake and ceremony in +the world!</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[171]</a></span></p> +<h2>XII.</h2> + +<h3>BETTY AT HOME.</h3> + + +<p><span class="smcap">Everybody</span> was as kind as possible when +Betty Leicester first came to Tideshead, and +best company manners prevailed toward her; +but as the girls got used to having a new +friend and playmate, some of them proved +disappointing. Nothing could shake her deep +affection for honest-hearted Mary Beck, but in +some directions Mary had made up her inexperienced +and narrow mind, and would listen +to none of Betty's kindly persuasions. The +Fosters' father had done some very dishonest +deeds, and had run away from justice after +defrauding some of the most trustful of his +neighbors. Mary Beck's mother had lost +some money in this way, and old Captain +Beck even more, so that the girl had heard +sharp comments and indignant blame at +home; and she shocked Miss Barbara Leicester +and Betty one morning by wondering how<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[172]</a></span> +Henry and Nelly Foster could have had the +face to go to church the very Sunday after +their father was sent to jail. She did not believe +that they cared a bit what people thought.</p> + +<p>"Poor children," said Miss Leicester, with +quiet compassion, "the sight of their pitiful +young faces was enough for me. When +should one go to church if not in bitter +trouble? That boy and girl look years older +than the rest of you young folks."</p> + +<p>"It never seemed to me that they thought +any less of themselves," said Mary Beck, in a +disagreeable tone; "and I wouldn't ask them +to my party, if I had one."</p> + +<p>"But they have worked so hard," said Betty. +"Jonathan said yesterday that Harry Foster +told him this spring, when he was working +here, that he was going to pay every cent that +his father owed, if he lived long enough. He +is studying hard, too; you know that he hoped +to go to college before this happened. They +always look as if they were grateful for just +being spoken to."</p> + +<p>"Plenty of people have made everything of +them and turned their heads," said Mary Beck, +as if she were repeating something that had been<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[173]</a></span> +said at home. "I think I should pity some +people whose father had behaved so, but I +don't like the Fosters a bit."</p> + +<p>"They are carrying a heavy load on their +young shoulders," said Miss Barbara Leicester. +"You will feel differently by and by, +about them. Help them all you can, Mary!"</p> + +<p>Mary Beck went home that morning much +displeased. She didn't mean to be hard-hearted, +but it had seemed to her like proper +condemnation of wrong-doing to treat the Fosters +loftily. Now that Betty's eyes had filled +with tears as she listened, and Miss Leicester +evidently thought less of her for what +had been said, Mary began to feel doubtful +about the matter. Yes, what if her father +had been like theirs,—could she be shut up +like a prisoner, and behave as she expected +the Fosters to behave? By the time she +reached her own house she was ashamed of +what she had said. Miss Leicester was at that +moment telling Betty that she was astonished +at such bitter feeling in their young neighbor. +"She has never really thought about it. I +dare say she only needs a sensible word or +two to change her mind. You children have<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[174]</a></span> +such tremendous opinions," and Aunt Barbara +smiled.</p> + +<p>"Once when I was staying in the Isle of +Wight," said Betty, "I belonged to such a +nice out-of-door club, Aunt Barbara."</p> + +<p>"Did you? What was it like?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, not really like anything that I can +think of, only we had great fun together. We +used to walk miles and miles, and carry some +buns or buy them, and get milk or ginger-beer +at the farms. There are so many ruins +to go to see, and old churches, and homes of +eminent persons of the time of Elizabeth, and +we would read from their works; and it was so +pleasant coming home by the foot-paths afterward," +announced Betty with satisfaction. +"The governesses used to go, too, but we could +outrun all but one of them, the Barry's, and +my Miss Winter, who was as dear as could be. +I had my lessons with the Duncans, you know. +Oh, it was such fun!—the others would let +us go on as fast as we liked, and come poking +along together, and have their own quiet pleasures." +Betty was much diverted with her +recollections. "I mean to begin an out-of-door +club here, Aunt Barbara."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[175]</a></span></p> + +<p>"In my time," said Aunt Barbara, "girls +were expected to know how to sew, and to +learn to be good housekeepers."</p> + +<p>"You would join the club, wouldn't you?" +asked Betty anxiously.</p> + +<p>"And be run away from, like the stout +governesses, I dare say."</p> + +<p>There was an attempt at a serious expression, +but Miss Leicester could not help laughing +a little. Down came Miss Mary at this +moment, with Letty behind her, carrying +cushions, and Betty sprang up to help make +the couch ready.</p> + +<p>"I wish that you would belong, too, and +come with us on wheels," said she, returning +to the subject that had been interrupted. +"You could drive to the meetings and be +head-member, Aunt Mary." But Aunt Mary +was tired that day, and wished to have no +demands made upon her. There were days +when Betty had a plan for every half-hour, remarked +Aunt Barbara indulgently.</p> + +<p>"Suppose you come out to the garden with +me to pick some raspberries?" and Betty was +quietly removed from the weak nerves of +Aunt Mary, who plaintively said that Betty +had almost too much life.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[176]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Too much life! Not a bit of it," said +Serena, who was the grandniece's chief upholder +and champion. "We did need waking +up, 't was a fact, Miss Leicester; now, wa'n't +it? It seemed just like old times, that night +of the tea-party. Trouble is, we've all got +to bein' too master comfortable, and thought +we couldn't step one foot out o' the beaten +rut. 'T is the misfortune o' livin' in a little +place."</p> + +<p>And Serena marched back to the kitchen, +carrying the empty glass from which Miss +Mary Leicester had taken some milk, as if it +were the banner of liberty.</p> + +<p>She put it down on the clean kitchen-table. +"Too much life!" the good woman repeated +scornfully. "I'd like to see a gal that had +too much life for me. I was that kind myself, +and right up an' doin'. All these Tideshead +gals behave as slow as the everlastin' +month o' March. Fussin' about their clothes, +and fussin' about '<i>you</i> do this' and '<i>I</i> can't +do that,' an' lettin' folks that know something +ride right by 'em. See this little Betty, now, +sweet as white laylocks, I do declare. There +she goes 'long o' Miss Barbary, out into the +ros'berry bushes."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[177]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Aunt Barbara," Betty was saying a few +minutes later, as one knelt each side of the +row of white raspberries,—"Aunt Barbara, do +you like best being grown up or being about +as old as I am?"</p> + +<p>"Being grown up, I'm sure, dear," replied +the aunt, after serious reflection.</p> + +<p>"I'm so glad. I don't believe people ever +have such hard times with themselves afterward +as they do growing up."</p> + +<p>"What is the matter now, Betty?"</p> + +<p>"Mary Beck, Aunt Barbara. I thought +that I liked her ever and ever so much, but I +have days when I want to shake her. It's +my fault, because I wake up and think about +her and feel cross before I even look at her, +and then I can't get on all day. Then some +days I can hardly wait to get over to see her, +and we have such a good time. But you can't +change her mind about anything."</p> + +<p>"I thought that you wouldn't be so unreasonable +all summer," said Aunt Barbara, +picking very fast. "You see that you expect +Mary Beck to be perfect, and the poor child +isn't. You made up a Mary Beck in your +own mind, who was perfect at all points and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[178]</a></span> +just the kind of a girl you would like best to +spend all your time with. Be thankful for +all you do like in her; that's the best way."</p> + +<p>"I just fell in love with a girl in the Isle of +Wight, last summer," said Betty sorrowfully. +"We wished to be together all the time, and +we wrote notes and always went about together. +She was older than I. But one day +she said things that made me forget I ever +liked her a bit. She wanted to make up afterward, +but I <i>couldn't;</i> and she writes and +writes me letters, but I never wish to see her +again. I am sorry I ever liked her." Betty's +eyes flashed, and her cheeks were very red.</p> + +<p>"I suppose it has been hard for her too," +said Aunt Barbara; "but we must like different +friends for different reasons. Just try +to remember that you cannot find perfection. +I used to know a great many girls when I was +growing up, and some of them are my friends +still, the few who are left. To find one true-hearted +friend is worth living through a great +many disappointments."</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>Two or three weeks went over before Betty +ceased to have the feeling that she was a stranger<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[179]</a></span> +and foreigner in Tideshead. At first she said +"you" and "I" when she was talking with +the girls, but soon it became easier to say +"we." She took great pleasure in doing +whatever the rest did, from joining a class in +Sunday-school to carrying round one of the +subscription-papers to pay for some Fourth +of July fireworks, which went up in a blaze +of splendor on the evening of that glorious +day.</p> + +<p>After the garden tea-party, nothing happened, +of a social nature, for some time, +although several of the boys and girls gave +fine hints that something might be expected to +happen at their own houses. There was a +cheerful running to and fro about the Leicester +house, and the high white gate next the +street was heard to creak and clack at least +once in every half-hour. Nelly Foster came +seldom, but she was the brightest and merriest +of all the girls when she grew a little +excited, and lost the frightened look that had +made lines on her forehead much too soon. +Harry was not seen very often, but Betty +wondered a great deal about him, and fancied +him hunting and fishing in all sorts of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[180]</a></span> +dangerous places. The Picknell girls came +into the village on Sundays always, and often +once or twice in the week; but it was haying +time now, and they were very busy at the +farm. Betty liked them dearly, and so did +Mary Beck, who did not get on with the minister's +daughters at all, and had a prejudice, +as we know, against Nelly Foster. These +made the little company which seemed most +closely allied, especially after the Sin Book +Club became a thing of the past as an active +society. Betty had proposed the out-of-door +club, and had started a tennis-court, and devoted +much time to it; but nobody knew how +to play very well yet, except Harry Foster +and Julia Picknell, and they were the most +difficult ones to catch for an idle afternoon. +George Max could play, and one or two others +could stumble through a game and like it +pretty well; but as for Mary Beck, her shoes +were too small for much agility, and she liked +to wear her clothes so tight that she was very +clumsy with a racket. Betty's light little +gowns looked prim and plain to the Tideshead +girls, who thought their colors very strange, to +begin with, and had not the sense to be envious<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[181]</a></span> +when their wearer went by, as light-footed and +graceful as they were awkward. They could +not understand the simplicity that was natural +to Betty, but everybody liked her, and felt as +much interested as if she were an altogether +new variety of human being. Perhaps we +shall understand the situation better if we +read a letter which our heroine wrote just +then:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p><span class="smcap">My dear Papa</span>,—This is from your Betty, +who intended to take a long walk with Mary +Beck this afternoon, but is now prevented by +a thunder-shower. It makes me wonder what +you do when you get wet, and who sees that +you take off your wet clothes and tries not to +let you have a cold. Isn't it almost time for +you to come home now, papa? I do miss +taking care of you so very much. You will +be tired hearing about Mary Beck, and you +can't stop it, can you? as if you laughed and +then talked about something else when we +were walking together. You must remember +that you said we must be always fighting an +enemy in ourselves, and my enemy just now +is making little funs of Mary, and seeing that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[182]</a></span> +she doesn't know so much as she thinks she +does. I like too well to show her that she is +mistaken when she tells about things; but it +makes me sorry afterward, because, in spite +of myself, I like her better than I do anybody. +I truly love her, papa; indeed, I do, but I +like to tease her better than to help her, when +she puts on airs about the very places where +I have been and things I have done. Aunt +Barbara speaks of her manners, and wishes I +would "play with" Nelly Foster and the minister's +girls: but Nelly is like anybody grown +up,—I suppose it is because she has seen +trouble, as people say here; and the minister's +girls are <i>little 'fraid cats</i>. That is what +Serena says, and is sure to make you laugh. +"Try and make 'em hop 'round," Serena told +me at the party, and I did try; but they aren't +good hoppers, and that's all there is to say. +I sent down to Riverport and bought Seth a +book of violin airs, and he practiced until two +o'clock one morning, so that Serena and Jonathan +were saying dreadful things. Aunt Mary +is about the same, and so is Aunt Barbara, and +they send their love. Papa, you must never +tell, but I hate the one and love the other.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[183]</a></span> +Mary Beck isn't half so bad as I am to say +that, but now it is a black mark and must +stay. There is one awful piece of news. The +Fosters' father has broken out of jail and +escaped, and they are offering a great reward, +and it is in all the papers. I ought to go to +see Nelly, but I dread it. I am writing this +last page another day, for yesterday the sun +came out after the shower and I went out with +Aunt Barbara. She is letting Mrs. Foster do +some sewing for me. She says that my clothes +were in ruins; she did indeed, and that they +had been badly washed. I hope that yours +are not the same. Mrs. Foster looked terribly +frightened and pale, and asked Aunt B. +to come into the other room, and told her +about Mr. Foster. Then it was in the paper +last night. Papa, dear, I do remember what +you said in one of your letters about being a +Tideshead girl myself for this summer, and +not standing off and finding fault. I feel +more like a Tideshead girl lately, but I wish +they wouldn't keep saying how slow it is and +nothing going on. We might do so many +nice things, but they make such great fusses +first, instead of just going and doing them, the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[184]</a></span> +way you and I do. <i>They think of every reason +why you can't do things that you can do.</i> +The currants are all gone. You can't have a +currant pie this year. I thought those by the +fence, under the cherry-tree, might last until +you came, because it is shady, but they all +spoiled in the rain. Now I am going to read +in "Walton's Lives" to Aunt Mary. She says +it is a book everybody ought to know, and that +I run wild more than I ought at my age. I +like to read aloud, as you know, so good-by, +but my age is <i>such</i> a trouble. If you were +here, we would have the best good time.</p> + +<div class='sig'> +Your own child, <span class="smcap">Betty.</span><br /> +</div> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[185]</a></span></p> +<h2>XIII.</h2> + +<h3>A GREAT EXCITEMENT.</h3> + + +<p><span class="smcap">That</span> afternoon Betty's lively young voice +grew droning and dull after a while, as she +read the life of Dr. Donne, and at last she +stopped altogether.</p> + +<p>"Aunt Mary, I can't help thinking about +the Fosters' father. Do you suppose he will +come home and frighten them some night?"</p> + +<p>"No, he would hardly dare to come where +they are sure to be looking for him," said +Aunt Mary. "Dear me, the thought makes +me so nervous."</p> + +<p>"When I have read to the end of this page +I will just run down to see Nelly a few minutes, +if you can spare me. I keep dreading to +see her until I am almost afraid to go."</p> + +<p>Miss Mary sighed and said yes. Somehow +she didn't get hold of Betty's love,—only her +duty.