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diff --git a/9332.txt b/9332.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c6385dc --- /dev/null +++ b/9332.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1226 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Georgie's Present, by Miss Brightwell + +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: Georgie's Present + +Author: Miss Brightwell + + +Release Date: November, 2005 [EBook #9332] +This file was first posted on September 23, 2003 +Last Updated: July 5, 2013 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GEORGIE'S PRESENT *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, David Widger and PG +Distributed Proofreaders from images generously made +available by the Canadian Institute for Historical +Microreproductions + + + + + + + + +GEORGIE'S PRESENT; + +OR TALES OF NEWFOUNDLAND. + + +By Miss Brightwell + +_Author of "Annals of Industry and Genius," etc. etc._ [Blank Page] + + + + +Contents. + + + +CHAPTER I. + +CHAPTER II. + +CHAPTER III. + +CHAPTER IV. + + + + +GEORGIE'S PRESENT; + +OR, + +TALES OF NEWFOUNDLAND. + + + +CHAPTER I. + + +It was a beautiful May-day morning when George Green rose at an early +hour; for it was his birthday, and he had not been able to sleep so long +as usual, for counting of the joyful anniversary. + +"Ten years old, are you indeed, my boy?" said his father, who found +Master George eagerly awaiting him in the breakfast parlour. "Yes, papa; +and I am to have a whole holiday, and mamma has promised to take me to +spend the afternoon at Aunt Baker's, and--but I must not tell you that +now, for it is a secret!" + +[Illustration] + +The afternoon visit was evidently the great treat in George's esteem; +and pleased indeed did he look, as he started with his mother for the +Parsonage-house in which his aunt lived. Mrs. Baker was the daughter +of Mr. Ward, an excellent clergyman, who had for several years been a +missionary in Newfoundland. After his death, his widow and daughter +returned to England, and found a home in the country village where some +of their family lived, and where Maria Ward soon married the clergyman +of the parish, her widowed mother consenting to become one of her +household. + +Mrs. Ward was a charming old lady, lively and intelligent, and full of +goodness. Her heart seemed always overflowing with love, and though no +longer able to labour in the missionary field as she had done in the +days of her early womanhood, she was at heart a missionary still, +regarding with delight the progress of that great and glorious +cause--the advancement of the Redeemer's kingdom upon earth. + +On the afternoon of the fair May-day, when little George and his mother +paid their visit to the Parsonage, Mrs. Ward was sitting in her best bib +and tucker, prepared to do honour to the occasion. Close by her side, +upon the hearth, lay a splendid Newfoundland dog, which every now and +then looked up at her with affectionate eyes that seemed to say, "How +much I love you." + +"Ah, Boxa!" said the old lady, fondly caressing the head of the animal, +"I don't know what you'll say to me I have actually given away one of +your pups: at all events, I have promised it, which is the same thing." + +At that moment Master George popped his merry face in at the open +window, and greeted Mrs. Ward with a shout of joyous laughter. "Dear +Granny, you didn't know you were talking aloud; and how indeed were you +to guess that I was so close at hand to overhear you? Ah! how glad I am +that you mean really to let me have the beautiful pup. I have chosen a +name for it already: it shall be called Newfy, because its mother came +from Newfoundland." + +"Its grandmother you should say, my dear," replied Mrs. Ward; "Boxa's +mother came over with me from Newfoundland, and a wonderful animal she +was for cleverness and beauty; but after all, she could not compare with +dear old Box, her sire. He was a marvel of sagacity, and did feats which +I really believe have never been surpassed." + +While the old lady was speaking, her grandson had jumped in at the +window, and was standing beside her, eagerly listening. + +"You know, dear grandmamma," he said, "this is my birthday, and I have +come to spend half of it with you and aunt; and, first, we are to have a +walk, then to take tea together, and, to finish up, you will tell me all +about Newfoundland and what you have seen there, ending with the history +of the wonderful dog." + +"Stay, stay, my love," said Mrs. Ward; "it is impossible that I should +tell you all I have seen in Newfoundland. I can, however, give you an +account of some of your dear grandfather's missionary journeys, in which +he met with many adventures, and, at the close of one trip, fell in with +the good man to whom the wonderful dog Box belonged." + +"That's just what I should like," said George; and immediately he +hastened to find his grandmother's bonnet and shawl, in which she was +quickly arrayed for the walk. [Illustration] + +It was a bright sunshiny afternoon, and as the little party strolled +through the village street, they found half the women and children of +the place, sitting in the doorways, or playing about on the roadside. +By-and-by they came to the green, where there was a crowd of boys just +turned out of school, a large knot of them clustering round a little +Italian boy, who had found his way to the village with his hurdy-gurdy, +upon which he was playing, while, tied to a string, he carried a little +monkey, perched upon his shoulder. George was eager to join the group +and see the antics of Jacko, who sat grinning and holding a little +cap for money, into which a boy flung a halfpenny, and then asked the +Italian where he