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 UNIVERSITY OF 
 CALIFORNIA 
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 HOLIDAY HOUSE 
 
 SERIES OF TALES. 
 
 ©clftcatctJ to Jlatrg Biana Bogle. 
 
 BY 
 
 CATHERINE SINCLAIR, 
 
 AOTBORKSS OF "MODERN ACCOMPLISHMENTS," " MODERN SOCIBTY," 
 " HILL AND VALLEY," " CBARLIE SEYMOUR," &C. &C. 
 
 " Young heads are giddy, and young hearts arc warm, 
 And make mistakes for manhood to reform." 
 
 CowPBa. 
 
 NEW-YORK: 
 PUBLISHED BY ROBERT CARTER, 
 
 NO. 58 CANAL STREET. 
 
 1S39.
 
 N « w - Y o R ■ : 
 riintl-d liy P" ATI MKKO «HD Ada«b, 
 
 No. 38 Uuia SlretL
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 "Of all the paper I have blotted, I have written nothing without 
 the intention of some good. Whether 1 have succeeded or notj is for 
 others to judge." 
 
 Sir William Temple. 
 
 The minds of young people are now manufac- 
 tured like webs of linen, all alike, and nothing left to 
 nature. From the hour when children can speak, till 
 they come to years of discretion or of indiscretion, 
 they are carefully prompted what to say, and what to 
 think, and what to look, and how to feel ; while in 
 most school-rooms nature has been turned out of doors 
 with obloquy, and art has entirely supplanted her. 
 
 When a quarrel takes place, both parties are gene- 
 rally in some degree to blame ; therefore if Art and 
 Nature could yet be made to go hand in hand towards 
 the formation of character and principles, a graceful 
 and beautiful superstructure might be reared, on the 
 solid foundation of Christian faith and sound morality ; 
 so that while many natural weeds and wild flowers 
 would be pruned and carefully trained, some lovely 
 blossoms that spring spontaneously in the uncultivated 
 soil, might still be cherished into strength and beauty, 
 far excelling what can be planted or reared by art.
 
 IT riiErACE. 
 
 Every infant is probably born with a character as 
 peculiar to himself as the features in his countenance, 
 if his faults and good qualities were permitted to ex- 
 pand according to their original tendency ; but educa- 
 tion, which formerly did too little in teaching " the 
 young idea how to shoot,'" seems now in danger of 
 over-shooting the mark altogether, by not allowing the 
 young ideas to exist at all. In this age of wonderful 
 mechanical inventiont;, the very mind of youth seems 
 in danger of becoming a machine ; and while every 
 effort is used to stuff the memory, like a cricket-ball, 
 with well-known facts and ready-made opinions, no 
 room is left for the vigour of natural feeling, the glow of 
 natural genius, and the ardour of natural enthusiasm. 
 It was a remark of Sir Walter Scott's many years ago, 
 to the author iicrself, that in the rising generation there 
 would bo no poets, wits, or orators, because all play of 
 imagination is now carefully discouraged, and books 
 written for young persons arc generally a mere dry 
 record of facts, unenlivened by any appeal to the heart, 
 or any excitement to the fancy. The catalogue of a 
 child's library would contain Conversations on Natu- 
 ral Philosophy, — on Chemistry, — on Botany, — on Arts 
 and Sciences, — Chronological Records of History, — 
 and travels as dry as a road-book ; but nothing on the 
 habits or ways of thinking, natural and suitable to the 
 taste of children ; therefore, while such works are de- 
 lightful to the parents and teachers who select them, 
 the younger community are fed with strong meat in- 
 stead of Uiilk, and the readinjj which miifht be a relax- 
 ation from study, becomes a study in itself. 
 
 In these pages the autiior has endeavoured to paint 
 that species of noisy, frolicsome, mischievous children
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 which is now almost extinct, wishing to preserve a sort 
 of li\bulons remembrance of days long past, when 
 young people were like wild horses on the prairies, rath- 
 er than like well-broken hacks on the road ; and when, 
 amidst many faults and many eccentricities, there was 
 still some individuality of character and feeling allow- 
 ed to remain. In short, as Lord Byron described " the 
 last man," the object of this volume is, to describe "the 
 last boy." It may be useful, she thinks, to show, that 
 amidst much requiring to be judiciously curbed and 
 corrected, there may be the germs of high and generous 
 feeling, and of steady, right principle, which should be 
 the chief objects of culture and encouragement. Plod- 
 ding industry is in the present day at a very high pre- 
 mium in education ; but it requires the leaven of men- 
 tal energy and genius to make it work well, while it 
 has been remarked by one whose experience in educa- 
 tion is deep and practical, that " those boys whose 
 names appear most frequently in the black book of 
 transgression, would sometimes deserve to be also most 
 commonly recorded, if a book were kept for warm af- 
 fections and generous actions." 
 
 The most formidable person to meet in society at 
 present, is the mother of a promising boy, about nine or 
 ten years old ; because there is no possible escape from 
 a volume of anecdotes, and a complete system of edu- 
 cation on the newest principles. The young gentle- 
 man has probably asked leave to bring his books to the 
 breakfast-room, — can scarcely be torn away from his 
 studies at the dinner-hour,— discards all toys,— abhors 
 a holiday, — propounds questions of marvellous depth 
 in politics or mineralogy, — and seems, in short, more 
 fitted to enjoy the learned meeting at Newcastle, than the 
 
 a2
 
 VI PREFACE. 
 
 exhilaratini^ exercises of the cricket-ground ; but, if 
 the axiom be true, that " a little learning is a danger- 
 ous thing," it has also been proved by frequent, and 
 sometimes by very melanclioly experience, that, for 
 minds not yet expanded to maturity, a great deal of 
 learning is more dangerous still, and that in those 
 school-rooms where there has been a society for the 
 suppression of amusement, the mental energies have 
 suffered, as well as the health. 
 
 A prejudice has naturally arisen against giving works 
 of fiction to children, because their chief interest too 
 often rests on the detection and punishment of such 
 mean vices as lying and stealing, which are so fre- 
 quently and elaborately described, that the way to com- 
 mit those crimes is made obvious, while a clever boy 
 thinks he could easily avoid the oversights by which 
 another has been discovered, and that if he does not 
 yield to similar temptations, he is a model of virtue and 
 good-conduct. 
 
 In wrUing for any class of readers, and especially in 
 occupying the leisure moments of such peculiarly for- 
 tunate young persons as have leisure moments at all, 
 the author feels conscious of a deep responsibility, for 
 it is at their early age that the seed can best be sown 
 which shall bear fruit unto eternal life, therefore it is 
 hoped this volume may be found to inculcate a pleasing 
 and permanent consciousness, that religion is the best 
 resource in happier hours, and the only refuge in hours 
 of nffiiction. 
 
 Those who wish to be remembered for ever m the 
 world, — and it is a very common object of ambition, — 
 will find no monument more permanent, than the af- 
 fectionate remembrance of any children they have
 
 PREFACE. VU 
 
 treated with kindness ; for we may often observe, in 
 the reminiscences of old age, a tender recollection sur- 
 viving all others, of friends in early days who enliven- 
 ed tlie hours of childhood by presents of playthings 
 and comfits. Bat above all, we never forget those who 
 good-humouredly complied with the constantly recur- 
 ring petition of all young people in every generation, 
 and in every house — " Will you tell me a story ?'' 
 
 In answer to such a request, often and importunate- 
 ly repeated, the author has from year to year delighted 
 in seeing herself surrounded by a circle of joyous, eager 
 faces, listening with awe to the terrors of Mrs. Crab- 
 tree, or smiling at the frolics of Harry and Laura. 
 The stories, originally, were so short, that some friends, 
 aware of their popularity, and conscious of their harm- 
 less tendency, took the trouble of copying them in 
 manuscript for their own young friends ; but the tales 
 have since grown and expanded during frequent ver- 
 bal repetitions, till, with various fanciful additions and 
 new characters, they have enlarged into their present 
 form, or rather so far beyond it, that several chapters 
 are omitted, to keep the volume within moderate com- 
 pass. 
 
 Paley remarks, that " any amuserhent which is inno- 
 cent, is better than none ; as the writing of a book, the 
 building of a house, the laying out of a garden, the 
 digging of a fish-pond, even the raising of a cucum- 
 ber ;" and it is hoped that, while the author herself has 
 found much interesting occupation in recording these 
 often repeated stories, the time of herself and her young 
 readers may be employed with some degree of profit, 
 or she will certainly regret that it was not better occu- 
 pied in the rearing of cucumbers.
 
 HOLIDAY HOUSE. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 CHIT CHAT. 
 
 A school boy, a dog, and a walnut tree, 
 The more yon strike 'em, the better they be. 
 
 Laura and Harry Graham could scarcely feel sure that they 
 ever had a mama, because she died while they were yet very 
 young indeed ; but Frank, who was some years older, recol- 
 lected perfectly well what pretty playthings she used to give 
 him, and missed his kind, good mama so extremely, that he 
 one day asked if he might " go to a shop and buy a new 
 mama ?" Frank often afterwards thought of the time also, 
 when he kneeled beside her bed to say his prayers, or when 
 he sat upon her knee to hear funny stories about good boys 
 and bad boys — all very interesting, and all told on purpose 
 to show how much happier obedient children are, than those 
 who waste their time in idleness and folly. Boys and girls 
 all think they know the road to happiness without any mis- 
 take, and choose that which looks gayest and pleasantest at 
 first, though older people, who have travelled that road already, 
 can tell them that a very difficult path is the only one which
 
 10 
 
 CHIT CHAT. 
 
 ends agreeably ; and those who he<rin to walk in it when 
 they arc young, will really find that " wisdom's ways are 
 ways of pleasantness, and all her paths arc peace." It was 
 truly remarked by Solomon, that "even a child is known by 
 his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be 
 right." Therefore, though Franjt was yet but a little boy, 
 his friends, who observed how carefully he attended to his 
 mama's instructions, how fre(|uently he studied his Bible, 
 and hew diligently he learned his lessons, all proj)hcsied that 
 this merry, lively child, with laughing eyes, and dimpled 
 cheeks, would yet grow up to be a good and useful man ; 
 especially when it became evident that, by the blessing of 
 God, he had been early turned away from the broad road that 
 leadcth to destruction, in which every living person would 
 naturally walk, and led into the narrow path that leadcth to 
 eternal life. 
 
 "^^ hen his mama, Lady Graham, after a long and painful 
 illness, was at last taken away to the better world, for which 
 she had been many ye£U"s prejjaring, her only sorrow and 
 anxiety seemed to be that she left behind her three such very 
 dear children, who were now to be entirely under the care 
 of their papa, Sir Edward Graham ; and it was with many 
 prayers and tears that she tried to make her mind more easy 
 about their future education, and future happiness. 
 
 Sir Edward felt such extreme grief on the death of Lady 
 Graham, that instead of being able to remain at home with 
 his young family, and to interest his mind as he would wish 
 to have done, by attending to them, he was ordered by Dr. 
 Hell, to set off immediately for Paris, Rome, and Naples, 
 where it was hoped he nu'ght leave his distresses behind him 
 while he travelled, or at all events, forget them. 
 
 Luckily the children had a very good, kind uncle, Major 
 David Graham, and their grandmama, Lady Harriet Gniham, 
 who were both exceedingly happy to take charge of them, 
 observing that no house could be cheerful without a few little
 
 CHIT CHAT. ii 
 
 people being there, and that now they would have constant 
 amusement in trying to make Frank, Harry, and Laura, as 
 happy as possible, and even still happier. 
 
 "That is the thing I am almost afraid of!" said Sir Ed- 
 ward, smiling. " Uncles and grandmamas are only too 
 kind, and my small family will be quite spoiled by indul- 
 gence." 
 
 " Not if you leave that old vixen, Mrs. Crabtree, as go- 
 vernor of the nursery," answered Major Graham, laughing. 
 " She ought to have been the drummer of a regiment, she 
 is so fond of the rod ! I believe there never was such a 
 tyrant since the time when nursery-maids Avere invented. 
 Poor Harry would pass his life in a dark closet, like Baron 
 Trenck, if Mrs. Crabtree had her own way !" 
 
 " She means it all well. I am certain that Mrs. Crab- 
 tree is devotedly fond of my children, and would go through 
 fire and water to serve them ; but she is a little severe per- 
 haps. Her idea is, that if you never forgive a first fault, you 
 will never hear of a second, which is probably true enough. 
 At all events, her harshness will be the best remedy for 
 your extreme indulgence ; therefore let me beg that you 
 and my mother will seldom interfere with her ' method,' es- 
 pecially in respect to Harry and Laura. As for Frank, if 
 all boys were like him, we might make a bonfire of birch 
 rods and canes. He is too old for nursery discipline now, 
 and must be flogged at school, if deserving of it at all, till he 
 goes to sea next year with my friend Gordon, who has pro- 
 mised to rate him as a volunteer of the first class, on board 
 the Thunderbolt." 
 
 Li spite of Mrs. Crabtree's admirable " system " with 
 children, Harry and Laura became, from this time, two of 
 the most heedless, frolicsome beings in the world, and had 
 to be whipped almost every morning ; for in those days it 
 had not been discovered that whipping is all a mistake, and 
 that children can be made good without it ; though some
 
 12 CHIT CHAT. 
 
 old-fashioned people still say — and such, too, who take the 
 God of truth for their guide — the old plan succeeded best, 
 and those who "spare the rod will spoil the child." When 
 Lady Harriet and Major Graham spoke kindly to Harry and 
 Laura, about anything wrong that had been done, they both 
 felt more sad and sorry, than afler the severest punishments 
 of Mrs. Crabtree, who frequently observed, that " if those 
 children were shut up in a dark room alone, with nothing 
 to do, they would still find some way of being mischievous, 
 and of deserving to be piinishcd." 
 
 "Harry!" said Major (iraham one day, "you remind 
 me of a monkey which belonged to the colonel of our regi- 
 ment formerly. He was famous for contriving to play all 
 sorts of pranks when no one supposed them to be possible, 
 and I recollect once having a valuable French clock, which 
 the malicious creature seemed particularly determined to 
 break. Many a time I caught him in the fact, and saved 
 my beautiful clock ; but one day, being suddenly summoned 
 out of the room, I hastily fastened his chain to a table, so 
 that he could not possibly, even at the full extent of his paw, 
 so much as touch the glass case. I observed him impa- 
 tiently watching my departure, and felt a misgiving that he 
 expected to get the better of me ; so after shutting the door, 
 I took a poop through the key-hole, and what do you think 
 Jack had done, Harry ? for, next to Mr, Monkey him- 
 self, you are certainly the cleverest contriver of mischief I 
 know." 
 
 "What did he do?" asked Harry eagerly; "did he 
 throw a stone at the clock?" 
 
 " No ! but his leg was several inches longer than his 
 arm, so having turned his tail towards his objcrt, he stretch- 
 ed oiit his hind-paw, and before I could rush bark, my 
 splendid alabaster clock had been upset and broken to 
 eh i vers." 
 
 Laura soon became quite as mischievous as Hany, which
 
 CHIT CHAT. 13 
 
 h very surprising, as she was a whole year older, and had 
 been twice as often scolded by Mrs. Crabtree. Neither of 
 these children intended any harm, for they were only heed- 
 less lively romps, who would not for twenty worlds have told 
 a lie, or done a shabby thing, or taken what did not belong 
 to them. They were not greedy either, and would not on 
 any account have resembled Peter Grey, who was at the 
 same school with Frank, and who spent all his own pocket- 
 money, and borrowed a great deal of other people's, to squan- 
 der at the pastry-cook's, saying, he wished it were possible 
 to eat three dinners, and two breakfasts, and five suppers 
 every day. 
 
 Harry was not a cruel boy either ; he never lashed his 
 pony, beat his dog, pinched his sister, or killed any butter- 
 flies, though he often chased them for fun, and one day he 
 even defended a wasp, at the risk of being stung, when Mrs. 
 Crabtree intended to kill it. 
 