</p> + +<p>Betty lingered in the garden and picked<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[186]</a></span> +some mignonette before she started, and a +bright carnation or two from Aunt Barbara's +special plants. The Fosters' house was farther +down the street on the same side, and Nelly's +blinds were shut, but if Betty had only known +it, poor Nelly was looking out wistfully through +them, and wishing with all her heart that her +young neighbor would come in. She dreaded +the meeting, too, but there was such a simple, +frank friendliness about Betty Leicester that it +did not hurt as if one of the other girls had +come.</p> + +<p>There came the sound of the gate-latch, and +Nelly went eagerly down. "Come up to my +room; I was sitting there sewing," she said, +blushing very red, and Betty felt her own +cheeks burn. How dreadful it must be not to +have such a comforting dear father as hers! +She put her arms round Nelly's neck and +kissed her, and Nelly could hardly keep from +crying; but up-stairs they went to the bedroom, +where Betty had never happened to go +before. She felt suddenly, as she never had +before, how pinched and poor the Fosters must +be. Nelly was determined to be brave and +cheerful, and took up her sewing again. It<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[187]</a></span> +happened to be a little waist of Betty's own. +Betty tried to talk gayly about being very tired +of reading "Walton's Lives." She had come +to a dull place in Dr. Donne's memoirs, though +she thought them delightful at first. She +was just reading "The Village on the Cliff," +on her own account, with perfect delight.</p> + +<p>"Harry reads 'Walton's Angler,'" said +Nelly. "That's the same man, isn't he? It +is a stupid-looking old brown book that belonged +to my grandfather."</p> + +<p>"Papa reads it, too," said Betty, nodding +her head wisely. "I am in such a hurry to +have him come, when I think of Harry. I +am sure that he will help him to be a naturalist +or something like that. Mr. Buckland +would have just loved Harry. I knew him +when I was a little bit of a thing. Papa used +to take me to see him in London, and all his +dreadful beasts and snakes used to frighten +me, but I do so like to remember him now. +Harry makes me think of Robinson Crusoe +and Mayne Reid's books, and those story-book +boys who used to do such wild things fishing +and hunting."</p> + +<p>"We used to think that Harry never would<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[188]</a></span> +get on because he spent so much time in the +woods, but somehow he always learned his +lessons too," said Nelly proudly; "and now +his fishing brings in so much money that I +don't know how we shall live when winter +comes. We are so anxious about winter. Oh, +Betty, it is easy to tell you, but I can't bear to +have other people even look at me;" and she +burst into tears and hid her face in her hands.</p> + +<p>"Let us go out-doors, just down through +the garden and across into the woods a little +while," pleaded Betty. "Do, Nelly, dear!" +and presently they were on their way. The +fresh summer air and the sunshine were much +better than the close-shaded room, where Nelly +was startled by every sound about the house, +and they soon lost their first feeling of constraint +as they sat under a pine-tree whipping +two of Miss Barbara Leicester's new tea-napkins. +Betty had many things to say about +her English life and her friends. Mary Beck +never cared to hear much about England, and +it was always delightful to have an interested +listener. At last the sewing was finished, and +Nelly proposed that they should go a little +way farther, and come out on the river bank.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[189]</a></span> +Harry would be coming up about this time with +his fare of fish, if he had had good luck. It +would be fun to shout to him as he went by.</p> + +<p>They pushed on together through the open +pasture, where the sweet-fern and bayberry +bushes grew tall and thick; there was another +strip of woods between them and the river, +and just this side was a deserted house, which +had not been lived in for many years and was +gray and crumbling. The fields that belonged +to it had been made part of a great sheep pasture, +and two or three sheep were standing by +the half-opened door, as if they were quite at +home there in windy or wet weather. Betty +had seen the old house before, and thought it +was most picturesque. She now proposed that +they should have a picnic party by and by, +and make a fire in the old fireplace; but Nelly +Foster thought there would be great danger of +burning the house down.</p> + +<p>"Suppose we go and look in?" pleaded +Betty. "Mary Beck and I saw it not long +after I came, but she thought it was going to +rain, so that we didn't stop. I like to go +into an empty old ruin, and make up stories +about it, and wonder who used to live there.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[190]</a></span> +Don't stop to pick these blackberries; you +know they aren't half ripe," she teased Nelly; +and so they went over to the old house, frightening +away the sheep as they crossed the doorstep +boldly. It was all in ruins; the roof was +broken about the chimney, so that the sun +shone through upon the floor, and the light-red +bricks were softened and sifting down. +In one corner there was a heap of withes for +mending fences, which had been pulled about +by the sheep, and there were some mud nests +of swallows high against the walls, but the +birds seemed to have already left them. This +room had been the kitchen, and behind it was +a dark, small place which must have been a +bedroom when people lived there, dismal as it +looked now.</p> + +<p>"I am going to look in here and all about +the place," said Betty cheerfully, and stepped +in to see what she could find.</p> + +<p>"Oh, go back, Nelly!" she screamed, in a +great fright, the next moment; and they fled +out of the house into the warm sunshine. +They had had time to see that a man was lying +on the floor as if he were dead. Betty's heart +was beating so that she could hardly speak.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[191]</a></span></p> + +<p>"We must get somebody to come," she +panted, trying to stop Nelly. "Was it somebody +dead?"</p> + +<p>But Nelly sank down as pale as ashes into +the sweet-fern bushes, and looked at her +strangely. "Oh, Betty Leicester, it will kill +mother, it will kill her! I believe it was my +father; what shall I do?"</p> + +<p>"Your father," faltered Betty,—"your father? +We must go and tell." Then she remembered +that he was a hunted man, a fugitive +from justice.</p> + +<p>They looked fearfully at the house; the +sheep had come back and stood again near the +doorway. There was something more horrible +than the two girls had ever known in the +silence of the place. It would have been less +awful if there had been a face at the broken +door or windows.</p> + +<p>"Henry—we must try to stop Henry," +said poor pale Nelly, and they hurried toward +the river shore. They could not help looking +anxiously behind them as they passed the belt +of pine; a terrible fear possessed them as they +ran. "He is afraid that somebody will see him. +I wonder if he will come home to-night."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[192]</a></span></p> + +<p>"He must be ill there," said Betty, but she +did not dare to say anything else. What an +unendurable thing to be afraid and ashamed +of one's own father!</p> + +<p>They looked down the river with eager eyes. +Yes, there was Harry Foster's boat coming +up slowly, with the three-cornered sail spread +to catch the light breeze. Nelly gave a long +sigh and sank down on the turf, and covered +her face as she cried bitterly. Betty thought, +with cowardly longing, of the quiet and safety +of Aunt Mary's room, and the brown-covered +volume of "Walton's Lives." Then she summoned +all her courage. These two might +never have sorer need of a friend than in this +summer afternoon.</p> + +<p>Henry Foster's boat sailed but slowly. It +was heavily laden, and the wind was so light +that from time to time he urged it with the +oars. He did not see the two girls waiting on +the bank until he was close to them, for the +sun was in his eyes and his thoughts were +busy. His father's escape from jail was +worse than any sorrow yet; nobody knew +what might come of it. Harry felt very old +and careworn for a boy of seventeen. He had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[193]</a></span> +determined to go to see Miss Barbara Leicester +that evening, and to talk over his troubles +with her. He had been able to save a little +money, and he feared that it might be demanded. +He had already paid off the smaller +debts that were owed in the village; but he +knew his father too well not to be afraid of +getting some menacing letters presently. If +his father had only fled the country! But how +could that be done without money? He would +not work his passage; Harry was certain +enough of that. Would it not be better to +let him have the money and go to the farthest +limit to which it could carry him?</p> + +<p>Something made the young man shade his +eyes with his hand and look toward the shore; +then he took the oars and pulled quickly in. +That was surely his sister Nelly, and the girl +beside her, who wore a grayish dress with a +white blouse waist, was Betty Leicester. It +was just like kind-hearted little Betty to have +teased poor Nelly out into the woods. He +would carry them home in his boat; he could +rub it clean with some handfuls of hemlock +twigs or river grass. Then he saw how +strangely they looked, as he pushed the boat<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[194]</a></span> +in and pulled it far ashore. What in the +world had happened?</p> + +<p>Nelly tried to speak again and again, but +her voice could not make itself heard. "Oh, +don't cry any more, Nelly, dear," said Betty, +trembling from head to foot, and very pale. +"We went into the old house up there by the +pasture, and found—Nelly said it was your +father, and we thought he was very ill."</p> + +<p>"I'll take you both home, then," said Harry +Foster, speaking quickly and with a hard +voice. "Get in, both of you,—this is the +shortest way,—then I'll come back by myself."</p> + +<p>"Oh, no, no!" sobbed Nelly. "He looked +as if he were dying, Harry; he was lying on +the floor. We will go, too; he couldn't +hurt us, could he?" And the three turned +back into the woods. Betty's heart almost +failed her. She felt like a soldier going into +battle. Oh, could she muster bravery enough +to go into that house again? Yet she loved +her father so much that doing this for another +girl's father was a great comfort, in all her +fear.</p> + +<p>The young man hurried ahead when they<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[195]</a></span> +came near the house, and it was only a few +minutes before he reappeared.</p> + +<p>"You must go and tell mother to come as +quick as she can, and hurry to find the doctor +and tell him; he will know what to do. Father +has been dreadfully hurt somehow. Perhaps +Miss Leicester will let Jonathan come +to help us get him home." Harry Foster's +face looked old and strange; he never would +seem like a boy any more, Betty thought, +with a heart full of sympathy. She hurried +away with Nelly; they could not bring help +fast enough.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>After the great excitement was over, Betty +felt very tired and unhappy. That night she +could be comforted only by Aunt Barbara's +taking her into her own bed, and being more +affectionate and sympathetic than ever before, +even talking late, like a girl, about the Out-of-Door +Club plans. In spite of this attempt to +return to every-day thoughts, Betty waked +next morning to much annoyance and trouble. +She felt as if the sad affairs of yesterday related +only to the poor Fosters and herself, but +as she went down the street, early, she was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[196]</a></span> +stopped and questioned by eager groups of +people who were trying to find out something +more about the discovery of Mr. Foster in the +old house. It proved that he had leaped from +a high window, hurting himself badly by the +fall, when he made his escape from prison, and +that he had been wandering in the woods for +days. The officers had come at once, and +there was a group of men outside the Fosters' +house. This had a terrible look to Betty. +Everybody said that the doctor believed there +was only a slight chance for Mr. Foster's life, +and that they were not going to try to take +him back to jail. He had been delirious all +night. One or two kindly disposed persons +said that they pitied his poor family more than +ever, but most of the neighbors insisted that +"it served Foster just right." Betty did her +errand as quickly as possible, and hastily +brushed by some curious friends who tried to +detain her. She felt as if it were unkind and +disloyal to speak of her neighbor's trouble +to everybody, and the excitement and public +concern of the little village astonished her +very much. She did not know, until then, +how the joy or trouble of one home could<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[197]</a></span> +affect the town as if it were one household. +Everybody spoke very kindly to her, and most +people called her "Betty," and seemed to +know her very well, whether they had ever +spoken to her before or not. The women +were standing at their front doors or their +gates, to hear whatever could be told, and +our friend looked down the long street and +felt that it was like running the gauntlet to get +home again. Just then she met the doctor, +looking gray and troubled, as if he had been +awake all night, but when he saw Betty his +face brightened.</p> + +<p>"Well done, my little lady," he said, in a +cheerful voice, which made her feel steady +again, and then he put his hand on Betty's +shoulder and looked at her very kindly.</p> + +<p>"Oh, doctor! may I walk along with you a +little way?" she faltered. "Everybody asks +me to tell"—</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes, I know all about it," said the +doctor; and he turned and took Betty's hand +as if she were a child, and they walked away +together. It was well known in Tideshead +that Dr. Prince did not like to be questioned +about his patients.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[198]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I was wondering whether I ought to go to +see Nelly," said Betty, as they came near the +house. "I haven't seen her since I came +home with her yesterday. I—didn't quite +dare to go in as I came by."</p> + +<p>"Wait until to-morrow, perhaps," said the +doctor. "The poor man will be gone then, +and you will be a greater comfort. Go over +through the garden. You can climb the +fences, I dare say," and he looked at Betty +with a queer little smile. Perhaps he had +seen her sometimes crossing the fields with +Mary Beck.</p> + +<p>"Do you mean that he is going to die to-day?" +asked Betty, with great awe. "Ought +I to go then?"</p> + +<p>"Love may go where common kindness is +shut out," said Dr. Prince. "You have done +a great deal to make those poor children happy, +this summer. They had been treated in a very +narrow-minded way. It was not like Tideshead, +I must say," he added, "but people are +shy sometimes, and Mrs. Foster herself could +not bear to see the pity in her neighbors' faces. +It will be easier for her now."</p> + +<p>"I keep thinking, what if it were my own<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[199]</a></span> +papa?" said Betty softly. "He couldn't be +so wicked, but he might be ill, and I not there."</p> + +<p>"Dear me, no!" said the doctor heartily, +and giving Betty's hand a tight grasp and a +little swing to and fro. "I suppose he's having +a capital good time up among his glaciers. +I wish that I were with him for a month's +holiday;" and at this Betty was quite cheerful +again.</p> + +<p>Now they stopped at Betty's own gate. "You +must take your Aunt Mary in hand a little, +before you go away. There's nothing serious +the matter now, only lack of exercise and +thinking too much about herself."</p> + +<p>"She did come to my tea-party in the garden," +responded Betty, with a faint smile, "and +I think sometimes she almost gets enough +courage to go to walk. She didn't sleep at +all last night, Serena said this morning."</p> + +<p>"You see, she doesn't need sleep," explained +Dr. Prince, quite professionally. "We are +all made to run about the world and to work. +Your aunt is always making blood and muscle +with such a good appetite, and then she never +uses them, and nature is clever at revenges. +Let her hunt the fields, as you do, and she<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[200]</a></span> +would sleep like a top. I call it a disease of +<i>too-wellness</i>, and I only know how to doctor +sick people. Now there's a lesson for you to +reflect upon," and the busy doctor went hurrying +back to where he had left his horse +standing, when he first caught sight of Betty's +white and anxious face.</p> + +<p>As she entered the house Aunt Barbara was +just coming out. "I am going to see poor +Mrs. Foster, my dear, or to ask for her at the +door," she said, and Serena and Letty and Jonathan +all came forward to ask whether Betty +knew any later news. Seth Pond had been +loitering up the street most of the morning, +with feelings of great excitement, but he presently +came back with instructions from Aunt +Barbara to weed the long box-borders behind +the house, which he somewhat unwillingly +obeyed.