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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/32811-8.txt b/32811-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c2050a5 --- /dev/null +++ b/32811-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,8475 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Holiday House, by Catherine Sinclair + +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: Holiday House + A Series of Tales + +Author: Catherine Sinclair + +Release Date: June 14, 2010 [EBook #32811] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HOLIDAY HOUSE *** + + + + +Produced by Jana Srna, D Alexander, David Wilson and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net +(This file was produced from images generously made +available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + + + + + + + + +HOLIDAY HOUSE: + +A SERIES OF TALES. + +Dedicated to Lady Diana Boyle. + + +BY CATHERINE SINCLAIR, + +AUTHORESS OF "MODERN ACCOMPLISHMENTS," "MODERN SOCIETY," +"HILL AND VALLEY," "CHARLIE SEYMOUR," &c. &c. + + + "Young heads are giddy, and young hearts are warm, + And make mistakes for manhood to reform." + + Cowper. + + +NEW-YORK: +PUBLISHED BY ROBERT CARTER, +NO. 58 CANAL STREET. + +1839. + + + + +New-York: +Printed by Scatcherd and Adams, +No. 38 Gold Street. + + + + +PREFACE + + "Of all the paper I have blotted, I have written nothing without the + intention of some good. Whether I have succeeded or not, is for + others to judge." + Sir William Temple. + + +The minds of young people are now manufactured like webs of linen, all +alike, and nothing left to nature. From the hour when children can +speak, till they come to years of discretion or of indiscretion, they +are carefully prompted what to say, and what to think, and what to look, +and how to feel; while in most school-rooms nature has been turned out +of doors with obloquy, and art has entirely supplanted her. + +When a quarrel takes place, both parties are generally in some degree to +blame; therefore if Art and Nature could yet be made to go hand in hand +towards the formation of character and principles, a graceful and +beautiful superstructure might be reared, on the solid foundation of +Christian faith and sound morality; so that while many natural weeds and +wild flowers would be pruned and carefully trained, some lovely blossoms +that spring spontaneously in the uncultivated soil, might still be +cherished into strength and beauty, far excelling what can be planted or +reared by art. + +Every infant is probably born with a character as peculiar to himself as +the features in his countenance, if his faults and good qualities were +permitted to expand according to their original tendency; but education, +which formerly did too little in teaching "the young idea how to shoot," +seems now in danger of over-shooting the mark altogether, by not +allowing the young ideas to exist at all. In this age of wonderful +mechanical inventions, the very mind of youth seems in danger of +becoming a machine; and while every effort is used to stuff the memory, +like a cricket-ball, with well-known facts and ready-made opinions, no +room is left for the vigour of natural feeling, the glow of natural +genius, and the ardour of natural enthusiasm. It was a remark of Sir +Walter Scott's many years ago, to the author herself, that in the rising +generation there would be no poets, wits, or orators, because all play +of imagination is now carefully discouraged, and books written for young +persons are generally a mere dry record of facts, unenlivened by any +appeal to the heart, or any excitement to the fancy. The catalogue of a +child's library would contain Conversations on Natural Philosophy,--on +Chemistry,--on Botany,--on Arts and Sciences,--Chronological Records of +History,--and travels as dry as a road-book; but nothing on the habits +or ways of thinking, natural and suitable to the taste of children; +therefore, while such works are delightful to the parents and teachers +who select them, the younger community are fed with strong meat instead +of milk, and the reading which might be a relaxation from study, becomes +a study in itself. + +In these pages the author has endeavoured to paint that species of +noisy, frolicsome, mischievous children which is now almost extinct, +wishing to preserve a sort of fabulous remembrance of days long past, +when young people were like wild horses on the prairies, rather than +like well-broken hacks on the road; and when, amidst many faults and +many eccentricities, there was still some individuality of character and +feeling allowed to remain. In short, as Lord Byron described "the last +man," the object of this volume is, to describe "the last boy." It may +be useful, she thinks, to show, that amidst much requiring to be +judiciously curbed and corrected, there may be the germs of high and +generous feeling, and of steady, right principle, which should be the +chief objects of culture and encouragement. Plodding industry is in the +present day at a very high premium in education; but it requires the +leaven of mental energy and genius to make it work well, while it has +been remarked by one whose experience in education is deep and +practical, that "those boys whose names appear most frequently in the +black book of transgression, would sometimes deserve to be also most +commonly recorded, if a book were kept for warm affections and generous +actions." + +The most formidable person to meet in society at present, is the mother +of a promising boy, about nine or ten years old; because there is no +possible escape from a volume of anecdotes, and a complete system of +education on the newest principles. The young gentleman has probably +asked leave to bring his books to the breakfast-room,--can scarcely be +torn away from his studies at the dinner-hour,--discards all +toys,--abhors a holiday,--propounds questions of marvellous depth in +politics or mineralogy,--and seems, in short, more fitted to enjoy the +learned meeting at Newcastle, than the exhilarating exercises of the +cricket-ground; but, if the axiom be true, that "a little learning is a +dangerous thing," it has also been proved by frequent, and sometimes by +very melancholy experience, that, for minds not yet expanded to +maturity, a great deal of learning is more dangerous still, and that in +those school-rooms where there has been a society for the suppression of +amusement, the mental energies have suffered, as well as the health. + +A prejudice has naturally arisen against giving works of fiction to +children, because their chief interest too often rests on the detection +and punishment of such mean vices as lying and stealing, which are so +frequently and elaborately described, that the way to commit those +crimes is made obvious, while a clever boy thinks he could easily avoid +the oversights by which another has been discovered, and that if he does +not yield to similar temptations, he is a model of virtue and +good-conduct. + +In writing for any class of readers, and especially in occupying the +leisure moments of such peculiarly fortunate young persons as have +leisure moments at all, the author feels conscious of a deep +responsibility, for it is at their early age that the seed can best be +sown which shall bear fruit unto eternal life, therefore it is hoped +this volume may be found to inculcate a pleasing and permanent +consciousness, that religion is the best resource in happier hours, and +the only refuge in hours of affliction. + +Those who wish to be remembered for ever in the world,--and it is a very +common object of ambition,--will find no monument more permanent, than +the affectionate remembrance of any children they have treated with +kindness; for we may often observe, in the reminiscences of old age, a +tender recollection surviving all others, of friends in early days who +enlivened the hours of childhood by presents of playthings and comfits. +But above all, we never forget those who good-humouredly complied with +the constantly recurring petition of all young people in every +generation, and in every house--"Will you tell me a story?" + +In answer to such a request, often and importunately repeated, the +author has from year to year delighted in seeing herself surrounded by a +circle of joyous, eager faces, listening with awe to the terrors of Mrs. +Crabtree, or smiling at the frolics of Harry and Laura. The stories, +originally, were so short, that some friends, aware of their popularity, +and conscious of their harmless tendency, took the trouble of copying +them in manuscript for their own young friends; but the tales have since +grown and expanded during frequent verbal repetitions, till, with +various fanciful additions and new characters, they have enlarged into +their present form, or rather so far beyond it, that several chapters +are omitted, to keep the volume within moderate compass. + +Paley remarks, that "any amusement which is innocent, is better than +none; as the writing of a book, the building of a house, the laying out +of a garden, the digging of a fish-pond, even the raising of a +cucumber;" and it is hoped that, while the author herself has found much +interesting occupation in recording these often repeated stories, the +time of herself and her young readers may be employed with some degree +of profit, or she will certainly regret that it was not better occupied +in the rearing of cucumbers. + + + + +HOLIDAY HOUSE. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +CHIT CHAT. + + A school-boy, a dog, and a walnut tree, + The more you strike 'em, the better they be. + + +Laura and Harry Graham could scarcely feel sure that they ever had a +mama, because she died while they were yet very young indeed; but Frank, +who was some years older, recollected perfectly well what pretty +playthings she used to give him, and missed his kind, good mama so +extremely, that he one day asked if he might "go to a shop and buy a new +mama?" Frank often afterwards thought of the time also, when he kneeled +beside her bed to say his prayers, or when he sat upon her knee to hear +funny stories about good boys and bad boys--all very interesting, and +all told on purpose to show how much happier obedient children are, than +those who waste their time in idleness and folly. Boys and girls all +think they know the road to happiness without any mistake, and choose +that which looks gayest and pleasantest at first, though older people, +who have travelled that road already, can tell them that a very +difficult path is the only one which ends agreeably; and those who +begin to walk in it when they are young, will really find that "wisdom's +ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace." It was +truly remarked by Solomon, that "even a child is known by his doings, +whether his work be pure, and whether it be right." Therefore, though +Frank was yet but a little boy, his friends, who observed how carefully +he attended to his mama's instructions, how frequently he studied his +Bible, and how diligently he learned his lessons, all prophesied that +this merry, lively child, with laughing eyes, and dimpled cheeks, would +yet grow up to be a good and useful man; especially when it became +evident that, by the blessing of God, he had been early turned away from +the broad road that leadeth to destruction, in which every living person +would naturally walk, and led into the narrow path that leadeth to +eternal life. + +When his mama, Lady Graham, after a long and painful illness, was at +last taken away to the better world, for which she had been many years +preparing, her only sorrow and anxiety seemed to be that she left behind +her three such very dear children, who were now to be entirely under the +care of their papa, Sir Edward Graham; and it was with many prayers and +tears that she tried to make her mind more easy about their future +education, and future happiness. + +Sir Edward felt such extreme grief on the death of Lady Graham, that +instead of being able to remain at home with his young family, and to +interest his mind as he would wish to have done, by attending to them, +he was ordered by Dr. Bell, to set off immediately for Paris, Rome, and +Naples, where it was hoped he might leave his distresses behind him +while he travelled, or at all events, forget them. + +Luckily the children had a very good, kind uncle, Major David Graham, +and their grandmama, Lady Harriet Graham, who were both exceedingly +happy to take charge of them, observing that no house could be cheerful +without a few little people being there, and that now they would have +constant amusement in trying to make Frank, Harry, and Laura, as happy +as possible, and even still happier. + +"That is the thing I am almost afraid of!" said Sir Edward, smiling. +"Uncles and grandmamas are only too kind, and my small family will be +quite spoiled by indulgence." + +"Not if you leave that old vixen, Mrs. Crabtree, as governor of the +nursery," answered Major Graham, laughing. "She ought to have been the +drummer of a regiment, she is so fond of the rod! I believe there never +was such a tyrant since the time when nursery-maids were invented. Poor +Harry would pass his life in a dark closet, like Baron Trenck, if Mrs. +Crabtree had her own way!" + +"She means it all well. I am certain that Mrs. Crabtree is devotedly +fond of my children, and would go through fire and water to serve them; +but she is a little severe perhaps. Her idea is, that if you never +forgive a first fault, you will never hear of a second, which is +probably true enough. At all events, her harshness will be the best +remedy for your extreme indulgence; therefore let me beg that you and my +mother will seldom interfere with her 'method,' especially in respect to +Harry and Laura. As for Frank, if all boys were like him, we might make +a bonfire of birch rods and canes. He is too old for nursery discipline +now, and must be flogged at school, if deserving of it at all, till he +goes to sea next year with my friend Gordon, who has promised to rate +him as a volunteer of the first class, on board the Thunderbolt." + +In spite of Mrs. Crabtree's admirable "system" with children, Harry and +Laura became, from this time, two of the most heedless, frolicsome +beings in the world, and had to be whipped almost every morning; for in +those days it had not been discovered that whipping is all a mistake, +and that children can be made good without it; though some +old-fashioned people still say--and such, too, who take the God of truth +for their guide--the old plan succeeded best, and those who "spare the +rod will spoil the child." When Lady Harriet and Major Graham spoke +kindly to Harry and Laura, about anything wrong that had been done, they +both felt more sad and sorry, than after the severest punishments of +Mrs. Crabtree, who frequently observed, that "if those children were +shut up in a dark room alone, with nothing to do, they would still find +some way of being mischievous, and of deserving to be punished." + +"Harry!" said Major Graham one day, "you remind me of a monkey which +belonged to the colonel of our regiment formerly. He was famous for +contriving to play all sorts of pranks when no one supposed them to be +possible, and I recollect once having a valuable French clock, which the +malicious creature seemed particularly determined to break. Many a time +I caught him in the fact, and saved my beautiful clock; but one day, +being suddenly summoned out of the room, I hastily fastened his chain to +a table, so that he could not possibly, even at the full extent of his +paw, so much as touch the glass case. I observed him impatiently +watching my departure, and felt a misgiving that he expected to get the +better of me; so after shutting the door, I took a peep through the +key-hole, and what do you think Jack had done, Harry? for, next to Mr. +Monkey himself, you are certainly the cleverest contriver of mischief I +know." + +"What did he do?" asked Harry eagerly; "did he throw a stone at the +clock?" + +"No! but his leg was several inches longer than his arm, so having +turned his tail towards his object, he stretched out his hind-paw, and +before I could rush back, my splendid alabaster clock had been upset and +broken to shivers." + +Laura soon became quite as mischievous as Harry, which is very +surprising, as she was a whole year older, and had been twice as often +scolded by Mrs. Crabtree. Neither of these children intended any harm, +for they were only heedless lively romps, who would not for twenty +worlds have told a lie, or done a shabby thing, or taken what did not +belong to them. They were not greedy either, and would not on any +account have resembled Peter Grey, who was at the same school with +Frank, and who spent all his own pocket-money, and borrowed a great deal +of other people's, to squander at the pastry-cook's, saying, he wished +it were possible to eat three dinners, and two breakfasts, and five +suppers every day. + +Harry was not a cruel boy either; he never lashed his pony, beat his +dog, pinched his sister, or killed any butterflies, though he often +chased them for fun, and one day he even defended a wasp, at the risk of +being stung, when Mrs. Crabtree intended to kill it. + +"Nasty, useless vermin!" said she angrily, "What business have they in +the world! coming into other people's houses, with nothing to do! They +sting and torment every body! Bees are very different, for they make +honey." + +"And wasps make jelly!" said Harry resolutely, while he opened the +window, and shook the happy wasp out of his pocket handkerchief. + +Mrs. Crabtree allowed no pets of any description in her territories, and +ordered the children to be happy without any such nonsense. When Laura's +canary-bird escaped one unlucky day out of its cage, Mrs. Crabtree was +strongly suspected by Major Graham, of having secretly opened the door, +as she had long declared war upon bulfinches, white mice, parrots, +kittens, dogs, bantams, and gold fish, observing that animals only made +a noise and soiled the house, therefore every creature should remain in +its own home, "birds in the air, fish in the sea, and beasts in the +desert." She seemed always watching in hopes Harry and Laura might do +something that they ought to be punished for; and Mrs. Crabtree +certainly had more ears than other people, or slept with one eye open, +as, whatever might be done, night or day, she overheard the lowest +whisper of mischief, and appeared able to see what was going on in the +dark. + +When Harry was a very little boy, he sometimes put himself in the +corner, after doing wrong, apparently quite sensible that he deserved to +be punished, and once, after being terribly scolded by Mrs. Crabtree, he +drew in his stool beside her chair, with a funny penitent face, twirling +his thumbs over and over each other, and saying, "Now, Mrs. Crabtree! +look what a good boy I am going to be!" + +"You a good boy!" replied she contemptuously: "No! no! the world will be +turned into a cream-cheese first!" + +Lady Harriet gave Harry and Laura a closet of their own, in which she +allowed them to keep their toys, and nobody could help laughing to see +that, amidst the whole collection, there was seldom one unbroken. Frank +wrote out a list once of what he found in this crowded little +store-room, and amused himself often with reading it over afterwards. +There were three dolls without faces, a horse with no legs, a drum with +a hole in the top, a cart without wheels, a churn with no bottom, a kite +without a tale, a skipping-rope with no handles, and a cup and ball that +had lost the string. Lady Harriet called this closet the hospital for +decayed toys, and she often employed herself as their doctor, mending +legs and arms for soldiers, horses, and dolls, though her skill seldom +succeeded long, because play-things must have been made of cast-iron to +last a week with Harry. One cold winter morning when Laura entered the +nursery, she found a large fire blazing, and all her wax dolls sitting +in a row within the fender staring at the flames. Harry intended no +mischief on this occasion, but great was his vexation when Laura burst +into tears, and showed him that their faces were running in a hot stream +down upon their beautiful silk frocks, which were completely ruined, and +not a doll had its nose remaining. Another time, Harry pricked a hole in +his own beautiful large gas ball, wishing to see how the gas could +possibly escape, after which, in a moment, it shrivelled up into a +useless empty bladder,--and when his kite was flying up to the clouds, +Harry often wished that he could be tied to the tail himself, so as to +fly also through the air like a bird, and see every thing. + +Mrs. Crabtree always wore a prodigious bunch of jingling keys in her +pocket, that rung whenever she moved, as if she carried a dinner bell in +her pocket, and Frank said it was like a rattlesnake giving warning of +her approach, which was of great use, as everybody had time to put on a +look of good behaviour before she arrived. Even Betty, the under +nursery-maid, felt in terror of Mrs. Crabtree's entrance, and was +obliged to work harder than any six house-maids united. Frank told her +one day that he thought brooms might soon be invented, which would go by +steam and brush carpets of themselves, but, in the meantime, not a grain +of dust could lurk in any corner of the nursery without being dislodged. +Betty would have required ten hands, and twenty pair of feet, to do all +the work that was expected; but the grate looked like jet, the windows +would not have soiled a cambric handkerchief, and the carpet was +switched with so many tea-leaves, that Frank thought Mrs. Crabtree often +took several additional cups of tea in order to leave a plentiful supply +of leaves for sweeping the floor next morning. + +If Laura and Harry left any breakfast, Mrs. Crabtree kept it carefully +till dinner time, when they were obliged to finish the whole before +tasting meat; and if they refused it at dinner, the remains were kept +for supper. Mrs. Crabtree always informed them that she did it "for +their good," though Harry never could see any good that it did to +either of them; and when she mentioned how many poor children would be +glad to eat what they despised, he often wished the hungry beggars had +some of his own hot dinner, which he would gladly have spared to them; +for Harry was really so generous, that he would have lived upon air, if +he might be of use to anybody. Time passed on, and Lady Harriet engaged +a master for some hours a-day to teach the children lessons, while even +Mrs. Crabtree found no other fault to Harry and Laura, except that in +respect to good behaviour their memories were like a sieve, which let +out every thing they were desired to keep in mind. They seemed always to +hope, somehow or other, when Mrs. Crabtree once turned her back, she +would never shew her face again; so their promises of better conduct +were all "wind without rain,"--very loud and plenty of them, but no good +effect to be seen afterwards. + +Among her many other torments, Mrs. Crabtree rolled up Laura's hair +every night on all sides of her head, in large stiff curl-papers, till +they were as round and hard as walnuts, after which, she tied on a +night-cap, as tightly as possible above all, saying this would curl the +hair still better. Laura could not lay any part of her head on the +pillow, without suffering so much pain that, night after night, she sat +up in bed, after Mrs. Crabtree had bustled out of the room, and quietly +took the cruel papers out, though she was punished so severely for doing +so, that she obeyed orders at last and lay wide awake half the night +with torture; and it was but small comfort to Laura afterwards, that +Lady Harriet's visitors frequently admired the forest of long glossy +ringlets that adorned her head, and complimented Mrs. Crabtree on the +trouble it must cost her to keep that charming hair in order. Often did +Laura wish that it were ornamenting any wig-block, rather than her own +head; and one day Lady Harriet laughed heartily, when some strangers +admired her little grand-daughter's ringlets, and Laura asked, very +anxiously, if they would like to cut off a few of the longest, and keep +them for her sake. + +"Your hair does curl like a cork-screw," said Frank, laughing. "If I +want to draw a cork out of a beer bottle any day, I shall borrow one of +those ringlets, Laura!" + +"You may laugh, Frank, for it is fun to you and death to me," answered +poor Laura, gravely shaking her curls at him. "I wish we were all bald, +like uncle David! During the night, I cannot lie still on account of +those tiresome curls, and all day I dare not stir for fear of spoiling +them, so they are never out of my head." + +"Nor off your head! How pleasant it must be to have Mrs. Crabtree +combing and scolding, and scolding and combing, for hours every day! +Poor Laura! we must get Dr. Bell to say that they shall be taken off on +pain of death, and then, perhaps, grandmama would order some Irish +reapers to cut them down with a sickle." + +"Frank! what a lucky boy you are to be at school, and not in the +nursery! I wish next year would come immediately, for then I shall have +a governess, after which good-bye to Mrs. Crabtree, and the wearisome +curl-papers." + +"I don't like school!" said Harry. "It is perfect nonsense to plague me +with lessons now. All big people can read and write, so, of course, I +shall be able to do like others. There is no hurry about it!" + +Never was there a more amiable, pious, excellent boy than Frank, who +read his Bible so attentively, and said his prayers so regularly every +morning and evening, that he soon learned both to know his duty and to +do it. Though he laughed heartily at the scrapes which Harry and Laura +so constantly fell into, he often also helped them out of their +difficulties; being very different from most elderly boys, who find an +odd kind of pleasure in teazing younger children--pulling their +hair--pinching their arms--twitching away their dinners--and twenty +more plans for tormenting, which Frank never attempted to enjoy, but he +often gave Harry and Laura a great deal of kind, sober, good advice, +which they listened to very attentively while they were in any new +distress, but generally forgot again as soon as their spirits rose. +Frank came home only upon Saturdays and Sundays, because he attended +during most of the week at Mr. Lexicon's academy, where he gradually +became so clever, that the masters all praised his extraordinary +attention, and covered him with medals, while Major Graham often filled +his pockets with a reward of money, after which he ran towards the +nearest shop to spend his little fortune in buying a present for +somebody. Frank scarcely ever wanted anything for himself, but he always +wished to contrive some kind generous plan for other people; and Major +Graham used to say, "if that boy had only sixpence in the world, he +would lay it all out on penny tarts to distribute among half-a-dozen of +his friends." He even saved his pocket-money once, during three whole +months, to purchase a gown for Mrs. Crabtree, who looked almost +good-humoured during the space of five minutes, when Frank presented it +to her, saying, in his joyous merry voice, "Mrs. Crabtree! I wish you +health to wear it, strength to tear it, and money to buy another!" + +Certainly there never was such a gown before! It had been chosen by +Frank and Harry together, who thought nothing could be more perfect. The +colour was so bright an apple-green, that it would have put any body's +teeth on edge to look at it, and the whole was dotted over with large +round spots of every colour, as if a box of wafers had been showered +upon the surface. Laura wished Mrs. Crabtree might receive a present +every day, as it put her in such good-humour, and nearly three weeks +after passed this, without a single scold being heard in the nursery; +so Frank observed that he thought Mrs. Crabtree would soon be quite out +of practice. + +"Laura!" said Major Graham, looking very sly one morning, "have you +heard all the new rules that Mrs. Crabtree has made?" + +"No!" replied she in great alarm; "what are they?" + +"In the first place, you are positively not to tear and destroy above +three frocks a-day; secondly, you and Harry must never get into a +passion, unless you are angry; thirdly, when either of you take +medicine, you are not to make wry faces, except when the taste is bad; +fourthly, you must never speak ill of Mrs. Crabtree herself, until she +is out of the room; fifthly, you are not to jump out of the windows, as +long as you can get out at the door"---- + +"Yes!" interrupted Laura, laughing, "and sixthly, when uncle David is +joking, we are not to be frightened by anything he says!" + +"Seventhly, when next you spill grandmama's bottle of ink, Harry must +drink up every drop." + +"Very well! he may swallow a sheet of blotting paper afterwards, to put +away the taste." + +"I wish every body who writes a book, was obliged to swallow it," said +Harry. "It is such a waste of time reading, when we might be amusing +ourselves. Frank sat mooning over a book for two hours yesterday when we +wanted him to play. I am sure, some day his head will burst with +knowledge." + +"That can never happen to you, Master Harry," answered Major Graham; +"you have a head, and so has a pin, but there is not much furniture in +either of them." + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +THE GRAND FEAST. + + She gave them some tea without any bread, + She whipp'd them all soundly, and sent them to bed. + + Nursery Rhymes. + + +Lady Harriet Graham was an extremely thin, delicate, old lady, with a +very pale face, and a sweet gentle voice, which the children delighted +to hear, for it always spoke kindly to them, and sounded like music, +after the loud, rough tones of Mrs. Crabtree. She wore her own grey +hair, which had become almost as white as the widow's cap which covered +her head. The rest of her dress was generally black velvet, and she +usually sat in a comfortable arm-chair by the fire-side, watching her +grandchildren at play, with a large work-bag by her side, and a +prodigious Bible open on the table before her. Lady Harriet often said +that it made her young again to see the joyous gambols of Harry and +Laura; and when unable any longer to bear their noise, she sometimes +kept them quiet, by telling the most delightful stories about what had +happened to herself when she was young. + +Once upon a time, however, Lady Harriet suddenly became so very ill, +that Dr. Bell said she must spend a few days in the country, for change +of air, and accordingly she determined on passing a quiet week at +Holiday House with her relations, Lord and Lady Rockville. Meanwhile, +Harry and Laura were to be left under the sole care of Mrs. Crabtree, so +it might have been expected that they would both feel more frightened +for her, now that she was reigning monarch of the house, than ever. +Harry would obey those he loved, if they only held up a little finger; +but all the terrors of Mrs. Crabtree, and her cat-o'-nine-tails, were +generally forgotten soon after she left the room; therefore he thought +little at first about the many threats she held out, if he behaved ill, +but he listened most seriously when his dear sick grandmama told him, in +a faint weak voice, on the day of her departure from home, how very well +he ought to behave in her absence, as no one remained but the maids to +keep him in order, and that she hoped Mrs. Crabtree would write her a +letter full of good news about his excellent conduct. + +Harry felt as if he would gladly sit still without stirring, till his +grandmama came back, if that could only please her; and there never was +any one more determined to be a good boy than he, at the moment when +Lady Harriet's carriage came round to the door. Laura, Frank, and Harry +helped to carry all the pillows, boxes, books, and baskets which were +necessary for the journey, of which there seemed to be about fifty; then +they arranged the cushions as comfortably as possible, and watched very +sorrowfully when their grandmama, after kindly embracing them both, was +carefully supported by Major Graham and her maid Harrison, into the +chariot. Uncle David gave each of the children a pretty picture-book +before taking leave, and said, as he was stepping into the carriage, +"Now, children! I have only one piece of serious, important advice to +give you all, so attend to me!--never crack nuts with your teeth!" + +When the carriage had driven off, Mrs. Crabtree became so busy scolding +Betty, and storming at Jack the foot-boy, for not cleaning her shoes +well enough, that she left Harry and Laura standing in the passage, not +knowing exactly what they ought to do first, and Frank, seeing them +looking rather melancholy and bewildered at the loss of their grandmama, +stopped a moment as he passed on the way to school, and said in a very +kind, affectionate voice, + +"Now, Harry and Laura, listen both of you!--here is a grand opportunity +to show everybody, that we can be trusted to ourselves, without getting +into any scrapes, so that if grandmama is ever ill again, and obliged to +go away, she need not feel so sad and anxious as she did to-day. I mean +to become nine times more attentive to my lessons than usual this +morning, to show how trust-worthy we are, and if you are wise, pray +march straight up to the nursery yourselves. I have arranged a gown and +cap of Mrs. Crabtree's on the large arm-chair, to look as like herself +as possible, that you may be reminded how soon she will come back, and +you must not behave like the mice when the cat is out. Good bye! Say the +alphabet backward, and count your fingers for half-an-hour, but when +Mrs. Crabtree appears again, pray do not jump out of the window for +joy." + +Harry and Laura were proceeding directly towards the nursery, as Frank +had recommended, when unluckily they observed in passing the +drawing-room door, that it was wide open; so Harry peeped in, and they +began idly wandering round the tables and cabinets. Not ten minutes +elapsed before they both commenced racing about as if they were mad, +perfectly screaming with joy, and laughing so loudly at their own funny +tricks, that an old gentleman who lived next door, very nearly sent in a +message to ask what the joke was. + +Presently Harry and Laura ran up and down stairs till the housemaid was +quite fatigued with running after them. They jumped upon the fine damask +sofas in the drawing-room, stirred the fire till it was in a blaze, and +rushed out on the balcony, upsetting one or two geraniums and a myrtle. +They spilt Lady Harriet's perfumes over their handkerchiefs,--they +looked into all the beautiful books of pictures,--they tumbled many of +the pretty Dresden china figures on the floor,--they wound up the little +French clock till it was broken,--they made the musical work-box play +its tunes, and set the Chinese mandarins nodding, till they very nearly +nodded their heads off. In short, so much mischief has seldom been done +in so short a time, till at last Harry, perfectly worn out with laughing +and running, threw himself into a large arm-chair, and Laura, with her +ringlets tumbling in frightful confusion over her face, and the beads of +her coral necklace rolling on the floor, tossed herself into a sofa +beside him. + +"Oh! what fun!" cried Harry, in an ecstacy of delight; "I wish Frank had +been here, and crowds of little boys and girls, to play with us all day! +It would be a good joke, Laura, to write and ask all our little cousins +and companions to drink tea here to-morrow evening! Their mamas could +never guess we had not leave from grandmama to invite everybody, so I +dare say we might gather quite a large party! oh! how enchanting!" + +Laura laughed heartily when she heard this proposal of Harry's, and +without hesitating a moment about it, she joyously placed herself before +Lady Harriet's writing-table, and scribbled a multitude of little notes, +in large text, to more than twenty young friends, all of whom had at +other times been asked by Lady Harriet to spend the evening with her. + +Laura felt very much puzzled to know what was usually said in a card of +invitation, but after many consultations, she and Harry thought at last, +that it was very nicely expressed, for they wrote these words upon a +large sheet of paper to each of their friends:-- + +Master Harry Graham and Miss Laura wish you to have the honour of +drinking tea with us to-morrow, at six o'clock. + + (Signed) Harry and Laura. + +Laura afterwards singed a hole in her muslin frock, while +lighting one of the Vesta matches to seal these numerous notes; and +Harry dropped some burning sealing-wax on his hand, in the hurry of +assisting her; but he thought that little accident no matter, and ran +away to see if the cards could be sent off immediately. + +Now, there lived in the house a very old footman, called Andrew, who +remembered Harry and Laura since they were quite little babies; and he +often looked exceedingly sad and sorry when they suffered punishment +from Mrs. Crabtree. He was ready to do anything in the world when it +pleased the children, and would have carried a message to the moon, if +they had only shown him the way. Many odd jobs and private messages he +had already been employed in by Harry, who now called Andrew up stairs, +entreating him to carry out all those absurd notes as fast as possible, +and to deliver them immediately, as they were of the greatest +consequence. Upon hearing this, old Andrew lost not a moment, but threw +on his hat, and instantly started off, looking like the twopenny +postman, he carried such a prodigious parcel of invitations, while Harry +and Laura stood at the drawing-room window, almost screaming with joy +when they saw him set out, and when they observed that, to oblige them, +he actually ran along the street at a sort of trot, which was as fast as +he could possibly go. Presently, however, he certainly did stop for a +single minute, and Laura saw that it was in order to take a peep into +one of the notes, that he might ascertain what they were all about; but +as he never carried any letters without doing so, she thought that quite +natural, and was only very glad when he had finished, and rapidly +pursued his way again. + +Next morning, Mrs. Crabtree and Betty became very much surprised to +observe what a number of smart livery servants knocked at the street +door, and gave in cards, but their astonishment became still greater, +when old Andrew brought up a whole parcel of them to Harry and Laura, +who immediately broke the seals, and read the contents in a corner +together. + +"What are you about there, Master Graham?" cried Mrs. Crabtree, angrily, +"how dare any body venture to touch your grandmama's letters?" + +"They are not for grandmama!--they are all for us!--every one of them!" +answered Harry, dancing about the room with joy, and waving the notes +over his head. "Look at this direction! For Master and Miss Graham! put +on your spectacles, and read it yourself, Mrs. Crabtree! What delightful +fun! the house will be as full as an egg!" + +Mrs. Crabtree seemed completely puzzled what to think of all this, and +looked so much as if she did not know exactly what to be angry at, and +so ready to be in a passion if possible, that Harry burst out a +laughing, while he said, "Only think Mrs. Crabtree! here is every body +coming to tea with us!--all my cousins, besides Peter Grey, Robert +Stewart, Charles Forrester, Adelaide Cunninghame, Diana Wentworth, John +Fordyce, Edmund Ashford, Frank Abercromby, Ned Russel, and Tom ----" + +"The boy is distracted!" exclaimed Betty, staring with astonishment. +"What does all this mean, Master Harry?" + +"And who gave you leave to invite company into your grandmama's house?" +cried Mrs. Crabtree, snatching up all the notes, and angrily thrusting +them into the fire. "I never heard of such things in all my life before, +Master Harry! but as sure as eggs is eggs, you shall repent of this, for +not one morsel of cake, or anything else shall you have to give any of +the party; no! not so much as a crust of bread, or a thimbleful of tea!" + +Harry and Laura had never thought of such a catastrophe as this before; +they always saw a great table covered with every thing that could be +named for tea, whenever their little friends came to visit them, and +whether it rose out of the floor, or was brought by Aladdin's lamp, they +never considered it possible that the table would not be provided as +usual on such occasions, so this terrible speech of Mrs. Crabtree's +frightened them out of their wits. What was to be done! They both knew +by experience that she always did whatever she threatened, or something +a great deal worse, so they began by bursting into tears, and begging +Mrs. Crabtree for this once to excuse them, and to give some cakes and +tea to their little visitors, but they might as well have spoken to one +of the Chinese mandarins, for she only shook her head, with a positive +look, declaring over and over again that nothing should appear upon the +table except what was always brought up for their own supper--two +biscuits and two cups of milk. + +"Therefore say no more about it!" added she, sternly. "I am your best +friend, Master Harry, trying to teach you and Miss Laura your duty, so +save your breath to cool your porridge." + +Poor Harry and Laura looked perfectly ill with fright and vexation when +they thought of what was to happen next, while Mrs. Crabtree sat down to +her knitting, grumbling to herself, and dropping her stitches every +minute with rage and irritation. Old Andrew felt exceedingly sorry after +he heard what distress and difficulty Harry was in, and when the hour +for the party approached, he very good-naturedly spread out a large +table in the dining-room, where he put down as many cups, saucers, +plates, and spoons as Laura chose to direct; but in spite of all his +trouble, though it looked very grand, there was nothing whatever to eat +or drink, except the two dry biscuits, and the two miserable cups of +milk, which seemed to become smaller every time that Harry looked at +them. + +Presently the clock struck six, and Harry listened to the hour very much +as a prisoner would do in the condemned cell in Newgate, feeling that +the dreaded time was at last arrived. Soon afterwards, several handsome +carriages drove up to the door filled with little Masters and Misses, +who hurried joyfully into the house, talking and laughing all the way up +stairs, being evidently quite happy at coming out to tea, while poor +Harry and Laura almost wished the floor would open and swallow them up, +so they shrunk into a distant corner of the room, quite ashamed to show +their faces. + +The young ladies were all dressed in their best frocks, with pink +sashes, and pink shoes; while the little boys appeared in their holiday +clothes, with their hair newly brushed, and their faces washed. The +whole party had dined at two o'clock, so they were as hungry as hawks, +looking eagerly round, whenever they entered, to see what was on the +tea-table, and evidently surprised that nothing had yet been put down. +Laura and Harry soon afterwards heard their visitors whispering to each +other about Norwich buns, rice cakes, spunge biscuits, and maccaroons; +while Peter Grey was loud in praise of a party at George Lorraine's the +night before, where an immense plum-cake had been sugared over like a +snow storm, and covered with crowds of beautiful amusing mottoes; not to +mention a quantity of noisy crackers, that exploded like pistols; +besides which, a glass of hot jelly had been handed to each little guest +before he was sent home. + +Every time the door opened, all eyes were anxiously turned round, +expecting a grand feast to be brought in; but quite the contrary--it was +only Andrew showing up more hungry visitors; while Harry felt so +unspeakably wretched, that, if some kind fairy could only have turned +him into a Norwich bun at the moment, he would gladly have consented to +be cut in pieces, that his ravenous guests might be satisfied. + +Charles Forrester was a particularly good-natured boy, so Harry at last +took courage and beckoned him into a remote corner of the room, where he +confessed, in whispers, the real state of affairs about tea, and how +sadly distressed he and Laura felt, because they had nothing whatever to +give among so many visitors, seeing that Mrs. Crabtree kept her +determination of affording them no provisions. + +"What is to be done!" said Charles, very anxiously, as he felt extremely +sorry for his little friends. "If Mama had been at home, she would +gladly have sent whatever you liked for tea, but unluckily she is dining +out! I saw a loaf of bread lying on a table at home this evening, which +she would make you quite welcome to! Shall I run home, as fast as +possible, to fetch it? That would, at any rate, be better than nothing!" + +Poor Charles Forrester was very lame, therefore, while he talked of +running he could hardly walk, but Lady Forrester's house stood so near, +that he soon reached home, when, snatching up the loaf, he hurried back +towards the street with his prize, quite delighted to see how large and +substantial it looked. Scarcely had he reached the door, however, before +the housekeeper ran hastily out, saying, + +"Stop, Mr. Charles! stop! sure you are not running away with the loaf +for my tea, and the parrot must have her supper too. What do you want +with that there bread?" + +"Never mind, Mrs. Comfit!" answered Charles, hastening on faster than +ever, while he grasped the precious loaf more firmly in his hand, and +limped along at a prodigious rate, "Polly is getting too fat, so she +will be the better of fasting for this one day." + +Mrs. Comfit, being enormously fat herself, became very angry at this +remark, so she seemed quite desperate to recover the loaf, and hurried +forward to overtake Charles, but the old housekeeper was so heavy and +breathless, while the young gentleman was so lame, that it seemed an +even chance which won the race. Harry stood at his own door, impatiently +hoping to receive the prize, and eagerly stretched out his arms to +encourage his friend, while it was impossible to say which of the +runners might arrive first. Harry had sometimes heard of a race between +two old women tied up in sacks, and he thought they could scarcely move +with more difficulty; but at the very moment when Charles had reached +the door, he stumbled over a stone, and fell on the ground. Mrs. Comfit +then instantly rushed up, and seizing the loaf, she carried it off in +triumph, leaving the two little friends ready to cry with vexation, and +quite at a loss what plan to attempt next. + +Mean time, a sad riot had arisen in the dining-room, where the boys +called loudly for their tea; and the young ladies drew their chairs all +round the table, to wait till it was ready. Still nothing appeared; so +every body wondered more and more how long they were to wait for all the +nice cakes and sweetmeats which must, of course, be coming; for the +longer they were delayed, the more was expected. + +The last at a feast, and the first at a fray, was generally Peter Grey, +who now lost patience, and seized one of the two biscuits, which he was +in the middle of greedily devouring, when Laura returned with Harry to +the dining-room, and observed what he had done. + +"Peter Grey!" said she, holding up her head, and trying to look very +dignified, "you are an exceedingly naughty boy, to help yourself! As a +punishment for being so rude, you shall have nothing more to eat all +this evening." + +"If I do not help myself, nobody else seems likely to give me any +supper! I appear to be the only person who is to taste anything +to-night," answered Peter, laughing, while the impudent boy took a cup +of milk, and drank it off, saying, "Here's to your very good health, +Miss Laura, and an excellent appetite to everybody!" + +Upon hearing this absurd speech, all the other boys began laughing, and +made signs, as if they were eating their fingers off with hunger. Then +Peter called Lady Harriet's house "Famine Castle," and pretended he +would swallow the knives like an Indian juggler. + +"We must learn to live upon air, and here are some spoons to eat it +with," said John Fordyce. "Harry! shall I help you to a mouthful of +moonshine?" + +"Peter! would you like a roasted fly?" asked Frank Abercromby, catching +one on the window. "I dare say it is excellent for hungry people,--or a +slice of buttered wall?" + +"Or a stewed spider?" asked Peter. "Shall we all be cannibals, and eat +one another?" + +"What is the use of all those forks, when there is nothing to stick upon +them?" asked George Maxwell, throwing them about on the floor. "No +buns!--no fruit!--no cakes!--no nothing!" + +"What are we to do with those tea-cups, when there is no tea?" cried +Frank Abercromby, pulling the table-cloth till the whole affair fell +prostrate on the floor. After this, these riotous boys tossed the plates +up in the air, and caught them, becoming, at last, so outrageous, that +poor old Andrew called them a "meal mob." Never was there so much broken +china seen in a dining-room before! It all lay scattered on the floor, +in countless fragments, looking as if there had been a bull in a china +shop, when suddenly Mrs. Crabtree herself opened the door and walked in, +with an aspect of rage enough to petrify a milestone. Now old Andrew had +long been trying all in his power to render the boys quiet and +contented. He had made them a speech,--he had chased the ring-leaders +all round the room,--and he had thrown his stick at Peter, who seemed +the most riotous,--but all in vain; they became worse and worse, +laughing into fits, and calling Andrew "the police-officer," and "the +bailiff." It was a very different story, however, when Mrs. Crabtree +appeared, so flaming with fury, she might have blown up a powder-mill. + +Nobody could help being afraid of her. Even Peter himself stood +stock-still, and seemed withering away to nothing, when she looked at +him; and when she began to scold in her most furious manner, not a boy +ventured to look off the ground. A large pair of tawse then became +visible in her hand, so every heart sunk with fright, and the riotous +visitors began to get behind each other, and to huddle out of sight as +much as possible, whispering and pushing, and fighting, in a desperate +scuffle to escape. + +"What is all this!" cried she, at the full pitch of her voice, "has +bedlam broke loose! who smashed these cups? I'll break his head for him, +let me tell you that! Master Peter! you should be hissed out of the +world for your misconduct; but I shall certainly whip you round the room +like a whipping-top." + +At this moment, Peter observed that the dining-room window, which was +only about six feet from the ground, had been left wide open, so +instantly seizing the opportunity, he threw himself out with a single +bound, and ran laughing away. All the other boys immediately followed +his example, and disappeared by the same road; after which, Mrs. +Crabtree leaned far out of the window, and scolded loudly, as long as +they remained in sight, till her face became red, and her voice +perfectly hoarse. + +Meantime, the little misses sat soberly down before the empty table, and +talked in whispers to each other, waiting till their maids came to take +them home, after which they all hurried away as fast as possible, hardly +waiting to say "good bye," and intending to ask for some supper at home. + +During that night, long after Harry and Laura had been scolded, whipped, +and put to bed, they were each heard in different rooms, sobbing and +crying, as if their very hearts would break, while Mrs. Crabtree +grumbled and scolded to herself, saying she must do her duty, and make +them good children, though she were to flay them alive first. + +When Lady Harriet returned home some days afterwards, she heard an +account of Harry and Laura's misconduct from Mrs. Crabtree, and the +whole story was such a terrible case against them, that their poor +grandmama became perfectly astonished and shocked, while even uncle +David was preparing to be very angry; but before the culprits appeared, +Frank most kindly stepped forward, and begged that they might be +pardoned for this once, adding all in his power to excuse Harry and +Laura, by describing how very penitent they had become, and how very +severely they had already been punished. + +Frank then mentioned all that Harry had told him about the starving +party, which he related with so much humour and drollery, that Lady +Harriet could not help laughing; so then he saw that a victory had been +gained, and ran to the nursery for the two little prisoners. + +Uncle David shook his walking-stick at them, and made a terrible face, +when they entered; but Harry jumped upon his knee with joy at seeing him +again, while Laura forgot all her distress, and rushed up to Lady +Harriet, who folded her in her arms, and kissed her most affectionately. + +Not a word was said that day about the tea-party, but next morning, +Major Graham asked Harry, very gravely, "if he had read in the +newspapers the melancholy accounts about several of his little +companions, who were ill and confined to bed from having ate too much at +a certain tea-party on Saturday last. Poor Peter Grey has been given +over, and Charles Forrester, it is feared, may not be able to eat +another loaf of bread for a fortnight!" + +"Oh! uncle David! it makes me ill whenever I think of that party!" said +Harry, colouring perfectly scarlet; "that was the most miserable evening +of my life!" + +"I must say it was not quite fair in Mrs. Crabtree to starve all the +strange little boys and girls, who came as visitors to my house, without +knowing who had invited them," observed Lady Harriet. "Probably those +unlucky children will never forget, as long as they live, that scanty +supper in our dining-room." + +And it turned out exactly as Lady Harriet had predicted; for though they +were all asked to tea, in proper time, the very next Saturday, when +Major Graham showered torrents of sugar-plums on the table, while the +children scrambled to pick them up, and the side-board almost broke down +afterwards under the weight of buns, cakes, cheesecakes, biscuits, +fruit, and preserves, which were heaped upon each other--yet, for years +afterwards, Peter Grey, whenever he ate a particularly enormous dinner, +always observed, that he must make up for having once been starved at +Harry Graham's; and whenever any one of those little boys or girls again +happened to meet Harry or Laura, they were sure to laugh and say, "When +are you going to give us another + + "GRAND FEAST?" + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +THE TERRIBLE FIRE. + + Fire rages with fury wherever it comes, + If only one spark should be dropped; + Whole houses, or cities, sometimes it consumes, + Where its violence cannot be stopped. + + +One night, about eight o'clock, Harry and Laura were playing in the +nursery, building houses with bricks, and trying who could raise the +highest tower without letting it fall, when suddenly they were startled +to hear every bell in the house ringing violently, while the servants +seemed running up and down stairs, as if they were distracted. + +"What can be the matter!" cried Laura, turning round and listening, +while Harry quietly took this opportunity to shake the walls of her +castle till it fell. + +"The very house is coming down about your ears, Laura!" said Harry, +enjoying his little bit of mischief. "I should like to be Andrew, now, +for five minutes, that I might answer those fifty bells, and see what +has happened. Uncle David must be wanting coals, candles, tea, toast, +and soda water, all at once! What a bustle everybody is in! There! the +bells are ringing again, worse than ever! Something wonderful is going +on! what can it be!" + +Presently Betty ran breathlessly into the room, saying that Mrs. +Crabtree ought to come down stairs immediately, as Lady Harriet had been +suddenly taken very ill, and, till the Doctor arrived, nobody knew what +to do, so she must give her advice and assistance. + +Harry and Laura felt excessively shocked to hear this alarming news, and +listened with grave attention, while Mrs. Crabtree told them how +amazingly well they ought to behave in her absence, when they were +trusted alone in the nursery, with nobody to keep them in order, or to +see what they were doing, especially now, as their grandmama had been +taken ill, and would require to be kept quiet. + +Harry sat in his chair, and might have been painted as the very picture +of a good boy during nearly twenty minutes after Mrs. Crabtree departed; +and Laura placed herself opposite to him, trying to follow so excellent +an example, while they scarcely spoke above a whisper, wondering what +could be the matter with their grandmama, and wishing for once, to see +Mrs. Crabtree again, that they might hear how she was. Any one who had +observed Harry and Laura at that time, would have wondered to see two +such quiet, excellent, respectable children, and wished that all little +boys and girls were made upon the same pattern; but presently they began +to think that probably Lady Harriet was not so very ill, as no more +bells had rung during several minutes, and Harry ventured to look about +for some better amusement than sitting still. + +At this moment Laura unluckily perceived on the table near where they +sat, a pair of Mrs. Crabtree's best scissors, which she had been +positively forbid to touch. The long troublesome ringlets were as usual +hanging over her eyes in a most teazing manner, so she thought what a +good opportunity this might be to shorten them a very little, not above +an inch or two; and without considering a moment longer, she slipped +upon tiptoe, with a frightened look, round the table, and picked up the +scissors in her hand, then hastening towards a looking-glass, she began +snipping off the ends of her hair. Laura was much diverted to see it +showering down upon the floor, so she cut and cut on, while the curls +fell thicker and faster, till at last the whole floor was covered with +them, and scarcely a hair left upon her head. Harry went into fits of +laughing when he perceived what a ridiculous figure Laura had made of +herself, and he turned her round and round to see the havoc she had +made, saying, + +"You should give all this hair to Mr. Mills the upholsterer, to stuff +grandmama's arm-chair with! At any rate, Laura, if Mrs. Crabtree is ever +so angry, she can hardly pull you by the hair of the head again! What a +sound sleep you will have to-night, with no hard curl-papers to torment +you!" + +Harry had been told five hundred times, never to touch the candles, and +threatened with twenty different punishments, if he ever ventured to do +so; but now, he amused himself with trying to snuff one till he snuffed +it out. Then he lighted it again, and tried the experiment once more, +but again the teazing candle went out, as if on purpose to plague him, +so he felt quite provoked. Having lighted it once more, Harry prepared +to carry the candlestick with him towards the inner nursery, though +afraid to make the smallest noise, in case it might be taken from him. +Before he had gone five steps, down dropped the extinguisher, then +followed the snuffers with a great crash, but Laura seemed too busy +cropping her ringlets, to notice what was going on. All the way along +upon the floor, Harry let fall a perfect shower of hot wax, which +spotted the nursery carpet from the table where he had found the candle +into the next room, where he disappeared, and shut the door, that no one +might interfere with what he liked to do. + +After he had been absent some time, the door was hastily opened again, +and Laura felt surprised to see Harry come back with his face as red as +a stick of sealing-wax, and his large eyes staring wider than they had +ever stared before, with a look of rueful consternation. + +"What is the matter!" exclaimed Laura in a terrified voice. "Has +anything dreadful happened? Why do you look so frightened and so +surprised?" + +"Oh dear! oh dear! what shall I do?" cried Harry, who seemed scarcely to +know how he spoke, or where he was. "I don't know what to do, Laura!" + +"What can be the matter! do tell me at once, Harry," said Laura, shaking +with apprehension. "Speak as fast as you can!" + +"Will you not tell Mrs. Crabtree, nor grandmama, nor anybody else?" +cried Harry, bursting into tears. "I am so very, very sorry, and so +frightened! Laura! do you know, I took a candle into the next room, +merely to play with it." + +"Well! go on, Harry! go on! what did you do with the candle?" + +"I only put it on the bed for a single minute, to see how the flame +would look there,--well! do you know it blazed away famously, and then +all the bed clothes began burning too! Oh! there is such a terrible fire +in the next room! you never saw anything like it! what shall we do? If +old Andrew were to come up, do you think he could put it out? I have +shut the door that Mrs. Crabtree may not see the flames. Be sure, Laura, +to tell nobody but Andrew." + +Laura became terrified at the way she saw poor Harry in, but when she +opened the door to find out the real state of affairs, oh! what a +dreadful sight was there! all the beds were on fire, while bright red +flames were blazing up to the roof of the room, with a fierce roaring +noise, which it was perfectly frightful to hear. She screamed aloud with +terror at this alarming scene, while Harry did all he could to quiet +her, and even put his hand over her mouth, that her cries might not be +heard. Laura now struggled to get loose, and called louder and louder, +till at last every maid in the house came racing up stairs, three steps +at a time, to know what was the matter. Immediately upon seeing the +flames, they all began screaming too, in such a loud discordant way, +that it sounded as if a whole flight of crows had come into the +passages. Never was there such an uproar heard in the house before, for +the walls echoed with a general cry of "Fire! fire! fire!" + +Up flew Mrs. Crabtree towards the nursery like a sky-rocket, scolding +furiously, talking louder than all the others put together, and asking +who had set the house on fire, while Harry and Laura scarcely knew +whether to be most frightened for the raging flames, or the raging Mrs. +Crabtree; but, in the meantime, they both shrunk into the smallest +possible size, and hid themselves behind a door. + +During all this confusion, Old Andrew luckily remembered, that, in the +morning, there had been a great washing in the laundry, where large tubs +full of water were standing, so he called to the few maids who had any +of their senses remaining, desiring them to assist in carrying up some +buckets, that they might be emptied on the burning beds, to extinguish +the flames if possible. Every body was now in a hurry, and all elbowing +each other out of the way, while it was most extraordinary to see how +old Andrew exerted himself, as if he had been a fireman all his life, +while Mrs. Marmalade, the fat cook, who could hardly carry herself up +stairs in general, actively assisted to bring up the great heavy tubs, +and to pour them out like a cascade upon the burning curtains, till the +nursery-floor looked like a duck pond. + +Meantime Harry and Laura added to the confusion as much as they could, +and were busier than anybody, stealing down the back-stairs whenever +Mrs. Crabtree was not in sight, and filling their little jugs with +water, which they brought up, as fast as possible, and dashed upon the +flames, till at last, it is to be feared, they began to feel quite +amused with the bustle, and to be almost sorry when the conflagration +diminished. At one time, Laura very nearly set her own frock on fire, as +she ventured too near, but Harry pulled her back, and then courageously +advanced to discharge a shower from his own little jug, remaining +stationary to watch the effect, till his face was almost scorched. + +At last the fire became less and less, till it went totally out, but not +before the nursery furniture had been reduced to perfect ruins, besides +which, Betty had her arm sadly burned in the confusion. Mrs. Marmalade's +cap was completely destroyed, and Mrs. Crabtree's best gown had so large +a hole burned in the skirt, that she never could wear it again! + +After all was quiet, and the fire completely extinguished, Major Graham +took Laura down stairs to Lady Harriet's dressing-room, that she might +tell the whole particulars of how this alarming accident happened in the +nursery, for nobody could guess what had caused so sudden and dreadful a +fire, which seemed to have been as unexpected as a flash of lightning. + +Lady Harriet had felt so terrified by the noise and confusion, that she +was out of bed, sitting up in an arm-chair, supported by pillows, when +Laura entered, at the sight of whom, with her well-cropped head, she +made an exclamation of perfect amazement. + +"Why! who on earth is that! Laura! my dear child! what has become of all +your hair? Were your curls burned off in the fire? or did the fright +make you grow bald? What is the meaning of all this?" + +Laura turned perfectly crimson with shame and distress, for she now felt +convinced of her own great misconduct about the scissors and curls, but +she had been taught on all occasions to speak the truth, and would +rather have died than told a lie, or even allowed any person to believe +what was not true, therefore she answered in a low, frightened voice, +while the tears came into her eyes, "My hair has not been burned off, +grandmama! but--but--" + +"Well, child! speak out!" said Lady Harriet, impatiently, "did some +hair-dresser come to the house and rob you?" + +"Or are you like the ladies of Carthage who gave their long hair for +bows and arrows?" asked Major Graham. "I never saw such a little fright +in my life as you look now; but tell us all about it?" + +"I have been quite as naughty as Harry!" answered Laura, bursting into +tears and sobbing with grief; "I was cutting off my hair with Mrs. +Crabtree's scissors all the time that he was setting the nursery on +fire!" + +"Did any mortal ever hear of two such little torments!" exclaimed Major +Graham, hardly able to help laughing. "I wonder if anybody else in the +world has such mischievous children!" + +"It is certainly very strange, that you and Harry never can contrive to +be three hours out of a scrape!" said Lady Harriet gravely; "now Frank, +on the contrary, never forgets what I bid him do. You might suppose he +carried Mrs. Crabtree in his pocket, to remind him constantly of his +duty; but there are not two such boys in the world as Frank!" + +"No," added Major Graham; "Harry set the house on fire, and Frank will +set the Thames on fire!" + +When Laura saw uncle David put on one of his funny looks, while he spoke +in this way to Lady Harriet, she almost forgot her former fright, and +became surprised to observe her grandmama busy preparing what she called +a coach-wheel, which had been often given as a treat to Harry and +herself when they were particularly good. This delightful wheel was +manufactured by taking a whole round slice of the loaf, in the centre of +which was placed a large tea-spoonful of jelly, after which long spokes +of marmalade, jam, and honey, were made to diverge most tastefully in +every direction towards the crust, and Laura watched the progress of +this business with great interest and anxiety, wondering if it could be +hoped that her grandmama really meant to forgive all her misconduct +during the day. + +"That coach-wheel is, of course, meant for me!" said Major Graham, +pretending to be very hungry, and looking slyly at Laura; "It cannot +possibly be intended for our little hair-dresser here!" + +"Yes, it is!" answered Lady Harriet, smiling. "I have some thoughts of +excusing Laura this time, because she always tells me the truth, without +attempting to conceal any foolish thing she does. It will be very long +before she has any hair to cut off again, so I hope she may be older and +wiser by that time, especially considering that every looking-glass she +sees for six months will make her feel ashamed of herself. She certainly +deserves some reward for having prevented the house to-night from being +burned to the ground." + +"I am glad you think so, because here is a shilling that has been +burning in my pocket for the last few minutes, as I wished to bestow it +on Laura for having saved all our lives, and if she had behaved still +better, I might perhaps have given her a gold watch!" + +Laura was busily employed in eating her coach-wheel, and trying to fancy +what the gold watch would have looked like which she might probably have +got from uncle David, when suddenly the door burst open, and Mrs. +Crabtree hurried into the room, with a look of surprise and alarm, her +face as red as a poppy, and her eye fixed on the hole in her best gown, +while she spoke so loud and angrily, that Laura almost trembled. + +"If you please, my lady! where can Master Harry be? I cannot find him in +any corner!--we have been searching all over the house, up stairs and +down stairs, in vain. Not a garret or a closet but has been ransacked, +and nobody can guess what has become of him!" + +"Did you look up the chimney, Mrs. Crabtree?" asked Major Graham, +laughing to see how excited she looked. + +"Indeed, Sir! it is no joke," answered Mrs. Crabtree, sulkily; "I am +almost afraid Master Harry has been burned in the fire! The last time +Betty saw him, he was throwing a jug of water into the flames, and no +one has ever seen or heard of him since! There is a great many ashes and +cinders lying about the room, and----" + +"Do you think, in sober seriousness, Mrs. Crabtree, that Harry would +melt away like a wax doll, without asking any body to extinguish him?" +said Major Graham, smiling. "No! no! little boys are not quite so easily +disposed of. I shall find Harry in less than five minutes, if he is +above ground." + +But uncle David was quite mistaken in expecting to discover Harry so +easily, for he searched and searched in vain. He looked into every +possible or impossible place--the library, the kitchen, the garrets, the +laundry, the drawing-room, all without success,--he peeped under the +tables, behind the curtains, over the beds, beneath the pillows, and +into Mrs. Crabtree's bonnet-box,--he even opened the tea-chest, and +looked out at the window, in case Harry had tumbled over, but nowhere +could he be found. + +"Not a mouse is stirring!" exclaimed Major Graham, beginning now to look +exceedingly grave and anxious. "This is very strange! The house-door is +locked, therefore, unless Harry made his escape through the key-hole, he +must be here! It is most unaccountable what the little pickle can have +done with himself!" + +When Major Graham chose to exert his voice, it was as loud as a trumpet, +and could be heard half a mile off; so he now called out, like thunder, +from the top of the stairs to the bottom, saying, "Hollo, Harry! hollo! +Come here, my boy! Nobody shall hurt you! Harry! where are you!" + +Uncle David waited to listen, but all was still,--no answer could be +heard, and there was not a sound in the house, except poor Laura at the +bottom of the stairs, sobbing with grief and terror about Harry having +been lost, and Mrs. Crabtree grumbling angrily to herself, on account of +the large hole in her best gown. + +By this time Lady Harriet nearly fainted with fatigue, for she was so +very old, and had been ill all day; so she grew worse and worse, till +everybody said she must go to bed, and try if it would be possible to +fall asleep, assuring her that Harry must soon be found, as nothing +particular could have happened to him, or some person would have seen +it. + +"Indeed, my lady! Master Harry is just like a bad shilling that is sure +to come back," said Mrs. Crabtree, helping her to undress, while she +continued to talk the whole time about the fire, showing her own +unfortunate gown, describing the trouble she had taken to save the house +from being burned, and always ending every sentence with a wish that she +could lay her hands on Harry to punish him as he deserved. + +"The truth is, I just spoil and indulge the children too much, my lady!" +added Mrs. Crabtree, in a self-satisfied tone of voice. "I really blame +myself often for being over easy and kind." + +"You have nothing to accuse yourself of in that respect," answered Lady +Harriet, unable to help smiling. + +"Your ladyship is very good to say so. Major Graham is so fond of our +young people, that it is lucky they have some one to keep them in order. +I shall make a duty, my lady, of being more strict than ever. Master +Harry must be made an example of this time!" added Mrs. Crabtree, +angrily glancing at the hole in her gown. "I shall teach him to +remember this day the longest hour he has to live!" + +"Harry will not forget it any how," answered Lady Harriet languidly. +"Perhaps, Mrs. Crabtree, we might as well not be severe with the poor +boy on this occasion. As the old proverb says, 'there is no use in +pouring water on a drowned mouse.' Harry has got a sad fright for his +pains, and at all events you must find him first, before he can be +punished. Where can the poor child be hid?" + +"I would give sixpence to find out that, my lady!" answered Mrs. +Crabtree, helping Lady Harriet into bed, after which she closed the +shutters, put out the candles, and left the room, angrily muttering, +"Master Harry cares no more for me than the poker cares for the tongs, +but I shall teach him another story soon." + +Lady Harriet now feebly closed her eyes, being quite exhausted, and was +beginning to feel the pleasant, confused sensation that people have +before going to sleep, when some noise made her suddenly start quite +awake. She sat up in bed to listen, but could not be sure whether it had +been a great noise at a distance, or a little noise in the room; so +after waiting two or three minutes, she sunk back upon the pillows, and +tried to forget it. Again, however, she distinctly heard something +rustling in the bed curtains, and opened her eyes to see what could be +the matter, but all was dark. Something seemed to be breathing very near +her, however, and the curtains shook worse than before, till Lady +Harriet became really alarmed. + +"It must surely be a cat in the room!" thought she, hastily pulling the +bell rope, till it nearly came down. "That tiresome little animal will +make such a noise, I shall not be able to sleep all night!" + +The next minute Lady Harriet was startled to hear a loud sob close +beside her; and when everybody rushed up stairs to ask what was the +matter, they brought candles to search the room, and there was Harry! +He lay doubled up in a corner, and crying as if his heart would break, +yet still endeavouring not to be seen; for Harry always thought it a +terrible disgrace to cry, and would have concealed himself anywhere, +rather than be observed weeping. Laura burst into tears also, when she +saw what red eyes and pale cheeks Harry had; but Mrs. Crabtree lost no +time in pulling him out of his place, being quite impatient to begin her +scold, and to produce her tawse, though she received a sad +disappointment on this occasion, as uncle David unexpectedly interfered +to get him off. + +"Come now, Mrs. Crabtree," said he good-naturedly; "put up the tawse for +this time; you are rather too fond of the leather. Harry seems really +sorry and frightened, so we must be merciful. That cataract of tears he +is shedding now, would have extinguished the fire if it had come in +time! Harry is like a culprit with the rope about his neck; but he shall +not be executed. Let me be judge and jury in this case; and my sentence +is a very dreadful one. Harry must sleep all to-night in the burned +nursery, having no other covering than the burned blankets, with large +holes in them, that he may never forget + + "THE TERRIBLE FIRE!" + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +THE PRODIGIOUS CAKE. + + Yet theirs the joy + That lifts their steps, that sparkles in their eyes; + That talks or laughs, or runs, or shouts, or plays, + And speaks in all their looks, and all their ways. + + Crabbe. + + +Next day after the fire, Laura could think of nothing but what she was +to do with the shilling that uncle David had given her; and a thousand +plans came into her head, while many wants entered her thoughts, which +never occurred before; so that, if twenty shillings had been in her hand +instead of one, they would all have gone twenty different ways. + +Lady Harriet advised that it should be laid bye till Laura had fully +considered what she would like best; reminding her very truly, that +money is lame in coming, but flies in going away. "Many people can get a +shilling, Laura," said her grandmama; "but the difficulty is to keep it; +for you know the old proverb tells that 'a fool and his money are soon +parted.'" + +"Yes, Miss! so give it to me, and I shall take care of your shilling!" +added Mrs. Crabtree, holding out her hand to Laura, who fell that if her +money once disappeared into that capacious pocket, she would never see +it again. "Children have no use for money! that shilling will only burn +a hole in your purse, till it is spent on some foolish thing or other. +You will be losing your thimble soon, or mislaying your gloves; for all +these things seem to fly in every direction, as if they got legs and +wings as soon as they belong to you; so then that shilling may replace +what is lost." + +Mrs. Crabtree looked as if she would eat it up; but Laura grasped her +treasure still tighter in her hand, exclaiming, + +"No! no! this is mine! Uncle David never thought of my shilling being +taken care of! He meant me to do whatever I liked with it! Uncle David +says he cannot endure saving children, and that he wishes all money were +turned into slates, when little girls keep it longer than a week." + +"I like that!" said Harry, eagerly; "it is so pleasant to spend money, +when the shopkeeper bows to me over the counter so politely, and asks +what I please to want." + +"Older people than you like spending money, Master Harry, and spend +whether they have it or no; but the greatest pleasure is to keep it. For +instance, Miss Laura, whatever she sees worth a shilling in any shop, +might be hers if she pleases; so then it is quite as good as her own. We +shall look in at the bazaar every morning, to fix upon something that +she would like to have, and then consider of it for two or three days." + +Laura thought this plan so very unsatisfactory, that she lost no time in +getting her shilling changed into two sixpences, one of which she +immediately presented to Harry, who positively refused for a long time +to accept of it, insisting that Laura should rather buy some pretty +plaything for herself; but she answered that it was much pleasanter to +divide her fortune with Harry, than to be selfish, and spend it all +alone. "I am sure, Harry," added she, "if this money had been yours, you +would have said the same thing, and given the half of what you got to +me; so now let us say no more about that, but tell me what would be the +best use to make of my sixpence?" + +"You might buy that fine red morocco purse we saw in the shop window +yesterday," observed Harry, looking very serious and anxious, on being +consulted. "Do you remember how much we both wished to have it?" + +"But what is the use of a purse, with no money to keep in it!" answered +Laura, looking earnestly at Harry for more advice. "Think again of +something else." + +"Would you like a new doll?" + +"Yes; but I have nothing to dress her with!" + +"Suppose you buy that pretty geranium in a red flower-pot at the +gardener's!" + +"If it would only live for a week, I might be tempted to try; but +flowers will always die with me. They seem to wither when I so much as +look at them. Do you remember that pretty fuchsia that I almost drowned +the first day grandmama gave it me; and we forgot for a week afterwards +to water it at all. I am not a good flower doctor." + +"Then buy a gold watch at once," said Harry, laughing; "or a fine pony, +with a saddle, to ride on." + +"Now, Harry, pray be quite in earnest. You know I might as well attempt +to buy the moon as a gold watch; so think of something else." + +"It is very difficult to make a good use of money," said Harry, +pretending to look exceedingly wise. "Do you know, Laura, I once found +out that you could have twelve of those large ship biscuits we saw at +the baker's shop for sixpence. Only think! you could feed the whole +town, and make a present to everybody in the house besides! I dare say +Mrs. Crabtree might like one with her tea. All the maids would think +them a treat. You could present one to Frank, another to old Andrew, and +there would still be some left for these poor children at the cottage." + +"Oh! that is the very thing!" cried Laura, running out of the room to +send Andrew off with a basket, and looking as happy as possible. Not +long afterwards, Frank, who had returned from school, was standing at +the nursery window, when he suddenly called out in a voice of surprise +and amazement, + +"Come here, Harry! look at old Andrew! he is carrying something tied up +in a towel, as large as his own head! what can it be?" + +"That is all for me! these are my biscuits!" said Laura, running off to +receive the parcel, and though she heard Frank laughing, while Harry +told all about them, she did not care, but brought her whole collection +triumphantly into the nursery. + +"Oh fancy! how perfect!" cried Harry, opening the bundle; "this is very +good fun!" + +"Here are provisions for a siege!" added Frank. "You have at least got +enough for your money, Laura!" + +"Take one yourself, Frank!" said she, reaching him the largest, and +then, with the rest all tied in her apron, Laura proceeded up and down +stairs, making presents to every person she met, till her whole store +was finished; and she felt quite satisfied and happy because everybody +seemed pleased and returned many thanks, except Mrs. Crabtree, who said +she had no teeth to eat such hard things, which were only fit for +sailors going to America or the West Indies. + +"You should have bought me a pound of sugar, Miss Laura, and that might +have been a present worth giving." + +"You are too sweet already, Mrs. Crabtree!" said Frank, laughing. "I +shall send you a sugar-cane from the West Indies, to beat Harry and +Laura with, and a whole barrel of sugar for yourself, from my own +estate." + +"None of your nonsense, Master Frank! Get out of the nursery this +moment! You with an estate indeed! You will not have a place to put your +foot upon soon except the topmast in a man-of-war, where all the bad +boys in a ship are sent." + +"Perhaps, as you are not to be the captain, I may escape, and be dining +with the officers sometimes! I mean to send you home a fine new India +shawl, Mrs. Crabtree, the very moment I arrive at Madras, and some china +tea-cups from Canton." + +"Fiddlesticks and nonsense!" said Mrs. Crabtree, who sometimes enjoyed a +little jesting with Frank. "Keep all them rattle-traps till you are a +rich nabob, and come home to look for Mrs. Frank,--a fine wife she will +be! Ladies that get fortunes from India are covered all over with gold +chains, and gold muslins, and scarlet shawls. She will eat nothing but +curry and rice, and never put her foot to the ground except to step into +her carriage." + +"I hope you are not a gipsey, to tell fortunes!" cried Harry, laughing; +"Frank would die rather than take such a wife." + +"Or, at least, I would rather have a tooth drawn than do it," added +Frank, smiling. "Perhaps I may prefer to marry one of those old wives on +the chimney-tops; but it is too serious to say I would rather die, +because nobody knows how awful it is to die, till the appointed day +comes." + +"Very true and proper, Master Frank," replied Mrs. Crabtree; "you speak +like a printed book sometimes, and you deserve a good wife." + +"Then I shall return home some day with chests of gold, and let you +choose one for me, as quiet and good-natured as yourself, Mrs. +Crabtree," said Frank, taking up his books and hastening off to school, +running all the way, as he was rather late, and Mr. Lexicon, the master, +had promised a grand prize for the boy who came most punctually to his +lessons, which everybody declared that Frank was sure to gain, as he had +never once been absent at the right moment. + +Major Graham often tried to teaze Frank, by calling him "the +Professor,"--asking him questions which it was impossible to answer, +and then pretending to be quite shocked at his ignorance; but no one +ever saw the young scholar put out of temper by those tricks and trials, +for he always laughed more heartily than any one else, at the joke. + +"Now show me, Frank," said uncle David, one morning, "how do you advance +three steps backwards?" + +"That is quite impossible, unless you turn me into a crab." + +"Tell me, then, which is the principal town in Caffraria?" + +"Is there any town there? I do not recollect it." + +"Then so much the worse!--how are you ever to get through life without +knowing the chief town in Caffraria! I am quite ashamed of your +ignorance. Now let us try a little arithmetic! Open the door of your +understanding and tell me, when wheat is six shillings a bushel, what is +the price of a penny loaf. Take your slate and calculate that." + +"Yes, uncle David, if you will find out, when gooseberries are two +shillings the pint, what is the price of a threepenny tart. You remind +me of my old nursery song-- + + 'The man in the wilderness asked me, + How many strawberries grew in the sea; + I answered him, as I thought it good, + As many red herrings as grew in the wood.'" + +Some days after Laura had distributed the biscuits, she became very +sorry for having squandered her shilling, without attending to Lady +Harriet's good advice, about keeping it carefully in her pocket for at +least a week, to see what would happen. A very pleasant way of using +money now fell in her way, but she had been a foolish spendthrift, so +her pockets were empty, when she most wished them to be full. Harry came +that morning after breakfast into the nursery, looking in a great +bustle, and whispering to Laura, "What a pity your sixpence is gone! but +as Mrs. Crabtree says, 'we cannot both eat our cake and have it!'" + +"No!" answered Laura, as seriously as if she had never thought of this +before, "but why do you so particularly wish my money back to-day?" + +"Because such a very nice, funny thing is to be done this morning. You +and I are asked to join the party, but I am afraid we cannot afford it! +All our little cousins and companions intend going with Mr. Harwood, the +tutor, at twelve o'clock, to climb up to the very top of Arthur's Seat, +where they are to dine and have a dance. There will be about twenty boys +and girls of the party, but every body is to carry a basket filled with +provisions for dinner, either cakes, or fruit, or biscuits, which are to +be eat on the great rock at the top of the hill. Now grandmama says we +ought to have had money enough to supply what is necessary, and then we +might have gone, but no one can be admitted who has not at least +sixpence to buy something." + +"Oh! how provoking!" said Laura, sadly, "I wonder when we shall learn +always to follow grandmama's advice, for that is sure to turn out best +in the end. I never take my own way without being sorry for it +afterwards, so I deserve now to be disappointed and remain at home; but, +Harry, your sixpence is still safe, so pray join this delightful party, +and tell me all about it afterwards." + +"If it could take us both, I should be very happy, but I will not go +without you, Laura, after you were so good to me, and gave me this in a +present. No, no! I only wish we could do like the poor madman grandmama +mentioned, who planted sixpences in the ground that they might grow into +shillings." + +"Pray! what are you two looking so solemn about?" asked Frank, hurrying +into the room, at that moment, on his way to school. "Are you talking of +some mischief that has been done already, or only about some mischief +you are intending to do soon?" + +"Neither the one nor the other," answered Laura. "But, oh! Frank, I am +sure you will be sorry for us, when we tell you of our sad +disappointment!" + +She then related the whole story of the party to Arthur's Seat, +mentioning that Mr. Harwood had kindly offered to take charge of Harry +and herself, but as her little fortune had been so foolishly squandered, +she could not go, and Harry said it would be impossible to enjoy the fun +without her, though Lady Harriet had given them both leave to be of the +party. + +All the time that Laura spoke, Frank stood, with his hands in his +pockets, where he seemed evidently searching for something, and when the +whole history was told, he said to Harry, "Let me see this poor little +sixpence of yours! I am a very clever conjuror, and could perhaps turn +it into a shilling!" + +"Nonsense, Frank!" said Laura, laughing; "you might as well turn Harry +into uncle David!" + +"Well! we shall see!" answered Frank, taking up the sixpence. "I have +put the money into this box!--rattle it well!--once! twice! +thrice!--there, peep in!--now it is a shilling! I told you so!" + +Frank ran joyously out of the room, being much amused with the joke, for +he had put one of his own shillings into the box for Harry and Laura, +who were excessively surprised at first, and felt really ashamed to take +this very kind present from Frank, when he so seldom had money of his +own; but they knew how generous he was, for he often repeated that +excellent maxim, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." + +After a few minutes, they remembered that nothing could prevent them now +from going with Mr. Harwood to Arthur's Seat, which put Laura into such +a state of ecstacy, that she danced round the room for joy, while Harry +jumped upon the tables and chairs, tumbled head over heels, and called +Betty to come immediately that they might get ready. + +When Mrs. Crabtree heard such an uproar, she hastened also into the +room, asking what had happened to cause this riot, and she became very +angry indeed, to hear that Harry and Laura had both got leave to join in +this grand expedition. + +"You will be spoiling all your clothes, and getting yourselves into a +heat! I wonder her ladyship allows this! How much better you would be +taking a quiet walk with me in the gardens! I shall really speak to Lady +Harriet about it! The air must be very cold on the top of them great +mountains! I am sure you will both have colds for a month after this +Tom-foolery." + +"Oh no, Mrs. Crabtree! I promise not to catch cold!" cried Harry, +eagerly; "and, besides, you can scarcely prevent our going now, for +grandmama has set out on her long airing in the carriage, so there is +nobody for you to ask about keeping us at home, except uncle David!" + +Mrs. Crabtree knew from experience, that Major Graham was a hopeless +case, as he always took part with the children, and liked nothing so +much for old and young as "a ploy;" so she grumbled on to herself, while +her eyes looked as sharp as a pair of scissors with rage. "You will come +back, turned into scare-crows, with all your nice clean clothes in +tatters," said she, angrily; "but if there is so much as a speck upon +this best new jacket and trowsers, I shall know the reason why." + +"What a comfort it would be, if there were no such things in the world +as 'new clothes,' for I am always so much happier in the old ones," said +Harry. "People at the shops should sell clothes that will never either +dirty or tear!" + +"You ought to be dressed in fur, like Robinson Crusoe, or sent out +naked, like the little savages," said Mrs. Crabtree, "or painted black +and blue like them wild old Britons that lived here long ago!" + +"I am black and blue sometimes, without being painted," said Harry, +escaping to the door. "Good-bye, Mrs. Crabtree! I hope you will not die +of weariness without us! On our return we shall tell you all our +delightful adventures." + +About half an hour afterwards, Harry and Laura were seen hurrying out of +the pastry-cook, Mrs. Weddell's shop, bearing little covered baskets in +their hands, but nobody could guess what was in them. They whispered and +laughed together with very merry faces, looking the very pictures of +happiness, and running along as fast as they could to join the noisy +party of their cousins and companions, almost fearing that Mr. Harwood +might have set off without them. Frank often called him "Mr. +Punctuality," as he was so very particular about his scholars being in +good time on all occasions; and certainly Mr. Harwood carried his watch +more in his hand than in his pocket, being in the habit of constantly +looking to see that nobody arrived too late. Mail-coaches or steamboats +could hardly keep the time better, when an hour had once been named, and +the last words that Harry heard when he was invited were, "Remember! +sharp twelve." + +The great clock of St. Andrew's Church was busy striking that hour, and +every little clock in the town was saying the same thing, when Mr. +Harwood himself, with his watch in his hand, opened the door, and walked +out, followed by a dozen of merry-faced boys and girls, all speaking at +once, and vociferating louder than the clocks, as if they thought +everybody had grown deaf. + +"I shall reach the top of Arthur's Seat first," said Peter Grey. "All of +you follow me, for I know the shortest way. It is only a hop, step, and +a jump!" + +"Rather a long step!" cried Robert Fordyce. "But I could lead you a much +better way, though I shall show it to nobody but myself." + +"We must certainly drink water at St. Anthony's Well," observed Laura; +"because whatever any one wishes for when he tastes it, is sure to +happen immediately." + +"Then I shall wish that some person may give me a new doll," said Mary +Forrester. "My old one is only fit for being lady's maid to a fine new +doll." + +"I am in ninety-nine minds what to wish for," exclaimed Harry; "we must +take care not to be like the foolish old woman in the fairy tale, who +got only a yard of black pudding." + +"I shall ask for a piebald pony, with a whip, a saddle, and a bridle!" +cried Peter Grey; "and for a week's holidays,--and a new watch,--and a +spade,--and a box of French plums,--and to be first at the top of +Arthur's Seat,--and--and--" + +"Stop, Peter!--stop! you can only have one wish at St. Anthony's Well," +interrupted Mr. Harwood. "If you ask more, you lose all." + +"That is very hard, for I want everything," replied Peter. "What are you +wishing for, Sir?" + +"What shall I ask for?" said Mr. Harwood, reflecting to himself. "I have +not a want in the world?" + +"O yes, Sir! you must wish for something!" cried the whole party, +eagerly. "Do invent something to ask, Mr. Harwood!" + +"Then I wish you may all behave well till we reach the top of Arthur's +Seat, and all come safely down again." + +"You may be sure of that already!" said Peter, laughing. "I set such a +very good example to all my companions, that they never behave ill when +I am present,--no! not even by accident! When Dr. Algebra examined our +class to-day, he asked Mr. Lexicon, 'What has become of the best boy in +your school this morning?' and the answer was, 'Of course your mean +Peter Grey! He is gone to the top of Arthur's Seat with that excellent +man, Mr. Harwood!'" + +"Indeed!--and pray, Master Peter, what bird whispered this story into +your ear, seeing it has all happened since we left home!--but people who +are praised by nobody else, often take to praising themselves!" + +"Who knows better!--and here is Harry Graham, the very ditto of +myself,--so steady he might be fit to drill a whole regiment. We shall +lead the party quite safely up the hill, and down again, without any +ladders." + +"And without wings," added Harry, laughing; "but what are we to draw +water out of the well with?--here are neither buckets, nor tumblers, nor +glasses!" + +"I could lend you my thimble!" said Laura, searching her pocket. "That +will hold enough of water for one wish, and every person may have the +loan of it in turn." + +"This is the very first time your thimble has been of use to anybody!" +said Harry, slyly; "but I dare say it is not worn into holes with too +much sewing, therefore it will make a famous little magical cup for St. +Anthony's Well. You know the fairies who dance here by moonlight, lay +their table-cloth upon a mushroom, and sit round it, to be merry, but I +never heard what they use for a drinking cup." + +Harry now proceeded briskly along to the well, singing as he went, a +song which had been taught him by uncle David, beginning, + + I wish I were a brewer's horse, + Five quarters of a year, + I'd place my head where was my tail, + And drink up all the beer. + +Before long the whole party seated themselves in a circle on the grass +round St. Anthony's Well, while any stranger who had chanced to pass +might have supposed, from the noise and merriment, that the Saint had +filled his well with champagne and punch for the occasion, as everybody +seemed perfectly tipsy with happiness. Mr. Harwood laughed prodigiously +at some of the jokes, and made a few of his own, which were none of the +best, though they caused the most laughter, for the boys thought it very +surprising that so grave and great a man should make a joke at all. + +When Mary Forrester drank her thimbleful of water, and wished for a new +doll, Peter and Harry privately cut out a face upon a red-cheeked apple, +making the eyes, nose, and mouth, after which, they hastily dressed it +up in pocket handkerchiefs, and gave her this present from the fairies, +which looked so very like what she had asked for, that the laugh which +followed was loud and long. Afterwards Peter swallowed his draught, +calling loudly for a piebald pony, when Harry in his white trowsers, and +dark jacket, went upon all-fours, and let Peter mount on his back. It +was very difficult, however, to get Peter off again, for he enjoyed the +fun excessively, and stuck to his seat like Sinbad's old man of the sea, +till at last Harry rolled round on his back, tumbling Peter head over +heels into St. Anthony's Well, upon seeing which, Mr. Harwood rose, +saying, he had certainly lost his own wish, as they had behaved ill, and +met with an accident already. Harry laughingly proposed that Peter +should be carefully hung upon a tree to dry, till they all came down +again; but the mischievous boy ran off so fast, he was almost out of +sight in a moment, saying, "Now for the top of Arthur's Seat, and I +shall grow dry with the fatigue of climbing." + +The boys and girls immediately scattered themselves all over the hill, +getting on the best way they could, and trying who could scramble up +fastest, but the grass was quite short, and as slippery as ice, +therefore it became every moment more difficult to stand, and still more +difficult to climb. The whole party began sliding whether they liked it +or not, and staggered and tried to grasp the turf, but there was nothing +to hold, while occasionally a shower of stones and gravel came down from +Peter, who pretended they fell by accident. + +"Oh, Harry!" cried Laura, panting for breath, while she looked both +frightened and fatigued, "If this were not a party of pleasure, I think +we are sometimes quite as happy in our own gardens! People must be very +miserable at home, before they come here to be amused! I wish we were +cats, or goats, or any thing that can stand upon a hill without feeling +giddy." + +"I think this is very good fun!" answered Harry, gasping and trying not +to tumble for the twentieth time; "you would like perhaps to be back in +the nursery with Mrs. Crabtree." + +"No! no! I am not quite so bad as that! But Harry! do you ever really +expect to reach the top? for I never shall; so I mean to sit down +quietly here, and wait till you all return." + +"I have a better plan than that, Laura! you shall sit upon the highest +point of Arthur's Seat as well as anybody, before either of us is an +hour older! Let me go first, because I get on famously, and you must +never look behind, but keep tight hold of my jacket, so then every step +I advance will pull you up also." + +Laura was delighted with this plan, which succeeded perfectly well, but +they ascended rather slowly, as it was exceedingly fatiguing to Harry, +who looked quite happy all the time to be of use, for he always felt +glad when he could do any thing for anybody, more particularly for +either Laura or Frank. Now, the whole party was at last safely assembled +on the very highest point of Arthur's Seat, so the boys threw their caps +up in the air, and gave three tremendous cheers, which frightened the +very crows over their heads, and sent a flock of sheep scampering down +the mountain side. After that, they planted Mr. Harwood's walking-stick +in the ground, for a staff, while Harry tore off the blue silk +handkerchief which Mrs. Crabtree had tied about his neck, and without +caring whether he caught cold or not, he fastened it on the pole for a +flag, being quite delighted to see how it waved in the wind most +triumphantly, looking very like what sailors put up when they take +possession of a desert island. + +"Now, for business!" said Mr. Harwood, sitting down on the rock, and +uncovering a prodigious cake, nearly as large as a cheese, which he had +taken the trouble to carry, with great difficulty, up the hill. "I +suppose nobody is hungry after our long walk! Let us see what all the +baskets contain!" + +Not a moment was lost in seating themselves on the grass, while the +stores were displayed, amidst shouts of laughter and applause which +generally followed whatever came forth. Sandwiches, or, as Peter Grey +called them, "savages;" gingerbread, cakes, and fruit, all appeared in +turn. Robert Fordyce brought a dozen of hard-boiled eggs, all dyed +different colours, blue, green, pink, and yellow, but not one was white. +Edmund Ashford produced a collection of very sour-looking apples, and +Charles Forrester showed a number of little gooseberry tarts, but when +it became time for Peter's basket to be opened, it contained nothing +except a knife and fork to cut up whatever his companions would give +him! + +"Peter! Peter! you shabby fellow!" said Charles Forrester, reaching him +one of his tarts, "you should be put in the tread-mill as a sturdy +beggar!" + +"Or thrown down from the top of this precipice," added Harry, giving him +a cake. "I wonder you can look any of us in the face, Peter!" + +"I have heard," said Mr. Harwood, "that a stone is shown in Ireland, +called 'the stone of Blarney,' and whoever kisses it, is never +afterwards ashamed of any thing he does. Our friend Peter has probably +passed that way lately!" + +"At any rate, I am not likely to be starved to death amongst you all!" +answered the impudent boy, demolishing every thing he could get; and it +is believed that Peter ate, on this memorable occasion, three times more +than any other person, as each of the party offered him something, and +he never was heard to say, "No!" + +"I could swallow Arthur's Seat if it were turned into a plum-pudding," +said he, pocketing buns, apples, eggs, walnuts, biscuits, and almonds, +till his coat stuck out all round like a balloon. "Has any one any thing +more to spare?" + +"Did you ever hear," said Mr. Harwood, "that a pigeon eats its own +weight of food every day? Now, I am sure, you and I know one boy in the +world, Peter, who could do as much." + +"What is to be done with that prodigious cake you carried up here, Mr. +Harwood?" answered Peter, casting a devouring eye upon it; "the crust +seems as hard as a rhinoceros' skin, but I dare say it is very good. One +could not be sure though, without tasting it! I hope you are not going +to take the trouble of carrying that heavy load back again?" + +"How very polite you are become all on a sudden, Peter!" said Laura, +laughing. "I should be very sorry to attempt carrying that cake to the +bottom of the hill, for we would both roll down, the shortest way, +together." + +"I am not over-anxious to try it either," observed Charles Forrester, +shaking his head. "Even Peter, though his mouth is constantly ajar, +would find that cake rather heavy to carry, either as an inside or an +outside passenger." + +"I can scarcely lift it at all!" continued Laura, when Mr. Harwood had +again tied it up in the towel; "what can be done?" + +"Here is the very best plan!" cried Harry, suddenly seizing the +prodigious cake; and before any body could hinder him, he gave it a +tremendous push off the steepest part of Arthur's Seat, so that it +rolled down like a wheel, over stones and precipices, jumping and +hopping along with wonderful rapidity, amidst the cheers and laughter of +all the children, till at last it reached the bottom of the hill, when a +general clapping of hands ensued. + +"Now for a race!" cried Harry, becoming more and more eager. "The first +boy or girl who reaches that cake shall have it all to himself!" + +Mr. Harwood tried with all his might to stop the commotion, and called +out that they must go quietly down the bank, for Harry had no right to +give away the cake, or to make them break their legs and arms with +racing down such a hill: but he might as well have spoken to an east +wind, and asked it not to blow. The whole party dispersed, like a hive +of bees that has been upset; and in a moment they were in full career +after the cake. + +Some of the boys tried to roll down, hoping to get on more quickly. +Others endeavoured to slide, and several attempted to run, but they all +fell; and many of them might have been tumblers at Sadler's Wells, they +tumbled over and over so cleverly. Peter Grey's hat was blown away, but +he did not stop to catch it. Charlie Hume lost his shoe, Robert Fordyce +sprained his ancle, and every one of the girls tore her frock. It was a +frightful scene; such devastation of bonnets and jackets as had never +been known before; while Mr. Harwood looked like the General of a +defeated army, calling till he became hoarse, and running till he was +out of breath, vainly trying thus to stop the confusion, and to bring +the stragglers back in better order. + +Meantime, Harry and Peter were far before the rest, though Edward +Ashford was following hard after them in desperate haste, as if he still +hoped to overtake their steps. Suddenly, however, a loud cry of distress +was heard over-head; and when Harry looked up, he saw so very alarming a +sight, that he could scarcely believe his eyes, and almost screamed out +himself with the fright it gave him, while he seemed to forget in a +moment, the race, Peter Grey, and the prodigious cake. + +Laura had been very anxious not to trouble Harry with taking care of her +in coming down the bank again; for she saw that during all this fun +about the cake, he perfectly forgot that she was not accustomed every +day to such a scramble on the hills, and would have required some help. +After looking down every side of the descent, and thinking that each +appeared steeper than another, while they all made her equally giddy, +Laura determined to venture on a part of the hill which seemed rather +less precipitous than the rest; but it completely cheated her, being the +most difficult and dangerous part of Arthur's Seat. The slope became +steeper and steeper at every step; but Laura always tried to hope her +path might grow better, till at last she reached a place where it was +impossible to stop herself. Down she went, down! down! whether she would +or not, screaming and sliding on a long slippery bank, till she reached +the very edge of a dangerous precipice, which appeared higher than the +side of a room. Laura then grappled hold of some stones and grass, +calling loudly for help, while scarcely able to keep from falling into +the deep ravine, which would probably have killed her. Her screams were +echoed all over the hill, when Harry seeing her frightful situation, +clambered up the bank faster than any lamplighter, and immediately flew +to Laura's assistance, who was now really hanging over the chasm, quite +unable to help herself. At last he reached the place where poor Laura +lay, and seized hold of her by the frock; but for some time it seemed an +equal chance whether she dragged him into the hole, or he pulled her +away from it. Luckily, however, by a great effort, Harry succeeded in +delivering Laura, whom he placed upon a secure situation, and then, +having waited patiently till she recovered from the fright, he led her +carefully and kindly down to the bottom of Arthur's Seat. + +Now, all the boys had already got there, and a violent dispute was going +on about which of them first reached the cake. Peter Grey had pushed +down Edward Ashford, who caught hold of Robert Fordyce, and they all +three rolled to the bottom together, so that nobody could tell which had +won the race; while Mr. Harwood laboured in vain to convince them that +the cake belonged neither to the one nor the other, being his own +property. + +They all laughed at Harry for being distanced, and arriving last; while +Mr. Harwood watched him coming down, and was pleased to observe how +carefully he attended to Laura, though still, being annoyed at the riot +and confusion which Harry had occasioned, he determined to appear +exceedingly angry, and put on a very terrible voice, saying, + +"Hollo! young gentleman! what shall I do to you for beginning this +uproar? As the old proverb says, 'one fool makes many.' How dare you +roll my fine cake down the hill in this way, and send everybody rolling +after it? Look me in the face, and say you are ashamed of yourself!" + +Harry looked at Mr. Harwood--and Mr. Harwood looked at Harry. They both +tried to seem very grave and serious, but somehow Harry's eyes glittered +very brightly, and two little dimples might be seen in his cheeks. Mr. +Harwood also had his eye-brows gathered into a terrible frown, but still +his eyes were likewise sparkling, and his mouth seemed to be pursed up +in a most comical manner. After staring at each other for several +minutes, both Mr. Harwood and Harry burst into a prodigious fit of +laughing, and nobody could tell which began first or laughed longest. + +"Master Graham! you must send a new frock to every little girl of the +party, and a suit of clothes to each of the boys, for having caused +theirs to be all destroyed. I really meant to punish you severely for +beginning such a riot, but something has made me change my mind. In +almost every moment of our lives, we either act amiably of unamiably, +and I observed you treat Miss Laura so kindly and properly all this +morning, that I shall say not another word about + + "THE PRODIGIOUS CAKE." + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. + + "For," said she, in spite of what grandmama taught her, + "I'm really remarkably fond of the water." + + * * * * * + + She splashed, and she dashed, and she turned herself round, + And heartily wished herself safe on the ground. + + +Once upon a time Harry and Laura had got into so many scrapes, that +there seemed really no end to their misconduct. They generally forgot to +learn any lessons--often tore their books--drew pictures on their +slates, instead of calculating sums--and made the pages of their +copy-books into boats; besides which, Mrs. Crabtree caught them one day, +when a party of officers dined at Lady Harriet's, with two of the +captain's sword-belts buckled round their waists, and cocked hats upon +their heads, while they beat the crown of a gentleman's hat with a +walking-stick, to sound like a drum. + +Still it seemed impossible to make uncle David feel sufficiently angry +at them, though Mrs. Crabtree did all she could to put him in a passion, +by telling the very worst; but he made fifty excuses a-minute, as if he +had been the naughty person himself, instead of Harry or Laura, and +above all he said that they both seemed so exceedingly penitent when he +explained their delinquencies, and they were both so ready to tell upon +themselves, and to take all the blame of whatever mischief might be +done, that he was determined to shut his eyes and say nothing, unless +they did something purposely wrong. + +One night, when Mrs. Crabtree had gone out, Major Graham felt quite +surprised on his return home from a late dinner party, to find Laura and +Harry still out of bed. They were sitting in his library when he +entered, both looking so tired and miserable that he could not imagine +what had happened; but Harry lost no time in confessing that he and +Laura feared they had done some dreadful mischief, so they could not +sleep without asking pardon, and mentioning whose fault it was, that the +maids might not be unjustly blamed. + +"Well, you little imps of mischief! what have I to scold you for now?" +asked uncle David, not looking particularly angry. "Is it something that +I shall be obliged to take the trouble of punishing you for? We ought to +live in the Highlands, where there are whole forests of birch ready for +use? Why are your ears like a bell-rope, Harry? because they seem made +to be pulled. Now, go on with your story. What is the matter?" + +"We were playing about the room, uncle David, and Laura lost her ball, +so she crept under that big table which has only one large leg. There is +a brass button below, so we were trying if it would come off, when all +on a sudden, the table fell quite to one side, as you see it now, +tumbling down those prodigious books and tin boxes on the floor! I +cannot think how this fine new table could be so easily broken; but +whenever we even look at anything, it seems to break!" + +"Yes, Harry! You remind me of Meddlesome Matty in the nursery rhymes, + + "Sometimes she'd lift the teapot lid + To peep at what was in it, + Or tilt the kettle, if you did + But turn your back a minute. + In vain you told her not to touch, + Her trick of meddling grew so much." + +You have scarcely left my poor table a leg to stand upon! How am I ever +to get it mended?" + +"Perhaps the carpenter could do it to-morrow!" + +"Or, perhaps uncle David could do it this moment," said Major Graham, +raising the fallen side with a sudden jerk, when Harry and Laura heard a +sound under the table like the locking of a door, after which the whole +affair was rectified. + +"Did I ever--!" exclaimed Harry, staring with astonishment, "so we have +suffered all our fright for nothing, and the table was not really +broken! I shall always run to you, uncle David, when we are in a scrape, +for you are sure to get us off." + +"Do not reckon too certainly on that, Master Harry; it is easier to get +into one than to get out of it, any day; but I am not so seriously angry +at the sort of scrapes Laura and you get into, because you would not +willingly and deliberately do wrong. If any children commit a mean +action, or get into a passion, or quarrel with each other, or omit +saying their prayers and reading their Bibles, or tell a lie, or take +what does not belong to them, then it might be seen how extremely angry +I could be; but while you continue merely thoughtless and forgetful, I +mean to have patience a little longer before turning into a cross old +uncle with a pair of tawse." + +Harry sprung upon uncle David's knee, quite delighted to hear him speak +so very kindly, and Laura was soon installed in her usual place there +also, listening to all that was said, and laughing at his jokes. + +"As Mrs. Crabtree says," continued Major Graham, "'we cannot put an old +head on young shoulders;' and it would certainly look very odd if you +could." + +So uncle David took out his pencil, and drew a funny picture of a cross +old wrinkled face upon young shoulders, like Laura's, and after they had +all laughed at it together for about five minutes, he sent the children +both to bed, quite merry and cheerful. + +A long time elapsed afterwards without anything going wrong; and it was +quite pleasant to see such learning of lessons, such attention to rules, +and such obedience to Mrs. Crabtree, as went on in the nursery during +several weeks. At last, one day, when Lady Harriet and Major Graham were +preparing to set off on a journey, and to pay a short visit at Holiday +House, Laura and Harry observed a great deal of whispering and talking +in a corner of the room, but they could not exactly discover what it was +all about, till Major Graham said very earnestly, "I think we might +surely take Laura with us." + +"Yes," answered Lady Harriet, "both the children have been invited, and +are behaving wonderfully well of late, but Lord Rockville has such a +dislike to noise, that I dare not venture to take more than one at a +time. Poor Laura has a very severe cough, so she may be recovered by +change of air. As for Harry, he is quite well, and therefore he can stay +at home." + +Now, Harry thought it very hard that he was to be left at home, merely +because he felt quite well, so he immediately wished to be very ill +indeed, that he might have some chance of going to Holiday House; but +then he did not exactly know how to set about it. At all events, Harry +determined to catch a cold like Laura's, without delay. He would not, +for the whole world have pretended to suffer from a cough if he really +had none, because uncle David had often explained that making any one +believe an un-truth was the same as telling a lie; but he thought there +might be no harm in really getting such a terrible cold, that nothing +could possibly cure it except change of air, and a trip to Holiday +House with Laura. Accordingly Harry tried to remember every thing that +Mrs. Crabtree had forbid him to do "for fear of catching cold." He +sprinkled water over his shirt collar in the morning before dressing, +that it might be damp; he ran violently up and down stairs to put +himself in a heat, after which he sat between the open window and door +till he felt perfectly chilled; and when going to bed at night, he +washed his hair in cold water without drying it. Still, all was in vain! +Harry had formerly caught cold a hundred times when he did not want one; +but now, such a thing was not to be had for love or money. Nothing +seemed to give him the very slightest attempt at a cough; and when the +day at last arrived for Lady Harriet to begin her journey, Harry still +felt himself most provokingly well. Not so much as a finger ached, his +cheeks were as blooming as roses, his voice as clear as a bell, and when +uncle David accidentally said to him in the morning, "How do you do?" +Harry was obliged, very much against his will, to answer, "Quite well, I +thank you!" + +In the meantime, Laura would have felt too happy if Harry could only +have gone with her; and even as it was, being impatient for the happy +day to arrive, she hurried to bed an hour earlier than usual the night +before, to make the time of setting out appear nearer; and she could +scarcely sleep or eat for thinking of Holiday House, and planning all +that was to be done there. + +"It is pleasant to see so joyous a face," said Major Graham. "I almost +envy you, Laura, for being so happy." + +"Oh! I quite envy myself! but I shall write a long letter every day to +poor Harry, telling him all the news, and all my adventures." + +"Nonsense! Miss Laura! wait till you come home," said Mrs. Crabtree. +"Who do you think is going to pay postage for so many foolish letters?" + +"I shall!" answered Harry. "I have got sixpence, and two pence, and a +half penny, so I shall buy every one of Laura's letters from the +postman, and write her an answer immediately afterwards. She will like +to hear, Mrs. Crabtree, how very kind you are going to be, when I am +left by myself here. Perhaps you will play at nine pins with me, and +Laura can lend you her skipping rope." + +"You might as well offer uncle David a hobby-horse," said Frank, +laughingly, throwing his satchel over his shoulders. "No, Harry! you +shall belong to me now. Grandmama says you may go every day to my +play-ground, where all the school-boys assemble, and you can have plenty +of fun till Laura comes back. We shall jump over the moon every morning, +for joy." + +Harry brightened up amazingly, thinking he had never heard such good +news before, as it was a grand piece of promotion to play with real big +school-boys; so he became quite reconciled to Laura's going away for a +short time without him; and when the hour came for taking leave, instead +of tears being shed on either side, it would have been difficult to say, +as they kissed each other and said a joyous good-bye, which face looked +the most delighted. + +All Laura's clothes had been packed the night before, in a large chaise +seat, which was now put into the carriage along with herself, and every +thing seemed ready for departure, when Lady Harriet's maid was suddenly +taken so very ill, as to be quite unfit for travelling; therefore she +was left behind, and a doctor sent for to attend her; while Lady Harriet +said she would trust to the maids at Holiday House, for waiting upon +herself and Laura. + +It is seldom that so happy a face is seen in this world, as Laura wore +during the whole journey. It perfectly sparkled and glittered with +delight, while she was so constantly on a broad grin laughing, that +Major Graham said he feared her mouth would grow an inch wider on the +occasion. + +"You will tire of sitting so long idle! It is a pity we did not think of +bringing a few lesson-books in the carriage to amuse you, Laura," said +the Major, slyly. "A piece of needle-work might have beguiled the way. I +once knew an industrious lady who made a ball dress for herself in the +carriage during a journey." + +"How very stupid of her to miss seeing all the pretty trees, and +cottages, and farm-houses! I do like to watch the little curly-headed, +dirty children, playing on the road, with brown faces, and hair bleached +white in the sun; and the women hanging out their clothes on the hedges +to dry; and the blacksmith shoeing horses, and the ducks swimming in the +gutters, and the pigs thrusting their noses out of the sty, and the old +women knitting stockings, and the workmen sitting on a wall to eat their +dinners! It looks all so pretty, and so pleasant!" + +"What a picture of rural felicity! You ought to be a poet or a painter, +Laura!" + +"But I believe poets always call this a miserable world: and I think it +the happiest place I have ever been in, uncle David! Such fun during the +holidays! I should go wild altogether, if Mrs. Crabtree were not rather +cross sometimes." + +"Or very cross always," thought Major Graham. "But here we are, Laura, +near our journey's end. Allow me to introduce you to Holiday House! Why, +you are staring at it like a dog looking at a piece of cold beef! My +dear girl, if you open your eyes so wide, you will never be able to shut +them again!" + +Holiday House was not one of those prodigious places, too grand to be +pleasant, with the garden a mile off in one direction, and the farm a +mile off in another, and the drawing-room a mile off from the +dining-room; but it was a very cheerful modern mansion, with rooms +enough to hold as many people as any one could desire to see at once, +all very comfortably furnished. A lively, dashing river, streamed past +the windows; a small park, sprinkled with sheep, and shaded by fine +trees, surrounded the house; and beyond were beautiful gardens filled +with a superabundance of the gayest and sweetest common flowers. Roses, +carnations, wall flowers, holly-hocks, dahlias, lilies, and violets, +were assembled there in such crowds, that Laura might have plucked +nosegays all day, without making any visible difference; and she was +also made free of the gooseberry bushes and cherry-trees, with leave to +gather, if she pleased, more than she could eat. + +Every morning, Laura entered the breakfast-room with cheeks like the +roses she carried, bringing little bouquets for all the ladies, which +she had started out of bed early, in order to gather; and her great +delight was to see them worn and admired all the forenoon, while she was +complimented on the taste with which they had been selected and +arranged. She filled every ornamental jar, basin, and tea-cup in the +drawing-room, with groups of roses, and would have been the terror of +any gardener but the one at Holiday House, who liked to see his flowers +so much admired, and was not keeping up any for a horticultural show. + +Laura's chief delight, however, was in the dairy, which seemed the most +beautiful thing she had ever beheld, being built of rough transparent +spar, which looked exactly like crystal, and reminded her of the ice +palace built by the Empress of Russia. The windows were of painted +glass; the walls and shelves were of Dutch tiles, and in the centre rose +a beautiful jet d'eau of clear bright water. + +Laura thought it looked like something built for the fairies; but within +she saw a most substantial room, the floor and tables in which were so +completely covered with cheeses, that they looked like some old Mosaic +pavement. Here the good-natured dairy-maid showed Laura how to make +cheese, and afterwards manufactured a very small one about the size of a +soup plate, entirely for the young lady herself, which she promised to +take home after her visit was over; and a little churn was also filled +full of cream, which Laura one morning churned into butter, and +breakfasted upon, after having first practised printing it into a +variety of shapes. It was altered about twenty times from a swan into a +cow, and from a cow into a rose, and from a rose back to a swan again, +before she could be persuaded to leave off her amusement. + +Laura continued to become more and more delighted with Holiday House; +and she one day skipped about Lady Harriet's room, saying, "Oh! I am too +happy! I scarcely know what to do with so much happiness. How delightful +it would be to stay here all my life, and never to go to bed, nor say +any more lessons as long as I live!" + +"What a useless, stupid girl you would soon become," observed Lady +Harriet. "Do you think, Laura, that lessons were invented for no other +purpose but to torment little children?" + +"No, grandmama; not exactly! They are of use also to keep us quiet." + +"Come here, little madam, and listen to me. I shall soon be very old, +Laura, and not able to read my Bible, even with spectacles; for, as the +Scriptures told us, in that affecting description of old age, which I +read to you yesterday, 'the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the +grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the +windows be darkened:' what then do you think I can do, because the Bible +now is my best comfort, which I shall need more and more every day, to +tell me all about the eternal world where I am going, and to shew me the +way." + +"Grandmama! you promised long ago to let me attend on you when you grow +old and blind! I shall be very careful, and very--very--very kind. I +almost wish you were old and blind now, to let you feel how much I love +you, and how anxious I am to be as good to you as you have always been +to me. We shall read the Bible together every morning, and as often +afterwards as you please." + +"Thank you, my dear child! but you must take the trouble of learning to +read well, or we shall be sadly puzzled with the difficult words. A +friend of mine once had nobody that could read to her when she was ill, +but the maid, who bargained that she might leave out every word above +one syllable long, because they were too hard for her; and you could +hardly help laughing at the nonsense it sometimes made; but I hope you +will manage better." + +"O certainly, grandmama! I can spell chrononhotonthologos, and all the +other five-cornered words in my 'Reading Made Easy,' already." + +"Besides that, my dear Laura! unless you learn to look over my bills, I +may be sadly cheated by servants and shop-keepers. You must positively +study to find out how many cherries make five." + +"Ah! grandmama! nobody knows better than I do, that two and two make +four. I shall soon be quite able to keep your accounts." + +"Very well! but you have not yet heard half the trouble I mean to give +you. I am remarkably fond of music, and shall probably at last be +obliged to hire every old fiddler as he passes in the street, by giving +him sixpence in order to enjoy some of my favourite tunes." + +"No, grandmama! you shall hear them all from me. I can play Malbrook, +and Auld Robin Grey, already; and Frank says if I practise two hours +every day for ten years, I shall become a very tolerable player, fit for +you and uncle David to hear, without being disagreeable." + +"Then that will be more than seven thousand hours of musical lessons +which you have yet to endure, Laura! There are many more things of +still greater importance to learn also, if you wish to be any better +than a musical snuff-box. For instance, when visitors come to see me, +they are often from France or Italy; but perhaps you will not mind +sitting in the room as if you were deaf and dumb, gazing at those +foreigners, while they gaze at you, without understanding a syllable +they say, and causing them to feel strange and uncomfortable as long as +they remain in the house." + +"No! I would not for the world seem so unkind and uncivil. Pray, let me +learn plenty of languages." + +"Very well! but if you study no geography, what ridiculous blunders you +will be falling into! asking the Italians about their native town +Madrid, and the Americans if they were born at Petersburgh. You will be +fancying that travellers go by steam-boats to Moscow, and travel in a +day from Paris, through Stockholm to Naples. How ashamed I should be of +such mistakes!" + +"And so should I, grandmama, still more than you; for it would be quite +a disgrace." + +"Do you remember, Laura, your uncle David laughing, when he last went to +live at Leamington, about poor Mrs. Marmalade coming up stairs to say, +she did not wish to be troublesome, but should feel greatly obliged if +he would call at Portsmouth occasionally to see her son Thomas. And when +Captain Armylist's regiment was ordered last winter to the village of +Bathgate near this, he told me they were to march in the course of that +morning, all the way to Bagdad." + +"Yes, grandmama! and Mrs. Crabtree said some weeks ago, that if her +brother went to Van Dieman's Land, she thought he would of course in +passing, take a look at Jerusalem; and Frank was amused lately to hear +Peter Grey maintain, that Gulliver was as great a man as Columbus, +because he discovered Liliput!" + +"Quite like him! for I heard Peter ask one day lately, what side +Bonaparte was on at the battle of Leipsic? We must include a little +history I think, Laura, in our list of studies, or you will fancy that +Lord Nelson fought at the battle of Blenheim, and that Henry VIII. cut +off Queen Mary's head." + +"Not quite so bad as that, grandmama! I seem to have known all about +Lord Nelson and Queen Mary, ever since I was a baby in long frocks! You +have shewn me, however, that it would be very foolish not to feel +anxious for lessons, especially when they are to make me a fit companion +for you at last." + +"Yes, Laura! and not only for me, but for many whose conversation will +entertain and improve you more than any books. The most delightful +accomplishment that a young person can cultivate, is that of conversing +agreeably; and it is less attended to in education than any other. You +cannot take a harp or piano about with you, but our minds and tongues +are always portable, and accompany us wherever we go. If you wish to be +loved by others, and to do good to your associates, as well as to +entertain them, take every opportunity of conversing with those who are +either amiable or agreeable; not only attending to their opinions, but +also endeavouring to gain the habit of expressing your own thoughts with +ease and fluency; and then rest assured, that if the gift of +conversation be rightly exercised, it is the most desirable of all, as +no teaching can have greater influence in leading people to think and +act aright, than the incidental remarks of an enlightened Christian, +freely and unaffectedly talking to his intimate friends." + +"Well, grandmama! the moral of all this is, that I shall become busier +than any body ever was before, when we get home; but in the meantime, I +may take a good dose of idleness now at Holiday House, to prepare me for +settling to very hard labour afterwards," said Laura, hastily tying on +her bonnet. "I wonder if I shall ever be as merry and happy again!" + +Most unfortunately, all the time of Laura's visit at Holiday House, she +had been, as usual, extremely heedless, in taking no care whatever of +her clothes; consequently her blue merino frock had been cruelly torn; +her green silk dress became frightfully soiled; four white frocks were +utterly ruined; her Swiss muslin seemed a perfect object, and her pink +gingham was both torn and discoloured. Regularly every evening Lady +Harriet told her to take better care, or she would be a bankrupt in +frocks altogether; but whatever her grandmama said on that subject, the +moment she was out of sight, it went out of mind, till another dress had +shared the same deplorable fate. + +At last, one morning, as soon as Laura got up, Lady Harriet gravely led +her towards a large table on which all the ill-used frocks had been laid +out in a row; and a most dismal sight they were! Such a collection of +stains and fractures was probably never seen before! A beggar would +scarcely have thanked her for her blue merino; and the green silk frock +looked like the tattered cover of a worn-out umbrella. + +"Laura," said Lady Harriet, "in Switzerland a lady's wardrobe descends +to many generations; but nobody will envy your successor! One might +fancy that a wild beast had torn you to pieces every day! I wonder what +an old clothesman would give for your whole baggage! It is only fit for +being used as rags in a paper manufactory!" + +Poor Laura's face became perfectly pink when she saw the destruction +that a very short time had occasioned: and she looked from one tattered +garment to another, in melancholy silence, thinking how lately they had +all been fresh and beautiful; but now not a vestige of their former +splendour remained. At last her grandmama broke the awful silence, by +saying, + +"My dear girl! I have warned you very often lately that we are not at +home, where your frocks could be washed and mended as soon as they were +spoiled; but without considering this you have, every day, destroyed +several, so now the maid finds, on examining your drawers, that there is +only one clean frock remaining!" + +Laura looked gravely at the last clean frock, and wondered much what her +grandmama would say next. + +"I do not wish to make a prisoner of you at home during this very fine +weather, yet in five minutes after leaving the house, you will, of +course, become unfit to be seen, which I should very much regret, as a +number of fine people are coming to dinner, whom you would like to see. +The great General Courteney, and all his Aide-de-Camps, intend to be +here on their way from a review, besides many officers and ladies who +know your papa very well, and wish to see my little grand-daughter; but +I would not on any account allow you to appear before them, looking like +a perfect tatterdemalion, as you too often do. They would suppose you +had been drawn backwards through a hedge! Now my plan is, that you shall +wear this old pink gingham for romping all morning in the garden, and +dress in your last clean frock for dinner; but remember to keep out of +sight till then. Remain within the garden walls, as none of the company +will be walking there, but be sure to avoid the terrace and shrubberies +till you are made tidy, for I shall be both angry and mortified if your +papa's friends see you for the first time looking like rag-fair." + +Laura promised to remember her grandmama's injunctions, and to remain +invisible all morning; so off she set to the garden, singing and +skipping with joy, as she ran towards her pleasant hiding-place, +planning twenty ways in which the day might be delightfully spent alone. +Before long she had strung a long necklace of daisies--she had put many +bright leaves in a book to dry--she had made a large ball of cowslips +to toss in the air--she had watered the hyacinths, with a watering-pot, +till they were nearly washed away--she had plucked more roses than could +possibly be carried, and eat as many gooseberries and cherries as it was +convenient to swallow,--but still there were several hours remaining to +be enjoyed, and nothing very particular, that Laura could think of, to +do. + +Meantime, the miserable pink frock was torn worse than ever, and seemed +to be made of nothing but holes, for every gooseberry-bush in the garden +had got a share of it. Laura wished pink gingham frocks had never been +invented, and wondered why nothing stronger could be made! Having become +perfectly tired of the garden, she now wished herself anywhere else in +the world, and thought she was no better off, confined in this way +within four walls, than a canary bird in a cage. + +"I should like so much to go, if it were only for five minutes, on the +terrace!" said she to herself. "How much pleasanter it is than this. +Grandmama did not care where I went, provided nobody saw me! I may at +least take a peep to see if any one is there!" + +Laura now cautiously opened the garden-door, and put her head out, +intending only to look for a moment, but the moment grew longer and +longer, till it stretched into ten minutes. + +"What crowds of fine people are walking about on the terrace!" thought +she. "It looks as gay as a fair! Who can that officer be in a red coat, +and cocked hat with white feathers. Probably General Courteney paying +attention to Lady Rockville. There is a lady in a blue cloak and blue +flowers! how very pretty! Everybody is so exceedingly smart! and I see +some little boys too! Grandmama never told me any children were coming! +I wonder how old they are, and if they will play with me in the evening! +It would be very amusing to venture a little nearer, and get a better +glimpse of them all!" + +If Laura's wishes pointed one way and her duty pointed the other, it was +a very sad thing how often she forgot to pause and consider which she +ought to follow; and on this occasion, as usual, she took the naughty +side of the question, and prepared to indulge her curiosity, though very +anxious that nothing might happen to displease her grandmama. She +observed at some distance on the terrace, a remarkably large thick +holly-bush, near which the great procession of company would probably +pass before long, therefore, hoping nobody could possibly see her there, +she stole hastily out of the garden, and concealed herself behind it; +but when children do wrong, in hopes of not being found out, they +generally find themselves mistaken, as Laura soon discovered to her +cost. It is very lucky, however, for the culprits, when they are +detected, that they may learn never to behave so foolishly again, +because the greatest misfortune that can happen to a child is, not to be +found out and punished when he does wrong. + +A few minutes after Laura had taken her station behind the holly-bush, +crowds of ladies and officers came strolling along, so very near her +hiding-place, that she saw them all distinctly, and felt excessively +amused and delighted at first, to be perched like a bird in a tree +watching this grand party, while nobody saw her, nor guessed that she +was there. Presently, however, Laura became sadly frightened when an +officer in a scarlet coat happened to look towards the holly-bush, and +exclaimed, with some surprise, + +"There is surely something very odd about that plant! I see large pink +spots between the leaves!" + +"Oh no, Captain Digby, you are quite mistaken," answered one of the +ladies, dressed in a bright yellow bonnet and green pelisse. "I see +nothing particular there! only a common ugly bush of holly! I wonder you +ever thought of noticing it!" + +"But, Miss Perceval! there certainly is something very curious behind! +I would bet five to one there is!" replied Captain Digby, stepping up, +close to the holly-bush, and peeping over: "What have we here! a ragged +little girl, I do believe! in a pink frock!" + +Poor Laura was now in a terrible scrape; she started up immediately to +run away. Probably she never ran so fast in her life before, but Captain +Digby was a person who enjoyed a joke, so he called out + + "Tally-ho! a race for a thousand pounds!" + +Off set the Captain, and away flew Laura. At any other time she would +have thought it capital fun, but now she was frightened out of her wits, +and tore away at the very top of her speed. The whole party of ladies +and gentlemen stood laughing, and applauding, to see how fast they both +cleared the ground, while Laura, seeing the garden gate still wide open, +hoped she might be able to dart in, and close it, but alas! when she +arrived within four steps of the threshold, feeling almost certain of +escape, Captain Digby seized hold of her pink frock behind. It instantly +began tearing, so she had great hopes of leaving the piece in his hand +and getting off; but he was too clever for that, as he grasped hold of +her long sash, which was floating far out behind, and led Laura a +prisoner before the whole company. + +When Lady Harriet discovered that this was really Laura advancing, her +head hanging down, her hair streaming about her ears, and her face like +a full moon, she could scarcely credit her own eyes, and held her hands +up with astonishment, while uncle David shrugged his shoulders, till +they almost met over his head, but not a word was said on either side +until they got home, when Lady Harriet at last broke the awful silence +by saying, + +"My dear girl! you must, of course, be severely punished for this act of +disobedience, and it is not so much on account of feeling angry at your +misconduct that I mean to correct you, but because I love you, and wish +to make you behave better in future. Parents are appointed by God to +govern their children as he governs us, not carelessly indulging their +faults, but wisely correcting them, for we are told that our Great +Father in heaven chastens those whom he loves, and only afflicts us for +great and wise purposes. I have suffered many sorrows in the world, but +they always made me better in the end, and whatever discipline you meet +with from me, or from that Great Being who loves you still more than I +do, let it teach you to consider your ways, to repent of your +wilfulness, and to pray that you may be enabled to act more properly in +future." + +"Yes, grandmama," replied Laura, with tears in her eyes, "I am quite +willing to be punished, for it was very wrong indeed to make you so +vexed and ashamed, by disobeying your orders." + +"Then here is a long task which you must study before dinner, as a +penalty for trespassing bounds. It is a beautiful poem on the death of +Sir John Moore, which every school-girl can repeat, but being rather +long, you will scarcely have time to learn it perfectly, before coming +down to dessert, therefore, that you may be quite ready, I shall ring +now for Lady Rockville's maid, and have you washed and dressed +immediately. Remember this is your last clean frock, and be sure not to +spoil it." + +When Laura chose to pay attention, she could learn her lessons +wonderfully fast, and her eyes seemed nailed to the book for some time +after Lady Harriet went away, till at last she could repeat the whole +poem perfectly well. It was neither "slowly nor sadly" that Laura "laid +down" her book, after practising it all, in a sort of jig time, till she +could rattle over the poem like a rail-road, and she walked to the +window, still murmuring the verses to herself with prodigious glee, and +giving little thought to their melancholy subject. + +A variety of plans suggested themselves to her mind for amusing herself +within doors, as she had been forbidden to venture out, and she lost no +time in executing them. First, she tried on all her grandmama's caps at +a looking-glass, none of which were improved by being crushed and +tumbled in such a way. Then she quarrelled with Lady Rockville's +beautiful cockatoo, till it bit her finger violently, and after that, +she teazed the old cat till it scratched her; but all these diversions +were not sufficiently entertaining, so Laura began to grow rather tired, +till at last she went to gaze out at the portico of Holiday House, being +perfectly determined, on no account whatever, to go one single step +farther. + +Here Laura saw many things which entertained her extremely, for she had +scarcely ever seen more of the country than was to be enjoyed with Mrs. +Crabtree in Charlotte Square. The punctual crows were all returning home +at their usual hour for the evening, and looked like a black shower over +her head, while hundreds of them seemed trying to make a concert at +once; the robins hopped close to her feet, evidently accustomed to be +fed; a tame pheasant, as fat as a London alderman, came up the steps to +keep her company; and the peacock, spreading his tail, and strutting +about, looked the very picture of silly pride and vanity. + +Laura admired and enjoyed all this extremely, and crumbled down nearly a +loaf of bread, which she scattered on the ground, in order to be popular +among her visitors, who took all they could get from her, and quarrelled +among themselves about it, very much as boys and girls would perhaps +have done in the same circumstances. + +It happened at this moment, that a large flock of geese crossed the +park, on their way towards the river, stalking along in a slow majestic +manner, with their heads high in the air. Laura observed them at a +distance, and thought they were the prettiest creatures in the world, +with their pure white feathers and yellow stockings, so she wondered +what kind of birds these were, having never seen a goose before, except +when roasted for dinner, though, indeed, she was a sad goose herself, as +will very soon be told. + +"How I should like to examine those large, white, beautiful birds, a +little nearer," thought Laura to herself. "I wonder if they could swim +or fly!--oh! how perfect they would look, floating like water-lilies on +the river, and then I might take a bit of bread to throw in, and they +would all rush after it!" + +Laura, as usual, did not wait to reflect what her grandmama might be +likely to think; indeed it is to be feared Laura forgot at the moment +that she had a grandmama at all, for her mind was never large enough to +hold more than one thing at a time, and now it was entirely filled with +the flock of geese. She instantly set off in pursuit of them, and began +chasing the whole party across the park, making all sorts of dreadful +noises, in hopes they might fly; but, on the contrary, they held up +their heads, as if she had been a dancing-master, and marched slowly on, +cackling loudly to each other, and evidently getting extremely angry. + +Laura was now quite close to her new acquaintances, and even threw a +pebble to hurry them forward, when suddenly an old gander stopped, and +turned round in a terrible rage. The whole flock of geese then did the +same, after which they flew towards Laura, with their bills wide open, +hissing furiously, and stretching out their long necks in an angry +menacing way, as if they wished to tear her in pieces. + +Poor Laura became frightened out of any wits she ever had, and ran off, +with all the geese after her! Anybody must have laughed into fits, could +they have heard what a triumphant cackle the geese set up, and had they +seen how fast she flew away. If Laura had borrowed a pair of wings from +her pursuers, she could scarcely have got more quickly on. + +In the hurry of escaping, she always looked back to see if the enemy +followed, and scarcely observed which way she ran herself, till suddenly +her foot stumbled over a large stone, and she fell headlong into the +river!--oh, what a scream Laura gave! it terrified even the old gander +himself, and sent the whole flock of geese marching off, nearly as fast +as they had come; but Laura's cries also reached, at a great distance, +the ears of somebody, who she would have been very sorry to think had +heard them. + +Lady Harriet, and all her friends at Holiday House, were taking a +delightful walk under some fine old fir trees, on the banks of the +river, admiring the beautiful scenery, while Miss Perceval was admiring +nothing but her own fine pocket handkerchief, which had cost ten +guineas, being worked with her name, trimmed with lace, and perfumed +with eau de Cologne; and Captain Digby was admiring his own scarlet +uniform, reflected in the bright clear water, and varying his employment +occasionally by throwing pebbles into the stream, to see how far they +would go. Suddenly, however, he stopped, with a look of surprise and +alarm, saying, "What noise can that be!--a loud scream in the water!" + +"Oh dear, no! it was only one of those horrid peacocks," answered Miss +Perceval, waving her fine pocket handkerchief. "They are the most +disagreeable, noisy creatures in the world! If mama ever keeps one, I +shall get him a singing-master, or put a muzzle on his mouth!" + +"But surely there is something splashing in the river at a great +distance. Do you not see that!--what can it be?" + +"Nothing at all, depend upon it! I could bet the value of my pocket +handkerchief, ten guineas, that it is nothing. Officers who live +constantly in barracks are so unaccustomed to the country, that they +seem to expect something wonderful shall happen every minute! That is +probably a salmon or a minnow." + +"I am determined, however, to see. If you are quite sure this is a +salmon, will you promise to eat for your dinner whatever we find, +provided I can catch it?" + +"Certainly! unless you catch a whale! Oh! I have dropped my pocket +handkerchief,--pray pick it up!" + +Captain Digby did so; but without waiting to examine the pattern, he +instantly ran forward, and to his own very great astonishment, saw Laura +up to her knees in the river, trying to scramble out, while her face was +white with terror, and her limbs trembled with cold, like a poodle dog +newly washed. + +"Why, here you are again!--the very same little girl that I caught in +the morning," cried he, laughing heartily, while he carefully pulled +Laura towards the bank, though, by doing so, he splashed his beautiful +uniform most distressingly. "We have had a complete game at bo-peep +to-day, my friend! but here comes a lady who has promised to eat you up, +therefore I shall have no more trouble." + +Laura would have consented to be eaten up with pleasure, rather than +encounter Lady Harriet's eye, who really did not recognize her for the +first minute, as no one can suppose what a figure she appeared. The last +clean frock had been covered entirely over with mud--her hair was +dripping with water--and her new yellow sash might be any colour in the +world. Laura felt so completely ashamed she could not look up from the +ground, and so sorry she could not speak, while hot tears mingled +themselves with the cold water which trickled down her face. + +"What is the matter! Who is this?" cried Lady Harriet, hurrying up to +the place where they stood. "Laura!! Impossible!!!" + +"Let me put on a pair of spectacles, for I cannot believe my eyes +without them!" said Major Graham. "Ah! sure enough it is Laura, and +such a looking Laura as I never saw before. You must have had a nice +cold bath!" + +"I have heard," continued Lady Harriet, "that naughty people are often +ducked in the water as a punishment, and in that respect I am sure Laura +deserves what she has got, and a great deal more." + +"She reminds me," observed Captain Digby, "of the Chinese bird which has +no legs, so it constantly flies about from place to place, never a +moment at rest." + +"Follow me, Laura," said Lady Harriet, "that I may hear whether you have +anything to say for yourself on this occasion. It is scarcely possible +that there can be any excuse, but nobody should be condemned unheard." + +When Laura had been put into dry clothes, she told her whole history, +and entreated Lady Harriet to hear how very perfectly she had first +learned her task, before venturing to stir out of the room; upon which +her grandmama consented, and amidst tears and sobs, the monody on Sir +John Moore was repeated without a single mistake. Lady Rockville then +came in, to entreat that, as this was the last day of the visit to +Holiday House, Laura might be forgiven and permitted to appear at +dessert, as all the company were anxious to see her, and particularly +Captain Digby, who regretted that he had been the means at first of +getting her into a scrape. + +"Indeed, my dear Lady Rockville! I might perhaps have agreed to your +wishes," answered Lady Harriet, "particularly as Laura seems sincerely +sorry, and did not premeditate her disobedience; but she actually has +not a tolerable frock to appear in now!" + +"I must lend her one of my velvet dresses to destroy next," said Lady +Rockville, smiling. + +"Uncle David's Mackintosh cloak would be the fittest thing for her to +wear," replied Lady Harriet, rising to leave the room. "Laura, you must +learn a double task now! Here it is! and at Lady Rockville's request I +excuse you this once; though I am sorry that, for very sufficient +reasons, we cannot see you at dessert, which otherwise I should have +been most happy to do." + +Laura sat down and cried during a quarter of an hour after Lady Harriet +had gone to dinner. She felt sorry for having behaved ill, and sorry to +have vexed her good grandmama; and sorry not to see all the fine party +at dessert; and sorry to think that next day she must leave Holiday +House; and sorry, last of all, to consider what Mrs. Crabtree would say +when all her ruined frocks were brought home. In short, poor Laura felt +perfectly overwhelmed with the greatness and variety of her griefs, and +scarcely believed that any one in the world was ever more miserable than +herself. + +Her eyes were fixed on her task, while her thoughts were wandering fifty +miles away from it, when a housemaid, who had frequently attended upon +Laura during her visit, accidentally entered the room, and seemed much +surprised, as well as concerned, to find the young lady in such a way, +for her sobbing could be heard in the next room. It was quite a relief +to see any one; so Laura told over again all the sad adventures of the +day, without attempting to conceal how naughty she had been; and most +attentively was her narrative listened to, till the very end. + +"You see, Miss!" observed Nelly, "when people doesn't behave well, they +must expect to be punished." + +"So they should!" sobbed Laura; "and I dare say it will make me better! +I would not pass such a miserable day as this again, for the world; but +I deserve to be more punished than I am." + +"That's right, Miss!" replied Nelly, pleased to see the good effect of +her admonitions. "Punishment is as sure to do us good when we are +naughty, as physic when we are ill. But now you'll go down to dessert, +and forget it all." + +"No! grandmama would have allowed me, and Lady Rockville and every body +was so very kind about inviting me down; but my last clean frock is +quite unfit to be seen, so I have none to put on. Oh, dear! what a +thousand million of pities!" + +"Is that all, Miss! Then dry your eyes, and I can wash the frock in ten +minutes. Give it to me, and learn your lesson, so as to be ready when I +come back." + +Laura sprung off her seat with joy at this proposal, and ran--or rather +flew--to fetch her miserable object of a frock, which Nelly crumpled +under her arm, and walked away with, in such haste that she was +evidently determined to return very soon; while Laura took her good +advice, and sat down to learn her task, though she could hardly look at +the book during two minutes at a time--she watched so impatiently for +her benefactress from the laundry. + +At length the door flew open, and in walked Nelly, whose face looked as +red and hot as a beefsteak; but in her hand she carried a basket, on +which was laid out, in great state, the very cleanest frock that ever +was seen! It perfectly smelled of soap and water, starch and hot irons, +and seemed still almost smoking from the laundry; while Laura looked at +it with such delight and admiration, it might have been supposed she +never saw a clean frock before. + +When Lady Harriet was sitting after dinner that day, sipping her wine, +and thinking about no thing very particular, she became surprised to +feel somebody gently twitching her sleeve to attract notice. Turning +instantly round to ascertain what was the matter, and who it could be, +what was her astonishment to see Laura at her elbow, looking rather shy +and frightened. + +"How did you get here, child!" exclaimed Lady Harriet, in accents of +amazement, though almost laughing. "Am I never to see the last of you +to-day! Where did you get that frock! It must have dropped from the +clouds! Or did some good fairy give you a new one?" + +"That good fairy was Nelly the housemaid," whispered Laura. "She first +tossed my frock into a washing-tub; and then at the great kitchen fire +she toasted it, and----" + +"----And buttered it, I hope," added Major Graham. "Come here, Laura! I +can read what is written in your grandmama's face at this moment; and it +says, 'you are a tiresome little puss, that nobody can keep in any order +except uncle David;' therefore sit down beside him, and eat as many +almonds and raisins as he bids you." + +"You are a nice, funny uncle David!" whispered Laura, crushing her way +in between his chair and Miss Perceval's, "nobody will need a tongue +now, if you can read so exactly what we are all thinking." + +"But here is Miss Perceval, still more wonderful; for she knows by the +bumps on your head, all that is contained inside. Let me see if I could +do so! There is a large bump of reading, and a small one of writing and +arithmetic. Here is a terrible organ of breaking dolls and destroying +frocks. There is a very small bump of liking uncle David, and a +prodigious one of liking almonds and raisins!" + +"No! you are quite mistaken! It is the largest bump for loving uncle +David, and the small one for every thing else," interrupted Laura, +eagerly. "I shall draw a map of my head some day, to show you how it is +all divided." + +"And leave no room for any thing naughty or foolish! Your head should be +swept out, and put in order every morning, that not a single cobweb may +remain in your brains. What busy brains they must be for the next ten +years! But in the meantime let us hope that you will never again be +reduced to your + + "LAST CLEAN FROCK." + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +THE LONG LADDER. + + There was a young pickle, and what do you think? + He liv'd upon nothing but victuals and drink; + Victuals and drink were the chief of his diet, + And yet this young pickle could never be quiet. + + +One fine sultry day in the month of August, Harry and Laura stood at the +breakfast-room window, wondering to see the large broken white clouds, +looking like curds and whey, while the sun was in such a blaze of heat, +that every thing seemed almost red hot. The street door had become +blistered by the sun-beams. Jowler the dog lay basking on the pavement; +the green blinds were closed at every opposite house; the few gentlemen +who ventured out, were fanning themselves with their pocket +handkerchiefs; the ladies were strolling lazily along, under the +umbrageous shade of their green parasols; and the poor people who were +accustomed in winter to sell matches for lighting a fire, now carried +about gaudy paper hangings for the empty grates. Lady Harriet found the +butter so melted at breakfast, that she could scarcely lift it on her +knife; and uncle David complained that the sight of hot smoking tea put +him in a fever, and said he wished it could be iced. + +"I wonder how iced porridge would taste!" said Harry. "I put mine at the +open window to cool, but that only made it seem hotter. We were talking +of the gentleman you mentioned yesterday, who toasted his muffins at a +volcano; and certainly yours might almost be done at the drawing-room +window this morning." + +"Wait till you arrive at the countries I have visited, where, as +somebody remarked, the very salamanders die of heat. At Agra, which is +the hottest part of India, we could scarcely write a letter, because the +ink dries in the pen before you can get it to the paper. I was obliged, +when our regiment was there, to lie down in the middle of the day, +during several hours, actually gasping for breath; and to make up for +that, we all rose at midnight. An officer of ours, who lived long in +India, got up always at three in the morning, after we returned home, +and walked about the streets of Portsmouth, wondering what had become of +everybody." + +"I shall try not to grumble about weather any more," said Laura. "We +seem no worse off than other people." + +"Or rather we are a great deal better off! At Bermuda, where my regiment +stopped on the way to America, the inhabitants are so tormented with +high winds, that they build 'hurricane houses'--low, flat rooms, where +the families must retire when a storm comes on, as trees, houses, +people, and cattle, are all whirled about with such violence, that not a +life is safe on the island while it lasts." + +"That reminds me," said Lady Harriet, "of a droll mistake made yesterday +by the African camel, when he landed at Leith. His keepers were leading +him along the high road to be made a show of in Edinburgh, at a time +when the wind was particularly high; and the poor animal encountering +such clouds of dust, thought this must be a simoon of the desert, and +threw himself flat down, burying his nose in the ground, according to +custom on those occasions. It was with great difficulty that he could at +last be induced to face the danger, and proceed." + +"Quite a compliment to our dust," observed Laura. "But really in such a +hot day, the kangaroos and tigers might feel perfectly at home here. +Oh! how I should like to visit the GEOlogical Gardens in London!" + +"Then suppose we set off immediately!" said Major Graham, pretending to +rise from his chair. "Your grandmama's donkey-carriage holds two." + +"Ah! but you could carry the donkey-carriage more easily than it could +carry you!" + +"Shall I try? Well, if we go, who is to pay the turnpikes, for I +remember the time, not a hundred years ago, when Harry and you both +thought that paying the gates was the only expense of travelling. You +asked me then how poor grandmama could afford so many shillings and +sixpences." + +"We know all about every thing now though!" said Harry, nodding in a +very sagacious manner. "I can tell exactly how much time it takes going +by the public coach to London, and it sleeps only one night on the +road." + +"Sleeps!" cried uncle David. "What! it puts on a night-cap, and goes to +bed?" + +"Yes! and it dines and breakfasts too, Mr. uncle David, for I heard Mrs. +Crabtree say so." + +"Never name anybody, unless you wish to see her immediately," said Major +Graham, hearing a well-known tap at the door. "As sure as you mention an +absent person, if he is supposed to be fifty miles off at the time, it +is rather odd, but he instantly appears!" + +"Then there is somebody that I shall speak about very often." + +"Who can this Mr. Somebody be?" asked uncle David, smiling. "A foolish +person that spoils you both I dare say, and gives you large slices of +bread and jelly like this. Hold them carefully! Now, good bye, and joy +be with you." + +But it was with rather rueful faces that Harry and Laura left the room, +wishing they might have remained another hour to talk nonsense with +uncle David, and dreading to think what new scrapes and difficulties +they would get into in the nursery, which always seemed to them a place +of torture and imprisonment. + +Major Graham used to say that Mrs. Crabtree should always have a +thermometer in her own room when she dressed, to tell her whether the +weather was hot or cold, for she seemed to feel no difference, and +scarcely ever made any change in her own attire, wearing always the same +pink gown and scarlet shawl, which made her look like a large red +flower-pot, while she was no more annoyed with the heat than a +flower-pot would have been. On this very oppressive morning she took as +much pains in suffocating Harry with a silk handkerchief round his neck, +as if it had been Christmas, and though Laura begged hard for leave to +go without one of her half-a-dozen wrappings, she might as well have +asked permission to go without her head, as Mrs. Crabtree seemed +perfectly deaf upon the subject. + +"This day is so very cold and so very shivering," said Harry, slyly, +"that I suppose you will make Laura wear at least fifty shawls." + +"Not above twenty," answered Mrs. Crabtree, dryly. "Give me no more of +your nonsense, Master Harry! This is no business of yours! I was in the +world long before you were born, and must know best; so hold your +tongue. None but fools and beggars need ever be cold." + +At last Mrs. Crabtree had heaped as many clothes upon her two little +victims, as she was pleased to think necessary; so she sallied forth +with them, followed by Betty, and proceeded towards the country, taking +the sunny side of the road, and raising clouds of dust at every step, +till Harry and Laura felt as if they had been made of wax, and were +melting away. + +"Mrs. Crabtree!" said Harry, "did you hear uncle David's funny story +yesterday? One hot morning a gentleman was watching an ant's nest, when +he observed, that every little insect, as it came out, plucked a small +leaf, to hold over its head, as a parasol! I wish we could find leaves +large enough for us." + +"You must go to the Botanical Gardens, where one leaf of a palm-tree was +shown to grandmama, which measured fourteen feet long," observed Laura. +"How horrid these very warm countries must be, where the heat is all the +year round like this!" + +"You may well say that," answered Mrs. Crabtree. "I would not go to them +East Indies--no! not if I were Governess-General,--to be running away +with a tiger at your back, and sleeping with real live serpents twisted +round the bed-post, and scorpions under your pillow! Catch me there! I'm +often quite sorry for Master Frank, to think that his ship is maybe +going that way! I'm told the very rats have such a smell in that +outlandish place, that if they touch the outside of a bottle with their +tails, it tastes of musk ever after; and when people are sitting +comfortably down, expecting to enjoy their dinner, a swarm of great ants +will come, and fall, an inch thick, on all the side-dishes. I've no +desire whatever to see foreign parts!" + +"But I wish to see every country in the universe," said Harry; "and I +hope there will be a rail-road all round the world before I am grown up. +Only think, Mrs. Crabtree, what fun lion-hunting must be, and catching +dolphins, and riding on elephants." + +The pedestrians had now arrived at the pretty village of Corstorphine, +when they were unexpectedly met by Peter Grey, who joined them without +waiting to ask leave. Here the hills are so beautifully wooded, and the +villas so charming, that Harry, Peter, and Laura stopped a moment, to +consider what house they would like best to live in. Near one side of +the road stood a large cart of hay, on the top of which were several +men, forking it in at the window of a high loft, which could only be +entered by a long ladder that leaned against the wall. It was a busy +joyous scene, and soon attracted the children's whole attention, who +were transfixed with delight, seeing how rapidly the people ran up and +down, with their pitchforks in their hands, and tilted the hay from the +cart into the loft, while they had many jokes and much laughter among +themselves. At last their whole business was finished, and the workmen +drove away for another supply, to the neighbouring fields, where they +had been raking and tossing it all morning, as merry as crickets. + +"What happy people!" exclaimed Harry, looking wistfully after the party, +and wishing he might have scrambled into the cart beside them. "I would +be a haymaker for nothing, if anybody would employ me; would not you, +Peter?" + +"It is very strange," said Master Grey, "why little ladies and gentlemen +seem always obliged to endure a perfectly useless walk every day, as you +and Laura are doing now. You never saw animals set out to take a stroll +for the good of their healths! How odd it would be to see a couple of +dogs set off for a country walk!" + +"Miss Laura!" said Mrs. Crabtree, "Master Harry may rest here for a +minute or two with Master Peter, and let them count their fingers, while +you come with Betty and me to visit a sick old aunt of mine who lives +round the corner; but be sure, boys, you do not presume to wander about, +or I shall punish you most severely. We are coming back in two minutes." + +Mrs. Crabtree had scarcely disappeared into a small shabby-looking +cottage, before Peter turned eagerly to Harry, with a face of great joy +and importance, exclaiming, "Only see how very lucky this is! The +haymakers have left their long ladder, standing on purpose for us! The +window of that loft is wide open, and I must climb up immediately to +peep in, because never, in all my life, did I see the inside of a +hay-loft before!" + +"Nor I!" added Harry. "Uncle David says, that all round the floor there +are deep holes, called mangers, down which food is thrown for the +horses, so that they can thrust their heads in, to take a bite, whenever +they choose." + +"How I should hate to have my dinner hung up always before my nose in +that way! Suppose the kitchen were placed above your nursery, and that +Mrs. Marmalade showered down tarts and puddings, which were to remain +there till you ate them, you would hate the sight of such things at +last. But now, Harry, for the hay-loft." + +Peter scrambled so rapidly up the ladder, that he soon reached the top, +and instantly vanished in at the window, calling eagerly for Harry to +follow. "You never saw such a nice, clean, funny place as this, in all +your life!--make haste!--come faster!--never mind crushing your hat or +tearing your jacket,--I'll put it all to rights. Ah! there!--that's the +thing!--walk up, gentlemen! walk up!--the grand show!--sixpence each, +and children half-price!" + +All this time, Harry was slowly, and with great difficulty, picking his +steps up the ladder, but a most troublesome business it was! First, his +foot became entangled in a rope,--then his hat got squeezed so out of +shape, it looked perfectly tipsy,--next, one of his shoes nearly came +off,--and afterwards he dropped his gloves; but at last he stumbled up +in safety, and stood beside Peter in the loft, both laughing with +delight at their own enterprize. + +The quantity of hay piled up on all sides, astonished them greatly, +while the nice, wide floor between, seemed larger than any drawing-room, +and was certainly made on purpose for a romp. Harry rolled up a large +ball of hay to throw at Peter, while he, in return, aimed at him, so +they ran after each other, round and round the loft, raising such a +riot, that the very "rafters dirled." + +The hay now flew about in clouds, while they jumped over it, or crept +under it, throwing handfuls about in every direction, and observing that +this was the best play-room they had ever been in. + +"How lucky that we came here!" cried Peter. "I should like to stay an +hour at least!" + +"Oh! two hours,--or three,--or all day," added Harry. "But what shall we +do about Mrs. Crabtree? She has not gone to settle for life with that +old sick aunt, so I am afraid we must really be hurrying back, in case +she may find out our expedition, and that, you know, Peter, would be +dreadful!" + +"Only fancy, Harry, if she sees you and me clinging to the ladder, about +half way down! what a way she would be in!" + +"We had better make haste," said Harry, looking around. "What would +grandmama say!