 "Nasty, useless vermin !" said she angrily, "What busi- 
 ness have they in the world ! coming into other people's 
 houses, with nothing to do ! They sting and torment every 
 body ! Bees are very different, for they make honey." 
 
 " And wasps make jelly !" said Harry resolutely, while he 
 opened the window, and shook the happy wasp out of his 
 pocket handkerchief. 
 
 Mrs. Crabtree allowed no pets of any description in her 
 territories, and ordered the children to be happy without 
 any such nonsense. When Laura's canary-bird escaped 
 one unlucky day out of its cage, Mrs. Crabtree was strong- 
 ly suspected by Major Graham, of having secretly opened 
 the door, as she had long declared war upon bulfinches, 
 white mice, parrots, kittens, dogs, bantams, and gold fish, 
 observing that animals only made a noise and soiled the 
 house, therefore every creature should remain in its own 
 home, "birds in the air, fish in the sea, and beasts in the 
 desert." She seemed always watching in hopes Harry and 
 
 B
 
 14 CHIT CHAT. 
 
 Laura micht do something that they ought to be punished 
 for ; and Mrs. Crabtree certainly had more ears than other 
 people, or slept with one eye open, as, whatever might be 
 done, night or day, she overheard the lowest whisper of 
 mischief, and appeared able to see what was going on in the 
 
 dark. 
 
 When Harry was a very little boy, he sometimes put 
 himself in the corner, after doing any thing wrong, appa- 
 rently quite sensible that he deserved to be punished, and 
 once, alter being terribly scolded by Mrs. Crabtree, he drew 
 in his stool beside her chair, with a funny penitent face, 
 twirling his thumbs over and over each other, and saying, 
 " Now, Mrs. Crabtree ! look what a good boy I am going 
 
 to be !" 
 
 "You a 20od boy !" replied she contemptuously : "No ! 
 no ! the world will be turned into a cream-cheese first I" 
 
 Lady Harriet gave Harry and Laura a closet of their own, 
 in which she allowed them to keep their toys, and nobody 
 could help laughing to see that, amidst the whole collection, 
 there was seldom one unbroken. Frank wrote out a list 
 once of what he found in this crowded little store-room, and 
 amused himself often with reading it over afterwards. There 
 were three dolls witliout faces, a horse with no legs, a drum 
 with a hole in the top, a cart without wheels, a churn with 
 no bottom, a kite without a tale, a skipping-rope with no 
 handles, and a cup and ball that had lost the string. Lady 
 Harriet called this closet the hospital for decayed toys, and 
 she often employed herself as their doctor, mending legs 
 and arms for soldiers, horses, and dolls, though her skill 
 stldom succeeded long, because play-things must have been 
 made of cast-iron to last a week with Harry. One cold 
 winter morning when Laura entered the nursery, she found 
 a large fire blazing, and all her wax dolls sitting in a row 
 within the fender staring at the flames. Harry intended no 
 mischief on this occasion, but great was his vexation when
 
 CHIT CHAT. 
 
 16 
 
 Laura burst into tears, and showed him that their faces were 
 running in a hot stream down upon their beautiful silk 
 frocks, which were completely ruined, and not a doll had 
 its nose remaining. Another time, Harry pricked a hole 
 in his own beautiful large gas ball, wishing to see how the 
 gas could possibly escape, after which, in a moment, it shri- 
 velled up into a useless empty bladder, — and when his kite 
 was flying up to the clouds, Harry often wished that he 
 could be tied to the tail himself, so as to fly also through the 
 air like a bird, and see every thing. 
 
 Mrs. Crabtree always wore a prodigious bunch of jingling 
 keys in her pocket, that rung whenever 'she moved, as if 
 she carried a dinner bell in her pocket, and Frank said it 
 was like a rattlesnake giving warning of her approach, 
 which was of great use, as everybody had time to put on 
 a look of good behaviour before she arrived. Even Betty, 
 the under nursery-maid, felt in terror of Mrs. Crabtree's 
 entrance, and was obliged to work harder than any six 
 house-maids united. Frank told her one day that he thought 
 brooms might soon be invented, which would go by steam 
 and brush carpets of themselves, but, in the meantime, not a 
 grain of dust could lurk in any corner of the nursery with- 
 out being dislodged. Betty would have required ten hands, 
 and twenty pair of feet, to do all the work that was expect- 
 ed ; but the grate looked like jet, the windows would not 
 have soiled a cambric handkerchief, and the carpet was 
 switched with so many tea-leaves, that Frank thought Mrs. 
 Crabtree often took several additional cups of tea in order 
 to leave a plentiful supply of leaves for sweeping the floor 
 next morning. 
 
 If Laura and Harry left any breakfast, Mrs. Crabtree 
 kept it carefully till dinner time, when they were obliged to 
 finish the whole before tasting meat ; and if they refused it 
 at dinner, the remains were kept for supper. Mrs. Crab- 
 tree always informed them that she did it " for their good,"
 
 IG CHIT CHAT. 
 
 though Harry never could see any good that it did to either 
 of thein ; and when she mentioned how many poor children 
 would be glad to cat what they despised, he often wished 
 the hungry beggars had some of his own hot dinner, which 
 he would gladly have spared to them ; for Harry was really 
 so generous, that he would have lived upon air, if he might 
 be of use to anybody. Time passed on, and Lady Harriet 
 engaged a master for some hours a-day to teach the children 
 lessons, while even Mrs. Crabtrce found no other fault to 
 Harry and Laura, except that in respect to good behaviour 
 their memories were like a sieve, which let out every thing 
 they were desired to keep in mind. They seemed always 
 to hope, somehow or other, when Mrs. Crabtree once 
 turned her back, she would never shew her face again ; so 
 their promises of better conduct were all " wind without 
 rain," — very loud and plenty of them, but no good efl'ect to 
 be seen afterwards. 
 
 Among her many other torment'*, Mrs. Crabtree rolled 
 up Laura's hair every night on all sides of her head, iu 
 large stiff curl-papers, till they were as round and hard as 
 walnuts, after which, she tied on a night-cap, as tightly as 
 l)ossible above all, saying this would curl the hair still better. 
 Laura could not lay any part of her head on the pillow, 
 without suffering so much pain that, night after night, she 
 sat up in bed, after Mrs. Crabtree had bustled out o( the 
 room, and quietly took the cruel papers out, though she was 
 punished so severely for doing so, that she obeyed orders at 
 last, and lay wide awake half the night with torture ; and it 
 was but small comfort to Laura afterwards, that Lady Har- 
 riet's visitors frccjuently admired the forest of Imig glossy 
 ringlets that adorned her head, and complimented Mrs. 
 Crabtree on the trouble it must cost her to keep that charm- 
 ing hair in order. Often did Laura wish that it were orna- 
 menting any wig-block, rather than her own head ; and 
 one day Lady Harriet laughed heartily, when some >tran-
 
 CHIT CHAT. 
 
 17 
 
 gers admired her little grand-daughter's ringlets, and Laura 
 asked, very anxiously, if they would like to cut off a few of 
 the longest, and keep them for her sake. 
 
 " Your hair does curl like a cork-screw," said Frank, 
 laughing. " If I want to draw a cork out of a beer bottle 
 any day, I shall borrow one of those ringlets, Laura !" 
 
 " You may laugh, Frank, for it is fun to you and death 
 to me," answered poor Laura, gravely shaking her curls at 
 him. " I wish we were all bald, like uncle David ! Dur- 
 ing the night, I cannot lie still on account of those tiresome 
 curls, and all day I dare not stir for fear of spoiling them, 
 so they are never out of my head," 
 
 " Nor off your head ! How pleasant it must be to have 
 Mrs. Crabtree combing and scolding, and scolding and 
 combing, for hours every day ! Poor Laura ! we must get 
 Dr. Bell to say that they shall be taken off on pain of death, 
 and then, perhaps, grandmama would order some Irish 
 reapers to cut them down with a sickle." 
 
 " Frank ! what a lucky boy you are to be at school, and 
 not in the nursery ! I wish next year would come imme- 
 diately, for then I shall have a governess, after Avhich good- 
 bye to Mrs. Crabtree, and the wearisome curl-papers." 
 
 " I don't like school !" said Harry. " It is perfect non- 
 sense to plague me with lessons now. All big people can 
 read and write, so, of course, I shall be able to do Hke 
 others. There is no hurry about it I" 
 
 Never was there a more amiable, pious, excellent boy 
 than Frank, who read his Bible so attentively, and said his 
 prayers so regularly every morning and evening, that he 
 soon learned both to know his duty and to do it. Though 
 he laughed heartily at the scrapes which Harry and Laura 
 so constantly fell into, he often also helped them out of 
 their difficulties ; being very different from most elderly 
 boys, who find an odd kind of pleasure in teazing younger 
 children — pulling their hair — pinching their arms — twitch- 
 
 b2
 
 IS CHIT CHAT. 
 
 ing away their dinners — and twenty more plans for tor- 
 menting, which Frank never atteniptcd to enjoy, but he 
 often gave Hurry and Laura a great deal of kind, sober, 
 good advice, which they li.stened to very attentively while 
 they were in any new* distress, but generally forgot again 
 as soon as their spirits rose. Frank came home only upon 
 Saturdays and Sundays, because he attended during most 
 of the week at Mr. Lexicon's academy, where he gradually 
 became so clever, that the ma.*tcrs all praised his extraordi- 
 nary attention, and covered him with medals, while Major 
 Graham often fdled his pockets with a reward of money, 
 after which he ran towards the nearest shop to spend his 
 little fortune in buying a present for somebody. Frank 
 scarcely ever wanted anything for himself, but he always 
 wished to contrive some kind generous plan for other peo- 
 ple; and Major Graham used to say, "if that boy had only 
 sixpence in the world, he would lay it all out on penny 
 tarts to distribute among half-a-dozen of his friends." lie 
 even saved his pocket-money once, during three whole 
 months, to purchase a gown for Mrs. Crabtree, who looked 
 almost good-humoured during the space of five minutes, 
 when Frank presented it to her, saying, in his joyous merry 
 voice, "Mrs. Crabtree! I wish you health to wear it, 
 strength to tear it, and money to buy another !" 
 
 Certainly there never was such a gown before! It had 
 been chosen by Frank and Harry together, who thought 
 nothing could be more perfect. The colour was so bright 
 an api)le-green, that it would have put any body's teeth on 
 edge to look at it, and the whole was dotted over with large 
 round spots of every colour, as if a box of wafers had been 
 Bhowored upon the surface. Laura wished Mrs. Crabtrco 
 might receive a present every day, as it put her in such 
 good-humour, and nearly three weeks after passed this, 
 without a single scold being heard in the nursery ; so
 
 CHIT CHAT. 19 
 
 Frauk obsei-ved that he thought Mrs. Crabtree would soon 
 be quite out of practice. 
 
 "Laura!" said Major Graham, looking very sly one 
 morning, " have you heard all the new rules that Mrs. 
 Crabtree has made V' 
 
 " No !" replied she in great alarm ; " what are they ?" 
 
 " In the first place, you are positively not to tear and de- 
 stroy above three frocks a-day ; secondly, you and Harry 
 must never get into a passion, unless you are angry ; third- 
 ly, when either of you take medicine, you are not to 
 make wry faces, except when the taste is bad ; fourthly, 
 you must never speak ill of Mrs. Crabtree herself, until she 
 is out of the room ; fifthly, you are not to jump out of the 
 windows, as long as you can get out at the door " 
 
 "Yes!" interrupted Laura, laughing, "and sixthly, 
 when uncle David is joking, we are not to be frightened by 
 anything he says!" 
 
 " Seventhly, when next you spill grandmama's bottle 
 of ink, Harry must drink up every drop." 
 
 " Very well ! he may swallow a sheet of blotting paper 
 afterwards, to put away the taste." 
 
 " I wish every body who writes a book, was obliged to 
 swallow it," said Harry. " It is such a waste of time 
 reading, when we might be amusing ourselves. Frank 
 sat mooning over a book for two hours yesterday when we 
 wanted him to play. I am sure, some day his head will 
 burst with knowledge." 
 
 "That can never happen to you, Master Harry," answer- 
 ed Major Graham ; " you have a head, and so has a pin, 
 but there is not much furniture in either of them."
 
 CHAPTER IL 
 
 THE GRAND FEAST. 
 
 She pave tlinn some tea witliout any bread, 
 * She whipp'd them all soundly, and sent them to bed. 
 
 NORSERY RUVMES. 
 
 Lady Harriet Graham wa.s an extremely thin, delicate, old 
 lady, with a very pale face, and a sweet gentle voice, which 
 the children delighted to hear, for it always spoke kindly to 
 thorn, and sounded like music, after the loud, rough tones 
 of Mrs. Crabtrec. She wore her own grey hair, which had 
 become almost as white as the widow's cap which covered 
 her head. The rest of her dress was generally black velvet, 
 and she usually sat in a comfortable arm-chair by the fire- 
 side, watching her grandchildren at play, with a large work- 
 bag by her side, and a prodigious Bible open on the table 
 before her. Lady Harriet often said that it made her 
 young again to see the joyous gambols of Harry and Lau- 
 ra ; and when unable any longer to bear their noise, she 
 sometimes kept them qiiiet, by telling the most delightful 
 stories about what had happened to herself when she wt^a 
 young. 
 
 Once iijton a time, however, I^ady Harriet suddenly 
 became so very ill, that Dr. Bell said she must spend 
 a few days in the country, for change of air, and ac- 
 cordingly she determined on passing a <piict week at Holi-
 
 THE GRAND FEAST. 21 
 
 day House with her relations, Lord and Lady Rockville. 
 Meanwhile, Harry and Laura were to be left under the sole 
 care of Mrs. Crabtree, so it might have been expected that 
 they would both feel more frightened for her, now that she 
 was reigning monarch of the house, than ever. Harry 
 would obey those he loved, if they only held up a little 
 finger ; but all the terrors of Mrs. Crabtree, and her cat-o'- 
 nine-tails, were generally forgotten soon after she left the 
 room ; therefore he thought little at first about the many 
 threats she held out, if he behaved ill, but he listened most 
 seriously when his dear sick grandmama told him, in a 
 faint weak voice, on the day of her departure from home, 
 how very well he ought to behave in her absence, as no one 
 remained but the maids to keep him in order, and that she 
 hoped Mrs. Crabtree would write her a letter full of good 
 news about his excellent conduct. 
 
 Harry felt as if he would gladly sit still without stirring, 
 till his grandmama came back, if that could only please 
 her ; and there never was any one more determined to be a 
 good boy than he, at the moment when Lady Harriet's car- 
 riage came round to the door. Laura, Frank, and Harry help- 
 ed to carry all the pillows, boxes, books, and baskets which 
 were necessary for the journey, of which there seemed to be 
 about fifty ; then they arranged the cushions as comfortably 
 as possil)le, and watched very sorrowfully when their grand- 
 mama, after kindly embracing them both, was carefully sup- 
 ported by Major Graham and her maid Harrison, into the 
 chariot. Uncle David gave each of the children a pretty pic- 
 ture-book before taking leave, and said, as he was stepping 
 into the carriage, " Now, children ! I have only one piece 
 of serious, important advice to give you all, so attend to me ! 
 — never crack nuts with your teeth I" 
 
 When the carriage had driven oflj Mrs. Crabtree became 
 so busy scolding Betty, and storming at Jack the foot-boy, 
 for not cleaning her shoes well enough, that she left Harry
 
 M THE GRAND FEAST. 
 
 and Laura standing in the passage, not knoning exactly 
 what thoy ought to do first, and Frank, seeing fhcin looking 
 rather niclaucholy and bewildered at the loss of their crand- 
 mama, stopped a moment as he passed on the way to school, 
 and said in a very kind, affectionate voice, 
 
 " Now, Harry and Laura, listen both of you ! — here is a 
 grand opportunity to show everybody, that we can be trusted 
 to ourselves, without getting into any scrapes, so that if 
 grandmama is ever ill again, and obliged to go away, she 
 need not feel so sad and anxious as she did to-day. I mean 
 to become nine times more attentive to my lessons than 
 usual this morning, to show how trust- worthy we arc, and 
 if you are wise, pray march straight up to the nursery your- 
 selves. I have arranged a gown and cap of Mrs. Crabtree's 
 on the large arm-chair, to look as like herself as possible, 
 that you may be reminded how soon she will come back, 
 and you must not behave like the mice when the cat is out. 
 Good bye! Say the alphabet backward, and count your fin- 
 gers for half-an-hour, but when Mrs. Crabtree appears again, 
 pray do not jump out of the window for joy." 
 