</p> + +<p>A few days later the excitement was at an +end, the sad funeral was over, and on Sunday +the Fosters were at church in their appealing +black clothes. Everybody had been as kind +as they knew how to be, but there were no +faces so welcome to the sad family as our little +Betty's and the doctor's.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[201]</a></span></p> + +<p>"It comes of simply following her instinct +to be kind and do right," said the doctor to +Aunt Barbara, next day. "The child doesn't +think twice about it, as most of us do. We +Tideshead people are terribly afraid of one +another, and have to go through just so much +before we can take the next step. There's no +way to get right things done but to simply <i>do</i> +them. But it isn't so much what your Betty +does as what she is."</p> + +<p>"She has grown into my old heart," said +Aunt Barbara. "I cannot bear to think of +her going away and taking the sunshine with +her!—and yet she has her faults, of course," +added the sensible old lady.</p> + +<p>"Oh, by the way!" said Dr. Prince, turning +back. "My wife told me to ask you to +come over to tea to-night and bring the little +girl; I nearly forgot to give the message."</p> + +<p>"I shall be very happy to come," answered +Miss Leicester, and the doctor nodded and +went his busy way. Betty was very fond of +going to drive with him, and he looked about +the neighborhood as he drove along, hoping to +catch sight of her; but Betty was at that moment +deeply engaged in helping Letty shell<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[202]</a></span> +some peas for dinner, at the other side of the +house, in the garden doorway of the kitchen. +She had spent an hour before that with Mrs. +Beck, while they tried together with more or +less success to trim a new sailor hat for Mary +Beck like one of Betty's own. Mrs. Beck was +as friendly as possible in these days, but whenever +the Fosters were mentioned her face grew +dark. She did not like Mrs. Foster; she did +not exactly blame her for all that had happened, +but she did not pity her either, or feel a +true compassion for such a troubled neighbor. +Betty never could understand it. At any rate, +she had been saved by her unsettled life from +taking a great interest in her own or other +people's dislikes.</p> + +<p>That evening, just as the tea-party was in +full progress, somebody came for Dr. Prince; +and when he returned from his study he announced +that he must go at once down the +river road to see one of his patients who was +worse. Perhaps he saw an eager look in +Betty's eyes, for he asked gravely if Miss +Leicester had a niece to lend, it being a moonlight +evening and not too long a drive. Aunt +Barbara made no objection, and our friend<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[203]</a></span> +went skipping off to the doctor's stable in high +glee.</p> + +<p>"Oh, that's nice!" she exclaimed. "I'm +so glad that you're going to take Pepper; she's +such a dear little horse."</p> + +<p>"Pepper is getting old," said the doctor, +"but she really likes to go out in the evening. +You can see how fast she will scurry home. +Get me a whip from the rack, will you, child? +I am anxious to be off."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Prince and Aunt Barbara were busy +talking in the parlor, and were taking great +pleasure in their social occasion, but Betty was +so glad that she need not stay to listen, instead +of going down the town street and out among +the quiet farms behind brisk old Pepper. The +wise, kind doctor at her side was silent as he +thought about his patient, yet he felt much +pleasure in Betty's companionship. They could +smell the new marsh hay and hear the tree-toads; +it was a most beautiful summer night. +Betty felt very grateful and happy, she did not +exactly know why; it was not altogether the +effect of Mrs. Prince's tea and cakes, or even +because she was driving with the doctor, but +the restlessness and uncertainty that make so<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[204]</a></span> +great a part of a girl's life seemed to have +gone away out of her heart. Instead of the +excitement there was a pleasant quietness and +sense of security, no matter what might be going +to happen.</p> + +<p>Presently the doctor appeared to have +thought enough about his patient. "You +don't feel chilly, do you?" he asked kindly. +"I find it damp and cold, sometimes, after a +hot day, crossing this low land."</p> + +<p>"Oh, no, I'm as warm as toast," answered +Betty. "Whom are you going to see, Dr. +Prince? Old Mr. Duff?"</p> + +<p>"No, he is out-of-doors again. I saw him +in the hayfield this morning. You haven't +been keeping up with my practice as well as +usual, of late," said the doctor, laughing a +little. "I am going to see a girl about your +own age. I am afraid that I am going to lose +her, too."</p> + +<p>"Is it that pretty Lizzie Edwards who sits +behind the Becks' pew? I heard that she had +a fever. I saw her the last Sunday that she +was at church." Betty's heart was filled with +dismay, and the doctor did not speak again. +They were near the house now, and could see<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[205]</a></span> +some lights flitting about; and as they stopped +the sick girl's father stole silently from behind +the bushes and began to fasten the horse, so +that Dr. Prince could go in directly. Betty +could hear the ominous word "<i>sinking</i>," as +they whispered together; then she was left +alone. It seemed so sad that this other girl +should be near the door of death, and so close +to the great change that must come to every +one. Betty had never known so direct a consciousness +of the inevitableness of death, but +she was full of life herself, and so eager and +ready for whatever might be coming. What +if this other girl had felt so, too? She watched +the upper windows where the dim light shone, +and now and then a shadow crossed the curtain. +Everything out-of-doors was quiet and +sweet; the moon went higher and higher, and +the wind rustled among the apple-trees. Some +white petunias in a little plot near by looked +strangely white, and Betty thought that perhaps +the other girl had planted them, and +there they were growing on. Now she was +going to die. Betty wondered what it would +be like, and if the other girl knew, and if she +minded so very much. After a few minutes<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[206]</a></span> +she found herself saying an eager prayer that +the doctor might still cure her, and keep her +alive. If she must die, Betty hoped that she +herself might do some of the things that Lizzie +Edwards would have done, and take her place. +When old people had to go, who had done all +they wished to do, and got tired, and could not +help thinking about having a new life, that was +one thing; but to go now and leave all your +hopes and plans behind,—indeed, it seemed +too hard. But Betty had a sense of the difference +between what things could be helped and +what were in God's hands, and when she had +said her prayer she waited again hopefully for +a long time in the moonlight.</p> + +<p>At last there seemed to be more movement +in the house and she could hear voices; then +she heard somebody sobbing, and the light in +the upper room went quickly out.</p> + +<p>The doctor came after a few minutes more, +which seemed very long and miserable. Pepper +had fallen asleep, good old horse! and +Betty did not dare to ask any questions.</p> + +<p>"Well, well," said the doctor, in a surprisingly +cheerful voice, "I forgot all about you, +Miss Betty Leicester. I hope that you're not<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[207]</a></span> +cold this time, and I don't know what the +aunts will have to say about us; it is nearly +eleven o'clock."</p> + +<p>"I'm not cold, but I did get frightened," +acknowledged Betty faintly; then she felt surprisingly +light-hearted. Dr. Prince could not +be in such good spirits if he had just seen +his poor young patient die!</p> + +<p>"We got here just in time," he said, tucking +the light blanket closer about Betty. +"We've pulled the child through, but she was +almost gone when I first saw her; there was +just a spark of life left,—a spark of life," repeated +the doctor.</p> + +<p>"Who was it crying?" Betty asked.</p> + +<p>"The mother," said the doctor. "I had +just told her that she was going to keep the +little girl. Why, here's a good sound sassafras +lozenge in my pocket. Now we'll have +a handsome entertainment."</p> + +<p>Betty, who had just felt as if she were going +to cry for nobody knew how long, began to +laugh instead, as Dr. Prince broke his unexpected +lozenge into honest halves and presented +her solemnly with one of them. There was +never such a good sassafras lozenge before or<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[208]</a></span> +since, and Pepper trotted steadily home to her +stall and the last end of her supper. "Only +think, if the doctor hadn't known just what +to do," said Betty later to Aunt Barbara, "and +how he goes all the time to people's houses! +Every day we see him going by to do things to +help people. This might have been a freezing, +blowing night, and he would have gone just +the same."</p> + +<p>"Dear child, run up to your bed now," said +Aunt Barbara, kissing her good-night; for +Betty was very wide awake, and still had so +many things to say. She never would forget +that drive at night. She had been taught a +great lesson of the good doctor's helpfulness, +but Aunt Barbara had learned it long ago.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[209]</a></span></p> +<h2>XIV.</h2> + +<h3>THE OUT-OF-DOOR CLUB.</h3> + + +<p><span class="smcap">The</span> Out-of-Door Club in Tideshead was slow +in getting under way, but it was a great success +at last. Its first expedition was to the Picknell +farm, to see the place where there had +been a great battle with the French and Indians, +in old times, and the relics of a beaver-dam +were to be inspected besides. Mr. Picknell +came to talk about the plan with Miss +Barbara Leicester, who was going to drive out +to the farm in the afternoon, and then walk +back with the club, as besought by Betty. +She was highly pleased with the eagerness of +her young neighbors, who had discovered in +her an unsuspected sympathy and good-fellowship +at the time of Betty's June tea-party. +It had been a pity to make believe old in all +these late years, and to become more and more +a stranger to the young people. Perhaps, if +the club proved a success, it would be a good<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[210]</a></span> +thing to have winter meetings too, and read +together.</p> + +<p>Somehow Miss Barbara had never before +known exactly what to do for the young folks. +She could have a little supper for them in the +evening, and ask them to come and read with +her; or perhaps she might propose to read +some good story to them, and some poetry. +They ought to know something of the great +poets. Miss Mary Leicester was taken up +with the important business of her own invalidism, +but it might be a very good thing for +her to take some part in such pleasant plans. +Under all Aunt Barbara's shyness and habit +of formality Betty had discovered her warm +and generous heart. They had become fast +friends, and, to tell the truth, Aunt Mary was +beginning to have an uneasy and wistful consciousness +that she was causing herself to be +left out of many pleasures.</p> + +<p>The gloom and general concern at the time +of the Fosters' sorrow had caused the first +club meeting to be postponed until early in +August; and then, though August weather +would not seem so good for out-of-door expeditions, +this one Wednesday dawned like a cool,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[211]</a></span> +clear June day, and at three o'clock the fresh +easterly wind had not ceased to blow and yet +had not brought in any seaward clouds. There +were eleven boys and girls, and Miss Barbara +Leicester made twelve, while with the two +Picknells the club counted fourteen. The +Fosters promised to come later in the summer, +but they did not feel in the least hurt +because some of their friends urged them to +join in cheerful company this very day. It +seemed to Betty as if Nelly looked brighter +and somehow unafraid, now that the first +miserable weeks had gone. It may have been +that poor Nelly was lighter-hearted already +than she often had been in her father's lifetime.</p> + +<p>Betty and Mary Beck walked together, at +first; but George Max asked Mary to walk +with him, so they parted. Betty liked Harry +Foster better than any other of the boys, and +really missed him to-day. She was brimful +of plans about persuading her father to help +Harry to study natural history. While the +club was getting ready to walk two by two, +Betty suddenly remembered that she was an +odd one, and hastily took her place between the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[212]</a></span> +Grants, insisting that they three must lead the +procession. The timid Grants were full of +fun that day, for a wonder, and a merry head +to the procession they were with Betty, walking +fast and walking slowly, and leading the +way by short cuts across-country with great +spirit. They called a halt to pick huckleberries, +and they dared the club to cross a wide +brook on insecure stepping-stones. Everybody +made fun for everybody else whenever they +saw an opportunity, and when they reached +the Picknell farm, quite warm and excited, +they were announced politely by George Max +as "the Out-of-Breath Club." The shy Picknells +wore their best white Sunday dresses, +and the long white farm-house with its gambrel +roof seemed a delightfully shady place as +the club sat still a while to cool and rest itself +and drink some lemonade. Mrs. Picknell was +a thin, bright-eyed little woman, who had the +reputation of being the best housekeeper in +town. She was particularly kind to Betty +Leicester, who was after all no more a stranger +to her than were some of the others who +came. It was lovely to see that Mrs. Picknell +and Julia were so proud of Mary's gift<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[213]</a></span> +drawing, and evidently managed that she +should have time for it. Mary had begun to +go to Riverport every week for a lesson.</p> + +<p>"She heard that Mr. Clinturn, the famous +artist, was spending the summer there, and +started out by herself one day to ask him to +give her lessons," Mrs. Picknell told Betty +proudly. "He said at first that he couldn't +spare the time; but I had asked Mary to take +two or three of her sketches with her, and +when he saw them he said that it would be a +pleasure to help her all that he could."</p> + +<p>"I do think this picture of the old packet-boat +coming up the river is the prettiest of all. +Oh, here's Aunt Barbara; do come and see +this, Aunty!" said Betty, with great enthusiasm. +"It makes me think of the afternoon +I came to you."</p> + +<p>Miss Leicester took out her eyeglasses and +looked as she was bidden. "It is a charming +little water-color," she said, with delighted surprise. +"Did you really teach yourself until +this summer?"</p> + +<p>"I only had my play paint-box until last +winter," said Mary Picknell. "I am so glad +you like it, Miss Leicester;" for Miss Leicester<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[214]</a></span> +had many really beautiful pictures of her +own, and her praise was worth having.</p> + +<p>Then Mr. Picknell took his stick from behind +the door, and led the company of guests +out across the fields to a sloping rough piece +of pasture land, with a noisy brook at the +bottom, where a terrible battle had been fought +in the old French and Indian war. He read +them an account of it from Mr. Parkman's +history, and told all the neighborhood traditions +of the frightened settlers, and burnt houses, +and murdered children and very old people, +and the terrible march of a few captives +through the winter woods to Canada. How +his own great-great grandfather and grandmother +were driven away from home, and each +believed the other dead for three years, until +the man escaped, and then went, hearing that +his wife was alive, to buy her freedom. They +came to the farm again, and were buried in the +old burying-lot, side by side.</p> + +<p>"There was a part of the story which you +left out," Mrs. Picknell said. "When they +killed the little baby, the Indians told its poor +mother not to cry about it or they would kill +her too; and when her tears would fall, a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[215]</a></span> +kind-hearted squaw was quick enough to throw +some water in the poor woman's face, so that +the men only laughed and thought it was a +taunt, and not done to hide tears at all."</p> + +<p>"I have not heard these old town stories +for years. We ought to thank you heartily," +said Miss Barbara, when the battle-ground +had been shown and the club had heard all +the interesting things that were known about +the great fight. Then they came back by way +of the old family burying-place and read the +quaint epitaphs, which Mr. Picknell himself +had cut deeper and kept from wearing away. +It seemed that they never could forget the old +farm's history.