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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 *** |