came from. But the answer was unintelligible to him, +for it was given in a strange tongue, and George was soon tired of +listening to the music and watching the monkey. + +In the meantime his grandmother had walked on, accompanied by her +daughter, and they were now slowly crossing the common. A few minutes' +brisk run brought George to their side, when he began chatting about the +boy and his monkey. + +"I have no liking for those animals," said Mrs. Ward; "indeed, the very +sight of a monkey makes me shudder with a feeling of aversion. I once +saw a trick played by one of them which made a lasting impression upon +my mind." + +"Tell me about it, dear grandma," said George, "while you rest for a +while under this warm hedge upon your camp-stool which I have brought +for you." + +"Well," she said, seating herself at her grandson's request, "it is a +strange story, but quite true. It happened many long years ago, when I +was a young married woman, voyaging to Newfoundland, in the good ship +_Sarah Ann_, with your grandfather, who was then starting for the +missionary station to which he had been appointed. We were drawing near +to land; and after a long and weary voyage, you may imagine how eagerly +all eyes were strained to catch the first sight of the yet distant +shore. + +"Among the passengers was one young lady, a sweet, gentle creature, +who quite won my heart by her winning manners. She had with her her +first-born child, an infant at the breast, and was going to Quebec to +join her husband, a military man there. She had come with the rest of us +on deck when the glad summons was heard, 'Land in sight!' and was seated +upon a sofa, with the child in her lap. The captain very politely handed +his glass to the ladies who stood near him, and directed them how to +catch a glimpse of the shore, which they were just able to discern. +When they had all had a peep, he turned to the young lady whom I have +mentioned, and asked if she would like to look. She thanked him, and +rose for the purpose, first cautiously laying her sleeping baby upon the +sofa. She then advanced a few steps, and took the glass he presented to +her; but scarcely had she raised it to her eye when a shout was heard +from one of the sailors--'Stop him! stop the monkey; he's got the +child!' Every eye was turned in the direction to which the man pointed; +and there we saw the ship's monkey, a favourite animal with the sailors, +of which they made a great pet, climbing up a rope which he held in one +hand, while with the other he hugged close to him the helpless infant! +Up, up, to a towering height the wretched brute climbed, while we +followed him with our eyes in breathless alarm. Suddenly a loud scream +was heard: it was the voice of the poor agonized mother, who would have +fallen senseless to the ground, had not one of the gentlemen caught her +in his arms. She was carried down in a state of unconsciousness to the +cabin, and left to the care of the stewardess." + +[Illustration: desc. Ship's rigging in night storm] + +"No one on deck had moved an inch. Indeed, they scarcely seemed to +breathe, so intense was the excitement felt in watching the movements of +the animal. Presently, a faint cry was heard,--the child was evidently +frightened; perhaps hurt by the pressure of the brute's arm. At once the +monkey paused: he seemed to perceive there was something amiss; for, +taking his station in some part of the rigging, he tried to act the part +of nurse, rocking the baby to and fro, and patting its back. In the +meantime the captain was at his wits' end to know what course was the +best to pursue. At first he ordered one or two of the men to go aloft in +pursuit. But this only increased the evil, for the animal, seeing itself +chased, hastened to climb a still higher spar; and the terrible fear +was suggested that, if driven too closely, he might drop his precious +burden, in order thus to secure the use of both his arms." + +"Oh, grandmamma, how shocking!" cried George, his interest evidently +reaching a climax at this point of the tale. + +"Shocking indeed," said Mrs. Ward; "the very idea was enough to make +one's blood run cold. What was to be done? There was, happily, present a +very experienced old seaman, who now ventured to suggest a plan which he +thought might possibly turn out successful: at all events, as he said, +it could do no harm. His advice was, that everybody should be ordered to +quit the deck, sailors and all, so that not a creature should be visible +on board. The few men whose presence was necessary to manage the ship +were alone suffered to remain at their post, and they were directed to +keep quiet, and to conceal themselves as much as possible from view of +the monkey. The captain determined to try this scheme, and his orders +were immediately obeyed. We all hastened down accordingly, and waited +the issue in suspense. For some minutes a profound silence reigned. +By-and-by the captain, who had placed himself at a point where he could +watch unseen what was going forward, announced that the monkey was +descending cautiously from his perch. By his actions it seemed as though +the creature felt at a loss to account for the unwonted solitude on +deck. His curiosity was awakened, and he must needs come down and see +what it meant. + +"Slowly and cautiously he slipped from yardarm to yardarm, approaching +nearer and nearer to the deck; at last he reached it, still carrying the +child with a firm grasp. In a moment he was seized by two lusty sailors +who were lying in wait behind a coil of rope; and the precious freight +he carried was borne in triumph down to the cabin. What a scene it was! +The poor mother was just recovering from the long death-like swoon in +which