Add files from ibiblio as of 2025-03-03 17:29:13HEADmain

1 files changed, 6633 insertions, 0 deletions

diff --git a/44954-0.txt b/44954-0.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..71b1e21
--- /dev/null
+++ b/44954-0.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,6633 @@
+*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44954 ***
+
+BESSIE IN THE CITY.
+
+
+
+
+_BOOKS BY JOANNA H. MATHEWS._
+
+
+I. THE BESSIE BOOKS.
+6 vols. In a box. $7.50.
+
+II. THE FLOWERETS.
+A SERIES OF STORIES ON THE COMMANDMENTS.
+6 vols. In a box. $3.60.
+
+III. LITTLE SUNBEAMS.
+6 vols. In a box. $6.00.
+
+IV. KITTY AND LULU BOOKS.
+6 vols. In a box. $6.00.
+
+V. MISS ASHTON'S GIRLS.
+6 vols. In a neat box. $7.50.
+
+VI. HAPS AND MISHAPS.
+6 vols. $7.50.
+
+
+_BY JULIA A. MATHEWS._
+
+I. DARE TO DO RIGHT SERIES.
+5 vols. In a box. $5.50.
+
+II. DRAYTON HALL STORIES.
+Illustrative of the Beatitudes. 6 vols. In a box. $4.50.
+
+III. THE GOLDEN LADDER SERIES.
+Stories illustrative of the Lord's Prayer. 6 vols. $3.00.
+
+
+ROBERT CARTER AND BROTHERS,
+_New York._
+
+
+[Illustration: FRONTISPIECE. Bessie in City.]
+
+
+
+
+Bessie in the City.
+
+BY
+_JOANNA H. MATHEWS_,
+
+AUTHOR OF "BESSIE AT THE SEA-SIDE."
+
+
+"_Little drops of water, little grains of sand,
+Make the mighty ocean and the pleasant land._"
+
+
+New York:
+ROBERT CARTER & BROTHERS,
+530 Broadway.
+
+
+Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1868, by
+ROBERT CARTER AND BROTHERS,
+in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States
+for the Southern District of New York.
+
+
+
+
+To the Children of
+_DR. JOHN MURRAY CARNOCHAN_,
+THE KIND FRIEND AND PHYSICIAN
+
+_To whose skill and patience I owe a life-long
+debt of gratitude_,
+
+IS THIS LITTLE BOOK
+_Most Affectionately Dedicated_.
+
+
+
+
+CONTENTS.
+
+
+                                           PAGE
+
+    _I. Little Friends at Home_,             9
+
+   _II. Maggie's Plan_,                     30
+
+  _III. The Miser_,                         52
+
+   _IV. Flossy_,                            73
+
+    _V. The Colonel's Story_,              104
+
+   _VI. The Story Continued_,              127
+
+  _VII. The Peach-Stones_,                 147
+
+ _VIII. The New Gloves_,                   167
+
+   _IX. Two Lost Pets_,                    187
+
+    _X. Home Again_,                       212
+
+   _XI. New Plans_,                        236
+
+  _XII. A Visitor_,                        255
+
+ _XIII. The Bank-Notes_,                   281
+
+  _XIV. Discovery_,                        297
+
+   _XV. The Snow_,                         309
+
+  _XVI. Shopping for Christmas_,           330
+
+ _XVII. Christmas_,                        352
+
+_XVIII. The Purchase of the Library_,      378
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: decorative]
+
+BESSIE IN THE CITY.
+
+[Illustration: decorative]
+
+I.
+
+_LITTLE FRIENDS AT HOME._
+
+
+"MAMMA," said Maggie Bradford, as she sat upon the floor in her
+mother's room, lacing her walking boots,--"mamma, I wish I had another
+terrible fault."
+
+"Why, Maggie!" said Mrs. Bradford.
+
+"I do, indeed, mamma,--a dreadful fault, something a great deal worse
+than carelessness."
+
+Mrs. Bradford was busy unpacking trunks and arranging drawers and
+closets; for the family had just come home from the sea-shore, where
+they had been spending the summer; but she was so surprised to hear
+Maggie say this that she turned around with her hands full, to look at
+her little daughter. She saw that Maggie was very much in earnest, and
+had some reason for this strange wish.
+
+"And why do you wish that, daughter?" she asked.
+
+"Because, mamma, if I had such a fault, people would be so very anxious
+I should cure it. Oh, dear! there's another knot in my shoe-string!"
+and Maggie gave a jerk and a hard pull at her boot-lace. "I do not at
+all wish to keep it, only to break myself of it."
+
+"But why should you wish for a fault which would grieve your friends
+and trouble yourself only that you may be at the pains of curing it,
+Maggie? You have faults enough, dear; and if they are not what may be
+called very terrible, they are quite serious enough to need all your
+attention, and you should be thankful that it does not require a harder
+struggle to overcome them."
+
+"I know that, mamma," answered Maggie, with a very grave face; "but
+then you see if my friends wished me very much to cure my fault,
+perhaps they would offer me money to do it. You know when I used to
+be so very, very careless, Grandpapa Duncan paid me for trying to do
+better, so that I might help earn the easy-chair for lame Jemmy Bent.
+And I want money very much,--a great deal of it, mamma."
+
+"But that would be a very poor reason for wishing to rid yourself of a
+bad fault, my child. And why do you want so much money? It seems to me
+that you have everything given to you which a reasonable little girl
+can want; and besides you have your weekly allowance of six cents."
+
+"Yes, ma'am," said Maggie, with another jerk at her boot-lace; "but
+Bessie and I want to save all our allowance for Christmas. We want to
+have two whole dollars, so that we can give presents to every one of
+the family and all the servants and Colonel and Mrs. Rush. And we have
+told every one that we are going to do it, so it would not be quite
+fair to take the money for anything else; would it, mamma?"
+
+"Not if you have promised to spend it in that way," said Mrs. Bradford,
+with a smile at the thought of how much the two dollars were expected
+to furnish; "but it is wiser not to make such large promises. You
+should have been very sure that you wished to spend your money for
+presents before you said you would do so."
+
+"But I do wish to use it for that, Mamma, and so does Bessie, but we
+have another plan in our minds. Bessie and I like to have plans,
+and this is a charity plan, mamma, and will take a great deal of
+money. There, now, there's that boot-lace broken! I just believe that
+shoemaker sells bad laces on purpose to provoke little girls. Something
+ought to be done to him. It's such a bother to lace my boots, and 'most
+always just when I have one done, the lace breaks. It's too bad!"
+
+"Yes, it is too bad, Maggie, quite too bad that you should destroy
+so many laces; but I scarcely think Mr. White does his work poorly
+on purpose to vex his little customers. It is your own impatience
+and heedlessness, my daughter, which are to blame. You pull and drag
+at your shoe-strings, not taking time to fasten them properly, and
+of course they knot and break. That is the second one this week, and
+last week, also, you destroyed two. You say you wish to learn to dress
+yourself, that you may be a useful and helpful little girl; but you
+make more trouble than you save when you tear the buttons and strings
+from your clothes, or knot and fray your shoe-laces. It would have been
+much more convenient for me to put on your boots for you than it is to
+leave what I am doing to find a lace among all these trunks and boxes.
+Do you see, Maggie?"
+
+"Yes, mamma," said Maggie, looking very much mortified, "but do you not
+think my carelessness is any better?"
+
+"Indeed, I do, pussy. I do not wish to take from my little girl any of
+the credit she deserves, and you need not look so distressed. You are
+much more careful than you were six months ago; you have tried hard,
+and improved very much; but you have still something to do in that way,
+dear. I think you will find the old faults quite troublesome enough
+without wishing for new ones to cure."
+
+"Yes, ma'am," said Maggie, "but then--"
+
+"Well, dear, but then--what?"
+
+"Why, mamma, I wouldn't feel as if it was quite right to wish to be
+paid twice over for curing myself of the same fault, and Grandpapa
+Duncan might think it was not fair."
+
+"You are right, Maggie," said Mrs. Bradford, "and I am glad to hear you
+say that; but I should like to understand why you and Bessie wish for a
+great deal of money. If it is for a good purpose, I think I can put you
+in the way of earning some."
+
+"Oh, would you, mamma? That would be so nice! Bessie,"--as her little
+sister came into the room, dressed for her walk, and followed by Jane
+with Maggie's hat and sack in her hand,--"Bessie, mamma thinks she can
+let us earn some money."
+
+"Thank you, mamma," said Bessie; "that is _delighterful_. I am so
+glad."
+
+"I will tell you what it is for, mamma," said Maggie.
+
+"Not now, dear," said Mrs. Bradford; "it is time for your walk, and you
+must let Jane put on your things. When you come home, you shall tell
+me, and meanwhile, I will be thinking in what way I can help you. But
+remember, I only promise to do so if I think well of your plan. You may
+think it a very wise one, while I may think it very foolish."
+
+"Oh, mamma," said Maggie, "I am quite sure you will think this is wise.
+Mrs. Rush made it, and she is so very good that it must be quite right."
+
+"Yes, I think any plan Mrs. Rush proposes for you will be a safe one,"
+said Mrs. Bradford, with a smile.
+
+"You mean you have trust in her, mamma?" said Bessie.
+
+"Yes, dear. I can trust her. She is a true and faithful friend to me
+and to my little ones," answered Mrs. Bradford, as she stooped and
+kissed first one and then the other of her little girls. "And now
+good-by, my darlings. I will hear all when you come back. I hope you
+will have a pleasant walk."
+
+"I shall not, mamma," said Maggie, with a solemn shake of her curly
+head. "I am so very anxious to tell you, and to hear what we can do,
+that I shall not enjoy my walk at all. I wish I could stay at home."
+
+But Maggie found herself mistaken; for the day was so bright and
+pleasant, the park so cool, green, and shady, and so full, of other
+little children, that she not only enjoyed her walk very much, but for
+the time quite forgot her plan and her wish to earn money. And in the
+park, our little girls met a friend whom they were very glad to see.
+They were running down one of the broad paths, when Bessie saw an old
+gentleman coming towards them with a pleasant smile on his face. She
+stood still to take a second look, and then called to her sister.
+
+"Oh, Maggie, here's our dear friend, Mr. Hall!"
+
+"Why, so it is!" said Maggie, in glad surprise, for this was a very
+unexpected pleasure.
+
+Mr. Hall lived but two or three doors from Mr. Bradford, and as he
+generally came for a walk in the park after his breakfast, Maggie and
+Bessie were almost sure to meet him when they were out in the morning.
+But he was not apt to be there in the afternoon, and so they had not
+looked for him at this time.
+
+It so happened that Mr. Hall had stepped out upon his front stoop just
+as Mrs. Bradford's little flock started for their walk; and there
+he saw them all going down the street. He put on his hat, took his
+gold-headed cane, and walked out after them.
+
+"Mr. Hall, I am very pleased to see you," said Bessie.
+
+"And so am I, Mr. Hall," said Maggie.
+
+"And I am very much pleased to see you," said Mr. Hall; "but I should
+like to know what has become of two little granddaughters of mine, who
+went away to the sea-shore two months since. I thought I should find
+them in the park; but in their place I find two little strangers, who
+have no name for me but Mr. Hall."
+
+"Oh, I forgot,--Grandpapa Hall," said Maggie.
+
+"Dear Grandpapa Hall," said Bessie, "please don't let your feelings be
+hurt, 'cause we only forgot for one moment. You know it's so long since
+we saw you."
+
+"And did you forget me while you were away?" asked Mr. Hall.
+
+"Oh, no," said Bessie, "we thinked about you very often, and talked
+about you too."
+
+"Well, let us sit down and talk a little," said Mr. Hall, as he seated
+himself on a bench, and made Maggie and Bessie take their places, one
+on each side of him. "And so you came back from Quam Beach yesterday?"
+he said.
+
+"Yes, sir," said Bessie,--"yesterday, in the afternoon. How did you
+know it?"
+
+"Oh, I saw the carriages drive up, and papa and mamma and a whole
+regiment of little folks pouring out of them. I came out this morning,
+expecting to find you in the park, but you were nowhere to be seen."
+
+"No," said Bessie, "mamma was so busy nurse and Jane had to help her,
+so we could not take our walk."
+
+"Ah, to be sure, I might have thought of that, and called for you
+myself."
+
+"But we helped mamma too, and she said we were of great use to her, so
+we could not have gone out," said Maggie.
+
+"That was right," said Mr. Hall. "Always be of use to dear mamma when
+you can."
+
+"We can't do much," said Bessie; "we are too little."
+
+"I do not know about that," answered Mr. Hall. "These little hands and
+feet can help mamma a good deal, if they are only willing. If you can
+do nothing else, you can be quiet and patient when she is busy. If you
+do not make trouble, you save trouble."
+
+"And we can 'muse baby," said Bessie.
+
+"So you can. Halloa, little man! How do you do?" This was said to
+Franky, who had just come up with Jane.
+
+Franky remembered Mr. Hall quite well, and he also remembered how the
+old gentleman used to give him sugar-plums out of his pocket.
+
+"Welly well," he answered. "Me want sudar-plum."
+
+"Oh, you naughty boy!" said Maggie.
+
+"Dear, dear," said Mr. Hall. "I quite forgot the sugar-plums this
+afternoon. When I saw my little friends going up the street, I thought
+of nothing but the pleasure of joining them, and hurried out as quickly
+as I could."
+
+"Dive Franky sudar-plums," said the child again.
+
+"Oh, Franky!" said Bessie, "don't be so yude. You make us very
+mortified. Please to 'scuse him, Mr. Hall; he don't know any better,
+'cause he's only three years old."
+
+Mr. Hall laughed and offered Franky his stick to ride on, but the
+little boy would not take it; and when he found he could not have the
+sugar-plums, walked away with an offended air, which amused the old
+gentleman very much, though it distressed his sisters, who thought him
+very impolite.
+
+"And now tell me about Quam Beach," said Mr. Hall. "You liked it very
+much, did you?"
+
+"Yes, sir," said Bessie, "the sea is there."
+
+"And you were fond of the sea?"
+
+"Oh, yes, sir! it is beautiful, and it has waves, and they come up on
+the beach and bring the sea-weed and shells, and make such a pleasant
+sound. And we could see so far, far away out over the water, and we
+saw the ships and steamers too. And there are yocks that we could sit
+on and play on, and we liked it so much. I wish there was a sea here,
+Grandpapa Hall. Did you ever go to the sea-shore?"
+
+"Yes, often, and I have been to Quam Beach, and thought it quite as
+pleasant as you seem to have found it."
+
+"We used to have clam-bakes," said Maggie.
+
+"And go out in the boat," said Bessie.
+
+"And in the wagon for straw rides, and to swing in the barn," said
+Maggie.
+
+"And over to the hotel to see grandmamma, and Colonel and Mrs. Yush,"
+said Bessie.
+
+"Who are Colonel and Mrs. Rush?" asked Mr. Hall.
+
+"Old friends of papa and mamma, and new friends of me and Maggie,"
+answered Bessie; "and we love them--oh, so much!"
+
+"Colonel Rush is an English soldier," said Maggie, "and he was shot in
+a battle, so his foot had to be cut off, and he has been very sick,
+but he's better now."
+
+"And they came to the city with us yesterday," said Bessie, "and went
+to the hotel; and Mrs. Yush is going to have a class on Sunday, and we
+are to go to it."
+
+"Are you going to leave your Sunday-school?" asked Mr. Hall.
+
+"I never went to Sunday-school," said Bessie. "Maggie did, but mamma
+thought I was too little; but she said I might go to Mrs. Yush, 'cause
+it was not too far. Mrs. Yush can't go to Sunday-school, 'cause she
+must yide to church with the colonel, and she cannot come back for him
+in time. Maggie's teacher is going away, and she is to go to Mrs. Yush
+too, and Lily Norris and Gracie Howard."
+
+"We are all to go to her on Sunday mornings," said Maggie; "and when
+she and the colonel go to church, they are to take Bessie, if it is
+too cold for her to walk; so now she can go to church 'most every
+Sunday. Last winter she went very seldom because mamma thought the walk
+too long for her, and was afraid she would take cold. Don't you think
+it is a very nice 'rangement, Grandpapa Hall?"
+
+"Very," said Mr. Hall, smiling at Maggie's long word,--"a very nice
+arrangement; and I think Mrs. Rush must be a very kind, good lady."
+
+"She is," answered Maggie, "she's lovely."
+
+"Grandpapa Duncan says she is as good as she is pretty, and as pretty
+as she is good," said Bessie.
+
+"And the colonel is very good too," said Maggie, "and they are both
+very fond of us."
+
+"That shows them to be sensible people," said Mr. Hall. "I think I must
+make the acquaintance of this famous Colonel and Mrs. Rush. Will you
+introduce me to them?"
+
+"Oh, yes, we will," answered Bessie, "and perhaps you'll see the
+colonel in the park some day. He says he shall come and walk here when
+he feels well enough. He's going to live over there in the hotel;" and
+Bessie pointed to the great white building that fronted the park.
+
+"And how is Grandpapa Duncan?" asked Mr. Hall.
+
+"Very well, and Uncle John and Aunt Helen are well too, and Nellie is
+better, and has ever so many new teeth. Quam Beach did her a great deal
+of good. Papa and mamma are going to Riverside the day after to-morrow,
+and Maggie and I are going with them."
+
+"I think I know some one beside Nellie to whom Quam Beach has done
+good," said Mr. Hall. "There is some color in these little cheeks
+which were so pale when you went away, and you are stronger and
+more able to run about; while as for Maggie, she has become quite a
+roly-poly."
+
+"Mr. Hall," said Bessie, "do you know what we are going to bring from
+Riverside?"
+
+"No, how should I, when no one has told me?"
+
+"Our little dog that Donald, the gardener, gave us," said Bessie. "His
+name is Flossy, and he's old enough to leave his mother now; so we are
+to have him at home."
+
+"Oh, I remember you told me about him in the spring. So his name is
+Flossy; is it?"
+
+"Yes, sir, and he's Maggie's and mine. Do you think he will be lonely
+without his puppy brothers?"
+
+"Not with two such nice little playmates as you and Maggie," said Mr.
+Hall. "You must bring him out every day and let him have a run in the
+park."
+
+"Yes, sir, and papa is going to buy him a collar with his name on it
+and where he lives, so people will know he is ours if he yuns away."
+
+"Very good," said Mr. Hall, "and now suppose we walk around a little,
+or nurse will think I am keeping you quiet too long."
+
+[Illustration: decorative]
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: decorative]
+
+II.
+
+_MAGGIE'S PLAN._
+
+
+MAGGIE thought of her "plan" again as soon as she reached home, and
+she and Bessie scampered away to their mamma's room to see if she were
+ready to attend to them. She was dressing for dinner, and so they knew
+they might go in and talk to her, for she said this was "Maggie's and
+Bessie's hour," and as she dressed, used to tell them stories, or teach
+them some pretty verses, or listen to them if they had anything to tell
+her.
+
+"Mamma," said Maggie, "have you thought of any way that I can earn
+money?"
+
+"You must tell me what it is wanted for, Maggie."
+
+"We want to buy a library, mamma."
+
+"What library, dear?"
+
+"A mission library, mamma. You know my Sunday-school teacher, Miss
+Winslow, is going to marry a missionary; but he is not a heathen
+missionary."
+
+"I hope not," said Mrs. Bradford, smiling. "You mean, I suppose, that
+he is not going to India to teach the heathen, but is what is called a
+home missionary."
+
+"Yes, ma'am, that is it. Mrs. Rush says that he is going far out West,
+where the people have very few churches or Sunday-schools and scarcely
+any books, and they are very ignorant, and don't know much about God
+or how Jesus came to die for them, and I am afraid Miss Winslow wont
+be very comfortable out there, mamma, 'cause they don't have nice
+houses like ours, but just rough ones made of logs, which they call log
+cabins. You know Miss Winslow is a lady, and I am afraid she wont like
+to live in a place like that."
+
+"Miss Winslow has thought of all that, my darling; but she is willing
+to put up with these hardships for the sake of carrying the glad
+message of salvation to those poor people."
+
+"Yes, mamma, and Mrs. Rush says that most of them are very glad to
+hear it, and so glad to have the books the missionaries bring, and Mr.
+Long, the gentleman Miss Winslow is to marry, is going to try and have
+some Sunday-schools for the children who live in log cabins; and the
+other day, when Mrs. Rush was talking to us about having the little
+class in her room on Sunday, she asked us if we would not like to buy a
+Sunday-school library to send to those poor little children, when Miss
+Winslow and her missionary go out there. You can buy a nice little
+library for ten dollars, mamma; just think, ten dollars!"
+
+"Yes, I know, Maggie; but ten dollars is a great deal of money for two
+such little girls as you and Bessie to raise in less than four months.
+Miss Winslow is to leave soon after the first of January, and this is
+now the tenth of September."
+
+"But Bessie and I are not to do it by ourselves, mamma. Gracie Howard
+and Lily Norris are to help; it is to come from the class, and Mrs.
+Rush says if we cannot do it alone, she will help us; but she thinks
+the little log-cabin children will like it better if they hear it was
+all sent by other little children here, and we would like it better
+ourselves."
+
+"And Gracie and Lily are going to try and earn money too?" asked Mrs.
+Bradford.
+
+"They have their share, mamma. Gracie's grandmamma, who lives in
+England, always sends her some money on her birthday,--a--a--I forget
+what she calls it, but she says it is as much as five dollars."
+
+"A pound?" said Mrs. Bradford.
+
+"Yes'm, that is it. Gracie says she will give half of the money her
+grandmamma sent the other day, and Lily has a hundred dollars in her
+father's bank, and he pays her money 'cause she has it there."
+
+"That is called paying interest," said Mrs. Bradford.
+
+"And she has some of that saved up," said Maggie, "and she will have
+more before Christmas; so her share will be ready too; but Bessie and
+I have no money except our six cents a week, and that, you know, we
+promised to spend another way. And we don't want to be helped, mamma,
+but to try and earn the money by ourselves, if we only knew how. Do
+you not think it is a very nice plan, and that the log-cabin children
+will be very glad when they see the books?"
+
+"I think it a very good plan, dear, and I will try to help you. You
+know, Maggie, we were saying this morning that you were still not
+quite as careful as you might be. Now I do not much like to _pay_ you
+for trying to break yourself of a bad habit, but as this is for a
+good purpose, I will tell you what I will do. Every month between now
+and January, I will put by a dollar for your gloves and boot-laces.
+This is much more than enough to keep you well supplied, if you take
+proper care of them, but if you keep on losing your gloves, breaking
+your boot-laces, and so forth, as you do now, you will have none left
+for any other purpose. And remember, I cannot let you do without such
+little things as you may need, for the sake of the library. I cannot
+have you going without gloves, or with such as are torn or out at the
+fingers, or with broken or knotted shoe-strings. I must still keep you
+neat, and shall buy for you whatever I may think necessary. But if you
+care enough, as I hope you do, for the little Western children to be
+thoughtful and saving, you may still keep as much of this money as will
+go a good way toward your share of the ten dollars."
+
+"And am I to have money put by for me, too, mamma?" asked Bessie.
+
+"Yes, dear, if you wish it, I will do the same for you."
+
+Maggie did not look as pleased as her mother had thought she would.
+
+"What is it, Maggie?" she asked. "Does not this please you? Are you not
+willing to try both to help those little children, and to cure your own
+fault at the same time?"
+
+"Oh, yes'm, I am willing, and I think you are very kind. But Bessie
+will keep a great deal more money than I shall. You know you said the
+other day that I had three pairs of gloves where Bessie had one."
+
+"Never mind, Maggie," said Bessie, "I think I'll lose a few gloves."
+
+"No, no," said Mrs. Bradford, laughing and shaking her head,--"no, no,
+that will not do. I cannot have one little sister trying to destroy or
+lose her things in order that she may be no better off than the other.
+And I am quite sure my Maggie would not be envious if Bessie saved more
+than she did."
+
+"But I may say I will not give more money than Maggie does for the
+library; may I not, mamma? You know it is more hers than mine, 'cause
+she was Miss Winslow's scholar."
+
+"You may do just as you please about that, dear. Each one may give as
+much or as little as she likes, if it is fairly earned or saved. And
+I can put Maggie in the way of earning money by work if she wishes for
+it."
+
+"How, mamma?" asked Maggie, eagerly.
+
+"I have several dozens of towels to be hemmed, and I intended that Jane
+should do them all; but I will keep out one dozen for you, and will
+pay you five cents apiece. And they must be done, not at your regular
+sewing lesson, but at other times."
+
+Now if there was one thing more than another which Maggie disliked, it
+was sewing. She always called the half-hour during which her mother
+taught her to sew "the worst time of the day." It was strange, too,
+for she had quick and skilful fingers, and sewed remarkably well for a
+little girl of seven, and people generally like to do that which they
+do well. But it was not so with Maggie, and her face grew very sober
+when her mother said she might hem her towels.
+
+"But, mamma," she said.
+
+"Well, dear?"
+
+"Mamma, you know I cannot bear to sew. I do so _hate_ it! And a dozen
+towels,--that means twelve, don't it?--why, I should never, never have
+them done."
+
+"It shall be just as you choose, dear. I do not say you _must_ do them,
+only that you may. But, Maggie, we can seldom do much good to others
+without taking some trouble or using some self-denial ourselves."
+
+"I do not know what self-denial is, mamma."
+
+"Self-denial is to give up something we would like to have, or perhaps
+to do something that is disagreeable or troublesome to ourselves,
+for the sake of another. This morning I gave you two plums,--one for
+yourself, one for Bessie. One was much larger than the other, and I
+saw that you gave it to Bessie, keeping the smaller one for yourself.
+That was self-denial."
+
+"But, mamma," said Maggie, "that was not anything much. I could not do
+such a greedy thing as to give my own Bessie the little plum and eat
+the big one myself. I would be too ashamed."
+
+"I am glad to say that neither of my little girls is greedy or
+selfish," said mamma. "Do you remember the day at Quam Beach when your
+head was hurt, and Tom Norris came up to read a new book to you?"
+
+"Oh, yes'm, it was so kind of him; and he read 'most all the afternoon."
+
+"When he was on his way to our house, Mr. Howard met him and asked him
+to go with him to see the wreck, but although Tom had been wishing very
+much to go, he refused because he thought you would like him to come
+and read to you. That was self-denial. Mr. Long and Miss Winslow do not
+like to leave all their friends and their comfortable homes to go out
+West, but they are willing to do it, that they may teach those poor
+people who have no one to tell them of Jesus. That is self-denial. And
+if my Maggie were to take her time to hem towels for the sake of the
+little Western children who have no books, that would be self-denial.
+And there was one great self-denial, greater than any other the world
+can ever see. Do you know what that was, my darling?"
+
+"When Abraham killed--I mean when he was going to kill Isaac," said
+Maggie.
+
+"Well, there was some self-denial in that," said Mrs. Bradford, "but
+that was not what I meant. It was Abraham's great faith in God which
+made him willing to obey his word and sacrifice his only son; but
+there was a greater than he, Maggie, who offered a more wonderful
+sacrifice."
+
+"Mamma," said Bessie, "do you mean when Jesus left his heaven and came
+to die for us?"
+
+"Yes, dear; and when we find it hard to give up our own wishes for
+the sake of others, let us remember all the dear Saviour has done for
+us, and that will make the task easier and pleasanter. And the Bible
+says, 'Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these, ye
+have done it unto me.' That means that when we are working for Jesus'
+people, or for his little lambs, we are working for him."
+
+"And two little lambs can help some other little lambs," said Bessie,
+as if this thought pleased her very much.
+
+"Mamma," said Maggie, drawing a long sigh, "I think I'll have a
+self-denial and hem those towels. How much money will twelve towels
+make?"
+
+"Twelve towels at five cents apiece will make sixty cents," said Mrs.
+Bradford; "and perhaps by and by you will find some other way to gain
+money."
+
+"May I earn money any way I can, mamma?" asked Maggie.
+
+"I cannot promise that," said mamma, smiling. "You might wish to earn
+money in some way I might not think proper, even for a good purpose."
+
+"And what can I do, mamma?" asked Bessie. "I want to work too, and I
+don't know how to sew."
+
+"What shall we find for those little hands to do, Maggie?" said mamma,
+catching the two tiny hands Bessie held up and patting them softly
+against her own cheeks.
+
+"Work for those little hands to do?" said papa, who just then came in
+and heard the last words. "I should think they were at their proper
+work now,--petting mamma. Papa would not mind coming in for a share
+too."
+
+"And so he shall," said Bessie; "but petting you and mamma is nice
+play, not work; and these little hands want to be useful, papa."
+
+"I think they do pretty well for five-year-old hands," said Mr.
+Bradford, as he sat down and took Bessie on his knee. "They bring
+papa's slippers and rock baby's cradle, and sometimes I see them trying
+to help mamma when she is busy. I think we may call them rather useful
+for hands of their size."
+
+"But they want to make money, papa."
+
+"Ho, ho! that is it; is it? Well, I do not know that they can do much
+at that business, or that they could hold any great sum if they made
+it. Let us see what they can do in that way;" and putting his hand into
+his pocket, Mr. Bradford pulled out a number of bright new pennies.
+"Put out both hands."
+
+Bessie put her hands together and held them out, while her father
+counted the pennies into them.
+
+"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven,
+twelve. There, I think that is as much as they can hold at once," said
+Mr. Bradford. "Is there another pair of little hands that would like to
+try if they can do as well?"
+
+Maggie was standing at her father's knee with a very eager face, for
+she knew her turn would come next.
+
+"One, two, three," began Mr. Bradford, and counted out fifteen pennies
+into Maggie's hands. "And now what is to be done with all that money?"
+he asked, looking from one to another of the bright faces. "It is not
+to be wasted, I suppose, since mamma seems to be in the secret."
+
+"We want to buy a library," said Bessie.
+
+"A library?" said Mr. Bradford. "Well, I'll promise to read every book
+in any library you may buy for the next ten years."
+
+"But it is not a big library with stupid books in, like yours, papa,"
+said Maggie; "but a nice little one with pretty Sunday-school books;
+and it is not for ourselves we want it."
+
+Then papa was told about Mr. Long and Miss Winslow, all of which he
+knew before, though he listened as though it was quite new to him, and
+of the plan for the library, which he thought a very good one, and of
+which he had as yet heard nothing.
+
+"Mamma," said Maggie, "will you take care of our money for us? I know I
+shall lose some of mine if I keep it myself."
+
+Mrs. Bradford opened a drawer, and took from it a curious little box.
+It was made of blocks of red and black wood, and had no cover; but if a
+certain block were pressed, out flew a drawer which moved on a spring.
+This box had been Mrs. Bradford's when she was a child, and Maggie and
+Bessie thought it a great curiosity.
+
+"There," said mamma, "put the pennies in this,--fifteen of Maggie's and
+twelve of Bessie's make twenty-seven. Pretty well for a beginning. All
+the money you earn may go in this."
+
+"And the glove money too, mamma?" asked Maggie.
+
+"No, not the glove money. I shall keep that, and at the end of each
+month will give you what remains to put in the box."
+
+"And you will keep it, mamma?"
+
+"Yes, there it is in the corner of this drawer. You may come and take
+it when you want to put anything in it."
+
+"Papa," said Bessie at dessert that day, "will you please take the
+fretful off my peach. I can't eat it so."
+
+Bessie could never bear to eat or even touch a peach unless all the
+furze or down which grew upon it had been rubbed off, and the restless,
+uncomfortable feeling it gave her made her call it "the fretful."
+
+Mr. Bradford took a peach from his little girl's plate, and as he
+rubbed it smooth, said to his wife, "Margaret, my dear, peaches are
+very plenty and very fine, and I, you know, am very fond of peach
+preserves."
+
+"Very well," said Mrs. Bradford, "I will put up as many as you choose
+to send home."
+
+Bessie heard, and a new thought came into her little head.
+
+"Mamma," she said a while after, when she could speak to her mother
+alone,--"mamma, you told Papa you would make a great many peach
+preserves for him."
+
+"Yes, dear."
+
+"And, mamma, you know he likes the inside of peach-stones in the
+preserves."
+
+"The kernel, you mean."
+
+"Yes'm, and last summer Harry kept all the peach-stones and cracked
+them for you, and you paid him for them. Could you let me do it this
+time?"
+
+"My darling, you would crack those little fingers; it is too hard work
+for you."
+
+Bessie looked very much disappointed, and her mother could not bear to
+see it, for she knew how anxious she was to earn money for the library.
+
+"You may gather up the peach-stones, dear, and dry them, and Patrick
+shall crack them for you, and I will pay you five cents for every
+hundred."
+
+"Oh! thank you, mamma; that is very nice, and I will put away every one
+I can find."
+
+And from this day it was quite amusing to their papa and mamma to see
+how carefully Maggie and Bessie guarded every peach-stone they could
+find; and to hear them constantly talking over plans to gain a few
+pennies to add to their store.
+
+"Margaret," said Mr. Bradford to his wife that evening, "would it not
+be better for you to lock up that money-box of the children?"
+
+"I think not," said Mrs. Bradford. "They will want it half a dozen
+times a day. You know how such little things are, and they will always
+be counting their money. I believe every one we have in the house is
+quite honest, and the box cannot well be opened by one who does not
+know the secret of the spring."
+
+So the box was not locked up; but the time came when Mrs. Bradford was
+very sorry she had not taken her husband's advice.
+
+[Illustration: decorative]
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: decorative]
+
+III.
+
+_THE MISER._
+
+
+"FRED," said Harry, as the little sisters came into the breakfast-room
+the next morning,--"Fred, what have you done with my new top?"
+
+"I declare," said Fred, after thinking a moment, "I do not know."
+
+"That's what a fellow gets for lending you his things," said Harry,
+crossly; "you never give them back, and never know where you leave
+them. I sha'n't let you have anything of mine again in a hurry."
+
+"I know where it is, Harry," said Maggie. "I'll bring it to you. I saw
+it last night."
+
+And away ran Maggie, always ready and willing to oblige; but as she
+reached the door, she stood still with the knob in her hand. "Harry,
+if I go for it, will you give me a penny?"
+
+"Well," said Harry, "no, I will not."
+
+"If you don't choose to go for it, tell me where it is, and I will go
+myself," said Fred.
+
+But Maggie went without another word, and came back with the top in her
+hand.
+
+"There's your penny," said Harry, throwing one on the table.
+
+"That's as mean a thing as ever I knew," said Fred, "to want to be paid
+for going upstairs for a fellow who has a sprained leg and can't go for
+himself. You know mamma said he must not go up and down much till his
+ankle was well."
+
+"I'd have thought anybody would have done such a thing sooner than you,
+Maggie," said Harry, reproachfully.
