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diff --git a/44954-8.txt b/44954-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 6b90f23..0000000 --- a/44954-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,7026 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Bessie in the City, by Joanna Mathews - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: Bessie in the City - -Author: Joanna Mathews - -Release Date: February 18, 2014 [EBook #44954] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BESSIE IN THE CITY *** - - - - -Produced by Melissa McDaniel, Diane Monico, and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - - - - - - - - - - - -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 THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BESSIE IN THE CITY *** - -***** This file should be named 44954-8.txt or 44954-8.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/4/9/5/44954/ - -Produced by Melissa McDaniel, Diane Monico, and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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