she had lain, when the infant was placed in her arms, perfectly +uninjured, although cold, and its little face blanched as if with +terror. At first it seemed as though the sudden revulsion of feeling was +too much for her, and she appeared about to sink once more into a state +of insensibility; but the next moment, feeling the little creature +nestling close to her bosom, she clasped it to her, while the tears +trickled down her cheeks." + +"I wonder whether they punished the monkey for playing such a trick," +said George. "I really think, my dear," said Mrs. Ward, "that the +mischievous brute escaped the flogging which he richly deserved: one +thing is certain, he never had the chance of playing nurse to Mrs. Ray's +baby again." + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + +The rays of the evening sun were now sinking beneath the horizon, +shedding a golden glory over the landscape, and speaking in fair promise +of a fine day on the morrow. "It is time we went home again, before the +dews begin to fall," said Mrs. Ward, as she rose from her seat; and +then, pointing to the western sky, she added: "How beautiful!--'These +are thy glorious works, Parent of good. Let us praise God, whose glory +is shown in the works of His hands; for day unto day uttereth speech; +night unto night showeth knowledge.' I hope you, my dear George, will +never be one of those who have eyes that see not, and ears that cannot +hear. Your dear grandfather was only a little boy when he began to think +of the great things of another world, and at the age of fifteen he +solemnly devoted himself to the service of God his Saviour." + +"Dear Grandmamma, I should like to know more about him. You promised to +tell me about one of his journeys in Newfoundland; and now here we are, +home again, and tea is set out in readiness, as I can see through the +open window." The little party was soon comfortably seated at the social +meal, when Master George's health was pledged in the cup "that cheers +but not inebriates;" and he regaled himself on choice plum-cake made by +the dear old lady herself for that special occasion, taking care, every +now and then, to break off a bit and throw it to Boxa, who sat by his +side, wagging her tail, in evident expectation of tit-bits. + +"Shall we have candles?" asked Mrs. Ward, when the tea-things were +being removed, "or would you like best to sit in the twilight and watch +the rising moon?" + +"I vote for twilight and the moon," said George, placing his +grandmother's arm-chair in a cozy nook, from which she could see abroad; +and then, seating himself on the stool at her feet, he waited till she +should begin the promised story. + +"It was in the spring of the year, 1835, when your grandfather undertook +a tour of visitation to the southern and western shores of Newfoundland, +for the purpose of ministering to the scattered families in the remote +settlements of that region. He left me at St. John's in the month of +March, as travelling over the snow in the island is considered less +difficult in that month than walking overland is at any other season of +the year. When we parted I knew that he was going on a laborious and +painful journey, but I had formed no idea of the dangers to which he +would be exposed, or my heart would indeed have sunk within me. He +took with him a guide to pilot him through the country; a man who was +reckoned very skilful and experienced, and who had lived some time with +the Micmac Indians, one of the aboriginal tribes. They had not advanced +far on their way when they missed the route, and could only ascertain +the points of the compass by observing the inclination of the topmost +branches of the juniper or larch trees." + +"How could they know by that means, grandmamma?" + +"Because the juniper or larch always points to the east, thus affording +them a secure indication, by means of which they regained the path some +time after night-fall. + +"This was rather a bad start, and as it turned out, seemed ominous of +evil to the travellers. As they proceeded on their way, your grandfather +stopped at various places to preach, administer the sacraments, and +visit the sick; and, in many instances, the poor people received him +gladly, being like sheep scattered without a shepherd in solitary +places, far from the means of grace. In one house which he visited he +was moved with compassion at the sight of the poor ailing mother of the +family. 'Ah sir!' said she, 'if any of us be sick or sore, there is no +one to come near us, or to care for our souls.' + +"I doubt not you have often heard the saying, 'One half the world little +knows how the other half lives;' and, indeed, we have but little idea +of the shifts to which thousands of our fellow men are put, and of the +discomforts and troubles of their daily life. These people lived, for +the most part, in wretched cabins, which swarmed with men, women, and +children, while every nook and corner not thus occupied was filled with +pigs, fowls, sheep, or dogs; and the thick smoke, or, as the people +emphatically call it, 'cruel steam,' is most distressing to the +eyesight, which suffers greatly in consequence." + +"But, why don't they make chimneys, and let it out grandma?" + +"They have a sort of rude chimney constructed of upright planks stuffed +between with moss; but the danger of the fire is great; indeed it is +always a necessary to have buckets of water at hand ready to throw upon +the flames. In some places the chimneys were fortified against this +danger by being lined all the way up with a coating of tin, which is +found to last some years." + +"I should be very sorry to have to live with the Newfoundlanders if +they have such houses as these; it seems more like