 Harry and Laura were proceeding directly towards the 
 nursery, as Frank had recommended, when unluckily they 
 observed in passing the drawing-room door, tliat it was wide 
 open; so Harry peeped in, and they began idly wandering 
 round the tables and cabinets. Not ten minutes elapsed 
 before they both commenced racing about as if they were 
 mad, perfectly screaming with joy, and laughing so loudly 
 at their own funny tricks, that an old gentleman who lived 
 next door, very nearly sent in a message to ask what the 
 joke was. 
 
 Presently Harry and Laura ran up and d<.wn stairs till 
 the housemaid was quite fatigued with running af\cr them. 
 They jumped upon the fine damask sofas in the drawing- 
 room, stirred the fire till it was in a blaze, and rushed out 
 o]i the balcony, upsetting one or two geraniums and a myr-
 
 THE GRAND FEAST. 23 
 
 tie. They spilt Lady Harriet's perfumes over their hand- 
 kerchiefs, — they looked into all the beautiful books of pic- 
 tures, — they tumbled many of the prelty Dresden china 
 figures on the floor, — they wound up the little French clock 
 till it was broken, — they made the musical work-box play 
 its tunes, and set the Chinese mandarins nodding, till they 
 very nearly nodded their heads off. In short, so much mis- 
 chief has seldom been done in so short a time, till at last 
 Harry, perfectly worn out with laughing and running, threw 
 himself into a large arm-chair, and Laura, with her ringlets 
 tumbling in frightful confusion over her face, and the beads 
 of her coral necklace rolling on the floor, tossed herself into 
 a sofa beside him. 
 
 " Oh ! what fun !" cried Harry, in an ecstacy of delight ; 
 " I wish Frank had been here, and crowds of little boys and 
 girls, to play with us all day ! It would be a good joke, 
 Laura, to write and ask all our little cousins and compan- 
 ions to drink tea here to-morrow evening ! Their mamas 
 could never guess we had not leave from grandmama to in- 
 vite everybody, so I dare say we might gather quite a large 
 party ! oh ! how enchanting!" 
 
 Laura laughed heartily when she heard this proposal of 
 Harry's, and without hesitating a moment about it, she joy- 
 ously placed herself before Lady Harriet's writing-table, and 
 scribbled a multitude of little notes, in large text, to more 
 than twenty young friends, all of whom had at other times 
 been asked by Lady Harriet to spend the evening with her. 
 
 Laura felt very much puzzled to know what was usually 
 said in a card of invitation, but after many consultations, 
 she and Harry thought at last, that it was very nicely ex- 
 pressed, for they wrote these words upon a large sheet of 
 paper to each of their friends : — 
 
 Master Harry Graham and Miss Laura wish you to have 
 the honour of drinking tea with us to-morrow, at six o'clock. 
 
 (Signed) Harry and Laura.
 
 24 THE GRAND FEAST. 
 
 Laura afterwards singed a hole in her mvislin frocK, wnile 
 lighting one of the Vesta matches to seal these numerous 
 notes; and Harry dropped some burning sealing-wax on 
 his hand, in the hurry of assisting her ; but he thought that 
 little accident no matter, and ran away to see if the cards 
 could be sent off immediately. 
 
 Now, there lived in the house a very old footman, called 
 Andrew, who remembered Harry and Laura since they were 
 quite little babies ; and he often looked exceedingly sad and 
 sorry when they suffered punishment from Mrs. Crabtree. 
 He was ready to do anything in the world when it pleased 
 the children, and would have carried a message to the moon, 
 if they had only shown him the way. Many odd jobs and 
 private messages he had already been employed in by Har- 
 ry, who now called Andrew up stairs, entreating him to car- 
 ry out all those absurd notes as fast as possible, and to de- 
 liver them immediately, as they were of the greatest conse- 
 quence. Upon hearing this, old Andrew lost not a moment, 
 but threw on his hat, and instantly started off, looking like 
 the twopenny postman, he carried such a prodigious parcel 
 of invitations, while Harry and Laura stood at the drawing- 
 room window, almost screaming with joy when they saw 
 him set out, and when they observed that, to oblicre them, 
 he actually ran along the street at a sort of trot, which was 
 as fa.st a-s he could possibly go. Presently, however, he 
 certainly did stop for a single minute, and liaura saw that 
 it was in order to take a peep into one of the notes, that ho 
 might ascertain what they were all about ; but as he never 
 carried any letters without doing so, she thought that quite 
 natural, and was only very glad when he had finished, and 
 rapidly piirsued his way again. 
 
 Next mf)rning, Mrs. ("rabtree and Ketty became very 
 much 'iurprispd to observe what a number of smart livery 
 servants knocked at the street door, and gave in cards, but 
 their astonishment became still greater, when old Andrew
 
 THE GRAND FEAST. , 25 
 
 brought up a whole parcel of them to Harry and Laura, who 
 immediately broke the seals, and read the contents in a cor- 
 ner together. 
 
 " What are you about there, Master Graham 1" cried 
 Mrs. Crabtree, angrily, " how dare any body venture to 
 touch your grandmama's letters ?" 
 
 " They are not for grandmama ! — they are all for us! — 
 every one of them !" answered Harry, dancing about the 
 room with joy, and waving the notes over his head. " Look 
 at this direction ! For Master and Miss Graham ! put on 
 your spectacles, and read it yourself, Mrs. Crabtree ! What 
 delightful fun ! the house will be as full as an egg !" 
 
 Mrs. Crabtree seemed completely puzzled what to think 
 of all this, and looked so much as if she did not know ex- 
 actly what to be angry at, and so ready to be in a passion if 
 possible, that Harry burst out a laughing, while he said, 
 " Only think Mrs. Crabtree! here is every body coming to tea 
 with us ! — all my cousins, besides Peter Grey, Robert Stew- 
 art, Charles Forrester, Adelaide Cunninghame, Diana 
 Wentworth, John Fordyce, Edmund Ashford, Frank Aber- 
 cromby, Ned Russel, and Tom " 
 
 " The boy is distracted !" exclaimed Betty, staring with 
 astonishment. "What does all this mean, Master Harry 1" 
 
 " And who gave you leave to invite company into your 
 grandmama's house 1" cried Mrs. Crabtree, snatching up 
 all the notes, and angrily thrusting them into the fire. "I 
 never heard of such things in all my life before. Master 
 Harry ! but as sure as eggs is eggs, you shall repent of this, 
 for not one morsel of cake, or anything else shall you have 
 to give any of the party ; no ! not so much as a crust of 
 bread, or a thimbleful of tea!" 
 
 Harry and Laura had never thought of such a catastro- 
 phe as this before ; they always saw a great table covered 
 with every thing that could be named for tea, whenever 
 their little friends came to visit them, and whether it rose 
 
 C
 
 26 THE GRAND FEAST. 
 
 out of the floor, or was brought by Aladdin's lamp, they 
 never considered it possible that the table would not be 
 provided as usual on such occa.-ions, so this terrible speech 
 of Mrs. Crabtree's frightened them out of their wits. What 
 was to be done ! They both knew by experience that she 
 always did whatever she threatened, or something a great deal 
 worse, so they began by bursting into tears, and begging 
 Mrs. Crabtree for this once to excuse them, and to give 
 some cakes and tea to their little visitors, but they might as 
 well have spoken to one of the Chinese mandarins, for she 
 only shook her head, with a positive look, declaring over 
 and over again that nothing should appear upon the table 
 except what was always brought up for their own supper — 
 two biscuits and two cups of milk. 
 
 " Therefore say no more about it I" added she, sternly. 
 " I am your best friend. Master Harry, trying to teach you 
 and Miss I^aura your duty, so save your breath to cool your 
 porridge." 
 
 Poor Harry and Laura looked perfectly ill with fright and 
 vexation when they thought of what was to happen next, 
 while Mrs. Crabtree sat down to her knitting, grumbling to 
 herself, and dropping her stitches every minute with rage 
 and irritation. Old Andrew felt exceedingly sorry after he 
 heard what distress and difficulty Harry was in, and when 
 the hour for the party approached, he very good-naturedly 
 spread out a large table in the dining-room, where he put 
 down as many cups, saucers, plates, and spoons as Laura 
 chose to direct ; but in spite of all his trouble, though it 
 looked very grand, there was nothing whatever to eat or 
 drink, except the two dry biscuit.s, and the two miserable 
 cups of milk, which seemed to become smaller every time 
 that Harry looked at them. 
 
 Presently the clock struck six, and Harry listened to the 
 hour very much as a prisoner would do in the condemned 
 cell in Newgate, feeling that the dreaded time was at last
 
 THE GRAND FEAST. 27 
 
 arrived. Soon afterwards, several handsome carriages 
 drove up to the door filled with little Masters and Misses, 
 who hurried joyfully into the house, talking and laughing 
 all the way up stairs, being evidently quite happy at coming 
 out to tea, while poor Harry and Laura almost wished the 
 floor would open and swallow them up, so they shrunk into 
 a distant corner of the room, quite ashamed to show their 
 faces. 
 
 The young ladies were all dressed in their best frocks, 
 with pink sashes, and pink shoes ; while the little boys 
 appeared in their holiday clothes, with their hair newly 
 brushed, and their faces washed. The whole party had dined 
 at two o'clock, so they were as hungry as hawks, looking 
 eagerly round, whenever they entered, to see what was on 
 the tea-table, and evidently surprised that nothing had yet 
 been put down. Laura and Harry soon afterwards heard 
 their visitors whispering to each other about Norwich buns, 
 rice cakes, spunge biscuits, and maccaroons ; while Peter 
 Grey was loud in praise of a party at George Lorraine's 
 the night before, where an immense plum-cake had been 
 sugared over like a snow storm, and covered with crowds 
 of beautiful amusing mottoes ; not to mention a quantity 
 of noisy crackers, that exploded like pistols ; besides 
 which, a glass of hot jelly had been handed to each little 
 guest before he was sent home. 
 
 Every time the door opened, all eyes were anxiously 
 turned round, expecting a grand feast to be brought in ; but 
 quite the contrary — it was only Andrew showing up more 
 hungry visitors ; while Harry felt so unspeakably wretched, 
 that, if some kind fairy could only have turned him into a 
 Norwich bun at the moment, he would gladly have consent- 
 ed to be cut in pieces, that his ravenous guests might be 
 satisfied. 
 
 Charles Forrester was a particularly good-natured boy, 
 so Harry at last took courage and beckoned him into a
 
 28 THE GRAND FEAST. 
 
 remote corner of the room, Mhere he confessed, in whi!=fpers, 
 the real state of affairs about tea, and how sadly distressed 
 he and Laura felt, because they had nothing whatever to 
 give among so many visitors, seeing that Mrs. Crabtree 
 kept her determination of affording them no provisions. 
 
 " What is to be done !" said Charles, very anxiously, aa 
 he felt extremely sorry for his little friends. " If Mania 
 had been at home, she would gladly have sent whatever you 
 liked for tea, but unluckily she is dining out ! I saw a loaf 
 of bread lying on a table at home this evening, which she 
 would make you quite welcome to ! Shall I run home, as 
 fast as possible, to fetch hi That would, at any rate, bo 
 better than nothing !" 
 
 Poor Charles Forrester was very lame, therefore, while 
 he talked of running he could hardly walk, but Lady For- 
 rester's house stood so near, that he soon reached home, 
 when, snatching up the loaf, he hurried back towards the 
 street with his prize, quite delighted to see how large and 
 substantial it looked. Scarcely had he reached the door, 
 however, before the housekeeper ran hastily out, saying, 
 
 " Stop, Mr. Charles ! stop ! sure you are not running 
 away with the loaf for my tea, and the parrot must have 
 her supper too. What do you want with that there bread?" 
 
 "^evcr mind, Mrs. Comfit!" answered Charles, hasten- 
 ing on faster than ever, while he grasped the precious loaf 
 more firmly in his hand, and limped along at a prodigious 
 rate, "Polly is getting too fat, so she will be the better of 
 fasting for this one day." 
 
 Mrs. Comfit, being enormously fat herself, became very 
 angry at this remark, so she seemed quite desperate to re- 
 cover the loaf, and hurried forward to overtake Charles, but 
 the old housekeeper was so heavy and breathless, while the 
 young gentleman was so lame, that it seemed an even 
 chance which won the race. Harry stood at his own door, 
 impatiently hoping to receive the prize, and eagerly stretch-
 
 THE GRAND FEAST. 29 
 
 ed out his arms to encourage his friend, while it was impos- 
 sible to say which of the runners might arrive ^irst. Harry- 
 had sometimes heard of a race between two old women tied 
 up in sacks, and he thought they could scarcely move with 
 more difficulty ; but at the very moment when Charles had 
 reached the door, he stumbled over a stone, and fell on the 
 gi'ound. Mrs. Comfit then instantly rushed up, and seizing 
 the loaf, she carried it off in triumph, leaving the two little 
 friends ready to cry with vexation, and quite at a loss what 
 plan to attempt next. 
 
 Mean time, a sad riot had arisen in the dining-room, 
 where the boys called loudly for their tea ; and the young 
 ladies drew their chairs all round the table, to wait till it was 
 ready. Still nothing appeared ; so every body wondered 
 more and more how long they were to wait for all the nice 
 cakes and sweetmeats which must, of course, be coming ; 
 for the longer they were delayed, the more was expected. 
 
 The last at a feast, and the first at a fray, was generally 
 Peter Grey, who now lost patience, and seized one of the 
 two biscuits, which he was in the middle of greedily de- 
 vouring, when Laura returned with Harry to the dining- 
 room, and observed what he had done. 
 
 " Peter Grey !" said she, holding up her head, and try- 
 ing to look very dignified, " you are an exceedingly naugh- 
 ty boy, to help yourself ! As a punishment for being so 
 rude, you shall have nothing more to eat all this evening." 
 
 " If I do not help myself, nobody else seems likely to 
 give me any supper ! I appear to be the only person who 
 is to taste anything to-night," answered Peter, laughing, 
 while the impudent boy took a cup of milk, and drank it 
 off, saying, " Here's to your very good health. Miss Laura, 
 and an excellent appetite to everybody I" 
 
 Upon hearing this absurd speech, all the other boys be- 
 gan laughing, and made signs, as if they were eating their 
 fingers off with hunger. Then Peter called Lady Harriet's 
 
 c2
 
 30 THE GRAND FEAST. 
 
 house " Famine Castle," and pretended he would swallow 
 the knives like an Indian juggler. 
 
 " We must learn to live upon air, and here are some 
 spoons to eat it with," said Juhn Fordyce. " Harry ! shall 
 I help you to a mouthful of moonshine ?" 
 
 " Peter ! would you like a roasted fly ?" asked Frank 
 Abercromby, catching one on the window. " I dare say it 
 is excellent for hungry people, — or a slice of buttered wall ?" 
 
 " Or a stewed spider?" asked Peter. " Shall we all be 
 cannibals, and cat one another ?" 
 
 " What is the use of all those forks, when there is no- 
 thing to stick upon them ?" asked George Maxwell, throw- 
 ing them about on the floor. " No buns ! — no fruit! — no 
 cakes ! — no nothing !" 
 