</p> + +<p>"I maintain that every old place in town +ought to have its history kept," said Mr. Picknell. +"Now, you boys and girls, what do you +know about the places where you live? Why +don't you make town clerks of yourselves? +Take the edges of almanacs, if you can't get +courage to begin a blank-book, and make notes +of things, so that dates will be kept for those +who come after you. Most of you live where +your great-grandfathers did, and you ought to +know about the old folks. Most of what I've<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[216]</a></span> +kept alive about this old farm I learned from +my great-grandmother, who lived to be a very +old woman, and liked to tell me stories in the +long winter evenings, when I was a boy. Now +we'll go and see where the beavers used to +build, down here where the salt water makes +up into the outlet of the brook. Plenty of +their logs lay there moss-covered, when I was +a grown man."</p> + +<p>Somehow the getting acquainted with each +other in a new way was the best part of the +club, after all. It was quite another thing +from even sitting side by side in school, to +walk these two or three miles together. Betty +Leicester had taught her Tideshead cronies +something of her own lucky secret of taking +and making the pleasures that were close at +hand. It was great good fortune to get hold +of a common wealth of interest and association +by means of the club; and as Mr. Picknell +and Miss Leicester talked about the founders +and pioneers of the earliest Tideshead farms, +there was not a boy nor girl who did not have +a sense of pride in belonging to so valiant an +old town. They could plan a dozen expeditions +to places of historic interest. There had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[217]</a></span> +been even witches in Tideshead, and soldiers +and scholars to find out about and remember. +There was no better way of learning American +history (as Miss Leicester said) than to study +thoroughly the history of a single New England +village. As for newer towns in the +West, they were all children of some earlier +settlements, and nobody could tell how far +back a little careful study would lead.</p> + +<p>There was time for a good game of tennis +after the stories were told, and the play was +watched with great excitement, but some of +the club girls strayed about the old house, +part of which had been a garrison-house. The +doors stood open, and the sunshine fell pleasantly +across the floors of the old rooms. Usually +they meant to go picnicking, but to-day +the Picknells had asked their friends to tea, +and a delicious country supper it was. Then +they all sang, and Mary Beck's clear voice, +as usual, led all the rest. It was seven o'clock +before the party was over. The evening was +cooler than August evenings usually are, and +after many leave-takings the club set off afoot +toward the town.</p> + +<p>"What a good time!" said Betty to the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[218]</a></span> +Grants and Aunt Barbara, for she had claimed +one Grant and let Aunt Barbara walk with +the other; and everybody said "What a good +time!" at least twice, as they walked down +the lane to the road. There they stopped for +a minute to sing another verse of "Good-night, +ladies," and indeed went away singing +along the road, until at last the steepness +of the hill made them quiet. The Picknells, +in their doorway, listened as long as +they could.</p> + +<p>At the top of the long hill the club stopped +for a minute, and kept very still to hear the +hermit-thrushes singing, and did not notice at +first that three persons were coming toward +them, a tall man and a boy and girl. Suddenly +Betty's heart gave a great beat. The +taller figure was swinging a stick to and fro, +in a way that she knew well; the boy was +Harry Foster, and the girl was Nelly. Surely—but +the other? Oh, <i>yes</i>, it was papa! +"Oh, <i>papa!</i>" and Betty gave a strange little +laugh and flew before the rest of the club, +who were still walking slowly and sedately, +and threw herself into her father's arms. Then +Miss Leicester hurried, too, and the rest of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[219]</a></span> +the club broke ranks, and felt for a minute as +if their peace of mind was troubled.</p> + +<p>But Betty's papa was equal to this emergency. +"This must be Becky, but how +grown!" he said to Mary Beck, holding out +his hand cordially; "and George Max, and +the Grants, and—Frank Crane, is it? I used +to play with your father;" and so Mr. Leicester, +pioneered by Betty, shook hands with +everybody and was made most welcome.</p> + +<p>"You see that I know you all very well +through Betty! So nobody believed that I +could come on the next train after my letter, +and get here almost as soon?" he said, holding +Betty's hand tighter than ever, and looking at +her as if he wished to kiss her again. He did +kiss her again, it being his own Betty. They +were very fond of each other, these two; but +some of their friends agreed with Aunt Barbara, +who always said that her nephew was +much too young to have the responsibility of +so tall a girl as Betty Leicester.</p> + +<p>Nobody noticed that Harry and Nelly Foster +were there too, in the first moment of excitement, +and so the first awkwardness of taking +up every-day life again with their friends was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[220]</a></span> +passed over easily. As for our Betty, she fairly +danced along the road as they went homeward, +and could not bear to let go her hold of her +father's hand. It was even more dear and +delightful than she had dreamed to have him +back again.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[221]</a></span></p> +<h2>XV.</h2> + +<h3>THE STARLIGHT COMES IN.</h3> + + +<p><span class="smcap">There</span> was a most joyful evening in the old +Leicester house. Everybody forgot to speak +about Betty's going to bed, and even Aunt +Mary was in high spirits. It was wonderful +how much good a little excitement did for +her, and Betty had learned that an effort to +be entertaining always brought the pleasant +reward of saving Aunt Mary from a miserable, +tedious morning or afternoon. When she +waked next morning, her first thought was +about papa, and her next that Aunt Mary was +likely to have a headache after sitting up so +late. Betty herself was tired, and felt as if it +were the day after the fair; but when she hurried +down to breakfast she found Aunt Barbara +alone, and was told that papa had risen +at four o'clock, and, as she expressed it to +Aunt Mary a little later, stolen his breakfast +from Serena and gone down to Riverport on<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[222]</a></span> +the packet, the tide having served at that +early hour.</p> + +<p>"I heard a clacketing in the kitchen closet," +said Serena, "and I just got my skirt an' a +cape on to me an' flew down to see what 't was. +I expected somebody was took with fits; an' +there was y'r father with both his hands full +o' somethin' he'd collected to stay himself +with, an' he looked 's much o' a boy's ever +he did, and I so remarked, an' he told me +he was goin' to Riverport. 'Want a little +change, I s'pose?' says I, an' he laughed good +an' clipped it out o' the door and down towards +the landin'."</p> + +<p>"I wonder what he's after now, Serena?" +said Betty sagely, but Serena shook her head +absently. It was evident to Betty's mind that +papa had shaken off all thought of care, and +was taking steps towards some desired form +of enjoyment. He had been disappointed the +evening before to find that there were hardly +any boats to be had. Very likely he meant to +bring one up on the packet that afternoon; but +Betty was disappointed not to find him in the +house, and thought that he might have called +her to go down on the packet with him. She<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[223]</a></span> +felt as if she were going to have a long and +dull morning.</p> + +<p>However, she found that Aunt Mary was +awake and in a cheerful frame, so she brought +her boots in, and sat by the garden window +while she put some new buttons on with the +delightful little clamps that save so many difficult +stitches. Aunt Mary was already dressed, +though it was only nine o'clock, and was seated +before an open bureau drawer, which her +grandniece had learned to recognize as a good +sign. Aunt Mary had endless treasures of +the past carefully tucked away in little bundles +and boxes, and she liked to look these +over, and to show them to Betty, and tell +their history. She listened with great eagerness +to Betty's account of papa's departure.</p> + +<p>"I was afraid that you would feel tired this +morning," said the girl, turning a bright face +toward her aunt.</p> + +<p>"I am sure I expected it myself," replied +Aunt Mary plaintively, "but it isn't neuralgia +weather, perhaps. At any rate, I am none +the worse."</p> + +<p>"I believe that a good frolic is the very best +thing for you," insisted Betty, feeling very<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[224]</a></span> +bold; but Aunt Mary received this news amiably, +though she made no reply. Betty had recovered +by this time from her sense of bitter +wrong at her father's departure, and after she +had talked with Aunt Mary a little while about +the grand success of the Out-of-Door Club, she +went her ways to find Becky.</p> + +<p>Becky was in a very friendly mood, and admired +Mr. Leicester, and wondered too at ever +having been afraid of him in other years, when +she used to see him walking sedately down the +street.</p> + +<p>"Papa is very sober sometimes when he is +hard at work," explained Betty with eagerness. +"He gets very tired, and then—oh, I don't +mean that papa is ever aggravating, but for +days and days I know that he is working hard +and can't stop to hear about my troubles, so I +try not to talk to him; but he always makes up +for it after a while. I don't mind now, but +when I was a little girl and first went away +from here I used to be lonely, and even cry +sometimes, and of course I didn't understand. +We get on beautifully now, and I like to read +so much that I can always cover up the dull +times with a nice book."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[225]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Do they last long,—the dull times?" +asked Mary Beck in an unusually sympathetic +voice. Betty had spoken sadly, and it dawned +upon her friend's mind that life was not all a +holiday even to Betty Leicester.</p> + +<p>"Ever so long," answered Betty briskly; +"but you see I have my mending and housekeeping +when we are in lodgings. We are +masters of the situation now, papa always says; +but when I was too small to look after him, +we used to have to depend upon old lodging-house +women, and they made us miserable, +though I love them all for the sake of the good +ones who will let you go into the kitchen yourself +and make a cup of tea for papa just right, +and be honest and good, and cry when you go +away instead of slamming the door. Oh, I +could tell you stories, Mary Eliza Beck!" and +Betty took one or two frisky steps along the +sidewalk as if she meant to dance. Mary +Beck felt as if she were looking out of a very +small and high garret window at a vast and +surprising world. She was not sure that she +should not like to keep house in country lodgings, +though, and order the dinner, and have +a housekeeping purse, as Betty had done these<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[226]</a></span> +three or four years. They had often talked +about these experiences; but Becky's heart +always faltered when she thought of being +alone in strange houses and walking alone in +strange streets. Sometimes Betty had delightful +visits, and excellent town lodgings, and +diversified hotel life of the most entertaining +sort. She seemed to be thinking about all +this and reflecting upon it deeply. "I wish +that papa and I were going to be here a year," +she said. "I love Tideshead."</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>Mr. Leicester did not wait to come back +with the packet boat, but appeared by the +stage from the railway station in good season +for dinner. He was very hungry, and looked +well satisfied with his morning's work, and he +told Betty that she should know toward the +end of the afternoon the reason of his going to +Riverport, so that there was nothing to do but +to wait. She was disappointed, because she +had fancied that he meant to bring home a +new row-boat; perhaps, after all, he had made +some arrangements about it. Why, yes! it +might be coming up by the packet, and they +would go out together that very evening. +Betty could hardly wait for the hour to come.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[227]</a></span></p> + +<p>When dinner was over, papa was enticed up +to see the cubby-house, while the aunts took +their nap. There was a little roast pig for dinner, +and Aunt Barbara had been disappointed +to find that her guest had gone away, as it was +his favorite dinner; but his unexpected return +made up for everything, and they had a great +deal of good fun. Papa was in the best of +spirits, and went out to speak to Serena about +the batter pudding as soon as Aunt Barbara +rose from her chair.</p> + +<p>"Now don't you tell me you don't get +them batter puddings a sight better in the +dwellings of the rich and great," insisted +Serena, with great complacency. "Setting +down to feast with lords and dukes, same's +you do, you must eat of the best the year +round. We do season the sauce well, I will +allow. Miss Barbara, she always thinks it +may need a drop more."</p> + +<p>"Serena," said Betty's father solemnly, "I +assure you that I have eaten a slice of bacon +between two tough pieces of hard tack for my +dinner many a day this summer, and I haven't +had such a batter pudding since the last one +you made yourself."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[228]</a></span></p> + +<p>"You don't tell me they're goin' out o' fashion," +said Serena, much shocked. "I know +some ain't got the knack o' makin' 'em."</p> + +<p>Betty stood by, enjoying the conversation. +Serena always said proudly that a great light +of intellect would have been lost to the world +if she had not rescued Mr. Leicester from the +duck-pond when he was a boy, and they were +indeed the best of friends. Serena's heart rejoiced +when anybody praised her cooking, and +she turned away now toward the pantry with +a beaming smile, while the father and daughter +went up to the garret.</p> + +<p>It was hot there at this time of day; still +the great elms outside kept the sun from shining +directly on the roof, and a light breeze +was blowing in at the dormer window.</p> + +<p>Mr. Leicester sat down in the high-backed +wooden rocking-chair, and looked about the +quaint little place with evident pleasure. Betty +was perched on the window-sill. She had +looked forward eagerly to this moment.</p> + +<p>"There is my old butterfly-net," he exclaimed, +"and my minerals, and—why, all +the old traps! Where did you find them? I +remember that once I came up here and found<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[229]</a></span> +everything cleared away but the gun,—they +were afraid to touch that."</p> + +<p>"I looked in the boxes under the eaves," explained +Betty. "Your little Fourth of July +cannon is there in the dark corner. I had it +out at first, but Becky tumbled over it three +times, and once Aunt Mary heard the noise +and had a palpitation of the heart, so I pushed +it back again out of the way. I did so wish +that you were here to fire it. I had almost +forgotten what fun the Fourth is. I wrote you +all about it, didn't I?"</p> + +<p>"Some day we will come to Tideshead and +have a great celebration, to make up for losing +that," said papa. "Betty, my child, I'm sleepy. +I don't know whether it is this rocking-chair +or Serena's dinner."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps it was getting up so early in the +morning," suggested Betty. "Go to sleep, +papa. I'll say some of my new pieces of poetry. +I learned all you gave me, and some +others beside."</p> + +<p>"Not the 'Scholar Gypsy,' I suppose?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, indeed," said Betty. "The last of +it was hard, but all those verses about the +fields are lovely, and make me remember that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[230]</a></span> +spring when we lived in Oxford. That was +the only long one you gave me. I am not sure +that I can say it without the book. I always +play that I am in the 'high field corner' +looking down at the meadows, and I can remember +the first pages beautifully."