what we read of the +savages in their wigwams." + +"Well, George, your grandfather fell in with some of these people, a +party of Indians from Canada; and, as it was late at night when he +reached their wigwams, the guide begged to be allowed to pass the night +with them. This they courteously permitted, and showed every hospitality +to their unexpected guests. It was a curious sight, the whole party, +men, women, and children, lying around the fire in the middle of the +tent, upon spruce boughs, spread like feathers, to form the couch. The +softest and cleanest deer skin was most courteously offered to the +guest, and he passed the night very comfortably, truly thankful for the +accommodation thus afforded him, and without which he must have suffered +greatly from exposure to the weather, for the snow fell fast during +several hours." + +At this point of her narrative Mrs. Ward rang for a candle, and desired +the servant to bring her writing desk. "I shall find there," she said, +"the original MS. given me by my dear husband on his return from this +journey. He wrote it amid much difficulty, for very frequently the ink +would freeze in spite of all the precautions he took. Paper, too, was +very scanty, and had it not been for boxes, containing a supply of this +article, which had been washed on shore from different wrecks, he would +have found it impossible to procure enough for the purpose. Anxious, +however, to preserve a diary of each day's proceedings, he persevered to +the best of his power, and the result was this scroll, now discoloured +by age, and some of the leaves a good deal torn, but the hand is clear +and legible throughout. I think you will like to have me read you +a short extract, giving an account of a very dangerous part of his +expedition. But, in the first place, I should mention that, when +travelling into the interior, he was obliged to walk in Indian rackets, +or snow-shoes, a very difficult matter to one unaccustomed to their +use." + +"Why difficult, grandma? I thought snow-shoes kept you from slipping, +and made it much easier to walk in winter." + +[Illustration] + +"The snow-shoes of which I speak, my dear, are very different from +anything you have ever seen; nor could you imagine it possible to travel +in them if you had a pair now before you. The racket is a machine +consisting of a sort of net-work stretched upon ledges made of very hard +wood. They are about two feet and a half long, and fourteen inches +broad; and in the middle is fitted a kind of shoe, lined with wool or +hair, which is tied on to the ankle. By means of these strange +snow-shoes, the feet are prevented from sinking into the soft, deep snow. +Even the Indians, shod in this fashion, occasionally meet with heavy +falls, especially when descending very steep hills; and a foreigner +feels terribly awkward and at a loss when first he attempts to use them. +They are exceedingly fatiguing, too, as they become very heavy when wet; +and the wearer is compelled to walk with long and rapid strides, in +order to prevent the rackets from striking against each other. +Sometimes, when the day's journey was a long one, the faithful terrier +which accompanied your grandfather throughout the whole route would howl +for very exhaustion; and whenever his master stopped to look about him, +or to set his compass, the poor brute would scratch about and make +himself a bed for a few minutes' rest in the soft snow." + +"Poor Doggy!" said George, "I can pity him for I remember once when I +walked some miles through the snow, and my shoes got clogged up, I was +so tired, what Uncle Tom called 'dead beat,' that I could not help +crying the last mile before I reached home." + +"Imagine, then, your grandfather starting and making the best of his way +over the snow-clad country until the afternoon began to warn him that he +must make a halt. At about four o'clock the traveller has to begin his +preparation for the night's lodging, and this he does by clearing away +the snow (which is sometimes ten feet deep) from a square space; for +which purpose he makes a rude shovel, cut out of the side of some +standing tree; and, as snow does not adhere to wood as it does to iron, +this is the best thing to be used in removing the snow. When the ground +is quite cleared, the wood for the fire is laid in the centre, about +a foot of loose snow being left round the space in which it is to be +kindled. Upon this, the spruce or fir branches, which easily break off +when bent sharply backwards, are laid all one way, with the lower part +of the bough upwards. Thus the bed is made. The excavated snow forms +a lofty wall round the square; and here the traveller lies, with no +covering from the weather, nor any other shelter than the walls of snow +on each side of his cavern, and the surrounding trees, may afford." + +"I wonder," said George, "how they got a light to make the fire with; +perhaps by rubbing two pieces of wood together." + +"Your guess, though ingenious, is not correct, my dear," said Mrs. Ward, +"there is a certain yellow fungus which grows on the hazel tree that +supplies tinder to the Indian, who is never without flint and steel; and +he has a very expert method of rapidly whirling moss and dry leaves and +bark in his hands, so as to cause a draught, and in a wonderfully short +time he succeeds in making a cheerful blaze." + +"And what has he to eat?" + +"Plenty of venison, for there are large flocks of deer in the country. +You will wonder where these creatures find pasture; I will tell you. At +the time when your grandfather travelled, the whole land was covered +with snow, excepting on the tops of some of the hills, from which the +snow had melted. These lofty, bare spots are called 