--I wish we had never come up!" + +At this moment, Harry was still more brought to his senses, by hearing +Mrs. Crabtree's voice, exclaiming, in loud angry accents, "Where in all +the world can those troublesome boys be gone! I must tether them to a +tree the next time they are left together! Why! sure! they would not +venture up that long ladder in the hay-loft! If they have, they had +better never come down again, for I shall shew who is master here." + +"Peter Grey would run up a ladder to the stars, if he could find one," +replied Betty. "Here are Master Harry's gloves lying at the bottom of +it. They can be gone nowhere else, for I have searched every other +place. We must send the town-crier with his bell after them, if they are +not found up there!" + +Mrs. Crabtree now seemed fearfully angry, while Laura began to tremble +with fright for Harry, who was listening overhead, and did not know very +well what to do, but foolishly thought it best to put off the evil hour +of being punished as long as possible; so he and Peter silently crept in +below a great quantity of hay, and hid themselves so cunningly, that +even a thief-catcher could scarcely have discovered their den. In this +dark corner, Harry had time to reflect and to feel more and more alarmed +and sorry for his misconduct, so he said, in a very distressed voice, +"Oh, Peter! what a pity it is ever to be naughty, for we are always +found out, and always so much happier when we are good!" + +"I wonder how Mrs. Crabtree will get up the long ladder?" whispered +Peter, laughing. "I would give my little finger, and one of my ears, to +see her and Betty scrambling along!" + +Harry had to pinch Peter's arm almost black and blue before he would be +quiet; and by the time he stopped talking, Mrs. Crabtree and Betty were +both standing in the hay-loft, exceedingly out of breath with climbing +so unusually high, while Mrs. Crabtree very nearly fell, having stumbled +over a step at the entrance. + +"Why, sure! there's nobody here!" exclaimed she, in a disappointed tone. +"And what a disorderly place this is! I thought a hay-loft was always +kept in such nice order, with the floor all swept! but here is a fine +mess! Those two great lumps of hay in the corner look as if they were +meant for people to sleep upon!" + +Harry gave himself up for lost when Mrs. Crabtree noticed the place +where he and Peter had buried themselves alive; but to his great relief, +no suspicion seemed to have been excited, and neither of the two +searchers were anxious to venture beyond the door, after having so +nearly tripped upon the threshold. + +"They must have been stolen by a gipsey, or perhaps fallen into a well," +said Betty, who rather liked the bustle of an accident. "I always +thought Master Peter would break his neck, or something of that kind. +Poor thing! how distressed his papa will be!" + +"Hold your tongue," interrupted Mrs. Crabtree, angrily. "I wish people +would either speak sense, or not speak at all! Did you hear a noise +among the hay?" + +"Rats, I dare say! or perhaps a dog!" answered Betty, turning hastily +round, and hurrying down the ladder faster than she had come up. "I +certainly thought something moved in yon far corner." + +"Where can that little shrimp of a boy be hid?" added Mrs. Crabtree, +following. "He must have obedience knocked like a nail into his head, +with a few good severe blows. I shall beat him to powder when once we +catch him." + +"You may depend upon it," persisted Betty, "that some gipsey has got the +boys for the sake of their clothes. It will be a great pity, because +Master Harry had on his best blue jacket and trowsers." + +No sooner was the loft cleared of these unwelcome visitors, than Harry +and Peter began to recover from their panic, and jumped out of the hay, +shaking themselves free from it, and skipping about in greater glee than +ever. + +While they played about, as they had done before, and tumbled as if they +had been tumblers at Ducrow's, poor Harry got into such spirits, that he +completely forgot about the deep holes called mangers, for containing +the horse's food, till all at once, when Peter was running after him, he +fell, with a loud crash, headlong into one of them! Oh! what a scream he +gave!--it echoed through the stable, terrifying a whole team of horses +that were feeding there, more particularly the one into whose manger he +had fallen. The horse gave a tremendous start when Harry plunged down +close to his nose, and not being able to run away, he put back his ears, +opened his mouth, and kicked and struggled in the most frightful manner, +while Harry, who could not make his escape any more than the horse, +shouted louder and louder for help. + +Peter did all he could to assist Harry in this extraordinary +predicament, but finding it impossible to be of any use, he forgot their +terror of Mrs. Crabtree in his fears about Harry, and rushed to the +window, calling back their two pursuers, who were walking away at a +great distance. He screamed and hollooed, and waved his handkerchief, +without ceasing, till at last Mrs. Crabtree heard him, and turned round, +but never was anybody more astonished then she was, on seeing him there, +so she scolded, stormed, and raged, up to the very foot of the ladder. + +"Now, you are the besiegers, and I am the garrison!" cried Peter, when +he saw Mrs. Crabtree panting and toiling in her ascent. "We must make a +treaty of peace together, for I could tumble you over in a minute, by +merely pushing this end a very little more to one side!" + +"Do not touch it, Master Peter!" cried Mrs. Crabtree, almost afraid he +was in earnest. "There is a good boy,--be quiet!" + +"A good boy!!" whispered Peter to himself. "What a fright Mrs. Crabtree +must be in, before she said that!" + +The next moment Mrs. Crabtree snatched Harry out of the manger, and +shook him with rage. She then scolded and beat him, till he was +perfectly stupified with fright and misery, after which the whole party +were allowed to proceed towards home, while Harry stumbled along the +road, and hung down his head, wishing, fifty times over, that he and +Peter Grey had never gone up + + THE LONG LADDER. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +THE MAD BULL. + + There's something in a noble boy, + A brave, free-hearted, careless one; + With his uncheck'd, unbidden joy, + His dread of books and love of fun. + And in his clear and ready smile, + Unshaded by a thought of guile + And unrepress'd by sadness,-- + Which brings me to my childhood back, + As if I trod its very track, + And felt its very gladness. + + Willis. + + +One evening, when Harry and Laura came down to dessert, they were +surprised to observe the two little plates usually intended for them, +turned upside down, while uncle David pretended not to notice anything, +though he stole a glance to see what would happen next. On lifting up +these mysterious plates, what did they see lying underneath, but two +letters with large red seals, one directed to "Master Harry Graham," and +the other to "Miss Laura Graham." + +"A letter for me!!" cried Harry, in a tone of delighted astonishment, +while he tore open the seal, and his hand shook with impatience, so that +he could hardly unfold the paper. "What can it be about! I like getting +a letter very much! Is it from papa? Did the postman bring it?" + +"Yes, he did," said uncle David: "and he left a message that you must +pay a hundred pounds for it to-morrow." + +"Very likely, indeed," said Laura; "you should pay that for telling me +such a fine story; but my letter is worth more than a hundred pounds, +for it is inviting me to spend another delightful week at Holiday +House." + +"I am asked too! and not Mrs. Crabtree!" cried Harry, looking at his +letter, and almost screaming out for joy, whilst he skipped about the +room, rubbing his hands together, and ended by twirling Laura round and +round, till they both fell prostrate on the floor. + +"If that be meant as a specimen of how you intend to behave at Holiday +House, we had better send your apology at once," observed Lady Harriet, +smiling. "Lord Rockville is very particular about never hearing any +noise, and the slamming of a door, or even the creaking of a pair of +unruly shoes, would put him distracted." + +"Yes!" added uncle David, "Holiday House is as quiet as Harry's drum +with a hole in it. If a pin drops in any part of the mansion, Lord +Rockville becomes annoyed, and the very wasps scarcely dare to buz at +his window so loud as at any other person's. You will feel quite +fish-out-of-water-ish, trying to be quiet and hum-drum for a whole week, +so let me advise you not to go." + +"The meaning of advice always is something that one would rather wish +not to do," observed Laura, gravely. "I never in my life was advised to +enjoy anything pleasant! Taking physic--or learning lessons--or staying +at home, are very often advised, but never playing--or having a +holiday--or amusing ourselves!" + +"You know, Laura! that Harry's little Shetland pony, Tom Thumb, in my +field, is of no use at present, but kicks, and capers, and runs about +all day; yet presently he will be led out fastened to a rope, and made +to trot round and round in a circle, day after day, till he has no +longer a will of his own,--that is education. Afterwards he shall have a +bridle put in his mouth, which some little girls would be much the +better of also, when he shall be carefully guided ever afterwards in the +best ways; and you likewise will go much more steadily for all the +reining-in and whipping you have got from Mrs. Crabtree and me, which +may, perhaps, make you keep in the road of duty more easily hereafter." + +"Uncle David!" said Harry, laughing, "we have read in the Arabian +Nights, about people being turned into animals, but I never thought you +would turn Laura into a horse! What shall we do with my little Shetland +pony if I go away next week?" + +"I have thought of a capital plan for making Tom Thumb useful during the +whole winter! Your grandmama wants a watch-dog in the country, so we +shall build him a kennel--put a chain round his neck, and get some one +to teach him to bark." + +"Uncle David should be Professor of Nonsense at the University," said +Lady Harriet, smiling. "But, my dear children, if you are allowed to pay +this visit at Holiday House, I hope you will endeavour to behave +creditably?" + +"Yes," added Major Graham, "I understand that Lord Rockville wished to +have some particularly quiet children there, for a short time, so he +fixed upon Harry and Laura! Poor, mistaken Lord Rockville! But, my good +friends, try not to break all his china ornaments the first day--spare a +few jars and tea-cups--leave a pane of glass or two in the windows, and +throw none of your marbles at the mirrors." + +"I remember hearing," said Lady Harriet, "that when Miss Pelham was +married last year, her old aunt, Mrs. Bouverie, sent for her and said, +that as she could not afford to give baubles or trinkets, she would give +her a very valuable piece of advice; and what do you think it was, +Laura?" + +"I have no idea! Do tell me." + +"Then I shall bestow it on you, as the old lady did on her niece--'Be +careful of china, paper and string, for they are all very transitory +possessions in this world!'" + +"Very true! and most judicious!" observed Major Graham, laughing. "I +certainly know several persons who must have served an apprenticeship +under that good lady. Many gentlemen now, who despatch all their +epistles from the club, because there the paper costs them nothing, and +a number of ladies, who, for the same good reason, never write letters +till they are visiting in a country house." + +Having received so many warnings and injunctions about behaving well, +Harry and Laura became so quiet during the first few days at Holiday +House, that they were like shadows flitting through the rooms, going +almost on tiptoe, scarcely speaking above a whisper, and observing that +valuable rule for children, to let themselves be seen, but not heard. +Lord Rockville was quite charmed with such extreme good conduct, for +they were both in especial awe of him, and thought it a great +condescension if he even looked at them, he was so tall, so grand, and +so grave, wearing a large powdered wig and silver spectacles, which gave +him a particularly venerable appearance, though Harry was one day very +near getting into disgrace upon that subject. His Lordship had a habit +of always carrying two pairs of spectacles in his pocket, and often, +after thrusting one pair high on his forehead, he forgot where they +were, and put the others on his nose, which had such a droll appearance, +that the first time Harry saw it, he felt quite taken by surprise, and +burst into a fit of laughter, upon which Lord Rockville gave him such a +comical look of surprise and perplexity, that Harry's fit of laughing +got worse and worse. The more people know they are wrong, and try to +stop, the more convulsive it becomes, and the more difficult to look +grave again, so at last, after repeated efforts to appear serious and +composed, Harry started up, and in his hurry to escape, very nearly +slammed the door behind him, which would have given the last finish to +his offences. + +Both the little visitors found Lady Rockville so extremely indulgent and +kind, that she seemed like another grandmama, therefore they gradually +ventured to talk some of their own nonsense before her, and even to try +some of their old ways, and frolicsome tricks, which she seldom found +any fault with, except when Harry one day eloped with Lord Rockville's +favourite walking-stick, to be used as a fishing-rod among the minnows, +with a long thread at the end for a line, and a crooked pin to represent +the hook, while, on the same day, Laura privately mounted the ass that +gave Lord Rockville's ass's milk, and rode it all round the park, while +he sat at home expecting his usual refreshing tumbler. Still they both +passed muster for being very tolerable children, and his Lordship was +heard once to say, in a voice of great approbation, that Master and Miss +Graham were so punctual at dinner, and so perfectly quiet, he really +often forgot they were in the house. Indeed, Harry's complaisance on the +day after he had laughed so injudiciously about the spectacles, was +quite unheard of, as he felt anxious to make up for his misconduct; and +when Lord Rockville asked if he would like a fire in the play-room, as +the evening was chilly, he answered very politely, "Thank you, my Lord! +We are ready to think it hot or cold, just as you please!" + +All this was too good to last! One morning, when Harry and Laura looked +out of the window, it was a most deplorably wet day. The whole sky +looked like a large grey cotton umbrella, and the clouds were so low +that Harry thought he could almost have touched them. In short, as Lord +Rockville remarked, "it rained cats and dogs," so his Lordship knitted +his brows, and thrust his hands into his waistcoat pockets, walking up +and down the room in a perfect fume of vexation, for he was so +accustomed to be obeyed, that it seemed rather a hardship when even the +weather contradicted his wishes. To complete his vexation, as "single +misfortunes never come alone," his valet, when carelessly drying the +Morning Post at a large kitchen fire, had set it in flames, so that all +the wonderful news it contained became reduced to ashes, therefore Lord +Rockville might well have given notice, that, for this day at least, he +had a right to be in extremely bad humour. + +Lady Rockville privately recommended Harry and Laura to sit quietly down +and play at cat's cradle, which accordingly they did, and when that +became no longer endurable, some dominos were produced. Thus the morning +wore tediously away till about two o'clock, when suddenly the rain +stopped, the sun burst forth with prodigious splendour, every leaf in +the park glittered, as if it had been sprinkled with diamonds, and a +hundred birds seemed singing a chorus of joy, while bees and butterflies +fluttered at the windows and flew away rejoicing. + +Harry was the first to observe this delightful change, and with an +exclamation of delight, he sprang from his seat, pulled Laura from hers, +upset the domino-table, and rushed out of the room, slamming the door +with a report like twenty cannons. Away they both flew to the forest, +Laura swinging her bonnet in her hand, and Harry tossing his cap in the +air, while Lord Rockville watched them angrily from the drawing-room +window, saying, in a tone of extreme displeasure, "That boy has a voice +that might do for the town-crier! He laughs so loud, it is enough to +crack every glass in the room! I wish he were condemned to pass a week +in those American prisons where no one is allowed to speak. In short, he +would be better anywhere than here, for I might as well live with a +hammer and tongs, as with the two children together. They are more +restless than the quicksilver figures from China, and I wish they were +as quiet, but my only comfort is, that at any rate they come home +punctually to dinner at five. Nothing is so intolerable as people +dropping in too late and disordering the table." + +Meantime, the woods at Holiday House rung with sounds of mirth and +gaiety, while Harry scrambled up the trees like a squirrel, and swung +upon the branches, gathering walnuts and crab-apples for Laura, after +which they both cut their names upon the bark of Lord Rockville's +favourite beech, so that every person who passed that way must observe +the large distinct letters. They were laughing and chatting over this +exploit, both talking at once, as noisy and happy as possible, and +expecting nothing particular to happen, when, all on a sudden, Laura +turned pale, and grasped hold of Harry's arm, saying, in a low +frightened voice, + +"Hush, Harry!--hush!--I hear a very strange noise. It sounds like some +wild beast! What can that be?" + +Harry listened as if he had ten pair of ears, and nearly cracked his +eye-balls staring round him, to see what could be the matter. A curious +deep growling sound might be heard at some distance, while there was the +noise of something trampling heavily on the ground, and of branches +breaking off the trees, as if some large creature was forcing his way +through. Harry and Laura now stood like a couple of little statues, not +daring to breathe, they felt so terrified! The noise grew louder and +louder, while it gradually came nearer and nearer, till at length a +large black bull burst into view, with his tail standing high in the +air, while he tore up the ground with his horns, bellowing as loudly as +he could roar, and galloping straight towards the place where they +stood. + +Laura's knees tottered under her, and she instantly dropped on the +ground with terror, feeling as if she would die the next minute of +fright, while, as for attempting to escape, it never entered her head to +think that possible. Harry felt quite differently, for he was a bold +boy, not easily scared out of his senses, and instantly saw that +something must be done, or they would both be lost. Many selfish people +would have run away alone, without caring for the safety of any one but +themselves, which was not at all the case with Harry, who thought first +of his poor frightened companion. "Hollo, Laura! are you hiding in a +cart rut?" he exclaimed, pulling her hastily off the ground. "The bull +will soon find you there! Come! come! as fast as possible! we must have +a race for it yet! That terrible beast can scarcely make his way through +the trees and branches, they grow so closely! Perhaps we may get on as +fast as he!" + +All this time, Harry was dragging Laura along, and running himself into +the thickest part of the plantation; but it was very difficult to make +any progress, as she had become quite faint and bewildered with fright. + +"Oh, Harry!" cried she, trembling all over, "you must get on alone! I am +so weak with terror, it is impossible to run a step farther." + +"Do not waste your breath with talking," answered Harry, still pushing +on at full speed. "How can you suppose I would be so shabby as to make +my escape without you! No! no! we must either both be caught, or both +get off!" + +Laura felt so grateful to Harry when he said this, that she seemed for a +moment almost to forget the bull, which was still coming furiously on +behind, while she now made a desperate exertion to run faster than she +had been able to do before, clearing the ground almost as rapidly as +Harry could have done, though he still held her firmly by the hand, to +encourage her. + +The trampling noise continued, the breaking of branches, and the +frightful bellowing of this dreadful animal, when at last Harry caught +sight of a wooden paling, which he silently pointed out to Laura, being +quite unable now to speak. Having rushed forward to it, with almost +frantic haste, Harry threw himself over the top, after which he helped +Laura to squeeze herself through underneath, when they proceeded rather +more leisurely onwards. + +"That fence will puzzle Mr. Bull," said Harry triumphantly, yet gasping +for breath. "We can push through places where his great hoof could +scarcely be thrust! I saw him coming along, with his heels high in the +air, and his head down, like an enormous wheel-barrow." + +Scarcely had Harry spoken, before the infuriated animal advanced at full +gallop towards the fence, and after running along the side a little way, +he suddenly tore up the paling with his horns, as if it had been made of +paper, and rushed forward more rapidly than ever. + +Harry now began to fear that indeed all was over, for his strength had +become nearly exhausted, when, to his great joy, he espied a large, +rough stone wall, not very far off, which was as welcome a sight as land +to a shipwrecked sailor. + +"Run for your life, Laura!" he cried, pointing it out, to encourage her. +"There is safety, if we reach it." + +On they both flew, faster than the wind, and Harry having scrambled up +the wall, like a grasshopper, pulled Laura up beside him, and there they +both stood at last, encamped quite beyond the reach of danger, though +the enemy arrived a few minutes afterwards, pawing the air, and foaming +and bellowing with disappointment. + +"Laura!" said Harry, after she had a little recovered from her fright, +and was walking slowly homewards, while she cast an alarmed glance +frequently behind, thinking she still heard the bull in pursuit, "you +see, as uncle David says, whatever danger people are in, it is foolish +to be quite in despair, but we should rather think what it is best to +do, and do it directly." + +"Yes, Harry! and I shall never forget that you would not forsake me, +but risked your own life, like a brave brother, in my defence. I should +like to do as much for you another time!" + +"Thank you, Laura, as much as if you had, but I hope we shall never be +in such a scrape again! If Frank were here, he would put us both in mind +to thank a merciful God for taking so much care of us, and bringing us +safely home!" + +"Yes, Harry! It is perhaps a good thing being in danger sometimes, to +remind us that we cannot be safe or happy an hour without God's care, so +in our prayers to-night we must remember what has happened, and return +thanks very particularly." + +It was long past five before Harry and Laura reached Holiday House, +where Lord Rockville met them at the drawing-room door, looking taller, +and grander, and graver than ever, while Lady Rockville rose from her +sofa, and came up to them, saying, in a tone of gentle reproach, + +"My dear children! you ought to return home before the dinner hour, and +not keep his Lordship waiting!" + +The very idea of Lord Rockville waiting dinner was too dreadful ever to +have entered their heads till this minute; but Harry and Laura +immediately explained how exceedingly sorry they were for what had +occurred, and to show that it was their misfortune rather than their +fault, they told the whole frightful story of the mad bull, to which +Lady Rockville listened, as if her very hair were standing upon end, to +hear of such doings. She even turned up her eyes with astonishment to +think what a wonderful escape they had made; but his Lordship frowned +through his spectacles, and leaned his chin upon his stick, looking, as +Harry thought, very like a bear upon a pole. + +"Pshaw!--nonsense!" exclaimed Lord Rockville impatiently. "The bull +would have done you no harm! He is a most respectable, quiet, +well-disposed animal, and brought an excellent character from his last +place! I never heard a complaint of him before!" + +"It is curious," observed Laura, "that all bulls are reckoned peaceable +and tame, till they have tossed two or three people, and killed them!" + +"I thought," added Lord Rockville, looking very grand and contemptuous, +"that Harry was grown more a man than to be so easily put to flight. +When a bull, another time, threatens to toss you, seize hold of his +tail,--or toss him!--or, in short, do anything rather than run away the +first time an animal looks at you. This is a mere cock-and-a-bull story, +to excuse your keeping me waiting almost a quarter of an hour for my +dinner!--you should be made guard of a mail-coach for a month, to teach +you punctuality, Master Graham." + +Lord Rockville gravely looked at his watch, while Harry luckily +considered how often his grandmama had recommended him to make no answer +when he was scolded, so he nearly bit off the tip of his tongue to keep +it quiet, while he could not but wish, in his own mind, that my Lord +himself saw how very fierce the bull had looked. + +Laura felt more vexed on Harry's account than her own, and the dinner +went on as uncomfortably as possible; for even when a French cook has +dressed it, if ill-humour be the sauce, any dish becomes unpalatable. +Nothing was to be seen reflected on the surface of many fine silver +covers, but very cross, or very melancholy faces; while Lady Rockville +tried to make her own countenance look both cheerful and good-natured. +She told Harry and Laura, to divert them, that old Mrs. Bouverie had +once been pursued by a furious milch cow, along a lane, flanked on both +sides by such very high walls, that escape seemed impossible, so the +good lady, who was fat and breathless, became so desperate, that without +a hope of getting off, she seized the enraged animal by the horns, and +screamed in its face, till the cow herself became frightened. The +creature stared, stepping backwards and backwards, with increasing +alarm, till at last, to the old lady's great relief and surprise, she +fairly turned her tail and ran off. + +In the evening, Lord Rockville had not yet recovered his equanimity, and +went out, rather in bad humour, to take his usual walk before supper. +Without once remembering about Harry and the bull, he strolled a great +way into the woods, marking several trees to be cut down, and admiring a +fine forest which he had planted himself long ago, but without +particularly considering what way he turned. It was beginning, at last, +to grow very dark and gloomy, so Lord Rockville had some thoughts of +returning home, when he became suddenly startled by hearing a loud roar +not far off, and a moment afterwards the furious bull dashed out of a +neighbouring thicket, raging and foaming, and tearing the ground with +his horns, exactly as Harry had described in the morning, while poor +Lord Rockville, who seldom moved faster than a very dignified walk, +instantly quickened his pace, in an opposite direction, striding away +faster and faster, till at last,--it must be confessed,--his Lordship +ended by running!!! + +In spite of all Lord Rockville's exertions, the bull continued rapidly +to gain upon him, for his Lordship, being rather corpulent and easily +fatigued, stopped every now and then to gasp for breath; till at last, +feeling it impossible to get on faster, though the stables were now +within sight, he seized the branch of a large oak tree, which swept +nearly to the ground, and contrived, with great difficulty, to scramble +out of reach. + +The enraged bull gazed up into the tree and bellowed with fury, when he +saw Lord Rockville so judiciously perched overhead, and he remained for +half-an-hour, watching to see if his Lordship would venture down again. +At last the tormenting animal began leisurely eating grass under the +tree, but gradually he moved away, turning his back while he fed, till +Lord Rockville vainly deluded himself with the hope of stealing off +unobserved. Being somewhat rested and refreshed, while the enemy was +looking in another direction, he descended cautiously, as if he had been +going to tread upon needles and pins; but, unaccustomed to such +movements, he jumped so heavily upon the ground, that the bull hearing a +noise, turned round, and set up a loud furious roar, when he saw his +intended victim again within reach. + +Now the race began once more with redoubled agility! The odds seemed +greatly in favour of the bull, and Lord Rockville thought he already +felt the animal's horns in his side, when a groom, who saw the party +approaching, instantly seized a pitchfork and flew to the rescue of his +master. Lord Rockville never stopped his career till he reached the +stable, and ran up into a loft, from the window of which he gave the +alarm and called for more assistance, when several ploughmen and +stable-boys assembled, who drove the animal with great difficulty, into +a stall, where he continued so ungovernable, that iron chains were put +round his neck, and some days afterwards, seeing no one could manage +him, Lord Rockville ordered the bull to be shot, and his carcase turned +into beef for the poor of the parish, who all, consequently, rejoiced at +his demise; though the meat turned out so tough, that it required their +best teeth to eat it with. + +Meantime, on that memorable evening of so many adventures, Harry, Laura, +and Lady Rockville, wondered often what had become of his Lordship, and, +at last, when supper appeared at the usual hour, his absence became +still more unaccountable! + +"What can be the matter?" exclaimed Lady Rockville, anxiously. "This is +very odd! His Lordship is as punctual as the postman in general! +especially for supper; and here is Lord Rockville's favourite dish of +sago and wine, which will become uneatably cold in ten minutes, if he +does not return home to enjoy it!" + +Scarcely had she finished speaking, when the door opened and Lord +Rockville walked majestically into the room. There was something so +different from usual in his manner and appearance, however, that Harry +and Laura exchanged looks of astonishment; his neckcloth was loose--his +face excessively red--and his hand shook, while he breathed so hard, +that he might have been heard at the porter's lodge. Lady Rockville +gazed with amazement at all she saw, and then asked what he chose for +supper; but when Lord Rockville tried to speak, the words died on his +lips, so he could only point in silence to the sago and wine. + +"What in all the world has happened to you this evening, my Lord?" +exclaimed Lady Rockville, unable to restrain her curiosity a moment +longer. "I never saw you in such a way before! Your eyes are perfectly +blood-shot--your dress strangely disordered--and you seem so hot and so +fatigued! Tell me!--what is the matter?" + +"Nothing!" answered Lord Rockville, drawing himself up, while he tried +to look grander and graver than ever, though his Lordship could not help +panting for breath--putting his hands to his sides--and wiping his +forehead with his pocket-handkerchief in an agony of fatigue. Harry +observed all this for some time, as eagerly and intently as a cat +watches a bird on a tree. He saw that something extraordinary had +occurred, and he began to have hopes that it really was the very thing +he wished; because, seeing Lord Rockville now perfectly safe, he would +not have grudged him a pretty considerable fright from his friend the +bull. At last, unable any longer to control his impatience, Harry +started off his chair, gazing so earnestly at Lord Rockville, that his +eyes almost sprung out of their sockets, while he rubbed his hands with +ecstacy, saying, + +"I guess you've seen the bull? Oh! I am sure you did! Pray tell us if +you have? Did he run after you,--and did you run away?" + +Lord Rockville tried more than he had ever done in his life to look +grave, but it would not do. Gradually his face relaxed into a smile, +till at last he burst into loud peals of laughter, joined most heartily +by Harry, Laura, and Lady Rockville. Nobody recovered any gravity during +the rest of that evening, for whenever they tried to think or talk +quietly about anything else, Harry and Laura were sure to burst forth +again upon the subject, and even after being safely stowed in their beds +for the night, they both laughed themselves to sleep at the idea of Lord +Rockville himself having been obliged, after all, to run away from that +"most respectable, quiet, well-disposed animal, + + "THE MAD BULL!" + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +THE BROKEN KEY. + + First he moved his right leg, + Then he moved his left leg, + Then he said, "I pardon beg," + And sat upon his seat. + + +"Oh! uncle David! uncle David!" cried Laura, when they arrived from +Holiday House, "I would jump out of the carriage window with joy to see +you again; only the persons passing in the street might be surprised!" + +"Not at all! They are quite accustomed to see people jumping out of the +windows with joy, whenever I appear." + +"We have so much to tell you," exclaimed Harry and Laura, each seizing +hold of a hand, "we hardly know where to begin!" + +"Ladies and gentlemen! If you both talk at once, I must get a new pair +of ears! So you have not been particularly miserable at Holiday House?" + +"No! no! uncle David! we did not think there had been so much happiness +in the world," answered Laura, eagerly. "The last two days we could do +nothing but play and laugh, and"---- + +"And grow fat! Why! you both look so well fed, you are just fit for +killing! I shall be obliged to shut you up two or three days, without +anything to eat, as is done to pet lap-dogs, when they are getting +corpulent and gouty." + +"Then we shall be like bears living on our paws," replied Harry, "and +uncle David! I would rather do that, than be a glutton like Peter Grey. +He went to a cheap shop lately, where old cheese-cakes were sold at +half-price, and greedily devoured nearly a dozen, thinking that the dead +flies scattered on the top were currants, till Frank shewed him his +mistake!" + +"Frank should have let him eat in peace! There is no accounting for +tastes. I once knew a lady who liked to swallow spiders! She used to +crack and eat them with the greatest delight, whenever she could catch +one." + +"Oh! what a horrid woman! That is even worse than grandmama's story +about Dr. Manvers having dined on a dish of mice, fried in crumbs of +bread!" + +"You know the old proverb, Harry, 'one man's meat is another man's +poison.' The Persians are disgusted at our eating lobsters; and the +Hindoos think us scarcely fit to exist, because we live on beef; while +we are equally amazed at the Chinese for devouring dog pies, and +birds'-nest soup. You turn up your nose at the French for liking frogs; +and they think us ten times worse with our singed sheep's head, oat +cakes, and haggis." + +"That reminds me," said Lady Harriet, "that when Charles X. lived in +what he called the 'dear Canongate,' His Majesty was heard to say, that +he tried every sort of Scotch goose, 'the solan goose, the wild goose, +and the tame goose; but the best goose of all, was the hag-goose.'" + +"Very polite, indeed, to adopt our national taste so completely," +observed uncle David, smiling. "When my regiment was quartered in Spain, +an officer of ours, a great epicure, and not quite so complaisant, used +to say that the country was scarcely fit to live in, because there it is +customary to dress almost every dish with sugar. At last, one day, in a +rage, he ordered eggs to be brought up in their shells for dinner, +saying, 'that is the only thing the cook cannot possibly spoil.' We +played him a trick, however, which was very like what you would have +done, Harry, on a similar occasion. I secretly put pounded sugar into +the salt-cellar, and when he tasted his first mouthful, you should have +seen the look of fury with which he sprung off his seat, exclaiming, +'the barbarians eat sugar even with their eggs!'" + +"That would be the country for me to travel in," said Harry. "I could +live in a barrel of sugar; and my little pony, Tom Thumb, would be happy +to accompany me there, as he likes anything sweet." + +"All animals are of the same opinion. I remember the famous rider, +Ducrow, telling a brother-officer of mine, that the way in which he +gains so much influence over his horses, is merely by bribing them with +sugar. They may be managed in that way like children, and are quite +aware, if it be taken from them as a punishment for being restive." + +"Oh! those beautiful horses at Ducrow's! How often I think of them since +we were there!" exclaimed Harry. "They were quite like fairies, with +fine arched necks, and long tails!" + +"I never heard before of a fairy with a long tail, Master Harry; but +perhaps in the course of your travels you may have seen such a thing." + +"How I should like to ride upon Tom Thumb, in Ducrow's way, with my toe +on the saddle!" + +"Fine doings indeed!" exclaimed Mrs. Crabtree, who had entered the room +at this moment. "Have you forgotten already, Master Harry, how many of +the nursery plates you broke one day when I was out, in trying to copy +that there foolish Indian juggler, who tossed his plates in the air, and +twirled them on his thumb! There must be no more such nonsense; for if +once your neck is broke by a fall off Tom Thumb, no doctor that I know +of can mend it again. Remember what a terrible tumble you had off Jessy +last year!" + +"You are always speaking about that little overturn, Mrs. Crabtree; and +it was not worth recollecting above a week! Did you never see a man +thrown off his horse before?" + +"A man and horse indeed!" said uncle David, laughing, when he looked at +Harry. "You and your charger were hardly large enough then for a +toy-shop; and you must grow a little more, Captain Gulliver, before you +will be fit for a dragoon regiment." + +Harry and Laura stayed very quietly at home for several weeks after +their return from Holiday House, attending so busily to lessons, that +uncle David said he felt much afraid they were going to be a pair of +little wonders, who would die of too much learning. + +"You will be taken ill of the multiplication table some day, and +confined to bed with a violent fit of geography! Pray take care of +yourselves, and do not devour above three books at once," said Major +Graham one day, entering the room with a note in his hand. "Here is an +invitation that I suppose you are both too busy to accept, so perhaps I +might as well send an apology; eh, Harry?" + +Down dropped the lesson-books upon the floor, and up sprung Harry in an +ecstacy of delight. "An invitation! Oh! I like an invitation so very +much! Pray tell us all about it!" + +"Perhaps it is an invitation to spend a month with Dr. Lexicon. What +would you say to that? They breakfast upon Latin grammars at school, and +have a dish of real French verbs, smothered in onions, for dinner every +day." + +"But in downright earnest, uncle David! where are we going?" + +"Must I tell you? Well! that good-natured old lady, Mrs. Darwin, intends +taking a large party of children next week, in her own carriage, to pass +ten days at Ivy Lodge, a charming country house about twenty miles off, +where you are all to enjoy perfect happiness. I wish I could be ground +down into a little boy myself, for the occasion! Poor good woman! what a +life she will lead! There is only one little drawback to your delight, +that I am almost afraid to announce." + +"What is that, uncle David?" asked Harry, looking as if nothing in +nature could ever make him grave again. "Are we to bite off our own +noses before we return?" + +"Not exactly; but somebody is to be of the party who will do it for you. +Mrs. Darwin has heard that there are certain children who become +occasionally rather unmanageable! I cannot think who they can be, for it +is certainly nobody we ever saw; so she has requested that Mrs. Crabtree +will follow in the mail-coach." + +Harry and Laura looked as if a glass of cold water had been thrown in +their faces, after this was mentioned; but they soon forgot every little +vexation, in a burst of joy, when, some days afterwards, Mrs. Darwin +stopped at the door to pick them up, in the most curious-looking +carriage they had ever seen. It was a very large open car, as round as a +bird's nest, and so perfectly crowded with children, that nobody could +have supposed any room left even for a doll; but Mrs. Darwin said that +whatever number of people came in, there was always accommodation for +one more; and this really proved to be the case, for Harry and Laura +soon elbowed their way into seats and set off, waving their +handkerchiefs to Major Graham, who had helped to pack them in, and who +now stood smiling at the door. + +As this very large vehicle was drawn by only one horse, it proceeded +very slowly; but Mrs. Darwin amused the children with several very +diverting stories, and gave them a grand luncheon in the carriage; after +which, they threw what was left, wrapped up in an old newspaper, to some +people breaking stones on the road, feeling quite delighted to see the +surprise and joy of the poor labourers when they opened the parcel. In +short, everybody became sorry when this diverting journey was finished, +and they drove up, at last, to the gate of a tall old house, that looked +as if it had been built in the year one. The walls were very thick, and +quite mouldy with age. Indeed, the only wonder was, that Ivy Lodge had +still a roof upon its head, for every thing about it looked so tottering +and decayed. The very servants were all old; and a white-headed butler +opened the door, who looked as frail and gloomy as the house; but before +long, the old walls of Ivy Lodge rung and echoed again with sounds of +mirth and joy. It seemed to have been built on purpose for hide and +seek; there were rooms with invisible doors, and closets cut in the +walls, and great old chests where people might have been buried alive +for a year, without being found out. The gardens, too, were perfectly +enchanting. Such arbours to take strawberries and cream in! and such +summer-houses, where they drank tea out of doors every evening! Here +they saw a prodigious eagle, fastened to the ground by a chain, and +looking the most dull, melancholy creature in the world; while Harry +wished the poor bird might be liberated, and thought how delightful it +would be to stand by and see him soaring away to his native skies. + +"Yes! with a large slice of raw meat in his beak!" said Peter Grey, who +was always thinking of eating. "I dare say he lives much better here, +than he would do killing his own mutton up in the clouds there, or +taking his chance of a dead horse on the sea-shore occasionally." + +Harry and Peter were particularly amused with Mrs. Darwin's curious +collection of pets. There were black swans with red bills, swimming +gracefully in a pond close to the window, and ready to rush forward on +the shortest notice, for a morsel of bread. The lop-eared rabbits also +surprised them, with their ears hanging down to the ground, and they +were interested to see a pair of carrier-pigeons which could carry +letters as well as the postman. Mrs. Darwin showed them tumbler pigeons +too, that performed a summerset in the air when they flew, and horsemen +and dragoon pigeons, trumpeters and pouters, till Peter Grey at last +begged to see the pigeons that made the pigeon-pies, and the cow that +gave the butter-milk; he was likewise very anxious for leave to bring +his fishing-rod into the drawing-room, to try whether he could catch one +of the beautiful gold-fish that swam about in a large glass globe, +saying he thought it might perhaps be very good to eat at breakfast. +Mrs. Darwin had a pet lamb that she was exceedingly fond of, because it +followed her everywhere, and Harry, who was very fond of the little +creature, said he wished some plan could be invented to hinder its ever +growing into a great fat vulgar sheep; and he thought the white mice +were old animals that had grown grey with years. + +There were donkies for the children to ride upon, and Mrs. Darwin had a +boat that held the whole party, to sail in, round the pond, and she hung +up a swing that seemed to fly about as high as the house, which they +swung upon, after which they were allowed to shake the fruit-trees, and +to eat whatever came down about their ears; so it very often rained +apples and pears in the gardens at Ivy Lodge, for Peter seemed never to +tire of that joke; indeed the apple-trees had a sad life of it as long +as he remained. + +Peter told Mrs. Darwin that he had "a patent appetite," which was always +ready on every occasion; but the good lady became so fond of stuffing +the children at all hours, that even he felt a little puzzled sometimes +how to dispose of all she heaped upon his plate, while both Harry and +Laura, who were far from greedy, became perfectly wearied of hearing the +gong. The whole party assembled at eight every morning, to partake of +porridge and butter-milk, after which, at ten, they breakfasted with +Mrs. Darwin on tea, muffins, and sweetmeats. They then drove in the +round open car, to bathe in the sea, on their return from which, +luncheon was always ready, and after concluding that, they might pass +the interval till dinner among the fruit-trees. They never could eat +enough to please Mrs. Darwin at dinner; tea followed, on a most +substantial plan; their supper consisted of poached eggs, and the maid +was desired to put a biscuit under every visitor's pillow, in case the +young people should be hungry in the night, for Mrs. Darwin said she had +been starved at school herself, when she was a little girl, and wished +nobody ever to suffer, as she had done, from hunger. + +The good lady was so anxious for everything to be exactly as the +children liked it, that sometimes Laura felt quite at a loss what to say +or do. One day, having cracked her egg-shell at breakfast, Mrs. Darwin +peeped anxiously over her shoulder, saying, + +"I hope, my dear! your egg is all right?" + +"Most excellent indeed!" + +"Is it quite fresh?" + +"Perfectly! I dare say it was laid only a minute before it was boiled!" + +"I have seen the eggs much larger than that." + +"Yes! but then I believe they are rather coarse,--at least we think so, +when Mrs. Crabtree gives us a turkey egg at dinner." + +"If you prefer them small, perhaps you would like a guinea-fowl's egg?" + +"Thank you! but this one is just as I like them." + +"It looks rather over-done! If you think so, we could get another in a +minute!" + +"No! they are better well boiled!" + +"Then probably it is not enough done. Some people like them quite hard, +and I could easily pop it into the slop-basin for another minute." + +"I am really obliged to you, but it could not be improved." + +"Do you not take any more salt with your egg?" + +"No, I thank you!" + +"A few more grains would improve it!" + +"If you say so, I dare say they will." + +"Ah! now I am afraid you have put in too much! pray do get another!" + +This long-continued attack upon her egg was too much for Laura's +gravity, who appeared for some minutes to have a violent fit of +coughing, and ending in a burst of laughter, after which she hastily +finished all that remained of it, and thus ended the discussion. + +In the midst of all their happiness, while the children thought that +every succeeding day had no fault but being too short, and Harry even +planned with Peter to stop the clock altogether, and see whether time +itself would not stand still, nobody ever thought for a moment of +anything but joy; and yet a very sad and sudden distress awaited Mrs. +Darwin. One forenoon she received a letter that seemed very hastily and +awkwardly folded,--the seal was all to one side, and surrounded with +stray drops of red wax,--the direction appeared sadly blotted, and at +the top was written in large letters, the words, "To be delivered +immediately." + +When Mrs. Darwin hurriedly tore open this very strange-looking letter, +she found that it came from her own housekeeper in town, to announce the +dreadful event that her sister, Lady Barnet, had been that day seized +with an apoplectic fit, and was thought to be at the point of death, +therefore it was hoped that Mrs. Darwin would not lose an hour in +returning to town, that she might be present on the melancholy occasion. +The shock of hearing this news was so very great, that poor Mrs. Darwin +could not speak about it, but after trying to compose herself for a few +minutes, she went into the play-room, and told the children that, for +reasons she could not explain, they must get ready to return home in an +hour, when the car would be at the door for their journey. + +Nothing could exceed their surprise on hearing Mrs. Darwin make such an +unexpected proposal. At first Peter Grey thought she was speaking in +jest, and said he would prefer if she ordered out a balloon to travel +in, this morning; but when it appeared that Mrs. Darwin was really in +earnest about their pleasant visit being over so soon, Harry's face grew +perfectly red with passion, while he said in a loud angry voice, + +"Grandmama allowed me to stay here till Friday!--and I was invited to +stay,--and I will not go anywhere else!" + +"Oh fie, Master Harry!" said Mrs. Crabtree. "Do not talk so! You ought +to know better! I shall soon teach you, however, to do as you are bid!" + +Saying these words, she stretched out her hand to seize violent hold of +him, but Harry dipped down and escaped. Quickly opening the door, he +ran, half in joke and half in earnest, at full speed up two pairs of +stairs, followed closely by Mrs. Crabtree, who was now in a terrible +rage, especially when she saw what a piece of fun Harry thought this +fatiguing race. A door happened to be standing wide open on the second +landing-place, which, having been observed by Harry, he darted in, and +slammed it in Mrs. Crabtree's face, locking and double-locking it, to +secure his own safety, after which he sat down in this empty apartment +to enjoy his victory in peace. When people once begin to grow +self-willed and rebellious, it is impossible to guess where it will all +end! Harry might have been easily led to do right at first, if any one +had reasoned with him and spoken kindly, but now he really was in a sort +of don't-care-a-button humour, and scarcely minded what he did next. + +As long as Mrs. Crabtree continued to scold and rave behind the door, +Harry grew harder and harder; but at length the good old lady, Mrs. +Darwin herself, arrived up stairs, and represented how ungrateful he +was, not doing all in his power to please her, when she had taken so +much pains to make him happy. This brought the little rebel round in a +moment, as he became quite sensible of his own misconduct, and resolved +immediately to submit. Accordingly, Harry tried to open the door, but, +what is very easily done cannot sometimes be undone, which turned out +the case on this occasion, as, with all his exertions, the key would not +turn in the lock! Harry tried it first one way, then another. He twisted +with his whole strength, till his face became perfectly scarlet with the +effort, but in vain! At last he put the poker through the handle of the +key, thinking this a very clever plan, and quite sure to succeed, but +after a desperate struggle, the unfortunate key broke in two, so then +nobody could possibly open the door! + +After this provoking accident happened, Harry felt what a very bad boy +he had been, so he burst into tears, and called through the key-hole to +beg Mrs. Darwin's pardon, while Mrs. Crabtree scolded him through the +key-hole in return, till Harry shrunk away as if a cannonading had begun +at his ear. + +Meantime, Mrs. Darwin hurried off, racking her brains to think what had +best be done to deliver the prisoner, since no time could be lost, or +she might perhaps not get to town at all that night, and the car was +expected every minute, to come round for the travellers. The gardener +said he thought it might be possible to find a few ladders, which, being +tied one above another, would perhaps reach as high as the window, where +Harry had now appeared, and by which he could easily scramble down; so +the servants made haste to fetch all they could find, and to borrow all +they could see, till a great many were collected. These they joined +together very strongly with ropes, but when it was at last reared +against the wall, to the great disappointment of Mrs. Darwin, the +ladder appeared a yard and a-half too short! + +What was to be done? + +The obliging gardener mounted to the very top of his ladder, and Harry +leaned so far over the window, he seemed in danger of falling out, but +still they did not reach one another, so not a single person could guess +what plan was to be tried next. At length Harry called out very loudly +to the gardener, + +"Hollo! Mr. King of Spades! If I were to let myself drop very gently +down from the window, could you catch me in your arms?" + +"Mr. Harry! Mr. Harry! if you dare!" cried Mrs. Crabtree, shaking her +fist at him. "You'll be broken in pieces like a tea-pot, you'll be made +as flat as a pancake! Stay where you are! Do ye hear!" + +But Harry seemed suddenly grown deaf, and was now more than half +out--fixing his fingers very firmly on the ledge of the window, and +slowly dropping his legs downwards. + +"Oh Harry! you will be killed!" screamed Laura. "Stop! stop! Harry, are +you mad? can nobody stop him?" + +But nobody could stop him, for, being so high above everybody's head, +Harry had it all his own way, and was now nearly hanging altogether out +of the window, but he stopped a single minute, and called out, "Do not +be frightened, Laura! I have behaved very ill, and deserve the worst +that can happen. If I do break my head, it will save Mrs. Crabtree the +trouble of breaking it for me, after I come down." + +The gardener now balanced himself steadily on the upper step of the +ladder, and spread his arms out, while Harry slowly let himself drop. +Laura tried to look on without screaming out, as that might have +startled him, but the scene became too frightful, so she closed her +eyes, put her hands over her face and turned away, while her heart beat +so violently, that it might almost have been heard. Even Mrs. Crabtree +clasped her hands in an agony of alarm, while Mrs. Darwin put up her +pocket handkerchief, and could not look on another moment. An awful +pause took place, during which, a feather falling on the ground would +have startled them, when suddenly a loud shout from Peter Grey and the +other children, which was gaily echoed from the top of the ladder, made +Laura venture to look up, and there was Harry safe in the gardener's +arms, who soon helped him down to the ground, where he immediately asked +pardon of everybody for the fright he had given them. + +There was no time for more than half a scold from Mrs. Crabtree, as Mrs. +Darwin's car had been waiting some time; so Harry said she might be +owing him the rest, on some future occasion. + +"Yes! and a hundred lashes besides!" added Peter Grey, laughing. "Pray +touch him up well, Mrs. Crabtree, when you are about it. There is no law +against cruelty to boys!" + +This put Mrs. Crabtree into such a rage, that she followed Peter with a +perfect hail-storm of angry words, till at last, for a joke, he put up +Mrs. Darwin's umbrella to screen himself, and immediately afterwards the +car drove slowly off. + +When uncle David heard all the adventures at Ivy Lodge, he listened most +attentively to "the confessions of Master Harry Graham," and shook his +head in a most serious manner after they were concluded, saying, "I have +always thought that boys are like cats, with nine lives at least! You +should be hung up in a basket, Harry, as they do with unruly boys in the +South Sea Islands, where such young gentlemen as you are left dangling +in the air for days together without a possibility of escape!" + +"I would not care for that compared with being teazed and worried by +Mrs. Crabtree. I really wish, uncle David, that Dr. Bell would order me +never to be scolded any more! It is very bad for me! I generally feel an +odd sort of over-all-ish-ness as soon as she begins; and I am getting +too big now, for any thing but a birch-rod like Frank. How pleasant it +is to be a grown-up man, uncle David, as you are, sitting all day at the +club with your hat on your head, and nothing to do but look out of the +window. That is what I call happiness!" + +"But once upon a time, Harry," said Lady Harriet, "when I stopped in the +carriage for your uncle David at the club, he was in the middle of such +a yawn at the window, that he very nearly dislocated his jaw! it was +quite alarming to see him, and he told me in a great secret, that the +longest and most tiresome hours of his life are, when he has nothing +particular to do." + +"Now, at this moment, I have nothing particular to do," said Major +Graham, "therefore I shall tell you a wonderful story, children, about +liking to be idle or busy, and you must find out the moral for +yourselves." + +"A story! a story!" cried Harry and Laura, in an ecstacy of delight, and +as they each had a knee of uncle David's, which belonged to themselves, +they scrambled into their places, exclaiming, "Now let it be all about +very bad boys, and giants, and fairies!" + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +UNCLE DAVID'S NONSENSICAL STORY ABOUT +GIANTS AND FAIRIES. + + "Pie-crust and pastry-crust, that was the wall; + The windows were made of black-puddings and white, + And slated with pancakes--you ne'er saw the like!" + + +In the days of yore, children were not all such clever, good sensible +people as they are now! Lessons were then considered rather a plague, +sugar-plums were still in demand--holidays continued yet in fashion--and +toys were not then made to teach mathematics, nor story-books to give +instruction in chemistry and navigation. These were very strange times, +and there existed at that period, a very idle, greedy, naughty boy, such +as we never hear of in the present day. His papa and mama were----no +matter who,----and he lived, no matter where. His name was Master +No-book, and he seemed to think his eyes were made for nothing but to +stare out of the windows, and his mouth for no other purpose but to eat. +This young gentleman hated lessons like mustard, both of which brought +tears into his eyes, and during school-hours, he sat gazing at his +books, pretending to be busy, while his mind wandered away to wish +impatiently for his dinner, and to consider where he could get the +nicest pies, pastry, ices, and jellies, while he smacked his lips at +the very thoughts of them. I think he must have been first cousin to +Peter Grey, but that is not perfectly certain. + +Whenever Master No-book spoke, it was always to ask for something, and +you might continually hear him say, in a whining tone of voice, "Papa! +may I take this piece of cake? Aunt Sarah! will you give me an apple? +Mama! do send me the whole of that plum-pudding!" Indeed, very +frequently when he did not get permission to gormandize, this naughty +glutton helped himself without leave. Even his dreams were like his +waking hours, for he had often a horrible night-mare about lessons, +thinking that he was smothered with Greek Lexicons, or pelted out of the +school with a shower of English Grammars, while one night, he fancied +himself sitting down to devour an enormous plum-cake, and that all on a +sudden it became transformed into a Latin Dictionary! + +One afternoon, Master No-book, having played truant all day from school, +was lolling on his mama's best sofa in the drawing-room, with his +leather boots tucked up on the satin cushions, and nothing to do but to +suck a few oranges, and nothing to think of but how much sugar to put +upon them, when suddenly an event took place which filled him with +astonishment. + +A sound of soft music stole into the room, becoming louder and louder +the longer he listened, till at length, in a few moments afterwards, a +large hole burst open in the wall of his room, and there stepped into +his presence, two magnificent fairies, just arrived from their castle in +the air, to pay him a visit. They had travelled all the way on purpose +to have some conversation with Master No-book, and immediately +introduced themselves in a very ceremonious manner. + +The fairy Do-nothing was gorgeously dressed with a wreath of flaming gas +round her head, a robe of gold tissue, a necklace of rubies, and a +bouquet in her hand, of glittering diamonds. Her cheeks were rouged to +the very eyes,--her teeth were set in gold, and her hair was of a most +brilliant purple; in short, so fine and fashionable looking a fairy +never was seen in a drawing-room before. + +The fairy Teach-all, who followed next, was simply dressed in white +muslin, with bunches of natural flowers in her light brown hair, and she +carried in her hand a few neat small books, which Master No-book looked +at with a shudder of aversion. + +The two fairies now informed him, that they very often invited large +parties of children, to spend some time at their palaces, but as they +lived in quite an opposite direction, it was necessary for their young +guests to choose which it would be best to visit first; therefore now +they had come to inquire of Master No-book, whom he thought it would be +most agreeable to accompany on the present occasion. + +"In my house," said the fairy Teach-all, speaking with a very sweet +smile, and a soft, pleasing voice, "you shall be taught to find pleasure +in every sort of exertion, for I delight in activity and diligence. My +young friends rise at seven every morning, and amuse themselves with +working in a beautiful garden of flowers,--rearing whatever fruit they +wish to eat,--visiting among the poor,--associating pleasantly +together,--studying the arts and sciences,--and learning to know the +world in which they live, and to fulfil the purposes for which they have +been brought into it. In short, all our amusements tend to some useful +object, either for our own improvement or the good of others, and you +will grow wiser, better, and happier every day you remain in the Palace +of Knowledge." + +"But in Castle Needless where I live," interrupted the fairy Do-nothing, +rudely pushing her companion aside, with an angry contemptuous look, "we +never think of exerting ourselves for anything. You may put your head in +your pocket, and your hands in your sides as long as you choose to +stay. No one is ever even asked a question, that he may be spared the +trouble of answering. We lead the most fashionable life that can be +imagined, for nobody speaks to anybody! Each of my visitors is quite an +exclusive, and sits with his back to as many of the company as possible, +in the most comfortable arm-chair that can be imagined. There, if you +are only so good as to take the trouble of wishing for anything, it is +yours, without even turning an eye round to look where it comes from. +Dresses are provided of the most magnificent kind, which go on of +themselves, without your having the smallest annoyance with either +buttons or strings,--games which you can play without an effort of +thought,--and dishes dressed by a French cook, smoking hot and hot under +your nose, from morning till night,--while any rain we have, is either +made of cherry brandy, lemonade, or lavender water,--and in winter it +generally snows iced-punch for an hour during the forenoon." + +Nobody need be told which fairy Master No-book preferred; and quite +charmed at his own good fortune in receiving so agreeable an invitation, +he eagerly gave his hand to the splendid new acquaintance, who promised +him so much pleasure and ease, and gladly proceeded, in a carriage lined +with velvet, stuffed with downy pillows, and drawn by milk-white swans, +to that magnificent residence Castle Needless, which was lighted by a +thousand windows during the day, and by a million of lamps every night. + +Here Master No-book enjoyed a constant holiday and a constant feast, +while a beautiful lady, covered with jewels, was ready to tell him +stories from morning till night, and servants waited to pick up his +playthings if they fell, or to draw out his purse or his +pocket-handkerchief when he wished to use them. + +Thus Master No-book lay dozing for hours and days on rich embroidered +cushions, never stirring from his place, but admiring the view of trees +covered with the richest burned almonds, grottoes of sugar-candy, a jet +d'eau of champagne, a wide sea which tasted of sugar instead of salt, +and a bright clear pond, filled with gold-fish, that let themselves be +caught whenever he pleased. Nothing could be more complete, and yet, +very strange to say, Master No-book did not seem particularly happy! +This appears exceedingly unreasonable, when so much trouble was taken to +please him; but the truth is, that every day he became more fretful and +peevish. No sweetmeats were worth the trouble of eating, nothing was +pleasant to play at, and in the end he wished it were possible to sleep +all day, as well as all night. + +Not a hundred miles from the fairy Do-nothing's palace, there lived a +most cruel monster called the giant Snap-'em-up, who looked, when he +stood up, like the tall steeple of a great church, raising his head so +high, that he could peep over the loftiest mountains, and was obliged to +climb up a ladder to comb his own hair. + +Every morning regularly, this prodigiously great giant walked round the +world before breakfast for an appetite, after which, he made tea in a +large lake, used the sea as a slop-basin, and boiled his kettle on Mount +Vesuvius. He lived in great style, and his dinners were most +magnificent, consisting very often of an elephant roasted whole, ostrich +patties, a tiger smothered in onions, stewed lions, and whale soup; but +for a side-dish his greatest favourite consisted of little boys, as fat +as possible, fried in crumbs of bread, with plenty of pepper and salt. + +No children were so well fed, or in such good condition for eating, as +those in the fairy Do-nothing's garden, who was a very particular friend +of the great Snap-'em-up's, and who sometimes laughingly said she would +give him a license, and call her own garden his "preserve," because she +allowed him to help himself, whenever he pleased, to as many of her +visitors as he chose, without taking the trouble even to count them, +and in return for such extreme civility, the giant very frequently +invited her to dinner. + +Snap-'em-up's favourite sport was, to see how many brace of little boys +he could bag in a morning; so in passing along the streets, he peeped +into all the drawing-rooms without having occasion to get upon tiptoe, +and picked up every young gentleman who was idly looking out of the +windows, and even a few occasionally who were playing truant from +school, but busy children seemed always somehow quite out of his reach. + +One day, when Master No-book felt even more lazy, more idle, and more +miserable than ever, he lay beside a perfect mountain of toys and cakes, +wondering what to wish for next, and hating the very sight of everything +and everybody. At last he gave so loud a yawn of weariness and disgust, +that his jaw very nearly fell out of joint, and then he sighed so +deeply, that the giant Snap-'em-up heard the sound as he passed along +the road after breakfast, and instantly stepped into the garden, with +his glass at his eye, to see what was the matter. Immediately on +observing a large, fat, over-grown boy, as round as a dumpling, lying on +a bed of roses, he gave a cry of delight, followed by a gigantic peal of +laughter, which was heard three miles off, and picking up Master No-book +between his finger and his thumb, with a pinch that very nearly broke +his ribs, he carried him rapidly towards his own castle, while the fairy +Do-nothing laughingly shook her head as he passed, saying, "That little +man does me great credit!--he has only been fed for a week, and is as +fat already as a prize ox! What a dainty morsel he will be! When do you +dine to-day, in case I should have time to look in upon you?" + +On reaching home, the giant immediately hung up Master No-book by the +hair of his head, on a prodigious hook in the larder, having first taken +some large lumps of nasty suet, forcing them down his throat to make him +become still fatter, and then stirring the fire, that he might be +almost melted with heat, to make his liver grow larger. On a shelf quite +near, Master No-book perceived the dead bodies of six other boys, whom +he remembered to have seen fattening in the fairy Do-nothing's garden, +while he recollected how some of them had rejoiced at the thoughts of +leading a long, useless, idle life, with no one to please but +themselves. + +The enormous cook now seized hold of Master No-book, brandishing her +knife, with an aspect of horrible determination, intending to kill him, +while he took the trouble of screaming and kicking in the most desperate +manner, when the giant turned gravely round and said, that as pigs were +considered a much greater dainty when whipped to death than killed in +any other way, he meant to see whether children might not be improved by +it also; therefore she might leave that great hog of a boy till he had +time to try the experiment, especially as his own appetite would be +improved by the exercise. This was a dreadful prospect for the unhappy +prisoner; but meantime it prolonged his life a few hours, as he was +immediately hung up again in the larder, and left to himself. There, in +torture of mind and body,--like a fish upon a hook,--the wretched boy +began at last to reflect seriously upon his former ways, and to consider +what a happy home he might have had, if he could only have been +satisfied with business and pleasure succeeding each other, like day and +night, while lessons might have come in, as a pleasant sauce to his +play-hours, and his play-hours as a sauce to his lessons. + +In the midst of many reflections, which were all very sensible, though +rather too late. Master No-book's attention became attracted by the +sound of many voices laughing, talking, and singing, which caused him to +turn his eyes in a new direction, when, for the first time, he observed +that the fairy Teach-all's garden lay upon a beautiful sloping bank not +far off. There a crowd of merry, noisy, rosy-cheeked boys, were busily +employed, and seemed happier than the day was long; while poor Master +No-book watched them during his own miserable hours, envying the +enjoyment with which they raked the flower-borders, gathered the fruit, +carried baskets of vegetables to the poor, worked with carpenters' +tools, drew pictures, shot with bows and arrows, played at cricket, and +then sat in the sunny arbours learning their tasks, or talking agreeably +together, till at length, a dinner-bell having been rung, the whole +party sat merrily down with hearty appetites, and cheerful good-humour, +to an entertainment of plain roast meat and pudding, where the fairy +Teach-all presided herself, and helped her guests moderately, to as much +as was good for each. + +Large tears rolled down the cheeks of Master No-book while watching this +scene; and remembering that if he had known what was best for him, he +might have been as happy as the happiest of these excellent boys, +instead of suffering ennui and weariness, as he had done at the fairy +Do-nothing's, ending in a miserable death; but his attention was soon +after most alarmingly roused by hearing the giant Snap-'em-up again in +conversation with his cook, who said, that if he wished for a good large +dish of scolloped children at dinner, it would be necessary to catch a +few more, as those he had already provided would scarcely be a mouthful. + +As the giant kept very fashionable hours, and always waited dinner for +himself till nine o'clock, there was still plenty of time; so, with a +loud grumble about the trouble, he seized a large basket in his hand, +and set off at a rapid pace towards the fairy Teach-all's garden. It was +very seldom that Snap-'em-up ventured to think of foraging in this +direction, as he had never once succeeded in carrying off a single +captive from the enclosure, it was so well fortified and so bravely +defended; but on this occasion, being desperately hungry, he felt as +bold as a lion, and walked, with outstretched hands, straight towards +the fairy Teach-all's dinner-table, taking such prodigious strides, that +he seemed almost as if he would trample on himself. + +A cry of consternation arose the instant this tremendous giant appeared; +and as usual on such occasions, when he had made the same attempt +before, a dreadful battle took place. Fifty active little boys bravely +flew upon the enemy, armed with their dinner knives, and looked like a +nest of hornets, stinging him in every direction, till he roared with +pain, and would have run away, but the fairy Teach-all, seeing his +intention, rushed forward with the carving knife, and brandishing it +high over her head, she most courageously stabbed him to the heart! + +If a great mountain had fallen in the earth, it would have seemed like +nothing in comparison of the giant Snap-'em-up, who crushed two or three +houses to powder beneath him, and upset several fine monuments that were +to have made people remembered for ever; but all this would have seemed +scarcely worth mentioning, had it not been for a still greater event +which occurred on the occasion, no less than the death of the fairy +Do-nothing, who had been indolently looking on at this great battle, +without taking the trouble to interfere, or even to care who was +victorious, but, being also lazy about running away, when the giant +fell, his sword came with so violent a stroke on her head, that she +instantly expired. + +Thus, luckily for the whole world, the fairy Teach-all got possession of +immense property, which she proceeded without delay to make the best use +of in her power. + +In the first place, however, she lost no time in liberating Master +No-book from his hook in the larder, and gave him a lecture on activity, +moderation, and good conduct, which he never afterwards forgot; and it +was astonishing to see the change that took place immediately in his +whole thoughts and actions. From this very hour, Master No-book became +the most diligent, active, happy boy in the fairy Teach-all's garden; +and on returning home a month afterwards, he astonished all the masters +at school by his extraordinary reformation. The most difficult lessons +were a pleasure to him,--he scarcely ever stirred without a book in his +hand,--never lay on a sofa again,--would scarcely even sit on a chair +with a back to it, but preferred a three-legged stool,--detested +holidays,--never thought any exertion a trouble,--preferred climbing +over the top of a hill to creeping round the bottom,--always ate the +plainest food in very small quantities,--joined a Temperance +Society!-and never tasted a morsel till he had worked very hard and got +an appetite. + +Not long after this, an old uncle, who had formerly been ashamed of +Master No-book's indolence and gluttony, became so pleased at the +wonderful change, that, on his death, he left him a magnificent estate, +desiring that he should take his name; therefore, instead of being any +longer one of the No-book family, he is now called Sir Timothy +Bluestocking,--a pattern to the whole country round, for the good he +does to every one, and especially for his extraordinary activity, +appearing as if he could do twenty things at once. Though generally very +good-natured and agreeable, Sir Timothy is occasionally observed in a +violent passion, laying about him with his walking-stick in the most +terrific manner, and beating little boys within an inch of their lives; +but on inquiry, it invariably appears that he has found them out to be +lazy, idle, or greedy, for all the industrious boys in the parish are +sent to get employment from him, while he assures them that they are far +happier breaking stones on the road, than if they were sitting idly in a +drawing-room with nothing to do. Sir Timothy cares very little for +poetry in general; but the following are his favourite verses, which he +has placed over the chimney-piece at a school that he built for the +poor, and every scholar is obliged, the very day he begins his +education, to learn them:-- + + Some people complain they have nothing to do, + And time passes slowly away; + They saunter about with no object in view, + And long for the end of the day. + + In vain are the trifles and toys they desire, + For nothing they truly enjoy; + Of trifles, and toys, and amusements they tire, + For want of some useful employ. + + Although for transgression the ground was accursed, + Yet gratefully man must allow, + 'Twas really a blessing which doom'd him at first, + To live by the sweat of his brow. + + Nursery Rhymes. + +"Thank you, a hundred times over, uncle David!" said Harry, when the +story was finished. "I shall take care not to be found hanging any day +on a hook in the larder! Certainly, Frank, you must have spent a month +with the good fairy; and I hope she will some day invite me to be made a +scholar of too, for Laura and I still belong to the No-book family." + +"It is very important. Harry, to choose the best course from the +beginning," observed Lady Harriet. "Good or bad habits grow stronger and +stronger every minute, as if an additional string were tied on daily, to +keep us in the road where we walked the day before; so those who mistake +the path of duty at first, find hourly increasing difficulty in turning +round." + +"But grandmama!" said Frank, "you have put up some finger-posts to +direct us right; and whenever I see 'no passage this way,' we shall +wheel about directly." + +"As Mrs. Crabtree has not tapped at the door yet, I shall describe the +progress of a wise and a foolish man, to see which Harry and you would +prefer copying," replied Lady Harriet, smiling. "The fool begins, when +he is young, with hating lessons, lying long in bed, and spending all +his money on trash. Any books he will consent to read, are never about +what is true or important; but he wastes all his time and thoughts on +silly stories that never could have happened. Thus he neglects to learn +what was done, and thought, by all the great and good men who really +lived in former times, while even his Bible, if he has one, grows dusty +on the shelf. After so bad a beginning, he grows up with no useful or +interesting knowledge; therefore his whole talk is to describe his own +horses, his own dogs, his own guns, and his own exploits; boasting of +what a high wall his horse can leap over, the number of little birds he +can shoot in a day, and how many bottles of wine he can swallow without +tumbling under the table. Thus, 'glorying in his shame,' he thinks +himself a most wonderful person, not knowing that men are born to do +much better things than merely to find selfish pleasure and amusement +for themselves. Presently he grows old, gouty, and infirm--no longer +able to do such prodigious achievements; therefore now his great delight +is, to sit with his feet upon the fender, at a club all day, telling +what a famous rider, shooter, and drinker, he was long ago; but nobody +cares to hear such old stories; therefore he is called a 'proser,' and +every person avoids him. It is no wonder a man talks about himself, if +he has never read or thought about any one else. But at length his +precious time has all been wasted, and his last hour comes, during which +he can have nothing to look back upon but a life of folly and guilt. He +sees no one around who loves him, or will weep over his grave; and when +he looks forward, it is towards an eternal world which he has never +prepared to enter, and of which he knows nothing." + +"What a terrible picture, grandmama!" said Frank, rather gravely. "I +hope there are not many people like that, or it would be very sad to +meet with them. Now pray let us have a pleasanter description of the +sort of persons you would like Harry and me to become." + +"The first foundation of all is, as you already know, Frank, to pray +that you may be put in the right course and kept in it, for of ourselves +we are so sinful and weak that we can do no good thing. Then feeling a +full trust in the Divine assistance, you must begin and end every day +with studying your Bible, not merely reading it, but carefully +endeavouring to understand and obey what it contains. Our leisure should +be bestowed on reading of wiser and better people than ourselves, which +will keep us humble while it instructs our understandings, and thus we +shall be fitted to associate with persons whose society is even better +than books. Christians who are enlightened and sanctified in the +knowledge of all good things, will show us an example of carefully using +our time, which is the most valuable of all earthly possessions. If we +waste our money, we may perhaps get more--if we lose our health, it may +be restored--but time squandered on folly, must hereafter be answered +for, and can never be regained. Whatever be your station in life, waste +none of your thoughts upon fancying how much better you might have acted +in some other person's place, but see what duties belong to that station +in which you live, and do what that requires with activity and +diligence. When we are called to give an account of our stewardship, let +us not have to confess at the last that we wasted our one talent, +because we wished to have been trusted with ten; but let us prepare to +render up what was given to us, with joy and thankfulness, perfectly +satisfied that the best place in life is where God appoints, and where +He will guide us to a safe and peaceful end." + +"Yes!" added Major Graham. "You have two eyes in your minds as well as +in your bodies. With one of these we see all that is good or agreeable +in our lot--with the other we see all that is unpleasant or +disappointing, and you may generally choose which eye to keep open. Some +of my friends always peevishly look at the troubles and vexations they +endure, but they might turn them into good, by considering that every +circumstance is sent from the same hand, with the same merciful +purpose--to make us better now and happier hereafter." + +"Well! my dear children," said Lady Harriet, "it is time now for +retiring to Bedfordshire; so good night." + +"If you please, grandmama! not yet," asked Harry, anxiously. "Give us +five minutes longer!" + +"And then in the morning you will want to remain five minutes more in +bed. That is the way people learn to keep such dreadfully late hours at +last, Harry! I knew one very rich old gentleman formerly, who always +wished to sit up a little later every night, and to get up a little +later in the morning, till at length, he ended by hiring a set of +servants to rise at nine in the evening, as he did himself, and to +remain in bed all day." + +"People should regulate their sleep very conscientiously," added Major +Graham, "so as to waste as little time as possible; and our good king +George III. set us the example, for he remarked, that six hours in the +night were quite enough for a man--seven hours for a woman, and eight +for a fool. Or perhaps, Harry, you might like to live by Sir William +Jones' rule: + + 'Six hours to read, to soothing slumber seven, + Ten to the world allot--and all to Heaven.'" + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +THE ILLUMINATION. + + A neighbour's house he'd slyly pass, + And throw a stone to break the glass. + + +One fine morning in Charlotte Square, Peter Grey persuaded a party of +his companions to spend all the money they had on cakes and sugar-plums, +to make a splendid entertainment under the trees, where they were to sit +like a horde of gypsies, and amuse themselves with telling fortunes to +each other. Harry and Laura had no one with them but Betty, who gladly +joined a group of nursery-maids at a distance, leaving them to their own +devices; upon which they rushed up to Peter and offered their +assistance, subscribing all their pocket-money, and begging him to set +forth and obtain provisions for them as well as for himself. Neither +Harry nor Laura cared for eating the trash that was collected on this +occasion, and would have been quite as well pleased to distribute it +among their companions; but they both enjoyed extremely the bustle of +arranging this elegant déjeuné or "_disjune_," as Peter called it. Harry +gathered leaves off the trees to represent plates, on each of which +Peter arranged some of the fruit or sweetmeats he had purchased, while +they placed benches together as a table, and borrowed Laura's white +India shawl for a table-cloth. + +"It looks like that grand public dinner we saw at the Assembly Rooms +one day!" exclaimed Harry, in an ecstacy of admiration. "We must have +speeches and toasts like real gentlemen and officers. Peter! if you will +make a fine oration, full of compliments to me, I shall say something +wonderful about you, and then Laura must beat upon the table with a +stick, to show that she agrees to all that we observe in praise of each +other." + +"Or suppose we all take the names of some great personages," added +Peter, "I shall be the Duke of Wellington, and Laura, you must be Joseph +Hume, and Harry, you are Sir Francis Burdett, that we may seem as +different as possible; but here comes the usher of the black rod to +disperse us all! Mrs. Crabtree hurrying into the square, her very gown +flaming with rage! what can be the matter! she must have smelled the +sugar-plums a mile off! one comfort is, if Harry and Laura are taken +away, we shall have the fewer people to divide these cakes among, and I +could devour every one of them, for my own share." + +Before Peter finished speaking, Mrs. Crabtree had come close up to the +table, and without waiting to utter a word, or even to scold, she +twitched up Laura's shawl in her hand, and thus scattered the whole +feast in every direction on the ground, after which she trampled the +sugar-plums and cakes into the earth, saying, + +"I knew how it would be, as soon as I saw whose company you were in, +Master Harry! Peter Grey is the father of mischief! he ought to be put +into the monkey's cage at the GEOlogical gardens! I would not be your +maid, Master Grey, for a hundred a-year." + +"You would need to buy a thrashing machine immediately," said Peter, +laughing; "what a fine time I should have of it! you would scarcely +allow me, I suppose, to blow my porridge! how long would it take you, +Mrs. Crabtree, to make quite a perfectly good boy of me? Perhaps a +month, do you think? or to make me as good as Frank, it might possibly +require six weeks." + +"Six weeks!" answered Mrs. Crabtree; "six years, or sixty, would be too +short. You are no more like Mr. Frank than a shilling is to a guinea, or +a wax light to a dip. If the news were told that you had been a good boy +for a single day, the very _statutes_ in the streets would come running +along to see the wonder. No! no! I have observed many surprising things +in my day, but them great pyramuses in Egypt will turn upside down +before you turn like Mr. Frank." + +Some days after this adventure of Harry and Laura's, there arrived +newspapers from London containing accounts of a great battle which had +been fought abroad. On that occasion the British troops of course +performed prodigies of valour, and completely conquered the enemy, in +consequence of which, it was ordered by government, that, in every town, +and every village, and every house throughout the whole kingdom, there +should be a grand illumination. + +Neither Harry nor Laura had ever heard of such a thing as an +illumination before, and they were full of curiosity to know what it was +like; but their very faces became lighted up with joy, when Major Graham +described that they would see crowds of candles flaming in every window, +tar-barrels blazing on every hill, flambeaux glaring at the doors, and +transparencies, fire-works, and coloured lamps shining in all the +streets. + +"How delightful! and walking out in the dark to see it," cried Harry; +"that will be best of all! oh! and a whole holiday! I hardly know +whether I am in my right wits, or my wrong wits, for joy! I wish we +gained a victory every day!" + +"What a warrior you would be, Harry! Cæsar was nothing to you," said +Frank. "We might be satisfied with one good battle in a year, +considering how many are killed and wounded." + +"Yes, but I hope all the wounded soldiers will recover." + +"Or get pensions," added uncle David. "It is a grand sight, Frank, to +see a whole nation rejoicing at once! In general, when you walk out and +meet fifty persons in the street, they are all thinking of fifty +different things, and each intent on some business of his own, but on +this occasion all are of one mind and one heart." + +Frank and Harry were allowed to nail a dozen of little candlesticks upon +each window in the house, which delighted them exceedingly, and then, +before every pane of glass, they placed a tall candle, impatiently +longing for the time when these were to be illuminated. Laura was +allowed to carry a match, and assist in lighting them, but in the excess +of her joy, she very nearly made a bonfire of herself, as her frock took +fire, and would soon have been in a blaze, if Frank had not hastily +seized a large rug and rolled it round her. + +In every house within sight, servants and children were to be seen +hurrying about with burning matches, while hundreds of lights blazed up +in a moment, looking as if all the houses in town had taken fire. + +"Such a waste of candles!" said Mrs. Crabtree, angrily; "can't people be +happy in the dark!" + +"No, Mrs. Crabtree!" answered Frank, laughing. "They cannot be happy in +the dark! People's spirits are always in exact proportion to the number +of lights. If you ever feel dull with one candle, light another; and if +that does not do, try a third, or a fourth, till you feel merry and +cheerful. We must not let you be candle-snuffer to-night, or you will be +putting them all out. You would snuff out the sun itself, to save a +shilling." + +"The windows might perhaps be broken," added Laura; "for whatever pane +of glass does not exhibit a candle, is to have a stone sent through it. +Harry says the mob are all glaziers, who break them on purpose to mend +the damage next day, which they will be paid handsomely for doing." + +There were many happy, joyous faces, to be seen that evening in the +streets, admiring the splendid illumination; but the merriest party of +all, was composed of Frank, Harry, and Laura, under the command of uncle +David, who had lately suffered from a severe fit of the gout; but it +seemed to have left him this night, in honour of the great victory, when +he appeared quite as much a boy as either of his two companions. For +many hours they walked about in the streets, gazing up at the glittering +windows, some of which looked as if a constellation of stars had come +down for a night to adorn them; and others were filled with the most +beautiful pictures of Britannia carrying the world on her shoulders; or +Mars showering down wreaths of laurel on the Duke of Wellington, while +victory was sitting at his feet, and fame blowing a trumpet at his ear. +Harry thought these paintings finer than any he had ever seen before, +and stood for some moments entranced with admiration, on beholding a +representation in red, blue, yellow, and black, of Europe, Asia, Africa, +and America, all doing homage to St. George mounted on a dragon, which +breathed out fire and smoke like a steam-boat. Nothing, however, +occasioned the party such a burst of delightful surprise, as when they +first beheld the line of blazing windows more than a mile long, from the +bottom of the Canongate to the highest pinnacle of the Castle, where +they seemed almost to meet the stars shining above, in their perpetual +glory. "You see," remarked Major Graham, when he pointed them out to his +young companions, "there is a fit emblem of the difference between earth +and heaven. These lights nearer and brighter to us at present; but when +they have blazed and glittered for one little hour, they come to an end; +while those above, which we see so dimly now, will continue to shine +for ages and generations hereafter, till time itself is no more." + +Occasionally, during their progress, Harry felt very indignant to +observe a few houses perfectly dark; and whether the family were sick, +or out of town, or whatever the reason might be, he scarcely became +sorry when a frequent crash might be heard, as the mob, determined to +have their own way this night, aimed showers of stones at the offending +windows, till the very frames seemed in danger of being broken. At last +uncle David led his joyous little party into Castle Street, in which not +a light was to be seen, and every blind seemed carefully closed. A crowd +had assembled, with an evident intention to attack these melancholy +houses, when Major Graham suddenly caught hold of Harry's arm, on +observing that he had privately picked up a large stone, which he was in +the very act of throwing with his whole force at one of the defenceless +windows. And now the whole party stood stock still, while uncle David +said in a very angry and serious voice, + +"Harry! you heedless, mischievous boy! will you never learn to consider +a moment before you do what is wrong? I am exceedingly displeased with +you for this! What business is it of yours whether that house be lighted +up or not?" + +"But, uncle David! surely it is very wrong not to obey the government, +and to be happy like everybody else! Besides, you see the mob will break +those windows at any rate, so it is no matter if I help them." + +"Then, for the same reason, if they were setting the house on fire, I +suppose you would assist the conflagration, Harry. Your excuse is a very +bad one; and when you hear what I have to say about this house, let it +be a lesson for the rest of your life, never to judge hastily, nor to +act rashly. The officer to whom it belonged, has been killed in the +great battle abroad; and while we are rejoicing in the victory that his +bravery helped to gain, his widow and children are weeping within those +walls, for the husband and father who lies buried on a foreign shore. +Think what a contrast these shouts of joy must be to their grief." + +"Oh, uncle David! how sorry I am!" said Harry. "I deserve to go home +this moment, and not to see a candle again for a week. It was very wrong +of me indeed. I shall walk all the way home, with my eyes shut, if you +will only excuse me." + +"No, no, Harry! that is not necessary! If the eyes of your mind are +open, to see that you have acted amiss, then try to behave better in +future. When people are happy themselves, they are too apt to forget +that others may be in distress, and often feel quite surprised and +provoked at those who appear melancholy; but our turn must come like +theirs. Life is made up of sunshine and shadow, both of which are sent +for our good, and neither of them last, in this world, for ever; but we +should borrow part of our joys, and part of our sorrows, from sympathy +with all those we see or know, which will moderate the excess of +whatever is our own portion in life." + +At this moment, the mob, which had been gradually increasing, gave a +tremendous shout, and were on the point of throwing a torrent of stones +at the dark, mournful house, which had made so narrow an escape from +Harry's vengeance, when Major Graham, forgetting his gout, hastily +sprung upon a lamp-post, and calling for attention, he made a speech +to the crowd, telling of the brave Captain D---- who had died for his +country, covered with wounds, and that his mourning family was assembled +in that house. Instantly the mob became as silent and motionless as if +they had themselves been turned into stones; after which they gradually +stole away, with downcast eyes, and mournful countenances; while it is +believed that some riotous people, who had been loudest and fiercest at +first, afterwards stood at the top of the little street like sentinels, +for more than an hour, to warn every one who passed, that he should go +silently along, in respect for the memory of a brave and good officer. +Not another shout was heard in the neighbourhood that night; and many a +merry laugh was suddenly checked from reverence for the memory of the +dead, and the sorrow of the living; while some spectators remarked, with +a sigh of melancholy reflection, that men must ever join trembling with +their mirth, because even in the midst of life they are in death. + +"If we feel so much sorrow for this one officer and his family, it +shows," said Frank, "what a dreadful thing war is, which costs the lives +of thousands and tens of thousands in every campaign, by sickness and +fatigue, and the other sources of misery that accompany every army." + +"Yes, Frank! and yet there has scarcely been a year on earth, while the +world has existed, without fighting in some country or another, for, +since the time when Cain killed Abel, men have been continually +destroying each other. Animals only fight in temporary irritation when +they are hungry, but pride, ambition, and folly of every kind, have +caused men to hate and massacre each other. Even religion itself has +caused the fiercest and most bloody conflicts, though, if that were only +understood and obeyed as it ought to be, the great truths of Scripture +would produce peace on earth, and good-will among all the children of +men." + +The whole party had been standing for some minutes opposite to the +post-office, which looked like a rainbow of coloured lamps, and Harry +was beginning, for the twentieth time, to try if he could count how many +there were, when Major Graham felt something twitching hold of his coat +pocket behind, and on wheeling suddenly round, he perceived a little +boy, not much older than Harry, darting rapidly off in another +direction, carrying his own purse and pocket-handkerchief in his hand. +Being still rather lame, and unable to move very fast, Major Graham +could only vociferate at the very top of his voice, "Stop thief! stop +thief!" but not a constable appeared in sight, so the case seemed +desperate, and the money lost for ever, when Frank observed also what +had occurred, and being of an active spirit, he flew after the young +thief, followed closely by Harry. An eager race ensued, up one street, +and down another, with marvellous rapidity, while Frank was so evidently +gaining ground, that the thief at last became terrified, and threw away +the purse, hoping thus to end the chase; but neither of his pursuers +paused a moment to pick it up, they were so intent upon capturing the +little culprit himself. At length Frank sprung forward and caught him by +the collar, when a fierce conflict ensued, during which the young thief +was so ingenious, that he nearly slipped his arms out of his coat, and +would have made his escape, leaving a very tattered garment in their +hands, if Harry had not observed this trick, and held him by the hair, +which, as it was not a wig, he could not so easily throw off. + +At this moment, a large coarse ruffianly-looking man hurried up to the +party, evidently intending to rescue the little pick-pocket from their +custody; so Frank called loudly for help, while several police-officers +who had been sent by Major Graham, came racing along the street, +springing their rattles, and vociferating, "Stop thief!" + +Now, the boy struggled more violently than ever to disentangle himself, +but Frank and Harry grasped hold of their prisoner, as if they had been +a couple of Bow Street officers, till at length the tall fierce man +thought it time to be off, though not before he had given Harry a blow +on the face, that caused him to reel back, and fall prostrate on the +pavement. + +"There's a brave little gentleman!" said one of the constables, helping +him up, while another secured the thief. "You ought to be knighted for +fighting so well! This boy you have taken is a sad fellow! He broke his +poor mother's heart a year since by his wicked ways, and I have long +wished to catch him. A few weeks on the tread-mill now, may save him +from the gallows in future." + +"He seems well practised in his business," observed Major Graham. "I +almost deserved; however, to lose my pocket-book for bringing it out in +a night of so much crowding and confusion. Some lucky person will be all +the richer, though I fear it is totally lost to me." + +"But here is your pocket-handkerchief, uncle David, if you mean to shed +any tears for your misfortune," whispered Laura; "how very lucky that +you felt it going!" + +"Yes, and very surprising too, for the trick was so cleverly executed! +That little rascal might steal the teeth out of one's head, without +being noticed! When I was in India, the thieves there were so expert +that they really could draw the sheets from under a person sleeping in +bed, without disturbing his slumbers." + +"With me, any person could do that, because I sleep so very soundly," +observed Frank. "You might beat a military drum at my ear, as they do in +the boy's sleeping rooms at Sandhurst, and it would not have the +smallest effect. I scarcely think that even a gong would do!" + +"How very different from me," replied Laura. "Last night I was awakened +by the scratching of a mouse nibbling in the wainscoat, and soon after +it ran across my face." + +"Then pray sleep to-night with your mouth open, and a piece of toasted +cheese in it, to catch the mouse," said Major Graham. "That is the best +trap I know!" + +"Uncle David," asked Frank, as they proceeded along the street, "if +there is any hope of that wicked boy being reformed, will you try to +have him taught better? Being so very young, he must have learned from +older people to steal." + +"Certainly he must! It is melancholy to know how carefully mere children +are trained to commit the very worst crimes, and how little the mind of +any young boy can be a match for the cunning of old, experienced +villains like those who lead them astray. When once a child falls into +the snare of such practised offenders, escape becomes as impossible as +that of a bird from a limed twig." + +"So I believe," replied Frank. "Grandmama told me that the very youngest +children of poor people, when first sent to school in London, are often +waylaid by those old women who sell apples in the street, and who +pretend to be so good-natured that they make them presents of fruit. Of +course these are very acceptable, but after some time, those wicked +wretches propose that the child in return shall bring them a book, or +anything he can pick up at home, which shall be paid for in apples and +pears. Few little boys have sufficient firmness not to comply, whether +they like it or not, and after that the case is almost hopeless, +because, whenever the poor victim hesitates to steal more, those cruel +women threaten to inform the parents of his misconduct, which terrifies +the boy into doing anything rather than be found out." + +"Oh, how dreadful!" exclaimed Laura. "It all begins so smoothly! No poor +little boy could suspect any danger, and then he becomes a hardened +thief at once." + +"Grandmama says, too, that pick-pockets, in London used to have the +stuffed figure of a man hung from the roof of their rooms, and covered +all over with bells, for the boys to practise upon, and no one was +allowed to attempt stealing on the streets, till he could pick the +pocket of this dangling effigy, without ringing one of the many bells +with which it was ornamented." + +"I think," said Harry, "when the young thieves saw that figure hanging +in the air, it might have reminded them how soon they would share the +same fate. Even crows take warning when they see a brother crow hanging +dead in a field." + +"It is a curious thing of crows, Harry, that they certainly punish +thieves among themselves," observed Major Graham. "In a large rookery, +some outcasts are frequently to be observed living apart from the rest, +and not allowed to associate with their more respectable brethren. I +remember hearing formerly, that in the great rookery at --------, when +all the other birds were absent, one solitary crow was observed to +linger behind, stealing materials for his nest from those around, but +next morning a prodigious uproar was heard among the trees,--the cawing +became so vociferous, that evidently several great orators were +agitating the crowd, till suddenly the enraged crows flew in a body upon +the nest of their dishonest associate, and tore it in pieces." + +"Bravo!" cried Frank. "I do like to hear about all the odd ways of birds +and animals! Grandmama mentioned lately, that, if you catch a crow, and +fasten him down with his back to the ground, he makes such an outcry, +that all his black brothers come wheeling about the place, till one of +them at last alights to help him. Immediately the treacherous prisoner +grapples hold of his obliging friend, and never afterwards lets him +escape; so, by fastening down one after another, we might entrap the +whole rookery." + +"I shall try it some day!" exclaimed Harry, eagerly. "What fun to hear +them all croaking and cawing!" + +"We shall be croaking ourselves soon with colds, if we do not hurry +home," added uncle David. "There is not a thimbleful of light remaining, +and your grandmama will be impatient to hear all the news. This has +really been a most adventurous night, and I am sure none of us will soon +forget it." + +When the whole party entered the drawing-room, in a blaze of spirits, +all speaking at once, to tell Lady Harriet what had occurred, Mrs. +Crabtree, who was waiting to take a couple of little prisoners off to +bed, suddenly gave an exclamation of astonishment and dismay when she +looked at Harry, who now, for the first time since the robber had +knocked him down, approached the light, when he did, to be sure, appear +a most terrible spectacle! His jacket was bespattered with mud, his +shirt-frill torn and bloody, one eye almost swelled out of his head, and +the side of his face quite black and blue. + +"What mischief have you been in now, Mr. Harry?" cried Mrs. Crabtree, +angrily; "you will not leave a whole bone in your body, nor a whole +shirt in your drawer!" + +"These are honourable scars, Mrs. Crabtree," interrupted Major Graham. +"Harry has been fighting my battles, and gained a great victory! we must +illuminate the nursery!" + +Uncle David then told the whole story, with many droll remarks, about +his purse having been stolen, and said that, as Harry never complained +of being hurt, he never supposed that anything of the kind could have +occurred; but he felt very much pleased to observe how well a certain +young gentleman was able to bear pain, as boys must expect hard blows in +the world, when they had to fight their way through life, therefore it +was well for them to give as few as they could, and to bear with +fortitude what fell to their own share. Uncle David slyly added, that +perhaps Harry put up with these things all the better for having so much +practice in the nursery. + +Mrs. Crabtree seemed rather proud of Harry's manly spirit, and treated +him with a little more respect than usual, saying, she would fetch him +some hot water to foment his face, if he would go straight up stairs +with Laura. Now, it very seldom happened, that Harry went straight +anywhere, for he generally swung down the bannisters again, or took a +leap over any thing he saw on the way, or got upon some of the tables +and jumped off, but this night he had resolutely intended marching +steadily up to bed, and advanced a considerable way, when a loud shout +in the street attracted his attention. Harry stopped, and it was +repeated again, so seizing Laura by the hand, they flew eagerly into +Lady Harriet's dressing-room, and throwing open a window, they picked up +a couple of cloaks that were lying on a chair, and both stepped out on a +balcony to find out what was going on; and in case any one should see +them in this unusual place, Harry quietly shut the window down, +intending to remain only one single minute. Minutes run very fast away +when people are amused, and nothing could be more diverting than the +sight they now beheld, for at this moment a grand crash exploded of +squibs and rockets from the Castle-hill, which looked so beautiful in +the dark, that it seemed impossible to think of anything else. Some flew +high in the air, and then burst into the appearance of twenty fiery +serpents falling from the sky, others assumed a variety of colours, and +dropped like flying meteors, looking as if the stars were all learning +to dance, while many rushed into the air and disappeared, leaving not a +trace behind. Harry and Laura stood perfectly entranced with admiration +and delight, till the fire-works neither burst, cracked, nor exploded +any more. + +A ballad-singer next attracted their notice, singing the tune of "Meet +me by moonlight," and afterwards Laura shewed Harry the constellation of +Orion mentioned in the Bible, which, besides the Great Bear, was the +only one she had the slightest acquaintance with. Neither of them had +ever observed the Northern Lights so brilliant before, and now they felt +almost alarmed to see them shooting like lances of fire across the sky, +and glittering with many bright colours, like a rainbow, while Laura +remembered her grandmama mentioning some days ago, that the poor natives +of Greenland believe these are the spirits of their fathers going forth +to battle. + +Meantime, Lady Harriet called Frank, as usual, to his evening prayers +and reading in her dressing-room, where it was well known that they were +on no account to be disturbed. After having read a chapter, and talked +very seriously about all it was intended to teach, they had begun to +discuss the prospect of Frank going abroad very soon to become a +midshipman, and he was wondering much where his first great shipwreck +would take place, and telling Lady Harriet about the loss of the +Cabalvala, where the crew lived for eight days on a barren rock, with +nothing to eat but a cask of raspberry jam, which accidentally floated +within their reach. Before Frank had finished his story, however, he +suddenly paused, and sprung upon his feet with an exclamation of +astonishment, while Lady Harriet, looking hastily round in the same +direction, became terrified to observe a couple of faces looking in at +the window. It was so dark, she could not see what they were like, but a +moment afterwards the sash began slowly and heavily opening, after which +two figures leaped into the room, while Frank flew to ring a peal at the +bell, and Lady Harriet sunk into her own arm-chair, covering her face +with her hands, and nearly fainting with fright. + +"Never mind, grandmama! do not be afraid! it is only us!" cried Harry; +"surely you know me?" + +"You!!!" exclaimed Lady Harriet, looking up with amazement. "Harry and +Laura!! impossible! how in all the world did you get here? I thought you +were both in bed half an hour ago! Tiresome boy! you will be the death +of me some time or other! I wonder when you will ever pass a day without +deserving the bastinado!" + +"Do you not remember the good day last month, grandmama, when I had a +severe toothache, and sat all morning beside the fire? Nobody found +fault with me then, and I got safe to bed, without a single Oh fie! from +noon till night." + +"Wonderful, indeed! what a pity I ever allowed that tooth to be drawn, +but you behaved very bravely on the occasion of its being extracted. Now +take yourselves off! I feel perfectly certain you will tell Mrs. +Crabtree the exact truth about where you have been, and if she punishes +you, remember that it is no more than you both deserve. People who +behave ill are their own punishers, and should be glad that some one +will kindly take the trouble to teach them better." + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +THE POOR BOY. + + Not all the fine things that fine people possess, + Should teach them the poor to despise; + For 'tis in good manners, and not in good dress, + That the truest gentility lies. + + +The following Saturday morning, Frank, Harry, and Laura were assembled +before Lady Harriet's breakfast hour, talking over all their adventures +on the night of the illumination; and many a merry laugh was heard while +uncle David cracked his jokes and told his stories, for he seemed as +full of fun and spirits as the youngest boy in a play-ground. + +"Well, old fellow!" said he, lifting up Harry, and suddenly seating him +on the high marble chimney-piece. "That is the situation where the poor +little dwarf, Baron Borowloski was always put by his tall wife, when she +wished to keep him out of mischief, and I wonder Mrs. Crabtree never +thought of the same plan for you." + +"Luckily there is no fire, or Harry would soon be roasted for the Giant +Snap-'em-up's dinner," said Frank, laughing; "he looks up there like a +China Mandarin. Shake your head, Harry, and you will do quite as well!" + +"Uncle David!" cried Harry, eagerly, "pray let me see you stand for one +moment as you do at the club on a cold day, with your feet upon the rug, +your back to the fire, and your coat-tails under your arms! Pray do, +for one minute!" + +Uncle David did as he was asked, evidently expecting the result, which +took place, for Harry sprung upon his back with the agility of a monkey, +and they went round and round the room at a full gallop, during the next +five minutes, while Lady Harriet said she never saw two such noisy +people, but it was quite the fashion now, since the king of France +carried his grandchildren, in the same way, every morning, a picture of +which had lately been shown to her. + +"Then I hope his majesty gets as good an appetite with his romp as I +have done," replied Major Graham, sitting down. "None of your tea and +toast for me! that is only fit for ladies. Frank, reach me these +beef-steaks, and a cup of chocolate." + +Harry and Laura now planted themselves at the window, gazing at crowds +of people who passed, while, by way of a joke, they guessed what +everybody had come out for, and who they all were. + +"There is a fat cook with a basket under her arm, going to market," said +Harry. "Did you ever observe when Mrs. Marmalade comes home, she says to +grandmama, 'I have desired a leg of mutton to come here, my lady! and I +told a goose to be over also,' as if the leg of mutton and the goose +walked here, arm-in-arm, of themselves." + +"Look at those children, going to see the wild beasts," added Laura, +"and this little girl is on her way to buy a new frock. I am sure she +needs one! that old man is hurrying along because he is too late for the +mail-coach; and this lady with a gown like a yellow daffodil, is going +to take root in the Botanical Gardens!" + +"Uncle David! there is the very poorest boy I ever saw!" cried Harry, +turning eagerly round; "he has been standing in the cold here, for ten +minutes, looking the picture of misery! he wears no hat, and has pulled +his long lank hair to make a bow, about twenty times. Do come and look +at him! he is very pale, and his clothes seem to have been made before +he began to grow, for they are so much too small, and he is making us +many signs to open the window. May I do it?" + +"No! no! I never give to chance beggars of that kind, especially young +able-bodied fellows like that, because there are so many needy, +deserving people whom I visit, who worked as long as they could, and +whom I know to be sober and honest. Most of the money we scatter to +street beggars goes straight to the gin-shop, and even the very youngest +children will buy or steal, to get the means of becoming intoxicated. +Only last week, Harry, the landlord of an ale-house at Portobello was +seen at the head of a long table, surrounded with ragged beggar boys +about twelve or fourteen years of age, who were all perfectly drunk, and +probably your friend there might be of the party." + +"Oh no! uncle David! this boy seems quite sober and exceedingly clean, +though he is so very poor!" replied Laura; "his black trowsers are +patched and repatched, his jacket has faded into fifty colours, and his +shoes are mended in every direction, but still he looks almost +respectable. His face is so thin you might use it for a hatchet. I wish +you would take one little peep, for he seems so anxious to speak to us." + +"I daresay that! we all know what the youngster has to tell! Probably a +wife and six small children at home, or, if you like it better, he will +be a shipwrecked sailor at your service. I know the whole affair +already; but if you have sixpence to spare, Laura, come with me after +breakfast, and we shall bestow it on poor blind Mrs. Wilkie, who has +been bed-ridden for the last ten years; or old paralytic Jemmy Dixon the +porter, who worked hard as long as he was able. If you had twenty more +sixpences, I could tell you of twenty more people who deserve them as +much." + +"Very true," added Lady Harriet. "Street beggars, who are young and able +to work, like that boy, it is cruelty to encourage. Parents bring up +their children in profligate idleness, hoping to gain more money by +lying and cheating, than by honest industry, and they too often succeed, +especially when the wicked mothers also starve and disfigure these poor +creatures, to excite more compassion. We must relieve real distress, +Harry, and search for it as we would for hidden treasures, because thus +we show our love to God and man; but a large purse with easy strings +will do more harm than good." + +"Do you remember, Frank, how long I suspected that old John Davidson was +imposing upon me?" said Major Graham. "He told such a dismal story +always, that I never liked to refuse him some assistance; but yesterday, +when he was here, the thought struck me by chance to say, 'What a fine +supper you had last night, John!' You should have seen the start he +gave, and his look of consternation, when he answered, 'Eh, Sir! how did +ye hear of that! We got the turkey very cheap, and none of us took more +than two glasses of toddy.'" + +"That boy is pointing to his pockets, and making more signs for us to +open the window!" exclaimed Laura. "What can it all mean! he seems so +very anxious!" + +Major Graham threw down his knife and fork--rose hastily from +breakfast--and flung open the window, calling out in rather a loud, +angry voice, "What do you want, you idle fellow? It is a perfect shame +to see you standing there all morning! Surely you don't mean to say that +an active youngster like you would disgrace yourself by begging?" + +"No, Sir! I want nothing!" answered the boy respectfully, but colouring +to the deepest scarlet. "I never asked for money in my life, and I never +will." + +"That's right, my good boy!" answered the Major, instantly changing his +tone. "What brings you here then?" + +"Please, Sir, your servants shut the door in my face, and every body is +so hasty like, that I don't know what to do. I can't be listened to for +a minute, though I have got something very particular to say, that some +one would be glad to hear." + +Major Graham now looked exceedingly vexed with himself, for having +spoken so roughly to the poor boy, who had a thoughtful, mild, but +care-worn countenance, which was extremely interesting, while his manner +seemed better than his dress. + +Frank was despatched, as a most willing messenger, to bring the young +stranger up stairs, while uncle David told Harry that he would take this +as a lesson to himself ever afterwards, not to judge hastily from +appearances, because it was impossible for any one to guess what might +be in the mind of another; and he began to hope this boy, who was so +civil and well-spoken, might yet turn out to be a proper, industrious +little fellow. + +"Well, my lad! Is there anything I can do for you?" asked Major Graham, +when Frank led him kindly into the room. "What is your name?" + +"Evan Mackay, at your service. Please, Sir, did you lose a pocket-book +last Thursday, with your name on the back, and nine gold sovereigns +inside?" + +"Yes! that I did, to my cost! Have you heard anything of it?" + +The boy silently drew a parcel from his pocket, and without looking up +or speaking, he modestly placed it on the table, then colouring very +deeply, he turned away, and hurried towards the door. In another minute +he would have been off, but Frank sprung forward and took hold of his +arm, saying, in the kindest possible manner, "Stop, Evan! Stop a moment! +That parcel seems to contain all my uncle's money. Where did you get it? +Who sent it here?" + +"I brought it, Sir! The direction is on the pocket-book, so there could +be no mistake." + +"Did you find it yourself then?" + +"Yes! it was lying in the street that night when I ran for a Doctor to +see my mother, who is dying. She told me now to come back directly, Sir, +so I must be going." + +"But let us give you something for being so honest," said Frank. "You +are a fine fellow, and you deserve to be well rewarded." + +"I only did my duty, Sir. Mother always says we should do right for +conscience' sake, and not for a reward." + +"Yes! but you are justly entitled to this," said Major Graham, taking a +sovereign out of the purse. "I shall do more for you yet, but in the +meantime here is what you have honestly earned to-day." + +"If I thought so, Sir,"----said the poor boy, looking wistfully at the +glittering coin. "If I was quite sure there could be no harm----, but I +must speak first to mother about it, Sir! She has seen better days once, +and she is sadly afraid of my ever taking charity. Mother mends my +clothes, and teaches me herself, and works very hard in other ways, but +she is quite bed-ridden, and we have scarcely anything but the trifle I +make by working in the fields. It is very difficult to get a job at all +sometimes, and if you could put me in the way of earning that money, +Sir, it would make mother very happy. She is a little particular, and +would not taste a morsel that I could get by asking for it." + +"That is being very proud!" said Harry. + +"No, Sir! it is not from pride," replied Evan; "but mother says a +merciful God has provided for her many years, and she will not begin to +distrust Him now. Her hands are always busy, and her heart is always +cheerful. She rears many little plants by her bedside, which we sell, +and she teaches a neighbour's children, besides sewing for any one who +will employ her, for mother's maxim always was, that there can be no +such thing as an idle Christian." + +"Very true!" said Lady Harriet. "Even the apostles were mending their +nets and labouring hard, whenever they were not teaching. Either the +body or the mind should always be active." + +"If you saw mother, that is exactly her way, for she does not eat the +bread of idleness. Were a stranger to offer us a blanket or a dinner in +charity, she would rather go without any than take it. A very kind lady +brought her a gown one day, but mother would only have it if she were +allowed to knit as many stockings as would pay for the stuff. I dare not +take a penny more for my work than is due, for she says, if once I begin +receiving alms, I might get accustomed to it." + +"That is the good old Scotch feeling of former days," observed Major +Graham. "It was sometimes carried too far then, but there is not enough +of it now. Your mother should have lived fifty years ago." + +"You may say so, indeed, Sir! We never had a drop of broth from the +soup-kitchen all winter, and many a day we shivered without a fire, +though the society offered her sixpence a-week for coals, but she says +'the given morsel is soon done;' and now, many of our neighbours who +wasted what they got, feel worse off than we, who are accustomed to +suffer want, and to live upon our honest labour. Long ago, if mother +went out to tea with any of our neighbours, she always took her own tea +along with us." + +"But that is being prouder than anybody else," observed Frank, smiling. +"If my grandmama goes out to a tea-party, she allows her friends to +provide the fare." + +"Very likely, Sir! but that is different when people can give as good as +they get. Last week a kind neighbour sent us some nice loaf bread, but +mother made me take it back, with her best thanks, and she preferred our +own oat cake. She is more ready to give than to take, Sir, and divides +her last bannock, sometimes, with anybody who is worse off than +ourselves." + +"Poor fellow!" said Frank, compassionately; "how much you must often +have suffered!" + +"Suffered!" said the boy, with sudden emotion. "Yes! I have suffered! It +matters nothing to be clothed in rags,--to be cold and hungry now! There +are worse trials than that! My father died last year, crushed to death +in a moment by his own cart-wheels,--my brothers and sisters have all +gone to the grave, scarcely able to afford the medicines that might have +cured them,--and I am left alone with my poor dying mother. It is a +comfort that life is not very long, and we may trust all to God while it +lasts." + +"Could you take us to see Mrs. Mackay?" said Major Graham, kindly. +"Laura, get your bonnet." + +"Oh, Sir! that young lady could not stay half a minute in the place +where my poor mother lives now. It is not a pretty cottage such as we +read of in tracts, but a dark cold room, up a high stair, in the +narrowest lane you ever saw, with nothing to sit on but an old chest." + +"Never mind that, Evan," replied Major Graham. "You and your mother have +a spirit of honour and honesty that might shame many who are lying on +sofas of silk and damask. I respect her, and shall assist you if it be +possible. Show us the way." + +Many dirty closes and narrow alleys were threaded by the whole party, +before they reached a dark ruinous staircase, where Evan paused and +looked round, to see whether Major Graham still approached. He then +slowly mounted one flight of ancient crumbling steps after another, +lighted by patched and broken windows, till at last they arrived at a +narrow wooden flight, perfectly dark. After groping to the summit, they +perceived a time-worn door, the latch of which was gently lifted by +Evan, who stole noiselessly into the room, followed by uncle David and +the wondering children. + +There, a large cold room, nearly empty, but exceedingly clean, presented +itself to their notice. In one corner stood a massive old chest of +carved oak, surrounded with a perfect glow of geraniums and myrtles in +full blossom; beside which were arranged a large antique Bible, a jug of +cold water, and a pile of coarsely-knitted worsted stockings. Beyond +these, on a bed of clean straw, lay a tall, emaciated old woman, +apparently in the last stage of life, with a face haggard by suffering; +and yet her thin, withered hands were busily occupied with needle-work, +while, in low, faltering tones, she chanted these words, + + "When from the dust of death I rise, + To claim my mansion in the skies, + This, this shall be my only plea, + Jesus has liv'd and died for me." + +"Mother!" said Evan, wishing to arouse her attention. "Look, mother!" + +"Good day, Mrs. Mackay," added Major Graham, in a voice of great +consideration, while she languidly turned her head towards the door. "I +have come to thank you for restoring my purse this morning." + +"You are kindly welcome, Sir! What else could we do!" replied she, in a +feeble, tremulous voice. "The money was yours, and the sooner it went +out of our hands the better." + +"It was perfectly safe while it stayed there," added Major Graham, not +affecting to speak in a homely accent, nor putting on any airs of +condescension at all, but sitting down on the old chest as if he had +never sat on any thing but a chest in his life before, and looking at +the clean bare floor with as much respect as if it had been a Turkey +carpet. "Your little boy's pocket seems to be as safe as the Bank of +Scotland." + +"That is very true, Sir! My boy is honest; and it is well to keep a good +conscience, as that is all he has in this world to live for. Many have a +heavy conscience to carry with a heavy purse; but these he need not +envy. If we are poor in this world, we are rich in faith; and I trust +the money was not even a temptation to Evan, because he has learned from +the best of all teachers, that it would 'profit him nothing to gain the +whole world, and lose his own soul.'" + +"True, Mrs. Mackay! most true! We have come here this morning to request +that you and he will do me the favour to accept of a small recompense." + +"We are already rewarded, Sir! This has been an opportunity of +testifying to our own hearts that we desire to do right in the eye of +God. At the same time, it was Providence who kindly directed my son's +steps to the place where that money was lying; and if anything seems +justly due to poor Evan, let him have it. My wants are few, and must +soon be ended. But oh! when I look at that boy, and think of the long +years he may be struggling with poverty and temptation, my heart melts +within me, and my whole spirit is broken. Faith itself seems to fail, +and I could be a beggar for him now! It is not money I would ask, Sir, +because that might soon be spent; but get him some honest employment, +and I will thank you on my very knees." + +Evan seemed startled at the sudden energy of his mother's manner, and +tears sprung into his eyes while she spoke with a degree of agitation so +different from what he had ever heard before; but he struggled to +conceal his feelings, and she continued with increasing emotion, + +"Bodily suffering, and many a year of care and sorrow, are fast closing +their work on me. The moments are passing away like a weaver's shuttle; +and if I had less anxiety about Evan, how blessed a prospect it would +appear; but that is the bitterness of death to me now. My poor, poor +boy! I would rather hear he was in the way of earning his livelihood, +than that he got a hundred a-year. Tell me, Sir!--and oh! consider you +are speaking to a dying creature--can you possibly give him any +creditable employment, where he might gain a crust of bread, and be +independent?" + +"I honour your very proper feeling on the subject, Mrs. Mackay, and +shall help Evan to the best of my ability," replied Major Graham, in a +tone of seriousness and sincerity. "To judge by these fine geraniums, he +must be fond of cultivating plants; and we want an under-gardener in the +country; therefore he shall have that situation without loss of time." + +"Oh, mother! mother! speak no more of dying! You will surely get better +now!" said Evan, looking up, while his thin pale face assumed a +momentary glow of pleasure. "Try now to get better! I never could work +as well, if you were not waiting to see me come home! We shall be so +happy now!" + +"Yes! I am happy!" said Mrs. Mackay, solemnly looking towards heaven, +with an expression that could not be mistaken. "The last cord is cut +that bound me to the earth; and may you, Sir, find hereafter the +blessings that are promised to those who visit the fatherless and widows +in their affliction." + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +THE YOUNG MIDSHIPMAN. + + When hands are link'd that dread to part, + And heart is met by throbbing heart; + Oh! bitter, bitter is the smart + Of them that bid farewell. + + Heber. + + +Next Monday morning, at an early hour, Frank had again found his way +with great difficulty to the house of Widow Mackay, where he spent all +his pocket money on two fine scarlet geraniums. If they had been nettles +or cabbages, he would have felt the same pleasure in buying them; and +his eyes sparkled with animation when he entered uncle David's room, +carrying them in his hand, and saying, "I was so glad to have some +money! I could spare it quite well. There is no greater pleasure in +being rich than to help such poor people as Evan Mackay and his poor +sick mother!" + +"Yes, Frank, I often wonder that any enjoyment of wealth can be +considered equal to the exercise of kind feelings, for surely the most +delightful sensation in this world is, to deserve and receive the +grateful affection of those around us," replied Major Graham. "What a +wretched being Robinson Crusoe was on the desert island alone, though he +found chests of gold, and yet many people are as unblessed in the midst +of society, who selfishly hoard fortunes for themselves, unmindful of +the many around who ought to be gratefully receiving their daily +benefits." + +"I was laughing to read lately of the West India slaves, who collected +money all their lives in an old stocking," said Frank, "and who watched +with delight as it filled from year to year; but the bank is only a +great stocking, where misers in this country lay up treasures for +themselves which they are never to enjoy, though too often they lay up +no treasures for themselves in a better world." + +"I frequently think, Frank, if all men were as liberal, kind, and +forbearing to each other as the Holy Scriptures enjoin, and if we lived +as soberly, temperately, and godly together, what a paradise this world +would become, for many of our worst sufferings are brought on by our own +folly, or the unkindness of others. And certainly, if we wished to fancy +the wretchedness of hell itself, it would only be necessary to imagine +what the earth would become if all fear of God and man were removed, and +every person lived as his own angry, selfish passions would dictate. +Great are the blessings we owe to Christianity, for making the world +even what it is now, and yet greater would those blessings be, if we +obeyed it better." + +"That is exactly what grandmama says, and that we must attend to the +Gospel from love and gratitude to God, rather than from fear of +punishment or hope of reward, which is precisely what we saw in poor +widow Mackay and Evan, who seemed scarcely to expect a recompense for +behaving so honestly." + +"That was the more remarkable in them, as few Christians now are above +receiving a public recompense for doing their duty to God. Men of the +world have long rewarded each other with public dinners and pieces of +plate, to express the utmost praise and admiration, but of late I never +open a newspaper without reading accounts of one clergyman or another, +who has been 'honoured with a public breakfast!' when he is presented +by an admiring circle with 'a gold watch and appendages!' or a Bible +with a complimentary inscription, or a gown, or a pair of bands, worked +by the ladies of his congregation! and all this, for labouring among his +own people, in his own sphere of duty! What would Archbishop Leighton +and the old divines have said to any one who attempted to rouse their +vanity in this way, with the praise of men?" + +"What you say reminds me, uncle David," said Frank, "that we have been +asked to present our Universal-Knowledge-Master with a silver snuff-box, +as a testimonial from the scholars in my class, because he is going soon +to Van Dieman's Land, therefore I hope you will give me half-a-crown to +subscribe, or I shall be quite in disgrace with him." + +"Not one shilling shall you receive from me, my good friend, for any +such purpose! a snuff-box, indeed! your master ought to show his +scholars an example of using none! a filthy waste of health, money, and +time. Such testimonials should only be given, as Archbishop Magee says, +to persons who have got into some scrape, which makes their +respectability doubtful. If my grocer is ever publicly presented with a +pair of silver sugar tongs, I shall think he has been accused of +adulterating the sugar, and give over employing him directly." + +"Laura," said Frank, "you will be having a silver thimble voted to you +for hemming six pocket-handkerchiefs in six years!" + +"I know one clergyman, Dr. Seton, who conscientiously refused a piece of +plate, which was about to be presented in this way," continued Major +Graham; "he accidentally heard that such a subscription was begun among +the rich members of his congregation, and instantly stopped it, saying, +'Let your testimonial consist in a regular attendance at church, and let +my sole reward be enjoyed hereafter, when you appear as my crown of joy +and rejoicing in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming.'" + +Sir Edward Graham's particular friend, Captain Gordon, at last wrote to +say, that the Thunderbolt, 74, having been put in commission for three +years, was about to sail for the African station, therefore he wished +Frank to join without delay; and as a farther mark of his regard, he +promised that he would endeavour to keep his young protege employed +until he had served out his time, because a midshipman once paid off, +was like a stranded whale, not very easily set afloat again. + +Lady Harriet sighed when she read the letter, and looked paler all that +day, but she knew that it was right and necessary for Frank to go, +therefore she said nothing to distress him on the occasion, only in her +prayers and explanations of the Bible that evening, there was a deeper +tone of feeling than ever, and a cast of melancholy, which had rarely +been the case before, while he spoke much of that meeting in a better +world, which is the surest hope and consolation of those Christians who +separate on earth, and who know not what a day, and still less what many +years, may bring forth. + +Major Graham tried to put a cheerful face on the matter also, though he +evidently felt very sorry indeed about parting with Frank, and took him +out a long walk to discuss his future prospects, saying, "Now you are an +officer and a gentleman, entitled therefore to be treated with new +respect and attention, by all your brother officers, naval or military, +in his Majesty's service." + +Frank himself, being a boy of great spirit and enterprize, felt glad +that the time had really come for his being afloat, and examining all +the world over with his own eyes; but he said that his heart seemed as +if it had been put in a swing, it fell so low when he thought of leaving +his dear happy home, and then it rose again higher than ever at the very +idea of being launched on the wide ocean, and going to the countries he +had so often read of, where battles had been fought and victories won. + +"Frank!" said Peter Grey, who was going to join the Thunderbolt, in +about a fortnight afterwards, "you have no idea how beautiful I looked +in uniform to-day! I tried mine on, and felt so impatient to use my +dirk, I could have eat my dinner with it, instead of employing a common +knife." + +"You never forget to be hungry, Peter," said Frank, laughing. "But now +you are like the old Lord Buchan, who used to say he could cook his +porridge in his helmet, and stir it with his broad-sword." + +"I hope," said Major Graham, "you both intend to become very +distinguished officers, and to leave a name at which the world grows +pale." + +"Certainly," answered Peter. "All the old heroes we read of shall be +mere nobodies compared to me! I mean to lose a leg or an arm in every +battle,"---- + +"Till nothing is left of you but your shirt-collar and shoe-strings," +interrupted Frank, laughing. + +"No! No! What remains of me at last shall die a Peer of the realm," +continued Peter. "We must climb to the top of the tree, Frank! What +title do you think I should take?" + +"Lord Cockpit would suit you best for some time, Peter! It will not be +so easy a business to rise as you think. Every one can run a race, but +very few can win," observed Major Graham. "The rarest thing on earth is +to succeed in being both conspicuous and respectable. Any dunce may +easily be either the one or the other, but the chief puzzle with most +men is, how to be both. In your profession there are great +opportunities, but at the same time let me warn you, that the sea is not +a bed of roses." + +"No, uncle David! but I hope it will become a field of laurels to us," +replied Frank, laughing. "Now tell me in real earnest who you think was +the greatest of our naval heroes till now, when Peter is to cut them all +out." + +"He must wait a few years. It is a long ladder to run up before reaching +the top. In France, the king's sons are all born Field Marshals, but +nobody in this country is born an Admiral. The great Lord Duncan served +during half-a-century before gaining his most important victory, but +previous to that, he paved the way to success, not by mere animal +courage alone, but by being so truly good and religious a man, that his +extraordinary firmness and benevolence of character gained the +confidence and respect of all those who served with him, and therefore +half his success in battle was owing to his admirable conduct during +peace." + +"So I have heard!" replied Frank; "and when there was mutiny in every +other ship, the Admiral's own crew remained faithful to him. How much +better it is to be obeyed from respect and attachment than from fear, +which is a mean feeling that I hope neither to feel myself, nor to +excite in others. I wish to be like Nelson, who asked, 'What is fear? I +never saw it.'" + +"Yes, Frank! Nelson was said to be 'brave as a lion, and gentle as a +lamb.' Certainly both he and Lord Duncan were pre-eminently great; but +neither Lord Duncan, nor any other enlightened Christian, would have +said what Lord Nelson did, with his latent breath--'I have not been a +great sinner!' No mortal could lift up his eyes at the day of judgment, +and repeat those words again; for every man that breathes the breath of +life is a great sinner. We are living in God's own world without +remembering him, continually; and amidst thousands of blessings we +disobey him. The chief purpose for which men are created, is to glorify +God, and to prepare for entering his presence in a better world; but +instead of doing so, we live as if there were no other object to live +for, than our own pleasures and amusements on earth. How, then, can we +be otherwise than great sinners? I hope, Frank, that you will endeavour +to be, like Lord Duncan, not merely a good officer, but also a good +Christian; for, besides fighting the battles of your country, you must +gain a great victory over yourself, as all men must either conquer their +own evil dispositions, or perish for ever." + +Lady Harriet was particularly earnest in entreating Frank to write +frequently home; observing, that she considered it a religious duty in +all children, to shew their parents this attention, as the Bible says +that "a wise son maketh a glad father," and that "the father of the +righteous shall greatly rejoice;" but on the contrary, too many young +persons leave their parents to mourn in suspense and anxiety, as to the +health and happiness of those whom they love more than they can ever +love any one else. + +"Tell us of every thing that interests you, and even all about the +spouting whales, flying fish, and dying dolphins, which you will of +course see," said Laura. "Be sure to write us also, how many albatrosses +you shoot, and whether you are duly introduced to Neptune at the Cape." + +"Yes, Laura! but Bishop Heber's Journal, or any other book describing a +voyage to the Cape, mentions exactly the same thing. It will quite bring +me home again when I speak to you all on paper; and I shall be able to +fancy what everybody will say when my letter is read. Mrs. Darwin sent +for me this morning on particular business; and it was to say that she +wished me, in all the strange countries where the Thunderbolt touched, +to employ my spare moments in chasing butterflies, that as many as +possible might be added to her museum." + +"Capital! How like Mrs. Darwin!" exclaimed Major Graham, laughing. "You +will of course be running all over Africa, hat in hand, pursuing painted +butterflies, till you get a _coup de soleil_, like my friend Watson, who +was killed by one. Poor fellow! I was with him then, and it was a +frightful scene. He wheeled round several times, in a sort of +convulsion, till he dropped down dead in my arms." + +"I shall gild the legs and bills of some ducks before leaving home, and +send them to her as a present from Sierra Leone," said Peter. "The wings +might be died scarlet, which would look quite foreign; and if an +elephant falls in my way, it shall be stuffed and forwarded by express." + +"Uncle David! Do you remember what fun we had, when you sent Mrs. Darwin +that stuffed bear in a present! I was desired to announce that a +foreigner of distinction had arrived to stay at her house. What a bustle +she was in on hearing that he brought letters of introduction from you, +and intended to remain some time. Then we told her that he could not +speak a word of English, and brought 'a Pole' with him; besides which he +had once been a great dancer. Oh! how amusing it was, when she at last +ventured into the passage to be introduced, and saw her fine stuffed +bear." + +"Whatever people collect," said Peter, "every good-natured person +assists. I mean to begin a collection of crooked sixpences immediately; +therefore, pray never spend another, but give me as many as you can +spare; and the more crooked the better." + +"Sing a song a sixpence!" said Frank, laughing. "Laura should begin to +collect diamonds for a necklace, and perhaps it might be all ready +before she comes out. I shall return home on purpose to see you then, +Laura." + +"Pray do, Master Frank," said Mrs. Crabtree, with more than usual +kindness; "we shall have great rejoicings on the occasion of seeing you +back--an ox roasted alive, as they do in England, and all them sort of +Tom-fooleries. I'll dance a jig then myself for joy--you certainly are a +wonderful good boy, considering that I had not the managing of you." + +Frank's departure was delayed till after the examination of his school, +because Mr. Lexicon had requested that, being the best scholar there, he +might remain to receive a whole library of prize-books, and a whole +pocketful of medals; for, as Peter remarked, "Frank Graham deserved any +reward, because he learned his lessons so perfectly, that he could not +say them wrong even if he wished!" + +Harry and Laura were allowed to attend on the great occasion, that they +might witness Frank's success; and never, certainly, had they seen any +thing so grand in their lives before! A hundred and forty boys, all +dressed in white trowsers and yellow gloves, were seated in rows, +opposite to six grave learned-looking gentlemen, in wigs and spectacles, +who seemed as if they would condemn all the scholars to death! + +The colour mounted into Harry's cheeks with delight, and the tears +rushed into his eyes, when he saw Frank, whose face was radiant with +good-humour and happiness, take his place as head boy in the school. All +his companions had crowded round Frank as he entered, knowing that this +was his last appearance in the class; while he spoke a merry or a kind +word to each, leaning on the shoulder of one, and grasping the hand of +another with cordial kindness, for he liked everybody, and everybody +liked him. No one envied Frank being dux, because they knew how hard he +worked for that place, and how anxious he had been to help every other +boy in learning as cleverly as himself; for all the boobies would have +become duxes if Frank could have assisted them to rise, while many an +idler had been made busy by his attention and advice. No boy ever +received, in one day, more presents than Frank did on this occasion from +his young friends, who spent all their pocket-money in pen-knives and +pencil-cases, which were to be kept by Frank, in remembrance of them, as +long as he lived; and some of his companions had a tear in their eye on +bidding him farewell, which pleased him more than all their gifts. + +Major Graham took his place, with more gravity than usual, among the +judges appointed to distribute the prizes; and now, during more than +two hours, the most puzzling questions that could be invented were put +to every scholar in succession, while Frank seemed always ready with an +answer, and not only spoke for himself, but often good-naturedly +prompted his neighbours, in so low a tone that no one else heard him. +His eyes brightened, and his face grew red with anxiety, while even his +voice shook at first; but before long Frank collected all his wits about +him, and could construe Latin or repeat Greek with perfect ease, till at +length the whole examination concluded, and the great Dr. Clifford, who +had lately come all the way from Oxford, was requested to present the +prizes. Upon this he rose majestically from his arm-chair, and made a +long speech, filled as full as it could hold with Latin and Greek. He +praised Homer and Horace for nearly twenty minutes, and brought in +several lines from Virgil, after which he turned to Frank, saying, in a +tone of great kindness and condescension, though at the same time +exceedingly pompous, + +"It seems almost a pity that this young gentleman--already so very +accomplished a scholar--who is, I may say, a perfect _multum in parvo_, +should prematurely pause in his classical career to enter the navy; but +in every situation of life his extraordinary activity of mind, good +temper, courage and ability, must render him an honour to his country +and his profession." + +Dr. Clifford now glanced over the list of prizes, and read aloud--"First +prize for Greek--Master Graham!" + +Frank walked gracefully forward, coloured and bowed, while a few words +of approbation were said to him, and a splendidly-bound copy of +Euripides was put into his hands by Dr. Clifford, who then hastily read +over the catalogue of prizes to himself, in an audible voice, and in a +tone of great surprise. + +"First prize for Latin!--Master Graham! First for algebra,--first for +geography,--first for mathematics,--all Master Graham!!!--and last, not +least, a medal for general good conduct, which the boys are allowed to +bestow upon the scholar they think most deserving,--and here stands the +name of Master Graham again!!" + +Dr. Clifford paused, while the boys all stood up for a moment and +clapped their hands with enthusiasm, as a token of rejoicing at the +destination of their own medal. + +For the first time Frank was now completely overcome,--he coloured more +deeply than before, and looked gratefully round, first at his +companions, then at his master, and last at Major Graham, who had a tear +standing in his eye when he smiled upon Frank, and held out his hand. + +Frank's lip quivered for a moment, as if he would burst into tears, but +with a strong effort he recovered himself, and affectionately grasping +his uncle's hand, hastily resumed his place on the bench, to remain +there while his companions received the smaller prizes awarded to them. + +Meanwhile, Harry had been watching Frank with a feeling of joy and +pride, such as he never experienced before, and could scarcely refrain +from saying to every person near him, "That is my brother!" He looked at +Frank long and earnestly, wishing to be like him, and resolving to +follow his good example at school. He gazed again and again, with new +feelings of pleasure and admiration, till gradually his thoughts became +melancholy, while remembering how soon they must be separated; and +suddenly the terrible idea darted into his mind, "Perhaps we never may +meet again!" Harry tried not to think of this; he turned his thoughts to +other subjects; he forced himself to look at anything that was going on, +but still these words returned with mournful apprehension to his heart, +"Perhaps we never may meet again!" + +Frank's first action, after the examination had been concluded, was +hastily to gather up all his books, and bring a sight of them to Harry +and Laura; but what was his astonishment when, instead of looking at +the prizes, Harry suddenly threw his arms round his neck, and burst into +tears. + +"My dear--dear boy! what has happened!" exclaimed Frank, affectionately +embracing him, and looking much surprised. "Tell me, dear Harry, has any +thing distressed you?" + +"I don't know very well, Frank! but you are going away,--and--and--I +wish I had been a better boy! I would do any thing you bid me now!--but +I shall never be so happy again--no! never, without you!" + +"But, dear Harry! you will have Laura and grandmama, and uncle David, +all left, and I am coming back some day! Oh! what a happy meeting we +shall have then!" said Frank, while the tears stood in his eyes; and +drawing Harry's arm within his own, they walked slowly away together. + +"I am very--very anxious for you and Laura to be happy," continued +Frank, in the kindest manner; "but, dear Harry, will you not take more +care to do as you are bid, and not always to prefer doing what you like! +Mrs. Crabtree would not be half so terrible if you did not provoke her +by some new tricks every day. I almost like her myself; for as the old +proverb says, 'her bark is worse than her bite;' and she often reminds +me of that funny old fable, where the mice were more afraid of the loud, +fierce-looking cock, than of the sleek, smooth-looking cat, for there +are people carrying gentler tongues yet quite as difficult to deal with. +At the same time, seeing how uncomfortable you and Laura both feel with +Mrs. Crabtree, I have written a letter to papa, asking, as my last and +only request on leaving home, that he will make a change of ministry, +and he is always so very kind, that I feel sure he will grant it." + +"How good of you, Frank!" said Harry. "I am sure it is our own faults +very often when we are in disgrace, for we are seldom punished till we +deserve it; but I am so sorry you are going away, that I can think of +nothing else." + +"So am I, very sorry indeed; but my best comfort, when far from home, +would be, to think that you and Laura are happy, which will be the case +when you become more watchful to please grandmama." + +"That is very true, Frank! and I would rather offend twenty Mrs. +Crabtrees than one grandmama; but perhaps uncle David may send me to +school now, when I shall try to be like you, sitting at the top of the +class, and getting prizes for good behaviour." + +"Well, Harry! my pleasantest days at school have been those when I was +busiest, and you will find the same thing. How delightful it was, going +over and over my tasks till they were quite perfect, and then rushing +out to the play-ground, where my mind got a rest, while my body was +active; you know it is seldom that both mind and body work at once, and +the best way of resting the one is, to make the other labour. That is +probably the reason, Harry, why games are never half so pleasant as +after hard study." + +"Perhaps," replied Harry, doubtfully; "but I always hate any thing that +I am obliged to do." + +"Then never be a sailor, as I shall be obliged to do fifty things a-day +that I would rather not; for instance, to get up in the middle of the +night, when very likely dreaming about being at home again; but, as +grandmama says, it is pleasant to have some duties, for life would not +get on well without them." + +"Yes--perhaps--I don't know!--we could find plenty to do ourselves, +without anybody telling us. I should like to-morrow, to watch the boys +playing at cricket, and to see the races, and the Diorama, and in the +evening to shoot our bows and arrows." + +"My good Sir! what the better would you, or anybody else, be of such a +life as that! Not a thing in this world is made to be useless, Harry; +the very weeds that grow in the ground are for some serviceable purpose, +and you would not wish to be the only creature on earth living entirely +for yourself. It would be better if neither of us had ever been born, +than that the time and opportunities which God gives us for improving +ourselves and doing good to others, should all be wasted. Let me hope, +Harry, when I am away, that you will often consider how dull grandmama +may then feel, and how happy you might make her by being very attentive +and obedient." + +"Yes, Frank! but I could never fill your place!--that is quite +impossible! Nobody can do that!" + +"Try!--only try, Harry! grandmama is very easily pleased when people do +their best. She would not have felt so well satisfied with me, if that +had not been the case." + +"Frank!" said Harry, sorrowfully, "I feel as if ten brothers were going +away instead of one, for you are so good to me! I shall be sure to +mention you in my prayers, because that is all I can do for you now." + +"Not all, Harry! though that is a great deal; you must write to me +often, and tell me what makes you happy or unhappy, for I shall be more +interested than ever, now that we are separated. Tell me everything +about my school-fellows, too, and about Laura. There is no corner of the +wide world where I shall not think of you both every day, and feel +anxious about the very least thing that concerns you." + +"My dear boys!" said Major Graham, who had joined them some moments +before, "it is fortunate that you have both lived always in the same +home, for that will make you love each other affectionately as long as +you live. In England, children of one family are all scattered to +different schools, without any one to care whether they are attached or +not, therefore their earliest and warmest friendships are formed with +strangers of the same age, whom they perhaps never see again, after +leaving school. In that case, brothers have no happy days of childhood +to talk over in future life, as you both have,--no little scrapes to +remember, that they got into together--no pleasures enjoyed at the same +moment to smile at the recollection of, and no friction of their tempers +in youth, such as makes every thing go on smoothly between brothers when +they grow older; therefore, when at last grown up and thrown together, +they scarcely feel more mutual friendship and intimacy than any other +gentlemen testify towards each other." + +"I dare say that is very true," said Frank. "Tom Brownlow tells me when +his three brothers come home from Eton, Harrow, and Durham, they quarrel +so excessively, that sometimes no two of them are on speaking terms." + +"Not at all improbable," observed Major Graham. "In every thing we see +how much better God's arrangements are than our own. Families were +intended to be like a little world in themselves--old people to govern +the young ones--young people to make their elders cheerful--grown-up +brothers and sisters to show their juniors a good example--and children +to be playthings and companions to their seniors, but that is all at an +end in the present system." + +"Old Andrew says that large families 'squander' themselves all over the +earth now," said Frank, laughing. + +"Yes! very young children are thrust into preparatory schools--older +boys go to distant academies--youths to College--and young men are +shipped off abroad, while who among them all can say his heart is in his +own home? Parents in the meantime, finding no occupation or amusement in +educating their children, begin writing books, perhaps theories of +education, or novels; and try to fill up the rest of their useless hours +with plays, operas, concerts, balls, or clubs. If people could only know +what is the best happiness of this life, it certainly depends on being +loved by those we belong to; for nothing can be called peace on earth, +which does not consist in family affection, built upon a strong +foundation of religion and morality." + +Sir Edward Graham felt very proud of Frank, as all gentlemen are of +their eldest sons, and wrote a most affectionate letter on the occasion +of his going to sea, promising to meet him at Portsmouth, and lamenting +that he still felt so ill and melancholy he could not return home, but +meant to try whether the baths in Germany would do him any good. In this +letter was enclosed what he called "Frank's first prize-money," the +largest sum the young midshipman had ever seen in his life, and before +it had been a day in his possession, more than the half was spent on +presents to his friends. Not a single person seemed to be forgotten +except himself; for Frank was so completely unselfish, that Peter Grey +once laughingly said, "Frank scarcely remembers there is such a person +as himself in the world, therefore it is astonishing how he contrives to +exist at all." + +"If that be his worst fault, you shew him a very opposite example, +Peter," said Major Graham, smiling; "number one is a great favourite +with you." + +"Frank is also very obliging!" added Lady Harriet; "he would do anything +for any body." + +"Ah, poor fellow! he can't help that," said Peter, in a tone of pity. +"Some people are born with that sort of desperate activity--flying to +assist every one--running up stairs for whatever is wanted--searching +for whatever is lost--and picking up whatever has been dropped. I have +seen several others like Frank, who were troubled with that sort of +turn. He is indulging his own inclination in flying about everywhere for +everybody, as much as I do in sitting still!--it is all nature!--you +know tastes differ, for some people like apples and some like onions." + +Frank had a black shade of himself, drawn in uniform and put into a +gilt frame, all for one shilling, which he presented to his grandmama, +who looked sadly at the likeness when he came smiling into her +dressing-room, and calling Harry to assist in knocking a nail into the +wall, that it might be hung above the chimney-piece. "I need nothing to +remind me of you, dear Frank," observed Lady Harriet, "and this is a sad +exchange, the shadow for the substance." Frank gave a handsome new red +morocco spectacle-case to uncle David, and asked leave to carry away the +old one with him as a remembrance. He bought gowns for all the maids, +and books for all the men-servants. He presented Mrs. Crabtree with an +elegant set of tea-cups and saucers, promising to send her a box of tea +the first time he went to China; and for Laura and Harry he produced a +magnificent magic lanthorn, representing all the stars and planets, +which cost him several guineas. It was exhibited the evening before +Frank went away, and caused great entertainment to a large party of his +companions, who assembled at tea to take leave of him, on which occasion +Peter Grey made a funny speech, proposing Frank's health in a bumper of +bohea, when the whole party became very merry, and did not disperse till +ten. + +Major Graham intended accompanying Frank to Portsmouth, and they were to +set off by the mail next evening. That day was a sad one to Harry and +Laura, who were allowed a whole holiday; but not a sound of merriment +was heard in the house, except when Frank tried to make them cheerful, +by planning what was to be done after he came back, or when Major Graham +invented droll stories about the adventures Frank would probably meet +with at sea. Even Mrs. Crabtree looked more grave and cross than usual; +and she brought Frank a present of a needle-case made with her own +hands, and filled with thread of every kind, saying, that she heard all +"midshipmites" learned to mend their things, and keep them decent, which +was an excellent custom, and ought to be encouraged; but she hoped he +would remember, that "a stitch in time saves nine." + +Lady Harriet stayed most of that day in her dressing-room, and tried to +conceal the traces of many tears when she did appear; but it was only +too evident how sadly her time had been passed alone. + +"Grandmama!" said Frank, taking her hand affectionately, and trying to +look cheerful; "we shall meet again; perhaps very soon!" + +Lady Harriet silently laid her hand upon the Bible, to show that there +she found the certain assurance of another meeting in a better world; +but she looked at Frank with melancholy affection, and added, very +solemnly and emphatically, + + "'There is no union here of hearts, + That finds not here an end.'" + +"But, grandmama! you are not so very old!" exclaimed Laura, earnestly. +"Lord Rockville was born ten years sooner, and besides, young people +sometimes die before older people." + +"Yes, Laura! young people may die, but old people must. It is not +possible that this feeble aged frame of mine can long remain in the +visible world. 'The eye of him that hath seen me shall me no more.' I +have many more friends under the earth now, than on it. The streets of +this city would be crowded, if all those I once knew and still remember, +could be revived; but my turn is fast coming, like theirs, and Frank +knows, as all of you do, where it is my hope and prayer that we may +certainly meet again." + +"Grandmama!" said Frank, in a low and broken voice, "it wants but an +hour to the time of my departure; I should like much if the servants +were to come up now for family prayers and if uncle David would read us +the 14th chapter of St. John." + +Lady Harriet rung the bell, and before long the whole household had +assembled, as not one would have been absent on the night of Master +Frank's departure from home, which all were deeply grieved at, and even +Mrs. Crabtree dashed a tear from her cheek as she entered the room. + +Frank sat with his hand in Lady Harriet's, while Major Graham read the +beautiful and comforting chapter which had been selected, and when the +whole family kneeled in solemn prayer together, many a deep sob, which +could not be conquered, was heard from Frank himself. After all was +over, he approached the servants, and silently shook hands with each, +but could not attempt to speak; after which Lady Harriet led him to her +dressing-room, where they remained some time, till, the carriage having +arrived, Frank hastened into the drawing-room, clasped Harry and Laura +in his arms, and having, in a voice choked with grief, bid them both a +long farewell, he hurried out of their presence. + +When the door closed, something seemed to fall heavily on the ground, +but this scarcely attracted any one's attention, till Major Graham +followed Frank, and was shocked to find him lying on the staircase +perfectly insensible. Instead of calling for assistance, however, uncle +David carefully lifted Frank in his own arms, and carried him to the +carriage, where, after a few moments, the fresh air, and the rapid +motion revived his recollection, and he burst into tears. + +"Poor grandmama! and Harry and Laura!" cried he, weeping convulsively. +"Oh! when shall I see them all again!" + +"My dear boy!" said Major Graham, trying to be cheerful; "do you think +nobody ever left home before? One would suppose you never expected to +come back! Three years seem an age when we look forward, but are nothing +after they have fled. The longer we live, the shorter every year +appears, and it will seem only the day after to-morrow when you are +rushing into the house again, and all of us standing at the door to +welcome you back. Think what a joyous moment that will be! There is a +wide and wonderful world for you to see first, and then a happy home +afterwards to revisit." + +"Yes, dear, good, kind uncle David! no one ever had a happier home; and +till the east comes to the west, I shall never cease to think of it with +gratitude to you and grandmama. We shall surely all meet again. I must +live upon that prospect. Hope is the jewel that remains wherever we go, +and the hope to which grandmama has directed me, is truly compared to a +rainbow, which not only brightens the earth, but stretches to heaven." + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +THE AMUSING DRIVE. + + I would not enter on my list of friends + (Though grac'd with polish'd manners and fine sense, + Yet wanting sensibility) the man + Who needlessly sets foot upon a worm. + + Cowper. + + +Lady Harriet was confined to bed for several days after Frank's +departure from home, and during all that week Harry and Laura felt so +melancholy, that even Mrs. Crabtree became sorry for them, saying it was +quite distressing to see how quiet and good they had become, for Master +Harry was as mild as milk now, and she almost wished he would be at some +of his old tricks again. + +On the following Monday, a message arrived from Lady Rockville, to say +that she was going a long drive in her phaeton, to visit some boys at +Musselburgh school, and would be happy to take Harry and Laura of the +party, if their grandmama had no objection. None being made by anybody, +they flew up stairs to get ready, while Harry did not take above three +steps at a time, and Laura, when she followed, felt quite astonished to +find Mrs. Crabtree looking almost as pleased as herself, and saying she +hoped the expedition would do them both good. + +Before five minutes had elapsed, Harry was mounted on the dickey, where +Lady Rockville desired him to sit, instead of the footman, who was now +dismissed, as no room could be made for both; so after that Harry +touched his hat whenever any of the party spoke to him, as if he had +really been the servant. + +Laura, meanwhile, was placed between Lady Rockville and Miss Perceval, +where she could hardly keep quiet a minute for joy, though afraid to +turn her head or to stir her little finger, in case of being thought +troublesome. + +"I am told that the races take place at Musselburgh to-day," said Lady +Rockville. "It is a cruel amusement, derived from the sufferings of +noble animals; they have as good a right to be happy in the world as +ourselves, Laura; but we shall pass that way, so Harry and you will +probably see the crowds of carriages." + +"Oh, how enchanting!--I never saw a race-course in my life!" exclaimed +Laura, springing off her seat with delight. "Harry! Harry! we are going +to the races!" + +"Hurra!" exclaimed Harry, clapping his hands; "what a delightful +surprise! Oh! I am so dreadfully happy!" + +"After all, my dear Lady Rockville," said Miss Perceval, yawning, "what +have horses got legs for, except to run?" + +"Yes, but not at such a pace! It always shocked me--formerly at +Doncaster, where the jockeys were sometimes paid £1000 for winning--to +see how the poor animals were lashed and spurred along the course, +foaming with fatigue, gasping till they nearly expired. Horses, poor +creatures, from the hour of their birth till their death, have a sad +time of it!" + +"Grandmama once read me a beautiful description of a wild horse in his +natural state of liberty," said Laura. "Among the South American forests +he was to be seen carrying his head erect, with sparkling eyes, flowing +mane, and splendid tail, trotting about among the noble trees, or +cropping the grass at his feet, looking quite princely, and doing +precisely what he pleased." + +"Then look at the contrast," said Lady Rockville, pointing to a long row +of cart-horses with galled sides, shrivelled skins, broken knees, and +emaciated bodies, which were all dragging their weary load along. +"Animals are all meant for the use of man, but not to be abused, like +these poor creatures!" + +"As for racing," said Miss Perceval, "a thorough-bred horse enters into +the spirit of it quite as much as his rider. Did you never hear of +Quin's celebrated steed, which became so eager to win, that when his +antagonist passed he seized him violently by the leg, and both jockeys +had to dismount that the furious animal might be torn away. The famous +horse Forester, too, caught hold of his opponent by the jaw, and could +scarcely be disengaged." + +"Think of all the cruel training these poor creatures went through +before they came to that," added Lady Rockville; "of the way in which +horses are beaten, spurred, and severely cut with the whip; then, after +their strength fails, like the well-known 'high-mettled racer,' the poor +animal is probably sold at last to perpetual hard labour and ill-usage." + +"Uncle David shewed me yesterday," said Laura, "that horrid picture +which you have probably seen, by Cruickshanks, of the Knackers' Yards in +London, where old horses are sent to end their miserable days, after it +is impossible to torture them any longer into working. Oh! it was +dreadful! and yet grandmama said the whole sketch had been taken from +life." + +"I know that," answered Lady Rockville. "In these places the wretched +animals are literally put to death by starvation, and may be seen +gnawing each other's manes in the last agonies of hunger." + +"My dear Lady Rockville," exclaimed Miss Perceval, affectedly, "how can +you talk of such unpleasant things!--there is an Act of Parliament +against cruelty to animals, so of course no such thing exists now. Many +gentlemen are vastly kind to old horses, turning them out to grass for +years, that they may enjoy a life of elegant leisure and rural +retirement, to which, no doubt, some are well entitled; for instance, +the famous horse Eclipse, which gained his owner £25,000! I wish he had +been mine!" + +"But think how many are ruined when one is enriched, and indeed both are +ruined in morals and good feeling; therefore I am glad that our sex have +never yet taken to the turf. It is bad enough, my dear Miss Perceval, to +see that they have taken to the moors; for were I to say all I think of +those amazons who lately killed their six brace of grouse on the 12th of +August, they would probably challenge me to single combat. Lord +Rockville says, 'What with gentlemen doing worsted work, and ladies +shouldering double-barrelled guns, he scarcely thinks this can be the +same world he was born in long ago.'" + +The carriage, at this moment, began to proceed along the road with such +extraordinary rapidity, that there seemed no danger of their following +in the dust of any other equipage, and Miss Perceval became exceedingly +alarmed, especially when Lady Rockville mentioned that this was one of +the first times she had been driven by her new coachman, who seemed so +very unsteady on his seat, she had felt apprehensive, for some time, +that he might be drunk. + +"A tipsy coachman! Dear Lady Rockville, do let me out! We shall +certainly be killed in this crowd of carriages! I can walk home! Pray +stop him, Miss Laura! I came to look on at a race, but not to run one +myself! This fast driving is like a railroad, only not quite so +straight! I do verily believe we are run off with! Stop, +coachman!