</p> + +<p>Papa's eyes were already shut, and by the +time Betty had said</p> + +<div class='center'> +"All the live murmur of a summer's day"<br /> +</div> + +<div class='unindent'>she found that he was fast asleep. She stole +a glance at him now and then, and a little +pang went through her heart as she saw that +his hair was really growing gray. Aunt Mary +and Aunt Barbara appeared to believe that he +was hardly more than a boy, but to Betty +thirty-nine years was a long lifetime, and indeed +her father had achieved much more than +most men of his age. She was afraid of waking +him and kept very still, so that a sparrow +lit on the window-sill and looked at her a moment +or two before he flew away again. She +could even hear the pigeons walking on the +roof overhead and hopping on the shingles, +with a tap, from the little fence that went +about the house-top. When Mr. Leicester<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[231]</a></span> +waked he still wished to hear the "Scholar +Gypsy," which was accordingly begun again, +and repeated with only two or three stops. +Sometimes they said a verse together, and +then they fell to talking about some of the people +whom they both loved in Oxford, and had +a delightful hour together. At first Betty had +not liked to learn long poems, and thought her +father was stern and inconsiderate in choosing +such old and sober ones; but she was already +beginning to see a reason for it, and was glad, +if for nothing else, to know the poems papa +himself liked best, even if she did not wholly +understand them. It was easy now to remember +a new one, for she had learned so many. +Aunt Barbara was much pleased with this +accomplishment, for she had learned a great +many herself in her lifetime. It seemed to +be an old custom in the Leicester family, and +Betty thought one day that she could let this +gift stand in the place of singing as Becky +could; one's own friends were not apt to care +so much for poetry, but older people liked to +be "repeated" to. One night, however, she +had said Tennyson's ballad of "The Revenge" +to Harry Foster and Nelly as they came up the +river, and they liked it surprisingly.</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">[232]</a></span></p> + +<p>Papa reached for the old guitar presently +and after mending the broken strings he +began to sing a delightful little Italian song, +a great favorite of Betty's. Then there was +a step on the stairs, Aunt Barbara's dignified +head appeared behind the railing, and they +called her to come up and join them.</p> + +<p>"I felt as if there must be ghosts walking +in daylight when I heard the old guitar," she +said a little wistfully. When she was seated +in the rocking-chair and Betty's father had +pulled forward a flowered tea-chest for himself, +he went on with his singing, and then +played a Spanish dancing tune, with a nod to +Betty, so that she skipped at once to the open +garret-floor and took the pretty steps with +much gayety. Aunt Barbara smiled and kept +time with her foot; then she left the prim +rocking-chair and began to follow the dance +too, soberly chasing Betty and receding and +even twirling her about, until they were both +out of breath and came back to their places +very warm and excited. They looked strangely +alike as they danced. Betty was almost as +tall and only a little more quick and graceful +than her grandaunt.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">[233]</a></span></p> + +<p>"It is such fun to be just the same age as +you and papa," insisted Betty. "We do +everything together now." She took on a +pretty grown-up air, and looked at Aunt Barbara +admiringly. It was only this summer +that she had begun to understand how young +grown people really are. Aunt Mary seemed +much older because she had stopped doing so +many pleasant things. This garret dance was +a thing to remember. Betty liked Aunt Barbara +better every day, but it had never occurred +to her that she knew that particular +Spanish dance. An army officer's wife had +taught it to Betty and some of her friends the +summer she was in the Isle of Wight. Becky +had been brought up to be very doubtful +about dancing, which was a great pity, for she +was apt to be stiff and awkward when she +walked or tried to move about in the room. +Somehow she moved her feet as if they had +been made too heavy for her, but she learned +a good deal from trying to keep step as she +walked with Betty, who was naturally light-footed.</p> + +<p>Mr. Leicester put down the guitar at last, +and said that he had an errand to do, and +that Betty had better come along.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">[234]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Can't you sit still five minutes, either of +you?" maliciously asked Aunt Barbara, who +had quite regained her breath. "I really +did not know how cozy this corner was. I +must say that I had forgot to associate it with +anything but Serena's and my putting away +blankets in the spring. I used to like to sit +by the window and read when I was your age, +Betty. In those days I could look over this +nearest elm and see way down the river, just +as you can now in winter when the leaves are +gone. I dare say the three generations before +me have played here too. I am so glad that +we could have Betty this summer; it is time +she began to strike her roots a little deeper +here."</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Mr. Leicester, "but I <i>can't</i> do +without her, my only Betsey!" and they all +laughed, but Betty had a sudden suspicion +that Aunt Barbara would try to keep her altogether +now. This frightened our friend a +little, for though she loved the old home +dearly, she must take care of papa. It was +her place to take care of him now; she had +been looking over his damaged wardrobe most +anxiously that morning, as if her own had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">[235]</a></span> +never known ruin. His outside clothes were +well enough, but alas for his pocket handkerchiefs +and stockings! He looked a little +pale, too, and as if he had on the whole been +badly neglected in minor ways.</p> + +<p>But there never was a more cheerful and +contented papa, as they walked toward the +river together hand-in-hand, in the fashion of +Betty's childhood. They found that the packet +had come in, and there was a group of spectators +on the old wharf, who were looking +eagerly at something which proved to be a +large cat-boat which the packet had in tow. +Mr. Leicester left Betty suddenly and went to +the wharf's edge.</p> + +<p>"Did you have any trouble bringing her +up?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Bless ye, no, sir," said the packet's skipper; +"didn't hinder us one grain; had a clever +little breeze right astern all the way up."</p> + +<p>"Look here, Betty," said papa, returning +presently. "I went down this morning to +hunt for a dory with a sail, and I saw this cat-boat +which somebody was willing to let, and I +have hired it for a while. I wish to look up +the river shell-fish a bit; it's not altogether +play, I mean you to understand."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">[236]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Oh, <i>papa!</i>" cried Betty joyfully. "The +only thing we needed was a nice boat. But +you can't have clutters in pots and pans at +Aunt Barbara's, can you, and your works going +on? Serena won't like it, and she can be +quite terrible, you know!"</p> + +<p>"Come on board and look at her," said +Mr. Leicester, regardless of the terrors of +Serena's disapproval. The cat-boat carried +a jib beside a good-sized mainsail, and had a +comfortable little cabin with a tiny stove and +two berths and plenty of lockers. Two young +men had just spent their vacation in her, coasting +eastward, and one of them told Mr. Leicester +that she was the quickest and steadiest +boat he ever saw, sailing close to the wind and +answering her rudder capitally. They had +lived on board altogether and made themselves +very comfortable indeed. There was a light +little flat-bottomed boat for tender, and the +white cat-boat itself had been newly painted +with gilt lettering across the stern, <i>Starlight, +Riverport</i>.</p> + +<p>"I can ask the Out-of-Door Club one day +next week," announced Betty, with great enthusiasm. +"Isn't she clean and pretty? +<i>Won't</i> Aunt Barbara like her, papa?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237">[237]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I must look about for some one to help me +to sail her," said Mr. Leicester, with uncommon +gravity. "What do you think of young +Foster? He must know the river well, and his +fishing may be falling off a little now. It +would be a good way to help him, don't you +think so?"</p> + +<p>Betty's eyes shone with joy. "Oh, yes," +she said; "they do have such a hard time now. +Nelly told me so yesterday morning. It has +cost them so much lately. Harry has been +trying to get something to do in Riverport."</p> + +<p>They were busy anchoring the Starlight out +in the stream, and now Mr. Leicester helped +Betty over the side into the tender and sculled +her ashore. Some of the men on the wharf +had disappeared, but others were still there, +and there was a great bustle of unloading +some bags of grain from the packet. Mr. +Leicester invited one of his old acquaintances +who asked many questions to come out and +see the cat-boat, and as Betty hurried up the +street to the house she saw over her shoulder +that a large company in small leaky crafts +had surrounded the pretty Starlight like pirates. +It was apt to be very dull in Tideshead<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238">[238]</a></span> +for many of the idle citizens, and Mr. +Leicester's return was always hailed with delight. +It was nearly tea-time, so that Betty +could not go over to tell Mary Beck the good +news; but one white handkerchief, meaning +<i>Come over</i>, was quickly displayed on the pear-tree +branch, and while Betty was getting +dressed in a much-needed fresh gown for tea +Becky kindly appeared, and was delighted +with the good news. She had seen the Starlight +already from a distance.</p> + +<p>"My father used to have a splendid sailboat," +said fatherless Becky with much wistfulness, +and Betty put her arms round her and +gave her a warm kiss. Sometimes it seemed +that whatever one had the other lacked.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239">[239]</a></span></p> +<h2>XVI.</h2> + +<h3>DOWN THE RIVER.</h3> + + +<p><span class="smcap">There</span> was a great stirring about and opening +and shutting of kitchen doors early the +next morning but one. Betty had been anxious +the day before to set forth on what she +was pleased to call a long cruise in the Starlight, +but Mr. Leicester said that he must +give up the morning to his letters, and after +that came a long business talk with Aunt Barbara +in the library, where she sat before her +capacious secretary and produced some neat +packages of papers from a little red morocco +trunk which Betty had never seen before. To +say truth, Aunt Barbara was a famous business +woman and quite the superior of her nephew +in financial matters, but she deferred to him +meekly, and in fact gained some long-desired +information about a northwestern city in +which Mr. Leicester had lately been obliged +to linger for two or three days.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240">[240]</a></span></p> + +<p>It was a day of clear hot sunshine and light +breeze, not in the least a good day for sailing; +but Betty was just as much disappointed to +be kept at home as if it had been, and after +breakfast she loitered about in idleness, with +a look of dark disapproval, until papa suddenly +faced about and held her before him +by her two shoulders, looking gravely into her +eyes, which fell at once.</p> + +<p>"Don't be cross, Betty," he said quietly; +"we shall play all the better if we don't +forget our work. What is there to do first? +Where's 'Things to be Done'?"</p> + +<p>Betty dipped into her pocket and pulled out +a bit of paper with the above heading, and +held it up to him. Papa's eyes began to +twinkle and she felt her cheeks grow red, but +good humor was restored. "1. Ask Seth to +sharpen my knife. 2. Find Aunt Mary's old +'Evenings at Home' and read her the Transmigrations +of Indur. 3. Find out what 'hedonism' +means in the dictionary. 4. Sew on papa's +buttons."</p> + +<p>"Those were all the things I could think +of last night," explained Betty apologetically. +"I was so sleepy."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241">[241]</a></span></p> + +<p>"It strikes me that the most important duty +happened to be set down last," said Mr. Leicester, +beginning to laugh. "If you will look +after the buttons, I will tell you the meaning of +'hedonism' and sharpen the jack-knife, and I +am not sure that I won't read the Transmigrations +to Aunt Mary beside, for the sake of old +times. I know where those little old brown +books are, too, unless they have been moved +from their old places. I am willing to make +a good offer, for I have hardly a button to my +back, you know. And this evening we will +have a row, if not a sail. The sky looks as +if the wind were rising, and you can ask Mary +Beck to go with us to-morrow down the river, +if you like. I am going to see young Foster +the first time I go down the street. Now +good-by until dinner-time, dear child."</p> + +<p>"Good-by, dear papa!" and Betty ran up-stairs +two steps at a time. She had already +looked to see if there were plenty of ink in +his ink-bottle, and some water in a tiny vase +on his writing-table for the quill pens. It was +almost the only thing she had done that morning, +but it was one of her special cares when +they were together. She gathered an armful of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242">[242]</a></span> +his clothes, and finding that Aunt Mary was +in a hospitable frame went into her room for +advice and society, and sat busily sewing by +the favorite cool western window nearly all the +morning.</p> + +<p>In the evening, when the tide was high, +Betty and Mr. Leicester went out for a little +row by themselves, floating under some overhanging +oak-boughs and talking about things +that had happened when they were apart.</p> + +<p>Now we come back to where we began this +chapter,—the early morning of the next day, +and Serena's and Letty's bustling in the pantry +to have a basket of luncheon ready, so that +the boating party need not lose the tide; the +boating party itself at breakfast in the dining-room; +Mary Beck in a transport of delight +sitting by her window at the other side of the +street, all ready to rush out the minute she saw +Betty appear. As for Harry Foster and Seth, +they had already gone down to the shore.</p> + +<p>On the wide sofa in the hall was a funny old-fashioned +leather satchel with a strong strap-handle. +It seemed full to overflowing, and +beside it lay a warm shawl neatly folded, and, +not to make too long a story, Aunt Barbara's<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243">[243]</a></span> +third-best bonnet was close at hand, and these +were her provisions for spending the day on +the river. Mr. Leicester had insisted that she +should go with them, and that if she found it +tiresome there was nothing to prevent her +coming back by train from Riverport in the +afternoon. Aunt Barbara felt as if she were +being a little adventurous, and packed her +small portmanteau with a secret foreboding +that she might be kept out over night; still she +had always been very fond of boating, and had +seen almost none of it for many years, in fact +since Betty's father had been at home sometimes, +in his college vacations. There was a +fine breeze blowing already in the elms and +making the tall hollyhocks bow in the garden, +and when they reached the wharf and put +down the creaking wicker basket on the very +edge the tide was still high, and Harry Foster +had already hoisted the Starlight's sail with +one careful reef in it, and was waiting to row +them out two at a time in the tag-boat. Nelly +Foster could not go, as she and her mother +were very busy that day, but Harry's face +looked brighter than Betty had ever seen it, +and she was sure that papa must have been<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244">[244]</a></span> +very good, and, to use a favorite phrase of +his, opened a new gate for him. Mary Beck +was strangely full of fears, considering that +she was the granddaughter of a brave old +sailor; but after she was out of the unsteady +smaller boat, and had been decoyed by Betty +to the bows of the Starlight, and shown how +to stow herself away so that she hindered +neither jib nor boom, she began to enjoy herself +highly. Aunt Barbara sat under her every-day +parasol, looking quite elegant and unseaworthy, +but very happy. Harry Foster was +steering just beside her, and Mr. Leicester, +with Seth's assistance, was shaking out the +reef; for the wind was quieter just now, and +they wished to get farther down river as soon +as possible, since here, where the banks were +often high and wooded and the stream narrow, +it was gusty and uncertain sailing for so large +a boat. They slipped down fast with the +wind and tide, and passed the packet, which +had started out ahead of them. She carried +an unusual number of passengers, and was +loaded deep with early potatoes. The girls +waved their handkerchiefs and the men on +board the packet gave a cheer, while Mr.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_245" id="Page_245">[245]</a></span> +Leicester saluted with the Starlight's flag, and +it was altogether a ceremonious occasion. Seth +said that he "guessed folks would think old +Tideshead was waking up." Of all the pleasure-boat's +company Seth was perhaps the best +satisfied. He had been in a state of torture +lest he might not be asked to make one of the +crew, and it being divulged that although of +up-country origin he had once gone to the +Georges Banks fishing with a seafaring uncle, +Mr. Leicester considerately asked for his services. +Seth had put on the great rubber-boots +and a heavy red woolen shirt that he +wore on shipboard in March weather. He +was already obliged to fan himself incessantly +with his straw hat, as they were running before +the wind, and presently, after much suffering, +made an excuse to go into the little cabin, +whence he reappeared, much abashed, in his +stocking feet and a faded calico shirt, which +had been luckily put on under the red one. +Aunt Barbara held her parasol so that it covered +her face for a few minutes, and there was +a considerate silence, until Seth mentioned +that he "had thought he knew before what it +was to be het up, but you never knew what +kind of weather 't was to be on the water."