 " AVhat are we to do with those tea-cups, when there is 
 no tea I" cried Frank Abercromby, pulling the tal)le-cloth 
 till the whole atFair fell prostrate on the floor. After this, 
 these riotous boys tossed the plates up in the air, and caught 
 them, becoming, at last, so outrageous, that poor old 
 Andrew called them a " meal mob." Never was there 
 so much broken china seen in a dining-room before! It 
 all lay scattered on the floor, in countless fnigments, looking 
 as if there had been a bull in a china shop, when suddenly 
 Mrs. Crai)tree herself opened the door and walked in, with 
 an aspect of nxge enough to petrify a milestone. Now old 
 Andrew had long been trying all in his power to render the 
 boys quiet and contented. He had made them a speech, — 
 he had chased the ring-leaders all round the room, — and he 
 had thrown his stick at Peter, who seemed the most riotous, 
 — but all in vain ; they became worse and worse, laughing 
 into fits, and calling Andrew "the police-ofrlcer," and "the 
 bailill." It was a very diflerent story, hcnvever, when Mrs. 
 Crabtree appeared, so flaming with fury, she might have 
 blown up a powder-mill. 
 
 Nobody could help being afraid of her. Even Peter
 
 THE GRAND FEAST. 31 
 
 himself stood stock-still, and seemed withering away to no- 
 thing, when she looked at him ; and when she began to scold 
 in her most furious manner, not a boy ventured to look off 
 the ground. A large pair of tawse then became visible in 
 her hand, so every heart sunk with fright, and the riotous 
 visitors began to get behind each other, and to huddle out 
 of sight as much as possible, whispering and pushing, and 
 fighting, in a desperate scuffle to escape. 
 
 " What is all this !" cried she, at the full pitch of her 
 voice, " has bedlam broke loose ! who smashed these cups ? 
 I'll break his head for him, let me tell you that ! Master 
 Peter ! you should be hissed out of the world for your mis- 
 conduct ; but I shall certainly whip you round the room 
 like a whipping-top." 
 
 At this moment, Peter observed that the dining-room 
 window, which was only about six feet from the ground, 
 had been left wide open, so instantly seizing the opportu- 
 nity, he threw himself out with a single bound, and ran 
 laughing away. All the other boys immediately followed 
 his example, and disappeared by the same road ; after 
 which, Mrs. Crabtree leaned far out of the window, and 
 scolded loudly, as long as they remained in sight, till her 
 face became red, and her voice perfectly hoarse. 
 
 Meantime, the little misses sat soberly down before the 
 empty table, and talked in whispers to each other, waiting 
 till their maids came to take them home, after which they 
 all hurried away as fast as possible, hardly waiting to say 
 " good bye," and intending to ask for some supper at home. 
 
 During that night, long after Harry and Laura had been 
 scolded, whipped, and put to bed, they were each heard in 
 dilferent rooms, sobbing and crying, as if their very hearts 
 would break, while Mrs. Crabtree grumbled and scolded to 
 herself, saying she must do her duty, and make them good 
 children, though she were to flay them alive first. 
 
 When Lady Harriet returned home some days afterwards,
 
 32 THE GRAND FEAST. 
 
 she heard an account of llarry and Laura's misconduct from 
 Mrs. Crabtrec, and the whole story was such a terrible case 
 against them, that their poor grandniama became perfectly 
 astonished and shocked, while even uncle David was pre- 
 paring to be very angry ; but before the culprits appeared, 
 Frank most kindly stepped forward, and begged that they 
 might be pardoned for this once, adding all in his power to 
 excuse Harry and Laura, by describing how very penitent 
 they had become, and how very severely they had already 
 been punished. 
 
 Frank then mentioned all that Harry had told him about 
 the starving party, which he related with so much humour 
 and drollery, that Lady Harriet could not help laughing ; 
 so then he saw that a victory had been gained, and ran to 
 the nursery for the two little prisoners. 
 
 Untie Uavid shook his walking-stick at them, and made 
 a terrible face, when they entered ; but Harry jumped upon 
 his knee with joy at seeing him again, while Laura forgot 
 all her distress, and rushed u[) to Lady Harriet, who folded 
 her in her arms, and kissed her most affectionately. 
 
 Not a word was said that day about the tea-party, but next 
 morning, Major Graham asked Harry, very gravely, " if he 
 had read in the newspapers the melancholy accounts about 
 several of his little companions, who were ill and confined 
 to bed from having ate too much at a certain tea-party on 
 Saturday last. Poor Peter Grey has been given over, and 
 Charles Forrester, it is feared, may Jiot be able to cat ano- 
 ther loaf of bread for a fortnight!" 
 
 "Oh ! uncle David ! it makes me ill whenever I think of 
 that party !" said Harry, colouring perfectly scarlet; "that 
 was the most miseral)le evening of my life !" 
 
 "I must say it was not quite fair in Mrs. Crabtree to 
 starve all the strange little boys and girls, who came as vis- 
 itors to my house, without knowing who had invited them," 
 observed Lady Harriet. " Probably those unlucky children
 
 THE GRAND FEAST. 33 
 
 will never forget, as long as they live, that scanty supper in 
 our dining-room." 
 
 And it turned out exactly as Lady Harriet had predicted ; 
 for though they were all asked to tea, in proper time, the 
 very next Saturday, when Major Graham showered torrents 
 of sugar-plums on the table, while the children scrambled to 
 pick them up, and the side-board almost broke down after- 
 wards under the weight of buns, cakes, cheesecakes, biscuits, 
 fruit, and preserves, which were heaped upon each other — 
 yet, for years afterwards, Peter Grey, whenever he ate a 
 particularly enormous dinner, always observed, that he must 
 make up for having once been starved at Harry Graham's ; 
 and whenever any one of those little boys or girls again 
 happened to meet Harry or Laura, they were sure to laugh 
 and say, " When are you going to give us another 
 
 "GRAND FEAST 1"
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 THE TERRIBLE FIRE. 
 
 Fire rages with fury wherever it comes, 
 If only one spark sliould be dropped ; 
 Whole houses, or cities, soniciinics it consumes, 
 Where its violence cannot be stopped. 
 
 One night, about eight o'clock, Harry and Laura were play- 
 ing in the nursery, building houses with bricks, and trying 
 who could raise the highest tower without letting it tall, 
 when suddenly they were startled to hear every bell in tho 
 house ringing violently, while the servants seemed running 
 up and down stairs, as if they were distracted. 
 
 " What can be the matter!" cried Laura, turning round 
 and listening, while Harry quietly took this opportunity to 
 shak(! the walls of her castle till it fell. 
 
 " The very house is coming down about your ears, Lau- 
 ra !" said Harry, enjoying his little bit of mischief. " I 
 should like to be Andrew, now, for five minutes, that I might 
 answer those fifty bells, and see what has happened. Uncle 
 David must be wanting coals, candles, tea, toast, and soda 
 water, all at once! AVhat a bustle everybody is in ! There! 
 the bells are ringing again, worse than ever! Something 
 wonderful is going on ! what can it be!" 
 
 Presently Hefty ran breathlessly into the room, saying 
 that Mrs. Crabtrcc ought to come down stairs immediately, 
 as Lady Harriet had been suddenly taken very ill, and, till
 
 THE TERRIBLE FIRE. 3& 
 
 the Doctor arrived, nobody knew what to do, so she must 
 give her advice and assistance. 
 
 Haiy and Laura felt excessively shocked to hear this 
 alarming news, and listened with grave attention, while Mrs. 
 Crabtree told them how amazingly well they ought to behave 
 in her absence, when they were trusted alone in the nursery, 
 with nobody to keep them in order, or to see what they were 
 doing, especially now, as their grandmama had been taken 
 ill, and would require to be kept quiet. 
 
 Harry sat in his chair, and might have been painted as 
 the very picture of a good boy during nearly twenty minutes 
 after Mrs. Crabtree departed ; and Laura placed herself op- 
 posite to him, trying to follow so excellent an example, 
 while they scarcely spoke above a whisper, wondering what 
 could be the matter with their grandmama, and wishing for 
 once, to see Mrs, Crabtree again, that they might hear how 
 she was. Any one who had observed Harry and Laura at 
 that time, would have wondered to see two such quiet, ex- 
 cellent, respectable children, and wished that all little boys 
 and girls were made upon the same pattern ; but presently 
 they began to think that probably Lady Harriet was not so 
 very ill, as no more bells had rung during several minutes, 
 and Harry ventured to look about for some better amuse- 
 ment than sitting still. 
 
 At this moment liaura unluckily perceived on the table 
 near where they sat, a pair of Mrs. Crabtree's best scissors, 
 which she had been positively forbid to touch. The long 
 troublesome ringlets were as usual hanging over her eyes 
 in a most teazing manner, so she thought what a good op- 
 portunity this might be to shorten them a very little, not 
 above an inch or two ; and without considering a moment 
 longer, she slipped upon tiptoe, with a frightened look, 
 round the table, and picked up the scissors in her hand, then 
 hastening towards a looking-glass, she began snipping off 
 the ends of her hair. Laura was much diverted to see it
 
 36 THE TERRIBLE FIRE. 
 
 ehowering down upon the floor, so she cut and cut on, while 
 the curls fell thicker and taster, till at last the whole floor 
 was covered with them, and scarcely a hair left ui)on her 
 head. Harry went into tits of laughing when he perceived 
 what a ridiculous figure Laura had made of herself, and he 
 turned her round and round to seethe havoc she had made, 
 saying, 
 
 " You should give all this hair to Mr. 3Iills the uphol- 
 sterer, to stutTgrandmama's arm-chair with ! At any rate, 
 Laura, if Mrs. Crabtrce is ever so angry, she can hardly 
 pull you by the hair of the head again ! What a sound sleep 
 you will have to-night, with no hard curl-papers to torment 
 you !" 
 
 Harry had been. told five hundred times, never to touch 
 the candles, and threatened with twenty diflcrcnt punish- 
 ments, if he ever ventured to do so ; but now, he amused 
 himself with trying to snutfone tillhesnutlld it out. Then 
 he lighted it again, and tried the experiment once more, 
 but again the teazing candle went out, as if on purpose to 
 plague him, so he felt (piite provoked. Having lighted it 
 once more, Harry prepared to cany the candlestick with 
 him towards the inner nursery, th(jugh afraid to make the 
 smallest noise, in case it might be taken from him. Be- 
 fore he had gone five steps, down dropped the extinguisher, 
 then followed the snutfers with a great crash, but Laura 
 seemed too busy cropping her ringlets, to notice what was 
 going on. All the way along upon the floor, Harry let fall 
 a perfect shower of hot wax, which spotted the nursery car- 
 pet from the table wjicre he had found the candle into the 
 next room, where he disii|)pr'ared, and shut the door, that no 
 one might interfere with what he liked to do. 
 
 After he had been al)sent some time, the door was hastily 
 opened again, and Laura felt surprised to see Harry come 
 back with his face as red as a stick of sealing-wax, and hia
 
 THE TERRIBLE FIRE. 37 
 
 large eyes staring wider than they had ever stared before, 
 with a look of rueful consternation. 
 
 " What is the matter !" exclaimed Laura in a terrified 
 voice. " Has anything dreadful happened 1 Why do you 
 look so frightened and so surprised?" 
 
 "Oh dear! oh dear! what shall I do?" cried Harry, 
 who seemed scarcely to know how he spoke, or where he 
 was. " I don't know what to do, Laura !" 
 
 " What can be the matter ! do tell me at once, Harry," 
 said Laura, shaking with apprehension. " Speak as fast as 
 you can !" 
 
 " Will you not tell Mrs. Crabtree, nor grandmama, nor 
 anybody else ?" cried Harry, bursting into tears. " I am 
 so very, very sorry, and so frightened ! Laura ! do you 
 know, I took a candle into the next room, merely to play 
 with it." 
 
 " Well ! go on, Harry ! go on ! what did you do with the 
 candle?" 
 
 " I only put it on the bed for a single minute, to see how 
 the flame would look there, — well ! do you know it blazed 
 away famously, and then all the bed clothes began burning 
 too ! Oh ! there is such a terrible fire in the next room ! 
 you never saw anything like it ! what shall we do ? If old 
 Andrew were to come up, do you think he could put it out? 
 I have shut the door that Mrs. Crabtree may not see the 
 flames. Be sure, Laura, to tell nobody but Andrew." 
 
 Laura became terrified at the way she saw poor Harry in, 
 but when she opened the door to find out the real state of 
 affairs, oh ! what a dreadful sight Was there ! all the beds 
 were on fire, while bright red flames were blazing up to the 
 roof of the room, with a fierce roaring noise, which it was 
 perfectly frightful to hear. She screamed aloud with terror 
 at this alarming scene, while Harry did all he could to quiet 
 her, and even put his hand over her mouth, that her cries 
 might not be heard. Laura now struggled to get loose, and 
 
 D
 
 38 THE TERRIBLE FIRE. 
 
 called louder and louder, till at last every maid in the house 
 came racing up stairs, three steps at a time, to know what 
 was the matter. Immediately upon seein<j; the flames, they 
 all began screaming too, in such a loud discordant way, 
 that it sounded as if a whole flight of crows had come into 
 the passages. Never was there such an uproar heard in the 
 house before, for the walls echoed with a general cry of 
 "Fire! fire! fire!" 
 
 Up flew Mrs. Crabtree towards the nursery like a sky- 
 rocket, scolding furiously, talking louder than all the others 
 put together, and asking who had set the house on fire, 
 while Harry and Laura scarcely knew whether to be most 
 frightened for the raging flames, or the raging Mrs. Crab- 
 tree ; but, in the meantime, they both shrunk into the 
 smallest possible size, and hid themselves behind a door. 
 
 During all this confusion, Old Andrew luckily remem- 
 bered, that, in the morning, there had been a great washing 
 in the laundry, where large tubs full of water were standing, so 
 he called to the few maids who had any of their senses re- 
 maining, desiring them to assist in carrying up some 
 buckets, that they might be emptied on the burning beds, to 
 extinguish the flames if possible. Every body was now in 
 a hurry, and all elbowing each other out of the way, while 
 it was most extraordinary to sec how old Andrew exerted 
 himself, as if he had been a fireman all his life, while Mrs. 
 Marmalade, the fat cook, who could hardly carry herself up 
 stairs in general, actively assisted to bring up the great 
 heavy tubs, and to pour them out like a cascade upon the 
 burning curtains, till the nursery-floor looked like a duck 
 poiul. 
 
 Meant ime Ifarry and Laura added to the confusion as 
 mufh as thfy could, and wrre busier than anybody, stealing 
 down the l)aek-stairs whenever Mrs. Crai)tree was not in 
 eight, and filling their little jugs with water, which they 
 brought up, as fast as possible, and da.shcd upon the flames,
 
 THE TERRIBLE FIRE. 39 
 
 till at last, it is to be feared, they began to feel quite amused 
 with the bustle, and to be almost sorry when the conflagra- 
 tion diminished. At one time, Laura very nearly set her 
 own frock on fire, as she ventured too near, but Harry 
 pulled her back, and then courageously advanced to dis- 
 charge a shower from his own little jug, remaining stationary 
 to watch the effect, till his face was almost scorched. 
 
 At last the fire became less and less, till it went totally out, 
 but not before the nursery furniture had been reduced to per- 
 fect ruins, besides which, Betty had her arm sadly burned in 
 the confusion. Mrs. Marmalade's cap was completely de- 
 stroyed, and Mrs. Crabtree's best gown had so large a hole 
 burned in the skirt, that she never could wear it again ! 
 
 After all was quiet, and the fire completely extinguished, 
 Major Graham took Laura down stairs to Lady Harriet's 
 dressing-room, that she might tell the whole particulars of 
 how this alarming accident happened in the nursery, for 
 nobody could guess what had caused so sudden and dread- 
 ful a fire, which seemed to have been as unexpected as a 
 flash of lightning. 
 
 Lady Harriet had felt so terrified by the noise and con- 
 fusion, that she was out of bed, sitting up in an arm- 
 chair, supported by pillows, when Laura entered, at the sight 
 of whom, with her well-cropped head, she made an excla- 
 mation of perfect amazement. 
 
 " Why ! who on earth is that ! Laura ! my dear child ! 
 what has become of all your hair? Were your curls 
 burned off in the fire 1 or did the fright make you grow 
 bald 1 What is the meaning of all this ?" 
 