--stop!" + +In spite of all Miss Perceval's exclamations and vociferations, the +carriage flew on with frightful rapidity, though it reeled from side to +side of the road, as if it had become intoxicated like the driver +himself, who lashed his horses and galloped along, within an inch of +hedges and ditches all the way, till at last, having reached the +race-course, he pulled up so suddenly and violently, that the horses +nearly fell back on their haunches, while he swore at them in the most +furious and shocking manner. + +Lady Rockville now stood up, and spoke to the coachman very severely on +his misconduct, in first driving her so dangerously fast, and then being +disrespectful enough to use profane language in her presence, adding, +that if he did not conduct himself more properly, she must complain to +Lord Rockville as soon as the carriage returned home. Upon hearing this, +the man looked exceedingly sulky, and muttered angrily to himself in a +tipsy voice, till at last he suddenly threw away the reins, and, rising +from the box, he began to scramble his way down, nearly falling to the +ground in his haste, and saying, "if your ladyship is not pleased with +my driving, you may drive yourself!" + +After this the intoxicated man staggered towards a drinking-booth not +far off, and disappeared, leaving Miss Perceval perfectly planet-struck +with astonishment, and actually dumb during several minutes with wonder, +at all she heard and saw. There sat Harry, alone on the dicky, behind +two spirited blood-horses, foaming at the mouth with the speed at which +they had come, and ready to start off again at the slightest hint, while +noises on every side were to be heard enough to frighten a pair of +hobby-horses. Piemen ringing their bells--blind fiddlers playing out of +tune--boys calling lists of the horses--drums beating at the +starting-post--ballad singers squalling at the full pitch of their +voices--horses galloping--grooms quarrelling--dogs barking--and children +crying. + +In the midst of all this uproar, Harry unexpectedly observed Captain +Digby on horseback not far off. Without losing a moment, he stood up, +waving his handkerchief, and calling to beg he would come to the +carriage immediately, as they were in want of assistance; and Lady +Rockville told, as soon as he arrived, though hardly able to help +laughing while she explained it, the extraordinary predicament they had +been placed in. Captain Digby, upon hearing the story, looked ready to +go off like a squib with rage at the offending coachman, and instantly +seizing the driving-whip, he desired his servant to hold the horses' +heads, while he proceeded towards the drinking-booth, flourishing the +long lash in his hand as he went in a most ominous manner. Several +minutes elapsed, during which Harry overheard a prodigious outcry in the +tent, and then the drunken coachman was seen reeling away along the +road, while Captain Digby, still brandishing the whip, returned, and +mounting the dicky himself, he gathered up the reins, and insisted on +driving Lady Rockville's phaeton for her. Before long it was ranged +close beside a chariot so full of ladies, it seemed ready to burst, when +Harry was amused to perceive that Peter Grey and another boy, who were +seated on the rumble behind, had spread a table-cloth on the roof of the +carriage, using it for a dining-table, while they all seemed determined +to astonish their appetites by the quantity of oysters and sandwiches +they ate, and by drinking at the same time large tumblers of porter. +Lady Rockville wished she could have the loan of Harry and Laura's +spirits for an hour or two, when she saw how perfectly bewildered with +delight they were on beholding the thousands of eager persons assembled +on the race-ground,--jockeys riding about in liveries as gay as +tulips--officers in scarlet uniform--red flags fluttering in the +breeze--caravans exhibiting pictures of the wildest-looking beasts in +the world--bands of music--recruiting parties--fire-eaters, who dined on +red-hot pokers--portraits representing pigs fatter than the fattest in +the world--giants a head and three pair of shoulders taller than any +one else, and little dwarfs, scarcely visible with the naked eye--all of +which were shown to children for half price! + +Lady Rockville very good naturedly gave Harry half-a-crown, promising +that, before leaving the race-ground, he should either buy some oranges +to lay the dust in his throat after so long a drive, or visit as many +shows as he pleased for his half-crown; and they were anxiously +discussing what five sights would be worth sixpence each, when a loud +hurra was heard, the drums beat, and five horses started off for the +first heat. Harry stood up in an ecstacy of delight, and spoke loudly in +admiration of the jockey on a grey horse, with a pink jacket, who took +the lead, and seemed perfectly to fly, as if he need never touch the +ground; but Harry exclaimed angrily against the next rider, in a yellow +dress and green cap, who pulled back his own bay horse, as if he really +wished to lose. To Laura's astonishment, however, Captain Digby +preferred him, and Miss Perceval declared in favour of a light-blue +jacket and chesnut horse. Harry now thought everybody stupid not to +agree with him, and called out in the height of his eagerness, "I would +bet this half-crown upon the pink jacket!" + +"Done!" cried Peter, laughing. "The yellow dress and green cap for my +money!" + +"Then I shall soon have five shillings!" exclaimed Harry in great glee; +but scarcely had he spoken, before a loud murmuring sound arose among +the surrounding crowd, upon hearing which he looked anxiously about, and +was astonished to see the green cap and yellow dress already at the +winning-post, while his own favourite grey horse cantered slowly along, +far behind all the others, carrying the jockey in the pink jacket, who +hung his head, and was bent nearly double, with shame and fatigue. + +Peter Grey gave a loud laugh of triumph when he glanced at Harry's +disappointed angry countenance, and held out his hand for the +half-crown, saying, "Pay your debt of honour, Master Harry! It is rather +fortunate I won, seeing that not one sixpence had I to have paid you +with! not a penny to jingle on a mile-stone. You had more money than +wit, and I had more wit than money, so we are well met. Did you not see +that the grey horse had fallen lame? Good-bye, youngster! I shall tell +all the giants and wild beasts to expect you another day!" + +"Harry!" said Lady Rockville, looking gravely at his enraged +countenance, "it is a foolish fish that is caught with every bait! I am +quite relieved that you lost that money. This is an early lesson against +gambling, and no one can ever be rich or happy who becomes fond of it. +We were wrong to bring you here at all; and I now see you could easily +be led into that dreadful vice, which has caused misery and ruin to +thousands of young men. If you had possessed an estate, it would have +been thrown away quite as foolishly as the poor half-crown, making you +perhaps miserable afterwards for life." + +"I thought myself quite sure to win!" exclaimed Harry, still looking +with angry astonishment after Peter, who was making odd grimaces, and +holding up the half-crown in a most teazing manner. "I would rather have +thrown my money into the sea than given it to Peter." + +"Think, too, how many pleasanter and better ways there are, in which you +might have spent it!" added Lady Rockville. "Look at that poor blind man +whom you could have relieved, or consider what a nice present you should +have given to Laura! But there seem to be no more brains in your head, +Harry, than in her thimble!" + +"Peter is quite a little black-leg already," observed Miss Perceval. "I +never saw such a boy! So fond of attracting notice, that he would put on +a cap and bells if that would make him stared at. Last Saturday he +undertook for a bet to make a ceremonious bow to every lamp-post along +Prince's Street, and I wish you could have seen the wondering crowd that +gradually collected as he went along, performing his task with the most +perfect composure and impudence." + +"For cool assurance, I hope there are not many boys equal to him," said +Lady Rockville. "He scattered out of the window lately several red-hot +half-pence, among some beggars, and I am told they perfectly stuck to +the poor creatures' fingers when trying to pick them up; and he was sent +a message, on his pony, one very cold day lately, to Lady De Vere's, who +offered, when he was taking leave, to cut him one of her finest +camellias, to which he replied, 'I would much rather you offered me a +hot potatoe!'" + +"Peter feels no sympathy in your disappointment, Harry," added Miss +Perceval; "but we might as well expect wool on a dog, as friendship from +a gambler, who would ruin his own father, and always laughs at those who +lose." + +"Go and cut your wisdom teeth, Harry!" said Captain Digby, smiling. "Any +one must have been born blind not to observe that the grey horse was +falling behind; but you have bought half-a-crown's worth of wisdom by +experience, and I hope it will last for life. Never venture to bet even +that your own head is on your shoulders, or it may turn out a mistake." + +"Harry is now the monkey that has seen the world, and I think it will be +a whole year of Saturdays before he ever commits such a blunder again," +continued Lady Rockville. "We must for this once, not complain of what +has occurred to Lady Harriet, because she would be exceedingly +displeased, but certainly you are a most ingenious little gentleman for +getting into scrapes!" + +Harry told upon himself, however, on his return home, because he had +always been accustomed to do so, knowing Major Graham and his grandmama +were never very angry at any fault that was confessed and repented of, +therefore he went straight up stairs, and related his whole history to +uncle David, who gave him a very serious exhortation against the foolish +and sinful vice of gambling. To keep him in mind of his silly adventure +that day, Harry was also desired, during the whole evening, to wear his +coat turned inside out, a very frequent punishment administered by Major +Graham for small offences, and which was generally felt to be a terrible +disgrace. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +THE UNEXPECTED EVENT. + + His shout may ring upon the hill, + His voice be echoed in the hall, + His merry laugh like music trill, + I scarcely notice such things now. + + Willis. + + +Some weeks after Frank had left home, while lady Harriet and Major +Graham were absent at Holiday House, Harry and Laura felt surprised to +observe, that Mrs. Crabtree suddenly became very grave and silent,--her +voice seemed to have lost half its loudness,--her countenance looked +rather pale,--and they both escaped being scolded on several occasions, +when Harry himself could not but think he deserved it. Once or twice he +ventured to do things that at other times he dared not have attempted, +"merely as an experiment," he said, "like that man in the menagerie, who +put his head into the lion's mouth, without feeling quite sure whether +it would be bit off the next moment or not;" but though Mrs. Crabtree +evidently saw all that passed, she turned away with a look of sadness, +and said not a word. + +What could be the matter? Harry almost wished she would fly into a good +passion and scold him, it became so extraordinary and unnatural to see +Mrs. Crabtree sitting all day in a corner of the room, sewing in +silence, and scarcely looking up from her work; but still the wonder +grew, for she seemed to become worse and worse every day. Harry dressed +up the cat in an old cap and frock of Laura's,--he terrified old Jowler +by putting him into the shower-bath,--and let off a few crackers at the +nursery window,--but it seemed as if he might have fired a cannon +without being scolded by Mrs. Crabtree, who merely turned her head round +for a minute, and then silently resumed her work. Laura even fancied +that Mrs. Crabtree was once in tears, but that seemed quite impossible, +so she thought no more about it, till one morning, when they had begun +to despair of ever hearing more about the business, and were whispering +together in a corner of the room, observing that she looked duller than +ever, they were surprised to hear Mrs. Crabtree calling them both to +come near her. She looked very pale, and was beginning to say something, +when her voice suddenly became so husky and indistinct, that she seemed +unable to proceed; therefore, motioning with her hand for them to go +away, she began sewing very rapidly, as she had done before, breaking +her threads, and pricking her fingers, at every stitch. + +Laura and Harry silently looked at each other with some apprehension, +and the nursery now became so perfectly still, that a feather falling on +the ground would have been heard. This had continued for some time, when +at last Laura upon tiptoe stole quietly up to where Mrs. Crabtree was +sitting, and said to her, in a very kind and anxious voice, "I am afraid +you are not well, Mrs. Crabtree! Grandmama will send for a doctor when +she comes home. Shall I ask her?" + +"You are very kind, Miss Laura!--never mind me! Your grandmama knows +what is the matter. It will be all one a hundred years hence," answered +Mrs. Crabtree, in a low husky voice. "This is a thing you will be very +glad to hear!--you must prepare to be told some good news!" added she, +forcing a laugh, but such a laugh as Harry and Laura never heard +before, for it sounded so much more like sorrow than joy. They waited in +great suspense to hear what would follow, but Mrs. Crabtree, after +struggling to speak again with composure, suddenly started off her seat, +and hurried rapidly out of the room. She appeared no more in the nursery +that day, but next morning when they were at breakfast, she entered the +room with her face very much covered up in her bonnet, and evidently +tried to speak in her usual loud bustling voice, though somehow it still +sounded perfectly different from common. "Well, children! Lady Harriet +was so kind as to promise that my secret should be kept till I pleased, +and that no one should mention it to you but myself. I am going away!" + +"You!" exclaimed Harry, looking earnestly in Mrs. Crabtree's face. "Are +you going away?" + +"Yes, Master Harry,--I leave this house to-day! Now, don't pretend to +look sorry! I know you are not! I can't bear children to tell stories. +Who would ever be sorry for a cross old woman like me?" + +"But perhaps I am sorry! Are you in real earnest going away?" asked +Harry again, with renewed astonishment. "Oh no! it is only a joke!" + +"Do I look as if this were a joke?" asked Mrs. Crabtree, turning round +her face, which was bathed with tears. "No, no! I am come to bid you +both a long farewell. A fine mess you will get into now! All your things +going to rack and ruin, with nobody fit to look after them!" + +"But, Mrs. Crabtree! we do not like you to go away," said Laura, kindly. +"Why are you leaving us all on a sudden? it is very odd! I never was so +surprised in my life!" + +"Your papa's orders are come. He wrote me a line some weeks ago, to say +that I have been too severe. Perhaps that is all true. I meant it well, +and we are poor creatures, who can only act for the best. However, it +can't be helped now! There's no use in lamenting over spilt cream. +You'll be the better behaved afterwards. If ever you think of me again, +children, let it be as kindly as possible. Many and many a time I shall +remember you both. I never cared for any young people but yourselves, +and I shall never take charge of any others. Master Frank was the best +boy in the world, and you would both have been as good under my +care,--but it is no matter now!" + +"But it does matter a very great deal," cried Harry, eagerly. "You must +stay here, Mrs. Crabtree, as long as you live, and a great deal longer! +I shall write a letter to papa all about it. We were very troublesome, +and it was our own faults if we were punished. Never mind, Mrs. +Crabtree, but take off your bonnet and sit down! I am going to do some +dreadful mischief to-night, so you will be wanted to keep me in order." + +Mrs. Crabtree laid her hand upon Harry's head in silence, and there was +something so solemn and serious in her manner, that he saw it would be +useless to remonstrate any more. She then held out her hand to Laura, +endeavouring to smile as she did so, but it was a vain attempt, for her +lip quivered, and she turned away, saying, "Who would ever believe I +should make such a fool of myself! Farewell to you both! and let nobody +speak ill of me after I am gone, if you can help it!" + +Without looking round, Mrs. Crabtree hurried out of the nursery and +closed the door, leaving Harry and Laura perfectly bewildered with +astonishment at this sudden event, which seemed more like a dream than a +reality. They both felt exceedingly melancholy, hardly able to believe +that she had formerly been at all cross, while they stood at the window +with tears in their eyes, watching the departure of her well-known blue +chest, on a wheel-barrow, and taking a last look of her red gown and +scarlet shawl as she hastily followed it. + +For several weeks to come, whenever the door opened, Harry and Laura +almost expected her to enter, but month after month elapsed, and Mrs. +Crabtree appeared no more, till one day, at their earnest entreaty, Lady +Harriet took them a drive of some miles into the country, to see the +neat little lodging by the sea-side where she lived, and maintained +herself by sewing, and by going out occasionally as a sick-nurse. A more +delightful surprise certainly never could have been given than when +Harry and Laura tapped at the cottage door, which was opened by Mrs. +Crabtree herself, who started back with an exclamation of joyful +amazement, and looked as if she could scarcely believe her eyes on +beholding them, while they laughed at the joke till tears were running +down their cheeks. "Is Mrs. Crabtree at home?" said Harry, trying to +look very grave. + +"Grandmama says we may stay here for an hour, while she drives along the +shore," added Laura, stepping into the house with a very merry face. +"And how do you do, Mrs. Crabtree?" + +"Very well, Miss Laura, and very happy to see you. What a tall girl you +are become! and Master Harry too! looking quite over his own shoulders!" + +After sitting some time, Mrs. Crabtree insisted on their having some +dinner in her cottage; so making Harry and Laura sit down on each side +of a large blazing fire, she cooked some most delicious pancakes for +them in rapid succession, as fast as they could eat, tossing them high +in the air first, and then rolling up each as it was fried, with a large +spoonful of jam in the centre, till Harry and Laura at last said, that +unless Mrs. Crabtree supplied fresh appetites, she need make no more +pancakes, for they thought even Peter Grey himself could scarcely have +finished all she provided. + +Harry had now been several months constantly attending school, where he +became a great favourite with the boys, and a great torment to the +masters, while, for his own part, he liked it twenty times better than +he had expected, because the lessons were tolerably easy to a clever +boy, as he really was, and the games at cricket and foot-ball in the +play-ground put him perfectly wild with joy. Every boy at school seemed +to be his particular friend, and many called him "the holiday-maker," +because, if ever a holiday was wished for, Harry always became leader in +the scheme. The last morning of Peter Grey's appearing at school, he got +the name of "the copper captain," because Mr. Lexicon having fined him +half-a-crown, for not knowing one of his lessons, he brought the whole +sum in half-pence, carrying them in his hat, and gravely counting them +all out, with such a pains-taking, good-boy look, that any one, to see +him, would have supposed he was quite penitent and sorry for his +misconduct; but no sooner had he finished the task and ranged all the +half-pence neatly in rows along Mr. Lexicon's desk, than he was desired, +in a voice of thunder, to leave the room instantly, and never to return, +which accordingly he never did, having started next day on the top of +the coach for Portsmouth, and the last peep Harry got of him, he was +buying a perfect mountain of gingerbread out of an old man's basket, to +eat by the way. + +Meantime Laura had lessons from a regular day-governess, who came every +morning at seven, and never disappeared till four in the afternoon, so, +as Mrs. Crabtree remarked, "the puir thing was perfectly deaved wi' +edication," but she made such rapid progress, that uncle David said it +would be difficult to decide whether she was growing fastest in body or +in mind. Laura seemed born to be under the tuition of none but +ill-tempered people, and Madame Pirouette appeared in a constant state +of irritability. During the music-lessons, she sat close to the piano, +with a pair of sharp-pointed scissors in her hand, and whenever Laura +played a wrong note, she stuck their points into the offending finger, +saying sometimes in an angry foreign accent, "put your toe upon 'dis +note! I tell you, put your toe upon 'dis note!" + +"My finger, I suppose you mean?" asked Laura, trying not to laugh. + +"Ah! fingare and toe! dat is all one! Speak not a word! take hold of +your tongue." + +"Laura!" said Major Graham, one day, "I would as soon hear a gong +sounded at my ear for half an hour, as most of the fine pieces you +perform now. Taste and expression are quite out of date, but the chief +object of ambition is, to seem as if you had four hands instead of two, +from the torrent of notes produced at once. If ever you wish to please +my old-fashioned ears, give me melody,--something that touches the heart +and dwells in the memory,--then years afterwards, when we hear it again, +the language seems familiar to our feelings, and we listen with deep +delight to sounds recalling a thousand recollections of former days, +which are brought back by music (real music) with distinctness and +interest which nothing else can equal." + +During more than two years, while Harry and Laura were rapidly advancing +in education, they received many interesting letters from Frank, +expressing the most affectionate anxiety to hear of their being well and +happy, while his paper was filled with amusing accounts of the various +wonderful countries he visited; and at the bottom of the paper, he +always very kindly remembered to send them an order on his banker, as he +called uncle David, drawn up in proper form, saying, "Please to pay +Master Harry and Miss Laura Graham the sum of five shillings on my +account. Francis Arthur Graham." + +In Frank's gay, merry epistles, he kept all his little annoyances or +vexations to himself, and invariably took up the pen with such a desire +to send cheerfulness into his own beloved home, that his letters might +have been written with a sun-beam, they were so full of warmth and +vivacity. It seemed always a fair wind to Frank, for he looked upon the +best side of every thing, and never teazed his absent friends with +complaints of distresses they could not remedy, except when he +frequently mentioned his sorrow at being separated from them, adding, +that he often wished it were possible to meet them during one day in +every year, to tell all his thoughts, and to hear theirs in return, for +sometimes now, during the night watches, when all other resources +failed, he entertained himself, by imagining the circle of home all +gathered around him, and by inventing what each individual would say +upon any subjects he liked, while all his adventures acquired a double +interest, from considering that the recital would one day amuse his dear +friends when their happy meeting at last took place. Frank was not so +over-anxious about his own comfort, as to feel very much irritated and +discomposed at any privations that fell in his way, and once sitting up +in the middle of a dark night, with the rain pouring in torrents, and +the wind blowing a perfect hurricane, he drew his watch-coat round him, +saying good humouredly to his grumbling companions, "This is by no means +so bad! and whatever change takes place now, will probably be for the +better. Sunshine is as sure to come as Christmas, if you only wait for +it, and in the meantime we are all more comfortably off than St. +Patrick, when he had to swim across a stormy sea, with his head under +his arm." + +Frank often amused his messmates with stories which he had heard from +uncle David, and soon became the greatest favourite imaginable with them +all, while he frequently endeavoured to lead their minds to the same +sure foundation of happiness which he always found the best security of +his own. He had long been taught to know that a vessel might as well be +steered without rudder or compass, as any individual be brought into a +haven of peace, unless directed by the Holy Scriptures; and his delight +was frequently to study such passages as these: "When thou passest +through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they +shall not overflow thee; when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt +not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the +Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour." + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +AN UNEXPECTED VOYAGE. + + Full little know'st thou, that hast not tried, + How strange it is in "steam-boat" long to bide,-- + To fret thy soul with crosses and with cares, + To eat thy heart through comfortless despairs, + To speed to-day--to be put back to-morrow-- + To feed on hope--to pine with fear and sorrow. + + Spenser. + + +As Harry and Laura grew older, they were gradually treated like friends +and companions by Lady Harriet and Major Graham, who improved their +minds by frequent interesting conversations, in which knowledge and +principle were insensibly instilled into their minds, not by formal +instruction, but merely by mentioning facts, or expressing opinions and +sentiments such as naturally arose out of the subjects under discussion, +and accustoming the young people themselves to feel certain that their +own remarks and thoughts were to be heard with the same interest as +those of any other person. No surprise was expressed, if they appeared +more acute or more amusing than might have been expected,--no angry +contempt betrayed itself if they spoke foolishly, unless it were +something positively wrong; and thus Major Graham and Lady Harriet +succeeded in making that very difficult transition from treating +children as toys, to becoming their confidential friends, and most +trusted, as well as most respected and beloved associates. + +Frank had been upwards of five years cruizing on various stations +abroad, and many officers who had seen him, gave such agreeable reports +to Major Graham of his admirable conduct on several occasions, and of +his having turned out so extremely handsome and pleasing, that Lady +Harriet often wished, with tears in her eyes, it were possible she might +live to see him once again, though her own daily increasing infirmities +rendered that hope every hour more improbable. She was told that he +spoke of her very frequently, and said once when he met an aged person +at the Cape, "I would give all I possess on earth, and ten times more, +if I had it, to see my dear grandmother as well, and to meet her once +more." This deeply affected Lady Harriet, who was speaking one day with +unusual earnestness of the comfort it gave, whatever might be the will +of Providence in respect to herself, that Frank seemed so happy, and +liked his profession so well, when the door flew open, and Andrew +hastened into the room, his old face perfectly wrinkled with delight, +while he displayed a letter in his hand, saying in a tone of breathless +agitation, as he delivered it to Major Graham, "The post-mark is +Portsmouth, Sir!" + +Lady Harriet nearly rose from her seat with an exclamation of joy, but +unable for the exertion, she sunk back, covering her face with her +hands, and listening in speechless suspense to hear whether Frank had +indeed returned. Harry and Laura eagerly looked over Major Graham's +shoulder, and Andrew lingered anxiously at the door, till this welcome +letter was hurriedly torn open and read. The direction was certainly +Frank's writing, though it seemed very different from usual, but the +contents filled Major Graham with a degree of consternation and alarm, +which he vainly endeavoured to conceal, for it informed him that, during +a desperate engagement with some slave-ships off the coast of Africa, +Frank had been most severely wounded, from which he scarcely recovered +before a violent attack of fever reduced him so extremely, that the +doctors declared his only chance of restoration was to be invalided home +immediately; "therefore," added he, "you must all unite a prayer for my +recovery, with a thanksgiving for my return, and I can scarcely regret +an illness that restores me to home. My heart is already with you all, +but my frail shattered body must rest some days in London, as the voyage +from Sierra Leone has been extremely fatiguing and tedious." + +Lady Harriet made not a single remark when this letter was closed, but +tears coursed each other rapidly down her aged cheeks, while she slowly +removed her hands from her face, and gazed at Major Graham, who seated +himself by her side, in evident agitation, and calling back Andrew when +he was leaving the room, he said, in accents of unusual emotion, "Desire +John to inquire immediately whether any steam-boat sails for London +to-day." + +"You are right!" said Lady Harriet, feebly. "Oh! that I could accompany +you! But bring him to me if possible. I dare not hope to go. Surely we +shall meet at last. Now indeed I feel my own weakness, when I cannot fly +to see him. But he will be quite able for the journey. Frank had an +excellent constitution,--he--he was--" + +Lady Harriet's voice failed, and she burst into a convulsive agony of +tears. + +A few hours, and uncle David had embarked for London, where, after a +short passage, he arrived at his usual lodgings in St. James' Place; but +some days elapsed, during which he laboured in vain to discover the +smallest trace of Frank, who had omitted, in his hurried letter from +Portsmouth, to mention where he intended living in town. One evening, +fatigued with his long and unavailing search, Major Graham sat down, at +the British Coffee-house, to take some refreshment before resuming his +inquiries, and was afterwards about to leave the room, when he observed +a very tall interesting young man, exceedingly emaciated, who strolled +languidly into the room, with so feeble a step, that he scarcely seemed +able to support himself. The stranger took off his hat, sunk into a +seat, and passed his fingers through the dark masses of curls that hung +over his pale white forehead, his large eyes closed heavily with +fatigue, his cheek assumed a hectic glow, and his head sunk upon his +hand. In a low subdued voice he gave some directions to the waiter, and +Major Graham, after gazing for a moment with melancholy interest at this +apparently consumptive youth, was about to depart, when a turn of the +young man's countenance caused him to start; he looked again more +earnestly--every fibre of his frame seemed suddenly to thrill with +apprehension, and at last, in a voice of doubt and astonishment, he +exclaimed, "Frank!" + +The stranger sprung from his seat, gazed eagerly round the room, rushed +into the arms of Major Graham, and fainted. + +Long and anxiously did uncle David watch for the restoration of Frank, +while every means were used to revive him, and when at length he did +regain his consciousness, no time was lost in conveying him to St. +James' Place, where, after being confined to bed, and attended by Sir +Astley Cooper and Sir Henry Halford, during some days, they united in +recommending that he should be carried some miles out of town, to the +neighbourhood of Hammersmith, for change of air, till the effect of +medicine and diet could be fully tried. Frank earnestly entreated that +he might be taken immediately to his own home, but this the doctors +pronounced quite impossible, privately hinting to Major Graham that it +seemed very doubtful indeed whether he could ever be moved there at all, +or whether he might survive above a few months. + +"Home is anywhere that my own family live with me," said Frank in a +tone of resignation, when he heard a journey to Scotland pronounced +impossible. "It is not where I am, but who I see, that signifies; and +this meeting with you, uncle David, did me more good than an ocean of +physic. Oh! if I could only converse with grandmama for half-an-hour, +and speak to dear Harry and Laura, it would be too much happiness. I +want to see how much they are both grown, and to hear their merry laugh +again. Perhaps I never may! But if I get worse, they must come here. I +have many things to say! Why should they not set off now?--immediately! +If I recover, we might be such a happy party to Scotland again. For +grandmama, I know it is impossible; but will you write and ask her about +Harry and Laura? The sooner the better, uncle David, because I often +think it probable----" + +Frank coloured and hesitated; he looked earnestly at his uncle for some +moments, who saw what was meant, and then added, + +"There is one person more, far distant, and little thinking of what is +to come, who must be told. You have always been a father to me, uncle +David, but he also would wish to be here now. Little as we have been +together, I know how much he loves me." + +Frank's request became no sooner known than it was complied with by Lady +Harriet, who thought it better not to distress Harry and Laura, by +mentioning the full extent of his danger, but merely said, that he felt +impatient for the meeting, and that they might prepare on the following +day, to embark under charge of old Andrew and her own maid Harrison, for +a voyage to London, where she hoped they would find the dear invalid +already better; Laura was astonished at the agitation with which she +spoke, and felt bewildered and amazed by this sudden announcement. She +and Harry had once or twice in their lives caught cold, and spent a day +in bed, confined to a diet of gruel and syrup, which always proved an +infallible remedy for the very worst attacks, and they had frequently +witnessed the severe sufferings of their grandmama, from which, however, +she always recovered, and which seemed to them the natural effects of +her extreme old age; but to imagine the possibility of Frank's life +being in actual danger, never crossed their thoughts for an instant, +and, therefore, it was with a feeling of unutterable joy that they stood +on the deck of the Royal Pandemonium, knowing that they were now +actually going to meet Frank. + +Nothing could be a greater novelty to both the young travellers than the +scene by which they were now surrounded; trumpets were sounding--bells +ringing--children crying--sailors, passengers, carriages, dogs, and +baggage all hurrying on board pell-mell, while a jet of steam came +bellowing forth from the waste-pipe, as if it were struggling to get rid +of the huge column of black smoke vomited forth by the chimney. Below +stairs they were still more astonished to find a large cabin, covered +with gilding, red damask, and mirrors, where crowds of strange-looking +people, more than half sick, and very cross, were scolding and bustling +about, bawling for their carpet bags, and trying to be of as much +consequence as possible, while they ate and drank trash, to keep off +sea-sickness, that might have made any one sick on shore--sipping brandy +and water, or eating peppermint drops, according as the case required. +Among those in the ladies' cabin, Laura and Harry were amused to +discover Miss Perceval, who had hastened into bed already, in case of +being ill, and was talking unceasingly to any one who would listen, +besides ordering and scolding a poor sick maid, scarcely able to stand. +Her head was enveloped in a most singular night-cap, ornamented with old +ribbons and artificial flowers--she wore a bright yellow shawl, and had +taken into the berth beside her, a little Blenheim spaniel--a +parrot--and a cage of canary birds, the noisy inhabitants of which sung +at the full pitch of their voices till the very latest hour of the +night, being kept awake by the lamp which swung from side to side, while +nothing could be compared to their volubility except the perpetual +clamour occasioned by Miss Perceval herself. + +"I declare these little narrow beds are no better than coffins! I never +saw such places! and the smell is like singed blankets and cabbages +boiled in melted oil! It is enough to make anybody ill! Mary! go and +fetch me a cup of tea, and, do you hear! tell those people on deck not +to make such a noise--it gives me a headache! Be sure you say that I +shall complain to the Captain. Reach me some bread and milk for the +parrot,--fetch my smelling bottle,--go to the saloon for that book I was +reading,--and search again for the pocket-handkerchief I mislaid. It +cost ten guineas, and must be found. I hope no one has stolen it! Now do +make haste with the tea! What are you dawdling there for? If you do not +stop that noise on deck, Mary, I shall be exceedingly displeased! Some +of those horrid people in the steerage were smoking too, but tell the +Captain that if I come up he must forbid them. It is a trick to make us +all sick and save provisions. I observed a gun-case in the saloon too, +which is a most dangerous thing, for guns always go off when you least +expect. If any one fires, I shall fall into hysterics. I shall, indeed! +What a creaking noise the vessel makes! I hope there is no danger of its +splitting! We ought not to go on sailing after dusk. The Captain must +positively cast anchor during the night, that we may have no more of +this noise or motion, but sleep in peace and quietness till morning." + +Soon after the Royal Pandemonium had set sail, or rather set fire, the +wind freshened, and the pitching of the vessel became so rough, that +Harry and Laura, with great difficulty, staggered to seats on the deck, +leaving both Lady Harriet's servants so very sick below, that instead of +being able to attend on them, they gave nine times the trouble that any +other passenger did on board, and were not visible again during the +whole voyage. The two young travellers now sat down together, and +watched, with great curiosity, several groups of strangers on deck: +ladies, half sick, trying to entertain gentlemen in seal-skin travelling +caps and pale cadaverous countenances, smoking cigars; others opening +baskets of provisions, and eating with good sea-faring appetite; while +one party had a carriage on the deck so filled with luxuries of every +kind, that there seemed no end to the multitude of Perigord pies, German +sausages, cold fowls, pastry, and fruit that were produced during the +evening. The owners had a table spread on the deck, and ate voraciously, +before a circle of hungry spectators, which had such an appearance of +selfishness and gluttony, that both his young friends thought +immediately of Peter Grey. + +As evening closed in, Harry and Laura began to feel very desolate thus +for the first time in their lives alone, while the wide waste of waters +around made the scene yet more forlorn. They had enjoyed unmingled +delight in talking over and over about their happy meeting with Frank, +and planned a hundred times how joyfully they would rush into the house, +and with what pleasure they would relate all that happened to +themselves, after hearing from his own mouth the extraordinary +adventures which his letters had described. Laura produced from her +reticule several of the last she had received, and laughed again over +the funny jokes and stories they contained, inventing many new questions +to ask him on the subject, and fancying she already heard his voice, and +saw his bright and joyous countenance. But now the night had grown so +dark and chilly, that both Harry and Laura felt themselves gradually +becoming cold, melancholy, and dejected. They made an effort to walk +arm-in-arm up and down the deck, in imitation of the few other +passengers who had been able to remain out of bed, and they tried still +to talk cheerfully, but in spite of every effort, their thoughts became +mournful. After clinging together for some time, and staggering up and +down, without feeling in spirits to speak, they were still shiveringly +cold, yet unwilling to separate for the night, when Harry suddenly stood +still, grasping Laura's arm with a look of startled astonishment, which +caused her hastily to glance round in the direction where he was eagerly +gazing, but nothing became visible except the dim outline of a woman's +figure, rolled up in several enormous shawls, and with her bonnet +slouched far over her face. + +"I am certain it was her!" whispered Harry, in a tone of breathless +amazement; "almost certain!" + +"Who?" asked Laura, eagerly. + +Without answering, Harry sprung forward, and seized the unknown person +by the arm, who instantly looked round.----IT WAS MRS. CRABTREE! + +"I am sorry you observed me, Master Harry! I did not intend to trouble +you and Miss Laura during the voyage," said she, turning her face slowly +towards him, when, to his surprise, he saw that the traces of tears were +on her cheek, and her manner appeared so subdued, and altogether so +different from former times, that Laura could scarcely yet credit her +senses. "I shall not be at all in your way, children, but I ---- ---- I +must see Master Frank again. He was always too good for this world, and +he'll not be here long--Andrew told me all about it, and I could not +stay behind. I wish we were all as well prepared, and then the sooner we +die the better." + +Harry and Laura listened in speechless consternation to these words. The +very idea of losing Frank had never before crossed their imaginations +for a moment, and they could have wished to believe that what Mrs. +Crabtree said was like the ravings of delirium, yet an irresistible +feeling of awe and alarm rushed into their minds. + +"Miss Laura! if you want any help in undressing, call to me at any time. +I was sure that doited body Harrison could be of no service. She never +was fit to take care of herself, and far less of such as you. It put me +wild to think of your coming all this way with nobody fit to look after +you, and then the distress that must follow." + +"But surely, Mrs. Crabtree, you do not think Frank so very ill," asked +Laura, making an effort to recover her voice, and speaking in a tone of +deep anxiety; "he had recovered from the fever, but is only rather too +weak for travelling." + +"Well, Miss Laura! grief always comes too soon, and I would have held my +tongue had I thought you did not know the worst already. If I might +order as in former days, it would be to send you both down directly, out +of this heavy fog and cold wind." + +"But you may order us, Mrs. Crabtree," said Harry, taking her kindly by +the hand; "we are very glad to see you again! and I shall do whatever +you bid me! So you came all this way on purpose for us! How very kind!" + +"Master Harry, I would go round the wide world to serve any one of you! +who else have I to care for? But it was chiefly to see Master Frank. Let +us hope the best, and pray to be prepared for any event that may come. +All things are ordained for good, and we can only make the best of what +happens. The world must go round,--it must go round, and we can't +prevent it." + +Harry and Laura hung their heads in dismay, for there was something +agitated and solemn in Mrs. Crabtree's manner, which astonished and +shocked them, so they hurried silently to bed; and Laura's pillow was +drenched with tears of anxiety and distress that night, though +gradually, as she thought of Frank's bright colour and sparkling eyes, +his joyous spirits and unbroken health, it seemed impossible that all +were so soon to fade away, that the wind should have already passed +over them, and they were gone, till by degrees her mind became more +calm; her hopes grew into certainties; she told herself twenty times +over, that Mrs. Crabtree must be entirely mistaken, and at last sunk +into a restless agitated slumber. + +Next day the sun shone, the sky was clear, and every thing appeared so +full of life and joy, that Harry and Laura would have fancied the whole +scene with Mrs. Crabtree a distressing dream, had they not been awakened +to recollection before six in the morning, by the sound of her voice, +angrily rebuking Miss Perceval and other ladies, who with too good +reason, were grumbling at the hardship of sleeping, or rather vainly +attempting to sleep, in such narrow uncomfortable dog-holes. Laura heard +Mrs. Crabtree conclude an eloquent oration on the subject of +contentment, by saying, "Indeed, ladies! many a brave man, and +noblemen's sons too, have laid their heads on the green grass, fighting +for you, so we should put up with a hard bed patiently for one night." + +Miss Perceval turned angrily away, and summoned her maid to receive a +multitude of new directions. "Mary, tell the Captain that when I looked +out last, there was scarcely any smoke coming out of the funnel, so I am +sure he is saving fuel, and not keeping good enough fires to carry us +on! I never knew such shabbiness! Tell the engineer, that I insist on +his throwing on more coals immediately. Bring me some hot water, as fast +as possible! These towels are so coarse, I cannot, on any account, use +them. After being accustomed to such pocket-handkerchiefs as mine, at +ten guineas each, one does become particular. Can you not find a larger +basin? This looks like a soup-plate, and it seems impossible here to get +enough of hot water to wash comfortably." + +"She should be put into the boiler of the steam-boat," muttered Mrs. +Crabtree. "I wish them animal-magnifying doctors would put the young +lady to sleep till we arrive in London." + +"Now!" continued Miss Perceval, "get me another cup of tea. The last was +too sweet, the one before not strong enough, and the first half cold, +but this is worse than any. Do remember to mention, that yesterday night +the steward sent up a tin tea-pot, a thing I cannot possibly suffer +again. We must have the urn, too, instead of that black tea-kettle; and +desire him to prepare some butter-toast--I am not hungry, so three +rounds will be enough. Let me have some green tea this time; and see +that the cream is better than last night, when I am certain it was +thickened with chalk or snails. The jelly, too, was execrable, for it +tasted like sticking-plaster--I shall starve if better can't be had; and +the table-cloth looked like a pair of old sheets. Tell the steward all +this, and say, he must get my breakfast ready on deck in half an hour; +but meantime, I shall sit here with a book while you brush my hair." + +The sick persecuted maid seemed anxious to do all she was bid; so, after +delivering as many of the messages as possible, she tried to stand up +and do Miss Perceval's hair, but the motion of the vessel had greatly +increased, and she turned as pale as death, apparently on the point of +sinking to the ground, when Laura, now quite dressed, quietly slipped +the brush out of her hand, and carefully brushed Miss Perceval's thin +locks, while poor Mary silently dropped upon a seat, being perfectly +faint with sickness. + +Miss Perceval read on, without observing the change of abigails, till +Harry, who had watched this whole scene from the cabin-door, made a +hissing noise, such as grooms do when they currycomb a horse, which +caused the young lady to look hastily round, when great was Miss +Perceval's astonishment to discover her new abigail, with a very +pains-taking look, brushing her hair, while poor Mary lay more dead than +alive on the benches. "Well! I declare! was there ever anything so +odd!" she exclaimed in a voice of amazement. "How very strange! What can +be the matter with Mary! There is no end to the plague of servants!" + +"Or rather to the plague of mistresses!" thought Laura, while she +glanced from Miss Perceval's round, red bustling face, to the poor +suffering maid, who became worse and worse during the day, for there +came on what sailors call "a capful of wind," which gradually rose to a +"stiff breeze," or, what the passengers considered a hurricane; and, +towards night, it attained the dignity of a real undeniable "storm." A +scene of indescribable tumult then ensued. The Captain attempted to make +his voice heard above the roaring tempest, using a torrent of +unintelligible nautical phrases, and an incessant volley of very +intelligible oaths. The sailors flew about, and every plank in the +vessel seemed creaking and straining, but high above all, the shrill +tones of Miss Perceval were audibly heard, exclaiming, + +"Are there enough of 'hands' on board? Is there any danger? Are you sure +the boiler will not burst? I wish steam-boats had never been invented! +People are sure to be blown up to the clouds, or sunk to the bottom of +the ocean, or scalded to death like so many lobsters. I cannot stand +this any longer! Stop the ship, and set me on shore instantly!" + +Laura clung closer to Harry, and felt that they were like two mere +pigmies, amid the wide waste of waters, rolling and tossing around them, +while his spirits, on the contrary, rose to the highest pitch of +excitement with all he heard and saw, till at length, wishing to enjoy +more of the "fun," he determined to venture above board. By the time +Harry's nose was on a level with the deck, he gazed around, and saw that +not a person appeared visible except two sailors, both lashed to the +helm, while all was silent now, except the deafening noise made by the +wild waves and the stormy blast, which seemed as if it would blow his +teeth down his throat. Harry thought the two men looked no larger than +mice in such a scene, and stood, clinging to the bannisters, perfectly +entranced with astonishment and admiration at the novelty of all he saw, +and thinking how often Frank must have been in such scenes, when +suddenly a wave washed quite over the deck, and he felt his arm grasped +by Mrs. Crabtree, who desired him to come down immediately, in a tone of +authority which he did not even yet feel bold enough to disobey; +therefore, slowly and reluctantly he descended to the cabin, where the +only living thing that seemed well enough to move, was Miss Perceval's +tongue. + +"Steward!" she cried, in sharp angry accents. "Steward! here is water +pouring down the sky-lights like a shower-bath! Look at my band-box +swimming on the floor! Mary! Tiresome creature! don't you see that? My +best bonnet will be destroyed! Send the Captain here! He must positively +stop that noise on deck; it is quite intolerable. My head aches, as if +it would burst like the boiler of a steam-boat! Stupid man! Can't he put +into some port, or cast anchor? How can he keep us all uncomfortable in +this way! Mary! Mary, I say! are you deaf? Steward! send one of the +sailors here to take care of this dog! I declare poor Frisk is going to +be sick! Mary! Mary! This is insufferable! I wish the Captain would come +and help me to scold my maid! I shall certainly give you warning, Mary." + +This awful threat had but little effect on one who thought herself on +the brink of being buried beneath the waves, besides being too sick to +care whether she died the next minute or not; and even Miss Perceval's +voice became drowned at last in the tremendous storm which raged +throughout the night, during which the Captain rather increased Laura's +panic, if that were possible, by considerately putting his head into the +cabin now and then to say, "Don't be afraid, ladies! There is no +danger!" + +"But I must come up and see what you are about, Captain!" exclaimed Miss +Perceval. + +"You had better be still, ma'am," replied Mrs. Crabtree. "It is as well +to be drowned in bed as on deck." + +Nothing gives a more awful idea of the helplessness of man, and the +wrath of God, than a tempestuous sea during the gloom of midnight; and +every mind on board became awed into silence and solemnity during this +war of elements, till at length, towards morning, while the hurricane +seemed yet raging with undiminished fury, Laura suddenly gave an +exclamation of rapture, on hearing a sailor at the helm begin to sing +Tom Bowling. "Now I feel sure the danger is over," said she, "otherwise +that man could not have the heart to sing! If I live a century, I shall +always like a sailor's song for the future." + +It is seldom that any person's thankfulness after danger bears a fair +proportion to the fear they felt while it lasted; but Harry and Laura +had been taught to remember where their gratitude was due, and felt it +the more deeply next day, when they entered the Yarmouth Roads, and were +shewn the masts of several vessels, appearing partly above the water, +which had on various occasions, been lost in that wilderness of shoals, +where so many melancholy catastrophes have occurred. + +After sailing up the Thames, and duly staring at Greenwich hospital, the +hulks, and the Tower of London, they landed at last; and having offered +Mrs. Crabtree a place in the hackney coach, they hurried impatiently +into it, eager for the happy moment of meeting with Frank. Harry, in his +ardour, thought that no carriage had ever driven so slowly before. He +wished there had been a rail-road through the town; and far from wasting +a thought upon the novelties of Holborn or Piccadilly, he and Laura +gained no idea of the metropolis, more distinct than that of the +Irishman who complained he could not see London for the quantity of +houses. One only idea filled their hearts, and brightened their +countenances, while they looked at each other with a smile of delight, +saying, "now, at last, we are going to see Frank!" + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +THE ARRIVAL. + + What is life?----a varied tale, + Deeply moving, quickly told. + + Willis. + + +"Oh! what a lovely cottage!" exclaimed Laura, in an ecstacy of joy, when +they stopped before a beautiful house, with large airy windows down to +the ground; walls that seemed one brilliant mass of roses; rich flowery +meadows in front, and a bright smooth lawn behind, stretching down to +the broad bosom of the Thames, which reflected on its glassy surface +innumerable boats, filled with gay groups of merry people. "That is such +a place as I have often dreamed of, but never saw before! It seems made +for perfect happiness!" + +"Yes! how delightful to live here with Frank and uncle David!" added +Harry. "We shall be sailing on the water all day!" + +The cottage gate was now opened, and Major Graham himself appeared under +the porch; but instead of hurrying forward, as he always formerly did, +to welcome them after the very shortest separation, he stood gravely and +silently at the door, without so much as raising his eyes from the +ground; and the paleness of his countenance filled both Harry and Laura +with astonishment. They flew to meet him, making an exclamation of joy; +but after embracing them affectionately, he did not utter a word, and +led the way with hurried and agitated steps into a sitting room. + +"Where is Frank?" exclaimed Harry, looking eagerly round. "Why is he not +here? Call him down! Tell him we are come!" + +A long pause ensued; and Laura trembled when she looked at her uncle, +who was some moments before he could speak, and sat down taking each of +them by the hand, with such a look of sorrow and commiseration, that +they were filled with alarm. + +"My dear Harry and Laura!" said he solemnly, "you have never known grief +till now, but if you love me, listen with composure. I have sad news to +tell, yet it is of the very greatest consequence that you should bear up +with fortitude. Frank is extremely ill; and the joy he felt about your +coming, has agitated him so much, that he is worse than you can possibly +conceive. It probably depends upon your conduct now, whether he survives +this night or not. Frank knows you are here; he is impatient for you to +embrace him; he becomes more and more agitated every moment the meeting +is delayed; yet if you give way to childish grief, or even to childish +joy, upon seeing him again, the Doctors think it may cause his immediate +death. You might hear his breathing in any part of this house. He is in +the lowest extreme of weakness! It will be a dreadful scene for you +both. Tell me, Harry and Laura, can you trust yourselves? Can you, for +Frank's own sake, enter his room this moment, as quietly as if you had +seen him yesterday, and speak to him with composure?" + +Laura felt, on hearing these words, as if the very earth had opened +under her feet,--a choking sensation arose in her throat,--her colour +fled,--her limbs shook,--her whole countenance became convulsed with +anguish,--but making a resolute effort, she looked anxiously at Harry, +and then said, in a low, almost inaudible voice, + +"Uncle David! we are able,--God will strengthen us. I dare not think a +moment. The sooner it is done the better. Let us go now." + +Major Graham slowly led the way without speaking, till they reach the +bed-room door, where he paused for a moment, while Harry and Laura +listened to the gasping sound of Frank struggling for breath. + +"Remember you will scarcely know him," whispered he, looking doubtfully +at Laura's pallid countenance; "but a single expression of emotion may +be fatal. Show your love for Frank now, my dear children. Spare him all +agitation,--forget your own feelings for his sake." + +When Harry and Laura entered the room, Frank buried his face in his +hands, and leaned them on the table, saying, in convulsive accents, "Go +away, Laura!--oh go away just now! I cannot bear it yet!--leave +me!--leave me!" + +If Laura had been turned into marble at the moment, she could not have +seemed more perfectly calm, for her mind was wound up to an almost +supernatural effort, and advancing to the place where he sat, without +attempting to speak, she took Frank by the hand--Harry did the same; and +not a sound was heard for some moments, but the convulsive struggles of +Frank himself, while he gasped for breath, and vainly tried to speak, +till at length he raised his head and fixed his eyes on Laura, who felt +then, for the first time, struck with the dreadful conviction, that this +meeting was but a prelude to their immediate and final separation. The +pale ashy cheek, the hollow eye, the sharp and altered features, all +told a tale of anguish such as she had never before conceived, and a +cold tremor passed through her frame, as she stood amazed and bewildered +with grief, while the past, the present, and the future seemed all one +mighty heap of agony. Still she gazed steadily on Frank, and said +nothing, conscious that the smallest indulgence of emotion would bring +forth a torrent which nothing could control, and determined, unless her +heart ceased to beat, that he should see nothing to increase his +agitation. + +At length, in a low, faint, broken voice, Frank was able to speak, and +looking with affectionate sympathy at Laura, he said, "Do not think, +dear sister, that I always suffer as you see me now. This joy has been +too much for me. I shall soon feel easier." + +Major Graham observed a livid paleness come over Laura's countenance +when she attempted to answer, and seeing it was impossible to sustain +the trial a moment longer, he made a pretext to hurry her away. Harry +instantly followed, and rushing into a vacant room, he threw himself +down in an agony of grief, and wept convulsively, till the very bed +shook beneath him. Hours passed on, and Major Graham left them to +exhaust their grief in weeping together, but every moment seemed only to +increase their agitation, as the conviction became more fearfully +certain that Frank was indeed lost to them for ever. This then was the +meeting they had so often, and so joyously anticipated! Laura sunk upon +her knees beside Harry, and prayers were mingled with their tears, while +they asked for consolation, and tried to feel resigned. "Alas!" thought +she solemnly, "how truly did grandmama say, 'If the sorrows of this +world are called 'light afflictions,' what must be those from which +Christ died to save us!' It is merciful that we are not forbid to weep, +for, oh! who ever lost such a brother?--the kindest--the best of +brothers!--dear, dear Frank!--can nothing be done! Uncle David!" added +Laura, clinging to Major Graham, when he entered the room, "oh! say +something to us about Frank getting better,--do you think he will? May +we have a hope?--one single hope to live upon, that Frank may possibly +be spared; do not turn away--do not look so very sad--think how young +Frank is,--and the Doctors are so skilful--and--and oh, uncle David! he +is dying! I see it! I must believe it!" continued she, wringing her +hands with grief. "You cannot give us one word of hope, though the whole +world would be nothing without him." + +"My dear,--my very dear Laura! remember that consoling text in holy +Scripture, 'Be still, and know that I am God;'--we have no idea what He +can do in saving us from sorrow, or in comforting us when it comes, +therefore let us seek peace from Him, and believe that all shall indeed +be ordered well, even though our own hearts were to be broken with +affliction. Frank has seen old nurse Crabtree, and is now in a +refreshing sleep, therefore I wish you to take the opportunity of +sitting in his room, and accustoming yourselves, if possible, to the +sight of his altered appearance. He is sometimes very cheerful, and +always patient, therefore we must keep up our own spirits, and try to +assist him in bearing his sufferings, rather than increase them, by +showing what we feel ourselves. I was pleased with you both this +morning--that meeting was no common effort, and now we must show our +submission to the Divine will, difficult as that may be, by a deep, +heartfelt resignation to whatever He ordains." + +Harry and Laura still felt stupified with grief, but they mechanically +followed Major Graham into Frank's room, and sat down in a distant +corner behind his chair, observing with awe and astonishment his pallid +countenance, his emaciated hands, and his drooping figure, while +scarcely yet able to believe that this was indeed their own beloved +Frank. After they had remained immoveably still for some time, though +shedding many bitter tears, as they gazed on the wreck of one so very +dear, he suddenly started awake, and glanced anxiously round the room, +then with a look of deep disappointment, he said to uncle David, in low, +feeble accents, + +"It was only a dream! I have often dreamed the same thing, when far away +at sea,--that would have been too much happiness! I fancied Harry and +Laura were here!" + +"It was no dream, dear Frank! we are here," said Laura, trying to speak +in a quiet, subdued voice. + +"My dear sister! then all is well! but pray sit always where I can see +you. After wishing so long for our meeting, it appears nearly impossible +that we are together at last." + +Frank became exhausted with speaking so much, but pointed to a seat near +himself, where Harry and Laura sat down, after which he gazed at them +long and earnestly, with a look of affectionate pleasure, while his +smile, which had lost all its former cheerfulness, was now full of +tenderness and sensibility. At length his countenance gradually changed, +while large tears gathered in his eyes, and coursed each other silently +down his cheeks. Thoughts of the deepest sadness seemed passing through +his mind during some moments, but checking the heavy sigh that rose in +his breast, he riveted his hands together, and looked towards heaven +with an expression of placid submission, saying these words in a +scarcely audible tone, though evidently addressed to those around, + +"Weeping endureth for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." "We know +that if our earthly house of this tabernacle be dissolved, we have a +building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." +"Weep ye not for the dead, neither bemoan him; _but_ weep sore for him +that goeth away: for he shall return no more, nor see his native +country."[1] + + [1] Jeremiah xxii. 10. + +These words fell upon the ear of Harry and Laura like a knell of death, +for they now saw that Frank himself believed he was dying, and it +appeared as if their last spark of hope expired when they heard this +terrible dispensation announced from his own lips. He seemed anxious now +that they should understand his full meaning, and receive all the +consolation which his mind could afford, for he closed his eyes, and +added in solemn accents, + +"I must have died at some time, and why not now? If I leave friends who +are very dear on earth, I go to my chief best friend in heaven. The +whole peace and comfort of my mind rest on thinking of our Saviour's +merits. Let us all be ready to say, 'the will of the Lord be done.' +Think often, Harry and Laura, of those words we so frequently repeated +to grandmama formerly: + + 'Take comfort, Christians, when your friends + In Jesus fall asleep, + Their better being never ends, + Why then dejected weep? + + Why inconsolable as those + To whom no hope is given? + Death is the messenger of peace, + And calls 'my' soul to Heaven.'" + +Frank's voice failed, his head fell back upon the pillows, and he +remained for a length of time, with his eyes closed in solemn meditation +and prayer, while Laura and Harry, unable so much as to look at each +other, leaned upon the table, and wept in silence. + +Laura felt as if she had grown old in a moment,--as if life could give +no more joy--and as if she herself stood already on the verge of the +grave. It appeared like a dream that she had ever been happy, and a +dreadful reality to which she was now awakened. "Behold, God taketh +away! who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou?" +"Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils." These were texts +which forced themselves on her mind, with mournful emphasis, while she +felt how helpless is earthly affection when the dispensations of God +are upon us. All her love for Frank could not avert the stroke of +death,--all his attachment to her must now be buried in the grave,--and +the very tenderness they felt for each other, only embittered the +sorrows of this dreadful moment. + +From that day, Harry and Laura, according to the advice of uncle David, +testified their affection for Frank, not by tears and useless +lamentations, though these were not always to be controlled in private, +but by the incessant, devoted attention with which they watched his +looks, anticipated his wishes, and thought every exertion a pleasure +which could in the slightest degree contribute to his comfort. Frank, on +his part, spared their feelings, by often concealing what he suffered, +and by speaking of his own death, as if it had been a journey on which +he must prepare with readiness to enter, reminding them, that never to +die, was never to be happy, as all they saw him endure from sickness, +became nothing to what he endured from struggling against sin and +temptation, which were the great evils of existence,--and that from all +these he would be for ever freed by death. "Those who are prepared for +the change," added he, solemnly, "can neither live too long, nor die too +soon; for when God gives us His blessing, He then sends heaven, as it +were, into the soul before the soul ascends to heaven; and I trust to +being gifted with faith and submission for all that may be ordained +during my few remaining hours upon earth." + +Yet, with every desire to feel resigned, Frank himself was sometimes +surprised out of his usual fortitude, especially when thinking that he +must never more hope to see Lady Harriet, towards whom he cast many a +longing and affecting thought, saying once, with deep emotion, "If I +could only see grandmama again, I should feel quite well!" One evening, +as he sat near an open window, gazing on the rich tints of twilight, and +breathing with more than usual ease, a wandering musician paused with +her guitar, and sung several airs with great pathos and expression. At +length she played the tune of "Home! sweet home," to which Frank +listened for some moments with intense agitation, till, clasping his +hands and bursting into tears, he exclaimed, in accents of powerful +emotion, + +"Home! That happy home! Oh! never--never more,--_my_ home is in the +grave." + +Laura wept convulsively while he added in broken accents, "I shall still +be remembered--still lamented--you must not love me too well, +Laura,--not as I love you, or your sorrow would be too great; but long +hence, when Harry and you are happy together, surrounded with friends, +think sometimes of one who must for ever be absent,--who loved you +better than them all,--whose last prayer will be for you both. Oh! who +can tell what my feelings are! I can do nothing now but cause distress +and anguish to those who love me best!" + +"Frank, I would not exchange your affection for the wealth of worlds. As +long as I live, it will be my greatest earthly happiness to have had +such a brother; and if we are to suffer a sorrow that I cannot name, and +dare not think of, you are teaching me how to bear it, and leaving us +the only comfort we can have, in knowing that you are happy." + +"Many plans and many hopes I had for the future, Laura," added Frank; +"but there is no future to me now in this world. Perhaps I may escape a +multitude of sorrows, but how gladly would I have shared all yours, and +ensured my best happiness by uniting with Harry and you in living to +God. If you both learn more by my death than by my life, then, indeed, I +do rejoice. With respect to myself, it matters but little a few years or +hours sooner, for I may say, in the words of Job, 'though He slay me, +yet will I trust in Him.'" + +Frank's sufferings increased every day, and became so very great at +last, that the Doctor proposed giving him strong doses of laudanum, to +bring on a stupor and allay the pain; but when this was mentioned to +him, he said, "I know it is my duty to take whatever you prescribe, and +I certainly shall, but if we can do without opiates, let me entreat you +to refrain from them. Often formerly at sea I used to think it very sad +how few of those I attended in sickness were allowed by the physician to +die in possession of their senses, on account of being made to take +laudanum, which gave them false spirits and temporary ease. Let me +retain my faculties as long as they are mercifully granted to me. I can +bear pain,--at least, God grant me strength to do so,--but I cannot +willingly enter the presence of my Creator in a state little short of +intoxication." + +Many days of agony followed this resolution on the part of Frank, but +though the medicine, which would have brought some hours of oblivion, +lay within reach, he persevered in wishing to preserve his +consciousness, whatever suffering it might cost; and though now and then +a prayer for bodily relief was wrung from him in his acute agony, the +most frequent and fervent supplications that he uttered night and day +were, in an accent of intense emotion, "God have mercy upon my soul." + +Harry and Laura were surprised to find the fields and walks near London +so very rural and beautiful as they appeared at Hammersmith, and to meet +with much more simplicity and kindness among the common people than they +had anticipated. The poorer neighbours, who became aware of their +affliction, testified a degree of sympathy which frequently astonished +them, and was often afterwards remembered with pleasure, one instance of +which seemed peculiarly touching to Laura. Frank always suffered most +acutely during the night, and seldom closed his eyes in sleep till +morning, therefore she invariably remained with him, to beguile those +weary hours, while any remonstrance on his part against so fatiguing a +duty, became a mere waste of words, as she only grew sadder and paler, +saying, there would be time enough to take care of herself when she +could no longer be of use to him. The earliest thing that gave any +relief to Frank's cough every day, generally was, a tumbler of milk, +warm from the cow, which had been ordered for him, and was brought +almost as soon as the dawn of light. Once, when Frank had been unusually +ill, and sighed in restless agony till morning, Laura watched +impatiently for day, and when the milkman was seen, at six o'clock, +slowly trudging through the fields, and advancing leisurely towards the +house, Laura hurried eagerly down to meet him, exclaiming in accents of +joy, while she held out the tumbler, "Oh! I am so glad you are come at +last!" + +"At last, Miss!! I am as early as usual!" replied he, gruffly. "It's not +many poor folks that gets up so soon to their work, and if you had to +labour as hard as me all day, you would maybe think the morning came too +soon." + +"I am seldom in bed all night," answered Laura, sadly. "My poor sick +brother cannot rest till this milk is brought, and I wait with him, hour +after hour till daylight, wearying for you to come." + +The old dairyman looked with sorrowful surprise at Laura, while she, +thinking no more of what had passed, hurried away; but next morning, +when sitting up again with Frank, she became surprised to observe the +milkman a whole hour earlier than usual, plodding along towards his +cattle at a peculiarly rapid pace. He stayed not more than five minutes, +only milking one cow, though all the others gathered round him, and as +soon as he had filled his little pail, he came straight toward Major +Graham's cottage, and knocked at the door. Laura instantly ran down to +thank him with her whole heart for his kind attention, after which, as +long as Frank continued ill, the old dairyman rose long before his usual +time, to bring this welcome refreshment. + +Frank desired Laura to beg that he would not take so much trouble, or +else to insist on his accepting some remuneration, but the old man would +neither discontinue the custom, nor receive any recompense. + +"Let me see this kind good dairyman, to thank him myself," said Frank, +one night, when he felt rather easier; and next morning, Laura invited +poor Teddy Collins to walk up stairs, who looked exceedingly astonished, +though very much pleased at the proposal, saying, "May be, Ma'am, the +poor young gentleman would not like to see a stranger like me!" + +"No one is a stranger who feels for him as you have done," replied +Laura, leading the way, and Frank's countenance lighted up with a smile +of pleasure when they entered his room. He held out his thin emaciated +hand to Teddy, who looked earnestly and sorrowfully in his face as he +grasped hold of it, saying, "You look very poorly, Sir! I'm afraid, +indeed, you are sadly ill." + +"That I am! as ill as any one can be on this side of eternity! My tale +is told, my days are numbered; but I would not go out of this world +without saying how grateful we both feel for your attention. As a cup of +cold water given in Christian kindness shall hereafter be rewarded, I +trust also that your attention to me may not be forgotten." + +"You are heartily welcome, Sir! It is a great honour for a poor old man +like me to oblige anybody. I shall not long be able for work now, seeing +that I am upwards of threescore and ten, and my days are already full of +labour and sorrow." + +"To both of us, then, the night is far spent, and the day is at hand," +replied Frank--"How strange it seems, that, old as you are. I am still +older; my feeble frame will be sooner worn out, and my body laid at rest +in the grave! Let me hope that you have already applied your heart to +wisdom, for every child of earth must, sooner or later, find how short +is every thing but eternity. While I appear before you here as a +spectacle of mortality, think how soon and how certainly you must +follow. May you then find, as I do, that even in the last extreme of +sickness and sorrow, there is comfort in looking forward to such +blessings as 'eye hath not seen, nor ear heard.' Farewell, my kind +friend! In this world we shall meet no more, but there is another and a +better." + +The old man, apparently unwilling to withdraw, paused for some moments +after Frank had ceased to speak. He muttered a few inaudible words in +reply, and then slowly and sorrowfully left the room, while Frank's head +sunk languidly on the pillows, and Laura retired to her room, where, as +usual, she wept herself to sleep. + +When Harry and Laura first arrived at Hammersmith, Frank felt anxious +that they should walk out every day for the benefit of their health; but +finding that each made frequent excuses for remaining constantly with +him at home, he invented a plan which induced them to take exercise +regularly. + +Being early in June, strawberries were yet so exceedingly rare, that +they could scarcely be had for any money; but the Doctor had allowed his +patient to eat fruit. Frank asked his two young attendants to wander +about in quest of gardens where a few strawberries could be got, and to +bring him some. Accordingly, they set out one morning; and after a long, +unsuccessful search, at last observed a small green-house near the road, +with one little basket in the window, scarcely larger than a thimble, +containing two or three delicious King seedlings, perfectly ripe. These +were to be sold for five shillings; but hardly waiting to ascertain the +price, Laura seized this welcome prize with delight, and paid for it on +the spot. Every morning afterwards, her regular walk was to hasten with +Harry towards this pretty little shop, where they talked to the gardener +about poor Frank being so very ill, and told him that this fine fruit +was wanted for their sick brother at home. + +One day the invalid seemed so much worse than usual, that neither Harry +nor Laura could bear to leave him a moment; so they requested Mrs. +Crabtree to fetch the strawberries, which she readily agreed to do; but +on drawing out her purse in the shop, and saying that she came to buy +that little basket of fruit at the window, what was her astonishment +when the gardener looked civil and sorry, answering that he would not +sell those strawberries if she offered him a guinea a-piece. + +"No!" exclaimed Mrs. Crabtree, getting into a rage; "then what do you +put them up at the window for? There is no use pretending to keep a +shop, if you will not sell what is in it! Give me these strawberries +this minute, and here's your five shillings!" + +"It's quite impossible," replied the gardener, holding back the basket. +"You see, ma'am, every day last week a little Master and Miss came to +this here shop, buying my strawberries for a young gentleman who is very +ill; and they look both so sweet and so mournful-like, that I would not +disappoint them for all the world. They seem later to-day than usual, +and are, may be, not coming at all; but if I lose my day's profits, it +can't be helped. They shall not walk here for nothing, if they please to +come!" + +When Mrs. Crabtree explained that she belonged to the same family as +Harry and Laura, the gardener looked hard at her to see if she were +attempting to deceive him; but feeling convinced that she spoke the +truth, he begged her to carry off the basket to his young friends, +positively refusing to take the price. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +THE LAST BIRTH-DAY. + + Mere human power shall fast decay, + And youthful vigour cease; + But they who wait upon the Lord, + In strength shall still increase. + + +Frank felt no unnatural apathy or indifference about dying, for he +looked upon it with awe, though not with fear; nor did he express any +rapturous excitement on the solemn occasion, knowing that death is an +appointed penalty for transgression, which, though deprived of its +sharpest sting by the triumphs of the cross, yet awfully testifies to +all succeeding generations, that each living man has individually +merited the utmost wrath of God, and that the last moment on earth, of +even the most devoted Christian, must be darkened by the gloom of our +original sin and natural corruption. Yet, "as in Adam all die, so in +Christ are all made alive;" and amidst the throng of consolatory and +affecting meditations that crowded into his mind on the great subject of +our salvation, he kept a little book in which were carefully recorded +such texts and reflections as he considered likely to strengthen his own +faith, and to comfort those he left behind--saying one day to Major +Graham, + +"Tell grandmama, that though my days have been few upon the earth, they +were happy! When you think of me, uncle David, after my sufferings are +over, it may well be a pleasing remembrance, that you were always the +best, the kindest of friends. Oh! how kind! but I must not--cannot speak +of that----. This is my birth-day!--my last birth-day! Many a joyous one +we kept together, but those merry days are over, and these sadder ones +too shall cease; yet the time is fast approaching, so welcome to us +both, + + 'When death-divided friends at last + Shall meet to part no more.'" + +In the evening, Major Graham observed that Frank made Mrs. Crabtree +bring everything belonging to him, and lay it on the table, when he +employed himself busily in tying up a number of little parcels, +remarking, with a languid smile, + +"My possessions are not valuable, but these are for some old friends and +messmates, who will be pleased to receive a trifling memorial of one who +loved them. Send my dirk to Peter Grey, who is much reformed now. Here +are all the letters any of you ever sent me; how very often they have +been read! but now, even that intercourse must end; keep them, for they +were the dearest treasures I possessed. At Madras, formerly, I remember +hearing of a nabob who was bringing his whole fortune home in a chest of +gold, but the ropes for hoisting his treasure on board were so +insufficient, that the whole gave way, and it fell into the ocean, never +to be recovered. That seemed a very sudden termination of his hopes and +plans, but scarcely more unexpected than my own. 'We are a wind that +passeth away and cometh not again.' Many restless nights are ordained +for me now, probably that I may find no resource but prayer and +meditation. Others can afford time to slumber, but I so soon shall sleep +the sleep of death, that it becomes a blessing to have such hours of +solitary thought, for preparing my heart and establishing my faith, +during this moment of need." + +"Yes, Frank! but your prayers are not solitary, for ours are joined to +yours," added Laura. "I read in an old author lately, that Christian +friends in this world might be compared to travellers going along the +same road in separate carriages--sometimes they are together--often they +are apart--sometimes they can exchange assistance, as we do now--and +often they jostle against each other, till at last, having reached the +journey's end, they are removed out of these earthly vehicles into a +better state, where they shall look back upon former circumstances, and +know even as they are known." + +Laura was often astonished to observe the change which had taken place +in her own character and feelings within the very short period of their +distress. Her extreme terror of a thunder-storm formerly, had occasioned +many a jest to her brothers, when Harry used, occasionally, to roll +heavy weights in the room above her own, to imitate the loudest peals, +while Frank sometimes endeavoured to argue her out of that excessive +apprehension with which she listened to the most distant surmise of a +storm. Now, however, at Hammersmith, long after midnight, the moon, on +one occasion, became completely obscured by dense heavy clouds, and the +air felt so oppressively hot, that Frank, who seemed unusually +breathless, drew closer to the window. Laura supported his head, and was +deeply occupied in talking to him, when suddenly a broad flash of +lightning glared into the room, followed by a crash of thunder, that +seemed to crack the very heavens. Again and again the lightning gleamed +in her face with such vividness, that Laura fancied she could +distinguish the heat of it, and yet she stirred not, nor did a single +exclamation, as in former days, arise on her lips. + +"Pray shut the window, Laura," said Frank languidly, raising his eyes; +"and be so kind as to close the shutters!" + +"Why, Frank?--you never used to be alarmed by thunder!" + +"No! nor am I now, dear Laura. What danger need a dying person fear? +Some few hours sooner or later would be of little consequence-- + + Come he slow, or come he fast, + It is but death that comes at last. + +Yet, Laura, do you think I have forgotten old times! Oh, no!--not while +I live. You attend to my feelings, and surely it is my duty to remember +yours." + +"Never mind me, Frank!" whispered Laura. "I have got over all that +folly. When real fears and sorrows come, we care no more about those +that were imaginary." + +"True, my dear sister; and there is no courage or fortitude like that +derived from faith in a superintending providence. Though all creation +reel, we may sleep in peace, for to Christians 'danger is safe, and +tumult calm.'" + +When Frank grew worse, he became often delirious. Yet as in health he +had been habitually cheerful, his mind generally wandered to agreeable +subjects. He fancied himself walking on the bright meadows, and picking +flowers by the river side,--meeting Lady Harriet,--and even speaking to +his father, as if Sir Edward had been present; while Harry and Laura +listened, weeping and trembling, to behold the wreck of such a mind and +heart as his. One evening, he seemed unusually well, and requested that +his arm-chair might be wheeled to the open window, where he gazed with +delight at the hills and meadows,--the clouds and glittering water,--the +cattle standing in the stream,--the boats reflected on its surface,--and +the roses fluttering at every casement. + +"Those joyous little birds!--their song makes me cheerful," said he, in +a tone of placid enjoyment. "I have been in countries where the birds +never sing, and the leaves never fade; but they excited no sympathy or +interest. Here we have notes of gladness both in sunshine and storm, +teaching us a lesson of grateful contentment,--while those drooping +roses preach a sermon to me, for as easily might they recover freshness +and bloom as myself. We shall both lie low before long in the dust, yet +a spring shall come hereafter to revive even 'the ashes of the urn.' +Then, uncle David, we meet again,--not as now, amidst sorrow and +suffering, with death and separation before us,--but blessed by the +consciousness that our sins are forgiven,--our trials all ended,--and +that our afflictions which were but for a moment, have worked out for us +a far more exceeding, even an eternal weight of glory." + +Some hours afterwards the Doctor entered. After receiving a cordial +welcome from Frank, and feeling his pulse, he instantly examined his +arms and neck, which were covered entirely over with small red spots, +upon observing which, the friendly physician suddenly changed +countenance, and stole an alarmed glance at Major Graham. + +"I feel easier and better to-day, Doctor, than at any time since my +illness," said Frank, looking earnestly in his face. "Do you think this +eruption will do me good? Life has much that would be dear to me, while +I have friends like these to live for. Can it be possible that I may yet +recover?" + +The Doctor turned away, unable to reply, while Frank intensely watched +his countenance, and then gazed at the pale agitated face of Major +Graham. Gradually the hope which had brightened in his cheek began to +fade,--the lustre of his eye became dim,--his countenance settled into +an expression of mournful resignation,--and covering his face with his +hands, he said, in a voice of deep emotion, + +"I see how it is!--God's will be done!" + +The silence of death succeeded, while Frank laid his head on the pillow +and closed his eyes. A few natural tears coursed each other slowly down +his cheek; but at length, an hour or two afterwards, being completely +exhausted, he fell into a gentle sleep, from which the Doctor considered +it very doubtful if he would ever awaken, as the red spots indicated +mortification, which must inevitably terminate his life before next day. + +Laura retired to the window, making a strenuous effort to restrain her +feelings, that she might be enabled to witness the last awful scene; and +fervently did she pray for such strength to sustain it with fortitude, +as might still render her of some use to her dying brother. Her pale +countenance might almost have been mistaken for that of a corpse, but +for the expression of living agony in her eye; and she was sunk in deep, +solemn thought, when her attention became suddenly roused by observing a +chariot and four drive furiously up to the gate, while the horses were +foaming and panting as they stopped. A tall gentleman, of exceedingly +striking appearance, sprung hurriedly out, walked rapidly towards the +cottage door, and in another minute entered Frank's room, with the +animated look of one who expected to be gladly welcomed, and to occasion +an agreeable surprise. + +Harry and Laura shrunk close to their uncle, when the stranger, now in +evident agitation, gazed round the room with an air of painful +astonishment, till Major Graham looked round, and instantly started up +with an exclamation of amazement, "Edward! is it possible! This is +indeed a consolation! you are still in time!" + +"In time!!" exclaimed Sir Edward, grasping his brother's hand with +vehement agitation. "Do you mean to say that Frank is yet in danger!" + +Major Graham mournfully shook his head, and undrawing the bed curtains, +he silently pointed to the sleeping countenance of Frank, which was as +still as death, and already overspread by a ghastly paleness. Sir Edward +then sunk into a chair, and clenched his hands over his forehead with a +look of unspeakable anguish, saying, in an under-tone, "Worn out, as I +am, in mind and body, I needed not this to destroy me! Say at once, +brother, is there any hope?" + +"None, my dear Edward! None! Even now he is insensible, and I fear with +little prospect of ever becoming conscious again." + +At this moment Frank opened his eyes, which were dim and glassy, while +it became evident that he had relapsed into a state of temporary +delirium. + +"Get more candles! how very dark it is!" he said. "Who are all those +people? Send away everybody but grandmama! I must speak to her alone. +Never tell papa of all this, it would only distress him--say nothing +about me. Why do Harry and Laura never come? They have been absent more +than a week! Who took away uncle David too?" + +Laura listened for some time in an agony of grief, till at last, unable +any longer to restrain her feelings, she clasped Frank in her arms and +burst into tears, exclaiming, in accents of piercing distress, "Oh +Frank! dear Frank! have you forgotten poor Laura?" + +"Not till I am dead!" whispered he, while a momentary gleam of +recollection lighted up his face. "Laura! we meet again." + +Sir Edward now wished to speak, but Frank had relapsed into a state of +feeble unconsciousness, from which nothing could arouse him; once or +twice he repeated the name of Laura in a low melancholy voice, till it +became totally inaudible--his breath became shorter--his lips became +livid--his whole frame seemed convulsed--and some hours afterwards, all +that was mortal of Frank Graham ceased to exist. About four in the +morning his body was at rest, and his spirit returned to God who gave +it. + +The candles had burned low in their sockets, and still the mourners +remained, unwilling to move from the awful scene of their bereavement. +Mrs. Crabtree at length, who laid out the body herself, extinguished the +lights, and flung open the window curtains. Then suddenly a bright blaze +of sunshine streamed into the room, and rested on the cold pale face of +the dead. To the stunned and bewildered senses of Harry and Laura, the +brilliant dawn of morning seemed like a mockery of their distress. Many +persons were already passing by--the busy stir of life had begun, and a +boy strolling along the road whistled his merry tune as he went gaily +on. + +"We are indeed mere atoms in the world!" thought Laura bitterly, while +these sights and sounds fell heavily on her heart. "If Harry and I had +both been dead also, the sun would have shone as brightly, the birds +sung as joyfully, and those people been all as gay and happy as ever! +Nobody is thinking of Frank--nobody knows our misery--the world is going +on as if nothing had happened, and we are breaking our hearts with +grief!" + +Laura's heart became stilled as she gazed on the peaceful and almost +happy expression of those beautiful features, which had now lost all +appearance of suffering. The eyes, from which nothing but kindness and +love had beamed upon her, were now closed for ever; the lips which had +spoken only words of generous affection and pious hope, were silent; and +the heart which had beat with every warm and brotherly feeling, was for +the first time insensible to her sorrows; yet Laura did not give way to +the strong excess of her grief, for it sunk upon her spirit with a +leaden weight of anguish, which tears and lamentations could not +express, and could not even relieve. She rose and kissed, for the last +time, that beloved countenance, which she was never to look upon again +till they met in heaven, and stole away to the silence and solitude of +her own room, where Laura tried in vain to collect her thoughts. All +seemed a dreary blank. She did not sigh--she could not weep; but she sat +in dark and vacant abstraction, with one only consciousness filling her +mind--the bitter remembrance that Frank was dead--that she could be of +no farther use to him--that she could have no future intercourse with +him--that even in her prayers she could no longer have the comfort of +naming him; and when at last she turned to his own Bible which he had +given her, to seek for consolation, her eyes refused their office, and +the pages became blistered with tears. + +After Frank's funeral, Sir Edward became too ill to leave his bed; and +Major Graham remained with him in constant conversation; while Harry and +Laura did every thing to testify their affection, and to fill the place +now so sadly vacant. + +On the following Sunday, several of the congregation at Hammersmith +observed two young strangers in the rector's pew, dressed in the deepest +mourning, with pale and downcast countenances, who glided early into +church, and sat immoveably still, side by side, while Mr. Palmer gave +out for his text the affecting and appropriate words which Frank himself +had often repeated during his last illness, "In an hour that ye think +not, the Son of man cometh." + +Not a tear was shed by either Harry or Laura,--their grief was too great +for utterance; yet they listened with breathless interest to the sermon, +intended not only to console them, but also to instruct other young +persons, from the afflicting event of Frank's death. + +Mr. Palmer took this opportunity to describe all the amiable +dispositions of youth, and to show how much of what is pleasing may +appear before religion has yet taken entire possession of the mind; but +he painted in glowing colours the beautiful consistency and harmony of +character which must ensue after that happy change, when the Holy Spirit +renews the heart and influences the life. It almost seemed to Harry and +Laura as if Frank were visibly before their eyes, when Mr. Palmer spoke +in eloquent terms of that humility which no praise could diminish--that +benevolence which attended to the feelings, as well as the wants of +others,--that affection which was ever ready to make any sacrifice for +those he loved,--that docility which obeyed the call of duty on every +occasion,--that meekness in the midst of provocation which could not be +irritated,--that gentle firmness in maintaining the truths of the +gospel, which no opposition could intimidate,--that cheerful submission +to suffering which saw a hand of mercy in the darkest hour,--and that +faith which was ever "forgetting those things which are behind, and +reaching forth unto those things which are before,--pressing toward the +mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." + +It seemed as if years had passed over the heads of Harry and Laura +during the short period of their absence from home--that home where +Frank had so anxiously desired to go! All was changed within and around +them,--sorrow had filled their hearts, and no longer merry, thoughtless +creatures, believing the world one scene of frolicsome enjoyment and +careless ease; they had now witnessed its realities,--they had felt its +trials,--they had experienced the importance of religion,--they had +learned the frailty of all earthly joy,--and they had received, amidst +tears and sorrows, the last injunction of a dying brother, to "call upon +the Lord while He is near, and to seek Him while he may yet be found." + +"Uncle David," said Laura one day, several months after their return +home, "Mrs. Crabtree first endeavoured to lead us aright by +severity,--you and grandmama then tried what kindness could do, but +nothing was effectual till now, when God Himself has laid His hand upon +us. Oh! what a heavy stroke was necessary to bring me to my right mind, +but now, while we weep many bitter tears, Harry and I often pray +together that good may come out of evil, and that 'we who mourn so +deeply, may find our best, our only comfort from above'." + + Unthinking, idle, wild, and young, + I laugh'd, and talk'd, and danc'd, and sung; + And proud of health, of frolic vain, + Dream'd not of sorrow, care, or pain, + Concluding in those hours of glee, + That all the world was made for me. + + But when the days of trial came, + When sorrow shook this trembling frame, + When folly's gay pursuits were o'er, + And I could dance or sing no more; + It then occurr'd how sad 'twould be + Were this world only made for me. + + Princess Amelia. + + +THE END. + + + + + +--------------------------------------------------------------+ + | | + | Transcriber's note: | + | | + | Archaic spelling has been retained, along with inconsistent | + | hyphenation: cheese-cakes/cheesecakes, good-bye/good bye, | + | mile-stone/milestone, over-head/overhead, | + | play-things/playthings, rail-road/railroad, | + | steam-boats/steamboats, tea-pot/teapot. | + | | + +--------------------------------------------------------------+ + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Holiday House, by Catherine Sinclair + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HOLIDAY HOUSE *** + +***** This file should be named 32811-8.txt or 32811-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/2/8/1/32811/ + +Produced by Jana Srna, D Alexander, David Wilson and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net +(This file was produced from images generously made +available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + +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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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: Holiday House + A Series of Tales + +Author: Catherine Sinclair + +Release Date: June 14, 2010 [EBook #32811] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HOLIDAY HOUSE *** + + + + +Produced by Jana Srna, D Alexander, David Wilson and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net +(This file was produced from images generously made +available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + + + + + +</pre> + + + + +<hr class="pg" /> + + + +<h1><a name="f0001.png" id="f0001.png" href="#f0001.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">i</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>HOLIDAY HOUSE:</h1> + +<p class="ctr vspread3"><small><span class="smaller">A</span></small><br + />SERIES OF TALES.<br + /><span class="old">Dedicated to Lady Diana Boyle.</span></p> + +<p class="ctr top4 bot4"><small><span class="smaller">BY</span></small><br + /> <br + />CATHERINE SINCLAIR,<br + /><small class="tiny">AUTHORESS OF “MODERN ACCOMPLISHMENTS,” “MODERN SOCIETY,”<br + />“HILL AND VALLEY,” “CHARLIE SEYMOUR,” &c. &c.</small></p> + +<hr class="med" /> +<div class="poem w26 pl4 bot1"> +<div class="stanza"> +<div>“Young heads are giddy, and young hearts are warm,</div> +<div>And make mistakes for manhood to reform.”</div> +</div> +<div class="rt sc">Cowper.</div> +</div> +<hr class="med" /> + + +<p class="ctr vspread top4 bot4 pgbrk"><span class="so">NEW-YORK</span>:<br + />PUBLISHED BY ROBERT CARTER,<br + /><span class="allsc smaller">NO. 58 CANAL STREET.</span><br + /><span class="fakehr"> </span><br + /><small>1839.</small></p> + +<p class="ctr top8 smaller"><a name="f0002.png" id="f0002.png" href="#f0002.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">ii</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a><span class="sc so">New-York</span>:<br + />Printed by <span class="sc">Scatcherd and Adams</span>,<br + />No. 38 Gold Street.</p> + + + +<div class="main"> +<h2><a name="f0003.png" id="f0003.png" href="#f0003.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">iii</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>PREFACE</h2> + +<hr class="med" /> + +<div class="epigraph"> +<p>“Of all the paper I have blotted, I have written nothing without +the intention of some good. Whether I have succeeded or not, is for +others to judge.”</p> + +<p class="rt sc">Sir William Temple.</p> +</div> + + +<p class="noindent"><span class="sc">The</span> minds of young people are now manufactured +like webs of linen, all alike, and nothing left to +nature. From the hour when children can speak, till +they come to years of discretion or of indiscretion, +they are carefully prompted what to say, and what to +think, and what to look, and how to feel; while in +most school-rooms nature has been turned out of doors +with obloquy, and art has entirely supplanted her.</p> + +<p>When a quarrel takes place, both parties are generally +in some degree to blame; therefore if Art and +Nature could yet be made to go hand in hand towards +the formation of character and principles, a graceful +and beautiful superstructure might be reared, on the +solid foundation of Christian faith and sound morality; +so that while many natural weeds and wild flowers +would be pruned and carefully trained, some lovely +blossoms that spring spontaneously in the uncultivated +soil, might still be cherished into strength and beauty, +far excelling what can be planted or reared by art.</p> + +<p><a name="f0004.png" id="f0004.png" href="#f0004.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">iv</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>Every infant is probably born with a character as +peculiar to himself as the features in his countenance, +if his faults and good qualities were permitted to expand +according to their original tendency; but education, +which formerly did too little in teaching “the +young idea how to shoot,” seems now in danger of +over-shooting the mark altogether, by not allowing the +young ideas to exist at all. In this age of wonderful +mechanical inventions, the very mind of youth seems +in danger of becoming a machine; and while every +effort is used to stuff the memory, like a cricket-ball, +with well-known facts and ready-made opinions, no +room is left for the vigour of natural feeling, the glow of +natural genius, and the ardour of natural enthusiasm. +It was a remark of Sir Walter Scott’s many years ago, +to the author herself, that in the rising generation there +would be no poets, wits, or orators, because all play of +imagination is now carefully discouraged, and books +written for young persons are generally a mere dry +record of facts, unenlivened by any appeal to the heart, +or any excitement to the fancy. The catalogue of a +child’s library would contain Conversations on Natural +Philosophy,—on Chemistry,—on Botany,—on Arts +and Sciences,—Chronological Records of History,—and +travels as dry as a road-book; but nothing on the +habits or ways of thinking, natural and suitable to the +taste of children; therefore, while such works are delightful +to the parents and teachers who select them, +the younger community are fed with strong meat instead +of milk, and the reading which might be a relaxation +from study, becomes a study in itself.</p> + +<p>In these pages the author has endeavoured to paint +that species of noisy, frolicsome, mischievous children +<a name="f0005.png" id="f0005.png" href="#f0005.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">v</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>which is now almost extinct, wishing to preserve a sort +of fabulous remembrance of days long past, when +young people were like wild horses on the prairies, rather +than like well-broken hacks on the road; and when, +amidst many faults and many eccentricities, there was +still some individuality of character and feeling allowed +to remain. In short, as Lord Byron described “the +last man,” the object of this volume is, to describe “the +last boy.” It may be useful, she thinks, to show, that +amidst much requiring to be judiciously curbed and +corrected, there may be the germs of high and generous +feeling, and of steady, right principle, which should be +the chief objects of culture and encouragement. Plodding +industry is in the present day at a very high premium +in education; but it requires the leaven of mental +energy and genius to make it work well, while it +has been remarked by one whose experience in education +is deep and practical, that “those boys whose +names appear most frequently in the black book of +transgression, would sometimes deserve to be also most +commonly recorded, if a book were kept for warm affections +and generous actions.”</p> + +<p>The most formidable person to meet in society at +present, is the mother of a promising boy, about nine or +ten years old; because there is no possible escape from +a volume of anecdotes, and a complete system of education +on the newest principles. The young gentleman +has probably asked leave to bring his books to the +breakfast-room,—can scarcely be torn away from his +studies at the dinner-hour,—discards all toys,—abhors +a holiday,—propounds questions of marvellous depth +in politics or mineralogy,—and seems, in short, more +fitted to enjoy the learned meeting at Newcastle, than the +<a name="f0006.png" id="f0006.png" href="#f0006.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">vi</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>exhilarating exercises of the cricket-ground; but, if +the axiom be true, that “a little learning is a dangerous +thing,” it has also been proved by frequent, and +sometimes by very melancholy experience, that, for +minds not yet expanded to maturity, a great deal of +learning is more dangerous still, and that in those +school-rooms where there has been a society for the +suppression of amusement, the mental energies have +suffered, as well as the health.</p> + +<p>A prejudice has naturally arisen against giving works +of fiction to children, because their chief interest too +often rests on the detection and punishment of such +mean vices as lying and stealing, which are so frequently +and elaborately described, that the way to commit +those crimes is made obvious, while a clever boy +thinks he could easily avoid the oversights by which +another has been discovered, and that if he does not +yield to similar temptations, he is a model of virtue and +good-conduct.</p> + +<p>In writing for any class of readers, and especially in +occupying the leisure moments of such peculiarly fortunate +young persons as have leisure moments at all, +the author feels conscious of a deep responsibility, for +it is at their early age that the seed can best be sown +which shall bear fruit unto eternal life, therefore it is +hoped this volume may be found to inculcate a pleasing +and permanent consciousness, that religion is the best +resource in happier hours, and the only refuge in hours +of affliction.</p> + +<p>Those who wish to be remembered for ever in the +world,—and it is a very common object of ambition,—will +find no monument more permanent, than the affectionate +remembrance of any children they have +<a name="f0007.png" id="f0007.png" href="#f0007.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">vii</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>treated with kindness; for we may often observe, in +the reminiscences of old age, a tender recollection surviving +all others, of friends in early days who enlivened +the hours of childhood by presents of playthings +and comfits. But above all, we never forget those who +good-humouredly complied with the constantly recurring +petition of all young people in every generation, +and in every house—“Will you tell me a story?”</p> + +<p>In answer to such a request, often and importunately +repeated, the author has from year to year delighted +in seeing herself surrounded by a circle of joyous, eager +faces, listening with awe to the terrors of Mrs. Crabtree, +or smiling at the frolics of Harry and Laura. +The stories, originally, were so short, that some friends, +aware of their popularity, and conscious of their harmless +tendency, took the trouble of copying them in +manuscript for their own young friends; but the tales +have since grown and expanded during frequent verbal +repetitions, till, with various fanciful additions and +new characters, they have enlarged into their present +form, or rather so far beyond it, that several chapters +are omitted, to keep the volume within moderate compass.</p> + +<p>Paley remarks, that “any amusement which is innocent, +is better than none; as the writing of a book, the +building of a house, the laying out of a garden, the +digging of a fish-pond, even the raising of a cucumber;” +and it is hoped that, while the author herself has +found much interesting occupation in recording these +often repeated stories, the time of herself and her young +readers may be employed with some degree of profit, +or she will certainly regret that it was not better occupied +in the rearing of cucumbers.</p> + + + + +<h1><a name="p0009.png" id="p0009.png" href="#p0009.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">9</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>HOLIDAY HOUSE.</h1> + + +<hr class="med" /> + + + + +<h2 class="followon">CHAPTER I.<br + /><span class="fakehr"> </span><br + /> <br /><small>CHIT CHAT.</small></h2> + +<div class="poem w22 pl4"> +<div class="stanza"> +<div>A school-boy, a dog, and a walnut tree,</div> +<div>The more you strike ’em, the better they be.</div> +</div> +</div> + + +<p class="noindent top1"><span class="sc">Laura</span> and Harry Graham could scarcely feel sure that they +ever had a mama, because she died while they were yet very +young indeed; but Frank, who was some years older, recollected +perfectly well what pretty playthings she used to give +him, and missed his kind, good mama so extremely, that he +one day asked if he might “go to a shop and buy a new +mama?” Frank often afterwards thought of the time also, +when he kneeled beside her bed to say his prayers, or when +he sat upon her knee to hear funny stories about good boys +and bad boys—all very interesting, and all told on purpose +to show how much happier obedient children are, than those +who waste their time in idleness and folly. Boys and girls +all think they know the road to happiness without any mistake, +and choose that which looks gayest and pleasantest at +first, though older people, who have travelled that road already, +can tell them that a very difficult path is the only one which +<a name="p0010.png" id="p0010.png" href="#p0010.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">10</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>ends agreeably; and those who begin to walk in it when +they are young, will really find that “wisdom’s ways are +ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.” It was +truly remarked by Solomon, that “even a child is known by +his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be +right.” Therefore, though Frank was yet but a little boy, +his friends, who observed how carefully he attended to his +mama’s instructions, how frequently he studied his Bible, +and how diligently he learned his lessons, all prophesied that +this merry, lively child, with laughing eyes, and dimpled +cheeks, would yet grow up to be a good and useful man; +especially when it became evident that, by the blessing of +God, he had been early turned away from the broad road that +leadeth to destruction, in which every living person would +naturally walk, and led into the narrow path that leadeth to +eternal life.</p> + +<p>When his mama, Lady Graham, after a long and painful +illness, was at last taken away to the better world, for which +she had been many years preparing, her only sorrow and +anxiety seemed to be that she left behind her three such very +dear children, who were now to be entirely under the care +of their papa, Sir Edward Graham; and it was with many +prayers and tears that she tried to make her mind more easy +about their future education, and future happiness.</p> + +<p>Sir Edward felt such extreme grief on the death of Lady +Graham, that instead of being able to remain at home with +his young family, and to interest his mind as he would wish +to have done, by attending to them, he was ordered by Dr. +Bell, to set off immediately for Paris, Rome, and Naples, +where it was hoped he might leave his distresses behind him +while he travelled, or at all events, forget them.</p> + +<p>Luckily the children had a very good, kind uncle, Major +David Graham, and their grandmama, Lady Harriet Graham, +who were both exceedingly happy to take charge of them, +observing that no house could be cheerful without a few little +<a name="p0011.png" id="p0011.png" href="#p0011.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">11</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>people being there, and that now they would have constant +amusement in trying to make Frank, Harry, and Laura, as +happy as possible, and even still happier.</p> + +<p>“That is the thing I am almost afraid of!” said Sir Edward, +smiling. “Uncles and grandmamas are only too +kind, and my small family will be quite spoiled by indulgence.”</p> + +<p>“Not if you leave that old vixen, Mrs. Crabtree, as governor +of the nursery,” answered Major Graham, laughing. +“She ought to have been the drummer of a regiment, she +is so fond of the rod! I believe there never was such a +tyrant since the time when nursery-maids were invented. +Poor Harry would pass his life in a dark closet, like Baron +Trenck, if Mrs. Crabtree had her own way!”</p> + +<p>“She means it all well. I am certain that Mrs. Crabtree +is devotedly fond of my children, and would go through +fire and water to serve them; but she is a little severe perhaps. +Her idea is, that if you never forgive a first fault, you +will never hear of a second, which is probably true enough. +At all events, her harshness will be the best remedy for +your extreme indulgence; therefore let me beg that you +and my mother will seldom interfere with her ‘method,’ especially +in respect to Harry and Laura. As for Frank, if +all boys were like him, we might make a bonfire of birch +rods and canes. He is too old for nursery discipline now, +and must be flogged at school, if deserving of it at all, till he +goes to sea next year with my friend Gordon, who has promised +to rate him as a volunteer of the first class, on board +the Thunderbolt.”</p> + +<p>In spite of Mrs. Crabtree’s admirable “system” with +children, Harry and Laura became, from this time, two of +the most heedless, frolicsome beings in the world, and had +to be whipped almost every morning; for in those days it +had not been discovered that whipping is all a mistake, and +that children can be made good without it; though some +<a name="p0012.png" id="p0012.png" href="#p0012.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">12</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>old-fashioned people still say—and such, too, who take the +God of truth for their guide—the old plan succeeded best, +and those who “spare the rod will spoil the child.” When +Lady Harriet and Major Graham spoke kindly to Harry and +Laura, about anything wrong that had been done, they both +felt more sad and sorry, than after the severest punishments +of Mrs. Crabtree, who frequently observed, that “if those +children were shut up in a dark room alone, with nothing +to do, they would still find some way of being mischievous, +and of deserving to be punished.”</p> + +<p>“Harry!” said Major Graham one day, “you remind +me of a monkey which belonged to the colonel of our regiment +formerly. He was famous for contriving to play all +sorts of pranks when no one supposed them to be possible, +and I recollect once having a valuable French clock, which +the malicious creature seemed particularly determined to +break. Many a time I caught him in the fact, and saved +my beautiful clock; but one day, being suddenly summoned +out of the room, I hastily fastened his chain to a table, so +that he could not possibly, even at the full extent of his paw, +so much as touch the glass case. I observed him impatiently +watching my departure, and felt a misgiving that he +expected to get the better of me; so after shutting the door, +I took a peep through the key-hole, and what do you think +Jack had done, Harry? for, next to Mr. Monkey himself, +you are certainly the cleverest contriver of mischief I +know.”</p> + +<p>“What did he do?” asked Harry eagerly; “did he +throw a stone at the clock?”</p> + +<p>“No! but his leg was several inches longer than his +arm, so having turned his tail towards his object, he stretched +out his hind-paw, and before I could rush back, my +splendid alabaster clock had been upset and broken to +shivers.”</p> + +<p>Laura soon became quite as mischievous as Harry, which +<a name="p0013.png" id="p0013.png" href="#p0013.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">13</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>is very surprising, as she was a whole year older, and had +been twice as often scolded by Mrs. Crabtree. Neither of +these children intended any harm, for they were only heedless +lively romps, who would not for twenty worlds have told +a lie, or done a shabby thing, or taken what did not belong +to them. They were not greedy either, and would not on +any account have resembled Peter Grey, who was at the +same school with Frank, and who spent all his own pocket-money, +and borrowed a great deal of other people’s, to squander +at the pastry-cook’s, saying, he wished it were possible +to eat three dinners, and two breakfasts, and five suppers +every day.</p> + +<p>Harry was not a cruel boy either; he never lashed his +pony, beat his dog, pinched his sister, or killed any butterflies, +though he often chased them for fun, and one day he +even defended a wasp, at the risk of being stung, when Mrs. +Crabtree intended to kill it.</p> + +<p>“Nasty, useless vermin!” said she angrily, “What business +have they in the world! coming into other people’s +houses, with nothing to do! They sting and torment every +body! Bees are very different, for they make honey.”</p> + +<p>“And wasps make jelly!” said Harry resolutely, while he +opened the window, and shook the happy wasp out of his +pocket handkerchief.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Crabtree allowed no pets of any description in her +territories, and ordered the children to be happy without +any such nonsense. When Laura’s canary-bird escaped +one unlucky day out of its cage, Mrs. Crabtree was strongly +suspected by Major Graham, of having secretly opened +the door, as she had long declared war upon bulfinches, +white mice, parrots, kittens, dogs, bantams, and gold fish, +observing that animals only made a noise and soiled the +house, therefore every creature should remain in its own +home, “birds in the air, fish in the sea, and beasts in the +desert.” She seemed always watching in hopes Harry and +<a name="p0014.png" id="p0014.png" href="#p0014.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">14</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>Laura might do something that they ought to be punished +for; and Mrs. Crabtree certainly had more ears than other +people, or slept with one eye open, as, whatever might be +done, night or day, she overheard the lowest whisper of +mischief, and appeared able to see what was going on in the +dark.</p> + +<p>When Harry was a very little boy, he sometimes put +himself in the corner, after doing wrong, apparently +quite sensible that he deserved to be punished, and +once, after being terribly scolded by Mrs. Crabtree, he drew +in his stool beside her chair, with a funny penitent face, +twirling his thumbs over and over each other, and saying, +“Now, Mrs. Crabtree! look what a good boy I am going +to be!”</p> + +<p>“You a good boy!” replied she contemptuously: “No! +no! the world will be turned into a cream-cheese first!”</p> + +<p>Lady Harriet gave Harry and Laura a closet of their own, +in which she allowed them to keep their toys, and nobody +could help laughing to see that, amidst the whole collection, +there was seldom one unbroken. Frank wrote out a list +once of what he found in this crowded little store-room, and +amused himself often with reading it over afterwards. There +were three dolls without faces, a horse with no legs, a drum +with a hole in the top, a cart without wheels, a churn with +no bottom, a kite without a tale, a skipping-rope with no +handles, and a cup and ball that had lost the string. Lady +Harriet called this closet the hospital for decayed toys, and +she often employed herself as their doctor, mending legs +and arms for soldiers, horses, and dolls, though her skill +seldom succeeded long, because play-things must have been +made of cast-iron to last a week with Harry. One cold +winter morning when Laura entered the nursery, she found +a large fire blazing, and all her wax dolls sitting in a row +within the fender staring at the flames. Harry intended no +mischief on this occasion, but great was his vexation when +<a name="p0015.png" id="p0015.png" href="#p0015.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">15</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>Laura burst into tears, and showed him that their faces were +running in a hot stream down upon their beautiful silk +frocks, which were completely ruined, and not a doll had +its nose remaining. Another time, Harry pricked a hole +in his own beautiful large gas ball, wishing to see how the +gas could possibly escape, after which, in a moment, it shrivelled +up into a useless empty bladder,—and when his kite +was flying up to the clouds, Harry often wished that he +could be tied to the tail himself, so as to fly also through the +air like a bird, and see every thing.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Crabtree always wore a prodigious bunch of jingling +keys in her pocket, that rung whenever she moved, as if +she carried a dinner bell in her pocket, and Frank said it +was like a rattlesnake giving warning of her approach, +which was of great use, as everybody had time to put on +a look of good behaviour before she arrived. Even Betty, +the under nursery-maid, felt in terror of Mrs. Crabtree’s +entrance, and was obliged to work harder than any six +house-maids united. Frank told her one day that he thought +brooms might soon be invented, which would go by steam +and brush carpets of themselves, but, in the meantime, not a +grain of dust could lurk in any corner of the nursery without +being dislodged. Betty would have required ten hands, +and twenty pair of feet, to do all the work that was expected; +but the grate looked like jet, the windows would not +have soiled a cambric handkerchief, and the carpet was +switched with so many tea-leaves, that Frank thought Mrs. +Crabtree often took several additional cups of tea in order +to leave a plentiful supply of leaves for sweeping the floor +next morning.</p> + +<p>If Laura and Harry left any breakfast, Mrs. Crabtree +kept it carefully till dinner time, when they were obliged to +finish the whole before tasting meat; and if they refused it +at dinner, the remains were kept for supper. Mrs. Crabtree +always informed them that she did it “for their good,” +<a name="p0016.png" id="p0016.png" href="#p0016.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">16</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>though Harry never could see any good that it did to either +of them; and when she mentioned how many poor children +would be glad to eat what they despised, he often wished +the hungry beggars had some of his own hot dinner, which +he would gladly have spared to them; for Harry was really +so generous, that he would have lived upon air, if he might +be of use to anybody. Time passed on, and Lady Harriet +engaged a master for some hours a-day to teach the children +lessons, while even Mrs. Crabtree found no other fault to +Harry and Laura, except that in respect to good behaviour +their memories were like a sieve, which let out every thing +they were desired to keep in mind. They seemed always +to hope, somehow or other, when Mrs. Crabtree once +turned her back, she would never shew her face again; so +their promises of better conduct were all “wind without +rain,”—very loud and plenty of them, but no good effect to +be seen afterwards.</p> + +<p>Among her many other torments, Mrs. Crabtree rolled +up Laura’s hair every night on all sides of her head, in +large stiff curl-papers, till they were as round and hard as +walnuts, after which, she tied on a night-cap, as tightly as +possible above all, saying this would curl the hair still better. +Laura could not lay any part of her head on the pillow, +without suffering so much pain that, night after night, she +sat up in bed, after Mrs. Crabtree had bustled out of the +room, and quietly took the cruel papers out, though she was +punished so severely for doing so, that she obeyed orders at +last and lay wide awake half the night with torture; and it +was but small comfort to Laura afterwards, that Lady Harriet’s +visitors frequently admired the forest of long glossy +ringlets that adorned her head, and complimented Mrs. +Crabtree on the trouble it must cost her to keep that charming +hair in order. Often did Laura wish that it were ornamenting +any wig-block, rather than her own head; and +one day Lady Harriet laughed heartily, when some strangers +<a name="p0017.png" id="p0017.png" href="#p0017.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">17</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>admired her little grand-daughter’s ringlets, and Laura +asked, very anxiously, if they would like to cut off a few of +the longest, and keep them for her sake.</p> + +<p>“Your hair does curl like a cork-screw,” said Frank, +laughing. “If I want to draw a cork out of a beer bottle +any day, I shall borrow one of those ringlets, Laura!”</p> + +<p>“You may laugh, Frank, for it is fun to you and death +to me,” answered poor Laura, gravely shaking her curls at +him. “I wish we were all bald, like uncle David! During +the night, I cannot lie still on account of those tiresome +curls, and all day I dare not stir for fear of spoiling them, +so they are never out of my head.”</p> + +<p>“Nor off your head! How pleasant it must be to have +Mrs. Crabtree combing and scolding, and scolding and +combing, for hours every day! Poor Laura! we must get +Dr. Bell to say that they shall be taken off on pain of death, +and then, perhaps, grandmama would order some Irish +reapers to cut them down with a sickle.”</p> + +<p>“Frank! what a lucky boy you are to be at school, and +not in the nursery! I wish next year would come immediately, +for then I shall have a governess, after which good-bye +to Mrs. Crabtree, and the wearisome curl-papers.”</p> + +<p>“I don’t like school!” said Harry. “It is perfect nonsense +to plague me with lessons now. All big people can +read and write, so, of course, I shall be able to do like +others. There is no hurry about it!”</p> + +<p>Never was there a more amiable, pious, excellent boy +than Frank, who read his Bible so attentively, and said his +prayers so regularly every morning and evening, that he +soon learned both to know his duty and to do it. Though +he laughed heartily at the scrapes which Harry and Laura +so constantly fell into, he often also helped them out of +their difficulties; being very different from most elderly +boys, who find an odd kind of pleasure in teazing younger +children—pulling their hair—pinching their arms—twitching +<a name="p0018.png" id="p0018.png" href="#p0018.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">18</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>away their dinners—and twenty more plans for tormenting, +which Frank never attempted to enjoy, but he +often gave Harry and Laura a great deal of kind, sober, +good advice, which they listened to very attentively while +they were in any new distress, but generally forgot again +as soon as their spirits rose. Frank came home only upon +Saturdays and Sundays, because he attended during most +of the week at Mr. Lexicon’s academy, where he gradually +became so clever, that the masters all praised his extraordinary +attention, and covered him with medals, while Major +Graham often filled his pockets with a reward of money, +after which he ran towards the nearest shop to spend his +little fortune in buying a present for somebody. Frank +scarcely ever wanted anything for himself, but he always +wished to contrive some kind generous plan for other people; +and Major Graham used to say, “if that boy had only +sixpence in the world, he would lay it all out on penny +tarts to distribute among half-a-dozen of his friends.” He +even saved his pocket-money once, during three whole +months, to purchase a gown for Mrs. Crabtree, who looked +almost good-humoured during the space of five minutes, +when Frank presented it to her, saying, in his joyous merry +voice, “Mrs. Crabtree! I wish you health to wear it, +strength to tear it, and money to buy another!”</p> + +<p>Certainly there never was such a gown before! It had +been chosen by Frank and Harry together, who thought +nothing could be more perfect. The colour was so bright +an apple-green, that it would have put any body’s teeth on +edge to look at it, and the whole was dotted over with large +round spots of every colour, as if a box of wafers had been +showered upon the surface. Laura wished Mrs. Crabtree +might receive a present every day, as it put her in such +good-humour, and nearly three weeks after passed this, +without a single scold being heard in the nursery; so +<a name="p0019.png" id="p0019.png" href="#p0019.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">19</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>Frank observed that he thought Mrs. Crabtree would soon +be quite out of practice.</p> + +<p>“Laura!” said Major Graham, looking very sly one +morning, “have you heard all the new rules that Mrs. +Crabtree has made?”</p> + +<p>“No!” replied she in great alarm; “what are they?”</p> + +<p>“In the first place, you are positively not to tear and destroy +above three frocks a-day; secondly, you and Harry +must never get into a passion, unless you are angry; thirdly, +when either of you take medicine, you are not to +make wry faces, except when the taste is bad; fourthly, +you must never speak ill of Mrs. Crabtree herself, until she +is out of the room; fifthly, you are not to jump out of the +windows, as long as you can get out at the <span class="nw">door”——</span></p> + +<p>“Yes!” interrupted Laura, laughing, “and sixthly, +when uncle David is joking, we are not to be frightened by +anything he says!”</p> + +<p>“Seventhly, when next you spill grandmama’s bottle +of ink, Harry must drink up every drop.”</p> + +<p>“Very well! he may swallow a sheet of blotting paper +afterwards, to put away the taste.”</p> + +<p>“I wish every body who writes a book, was obliged to +swallow it,” said Harry. “It is such a waste of time +reading, when we might be amusing ourselves. Frank +sat mooning over a book for two hours yesterday when we +wanted him to play. I am sure, some day his head will +burst with knowledge.”</p> + +<p class="pgbrk">“That can never happen to you, Master Harry,” answered +Major Graham; “you have a head, and so has a pin, +but there is not much furniture in either of them.”</p> + + + +<h2><a name="p0020.png" id="p0020.png" href="#p0020.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">20</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>CHAPTER II.<br + /><span class="fakehr"> </span><br + /> <br /><small>THE GRAND FEAST.</small></h2> + +<div class="poem w24 pl4"> +<div class="stanza"> +<div>She gave them some tea without any bread,</div> +<div>She whipp’d them all soundly, and sent them to bed.</div> +</div> +<p class="rt sc">Nursery Rhymes.</p> +</div> + +<p class="noindent top1"><span class="sc">Lady</span> Harriet Graham was an extremely thin, delicate, old +lady, with a very pale face, and a sweet gentle voice, which +the children delighted to hear, for it always spoke kindly to +them, and sounded like music, after the loud, rough tones +of Mrs. Crabtree. She wore her own grey hair, which had +become almost as white as the widow’s cap which covered +her head. The rest of her dress was generally black velvet, +and she usually sat in a comfortable arm-chair by the fire-side, +watching her grandchildren at play, with a large work-bag +by her side, and a prodigious Bible open on the table +before her. Lady Harriet often said that it made her +young again to see the joyous gambols of Harry and Laura; +and when unable any longer to bear their noise, she +sometimes kept them quiet, by telling the most delightful +stories about what had happened to herself when she was +young.</p> + +<p>Once upon a time, however, Lady Harriet suddenly +became so very ill, that Dr. Bell said she must spend +a few days in the country, for change of air, and accordingly +she determined on passing a quiet week at Holiday +<a name="p0021.png" id="p0021.png" href="#p0021.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">21</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>House with her relations, Lord and Lady Rockville. +Meanwhile, Harry and Laura were to be left under the sole +care of Mrs. Crabtree, so it might have been expected that +they would both feel more frightened for her, now that she +was reigning monarch of the house, than ever. Harry +would obey those he loved, if they only held up a little +finger; but all the terrors of Mrs. Crabtree, and her cat-o’-nine-tails, +were generally forgotten soon after she left the +room; therefore he thought little at first about the many +threats she held out, if he behaved ill, but he listened most +seriously when his dear sick grandmama told him, in a +faint weak voice, on the day of her departure from home, +how very well he ought to behave in her absence, as no one +remained but the maids to keep him in order, and that she +hoped Mrs. Crabtree would write her a letter full of good +news about his excellent conduct.</p> + +<p>Harry felt as if he would gladly sit still without stirring, +till his grandmama came back, if that could only please +her; and there never was any one more determined to be a +good boy than he, at the moment when Lady Harriet’s carriage +came round to the door. Laura, Frank, and Harry helped +to carry all the pillows, boxes, books, and baskets which +were necessary for the journey, of which there seemed to be +about fifty; then they arranged the cushions as comfortably +as possible, and watched very sorrowfully when their grandmama, +after kindly embracing them both, was carefully supported +by Major Graham and her maid Harrison, into the +chariot. Uncle David gave each of the children a pretty picture-book +before taking leave, and said, as he was stepping +into the carriage, “Now, children! I have only one piece +of serious, important advice to give you all, so attend to me!—never +crack nuts with your teeth!”</p> + +<p>When the carriage had driven off, Mrs. Crabtree became +so busy scolding Betty, and storming at Jack the foot-boy, +for not cleaning her shoes well enough, that she left Harry +<a name="p0022.png" id="p0022.png" href="#p0022.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">22</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>and Laura standing in the passage, not knowing exactly +what they ought to do first, and Frank, seeing them looking +rather melancholy and bewildered at the loss of their grandmama, +stopped a moment as he passed on the way to school, +and said in a very kind, affectionate voice,</p> + +<p>“Now, Harry and Laura, listen both of you!—here is a +grand opportunity to show everybody, that we can be trusted +to ourselves, without getting into any scrapes, so that if +grandmama is ever ill again, and obliged to go away, she +need not feel so sad and anxious as she did to-day. I mean +to become nine times more attentive to my lessons than +usual this morning, to show how trust-worthy we are, and +if you are wise, pray march straight up to the nursery yourselves. +I have arranged a gown and cap of Mrs. Crabtree’s +on the large arm-chair, to look as like herself as possible, +that you may be reminded how soon she will come back, +and you must not behave like the mice when the cat is out. +Good bye! Say the alphabet backward, and count your fingers +for half-an-hour, but when Mrs. Crabtree appears again, +pray do not jump out of the window for joy.”</p> + +<p>Harry and Laura were proceeding directly towards the +nursery, as Frank had recommended, when unluckily they +observed in passing the drawing-room door, that it was wide +open; so Harry peeped in, and they began idly wandering +round the tables and cabinets. Not ten minutes elapsed +before they both commenced racing about as if they were +mad, perfectly screaming with joy, and laughing so loudly +at their own funny tricks, that an old gentleman who lived +next door, very nearly sent in a message to ask what the +joke was.</p> + +<p>Presently Harry and Laura ran up and down stairs till +the housemaid was quite fatigued with running after them. +They jumped upon the fine damask sofas in the drawing-room, +stirred the fire till it was in a blaze, and rushed out +on the balcony, upsetting one or two geraniums and a myrtle. +<a name="p0023.png" id="p0023.png" href="#p0023.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">23</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>They spilt Lady Harriet’s perfumes over their handkerchiefs,—they +looked into all the beautiful books of pictures,—they +tumbled many of the pretty Dresden china +figures on the floor,—they wound up the little French clock +till it was broken,—they made the musical work-box play +its tunes, and set the Chinese mandarins nodding, till they +very nearly nodded their heads off. In short, so much mischief +has seldom been done in so short a time, till at last +Harry, perfectly worn out with laughing and running, threw +himself into a large arm-chair, and Laura, with her ringlets +tumbling in frightful confusion over her face, and the beads +of her coral necklace rolling on the floor, tossed herself into +a sofa beside him.</p> + +<p>“Oh! what fun!” cried Harry, in an ecstacy of delight; +“I wish Frank had been here, and crowds of little boys and +girls, to play with us all day! It would be a good joke, +Laura, to write and ask all our little cousins and companions +to drink tea here to-morrow evening! Their mamas +could never guess we had not leave from grandmama to invite +everybody, so I dare say we might gather quite a large +party! oh! how enchanting!”</p> + +<p>Laura laughed heartily when she heard this proposal of +Harry’s, and without hesitating a moment about it, she joyously +placed herself before Lady Harriet’s writing-table, and +scribbled a multitude of little notes, in large text, to more +than twenty young friends, all of whom had at other times +been asked by Lady Harriet to spend the evening with her.</p> + +<p>Laura felt very much puzzled to know what was usually +said in a card of invitation, but after many consultations, +she and Harry thought at last, that it was very nicely expressed, +for they wrote these words upon a large sheet of +paper to each of their <span class="nw">friends:—</span></p> + +<p class="nobot">Master Harry Graham and Miss Laura wish you to have +the honour of drinking tea with us to-morrow, at six o’clock.</p> + +<p class="rt padr"> +(Signed) <span class="sc">Harry</span> and <span class="sc">Laura</span>.</p> + +<p><a name="p0024.png" id="p0024.png" href="#p0024.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">24</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>Laura afterwards singed a hole in her muslin frock, while +lighting one of the Vesta matches to seal these numerous +notes; and Harry dropped some burning sealing-wax on +his hand, in the hurry of assisting her; but he thought that +little accident no matter, and ran away to see if the cards +could be sent off immediately.</p> + +<p>Now, there lived in the house a very old footman, called +Andrew, who remembered Harry and Laura since they were +quite little babies; and he often looked exceedingly sad and +sorry when they suffered punishment from Mrs. Crabtree. +He was ready to do anything in the world when it pleased +the children, and would have carried a message to the moon, +if they had only shown him the way. Many odd jobs and +private messages he had already been employed in by Harry, +who now called Andrew up stairs, entreating him to carry +out all those absurd notes as fast as possible, and to deliver +them immediately, as they were of the greatest consequence. +Upon hearing this, old Andrew lost not a moment, +but threw on his hat, and instantly started off, looking like +the twopenny postman, he carried such a prodigious parcel +of invitations, while Harry and Laura stood at the drawing-room +window, almost screaming with joy when they saw +him set out, and when they observed that, to oblige them, +he actually ran along the street at a sort of trot, which was +as fast as he could possibly go. Presently, however, he +certainly did stop for a single minute, and Laura saw that +it was in order to take a peep into one of the notes, that he +might ascertain what they were all about; but as he never +carried any letters without doing so, she thought that quite +natural, and was only very glad when he had finished, and +rapidly pursued his way again.</p> + +<p>Next morning, Mrs. Crabtree and Betty became very +much surprised to observe what a number of smart livery +servants knocked at the street door, and gave in cards, but +their astonishment became still greater, when old Andrew +<a name="p0025.png" id="p0025.png" href="#p0025.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">25</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>brought up a whole parcel of them to Harry and Laura, who +immediately broke the seals, and read the contents in a corner +together.</p> + +<p>“What are you about there, Master Graham?” cried +Mrs. Crabtree, angrily, “how dare any body venture to +touch your grandmama’s letters?”</p> + +<p>“They are not for grandmama!—they are all for us!—every +one of them!” answered Harry, dancing about the +room with joy, and waving the notes over his head. “Look +at this direction! For Master and Miss Graham! put on +your spectacles, and read it yourself, Mrs. Crabtree! What +delightful fun! the house will be as full as an egg!”</p> + +<p>Mrs. Crabtree seemed completely puzzled what to think +of all this, and looked so much as if she did not know exactly +what to be angry at, and so ready to be in a passion if +possible, that Harry burst out a laughing, while he said, +“Only think Mrs. Crabtree! here is every body coming to tea +with us!—all my cousins, besides Peter Grey, Robert Stewart, +Charles Forrester, Adelaide Cunninghame, Diana +Wentworth, John Fordyce, Edmund Ashford, Frank Abercromby, +Ned Russel, and Tom <span class="nw">——”</span></p> + +<p>“The boy is distracted!” exclaimed Betty, staring with +astonishment. “What does all this mean, Master Harry?”</p> + +<p>“And who gave you leave to invite company into your +grandmama’s house?” cried Mrs. Crabtree, snatching up +all the notes, and angrily thrusting them into the fire. “I +never heard of such things in all my life before, Master +Harry! but as sure as eggs is eggs, you shall repent of this, +for not one morsel of cake, or anything else shall you have +to give any of the party; no! not so much as a crust of +bread, or a thimbleful of tea!”</p> + +<p>Harry and Laura had never thought of such a catastrophe +as this before; they always saw a great table covered +with every thing that could be named for tea, whenever +their little friends came to visit them, and whether it rose +<a name="p0026.png" id="p0026.png" href="#p0026.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">26</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>out of the floor, or was brought by Aladdin’s lamp, they +never considered it possible that the table would not be +provided as usual on such occasions, so this terrible speech +of Mrs. Crabtree’s frightened them out of their wits. What +was to be done! They both knew by experience that she +always did whatever she threatened, or something a great deal +worse, so they began by bursting into tears, and begging +Mrs. Crabtree for this once to excuse them, and to give +some cakes and tea to their little visitors, but they might as +well have spoken to one of the Chinese mandarins, for she +only shook her head, with a positive look, declaring over +and over again that nothing should appear upon the table +except what was always brought up for their own supper—two +biscuits and two cups of milk.</p> + +<p>“Therefore say no more about it!” added she, sternly. +“I am your best friend, Master Harry, trying to teach you +and Miss Laura your duty, so save your breath to cool your +porridge.”</p> + +<p>Poor Harry and Laura looked perfectly ill with fright and +vexation when they thought of what was to happen next, +while Mrs. Crabtree sat down to her knitting, grumbling to +herself, and dropping her stitches every minute with rage +and irritation. Old Andrew felt exceedingly sorry after he +heard what distress and difficulty Harry was in, and when +the hour for the party approached, he very good-naturedly +spread out a large table in the dining-room, where he put +down as many cups, saucers, plates, and spoons as Laura +chose to direct; but in spite of all his trouble, though it +looked very grand, there was nothing whatever to eat or +drink, except the two dry biscuits, and the two miserable +cups of milk, which seemed to become smaller every time +that Harry looked at them.</p> + +<p>Presently the clock struck six, and Harry listened to the +hour very much as a prisoner would do in the condemned +cell in Newgate, feeling that the dreaded time was at last +<a name="p0027.png" id="p0027.png" href="#p0027.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">27</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>arrived. Soon afterwards, several handsome carriages +drove up to the door filled with little Masters and Misses, +who hurried joyfully into the house, talking and laughing +all the way up stairs, being evidently quite happy at coming +out to tea, while poor Harry and Laura almost wished the +floor would open and swallow them up, so they shrunk into +a distant corner of the room, quite ashamed to show their +faces.</p> + +<p>The young ladies were all dressed in their best frocks, +with pink sashes, and pink shoes; while the little boys +appeared in their holiday clothes, with their hair newly +brushed, and their faces washed. The whole party had dined +at two o’clock, so they were as hungry as hawks, looking +eagerly round, whenever they entered, to see what was on +the tea-table, and evidently surprised that nothing had yet +been put down. Laura and Harry soon afterwards heard +their visitors whispering to each other about Norwich buns, +rice cakes, spunge biscuits, and maccaroons; while Peter +Grey was loud in praise of a party at George Lorraine’s +the night before, where an immense plum-cake had been +sugared over like a snow storm, and covered with crowds +of beautiful amusing mottoes; not to mention a quantity +of noisy crackers, that exploded like pistols; besides +which, a glass of hot jelly had been handed to each little +guest before he was sent home.</p> + +<p>Every time the door opened, all eyes were anxiously +turned round, expecting a grand feast to be brought in; but +quite the contrary—it was only Andrew showing up more +hungry visitors; while Harry felt so unspeakably wretched, +that, if some kind fairy could only have turned him into a +Norwich bun at the moment, he would gladly have consented +to be cut in pieces, that his ravenous guests might be +satisfied.</p> + +<p>Charles Forrester was a particularly good-natured boy, +so Harry at last took courage and beckoned him into a +<a name="p0028.png" id="p0028.png" href="#p0028.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">28</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>remote corner of the room, where he confessed, in whispers, +the real state of affairs about tea, and how sadly distressed +he and Laura felt, because they had nothing whatever to +give among so many visitors, seeing that Mrs. Crabtree +kept her determination of affording them no provisions.</p> + +<p>“What is to be done!” said Charles, very anxiously, as +he felt extremely sorry for his little friends. “If Mama +had been at home, she would gladly have sent whatever you +liked for tea, but unluckily she is dining out! I saw a loaf +of bread lying on a table at home this evening, which she +would make you quite welcome to! Shall I run home, as +fast as possible, to fetch it? That would, at any rate, be +better than nothing!”</p> + +<p>Poor Charles Forrester was very lame, therefore, while +he talked of running he could hardly walk, but Lady Forrester’s +house stood so near, that he soon reached home, +when, snatching up the loaf, he hurried back towards the +street with his prize, quite delighted to see how large and +substantial it looked. Scarcely had he reached the door, +however, before the housekeeper ran hastily out, saying,</p> + +<p>“Stop, Mr. Charles! stop! sure you are not running +away with the loaf for my tea, and the parrot must have +her supper too. What do you want with that there bread?”</p> + +<p>“Never mind, Mrs. Comfit!” answered Charles, hastening +on faster than ever, while he grasped the precious loaf +more firmly in his hand, and limped along at a prodigious +rate, “Polly is getting too fat, so she will be the better of +fasting for this one day.”</p> + +<p>Mrs. Comfit, being enormously fat herself, became very +angry at this remark, so she seemed quite desperate to recover +the loaf, and hurried forward to overtake Charles, but +the old housekeeper was so heavy and breathless, while the +young gentleman was so lame, that it seemed an even +chance which won the race. Harry stood at his own door, +impatiently hoping to receive the prize, and eagerly stretched +<a name="p0029.png" id="p0029.png" href="#p0029.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">29</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>out his arms to encourage his friend, while it was impossible +to say which of the runners might arrive first. Harry +had sometimes heard of a race between two old women tied +up in sacks, and he thought they could scarcely move with +more difficulty; but at the very moment when Charles had +reached the door, he stumbled over a stone, and fell on the +ground. Mrs. Comfit then instantly rushed up, and seizing +the loaf, she carried it off in triumph, leaving the two little +friends ready to cry with vexation, and quite at a loss what +plan to attempt next.</p> + +<p>Mean time, a sad riot had arisen in the dining-room, +where the boys called loudly for their tea; and the young +ladies drew their chairs all round the table, to wait till it was +ready. Still nothing appeared; so every body wondered +more and more how long they were to wait for all the nice +cakes and sweetmeats which must, of course, be coming; +for the longer they were delayed, the more was expected.</p> + +<p>The last at a feast, and the first at a fray, was generally +Peter Grey, who now lost patience, and seized one of the +two biscuits, which he was in the middle of greedily devouring, +when Laura returned with Harry to the dining-room, +and observed what he had done.</p> + +<p>“Peter Grey!” said she, holding up her head, and trying +to look very dignified, “you are an exceedingly naughty +boy, to help yourself! As a punishment for being so +rude, you shall have nothing more to eat all this evening.”</p> + +<p>“If I do not help myself, nobody else seems likely to +give me any supper! I appear to be the only person who +is to taste anything to-night,” answered Peter, laughing, +while the impudent boy took a cup of milk, and drank it +off, saying, “Here’s to your very good health, Miss Laura, +and an excellent appetite to everybody!”</p> + +<p>Upon hearing this absurd speech, all the other boys began +laughing, and made signs, as if they were eating their +fingers off with hunger. Then Peter called Lady Harriet’s +<a name="p0030.png" id="p0030.png" href="#p0030.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">30</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>house “Famine Castle,” and pretended he would swallow +the knives like an Indian juggler.</p> + +<p>“We must learn to live upon air, and here are some +spoons to eat it with,” said John Fordyce. “Harry! shall +I help you to a mouthful of moonshine?”</p> + +<p>“Peter! would you like a roasted fly?” asked Frank +Abercromby, catching one on the window. “I dare say it +is excellent for hungry people,—or a slice of buttered wall?”</p> + +<p>“Or a stewed spider?” asked Peter. “Shall we all be +cannibals, and eat one another?”</p> + +<p>“What is the use of all those forks, when there is nothing +to stick upon them?” asked George Maxwell, throwing +them about on the floor. “No buns!—no fruit!—no +cakes!—no nothing!”</p> + +<p>“What are we to do with those tea-cups, when there is +no tea?” cried Frank Abercromby, pulling the table-cloth +till the whole affair fell prostrate on the floor. After this, +these riotous boys tossed the plates up in the air, and caught +them, becoming, at last, so outrageous, that poor old +Andrew called them a “meal mob.” Never was there +so much broken china seen in a dining-room before! It +all lay scattered on the floor, in countless fragments, looking +as if there had been a bull in a china shop, when suddenly +Mrs. Crabtree herself opened the door and walked in, with +an aspect of rage enough to petrify a milestone. Now old +Andrew had long been trying all in his power to render the +boys quiet and contented. He had made them a speech,—he +had chased the ring-leaders all round the room,—and he +had thrown his stick at Peter, who seemed the most riotous,—but +all in vain; they became worse and worse, laughing +into fits, and calling Andrew “the police-officer,” and “the +bailiff.” It was a very different story, however, when Mrs. +Crabtree appeared, so flaming with fury, she might have +blown up a powder-mill.</p> + +<p>Nobody could help being afraid of her. Even Peter +<a name="p0031.png" id="p0031.png" href="#p0031.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">31</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>himself stood stock-still, and seemed withering away to nothing, +when she looked at him; and when she began to scold +in her most furious manner, not a boy ventured to look off +the ground. A large pair of tawse then became visible in +her hand, so every heart sunk with fright, and the riotous +visitors began to get behind each other, and to huddle out +of sight as much as possible, whispering and pushing, and +fighting, in a desperate scuffle to escape.</p> + +<p>“What is all this!” cried she, at the full pitch of her +voice, “has bedlam broke loose! who smashed these cups? +I’ll break his head for him, let me tell you that! Master +Peter! you should be hissed out of the world for your misconduct; +but I shall certainly whip you round the room +like a whipping-top.”</p> + +<p>At this moment, Peter observed that the dining-room +window, which was only about six feet from the ground, +had been left wide open, so instantly seizing the opportunity, +he threw himself out with a single bound, and ran +laughing away. All the other boys immediately followed +his example, and disappeared by the same road; after +which, Mrs. Crabtree leaned far out of the window, and +scolded loudly, as long as they remained in sight, till her +face became red, and her voice perfectly hoarse.</p> + +<p>Meantime, the little misses sat soberly down before the +empty table, and talked in whispers to each other, waiting +till their maids came to take them home, after which they +all hurried away as fast as possible, hardly waiting to say +“good bye,” and intending to ask for some supper at home.</p> + +<p>During that night, long after Harry and Laura had been +scolded, whipped, and put to bed, they were each heard in +different rooms, sobbing and crying, as if their very hearts +would break, while Mrs. Crabtree grumbled and scolded to +herself, saying she must do her duty, and make them good +children, though she were to flay them alive first.</p> + +<p>When Lady Harriet returned home some days afterwards, +<a name="p0032.png" id="p0032.png" href="#p0032.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">32</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>she heard an account of Harry and Laura’s misconduct from +Mrs. Crabtree, and the whole story was such a terrible case +against them, that their poor grandmama became perfectly +astonished and shocked, while even uncle David was preparing +to be very angry; but before the culprits appeared, +Frank most kindly stepped forward, and begged that they +might be pardoned for this once, adding all in his power to +excuse Harry and Laura, by describing how very penitent +they had become, and how very severely they had already +been punished.</p> + +<p>Frank then mentioned all that Harry had told him about +the starving party, which he related with so much humour +and drollery, that Lady Harriet could not help laughing; +so then he saw that a victory had been gained, and ran to +the nursery for the two little prisoners.</p> + +<p>Uncle David shook his walking-stick at them, and made +a terrible face, when they entered; but Harry jumped upon +his knee with joy at seeing him again, while Laura forgot +all her distress, and rushed up to Lady Harriet, who folded +her in her arms, and kissed her most affectionately.</p> + +<p>Not a word was said that day about the tea-party, but next +morning, Major Graham asked Harry, very gravely, “if he +had read in the newspapers the melancholy accounts about +several of his little companions, who were ill and confined +to bed from having ate too much at a certain tea-party on +Saturday last. Poor Peter Grey has been given over, and +Charles Forrester, it is feared, may not be able to eat another +loaf of bread for a fortnight!”</p> + +<p>“Oh! uncle David! it makes me ill whenever I think of +that party!” said Harry, colouring perfectly scarlet; “that +was the most miserable evening of my life!”</p> + +<p>“I must say it was not quite fair in Mrs. Crabtree to +starve all the strange little boys and girls, who came as visitors +to my house, without knowing who had invited them,” +observed Lady Harriet. “Probably those unlucky children +<a name="p0033.png" id="p0033.png" href="#p0033.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">33</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>will never forget, as long as they live, that scanty supper in +our dining-room.”</p> + +<p class="nobot">And it turned out exactly as Lady Harriet had predicted; +for though they were all asked to tea, in proper time, the +very next Saturday, when Major Graham showered torrents +of sugar-plums on the table, while the children scrambled to +pick them up, and the side-board almost broke down afterwards +under the weight of buns, cakes, cheesecakes, biscuits, +fruit, and preserves, which were heaped upon each other—yet, +for years afterwards, Peter Grey, whenever he ate a +particularly enormous dinner, always observed, that he must +make up for having once been starved at Harry Graham’s; +and whenever any one of those little boys or girls again +happened to meet Harry or Laura, they were sure to laugh +and say, “When are you going to give us another</p> + +<p class="ctr pgbrk">“<span class="allsc">GRAND FEAST</span>?”</p> + + + + +<h2><a name="p0034.png" id="p0034.png" href="#p0034.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">34</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>CHAPTER III.<br + /><span class="fakehr"> </span><br + /> <br /><small>THE TERRIBLE FIRE.</small></h2> + +<div class="poem w22 pl6"> +<div class="stanza"> +<div>Fire rages with fury wherever it comes,</div> +<div>If only one spark should be dropped;</div> +<div>Whole houses, or cities, sometimes it consumes,</div> +<div>Where its violence cannot be stopped.</div> +</div> +</div> + + +<p class="noindent top1"><span class="sc">One</span> night, about eight o’clock, Harry and Laura were playing +in the nursery, building houses with bricks, and trying +who could raise the highest tower without letting it fall, +when suddenly they were startled to hear every bell in the +house ringing violently, while the servants seemed running +up and down stairs, as if they were distracted.</p> + +<p>“What can be the matter!” cried Laura, turning round +and listening, while Harry quietly took this opportunity to +shake the walls of her castle till it fell.</p> + +<p>“The very house is coming down about your ears, Laura!” +said Harry, enjoying his little bit of mischief. “I +should like to be Andrew, now, for five minutes, that I might +answer those fifty bells, and see what has happened. Uncle +David must be wanting coals, candles, tea, toast, and soda +water, all at once! What a bustle everybody is in! There! +the bells are ringing again, worse than ever! Something +wonderful is going on! what can it be!”</p> + +<p>Presently Betty ran breathlessly into the room, saying +that Mrs. Crabtree ought to come down stairs immediately, +as Lady Harriet had been suddenly taken very ill, and, till +<a name="p0035.png" id="p0035.png" href="#p0035.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">35</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>the Doctor arrived, nobody knew what to do, so she must +give her advice and assistance.</p> + +<p>Harry<!-- original reads "Hary" --> and Laura felt excessively shocked to hear this +alarming news, and listened with grave attention, while Mrs. +Crabtree told them how amazingly well they ought to behave +in her absence, when they were trusted alone in the nursery, +with nobody to keep them in order, or to see what they were +doing, especially now, as their grandmama had been taken +ill, and would require to be kept quiet.</p> + +<p>Harry sat in his chair, and might have been painted as +the very picture of a good boy during nearly twenty minutes +after Mrs. Crabtree departed; and Laura placed herself opposite +to him, trying to follow so excellent an example, +while they scarcely spoke above a whisper, wondering what +could be the matter with their grandmama, and wishing for +once, to see Mrs. Crabtree again, that they might hear how +she was. Any one who had observed Harry and Laura at +that time, would have wondered to see two such quiet, excellent, +respectable children, and wished that all little boys +and girls were made upon the same pattern; but presently +they began to think that probably Lady Harriet was not so +very ill, as no more bells had rung during several minutes, +and Harry ventured to look about for some better amusement +than sitting still.</p> + +<p>At this moment Laura unluckily perceived on the table +near where they sat, a pair of Mrs. Crabtree’s best scissors, +which she had been positively forbid to touch. The long +troublesome ringlets were as usual hanging over her eyes +in a most teazing manner, so she thought what a good opportunity +this might be to shorten them a very little, not +above an inch or two; and without considering a moment +longer, she slipped upon tiptoe, with a frightened look, +round the table, and picked up the scissors in her hand, then +hastening towards a looking-glass, she began snipping off +the ends of her hair. Laura was much diverted to see it +<a name="p0036.png" id="p0036.png" href="#p0036.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">36</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>showering down upon the floor, so she cut and cut on, while +the curls fell thicker and faster, till at last the whole floor +was covered with them, and scarcely a hair left upon her +head. Harry went into fits of laughing when he perceived +what a ridiculous figure Laura had made of herself, and he +turned her round and round to see the havoc she had made, +saying,</p> + +<p>“You should give all this hair to Mr. Mills the upholsterer, +to stuff grandmama’s arm-chair with! At any rate, +Laura, if Mrs. Crabtree is ever so angry, she can hardly +pull you by the hair of the head again! What a sound sleep +you will have to-night, with no hard curl-papers to torment +you!”</p> + +<p>Harry had been told five hundred times, never to touch +the candles, and threatened with twenty different punishments, +if he ever ventured to do so; but now, he amused +himself with trying to snuff one till he snuffed it out. Then +he lighted it again, and tried the experiment once more, +but again the teazing candle went out, as if on purpose to +plague him, so he felt quite provoked. Having lighted it +once more, Harry prepared to carry the candlestick with +him towards the inner nursery, though afraid to make the +smallest noise, in case it might be taken from him. Before +he had gone five steps, down dropped the extinguisher, +then followed the snuffers with a great crash, but Laura +seemed too busy cropping her ringlets, to notice what was +going on. All the way along upon the floor, Harry let fall +a perfect shower of hot wax, which spotted the nursery carpet +from the table where he had found the candle into the +next room, where he disappeared, and shut the door, that no +one might interfere with what he liked to do.</p> + +<p>After he had been absent some time, the door was hastily +opened again, and Laura felt surprised to see Harry come +back with his face as red as a stick of sealing-wax, and his +<a name="p0037.png" id="p0037.png" href="#p0037.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">37</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>large eyes staring wider than they had ever stared before, +with a look of rueful consternation.</p> + +<p>“What is the matter!” exclaimed Laura in a terrified +voice. “Has anything dreadful happened? Why do you +look so frightened and so surprised?”</p> + +<p>“Oh dear! oh dear! what shall I do?” cried Harry, +who seemed scarcely to know how he spoke, or where he +was. “I don’t know what to do, Laura!”</p> + +<p>“What can be the matter! do tell me at once, Harry,” +said Laura, shaking with apprehension. “Speak as fast as +you can!”</p> + +<p>“Will you not tell Mrs. Crabtree, nor grandmama, nor +anybody else?” cried Harry, bursting into tears. “I am +so very, very sorry, and so frightened! Laura! do you +know, I took a candle into the next room, merely to play +with it.”</p> + +<p>“Well! go on, Harry! go on! what did you do with the +candle?”</p> + +<p>“I only put it on the bed for a single minute, to see how +the flame would look there,—well! do you know it blazed +away famously, and then all the bed clothes began burning +too! Oh! there is such a terrible fire in the next room! +you never saw anything like it! what shall we do? If old +Andrew were to come up, do you think he could put it out? +I have shut the door that Mrs. Crabtree may not see the +flames. Be sure, Laura, to tell nobody but Andrew.”</p> + +<p>Laura became terrified at the way she saw poor Harry in, +but when she opened the door to find out the real state of +affairs, oh! what a dreadful sight was there! all the beds +were on fire, while bright red flames were blazing up to the +roof of the room, with a fierce roaring noise, which it was +perfectly frightful to hear. She screamed aloud with terror +at this alarming scene, while Harry did all he could to quiet +her, and even put his hand over her mouth, that her cries +might not be heard. Laura now struggled to get loose, and +<a name="p0038.png" id="p0038.png" href="#p0038.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">38</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>called louder and louder, till at last every maid in the house +came racing up stairs, three steps at a time, to know what +was the matter. Immediately upon seeing the flames, they +all began screaming too, in such a loud discordant way, +that it sounded as if a whole flight of crows had come into +the passages. Never was there such an uproar heard in the +house before, for the walls echoed with a general cry of +“Fire! fire! fire!”</p> + +<p>Up flew Mrs. Crabtree towards the nursery like a sky-rocket, +scolding furiously, talking louder than all the others +put together, and asking who had set the house on fire, +while Harry and Laura scarcely knew whether to be most +frightened for the raging flames, or the raging Mrs. Crabtree; +but, in the meantime, they both shrunk into the +smallest possible size, and hid themselves behind a door.</p> + +<p>During all this confusion, Old Andrew luckily remembered, +that, in the morning, there had been a great washing +in the laundry, where large tubs full of water were standing, so +he called to the few maids who had any of their senses remaining, +desiring them to assist in carrying up some +buckets, that they might be emptied on the burning beds, to +extinguish the flames if possible. Every body was now in +a hurry, and all elbowing each other out of the way, while +it was most extraordinary to see how old Andrew exerted +himself, as if he had been a fireman all his life, while Mrs. +Marmalade, the fat cook, who could hardly carry herself up +stairs in general, actively assisted to bring up the great +heavy tubs, and to pour them out like a cascade upon the +burning curtains, till the nursery-floor looked like a duck +pond.</p> + +<p>Meantime Harry and Laura added to the confusion as +much as they could, and were busier than anybody, stealing +down the back-stairs whenever Mrs. Crabtree was not in +sight, and filling their little jugs with water, which they +brought up, as fast as possible, and dashed upon the flames, +<a name="p0039.png" id="p0039.png" href="#p0039.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">39</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>till at last, it is to be feared, they began to feel quite amused +with the bustle, and to be almost sorry when the conflagration +diminished. At one time, Laura very nearly set her +own frock on fire, as she ventured too near, but Harry +pulled her back, and then courageously advanced to discharge +a shower from his own little jug, remaining stationary +to watch the effect, till his face was almost scorched.</p> + +<p>At last the fire became less and less, till it went totally out, +but not before the nursery furniture had been reduced to perfect +ruins, besides which, Betty had her arm sadly burned in +the confusion. Mrs. Marmalade’s cap was completely destroyed, +and Mrs. Crabtree’s best gown had so large a hole +burned in the skirt, that she never could wear it again!</p> + +<p>After all was quiet, and the fire completely extinguished, +Major Graham took Laura down stairs to Lady Harriet’s +dressing-room, that she might tell the whole particulars of +how this alarming accident happened in the nursery, for +nobody could guess what had caused so sudden and dreadful +a fire, which seemed to have been as unexpected as a +flash of lightning.</p> + +<p>Lady Harriet had felt so terrified by the noise and confusion, +that she was out of bed, sitting up in an arm-chair, +supported by pillows, when Laura entered, at the sight +of whom, with her well-cropped head, she made an exclamation +of perfect amazement.</p> + +<p>“Why! who on earth is that! Laura! my dear child! +what has become of all your hair? Were your curls +burned off in the fire? or did the fright make you grow +bald? What is the meaning of all this?”</p> + +<p>Laura turned perfectly crimson with shame and distress, +for she now felt convinced of her own great misconduct +about the scissors and curls, but she had been taught on all +occasions to speak the truth, and would rather have died +than told a lie, or even allowed any person to believe what +was not true, therefore she answered in a low, frightened +<a name="p0040.png" id="p0040.png" href="#p0040.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">40</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>voice, while the tears came into her eyes, “My hair has +not been burned off, grandmama! but—<span class="nw">but—”</span></p> + +<p>“Well, child! speak out!” said Lady Harriet, impatiently, +“did some hair-dresser come to the house and rob you?”</p> + +<p>“Or are you like the ladies of Carthage who gave their +long hair for bows and arrows?” asked Major Graham. +“I never saw such a little fright in my life as you look +now; but tell us all about it?”</p> + +<p>“I have been quite as naughty as Harry!” answered +Laura, bursting into tears and sobbing with grief; “I was +cutting off my hair with Mrs. Crabtree’s scissors all the +time that he was setting the nursery on fire!”</p> + +<p>“Did any mortal ever hear of two such little torments!” +exclaimed Major Graham, hardly able to help laughing. “I +wonder if anybody else in the world has such mischievous +children!”</p> + +<p>“It is certainly very strange, that you and Harry never +can contrive to be three hours out of a scrape!” said Lady +Harriet gravely; “now Frank, on the contrary, never forgets +what I bid him do. You might suppose he carried +Mrs. Crabtree in his pocket, to remind him constantly of +his duty; but there are not two such boys in the world as +Frank!”</p> + +<p>“No,” added Major Graham; “Harry set the house on +fire, and Frank will set the Thames on fire!”</p> + +<p>When Laura saw uncle David put on one of his funny +looks, while he spoke in this way to Lady Harriet, she almost +forgot her former fright, and became surprised to +observe her grandmama busy preparing what she called a +coach-wheel, which had been often given as a treat to Harry +and herself when they were particularly good. This delightful +wheel was manufactured by taking a whole round +slice of the loaf, in the centre of which was placed a large +tea-spoonful of jelly, after which long spokes of marmalade, +jam, and honey, were made to diverge most tastefully in +<a name="p0041.png" id="p0041.png" href="#p0041.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">41</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>every direction towards the crust, and Laura watched the +progress of this business with great interest and anxiety, +wondering if it could be hoped that her grandmama really +meant to forgive all her misconduct during the day.</p> + +<p>“That coach-wheel is, of course, meant for me!” said +Major Graham, pretending to be very hungry, and looking +slyly at Laura; “It cannot possibly be intended for our +little hair-dresser here!”</p> + +<p>“Yes, it is!” answered Lady Harriet, smiling. “I +have some thoughts of excusing Laura this time, because +she always tells me the truth, without attempting to conceal +any foolish thing she does. It will be very long before she +has any hair to cut off again, so I hope she may be older +and wiser by that time, especially considering that every +looking-glass she sees for six months will make her feel +ashamed of herself. She certainly deserves some reward +for having prevented the house to-night from being burned +to the ground.”