'naps,' and they +resemble island meadows in an ocean of snow. Upon these, the deer were +grazing leisurely, like cattle, in numerous herds. They go in quest of +food from one of these naps to another, in places near water, which +after long frost becomes exceedingly scarce; in the interior, the tracks +of the deer were as thick as of cattle in the snow in a well-stocked +farmyard. There were, beside, plenty of ptarmigan, which abounded on +these hills, searching for a species of cranberry, a food of which they +are very fond." + +"Vension and grouse! dainty dishes, indeed, dear granny; after all, that +is not quite a land of barrenness." + +"Nay, child! there is provision made in all places of our heavenly +Father's dominions for the supply of the necessities both of man and +beast. But I must hasten on, or you will be weary of my tale." + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + +"In addition to the first guide, your grandfather now engaged one of the +Indians with whom they had passed the night, to accompany him. The three +cheerfully proceeded on their route, and for the first few days enjoyed +very brilliant weather, and made so much progress upon the hard snow, +that I believe they had nearly traversed a third of their destined route +across to St. George's Bay. + +"But now they began to suffer severely from the state of their eyes +which became exceedingly painful, and no wonder; for by day they were +exposed to the full glare of the sun upon the wide expanse of snow, +and all night to the red glare of the fire, together with the pungent +wood-smoke, which proved a constant trial to the sight. At length they +became almost blind, and to add to their distress, provisions began to +fail them. They had counted on securing plenty of game as they went +along, and no one ever thinks of carrying provisions for more than a day +or two into the interior with them. Now, unhappily, this resource was at +an end; for not one of the three could see well enough to use a gun, or, +indeed, bear to look upwards. + +"What follows is very sad; it is touchingly told in the journal, and I +will read the account as it is there given:--'The atmosphere now became +so thick, that, had we not been troubled with snow-blindness, we could +not have seen more than a few yards, and could not possibly have made +our way in an unknown country. + +"'These Newfoundland fogs are fearful things; they surpass, indeed, the +imagination of Europeans. You seem to be actually in cloud-land; for +nothing but cloud is visible above, around, and beneath. This state of +things lasts often for days; now it is a bright white, as though the day +were struggling through; now it becomes shaded, and now almost night. +Sometimes there are little openings, and you catch a clean vista between +two walls of vapour, but it is presently shut out by the rolling masses +of fog. I could compare it to nothing but ghost-land; nothing is real +except the danger!" + +"Were you ever in such a fog as that, grandmamma?" asked George. + +"Yes, George; once at sea we were overtaken by a most fearful and +prolonged fog; never in my life did I experience such feelings of awe +and alarm as during that weary week. + +"But I must tell you of that another time. Your grandfather often used +to recall his emotions when travelling in that thick cloud. One day they +rested in the icy chamber they had dug for the night's resting-place, +and he said, 'That was indeed an oratory;' and fervently did we pray, +'Give us our daily bread,' and 'Lighten our darkness we beseech Thee, O +Lord.' + +"The tears dropped fast when he thought of my anxiety on his account, +and of the probability that his usefulness was at an end, and that we +should meet no more on earth. + +"At length he came to the resolution to retrace his steps, hoping to +make the scanty supply of biscuit which still remained hold out until +they could regain the spot where the Indians had encamped, and where +they had buried some venison. Of the three travellers, he suffered least +from snow-blindness, which he thought was owing to the fact that he had +kept a black gauze veil over his face at mid-day, and had resolutely +adhered to his purpose of not rubbing his eyes. He was, therefore, best +able to guide his companions. He thus describes the plan on which he +proceeded:--'Maurice, the Indian, would open his eyes now and then to +look at my compass;--we could not see for fog more than one hundred +yards; he would fix on some object as far as the eye could reach, and +then shut his eyes again, when I would lead him up to it. On reaching it +he would take another look, and we then started for the next point. It +was literally a case of the blind leading the blind. + +"In this manner, by forced marches, we were enabled to reach, by seven +or eight in the evening, the same spots at which we had halted on our +outward march at four each day. Thus we were spared the labour of +digging and clearing away the snow, to which, in our enfeebled +condition, we were quite unequal. The stint of food was now so small +that I advised my companions not to eat any quantity at a time, but +to take a piece the size of a nutmeg when hunger was most craving. We +gathered also each day, on our return, about as many partridge berries +as would fill a wine glass apiece, and these we found both refreshing +and nutritive. They had ripened in the autumn, and had been buried under +the snow all the winter, so that they resembled preserved fruit in +flavour, and reminded me of a rich, clarety grape. + +"One great privation in this winter travelling is the want of water. We +were obliged to content ourselves with the supply gotten from the snow, +melted by the smoky fire. This water, together