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_246" id="Page_246">[246]</a></span></p> + +<p>At the next bend of the river the wind +made them much cooler, while the boat sailed +even better than before. There had been +plenty of rain, so that the shore was as green +as in June and the old farm-houses looked very +pleasant. Betty had not been so far down as +this since the day she came to Tideshead, and +was looking eagerly for certain places that +she remembered. Aunt Barbara and papa +were talking about John Paul Jones and his +famous river crew, some of whom Aunt Barbara +had known in their old age, while she +was a girl. Harry Foster was listening with +great interest. Betty and even Becky felt +proud of Harry as he steered, looking along +the river with quick, sure eyes. They did not +feel so familiar with him as usual; somehow, +he looked a good deal older since the trouble +about his father, and there was a new manliness +and dignity about him, as if he knew that +his mother and Nelly had no one but himself +to depend upon. It was plain to see that his +early burden of shame and sorrow had developed +a strong character in the lad. There was +none of the listlessness and awkward incapacity +and self-admiration that made some of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_247" id="Page_247">[247]</a></span> +the other Tideshead boys so unattractive, but +Harry Foster had a simple way of speaking +and of doing whatever had to be done.</p> + +<p>There was a group of wooden pails on the +boat, and a queer apparatus for dredging which +Mr. Leicester had made the afternoon before +with Seth's and Jonathan's help. They had +implored a flat-iron from Serena for one of +the weights, and she had also contributed a +tin pail, which was curiously weighted also +with small pieces of iron, so that it would sink +in a particular way. It was believed that a +certain uncommon little creature would be +found in the flats farther down the river, and +Mr. Leicester told the ship's company certain +interesting facts about its life and behavior +which made everybody eager to join the +search. "I have been meaning to hunt for it +for years," he said. "Professor Agassiz told +me about it when I was in college; but then he +always roused one's enthusiasm as no one else +could, and made whatever he was interested +in seem the one thing in the world that was of +very first importance." Betty's heart glowed +as she listened; she thought the same thing of +papa. "He was such an inspirer of others to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_248" id="Page_248">[248]</a></span> +do good work," said Mr. Leicester, still thinking +lovingly of his great teacher.</p> + +<p>Sometimes the river was narrow and deep +and the Starlight's course lay near the shore, +so that the children came running down to the +water's edge to see the pretty boat go by, +and envy Betty and Mary Beck in the shadow +of her great white sail. Some of them shouted +Hollo! and the two girls answered again and +again, until the little voices sounded small and +piping and were lost in the distance. Halfway +to Riverport, where the houses were a good +way from any village, it seemed as if these old +homes had remained the same for many years; +none of them had bay-windows, and the paint +was worn away by wind and weather. It was +like stepping back twenty or thirty years in +the rural history. Aunt Barbara said that +everything looked almost exactly the same +along one reach of the river as it did when she +could first remember it. The shores were +green with pines and ferns and gray with +ledges. It was salt water here, so that they +could smell the seaweed and the woods, and +could hear the song-sparrows and the children's +voices as they passed the lonely farm-houses<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_249" id="Page_249">[249]</a></span> +standing high and fog-free above the +water. From one of these they heard the +sound of women's voices singing.</p> + +<p>"They're havin' a meetin' in there, I expect," +explained Seth. "Yes, I hear 'Liza +Loomis's voice too. You know, Miss Leicester, +she used to live up to Tideshead and sing in +the Methodist choir. She's got a lovely voice +to sing. She's married down this way. They +like to git together in these scattered places, +but 't is more customary up where I come from +to have them neighborhood meetin's of an +afternoon." Betty watched the small gray +house with deep interest, and thought she +should like to go in. There were little children +playing about the door, as if they had +been brought and left outside to amuse themselves. +It was very touching to hear the old +hymn as they sailed by, and Aunt Barbara +and Betty's father looked at each other significantly +as they listened. "Becky, you ought to +be there to help sing," Betty whispered, as +they sat side by side, but Becky thought it was +very stupid to be having a prayer-meeting that +lovely morning.</p> + +<p>Seth Pond had celebrated the Fourth of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_250" id="Page_250">[250]</a></span> +July by going down to Riverport on the +packet, and he had gathered much information +about the river which he was glad to give +now for everybody's pleasure and enlightenment.</p> + +<p>"There's a bo't layin' up in that cove that's +drowned two men," he said solemnly. "There +was a lady with 'em, but she was saved. I +understand they'd been drinking heavy."</p> + +<p>Betty looked at the boat with awe where it +lay with the stern under water and the bows +ashore and all warped apart. "Isn't she +good for anything?" she asked.</p> + +<p>"Nobody'll ever touch <i>her</i>," said Seth contemptuously,—"she's +drowned two men."</p> + +<p>But Miss Leicester smiled, and said that it +appeared to have been their own fault.</p> + +<p>They could see into the low ruined cabin +from the deck of the Starlight, and, after they +passed, the cabin port-hole seemed to watch +them like an eye until it was far astern.</p> + +<p>"I suppose she will lie there until she +breaks up in a high tide, and then the women +will gather her wreck wood to burn," said +Mr. Leicester, watching the warped mast, and +Harry Foster said that no fishermen on the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_251" id="Page_251">[251]</a></span> +river would ever touch a boat that they believed +to be unlucky. Just then they came +round a point and passed a little house close +by the water, where there were flakes for drying +fish and a collection of little weather-beaten +boxes shaped like roofs which were used to +cover the fish in wet weather. Betty thought +they looked like a village of baby-houses. At +this moment a woman darted out of the house +door, screaming to some one inside, "I've lost +Georgie and Idy both!" and off the anxious +mother hurried along the steep path to the +fish flakes, as if that were where she usually +found the runaways. Presently they heard +a child's shrill voice, and a pink pinafore +emerged from among the little roofs. Ida was +deposited angrily in the lane, while the mother +went back to hunt for the other one. It was +very droll to see and hear it all from the river, +but it was some minutes before loud shrieks +announced the adventurous Georgie's capture.</p> + +<p>"Georgie must ha' been hull down on the +horizon," remarked Seth blandly, trying to +be very nautical, and everybody laughed; but +Betty and Mary thought the woman very +cross, when it was such a pretty place to play<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_252" id="Page_252">[252]</a></span> +out there among the bayberry, and perhaps +there were ripe blackberries. Harry Foster +said that children did mischief in pulling off +bits of the dry fish and spoiling them for market; +but there was no end of fish, and everybody +felt a sympathy for "Idy and Georgie +both" in their sad captivity.</p> + +<p>Before long the houses were nearer together, +and even clustered in little groups close by +the river, and sometimes the Starlight passed +some schooners going up or down, or being +laden with bricks or hay or firewood at small +wharves. Then they came in sight of the +Riverport steeples, only a few miles below. +The wind was not so gusty now and blew +steadily, but it was very light, and the Starlight +moved slowly. Harry and Seth had already +hoisted a topsail, and while Mr. Leicester +steered Harry came and stood by the masts, +looking out ahead and talking with the two +girls. But Harry felt responsible for the boat, +and could not give himself up to pleasuring +until, as he said, he understood the tricks and +manners of the Starlight a little better. It +was toward noon, now, for they had come +slowly the last third of the way; and Mr.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_253" id="Page_253">[253]</a></span> +Leicester, after a word with Aunt Barbara, +proposed that they should go ashore for a +while, for there was a beautiful piece of pine +woods close at hand, and the flats which he +was going to investigate were also within +rowing distance. So down came the sails and +alongside came the tag-boat; and Aunt Barbara +was landed first, parasol and all, and the +others followed her. The tide was running +out fast, and it was not easy to find a landing-place +along the muddy shores. Betty thought +the Starlight looked much smaller from the +shore than she seemed when they were on +board. Harry and Seth made everything trig +and came in last, leaving the cat-boat at anchor +far out.</p> + +<p>Even after the joy of sailing it was very +pleasant ashore under the shady pines, and +Mr. Leicester found a delightfully comfortable +place for Aunt Barbara to sit in, while the +girls were near by. "What an interesting +morning we have had!" Betty heard Aunt +Barbara say. "Sailing down the river brings +to mind so many things in the past. The beginnings +of history in this part of the country +always have to do with the river. I wish that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_254" id="Page_254">[254]</a></span> +I could remember all the stories of the early +settlements that I used to hear old people tell +in my childhood."</p> + +<p>"See that little green farm in the middle of +the sunburnt pastures across the river," said +Mr. Leicester, who had been looking that way +intently. "Look, Betty! what a small green +spot it makes with its orchard and fields +among the woods and brown pastures, and yet +what toil has been spent there year after +year!"</p> + +<p>Betty looked with great interest. She had +seen the green farm, but she had not thought +about it, and neither had Mary Beck, who could +not tell why she kept looking that way again +and again, and somehow could not help thinking +how good it would be to make a green place +like that by one's own life among dull and +difficult surroundings. Betty was her green +place; by and by she could do the same thing +for somebody else, perhaps.</p> + +<p>"What a lovely place this is!" said Aunt +Barbara, still enthusiastic. "There is such +sweet air here among the pines, and I delight +in the wide outlook over the river. I begin +to feel as young as ever. I thought that I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_255" id="Page_255">[255]</a></span> +was almost too old to enjoy myself any more, +last winter. It is such a mistake to let one's +self make great things out of little ones, as I +did, and carry life too heavily," she added.</p> + +<p>"You must feel ever so much older inside +than you look outside," said Betty, who was in +famous spirits.</p> + +<p>Mr. Leicester laughed with the rest, and +then looked over his shoulder with a droll expression, +as if something was causing him great +apprehension. "Aunt Barbara!" he began, +and then hid his face with his arm, as if he +were about to be well whipped.</p> + +<p>"What mischief now?" said she.</p> + +<p>"I have played you a trick: you are not +leaving your home and friends for one day, +but for two."</p> + +<p>Miss Leicester looked puzzled.</p> + +<p>"You were very good not to say that I was +foolish to carry two extra sails."</p> + +<p>"I did think it was nonsense, Tom," he was +promptly assured, "but then I remembered that +you had only hired the boat, and thought perhaps +the sails went with it. Of course they take +up too much room in the cabin. You can't +mean that you are going on a longer voyage?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_256" id="Page_256">[256]</a></span></p> + +<p>"<i>Tents!</i>" shouted Betty, jumping up and +dancing about in great excitement. "<i>Tents!</i> +don't you see, Aunt Barbara? and we're going +to camp out." It was a very anxious moment, +for if Aunt Barbara said, "We must go home +to-night," there would be nothing to do but +obey.</p> + +<p>"But your Aunt Mary will be worried, won't +she?" asked Miss Leicester, whose quick wit +suspected a deep-laid plot. She was already +filled with a spirit of adventure; she really +looked pleased, but was not without a sense of +responsibility.</p> + +<p>"I thought you would like it," explained +Mr. Leicester, in a matter-of-fact way; "and +there was no need of telling you beforehand, +so that you would make your will and pay +your taxes and get in all the winter supplies +and have the minister to tea before you started. +Aunt Mary knows, and so does Serena; you +will see that Serena contemplated the situation +by the way she filled these big baskets."</p> + +<p>"I saw that they were amused with something +that I didn't quite understand. And +Mary Beck's mother will not feel anxious?" +she asked, for a final assurance. "I never<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_257" id="Page_257">[257]</a></span> +expected to turn myself into a wild Indian at +my age, even to please foolish children like +you and Betty, but I have always wished that +I could sleep one night under the pine woods."</p> + +<p>"You said so when we were reading Mr. +Stevenson's 'Travels with a Donkey' aloud to +Aunt Mary," Betty stated eagerly, as if the +others would find it hard to believe her grandaunt. +Somehow, a stranger would have found +it difficult to believe that Miss Leicester had +unsatisfied desires about gypsying.</p> + +<p>Mary Beck was deeply astonished; she had +a huge admiration for her dignified neighbor +across the way, and yet it was always a little +perilous to her ease of mind and self-possession +to find herself in Miss Leicester's company. +Many a time, in the days before Betty came +to Tideshead, she had walked to and fro before +the old house hoping to be spoken to or called +in for a visit, and yet was too shy to properly +answer a kind good-morning when they met. +Aunt Barbara used to think that Becky was a +dull girl, but they were already better friends. +It took a long time to rouse Becky's enthusiasm, +but when roused it burned with steady +flame. To think that she should be camping +out with Miss Leicester!<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_258" id="Page_258">[258]</a></span></p> + +<p>But Mr. Leicester and Betty and Becky +were soon at work making their camp, and the +novices took their first lesson in woodcraft. +The young men, Harry Foster and Seth, came +ashore bringing the tender loaded deep with +tents and blankets, some of them from Jonathan's +carefully kept chests in the carriage-house, +and Miss Leicester wondered again how +anybody had contrived to get so many things +from the house to the boat without her knowledge. +There were two sharp hatchets, and +presently Seth and Harry were dispatched to +gather some dry wood for the fire, though +until near evening the tents need not be put +up nor the last arrangements made for sleeping. +By and by everybody could help either +to cut or carry hemlock and spruce boughs +for the beds.</p> + +<p>Betty helped her father to roll some stones +together for a fireplace just at the edge of the +river beach, and pleased him very much by +rolling a heavy one up to the top of the heap +on a piece of board which had washed ashore, +just as she had seen farmers do in building a +stone wall. Mary Beck, in a trepidation of +delight, was helping Miss Barbara Leicester<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_259" id="Page_259">[259]</a></span> +unpack the baskets, to see what should be +eaten for dinner and what should be kept +for future meals, when Mr. Leicester called +them.</p> + +<p>"Aunt Barbara," he proclaimed, "I am +not going to let you keep tent; you only know +how to keep house; and beside, you mustn't +do what you always do at home. Let the girls +manage dinner and you come with me, now +that the fire is started. I have thought of an +errand."</p> + +<p>Miss Leicester meekly obeyed; she was +ready for anything, having once cast off, as +she said, all obligation to society, and with a +few parting charges to Betty about the provisions +she disappeared among the pines with +her nephew.</p> + +<p>"Isn't it fun?" said Mary Beck, and she +put on such a comical face when Betty sedately +quoted,</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"What is that, mother?