 Laura turned perfectly crimson with shame and distress, 
 for she now felt convinced of her own great misconduct 
 about the scissors and curls, but she had been taught on all 
 occasions to speak the truth, and would rather have died 
 than told a lie, or even allowed any person to believe what 
 was not true, therefore she answered in a low, frightened
 
 40 THE TERRIBLE FIRB. 
 
 voice, while the tears came into her eyes, "My hair ha8 
 not been burned off", graniiniama I but — but — " 
 
 " Well, child ! speak out !" said Lady Harriet, impatient- 
 ly, "did some hair-dresser come to the house and rob you?" 
 
 " Or are you like the ladies of Carthage who gave their 
 long hair for bows and arrows?" asked Major tJraham. 
 " I never saw such a little fright in my liie as you look 
 now ; but tell us all about it ?" 
 
 " I have been quite as naughty as Harry !" answered 
 Laura, bursting into tears and sobbing with grief; " I was 
 cutting off my hair with Mrs. Crabtree's scissors all the 
 time that he was setting the nursery on fire !" 
 
 " Did any mortal ever hear of two such little torments !" 
 exclaimed Major Graham, hardly able to help laughing. " I 
 wonder if anybody else in the world has such mischievous 
 children !" 
 
 " It is certainly very strange, that you and Harry never 
 can contrive to be three hours out of a scrape !" said Lady 
 Harriet gravely ; " now Frank, on the contrary, never for- 
 gets what I bid him do. You might suppose he carried 
 Mrs. Crabtree in his pocket, to remind him constantly of 
 his duty ; but there are not two such boys in the world as 
 P'rank !" 
 
 "No," added Major Graham ; "Harry set the house on 
 fire, and Frank will set the Thames on fire !" 
 
 When Laura saw uncle David put on one of his funny 
 looks, while he spoke in this way to Lady Harriet, she al- 
 most forgot her former fright, and became surprised to 
 observe her grandmania busy pro])aring what she called a 
 coach-whcol, which had been ol\eii given, as a treat to Harry 
 and herself wlieii thoy were j)articularly good. This de- 
 Hghtful wheel was manufactured by taking a whole round 
 .«*lice of the loaf, in the centre of which was placed a largo 
 tea-spoonful of jelly, after which long spokes of marmalade, 
 jam, and honey, were made to diverge most tastefully in
 
 THE TERRIBLE FIRE. 41 
 
 every direction towards the crust, and Laura watched the 
 progress of this business with great interest and anxiety, 
 wondering if it could be hoped that her grandmama really 
 meant to forgive all her misconduct during the day. 
 
 " That coach-wheel is, of course, meant for me !" said 
 Major Graham, pretending to be very hungry, and looking 
 slyly at Laura ; " It cannot possibly be intended for our 
 little hair-dresser here !" 
 
 « Yes, it is !" answered Lady Harriet, smiling. " I 
 have some thoughts of excusing Laura this time, because 
 she always tells me the truth, without attempting to conceal 
 any foolish thing she does. It will be very long before she 
 has any hair to cut off again, so I hope she may be older 
 and wiser by that time, especially considering that every 
 looking-glass she sees for six months will make her feel 
 ashamed of herself. She certainly deserves some reward 
 for having prevented the house to-night from being burned 
 to the ground." 
 
 "I am glad you think so, because here is a shilling that 
 has been burning in my pocket for the last few minutes, as 
 I wished to bestow it on Laura for having saved all our 
 lives, and if she had behaved still better, I might perhaps 
 have given her a gold watch!" 
 
 Laura was busily employed in eating her coach-wheel, 
 and trying to fancy what the gold watch would have looked 
 like which she might probably have got from uncle David, 
 when suddenly the door burst open, and Mrs. Crabtree hur- 
 ried into the room, with a look of surprise and alarm, her 
 face as red as a poppy, and her eye fixed on the hole in her 
 best gown, while she spoke so loud and angrily, that Laura 
 almost trembled. 
 
 " If you please, my lady ! where can Master Harry be ? 
 I cannot find him in any corner ! — we have been searching 
 all over the house, up stairs and down stairs, in vain. Not 
 
 d2
 
 42 THE TERRini.E FIRE. 
 
 a garret or a c)osct but has been ransacked, and nobody can 
 guess what has become of him !" 
 
 " Did you look up the chimney, Mrs. Crabtrec ?" asked 
 Major Graham, laughing to see how excited she looked. 
 
 " Indeed, Sir ! it is no joke," answered Mrs. Crabtree, 
 sulkily ; "I am almost afraid Master Harry has been burn- 
 ed in the fire! The last time Betty saw him, he was throw- 
 ing a jug of water into the flames, and no one has ever seen 
 or heard of him since ! There is a great many ashes and 
 cinders lying about the room, and 
 
 " Do you think, in sober seriousness, Mrs. Crabtree, that 
 Harry would melt away like a wax doll, without asking any 
 body to extinguish him?" said Major Graham, smiling. 
 "No! no! little boys are not quite so easify disposed of. 
 I shall find Harry in less than five minutes, if he is above 
 ground." 
 
 But uncle David was quite mistaken in expecting to dis- 
 cover Harry so easily, for he searched and seaichcd in vain. 
 He looked into every possible or impossible place — the li- 
 brary, the kitchen, the garrets, the laundry, the drawing- 
 room, all without success, — he peeped under the tables, be- 
 hind the cuilains, over the beds, beneath the pillows, and 
 into Mrs. Crabtree's bonnet-box, — he even opened the tea- 
 chest, and looked out at the \\indow, in case Harry had 
 tumbled over, but nowhere could he be found. 
 
 "Not a mouse is stirring!" exclaimed Major Graham, 
 beginning now to look exceedingly grave and anxious. 
 " This is very strange ! The house-door is locked, there- 
 fore, unless Harry made his escape through the key-hole, 
 he must be here ! It is most unaccountable what the little 
 pickle ran have done with himself!" 
 
 When Major Graham chose to exert his voice, it wa.s as 
 loud as a trumpet, and could be heard half a mile off; so he 
 now caHedout, like thunder, from the top of the stairs to the
 
 THE TERRIBLE FIRE. 43 
 
 bottom, saying, " Hollo, Harry ! hollo I Come here, my 
 boy ! Nobody shall hurt you ! Harry ! where are you !" 
 
 Uncle David waited to listen, but all was still, — no an- 
 swer could be heard, and there was not a sound in the 
 house, except poor Laura at the bottom of the stairs, sob- 
 bing with grief and terror about Harry having been lost, and 
 Mrs. Crabtrce grumbling angrily to herself, on account of 
 the large hole in her best gown. 
 
 By this time Lady Harriet nearly fainted with fatigue, 
 for she was so very old, and had been ill all day ; so she 
 grew worse and worse, till everybody said she must go to 
 bed, and try if it would be possible to fall asleep, assuring 
 her that Harry must soon be found, as nothing particular 
 could have hai)pened to him, or some person would have 
 seen it. 
 
 " Lideed, my lady ! Master Harry is just like a bad shil- 
 ling that is sure to come back," said Mrs. Crabtree, help- 
 ing her to undress, while she continued to talk the whole 
 time about the fire, showing her own unfortunate gown, de- 
 scribing the trouble she had taken to save the house from 
 being burned, and always ending every sentence with a 
 wish that she could lay her hands on Harry to punish him as 
 he deserved. 
 
 " The truth is, I just spoil and indulge the children too 
 much, my lady !" added Mrs. Crabtree, in a self-satisfied 
 tone of voice. "I really blame myself often for being 
 over easy and kind." 
 
 "You have nothing to accuse yourself of in that respect," 
 answered Lady Harriet, unable to help smiling. 
 
 " Your ladyship is very good to say so. Major Graham 
 is so fond of our young people, that it is lucky they have 
 some one to keep them in order. I shall make a duty, my 
 lady, of being more strict than ever. Master Harry must 
 be made an example of this time !" added Mrs. Crabtree, 
 angrily glancing at the hole in her gown. " I shall teach
 
 44 THE TERRIBLE FIRE. 
 
 him to remember this day the longest hour he has to 
 live !" 
 
 <' Harry will not forget it any how," answered J^ady 
 Harriet languidly. '' Perhaps, Mrs. Crabtree, we might as 
 well not be severe with the poor boy on this occasion. As 
 the old proverb says, ' there is no use in pouring water on 
 a drowned mouse.' Harry has got a sad fright for his 
 pains, and at all events you must find him first, before he 
 can be punished. Where can the poor child be hid ?" 
 
 <•• I wovdd give sixpence to find out that, iny lady !" an- 
 swered Mrs. Crabtree, helping Lady Harriet into bed, af- 
 ter which she closed the shutters, put out the candles, and 
 lell the room, angrily muttering, " Master Harry cares no 
 more for me than the poker cares for the tongs, but I 
 shall teach him another story soon." 
 
 Lady Harriet now feebly closed her eyes, being quite ex- 
 hausted, and was beginning to feel the pleasant, confused 
 sensation that people have before going to sleep, when 
 some noise made her suddenly start quite awake. She sat 
 up in bed to listen, but could not be sure whether it had 
 been a great noise at a distance, or a little noise in the 
 room ; so after waiting two or three minutes, she sunk 
 b.ick upon the pillows, and tried to forget it. Again, how- 
 ever, she distinctly hcaid something rustling in the bed 
 curtains, and opened her eyes to sec what could be the mat- 
 ter, but all was dark. Something seemed to be breathing 
 very near her, however, and the curtains shook worse than 
 before, till Lady Harriet became really alarmed. 
 
 " It must surely be a cat in the room !" thought she, 
 ha-<tily p\illing the bell rope, till it nearly came down. 
 "That tiresome little animal will make such a noise, I 
 shall not be able to sleep all night!" 
 
 The next minute Lady Harriet was startled to hear a 
 loud sob close beside her ; and when everybody rushed up 
 btairs to ask what wa.s the matter, they brought candles to
 
 THE TERRIBLE FIRE. 45 
 
 search the room, and there was Harry ! He lay doubled up 
 iu a corner, and crying as if his heart would break, yet still 
 endeavouring not to be seen; for Harry always thought it a ter- 
 rible disgrace to cry, and would have concealed himself any- 
 where, rather than be observed weeping. Laura burst into 
 tears also, when she saw what red eyes and pale cheeks 
 Harry had ; but Mrs. Crabtree lost no time in pulling him 
 out of his place, being quite impatient to begin her scold, and 
 to produce her tawse, though she received a sad disappoint- 
 ment on this occasion, as uuele David unexpectedly inter- 
 fered to get him off. 
 
 " Come now, Mrs. Crabtree,"* said he good-naturedly ; 
 " put up the tawse for this time ; you are rather too fond of 
 the leather. Harry seems really sorry and frightened, so we 
 must be merciful. That cataract of tears he is shedding 
 now, would have extinguished the fire if it had come in 
 time! HaiTy is like a culprit with the rope about his neck ; 
 but he shall not be executed. Let me be judge and jury in 
 this case ; and my sentence is a very dreadful one. Plarry 
 must sleep all to-night in the burned nursery, having no 
 other covering than the burned blankets, with large holes 
 in them, that he may never forget 
 
 <' THE TERRIBLE FIRE I'*
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THE PRODIGIOUS CAKE. 
 
 Yet theirs the joy 
 That lifts their steps, that sparkles in their eyes ; 
 That talks or laughs, or runs, or shouts, or plays, 
 And speaks in all their looks, and all their ways. 
 
 Crabbe. 
 
 Next day after the fire, Laura could think of nothing but 
 what she was to do with the shilling that uncle David had 
 given her ; and a thou-sand plans came into her head, while 
 many wants entered her thoughts, which never occurred bo- 
 fore ; so that if twenty shilliuir.s had been in her hand in- 
 stead of one, they would all have gone twenty ditltrent ways. 
 
 Lady Harriet advised that it should be laid bye till Laura 
 had fully considered what she would like best; reminding 
 her very truly, that money is lame in coming, but flics in go- 
 ing away. "Many people can get a shilling, Laura," said 
 her grandmama; "but the dilTiculty is to keej) it; for you 
 know the old proved) tells that 'a fool and his money are 
 soon parted.' " 
 
 »'Ye.-<, Miss! so give it to me, and I shall lake care of 
 your shilling !" added Mrs. Crabtree, holding out her hand 
 to Laura, who felt that if her money once disappeared into 
 that capacious pocket, she would never .see it again. "Chil- 
 dren have no u.sc for money! that shilling will only burn a 
 hole in your purse, till it is .«pent on sonic foolish thing or
 
 THE PRODIGIOUS CAKE. 47 
 
 Other. You will be losing your thimble soon, or mislaying 
 your gloves ; tor all these things seem to fly in every direc- 
 tion, as if they got legs and wings as soon as they belong 
 to you ; so then that shilling may replace what is lost." 
 
 Mrs. Crabtree looked as if she would eat it up ; but Lau- 
 ra grasped her treasure still tighter in her hand, exclaiming, 
 
 " No ! no ! this is mine ! Uncle David never thought 
 of my shilling being taken care of! He meant me to do 
 whatever 1 liked with it ! Uncle David says he cannot en- 
 dure saving children, and that he wishes all money Avere 
 turned into slates, when little girls keep it longer than a 
 week." 
 
 " I like that !" said Harry, eagerly ; " it is so pleasant 
 to spend money, when the shopkeeper bows to me over the 
 counter so politely, and asks what I please to want." 
 
 " Older people than you like spending money. Master 
 Harry, and spend whether they have it or no ; but the great- 
 est pleasure is to keep it. For instance, Miss Laura, what- 
 ever she sees worth a shilling in any shop, might be hers 
 if she pleases ; so then it is quite as good as her own. 
 We shall look in at the bazaar every morning, to fix upon 
 something that she would like to have, and then consider of 
 it for two or three days." 
 
 Laura thought this plan so very unsatisfactory, that she 
 lost no time in getting her shilling changed into two six- 
 pences, one of which she immediately presented to Harry, 
 who positively refused for a long time to accept of it, insist- 
 ing that I>aura should rather buy some pretty plaything for 
 herself; but she answered that it was much pleasanter to di- 
 vide her fortune with Harry, than to be selfish, and spend it 
 all alone. " I am sure, Harry," added she, " if this money 
 had been yours, you would have said the same thing, and 
 given the half of what you got to me ; so now let us say no 
 more about that, but tell me what would be the best use to 
 make of my sixpence?'
 
 48 THE TROUIGIOUS CAKE. 
 
 "You might buy that fine red morocco purse wc saw in 
 tlie shop window yesterday," observed Harry, looking very 
 serious and anxious, on being consulted. " Do you remem- 
 ber how much we both wished to have it?" 
 
 « But what is the use of a purse, with no money to keep 
 in it !" answered Laura, looking earnestly at Harry for more 
 advice. " Think again of something else." 
 " Would you like a new doll ?" 
 " Yes ; but I have nothing to dress her with !" 
 " Suppose you buy that pretty geranium in a red flower- 
 pot at the gardener's !" 
 
 " If it would only live for a week, I might be tempted to 
 try ; but flowers will always die with me. They seem to 
 wither when I so much as look at them. Do you remember 
 that pretty fuschia that T almost drowned the first day grand- 
 mama gave it me ; and we forgot for a week afterwards to 
 water it at all. I am not a good flower doctor." 
 
 " Then buy a gold watch at once," said Harry, laughing ; 
 i' or a fine pony, with a saddle, to ride on." 
 
 "Now, Harry, pray be quite in earnest. You know I 
 might as well attempt to buy the moon as a gold watch ; so 
 think of something else." 
 
 " It is very diilicult to make a good use of moncyj" said 
 Harry, pretending to look exceedingly wise. "Do you 
 know, Laura, I once found out that you could have twelve 
 of lliose large ship biscuits we saw at the baker's shop for 
 sixpence. Only think ! you could feed the whole town, and 
 make a present to everybody in the house besi(l(>s ! I dare 
 .say Mrs. Crabtree might like one with her tea. All tlie 
 maids would think them a treat. You could present one to 
 Frank, another to old Andrew, and there would still be some 
 left for these poor children at the cottage." 
 