with the wind, had the +effect of parching and cracking my swollen lips to such a degree, that +when, after an interval of eight days, I had an opportunity of surveying +my face in a piece of broken glass, I was at a loss to recognise my own +features. The most scorching heat of summer is not so injurious to the +skin as the effect of travelling in the snow at this season.' + +"After this tedious fashion, stage by stage, the wanderers slowly +proceeded, until at length, by God's mercy, they reached the place where +the Indian wigwams had been left. During the latter part of their route +they heard continually the noise of the woodpeckers upon the bark of +the trees, which is considered a certain sign of approaching rain, a +downfall of which they much feared. The weather was beginning to soften, +and consequently the ice lost its firmness, and it became both difficult +and dangerous to get so far as this place, but by great effort they +accomplished it. Nor was your grandfather satisfied to trust to the +imperfect shelter the tents afforded, but persevered in journeying on +to the hut built for the winter crew, and which he knew was at no great +distance from thence. + +"Scarcely had he reached this spot when the rain fell in torrents, and +truly thankful did he feel that he had a roof to protect him, instead of +being in one of those miserable un-roofed snow-caves, which had for so +many nights been his only retreat during all weathers. For a time +he suffered greatly both in his eyes and from the smarting of his +cold-blistered face, which, together with the fatigue he had endured, +rendered it necessary that he should repose for some days before +venturing on his journeyings again. I shall not trace his onward +progress, which continued to be attended with much difficulty and +danger. His nerves became at length so shattered by his great exertions, +that, when travelling along the coast, where he had to pass over very +lofty cliffs, the sight of these dizzy precipices would so affect +him that he burst into tears, and experienced all the symptoms of +fainting. Once when clinging by his hands and knees upon the edge of a +steep cliff, he felt as though he must inevitably loose his hold, in +which case the fall would have been certain death. Closing his eyes, he +breathed an earnest ejaculatory prayer, and supported by an invisible +arm, and strengthened with new vigour, he felt empowered to maintain his +hold, and, gradually advancing, reached the bottom in safety." + +[Illustration] + +"Oh, how glad you must have felt when you saw him home again, safe and +sound, dear granny." + +"I did, indeed, my love, and with thankful heart acknowledged the +goodness of our heavenly Father. Nothing but the strong sense of duty +can sustain the heart under such anxiety as falls to the lot of the +faithful missionary and his family. Love divine is the constraining +and blessed principle that bears the fainting spirit up. 'We love Him +because He first loved us.' Let that, my own dear boy, be your motto; +and then if you lose your life in the service of your Lord, you will +find it again in eternal joy." + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + +After a short pause, Mrs. Ward said, with a smile, "You will be wishing +to hear the story of Boxa's ancestor, a dog, as I have said, deserving +of renown. It chanced, in one of his official journeys, your grandfather +visited a part of the coast peculiarly fatal to European vessels, +especially to those outward bound to Quebec in the spring; the shore in +the neighbourhood being very low, and the ledges of rock extending far +out to sea. On one of the islands which he visited, he took up his abode +in a neat cabin belonging to a planter, where he found welcome shelter, +and a cheerful fire made from the wreckwood scattered abundantly upon +the shore. There was a family of children, a merry group of boys and +girls, who kept jingling in their hands some sort of playthings. + +"What have you got there, my boys?' he asked. They showed him their +treasures, which proved to be bunches of small desk and cabinet keys, +that had been picked up from the wrecks--a melancholy kind of toy, he +could not help thinking. By-and-bye the good wife spread the hospitable +board, at which he was invited to take his seat. He looked with surprise +at the plates which she placed upon the deal table. They were very +beautiful old china ware, and several pieces of a modern elegant +breakfast set of dragon china, which had been ranged upon the shelves of +the cabin alongside of the most common earthen crockery. These also had +been cast ashore by the waves in boxes. When he asked to wash his hands, +a fine huckaback towel, neatly marked with initial letters, was handed +him. On inquiry, he learned that it had come from a wreck in which there +were several ladies. + +"There was something inexpressibly painful to the sensitive heart of +my dear husband, in being thus surrounded by tokens of calamity. He +inquired, with a sigh, whether any efforts had been made to help the +sufferers? + +"'Oh, yes!' said his host, a worthy man, though rough in his address and +appearance. 