+
+Maggie stood with crimson cheeks and a shaking lip. "I sha'n't have
+the penny!" she said, angrily. But just then papa and mamma came in
+and the bell was rung for morning prayers, which prevented any farther
+quarrelling.
+
+But Maggie's troubles were not yet at an end for that morning.
+Breakfast was over, mamma gone to the nursery, papa to his library, and
+the children were alone in the breakfast-room.
+
+"Midget," said Harry, "you know that pink fluted shell of yours?"
+
+"Yes," answered Maggie.
+
+"If you'll give it to me, I'll give you any two of mine you may choose."
+
+"Oh, Harry, I can't! Aunt Annie gave me that shell, and I want to keep
+it for memory of her. Besides, it's my prettiest shell."
+
+"Aunt Annie isn't dead," said Harry. "You don't keep a thing in memory
+of a person unless they're dead."
+
+"She'll die one of these days," said Maggie; "every one has to die
+sometime, and I'll keep it till then. But I meant I wanted it because
+she gave it to me, Harry, and I can't let you have it." But presently,
+having forgotten about the penny, and thinking of the library box,
+Maggie added, "I'll give it to you for ten cents, Harry."
+
+"Indeed, I shall not give ten cents for it!" said Harry. "It's not
+worth it and--why, Mag, you are growing as mean as,--as mean as--"
+Harry stopped, for he saw Maggie's color rising and the tears coming
+in her eyes, and he was not an unkind boy, who would willingly hurt or
+grieve his little sisters.
+
+"She is a real miser," said Fred.
+
+Poor Maggie! This was too much, and she burst into tears.
+
+"Don't cry, Maggie," said Harry. "I did not mean to hurt you, but I do
+not know what to make of you."
+
+"What's all this wonderful fuss about money, Bessie?" asked Fred.
+
+"Ask me no _lies_, and I'll tell you no _questions_," said Bessie,
+holding up her head and looking at her brothers with a grave, reproving
+air, "You talk very unproperly to my Maggie."
+
+At this, the boys shouted and laughed so loud and so long that Bessie
+felt as badly as her sister, and saying, "Let's go away, Maggie," they
+ran off.
+
+When Mr. Bradford came out of his room, he saw his little girls sitting
+at the head of the stairs looking very unhappy. Maggie had been crying;
+Bessie had her arm around her waist, as though she were trying to
+comfort her, but looked as if she wanted comfort herself.
+
+"Why, what ails my singing birdies this morning?" asked papa. "In
+trouble so early in the day?"
+
+"Papa," said Bessie, in a grieved little voice, "we are having very
+_misable_ times to-day."
+
+"That is bad," said Mr. Bradford, sitting down on the stairs beside
+them; "but tell papa what it is, and see if he cannot help you into
+pleasanter times."
+
+"People say things to us," said Bessie.
+
+"And do you not wish people to speak to you?"
+
+"Oh, yes, papa, if they say nice things; but first, nurse called our
+shells and sea-weed, 'truck.'"
+
+"Very poor taste in nurse," said Mr. Bradford; "but I would not fret
+about that. Is there anything more?"
+
+"Yes, papa,"--Bessie hesitated,--"but I do not like to tell tales."
+
+"But I want to know what the trouble is. I shall not think you are
+telling tales when I ask you."
+
+"Harry called me 'mean,' and Fred said I was 'a miser,'" said Maggie,
+beginning to cry again. "And I wouldn't be such an ugly thing, now!"
+
+"What is a miser, Maggie?" asked papa.
+
+"An ugly old man, who makes believe he hasn't any money, when he has a
+whole lot in bags in a chest, and doesn't eat anything but crusts, with
+an ugly, thin cat who hunches up her back," said Maggie.
+
+Maggie's idea of a miser was taken from a picture she had once seen.
+
+"Then my rosebud does not look much like a miser," answered Mr.
+Bradford, patting Maggie's round, smooth cheek.
+
+"But he meant I was _like_ a miser, and they laughed at Bessie," said
+Maggie.
+
+"But I quarrelled and said a cross thing to them, papa," said Bessie,
+who was always ready to own when she had done wrong.
+
+"What did you say?"
+
+Bessie repeated what she had said to the boys, making the same mistake
+she had done before, and her father could not wonder that they had
+laughed. He asked a question or two more, and soon knew the whole story
+of the penny and the shell.
+
+"And it is very hard to have people say such things when it is a good
+purpose, papa," said Maggie, wiping her eyes as she finished.
+
+"So it is, Maggie; but it is what we must all look for, more or less in
+this world. When we are trying to do good, other people will sometimes
+misunderstand us, think that we are doing the wrong thing, or perhaps
+doing the right thing in the wrong way; and they may tell us so, or
+make unkind remarks about us. But if we feel that we are doing right,
+and know that we are about the dear Saviour's work, we should not mind
+that. Yes, and we must bear to be laughed at too, my Bessie. I do not
+think though that your brothers have meant to grieve you so much. Fred,
+I know, will sometimes tease, but Harry is not apt to be unkind or
+provoking."
+
+"No, papa," said Maggie. "Harry is a very good, kind brother."
+
+"So I think," said papa. "Do the boys know why you are so anxious to
+earn money?"
+
+"No, papa. I did not tell them, 'cause I thought maybe they would laugh
+at me."
+
+"They shall not laugh at you, I will answer for that. But, although
+they were not very polite or kind in their way of telling you so, you
+can scarcely wonder that your brothers were surprised at your wish
+to be paid for any little favor you might do them. You are generally
+so obliging and willing, so ready to run and to do for the pleasure
+of helping others, that I myself might have thought you selfish and
+disobliging, had I heard you asking for pay without knowing your
+reason. And I would not do so again, dearie. Whatever you may be able
+to save by denying or taking any pains with yourselves, or may make by
+doing any little extra work for mamma or any one else, well and good;
+but I would not ask to be paid for such small things as you are in the
+habit of doing every day for those around you. You must not be too
+eager to gain money for _any_ purpose."
+
+"Not for a good one, papa?"
+
+"No. Never do wrong that good may come of it."
+
+"Do you think I was like a miser this morning, papa?"
+
+"No. I do not think Fred quite understood the meaning of the word
+himself when he used it in that way. To be miserly, or like a miser, is
+to try to save and put by money only that we may look at it, and count
+it over, taking pleasure in the thought that we have it, not in using
+it for our good or pleasure, or that of others. Do you understand me?"
+
+"Yes, papa. You mean if Bessie and I were to put all our money into
+that box of mamma's, and just count it and count it, and never take any
+out, or spend it for the library or anything else, we would be little
+misers even if we are not old men?"
+
+"Papa," said Bessie, "yesterday morning at prayers, you yead about the
+lord who went away and gave his servants money to take care of, and
+how one of them put his money in a napkin, and dug a hole in the ground
+and hid it there; and when his lord came home, he was angry with him,
+and punished him. Was that man a miser?"
+
+"Yes, dear, I think we may call him a miser; and I am glad my little
+girl remembers so well. We may be miserly with other things than money.
+If we do not use any of the gifts which God has given us as he intended
+we should do, for our own good and that of others, we are misers; and
+it is as wrong to do so as it would be to waste them, or throw them
+away. Suppose you were to say, 'These are very small hands and feet
+which God has given to me; they are not nearly as large as papa's or
+mamma's, or even as strong as my brothers; they cannot do much work,
+so they shall do none at all; I will not run up and down stairs, or go
+little errands: I will not rock the baby, or amuse Franky, or do any
+other thing which might save my mamma some trouble; I will not even
+play about, or go out to walk, but just sit still and do nothing all
+day long. Or, this is a very young mind of mine, it knows very little,
+and cannot understand everything, so I shall not try to learn and add
+more knowledge to that which I have. I cannot do much for the praise
+and glory of God who made me and gave me every good thing I have, so I
+shall not try to please him at all. I will take and keep all he gives
+me, but I will not use it or enjoy it, nor let others do so.' This
+would be like the poor foolish man who buried his talent, instead of
+making use of it for his lord. It would be like a miser."
+
+"But, papa," said Maggie, "I don't think I _could_ be a miser with my
+hands and feet. Why, I would think it was dreadful to sit still all
+day and do nothing. They will move sometimes even when I don't mean
+them to; and if I want them to keep still, they seem to forget and just
+move of themselves."
+
+Mr. Bradford smiled as he remembered how true Maggie's words were. It
+did indeed seem impossible for those restless little hands and feet to
+keep still; they must always be busy about something, and he knew that
+she could scarcely have a greater punishment than to be forced to sit
+quiet for ten or fifteen minutes at a time.
+
+"Papa must take his hands and feet away now," he said, "or they will be
+late at the office. The hands and the head, too, have a good deal to do
+to-day if they are to feel at liberty to go to Riverside to-morrow; so
+kiss me for good-by."
+
+Mr. Bradford stopped in the breakfast-room, where the boys still were,
+and telling them of what their sisters were trying to do, and how
+earnest they were about it, said he hoped they would neither tease nor
+laugh at them, but would do all in their power to help them.
+
+Harry and Fred were really sorry when they heard how distressed the
+little girls had been, and promised to do nothing more to trouble them.
+
+"I cannot quite promise not to laugh at Bessie, papa," said Harry. "She
+says such droll things in such a droll way, or twists something about,
+and comes out with it with such a grand air for such a mite of a thing
+as she is, that a fellow can't help laughing."
+
+"The greater the difficulty, the greater the kindness to your little
+sister, my son. I know it is hard, sometimes almost impossible, to
+help smiling, or even laughing outright, at some of Bessie's speeches;
+but you may avoid doing so in a loud, boisterous, mocking way. Put
+yourselves in her place, boys, and think how you would like it."
+
+"I'm sure I do not mind being laughed at, papa; at least, not much,"
+said Harry.
+
+"No," said Fred, "that he don't; so he never is laughed at. The other
+fellows say it's no fun teasing him, he's so cool about it."
+
+"But Bessie does mind it," said his father, "and so does Maggie; and
+we are not to judge that a thing is right and kind because it is not
+disagreeable to ourselves. You know your Aunt Annie is exceedingly
+afraid of a mouse."
+
+"Indeed, she is," said Fred. "She'll squeal and jump on a chair, and
+turn as white as a sheet, if she only suspects there is one in the
+room."
+
+"It is real honest fear, too," said Harry, "no make believe about it. I
+am real sorry for her, too; it must make her so uncomfortable."
+
+"Yes," said his father. "She was frightened by one when a child, and
+cannot overcome her fear of them. Now I am not in the least afraid
+of mice; indeed, if they were not so mischievous, I should enjoy
+seeing them play about the house; but would you not think me cruel and
+unfeeling if I were to allow a mouse to be in the room with Annie,
+while I either amused myself with her fears or was quite careless of
+them? Would you think I was doing as I would be done by?"
+
+"No, sir," said both the boys.
+
+"Then you see the golden rule teaches us not only to avoid doing those
+things to others which are painful to ourselves, but also to put
+ourselves in their places, and to say, 'How should I wish to be done
+by if I felt as they do?' There, I have given two little lessons this
+morning,--one to my girls, and one to my boys,--and shall have to read
+a third to my self on the meaning of the word punctual if I do not
+hurry away. Good-by to you."
+
+As soon as their father had left them, Maggie and Bessie ran away to
+mamma's room. Maggie, always eager for anything new, begged that she
+might have one of her towels to begin to hem it at once. But mamma said
+it was time for their walk, and they must go out first. They found
+not only Mr. Hall, but also their friend, Colonel Rush, in the park,
+and Bessie introduced them to each other, saying, gravely, "Mr. Hall,
+please to know Colonel Yush; Colonel Yush, please to know Mr. Hall."
+
+The two gentlemen smiled, shook hands heartily, and certainly seemed
+well pleased to know each other. Perhaps it was partly because they
+were both so fond of the dear little girls who stood beside them.
+
+When the children went home, mamma had a towel neatly folded and begun
+for Maggie. She sat down at once, sewing away in a great hurry, and
+saying to Bessie that she was going to finish it that day. Presently
+mamma, seeing that she was moving along the hem pretty fast, came and
+looked at her work.
+
+"Oh, Maggie, Maggie!" she said, "this will not do, my dear child. Such
+long, crooked stitches! Why, you can sew much better than this."
+
+"Yes, mamma, but then I am in such a hurry to finish it."
+
+"But you must not be in such a hurry, dear, that you cannot take time
+to do it neatly. Suppose, when the towel is done, I were to hand you
+three cents and say, 'I am in such a hurry, Maggie, I shall only give
+you three cents.' Would you think that quite fair?"
+
+Maggie laughed. "No, indeed, mamma; but you would not do such a thing."
+
+"I hope not; and when you come to think about it, I am sure you will
+see that it is not fair for you to do my work poorly if I am to pay you
+for it."
+
+"Must it all come out, mamma?" asked Maggie, as her mother took the
+work from her hand.
+
+"I am afraid so, dear. See there, those stitches would not hold at all.
+I think we will take half of one side of a towel for each day's task.
+That will finish them in time, and you will soon tire of the work if
+you try to hurry through it in this way."
+
+"Mamma," said Bessie, as her mother handed back the towel to Maggie to
+make a fresh beginning, "could not I learn to sew?"
+
+"Yes, I think you are old enough to begin, if you will be patient."
+
+"Oh, yes, mamma, I will be patient to learn, if you will be patient to
+teach me."
+
+There was not much doubt about that, so the dear kind mother found a
+little piece of work and fixed it for Bessie. But she had no thimble
+of her own, and for that day had to use an old one of Maggie's with a
+piece of paper wrapped round her finger to make it stay in its place.
+Mamma promised to buy her one that very day, and after this, whenever
+Maggie hemmed her towels, Bessie would sit beside her learning to put
+in stiches that grew neater and neater every day.
+
+[Illustration: decorative]
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: decorative]
+
+IV.
+
+_FLOSSY._
+
+
+"AUNT HELEN! Aunt Helen!" said Maggie, almost as soon as they reached
+Riverside the next day, "may we run down in the garden and find Donald?"
+
+Donald was the old Scotch gardener who lived at Riverside. He had been
+there for a great many years, long before Maggie and Bessie were born,
+long enough, as Maggie said, "to learn to talk American," if he had
+chosen to do so. But Donald loved the dear old Scotch brogue which
+reminded him of his fatherland so far away, and was at no pains to drop
+it; and our little girls liked him none the less that they sometimes
+found it hard work to understand him. And they had good reason to like
+him, for he was glad to see them when they came to Riverside, and tried
+all he could to make their visits pleasant to them. They were in a
+great hurry to find him this morning, and could scarcely rest till they
+had permission to do so.
+
+"Well, well," said Grandpapa Duncan, "this is a nice thing. Have you
+grown so fond of Donald since you have been away that you have hardly
+time to speak to me before you run away to see him?"
+
+"Oh, no, grandpapa," said Maggie, "we like Donald very much, but you
+know we like you a great deal more; but you see we are so anxious about
+the puppy."
+
+"Oh, ho! then it is the puppy you like better than me? I do not see
+that that mends the matter."
+
+"Now, grandpapa!" said Maggie.
+
+"Couldn't you come with us, grandpapa?" asked Bessie, coaxingly.
+
+"Yes, do," said Maggie, "it's such a nice, pleasant day. It will do you
+good."
+
+"And it will do us good to have you," said Bessie.
+
+Grandpapa was very much pleased, but though there was a smile on his
+lips and in his eye, he wrinkled up his brow and pretended to think it
+was very hard he should be asked to go out. Perhaps he wanted to be
+coaxed a little more.
+
+"I have no hat or cane here," he said, gruffly.
+
+Away ran Maggie and Bessie into the hall, and presently came back, the
+one with grandpapa's hat, the other with his cane. Maggie climbed on
+his chair and put his hat on his head, pretty well down over his nose
+too, while Bessie placed the cane in his hand.
+
+"Now you are all ready," said Maggie.
+
+"But I have a bone in my knee; how am I to get up?" said grandpapa.
+
+Maggie took hold of one hand and Bessie of the other, and after a
+great deal of pulling, with some pretended scolding and grumbling from
+grandpapa, he was upon his feet.
+
+"A nice thing, to be sure," said the old gentleman, "for two little
+city damsels to come out here to my quiet country home, to pull me out
+of my comfortable easy-chair and trot me around after puppy dogs and
+other nonsense!" and he frowned harder than ever, shaking his cane
+fiercely at the laughing children, who knew very well that this was
+only fun, and that he was really glad to go with them. They thought it
+a fine joke, and went skipping merrily along, one on each side of him.
+They had gone but a few steps from the house, when Bessie stood still,
+exclaiming,--
+
+"Oh, how pretty, how pretty! Look, grandpapa! look, Maggie!"
+
+It was indeed a pretty sight that she saw. Just in front of them stood
+two tall trees which grew straight upwards for some distance and then
+leaned a little towards each other, so that at the top their branches
+wove themselves together, making an arch. Over each tree ran a Virginia
+creeper, or grass vine, winding round and round the trunks, spreading
+over the branches, and when they could find nothing more to cling to,
+throwing out long sprays and tendrils, which waved gracefully about in
+the gentle breeze coming up from the river. Although it was only the
+middle of September, there had been several cool, frosty nights, and
+the leaves of the vine were already of a bright crimson. The trees were
+still quite green, and the contrast between their color and the red of
+the vine was very beautiful.
+
+"Oh, who did it, grandpapa?" said Bessie. "Who painted those leaves?
+Did Donald?"
+
+"No, darling, no hand of man could paint that. This is the Lord's
+doing, and it is indeed marvellous in our eyes."
+
+"Do you mean our Father in heaven did it, grandpapa?"
+
+"Yes, dear, it was the great and loving Father, who has not only made
+his earth to bring forth food and drink for all his creatures, but has
+also made it so beautiful that it may please and delight our eyes."
+
+"But," said Maggie, in great astonishment, "that vine used to be all
+green just like the tree. How did it come red?"
+
+"I will tell you," said grandpapa. "Do you know what the sap is?"
+
+"No, sir."
+
+Mr. Duncan looked around him, and then, taking his knife from his
+pocket, cut a slip from a tall plant which grew near. He pressed it
+with his thumb and finger, and a small whitish drop oozed slowly out
+from the end which had been cut.
+
+"See there," he said, "that is the sap or juice of the plant. It is
+in every tree or bush, and goes running through the trunk, branches,
+and leaves much as the blood runs through the veins in your body. All
+through the summer it keeps the branches moist and the leaves fresh and
+green; but it does not like the cold, and when the frost comes, it runs
+away from the leaves. Then they begin to turn, some red, some yellow,
+some brown. Our pretty creepers here are among the first to feel the
+cold; and they turn sooner than the trees over which they grow. As the
+weather becomes colder, the sap goes farther and farther away, back
+through the branches and down through the trunk till it reaches the
+roots, where it lies snug and close in its winter home under the warm
+earth. Then the leaves shrivel up and lose their bright colors and fall
+to the ground. If you break a branch from a tree in winter, it will
+snap more easily than it will in the summer, because it is dry and
+brittle from the loss of its sap. All through the cold weather the sap
+keeps hidden quietly away in the roots; but in the spring when the air
+grows mild and pleasant, it begins to stir and move upward again. Up,
+up it goes through the trunk and branches, till, as the weather grows
+warmer and warmer, the little buds which hold the young leaves and
+blossoms begin to show themselves, and at last unfold. Then the small
+tender leaves peep out and gather strength and life from the soft air
+and bright sunshine and gentle rain, till the trees and bushes are
+covered with their beautiful green dress and make a pleasant shade for
+my Maggie and Bessie when they come out to see their old grandpapa at
+Riverside."
+
+"And give us pretty flowers to smell and look at, and nice fruit to
+eat," said Bessie.
+
+"Yes, and see how our Father thinks of us and cares for our comfort at
+every season. If we had not this pleasant shade in the summer, with the
+soft green for our eyes to rest upon, we could scarcely bear the heat
+and light of the sun. But in the winter we need all the heat and light
+we can have; and then, the leaves drop away and let the rays of the sun
+fall upon the earth to warm and cheer us."
+
+While grandpapa was talking, they had been walking on; and now, as they
+turned a corner, they saw Donald. He was tying up some dahlias. The
+little girls ran forward.
+
+"How do you do, Donald?" said Bessie.
+
+"How is the puppy, Donald?" asked Maggie.
+
+"And how's yersel'," said Donald. "Eh, but I'm blithe to see ye aince
+mair."
+
+"We're well," said Bessie, "and I can yun about now, and my feet don't
+get so tired as they used to."
+
+"That's gude news," said Donald; "an' noo ye'll be wantin' the wee
+doggie hame wi' ye. Weel, he's big eneuch; and I think ye may tak' him
+if yer mither's willin'."
+
+[Illustration: Bessie in City. p. 82.]
+
+The children understood enough of what Donald was saying to know that
+he meant they could take the puppy home if their mother would not
+object; and Maggie hastened to say, "Oh, yes! mamma will let us have
+him; she quite expects us to take him home, Donald. Could you let us
+see him now?"
+
+Donald was quite ready, and they all went over to his cottage, where
+the first thing they saw was Flossy himself, playing on the grass with
+his two puppy brothers. They all came running up to Donald, as if they
+were glad to see him, and then went snuffing and smelling about the
+feet of the children, as if they wanted to find out who these little
+strangers could be.
+
+In five minutes they were all the best of friends, and Maggie and
+Bessie were seated upon the grass with the three little dogs jumping,
+capering, and tumbling about them and over them. Such a frolic as they
+had, and how the children laughed, and how the puppies barked and
+yelped and frisked about, while it was hard to say who enjoyed it most,
+the little girls and the dogs, or grandpapa, Donald, and Alice, who
+watched them from the cottage steps.
+
+The puppies were all pretty, but Flossy was certainly the prettiest
+of the three. He was beautifully marked in brown and white, and his
+coat was already becoming long, silken, and glossy. He was also the
+most playful and mischievous; and grandpapa told Maggie and Bessie he
+thought they would have their hands full to keep him out of harm. Once,
+in the midst of their play, Maggie's hat fell off, and in an instant
+Flossy had pounced upon it, and, when Maggie tried to take it from him,
+ran away, dragging it after him. Round and round the house he tore, and
+they had quite a race to get it from him. At last Donald caught him and
+took the hat from him; but, alas! it was none the better for its rough
+journey over the gravel walks. He was next at his own finery. Alice,
+Donald's wife, had tied about his neck the red ribbon which she kept to
+dress him with when his little mistresses came to Riverside, but his
+brothers seemed to think he had no right to be finer than they were,
+and were all the time pulling and snapping at the ribbon, till at last
+it came untied. But Flossy had no idea of letting another puppy have
+that which belonged to himself, and pretty quickly snatched it from
+them. Off he went again before the children could stop him, and running
+down in the cellar and behind some barrels, soon had the ribbon torn
+to bits. Alice was quite vexed when at last she pulled him from his
+hiding-place, and found the ribbon entirely destroyed; but the children
+thought him very smart, and did not see why he should not have his fun.
+
+"Eh, but you're an ill beastie!" said Alice, giving Flossy a cuff on
+the ear.
+
+Bessie's little tender heart was quite grieved. "Alice," she said, "I
+was 'fraid maybe you'd be sorry when we took Flossy away; but I guess
+you don't care much; do you?"
+
+"Na, na!" said Alice. "I canna be fashed wi' the three o' them, an'
+this ane's the warst o' them a'. He's aye in mischief. Didna he lick a'
+the cream for my mon's breakfast?"
+
+Scarce a word did the children understand, except that Flossy had drank
+the cream meant for Donald's breakfast, and that Alice was rather
+pleased to be rid of him.
+
+"Perhaps he don't know any better," said Bessie. "He'll have to be
+teached."
+
+"'Deed does he," said Alice, as if she were glad she was no longer to
+have the teaching of him.
+
+"Grandpapa," said Maggie, "may we take Flossy up to the house now, so
+that he may be used to us before we go home?"
+
+Grandpapa said they might, and Maggie told Bessie that she should carry
+him.
+
+"I'll only carry him half the way," said Bessie, "and you can carry him
+the yest."
+
+But Flossy had no mind to be carried at all. He liked to frisk about
+on his own four feet, and was quite ready to run after his little
+mistresses. Indeed, the puppies were all so well pleased with their new
+playmates that the other two wished to go also, and Donald had to shut
+them up to prevent them from following.
+
+Grandpapa said they would not go directly home, but through the
+orchard, and so down to the river bank. In the orchard the men were
+picking the early apples and packing them in barrels, and grandpapa,
+going to one of them, chose two large rosy-cheeked apples and gave one
+to Maggie and one to Bessie. They stood a while watching the men, and
+then turned to go on.
+
+Between the orchard and the river lay a broad green field, and in this
+field several cows and a large flock of sheep were feeding. Now Bessie,
+although she was not a timid child about many things, was afraid of
+cattle; and as Mr. Duncan opened the gate into the field, she drew back.
+
+"Grandpa," she said, "bettern't we go the other way?"
+
+"I think not," said grandpapa. "This way is the pleasantest, and I have
+something to show you down by the water."
+
+"But if we should be bucked, what would our mamma say?" asked the
+little girl, still looking timidly at the cows.
+
+"We shall not be bucked, dear," said grandpapa, smiling. "Does my
+Bessie think I would take her or Maggie where there was danger?"
+
+"No, grandpapa, but--" Bessie still hung back.
+
+"You shall not go this way, dear, if you do not wish; but these are our
+cows, and I know them to be all peaceable and good-tempered. But if we
+turn back and go through the garden again, I shall be too tired to take
+you down to the river."
+
+"I think we'll go this way," said Bessie, and so they went on; but as
+they passed the cows, grandpapa felt the little hand he held nestle
+itself very tightly in his own, and as he saw how her color came and
+went, he was sorry he had not turned back. The cows did not notice them
+at all, not even when Flossy, who seemed to think it would be a very
+fine thing to bark at something so much larger than himself, ran up
+to one and began woof woofing in a very absurd manner. The cow just
+lifted up her head and looked at him for a moment; then, as if she well
+knew that such a tiny thing could do her no harm, put it down and began
+to eat again.
+
+"Isn't it er-dic-u-lous, grandpapa," said Maggie, "to see Flossy
+barking at that great cow?"
+
+"Rather ridiculous," answered grandpapa. "Look at those little lambs,
+Bessie."
+
+Bessie quite forgot the cows when she saw the lambs playing by the side
+of their mothers. But when Flossy found the cattle cared nothing for
+him, he thought he would try to make a little fuss here, and away he
+ran after one of the lambs. The sheep did not take it as quietly as the
+cows; the lamb was frightened, and the mother, who did not understand
+that this was Flossy's fun, and that he could not have hurt her child
+even if he had wished to, put it behind her, and lowering her head,
+stamped her foot at Flossy as if she were very angry. Mr. Duncan called
+the puppy away, but he would not mind, and Maggie ran to take him up
+in her arms. The poor sheep saw her and thought here was something
+else coming to hurt her baby, so she must fight a little herself. She
+ran at Maggie, and butting her head against the little girl, threw her
+over upon the grass. The other sheep had stood looking on; but now, as
+if afraid of being punished for what one of their number had done, the
+whole flock turned and scampered away to the opposite side of the field.
+
+Maggie sat up upon the grass. She was not at all hurt, but rather
+frightened and very much astonished.
+
+"Are you hurt, little woman?" asked grandpapa, as he lifted her up and
+placed her upon her feet.
+
+"No, grandpapa, but--who did it?"
+
+"Who did it? Why, the mother sheep there."
+
+"She is very ungrateful," said Maggie, indignantly. "I came to help
+her, and she oughtn't to do it."
+
+"She did not know that, dear," said grandpapa. "She thought you, too,
+were coming to hurt her lamb, and she could not tell what else to do.
+See there, Bessie, the cows which you were so afraid of did not even
+look at us, while this meek, timid sheep, of which you had not the
+least fear, has knocked over Maggie. Do not look so distressed, dear;
+Maggie is not hurt at all."
+
+It was some time before Bessie could quite believe this. It seemed to
+her scarcely possible that her dear Maggie should have been thrown
+down in such a rude fashion, and yet not be hurt. But so it was; not
+a scratch nor a bruise was to be found. The ground was not very hard
+just here, and the grass quite soft and long; and beyond the fright
+and a streak or two of earth on her white dress, Maggie had received
+no harm from her fall. It made her feel rather sober, however, and she
+walked quietly along by grandpapa's side without skipping and jumping
+as she had done before.
+
+"Grandpapa," said Bessie, "don't you think the sheep ought to know
+better?"
+
+"Well, Bessie, I think we must not blame the poor creature. She did not
+know that Maggie was her friend, and Flossy had frightened her and made
+her angry. If she had been alone, she would probably have run away; but
+she loved her child better than she did herself, and took the best way
+she knew to keep it from harm."
+
+"You are very naughty, Flossy," said Bessie. "You did a deal of
+_misfit_. You frightened the poor little lambie, and made my Maggie be
+knocked down."
+
+"Yes," said Maggie, "he'll have to be taught, 'to do to others.' Poor
+little fellow! He don't know much himself."
+
+"Yes," said Mr. Duncan, "like all young things, he has much to learn,
+and his teachers must have a good deal of patience."
+
+"Grandpapa," said Bessie, "are not lambs pretty good baby animals?"
+
+"I rather think they are, Bessie. Perhaps their mammas sometimes find
+them troublesome; but we seldom or never hear of a lamb getting into
+mischief or naughty ways. So when a child is obedient and gentle, we
+say it is like a little lamb."
+
+"Mamma taught us such a pretty hymn last week about a lamb," said
+Bessie.
+
+"Can't you let me hear it?" said grandpapa. So Bessie repeated these
+verses:--
+
+      "Little lamb, who made thee?
+      Dost thou know who made thee?
+    Gave thee life, and gave thee feed,
+    By the stream, and o'er the mead;
+    Gave thee clothing of delight,--
+    Softest clothing, woolly, bright;
+    Gave thee such a tender voice,
+    Making all the vales rejoice.
+      Little lamb, who made thee?
+      Dost thou know who made thee?
+
+      "Little lamb, I'll tell thee!
+      Little lamb, I'll tell thee!
+    He is callèd by thy name.
+    For He calls Himself a lamb.
+    He is meek, and He is mild,
+    He became a little child.
+    I, a child, and thou, a lamb,
+    We are callèd by His name.
+      Little lamb, God bless thee!
+      Little lamb, God bless thee!"[A]
+
+She said them slowly and carefully, not missing one word, and grandpapa
+was much pleased.
+
+"That is indeed pretty, my darling," he said, "and grandpapa is much
+obliged to you. What a dear, good mamma you have, always teaching you
+something useful or pretty."
+
+"Oh, yes!" said Bessie, "she is just the most precious mamma that ever
+lived."
+
+Grandpapa looked down as if he thought the dear mamma's little daughter
+was rather precious, too; but he did not say so.
+
+"I never saw such a good helper as our mamma," said Maggie. "She always
+can tell us how to do things."
+
+Then Maggie told how mamma was helping them to buy the library, and
+of all their little plans. Grandpapa listened, and seemed very much
+interested; and by the time the story was finished, they had reached
+the river.
+
+Mr. Duncan led them through a grove of locust-trees, and just beyond
+was the pretty sight he had brought them to look at. This was a pond
+into which the water flowed by a narrow canal cut from the river. Upon
+it were floating two beautiful white swans. The children had never seen
+them before, for the pond had been made, and the swans brought there,
+since their last visit to Riverside. Over the canal was a pretty rustic
+bridge, and below it a wire fence, which allowed the water to flow
+in, but through which the swans could not pass. On the other side of
+the pond was a little house, made, like the bridge, of boughs twisted
+together.
+
+"Oh, grandpapa," said Maggie, "what beautiful birds! How did they come
+there? And that water, too? It did not use to be there."
+
+"No," said Mr. Duncan. "The pond was made this summer, while you were
+at Quam Beach. Those birds are swans."
+
+"And is that their little house?" asked Bessie.
+
+"Yes," said grandpapa; and then taking from his pocket a couple of
+crackers which he had brought for the purpose, he gave one to each of
+the children, and told them they might feed the swans. The birds were
+not at all afraid of the little girls, and came swimming up to where
+they stood, arching their graceful necks as if they quite expected to
+receive something nice to eat. Indeed, they were so tame that when the
+crackers were broken up, they took pieces from the children's hands
+as if they had known them all their lives. Maggie and Bessie were
+delighted, and Maggie thought she would like to stay by the pond all
+day; but now Mr. Duncan said it was time to go back to the house, so
+they bade good-by to the swans.
+
+By this time Flossy was tired, and was quite willing to let Maggie
+take him up in her arms and carry him. Before they reached home he was
+asleep, and Maggie laid him in a corner of the sofa in the hall, and
+covered him up with a shawl. After a while, Bessie seeing him, thought
+she was tired too, so she climbed on the sofa, took Flossy in her arms,
+nestled down on the cushions, and in five minutes she, too, was fast
+asleep. There Maggie, who had been down in the kitchen, begging the
+cook for some milk for the puppy, found her. She stood looking at her
+for a moment, then ran into the library where her father and Uncle John
+were sitting.
+
+"Oh, papa," she said, seizing his hand, "come and see the prettiest
+thing you ever saw. Come, Uncle John, do come; but do not make any
+noise."
+
+Papa and Uncle John followed the eager little girl, who led them to the
+sofa where Bessie and Flossy lay.
+
+"Isn't she sweet?" whispered Maggie. "Isn't it just like a picture?"
+
+It was indeed a pretty sight. The sleeping child in her white dress,
+with her curls falling over the red cushions, and the little dog
+clasped in her arms, his face cuddled up against her shoulder. But Mr.
+Duncan and Mr. Bradford thought that not the least pretty part of it
+was the affectionate little sister standing by, looking at Bessie with
+so much love in her eyes. Her father could not help stooping to kiss
+her. Just then Aunt Helen passed through the hall.
+
+"Come here, Helen," said Mr. Duncan.
+
+"Isn't that a pretty picture, Aunt Helen?" said Maggie, as her aunt
+paused to look. "I am going to call mamma."
+
+"No, no," said Mrs. Duncan, "do not call her. You have given me an
+idea, Maggie. Can you keep a secret?"
+
+Maggie promised, and her father said he thought she might be trusted.
+
+Now Aunt Helen could draw and paint very beautifully, and her "idea"
+was to make a little picture of Bessie as she lay sleeping, and to give
+it to her mother as a Christmas gift. She ran to her room, and bringing
+paper and pencils, began to sketch her little niece.
+
+Mr. Bradford looked over her shoulder.