 " Oh! that is the very tljing!" cried Laura, running out 
 of the room to send Andrew ofl" with a basket, and looking 
 as happy as possible. Not long afterwards, Frank, who
 
 THE PRODIGIOUS CAKE. 49 
 
 had returned from school, was standing at the nursery win- 
 dow, when he suddenly called out in a voice of surprise and 
 amazement, 
 
 " Come here, Harry ! look at old Andrew ! he is carrying 
 something tied up in a towel, as large as his own head ! 
 what can it be ?" 
 
 " That is all for me ! these are my biscuits !" said Laura, 
 running off to receive the parcel, and though she heard 
 Frank laughing, while Harry told all about them, she did not 
 care, but brought her whole collection triumphantly into the 
 nursery. 
 
 "Oh fancy! how perfect!" cried Harry, opening the 
 bundle; "this is very good fun !" 
 
 " Here are provisions for a siege !" added Frank. " You 
 have at least got enough for your money, Laura !" 
 
 " Take one yourself, Frank !" said she, reaching him 
 the largest, and then, with the rest all tied in her apron, 
 Laura proceeded up and down stairs, making presents to 
 every person she met, till her whole store was finished ; and 
 she felt quite satisfied and happy because everybody seemed 
 pleased and returned many thanks, except Mrs. Crabtree, 
 M'ho said she had no teeth to eat such hard things, which 
 were only fit for sailors going to America or the West 
 Indies. 
 
 " 1 ou should have bought me a pound of sugar, Miss 
 Laura, and that might have been a present worth giving." 
 
 " You are too sweet already, Mrs. Crabtree !" said Frank, 
 laughing. " I shall send you a sugar-cane from the West 
 Indies, to beat Harry and Laura with, and a whole barrel of 
 sugar for yourself, from my own estate." 
 
 " None of your nonsense. Master Frank ! Get out of the 
 nursery this moment ! You with an estate indeed ! You will 
 not have a place to put your foot upon soon except the top- 
 mast in a man-of-war, where all the bad boys in a ship are 
 sent." 
 
 E
 
 60 THE PRODIGIOUS CAKE. 
 
 " Perhaps, as you are not to be the captain, I may escape, 
 aud be diniiifr witli tlic officers somctiines ! I mean to send 
 you home a line new India shawl, Mrs. Crabtrce, the very 
 moment I arrive at Madras, and some china tea-cups from 
 Canton." 
 
 "Fiddlesticks and nonsense!" said Mrs. Crabtree, who 
 sometimes enjoyed a little jesting with Frank. '" Keep all 
 tliem rattle-traps till you are a rich nabob, and come home 
 to look for Mrs. Frank, — a fine wife she will be ! Ladies 
 that jret fortunes from India are covered all over with gold 
 chains, and gold muslins, and scarlet shawls. She will eat 
 noticing but curry and rice, and never put her foot to the 
 ground except to step into her carriage." 
 
 " I hope you are not a gipsey, to tell fortunes !" cried 
 Harry, laughing ; " Frank would die rather than take such 
 a wile." 
 
 " Or, at least, I would rather have a tooth drawn than do 
 it," added Frank, smiling. " Perhaps I may prefer to marry 
 one of tliose old wives on tlie chimney-tops ; hut it is too 
 serious to say I would rather die, because nobody knows 
 how awful it is to die, till tlie appointed day comes." 
 
 " Very true and proper, Master Frank," replied Mrs. 
 Crabtree; "you speak like a printed book sometimes, and 
 you deserve a good wife." 
 
 " Then I shall return home some day with chests of gold, 
 and let you choose one for me, as quiet and good-natured as 
 yourself, Mrs. Crabtree," said Frank, taking up his books 
 and hastening ofi* to school, running all the way, as he was 
 rather late, and Mr. Lexicon, the n)aster, had promised a 
 ^rand prize for the boy who came most punctually to his 
 lessons, which everybody declared that Frank was sure to 
 gain, as he had never once been absent at the right mo- 
 meiiL" 
 
 Major Graham often tried to teaze Frank, by calling him 
 "the Professor,"- -asking liirn questions which it was im-
 
 THE PRODIGIOUS CAKE. 51 
 
 possible to answer, and then pretending to be quite shocked 
 at his ignorance ; but no one ever saw the young scholar 
 put out of temper by those tricks and trials, for he always 
 laughed more heartily than any one else, at the joke. 
 
 "Now show me, Frank," said uncle David, one morning, 
 *' how do you advance three steps backwards V 
 
 "That is quite impossible, unless you turn me into a 
 crab." 
 
 " Tell me, then, which is the principal town in CafFraria ?" 
 " Is there any town there ? I do not recollect it." 
 " Then so much the worse ! — how are you ever to get 
 through life without knowing the chief town in CafFraria ! 
 I am quite ashamed of your ignorance. Now let us try a 
 little arithmetic ! Open the door of your understanding and 
 tell me, when wheat is six shillings a bushel, what is the 
 price of a penny loaf. Take your slate and calculate that." 
 " Yes, uncle David, if you will find out, when gooseber- 
 ries are two shillings the pint, what is the price of a three- 
 penny tart. You remind me of my old nursery song — 
 
 ' The man in the wilderness asked me, 
 How many strawberries grew in the sea ; 
 I answered him, as I thought it good, 
 As many red herrings as grew in the wood.' " 
 
 Some days after Laura had distributed the biscuits, she 
 became very sorry for having squandered her shilling, with- 
 out attending to Lady Harriet's good advice, about keeping 
 it carefully in her pocket for at least a week, to see what 
 would happen. A very pleasant way of using money now 
 fell in her way, but she had been a foolish spendthrift, so 
 her pockets were empty, when she most wished them to be 
 full. Harry came that morning after breakfast into the nur- 
 sery, looking in a great bustle, and whispering to Laura, 
 *' What a pity your sixpence is gone ! but as Mrs. Crabtree 
 gays, ' we cannot both eat our cake and have it !' "
 
 52 THE ruoniGioua cake. 
 
 " Xo !" answered Laura, .is seriously as if she had never 
 thought of this before, '' but why do you so particularly wish 
 my money back to-day ?" 
 
 "• Because such a very nice, funny thing is to be done 
 this morning. You and I are asked to join the party, but 
 I am afraid we cannot afford it! All our little cousins and 
 companions intend going with Mr. Harwood, the tutor, at 
 twelve o'clock, to climb up to the very top of Arthur's Seat, 
 where they are to dine and have a dance. There will be 
 about twenty boys and girls of the party, but everybody is to 
 carry a basket filled with provisions for dinner, either 
 cakes, or fruit, or biscuits, which are to be eat on the great 
 rock at the top of the hill. Now grandmama says we 
 ought to have had money enough to supply what is necessa- 
 ry, and then we might have gone, but no one can be ad- 
 mitted who has not at least sixpence to buy something." 
 
 '• Oh ! how provoking !" said Laura, sadly, " 1 wonder 
 when we shall learn always to follow grandmama's advice, 
 for that is sure to turn out best in the end. I never take 
 my own way without being sorry for it afterwards, so I de- 
 serve now to be disappointed and remain at home ; but, 
 Harry, your sixpence is still safe, so pray join this delight- 
 ful party, and tell me all about it afterwards." 
 
 " If it could take us both, I sho\dd be very hapi)y, but I 
 will not go without you, I^aura, after you were so good to 
 me, and gave me this in a present. No, no ! I only wish 
 we could do like the poor madman grandmama mentioned, 
 who planted si.\j>ences in the ground that they might grow 
 into shillings." 
 
 " Pray ! what are you two looking so solemn about ?" asked 
 Frank, hiirrjing inti) the room, at that mr)ment, on his way 
 to school. " Are you talking of some mischief that has 
 been done already, or only about some mischief you are 
 intending to do soon ?" 
 
 " Neither the one nor the other," answered liaura.
 
 THE PRODIGIOUS CAKE. 53 
 
 " But, oh ! Frank, I am sure you will be sorry for us, when 
 we tell you of our sad disappointment!" 
 
 She then related the whole story of the party to Arthur's 
 Seat, mentioning that Mr. Harwood had kindly offered to 
 take charge of Harry and herself, but as her little fortune 
 had been so foolishly squandered, she could not go, and 
 Harry said it would be impossible to enjoy the fun without 
 her, though Lady Harriet had given them both leave to be 
 of the party. 
 
 All the time that Laura spoke, Frank stood, with his 
 hands in his pockets, where he seemed evidently searching 
 for something, and when the whole history was told, he 
 said to Harry, " Let me see this poor little sixpence of 
 yours ! I am a very clever conjuror, and could perhaps 
 turn it into a shilling !" 
 
 " Nonsense, Frank !" said Laura, laughing ; " you 
 might as well turn Harry into uncle David !" 
 
 " Well ! we shall see !" answered Frank, taking up the 
 sixpence. " I have put the money into this box ! — rattle it 
 well ! — once ! twice ! thrice ! — there, peep in ! — now it is a 
 shilling ! I told you so !" 
 
 Frank ran joyously out of the room, being much amused 
 with the joke, for he had put one of his own shillings into 
 the box for Harry and Laura, who were excessively sur- 
 prised at first, and felt really ashamed to take this very kind 
 present from Frank, when he so seldom had money of his 
 own ; but they knew how generous he was, for he often re- 
 peated that excellent maxim, " It is more blessed to give 
 than to receive." 
 
 After a few minutes, they remembered that nothing 
 could prevent them now from going with Mr. Harwood to 
 Arthur's Seat, which put Laura into such a state of ecstacy, 
 that she danced round the room for joy, while Harry jump- 
 ed upon the tables and chairs, tumbled head over heels, and 
 called Betty to come immediately that they might get ready. 
 
 e2
 
 54 THE I'RODIGiaUS CAKE. 
 
 When Mr.s. Crabtrcc heard surh an uproar, she hastened 
 also into the room, asking what had happened to cause this 
 riot, and she became very angry indeed, to hear that Harry 
 and Laura had both got leave to join in this grand expedi- 
 tion. 
 
 " You will be spoiling all your clothes, and getting your- 
 selves into a heat ! I wonder her ladyship allows this ! 
 IIow much better you would be taking a quiet walk w ith nie 
 in the gardens ! I shall really speak to J^ady Harriet about 
 it ! The air must be very cold on the top of them great 
 mountains ! I am sure you will both have colds for a 
 month after this Tom-foolery," 
 
 " Oh no, Mr.s. Crabtreo! I promise not to catch cold !" 
 cried Harry, eagerly ; " and, besides, you can scarcely pre- 
 vent our going now, for grandmama has set out on her 
 long airing in the carriage, so there is nobody for you to 
 ask about keeping us at home, except uncle David!" 
 
 Mrs. Crabtree knew from experience, that Major Gra- 
 ham was a hopeless case, as he always took part with the 
 children, and liked nothing so much for old and young as 
 " a ploy ;" so she grumbled on to herself, while her eyea 
 looked as sharp as a pair of scissors with rage. " You will 
 come back, turned into scare-crows, with all your nice 
 clean clothes in tatters," said she, angrily; ''but if there is 
 so much as a speck upon this best new jacket and trowsers, 
 I shall know the reason why." * 
 
 " What a comfort it woidd be, if there were no such 
 things in the world as ' new clothes,' for I am always so 
 murh hap])ier in the old ones," said Harry. *' People at 
 the shops should sell clothes that will never cither dirty or 
 tear !" 
 
 " You ought to be dressed in fur, like Robinson Crusoe, 
 or sent out naked, like the little savages," said Mrs. Crab- 
 trcc, " or painted black and blue like thcnj wild old Britons 
 that lived here long ago !"
 
 THE PUODIGIOUS CAKE. 55 
 
 " I am black and blue sometimes, without being paint- 
 ed," said Harry, escaping to the door. " Good-bye, Mrs. 
 Crabtree ! I hope you will not die of weariness without 
 us ! On our return we shall tell you all our delightful ad- 
 ventures." 
 
 About half an hour afterwards, Harry and Laura were 
 seen hurrying out of the pastry-cook, Mrs. Weddell's shop, 
 bearing little covered baskets in their hands, but nobody 
 could guess what was in them. They whispered and 
 laughed together with very merry faces, looking the very 
 pictures of happiness, and running along as fast as they 
 could to join the noisy party of their cousins and compa- 
 nions, almost fearing that Mr. Harwood might have set oft' 
 without them. Frank often called him " Mr. Punctuality," 
 as he was so very particular about his scholars being in 
 good time on all occasions ; and certainly Mr. Harwood 
 carried his watch more in his hand than in his pocket, 
 being in the habit of constantly looking to see that nobody 
 arrived too late. Mail-coaches or steamboats could hardly 
 keep the time better, when an hour had once been named, 
 - and the last words that Harry heard when he was invited 
 were, " Remember ! sharp twelve." 
 
 The great clock of St. Andrew's Church was busy striking 
 that hour, and every little clock in the town was saying the 
 same thing, when Mr. Harwood himself, with his watch in 
 his hand, opened the door, and walked out, followed by a 
 dozen of merry-faced boys and girls, all speaking at once, 
 and vociferating louder than the clocks, as if they thought 
 everybody had grown deaf. 
 
 « I shall reach the top of Arthur's Seat first," said Peter 
 Grey. " All of you follow me, for I know the shortest way. 
 [t is only a hop, step, and a jump !" 
 
 " Rather a long step !" cried Robert Fordyce. " But I 
 could lead you a much better way, though I shall show it to 
 nobody but myself."
 
 66 THE rUODIGIOUS CAKE. 
 
 " We must certainly drink water at St. Antliony's Well," 
 observed Laura ; " because whatever any one wishes for 
 when he tastes it, is sure to happen immediately." 
 
 " Then I shall wish that some person may give me a new 
 doll," said Mary Forrester. " My old one is only fit tor 
 being lady's maid to a fine new doll." 
 
 " I am in ninety-nine minds what to wish for," exclaim- 
 ed IlaiTy ; " we must take care not to be like the foolish 
 old woman in the fairytale, who got only a yard of black 
 pudding." 
 
 " I shall ask for a piebald pony, with a whip, a saddle, and 
 a bridle !" cried Peter Grey ; " and for a week's holidays, — 
 and a new watch, — and a spade, — and a box of French plums, 
 — and to be first at the top of Arthur's Scat, — and — and — " 
 
 " Stop, Peter ! — stop ! you can only have one wish at St. 
 Anthony's Well," interrupted Mr. Ilarwood. <' If you ask 
 more, you lose all." 
 
 " That is very hard, tV)r I want everj'thing," replied Peter. 
 " WTiat are you wishing lor, Sir?" 
 
 "What shall I ask for?" said Ilr. IIarw()o<l, reflecting 
 to himself. "I have not a want in the world ?" 
 
 " O yes, Sir ! you must wish for something !" cried the 
 whole party, eagerly. " Do invent something to ask, Mr. 
 Ilarwood !" 
 
 "' Then I wish you may all behave well till wc reach tlie 
 top of Arthur's Seat, and all come safely down again." 
 
 " You may be sure of that already !" said Peter, laughing. 
 "I set such a very good example to all my comjianions, 
 that they never behave ill when I am present, — no ! not 
 even by accident! When Dr. AI;;rbra examined our class 
 to-day, he asked Mr. Lexicon, 'What has become of the 
 best boy in your school this morning?' and the answer 
 was, ' Of course your mean Peter Grey ! he is gone to the 
 top of Arthur's Seat with that excellent man, Mr. Ilar- 
 wood!'"
 
 THE PRODIGIOUS CAKE. 67 
 
 " Indeed ! — and pray, Master Peter, what bird whispered 
 this story into your ear, seeing it has all happened since we 
 left home ! — but people who are praised by nobody else^ of- 
 ten take to praising themselves !" 
 
 " Who knows better ! — and here is Harry Graham, the 
 very ditto of myself, — so steady he might be fit to drill a 
 whole regiment. We shall lead the party quite safely up the 
 hill, and down again, without any ladders." 
 