<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 7.5em;">A lark, my child,"</span><br /> +</div> + +<div class='unindent'>that Betty fell into a fit of laughter, and +Becky caught it, and they were gasping for +breath before they could stop. "Oh, think +of Aunt Barbara camping out and setting<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_260" id="Page_260">[260]</a></span> +herself up for a gypsy!" said Betty. "This +is just the way papa does now and then. +I always told you so, didn't I?—only you +never know when to watch for his tricks. He +doesn't always catch me like this, I can tell +you. Think of Aunt Barbara! I hope the +dear thing will pass a good night; she isn't +a bit older than we are in her dear heart. +How will she ever have the face to walk into +church so grandly Sunday morning!" and so +the merry girls chattered on, while they spread +the cloth and Betty put a decoration of leaves +round the edge and a handful of flowers in +the middle. "You have such a way of prettifying +things," said Mary Beck; "there, the +chocolate pot is beginning to boil already."</div> + +<p>"We ought to have some fresh water; it is +time papa came back," said Betty anxiously; +and just then appeared papa and smiling Aunt +Barbara, and a small tin pail which had to be +borrowed at a farm-house half a mile away +because it was forgotten.</p> + +<p>The wind blew cool across the river, and +more and more boats went gliding up and +down in the channel, though the tide was very +low. Everybody was hungrier than ever, because<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_261" id="Page_261">[261]</a></span> +the sea wind is famous for helping on +an appetite, and the hot chocolate was none too +hot after all, though Aunt Barbara's bonnet +was hanging on a branch and she did not seem +to miss the shelter of it. Becky was forced +to change her opinion about cooking; she had +always disliked to have anything to do with +it; it seemed to her a thing to be ignored and +concealed in polite society, and yet Betty was +openly proud of having had a few cooking-school +lessons, and of knowing the right way +to do things. Becky suddenly began to parade +her own knowledge, and found herself of great +use to the party. Instead of being unwilling +when her mother asked for help again, she +meant to learn a great many more things. She +was overjoyed when she found a tin box of +coffee, and remembered that Betty had said it +was her father's chief delight. She would +make a good cup for him in the morning. +Betty was always saying how nice it was to +know how to do things. She never expected +to like to wash dinner dishes, but the time had +come, though a hot sun was somehow pleasanter +than a hot stove, and it had been a +gypsy dinner, with potatoes in the ashes and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_262" id="Page_262">[262]</a></span> +buns toasted on a hot stone, and no end of +good things beside.</p> + +<p>"We must have some oysters to roast for +our supper. I know a place just below here +where they are very salt and good," said Mr. +Leicester; "and one of you young men might +go fishing, and bring us in a string of flounders, +or anything you can get. We have breakfast +to look out for, you remember."</p> + +<p>"Ay, ay, sir," said Harry Foster, sailor fashion, +but with uncommon heartiness. Harry +had been very quiet and care-taking on the +boat, and had not said much, either, since he +came ashore, but his eyes had been growing +brighter, and as Miss Leicester looked up at +him she was touched at the change in his face. +How boyish and almost gay he was again! +She caught his eye, and gave him a kind reassuring +little nod, as if nobody could be more +pleased to have him happy than herself.</p> + +<p>The Starlight was now aground in the +bright green river grass and the flats were +bare for a long distance beyond, so that there +was no more boating for the present. There +were plenty of comfortable hollows to rest in +farther back on the soft carpet under the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_263" id="Page_263">[263]</a></span> +pines, and so the dining-room nearer the shore +was abandoned and the provisions cachéd, as +Mr. Leicester called it, under an oak-tree. +Certain things had been forgotten, but just +round the point the steeples of Riverport were +in full view; and when everybody had rested +enough and the tide was creeping in, Mr. +Leicester first sent Harry out in the small boat +and his long-legged fishing-boots to get two +buckets of river mud, and after he had seated +himself beside them with his magnifying-glasses +and a paraphernalia of tools familiar +to Betty, Harry was given orders to take +Seth Pond and the two girls and go down to +Riverport shopping, as soon as the Starlight +floated again.</p> + +<p>Harry was hovering over the scientific enterprise +and looked sorry for a minute, but it +seemed to the girls as if the tide had stopped +rising. At last they got on board by going +down the shore a little way to be taken off the +sooner from some rock. Aunt Barbara announced +that she meant to go too; indeed, she +was not tired; what had there been to tire +her? So off they all went, and left Mr. Leicester +to his investigations. It took some time<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_264" id="Page_264">[264]</a></span> +to go to Riverport, for the wind was light and +the tide against them. Everybody, and Betty +in particular, thought it great fun to make +fast to the wharf and go ashore up into the +town shopping. Aunt Barbara gayly stepped +off first, to see an old friend who lived a little +way above the business part of the town, and, +asked to be called for, as they went back, at +the friend's river gate. Harry knew it?—the +high house with the lookout on top and the +gate at the garden-foot. Betty went first +to find her early friend, the woman who kept +the bake-house, and was recognized at once +and provided with fresh buns and crisp molasses +cookies which had hardly cooled. Then +Betty and Becky walked about the narrow +streets for an hour, enjoying themselves highly +and collecting ship's stores at two or three +fruit shops; also laying in a good store of +chocolate, which Betty proclaimed to be very +nourishing. She got two pots of her favorite +orange marmalade too, in case they made toast +for supper.</p> + +<p>"All the old ladies are looking out of their +windows, just as they were the day I was +coming to Tideshead," she said; and Becky replied<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_265" id="Page_265">[265]</a></span> +that their faces were always at just the +same pane of glass. The fences were very +high and had their tops cut in points, and over +them here and there drooped the heavy bough +of a fruit-tree or a long tendril of grapevine, +as if there were delightful gardens inside. The +sidewalks were very narrow underneath these +fences, so that Betty often walked in the street +to be alongside her companion. There were +pretty old knockers on the front doors, and +sometimes a parrot hung out under the porch, +and shouted saucily at the passers-by. Riverport +was a delightful old town. Betty was +sure that if she did not love Tideshead best +she should like to belong in Riverport, and +have a garden with a river gate, and a great +square house of three stories and a lookout on +top.</p> + +<p>The stores were put on board, and Seth +Pond came back from researches which had +been rewarded by a half-bushel basket full of +clams. Then they swung out into the stream +again, and ever so many little boys with four +grown men on the wharf gave them a cheer. +It was great fun stopping for Aunt Barbara, +who was in the garden watching for them, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_266" id="Page_266">[266]</a></span> +was escorted by a charming white-haired old +gentleman who teased her a little upon her +youthful escapade, and a younger lady who +walked sedately under an antique Chinese +parasol. Betty sprang ashore to greet this +latter personage, who had lately paid a visit +to Miss Barbara at Tideshead. She was fond +of Miss Marcia Drummond.</p> + +<p>"It seems like old times to have you going +home by boat," said Miss Marcia, kissing Aunt +Barbara good-by. "It is much pleasanter +than a car journey. Betty, my dear, you know +that your aunt is a very rash and heedless +person; I hope you will hold her in check. I +have been trying to persuade her that she will +be much safer to-night in one of our old four-posters;" +and so they said good-by merrily and +were off again, while the young people in the +boat looked back as long as they could see the +old garden with its hollyhocks and lilies, and +the two figures of the courtly old gentleman +and the lady with the parasol going up the +broad walk.</p> + +<p>"What a good thing it was in Tom Leicester +to send his daughter to Tideshead this summer!" +said the old gentleman. "I think that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_267" id="Page_267">[267]</a></span> +Barbara is renewing her youth. Tom is a +man of distinction, and yet keeps to his queer +wild ways. You are sure that Barbara quite +understands about our wishing them to dine +here? I think this camping business is positively +foolish conduct in a person of her age."</p> + +<p>But Miss Marcia Drummond looked wistfully +over her shoulder at the cat-boat's lessening +sail, and wished that she too were going to +spend a night under the pines.</p> + +<p>A little way up the river they passed the +packet boat, a little belated and heavily laden, +but moving steadily.</p> + +<p>"Look at old Step-an'-fetch-it," said Seth. +"She spears all the little winds with that +peakéd sail o' hern. Ain't one on 'em can git +by her." They kept company for a while, until +in the broad river bay above Riverport +bridge the Starlight skimmed far ahead, like a +great white moth. Seth mentioned that folks +would think they was settin' up a navy up to +Tideshead, and just then the Starlight yawed, +and the boom threw Seth off his balance and +nearly overboard, as much to his own amusement +as the rest of the ship's company's. +Betty and Mary Beck stowed themselves<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_268" id="Page_268">[268]</a></span> +away before the mast, and wished that the +sail were longer. The sun was low, and the +light made the river and the green shores look +most beautiful. Miss Leicester suggested that +they should sail a little farther before going +in, and so they went as far as the next reach, +a mile above the camp, on the accommodating +west wind. It was a last puff before sundown, +and by the time Harry had anchored +the Starlight in deeper water than before, her +sail drooped in the perfectly still evening air.</p> + +<p>Once on shore everybody was busy; the +spruce and hemlock boughs must be arranged +carefully for the beds and the tents pitched +over them before the August dew began to fall. +Mr. Leicester was chief of this part of camp +duty, and Miss Barbara, who seemed to enjoy +herself more every moment, was allowed by +the girls to help, just that once, about getting +supper. It was growing cool and the fire was +not unwelcome, but by and by a gentle wind +began to blow and kept away the midges. +Betty began to think that there would be nothing +left for breakfast by the time supper was +half through, but she managed to secrete part +of her cherished buns, and reflected that it<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_269" id="Page_269">[269]</a></span> +would be easy to send to Riverport for further +supplies even if breakfast were a little late. +Betty felt a certain care and responsibility +over the whole expedition, it was so delightful +to be looking after papa again; and she was +obliged to tell him that he must not touch the +river mud any more, or he would not be fit to +go through the streets of Riverport next day, +at which Mr. Leicester, though deeply attached +to his old friends in that town, looked very +distressed and unwilling.</p> + +<p>The darkness fell fast, and the supper dishes +had to be put under some bayberry bushes until +morning. The salt air was very sweet and +fresh, and it was just warm enough and just +cool enough, as Betty said. The stars were +bright; in fact, the last few days had been +much more like June than August, and it was +what English people call Queen's weather. +Mary Beck said sagely that it must be because +Miss Leicester came, and then was quite +ashamed, dear little soul, not understanding +that nothing is so pleasant to an older woman +as to find herself interesting and companionable +to a girl. People do not always grow away +from their youth; they add to it experiences and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_270" id="Page_270">[270]</a></span> +traits of different sorts; and it is easy sometimes +to throw off all these, and find the boy +or the girl again, eager and fresh and ready +for simple pleasures, and to make new beginnings.</p> + +<p>Seth Pond had stolen out to the cat-boat on +some errand of his own which nobody questioned, +and now there suddenly resounded the +surprising notes of his violin. It was very +pretty to hear his familiar old tunes over the +water, and everybody respected Seth's amiable +desire to afford entertainment, even if he +failed a little now and then in time or tone. +He had mastered several old Scottish and +English airs in the book Betty had given him, +and already had become proficient in some +lively jigs and dancing tunes, as we knew at +the time of Betty's first party in the garden. +The clumsy fellow had a real gift for music. +Some stray fairy must have passed his way +and left an unexpected gift. The little audience +on the shore were ready to applaud, +and two or three boats came near, while some +young people in one began to sing "Bonny +Doon," softly, while Seth played, and, encouraged +by the applause, went on more boldly, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_271" id="Page_271">[271]</a></span> +took up the strain again when Seth changed +suddenly to "Lochaber no more." Miss +Leicester was overjoyed when she heard such +fresh young voices sing the plaintive old air +so readily. It had always been a great favorite +of hers, and she said so with enthusiasm. +Mary Beck was sorry that she never had +learned it, but by the time the last verse came +she began to join in as best she could.</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"I'll bring thee a heart with love running o'er,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">And then I'll leave thee and Lochaber no more,"</span><br /> +</div> + +<div class='unindent'>the words ended. Nobody who heard it that +summer night in the starlight by the river +shore would ever forget the old song.</div> + +<p>"You must have influenced Seth's choice of +music," Betty's father said to Aunt Barbara, +who confessed that the droning of the violin +over cheap music was more than she could +bear at first, and she had been compelled to +suggest something in the place of "The Sweet +By-and-By" and "Golden Slippers." Luckily, +Seth seemed to abandon these without +regret.</p> + +<p>At last the boats all disappeared into the +darkness, and the little camp was made ready +for night. The open air made every one<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_272" id="Page_272">[272]</a></span> +sleepy but Miss Barbara, who consoled herself +by thinking that if she did not sleep it +would be little matter; she had been awake +many a night in her life and felt none the +worse. But in fact the sound of rippling water +against the bank and the sea-like sound of the +pine boughs overhead sent her to sleep before +she had half time to properly enjoy them. +She and Betty declared that their thick-set +evergreen boughs and warm blankets made +the best of beds. They could see the stars +through the open end of the tent. One was so +bright that it let fall a slender golden track +of light on the river. Mary Beck thought +that she had never been so happy. Camping-out +had always been such a far-off thing, and +belonged to summer tourists and the remote +unsettled parts of country; but here she was, +close to her own home, with all the delights of +gypsy life suddenly made her own. Betty and +Betty's friends had such a way of enjoying +every-day things. Becky was learning to be +happy in simple ways she never had before. +She went to sleep too, and the stars shone on, +and late in the night the waning moon came +up, strange and red; then the dawn came<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_273" id="Page_273">[273]</a></span> +creeping into the morning sky, and one wild +creature after another, in the crevices of rocks +or branches of trees, waked and went its ways +silently or gay with song.</p> + +<p>When Betty's eyes first opened she could +not remember where she was, for a moment. +Then she was filled with a sense of great contentment, +and lay still, looking out through +the open end of the tent across the wide still +river down which some birds were flying seaward. +It was most beautiful in that early +morning of a new day, and from beyond the +water on the opposite shore came the far +sweet sound of a woman's voice singing as +she worked, as if a long-looked-for day had +come and held great joy for her. She was +singing just as the birds sing, and Betty tried +to fancy how she looked as she went to and +fro so busily in one of the farm-houses.