</p> + +<p>“I am glad you think so, because here is a shilling that +has been burning in my pocket for the last few minutes, as +I wished to bestow it on Laura for having saved all our +lives, and if she had behaved still better, I might perhaps +have given her a gold watch!”</p> + +<p>Laura was busily employed in eating her coach-wheel, +and trying to fancy what the gold watch would have looked +like which she might probably have got from uncle David, +when suddenly the door burst open, and Mrs. Crabtree hurried +into the room, with a look of surprise and alarm, her +face as red as a poppy, and her eye fixed on the hole in her +best gown, while she spoke so loud and angrily, that Laura +almost trembled.</p> + +<p>“If you please, my lady! where can Master Harry be? +I cannot find him in any corner!—we have been searching +all over the house, up stairs and down stairs, in vain. Not +<a name="p0042.png" id="p0042.png" href="#p0042.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">42</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>a garret or a closet but has been ransacked, and nobody can +guess what has become of him!”</p> + +<p>“Did you look up the chimney, Mrs. Crabtree?” asked +Major Graham, laughing to see how excited she looked.</p> + +<p>“Indeed, Sir! it is no joke,” answered Mrs. Crabtree, +sulkily; “I am almost afraid Master Harry has been burned +in the fire! The last time Betty saw him, he was throwing +a jug of water into the flames, and no one has ever seen +or heard of him since! There is a great many ashes and +cinders lying about the room, <span class="nw">and——”</span><!-- original lacks endquote --></p> + +<p>“Do you think, in sober seriousness, Mrs. Crabtree, that +Harry would melt away like a wax doll, without asking any +body to extinguish him?” said Major Graham, smiling. +“No! no! little boys are not quite so easily disposed of. +I shall find Harry in less than five minutes, if he is above +ground.”</p> + +<p>But uncle David was quite mistaken in expecting to discover +Harry so easily, for he searched and searched in vain. +He looked into every possible or impossible place—the library, +the kitchen, the garrets, the laundry, the drawing-room, +all without success,—he peeped under the tables, behind +the curtains, over the beds, beneath the pillows, and +into Mrs. Crabtree’s bonnet-box,—he even opened the tea-chest, +and looked out at the window, in case Harry had +tumbled over, but nowhere could he be found.</p> + +<p>“Not a mouse is stirring!” exclaimed Major Graham, +beginning now to look exceedingly grave and anxious. +“This is very strange! The house-door is locked, therefore, +unless Harry made his escape through the key-hole, +he must be here! It is most unaccountable what the little +pickle can have done with himself!”</p> + +<p>When Major Graham chose to exert his voice, it was as +loud as a trumpet, and could be heard half a mile off; so he +now called out, like thunder, from the top of the stairs to the +<a name="p0043.png" id="p0043.png" href="#p0043.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">43</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>bottom, saying, “Hollo, Harry! hollo! Come here, my +boy! Nobody shall hurt you! Harry! where are you!”</p> + +<p>Uncle David waited to listen, but all was still,—no answer +could be heard, and there was not a sound in the +house, except poor Laura at the bottom of the stairs, sobbing +with grief and terror about Harry having been lost, and +Mrs. Crabtree grumbling angrily to herself, on account of +the large hole in her best gown.</p> + +<p>By this time Lady Harriet nearly fainted with fatigue, +for she was so very old, and had been ill all day; so she +grew worse and worse, till everybody said she must go to +bed, and try if it would be possible to fall asleep, assuring +her that Harry must soon be found, as nothing particular +could have happened to him, or some person would have +seen it.</p> + +<p>“Indeed, my lady! Master Harry is just like a bad shilling +that is sure to come back,” said Mrs. Crabtree, helping +her to undress, while she continued to talk the whole +time about the fire, showing her own unfortunate gown, describing +the trouble she had taken to save the house from +being burned, and always ending every sentence with a +wish that she could lay her hands on Harry to punish him as +he deserved.</p> + +<p>“The truth is, I just spoil and indulge the children too +much, my lady!” added Mrs. Crabtree, in a self-satisfied +tone of voice. “I really blame myself often for being +over easy and kind.”</p> + +<p>“You have nothing to accuse yourself of in that respect,” +answered Lady Harriet, unable to help smiling.</p> + +<p>“Your ladyship is very good to say so. Major Graham +is so fond of our young people, that it is lucky they have +some one to keep them in order. I shall make a duty, my +lady, of being more strict than ever. Master Harry must +be made an example of this time!” added Mrs. Crabtree, +angrily glancing at the hole in her gown. “I shall teach +<a name="p0044.png" id="p0044.png" href="#p0044.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">44</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>him to remember this day the longest hour he has to +live!”</p> + +<p>“Harry will not forget it any how,” answered Lady +Harriet languidly. “Perhaps, Mrs. Crabtree, we might as +well not be severe with the poor boy on this occasion. As +the old proverb says, ‘there is no use in pouring water on +a drowned mouse.’ Harry has got a sad fright for his +pains, and at all events you must find him first, before he +can be punished. Where can the poor child be hid?”</p> + +<p>“I would give sixpence to find out that, my lady!” answered +Mrs. Crabtree, helping Lady Harriet into bed, after +which she closed the shutters, put out the candles, and +left the room, angrily muttering, “Master Harry cares no +more for me than the poker cares for the tongs, but I +shall teach him another story soon.”</p> + +<p>Lady Harriet now feebly closed her eyes, being quite exhausted, +and was beginning to feel the pleasant, confused +sensation that people have before going to sleep, when +some noise made her suddenly start quite awake. She sat +up in bed to listen, but could not be sure whether it had +been a great noise at a distance, or a little noise in the +room; so after waiting two or three minutes, she sunk +back upon the pillows, and tried to forget it. Again, however, +she distinctly heard something rustling in the bed +curtains, and opened her eyes to see what could be the matter, +but all was dark. Something seemed to be breathing +very near her, however, and the curtains shook worse than +before, till Lady Harriet became really alarmed.</p> + +<p>“It must surely be a cat in the room!” thought she, +hastily pulling the bell rope, till it nearly came down. +“That tiresome little animal will make such a noise, I +shall not be able to sleep all night!”</p> + +<p>The next minute Lady Harriet was startled to hear a +loud sob close beside her; and when everybody rushed up +stairs to ask what was the matter, they brought candles to +<a name="p0045.png" id="p0045.png" href="#p0045.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">45</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>search the room, and there was Harry! He lay doubled up +in a corner, and crying as if his heart would break, yet still +endeavouring not to be seen; for Harry always thought it a terrible +disgrace to cry, and would have concealed himself anywhere, +rather than be observed weeping. Laura burst into +tears also, when she saw what red eyes and pale cheeks +Harry had; but Mrs. Crabtree lost no time in pulling him +out of his place, being quite impatient to begin her scold, and +to produce her tawse, though she received a sad disappointment +on this occasion, as uncle David unexpectedly interfered +to get him off.</p> + +<p class="nobot">“Come now, Mrs. Crabtree,” said he good-naturedly; +“put up the tawse for this time; you are rather too fond of +the leather. Harry seems really sorry and frightened, so we +must be merciful. That cataract of tears he is shedding +now, would have extinguished the fire if it had come in +time! Harry is like a culprit with the rope about his neck; +but he shall not be executed. Let me be judge and jury in +this case; and my sentence is a very dreadful one. Harry +must sleep all to-night in the burned nursery, having no +other covering than the burned blankets, with large holes +in them, that he may never forget</p> + +<p class="ctr pgbrk">“<span class="allsc">THE TERRIBLE FIRE!</span>”</p> + + + + +<h2><a name="p0046.png" id="p0046.png" href="#p0046.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">46</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>CHAPTER IV.<br + /><span class="fakehr"> </span><br + /> <br /><small>THE PRODIGIOUS CAKE.</small></h2> + +<div class="poem w24 pl4"> +<div class="stanza"> +<div class="i18"> Yet theirs the joy</div> +<div>That lifts their steps, that sparkles in their eyes;</div> +<div>That talks or laughs, or runs, or shouts, or plays,</div> +<div>And speaks in all their looks, and all their ways.</div> +</div> +<p class="rt sc">Crabbe.</p> +</div> + + + +<p class="noindent top1"><span class="sc">Next</span> day after the fire, Laura could think of nothing but +what she was to do with the shilling that uncle David had +given her; and a thousand plans came into her head, while +many wants entered her thoughts, which never occurred before; +so that, if twenty shillings had been in her hand instead +of one, they would all have gone twenty different ways.</p> + +<p>Lady Harriet advised that it should be laid bye till Laura +had fully considered what she would like best; reminding +her very truly, that money is lame in coming, but flies in going +away. “Many people can get a shilling, Laura,” said +her grandmama; “but the difficulty is to keep it; for you +know the old proverb tells that ‘a fool and his money are +soon parted.’”</p> + +<p>“Yes, Miss! so give it to me, and I shall take care of +your shilling!” added Mrs. Crabtree, holding out her hand +to Laura, who fell that if her money once disappeared into +that capacious pocket, she would never see it again. “Children +have no use for money! that shilling will only burn a +hole in your purse, till it is spent on some foolish thing or +<a name="p0047.png" id="p0047.png" href="#p0047.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">47</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>other. You will be losing your thimble soon, or mislaying +your gloves; for all these things seem to fly in every direction, +as if they got legs and wings as soon as they belong +to you; so then that shilling may replace what is lost.”</p> + +<p>Mrs. Crabtree looked as if she would eat it up; but Laura +grasped her treasure still tighter in her hand, exclaiming,</p> + +<p>“No! no! this is mine! Uncle David never thought +of my shilling being taken care of! He meant me to do +whatever I liked with it! Uncle David says he cannot endure +saving children, and that he wishes all money were +turned into slates, when little girls keep it longer than a +week.”</p> + +<p>“I like that!” said Harry, eagerly; “it is so pleasant +to spend money, when the shopkeeper bows to me over the +counter so politely, and asks what I please to want.”</p> + +<p>“Older people than you like spending money, Master +Harry, and spend whether they have it or no; but the greatest +pleasure is to keep it. For instance, Miss Laura, whatever +she sees worth a shilling in any shop, might be hers +if she pleases; so then it is quite as good as her own. +We shall look in at the bazaar every morning, to fix upon +something that she would like to have, and then consider of +it for two or three days.”</p> + +<p>Laura thought this plan so very unsatisfactory, that she +lost no time in getting her shilling changed into two sixpences, +one of which she immediately presented to Harry, +who positively refused for a long time to accept of it, insisting +that Laura should rather buy some pretty plaything for +herself; but she answered that it was much pleasanter to divide +her fortune with Harry, than to be selfish, and spend it +all alone. “I am sure, Harry,” added she, “if this money +had been yours, you would have said the same thing, and +given the half of what you got to me; so now let us say no +more about that, but tell me what would be the best use to +make of my sixpence?”</p> + +<p><a name="p0048.png" id="p0048.png" href="#p0048.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">48</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>“You might buy that fine red morocco purse we saw in +the shop window yesterday,” observed Harry, looking very +serious and anxious, on being consulted. “Do you remember +how much we both wished to have it?”</p> + +<p>“But what is the use of a purse, with no money to keep +in it!” answered Laura, looking earnestly at Harry for more +advice. “Think again of something else.”</p> + +<p>“Would you like a new doll?”</p> + +<p>“Yes; but I have nothing to dress her with!”</p> + +<p>“Suppose you buy that pretty geranium in a red flower-pot +at the gardener’s!”</p> + +<p>“If it would only live for a week, I might be tempted to +try; but flowers will always die with me. They seem to +wither when I so much as look at them. Do you remember +that pretty fuchsia<!-- original reads "fuschia" --> that I almost drowned the first day grandmama +gave it me; and we forgot for a week afterwards to +water it at all. I am not a good flower doctor.”</p> + +<p>“Then buy a gold watch at once,” said Harry, laughing; +“or a fine pony, with a saddle, to ride on.”</p> + +<p>“Now, Harry, pray be quite in earnest. You know I +might as well attempt to buy the moon as a gold watch; so +think of something else.”</p> + +<p>“It is very difficult to make a good use of money,” said +Harry, pretending to look exceedingly wise. “Do you +know, Laura, I once found out that you could have twelve +of those large ship biscuits we saw at the baker’s shop for +sixpence. Only think! you could feed the whole town, and +make a present to everybody in the house besides! I dare +say Mrs. Crabtree might like one with her tea. All the +maids would think them a treat. You could present one to +Frank, another to old Andrew, and there would still be some +left for these poor children at the cottage.”</p> + +<p>“Oh! that is the very thing!” cried Laura, running out +of the room to send Andrew off with a basket, and looking +as happy as possible. Not long afterwards, Frank, who +<a name="p0049.png" id="p0049.png" href="#p0049.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">49</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>had returned from school, was standing at the nursery window, +when he suddenly called out in a voice of surprise and +amazement,</p> + +<p>“Come here, Harry! look at old Andrew! he is carrying +something tied up in a towel, as large as his own head! +what can it be?”</p> + +<p>“That is all for me! these are my biscuits!” said Laura, +running off to receive the parcel, and though she heard +Frank laughing, while Harry told all about them, she did not +care, but brought her whole collection triumphantly into the +nursery.</p> + +<p>“Oh fancy! how perfect!” cried Harry, opening the +bundle; “this is very good fun!”</p> + +<p>“Here are provisions for a siege!” added Frank. “You +have at least got enough for your money, Laura!”</p> + +<p>“Take one yourself, Frank!” said she, reaching him +the largest, and then, with the rest all tied in her apron, +Laura proceeded up and down stairs, making presents to +every person she met, till her whole store was finished; and +she felt quite satisfied and happy because everybody seemed +pleased and returned many thanks, except Mrs. Crabtree, +who said she had no teeth to eat such hard things, which +were only fit for sailors going to America or the West +Indies.</p> + +<p>“You should have bought me a pound of sugar, Miss +Laura, and that might have been a present worth giving.”</p> + +<p>“You are too sweet already, Mrs. Crabtree!” said Frank, +laughing. “I shall send you a sugar-cane from the West +Indies, to beat Harry and Laura with, and a whole barrel of +sugar for yourself, from my own estate.”</p> + +<p>“None of your nonsense, Master Frank! Get out of the +nursery this moment! You with an estate indeed! You will +not have a place to put your foot upon soon except the topmast +in a man-of-war, where all the bad boys in a ship are +sent.”</p> + +<p><a name="p0050.png" id="p0050.png" href="#p0050.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">50</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>“Perhaps, as you are not to be the captain, I may escape, +and be dining with the officers sometimes! I mean to send +you home a fine new India shawl, Mrs. Crabtree, the very +moment I arrive at Madras, and some china tea-cups from +Canton.”</p> + +<p>“Fiddlesticks and nonsense!” said Mrs. Crabtree, who +sometimes enjoyed a little jesting with Frank. “Keep all +them rattle-traps till you are a rich nabob, and come home +to look for Mrs. Frank,—a fine wife she will be! Ladies +that get fortunes from India are covered all over with gold +chains, and gold muslins, and scarlet shawls. She will eat +nothing but curry and rice, and never put her foot to the +ground except to step into her carriage.”</p> + +<p>“I hope you are not a gipsey, to tell fortunes!” cried +Harry, laughing; “Frank would die rather than take such +a wife.”</p> + +<p>“Or, at least, I would rather have a tooth drawn than do +it,” added Frank, smiling. “Perhaps I may prefer to marry +one of those old wives on the chimney-tops; but it is too +serious to say I would rather die, because nobody knows +how awful it is to die, till the appointed day comes.”</p> + +<p>“Very true and proper, Master Frank,” replied Mrs. +Crabtree; “you speak like a printed book sometimes, and +you deserve a good wife.”</p> + +<p>“Then I shall return home some day with chests of gold, +and let you choose one for me, as quiet and good-natured as +yourself, Mrs. Crabtree,” said Frank, taking up his books +and hastening off to school, running all the way, as he was +rather late, and Mr. Lexicon, the master, had promised a +grand prize for the boy who came most punctually to his +lessons, which everybody declared that Frank was sure to +gain, as he had never once been absent at the right moment.<!-- original has superfluous endquote --></p> + +<p>Major Graham often tried to teaze Frank, by calling him +“the Professor,”—asking him questions which it was +<a name="p0051.png" id="p0051.png" href="#p0051.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">51</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>impossible to answer, and then pretending to be quite shocked +at his ignorance; but no one ever saw the young scholar +put out of temper by those tricks and trials, for he always +laughed more heartily than any one else, at the joke.</p> + +<p>“Now show me, Frank,” said uncle David, one morning, +“how do you advance three steps backwards?”</p> + +<p>“That is quite impossible, unless you turn me into a +crab.”</p> + +<p>“Tell me, then, which is the principal town in Caffraria?”</p> + +<p>“Is there any town there? I do not recollect it.”</p> + +<p>“Then so much the worse!—how are you ever to get +through life without knowing the chief town in Caffraria! +I am quite ashamed of your ignorance. Now let us try a +little arithmetic! Open the door of your understanding and +tell me, when wheat is six shillings a bushel, what is the +price of a penny loaf. Take your slate and calculate that.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, uncle David, if you will find out, when gooseberries +are two shillings the pint, what is the price of a threepenny +tart. You remind me of my old nursery <span class="nw">song—</span></p> + +<div class="poem w20 pl4"> +<div class="stanza notopspace"> +<div>‘The man in the wilderness asked me,</div> +<div>How many strawberries grew in the sea;</div> +<div>I answered him, as I thought it good,</div> +<div>As many red herrings as grew in the wood.’”</div> +</div> +</div> + +<p class="top1">Some days after Laura had distributed the biscuits, she +became very sorry for having squandered her shilling, without +attending to Lady Harriet’s good advice, about keeping +it carefully in her pocket for at least a week, to see what +would happen. A very pleasant way of using money now +fell in her way, but she had been a foolish spendthrift, so +her pockets were empty, when she most wished them to be +full. Harry came that morning after breakfast into the nursery, +looking in a great bustle, and whispering to Laura, +“What a pity your sixpence is gone! but as Mrs. Crabtree +says, ‘we cannot both eat our cake and have it!’”</p> + +<p><a name="p0052.png" id="p0052.png" href="#p0052.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">52</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>“No!” answered Laura, as seriously as if she had never +thought of this before, “but why do you so particularly wish +my money back to-day?”</p> + +<p>“Because such a very nice, funny thing is to be done +this morning. You and I are asked to join the party, but +I am afraid we cannot afford it! All our little cousins and +companions intend going with Mr. Harwood, the tutor, at +twelve o’clock, to climb up to the very top of Arthur’s Seat, +where they are to dine and have a dance. There will be +about twenty boys and girls of the party, but every body is to +carry a basket filled with provisions for dinner, either +cakes, or fruit, or biscuits, which are to be eat on the great +rock at the top of the hill. Now grandmama says we +ought to have had money enough to supply what is necessary, +and then we might have gone, but no one can be admitted +who has not at least sixpence to buy something.”</p> + +<p>“Oh! how provoking!” said Laura, sadly, “I wonder +when we shall learn always to follow grandmama’s advice, +for that is sure to turn out best in the end. I never take +my own way without being sorry for it afterwards, so I deserve +now to be disappointed and remain at home; but, +Harry, your sixpence is still safe, so pray join this delightful +party, and tell me all about it afterwards.”</p> + +<p>“If it could take us both, I should be very happy, but I +will not go without you, Laura, after you were so good to +me, and gave me this in a present. No, no! I only wish +we could do like the poor madman grandmama mentioned, +who planted sixpences in the ground that they might grow +into shillings.”</p> + +<p>“Pray! what are you two looking so solemn about?” asked +Frank, hurrying into the room, at that moment, on his way +to school. “Are you talking of some mischief that has +been done already, or only about some mischief you are +intending to do soon?”</p> + +<p>“Neither the one nor the other,” answered Laura. +<a name="p0053.png" id="p0053.png" href="#p0053.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">53</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>“But, oh! Frank, I am sure you will be sorry for us, when +we tell you of our sad disappointment!”</p> + +<p>She then related the whole story of the party to Arthur’s +Seat, mentioning that Mr. Harwood had kindly offered to +take charge of Harry and herself, but as her little fortune +had been so foolishly squandered, she could not go, and +Harry said it would be impossible to enjoy the fun without +her, though Lady Harriet had given them both leave to be +of the party.</p> + +<p>All the time that Laura spoke, Frank stood, with his +hands in his pockets, where he seemed evidently searching +for something, and when the whole history was told, he +said to Harry, “Let me see this poor little sixpence of +yours! I am a very clever conjuror, and could perhaps +turn it into a shilling!”</p> + +<p>“Nonsense, Frank!” said Laura, laughing; “you +might as well turn Harry into uncle David!”</p> + +<p>“Well! we shall see!” answered Frank, taking up the +sixpence. “I have put the money into this box!—rattle it +well!—once! twice! thrice!—there, peep in!—now it is a +shilling! I told you so!”</p> + +<p>Frank ran joyously out of the room, being much amused +with the joke, for he had put one of his own shillings into +the box for Harry and Laura, who were excessively surprised +at first, and felt really ashamed to take this very kind +present from Frank, when he so seldom had money of his +own; but they knew how generous he was, for he often repeated +that excellent maxim, “It is more blessed to give +than to receive.”</p> + +<p>After a few minutes, they remembered that nothing +could prevent them now from going with Mr. Harwood to +Arthur’s Seat, which put Laura into such a state of ecstacy, +that she danced round the room for joy, while Harry jumped +upon the tables and chairs, tumbled head over heels, and +called Betty to come immediately that they might get ready.</p> + +<p><a name="p0054.png" id="p0054.png" href="#p0054.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">54</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>When Mrs. Crabtree heard such an uproar, she hastened +also into the room, asking what had happened to cause this +riot, and she became very angry indeed, to hear that Harry +and Laura had both got leave to join in this grand expedition.</p> + +<p>“You will be spoiling all your clothes, and getting yourselves +into a heat! I wonder her ladyship allows this! +How much better you would be taking a quiet walk with me +in the gardens! I shall really speak to Lady Harriet about +it! The air must be very cold on the top of them great +mountains! I am sure you will both have colds for a +month after this Tom-foolery.”</p> + +<p>“Oh no, Mrs. Crabtree! I promise not to catch cold!” +cried Harry, eagerly; “and, besides, you can scarcely prevent +our going now, for grandmama has set out on her +long airing in the carriage, so there is nobody for you to +ask about keeping us at home, except uncle David!”</p> + +<p>Mrs. Crabtree knew from experience, that Major Graham +was a hopeless case, as he always took part with the +children, and liked nothing so much for old and young as +“a ploy;” so she grumbled on to herself, while her eyes +looked as sharp as a pair of scissors with rage. “You will +come back, turned into scare-crows, with all your nice +clean clothes in tatters,” said she, angrily; “but if there is +so much as a speck upon this best new jacket and trowsers, +I shall know the reason why.”</p> + +<p>“What a comfort it would be, if there were no such +things in the world as ‘new clothes,’ for I am always so +much happier in the old ones,” said Harry. “People at +the shops should sell clothes that will never either dirty or +tear!”</p> + +<p>“You ought to be dressed in fur, like Robinson Crusoe, +or sent out naked, like the little savages,” said Mrs. Crabtree, +“or painted black and blue like them wild old Britons +that lived here long ago!”</p> + +<p><a name="p0055.png" id="p0055.png" href="#p0055.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">55</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>“I am black and blue sometimes, without being painted,” +said Harry, escaping to the door. “Good-bye, Mrs. +Crabtree! I hope you will not die of weariness without +us! On our return we shall tell you all our delightful adventures.”</p> + +<p>About half an hour afterwards, Harry and Laura were +seen hurrying out of the pastry-cook, Mrs. Weddell’s shop, +bearing little covered baskets in their hands, but nobody +could guess what was in them. They whispered and +laughed together with very merry faces, looking the very +pictures of happiness, and running along as fast as they +could to join the noisy party of their cousins and companions, +almost fearing that Mr. Harwood might have set off +without them. Frank often called him “Mr. Punctuality,” +as he was so very particular about his scholars being in +good time on all occasions; and certainly Mr. Harwood +carried his watch more in his hand than in his pocket, +being in the habit of constantly looking to see that nobody +arrived too late. Mail-coaches or steamboats could hardly +keep the time better, when an hour had once been named, +and the last words that Harry heard when he was invited +were, “Remember! sharp twelve.”</p> + +<p>The great clock of St. Andrew’s Church was busy striking +that hour, and every little clock in the town was saying the +same thing, when Mr. Harwood himself, with his watch in +his hand, opened the door, and walked out, followed by a +dozen of merry-faced boys and girls, all speaking at once, +and vociferating louder than the clocks, as if they thought +everybody had grown deaf.</p> + +<p>“I shall reach the top of Arthur’s Seat first,” said Peter +Grey. “All of you follow me, for I know the shortest way. +It is only a hop, step, and a jump!”</p> + +<p>“Rather a long step!” cried Robert Fordyce. “But I +could lead you a much better way, though I shall show it to +nobody but myself.”</p> + +<p><a name="p0056.png" id="p0056.png" href="#p0056.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">56</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>“We must certainly drink water at St. Anthony’s Well,” +observed Laura; “because whatever any one wishes for +when he tastes it, is sure to happen immediately.”</p> + +<p>“Then I shall wish that some person may give me a new +doll,” said Mary Forrester. “My old one is only fit for +being lady’s maid to a fine new doll.”</p> + +<p>“I am in ninety-nine minds what to wish for,” exclaimed +Harry; “we must take care not to be like the foolish +old woman in the fairy tale, who got only a yard of black +pudding.”</p> + +<p>“I shall ask for a piebald pony, with a whip, a saddle, and +a bridle!” cried Peter Grey; “and for a week’s holidays,—and +a new watch,—and a spade,—and a box of French plums,—and +to be first at the top of Arthur’s Seat,—and—<span class="nw">and—”</span></p> + +<p>“Stop, Peter!—stop! you can only have one wish at St. +Anthony’s Well,” interrupted Mr. Harwood. “If you ask +more, you lose all.”</p> + +<p>“That is very hard, for I want everything,” replied Peter. +“What are you wishing for, Sir?”</p> + +<p>“What shall I ask for?” said Mr. Harwood, reflecting +to himself. “I have not a want in the world?”</p> + +<p>“O yes, Sir! you must wish for something!” cried the +whole party, eagerly. “Do invent something to ask, Mr. +Harwood!”</p> + +<p>“Then I wish you may all behave well till we reach the +top of Arthur’s Seat, and all come safely down again.”</p> + +<p>“You may be sure of that already!” said Peter, laughing. +“I set such a very good example to all my companions, +that they never behave ill when I am present,—no! not +even by accident! When Dr. Algebra examined our class +to-day, he asked Mr. Lexicon, ‘What has become of the +best boy in your school this morning?’ and the answer +was, ‘Of course your mean Peter Grey! He is gone to the +top of Arthur’s Seat with that excellent man, Mr. Harwood!’”</p> + +<p><a name="p0057.png" id="p0057.png" href="#p0057.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">57</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>“Indeed!—and pray, Master Peter, what bird whispered +this story into your ear, seeing it has all happened since we +left home!—but people who are praised by nobody else, often +take to praising themselves!”</p> + +<p>“Who knows better!—and here is Harry Graham, the +very ditto of myself,—so steady he might be fit to drill a +whole regiment. We shall lead the party quite safely up the +hill, and down again, without any ladders.”</p> + +<p>“And without wings,” added Harry, laughing; “but what +are we to draw water out of the well with?—here are neither +buckets, nor tumblers, nor glasses!”</p> + +<p>“I could lend you my thimble!” said Laura, searching +her pocket. “That will hold enough of water for one wish, +and every person may have the loan of it in turn.”</p> + +<p>“This is the very first time your thimble has been of use +to anybody!” said Harry, slyly; “but I dare say it is not +worn into holes with too much sewing, therefore it will make +a famous little magical cup for St. Anthony’s Well. You +know the fairies who dance here by moonlight, lay their table-cloth +upon a mushroom, and sit round it, to be merry, +but I never heard what they use for a drinking cup.”</p> + +<p>Harry now proceeded briskly along to the well, singing +as he went, a song which had been taught him by uncle +David, beginning,</p> + +<div class="poem w20 pl6"> +<div class="stanza notopspace"> +<div>I wish I were a brewer’s horse,</div> +<div>Five quarters of a year,</div> +<div>I’d place my head where was my tail,</div> +<div>And drink up all the beer.</div> +</div> +</div> + +<p class="noindent top1">Before long the whole party seated themselves in a circle +on the grass round St. Anthony’s Well, while any stranger +who had chanced to pass might have supposed, from the +noise and merriment, that the Saint had filled his well with +champagne<!-- original reads "champaigne" --> and punch for the occasion, as everybody seemed +perfectly tipsy with happiness. Mr. Harwood laughed +<a name="p0058.png" id="p0058.png" href="#p0058.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">58</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>prodigiously at some of the jokes, and made a few of his own, +which were none of the best, though they caused the most +laughter, for the boys thought it very surprising that so grave +and great a man should make a joke at all.</p> + +<p>When Mary Forrester drank her thimbleful of water, and +wished for a new doll, Peter and Harry privately cut out a +face upon a red-cheeked apple, making the eyes, nose, and +mouth, after which, they hastily dressed it up in pocket handkerchiefs, +and gave her this present from the fairies, which +looked so very like what she had asked for, that the laugh +which followed was loud and long. Afterwards Peter swallowed +his draught, calling loudly for a piebald pony, when +Harry in his white trowsers, and dark jacket, went upon all-fours, +and let Peter mount on his back. It was very difficult, +however, to get Peter off again, for he enjoyed the fun +excessively, and stuck to his seat like Sinbad’s old man of +the sea, till at last Harry rolled round on his back, tumbling +Peter head over heels into St. Anthony’s Well, upon seeing +which, Mr. Harwood rose, saying, he had certainly lost his +own wish, as they had behaved ill, and met with an accident +already. Harry laughingly proposed that Peter should be +carefully hung upon a tree to dry, till they all came down +again; but the mischievous boy ran off so fast, he was almost +out of sight in a moment, saying, “Now for the top +of Arthur’s Seat, and I shall grow dry with the fatigue of +climbing.”</p> + +<p>The boys and girls immediately scattered themselves all +over the hill, getting on the best way they could, and trying +who could scramble up fastest, but the grass was quite short, +and as slippery as ice, therefore it became every moment +more difficult to stand, and still more difficult to climb. The +whole party began sliding whether they liked it or not, and +staggered and tried to grasp the turf, but there was nothing +to hold, while occasionally a shower of stones and gravel +came down from Peter, who pretended they fell by accident.</p> + +<p><a name="p0059.png" id="p0059.png" href="#p0059.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">59</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>“Oh, Harry!” cried Laura, panting for breath, while she +looked both frightened and fatigued, “If this were not a party +of pleasure, I think we are sometimes quite as happy in +our own gardens! People must be very miserable at home, +before they come here to be amused! I wish we were cats, +or goats, or any thing that can stand upon a hill without feeling +giddy.”</p> + +<p>“I think this is very good fun!” answered Harry, <!-- original has extraneous opening quote -->gasping +and trying not to tumble for the twentieth time; “you +would like perhaps to be back in the nursery with Mrs. +Crabtree.”</p> + +<p>“No! no! I am not quite so bad as that! But Harry! +do you ever really expect to reach the top? for I never shall; +so I mean to sit down quietly here, and wait till you all +return.”</p> + +<p>“I have a better plan than that, Laura! you shall sit upon +the highest point of Arthur’s Seat as well as anybody, before +either of us is an hour older! Let me go first, because I get +on famously, and you must never look behind, but keep +tight hold of my jacket, so then every step I advance will +pull you up also.”</p> + +<p>Laura was delighted with this plan, which succeeded perfectly +well, but they ascended rather slowly, as it was exceedingly +fatiguing to Harry, who looked<!-- original reads "look" --> quite happy all the time +to be of use, for he always felt glad when he could do any +thing for anybody, more particularly for either Laura or +Frank. Now, the whole party was at last safely assembled +on the very highest point of Arthur’s Seat, so the boys threw +their caps up in the air, and gave three tremendous cheers, +which frightened the very crows over their heads, and sent +a flock of sheep scampering down the mountain side. After +that, they planted Mr. Harwood’s walking-stick in the +ground, for a staff, while Harry tore off the blue silk handkerchief +which Mrs. Crabtree had tied about his neck, and +without caring whether he caught cold or not, he fastened it +<a name="p0060.png" id="p0060.png" href="#p0060.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">60</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>on the pole for a flag, being quite delighted to see how it +waved in the wind most triumphantly, looking very like what +sailors put up when they take possession of a desert island.</p> + +<p>“Now, for business!” said Mr. Harwood, sitting down +on the rock, and uncovering a prodigious cake, nearly as +large as a cheese, which he had taken the trouble to carry, +with great difficulty, up the hill. “I suppose nobody is +hungry after our long walk! Let us see what all the baskets +contain!”</p> + +<p>Not a moment was lost in seating themselves on the +grass, while the stores were displayed, amidst shouts of laughter +and applause which generally followed whatever came +forth. Sandwiches, or, as Peter Grey called them, “savages;” +gingerbread, cakes, and fruit, all appeared in turn. +Robert Fordyce brought a dozen of hard-boiled eggs, all +dyed different colours, blue, green, pink, and yellow, but +not one was white. Edmund Ashford produced a collection +of very sour-looking apples, and Charles Forrester showed +a number of little gooseberry tarts, but when it became time +for Peter’s basket to be opened, it contained nothing except +a knife and fork to cut up whatever his companions would +give him!</p> + +<p>“Peter! Peter! you shabby fellow!” said Charles Forrester, +reaching him one of his tarts, “you should be put +in the tread-mill as a sturdy beggar!”</p> + +<p>“Or thrown down from the top of this precipice,” added +Harry, giving him a cake. “I wonder you can look any of +us in the face, Peter!”</p> + +<p>“I have heard,” said Mr. Harwood, “that a stone is +shown in Ireland, called ‘the stone of Blarney,’ and whoever +kisses it, is never afterwards ashamed of any thing he +does. Our friend Peter has probably passed that way lately!”</p> + +<p>“At any rate, I am not likely to be starved to death +amongst you all!” answered the impudent boy, demolishing +<a name="p0061.png" id="p0061.png" href="#p0061.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">61</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>every thing he could get; and it is believed that Peter ate, +on this memorable occasion, three times more than any +other person, as each of the party offered him something, +and he never was heard to say, “No!”</p> + +<p>“I could swallow Arthur’s Seat if it were turned into a +plum-pudding,” said he, pocketing buns, apples, eggs, walnuts, +biscuits, and almonds, till his coat stuck out all +round like a balloon. “Has any one any thing more to +spare?”</p> + +<p>“Did you ever hear,” said Mr. Harwood, “that a pigeon +eats its own weight of food every day? Now, I am sure, +you and I know one boy in the world, Peter, who could +do as much.”</p> + +<p>“What is to be done with that prodigious cake you +carried up here, Mr. Harwood?” answered Peter, casting +a devouring eye upon it; “the crust seems as +hard as a rhinoceros’ skin, but I dare say it is very good. +One could not be sure though, without tasting it! I hope +you are not going to take the trouble of carrying that heavy +load back again?”</p> + +<p>“How very polite you are become all on a sudden, Peter!” +said Laura, laughing. “I should be very sorry to attempt +carrying that cake to the bottom of the hill, for we would +both roll down, the shortest way, together.”</p> + +<p>“I am not over-anxious to try it either,” observed Charles +Forrester, shaking his head. “Even Peter, though his +mouth is constantly ajar, would find that cake rather heavy +to carry, either as an inside or an outside passenger.”</p> + +<p>“I can scarcely lift it at all!” continued Laura, when +Mr. Harwood had again tied it up in the towel; “what can +be done?”</p> + +<p>“Here is the very best plan!” cried Harry, suddenly +seizing the prodigious cake; and before any body could +hinder him, he gave it a tremendous push off the steepest +part of Arthur’s Seat, so that it rolled down like a wheel, +<a name="p0062.png" id="p0062.png" href="#p0062.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">62</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>over stones and precipices, jumping and hopping along +with wonderful rapidity, amidst the cheers and laughter of all +the children, till at last it reached the bottom of the hill, +when a general clapping of hands ensued.</p> + +<p>“Now for a race!” cried Harry, becoming more and +more eager. “The first boy or girl who reaches that cake +shall have it all to himself!”</p> + +<p>Mr. Harwood tried with all his might to stop the commotion, +and called out that they must go quietly down the bank, +for Harry had no right to give away the cake, or to make +them break their legs and arms with racing down such a +hill: but he might as well have spoken to an east wind, +and asked it not to blow. The whole party dispersed, like +a hive of bees that has been upset; and in a moment they +were in full career after the cake.</p> + +<p>Some of the boys tried to roll down, hoping to get on +more quickly. Others endeavoured to slide, and several +attempted to run, but they all fell; and many of them might +have been tumblers at Sadler’s Wells, they tumbled over +and over so cleverly. Peter Grey’s hat was blown away, +but he did not stop to catch it. Charlie Hume lost his shoe, +Robert Fordyce sprained his ancle<!-- OED legitimate spelling -->, and every one of the +girls tore her frock. It was a frightful scene; such devastation +of bonnets and jackets as had never been known before; +while Mr. Harwood looked like the General of a defeated +army, calling till he became hoarse, and running till +he was out of breath, vainly trying thus to stop the confusion, +and to bring the stragglers back in better order.</p> + +<p>Meantime, Harry and Peter were far before the rest, +though Edward Ashford was following hard after them in desperate +haste, as if he still hoped to overtake their steps. Suddenly, +however, a loud cry of distress was heard over-head; +and when Harry looked up, he saw so very alarming a sight, +that he could scarcely believe his eyes, and almost screamed +out himself with the fright it gave him, while he seemed to +<a name="p0063.png" id="p0063.png" href="#p0063.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">63</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>forget in a moment, the race, Peter Grey, and the prodigious +cake.</p> + +<p>Laura had been very anxious not to trouble Harry with +taking care of her in coming down the bank again; for she +saw that during all this fun about the cake, he perfectly forgot +that she was not accustomed every day to such a scramble +on the hills, and would have required some help. After +looking down every side of the descent, and thinking that +each appeared steeper than another, while they all made her +equally giddy, Laura determined to venture on a part of the +hill which seemed rather less precipitous than the rest; but it +completely cheated her, being the most difficult and dangerous +part of Arthur’s Seat. The slope became steeper and +steeper at every step; but Laura always tried to hope her +path might grow better, till at last she reached a place where +it was impossible to stop herself. Down she went, down! +down! whether she would or not, screaming and sliding on +a long slippery bank, till she reached the very edge of a dangerous +precipice, which appeared higher than the side of +a room. Laura then grappled hold of some stones and +grass, calling loudly for help, while scarcely able to keep +from falling into the deep ravine, which would probably have +killed her. Her screams were echoed all over the hill, when +Harry seeing her frightful situation, clambered up the bank +faster than any lamplighter, and immediately flew to Laura’s +assistance, who was now really hanging over the chasm, +quite unable to help herself. At last he reached the place +where poor Laura lay, and seized hold of her by the frock; +but for some time it seemed an equal chance whether she +dragged him into the hole, or he pulled her away from it. +Luckily, however, by a great effort, Harry succeeded in delivering +Laura, whom he placed upon a secure situation, and +then, having waited patiently till she recovered from the +fright, he led her carefully and kindly down to the bottom +of Arthur’s Seat.</p> + +<p><a name="p0064.png" id="p0064.png" href="#p0064.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">64</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>Now, all the boys had already got there, and a violent dispute +was going on about which of them first reached the +cake. Peter Grey had pushed down Edward Ashford, who +caught hold of Robert Fordyce, and they all three rolled to +the bottom together, so that nobody could tell which had won +the race; while Mr. Harwood laboured in vain to convince +them that the cake belonged neither to the one nor the other, +being his own property.</p> + +<p>They all laughed at Harry for being distanced, and arriving +last; while Mr. Harwood watched him coming down, and +was pleased to observe how carefully he attended to Laura, +though<!-- original reads "though" --> still, being annoyed at the riot and confusion which +Harry had occasioned, he determined to appear exceedingly +angry, and put on a very terrible voice, saying,</p> + +<p>“Hollo! young gentleman! what shall I do to you for +beginning this uproar? As the old proverb says, ‘one fool +makes many.’ How dare you roll my fine cake down the +hill in this way, and send everybody rolling after it? Look +me in the face, and say you are ashamed of yourself!”</p> + +<p>Harry looked at Mr. Harwood—and Mr. Harwood looked +at Harry. They both tried to seem very grave and serious, +but somehow Harry’s eyes glittered very brightly, and two +little dimples might be seen in his cheeks. Mr. Harwood +also had his eye-brows gathered into a terrible frown, but +still his eyes were likewise sparkling, and his mouth seemed +to be pursed up in a most comical manner. After staring +at each other for several minutes, both Mr. Harwood and +Harry burst into a prodigious fit of laughing, and nobody +could tell which began first or laughed longest.</p> + +<p class="nobot">“Master Graham! you must send a new frock to every +little girl of the party, and a suit of clothes to each of the +boys, for having caused theirs to be all destroyed. I really +meant to punish you severely for beginning such a riot, but +something has made me change my mind. In almost every +moment of our lives, we either act amiably of unamiably, +<a name="p0065.png" id="p0065.png" href="#p0065.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">65</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>and I observed you treat Miss Laura so kindly and properly +all this morning, that I shall say not another word about</p> + +<p class="ctr pgbrk">“<span class="allsc">THE PRODIGIOUS CAKE.</span>”</p> + + + + +<h2><a name="p0066.png" id="p0066.png" href="#p0066.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">66</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>CHAPTER V.<br + /><span class="fakehr"> </span><br + /> <br /><small>THE LAST CLEAN FROCK.</small></h2> + +<div class="poem w28 pl4"> +<div class="stanza"> +<div>“For,” said she, in spite of what grandmama taught her,</div> +<div>“I’m really remarkably fond of the water.”</div> +<div class="fivestar ctr">∗ ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗</div> +<div>She splashed, and she dashed, and she turned herself round,</div> +<div>And heartily wished herself safe on the ground.</div> +</div> +</div> + + +<p class="noindent top1"><span class="sc">Once</span> upon a time Harry and Laura had got into so many +scrapes, that there seemed really no end to their misconduct. +They generally forgot to learn any lessons—often tore their +books—drew pictures on their slates, instead of calculating +sums—and made the pages of their copy-books into boats; +besides which, Mrs. Crabtree caught them one day, when a +party of officers dined at Lady Harriet’s, with two of the +captain’s sword-belts buckled round their waists, and cocked +hats upon their heads, while they beat the crown of a gentleman’s +hat with a walking-stick, to sound like a drum.</p> + +<p>Still it seemed impossible to make uncle David feel sufficiently +angry at them, though Mrs. Crabtree did all she +could to put him in a passion, by telling the very worst; +but he made fifty excuses a-minute, as if he had been the +naughty person himself, instead of Harry or Laura, and +above all he said that they both seemed so exceedingly penitent +when he explained their delinquencies, and they were +both so ready to tell upon themselves, and to take all the +blame of whatever mischief might be done, that he was +<a name="p0067.png" id="p0067.png" href="#p0067.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">67</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>determined to shut his eyes and say nothing, unless they did +something purposely wrong.</p> + +<p>One night, when Mrs. Crabtree had gone out, Major +Graham felt quite surprised on his return home from a late +dinner party, to find Laura and Harry still out of bed. +They were sitting in his library when he entered, both looking +so tired and miserable that he could not imagine what +had happened; but Harry lost no time in confessing that +he and Laura feared they had done some dreadful mischief, +so they could not sleep without asking pardon, and mentioning +whose fault it was, that the maids might not be unjustly +blamed.</p> + +<p>“Well, you little imps of mischief! what have I to scold +you for now?” asked uncle David, not looking particularly +angry. “Is it something that I shall be obliged to take the +trouble of punishing you for? We ought to live in the Highlands, +where there are whole forests of birch ready for use? +Why are your ears like a bell-rope, Harry? because they +seem made to be pulled. Now, go on with your story. +What is the matter?”</p> + +<p>“We were playing about the room, uncle David, and +Laura lost her ball, so she crept under that big table which +has only one large leg. There is a brass button below, so +we were trying if it would come off, when all on a sudden, +the table fell quite to one side, as you see it now, tumbling +down those prodigious books and tin boxes on the floor! +I cannot think how this fine new table could be so easily +broken; but whenever we even look at anything, it seems +to break!”</p> + +<p>“Yes, Harry! You remind me of Meddlesome Matty in +the nursery rhymes,</p> + +<div class="poem w18 pl4"> +<div class="stanza notopspace"> +<div>“Sometimes she’d lift the teapot lid</div> +<div>To peep at what was in it,</div> +<div>Or tilt the kettle, if you did</div> +<div>But turn your back a minute.</div> +<div><a name="p0068.png" id="p0068.png" href="#p0068.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">68</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>In vain you told her not to touch,</div> +<div>Her trick of meddling grew so much.”</div> +</div> +</div> + +<p class="noindent top1">You have scarcely left my poor table a leg to stand upon! +How am I ever to get it mended?”</p> + +<p>“Perhaps the carpenter could do it to-morrow!”</p> + +<p>“Or, perhaps uncle David could do it this moment,” said +Major Graham, raising the fallen side with a sudden jerk, +when Harry and Laura heard a sound under the table like +the locking of a door, after which the whole affair was rectified.</p> + +<p>“Did I <span class="nw">ever—!”</span> exclaimed Harry, staring with astonishment, +“so we have suffered all our fright for nothing, and +the table was not really broken! I shall always run to you, +uncle David, when we are in a scrape, for you are sure to +get us off.”</p> + +<p>“Do not reckon too certainly on that, Master Harry; it +is easier to get into one than to get out of it, any day; but +I am not so seriously angry at the sort of scrapes Laura and +you get into, because you would not willingly and deliberately +do wrong. If any children commit a mean action, or +get into a passion, or quarrel with each other, or omit saying +their prayers and reading their Bibles, or tell a lie, or +take what does not belong to them, then it might be seen +how extremely angry I could be; but while you continue +merely thoughtless and forgetful, I mean to have patience a +little longer before turning into a cross old uncle with a pair +of tawse.”</p> + +<p>Harry sprung upon uncle David’s knee, quite delighted +to hear him speak so very kindly, and Laura was soon installed +in her usual place there also, listening to all that was +said, and laughing at his jokes.</p> + +<p>“As Mrs. Crabtree says,” continued Major Graham, +“‘we cannot put an old head on young shoulders;’ and it +would certainly look very odd if you could.”</p> + +<p><a name="p0069.png" id="p0069.png" href="#p0069.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">69</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>So uncle David took out his pencil, and drew a funny picture +of a cross old wrinkled face upon young shoulders, like +Laura’s, and after they had all laughed at it together for about +five minutes, he sent the children both to bed, quite merry +and cheerful.</p> + +<p>A long time elapsed afterwards without anything going +wrong; and it was quite pleasant to see such learning of +lessons, such attention to rules, and such obedience to Mrs. +Crabtree, as went on in the nursery during several weeks. +At last, one day, when Lady Harriet and Major Graham +were preparing to set off on a journey, and to pay a short +visit at Holiday House, Laura and Harry observed a great +deal of whispering and talking in a corner of the room, but +they could not exactly discover what it was all about, till +Major Graham said very earnestly, “I think we might surely +take Laura with us.”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” answered Lady Harriet, “both the children have +been invited, and are behaving wonderfully well of late, but +Lord Rockville has such a dislike to noise, that I dare not +venture to take more than one at a time. Poor Laura has +a very severe cough, so she may be recovered by change of +air. As for Harry, he is quite well, and therefore he can +stay at home.”</p> + +<p>Now, Harry thought it very hard that he was to be left at +home, merely because he felt quite well, so he immediately +wished to be very ill indeed, that he might have some chance +of going to Holiday House; but then he did not exactly +know how to set about it. At all events, Harry determined +to catch a cold like Laura’s, without delay. He would not, +for the whole world have pretended to suffer from a cough +if he really had none, because uncle David had often explained +that making any one believe an un-truth was the +same as telling a lie; but he thought there might be no +harm in really getting such a terrible cold, that nothing +could possibly cure it except change of air, and a trip to +<a name="p0070.png" id="p0070.png" href="#p0070.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">70</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>Holiday House with Laura. Accordingly Harry tried to +remember every thing that Mrs. Crabtree had forbid him to +do “for fear of catching cold.” He sprinkled water over +his shirt collar in the morning before dressing, that it might +be damp; he ran violently up and down stairs to put himself +in a heat, after which he sat between the open window +and door till he felt perfectly chilled; and when going to bed +at night, he washed his hair in cold water without drying it. +Still, all was in vain! Harry had formerly caught cold a +hundred times when he did not want one; but now, such a +thing was not to be had for love or money. Nothing seemed +to give him the very slightest attempt at a cough; and +when the day at last arrived for Lady Harriet to begin her +journey, Harry still felt himself most provokingly well. +Not so much as a finger ached, his cheeks were as blooming +as roses, his voice as clear as a bell, and when uncle David +accidentally said to him in the morning, “How do you +do?” Harry was obliged, very much against his will, to +answer, “Quite well, I thank you!”</p> + +<p>In the meantime, Laura would have felt too happy if +Harry could only have gone with her; and even as it was, +being impatient for the happy day to arrive, she hurried to +bed an hour earlier than usual the night before, to make the +time of setting out appear nearer; and she could scarcely +sleep or eat for thinking of Holiday House, and planning +all that was to be done there.</p> + +<p>“It is pleasant to see so joyous a face,” said Major +Graham. “I almost envy you, Laura, for being so happy.”</p> + +<p>“Oh! I quite envy myself! but I shall write a long letter +every day to poor Harry, telling him all the news, and +all my adventures.”</p> + +<p>“Nonsense! Miss Laura! wait till you come home,” +said Mrs. Crabtree. “Who do you think is going to pay +postage for so many foolish letters?”</p> + +<p><a name="p0071.png" id="p0071.png" href="#p0071.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">71</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>“I shall!” answered Harry. “I have got sixpence, +and two pence, and a half penny, so I shall buy every one +of Laura’s letters from the postman, and write her an answer +immediately afterwards. She will like to hear, Mrs. +Crabtree, how very kind you are going to be, when I am +left by myself here. Perhaps you will play at nine pins +with me, and Laura can lend you her skipping rope.”</p> + +<p>“You might as well offer uncle David a hobby-horse,” +said Frank, laughingly, throwing his satchel over his shoulders. +“No, Harry! you shall belong to me now. Grandmama +says you may go every day to my play-ground, +where all the school-boys assemble, and you can have +plenty of fun till Laura comes back. We shall jump over +the moon every morning, for joy.”</p> + +<p>Harry brightened up amazingly, thinking he had never +heard such good news before, as it was a grand piece of +promotion to play with real big school-boys; so he became +quite reconciled to Laura’s going away for a short time +without him; and when the hour came for taking leave, instead +of tears being shed on either side, it would have been +difficult to say, as they kissed each other and said a joyous +good-bye, which face looked the most delighted.</p> + +<p>All Laura’s clothes had been packed the night before, in +a large chaise seat, which was now put into the carriage +along with herself, and every thing seemed ready for departure, +when Lady Harriet’s maid was suddenly taken so +very ill, as to be quite unfit for travelling; therefore she +was left behind, and a doctor sent for to attend her; while +Lady Harriet said she would trust to the maids at Holiday +House, for waiting upon herself and Laura.</p> + +<p>It is seldom that so happy a face is seen in this world, +as Laura wore during the whole journey. It perfectly +sparkled and glittered with delight, while she was so constantly +on a broad grin laughing, that Major Graham said +<a name="p0072.png" id="p0072.png" href="#p0072.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">72</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>he feared her mouth would grow an inch wider on the occasion.</p> + +<p>“You will tire of sitting so long idle! It is a pity we did +not think of bringing a few lesson-books in the carriage to +amuse you, Laura,” said the Major, slyly. “A piece of +needle-work might have beguiled the way. I once knew +an industrious lady who made a ball dress for herself in the +carriage during a journey.”</p> + +<p>“How very stupid of her to miss seeing all the pretty +trees, and cottages, and farm-houses! I do like to watch +the little curly-headed, dirty children, playing on the road, +with brown faces, and hair bleached white in the sun; and +the women hanging out their clothes on the hedges to dry; +and the blacksmith shoeing horses, and the ducks swimming +in the gutters, and the pigs thrusting their noses out +of the sty, and the old women knitting stockings, and the +workmen sitting on a wall to eat their dinners! It looks +all so pretty, and so pleasant!”</p> + +<p>“What a picture of rural felicity! You ought to be a +poet or a painter, Laura!”</p> + +<p>“But I believe poets always call this a miserable world: +and I think it the happiest place I have ever been in, uncle +David! Such fun during the holidays! I should go wild +altogether, if Mrs. Crabtree were not rather cross sometimes.”</p> + +<p>“Or very cross always,” thought Major Graham. “But +here we are, Laura, near our journey’s end. Allow me to +introduce you to Holiday House! Why, you are staring at +it like a dog looking at a piece of cold beef! My dear +girl, if you open your eyes so wide, you will never be able +to shut them again!”</p> + +<p>Holiday House was not one of those prodigious places, +too grand to be pleasant, with the garden a mile off in one +direction, and the farm a mile off in another, and the drawing-room +a mile off from the dining-room; but it was a +<a name="p0073.png" id="p0073.png" href="#p0073.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">73</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>very cheerful modern mansion, with rooms enough to hold +as many people as any one could desire to see at once, all +very comfortably furnished. A lively, dashing river, +streamed past the windows; a small park, sprinkled with +sheep, and shaded by fine trees, surrounded the house; and +beyond were beautiful gardens filled with a superabundance +of the gayest and sweetest common flowers. Roses, +carnations, wall flowers, holly-hocks, dahlias, lilies, and +violets, were assembled there in such crowds, that Laura +might have plucked nosegays all day, without making any +visible difference; and she was also made free of the gooseberry +bushes and cherry-trees, with leave to gather, if she +pleased, more than she could eat.</p> + +<p>Every morning, Laura entered the breakfast-room with +cheeks like the roses she carried, bringing little bouquets for +all the ladies, which she had started out of bed early, in order +to gather; and her great delight was to see them worn and +admired all the forenoon, while she was complimented on +the taste with which they had been selected and arranged. +She filled every ornamental jar, basin, and tea-cup in the +drawing-room, with groups of roses, and would have been +the terror of any gardener but the one at Holiday House, +who liked to see his flowers so much admired, and was not +keeping up any for a horticultural show.</p> + +<p>Laura’s chief delight, however, was in the dairy, which +seemed the most beautiful thing she had ever beheld, being +built of rough transparent spar, which looked exactly like +crystal, and reminded her of the ice palace built by the Empress +of Russia. The windows were of painted glass; the +walls and shelves were<!-- original reads "where" --> of Dutch tiles, and in the centre +rose a beautiful jet d’eau of clear bright water.</p> + +<p>Laura thought it looked like something built for the fairies; +but within she<!-- original reads "see" --> saw a most substantial room, the floor +and tables in which were so completely covered with cheeses, +that they looked like some old Mosaic pavement. Here the +<a name="p0074.png" id="p0074.png" href="#p0074.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">74</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>good-natured dairy-maid showed Laura how to make cheese, +and afterwards manufactured a very small one about the +size of a soup plate, entirely for the young lady herself, +which she promised to take home after her visit was over; +and a little churn was also filled full of<!-- original reads "or" --> cream, which Laura +one morning churned into butter, and breakfasted upon, after +having first practised printing it into a variety of shapes. It +was altered about twenty times from a swan into a cow, +and from a cow into a rose, and from a rose back to a swan +again, before she could be persuaded to leave off her amusement.</p> + +<p>Laura continued to become more and more delighted +with Holiday House; and she one day skipped about Lady +Harriet’s room, saying, “Oh! I am too happy! I scarcely +know what to do with so much happiness. How delightful +it would be to stay here all my life, and never to go to +bed, nor say any more lessons as long as I live!”</p> + +<p>“What a useless, stupid girl you would soon become,” +observed Lady Harriet. “Do you think, Laura, that lessons +were invented for no other purpose but to torment little +children?”</p> + +<p>“No, grandmama; not exactly! They are of use also to +keep us quiet.”</p> + +<p>“Come here, little madam, and listen to me. I shall soon +be very old, Laura, and not able to read my Bible, even with +spectacles; for, as the Scriptures told us, in that affecting description +of old age, which I read to you yesterday, ‘the keepers +of the house shall tremble, and the grinders cease because +they are few, and those that look out of the windows be +darkened:’ what then do you think I can do, because the +Bible now is my best comfort, which I shall need more and +more every day, to tell me all about the eternal world where +I am going, and to shew me the way.”</p> + +<p>“Grandmama! you promised long ago to let me attend +on you when you grow old and blind! I shall be very careful, +<a name="p0075.png" id="p0075.png" href="#p0075.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">75</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>and very—very—very kind. I almost wish you were +old and blind now, to let you feel how much I love you, and +how anxious I am to be as good to you as you have always +been to me. We shall read the Bible together every morning, +and as often afterwards as you please.”</p> + +<p>“Thank you, my dear child! but you must take the trouble +of learning to read well, or we shall be sadly puzzled with +the difficult words. A friend of mine once had nobody +that could read to her when she was ill, but the maid, who +bargained that she might leave out every word above one +syllable long, because they were too hard for her; and you +could hardly help laughing at the nonsense it sometimes +made; but I hope you will manage better.”</p> + +<p>“O certainly, grandmama! I can spell chrononhotonthologos, +and all the other five-cornered words in my +‘Reading Made Easy,’ already.”</p> + +<p>“Besides that, my dear Laura! unless you learn to look +over my bills, I may be sadly cheated by servants and shop-keepers. +You must positively study to find out how many +cherries make five.”</p> + +<p>“Ah! grandmama! nobody knows better than I do, that +two and two make four. I shall soon be quite able to keep +your accounts.”</p> + +<p>“Very well! but you have not yet heard half the trouble +I mean to give you. I am remarkably fond of music, and +shall probably at last be obliged to hire every old fiddler as +he passes in the street, by giving him sixpence in order to +enjoy some of my favourite tunes.”</p> + +<p>“No, grandmama! you shall hear them all from me. I +can play Malbrook, and Auld Robin Grey, already; and +Frank says if I practise two hours every day for ten years, +I shall become a very tolerable player, fit for you and uncle +David to hear, without being disagreeable.”</p> + +<p>“Then that will be more than seven thousand hours of +musical lessons which you have yet to endure, Laura! There +<a name="p0076.png" id="p0076.png" href="#p0076.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">76</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>are many more things of still greater importance to learn +also, if you wish to be any better than a musical snuff-box. +For instance, when visitors come to see me, they are often +from France or Italy; but perhaps you will not mind sitting +in the room as if you were deaf and dumb, gazing at those +foreigners, while they gaze at you, without understanding a +syllable they say, and causing them to feel strange and uncomfortable +as long as they remain in the house.”</p> + +<p>“No! I would not for the world seem so unkind and +uncivil. Pray, let me learn plenty of languages.”</p> + +<p>“Very well! but if you study no geography, what ridiculous +blunders you will be falling into! asking the Italians +about their native town Madrid, and the Americans if they +were born at Petersburgh. You will be fancying that travellers +go by steam-boats to Moscow, and travel in a day +from Paris, through Stockholm to Naples. How ashamed +I should be of such mistakes!”</p> + +<p>“And so should I, grandmama, still more than you; for +it would be quite a disgrace.”</p> + +<p>“Do you remember, Laura, your uncle David laughing, +when he last went to live at Leamington<!-- original reads "Leamingtom" -->, about poor Mrs. +Marmalade coming up stairs to say, she did not wish to be +troublesome, but should feel greatly obliged if he would call +at Portsmouth occasionally to see her son Thomas. And +when Captain Armylist’s regiment was ordered last winter +to the village of Bathgate near this, he told me they were +to march in the course of that morning, all the way to Bagdad.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, grandmama! and Mrs. Crabtree said some weeks +ago, that if her brother went to Van Dieman’s Land, she +thought he would of course in passing, take a look at Jerusalem; +and Frank was amused lately to hear Peter Grey +maintain, that Gulliver was as great a man as Columbus, because +he discovered Liliput!”</p> + +<p>“Quite like him! for I heard Peter ask one day lately, +<a name="p0077.png" id="p0077.png" href="#p0077.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">77</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>what side Bonaparte was on at the battle of Leipsic? We +must include a little history I think, Laura, in our list of +studies, or you will fancy that Lord Nelson fought at the +battle of Blenheim, and that Henry VIII. cut off Queen +Mary’s head.”</p> + +<p>“Not quite so bad as that, grandmama! I seem to have +known all about Lord Nelson and Queen Mary, ever since +I was a baby in long frocks! You have shewn me, however, +that it would be very foolish not to feel anxious for lessons, +especially when they are to make me a fit companion for +you at last.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, Laura! and not only for me, but for many whose +conversation will entertain and improve you more than any +books. The most delightful accomplishment that a young +person can cultivate, is that of conversing agreeably; and +it is less attended to in education than any other. You cannot +take a harp or piano about with you, but our minds and +tongues are always portable, and accompany us wherever we +go. If you wish to be loved by others, and to do good to +your associates, as well as to entertain them, take every opportunity +of conversing with those who are either amiable or +agreeable; not only attending to their opinions, but also +endeavouring to gain the habit of expressing your own +thoughts with ease and fluency; and then rest assured, that +if the gift of conversation be rightly exercised, it is the +most desirable of all, as no teaching can have greater influence +in leading people to think and act aright, than the incidental +remarks of an enlightened Christian, freely and +unaffectedly talking to his intimate friends.”</p> + +<p>“Well, grandmama! the moral of all this is, that I shall +become busier than any body ever was before, when we get +home; but in the meantime, I may take a good dose of +idleness now at Holiday House, to prepare me for settling +to very hard labour afterwards,” said Laura, hastily tying +<a name="p0078.png" id="p0078.png" href="#p0078.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">78</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>on her bonnet. “I wonder if I shall ever be as merry and +happy again!”</p> + +<p>Most unfortunately, all the time of Laura’s visit at Holiday +House, she had been, as usual, extremely heedless, in taking +no care whatever of her clothes; consequently her blue +merino frock had been cruelly torn; her green silk dress +became frightfully soiled; four white frocks were utterly +ruined; her Swiss muslin seemed a perfect object, and her +pink gingham was both torn and discoloured. Regularly +every evening Lady Harriet told her to take better care, or +she would be a bankrupt in frocks altogether; but whatever +her grandmama said on that subject, the moment she was +out of sight, it went out of mind, till another dress had +shared the same deplorable fate.</p> + +<p>At last, one morning, as soon as Laura got up, Lady +Harriet gravely led her towards a large table on which all the +ill-used frocks had been laid out in a row; and a most dismal +sight they were! Such a collection of stains and fractures +was probably never seen before! A beggar would +scarcely have thanked her for her blue merino; and the +green silk frock looked like the tattered cover of a worn-out +umbrella.</p> + +<p>“Laura,” said Lady Harriet, “in Switzerland a lady’s +wardrobe descends to many generations; but nobody will +envy your successor! One might fancy that a wild beast +had torn you to pieces every day! I wonder what an old +clothesman would give for your whole baggage! It is only +fit for being used as rags in a paper manufactory!”</p> + +<p>Poor Laura’s face became perfectly pink when she saw +the destruction that a very short time had occasioned: and +she looked from one tattered garment to another, in melancholy +silence, thinking how lately they had all been fresh +and beautiful; but now not a vestige of their former splendour +remained. At last her grandmama broke the awful +silence, by saying,</p> + +<p><a name="p0079.png" id="p0079.png" href="#p0079.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">79</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>“My dear girl! I have warned you very often lately that +we are not at home, where your frocks could be washed and +mended as soon as they were spoiled; but without considering +this you have, every day, destroyed several, so now +the maid finds, on examining your drawers, that there is +only one clean frock remaining!”</p> + +<p>Laura looked gravely at the last clean frock, and wondered +much what her grandmama would say next.</p> + +<p>“I do not wish to make a prisoner of you at home during +this very fine weather, yet in five minutes after leaving the +house, you will, of course, become unfit to be seen, which +I should very much regret, as a number of fine people +are coming to dinner, whom you would like to see. +The great General Courteney, and all his Aide-de-Camps, +intend to be here on their way from a review, +besides many officers and ladies who know your papa very +well, and wish to see my little grand-daughter; but I would +not on any account allow you to appear before them, looking +like a perfect tatterdemalion, as you too often do. +They would suppose you had been drawn backwards through +a hedge! Now my plan is, that you shall wear this old +pink gingham for romping all morning in the garden, and +dress in your last clean frock for dinner; but remember to +keep out of sight till then. Remain within the garden +walls, as none of the company will be walking there, but be +sure to avoid the terrace and shrubberies till you are made +tidy, for I shall be both angry and mortified if your papa’s +friends see you for the first time looking like rag-fair.”</p> + +<p>Laura promised to remember her grandmama’s injunctions, +and to remain invisible all morning; so off she set +to the garden, singing and skipping with joy, as she ran +towards her pleasant hiding-place, planning twenty ways in +which the day might be delightfully spent alone. Before +long she had strung a long necklace of daisies—she had +put many bright leaves in a book to dry—she had made a +<a name="p0080.png" id="p0080.png" href="#p0080.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">80</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>large ball of cowslips to toss in the air—she had watered +the hyacinths, with a watering-pot, till they were nearly +washed away—she had plucked more roses than could possibly +be carried, and eat as many gooseberries and cherries +as it was convenient to swallow,—but still there were several +hours remaining to be enjoyed, and nothing very particular, +that Laura could think of, to do.</p> + +<p>Meantime, the miserable pink frock was torn worse than +ever, and seemed to be made of nothing but holes, for +every gooseberry-bush in the garden had got a share of it. +Laura wished pink gingham frocks had never been invented, +and wondered why nothing stronger could be made! +Having become perfectly tired of the garden, she now +wished herself anywhere else in the world, and thought she +was no better off, confined in this way within four walls, +than a canary bird in a cage.</p> + +<p>“I should like so much to go, if it were only for five +minutes, on the terrace!” said she to herself. “How much +pleasanter it is than this. Grandmama did not care where +I went, provided nobody saw me! I may at least take a +peep to see if any one is there!”</p> + +<p>Laura now cautiously opened the garden-door, and put her +head out, intending only to look for a moment, but the moment +grew longer and longer, till it stretched into ten minutes.</p> + +<p>“What crowds of fine people are walking about on the +terrace!” thought she. “It looks as gay as a fair! Who +can that officer be in a red coat, and cocked hat with white +feathers. Probably General Courteney paying attention to +Lady Rockville. There is a lady in a blue cloak and blue +flowers! how very pretty! Everybody is so exceedingly +smart! and I see some little boys too! Grandmama never +told me any children were coming! I wonder how old +they are, and if they will play with me in the evening! It +would be very amusing to venture a little nearer, and get a +better glimpse of them all!”</p> + +<p><a name="p0081.png" id="p0081.png" href="#p0081.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">81</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>If Laura’s wishes pointed one way and her duty pointed +the other, it was a very sad thing how often she forgot to +pause and consider which she ought to follow; and on this +occasion, as usual, she took the naughty side of the question, +and prepared to indulge her curiosity, though very +anxious that nothing might happen to displease her grandmama. +She observed at some distance on the terrace, a +remarkably large thick holly-bush, near which the great procession +of company would probably pass before long, +therefore, hoping nobody could possibly see her there, she +stole hastily out of the garden, and concealed herself behind +it; but when children do wrong, in hopes of not being +found out, they generally find themselves mistaken, as +Laura soon discovered to her cost. It is very lucky, however, +for the culprits, when they are detected, that they may learn +never to behave so foolishly again, because the greatest +misfortune that can happen to a child is, not to be found +out and punished when he does wrong.</p> + +<p>A few minutes after Laura had taken her station behind +the holly-bush, crowds of ladies and officers came strolling +along, so very near her hiding-place, that she saw them all +distinctly, and felt excessively amused and delighted at +first, to be perched like a bird in a tree watching this grand +party, while nobody saw her, nor guessed that she was +there. Presently, however, Laura became sadly frightened +when an officer in a scarlet coat happened to look towards +the holly-bush, and exclaimed, with some surprise,</p> + +<p>“There is surely something very odd about that plant! +I see large pink spots between the leaves!”</p> + +<p>“Oh no, Captain Digby, you are quite mistaken,” answered +one of the ladies, dressed in a bright yellow bonnet +and green pelisse. “I see nothing particular there! only +a common ugly bush of holly! I wonder you ever thought +of noticing it!”</p> + +<p>“But, Miss Perceval! there certainly is something very +<a name="p0082.png" id="p0082.png" href="#p0082.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">82</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>curious behind! I would bet five to one there is!” replied +Captain Digby, stepping up, close to the holly-bush, +and peeping over: “What have we here! a ragged little +girl, I do believe! in a pink frock!”</p> + +<p>Poor Laura was now in a terrible scrape; she started up +immediately to run away. Probably she never ran so fast +in her life before, but Captain Digby was a person who enjoyed +a joke, so he called out</p> + +<p class="ctr smaller">“Tally-ho! a race for a thousand pounds!”</p> + +<p>Off set the Captain, and away flew Laura. At any other +time she would have thought it capital fun, but now she +was frightened out of her wits, and tore away at the very +top of her speed. The whole party of ladies and gentlemen +stood laughing, and applauding, to see how fast they +both cleared the ground, while Laura, seeing the garden +gate still wide open, hoped she might be able to dart in, +and close it, but alas! when she arrived within four steps +of the threshold, feeling almost certain of escape, Captain +Digby seized hold of her pink frock behind. It instantly +began tearing, so she had great hopes of leaving the piece +in his hand and getting off; but he was too clever for that, +as he grasped hold of her long sash, which was floating far +out behind, and led Laura a prisoner before the whole company.</p> + +<p>When Lady Harriet discovered that this was really Laura +advancing, her head hanging down, her hair streaming +about her ears, and her face like a full moon, she could +scarcely credit her own eyes, and held her hands up with +astonishment, while uncle David shrugged his shoulders, +till they almost met over his head, but not a word was said +on either side until they got home, when Lady Harriet at +last broke the awful silence by saying,</p> + +<p>“My dear girl! you must, of course, be severely punished +for this act of disobedience, and it is not so much on +<a name="p0083.png" id="p0083.png" href="#p0083.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">83</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>account of feeling angry at your misconduct that I mean to +correct you, but because I love you, and wish to make you +behave better in future. Parents are appointed by God to +govern their children as he governs us, not carelessly indulging +their faults, but wisely correcting them, for we are told +that our Great Father in heaven chastens those whom he +loves, and only afflicts us for great and wise purposes. I +have suffered many sorrows in the world, but they always +made me better in the end, and whatever discipline you meet +with from me, or from that Great Being who loves you still +more than I do, let it teach you to consider your ways, to +repent of your wilfulness, and to pray that you may be enabled +to act more properly in future.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, grandmama,” replied Laura, with tears in her eyes, +“I am quite willing to be punished, for it was very wrong +indeed to make you so vexed and ashamed, by disobeying +your orders.”</p> + +<p>“Then here is a long task which you must study before +dinner, as a penalty for trespassing bounds. It is a beautiful +poem on the death of Sir John Moore, which every +school-girl can repeat, but being rather long, you will scarcely +have time to learn it perfectly, before coming down to +dessert, therefore, that you may be quite ready, I shall ring +now for Lady Rockville’s maid, and have you washed and +dressed immediately. Remember this is your last clean +frock, and be sure not to spoil it.”</p> + +<p>When Laura chose to pay attention, she could learn her +lessons wonderfully fast, and her eyes seemed nailed to the +book for some time after Lady Harriet went away, till at +last she could repeat the whole poem perfectly well. It was +neither “slowly nor sadly” that Laura “laid down” her book, +after practising it all, in a sort of jig time, till she could rattle +over the poem like a rail-road, and she walked to the +window, still murmuring the verses to herself with prodigious +<a name="p0084.png" id="p0084.png" href="#p0084.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">84</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>glee, and giving little thought to their melancholy +subject.</p> + +<p>A variety of plans suggested themselves to her mind for +amusing herself within doors, as she had been forbidden to +venture out, and she lost no time in executing them. First, +she tried on all her grandmama’s caps at a looking-glass, +none of which were improved by being crushed and tumbled +in such a way. Then she quarrelled with Lady Rockville’s +beautiful cockatoo, till it bit her finger violently, and +after that, she teazed the old cat till it scratched her; but all +these diversions were not sufficiently entertaining, so Laura +began to grow rather tired, till at last she went to gaze out +at the portico of Holiday House, being perfectly determined, +on no account whatever, to go one single step farther.</p> + +<p>Here Laura saw many things which entertained her extremely, +for she had scarcely ever seen more of the country +than was to be enjoyed with Mrs. Crabtree in Charlotte +Square. The punctual crows were all returning home at +their usual hour for the evening, and looked like a black +shower over her head, while hundreds of them seemed trying +to make a concert at once; the robins hopped close to +her feet, evidently accustomed to be fed; a tame pheasant, +as fat as a London alderman, came up the steps to keep her +company; and the peacock, spreading his tail, and strutting +about, looked the very picture of silly pride and vanity.</p> + +<p>Laura admired and enjoyed all this extremely, and crumbled +down nearly a loaf of bread, which she scattered on the +ground, in order to be popular among her visitors, who took +all they could get from her, and quarrelled among themselves +about it, very much as boys and girls would perhaps have +done in the same circumstances.</p> + +<p>It happened at this moment, that a large flock of geese +crossed the park, on their way towards the river, stalking +along in a slow majestic manner, with their heads high in +the air. Laura observed them at a distance, and thought +<a name="p0085.png" id="p0085.png" href="#p0085.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">85</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>they were the prettiest creatures in the world, with their pure +white feathers and yellow stockings, so she wondered what +kind of birds these were, having never seen a goose before, +except when roasted for dinner, though, indeed, she was a +sad goose herself, as will very soon be told.</p> + +<p>“How I should like to examine those large, white, beautiful +birds, a little nearer,” thought Laura to herself. “I +wonder if they could swim or fly!—oh! how perfect they +would look, floating like water-lilies on the river, and then +I might take a bit of bread to throw in, and they would all +rush after it!”</p> + +<p>Laura, as usual, did not wait to reflect what her grandmama +might be likely to think; indeed it is to be feared +Laura forgot at the moment that she had a grandmama at +all, for her mind was never large enough to hold more than +one thing at a time, and now it was entirely filled with the +flock of geese. She instantly set off in pursuit of them, +and began chasing the whole party across the park, making +all sorts of dreadful noises, in hopes they might fly; but, on +the contrary, they held up their heads, as if she had been a +dancing-master, and marched slowly on, cackling loudly to +each other, and evidently getting extremely angry.</p> + +<p>Laura was now quite close to her new acquaintances, and +even threw a pebble to hurry them forward, when suddenly +an old gander stopped, and turned round in a terrible rage. +The whole flock of geese then did the same, after which +they flew towards Laura, with their bills wide open, hissing +furiously, and stretching out their long necks in an angry +menacing way, as if they wished to tear her in pieces.</p> + +<p>Poor Laura became frightened out of any wits she ever +had, and ran off, with all the geese after her! Anybody +must have laughed into fits, could they have heard what a +triumphant cackle the geese set up, and had they seen how +fast she flew away. If Laura had borrowed a pair of wings +<a name="p0086.png" id="p0086.png" href="#p0086.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">86</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>from her pursuers, she could scarcely have got more quickly +on.</p> + +<p>In the hurry of escaping, she always looked back to see +if the enemy followed, and scarcely observed which way she +ran herself, till suddenly her foot stumbled over a large stone, +and she fell headlong into the river!—oh, what a scream +Laura gave! it terrified even the old gander himself, and +sent the whole flock of geese marching off, nearly as fast +as they had come; but Laura’s cries also reached, at a great +distance, the ears of somebody, who she would have been +very sorry to think had heard them.</p> + +<p>Lady Harriet, and all her friends at Holiday House, were +taking a delightful walk under some fine old fir trees, on the +banks of the river, admiring the beautiful scenery, while +Miss Perceval was admiring nothing but her own fine pocket +handkerchief, which had cost ten guineas, being worked +with her name, trimmed with lace, and perfumed with eau +de Cologne; and Captain Digby was admiring his own +scarlet uniform, reflected in the bright clear water, and varying +his employment occasionally by throwing pebbles into +the stream, to see how far they would go. Suddenly, however, +he stopped, with a look of surprise and alarm, saying, +“What noise can that be!—a loud scream in the water!”</p> + +<p>“Oh dear, no! it was only one of those horrid peacocks,” +answered Miss Perceval, waving her fine pocket handkerchief. +“They are the most disagreeable, noisy creatures +in the world! If mama ever keeps one, I shall get him a +singing-master, or put a muzzle on his mouth!”</p> + +<p>“But surely there is something splashing in the river at +a great distance. Do you not see that!—what can it be?”</p> + +<p>“Nothing at all, depend upon it! I could bet the value +of my pocket handkerchief, ten guineas, that it is nothing. +Officers who live constantly in barracks are so unaccustomed +to the country, that they seem to expect something +<a name="p0087.png" id="p0087.png" href="#p0087.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">87</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>wonderful shall happen every minute! That is probably a salmon +or a minnow.”</p> + +<p>“I am determined, however, to see. If you are quite +sure this is a salmon, will you promise to eat for your dinner +whatever we find, provided I can catch it?”</p> + +<p>“Certainly! unless you catch a whale! Oh! I have +dropped my pocket handkerchief,—pray pick it up!”</p> + +<p>Captain Digby did so; but without waiting to examine +the pattern, he instantly ran forward, and to his own very +great astonishment, saw Laura up to her knees in the river, +trying to scramble out, while her face was white with terror, +and her limbs trembled with cold, like a poodle dog newly +washed.</p> + +<p>“Why, here you are again!—the very same little girl that +I caught in the morning,” cried he, laughing heartily, while +he carefully pulled Laura towards the bank, though, by doing +so, he splashed his beautiful uniform most distressingly. +“We have had a complete game at bo-peep to-day, my friend! +but here comes a lady who has promised to eat you up, +therefore I shall have no more trouble.”</p> + +<p>Laura would have consented to be eaten up with pleasure, +rather than encounter Lady Harriet’s eye, who really did +not recognize her for the first minute, as no one can suppose +what a figure she appeared. The last clean frock had +been covered entirely over with mud—her hair was dripping +with water—and her new yellow sash might be any colour +in the world. Laura felt so completely ashamed she could +not look up from the ground, and so sorry she could not +speak, while hot tears mingled themselves with the cold water +which trickled down her face.</p> + +<p>“What is the matter! Who is this?” cried Lady Harriet, +hurrying up to the place where they stood. “Laura!! Impossible!!!”</p> + +<p>“Let me put on a pair of spectacles, for I cannot believe +my eyes without them!” said Major Graham. “Ah! sure +<a name="p0088.png" id="p0088.png" href="#p0088.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">88</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>enough it is Laura, and such a looking Laura as I never +saw before. You must have had a nice cold bath!”</p> + +<p>“I have heard,” continued Lady Harriet, “that naughty +people are often ducked in the water as a punishment, and +in that respect I am sure Laura deserves what she has got, +and a great deal more.”</p> + +<p>“She reminds me,” observed Captain Digby, “of the +Chinese bird which has no legs, so it constantly flies about +from place to place, never a moment at rest.”</p> + +<p>“Follow me, Laura,” said Lady Harriet, “that I may +hear whether you have anything to say for yourself on this +occasion. It is scarcely possible that there can be any excuse, +but nobody should be condemned unheard.”</p> + +<p>When Laura had been put into dry clothes, she told her +whole history, and entreated Lady Harriet to hear how very +perfectly she had first learned her task, before venturing to +stir out of the room; upon which her grandmama consented, +and amidst tears and sobs, the monody on Sir John Moore +was repeated without a single mistake. Lady Rockville +then came in, to entreat that, as this was the last day of the +visit to Holiday House, Laura might be forgiven and permitted +to appear at dessert, as all the company were anxious +to see her, and particularly Captain Digby, who regretted +that he had been the means at first of getting her into a +scrape.</p> + +<p>“Indeed, my dear Lady Rockville! I might perhaps +have agreed to your wishes,” answered Lady Harriet, +“particularly as Laura seems sincerely sorry, and did not +premeditate her disobedience; but she actually has not a +tolerable frock to appear in now!”</p> + +<p>“I must lend her one of my velvet dresses to destroy +next,” said Lady Rockville, smiling.</p> + +<p>“Uncle David’s Mackintosh cloak would be the fittest +thing for her to wear,” replied Lady Harriet, rising to leave +the room. “Laura, you must learn a double task now! +<a name="p0089.png" id="p0089.png" href="#p0089.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">89</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>Here it is! and at Lady Rockville’s request I excuse you +this once; though I am sorry that, for very sufficient reasons, +we cannot see you at dessert, which otherwise I should +have been most happy to do.”</p> + +<p>Laura sat down and cried during a quarter of an hour after +Lady Harriet had gone to dinner. She felt sorry for having +behaved ill, and sorry to have vexed her good grandmama; +and sorry not to see all the fine party at dessert; and sorry +to think that next day she must leave Holiday House; and +sorry, last of all, to consider what Mrs. Crabtree would say +when all her ruined frocks were brought home. In short, +poor Laura felt perfectly overwhelmed with the greatness +and variety of her griefs, and scarcely believed that any one +in the world was ever more miserable than herself.</p> + +<p>Her eyes were fixed on her task, while her thoughts were +wandering fifty miles away from it, when a housemaid, who +had frequently attended upon Laura during her visit, accidentally +entered the room, and seemed much surprised, as +well as concerned, to find the young lady in such a way, +for her sobbing could be heard in the next room. It was +quite a relief to see any one; so Laura told over again all +the sad adventures of the day, without attempting to conceal +how naughty she had been; and most attentively was her +narrative listened to, till the very end.</p> + +<p>“You see, Miss!” observed Nelly, “when people +doesn’t behave well, they must expect to be punished.”</p> + +<p>“So they should!” sobbed Laura; “and I dare say it +will make me better! I would not pass such a miserable +day as this again, for the world; but I deserve to be more +punished than I am.”</p> + +<p>“That’s right, Miss!” replied Nelly, pleased to see the +good effect of her admonitions. “Punishment is as sure +to do us good when we are naughty, as physic when we +are ill. But now you’ll go down to dessert, and forget it +all.”</p> + +<p><a name="p0090.png" id="p0090.png" href="#p0090.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">90</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>“No! grandmama would have allowed me, and Lady +Rockville and every body was so very kind about inviting +me down; but my last clean frock is quite unfit to be seen, +so I have none to put on. Oh, dear! what a thousand +million of pities!”</p> + +<p>“Is that all, Miss! Then dry your eyes, and I can wash +the frock in ten minutes. Give it to me, and learn your +lesson, so as to be ready when I come back.”</p> + +<p>Laura sprung off her seat with joy at this proposal, and +ran—or rather flew—to fetch her miserable object of a frock, +which Nelly crumpled under her arm, and walked away +with, in such haste that she was evidently determined to return +very soon; while Laura took her good advice, and sat +down to learn her task, though she could hardly look at +the book during two minutes at a time—she watched so +impatiently for her benefactress from the laundry.</p> + +<p>At length the door flew open, and in walked Nelly, whose +face looked as red and hot as a beefsteak; but in her hand +she carried a basket, on which was laid out, in great state, +the very cleanest frock that ever was seen! It perfectly +smelled of soap and water, starch and hot irons, and seemed +still almost smoking from the laundry; while Laura +looked at it with such delight and admiration, it might have +been supposed she never saw a clean frock before.</p> + +<p>When Lady Harriet was sitting after dinner that day, +sipping her wine, and thinking about no thing very particular, +she became surprised to feel somebody gently twitching +her sleeve to attract notice. Turning instantly round to +ascertain what was the matter, and who it could be, what +was her astonishment to see Laura at her elbow, looking +rather shy and frightened.</p> + +<p>“How did you get here, child!” exclaimed Lady Harriet, +in accents of amazement, though almost laughing. +“Am I never to see the last of you to-day! Where did you +<a name="p0091.png" id="p0091.png" href="#p0091.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">91</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>get that frock! It must have dropped from the clouds! +Or did some good fairy give you a new one?”</p> + +<p>“That good fairy was Nelly the housemaid,” whispered +Laura. “She first tossed my frock into a washing-tub; +and then at the great kitchen fire she toasted it, <span class="nw">and——”</span></p> + +<p>“——And buttered it, I hope,” added Major Graham. +“Come here, Laura! I can read what is written +in your grandmama’s face at this moment; and it says, ‘you +are a tiresome little puss, that nobody can keep in any order +except uncle David;’ therefore sit down beside him, and +eat as many almonds and raisins as he bids you.”</p> + +<p>“You are a nice, funny uncle David!” whispered Laura, +crushing her way in between his chair and Miss Perceval’s, +“nobody will need a tongue now, if you can read so +exactly what we are all thinking.”</p> + +<p>“But here is Miss Perceval, still more wonderful; for +she knows by the bumps on your head, all that is contained +inside. Let me see if I could do so! There is a large +bump of reading, and a small one of writing and arithmetic. +Here is a terrible organ of breaking dolls and destroying +frocks. There is a very small bump of liking uncle +David, and a prodigious one of liking almonds and raisins!”</p> + +<p>“No! you are quite mistaken! It is the largest bump +for loving uncle David, and the small one for every thing +else,” interrupted Laura, eagerly. “I shall draw a map of +my head some day, to show you how it is all divided.”</p> + +<p class="nobot">“And leave no room for any thing naughty or foolish! +Your head should be swept out, and put in order every +morning, that not a single cobweb may remain in your +brains. What busy brains they must be for the next ten +years! But in the meantime let us hope that you will never +again be reduced to your</p> +<p class="ctr pgbrk">“<span class="allsc">LAST CLEAN FROCK.</span>”</p> + + + + +<h2><a name="p0092.png" id="p0092.png" href="#p0092.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">92</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>CHAPTER VI.<br + /><span class="fakehr"> </span><br + /> <br /><small>THE LONG LADDER.</small></h2> + +<div class="poem w24 pl4"> +<div class="stanza"> +<div>There was a young pickle, and what do you think?</div> +<div>He liv’d upon nothing but victuals and drink;</div> +<div>Victuals and drink were the chief of his diet,</div> +<div>And yet this young pickle could never be quiet.</div> +</div> +</div> + + +<p class="noindent top1"><span class="sc">One</span> fine sultry day in the month of August, Harry and +Laura stood at the breakfast-room window, wondering to +see the large broken white clouds, looking like curds and +whey, while the sun was in such a blaze of heat, that every +thing seemed almost red hot. The street door had become +blistered by the sun-beams. Jowler the dog lay basking on +the pavement; the green blinds were closed at every opposite +house; the few gentlemen who ventured out, were fanning +themselves with their pocket handkerchiefs; the ladies +were strolling lazily along, under the umbrageous shade of +their green parasols; and the poor people who were accustomed +in winter to sell matches for lighting a fire, now +carried about gaudy paper hangings for the empty grates. +Lady Harriet found the butter so melted at breakfast, that +she could scarcely lift it on her knife; and uncle David +complained that the sight of hot smoking tea put him in a +fever, and said he wished it could be iced.</p> + +<p>“I wonder how iced porridge would taste!” said Harry. +“I put mine at the open window to cool, but that only +made it seem hotter. We were talking of the gentleman +<a name="p0093.png" id="p0093.png" href="#p0093.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">93</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>you mentioned yesterday, who toasted his muffins at a volcano; +and certainly yours might almost be done at the +drawing-room window this morning.”</p> + +<p>“Wait till you arrive at the countries I have visited, +where, as somebody remarked, the very salamanders die of +heat. At Agra, which is the hottest part of India, we could +scarcely write a letter, because the ink dries in the pen before +you can get it to the paper. I was obliged, when our regiment +was there, to lie down in the middle of the day, during +several hours, actually gasping for breath; and to make up +for that, we all rose at midnight. An officer of ours, who +lived long in India, got up always at three in the morning, +after we returned home, and walked about the streets of +Portsmouth, wondering what had become of everybody.”</p> + +<p>“I shall try not to grumble about weather any more,” +said Laura. “We seem no worse off than other people.”</p> + +<p>“Or rather we are a great deal better off! At Bermuda, +where my regiment stopped on the way to America, the +inhabitants are so tormented with high winds, that they +build ‘hurricane houses’—low, flat rooms, where the families +must retire when a storm comes on, as trees, houses, +people, and cattle, are all whirled about with such violence, +that not a life is safe on the island while it lasts.”</p> + +<p>“That reminds me,” said Lady Harriet, “of a droll +mistake made yesterday by the African camel, when he +landed at Leith. His keepers were leading him along the +high road to be made a show of in Edinburgh, at a time +when the wind was particularly high; and the poor animal +encountering such clouds of dust, thought this must be a +simoon of the desert, and threw himself flat down, burying +his nose in the ground, according to custom on those occasions. +It was with great difficulty that he could at last be +induced to face the danger, and proceed.”</p> + +<p>“Quite a compliment to our dust,” observed Laura. +“But really in such a hot day, the kangaroos and tigers +<a name="p0094.png" id="p0094.png" href="#p0094.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">94</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>might feel perfectly at home here. Oh! how I should like +to visit the <em>Geo</em>logical Gardens in London!”</p> + +<p>“Then suppose we set off immediately!” said Major +Graham, pretending to rise from his chair. “Your grandmama’s +donkey-carriage holds two.”</p> + +<p>“Ah! but you could carry the donkey-carriage more +easily than it could carry you!”</p> + +<p>“Shall I try? Well, if we go, who is to pay the turnpikes, +for I remember the time, not a hundred years ago, +when Harry and you both thought that paying the gates was +the only expense of travelling. You asked me then how +poor grandmama could afford so many shillings and sixpences.”</p> + +<p>“We know all about every thing now though!” said +Harry, nodding in a very sagacious manner. “I can tell +exactly how much time it takes going by the public coach +to London, and it sleeps only one night on the road.”</p> + +<p>“Sleeps!” cried uncle David. “What! it puts on a +night-cap, and goes to bed?”</p> + +<p>“Yes! and it dines and breakfasts too, Mr. uncle David, +for I heard Mrs. Crabtree say so.”</p> + +<p>“Never name anybody, unless you wish to see her immediately,” +said Major Graham, hearing a well-known tap +at the door. “As sure as you mention an absent person, if +he is supposed to be fifty miles off at the time, it is rather +odd, but he instantly appears!”</p> + +<p>“Then there is somebody that I shall speak about very +often.”</p> + +<p>“Who can this Mr. Somebody be?” asked uncle David, +smiling. “A foolish person that spoils you both I dare say, +and gives you large slices of bread and jelly like this. +Hold them carefully! Now, good bye, and joy be with +you.”</p> + +<p>But it was with rather rueful faces that Harry and Laura +left the room, wishing they might have remained another +<a name="p0095.png" id="p0095.png" href="#p0095.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">95</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>hour to talk nonsense with uncle David, and dreading to +think what new scrapes and difficulties they would get into +in the nursery, which always seemed to them a place of torture +and imprisonment.</p> + +<p>Major Graham used to say that Mrs. Crabtree should always +have a thermometer in her own room when she +dressed, to tell her whether the weather was hot or cold, for +she seemed to feel no difference, and scarcely ever made +any change in her own attire, wearing always the same +pink gown and scarlet shawl, which made her look like a +large red flower-pot, while she was no more annoyed with +the heat than a flower-pot would have been. On this very oppressive +morning she took as much pains in suffocating +Harry with a silk handkerchief round his neck, as if it had +been Christmas, and though Laura begged hard for leave to +go without one of her half-a-dozen wrappings, she might as +well have asked permission to go without her head, as Mrs. +Crabtree seemed perfectly deaf upon the subject.</p> + +<p>“This day is so very cold and so very shivering,” said +Harry, slyly, “that I suppose you will make Laura wear at +least fifty shawls.”</p> + +<p>“Not above twenty,” answered Mrs. Crabtree, dryly. +“Give me no more of your nonsense, Master Harry! +This is no business of yours! I was in the world long before +you were born, and must know best; so hold your +tongue. None but fools and beggars need ever be cold.”</p> + +<p>At last Mrs. Crabtree had heaped as many clothes upon +her two little victims, as she was pleased to think necessary; +so she sallied forth with them, followed by Betty, and +proceeded towards the country, taking the sunny side of the +road, and raising clouds of dust at every step, till Harry and +Laura felt as if they had been made of wax, and were melting +away.</p> + +<p>“Mrs. Crabtree!” said Harry, “did you hear uncle +David’s funny story yesterday? One hot morning a +<a name="p0096.png" id="p0096.png" href="#p0096.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">96</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>gentleman was watching an ant’s nest, when he observed, that +every little insect, as it came out, plucked a small leaf, to +hold over its head, as a parasol! I wish we could find +leaves large enough for us.”</p> + +<p>“You must go to the Botanical Gardens, where one leaf +of a palm-tree was shown to grandmama, which measured +fourteen feet long,” observed Laura. “How horrid these +very warm countries must be, where the heat is all the year +round like this!”</p> + +<p>“You may well say that,” answered Mrs. Crabtree. “I +would not go to them East Indies—no! not if I were Governess-General,—to +be running away with a tiger at your +back, and sleeping with real live serpents twisted round the +bed-post, and scorpions under your pillow! Catch me +there! I’m often quite sorry for Master Frank, to think +that his ship is maybe going that way! I’m told the very rats +have such a smell in that outlandish place, that if they +touch the outside of a bottle with their tails, it tastes of musk +ever after; and when people are sitting comfortably down, +expecting to enjoy their dinner, a swarm of great ants will +come, and fall, an inch thick, on all the side-dishes. I’ve +no desire whatever to see foreign parts!”</p> + +<p>“But I wish to see every country in the universe,” said +Harry; “and I hope there will be a rail-road all round the +world before I am grown up. Only think, Mrs. Crabtree, +what fun lion-hunting must be, and catching dolphins, and +riding on elephants.”</p> + +<p>The pedestrians had now arrived at the pretty village of Corstorphine, +when they were unexpectedly met by Peter Grey, +who joined them without waiting to ask leave. Here the hills +are so beautifully wooded, and the villas so charming, that +Harry, Peter, and Laura stopped a moment, to consider +what house they would like best to live in. Near one side +of the road stood a large cart of hay, on the top of which +were several men, forking it in at the window of a high loft, +<a name="p0097.png" id="p0097.png" href="#p0097.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">97</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>which could only be entered by a long ladder that leaned +against the wall. It was a busy joyous scene, and soon attracted +the children’s whole attention, who were transfixed +with delight, seeing how rapidly the people ran up and down, +with their pitchforks in their hands, and tilted the hay from +the cart into the loft, while they had many jokes and much +laughter among themselves. At last their whole business +was finished, and the workmen drove away for another supply, +to the neighbouring fields, where they had been raking +and tossing it all morning, as merry as crickets.</p> + +<p>“What happy people!” exclaimed Harry, looking wistfully +after the party, and wishing he might have scrambled +into the cart beside them. “I would be a haymaker for +nothing, if anybody would employ me; would not you, +Peter?”</p> + +<p>“It is very strange,” said Master Grey, “why little ladies +and gentlemen seem always obliged to endure a perfectly +useless walk every day, as you and Laura are doing now. +You never saw animals set out to take a stroll for the good +of their healths! How odd it would be to see a couple of +dogs set off for a country walk!”</p> + +<p>“Miss Laura!” said Mrs. Crabtree, “Master Harry may +rest here for a minute or two with Master Peter, and let +them count their fingers, while you come with Betty and +me to visit a sick old aunt of mine who lives round the corner; +but be sure, boys, you do not presume to wander about, +or I shall punish you most severely. We are coming back +in two minutes.”</p> + +<p>Mrs. Crabtree had scarcely disappeared into a small shabby-looking +cottage, before Peter turned eagerly to Harry, +with a face of great joy and importance, exclaiming, “Only +see how very lucky this is! The haymakers have left their +long ladder, standing on purpose for us! The window of +that loft is wide open, and I must climb up immediately to +<a name="p0098.png" id="p0098.png" href="#p0098.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">98</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>peep in, because never, in all my life, did I see the inside +of a hay-loft before!”</p> + +<p>“Nor I!” added Harry. “Uncle David says, that all +round the floor there are deep holes, called mangers, down +which food is thrown for the horses, so that they can thrust +their heads in, to take a bite, whenever they choose.”</p> + +<p>“How I should hate to have my dinner hung up always +before my nose in that way! Suppose the kitchen were placed +above your nursery, and that Mrs. Marmalade showered +down tarts and puddings, which were to remain there till +you ate them, you would hate the sight of such things at last. +But now, Harry, for the hay-loft.”</p> + +<p>Peter scrambled so rapidly up the ladder, that he soon +reached the top, and instantly vanished in at the window, +calling eagerly for Harry to follow. “You never saw such +a nice, clean, funny place as this, in all your life!—make +haste!—come faster!—never mind crushing your hat or +tearing your jacket,—I’ll put it all to rights. Ah! there!—that’s +the thing!—walk up, gentlemen! walk up!—the grand +show!—sixpence each, and children half-price!”</p> + +<p>All this time, Harry was slowly, and with great difficulty, +picking his steps up the ladder, but a most troublesome business +it was! First, his foot became entangled in a rope,—then +his hat got squeezed so out of shape, it looked perfectly +tipsy,—next, one of his shoes nearly came off,—and +afterwards he dropped his gloves; but at last he stumbled up +in safety, and stood beside Peter in the loft, both laughing +with delight at their own enterprize.</p> + +<p>The quantity of hay piled up on all sides, astonished them +greatly, while the nice, wide floor between, seemed larger +than any drawing-room, and was certainly made on purpose +for a romp. Harry rolled up a large ball of hay to throw at +Peter, while he, in return, aimed at him, so they ran after +each other, round and round the loft, raising such a riot, +that the very “rafters dirled.”</p> + +<p><a name="p0099.png" id="p0099.png" href="#p0099.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">99</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>The hay now flew about in clouds, while they jumped +over it, or crept under it, throwing handfuls about in every +direction, and observing that this was the best play-room +they had ever been in.</p> + +<p>“How lucky that we came here!” cried Peter. “I +should like to stay an hour at least!”</p> + +<p>“Oh! two hours,—or three,—or all day,” added Harry. +“But what shall we do about Mrs. Crabtree? She has not +gone to settle for life with that old sick aunt, so I am afraid +we must really be hurrying back, in case she may find out +our expedition, and that, you know, Peter, would be dreadful!”</p> + +<p>“Only fancy, Harry, if she sees you and me clinging to +the ladder, about half way down! what a way she would be +in!”</p> + +<p>“We had better make haste,” said Harry, looking around. +“What would grandmama say!—I wish we had never come +up!”</p> + +<p>At this moment, Harry was still more brought to his +senses, by hearing Mrs. Crabtree’s voice, exclaiming, in +loud angry accents, “Where in all the world can those +troublesome boys be gone! I must tether them to a tree +the next time they are left together! Why! sure! they +would not venture up that long ladder in the hay-loft! If +they have, they had better never come down again, for I +shall shew who is master here.”</p> + +<p>“Peter Grey would run up a ladder to the stars, if he +could find one,” replied Betty. “Here are Master Harry’s +gloves lying at the bottom of it. They can be gone nowhere +else, for I have searched every other place. We +must send the town-crier with his bell after them, if they +are not found up there!”</p> + +<p>Mrs. Crabtree now seemed fearfully angry, while Laura +began to tremble with fright for Harry, who was listening +overhead, and did not know very well what to do, but +<a name="p0100.png" id="p0100.png" href="#p0100.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">100</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>foolishly thought it best to put off the evil hour of being punished +as long as possible; so he and Peter silently crept in +below a great quantity of hay, and hid themselves so cunningly, +that even a thief-catcher could scarcely have discovered +their den. In this dark corner, Harry had time to +reflect and to feel more and more alarmed and sorry for his +misconduct, so he said, in a very distressed voice, “Oh, +Peter! what a pity it is ever to be naughty, for we are always +found out, and always so much happier when we are +good!”</p> + +<p>“I wonder how Mrs. Crabtree will get up the long ladder?” +whispered Peter, laughing. “I would give my little +finger, and one of my ears, to see her and Betty scrambling +along!”</p> + +<p>Harry had to pinch Peter’s arm almost black and blue +before he would be quiet; and by the time he stopped talking, +Mrs. Crabtree and Betty were both standing in the +hay-loft, exceedingly out of breath with climbing so unusually +high, while Mrs. Crabtree very nearly fell, having +stumbled over a step at the entrance.</p> + +<p>“Why, sure! there’s nobody here!” exclaimed she, in a +disappointed tone. “And what a disorderly place this is! +I thought a hay-loft was always kept in such nice order, with +the floor all swept! but here is a fine mess! Those two great +lumps of hay in the corner look as if they were meant for +people to sleep upon!”</p> + +<p>Harry gave himself up for lost when Mrs. Crabtree noticed +the place where he and Peter had buried themselves +alive; but to his great relief, no suspicion seemed to have +been excited, and neither of the two searchers were anxious +to venture beyond the door, after having so nearly tripped +upon the threshold.</p> + +<p>“They must have been stolen by a gipsey, or perhaps +fallen into a well,” said Betty, who rather liked the bustle of +an accident. “I always thought Master Peter would break +<a name="p0101.png" id="p0101.png" href="#p0101.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">101</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>his neck, or something of that kind. Poor thing! how distressed +his papa will be!”</p> + +<p>“Hold your tongue,” interrupted Mrs. Crabtree, angrily. +“I wish people would either speak sense, or not speak at +all! Did you hear a noise among the hay?”</p> + +<p>“Rats, I dare say! or perhaps a dog!” answered Betty, +turning hastily round, and hurrying down the ladder faster +than she had come up. “I certainly thought something +moved in yon far corner.”</p> + +<p>“Where can that little shrimp of a boy be hid?” added +Mrs. Crabtree, following. “He must have obedience +knocked like a nail into his head, with a few good severe +blows. I shall beat him to powder when once we catch +him.”</p> + +<p>“You may depend upon it,” persisted Betty, “that some +gipsey has got the boys for the sake of their clothes. It +will be a great pity, because Master Harry had on his best +blue jacket and trowsers.”</p> + +<p>No sooner was the loft cleared of these unwelcome visitors, +than Harry and Peter began to recover from their +panic, and jumped out of the hay, shaking themselves free +from it, and skipping about in greater glee than ever.</p> + +<p>While they played about, as they had done before, and +tumbled as if they had been tumblers at Ducrow’s, poor +Harry got into such spirits, that he completely forgot about +the deep holes called mangers, for containing the horse’s +food, till all at once, when Peter was running after him, he +fell, with a loud crash, headlong into one of them! Oh! +what a scream he gave!—it echoed through the stable, terrifying +a whole team of horses that were feeding there, more +particularly the one into whose manger he had fallen. The +horse gave a tremendous start when Harry plunged down +close to his nose, and not being able to run away, he put +back his ears, opened his mouth, and kicked and struggled +in the most frightful manner, while Harry, who could not +<a name="p0102.png" id="p0102.png" href="#p0102.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">102</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>make his escape any more than the horse, shouted louder +and louder for help.</p> + +<p>Peter did all he could to assist Harry in this extraordinary +predicament, but finding it impossible to be of any use, he +forgot their terror of Mrs. Crabtree in his fears about Harry, +and rushed to the window, calling back their two pursuers, +who were walking away at a great distance. He screamed +and hollooed, and waved his handkerchief, without ceasing, +till at last Mrs. Crabtree heard him, and turned round, but +never was anybody more astonished then she was, on seeing +him there, so she scolded, stormed, and raged, up to the +very foot of the ladder.</p> + +<p>“Now, you are the besiegers, and I am the garrison!” +cried Peter, when he saw Mrs. Crabtree panting and toiling +in her ascent. “We must make a treaty of peace together, +for I could tumble you over in a minute, by merely +pushing this end a very little more to one side!”</p> + +<p>“Do not touch it, Master Peter!” cried Mrs. Crabtree, +almost afraid he was in earnest. “There is a good boy,—be +quiet!”</p> + +<p>“A good boy!!” whispered Peter to himself. “What a +fright Mrs. Crabtree must be in, before she said that!”</p> + +<p class="nobot">The next moment Mrs. Crabtree snatched Harry out of +the manger, and shook him with rage. She then scolded +and beat him, till he was perfectly stupified with fright and +misery, after which the whole party were allowed to proceed +towards home, while Harry stumbled along the road, and +hung down his head, wishing, fifty times over, that he and +Peter Grey had never gone up</p> +<p class="ctr pgbrk allsc">THE LONG LADDER.</p> + + + + +<h2><a name="p0103.png" id="p0103.png" href="#p0103.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">103</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>CHAPTER VII.<br + /><span class="fakehr"> </span><br + /> <br /><small>THE MAD BULL.</small></h2> + +<div class="poem w20 pl4"> +<div class="stanza"> +<div>There’s something in a noble boy,</div> +<div>A brave, free-hearted, careless one;</div> +<div>With his uncheck’d, unbidden joy,</div> +<div>His dread of books and love of fun.</div> +<div>And in his clear and ready smile,</div> +<div>Unshaded by a thought of guile</div> +<div>And unrepress’d by sadness,—</div> +<div>Which brings me to my childhood back,</div> +<div>As if I trod its very track,</div> +<div>And felt its very gladness.</div> +</div> +<div class="rt sc">Willis.</div> +</div> + +<p class="noindent top1"><span class="sc">One</span> evening, when Harry and Laura came down to dessert, +they were surprised to observe the two little plates usually +intended for them, turned upside down, while uncle David +pretended not to notice anything, though he stole a glance +to see what would happen next. On lifting up these mysterious +plates, what did they see lying underneath, but two +letters with large red seals, one directed to “Master Harry +Graham,” and the other to “Miss Laura Graham.”</p> + +<p>“A letter for me!!” cried Harry, in a tone of delighted +astonishment, while he tore open the seal, and his hand +shook with impatience, so that he could hardly unfold the +paper. “What can it be about! I like getting a letter very +much! Is it from papa? Did the postman bring it?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, he did,” said uncle David: “and he left a message +that you must pay a hundred pounds for it to-morrow.”</p> + +<p><a name="p0104.png" id="p0104.png" href="#p0104.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">104</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>“Very likely, indeed,” said Laura; “you should pay that +for telling me such a fine story; but my letter is worth more +than a hundred pounds, for it is inviting me to spend another +delightful week at Holiday House.”</p> + +<p>“I am asked too! and not Mrs. Crabtree!” cried Harry, +looking at his letter, and almost screaming out for joy, +whilst he skipped about the room, rubbing his hands together, +and ended by twirling Laura round and round, till +they both fell prostrate on the floor.</p> + +<p>“If that be meant as a specimen of how you intend to +behave at Holiday House, we had better send your apology +at once,” observed Lady Harriet, smiling. “Lord Rockville +is very particular about never hearing any noise, and +the slamming of a door, or even the creaking of a pair of +unruly shoes, would put him distracted.”</p> + +<p>“Yes!” added uncle David, “Holiday House is as quiet +as Harry’s drum with a hole in it. If a pin drops in any +part of the mansion, Lord Rockville becomes annoyed, and +the very wasps scarcely dare to buz at his window so loud +as at any other person’s. You will feel quite fish-out-of-water-ish, +trying to be quiet and hum-drum for a whole +week, so let me advise you not to go.”</p> + +<p>“The meaning of advice always is something that one +would rather wish not to do,” observed Laura, gravely. “I +never in my life was advised to enjoy anything pleasant! +Taking physic—or learning lessons—or staying at home, +are very often advised, but never playing—or having a holiday—or +amusing ourselves!”</p> + +<p>“You know, Laura! that Harry’s little Shetland pony, +Tom Thumb, in my field, is of no use at present, but kicks, +and capers, and runs about all day; yet presently he will be +led out fastened to a rope, and made to trot round and round +in a circle, day after day, till he has no longer a will of his +own,—that is education. Afterwards he shall have a bridle +put in his mouth, which some little girls would be much the +<a name="p0105.png" id="p0105.png" href="#p0105.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">105</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>better of also, when he shall be carefully guided ever afterwards +in the best ways; and you likewise will go much more +steadily for all the reining-in and whipping you have got +from Mrs. Crabtree and me, which may, perhaps, make +you keep in the road of duty more easily hereafter.”</p> + +<p>“Uncle David!” said Harry, laughing, “we have read +in the Arabian Nights, about people being turned into animals, +but I never thought you would turn Laura into a +horse! What shall we do with my little Shetland pony if I +go away next week?”</p> + +<p>“I have thought of a capital plan for making Tom Thumb +useful during the whole winter! Your grandmama wants a +watch-dog in the country, so we shall build him a kennel—put +a chain round his neck, and get some one to teach +him to bark.”</p> + +<p>“Uncle David should be Professor of Nonsense at the +University,” said Lady Harriet, smiling. “But, my dear +children, if you are allowed to pay this visit at Holiday +House, I hope you will endeavour to behave creditably?”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” added Major Graham, “I understand that Lord +Rockville wished to have some particularly quiet children +there, for a short time, so he fixed upon Harry and Laura! +Poor, mistaken Lord Rockville! But, my good friends, +try not to break all his china ornaments the first day—spare +a few jars and tea-cups—leave a pane of glass or two in +the windows, and throw none of your marbles at the mirrors.”</p> + +<p>“I remember hearing,” said Lady Harriet, “that when +Miss Pelham was married last year, her old aunt, Mrs. Bouverie, +sent for her and said, that as she could not afford to +give baubles or trinkets, she would give her a very valuable +piece of advice; and what do you think it was, Laura?”</p> + +<p>“I have no idea! Do tell me.”</p> + +<p>“Then I shall bestow it on you, as the old lady did on +<a name="p0106.png" id="p0106.png" href="#p0106.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">106</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>her niece—‘Be careful of china, paper and string, for they +are all very transitory possessions in this world!’”</p> + +<p>“Very true! and most judicious!” observed Major Graham, +laughing. “I certainly know several persons who +must have served an apprenticeship under that good lady. +Many gentlemen now, who despatch all their epistles from +the club, because there the paper costs them nothing, and a +number of ladies, who, for the same good reason, never +write letters till they are visiting in a country house.”</p> + +<p>Having received so many warnings and injunctions +about behaving well, Harry and Laura became so quiet +during the first few days at Holiday House, that they were +like shadows flitting through the rooms, going almost on +tiptoe, scarcely speaking above a whisper, and observing that +valuable rule for children, to let themselves be seen, but not +heard. Lord Rockville was quite charmed with such extreme +good conduct, for they were both in especial awe of +him, and thought it a great condescension if he even looked +at them, he was so tall, so grand, and so grave, wearing a +large powdered wig and silver spectacles, which gave him a +particularly venerable appearance, though Harry was one +day very near getting into disgrace upon that subject. His +Lordship had a habit of always carrying two pairs of spectacles +in his pocket, and often, after thrusting one pair +high on his forehead, he forgot where they were, and +put the others on his nose, which had such a droll appearance, +that the first time Harry saw it, he felt quite taken by surprise, +and burst into a fit of laughter, upon which Lord +Rockville gave him such a comical look of surprise and perplexity, +that Harry’s fit of laughing got worse and worse. +The more people know they are wrong, and try to stop, the +more convulsive it becomes, and the more difficult to look +grave again, so at last, after repeated efforts to appear serious +and composed, Harry started up, and in his hurry to +<a name="p0107.png" id="p0107.png" href="#p0107.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">107</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>escape, very nearly slammed the door behind him, which +would have given the last finish to his offences.</p> + +<p>Both the little visitors found Lady Rockville so extremely +indulgent and kind, that she seemed like another grandmama, +therefore they gradually ventured to talk some of +their own nonsense before her, and even to try some of +their old ways, and frolicsome tricks, which she seldom +found any fault with, except when Harry one day eloped +with Lord Rockville’s favourite walking-stick, to be used as +a fishing-rod among the minnows, with a long thread at the +end for a line, and a crooked pin to represent the hook, +while, on the same day, Laura privately mounted the ass +that gave Lord Rockville’s ass’s milk, and rode it all round +the park, while he sat at home expecting his usual refreshing +tumbler. Still they both passed muster for being very tolerable +children, and his Lordship was heard once to say, in a +voice of great approbation, that Master and Miss Graham +were so punctual at dinner, and so perfectly quiet, he really +often forgot they were in the house. Indeed, Harry’s complaisance +on the day after he had laughed so injudiciously +about the spectacles, was quite unheard of, as he felt anxious +to make up for his misconduct; and when Lord Rockville +asked if he would like a fire in the play-room, as the +evening was chilly, he answered very politely, “Thank +you, my Lord! We are ready to think it hot or cold, just +as you please!”</p> + +<p>All this was too good to last! One morning, when +Harry and Laura looked out of the window, it was a most +deplorably wet day. The whole sky looked like a large +grey cotton umbrella, and the clouds were so low that Harry +thought he could almost have touched them. In short, as +Lord Rockville remarked, “it rained cats and dogs,” so his +Lordship knitted his brows, and thrust his hands into his +waistcoat pockets, walking up and down the room in a perfect +fume of vexation, for he was so accustomed to be +<a name="p0108.png" id="p0108.png" href="#p0108.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">108</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>obeyed, that it seemed rather a hardship when even the +weather contradicted his wishes. To complete his vexation, +as “single misfortunes never come alone,” his valet, +when carelessly drying the Morning Post at a large kitchen +fire, had set it in flames, so that all the wonderful news it +contained became reduced to ashes, therefore Lord Rockville +might well have given notice, that, for this day at least, +he had a right to be in extremely bad humour.</p> + +<p>Lady Rockville privately recommended Harry and Laura +to sit quietly down and play at cat’s cradle, which accordingly +they did, and when that became no longer endurable, +some dominos were produced. Thus the morning wore tediously +away till about two o’clock, when suddenly the rain +stopped, the sun burst forth with prodigious splendour, every +leaf in the park glittered, as if it had been sprinkled with +diamonds, and a hundred birds seemed singing a chorus of +joy, while bees and butterflies fluttered at the windows and +flew away rejoicing.</p> + +<p>Harry was the first to observe this delightful change, and +with an exclamation of delight, he sprang from his seat, +pulled Laura from hers, upset the domino-table, and rushed +out of the room, slamming the door with a report like twenty +cannons. Away they both flew to the forest, Laura +swinging her bonnet in her hand, and Harry tossing his +cap in the air, while Lord Rockville watched them angrily +from the drawing-room window, saying, in a tone of extreme +displeasure, “That boy has a voice that might do for +the town-crier! He laughs so loud, it is enough to crack +every glass in the room! I wish he were condemned to +pass a week in those American prisons where no one is +allowed to speak. In short, he would be better anywhere +than here, for I might as well live with a hammer and tongs, +as with the two children together. They are more restless +than the quicksilver figures from China, and I wish they +were as quiet, but my only comfort is, that at any rate they +<a name="p0109.png" id="p0109.png" href="#p0109.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">109</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>come home punctually to dinner at five. Nothing is so intolerable +as people dropping in too late and disordering the +table.”</p> + +<p>Meantime, the woods at Holiday House rung with sounds +of mirth and gaiety, while Harry scrambled up the trees like +a squirrel, and swung upon the branches, gathering walnuts +and crab-apples for Laura, after which they both cut their +names upon the bark of Lord Rockville’s favourite beech, +so that every person who passed that way must observe +the large distinct letters. They were laughing and chatting +over this exploit, both talking at once, as noisy and happy as +possible, and expecting nothing particular to happen, when, +all on a sudden, Laura turned pale, and grasped hold of +Harry’s arm, saying, in a low frightened voice,</p> + +<p>“Hush, Harry!—hush!—I hear a very strange noise. +It sounds like some wild beast! What can that be?”</p> + +<p>Harry listened as if he had ten pair of ears, and nearly +cracked his eye-balls staring round him, to see what could +be the matter. A curious deep growling sound might be +heard at some distance, while there was the noise of something +trampling heavily on the ground, and of branches +breaking off the trees, as if some large creature was forcing +his way through. Harry and Laura now stood like a couple +of little statues, not daring to breathe, they felt so terrified! +The noise grew louder and louder, while it gradually +came nearer and nearer, till at length a large black bull +burst into view, with his tail standing high in the air, while +he tore up the ground with his horns, bellowing as loudly +as he could roar, and galloping straight towards the place +where they stood.</p> + +<p>Laura’s knees tottered under her, and she instantly dropped +on the ground with terror, feeling as if she would die +the next minute of fright, while, as for attempting to escape, +it never entered her head to think that possible. Harry +felt quite differently, for he was a bold boy, not easily +<a name="p0110.png" id="p0110.png" href="#p0110.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">110</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>scared out of his senses, and instantly saw that something +must be done, or they would both be lost. Many selfish +people would have run away alone, without caring for the +safety of any one but themselves, which was not at all the +case with Harry, who thought first of his poor frightened +companion. “Hollo, Laura! are you hiding in a cart +rut?” he exclaimed, pulling her hastily off the ground. “The +bull will soon find you there! Come! come! as fast as +possible! we must have a race for it yet! That terrible +beast can scarcely make his way through the trees and +branches, they grow so closely! Perhaps we may get on +as fast as he!”</p> + +<p>All this time, Harry was dragging Laura along, and running +himself into the thickest part of the plantation; but it +was very difficult to make any progress, as she had become +quite faint and bewildered with fright.</p> + +<p>“Oh, Harry!” cried she, trembling all over, “you must +get on alone! I am so weak with terror, it is impossible to +run a step farther.”</p> + +<p>“Do not waste your breath with talking,” answered +Harry, still pushing on at full speed. “How can you suppose +I would be so shabby as to make my escape without +you! No! no! we must either both be caught, or both +get off!”</p> + +<p>Laura felt so grateful to Harry when he said this, that she +seemed for a moment almost to forget the bull, which was +still coming furiously on behind, while she now made a +desperate exertion to run faster than she had been able to +do before, clearing the ground almost as rapidly as Harry +could have done, though he still held her firmly by the hand, +to encourage her.</p> + +<p>The trampling noise continued, the breaking of branches, +and the frightful bellowing of this dreadful animal, when at +last Harry caught sight of a wooden paling, which he silently +pointed out to Laura, being quite unable now to +<a name="p0111.png" id="p0111.png" href="#p0111.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">111</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>speak. Having rushed forward to it, with almost frantic +haste, Harry threw himself over the top, after which he +helped Laura to squeeze herself through underneath, when +they proceeded rather more leisurely onwards.</p> + +<p>“That fence will puzzle Mr. Bull,” said Harry triumphantly, +yet gasping for breath. “We can push through +places where his great hoof could scarcely be thrust! I saw +him coming along, with his heels high in the air, and his +head down, like an enormous wheel-barrow.”</p> + +<p>Scarcely had Harry spoken, before the infuriated animal +advanced at full gallop towards the fence, and after running +along the side a little way, he suddenly tore up the paling +with his horns, as if it had been made of paper, and rushed +forward more rapidly than ever.</p> + +<p>Harry now began to fear that indeed all was over, for his +strength had become nearly exhausted, when, to his great +joy, he espied a large, rough stone wall, not very far off, +which was as welcome a sight as land to a shipwrecked +sailor.</p> + +<p>“Run for your life, Laura!” he cried, pointing it out, +to encourage her. “There is safety, if we reach it.”</p> + +<p>On they both flew, faster than the wind, and Harry having +scrambled up the wall, like a grasshopper, pulled Laura +up beside him, and there they both stood at last, encamped +quite beyond the reach of danger, though the enemy arrived +a few minutes afterwards, pawing the air, and foaming and +bellowing with disappointment.</p> + +<p>“Laura!” said Harry, after she had a little recovered +from her fright, and was walking slowly homewards, while +she cast an alarmed glance frequently behind, thinking she +still heard the bull in pursuit, “you see, as uncle David +says, whatever danger people are in, it is foolish to be quite +in despair, but we should rather think what it is best to do, +and do it directly.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, Harry! and I shall never forget that you would +<a name="p0112.png" id="p0112.png" href="#p0112.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">112</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>not forsake me, but risked your own life, like a brave brother, +in my defence. I should like to do as much for you +another time!”</p> + +<p>“Thank you, Laura, as much as if you had, but I hope +we shall never be in such a scrape again! If Frank were +here, he would put us both in mind to thank a merciful God +for taking so much care of us, and bringing us safely home!”</p> + +<p>“Yes, Harry! It is perhaps a good thing being in danger +sometimes, to remind us that we cannot be safe or happy +an hour without God’s care, so in our prayers to-night +we must remember what has happened, and return thanks +very particularly.”</p> + +<p>It was long past five before Harry and Laura reached +Holiday House, where Lord Rockville met them at the +drawing-room door, looking taller, and grander, and graver +than ever, while Lady Rockville rose from her sofa, and +came up to them, saying, in a tone of gentle reproach,</p> + +<p>“My dear children! you ought to return home before +the dinner hour, and not keep his Lordship waiting!”</p> + +<p>The very idea of Lord Rockville waiting dinner was too +dreadful ever to have entered their heads till this minute; +but Harry and Laura immediately explained how exceedingly +sorry they were for what had occurred, and to show that it +was their misfortune rather than their fault, they told the +whole frightful story of the mad bull, to which Lady Rockville +listened, as if her very hair were standing upon end, to +hear of such doings. She even turned up her eyes with astonishment +to think what a wonderful escape they had made; +but his Lordship frowned through his spectacles, and leaned +his chin upon his stick, looking, as Harry thought, very like +a bear upon a pole.</p> + +<p>“Pshaw!—nonsense!” exclaimed Lord Rockville impatiently. +“The bull would have done you no harm! +He is a most respectable, quiet, well-disposed animal, and +<a name="p0113.png" id="p0113.png" href="#p0113.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">113</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>brought an excellent character from his last place! I never +heard a complaint of him before!”</p> + +<p>“It is curious,” observed Laura, “that all bulls are +reckoned peaceable and tame, till they have tossed two or +three people, and killed them!”</p> + +<p>“I thought,” added Lord Rockville, looking very grand +and contemptuous, “that Harry was grown more a man +than to be so easily put to flight. When a bull, another +time, threatens to toss you, seize hold of his tail,—or toss +him!—or, in short, do anything rather than run away the +first time an animal looks at you. This is a mere cock-and-a-bull +story, to excuse your keeping me waiting almost +a quarter of an hour for my dinner!—you should be made +guard of a mail-coach for a month, to teach you punctuality, +Master Graham.”</p> + +<p>Lord Rockville gravely looked at his watch, while Harry +luckily considered how often his grandmama had recommended +him to make no answer when he was scolded, so he nearly +bit off the tip of his tongue to keep it quiet, while he could +not but wish, in his own mind, that my Lord himself saw +how very fierce the bull had looked.</p> + +<p>Laura felt more vexed on Harry’s account than her own, +and the dinner went on as uncomfortably as possible; for even +when a French cook has dressed it, if ill-humour be the sauce, +any dish becomes unpalatable. Nothing was to be seen reflected +on the surface of many fine silver covers, but very +cross, or very melancholy faces; while Lady Rockville tried +to make her own countenance look both cheerful and good-natured. +She told Harry and Laura, to divert them, that +old Mrs. Bouverie had once been pursued by a furious milch +cow, along a lane, flanked on both sides by such very high +walls, that escape seemed impossible, so the good lady, who +was fat and breathless, became so desperate, that without a +hope of getting off, she seized the enraged animal by the +horns, and screamed in its face, till the cow herself became +<a name="p0114.png" id="p0114.png" href="#p0114.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">114</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>frightened. The creature stared, stepping backwards and +backwards, with increasing alarm, till at last, to the old +lady’s great relief and surprise, she fairly turned her tail and +ran off.</p> + +<p>In the evening, Lord Rockville had not yet recovered his +equanimity, and went out, rather in bad humour, to take his +usual walk before supper. Without once remembering +about Harry and the bull, he strolled a great way into the +woods, marking several trees to be cut down, and admiring +a fine forest which he had planted himself long ago, but +without particularly considering what way he turned. It +was beginning, at last, to grow very dark and gloomy, so +Lord Rockville had some thoughts of returning home, when +he became suddenly startled by hearing a loud roar not far +off, and a moment afterwards the furious bull dashed out of +a neighbouring thicket, raging and foaming, and tearing +the ground with his horns, exactly as Harry had described +in the morning, while poor Lord Rockville, who seldom +moved faster than a very dignified walk, instantly quickened +his pace, in an opposite direction, striding away faster and +faster, till at last,—it must be confessed,—his Lordship ended +by running!!!</p> + +<p>In spite of all Lord Rockville’s exertions, the bull continued +rapidly to gain upon him, for his Lordship, being +rather corpulent and easily fatigued, stopped every now and +then to gasp for breath; till at last, feeling it impossible to +get on faster, though the stables were now within sight, he +seized the branch of a large oak tree, which swept nearly to +the ground, and contrived, with great difficulty, to scramble +out of reach.</p> + +<p>The enraged bull gazed up into the tree and bellowed with +fury, when he saw Lord Rockville so judiciously perched +overhead, and he remained for half-an-hour, watching to see +if his Lordship would venture down again. At last the tormenting +animal began leisurely eating grass under the tree, +<a name="p0115.png" id="p0115.png" href="#p0115.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">115</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>but gradually he moved away, turning his back while he fed, +till Lord Rockville vainly deluded himself with the hope of +stealing off unobserved. Being somewhat rested and refreshed, +while the enemy was looking in another direction, +he descended cautiously, as if he had been going to tread +upon needles and pins; but, unaccustomed to such movements, +he jumped so heavily upon the ground, that the bull +hearing a noise, turned round, and set up a loud furious +roar, when he saw his intended victim again within reach.</p> + +<p>Now the race began once more with redoubled agility! +The odds seemed greatly in favour of the bull, and Lord +Rockville thought he already felt the animal’s horns in his +side, when a groom, who saw the party approaching, instantly +seized a pitchfork and flew to the rescue of his master. +Lord Rockville never stopped his career till he reached the +stable, and ran up into a loft, from the window of which he +gave the alarm and called for more assistance, when several +ploughmen and stable-boys assembled, who drove the animal +with great difficulty, into a stall, where he continued so +ungovernable, that iron chains were put round his neck, +and some days afterwards, seeing no one could manage +him, Lord Rockville ordered the bull to be shot, and his +carcase turned into beef for the poor of the parish, who all, +consequently, rejoiced at his demise; though the meat turned +out so tough, that it required their best teeth to eat it +with.</p> + +<p>Meantime, on that memorable evening of so many adventures, +Harry, Laura, and Lady Rockville, wondered often +what had become of his Lordship, and, at last, when supper +appeared at the usual hour, his absence became still more +unaccountable!</p> + +<p>“What can be the matter?” exclaimed Lady Rockville, +anxiously. “This is very odd! His Lordship is as punctual +as the postman in general! especially for supper; and +here is Lord Rockville’s favourite dish of sago and wine, +<a name="p0116.png" id="p0116.png" href="#p0116.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">116</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>which will become uneatably cold in ten minutes, if he does +not return home to enjoy it!”</p> + +<p>Scarcely had she finished speaking, when the door opened +and Lord Rockville walked majestically into the room. +There was something so different from usual in his manner +and appearance, however, that Harry and Laura exchanged +looks of astonishment; his neckcloth was loose—his face +excessively red—and his hand shook, while he breathed so +hard, that he might have been heard at the porter’s lodge. +Lady Rockville gazed with amazement at all she saw, and +then asked what he chose for supper; but when Lord Rockville +tried to speak, the words died on his lips, so he could +only point in silence to the sago and wine.</p> + +<p>“What in all the world has happened to you this evening, +my Lord?” exclaimed Lady Rockville, unable to restrain +her curiosity a moment longer. “I never saw you in such +a way before! Your eyes are perfectly blood-shot—your +dress strangely disordered—and you seem so hot and so +fatigued! Tell me!—what is the matter?”</p> + +<p>“Nothing!” answered Lord Rockville, drawing himself +up, while he tried to look grander and graver than ever, +though his Lordship could not help panting for breath—putting +his hands to his sides—and wiping his forehead with +his pocket-handkerchief in an agony of fatigue. Harry observed +all this for some time, as eagerly and intently as a +cat watches a bird on a tree. He saw that something extraordinary +had occurred, and he began to have hopes that +it really was the very thing he wished; because, seeing +Lord Rockville now perfectly safe, he would not have grudged +him a pretty considerable fright from his friend the bull. +At last, unable any longer to control his impatience, Harry +started off his chair, gazing so earnestly at Lord Rockville, +that his eyes almost sprung out of their sockets, while he +rubbed his hands with ecstacy, saying,</p> + +<p>“I guess you’ve seen the bull? Oh! I am sure you did! +<a name="p0117.png" id="p0117.png" href="#p0117.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">117</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>Pray tell us if you have? Did he run after you,—and did +you run away?”</p> + +<p class="nobot">Lord Rockville tried more than he had ever done in his +life to look grave, but it would not do. Gradually his face +relaxed into a smile, till at last he burst into loud peals of +laughter, joined most heartily by Harry, Laura, and Lady +Rockville. Nobody recovered any gravity during the rest +of that evening, for whenever they tried to think or talk +quietly about anything else, Harry and Laura were sure to +burst forth again upon the subject, and even after being +safely stowed in their beds for the night, they both laughed +themselves to sleep at the idea of Lord Rockville himself +having been obliged, after all, to run away from that “most +respectable, quiet, well-disposed animal,</p> + +<p class="ctr pgbrk">“<span class="allsc">THE MAD BULL</span>!”</p> + + + + +<h2><a name="p0118.png" id="p0118.png" href="#p0118.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">118</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>CHAPTER VIII.<br + /><span class="fakehr"> </span><br + /> <br /><small>THE BROKEN KEY.</small></h2> + +<div class="poem w18 pl6"> +<div class="stanza"> +<div>First he moved his right leg,</div> +<div>Then he moved his left leg,</div> +<div>Then he said, “I pardon beg,”</div> +<div class="i6"> And sat upon his seat.</div> +</div> +</div> + + +<p class="noindent top1">“<span class="sc">Oh</span>! uncle David! uncle David!” cried Laura, when +they arrived from Holiday House, “I would jump out of +the carriage window with joy to see you again; only the +persons passing in the street might be surprised!”</p> + +<p>“Not at all! They are quite accustomed to see people +jumping out of the windows with joy, whenever I appear.”</p> + +<p>“We have so much to tell you,” exclaimed Harry and +Laura, each seizing hold of a hand, “we hardly know where +to begin!”</p> + +<p>“Ladies and gentlemen! If you both talk at once, I must +get a new pair of ears! So you have not been particularly +miserable at Holiday House?”</p> + +<p>“No! no! uncle David! we did not think there had been +so much happiness in the world,” answered Laura, eagerly. +“The last two days we could do nothing but play and laugh, +<span class="nw">and”——</span></p> + +<p>“And grow fat! Why! you both look so well fed, you +are just fit for killing! I shall be obliged to shut you up two +or three days, without anything to eat, as is done to pet lap-dogs, +when they are getting corpulent and gouty.”</p> + +<p><a name="p0119.png" id="p0119.png" href="#p0119.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">119</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>“Then we shall be like bears living on our paws,” replied +Harry, “and uncle David! I would rather do that, than be +a glutton like Peter Grey. He went to a cheap shop lately, +where old cheese-cakes were sold at half-price, and greedily +devoured nearly a dozen, thinking that the dead flies scattered +on the top were currants, till Frank shewed him his +mistake!”</p> + +<p>“Frank should have let him eat in peace! There is no +accounting for tastes. I once knew a lady who liked to +swallow spiders! She used to crack and eat them with the +greatest delight, whenever she could catch one.”</p> + +<p>“Oh! what a horrid woman! That is even worse than +grandmama’s story about Dr. Manvers having dined on a +dish of mice, fried in crumbs of bread!”</p> + +<p>“You know the old proverb, Harry, ‘one man’s meat is +another man’s poison.’ The Persians are disgusted at our +eating lobsters; and the Hindoos think us scarcely fit to +exist, because we live on beef; while we are equally amazed +at the Chinese for devouring dog pies, and birds’-nest +soup. You turn up your nose at the French for liking +frogs; and they think us ten times worse with our singed +sheep’s head, oat cakes, and haggis.”</p> + +<p>“That reminds me,” said Lady Harriet, “that when +Charles X. lived in what he called the ‘dear Canongate,’ +His Majesty was heard to say, that he tried every sort of +Scotch goose, ‘the solan goose, the wild goose, and the +tame goose; but the best goose of all, was the hag-goose.’”</p> + +<p>“Very polite, indeed, to adopt our national taste so completely,” +observed uncle David, smiling. “When my regiment +was quartered in Spain, an officer of ours, a great epicure, +and not quite so complaisant, used to say that the +country was scarcely fit to live in, because there it is customary +to dress almost every dish with sugar. At last, one +day, in a rage, he ordered eggs to be brought up in their +shells for dinner, saying, ‘that is the only thing the cook +<a name="p0120.png" id="p0120.png" href="#p0120.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">120</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>cannot possibly spoil.’ We played him a trick, however, +which was very like what you would have done, Harry, on a +similar occasion. I secretly put pounded sugar into the +salt-cellar, and when he tasted his first mouthful, you should +have seen the look of fury with which he sprung off his seat, +exclaiming, ‘the barbarians eat sugar even with their eggs!’”</p> + +<p>“That would be the country for me to travel in,” said +Harry. “I could live in a barrel of sugar; and my little +pony, Tom Thumb, would be happy to accompany me +there, as he likes anything sweet.”</p> + +<p>“All animals are of the same opinion. I remember the +famous rider, Ducrow, telling a brother-officer of mine, that +the way in which he gains so much influence over his +horses, is merely by bribing them with sugar. They may be +managed in that way like children, and are quite aware, if +it be taken from them as a punishment for being restive.”</p> + +<p>“Oh! those beautiful horses at Ducrow’s! How often I +think of them since we were there!” exclaimed Harry. +“They were quite like fairies, with fine arched necks, and +long tails!”</p> + +<p>“I never heard before of a fairy with a long tail, Master +Harry; but perhaps in the course of your travels you may +have seen such a thing.”</p> + +<p>“How I should like to ride upon Tom Thumb, in Ducrow’s +way, with my toe on the saddle!”</p> + +<p>“Fine doings indeed!” exclaimed Mrs. Crabtree, who +had entered the room at this moment. “Have you forgotten +already, Master Harry, how many of the nursery<!-- original reads "nursey" --> plates +you broke one day when I was out, in trying to copy that +there foolish Indian juggler, who tossed his plates in the air, +and twirled them on his thumb! There must be no more +such nonsense; for if once your neck is broke by a fall off +Tom Thumb, no doctor that I know of can mend it again. +Remember what a terrible tumble you had off Jessy last +year!”</p> + +<p><a name="p0121.png" id="p0121.png" href="#p0121.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">121</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>“You are always speaking about that little overturn, Mrs. +Crabtree; and it was not worth recollecting above a week! +Did you never see a man thrown off his horse before?”</p> + +<p>“A man and horse indeed!” said uncle David, laughing, +when he looked at Harry. “You and your charger were +hardly large enough then for a toy-shop; and you must +grow a little more, Captain Gulliver, before you will be fit +for a dragoon regiment.”</p> + +<p>Harry and Laura stayed very quietly at home for several +weeks after their return from Holiday House, attending so +busily to lessons, that uncle David said he felt much afraid +they were going to be a pair of little wonders, who would +die of too much learning.</p> + +<p>“You will be taken ill of the multiplication table some +day, and confined to bed with a violent fit of geography! +Pray take care of yourselves, and do not devour above three +books at once,” said Major Graham one day, entering the +room with a note in his hand. “Here is an invitation +that I suppose you are both too busy to accept, so perhaps I +might as well send an apology; eh, Harry?”</p> + +<p>Down dropped the lesson-books upon the floor, and up +sprung Harry in an ecstacy of delight. “An invitation! +Oh! I like an invitation so very much! Pray tell us all +about it!”</p> + +<p>“Perhaps it is an invitation to spend a month with Dr. +Lexicon. What would you say to that? They breakfast +upon Latin grammars at school, and have a dish of real +French verbs, smothered in onions, for dinner every day.”</p> + +<p>“But in downright earnest, uncle David! where are we +going?”</p> + +<p>“Must I tell you? Well! that good-natured old lady, +Mrs. Darwin, intends taking a large party of children next +week, in her own carriage, to pass ten days at Ivy Lodge, a +charming country house about twenty miles off, where you +are all to enjoy perfect happiness. I wish I could be ground +<a name="p0122.png" id="p0122.png" href="#p0122.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">122</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>down into a little boy myself, for the occasion! Poor good +woman! what a life she will lead! There is only one little +drawback to your delight, that I am almost afraid to announce.”</p> + +<p>“What is that, uncle David?” asked Harry, looking as if +nothing in nature could ever make him grave again. +“Are we to bite off our own noses before we return?”</p> + +<p>“Not exactly; but somebody is to be of the party who +will do it for you. Mrs. Darwin has heard that there are +certain children who become occasionally rather unmanageable! +I cannot think who they can be, for it is certainly +nobody we ever saw; so she has requested that Mrs. Crabtree +will follow in the mail-coach.”</p> + +<p>Harry and Laura looked as if a glass of cold water had +been thrown in their faces, after this was mentioned; but +they soon forgot every little vexation, in a burst of joy, when, +some days afterwards, Mrs. Darwin stopped at the door to +pick them up, in the most curious-looking carriage they had +ever seen. It was a very large open car, as round as a +bird’s nest, and so perfectly crowded with children, that nobody +could have supposed any room left even for a doll; +but Mrs. Darwin said that whatever number of people came +in, there was always accommodation for one more; and +this really proved to be the case, for Harry and Laura soon +elbowed their way into seats and set off, waving their handkerchiefs +to Major Graham, who had helped to pack them +in, and who now stood smiling at the door.</p> + +<p>As this very large vehicle was drawn by only one horse, +it proceeded very slowly; but Mrs. Darwin amused the +children with several very diverting stories, and gave them +a grand luncheon in the carriage; after which, they threw +what was left, wrapped up in an old newspaper, to some people +breaking stones on the road, feeling quite delighted to +see the surprise and joy of the poor labourers when they +opened the parcel. In short, everybody became sorry when +<a name="p0123.png" id="p0123.png" href="#p0123.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">123</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>this diverting journey was finished, and they drove up, at +last, to the gate of a tall old house, that looked as if it had +been built in the year one. The walls were very thick, and +quite mouldy with age. Indeed, the only wonder was, that +Ivy Lodge had still a roof upon its head, for every thing +about it looked so tottering and decayed. The very servants +were all old; and a white-headed butler opened the +door, who looked as frail and gloomy as the house; but +before long, the old walls of Ivy Lodge rung and echoed +again with sounds of mirth and joy. It seemed to have +been built on purpose for hide and seek; there were rooms +with invisible doors, and closets cut in the walls, and great +old chests where people might have been buried alive for a +year, without being found out. The gardens, too, were +perfectly enchanting. Such arbours to take strawberries +and cream in! and such summer-houses, where they drank +tea out of doors every evening! Here they saw a prodigious +eagle, fastened to the ground by a chain, and looking +the most dull, melancholy creature in the world; while +Harry wished the poor bird might be liberated, and thought +how delightful it would be to stand by and see him soaring +away to his native skies.</p> + +<p>“Yes! with a large slice of raw meat in his beak!” said +Peter Grey, who was always thinking of eating. “I dare +say he lives much better here, than he would do killing his +own mutton up in the clouds there, or taking his chance of +a dead horse on the sea-shore occasionally.”</p> + +<p>Harry and Peter were particularly amused with Mrs. +Darwin’s curious collection of pets. There were black +swans with red bills, swimming gracefully in a pond close to +the window, and ready to rush forward on the shortest notice, +for a morsel of bread. The lop-eared rabbits also surprised +them, with their ears hanging down to the ground, and they +were interested to see a pair of carrier-pigeons which could +carry letters as well as the postman. Mrs. Darwin showed +<a name="p0124.png" id="p0124.png" href="#p0124.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">124</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>them tumbler pigeons too, that performed a summerset in +the air when they flew, and horsemen and dragoon pigeons, +trumpeters and pouters, till Peter Grey at last begged to see +the pigeons that made the pigeon-pies, and the cow that gave +the butter-milk; he was likewise very anxious for leave to +bring his fishing-rod into the drawing-room, to try whether +he could catch one of the beautiful gold-fish that swam +about in a large glass globe, saying he thought it might +perhaps be very good to eat at breakfast. Mrs. Darwin +had a pet lamb that she was exceedingly fond of, because it +followed her everywhere, and Harry, who was very fond of +the little creature, said he wished some plan could be invented +to hinder its ever growing into a great fat vulgar +sheep; and he thought the white mice were old animals that +had grown grey with years.</p> + +<p>There were donkies for the children to ride upon, and +Mrs. Darwin had a boat that held the whole party, to sail in, +round the pond, and she hung up a swing that seemed to fly +about as high as the house, which they swung upon, after +which they were allowed to shake the fruit-trees, and to eat +whatever came down about their ears; so it very often rained +apples and pears in the gardens at Ivy Lodge, for Peter +seemed never to tire of that joke; indeed the apple-trees +had a sad life of it as long as he remained.</p> + +<p>Peter told Mrs. Darwin that he had “a patent appetite,” +which was always ready on every occasion; but the good +lady became so fond of stuffing the children at all hours, +that even he felt a little puzzled sometimes how to dispose +of all she heaped upon his plate, while both Harry and Laura, +who were far from greedy, became perfectly wearied of +hearing the gong. The whole party assembled at eight +every morning, to partake of porridge and butter-milk, after +which, at ten, they breakfasted with Mrs. Darwin on tea, +muffins, and sweetmeats. They then drove in the round +open car, to bathe in the sea, on their return from which, +<a name="p0125.png" id="p0125.png" href="#p0125.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">125</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>luncheon was always ready, and after concluding that, they +might pass the interval till dinner among the fruit-trees. +They never could eat enough to please Mrs. Darwin at dinner; +tea followed, on a most substantial plan; their supper +consisted of poached eggs, and the maid was desired to put +a biscuit under every visitor’s pillow, in case the young +people should be hungry in the night, for Mrs. Darwin said +she had been starved at school herself, when she was a little +girl, and wished nobody ever to suffer, as she had done, +from hunger.</p> + +<p>The good lady was so anxious for everything to be exactly +as the children liked it, that sometimes Laura felt quite +at a loss what to say or do. One day, having cracked her +egg-shell at breakfast, Mrs. Darwin peeped anxiously over +her shoulder, saying,</p> + +<p>“I hope, my dear! your egg is all right?”</p> + +<p>“Most excellent indeed!”</p> + +<p>“Is it quite fresh?”</p> + +<p>“Perfectly! I dare say it was laid only a minute before +it was boiled!”</p> + +<p>“I have seen the eggs much larger than that.”</p> + +<p>“Yes! but then I believe they are rather coarse,—at least +we think so, when Mrs. Crabtree gives us a turkey egg at +dinner.”</p> + +<p>“If you prefer them small, perhaps you would like a guinea-fowl’s +egg?”</p> + +<p>“Thank you! but this one is just as I like them.”</p> + +<p>“It looks rather over-done! If you think so, we could +get another in a minute!”</p> + +<p>“No! they are better well boiled!”</p> + +<p>“Then probably it is not enough done. Some people +like them quite hard, and I could easily pop it into the slop-basin +for another minute.”</p> + +<p>“I am really obliged to you, but it could not be improved.”</p> + +<p><a name="p0126.png" id="p0126.png" href="#p0126.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">126</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>“Do you not take any more salt with your egg?”</p> + +<p>“No, I thank you!”</p> + +<p>“A few more grains would improve it!”</p> + +<p>“If you say so, I dare say they will.”</p> + +<p>“Ah! now I am afraid you have put in too much! pray +do get another!”</p> + +<p>This long-continued attack upon her egg was too much +for Laura’s gravity, who appeared for some minutes to have +a violent fit of coughing, and ending in a burst of laughter, +after which she hastily finished all that remained of it, and +thus ended the discussion.</p> + +<p>In the midst of all their happiness, while the children +thought that every succeeding day had no fault but being +too short, and Harry even planned with Peter to stop the +clock altogether, and see whether time itself would not stand +still, nobody ever thought for a moment of anything but +joy; and yet a very sad and sudden distress awaited Mrs. +Darwin. One forenoon she received a letter that seemed +very hastily and awkwardly folded,—the seal was all to one +side, and surrounded with stray drops of red wax,—the direction +appeared sadly blotted, and at the top was written in +large letters, the words, “To be delivered immediately.”</p> + +<p>When Mrs. Darwin hurriedly tore open this very strange-looking +letter, she found that it came from her own housekeeper +in town, to announce the dreadful event that her sister, +Lady Barnet, had been that day seized with an apoplectic +fit, and was thought to be at the point of death, therefore it +was hoped that Mrs. Darwin would not lose an hour in returning +to town, that she might be present on the melancholy +occasion. The shock of hearing this news was so +very great, that poor Mrs. Darwin could not speak about it, +but after trying to compose herself for a few minutes, she +went into the play-room, and told the children that, for reasons +she could not explain, they must get ready to return +<a name="p0127.png" id="p0127.png" href="#p0127.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">127</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>home in an hour, when the car would be at the door for +their journey.</p> + +<p>Nothing could exceed their surprise on hearing Mrs. +Darwin make such an unexpected proposal. At first Peter +Grey thought she was speaking in jest, and said he would +prefer if she ordered out a balloon to travel in, this morning; +but when it appeared that Mrs. Darwin was really in +earnest about their pleasant visit being over so soon, Harry’s +face grew perfectly red with passion, while he said in a +loud angry voice,</p> + +<p>“Grandmama allowed me to stay here till Friday!—and +I was invited to stay,—and I will not go anywhere else!”</p> + +<p>“Oh fie, Master Harry!” said Mrs. Crabtree. “Do not +talk so! You ought to know better! I shall soon teach +you, however, to do as you are bid!”