+
+"Could you not put the other one in?" he whispered, looking at Maggie,
+who still seemed as if she could not take her eyes from her sister.
+"We never separate them, you know, and it will be a double pleasure to
+Margaret."
+
+So Mrs. Duncan drew Maggie, too, though Maggie did not know this, for
+her aunt said she should not let her see the picture until it was quite
+finished.
+
+"And mind," said Uncle John, "if you say a word about it, I shall look
+at you with both my eyes, and put your nose between your ears."
+
+Maggie laughed, and promised to be very careful; and now, as Bessie
+began to stir, Aunt Helen ran away with the picture.
+
+Flossy was taken home in the carriage that afternoon, and I must say,
+he behaved very badly all the way. He was not used to riding, and he
+did not like it at all. On the first half of the road, he whined and
+fretted all the time; and when he became a little accustomed to the
+motion, he would not keep quiet; and either scrambled all about the
+carriage, or if Maggie or Bessie took him upon her lap, put his head
+out of the window and barked at every person he saw, so that his little
+mistresses were quite mortified.
+
+"Mamma," said Bessie, "please don't think he's the troublesomest little
+dog you ever saw. We will teach him to behave better. If you hadn't
+teached us, maybe we would have been as full of _misfit_ as he is."
+
+Mamma said she did not doubt that Flossy would learn better in time,
+and she would have patience with him.
+
+
+FOOTNOTES:
+
+[Footnote A: William Blake.]
+
+[Illustration: decorative]
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: decorative]
+
+V.
+
+_THE COLONEL'S STORY_
+
+
+ON Sunday morning Maggie and Bessie were made ready, and taken over
+to Mrs. Rush's rooms at nine o'clock, as had been arranged. As Maggie
+had told Mr. Hall, Mrs. Rush could not leave the colonel to go to the
+church school; but she was very anxious to do something for the lambs
+of the Good Shepherd, who had so lately brought her dear husband into
+the fold, and so she had begged that these little ones might come to
+her. Mrs. Bradford was very glad to have her children go. Bessie had
+never been to Sunday-school, and her mother thought the walk too much
+for her on a cold day; but Mrs. Rush's rooms were so near their own
+home that she could go there in almost any weather. As for Maggie, she
+was rather glad not to go back to the church school. Her teacher, Miss
+Winslow, was going away, as you know, and she did not at all like the
+idea of having a new one.
+
+"I should be so very homesick after Miss Winslow, mamma," she had said,
+"but now I shall not mind that so much; and then Bessie will be with
+me, so we will be very happy."
+
+Truly it was a pleasant class. Four little girls who dearly loved
+each other, and the sweet young lady who was to be their teacher.
+Then the room was so bright and sunny, and the colonel, to please his
+wife and her little scholars, perhaps also to please himself, had
+taken a great deal of pains to have all nicely prepared for them.
+Four small cane-seated chairs stood side by side, and on each of them
+lay a Testament and a hymn-book, while on the table were a number of
+picture-cards and a neat case containing a dozen books, which were to
+be their library.
+
+"When these are all read," said the colonel, "they shall have some
+more."
+
+There was only one thing which seemed wrong, but that was rather
+serious. The dear teacher appeared as if she would scarcely be able to
+do her part that morning. Mrs. Rush had taken a severe cold, and had
+a bad headache and a sore throat. She looked quite ill, and when Mr.
+Bradford, who had brought the little girls over, shook hands with her,
+he said, "I think you are in no fit state for teaching to-day. You had
+better let me take the children home, and make a beginning next Sunday."
+
+"So I have told her," said Colonel Rush; "but she cannot bear to
+disappoint herself or them, and I have agreed to let her try, on
+condition that, if she find it too much for her, I am to take her
+place. I do not know what kind of a teacher I shall make, but, at
+least, I can tell them a story."
+
+Mrs. Rush said she thought she should do very well; so Mr. Bradford
+went away, and in a few minutes Gracie Howard and Lily Norris came in,
+and they all took their seats. Colonel Rush went into the inner room,
+where he could not be seen, but where he could hear if he chose; and
+his wife began.
+
+First, she made a short prayer, asking our Father in heaven to bless
+them with his presence and his love, that he would give her strength
+and grace to teach these lambs aright, and to them, hearts gentle and
+tender, and ready to learn the way of life, and that he would bring
+them all at last to dwell with him in his home beyond the sky. Then she
+read to them of Christ blessing little children, and, showing them a
+card on which a picture of this was painted, talked to them about it.
+
+"Now we will sing," she said, "or rather you may, for I shall not be
+able to help you. We will take something you all know quite well, that
+there may be no difficulty about the tune. 'I want to be an angel.' Who
+will start it?"
+
+Any one of the children, if she had been alone, could have started
+the tune and sung it through without trouble; but with all the rest
+waiting, not one felt as if she could begin. They all sat looking at
+one another, each little girl afraid to trust her own voice.
+
+"Why," said Mrs. Rush, "are we to have no singing at all? Cannot one of
+you do it?"
+
+Then came two or three notes from the other room. Bessie took them
+right up, and the rest followed immediately. As soon as they were
+fairly started, the colonel paused, and let them sing it through by
+themselves. Very nicely they did it, too; their sweet young voices
+making pleasant music in the ears of their kind friends.
+
+"I want you each to learn a new hymn and a Bible verse, during the
+week, to say to me next Sunday," said Mrs. Rush. "We have had no
+regular lesson for to-day. Can you not each remember a hymn to repeat
+now?"
+
+"I'll say, 'Saviour, like a shepherd lead us,'" said Gracie; and she
+repeated the hymn very correctly.
+
+Lily said, "Little travellers, Zionward;" but, as you probably know
+both of these pretty pieces, there is no need to write them here.
+
+Bessie said the verses about the lamb, which she had repeated to
+Grandpapa Duncan at Riverside.
+
+Maggie's turn came last. "I am going to say the very best hymn that
+ever was made," she said.
+
+"How do you know it is the very best?" said Gracie. "Maybe it isn't so
+pretty as the one Bessie said. I like that very much."
+
+"So do I; but then this one _is_ the best, for my own mamma made it,"
+answered Maggie, as if there could be no doubt after this that her hymn
+was the best that could be written.
+
+Gracie opened her eyes wide, and listened with all her might. To have a
+mamma who wrote hymns, must, she thought, be very fine, and she did not
+wonder that Maggie felt rather proud of it.
+
+"Shall I say it?" asked Maggie of Mrs. Rush.
+
+"Certainly," said the lady; and Maggie began.
+
+    "Little one, what canst thou do,
+     For the Lord who loved thee so,
+     That he left his heavenly throne,
+     To our sinful world came down,
+     On the cross to faint and die,
+     That thy ransomed soul might fly
+     Far beyond all sin and pain,
+     Where the Crucified doth reign?
+
+    "Little hands, what can ye do
+     For the Lord who loved me so?
+
+    "Little hands fit work may find,
+     If I have a willing mind;
+     And whate'er the service small,
+     If I only do it all
+     For the sake of God's dear Son,
+     He the simplest gift will own.
+     Little hands, so ye may prove
+     All my gratitude and love.
+
+    "Little lips, what can ye do
+     For the Lord who loved me so?
+
+    "Let no harsh or angry word
+     From these little lips be heard;
+     Let them never take in vain
+     God's most glorious, holy name
+     Let sweet sounds of praise and joy
+     All your childish powers employ.
+     Little lips, so ye may prove
+     All my gratitude and love.
+
+    "Little feet, what can ye do
+     For the Lord who loved me so?
+
+    "Follow Him who day by day
+     Guides thee on the heavenward way.
+     Little feet, turn not aside,
+     Tread down shame and fear and pride,
+     Aught might tempt ye to go back
+     From the safe and narrow track.
+     Little feet, so ye may prove
+     All my gratitude and love.
+
+    "Little heart, what canst thou do
+      For the Lord who loved me so?
+
+    "Thou canst _love him_, little heart,
+     Such thy blessed, happy part.
+     In his tender arms may rest,
+     Lying there content and blest.
+     This is all he asks of thee,
+     Little heart, oh! lovest thou me?
+     Little heart, so thou mayst prove
+     All my gratitude and love.
+
+    "Little one, this thou canst do
+     For the Lord who loved thee so.
+     Little hands and little feet
+     Still may render service meet;
+     Little lips and little heart
+     In such glorious work bear part.
+     Little one, thus thou mayst prove
+     All thy gratitude and love."
+
+"Oh, how nice!" said Gracie; and Lily said the same thing.
+
+"And mamma is going to make music for it," said Bessie, "so we can sing
+it."
+
+"Then we will all learn it," said Mrs. Rush. "We shall have a piano
+here next Sunday, and there need be no more trouble about our tunes.
+Now I will tell you a little story."
+
+But when she began to talk again, she was so hoarse that she could
+scarcely speak, and the children saw that her throat was very painful.
+
+"Don't try to tell us; you feel too sick," said Bessie. "We'll just sit
+still, and be as quite as mices."
+
+Mrs. Rush smiled at her, and tried once more to go on, but just then
+the sound of the colonel's crutches was heard, and the next moment he
+came in the room.
+
+"I cannot let you go on, Marion," said he. "I will take your place. Can
+you put up with a story from me, little ones, while my wife rests? She
+is able to do no more for you to-day."
+
+Put up with a story from him! That was a curious question from the
+colonel, who was such a famous story-teller. They were all quite ready
+to listen to anything he might tell them, though they felt very sorry
+for dear Mrs. Rush, who, seeming rather glad to give her place to
+her husband, went to the other side of the room and took the great
+arm-chair, while the colonel settled himself on the sofa.
+
+Bessie looked at him very wistfully.
+
+"Well, what is it, my pet?" he asked.
+
+"Don't you think you'd be more comfor'ble if I was on the sofa by you?"
+she asked. "I am sure I would."
+
+"Indeed, I should," he answered, holding out his hand with a smile, and
+in a moment she was in her favorite seat beside him.
+
+He told the others to stand around him, and commenced his story.
+
+"A little child sat upon a green sunny bank, singing to himself in a
+low, sweet voice. It was not easy to understand the words of the song;
+indeed, there did not seem to be much wisdom in them. It was as if he
+were only pouring out in music the joy of his own young, happy heart.
+
+"It was a lovely place. The bank on which the child rested was covered
+with a soft green moss, while around him bloomed sweet flowers, blue
+violets peeping up from their nest of leaves, and filling the air with
+their delicious scent, pure lilies of the valley with their snowy
+bells, and the pale pink primroses. Overhead grew tall trees, shading
+him from the rays of the sun which might else have beat too strongly on
+his tender head; and among their branches the soft winds whispered and
+the birds sang joyfully. At the foot of the bank was a path bordered
+with lovely ferns and grasses and flowers, such as grew above; and
+beyond this again ran a little stream sparkling in the sunlight, and
+gurgling and rippling over and around the stones and pebbles which lay
+in its way. And all--the boy, the birds, the whispering leaves, the
+sweet flowers, the running brook--seemed joining in one hymn of praise
+to Him who made them and gave them life.
+
+"On the other side of the brook, and in a line with the narrow path,
+ran a broad road, on which also grew flowers gayer and brighter than
+those whose home was upon the bank or on the path; but when one came
+nearer, or tried to pluck them, they were found to be full of thorns,
+or turned to dust and ashes in the hand.
+
+"Both road and path _seemed_ to lead to the mountains, which lay in
+the distance; but it was not really so. There were many windings and
+turnings in both, so that one who travelled upon them could not see far
+before him. Sometimes they would lead over a hill, sometimes around its
+foot, sometimes through a forest, sometimes through a bog or stream.
+Those who became puzzled upon the broad road would lose their way and
+could seldom find either track again; for there was nothing to guide
+them, and they would go deeper and deeper into the dark woods or the
+treacherous bog, or perhaps fall into some deep pit, and so they were
+never seen again. But if one who travelled upon the narrow path was
+in doubt whether he were right or no, he had only to lift his eyes,
+and the true way would be pointed out to him; for all along were
+guide-posts, and upon them were golden letters which shone so brightly
+that he who ran might read; and they told him which turning he must
+take. By the side of the path there ran also a silver thread, and he
+who kept fast hold of this could seldom or never go astray; for if he
+was about to turn aside, fine points or thorns would rise up in the
+thread and, pricking him, bid him take heed to his steps. But however
+the path might wind, in and out, now here, now there, it still led
+onward to the mountains whose tops were to be seen in a straight line
+with the child's home; and he who followed it could not fail to come
+there.
+
+"The child was still singing, when a stranger came up this path. He
+stood still and looked at the boy with a smile, as though the simple
+song pleased him.
+
+"'What is thy name, little one?' he asked.
+
+"'Benito,' answered the child.
+
+"'Ah! thou art well named, for truly thou art a blessed child. What a
+lovely home thou hast!'
+
+"'But this is not my home,' said Benito. 'My Father placed me here for
+a little while, but my home lies far away on the mountains yonder where
+he is. There is a beautiful city there, where my Elder Brother has gone
+to prepare a place for me. Stay;' and the child put his hand into his
+bosom and drew out a glass; 'look through this, and then thou wilt see
+the beautiful city; thou mayest even see my Father's house. This glass
+is called Faith, and my Brother bade me look through it when my feet
+were tired and my heart was faint.'
+
+"The stranger took it from his hand, and looking through it, gave a
+glad cry of surprise; then took from his own breast a glass like the
+boy's, but not so fresh and bright.
+
+"'I, too, have a glass,' he said; 'but it is not so clear as thine.
+It is my own fault, for it needs constant use to keep it pure and
+undimmed, and I have not brought it forth as often as I should have
+done. But now the beautiful sight which I have seen through thine has
+taught me what I lose by letting it lie hidden away. And when art thou
+to go to thy Father's house?'
+
+"'Now,' said Benito, 'for the message has come for me, and I am to
+start to-day upon the very path on which thou standest.'
+
+"'But it will be a hard way for thee,' said the stranger, in a pitying
+voice. 'I am taller than thee, and can look farther ahead, and I see
+rocks and stones which will hurt those tender feet, and hills which
+will be difficult for thee to climb, and streams whose waves will be
+almost too much for thee. Wait till thou art a little stronger and more
+able to travel.'
+
+"'I cannot wait,' said Benito; 'I have heard my Father's voice, and I
+must not stay.'
+
+"'And hast thou food and drink for the journey?'
+
+"'My Father has promised that I shall be fed with the bread of life,
+and drink from living waters.'
+
+"'But that white robe of thine will become soiled with the dust and
+heat of the day.'
+
+"'This white robe is called Innocence,' said the child. 'My Father
+clothed me in it when he left me here; and if it should become spotted
+by the way, he has said that it shall be washed white again before I go
+into his presence.'
+
+"'Truly thou hast made good use of thy glass,' said the stranger; 'and
+thine own courage puts my fears for thee to shame. I, too, am bound for
+the mountains, for thy Father is my Father, thy home my home. Come,
+shall we journey there together? We may perhaps aid one another. I
+can help thee over the rough places; and thou mayest now and then let
+me take a look through thy glass till mine own is brighter with more
+frequent use.'
+
+"'I will go with thee,' said Benito, who liked the kind, gentle face of
+the stranger; and coming down from his mossy seat, he put his hand in
+that of his new friend, who told him his name was Experience.
+
+"'Men call me a hard teacher, my child,' he said; 'I trust I may be
+gentle with thee. I shall not be able to be always at thy side, for I
+may have work to do which thou canst not share, and I may leave thee
+for a time; but I will always await thee or follow on after thee.'
+
+"Experience was a grave-looking man, and his face had a sad and weary
+look as though he longed for home and rest. But he had always a smile
+for the child when he turned towards him. His dress was of gray, and
+about his neck he wore a chain of golden beads. So they journeyed on
+together, the man and the boy; each with a hand upon the silver thread
+which ran by the wayside.
+
+"'What is that chain about thy neck?' asked Benito.
+
+"'It is the gift I carry to our Father,' said Experience, looking down
+with a smile at the chain.
+
+"'I have no gift,' said the child; 'I did not know that I should need
+one. My Elder Brother told me he had paid the price which should give
+me entrance to the beautiful city.'
+
+"'He has done so,' said the other, 'and though thou goest with empty
+hands, thou shalt have as loving a welcome as if thou hadst all the
+wealth of the universe to offer. But still, one would wish to have some
+gift to lay at our Father's feet. Perhaps thou mayest find some jewel
+on the road. I had nothing when I started. These beads have been given
+to me, one by one, by those whom I have helped or taught by the way;
+for, little one, thou art not the first whose hand has been laid in
+mine; and I have strung them together as a fit offering for him to whom
+we go.'
+
+"'I have no bead to give,' said Benito, sadly.
+
+"'No matter; that white robe of thine gives thee a claim upon my care,
+which I could not set aside if I would. Cheer up, sweet child. If a
+jewel fell in thy way, and thou didst not stop to pick it up, that thou
+mightst carry it to our Father, then indeed there would be reason to
+fear his displeasure, but if thou findest none, he will ask none.'
+
+"So Benito was comforted, and once more went on his way rejoicing.
+His sweet talk cheered the older pilgrim, and every now and then
+they would both break out into songs of praise and joy. Experience
+helped the little one over many rough places, for though the path was
+at first easy and pleasant, it soon grew hard and stony. Then they
+passed through a dark forest, where Benito could scarcely have kept
+his feet but for the help of his older and wiser friend, who took him
+in his arms until they were again upon the open road. But even among
+the brambles and thickets of the forest the way was plain, if they
+but looked up at the guide-posts; for the greater the darkness, the
+brighter shone the letters.
+
+[Illustration: decorative]
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: decorative]
+
+VI.
+
+_THE STORY CONTINUED._
+
+
+"THEY journeyed on till they came to a grotto built upon the side of
+the path, and Experience said, 'It is now the seventh hour, and we may
+turn in here for food and drink.'
+
+"So they went into the grotto, where were many other pilgrims, and
+were fed with the bread of life, and drank of living waters, so that
+they were strengthened for the rest of the journey. And this food
+they received from the hands of two soldiers,--an old man and a young
+one,--both of whom were in shining armor, with a white cross upon the
+shoulder, and upon the breast of each hung a string of jewels, so
+bright that the eye could scarcely rest upon them.
+
+"'Did they find those jewels by the way?' Benito asked of his friend.
+
+"'Yes,' answered Experience. 'The jewels are souls that have been saved
+by the food which our Father taught these soldiers to serve.'
+
+"'And see,' said the child, 'there is another pilgrim with a shining
+star about his neck.'
+
+"'He started upon his journey with much gold,' said Experience. 'And
+he made good use of it; building such grottos as this, where tired
+pilgrims might rest and be fed, and others where the sick and lame
+might be healed. And he did this, not for his own glory, but for love
+of Him whose children he rejoiced to help. So the gold has come back to
+him in the form of this star, which he may offer to his Master.'
+
+"And as the little one looked around among the pilgrims, he saw that
+most of them had some gift which they were taking to their Father; and
+his own heart grew sad again, for he had as yet found none, though he
+had looked carefully by the way.
+
+"When the seventh hour had gone by, the pilgrims all went forth on
+their journey again. Some kept near Benito and Experience, others
+passed far ahead, and some few were left behind. But the two soldiers
+were always near; for as Experience walked slowly, so that he might
+help the little one whose hand lay in his, so the younger soldier also
+held back, that he might lend his arm to aid the feeble steps of the
+older.
+
+"They now came to a black bog where the guide-post pointed to a narrow
+bridge which led them safely over it. But from the midst of the bog
+came terrible cries. 'Come and help us, for we have lost our way; and
+if we are not set right, we shall never reach our home.'
+
+"Then the two soldiers said they must go and help the poor lost ones,
+and Experience said he would go with them.
+
+"'For the path is pretty plain for some distance now,' he said to
+Benito, 'and I think thou couldst walk by thyself for a while. Only
+from time to time look at the guide-posts, and be sure to keep fast
+hold upon the silver thread.' Then he left him to go with the soldiers.
+
+"So the boy went on by himself, watching carefully for the jewel he
+hoped to find. And as he looked, a poor lame bird hopped upon his
+path. The broad road was very near to the narrow one in this spot, and
+walking upon it were many children and older people. These children had
+long been calling to Benito, telling him to come where the ground was
+soft and easy to walk upon, and where he might play all the day long
+if he chose. But Benito would not listen, for Experience had told him
+to close his ears; and besides he had the command of his Elder Brother
+that he should set his feet on the narrow path.
+
+"The bird was a poor, half-starved looking thing, with a broken
+wing; for these cruel children had caught it, and after teasing and
+tormenting it for a long while, had stoned it. It had at last escaped
+them, and fluttering across the stream which divided the roads, fell at
+Benito's feet.
+
+"The boy raised it gently, bound up the broken wing, and gathering some
+of the grass which grew by the wayside, made for the bird a soft nest.
+Then taking from his bosom a piece of bread, given to him by the old
+soldier lest he should be hungry, he fed it with some crumbs, brought
+it water from the stream, and left it there in comfort and safety.
+
+"On he went, wishing for his friends, and still looking for the jewel.
+Suddenly he saw before him a beautiful butterfly, with wings of
+crimsom, blue, and gold. It flew gayly about him, now lighting on his
+shoulder, now circling round his head; but never coming where he might
+lay his hand upon it.
+
+"'What a lovely thing!' he said to himself. 'If I may but catch it, I
+will take it to my Father.'
+
+"The butterfly lighted upon a flower, and the child sprang after it.
+Away it flew to another, and he followed, still to miss it. On they
+went, from flower to flower, until it reached the stream, and flying
+across, lit upon a showy tulip, just upon the farther side. Benito
+hesitated and drew back, for the insect was now upon the forbidden
+road, and he feared to disobey. But there was the butterfly fluttering
+its lovely wings in the sunlight, the stream looked narrow here, he
+could reach the prize, and be back in an instant. He should be so glad
+to show it to his friends when they joined him again. As he thought
+thus, he loosened a little his grasp upon the silver thread, and
+instantly small prickles started up upon it, reminding him of his duty;
+but he looked again at the butterfly, and then, forgetting all else,
+let go his hold altogether, sprang across the stream, and once more
+reached forth his hand. Again the butterfly fluttered off a little
+farther, this time burying itself in the very heart of a lovely flower.
+
+"'Ah, I have thee now,' said Benito, and, springing forward, his hand
+closed upon the blossom. But he instantly drew it back, crying aloud
+with pain, for sharp nettles ran themselves into his tender palm, and
+the butterfly suddenly changed into an ugly creeping thing. He heard
+around him mocking laughter and loud, angry cries, and, terrified, he
+turned to go back. But he found himself in a bog where his feet sank
+deeper and deeper, and his white dress became soiled and spotted. When
+he looked towards the stream, its waters had become black and muddy,
+and a fog hung over it so that he could not see the narrow path. He
+drew his glass from his bosom, but alas it was so clouded that he could
+not see through it, and then he cried aloud in his pain and grief.
+Suddenly there came a voice from beyond the mist,--
+
+"'Step boldly into the stream, my child, these are the healing waters
+of Repentance and Confession, and thou shalt pass safely through them
+to the true way once more.'
+
+"Benito hesitated no longer, but plunged bravely into the muddy stream.
+And behold the mist lifted at once, the waters became clear, and he
+saw upon the opposite bank the older soldier, who held out his hand to
+him. The child grasped it, and in another moment, he stood safe, but
+weak and trembling beside his friend; and as he looked down in fear
+and distress, lest his dress were not fit for such company, he saw it
+was white and pure again, cleansed by the waters through which he had
+passed.
+
+"Then came Experience and bound up the little bleeding hands, and
+replacing one upon the silver thread, took the other in his own.
+
+"'I wished to carry the beautiful insect to my Father, that he might
+know I thought of him on the way,' sobbed the child.
+
+"'That butterfly is called Temptation, beloved,' said the old soldier,
+'and could not fail to lead thee astray if thou didst pursue her. She
+has many ways of deceiving those whom she would lead into sin; and,
+seeing the strong wish of thy young heart to gain some gift which thou
+mightest carry to thy Father, she took that very means to draw thee
+aside from the path of duty.'
+
+"The little one sighed, for his heart was sad, not as much for the
+pain he had suffered as for his bitter disappointment. After a little,
+he thought of his glass, and drawing it forth, found it bright and
+undimmed as it had been when he started. Then he grew happy again, and
+was going on his way singing, when he saw a boy, smaller than himself,
+sitting by the wayside, weeping.
+
+"Benito ran up to him. 'What aileth thee?' he asked.
+
+"'Ah!' said the boy, 'my sister and I were going home, hand in hand,
+and we were so happy, for we loved one another dearly; but a shining
+angel came and carried her from my sight, and now I am alone.'
+
+"Then Benito drew the other's head upon his breast, and kissed him and
+wept with him, and spoke tender words to him, so that the child was
+comforted. Then they went on together, but they had gone but a few
+steps when the shining angel came again, and taking Benito's new friend
+in his arms, carried him away also. He smiled sweetly on Benito as he
+passed out of sight, and our young pilgrim felt a great joy in his
+heart to think that he had given comfort to the little stranger.
+
+"A short distance farther on, the travellers overtook an old woman,
+bending beneath the weight of a heavy burden which she carried. She
+seemed very feeble, and Benito was grieved for her as he saw how she
+tottered and how hard it was for her to bear up beneath her load. She
+was faint and hungry too, and at every step it appeared as if she must
+sink down.
+
+"'Can I not help thee?' asked Benito.
+
+"'Dear child!' said the old dame. 'How can those tiny hands help to
+bear a burden such as mine?'
+
+"'I can try,' said Benito. 'Lay a part of it upon my shoulders. I will
+take all I can to lighten thine. And see, take this; it will strengthen
+thee for the rest of the journey;' and he handed her the piece of bread
+which the soldier had given for his own needs.
+
+"The dame took it and eat, and strength came to her as the boy had
+said; and as he tried to bear upon his shoulders a part of her load,
+she, too, shed tears which fell upon his bosom as she leaned over him.
+But they were tears of gratitude and blessing, and did her good; so
+that after this she went on her way with more comfort.
+
+"And now the day was drawing to its close, the sun was setting, and
+the end of their journey was near; for the pilgrims could plainly see
+the river which lay between them and the mountains where their Father
+dwelt. But just on the nearer side of the river rose a high hill, and
+on it was a castle, where lived a cruel robber named Doubt, who often
+came down and dragged many pilgrims up to his castle just when they
+were in sight of their home. When the soldiers saw this, they said
+there was one more fight to make before they crossed the river, and
+again Experience went with them, leaving the child at the foot of the
+hill, and telling him that if he were frightened, or if the robber
+came to carry him away, he had only to gaze through his glass at the
+opposite side of the river and all fear and danger would pass away.
+
+"So the three went up the hill, and the child sat down to await their
+return. As he sat there, he looked at the river and was afraid, for
+he thought, 'How can such a little one as I pass through those deep
+waters? The waves will be too strong for me, and will carry me away.'
+
+"Then he remembered what Experience had told him, and looking through
+his glass, he saw that the waves were so shallow that they would
+scarcely wet his feet; and on the other side rose his Father's house,
+so beautiful, so glorious, that he cried aloud with joy and with
+longing to pass the river and be there.
+
+"But now he found he was not to sit still, for as the fight went on
+above, and the soldiers and Experience gained the victory, one after
+another of the prisoners came down the hill, wounded and bleeding, for
+they had risen to help those who came to set them free, and had been
+terribly hurt in the battle.
+
+"Benito rose and did what he could for them, bringing water to their
+thirsty, fevered lips, staying the blood as well as he could, and
+gathering fresh grass and moss for pillows for their weary heads. And
+while he was so busy, he felt a touch upon his shoulder, and looking
+up, he saw the shining angel who had carried away the little boy with
+whom he had wept.
+
+"'Come,' said the angel, 'I am thy Father's messenger, sent to carry
+thee over the river.'
+
+"The little one stretched out his arms with a cry of joy; but, even as
+he did so, the old thought came to him, and he said, sadly, 'Ah, I have
+found no jewel to offer to my Father!'
+
+"The angel made no answer, but lifted him up, softly kissing his
+forehead, and Benito sank gently into his arms. The angel carried him
+swiftly over the river, and on the other side stood his Elder Brother,
+who received him from the messenger, and laid him in his bosom; and he
+said to Benito, 'My lamb, put thy hand into thy bosom and see what thou
+findest there.'
+
+"The little one obeyed, and drew forth a string of pure white pearls,
+so fair, so lovely that they seemed more beautiful than any of the
+shining jewels which his fellow-pilgrims had worn.
+
+"'That is thy gift unto thy Father,' said his Brother. 'These are the
+tears which the young child and the old dame shed upon thy bosom, the
+drops of water which thou didst bring to the fainting prisoners, with
+which thou didst cheer the drooping bird. They have changed into these
+fair pearls, and returned unto thine own bosom, because in doing it
+unto them, thou didst it unto me. See, there is thy welcome into the
+home of the blessed.'
+
+"Then looking up, Benito saw written over the door of his Father's
+house, 'Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.'
+
+"And his Brother carried him into his Father's presence, where he cast
+his pearls at his feet, and was received into his love and care for
+evermore."
+
+The colonel paused and looked at the children, fearing that he might
+have made his story too long. But it did not seem so, for they all were
+so interested that they had quite forgotten everything else. Bessie lay
+back with her head on his arm, and her eyes fixed on his face as if she
+feared to lose a word; while even Maggie's restless hands were quite
+still, lying clasped on the arm of the sofa as she stood motionless
+beside him. Gracie and Lily had drawn up their chairs and sat in front
+of him, listening as eagerly as the others; and now Lily drew a long
+breath, and said, "Is that all?"
+
+"All!" said the colonel. "Yes. Is it not enough? I feared you would be
+quite tired of me and my story."
+
+"Oh, no!" said Lily. "I wish you would tell us stories all day. I
+should _never_ be tired."
+
+"I should then," said Colonel Rush, smiling. "And it is nearly time for
+you to go home, now."
+
+"Colonel Rush," said Gracie, "isn't your story what is called an
+allegory?"
+
+"Yes," he answered. "Did you understand it, Bessie?"
+
+"Most all of it," answered Bessie. "You meant that even little children
+can do something for Jesus if they are kind and good, and he wont care
+if it is only a little thing, if they do it 'cause they love him."
+
+"You are right, my darling."
+
+"And when the boy went in the wrong road after the butterfly, you
+meant that we must not do wrong even when we thought it was for a good
+purpose," said Maggie. "Mamma told me that the other day."
+
+"And the Elder Brother means Jesus," said Lily.
+
+"I am glad you all understand it so well," said the colonel, "and still
+more glad that you all like it. It was Maggie's little hymn which made
+me think of it. So you may thank her, too, for any pleasure it has
+given you."
+
+"And who is Experience?" asked Maggie.
+
+"Experience may be older people who are generally wiser in some things
+than the little ones, and can help them along; but who may yet learn
+much from a child."
+
+"Children cannot teach grown people; can they?" said Lily.
+
+"I think they can," said Colonel Rush, laying his hand lovingly on
+Bessie's head. "The best lesson I ever learned in my life was taught me
+by a little child."
+
+"Who?" asked Maggie.
+
+"And what was the lesson?" said Gracie.
+
+"You must not ask," he answered. "Here is your papa, Maggie; and Tom
+for you, Lily."
+
+The children said good-by to their kind friends, and went away,
+promising gladly to come again the next Sunday.
+
+[Illustration: decorative]
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: decorative]
+
+VII.
+
+_THE PEACH-STONES._
+
+
+THOSE peach-stones gave Maggie and Bessie a great deal to do. They were
+very busy children in those days. On Monday mamma began again with
+their lessons. They went to her for an hour each morning after they
+came from their walk, said a reading and spelling lesson, a little of
+the multiplication-table which Maggie said she was sure was made just
+"to bother little girls," and a verse of poetry; and when the hour was
+over, had a short sewing lesson. Maggie's "towel task," as she called
+it, was done later in the day whenever her mamma had time to attend to
+her.
+
+As soon as the sewing lesson was over, they went to the yard to
+look after the peach-stones. Patrick saved them all for Bessie, and
+had found two boards for her on which she might dry them; and never
+peach-stones needed so much attention. In the first place, there was
+each morning the plate full which Patrick had collected from the table
+to be washed and spread out on the boards, and the whole number counted
+over and over again, for they could never make them twice the same.
+
+Often when they went out, they found the cats had come over the fence,
+and knocked them down into the earth of the flower-garden, and they
+all had to be washed over again. Then Flossy, who was always with them
+now, would insist on scrambling over the boards, and would send the
+peach-stones flying in every direction, for he thought it fine fun to
+see them rolling about. There is no telling how much they enjoyed all
+this trouble, or how distressed they would have been, if it had been
+suddenly brought to an end. Indeed, they were quite disappointed if
+they found everything in good order when they went out in the yard.
+
+"Margaret," said Mr. Bradford to his wife one day, as he sat at the
+library window, watching his little daughters at their work, "how long
+do you suppose it will take those peach-stones to dry at this rate?"
+
+Mrs. Bradford laughed as she came and looked over his shoulder.
+
+"Dear little things!" she said. "How they do enjoy it! I believe
+they fancy they are doing the chief part of the work for our peach
+preserves, besides gaining something to add to their store for the
+library. I shall be sorry when the warm weather is at an end, and I
+shall have to forbid them to play with water. It gives some trouble,
+to be sure, in the matter of dresses and aprons, but I have not the
+heart to stop them, while I do not fear they will take cold."
+
+Nurse grumbled a good deal over the wet dresses and aprons.
+
+"Who ever heard of such doings?" she said one day. "And what's the good
+of it all? Them little ignoramuses out in the backwoods can't read your
+books when they get 'em."
+
+Maggie was very much displeased.
+
+"You ought not to talk so, nursey," she said. "If those children
+don't know how to read, they can be taught. And don't you like to do
+missionary work?"
+
+"Missionary work!" said nurse. "And do you think I'd leave my
+comfortable home to go missioning?"
+
+"That's because you're not so very good," said Maggie, gravely. "Miss
+Winslow is going to leave her comfortable home, and go to teach those
+little children that you called such an unpleasant name; and it's very
+good of her. Besides, you needn't go away to do missionary work; you
+can do it here if you choose."
+
+"And how's that? I'd like to know," said nursey, whisking off Maggie's
+wet dress.
+
+"If we want to help people, we can do it without going away," said
+Maggie, "and sometimes it's our duty to do it, and then that's our
+mission; mamma said so. Now, nursey, don't you think you have a duty?"
+
+"If I have, I don't need you to teach it to me," said nurse.