 "And without wings," added Harry, laughing ; "but what 
 are we to draw water out of t\ie well with ?— here are neither 
 buckets, nor tumblers, nor glasses i" 
 
 " I could lend you my thimble !" said Laura, searching 
 her pocket. " That will hold enough of water for one wish, 
 and every person may have the loan of it in turn." 
 
 " This is the very first time your thimble has been of use 
 to anybody !" said Harry, slyly ; " but I dare say it is not 
 worn into holes with too much sewing, therefore it will mak© 
 a famous little magical cup for St. Anthony's Well. You 
 know the fairies who dance here by moonlight, lay their ta- 
 ble-cloth upon a mushroom, and sit round it, to be merry, 
 but I never heard what they use for a drinking cup." 
 
 Harry now proceeded briskly along to the well, singing 
 as he went, a song which had been taught him by undo 
 David, beginning, 
 
 I wish I were a brewer's horse, 
 Five quarters of a year, 
 I'd place my head where was my tai!, 
 And drink up all the beer. 
 
 Before long the whole party seated themselves in a circle 
 on the grass round St. Anthony's Well, while any stranger 
 who had chanced to pass might have supposed, from the 
 noise and merriment, that the Saint had filled his Avell with 
 champaigne and punch for the occasion, as everybody seem- 
 ed perfectly tipsy with happiness. Mr. Harwood laughed pro-
 
 68 THE PRODIGIOUS CAKE. 
 
 digiously at some of the jokes, and made a few of his own, 
 which were none of tlie best, though they caused the most 
 laughter, for the hoys thought it very sur[)rising that so grave 
 and great a man should make a joke at all. 
 
 "When Mary Forrester drank her thimbleful of water, and 
 wi^ihed for a new doll, Peter and Harry privately cut out a 
 face upon a red-cheeked apple, making the eyes, nose, and 
 mouth, after which, ihcy hastily dressed it up in pocket hand- 
 kerchiofs, and gave her this present from the fairies, which 
 looked so very like what she had asked for, that the laugh 
 which followed was loud and long. Afterwards Peter swal- 
 lowed his draught, calling loudly for a piebald pony, when 
 IlaiTy in his white trowsers, and dark jacket, went upon all- 
 fours, and let Peter mount on his back. It was very diffi- 
 cult, however, to get Peter off again, for he enjoyed the fun 
 excessively, and stuck to his scat like Sinbad's old man of 
 the sea, till at hist Harry rolled round on his back, tumbling 
 Peter head over heels into St. Anthony's Well, upon seeing 
 which, Mr. Harwood rose, saying, he had certainly lost his 
 own wish, as they had behaved ill, and met with an accident 
 already. Harry laughingly proposed that Peter should bo 
 carefully hung upon a tree to dry, till they all came down 
 again ; but the mischievous boy ran off so fast, he was al- 
 most out of sight in a moment, saying. <' Now for the top 
 of Arthur's Seat, and 1 shall grow dry with the fatigue of 
 climbing." 
 
 The boys and girls immediately scattered themselves all 
 over the hill, getting on the best way they could, and trying 
 who could scramble up fastest, but the grass was quite short, 
 and as slip|»ery as ice, therefore it became every moment 
 more dililcult to stand, and still more difficult to climb. The 
 whole party began sliding whether they liked it or not, and 
 staggered and tried to grasp the turf, but there was nothing 
 to hold, while occasionally a shower of .stones and gravel 
 came down from Peter, who pretended they fell by accident.
 
 THE PRODIGIOUS CAKE. 69 
 
 " Oh, Harry !" cried Laura, panting for breath, while she 
 looked both frightened and fatigued, " If this were not a par- 
 ty of pleasure, I think we are sometimes quite as happy in 
 our own gardens ! People must be very miserable at home, 
 before they come here to be amused I I wish we were cats, 
 or goats, or any thing that can stand upon a hill without feel- 
 ing giddy." 
 
 " I think this is very good fun !" answered Harry, " gasp- 
 ing and trying not to tumble for the twentieth time ; « you 
 would like perhaps to be back in the nursery with Mrs. 
 Crabtree." 
 
 " No ! no ! I am not quite so bad as that ! But Harry ! 
 do you ever really expect to reach the top ? for I never shall ; 
 so T mean to sit down quietly here, and wait till you all 
 return." 
 
 " I have a better plan than that, Laura ! you shall sit upon 
 tlie highest point of Arthur's Seat as well as anybody, before 
 either of us is an hour older ! Let me go first, because I get 
 on famously, and you must never look behind, but keep 
 tight hold of my jacket, so then every step I advance will 
 pull you up also." 
 
 Laura was delighted with this plan, which succeeded per- 
 fectly well, but they ascended rather slowly, as it was exceed- 
 ingly fatiguing to Harry, who look quite happy all the time 
 to be of use, for he always felt glad when he could do any 
 thing for anybody, more particularly for either Laura or 
 Frank. Now, the whole party was at last safely assembled 
 on the very highest point of Arthur's Seat, so the boys threw 
 their caps up in the air, and gave three tremendous cheers, 
 which frightened the very crows over their heads, and sent 
 a flock of sheep scampering down the mountain side. Af- 
 ter that, they planted Mr. Harwood's walking-stick in the 
 ground, for a staff, while Harry tore off the blue silk hand- 
 kerchief which Mrs. Crabtree had tied about his neck, and 
 without caring whether he caught cold or not, he fastened it
 
 60 THE PnODIGlOUS CAKE. 
 
 on the pole for a flag, being quite delighted to see how it 
 waved in the wind most tiinniphantly, looking very like what 
 sailors put up when they take possession of a desert island. 
 
 *' Now, for business !" said Mr. JIarwood, sitting down 
 on the rock, and uncovering a prodigious cake, nearly as 
 large as a cheese, which he had taken the trouble to carry, 
 with great dilliculty, up the hill. " I suppose nobody is 
 hungry after our long walk ! Let us sec what all the baskets 
 contain !" 
 
 Not a moment was lost in seating themselves on the 
 grass, while the stores were displayed, amidst shouts of laugh- 
 ter and applause which generally followed whatever came 
 forth. Sandwiches, or, as Peter Grey called them, "sava- 
 ges;" gingerbread, cakes, and fruit, all appeared in turn. 
 Robert Fordyce brought a dozen of hard-boiled eggs, all 
 dyed ditTerent colours, blue, green, pink, and yellow, but 
 not one was white. Edmund Ashford produced a collection 
 of very sour-looking apples, and Charles Forrester showed 
 a number of little gooseberry tarts, but when it became time 
 for Peter's basket to be opened, it contained nothing except 
 a knife and fork to cut up whatever his companions would 
 give him ! 
 
 " Peter ! Pet(;r ! you shabby fellow !" said Charles For- 
 rester, reaching him one of his tarts, " you should be put 
 in tlie tread-mill as a sturdy beggar !'' 
 
 <' Or thrown down from the top of this precipice," added 
 Harry, giving him a cake. " I wonder you can look any of 
 us in the face, Peter!" 
 
 "Ihavc heard," said I\Ir. llarwood, "that a stone is 
 fihown in Ireland, called 'the stone of Blarney,' and who- 
 ever kisses it, is never afterwards ashamed of any thing he 
 do<,'S. Our friend Peter has probably passed that way late- 
 ly !" 
 
 <' At anv ratn, I am not likely to l)e starved to death 
 amongst you all !'' answered tlie impudent boy, demolishing
 
 THE PRODIGIOUS CAKE. 61 
 
 every thing he could get ; and it is believed that Peter ate, 
 on this memorable occasion, three times more than any 
 other person, as each of the party offered him something, 
 and he never was heard to say, " No !" 
 
 " I could swallow Arthur's Seat if it were turned into a 
 plum-pudding," said he, pocketing buns, apples, eggs, wal- 
 nuts, biscuits, and almonds, till his coat stuck out all 
 round like a balloon. " Has any one any thing more to 
 spare V 
 
 " Did you ever hear," said Mr. Harwood, " that a pigeon 
 eats its own weight of food every day ? Now, I am sure, 
 you and I know one boy in the world, Peter, who could 
 do as much." 
 
 "What is to be done with that prodigious cake you 
 carried up here, Mr. Harwood?" answered Peter, cast- 
 ing a devouring eye upon it ; " the crust seems as 
 hard as a rhinoceros' skin, but I dare say it is very good. 
 One could not be sure though, without tasting it ! I hope 
 you are not going to take the trouble of carrying that heavy 
 load back again?" 
 
 " How very polite you are become all on a sudden, Peter !" 
 said Laura, laughing. " I should be very sorry to attempt 
 carrying that cake to the bottom of the hill, for we would 
 both roll down, the shortest way, together." 
 
 " I am not over-anxious to try it either," observed Charles 
 Forrester, shaking his head. " Even Peter, though his 
 mouth is constantly ajar, would find that cake rather heavy 
 to carry, either as an inside or an outside passenger." 
 
 "I can scarcely lift it at all !" continued Laura, when 
 Mr. Harwood had again tied it up in the towel ; " what can 
 be done ?" 
 
 " Here is the very best plan !" cried Harry, suddenly 
 seizing the prodigious cake ; and before any body could 
 hinder him, he gave it a tremendous push off the steepest 
 part of Arthur's Seat, so tliat it rolled down like a wheel, 
 
 F
 
 62 THE PRODIGIOUS CAKfi* 
 
 over stones and precipices, jumping and hojiping along 
 with wonderful raj)idity, amidst the cheers and laughter of all 
 the children, till at last it reached the bottom of the hill, 
 when a general clapping of hands ensued. 
 
 "Now for a race!" cried Harry, becoming more and 
 more eager. " The first boy or girl who reaches that cake 
 shall have it all to himself!" 
 
 Mr. Ilarwood tried with all his might to stop the commo- 
 tion, and called out that they must go quietly down the bank, 
 for Harry had no right to give away the cake, or to mako 
 them break their legs and arms with racing down such a 
 hill : but he might as well have spoken to an east wind, 
 and asked it not to blow. The whole party dispersed, like 
 a hive of bees that has been upset ; and in a moment they 
 were in full career after the cake. 
 
 Some of the boys tried to roll down, hoping to get on 
 more quickly. Others endeavoured to slide, and several 
 attempted to run, but they all fell ; and many of them might 
 have been tunjblers at Sadler's Wells, they tumbled over 
 and over so cleverly. Peter Grey's hat was blown away, 
 but he did not stop to catch it. Charlie Hume lost his shoe, 
 Robert Fordyce sprained his ancle, and every one of the 
 girls tore her frock. It was a frightful scene ; such devas- 
 tation of bonnets aiul jackets as had never been known be- 
 fore ; while Mr. Harwood looked like the General of a de- 
 feated army, calling till he became hoarse, and rvmniug till 
 he was out of breath, vainly trying thus to stop the confusion, 
 and to bring the stragglers back in better order. 
 
 Meantime, Harry and Peter were far before the rest, 
 though Kdward Ashford was following hard after them in des- 
 perate haste, as if he still ho|)cd to overtake their steps. Sud- 
 denly, however, a loud cry of distress was heard over-head ; 
 ancl when Harry looked up, he saw so very alarming a sight, 
 that he could scarcely believe his eyes, and almost screamed 
 out himself with the fright it gave him, while he seemed to
 
 THE PRODIGIOUS CAKE. 63 
 
 forget in a moment, the race, Peter Grey, and the prodigious 
 cake. 
 
 Laura had been very anxious not to trouble Harry with 
 taking care of her in coming down the bank again ; for she 
 saw that during all this fun about the cake, he perfectly for- 
 got that she was not accustomed every day to such a scram- 
 ble on the hills, and would have required some help. After 
 looking down every side of the descent, and thinking that 
 each appeared steeper than another, while they all made her 
 equally giddy, Laura determined to venture on a part of the 
 hill which seemed rather less precipitous than the rest ; but it 
 completely cheated her, being the most difficult and danger- 
 ous part of Arthur's Seat. The slope became steeper and 
 steeper at every step ; but Laura always tried to hope her 
 path might grow better, till at last she reached a place where 
 it was impossible to stop herself. Down she went, down ! 
 down ! whether she would or not, screaming and sliding on 
 a long slippery bank, till she reached the very edge of a dan- 
 gerous precipice, which appeared higher than the side of 
 a room. Laura then grappled hold of some stones and 
 grass, calling loudly for help, while scarcely able to keep 
 from falling into the deep ravine, which would probably have 
 killed her. Her screams were echoed all over the hill, wheu 
 Harry seeing her frightful situation, clambered up the bank 
 faster than any lamplighter, and immediately flew to Laura's 
 assistance, who was now really hanging over the chasm, 
 quite unable to help herself. At last he reached the place 
 where poor Laura lay, and seized hold of her by the frock ; 
 but for some time it seemed an equal chance whether she 
 dragged him into the hole, or he pulled her away from it. 
 Luckily, however, by a great effort, Harry succeeded in de- 
 livering Laura, whom he placed upon a secure situation, and 
 then, having waited patiently till she recovered from the 
 fright, he led her carefully and kindly down' to the bottom 
 of Arthur's Seat.
 
 64 THE I'RODIGIOUS CAKE. 
 
 Now, all the boys had already got there, and a violent dis- 
 pute was goin<;; ou about which of them lir.^t reached the 
 cake. Peter (ircy had pushed down I'.dward Ashford, who 
 caught hold of Robert Fordyce, and they all three rolled to 
 the bottom together, so that nobody could tell which had won 
 the race ; while Mr. Ilarwood lal)oured in vain to convince 
 them that the cake belonged neither to the one uor the other, 
 being his own porperty. 
 
 They all laughed at Harry fur being distanced, and arriving 
 lai^t; while Mr. Ilarwood watched him coming down, and 
 was pleased to observe how carefully he attended to Laura, 
 thought still, being annoyed at the riot and confusion which 
 Harry had occasioned, he determined to appear exceedingly 
 angry, and put on a very terrible voice, saying, 
 
 " Hollo ! young gentleman ! what shall I do to yon for 
 beginning this uproar ? As the old proverb says, ' one fool 
 makes many.' How dare you roll my fine cal^e down the 
 hill in this way, and send everybody rolling after it ? Look 
 me in the face, and say you are ashamed of yourself !" 
 
 Harry looked at Mr. Harwood— and Mr. Harwood looked 
 at Harry. They both tried to seem very grave and serious, 
 but somehow Harry's eyes glittered very brightly, and two 
 little dimples might be seen in his cheeks. Mr. Harwood 
 also had his eye-brows gathered into a terrible frown, but 
 still his eyes were likewise sparkling, and his mouth seemed 
 to be pursed u\> in a most comical manner. After staring 
 at each other for several minutes, both Mr. Harwood and 
 Harry burst into a prodigious tit of laughing, and nobody 
 could tell which began tirst or laughed longest. 
 
 "Master (irahani! you must st-nd a new frock to every 
 little girl of the i>arty, and a suit of clothes to each of the 
 boys, for having caused theirs to be all destroyed. I really 
 meant to punish you severely for beginning such a riut, but 
 'something ha.^ made me change my mind. In almost every 
 moment of our lives, we either act amiably or unamiably,
 
 THE PRODIGIOUS CAKE. 65 
 
 and I observed you treat Miss Laura so kindly and properly 
 all this morning, that I shall say not another word about 
 
 " THE PRODIGIOUS CAKE. " 
 
 \ 
 
 f 2
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 TEIE LAST CLEAN FROCK. . 
 
 " For," said she, in spite of what graiulmania tauj;ht her, 
 " I'm really remarkably fond of the water." 
 
 ♦ ••••• 
 
 She splashed, and she dashed, and she Hirne<l herself round, 
 And lu-artily wished herself safe on tiie ground. 
 