</p> + +<p>Saying these words, she stretched out her hand to seize +violent hold of him, but Harry dipped down and escaped. +Quickly opening the door, he ran, half in joke and half in +earnest, at full speed up two pairs of stairs, followed closely +by Mrs. Crabtree, who was now in a terrible rage, especially +when she saw what a piece of fun Harry thought this fatiguing +race. A door happened to be standing wide open +on the second landing-place, which, having been observed +by Harry, he darted in, and slammed it in Mrs. Crabtree’s +face, locking and double-locking it, to secure his own safety, +after which he sat down in this empty apartment to enjoy +his victory in peace. When people once begin to +grow self-willed and rebellious, it is impossible to guess +where it will all end! Harry might have been easily led to +do right at first, if any one had reasoned with him and +spoken kindly, but now he really was in a sort of don’t-care-a-button +humour, and scarcely minded what he did next.</p> + +<p>As long as Mrs. Crabtree continued to scold and rave +behind the door, Harry grew harder and harder; but at +length the good old lady, Mrs. Darwin herself, arrived up +<a name="p0128.png" id="p0128.png" href="#p0128.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">128</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>stairs, and represented how ungrateful he was, not doing all +in his power to please her, when she had taken so much +pains to make him happy. This brought the little rebel +round in a moment, as he became quite sensible of his own +misconduct, and resolved immediately to submit. Accordingly, +Harry tried to open the door, but, what is very easily +done cannot sometimes be undone, which turned out the +case on this occasion, as, with all his exertions, the key +would not turn in the lock! Harry tried it first one way, +then another. He twisted with his whole strength, till his +face became perfectly scarlet with the effort, but in vain! +At last he put the poker through the handle of the key, +thinking this a very clever plan, and quite sure to succeed, +but after a desperate struggle, the unfortunate key broke in +two, so then nobody could possibly open the door!</p> + +<p>After this provoking accident happened, Harry felt what +a very bad boy he had been, so he burst into tears, and +called through the key-hole to beg Mrs. Darwin’s pardon, +while Mrs. Crabtree scolded him through the key-hole in +return, till Harry shrunk away as if a cannonading had begun +at his ear.</p> + +<p>Meantime, Mrs. Darwin hurried off, racking her brains +to think what had best be done to deliver the prisoner, since +no time could be lost, or she might perhaps not get to town +at all that night, and the car was expected every minute, to +come round for the travellers. The gardener said he +thought it might be possible to find a few ladders, which, +being tied one above another, would perhaps reach as high +as the window, where Harry had now appeared, and by +which he could easily scramble down; so the servants made +haste to fetch all they could find, and to borrow all they +could see, till a great many were collected. These they +joined together very strongly with ropes, but when it was at +last reared against the wall, to the great disappointment of +<a name="p0129.png" id="p0129.png" href="#p0129.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">129</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>Mrs. Darwin, the ladder appeared a yard and a-half too +short!</p> + +<p>What was to be done?</p> + +<p>The obliging gardener mounted to the very top of his +ladder, and Harry leaned so far over the window, he seemed +in danger of falling out, but still they did not reach one +another, so not a single person could guess what plan was +to be tried next. At length Harry called out very loudly to +the gardener,</p> + +<p>“Hollo! Mr. King of Spades! If I were to let myself +drop very gently down from the window, could you catch +me in your arms?”</p> + +<p>“Mr. Harry! Mr. Harry! if you dare!” cried Mrs. +Crabtree, shaking her fist at him. “You’ll be broken in +pieces like a tea-pot, you’ll be made as flat as a pancake! +Stay where you are! Do ye hear!”</p> + +<p>But Harry seemed suddenly grown deaf, and was now +more than half out—fixing his fingers very firmly on the +ledge of the window, and slowly dropping his legs downwards.</p> + +<p>“Oh Harry! you will be killed!” screamed Laura. +“Stop! stop! Harry, are you mad? can nobody stop +him?”</p> + +<p>But nobody could stop him, for, being so high above +everybody’s head, Harry had it all his own way, and was +now nearly hanging altogether out of the window, but he +stopped a single minute, and called out, “Do not be frightened, +Laura! I have behaved very ill, and deserve the +worst that can happen. If I do break my head, it will save +Mrs. Crabtree the trouble of breaking it for me, after I +come down.”</p> + +<p>The gardener now balanced himself steadily on the upper +step of the ladder, and spread his arms out, while Harry +slowly let himself drop. Laura tried to look on without +screaming out, as that might have startled him, but the +<a name="p0130.png" id="p0130.png" href="#p0130.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">130</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>scene became too frightful, so she closed her eyes, put her +hands over her face and turned away, while her heart beat so +violently, that it might almost have been heard. Even +Mrs. Crabtree clasped her hands in an agony of alarm, +while Mrs. Darwin put up her pocket handkerchief, and +could not look on another moment. An awful pause took +place, during which, a feather falling on the ground would +have startled them, when suddenly a loud shout from Peter +Grey and the other children, which was gaily echoed from +the top of the ladder, made Laura venture to look up, and +there was Harry safe in the gardener’s arms, who soon helped +him down to the ground, where he immediately asked pardon +of everybody for the fright he had given them.</p> + +<p>There was no time for more than half a scold from Mrs. +Crabtree, as Mrs. Darwin’s car had been waiting some +time; so Harry said she might be owing him the rest, on +some future occasion.</p> + +<p>“Yes! and a hundred lashes besides!” added Peter +Grey, laughing. “Pray touch him up well, Mrs. Crabtree, +when you are about it. There is no law against cruelty to +boys!”</p> + +<p>This put Mrs. Crabtree into such a rage, that she followed +Peter with a perfect hail-storm of angry words, till at +last, for a joke, he put up Mrs. Darwin’s umbrella to screen +himself, and immediately afterwards the car drove slowly +off.</p> + +<p>When uncle David heard all the adventures at Ivy Lodge, +he listened most attentively to “the confessions of Master +Harry Graham,” and shook his head in a most serious +manner after they were concluded, saying, “I have always +thought that boys are like cats, with nine lives at least! +You should be hung up in a basket, Harry, as they do with +unruly boys in the South Sea Islands, where such young +gentlemen as you are left dangling in the air for days together +without a possibility of escape!”</p> + +<p><a name="p0131.png" id="p0131.png" href="#p0131.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">131</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>“I would not care for that compared with being teazed +and worried by Mrs. Crabtree. I really wish, uncle David, +that Dr. Bell would order me never to be scolded any more! +It is very bad for me! I generally feel an odd sort of over-all-ish-ness +as soon as she begins; and I am getting too +big now, for any thing but a birch-rod like Frank. How +pleasant it is to be a grown-up man, uncle David, as you +are, sitting all day at the club with your hat on your head, +and nothing to do but look out of the window. That is what +I call happiness!”</p> + +<p>“But once upon a time, Harry,” said Lady Harriet, +“when I stopped in the carriage for your uncle David at +the club, he was in the middle of such a yawn at the window, +that he very nearly dislocated his jaw! it was quite +alarming to see him, and he told me in a great secret, that +the longest and most tiresome hours of his life are, when +he has nothing particular to do.”</p> + +<p>“Now, at this moment, I have nothing particular to do,” +said Major Graham, “therefore I shall tell you a wonderful +story, children, about liking to be idle or busy, and you +must find out the moral for yourselves.”</p> + +<p class="pgbrk">“A story! a story!” cried Harry and Laura, in an ecstacy +of delight, and as they each had a knee of uncle David’s, +which belonged to themselves, they scrambled into +their places, exclaiming, “Now let it be all about very bad +boys, and giants, and fairies!”</p> + + + + +<h2><a name="p0132.png" id="p0132.png" href="#p0132.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">132</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>CHAPTER IX.<br + /><span class="fakehr"> </span><br + /> <br /><small>UNCLE DAVID’S NONSENSICAL STORY ABOUT +GIANTS AND FAIRIES.</small></h2> + +<div class="poem w26 pl4"> +<div class="stanza"> +<div>“Pie-crust and pastry-crust, that was the wall;</div> +<div>The windows were made of black-puddings and white,</div> +<div>And slated with pancakes—you ne’er saw the like!”</div> +</div> +</div> + +<p class="noindent top1"><span class="sc">In</span> the days of yore, children were not all such clever, good +sensible people as they are now! Lessons were then considered +rather a plague, sugar-plums were still in demand—holidays +continued yet in fashion—and toys were not then +made to teach mathematics, nor story-books to give instruction +in chemistry and navigation. These were very strange +times, and there existed at that period, a very idle, greedy, +naughty boy, such as we never hear of in the present day. His +papa and mama were——no matter who,——and he lived, +no matter where. His name was Master No-book, and he +seemed to think his eyes were made for nothing but to stare +out of the windows, and his mouth for no other purpose but +to eat. This young gentleman hated lessons like mustard, +both of which brought tears into his eyes, and during school-hours, +he sat gazing at his books, pretending to be busy, +while his mind wandered away to wish impatiently for his +dinner, and to consider where he could get the nicest pies, +pastry, ices, and jellies, while he smacked his lips at the +<a name="p0133.png" id="p0133.png" href="#p0133.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">133</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>very thoughts of them. I think he must have been first +cousin to Peter Grey, but that is not perfectly certain.</p> + +<p>Whenever Master No-book spoke, it was always to ask +for something, and you might continually hear him say, in +a whining tone of voice, “Papa! may I take this piece of +cake? Aunt Sarah! will you give me an apple? Mama! do +send me the whole of that plum-pudding!” Indeed, very +frequently when he did not get permission to gormandize, +this naughty glutton helped himself without leave. Even +his dreams were like his waking hours, for he had often a +horrible night-mare about lessons, thinking that he was smothered +with Greek Lexicons, or pelted out of the school with +a shower of English Grammars, while one night, he fancied +himself sitting down to devour an enormous plum-cake, and +that all on a sudden it became transformed into a Latin +Dictionary!</p> + +<p>One afternoon, Master No-book, having played truant all +day from school, was lolling on his mama’s best sofa in the +drawing-room, with his leather boots tucked up on the satin +cushions, and nothing to do but to suck a few oranges, and +nothing to think of but how much sugar to put upon them, +when suddenly an event took place which filled him with +astonishment.</p> + +<p>A sound of soft music stole into the room, becoming +louder and louder the longer he listened, till at length, in a +few moments afterwards, a large hole burst open in the wall +of his room, and there stepped into his presence, two magnificent +fairies, just arrived from their castle in the air, to +pay him a visit. They had travelled all the way on purpose +to have some conversation with Master No-book, and immediately +introduced themselves in a very ceremonious manner.</p> + +<p>The fairy Do-nothing was gorgeously dressed with a +wreath of flaming gas round her head, a robe of gold tissue, +a necklace of rubies, and a bouquet in her hand, of glittering +<a name="p0134.png" id="p0134.png" href="#p0134.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">134</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>diamonds. Her cheeks were rouged to the very eyes,—her +teeth were set in gold, and her hair was of a most +brilliant purple; in short, so fine and fashionable looking a +fairy never was seen in a drawing-room before.</p> + +<p>The fairy Teach-all, who followed next, was simply dressed +in white muslin, with bunches of natural flowers in her +light brown hair, and she carried in her hand a few neat +small books, which Master No-book looked at with a shudder +of aversion.</p> + +<p>The two fairies now informed him, that they very often +invited large parties of children, to spend some time at their +palaces, but as they lived in quite an opposite direction, it +was necessary for their young guests to choose which it +would be best to visit first; therefore now they had come to +inquire of Master No-book, whom he thought it would be +most agreeable to accompany on the present occasion.</p> + +<p>“In my house,” said the fairy Teach-all, speaking with a +very sweet smile, and a soft, pleasing voice, “you shall be +taught to find pleasure in every sort of exertion, for I delight +in activity and diligence. My young friends rise at seven +every morning, and amuse themselves with working in a +beautiful garden of flowers,—rearing whatever fruit they +wish to eat,—visiting among the poor,—associating pleasantly +together,—studying the arts and sciences,—and learning +to know the world in which they live, and to fulfil the +purposes for which they have been brought into it. In short, +all our amusements tend to some useful object, either for our +own improvement or the good of others, and you will grow +wiser, better, and happier every day you remain in the Palace +of Knowledge.”</p> + +<p>“But in Castle Needless where I live,” interrupted the +fairy Do-nothing, rudely pushing her companion aside, with +an angry contemptuous look, “we never think of exerting +ourselves for anything. You may put your head in your +pocket, and your hands in your sides as long as you choose +<a name="p0135.png" id="p0135.png" href="#p0135.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">135</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>to stay. No one is ever even asked a question, that he +may be spared the trouble of answering. We lead the most +fashionable life that can be imagined, for nobody speaks to +anybody! Each of my visitors is quite an exclusive, and sits +with his back to as many of the company as possible, in the +most comfortable arm-chair that can be imagined. There, +if you are only so good as to take the trouble of wishing for +anything, it is yours, without even turning an eye round +to look where it comes from. Dresses are provided of the +most magnificent kind, which go on of themselves, without +your having the smallest annoyance with either buttons or +strings,—games which you can play without an effort of +thought,—and dishes dressed by a French cook, smoking +hot and hot under your nose, from morning till night,—while +any rain we have, is either made of cherry brandy, +lemonade, or lavender water,—and in winter it generally +snows iced-punch for an hour during the forenoon.”</p> + +<p>Nobody need be told which fairy Master No-book preferred; +and quite charmed at his own good fortune in receiving +so agreeable an invitation, he eagerly gave his +hand to the splendid new acquaintance, who promised him +so much pleasure and ease, and gladly proceeded, in a carriage +lined with velvet, stuffed with downy pillows, and +drawn by milk-white swans, to that magnificent residence +Castle Needless, which was lighted by a thousand windows +during the day, and by a million of lamps every night.</p> + +<p>Here Master No-book enjoyed a constant holiday and a +constant feast, while a beautiful lady, covered with jewels, +was ready to tell him stories from morning till night, and +servants waited to pick up his playthings if they fell, or to +draw out his purse or his pocket-handkerchief when he wished +to use them.</p> + +<p>Thus Master No-book lay dozing for hours and days on +rich embroidered cushions, never stirring from his place, +but admiring the view of trees covered with the richest +<a name="p0136.png" id="p0136.png" href="#p0136.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">136</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>burned almonds, grottoes of sugar-candy, a jet d’eau of +champagne, a wide sea which tasted of sugar instead of salt, +and a bright clear pond, filled with gold-fish, that let themselves +be caught whenever he pleased. Nothing could be +more complete, and yet, very strange to say, Master No-book +did not seem particularly happy! This appears exceedingly +unreasonable, when so much trouble was taken to +please him; but the truth is, that every day he became more +fretful and peevish. No sweetmeats were worth the trouble +of eating, nothing was pleasant to play at, and in the end +he wished it were possible to sleep all day, as well as all +night.</p> + +<p>Not a hundred miles from the fairy Do-nothing’s palace, +there lived a most cruel monster called the giant Snap-’em-up, +who looked, when he stood up, like the tall steeple of a +great church, raising his head so high, that he could peep +over the loftiest mountains, and was obliged to climb up a +ladder to comb his own hair.</p> + +<p>Every morning regularly, this prodigiously great giant +walked round the world before breakfast for an appetite, after +which, he made tea in a large lake, used the sea as a slop-basin, +and boiled his kettle on Mount Vesuvius. He lived +in great style, and his dinners were most magnificent, consisting +very often of an elephant roasted whole, ostrich patties, +a tiger smothered in onions, stewed lions, and whale +soup; but for a side-dish his greatest favourite consisted of +little boys, as fat as possible, fried in crumbs of bread, with +plenty of pepper and salt.</p> + +<p>No children were so well fed, or in such good condition +for eating, as those in the fairy Do-nothing’s garden, who +was a very particular friend of the great Snap-’em-up’s, and +who sometimes laughingly said she would give him a license, +and call her own garden his “preserve,” because she +allowed him to help himself, whenever he pleased, to as +many of her visitors as he chose, without taking the +<a name="p0137.png" id="p0137.png" href="#p0137.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">137</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>trouble even to count them, and in return for such extreme +civility, the giant very frequently invited her to dinner.</p> + +<p>Snap-’em-up’s favourite sport was, to see how many brace +of little boys he could bag in a morning; so in passing +along the streets, he peeped into all the drawing-rooms +without having occasion to get upon tiptoe, and picked up +every young gentleman who was idly looking out of the +windows, and even a few occasionally who were playing +truant from school, but busy children seemed always somehow +quite out of his reach.</p> + +<p>One day, when Master No-book felt even more lazy, +more idle, and more miserable than ever, he lay beside a +perfect mountain of toys and cakes, wondering what to wish +for next, and hating the very sight of everything and everybody. +At last he gave so loud a yawn of weariness and +disgust, that his jaw very nearly fell out of joint, and then +he sighed so deeply, that the giant Snap-’em-up heard the +sound as he passed along the road after breakfast, and instantly +stepped into the garden, with his glass at his eye, to +see what was the matter. Immediately on observing a large, +fat, over-grown boy, as round as a dumpling, lying on a bed +of roses, he gave a cry of delight, followed by a gigantic peal +of laughter, which was heard three miles off, and picking up +Master No-book between his finger and his thumb, with a +pinch that very nearly broke his ribs, he carried him rapidly +towards his own castle, while the fairy Do-nothing laughingly +shook her head as he passed, saying, “That little man +does me great credit!—he has only been fed for a week, +and is as fat already as a prize ox! What a dainty morsel +he will be! When do you dine to-day, in case I should +have time to look in upon you?”</p> + +<p>On reaching home, the giant immediately hung up Master +No-book by the hair of his head, on a prodigious hook +in the larder, having first taken some large lumps of nasty +suet, forcing them down his throat to make him become +<a name="p0138.png" id="p0138.png" href="#p0138.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">138</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>still fatter, and then stirring the fire, that he might be almost +melted with heat, to make his liver grow larger. On a +shelf quite near, Master No-book perceived the dead bodies +of six other boys, whom he remembered to have seen fattening +in the fairy Do-nothing’s garden, while he recollected +how some of them had rejoiced at the thoughts of +leading a long, useless, idle life, with no one to please but +themselves.</p> + +<p>The enormous cook now seized hold of Master No-book, +brandishing her knife, with an aspect of horrible determination, +intending to kill him, while he took the trouble of +screaming and kicking in the most desperate manner, when +the giant turned gravely round and said, that as pigs were +considered a much greater dainty when whipped to death +than killed in any other way, he meant to see whether children +might not be improved by it also; therefore she might +leave that great hog of a boy till he had time to try the experiment, +especially as his own appetite would be improved +by the exercise. This was a dreadful prospect for the unhappy +prisoner; but meantime it prolonged his life a few +hours, as he was immediately hung up again in the larder, +and left to himself. There, in torture of mind and body,—like +a fish upon a hook,—the wretched boy began at last to +reflect seriously upon his former ways, and to consider +what a happy home he might have had, if he could only +have been satisfied with business and pleasure succeeding +each other, like day and night, while lessons might have +come in, as a pleasant sauce to his play-hours, and his play-hours +as a sauce to his lessons.</p> + +<p>In the midst of many reflections, which were all very +sensible, though rather too late. Master No-book’s attention +became attracted by the sound of many voices laughing, +talking, and singing, which caused him to turn his eyes in +a new direction, when, for the first time, he observed that +the<!-- "t" invisible in original --> fairy Teach-all’s garden lay upon a beautiful sloping +<a name="p0139.png" id="p0139.png" href="#p0139.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">139</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>bank not far off. There a crowd of merry, noisy, rosy-cheeked +boys, were busily employed, and seemed happier +than the day was long; while poor Master No-book watched +them during his own miserable hours, envying the enjoyment +with which they raked the flower-borders, gathered +the fruit, carried baskets of vegetables to the poor, worked +with carpenters’ tools, drew pictures, shot with bows and +arrows, played at cricket, and then sat in the sunny arbours +learning their tasks, or talking agreeably together, till at +length, a dinner-bell having been rung, the whole party +sat merrily down with hearty appetites, and cheerful good-humour, +to an entertainment of plain roast meat and pudding, +where the fairy Teach-all presided herself, and helped +her guests moderately, to as much as was good for each.</p> + +<p>Large tears rolled down the cheeks of Master No-book +while watching this scene; and remembering that if he +had known what was best for him, he might have been as +happy as the happiest of these excellent boys, instead of +suffering ennui and weariness, as he had done at the fairy +Do-nothing’s, ending in a miserable death; but his attention +was soon after most alarmingly roused by hearing the +giant Snap-’em-up again in conversation with his cook, +who said, that if he wished for a good large dish of scolloped +children at dinner, it would be necessary to catch a +few more, as those he had already provided would scarcely +be a mouthful.</p> + +<p>As the giant kept very fashionable hours, and always +waited dinner for himself till nine o’clock, there was still +plenty of time; so, with a loud grumble about the trouble, +he seized a large basket in his hand, and set off at +a rapid pace towards the fairy Teach-all’s garden. It was +very seldom that Snap-’em-up ventured to think of foraging +in this direction, as he had never once succeeded in carrying +off a single captive from the enclosure, it was so well +fortified and so bravely defended; but on this occasion, +<a name="p0140.png" id="p0140.png" href="#p0140.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">140</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>being desperately hungry, he felt as bold as a lion, and walked, +with outstretched hands, straight towards the fairy +Teach-all’s dinner-table, taking such prodigious strides, that +he seemed almost as if he would trample on himself.</p> + +<p>A cry of consternation arose the instant this tremendous +giant appeared; and as usual on such occasions, when he +had made the same attempt before, a dreadful battle took +place. Fifty active little boys bravely flew upon the enemy, +armed with their dinner knives, and looked like a nest of +hornets, stinging him in every direction, till he roared with +pain, and would have run away, but the fairy Teach-all, +seeing his intention, rushed forward with the carving knife, +and brandishing it high over her head, she most courageously +stabbed him to the heart!</p> + +<p>If a great mountain had fallen in the earth, it would have +seemed like nothing in comparison of the giant Snap-’em-up, +who crushed two or three houses to powder beneath +him, and upset several fine monuments that were to have +made people remembered for ever; but all this would have +seemed scarcely worth mentioning, had it not been for a +still greater event which occurred on the occasion, no less +than the death of the fairy Do-nothing, who had been indolently +looking on at this great battle, without taking the +trouble to interfere, or even to care who was victorious, but, +being also lazy about running away, when the giant fell, his +sword came with so violent a stroke on her head, that she +instantly expired.</p> + +<p>Thus, luckily for the whole world, the fairy Teach-all +got possession of immense property, which she proceeded +without delay to make the best use of in her power.</p> + +<p>In the first place, however, she lost no time in liberating +Master No-book from his hook in the larder, and gave him +a lecture on activity, moderation, and good conduct, which +he never afterwards forgot; and it was astonishing to see +the change that took place immediately in his whole thoughts +<a name="p0141.png" id="p0141.png" href="#p0141.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">141</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>and actions. From this very hour, Master No-book became +the most diligent, active, happy boy in the fairy +Teach-all’s garden; and on returning home a month afterwards, +he astonished all the masters at school by his extraordinary +reformation. The most difficult lessons were a +pleasure to him,—he scarcely ever stirred without a book in +his hand,—never lay on a sofa again,—would scarcely even +sit on a chair with a back to it, but preferred a three-legged +stool,—detested holidays,—never thought any exertion a +trouble,—preferred climbing over the top of a hill to creeping +round the bottom,—always ate the plainest food in very +small quantities,—joined a Temperance Society!-and never +tasted a morsel till he had worked very hard and got an +appetite.</p> + +<p>Not long after this, an old uncle, who had formerly been +ashamed of Master No-book’s indolence and gluttony, became +so pleased at the wonderful change, that, on his death, +he left him a magnificent estate, desiring that he should take +his name; therefore, instead of being any longer one of +the No-book family, he is now called Sir Timothy Bluestocking,—a +pattern to the whole country round, for the +good he does to every one, and especially for his extraordinary +activity, appearing as if he could do twenty things at +once. Though generally very good-natured and agreeable, +Sir Timothy is occasionally observed in a violent passion, +laying about him with his walking-stick in the most terrific +manner, and beating little boys within an inch of their +lives; but on inquiry, it invariably appears that he has +found them out to be lazy, idle, or greedy, for all the industrious +boys in the parish are sent to get employment from +him, while he assures them that they are far happier breaking +stones on the road, than if they were sitting idly in a +drawing-room with nothing to do. Sir Timothy cares very +little for poetry in general; but the following are his favourite +verses, which he has placed over the chimney-piece at a +<a name="p0142.png" id="p0142.png" href="#p0142.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">142</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>school that he built for the poor, and every scholar is obliged, +the very day he begins his education, to learn <span class="nw">them:—</span></p> + +<div class="poem w26 pl4"> +<div class="stanza"> +<div>Some people complain they have nothing to do,</div> +<div>And time passes slowly away;</div> +<div>They saunter about with no object in view,</div> +<div>And long for the end of the day.</div> +<br /></div> + +<div class="stanza"> +<div>In vain are the trifles and toys they desire,</div> +<div>For nothing they truly enjoy;</div> +<div>Of trifles, and toys, and amusements they tire,</div> +<div>For want of some useful employ.</div> +<br /></div> + +<div class="stanza"> +<div>Although for transgression the ground was accursed,</div> +<div>Yet gratefully man must allow,</div> +<div>’Twas really a blessing which doom’d him at first,</div> +<div>To live by the sweat of his brow.</div> +</div> +<div class="rt sc">Nursery Rhymes.</div> +</div> + +<p class="top1">“Thank you, a hundred times over, uncle David!” said +Harry, when the story was finished. “I shall take care +not to be found hanging any day on a hook in the larder! +Certainly, Frank, you must have spent a month with the +good fairy; and I hope she will some day invite me to be +made a scholar of too, for Laura and I still belong to the +No-book family.”</p> + +<p>“It is very important. Harry, to choose the best course +from the beginning,” observed Lady Harriet. “Good or +bad habits grow stronger and stronger every minute, as if +an additional string were tied on daily, to keep us in the +road where we walked the day before; so those who mistake +the path of duty at first, find hourly increasing difficulty in +turning round.”</p> + +<p>“But grandmama!” said Frank, “you have put up some +finger-posts to direct us right; and whenever I see ‘no +passage this way,’ we shall wheel about directly.”</p> + +<p>“As Mrs. Crabtree has not tapped at the door yet, I +shall describe the progress of a wise and a foolish man, to +<a name="p0143.png" id="p0143.png" href="#p0143.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">143</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>see which Harry and you would prefer copying,” replied +Lady Harriet, smiling. “The fool begins, when he is +young, with hating lessons, lying long in bed, and spending +all his money on trash. Any books he will consent to +read, are never about what is true or important; but he +wastes all his time and thoughts on silly stories that never +could have happened. Thus he neglects to learn what was +done, and thought, by all the great and good men who really +lived in former times, while even his Bible, if he has one, +grows dusty on the shelf. After so bad a beginning, +he grows up with no useful or interesting knowledge; +therefore his whole talk is to describe his own horses, his +own dogs, his own guns, and his own exploits; boasting +of what a high wall his horse can leap over, the number of +little birds he can shoot in a day, and how many bottles of +wine he can swallow without tumbling under the table. +Thus, ‘glorying in his shame,’ he thinks himself a most +wonderful person, not knowing that men are born to do +much better things than merely to find selfish pleasure and +amusement for themselves. Presently he grows old, gouty, +and infirm—no longer able to do such prodigious achievements; +therefore now his great delight is, to sit with his +feet upon the fender, at a club all day, telling what a famous +rider, shooter, and drinker, he was long ago; but nobody +cares to hear such old stories; therefore he is called a +‘proser,’ and every person avoids him. It is no wonder +a man talks about himself, if he has never read or thought +about any one else. But at length his precious time has all +been wasted, and his last hour comes, during which he can +have nothing to look back upon but a life of folly and guilt. +He sees no one around who loves him, or will weep over +his grave; and when he looks forward, it is towards an +eternal world which he has never prepared to enter, and of +which he knows nothing.”</p> + +<p>“What a terrible picture, grandmama!” said Frank, +<a name="p0144.png" id="p0144.png" href="#p0144.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">144</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>rather gravely. “I hope there are not many people like +that, or it would be very sad to meet with them. Now pray +let us have a pleasanter description of the sort of persons +you would like Harry and me to become.”</p> + +<p>“The first foundation of all is, as you already know, +Frank, to pray that you may be put in the right course and +kept in it, for of ourselves we are so sinful and weak that +we can do no good thing. Then feeling a full trust in the +Divine assistance, you must begin and end every day with +studying your Bible, not merely reading it, but carefully +endeavouring to understand and obey what it contains. +Our leisure should be bestowed on reading of wiser and +better people than ourselves, which will keep us humble +while it instructs our understandings, and thus we shall be +fitted to associate with persons whose society is even better +than books. Christians who are enlightened and sanctified +in the knowledge of all good things, will show us an example +of carefully using our time, which is the most valuable +of all earthly possessions. If we waste our money, we may +perhaps get more—if we lose our health, it may be restored—but +time squandered on folly, must hereafter be answered +for, and can never be regained. Whatever be your station +in life, waste none of your thoughts upon fancying how +much better you might have acted in some other person’s +place, but see what duties belong to that station in which +you live, and do what that requires with activity and diligence. +When we are called to give an account of our +stewardship, let us not have to confess at the last that we +wasted our one talent, because we wished to have been +trusted with ten; but let us prepare to render up what was +given to us, with joy and thankfulness, perfectly satisfied +that the best place in life is where God appoints, and where +He will guide us to a safe and peaceful end.”</p> + +<p>“Yes!” added Major Graham. “You have two eyes in +your minds as well as in your bodies. With one of these +<a name="p0145.png" id="p0145.png" href="#p0145.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">145</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>we see all that is good or agreeable in our lot—with the +other we see all that is unpleasant or disappointing, and you +may generally choose which eye to keep open. Some of +my friends always peevishly look at the troubles and vexations +they endure, but they might turn them into good, by +considering that every circumstance is sent from the same +hand, with the same merciful purpose—to make us better +now and happier hereafter.”</p> + +<p>“Well! my dear children,” said Lady Harriet, “it is time +now for retiring to Bedfordshire; so good night.”</p> + +<p>“If you please, grandmama! not yet,” asked Harry, anxiously. +“Give us five minutes longer!”</p> + +<p>“And then in the morning you will want to remain five +minutes more in bed. That is the way people learn to keep +such dreadfully late hours at last, Harry! I knew one very +rich old gentleman formerly, who always wished to sit up a +little later every night, and to get up a little later in the +morning, till at length, he ended by hiring a set of servants +to rise at nine in the evening, as he did himself, and to +remain in bed all day.”</p> + +<p>“People should regulate their sleep very conscientiously,” +added Major Graham, “so as to waste as little time as possible; +and our good king George III. set us the example, +for he remarked, that six hours in the night were quite +enough for a man—seven hours for a woman, and eight for +a fool. Or perhaps, Harry, you might like to live by Sir +William Jones’ rule:</p> + +<div class="poem pgbrk w22 pl4"> +<div class="stanza"> +<div>‘Six hours to read, to soothing slumber seven,</div> +<div>Ten to the world allot—and all to Heaven.’”</div> +</div> +</div> + + + + +<h2><a name="p0146.png" id="p0146.png" href="#p0146.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">146</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>CHAPTER X.<br + /><span class="fakehr"> </span><br + /> <br /><small>THE ILLUMINATION.</small></h2> + +<div class="poem w20 pl4"> +<div class="stanza"> +<div>A neighbour’s house he’d slyly pass,</div> +<div>And throw a stone to break the glass.</div> +</div> +</div> + + +<p class="noindent top1"><span class="sc">One</span> fine morning in Charlotte Square, Peter Grey persuaded +a party of his companions to spend all the money +they had on cakes and sugar-plums, to make a splendid entertainment +under the trees, where they were to sit like a +horde of gypsies, and amuse themselves with telling fortunes +to each other. Harry and Laura had no one with them but +Betty, who gladly joined a group of nursery-maids at a distance, +leaving them to their own devices; upon which they +rushed up to Peter and offered their assistance, subscribing +all their pocket-money, and begging him to set forth and +obtain provisions for them as well as for himself. Neither +Harry nor Laura cared for eating the trash that was collected +on this occasion, and would have been quite as well +pleased to distribute it among their companions; but they +both enjoyed extremely the bustle of arranging this elegant +déjeuné<!-- original reads "déjèuné" --> or “<i>disjune</i>,” as Peter called it. Harry gathered +leaves off the trees to represent plates, on each of which +Peter arranged some of the fruit or sweetmeats he had purchased, +while they placed benches together as a table, and +borrowed Laura’s white India shawl for a table-cloth.</p> + +<p>“It looks like that grand public dinner we saw at the +<a name="p0147.png" id="p0147.png" href="#p0147.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">147</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>Assembly Rooms one day!” exclaimed Harry, in an ecstacy +of admiration. “We must have speeches and toasts like +real gentlemen and officers. Peter! if you will make a fine +oration, full of compliments to me, I shall say something wonderful +about you, and then Laura must beat upon the table +with a stick, to show that she agrees to all that we observe +in praise of each other.”</p> + +<p>“Or suppose we all take the names of some great personages,” +added Peter, “I shall be the Duke of Wellington, +and Laura, you must be Joseph Hume, and Harry, you are +Sir Francis Burdett, that we may seem as different as possible; +but here comes the usher of the black rod to disperse +us all! Mrs. Crabtree hurrying into the square, her very +gown flaming with rage! what can be the matter! she +must have smelled the sugar-plums a mile off! one comfort +is, if Harry and Laura are taken away, we shall have the +fewer people to divide these cakes among, and I could devour +every one of them, for my own share.”</p> + +<p>Before Peter finished speaking, Mrs. Crabtree had come +close up to the table, and without waiting to utter a word, +or even to scold, she twitched up Laura’s shawl in her hand, +and thus scattered the whole feast in every direction on the +ground, after which she trampled the sugar-plums and cakes +into the earth, saying,</p> + +<p>“I knew how it would be, as soon as I saw whose company +you were in, Master Harry! Peter Grey is the father +of mischief! he ought to be put into the monkey’s cage at +the <em>Geo</em>logical gardens! I would not be your maid, Master +Grey, for a hundred a-year.”</p> + +<p>“You would need to buy a thrashing machine immediately,” +said Peter, laughing; “what a fine time I should have of +it! you would scarcely allow me, I suppose, to blow my porridge! +how long would it take you, Mrs. Crabtree, to make +quite a perfectly good boy of me? Perhaps a month, do +<a name="p0148.png" id="p0148.png" href="#p0148.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">148</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>you think? or to make me as good as Frank, it might possibly +require six weeks.”</p> + +<p>“Six weeks!” answered Mrs. Crabtree; “six years, or +sixty, would be too short. You are no more like Mr. +Frank than a shilling is to a guinea, or a wax light to a +dip. If the news were told that you had been a good boy +for a single day, the very <em>statutes</em> in the streets would come +running along to see the wonder. No! no! I have observed +many surprising things in my day, but them great +pyramuses in Egypt will turn upside down before you turn +like Mr. Frank.”</p> + +<p>Some days after this adventure of Harry and Laura’s, +there arrived newspapers from London containing accounts +of a great battle which had been fought abroad. On that +occasion the British troops of course performed prodigies of +valour, and completely conquered the enemy, in consequence +of which, it was ordered by government, that, in every town, +and every village, and every house throughout the whole +kingdom, there should be a grand illumination.</p> + +<p>Neither Harry nor Laura had ever heard of such a thing +as an illumination before, and they were full of curiosity to +know what it was like; but their very faces became lighted +up with joy, when Major Graham described that they would +see crowds of candles flaming in every window, tar-barrels +blazing on every hill, flambeaux glaring at the doors, and +transparencies, fire-works, and coloured lamps shining in +all the streets.</p> + +<p>“How delightful! and walking out in the dark to see it,” +cried Harry; “that will be best of all! oh! and a whole +holiday! I hardly know whether I am in my right wits, or +my wrong wits, for joy! I wish we gained a victory every +day!”</p> + +<p>“What a warrior you would be, Harry! Cæsar was nothing +to you,” said Frank. “We might be satisfied with one +<a name="p0149.png" id="p0149.png" href="#p0149.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">149</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>good battle in a year, considering how many are killed and +wounded.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, but I hope all the wounded soldiers will recover.”</p> + +<p>“Or get pensions,” added uncle David. “It is a grand +sight, Frank, to see a whole nation rejoicing at once! In +general, when you walk out and meet fifty persons in the +street, they are all thinking of fifty different things, and +each intent on some business of his own, but on this occasion +all are of one mind and one heart.”</p> + +<p>Frank and Harry were allowed to nail a dozen of little +candlesticks upon each window in the house, which delighted +them exceedingly, and then, before every pane of glass, +they placed a tall candle, impatiently longing for the time +when these were to be illuminated. Laura was allowed to +carry a match, and assist in lighting them, but in the excess +of her joy, she very nearly made a bonfire of herself, as her +frock took fire, and would soon have been in a blaze, if +Frank had not hastily seized a large rug and rolled it round +her.</p> + +<p>In every house within sight, servants and children were +to be seen hurrying about with burning matches, while hundreds +of lights blazed up in a moment, looking as if all the +houses in town had taken fire.</p> + +<p>“Such a waste of candles!” said Mrs. Crabtree, angrily; +“can’t people be happy in the dark!”</p> + +<p>“No, Mrs. Crabtree!” answered Frank, laughing. +“They cannot be happy in the dark! People’s spirits are +always in exact proportion to the number of lights. If you +ever feel dull with one candle, light another; and if that +does not do, try a third, or a fourth, till you feel merry and +cheerful. We must not let you be candle-snuffer to-night, +or you will be putting them all out. You would snuff out +the sun itself, to save a shilling.”</p> + +<p>“The windows might perhaps be broken,” added Laura; +“for whatever pane of glass does not exhibit a candle, is to +<a name="p0150.png" id="p0150.png" href="#p0150.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">150</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>have a stone sent through it. Harry says the mob are all +glaziers, who break them on purpose to mend the damage +next day, which they will be paid handsomely for doing.”</p> + +<p>There were many happy, joyous faces, to be seen that +evening in the streets, admiring the splendid illumination; +but the merriest party of all, was composed of Frank, Harry, +and Laura, under the command of uncle David, who had +lately suffered from a severe fit of the gout; but it seemed +to have left him this night, in honour of the great victory, +when he appeared quite as much a boy as either of his two +companions. For many hours they walked about in the +streets, gazing up at the glittering windows, some of which +looked as if a constellation of stars had come down for a +night to adorn them; and others were filled with the most +beautiful pictures of Britannia carrying the world on her +shoulders; or Mars showering down wreaths of laurel on +the Duke of Wellington, while victory was sitting at his +feet, and fame blowing a trumpet at his ear. Harry thought +these paintings finer than any he had ever seen before, and +stood for some moments entranced with admiration, on beholding +a representation in red, blue, yellow, and black, of +Europe, Asia, Africa, and America, all doing homage to St. +George mounted on a dragon, which breathed out fire and +smoke like a steam-boat. Nothing, however, occasioned +the party such a burst of delightful surprise, as when they +first beheld the line of blazing windows more than a mile +long, from the bottom of the Canongate to the highest pinnacle +of the Castle, where they seemed almost to meet the +stars shining above, in their perpetual glory. “You see,” +remarked Major Graham, when he pointed them out to his +young companions, “there is a fit emblem of the difference +between earth and heaven. These lights nearer and +brighter to us at present; but when they have blazed and +glittered for one little hour, they come to an end; while +those above, which we see so dimly now, will continue to +<a name="p0151.png" id="p0151.png" href="#p0151.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">151</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>shine for ages and generations hereafter, till time itself is +no more.”</p> + +<p>Occasionally, during their progress, Harry felt very indignant +to observe a few houses perfectly dark; and whether +the family were sick, or out of town, or whatever the +reason might be, he scarcely became sorry when a frequent +crash might be heard, as the mob, determined to have their +own way this night, aimed showers of stones at the offending +windows, till the very frames seemed in danger of being +broken. At last uncle David led his joyous little party +into Castle Street, in which not a light was to be seen, and +every blind seemed carefully closed. A crowd had assembled, +with an evident intention to attack these melancholy +houses, when Major Graham suddenly caught hold of Harry’s +arm, on observing that he had privately picked up a +large stone, which he was in the very act of throwing with +his whole force at one of the defenceless windows. And +now the whole party stood stock still, while uncle David +said in a very angry and serious voice,</p> + +<p>“Harry! you heedless, mischievous boy! will you never +learn to consider a moment before you do what is wrong? +I am exceedingly displeased with you for this! What business +is it of yours whether that house be lighted up or +not?”</p> + +<p>“But, uncle David! surely it is very wrong not to obey +the government, and to be happy like everybody else! Besides, +you see the mob will break those windows at any +rate, so it is no matter if I help them.”</p> + +<p>“Then, for the same reason, if they were setting the +house on fire, I suppose you would assist the conflagration, +Harry. Your excuse is a very bad one; and when you +hear what I have to say about this house, let it be a lesson for +the rest of your life, never to judge hastily, nor to act rashly. +The officer to whom it belonged, has been killed in the great +battle abroad; and while we are rejoicing in the victory +<a name="p0152.png" id="p0152.png" href="#p0152.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">152</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>that his bravery helped to gain, his widow and children are +weeping within those walls, for the husband and father who +lies buried on a foreign shore. Think what a contrast these +shouts of joy must be to their grief.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, uncle David! how sorry I am!” said Harry. “I +deserve to go home this moment, and not to see a candle +again for a week. It was very wrong of me indeed. I shall +walk all the way home, with my eyes shut, if you will only +excuse me.”</p> + +<p>“No, no, Harry! that is not necessary! If the eyes of +your mind are open, to see that you have acted amiss, then +try to behave better in future. When people are happy +themselves, they are too apt to forget that others may be in +distress, and often feel quite surprised and provoked at +those who appear melancholy; but our turn must come like +theirs. Life is made up of sunshine and shadow, both of +which are sent for our good, and neither of them last, in +this world, for ever; but we should borrow part of our joys, +and part of our sorrows, from sympathy with all those we +see or know, which will moderate the excess of whatever is +our own portion in life.”</p> + +<p>At this moment, the mob, which had been gradually increasing, +gave a tremendous shout, and were on the point of +throwing a torrent of stones at the dark, mournful house, which +had made so narrow an escape from Harry’s vengeance, when +Major Graham, forgetting his gout, hastily sprung upon a +lamp-post, and calling for attention, he made a speech to +the crowd, telling of the brave Captain <span class="nw">D——</span> who had died +for his country, covered with wounds, and that his mourning +family was assembled in that house. Instantly the mob +became as silent and motionless as if they had themselves +been turned into stones; after which they gradually stole +away, with downcast eyes, and mournful countenances; +while it is believed that some riotous people, who had been +loudest and fiercest at first, afterwards stood at the top of the +<a name="p0153.png" id="p0153.png" href="#p0153.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">153</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>little street like sentinels, for more than an hour, to warn +every one who passed, that he should go silently along, in +respect for the memory of a brave and good officer. Not +another shout was heard in the neighbourhood that night; +and many a merry laugh was suddenly checked from reverence +for the memory of the dead, and the sorrow of the living; +while some spectators remarked, with a sigh of melancholy +reflection, that men must ever join trembling with +their mirth, because even in the midst of life they are in +death.</p> + +<p>“If we feel so much sorrow for this one officer and his +family, it shows,” said Frank, “what a dreadful thing war is, +which costs the lives of thousands and tens of thousands in +every campaign, by sickness and fatigue, and the other +sources of misery that accompany every army.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, Frank! and yet there has scarcely been a year on +earth, while the world has existed, without fighting in some +country or another, for, since the time when Cain killed +Abel, men have been continually destroying each other. +Animals only fight in temporary irritation when they are +hungry, but pride, ambition, and folly of every kind, have +caused men to hate and massacre each other. Even religion +itself has caused the fiercest and most bloody conflicts, +though, if that were only understood and obeyed as it ought +to be, the great truths of Scripture would produce peace on +earth, and good-will among all the children of men.”</p> + +<p>The whole party had been standing for some minutes opposite +to the post-office, which looked like a rainbow of coloured +lamps, and Harry was beginning, for the twentieth +time, to try if he could count how many there were, when +Major Graham felt something twitching hold of his coat +pocket behind, and on wheeling suddenly round, he perceived +a little boy, not much older than Harry, darting rapidly +off in another direction, carrying his own purse and pocket-handkerchief +in his hand. Being still rather lame, and +<a name="p0154.png" id="p0154.png" href="#p0154.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">154</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>unable to move very fast, Major Graham could only vociferate +at the very top of his voice, “Stop thief! stop thief!” but +not a constable appeared in sight, so the case seemed desperate, +and the money lost for ever, when Frank observed +also what had occurred, and being of an active spirit, he flew +after the young thief, followed closely by Harry. An eager +race ensued, up one street, and down another, with marvellous +rapidity, while Frank was so evidently gaining ground, +that the thief at last became terrified, and threw away the +purse, hoping thus to end the chase; but neither of his pursuers +paused a moment to pick it up, they were so intent +upon capturing the little culprit himself. At length Frank +sprung forward and caught him by the collar, when a fierce +conflict ensued, during which the young thief was so ingenious, +that he nearly slipped his arms out of his coat, and +would have made his escape, leaving a very tattered garment +in their hands, if Harry had not observed this trick, and +held him by the hair, which, as it was not a wig, he could +not so easily throw off.</p> + +<p>At this moment, a large coarse ruffianly-looking man +hurried up to the party, evidently intending to rescue the little +pick-pocket from their custody; so Frank called loudly for +help, while several police-officers who had been sent by Major +Graham, came racing along the street, springing their +rattles, and vociferating, “Stop thief!”</p> + +<p>Now, the boy struggled more violently than ever to disentangle +himself, but Frank and Harry grasped hold of their +prisoner, as if they had been a couple of Bow Street officers, +till at length the tall fierce man thought it time to be off, +though not before he had given Harry a blow on the face, +that caused him to reel back, and fall prostrate on the pavement.</p> + +<p>“There’s a brave little gentleman!” said one of the constables, +helping him up, while another secured the thief. +“You ought to be knighted for fighting so well! This boy +<a name="p0155.png" id="p0155.png" href="#p0155.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">155</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>you have taken is a sad fellow! He broke his poor mother’s +heart a year since by his wicked ways, and I have long +wished to catch him. A few weeks on the tread-mill now, +may save him from the gallows in future.”</p> + +<p>“He seems well practised in his business,” observed +Major Graham. “I almost deserved; however, to lose my +pocket-book for bringing it out in a night of so much +crowding and confusion. Some lucky person will be all +the richer, though I fear it is totally lost to me.”</p> + +<p>“But here is your pocket-handkerchief, uncle David, if +you mean to shed any tears for your misfortune,” whispered +Laura; “how very lucky that you felt it going!”</p> + +<p>“Yes, and very surprising too, for the trick was so cleverly +executed! That little rascal might steal the teeth out of +one’s head, without being noticed! When I was in India, +the thieves there were so expert that they really could draw +the sheets from under a person sleeping in bed, without disturbing +his slumbers.”</p> + +<p>“With me, any person could do that, because I sleep so +very soundly,” observed Frank. “You might beat a military +drum at my ear, as they do in the boy’s sleeping rooms +at Sandhurst, and it would not have the smallest effect. I +scarcely think that even a gong would do!”</p> + +<p>“How very different from me,” replied Laura. “Last +night I was awakened by the scratching of a mouse nibbling +in the wainscoat, and soon after it ran across my face.”</p> + +<p>“Then pray sleep to-night with your mouth open, and a +piece of toasted cheese in it, to catch the mouse,” said Major +Graham. “That is the best trap I know!”</p> + +<p>“Uncle David,” asked Frank, as they proceeded along +the street, “if there is any hope of that wicked boy being +reformed, will you try to have him taught better? Being so +very young, he must have learned from older people to steal.”</p> + +<p>“Certainly he must! It is melancholy to know how carefully +mere children are trained to commit the very worst +<a name="p0156.png" id="p0156.png" href="#p0156.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">156</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>crimes, and how little the mind of any young boy can be a +match for the cunning of old, experienced villains like those +who lead them astray. When once a child falls into the +snare of such practised offenders, escape becomes as impossible +as that of a bird from a limed twig.”</p> + +<p>“So I believe,” replied Frank. “Grandmama told me +that the very youngest children of poor people, when first +sent to school in London, are often waylaid by those old +women who sell apples in the street, and who pretend to be +so good-natured that they make them presents of fruit. Of +course these are very acceptable, but after some time, those +wicked wretches propose that the child in return shall bring +them a book, or anything he can pick up at home, which +shall be paid for in apples and pears. Few little boys have +sufficient firmness not to comply, whether they like it or +not, and after that the case is almost hopeless, because, +whenever the poor victim hesitates to steal more, those cruel +women threaten to inform the parents of his misconduct, +which terrifies the boy into doing anything rather than be +found out.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, how dreadful!” exclaimed Laura. “It all begins +so smoothly! No poor little boy could suspect any danger, +and then he becomes a hardened thief at once.”</p> + +<p>“Grandmama says, too, that pick-pockets, in London +used to have the stuffed figure of a man hung from the roof +of their rooms, and covered all over with bells, for the boys +to practise upon, and no one was allowed to attempt stealing +on the streets, till he could pick the pocket of this dangling +effigy, without ringing one of the many bells with which it +was ornamented.”</p> + +<p>“I think,” said Harry, “when the young thieves saw +that figure hanging in the air, it might have reminded them +how soon they would share the same fate. Even crows +take warning when they see a brother crow hanging dead in +a field.”</p> + +<p><a name="p0157.png" id="p0157.png" href="#p0157.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">157</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>“It is a curious thing of crows, Harry, that they certainly +punish thieves among themselves,” observed Major Graham. +“In a large rookery, some outcasts are frequently to +be observed living apart from the rest, and not allowed to +associate with their more respectable brethren. I remember +hearing formerly, that in the great rookery at <span class="nw">————</span>, +when all the other birds were absent, one solitary crow was +observed to linger behind, stealing materials for his nest +from those around, but next morning a prodigious uproar +was heard among the trees,—the cawing became so vociferous, +that evidently several great orators were agitating the +crowd, till suddenly the enraged crows flew in a body upon +the nest of their dishonest associate, and tore it in pieces.”</p> + +<p>“Bravo!” cried Frank. “I do like to hear about all +the odd ways of birds and animals! Grandmama mentioned +lately, that, if you catch a crow, and fasten him down +with his back to the ground, he makes such an outcry, that +all his black brothers come wheeling about the place, till one +of them at last alights to help him. Immediately the treacherous +prisoner grapples hold of his obliging friend, and +never afterwards lets him escape; so, by fastening down +one after another, we might entrap the whole rookery.”</p> + +<p>“I shall try it some day!” exclaimed Harry, eagerly. +“What fun to hear them all croaking and cawing!”</p> + +<p>“We shall be croaking ourselves soon with colds, if we +do not hurry home,” added uncle David. “There is not a +thimbleful of light remaining, and your grandmama will be +impatient to hear all the news. This has really been a +most adventurous night, and I am sure none of us will soon +forget it.”</p> + +<p>When the whole party entered the drawing-room, in a +blaze of spirits, all speaking at once, to tell Lady Harriet +what had occurred, Mrs. Crabtree, who was waiting to take +a couple of little prisoners off to bed, suddenly gave an exclamation +of astonishment and dismay when she looked at +<a name="p0158.png" id="p0158.png" href="#p0158.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">158</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>Harry, who now, for the first time since the robber had +knocked him down, approached the light, when he did, to be +sure, appear a most terrible spectacle! His jacket was +bespattered with mud, his shirt-frill torn and bloody, one +eye almost swelled out of his head, and the side of his face +quite black and blue.</p> + +<p>“What mischief have you been in now, Mr. Harry?” +cried Mrs. Crabtree, angrily; “you will not leave a +whole bone in your body, nor a whole shirt in your drawer!”</p> + +<p>“These are honourable scars, Mrs. Crabtree,” interrupted +Major Graham. “Harry has been fighting my battles, +and gained a great victory! we must illuminate the nursery!”</p> + +<p>Uncle David then told the whole story, with many droll +remarks, about his purse having been stolen, and said that, +as Harry never complained of being hurt, he never supposed +that anything of the kind could have occurred; but he felt +very much pleased to observe how well a certain young +gentleman was able to bear pain, as boys must expect hard +blows in the world, when they had to fight their way through +life, therefore it was well for them to give as few as they +could, and to bear with fortitude what fell to their own +share. Uncle David slyly added, that perhaps Harry put up +with these things all the better for having so much practice +in the nursery.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Crabtree seemed rather proud of Harry’s manly +spirit, and treated him with a little more respect than usual, +saying, she would fetch him some hot water to foment his +face, if he would go straight up stairs with Laura. Now, it +very seldom happened, that Harry went straight anywhere, +for he generally swung down the bannisters again, or took +a leap over any thing he saw on the way, or got upon some +of the tables and jumped off, but this night he had resolutely +intended marching steadily up to bed, and advanced a considerable +way, when a loud shout in the street attracted his +attention. Harry stopped, and it was repeated again, so +<a name="p0159.png" id="p0159.png" href="#p0159.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">159</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>seizing Laura by the hand, they flew eagerly into Lady +Harriet’s dressing-room, and throwing open a window, they +picked up a couple of cloaks that were lying on a chair, and +both stepped out on a balcony to find out what was going +on; and in case any one should see them in this unusual +place, Harry quietly shut the window down, intending to +remain only one single minute. Minutes run very fast +away when people are amused, and nothing could be more +diverting than the sight they now beheld, for at this moment +a grand crash exploded of squibs and rockets from the Castle-hill, +which looked so beautiful in the dark, that it seemed +impossible to think of anything else. Some flew high in +the air, and then burst into the appearance of twenty fiery +serpents falling from the sky, others assumed a variety of +colours, and dropped like flying meteors, looking as if the stars +were all learning to dance, while many rushed into the air +and disappeared, leaving not a trace behind. Harry and +Laura stood perfectly entranced with admiration and delight, +till the fire-works neither burst, cracked, nor exploded any +more.</p> + +<p>A ballad-singer next attracted their notice, singing the +tune of “Meet me by moonlight,” and afterwards Laura +shewed Harry the constellation of Orion mentioned in the +Bible, which, besides the Great Bear, was the only one she +had the slightest acquaintance with. Neither of them had +ever observed the Northern Lights so brilliant before, and +now they felt almost alarmed to see them shooting like lances +of fire across the sky, and glittering with many bright +colours, like a rainbow, while Laura remembered her +grandmama mentioning some days ago, that the poor natives +of Greenland believe these are the spirits of their fathers +going forth to battle.</p> + +<p>Meantime, Lady Harriet called Frank, as usual, to his +evening prayers and reading in her dressing-room, where +it was well known that they were on no account to be +<a name="p0160.png" id="p0160.png" href="#p0160.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">160</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>disturbed. After having read a chapter, and talked very seriously +about all it was intended to teach, they had begun to +discuss the prospect of Frank going abroad very soon to +become a midshipman, and he was wondering much where +his first great shipwreck would take place, and telling Lady +Harriet about the loss of the Cabalvala, where the crew lived +for eight days on a barren rock, with nothing to eat but +a cask of raspberry jam, which accidentally floated within +their reach. Before Frank had finished his story, however, +he suddenly paused, and sprung upon his feet with an +exclamation of astonishment, while Lady Harriet, looking +hastily round in the same direction, became terrified to observe +a couple of faces looking in at the window. It was +so dark, she could not see what they were like, but a moment +afterwards the sash began slowly and heavily opening, +after which two figures leaped into the room, while Frank +flew to ring a peal at the bell, and Lady Harriet sunk into +her own arm-chair, covering her face with her hands, and +nearly fainting with fright.</p> + +<p>“Never mind, grandmama! do not be afraid! it is only +us!” cried Harry; “surely you know me?”</p> + +<p>“You!!!” exclaimed Lady Harriet, looking up with +amazement. “Harry and Laura!! impossible! how in +all the world did you get here? I thought you were both in +bed half an hour ago! Tiresome boy! you will be the +death of me some time or other! I wonder when you will +ever pass a day without deserving the bastinado!”</p> + +<p>“Do you not remember the good day last month, grandmama, +when I had a severe toothache, and sat all morning +beside the fire? Nobody found fault with me then, and I +got safe to bed, without a single Oh fie! from noon till +night.”</p> + +<p class="pgbrk">“Wonderful, indeed! what a pity I ever allowed that +tooth to be drawn, but you behaved very bravely on the occasion +of its being extracted. Now take yourselves off! I +<a name="p0161.png" id="p0161.png" href="#p0161.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">161</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>feel perfectly certain you will tell Mrs. Crabtree the exact +truth about where you have been, and if she punishes you, +remember that it is no more than you both deserve. People +who behave ill are their own punishers, and should be +glad that some one will kindly take the trouble to teach +them better.”</p> + + + + +<h2><a name="p0162.png" id="p0162.png" href="#p0162.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">162</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>CHAPTER XI.<br + /><span class="fakehr"> </span><br + /> <br /><small>THE POOR BOY.</small></h2> + +<div class="poem w24 pl4"> +<div class="stanza"> +<div>Not all the fine things that fine people possess,</div> +<div>Should teach them the poor to despise;</div> +<div>For ’tis in good manners, and not in good dress,</div> +<div>That the truest gentility lies.</div> +</div> +</div> + + +<p class="noindent top1"><span class="sc">The</span> following Saturday morning, Frank, Harry, and Laura +were assembled before Lady Harriet’s breakfast hour, +talking over all their adventures on the night of the illumination; +and many a merry laugh was heard while uncle +David cracked his jokes and told his stories, for he seemed +as full of fun and spirits as the youngest boy in a play-ground.</p> + +<p>“Well, old fellow!” said he, lifting up Harry, and suddenly +seating him on the high marble chimney-piece. +“That is the situation where the poor little dwarf, Baron +Borowloski was always put by his tall wife, when she wished +to keep him out of mischief, and I wonder Mrs. Crabtree +never thought of the same plan for you.”</p> + +<p>“Luckily there is no fire, or Harry would soon be roasted +for the Giant Snap-’em-up’s dinner,” said Frank, laughing; +“he looks up there like a China Mandarin. Shake your +head, Harry, and you will do quite as well!”</p> + +<p>“Uncle David!” cried Harry, eagerly, “pray let me see +you stand for one moment as you do at the club on a cold +day, with your feet upon the rug, your back to the fire, +<a name="p0163.png" id="p0163.png" href="#p0163.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">163</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>and your coat-tails under your arms! Pray do, for one +minute!”</p> + +<p>Uncle David did as he was asked, evidently expecting +the result, which took place, for Harry sprung upon his +back with the agility of a monkey, and they went round and +round the room at a full gallop, during the next five minutes, +while Lady Harriet said she never saw two such noisy +people, but it was quite the fashion now, since the king +of France carried his grandchildren, in the same way, every +morning, a picture of which had lately been shown to her.</p> + +<p>“Then I hope his majesty gets as good an appetite with +his romp as I have done,” replied Major Graham, sitting +down. “None of your tea and toast for me! that is +only fit for ladies. Frank, reach me these beef-steaks, and +a cup of chocolate.”</p> + +<p>Harry and Laura now planted themselves at the window, +gazing at crowds of people who passed, while, by way of a +joke, they guessed what everybody had come out for, and +who they all were.</p> + +<p>“There is a fat cook with a basket under her arm, going +to market,” said Harry. “Did you ever observe when Mrs. +Marmalade comes home, she says to grandmama, ‘I have +desired a leg of mutton to come here, my lady! and I told +a goose to be over also,’ as if the leg of mutton and the +goose walked here, arm-in-arm, of themselves.”</p> + +<p>“Look at those children, going to see the wild beasts,” +added Laura, “and this little girl is on her way to buy a new +frock. I am sure she needs one! that old man is hurrying +along because he is too late for the mail-coach; and +this lady with a gown like a yellow daffodil, is going to take +root in the Botanical Gardens!”</p> + +<p>“Uncle David! there is the very poorest boy I ever +saw!” cried Harry, turning eagerly round; “he has been +standing in the cold here, for ten minutes, looking the picture +of misery! he wears no hat, and has pulled his long +<a name="p0164.png" id="p0164.png" href="#p0164.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">164</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>lank hair to make a bow, about twenty times. Do come +and look at him! he is very pale, and his clothes seem to +have been made before he began to grow, for they are so +much too small, and he is making us many signs to open +the window. May I do it?”</p> + +<p>“No! no! I never give to chance beggars of that kind, +especially young able-bodied fellows like that, because there +are so many needy, deserving people whom I visit, +who worked as long as they could, and whom I know +to be sober and honest. Most of the money we scatter to +street beggars goes straight to the gin-shop, and even the very +youngest children will buy or steal, to get the means of becoming +intoxicated. Only last week, Harry, the landlord of an +ale-house at Portobello was seen at the head of a long table, +surrounded with ragged beggar boys about twelve or fourteen +years of age, who were all perfectly drunk, and probably +your friend there might be of the party.”</p> + +<p>“Oh no! uncle David! this boy seems quite sober and +exceedingly clean, though he is so very poor!” replied Laura; +“his black trowsers are patched and repatched, his +jacket has faded into fifty colours, and his shoes are mended +in every direction, but still he looks almost respectable. His +face is so thin you might use it for a hatchet. I wish you +would take one little peep, for he seems so anxious to speak +to us.”</p> + +<p>“I daresay that! we all know what the youngster has to +tell! Probably a wife and six small children at home, or, if +you like it better, he will be a shipwrecked sailor at your +service. I know the whole affair already; but if you have +sixpence to spare, Laura, come with me after breakfast, and +we shall bestow it on poor blind Mrs. Wilkie, who has been +bed-ridden for the last ten years; or old paralytic Jemmy +Dixon the porter, who worked hard as long as he was able. +If you had twenty more sixpences, I could tell you of twenty +more people who deserve them as much.”</p> + +<p><a name="p0165.png" id="p0165.png" href="#p0165.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">165</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>“Very true,” added Lady Harriet. “Street beggars, who +are young and able to work, like that boy, it is cruelty to +encourage. Parents bring up their children in profligate +idleness, hoping to gain more money by lying and cheating, +than by honest industry, and they too often succeed, +especially when the wicked mothers also starve and disfigure +these poor creatures, to excite more compassion. We must +relieve real distress, Harry, and search for it as we would +for hidden treasures, because thus we show our love to God +and man; but a large purse with easy strings will do more +harm than good.”</p> + +<p>“Do you remember, Frank, how long I suspected that +old John Davidson was imposing upon me?” said Major +Graham. “He told such a dismal story always, that I never +liked to refuse him some assistance; but yesterday, when +he was here, the thought struck me by chance to say, ‘What +a fine supper you had last night, John!’ You should have +seen the start he gave, and his look of consternation, when +he answered, ‘Eh, Sir! how did ye hear of that! We got +the turkey very cheap, and none of us took more than two +glasses of toddy.’”</p> + +<p>“That boy is pointing to his pockets, and making more +signs for us to open the window!” exclaimed Laura. +“What can it all mean! he seems so very anxious!”</p> + +<p>Major Graham threw down his knife and fork—rose hastily +from breakfast—and flung open the window, calling out +in rather a loud, angry voice, “What do you want, you idle +fellow? It is a perfect shame to see you standing there all +morning! Surely you don’t mean to say that an active +youngster like you would disgrace yourself by begging?”</p> + +<p>“No, Sir! I want nothing!” answered the boy respectfully, +but colouring to the deepest scarlet. “I never asked +for money in my life, and I never will.”</p> + +<p>“That’s right, my good boy!” answered the Major, instantly +changing his tone. “What brings you here then?”</p> + +<p><a name="p0166.png" id="p0166.png" href="#p0166.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">166</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>“Please, Sir, your servants shut the door in my face, and +every body is so hasty like, that I don’t know what to do. +I can’t be listened to for a minute, though I have got something +very particular to say, that some one would be glad to +hear.”</p> + +<p>Major Graham now looked exceedingly vexed with himself, +for having spoken so roughly to the poor boy, who had +a thoughtful, mild, but care-worn countenance, which was +extremely interesting, while his manner seemed better than +his dress.</p> + +<p>Frank was despatched, as a most willing messenger, to +bring the young stranger up stairs, while uncle David told +Harry that he would take this as a lesson to himself ever afterwards, +not to judge hastily from appearances, because it +was impossible for any one to guess what might be in the +mind of another; and he began to hope this boy, who was +so civil and well-spoken, might yet turn out to be a proper, +industrious little fellow.</p> + +<p>“Well, my lad! Is there anything I can do for you?” +asked Major Graham, when Frank led him kindly into the +room. “What is your name?”</p> + +<p>“Evan Mackay, at your service. Please, Sir, did you +lose a pocket-book last Thursday, with your name on the +back, and nine gold sovereigns inside?”</p> + +<p>“Yes! that I did, to my cost! Have you heard anything +of it?”</p> + +<p>The boy silently drew a parcel from his pocket, and without +looking up or speaking, he modestly placed it on the +table, then colouring very deeply, he turned away, and hurried +towards the door. In another minute he would have +been off, but Frank sprung forward and took hold of his +arm, saying, in the kindest possible manner, “Stop, Evan! +Stop a moment! That parcel seems to contain all my uncle’s +money. Where did you get it? Who sent it here?”</p> + +<p><a name="p0167.png" id="p0167.png" href="#p0167.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">167</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>“I brought it, Sir! The direction is on the pocket-book, +so there could be no mistake.”</p> + +<p>“Did you find it yourself then?”</p> + +<p>“Yes! it was lying in the street that night when I ran +for a Doctor to see my mother, who is dying. She told +me now to come back directly, Sir, so I must be going.”</p> + +<p>“But let us give you something for being so honest,” +said Frank. “You are a fine fellow, and you deserve to be +well rewarded.”</p> + +<p>“I only did my duty, Sir. Mother always says we should +do right for conscience’ sake, and not for a reward.”</p> + +<p>“Yes! but you are justly entitled to this,” said Major +Graham, taking a sovereign out of the purse. “I shall do +more for you yet, but in the meantime here is what you have +honestly earned to-day.”</p> + +<p>“If I thought so, Sir,”——said the poor boy, looking +wistfully at the glittering coin. “If I was quite sure there +could be no harm——, but I must speak first to mother +about it, Sir! She has seen better days once, and she is +sadly afraid of my ever taking charity. Mother mends my +clothes, and teaches me herself, and works very hard in +other ways, but she is quite bed-ridden, and we have scarcely +anything but the trifle I make by working in the fields. +It is very difficult to get a job at all sometimes, and if you +could put me in the way of earning that money, Sir, it +would make mother very happy. She is a little particular, +and would not taste a morsel that I could get by asking for +it.”</p> + +<p>“That is being very proud!” said Harry.</p> + +<p>“No, Sir! it is not from pride,” replied Evan; “but +mother says a merciful God has provided for her many +years, and she will not begin to distrust Him now. Her +hands are always busy, and her heart is always cheerful. +She rears many little plants by her bedside, which we sell, +and she teaches a neighbour’s children, besides sewing for +<a name="p0168.png" id="p0168.png" href="#p0168.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">168</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>any one who will employ her, for mother’s maxim always +was, that there can be no such thing as an idle Christian.”</p> + +<p>“Very true!” said Lady Harriet. “Even the apostles +were mending their nets and labouring hard, whenever +they were not teaching. Either the body or the mind should +always be active.”</p> + +<p>“If you saw mother, that is exactly her way, for she +does not eat the bread of idleness. Were a stranger to +offer us a blanket or a dinner in charity, she would rather +go without any than take it. A very kind lady brought her +a gown one day, but mother would only have it if she were +allowed to knit as many stockings as would pay for the +stuff. I dare not take a penny more for my work than is +due, for she says, if once I begin receiving alms, I might +get accustomed to it.”</p> + +<p>“That is the good old Scotch feeling of former days,” +observed Major Graham. “It was sometimes carried too +far then, but there is not enough of it now. Your mother +should have lived fifty years ago.”</p> + +<p>“You may say so, indeed, Sir! We never had a drop +of broth from the soup-kitchen all winter, and many a day +we shivered without a fire, though the society offered her +sixpence a-week for coals, but she says ‘the given morsel +is soon done;’ and now, many of our neighbours who +wasted what they got, feel worse off than we, who are accustomed +to suffer want, and to live upon our honest labour. +Long ago, if mother went out to tea with any of our neighbours, +she always took her own tea along with us.”</p> + +<p>“But that is being prouder than anybody else,” observed +Frank, smiling. “If my grandmama goes out to a tea-party, +she allows her friends to provide the fare.”</p> + +<p>“Very likely, Sir! but that is different when people can +give as good as they get. Last week a kind neighbour +sent us some nice loaf bread, but mother made me take it +back, with her best thanks, and she preferred our own oat +<a name="p0169.png" id="p0169.png" href="#p0169.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">169</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>cake. She is more ready to give than to take, Sir, and divides +her last bannock, sometimes, with anybody who is +worse off than ourselves.”</p> + +<p>“Poor fellow!” said Frank, compassionately; “how +much you must often have suffered!”</p> + +<p>“Suffered!” said the boy, with sudden emotion. “Yes! +I have suffered! It matters nothing to be clothed in rags,—to +be cold and hungry now! There are worse trials than that! +My father died last year, crushed to death in a moment by his +own cart-wheels,—my brothers and sisters have all gone to the +grave, scarcely able to afford the medicines that might have +cured them,—and I am left alone with my poor dying mother. +It is a comfort that life is not very long, and we may trust +all to God while it lasts.”</p> + +<p>“Could you take us to see Mrs. Mackay?” said Major +Graham, kindly. “Laura, get your bonnet.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, Sir! that young lady could not stay half a minute +in the place where my poor mother lives now. It is not a +pretty cottage such as we read of in tracts, but a dark cold +room, up a high stair, in the narrowest lane you ever saw, +with nothing to sit on but an old chest.”</p> + +<p>“Never mind that, Evan,” replied Major Graham. “You +and your mother have a spirit of honour and honesty that +might shame many who are lying on sofas of silk and damask. +I respect her, and shall assist you if it be possible. +Show us the way.”</p> + +<p>Many dirty closes and narrow alleys were threaded by +the whole party, before they reached a dark ruinous staircase, +where Evan paused and looked round, to see whether Major +Graham still approached. He then slowly mounted one +flight of ancient crumbling steps after another, lighted by +patched and broken windows, till at last they arrived at a +narrow wooden flight, perfectly dark. After groping to the +summit, they perceived a time-worn door, the latch of +which was gently lifted by Evan, who stole noiselessly into +<a name="p0170.png" id="p0170.png" href="#p0170.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">170</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>the room, followed by uncle David and the wondering children.</p> + +<p>There, a large cold room, nearly empty, but exceedingly +clean, presented itself to their notice. In one corner stood +a massive old chest of carved oak, surrounded with a perfect +glow of geraniums and myrtles in full blossom; beside +which were arranged a large antique Bible, a jug of cold +water, and a pile of coarsely-knitted worsted stockings. +Beyond these, on a bed of clean straw, lay a tall, emaciated +old woman, apparently in the last stage of life, with a face +haggard by suffering; and yet her thin, withered hands were +busily occupied with needle-work, while, in low, faltering +tones, she chanted these words,</p> + +<div class="poem w20 pl6"> +<div class="stanza notopspace"> +<div>“When from the dust of death I rise,</div> +<div>To claim my mansion in the skies,</div> +<div>This, this shall be my only plea,</div> +<div>Jesus has liv’d and died for me.”</div> +</div> +</div> + +<p class="top1">“Mother!” said Evan, wishing to arouse her attention. +“Look, mother!”</p> + +<p>“Good day, Mrs. Mackay,” added Major Graham, in a +voice of great consideration, while she languidly turned her +head towards the door. “I have come to thank you for restoring +my purse this morning.”</p> + +<p>“You are kindly welcome, Sir! What else could we +do!” replied she, in a feeble, tremulous voice. “The +money was yours, and the sooner it went out of our hands +the better.”</p> + +<p>“It was perfectly safe while it stayed there,” added Major +Graham, not affecting to speak in a homely accent, nor +putting on any airs of condescension at all, but sitting down +on the old chest as if he had never sat on any thing but a +chest in his life before, and looking at the clean bare floor +with as much respect as if it had been a Turkey carpet. +<a name="p0171.png" id="p0171.png" href="#p0171.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">171</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>“Your little boy’s pocket seems to be as safe as the Bank +of Scotland.”</p> + +<p>“That is very true, Sir! My boy is honest; and it is +well to keep a good conscience, as that is all he has in this +world to live for. Many have a heavy conscience to carry +with a heavy purse; but these he need not envy. If we +are poor in this world, we are rich in faith; and I trust the +money was not even a temptation to Evan, because he +has learned from the best of all teachers, that it would ‘profit +him nothing to gain the whole world, and lose his own +soul.’”</p> + +<p>“True, Mrs. Mackay! most true! We have come here +this morning to request that you and he will do me the favour +to accept of a small recompense.”</p> + +<p>“We are already rewarded, Sir! This has been an opportunity +of testifying to our own hearts that we desire to do +right in the eye of God. At the same time, it was Providence +who kindly directed my son’s steps to the place where +that money was lying; and if anything seems justly due to +poor Evan, let him have it. My wants are few, and must +soon be ended. But oh! when I look at that boy, and +think of the long years he may be struggling with poverty +and temptation, my heart melts within me, and my whole +spirit is broken. Faith itself seems to fail, and I could be +a beggar for him now! It is not money I would ask, Sir, +because that might soon be spent; but get him some honest +employment, and I will thank you on my very knees.”</p> + +<p>Evan seemed startled at the sudden energy of his mother’s +manner, and tears sprung into his eyes while she spoke +with a degree of agitation so different from what he had +ever heard before; but he struggled to conceal his feelings, +and she continued with increasing emotion,</p> + +<p>“Bodily suffering, and many a year of care and sorrow, +are fast closing their work on me. The moments are passing +away like a weaver’s shuttle; and if I had less anxiety +<a name="p0172.png" id="p0172.png" href="#p0172.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">172</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>about Evan, how blessed a prospect it would appear; but +that is the bitterness of death to me now. My poor, poor +boy! I would rather hear he was in the way of earning his +livelihood, than that he got a hundred a-year. Tell me, +Sir!—and oh! consider you are speaking to a dying +creature—can you possibly give him any creditable employment, +where he might gain a crust of bread, and be independent?”</p> + +<p>“I honour your very proper feeling on the subject, Mrs. +Mackay, and shall help Evan to the best of my ability,” replied +Major Graham, in a tone of seriousness and sincerity. +“To judge by these fine geraniums, he must be fond of +cultivating plants; and we want an under-gardener in the +country; therefore he shall have that situation without loss +of time.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, mother! mother! speak no more of dying! You +will surely get better now!” said Evan, looking up, while +his thin pale face assumed a momentary glow of pleasure. +“Try now to get better! I never could work as well, if you +were not waiting to see me come home! We shall be so +happy now!”</p> + +<p class="pgbrk">“Yes! I am happy!” said Mrs. Mackay, solemnly looking +towards heaven, with an expression that could not be +mistaken. “The last cord is cut that bound me to the +earth; and may you, Sir, find hereafter the blessings that +are promised to those who visit the fatherless and widows +in their affliction.”</p> + + + + +<h2><a name="p0173.png" id="p0173.png" href="#p0173.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">173</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>CHAPTER XII.<br + /><span class="fakehr"> </span><br + /> <br /><small>THE YOUNG MIDSHIPMAN.</small></h2> + +<div class="poem w20 pl4"> +<div class="stanza"> +<div>When hands are link’d that dread to part,</div> +<div>And heart is met by throbbing heart;</div> +<div>Oh! bitter, bitter is the smart</div> +<div>Of them that bid farewell.</div> +</div> +<div class="rt sc">Heber.</div> +</div> + + +<p class="noindent top1"><span class="sc">Next</span> Monday morning, at an early hour, Frank had again +found his way with great difficulty to the house of Widow +Mackay, where he spent all his pocket money on two fine +scarlet geraniums. If they had been nettles or cabbages, +he would have felt the same pleasure in buying them; and +his eyes sparkled with animation when he entered uncle +David’s room, carrying them in his hand, and saying, “I +was so glad to have some money! I could spare it quite +well. There is no greater pleasure in being rich than to +help such poor people as Evan Mackay and his poor sick +mother!”</p> + +<p>“Yes, Frank, I often wonder that any enjoyment of +wealth can be considered equal to the exercise of kind feelings, +for surely the most delightful sensation in this world +is, to deserve and receive the grateful affection of those +around us,” replied Major Graham. “What a wretched +being Robinson Crusoe was on the desert island alone, +though he found chests of gold, and yet many people are as +unblessed in the midst of society, who selfishly hoard +<a name="p0174.png" id="p0174.png" href="#p0174.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">174</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>fortunes for themselves, unmindful of the many around who +ought to be gratefully receiving their daily benefits.”</p> + +<p>“I was laughing to read lately of the West India slaves, +who collected money all their lives in an old stocking,” said +Frank, “and who watched with delight as it filled from year +to year; but the bank is only a great stocking, where misers +in this country lay up treasures for themselves which they +are never to enjoy, though too often they lay up no treasures +for themselves in a better world.”</p> + +<p>“I frequently think, Frank, if all men were as liberal, +kind, and forbearing to each other as the Holy Scriptures +enjoin, and if we lived as soberly, temperately, and godly +together, what a paradise this world would become, for many +of our worst sufferings are brought on by our own folly, or +the unkindness of others. And certainly, if we wished to +fancy the wretchedness of hell itself, it would only be necessary +to imagine what the earth would become if all fear of +God and man were removed, and every person lived as his +own angry, selfish passions would dictate. Great are the +blessings we owe to Christianity, for making the world even +what it is now, and yet greater would those blessings be, if +we obeyed it better.”</p> + +<p>“That is exactly what grandmama says, and that we must +attend to the Gospel from love and gratitude to God, rather +than from fear of punishment or hope of reward, which is +precisely what we saw in poor widow Mackay and Evan, +who seemed scarcely to expect a recompense for behaving +so honestly.”</p> + +<p>“That was the more remarkable in them, as few Christians +now are above receiving a public recompense for doing +their duty to God. Men of the world have long rewarded +each other with public dinners and pieces of plate, to express +the utmost praise and admiration, but of late I never +open a newspaper without reading accounts of one clergyman +or another, who has been ‘honoured with a public +<a name="p0175.png" id="p0175.png" href="#p0175.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">175</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>breakfast!’ when he is presented by an admiring circle with +‘a gold watch and appendages!’ or a Bible with a complimentary +inscription, or a gown, or a pair of bands, worked +by the ladies of his congregation! and all this, for labouring +among his own people, in his own sphere of duty! +What would Archbishop Leighton and the old divines have +said to any one who attempted to rouse their vanity in this +way, with the praise of men?”</p> + +<p>“What you say reminds me, uncle David,” said Frank, +“that we have been asked to present our Universal-Knowledge-Master +with a silver snuff-box, as a testimonial +from the scholars in my class, because he is going soon to +Van Dieman’s Land, therefore I hope you will give me +half-a-crown to subscribe, or I shall be quite in disgrace +with him.”</p> + +<p>“Not one shilling shall you receive from me, my good +friend, for any such purpose! a snuff-box, indeed! your +master ought to show his scholars an example of using +none! a filthy waste of health, money, and time. Such +testimonials should only be given, as Archbishop Magee +says, to persons who have got into some scrape, which +makes their respectability doubtful. If my grocer is ever +publicly presented with a pair of silver sugar tongs, I shall +think he has been accused of adulterating the sugar, and +give over employing him directly.”</p> + +<p>“Laura,” said Frank, “you will be having a silver thimble +voted to you for hemming six pocket-handkerchiefs in +six years!”</p> + +<p>“I know one clergyman, Dr. Seton, who conscientiously +refused a piece of plate, which was about to be presented +in this way,” continued Major Graham; “he accidentally +heard that such a subscription was begun among the rich +members of his congregation, and instantly stopped it, saying, +‘Let your testimonial consist in a regular attendance at +church, and let my sole reward be enjoyed hereafter, when +<a name="p0176.png" id="p0176.png" href="#p0176.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">176</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>you appear as my crown of joy and rejoicing in the presence +of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming.’”</p> + +<p>Sir Edward Graham’s particular friend, Captain Gordon, +at last wrote to say, that the Thunderbolt, 74, having been put +in commission for three years, was about to sail for the African +station, therefore he wished Frank to join without delay; +and as a farther mark of his regard, he promised that +he would endeavour to keep his young protege employed +until he had served out his time, because a midshipman once +paid off, was like a stranded whale, not very easily set afloat +again.</p> + +<p>Lady Harriet sighed when she read the letter, and looked +paler all that day, but she knew that it was right and necessary +for Frank to go, therefore she said nothing to distress +him on the occasion, only in her prayers and explanations +of the Bible that evening, there was a deeper tone of feeling +than ever, and a cast of melancholy, which had rarely been +the case before, while he spoke much of that meeting in a +better world, which is the surest hope and consolation of +those Christians who separate on earth, and who know not +what a day, and still less what many years, may bring forth.</p> + +<p>Major Graham tried to put a cheerful face on the matter +also, though he evidently felt very sorry indeed about parting +with Frank, and took him out a long walk to discuss +his future prospects, saying, “Now you are an officer and +a gentleman, entitled therefore to be treated with new respect +and attention, by all your brother officers, naval or +military, in his Majesty’s service.”</p> + +<p>Frank himself, being a boy of great spirit and enterprize, +felt glad that the time had really come for his being +afloat, and examining all the world over with his own eyes; +but he said that his heart seemed as if it had been put in a +swing, it fell so low when he thought of leaving his dear +happy home, and then it rose again higher than ever at the +very idea of being launched on the wide ocean, and going +<a name="p0177.png" id="p0177.png" href="#p0177.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">177</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>to the countries he had so often read of, where battles had +been fought and victories won.</p> + +<p>“Frank!” said Peter Grey, who was going to join the +Thunderbolt, in about a fortnight afterwards, “you have +no idea how beautiful I looked in uniform to-day! I tried +mine on, and felt so impatient to use my dirk, I could have +eat my dinner with it, instead of employing a common +knife.”</p> + +<p>“You never forget to be hungry, Peter,” said Frank, +laughing. “But now you are like the old Lord Buchan, +who used to say he could cook his porridge in his helmet, +and stir it with his broad-sword.”</p> + +<p>“I hope,” said Major Graham, “you both intend to become +very distinguished officers, and to leave a name at +which the world grows pale.”</p> + +<p>“Certainly,” answered Peter. “All the old heroes we +read of shall be mere nobodies compared to me! I mean +to lose a leg or an arm in every <span class="nw">battle,”——</span></p> + +<p>“Till nothing is left of you but your shirt-collar and +shoe-strings,” interrupted Frank, laughing.</p> + +<p>“No! No! What remains of me at last shall die a Peer +of the realm,” continued Peter. “We must climb to the top +of the tree, Frank! What title do you think I should take?”</p> + +<p>“Lord Cockpit would suit you best for some time, +Peter! It will not be so easy a business to rise as you +think. Every one can run a race, but very few can win,” +observed Major Graham. “The rarest thing on earth is to +succeed in being both conspicuous and respectable. Any +dunce may easily be either the one or the other, but the +chief puzzle with most men is, how to be both. In your +profession there are great opportunities, but at the same +time let me warn you, that the sea is not a bed of roses.”</p> + +<p>“No, uncle David! but I hope it will become a field of +laurels to us,” replied Frank, laughing. “Now tell me +<a name="p0178.png" id="p0178.png" href="#p0178.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">178</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>in real earnest who you think was the greatest of our naval +heroes till now, when Peter is to cut them all out.”</p> + +<p>“He must wait a few years. It is a long ladder to run +up before reaching the top. In France, the king’s sons +are all born Field Marshals, but nobody in this country is +born an Admiral. The great Lord Duncan served during +half-a-century before gaining his most important victory, +but previous to that, he paved the way to success, not by +mere animal courage alone, but by being so truly good and +religious a man, that his extraordinary firmness and benevolence +of character gained the confidence and respect of all +those who served with him, and therefore half his success +in battle was owing to his admirable conduct during peace.”</p> + +<p>“So I have heard!” replied Frank; “and when there +was mutiny in every other ship, the Admiral’s own crew +remained faithful to him. How much better it is to be +obeyed from respect and attachment than from fear, which +is a mean feeling that I hope neither to feel myself, nor to +excite in others. I wish to be like Nelson, who asked, +‘What is fear? I never saw it.’”</p> + +<p>“Yes, Frank! Nelson was said to be ‘brave as a lion, +and gentle as a lamb.’ Certainly both he and Lord Duncan +were pre-eminently great; but neither Lord Duncan, +nor any other enlightened Christian, would have said what +Lord Nelson did, with his latent breath—‘I have not been +a great sinner!’ No mortal could lift up his eyes at the +day of judgment, and repeat those words again; for every +man that breathes the breath of life is a great sinner. We +are living in God’s own world without remembering him, +continually; and amidst thousands of blessings we disobey +him. The chief purpose for which men are created, is to +glorify God, and to prepare for entering his presence in a +better world; but instead of doing so, we live as if there +were no other object to live for, than our own pleasures and +amusements on earth. How, then, can we be otherwise +<a name="p0179.png" id="p0179.png" href="#p0179.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">179</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>than great sinners? I hope, Frank, that you will endeavour +to be, like Lord Duncan, not merely a good officer, but also +a good Christian; for, besides fighting the battles of your +country, you must gain a great victory over yourself, as all +men must either conquer their own evil dispositions, or +perish for ever.”</p> + +<p>Lady Harriet was particularly earnest in entreating Frank +to write frequently home; observing, that she considered it +a religious duty in all children, to shew their parents this attention, +as the Bible says that “a wise son maketh a glad +father,” and that “the father of the righteous shall greatly +rejoice;” but on the contrary, too many young persons leave +their parents to mourn in suspense and anxiety, as to the +health and happiness of those whom they love more than +they can ever love any one else.</p> + +<p>“Tell us of every thing that interests you, and even all +about the spouting whales, flying fish, and dying dolphins, +which you will of course see,” said Laura. “Be sure to +write us also, how many albatrosses you shoot, and whether +you are duly introduced to Neptune at the Cape.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, Laura! but Bishop Heber’s Journal, or any other +book describing a voyage to the Cape, mentions exactly the +same thing. It will quite bring me home again when I +speak to you all on paper; and I shall be able to fancy what +everybody will say when my letter is read. Mrs. Darwin +sent for me this morning on particular business; and it was +to say that she wished me, in all the strange countries +where the Thunderbolt touched, to employ my spare moments +in chasing butterflies, that as many as possible might +be added to her museum.”</p> + +<p>“Capital! How like Mrs. Darwin!” exclaimed Major +Graham, laughing. “You will of course be running all over +Africa, hat in hand, pursuing painted butterflies, till you get a +<i>coup de soleil</i>, like my friend Watson, who was killed by one. +Poor fellow! I was with him then, and it was a frightful +<a name="p0180.png" id="p0180.png" href="#p0180.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">180</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>scene. He wheeled round several times, in a sort of convulsion, +till he dropped down dead in my arms.”</p> + +<p>“I shall gild the legs and bills of some ducks before +leaving home, and send them to her as a present from Sierra +Leone,” said Peter. “The wings might be died scarlet, +which would look quite foreign; and if an elephant falls in +my way, it shall be stuffed and forwarded by express.”</p> + +<p>“Uncle David! Do you remember what fun we had, +when you sent Mrs. Darwin that stuffed bear in a present! +I was desired to announce that a foreigner of distinction +had arrived to stay at her house. What a bustle she was in +on hearing that he brought letters of introduction from you, +and intended to remain some time. Then we told her that +he could not speak a word of English, and brought ‘a Pole’ +with him; besides which he had once been a great dancer. +Oh! how amusing it was, when she at last ventured into +the passage to be introduced, and saw her fine stuffed bear.”</p> + +<p>“Whatever people collect,” said Peter, “every good-natured +person assists. I mean to begin a collection of +crooked sixpences immediately; therefore, pray never spend +another, but give me as many as you can spare; and the +more crooked the better.”</p> + +<p>“Sing a song a sixpence!” said Frank, laughing. +“Laura should begin to collect diamonds for a necklace, +and perhaps it might be all ready before she comes out. I +shall return home on purpose to see you then, Laura.”</p> + +<p>“Pray do, Master Frank,” said Mrs. Crabtree, with more +than usual kindness; “we shall have great rejoicings on the +occasion of seeing you back—an ox roasted alive, as they +do in England, and all them sort of Tom-fooleries. I’ll +dance a jig then myself for joy—you certainly are a wonderful +good boy, considering that I had not the managing of you.”</p> + +<p>Frank’s departure was delayed till after the examination +of his school, because Mr. Lexicon had requested that, being +the best scholar there, he might remain to receive a whole +<a name="p0181.png" id="p0181.png" href="#p0181.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">181</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>library of prize-books, and a whole pocketful of medals; +for, as Peter remarked, “Frank Graham deserved any reward, +because he learned his lessons so perfectly, that he +could not say them wrong even if he wished!”</p> + +<p>Harry and Laura were allowed to attend on the great occasion, +that they might witness Frank’s success; and never, +certainly, had they seen any thing so grand in their lives +before! A hundred and forty boys, all dressed in white +trowsers and yellow gloves, were seated in rows, opposite to +six grave learned-looking gentlemen, in wigs and spectacles, +who seemed as if they would condemn all the scholars to +death!</p> + +<p>The colour mounted into Harry’s cheeks with delight, +and the tears rushed into his eyes, when he saw Frank, +whose face was radiant with good-humour and happiness, +take his place as head boy in the school. All his companions +had crowded round Frank as he entered, knowing that +this was his last appearance in the class; while he spoke a +merry or a kind word to each, leaning on the shoulder of +one, and grasping the hand of another with cordial kindness, +for he liked everybody, and everybody liked him. No one +envied Frank being dux, because they knew how hard he +worked for that place, and how anxious he had been to help +every other boy in learning as cleverly as himself; for all +the boobies would have become duxes if Frank could have +assisted them to rise, while many an idler had been made +busy by his attention and advice. No boy ever received, in +one day, more presents than Frank did on this occasion +from his young friends, who spent all their pocket-money +in pen-knives and pencil-cases, which were to be kept by +Frank, in remembrance of them, as long as he lived; and +some of his companions had a tear in their eye on bidding +him farewell, which pleased him more than all their gifts.</p> + +<p>Major Graham took his place, with more gravity than +usual, among the judges appointed to distribute the prizes; +<a name="p0182.png" id="p0182.png" href="#p0182.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">182</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>and now, during more than two hours, the most puzzling +questions that could be invented were put to every scholar +in succession, while Frank seemed always ready with an +answer, and not only spoke for himself, but often good-naturedly +prompted his neighbours, in so low a tone that no one +else heard him. His eyes brightened, and his face grew red +with anxiety, while even his voice shook at first; but before +long Frank collected all his wits about him, and could construe +Latin or repeat Greek with perfect ease, till at length +the whole examination concluded, and the great Dr. Clifford, +who had lately come all the way from Oxford, was requested +to present the prizes. Upon this he rose majestically +from his arm-chair, and made a long speech, filled as +full as it could hold with Latin and Greek. He praised +Homer and Horace for nearly twenty minutes, and brought +in several lines from Virgil, after which he turned to Frank, +saying, in a tone of great kindness and condescension, +though at the same time exceedingly pompous,</p> + +<p>“It seems almost a pity that this young gentleman—already +so very accomplished a scholar—who is, I may say, a +perfect <i>multum in parvo</i>, should prematurely pause in his +classical career to enter the navy; but in every situation of +life his extraordinary activity of mind, good temper, courage +and ability, must render him an honour to his country +and his profession.”</p> + +<p>Dr. Clifford now glanced over the list of prizes, and read +aloud—“First prize for Greek—Master Graham!”</p> + +<p>Frank walked gracefully forward, coloured and bowed, +while a few words of approbation were said to him, and a +splendidly-bound copy of Euripides was put into his hands +by Dr. Clifford, who then hastily read over the catalogue of +prizes to himself, in an audible voice, and in a tone of great +surprise.</p> + +<p>“First prize for Latin!—Master Graham! First for algebra,—first +for geography,—first for mathematics,—all +<a name="p0183.png" id="p0183.png" href="#p0183.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">183</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>Master Graham!!!—and last, not least, a medal for general +good conduct, which the boys are allowed to bestow +upon the scholar they think most deserving,—and here +stands the name of Master Graham again!!”</p> + +<p>Dr. Clifford paused, while the boys all stood up for a +moment and clapped their hands with enthusiasm, as a token +of rejoicing at the destination of their own medal.</p> + +<p>For the first time Frank was now completely overcome,—he +coloured more deeply than before, and looked gratefully +round, first at his companions, then at his master, and last +at Major Graham, who had a tear standing in his eye when +he smiled upon Frank, and held out his hand.</p> + +<p>Frank’s lip quivered for a moment, as if he would burst +into tears, but with a strong effort he recovered himself, and +affectionately grasping his uncle’s hand, hastily resumed his +place on the bench, to remain there while his companions +received the smaller prizes awarded to them.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile, Harry had been watching Frank with a feeling +of joy and pride, such as he never experienced before, +and could scarcely refrain from saying to every person near +him, “That is my brother!” He looked at Frank long and +earnestly, wishing to be like him, and resolving to follow his +good example at school. He gazed again and again, with +new feelings of pleasure and admiration, till gradually his +thoughts became melancholy, while remembering how soon +they must be separated; and suddenly the terrible idea darted +into his mind, “Perhaps we never may meet again!” +Harry tried not to think of this; he turned his thoughts to +other subjects; he forced himself to look at anything that +was going on, but still these words returned with mournful +apprehension to his heart, “Perhaps we never may meet +again!”</p> + +<p>Frank’s first action, after the examination had been concluded, +was hastily to gather up all his books, and bring a +sight of them to Harry and Laura; but what was his +<a name="p0184.png" id="p0184.png" href="#p0184.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">184</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>astonishment when, instead of looking at the prizes, Harry +suddenly threw his arms round his neck, and burst into +tears.</p> + +<p>“My dear—dear boy! what has happened!” exclaimed +Frank, affectionately embracing him, and looking much +surprised. “Tell me, dear Harry, has any thing distressed +you?”</p> + +<p>“I don’t know very well, Frank! but you are going +away,—and—and—I wish I had been a better boy! I +would do any thing you bid me now!—but I shall never be +so happy again—no! never, without you!”</p> + +<p>“But, dear Harry! you will have Laura and grandmama, +and uncle David, all left, and I am coming back some day! +Oh! what a happy meeting we shall have then!” said +Frank, while the tears stood in his eyes; and drawing +Harry’s arm within his own, they walked slowly away together.</p> + +<p>“I am very—very anxious for you and Laura to be happy,” +continued Frank, in the kindest manner; “but, dear +Harry, will you not take more care to do as you are bid, +and not always to prefer doing what you like! Mrs. Crabtree +would not be half so terrible if you did not provoke her +by some new tricks every day. I almost like her myself; +for as the old proverb says, ‘her bark is worse than her +bite;’ and she often reminds me of that funny old fable, +where the mice were more afraid of the loud, fierce-looking +cock, than of the sleek, smooth-looking cat, for there are +people carrying gentler tongues yet quite as difficult to deal +with. At the same time, seeing how uncomfortable you +and Laura both feel with Mrs. Crabtree, I have written a +letter to papa, asking, as my last and only request on leaving +home, that he will make a change of ministry, and +he is always so very kind, that I feel sure he will grant it.”</p> + +<p>“How good of you, Frank!” said Harry. “I am sure it +is our own faults very often when we are in disgrace, for +<a name="p0185.png" id="p0185.png" href="#p0185.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">185</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>we are seldom punished till we deserve it; but I am +so sorry you are going away, that I can think of nothing +else.”</p> + +<p>“So am I, very sorry indeed; but my best comfort, when +far from home, would be, to think that you and Laura are +happy, which will be the case when you become more watchful +to please grandmama.”</p> + +<p>“That is very true, Frank! and I would rather offend +twenty Mrs. Crabtrees than one grandmama; but perhaps +uncle David may send me to school now, when I shall try +to be like you, sitting at the top of the class, and getting +prizes for good behaviour.”</p> + +<p>“Well, Harry! my pleasantest days at school have been +those when I was busiest, and you will find the same thing. +How delightful it was, going over and over my tasks till they +were quite perfect, and then rushing out to the play-ground, +where my mind got a rest, while my body was active; you +know it is seldom that both mind and body work at once, +and the best way of resting the one is, to make the other +labour. That is probably the reason, Harry, why games +are never half so pleasant as after hard study.”</p> + +<p>“Perhaps,” replied Harry, doubtfully; “but I always +hate any thing that I am obliged to do.”</p> + +<p>“Then never be a sailor, as I shall be obliged to do fifty +things a-day that I would rather not; for instance, to get up +in the middle of the night, when very likely dreaming +about being at home again; but, as grandmama says, it is +pleasant to have some duties, for life would not get on well +without them.”</p> + +<p>“Yes—perhaps—I don’t know!—we could find plenty +to do ourselves, without anybody telling us. I should like +to-morrow, to watch the boys playing at cricket, and to see +the races, and the Diorama, and in the evening to shoot +our bows and arrows.”</p> + +<p>“My good Sir! what the better would you, or +<a name="p0186.png" id="p0186.png" href="#p0186.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">186</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>anybody else, be of such a life as that! Not a thing in this +world is made to be useless, Harry; the very weeds that +grow in the ground are for some serviceable purpose, and +you would not wish to be the only creature on earth living +entirely for yourself. It would be better if neither of us had +ever been born, than that the time and opportunities which +God gives us for improving ourselves and doing good to +others, should all be wasted. Let me hope, Harry, when I +am away, that you will often consider how dull grandmama +may then feel, and how happy you might make her by being +very attentive and obedient.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, Frank! but I could never fill your place!—that is +quite impossible! Nobody can do that!”</p> + +<p>“Try!—only try, Harry! grandmama is very easily +pleased when people do their best. She would not have +felt so well satisfied with me, if that had not been the case.”</p> + +<p>“Frank!” said Harry, sorrowfully, “I feel as if ten brothers +were going away instead of one, for you are so good +to me! I shall be sure to mention you in my prayers, because +that is all I can do for you now.”</p> + +<p>“Not all, Harry! though that is a great deal; you must +write to me often, and tell me what makes you happy or +unhappy, for I shall be more interested than ever, now that +we are separated. Tell me everything about my school-fellows, +too, and about Laura. There is no corner of the +wide world where I shall not think of you both every day, +and feel anxious about the very least thing that concerns +you.”</p> + +<p>“My dear boys!” said Major Graham, who had joined +them some moments before, “it is fortunate that you have +both lived always in the same home, for that will make you +love each other affectionately as long as you live. In England, +children of one family are all scattered to different +schools, without any one to care whether they are attached or +not, therefore their earliest and warmest friendships are +<a name="p0187.png" id="p0187.png" href="#p0187.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">187</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>formed with strangers of the same age, whom they perhaps +never see again, after leaving school. In that case, brothers +have no happy days of childhood to talk over in future life, +as you both have,—no little scrapes to remember, that they +got into together—no pleasures enjoyed at the same moment +to smile at the recollection of, and no friction of their tempers +in youth, such as makes every thing go on smoothly between +brothers when they grow older; therefore, when at last +grown up and thrown together, they scarcely feel more mutual +friendship and intimacy than any other gentlemen testify +towards each other.”</p> + +<p>“I dare say that is very true,” said Frank. “Tom +Brownlow tells me when his three brothers come home from +Eton, Harrow, and Durham, they quarrel so excessively, that +sometimes no two of them are on speaking terms.”</p> + +<p>“Not at all improbable,” observed Major Graham. “In +every thing we see how much better God’s arrangements are +than our own. Families were intended to be like a little +world in themselves—old people to govern the young +ones—young people to make their elders cheerful—grown-up +brothers and sisters to show their juniors a +good example—and children to be playthings and companions +to their seniors, but that is all at an end in the present +system.”</p> + +<p>“Old Andrew says that large families ‘squander’ themselves +all over the earth now,” said Frank, laughing.</p> + +<p>“Yes!<!-- original has spurious closing quote --> very young children are thrust into preparatory +schools—older boys go to distant academies—youths to College—and +young men are shipped off abroad, while who +among them all can say his heart is in his own home? Parents +in the meantime, finding no occupation or amusement in +educating their children, begin writing books, perhaps +theories of education, or novels; and try to fill up the rest +of their useless hours with plays, operas, concerts, balls, or +clubs. If people could only know what is the best happiness +<a name="p0188.png" id="p0188.png" href="#p0188.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">188</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>of this life, it certainly depends on being loved by +those we belong to; for nothing can be called peace on +earth, which does not consist in family affection, built upon +a strong foundation of religion and morality.”</p> + +<p>Sir Edward Graham felt very proud of Frank, as all gentlemen +are of their eldest sons, and wrote a most affectionate +letter on the occasion of his going to sea, promising to +meet him at Portsmouth, and lamenting that he still felt so +ill and melancholy he could not return home, but meant to +try whether the baths in Germany would do him any good. +In this letter was enclosed what he called “Frank’s first +prize-money,” the largest sum the young midshipman had +ever seen in his life, and before it had been a day in his possession, +more than the half was spent on presents to his +friends. Not a single person seemed to be forgotten except +himself; for Frank was so completely unselfish, that Peter +Grey once laughingly said, “Frank scarcely remembers +there is such a person as himself in the world, therefore it is +astonishing how he contrives to exist at all.”</p> + +<p>“If that be his worst fault, you shew him a very opposite +example, Peter,” said Major Graham, smiling; “number +one is a great favourite with you.”</p> + +<p>“Frank is also very obliging!” added Lady Harriet; “he +would do anything for any body.”</p> + +<p>“Ah, poor fellow! he can’t help that,” said Peter, in a +tone of pity. “Some people are born with that sort of desperate +activity—flying to assist every one—running up stairs +for whatever is wanted—searching for whatever is lost—and +picking up whatever has been dropped. I have seen several +others like Frank, who were troubled with that sort of +turn. He is indulging his own inclination in flying about +everywhere for everybody, as much as I do in sitting still!—it +is all nature!—you know tastes differ, for some people +like apples and some like onions.”</p> + +<p>Frank had a black shade of himself, drawn in uniform +<a name="p0189.png" id="p0189.png" href="#p0189.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">189</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>and put into a gilt frame, all for one shilling, which he presented +to his grandmama, who looked sadly at the likeness +when he came smiling into her dressing-room, and calling +Harry to assist in knocking a nail into the wall, that it +might be hung above the chimney-piece. “I need nothing +to remind me of you, dear Frank,” observed Lady Harriet, +“and this is a sad exchange, the shadow for the substance.” +Frank gave a handsome new red morocco spectacle-case to +uncle David, and asked leave to carry away the old one with +him as a remembrance. He bought gowns for all the maids, +and books for all the men-servants. He presented Mrs. +Crabtree with an elegant set of tea-cups and saucers, promising +to send her a box of tea the first time he went to +China; and for Laura and Harry he produced a magnificent +magic lanthorn, representing all the stars and planets, which +cost him several guineas. It was exhibited the evening before +Frank went away, and caused great entertainment to a +large party of his companions, who assembled at tea to take +leave of him, on which occasion Peter Grey made a funny +speech, proposing Frank’s health in a bumper of bohea, +when the whole party became very merry, and did not disperse +till ten.</p> + +<p>Major Graham intended accompanying Frank to Portsmouth, +and they were to set off by the mail next evening. +That day was a sad one to Harry and Laura, who were allowed +a whole holiday; but not a sound of merriment was +heard in the house, except when Frank tried to make them +cheerful, by planning what was to be done after he came +back, or when Major Graham invented droll stories about +the adventures Frank would probably meet with at sea. +Even Mrs. Crabtree looked more grave and cross than +usual; and she brought Frank a present of a needle-case +made with her own hands, and filled with thread of every +kind, saying, that she heard all “midshipmites” learned to +mend their things, and keep them decent, which was an +<a name="p0190.png" id="p0190.png" href="#p0190.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">190</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>excellent custom, and ought to be encouraged; but she hoped +he would remember, that “a stitch in time saves nine.”</p> + +<p>Lady Harriet stayed most of that day in her dressing-room, +and tried to conceal the traces of many tears when +she did appear; but it was only too evident how sadly her +time had been passed alone.</p> + +<p>“Grandmama!” said Frank, taking her hand affectionately, +and trying to look cheerful; “we shall meet again; +perhaps very soon!”</p> + +<p>Lady Harriet silently laid her hand upon the Bible, to +show that there she found the certain assurance of another +meeting in a better world; but she looked at Frank with +melancholy affection, and added, very solemnly and emphatically,</p> + +<div class="poem w18 pl4"> +<div class="stanza notopspace"> +<div><!-- opening quote absent in original -->“‘There is no union here of hearts,</div> +<div>That finds not here an end.’”</div> +</div> +</div> + +<p class="top1">“But, grandmama! you are not so very old!” exclaimed +Laura, earnestly. “Lord Rockville was born ten years +sooner, and besides, young people sometimes die before older +people.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, Laura! young people may die, but old people +must. It is not possible that this feeble aged frame of mine +can long remain in the visible world. ‘The eye of him +that hath seen me shall me no more.’ I have many more +friends under the earth now, than on it. The streets of this +city would be crowded, if all those I once knew and still remember, +could be revived; but my turn is fast coming, like +theirs, and Frank knows, as all of you do, where it is my +hope and prayer that we may certainly meet again.”</p> + +<p>“Grandmama!” said Frank, in a low and broken voice, +“it wants but an hour to the time of my departure; I +should like much if the servants were to come up now for +family prayers and if uncle David would read us the 14th +chapter of St. John.”</p> + +<p><a name="p0191.png" id="p0191.png" href="#p0191.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">191</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>Lady Harriet rung the bell, and before long the whole +household had assembled, as not one would have been absent +on the night of Master Frank’s departure from home, +which all were deeply grieved at, and even Mrs. Crabtree +dashed a tear from her cheek as she entered the room.</p> + +<p>Frank sat with his hand in Lady Harriet’s, while Major +Graham read the beautiful and comforting chapter which +had been selected, and when the whole family kneeled in +solemn prayer together, many a deep sob, which could not +be conquered, was heard from Frank himself. After all +was over, he approached the servants, and silently shook +hands with each, but could not attempt to speak; after +which Lady Harriet led him to her dressing-room, where +they remained some time, till, the carriage having arrived, +Frank hastened into the drawing-room, clasped Harry and +Laura in his arms, and having, in a voice choked with +grief, bid them both a long farewell, he hurried out of their +presence.</p> + +<p>When the door closed, something seemed to fall heavily +on the ground, but this scarcely attracted any one’s attention, +till Major Graham followed Frank, and was shocked +to find him lying on the staircase perfectly insensible. Instead +of calling for assistance, however, uncle David carefully +lifted Frank in his own arms, and carried him to the +carriage, where, after a few moments, the fresh air, and the +rapid motion revived his recollection, and he burst into +tears.</p> + +<p>“Poor grandmama! and Harry and Laura!” cried he, +weeping convulsively. “Oh! when shall I see them all +again!”</p> + +<p>“My dear boy!” said Major Graham, trying to be cheerful; +“do you think nobody ever left home before? One +would suppose you never expected to come back! Three +years seem an age when we look forward, but are nothing +after they have fled. The longer we live, the shorter every +<a name="p0192.png" id="p0192.png" href="#p0192.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">192</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>year appears, and it will seem only the day after to-morrow +when you are rushing into the house again, and all of us +standing at the door to welcome you back. Think what a +joyous moment that will be! There is a wide and wonderful +world for you to see first, and then a happy home afterwards +to revisit.”</p> + +<p class="pgbrk">“Yes, dear, good, kind uncle David! no one ever had a +happier home; and till the east comes to the west, I shall +never cease to think of it with gratitude to you and grandmama. +We shall surely all meet again. I must live upon +that prospect. Hope is the jewel that remains wherever we +go, and the hope to which grandmama has directed me, is +truly compared to a rainbow, which not only brightens the +earth, but stretches to heaven.”</p> + + + + +<h2><a name="p0193.png" id="p0193.png" href="#p0193.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">193</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>CHAPTER XIII.<br + /><span class="fakehr"> </span><br + /> <br /><small>THE AMUSING DRIVE.</small></h2> + +<div class="poem w24 pl4"> +<div class="stanza"> +<div>I would not enter on my list of friends</div> +<div>(Though grac’d with polish’d manners and fine sense,</div> +<div>Yet wanting sensibility) the man</div> +<div>Who needlessly sets foot upon a worm.</div> +</div> +<div class="rt sc">Cowper.</div> +</div> + + +<p class="noindent top1"><span class="sc">Lady Harriet</span> was confined to bed for several days after +Frank’s departure from home, and during all that week +Harry and Laura felt so melancholy, that even Mrs. Crabtree +became sorry for them, saying it was quite distressing +to see how quiet and good they had become, for Master +Harry was as mild as milk now, and she almost wished he +would be at some of his old tricks again.</p> + +<p>On the following Monday, a message arrived from Lady +Rockville, to say that she was going a long drive in her +phaeton, to visit some boys at Musselburgh school, and +would be happy to take Harry and Laura of the party, if +their grandmama had no objection. None being made by +anybody, they flew up stairs to get ready, while Harry did +not take above three steps at a time, and Laura, when she +followed, felt quite astonished to find Mrs. Crabtree looking +almost as pleased as herself, and saying she hoped the expedition +would do them both good.</p> + +<p>Before five minutes had elapsed, Harry was mounted on +the dickey, where Lady Rockville desired him to sit, +<a name="p0194.png" id="p0194.png" href="#p0194.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">194</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>instead of the footman, who was now dismissed, as no room +could be made for both; so after that Harry touched his +hat whenever any of the party spoke to him, as if he had +really been the servant.</p> + +<p>Laura, meanwhile, was placed between Lady Rockville +and Miss Perceval, where she could hardly keep quiet a +minute for joy, though afraid to turn her head or to stir her +little finger, in case of being thought troublesome.</p> + +<p>“I am told that the races take place at Musselburgh to-day,” +said Lady Rockville. “It is a cruel amusement, derived +from the sufferings of noble animals; they have as +good a right to be happy in the world as ourselves, Laura; +but we shall pass that way, so Harry and you will probably +see the crowds of carriages.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, how enchanting!—I never saw a race-course in +my life!” exclaimed Laura, springing off her seat with delight. +“Harry! Harry! we are going to the races!”</p> + +<p>“Hurra!” exclaimed Harry, clapping his hands; “what +a delightful surprise! Oh! I am so dreadfully happy!”</p> + +<p>“After all, my dear Lady Rockville,” said Miss Perceval, +yawning, “what have horses got legs for, except to +run?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, but not at such a pace! It always shocked me—formerly +at Doncaster, where the jockeys were sometimes +paid £1000 for winning—to see how the poor animals were +lashed and spurred along the course, foaming with fatigue, +gasping till they nearly expired. Horses, poor creatures, +from the hour of their birth till their death, have a sad time +of it!”</p> + +<p>“Grandmama once read me a beautiful description of a +wild horse in his natural state of liberty,” said Laura. +<!-- original lacks opening quote -->“Among the South American forests he was to be seen carrying +his head erect, with sparkling eyes, flowing mane, +and splendid tail, trotting about among the noble trees, or +<a name="p0195.png" id="p0195.png" href="#p0195.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">195</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>cropping the grass at his feet, looking quite princely, and +doing precisely what he pleased.”</p> + +<p>“Then look at the contrast,” said Lady Rockville, pointing +to a long row of cart-horses with galled sides, shrivelled +skins, broken knees, and emaciated bodies, which were all +dragging their weary load along. “Animals are all meant +for the use of man, but not to be abused, like these poor +creatures!”</p> + +<p>“As for racing,” said Miss Perceval, “a thorough-bred +horse enters into the spirit of it quite as much as his rider. +Did you never hear of Quin’s celebrated steed, which became +so eager to win, that when his antagonist passed he +seized him violently by the leg, and both jockeys had to +dismount that the furious animal might be torn away. The +famous horse Forester, too, caught hold of his opponent by +the jaw, and could scarcely be disengaged.”</p> + +<p>“Think of all the cruel training these poor creatures +went through before they came to that,” added Lady Rockville; +“of the way in which horses are beaten, spurred, +and severely cut with the whip; then, after their strength +fails, like the well-known ‘high-mettled racer,’ the poor animal +is probably sold at last to perpetual hard labour and ill-usage.”</p> + +<p>“Uncle David shewed me yesterday,” said Laura, “that +horrid picture which you have probably seen, by Cruickshanks, +of the Knackers’ Yards in London, where old +horses are sent to end their miserable days, after it is impossible +to torture them any longer into working. Oh! it +was dreadful! and yet grandmama said the whole sketch +had been taken from life.”</p> + +<p>“I know that,” answered Lady Rockville. “In these +places the wretched animals are literally put to death by +starvation, and may be seen gnawing each other’s manes in +the last agonies of hunger.”</p> + +<p>“My dear Lady Rockville,” exclaimed Miss Perceval, +<a name="p0196.png" id="p0196.png" href="#p0196.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">196</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>affectedly, “how can you talk of such unpleasant things!—there +is an Act of Parliament against cruelty to animals, so +of course no such thing exists now. Many gentlemen are +vastly kind to old horses, turning them out to grass for years, +that they may enjoy a life of elegant leisure and rural retirement, +to which, no doubt, some are well entitled; for instance, +the famous horse Eclipse, which gained his owner +£25,000! I wish he had been mine!”</p> + +<p>“But think how many are ruined when one is enriched, +and indeed both are ruined in morals and good feeling; +therefore I am glad that our sex have never yet taken to the +turf. It is bad enough, my dear Miss Perceval, to see that +they have taken to the moors; for were I to say all I think +of those amazons who lately killed their six brace of grouse +on the 12th of August, they would probably challenge me +to single combat. Lord Rockville says, ‘What with gentlemen +doing worsted work, and ladies shouldering double-barrelled +guns, he scarcely thinks this can be the same world +he was born in long ago.’”</p> + +<p>The carriage, at this moment, began to proceed along the +road with such extraordinary rapidity, that there seemed no +danger of their following in the dust of any other equipage, +and Miss Perceval became exceedingly alarmed, especially +when Lady Rockville mentioned that this was one of the +first times she had been driven by her new coachman, who +seemed so very unsteady on his seat, she had felt apprehensive, +for some time, that he might be drunk.</p> + +<p>“A tipsy coachman! Dear Lady Rockville, do let me +out! We shall certainly be killed in this crowd of carriages! +I can walk home! Pray stop him, Miss Laura! I came to +look on at a race, but not to run one myself! This fast driving +is like a railroad, only not quite so straight! I do +verily believe we are run off with! Stop, coachman!—stop!”</p> + +<p>In spite of all Miss Perceval’s exclamations and vociferations, +the carriage flew on with frightful rapidity, though +<a name="p0197.png" id="p0197.png" href="#p0197.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">197</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>it reeled from side to side of the road, as if it had become +intoxicated like the driver himself, who lashed his horses +and galloped along, within an inch of hedges and ditches +all the way, till at last, having reached the race-course, he +pulled up so suddenly and violently, that the horses nearly +fell back on their haunches, while he swore at them in the +most furious and shocking manner.</p> + +<p>Lady Rockville now stood up, and spoke to the coachman +very severely on his misconduct, in first driving her +so dangerously fast, and then being disrespectful enough to +use profane language in her presence, adding, that if he did +not conduct himself more properly, she must complain to +Lord Rockville as soon as the carriage returned home. +Upon hearing this, the man looked exceedingly sulky, and +muttered angrily to himself in a tipsy voice, till at last he +suddenly threw away the reins, and, rising from the box, he +began to scramble his way down, nearly falling to the ground +in his haste, and saying, “if your ladyship is not pleased +with my driving, you may drive yourself!”</p> + +<p>After this the intoxicated man staggered towards a drinking-booth +not far off, and disappeared, leaving Miss Perceval +perfectly planet-struck with astonishment, and actually +dumb during several minutes with wonder, at all she heard +and saw. There sat Harry, alone on the dicky, behind two +spirited blood-horses, foaming at the mouth with the speed +at which they had come, and ready to start off again at the +slightest hint, while noises on every side were to be heard +enough to frighten a pair of hobby-horses. Piemen ringing +their bells—blind fiddlers playing out of tune—boys calling +lists of the horses—drums beating at the starting-post—ballad +singers squalling at the full pitch of their voices—horses +galloping—grooms quarrelling—dogs barking—and children +crying.</p> + +<p>In the midst of all this uproar, Harry unexpectedly observed +Captain Digby on horseback not far off. Without losing +<a name="p0198.png" id="p0198.png" href="#p0198.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">198</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>a moment, he stood up, waving his handkerchief, and +calling to beg he would come to the carriage immediately, +as they were in want of assistance; and Lady Rockville +told, as soon as he arrived, though hardly able to help laughing +while she explained it, the extraordinary predicament +they had been placed in. Captain Digby, upon hearing the +story, looked ready to go off like a squib with rage at the +offending coachman, and instantly seizing the driving-whip, +he desired his servant to hold the horses’ heads, while he +proceeded towards the drinking-booth, flourishing the long +lash in his hand as he went in a most ominous manner. +Several minutes elapsed, during which Harry overheard a +prodigious outcry in the tent, and then the drunken coachman +was seen reeling away along the road, while Captain +Digby, still brandishing the whip, returned, and mounting +the dicky himself, he gathered up the reins, and insisted on +driving Lady Rockville’s phaeton for her. Before long it +was ranged close beside a chariot so full of ladies, it seemed +ready to burst, when Harry was amused to perceive that +Peter Grey and another boy, who were seated on the rumble +behind, had spread a table-cloth on the roof of the carriage, +using it for a dining-table, while they all seemed determined +to astonish their appetites by the quantity of oysters +and sandwiches they ate, and by drinking at the same +time large tumblers of porter. Lady Rockville wished she +could have the loan of Harry and Laura’s spirits for an hour +or two, when she saw how perfectly bewildered with delight +they were on beholding the thousands of eager persons assembled +on the race-ground,—jockeys riding about in liveries +as gay as tulips—officers in scarlet uniform—red flags +fluttering in the breeze—caravans exhibiting pictures of the +wildest-looking beasts in the world—bands of music—recruiting +parties—fire-eaters, who dined on red-hot pokers—portraits +representing pigs fatter than the fattest in the +world—giants a head and three pair of shoulders taller than +<a name="p0199.png" id="p0199.png" href="#p0199.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">199</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>any one else, and little dwarfs, scarcely visible with the +naked eye—all of which were shown to children for half +price!</p> + +<p>Lady Rockville very good naturedly gave Harry half-a-crown, +promising that, before leaving the race-ground, he +should either buy some oranges to lay the dust in his throat +after so long a drive, or visit as many shows as he pleased +for his half-crown; and they were anxiously discussing +what five sights would be worth sixpence each, when a loud +hurra was heard, the drums beat, and five horses started off +for the first heat. Harry stood up in an ecstacy of delight, +and spoke loudly in admiration of the jockey on a grey +horse, with a pink jacket, who took the lead, and seemed +perfectly to fly, as if he need never touch the ground; but +Harry exclaimed angrily against the next rider, in a yellow +dress and green cap, who pulled back his own bay horse, +as if he really wished to lose. To Laura’s astonishment, +however, Captain Digby preferred him, and Miss Perceval +declared in favour of a light-blue jacket and chesnut horse. +Harry now thought everybody stupid not to agree with him, +and called out in the height of his eagerness, “I would bet +this half-crown upon the pink jacket!”</p> + +<p>“Done!” cried Peter, laughing. “The yellow dress +and green cap for my money!”</p> + +<p>“Then I shall soon have five shillings!” exclaimed +Harry in great glee; but scarcely had he spoken, before a +loud murmuring sound arose among the surrounding +crowd, upon hearing which he looked anxiously about, and +was astonished to see the green cap and yellow dress already +at the winning-post, while his own favourite grey horse +cantered slowly along, far behind all the others, carrying the +jockey in the pink jacket, who hung his head, and was bent +nearly double, with shame and fatigue.</p> + +<p>Peter Grey gave a loud laugh of triumph when he glanced +at Harry’s disappointed angry countenance, and held out +<a name="p0200.png" id="p0200.png" href="#p0200.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">200</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>his hand for the half-crown, saying, “Pay your debt of +honour, Master Harry! It is rather fortunate I won, seeing +that not one sixpence had I to have paid you with! +not a penny to jingle on a mile-stone. You had more +money than wit, and I had more wit than money, so we are +well met. Did you not see that the grey horse had fallen +lame? Good-bye, youngster! I shall tell all the giants and +wild beasts to expect you another day!”</p> + +<p>“Harry!” said Lady Rockville, looking gravely at his +enraged countenance, “it is a foolish fish that is caught +with every bait! I am quite relieved that you lost that +money. This is an early lesson against gambling, and no +one can ever be rich or happy who becomes fond of it. We +were wrong to bring you here at all; and I now see you +could easily be led into that dreadful vice, which has caused +misery and ruin to thousands of young men. If you +had possessed an estate, it would have been thrown away +quite as foolishly as the poor half-crown, making you perhaps +miserable afterwards for life.”</p> + +<p>“I thought myself quite sure to win!” exclaimed Harry, +still looking with angry astonishment after Peter, who was +making odd grimaces, and holding up the half-crown in a +most teazing manner. “I would rather have thrown my +money into the sea than given it to Peter.”</p> + +<p>“Think, too, how many pleasanter and better ways there +are, in which you might have spent it!” added Lady Rockville. +“Look at that poor blind man whom you could +have relieved, or consider what a nice present you should +have given to Laura! But there seem to be no more +brains in your head, Harry, than in her thimble!”</p> + +<p>“Peter is quite a little black-leg already,” observed Miss +Perceval. “I never saw such a boy! So fond of attracting +notice, that he would put on a cap and bells if that would +make him stared at. Last Saturday he undertook for a bet +to make a ceremonious bow to every lamp-post along +<a name="p0201.png" id="p0201.png" href="#p0201.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">201</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>Prince’s Street, and I wish you could have seen the wondering +crowd that gradually collected as he went along, performing +his task with the most perfect composure and +impudence.”</p> + +<p>“For cool assurance, I hope there are not many boys +equal to him,” said Lady Rockville. “He scattered out of +the window lately several red-hot half-pence, among some +beggars, and I am told they perfectly stuck to the poor +creatures’ fingers when trying to pick them up; and he was +sent a message, on his pony, one very cold day lately, to +Lady De Vere’s, who offered, when he was taking leave, to +cut him one of her finest camellias, to which he replied, ‘I +would much rather you offered me a hot potatoe!’”</p> + +<p>“Peter feels no sympathy in your disappointment, Harry,” +added Miss Perceval; “but we might as well expect wool +on a dog, as friendship from a gambler, who would ruin his +own father, and always laughs at those who lose.”</p> + +<p>“Go and cut your wisdom teeth, Harry!” said Captain +Digby, smiling. “Any one must have been born blind +not to observe that the grey horse was falling behind; but +you have bought half-a-crown’s worth of wisdom by experience, +and I hope it will last for life. Never venture to bet +even that your own head is on your shoulders, or it may turn +out a mistake.”</p> + +<p>“Harry is now the monkey that has seen the world, and +I think it will be a whole year of Saturdays before he ever +commits such a blunder again,” continued Lady Rockville. +“We must for this once, not complain of what has occurred +to Lady Harriet, because she would be exceedingly displeased, +but certainly you are a most ingenious little gentleman +for getting into scrapes!”</p> + +<p class="pgbrk">Harry told upon himself, however, on his return home, +because he had always been accustomed to do so, knowing +Major Graham and his grandmama were never very angry +at any fault that was confessed and repented of, therefore he +<a name="p0202.png" id="p0202.png" href="#p0202.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">202</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>went straight up stairs, and related his whole history to uncle +David, who gave him a very serious exhortation against the +foolish and sinful vice of gambling. To keep him in mind +of his silly adventure that day, Harry was also desired, +during the whole evening, to wear his coat turned inside +out, a very frequent punishment administered by Major +Graham for small offences, and which was generally felt to +be a terrible disgrace.</p> + + + + +<h2><a name="p0203.png" id="p0203.png" href="#p0203.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">203</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>CHAPTER XIV.<br + /><span class="fakehr"> </span><br + /> <br /><small>THE UNEXPECTED EVENT.</small></h2> + +<div class="poem w18 pl4"> +<div class="stanza"> +<div>His shout may ring upon the hill,</div> +<div>His voice be echoed in the hall,</div> +<div>His merry laugh like music trill,</div> +<div>I scarcely notice such things now.</div> +</div> +<div class="rt sc">Willis.</div> +</div> + + +<p class="noindent top1"><span class="sc">Some</span> weeks after Frank had left home, while lady Harriet +and Major Graham were absent at Holiday House, Harry +and Laura felt surprised to observe, that Mrs. Crabtree suddenly +became very grave and silent,—her voice seemed to +have lost half its loudness,—her countenance looked rather +pale,—and they both escaped being scolded on several occasions, +when Harry himself could not but think he deserved +it. Once or twice he ventured to do things that at +other times he dared not have attempted, “merely as an experiment,” +he said, “like that man in the menagerie, who +put his head into the lion’s mouth, without feeling quite sure +whether it would be bit off the next moment or not;” but +though Mrs. Crabtree evidently saw all that passed, she +turned away with a look of sadness, and said not a word.</p> + +<p>What could be the matter? Harry almost wished she +would fly into a good passion and scold him, it became so +extraordinary and unnatural to see Mrs. Crabtree sitting all +day in a corner of the room, sewing in silence, and scarcely +looking up from her work; but still the wonder grew, for +<a name="p0204.png" id="p0204.png" href="#p0204.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">204</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>she seemed to become worse and worse every day. Harry +dressed up the cat in an old cap and frock of Laura’s,—he +terrified old Jowler by putting him into the shower-bath,—and +let off a few crackers at the nursery window,—but it +seemed as if he might have fired a cannon without being +scolded by Mrs. Crabtree, who merely turned her head +round for a minute, and then silently resumed her work. +Laura even fancied that Mrs. Crabtree was once in tears, +but that seemed quite impossible, so she thought no more +about it, till one morning, when they had begun to despair +of ever hearing more about the business, and were whispering +together in a corner of the room, observing that she +looked duller than ever, they were surprised to hear Mrs. +Crabtree calling them both to come near her. She looked +very pale, and was beginning to say something, when her +voice suddenly became so husky and indistinct, that she +seemed unable to proceed; therefore, motioning with her +hand for them to go away, she began sewing very rapidly, +as she had done before, breaking her threads, and pricking +her fingers, at every stitch.</p> + +<p>Laura and Harry silently looked at each other with some +apprehension, and the nursery now became so perfectly still, +that a feather falling on the ground would have been heard. +This had continued for some time, when at last Laura upon +tiptoe stole quietly up to where Mrs. Crabtree was sitting, +and said to her, in a very kind and anxious voice, “I am +afraid you are not well, Mrs. Crabtree! Grandmama will +send for a doctor when she comes home. Shall I ask +her?”</p> + +<p>“You are very kind, Miss Laura!—never mind me! +Your grandmama knows what is the matter. It will be +all one a hundred years hence,” answered Mrs. Crabtree, +in a low husky voice. “This is a thing you will be +very glad to hear!—you must prepare to be told some good +news!” added she, forcing a laugh, but such a laugh as +<a name="p0205.png" id="p0205.png" href="#p0205.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">205</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>Harry and Laura never heard before, for it sounded so +much more like sorrow than joy. They waited in great +suspense to hear what would follow, but Mrs. Crabtree, after +struggling to speak again with composure, suddenly +started off her seat, and hurried rapidly out of the room. +She appeared no more in the nursery that day, but next +morning when they were at breakfast, she entered the room +with her face very much covered up in her bonnet, and +evidently tried to speak in her usual loud bustling voice, +though somehow it still sounded perfectly different from +common. “Well, children! Lady Harriet was so kind as +to promise that my secret should be kept till I pleased, and +that no one should mention it to you but myself. I am going +away!”</p> + +<p>“You!” exclaimed Harry, looking earnestly in Mrs. +Crabtree’s face. “Are you going away?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, Master Harry,—I leave this house to-day! Now, +don’t pretend to look sorry! I know you are not! I can’t +bear children to tell stories. Who would ever be sorry for +a cross old woman like me?”</p> + +<p>“But perhaps I am sorry! Are you in real earnest going +away?” asked Harry again, with renewed astonishment. +“Oh<!-- original reads "On" --> no! it is only a joke!”</p> + +<p>“Do I look as if this were a joke?” asked Mrs. Crabtree, +turning round her face, which was bathed with tears. +“No, no! I am come to bid you both a long farewell. A +fine mess you will get into now! All your things going to +rack and ruin, with nobody fit to look after them!”</p> + +<p>“But, Mrs. Crabtree! we do not like you to go away,”<!-- original has closing single quote --> +said Laura, kindly. “Why are you leaving us all on a +sudden? it is very odd! I never was so surprised in my +life!”</p> + +<p>“Your papa’s orders are come. He wrote me a line +some weeks ago, to say that I have been too severe. Perhaps +that is all true. I meant it well, and we are poor +<a name="p0206.png" id="p0206.png" href="#p0206.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">206</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>creatures, who can only act for the best. However, it can’t +be helped now! There’s no use in lamenting over spilt +cream. You’ll be the better behaved afterwards. If ever you +think of me again, children, let it be as kindly as possible. +Many and many a time I shall remember you both. I +never cared for any young people but yourselves, and I +shall never take charge of any others. Master Frank was +the best boy in the world, and you would both have been as +good under my care,—but it is no matter now!”</p> + +<p>“But it does matter a very great deal,” cried Harry, +eagerly. “You must stay here, Mrs. Crabtree, as long as +you live, and a great deal longer! I shall write a letter to +papa all about it. We were very troublesome, and it was +our own faults if we were punished. Never mind, Mrs. +Crabtree, but take off your bonnet and sit down! I am +going to do some dreadful mischief to-night, so you will be +wanted to keep me in order.”</p> + +<p>Mrs. Crabtree laid her hand upon Harry’s head in silence, +and there was something so solemn and serious in +her manner, that he saw it would be useless to remonstrate +any more. She then held out her hand to Laura, endeavouring +to smile as she did so, but it was a vain attempt, for +her lip quivered, and she turned away, saying, “Who +would ever believe I should make such a fool of myself! +Farewell to you both! and let nobody speak ill of me after +I am gone, if you can help it!”</p> + +<p>Without looking round, Mrs. Crabtree hurried out of the +nursery and closed the door, leaving Harry and Laura perfectly +bewildered with astonishment at this sudden event, +which seemed more like a dream than a reality. They both +felt exceedingly melancholy, hardly able to believe that she +had formerly been at all cross, while they stood at the window +with tears in their eyes, watching the departure of her +well-known blue chest, on a wheel-barrow, and taking a +<a name="p0207.png" id="p0207.png" href="#p0207.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">207</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>last look of her red gown and scarlet shawl as she hastily +followed it.</p> + +<p>For several weeks to come, whenever the door opened, +Harry and Laura almost expected her to enter, but month +after month elapsed, and Mrs. Crabtree appeared no more, +till one day, at their earnest entreaty, Lady Harriet took +them a drive of some miles into the country, to see the neat +little lodging by the sea-side where she lived, and maintained +herself by sewing, and by going out occasionally as +a sick-nurse. A more delightful surprise certainly never +could have been given than when Harry and Laura tapped +at the cottage door, which was opened by Mrs. Crabtree herself, +who started back with an exclamation of joyful amazement, +and looked as if she could scarcely believe her eyes on +beholding them, while they laughed at the joke till tears were +running down their cheeks. “Is Mrs. Crabtree at home?” +said Harry, trying to look very grave.</p> + +<p>“Grandmama says we may stay here for an hour, while +she drives along the shore,” added Laura, stepping into the +house with a very merry face. “And how do you do, Mrs. +Crabtree?”</p> + +<p>“Very well, Miss Laura, and very happy to see you. +What a tall girl you are become! and Master Harry too! +looking quite over his own shoulders!”</p> + +<p>After sitting some time, Mrs. Crabtree insisted on their +having some dinner in her cottage; so making Harry and +Laura sit down on each side of a large blazing fire, she +cooked some most delicious pancakes for them in rapid +succession, as fast as they could eat, tossing them high in +the air first, and then rolling up each as it was fried, with a +large spoonful of jam in the centre, till Harry and Laura at +last said, that unless Mrs. Crabtree supplied fresh appetites, +she need make no more pancakes, for they thought even +Peter Grey himself could scarcely have finished all she provided.</p> + +<p><a name="p0208.png" id="p0208.png" href="#p0208.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">208</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>Harry had now been several months constantly attending +school, where he became a great favourite with the boys, +and a great torment to the masters, while, for his own part, +he liked it twenty times better than he had expected, because +the lessons were tolerably easy to a clever boy, as he really +was, and the games at cricket and foot-ball in the play-ground +put him perfectly wild with joy. Every boy at +school seemed to be his particular friend, and many called +him “the holiday-maker,” because, if ever a holiday was +wished for, Harry always became leader in the scheme. +The last morning of Peter Grey’s appearing at school, +he got the name of “the copper captain,” because Mr. +Lexicon having fined him half-a-crown, for not knowing +one of his lessons, he brought the whole sum in half-pence, +carrying them in his hat, and gravely counting them all out, +with such a pains-taking, good-boy look, that any one, to +see him, would have supposed he was quite penitent and +sorry for his misconduct; but no sooner had he finished the +task and ranged all the half-pence neatly in rows along Mr. +Lexicon’s desk, than he was desired, in a voice of thunder, +to leave the room instantly, and never to return, which +accordingly he never did, having started next day on the +top of the coach for Portsmouth, and the last peep Harry got +of him, he was buying a perfect mountain of gingerbread +out of an old man’s basket, to eat by the way.</p> + +<p>Meantime Laura had lessons from a regular day-governess, +who came every morning at seven, and never disappeared +till four in the afternoon, so, as Mrs. Crabtree remarked, +“the puir thing was perfectly deaved wi’ edication,” but +she made such rapid progress, that uncle David said it would +be difficult to decide whether she was growing fastest in +body or in mind. Laura seemed born to be under the tuition +of none but ill-tempered people, and Madame Pirouette appeared +in a constant state of irritability. During the music-lessons, +she sat close to the piano, with a pair of sharp-pointed +<a name="p0209.png" id="p0209.png" href="#p0209.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">209</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>scissors in her hand, and whenever Laura played a +wrong note, she stuck their points into the offending finger, +saying sometimes in an angry foreign accent, “put your +toe upon ’dis note! I tell you, put your toe upon ’dis note!”</p> + +<p>“My finger, I suppose you mean?” asked Laura, trying +not to laugh.</p> + +<p>“Ah! fingare and toe! dat is all one! Speak not a +word! take hold of your tongue.”</p> + +<p>“Laura!” said Major Graham, one day, “I would as +soon hear a gong sounded at my ear for half an hour, as +most of the fine pieces you perform now. Taste and expression +are quite out of date, but the chief object of ambition +is, to seem as if you had four hands instead of two, from +the torrent of notes produced at once. If ever you wish to +please my old-fashioned ears, give me melody,—something +that touches the heart and dwells in the memory,—then +years afterwards, when we hear it again, the language seems +familiar to our feelings, and we listen with deep delight to +sounds recalling a thousand recollections of former days, +which are brought back by music (real music) with distinctness +and interest which nothing else can equal.”<!-- original lacks closing quote --></p> + +<p>During more than two years, while Harry and Laura +were rapidly advancing in education, they received many +interesting letters from Frank, expressing the most affectionate +anxiety to hear of their being well and happy, while +his paper was filled with amusing accounts of the various +wonderful countries he visited; and at the bottom of the +paper, he always very kindly remembered to send them an +order on his banker, as he called uncle David, drawn up in +proper form, saying, “Please to pay Master Harry and Miss +Laura Graham the sum of five shillings on my account. +<span class="sc">Francis Arthur Graham</span>.”</p> + +<p>In Frank’s gay, merry epistles, he kept all his little annoyances +or vexations to himself, and invariably took up +the pen with such a desire to send cheerfulness into his own +<a name="p0210.png" id="p0210.png" href="#p0210.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">210</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>beloved home, that his letters might have been written with +a sun-beam, they were so full of warmth and vivacity. It +seemed always a fair wind to Frank, for he looked upon the +best side of every thing, and never teazed his absent friends +with complaints of distresses they could not remedy, except +when he frequently mentioned his sorrow at being separated +from them, adding, that he often wished it were possible to +meet them during one day in every year, to tell all his +thoughts, and to hear theirs in return, for sometimes now, +during the night watches, when all other resources failed, +he entertained himself, by imagining the circle of home all +gathered around him, and by inventing what each individual +would say upon any subjects he liked, while all his adventures +acquired a double interest, from considering that the +recital would one day amuse his dear friends when their +happy meeting at last took place. Frank was not so over-anxious +about his own comfort, as to feel very much irritated +and discomposed at any privations that fell in his +way, and once sitting up in the middle of a dark night, +with the rain pouring in torrents, and the wind blowing a +perfect hurricane, he drew his watch-coat round him, saying +good humouredly to his grumbling companions, “This +is by no means so bad! and whatever change takes place +now, will probably be for the better. Sunshine is as sure +to come as Christmas, if you only wait for it, and in the +meantime we are all more comfortably off than St. Patrick, +when he had to swim across a stormy sea, with his head +under his arm.”</p> + +<p class="pgbrk">Frank often amused his messmates with stories which he +had heard from uncle David, and soon became the greatest +favourite imaginable with them all, while he frequently endeavoured +to lead their minds to the same sure foundation +of happiness which he always found the best security of his +own. He had long been taught to know that a vessel might +as well be steered without rudder or compass, as any +<a name="p0211.png" id="p0211.png" href="#p0211.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">211</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>individual be brought into a haven of peace, unless directed by +the Holy Scriptures; and his delight was frequently to study +such passages as these: “When thou passest through the +waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they +shall not overflow thee; when thou walkest through the fire, +thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle +upon thee. For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of +Israel, thy Saviour.”</p> + + + + +<h2><a name="p0212.png" id="p0212.png" href="#p0212.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">212</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>CHAPTER XV.<br + /><span class="fakehr"> </span><br + /> <br /><small>AN UNEXPECTED VOYAGE.</small></h2> + +<div class="poem w22 pl4"> +<div class="stanza"> +<div>Full little know’st thou, that hast not tried,</div> +<div>How strange it is in “steam-boat” long to <span class="nw">bide,—</span></div> +<div>To fret thy soul with crosses and with cares,</div> +<div>To eat thy heart through comfortless despairs,</div> +<div>To speed to-day—to be put back <span class="nw">to-morrow—</span></div> +<div>To feed on hope—to pine with fear and sorrow.</div> +</div> + <div class="rt sc">Spenser.</div> +</div> + + +<p class="noindent top1"><span class="sc">As</span> Harry and Laura grew older, they were gradually treated +like friends and companions by Lady Harriet and Major +Graham, who improved their minds by frequent interesting +conversations, in which knowledge and principle +were insensibly instilled into their minds, not by formal instruction, +but merely by mentioning facts, or expressing +opinions and sentiments such as naturally arose out +of the subjects under discussion, and accustoming the +young people themselves to feel certain that their own +remarks and thoughts were to be heard with the same interest +as those of any other person. No surprise was expressed, +if they appeared more acute or more amusing than +might have been expected,—no angry contempt betrayed itself +if they spoke foolishly, unless it were something positively +wrong; and thus Major Graham and Lady Harriet +succeeded in making that very difficult transition from treating +children as toys, to becoming their confidential friends, +<a name="p0213.png" id="p0213.png" href="#p0213.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">213</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>and most trusted, as well as most respected and beloved associates.</p> + +<p>Frank had been upwards of five years cruizing on various +stations abroad, and many officers who had seen him, +gave such agreeable reports to Major Graham of his admirable +conduct on several occasions, and of his having turned +out so extremely handsome and pleasing, that Lady Harriet +often wished, with tears in her eyes, it were possible she +might live to see him once again, though her own daily increasing +infirmities rendered that hope every hour more improbable. +She was told that he spoke of her very frequently, +and said once when he met an aged person at the Cape, +“I would give all I possess on earth, and ten times more, +if I had it, to see my dear grandmother as well, and to meet +her once more.” This deeply affected Lady Harriet, +who was speaking one day with unusual earnestness of the +comfort it gave, whatever might be the will of Providence +in respect to herself, that Frank seemed so happy, and liked +his profession so well, when the door flew open, and Andrew +hastened into the room, his old face perfectly wrinkled +with delight, while he displayed a letter in his hand, saying +in a tone of breathless agitation, as he delivered it to Major +Graham, “The post-mark is Portsmouth, Sir!”</p> + +<p>Lady Harriet nearly rose from her seat with an exclamation +of joy, but unable for the exertion, she sunk back, covering +her face with her hands, and listening in speechless +suspense to hear whether Frank had indeed returned. Harry +and Laura eagerly looked over Major Graham’s shoulder, +and Andrew lingered anxiously at the door, till this welcome +letter was hurriedly torn open and read. The direction was +certainly Frank’s writing, though it seemed very different +from usual, but the contents filled Major Graham with a degree +of consternation and alarm, which he vainly endeavoured +to conceal, for it informed him that, during a desperate +engagement with some slave-ships off the coast of Africa, +<a name="p0214.png" id="p0214.png" href="#p0214.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">214</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>Frank had been most severely wounded, from which he +scarcely recovered before a violent attack of fever reduced +him so extremely, that the doctors declared his only chance +of restoration was to be invalided home immediately; +“therefore,” added he, “you must all unite a prayer for my +recovery, with a thanksgiving for my return, and I can +scarcely regret an illness that restores me to home. My +heart is already with you all, but my frail shattered body +must rest some days in London, as the voyage from Sierra +Leone has been extremely fatiguing and tedious.”</p> + +<p>Lady Harriet made not a single remark when this letter +was closed, but tears coursed each other rapidly down +her aged cheeks, while she slowly removed her hands from +her face, and gazed at Major Graham, who seated himself by +her side, in evident agitation, and calling back Andrew when +he was leaving the room, he said, in accents of unusual +emotion, “Desire John to inquire immediately whether any +steam-boat sails for London to-day.”</p> + +<p>“You are right!” said Lady Harriet, feebly. “Oh! that +I could accompany you! But bring him to me if possible. +I dare not hope to go. Surely we shall meet at last. Now +indeed I feel my own weakness, when I cannot fly to see +him. But he will be quite able for the journey. Frank +had an excellent constitution,—he—he <span class="nw">was—”</span></p> + +<p>Lady Harriet’s voice failed, and she burst into a convulsive +agony of tears.</p> + +<p>A few hours, and uncle David had embarked for London, +where, after a short passage, he arrived at his usual lodgings +in St. James’ Place; but some days elapsed, during which +he laboured in vain to discover the smallest trace of Frank, +who had omitted, in his hurried letter from Portsmouth, to +mention where he intended living in town. One evening, +fatigued with his long and unavailing search, Major Graham +sat down, at the British Coffee-house, to take some refreshment +before resuming his inquiries, and was afterwards +<a name="p0215.png" id="p0215.png" href="#p0215.