+
+"No," said Maggie, "I am not going to teach you, 'cause you are old,
+and I am little, but I am just going to enter an ex-plan-a-tion for
+you, 'cause you don't seem to understand."
+
+At this, Jane, who was dressing Bessie began to giggle, and nurse put
+her head into the wardrobe, where the children's dresses lay.
+
+"Now," Maggie went on, "you see Miss Winslow thinks it is her duty to
+go and teach those log-cabin children, and that's her missionary work;
+and it's Bessie's duty and mine to help her if we can, so it's our
+missionary work to buy the library; and it's your duty to dress us if
+we get ourselves wet while we earn the money, so that's your missionary
+work; and you ought to do it with a cheerful mind, and not scold us."
+
+Nurse tried to look grum, but the corners of her mouth were twitching,
+and when she had fastened Maggie's dress, she gave her a hug and a kiss
+which did not seem as though she were very angry.
+
+As soon as the little girls had run away to their mamma's room, nurse
+and Jane laughed heartily.
+
+"Well, well," said nurse, "to hear the reasoning of her! And she has
+the right of it, too, bless her heart, and just shames her old mammy."
+
+After this, there was no more grumbling about the wet dresses.
+
+One night there was a hard storm, and in the morning, when the children
+went out, they found that the rain had washed sand and gravel all over
+their precious peach-stones. This, of course, must be attended to
+immediately, and it was quite a piece of work, for by this time they
+had collected seven or eight hundred.
+
+"We ought to have something large to wash them in," said Maggie. "What
+can we find?"
+
+Now, Mrs. Bradford had a new cook, who had only been in the house for
+two or three days; and, as the children were seldom allowed to go into
+the kitchen, she was as yet quite a stranger to them. This cook had not
+a good temper, but she was very neat, and that morning she had been
+making a great scrubbing and polishing of her tins, after which she put
+them out in the sun. Looking about for something in which to wash their
+peach-stones, Maggie and Bessie saw these tins, and among them a bright
+new colander.
+
+"Oh, that's just what we want," said Maggie. "Can we take it, Patrick?"
+she asked of the good-natured waiter, who was cleaning knives in the
+area.
+
+"'Deed, and ye may," said Patrick, who thought his little ladies must
+have everything they asked for.
+
+Much delighted, the children filled the colander with peach-stones,
+and, carrying it to the hydrant, turned on the water, thinking it fine
+fun to see it stream through the holes of the colander.
+
+Meanwhile Flossy, who was running about the yard, putting his nose into
+everything, found a quantity of muffin-rings, and thinking that these
+would be good things for him to play with, soon had them rolling about
+in every direction; but our little girls were too busy to see that he
+was in mischief.
+
+It took some time to wash all the peach-stones, but they were done at
+last, and just arranged again in regular rows upon the boards, when the
+cook came out to take in her tins. Angry enough she was when she saw
+the rings scattered around, and the clean, bright colander smeared with
+sand and gravel; and terribly she scolded.
+
+"How dare ye!" she said to Maggie and Bessie. "I'll teach ye to touch
+my tins."
+
+"They're not yours," said Bessie, "they are mamma's. Maggie and I were
+with her the other day when she bought that basin with holes in, and
+she only lent them to you; and, cook, we don't be talked to in that
+way; mamma don't allow it."
+
+This made the cook still more angry, and she scolded in a way quite
+terrible to hear, while the children stood looking at her, too much
+astonished and frightened to answer. But Flossy never heard any great
+noise without trying to add his share, and he now began to bark at cook
+with all his might.
+
+"There now," said Patrick, "don't ye make such a fuss, Bridget, and
+I'll just wash yer colander as clane as a new pin. They're not used to
+sich talk, isn't the little ladies; for it's dacent people we are all,
+Mrs. Bradford's help, and not a hard word among us at all, at all. Come
+now, be civil; and do you run to your play, honeys; it is no harrum ye
+have done."
+
+But the cook would not be pacified, and scolded louder and louder,
+while the more she scolded, the louder Flossy barked.
+
+"Cook," said Bessie, "you are a very naughty woman, and I don't think
+we'll keep you."
+
+"Woof, woof," said Flossy.
+
+"Be off with you," said cook. "You'll fly at me, will you?"
+
+"Woof, woof," said Flossy.
+
+The woman snatched up Patrick's knife-brick, and with a very bad word
+to the children, was about to throw it at the puppy, when Patrick
+caught her arm; and the frightened little ones, catching up their dog,
+scampered off as fast as their feet could carry them.
+
+Up the back steps and through piazza and hall, till they reached the
+front stairs, where they sat down quite out of breath. For a moment or
+two neither of them said a word, but sat looking at each other, as if
+they did not know what to make of all this; while Flossy, thinking he
+had made noise enough for this time, curled himself up in Maggie's lap
+for a nap.
+
+At last, Maggie gave a long sigh. "Oh, dear," she said, "what a
+dreadful woman!"
+
+"And what a wicked word she called us!" said Bessie. "Maggie, what
+shall we do?"
+
+"We'll have to tell mamma," said Maggie; "she ought to know it."
+
+"But, how can we tell her? I don't like to say that word, and, Maggie,
+I don't like you to say it either."
+
+"But I s'pose we'll have to," said Maggie. "Mamma wouldn't like to have
+a swearer in her house."
+
+"And what will be done to the cook?" asked Bessie. "Will she be hung?"
+
+"No, I guess not," answered Maggie. "I think they only hang people when
+they kill somebody. But I s'pose she'll have to be took to prison.
+Papa's a lawyer, and I guess he'll send her."
+
+"I thought the policemen did that," said Bessie.
+
+"I'll tell you," said Maggie. "You know papa goes down town?"
+
+"Yes, to his office."
+
+"And he goes to another place called 'court,'" said Maggie. "Well,
+when somebody is very wicked, the police officer comes, and takes him
+to the lawyer, and he says, 'Mister, this is a very naughty person who
+has done something very bad;' and the lawyer says, 'Here, you, go to
+prison, and just behave yourself.' And then the policeman takes him to
+prison, and locks him up."
+
+"Oh!" said Bessie, looking at her sister with great admiration, "what a
+wise girl you are! You know almost everything."
+
+"I am going to try and learn a great deal more, so I can tell everybody
+everything they want to know," said Maggie.
+
+"Maggie, do you think cook has been 'brought up in the way she should
+go'?"
+
+"No, I don't," said Maggie. "No 'way she should go' about it."
+
+"Then do you think we ought to want her to be punished?"
+
+"I don't want her to be punished," answered Maggie; "at least, not
+much. But you see she _ought_ to be. Anyhow, we must tell mamma, and
+she'll know what is best."
+
+"But how _can_ we say that word?" said Bessie.
+
+"I'll tell you," said Maggie, after a moment's thought. "You say half
+of it, Bessie, and I'll say the rest. I'll say the first half."
+
+"Well," said Bessie, with a long sigh. "I suppose we'll have to. Let's
+go and do it quick then. I don't like to think about it."
+
+Maggie laid Flossy down upon the soft mat at the foot of the stairs,
+and hand in hand, she and Bessie went up to their mother's room. Now it
+so happened that Mrs. Bradford had been passing through the upper hall
+as the little girls sat talking below. She stopped for a moment to see
+what they were doing, and heard Maggie tell Bessie about the lawyer.
+They did not see or hear her, and she would not wait to listen, though
+she was sure, from the sound of their voices that they were in trouble,
+but passed on to her room, where her sister Annie and Mrs. Rush were
+sitting. She told them what Maggie had said, at which they were very
+much amused.
+
+"Something has happened to distress them," said Mrs. Bradford, "and I
+suppose I shall soon hear of it. If they come up with any droll story,
+do not laugh, as it seems to be a serious matter to them."
+
+Mrs. Rush and Annie Stanton promised to keep sober faces if possible;
+but they did not know how much their gravity was to be tried. A moment
+later, the children came in, and with grave, earnest looks walked
+directly to their mother.
+
+"Mamma," said Maggie, "we have something dreadful to tell you."
+
+"Such a shocking thing!" said Bessie; "but we _have_ to tell you."
+
+"That is right, my darlings," said mamma. "If you have done anything
+wrong, tell me at once, and I will forgive you."
+
+"It was not us, mamma. It was the new cook. Tell her quick, Maggie."
+
+"Mamma," said Maggie, almost in a whisper, "she called us little dev'--"
+
+"'ul," said Bessie.
+
+"'s--s--s--s!" said Maggie.
+
+Down went Aunt Annie's face into the sofa-pillows, while Mrs. Rush
+turned quickly toward the window to hide hers. Mrs. Bradford coughed,
+and put her hand over her mouth, but it was all useless; and Annie's
+merry laugh was ringing in the children's astonished ears.
+
+Maggie colored all over, and the tears came in her eyes, while Bessie,
+with cheeks almost as red, turned angrily to her aunt.
+
+"You oughtn't, you oughtn't!" she said; "It is not a thing to laugh at.
+It was a shocking, shocking word."
+
+"My darling," began mamma, then she, too, broke down and laughed with
+the other ladies.
+
+This was quite too much; Bessie hid her face on Maggie's shoulder, and
+both burst into tears. Mamma was grave in a moment. She lifted Bessie
+on her lap, and drew Maggie close to her side.
+
+"My poor little ones," she said, "that was too bad, but we did not mean
+to hurt your feelings;" and she soothed and petted them till they could
+look up again and dry their tears.
+
+"Now tell me all about it," she said; and Bessie told her story with
+many a grieved sob, ending with "And then she called us that name,
+mamma," for she would not trust herself to repeat the words which had
+caused her and Maggie so much distress.
+
+Mrs. Bradford was much displeased with the cook, and reproved her; but
+the woman was saucy, and as she made much trouble in the kitchen, she
+sent her away. The children were greatly surprised that no policeman
+came for her, and that she left the house quite quietly, as if nothing
+extraordinary had happened.
+
+About this time an end came to the washing of peach-stones, for, as
+the weather became cool, mamma forbade Maggie and Bessie to play with
+water. So the stones had at last a chance to dry; then Patrick cracked
+them, and the children took out the kernels. Boiling water was then
+poured over them, and when it had cooled enough for small fingers, the
+kernels were fished out; and the skin which the hot water had loosened
+was slipped off by the little girls. After that mamma allowed them to
+drop the blanched pits into the jars of preserves; and papa declared
+that no peaches had ever tasted so good as those sweet-meats which
+his Maggie and Bessie had helped to make. They had collected thirteen
+hundred peach-stones, and earned sixty-five cents, which went into the
+"library-box" in mamma's drawer. Maggie had hemmed four towels, for
+which she had been paid twenty cents. This, with papa's twenty-seven
+bright pennies, made one dollar and twelve cents.
+
+[Illustration: decorative]
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: decorative]
+
+VIII.
+
+_THE NEW GLOVES._
+
+
+"Maggie and Bessie," said mamma one morning, "I want to see your
+gloves. It is a month to-day since you began to save money for your
+library."
+
+The gloves were soon brought, and mamma examined them.
+
+"Maggie, your second-best are too shabby to be worn any more," said her
+mother, "you must take the better ones for every day, and I shall buy
+you a new pair."
+
+"Oh, mamma, I would rather keep the old pair, and save the money," said
+Maggie.
+
+"No, dear; you know I told you I must keep you as neat and well dressed
+as usual. You must have what is necessary, and then what is left of
+the dollar goes in your box."
+
+"And how much will it take for new gloves, mamma?"
+
+"About seventy-five cents. Then you have had two boot-laces; they are
+ten cents; that leaves fifteen cents out of the dollar. Bessie's gloves
+will do, I think, and she has had one boot-lace; that leaves the whole
+of her dollar except five cents. Maggie, you must have taken great
+pains to use fewer laces. This is a great improvement on last month."
+
+But in spite of her mother's praise, Maggie's face looked very long.
+Bessie had almost the whole of her dollar, and but a few cents were
+left of her own.
+
+"Mamma," said Bessie, "I think Maggie could not help it, if her second
+gloves are pretty mussed. The other day Flossy yan away with them, and
+before we could get them he had chewed one all up. And it was not
+Maggie's carelessness, 'cause Jane put them on the bed, and Flossy
+jumped up and pulled them off. Couldn't you take a little of my dollar
+to help to buy the new gloves, and let Maggie keep some more of hers?"
+
+"That will not do," said mamma, smiling at the generous little girl;
+"but since it was Flossy's fault that the gloves were spoiled, and
+Maggie has taken so much pains, I will only take out fifty cents for
+the new pair. And I will tell you, Bessie, it is much harder for Maggie
+to keep her things neat than it is for you, and then she generally puts
+on her own shoes, while nurse or Jane puts on yours. Suppose next month
+I add another twenty-five cents to her dollar; are you willing?"
+
+"Course I am, mamma. I am just as glad as anything. Isn't that nice,
+Maggie?"
+
+Maggie's face brightened. "And how much have we now, mamma?" she asked.
+
+"Forty cents out of Maggie's dollar, and ninety-five from Bessie's just
+make one dollar, thirty-five cents. You have one dollar and twelve
+cents in your box, which make in all two dollars, forty-seven cents."
+
+Maggie was quite happy when she found they had such a sum, which mamma
+told them was nearly half of what they wanted for the library.
+
+Grandmamma's carriage now drove to the door, and she came in and asked
+Mrs. Bradford to go out with her and take the children. Mamma said she
+could not go herself, for baby was not well, and she did not care to
+leave her, but the children might go if grandmamma wished. Away they
+ran to be dressed, full of glee, for shopping with grandmamma was a
+great pleasure, and they were almost sure to come home richer than
+they went. They drove to several places, and when the children thought
+there was anything interesting to be seen, they went into the store
+with their grandmother. If not, they remained in the carriage, and
+chatted with the coachman, or watched the people passing in the street.
+
+At last they went to a large store, where Mrs. Stanton and Mrs.
+Bradford were in the habit of going, and where Maggie and Bessie felt
+quite at home. There was a good-natured clerk, who was nurse's nephew,
+and whenever he saw them, he was sure to have an empty box with a
+picture cover, or a bright-colored piece of paper or ribbon to give
+them. Here grandmamma bought several things which did not much interest
+the little girls; but at last she took them to another counter, where
+she said something to the clerk about gloves.
+
+"Why, grandmamma," said Maggie, "are you going to buy gloves? Do you
+know you have a whole box full at home? I saw them the other day when
+you let me put your drawer in order."
+
+But Mrs. Stanton only smiled, and pinched Maggie's round cheek, and
+just then the gloves were put before them. Oh! such gloves as those
+were never meant for grandmamma's hand. Kid gloves they were too, and
+who had ever seen any so small before? In her surprise and pleasure,
+Maggie had almost forgotten that she had been forbidden to handle
+anything when she went shopping; but just as her hand touched the
+gloves, she remembered, and drew it back. But the good-natured clerk
+gave them to her, telling her to look at them if she pleased.
+
+"Just like ladies' gloves," said Bessie, who, stretching up on tiptoe,
+could just see above the counter. Grandmamma lifted her and seated her
+upon it.
+
+"Do you call that a hand?" said she, playfully, taking Bessie's little
+fingers in her own. "Mr. Jones, have you a pair small enough for that?"
+
+How Bessie wished her hand was larger as the clerk shook his head!
+But after looking through the whole bundle, a pair was found which
+grandmamma thought would do, and then a pair for Maggie was picked
+out with less trouble. They were wrapped in separate parcels, and
+each child took her own, feeling quite as if she must have grown
+taller since she came to that counter. Then the clerk gave them each a
+piece of fancy paper,--Maggie's, gilt, with flowers stamped upon it,
+Bessie's, blue, with silver stars.
+
+As soon as they reached home, they ran to show mamma their treasures,
+but Mrs. Bradford noticed that Maggie did not seem half so eager as
+usual, when she had received any new pleasure. While Bessie was talking
+as fast as her little tongue could go, she stood almost silent at her
+mother's knee, drawing her fingers slowly back and forth over her gilt
+paper.
+
+"What makes our Maggie so quiet?" Mrs. Bradford asked. "Are you not
+pleased with your grandmother's pretty present, dear?"
+
+"Oh, yes, mamma! but I was just considering about it a little."
+
+"What were you considering?"
+
+"If it was quite fair for me to wear the gloves, mamma. Do you think it
+is?"
+
+"Why should it not be fair, Maggie? Grandmamma gave you the gloves for
+your own; did she not?"
+
+"Oh, yes, ma'am; but then she did not know you gave me glove allowance;
+and maybe she would not have bought them for me if she had known. And
+now you wont have to get me another pair this month. So maybe you wont
+think I ought to have the gloves and the money too. I want to be quite
+very fair, indeed, I do, mamma, and I didn't know how to think it was
+quite right. Besides, those gloves are nicer than the kind you buy for
+us, and perhaps you would think you ought to take a little more of my
+dollar for them. If you would, I would rather have a pair of the other
+kind, and put these away, and let the money go in the library-box."
+
+"You may wear the gloves and welcome, my dear, honest little girl,"
+said Mrs. Bradford, drawing Maggie to her, and kissing her. "It is
+quite fair for you to do so. Grandmamma knew that I gave you a certain
+sum for your gloves and so forth, and I think she meant to help you a
+little by buying these for you. I am glad my darling child wishes to
+be honest and upright in all she does. But I must be quite fair too. I
+told you I should give you so much a month, and take from it what you
+needed for gloves and shoe-laces, and whatever was left you might keep
+for another purpose. Now since grandmamma has given you these, there is
+no need for me to buy you another pair; but it would not be just for
+me to take from you any part of the money they would have cost. It is
+_your_ gain, not _mine_. When a bargain has been made, we must hold to
+it, even though things turn out differently from what was expected."
+
+"But you need not hold to this bargain, if you do not wish to, mamma."
+
+"Indeed, I do wish to, Maggie, and you need not feel in the least
+troubled about it. I am not only satisfied, but very glad that you have
+received this little help."
+
+After this, Maggie's mind was at rest, and she wore her new gloves with
+great pleasure.
+
+"Hallo!" said Fred, as he and Harry came into the library that
+afternoon, and found their little sisters quietly playing in one
+corner. "What scrumptious paper! Where did you get that, Midget?"
+
+"Mr. Jones, nurse's nephew, gave it to us," said Maggie. "He gave me
+the gold piece, and Bessie the silver piece, but we cut them in two and
+each took half."
+
+"I wish I could get hold of such friends as you do," said Fred.
+"Somebody is always giving you something. How do you manage it?"
+
+"We don't manage it," said Bessie, who thought that Fred meant to say
+that she and Maggie liked their friends for what they gave them. "We
+don't manage it, and we don't get hold of them, Fred. Our friends give
+us things because they like to do it, and we never ask for anything;
+do we, Maggie?"
+
+"No," said Maggie, "and you ought not to talk so, Fred."
+
+"I didn't mean to say anything," said he, "but it is true; is it not?
+Are not people always making you presents, and taking you to places,
+and doing other things to give you pleasure?"
+
+"Yes," said Maggie, "but they do it because they like us. If anybody
+loves anybody, it is a pleasure to do a favor to them. We think it is;
+don't we, Bessie?"
+
+"Oh, that is it; is it?" said Fred. "Well then, you love me; don't you?"
+
+"Course we do, because you're our brother; and we'd love you a great
+deal more if you didn't tease us, Fred."
+
+"Well, if you love me, and it is such a pleasure to do things for
+people you love, you can please yourselves very much by giving me some
+of this paper."
+
+"Oh, we can't; we want it ourselves," said Maggie, while Bessie took up
+both pieces of paper, and put her hands behind her, as if she feared
+that Fred would run off with them.
+
+"Ho, ho," said he, "then you love yourselves better than you do me?"
+
+"Fred," said Mr. Bradford, who was sitting on the other side of the
+room, "do not tease your sisters."
+
+"I did not mean to tease them, sir; but as Maggie thinks it so
+delightful to please people whom one loves, I was only giving her a
+chance to do it, and she don't seem to care to take it. I say, Hal,
+wouldn't this paper be jolly to make stars and things for our new
+kites?"
+
+"First-rate," said Harry. "I'll tell you what, Midget and Bess, will
+you sell it?"
+
+"No," said Bessie, rather crossly, "we want it for dresses for our
+paper dolls. You do tease us, and we want you to go away, even if you
+say you don't mean to, and you sha'n't--" Bessie stopped, and then went
+on again in a pleasanter voice. "Please to 'scuse me, Fred. I didn't
+mean to be so cross, but we are so busy, and we'd yather you wouldn't
+interyupt us."
+
+These last words were said in a very polite little manner, which rather
+amused the boys. Fred had been ready with a sharp answer, when Bessie
+began so angrily; but now, when he saw her check her quick temper, he
+was ashamed to provoke her.
+
+"Just as you choose," he said, "but you are in such a way in these days
+to lay up money for your mission-books that I thought you would be
+willing enough to sell it."
+
+"Children," said Mr. Bradford, again looking up from his writing, "if
+you cannot play without disputing, I shall separate you. Fred, your
+little sisters were quiet and happy before you came in. Do not let me
+have to speak to you again, my boy."
+
+Now here was the consequence of having a bad character. Fred had not
+intended to vex the children, but he was so in the habit of teasing
+them that they were afraid of him, and thought he meant it when he did
+not; while his father, who had not heard much of what was passing, but
+who had been disturbed by the fretful tone of Bessie's voice, took it
+for granted that Fred was annoying her. But Bessie was too honest to
+let him be blamed when he had not deserved it.
+
+"Fred was not naughty, papa," she said. "I'm 'fraid it was me. I was
+cross."
+
+"Very well," said her father, who thought it best to let them settle
+the difficulty themselves, if they could do it peaceably; "only let
+there be no more quarrelling."
+
+"Suppose we go and finish our kites," said Harry. Fred agreed, and the
+two boys went away.
+
+"Bessie," said Maggie, presently, "I'm just of a good mind to give
+Harry a piece of my paper."
+
+"For some pennies?" asked Bessie.
+
+"No; mamma said it was not nice for brothers and sisters to sell things
+to one another; and she don't want us to be too anxious to get money,
+even for our library. I'm just going to give it to him, 'cause that day
+when he asked me for the shell, I said I would sell it to him; and then
+he'll see I am not a miser."
+
+"Well," said Bessie, "then I'll give Fred a piece of mine, 'cause I was
+cross to him just now."
+
+"Harry shall have my gold piece," said Maggie, "and then we'll divide
+these two 'tween ourselves."
+
+"So we will," said Bessie, "then we will all have some. Maggie, you do
+fix everything so nice."
+
+Away they ran to their brothers' playroom.
+
+"Holloa!" said Fred, when he saw them; "we are not such plagues but
+that you had to run after us, eh?"
+
+"We came to bring you some of our paper," said Maggie. "This piece is
+for you, Harry, and Bessie's is for Fred."
+
+"Well, you are first-rate little chaps," said Fred; "and Hal and I will
+make each of you a nice little kite; see if we don't."
+
+"Oh, Fred!" said Bessie.
+
+"What's the matter now? Sha'n't you like that?"
+
+"Ladies are not chaps," said Bessie, gravely, "and they don't play with
+kites."
+
+"Oh, you're a big lady, aren't you?" said he, laughing.
+
+"I can be a lady if I'm not so very big. Mamma says anybody can be a
+lady or a gemperlum, if they are kind and polite, even if they are very
+little, or even if they are poor."
+
+"All right," said Fred. "Then I suppose that lady wont accept a kite
+from this gemperlum."
+
+"Don't say it that way; you must say gem-per-lum."
+
+"Well, don't I say gem-per-lum?"
+
+"That's not the way," said Bessie, her color rising, for she knew that
+Fred was laughing at her, and she thought it was hard.
+
+"Fred," said Harry, "you are breaking your resolution already."
+
+[Illustration: Bessie in City. p. 184.]
+
+"That is so. What a fellow I am!"
+
+"Fred," said Bessie, "gemperlums don't tease. Papa is a gemperlum, and
+he never teases."
+
+"And mamma said Tom Norris was a perfect little gentleman, and he does
+not tease. I guess gentlemen always 'do to others as they would,'" said
+Maggie, who was very fond of this line.
+
+"They ought to if they do not," said Harry, "and no one can say that
+you don't keep that rule, Maggie."
+
+"When people have angry passions, it's very hard not to get in one when
+they're teased," said Bessie. "Fred, I do have to try so very, very
+hard."
+
+Fred threw down his kite, and caught his little sister in his arms.
+
+"See if I plague you any more then," he said. "I was just telling Harry
+I did not mean to do it, and the first thing, I am at it again; but I
+will try to remember, Bess. Harry, if I forget again, I give you leave
+to bring me up short the best way you can."
+
+Fred kept his word, and after this, took much pains to break himself of
+his provoking habit.
+
+[Illustration: decorative]
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: decorative]
+
+IX.
+
+_TWO LOST PETS._
+
+
+THAT night Maggie had a very bad earache. She tried to be patient, but
+the pain was so severe that she could not help crying, and could get no
+rest. Her father and mother were up with her almost all night, trying
+to give her ease; but nothing did her any good until towards morning,
+when she fell into a troubled sleep.
+
+"Margaret," said Mr. Bradford at the breakfast-table, "is that
+committee coming here this morning?"
+
+"Yes," answered Mrs. Bradford.
+
+"Mamma," said Bessie, "may I see it?"
+
+"See what,--the committee?"
+
+"Yes'm."
+
+Mrs. Bradford smiled. "I do not think you would care much about it,
+Bessie, and the committee will be too busy with its own affairs to care
+to see you."
+
+"Why, is it alive?" asked Bessie, in great surprise.
+
+"To be sure," said Fred, before his mother could answer; "did you never
+see one?"
+
+"No," said Bessie, "could it bite me or scratch me?"
+
+"It could if it had a mind to," said Fred, "and--" He was stopped by
+Harry's hand over his mouth. Fred drew back his head, and looked angry.
+
+"You gave me leave," said Harry.
+
+"So I did," said Fred. "I beg your pardon, Bess, for plaguing you once
+more. The committee wont hurt you; it's nothing but a lot of ladies."
+
+"You should beg your mother's pardon, also, for answering a question
+addressed to her," said Mr. Bradford; "it is a rude thing to do. Come
+to me, Bessie." He took her upon his knee, saying, "A committee is a
+number of people who are appointed to attend to some particular thing.
+You know that the ladies in our church are going to make up some
+clothing to send to the children at the Five Points' Mission; do you
+not?"
+
+"Yes, papa."
+
+"Well, several of these ladies have been asked to make all the
+arrangements for the meetings, and to have everything in order, so that
+there may be no confusion when they come together to sew; and they are
+called a committee. Your mamma is one of the committee, and the ladies
+are to come here this morning. Do you understand?"
+
+"Yes, papa."
+
+It was quite late when Maggie awoke, long past breakfast-time, and
+after she was dressed, she found her breakfast arranged for her in the
+doll's tea-set, and Bessie ready to wait upon her. But our poor little
+Maggie could not enjoy even this very much; she was languid and quite
+tired out with pain, and her troublesome ear would not let itself be
+forgotten, so that she did not feel much like play. Mamma took her
+on her lap, rocked her, and read a new story-book, which suited much
+better.
+
+"I am sorry that I shall have to leave you for a while, dear," she
+said. "If I had known that I was to have a little sick girl this
+morning, I would not have asked the ladies to come here; but as it is,
+I must go down. I do not think I shall be away more than an hour, and
+you will be patient; will you not? Nurse will take care of you."
+
+"And I will yead to her," said Bessie.
+
+So when the ladies came, and mamma had to go down-stairs, she laid
+Maggie on the lounge and covered her up, while Bessie sat down close
+beside her with "Very Little Tales," and "Susie's Six Birthdays." Jane
+had taken Franky to the park, and nurse, seeing Maggie so quiet and
+comfortable, thought that she might leave her awhile.
+
+"Baby's a bit fretful," she said, "and it's a shame to keep her in
+the house this pleasant day. I'll just take her on the sidewalk for a
+little fresh air. I'll not go out of sight, just up and down here a
+piece, and if Maggie wants anything, you can come down and call me,
+Bessie. I know you are to be trusted not to get in mischief."
+
+Bessie was rather proud of being left to take care of Maggie, and
+willingly agreed to let nurse go. The house seemed very still after she
+had taken baby away. Bessie heard nothing but the sound of her own
+sweet little voice as she read "Susie," and presently, looking up, she
+saw that Maggie was fast asleep.
+
+Flossy lay on the foot of the lounge, rolled up into a round ball, but
+with his bright eyes wide open, watching Bessie. He had been frisking
+about Maggie all the morning, trying to coax her to a game of play, but
+he found it was of no use. He did not understand why his merry playmate
+should be so quiet, nor did he approve of it. But he could not help it,
+and so, like a wise dog, he seemed to have made up his mind to bear it,
+though he lay watching and listening for the least sign of better times.
+
+Bessie laid down her book, and sat looking at Maggie. "My poor Maggie,"
+she said to herself, "she's so good and patient. I wish I could do
+something for her, and I wish Aunt Annie or somebody would come and
+see us and tell her a story while mamma is down-stairs. Oh, I wish
+Colonel Yush would come; he tells us better stories than any one.
+Wouldn't it be nice if he was to come while Maggie is asleep? and then
+she'd see him when she wakes up, and she'd be so glad. If he knew she
+was sick, I'm sure he would come. I'll just go out on the sidewalk and
+ask nursey if she wont take me over to the hotel door, and then I'll go
+up to my soldier's room and ask him to come and see Maggie."
+
+She rose up softly from her chair and went into the nursery, followed
+by Flossy, who, being very wide awake himself, had no mind to be left
+with the sleeping Maggie, and jumped down from the lounge to run after
+Bessie as soon as she stirred. Bessie went to the closet and took down
+her garden-hat and sack from the peg where they hung. The hat was very
+shabby, for it had been worn all summer at the sea-shore, and had seen
+some hard use in the garden since she came home. But she could not
+reach her best one, and said to herself that this would do, if nurse
+would only let her wear it, of which she was not at all sure. She put
+it on, walked down-stairs, and out upon the front stoop; but she saw no
+sign of nurse. Up and down the street she looked, but the old woman was
+nowhere to be seen.
+
+Now the truth was, that nurse had not intended to lose sight of the
+front-door, but as she passed Mr. Hall's house, Miss Carrie was at the
+basement window, and calling her, begged that she would bring the baby
+and let her speak to her. Nurse, always proud to show off her pet, was
+willing enough, and for a few moments quite forgot her other nurslings,
+as well as the open front-door; and it was just during these few
+moments that Bessie came out to look for her.
+
+"Nurse said she wouldn't go far away," said Bessie to herself, "and she
+has, and now I can't go and find the colonel, 'cause mamma wouldn't
+like me to go alone."
+
+Flossy had run down to the foot of the steps, and there he stood,
+wagging his tail, whisking and frisking, and altogether behaving like a
+puppy who had quite taken leave of his senses, so glad was he to be out
+of doors.
+
+"We can't go, Flossy," said Bessie, as, with a sigh, she turned to go
+into the house. "We're very disappointed, but we must mind mamma. Come,
+Flossy, come. Don't you leave me, Flossy."
+
+But Flossy was not so obedient as his little mistress, and instead of
+coming back, he ran a short distance up the street, and then stopped,
+barking joyously, and looking back to see if she were following.
+Bessie went down the steps, calling him over and over again in such
+a coaxing voice, that it was strange even such a wilful doggie could
+resist. But it was of no use. Away went Flossy as fast as he could
+run, and frightened at the thought of losing her pet, and forgetting
+everything else, away went Bessie after him. Up to the end of the
+block, around the corner, and so down the other side of the square,
+till they came to the long, crowded crossing, over which Bessie was
+never allowed to go without some grown person to hold her hand. Over it
+went Flossy, in and out among the carriages and omnibuses, escaping the
+wheels and the horses' hoofs in a way that was quite wonderful to see,
+until he reached the opposite corner, where he again waited for Bessie.
+But poor Bessie dared not cross by herself, and stood still in great
+trouble.
+
+"I wish I was over at the hotel," she said to herself, as she looked
+up at the great building opposite, "and then the colonel would take me
+home."
+
+There was generally a tall policeman on the corner, whom Bessie knew
+quite well, for he had often taken her hand, and led her over, or
+sometimes even carried her if the stones were wet; but now he was not
+there. In his place was another, who was a stranger to her, and now he
+came over to her corner Bessie went up to him.
+
+"Will you please tell me where my policeman is, sir?" she said.
+
+"Who is your policeman?" said the officer.
+
+"I don't know his name, but he takes me over the crossing, and mamma
+don't 'low me to go alone."
+
+"I suppose I can take you over as well as another," said he; "but your
+mother must be a queer one to allow you to go out alone at all."
+
+"She didn't," said Bessie, "and I didn't mean to, but Flossy yan away,
+and I went to get him. Please take me over; I am afraid somebody will
+catch him; then I'll go to the colonel's yoom, and he'll take me home."
+
+The policeman lifted her up, and carried her to the opposite sidewalk.
+Flossy was off again as soon as he saw her near him, but the officer
+ran after him, and soon had him safe in Bessie's arms.
+
+"And what are you going to do now?" said the good-natured man. "You're
+over small for running about the streets by yourself."
+
+"I am going to the colonel's," said Bessie. "I know the way, and he'll
+take care of me."
+
+She thanked him, and ran off; but the policeman followed till he saw
+her go into the hotel as if she were quite sure of her way.
+
+"She's all right," he said to himself, and then went back to his post,
+thinking no more about the little stray lamb whom he had only helped
+into farther trouble.
+
+Bessie found her way without difficulty to the colonel's room, and
+seeing the door open, she peeped in. There was no one there but a
+servant-woman, who was dusting.
+
+"Where is my soldier?" asked Bessie.
+
+"Your soldier?" said the woman. "If you mean the lame gentleman, he and
+the lady have gone out to ride. I don't want you here bothering round
+with your dogs. Go back to your own rooms;" for the woman supposed
+Bessie to be some child who belonged in the hotel.
+
+"My soldier lets me come in his yoom when I choose, and it isn't yours
+to talk about," said Bessie, very much offended, and she walked away
+with her head very straight.
+
+What should she do now? She would go back to the corner, she thought,
+and ask her friend, the policeman, to take her home. But she was
+becoming a little confused and frightened with all her troubles, and
+when she left the hotel, turned the wrong way. On she went, farther
+and farther from home, though she did not know it, and expected every
+moment to see the well-known crossing. Some few people turned and
+looked at her, as she passed with her dog clasped in her arms; but
+she did not act at all like a lost child, and it was easy enough to
+think that she was some little girl playing about her home and perhaps
+watched by loving eyes.