</p> + +<p>Aunt Barbara did not wake until after Betty, +which was a great joy, and there was a peal +of delighted laughter from the girls when she +waked and found their bright young eyes +watching her. She complained of nothing, except +a moment of fright when she saw her +own bonnet at the top of a lopped fir which<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_274" id="Page_274">[274]</a></span> +had been stuck into the ground at the foot of +the bed, to hang her raiment on. Her wrap +had been put neatly round the tree's shoulders +by Betty, so that it looked like a queer +sort of skeleton creature with every sort of +garment on its sharp pegs of bones. Nobody +had taken the least bit of cold, and everybody +was as cheerful as possible, and so the +day began. Seth Pond had trudged off to +get some milk at one of the farm-houses, and +had lighted a fire before he went and covered +it with bits of dry turf, which served to keep +it in as well as peat. Mr. Leicester complained +that he had found the tent too warm, +and so had rolled himself in his blanket and +spent the night in the open air. Evidently he +and Harry Foster had been awake some time, +and they were having a famous talk about +one of the treasured creatures in the muddy +wooden pail. Harry had managed to learn a +great deal by spending an hour now and then +in a famous old library in Riverport, in which +Miss Leicester had given him the use of her +share; and Betty knew that her father was +delighted and surprised with the young man's +interest in his own favorite studies. She had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_275" id="Page_275">[275]</a></span> +felt sure all summer that papa would know +just how to help Harry Foster on, and as she +watched them she could not help thinking that +she wished Harry were her brother. But then +she would no longer have entire right to papa.</p> + +<p>"Come, Elizabeth Leicester!" said papa, +in high spirits. "I never had such a dilatory +damsel to make my first tent breakfast!" So +Betty hastened, and poked the fire nearly to +death in her desire for promptness with the +morning meal. After it was over Miss Leicester +sat in the shade with a book, while all the +rest went fishing and took a long sail seaward +beside.</p> + +<p>That evening they went home with the tide, +in great delight, every one. Aunt Barbara +was unduly proud of her exploits and a sunburnt +nose, and the younger members of the +party were a little subdued from their first +enthusiasm by all sorts of exciting pleasures. +As for Harry Foster, the lad felt as if a door +had been kindly opened in the solid wall of +hindrance which had closed about him, and as +if he could look through now into a new life.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_276" id="Page_276">[276]</a></span></p> +<h2>XVII.</h2> + +<h3>GOING AWAY.</h3> + + +<p><span class="smcap">Miss Leicester</span> and her nephew, Betty's +father, were sitting together in the library. +Betty had gone to bed. It was her last night +in Tideshead, and the summer which had been +so long to look forward to was spent and gone. +She had felt very sorry before she went to +sleep, and thought of many things which might +have been better, but after all one could not +help being very rich and happy with so many +pleasures to remember. When she thought +how many new friends she had made, and how +dear all the old ones had been, and that she +had become very friendly even with Mrs. Beck, +it was a great satisfaction. And now in less +than a fortnight she was to be with Ada and +Bessie Duncan and their delightful mother in +London again. She certainly had a great deal +to look forward to; still there was a wistful +feeling in her heart at leaving Tideshead.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_277" id="Page_277">[277]</a></span></p> + +<p>There had been a fire in the library fireplace, +for the evening was cool, and papa and +Aunt Barbara sat opposite each other. Papa +was smoking, as he always did before he went +to bed; and happily Miss Leicester liked the +odor of tobacco, so that they were comfortable +together. They were talking most affectionately +about Betty.</p> + +<p>"I think you have done wonderfully with +her, Tom," said the aunt. "Nobody knows +how anxious your Aunt Mary and I have felt +at the thought of your carrying her hither +and yon, and spoiling her because she couldn't +settle down to regular habits of life."</p> + +<p>"The only way is not to let one's habits become +irregular," answered Betty's papa. "I +found out long ago that I could have my hours +for work and for exercise, and could go on with +my reading as well in one place as in another. +I have tried not to let Betty see too many people +in town life, yet pretty soon she will be sixteen. +She has always seemed to look at life from +a child's point of view until last spring. I +don't mean that she doesn't still have many +days when she only considers the world's relation +to herself; but on the whole she begins to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_278" id="Page_278">[278]</a></span> +be very serious about her own relation to the +world, and is constantly made to think more of +what she can give than of what she can get. +This is a very trying season in many ways, the +first really hard time that comes into a boy's +or a girl's life."</p> + +<p>"Yes, and one is constantly learning those +lessons in one way and another during all the +rest of one's life," sighed Aunt Barbara. Then +her face lighted up, and she added, "Just in +proportion as she thinks that she does things +for other people she is making steps upward +for herself."</p> + +<p>"I always think that Betty looks like Bewick's +picture of the robin redbreast; you remember +it? There is an expression to its little +beak which always reminds me of my girl."</p> + +<p>Aunt Barbara was much amused, but confessed +that she remembered it, and that Betty +and the bird really resembled each other. "I +think there is a very good print of it in the +large White's 'Selborne' which you sent me," +she said, going to one of the bookshelves and +taking it down. "Yes, they are certainly like +one another," she repeated. "You see that +this copy has been used? I lent it for a long +time to my young neighbor, Henry Foster."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_279" id="Page_279">[279]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I am very much interested in that lad!" +exclaimed Mr. Leicester. "I don't know that +among all the students I can remember I have +seen one who strikes me as being so intent +and so really promising. Betty has written +about him, but I imagined that he interested +her because he had a boat and could take her +out on the river. I supposed that he was one +of the idle fellows who evade their honest +work, and, with a smattering of pretty tastes +which give them plenty of conceit, come to no +sort of use in the end. Betty knows enough +of my hobbies to talk about his fish a little, +and I thought it was all girlish nonsense; +the truth is that she has shown real discernment +of character,—young Foster is a fine +fellow."</p> + +<p>"Can you do anything for him?" asked +Miss Leicester. "I pity his poor mother with +all my heart. She is very ambitious for her +son. I wish that he could earn enough for +their needs, and still be able to go on with +some serious study. Mrs. Foster and the +daughter would make any sacrifice, but they +must have something to eat and to wear. I +cannot see how they can absolutely do without<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_280" id="Page_280">[280]</a></span> +him even if his own expenses are paid. +They will not accept charity."</p> + +<p>"I could learn by talking with him this +evening that he is able already to take some +minor post in a museum. He would very soon +make up what he lacks in fitness, if we could +put him where he could get hold of the proper +books. He must be put under the right influences, +for though he seems to have energy, +many a boy with an unusual gift gets stranded +in a small town like this, and becomes less +useful in the end than if he were like everybody +else."</p> + +<p>"I think it has been a great thing for him +to be developed on the every-day side, and to +have care and even trouble," said Miss Leicester. +"Now I wish to see the exceptional side +of him have a chance. I stand ready to help +at any point, you must remember."</p> + +<p>"I can give him some work at once, with +the understanding that he is to study at Cambridge +this winter. I have plans for next +summer in which he could be of great service. +We will not say too much, but keep our own +counsel until we watch him a little longer."</p> + +<p>Aunt Barbara nodded emphatically, but for<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_281" id="Page_281">[281]</a></span> +her part she felt no doubt of Harry Foster's +power of keeping at his work; then she proposed +another subject of personal concern, and +they talked a long time in the pleasant old +library, among the familiar books and pictures, +until the fire had given its last flicker and settled +quietly down into a few red coals among +the gray ashes.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>Every one was glad to know that Harry's +collection of fishes and insects and his scientific +tastes had won great approval from a +man of Mr. Leicester's fame, and that the boy +was to be forwarded in his studies as fast as +possible.</p> + +<p>Who shall tell the wonder of the town over +a phonograph which Mr. Leicester brought +with him? In fact, the last of the summer +seemed altogether the pleasantest, and papa +and Betty had a rare holiday together. Aunt +Mary and Aunt Barbara, Serena and Letty, +and Seth and Jonathan were all in a whirl +from morning until night. Serena thought +that the phonograph was an invention of the +devil, and after hearing the uncanny little +machine repeat that very uncomplimentary<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_282" id="Page_282">[282]</a></span> +remark which she had just made about it, +she was surer than before. Serena did not +relish being called an invention of the evil +one, herself, but it does not do to call names +at a phonograph.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>"It was lonely when I first came," said +Betty, the evening before she was to go away, +as she walked to and fro between the box-borders +with her father, "but I like everybody +better and better,—even poor Aunt +Mary," she added in a whisper. "It is lovely +to live in Tideshead. Sometimes one gets +cross, though, and it is so provoking about the +left-out ones, and the won't-play ones, and the +ones that want everything done some other +way, and then let you do it after all. But I +thought at first it was going to be so stupid, +and that nobody would like any of the things +I did; and here is Mary Picknell, who can +paint beautifully, and Harry Foster knows so +many of the things you do, and George Max +is going to be a sea-captain, and so is Jim +Beck, and poor dear Becky can sing like a bird +when she feels good-natured. Why, papa, +dear, I do believe that there is one person in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_283" id="Page_283">[283]</a></span> +Tideshead of every kind in the world. And +Aunt Barbara is a duchess!"</p> + +<p>"I never saw so grand a duchess as your +Aunt Barbara in her very best gown," said +Betty's papa, "but I haven't seen all the +duchesses there are in existence."</p> + +<p>"Oh, papa, do let us come and live here +together," pleaded the girl, with shining eyes. +"Must you go back to England for very long? +After I see Mrs. Duncan and the rest of the +people in London, I am so afraid I shall be +homesick. You can keep on having the cubby-house +for a very private study, and I know +you could write beautifully on the rainy days, +when the elm branches make such a nice noise +on the roof. Oh, papa, do let us come some +time!"</p> + +<p>"Some time," repeated Mr. Leicester, with +great assurance. "How would next summer +do, for instance? I have been talking with +Aunt Barbara about it, and we have a grand +plan for the writing of a new book, and having +some friends of mine come here too, and +for the doing of great works. I shall need a +stenographer, and we are"—</p> + +<p>"Those other people could live at the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_284" id="Page_284">[284]</a></span> +Fosters' and Becks'," Betty interrupted, delightedly +entering into the plans. She was +used to the busy little colonies of students who +gathered round her father. "Here comes Mr. +Marsh, the teacher of the academy, to see +you," and she danced away on the tips of her +toes.</p> + +<p>"Serena and Letty! I am coming back to +stay all next summer, and papa too," she said, +when she reached the middle of the kitchen.</p> + +<p>"Thank the goodness!" said Serena. +"Only don't let your pa bring his talking-machine +to save up everybody's foolish speeches. +Your aunt said this morning that what I ought +to ha' said into it was, 'Miss Leicester, we're +all out o' sugar.' But the sugar's goin' to last +longer when you're gone. I expect we shall +miss you," said the good woman, with great +feeling.</p> + +<p>Now, everything was to be done next summer: +all the things that Betty had forgotten +and all that she had planned and could not +carry out. It was very sad to go away, when +the time came. Poor Aunt Mary fairly cried, +and said that she was going to try hard to be +better in health, so that she could do more<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_285" id="Page_285">[285]</a></span> +for Betty when she came next year, and she +should miss their reading together, sadly; and +Aunt Barbara held Betty very close for a minute, +and said, "God bless you, my darling," +though she had never called her "my darling" +before.</p> + +<p>And Captain Beck came over to say good-by, +and wished that they could have gone +down by the packet boat, as Betty came, and +gave our friend a little brass pocket-compass, +which he had carried to sea many years. The +minister came to call in the evening, with his +girls; and the dear old doctor came in next +morning, though he was always in a hurry, +and kissed Betty most kindly, and held her +hand in both his, while he said that he had +lost a good deal of practice, lately, because she +kept the young folks stirring, and he did not +know about letting her come back another +summer.</p> + +<p>But when poor Mrs. Foster came, with +Nelly, and thanked Betty for bringing a ray +of sunshine into her sad home, it was almost +too much to bear; and good-by must be said +to Becky, and that was harder than anything, +until they tried to talk about what they would<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_286" id="Page_286">[286]</a></span> +do next summer, and how often they must +write to each other in the winter months between.</p> + +<p>"Why, sometimes I have been afraid that +you didn't like me," said Betty, as her friend's +tears again began to fall.</p> + +<p>"It was only because I didn't like myself," +said dear Becky forlornly. It was a most sad +and affectionate leave-taking, but there were +many things that Becky would like to think +over when her new old friend had fairly gone.</p> + +<p>"I never felt as if I really belonged to any +place, until now. You must always say that +I am Betty Leicester of Tideshead," said Betty +to her father, after she had looked back in +silence from the car window for a long time. +Aunt Barbara had come to the station with +them, and was taking the long drive home +alone, with only Jonathan and the slow horses. +Betty's thoughts followed her all along the +familiar road. Last night she had put the +little red silk shawl back into her trunk with +a sorry sigh. Everybody had been so good +to her, while she had done so little for any +one!</p> + +<p>But Aunt Barbara was really dreading to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_287" id="Page_287">[287]</a></span> +go back to the old house, she knew that she +should miss Betty so much.</p> + +<p>Papa was reading already; he always read +in the cars himself, but he never liked to have +Betty do so. He looked up now, and something +in his daughter's face made him put down his +book. She was no longer only a playmate; +her face was very grave and sweet. "I must +try not to scurry about the world as I have +done," he thought, as he glanced at Betty +again and again. "We ought to have a home, +both of us; her mother would have known. +A girl should grow up in a home, and get a +girl's best life out of the cares and pleasures +of it."</p> + +<p>"I am afraid you won't wish to come down +to the hospitalities of lodgings this <ins title="Transcriber's Note: original had a single quote instead of a double">winter,"</ins> +said Mr. Leicester. "Perhaps we had better +look for a comfortable house of our own near +the Duncans."</p> + +<p>"Oh, we're sure to have the best of good +times!" said Betty cheerfully, as if there were +danger of his being low-spirited. "We must +wait about all that, papa, dear, until we are in +London."</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Betty Leicester, by Sarah Orne Jewett + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BETTY LEICESTER *** + +***** This file should be named 27923-h.htm or 27923-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/7/9/2/27923/ + +Produced by David Edwards, Emmy and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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