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">215</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>about to leave the room, when he observed a very tall interesting +young man, exceedingly emaciated, who strolled languidly +into the room, with so feeble a step, that he scarcely +seemed able to support himself. The stranger took off his +hat, sunk into a seat, and passed his fingers through the +dark masses of curls that hung over his pale white forehead, +his large eyes closed heavily with fatigue, his cheek assumed +a hectic glow, and his head sunk upon his hand. In a low +subdued voice he gave some directions to the waiter, and +Major Graham, after gazing for a moment with melancholy +interest at this apparently consumptive youth, was about to +depart, when a turn of the young man’s countenance caused +him to start; he looked again more earnestly—every fibre +of his frame seemed suddenly to thrill with apprehension, +and at last, in a voice of doubt and astonishment, he exclaimed, +“Frank!”</p> + +<p>The stranger sprung from his seat, gazed eagerly round +the room, rushed into the arms of Major Graham, and +fainted.</p> + +<p>Long and anxiously did uncle David watch for the restoration +of Frank, while every means were used to revive +him, and when at length he did regain his consciousness, +no time was lost in conveying him to St. James’ Place, +where, after being confined to bed, and attended by Sir Astley +Cooper and Sir Henry Halford, during some days, they +united in recommending that he should be carried some +miles out of town, to the neighbourhood of Hammersmith, +for change of air, till the effect of medicine and diet could +be fully tried. Frank earnestly entreated that he might be +taken immediately to his own home, but this the doctors +pronounced quite impossible, privately hinting to Major +Graham that it seemed very doubtful indeed whether he +could ever be moved there at all, or whether he might survive +above a few months.</p> + +<p>“Home is anywhere that my own family live with me,” +<a name="p0216.png" id="p0216.png" href="#p0216.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">216</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>said Frank in a tone of resignation, when he heard a journey +to Scotland pronounced impossible. “It is not where +I am, but who I see, that signifies; and this meeting with +you, uncle David, did me more good than an ocean of +physic. Oh! if I could only converse with grandmama +for half-an-hour, and speak to dear Harry and Laura, it +would be too much happiness. I want to see how much +they are both grown, and to hear their merry laugh again. +Perhaps I never may! But if I get worse, they must come +here. I have many things to say! Why should they not +set off now?—immediately! If I recover, we might be +such a happy party to Scotland again. For grandmama, I +know it is impossible; but will you write and ask her about +Harry and Laura? The sooner the better, uncle David, +because I often think it <span class="nw">probable——”</span></p> + +<p>Frank coloured and hesitated; he looked earnestly at his +uncle for some moments, who saw what was meant, and +then added,</p> + +<p>“There is one person more, far distant, and little thinking +of what is to come, who must be told. You have +always been a father to me, uncle David, but he also would +wish to be here now. Little as we have been together, I +know how much he loves me.”</p> + +<p>Frank’s request became no sooner known than it was +complied with by Lady Harriet, who thought it better not +to distress Harry and Laura, by mentioning the full extent +of his danger, but merely said, that he felt impatient for the +meeting, and that they might prepare on the following day, +to embark under charge of old Andrew and her own maid +Harrison, for a voyage to London, where she hoped they +would find the dear invalid already better; Laura was astonished +at the agitation with which she spoke, and felt bewildered +and amazed by this sudden announcement. She +and Harry had once or twice in their lives caught cold, and +spent a day in bed, confined to a diet of gruel and syrup, +<a name="p0217.png" id="p0217.png" href="#p0217.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">217</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>which always proved an infallible remedy for the very worst +attacks, and they had frequently witnessed the severe sufferings +of their grandmama, from which, however, she always +recovered, and which seemed to them the natural effects of +her extreme old age; but to imagine the possibility of +Frank’s life being in actual danger, never crossed their +thoughts for an instant, and, therefore, it was with a feeling +of unutterable joy that they stood on the deck of the Royal +Pandemonium, knowing that they were now actually going +to meet Frank.</p> + +<p>Nothing could be a greater novelty to both the young +travellers than the scene by which they were now surrounded; +trumpets were sounding—bells ringing—children crying—sailors, +passengers, carriages, dogs, and baggage all +hurrying on board pell-mell, while a jet of steam came bellowing +forth from the waste-pipe, as if it were struggling to +get rid of the huge column of black smoke vomited forth +by the chimney. Below stairs they were still more astonished +to find a large cabin, covered with gilding, red damask, +and mirrors, where crowds of strange-looking people, +more than half sick, and very cross, were scolding and +bustling about, bawling for their carpet bags, and trying to +be of as much consequence as possible, while they ate and +drank trash, to keep off sea-sickness, that might have made +any one sick on shore—sipping brandy and water, or eating +peppermint drops, according as the case required. Among +those in the ladies’ cabin, Laura and Harry were amused to +discover Miss Perceval, who had hastened into bed already, +in case of being ill, and was talking unceasingly to any +one who would listen, besides ordering and scolding a poor +sick maid, scarcely able to stand. Her head was enveloped +in a most singular night-cap, ornamented with old ribbons +and artificial flowers—she wore a bright yellow shawl, and +had taken into the berth beside her, a little Blenheim spaniel—a +parrot—and a cage of canary birds, the noisy +<a name="p0218.png" id="p0218.png" href="#p0218.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">218</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>inhabitants of which sung at the full pitch of their voices till the +very latest hour of the night, being kept awake by the lamp +which swung from side to side, while nothing could be compared +to their volubility except the perpetual clamour occasioned +by Miss Perceval herself.</p> + +<p>“I declare these little narrow beds are no better than +coffins! I never saw such places! and the smell is like +singed blankets and cabbages boiled in melted oil! It is +enough to make anybody ill! Mary! go and fetch me a cup +of tea, and, do you hear! tell those people on deck not to +make such a noise—it gives me a headache! Be sure you +say that I shall complain to the Captain. Reach me some +bread and milk for the parrot,—fetch my smelling bottle,—go +to the saloon for that book I was reading,—and search +again for the pocket-handkerchief I mislaid. It cost ten +guineas, and must be found. I hope no one has stolen it! +Now do make haste with the tea! What are you dawdling +there for? If you do not stop that noise on deck, Mary, I +shall be exceedingly displeased! Some of those horrid people +in the steerage were smoking too, but tell the Captain +that if I come up he must forbid them. It is a trick to +make us all sick and save provisions. I observed a gun-case +in the saloon too, which is a most dangerous thing, for +guns always go off when you least expect. If any one fires, +I shall fall into hysterics. I shall, indeed! What a creaking +noise the vessel makes! I hope there is no danger of +its splitting! We ought not to go on sailing after dusk. +The Captain must positively cast anchor during the night, +that we may have no more of this noise or motion, but sleep +in peace and quietness till morning.”</p> + +<p>Soon after the Royal Pandemonium had set sail, or rather +set fire, the wind freshened, and the pitching of the vessel +became so rough, that Harry and Laura, with great difficulty, +staggered to seats on the deck, leaving both Lady Harriet’s +servants so very sick below, that instead of being able +<a name="p0219.png" id="p0219.png" href="#p0219.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">219</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>to attend on them, they gave nine times the trouble that any +other passenger did on board, and were not visible again +during the whole voyage. The two young travellers now +sat down together, and watched, with great curiosity, several +groups of strangers on deck: ladies, half sick, trying to +entertain gentlemen in seal-skin travelling caps and pale +cadaverous countenances, smoking cigars; others opening +baskets of provisions, and eating with good sea-faring appetite; +while one party had a carriage on the deck so filled +with luxuries of every kind, that there seemed no end to +the multitude of Perigord pies, German sausages, cold +fowls, pastry, and fruit that were produced during the evening. +The owners had a table spread on the deck, and ate +voraciously, before a circle of hungry spectators, which had +such an appearance of selfishness and gluttony, that both +his young friends thought immediately of Peter Grey.</p> + +<p>As evening closed in, Harry and Laura began to feel +very desolate thus for the first time in their lives alone, +while the wide waste of waters around made the scene yet +more forlorn. They had enjoyed unmingled delight in +talking over and over about their happy meeting with Frank, +and planned a hundred times how joyfully they would rush into +the house, and with what pleasure they would relate all that happened +to themselves, after hearing from his own mouth the +extraordinary adventures which his letters had described. +Laura produced from her reticule several of the last she had +received, and laughed again over the funny jokes and stories +they contained, inventing many new questions to ask him +on the subject, and fancying she already heard his voice, +and saw his bright and joyous countenance. But now the +night had grown so dark and chilly, that both Harry and +Laura felt themselves gradually becoming cold, melancholy, +and dejected. They made an effort to walk arm-in-arm up +and down the deck, in imitation of the few other passengers +who had been able to remain out of bed, and they tried +<a name="p0220.png" id="p0220.png" href="#p0220.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">220</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>still to talk cheerfully, but in spite of every effort, their +thoughts became mournful. After clinging together for +some time, and staggering up and down, without feeling +in spirits to speak, they were still shiveringly cold, yet unwilling +to separate for the night, when Harry suddenly stood +still, grasping Laura’s arm with a look of startled astonishment, +which caused her hastily to glance round in the direction +where he was eagerly gazing, but nothing became +visible except the dim outline of a woman’s figure, rolled +up in several enormous shawls, and with her bonnet +slouched far over her face.</p> + +<p>“I am certain it was her!” whispered Harry, in a tone +of breathless amazement; “almost certain!”</p> + +<p>“Who?” asked Laura, eagerly.</p> + +<p>Without answering, Harry sprung forward, and seized +the unknown person by the arm, who instantly looked +round.——<span class="sc">It was Mrs. Crabtree!</span></p> + +<p>“I am sorry you observed me, Master Harry! I did +not intend to trouble you and Miss Laura during the +voyage,” said she, turning her face slowly towards him, +when, to his surprise, he saw that the traces of tears were +on her cheek, and her manner appeared so subdued, and altogether +so different from former times, that Laura could +scarcely yet credit her senses. “I shall not be at all in +your way, children, but I —— —— I must see Master +Frank again. He was always too good for this world, and +he’ll not be here long—Andrew told me all about it, and I +could not stay behind. I wish we were all as well prepared, +and then the sooner we die the better.”</p> + +<p>Harry and Laura listened in speechless consternation to +these words. The very idea of losing Frank had never +before crossed their imaginations for a moment, and they +could have wished to believe that what Mrs. Crabtree said +was like the ravings of delirium, yet an irresistible feeling +of awe and alarm rushed into their minds.</p> + +<p><a name="p0221.png" id="p0221.png" href="#p0221.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">221</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>“Miss Laura! if you want any help in undressing, call +to me at any time. I was sure that doited body Harrison +could be of no service. She never was fit to take care of +herself, and far less of such as you. It put me wild to think +of your coming all this way with nobody fit to look after +you, and then the distress that must follow.”</p> + +<p>“But surely, Mrs. Crabtree, you do not think Frank so +very ill,” asked Laura, making an effort to recover her +voice, and speaking in a tone of deep anxiety; “he had +recovered from the fever, but is only rather too weak for travelling.”</p> + +<p>“Well, Miss Laura! grief always comes too soon, and I +would have held my tongue had I thought you did not know +the worst already. If I might order as in former days, it +would be to send you both down directly, out of this heavy +fog and cold wind.”</p> + +<p>“But you may order us, Mrs. Crabtree,” said Harry, +taking her kindly by the hand; “we are very glad to see +you again! and I shall do whatever you bid me! So you +came all this way on purpose for us! How very kind!”</p> + +<p>“Master Harry, I would go round the wide world to +serve any one of you! who else have I to care for? But it +was chiefly to see Master Frank. Let us hope the best, +and pray to be prepared for any event that may come. All +things are ordained for good, and we can only make the +best of what happens. The world must go round,—it must +go round, and we can’t prevent it.”</p> + +<p>Harry and Laura hung their heads in dismay, for there +was something agitated and solemn in Mrs. Crabtree’s +manner, which astonished and shocked them, so they hurried +silently to bed; and Laura’s pillow was drenched with +tears of anxiety and distress that night, though gradually, as +she thought of Frank’s bright colour and sparkling eyes, his +joyous spirits and unbroken health, it seemed impossible +that all were so soon to fade away, that the wind should +<a name="p0222.png" id="p0222.png" href="#p0222.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">222</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>have already passed over them, and they were gone, till by +degrees her mind became more calm; her hopes grew into +certainties; she told herself twenty times over, that Mrs. +Crabtree must be entirely mistaken, and at last sunk into a +restless agitated slumber.</p> + +<p>Next day the sun shone, the sky was clear, and every +thing appeared so full of life and joy, that Harry and Laura +would have fancied the whole scene with Mrs. Crabtree a +distressing dream, had they not been awakened to recollection +before six in the morning, by the sound of her voice, +angrily rebuking Miss Perceval and other ladies, who with +too good reason, were grumbling at the hardship of sleeping, +or rather vainly attempting to sleep, in such narrow uncomfortable +dog-holes. Laura heard Mrs. Crabtree conclude +an eloquent oration on the subject of contentment, by saying, +“Indeed, ladies! many a brave man, and noblemen’s +sons too, have laid their heads on the green grass, fighting +for you, so we should put up with a hard bed patiently for +one night.”</p> + +<p>Miss Perceval turned angrily away, and summoned her +maid to receive a multitude of new directions. “Mary, tell +the Captain that when I looked out last, there was scarcely +any smoke coming out of the funnel, so I am sure he is +saving fuel, and not keeping good enough fires to carry us +on! I never knew such shabbiness! Tell the engineer, +that I insist on his throwing on more coals immediately. +Bring me some hot water, as fast as possible! These +towels are so coarse, I cannot, on any account, use them. +After being accustomed to such pocket-handkerchiefs as +mine, at ten guineas each, one does become particular. +Can you not find a larger basin? This looks like a soup-plate, +and it seems impossible here to get enough of hot +water to wash comfortably.”</p> + +<p>“She should be put into the boiler of the steam-boat,” muttered +Mrs. Crabtree. “I wish them animal-magnifying +<a name="p0223.png" id="p0223.png" href="#p0223.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">223</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>doctors would put the young lady to sleep till we arrive in +London.”</p> + +<p>“Now!” continued Miss Perceval, “get me another +cup of tea. The last was too sweet, the one before not +strong enough, and the first half cold, but this is worse than +any. Do remember to mention, that yesterday night the +steward sent up a tin tea-pot, a thing I cannot possibly suffer +again. We must have the urn, too, instead of that +black tea-kettle; and desire him to prepare some butter-toast—I +am not hungry, so three rounds will be enough. +Let me have some green tea this time; and see that the +cream is better than last night, when I am certain it was +thickened with chalk or snails. The jelly, too, was execrable, +for it tasted like sticking-plaster—I shall starve if better +can’t be had; and the table-cloth looked like a pair of +old sheets. Tell the steward all this, and say, he must get +my breakfast ready on deck in half an hour; but meantime, +I shall sit here with a book while you brush my hair.”</p> + +<p>The sick persecuted maid seemed anxious to do all she +was bid; so, after delivering as many of the messages as +possible, she tried to stand up and do Miss Perceval’s hair, +but the motion of the vessel had greatly increased, and she +turned as pale as death, apparently on the point of sinking +to the ground, when Laura, now quite dressed, quietly +slipped the brush out of her hand, and carefully brushed +Miss Perceval’s thin locks, while poor Mary silently dropped +upon a seat, being perfectly faint with sickness.</p> + +<p>Miss Perceval read on, without observing the change of +abigails, till Harry, who had watched this whole scene from +the cabin-door, made a hissing noise, such as grooms do +when they currycomb a horse, which caused the young +lady to look hastily round, when great was Miss Perceval’s +astonishment to discover her new abigail, with a very pains-taking +look, brushing her hair, while poor Mary lay more +dead than alive on the benches. “Well! I declare! was +<a name="p0224.png" id="p0224.png" href="#p0224.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">224</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>there ever anything so odd!” she exclaimed in a voice of +amazement. “How very strange! What can be the matter +with Mary! There is no end to the plague of servants!”</p> + +<p>“Or rather to the plague of mistresses!” thought Laura, +while she glanced from Miss Perceval’s round, red bustling +face, to the poor suffering maid, who became worse and +worse during the day, for there came on what sailors call “a +capful of wind,” which gradually rose to a “stiff breeze,” or, +what the passengers considered a hurricane; and, towards +night, it attained the dignity of a real undeniable “storm.” +A scene of indescribable tumult then ensued. The Captain +attempted to make his voice heard above the roaring +tempest, using a torrent of unintelligible nautical phrases, +and an incessant volley of very intelligible oaths. The sailors +flew about, and every plank in the vessel seemed creaking +and straining, but high above all, the shrill tones of +Miss Perceval were audibly heard, exclaiming,</p> + +<p>“Are there enough of ‘hands’ on board? Is there any +danger? Are you sure the boiler will not burst? I wish +steam-boats had never been invented! People are sure to +be blown up to the clouds, or sunk to the bottom of the +ocean, or scalded to death like so many lobsters. I cannot +stand this any longer! Stop the ship, and set me on shore +instantly!”</p> + +<p>Laura clung closer to Harry, and felt that they were like +two mere pigmies, amid the wide waste of waters, rolling +and tossing around them, while his spirits, on the contrary, +rose to the highest pitch of excitement with all he heard and +saw, till at length, wishing to enjoy more of the “fun,” he +determined to venture above board. By the time Harry’s +nose was on a level with the deck, he gazed around, and +saw that not a person appeared visible except two sailors, +both lashed to the helm, while all was silent now, except the +deafening noise made by the wild waves and the stormy +blast, which seemed as if it would blow his teeth down his +<a name="p0225.png" id="p0225.png" href="#p0225.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">225</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>throat. Harry thought the two men looked no larger than +mice in such a scene, and stood, clinging to the bannisters, +perfectly entranced with astonishment and admiration at the +novelty of all he saw, and thinking how often Frank +must have been in such scenes, when suddenly a wave +washed quite over the deck, and he felt his arm grasped by +Mrs. Crabtree, who desired him to come down immediately, +in a tone of authority which he did not even yet feel bold +enough to disobey; therefore, slowly and reluctantly he descended +to the cabin, where the only living thing that seemed +well enough to move, was Miss Perceval’s tongue.</p> + +<p>“Steward!” she cried, in sharp angry accents. “Steward! +here is water pouring down the sky-lights like a shower-bath! +Look at my band-box swimming on the floor! +Mary! Tiresome creature! don’t you see that? My best +bonnet will be destroyed! Send the Captain here! He +must positively stop that noise on deck; it is quite intolerable. +My head aches, as if it would burst like the boiler of +a steam-boat! Stupid man! Can’t he put into some port, +or cast anchor? How can he keep us all uncomfortable in +this way! Mary! Mary, I say! are you deaf? Steward! +send one of the sailors here to take care of this dog! I +declare poor Frisk is going to be sick! Mary! Mary! This +is insufferable! I wish the Captain would come and help +me to scold my maid! I shall certainly give you warning, +Mary.”</p> + +<p>This awful threat had but little effect on one who thought +herself on the brink of being buried beneath the waves, +besides being too sick to care whether she died the next +minute or not; and even Miss Perceval’s voice became +drowned at last in the tremendous storm which raged +throughout the night, during which the Captain rather increased +Laura’s panic, if that were possible, by considerately +putting his head into the cabin now and then to say, +“Don’t be afraid, ladies! There is no danger!”</p> + +<p><a name="p0226.png" id="p0226.png" href="#p0226.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">226</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>“But I must come up and see what you are about, Captain!” +exclaimed Miss Perceval.</p> + +<p>“You had better be still, ma’am,” replied Mrs. Crabtree. +“It is as well to be drowned in bed as on deck.”</p> + +<p>Nothing gives a more awful idea of the helplessness of +man, and the wrath of God, than a tempestuous sea during +the gloom of midnight; and every mind on board became +awed into silence and solemnity during this war of elements, +till at length, towards morning, while the hurricane +seemed yet raging with undiminished fury, Laura suddenly +gave an exclamation of rapture, on hearing a sailor at the +helm begin to sing Tom Bowling. “Now I feel sure the +danger is over,” said she, “otherwise that man could not have +the heart to sing! If I live a century, I shall always like +a sailor’s song for the future.”</p> + +<p>It is seldom that any person’s thankfulness after danger +bears a fair proportion to the fear they felt while it lasted; +but Harry and Laura had been taught to remember where +their gratitude was due, and felt it the more deeply next day, +when they entered the Yarmouth Roads, and were shewn +the masts of several vessels, appearing partly above the +water, which had on various occasions, been lost in that wilderness +of shoals, where so many melancholy catastrophes +have occurred.</p> + +<p class="pgbrk">After sailing up the Thames, and duly staring at Greenwich +hospital, the hulks, and the Tower of London, they +landed at last; and having offered Mrs. Crabtree a place in +the hackney coach, they hurried impatiently into it, eager +for the happy moment of meeting with Frank. Harry, in +his ardour, thought that no carriage had ever driven so +slowly before. He wished there had been a rail-road through +the town; and far from wasting a thought upon the novelties +of Holborn or Piccadilly, he and Laura gained no idea +of the metropolis, more distinct than that of the Irishman +who complained he could not see London for the quantity +<a name="p0227.png" id="p0227.png" href="#p0227.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">227</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>of houses. One only idea filled their hearts, and brightened +their countenances, while they looked at each other with +a smile of delight, saying, “now, at last, we are going to +see Frank!”</p> + + + + +<h2><a name="p0228.png" id="p0228.png" href="#p0228.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">228</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>CHAPTER XVI.<br + /><span class="fakehr"> </span><br + /> <br /><small>THE ARRIVAL.</small></h2> + +<div class="poem w18 pl4"> +<div class="stanza"> +<div>What is life?——a varied tale,</div> +<div>Deeply moving, quickly told.</div> +</div> +<div class="rt sc">Willis.</div> +</div> + + +<p class="noindent top1">“<span class="sc">Oh</span>! what a lovely cottage!” exclaimed Laura, in an +ecstacy of joy, when they stopped before a beautiful house, +with large airy windows down to the ground; walls that +seemed one brilliant mass of roses; rich flowery meadows +in front, and a bright smooth lawn behind, stretching down +to the broad bosom of the Thames, which reflected on its +glassy surface innumerable boats, filled with gay groups of +merry people. “That is such a place as I have often dreamed +of, but never saw before! It seems made for perfect +happiness!”</p> + +<p>“Yes! how delightful to live here with Frank and uncle +David!” added Harry. “We shall be sailing on the water +all day!”</p> + +<p>The cottage gate was now opened, and Major Graham +himself appeared under the porch; but instead of hurrying +forward, as he always formerly did, to welcome them after +the very shortest separation, he stood gravely and silently at +the door, without so much as raising his eyes from the +ground; and the paleness of his countenance filled both +Harry and Laura with astonishment. They flew to meet +<a name="p0229.png" id="p0229.png" href="#p0229.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">229</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>him, making an exclamation of joy; but after embracing +them affectionately, he did not utter a word, and led the way +with hurried and agitated steps into a sitting room.</p> + +<p>“Where is Frank?” exclaimed Harry, looking eagerly +round. “Why is he not here? Call him down! Tell him +we are come!”</p> + +<p>A long pause ensued; and Laura trembled when she looked +at her uncle, who was some moments before he could +speak, and sat down taking each of them by the hand, with +such a look of sorrow and commiseration, that they were +filled with alarm.</p> + +<p>“My dear Harry and Laura!” said he solemnly, “you +have never known grief till now, but if you love me, listen +with composure. I have sad news to tell, yet it is of the +very greatest consequence that you should bear up with fortitude. +Frank is extremely ill; and the joy he felt about +your coming, has agitated him so much, that he is worse +than you can possibly conceive. It probably depends upon +your conduct now, whether he survives this night or not. +Frank knows you are here; he is impatient for you to embrace +him; he becomes more and more agitated every moment +the meeting is delayed; yet if you give way to childish +grief, or even to childish joy, upon seeing him again, +the Doctors think it may cause his immediate death. You +might hear his breathing in any part of this house. He is +in the lowest extreme of weakness! It will be a dreadful +scene for you both. Tell me, Harry and Laura, can you +trust yourselves? Can you, for Frank’s own sake, enter his +room this moment, as quietly as if you had seen him yesterday, +and speak to him with composure?”</p> + +<p>Laura felt, on hearing these words, as if the very earth +had opened under her feet,—a choking sensation arose in +her throat,—her colour fled,—her limbs shook,—her whole +countenance became convulsed with anguish,—but making +<a name="p0230.png" id="p0230.png" href="#p0230.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">230</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>a resolute effort, she looked anxiously at Harry, and then +said, in a low, almost inaudible voice,</p> + +<p>“Uncle David! we are able,—God will strengthen us. I +dare not think a moment. The sooner it is done the better. +Let us go now.”</p> + +<p>Major Graham slowly led the way without speaking, till +they reach the bed-room door, where he paused for a moment, +while Harry and Laura listened to the gasping sound +of Frank struggling for breath.</p> + +<p>“Remember you will scarcely know him,” whispered he, +looking doubtfully at Laura’s pallid countenance; “but a +single expression of emotion may be fatal. Show your love +for Frank now, my dear children. Spare him all agitation,—forget +your own feelings for his sake.”</p> + +<p>When Harry and Laura entered the room, Frank buried +his face in his hands, and leaned them on the table, saying, +in convulsive accents, “Go away, Laura!—oh go away +just now! I cannot bear it yet!—leave me!—leave me!”</p> + +<p>If Laura had been turned into marble at the moment, she +could not have seemed more perfectly calm, for her mind +was wound up to an almost supernatural effort, and advancing +to the place where he sat, without attempting to speak, +she took Frank by the hand—Harry did the same; and not +a sound was heard for some moments, but the convulsive +struggles of Frank himself, while he gasped for breath, and +vainly tried to speak, till at length he raised his head and +fixed his eyes on Laura, who felt then, for the first time, +struck with the dreadful conviction, that this meeting was +but a prelude to their immediate and final separation. The +pale ashy cheek, the hollow eye, the sharp and altered features, +all told a tale of anguish such as she had never before +conceived, and a cold tremor passed through her frame, as +she stood amazed and bewildered with grief, while the past, +the present, and the future seemed all one mighty heap of +agony. Still she gazed steadily on Frank, and said nothing, +<a name="p0231.png" id="p0231.png" href="#p0231.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">231</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>conscious that the smallest indulgence of emotion would +bring forth a torrent which nothing could control, and determined, +unless her heart ceased to beat, that he should see +nothing to increase his agitation.</p> + +<p>At length, in a low, faint, broken voice, Frank was able +to speak, and looking with affectionate sympathy at Laura, +he said, “Do not think, dear sister, that I always suffer as +you see me now. This joy has been too much for me. I +shall soon feel easier.”</p> + +<p>Major Graham observed a livid paleness come over +Laura’s countenance when she attempted to answer, and +seeing it was impossible to sustain the trial a moment longer, +he made a pretext to hurry her away. Harry instantly +followed, and rushing into a vacant room, he threw himself +down in an agony of grief, and wept convulsively, till the +very bed shook beneath him. Hours passed on, and Major +Graham left them to exhaust their grief in weeping together, +but every moment seemed only to increase their agitation, +as the conviction became more fearfully certain that Frank +was indeed lost to them for ever. This then was the meeting +they had so often, and so joyously anticipated! Laura +sunk upon her knees beside Harry, and prayers were mingled +with their tears, while they asked for consolation, +and tried to feel resigned. “Alas!” thought she solemnly, +“how truly did grandmama say, ‘If the sorrows of this +world are called ‘light afflictions,’ what must be those from +which Christ died to save us!’ It is merciful that we +are not forbid to weep, for, oh! who ever lost such a brother?—the +kindest—the best of brothers!—dear, dear Frank!—can +nothing be done! Uncle David!” added Laura, +clinging to Major Graham, when he entered the room, +“oh! say something to us about Frank getting better,—do +you think he will? May we have a hope?—one single +hope to live upon, that Frank may possibly be spared; +do not turn away—do not look so very sad—think how +<a name="p0232.png" id="p0232.png" href="#p0232.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">232</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>young Frank is,—and the Doctors are so skilful—and—and +oh, uncle David! he is dying! I see it! I must believe +it!” continued she, wringing her hands with grief. “You +cannot give us one word of hope, though the whole world +would be nothing without him.”</p> + +<p>“My dear,—my very dear Laura! remember that consoling +text in holy Scripture, ‘Be still, and know that I am +God;’—we have no idea what He can do in saving us from +sorrow, or in comforting us when it comes, therefore let us +seek peace from Him, and believe that all shall indeed be +ordered well, even though our own hearts were to be +broken with affliction. Frank has seen old nurse Crabtree, +and is now in a refreshing sleep, therefore I wish you to +take the opportunity of sitting in his room, and accustoming +yourselves, if possible, to the sight of his altered appearance. +He is sometimes very cheerful, and always patient, +therefore we must keep up our own spirits, and try to +assist him in bearing his sufferings, rather than increase +them, by showing what we feel ourselves. I was pleased +with you both this morning—that meeting was no common +effort, and now we must show our submission to the Divine +will, difficult as that may be, by a deep, heartfelt resignation +to whatever He ordains.”</p> + +<p>Harry and Laura still felt stupified with grief, but they +mechanically followed Major Graham into Frank’s room, +and sat down in a distant corner behind his chair, observing +with awe and astonishment his pallid countenance, his emaciated +hands, and his drooping figure, while scarcely yet +able to believe that this was indeed their own beloved Frank. +After they had remained immoveably still for some time, +though shedding many bitter tears, as they gazed on the +wreck of one so very dear, he suddenly started awake, and +glanced anxiously round the room, then with a look of deep +disappointment, he said to uncle David, in low, feeble accents,</p> + +<p><a name="p0233.png" id="p0233.png" href="#p0233.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">233</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>“It was only a dream! I have often dreamed the same +thing, when far away at sea,—that would have been too +much happiness! I fancied Harry and Laura were here!”</p> + +<p>“It was no dream, dear Frank! we are here,” said Laura, +trying to speak in a quiet, subdued voice.</p> + +<p>“My dear sister! then all is well! but pray sit always +where I can see you. After wishing so long for our meeting, +it appears nearly impossible that we are together at +last.”</p> + +<p>Frank became exhausted with speaking so much, but +pointed to a seat near himself, where Harry and Laura sat +down, after which he gazed at them long and earnestly, with +a look of affectionate pleasure, while his smile, which had +lost all its former cheerfulness, was now full of tenderness +and sensibility. At length his countenance gradually changed, +while large tears gathered in his eyes, and coursed each +other silently down his cheeks. Thoughts of the deepest +sadness seemed passing through his mind during some moments, +but checking the heavy sigh that rose in his breast, +he riveted his hands together, and looked towards heaven +with an expression of placid submission, saying these words +in a scarcely audible tone, though evidently addressed to +those around,</p> + +<p>“Weeping endureth for a night, but joy cometh in the +morning.” “We know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle +be dissolved, we have a building of God, an house +not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” “Weep ye +not for the dead, neither bemoan him; <em>but</em> weep sore for +him that goeth away: for he shall return no more, nor see +his native country.”<sup><a name="fna.1" + id="fna.1" href="#fn.1">*</a></sup></p> + +<p>These words fell upon the ear of Harry and Laura like a +knell of death, for they now saw that Frank himself believed +he was dying, and it appeared as if their last spark of +<a name="p0234.png" id="p0234.png" href="#p0234.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">234</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>hope expired when they heard this terrible dispensation announced +from his own lips. He seemed anxious now that +they should understand his full meaning, and receive all the +consolation which his mind could afford, for he closed his +eyes, and added in solemn accents,</p> + +<p>“I must have died at some time, and why not now? If +I leave friends who are very dear on earth, I go to my chief +best friend in heaven. The whole peace and comfort of my +mind rest on thinking of our Saviour’s merits. Let us all +be ready to say, ‘the will of the Lord be done.’ Think +often, Harry and Laura, of those words we so frequently repeated +to grandmama formerly:</p> + +<div class="poem w20 pl4"> +<div class="stanza notopspace"> +<div>‘Take comfort, Christians, when your friends</div> +<div class="i2"> In Jesus fall asleep,</div> +<div>Their better being never ends,</div> +<div class="i2"> Why then dejected weep?</div> +<br /></div> + +<div class="stanza"> +<div>Why inconsolable as those</div> +<div class="i2"> To whom no hope is given?</div> +<div>Death is the messenger of peace,</div> +<div class="i2"> And calls ‘my’ soul to Heaven.’”</div> +</div> +</div> + +<p class="top1">Frank’s voice failed, his head fell back upon the pillows, +and he remained for a length of time, with his eyes closed +in solemn meditation and prayer, while Laura and Harry, +unable so much as to look at each other, leaned upon the +table, and wept in silence.</p> + +<p>Laura felt as if she had grown old in a moment,—as if +life could give no more joy—and as if she herself stood already +on the verge of the grave. It appeared like a dream +that she had ever been happy, and a dreadful reality to which +she was now awakened. “Behold, God taketh away! who +can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou?” +“Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils.” +These were texts which forced themselves on her mind, with +mournful emphasis, while she felt how helpless is earthly +<a name="p0235.png" id="p0235.png" href="#p0235.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">235</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>affection when the dispensations of God are upon us. All +her love for Frank could not avert the stroke of death,—all +his attachment to her must now be buried in the grave,—and +the very tenderness they felt for each other, only embittered +the sorrows of this dreadful moment.</p> + +<p>From that day, Harry and Laura, according to the +advice of uncle David, testified their affection for Frank, +not by tears and useless lamentations, though these were +not always to be controlled in private, but by the incessant, +devoted attention with which they watched his looks, anticipated +his wishes, and thought every exertion a pleasure +which could in the slightest degree contribute to his comfort. +Frank, on his part, spared their feelings, by often +concealing what he suffered, and by speaking of his own +death, as if it had been a journey on which he must prepare +with readiness to enter, reminding them, that never to +die, was never to be happy, as all they saw him endure from +sickness, became nothing to what he endured from struggling +against sin and temptation, which were the great evils +of existence,—and that from all these he would be for ever +freed by death. “Those who are prepared for the change,” +added he, solemnly, “can neither live too long, nor die too +soon; for when God gives us His blessing, He then sends +heaven, as it were, into the soul before the soul ascends to +heaven; and I trust to being gifted with faith and submission +for all that may be ordained during my few remaining +hours upon earth.”</p> + +<p>Yet, with every desire to feel resigned, Frank himself +was sometimes surprised out of his usual fortitude, especially +when thinking that he must never more hope to see +Lady Harriet, towards whom he cast many a longing and +affecting thought, saying once, with deep emotion, “If I +could only see grandmama again, I should feel quite well!” +One evening, as he sat near an open window, gazing on +the rich tints of twilight, and breathing with more than +<a name="p0236.png" id="p0236.png" href="#p0236.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">236</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>usual ease, a wandering musician paused with her guitar, +and sung several airs with great pathos and expression. At +length she played the tune of “Home! sweet home,” to +which Frank listened for some moments with intense agitation, +till, clasping his hands and bursting into tears, he +exclaimed, in accents of powerful emotion,</p> + +<p>“Home! That happy home! Oh! never—never more,—<em>my</em> +home is in the grave.”</p> + +<p>Laura wept convulsively while he added in broken accents, +“I shall still be remembered—still lamented—you +must not love me too well, Laura,—not as I love you, +or your sorrow would be too great; but long hence, when +Harry and you are happy together, surrounded with friends, +think sometimes of one who must for ever be absent,—who +loved you better than them all,—whose last prayer will be +for you both. Oh! who can tell what my feelings are! I +can do nothing now but cause distress and anguish to those +who love me best!”</p> + +<p>“Frank, I would not exchange your affection for the wealth +of worlds. As long as I live, it will be my greatest earthly +happiness to have had such a brother; and if we are to suffer +a sorrow that I cannot name, and dare not think of, you +are teaching me how to bear it, and leaving us the only +comfort we can have, in knowing that you are happy.”</p> + +<p>“Many plans and many hopes I had for the future, +Laura,” added Frank; “but there is no future to me now +in this world. Perhaps I may escape a multitude of sorrows, +but how gladly would I have shared all yours, and ensured +my best happiness by uniting with Harry and you in +living to God. If you both learn more by my death than +by my life, then, indeed, I do rejoice. With respect to myself, +it matters but little a few years or hours sooner, for I +may say, in the words of Job, ‘though He slay me, yet will +I trust in Him.’”</p> + +<p>Frank’s sufferings increased every day, and became so +<a name="p0237.png" id="p0237.png" href="#p0237.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">237</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>very great at last, that the Doctor proposed giving him strong +doses of laudanum, to bring on a stupor and allay the pain; +but when this was mentioned to him, he said, “I know it is +my duty to take whatever you prescribe, and I certainly +shall, but if we can do without opiates, let me entreat you +to refrain from them. Often formerly at sea I used to think +it very sad how few of those I attended in sickness were +allowed by the physician to die in possession of their senses, +on account of being made to take laudanum, which gave +them false spirits and temporary ease. Let me retain my +faculties as long as they are mercifully granted to me. I +can bear pain,—at least, God grant me strength to do so,—but +I cannot willingly enter the presence of my Creator in +a state little short of intoxication.”</p> + +<p>Many days of agony followed this resolution on the part +of Frank, but though the medicine, which would have +brought some hours of oblivion, lay within reach, he persevered +in wishing to preserve his consciousness, whatever +suffering it might cost; and though now and then a prayer +for bodily relief was wrung from him in his acute agony, +the most frequent and fervent supplications that he uttered +night and day were, in an accent of intense emotion, “God +have mercy upon my soul.”</p> + +<p>Harry and Laura were surprised to find the fields and +walks near London so very rural and beautiful as they appeared +at Hammersmith, and to meet with much more +simplicity and kindness among the common people than +they had anticipated. The poorer neighbours, who became +aware of their affliction, testified a degree of sympathy +which frequently astonished them, and was often afterwards +remembered with pleasure, one instance of which seemed +peculiarly touching to Laura. Frank always suffered most +acutely during the night, and seldom closed his eyes in +sleep till morning, therefore she invariably remained with +him, to beguile those weary hours, while any remonstrance +<a name="p0238.png" id="p0238.png" href="#p0238.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">238</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>on his part against so fatiguing a duty, became a mere +waste of words, as she only grew sadder and paler, saying, +there would be time enough to take care of herself when +she could no longer be of use to him. The earliest thing +that gave any relief to Frank’s cough every day, generally +was, a tumbler of milk, warm from the cow, which had +been ordered for him, and was brought almost as soon as +the dawn of light. Once, when Frank had been unusually +ill, and sighed in restless agony till morning, Laura watched +impatiently for day, and when the milkman was seen, at +six o’clock, slowly trudging through the fields, and advancing +leisurely towards the house, Laura hurried eagerly +down to meet him, exclaiming in accents of joy, while she +held out the tumbler, “Oh! I am so glad you are come at +last!”</p> + +<p>“At last, Miss!! I am as early as usual!” replied he, +gruffly. “It’s not many poor folks that gets up so soon +to their work, and if you had to labour as hard as me all +day, you would maybe think the morning came too soon.”</p> + +<p>“I am seldom in bed all night,” answered Laura, sadly. +“My poor sick brother cannot rest till this milk is brought, +and I wait with him, hour after hour till daylight, wearying +for you to come.”</p> + +<p>The old dairyman looked with sorrowful surprise at Laura, +while she, thinking no more of what had passed, hurried +away; but next morning, when sitting up again with +Frank, she became surprised to observe the milkman a +whole hour earlier than usual, plodding along towards his +cattle at a peculiarly rapid pace. He stayed not more than +five minutes, only milking one cow, though all the others +gathered round him, and as soon as he had filled his little +pail, he came straight toward Major Graham’s cottage, and +knocked at the door. Laura instantly ran down to thank +him with her whole heart for his kind attention, after which, +<a name="p0239.png" id="p0239.png" href="#p0239.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">239</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>as long as Frank continued ill, the old dairyman rose long +before his usual time, to bring this welcome refreshment.</p> + +<p>Frank desired Laura to beg that he would not take so +much trouble, or else to insist on his accepting some remuneration, +but the old man would neither discontinue the +custom, nor receive any recompense.</p> + +<p>“Let me see this kind good dairyman, to thank him myself,” +said Frank, one night, when he felt rather easier; and +next morning, Laura invited poor Teddy Collins to walk +up stairs, who looked exceedingly astonished, though very +much pleased at the proposal, saying, “May be, Ma’am, +the poor young gentleman would not like to see a stranger +like me!”</p> + +<p>“No one is a stranger who feels for him as you have +done,” replied Laura, leading the way, and Frank’s countenance +lighted up with a smile of pleasure when they entered +his room. He held out his thin emaciated hand to Teddy, +who looked earnestly and sorrowfully in his face as he +grasped hold of it, saying, “You look very poorly, Sir! +I’m afraid, indeed, you are sadly ill.”</p> + +<p>“That I am! as ill as any one can be on this side of +eternity! My tale is told, my days are numbered; but I +would not go out of this world without saying how grateful +we both feel for your attention. As a cup of cold water +given in Christian kindness shall hereafter be rewarded, I +trust also that your attention to me may not be forgotten.”</p> + +<p>“You are heartily welcome, Sir! It is a great honour +for a poor old man like me to oblige anybody. I shall not long +be able for work now, seeing that I am upwards of threescore +and ten, and my days are already full of labour and +sorrow.”</p> + +<p>“To both of us, then, the night is far spent, and the day +is at hand,” replied Frank—“How strange it seems, that, +old as you are. I am still older; my feeble frame will be +sooner worn out, and my body laid at rest in the grave! +<a name="p0240.png" id="p0240.png" href="#p0240.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">240</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>Let me hope that you have already applied your heart to wisdom, +for every child of earth must, sooner or later, find how +short is every thing but eternity. While I appear before you +here as a spectacle of mortality, think how soon and how +certainly you must follow. May you then find, as I do, that +even in the last extreme of sickness and sorrow, there is +comfort in looking forward to such blessings as ‘eye hath +not seen, nor ear heard.’ Farewell, my kind friend! In +this world we shall meet no more, but there is another and +a better.”</p> + +<p>The old man, apparently unwilling to withdraw, paused +for some moments after Frank had ceased to speak. He +muttered a few inaudible words in reply, and then slowly +and sorrowfully left the room, while Frank’s head sunk languidly +on the pillows, and Laura retired to her room, where, +as usual, she wept herself to sleep.</p> + +<p>When Harry and Laura first arrived at Hammersmith, +Frank felt anxious that they should walk out every day for +the benefit of their health; but finding that each made frequent +excuses for remaining constantly with him at home, +he invented a plan which induced them to take exercise regularly.</p> + +<p>Being early in June, strawberries were yet so exceedingly +rare, that they could scarcely be had for any money; but the +Doctor had allowed his patient to eat fruit. Frank asked his +two young attendants to wander about in quest of gardens +where a few strawberries could be got, and to bring him +some. Accordingly, they set out one morning; and after +a long, unsuccessful search, at last observed a small green-house +near the road, with one little basket in the window, +scarcely larger than a thimble, containing two or three delicious +King seedlings, perfectly ripe. These were to be +sold for five shillings; but hardly waiting to ascertain the +price, Laura seized this welcome prize with delight, and paid +for it on the spot. Every morning afterwards, her regular +<a name="p0241.png" id="p0241.png" href="#p0241.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">241</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>walk was to hasten with Harry towards this pretty little shop, +where they talked to the gardener about poor Frank being +so very ill, and told him that this fine fruit was wanted for +their sick brother at home.</p> + +<p>One day the invalid seemed so much worse than usual, +that neither Harry nor Laura could bear to leave him a moment; +so they requested Mrs. Crabtree to fetch the strawberries, +which she readily agreed to do; but on drawing out +her purse in the shop, and saying that she came to buy that +little basket of fruit at the window, what was her astonishment +when the gardener looked civil and sorry, answering +that he would not sell those strawberries if she offered him +a guinea a-piece.</p> + +<p>“No!” exclaimed Mrs. Crabtree, getting into a rage; +“then what do you put them up at the window for? There +is no use pretending to keep a shop, if you will not sell +what is in it! Give me these strawberries this minute, and +here’s your five shillings!”</p> + +<p>“It’s quite impossible,” replied the gardener, holding back +the basket. “You see, ma’am, every day last week a little +Master and Miss came to this here shop, buying my strawberries +for a young gentleman who is very ill; and they look +both so sweet and so mournful-like, that I would not disappoint +them for all the world. They seem later to-day than +usual, and are, may be, not coming at all; but if I lose my +day’s profits, it can’t be helped. They shall not walk here +for nothing, if they please to come!”</p> + +<p class="pgbrk">When Mrs. Crabtree explained that she belonged to the +same family as Harry and Laura, the gardener looked hard +at her to see if she were attempting to deceive him; but +feeling convinced that she spoke the truth, he begged her to +carry off the basket to his young friends, positively refusing +to take the price.</p> + +<hr class="footnote" /> +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a href="#fna.1" name="fn.1" id="fn.1">*</a> Jeremiah xxii. 10.</p> +</div> + + +<h2><a name="p0242.png" id="p0242.png" href="#p0242.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">242</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>CHAPTER XVII.<br + /><span class="fakehr"> </span><br + /> <br /><small>THE LAST BIRTH-DAY.</small></h2> + +<div class="poem w18 pl4"> +<div class="stanza"> +<div>Mere human power shall fast decay,</div> +<div>And youthful vigour cease;</div> +<div>But they who wait upon the Lord,</div> +<div>In strength shall still increase.</div> +</div> +</div> + + +<p class="noindent top1"><span class="sc">Frank</span> felt no unnatural apathy or indifference about dying, +for he looked upon it with awe, though not with fear; nor +did he express any rapturous excitement on the solemn occasion, +knowing that death is an appointed penalty for +transgression, which, though deprived of its sharpest sting +by the triumphs of the cross, yet awfully testifies to all succeeding +generations, that each living man has individually +merited the utmost wrath of God, and that the last moment +on earth, of even the most devoted Christian, must be darkened +by the gloom of our original sin and natural corruption. +Yet, “as in Adam all die, so in Christ are all made +alive;” and amidst the throng of consolatory and affecting +meditations that crowded into his mind on the great subject +of our salvation, he kept a little book in which were +carefully recorded such texts and reflections as he considered +likely to strengthen his own faith, and to comfort those +he left behind—saying one day to Major Graham,</p> + +<p>“Tell grandmama, that though my days have been few +upon the earth, they were happy! When you think of me, +uncle David, after my sufferings are over, it may well be a +<a name="p0243.png" id="p0243.png" href="#p0243.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">243</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>pleasing remembrance, that you were always the best, the +kindest of friends. Oh! how kind! but I must not—cannot +speak of <span class="nw">that——.</span> This is my birth-day!—my +last birth-day! Many a joyous one we kept together, but +those merry days are over, and these sadder ones too shall +cease; yet the time is fast approaching, so welcome to us +both,</p> + +<div class="poem w18 pl4"> +<div class="stanza notopspace"> +<div>‘When death-divided friends at last</div> +<div>Shall meet to part no more.’”</div> +</div> +</div> + +<p class="top1">In the evening, Major Graham observed that Frank made +Mrs. Crabtree bring everything belonging to him, and lay it +on the table, when he employed himself busily in tying +up a number of little parcels, remarking, with a languid +smile,</p> + +<p>“My possessions are not valuable, but these are for some +old friends and messmates, who will be pleased to receive a +trifling memorial of one who loved them. Send my dirk +to Peter Grey, who is much reformed now. Here are all +the letters any of you ever sent me; how very often they +have been read! but now, even that intercourse must end; +keep them, for they were the dearest treasures I possessed. +At Madras, formerly, I remember hearing of a nabob who +was bringing his whole fortune home in a chest of gold, +but the ropes for hoisting his treasure on board were so insufficient, +that the whole gave way, and it fell into the +ocean, never to be recovered. That seemed a very sudden +termination of his hopes and plans, but scarcely more unexpected +than my own. ‘We are a wind that passeth away +and cometh not again.’ Many restless nights are ordained +for me now, probably that I may find no resource but prayer +and meditation. Others can afford time to slumber, but +I so soon shall sleep the sleep of death, that it becomes a +blessing to have such hours of solitary thought, for preparing +my heart and establishing my faith, during this moment +of need.”</p> + +<p><a name="p0244.png" id="p0244.png" href="#p0244.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">244</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>“Yes, Frank! but your prayers are not solitary, for ours +are joined to yours,” added Laura. “I read in an old author +lately, that Christian friends in this world might be +compared to travellers going along the same road in separate +carriages—sometimes they are together—often they are +apart—sometimes they can exchange assistance, as we do +now—and often they jostle against each other, till at last, +having reached the journey’s end, they are removed out of +these earthly vehicles into a better state, where they shall +look back upon former circumstances, and know even as +they are known.”</p> + +<p>Laura was often astonished to observe the change which +had taken place in her own character and feelings within +the very short period of their distress. Her extreme terror +of a thunder-storm formerly, had occasioned many a jest to +her brothers, when Harry used, occasionally, to roll heavy +weights in the room above her own, to imitate the loudest +peals, while Frank sometimes endeavoured to argue her out +of that excessive apprehension with which she listened to +the most distant surmise of a storm. Now, however, at +Hammersmith, long after midnight, the moon, on one occasion, +became completely obscured by dense heavy clouds, +and the air felt so oppressively hot, that Frank, who seemed +unusually breathless, drew closer to the window. Laura +supported his head, and was deeply occupied in talking to +him, when suddenly a broad flash of lightning glared into +the room, followed by a crash of thunder, that seemed to +crack the very heavens. Again and again the lightning +gleamed in her face with such vividness, that Laura fancied +she could distinguish the heat of it, and yet she stirred not, +nor did a single exclamation, as in former days, arise on +her lips.</p> + +<p>“Pray shut the window, Laura,” said Frank languidly, +raising his eyes; “and be so kind as to close the shutters!”</p> + +<p><a name="p0245.png" id="p0245.png" href="#p0245.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">245</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>“Why, Frank?—you never used to be alarmed by thunder!”</p> + +<p>“No!<!-- original has spurious closing quote --> nor am I now, dear Laura. What danger need +a dying person fear? Some few hours sooner or later would +be of little <span class="nw">consequence—</span></p> + +<div class="poem w18 pl4"> +<div class="stanza notopspace"> +<div>Come he slow, or come he fast,</div> +<div>It is but death that comes at last.</div> +</div> +</div> + +<p class="noindent top1">Yet, Laura, do you think I have forgotten old times! Oh, +no!—not while I live. You attend to my feelings, and +surely it is my duty to remember yours.”</p> + +<p>“Never mind me, Frank!” whispered Laura. “I have +got over all that folly. When real fears and sorrows come, +we care no more about those that were imaginary.”</p> + +<p>“True, my dear sister; and there is no courage or fortitude +like that derived from faith in a superintending providence. +Though all creation reel, we may sleep in peace, +for to Christians ‘danger is safe, and tumult calm.’”</p> + +<p>When Frank grew worse, he became often delirious. +Yet as in health he had been habitually cheerful, his mind +generally wandered to agreeable subjects. He fancied himself +walking on the bright meadows, and picking flowers by +the river side,—meeting Lady Harriet,—and even speaking +to his father, as if Sir Edward had been present; while +Harry and Laura listened, weeping and trembling, to behold +the wreck of such a mind and heart as his. One +evening, he seemed unusually well, and requested that his +arm-chair might be wheeled to the open window, where he +gazed with delight at the hills and meadows,—the clouds +and glittering water,—the cattle standing in the stream,—the +boats reflected on its surface,—and the roses fluttering +at every casement.</p> + +<p>“Those joyous little birds!—their song makes me cheerful,” +said he, in a tone of placid enjoyment. “I have been +in countries where the birds never sing, and the leaves +<a name="p0246.png" id="p0246.png" href="#p0246.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">246</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>never fade; but they excited no sympathy or interest. Here +we have notes of gladness both in sunshine and storm, +teaching us a lesson of grateful contentment,—while those +drooping roses preach a sermon to me, for as easily might +they recover freshness and bloom as myself. We shall +both lie low before long in the dust, yet a spring shall come +hereafter to revive even ‘the ashes of the urn.’ Then, +uncle David, we meet again,—not as now, amidst sorrow +and suffering, with death and separation before us,—but +blessed by the consciousness that our sins are forgiven,—our +trials all ended,—and that our afflictions which were +but for a moment, have worked out for us a far more exceeding, +even an eternal weight of glory.”</p> + +<p>Some hours afterwards the Doctor entered. After receiving +a cordial welcome from Frank, and feeling his +pulse, he instantly examined his arms and neck, which were +covered entirely over with small red spots, upon observing +which, the friendly physician suddenly changed countenance, +and stole an alarmed glance at Major Graham.</p> + +<p>“I feel easier and better to-day, Doctor, than at any time +since my illness,” said Frank, looking earnestly in his +face. “Do you think this eruption will do me good? Life +has much that would be dear to me, while I have friends +like these to live for. Can it be possible that I may yet recover?”</p> + +<p>The Doctor turned away, unable to reply, while Frank +intensely watched his countenance, and then gazed at the +pale agitated face of Major Graham. Gradually the hope +which had brightened in his cheek began to fade,—the lustre +of his eye became dim,—his countenance settled into +an expression of mournful resignation,—and covering his +face with his hands, he said, in a voice of deep emotion,</p> + +<p>“I see how it is!—God’s will be done!”</p> + +<p>The silence of death succeeded, while Frank laid his +head on the pillow and closed his eyes. A few natural tears +<a name="p0247.png" id="p0247.png" href="#p0247.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">247</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>coursed each other slowly down his cheek; but at length, +an hour or two afterwards, being completely exhausted, he +fell into a gentle sleep, from which the Doctor considered it +very doubtful if he would ever awaken, as the red spots indicated +mortification, which must inevitably terminate his +life before next day.</p> + +<p>Laura retired to the window, making a strenuous effort to +restrain her feelings, that she might be enabled to witness +the last awful scene; and fervently did she pray for such +strength to sustain it with fortitude, as might still render her +of some use to her dying brother. Her pale countenance +might almost have been mistaken for that of a corpse, but +for the expression of living agony in her eye; and she was +sunk in deep, solemn thought, when her attention became +suddenly roused by observing a chariot and four drive furiously +up to the gate, while the horses were foaming and +panting as they stopped. A tall gentleman, of exceedingly +striking appearance, sprung hurriedly out, walked rapidly +towards the cottage door, and in another minute entered +Frank’s room, with the animated look of one who expected +to be gladly welcomed, and to occasion an agreeable surprise.</p> + +<p>Harry and Laura shrunk close to their uncle, when the +stranger, now in evident agitation, gazed round the room +with an air of painful astonishment, till Major Graham +looked round, and instantly started up with an exclamation +of amazement, “Edward! is it possible! This is indeed +a consolation! you are still in time!”</p> + +<p>“In time!!” exclaimed Sir Edward, grasping his +brother’s hand with vehement agitation. “Do you mean to +say that Frank is yet in danger!”</p> + +<p>Major Graham mournfully shook his head, and undrawing +the bed curtains, he silently pointed to the sleeping countenance +of Frank, which was as still as death, and already +overspread by a ghastly paleness. Sir Edward then sunk +into a chair, and clenched his hands over his forehead with +<a name="p0248.png" id="p0248.png" href="#p0248.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">248</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>a look of unspeakable anguish, saying, in an under-tone, +“Worn out, as I am, in mind and body, I needed not this +to destroy me! Say at once, brother, is there any hope?”</p> + +<p>“None, my dear Edward! None! Even now he is insensible, +and I fear with little prospect of ever becoming +conscious again.”</p> + +<p>At this moment Frank opened his eyes, which were dim +and glassy, while it became evident that he had relapsed +into a state of temporary delirium.</p> + +<p>“Get more candles! how very dark it is!” he said. +“Who are all those people? Send away everybody but +grandmama! I must speak to her alone. Never tell papa +of all this, it would only distress him—say nothing about +me. Why do Harry and Laura never come? They have +been absent more than a week! Who took away uncle +David too?”</p> + +<p>Laura listened for some time in an agony of grief, till at +last, unable any longer to restrain her feelings, she clasped +Frank in her arms and burst into tears, exclaiming, in accents +of piercing distress, “Oh Frank! dear Frank! have +you forgotten poor Laura?”</p> + +<p>“Not till I am dead!” whispered he, while a momentary +gleam of recollection lighted up his face. “Laura! we +meet again.”</p> + +<p>Sir Edward now wished to speak, but Frank had relapsed +into a state of feeble unconsciousness, from which nothing +could arouse him; once or twice he repeated the name of +Laura in a low melancholy voice, till it became totally inaudible—his +breath became shorter—his lips became livid—his +whole frame seemed convulsed—and some hours afterwards, +all that was mortal of Frank Graham ceased to +exist. About four in the morning his body was at rest, and +his spirit returned to God who gave it.</p> + +<p>The candles had burned low in their sockets, and still +the mourners remained, unwilling to move from the awful +<a name="p0249.png" id="p0249.png" href="#p0249.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">249</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>scene of their bereavement. Mrs. Crabtree at length, who +laid out the body herself, extinguished the lights, and flung +open the window curtains. Then suddenly a bright blaze +of sunshine streamed into the room, and rested on the cold +pale face of the dead. To the stunned and bewildered +senses of Harry and Laura, the brilliant dawn of morning +seemed like a mockery of their distress. Many persons +were already passing by—the busy stir of life had begun, +and a boy strolling along the road whistled his merry tune +as he went gaily on.</p> + +<p>“We are indeed mere atoms in the world!” thought +Laura bitterly, while these sights and sounds fell heavily on +her heart. <!-- original lacks opening quote -->“If Harry and I had both been dead also, the sun +would have shone as brightly, the birds sung as joyfully, and +those people been all as gay and happy as ever! Nobody +is thinking of Frank—nobody knows our misery—the +world is going on as if nothing had happened, and we are +breaking our hearts with grief!”</p> + +<p>Laura’s heart became stilled as she gazed on the peaceful +and almost happy expression of those beautiful features, +which had now lost all appearance of suffering. The eyes, +from which nothing but kindness and love had beamed upon +her, were now closed for ever; the lips which had spoken +only words of generous affection and pious hope, were +silent; and the heart which had beat with every warm and +brotherly feeling, was for the first time insensible to her sorrows; +yet Laura did not give way to the strong excess of +her grief, for it sunk upon her spirit with a leaden weight +of anguish, which tears and lamentations could not express, +and could not even relieve. She rose and kissed, for the +last time, that beloved countenance, which she was never to +look upon again till they met in heaven, and stole away to +the silence and solitude of her own room, where Laura tried +in vain to collect her thoughts. All seemed a dreary blank. +She did not sigh—she could not weep; but she sat in dark +<a name="p0250.png" id="p0250.png" href="#p0250.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">250</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>and vacant abstraction, with one only consciousness filling +her mind—the bitter remembrance that Frank was dead—that +she could be of no farther use to him—that she could +have no future intercourse with him—that even in her prayers +she could no longer have the comfort of naming him; +and when at last she turned to his own Bible which he had +given her, to seek for consolation, her eyes refused their office, +and the pages became blistered with tears.</p> + +<p>After Frank’s funeral, Sir Edward became too ill to leave +his bed; and Major Graham remained with him in constant +conversation; while Harry and Laura did every thing to +testify their affection, and to fill the place now so sadly vacant.</p> + +<p>On the following Sunday, several of the congregation at +Hammersmith observed two young strangers in the rector’s +pew, dressed in the deepest mourning, with pale and downcast +countenances, who glided early into church, and sat +immoveably still, side by side, while Mr. Palmer gave out +for his text the affecting and appropriate words which Frank +himself had often repeated during his last illness, “In an +hour that ye think not, the Son of man cometh.”</p> + +<p>Not a tear was shed by either Harry or Laura,—their +grief was too great for utterance; yet they listened with +breathless interest to the sermon, intended not only to console +them, but also to instruct other young persons, from the +afflicting event of Frank’s death.</p> + +<p>Mr. Palmer took this opportunity to describe all the amiable +dispositions of youth, and to show how much of what +is pleasing may appear before religion has yet taken entire +possession of the mind; but he painted in glowing colours +the beautiful consistency and harmony of character which +must ensue after that happy change, when the Holy Spirit +renews the heart and influences the life. It almost seemed +to Harry and Laura as if Frank were visibly before their +eyes, when Mr. Palmer spoke in eloquent terms of that +<a name="p0251.png" id="p0251.png" href="#p0251.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">251</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>humility which no praise could diminish—that benevolence +which attended to the feelings, as well as the wants of others,—that +affection which was ever ready to make any sacrifice +for those he loved,—that docility which obeyed the call of +duty on every occasion,—that meekness in the midst of provocation +which could not be irritated,—that gentle firmness +in maintaining the truths of the gospel, which no opposition +could intimidate,—that cheerful submission to suffering +which saw a hand of mercy in the darkest hour,—and that +faith which was ever “forgetting those things which are behind, +and reaching forth unto those things which are before,—pressing +toward the mark for the prize of the high calling +of God in Christ Jesus.”</p> + +<p>It seemed as if years had passed over the heads of Harry +and Laura during the short period of their absence from +home—that home where Frank had so anxiously desired to +go! All was changed within and around them,—sorrow had +filled their hearts, and no longer merry, thoughtless creatures, +believing the world one scene of frolicsome enjoyment and +careless ease; they had now witnessed its realities,—they +had felt its trials,—they had experienced the importance of +religion,—they had learned the frailty of all earthly joy,—and +they had received, amidst tears and sorrows, the last injunction +of a dying brother, to “call upon the Lord while +He is near, and to seek Him while he may yet be found.”</p> + +<p>“Uncle David,” said Laura one day, several months after +their return home, “Mrs. Crabtree first endeavoured to lead +us aright by severity,—you and grandmama then tried what +kindness could do, but nothing was effectual till now, when +God Himself has laid His hand upon us. Oh! what a +heavy stroke was necessary to bring me to my right mind, +but now, while we weep many bitter tears, Harry and I often +pray together that good may come out of evil, and that +‘we who mourn so deeply, may find our best, our only +comfort from above’.”<!-- original has quotation in double quotes and lacks closing quote for speech --></p> + +<div class="poem w20 pl4 top4"> +<div class="stanza"> +<div><a name="p0252.png" id="p0252.png" href="#p0252.png"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">252</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>Unthinking, idle, wild, and young,</div> +<div>I laugh’d, and talk’d, and danc’d, and sung;</div> +<div>And proud of health, of frolic vain,</div> +<div>Dream’d not of sorrow, care, or pain,</div> +<div>Concluding in those hours of glee,</div> +<div>That all the world was made for me.</div> +<br /></div> + +<div class="stanza"> +<div>But when the days of trial came,</div> +<div>When sorrow shook this trembling frame,</div> +<div>When folly’s gay pursuits were o’er,</div> +<div>And I could dance or sing no more;</div> +<div>It then occurr’d how sad ’twould be</div> +<div>Were this world only made for me.</div> +</div> +<p class="rt sc">Princess Amelia.</p> +</div> + + + +<p class="ctr top8 allsc">THE END.</p> + +</div> + +<div class="tnote"> +<h3>Transcriber’s note:</h3> +<p>Archaic spelling has been retained, along with inconsistent hyphenation: cheese-cakes/cheesecakes, good-bye/good bye, mile-stone/milestone, over-head/overhead, +play-things/playthings, rail-road/railroad, steam-boats/steamboats, tea-pot/teapot. +</p> + +</div> + +<hr class="pg" /> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Holiday House, by Catherine Sinclair + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HOLIDAY HOUSE *** + +***** This file should be named 32811-h.htm or 32811-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/2/8/1/32811/ + +Produced by Jana Srna, D Alexander, David Wilson and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net +(This file was produced from images generously made +available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + +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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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: Holiday House + A Series of Tales + +Author: Catherine Sinclair + +Release Date: June 14, 2010 [EBook #32811] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HOLIDAY HOUSE *** + + + + +Produced by Jana Srna, D Alexander, David Wilson and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net +(This file was produced from images generously made +available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + + + + + + + + +HOLIDAY HOUSE: + +A SERIES OF TALES. + +Dedicated to Lady Diana Boyle. + + +BY CATHERINE SINCLAIR, + +AUTHORESS OF "MODERN ACCOMPLISHMENTS," "MODERN SOCIETY," +"HILL AND VALLEY," "CHARLIE SEYMOUR," &c. &c. + + + "Young heads are giddy, and young hearts are warm, + And make mistakes for manhood to reform." + + Cowper. + + +NEW-YORK: +PUBLISHED BY ROBERT CARTER, +NO. 58 CANAL STREET. + +1839. + + + + +New-York: +Printed by Scatcherd and Adams, +No. 38 Gold Street. + + + + +PREFACE + + "Of all the paper I have blotted, I have written nothing without the + intention of some good. Whether I have succeeded or not, is for + others to judge." + Sir William Temple. + + +The minds of young people are now manufactured like webs of linen, all +alike, and nothing left to nature. From the hour when children can +speak, till they come to years of discretion or of indiscretion, they +are carefully prompted what to say, and what to think, and what to look, +and how to feel; while in most school-rooms nature has been turned out +of doors with obloquy, and art has entirely supplanted her. + +When a quarrel takes place, both parties are generally in some degree to +blame; therefore if Art and Nature could yet be made to go hand in hand +towards the formation of character and principles, a graceful and +beautiful superstructure might be reared, on the solid foundation of +Christian faith and sound morality; so that while many natural weeds and +wild flowers would be pruned and carefully trained, some lovely blossoms +that spring spontaneously in the uncultivated soil, might still be +cherished into strength and beauty, far excelling what can be planted or +reared by art. + +Every infant is probably born with a character as peculiar to himself as +the features in his countenance, if his faults and good qualities were +permitted to expand according to their original tendency; but education, +which formerly did too little in teaching "the young idea how to shoot," +seems now in danger of over-shooting the mark altogether, by not +allowing the young ideas to exist at all. In this age of wonderful +mechanical inventions, the very mind of youth seems in danger of +becoming a machine; and while every effort is used to stuff the memory, +like a cricket-ball, with well-known facts and ready-made opinions, no +room is left for the vigour of natural feeling, the glow of natural +genius, and the ardour of natural enthusiasm. It was a remark of Sir +Walter Scott's many years ago, to the author herself, that in the rising +generation there would be no poets, wits, or orators, because all play +of imagination is now carefully discouraged, and books written for young +persons are generally a mere dry record of facts, unenlivened by any +appeal to the heart, or any excitement to the fancy. The catalogue of a +child's library would contain Conversations on Natural Philosophy,--on +Chemistry,--on Botany,--on Arts and Sciences,--Chronological Records of +History,--and travels as dry as a road-book; but nothing on the habits +or ways of thinking, natural and suitable to the taste of children; +therefore, while such works are delightful to the parents and teachers +who select them, the younger community are fed with strong meat instead +of milk, and the reading which might be a relaxation from study, becomes +a study in itself. + +In these pages the author has endeavoured to paint that species of +noisy, frolicsome, mischievous children which is now almost extinct, +wishing to preserve a sort of fabulous remembrance of days long past, +when young people were like wild horses on the prairies, rather than +like well-broken hacks on the road; and when, amidst many faults and +many eccentricities, there was still some individuality of character and +feeling allowed to remain. In short, as Lord Byron described "the last +man," the object of this volume is, to describe "the last boy." It may +be useful, she thinks, to show, that amidst much requiring to be +judiciously curbed and corrected, there may be the germs of high and +generous feeling, and of steady, right principle, which should be the +chief objects of culture and encouragement. Plodding industry is in the +present day at a very high premium in education; but it requires the +leaven of mental energy and genius to make it work well, while it has +been remarked by one whose experience in education is deep and +practical, that "those boys whose names appear most frequently in the +black book of transgression, would sometimes deserve to be also most +commonly recorded, if a book were kept for warm affections and generous +actions." + +The most formidable person to meet in society at present, is the mother +of a promising boy, about nine or ten years old; because there is no +possible escape from a volume of anecdotes, and a complete system of +education on the newest principles. The young gentleman has probably +asked leave to bring his books to the breakfast-room,--can scarcely be +torn away from his studies at the dinner-hour,--discards all +toys,--abhors a holiday,--propounds questions of marvellous depth in +politics or mineralogy,--and seems, in short, more fitted to enjoy the +learned meeting at Newcastle, than the exhilarating exercises of the +cricket-ground; but, if the axiom be true, that "a little learning is a +dangerous thing," it has also been proved by frequent, and sometimes by +very melancholy experience, that, for minds not yet expanded to +maturity, a great deal of learning is more dangerous still, and that in +those school-rooms where there has been a society for the suppression of +amusement, the mental energies have suffered, as well as the health. + +A prejudice has naturally arisen against giving works of fiction to +children, because their chief interest too often rests on the detection +and punishment of such mean vices as lying and stealing, which are so +frequently and elaborately described, that the way to commit those +crimes is made obvious, while a clever boy thinks he could easily avoid +the oversights by which another has been discovered, and that if he does +not yield to similar temptations, he is a model of virtue and +good-conduct. + +In writing for any class of readers, and especially in occupying the +leisure moments of such peculiarly fortunate young persons as have +leisure moments at all, the author feels conscious of a deep +responsibility, for it is at their early age that the seed can best be +sown which shall bear fruit unto eternal life, therefore it is hoped +this volume may be found to inculcate a pleasing and permanent +consciousness, that religion is the best resource in happier hours, and +the only refuge in hours of affliction. + +Those who wish to be remembered for ever in the world,--and it is a very +common object of ambition,--will find no monument more permanent, than +the affectionate remembrance of any children they have treated with +kindness; for we may often observe, in the reminiscences of old age, a +tender recollection surviving all others, of friends in early days who +enlivened the hours of childhood by presents of playthings and comfits. +But above all, we never forget those who good-humouredly complied with +the constantly recurring petition of all young people in every +generation, and in every house--"Will you tell me a story?" + +In answer to such a request, often and importunately repeated, the +author has from year to year delighted in seeing herself surrounded by a +circle of joyous, eager faces, listening with awe to the terrors of Mrs. +Crabtree, or smiling at the frolics of Harry and Laura. The stories, +originally, were so short, that some friends, aware of their popularity, +and conscious of their harmless tendency, took the trouble of copying +them in manuscript for their own young friends; but the tales have since +grown and expanded during frequent verbal repetitions, till, with +various fanciful additions and new characters, they have enlarged into +their present form, or rather so far beyond it, that several chapters +are omitted, to keep the volume within moderate compass. + +Paley remarks, that "any amusement which is innocent, is better than +none; as the writing of a book, the building of a house, the laying out +of a garden, the digging of a fish-pond, even the raising of a +cucumber;" and it is hoped that, while the author herself has found much +interesting occupation in recording these often repeated stories, the +time of herself and her young readers may be employed with some degree +of profit, or she will certainly regret that it was not better occupied +in the rearing of cucumbers. + + + + +HOLIDAY HOUSE. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +CHIT CHAT. + + A school-boy, a dog, and a walnut tree, + The more you strike 'em, the better they be. + + +Laura and Harry Graham could scarcely feel sure that they ever had a +mama, because she died while they were yet very young indeed; but Frank, +who was some years older, recollected perfectly well what pretty +playthings she used to give him, and missed his kind, good mama so +extremely, that he one day asked if he might "go to a shop and buy a new +mama?" Frank often afterwards thought of the time also, when he kneeled +beside her bed to say his prayers, or when he sat upon her knee to hear +funny stories about good boys and bad boys--all very interesting, and +all told on purpose to show how much happier obedient children are, than +those who waste their time in idleness and folly. Boys and girls all +think they know the road to happiness without any mistake, and choose +that which looks gayest and pleasantest at first, though older people, +who have travelled that road already, can tell them that a very +difficult path is the only one which ends agreeably; and those who +begin to walk in it when they are young, will really find that "wisdom's +ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace." It was +truly remarked by Solomon, that "even a child is known by his doings, +whether his work be pure, and whether it be right." Therefore, though +Frank was yet but a little boy, his friends, who observed how carefully +he attended to his mama's instructions, how frequently he studied his +Bible, and how diligently he learned his lessons, all prophesied that +this merry, lively child, with laughing eyes, and dimpled cheeks, would +yet grow up to be a good and useful man; especially when it became +evident that, by the blessing of God, he had been early turned away from +the broad road that leadeth to destruction, in which every living person +would naturally walk, and led into the narrow path that leadeth to +eternal life. + +When his mama, Lady Graham, after a long and painful illness, was at +last taken away to the better world, for which she had been many years +preparing, her only sorrow and anxiety seemed to be that she left behind +her three such very dear children, who were now to be entirely under the +care of their papa, Sir Edward Graham; and it was with many prayers and +tears that she tried to make her mind more easy about their future +education, and future happiness. + +Sir Edward felt such extreme grief on the death of Lady Graham, that +instead of being able to remain at home with his young family, and to +interest his mind as he would wish to have done, by attending to them, +he was ordered by Dr. Bell, to set off immediately for Paris, Rome, and +Naples, where it was hoped he might leave his distresses behind him +while he travelled, or at all events, forget them. + +Luckily the children had a very good, kind uncle, Major David Graham, +and their grandmama, Lady Harriet Graham, who were both exceedingly +happy to take charge of them, observing that no house could be cheerful +without a few little people being there, and that now they would have +constant amusement in trying to make Frank, Harry, and Laura, as happy +as possible, and even still happier. + +"That is the thing I am almost afraid of!" said Sir Edward, smiling. +"Uncles and grandmamas are only too kind, and my small family will be +quite spoiled by indulgence." + +"Not if you leave that old vixen, Mrs. Crabtree, as governor of the +nursery," answered Major Graham, laughing. "She ought to have been the +drummer of a regiment, she is so fond of the rod! I believe there never +was such a tyrant since the time when nursery-maids were invented. Poor +Harry would pass his life in a dark closet, like Baron Trenck, if Mrs. +Crabtree had her own way!" + +"She means it all well. I am certain that Mrs. Crabtree is devotedly +fond of my children, and would go through fire and water to serve them; +but she is a little severe perhaps. Her idea is, that if you never +forgive a first fault, you will never hear of a second, which is +probably true enough. At all events, her harshness will be the best +remedy for your extreme indulgence; therefore let me beg that you and my +mother will seldom interfere with her 'method,' especially in respect to +Harry and Laura. As for Frank, if all boys were like him, we might make +a bonfire of birch rods and canes. He is too old for nursery discipline +now, and must be flogged at school, if deserving of it at all, till he +goes to sea next year with my friend Gordon, who has promised to rate +him as a volunteer of the first class, on board the Thunderbolt." + +In spite of Mrs. Crabtree's admirable "system" with children, Harry and +Laura became, from this time, two of the most heedless, frolicsome +beings in the world, and had to be whipped almost every morning; for in +those days it had not been discovered that whipping is all a mistake, +and that children can be made good without it; though some +old-fashioned people still say--and such, too, who take the God of truth +for their guide--the old plan succeeded best, and those who "spare the +rod will spoil the child." When Lady Harriet and Major Graham spoke +kindly to Harry and Laura, about anything wrong that had been done, they +both felt more sad and sorry, than after the severest punishments of +Mrs. Crabtree, who frequently observed, that "if those children were +shut up in a dark room alone, with nothing to do, they would still find +some way of being mischievous, and of deserving to be punished." + +"Harry!" said Major Graham one day, "you remind me of a monkey which +belonged to the colonel of our regiment formerly. He was famous for +contriving to play all sorts of pranks when no one supposed them to be +possible, and I recollect once having a valuable French clock, which the +malicious creature seemed particularly determined to break. Many a time +I caught him in the fact, and saved my beautiful clock; but one day, +being suddenly summoned out of the room, I hastily fastened his chain to +a table, so that he could not possibly, even at the full extent of his +paw, so much as touch the glass case. I observed him impatiently +watching my departure, and felt a misgiving that he expected to get the +better of me; so after shutting the door, I took a peep through the +key-hole, and what do you think Jack had done, Harry? for, next to Mr. +Monkey himself, you are certainly the cleverest contriver of mischief I +know." + +"What did he do?" asked Harry eagerly; "did he throw a stone at the +clock?" + +"No! but his leg was several inches longer than his arm, so having +turned his tail towards his object, he stretched out his hind-paw, and +before I could rush back, my splendid alabaster clock had been upset and +broken to shivers." + +Laura soon became quite as mischievous as Harry, which is very +surprising, as she was a whole year older, and had been twice as often +scolded by Mrs. Crabtree. Neither of these children intended any harm, +for they were only heedless lively romps, who would not for twenty +worlds have told a lie, or done a shabby thing, or taken what did not +belong to them. They were not greedy either, and would not on any +account have resembled Peter Grey, who was at the same school with +Frank, and who spent all his own pocket-money, and borrowed a great deal +of other people's, to squander at the pastry-cook's, saying, he wished +it were possible to eat three dinners, and two breakfasts, and five +suppers every day. + +Harry was not a cruel boy either; he never lashed his pony, beat his +dog, pinched his sister, or killed any butterflies, though he often +chased them for fun, and one day he even defended a wasp, at the risk of +being stung, when Mrs. Crabtree intended to kill it. + +"Nasty, useless vermin!" said she angrily, "What business have they in +the world! coming into other people's houses, with nothing to do! They +sting and torment every body! Bees are very different, for they make +honey." + +"And wasps make jelly!" said Harry resolutely, while he opened the +window, and shook the happy wasp out of his pocket handkerchief. + +Mrs. Crabtree allowed no pets of any description in her territories, and +ordered the children to be happy without any such nonsense. When Laura's +canary-bird escaped one unlucky day out of its cage, Mrs. Crabtree was +strongly suspected by Major Graham, of having secretly opened the door, +as she had long declared war upon bulfinches, white mice, parrots, +kittens, dogs, bantams, and gold fish, observing that animals only made +a noise and soiled the house, therefore every creature should remain in +its own home, "birds in the air, fish in the sea, and beasts in the +desert." She seemed always watching in hopes Harry and Laura might do +something that they ought to be punished for; and Mrs. Crabtree +certainly had more ears than other people, or slept with one eye open, +as, whatever might be done, night or day, she overheard the lowest +whisper of mischief, and appeared able to see what was going on in the +dark. + +When Harry was a very little boy, he sometimes put himself in the +corner, after doing wrong, apparently quite sensible that he deserved to +be punished, and once, after being terribly scolded by Mrs. Crabtree, he +drew in his stool beside her chair, with a funny penitent face, twirling +his thumbs over and over each other, and saying, "Now, Mrs. Crabtree! +look what a good boy I am going to be!" + +"You a good boy!" replied she contemptuously: "No! no! the world will be +turned into a cream-cheese first!" + +Lady Harriet gave Harry and Laura a closet of their own, in which she +allowed them to keep their toys, and nobody could help laughing to see +that, amidst the whole collection, there was seldom one unbroken. Frank +wrote out a list once of what he found in this crowded little +store-room, and amused himself often with reading it over afterwards. +There were three dolls without faces, a horse with no legs, a drum with +a hole in the top, a cart without wheels, a churn with no bottom, a kite +without a tale, a skipping-rope with no handles, and a cup and ball that +had lost the string. Lady Harriet called this closet the hospital for +decayed toys, and she often employed herself as their doctor, mending +legs and arms for soldiers, horses, and dolls, though her skill seldom +succeeded long, because play-things must have been made of cast-iron to +last a week with Harry. One cold winter morning when Laura entered the +nursery, she found a large fire blazing, and all her wax dolls sitting +in a row within the fender staring at the flames. Harry intended no +mischief on this occasion, but great was his vexation when Laura burst +into tears, and showed him that their faces were running in a hot stream +down upon their beautiful silk frocks, which were completely ruined, and +not a doll had its nose remaining. Another time, Harry pricked a hole in +his own beautiful large gas ball, wishing to see how the gas could +possibly escape, after which, in a moment, it shrivelled up into a +useless empty bladder,--and when his kite was flying up to the clouds, +Harry often wished that he could be tied to the tail himself, so as to +fly also through the air like a bird, and see every thing. + +Mrs. Crabtree always wore a prodigious bunch of jingling keys in her +pocket, that rung whenever she moved, as if she carried a dinner bell in +her pocket, and Frank said it was like a rattlesnake giving warning of +her approach, which was of great use, as everybody had time to put on a +look of good behaviour before she arrived. Even Betty, the under +nursery-maid, felt in terror of Mrs. Crabtree's entrance, and was +obliged to work harder than any six house-maids united. Frank told her +one day that he thought brooms might soon be invented, which would go by +steam and brush carpets of themselves, but, in the meantime, not a grain +of dust could lurk in any corner of the nursery without being dislodged. +Betty would have required ten hands, and twenty pair of feet, to do all +the work that was expected; but the grate looked like jet, the windows +would not have soiled a cambric handkerchief, and the carpet was +switched with so many tea-leaves, that Frank thought Mrs. Crabtree often +took several additional cups of tea in order to leave a plentiful supply +of leaves for sweeping the floor next morning. + +If Laura and Harry left any breakfast, Mrs. Crabtree kept it carefully +till dinner time, when they were obliged to finish the whole before +tasting meat; and if they refused it at dinner, the remains were kept +for supper. Mrs. Crabtree always informed them that she did it "for +their good," though Harry never could see any good that it did to +either of them; and when she mentioned how many poor children would be +glad to eat what they despised, he often wished the hungry beggars had +some of his own hot dinner, which he would gladly have spared to them; +for Harry was really so generous, that he would have lived upon air, if +he might be of use to anybody. Time passed on, and Lady Harriet engaged +a master for some hours a-day to teach the children lessons, while even +Mrs. Crabtree found no other fault to Harry and Laura, except that in +respect to good behaviour their memories were like a sieve, which let +out every thing they were desired to keep in mind. They seemed always to +hope, somehow or other, when Mrs. Crabtree once turned her back, she +would never shew her face again; so their promises of better conduct +were all "wind without rain,"--very loud and plenty of them, but no good +effect to be seen afterwards. + +Among her many other torments, Mrs. Crabtree rolled up Laura's hair +every night on all sides of her head, in large stiff curl-papers, till +they were as round and hard as walnuts, after which, she tied on a +night-cap, as tightly as possible above all, saying this would curl the +hair still better. Laura could not lay any part of her head on the +pillow, without suffering so much pain that, night after night, she sat +up in bed, after Mrs. Crabtree had bustled out of the room, and quietly +took the cruel papers out, though she was punished so severely for doing +so, that she obeyed orders at last and lay wide awake half the night +with torture; and it was but small comfort to Laura afterwards, that +Lady Harriet's visitors frequently admired the forest of long glossy +ringlets that adorned her head, and complimented Mrs. Crabtree on the +trouble it must cost her to keep that charming hair in order. Often did +Laura wish that it were ornamenting any wig-block, rather than her own +head; and one day Lady Harriet laughed heartily, when some strangers +admired her little grand-daughter's ringlets, and Laura asked, very +anxiously, if they would like to cut off a few of the longest, and keep +them for her sake. + +"Your hair does curl like a cork-screw," said Frank, laughing. "If I +want to draw a cork out of a beer bottle any day, I shall borrow one of +those ringlets, Laura!" + +"You may laugh, Frank, for it is fun to you and death to me," answered +poor Laura, gravely shaking her curls at him. "I wish we were all bald, +like uncle David! During the night, I cannot lie still on account of +those tiresome curls, and all day I dare not stir for fear of spoiling +them, so they are never out of my head." + +"Nor off your head! How pleasant it must be to have Mrs. Crabtree +combing and scolding, and scolding and combing, for hours every day! +Poor Laura! we must get Dr. Bell to say that they shall be taken off on +pain of death, and then, perhaps, grandmama would order some Irish +reapers to cut them down with a sickle." + +"Frank! what a lucky boy you are to be at school, and not in the +nursery! I wish next year would come immediately, for then I shall have +a governess, after which good-bye to Mrs. Crabtree, and the wearisome +curl-papers." + +"I don't like school!" said Harry. "It is perfect nonsense to plague me +with lessons now. All big people can read and write, so, of course, I +shall be able to do like others. There is no hurry about it!" + +Never was there a more amiable, pious, excellent boy than Frank, who +read his Bible so attentively, and said his prayers so regularly every +morning and evening, that he soon learned both to know his duty and to +do it. Though he laughed heartily at the scrapes which Harry and Laura +so constantly fell into, he often also helped them out of their +difficulties; being very different from most elderly boys, who find an +odd kind of pleasure in teazing younger children--pulling their +hair--pinching their arms--twitching away their dinners--and twenty +more plans for tormenting, which Frank never attempted to enjoy, but he +often gave Harry and Laura a great deal of kind, sober, good advice, +which they listened to very attentively while they were in any new +distress, but generally forgot again as soon as their spirits rose. +Frank came home only upon Saturdays and Sundays, because he attended +during most of the week at Mr. Lexicon's academy, where he gradually +became so clever, that the masters all praised his extraordinary +attention, and covered him with medals, while Major Graham often filled +his pockets with a reward of money, after which he ran towards the +nearest shop to spend his little fortune in buying a present for +somebody. Frank scarcely ever wanted anything for himself, but he always +wished to contrive some kind generous plan for other people; and Major +Graham used to say, "if that boy had only sixpence in the world, he +would lay it all out on penny tarts to distribute among half-a-dozen of +his friends." He even saved his pocket-money once, during three whole +months, to purchase a gown for Mrs. Crabtree, who looked almost +good-humoured during the space of five minutes, when Frank presented it +to her, saying, in his joyous merry voice, "Mrs. Crabtree! I wish you +health to wear it, strength to tear it, and money to buy another!" + +Certainly there never was such a gown before! It had been chosen by +Frank and Harry together, who thought nothing could be more perfect. The +colour was so bright an apple-green, that it would have put any body's +teeth on edge to look at it, and the whole was dotted over with large +round spots of every colour, as if a box of wafers had been showered +upon the surface. Laura wished Mrs. Crabtree might receive a present +every day, as it put her in such good-humour, and nearly three weeks +after passed this, without a single scold being heard in the nursery; +so Frank observed that he thought Mrs. Crabtree would soon be quite out +of practice. + +"Laura!" said Major Graham, looking very sly one morning, "have you +heard all the new rules that Mrs. Crabtree has made?" + +"No!" replied she in great alarm; "what are they?" + +"In the first place, you are positively not to tear and destroy above +three frocks a-day; secondly, you and Harry must never get into a +passion, unless you are angry; thirdly, when either of you take +medicine, you are not to make wry faces, except when the taste is bad; +fourthly, you must never speak ill of Mrs. Crabtree herself, until she +is out of the room; fifthly, you are not to jump out of the windows, as +long as you can get out at the door"---- + +"Yes!" interrupted Laura, laughing, "and sixthly, when uncle David is +joking, we are not to be frightened by anything he says!" + +"Seventhly, when next you spill grandmama's bottle of ink, Harry must +drink up every drop." + +"Very well! he may swallow a sheet of blotting paper afterwards, to put +away the taste." + +"I wish every body who writes a book, was obliged to swallow it," said +Harry. "It is such a waste of time reading, when we might be amusing +ourselves. Frank sat mooning over a book for two hours yesterday when we +wanted him to play. I am sure, some day his head will burst with +knowledge." + +"That can never happen to you, Master Harry," answered Major Graham; +"you have a head, and so has a pin, but there is not much furniture in +either of them." + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +THE GRAND FEAST. + + She gave them some tea without any bread, + She whipp'd them all soundly, and sent them to bed. + + Nursery Rhymes. + + +Lady Harriet Graham was an extremely thin, delicate, old lady, with a +very pale face, and a sweet gentle voice, which the children delighted +to hear, for it always spoke kindly to them, and sounded like music, +after the loud, rough tones of Mrs. Crabtree. She wore her own grey +hair, which had become almost as white as the widow's cap which covered +her head. The rest of her dress was generally black velvet, and she +usually sat in a comfortable arm-chair by the fire-side, watching her +grandchildren at play, with a large work-bag by her side, and a +prodigious Bible open on the table before her. Lady Harriet often said +that it made her young again to see the joyous gambols of Harry and +Laura; and when unable any longer to bear their noise, she sometimes +kept them quiet, by telling the most delightful stories about what had +happened to herself when she was young. + +Once upon a time, however, Lady Harriet suddenly became so very ill, +that Dr. Bell said she must spend a few days in the country, for change +of air, and accordingly she determined on passing a quiet week at +Holiday House with her relations, Lord and Lady Rockville. Meanwhile, +Harry and Laura were to be left under the sole care of Mrs. Crabtree, so +it might have been expected that they would both feel more frightened +for her, now that she was reigning monarch of the house, than ever. +Harry would obey those he loved, if they only held up a little finger; +but all the terrors of Mrs. Crabtree, and her cat-o'-nine-tails, were +generally forgotten soon after she left the room; therefore he thought +little at first about the many threats she held out, if he behaved ill, +but he listened most seriously when his dear sick grandmama told him, in +a faint weak voice, on the day of her departure from home, how very well +he ought to behave in her absence, as no one remained but the maids to +keep him in order, and that she hoped Mrs. Crabtree would write her a +letter full of good news about his excellent conduct. + +Harry felt as if he would gladly sit still without stirring, till his +grandmama came back, if that could only please her; and there never was +any one more determined to be a good boy than he, at the moment when +Lady Harriet's carriage came round to the door. Laura, Frank, and Harry +helped to carry all the pillows, boxes, books, and baskets which were +necessary for the journey, of which there seemed to be about fifty; then +they arranged the cushions as comfortably as possible, and watched very +sorrowfully when their grandmama, after kindly embracing them both, was +carefully supported by Major Graham and her maid Harrison, into the +chariot. Uncle David gave each of the children a pretty picture-book +before taking leave, and said, as he was stepping into the carriage, +"Now, children! I have only one piece of serious, important advice to +give you all, so attend to me!--never crack nuts with your teeth!" + +When the carriage had driven off, Mrs. Crabtree became so busy scolding +Betty, and storming at Jack the foot-boy, for not cleaning her shoes +well enough, that she left Harry and Laura standing in the passage, not +knowing exactly what they ought to do first, and Frank, seeing them +looking rather melancholy and bewildered at the loss of their grandmama, +stopped a moment as he passed on the way to school, and said in a very +kind, affectionate voice, + +"Now, Harry and Laura, listen both of you!--here is a grand opportunity +to show everybody, that we can be trusted to ourselves, without getting +into any scrapes, so that if grandmama is ever ill again, and obliged to +go away, she need not feel so sad and anxious as she did to-day. I mean +to become nine times more attentive to my lessons than usual this +morning, to show how trust-worthy we are, and if you are wise, pray +march straight up to the nursery yourselves. I have arranged a gown and +cap of Mrs. Crabtree's on the large arm-chair, to look as like herself +as possible, that you may be reminded how soon she will come back, and +you must not behave like the mice when the cat is out. Good bye! Say the +alphabet backward, and count your fingers for half-an-hour, but when +Mrs. Crabtree appears again, pray do not jump out of the window for +joy." + +Harry and Laura were proceeding directly towards the nursery, as Frank +had recommended, when unluckily they observed in passing the +drawing-room door, that it was wide open; so Harry peeped in, and they +began idly wandering round the tables and cabinets. Not ten minutes +elapsed before they both commenced racing about as if they were mad, +perfectly screaming with joy, and laughing so loudly at their own funny +tricks, that an old gentleman who lived next door, very nearly sent in a +message to ask what the joke was. + +Presently Harry and Laura ran up and down stairs till the housemaid was +quite fatigued with running after them. They jumped upon the fine damask +sofas in the drawing-room, stirred the fire till it was in a blaze, and +rushed out on the balcony, upsetting one or two geraniums and a myrtle. +They spilt Lady Harriet's perfumes over their handkerchiefs,--they +looked into all the beautiful books of pictures,--they tumbled many of +the pretty Dresden china figures on the floor,--they wound up the little +French clock till it was broken,--they made the musical work-box play +its tunes, and set the Chinese mandarins nodding, till they very nearly +nodded their heads off. In short, so much mischief has seldom been done +in so short a time, till at last Harry, perfectly worn out with laughing +and running, threw himself into a large arm-chair, and Laura, with her +ringlets tumbling in frightful confusion over her face, and the beads of +her coral necklace rolling on the floor, tossed herself into a sofa +beside him. + +"Oh! what fun!" cried Harry, in an ecstacy of delight; "I wish Frank had +been here, and crowds of little boys and girls, to play with us all day! +It would be a good joke, Laura, to write and ask all our little cousins +and companions to drink tea here to-morrow evening! Their mamas could +never guess we had not leave from grandmama to invite everybody, so I +dare say we might gather quite a large party! oh! how enchanting!" + +Laura laughed heartily when she heard this proposal of Harry's, and +without hesitating a moment about it, she joyously placed herself before +Lady Harriet's writing-table, and scribbled a multitude of little notes, +in large text, to more than twenty young friends, all of whom had at +other times been asked by Lady Harriet to spend the evening with her. + +Laura felt very much puzzled to know what was usually said in a card of +invitation, but after many consultations, she and Harry thought at last, +that it was very nicely expressed, for they wrote these words upon a +large sheet of paper to each of their friends:-- + +Master Harry Graham and Miss Laura wish you to have the honour of +drinking tea with us to-morrow, at six o'clock. + + (Signed) Harry and Laura. + +Laura afterwards singed a hole in her muslin frock, while +lighting one of the Vesta matches to seal these numerous notes; and +Harry dropped some burning sealing-wax on his hand, in the hurry of +assisting her; but he thought that little accident no matter, and ran +away to see if the cards could be sent off immediately. + +Now, there lived in the house a very old footman, called Andrew, who +remembered Harry and Laura since they were quite little babies; and he +often looked exceedingly sad and sorry when they suffered punishment +from Mrs. Crabtree. He was ready to do anything in the world when it +pleased the children, and would have carried a message to the moon, if +they had only shown him the way. Many odd jobs and private messages he +had already been employed in by Harry, who now called Andrew up stairs, +entreating him to carry out all those absurd notes as fast as possible, +and to deliver them immediately, as they were of the greatest +consequence. Upon hearing this, old Andrew lost not a moment, but threw +on his hat, and instantly started off, looking like the twopenny +postman, he carried such a prodigious parcel of invitations, while Harry +and Laura stood at the drawing-room window, almost screaming with joy +when they saw him set out, and when they observed that, to oblige them, +he actually ran along the street at a sort of trot, which was as fast as +he could possibly go. Presently, however, he certainly did stop for a +single minute, and Laura saw that it was in order to take a peep into +one of the notes, that he might ascertain what they were all about; but +as he never carried any letters without doing so, she thought that quite +natural, and was only very glad when he had finished, and rapidly +pursued his way again. + +Next morning, Mrs. Crabtree and Betty became very much surprised to +observe what a number of smart livery servants knocked at the street +door, and gave in cards, but their astonishment became still greater, +when old Andrew brought up a whole parcel of them to Harry and Laura, +who immediately broke the seals, and read the contents in a corner +together. + +"What are you about there, Master Graham?" cried Mrs. Crabtree, angrily, +"how dare any body venture to touch your grandmama's letters?" + +"They are not for grandmama!--they are all for us!--every one of them!" +answered Harry, dancing about the room with joy, and waving the notes +over his head. "Look at this direction! For Master and Miss Graham! put +on your spectacles, and read it yourself, Mrs. Crabtree! What delightful +fun! the house will be as full as an egg!" + +Mrs. Crabtree seemed completely puzzled what to think of all this, and +looked so much as if she did not know exactly what to be angry at, and +so ready to be in a passion if possible, that Harry burst out a +laughing, while he said, "Only think Mrs. Crabtree! here is every body +coming to tea with us!--all my cousins, besides Peter Grey, Robert +Stewart, Charles Forrester, Adelaide Cunninghame, Diana Wentworth, John +Fordyce, Edmund Ashford, Frank Abercromby, Ned Russel, and Tom ----" + +"The boy is distracted!" exclaimed Betty, staring with astonishment. +"What does all this mean, Master Harry?" + +"And who gave you leave to invite company into your grandmama's house?" +cried Mrs. Crabtree, snatching up all the notes, and angrily thrusting +them into the fire. "I never heard of such things in all my life before, +Master Harry! but as sure as eggs is eggs, you shall repent of this, for +not one morsel of cake, or anything else shall you have to give any of +the party; no! not so much as a crust of bread, or a thimbleful of tea!" + +Harry and Laura had never thought of such a catastrophe as this before; +they always saw a great table covered with every thing that could be +named for tea, whenever their little friends came to visit them, and +whether it rose out of the floor, or was brought by Aladdin's lamp, they +never considered it possible that the table would not be provided as +usual on such occasions, so this terrible speech of Mrs. Crabtree's +frightened them out of their wits. What was to be done! They both knew +by experience that she always did whatever she threatened, or something +a great deal worse, so they began by bursting into tears, and begging +Mrs. Crabtree for this once to excuse them, and to give some cakes and +tea to their little visitors, but they might as well have spoken to one +of the Chinese mandarins, for she only shook her head, with a positive +look, declaring over and over again that nothing should appear upon the +table except what was always brought up for their own supper--two +biscuits and two cups of milk. + +"Therefore say no more about it!" added she, sternly. "I am your best +friend, Master Harry, trying to teach you and Miss Laura your duty, so +save your breath to cool your porridge." + +Poor Harry and Laura looked perfectly ill with fright and vexation when +they thought of what was to happen next, while Mrs. Crabtree sat down to +her knitting, grumbling to herself, and dropping her stitches every +minute with rage and irritation. Old Andrew felt exceedingly sorry after +he heard what distress and difficulty Harry was in, and when the hour +for the party approached, he very good-naturedly spread out a large +table in the dining-room, where he put down as many cups, saucers, +plates, and spoons as Laura chose to direct; but in spite of all his +trouble, though it looked very grand, there was nothing whatever to eat +or drink, except the two dry biscuits, and the two miserable cups of +milk, which seemed to become smaller every time that Harry looked at +them. + +Presently the clock struck six, and Harry listened to the hour very much +as a prisoner would do in the condemned cell in Newgate, feeling that +the dreaded time was at last arrived. Soon afterwards, several handsome +carriages drove up to the door filled with little Masters and Misses, +who hurried joyfully into the house, talking and laughing all the way up +stairs, being evidently quite happy at coming out to tea, while poor +Harry and Laura almost wished the floor would open and swallow them up, +so they shrunk into a distant corner of the room, quite ashamed to show +their faces. + +The young ladies were all dressed in their best frocks, with pink +sashes, and pink shoes; while the little boys appeared in their holiday +clothes, with their hair newly brushed, and their faces washed. The +whole party had dined at two o'clock, so they were as hungry as hawks, +looking eagerly round, whenever they entered, to see what was on the +tea-table, and evidently surprised that nothing had yet been put down. +Laura and Harry soon afterwards heard their visitors whispering to each +other about Norwich buns, rice cakes, spunge biscuits, and maccaroons; +while Peter Grey was loud in praise of a party at George Lorraine's the +night before, where an immense plum-cake had been sugared over like a +snow storm, and covered with crowds of beautiful amusing mottoes; not to +mention a quantity of noisy crackers, that exploded like pistols; +besides which, a glass of hot jelly had been handed to each little guest +before he was sent home. + +Every time the door opened, all eyes were anxiously turned round, +expecting a grand feast to be brought in; but quite the contrary--it was +only Andrew showing up more hungry visitors; while Harry felt so +unspeakably wretched, that, if some kind fairy could only have turned +him into a Norwich bun at the moment, he would gladly have consented to +be cut in pieces, that his ravenous guests might be satisfied. + +Charles Forrester was a particularly good-natured boy, so Harry at last +took courage and beckoned him into a remote corner of the room, where he +confessed, in whispers, the real state of affairs about tea, and how +sadly distressed he and Laura felt, because they had nothing whatever to +give among so many visitors, seeing that Mrs. Crabtree kept her +determination of affording them no provisions. + +"What is to be done!" said Charles, very anxiously, as he felt extremely +sorry for his little friends. "If Mama had been at home, she would +gladly have sent whatever you liked for tea, but unluckily she is dining +out! I saw a loaf of bread lying on a table at home this evening, which +she would make you quite welcome to! Shall I run home, as fast as +possible, to fetch it? That would, at any rate, be better than nothing!" + +Poor Charles Forrester was very lame, therefore, while he talked of +running he could hardly walk, but Lady Forrester's house stood so near, +that he soon reached home, when, snatching up the loaf, he hurried back +towards the street with his prize, quite delighted to see how large and +substantial it looked. Scarcely had he reached the door, however, before +the housekeeper ran hastily out, saying, + +"Stop, Mr. Charles! stop! sure you are not running away with the loaf +for my tea, and the parrot must have her supper too. What do you want +with that there bread?" + +"Never mind, Mrs. Comfit!" answered Charles, hastening on faster than +ever, while he grasped the precious loaf more firmly in his hand, and +limped along at a prodigious rate, "Polly is getting too fat, so she +will be the better of fasting for this one day." + +Mrs. Comfit, being enormously fat herself, became very angry at this +remark, so she seemed quite desperate to recover the loaf, and hurried +forward to overtake Charles, but the old housekeeper was so heavy and +breathless, while the young gentleman was so lame, that it seemed an +even chance which won the race. Harry stood at his own door, impatiently +hoping to receive the prize, and eagerly stretched out his arms to +encourage his friend, while it was impossible to say which of the +runners might arrive first. Harry had sometimes heard of a race between +two old women tied up in sacks, and he thought they could scarcely move +with more difficulty; but at the very moment when Charles had reached +the door, he stumbled over a stone, and fell on the ground. Mrs. Comfit +then instantly rushed up, and seizing the loaf, she carried it off in +triumph, leaving the two little friends ready to cry with vexation, and +quite at a loss what plan to attempt next. + +Mean time, a sad riot had arisen in the dining-room, where the boys +called loudly for their tea; and the young ladies drew their chairs all +round the table, to wait till it was ready. Still nothing appeared; so +every body wondered more and more how long they were to wait for all the +nice cakes and sweetmeats which must, of course, be coming; for the +longer they were delayed, the more was expected. + +The last at a feast, and the first at a fray, was generally Peter Grey, +who now lost patience, and seized one of the two biscuits, which he was +in the middle of greedily devouring, when Laura returned with Harry to +the dining-room, and observed what he had done. + +"Peter Grey!" said she, holding up her head, and trying to look very +dignified, "you are an exceedingly naughty boy, to help yourself! As a +punishment for being so rude, you shall have nothing more to eat all +this evening." + +"If I do not help myself, nobody else seems likely to give me any +supper! I appear to be the only person who is to taste anything +to-night," answered Peter, laughing, while the impudent boy took a cup +of milk, and drank it off, saying, "Here's to your very good health, +Miss Laura, and an excellent appetite to everybody!" + +Upon hearing this absurd speech, all the other boys began laughing, and +made signs, as if they were eating their fingers off with hunger. Then +Peter called Lady Harriet's house "Famine Castle," and pretended he +would swallow the knives like an Indian juggler. + +"We must learn to live upon air, and here are some spoons to eat it +with," said John Fordyce. "Harry! shall I help you to a mouthful of +moonshine?" + +"Peter! would you like a roasted fly?" asked Frank Abercromby, catching +one on the window. "I dare say it is excellent for hungry people,--or a +slice of buttered wall?" + +"Or a stewed spider?" asked Peter. "Shall we all be cannibals, and eat +one another?" + +"What is the use of all those forks, when there is nothing to stick upon +them?" asked George Maxwell, throwing them about on the floor. "No +buns!--no fruit!--no cakes!--no nothing!" + +"What are we to do with those tea-cups, when there is no tea?" cried +Frank Abercromby, pulling the table-cloth till the whole affair fell +prostrate on the floor. After this, these riotous boys tossed the plates +up in the air, and caught them, becoming, at last, so outrageous, that +poor old Andrew called them a "meal mob." Never was there so much broken +china seen in a dining-room before! It all lay scattered on the floor, +in countless fragments, looking as if there had been a bull in a china +shop, when suddenly Mrs. Crabtree herself opened the door and walked in, +with an aspect of rage enough to petrify a milestone. Now old Andrew had +long been trying all in his power to render the boys quiet and +contented. He had made them a speech,--he had chased the ring-leaders +all round the room,--and he had thrown his stick at Peter, who seemed +the most riotous,--but all in vain; they became worse and worse, +laughing into fits, and calling Andrew "the police-officer," and "the +bailiff." It was a very different story, however, when Mrs. Crabtree +appeared, so flaming with fury, she might have blown up a powder-mill. + +Nobody could help being afraid of her. Even Peter himself stood +stock-still, and seemed withering away to nothing, when she looked at +him; and when she began to scold in her most furious manner, not a boy +ventured to look off the ground. A large pair of tawse then became +visible in her hand, so every heart sunk with fright, and the riotous +visitors began to get behind each other, and to huddle out of sight as +much as possible, whispering and pushing, and fighting, in a desperate +scuffle to escape. + +"What is all this!" cried she, at the full pitch of her voice, "has +bedlam broke loose! who smashed these cups? I'll break his head for him, +let me tell you that! Master Peter! you should be hissed out of the +world for your misconduct; but I shall certainly whip you round the room +like a whipping-top." + +At this moment, Peter observed that the dining-room window, which was +only about six feet from the ground, had been left wide open, so +instantly seizing the opportunity, he threw himself out with a single +bound, and ran laughing away. All the other boys immediately followed +his example, and disappeared by the same road; after which, Mrs. +Crabtree leaned far out of the window, and scolded loudly, as long as +they remained in sight, till her face became red, and her voice +perfectly hoarse. + +Meantime, the little misses sat soberly down before the empty table, and +talked in whispers to each other, waiting till their maids came to take +them home, after which they all hurried away as fast as possible, hardly +waiting to say "good bye," and intending to ask for some supper at home. + +During that night, long after Harry and Laura had been scolded, whipped, +and put to bed, they were each heard in different rooms, sobbing and +crying, as if their very hearts would break, while Mrs. Crabtree +grumbled and scolded to herself, saying she must do her duty, and make +them good children, though she were to flay them alive first. + +When Lady Harriet returned home some days afterwards, she heard an +account of Harry and Laura's misconduct from Mrs. Crabtree, and the +whole story was such a terrible case against them, that their poor +grandmama became perfectly astonished and shocked, while even uncle +David was preparing to be very angry; but before the culprits appeared, +Frank most kindly stepped forward, and begged that they might be +pardoned for this once, adding all in his power to excuse Harry and +Laura, by describing how very penitent they had become, and how very +severely they had already been punished. + +Frank then mentioned all that Harry had told him about the starving +party, which he related with so much humour and drollery, that Lady +Harriet could not help laughing; so then he saw that a victory had been +gained, and ran to the nursery for the two little prisoners. + +Uncle David shook his walking-stick at them, and made a terrible face, +when they entered; but Harry jumped upon his knee with joy at seeing him +again, while Laura forgot all her distress, and rushed up to Lady +Harriet, who folded her in her arms, and kissed her most affectionately. + +Not a word was said that day about the tea-party, but next morning, +Major Graham asked Harry, very gravely, "if he had read in the +newspapers the melancholy accounts about several of his little +companions, who were ill and confined to bed from having ate too much at +a certain tea-party on Saturday last. Poor Peter Grey has been given +over, and Charles Forrester, it is feared, may not be able to eat +another loaf of bread for a fortnight!" + +"Oh! uncle David! it makes me ill whenever I think of that party!" said +Harry, colouring perfectly scarlet; "that was the most miserable evening +of my life!" + +"I must say it was not quite fair in Mrs. Crabtree to starve all the +strange little boys and girls, who came as visitors to my house, without +knowing who had invited them," observed Lady Harriet. "Probably those +unlucky children will never forget, as long as they live, that scanty +supper in our dining-room." + +And it turned out exactly as Lady Harriet had predicted; for though they +were all asked to tea, in proper time, the very next Saturday, when +Major Graham showered torrents of sugar-plums on the table, while the +children scrambled to pick them up, and the side-board almost broke down +afterwards under the weight of buns, cakes, cheesecakes, biscuits, +fruit, and preserves, which were heaped upon each other--yet, for years +afterwards, Peter Grey, whenever he ate a particularly enormous dinner, +always observed, that he must make up for having once been starved at +Harry Graham's; and whenever any one of those little boys or girls again +happened to meet Harry or Laura, they were sure to laugh and say, "When +are you going to give us another + + "GRAND FEAST?" + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +THE TERRIBLE FIRE. + + Fire rages with fury wherever it comes, + If only one spark should be dropped; + Whole houses, or cities, sometimes it consumes, + Where its violence cannot be stopped. + + +One night, about eight o'clock, Harry and Laura were playing in the +nursery, building houses with bricks, and trying who could raise the +highest tower without letting it fall, when suddenly they were startled +to hear every bell in the house ringing violently, while the servants +seemed running up and down stairs, as if they were distracted. + +"What can be the matter!" cried Laura, turning round and listening, +while Harry quietly took this opportunity to shake the walls of her +castle till it fell. + +"The very house is coming down about your ears, Laura!" said Harry, +enjoying his little bit of mischief. "I should like to be Andrew, now, +for five minutes, that I might answer those fifty bells, and see what +has happened. Uncle David must be wanting coals, candles, tea, toast, +and soda water, all at once! What a bustle everybody is in! There! the +bells are ringing again, worse than ever! Something wonderful is going +on! what can it be!" + +Presently Betty ran breathlessly into the room, saying that Mrs. +Crabtree ought to come down stairs immediately, as Lady Harriet had been +suddenly taken very ill, and, till the Doctor arrived, nobody knew what +to do, so she must give her advice and assistance. + +Harry and Laura felt excessively shocked to hear this alarming news, and +listened with grave attention, while Mrs. Crabtree told them how +amazingly well they ought to behave in her absence, when they were +trusted alone in the nursery, with nobody to keep them in order, or to +see what they were doing, especially now, as their grandmama had been +taken ill, and would require to be kept quiet. + +Harry sat in his chair, and might have been painted as the very picture +of a good boy during nearly twenty minutes after Mrs. Crabtree departed; +and Laura placed herself opposite to him, trying to follow so excellent +an example, while they scarcely spoke above a whisper, wondering what +could be the matter with their grandmama, and wishing for once, to see +Mrs. Crabtree again, that they might hear how she was. Any one who had +observed Harry and Laura at that time, would have wondered to see two +such quiet, excellent, respectable children, and wished that all little +boys and girls were made upon the same pattern; but presently they began +to think that probably Lady Harriet was not so very ill, as no more +bells had rung during several minutes, and Harry ventured to look about +for some better amusement than sitting still. + +At this moment Laura unluckily perceived on the table near where they +sat, a pair of Mrs. Crabtree's best scissors, which she had been +positively forbid to touch. The long troublesome ringlets were as usual +hanging over her eyes in a most teazing manner, so she thought what a +good opportunity this might be to shorten them a very little, not above +an inch or two; and without considering a moment longer, she slipped +upon tiptoe, with a frightened look, round the table, and picked up the +scissors in her hand, then hastening towards a looking-glass, she began +snipping off the ends of her hair. Laura was much diverted to see it +showering down upon the floor, so she cut and cut on, while the curls +fell thicker and faster, till at last the whole floor was covered with +them, and scarcely a hair left upon her head. Harry went into fits of +laughing when he perceived what a ridiculous figure Laura had made of +herself, and he turned her round and round to see the havoc she had +made, saying, + +"You should give all this hair to Mr. Mills the upholsterer, to stuff +grandmama's arm-chair with! At any rate, Laura, if Mrs. Crabtree is ever +so angry, she can hardly pull you by the hair of the head again! What a +sound sleep you will have to-night, with no hard curl-papers to torment +you!" + +Harry had been told five hundred times, never to touch the candles, and +threatened with twenty different punishments, if he ever ventured to do +so; but now, he amused himself with trying to snuff one till he snuffed +it out. Then he lighted it again, and tried the experiment once more, +but again the teazing candle went out, as if on purpose to plague him, +so he felt quite provoked. Having lighted it once more, Harry prepared +to carry the candlestick with him towards the inner nursery, though +afraid to make the smallest noise, in case it might be taken from him. +Before he had gone five steps, down dropped the extinguisher, then +followed the snuffers with a great crash, but Laura seemed too busy +cropping her ringlets, to notice what was going on. All the way along +upon the floor, Harry let fall a perfect shower of hot wax, which +spotted the nursery carpet from the table where he had found the candle +into the next room, where he disappeared, and shut the door, that no one +might interfere with what he liked to do. + +After he had been absent some time, the door was hastily opened again, +and Laura felt surprised to see Harry come back with his face as red as +a stick of sealing-wax, and his large eyes staring wider than they had +ever stared before, with a look of rueful consternation. + +"What is the matter!" exclaimed Laura in a terrified voice. "Has +anything dreadful happened? Why do you look so frightened and so +surprised?" + +"Oh dear! oh dear! what shall I do?" cried Harry, who seemed scarcely to +know how he spoke, or where he was. "I don't know what to do, Laura!" + +"What can be the matter! do tell me at once, Harry," said Laura, shaking +with apprehension. "Speak as fast as you can!" + +"Will you not tell Mrs. Crabtree, nor grandmama, nor anybody else?" +cried Harry, bursting into tears. "I am so very, very sorry, and so +frightened! Laura! do you know, I took a candle into the next room, +merely to play with it." + +"Well! go on, Harry! go on! what did you do with the candle?" + +"I only put it on the bed for a single minute, to see how the flame +would look there,--well! do you know it blazed away famously, and then +all the bed clothes began burning too! Oh! there is such a terrible fire +in the next room! you never saw anything like it! what shall we do? If +old Andrew were to come up, do you think he could put it out? I have +shut the door that Mrs. Crabtree may not see the flames. Be sure, Laura, +to tell nobody but Andrew." + +Laura became terrified at the way she saw poor Harry in, but when she +opened the door to find out the real state of affairs, oh! what a +dreadful sight was there! all the beds were on fire, while bright red +flames were blazing up to the roof of the room, with a fierce roaring +noise, which it was perfectly frightful to hear. She screamed aloud with +terror at this alarming scene, while Harry did all he could to quiet +her, and even put his hand over her mouth, that her cries might not be +heard. Laura now struggled to get loose, and called louder and louder, +till at last every maid in the house came racing up stairs, three steps +at a time, to know what was the matter. Immediately upon seeing the +flames, they all began screaming too, in such a loud discordant way, +that it sounded as if a whole flight of crows had come into the +passages. Never was there such an uproar heard in the house before, for +the walls echoed with a general cry of "Fire! fire! fire!" + +Up flew Mrs. Crabtree towards the nursery like a sky-rocket, scolding +furiously, talking louder than all the others put together, and asking +who had set the house on fire, while Harry and Laura scarcely knew +whether to be most frightened for the raging flames, or the raging Mrs. +Crabtree; but, in the meantime, they both shrunk into the smallest +possible size, and hid themselves behind a door. + +During all this confusion, Old Andrew luckily remembered, that, in the +morning, there had been a great washing in the laundry, where large tubs +full of water were standing, so he called to the few maids who had any +of their senses remaining, desiring them to assist in carrying up some +buckets, that they might be emptied on the burning beds, to extinguish +the flames if possible. Every body was now in a hurry, and all elbowing +each other out of the way, while it was most extraordinary to see how +old Andrew exerted himself, as if he had been a fireman all his life, +while Mrs. Marmalade, the fat cook, who could hardly carry herself up +stairs in general, actively assisted to bring up the great heavy tubs, +and to pour them out like a cascade upon the burning curtains, till the +nursery-floor looked like a duck pond. + +Meantime Harry and Laura added to the confusion as much as they could, +and were busier than anybody, stealing down the back-stairs whenever +Mrs. Crabtree was not in sight, and filling their little jugs with +water, which they brought up, as fast as possible, and dashed upon the +flames, till at last, it is to be feared, they began to feel quite +amused with the bustle, and to be almost sorry when the conflagration +diminished. At one time, Laura very nearly set her own frock on fire, as +she ventured too near, but Harry pulled her back, and then courageously +advanced to discharge a shower from his own little jug, remaining +stationary to watch the effect, till his face was almost scorched. + +At last the fire became less and less, till it went totally out, but not +before the nursery furniture had been reduced to perfect ruins, besides +which, Betty had her arm sadly burned in the confusion. Mrs. Marmalade's +cap was completely destroyed, and Mrs. Crabtree's best gown had so large +a hole burned in the skirt, that she never could wear it again! + +After all was quiet, and the fire completely extinguished, Major Graham +took Laura down stairs to Lady Harriet's dressing-room, that she might +tell the whole particulars of how this alarming accident happened in the +nursery, for nobody could guess what had caused so sudden and dreadful a +fire, which seemed to have been as unexpected as a flash of lightning. + +Lady Harriet had felt so terrified by the noise and confusion, that she +was out of bed, sitting up in an arm-chair, supported by pillows, when +Laura entered, at the sight of whom, with her well-cropped head, she +made an exclamation of perfect amazement. + +"Why! who on earth is that! Laura! my dear child! what has become of all +your hair? Were your curls burned off in the fire? or did the fright +make you grow bald? What is the meaning of all this?" + +Laura turned perfectly crimson with shame and distress, for she now felt +convinced of her own great misconduct about the scissors and curls, but +she had been taught on all occasions to speak the truth, and would +rather have died than told a lie, or even allowed any person to believe +what was not true, therefore she answered in a low, frightened voice, +while the tears came into her eyes, "My hair has not been burned off, +grandmama! but--but--" + +"Well, child! speak out!" said Lady Harriet, impatiently, "did some +hair-dresser come to the house and rob you?" + +"Or are you like the ladies of Carthage who gave their long hair for +bows and arrows?" asked Major Graham. "I never saw such a little fright +in my life as you look now; but tell us all about it?" + +"I have been quite as naughty as Harry!" answered Laura, bursting into +tears and sobbing with grief; "I was cutting off my hair with Mrs. +Crabtree's scissors all the time that he was setting the nursery on +fire!" + +"Did any mortal ever hear of two such little torments!" exclaimed Major +Graham, hardly able to help laughing. "I wonder if anybody else in the +world has such mischievous children!" + +"It is certainly very strange, that you and Harry never can contrive to +be three hours out of a scrape!" said Lady Harriet gravely; "now Frank, +on the contrary, never forgets what I bid him do. You might suppose he +carried Mrs. Crabtree in his pocket, to remind him constantly of his +duty; but there are not two such boys in the world as Frank!" + +"No," added Major Graham; "Harry set the house on fire, and Frank will +set the Thames on fire!" + +When Laura saw uncle David put on one of his funny looks, while he spoke +in this way to Lady Harriet, she almost forgot her former fright, and +became surprised to observe her grandmama busy preparing what she called +a coach-wheel, which had been often given as a treat to Harry and +herself when they were particularly good. This delightful wheel was +manufactured by taking a whole round slice of the loaf, in the centre of +which was placed a large tea-spoonful of jelly, after which long spokes +of marmalade, jam, and honey, were made to diverge most tastefully in +every direction towards the crust, and Laura watched the progress of +this business with great interest and anxiety, wondering if it could be +hoped that her grandmama really meant to forgive all her misconduct +during the day. + +"That coach-wheel is, of course, meant for me!" said Major Graham, +pretending to be very hungry, and looking slyly at Laura; "It cannot +possibly be intended for our little hair-dresser here!" + +"Yes, it is!" answered Lady Harriet, smiling. "I have some thoughts of +excusing Laura this time, because she always tells me the truth, without +attempting to conceal any foolish thing she does. It will be very long +before she has any hair to cut off again, so I hope she may be older and +wiser by that time, especially considering that every looking-glass she +sees for six months will make her feel ashamed of herself. She certainly +deserves some reward for having prevented the house to-night from being +burned to the ground." + +"I am glad you think so, because here is a shilling that has been +burning in my pocket for the last few minutes, as I wished to bestow it +on Laura for having saved all our lives, and if she had behaved still +better, I might perhaps have given her a gold watch!" + +Laura was busily employed in eating her coach-wheel, and trying to fancy +what the gold watch would have looked like which she might probably have +got from uncle David, when suddenly the door burst open, and Mrs. +Crabtree hurried into the room, with a look of surprise and alarm, her +face as red as a poppy, and her eye fixed on the hole in her best gown, +while she spoke so loud and angrily, that Laura almost trembled. + +"If you please, my lady! where can Master Harry be? I cannot find him in +any corner!--we have been searching all over the house, up stairs and +down stairs, in vain. Not a garret or a closet but has been ransacked, +and nobody can guess what has become of him!" + +"Did you look up the chimney, Mrs. Crabtree?" asked Major Graham, +laughing to see how excited she looked. + +"Indeed, Sir! it is no joke," answered Mrs. Crabtree, sulkily; "I am +almost afraid Master Harry has been burned in the fire! The last time +Betty saw him, he was throwing a jug of water into the flames, and no +one has ever seen or heard of him since! There is a great many ashes and +cinders lying about the room, and----" + +"Do you think, in sober seriousness, Mrs. Crabtree, that Harry would +melt away like a wax doll, without asking any body to extinguish him?" +said Major Graham, smiling. "No! no! little boys are not quite so easily +disposed of. I shall find Harry in less than five minutes, if he is +above ground." + +But uncle David was quite mistaken in expecting to discover Harry so +easily, for he searched and searched in vain. He looked into every +possible or impossible place--the library, the kitchen, the garrets, the +laundry, the drawing-room, all without success,--he peeped under the +tables, behind the curtains, over the beds, beneath the pillows, and +into Mrs. Crabtree's bonnet-box,--he even opened the tea-chest, and +looked out at the window, in case Harry had tumbled over, but nowhere +could he be found. + +"Not a mouse is stirring!" exclaimed Major Graham, beginning now to look +exceedingly grave and anxious. "This is very strange! The house-door is +locked, therefore, unless Harry made his escape through the key-hole, he +must be here! It is most unaccountable what the little pickle can have +done with himself!" + +When Major Graham chose to exert his voice, it was as loud as a trumpet, +and could be heard half a mile off; so he now called out, like thunder, +from the top of the stairs to the bottom, saying, "Hollo, Harry! hollo! +Come here, my boy! Nobody shall hurt you! Harry! where are you!" + +Uncle David waited to listen, but all was still,--no answer could be +heard, and there was not a sound in the house, except poor Laura at the +bottom of the stairs, sobbing with grief and terror about Harry having +been lost, and Mrs. Crabtree grumbling angrily to herself, on account of +the large hole in her best gown. + +By this time Lady Harriet nearly fainted with fatigue, for she was so +very old, and had been ill all day; so she grew worse and worse, till +everybody said she must go to bed, and try if it would be possible to +fall asleep, assuring her that Harry must soon be found, as nothing +particular could have happened to him, or some person would have seen +it. + +"Indeed, my lady! Master Harry is just like a bad shilling that is sure +to come back," said Mrs. Crabtree, helping her to undress, while she +continued to talk the whole time about the fire, showing her own +unfortunate gown, describing the trouble she had taken to save the house +from being burned, and always ending every sentence with a wish that she +could lay her hands on Harry to punish him as he deserved. + +"The truth is, I just spoil and indulge the children too much, my lady!" +added Mrs. Crabtree, in a self-satisfied tone of voice. "I really blame +myself often for being over easy and kind." + +"You have nothing to accuse yourself of in that respect," answered Lady +Harriet, unable to help smiling. + +"Your ladyship is very good to say so. Major Graham is so fond of our +young people, that it is lucky they have some one to keep them in order. +I shall make a duty, my lady, of being more strict than ever. Master +Harry must be made an example of this time!" added Mrs. Crabtree, +angrily glancing at the hole in her gown. "I shall teach him to +remember this day the longest hour he has to live!" + +"Harry will not forget it any how," answered Lady Harriet languidly. +"Perhaps, Mrs. Crabtree, we might as well not be severe with the poor +boy on this occasion. As the old proverb says, 'there is no use in +pouring water on a drowned mouse.' Harry has got a sad fright for his +pains, and at all events you must find him first, before he can be +punished. Where can the poor child be hid?" + +"I would give sixpence to find out that, my lady!" answered Mrs. +Crabtree, helping Lady Harriet into bed, after which she closed the +shutters, put out the candles, and left the room, angrily muttering, +"Master Harry cares no more for me than the poker cares for the tongs, +but I shall teach him another story soon." + +Lady Harriet now feebly closed her eyes, being quite exhausted, and was +beginning to feel the pleasant, confused sensation that people have +before going to sleep, when some noise made her suddenly start quite +awake. She sat up in bed to listen, but could not be sure whether it had +been a great noise at a distance, or a little noise in the room; so +after waiting two or three minutes, she sunk back upon the pillows, and +tried to forget it. Again, however, she distinctly heard something +rustling in the bed curtains, and opened her eyes to see what could be +the matter, but all was dark. Something seemed to be breathing very near +her, however, and the curtains shook worse than before, till Lady +Harriet became really alarmed. + +"It must surely be a cat in the room!" thought she, hastily pulling the +bell rope, till it nearly came down. "That tiresome little animal will +make such a noise, I shall not be able to sleep all night!" + +The next minute Lady Harriet was startled to hear a loud sob close +beside her; and when everybody rushed up stairs to ask what was the +matter, they brought candles to search the room, and there was Harry! +He lay doubled up in a corner, and crying as if his heart would break, +yet still endeavouring not to be seen; for Harry always thought it a +terrible disgrace to cry, and would have concealed himself anywhere, +rather than be observed weeping. Laura burst into tears also, when she +saw what red eyes and pale cheeks Harry had; but Mrs. Crabtree lost no +time in pulling him out of his place, being quite impatient to begin her +scold, and to produce her tawse, though she received a sad +disappointment on this occasion, as uncle David unexpectedly interfered +to get him off. + +"Come now, Mrs. Crabtree," said he good-naturedly; "put up the tawse for +this time; you are rather too fond of the leather. Harry seems really +sorry and frightened, so we must be merciful. That cataract of tears he +is shedding now, would have extinguished the fire if it had come in +time! Harry is like a culprit with the rope about his neck; but he shall +not be executed. Let me be judge and jury in this case; and my sentence +is a very dreadful one. Harry must sleep all to-night in the burned +nursery, having no other covering than the burned blankets, with large +holes in them, that he may never forget + + "THE TERRIBLE FIRE!" + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +THE PRODIGIOUS CAKE. + + Yet theirs the joy + That lifts their steps, that sparkles in their eyes; + That talks or laughs, or runs, or shouts, or plays, + And speaks in all their looks, and all their ways. + + Crabbe. + + +Next day after the fire, Laura could think of nothing but what she was +to do with the shilling that uncle David had given her; and a thousand +plans came into her head, while many wants entered her thoughts, which +never occurred before; so that, if twenty shillings had been in her hand +instead of one, they would all have gone twenty different ways. + +Lady Harriet advised that it should be laid bye till Laura had fully +considered what she would like best; reminding her very truly, that +money is lame in coming, but flies in going away. "Many people can get a +shilling, Laura," said her grandmama; "but the difficulty is to keep it; +for you know the old proverb tells that 'a fool and his money are soon +parted.'" + +"Yes, Miss! so give it to me, and I shall take care of your shilling!" +added Mrs. Crabtree, holding out her hand to Laura, who fell that if her +money once disappeared into that capacious pocket, she would never see +it again. "Children have no use for money! that shilling will only burn +a hole in your purse, till it is spent on some foolish thing or other. +You will be losing your thimble soon, or mislaying your gloves; for all +these things seem to fly in every direction, as if they got legs and +wings as soon as they belong to you; so then that shilling may replace +what is lost." + +Mrs. Crabtree looked as if she would eat it up; but Laura grasped her +treasure still tighter in her hand, exclaiming, + +"No! no! this is mine! Uncle David never thought of my shilling being +taken care of! He meant me to do whatever I liked with it! Uncle David +says he cannot endure saving children, and that he wishes all money were +turned into slates, when little girls keep it longer than a week." + +"I like that!" said Harry, eagerly; "it is so pleasant to spend money, +when the shopkeeper bows to me over the counter so politely, and asks +what I please to want." + +"Older people than you like spending money, Master Harry, and spend +whether they have it or no; but the greatest pleasure is to keep it. For +instance, Miss Laura, whatever she sees worth a shilling in any shop, +might be hers if she pleases; so then it is quite as good as her own. We +shall look in at the bazaar every morning, to fix upon something that +she would like to have, and then consider of it for two or three days." + +Laura thought this plan so very unsatisfactory, that she lost no time in +getting her shilling changed into two sixpences, one of which she +immediately presented to Harry, who positively refused for a long time +to accept of it, insisting that Laura should rather buy some pretty +plaything for herself; but she answered that it was much pleasanter to +divide her fortune with Harry, than to be selfish, and spend it all +alone. "I am sure, Harry," added she, "if this money had been yours, you +would have said the same thing, and given the half of what you got to +me; so now let us say no more about that, but tell me what would be the +best use to make of my sixpence?" + +"You might buy that fine red morocco purse we saw in the shop window +yesterday," observed Harry, looking very serious and anxious, on being +consulted. "Do you remember how much we both wished to have it?" + +"But what is the use of a purse, with no money to keep in it!" answered +Laura, looking earnestly at Harry for more advice. "Think again of +something else." + +"Would you like a new doll?" + +"Yes; but I have nothing to dress her with!" + +"Suppose you buy that pretty geranium in a red flower-pot at the +gardener's!" + +"If it would only live for a week, I might be tempted to try; but +flowers will always die with me. They seem to wither when I so much as +look at them. Do you remember that pretty fuchsia that I almost drowned +the first day grandmama gave it me; and we forgot for a week afterwards +to water it at all. I am not a good flower doctor." + +"Then buy a gold watch at once," said Harry, laughing; "or a fine pony, +with a saddle, to ride on." + +"Now, Harry, pray be quite in earnest. You know I might as well attempt +to buy the moon as a gold watch; so think of something else." + +"It is very difficult to make a good use of money," said Harry, +pretending to look exceedingly wise. "Do you know, Laura, I once found +out that you could have twelve of those large ship biscuits we saw at +the baker's shop for sixpence. Only think! you could feed the whole +town, and make a present to everybody in the house besides! I dare say +Mrs. Crabtree might like one with her tea. All the maids would think +them a treat. You could present one to Frank, another to old Andrew, and +there would still be some left for these poor children at the cottage." + +"Oh! that is the very thing!" cried Laura, running out of the room to +send Andrew off with a basket, and looking as happy as possible. Not +long afterwards, Frank, who had returned from school, was standing at +the nursery window, when he suddenly called out in a voice of surprise +and amazement, + +"Come here, Harry! look at old Andrew! he is carrying something tied up +in a towel, as large as his own head! what can it be?" + +"That is all for me! these are my biscuits!" said Laura, running off to +receive the parcel, and though she heard Frank laughing, while Harry +told all about them, she did not care, but brought her whole collection +triumphantly into the nursery. + +"Oh fancy! how perfect!" cried Harry, opening the bundle; "this is very +good fun!" + +"Here are provisions for a siege!" added Frank. "You have at least got +enough for your money, Laura!" + +"Take one yourself, Frank!" said she, reaching him the largest, and +then, with the rest all tied in her apron, Laura proceeded up and down +stairs, making presents to every person she met, till her whole store +was finished; and she felt quite satisfied and happy because everybody +seemed pleased and returned many thanks, except Mrs. Crabtree, who said +she had no teeth to eat such hard things, which were only fit for +sailors going to America or the West Indies. + +"You should have bought me a pound of sugar, Miss Laura, and that might +have been a present worth giving." + +"You are too sweet already, Mrs. Crabtree!" said Frank, laughing. "I +shall send you a sugar-cane from the West Indies, to beat Harry and +Laura with, and a whole barrel of sugar for yourself, from my own +estate." + +"None of your nonsense, Master Frank! Get out of the nursery this +moment! You with an estate indeed! You will not have a place to put your +foot upon soon except the topmast in a man-of-war, where all the bad +boys in a ship are sent." + +"Perhaps, as you are not to be the captain, I may escape, and be dining +with the officers sometimes! I mean to send you home a fine new India +shawl, Mrs. Crabtree, the very moment I arrive at Madras, and some china +tea-cups from Canton." + +"Fiddlesticks and nonsense!" said Mrs. Crabtree, who sometimes enjoyed a +little jesting with Frank. "Keep all them rattle-traps till you are a +rich nabob, and come home to look for Mrs. Frank,--a fine wife she will +be! Ladies that get fortunes from India are covered all over with gold +chains, and gold muslins, and scarlet shawls. She will eat nothing but +curry and rice, and never put her foot to the ground except to step into +her carriage." + +"I hope you are not a gipsey, to tell fortunes!" cried Harry, laughing; +"Frank would die rather than take such a wife." + +"Or, at least, I would rather have a tooth drawn than do it," added +Frank, smiling. "Perhaps I may prefer to marry one of those old wives on +the chimney-tops; but it is too serious to say I would rather die, +because nobody knows how awful it is to die, till the appointed day +comes." + +"Very true and proper, Master Frank," replied Mrs. Crabtree; "you speak +like a printed book sometimes, and you deserve a good wife." + +"Then I shall return home some day with chests of gold, and let you +choose one for me, as quiet and good-natured as yourself, Mrs. +Crabtree," said Frank, taking up his books and hastening off to school, +running all the way, as he was rather late, and Mr. Lexicon, the master, +had promised a grand prize for the boy who came most punctually to his +lessons, which everybody declared that Frank was sure to gain, as he had +never once been absent at the right moment. + +Major Graham often tried to teaze Frank, by calling him "the +Professor,"--asking him questions which it was impossible to answer, +and then pretending to be quite shocked at his ignorance; but no one +ever saw the young scholar put out of temper by those tricks and trials, +for he always laughed more heartily than any one else, at the joke. + +"Now show me, Frank," said uncle David, one morning, "how do you advance +three steps backwards?" + +"That is quite impossible, unless you turn me into a crab." + +"Tell me, then, which is the principal town in Caffraria?" + +"Is there any town there? I do not recollect it." + +"Then so much the worse!--how are you ever to get through life without +knowing the chief town in Caffraria! I am quite ashamed of your +ignorance. Now let us try a little arithmetic! Open the door of your +understanding and tell me, when wheat is six shillings a bushel, what is +the price of a penny loaf. Take your slate and calculate that." + +"Yes, uncle David, if you will find out, when gooseberries are two +shillings the pint, what is the price of a threepenny tart. You remind +me of my old nursery song-- + + 'The man in the wilderness asked me, + How many strawberries grew in the sea; + I answered him, as I thought it good, + As many red herrings as grew in the wood.'" + +Some days after Laura had distributed the biscuits, she became very +sorry for having squandered her shilling, without attending to Lady +Harriet's good advice, about keeping it carefully in her pocket for at +least a week, to see what would happen. A very pleasant way of using +money now fell in her way, but she had been a foolish spendthrift, so +her pockets were empty, when she most wished them to be full. Harry came +that morning after breakfast into the nursery, looking in a great +bustle, and whispering to Laura, "What a pity your sixpence is gone! but +as Mrs. Crabtree says, 'we cannot both eat our cake and have it!'" + +"No!" answered Laura, as seriously as if she had never thought of this +before, "but why do you so particularly wish my money back to-day?" + +"Because such a very nice, funny thing is to be done this morning. You +and I are asked to join the party, but I am afraid we cannot afford it! +All our little cousins and companions intend going with Mr. Harwood, the +tutor, at twelve o'clock, to climb up to the very top of Arthur's Seat, +where they are to dine and have a dance. There will be about twenty boys +and girls of the party, but every body is to carry a basket filled with +provisions for dinner, either cakes, or fruit, or biscuits, which are to +be eat on the great rock at the top of the hill. Now grandmama says we +ought to have had money enough to supply what is necessary, and then we +might have gone, but no one can be admitted who has not at least +sixpence to buy something." + +"Oh! how provoking!" said Laura, sadly, "I wonder when we shall learn +always to follow grandmama's advice, for that is sure to turn out best +in the end. I never take my own way without being sorry for it +afterwards, so I deserve now to be disappointed and remain at home; but, +Harry, your sixpence is still safe, so pray join this delightful party, +and tell me all about it afterwards." + +"If it could take us both, I should be very happy, but I will not go +without you, Laura, after you were so good to me, and gave me this in a +present. No, no! I only wish we could do like the poor madman grandmama +mentioned, who planted sixpences in the ground that they might grow into +shillings." + +"Pray! what are you two looking so solemn about?" asked Frank, hurrying +into the room, at that moment, on his way to school. "Are you talking of +some mischief that has been done already, or only about some mischief +you are intending to do soon?" + +"Neither the one nor the other," answered Laura. "But, oh! Frank, I am +sure you will be sorry for us, when we tell you of our sad +disappointment!" + +She then related the whole story of the party to Arthur's Seat, +mentioning that Mr. Harwood had kindly offered to take charge of Harry +and herself, but as her little fortune had been so foolishly squandered, +she could not go, and Harry said it would be impossible to enjoy the fun +without her, though Lady Harriet had given them both leave to be of the +party. + +All the time that Laura spoke, Frank stood, with his hands in his +pockets, where he seemed evidently searching for something, and when the +whole history was told, he said to Harry, "Let me see this poor little +sixpence of yours! I am a very clever conjuror, and could perhaps turn +it into a shilling!" + +"Nonsense, Frank!" said Laura, laughing; "you might as well turn Harry +into uncle David!" + +"Well! we shall see!" answered Frank, taking up the sixpence. "I have +put the money into this box!--rattle it well!--once! twice! +thrice!--there, peep in!--now it is a shilling! I told you so!" + +Frank ran joyously out of the room, being much amused with the joke, for +he had put one of his own shillings into the box for Harry and Laura, +who were excessively surprised at first, and felt really ashamed to take +this very kind present from Frank, when he so seldom had money of his +own; but they knew how generous he was, for he often repeated that +excellent maxim, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." + +After a few minutes, they remembered that nothing could prevent them now +from going with Mr. Harwood to Arthur's Seat, which put Laura into such +a state of ecstacy, that she danced round the room for joy, while Harry +jumped upon the tables and chairs, tumbled head over heels, and called +Betty to come immediately that they might get ready. + +When Mrs. Crabtree heard such an uproar, she hastened also into the +room, asking what had happened to cause this riot, and she became very +angry indeed, to hear that Harry and Laura had both got leave to join in +this grand expedition. + +"You will be spoiling all your clothes, and getting yourselves into a +heat! I wonder her ladyship allows this! How much better you would be +taking a quiet walk with me in the gardens! I shall really speak to Lady +Harriet about it! The air must be very cold on the top of them great +mountains! I am sure you will both have colds for a month after this +Tom-foolery." + +"Oh no, Mrs. Crabtree! I promise not to catch cold!" cried Harry, +eagerly; "and, besides, you can scarcely prevent our going now, for +grandmama has set out on her long airing in the carriage, so there is +nobody for you to ask about keeping us at home, except uncle David!" + +Mrs. Crabtree knew from experience, that Major Graham was a hopeless +case, as he always took part with the children, and liked nothing so +much for old and young as "a ploy;" so she grumbled on to herself, while +her eyes looked as sharp as a pair of scissors with rage. "You will come +back, turned into scare-crows, with all your nice clean clothes in +tatters," said she, angrily; "but if there is so much as a speck upon +this best new jacket and trowsers, I shall know the reason why." + +"What a comfort it would be, if there were no such things in the world +as 'new clothes,' for I am always so much happier in the old ones," said +Harry. "People at the shops should sell clothes that will never either +dirty or tear!" + +"You ought to be dressed in fur, like Robinson Crusoe, or sent out +naked, like the little savages," said Mrs. Crabtree, "or painted black +and blue like them wild old Britons that lived here long ago!" + +"I am black and blue sometimes, without being painted," said Harry, +escaping to the door. "Good-bye, Mrs. Crabtree! I hope you will not die +of weariness without us! On our return we shall tell you all our +delightful adventures." + +About half an hour afterwards, Harry and Laura were seen hurrying out of +the pastry-cook, Mrs. Weddell's shop, bearing little covered baskets in +their hands, but nobody could guess what was in them. They whispered and +laughed together with very merry faces, looking the very pictures of +happiness, and running along as fast as they could to join the noisy +party of their cousins and companions, almost fearing that Mr. Harwood +might have set off without them. Frank often called him "Mr. +Punctuality," as he was so very particular about his scholars being in +good time on all occasions; and certainly Mr. Harwood carried his watch +more in his hand than in his pocket, being in the habit of constantly +looking to see that nobody arrived too late. Mail-coaches or steamboats +could hardly keep the time better, when an hour had once been named, and +the last words that Harry heard when he was invited were, "Remember! +sharp twelve." + +The great clock of St. Andrew's Church was busy striking that hour, and +every little clock in the town was saying the same thing, when Mr. +Harwood himself, with his watch in his hand, opened the door, and walked +out, followed by a dozen of merry-faced boys and girls, all speaking at +once, and vociferating louder than the clocks, as if they thought +everybody had grown deaf. + +"I shall reach the top of Arthur's Seat first," said Peter Grey. "All of +you follow me, for I know the shortest way. It is only a hop, step, and +a jump!" + +"Rather a long step!" cried Robert Fordyce. "But I could lead you a much +better way, though I shall show it to nobody but myself." + +"We must certainly drink water at St. Anthony's Well," observed Laura; +"because whatever any one wishes for when he tastes it, is sure to +happen immediately." + +"Then I shall wish that some person may give me a new doll," said Mary +Forrester. "My old one is only fit for being lady's maid to a fine new +doll." + +"I am in ninety-nine minds what to wish for," exclaimed Harry; "we must +take care not to be like the foolish old woman in the fairy tale, who +got only a yard of black pudding." + +"I shall ask for a piebald pony, with a whip, a saddle, and a bridle!" +cried Peter Grey; "and for a week's holidays,--and a new watch,--and a +spade,--and a box of French plums,--and to be first at the top of +Arthur's Seat,--and--and--" + +"Stop, Peter!--stop! you can only have one wish at St. Anthony's Well," +interrupted Mr. Harwood. "If you ask more, you lose all." + +"That is very hard, for I want everything," replied Peter. "What are you +wishing for, Sir?" + +"What shall I ask for?" said Mr. Harwood, reflecting to himself. "I have +not a want in the world?" + +"O yes, Sir! you must wish for something!" cried the whole party, +eagerly. "Do invent something to ask, Mr. Harwood!" + +"Then I wish you may all behave well till we reach the top of Arthur's +Seat, and all come safely down again." + +"You may be sure of that already!" said Peter, laughing. "I set such a +very good example to all my companions, that they never behave ill when +I am present,--no! not even by accident! When Dr. Algebra examined our +class to-day, he asked Mr. Lexicon, 'What has become of the best boy in +your school this morning?' and the answer was, 'Of course your mean +Peter Grey! He is gone to the top of Arthur's Seat with that excellent +man, Mr. Harwood!'" + +"Indeed!--and pray, Master Peter, what bird whispered this story into +your ear, seeing it has all happened since we left home!--but people who +are praised by nobody else, often take to praising themselves!" + +"Who knows better!--and here is Harry Graham, the very ditto of +myself,--so steady he might be fit to drill a whole regiment. We shall +lead the party quite safely up the hill, and down again, without any +ladders." + +"And without wings," added Harry, laughing; "but what are we to draw +water out of the well with?