+
+At last she came near a broad avenue, where the cars were passing up
+and down, and then she knew she was not on her way home. But just
+then she heard music, and her eye was caught by a new sight. Quite a
+crowd was gathered upon the sidewalk, where were two men, one with
+a hand-organ, the other with a table on which little figures of
+gayly-dressed men and women were spinning around. Bessie stopped to
+look, standing back from the crowd; but three or four rough boys who
+were hanging about took notice of her and her dog. Presently they came
+up to her.
+
+"Whose dog is that?" asked one.
+
+"Mine and Maggie's," said Bessie.
+
+"You give him to me, and I'll give you this," said the boy taking a
+large red apple from his pocket.
+
+"I can't even if I wanted to," said Bessie, "'cause he's half Maggie's."
+
+"Well, you give me your half, and Maggie's will run after it."
+
+"No," said the little girl. "I wouldn't give you my Flossy for fifty
+seventeen apples;" and she walked away, but the boys followed.
+
+"Where did you get so much hat?" said one.
+
+"It is not much," said Bessie. "It is old and torn, 'cause I carried
+peach-pits and stones in it. Mamma is going to give it away."
+
+"I don't know who'd thank her for it," said another. "I guess your ma
+spent all her money on your frock, and left none for your hat."
+
+"She didn't," said Bessie, angrily; "she has plenty left."
+
+"She's right stingy, then, to give you such a hat; it's only fit for
+the gutter, so here goes!" and the rude boy twitched off the unlucky
+hat, and sent it flying into the middle of the street, where a car
+passed over it. Bessie did not care much about her hat, but she was
+frightened and displeased.
+
+"You are very yude," she said, "and I wont walk by you. You sha'n't
+talk so about my mamma."
+
+"Maybe we'll walk by you though," said the boy, and they kept by her
+side for a few steps farther, when suddenly, with a loud yelp of pain,
+Flossy sprang from her arms, for one of the boys had pinched his tail
+so as to hurt him very much. The boys shouted, Flossy ran, they after
+him, and the next moment one of them caught him up, and they all
+disappeared with him round the corner.
+
+Bessie ran on a few steps and then stood still, crying loudly with
+terror and distress. Several persons immediately stopped, asking her
+what ailed her, and if she were lost; but she only called, "Oh, Flossy,
+Flossy! oh, mamma! oh, Maggie."
+
+Among the people who stopped, was an old lady, who looked at Bessie
+through her spectacles in rather a severe manner, and as she asked
+questions in a quick, sharp way, the little girl felt afraid of her,
+and would not answer. Poor lost baby! There she stood, bareheaded, with
+the wind blowing her curls, her tiny hands over her face, crying so
+pitifully that some of those who stood by felt as if they must cry with
+her, but still no one could get a word from her.
+
+But presently a policeman came by, and Bessie, looking up, saw him and
+was a little comforted; for though he, too, was a stranger, she felt
+somehow as if every policeman was a friend; and she ceased her loud
+cries, though her sobs still came heavy and fast.
+
+"Here's a lost child," said one of the crowd.
+
+"Please take me home, sir," said Bessie, stretching out her hands to
+him.
+
+The tall officer was pleased, and, stooping, lifted the little creature
+in his arms.
+
+"Where do you belong?" he asked, kindly.
+
+"In mamma's house," said Bessie.
+
+"And where is mamma?"
+
+"In a committee," answered the child.
+
+"Humph!" said the old lady, who stood close at the policeman's side,
+"in a committee, with a parcel of other foolish women, I suppose, while
+her babies go running wild about the streets. She'd better attend to
+her own affairs."
+
+"She hadn't," said Bessie, who thought every one had something to say
+against her own dear mother,--"she hadn't, and you are naughty to say
+that. She's a nice, pretty lady, and better than anybody, and not a bit
+foolish; and, oh, I do want her so, I do want her so!" and she began to
+cry afresh.
+
+"There then, never mind!" said the policeman; "we'll find her pretty
+soon. Can't you tell me where you live?"
+
+Bessie had long since been taught this, but now, in her fright and
+distress, she quite forgot the street and number of the house, and only
+shook her head.
+
+"Tell me your name then," said the man.
+
+"Bessie--Yush--Byad-ford," sobbed the child.
+
+"Brightford--Brightford," repeated the policeman. "Does any one here
+know any people of the name of Brightford?"
+
+Poor little Bessie! Between her sobs and the difficulty of pronouncing
+her r's, the officer had quite mistaken the name, and no one answered.
+
+"You'll have to take her to the station-house," said the old lady.
+
+"Oh, no, Mr. Policeman! I'm not to be taken up,--indeed, I'm not," said
+Bessie. "I wasn't naughty, and mamma wont say so, only Flossy yan
+away, and the colonel wasn't in his yoom, and I can't find my street."
+
+"Poor baby!" said the policeman, as he felt her trembling in his arms.
+"Nobody shall hurt you, my child; but if your people miss you, they
+will send up to the station, and if I take you there, they will find
+you right off. You can't tell where your mamma lives, hey?"
+
+"I sha'n't talk about my mamma," said Bessie; "everybody says naughty
+things about her; but I want to go to her, and please find Flossy, Mr.
+Policeman."
+
+"Who is Flossy?" asked he.
+
+"He's her dog, I guess," said a boy who stood by. "Four big fellows
+ran away with him. I se'ed 'em. They cut up the alley, and down by the
+back lots. I guess you must cotch 'em in a hurry, or see no more of the
+pup."
+
+"Don't you believe that," said the policeman, as Bessie's tears and
+sobs came faster than ever. "We'll find him for you one of these days;
+but now I must see you safe;" and he moved on with the little girl in
+his arms.
+
+"Do you think some one will come and find me pretty soon?" she asked.
+
+"To be sure they will. Have you a papa?"
+
+"Yes, sir."
+
+"Then you be sure when he finds you are gone, he'll come right off to
+the station-house to see if you are there. Why, the other day I picked
+up a little chap in the street not nigh as big as you. He could scarce
+walk, and couldn't speak a word plain, and there, when I got him to the
+station, was his mother waiting for him."
+
+So the officer talked on kindly and pleasantly, till Bessie was a
+little comforted, and when they reached the station, looked eagerly
+round to see if any of her own friends were there awaiting her. But
+no, there was no one there yet, only several policemen were sitting or
+standing about, to one of whom Bessie's protector spoke, telling him
+where he had found her.
+
+"And now I am going back to my beat," he said to the child, "and if any
+one comes that way looking for you, I'll send them right up here."
+
+Bessie's lip began to tremble once more. She had been terribly
+disappointed to find that no one was waiting for her; and now here was
+her new friend going away, and leaving her with these strangers.
+
+"Don't you cry any more," said the second policeman, taking her from
+the arms of the first. "Why, those brown eyes of yours are almost
+washed out. Come along with me, and see me send off a telegraph message
+to the other stations to say you're here."
+
+"I couldn't help crying," said the little girl. "I had so many troubles
+to-day."
+
+"Bless your heart!" said the sergeant. "You shall tell me all about
+them presently. Why, you are just about the size of my Jenny, and I
+wouldn't like to see her looking that way."
+
+When the policeman spoke of telling him her troubles, it came into
+Bessie's mind that she had not told them to her Father in heaven, and
+covering her face with her little hands, she whispered, "Dear Father
+in heaven, please let my own home father come and find me very soon,
+'cause I'm so tired, and I want my own mamma; and don't let those
+naughty boys hurt my Flossy, and let papa find him too."
+
+The officer heard the low, soft whisper so close to his ear, though she
+had not meant he should. "Bless her!" he said to himself, "I guess her
+father'll be brought along pretty soon after that."
+
+Bessie was now quite interested in watching the working of the
+telegraph wires which were put in motion to carry the message that a
+stray child was to be found at this station. One of the men who had
+gone out came back, bringing her a cake and an apple, but though it was
+long past her usual dinner hour, she could not eat.
+
+"Now," said the sergeant, sitting down and putting her upon his knee,
+"let us hear all about those troubles of yours;" for the kind man
+thought if he could make her talk of herself, he might find out where
+she belonged.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: decorative]
+
+X.
+
+_HOME AGAIN! HOME AGAIN!_
+
+
+MEANWHILE the stray birdling had been missed from the home-nest, and
+great was the trouble and alarm there. Nurse, coming in, found Maggie
+at the head of the stairs with a discontented face.
+
+"What's happened ye?" she asked; "and what are ye standing here in the
+draught for? Go back to the nursery, my honey."
+
+"I can't find Bessie," said Maggie. "I went to sleep, and when I woke
+up, she was gone, and Flossy was gone too, and I looked all over, and
+they are not here."
+
+"She hasn't taken wings, and flown away," said nurse. "You mind baby a
+moment, and I'll hunt her up for you."
+
+Nurse hunted in vain, and at last told Maggie she thought Bessie must
+have found her way into the parlor, where the ladies were talking.
+"She'll soon tire of it, and come back to you," she said; "but it was
+not like her to go off and leave you."
+
+But the time passed on; Jane came in with Franky; the children's
+dinner-bell rang, and still Bessie did not come. At last the ladies
+of the committee went away, and mamma came out of the parlor, but no
+little girl was with her. Then the whole house was searched, up-stairs
+and down, from cellar to attic; but the pet was not found.
+
+"Could her grandmamma or aunt or Mrs. Rush have come and taken her
+out?" said Jane.
+
+"They would not be so thoughtless; they would know I should be anxious
+if they left no word," said Mrs. Bradford, who was growing very much
+alarmed.
+
+"No one came in; for I did not have my eyes off the front-door while I
+was out on the sidewalk," said nurse. "Yes, I did, too, just a couple
+of minutes while I spoke to Miss Hall; but no one could have come in
+and gone out, too, without my seeing them."
+
+Ah, nurse, nurse, it was just those two minutes when you forgot your
+duty, which did all the mischief.
+
+"And there's her hat," said Jane, looking in the box. "Ah, there's
+her garden hat and sack gone. Now maybe she's just run out after you,
+nurse, and somebody's caught her and run away with her when you wasn't
+looking. I've heard of such things, and how they make 'em beg, and beat
+'em and frighten 'em so they don't dare tell where they belong."
+
+This was very pleasant for the poor anxious mother, who, however,
+told Jane that was nonsense; while nurse, who knew she was to blame in
+letting her attention be called off, grew very angry and scolded Jane,
+saying she must have seen Bessie if she left the house.
+
+Nevertheless, Bessie was certainly not in the house; and one servant
+was sent to grandmamma's, another to the hotel, to see if any trace
+could be found of the missing treasure; while Mrs. Bradford herself
+ran to all the neighbors, and poor Maggie stood by the window crying
+bitterly for her lost sister. In a little time grandmamma and Aunt
+Annie were on the spot, as anxious as the rest, to see if they could
+help in the search. As people were running in all directions, it seemed
+to grandmamma that the best thing she could do was to comfort poor,
+distressed Maggie. But Maggie was not to be comforted, and declared
+that she knew she should never, never, never see Bessie again. "Oh, I
+am so very sorry I went to sleep," she sobbed. "I just expect she went
+to heaven in a chariot of fire when no one was looking." Grandmamma
+could not smile at Maggie's strange idea, she was so anxious herself,
+but she told her this could not be so; and that Bessie had probably run
+out in the street and so lost her way.
+
+"But Bessie would not do such a thing, grandmamma; she would know mamma
+would not like it, and she never disobeys her."
+
+"Perhaps your mother never told her she was not to go out alone, dear,
+and so she was tempted to run a few steps, and then could not find her
+way back."
+
+"Oh, no, indeed, grandmamma. Bessie knew quite well mamma would not
+wish us to go alone even if she did not say so; and she would think
+it was just the same; and Bessie never falls into temptation except
+about passions. If it was me, maybe I might; and I know she'll never
+come back; and oh, I cannot do without her, we are so very intimate,
+grandmamma."
+
+Grandmamma said she was almost sure Bessie would soon be found, and
+told Maggie how well everything was arranged at the police-stations,
+so that if a little child was lost, it could soon be restored to its
+friends. Still Maggie only shook her head sorrowfully, feeling it quite
+impossible to believe that Bessie had gone away of her own free will.
+
+Then Mrs. Bradford came in, looking very pale and troubled, for she
+could hear nothing of her lost baby; but a moment after, Patrick came
+with news. The policeman at the corner told how he had helped a little
+girl over the crossing, and seen her safe in the hotel and that she had
+said she was going to see the colonel; but that he could tell nothing
+farther. Patrick had gone to the colonel's rooms, but they were closed
+and locked; and he heard that the colonel and Mrs. Rush had been out
+for a long while.
+
+Hearing this, Mrs. Bradford and her sister went round to the hotel, and
+giving the alarm, the great building was searched from top to bottom.
+Every room and closet, every hall and corridor, even the roof, and the
+cellar far underground where the gas was made, were looked through; but
+still no Bessie. But when the servants were questioned, the woman who
+had spoken to Bessie told how she had come to the colonel's room, and
+then walked off.
+
+"She has probably wandered out again, madam," was said to the pale
+mother by one of the gentlemen who had been helping in the search; "and
+now you had better at once send to the police-station, and give notice
+of her loss."
+
+As Mrs. Bradford was leaving the hotel to do this, the colonel and Mrs.
+Rush drove up. In two minutes they had heard all that was known, and
+the colonel said he would himself go to the station.
+
+The station to which Bessie had been taken was not the one nearest to
+Mr. Bradford's house; and it was to the latter that the colonel drove
+first. He did not find his lost pet there, of course; but he heard that
+a telegram had come sometime since, saying that a stray child was at
+the station in ---- Street, and there he went as fast as his horse's
+feet could carry him.
+
+We left the little girl who had caused all this commotion sitting upon
+the knee of the kind sergeant of police, while he coaxed her to tell
+him the story of her troubles, in the hope that he might find out where
+she belonged.
+
+"You don't look big enough for such a many troubles," he said; "now
+let's hear about them, and see what we can do. What was the first one?"
+
+"First Maggie had a earache and cried; and then mamma had a committee,
+and had to leave us; and then I could not find nurse, and Flossy yan
+away," said Bessie; and the poor child began to cry again at the
+thought of Flossy.
+
+"And who is Flossy?" asked the sergeant.
+
+"He is our puppy that Donald gave us,--Maggie's and mine."
+
+"And who is Maggie?"
+
+"My own sister; don't you know that?"
+
+"Indeed, I did not," said the policeman. "What is her name?"
+
+"Maggie Stanton Byadford," said the child.
+
+"And what is yours?"
+
+"Bessie Yush Byadford."
+
+The policeman shook his head; still he could make nothing of the name.
+
+"And when Flossy ran away, you ran after him, did you?" he asked.
+
+"Yes, but I didn't mean to, sir; I forgot mamma wouldn't want me to,
+and Flossy yan so fast. He went 'way over the long crossing, and our
+policeman was not there."
+
+"Who's your policeman?"
+
+"I don't know his name, only he helps us over the long crossing, when
+we want to go to the hotel."
+
+"Ho, ho, I think we are coming at it," said the sergeant. "What hotel
+is that?"
+
+"Why, the hotel where the colonel lives," said Bessie, as if there
+could be but one hotel and one colonel. "I thought mamma would not like
+me to go home by myself, and I asked that other policeman whom I did
+not know to take me over, so I could go ask the colonel to send me
+home. But he was out, and a woman scolded me, and so I went away, and
+the crossing wouldn't come, and the boys were naughty and yude, and
+Flossy's gone--oh, dear! oh, dear! I do want my own house and my own
+mamma; and everybody said naughty things about mamma."
+
+"There, then, don't cry any more," said the policeman. "I think that
+must be the hotel, and you can't tell me what street you live in?"
+
+"Why, yes, I can," said Bessie, who quite forgot that she had not been
+able to tell where she lived while she had been so frightened. "I live
+in papa's house in ---- Street, Number ----, and I want to go home so
+much."
+
+"So you shall, right off, now that you have told me where you belong,"
+said the policeman. "I'll send, and see if you are right."
+
+But just as he turned to speak to one of the men, an open carriage
+drove quickly to the door. Bessie looked around, then gave a scream of
+joy.
+
+"Oh, it's my soldier, my own dear soldier! He came and found me--oh, he
+did, he did!"
+
+In less time than it would have been thought possible, the colonel had
+been helped out, and was within the room. Bessie almost sprang out of
+the policeman's arms, and clung about the colonel's neck, while he,
+dropping one crutch, steadied himself on the other, and held her fast
+with the arm that was free. It was touching to see, as, half laughing,
+half crying, she poured out broken words of love and joy, now covering
+his face with kisses, now burying her own on his shoulder, then lifting
+it again to lay her soft cheek to his and pat it with her tiny hand.
+Colonel Rush was almost as much overjoyed as she, but he was in haste
+to carry the recovered treasure to her anxious mother. Nor was Bessie
+in less haste to be at home; but for all that, she did not forget to
+speak her thanks to those who had been kind to her, going from one to
+another, and shaking hands with them in her own polite little way. The
+sergeant carried her out and put her in the carriage.
+
+"Good-by," she said, giving him her hand, "I am very much obliged to
+you for letting me come in your nice station-house, and for speaking so
+kind to me."
+
+"Bless your heart," said the man, "if it wasn't for your own sake, I'd
+be sorry enough to part with you. Now don't you go and lose yourself
+again."
+
+"I did not lose myself," said Bessie; "I just came lost, I did not mean
+to do it."
+
+"I don't believe you did," said the man; "good-by to you."
+
+Then the colonel put something into his hand, and they drove home
+as fast as possible. Oh, what joy there was over the little darling
+who had been so long away! Mamma held her fast and cried over her; it
+seemed as if she could never let her go out of her arms again; Maggie
+jumped about and clapped her hands, and kissed Bessie's face, hands,
+dress, and even her feet; Franky did as he saw Maggie do, saying,
+"Bessie tome, all nice now." Grandmamma, Aunt Annie, and Mrs. Rush were
+quite as much rejoiced, and the very servants had to take part in the
+welcome. Even the new cook, whom the children scarcely knew, had to
+come in for a peep at the dear little cause of all this excitement.
+Then papa, who had been sent for, that he might help in the search
+for his lost daughter, came home to find the sorrowing changed into
+rejoicing, and Bessie running to the front-door to meet him, saying,--
+
+"I am quite found papa. I asked our Father to let you find me, and he
+sent the colonel instead, but that was just as good when he brought me
+home; wasn't it?"
+
+"Quite as good, perhaps even better, darling, since dear mamma was
+spared another hour of anxiety, and you one of waiting. Our heavenly
+Father often does better for us than we ask, although we may not always
+know it."
+
+"And you don't think I was naughty; do you, papa? Mamma does not."
+
+"I must hear the story first; but now let me thank our good, kind
+colonel, who has put himself to some trouble I am sure, to find you."
+
+When Mr. Bradford had heard Bessie's story, which she told in her
+own straightforward way, he satisfied her by saying that he did not
+think her in the least naughty, since he was sure she had not meant
+to disobey. He would not consent that grandmamma and Aunt Annie, and
+Colonel and Mrs. Rush should go home to dinner; they must all stay and
+have a great jubilee over the happy ending to Bessie's adventures. And
+oh, such a pleasure! The children were allowed to take dinner with the
+grown people, a treat which was only granted on great occasions.
+
+"It's just like the man in the Bible, who lost his sheep and found it,
+and called all his friends to come and be glad, and have a nice time
+with him," said Maggie, "only we're a great deal more glad than that
+man, because our Bessie is a great deal better than the sheep, and we
+don't have ninety and nine, either."
+
+"No," said papa, "we have only one Bessie and one Maggie, and a very
+good Maggie and Bessie they are of their kind. I would not change them
+for any others that could be offered to me. How is the ear, Maggie?"
+
+"Oh, it's 'most well, papa. When I felt so bad about Bessie, I forgot
+about it, and when I was so glad, the pain just went away before I knew
+it."
+
+"So the greater trouble cured the lesser, eh?"
+
+"But, papa," said Bessie, "we have a great, great trouble with all our
+happiness. You know Flossy is quite lost, and we'll never have him to
+play with again."
+
+"I am not sure about that," said Mr. Bradford; "I shall go to-morrow
+and see what I can do to find him. Still I have not much hope, and you
+must not think too much about it."
+
+"You mean you will do all you can, papa," said Bessie, sorrowfully,
+"but probaly we will never see our dear Flossy again."
+
+"Never mind, Bessie," said Maggie, tenderly; "it is not very much
+matter if we don't. We have you back again, so we've no reason to
+complain."
+
+Dear, generous-hearted little Maggie! She would not say how badly she
+felt about Flossy, lest Bessie should think she blamed her for his
+loss, but it was a great trial to her, as her father knew. She was
+more fond of him than Bessie was, and Flossy cared more for her than
+he did for any one else. Never were two merrier playfellows, and their
+droll antics and frolics were a source of great amusement to the whole
+family. And now he was gone, perhaps never to come back; and Maggie's
+little heart was very sore, though she said nothing of her grief.
+Thoughtless she often was, but never where Bessie was concerned; she
+never forgot her little sister's happiness or comfort, and would bear
+anything herself if so she might keep harm or trouble from Bessie. Her
+father knew this, and why she spoke as if she did not care much about
+Flossy, and he loved her the better for it, for he saw that it was hard
+work for her to keep back the tears. He put his arm about her, and
+kissed her tenderly, as he began to talk of other things.
+
+Quite late that night, when Mrs. Bradford went up-stairs, she heard
+a low sobbing from the room opening out of her own, where Maggie and
+Bessie slept, each in her own pretty little bed.
+
+"What is it, my darling?" she asked, going in. "Is your ear feeling
+badly again?"
+
+"Not so very, mamma," said Maggie, "but--please put your head down
+close, mamma, so Bessie wont wake up--I do feel so very, very badly
+about Flossy. If I knew somebody had him who would be kind to him,
+I think I could try to bear it, but I know they will hurt him and
+tease him, and he'll have such a hard time. I know he'll be homesick,
+too--oh, dear--and I can't go to sleep, 'cause I think so much about
+him, and I don't want Bessie to know it."
+
+Mamma sat down on the bed and comforted Maggie, and then, holding
+her hand, began to tell her a story which she took care not to make
+too interesting, until presently the little hand which held her own
+loosened its grasp, and Maggie's regular breathing showed that she had
+forgotten her trouble.
+
+All this made Mr. Bradford resolve that he would spare no pains to
+recover Flossy, and the next morning he went to the police-station,
+and asking the name and beat of the man who had brought in his little
+daughter, went in search of him. He was soon found, and told where he
+had met Bessie; but he had been able to learn nothing of the lost dog.
+Mr. Bradford inquired all about the neighborhood in vain; the boys whom
+he met either could not or would not answer his questions. He offered a
+reward to whoever could tell anything that would lead to the recovery
+of the dog, and when he went down town, put an advertisement in the
+papers saying the same thing.
+
+But three days passed, and still no word came of Flossy. On the
+fourth morning, the family were all at breakfast, when Patrick, who
+was passing through the hall, heard a scratching and whining at the
+front-door. He hurried to open it, and Flossy rushed in, ran through
+the hall into the breakfast-room, and before any one had recovered from
+their first surprise, scrambled into Maggie's lap, buried his face
+under her arm, and lay trembling and whimpering with joy. Poor little
+fellow! he was in a sad state. His glossy silken coat was all matted
+and dirty; he looked thin and half-starved; his pretty red collar,
+with its brass lettering, was gone, and around his neck the hair was
+rubbed off, as if it had been worn by a rope, and his mouth was cut
+and bleeding. Papa said he thought he had been tied up, and in his
+struggles to free himself, had worn the hair from his neck, and cut his
+mouth with gnawing at the rope.
+
+The children cried and laughed over him by turns, hugged and kissed
+him, and although it was against mamma's rules to feed him in the
+dining-room, begged that they might do it for this once. Permission was
+given, and then they wanted to stuff him with everything that was on
+the table; but mamma said they must be careful, or he would be sick,
+so a saucer of warm bread and milk was brought and put on the hearth,
+and glad enough the poor puppy was to have it. But he would not eat
+unless Maggie's hand was on him, and every now and then he would stop
+to look up in her face with a low whine, as if he wanted to tell her
+his pitiful story. Afterwards he was well washed, and then, wrapped in
+his blanket, went to sleep in Maggie's lap. He woke up quite refreshed,
+but for a day or two, did not care to play much, content to lie most
+of the time in Maggie's or Bessie's arms, or curled up in a ball in
+some comfortable corner. But after this long rest, and several good
+meals, to say nothing of a great amount of petting, he began to bark
+and act like himself, and was once more the bright, merry, affectionate
+plaything he had been before.
+
+Where he had been, or how he had escaped from those who had treated him
+so cruelly, was never known, but every one thought it quite wonderful
+that so young a dog, and one who had been such a short time in the
+house, could have found his way home alone.
+
+[Illustration: decorative]
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: decorative]
+
+XI.
+
+_NEW PLANS._
+
+
+THINGS went very smoothly and pleasantly after this for several weeks.
+Maggie finished the whole number of towels, and she had taken so much
+pains, and they were so well done for a little girl of seven, that
+mamma said she thought she must give her six cents apiece instead
+of five. Bessie's small patient fingers were learning to do nicely,
+too, and Mrs. Bradford said she should soon have two neat young
+seamstresses. There were now more than four dollars in the box. They
+had each had one new pair of gloves bought for them, and it was not
+likely, if these were not lost, that more would be wanted before New
+Year. Maggie had improved surprisingly in the matter of boot-laces,
+and now did not wear them out much faster than Bessie, who did not put
+on her own shoes. Growing daily more careful in this one thing, she
+became so in others. Fewer buttons and strings were dragged from her
+clothes, her aprons and dresses were not so soon soiled, and her hat,
+instead of being tossed down in any spot where she happened to be when
+she took it off, was always carried to the nursery and given to Jane,
+that she might put it away.
+
+Quite often the children had small presents of money. Grandmamma Duncan
+or Uncle John, papa or grandpapa, would give them a new five or ten
+cent piece,--once Uncle John had given them each twenty-five,--but
+they never spent it for their own pleasure. As soon as they received
+any such little gift, away they ran for the library-box, and popped
+the money in. One day Maggie found ten cents in the street, and came
+rushing in to her mother's room with it.
+
+"See here, mamma," she said, "what I have found! It was lying right
+down by our stoop, and there was no one near it, and I don't know whose
+it is."
+
+"Well, if you do not find the owner, we may think you have a right to
+it, I suppose," said Mrs. Bradford.
+
+"But, mamma, ought we not to put it in the paper first, and see if any
+one comes for it?"
+
+"No, dear, that would not be worth while for such a small sum."
+
+"But, mamma, when papa found that pocket-book with money in it, he put
+a piece in the paper, so the person who lost it would know where it
+was."
+
+"There were more than a hundred dollars in that pocket-book, Maggie. It
+was only right that papa should let the owner know where it was to be
+found. But ten cents is a very small sum, and if he put half a dozen
+advertisements in the paper, it is not at all likely that any person
+would come for it."
+
+"And no one came for the money in the pocket-book," said Maggie,
+"though papa kept it a great while. But, mamma, he said it did not
+belong to him; and since he could find no owner, he should think it
+belonged to the Lord. So he gave it to the Sunday-school. Well now, if
+I do not know who lost this ten cents, do you not think it belongs to
+the Lord, and I ought to return it to him?"
+
+"Perhaps you ought, my darling," said Mrs. Bradford, well pleased to
+find her little girl so strictly honest, and so unwilling to keep that
+which she could not quite surely feel was her own. "Suppose you put it
+with your library money?"
+
+"Would that be quite fair, mamma? Would it be giving to the Lord that
+which belonged to him to put it with that money which we are to earn?"
+
+"Quite fair and right, I think, dearest. That money you have certainly
+devoted to the Lord's work; and you may put this with it with a clear
+conscience."
+
+So the ten cents were added to the sum in the box, which, in one way
+and another, was fast growing to the desired amount.
+
+Each Sunday Maggie and Bessie went over to the hotel to Mrs. Rush's
+class. Not one had they missed, for they counted so much upon it that
+their mother could not bear to keep them at home, even in bad weather.
+Two or three Sabbaths had been very rainy, but papa had wrapped Bessie
+in mamma's water-proof cloak, and carried her over to the hotel, while
+Maggie, in her own cloak and high india-rubber boots, trotted along by
+his side holding the large parasol, which made a capital umbrella for
+the small figure beneath it. Two bright little faces they were which
+peeped forth from the hoods of these water-proofs when they appeared
+in Mrs. Rush's parlor, and dearly did she and the colonel love to
+see them. Then the wrappings were pulled off, and there were the two
+darlings as warm and dry as if they had never stirred from their own
+nursery fire.
+
+Mrs. Rush still did all the teaching herself, but since that first
+Sunday, she had quite given up the office of story-teller to her
+husband. She never could invent such stories as he did, she said, and
+since he had begun with it, he had better go on! So each Sunday he
+had one ready for them, and when the lessons were over, teacher and
+scholars were alike eager to listen. He had to repeat "Benito" more
+than once, so fond were they all of it, and the children, especially
+Bessie, would stop him if he told it in any way different from that
+in which they had first heard it, and tell him he was wrong. They
+remembered it, he said, better than he did.
+
+Maggie and Bessie were very busy just now. Christmas was drawing near,
+and they were each working a book-mark which were to be presented to
+Colonel and Mrs. Rush. Bessie's was for "her soldier," and Maggie's
+for his wife. Aunt Annie had promised to show them how they were to be
+worked, and one afternoon took them out to buy the materials. They came
+home each with a piece of cardboard, a skein of silk, and half a yard
+of ribbon; and no lady who had spent hundreds of dollars that day took
+half the pleasure in her shopping that our little girls did in theirs.
+
+Aunt Annie had offered to give them what they needed from her stock of
+pretty things. But no, they must buy all with their own money, or it
+would not be quite their own presents. As soon as their walking dresses
+were taken off, Aunt Annie was coaxed to show them at once how the
+book-marks were to be made. She told them they must first decide what
+mottoes they would work, and proposed several. Maggie chose, "Remember
+me;" and Bessie, "I love you, Sir." Annie said it was not the fashion
+to put "Sir" on a book-mark; but Bessie thought it would not be at all
+the thing for little girls to give "unpolite presents."
+
+"We ought to make our book-marks just as proper as our own speaking,"
+she insisted.
+
+Maggie was a little doubtful; but at last she said she would do as
+Bessie did, since it was "better to be too polite than not polite
+enough." So Aunt Annie let them have their way, and greatly to her
+own amusement, cut the card long enough for "I love you, Sir," and
+"Remember me, ma'am." They did not think it any the less their own work
+that their aunt put the points of the needles into the holes where they
+were to go. Did they not pull them through with their own fingers and
+draw the silk to its proper place? Of course, it was their own work;
+Aunt Annie would not have said it was hers on any account. After two
+or three letters were made, Maggie learned to find the right hole for
+herself with a good deal of direction.
+
+Before bed-time that night, Maggie had worked "Remem," and Bessie, "I
+lo;" and they looked at what they had done with great satisfaction.
+Besides these book-marks, they were each to work one for papa or mamma,
+so that they had enough to keep them busy until Christmas.
+
+Meanwhile the picture which Aunt Helen was painting was nearly
+finished. She had never allowed Maggie to see it, which the little girl
+thought very strange; but she had kept the secret well. Sometimes they
+went to Riverside, and sometimes Aunt Helen came to grandmamma's house,
+when they would be sent for; and if mamma was not there, their aunt
+would paint very industriously. Bessie wondered why she would not let
+them see what she was painting, and why Maggie should always be so full
+of glee at such times, and shake her head so very wisely. But after she
+had been once told that it was a secret, she asked no more questions.
+
+On the morning after the book-marks were commenced, Mrs. Bradford, who
+was not very well, was lying on the sofa, while her little daughters
+were playing quietly on the other side of the room, and she heard them
+talking together.
+
+"Bessie," said Maggie, "I am so glad that I have all my towels done, so
+I can have leisure to make my Christmas presents."
+
+"What does leisure mean?" asked Bessie.
+
+"It means not to be busy."
+
+"Oh, I am glad, too, Maggie! You was very industrious, and had a great
+deal of per-se-were."
+
+"Ance," said Maggie.
+
+"Ance what, Maggie?"
+
+"Per-se-ve-rance. That's what you must say," said Maggie.
+
+"No. This morning Fred was mad 'cause he couldn't do his sum, and be
+asked papa to help him, and papa said he must persewere, and he could
+do it himself."
+
+"Yes, I know it," said Maggie; "but it is persevere to do it, and
+perseverance to have it."
+
+Bessie did not quite understand, but she thought it must be right,
+since Maggie said so.
+
+"We'll ask mamma about it when she feels better," said Maggie. "Isn't
+she good to us, Bessie, to help us so much to get our library?"
+
+"Yes," said Bessie, "she's such a precious mamma. I do think every one
+is so kind to us, Maggie."
+
+"Yes," said Maggie, "when I think about my friends, I feel as if I
+could not say 'God bless them' enough."
+
+"Yes," said Bessie, thoughtfully; "and when everybody is so good to us,
+and Our Father is so good to us, and we have such pleasant times, I
+suppose we ought to be the best children that ever lived."
+
+"But we're not," said Maggie; "least, I'm not. I think you are almost
+as good as any one that ever lived, Bessie."
+
+"No, I'm not, Maggie. Sometimes I feel very naughty, and just like
+being in a passion, and I have to ask Jesus very much to help me."
+
+"It's a great deal better to feel naughty, and not be naughty, than to
+feel naughty, and be naughty, too, Bessie. Anyhow, you're just good
+enough for me."
+
+"But we ought to be good enough for Jesus," said Bessie. "I wish I was
+as good as that boy named Nathan Something, that Harry yead to us about
+on Sunday."
+
+"Oh, yes," said Maggie, "it's all very well to read about these
+wonderful children, but when one comes to do it, it's a different
+thing. I don't believe that any one could be so good as never to do or
+to think a wrong thing. But, Bessie, you know, I will be quite sorry
+when mamma don't give us glove-money any more. I think this plan has
+been of service to me in my carelessness. Don't you think I'm pretty
+tol-able now?"
+
+"Not pretty," said Bessie; "I think you are very tol'able now. Why,
+Maggie, don't you know papa said he could trust you to take a message
+or do an errand now as soon as any of his children?"
+
+"Yes, and it was very nice to hear him say that, Bessie. I didn't mind
+for all the trouble I took to be careful, when he said it. When we have
+our glove-money, it will make more than six dollars in our box, if
+mamma don't have to spend any of it for us. We only want five for the
+library, so what shall we do with the rest of it, Bessie. Mamma said we
+must only spend that money in doing good."