'Yes! we do our best, but it is very seldom our help comes +in time to be worth much. Once or twice we have saved a solitary seaman +by throwing a rope, or by sending in our dogs to drag others ashore; and +some years ago there were seven men wrecked in the night, unknown to us. +When the morning came, I was out early and discovered footmarks along +the shore, which told me a tale I could read plain enough. I knew there +had been a fearful gale some hours before, and my mind misgave me that +these poor creatures, whose footsteps I saw, would perish of hunger in +the interior, where they could find nothing to eat, and where there was +not a solitary cottage at which they could get help. + +"'Well; I determined to track them, and I called up my brother, who was +a strong, active young fellow; and we followed them, and found them at +last, just as they had given up all hope, and had laid down to die. For +three days and nights they had tasted neither food nor drink. When first +they caught sight of us, I shall never forget their faces. Haggard and +starved, as they looked, they cried for joy, and kissed our hands, and +bade God bless us!'" + +"And would they really have died, do you think, grandmamma, if the two +men had not overtaken them?" said Georgie, eagerly. + +"No doubt, my love, such would have been their fate. After hearing this +tale, your grandfather retired early to rest, being weary with the +fatigues of a long and exhausting day's journey. He slept soundly, and +though the wind, which had blown a strong gale when he landed, increased +during the night to a hurricane, his slumbers were undisturbed for +several hours. At length he was aroused by a loud uproar, for which at +first he could not account. When he had quite regained consciousness, he +found that, in addition to the noise of a raging tempest, there were +the shouts and cries of men outside the cabin, and loud talking in the +chamber beneath. + +"It was evident that something unusual had occurred to disturb the +household. Hastily rising and dressing himself, he made the best of his +way downstairs, and there he found the wife of his host busily engaged +in chafing the hands and arms of a poor half-drowned lad who had just +been brought into the cabin and laid upon the floor. He, it appeared, +had been cast ashore by a heavy swell, but there were others beside him +who were still in danger. + +"'Could you manage, sir, to stand against the wind, perhaps you could +carry this coil of rope; they may be wanting it,' said the woman. In +another minute your grandfather was battling against the storm, making +his way along the rugged shore in the direction of a small group of men +who proved to be his host, with a younger brother and the two men who +had manned the boat in which he had himself come to the island. + +"It was a fearful sight. The sea was in a white foam, the whole air +filled with spray, and the wind blowing heavily. Not far from shore was +a boat with a part of the exhausted crew from a vessel wrecked in the +offing. The breakers made it impossible that the poor fellows should +effect a landing. A terrible death seemed their inevitable fate. Just at +the moment your grandfather reached the point, he saw his host leap into +the sea, his object being to give the men a rope. It was at the peril of +his life he took that desperate leap. His favourite dog, Boxa, saw and +instantly followed his master. The two rose in a moment, and were borne +by the swell toward the boat. They had nearly reached it when it +capsized. Moir--that was the name of the gallant man--seized one of the +seamen, and, wonderful to tell, succeeded in bringing him safe to shore. +In the meantime, Boxa, following his master's example, caught hold of +another of the poor drowning creatures, and began to drag him along. It +proved, however, that the dog's hold had fastened upon the seaman's +south-wester cap, which came off in the water. The animal evidently was +not aware of what had happened, and, not perceiving the diminution in +the weight of his burden, was proceeding to make his way to land with +the cap only. + +[Illustration] "'The poor fellow is lost!' cried the bystanders on the +point. + +"But no! they presently saw the sailor clutch hold of the dog's +tail,---it was a fine, handsome, large tail, George;--and in this manner +he was towed to land in safety. Imagine how glad he must have been when +he found himself on terra firma! His first act was to give thanks to +God, and then he threw his arms around Boxa, caressing him again and +again, and loading him with fond epithets, part in English, part in +Swedish. He was a young Swede, a fine, handsome youth, about twenty +years of age. Without loss of time he was conducted to the house, where +he shared the kind attentions of the mistress; but she had soon another +and a more difficult case in hand. + +"The master of the wrecked vessel, who was one of the boat's crew, was +rescued from a watery grave by the further exertions of Moir and his +companions, and was carried in a perfectly insensible state to the +house. Some hours elapsed before he was conscious of anything that +was passing around him. He seemed, indeed, so completely gone, that +every one had given him over, when some faint symptoms of returning life +appeared. + +"In the meantime the day wore on, and your grandfather, feeling that he +caused additional trouble to the family by his prolonged stay under +such circumstances, was very desirous to leave the island as soon as +possible. The state of the weather, however, continued such as to render +it impossible he should attempt to put to sea, and he passed another +night and a part of the following day with the friendly planter, whose +heroic exertions on behalf of the shipwrecked crew had greatly exalted +him in the opinion of his visitor. + +"During the early part of the night the two sat up together, there being +a dearth of sleeping accommodation, for the beds were all given up to +the sailors; and for some hours they conversed together on topics of +mutual interest. + +"Moir was a pious man, and his early history had been one of striking +adventure. As he sat by the fireside, quietly narrating various passages +of his past life, his faithful dog crouched close beside him, dozing and +evidently dreaming