--here are neither buckets, nor tumblers, nor +glasses!" + +"I could lend you my thimble!" said Laura, searching her pocket. "That +will hold enough of water for one wish, and every person may have the +loan of it in turn." + +"This is the very first time your thimble has been of use to anybody!" +said Harry, slyly; "but I dare say it is not worn into holes with too +much sewing, therefore it will make a famous little magical cup for St. +Anthony's Well. You know the fairies who dance here by moonlight, lay +their table-cloth upon a mushroom, and sit round it, to be merry, but I +never heard what they use for a drinking cup." + +Harry now proceeded briskly along to the well, singing as he went, a +song which had been taught him by uncle David, beginning, + + I wish I were a brewer's horse, + Five quarters of a year, + I'd place my head where was my tail, + And drink up all the beer. + +Before long the whole party seated themselves in a circle on the grass +round St. Anthony's Well, while any stranger who had chanced to pass +might have supposed, from the noise and merriment, that the Saint had +filled his well with champagne and punch for the occasion, as everybody +seemed perfectly tipsy with happiness. Mr. Harwood laughed prodigiously +at some of the jokes, and made a few of his own, which were none of the +best, though they caused the most laughter, for the boys thought it very +surprising that so grave and great a man should make a joke at all. + +When Mary Forrester drank her thimbleful of water, and wished for a new +doll, Peter and Harry privately cut out a face upon a red-cheeked apple, +making the eyes, nose, and mouth, after which, they hastily dressed it +up in pocket handkerchiefs, and gave her this present from the fairies, +which looked so very like what she had asked for, that the laugh which +followed was loud and long. Afterwards Peter swallowed his draught, +calling loudly for a piebald pony, when Harry in his white trowsers, and +dark jacket, went upon all-fours, and let Peter mount on his back. It +was very difficult, however, to get Peter off again, for he enjoyed the +fun excessively, and stuck to his seat like Sinbad's old man of the sea, +till at last Harry rolled round on his back, tumbling Peter head over +heels into St. Anthony's Well, upon seeing which, Mr. Harwood rose, +saying, he had certainly lost his own wish, as they had behaved ill, and +met with an accident already. Harry laughingly proposed that Peter +should be carefully hung upon a tree to dry, till they all came down +again; but the mischievous boy ran off so fast, he was almost out of +sight in a moment, saying, "Now for the top of Arthur's Seat, and I +shall grow dry with the fatigue of climbing." + +The boys and girls immediately scattered themselves all over the hill, +getting on the best way they could, and trying who could scramble up +fastest, but the grass was quite short, and as slippery as ice, +therefore it became every moment more difficult to stand, and still more +difficult to climb. The whole party began sliding whether they liked it +or not, and staggered and tried to grasp the turf, but there was nothing +to hold, while occasionally a shower of stones and gravel came down from +Peter, who pretended they fell by accident. + +"Oh, Harry!" cried Laura, panting for breath, while she looked both +frightened and fatigued, "If this were not a party of pleasure, I think +we are sometimes quite as happy in our own gardens! People must be very +miserable at home, before they come here to be amused! I wish we were +cats, or goats, or any thing that can stand upon a hill without feeling +giddy." + +"I think this is very good fun!" answered Harry, gasping and trying not +to tumble for the twentieth time; "you would like perhaps to be back in +the nursery with Mrs. Crabtree." + +"No! no! I am not quite so bad as that! But Harry! do you ever really +expect to reach the top? for I never shall; so I mean to sit down +quietly here, and wait till you all return." + +"I have a better plan than that, Laura! you shall sit upon the highest +point of Arthur's Seat as well as anybody, before either of us is an +hour older! Let me go first, because I get on famously, and you must +never look behind, but keep tight hold of my jacket, so then every step +I advance will pull you up also." + +Laura was delighted with this plan, which succeeded perfectly well, but +they ascended rather slowly, as it was exceedingly fatiguing to Harry, +who looked quite happy all the time to be of use, for he always felt +glad when he could do any thing for anybody, more particularly for +either Laura or Frank. Now, the whole party was at last safely assembled +on the very highest point of Arthur's Seat, so the boys threw their caps +up in the air, and gave three tremendous cheers, which frightened the +very crows over their heads, and sent a flock of sheep scampering down +the mountain side. After that, they planted Mr. Harwood's walking-stick +in the ground, for a staff, while Harry tore off the blue silk +handkerchief which Mrs. Crabtree had tied about his neck, and without +caring whether he caught cold or not, he fastened it on the pole for a +flag, being quite delighted to see how it waved in the wind most +triumphantly, looking very like what sailors put up when they take +possession of a desert island. + +"Now, for business!" said Mr. Harwood, sitting down on the rock, and +uncovering a prodigious cake, nearly as large as a cheese, which he had +taken the trouble to carry, with great difficulty, up the hill. "I +suppose nobody is hungry after our long walk! Let us see what all the +baskets contain!" + +Not a moment was lost in seating themselves on the grass, while the +stores were displayed, amidst shouts of laughter and applause which +generally followed whatever came forth. Sandwiches, or, as Peter Grey +called them, "savages;" gingerbread, cakes, and fruit, all appeared in +turn. Robert Fordyce brought a dozen of hard-boiled eggs, all dyed +different colours, blue, green, pink, and yellow, but not one was white. +Edmund Ashford produced a collection of very sour-looking apples, and +Charles Forrester showed a number of little gooseberry tarts, but when +it became time for Peter's basket to be opened, it contained nothing +except a knife and fork to cut up whatever his companions would give +him! + +"Peter! Peter! you shabby fellow!" said Charles Forrester, reaching him +one of his tarts, "you should be put in the tread-mill as a sturdy +beggar!" + +"Or thrown down from the top of this precipice," added Harry, giving him +a cake. "I wonder you can look any of us in the face, Peter!" + +"I have heard," said Mr. Harwood, "that a stone is shown in Ireland, +called 'the stone of Blarney,' and whoever kisses it, is never +afterwards ashamed of any thing he does. Our friend Peter has probably +passed that way lately!" + +"At any rate, I am not likely to be starved to death amongst you all!" +answered the impudent boy, demolishing every thing he could get; and it +is believed that Peter ate, on this memorable occasion, three times more +than any other person, as each of the party offered him something, and +he never was heard to say, "No!" + +"I could swallow Arthur's Seat if it were turned into a plum-pudding," +said he, pocketing buns, apples, eggs, walnuts, biscuits, and almonds, +till his coat stuck out all round like a balloon. "Has any one any thing +more to spare?" + +"Did you ever hear," said Mr. Harwood, "that a pigeon eats its own +weight of food every day? Now, I am sure, you and I know one boy in the +world, Peter, who could do as much." + +"What is to be done with that prodigious cake you carried up here, Mr. +Harwood?" answered Peter, casting a devouring eye upon it; "the crust +seems as hard as a rhinoceros' skin, but I dare say it is very good. One +could not be sure though, without tasting it! I hope you are not going +to take the trouble of carrying that heavy load back again?" + +"How very polite you are become all on a sudden, Peter!" said Laura, +laughing. "I should be very sorry to attempt carrying that cake to the +bottom of the hill, for we would both roll down, the shortest way, +together." + +"I am not over-anxious to try it either," observed Charles Forrester, +shaking his head. "Even Peter, though his mouth is constantly ajar, +would find that cake rather heavy to carry, either as an inside or an +outside passenger." + +"I can scarcely lift it at all!" continued Laura, when Mr. Harwood had +again tied it up in the towel; "what can be done?" + +"Here is the very best plan!" cried Harry, suddenly seizing the +prodigious cake; and before any body could hinder him, he gave it a +tremendous push off the steepest part of Arthur's Seat, so that it +rolled down like a wheel, over stones and precipices, jumping and +hopping along with wonderful rapidity, amidst the cheers and laughter of +all the children, till at last it reached the bottom of the hill, when a +general clapping of hands ensued. + +"Now for a race!" cried Harry, becoming more and more eager. "The first +boy or girl who reaches that cake shall have it all to himself!" + +Mr. Harwood tried with all his might to stop the commotion, and called +out that they must go quietly down the bank, for Harry had no right to +give away the cake, or to make them break their legs and arms with +racing down such a hill: but he might as well have spoken to an east +wind, and asked it not to blow. The whole party dispersed, like a hive +of bees that has been upset; and in a moment they were in full career +after the cake. + +Some of the boys tried to roll down, hoping to get on more quickly. +Others endeavoured to slide, and several attempted to run, but they all +fell; and many of them might have been tumblers at Sadler's Wells, they +tumbled over and over so cleverly. Peter Grey's hat was blown away, but +he did not stop to catch it. Charlie Hume lost his shoe, Robert Fordyce +sprained his ancle, and every one of the girls tore her frock. It was a +frightful scene; such devastation of bonnets and jackets as had never +been known before; while Mr. Harwood looked like the General of a +defeated army, calling till he became hoarse, and running till he was +out of breath, vainly trying thus to stop the confusion, and to bring +the stragglers back in better order. + +Meantime, Harry and Peter were far before the rest, though Edward +Ashford was following hard after them in desperate haste, as if he still +hoped to overtake their steps. Suddenly, however, a loud cry of distress +was heard over-head; and when Harry looked up, he saw so very alarming a +sight, that he could scarcely believe his eyes, and almost screamed out +himself with the fright it gave him, while he seemed to forget in a +moment, the race, Peter Grey, and the prodigious cake. + +Laura had been very anxious not to trouble Harry with taking care of her +in coming down the bank again; for she saw that during all this fun +about the cake, he perfectly forgot that she was not accustomed every +day to such a scramble on the hills, and would have required some help. +After looking down every side of the descent, and thinking that each +appeared steeper than another, while they all made her equally giddy, +Laura determined to venture on a part of the hill which seemed rather +less precipitous than the rest; but it completely cheated her, being the +most difficult and dangerous part of Arthur's Seat. The slope became +steeper and steeper at every step; but Laura always tried to hope her +path might grow better, till at last she reached a place where it was +impossible to stop herself. Down she went, down! down! whether she would +or not, screaming and sliding on a long slippery bank, till she reached +the very edge of a dangerous precipice, which appeared higher than the +side of a room. Laura then grappled hold of some stones and grass, +calling loudly for help, while scarcely able to keep from falling into +the deep ravine, which would probably have killed her. Her screams were +echoed all over the hill, when Harry seeing her frightful situation, +clambered up the bank faster than any lamplighter, and immediately flew +to Laura's assistance, who was now really hanging over the chasm, quite +unable to help herself. At last he reached the place where poor Laura +lay, and seized hold of her by the frock; but for some time it seemed an +equal chance whether she dragged him into the hole, or he pulled her +away from it. Luckily, however, by a great effort, Harry succeeded in +delivering Laura, whom he placed upon a secure situation, and then, +having waited patiently till she recovered from the fright, he led her +carefully and kindly down to the bottom of Arthur's Seat. + +Now, all the boys had already got there, and a violent dispute was going +on about which of them first reached the cake. Peter Grey had pushed +down Edward Ashford, who caught hold of Robert Fordyce, and they all +three rolled to the bottom together, so that nobody could tell which had +won the race; while Mr. Harwood laboured in vain to convince them that +the cake belonged neither to the one nor the other, being his own +property. + +They all laughed at Harry for being distanced, and arriving last; while +Mr. Harwood watched him coming down, and was pleased to observe how +carefully he attended to Laura, though still, being annoyed at the riot +and confusion which Harry had occasioned, he determined to appear +exceedingly angry, and put on a very terrible voice, saying, + +"Hollo! young gentleman! what shall I do to you for beginning this +uproar? As the old proverb says, 'one fool makes many.' How dare you +roll my fine cake down the hill in this way, and send everybody rolling +after it? Look me in the face, and say you are ashamed of yourself!" + +Harry looked at Mr. Harwood--and Mr. Harwood looked at Harry. They both +tried to seem very grave and serious, but somehow Harry's eyes glittered +very brightly, and two little dimples might be seen in his cheeks. Mr. +Harwood also had his eye-brows gathered into a terrible frown, but still +his eyes were likewise sparkling, and his mouth seemed to be pursed up +in a most comical manner. After staring at each other for several +minutes, both Mr. Harwood and Harry burst into a prodigious fit of +laughing, and nobody could tell which began first or laughed longest. + +"Master Graham! you must send a new frock to every little girl of the +party, and a suit of clothes to each of the boys, for having caused +theirs to be all destroyed. I really meant to punish you severely for +beginning such a riot, but something has made me change my mind. In +almost every moment of our lives, we either act amiably of unamiably, +and I observed you treat Miss Laura so kindly and properly all this +morning, that I shall say not another word about + + "THE PRODIGIOUS CAKE." + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. + + "For," said she, in spite of what grandmama taught her, + "I'm really remarkably fond of the water." + + * * * * * + + She splashed, and she dashed, and she turned herself round, + And heartily wished herself safe on the ground. + + +Once upon a time Harry and Laura had got into so many scrapes, that +there seemed really no end to their misconduct. They generally forgot to +learn any lessons--often tore their books--drew pictures on their +slates, instead of calculating sums--and made the pages of their +copy-books into boats; besides which, Mrs. Crabtree caught them one day, +when a party of officers dined at Lady Harriet's, with two of the +captain's sword-belts buckled round their waists, and cocked hats upon +their heads, while they beat the crown of a gentleman's hat with a +walking-stick, to sound like a drum. + +Still it seemed impossible to make uncle David feel sufficiently angry +at them, though Mrs. Crabtree did all she could to put him in a passion, +by telling the very worst; but he made fifty excuses a-minute, as if he +had been the naughty person himself, instead of Harry or Laura, and +above all he said that they both seemed so exceedingly penitent when he +explained their delinquencies, and they were both so ready to tell upon +themselves, and to take all the blame of whatever mischief might be +done, that he was determined to shut his eyes and say nothing, unless +they did something purposely wrong. + +One night, when Mrs. Crabtree had gone out, Major Graham felt quite +surprised on his return home from a late dinner party, to find Laura and +Harry still out of bed. They were sitting in his library when he +entered, both looking so tired and miserable that he could not imagine +what had happened; but Harry lost no time in confessing that he and +Laura feared they had done some dreadful mischief, so they could not +sleep without asking pardon, and mentioning whose fault it was, that the +maids might not be unjustly blamed. + +"Well, you little imps of mischief! what have I to scold you for now?" +asked uncle David, not looking particularly angry. "Is it something that +I shall be obliged to take the trouble of punishing you for? We ought to +live in the Highlands, where there are whole forests of birch ready for +use? Why are your ears like a bell-rope, Harry? because they seem made +to be pulled. Now, go on with your story. What is the matter?" + +"We were playing about the room, uncle David, and Laura lost her ball, +so she crept under that big table which has only one large leg. There is +a brass button below, so we were trying if it would come off, when all +on a sudden, the table fell quite to one side, as you see it now, +tumbling down those prodigious books and tin boxes on the floor! I +cannot think how this fine new table could be so easily broken; but +whenever we even look at anything, it seems to break!" + +"Yes, Harry! You remind me of Meddlesome Matty in the nursery rhymes, + + "Sometimes she'd lift the teapot lid + To peep at what was in it, + Or tilt the kettle, if you did + But turn your back a minute. + In vain you told her not to touch, + Her trick of meddling grew so much." + +You have scarcely left my poor table a leg to stand upon! How am I ever +to get it mended?" + +"Perhaps the carpenter could do it to-morrow!" + +"Or, perhaps uncle David could do it this moment," said Major Graham, +raising the fallen side with a sudden jerk, when Harry and Laura heard a +sound under the table like the locking of a door, after which the whole +affair was rectified. + +"Did I ever--!" exclaimed Harry, staring with astonishment, "so we have +suffered all our fright for nothing, and the table was not really +broken! I shall always run to you, uncle David, when we are in a scrape, +for you are sure to get us off." + +"Do not reckon too certainly on that, Master Harry; it is easier to get +into one than to get out of it, any day; but I am not so seriously angry +at the sort of scrapes Laura and you get into, because you would not +willingly and deliberately do wrong. If any children commit a mean +action, or get into a passion, or quarrel with each other, or omit +saying their prayers and reading their Bibles, or tell a lie, or take +what does not belong to them, then it might be seen how extremely angry +I could be; but while you continue merely thoughtless and forgetful, I +mean to have patience a little longer before turning into a cross old +uncle with a pair of tawse." + +Harry sprung upon uncle David's knee, quite delighted to hear him speak +so very kindly, and Laura was soon installed in her usual place there +also, listening to all that was said, and laughing at his jokes. + +"As Mrs. Crabtree says," continued Major Graham, "'we cannot put an old +head on young shoulders;' and it would certainly look very odd if you +could." + +So uncle David took out his pencil, and drew a funny picture of a cross +old wrinkled face upon young shoulders, like Laura's, and after they had +all laughed at it together for about five minutes, he sent the children +both to bed, quite merry and cheerful. + +A long time elapsed afterwards without anything going wrong; and it was +quite pleasant to see such learning of lessons, such attention to rules, +and such obedience to Mrs. Crabtree, as went on in the nursery during +several weeks. At last, one day, when Lady Harriet and Major Graham were +preparing to set off on a journey, and to pay a short visit at Holiday +House, Laura and Harry observed a great deal of whispering and talking +in a corner of the room, but they could not exactly discover what it was +all about, till Major Graham said very earnestly, "I think we might +surely take Laura with us." + +"Yes," answered Lady Harriet, "both the children have been invited, and +are behaving wonderfully well of late, but Lord Rockville has such a +dislike to noise, that I dare not venture to take more than one at a +time. Poor Laura has a very severe cough, so she may be recovered by +change of air. As for Harry, he is quite well, and therefore he can stay +at home." + +Now, Harry thought it very hard that he was to be left at home, merely +because he felt quite well, so he immediately wished to be very ill +indeed, that he might have some chance of going to Holiday House; but +then he did not exactly know how to set about it. At all events, Harry +determined to catch a cold like Laura's, without delay. He would not, +for the whole world have pretended to suffer from a cough if he really +had none, because uncle David had often explained that making any one +believe an un-truth was the same as telling a lie; but he thought there +might be no harm in really getting such a terrible cold, that nothing +could possibly cure it except change of air, and a trip to Holiday +House with Laura. Accordingly Harry tried to remember every thing that +Mrs. Crabtree had forbid him to do "for fear of catching cold." He +sprinkled water over his shirt collar in the morning before dressing, +that it might be damp; he ran violently up and down stairs to put +himself in a heat, after which he sat between the open window and door +till he felt perfectly chilled; and when going to bed at night, he +washed his hair in cold water without drying it. Still, all was in vain! +Harry had formerly caught cold a hundred times when he did not want one; +but now, such a thing was not to be had for love or money. Nothing +seemed to give him the very slightest attempt at a cough; and when the +day at last arrived for Lady Harriet to begin her journey, Harry still +felt himself most provokingly well. Not so much as a finger ached, his +cheeks were as blooming as roses, his voice as clear as a bell, and when +uncle David accidentally said to him in the morning, "How do you do?" +Harry was obliged, very much against his will, to answer, "Quite well, I +thank you!" + +In the meantime, Laura would have felt too happy if Harry could only +have gone with her; and even as it was, being impatient for the happy +day to arrive, she hurried to bed an hour earlier than usual the night +before, to make the time of setting out appear nearer; and she could +scarcely sleep or eat for thinking of Holiday House, and planning all +that was to be done there. + +"It is pleasant to see so joyous a face," said Major Graham. "I almost +envy you, Laura, for being so happy." + +"Oh! I quite envy myself! but I shall write a long letter every day to +poor Harry, telling him all the news, and all my adventures." + +"Nonsense! Miss Laura! wait till you come home," said Mrs. Crabtree. +"Who do you think is going to pay postage for so many foolish letters?" + +"I shall!" answered Harry. "I have got sixpence, and two pence, and a +half penny, so I shall buy every one of Laura's letters from the +postman, and write her an answer immediately afterwards. She will like +to hear, Mrs. Crabtree, how very kind you are going to be, when I am +left by myself here. Perhaps you will play at nine pins with me, and +Laura can lend you her skipping rope." + +"You might as well offer uncle David a hobby-horse," said Frank, +laughingly, throwing his satchel over his shoulders. "No, Harry! you +shall belong to me now. Grandmama says you may go every day to my +play-ground, where all the school-boys assemble, and you can have plenty +of fun till Laura comes back. We shall jump over the moon every morning, +for joy." + +Harry brightened up amazingly, thinking he had never heard such good +news before, as it was a grand piece of promotion to play with real big +school-boys; so he became quite reconciled to Laura's going away for a +short time without him; and when the hour came for taking leave, instead +of tears being shed on either side, it would have been difficult to say, +as they kissed each other and said a joyous good-bye, which face looked +the most delighted. + +All Laura's clothes had been packed the night before, in a large chaise +seat, which was now put into the carriage along with herself, and every +thing seemed ready for departure, when Lady Harriet's maid was suddenly +taken so very ill, as to be quite unfit for travelling; therefore she +was left behind, and a doctor sent for to attend her; while Lady Harriet +said she would trust to the maids at Holiday House, for waiting upon +herself and Laura. + +It is seldom that so happy a face is seen in this world, as Laura wore +during the whole journey. It perfectly sparkled and glittered with +delight, while she was so constantly on a broad grin laughing, that +Major Graham said he feared her mouth would grow an inch wider on the +occasion. + +"You will tire of sitting so long idle! It is a pity we did not think of +bringing a few lesson-books in the carriage to amuse you, Laura," said +the Major, slyly. "A piece of needle-work might have beguiled the way. I +once knew an industrious lady who made a ball dress for herself in the +carriage during a journey." + +"How very stupid of her to miss seeing all the pretty trees, and +cottages, and farm-houses! I do like to watch the little curly-headed, +dirty children, playing on the road, with brown faces, and hair bleached +white in the sun; and the women hanging out their clothes on the hedges +to dry; and the blacksmith shoeing horses, and the ducks swimming in the +gutters, and the pigs thrusting their noses out of the sty, and the old +women knitting stockings, and the workmen sitting on a wall to eat their +dinners! It looks all so pretty, and so pleasant!" + +"What a picture of rural felicity! You ought to be a poet or a painter, +Laura!" + +"But I believe poets always call this a miserable world: and I think it +the happiest place I have ever been in, uncle David! Such fun during the +holidays! I should go wild altogether, if Mrs. Crabtree were not rather +cross sometimes." + +"Or very cross always," thought Major Graham. "But here we are, Laura, +near our journey's end. Allow me to introduce you to Holiday House! Why, +you are staring at it like a dog looking at a piece of cold beef! My +dear girl, if you open your eyes so wide, you will never be able to shut +them again!" + +Holiday House was not one of those prodigious places, too grand to be +pleasant, with the garden a mile off in one direction, and the farm a +mile off in another, and the drawing-room a mile off from the +dining-room; but it was a very cheerful modern mansion, with rooms +enough to hold as many people as any one could desire to see at once, +all very comfortably furnished. A lively, dashing river, streamed past +the windows; a small park, sprinkled with sheep, and shaded by fine +trees, surrounded the house; and beyond were beautiful gardens filled +with a superabundance of the gayest and sweetest common flowers. Roses, +carnations, wall flowers, holly-hocks, dahlias, lilies, and violets, +were assembled there in such crowds, that Laura might have plucked +nosegays all day, without making any visible difference; and she was +also made free of the gooseberry bushes and cherry-trees, with leave to +gather, if she pleased, more than she could eat. + +Every morning, Laura entered the breakfast-room with cheeks like the +roses she carried, bringing little bouquets for all the ladies, which +she had started out of bed early, in order to gather; and her great +delight was to see them worn and admired all the forenoon, while she was +complimented on the taste with which they had been selected and +arranged. She filled every ornamental jar, basin, and tea-cup in the +drawing-room, with groups of roses, and would have been the terror of +any gardener but the one at Holiday House, who liked to see his flowers +so much admired, and was not keeping up any for a horticultural show. + +Laura's chief delight, however, was in the dairy, which seemed the most +beautiful thing she had ever beheld, being built of rough transparent +spar, which looked exactly like crystal, and reminded her of the ice +palace built by the Empress of Russia. The windows were of painted +glass; the walls and shelves were of Dutch tiles, and in the centre rose +a beautiful jet d'eau of clear bright water. + +Laura thought it looked like something built for the fairies; but within +she saw a most substantial room, the floor and tables in which were so +completely covered with cheeses, that they looked like some old Mosaic +pavement. Here the good-natured dairy-maid showed Laura how to make +cheese, and afterwards manufactured a very small one about the size of a +soup plate, entirely for the young lady herself, which she promised to +take home after her visit was over; and a little churn was also filled +full of cream, which Laura one morning churned into butter, and +breakfasted upon, after having first practised printing it into a +variety of shapes. It was altered about twenty times from a swan into a +cow, and from a cow into a rose, and from a rose back to a swan again, +before she could be persuaded to leave off her amusement. + +Laura continued to become more and more delighted with Holiday House; +and she one day skipped about Lady Harriet's room, saying, "Oh! I am too +happy! I scarcely know what to do with so much happiness. How delightful +it would be to stay here all my life, and never to go to bed, nor say +any more lessons as long as I live!" + +"What a useless, stupid girl you would soon become," observed Lady +Harriet. "Do you think, Laura, that lessons were invented for no other +purpose but to torment little children?" + +"No, grandmama; not exactly! They are of use also to keep us quiet." + +"Come here, little madam, and listen to me. I shall soon be very old, +Laura, and not able to read my Bible, even with spectacles; for, as the +Scriptures told us, in that affecting description of old age, which I +read to you yesterday, 'the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the +grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the +windows be darkened:' what then do you think I can do, because the Bible +now is my best comfort, which I shall need more and more every day, to +tell me all about the eternal world where I am going, and to shew me the +way." + +"Grandmama! you promised long ago to let me attend on you when you grow +old and blind! I shall be very careful, and very--very--very kind. I +almost wish you were old and blind now, to let you feel how much I love +you, and how anxious I am to be as good to you as you have always been +to me. We shall read the Bible together every morning, and as often +afterwards as you please." + +"Thank you, my dear child! but you must take the trouble of learning to +read well, or we shall be sadly puzzled with the difficult words. A +friend of mine once had nobody that could read to her when she was ill, +but the maid, who bargained that she might leave out every word above +one syllable long, because they were too hard for her; and you could +hardly help laughing at the nonsense it sometimes made; but I hope you +will manage better." + +"O certainly, grandmama! I can spell chrononhotonthologos, and all the +other five-cornered words in my 'Reading Made Easy,' already." + +"Besides that, my dear Laura! unless you learn to look over my bills, I +may be sadly cheated by servants and shop-keepers. You must positively +study to find out how many cherries make five." + +"Ah! grandmama! nobody knows better than I do, that two and two make +four. I shall soon be quite able to keep your accounts." + +"Very well! but you have not yet heard half the trouble I mean to give +you. I am remarkably fond of music, and shall probably at last be +obliged to hire every old fiddler as he passes in the street, by giving +him sixpence in order to enjoy some of my favourite tunes." + +"No, grandmama! you shall hear them all from me. I can play Malbrook, +and Auld Robin Grey, already; and Frank says if I practise two hours +every day for ten years, I shall become a very tolerable player, fit for +you and uncle David to hear, without being disagreeable." + +"Then that will be more than seven thousand hours of musical lessons +which you have yet to endure, Laura! There are many more things of +still greater importance to learn also, if you wish to be any better +than a musical snuff-box. For instance, when visitors come to see me, +they are often from France or Italy; but perhaps you will not mind +sitting in the room as if you were deaf and dumb, gazing at those +foreigners, while they gaze at you, without understanding a syllable +they say, and causing them to feel strange and uncomfortable as long as +they remain in the house." + +"No! I would not for the world seem so unkind and uncivil. Pray, let me +learn plenty of languages." + +"Very well! but if you study no geography, what ridiculous blunders you +will be falling into! asking the Italians about their native town +Madrid, and the Americans if they were born at Petersburgh. You will be +fancying that travellers go by steam-boats to Moscow, and travel in a +day from Paris, through Stockholm to Naples. How ashamed I should be of +such mistakes!" + +"And so should I, grandmama, still more than you; for it would be quite +a disgrace." + +"Do you remember, Laura, your uncle David laughing, when he last went to +live at Leamington, about poor Mrs. Marmalade coming up stairs to say, +she did not wish to be troublesome, but should feel greatly obliged if +he would call at Portsmouth occasionally to see her son Thomas. And when +Captain Armylist's regiment was ordered last winter to the village of +Bathgate near this, he told me they were to march in the course of that +morning, all the way to Bagdad." + +"Yes, grandmama! and Mrs. Crabtree said some weeks ago, that if her +brother went to Van Dieman's Land, she thought he would of course in +passing, take a look at Jerusalem; and Frank was amused lately to hear +Peter Grey maintain, that Gulliver was as great a man as Columbus, +because he discovered Liliput!" + +"Quite like him! for I heard Peter ask one day lately, what side +Bonaparte was on at the battle of Leipsic? We must include a little +history I think, Laura, in our list of studies, or you will fancy that +Lord Nelson fought at the battle of Blenheim, and that Henry VIII. cut +off Queen Mary's head." + +"Not quite so bad as that, grandmama! I seem to have known all about +Lord Nelson and Queen Mary, ever since I was a baby in long frocks! You +have shewn me, however, that it would be very foolish not to feel +anxious for lessons, especially when they are to make me a fit companion +for you at last." + +"Yes, Laura! and not only for me, but for many whose conversation will +entertain and improve you more than any books. The most delightful +accomplishment that a young person can cultivate, is that of conversing +agreeably; and it is less attended to in education than any other. You +cannot take a harp or piano about with you, but our minds and tongues +are always portable, and accompany us wherever we go. If you wish to be +loved by others, and to do good to your associates, as well as to +entertain them, take every opportunity of conversing with those who are +either amiable or agreeable; not only attending to their opinions, but +also endeavouring to gain the habit of expressing your own thoughts with +ease and fluency; and then rest assured, that if the gift of +conversation be rightly exercised, it is the most desirable of all, as +no teaching can have greater influence in leading people to think and +act aright, than the incidental remarks of an enlightened Christian, +freely and unaffectedly talking to his intimate friends." + +"Well, grandmama! the moral of all this is, that I shall become busier +than any body ever was before, when we get home; but in the meantime, I +may take a good dose of idleness now at Holiday House, to prepare me for +settling to very hard labour afterwards," said Laura, hastily tying on +her bonnet. "I wonder if I shall ever be as merry and happy again!" + +Most unfortunately, all the time of Laura's visit at Holiday House, she +had been, as usual, extremely heedless, in taking no care whatever of +her clothes; consequently her blue merino frock had been cruelly torn; +her green silk dress became frightfully soiled; four white frocks were +utterly ruined; her Swiss muslin seemed a perfect object, and her pink +gingham was both torn and discoloured. Regularly every evening Lady +Harriet told her to take better care, or she would be a bankrupt in +frocks altogether; but whatever her grandmama said on that subject, the +moment she was out of sight, it went out of mind, till another dress had +shared the same deplorable fate. + +At last, one morning, as soon as Laura got up, Lady Harriet gravely led +her towards a large table on which all the ill-used frocks had been laid +out in a row; and a most dismal sight they were! Such a collection of +stains and fractures was probably never seen before! A beggar would +scarcely have thanked her for her blue merino; and the green silk frock +looked like the tattered cover of a worn-out umbrella. + +"Laura," said Lady Harriet, "in Switzerland a lady's wardrobe descends +to many generations; but nobody will envy your successor! One might +fancy that a wild beast had torn you to pieces every day! I wonder what +an old clothesman would give for your whole baggage! It is only fit for +being used as rags in a paper manufactory!" + +Poor Laura's face became perfectly pink when she saw the destruction +that a very short time had occasioned: and she looked from one tattered +garment to another, in melancholy silence, thinking how lately they had +all been fresh and beautiful; but now not a vestige of their former +splendour remained. At last her grandmama broke the awful silence, by +saying, + +"My dear girl! I have warned you very often lately that we are not at +home, where your frocks could be washed and mended as soon as they were +spoiled; but without considering this you have, every day, destroyed +several, so now the maid finds, on examining your drawers, that there is +only one clean frock remaining!" + +Laura looked gravely at the last clean frock, and wondered much what her +grandmama would say next. + +"I do not wish to make a prisoner of you at home during this very fine +weather, yet in five minutes after leaving the house, you will, of +course, become unfit to be seen, which I should very much regret, as a +number of fine people are coming to dinner, whom you would like to see. +The great General Courteney, and all his Aide-de-Camps, intend to be +here on their way from a review, besides many officers and ladies who +know your papa very well, and wish to see my little grand-daughter; but +I would not on any account allow you to appear before them, looking like +a perfect tatterdemalion, as you too often do. They would suppose you +had been drawn backwards through a hedge! Now my plan is, that you shall +wear this old pink gingham for romping all morning in the garden, and +dress in your last clean frock for dinner; but remember to keep out of +sight till then. Remain within the garden walls, as none of the company +will be walking there, but be sure to avoid the terrace and shrubberies +till you are made tidy, for I shall be both angry and mortified if your +papa's friends see you for the first time looking like rag-fair." + +Laura promised to remember her grandmama's injunctions, and to remain +invisible all morning; so off she set to the garden, singing and +skipping with joy, as she ran towards her pleasant hiding-place, +planning twenty ways in which the day might be delightfully spent alone. +Before long she had strung a long necklace of daisies--she had put many +bright leaves in a book to dry--she had made a large ball of cowslips +to toss in the air--she had watered the hyacinths, with a watering-pot, +till they were nearly washed away--she had plucked more roses than could +possibly be carried, and eat as many gooseberries and cherries as it was +convenient to swallow,--but still there were several hours remaining to +be enjoyed, and nothing very particular, that Laura could think of, to +do. + +Meantime, the miserable pink frock was torn worse than ever, and seemed +to be made of nothing but holes, for every gooseberry-bush in the garden +had got a share of it. Laura wished pink gingham frocks had never been +invented, and wondered why nothing stronger could be made! Having become +perfectly tired of the garden, she now wished herself anywhere else in +the world, and thought she was no better off, confined in this way +within four walls, than a canary bird in a cage. + +"I should like so much to go, if it were only for five minutes, on the +terrace!" said she to herself. "How much pleasanter it is than this. +Grandmama did not care where I went, provided nobody saw me! I may at +least take a peep to see if any one is there!" + +Laura now cautiously opened the garden-door, and put her head out, +intending only to look for a moment, but the moment grew longer and +longer, till it stretched into ten minutes. + +"What crowds of fine people are walking about on the terrace!" thought +she. "It looks as gay as a fair! Who can that officer be in a red coat, +and cocked hat with white feathers. Probably General Courteney paying +attention to Lady Rockville. There is a lady in a blue cloak and blue +flowers! how very pretty! Everybody is so exceedingly smart! and I see +some little boys too! Grandmama never told me any children were coming! +I wonder how old they are, and if they will play with me in the evening! +It would be very amusing to venture a little nearer, and get a better +glimpse of them all!" + +If Laura's wishes pointed one way and her duty pointed the other, it was +a very sad thing how often she forgot to pause and consider which she +ought to follow; and on this occasion, as usual, she took the naughty +side of the question, and prepared to indulge her curiosity, though very +anxious that nothing might happen to displease her grandmama. She +observed at some distance on the terrace, a remarkably large thick +holly-bush, near which the great procession of company would probably +pass before long, therefore, hoping nobody could possibly see her there, +she stole hastily out of the garden, and concealed herself behind it; +but when children do wrong, in hopes of not being found out, they +generally find themselves mistaken, as Laura soon discovered to her +cost. It is very lucky, however, for the culprits, when they are +detected, that they may learn never to behave so foolishly again, +because the greatest misfortune that can happen to a child is, not to be +found out and punished when he does wrong. + +A few minutes after Laura had taken her station behind the holly-bush, +crowds of ladies and officers came strolling along, so very near her +hiding-place, that she saw them all distinctly, and felt excessively +amused and delighted at first, to be perched like a bird in a tree +watching this grand party, while nobody saw her, nor guessed that she +was there. Presently, however, Laura became sadly frightened when an +officer in a scarlet coat happened to look towards the holly-bush, and +exclaimed, with some surprise, + +"There is surely something very odd about that plant! I see large pink +spots between the leaves!" + +"Oh no, Captain Digby, you are quite mistaken," answered one of the +ladies, dressed in a bright yellow bonnet and green pelisse. "I see +nothing particular there! only a common ugly bush of holly! I wonder you +ever thought of noticing it!" + +"But, Miss Perceval! there certainly is something very curious behind! +I would bet five to one there is!" replied Captain Digby, stepping up, +close to the holly-bush, and peeping over: "What have we here! a ragged +little girl, I do believe! in a pink frock!" + +Poor Laura was now in a terrible scrape; she started up immediately to +run away. Probably she never ran so fast in her life before, but Captain +Digby was a person who enjoyed a joke, so he called out + + "Tally-ho! a race for a thousand pounds!" + +Off set the Captain, and away flew Laura. At any other time she would +have thought it capital fun, but now she was frightened out of her wits, +and tore away at the very top of her speed. The whole party of ladies +and gentlemen stood laughing, and applauding, to see how fast they both +cleared the ground, while Laura, seeing the garden gate still wide open, +hoped she might be able to dart in, and close it, but alas! when she +arrived within four steps of the threshold, feeling almost certain of +escape, Captain Digby seized hold of her pink frock behind. It instantly +began tearing, so she had great hopes of leaving the piece in his hand +and getting off; but he was too clever for that, as he grasped hold of +her long sash, which was floating far out behind, and led Laura a +prisoner before the whole company. + +When Lady Harriet discovered that this was really Laura advancing, her +head hanging down, her hair streaming about her ears, and her face like +a full moon, she could scarcely credit her own eyes, and held her hands +up with astonishment, while uncle David shrugged his shoulders, till +they almost met over his head, but not a word was said on either side +until they got home, when Lady Harriet at last broke the awful silence +by saying, + +"My dear girl! you must, of course, be severely punished for this act of +disobedience, and it is not so much on account of feeling angry at your +misconduct that I mean to correct you, but because I love you, and wish +to make you behave better in future. Parents are appointed by God to +govern their children as he governs us, not carelessly indulging their +faults, but wisely correcting them, for we are told that our Great +Father in heaven chastens those whom he loves, and only afflicts us for +great and wise purposes. I have suffered many sorrows in the world, but +they always made me better in the end, and whatever discipline you meet +with from me, or from that Great Being who loves you still more than I +do, let it teach you to consider your ways, to repent of your +wilfulness, and to pray that you may be enabled to act more properly in +future." + +"Yes, grandmama," replied Laura, with tears in her eyes, "I am quite +willing to be punished, for it was very wrong indeed to make you so +vexed and ashamed, by disobeying your orders." + +"Then here is a long task which you must study before dinner, as a +penalty for trespassing bounds. It is a beautiful poem on the death of +Sir John Moore, which every school-girl can repeat, but being rather +long, you will scarcely have time to learn it perfectly, before coming +down to dessert, therefore, that you may be quite ready, I shall ring +now for Lady Rockville's maid, and have you washed and dressed +immediately. Remember this is your last clean frock, and be sure not to +spoil it." + +When Laura chose to pay attention, she could learn her lessons +wonderfully fast, and her eyes seemed nailed to the book for some time +after Lady Harriet went away, till at last she could repeat the whole +poem perfectly well. It was neither "slowly nor sadly" that Laura "laid +down" her book, after practising it all, in a sort of jig time, till she +could rattle over the poem like a rail-road, and she walked to the +window, still murmuring the verses to herself with prodigious glee, and +giving little thought to their melancholy subject. + +A variety of plans suggested themselves to her mind for amusing herself +within doors, as she had been forbidden to venture out, and she lost no +time in executing them. First, she tried on all her grandmama's caps at +a looking-glass, none of which were improved by being crushed and +tumbled in such a way. Then she quarrelled with Lady Rockville's +beautiful cockatoo, till it bit her finger violently, and after that, +she teazed the old cat till it scratched her; but all these diversions +were not sufficiently entertaining, so Laura began to grow rather tired, +till at last she went to gaze out at the portico of Holiday House, being +perfectly determined, on no account whatever, to go one single step +farther. + +Here Laura saw many things which entertained her extremely, for she had +scarcely ever seen more of the country than was to be enjoyed with Mrs. +Crabtree in Charlotte Square. The punctual crows were all returning home +at their usual hour for the evening, and looked like a black shower over +her head, while hundreds of them seemed trying to make a concert at +once; the robins hopped close to her feet, evidently accustomed to be +fed; a tame pheasant, as fat as a London alderman, came up the steps to +keep her company; and the peacock, spreading his tail, and strutting +about, looked the very picture of silly pride and vanity. + +Laura admired and enjoyed all this extremely, and crumbled down nearly a +loaf of bread, which she scattered on the ground, in order to be popular +among her visitors, who took all they could get from her, and quarrelled +among themselves about it, very much as boys and girls would perhaps +have done in the same circumstances. + +It happened at this moment, that a large flock of geese crossed the +park, on their way towards the river, stalking along in a slow majestic +manner, with their heads high in the air. Laura observed them at a +distance, and thought they were the prettiest creatures in the world, +with their pure white feathers and yellow stockings, so she wondered +what kind of birds these were, having never seen a goose before, except +when roasted for dinner, though, indeed, she was a sad goose herself, as +will very soon be told. + +"How I should like to examine those large, white, beautiful birds, a +little nearer," thought Laura to herself. "I wonder if they could swim +or fly!--oh! how perfect they would look, floating like water-lilies on +the river, and then I might take a bit of bread to throw in, and they +would all rush after it!" + +Laura, as usual, did not wait to reflect what her grandmama might be +likely to think; indeed it is to be feared Laura forgot at the moment +that she had a grandmama at all, for her mind was never large enough to +hold more than one thing at a time, and now it was entirely filled with +the flock of geese. She instantly set off in pursuit of them, and began +chasing the whole party across the park, making all sorts of dreadful +noises, in hopes they might fly; but, on the contrary, they held up +their heads, as if she had been a dancing-master, and marched slowly on, +cackling loudly to each other, and evidently getting extremely angry. + +Laura was now quite close to her new acquaintances, and even threw a +pebble to hurry them forward, when suddenly an old gander stopped, and +turned round in a terrible rage. The whole flock of geese then did the +same, after which they flew towards Laura, with their bills wide open, +hissing furiously, and stretching out their long necks in an angry +menacing way, as if they wished to tear her in pieces. + +Poor Laura became frightened out of any wits she ever had, and ran off, +with all the geese after her! Anybody must have laughed into fits, could +they have heard what a triumphant cackle the geese set up, and had they +seen how fast she flew away. If Laura had borrowed a pair of wings from +her pursuers, she could scarcely have got more quickly on. + +In the hurry of escaping, she always looked back to see if the enemy +followed, and scarcely observed which way she ran herself, till suddenly +her foot stumbled over a large stone, and she fell headlong into the +river!--oh, what a scream Laura gave! it terrified even the old gander +himself, and sent the whole flock of geese marching off, nearly as fast +as they had come; but Laura's cries also reached, at a great distance, +the ears of somebody, who she would have been very sorry to think had +heard them. + +Lady Harriet, and all her friends at Holiday House, were taking a +delightful walk under some fine old fir trees, on the banks of the +river, admiring the beautiful scenery, while Miss Perceval was admiring +nothing but her own fine pocket handkerchief, which had cost ten +guineas, being worked with her name, trimmed with lace, and perfumed +with eau de Cologne; and Captain Digby was admiring his own scarlet +uniform, reflected in the bright clear water, and varying his employment +occasionally by throwing pebbles into the stream, to see how far they +would go. Suddenly, however, he stopped, with a look of surprise and +alarm, saying, "What noise can that be!--a loud scream in the water!" + +"Oh dear, no! it was only one of those horrid peacocks," answered Miss +Perceval, waving her fine pocket handkerchief. "They are the most +disagreeable, noisy creatures in the world! If mama ever keeps one, I +shall get him a singing-master, or put a muzzle on his mouth!" + +"But surely there is something splashing in the river at a great +distance. Do you not see that!--what can it be?" + +"Nothing at all, depend upon it! I could bet the value of my pocket +handkerchief, ten guineas, that it is nothing. Officers who live +constantly in barracks are so unaccustomed to the country, that they +seem to expect something wonderful shall happen every minute! That is +probably a salmon or a minnow." + +"I am determined, however, to see. If you are quite sure this is a +salmon, will you promise to eat for your dinner whatever we find, +provided I can catch it?" + +"Certainly! unless you catch a whale! Oh! I have dropped my pocket +handkerchief,--pray pick it up!" + +Captain Digby did so; but without waiting to examine the pattern, he +instantly ran forward, and to his own very great astonishment, saw Laura +up to her knees in the river, trying to scramble out, while her face was +white with terror, and her limbs trembled with cold, like a poodle dog +newly washed. + +"Why, here you are again!--the very same little girl that I caught in +the morning," cried he, laughing heartily, while he carefully pulled +Laura towards the bank, though, by doing so, he splashed his beautiful +uniform most distressingly. "We have had a complete game at bo-peep +to-day, my friend! but here comes a lady who has promised to eat you up, +therefore I shall have no more trouble." + +Laura would have consented to be eaten up with pleasure, rather than +encounter Lady Harriet's eye, who really did not recognize her for the +first minute, as no one can suppose what a figure she appeared. The last +clean frock had been covered entirely over with mud--her hair was +dripping with water--and her new yellow sash might be any colour in the +world. Laura felt so completely ashamed she could not look up from the +ground, and so sorry she could not speak, while hot tears mingled +themselves with the cold water which trickled down her face. + +"What is the matter! Who is this?" cried Lady Harriet, hurrying up to +the place where they stood. "Laura!! Impossible!!!" + +"Let me put on a pair of spectacles, for I cannot believe my eyes +without them!" said Major Graham. "Ah! sure enough it is Laura, and +such a looking Laura as I never saw before. You must have had a nice +cold bath!" + +"I have heard," continued Lady Harriet, "that naughty people are often +ducked in the water as a punishment, and in that respect I am sure Laura +deserves what she has got, and a great deal more." + +"She reminds me," observed Captain Digby, "of the Chinese bird which has +no legs, so it constantly flies about from place to place, never a +moment at rest." + +"Follow me, Laura," said Lady Harriet, "that I may hear whether you have +anything to say for yourself on this occasion. It is scarcely possible +that there can be any excuse, but nobody should be condemned unheard." + +When Laura had been put into dry clothes, she told her whole history, +and entreated Lady Harriet to hear how very perfectly she had first +learned her task, before venturing to stir out of the room; upon which +her grandmama consented, and amidst tears and sobs, the monody on Sir +John Moore was repeated without a single mistake. Lady Rockville then +came in, to entreat that, as this was the last day of the visit to +Holiday House, Laura might be forgiven and permitted to appear at +dessert, as all the company were anxious to see her, and particularly +Captain Digby, who regretted that he had been the means at first of +getting her into a scrape. + +"Indeed, my dear Lady Rockville! I might perhaps have agreed to your +wishes," answered Lady Harriet, "particularly as Laura seems sincerely +sorry, and did not premeditate her disobedience; but she actually has +not a tolerable frock to appear in now!" + +"I must lend her one of my velvet dresses to destroy next," said Lady +Rockville, smiling. + +"Uncle David's Mackintosh cloak would be the fittest thing for her to +wear," replied Lady Harriet, rising to leave the room. "Laura, you must +learn a double task now! Here it is! and at Lady Rockville's request I +excuse you this once; though I am sorry that, for very sufficient +reasons, we cannot see you at dessert, which otherwise I should have +been most happy to do." + +Laura sat down and cried during a quarter of an hour after Lady Harriet +had gone to dinner. She felt sorry for having behaved ill, and sorry to +have vexed her good grandmama; and sorry not to see all the fine party +at dessert; and sorry to think that next day she must leave Holiday +House; and sorry, last of all, to consider what Mrs. Crabtree would say +when all her ruined frocks were brought home. In short, poor Laura felt +perfectly overwhelmed with the greatness and variety of her griefs, and +scarcely believed that any one in the world was ever more miserable than +herself. + +Her eyes were fixed on her task, while her thoughts were wandering fifty +miles away from it, when a housemaid, who had frequently attended upon +Laura during her visit, accidentally entered the room, and seemed much +surprised, as well as concerned, to find the young lady in such a way, +for her sobbing could be heard in the next room. It was quite a relief +to see any one; so Laura told over again all the sad adventures of the +day, without attempting to conceal how naughty she had been; and most +attentively was her narrative listened to, till the very end. + +"You see, Miss!" observed Nelly, "when people doesn't behave well, they +must expect to be punished." + +"So they should!" sobbed Laura; "and I dare say it will make me better! +I would not pass such a miserable day as this again, for the world; but +I deserve to be more punished than I am." + +"That's right, Miss!" replied Nelly, pleased to see the good effect of +her admonitions. "Punishment is as sure to do us good when we are +naughty, as physic when we are ill. But now you'll go down to dessert, +and forget it all." + +"No! grandmama would have allowed me, and Lady Rockville and every body +was so very kind about inviting me down; but my last clean frock is +quite unfit to be seen, so I have none to put on. Oh, dear! what a +thousand million of pities!" + +"Is that all, Miss! Then dry your eyes, and I can wash the frock in ten +minutes. Give it to me, and learn your lesson, so as to be ready when I +come back." + +Laura sprung off her seat with joy at this proposal, and ran--or rather +flew--to fetch her miserable object of a frock, which Nelly crumpled +under her arm, and walked away with, in such haste that she was +evidently determined to return very soon; while Laura took her good +advice, and sat down to learn her task, though she could hardly look at +the book during two minutes at a time--she watched so impatiently for +her benefactress from the laundry. + +At length the door flew open, and in walked Nelly, whose face looked as +red and hot as a beefsteak; but in her hand she carried a basket, on +which was laid out, in great state, the very cleanest frock that ever +was seen! It perfectly smelled of soap and water, starch and hot irons, +and seemed still almost smoking from the laundry; while Laura looked at +it with such delight and admiration, it might have been supposed she +never saw a clean frock before. + +When Lady Harriet was sitting after dinner that day, sipping her wine, +and thinking about no thing very particular, she became surprised to +feel somebody gently twitching her sleeve to attract notice. Turning +instantly round to ascertain what was the matter, and who it could be, +what was her astonishment to see Laura at her elbow, looking rather shy +and frightened. + +"How did you get here, child!" exclaimed Lady Harriet, in accents of +amazement, though almost laughing. "Am I never to see the last of you +to-day! Where did you get that frock! It must have dropped from the +clouds! Or did some good fairy give you a new one?" + +"That good fairy was Nelly the housemaid," whispered Laura. "She first +tossed my frock into a washing-tub; and then at the great kitchen fire +she toasted it, and----" + +"----And buttered it, I hope," added Major Graham. "Come here, Laura! I +can read what is written in your grandmama's face at this moment; and it +says, 'you are a tiresome little puss, that nobody can keep in any order +except uncle David;' therefore sit down beside him, and eat as many +almonds and raisins as he bids you." + +"You are a nice, funny uncle David!" whispered Laura, crushing her way +in between his chair and Miss Perceval's, "nobody will need a tongue +now, if you can read so exactly what we are all thinking." + +"But here is Miss Perceval, still more wonderful; for she knows by the +bumps on your head, all that is contained inside. Let me see if I could +do so! There is a large bump of reading, and a small one of writing and +arithmetic. Here is a terrible organ of breaking dolls and destroying +frocks. There is a very small bump of liking uncle David, and a +prodigious one of liking almonds and raisins!" + +"No! you are quite mistaken! It is the largest bump for loving uncle +David, and the small one for every thing else," interrupted Laura, +eagerly. "I shall draw a map of my head some day, to show you how it is +all divided." + +"And leave no room for any thing naughty or foolish! Your head should be +swept out, and put in order every morning, that not a single cobweb may +remain in your brains. What busy brains they must be for the next ten +years! But in the meantime let us hope that you will never again be +reduced to your + + "LAST CLEAN FROCK." + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +THE LONG LADDER. + + There was a young pickle, and what do you think? + He liv'd upon nothing but victuals and drink; + Victuals and drink were the chief of his diet, + And yet this young pickle could never be quiet. + + +One fine sultry day in the month of August, Harry and Laura stood at the +breakfast-room window, wondering to see the large broken white clouds, +looking like curds and whey, while the sun was in such a blaze of heat, +that every thing seemed almost red hot. The street door had become +blistered by the sun-beams. Jowler the dog lay basking on the pavement; +the green blinds were closed at every opposite house; the few gentlemen +who ventured out, were fanning themselves with their pocket +handkerchiefs; the ladies were strolling lazily along, under the +umbrageous shade of their green parasols; and the poor people who were +accustomed in winter to sell matches for lighting a fire, now carried +about gaudy paper hangings for the empty grates. Lady Harriet found the +butter so melted at breakfast, that she could scarcely lift it on her +knife; and uncle David complained that the sight of hot smoking tea put +him in a fever, and said he wished it could be iced. + +"I wonder how iced porridge would taste!" said Harry. "I put mine at the +open window to cool, but that only made it seem hotter. We were talking +of the gentleman you mentioned yesterday, who toasted his muffins at a +volcano; and certainly yours might almost be done at the drawing-room +window this morning." + +"Wait till you arrive at the countries I have visited, where, as +somebody remarked, the very salamanders die of heat. At Agra, which is +the hottest part of India, we could scarcely write a letter, because the +ink dries in the pen before you can get it to the paper. I was obliged, +when our regiment was there, to lie down in the middle of the day, +during several hours, actually gasping for breath; and to make up for +that, we all rose at midnight. An officer of ours, who lived long in +India, got up always at three in the morning, after we returned home, +and walked about the streets of Portsmouth, wondering what had become of +everybody." + +"I shall try not to grumble about weather any more," said Laura. "We +seem no worse off than other people." + +"Or rather we are a great deal better off! At Bermuda, where my regiment +stopped on the way to America, the inhabitants are so tormented with +high winds, that they build 'hurricane houses'--low, flat rooms, where +the families must retire when a storm comes on, as trees, houses, +people, and cattle, are all whirled about with such violence, that not a +life is safe on the island while it lasts." + +"That reminds me," said Lady Harriet, "of a droll mistake made yesterday +by the African camel, when he landed at Leith. His keepers were leading +him along the high road to be made a show of in Edinburgh, at a time +when the wind was particularly high; and the poor animal encountering +such clouds of dust, thought this must be a simoon of the desert, and +threw himself flat down, burying his nose in the ground, according to +custom on those occasions. It was with great difficulty that he could at +last be induced to face the danger, and proceed." + +"Quite a compliment to our dust," observed Laura. "But really in such a +hot day, the kangaroos and tigers might feel perfectly at home here. +Oh! how I should like to visit the GEOlogical Gardens in London!" + +"Then suppose we set off immediately!" said Major Graham, pretending to +rise from his chair. "Your grandmama's donkey-carriage holds two." + +"Ah! but you could carry the donkey-carriage more easily than it could +carry you!" + +"Shall I try? Well, if we go, who is to pay the turnpikes, for I +remember the time, not a hundred years ago, when Harry and you both +thought that paying the gates was the only expense of travelling. You +asked me then how poor grandmama could afford so many shillings and +sixpences." + +"We know all about every thing now though!" said Harry, nodding in a +very sagacious manner. "I can tell exactly how much time it takes going +by the public coach to London, and it sleeps only one night on the +road." + +"Sleeps!" cried uncle David. "What! it puts on a night-cap, and goes to +bed?" + +"Yes! and it dines and breakfasts too, Mr. uncle David, for I heard Mrs. +Crabtree say so." + +"Never name anybody, unless you wish to see her immediately," said Major +Graham, hearing a well-known tap at the door. "As sure as you mention an +absent person, if he is supposed to be fifty miles off at the time, it +is rather odd, but he instantly appears!" + +"Then there is somebody that I shall speak about very often." + +"Who can this Mr. Somebody be?" asked uncle David, smiling. "A foolish +person that spoils you both I dare say, and gives you large slices of +bread and jelly like this. Hold them carefully! Now, good bye, and joy +be with you." + +But it was with rather rueful faces that Harry and Laura left the room, +wishing they might have remained another hour to talk nonsense with +uncle David, and dreading to think what new scrapes and difficulties +they would get into in the nursery, which always seemed to them a place +of torture and imprisonment. + +Major Graham used to say that Mrs. Crabtree should always have a +thermometer in her own room when she dressed, to tell her whether the +weather was hot or cold, for she seemed to feel no difference, and +scarcely ever made any change in her own attire, wearing always the same +pink gown and scarlet shawl, which made her look like a large red +flower-pot, while she was no more annoyed with the heat than a +flower-pot would have been. On this very oppressive morning she took as +much pains in suffocating Harry with a silk handkerchief round his neck, +as if it had been Christmas, and though Laura begged hard for leave to +go without one of her half-a-dozen wrappings, she might as well have +asked permission to go without her head, as Mrs. Crabtree seemed +perfectly deaf upon the subject. + +"This day is so very cold and so very shivering," said Harry, slyly, +"that I suppose you will make Laura wear at least fifty shawls." + +"Not above twenty," answered Mrs. Crabtree, dryly. "Give me no more of +your nonsense, Master Harry! This is no business of yours! I was in the +world long before you were born, and must know best; so hold your +tongue. None but fools and beggars need ever be cold." + +At last Mrs. Crabtree had heaped as many clothes upon her two little +victims, as she was pleased to think necessary; so she sallied forth +with them, followed by Betty, and proceeded towards the country, taking +the sunny side of the road, and raising clouds of dust at every step, +till Harry and Laura felt as if they had been made of wax, and were +melting away. + +"Mrs. Crabtree!" said Harry, "did you hear uncle David's funny story +yesterday? One hot morning a gentleman was watching an ant's nest, when +he observed, that every little insect, as it came out, plucked a small +leaf, to hold over its head, as a parasol! I wish we could find leaves +large enough for us." + +"You must go to the Botanical Gardens, where one leaf of a palm-tree was +shown to grandmama, which measured fourteen feet long," observed Laura. +"How horrid these very warm countries must be, where the heat is all the +year round like this!" + +"You may well say that," answered Mrs. Crabtree. "I would not go to them +East Indies--no! not if I were Governess-General,--to be running away +with a tiger at your back, and sleeping with real live serpents twisted +round the bed-post, and scorpions under your pillow! Catch me there! I'm +often quite sorry for Master Frank, to think that his ship is maybe +going that way! I'm told the very rats have such a smell in that +outlandish place, that if they touch the outside of a bottle with their +tails, it tastes of musk ever after; and when people are sitting +comfortably down, expecting to enjoy their dinner, a swarm of great ants +will come, and fall, an inch thick, on all the side-dishes. I've no +desire whatever to see foreign parts!" + +"But I wish to see every country in the universe," said Harry; "and I +hope there will be a rail-road all round the world before I am grown up. +Only think, Mrs. Crabtree, what fun lion-hunting must be, and catching +dolphins, and riding on elephants." + +The pedestrians had now arrived at the pretty village of Corstorphine, +when they were unexpectedly met by Peter Grey, who joined them without +waiting to ask leave. Here the hills are so beautifully wooded, and the +villas so charming, that Harry, Peter, and Laura stopped a moment, to +consider what house they would like best to live in. Near one side of +the road stood a large cart of hay, on the top of which were several +men, forking it in at the window of a high loft, which could only be +entered by a long ladder that leaned against the wall. It was a busy +joyous scene, and soon attracted the children's whole attention, who +were transfixed with delight, seeing how rapidly the people ran up and +down, with their pitchforks in their hands, and tilted the hay from the +cart into the loft, while they had many jokes and much laughter among +themselves. At last their whole business was finished, and the workmen +drove away for another supply, to the neighbouring fields, where they +had been raking and tossing it all morning, as merry as crickets. + +"What happy people!" exclaimed Harry, looking wistfully after the party, +and wishing he might have scrambled into the cart beside them. "I would +be a haymaker for nothing, if anybody would employ me; would not you, +Peter?" + +"It is very strange," said Master Grey, "why little ladies and gentlemen +seem always obliged to endure a perfectly useless walk every day, as you +and Laura are doing now. You never saw animals set out to take a stroll +for the good of their healths! How odd it would be to see a couple of +dogs set off for a country walk!" + +"Miss Laura!" said Mrs. Crabtree, "Master Harry may rest here for a +minute or two with Master Peter, and let them count their fingers, while +you come with Betty and me to visit a sick old aunt of mine who lives +round the corner; but be sure, boys, you do not presume to wander about, +or I shall punish you most severely. We are coming back in two minutes." + +Mrs. Crabtree had scarcely disappeared into a small shabby-looking +cottage, before Peter turned eagerly to Harry, with a face of great joy +and importance, exclaiming, "Only see how very lucky this is! The +haymakers have left their long ladder, standing on purpose for us! The +window of that loft is wide open, and I must climb up immediately to +peep in, because never, in all my life, did I see the inside of a +hay-loft before!" + +"Nor I!" added Harry. "Uncle David says, that all round the floor there +are deep holes, called mangers, down which food is thrown for the +horses, so that they can thrust their heads in, to take a bite, whenever +they choose." + +"How I should hate to have my dinner hung up always before my nose in +that way! Suppose the kitchen were placed above your nursery, and that +Mrs. Marmalade showered down tarts and puddings, which were to remain +there till you ate them, you would hate the sight of such things at +last. But now, Harry, for the hay-loft." + +Peter scrambled so rapidly up the ladder, that he soon reached the top, +and instantly vanished in at the window, calling eagerly for Harry to +follow. "You never saw such a nice, clean, funny place as this, in all +your life!--make haste!--come faster!--never mind crushing your hat or +tearing your jacket,--I'll put it all to rights. Ah! there!--that's the +thing!--walk up, gentlemen! walk up!--the grand show!--sixpence each, +and children half-price!" + +All this time, Harry was slowly, and with great difficulty, picking his +steps up the ladder, but a most troublesome business it was! First, his +foot became entangled in a rope,--then his hat got squeezed so out of +shape, it looked perfectly tipsy,--next, one of his shoes nearly came +off,--and afterwards he dropped his gloves; but at last he stumbled up +in safety, and stood beside Peter in the loft, both laughing with +delight at their own enterprize. + +The quantity of hay piled up on all sides, astonished them greatly, +while the nice, wide floor between, seemed larger than any drawing-room, +and was certainly made on purpose for a romp. Harry rolled up a large +ball of hay to throw at Peter, while he, in return, aimed at him, so +they ran after each other, round and round the loft, raising such a +riot, that the very "rafters dirled." + +The hay now flew about in clouds, while they jumped over it, or crept +under it, throwing handfuls about in every direction, and observing that +this was the best play-room they had ever been in. + +"How lucky that we came here!" cried Peter. "I should like to stay an +hour at least!" + +"Oh! two hours,--or three,--or all day," added Harry. "But what shall we +do about Mrs. Crabtree? She has not gone to settle for life with that +old sick aunt, so I am afraid we must really be hurrying back, in case +she may find out our expedition, and that, you know, Peter, would be +dreadful!" + +"Only fancy, Harry, if she sees you and me clinging to the ladder, about +half way down! what a way she would be in!" + +"We had better make haste," said Harry, looking around. "What would +grandmama say!--I wish we had never come up!" + +At this moment, Harry was still more brought to his senses, by hearing +Mrs. Crabtree's voice, exclaiming, in loud angry accents, "Where in all +the world can those troublesome boys be gone! I must tether them to a +tree the next time they are left together! Why! sure! they would not +venture up that long ladder in the hay-loft! If they have, they had +better never come down again, for I shall shew who is master here." + +"Peter Grey would run up a ladder to the stars, if he could find one," +replied Betty. "Here are Master Harry's gloves lying at the bottom of +it. They can be gone nowhere else, for I have searched every other +place. We must send the town-crier with his bell after them, if they are +not found up there!" + +Mrs. Crabtree now seemed fearfully angry, while Laura began to tremble +with fright for Harry, who was listening overhead, and did not know very +well what to do, but foolishly thought it best to put off the evil hour +of being punished as long as possible; so he and Peter silently crept in +below a great quantity of hay, and hid themselves so cunningly, that +even a thief-catcher could scarcely have discovered their den. In this +dark corner, Harry had time to reflect and to feel more and more alarmed +and sorry for his misconduct, so he said, in a very distressed voice, +"Oh, Peter! what a pity it is ever to be naughty, for we are always +found out, and always so much happier when we are good!" + +"I wonder how Mrs. Crabtree will get up the long ladder?" whispered +Peter, laughing. "I would give my little finger, and one of my ears, to +see her and Betty scrambling along!" + +Harry had to pinch Peter's arm almost black and blue before he would be +quiet; and by the time he stopped talking, Mrs. Crabtree and Betty were +both standing in the hay-loft, exceedingly out of breath with climbing +so unusually high, while Mrs. Crabtree very nearly fell, having stumbled +over a step at the entrance. + +"Why, sure! there's nobody here!" exclaimed she, in a disappointed tone. +"And what a disorderly place this is! I thought a hay-loft was always +kept in such nice order, with the floor all swept! but here is a fine +mess! Those two great lumps of hay in the corner look as if they were +meant for people to sleep upon!" + +Harry gave himself up for lost when Mrs. Crabtree noticed the place +where he and Peter had buried themselves alive; but to his great relief, +no suspicion seemed to have been excited, and neither of the two +searchers were anxious to venture beyond the door, after having so +nearly tripped upon the threshold. + +"They must have been stolen by a gipsey, or perhaps fallen into a well," +said Betty, who rather liked the bustle of an accident. "I always +thought Master Peter would break his neck, or something of that kind. +Poor thing! how distressed his papa will be!" + +"Hold your tongue," interrupted Mrs. Crabtree, angrily. "I wish people +would either speak sense, or not speak at all! Did you hear a noise +among the hay?" + +"Rats, I dare say! or perhaps a dog!" answered Betty, turning hastily +round, and hurrying down the ladder faster than she had come up. "I +certainly thought something moved in yon far corner." + +"Where can that little shrimp of a boy be hid?" added Mrs. Crabtree, +following. "He must have obedience knocked like a nail into his head, +with a few good severe blows. I shall beat him to powder when once we +catch him." + +"You may depend upon it," persisted Betty, "that some gipsey has got the +boys for the sake of their clothes. It will be a great pity, because +Master Harry had on his best blue jacket and trowsers." + +No sooner was the loft cleared of these unwelcome visitors, than Harry +and Peter began to recover from their panic, and jumped out of the hay, +shaking themselves free from it, and skipping about in greater glee than +ever. + +While they played about, as they had done before, and tumbled as if they +had been tumblers at Ducrow's, poor Harry got into such spirits, that he +completely forgot about the deep holes called mangers, for containing +the horse's food, till all at once, when Peter was running after him, he +fell, with a loud crash, headlong into one of them! Oh! what a scream he +gave!--it echoed through the stable, terrifying a whole team of horses +that were feeding there, more particularly the one into whose manger he +had fallen. The horse gave a tremendous start when Harry plunged down +close to his nose, and not being able to run away, he put back his ears, +opened his mouth, and kicked and struggled in the most frightful manner, +while Harry, who could not make his escape any more than the horse, +shouted louder and louder for help. + +Peter did all he could to assist Harry in this extraordinary +predicament, but finding it impossible to be of any use, he forgot their +terror of Mrs. Crabtree in his fears about Harry, and rushed to the +window, calling back their two pursuers, who were walking away at a +great distance. He screamed and hollooed, and waved his handkerchief, +without ceasing, till at last Mrs. Crabtree heard him, and turned round, +but never was anybody more astonished then she was, on seeing him there, +so she scolded, stormed, and raged, up to the very foot of the ladder. + +"Now, you are the besiegers, and I am the garrison!" cried Peter, when +he saw Mrs. Crabtree panting and toiling in her ascent. "We must make a +treaty of peace together, for I could tumble you over in a minute, by +merely pushing this end a very little more to one side!" + +"Do not touch it, Master Peter!" cried Mrs. Crabtree, almost afraid he +was in earnest. "There is a good boy,--be quiet!" + +"A good boy!!" whispered Peter to himself. "What a fright Mrs. Crabtree +must be in, before she said that!" + +The next moment Mrs. Crabtree snatched Harry out of the manger, and +shook him with rage. She then scolded and beat him, till he was +perfectly stupified with fright and misery, after which the whole party +were allowed to proceed towards home, while Harry stumbled along the +road, and hung down his head, wishing, fifty times over, that he and +Peter Grey had never gone up + + THE LONG LADDER. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +THE MAD BULL. + + There's something in a noble boy, + A brave, free-hearted, careless one; + With his uncheck'd, unbidden joy, + His dread of books and love of fun. + And in his clear and ready smile, + Unshaded by a thought of guile + And unrepress'd by sadness,-- + Which brings me to my childhood back, + As if I trod its very track, + And felt its very gladness. + + Willis. + + +One evening, when Harry and Laura came down to dessert, they were +surprised to observe the two little plates usually intended for them, +turned upside down, while uncle David pretended not to notice anything, +though he stole a glance to see what would happen next. On lifting up +these mysterious plates, what did they see lying underneath, but two +letters with large red seals, one directed to "Master Harry Graham," and +the other to "Miss Laura Graham." + +"A letter for me!!" cried Harry, in a tone of delighted astonishment, +while he tore open the seal, and his hand shook with impatience, so that +he could hardly unfold the paper. "What can it be about! I like getting +a letter very much! Is it from papa? Did the postman bring it?" + +"Yes, he did," said uncle David: "and he left a message that you must +pay a hundred pounds for it to-morrow." + +"Very likely, indeed," said Laura; "you should pay that for telling me +such a fine story; but my letter is worth more than a hundred pounds, +for it is inviting me to spend another delightful week at Holiday +House." + +"I am asked too! and not Mrs. Crabtree!" cried Harry, looking at his +letter, and almost screaming out for joy, whilst he skipped about the +room, rubbing his hands together, and ended by twirling Laura round and +round, till they both fell prostrate on the floor. + +"If that be meant as a specimen of how you intend to behave at Holiday +House, we had better send your apology at once," observed Lady Harriet, +smiling. "Lord Rockville is very particular about never hearing any +noise, and the slamming of a door, or even the creaking of a pair of +unruly shoes, would put him distracted." + +"Yes!" added uncle David, "Holiday House is as quiet as Harry's drum +with a hole in it. If a pin drops in any part of the mansion, Lord +Rockville becomes annoyed, and the very wasps scarcely dare to buz at +his window so loud as at any other person's. You will feel quite +fish-out-of-water-ish, trying to be quiet and hum-drum for a whole week, +so let me advise you not to go." + +"The meaning of advice always is something that one would rather wish +not to do," observed Laura, gravely. "I never in my life was advised to +enjoy anything pleasant! Taking physic--or learning lessons--or staying +at home, are very often advised, but never playing--or having a +holiday--or amusing ourselves!" + +"You know, Laura! that Harry's little Shetland pony, Tom Thumb, in my +field, is of no use at present, but kicks, and capers, and runs about +all day; yet presently he will be led out fastened to a rope, and made +to trot round and round in a circle, day after day, till he has no +longer a will of his own,--that is education. Afterwards he shall have a +bridle put in his mouth, which some little girls would be much the +better of also, when he shall be carefully guided ever afterwards in the +best ways; and you likewise will go much more steadily for all the +reining-in and whipping you have got from Mrs. Crabtree and me, which +may, perhaps, make you keep in the road of duty more easily hereafter." + +"Uncle David!" said Harry, laughing, "we have read in the Arabian +Nights, about people being turned into animals, but I never thought you +would turn Laura into a horse! What shall we do with my little Shetland +pony if I go away next week?" + +"I have thought of a capital plan for making Tom Thumb useful during the +whole winter! Your grandmama wants a watch-dog in the country, so we +shall build him a kennel--put a chain round his neck, and get some one +to teach him to bark." + +"Uncle David should be Professor of Nonsense at the University," said +Lady Harriet, smiling. "But, my dear children, if you are allowed to pay +this visit at Holiday House, I hope you will endeavour to behave +creditably?" + +"Yes," added Major Graham, "I understand that Lord Rockville wished to +have some particularly quiet children there, for a short time, so he +fixed upon Harry and Laura! Poor, mistaken Lord Rockville! But, my good +friends, try not to break all his china ornaments the first day--spare a +few jars and tea-cups--leave a pane of glass or two in the windows, and +throw none of your marbles at the mirrors." + +"I remember hearing," said Lady Harriet, "that when Miss Pelham was +married last year, her old aunt, Mrs. Bouverie, sent for her and said, +that as she could not afford to give baubles or trinkets, she would give +her a very valuable piece of advice; and what do you think it was, +Laura?" + +"I have no idea! Do tell me." + +"Then I shall bestow it on you, as the old lady did on her niece--'Be +careful of china, paper and string, for they are all very transitory +possessions in this world!'" + +"Very true! and most judicious!" observed Major Graham, laughing. "I +certainly know several persons who must have served an apprenticeship +under that good lady. Many gentlemen now, who despatch all their +epistles from the club, because there the paper costs them nothing, and +a number of ladies, who, for the same good reason, never write letters +till they are visiting in a country house." + +Having received so many warnings and injunctions about behaving well, +Harry and Laura became so quiet during the first few days at Holiday +House, that they were like shadows flitting through the rooms, going +almost on tiptoe, scarcely speaking above a whisper, and observing that +valuable rule for children, to let themselves be seen, but not heard. +Lord Rockville was quite charmed with such extreme good conduct, for +they were both in especial awe of him, and thought it a great +condescension if he even looked at them, he was so tall, so grand, and +so grave, wearing a large powdered wig and silver spectacles, which gave +him a particularly venerable appearance, though Harry was one day very +near getting into disgrace upon that subject. His Lordship had a habit +of always carrying two pairs of spectacles in his pocket, and often, +after thrusting one pair high on his forehead, he forgot where they +were, and put the others on his nose, which had such a droll appearance, +that the first time Harry saw it, he felt quite taken by surprise, and +burst into a fit of laughter, upon which Lord Rockville gave him such a +comical look of surprise and perplexity, that Harry's fit of laughing +got worse and worse. The more people know they are wrong, and try to +stop, the more convulsive it becomes, and the more difficult to look +grave again, so at last, after repeated efforts to appear serious and +composed, Harry started up, and in his hurry to escape, very nearly +slammed the door behind him, which would have given the last finish to +his offences. + +Both the little visitors found Lady Rockville so extremely indulgent and +kind, that she seemed like another grandmama, therefore they gradually +ventured to talk some of their own nonsense before her, and even to try +some of their old ways, and frolicsome tricks, which she seldom found +any fault with, except when Harry one day eloped with Lord Rockville's +favourite walking-stick, to be used as a fishing-rod among the minnows, +with a long thread at the end for a line, and a crooked pin to represent +the hook, while, on the same day, Laura privately mounted the ass that +gave Lord Rockville's ass's milk, and rode it all round the park, while +he sat at home expecting his usual refreshing tumbler. Still they both +passed muster for being very tolerable children, and his Lordship was +heard once to say, in a voice of great approbation, that Master and Miss +Graham were so punctual at dinner, and so perfectly quiet, he really +often forgot they were in the house. Indeed, Harry's complaisance on the +day after he had laughed so injudiciously about the spectacles, was +quite unheard of, as he felt anxious to make up for his misconduct; and +when Lord Rockville asked if he would like a fire in the play-room, as +the evening was chilly, he answered very politely, "Thank you, my Lord! +We are ready to think it hot or cold, just as you please!" + +All this was too good to last! One morning, when Harry and Laura looked +out of the window, it was a most deplorably wet day. The whole sky +looked like a large grey cotton umbrella, and the clouds were so low +that Harry thought he could almost have touched them. In short, as Lord +Rockville remarked, "it rained cats and dogs," so his Lordship knitted +his brows, and thrust his hands into his waistcoat pockets, walking up +and down the room in a perfect fume of vexation, for he was so +accustomed to be obeyed, that it seemed rather a hardship when even the +weather contradicted his wishes. To complete his vexation, as "single +misfortunes never come alone," his valet, when carelessly drying the +Morning Post at a large kitchen fire, had set it in flames, so that all +the wonderful news it contained became reduced to ashes, therefore Lord +Rockville might well have given notice, that, for this day at least, he +had a right to be in extremely bad humour. + +Lady Rockville privately recommended Harry and Laura to sit quietly down +and play at cat's cradle, which accordingly they did, and when that +became no longer endurable, some dominos were produced. Thus the morning +wore tediously away till about two o'clock, when suddenly the rain +stopped, the sun burst forth with prodigious splendour, every leaf in +the park glittered, as if it had been sprinkled with diamonds, and a +hundred birds seemed singing a chorus of joy, while bees and butterflies +fluttered at the windows and flew away rejoicing. + +Harry was the first to observe this delightful change, and with an +exclamation of delight, he sprang from his seat, pulled Laura from hers, +upset the domino-table, and rushed out of the room, slamming the door +with a report like twenty cannons. Away they both flew to the forest, +Laura swinging her bonnet in her hand, and Harry tossing his cap in the +air, while Lord Rockville watched them angrily from the drawing-room +window, saying, in a tone of extreme displeasure, "That boy has a voice +that might do for the town-crier! He laughs so loud, it is enough to +crack every glass in the room! I wish he were condemned to pass a week +in those American prisons where no one is allowed to speak. In short, he +would be better anywhere than here, for I might as well live with a +hammer and tongs, as with the two children together. They are more +restless than the quicksilver figures from China, and I wish they were +as quiet, but my only comfort is, that at any rate they come home +punctually to dinner at five. Nothing is so intolerable as people +dropping in too late and disordering the table." + +Meantime, the woods at Holiday House rung with sounds of mirth and +gaiety, while Harry scrambled up the trees like a squirrel, and swung +upon the branches, gathering walnuts and crab-apples for Laura, after +which they both cut their names upon the bark of Lord Rockville's +favourite beech, so that every person who passed that way must observe +the large distinct letters. They were laughing and chatting over this +exploit, both talking at once, as noisy and happy as possible, and +expecting nothing particular to happen, when, all on a sudden, Laura +turned pale, and grasped hold of Harry's arm, saying, in a low +frightened voice, + +"Hush, Harry!--hush!--I hear a very strange noise. It sounds like some +wild beast! What can that be?" + +Harry listened as if he had ten pair of ears, and nearly cracked his +eye-balls staring round him, to see what could be the matter. A curious +deep growling sound might be heard at some distance, while there was the +noise of something trampling heavily on the ground, and of branches +breaking off the trees, as if some large creature was forcing his way +through. Harry and Laura now stood like a couple of little statues, not +daring to breathe, they felt so terrified! The noise grew louder and +louder, while it gradually came nearer and nearer, till at length a +large black bull burst into view, with his tail standing high in the +air, while he tore up the ground with his horns, bellowing as loudly as +he could roar, and galloping straight towards the place where they +stood. + +Laura's knees tottered under her, and she instantly dropped on the +ground with terror, feeling as if she would die the next minute of +fright, while, as for attempting to escape, it never entered her head to +think that possible. Harry felt quite differently, for he was a bold +boy, not easily scared out of his senses, and instantly saw that +something must be done, or they would both be lost. Many selfish people +would have run away alone, without caring for the safety of any one but +themselves, which was not at all the case with Harry, who thought first +of his poor frightened companion. "Hollo, Laura! are you hiding in a +cart rut?" he exclaimed, pulling her hastily off the ground. "The bull +will soon find you there! Come! come! as fast as possible! we must have +a race for it yet! That terrible beast can scarcely make his way through +the trees and branches, they grow so closely! Perhaps we may get on as +fast as he!" + +All this time, Harry was dragging Laura along, and running himself into +the thickest part of the plantation; but it was very difficult to make +any progress, as she had become quite faint and bewildered with fright. + +"Oh, Harry!" cried she, trembling all over, "you must get on alone! I am +so weak with terror, it is impossible to run a step farther." + +"Do not waste your breath with talking," answered Harry, still pushing +on at full speed. "How can you suppose I would be so shabby as to make +my escape without you! No! no! we must either both be caught, or both +get off!" + +Laura felt so grateful to Harry when he said this, that she seemed for a +moment almost to forget the bull, which was still coming furiously on +behind, while she now made a desperate exertion to run faster than she +had been able to do before, clearing the ground almost as rapidly as +Harry could have done, though he still held her firmly by the hand, to +encourage her. + +The trampling noise continued, the breaking of branches, and the +frightful bellowing of this dreadful animal, when at last Harry caught +sight of a wooden paling, which he silently pointed out to Laura, being +quite unable now to speak. Having rushed forward to it, with almost +frantic haste, Harry threw himself over the top, after which he helped +Laura to squeeze herself through underneath, when they proceeded rather +more leisurely onwards. + +"That fence will puzzle Mr. Bull," said Harry triumphantly, yet gasping +for breath. "We can push through places where his great hoof could +scarcely be thrust! I saw him coming along, with his heels high in the +air, and his head down, like an enormous wheel-barrow." + +Scarcely had Harry spoken, before the infuriated animal advanced at full +gallop towards the fence, and after running along the side a little way, +he suddenly tore up the paling with his horns, as if it had been made of +paper, and rushed forward more rapidly than ever. + +Harry now began to fear that indeed all was over, for his strength had +become nearly exhausted, when, to his great joy, he espied a large, +rough stone wall, not very far off, which was as welcome a sight as land +to a shipwrecked sailor. + +"Run for your life, Laura!" he cried, pointing it out, to encourage her. +"There is safety, if we reach it." + +On they both flew, faster than the wind, and Harry having scrambled up +the wall, like a grasshopper, pulled Laura up beside him, and there they +both stood at last, encamped quite beyond the reach of danger, though +the enemy arrived a few minutes afterwards, pawing the air, and foaming +and bellowing with disappointment. + +"Laura!" said Harry, after she had a little recovered from her fright, +and was walking slowly homewards, while she cast an alarmed glance +frequently behind, thinking she still heard the bull in pursuit, "you +see, as uncle David says, whatever danger people are in, it is foolish +to be quite in despair, but we should rather think what it is best to +do, and do it directly." + +"Yes, Harry! and I shall never forget that you would not forsake me, +but risked your own life, like a brave brother, in my defence. I should +like to do as much for you another time!" + +"Thank you, Laura, as much as if you had, but I hope we shall never be +in such a scrape again! If Frank were here, he would put us both in mind +to thank a merciful God for taking so much care of us, and bringing us +safely home!" + +"Yes, Harry! It is perhaps a good thing being in danger sometimes, to +remind us that we cannot be safe or happy an hour without God's care, so +in our prayers to-night we must remember what has happened, and return +thanks very particularly." + +It was long past five before Harry and Laura reached Holiday House, +where Lord Rockville met them at the drawing-room door, looking taller, +and grander, and graver than ever, while Lady Rockville rose from her +sofa, and came up to them, saying, in a tone of gentle reproach, + +"My dear children! you ought to return home before the dinner hour, and +not keep his Lordship waiting!" + +The very idea of Lord Rockville waiting dinner was too dreadful ever to +have entered their heads till this minute; but Harry and Laura +immediately explained how exceedingly sorry they were for what had +occurred, and to show that it was their misfortune rather than their +fault, they told the whole frightful story of the mad bull, to which +Lady Rockville listened, as if her very hair were standing upon end, to +hear of such doings. She even turned up her eyes with astonishment to +think what a wonderful escape they had made; but his Lordship frowned +through his spectacles, and leaned his chin upon his stick, looking, as +Harry thought, very like a bear upon a pole. + +"Pshaw!--nonsense!" exclaimed Lord Rockville impatiently. "The bull +would have done you no harm! He is a most respectable, quiet, +well-disposed animal, and brought an excellent character from his last +place! I never heard a complaint of him before!" + +"It is curious," observed Laura, "that all bulls are reckoned peaceable +and tame, till they have tossed two or three people, and killed them!" + +"I thought," added Lord Rockville, looking very grand and contemptuous, +"that Harry was grown more a man than to be so easily put to flight. +When a bull, another time, threatens to toss you, seize hold of his +tail,--or toss him!--or, in short, do anything rather than run away the +first time an animal looks at you. This is a mere cock-and-a-bull story, +to excuse your keeping me waiting almost a quarter of an hour for my +dinner!--you should be made guard of a mail-coach for a month, to teach +you punctuality, Master Graham." + +Lord Rockville gravely looked at his watch, while Harry luckily +considered how often his grandmama had recommended him to make no answer +when he was scolded, so he nearly bit off the tip of his tongue to keep +it quiet, while he could not but wish, in his own mind, that my Lord +himself saw how very fierce the bull had looked. + +Laura felt more vexed on Harry's account than her own, and the dinner +went on as uncomfortably as possible; for even when a French cook has +dressed it, if ill-humour be the sauce, any dish becomes unpalatable. +Nothing was to be seen reflected on the surface of many fine silver +covers, but very cross, or very melancholy faces; while Lady Rockville +tried to make her own countenance look both cheerful and good-natured. +She told Harry and Laura, to divert them, that old Mrs. Bouverie had +once been pursued by a furious milch cow, along a lane, flanked on both +sides by such very high walls, that escape seemed impossible, so the +good lady, who was fat and breathless, became so desperate, that without +a hope of getting off, she seized the enraged animal by the horns, and +screamed in its face, till the cow herself became frightened. The +creature stared, stepping backwards and backwards, with increasing +alarm, till at last, to the old lady's great relief and surprise, she +fairly turned her tail and ran off. + +In the evening, Lord Rockville had not yet recovered his equanimity, and +went out, rather in bad humour, to take his usual walk before supper. +Without once remembering about Harry and the bull, he strolled a great +way into the woods, marking several trees to be cut down, and admiring a +fine forest which he had planted himself long ago, but without +particularly considering what way he turned. It was beginning, at last, +to grow very dark and gloomy, so Lord Rockville had some thoughts of +returning home, when he became suddenly startled by hearing a loud roar +not far off, and a moment afterwards the furious bull dashed out of a +neighbouring thicket, raging and foaming, and tearing the ground with +his horns, exactly as Harry had described in the morning, while poor +Lord Rockville, who seldom moved faster than a very dignified walk, +instantly quickened his pace, in an opposite direction, striding away +faster and faster, till at last,--it must be confessed,--his Lordship +ended by running!!! + +In spite of all Lord Rockville's exertions, the bull continued rapidly +to gain upon him, for his Lordship, being rather corpulent and easily +fatigued, stopped every now and then to gasp for breath; till at last, +feeling it impossible to get on faster, though the stables were now +within sight, he seized the branch of a large oak tree, which swept +nearly to the ground, and contrived, with great difficulty, to scramble +out of reach. + +The enraged bull gazed up into the tree and bellowed with fury, when he +saw Lord Rockville so judiciously perched overhead, and he remained for +half-an-hour, watching to see if his Lordship would venture down again. +At last the tormenting animal began leisurely eating grass under the +tree, but gradually he moved away, turning his back while he fed, till +Lord Rockville vainly deluded himself with the hope of stealing off +unobserved. Being somewhat rested and refreshed, while the enemy was +looking in another direction, he descended cautiously, as if he had been +going to tread upon needles and pins; but, unaccustomed to such +movements, he jumped so heavily upon the ground, that the bull hearing a +noise, turned round, and set up a loud furious roar, when he saw his +intended victim again within reach. + +Now the race began once more with redoubled agility! The odds seemed +greatly in favour of the bull, and Lord Rockville thought he already +felt the animal's horns in his side, when a groom, who saw the party +approaching, instantly seized a pitchfork and flew to the rescue of his +master. Lord Rockville never stopped his career till he reached the +stable, and ran up into a loft, from the window of which he gave the +alarm and called for more assistance, when several ploughmen and +stable-boys assembled, who drove the animal with great difficulty, into +a stall, where he continued so ungovernable, that iron chains were put +round his neck, and some days afterwards, seeing no one could manage +him, Lord Rockville ordered the bull to be shot, and his carcase turned +into beef for the poor of the parish, who all, consequently, rejoiced at +his demise; though the meat turned out so tough, that it required their +best teeth to eat it with. + +Meantime, on that memorable evening of so many adventures, Harry, Laura, +and Lady Rockville, wondered often what had become of his Lordship, and, +at last, when supper appeared at the usual hour, his absence became +still more unaccountable! + +"What can be the matter?" exclaimed Lady Rockville, anxiously. "This is +very odd! His Lordship is as punctual as the postman in general! +especially for supper; and here is Lord Rockville's favourite dish of +sago and wine, which will become uneatably cold in ten minutes, if he +does not return home to enjoy it!" + +Scarcely had she finished speaking, when the door opened and Lord +Rockville walked majestically into the room. There was something so +different from usual in his manner and appearance, however, that Harry +and Laura exchanged looks of astonishment; his neckcloth was loose--his +face excessively red--and his hand shook, while he breathed so hard, +that he might have been heard at the porter's lodge. Lady Rockville +gazed with amazement at all she saw, and then asked what he chose for +supper; but when Lord Rockville tried to speak, the words died on his +lips, so he could only point in silence to the sago and wine. + +"What in all the world has happened to you this evening, my Lord?" +exclaimed Lady Rockville, unable to restrain her curiosity a moment +longer. "I never saw you in such a way before! Your eyes are perfectly +blood-shot--your dress strangely disordered--and you seem so hot and so +fatigued! Tell me!--what is the matter?" + +"Nothing!" answered Lord Rockville, drawing himself up, while he tried +to look grander and graver than ever, though his Lordship could not help +panting for breath--putting his hands to his sides--and wiping his +forehead with his pocket-handkerchief in an agony of fatigue. Harry +observed all this for some time, as eagerly and intently as a cat +watches a bird on a tree. He saw that something extraordinary had +occurred, and he began to have hopes that it really was the very thing +he wished; because, seeing Lord Rockville now perfectly safe, he would +not have grudged him a pretty considerable fright from his friend the +bull. At last, unable any longer to control his impatience, Harry +started off his chair, gazing so earnestly at Lord Rockville, that his +eyes almost sprung out of their sockets, while he rubbed his hands with +ecstacy, saying, + +"I guess you've seen the bull? Oh! I am sure you did! Pray tell us if +you have? Did he run after you,--and did you run away?" + +Lord Rockville tried more than he had ever done in his life to look +grave, but it would not do. Gradually his face relaxed into a smile, +till at last he burst into loud peals of laughter, joined most heartily +by Harry, Laura, and Lady Rockville. Nobody recovered any gravity during +the rest of that evening, for whenever they tried to think or talk +quietly about anything else, Harry and Laura were sure to burst forth +again upon the subject, and even after being safely stowed in their beds +for the night, they both laughed themselves to sleep at the idea of Lord +Rockville himself having been obliged, after all, to run away from that +"most respectable, quiet, well-disposed animal, + + "THE MAD BULL!" + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +THE BROKEN KEY. + + First he moved his right leg, + Then he moved his left leg, + Then he said, "I pardon beg," + And sat upon his seat. + + +"Oh! uncle David! uncle David!" cried Laura, when they arrived from +Holiday House, "I would jump out of the carriage window with joy to see +you again; only the persons passing in the street might be surprised!" + +"Not at all! They are quite accustomed to see people jumping out of the +windows with joy, whenever I appear." + +"We have so much to tell you," exclaimed Harry and Laura, each seizing +hold of a hand, "we hardly know where to begin!" + +"Ladies and gentlemen! If you both talk at once, I must get a new pair +of ears! So you have not been particularly miserable at Holiday House?" + +"No! no! uncle David! we did not think there had been so much happiness +in the world," answered Laura, eagerly. "The last two days we could do +nothing but play and laugh, and"---- + +"And grow fat! Why! you both look so well fed, you are just fit for +killing! I shall be obliged to shut you up two or three days, without +anything to eat, as is done to pet lap-dogs, when they are getting +corpulent and gouty." + +"Then we shall be like bears living on our paws," replied Harry, "and +uncle David! I would rather do that, than be a glutton like Peter Grey. +He went to a cheap shop lately, where old cheese-cakes were sold at +half-price, and greedily devoured nearly a dozen, thinking that the dead +flies scattered on the top were currants, till Frank shewed him his +mistake!" + +"Frank should have let him eat in peace! There is no accounting for +tastes. I once knew a lady who liked to swallow spiders! She used to +crack and eat them with the greatest delight, whenever she could catch +one." + +"Oh! what a horrid woman! That is even worse than grandmama's story +about Dr. Manvers having dined on a dish of mice, fried in crumbs of +bread!" + +"You know the old proverb, Harry, 'one man's meat is another man's +poison.' The Persians are disgusted at our eating lobsters; and the +Hindoos think us scarcely fit to exist, because we live on beef; while +we are equally amazed at the Chinese for devouring dog pies, and +birds'-nest soup. You turn up your nose at the French for liking frogs; +and they think us ten times worse with our singed sheep's head, oat +cakes, and haggis." + +"That reminds me," said Lady Harriet, "that when Charles X. lived in +what he called the 'dear Canongate,' His Majesty was heard to say, that +he tried every sort of Scotch goose, 'the solan goose, the wild goose, +and the tame goose; but the best goose of all, was the hag-goose.'" + +"Very polite, indeed, to adopt our national taste so completely," +observed uncle David, smiling. "When my regiment was quartered in Spain, +an officer of ours, a great epicure, and not quite so complaisant, used +to say that the country was scarcely fit to live in, because there it is +customary to dress almost every dish with sugar. At last, one day, in a +rage, he ordered eggs to be brought up in their shells for dinner, +saying, 'that is the only thing the cook cannot possibly spoil.' We +played him a trick, however, which was very like what you would have +done, Harry, on a similar occasion. I secretly put pounded sugar into +the salt-cellar, and when he tasted his first mouthful, you should have +seen the look of fury with which he sprung off his seat, exclaiming, +'the barbarians eat sugar even with their eggs!'" + +"That would be the country for me to travel in," said Harry. "I could +live in a barrel of sugar; and my little pony, Tom Thumb, would be happy +to accompany me there, as he likes anything sweet." + +"All animals are of the same opinion. I remember the famous rider, +Ducrow, telling a brother-officer of mine, that the way in which he +gains so much influence over his horses, is merely by bribing them with +sugar. They may be managed in that way like children, and are quite +aware, if it be taken from them as a punishment for being restive." + +"Oh! those beautiful horses at Ducrow's! How often I think of them since +we were there!" exclaimed Harry. "They were quite like fairies, with +fine arched necks, and long tails!" + +"I never heard before of a fairy with a long tail, Master Harry; but +perhaps in the course of your travels you may have seen such a thing." + +"How I should like to ride upon Tom Thumb, in Ducrow's way, with my toe +on the saddle!" + +"Fine doings indeed!" exclaimed Mrs. Crabtree, who had entered the room +at this moment. "Have you forgotten already, Master Harry, how many of +the nursery plates you broke one day when I was out, in trying to copy +that there foolish Indian juggler, who tossed his plates in the air, and +twirled them on his thumb! There must be no more such nonsense; for if +once your neck is broke by a fall off Tom Thumb, no doctor that I know +of can mend it again. Remember what a terrible tumble you had off Jessy +last year!" + +"You are always speaking about that little overturn, Mrs. Crabtree; and +it was not worth recollecting above a week! Did you never see a man +thrown off his horse before?" + +"A man and horse indeed!" said uncle David, laughing, when he looked at +Harry. "You and your charger were hardly large enough then for a +toy-shop; and you must grow a little more, Captain Gulliver, before you +will be fit for a dragoon regiment." + +Harry and Laura stayed very quietly at home for several weeks after +their return from Holiday House, attending so busily to lessons, that +uncle David said he felt much afraid they were going to be a pair of +little wonders, who would die of too much learning. + +"You will be taken ill of the multiplication table some day, and +confined to bed with a violent fit of geography! Pray take care of +yourselves, and do not devour above three books at once," said Major +Graham one day, entering the room with a note in his hand. "Here is an +invitation that I suppose you are both too busy to accept, so perhaps I +might as well send an apology; eh, Harry?" + +Down dropped the lesson-books upon the floor, and up sprung Harry in an +ecstacy of delight. "An invitation! Oh! I like an invitation so very +much! Pray tell us all about it!" + +"Perhaps it is an invitation to spend a month with Dr. Lexicon. What +would you say to that? They breakfast upon Latin grammars at school, and +have a dish of real French verbs, smothered in onions, for dinner every +day." + +"But in downright earnest, uncle David! where are we going?" + +"Must I tell you? Well! that good-natured old lady, Mrs. Darwin, intends +taking a large party of children next week, in her own carriage, to pass +ten days at Ivy Lodge, a charming country house about twenty miles off, +where you are all to enjoy perfect happiness. I wish I could be ground +down into a little boy myself, for the occasion! Poor good woman! what a +life she will lead! There is only one little drawback to your delight, +that I am almost afraid to announce." + +"What is that, uncle David?" asked Harry, looking as if nothing in +nature could ever make him grave again. "Are we to bite off our own +noses before we return?" + +"Not exactly; but somebody is to be of the party who will do it for you. +Mrs. Darwin has heard that there are certain children who become +occasionally rather unmanageable! I cannot think who they can be, for it +is certainly nobody we ever saw; so she has requested that Mrs. Crabtree +will follow in the mail-coach." + +Harry and Laura looked as if a glass of cold water had been thrown in +their faces, after this was mentioned; but they soon forgot every little +vexation, in a burst of joy, when, some days afterwards, Mrs. Darwin +stopped at the door to pick them up, in the most curious-looking +carriage they had ever seen. It was a very large open car, as round as a +bird's nest, and so perfectly crowded with children, that nobody could +have supposed any room left even for a doll; but Mrs. Darwin said that +whatever number of people came in, there was always accommodation for +one more; and this really proved to be the case, for Harry and Laura +soon elbowed their way into seats and set off, waving their +handkerchiefs to Major Graham, who had helped to pack them in, and who +now stood smiling at the door. + +As this very large vehicle was drawn by only one horse, it proceeded +very slowly; but Mrs. Darwin amused the children with several very +diverting stories, and gave them a grand luncheon in the carriage; after +which, they threw what was left, wrapped up in an old newspaper, to some +people breaking stones on the road, feeling quite delighted to see the +surprise and joy of the poor labourers when they opened the parcel. In +short, everybody became sorry when this diverting journey was finished, +and they drove up, at last, to the gate of a tall old house, that looked +as if it had been built in the year one. The walls were very thick, and +quite mouldy with age. Indeed, the only wonder was, that Ivy Lodge had +still a roof upon its head, for every thing about it looked so tottering +and decayed. The very servants were all old; and a white-headed butler +opened the door, who looked as frail and gloomy as the house; but before +long, the old walls of Ivy Lodge rung and echoed again with sounds of +mirth and joy. It seemed to have been built on purpose for hide and +seek; there were rooms with invisible doors, and closets cut in the +walls, and great old chests where people might have been buried alive +for a year, without being found out. The gardens, too, were perfectly +enchanting. Such arbours to take strawberries and cream in! and such +summer-houses, where they drank tea out of doors every evening! Here +they saw a prodigious eagle, fastened to the ground by a chain, and +looking the most dull, melancholy creature in the world; while Harry +wished the poor bird might be liberated, and thought how delightful it +would be to stand by and see him soaring away to his native skies. + +"Yes! with a large slice of raw meat in his beak!" said Peter Grey, who +was always thinking of eating. "I dare say he lives much better here, +than he would do killing his own mutton up in the clouds there, or +taking his chance of a dead horse on the sea-shore occasionally." + +Harry and Peter were particularly amused with Mrs. Darwin's curious +collection of pets. There were black swans with red bills, swimming +gracefully in a pond close to the window, and ready to rush forward on +the shortest notice, for a morsel of bread. The lop-eared rabbits also +surprised them, with their ears hanging down to the ground, and they +were interested to see a pair of carrier-pigeons which could carry +letters as well as the postman. Mrs. Darwin showed them tumbler pigeons +too, that performed a summerset in the air when they flew, and horsemen +and dragoon pigeons, trumpeters and pouters, till Peter Grey at last +begged to see the pigeons that made the pigeon-pies, and the cow that +gave the butter-milk; he was likewise very anxious for leave to bring +his fishing-rod into the drawing-room, to try whether he could catch one +of the beautiful gold-fish that swam about in a large glass globe, +saying he thought it might perhaps be very good to eat at breakfast. +Mrs. Darwin had a pet lamb that she was exceedingly fond of, because it +followed her everywhere, and Harry, who was very fond of the little +creature, said he wished some plan could be invented to hinder its ever +growing into a great fat vulgar sheep; and he thought the white mice +were old animals that had grown grey with years. + +There were donkies for the children to ride upon, and Mrs. Darwin had a +boat that held the whole party, to sail in, round the pond, and she hung +up a swing that seemed to fly about as high as the house, which they +swung upon, after which they were allowed to shake the fruit-trees, and +to eat whatever came down about their ears; so it very often rained +apples and pears in the gardens at Ivy Lodge, for Peter seemed never to +tire of that joke; indeed the apple-trees had a sad life of it as long +as he remained. + +Peter told Mrs. Darwin that he had "a patent appetite," which was always +ready on every occasion; but the good lady became so fond of stuffing +the children at all hours, that even he felt a little puzzled sometimes +how to dispose of all she heaped upon his plate, while both Harry and +Laura, who were far from greedy, became perfectly wearied of hearing the +gong. The whole party assembled at eight every morning, to partake of +porridge and butter-milk, after which, at ten, they breakfasted with +Mrs. Darwin on tea, muffins, and sweetmeats. They then drove in the +round open car, to bathe in the sea, on their return from which, +luncheon was always ready, and after concluding that, they might pass +the interval till dinner among the fruit-trees. They never could eat +enough to please Mrs. Darwin at dinner; tea followed, on a most +substantial plan; their supper consisted of poached eggs, and the maid +was desired to put a biscuit under every visitor's pillow, in case the +young people should be hungry in the night, for Mrs. Darwin said she had +been starved at school herself, when she was a little girl, and wished +nobody ever to suffer, as she had done, from hunger. + +The good lady was so anxious for everything to be exactly as the +children liked it, that sometimes Laura felt quite at a loss what to say +or do. One day, having cracked her egg-shell at breakfast, Mrs. Darwin +peeped anxiously over her shoulder, saying, + +"I hope, my dear! your egg is all right?" + +"Most excellent indeed!" + +"Is it quite fresh?" + +"Perfectly! I dare say it was laid only a minute before it was boiled!" + +"I have seen the eggs much larger than that." + +"Yes! but then I believe they are rather coarse,--at least we think so, +when Mrs. Crabtree gives us a turkey egg at dinner." + +"If you prefer them small, perhaps you would like a guinea-fowl's egg?" + +"Thank you! but this one is just as I like them." + +"It looks rather over-done! If you think so, we could get another in a +minute!" + +"No! they are better well boiled!" + +"Then probably it is not enough done. Some people like them quite hard, +and I could easily pop it into the slop-basin for another minute." + +"I am really obliged to you, but it could not be improved." + +"Do you not take any more salt with your egg?" + +"No, I thank you!" + +"A few more grains would improve it!" + +"If you say so, I dare say they will." + +"Ah! now I am afraid you have put in too much! pray do get another!" + +This long-continued attack upon her egg was too much for Laura's +gravity, who appeared for some minutes to have a violent fit of +coughing, and ending in a burst of laughter, after which she hastily +finished all that remained of it, and thus ended the discussion. + +In the midst of all their happiness, while the children thought that +every succeeding day had no fault but being too short, and Harry even +planned with Peter to stop the clock altogether, and see whether time +itself would not stand still, nobody ever thought for a moment of +anything but joy; and yet a very sad and sudden distress awaited Mrs. +Darwin. One forenoon she received a letter that seemed very hastily and +awkwardly folded,--the seal was all to one side, and surrounded with +stray drops of red wax,--the direction appeared sadly blotted, and at +the top was written in large letters, the words, "To be delivered +immediately." + +When Mrs. Darwin hurriedly tore open this very strange-looking letter, +she found that it came from her own housekeeper in town, to announce the +dreadful event that her sister, Lady Barnet, had been that day seized +with an apoplectic fit, and was thought to be at the point of death, +therefore it was hoped that Mrs. Darwin would not lose an hour in +returning to town, that she might be present on the melancholy occasion. +The shock of hearing this news was so very great, that poor Mrs. Darwin +could not speak about it, but after trying to compose herself for a few +minutes, she went into the play-room, and told the children that, for +reasons she could not explain, they must get ready to return home in an +hour, when the car would be at the door for their journey. + +Nothing could exceed their surprise on hearing Mrs. Darwin make such an +unexpected proposal. At first Peter Grey thought she was speaking in +jest, and said he would prefer if she ordered out a balloon to travel +in, this morning; but when it appeared that Mrs. Darwin was really in +earnest about their pleasant visit being over so soon, Harry's face grew +perfectly red with passion, while he said in a loud angry voice, + +"Grandmama allowed me to stay here till Friday!--and I was invited to +stay,--and I will not go anywhere else!" + +"Oh fie, Master Harry!" said Mrs. Crabtree. "Do not talk so! You ought +to know better! I shall soon teach you, however, to do as you are bid!" + +Saying these words, she stretched out her hand to seize violent hold of +him, but Harry dipped down and escaped. Quickly opening the door, he +ran, half in joke and half in earnest, at full speed up two pairs of +stairs, followed closely by Mrs. Crabtree, who was now in a terrible +rage, especially when she saw what a piece of fun Harry thought this +fatiguing race. A door happened to be standing wide open on the second +landing-place, which, having been observed by Harry, he darted in, and +slammed it in Mrs. Crabtree's face, locking and double-locking it, to +secure his own safety, after which he sat down in this empty apartment +to enjoy his victory in peace. When people once begin to grow +self-willed and rebellious, it is impossible to guess where it will all +end! Harry might have been easily led to do right at first, if any one +had reasoned with him and spoken kindly, but now he really was in a sort +of don't-care-a-button humour, and scarcely minded what he did next. + +As long as Mrs. Crabtree continued to scold and rave behind the door, +Harry grew harder and harder; but at length the good old lady, Mrs. +Darwin herself, arrived up stairs, and represented how ungrateful he +was, not doing all in his power to please her, when she had taken so +much pains to make him happy. This brought the little rebel round in a +moment, as he became quite sensible of his own misconduct, and resolved +immediately to submit. Accordingly, Harry tried to open the door, but, +what is very easily done cannot sometimes be undone, which turned out +the case on this occasion, as, with all his exertions, the key would not +turn in the lock! Harry tried it first one way, then another. He twisted +with his whole strength, till his face became perfectly scarlet with the +effort, but in vain! At last he put the poker through the handle of the +key, thinking this a very clever plan, and quite sure to succeed, but +after a desperate struggle, the unfortunate key broke in two, so then +nobody could possibly open the door! + +After this provoking accident happened, Harry felt what a very bad boy +he had been, so he burst into tears, and called through the key-hole to +beg Mrs. Darwin's pardon, while Mrs. Crabtree scolded him through the +key-hole in return, till Harry shrunk away as if a cannonading had begun +at his ear. + +Meantime, Mrs. Darwin hurried off, racking her brains to think what had +best be done to deliver the prisoner, since no time could be lost, or +she might perhaps not get to town at all that night, and the car was +expected every minute, to come round for the travellers. The gardener +said he thought it might be possible to find a few ladders, which, being +tied one above another, would perhaps reach as high as the window, where +Harry had now appeared, and by which he could easily scramble down; so +the servants made haste to fetch all they could find, and to borrow all +they could see, till a great many were collected. These they joined +together very strongly with ropes, but when it was at last reared +against the wall, to the great disappointment of Mrs. Darwin, the +ladder appeared a yard and a-half too short! + +What was to be done? + +The obliging gardener mounted to the very top of his ladder, and Harry +leaned so far over the window, he seemed in danger of falling out, but +still they did not reach one another, so not a single person could guess +what plan was to be tried next. At length Harry called out very loudly +to the gardener, + +"Hollo! Mr. King of Spades! If I were to let myself drop very gently +down from the window, could you catch me in your arms?" + +"Mr. Harry! Mr. Harry! if you dare!" cried Mrs. Crabtree, shaking her +fist at him. "You'll be broken in pieces like a tea-pot, you'll be made +as flat as a pancake! Stay where you are! Do ye hear!" + +But Harry seemed suddenly grown deaf, and was now more than half +out--fixing his fingers very firmly on the ledge of the window, and +slowly dropping his legs downwards. + +"Oh Harry! you will be killed!" screamed Laura. "Stop! stop! Harry, are +you mad? can nobody stop him?" + +But nobody could stop him, for, being so high above everybody's head, +Harry had it all his own way, and was now nearly hanging altogether out +of the window, but he stopped a single minute, and called out, "Do not +be frightened, Laura! I have behaved very ill, and deserve the worst +that can happen. If I do break my head, it will save Mrs. Crabtree the +trouble of breaking it for me, after I come down." + +The gardener now balanced himself steadily on the upper step of the +ladder, and spread his arms out, while Harry slowly let himself drop. +Laura tried to look on without screaming out, as that might have +startled him, but the scene became too frightful, so she closed her +eyes, put her hands over her face and turned away, while her heart beat +so violently, that it might almost have been heard. Even Mrs. Crabtree +clasped her hands in an agony of alarm, while Mrs. Darwin put up her +pocket handkerchief, and could not look on another moment. An awful +pause took place, during which, a feather falling on the ground would +have startled them, when suddenly a loud shout from Peter Grey and the +other children, which was gaily echoed from the top of the ladder, made +Laura venture to look up, and there was Harry safe in the gardener's +arms, who soon helped him down to the ground, where he immediately asked +pardon of everybody for the fright he had given them. + +There was no time for more than half a scold from Mrs. Crabtree, as Mrs. +Darwin's car had been waiting some time; so Harry said she might be +owing him the rest, on some future occasion. + +"Yes! and a hundred lashes besides!" added Peter Grey, laughing. "Pray +touch him up well, Mrs. Crabtree, when you are about it. There is no law +against cruelty to boys!" + +This put Mrs. Crabtree into such a rage, that she followed Peter with a +perfect hail-storm of angry words, till at last, for a joke, he put up +Mrs. Darwin's umbrella to screen himself, and immediately afterwards the +car drove slowly off. + +When uncle David heard all the adventures at Ivy Lodge, he listened most +attentively to "the confessions of Master Harry Graham," and shook his +head in a most serious manner after they were concluded, saying, "I have +always thought that boys are like cats, with nine lives at least! You +should be hung up in a basket, Harry, as they do with unruly boys in the +South Sea Islands, where such young gentlemen as you are left dangling +in the air for days together without a possibility of escape!" + +"I would not care for that compared with being teazed and worried by +Mrs. Crabtree. I really wish, uncle David, that Dr. Bell would order me +never to be scolded any more! It is very bad for me! I generally feel an +odd sort of over-all-ish-ness as soon as she begins; and I am getting +too big now, for any thing but a birch-rod like Frank. How pleasant it +is to be a grown-up man, uncle David, as you are, sitting all day at the +club with your hat on your head, and nothing to do but look out of the +window. That is what I call happiness!" + +"But once upon a time, Harry," said Lady Harriet, "when I stopped in the +carriage for your uncle David at the club, he was in the middle of such +a yawn at the window, that he very nearly dislocated his jaw! it was +quite alarming to see him, and he told me in a great secret, that the +longest and most tiresome hours of his life are, when he has nothing +particular to do." + +"Now, at this moment, I have nothing particular to do," said Major +Graham, "therefore I shall tell you a wonderful story, children, about +liking to be idle or busy, and you must find out the moral for +yourselves." + +"A story! a story!" cried Harry and Laura, in an ecstacy of delight, and +as they each had a knee of uncle David's, which belonged to themselves, +they scrambled into their places, exclaiming, "Now let it be all about +very bad boys, and giants, and fairies!" + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +UNCLE DAVID'S NONSENSICAL STORY ABOUT +GIANTS AND FAIRIES. + + "Pie-crust and pastry-crust, that was the wall; + The windows were made of black-puddings and white, + And slated with pancakes--you ne'er saw the like!" + + +In the days of yore, children were not all such clever, good sensible +people as they are now! Lessons were then considered rather a plague, +sugar-plums were still in demand--holidays continued yet in fashion--and +toys were not then made to teach mathematics, nor story-books to give +instruction in chemistry and navigation. These were very strange times, +and there existed at that period, a very idle, greedy, naughty boy, such +as we never hear of in the present day. His papa and mama were----no +matter who,----and he lived, no matter where. His name was Master +No-book, and he seemed to think his eyes were made for nothing but to +stare out of the windows, and his mouth for no other purpose but to eat. +This young gentleman hated lessons like mustard, both of which brought +tears into his eyes, and during school-hours, he sat gazing at his +books, pretending to be busy, while his mind wandered away to wish +impatiently for his dinner, and to consider where he could get the +nicest pies, pastry, ices, and jellies, while he smacked his lips at +the very thoughts of them. I think he must have been first cousin to +Peter Grey, but that is not perfectly certain. + +Whenever Master No-book spoke, it was always to ask for something, and +you might continually hear him say, in a whining tone of voice, "Papa! +may I take this piece of cake? Aunt Sarah! will you give me an apple? +Mama! do send me the whole of that plum-pudding!" Indeed, very +frequently when he did not get permission to gormandize, this naughty +glutton helped himself without leave. Even his dreams were like his +waking hours, for he had often a horrible night-mare about lessons, +thinking that he was smothered with Greek Lexicons, or pelted out of the +school with a shower of English Grammars, while one night, he fancied +himself sitting down to devour an enormous plum-cake, and that all on a +sudden it became transformed into a Latin Dictionary! + +One afternoon, Master No-book, having played truant all day from school, +was lolling on his mama's best sofa in the drawing-room, with his +leather boots tucked up on the satin cushions, and nothing to do but to +suck a few oranges, and nothing to think of but how much sugar to put +upon them, when suddenly an event took place which filled him with +astonishment. + +A sound of soft music stole into the room, becoming louder and louder +the longer he listened, till at length, in a few moments afterwards, a +large hole burst open in the wall of his room, and there stepped into +his presence, two magnificent fairies, just arrived from their castle in +the air, to pay him a visit. They had travelled all the way on purpose +to have some conversation with Master No-book, and immediately +introduced themselves in a very ceremonious manner. + +The fairy Do-nothing was gorgeously dressed with a wreath of flaming gas +round her head, a robe of gold tissue, a necklace of rubies, and a +bouquet in her hand, of glittering diamonds. Her cheeks were rouged to +the very eyes,--her teeth were set in gold, and her hair was of a most +brilliant purple; in short, so fine and fashionable looking a fairy +never was seen in a drawing-room before. + +The fairy Teach-all, who followed next, was simply dressed in white +muslin, with bunches of natural flowers in her light brown hair, and she +carried in her hand a few neat small books, which Master No-book looked +at with a shudder of aversion. + +The two fairies now informed him, that they very often invited large +parties of children, to spend some time at their palaces, but as they +lived in quite an opposite direction, it was necessary for their young +guests to choose which it would be best to visit first; therefore now +they had come to inquire of Master No-book, whom he thought it would be +most agreeable to accompany on the present occasion. + +"In my house," said the fairy Teach-all, speaking with a very sweet +smile, and a soft, pleasing voice, "you shall be taught to find pleasure +in every sort of exertion, for I delight in activity and diligence. My +young friends rise at seven every morning, and amuse themselves with +working in a beautiful garden of flowers,--rearing whatever fruit they +wish to eat,--visiting among the poor,--associating pleasantly +together,--studying the arts and sciences,--and learning to know the +world in which they live, and to fulfil the purposes for which they have +been brought into it. In short, all our amusements tend to some useful +object, either for our own improvement or the good of others, and you +will grow wiser, better, and happier every day you remain in the Palace +of Knowledge." + +"But in Castle Needless where I live," interrupted the fairy Do-nothing, +rudely pushing her companion aside, with an angry contemptuous look, "we +never think of exerting ourselves for anything. You may put your head in +your pocket, and your hands in your sides as long as you choose to +stay. No one is ever even asked a question, that he may be spared the +trouble of answering. We lead the most fashionable life that can be +imagined, for nobody speaks to anybody! Each of my visitors is quite an +exclusive, and sits with his back to as many of the company as possible, +in the most comfortable arm-chair that can be imagined. There, if you +are only so good as to take the trouble of wishing for anything, it is +yours, without even turning an eye round to look where it comes from. +Dresses are provided of the most magnificent kind, which go on of +themselves, without your having the smallest annoyance with either +buttons or strings,--games which you can play without an effort of +thought,--and dishes dressed by a French cook, smoking hot and hot under +your nose, from morning till night,--while any rain we have, is either +made of cherry brandy, lemonade, or lavender water,--and in winter it +generally snows iced-punch for an hour during the forenoon." + +Nobody need be told which fairy Master No-book preferred; and quite +charmed at his own good fortune in receiving so agreeable an invitation, +he eagerly gave his hand to the splendid new acquaintance, who promised +him so much pleasure and ease, and gladly proceeded, in a carriage lined +with velvet, stuffed with downy pillows, and drawn by milk-white swans, +to that magnificent residence Castle Needless, which was lighted by a +thousand windows during the day, and by a million of lamps every night. + +Here Master No-book enjoyed a constant holiday and a constant feast, +while a beautiful lady, covered with jewels, was ready to tell him +stories from morning till night, and servants waited to pick up his +playthings if they fell, or to draw out his purse or his +pocket-handkerchief when he wished to use them. + +Thus Master No-book lay dozing for hours and days on rich embroidered +cushions, never stirring from his place, but admiring the view of trees +covered with the richest burned almonds, grottoes of sugar-candy, a jet +d'eau of champagne, a wide sea which tasted of sugar instead of salt, +and a bright clear pond, filled with gold-fish, that let themselves be +caught whenever he pleased. Nothing could be more complete, and yet, +very strange to say, Master No-book did not seem particularly happy! +This appears exceedingly unreasonable, when so much trouble was taken to +please him; but the truth is, that every day he became more fretful and +peevish. No sweetmeats were worth the trouble of eating, nothing was +pleasant to play at, and in the end he wished it were possible to sleep +all day, as well as all night. + +Not a hundred miles from the fairy Do-nothing's palace, there lived a +most cruel monster called the giant Snap-'em-up, who looked, when he +stood up, like the tall steeple of a great church, raising his head so +high, that he could peep over the loftiest mountains, and was obliged to +climb up a ladder to comb his own hair. + +Every morning regularly, this prodigiously great giant walked round the +world before breakfast for an appetite, after which, he made tea in a +large lake, used the sea as a slop-basin, and boiled his kettle on Mount +Vesuvius. He lived in great style, and his dinners were most +magnificent, consisting very often of an elephant roasted whole, ostrich +patties, a tiger smothered in onions, stewed lions, and whale soup; but +for a side-dish his greatest favourite consisted of little boys, as fat +as possible, fried in crumbs of bread, with plenty of pepper and salt. + +No children were so well fed, or in such good condition for eating, as +those in the fairy Do-nothing's garden, who was a very particular friend +of the great Snap-'em-up's, and who sometimes laughingly said she would +give him a license, and call her own garden his "preserve," because she +allowed him to help himself, whenever he pleased, to as many of her +visitors as he chose, without taking the trouble even to count them, +and in return for such extreme civility, the giant very frequently +invited her to dinner. + +Snap-'em-up's favourite sport was, to see how many brace of little boys +he could bag in a morning; so in passing along the streets, he peeped +into all the drawing-rooms without having occasion to get upon tiptoe, +and picked up every young gentleman who was idly looking out of the +windows, and even a few occasionally who were playing truant from +school, but busy children seemed always somehow quite out of his reach. + +One day, when Master No-book felt even more lazy, more idle, and more +miserable than ever, he lay beside a perfect mountain of toys and cakes, +wondering what to wish for next, and hating the very sight of everything +and everybody. At last he gave so loud a yawn of weariness and disgust, +that his jaw very nearly fell out of joint, and then he sighed so +deeply, that the giant Snap-'em-up heard the sound as he passed along +the road after breakfast, and instantly stepped into the garden, with +his glass at his eye, to see what was the matter. Immediately on +observing a large, fat, over-grown boy, as round as a dumpling, lying on +a bed of roses, he gave a cry of delight, followed by a gigantic peal of +laughter, which was heard three miles off, and picking up Master No-book +between his finger and his thumb, with a pinch that very nearly broke +his ribs, he carried him rapidly towards his own castle, while the fairy +Do-nothing laughingly shook her head as he passed, saying, "That little +man does me great credit!--he has only been fed for a week, and is as +fat already as a prize ox! What a dainty morsel he will be! When do you +dine to-day, in case I should have time to look in upon you?" + +On reaching home, the giant immediately hung up Master No-book by the +hair of his head, on a prodigious hook in the larder, having first taken +some large lumps of nasty suet, forcing them down his throat to make him +become still fatter, and then stirring the fire, that he might be +almost melted with heat, to make his liver grow larger. On a shelf quite +near, Master No-book perceived the dead bodies of six other boys, whom +he remembered to have seen fattening in the fairy Do-nothing's garden, +while he recollected how some of them had rejoiced at the thoughts of +leading a long, useless, idle life, with no one to please but +themselves. + +The enormous cook now seized hold of Master No-book, brandishing her +knife, with an aspect of horrible determination, intending to kill him, +while he took the trouble of screaming and kicking in the most desperate +manner, when the giant turned gravely round and said, that as pigs were +considered a much greater dainty when whipped to death than killed in +any other way, he meant to see whether children might not be improved by +it also; therefore she might leave that great hog of a boy till he had +time to try the experiment, especially as his own appetite would be +improved by the exercise. This was a dreadful prospect for the unhappy +prisoner; but meantime it prolonged his life a few hours, as he was +immediately hung up again in the larder, and left to himself. There, in +torture of mind and body,--like a fish upon a hook,--the wretched boy +began at last to reflect seriously upon his former ways, and to consider +what a happy home he might have had, if he could only have been +satisfied with business and pleasure succeeding each other, like day and +night, while lessons might have come in, as a pleasant sauce to his +play-hours, and his play-hours as a sauce to his lessons. + +In the midst of many reflections, which were all very sensible, though +rather too late. Master No-book's attention became attracted by the +sound of many voices laughing, talking, and singing, which caused him to +turn his eyes in a new direction, when, for the first time, he observed +that the fairy Teach-all's garden lay upon a beautiful sloping bank not +far off. There a crowd of merry, noisy, rosy-cheeked boys, were busily +employed, and seemed happier than the day was long; while poor Master +No-book watched them during his own miserable hours, envying the +enjoyment with which they raked the flower-borders, gathered the fruit, +carried baskets of vegetables to the poor, worked with carpenters' +tools, drew pictures, shot with bows and arrows, played at cricket, and +then sat in the sunny arbours learning their tasks, or talking agreeably +together, till at length, a dinner-bell having been rung, the whole +party sat merrily down with hearty appetites, and cheerful good-humour, +to an entertainment of plain roast meat and pudding, where the fairy +Teach-all presided herself, and helped her guests moderately, to as much +as was good for each. + +Large tears rolled down the cheeks of Master No-book while watching this +scene; and remembering that if he had known what was best for him, he +might have been as happy as the happiest of these excellent boys, +instead of suffering ennui and weariness, as he had done at the fairy +Do-nothing's, ending in a miserable death; but his attention was soon +after most alarmingly roused by hearing the giant Snap-'em-up again in +conversation with his cook, who said, that if he wished for a good large +dish of scolloped children at dinner, it would be necessary to catch a +few more, as those he had already provided would scarcely be a mouthful. + +As the giant kept very fashionable hours, and always waited dinner for +himself till nine o'clock, there was still plenty of time; so, with a +loud grumble about the trouble, he seized a large basket in his hand, +and set off at a rapid pace towards the fairy Teach-all's garden. It was +very seldom that Snap-'em-up ventured to think of foraging in this +direction, as he had never once succeeded in carrying off a single +captive from the enclosure, it was so well fortified and so bravely +defended; but on this occasion, being desperately hungry, he felt as +bold as a lion, and walked, with outstretched hands, straight towards +the fairy Teach-all's dinner-table, taking such prodigious strides, that +he seemed almost as if he would trample on himself. + +A cry of consternation arose the instant this tremendous giant appeared; +and as usual on such occasions, when he had made the same attempt +before, a dreadful battle took place. Fifty active little boys bravely +flew upon the enemy, armed with their dinner knives, and looked like a +nest of hornets, stinging him in every direction, till he roared with +pain, and would have run away, but the fairy Teach-all, seeing his +intention, rushed forward with the carving knife, and brandishing it +high over her head, she most courageously stabbed him to the heart! + +If a great mountain had fallen in the earth, it would have seemed like +nothing in comparison of the giant Snap-'em-up, who crushed two or three +houses to powder beneath him, and upset several fine monuments that were +to have made people remembered for ever; but all this would have seemed +scarcely worth mentioning, had it not been for a still greater event +which occurred on the occasion, no less than the death of the fairy +Do-nothing, who had been indolently looking on at this great battle, +without taking the trouble to interfere, or even to care who was +victorious, but, being also lazy about running away, when the giant +fell, his sword came with so violent a stroke on her head, that she +instantly expired. + +Thus, luckily for the whole world, the fairy Teach-all got possession of +immense property, which she proceeded without delay to make the best use +of in her power. + +In the first place, however, she lost no time in liberating Master +No-book from his hook in the larder, and gave him a lecture on activity, +moderation, and good conduct, which he never afterwards forgot; and it +was astonishing to see the change that took place immediately in his +whole thoughts and actions. From this very hour, Master No-book became +the most diligent, active, happy boy in the fairy Teach-all's garden; +and on returning home a month afterwards, he astonished all the masters +at school by his extraordinary reformation. The most difficult lessons +were a pleasure to him,--he scarcely ever stirred without a book in his +hand,--never lay on a sofa again,--would scarcely even sit on a chair +with a back to it, but preferred a three-legged stool,--detested +holidays,--never thought any exertion a trouble,--preferred climbing +over the top of a hill to creeping round the bottom,--always ate the +plainest food in very small quantities,--joined a Temperance +Society!