+
+"Perhaps mamma will tell us something," said Bessie.
+
+"But I'd like to think of something ourselves, and I did think of a
+nice thing, Bessie, if you would like to do it."
+
+"I guess I would. Tell me, Maggie."
+
+"Yesterday, when Mary Bent came here, she had on only a thin little
+cape, that did not keep her warm at all, and she looked so cold, nurse
+asked her if that was the warmest thing she had, and she said yes. So
+nurse brought an old piece of flannel, and basted it all inside the
+cape to make it warmer; but she said the child ought to have a thick
+cloak or shawl, and if mamma was home, she knew she would do something
+for her. Mary said her mother had a warm shawl, but when the weather
+was cold, they had to keep it to put over Jemmy, 'cause he shivered so
+if he was not covered up warm. I felt so sorry for her, and last night,
+I thought maybe we could take the rest of our money and buy her a warm
+thing to wear. Would you like that, dear Bessie?"
+
+"'Deed, I would," said Bessie. "You do make such nice plans, Maggie. If
+we can do it, I shall just tell Mary you made it up. I don't believe
+anybody has such a smart Maggie as I have."
+
+Maggie kissed her sister, for dearly as she loved praise, none was
+sweeter to her than that which Bessie was always so ready to give.
+
+"I'm afraid we wont have enough to buy anything _very_ warm," she said,
+"'cause that would cost a good deal, and we have not time to earn any,
+we are so very busy."
+
+"Yes," said Bessie, "we have our hands full; but we will ask mamma."
+
+Later in the day they did ask her, and she said that, if they pleased,
+they might use what they did not need for the library for this purpose.
+
+"But you will not have enough to buy a warm sack for Mary, such as she
+should have, my darlings," she said. "Nurse told me how poorly Mary
+was clothed for this cold weather, and I had intended, the next time
+I should go out, to buy some gray flannel, and let Jane make a sack
+thickly lined and quilted. This will cost more than you can spare."
+
+"Well, mamma," said Bessie, "if you will wait till after Christmas,
+perhaps we might earn enough to buy a sack for Mary, and we would like
+to do it ourselves."
+
+"But in the mean while, the poor child would be suffering with the
+cold," said Mrs Bradford. "Suppose I give Mary the cloak, and you buy
+for Jemmy a comfortable, so that he will not need his mother's shawl."
+
+The children agreed, though they did not look very well satisfied,
+for they had set their hearts on giving the warm garment to Mary
+themselves. Suddenly Maggie looked up at her mother as if a bright
+thought had come into her mind, and said, eagerly,--
+
+"Mamma, Mary said she used to wear her mother's shawl when Jemmy did
+not need it. Suppose you were to buy the comfortable, and then the
+shawl will be at liberty for Mary, and by and by, when we have enough,
+_we_ can buy the sack."
+
+Mamma said this would do very well, and so it was arranged. Then she
+told them that if they wished, she would continue to give them the
+glove-money each month, and what they saved from it they might still
+spend for others who were in need; for Mrs. Bradford agreed with Maggie
+that this plan had been of service to her little girl, and thought
+it would be well to keep on with it, since it was teaching her to be
+thoughtful and careful herself, in order that she might be of use to
+others; and good habits once formed are not easy to lose.
+
+That evening, when papa came home, he brought some glossy, crisp, new
+bank-notes, which he offered to Maggie and Bessie in exchange for some
+of the smaller money in their box. They were quite ready to take them,
+they were so clean and pretty; and taking out two dollars in change,
+Mr. Bradford put in two one dollar notes.
+
+[Illustration: decorative]
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: decorative]
+
+XII.
+
+_A VISITOR._
+
+
+A day or two after this, a lady and gentleman named Moore came to make
+a visit to Mr. and Mrs. Bradford. They brought with them their son
+George, a boy about Harry's age. What kind of a boy he was may be known
+from a conversation between Harry and Fred on the first evening of the
+Moores' visit.
+
+"Harry," said Fred, as they were undressing for bed, "what do you think
+of that chap?"
+
+"Who,--George?" said Harry; "I don't fancy him, though it's scarcely
+fair to judge yet; but I don't think there's much in him. He's a Miss
+Nancy-ish sort of a fellow."
+
+"There's not much in him of the right sort," said Fred, savagely; "but
+there's plenty of another kind; and if he tries it on here, I'll have
+it out of him."
+
+"Halloa!" said Harry; "what has set you up that way, Frederick the
+Great? What would papa say to hear you speaking so of a guest in his
+house?"
+
+"I don't care," said Fred; "guest or no guest, I am not going to have
+any fellow playing shabby tricks on our Midget and Bess. It is a man's
+duty to stand up for his mother and sisters. I tease the girls myself
+sometimes I know, more shame for me, but you will allow I haven't done
+it so much lately, Hal; I couldn't since Bess told me gemperlums didn't
+tease;" and Fred began to laugh; "but I never played mean tricks on
+them, and I sha'n't let any chap that's nothing to them. He'd better
+let them alone, or I'll fix him, that's all."
+
+"But what has he done?" asked Harry. "Seeing he is a visitor, you ought
+not to talk so about him without some special good reason."
+
+"Reason!" repeated Fred, pulling off his jacket and tossing it upon a
+distant chair; "there's special reason enough; if that is all you want,
+I'll tell you. The first thing, this evening, while the grown-upers
+were at dinner and you were studying in the library, he was playing
+jackstraws with Maggie and Bessie. I thought it did not seem very
+polite to leave him alone with the little girls; so, as I had done
+all my lessons but the copying of my sums, I took my slate to the
+parlor table. I suppose he thought I was not noticing his play, but I
+soon found him out. First place, he said they were to throw from the
+height of their fists, his being twice as big as either of the girls.
+Presently he told Bessie that she joggled. I couldn't see that she did,
+but I said nothing. It was the same thing with Maggie. She had only
+taken off one or two, when he stopped her. Midget was quite sure that
+she had not shaken, and so was I; but he declared that he had seen it.
+Pretty soon he gave an awful shake himself, but the girls were looking
+away, and did not see it. He looked up at them, and seeing they did not
+notice it, went on playing without a word. The next time he told Bessie
+she shook, she laid down the hook with a little sigh, and said, in her
+innocent way, 'We always shake when we don't see; please to 'scuse us,
+because we don't mean to.' Maggie declared that Bessie had not shaken,
+and insisted that she should go on; and what do you think the mean
+fellow did then? He blew upon the jack-straws as Bess went to draw
+one out; so, of course, they went. 'Then I did shake,' said Bessie.
+Of course, he won the game by ever so many. 'It's very funny we shook
+so much when we didn't see,' said Midget. 'You should look sharp,' he
+answered. So then I put in. 'It don't do to have more than one too
+sharp in a game,' I said. He took, and after that did not care to play
+any more. Now, is he not a mean sneak to trick two little girls?"
+
+"That he is," answered Harry, indignantly; "but still it wont do for
+you to make a row with him, Fred."
+
+"That's not all," said Fred. "You know when Maggie spilled that
+spoonful of ice-cream over herself at dessert, and a little went on
+Mrs. Moore's dress? Well, it was all George's doing. Just as she went
+to lift it to her lips, he jerked her arm with his elbow, and away went
+the spoon. Then mamma said, 'Maggie, how could you be so careless, my
+dear?' and Mrs. Moore looked like a thunder-cloud; but he never had
+the honesty to own up, even when Meg turned and looked at him with
+great, wide-open eyes, as if she expected him to speak. Papa suspected
+something, I know, for he called Maggie to him, and made her stay at
+his side, not a bit as if he thought it was her carelessness. He had
+better look out for himself, that's all; for if he tries much more of
+that game, he'll find me pitching into him."
+
+"You wont fight him?" said Harry.
+
+"Yes, I will fight him, too, if he plagues our girls, or cheats them."
+
+"You know what papa thinks of fighting, Fred; and what will he say if
+you quarrel with a boy who is a guest in our own house?"
+
+"I'll guest him if he don't mind his p's and q's," said Fred,
+scrambling into bed in his usual headlong fashion. "I say, Hal,
+couldn't you give him a hint in the morning that we wont stand such
+doings? You're a better hand to do it than I am. You'll keep your
+temper, and I sha'n't."
+
+"I'll see," said Harry, who was desirous to keep the peace between
+his brother and the visitor, and who knew that Fred's hot temper, and
+contempt for all meanness, would be very apt to lead him into trouble
+with such a boy as he perceived George to be.
+
+"There's his mother, too," said Fred, "telling mamma that 'she felt it
+was a great risk to bring him from home, he was such a good boy, so
+free from all bad habits. She had never allowed him to play with other
+children, as she thought they _contaminated each other_; and she was
+glad he seemed to prefer girls' society.' Bosh! He 'prefers the girls'
+society' because he can come it over them, and he can't over us. His
+father has more of the right stuff in him. He said, 'it was time George
+was thrown with other boys, and allowed to take his share of rough and
+tumble.' But I sha'n't trouble him if he don't provoke me too much,
+only you tell him we wont stand seeing our sisters ill-treated."
+
+But although Harry did as Fred asked, there was trouble before the day
+was half over. Mr. Moore gave his son permission to go out to the park
+during the recess of the school which the boys attended. Before the
+half-hour was up, George rushed into the house crying loudly, and with
+his lip cut and bleeding. He made such an outcry that the whole family
+were very much alarmed; but when his mouth was washed, it proved to be
+but a slight cut, and nurse declared to Jane that Franky would have
+been ashamed to make a fuss for such a trifle.
+
+"Fred had done it," he said. "Fred wanted to fight, and he would not.
+He had never fought in his life. He'd be ashamed to say he had."
+
+Mrs. Bradford was very much troubled; but she waited to hear her own
+son's side of the story before she judged him. Mrs. Moore, however, had
+a great deal to say.
+
+When Fred came home, two hours later, his hand was bound up in his
+pocket-handkerchief.
+
+"How have you hurt your hand, Fred?" asked his father. "Is it true you
+have been fighting?"
+
+"Yes, sir."
+
+"Without just cause, as George says?"
+
+"I had cause enough, sir, if that was all," said Fred, rather sulkily
+for him.
+
+"That he had," said Harry. "You'd have been ready to fight yourself,
+sir. I'll tell you how it was. George is not fair and above board,
+as we found out last night. So when he came out to the play-ground, I
+just told him we would allow no unfair play, and he did not try it. But
+after a while he said he did not care to play with such a rough set,
+and walked off by himself. I thought I ought to go and see after him,
+and found him shying stones at the sparrows about the water-tanks. I
+told him he had better have done with that, or he would have an M. P.
+down on him. Then he said he guessed he'd go home. First thing I knew
+a few minutes after, he was howling, and Fred had him by the collar.
+It seems poor Charlie Wagstaff--poor, hump backed little Charlie--was
+sitting on a bench reading, when my gentleman George passed by and saw
+him. He began by throwing gravel over Charley's head and neck, not
+thinking he was one of our boys, and that not a fellow in the school
+would see him abused, and at last, getting bolder, snatched his book,
+and threw it over the park railing. It was a borrowed book, and the
+poor boy took his crutches and started after it. Then George began
+dancing about him, and calling him 'Old hipperty hop,' and such names.
+Fred, who saw them from a distance, feared something was wrong, and ran
+to the spot just in time to see him pull Charlie's crutch from under
+him, throw him on the ground, and then run. But Fred collared him, and
+in his quick way, just let fly and hit him in the mouth. He came off
+the worst, though, for his knuckles were cut by George's teeth, and
+_he_ was not so much hurt. George went off roaring, and that moment the
+whistle sounded, and we had to go in. It was writing hour, and when
+Mr. Peters saw Fred's bleeding knuckles, he asked him if he had been
+fighting. He said, 'Yes,' and Mr. Peters was going to keep him in,
+when Charlie spoke up, and told the whole story. Mr. Peters said we all
+knew how strict the rules against fighting in play-hours were; but he
+really thought, in this case, Fred was almost excusable, and asked how
+many agreed with him. Up went every hand in the school, and I don't
+think he was ill-pleased either. So he excused Fred, and told me to
+tell you why he had done so; and I don't believe you'll be the one to
+blame him, papa."
+
+Mr. Bradford was certainly not disposed to be severe with his boy, but
+he talked to him a little on the evils resulting from his hasty temper,
+and readiness to give a blow when a word would answer.
+
+"I am not inclined to punish or reprove you under the circumstances, my
+son," he said, "but you have made some discomfort for your mother and
+me, as well as for yourself, by your hasty conduct. It is not pleasant
+to feel that a son of ours has so conducted himself to the child of our
+friends, however great the provocation; and you have forgotten the laws
+of hospitality in attacking one who is a guest beneath your father's
+roof."
+
+"I'll go and shake hands with him this minute," said Fred. "I did
+forget who and what he was, that's true, though I'll own I have been
+afraid I should serve him out ever since he has been in the house."
+
+And Fred went directly to find George and make peace with him. George
+was unwilling to shake hands, and Mrs. Moore did not look very kindly
+at Fred, but Mr. Moore insisted that his son should make friends and
+receive Fred's apology. Neither Harry nor Fred told Mr. and Mrs. Moore
+of George's misconduct towards Charlie, and he was not honorable enough
+to tell himself, leaving his parents to suppose it was only Fred's
+quarrelsome temper that had been to blame.
+
+After this, George kept himself rather apart from the other boys,
+spending most of his time with Maggie and Bessie, who did not like him
+much, they could scarcely tell why, but who were very polite to him.
+Flossy did not like him either, but he showed it very plainly, barking
+at him whenever he saw him, and if George came near to him scrambling
+into the children's arms or running under Mrs. Bradford's skirt, where
+he would keep up a low snarling or woof, wooffing, which was very
+unmannerly.
+
+Just about this time Mrs. Bradford found that one of Maggie's second
+teeth was making its appearance behind the first tooth, which was not
+yet loosened to give place to it. She was afraid that the new tooth
+would come crooked, and so spoil the looks of Maggie's mouth, and she
+said she thought she must take her to the dentist and have the old one
+drawn.
+
+Now Maggie had a great horror of the dentist. Unfortunately, she had
+once been taken there by grandmamma when Aunt Annie was to have a tooth
+drawn. Maggie had happened to be in the carriage, and without thinking
+much about it, Mrs. Stanton had allowed her to go in with them. The
+tooth was a hard one to draw, and poor Aunt Annie fainted and was
+very sick, while no one thought of the little frightened child who
+stood trembling in a corner of the room, thinking that the dentist had
+killed her dear aunt. Afterwards Aunt Annie took cold in her face, and
+suffered very much because she foolishly went out too soon; but Maggie
+thought it all the fault of the poor dentist. After that, whenever her
+dolls were ill, it was always because they had been to the dentist.
+They had smallpox, scarlet fever, measles, and broken legs and arms,
+and were even deaf, dumb, and blind all through the fault of the
+dentist. Mrs. Bradford was very sorry for this, as she feared it would
+make trouble with Maggie when her teeth should need any attention; and
+so it proved, for when she told her she thought she must take her to
+Dr. Blake, Maggie turned very white.
+
+"It will not be much, dearest," said her mother. "It is a little first
+tooth, and the pain will be over in a moment."
+
+"Mamma," said Maggie. "I would rather have my mouth ever so ugly than
+have it out."
+
+"Perhaps you do not care now, Maggie, but when you are a young lady,
+you will not thank your mother for allowing your teeth to grow crooked
+in order that she might spare you a moment's pain now."
+
+Maggie said no more, but for the rest of the day she looked so
+troubled, and she and Bessie had such anxious whisperings, and there
+was so much feeling and touching of the tooth that was to be lost, that
+Mrs. Bradford told her husband that she should take her to Dr. Blake
+the first thing in the morning, that she might have no more time to
+think about it.
+
+"Maggie," said Mr. Bradford, calling her to him just as he was going
+down town the next morning,--"Maggie, do you want to earn a dollar?"
+
+"Oh, yes, papa!" and Mr. Bradford smiled as he saw the troubled face
+light up for a moment.
+
+"You and Bessie are going to be great money-makers," he said. "You must
+not grow too fond of it, or learn to love it for its own sake. If, when
+I come home this afternoon, you have a little white tooth to show me,
+I shall pay you a dollar for it."
+
+"And can I do what I like with it, papa?"
+
+"Yes, whatever you please. You may spend it for Christmas presents or
+for something for yourself,--just which you choose."
+
+But Maggie did not mean to do either. She thanked and kissed her
+father, and was off to tell her mother and Bessie.
+
+"There's a whole another dollar for Mary's sack," she said, "now she'll
+have it all the sooner." And she kept up her courage very well till
+they drove up to the dentist's stoop. Then Mrs. Bradford felt the
+little hand she held squeezing her own very tightly, and Maggie looked
+up in her face with a quivering lip. "I have to think very much about
+Mary's sack not to cry, mamma," she said.
+
+"You are my own dear, courageous little girl," said Mrs. Bradford, "and
+it will soon be over now." She was very sorry for Maggie, for she knew
+this was a hard trial for her, and wished very much that she could bear
+it in her place; but since this was not possible, all she could do was
+to help her to bear it bravely.
+
+Dr. Blake was at home and disengaged, and he was so kind and gentle
+that Maggie was quite ashamed of feeling afraid of him.
+
+"You don't say this little maid has any need of me?" he said.
+
+Mrs. Bradford told what was the trouble, and took off Maggie's hat; the
+dentist lifted her into the chair, and told her to open her mouth. She
+gave a long sigh and obeyed, holding on tightly to her mother's hand.
+Dr. Blake looked into her mouth for a moment, and then patting her on
+the head, said to Mrs. Bradford,--
+
+"It's all right enough, madam; the first tooth will be loose in a few
+days, when you may pull it with a thread, and the second will come
+quite straight. No need for any pulling of mine."
+
+As soon as Maggie understood the tooth was not to come out, she looked
+very much delighted, then grave again. "If it is not too much trouble,
+sir," she said, "will you please to take it out."
+
+"Why, you surely don't want to have it drawn for the fun of it!" said
+the dentist.
+
+"No, sir; but for another reason." Maggie was too shy to tell what that
+reason was.
+
+Since there was nothing to be done with the tooth, Mrs. Bradford put on
+Maggie's hat and the doctor lifted her down from the great chair.
+
+"Mamma," she said, as they left the house, "I shall never make my dolls
+sick again because they went to the dentist. Why, I think he is just
+as nice as other gentlemen, and I felt real sorry I was so afraid of
+him."
+
+While Mrs. Bradford and Maggie were gone, Bessie stood by the parlor
+window looking very melancholy and watching for their return. She was
+very much troubled about her sister, and would not play with George or
+listen to the story which Jane offered to tell her, or do anything but
+think of Maggie. Presently she saw Mr. Hall coming down the street. He
+stopped at the stoop, looked up and nodded, and then came up the steps.
+Bessie slipped down from her chair and running to the front-door,
+called to Patrick, who was in the hall, to open it for her. She seized
+her kind old friend by the hand, and said, "Mr. Hall, we have a
+dreadful misfortune."
+
+Mr. Hall was quite alarmed when he saw her sad little face, but when
+he had asked what the misfortune was, and heard that Maggie had gone
+to have a tooth drawn, he was very much relieved and rather amused. He
+took Bessie on his knee, and after she had told him how well Maggie had
+behaved, talked to her for a few moments, and then, saying that it was
+about time for her mother and Maggie to be back, left a message for her
+father, and went away.
+
+Pretty soon mamma and Maggie came in, the latter, to her sister's
+surprise and delight, looking very bright; and lo! there was the tooth
+still in her head.
+
+"But oh, our dollar! Bessie," said Maggie. "I am so sorry!"
+
+"Never mind," said Bessie. "Maybe we can earn it some other way. I'm so
+glad you didn't be hurt, Maggie, dear."
+
+"Where is that tooth I am to pay for?" said Mr. Bradford, when he came
+home that afternoon.
+
+Maggie came to him, and opening her mouth, showed her pretty rice-grain
+still in its place.
+
+"Halloa!" said papa. "Did your courage give out?"
+
+"Dr. Blake wouldn't take it out, papa; not even when I begged him. And
+now you wont have to pay the dollar."
+
+"I don't know about that," said papa. "I bought the tooth, and I did
+not say where I should keep it. It is not quite convenient for me to
+take care of it just at present; perhaps you would not object to giving
+it lodging in its present place for a while. But it belongs to me,
+remember; here is the price, and you are to take care that it does not
+bite threads or crack nuts, or do anything else which might damage it.
+It is mine, now, bought and paid for;" and as papa spoke, he handed
+Maggie a dollar-bill. "You quite deserve it, my little girl. It was
+no fault of yours that you did not keep your share of the bargain, and
+since you did all you could, I shall keep mine."
+
+After Maggie had hugged and kissed her father till he was half
+stifled,--Bessie, too, doing her share at that business,--they ran for
+the money-box to put away the new note. She and Bessie were trying to
+count over their treasure when George came by.
+
+"Whew!" he said. "Where did you get all that? Is it yours? What are you
+going to do with it?"
+
+"We are going to do a purpose with it?" said Bessie, for neither of the
+children cared to tell George what that purpose was.
+
+"Oh, to buy goodies and toys is your purpose, I suppose!"
+
+"No," said Bessie. "It is not a foolish purpose like that;" and she
+said no more.
+
+They let George help them count the money, however, for they could not
+do it correctly themselves, then put it all back in mamma's drawer.
+George had followed them, and saw where they placed it.
+
+That evening a parcel was left at the door directed to Maggie, and when
+it was opened, there were two new books. In one was written, "For a
+brave little girl who has lost a tooth, from Grandpapa Hall;" in the
+other, "For the sister of the brave girl."
+
+"Will you lend me one of your new books?" asked George, as Maggie and
+Bessie were saying "good-night."
+
+"We can't," said Maggie. "We must not keep them, you know, 'cause I did
+not have my tooth out, and Grandpapa Hall meant it for that. We are
+going to give them back."
+
+"Pshaw," said George; "he'll never know I should not think of such a
+thing as giving them up."
+
+"I don't believe you would," Fred whispered to Harry.
+
+"Why, that would be doing a story," said Bessie, and she drew away from
+George with a shocked look. "Why, George, I'm afraid your mother don't
+bring you up in the way you should go."
+
+Fred and Harry laughed, but George was angry, and would not shake hands
+with Bessie, when, a moment later, she bade him good-night.
+
+But Grandpapa Hall would not take back the books; he said, as papa had
+done, that they were meant for the brave girl who was willing to have
+her tooth drawn.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: decorative]
+
+XIII.
+
+_THE BANK-NOTES._
+
+
+FROM the time that George had seen the children's money, he did not
+cease to think of it, and soon he began to wish for it.
+
+"'Tis a shame," he said to himself; "those two little snips having such
+a lot of money, and here I have next to none. Father is so awful stingy
+about giving me money."
+
+This was not true, for Mr. Moore would give his son money for any
+needful purpose; but as George was apt to waste his allowance, he gave
+him but a small one. George had been envious when he heard how much
+more Mr. Bradford gave his sons, and now when he saw what the little
+girls had earned, he kept saying to himself that he wished he had half
+or even a quarter of what was in that box. The wish grew stronger and
+stronger; then came the thought how easily he might get at it some time
+when there was no one in Mrs. Bradford's room. Then he began prying
+and watching and looking at the drawer where the money lay, thinking
+how fine it would be if he could only _wish_ the bank-notes out of it
+into his own pocket. Conscience whispered loudly, struggling with the
+evil spirit which was gaining such a hold upon him, but all in vain, he
+would not listen; and her voice grew fainter and fainter.
+
+At last he resolved that he _would_ have some of that money, come what
+might, although he had in the mean while found out from the boys with
+what purpose the dear little girls were saving it. And "chance" (as he
+called it) threw a fine opportunity in his way.
+
+"This bill is bad," said Mrs. Moore to her husband, one morning when
+George was in the room. "It was among those you gave me yesterday, and
+was refused in a store where I offered it."
+
+Mr. Moore took it from her. "A counterfeit certainly," he said; "it is
+unmistakably bad. I wonder I should have been so careless as to take
+it." Then twisting it up, he tossed it among a heap of waste paper that
+lay in a little basket, for Mr. Moore was rather a careless man. That
+note should have been destroyed at once when he knew it was bad.
+
+A terrible thought came into George's mind, and he did not shut it
+out. He lingered a moment behind his parents, and snatching the false
+note, thrust it far down in his pocket; then he followed to the
+breakfast-room. But he could eat nothing; the food lay untouched upon
+his plate. A guilty, almost _sick_ feeling took from him all appetite,
+made him hate the sight of those happy faces about the table, and
+think that every look which was turned upon him was full of anger and
+scorn. Once when Harry accidentally touched him, he clapped his hand
+over his pocket with a sudden fear that he was about to drag forth
+the note and expose him; and when tender-hearted little Bessie came
+to him, saying that, since he had eaten no breakfast, he should have
+half of her orange, he pushed her rudely from him, and would not take
+the gift she offered so prettily. His father reproved him sharply for
+his ill-manners, and his mother said she was sure George was not well,
+something had been wrong with him for two or three days; he must see
+the doctor.
+
+Yes, something was wrong, very wrong with George, but it was not what
+his anxious mother thought; it was far worse than any sickness of the
+body; it was the evil of a bad heart, of a guilty purpose, and no
+doctor could cure him since he would not go to the great Physician.
+All the morning he crept about the house, wretched and uneasy, looking
+miserable enough to give cause for his mother's anxiety. Once or twice
+his wicked resolution almost gave way, and he half determined to throw
+away the note and think no more of the money in the box; but again the
+tempter whispered, drowning the feeble voice of conscience, and giving
+him many reasons why he should take what he wished for.
+
+That afternoon he was left alone. His mother and Mrs. Bradford went
+out, taking Maggie and Bessie with them, leaving him behind at his own
+request. The boys were at school; his father and Mr. Bradford far away
+down town; it really seemed as if all had been arranged for him to
+carry out his purpose.
+
+Rising from the sofa, upon which his mother had left him, he stole
+softly to the door and peeped out. How still the house was! He went
+slowly along the hall, watching the turn of the stairs lest a head
+should suddenly appear above it, reached Mrs. Bradford's door, pushed
+it open and entered. Now, quick--not a minute to lose. Hark! What is
+that? Nothing but old nurse crooning softly to her baby in the nursery.
+
+Noiselessly he pulled open the drawer, lifted the box, the secret of
+which Maggie had showed him, from its corner, took out one of the fresh
+clean notes, and put in its place the crumpled, worthless bill his
+father had thrown aside that morning.
+
+Whenever he had felt reproached for the meanness he was guilty of
+towards the dear little girls who had been so kind to him, he would say
+to himself that it was not at all likely they would suffer from it;
+probably the bad note would be paid away with the others; his father
+had taken it without noticing that it was false, why should not others
+do so? Even if it should be found out, Mr. Bradford would give his
+children another in the place of it; he was a rich man, a dollar was
+nothing to him.
+
+He was about to put the box back, when the thought came to him, why
+take only one? Forgetting in his guilty haste that the loss of a
+second would make the change of the first more easily discovered, he
+touched the spring once more, took out another dollar, and then hastily
+replaced the box.
+
+The deed once done, half his fears seemed to pass away. How easy it had
+been! No one had seen him, no one heard him; he was going away with his
+father and mother in two days, and probably no one would find out--the
+_theft_ he would not say to himself--he called it the _loss_.
+
+While Mr. Moore was out, he thought that he had been careless in the
+matter of the false note, and when he came home, looked for it, that he
+might destroy it. But it was gone, and his wife could tell him nothing
+of it. He called George, and asked him if he had seen it. George
+hesitated, and seemed so confused that his father was sure he had it,
+and asked how he had dared take it, when he knew it to be bad.
+
+"I only took it to play with," stammered George. "I am always playing
+store with Maggie and Bessie, and I thought it would be nice for money."
+
+This was true, as Mr. Moore knew, and, more gently, he told his son to
+give him the note.
+
+"I threw it away," said the wicked boy; "I thought maybe you would not
+like me to have it, and I put it in the fire."
+
+"All right then," said Mr. Moore, "but why are you so frightened? you
+have done nothing so very wrong, though it would have been better if
+you had not touched the note, and I am myself to blame for leaving it
+where there was any probability that it might be turned to a bad use."
+
+George was only too glad that he had escaped so easily, and had no
+feelings of sorrow for having deceived his kind, good father.
+
+The rest of that day and the whole of the next passed, and he heard
+nothing to alarm him. Every one was more kind than usual to him, though
+he himself was restless and fretful, for all thought he was not well.
+He kept out of the way of the other children, and spent half his time
+lounging on the sofa in his mother's room. He would willingly have
+spent the whole of his time there, but he was tormented with the fear
+that something might have been discovered, and would go about among the
+family to make sure that all was safe.
+
+"Mamma," said Maggie, dancing into her mother's room, on the morning of
+the third day,--"mamma, nurse says this is the tenth of the month."
+
+"Well, Dimple, what of that?"
+
+"Why, mamma, you know that is the day you give us the glove-money,
+and here are my gloves,--the best ones quite, quite good, and the
+second-best are very nice, too; Jane mended them yesterday; and here
+comes Bessie with hers, and they are _very_ nice; and I have had only
+one pair of boot-laces this month, mamma, and so do you not think we
+have enough for the log-cabin library, and for Mary's sack, too? We
+want to buy it and give it to her for Christmas, if you will let Jane
+make it. I think we shall have enough, mamma; don't you think so?"
+
+Certainly her mother's name of "Dimple" was well suited to Maggie just
+then; for mouth, cheeks, and chin seemed running over with smiles,
+while her eyes looked as if they would dance out of her head. Nor was
+Bessie much less eager, as she stood beside her sister, and the four
+little hands each held up a pair of gloves.
+
+"We will see," said mamma. "Papa is not quite ready to go down-stairs;
+we shall have time to count it up. I think you have over five dollars
+in your box, and these two,"--as she spoke, Mrs. Bradford took some
+money from her purse--"will make over seven. I think we shall manage to
+buy Mary's sack out of that."
+
+She sat down upon a low chair, the children standing on each side, and
+taking the box from the drawer, emptied it into her lap.
+
+"A pair of bootlaces for Maggie and one for Bessie, that leaves two
+dollars and fifteen cents for this month. Now here is--Why, what a
+crumpled note! How came this here?" and Mrs. Bradford took up the bill
+which George had vainly endeavored to smooth out. "I thought all those
+notes papa gave you were quite clean and fresh."
+
+"So they were, mamma, nice and new and pretty; and, mamma, I am quite
+sure I did not muss that up so, and--Why there are only two bills, and
+we had three! I did not lose any, mamma,--I know I did not," said poor
+Maggie, all in a flutter, lest her mother should think this was some of
+her old carelessness.
+
+"Do not be frightened, dear," said Mrs. Bradford; "no one is going to
+accuse you, or think you have been careless unless there is good reason
+for it. Henry, will you come here for one moment?"
+
+Mr. Bradford came from his dressing-room, hair-brush in hand.
+
+"Do you know anything of this bill? Have you changed any of the
+children's money?" asked his wife.
+
+He took the note from her hand.
+
+"This is a counterfeit, and a very poor one too," he said, the moment
+he looked at it. "Have either of you ever seen it before, children?"
+
+"No, papa," said Maggie. "I know it is not one of our bills. We kept
+them just as nice as you gave them to us, and one is gone too."
+
+"When did you last have out your money?" asked Mrs. Bradford.
+
+"The day we went to the dentist's, mamma. When papa gave me the dollar
+that evening, I went for the box and put it in, and George counted the
+money for us, and there were three bills there, all clean and new."
+
+"And we told Harry how much it was, and he put it in his little book,"
+said Bessie; "he always keeps how much we have in his little book,
+mamma."
+
+"Some one has meddled with it," said Mr. Bradford. "The notes I gave
+the children were all new ones on the ---- Bank."
+
+"Will we never find our own dollars, do you think, papa?" said Maggie,
+with a very long face.
+
+"Yes, indeed, my darling,--at least, you shall have others in their
+place. This loss must not fall on you after all your efforts."
+
+"I should have locked up the box," said Mrs. Bradford. "I wish I had
+taken your advice, Henry."
+
+Mr. Bradford took from his pocket-book two other bank-notes, and gave
+them to the children.
+
+"I do not wish you to speak of this to any one," he said to them; and
+they promised to obey.
+
+Then mamma counted up all the money and it came to seven dollars,
+sixty-nine cents,--five for the library, and the rest for Mary's sack;
+for Mrs. Bradford said there was quite enough to buy some warm, cheap
+cloth, and she would let Jane make it at once, that it might be ready.
+They should go out with her that day and help choose the cloth.
+
+Mr. Bradford carefully put away the counterfeit note, thinking that it
+might help to find out the guilty person, and when he went down-stairs,
+called Harry and Fred into the library.
+
+"Harry," he said, "how much money was in the children's box when you
+counted it for them the other day?"
+
+"Five dollars, sixty-nine cents, papa,--here it is written down;" and
+Harry, who was very neat and orderly in all his ways, pulled out his
+memorandum-book and read "M.'s and B.'s box, Dec. 5th, $5.69 cents."
+This was the sum which should have been in the box, and showed that
+the money had been taken within the last few days. Mr. Bradford told
+the boys of the loss, for he wished that they should know of it,
+but he charged them to be silent. Both he and his wife were very
+uncomfortable. There were one or two new servants in the house, but
+they had come with good characters, and there was no reason to think
+they had taken the money. None of them knew where it was kept, or the
+secret of the box. Only one besides their own children knew that.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: decorative]
+
+XIV.
+
+_DISCOVERY._
+
+
+MR. and Mrs. Moore and their son were to leave early the next morning,
+and as the day passed on, and George heard nothing of the stolen money,
+he began to think the loss would not be found out till he had gone; and
+then, he thought, he should be quite safe. He did not dare to spend
+it now, lest the Bradford children should wonder where the money came
+from; but when he went home, he could easily do so without discovery.
+He had been visiting at his uncle's before he came here, and it would
+be very easy to say he had given it to him. The last time he had been
+there, his uncle had given him five dollars; but this time, nothing.
+There were, or there had been, more than five dollars in that box; why
+had he not taken it all? It was just as easy to say he had received
+five dollars as two; and when it was missed, it would be thought some
+of the servants had taken it, or that it had been lost through some of
+Maggie's carelessness. He had gone so far in sin now, that he did not
+hesitate to go deeper and deeper; and determined, if possible, to have
+the rest of the contents of the box.