at intervals; for he made strange noises, and paddled +with his fore-feet, as though he were still struggling with the waves. +His master looked fondly on the animal, and said,-- + +"'You'd hardly credit, sir, the surprising sagacity of these dogs. Some +of them are perfect wonders. They have more sense, really, it seems, +than many so-called Christians, and I have sometimes thought they must +reason. + +"'Boxa is a fair specimen of the race, and I could tell you some of his +doings which would make you ask--Is it possible? I have known him help +to carry to shore some light spars which the captain of a vessel in the +harbour desired him to convey to the land-wash, in order that a boat's +crew might be saved the trouble of taking them. Another dog belonging +to the same wharf, whether of his own accord, or being pressed into the +service, took to helping him at this work for a time; he soon tired, +however, and, in the middle of his second turn, thought proper to swim +to shore without his spar. + +"'When Boxa saw what he was up to, he quietly made his way to land with +his own turn, and then went in search of the runaway, and gave him +a sound thrashing; in short, his arguments were so unanswerable and +convincing that the culprit returned to his work, and without more +ado, set to and persevered at it, till every spar that had been thrown +overboard was rafted to shore by the combined labour of the two dogs.' + +"'That was certainly a very sagacious and knowing proceeding,' said your +grandfather, 'and I do not wonder you are so much attached to your dog.' + +"'O sir, that's only a sample I give you of his sense and clever +ways. What I value him so much for it his fidelity to myself, and his +attachment to the whole family. As to the children, be they never so +small, we can always leave them without fear in his charge for hours; +and to crown his good deeds, I must tell you he saved the life of the +youngest of the fry. The child was playing close to the water-side, and +fell in. There was nobody near, and how the dog found it out we never +could tell; he was some distance off, and a few minutes before, when my +wife passed that way, she saw him lying asleep, to all appearance as +sound as a church door. But he must have heard the little one cry; for, +certain it is, he had dragged her out, and was licking her little face +and hands when the mother came back from her errand. You'll not wonder +after that to hear that we would one and all of us share our last crust +with Boxa.' + +"'I do not, indeed, my good friend,' said your grandfather; 'and I must +say I should be heartily glad to possess a dog of the breed having the +same admirable qualities; for I have just lost my good old terrier, a +tried and faithful animal, which I brought with me from England. He died +of old age, about a month ago, and sadly shall I miss him.' + +"Moir made no answer at the time, but the next day, shortly before his +guest departed, the worthy man made his appearance alongside the boat as +it was pushing off, and handed in a hamper which, he said, contained a +pup of the right sort, if his reverence would please to accept of it. +This pup was no other than the mother of Boxa, and an excellent animal +she proved to be--faithful, sagacious, and patient; in short, a worthy +scion of such a stock. + +"I need not, I am sure, by way of conclusion, sing the praises of Boxa +herself, for you know as well as I can tell you her many good qualities; +and therefore I have only further to say that I hope Newfy--as you have +named him--will turn out all that could be wished." + +"Thank you, thank you, dear grandmamma," said George, who had listened +with such fixed attention to the last part of Mrs. Ward's narrative, +that he had not once moved upon his stool; "I am so pleased with my pet, +I shall not know how I can thank you enough. I think, if you please, I +will run and fetch him out of the kennel, and put him into the basket I +brought, hoping you would let me carry him home with me to-night." + +[Illustration] + +"Do so, George," said his mother, folding up the handkerchief she had +been embroidering, "and in the meantime I will put on my bonnet, for it +is time we were on our way home." + +No sooner said than done. In five minutes George and Mrs. Green had said +good-bye and were crossing the common in the direction of their own +home. + +"What a happy day it has been, mamma," said our little friend, "and how +glad I am I have such a nice birthday present;" and he bent down to take +a peep through the wicker-work of the basket. + +"And I am so glad, dear boy, that you have enjoyed your treat," replied +his mother. "May you see many happy, returns of this day; and may each +succeeding year find you wiser and happier." + +Here ends the story of Georgie's Present; but, as I think my young +readers may like to know how the Newfoundland pup turned out, I will +just tell them that he is now a full-grown, handsome young dog,--the +great favourite and inseparable companion of my friend George, who +assured me, not long ago, that of all his possessions there is none he +prizes more highly than Newfy. + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Georgie's Present, by Miss Brightwell + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GEORGIE'S PRESENT *** + +***** This file should be named 9332.txt or 9332.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/9/3/3/9332/ + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, David Widger and PG +Distributed Proofreaders from images generously made +available by the Canadian Institute for Historical +Microreproductions + + +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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