-and never tasted a morsel till he had worked very hard and got +an appetite. + +Not long after this, an old uncle, who had formerly been ashamed of +Master No-book's indolence and gluttony, became so pleased at the +wonderful change, that, on his death, he left him a magnificent estate, +desiring that he should take his name; therefore, instead of being any +longer one of the No-book family, he is now called Sir Timothy +Bluestocking,--a pattern to the whole country round, for the good he +does to every one, and especially for his extraordinary activity, +appearing as if he could do twenty things at once. Though generally very +good-natured and agreeable, Sir Timothy is occasionally observed in a +violent passion, laying about him with his walking-stick in the most +terrific manner, and beating little boys within an inch of their lives; +but on inquiry, it invariably appears that he has found them out to be +lazy, idle, or greedy, for all the industrious boys in the parish are +sent to get employment from him, while he assures them that they are far +happier breaking stones on the road, than if they were sitting idly in a +drawing-room with nothing to do. Sir Timothy cares very little for +poetry in general; but the following are his favourite verses, which he +has placed over the chimney-piece at a school that he built for the +poor, and every scholar is obliged, the very day he begins his +education, to learn them:-- + + Some people complain they have nothing to do, + And time passes slowly away; + They saunter about with no object in view, + And long for the end of the day. + + In vain are the trifles and toys they desire, + For nothing they truly enjoy; + Of trifles, and toys, and amusements they tire, + For want of some useful employ. + + Although for transgression the ground was accursed, + Yet gratefully man must allow, + 'Twas really a blessing which doom'd him at first, + To live by the sweat of his brow. + + Nursery Rhymes. + +"Thank you, a hundred times over, uncle David!" said Harry, when the +story was finished. "I shall take care not to be found hanging any day +on a hook in the larder! Certainly, Frank, you must have spent a month +with the good fairy; and I hope she will some day invite me to be made a +scholar of too, for Laura and I still belong to the No-book family." + +"It is very important. Harry, to choose the best course from the +beginning," observed Lady Harriet. "Good or bad habits grow stronger and +stronger every minute, as if an additional string were tied on daily, to +keep us in the road where we walked the day before; so those who mistake +the path of duty at first, find hourly increasing difficulty in turning +round." + +"But grandmama!" said Frank, "you have put up some finger-posts to +direct us right; and whenever I see 'no passage this way,' we shall +wheel about directly." + +"As Mrs. Crabtree has not tapped at the door yet, I shall describe the +progress of a wise and a foolish man, to see which Harry and you would +prefer copying," replied Lady Harriet, smiling. "The fool begins, when +he is young, with hating lessons, lying long in bed, and spending all +his money on trash. Any books he will consent to read, are never about +what is true or important; but he wastes all his time and thoughts on +silly stories that never could have happened. Thus he neglects to learn +what was done, and thought, by all the great and good men who really +lived in former times, while even his Bible, if he has one, grows dusty +on the shelf. After so bad a beginning, he grows up with no useful or +interesting knowledge; therefore his whole talk is to describe his own +horses, his own dogs, his own guns, and his own exploits; boasting of +what a high wall his horse can leap over, the number of little birds he +can shoot in a day, and how many bottles of wine he can swallow without +tumbling under the table. Thus, 'glorying in his shame,' he thinks +himself a most wonderful person, not knowing that men are born to do +much better things than merely to find selfish pleasure and amusement +for themselves. Presently he grows old, gouty, and infirm--no longer +able to do such prodigious achievements; therefore now his great delight +is, to sit with his feet upon the fender, at a club all day, telling +what a famous rider, shooter, and drinker, he was long ago; but nobody +cares to hear such old stories; therefore he is called a 'proser,' and +every person avoids him. It is no wonder a man talks about himself, if +he has never read or thought about any one else. But at length his +precious time has all been wasted, and his last hour comes, during which +he can have nothing to look back upon but a life of folly and guilt. He +sees no one around who loves him, or will weep over his grave; and when +he looks forward, it is towards an eternal world which he has never +prepared to enter, and of which he knows nothing." + +"What a terrible picture, grandmama!" said Frank, rather gravely. "I +hope there are not many people like that, or it would be very sad to +meet with them. Now pray let us have a pleasanter description of the +sort of persons you would like Harry and me to become." + +"The first foundation of all is, as you already know, Frank, to pray +that you may be put in the right course and kept in it, for of ourselves +we are so sinful and weak that we can do no good thing. Then feeling a +full trust in the Divine assistance, you must begin and end every day +with studying your Bible, not merely reading it, but carefully +endeavouring to understand and obey what it contains. Our leisure should +be bestowed on reading of wiser and better people than ourselves, which +will keep us humble while it instructs our understandings, and thus we +shall be fitted to associate with persons whose society is even better +than books. Christians who are enlightened and sanctified in the +knowledge of all good things, will show us an example of carefully using +our time, which is the most valuable of all earthly possessions. If we +waste our money, we may perhaps get more--if we lose our health, it may +be restored--but time squandered on folly, must hereafter be answered +for, and can never be regained. Whatever be your station in life, waste +none of your thoughts upon fancying how much better you might have acted +in some other person's place, but see what duties belong to that station +in which you live, and do what that requires with activity and +diligence. When we are called to give an account of our stewardship, let +us not have to confess at the last that we wasted our one talent, +because we wished to have been trusted with ten; but let us prepare to +render up what was given to us, with joy and thankfulness, perfectly +satisfied that the best place in life is where God appoints, and where +He will guide us to a safe and peaceful end." + +"Yes!" added Major Graham. "You have two eyes in your minds as well as +in your bodies. With one of these we see all that is good or agreeable +in our lot--with the other we see all that is unpleasant or +disappointing, and you may generally choose which eye to keep open. Some +of my friends always peevishly look at the troubles and vexations they +endure, but they might turn them into good, by considering that every +circumstance is sent from the same hand, with the same merciful +purpose--to make us better now and happier hereafter." + +"Well! my dear children," said Lady Harriet, "it is time now for +retiring to Bedfordshire; so good night." + +"If you please, grandmama! not yet," asked Harry, anxiously. "Give us +five minutes longer!" + +"And then in the morning you will want to remain five minutes more in +bed. That is the way people learn to keep such dreadfully late hours at +last, Harry! I knew one very rich old gentleman formerly, who always +wished to sit up a little later every night, and to get up a little +later in the morning, till at length, he ended by hiring a set of +servants to rise at nine in the evening, as he did himself, and to +remain in bed all day." + +"People should regulate their sleep very conscientiously," added Major +Graham, "so as to waste as little time as possible; and our good king +George III. set us the example, for he remarked, that six hours in the +night were quite enough for a man--seven hours for a woman, and eight +for a fool. Or perhaps, Harry, you might like to live by Sir William +Jones' rule: + + 'Six hours to read, to soothing slumber seven, + Ten to the world allot--and all to Heaven.'" + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +THE ILLUMINATION. + + A neighbour's house he'd slyly pass, + And throw a stone to break the glass. + + +One fine morning in Charlotte Square, Peter Grey persuaded a party of +his companions to spend all the money they had on cakes and sugar-plums, +to make a splendid entertainment under the trees, where they were to sit +like a horde of gypsies, and amuse themselves with telling fortunes to +each other. Harry and Laura had no one with them but Betty, who gladly +joined a group of nursery-maids at a distance, leaving them to their own +devices; upon which they rushed up to Peter and offered their +assistance, subscribing all their pocket-money, and begging him to set +forth and obtain provisions for them as well as for himself. Neither +Harry nor Laura cared for eating the trash that was collected on this +occasion, and would have been quite as well pleased to distribute it +among their companions; but they both enjoyed extremely the bustle of +arranging this elegant dejeune or "_disjune_," as Peter called it. Harry +gathered leaves off the trees to represent plates, on each of which +Peter arranged some of the fruit or sweetmeats he had purchased, while +they placed benches together as a table, and borrowed Laura's white +India shawl for a table-cloth. + +"It looks like that grand public dinner we saw at the Assembly Rooms +one day!" exclaimed Harry, in an ecstacy of admiration. "We must have +speeches and toasts like real gentlemen and officers. Peter! if you will +make a fine oration, full of compliments to me, I shall say something +wonderful about you, and then Laura must beat upon the table with a +stick, to show that she agrees to all that we observe in praise of each +other." + +"Or suppose we all take the names of some great personages," added +Peter, "I shall be the Duke of Wellington, and Laura, you must be Joseph +Hume, and Harry, you are Sir Francis Burdett, that we may seem as +different as possible; but here comes the usher of the black rod to +disperse us all! Mrs. Crabtree hurrying into the square, her very gown +flaming with rage! what can be the matter! she must have smelled the +sugar-plums a mile off! one comfort is, if Harry and Laura are taken +away, we shall have the fewer people to divide these cakes among, and I +could devour every one of them, for my own share." + +Before Peter finished speaking, Mrs. Crabtree had come close up to the +table, and without waiting to utter a word, or even to scold, she +twitched up Laura's shawl in her hand, and thus scattered the whole +feast in every direction on the ground, after which she trampled the +sugar-plums and cakes into the earth, saying, + +"I knew how it would be, as soon as I saw whose company you were in, +Master Harry! Peter Grey is the father of mischief! he ought to be put +into the monkey's cage at the GEOlogical gardens! I would not be your +maid, Master Grey, for a hundred a-year." + +"You would need to buy a thrashing machine immediately," said Peter, +laughing; "what a fine time I should have of it! you would scarcely +allow me, I suppose, to blow my porridge! how long would it take you, +Mrs. Crabtree, to make quite a perfectly good boy of me? Perhaps a +month, do you think? or to make me as good as Frank, it might possibly +require six weeks." + +"Six weeks!" answered Mrs. Crabtree; "six years, or sixty, would be too +short. You are no more like Mr. Frank than a shilling is to a guinea, or +a wax light to a dip. If the news were told that you had been a good boy +for a single day, the very _statutes_ in the streets would come running +along to see the wonder. No! no! I have observed many surprising things +in my day, but them great pyramuses in Egypt will turn upside down +before you turn like Mr. Frank." + +Some days after this adventure of Harry and Laura's, there arrived +newspapers from London containing accounts of a great battle which had +been fought abroad. On that occasion the British troops of course +performed prodigies of valour, and completely conquered the enemy, in +consequence of which, it was ordered by government, that, in every town, +and every village, and every house throughout the whole kingdom, there +should be a grand illumination. + +Neither Harry nor Laura had ever heard of such a thing as an +illumination before, and they were full of curiosity to know what it was +like; but their very faces became lighted up with joy, when Major Graham +described that they would see crowds of candles flaming in every window, +tar-barrels blazing on every hill, flambeaux glaring at the doors, and +transparencies, fire-works, and coloured lamps shining in all the +streets. + +"How delightful! and walking out in the dark to see it," cried Harry; +"that will be best of all! oh! and a whole holiday! I hardly know +whether I am in my right wits, or my wrong wits, for joy! I wish we +gained a victory every day!" + +"What a warrior you would be, Harry! Caesar was nothing to you," said +Frank. "We might be satisfied with one good battle in a year, +considering how many are killed and wounded." + +"Yes, but I hope all the wounded soldiers will recover." + +"Or get pensions," added uncle David. "It is a grand sight, Frank, to +see a whole nation rejoicing at once! In general, when you walk out and +meet fifty persons in the street, they are all thinking of fifty +different things, and each intent on some business of his own, but on +this occasion all are of one mind and one heart." + +Frank and Harry were allowed to nail a dozen of little candlesticks upon +each window in the house, which delighted them exceedingly, and then, +before every pane of glass, they placed a tall candle, impatiently +longing for the time when these were to be illuminated. Laura was +allowed to carry a match, and assist in lighting them, but in the excess +of her joy, she very nearly made a bonfire of herself, as her frock took +fire, and would soon have been in a blaze, if Frank had not hastily +seized a large rug and rolled it round her. + +In every house within sight, servants and children were to be seen +hurrying about with burning matches, while hundreds of lights blazed up +in a moment, looking as if all the houses in town had taken fire. + +"Such a waste of candles!" said Mrs. Crabtree, angrily; "can't people be +happy in the dark!" + +"No, Mrs. Crabtree!" answered Frank, laughing. "They cannot be happy in +the dark! People's spirits are always in exact proportion to the number +of lights. If you ever feel dull with one candle, light another; and if +that does not do, try a third, or a fourth, till you feel merry and +cheerful. We must not let you be candle-snuffer to-night, or you will be +putting them all out. You would snuff out the sun itself, to save a +shilling." + +"The windows might perhaps be broken," added Laura; "for whatever pane +of glass does not exhibit a candle, is to have a stone sent through it. +Harry says the mob are all glaziers, who break them on purpose to mend +the damage next day, which they will be paid handsomely for doing." + +There were many happy, joyous faces, to be seen that evening in the +streets, admiring the splendid illumination; but the merriest party of +all, was composed of Frank, Harry, and Laura, under the command of uncle +David, who had lately suffered from a severe fit of the gout; but it +seemed to have left him this night, in honour of the great victory, when +he appeared quite as much a boy as either of his two companions. For +many hours they walked about in the streets, gazing up at the glittering +windows, some of which looked as if a constellation of stars had come +down for a night to adorn them; and others were filled with the most +beautiful pictures of Britannia carrying the world on her shoulders; or +Mars showering down wreaths of laurel on the Duke of Wellington, while +victory was sitting at his feet, and fame blowing a trumpet at his ear. +Harry thought these paintings finer than any he had ever seen before, +and stood for some moments entranced with admiration, on beholding a +representation in red, blue, yellow, and black, of Europe, Asia, Africa, +and America, all doing homage to St. George mounted on a dragon, which +breathed out fire and smoke like a steam-boat. Nothing, however, +occasioned the party such a burst of delightful surprise, as when they +first beheld the line of blazing windows more than a mile long, from the +bottom of the Canongate to the highest pinnacle of the Castle, where +they seemed almost to meet the stars shining above, in their perpetual +glory. "You see," remarked Major Graham, when he pointed them out to his +young companions, "there is a fit emblem of the difference between earth +and heaven. These lights nearer and brighter to us at present; but when +they have blazed and glittered for one little hour, they come to an end; +while those above, which we see so dimly now, will continue to shine +for ages and generations hereafter, till time itself is no more." + +Occasionally, during their progress, Harry felt very indignant to +observe a few houses perfectly dark; and whether the family were sick, +or out of town, or whatever the reason might be, he scarcely became +sorry when a frequent crash might be heard, as the mob, determined to +have their own way this night, aimed showers of stones at the offending +windows, till the very frames seemed in danger of being broken. At last +uncle David led his joyous little party into Castle Street, in which not +a light was to be seen, and every blind seemed carefully closed. A crowd +had assembled, with an evident intention to attack these melancholy +houses, when Major Graham suddenly caught hold of Harry's arm, on +observing that he had privately picked up a large stone, which he was in +the very act of throwing with his whole force at one of the defenceless +windows. And now the whole party stood stock still, while uncle David +said in a very angry and serious voice, + +"Harry! you heedless, mischievous boy! will you never learn to consider +a moment before you do what is wrong? I am exceedingly displeased with +you for this! What business is it of yours whether that house be lighted +up or not?" + +"But, uncle David! surely it is very wrong not to obey the government, +and to be happy like everybody else! Besides, you see the mob will break +those windows at any rate, so it is no matter if I help them." + +"Then, for the same reason, if they were setting the house on fire, I +suppose you would assist the conflagration, Harry. Your excuse is a very +bad one; and when you hear what I have to say about this house, let it +be a lesson for the rest of your life, never to judge hastily, nor to +act rashly. The officer to whom it belonged, has been killed in the +great battle abroad; and while we are rejoicing in the victory that his +bravery helped to gain, his widow and children are weeping within those +walls, for the husband and father who lies buried on a foreign shore. +Think what a contrast these shouts of joy must be to their grief." + +"Oh, uncle David! how sorry I am!" said Harry. "I deserve to go home +this moment, and not to see a candle again for a week. It was very wrong +of me indeed. I shall walk all the way home, with my eyes shut, if you +will only excuse me." + +"No, no, Harry! that is not necessary! If the eyes of your mind are +open, to see that you have acted amiss, then try to behave better in +future. When people are happy themselves, they are too apt to forget +that others may be in distress, and often feel quite surprised and +provoked at those who appear melancholy; but our turn must come like +theirs. Life is made up of sunshine and shadow, both of which are sent +for our good, and neither of them last, in this world, for ever; but we +should borrow part of our joys, and part of our sorrows, from sympathy +with all those we see or know, which will moderate the excess of +whatever is our own portion in life." + +At this moment, the mob, which had been gradually increasing, gave a +tremendous shout, and were on the point of throwing a torrent of stones +at the dark, mournful house, which had made so narrow an escape from +Harry's vengeance, when Major Graham, forgetting his gout, hastily +sprung upon a lamp-post, and calling for attention, he made a speech +to the crowd, telling of the brave Captain D---- who had died for his +country, covered with wounds, and that his mourning family was assembled +in that house. Instantly the mob became as silent and motionless as if +they had themselves been turned into stones; after which they gradually +stole away, with downcast eyes, and mournful countenances; while it is +believed that some riotous people, who had been loudest and fiercest at +first, afterwards stood at the top of the little street like sentinels, +for more than an hour, to warn every one who passed, that he should go +silently along, in respect for the memory of a brave and good officer. +Not another shout was heard in the neighbourhood that night; and many a +merry laugh was suddenly checked from reverence for the memory of the +dead, and the sorrow of the living; while some spectators remarked, with +a sigh of melancholy reflection, that men must ever join trembling with +their mirth, because even in the midst of life they are in death. + +"If we feel so much sorrow for this one officer and his family, it +shows," said Frank, "what a dreadful thing war is, which costs the lives +of thousands and tens of thousands in every campaign, by sickness and +fatigue, and the other sources of misery that accompany every army." + +"Yes, Frank! and yet there has scarcely been a year on earth, while the +world has existed, without fighting in some country or another, for, +since the time when Cain killed Abel, men have been continually +destroying each other. Animals only fight in temporary irritation when +they are hungry, but pride, ambition, and folly of every kind, have +caused men to hate and massacre each other. Even religion itself has +caused the fiercest and most bloody conflicts, though, if that were only +understood and obeyed as it ought to be, the great truths of Scripture +would produce peace on earth, and good-will among all the children of +men." + +The whole party had been standing for some minutes opposite to the +post-office, which looked like a rainbow of coloured lamps, and Harry +was beginning, for the twentieth time, to try if he could count how many +there were, when Major Graham felt something twitching hold of his coat +pocket behind, and on wheeling suddenly round, he perceived a little +boy, not much older than Harry, darting rapidly off in another +direction, carrying his own purse and pocket-handkerchief in his hand. +Being still rather lame, and unable to move very fast, Major Graham +could only vociferate at the very top of his voice, "Stop thief! stop +thief!" but not a constable appeared in sight, so the case seemed +desperate, and the money lost for ever, when Frank observed also what +had occurred, and being of an active spirit, he flew after the young +thief, followed closely by Harry. An eager race ensued, up one street, +and down another, with marvellous rapidity, while Frank was so evidently +gaining ground, that the thief at last became terrified, and threw away +the purse, hoping thus to end the chase; but neither of his pursuers +paused a moment to pick it up, they were so intent upon capturing the +little culprit himself. At length Frank sprung forward and caught him by +the collar, when a fierce conflict ensued, during which the young thief +was so ingenious, that he nearly slipped his arms out of his coat, and +would have made his escape, leaving a very tattered garment in their +hands, if Harry had not observed this trick, and held him by the hair, +which, as it was not a wig, he could not so easily throw off. + +At this moment, a large coarse ruffianly-looking man hurried up to the +party, evidently intending to rescue the little pick-pocket from their +custody; so Frank called loudly for help, while several police-officers +who had been sent by Major Graham, came racing along the street, +springing their rattles, and vociferating, "Stop thief!" + +Now, the boy struggled more violently than ever to disentangle himself, +but Frank and Harry grasped hold of their prisoner, as if they had been +a couple of Bow Street officers, till at length the tall fierce man +thought it time to be off, though not before he had given Harry a blow +on the face, that caused him to reel back, and fall prostrate on the +pavement. + +"There's a brave little gentleman!" said one of the constables, helping +him up, while another secured the thief. "You ought to be knighted for +fighting so well! This boy you have taken is a sad fellow! He broke his +poor mother's heart a year since by his wicked ways, and I have long +wished to catch him. A few weeks on the tread-mill now, may save him +from the gallows in future." + +"He seems well practised in his business," observed Major Graham. "I +almost deserved; however, to lose my pocket-book for bringing it out in +a night of so much crowding and confusion. Some lucky person will be all +the richer, though I fear it is totally lost to me." + +"But here is your pocket-handkerchief, uncle David, if you mean to shed +any tears for your misfortune," whispered Laura; "how very lucky that +you felt it going!" + +"Yes, and very surprising too, for the trick was so cleverly executed! +That little rascal might steal the teeth out of one's head, without +being noticed! When I was in India, the thieves there were so expert +that they really could draw the sheets from under a person sleeping in +bed, without disturbing his slumbers." + +"With me, any person could do that, because I sleep so very soundly," +observed Frank. "You might beat a military drum at my ear, as they do in +the boy's sleeping rooms at Sandhurst, and it would not have the +smallest effect. I scarcely think that even a gong would do!" + +"How very different from me," replied Laura. "Last night I was awakened +by the scratching of a mouse nibbling in the wainscoat, and soon after +it ran across my face." + +"Then pray sleep to-night with your mouth open, and a piece of toasted +cheese in it, to catch the mouse," said Major Graham. "That is the best +trap I know!" + +"Uncle David," asked Frank, as they proceeded along the street, "if +there is any hope of that wicked boy being reformed, will you try to +have him taught better? Being so very young, he must have learned from +older people to steal." + +"Certainly he must! It is melancholy to know how carefully mere children +are trained to commit the very worst crimes, and how little the mind of +any young boy can be a match for the cunning of old, experienced +villains like those who lead them astray. When once a child falls into +the snare of such practised offenders, escape becomes as impossible as +that of a bird from a limed twig." + +"So I believe," replied Frank. "Grandmama told me that the very youngest +children of poor people, when first sent to school in London, are often +waylaid by those old women who sell apples in the street, and who +pretend to be so good-natured that they make them presents of fruit. Of +course these are very acceptable, but after some time, those wicked +wretches propose that the child in return shall bring them a book, or +anything he can pick up at home, which shall be paid for in apples and +pears. Few little boys have sufficient firmness not to comply, whether +they like it or not, and after that the case is almost hopeless, +because, whenever the poor victim hesitates to steal more, those cruel +women threaten to inform the parents of his misconduct, which terrifies +the boy into doing anything rather than be found out." + +"Oh, how dreadful!" exclaimed Laura. "It all begins so smoothly! No poor +little boy could suspect any danger, and then he becomes a hardened +thief at once." + +"Grandmama says, too, that pick-pockets, in London used to have the +stuffed figure of a man hung from the roof of their rooms, and covered +all over with bells, for the boys to practise upon, and no one was +allowed to attempt stealing on the streets, till he could pick the +pocket of this dangling effigy, without ringing one of the many bells +with which it was ornamented." + +"I think," said Harry, "when the young thieves saw that figure hanging +in the air, it might have reminded them how soon they would share the +same fate. Even crows take warning when they see a brother crow hanging +dead in a field." + +"It is a curious thing of crows, Harry, that they certainly punish +thieves among themselves," observed Major Graham. "In a large rookery, +some outcasts are frequently to be observed living apart from the rest, +and not allowed to associate with their more respectable brethren. I +remember hearing formerly, that in the great rookery at --------, when +all the other birds were absent, one solitary crow was observed to +linger behind, stealing materials for his nest from those around, but +next morning a prodigious uproar was heard among the trees,--the cawing +became so vociferous, that evidently several great orators were +agitating the crowd, till suddenly the enraged crows flew in a body upon +the nest of their dishonest associate, and tore it in pieces." + +"Bravo!" cried Frank. "I do like to hear about all the odd ways of birds +and animals! Grandmama mentioned lately, that, if you catch a crow, and +fasten him down with his back to the ground, he makes such an outcry, +that all his black brothers come wheeling about the place, till one of +them at last alights to help him. Immediately the treacherous prisoner +grapples hold of his obliging friend, and never afterwards lets him +escape; so, by fastening down one after another, we might entrap the +whole rookery." + +"I shall try it some day!" exclaimed Harry, eagerly. "What fun to hear +them all croaking and cawing!" + +"We shall be croaking ourselves soon with colds, if we do not hurry +home," added uncle David. "There is not a thimbleful of light remaining, +and your grandmama will be impatient to hear all the news. This has +really been a most adventurous night, and I am sure none of us will soon +forget it." + +When the whole party entered the drawing-room, in a blaze of spirits, +all speaking at once, to tell Lady Harriet what had occurred, Mrs. +Crabtree, who was waiting to take a couple of little prisoners off to +bed, suddenly gave an exclamation of astonishment and dismay when she +looked at Harry, who now, for the first time since the robber had +knocked him down, approached the light, when he did, to be sure, appear +a most terrible spectacle! His jacket was bespattered with mud, his +shirt-frill torn and bloody, one eye almost swelled out of his head, and +the side of his face quite black and blue. + +"What mischief have you been in now, Mr. Harry?" cried Mrs. Crabtree, +angrily; "you will not leave a whole bone in your body, nor a whole +shirt in your drawer!" + +"These are honourable scars, Mrs. Crabtree," interrupted Major Graham. +"Harry has been fighting my battles, and gained a great victory! we must +illuminate the nursery!" + +Uncle David then told the whole story, with many droll remarks, about +his purse having been stolen, and said that, as Harry never complained +of being hurt, he never supposed that anything of the kind could have +occurred; but he felt very much pleased to observe how well a certain +young gentleman was able to bear pain, as boys must expect hard blows in +the world, when they had to fight their way through life, therefore it +was well for them to give as few as they could, and to bear with +fortitude what fell to their own share. Uncle David slyly added, that +perhaps Harry put up with these things all the better for having so much +practice in the nursery. + +Mrs. Crabtree seemed rather proud of Harry's manly spirit, and treated +him with a little more respect than usual, saying, she would fetch him +some hot water to foment his face, if he would go straight up stairs +with Laura. Now, it very seldom happened, that Harry went straight +anywhere, for he generally swung down the bannisters again, or took a +leap over any thing he saw on the way, or got upon some of the tables +and jumped off, but this night he had resolutely intended marching +steadily up to bed, and advanced a considerable way, when a loud shout +in the street attracted his attention. Harry stopped, and it was +repeated again, so seizing Laura by the hand, they flew eagerly into +Lady Harriet's dressing-room, and throwing open a window, they picked up +a couple of cloaks that were lying on a chair, and both stepped out on a +balcony to find out what was going on; and in case any one should see +them in this unusual place, Harry quietly shut the window down, +intending to remain only one single minute. Minutes run very fast away +when people are amused, and nothing could be more diverting than the +sight they now beheld, for at this moment a grand crash exploded of +squibs and rockets from the Castle-hill, which looked so beautiful in +the dark, that it seemed impossible to think of anything else. Some flew +high in the air, and then burst into the appearance of twenty fiery +serpents falling from the sky, others assumed a variety of colours, and +dropped like flying meteors, looking as if the stars were all learning +to dance, while many rushed into the air and disappeared, leaving not a +trace behind. Harry and Laura stood perfectly entranced with admiration +and delight, till the fire-works neither burst, cracked, nor exploded +any more. + +A ballad-singer next attracted their notice, singing the tune of "Meet +me by moonlight," and afterwards Laura shewed Harry the constellation of +Orion mentioned in the Bible, which, besides the Great Bear, was the +only one she had the slightest acquaintance with. Neither of them had +ever observed the Northern Lights so brilliant before, and now they felt +almost alarmed to see them shooting like lances of fire across the sky, +and glittering with many bright colours, like a rainbow, while Laura +remembered her grandmama mentioning some days ago, that the poor natives +of Greenland believe these are the spirits of their fathers going forth +to battle. + +Meantime, Lady Harriet called Frank, as usual, to his evening prayers +and reading in her dressing-room, where it was well known that they were +on no account to be disturbed. After having read a chapter, and talked +very seriously about all it was intended to teach, they had begun to +discuss the prospect of Frank going abroad very soon to become a +midshipman, and he was wondering much where his first great shipwreck +would take place, and telling Lady Harriet about the loss of the +Cabalvala, where the crew lived for eight days on a barren rock, with +nothing to eat but a cask of raspberry jam, which accidentally floated +within their reach. Before Frank had finished his story, however, he +suddenly paused, and sprung upon his feet with an exclamation of +astonishment, while Lady Harriet, looking hastily round in the same +direction, became terrified to observe a couple of faces looking in at +the window. It was so dark, she could not see what they were like, but a +moment afterwards the sash began slowly and heavily opening, after which +two figures leaped into the room, while Frank flew to ring a peal at the +bell, and Lady Harriet sunk into her own arm-chair, covering her face +with her hands, and nearly fainting with fright. + +"Never mind, grandmama! do not be afraid! it is only us!" cried Harry; +"surely you know me?" + +"You!!!" exclaimed Lady Harriet, looking up with amazement. "Harry and +Laura!! impossible! how in all the world did you get here? I thought you +were both in bed half an hour ago! Tiresome boy! you will be the death +of me some time or other! I wonder when you will ever pass a day without +deserving the bastinado!" + +"Do you not remember the good day last month, grandmama, when I had a +severe toothache, and sat all morning beside the fire? Nobody found +fault with me then, and I got safe to bed, without a single Oh fie! from +noon till night." + +"Wonderful, indeed! what a pity I ever allowed that tooth to be drawn, +but you behaved very bravely on the occasion of its being extracted. Now +take yourselves off! I feel perfectly certain you will tell Mrs. +Crabtree the exact truth about where you have been, and if she punishes +you, remember that it is no more than you both deserve. People who +behave ill are their own punishers, and should be glad that some one +will kindly take the trouble to teach them better." + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +THE POOR BOY. + + Not all the fine things that fine people possess, + Should teach them the poor to despise; + For 'tis in good manners, and not in good dress, + That the truest gentility lies. + + +The following Saturday morning, Frank, Harry, and Laura were assembled +before Lady Harriet's breakfast hour, talking over all their adventures +on the night of the illumination; and many a merry laugh was heard while +uncle David cracked his jokes and told his stories, for he seemed as +full of fun and spirits as the youngest boy in a play-ground. + +"Well, old fellow!" said he, lifting up Harry, and suddenly seating him +on the high marble chimney-piece. "That is the situation where the poor +little dwarf, Baron Borowloski was always put by his tall wife, when she +wished to keep him out of mischief, and I wonder Mrs. Crabtree never +thought of the same plan for you." + +"Luckily there is no fire, or Harry would soon be roasted for the Giant +Snap-'em-up's dinner," said Frank, laughing; "he looks up there like a +China Mandarin. Shake your head, Harry, and you will do quite as well!" + +"Uncle David!" cried Harry, eagerly, "pray let me see you stand for one +moment as you do at the club on a cold day, with your feet upon the rug, +your back to the fire, and your coat-tails under your arms! Pray do, +for one minute!" + +Uncle David did as he was asked, evidently expecting the result, which +took place, for Harry sprung upon his back with the agility of a monkey, +and they went round and round the room at a full gallop, during the next +five minutes, while Lady Harriet said she never saw two such noisy +people, but it was quite the fashion now, since the king of France +carried his grandchildren, in the same way, every morning, a picture of +which had lately been shown to her. + +"Then I hope his majesty gets as good an appetite with his romp as I +have done," replied Major Graham, sitting down. "None of your tea and +toast for me! that is only fit for ladies. Frank, reach me these +beef-steaks, and a cup of chocolate." + +Harry and Laura now planted themselves at the window, gazing at crowds +of people who passed, while, by way of a joke, they guessed what +everybody had come out for, and who they all were. + +"There is a fat cook with a basket under her arm, going to market," said +Harry. "Did you ever observe when Mrs. Marmalade comes home, she says to +grandmama, 'I have desired a leg of mutton to come here, my lady! and I +told a goose to be over also,' as if the leg of mutton and the goose +walked here, arm-in-arm, of themselves." + +"Look at those children, going to see the wild beasts," added Laura, +"and this little girl is on her way to buy a new frock. I am sure she +needs one! that old man is hurrying along because he is too late for the +mail-coach; and this lady with a gown like a yellow daffodil, is going +to take root in the Botanical Gardens!" + +"Uncle David! there is the very poorest boy I ever saw!" cried Harry, +turning eagerly round; "he has been standing in the cold here, for ten +minutes, looking the picture of misery! he wears no hat, and has pulled +his long lank hair to make a bow, about twenty times. Do come and look +at him! he is very pale, and his clothes seem to have been made before +he began to grow, for they are so much too small, and he is making us +many signs to open the window. May I do it?" + +"No! no! I never give to chance beggars of that kind, especially young +able-bodied fellows like that, because there are so many needy, +deserving people whom I visit, who worked as long as they could, and +whom I know to be sober and honest. Most of the money we scatter to +street beggars goes straight to the gin-shop, and even the very youngest +children will buy or steal, to get the means of becoming intoxicated. +Only last week, Harry, the landlord of an ale-house at Portobello was +seen at the head of a long table, surrounded with ragged beggar boys +about twelve or fourteen years of age, who were all perfectly drunk, and +probably your friend there might be of the party." + +"Oh no! uncle David! this boy seems quite sober and exceedingly clean, +though he is so very poor!" replied Laura; "his black trowsers are +patched and repatched, his jacket has faded into fifty colours, and his +shoes are mended in every direction, but still he looks almost +respectable. His face is so thin you might use it for a hatchet. I wish +you would take one little peep, for he seems so anxious to speak to us." + +"I daresay that! we all know what the youngster has to tell! Probably a +wife and six small children at home, or, if you like it better, he will +be a shipwrecked sailor at your service. I know the whole affair +already; but if you have sixpence to spare, Laura, come with me after +breakfast, and we shall bestow it on poor blind Mrs. Wilkie, who has +been bed-ridden for the last ten years; or old paralytic Jemmy Dixon the +porter, who worked hard as long as he was able. If you had twenty more +sixpences, I could tell you of twenty more people who deserve them as +much." + +"Very true," added Lady Harriet. "Street beggars, who are young and able +to work, like that boy, it is cruelty to encourage. Parents bring up +their children in profligate idleness, hoping to gain more money by +lying and cheating, than by honest industry, and they too often succeed, +especially when the wicked mothers also starve and disfigure these poor +creatures, to excite more compassion. We must relieve real distress, +Harry, and search for it as we would for hidden treasures, because thus +we show our love to God and man; but a large purse with easy strings +will do more harm than good." + +"Do you remember, Frank, how long I suspected that old John Davidson was +imposing upon me?" said Major Graham. "He told such a dismal story +always, that I never liked to refuse him some assistance; but yesterday, +when he was here, the thought struck me by chance to say, 'What a fine +supper you had last night, John!' You should have seen the start he +gave, and his look of consternation, when he answered, 'Eh, Sir! how did +ye hear of that! We got the turkey very cheap, and none of us took more +than two glasses of toddy.'" + +"That boy is pointing to his pockets, and making more signs for us to +open the window!" exclaimed Laura. "What can it all mean! he seems so +very anxious!" + +Major Graham threw down his knife and fork--rose hastily from +breakfast--and flung open the window, calling out in rather a loud, +angry voice, "What do you want, you idle fellow? It is a perfect shame +to see you standing there all morning! Surely you don't mean to say that +an active youngster like you would disgrace yourself by begging?" + +"No, Sir! I want nothing!" answered the boy respectfully, but colouring +to the deepest scarlet. "I never asked for money in my life, and I never +will." + +"That's right, my good boy!" answered the Major, instantly changing his +tone. "What brings you here then?" + +"Please, Sir, your servants shut the door in my face, and every body is +so hasty like, that I don't know what to do. I can't be listened to for +a minute, though I have got something very particular to say, that some +one would be glad to hear." + +Major Graham now looked exceedingly vexed with himself, for having +spoken so roughly to the poor boy, who had a thoughtful, mild, but +care-worn countenance, which was extremely interesting, while his manner +seemed better than his dress. + +Frank was despatched, as a most willing messenger, to bring the young +stranger up stairs, while uncle David told Harry that he would take this +as a lesson to himself ever afterwards, not to judge hastily from +appearances, because it was impossible for any one to guess what might +be in the mind of another; and he began to hope this boy, who was so +civil and well-spoken, might yet turn out to be a proper, industrious +little fellow. + +"Well, my lad! Is there anything I can do for you?" asked Major Graham, +when Frank led him kindly into the room. "What is your name?" + +"Evan Mackay, at your service. Please, Sir, did you lose a pocket-book +last Thursday, with your name on the back, and nine gold sovereigns +inside?" + +"Yes! that I did, to my cost! Have you heard anything of it?" + +The boy silently drew a parcel from his pocket, and without looking up +or speaking, he modestly placed it on the table, then colouring very +deeply, he turned away, and hurried towards the door. In another minute +he would have been off, but Frank sprung forward and took hold of his +arm, saying, in the kindest possible manner, "Stop, Evan! Stop a moment! +That parcel seems to contain all my uncle's money. Where did you get it? +Who sent it here?" + +"I brought it, Sir! The direction is on the pocket-book, so there could +be no mistake." + +"Did you find it yourself then?" + +"Yes! it was lying in the street that night when I ran for a Doctor to +see my mother, who is dying. She told me now to come back directly, Sir, +so I must be going." + +"But let us give you something for being so honest," said Frank. "You +are a fine fellow, and you deserve to be well rewarded." + +"I only did my duty, Sir. Mother always says we should do right for +conscience' sake, and not for a reward." + +"Yes! but you are justly entitled to this," said Major Graham, taking a +sovereign out of the purse. "I shall do more for you yet, but in the +meantime here is what you have honestly earned to-day." + +"If I thought so, Sir,"----said the poor boy, looking wistfully at the +glittering coin. "If I was quite sure there could be no harm----, but I +must speak first to mother about it, Sir! She has seen better days once, +and she is sadly afraid of my ever taking charity. Mother mends my +clothes, and teaches me herself, and works very hard in other ways, but +she is quite bed-ridden, and we have scarcely anything but the trifle I +make by working in the fields. It is very difficult to get a job at all +sometimes, and if you could put me in the way of earning that money, +Sir, it would make mother very happy. She is a little particular, and +would not taste a morsel that I could get by asking for it." + +"That is being very proud!" said Harry. + +"No, Sir! it is not from pride," replied Evan; "but mother says a +merciful God has provided for her many years, and she will not begin to +distrust Him now. Her hands are always busy, and her heart is always +cheerful. She rears many little plants by her bedside, which we sell, +and she teaches a neighbour's children, besides sewing for any one who +will employ her, for mother's maxim always was, that there can be no +such thing as an idle Christian." + +"Very true!" said Lady Harriet. "Even the apostles were mending their +nets and labouring hard, whenever they were not teaching. Either the +body or the mind should always be active." + +"If you saw mother, that is exactly her way, for she does not eat the +bread of idleness. Were a stranger to offer us a blanket or a dinner in +charity, she would rather go without any than take it. A very kind lady +brought her a gown one day, but mother would only have it if she were +allowed to knit as many stockings as would pay for the stuff. I dare not +take a penny more for my work than is due, for she says, if once I begin +receiving alms, I might get accustomed to it." + +"That is the good old Scotch feeling of former days," observed Major +Graham. "It was sometimes carried too far then, but there is not enough +of it now. Your mother should have lived fifty years ago." + +"You may say so, indeed, Sir! We never had a drop of broth from the +soup-kitchen all winter, and many a day we shivered without a fire, +though the society offered her sixpence a-week for coals, but she says +'the given morsel is soon done;' and now, many of our neighbours who +wasted what they got, feel worse off than we, who are accustomed to +suffer want, and to live upon our honest labour. Long ago, if mother +went out to tea with any of our neighbours, she always took her own tea +along with us." + +"But that is being prouder than anybody else," observed Frank, smiling. +"If my grandmama goes out to a tea-party, she allows her friends to +provide the fare." + +"Very likely, Sir! but that is different when people can give as good as +they get. Last week a kind neighbour sent us some nice loaf bread, but +mother made me take it back, with her best thanks, and she preferred our +own oat cake. She is more ready to give than to take, Sir, and divides +her last bannock, sometimes, with anybody who is worse off than +ourselves." + +"Poor fellow!" said Frank, compassionately; "how much you must often +have suffered!" + +"Suffered!" said the boy, with sudden emotion. "Yes! I have suffered! It +matters nothing to be clothed in rags,--to be cold and hungry now! There +are worse trials than that! My father died last year, crushed to death +in a moment by his own cart-wheels,--my brothers and sisters have all +gone to the grave, scarcely able to afford the medicines that might have +cured them,--and I am left alone with my poor dying mother. It is a +comfort that life is not very long, and we may trust all to God while it +lasts." + +"Could you take us to see Mrs. Mackay?" said Major Graham, kindly. +"Laura, get your bonnet." + +"Oh, Sir! that young lady could not stay half a minute in the place +where my poor mother lives now. It is not a pretty cottage such as we +read of in tracts, but a dark cold room, up a high stair, in the +narrowest lane you ever saw, with nothing to sit on but an old chest." + +"Never mind that, Evan," replied Major Graham. "You and your mother have +a spirit of honour and honesty that might shame many who are lying on +sofas of silk and damask. I respect her, and shall assist you if it be +possible. Show us the way." + +Many dirty closes and narrow alleys were threaded by the whole party, +before they reached a dark ruinous staircase, where Evan paused and +looked round, to see whether Major Graham still approached. He then +slowly mounted one flight of ancient crumbling steps after another, +lighted by patched and broken windows, till at last they arrived at a +narrow wooden flight, perfectly dark. After groping to the summit, they +perceived a time-worn door, the latch of which was gently lifted by +Evan, who stole noiselessly into the room, followed by uncle David and +the wondering children. + +There, a large cold room, nearly empty, but exceedingly clean, presented +itself to their notice. In one corner stood a massive old chest of +carved oak, surrounded with a perfect glow of geraniums and myrtles in +full blossom; beside which were arranged a large antique Bible, a jug of +cold water, and a pile of coarsely-knitted worsted stockings. Beyond +these, on a bed of clean straw, lay a tall, emaciated old woman, +apparently in the last stage of life, with a face haggard by suffering; +and yet her thin, withered hands were busily occupied with needle-work, +while, in low, faltering tones, she chanted these words, + + "When from the dust of death I rise, + To claim my mansion in the skies, + This, this shall be my only plea, + Jesus has liv'd and died for me." + +"Mother!" said Evan, wishing to arouse her attention. "Look, mother!" + +"Good day, Mrs. Mackay," added Major Graham, in a voice of great +consideration, while she languidly turned her head towards the door. "I +have come to thank you for restoring my purse this morning." + +"You are kindly welcome, Sir! What else could we do!" replied she, in a +feeble, tremulous voice. "The money was yours, and the sooner it went +out of our hands the better." + +"It was perfectly safe while it stayed there," added Major Graham, not +affecting to speak in a homely accent, nor putting on any airs of +condescension at all, but sitting down on the old chest as if he had +never sat on any thing but a chest in his life before, and looking at +the clean bare floor with as much respect as if it had been a Turkey +carpet. "Your little boy's pocket seems to be as safe as the Bank of +Scotland." + +"That is very true, Sir! My boy is honest; and it is well to keep a good +conscience, as that is all he has in this world to live for. Many have a +heavy conscience to carry with a heavy purse; but these he need not +envy. If we are poor in this world, we are rich in faith; and I trust +the money was not even a temptation to Evan, because he has learned from +the best of all teachers, that it would 'profit him nothing to gain the +whole world, and lose his own soul.'" + +"True, Mrs. Mackay! most true! We have come here this morning to request +that you and he will do me the favour to accept of a small recompense." + +"We are already rewarded, Sir! This has been an opportunity of +testifying to our own hearts that we desire to do right in the eye of +God. At the same time, it was Providence who kindly directed my son's +steps to the place where that money was lying; and if anything seems +justly due to poor Evan, let him have it. My wants are few, and must +soon be ended. But oh! when I look at that boy, and think of the long +years he may be struggling with poverty and temptation, my heart melts +within me, and my whole spirit is broken. Faith itself seems to fail, +and I could be a beggar for him now! It is not money I would ask, Sir, +because that might soon be spent; but get him some honest employment, +and I will thank you on my very knees." + +Evan seemed startled at the sudden energy of his mother's manner, and +tears sprung into his eyes while she spoke with a degree of agitation so +different from what he had ever heard before; but he struggled to +conceal his feelings, and she continued with increasing emotion, + +"Bodily suffering, and many a year of care and sorrow, are fast closing +their work on me. The moments are passing away like a weaver's shuttle; +and if I had less anxiety about Evan, how blessed a prospect it would +appear; but that is the bitterness of death to me now. My poor, poor +boy! I would rather hear he was in the way of earning his livelihood, +than that he got a hundred a-year. Tell me, Sir!--and oh! consider you +are speaking to a dying creature--can you possibly give him any +creditable employment, where he might gain a crust of bread, and be +independent?" + +"I honour your very proper feeling on the subject, Mrs. Mackay, and +shall help Evan to the best of my ability," replied Major Graham, in a +tone of seriousness and sincerity. "To judge by these fine geraniums, he +must be fond of cultivating plants; and we want an under-gardener in the +country; therefore he shall have that situation without loss of time." + +"Oh, mother! mother! speak no more of dying! You will surely get better +now!" said Evan, looking up, while his thin pale face assumed a +momentary glow of pleasure. "Try now to get better! I never could work +as well, if you were not waiting to see me come home! We shall be so +happy now!" + +"Yes! I am happy!" said Mrs. Mackay, solemnly looking towards heaven, +with an expression that could not be mistaken. "The last cord is cut +that bound me to the earth; and may you, Sir, find hereafter the +blessings that are promised to those who visit the fatherless and widows +in their affliction." + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +THE YOUNG MIDSHIPMAN. + + When hands are link'd that dread to part, + And heart is met by throbbing heart; + Oh! bitter, bitter is the smart + Of them that bid farewell. + + Heber. + + +Next Monday morning, at an early hour, Frank had again found his way +with great difficulty to the house of Widow Mackay, where he spent all +his pocket money on two fine scarlet geraniums. If they had been nettles +or cabbages, he would have felt the same pleasure in buying them; and +his eyes sparkled with animation when he entered uncle David's room, +carrying them in his hand, and saying, "I was so glad to have some +money! I could spare it quite well. There is no greater pleasure in +being rich than to help such poor people as Evan Mackay and his poor +sick mother!" + +"Yes, Frank, I often wonder that any enjoyment of wealth can be +considered equal to the exercise of kind feelings, for surely the most +delightful sensation in this world is, to deserve and receive the +grateful affection of those around us," replied Major Graham. "What a +wretched being Robinson Crusoe was on the desert island alone, though he +found chests of gold, and yet many people are as unblessed in the midst +of society, who selfishly hoard fortunes for themselves, unmindful of +the many around who ought to be gratefully receiving their daily +benefits." + +"I was laughing to read lately of the West India slaves, who collected +money all their lives in an old stocking," said Frank, "and who watched +with delight as it filled from year to year; but the bank is only a +great stocking, where misers in this country lay up treasures for +themselves which they are never to enjoy, though too often they lay up +no treasures for themselves in a better world." + +"I frequently think, Frank, if all men were as liberal, kind, and +forbearing to each other as the Holy Scriptures enjoin, and if we lived +as soberly, temperately, and godly together, what a paradise this world +would become, for many of our worst sufferings are brought on by our own +folly, or the unkindness of others. And certainly, if we wished to fancy +the wretchedness of hell itself, it would only be necessary to imagine +what the earth would become if all fear of God and man were removed, and +every person lived as his own angry, selfish passions would dictate. +Great are the blessings we owe to Christianity, for making the world +even what it is now, and yet greater would those blessings be, if we +obeyed it better." + +"That is exactly what grandmama says, and that we must attend to the +Gospel from love and gratitude to God, rather than from fear of +punishment or hope of reward, which is precisely what we saw in poor +widow Mackay and Evan, who seemed scarcely to expect a recompense for +behaving so honestly." + +"That was the more remarkable in them, as few Christians now are above +receiving a public recompense for doing their duty to God. Men of the +world have long rewarded each other with public dinners and pieces of +plate, to express the utmost praise and admiration, but of late I never +open a newspaper without reading accounts of one clergyman or another, +who has been 'honoured with a public breakfast!' when he is presented +by an admiring circle with 'a gold watch and appendages!' or a Bible +with a complimentary inscription, or a gown, or a pair of bands, worked +by the ladies of his congregation! and all this, for labouring among his +own people, in his own sphere of duty! What would Archbishop Leighton +and the old divines have said to any one who attempted to rouse their +vanity in this way, with the praise of men?" + +"What you say reminds me, uncle David," said Frank, "that we have been +asked to present our Universal-Knowledge-Master with a silver snuff-box, +as a testimonial from the scholars in my class, because he is going soon +to Van Dieman's Land, therefore I hope you will give me half-a-crown to +subscribe, or I shall be quite in disgrace with him." + +"Not one shilling shall you receive from me, my good friend, for any +such purpose! a snuff-box, indeed! your master ought to show his +scholars an example of using none! a filthy waste of health, money, and +time. Such testimonials should only be given, as Archbishop Magee says, +to persons who have got into some scrape, which makes their +respectability doubtful. If my grocer is ever publicly presented with a +pair of silver sugar tongs, I shall think he has been accused of +adulterating the sugar, and give over employing him directly." + +"Laura," said Frank, "you will be having a silver thimble voted to you +for hemming six pocket-handkerchiefs in six years!" + +"I know one clergyman, Dr. Seton, who conscientiously refused a piece of +plate, which was about to be presented in this way," continued Major +Graham; "he accidentally heard that such a subscription was begun among +the rich members of his congregation, and instantly stopped it, saying, +'Let your testimonial consist in a regular attendance at church, and let +my sole reward be enjoyed hereafter, when you appear as my crown of joy +and rejoicing in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming.'" + +Sir Edward Graham's particular friend, Captain Gordon, at last wrote to +say, that the Thunderbolt, 74, having been put in commission for three +years, was about to sail for the African station, therefore he wished +Frank to join without delay; and as a farther mark of his regard, he +promised that he would endeavour to keep his young protege employed +until he had served out his time, because a midshipman once paid off, +was like a stranded whale, not very easily set afloat again. + +Lady Harriet sighed when she read the letter, and looked paler all that +day, but she knew that it was right and necessary for Frank to go, +therefore she said nothing to distress him on the occasion, only in her +prayers and explanations of the Bible that evening, there was a deeper +tone of feeling than ever, and a cast of melancholy, which had rarely +been the case before, while he spoke much of that meeting in a better +world, which is the surest hope and consolation of those Christians who +separate on earth, and who know not what a day, and still less what many +years, may bring forth. + +Major Graham tried to put a cheerful face on the matter also, though he +evidently felt very sorry indeed about parting with Frank, and took him +out a long walk to discuss his future prospects, saying, "Now you are an +officer and a gentleman, entitled therefore to be treated with new +respect and attention, by all your brother officers, naval or military, +in his Majesty's service." + +Frank himself, being a boy of great spirit and enterprize, felt glad +that the time had really come for his being afloat, and examining all +the world over with his own eyes; but he said that his heart seemed as +if it had been put in a swing, it fell so low when he thought of leaving +his dear happy home, and then it rose again higher than ever at the very +idea of being launched on the wide ocean, and going to the countries he +had so often read of, where battles had been fought and victories won. + +"Frank!" said Peter Grey, who was going to join the Thunderbolt, in +about a fortnight afterwards, "you have no idea how beautiful I looked +in uniform to-day! I tried mine on, and felt so impatient to use my +dirk, I could have eat my dinner with it, instead of employing a common +knife." + +"You never forget to be hungry, Peter," said Frank, laughing. "But now +you are like the old Lord Buchan, who used to say he could cook his +porridge in his helmet, and stir it with his broad-sword." + +"I hope," said Major Graham, "you both intend to become very +distinguished officers, and to leave a name at which the world grows +pale." + +"Certainly," answered Peter. "All the old heroes we read of shall be +mere nobodies compared to me! I mean to lose a leg or an arm in every +battle,"---- + +"Till nothing is left of you but your shirt-collar and shoe-strings," +interrupted Frank, laughing. + +"No! No! What remains of me at last shall die a Peer of the realm," +continued Peter. "We must climb to the top of the tree, Frank! What +title do you think I should take?" + +"Lord Cockpit would suit you best for some time, Peter! It will not be +so easy a business to rise as you think. Every one can run a race, but +very few can win," observed Major Graham. "The rarest thing on earth is +to succeed in being both conspicuous and respectable. Any dunce may +easily be either the one or the other, but the chief puzzle with most +men is, how to be both. In your profession there are great +opportunities, but at the same time let me warn you, that the sea is not +a bed of roses." + +"No, uncle David! but I hope it will become a field of laurels to us," +replied Frank, laughing. "Now tell me in real earnest who you think was +the greatest of our naval heroes till now, when Peter is to cut them all +out." + +"He must wait a few years. It is a long ladder to run up before reaching +the top. In France, the king's sons are all born Field Marshals, but +nobody in this country is born an Admiral. The great Lord Duncan served +during half-a-century before gaining his most important victory, but +previous to that, he paved the way to success, not by mere animal +courage alone, but by being so truly good and religious a man, that his +extraordinary firmness and benevolence of character gained the +confidence and respect of all those who served with him, and therefore +half his success in battle was owing to his admirable conduct during +peace." + +"So I have heard!" replied Frank; "and when there was mutiny in every +other ship, the Admiral's own crew remained faithful to him. How much +better it is to be obeyed from respect and attachment than from fear, +which is a mean feeling that I hope neither to feel myself, nor to +excite in others. I wish to be like Nelson, who asked, 'What is fear? I +never saw it.'" + +"Yes, Frank! Nelson was said to be 'brave as a lion, and gentle as a +lamb.' Certainly both he and Lord Duncan were pre-eminently great; but +neither Lord Duncan, nor any other enlightened Christian, would have +said what Lord Nelson did, with his latent breath--'I have not been a +great sinner!' No mortal could lift up his eyes at the day of judgment, +and repeat those words again; for every man that breathes the breath of +life is a great sinner. We are living in God's own world without +remembering him, continually; and amidst thousands of blessings we +disobey him. The chief purpose for which men are created, is to glorify +God, and to prepare for entering his presence in a better world; but +instead of doing so, we live as if there were no other object to live +for, than our own pleasures and amusements on earth. How, then, can we +be otherwise than great sinners? I hope, Frank, that you will endeavour +to be, like Lord Duncan, not merely a good officer, but also a good +Christian; for, besides fighting the battles of your country, you must +gain a great victory over yourself, as all men must either conquer their +own evil dispositions, or perish for ever." + +Lady Harriet was particularly earnest in entreating Frank to write +frequently home; observing, that she considered it a religious duty in +all children, to shew their parents this attention, as the Bible says +that "a wise son maketh a glad father," and that "the father of the +righteous shall greatly rejoice;" but on the contrary, too many young +persons leave their parents to mourn in suspense and anxiety, as to the +health and happiness of those whom they love more than they can ever +love any one else. + +"Tell us of every thing that interests you, and even all about the +spouting whales, flying fish, and dying dolphins, which you will of +course see," said Laura. "Be sure to write us also, how many albatrosses +you shoot, and whether you are duly introduced to Neptune at the Cape." + +"Yes, Laura! but Bishop Heber's Journal, or any other book describing a +voyage to the Cape, mentions exactly the same thing. It will quite bring +me home again when I speak to you all on paper; and I shall be able to +fancy what everybody will say when my letter is read. Mrs. Darwin sent +for me this morning on particular business; and it was to say that she +wished me, in all the strange countries where the Thunderbolt touched, +to employ my spare moments in chasing butterflies, that as many as +possible might be added to her museum." + +"Capital! How like Mrs. Darwin!" exclaimed Major Graham, laughing. "You +will of course be running all over Africa, hat in hand, pursuing painted +butterflies, till you get a _coup de soleil_, like my friend Watson, who +was killed by one. Poor fellow! I was with him then, and it was a +frightful scene. He wheeled round several times, in a sort of +convulsion, till he dropped down dead in my arms." + +"I shall gild the legs and bills of some ducks before leaving home, and +send them to her as a present from Sierra Leone," said Peter. "The wings +might be died scarlet, which would look quite foreign; and if an +elephant falls in my way, it shall be stuffed and forwarded by express." + +"Uncle David! Do you remember what fun we had, when you sent Mrs. Darwin +that stuffed bear in a present! I was desired to announce that a +foreigner of distinction had arrived to stay at her house. What a bustle +she was in on hearing that he brought letters of introduction from you, +and intended to remain some time. Then we told her that he could not +speak a word of English, and brought 'a Pole' with him; besides which he +had once been a great dancer. Oh! how amusing it was, when she at last +ventured into the passage to be introduced, and saw her fine stuffed +bear." + +"Whatever people collect," said Peter, "every good-natured person +assists. I mean to begin a collection of crooked sixpences immediately; +therefore, pray never spend another, but give me as many as you can +spare; and the more crooked the better." + +"Sing a song a sixpence!" said Frank, laughing. "Laura should begin to +collect diamonds for a necklace, and perhaps it might be all ready +before she comes out. I shall return home on purpose to see you then, +Laura." + +"Pray do, Master Frank," said Mrs. Crabtree, with more than usual +kindness; "we shall have great rejoicings on the occasion of seeing you +back--an ox roasted alive, as they do in England, and all them sort of +Tom-fooleries. I'll dance a jig then myself for joy--you certainly are a +wonderful good boy, considering that I had not the managing of you." + +Frank's departure was delayed till after the examination of his school, +because Mr. Lexicon had requested that, being the best scholar there, he +might remain to receive a whole library of prize-books, and a whole +pocketful of medals; for, as Peter remarked, "Frank Graham deserved any +reward, because he learned his lessons so perfectly, that he could not +say them wrong even if he wished!" + +Harry and Laura were allowed to attend on the great occasion, that they +might witness Frank's success; and never, certainly, had they seen any +thing so grand in their lives before! A hundred and forty boys, all +dressed in white trowsers and yellow gloves, were seated in rows, +opposite to six grave learned-looking gentlemen, in wigs and spectacles, +who seemed as if they would condemn all the scholars to death! + +The colour mounted into Harry's cheeks with delight, and the tears +rushed into his eyes, when he saw Frank, whose face was radiant with +good-humour and happiness, take his place as head boy in the school. All +his companions had crowded round Frank as he entered, knowing that this +was his last appearance in the class; while he spoke a merry or a kind +word to each, leaning on the shoulder of one, and grasping the hand of +another with cordial kindness, for he liked everybody, and everybody +liked him. No one envied Frank being dux, because they knew how hard he +worked for that place, and how anxious he had been to help every other +boy in learning as cleverly as himself; for all the boobies would have +become duxes if Frank could have assisted them to rise, while many an +idler had been made busy by his attention and advice. No boy ever +received, in one day, more presents than Frank did on this occasion from +his young friends, who spent all their pocket-money in pen-knives and +pencil-cases, which were to be kept by Frank, in remembrance of them, as +long as he lived; and some of his companions had a tear in their eye on +bidding him farewell, which pleased him more than all their gifts. + +Major Graham took his place, with more gravity than usual, among the +judges appointed to distribute the prizes; and now, during more than +two hours, the most puzzling questions that could be invented were put +to every scholar in succession, while Frank seemed always ready with an +answer, and not only spoke for himself, but often good-naturedly +prompted his neighbours, in so low a tone that no one else heard him. +His eyes brightened, and his face grew red with anxiety, while even his +voice shook at first; but before long Frank collected all his wits about +him, and could construe Latin or repeat Greek with perfect ease, till at +length the whole examination concluded, and the great Dr. Clifford, who +had lately come all the way from Oxford, was requested to present the +prizes. Upon this he rose majestically from his arm-chair, and made a +long speech, filled as full as it could hold with Latin and Greek. He +praised Homer and Horace for nearly twenty minutes, and brought in +several lines from Virgil, after which he turned to Frank, saying, in a +tone of great kindness and condescension, though at the same time +exceedingly pompous, + +"It seems almost a pity that this young gentleman--already so very +accomplished a scholar--who is, I may say, a perfect _multum in parvo_, +should prematurely pause in his classical career to enter the navy; but +in every situation of life his extraordinary activity of mind, good +temper, courage and ability, must render him an honour to his country +and his profession." + +Dr. Clifford now glanced over the list of prizes, and read aloud--"First +prize for Greek--Master Graham!" + +Frank walked gracefully forward, coloured and bowed, while a few words +of approbation were said to him, and a splendidly-bound copy of +Euripides was put into his hands by Dr. Clifford, who then hastily read +over the catalogue of prizes to himself, in an audible voice, and in a +tone of great surprise. + +"First prize for Latin!--Master Graham! First for algebra,--first for +geography,--first for mathematics,--all Master Graham!!!--and last, not +least, a medal for general good conduct, which the boys are allowed to +bestow upon the scholar they think most deserving,--and here stands the +name of Master Graham again!!" + +Dr. Clifford paused, while the boys all stood up for a moment and +clapped their hands with enthusiasm, as a token of rejoicing at the +destination of their own medal. + +For the first time Frank was now completely overcome,--he coloured more +deeply than before, and looked gratefully round, first at his +companions, then at his master, and last at Major Graham, who had a tear +standing in his eye when he smiled upon Frank, and held out his hand. + +Frank's lip quivered for a moment, as if he would burst into tears, but +with a strong effort he recovered himself, and affectionately grasping +his uncle's hand, hastily resumed his place on the bench, to remain +there while his companions received the smaller prizes awarded to them. + +Meanwhile, Harry had been watching Frank with a feeling of joy and +pride, such as he never experienced before, and could scarcely refrain +from saying to every person near him, "That is my brother!" He looked at +Frank long and earnestly, wishing to be like him, and resolving to +follow his good example at school. He gazed again and again, with new +feelings of pleasure and admiration, till gradually his thoughts became +melancholy, while remembering how soon they must be separated; and +suddenly the terrible idea darted into his mind, "Perhaps we never may +meet again!" Harry tried not to think of this; he turned his thoughts to +other subjects; he forced himself to look at anything that was going on, +but still these words returned with mournful apprehension to his heart, +"Perhaps we never may meet again!" + +Frank's first action, after the examination had been concluded, was +hastily to gather up all his books, and bring a sight of them to Harry +and Laura; but what was his astonishment when, instead of looking at +the prizes, Harry suddenly threw his arms round his neck, and burst into +tears. + +"My dear--dear boy! what has happened!" exclaimed Frank, affectionately +embracing him, and looking much surprised. "Tell me, dear Harry, has any +thing distressed you?" + +"I don't know very well, Frank! but you are going away,--and--and--I +wish I had been a better boy! I would do any thing you bid me now!--but +I shall never be so happy again--no! never, without you!" + +"But, dear Harry! you will have Laura and grandmama, and uncle David, +all left, and I am coming back some day! Oh! what a happy meeting we +shall have then!" said Frank, while the tears stood in his eyes; and +drawing Harry's arm within his own, they walked slowly away together. + +"I am very--very anxious for you and Laura to be happy," continued +Frank, in the kindest manner; "but, dear Harry, will you not take more +care to do as you are bid, and not always to prefer doing what you like! +Mrs. Crabtree would not be half so terrible if you did not provoke her +by some new tricks every day. I almost like her myself; for as the old +proverb says, 'her bark is worse than her bite;' and she often reminds +me of that funny old fable, where the mice were more afraid of the loud, +fierce-looking cock, than of the sleek, smooth-looking cat, for there +are people carrying gentler tongues yet quite as difficult to deal with. +At the same time, seeing how uncomfortable you and Laura both feel with +Mrs. Crabtree, I have written a letter to papa, asking, as my last and +only request on leaving home, that he will make a change of ministry, +and he is always so very kind, that I feel sure he will grant it." + +"How good of you, Frank!" said Harry. "I am sure it is our own faults +very often when we are in disgrace, for we are seldom punished till we +deserve it; but I am so sorry you are going away, that I can think of +nothing else." + +"So am I, very sorry indeed; but my best comfort, when far from home, +would be, to think that you and Laura are happy, which will be the case +when you become more watchful to please grandmama." + +"That is very true, Frank! and I would rather offend twenty Mrs. +Crabtrees than one grandmama; but perhaps uncle David may send me to +school now, when I shall try to be like you, sitting at the top of the +class, and getting prizes for good behaviour." + +"Well, Harry! my pleasantest days at school have been those when I was +busiest, and you will find the same thing. How delightful it was, going +over and over my tasks till they were quite perfect, and then rushing +out to the play-ground, where my mind got a rest, while my body was +active; you know it is seldom that both mind and body work at once, and +the best way of resting the one is, to make the other labour. That is +probably the reason, Harry, why games are never half so pleasant as +after hard study." + +"Perhaps," replied Harry, doubtfully; "but I always hate any thing that +I am obliged to do." + +"Then never be a sailor, as I shall be obliged to do fifty things a-day +that I would rather not; for instance, to get up in the middle of the +night, when very likely dreaming about being at home again; but, as +grandmama says, it is pleasant to have some duties, for life would not +get on well without them." + +"Yes--perhaps--I don't know!--we could find plenty to do ourselves, +without anybody telling us. I should like to-morrow, to watch the boys +playing at cricket, and to see the races, and the Diorama, and in the +evening to shoot our bows and arrows." + +"My good Sir! what the better would you, or anybody else, be of such a +life as that! Not a thing in this world is made to be useless, Harry; +the very weeds that grow in the ground are for some serviceable purpose, +and you would not wish to be the only creature on earth living entirely +for yourself. It would be better if neither of us had ever been born, +than that the time and opportunities which God gives us for improving +ourselves and doing good to others, should all be wasted. Let me hope, +Harry, when I am away, that you will often consider how dull grandmama +may then feel, and how happy you might make her by being very attentive +and obedient." + +"Yes, Frank! but I could never fill your place!--that is quite +impossible! Nobody can do that!" + +"Try!--only try, Harry! grandmama is very easily pleased when people do +their best. She would not have felt so well satisfied with me, if that +had not been the case." + +"Frank!" said Harry, sorrowfully, "I feel as if ten brothers were going +away instead of one, for you are so good to me! I shall be sure to +mention you in my prayers, because that is all I can do for you now." + +"Not all, Harry! though that is a great deal; you must write to me +often, and tell me what makes you happy or unhappy, for I shall be more +interested than ever, now that we are separated. Tell me everything +about my school-fellows, too, and about Laura. There is no corner of the +wide world where I shall not think of you both every day, and feel +anxious about the very least thing that concerns you." + +"My dear boys!" said Major Graham, who had joined them some moments +before, "it is fortunate that you have both lived always in the same +home, for that will make you love each other affectionately as long as +you live. In England, children of one family are all scattered to +different schools, without any one to care whether they are attached or +not, therefore their earliest and warmest friendships are formed with +strangers of the same age, whom they perhaps never see again, after +leaving school. In that case, brothers have no happy days of childhood +to talk over in future life, as you both have,--no little scrapes to +remember, that they got into together--no pleasures enjoyed at the same +moment to smile at the recollection of, and no friction of their tempers +in youth, such as makes every thing go on smoothly between brothers when +they grow older; therefore, when at last grown up and thrown together, +they scarcely feel more mutual friendship and intimacy than any other +gentlemen testify towards each other." + +"I dare say that is very true," said Frank. "Tom Brownlow tells me when +his three brothers come home from Eton, Harrow, and Durham, they quarrel +so excessively, that sometimes no two of them are on speaking terms." + +"Not at all improbable," observed Major Graham. "In every thing we see +how much better God's arrangements are than our own. Families were +intended to be like a little world in themselves--old people to govern +the young ones--young people to make their elders cheerful--grown-up +brothers and sisters to show their juniors a good example--and children +to be playthings and companions to their seniors, but that is all at an +end in the present system." + +"Old Andrew says that large families 'squander' themselves all over the +earth now," said Frank, laughing. + +"Yes! very young children are thrust into preparatory schools--older +boys go to distant academies--youths to College--and young men are +shipped off abroad, while who among them all can say his heart is in his +own home? Parents in the meantime, finding no occupation or amusement in +educating their children, begin writing books, perhaps theories of +education, or novels; and try to fill up the rest of their useless hours +with plays, operas, concerts, balls, or clubs. If people could only know +what is the best happiness of this life, it certainly depends on being +loved by those we belong to; for nothing can be called peace on earth, +which does not consist in family affection, built upon a strong +foundation of religion and morality." + +Sir Edward Graham felt very proud of Frank, as all gentlemen are of +their eldest sons, and wrote a most affectionate letter on the occasion +of his going to sea, promising to meet him at Portsmouth, and lamenting +that he still felt so ill and melancholy he could not return home, but +meant to try whether the baths in Germany would do him any good. In this +letter was enclosed what he called "Frank's first prize-money," the +largest sum the young midshipman had ever seen in his life, and before +it had been a day in his possession, more than the half was spent on +presents to his friends. Not a single person seemed to be forgotten +except himself; for Frank was so completely unselfish, that Peter Grey +once laughingly said, "Frank scarcely remembers there is such a person +as himself in the world, therefore it is astonishing how he contrives to +exist at all." + +"If that be his worst fault, you shew him a very opposite example, +Peter," said Major Graham, smiling; "number one is a great favourite +with you." + +"Frank is also very obliging!" added Lady Harriet; "he would do anything +for any body." + +"Ah, poor fellow! he can't help that," said Peter, in a tone of pity. +"Some people are born with that sort of desperate activity--flying to +assist every one--running up stairs for whatever is wanted--searching +for whatever is lost--and picking up whatever has been dropped. I have +seen several others like Frank, who were troubled with that sort of +turn. He is indulging his own inclination in flying about everywhere for +everybody, as much as I do in sitting still!--it is all nature!--you +know tastes differ, for some people like apples and some like onions." + +Frank had a black shade of himself, drawn in uniform and put into a +gilt frame, all for one shilling, which he presented to his grandmama, +who looked sadly at the likeness when he came smiling into her +dressing-room, and calling Harry to assist in knocking a nail into the +wall, that it might be hung above the chimney-piece. "I need nothing to +remind me of you, dear Frank," observed Lady Harriet, "and this is a sad +exchange, the shadow for the substance." Frank gave a handsome new red +morocco spectacle-case to uncle David, and asked leave to carry away the +old one with him as a remembrance. He bought gowns for all the maids, +and books for all the men-servants. He presented Mrs. Crabtree with an +elegant set of tea-cups and saucers, promising to send her a box of tea +the first time he went to China; and for Laura and Harry he produced a +magnificent magic lanthorn, representing all the stars and planets, +which cost him several guineas. It was exhibited the evening before +Frank went away, and caused great entertainment to a large party of his +companions, who assembled at tea to take leave of him, on which occasion +Peter Grey made a funny speech, proposing Frank's health in a bumper of +bohea, when the whole party became very merry, and did not disperse till +ten. + +Major Graham intended accompanying Frank to Portsmouth, and they were to +set off by the mail next evening. That day was a sad one to Harry and +Laura, who were allowed a whole holiday; but not a sound of merriment +was heard in the house, except when Frank tried to make them cheerful, +by planning what was to be done after he came back, or when Major Graham +invented droll stories about the adventures Frank would probably meet +with at sea. Even Mrs. Crabtree looked more grave and cross than usual; +and she brought Frank a present of a needle-case made with her own +hands, and filled with thread of every kind, saying, that she heard all +"midshipmites" learned to mend their things, and keep them decent, which +was an excellent custom, and ought to be encouraged; but she hoped he +would remember, that "a stitch in time saves nine." + +Lady Harriet stayed most of that day in her dressing-room, and tried to +conceal the traces of many tears when she did appear; but it was only +too evident how sadly her time had been passed alone. + +"Grandmama!" said Frank, taking her hand affectionately, and trying to +look cheerful; "we shall meet again; perhaps very soon!" + +Lady Harriet silently laid her hand upon the Bible, to show that there +she found the certain assurance of another meeting in a better world; +but she looked at Frank with melancholy affection, and added, very +solemnly and emphatically, + + "'There is no union here of hearts, + That finds not here an end.'" + +"But, grandmama! you are not so very old!" exclaimed Laura, earnestly. +"Lord Rockville was born ten years sooner, and besides, young people +sometimes die before older people." + +"Yes, Laura! young people may die, but old people must. It is not +possible that this feeble aged frame of mine can long remain in the +visible world. 'The eye of him that hath seen me shall me no more.' I +have many more friends under the earth now, than on it. The streets of +this city would be crowded, if all those I once knew and still remember, +could be revived; but my turn is fast coming, like theirs, and Frank +knows, as all of you do, where it is my hope and prayer that we may +certainly meet again." + +"Grandmama!" said Frank, in a low and broken voice, "it wants but an +hour to the time of my departure; I should like much if the servants +were to come up now for family prayers and if uncle David would read us +the 14th chapter of St. John." + +Lady Harriet rung the bell, and before long the whole household had +assembled, as not one would have been absent on the night of Master +Frank's departure from home, which all were deeply grieved at, and even +Mrs. Crabtree dashed a tear from her cheek as she entered the room. + +Frank sat with his hand in Lady Harriet's, while Major Graham read the +beautiful and comforting chapter which had been selected, and when the +whole family kneeled in solemn prayer together, many a deep sob, which +could not be conquered, was heard from Frank himself. After all was +over, he approached the servants, and silently shook hands with each, +but could not attempt to speak; after which Lady Harriet led him to her +dressing-room, where they remained some time, till, the carriage having +arrived, Frank hastened into the drawing-room, clasped Harry and Laura +in his arms, and having, in a voice choked with grief, bid them both a +long farewell, he hurried out of their presence. + +When the door closed, something seemed to fall heavily on the ground, +but this scarcely attracted any one's attention, till Major Graham +followed Frank, and was shocked to find him lying on the staircase +perfectly insensible. Instead of calling for assistance, however, uncle +David carefully lifted Frank in his own arms, and carried him to the +carriage, where, after a few moments, the fresh air, and the rapid +motion revived his recollection, and he burst into tears. + +"Poor grandmama! and Harry and Laura!" cried he, weeping convulsively. +"Oh! when shall I see them all again!" + +"My dear boy!" said Major Graham, trying to be cheerful; "do you think +nobody ever left home before? One would suppose you never expected to +come back! Three years seem an age when we look forward, but are nothing +after they have fled. The longer we live, the shorter every year +appears, and it will seem only the day after to-morrow when you are +rushing into the house again, and all of us standing at the door to +welcome you back. Think what a joyous moment that will be! There is a +wide and wonderful world for you to see first, and then a happy home +afterwards to revisit." + +"Yes, dear, good, kind uncle David! no one ever had a happier home; and +till the east comes to the west, I shall never cease to think of it with +gratitude to you and grandmama. We shall surely all meet again. I must +live upon that prospect. Hope is the jewel that remains wherever we go, +and the hope to which grandmama has directed me, is truly compared to a +rainbow, which not only brightens the earth, but stretches to heaven." + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +THE AMUSING DRIVE. + + I would not enter on my list of friends + (Though grac'd with polish'd manners and fine sense, + Yet wanting sensibility) the man + Who needlessly sets foot upon a worm. + + Cowper. + + +Lady Harriet was confined to bed for several days after Frank's +departure from home, and during all that week Harry and Laura felt so +melancholy, that even Mrs. Crabtree became sorry for them, saying it was +quite distressing to see how quiet and good they had become, for Master +Harry was as mild as milk now, and she almost wished he would be at some +of his old tricks again. + +On the following Monday, a message arrived from Lady Rockville, to say +that she was going a long drive in her phaeton, to visit some boys at +Musselburgh school, and would be happy to take Harry and Laura of the +party, if their grandmama had no objection. None being made by anybody, +they flew up stairs to get ready, while Harry did not take above three +steps at a time, and Laura, when she followed, felt quite astonished to +find Mrs. Crabtree looking almost as pleased as herself, and saying she +hoped the expedition would do them both good. + +Before five minutes had elapsed, Harry was mounted on the dickey, where +Lady Rockville desired him to sit, instead of the footman, who was now +dismissed, as no room could be made for both; so after that Harry +touched his hat whenever any of the party spoke to him, as if he had +really been the servant. + +Laura, meanwhile, was placed between Lady Rockville and Miss Perceval, +where she could hardly keep quiet a minute for joy, though afraid to +turn her head or to stir her little finger, in case of being thought +troublesome. + +"I am told that the races take place at Musselburgh to-day," said Lady +Rockville. "It is a cruel amusement, derived from the sufferings of +noble animals; they have as good a right to be happy in the world as +ourselves, Laura; but we shall pass that way, so Harry and you will +probably see the crowds of carriages." + +"Oh, how enchanting!--I never saw a race-course in my life!" exclaimed +Laura, springing off her seat with delight. "Harry! Harry! we are going +to the races!" + +"Hurra!" exclaimed Harry, clapping his hands; "what a delightful +surprise! Oh! I am so dreadfully happy!" + +"After all, my dear Lady Rockville," said Miss Perceval, yawning, "what +have horses got legs for, except to run?" + +"Yes, but not at such a pace! It always shocked me--formerly at +Doncaster, where the jockeys were sometimes paid L1000 for winning--to +see how the poor animals were lashed and spurred along the course, +foaming with fatigue, gasping till they nearly expired. Horses, poor +creatures, from the hour of their birth till their death, have a sad +time of it!" + +"Grandmama once read me a beautiful description of a wild horse in his +natural state of liberty," said Laura. "Among the South American forests +he was to be seen carrying his head erect, with sparkling eyes, flowing +mane, and splendid tail, trotting about among the noble trees, or +cropping the grass at his feet, looking quite princely, and doing +precisely what he pleased." + +"Then look at the contrast," said Lady Rockville, pointing to a long row +of cart-horses with galled sides, shrivelled skins, broken knees, and +emaciated bodies, which were all dragging their weary load along. +"Animals are all meant for the use of man, but not to be abused, like +these poor creatures!" + +"As for racing," said Miss Perceval, "a thorough-bred horse enters into +the spirit of it quite as much as his rider. Did you never hear of +Quin's celebrated steed, which became so eager to win, that when his +antagonist passed he seized him violently by the leg, and both jockeys +had to dismount that the furious animal might be torn away. The famous +horse Forester, too, caught hold of his opponent by the jaw, and could +scarcely be disengaged." + +"Think of all the cruel training these poor creatures went through +before they came to that," added Lady Rockville; "of the way in which +horses are beaten, spurred, and severely cut with the whip; then, after +their strength fails, like the well-known 'high-mettled racer,' the poor +animal is probably sold at last to perpetual hard labour and ill-usage." + +"Uncle David shewed me yesterday," said Laura, "that horrid picture +which you have probably seen, by Cruickshanks, of the Knackers' Yards in +London, where old horses are sent to end their miserable days, after it +is impossible to torture them any longer into working. Oh! it was +dreadful! and yet grandmama said the whole sketch had been taken from +life." + +"I know that," answered Lady Rockville. "In these places the wretched +animals are literally put to death by starvation, and may be seen +gnawing each other's manes in the last agonies of hunger." + +"My dear Lady Rockville," exclaimed Miss Perceval, affectedly, "how can +you talk of such unpleasant things!--there is an Act of Parliament +against cruelty to animals, so of course no such thing exists now. Many +gentlemen are vastly kind to old horses, turning them out to grass for +years, that they may enjoy a life of elegant leisure and rural +retirement, to which, no doubt, some are well entitled; for instance, +the famous horse Eclipse, which gained his owner L25,000! I wish he had +been mine!" + +"But think how many are ruined when one is enriched, and indeed both are +ruined in morals and good feeling; therefore I am glad that our sex have +never yet taken to the turf. It is bad enough, my dear Miss Perceval, to +see that they have taken to the moors; for were I to say all I think of +those amazons who lately killed their six brace of grouse on the 12th of +August, they would probably challenge me to single combat. Lord +Rockville says, 'What with gentlemen doing worsted work, and ladies +shouldering double-barrelled guns, he scarcely thinks this can be the +same world he was born in long ago.'" + +The carriage, at this moment, began to proceed along the road with such +extraordinary rapidity, that there seemed no danger of their following +in the dust of any other equipage, and Miss Perceval became exceedingly +alarmed, especially when Lady Rockville mentioned that this was one of +the first times she had been driven by her new coachman, who seemed so +very unsteady on his seat, she had felt apprehensive, for some time, +that he might be drunk. + +"A tipsy coachman! Dear Lady Rockville, do let me out! We shall +certainly be killed in this crowd of carriages! I can walk home! Pray +stop him, Miss Laura! I came to look on at a race, but not to run one +myself! This fast driving is like a railroad, only not quite so +straight! I do verily believe we are run off with! Stop, +coachman!--stop!" + +In spite of all Miss Perceval's exclamations and vociferations, the +carriage flew on with frightful rapidity, though it reeled from side to +side of the road, as if it had become intoxicated like the driver +himself, who lashed his horses and galloped along, within an inch of +hedges and ditches all the way, till at last, having reached the +race-course, he pulled up so suddenly and violently, that the horses +nearly fell back on their haunches, while he swore at them in the most +furious and shocking manner. + +Lady Rockville now stood up, and spoke to the coachman very severely on +his misconduct, in first driving her so dangerously fast, and then being +disrespectful enough to use profane language in her presence, adding, +that if he did not conduct himself more properly, she must complain to +Lord Rockville as soon as the carriage returned home. Upon hearing this, +the man looked exceedingly sulky, and muttered angrily to himself in a +tipsy voice, till at last he suddenly threw away the reins, and, rising +from the box, he began to scramble his way down, nearly falling to the +ground in his haste, and saying, "if your ladyship is not pleased with +my driving, you may drive yourself!" + +After this the intoxicated man staggered towards a drinking-booth not +far off, and disappeared, leaving Miss Perceval perfectly planet-struck +with astonishment, and actually dumb during several minutes with wonder, +at all she heard and saw. There sat Harry, alone on the dicky, behind +two spirited blood-horses, foaming at the mouth with the speed at which +they had come, and ready to start off again at the slightest hint, while +noises on every side were to be heard enough to frighten a pair of +hobby-horses. Piemen ringing their bells--blind fiddlers playing out of +tune--boys calling lists of the horses--drums beating at the +starting-post--ballad singers squalling at the full pitch of their +voices--horses galloping--grooms quarrelling--dogs barking--and children +crying. + +In the midst of all this uproar, Harry unexpectedly observed Captain +Digby on horseback not far off. Without losing a moment, he stood up, +waving his handkerchief, and calling to beg he would come to the +carriage immediately, as they were in want of assistance; and Lady +Rockville told, as soon as he arrived, though hardly able to help +laughing while she explained it, the extraordinary predicament they had +been placed in. Captain Digby, upon hearing the story, looked ready to +go off like a squib with rage at the offending coachman, and instantly +seizing the driving-whip, he desired his servant to hold the horses' +heads, while he proceeded towards the drinking-booth, flourishing the +long lash in his hand as he went in a most ominous manner. Several +minutes elapsed, during which Harry overheard a prodigious outcry in the +tent, and then the drunken coachman was seen reeling away along the +road, while Captain Digby, still brandishing the whip, returned, and +mounting the dicky himself, he gathered up the reins, and insisted on +driving Lady Rockville's phaeton for her. Before long it was ranged +close beside a chariot so full of ladies, it seemed ready to burst, when +Harry was amused to perceive that Peter Grey and another boy, who were +seated on the rumble behind, had spread a table-cloth on the roof of the +carriage, using it for a dining-table, while they all seemed determined +to astonish their appetites by the quantity of oysters and sandwiches +they ate, and by drinking at the same time large tumblers of porter. +Lady Rockville wished she could have the loan of Harry and Laura's +spirits for an hour or two, when she saw how perfectly bewildered with +delight they were on beholding the thousands of eager persons assembled +on the race-ground,--jockeys riding about in liveries as gay as +tulips--officers in scarlet uniform--red flags fluttering in the +breeze--caravans exhibiting pictures of the wildest-looking beasts in +the world--bands of music--recruiting parties--fire-eaters, who dined on +red-hot pokers--portraits representing pigs fatter than the fattest in +the world--giants a head and three pair of shoulders taller than any +one else, and little dwarfs, scarcely visible with the naked eye--all of +which were shown to children for half price! + +Lady Rockville very good naturedly gave Harry half-a-crown, promising +that, before leaving the race-ground, he should either buy some oranges +to lay the dust in his throat after so long a drive, or visit as many +shows as he pleased for his half-crown; and they were anxiously +discussing what five sights would be worth sixpence each, when a loud +hurra was heard, the drums beat, and five horses started off for the +first heat. Harry stood up in an ecstacy of delight, and spoke loudly in +admiration of the jockey on a grey horse, with a pink jacket, who took +the lead, and seemed perfectly to fly, as if he need never touch the +ground; but Harry exclaimed angrily against the next rider, in a yellow +dress and green cap, who pulled back his own bay horse, as if he really +wished to lose. To Laura's astonishment, however, Captain Digby +preferred him, and Miss Perceval declared in favour of a light-blue +jacket and chesnut horse. Harry now thought everybody stupid not to +agree with him, and called out in the height of his eagerness, "I would +bet this half-crown upon the pink jacket!" + +"Done!" cried Peter, laughing. "The yellow dress and green cap for my +money!" + +"Then I shall soon have five shillings!" exclaimed Harry in great glee; +but scarcely had he spoken, before a loud murmuring sound arose among +the surrounding crowd, upon hearing which he looked anxiously about, and +was astonished to see the green cap and yellow dress already at the +winning-post, while his own favourite grey horse cantered slowly along, +far behind all the others, carrying the jockey in the pink jacket, who +hung his head, and was bent nearly double, with shame and fatigue. + +Peter Grey gave a loud laugh of triumph when he glanced at Harry's +disappointed angry countenance, and held out his hand for the +half-crown, saying, "Pay your debt of honour, Master Harry! It is rather +fortunate I won, seeing that not one sixpence had I to have paid you +with! not a penny to jingle on a mile-stone. You had more money than +wit, and I had more wit than money, so we are well met. Did you not see +that the grey horse had fallen lame? Good-bye, youngster! I shall tell +all the giants and wild beasts to expect you another day!" + +"Harry!" said Lady Rockville, looking gravely at his enraged +countenance, "it is a foolish fish that is caught with every bait! I am +quite relieved that you lost that money. This is an early lesson against +gambling, and no one can ever be rich or happy who becomes fond of it. +We were wrong to bring you here at all; and I now see you could easily +be led into that dreadful vice, which has caused misery and ruin to +thousands of young men. If you had possessed an estate, it would have +been thrown away quite as foolishly as the poor half-crown, making you +perhaps miserable afterwards for life." + +"I thought myself quite sure to win!" exclaimed Harry, still looking +with angry astonishment after Peter, who was making odd grimaces, and +holding up the half-crown in a most teazing manner. "I would rather have +thrown my money into the sea than given it to Peter." + +"Think, too, how many pleasanter and better ways there are, in which you +might have spent it!" added Lady Rockville. "Look at that poor blind man +whom you could have relieved, or consider what a nice present you should +have given to Laura! But there seem to be no more brains in your head, +Harry, than in her thimble!" + +"Peter is quite a little black-leg already," observed Miss Perceval. "I +never saw such a boy! So fond of attracting notice, that he would put on +a cap and bells if that would make him stared at. Last Saturday he +undertook for a bet to make a ceremonious bow to every lamp-post along +Prince's Street, and I wish you could have seen the wondering crowd that +gradually collected as he went along, performing his task with the most +perfect composure and impudence." + +"For cool assurance, I hope there are not many boys equal to him," said +Lady Rockville. "He scattered out of the window lately several red-hot +half-pence, among some beggars, and I am told they perfectly stuck to +the poor creatures' fingers when trying to pick them up; and he was sent +a message, on his pony, one very cold day lately, to Lady De Vere's, who +offered, when he was taking leave, to cut him one of her finest +camellias, to which he replied, 'I would much rather you offered me a +hot potatoe!'" + +"Peter feels no sympathy in your disappointment, Harry," added Miss +Perceval; "but we might as well expect wool on a dog, as friendship from +a gambler, who would ruin his own father, and always laughs at those who +lose." + +"Go and cut your wisdom teeth, Harry!" said Captain Digby, smiling. "Any +one must have been born blind not to observe that the grey horse was +falling behind; but you have bought half-a-crown's worth of wisdom by +experience, and I hope it will last for life. Never venture to bet even +that your own head is on your shoulders, or it may turn out a mistake." + +"Harry is now the monkey that has seen the world, and I think it will be +a whole year of Saturdays before he ever commits such a blunder again," +continued Lady Rockville. "We must for this once, not complain of what +has occurred to Lady Harriet, because she would be exceedingly +displeased, but certainly you are a most ingenious little gentleman for +getting into scrapes!" + +Harry told upon himself, however, on his return home, because he had +always been accustomed to do so, knowing Major Graham and his grandmama +were never very angry at any fault that was confessed and repented of, +therefore he went straight up stairs, and related his whole history to +uncle David, who gave him a very serious exhortation against the foolish +and sinful vice of gambling. To keep him in mind of his silly adventure +that day, Harry was also desired, during the whole evening, to wear his +coat turned inside out, a very frequent punishment administered by Major +Graham for small offences, and which was generally felt to be a terrible +disgrace. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +THE UNEXPECTED EVENT. + + His shout may ring upon the hill, + His voice be echoed in the hall, + His merry laugh like music trill, + I scarcely notice such things now. + + Willis. + + +Some weeks after Frank had left home, while lady Harriet and Major +Graham were absent at Holiday House, Harry and Laura felt surprised to +observe, that Mrs. Crabtree suddenly became very grave and silent,--her +voice seemed to have lost half its loudness,--her countenance looked +rather pale,--and they both escaped being scolded on several occasions, +when Harry himself could not but think he deserved it. Once or twice he +ventured to do things that at other times he dared not have attempted, +"merely as an experiment," he said, "like that man in the menagerie, who +put his head into the lion's mouth, without feeling quite sure whether +it would be bit off the next moment or not;" but though Mrs. Crabtree +evidently saw all that passed, she turned away with a look of sadness, +and said not a word. + +What could be the matter? Harry almost wished she would fly into a good +passion and scold him, it became so extraordinary and unnatural to see +Mrs. Crabtree sitting all day in a corner of the room, sewing in +silence, and scarcely looking up from her work; but still the wonder +grew, for she seemed to become worse and worse every day. Harry dressed +up the cat in an old cap and frock of Laura's,--he terrified old Jowler +by putting him into the shower-bath,--and let off a few crackers at the +nursery window,--but it seemed as if he might have fired a cannon +without being scolded by Mrs. Crabtree, who merely turned her head round +for a minute, and then silently resumed her work. Laura even fancied +that Mrs. Crabtree was once in tears, but that seemed quite impossible, +so she thought no more about it, till one morning, when they had begun +to despair of ever hearing more about the business, and were whispering +together in a corner of the room, observing that she looked duller than +ever, they were surprised to hear Mrs. Crabtree calling them both to +come near her. She looked very pale, and was beginning to say something, +when her voice suddenly became so husky and indistinct, that she seemed +unable to proceed; therefore, motioning with her hand for them to go +away, she began sewing very rapidly, as she had done before, breaking +her threads, and pricking her fingers, at every stitch. + +Laura and Harry silently looked at each other with some apprehension, +and the nursery now became so perfectly still, that a feather falling on +the ground would have been heard. This had continued for some time, when +at last Laura upon tiptoe stole quietly up to where Mrs. Crabtree was +sitting, and said to her, in a very kind and anxious voice, "I am afraid +you are not well, Mrs. Crabtree! Grandmama will send for a doctor when +she comes home. Shall I ask her?" + +"You are very kind, Miss Laura!--never mind me! Your grandmama knows +what is the matter. It will be all one a hundred years hence," answered +Mrs. Crabtree, in a low husky voice. "This is a thing you will be very +glad to hear!--you must prepare to be told some good news!" added she, +forcing a laugh, but such a laugh as Harry and Laura never heard +before, for it sounded so much more like sorrow than joy. They waited in +great suspense to hear what would follow, but Mrs. Crabtree, after +struggling to speak again with composure, suddenly started off her seat, +and hurried rapidly out of the room. She appeared no more in the nursery +that day, but next morning when they were at breakfast, she entered the +room with her face very much covered up in her bonnet, and evidently +tried to speak in her usual loud bustling voice, though somehow it still +sounded perfectly different from common. "Well, children! Lady Harriet +was so kind as to promise that my secret should be kept till I pleased, +and that no one should mention it to you but myself. I am going away!" + +"You!" exclaimed Harry, looking earnestly in Mrs. Crabtree's face. "Are +you going away?" + +"Yes, Master Harry,--I leave this house to-day! Now, don't pretend to +look sorry! I know you are not! I can't bear children to tell stories. +Who would ever be sorry for a cross old woman like me?" + +"But perhaps I am sorry! Are you in real earnest going away?" asked +Harry again, with renewed astonishment. "Oh no! it is only a joke!" + +"Do I look as if this were a joke?" asked Mrs. Crabtree, turning round +her face, which was bathed with tears. "No, no! I am come to bid you +both a long farewell. A fine mess you will get into now! All your things +going to rack and ruin, with nobody fit to look after them!" + +"But, Mrs. Crabtree! we do not like you to go away," said Laura, kindly. +"Why are you leaving us all on a sudden? it is very odd! I never was so +surprised in my life!" + +"Your papa's orders are come. He wrote me a line some weeks ago, to say +that I have been too severe. Perhaps that is all true. I meant it well, +and we are poor creatures, who can only act for the best. However, it +can't be helped now! There's no use in lamenting over spilt cream. +You'll be the better behaved afterwards. If ever you think of me again, +children, let it be as kindly as possible. Many and many a time I shall +remember you both. I never cared for any young people but yourselves, +and I shall never take charge of any others. Master Frank was the best +boy in the world, and you would both have been as good under my +care,--but it is no matter now!" + +"But it does matter a very great deal," cried Harry, eagerly. "You must +stay here, Mrs. Crabtree, as long as you live, and a great deal longer! +I shall write a letter to papa all about it. We were very troublesome, +and it was our own faults if we were punished. Never mind, Mrs. +Crabtree, but take off your bonnet and sit down! I am going to do some +dreadful mischief to-night, so you will be wanted to keep me in order." + +Mrs. Crabtree laid her hand upon Harry's head in silence, and there was +something so solemn and serious in her manner, that he saw it would be +useless to remonstrate any more. She then held out her hand to Laura, +endeavouring to smile as she did so, but it was a vain attempt, for her +lip quivered, and she turned away, saying, "Who would ever believe I +should make such a fool of myself! Farewell to you both! and let nobody +speak ill of me after I am gone, if you can help it!" + +Without looking round, Mrs. Crabtree hurried out of the nursery and +closed the door, leaving Harry and Laura perfectly bewildered with +astonishment at this sudden event, which seemed more like a dream than a +reality. They both felt exceedingly melancholy, hardly able to believe +that she had formerly been at all cross, while they stood at the window +with tears in their eyes, watching the departure of her well-known blue +chest, on a wheel-barrow, and taking a last look of her red gown and +scarlet shawl as she hastily followed it. + +For several weeks to come, whenever the door opened, Harry and Laura +almost expected her to enter, but month after month elapsed, and Mrs. +Crabtree appeared no more, till one day, at their earnest entreaty, Lady +Harriet took them a drive of some miles into the country, to see the +neat little lodging by the sea-side where she lived, and maintained +herself by sewing, and by going out occasionally as a sick-nurse. A more +delightful surprise certainly never could have been given than when +Harry and Laura tapped at the cottage door, which was opened by Mrs. +Crabtree herself, who started back with an exclamation of joyful +amazement, and looked as if she could scarcely believe her eyes on +beholding them, while they laughed at the joke till tears were running +down their cheeks. "Is Mrs. Crabtree at home?" said Harry, trying to +look very grave. + +"Grandmama says we may stay here for an hour, while she drives along the +shore," added Laura, stepping into the house with a very merry face. +"And how do you do, Mrs. Crabtree?" + +"Very well, Miss Laura, and very happy to see you. What a tall girl you +are become! and Master Harry too! looking quite over his own shoulders!" + +After sitting some time, Mrs. Crabtree insisted on their having some +dinner in her cottage; so making Harry and Laura sit down on each side +of a large blazing fire, she cooked some most delicious pancakes for +them in rapid succession, as fast as they could eat, tossing them high +in the air first, and then rolling up each as it was fried, with a large +spoonful of jam in the centre, till Harry and Laura at last said, that +unless Mrs. Crabtree supplied fresh appetites, she need make no more +pancakes, for they thought even Peter Grey himself could scarcely have +finished all she provided. + +Harry had now been several months constantly attending school, where he +became a great favourite with the boys, and a great torment to the +masters, while, for his own part, he liked it twenty times better than +he had expected, because the lessons were tolerably easy to a clever +boy, as he really was, and the games at cricket and foot-ball in the +play-ground put him perfectly wild with joy. Every boy at school seemed +to be his particular friend, and many called him "the holiday-maker," +because, if ever a holiday was wished for, Harry always became leader in +the scheme. The last morning of Peter Grey's appearing at school, he got +the name of "the copper captain," because Mr. Lexicon having fined him +half-a-crown, for not knowing one of his lessons, he brought the whole +sum in half-pence, carrying them in his hat, and gravely counting them +all out, with such a pains-taking, good-boy look, that any one, to see +him, would have supposed he was quite penitent and sorry for his +misconduct; but no sooner had he finished the task and ranged all the +half-pence neatly in rows along Mr. Lexicon's desk, than he was desired, +in a voice of thunder, to leave the room instantly, and never to return, +which accordingly he never did, having started next day on the top of +the coach for Portsmouth, and the last peep Harry got of him, he was +buying a perfect mountain of gingerbread out of an old man's basket, to +eat by the way. + +Meantime Laura had lessons from a regular day-governess, who came every +morning at seven, and never disappeared till four in the afternoon, so, +as Mrs. Crabtree remarked, "the puir thing was perfectly deaved wi' +edication," but she made such rapid progress, that uncle David said it +would be difficult to decide whether she was growing fastest in body or +in mind. Laura seemed born to be under the tuition of none but +ill-tempered people, and Madame Pirouette appeared in a constant state +of irritability. During the music-lessons, she sat close to the piano, +with a pair of sharp-pointed scissors in her hand, and whenever Laura +played a wrong note, she stuck their points into the offending finger, +saying sometimes in an angry foreign accent, "put your toe upon 'dis +note! I tell you, put your toe upon 'dis note!" + +"My finger, I suppose you mean?" asked Laura, trying not to laugh. + +"Ah! fingare and toe! dat is all one! Speak not a word! take hold of +your tongue." + +"Laura!" said Major Graham, one day, "I would as soon hear a gong +sounded at my ear for half an hour, as most of the fine pieces you +perform now. Taste and expression are quite out of date, but the chief +object of ambition is, to seem as if you had four hands instead of two, +from the torrent of notes produced at once. If ever you wish to please +my old-fashioned ears, give me melody,--something that touches the heart +and dwells in the memory,--then years afterwards, when we hear it again, +the language seems familiar to our feelings, and we listen with deep +delight to sounds recalling a thousand recollections of former days, +which are brought back by music (real music) with distinctness and +interest which nothing else can equal." + +During more than two years, while Harry and Laura were rapidly advancing +in education, they received many interesting letters from Frank, +expressing the most affectionate anxiety to hear of their being well and +happy, while his paper was filled with amusing accounts of the various +wonderful countries he visited; and at the bottom of the paper, he +always very kindly remembered to send them an order on his banker, as he +called uncle David, drawn up in proper form, saying, "Please to pay +Master Harry and Miss Laura Graham the sum of five shillings on my +account. Francis Arthur Graham." + +In Frank's gay, merry epistles, he kept all his little annoyances or +vexations to himself, and invariably took up the pen with such a desire +to send cheerfulness into his own beloved home, that his letters might +have been written with a sun-beam, they were so full of warmth and +vivacity. It seemed always a fair wind to Frank, for he looked upon the +best side of every thing, and never teazed his absent friends with +complaints of distresses they could not remedy, except when he +frequently mentioned his sorrow at being separated from them, adding, +that he often wished it were possible to meet them during one day in +every year, to tell all his thoughts, and to hear theirs in return, for +sometimes now, during the night watches, when all other resources +failed, he entertained himself, by imagining the circle of home all +gathered around him, and by inventing what each individual would say +upon any subjects he liked, while all his adventures acquired a double +interest, from considering that the recital would one day amuse his dear +friends when their happy meeting at last took place. Frank was not so +over-anxious about his own comfort, as to feel very much irritated and +discomposed at any privations that fell in his way, and once sitting up +in the middle of a dark night, with the rain pouring in torrents, and +the wind blowing a perfect hurricane, he drew his watch-coat round him, +saying good humouredly to his grumbling companions, "This is by no means +so bad! and whatever change takes place now, will probably be for the +better. Sunshine is as sure to come as Christmas, if you only wait for +it, and in the meantime we are all more comfortably off than St. +Patrick, when he had to swim across a stormy sea, with his head under +his arm." + +Frank often amused his messmates with stories which he had heard from +uncle David, and soon became the greatest favourite imaginable with them +all, while he frequently endeavoured to lead their minds to the same +sure foundation of happiness which he always found the best security of +his own. He had long been taught to know that a vessel might as well be +steered without rudder or compass, as any individual be brought into a +haven of peace, unless directed by the Holy Scriptures; and his delight +was frequently to study such passages as these: "When thou passest +through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they +shall not overflow thee; when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt +not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the +Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour." + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +AN UNEXPECTED VOYAGE. + + Full little know'st thou, that hast not tried, + How strange it is in "steam-boat" long to bide,-- + To fret thy soul with crosses and with cares, + To eat thy heart through comfortless despairs, + To speed to-day--to be put back to-morrow-- + To feed on hope--to pine with fear and sorrow. + + Spenser. + + +As Harry and Laura grew older, they were gradually treated like friends +and companions by Lady Harriet and Major Graham, who improved their +minds by frequent interesting conversations, in which knowledge and +principle were insensibly instilled into their minds, not by formal +instruction, but merely by mentioning facts, or expressing opinions and +sentiments such as naturally arose out of the subjects under discussion, +and accustoming the young people themselves to feel certain that their +own remarks and thoughts were to be heard with the same interest as +those of any other person. No surprise was expressed, if they appeared +more acute or more amusing than might have been expected,--no angry +contempt betrayed itself if they spoke foolishly, unless it were +something positively wrong; and thus Major Graham and Lady Harriet +succeeded in making that very difficult transition from treating +children as toys, to becoming their confidential friends, and most +trusted, as well as most respected and beloved associates. + +Frank had been upwards of five years cruizing on various stations +abroad, and many officers who had seen him, gave such agreeable reports +to Major Graham of his admirable conduct on several occasions, and of +his having turned out so extremely handsome and pleasing, that Lady +Harriet often wished, with tears in her eyes, it were possible she might +live to see him once again, though her own daily increasing infirmities +rendered that hope every hour more improbable. She was told that he +spoke of her very frequently, and said once when he met an aged person +at the Cape, "I would give all I possess on earth, and ten times more, +if I had it, to see my dear grandmother as well, and to meet her once +more." This deeply affected Lady Harriet, who was speaking one day with +unusual earnestness of the comfort it gave, whatever might be the will +of Providence in respect to herself, that Frank seemed so happy, and +liked his profession so well, when the door flew open, and Andrew +hastened into the room, his old face perfectly wrinkled with delight, +while he displayed a letter in his hand, saying in a tone of breathless +agitation, as he delivered it to Major Graham, "The post-mark is +Portsmouth, Sir!" + +Lady Harriet nearly rose from her seat with an exclamation of joy, but +unable for the exertion, she sunk back, covering her face with her +hands, and listening in speechless suspense to hear whether Frank had +indeed returned. Harry and Laura eagerly looked over Major Graham's +shoulder, and Andrew lingered anxiously at the door, till this welcome +letter was hurriedly torn open and read. The direction was certainly +Frank's writing, though it seemed very different from usual, but the +contents filled Major Graham with a degree of consternation and alarm, +which he vainly endeavoured to conceal, for it informed him that, during +a desperate engagement with some slave-ships off the coast of Africa, +Frank had been most severely wounded, from which he scarcely recovered +before a violent attack of fever reduced him so extremely, that the +doctors declared his only chance of restoration was to be invalided home +immediately; "therefore," added he, "you must all unite a prayer for my +recovery, with a thanksgiving for my return, and I can scarcely regret +an illness that restores me to home. My heart is already with you all, +but my frail shattered body must rest some days in London, as the voyage +from Sierra Leone has been extremely fatiguing and tedious." + +Lady Harriet made not a single remark when this letter was closed, but +tears coursed each other rapidly down her aged cheeks, while she slowly +removed her hands from her face, and gazed at Major Graham, who seated +himself by her side, in evident agitation, and calling back Andrew when +he was leaving the room, he said, in accents of unusual emotion, "Desire +John to inquire immediately whether any steam-boat sails for London +to-day." + +"You are right!" said Lady Harriet, feebly. "Oh! that I could accompany +you! But bring him to me if possible. I dare not hope to go. Surely we +shall meet at last. Now indeed I feel my own weakness, when I cannot fly +to see him. But he will be quite able for the journey. Frank had an +excellent constitution,--he--he was--" + +Lady Harriet's voice failed, and she burst into a convulsive agony of +tears. + +A few hours, and uncle David had embarked for London, where, after a +short passage, he arrived at his usual lodgings in St. James' Place; but +some days elapsed, during which he laboured in vain to discover the +smallest trace of Frank, who had omitted, in his hurried letter from +Portsmouth, to mention where he intended living in town. One evening, +fatigued with his long and unavailing search, Major Graham sat down, at +the British Coffee-house, to take some refreshment before resuming his +inquiries, and was afterwards about to leave the room, when he observed +a very tall interesting young man, exceedingly emaciated, who strolled +languidly into the room, with so feeble a step, that he scarcely seemed +able to support himself. The stranger took off his hat, sunk into a +seat, and passed his fingers through the dark masses of curls that hung +over his pale white forehead, his large eyes closed heavily with +fatigue, his cheek assumed a hectic glow, and his head sunk upon his +hand. In a low subdued voice he gave some directions to the waiter, and +Major Graham, after gazing for a moment with melancholy interest at this +apparently consumptive youth, was about to depart, when a turn of the +young man's countenance caused him to start; he looked again more +earnestly--every fibre of his frame seemed suddenly to thrill with +apprehension, and at last, in a voice of doubt and astonishment, he +exclaimed, "Frank!" + +The stranger sprung from his seat, gazed eagerly round the room, rushed +into the arms of Major Graham, and fainted. + +Long and anxiously did uncle David watch for the restoration of Frank, +while every means were used to revive him, and when at length he did +regain his consciousness, no time was lost in conveying him to St. +James' Place, where, after being confined to bed, and attended by Sir +Astley Cooper and Sir Henry Halford, during some days, they united in +recommending that he should be carried some miles out of town, to the +neighbourhood of Hammersmith, for change of air, till the effect of +medicine and diet could be fully tried. Frank earnestly entreated that +he might be taken immediately to his own home, but this the doctors +pronounced quite impossible, privately hinting to Major Graham that it +seemed very doubtful indeed whether he could ever be moved there at all, +or whether he might survive above a few months. + +"Home is anywhere that my own family live with me," said Frank in a +tone of resignation, when he heard a journey to Scotland pronounced +impossible. "It is not where I am, but who I see, that signifies; and +this meeting with you, uncle David, did me more good than an ocean of +physic. Oh! if I could only converse with grandmama for half-an-hour, +and speak to dear Harry and Laura, it would be too much happiness. I +want to see how much they are both grown, and to hear their merry laugh +again. Perhaps I never may! But if I get worse, they must come here. I +have many things to say! Why should they not set off now?--immediately! +If I recover, we might be such a happy party to Scotland again. For +grandmama, I know it is impossible; but will you write and ask her about +Harry and Laura? The sooner the better, uncle David, because I often +think it probable----" + +Frank coloured and hesitated; he looked earnestly at his uncle for some +moments, who saw what was meant, and then added, + +"There is one person more, far distant, and little thinking of what is +to come, who must be told. You have always been a father to me, uncle +David, but he also would wish to be here now. Little as we have been +together, I know how much he loves me." + +Frank's request became no sooner known than it was complied with by Lady +Harriet, who thought it better not to distress Harry and Laura, by +mentioning the full extent of his danger, but merely said, that he felt +impatient for the meeting, and that they might prepare on the following +day, to embark under charge of old Andrew and her own maid Harrison, for +a voyage to London, where she hoped they would find the dear invalid +already better; Laura was astonished at the agitation with which she +spoke, and felt bewildered and amazed by this sudden announcement. She +and Harry had once or twice in their lives caught cold, and spent a day +in bed, confined to a diet of gruel and syrup, which always proved an +infallible remedy for the very worst attacks, and they had frequently +witnessed the severe sufferings of their grandmama, from which, however, +she always recovered, and which seemed to them the natural effects of +her extreme old age; but to imagine the possibility of Frank's life +being in actual danger, never crossed their thoughts for an instant, +and, therefore, it was with a feeling of unutterable joy that they stood +on the deck of the Royal Pandemonium, knowing that they were now +actually going to meet Frank. + +Nothing could be a greater novelty to both the young travellers than the +scene by which they were now surrounded; trumpets were sounding--bells +ringing--children crying--sailors, passengers, carriages, dogs, and +baggage all hurrying on board pell-mell, while a jet of steam came +bellowing forth from the waste-pipe, as if it were struggling to get rid +of the huge column of black smoke vomited forth by the chimney. Below +stairs they were still more astonished to find a large cabin, covered +with gilding, red damask, and mirrors, where crowds of strange-looking +people, more than half sick, and very cross, were scolding and bustling +about, bawling for their carpet bags, and trying to be of as much +consequence as possible, while they ate and drank trash, to keep off +sea-sickness, that might have made any one sick on shore--sipping brandy +and water, or eating peppermint drops, according as the case required. +Among those in the ladies' cabin, Laura and Harry were amused to +discover Miss Perceval, who had hastened into bed already, in case of +being ill, and was talking unceasingly to any one who would listen, +besides ordering and scolding a poor sick maid, scarcely able to stand. +Her head was enveloped in a most singular night-cap, ornamented with old +ribbons and artificial flowers--she wore a bright yellow shawl, and had +taken into the berth beside her, a little Blenheim spaniel--a +parrot--and a cage of canary birds, the noisy inhabitants of which sung +at the full pitch of their voices till the very latest hour of the +night, being kept awake by the lamp which swung from side to side, while +nothing could be compared to their volubility except the perpetual +clamour occasioned by Miss Perceval herself. + +"I declare these little narrow beds are no better than coffins! I never +saw such places! and the smell is like singed blankets and cabbages +boiled in melted oil! It is enough to make anybody ill! Mary! go and +fetch me a cup of tea, and, do you hear! tell those people on deck not +to make such a noise--it gives me a headache! Be sure you say that I +shall complain to the Captain. Reach me some bread and milk for the +parrot,--fetch my smelling bottle,--go to the saloon for that book I was +reading,--and search again for the pocket-handkerchief I mislaid. It +cost ten guineas, and must be found. I hope no one has stolen it! Now do +make haste with the tea! What are you dawdling there for? If you do not +stop that noise on deck, Mary, I shall be exceedingly displeased! Some +of those horrid people in the steerage were smoking too, but tell the +Captain that if I come up he must forbid them. It is a trick to make us +all sick and save provisions. I observed a gun-case in the saloon too, +which is a most dangerous thing, for guns always go off when you least +expect. If any one fires, I shall fall into hysterics. I shall, indeed! +What a creaking noise the vessel makes! I hope there is no danger of its +splitting! We ought not to go on sailing after dusk. The Captain must +positively cast anchor during the night, that we may have no more of +this noise or motion, but sleep in peace and quietness till morning." + +Soon after the Royal Pandemonium had set sail, or rather set fire, the +wind freshened, and the pitching of the vessel became so rough, that +Harry and Laura, with great difficulty, staggered to seats on the deck, +leaving both Lady Harriet's servants so very sick below, that instead of +being able to attend on them, they gave nine times the trouble that any +other passenger did on board, and were not visible again during the +whole voyage. The two young travellers now sat down together, and +watched, with great curiosity, several groups of strangers on deck: +ladies, half sick, trying to entertain gentlemen in seal-skin travelling +caps and pale cadaverous countenances, smoking cigars; others opening +baskets of provisions, and eating with good sea-faring appetite; while +one party had a carriage on the deck so filled with luxuries of every +kind, that there seemed no end to the multitude of Perigord pies, German +sausages, cold fowls, pastry, and fruit that were produced during the +evening. The owners had a table spread on the deck, and ate voraciously, +before a circle of hungry spectators, which had such an appearance of +selfishness and gluttony, that both his young friends thought +immediately of Peter Grey. + +As evening closed in, Harry and Laura began to feel very desolate thus +for the first time in their lives alone, while the wide waste of waters +around made the scene yet more forlorn. They had enjoyed unmingled +delight in talking over and over about their happy meeting with Frank, +and planned a hundred times how joyfully they would rush into the house, +and with what pleasure they would relate all that happened to +themselves, after hearing from his own mouth the extraordinary +adventures which his letters had described. Laura produced from her +reticule several of the last she had received, and laughed again over +the funny jokes and stories they contained, inventing many new questions +to ask him on the subject, and fancying she already heard his voice, and +saw his bright and joyous countenance. But now the night had grown so +dark and chilly, that both Harry and Laura felt themselves gradually +becoming cold, melancholy, and dejected. They made an effort to walk +arm-in-arm up and down the deck, in imitation of the few other +passengers who had been able to remain out of bed, and they tried still +to talk cheerfully, but in spite of every effort, their thoughts became +mournful. After clinging together for some time, and staggering up and +down, without feeling in spirits to speak, they were still shiveringly +cold, yet unwilling to separate for the night, when Harry suddenly stood +still, grasping Laura's arm with a look of startled astonishment, which +caused her hastily to glance round in the direction where he was eagerly +gazing, but nothing became visible except the dim outline of a woman's +figure, rolled up in several enormous shawls, and with her bonnet +slouched far over her face. + +"I am certain it was her!" whispered Harry, in a tone of breathless +amazement; "almost certain!" + +"Who?" asked Laura, eagerly. + +Without answering, Harry sprung forward, and seized the unknown person +by the arm, who instantly looked round.----IT WAS MRS. CRABTREE! + +"I am sorry you observed me, Master Harry! I did not intend to trouble +you and Miss Laura during the voyage," said she, turning her face slowly +towards him, when, to his surprise, he saw that the traces of tears were +on her cheek, and her manner appeared so subdued, and altogether so +different from former times, that Laura could scarcely yet credit her +senses. "I shall not be at all in your way, children, but I ---- ---- I +must see Master Frank again. He was always too good for this world, and +he'll not be here long--Andrew told me all about it, and I could not +stay behind. I wish we were all as well prepared, and then the sooner we +die the better." + +Harry and Laura listened in speechless consternation to these words. The +very idea of losing Frank had never before crossed their imaginations +for a moment, and they could have wished to believe that what Mrs. +Crabtree said was like the ravings of delirium, yet an irresistible +feeling of awe and alarm rushed into their minds. + +"Miss Laura! if you want any help in undressing, call to me at any time. +I was sure that doited body Harrison could be of no service. She never +was fit to take care of herself, and far less of such as you. It put me +wild to think of your coming all this way with nobody fit to look after +you, and then the distress that must follow." + +"But surely, Mrs. Crabtree, you do not think Frank so very ill," asked +Laura, making an effort to recover her voice, and speaking in a tone of +deep anxiety; "he had recovered from the fever, but is only rather too +weak for travelling." + +"Well, Miss Laura! grief always comes too soon, and I would have held my +tongue had I thought you did not know the worst already. If I might +order as in former days, it would be to send you both down directly, out +of this heavy fog and cold wind." + +"But you may order us, Mrs. Crabtree," said Harry, taking her kindly by +the hand; "we are very glad to see you again! and I shall do whatever +you bid me! So you came all this way on purpose for us! How very kind!" + +"Master Harry, I would go round the wide world to serve any one of you! +who else have I to care for? But it was chiefly to see Master Frank. Let +us hope the best, and pray to be prepared for any event that may come. +All things are ordained for good, and we can only make the best of what +happens. The world must go round,--it must go round, and we can't +prevent it." + +Harry and Laura hung their heads in dismay, for there was something +agitated and solemn in Mrs. Crabtree's manner, which astonished and +shocked them, so they hurried silently to bed; and Laura's pillow was +drenched with tears of anxiety and distress that night, though +gradually, as she thought of Frank's bright colour and sparkling eyes, +his joyous spirits and unbroken health, it seemed impossible that all +were so soon to fade away, that the wind should have already passed +over them, and they were gone, till by degrees her mind became more +calm; her hopes grew into certainties; she told herself twenty times +over, that Mrs. Crabtree must be entirely mistaken, and at last sunk +into a restless agitated slumber. + +Next day the sun shone, the sky was clear, and every thing appeared so +full of life and joy, that Harry and Laura would have fancied the whole +scene with Mrs. Crabtree a distressing dream, had they not been awakened +to recollection before six in the morning, by the sound of her voice, +angrily rebuking Miss Perceval and other ladies, who with too good +reason, were grumbling at the hardship of sleeping, or rather vainly +attempting to sleep, in such narrow uncomfortable dog-holes. Laura heard +Mrs. Crabtree conclude an eloquent oration on the subject of +contentment, by saying, "Indeed, ladies! many a brave man, and +noblemen's sons too, have laid their heads on the green grass, fighting +for you, so we should put up with a hard bed patiently for one night." + +Miss Perceval turned angrily away, and summoned her maid to receive a +multitude of new directions. "Mary, tell the Captain that when I looked +out last, there was scarcely any smoke coming out of the funnel, so I am +sure he is saving fuel, and not keeping good enough fires to carry us +on! I never knew such shabbiness! Tell the engineer, that I insist on +his throwing on more coals immediately. Bring me some hot water, as fast +as possible! These towels are so coarse, I cannot, on any account, use +them. After being accustomed to such pocket-handkerchiefs as mine, at +ten guineas each, one does become particular. Can you not find a larger +basin? This looks like a soup-plate, and it seems impossible here to get +enough of hot water to wash comfortably." + +"She should be put into the boiler of the steam-boat," muttered Mrs. +Crabtree. "I wish them animal-magnifying doctors would put the young +lady to sleep till we arrive in London." + +"Now!" continued Miss Perceval, "get me another cup of tea. The last was +too sweet, the one before not strong enough, and the first half cold, +but this is worse than any. Do remember to mention, that yesterday night +the steward sent up a tin tea-pot, a thing I cannot possibly suffer +again. We must have the urn, too, instead of that black tea-kettle; and +desire him to prepare some butter-toast--I am not hungry, so three +rounds will be enough. Let me have some green tea this time; and see +that the cream is better than last night, when I am certain it was +thickened with chalk or snails. The jelly, too, was execrable, for it +tasted like sticking-plaster--I shall starve if better can't be had; and +the table-cloth looked like a pair of old sheets. Tell the steward all +this, and say, he must get my breakfast ready on deck in half an hour; +but meantime, I shall sit here with a book while you brush my hair." + +The sick persecuted maid seemed anxious to do all she was bid; so, after +delivering as many of the messages as possible, she tried to stand up +and do Miss Perceval's hair, but the motion of the vessel had greatly +increased, and she turned as pale as death, apparently on the point of +sinking to the ground, when Laura, now quite dressed, quietly slipped +the brush out of her hand, and carefully brushed Miss Perceval's thin +locks, while poor Mary silently dropped upon a seat, being perfectly +faint with sickness. + +Miss Perceval read on, without observing the change of abigails, till +Harry, who had watched this whole scene from the cabin-door, made a +hissing noise, such as grooms do when they currycomb a horse, which +caused the young lady to look hastily round, when great was Miss +Perceval's astonishment to discover her new abigail, with a very +pains-taking look, brushing her hair, while poor Mary lay more dead than +alive on the benches. "Well! I declare! was there ever anything so +odd!" she exclaimed in a voice of amazement. "How very strange! What can +be the matter with Mary! There is no end to the plague of servants!" + +"Or rather to the plague of mistresses!" thought Laura, while she +glanced from Miss Perceval's round, red bustling face, to the poor +suffering maid, who became worse and worse during the day, for there +came on what sailors call "a capful of wind," which gradually rose to a +"stiff breeze," or, what the passengers considered a hurricane; and, +towards night, it attained the dignity of a real undeniable "storm." A +scene of indescribable tumult then ensued. The Captain attempted to make +his voice heard above the roaring tempest, using a torrent of +unintelligible nautical phrases, and an incessant volley of very +intelligible oaths. The sailors flew about, and every plank in the +vessel seemed creaking and straining, but high above all, the shrill +tones of Miss Perceval were audibly heard, exclaiming, + +"Are there enough of 'hands' on board? Is there any danger? Are you sure +the boiler will not burst? I wish steam-boats had never been invented! +People are sure to be blown up to the clouds, or sunk to the bottom of +the ocean, or scalded to death like so many lobsters. I cannot stand +this any longer! Stop the ship, and set me on shore instantly!" + +Laura clung closer to Harry, and felt that they were like two mere +pigmies, amid the wide waste of waters, rolling and tossing around them, +while his spirits, on the contrary, rose to the highest pitch of +excitement with all he heard and saw, till at length, wishing to enjoy +more of the "fun," he determined to venture above board. By the time +Harry's nose was on a level with the deck, he gazed around, and saw that +not a person appeared visible except two sailors, both lashed to the +helm, while all was silent now, except the deafening noise made by the +wild waves and the stormy blast, which seemed as if it would blow his +teeth down his throat. Harry thought the two men looked no larger than +mice in such a scene, and stood, clinging to the bannisters, perfectly +entranced with astonishment and admiration at the novelty of all he saw, +and thinking how often Frank must have been in such scenes, when +suddenly a wave washed quite over the deck, and he felt his arm grasped +by Mrs. Crabtree, who desired him to come down immediately, in a tone of +authority which he did not even yet feel bold enough to disobey; +therefore, slowly and reluctantly he descended to the cabin, where the +only living thing that seemed well enough to move, was Miss Perceval's +tongue. + +"Steward!" she cried, in sharp angry accents. "Steward! here is water +pouring down the sky-lights like a shower-bath! Look at my band-box +swimming on the floor! Mary! Tiresome creature! don't you see that? My +best bonnet will be destroyed! Send the Captain here! He must positively +stop that noise on deck; it is quite intolerable. My head aches, as if +it would burst like the boiler of a steam-boat! Stupid man! Can't he put +into some port, or cast anchor? How can he keep us all uncomfortable in +this way! Mary! Mary, I say! are you deaf? Steward! send one of the +sailors here to take care of this dog! I declare poor Frisk is going to +be sick! Mary! Mary! This is insufferable! I wish the Captain would come +and help me to scold my maid! I shall certainly give you warning, Mary." + +This awful threat had but little effect on one who thought herself on +the brink of being buried beneath the waves, besides being too sick to +care whether she died the next minute or not; and even Miss Perceval's +voice became drowned at last in the tremendous storm which raged +throughout the night, during which the Captain rather increased Laura's +panic, if that were possible, by considerately putting his head into the +cabin now and then to say, "Don't be afraid, ladies! There is no +danger!" + +"But I must come up and see what you are about, Captain!" exclaimed Miss +Perceval. + +"You had better be still, ma'am," replied Mrs. Crabtree. "It is as well +to be drowned in bed as on deck." + +Nothing gives a more awful idea of the helplessness of man, and the +wrath of God, than a tempestuous sea during the gloom of midnight; and +every mind on board became awed into silence and solemnity during this +war of elements, till at length, towards morning, while the hurricane +seemed yet raging with undiminished fury, Laura suddenly gave an +exclamation of rapture, on hearing a sailor at the helm begin to sing +Tom Bowling. "Now I feel sure the danger is over," said she, "otherwise +that man could not have the heart to sing! If I live a century, I shall +always like a sailor's song for the future." + +It is seldom that any person's thankfulness after danger bears a fair +proportion to the fear they felt while it lasted; but Harry and Laura +had been taught to remember where their gratitude was due, and felt it +the more deeply next day, when they entered the Yarmouth Roads, and were +shewn the masts of several vessels, appearing partly above the water, +which had on various occasions, been lost in that wilderness of shoals, +where so many melancholy catastrophes have occurred. + +After sailing up the Thames, and duly staring at Greenwich hospital, the +hulks, and the Tower of London, they landed at last; and having offered +Mrs. Crabtree a place in the hackney coach, they hurried impatiently +into it, eager for the happy moment of meeting with Frank. Harry, in his +ardour, thought that no carriage had ever driven so slowly before. He +wished there had been a rail-road through the town; and far from wasting +a thought upon the novelties of Holborn or Piccadilly, he and Laura +gained no idea of the metropolis, more distinct than that of the +Irishman who complained he could not see London for the quantity of +houses. One only idea filled their hearts, and brightened their +countenances, while they looked at each other with a smile of delight, +saying, "now, at last, we are going to see Frank!" + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +THE ARRIVAL. + + What is life?----a varied tale, + Deeply moving, quickly told. + + Willis. + + +"Oh! what a lovely cottage!" exclaimed Laura, in an ecstacy of joy, when +they stopped before a beautiful house, with large airy windows down to +the ground; walls that seemed one brilliant mass of roses; rich flowery +meadows in front, and a bright smooth lawn behind, stretching down to +the broad bosom of the Thames, which reflected on its glassy surface +innumerable boats, filled with gay groups of merry people. "That is such +a place as I have often dreamed of, but never saw before! It seems made +for perfect happiness!" + +"Yes! how delightful to live here with Frank and uncle David!" added +Harry. "We shall be sailing on the water all day!" + +The cottage gate was now opened, and Major Graham himself appeared under +the porch; but instead of hurrying forward, as he always formerly did, +to welcome them after the very shortest separation, he stood gravely and +silently at the door, without so much as raising his eyes from the +ground; and the paleness of his countenance filled both Harry and Laura +with astonishment. They flew to meet him, making an exclamation of joy; +but after embracing them affectionately, he did not utter a word, and +led the way with hurried and agitated steps into a sitting room. + +"Where is Frank?" exclaimed Harry, looking eagerly round. "Why is he not +here? Call him down! Tell him we are come!" + +A long pause ensued; and Laura trembled when she looked at her uncle, +who was some moments before he could speak, and sat down taking each of +them by the hand, with such a look of sorrow and commiseration, that +they were filled with alarm. + +"My dear Harry and Laura!" said he solemnly, "you have never known grief +till now, but if you love me, listen with composure. I have sad news to +tell, yet it is of the very greatest consequence that you should bear up +with fortitude. Frank is extremely ill; and the joy he felt about your +coming, has agitated him so much, that he is worse than you can possibly +conceive. It probably depends upon your conduct now, whether he survives +this night or not. Frank knows you are here; he is impatient for you to +embrace him; he becomes more and more agitated every moment the meeting +is delayed; yet if you give way to childish grief, or even to childish +joy, upon seeing him again, the Doctors think it may cause his immediate +death. You might hear his breathing in any part of this house. He is in +the lowest extreme of weakness! It will be a dreadful scene for you +both. Tell me, Harry and Laura, can you trust yourselves? Can you, for +Frank's own sake, enter his room this moment, as quietly as if you had +seen him yesterday, and speak to him with composure?" + +Laura felt, on hearing these words, as if the very earth had opened +under her feet,--a choking sensation arose in her throat,--her colour +fled,--her limbs shook,--her whole countenance became convulsed with +anguish,--but making a resolute effort, she looked anxiously at Harry, +and then said, in a low, almost inaudible voice, + +"Uncle David! we are able,--God will strengthen us. I dare not think a +moment. The sooner it is done the better. Let us go now." + +Major Graham slowly led the way without speaking, till they reach the +bed-room door, where he paused for a moment, while Harry and Laura +listened to the gasping sound of Frank struggling for breath. + +"Remember you will scarcely know him," whispered he, looking doubtfully +at Laura's pallid countenance; "but a single expression of emotion may +be fatal. Show your love for Frank now, my dear children. Spare him all +agitation,--forget your own feelings for his sake." + +When Harry and Laura entered the room, Frank buried his face in his +hands, and leaned them on the table, saying, in convulsive accents, "Go +away, Laura!--oh go away just now! I cannot bear it yet!--leave +me!--leave me!" + +If Laura had been turned into marble at the moment, she could not have +seemed more perfectly calm, for her mind was wound up to an almost +supernatural effort, and advancing to the place where he sat, without +attempting to speak, she took Frank by the hand--Harry did the same; and +not a sound was heard for some moments, but the convulsive struggles of +Frank himself, while he gasped for breath, and vainly tried to speak, +till at length he raised his head and fixed his eyes on Laura, who felt +then, for the first time, struck with the dreadful conviction, that this +meeting was but a prelude to their immediate and final separation. The +pale ashy cheek, the hollow eye, the sharp and altered features, all +told a tale of anguish such as she had never before conceived, and a +cold tremor passed through her frame, as she stood amazed and bewildered +with grief, while the past, the present, and the future seemed all one +mighty heap of agony. Still she gazed steadily on Frank, and said +nothing, conscious that the smallest indulgence of emotion would bring +forth a torrent which nothing could control, and determined, unless her +heart ceased to beat, that he should see nothing to increase his +agitation. + +At length, in a low, faint, broken voice, Frank was able to speak, and +looking with affectionate sympathy at Laura, he said, "Do not think, +dear sister, that I always suffer as you see me now. This joy has been +too much for me. I shall soon feel easier." + +Major Graham observed a livid paleness come over Laura's countenance +when she attempted to answer, and seeing it was impossible to sustain +the trial a moment longer, he made a pretext to hurry her away. Harry +instantly followed, and rushing into a vacant room, he threw himself +down in an agony of grief, and wept convulsively, till the very bed +shook beneath him. Hours passed on, and Major Graham left them to +exhaust their grief in weeping together, but every moment seemed only to +increase their agitation, as the conviction became more fearfully +certain that Frank was indeed lost to them for ever. This then was the +meeting they had so often, and so joyously anticipated! Laura sunk upon +her knees beside Harry, and prayers were mingled with their tears, while +they asked for consolation, and tried to feel resigned. "Alas!" thought +she solemnly, "how truly did grandmama say, 'If the sorrows of this +world are called 'light afflictions,' what must be those from which +Christ died to save us!' It is merciful that we are not forbid to weep, +for, oh! who ever lost such a brother?--the kindest--the best of +brothers!--dear, dear Frank!--can nothing be done! Uncle David!" added +Laura, clinging to Major Graham, when he entered the room, "oh! say +something to us about Frank getting better,--do you think he will? May +we have a hope?--one single hope to live upon, that Frank may possibly +be spared; do not turn away--do not look so very sad--think how young +Frank is,--and the Doctors are so skilful--and--and oh, uncle David! he +is dying! I see it! I must believe it!" continued she, wringing her +hands with grief. "You cannot give us one word of hope, though the whole +world would be nothing without him." + +"My dear,--my very dear Laura! remember that consoling text in holy +Scripture, 'Be still, and know that I am God;'--we have no idea what He +can do in saving us from sorrow, or in comforting us when it comes, +therefore let us seek peace from Him, and believe that all shall indeed +be ordered well, even though our own hearts were to be broken with +affliction. Frank has seen old nurse Crabtree, and is now in a +refreshing sleep, therefore I wish you to take the opportunity of +sitting in his room, and accustoming yourselves, if possible, to the +sight of his altered appearance. He is sometimes very cheerful, and +always patient, therefore we must keep up our own spirits, and try to +assist him in bearing his sufferings, rather than increase them, by +showing what we feel ourselves. I was pleased with you both this +morning--that meeting was no common effort, and now we must show our +submission to the Divine will, difficult as that may be, by a deep, +heartfelt resignation to whatever He ordains." + +Harry and Laura still felt stupified with grief, but they mechanically +followed Major Graham into Frank's room, and sat down in a distant +corner behind his chair, observing with awe and astonishment his pallid +countenance, his emaciated hands, and his drooping figure, while +scarcely yet able to believe that this was indeed their own beloved +Frank. After they had remained immoveably still for some time, though +shedding many bitter tears, as they gazed on the wreck of one so very +dear, he suddenly started awake, and glanced anxiously round the room, +then with a look of deep disappointment, he said to uncle David, in low, +feeble accents, + +"It was only a dream! I have often dreamed the same thing, when far away +at sea,--that would have been too much happiness! I fancied Harry and +Laura were here!" + +"It was no dream, dear Frank! we are here," said Laura, trying to speak +in a quiet, subdued voice. + +"My dear sister! then all is well! but pray sit always where I can see +you. After wishing so long for our meeting, it appears nearly impossible +that we are together at last." + +Frank became exhausted with speaking so much, but pointed to a seat near +himself, where Harry and Laura sat down, after which he gazed at them +long and earnestly, with a look of affectionate pleasure, while his +smile, which had lost all its former cheerfulness, was now full of +tenderness and sensibility. At length his countenance gradually changed, +while large tears gathered in his eyes, and coursed each other silently +down his cheeks. Thoughts of the deepest sadness seemed passing through +his mind during some moments, but checking the heavy sigh that rose in +his breast, he riveted his hands together, and looked towards heaven +with an expression of placid submission, saying these words in a +scarcely audible tone, though evidently addressed to those around, + +"Weeping endureth for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." "We know +that if our earthly house of this tabernacle be dissolved, we have a +building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." +"Weep ye not for the dead, neither bemoan him; _but_ weep sore for him +that goeth away: for he shall return no more, nor see his native +country."[1] + + [1] Jeremiah xxii. 10. + +These words fell upon the ear of Harry and Laura like a knell of death, +for they now saw that Frank himself believed he was dying, and it +appeared as if their last spark of hope expired when they heard this +terrible dispensation announced from his own lips. He seemed anxious now +that they should understand his full meaning, and receive all the +consolation which his mind could afford, for he closed his eyes, and +added in solemn accents, + +"I must have died at some time, and why not now? If I leave friends who +are very dear on earth, I go to my chief best friend in heaven. The +whole peace and comfort of my mind rest on thinking of our Saviour's +merits. Let us all be ready to say, 'the will of the Lord be done.' +Think often, Harry and Laura, of those words we so frequently repeated +to grandmama formerly: + + 'Take comfort, Christians, when your friends + In Jesus fall asleep, + Their better being never ends, + Why then dejected weep? + + Why inconsolable as those + To whom no hope is given? + Death is the messenger of peace, + And calls 'my' soul to Heaven.'" + +Frank's voice failed, his head fell back upon the pillows, and he +remained for a length of time, with his eyes closed in solemn meditation +and prayer, while Laura and Harry, unable so much as to look at each +other, leaned upon the table, and wept in silence. + +Laura felt as if she had grown old in a moment,--as if life could give +no more joy--and as if she herself stood already on the verge of the +grave. It appeared like a dream that she had ever been happy, and a +dreadful reality to which she was now awakened. "Behold, God taketh +away! who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou?" +"Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils." These were texts +which forced themselves on her mind, with mournful emphasis, while she +felt how helpless is earthly affection when the dispensations of God +are upon us. All her love for Frank could not avert the stroke of +death,--all his attachment to her must now be buried in the grave,--and +the very tenderness they felt for each other, only embittered the +sorrows of this dreadful moment. + +From that day, Harry and Laura, according to the advice of uncle David, +testified their affection for Frank, not by tears and useless +lamentations, though these were not always to be controlled in private, +but by the incessant, devoted attention with which they watched his +looks, anticipated his wishes, and thought every exertion a pleasure +which could in the slightest degree contribute to his comfort. Frank, on +his part, spared their feelings, by often concealing what he suffered, +and by speaking of his own death, as if it had been a journey on which +he must prepare with readiness to enter, reminding them, that never to +die, was never to be happy, as all they saw him endure from sickness, +became nothing to what he endured from struggling against sin and +temptation, which were the great evils of existence,--and that from all +these he would be for ever freed by death. "Those who are prepared for +the change," added he, solemnly, "can neither live too long, nor die too +soon; for when God gives us His blessing, He then sends heaven, as it +were, into the soul before the soul ascends to heaven; and I trust to +being gifted with faith and submission for all that may be ordained +during my few remaining hours upon earth." + +Yet, with every desire to feel resigned, Frank himself was sometimes +surprised out of his usual fortitude, especially when thinking that he +must never more hope to see Lady Harriet, towards whom he cast many a +longing and affecting thought, saying once, with deep emotion, "If I +could only see grandmama again, I should feel quite well!" One evening, +as he sat near an open window, gazing on the rich tints of twilight, and +breathing with more than usual ease, a wandering musician paused with +her guitar, and sung several airs with great pathos and expression. At +length she played the tune of "Home! sweet home," to which Frank +listened for some moments with intense agitation, till, clasping his +hands and bursting into tears, he exclaimed, in accents of powerful +emotion, + +"Home! That happy home! Oh! never--never more,--_my_ home is in the +grave." + +Laura wept convulsively while he added in broken accents, "I shall still +be remembered--still lamented--you must not love me too well, +Laura,--not as I love you, or your sorrow would be too great; but long +hence, when Harry and you are happy together, surrounded with friends, +think sometimes of one who must for ever be absent,--who loved you +better than them all,--whose last prayer will be for you both. Oh! who +can tell what my feelings are! I can do nothing now but cause distress +and anguish to those who love me best!" + +"Frank, I would not exchange your affection for the wealth of worlds. As +long as I live, it will be my greatest earthly happiness to have had +such a brother; and if we are to suffer a sorrow that I cannot name, and +dare not think of, you are teaching me how to bear it, and leaving us +the only comfort we can have, in knowing that you are happy." + +"Many plans and many hopes I had for the future, Laura," added Frank; +"but there is no future to me now in this world. Perhaps I may escape a +multitude of sorrows, but how gladly would I have shared all yours, and +ensured my best happiness by uniting with Harry and you in living to +God. If you both learn more by my death than by my life, then, indeed, I +do rejoice. With respect to myself, it matters but little a few years or +hours sooner, for I may say, in the words of Job, 'though He slay me, +yet will I trust in Him.'" + +Frank's sufferings increased every day, and became so very great at +last, that the Doctor proposed giving him strong doses of laudanum, to +bring on a stupor and allay the pain; but when this was mentioned to +him, he said, "I know it is my duty to take whatever you prescribe, and +I certainly shall, but if we can do without opiates, let me entreat you +to refrain from them. Often formerly at sea I used to think it very sad +how few of those I attended in sickness were allowed by the physician to +die in possession of their senses, on account of being made to take +laudanum, which gave them false spirits and temporary ease. Let me +retain my faculties as long as they are mercifully granted to me. I can +bear pain,--at least, God grant me strength to do so,--but I cannot +willingly enter the presence of my Creator in a state little short of +intoxication." + +Many days of agony followed this resolution on the part of Frank, but +though the medicine, which would have brought some hours of oblivion, +lay within reach, he persevered in wishing to preserve his +consciousness, whatever suffering it might cost; and though now and then +a prayer for bodily relief was wrung from him in his acute agony, the +most frequent and fervent supplications that he uttered night and day +were, in an accent of intense emotion, "God have mercy upon my soul." + +Harry and Laura were surprised to find the fields and walks near London +so very rural and beautiful as they appeared at Hammersmith, and to meet +with much more simplicity and kindness among the common people than they +had anticipated. The poorer neighbours, who became aware of their +affliction, testified a degree of sympathy which frequently astonished +them, and was often afterwards remembered with pleasure, one instance of +which seemed peculiarly touching to Laura. Frank always suffered most +acutely during the night, and seldom closed his eyes in sleep till +morning, therefore she invariably remained with him, to beguile those +weary hours, while any remonstrance on his part against so fatiguing a +duty, became a mere waste of words, as she only grew sadder and paler, +saying, there would be time enough to take care of herself when she +could no longer be of use to him. The earliest thing that gave any +relief to Frank's cough every day, generally was, a tumbler of milk, +warm from the cow, which had been ordered for him, and was brought +almost as soon as the dawn of light. Once, when Frank had been unusually +ill, and sighed in restless agony till morning, Laura watched +impatiently for day, and when the milkman was seen, at six o'clock, +slowly trudging through the fields, and advancing leisurely towards the +house, Laura hurried eagerly down to meet him, exclaiming in accents of +joy, while she held out the tumbler, "Oh! I am so glad you are come at +last!" + +"At last, Miss!! I am as early as usual!" replied he, gruffly. "It's not +many poor folks that gets up so soon to their work, and if you had to +labour as hard as me all day, you would maybe think the morning came too +soon." + +"I am seldom in bed all night," answered Laura, sadly. "My poor sick +brother cannot rest till this milk is brought, and I wait with him, hour +after hour till daylight, wearying for you to come." + +The old dairyman looked with sorrowful surprise at Laura, while she, +thinking no more of what had passed, hurried away; but next morning, +when sitting up again with Frank, she became surprised to observe the +milkman a whole hour earlier than usual, plodding along towards his +cattle at a peculiarly rapid pace. He stayed not more than five minutes, +only milking one cow, though all the others gathered round him, and as +soon as he had filled his little pail, he came straight toward Major +Graham's cottage, and knocked at the door. Laura instantly ran down to +thank him with her whole heart for his kind attention, after which, as +long as Frank continued ill, the old dairyman rose long before his usual +time, to bring this welcome refreshment. + +Frank desired Laura to beg that he would not take so much trouble, or +else to insist on his accepting some remuneration, but the old man would +neither discontinue the custom, nor receive any recompense. + +"Let me see this kind good dairyman, to thank him myself," said Frank, +one night, when he felt rather easier; and next morning, Laura invited +poor Teddy Collins to walk up stairs, who looked exceedingly astonished, +though very much pleased at the proposal, saying, "May be, Ma'am, the +poor young gentleman would not like to see a stranger like me!" + +"No one is a stranger who feels for him as you have done," replied +Laura, leading the way, and Frank's countenance lighted up with a smile +of pleasure when they entered his room. He held out his thin emaciated +hand to Teddy, who looked earnestly and sorrowfully in his face as he +grasped hold of it, saying, "You look very poorly, Sir! I'm afraid, +indeed, you are sadly ill." + +"That I am! as ill as any one can be on this side of eternity! My tale +is told, my days are numbered; but I would not go out of this world +without saying how grateful we both feel for your attention. As a cup of +cold water given in Christian kindness shall hereafter be rewarded, I +trust also that your attention to me may not be forgotten." + +"You are heartily welcome, Sir! It is a great honour for a poor old man +like me to oblige anybody. I shall not long be able for work now, seeing +that I am upwards of threescore and ten, and my days are already full of +labour and sorrow." + +"To both of us, then, the night is far spent, and the day is at hand," +replied Frank--"How strange it seems, that, old as you are. I am still +older; my feeble frame will be sooner worn out, and my body laid at rest +in the grave! Let me hope that you have already applied your heart to +wisdom, for every child of earth must, sooner or later, find how short +is every thing but eternity. While I appear before you here as a +spectacle of mortality, think how soon and how certainly you must +follow. May you then find, as I do, that even in the last extreme of +sickness and sorrow, there is comfort in looking forward to such +blessings as 'eye hath not seen, nor ear heard.' Farewell, my kind +friend! In this world we shall meet no more, but there is another and a +better." + +The old man, apparently unwilling to withdraw, paused for some moments +after Frank had ceased to speak. He muttered a few inaudible words in +reply, and then slowly and sorrowfully left the room, while Frank's head +sunk languidly on the pillows, and Laura retired to her room, where, as +usual, she wept herself to sleep. + +When Harry and Laura first arrived at Hammersmith, Frank felt anxious +that they should walk out every day for the benefit of their health; but +finding that each made frequent excuses for remaining constantly with +him at home, he invented a plan which induced them to take exercise +regularly. + +Being early in June, strawberries were yet so exceedingly rare, that +they could scarcely be had for any money; but the Doctor had allowed his +patient to eat fruit. Frank asked his two young attendants to wander +about in quest of gardens where a few strawberries could be got, and to +bring him some. Accordingly, they set out one morning; and after a long, +unsuccessful search, at last observed a small green-house near the road, +with one little basket in the window, scarcely larger than a thimble, +containing two or three delicious King seedlings, perfectly ripe. These +were to be sold for five shillings; but hardly waiting to ascertain the +price, Laura seized this welcome prize with delight, and paid for it on +the spot. Every morning afterwards, her regular walk was to hasten with +Harry towards this pretty little shop, where they talked to the gardener +about poor Frank being so very ill, and told him that this fine fruit +was wanted for their sick brother at home. + +One day the invalid seemed so much worse than usual, that neither Harry +nor Laura could bear to leave him a moment; so they requested Mrs. +Crabtree to fetch the strawberries, which she readily agreed to do; but +on drawing out her purse in the shop, and saying that she came to buy +that little basket of fruit at the window, what was her astonishment +when the gardener looked civil and sorry, answering that he would not +sell those strawberries if she offered him a guinea a-piece. + +"No!" exclaimed Mrs. Crabtree, getting into a rage; "then what do you +put them up at the window for? There is no use pretending to keep a +shop, if you will not sell what is in it! Give me these strawberries +this minute, and here's your five shillings!" + +"It's quite impossible," replied the gardener, holding back the basket. +"You see, ma'am, every day last week a little Master and Miss came to +this here shop, buying my strawberries for a young gentleman who is very +ill; and they look both so sweet and so mournful-like, that I would not +disappoint them for all the world. They seem later to-day than usual, +and are, may be, not coming at all; but if I lose my day's profits, it +can't be helped. They shall not walk here for nothing, if they please to +come!" + +When Mrs. Crabtree explained that she belonged to the same family as +Harry and Laura, the gardener looked hard at her to see if she were +attempting to deceive him; but feeling convinced that she spoke the +truth, he begged her to carry off the basket to his young friends, +positively refusing to take the price. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +THE LAST BIRTH-DAY. + + Mere human power shall fast decay, + And youthful vigour cease; + But they who wait upon the Lord, + In strength shall still increase. + + +Frank felt no unnatural apathy or indifference about dying, for he +looked upon it with awe, though not with fear; nor did he express any +rapturous excitement on the solemn occasion, knowing that death is an +appointed penalty for transgression, which, though deprived of its +sharpest sting by the triumphs of the cross, yet awfully testifies to +all succeeding generations, that each living man has individually +merited the utmost wrath of God, and that the last moment on earth, of +even the most devoted Christian, must be darkened by the gloom of our +original sin and natural corruption. Yet, "as in Adam all die, so in +Christ are all made alive;" and amidst the throng of consolatory and +affecting meditations that crowded into his mind on the great subject of +our salvation, he kept a little book in which were carefully recorded +such texts and reflections as he considered likely to strengthen his own +faith, and to comfort those he left behind--saying one day to Major +Graham, + +"Tell grandmama, that though my days have been few upon the earth, they +were happy! When you think of me, uncle David, after my sufferings are +over, it may well be a pleasing remembrance, that you were always the +best, the kindest of friends. Oh! how kind! but I must not--cannot speak +of that----. This is my birth-day!--my last birth-day! Many a joyous one +we kept together, but those merry days are over, and these sadder ones +too shall cease; yet the time is fast approaching, so welcome to us +both, + + 'When death-divided friends at last + Shall meet to part no more.'" + +In the evening, Major Graham observed that Frank made Mrs. Crabtree +bring everything belonging to him, and lay it on the table, when he +employed himself busily in tying up a number of little parcels, +remarking, with a languid smile, + +"My possessions are not valuable, but these are for some old friends and +messmates, who will be pleased to receive a trifling memorial of one who +loved them. Send my dirk to Peter Grey, who is much reformed now. Here +are all the letters any of you ever sent me; how very often they have +been read! but now, even that intercourse must end; keep them, for they +were the dearest treasures I possessed. At Madras, formerly, I remember +hearing of a nabob who was bringing his whole fortune home in a chest of +gold, but the ropes for hoisting his treasure on board were so +insufficient, that the whole gave way, and it fell into the ocean, never +to be recovered. That seemed a very sudden termination of his hopes and +plans, but scarcely more unexpected than my own. 'We are a wind that +passeth away and cometh not again.' Many restless nights are ordained +for me now, probably that I may find no resource but prayer and +meditation. Others can afford time to slumber, but I so soon shall sleep +the sleep of death, that it becomes a blessing to have such hours of +solitary thought, for preparing my heart and establishing my faith, +during this moment of need." + +"Yes, Frank! but your prayers are not solitary, for ours are joined to +yours," added Laura. "I read in an old author lately, that Christian +friends in this world might be compared to travellers going along the +same road in separate carriages--sometimes they are together--often they +are apart--sometimes they can exchange assistance, as we do now--and +often they jostle against each other, till at last, having reached the +journey's end, they are removed out of these earthly vehicles into a +better state, where they shall look back upon former circumstances, and +know even as they are known." + +Laura was often astonished to observe the change which had taken place +in her own character and feelings within the very short period of their +distress. Her extreme terror of a thunder-storm formerly, had occasioned +many a jest to her brothers, when Harry used, occasionally, to roll +heavy weights in the room above her own, to imitate the loudest peals, +while Frank sometimes endeavoured to argue her out of that excessive +apprehension with which she listened to the most distant surmise of a +storm. Now, however, at Hammersmith, long after midnight, the moon, on +one occasion, became completely obscured by dense heavy clouds, and the +air felt so oppressively hot, that Frank, who seemed unusually +breathless, drew closer to the window. Laura supported his head, and was +deeply occupied in talking to him, when suddenly a broad flash of +lightning glared into the room, followed by a crash of thunder, that +seemed to crack the very heavens. Again and again the lightning gleamed +in her face with such vividness, that Laura fancied she could +distinguish the heat of it, and yet she stirred not, nor did a single +exclamation, as in former days, arise on her lips. + +"Pray shut the window, Laura," said Frank languidly, raising his eyes; +"and be so kind as to close the shutters!" + +"Why, Frank?--you never used to be alarmed by thunder!" + +"No! nor am I now, dear Laura. What danger need a dying person fear? +Some few hours sooner or later would be of little consequence-- + + Come he slow, or come he fast, + It is but death that comes at last. + +Yet, Laura, do you think I have forgotten old times! Oh, no!--not while +I live. You attend to my feelings, and surely it is my duty to remember +yours." + +"Never mind me, Frank!" whispered Laura. "I have got over all that +folly. When real fears and sorrows come, we care no more about those +that were imaginary." + +"True, my dear sister; and there is no courage or fortitude like that +derived from faith in a superintending providence. Though all creation +reel, we may sleep in peace, for to Christians 'danger is safe, and +tumult calm.'" + +When Frank grew worse, he became often delirious. Yet as in health he +had been habitually cheerful, his mind generally wandered to agreeable +subjects. He fancied himself walking on the bright meadows, and picking +flowers by the river side,--meeting Lady Harriet,--and even speaking to +his father, as if Sir Edward had been present; while Harry and Laura +listened, weeping and trembling, to behold the wreck of such a mind and +heart as his. One evening, he seemed unusually well, and requested that +his arm-chair might be wheeled to the open window, where he gazed with +delight at the hills and meadows,--the clouds and glittering water,--the +cattle standing in the stream,--the boats reflected on its surface,--and +the roses fluttering at every casement. + +"Those joyous little birds!--their song makes me cheerful," said he, in +a tone of placid enjoyment. "I have been in countries where the birds +never sing, and the leaves never fade; but they excited no sympathy or +interest. Here we have notes of gladness both in sunshine and storm, +teaching us a lesson of grateful contentment,--while those drooping +roses preach a sermon to me, for as easily might they recover freshness +and bloom as myself. We shall both lie low before long in the dust, yet +a spring shall come hereafter to revive even 'the ashes of the urn.' +Then, uncle David, we meet again,--not as now, amidst sorrow and +suffering, with death and separation before us,--but blessed by the +consciousness that our sins are forgiven,--our trials all ended,--and +that our afflictions which were but for a moment, have worked out for us +a far more exceeding, even an eternal weight of glory." + +Some hours afterwards the Doctor entered. After receiving a cordial +welcome from Frank, and feeling his pulse, he instantly examined his +arms and neck, which were covered entirely over with small red spots, +upon observing which, the friendly physician suddenly changed +countenance, and stole an alarmed glance at Major Graham. + +"I feel easier and better to-day, Doctor, than at any time since my +illness," said Frank, looking earnestly in his face. "Do you think this +eruption will do me good? Life has much that would be dear to me, while +I have friends like these to live for. Can it be possible that I may yet +recover?" + +The Doctor turned away, unable to reply, while Frank intensely watched +his countenance, and then gazed at the pale agitated face of Major +Graham. Gradually the hope which had brightened in his cheek began to +fade,--the lustre of his eye became dim,--his countenance settled into +an expression of mournful resignation,--and covering his face with his +hands, he said, in a voice of deep emotion, + +"I see how it is!--God's will be done!" + +The silence of death succeeded, while Frank laid his head on the pillow +and closed his eyes. A few natural tears coursed each other slowly down +his cheek; but at length, an hour or two afterwards, being completely +exhausted, he fell into a gentle sleep, from which the Doctor considered +it very doubtful if he would ever awaken, as the red spots indicated +mortification, which must inevitably terminate his life before next day. + +Laura retired to the window, making a strenuous effort to restrain her +feelings, that she might be enabled to witness the last awful scene; and +fervently did she pray for such strength to sustain it with fortitude, +as might still render her of some use to her dying brother. Her pale +countenance might almost have been mistaken for that of a corpse, but +for the expression of living agony in her eye; and she was sunk in deep, +solemn thought, when her attention became suddenly roused by observing a +chariot and four drive furiously up to the gate, while the horses were +foaming and panting as they stopped. A tall gentleman, of exceedingly +striking appearance, sprung hurriedly out, walked rapidly towards the +cottage door, and in another minute entered Frank's room, with the +animated look of one who expected to be gladly welcomed, and to occasion +an agreeable surprise. + +Harry and Laura shrunk close to their uncle, when the stranger, now in +evident agitation, gazed round the room with an air of painful +astonishment, till Major Graham looked round, and instantly started up +with an exclamation of amazement, "Edward! is it possible! This is +indeed a consolation! you are still in time!" + +"In time!!" exclaimed Sir Edward, grasping his brother's hand with +vehement agitation. "Do you mean to say that Frank is yet in danger!" + +Major Graham mournfully shook his head, and undrawing the bed curtains, +he silently pointed to the sleeping countenance of Frank, which was as +still as death, and already overspread by a ghastly paleness. Sir Edward +then sunk into a chair, and clenched his hands over his forehead with a +look of unspeakable anguish, saying, in an under-tone, "Worn out, as I +am, in mind and body, I needed not this to destroy me! Say at once, +brother, is there any hope?" + +"None, my dear Edward! None! Even now he is insensible, and I fear with +little prospect of ever becoming conscious again." + +At this moment Frank opened his eyes, which were dim and glassy, while +it became evident that he had relapsed into a state of temporary +delirium. + +"Get more candles! how very dark it is!" he said. "Who are all those +people? Send away everybody but grandmama! I must speak to her alone. +Never tell papa of all this, it would only distress him--say nothing +about me. Why do Harry and Laura never come? They have been absent more +than a week! Who took away uncle David too?" + +Laura listened for some time in an agony of grief, till at last, unable +any longer to restrain her feelings, she clasped Frank in her arms and +burst into tears, exclaiming, in accents of piercing distress, "Oh +Frank! dear Frank! have you forgotten poor Laura?" + +"Not till I am dead!" whispered he, while a momentary gleam of +recollection lighted up his face. "Laura! we meet again." + +Sir Edward now wished to speak, but Frank had relapsed into a state of +feeble unconsciousness, from which nothing could arouse him; once or +twice he repeated the name of Laura in a low melancholy voice, till it +became totally inaudible--his breath became shorter--his lips became +livid--his whole frame seemed convulsed--and some hours afterwards, all +that was mortal of Frank Graham ceased to exist. About four in the +morning his body was at rest, and his spirit returned to God who gave +it. + +The candles had burned low in their sockets, and still the mourners +remained, unwilling to move from the awful scene of their bereavement. +Mrs. Crabtree at length, who laid out the body herself, extinguished the +lights, and flung open the window curtains. Then suddenly a bright blaze +of sunshine streamed into the room, and rested on the cold pale face of +the dead. To the stunned and bewildered senses of Harry and Laura, the +brilliant dawn of morning seemed like a mockery of their distress. Many +persons were already passing by--the busy stir of life had begun, and a +boy strolling along the road whistled his merry tune as he went gaily +on. + +"We are indeed mere atoms in the world!" thought Laura bitterly, while +these sights and sounds fell heavily on her heart. "If Harry and I had +both been dead also, the sun would have shone as brightly, the birds +sung as joyfully, and those people been all as gay and happy as ever! +Nobody is thinking of Frank--nobody knows our misery--the world is going +on as if nothing had happened, and we are breaking our hearts with +grief!" + +Laura's heart became stilled as she gazed on the peaceful and almost +happy expression of those beautiful features, which had now lost all +appearance of suffering. The eyes, from which nothing but kindness and +love had beamed upon her, were now closed for ever; the lips which had +spoken only words of generous affection and pious hope, were silent; and +the heart which had beat with every warm and brotherly feeling, was for +the first time insensible to her sorrows; yet Laura did not give way to +the strong excess of her grief, for it sunk upon her spirit with a +leaden weight of anguish, which tears and lamentations could not +express, and could not even relieve. She rose and kissed, for the last +time, that beloved countenance, which she was never to look upon again +till they met in heaven, and stole away to the silence and solitude of +her own room, where Laura tried in vain to collect her thoughts. All +seemed a dreary blank. She did not sigh--she could not weep; but she sat +in dark and vacant abstraction, with one only consciousness filling her +mind--the bitter remembrance that Frank was dead--that she could be of +no farther use to him--that she could have no future intercourse with +him--that even in her prayers she could no longer have the comfort of +naming him; and when at last she turned to his own Bible which he had +given her, to seek for consolation, her eyes refused their office, and +the pages became blistered with tears. + +After Frank's funeral, Sir Edward became too ill to leave his bed; and +Major Graham remained with him in constant conversation; while Harry and +Laura did every thing to testify their affection, and to fill the place +now so sadly vacant. + +On the following Sunday, several of the congregation at Hammersmith +observed two young strangers in the rector's pew, dressed in the deepest +mourning, with pale and downcast countenances, who glided early into +church, and sat immoveably still, side by side, while Mr. Palmer gave +out for his text the affecting and appropriate words which Frank himself +had often repeated during his last illness, "In an hour that ye think +not, the Son of man cometh." + +Not a tear was shed by either Harry or Laura,--their grief was too great +for utterance; yet they listened with breathless interest to the sermon, +intended not only to console them, but also to instruct other young +persons, from the afflicting event of Frank's death. + +Mr. Palmer took this opportunity to describe all the amiable +dispositions of youth, and to show how much of what is pleasing may +appear before religion has yet taken entire possession of the mind; but +he painted in glowing colours the beautiful consistency and harmony of +character which must ensue after that happy change, when the Holy Spirit +renews the heart and influences the life. It almost seemed to Harry and +Laura as if Frank were visibly before their eyes, when Mr. Palmer spoke +in eloquent terms of that humility which no praise could diminish--that +benevolence which attended to the feelings, as well as the wants of +others,--that affection which was ever ready to make any sacrifice for +those he loved,--that docility which obeyed the call of duty on every +occasion,--that meekness in the midst of provocation which could not be +irritated,--that gentle firmness in maintaining the truths of the +gospel, which no opposition could intimidate,--that cheerful submission +to suffering which saw a hand of mercy in the darkest hour,--and that +faith which was ever "forgetting those things which are behind, and +reaching forth unto those things which are before,--pressing toward the +mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." + +It seemed as if years had passed over the heads of Harry and Laura +during the short period of their absence from home--that home where +Frank had so anxiously desired to go! All was changed within and around +them,--sorrow had filled their hearts, and no longer merry, thoughtless +creatures, believing the world one scene of frolicsome enjoyment and +careless ease; they had now witnessed its realities,--they had felt its +trials,--they had experienced the importance of religion,--they had +learned the frailty of all earthly joy,--and they had received, amidst +tears and sorrows, the last injunction of a dying brother, to "call upon +the Lord while He is near, and to seek Him while he may yet be found." + +"Uncle David," said Laura one day, several months after their return +home, "Mrs. Crabtree first endeavoured to lead us aright by +severity,--you and grandmama then tried what kindness could do, but +nothing was effectual till now, when God Himself has laid His hand upon +us. Oh! what a heavy stroke was necessary to bring me to my right mind, +but now, while we weep many bitter tears, Harry and I often pray +together that good may come out of evil, and that 'we who mourn so +deeply, may find our best, our only comfort from above'." + + Unthinking, idle, wild, and young, + I laugh'd, and talk'd, and danc'd, and sung; + And proud of health, of frolic vain, + Dream'd not of sorrow, care, or pain, + Concluding in those hours of glee, + That all the world was made for me. + + But when the days of trial came, + When sorrow shook this trembling frame, + When folly's gay pursuits were o'er, + And I could dance or sing no more; + It then occurr'd how sad 'twould be + Were this world only made for me. + + Princess Amelia. + + +THE END. + + + + + +--------------------------------------------------------------+ + | | + | Transcriber's note: | + | | + | Archaic spelling has been retained, along with inconsistent | + | hyphenation: cheese-cakes/cheesecakes, good-bye/good bye, | + | mile-stone/milestone, over-head/overhead, | + | play-things/playthings, rail-road/railroad, | + | steam-boats/steamboats, tea-pot/teapot. | + | | + +--------------------------------------------------------------+ + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Holiday House, by Catherine Sinclair + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HOLIDAY HOUSE *** + +***** This file should be named 32811.txt or 32811.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/2/8/1/32811/ + +Produced by Jana Srna, D Alexander, David Wilson and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net +(This file was produced from images generously made +available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + +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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