+
+That evening it seemed as if "chance," as he called it, was again about
+to favor him. Mrs. Stanton and Miss Annie were there, and after dinner
+all the ladies and the younger children were gathered in the parlor;
+while the two boys were at their lessons in the little study-room at
+the head of the stairs. Mr. Moore was out. Mr. Bradford had left the
+room a short time since, saying he, too, must go out for a while, and
+the servants, George knew, were at their tea. _Now_ was his time.
+
+Making some excuse to leave the parlor, he ran up-stairs till he
+reached the first turning. The door of the study-room stood ajar.
+Pshaw! The boys would hear him. He peeped in. No one there but Harry,
+studying after his usual fashion, with his elbows on the table, his
+head between his hands, and his fingers thrust into his ears to shut
+out all sound that might take his attention from his book. Fred must
+have gone to his own room in the third story. He should hear him if he
+came down. Headlong, noisy Fred was sure to give notice of his coming.
+
+But he must make haste. There is not a moment to lose. Almost
+forgetting his caution in his guilty hurry, he ran quickly up the few
+remaining steps, and along the hall to Mrs. Bradford's room. He stole
+in as he had done once before. The jet of gas in the burner over the
+dressing-bureau which held the coveted prize was turned down very low,
+but the bright fire dancing in the grate made the room quite light
+enough for his guilty purpose.
+
+He opened the drawer and took up the box. How light it was! and there
+was no rattle of pennies, none of what dear little Maggie had called,
+in the joy of her heart, "her log-cabin music." He touched the spring,
+and the box flew open. Empty! He stood for a moment looking into it,
+then turned it up to the firelight to make sure there was nothing
+within. As he did so, he heard steps behind him; a hand was laid upon
+his shoulder, and looking up with a start, he saw Mr. Bradford's face
+sternly bent upon him, while at his elbow he met Fred's clear, honest
+eyes blazing with scorn and indignation. His own fell to the ground,
+and there he stood, like the mean, pitiful thing he was, trembling and
+cowering, the open box still in his hand.
+
+There was a moment's silence, and then Fred broke forth.
+
+"So it _was_ you, you rascal! you mean, sneaking, cowardly thief! You
+are the fellow that robs little girls of their hard-earned money!
+You--you--you--" Fred's passion was choking him.
+
+"Hush, hush, my son!" said Mr. Bradford, sadly; "it is not for you to
+reproach this unhappy boy. Leave him to me. Go to your play, if you
+_can_ play after what you have seen."
+
+Fred laid both his own hands on that which rested on George's shoulder.
+"Take your hand from him then, father; he is not fit to be touched by
+an honest man, by an honorable gentleman! A thief!"
+
+"Go, go, Fred, and do not speak of this till you see me again."
+
+Fred obeyed, as he knew he must when his father spoke in that tone.
+
+"Now," said Mr. Bradford sternly to the guilty boy, "go in there;" and
+he pointed to the door of his dressing-room.
+
+Trembling, and fearing he knew not what, but not daring to disobey,
+George did as he was told. Mr. Bradford followed, silently put beyond
+George's reach everything on which he might lay his hands, locked every
+drawer and closet, and then turned to leave the room.
+
+George started forward. "What are you going to do?" he stammered.
+
+"Leave you here till your father comes. I cannot deal with you, for,
+thank God, you are not my child."
+
+"Oh, don't, don't!" said the wretched boy, falling on his knees. "Oh,
+I did not mean to--I was only looking--he will punish me so--I would
+not have taken--"
+
+"Hush, hush," said Mr. Bradford, "and do not kneel to me. Do not add to
+your sin by trying to deny it, but think over what you have done; and
+when your poor father comes, be ready to make confession to him, and to
+the God against whom you have sinned."
+
+"But don't tell father; he will be so angry; he minds such things so
+much. He--he never would forgive me."
+
+"And yet the son of such a father could do this terrible thing? I
+grieve to tell him, George; rather, far rather, even for my own sake,
+would I pass over this in silence, and let you go unpunished; but it is
+a duty I owe to you, as well as to him, not to let you go on unchecked
+in sin. I see, too, poor boy, that it is the fear of punishment, not of
+distressing your kind father, which makes you so anxious that I should
+not tell him. You do not yet see your guilt, unhappy child; you only
+dread the pain and shame which it has brought upon yourself."
+
+As Mr. Bradford ceased speaking, Mr. Moore's short, quick step was
+heard in the hall, and the next moment he rapped upon the door. Fred,
+going down-stairs, had met him coming in, and was asked where George
+was. He had answered, "Up-stairs;" but he had been so shocked and
+distressed by what he had seen that Mr. Moore had noticed his manner,
+and asked if anything were wrong with George. Fred would not say what
+the trouble was, but told Mr. Moore where he would find his son.
+
+Mr. Bradford opened the door.
+
+"Fred told me that George was here," said Mr. Moore, looking much
+disturbed. "What is wrong?" he asked, as he saw his son's guilty,
+miserable face.
+
+"Will you tell your father, George, or shall I?" asked Mr. Bradford.
+
+But George only cried and sobbed, saying, "he did not mean to--it was
+very hard--he was only looking"--till Mr. Moore once more asked Mr.
+Bradford to explain what all this meant.
+
+Mr. Bradford told the story in as few words as possible,--how his
+little daughters had shown George the secret of the box, telling him
+why they were laying by the money; how that morning two of the notes
+had been missed, and the false one found in their place (as he spoke,
+taking the bill from his pocket-book and handing it to Mr. Moore);
+how Mrs. Bradford had put the rest of the money in a safer place; and
+lastly, how he and Fred had just seen George go to the drawer and take
+out the box, as if with the intention of adding to his sin by a new
+theft.
+
+It was a hard thing for Mr. Bradford to do; he knew how he should feel
+himself if one of his own boys had done this. He was very much grieved
+for his friend, and when he had told all as gently as possible, he went
+away, and left him alone with his unhappy son. What passed between them
+it is not necessary to tell you. George would have denied his guilt
+even now, but the false note in his father's hand made this impossible.
+
+Maggie and Bessie did not see him again, for Mr. and Mrs. Moore left
+the next morning at an hour even earlier than they had intended; for
+after this terrible sorrow had come upon them, they felt that they
+could not bear to meet any of Mr. Bradford's children again.
+
+Perhaps you may like to know how Fred and his father discovered
+George's guilt. It so happened that Fred's quick temper had brought him
+into more trouble at school, and he did not know exactly how to act in
+the matter. He had finished his lessons, and was thinking this over
+when he heard his father come up-stairs and go to his dressing-room.
+
+"I've a great mind to tell papa, and see what he says of it," he said
+to himself. To think and to do were with Fred one and the same thing;
+and the next moment he was with his father, asking if he would wait and
+hear his story. He might have been sure of that; Mr. Bradford always
+had time to spare if his children needed his help or advice.
+
+Fred told his story, and they were sitting talking it over in low tones
+when George's step was heard in the next room. The dressing-room was
+quite in the shade, and though George neither saw nor heard those who
+were within, he himself was plainly seen through the open door, at his
+guilty work.
+
+And now, like our Maggie and Bessie, we need have no more to do with
+this poor boy, and will take leave of him. The little girls were not
+told that the thief had been discovered. Their mother thought it would
+only shock and distress them, while it could serve no good purpose for
+them to know it. They wondered, and talked of it between themselves for
+a few days; and then there were so many pleasanter things to think of
+that they forgot all about it.
+
+[Illustration: decorative]
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: decorative]
+
+XV.
+
+_THE SNOW._
+
+
+THESE were indeed pleasant times, and very happy children were our
+Maggie and Bessie. The only trouble was that night would come, and put
+an end to first one and then another of these delightful days, and
+that, as Maggie said, they had to stop enjoying themselves "just to go
+to sleep."
+
+"I wish the sun always shone in this country," she said, "and that
+night never, never came."
+
+"What would the little children on the other side of the world say to
+that?" said papa. "If you had the ruling of day and night, and kept the
+sun all the time on one side, how do you think they would like to have
+it always night?"
+
+"Oh! I did not think about that," said Maggie. "I suppose it would be
+pretty selfish. I guess I had better wish for two suns, one on our
+side, and one on theirs."
+
+"Or, better still, rest satisfied that our heavenly Father has ordered
+all things, night and day, sun, moon, and stars, as is best for his own
+glory and the happiness and comfort of all his creatures," said Mr.
+Bradford. "I think even my wide-awake Maggie would tire of the light of
+the sun if it should shine for the twenty-four hours, day after day,
+and the quiet, blessed night never come, when we might close our tired
+eyes, and take the rest we need."
+
+"Could we not sleep in the day-time if we were tired, papa?"
+
+"We might sleep, but not as well or as pleasantly as we now do when
+all is dark and quiet."
+
+"Then if I was to wish for two suns, I'd better wish we should never be
+tired or sleepy."
+
+"So you might go on wishing forever, and if you had the power, changing
+first one and then another of the wise laws which our Father in heaven
+has made for the good of all. And what distress and confusion this
+would make! What a miserable, unhappy world this would be if you,
+or some other weak, human creature who cannot see the end from the
+beginning, and cannot tell what would be the consequence of his wishes,
+were allowed such power. No, we may thank God, not only that he does
+what is best for us, but also that he has allowed none but himself to
+be the judge of this."
+
+"So I had better be contented to have the night as it is, papa; is
+that what you mean? Perhaps other people would not like to have things
+as I did, and they might think I was a very disagreeable child to have
+them my way; and I should not like that at all."
+
+"I would not be glad if there was never any night," said Bessie, who
+was always more ready than her sister to go to rest.
+
+"Then I wont wish it," said Maggie; "and I shall just always try to
+think 'our Father' knows best, even if I don't feel quite suited
+myself."
+
+One afternoon, about dark, it began to snow, much to the children's
+delight; for grandmamma had promised a sleigh-ride whenever it should
+be possible. All night the soft, feathery flakes fell gently and
+steadily, so that in the morning the ground was covered thickly with a
+beautiful white mantle.
+
+Since the weather had become cold, each day, after breakfast, Maggie
+and Bessie were allowed to throw out crumbs for the sparrows and
+chickadees, who came about the house to find something to eat. The
+birds seemed to know the hour almost as well as the children, and
+seldom came for their breakfast before the right time. But on this
+morning the little girls were scarcely down-stairs, when their brother
+called them to come and see what a flock of their pets had already
+gathered on the piazza and window-ledge. For the ground being all
+covered with snow, there were no stray crumbs or seeds to be found;
+and the chickadees and sparrows, being early risers, found themselves
+hungry and in need of their regular breakfast rather sooner than
+usual; and now the prints of their tiny feet were to be seen all over
+the snow, while twice the ordinary number of birds hopped about the
+piazza, or perched upon the railing and window-ledge, chirping away,
+twitching their little heads from side to side, and watching the
+children with their bright, twinkling eyes as if asking what made them
+so late.
+
+Away ran Maggie to ask Patrick for a piece of bread, and came back with
+a rush and a jump and a sudden shove at the window which put every
+mother's bird of them to flight. In her hurry to feed them, she quite
+forgot that they were so easily startled, and was much distressed when
+she saw them all flying off in a great fright.
+
+However, the bread was crumbled and thrown out; and by the time prayers
+were over, the whole flock were back again, pecking away with much
+satisfaction, and twittering and chirping as if they were telling each
+other what very kind people lived in this house, and how thankful they
+should be for such good friends. At least, this was what Maggie told
+Franky they meant, as he watched them with his chubby face pressed
+close against the window-pane.
+
+"No shoes and stottins," said he. "Poor birdies! Dere foots too told.
+Mamma buy shoe for birdies."
+
+His little sisters thought this very sweet and funny in Franky, and
+they hugged and kissed him till he thought he had said something very
+fine, and kept repeating it over and over again.
+
+Pretty soon it stopped snowing, and the sun came out. Then Maggie and
+Bessie were much amused in watching the people clearing the snow from
+the sidewalks, and the boys snow-balling one another. Presently Mrs.
+Bradford missed Franky from the room. As she had the baby, she could
+not go after him, but sent Maggie.
+
+She ran from room to room, but could not find her little brother. When
+she opened the nursery door, and put in her head, she rather wondered
+to see the bureau-drawers open, and several things lying scattered over
+the floor; but she did not think much about it, for there was no one
+there, and she must find Franky. As she went down-stairs again, she
+saw the back-door was standing open, and went to shut it. Here she met
+Franky coming in with very rosy cheeks, and his face all smiles, as if
+he were well pleased with himself.
+
+"Oh, Franky!" said Maggie, "what made you go out in the cold with no
+hat and coat? Didn't you hear me calling you?"
+
+"Yes," said Franky.
+
+"Then why didn't you come?"
+
+"Me too busy," said the little boy; and away he ran into the parlor,
+while Maggie went to shut the door. To her great surprise, she saw
+the piazza strewn with shoes and stockings,--her own, Bessie's, and
+Franky's, and even a pair or two of baby's little worsted socks. She
+came in, and followed Franky.
+
+"Franky," said Mrs. Bradford, "did you not hear mamma calling?"
+
+"Yes'm," said he again, "but me too busy."
+
+"But you must always come right away when mamma calls. What were you
+doing?"
+
+"Me dave de birdies shoes and stottins," said Franky; "dere foots too
+told."
+
+Then Maggie told her mother what Franky had done, and nurse coming in
+just then, Mrs. Bradford sent her to see. Sure enough, the little rogue
+had gone up-stairs, and filling his skirt with his own and his sisters'
+shoes and stockings, had scattered them upon the piazza, thinking that
+the birds could make use of them. Maggie and Bessie thought this a most
+capital joke, and even nurse, who was much displeased, could not help
+smiling as she heard their merry peals of laughter. Mamma did not scold
+Franky, for she did not think he meant to do anything naughty, but she
+told him he must never do so again, and that the birds did not need
+shoes and stockings to keep their feet warm.
+
+"But, mamma," said Maggie, "how is it the birds do not have their feet
+frozen in the snow and the cold? If we were to go hopping about with
+bare feet, it would hurt very much, and we would be sick; but the
+sparrows do not mind it at all."
+
+"Because God has fitted them, dear, as he has all his creatures, for
+the life which he means them to lead. He has given to the sparrows
+and chickadees, not soft, tender feet like yours, but horny claws on
+which they can hop over the snow and gravel without feeling the cold,
+or being hurt. See by this how he has cared for all he has made; the
+smallest or weakest bird or animal is known and watched over by his
+all-seeing eye. When our Saviour was on earth, he chose these little
+birds to teach us a most precious lesson. Once when he was talking to
+his disciples, after telling them that they were to fear God, and not
+man, he wished to show them how constant and watchful was God's care
+of his people, and he said, 'Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing?
+and one of them shall not fall to the ground without your Father. But
+the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore; ye
+are of more value than many sparrows.' A Roman farthing was less than a
+cent and a half, so that one of these sparrows cost less than a penny,
+and this was meant to teach us that if each of these little birds which
+was worth so small a sum is known and remembered by the Almighty; if
+not one of them can fall and die unless he sees it, how great must be
+his care and love for us, whom he has called 'of more value than many
+sparrows,' and for whom he gave his only Son to die upon the cross. It
+is a very sweet and comforting thought to know that he never forgets
+us, and that no harm can come near us, unless he knows and permits it."
+
+"And it ought to make us think that he sees what we are doing, and
+knows if we are even a little bit naughty. Ought it not, mamma?" said
+Bessie.
+
+"Yes, darling, and it should make us very careful not to grieve or
+displease him by even a wicked thought or angry feeling."
+
+"'Cause when he sees it, he thinks we are ungrateful about his Jesus,"
+said the thoughtful little Bessie.
+
+This was Saturday and a holiday, when the children had no lessons, and
+the boys did not go to school; and about twelve o'clock Harry and Fred
+came in with Tom Norris, Walter Stone, and Johnny Ransom; they were all
+four going into the yard to build a snow-man, and Harry begged that
+his sisters might go, too, saying that he and Fred would take care of
+them. Mamma had no doubt of this, and she said Maggie might go, but she
+was afraid to have Bessie play in the snow, lest she should take cold.
+Maggie said she would not go if her sister might not; but Bessie told
+her to go, and she would stand at the library-window and watch them at
+their work. Maggie still hesitated, but her mother said she would see
+that her sister did not feel lonely while she was gone, and having
+been well wrapped up, she at last went with the boys.
+
+To say that Bessie was not disappointed and did not very much wish that
+she, too, might have a share in the delightful play, would not be true.
+But though a tear came into her eye as she saw the others run off, she
+bore it bravely.
+
+"Mamma, you would be sure to let me go if you thought it best; wouldn't
+you?" she asked, lifting her face to her mother to be kissed.
+
+"Indeed, I would, my sweet child; you may be certain mamma would never
+take from you any pleasure she thought safe for you; but it would be
+wrong and foolish in me to let you go when you would probably take cold
+and be sick. And now what shall we do to amuse ourselves. If you like
+to stand by the window and see the boys, I will bring my work and tell
+you a story, or we will sit by the fire, and I will read to you."
+
+Bessie chose the first, for she said that would be two pleasures at one
+time.
+
+When Mrs. Bradford came back with her work-basket, Bessie was standing
+on a chair by the window, and she turned to her mother with a very
+bright face.
+
+"Mamma," she said, "come and see what a nice time Maggie is having. I
+think I am 'most glad you didn't let me go, 'cause if I was playing
+myself, I could not see how much she 'joys herself. Just hear her
+laugh!" and Bessie laughed merrily herself.
+
+Mamma stooped and kissed her sweet-tempered, generous little daughter,
+who, instead of fretting and making herself and others miserable
+because she could not do as she wished, not only contented herself with
+the pleasures which were left to her, but really tried to find comfort
+in her very disappointment.
+
+Maggie did indeed seem to be enjoying herself. The boys had begun their
+snow-man, but she found that rather hard work, and, having asked leave,
+was snow-balling her playfellows with all her might. She was not very
+apt to hit them, for her small hands could not take very sure aim in
+her thick worsted mittens; but whenever she missed her mark, she became
+only more eager, and, hit or miss, her gleeful laugh rang out all the
+same. Mrs Bradford found that no story was needed; so engaged was
+Bessie in watching the frolicsome antics of her sister, that she had
+no thought of anything else. In the height of her play, Maggie did not
+forget every few moments to stop and kiss her hand and nod and smile at
+the two dear faces in the library-window. When her mother thought she
+had been out long enough, she called her in, and she came all glowing
+and rosy with her play in the fresh, cold air.
+
+"Tom says the sleighing is splendid. I hope grandmamma wont forget us."
+
+"No fear of that," said mamma; and she had scarcely spoken when Aunt
+Annie's smiling face appeared at the door.
+
+"Well, little polar-bear, where did you come from?" she asked, taking
+hold of the bundle of furs and wrappings which called itself Maggie.
+
+"Out of the icebergs to eat you up," growled Maggie, pretending to be
+the bear Aunt Annie had called her.
+
+"Very well, sir, I suppose you have a good appetite since you have come
+so far; but, of course, if I am eaten up, you cannot expect my mother
+to go sleigh-riding with the fellow that has made a meal upon her
+child."
+
+When Maggie heard this, she declared that she was no longer a
+polar-bear, but just Aunt Annie's own little niece, who would not eat
+her up even if she were starving, and whom it was quite safe to take
+sleigh-riding. Both she and Bessie were wild with delight. They could
+scarcely eat their dinner, and the moment it was over, ran away to the
+nursery to be dressed for the ride.
+
+When the sleigh came to the door, Aunt Annie said she had two
+polar-bears to ride with her, and pretended to be quite alarmed. But
+both the bears proved to be very well-behaved, and neither bit nor
+scratched; although they did now and then hug a little as they sat, the
+one between mamma and grandmamma, and the other between Aunt Annie and
+Aunt Helen; for Aunt Helen had come from Riverside to make her mother a
+visit and to stay till after Christmas.
+
+"We are to have a Christmas tree, Aunt Helen," said Maggie.
+
+"And all our people are to come," said Bessie.
+
+"We have a great deal to do yet," said Maggie. "There are a great many
+presents to buy, and Christmas will be here one week from yesterday,
+mamma said so. Aunt Annie, you said you would take us shopping for
+those things mamma is not to know about."
+
+"Very well," said Aunt Annie, laughing. "I suppose I may as well give
+up Monday to it, if your mother will let you go."
+
+Mamma was quite willing it should be so, if the weather were fine.
+The things which she was not to know about were her own, and papa's
+Christmas presents. The book-marks were all worked. Those for Colonel
+and Mrs Rush were quite finished and laid away; but the two which
+were intended for papa and mamma still wanted the ribbon, and this was
+one of the things to be bought. Then Maggie was to buy some trifle
+for papa, and Bessie one for mamma. They were not trifles to them,
+however, but very great and important purchases, and there was a great
+deal of whispering and hiding in corners. It was rather a singular
+circumstance, but one which was very convenient, that mamma never asked
+what they were doing, or even seemed to see that they were engaged with
+some work in which she was not asked to help.
+
+They had a lovely drive. All the sleighs and cutters in the city seemed
+to have turned out for the first fine sleighing; and the air was full
+of the jingling of the merry bells, and the shouts and laughter of the
+boys as they pelted each other with snow-balls, or went skimming along
+on their sleds. The Central Park looked beautiful in its pure white
+dress which lay so smoothly, just as it had fallen from the hand of the
+kind Father above; and Maggie said the trees and bushes thought white
+feathers were becoming, and so had dressed themselves out as if they
+were going to a Christmas party.
+
+[Illustration: decorative]
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: decorative]
+
+XVI.
+
+_SHOPPING FOR CHRISTMAS._
+
+
+ON Monday afternoon Aunt Annie came for the children, according to
+promise, and Aunt Helen was with her.
+
+"For I have a little business with Maggie," said Mrs. Duncan; "but
+no one else is to know what it is, so mamma and Bessie are to ask no
+questions."
+
+This was delightfully mysterious.
+
+"Nobody is to ask questions at Christmas-time," said Bessie, gravely.
+"Mamma made that yule."
+
+"And it is a wise one too," said Aunt Helen.
+
+"How long do you suppose our Meg can keep a secret, Aunt Helen?" asked
+Fred.
+
+"I know she has kept one for three months so well, that I am going to
+trust her with a second."
+
+"Pretty good for Midget," said Fred.
+
+It was indeed a triumph for heedless Maggie. So carefully had she
+kept the secret of the picture, not even saying, "I know something,"
+or, "Something is going to happen," that mamma suspected nothing; and
+though Bessie knew there _was_ a secret, she had not the least idea
+what it might be.
+
+Aunt Helen started first with Maggie, telling her sister Annie and
+Bessie to meet them in a certain book-store.
+
+"Now, Maggie," she said when they were in the street. "I am going to
+reward you for keeping our secret by letting you choose the frame for
+the picture."
+
+The little girl was delighted, but when they reached the store, and she
+saw frames of all kinds and sizes, she became confused, and could not
+tell which to decide upon.
+
+"That one is too large," said Mrs. Duncan, as Maggie pointed out one
+she thought she should like. "No, dear, that is too small again.
+There," and her aunt laid four or five of the proper size, in front of
+the child; "any of those will do; suppose you choose one from among
+them."
+
+So, after some more hesitation, Maggie chose a dark walnut frame, with
+silver nails; and Aunt Helen said she had shown very good taste. Then
+Mrs. Duncan gave the man directions about the picture, which she had
+sent to him in the morning. He bowed and wrote them down, and then
+said, looking at the rosy, happy face which was peeping at him over the
+counter, "'Tis a capital likeness too, ma'am; never saw a better."
+
+"Aunt Helen," said Maggie, as they left the store, "did that man mean
+he knew our Bessie, and thought you made a good picture of her?"
+
+"I thought you were to ask no questions at Christmas-time," said Mrs.
+Duncan.
+
+"Oh!" said Maggie. "I did not know I must not ask about things like
+that; I thought mamma meant bundles and work, and such things."
+
+Aunt Helen only laughed, and began to talk of something else, and
+presently they came to the book-store, where Annie and Bessie were
+waiting for them.
+
+At the lower end of this store was a large table, and upon it were a
+number of beautiful and useful things intended for presents. There were
+writing-cases and work-boxes, paper-cutters and weights, beautiful
+pictures and all kinds of knick-knacks.
+
+"Aunt Helen," said Maggie, eagerly, "do you not think we could find
+something on that table that would make nice presents for papa and
+mamma?"
+
+"I do not doubt it," said Mrs. Duncan, "if you could pay for them; but
+I fear, dear Maggie, all those pretty things are quite too expensive
+for you to buy."
+
+"Well," said the little girl, with a sigh, "I suppose we may look at
+them while you and Aunt Annie buy your books; may we not?"
+
+"If I thought I could trust you not to touch anything, you might. But
+some of those things are very costly, and you might do much mischief if
+you meddled with them."
+
+"Aunt Helen," said Bessie, looking up with a very sober face, "we never
+meddle when we go shopping. Mamma has taught us that, and gen-yally we
+yemember what she tells us."
+
+"I believe you do," said Mrs. Duncan, smiling. "Well, then, I will
+trust you;" and she and her sister walked to the other end of the store
+to look at some books, leaving the children to amuse themselves.
+
+A gentleman was sitting near the table reading a newspaper, and when
+Bessie had spoken out so solemnly, he had looked up with a twinkle
+in his eye. The little girls did not notice him, however, nor did he
+seem to be paying attention to them. They walked round and round, now
+peeping at this thing, now at that, but never offering to lay a finger
+upon one.
+
+"Oh," said Maggie. "I do wish, I do wish we could buy some of these
+beautiful things for papa and mamma! But I suppose we'll have to wait
+till we're quite grown up, and then perhaps they will all be gone. Just
+see this paper-weight, Bessie. Would it not be nice for papa? But I
+think it costs a great deal, and I can only afford twenty cents."
+
+"And see this lovely little picture, Maggie. Mamma would like it so, I
+know. See, it has the cross and a pretty vine all around it, and some
+words. Can you yead it?"
+
+"S-i-m--sim," spelt Maggie, "p-l-y--ply, simply--to--thy--cross--Oh! it
+must be 'Simply to thy cross I cling.'"
+
+"Yes," said Bessie, "it's out of 'Yock of Ages,' and mamma loves that
+hymn so much. Oh! I do want it for her! Do you think twenty cents will
+buy it, Maggie?"
+
+"I guess not; but we'll ask. I'd like to be grown up for two things, so
+I'd never have to go to bed till I chose, and so I could have plenty of
+money to give everybody everything they wanted. Just see that picture
+of a dog, Bessie. Does it not look like our Flossy? I wish it was
+nearer, so we could see it better."
+
+"I can't see it at all," said Bessie, raising herself on tiptoe, to
+gain a view of the picture which was in the centre of the table. "I
+wish it was nearer, but we must not touch."
+
+"I'd like to see him better, too," said Maggie. "I want to know if he
+really is like Flossy, or if he just looks so 'cause he is so far off;
+I know I wouldn't break it either if I moved it; but then--we promised."
+
+"And mamma said we were _never_ to touch without permission," said
+Bessie; "and we're trusted."
+
+They both stood for some minutes, Maggie looking wishfully at the dog,
+Bessie still stretching up her neck in a vain attempt to see him, when
+Maggie suddenly said, "Bessie, mamma said it was not right to put
+ourselves in the way of temptation, and I think I am doing it. This was
+just the way I did the day I meddled with papa's inkstand. I stood
+looking at it, and looking at it, and wishing I had it, till at last I
+touched it, and did such a lot of mischief. I sha'n't look at the dog
+any more, and let's go to the other side, and we wont think about it."
+
+As they turned to do as Maggie proposed, they saw a miserable-looking
+face peeping in at the glass door. It was that of a boy about eight
+years old, poor, and in rags, his features all pinched with cold
+and hunger. He was gazing wistfully at the pretty things and the
+comfortably-dressed people who were within, and perhaps wishing that
+Christmas brought such happiness to him. As one after another passed in
+and out, he held up his thin hand and asked for help, but few heeded
+him.
+
+"See that poor boy," said Bessie; "I don't believe he has any money to
+buy Christmas presents."
+
+"I'm afraid not," said Maggie; "I guess he has not enough to buy bread
+and fire; he looks so cold and thin, and what dreadful old clothes he
+has!"
+
+"Poor fellow!" said Bessie, in a pitying voice. "I s'pose he would like
+some money very much. Do you think we could spare him a little of ours,
+Maggie?"
+
+"If we do, we can't spend so much for our presents," answered Maggie,
+pulling out her portmonnaie from her muff and looking doubtfully at it.
+
+"Do you think papa and mamma would mind it, Maggie, if we each gave the
+boy five cents, and did not spend quite twenty for them?"
+
+"I don't like to take it off papa's and mamma's presents," said Maggie.
+"They are so very good to us, I want to give them all we can; but,
+Bessie, I'll tell you. You know I was going to spend ten cents for you,
+and you ten cents for me. Now we might only spend five cents for each
+other, and then we can each give five to the boy. I don't mind, if you
+don't, Bessie."
+
+"No, Maggie, I'd yather give it to him, and then maybe he'll look a
+little glad."
+
+So each taking five cents from her pocket-book, they ran to the door
+and put the money into the poor boy's hand, who did indeed look "a
+little glad" as he received it.
+
+When they came back to the table, the picture of the dog stood just
+in front, where not only Maggie but Bessie, also, could see it quite
+plainly.
+
+"I hope nobody will think we meddled with that picture," said Bessie.
+
+"No one shall think so," said the gentleman, who had been sitting near,
+as he rose and threw down his paper. "I moved it myself."
+
+"Then, if you please, sir," said Bessie, "will you tell the store
+people you did it? I s'pose they wouldn't think you were naughty,
+'cause you're big; but we are forbidden to touch, and we were trusted."
+
+"And I see you are fit to be trusted," said the gentleman, smiling;
+"and I have a right to touch what I please here, for the store and all
+the things in it belong to me. Is there nothing upon the table which
+you would like to buy?"
+
+"Yes, sir," said Bessie, while Maggie was hanging her head in a
+terrible fit of shyness at being talked to by this stranger, "if we
+could afford it; but we think all these things cost too much. We have
+not a very great deal of money."
+
+"Let me hear what you would like to have, and I can tell you the
+price," said the gentleman.
+
+"How much is that paper-weight?" asked Bessie.
+
+"Fifteen cents."
+
+Bessie's eyes sparkled, and Maggie looked up in great surprise.
+
+"And this cross, sir, how much is that?" said Bessie.
+
+"That, also, is fifteen cents."
+
+"Then we'll take them both for papa and mamma. I think you are a very
+cheap gentleman, sir. We thought they would be too 'spensive for us
+to buy," said the little girl. "Mamma will be very pleased with this
+lovely picture."
+
+"I hope so," said the gentleman. "Such a good mamma as you have
+deserves to have a present that will please her."
+
+"Do you know my mamma, sir?" asked Bessie, as she handed him the price
+of her picture.
+
+"No, but I am sure your mamma is a lady and a good woman, although I do
+not know her, and I am sure, also, that she has taught you well, and
+that you have paid heed to her lessons."
+
+Bessie was herself quite certain of all this, but she wondered how the
+gentleman could know it when he was a stranger to her mother. Perhaps
+you and I may be able to guess.
+
+"And papa deserves a nice present, too," she said; "he is an excellent
+gentleman."
+
+"I have not a doubt of it," said her new friend. "And now I suppose you
+would like to have your purchases wrapped up, so that your papa and
+mamma may not see them before the proper time."
+
+"We would like to show them to our aunt first," said Bessie; and she
+and Maggie scampered off with their treasures.
+
+But when Aunt Helen saw them, she said there must be some mistake.
+"Those things are worth much more than you have paid for them, my
+darlings, you have misunderstood; or some one has been joking with you."
+
+"Indeed, indeed, Aunt Helen, we did not make a mistake, and the
+gentleman was quite sober," said Maggie.
+
+"Who sold them to you?" asked Mrs. Duncan.
+
+Bessie pointed out the person, and Mrs. Duncan went to speak to him.
+Her little nieces looked after her with anxious eyes, fearing lest they
+might have made some mistake, and that their new treasures would be
+taken from them, and Bessie ran up just in time to hear the gentleman
+say, with a laugh, "Surely, I may put what price I please upon the
+articles I have for sale."
+
+Mrs. Duncan laughed, too, and said, "Yes, certainly, but--"
+
+"I assure you, I have been amply paid, madam," said the gentleman, "and
+I beg you will consider the matter settled. It is all right, little
+one," laying his hand on Bessie's head as she looked up at him; "you
+have made no mistake;" and then taking the paper-weight and picture, he
+wrapped them in paper and returned them to the children.
+
+From this store they went to another, where they were a long time
+choosing the ribbon for their book-marks, while Aunt Helen and Annie
+waited with wonderful patience till they had decided this important
+question. Here, also, a pincushion was bought for nurse, and an
+emery-bag for Jane. Then Maggie, coming back from a show-case, about
+which she had been spying, begged Aunt Annie to go to the other end of
+the store, and on no account to turn her head. Aunt Helen was taken to
+the case, and a box was pointed out which Maggie thought would be the
+very thing for a ribbon-box.
+
+"But you cannot buy that, dear," said Mrs. Duncan; "it is too
+expensive."
+
+"Oh, no, Aunt Helen! it is marked five cents,--just see," said Maggie.
+
+"My poor pet, that is five dollars, not five cents."
+
+This was a great disappointment, for Maggie had quite set her heart on
+the box; but, of course, she and Bessie could not give five dollars,
+since they had not the half of that to spend.
+
+"It's real mean," she said, angrily, "to go and cheat children so, and
+make them think it's five cents when it's five dollars."
+
+"Do not speak so, dear," said her aunt; "'cheat' is not a pretty word
+for you to use, and those numbers mean five dollars very plainly to any
+one who can read them. Ask papa to teach you about that to-night."
+
+"Let's go back and buy all our presents of that gentleman," said
+Maggie. "He knows how to keep store a great deal better than these
+people."
+
+"Better for your purses than for his own, I think," said Mrs. Duncan,
+laughing. "No, dear, we have bought enough there for this time. We will
+find something else for Aunt Annie."
+
+"Maggie, Maggie," called Bessie, "come and look at the cunningest glass
+animals you ever saw in your life."
+
+Maggie's displeasure was quite forgotten as she saw the pretty toys,
+and as she and Bessie were looking at them, Aunt Annie joined them.
+
+"What a beautiful glass cat!" she said. "I wish Santa Claus would
+have one like it on the Christmas-tree for me. I should put it on my
+what-not, and I do not believe that a mouse would dare to show so much
+as the tip of his tail in my room, if I had this pussy to guard me."
+
+"Oh, Aunt Annie," said Maggie; "just as if a mouse would be afraid of
+such a mite of a glass kitty! He would know it could not hurt him."
+
+"Well," said Annie, "if you see Santa Claus, just tell him I would like
+to have it."
+
+Maggie turned and looked at Bessie with a shake of her head, and eyes
+which very plainly asked the question. "Shall we buy it for her?" and
+Bessie answered with a nod which said quite as plainly, "By all means."
+
+So they begged Aunt Annie to walk away once more, a request which she
+had quite expected, and she went off laughing. Bessie asked the price
+of the cat, and was told, "six cents," so there was no difficulty about
+that, and pussy was bought. Then, after some whispering, Mrs. Duncan
+was sent after Annie, and a glass deer was bought for her _étagere_.
+The woman who served the children brought a small box, and putting some
+cotton in it, laid the deer and the cat upon it, and gave the box into
+Maggie's hand, saying that she could carry them safely in this way.
+Maggie told Bessie that the woman knew how to keep store pretty well,
+after all.
+
+One or two more small purchases were made, and then they went home.
+They went shopping several times with mamma or their aunts before all
+their presents were bought; but two days before Christmas everything
+was ready,--the book-marks with, "To my dear Father," and "To my dear
+Mother," as well as those for Colonel and Mrs. Rush, a watchman's
+rattle for noisy Fred, and for Harry, since he was fond of birds, a
+yellow wooden canary in a pewter cage. It would take too long to name
+each article, and the person for whom it was intended; but not one
+of the family, or of their intimate friends, was forgotten. Papa and
+mamma, brothers and sisters, aunts, uncle, and cousins, grandmamma and
+the two grandpapas, Colonel and Mrs. Rush, Jemmy and Mary Bent, and
+even each servant in the house were remembered and provided for; and
+the older people were quite astonished to see how much the children had
+done with the two dollars and sixty cents with which they had started.
+
+And now began the grand preparations for the important day. The
+Christmas-tree in its square green box came home, and was carried
+into the library, where the children were now forbidden to go. The
+"grown-upers," as Fred called them, were passing in and out all the
+time, going in laden with parcels of all shapes and sizes, and coming
+out empty-handed. But if the older people had their secrets, the
+children, also, had theirs, not the least of which was one in which the
+four eldest were engaged, and which was carried on for a while in the
+boys' room.
+
+The tree was not to be displayed until the evening of Christmas-day,
+when there was to be a large family dinner at Mrs. Bradford's, to which
+Colonel and Mrs. Rush were invited.
+
+[Illustration: decorative]
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: decorative]
+
+XVII.
+
+_CHRISTMAS._
+
+
+"WHO is going to hang up a stocking to-night?" asked Fred, as the
+children watched their father and uncle while they dressed the room
+with greens on Christmas-eve.
+
+"I shall," said Harry.
+
+"And I," said Maggie.
+
+"I don't know about it," said Bessie; "maybe Santa Claus will think we
+are greedy, if we hang up our stockings when we are going to have a
+Christmas-tree."
+
+"No, pet," said Harry; "he's a generous old fellow, and, besides, he'll
+know that we don't expect much in our stockings. We'll leave a little
+note, telling him we only do it for the fun of the thing."
+
+"He'll scorch his old legs coming down the chimney to-night," laughed
+Fred; "there's a roaring big fire in mamma's grate."
+
+"Oh, he's used to it," said Harry; "he minds neither heat nor cold."
+
+"Maggie," said Fred, "if you hear a scrambling and pawing in mamma's
+chimney to-night, you can jump up and take a look at him through the
+crack of the door."
+
+"We wouldn't be so mean," answered Maggie. "If he meant us to see him,
+he would come in the day-time when we are up; and if he knew we did it,
+perhaps he'd just go whisking up the chimney, and not leave us a single
+thing."
+
+"Hurrah for honest Maggie!" said Fred. "I hope Santa Claus is around
+somewhere, and heard you say that. He'll give you a reward for it."
+
+"Children," said Bessie, "you talk as if Santa Claus yeally was."
+
+"You don't mean to say he really is not!" said Fred. "Now, if he has
+heard you, Bess, he'll be affronted, and punish you, as he will reward
+Midget."
+
+"I know who Santa Claus is," said Bessie, gravely, "and I wonder if
+it's yight to talk so earnest about him."
+
+"Mamma said it was not wrong," said Maggie, "'cause every one knew it
+was only a joke, and no one meant to deceive; but it's fun to think
+about him and talk about him, so I am going to do it."
+
+"I wonder how this notion of Santa Claus ever came about?" said Harry.
+"Let us ask papa."
+
+But Mr. Bradford was too busy just then to attend to them, and said he
+would tell them at another time.
+
+When Maggie and Bessie went up-stairs, their brothers went with them to
+assist in hanging up the stockings, and when nurse found what they were
+doing, she came too, bringing Franky's stocking and a tiny worsted sock.
+
+"Holloa," said Fred, "you are not going to hang up that apology for a
+stocking, nursey? Why, Santa Claus will never see it! and if he did,
+he'll have nothing small enough in his pack to put in it."
+
+"I'll trust to his forgetting my pet," said the old woman. "If he
+overlooks any one, it will be the one of the family that's always in
+mischief and up to some saucy prank; and maybe he'll just put a rod in
+that one's stocking."
+
+"Poor mammy!" said Fred, "do you really think Santa Claus will serve
+you such a shabby trick as that, and not bring you a single thing?
+If he does, I'll save all my pocket-money for a month, and buy you
+something nice."
+
+Nursey shook her head at the roguish fellow, whom she dearly loved
+in spite of all his mischief and teasing, and having fastened up the
+little sock, she carried Maggie and Bessie away to undress them.
+
+If the little girls had been awake an hour later, when their brothers
+stopped in mamma's room on their way up to bed, they might have said
+that Santa Claus had a great deal of laughing and whispering to do;
+but they were sound asleep, and heard nothing till the next morning,
+when nurse, according to promise, came to wake them at an earlier hour
+than usual; for nurse and Patrick had been taken into the secret, and
+the latter had promised not to ring the rising-bell for this morning,
+but to let the children wake their parents in their own way. Harry
+had procured half a dozen bells of different tones, and had taught his
+brother and sisters to ring them in tune, producing what they called
+"Christmas Chimes." I cannot say that they sounded much like chimes,
+or that the tune was very easily distinguished; but since the children
+were satisfied with their own performance, it answered all the purpose.
+And certainly had not papa and mamma been already awake, they could not
+have slept one moment after all this din was raised at their door. Mr.
+Bradford, however, was up and nearly dressed, for Miss Baby had chosen
+to wake at an early hour, and looking around for something with which
+to amuse herself, had discovered two new playthings in her father's
+nose and hair. These she chose to consider her own proper Christmas
+gifts, and had ever since been making good use of them. Papa tired
+of the fun sooner than she did, and had been forced to take the new
+toys beyond the reach of the little hands. Both he and mamma laughed
+heartily at their Christmas greeting; but soon came sweeter sounds,
+for when the chimes were over, the four clear young voices rose in the
+beautiful hymn:--
+
+    "Hark, the herald angels sing
+    Glory to the new-born King."
+
+No music ever sounded more delightful in the ears of Mr. and Mrs.
+Bradford, and when the hymn was finished, papa waited to be sure that
+no more was to follow. But now came shouts of "Merry Christmas!" and
+as he opened the door, the whole happy, laughing flock rushed in, with
+Flossy barking joyously at their heels.
+
+"Now for the stockings!" said Fred, when all loving wishes had been
+exchanged. "One at a time. You begin, Hal."
+
+There hung the stockings all in a row as they had been left last night;
+but now they were full instead of empty, and to the top of each was
+pinned a piece of paper with some words written in a large, sprawling
+hand.
+
+Now Harry, though he was by no means a miserly boy, had a fancy for
+saving all sorts of stray odds and ends, saying that they might be of
+use some day. This habit of his gave a great deal of amusement to Fred,
+and now he seemed much delighted when on Harry's paper were found the
+words, "For Master Save-all." At the top of the stocking was a packet
+of sugar-plums, below an old battered tin cup, some broken pieces of
+china, part of a knife-blade, and some scraps of paper. Harry rolled
+the paper into a ball and threw it at Fred's head.
+
+"Now for number two," said the mischievous fellow, unpinning the paper
+from his stocking, which did not look as full as Harry's. "'The
+pattern boy of the house'--that's myself, of course,--'needs nothing
+but the reward of his own conscience, and the goodies whose sweetness
+is only equalled by his disposition.' Good for Santa Claus! He's a
+gentleman of sense."
+
+"There's something else there," said Maggie.
+
+Fred looked rather surprised, but plunging his hand down to the
+bottom of his stocking, pulled out a small square box. Opening it, he
+found two little parcels, one containing mustard, the other pepper,
+with the labels, "Like to like." He colored furiously, but laughed
+good-naturedly, saying, "All fair; give and take."
+
+On Maggie's paper was written, "For the girl who would not peep." And
+besides sugar-plums, the stocking held a tiny log-cabin, a puzzle
+of Harry's which she had long wished to have, and two or three other
+small toys. Bessie's and Franky's held pretty much the same, except
+that in Bessie's, instead of the log-cabin, was a tiny doll dressed as
+a policeman; for since her adventure she had been very fond of talking
+of her friends, the policemen, and her stocking was ticketed, "For the
+girl who will not believe that Santa Claus really is."
+
+But now nurse, coming in after her baby, looked first at her little
+sock, and to her great disgust, found nothing but a bundle of twigs
+tied on the outside.
+
+"The old rascal!" she said; "does he mean to say my baby wants a
+whipping? The best baby that ever lived! I'll just lay this rod over
+his own shoulders."
+
+"You'll have to catch him first," said Fred, "and you wont have a
+chance till next Christmas-eve."
+
+"Wont I though?" said nurse, and she made a grasp at the laughing boy,
+who dived, and the next instant was off with nurse after him. But nurse
+was old and fat, Fred, young and active, and he vaulted over balusters,
+and took flying leaps down-stairs in a way which quite terrified her;
+so that she begged him to "stop and not risk his neck on this blessed
+Christmas morn."
+
+"As well risk my neck as my shoulders," said Fred. "Will you promise
+not to visit the sins of Santa Claus on me if I consent not to kill
+myself?"
+
+Nurse promised, and went back for her baby, whom she carried off to
+the nursery, covering it with kisses, and talking to it as though she
+thought it very badly treated.
+
+"It's rather droll, is it not, that Santa Claus' handwriting should be
+so much like that of our Fred?" said Mr. Bradford.
+
+"Not at all, sir, for he took lessons of me when he was young,"
+answered the rogue, with a comical look at his father.
+
+"Papa," said Harry, at the breakfast-table, "can you tell us now about
+Santa Claus?"
+
+"I will tell you all I know, but that is not much," said his father.
+"Santa Claus is Dutch or German for St. Nicholas. Many hundred years
+ago, there lived far away in the East a good old bishop, named
+Nicholas, who gave up his life to acts of charity and mercy. He was
+said to have a great love for children, and many stories are told of
+his kindness to them; hence, he came to be regarded as their special
+friend. After his death, the Romish Church, to which he belonged,
+made him a saint; and as his feast day, or the day which particularly
+belonged to him, happened to be near Christmas, he was supposed to
+take a great share in the rejoicings of that day."
+
+"But why is he said to come down the chimney and fill stockings?" asked
+Fred.
+
+"I do not know," said Mr. Bradford, "and though I have questioned
+several people who know a great deal about old customs, I have never
+been able to find out how this idea arose. In some parts of Europe,
+he is supposed to be a child angel, not an old man; and in France the
+children call him Noel, and put their shoes on the hearth to be filled.
+Perhaps the custom of giving presents at this time arose from the gifts
+which the wise men of the East brought to the infant Saviour; perhaps
+it was only intended to remind us of the greatest and most precious of
+all gifts which _we_ received on this day. My Bessie can tell what that
+was; can she not?"
+
+"God's Jesus, who came to save us, so his Father could take us to
+heaven," said the little girl.
+
+"Right, my darling; and can Maggie tell what was the song the angels
+sang on this happy morning?"
+
+"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward
+men," said Maggie.
+
+"And every Christmas-day since the song has been repeated by men and
+angels. Is it not a pleasant thought that all over the world, in every
+land where Christ is known, millions of happy voices ring forth the
+glad tidings, 'For unto us is born this day a Saviour, who is Christ
+the Lord;' that millions of young children are singing praises to him
+who became a little child that he might bring to us the one priceless
+gift without which all others are worthless? For from this flows every
+good thing; without the peace, comfort, and safety which this has
+brought, there would be nothing but misery and unhappiness, even for
+those who do not love and bless the holy child Jesus, or trust to his
+salvation. Every prayer which we offer, not only on this day but on all
+days of the year, finds its way to the Father's ear only through his
+name; every joy is made brighter, every sorrow lighter, by the thought
+of the one great blessing the birthday of our Saviour brought."
+
+And now there were down-stairs several poor people to be attended
+to before church-time; for on this day, of all others, Mr. and Mrs.
+Bradford would not forget those who had not as many good gifts as
+themselves. There was Mary Bent, who had risen long before daylight
+that she might be in the city at an early hour. Very cold and tired she
+looked, but she cheerfully answered the children's "Merry Christmas;"
+and when she had eaten the good breakfast Mrs. Bradford ordered for
+her, the color came into her pale cheeks, and she quite agreed with
+Maggie and Bessie that this was the happiest day in all the year.
+
+"Mrs. Duncan ordered our Christmas dinner sent from Riverside, ma'am,"
+she said, courtesying to Mrs. Bradford; "and old Mr. Duncan sent a
+puzzle to Jemmy; so there's nothing more to be wished for."
+
+"Still," said the lady, "I suppose you will not refuse the present
+which the children have for you."
+
+No fear of that, as the sparkle of Mary's eyes showed when Maggie and
+Bessie came with the warm sack which they had bought for her. It was
+tried on at once, and found to fit pretty well, leaving, it is true,
+some room for Mary to grow, but that was a fault on the right side.
+Mrs. Bradford gave her a hood for herself, and a book for Jemmy, with
+a parcel of cakes and candies, and some tea and sugar for her mother,
+and the little radish-girl went home with a light, happy heart.
+
+There was an old negro man nearly a hundred years of age, but who still
+managed to hobble about with a stick and pay a Christmas visit to his
+kind friends, and who, when Mrs. Bradford gave him money and a hat,
+said, "Dear honey, I didn't spect nothin'; I jest came for a sight of
+your pooty face." But, nevertheless, old Jack would have been sadly
+disappointed to go away empty-handed; indeed, I think it quite doubtful
+if he would have gone away at all until he had received something.
+
+There were several others to be made happy, but it would take too long
+to tell who they all were. Every one, however, went from Mr. Bradford's
+door blessing the kind hearts who could not be content unless they
+shared with others the many good gifts God had bestowed upon them.
+Then to church to praise the Lord for all the mercies of the day; after
+which, Maggie and Bessie were taken to a large room, where the children
+of the Church Mission School were to have a Christmas dinner. Roast
+beef and turkey, with other good things, had been furnished for the
+little ones, many of whom, perhaps, never had a comfortable meal save
+on this day of the year.
+
+Mrs. Bradford brought her children away before the dinner was quite
+over, for she feared Bessie would be too tired, and when they reached
+home, told her she must take a little rest. Bessie thought it a pity
+to lose a moment of Christmas-day in sleep; but, like the obedient
+child she was, lay down on mamma's sofa. But after lying quite still
+for about ten minutes with her eyes closed, she said, "Mamma, I have
+kept my eyes tight shut for a great many hours, and the sleep will not
+come."
+
+Her mother laughed, and said she might get up, since the time seemed so
+long, and sent her to the nursery to be dressed for dinner.
+
+And now came grandmamma and Aunt Annie, Grandpapa Duncan, Aunt Helen,
+and Uncle John with Baby Nellie, and afterwards, Colonel and Mrs. Rush.
+What a long dinner-table that was, and what a circle of bright, happy
+faces about it! Maggie and Bessie, and perhaps Fred and Harry, too,
+had thought it rather foolish to think of dinner when there was the
+Christmas-tree waiting in the library; but, somehow, they all contrived
+to enjoy the merry meal very much. Fred declared he wished his father
+kept a hotel, it was so jolly to sit down to dinner with such a lot of
+people.
+
+Soon came Tom, Lily, and Eddy Norris, with Gracie Howard, to share in
+the grand event of the day. Papa and Uncle John disappeared for a few
+moments, then the servants were called, the library-door thrown open,
+and there stood the Christmas-tree in all its splendor. On the topmost
+bough was a figure of old Santa Claus, with his pack upon his back;
+around him burned a row of wax tapers, and on every little twig hung
+flags, spangles, bright-colored balls, and bonbons; while the larger
+and stouter branches and the green tub were covered with the heavier
+gifts. Such shouts of delight as came from the little ones! Baby, in
+mamma's arms, seemed to think the whole show was for her amusement,
+and crowed and laughed and stretched out her dimpled hands towards
+the pretty things, which she would soon have destroyed, had she been
+allowed to grasp them.
+
+When the tree had been sufficiently admired, Mr. Bradford stepped
+forward, and, taking down one after another of the gifts, handed them
+to the persons for whom they were intended. One of the first things was
+a sweet picture in a black walnut frame, which he gave to mamma. Great
+was her delight when she saw the faces of her two little daughters, so
+prettily painted by her sister.
+
+"Now may we see, Aunt Helen?" said Maggie, and receiving permission,
+she and Bessie ran eagerly forward. "Oh, how sweet Bessie and Flossy
+look! And there's another pretty little girl standing by--Why, that's
+me!"
+
+Every one laughed, but Maggie was so pleased she did not think about
+that, but thanked Aunt Helen for putting her in the picture. Bessie was
+even more surprised, and could not understand how her aunt could paint
+a picture without her knowing it.
+
+Now papa called Maggie, for there was a beautiful little bed for her
+doll; and next came one for Bessie. Never was there a tree that bore
+such various and delightful fruit,--fruit suited to large and small,
+from Grandpapa Duncan down to the dear baby; and never were richer
+or happier children than our Maggie and Bessie. There seemed to be
+presents from every one to every one, and happy voices and merry
+laughter filled the room. The Colonel and Mrs. Rush were very much
+pleased with the book-marks, "I love you, Sir," and "Remember me,
+Ma'am;" that is, if smiles and kisses were to be taken as signs, and
+promised to keep them as long as they lived.
+
+Nor were papa and mamma less delighted with the paper-weight and
+picture and the markers worked with "To my dear father," and "To my
+dear mother." Mamma did not in the least care that Maggie, trying to do
+hers by herself, had put the o and the m, quite close together, making
+it read "Tomy dear mother," a mistake which mischievous Aunt Annie,
+enjoying the joke, had not corrected. Of all the gifts which Mr. and
+Mrs. Bradford received that evening, none pleased them more than those
+which the fingers of their own little daughters had manufactured.
+
+As for nurse, she scarcely had eyes or thoughts for her own presents,
+so occupied was she with the treasures which showed that the youngest
+darling of the flock had not been forgotten.
+
+"Well, mammy," said Fred, shaking in the old woman's ears the silver
+and coral rattle which had been grandmamma's gift to baby, "will you
+forgive the trick which Santa Claus served you last night?"
+
+"I will," answered nurse, "and I wish he may never turn out a worse
+fellow than the rogue who played his part."
+
+The excitement and gayety was calming down a little, when Harry
+suddenly said, "See there, papa. There must be a fire," and he pointed
+towards the window.
+
+Mr. Bradford hastily drew back the curtain, and as a crimson glare was
+seen upon the snow, it did indeed seem for a moment as if Harry's words
+were true.
+
+But directly Mr. Bradford said, "It is no fire, but a splendid aurora;
+let us go up-stairs, where we may have a better view;" and taking
+Bessie in his arms, he carried her to an upper room, whither they were
+followed by all the rest. It was indeed a magnificent sight which met
+their eyes. Far down in the northern sky appeared a dark purple arch;
+above it a second of the brightest gold, while from the latter shot
+long rays or streamers of every brilliant color, changing each instant,
+and overhead glowed the steadier crimson light, which, throwing its
+reflection on the pure white snow, had caused Harry to think it was a
+large fire.
+
+For a moment Maggie and Bessie stood speechless with delight, for
+they had never seen anything like this before. Then Bessie exclaimed,
+joyously, "Papa, papa, have the angels opened the gates of heaven to
+let the glory shine out 'cause it's Christmas night?"
+
+No one smiled at the pretty idea, though all were pleased; for sweet as
+was the thought, it yet was solemn, and as they watched the flashing
+play of those beautiful northern lights, it did indeed seem almost
+as if there were reason in the little darling's words, and as if
+the hosts of heaven in their rejoicing over man's salvation might
+be giving them some glimpse of the glory purchased for them on this
+blessed night.
+
+But Mr. Bradford whispered softly as he drew her closer to him, "No, my
+darling. Our eyes may never behold the beauty of heaven till our Father
+takes us to himself. This is the work of his hand, and lovely it is;
+but it is as nothing to the glory of the great white throne whereon he
+sits."
+
+And so ended this happy Christmas which our Maggie and Bessie will both
+remember as long as they shall live.
+
+[Illustration: decorative]
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: decorative]
+
+XVIII.
+
+_THE PURCHASE OF THE LIBRARY_
+
+
+ON the Sunday morning following Christmas, Mrs. Rush asked her little
+scholars if they all had their money ready for the library. Each one
+answered "Yes," and she told them she would allow them to choose what
+books they would send; and that on the next day she would take them all
+down town to a large store, where they would find a great number of
+pretty and suitable children's books. Accordingly, on Monday morning,
+she drove up to Mr. Bradford's door at the appointed hour. Maggie and
+Bessie, ready for the ride, were watching for her, and did not keep
+her a moment waiting. Then they stopped at Mr. Howard's door to take
+up Gracie, and next at Mr. Norris' for Lily. Each little girl, as she
+entered the carriage, would offer Mrs. Rush her share of the money; but
+she told them they had better keep it until they had bought the books,
+and then pay for them with their own hands.
+
+"Please don't say 'the books,'" said Maggie.
+
+"And why not?" asked Mrs. Rush. "Are you not going to buy books?"
+
+"Yes'm," said Maggie; "but then it is a great deal more satisfaction to
+say 'library.'"
+
+"Oh! that is it," said Mrs. Rush, laughing. "Well, hereafter, I shall
+be careful to say your 'library.'"
+
+"Not ours; the log-cabin children's library," said Gracie.
+
+"Very well," said Mrs. Rush. "You will have me all right by and by. I
+see I must be on my guard with such very particular young ladies."
+
+"Don't you like to be coryected, Mrs. Yush?" asked Bessie.
+
+"Certainly; when I am wrong, I always wish to be put right; and I shall
+speak of your log-cabin library in any way you please; for you have
+surely earned the right to say how it shall be."
+
+"Tom says Maggie and Bessie deserve more credit than Gracie and I,"
+said Lily, "because they really earned the money, and Gracie and I had
+it without taking any trouble about it."
+
+"But you have denied yourselves in order to give it," said Mrs. Rush,
+"and I think you ought not to be without your share of credit."
+
+"What does 'credit' mean?" asked Bessie.
+
+"Oh!" said Maggie, before any one else could speak, "it means to think
+yourself very great, and to have a fuss made about you. I am sure we
+did not do it for that; did we, Bessie?"
+
+"I know Tom did not mean that," said Lily. "He thinks you're very nice."
+
+"And I think Maggie makes a mistake, and does not quite understand the
+meaning of the word 'credit,'" said Mrs. Rush. "To give a person credit
+for any action, dear Maggie, is only to give him the praise that is due
+to him. There is no need to think that people are making a fuss about
+you because they do this."
+
+"I can't help it, Mrs. Rush," said Maggie. "I always do feel great when
+people praise me, and nurse says it is not good for me."
+
+"What do you mean by feeling great?" asked Mrs. Rush. "Do you mean you
+feel vain and self-glorious?"
+
+"No," said Maggie, "not quite that, but I feel pleased, and as if I
+liked it; and I know sometimes I do things because I hope people will
+praise me; but I am quite sure I did not do this for that, but because
+I felt sorry for those log-cabin children, and wanted to help them."
+
+"I have not a doubt of it, my dear little girl," said Mrs. Rush, "and I
+do not think you could have been so earnest and persevering if you had
+not had a better motive than the desire for praise. I believe you have
+all done it from a sincere wish to help others who are not as well off
+as yourselves; and it is not wrong to like praise, Maggie, if we do not
+allow it to make us vain, or to cause us to cease from well-doing. We
+all enjoy it, old and young; and if it is sincere, and we feel that we
+deserve it, it is quite right to be pleased with the approval of our
+friends."
+
+"But Maggie is a great deal nicer than she thinks herself," said
+Bessie. "I don't think anybody knows how very nice she is, 'cept me."
+
+Mrs. Rush smiled at the affectionate little sister, who never missed a
+chance of saying a kind or loving word for Maggie.
+
+So they chatted away until they reached the bookstore, where Mrs. Rush
+went in with the whole of her small flock. This was a very large store,
+and from the floor to the ceiling the walls were covered with shelves,
+on which lay piles on piles of books. The gentleman whom Mrs. Rush
+wished to see was engaged, and she sat down to wait until he should be
+at liberty to attend to her; while the children gathered about her,
+noticing all around them, and prattling away as fast as their tongues
+could go.
+
+"Did you ever see such lots and lots of books?" said Gracie.
+
+"I suppose the gentleman who owns this store must be about a million
+years old," said Lily.
+
+"Why, he couldn't be," said Maggie; "only the people that lived in the
+Bible were so very old. I wish I had lived then, it's such fun to be
+alive."
+
+"If you had lived then, you would not be alive now," said Mrs. Rush,
+with a smile; "and no one ever lived to be a million years old. The
+world has not been created so long, and the oldest man, Methuselah, was
+only nine hundred and sixty-nine when he died. But what made you think
+Mr. ---- must have lived a million years, Lily?"
+
+"Because he has written such lots of books," said Lily; "just see how
+many!"
+
+"But you do not think Mr. ---- has himself written all these books?"
+
+"Why, yes'm," said Lily.
+
+"It would indeed take a long life-time to write so many," said Mrs.
+Rush, "but I do not believe Mr. ---- has written more than half a
+dozen."
+
+"Who did it, then?" asked Lily.
+
+"A great many different persons. People write books and bring them
+to Mr. ----, and he publishes them; that is, he has them printed and
+bound, and then sells them."
+
+"I am glad it took a great many people to do it," said Maggie, "because
+if they take the trouble to write books for children, I suppose it's
+because they like us; and it is pleasant to have a great many people to
+love you."
+
+"I wonder why 'most everybody loves children," said Gracie.
+
+"If you thought about Christmas, you'd know that," said Bessie. "It's
+'cause Jesus was once a little child; and besides, when he was a man,
+he loved children his own self."
+
+Just then the gentleman for whom Mrs. Rush was waiting came forward,
+and said he was now at leisure to attend to her. She told him for what
+she had come, and that she wished these little girls, who were going to
+pay for the library, to choose their favorite books.
+
+He shook hands with them all, and then, taking paper and pencil, told
+them to tell him in turn what they would have.
+
+Bessie, being the youngest, had the first choice, and she named the
+books she liked best. The others did the same, but when the list was
+made out, Mr. ---- said ten dollars would purchase several more, and
+bringing some volumes which had just been published, said he could
+recommend those for their purpose. The children were quite ready to
+take them upon his word, and when the whole ten dollars' worth was laid
+out, looked at the pile with great satisfaction. Mr. ---- offered to
+send the books wherever they might choose but that would not answer at
+all. The library must be taken with them in the carriage, and carried
+home by Mrs. Rush, with whom it was to remain until those of the
+children's friends who wished to see it had had the opportunity, when
+it was to be sent to Miss Winslow, with a note from the four little
+girls to the Western children. Maggie was asked by the others to "make
+up" the note, and as Mrs. Rush took them all home to spend the rest of
+the day with her and the colonel, it was done before they separated
+that evening. This was the note which Colonel Rush wrote out and put up
+with the books:--
+
+     "Dear log-cabin children, whose names we don't know, but we
+     like you all the same, please to take this library. Four
+     of us send it to you,--Maggie and Bessie and Gracie and
+     Lily; and I am Maggie, and the others are the rest. Our
+     dear teacher, Miss Winslow, who used to have us all except
+     Bessie, who was too little, in her Sunday-school class, is
+     going to teach you in your log-cabin, and Santa Claus put
+     a log-cabin in my stocking, but I knew it was Fred; and
+     she says you have very few books, and we would like you to
+     have some more; so we have bought this library for you, and
+     we hope you will read all the books and like them. Papa
+     and Colonel Rush are going to send you some picture cards
+     with hymns and verses like those in our Sunday-school, and
+     Miss Winslow is going to take you some Bibles, so you see
+     if you want to learn about Jesus you can, and if you are
+     good children, you will. Miss Winslow is very good, and you
+     will love her very much, and we are very sorry she is going
+     away; but now we have Sunday-school in Mrs. Rush's room,
+     and she is so sweet you can't think, and the colonel does
+     tell us such stories; so we can spare Miss Winslow, and you
+     must be very good to Miss Winslow, because she left her
+     comfortable home to be a missionary to you, and Mr. Long,
+     too, so you ought to mind all they say, and if you do not,
+     you ought to be served right, and never have any of the
+     library books to read. But we think you will be good, and
+     some day Miss Winslow is going to write to us about you,
+     and if you are naughty, you would be ashamed to have it put
+     in a letter. Dear log-cabin children, we all send you our
+     love, and we hope you had a Christmas-tree, and here are
+     our names:--
+
+                          MAGGIE BRADFORD.
+                          GRACIE HOWARD.
+                          LILY NORRIS.
+                          BESSIE BRADFORD."
+
+The colonel wrote it all down just as Maggie dictated it to him, but
+when Miss Winslow read the letter to the Western children, she did not
+think it necessary to read the whole of the last part, but left out a
+few words here and there. As Maggie did not know this, it did not make
+any difference to her.
+
+The books were covered and put up in a neat box which Mr. Bradford
+provided, and then given into Miss Winslow's care. She was very much
+pleased, and told the little girls she should not fail to tell the
+Western children all about their kind young friends in the East.
+
+Some weeks after she went away, there came a letter from her, directed,
+"To my dear little scholars." It had come in another to Mrs. Rush, and
+arrived on Saturday night; so when they came to her room on Sunday
+morning, they found this pleasure awaiting them. Mrs. Rush read it
+aloud to them.
+
+     "MY DEAR LITTLE GIRLS,--
+
+     "After a long and tedious journey, we arrived at this
+     place. We lost several articles of our baggage by the way,
+     but I am glad to tell you that your precious library was
+     not among them. That came quite safely, and it would do
+     good to your generous young hearts to see what delight
+     these poor children take in the books; and not only the
+     children, but the grown people, also, are very anxious to
+     have them.
+
+     "We are not living in a large city or village, but in a
+     small settlement of a dozen or so of houses, and very
+     different the houses are from those you are accustomed to.
+     They are all log-cabins, our own as well as the rest; but
+     we manage to make ourselves pretty comfortable and quite
+     contented. Then we have so much to do that there is no time
+     to think of little annoyances.
+
+     "On Sunday the people come from other settlements, miles
+     and miles away, to hear Mr. Long preach; and when our
+     simple services are over, the children beg for the books
+     you have sent for their use. Some of them are well thumbed
+     already, but, on the whole, they take good care of them,
+     partly for their own sakes, partly for that of their kind
+     little friends so far away.
+
+     "On week-days, Mr. Long rides from place to place to teach
+     and talk to the people. When I can borrow a pony or mule,
+     I go with him, and the cry is always for 'books, books.' I
+     take two or three from the library with me, and leave them
+     here and there. They pass from house to house, till all
+     who wish have read them, then they are returned to me, and
+     others asked for.
+
+     "There is an old colored woman who lives in one of the
+     houses near us; she has not left her bed for years; she
+     is lame and helpless. I went to see her when I first came
+     here, but she took little notice of me until I offered to
+     read to her. Then she turned her face to me, and asked if
+     I had books. I told her yes, and seeing she was ready to
+     listen, I opened my Bible and read several chapters to
+     her. To my surprise, she seemed to be quite familiar with
+     God's word, and asked for certain chapters, not by name
+     or number, but by repeating some verse they contained, or
+     by telling me the subject. Since then I have been to see
+     her every day; and thinking she might like to hear some of
+     the pretty stories in your library, I took one with me the
+     other morning. She seemed well pleased with the idea, and
+     before I began, I told her how I had procured the books.
+     She was much interested, and at last asked the names of
+     the children who had been so thoughtful. When I mentioned
+     Maggie and Bessie Bradford, her whole face lighted up,
+     and she asked me whose children they were. I told her, and
+     she at once said she had known Maggie's and Bessie's papa
+     when she was at home, 'to dear ole New York;' and told me
+     that her brother Jack, if he were still alive, often went
+     to see Mr. Bradford's family, who were very kind to him. So
+     when Maggie and Bessie see old Jack, they can tell him this
+     news of his sister. Poor old Dinah never tires of asking
+     about you, or of talking of the family, and when I go away,
+     always begs me to leave one of the library-books with her.
+     She cannot read a word, but she says she likes to look at
+     the picturs, and to hold the book in her hands, because it
+     does her good just to feel it and think it came from 'dear
+     Massa Henry's chillen.'
+
+     "So, my little darlings all, you see what joy your present
+     has brought to these poor people. That God may bless you
+     for your readiness to help in his work, and reward you
+     abundantly is the prayer of
+
+                          "Your loving
+                              "MARY LONG."
+
+[Illustration: The End.]
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+
+Transcriber's Notes
+
+Minor punctuation typos have been silently corrected. Retained
+author's preferences for "wont" instead of changing to "won't;" and
+kept both variations of "mean while" and "meanwhile."
+
+Page 72: "stiches" is probably a typo for "stitches."
+  (Orig: learning to put in stiches that grew neater)
+
+Page 132: "crimsom" is probably a typo for "crimson."
+  (Orig: butterfly, with wings of crimsom, blue, and gold.)
+
+Page 264: Retained spelling variations of "Charlie" and "Charley."
+
+Page 278: Retained the question mark, but it may be a typo.
+  (Orig: "We are going to do a purpose with it?" said Bessie,)
+
+Page 394: "picturs" may be a typo for "pictures" or intentional
+dialect.
+  (Orig: but she says she likes to look at the picturs,)
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Bessie in the City, by Joanna Mathews
+
+*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44954 ***