 Once upon a time Harry and Laura had got into so many 
 scrapes, that there seemed really no end to their misconduct. 
 They generally forgot to learn any lessons — often tore their 
 books — drew pictures on their slates, instead of calculating 
 sums — and made the pages of their copy-books into boats ; 
 besides which, Mrs. Crabtree caught them one day, when a 
 party of officers dined at Lady Harriet's, with two of the 
 captain'.s sword-belts buckled round their waist.s, and cocked 
 hats upon their heads, while they beat the crown of a gen- 
 tleman's hat witl) a walking-stick, to sound like a drum. 
 
 Still it seemed impossible to make uncle David feel suf- 
 ficiently angry at them, though Mrs. Crabtree did all she 
 could to put him in a passion, by telling the very worst; 
 but he made fifty excuses a-mimite, as if he had been the 
 naughty person himself, instead of Harry or Laura, and 
 above all he said that they both .seemed so exceedingly pe- 
 liitent when he explained their delinquencies, and they were 
 both so ready to tt II upon themselves, and lo take idl the 
 blame of whatever mischief might be done, that he was de-
 
 THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. 67 
 
 termined to shut his eyes and say nothing, unless they did 
 something purposely wrong. 
 
 One night, when Mrs. Crabtree had gone out, Major 
 Graham felt quite surprised on his return home from a late 
 dinner party, to find Laura and Harry still out of bed. 
 They were sitting in his library when he entered, both look- 
 ing so tired and miserable that he could not imagine what 
 had happened ; but Harry lost no time in confessing that 
 he and Laura feared they had done some dreadful mischief, 
 so they could not sleep without asking pardon, and men- 
 tioning whose fault it was, that the maids might not be un- 
 justly blamed. 
 
 " Well, you little imps of mischief! what have I to scold 
 you for now?" asked uncle David, not looking particularly 
 angry. "Is it something that I shall be obliged to take the 
 trouble of punishing you for 1 We ought to live in the High- 
 lands, where there are whole forests of birch ready for use ? 
 Why are your ears like a bell-rope, Harry ? because they 
 seem made to be pulled. Now, go on with your story. 
 What is the matter 1" 
 
 "We were playing about the room, uncle David, and 
 liaura lost her ball, so she crept under that big table which 
 has only one large leg. There is a brass button below, so 
 we were trying if it would come off, when all on a sudden, 
 the table fell quite to one side, as you see it now, tumbling 
 down those prodigious books and tin boxes on the floor I 
 I cannot think how this fine new table could be so easily 
 broken ; but whenever we even look at anything, it seems 
 to break!" 
 
 " Yes, Harry ! You remind me of Meddlesome Matty iu 
 the nursery rhymes, 
 
 " Sometimes she'd lift the teapot lid 
 To peep at what was in it, 
 Or tilt the kettle, if you did 
 But turn your back a minute.
 
 6S THE LAST CI-EAN FROCK. 
 
 In vain you told her not to touch, 
 Her trick of meddling grew so much." 
 
 \ou have pcarcely left iny poor table a leg to stand upon ! 
 How am I ever to get it meuded T' 
 
 " Perhaps the carpenter could do it to-morrow I" 
 
 " Or, perhaps uncle David could do it this moment," said 
 Major Graham, raising the fallen side with a sudden jerk, 
 when Harry and Laura heard a sound under the table like 
 the locking of a door, after which the whole alliiir was rec- 
 tified. 
 
 " Did I ever — !" exclaimed Harry, staring with astonish- 
 ment, "so we have sufl'ered all our fright for nothing, and 
 the table was not really broken ! I shall always run to you, 
 uncle David, when we arc in a scrape, for you are sure to 
 get us off." 
 
 " Do not reckon too certainly on that, Master Harry ; it 
 is easier to get into one than to get out of it, any day ; but 
 I am iiot so seriously angry at the sort of scrapes Laura and 
 you get into, because you would not willingly and delibe- 
 rately do wrong. If any children commit a mean action, or 
 get into a passion, or quarrtl with each other, or omit say- 
 ing their prayers and reading their liibles, or tell a lie, or 
 take what does not belong to them, then it might be seen 
 how extremely angry I could be ; but while you continue 
 merely thoughtless and forgctiul, I mean to have patience a 
 little longer before turning into a cross old uncle with a pair 
 of tawse." 
 
 Harry spnmg upon imcle David's knee, quite delighted 
 to hear him speak so very kindly, and Laura was soon in- 
 stalled in her usual place there also, listening to all that was 
 said, and laughing at his jokes. 
 
 " As Mrs. Crabtrce says," continued Major Graham, 
 " ' we cannot put an old head on young shoulders ;' and it 
 would certainly look very odd if you could."
 
 THE LAST CLEAN FUOCK. 69 
 
 So uncle David took out his pencil, and drew a funny pic- 
 ture of a cross old wrinkled face upon young shoulders, like 
 Laura's, and after they had all laughed at it together for about 
 five minutes, he sent the children both to bed, quite merry 
 and cheerful. 
 
 A long time elapsed afterwards without anything going 
 wrong ; and it was quite pleasant to see such learning of 
 lessons, such attention to rules, and such obedience to Mrs. 
 Crabtree, as went on in the nursery during several weeks. 
 At last, one day, when Lady Harriet and Major Graham 
 were preparing to set off on a journey, and to pay a short 
 visit at Holiday House, Laura and Harry observed a great 
 deal of whispering and talking in a corner of the room, but 
 they could not exactly discover what it was all about, till 
 Major Graham said very earnestly, " I think we might sure- 
 ly take Laura with us." 
 
 " Yes," answered Lady Harriet, " both the children have 
 been invited, and are behaving wonderfully well of late, but 
 Lord Rockville has such a dislike to noise, that I dare not 
 venture to take more than one at a time. Poor Laura has 
 a very severe cough, so she may be recovered by change of 
 air. As for Harry, he is quite well, and therefore he can 
 stay at home." 
 
 Now, Harry thought it very hard that he Avas to be left at 
 home, merely because he felt quite well, so he immediately 
 wished to be very ill indeed, that he might have some chance 
 of going to Holiday House ; but then he did not exactly 
 know how to set about it. At all events, Harry determined 
 to catch a cold like Laura's, without delay. He would not, 
 for the whole world have pretended to suffer from a cough 
 if he really had none, because uncle David had often ex- 
 plained that making any one believe an un-truth was the 
 same as telling a lie ; but he thought there might be no 
 harm in really getting such a terrible cold, that nothing 
 could possibly cure it except change of air, and a trip to
 
 70 THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. 
 
 Holiday House with Laura. Accordiuirly Harry tried to 
 reiacnibcr every thing that Mrs. Crahtroe had lorbid hint to 
 do '"• Cor tear of catching; cold." He sprinkled water over 
 his rihirt collar in the morning before dressing, that it might 
 be damp; he ran violently up and down stairs to put him- 
 self in a heat, aft^er which he sat between the open window 
 and door till he felt jx;rfectly chilled ; and when going to bed 
 at night, he washed his hair in cold water without drying it. 
 Still, all was in vain ! Harry had formerly caught cold a 
 hundred times when he did not want one; but now, such a 
 thing was not to be had for love or money. Nothing seem- 
 ed to give him the very slightest attempt at a cough ; and 
 when the day at last arrived for Lady Harriet to begin her 
 journey, Harry still felt himself most provokingly welL 
 Not so much a.s a finger ached, his cheeks were eus blooming 
 as roses, his voice as clear as a bell, and when uncle David 
 accidentally said to him in the morning, " How do you 
 do?" Harry was obliged, very much against his will, to 
 answer, " Quite well, I thank you !" 
 
 in the meantime, Laura would have felt too happy if 
 Harry could only have gone with her ; and even as it was, 
 being impatient for the happy day to arrive, she hurried to 
 bed an hour earlier than usual the night before, to make the 
 time ofsettinij out appear nearer; and she could scarcely 
 sleep or eat for thinking of Holiday House, and planning 
 all that was to be done there. 
 
 "It is pleasant to see so joyous a face," said Major 
 Graham. " I almost envy you, Laura, for being so hajv 
 py." 
 
 " Oh 1 I quite envy myself! but I shall write a long let- 
 ter every day to |)oor Harry, telling him all the news, and 
 all my adventures." 
 
 "Nonsense! Miss Laura! wait till you romc home," 
 said Mrs. Crabtree. " \N ho do you think is going to pay 
 postage for 80 many foolish letters ?"
 
 THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. 71 
 
 <'i shall!" answered Harry. "I have got sixpence, 
 and two pence, and a half penny, so I shall buy every one 
 of Laura's letters from the postman, and write her an an- 
 swer immediately afterwards. She will like to hear, Mrs. 
 C-rabtree, how very kind you are going to be, when I am 
 left by myself here. Perhaps you will play at nine pins 
 with me, and Laura can lend you her skipping rope." 
 
 " You might as well offer uncle David a hobby-horse," 
 said Frank, laughingly, throwing his satchel over his shoul- 
 ders. " No, Harry ! you shall belong to me now. Grand- 
 mama says you may go every day to my play-ground, 
 where all the school-boys assemble, and you can have 
 plenty of fun till Laura comes back. We shall jump over 
 the moon every morning, for joy." 
 
 Harry brightened up amazingly, thinking he had never 
 heard such good news before, as it was a grand piece of 
 promotion to play with reai big school-boys ; so he became 
 quite reconciled to Laura's going away for a short time 
 without him ; and when the hour came for tciking leave, in- 
 stead of tears being shed on either side, it would have been 
 diincult to say, as they kissed each other and said a joyous 
 good-bye, which face looked the most delighted. 
 
 All Laura's clothes had been packed the night before, in 
 a large chaise seat, which was now put into the carriage 
 along with herself, and every thing seemed ready for depar- 
 ture, when Lady Harriet's maid was suddenly taken so 
 very ill, as to be quite unfit for travelling ; therefore she 
 was left behind, and a doctor sent for to attend her ; while 
 liady Harriet said she would trust to the maids at Holiday 
 House, for waiting upon herself and Laura. 
 
 It is seldom that so happy a face is seen in this world, 
 as Laura wore during the whole journey. It perfectly 
 sparkled and glittered with delight, while she was so con- 
 stantly on a broad grin laughing, that Major Graham said
 
 ~2 THE LAST CLEAN KUOCK. 
 
 he feared her mouth would grow an inch wider on the oc- 
 casion. 
 
 " \ ou will tire of sitting so long idle ! It is a pity we did 
 not tliink of bringing a few lesson-books in the carriage to 
 amuse you, Laura," said the Major, slyly. " A piece of 
 needle-work might have beguiled the way. I once knew 
 an industrious lady who made a ball dress for herself in the 
 carriage during a journey." 
 
 ** How very stupid of her to miss seeing all the pretty 
 trees, and cottages, and farm-houses ! I do like to watch 
 the little curly-headed, dirty children, playing on the road, 
 with brown faces, and hair bleached white in the sun ; and 
 the women hanging out their clothes on the hedges to dry ; 
 and the blacksmith shoeing horses, and the ducks swim- 
 ming in the gutters, and the pigs thrusting their noses out 
 of the sty, and the old women knitting stockings, and the 
 workmen sitting on a wall to eat their dinners! It looks 
 all so pretty, and so pleasant !" 
 
 " What a picture of rural felicity ! You ought to be a 
 poet or a painter, Laura!" 
 
 *' But I believe poets always call this a miserable world ; 
 and I think it the happiest place I have ever been in, uncle 
 David ! Such fun durinc the holidays ! I should go wild 
 altogether, if Mrs. Crabtree were not rather cross some- 
 times." 
 
 <' Or very cross always," thought Major Graham. " But 
 here we are, Laura, near our journey's end. Allow me to 
 introduce you to Holiday House ! ^Vhy, you are staring at 
 it like a dog looking at a piece of cold beef! My dear 
 girl, if you o[ten your eyes so wide, you will never be able 
 lo shut them again !" 
 
 Holiday House was not one of those prodigious places, 
 too grand to be pleasant, with the garden a mile off in one 
 direction, and the farm a mile off in another, and the draw- 
 ing-room a mile ofl from the dining-room ; but it was a
 
 THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. 73 
 
 very cheerful modern mansion, with rooms enough to hold 
 as many people as any one could desire to see at once, all 
 very comfortably furnished. A lively, dashing river, 
 streamed past the windows ; a small park, sprinkled with 
 sheep, and shaded by fine trees, surrounded the house ; and 
 beyond were beautiful gardens filled with a superabundance 
 of the gayest and sweetest common flowers. Roses, 
 carnations, wall flowers, holly-hocks, dahlias, lilies, and 
 violets, were assembled there in such crowds, that Laura 
 might have plucked nosegays all day, \vithout making any 
 visible difference ; and she was also made free of the goose- 
 berry bushes and cherry-trees, with leave to gather, if she 
 pleased, more than she could eat. 
 
 Every morning, Laura entered the breakfast-room with 
 cheeks like the roses she carried, bringing little bouquets for 
 all the ladies, which she had started out of bed early, in order 
 to gather; and her great delight was to see them worn and 
 admired all the forenoon, while she was complimented on 
 the taste with which they had been selected and arranged. 
 She filled every ornamental jar, basin, and tea-cup in the 
 drawing-room, with groups of roses, and would have been 
 the terror of any gardener but the one at Holiday House, 
 who liked to see his flowers so much admired, and was not 
 keeping up any for a horticultural show. 
 
 Laura's chief delight, however, was in the dairy, which 
 seemed the most beautiful thing she had ever beheld, being 
 built of rough transparent spar, which looked exactly like 
 crystal, and reminded her of the ice palace built by the Em- 
 press of Russia. The windows were of painted glass ; the 
 walls and shelves where of Dutch tiles, and in the centre 
 rose a beautiful jet d'eau of clear bright water. 
 
 Laura thought it looked like something built for the fair- 
 ies ; but within see saw a most substantial room, the floor 
 and tables in which were so completely covered with cheeses, 
 that they looked like some old Mosaic pavement. Here the 
 
 G
 
 74 THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. 
 
 good-natured dairy-maid showed Laura how to make cheese, 
 and afterwards manulactured a very small one about the 
 size of a soup plate, entirely for the young lady herself, 
 which she promised to take home after her visit was over ; 
 and a little churn was also filled full or cream, which Laura 
 one morning churned into butter, and breakfasted upon, after 
 having first practised printing it into a variety of shapes. It 
 was altered about twenty times from a swan into a cow, 
 and from a cow into a rose, and from a rose back to a, swan 
 afrain, before she could be persuaded to leave off her amuse- 
 ment. 
 
 Laura continued to become more and more delighted 
 with Holiday House ; and she one day skipped aboUt Lady 
 JIarriet's room, saying, "Oh! I am too happy ! I scarce- 
 ly know what to do with so much happiness. How delight- 
 ful it would be to stay here all my life, and never to go to 
 bed, nor say any more lessons as long as I live !" 
 
 " What a useless, stupid girl you would soon become," 
 observed Lady Harriet. " Do you think, liaura, that les- 
 sons were invented for no other purpose but to torment lit- 
 tle children ?" 
 
 " No, grandmama ; not exactly ! They arc of use also to 
 keep us quiet." 
 
 « Come here, little madam, and listen to me. I shall soon 
 be very old, Laura, and notable to read my Bible, even with 
 spectacles ; for, as the Scriptures told us, in that aflecting des- 
 cription of old ago, which I read to you yesterday, 'the keep- 
 ers of the house shall tremble, and the grinders cea.se because 
 they are few, and those that look out of ihe windows be 
 (Inikened :' what then do you think 1 can do, because the 
 liible now is my best comfort, which I shall nerd more and 
 more every day, to tell me all about the eternal world where 
 I am going, and to shew me the way." 
 
 " (irandtiiama ! you promised long ago to let mc attend 
 on you when you grow old and blind ! I shall be very care-
 
 THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. 75 
 
 ful, and very — very — very kind. I almost wish you were 
 old and blind now, to let you feel how much I love you, and 
 how anxious I am to be as good to you as you have always 
 been to me. We shall read the Bible together every morn- 
 ing, and as often afterwards as you please." 
 
 « Thank you, my dear child ! but you must take the trou- 
 ble of learning to read well, or we shall be sadly puzzled with 
 the difficult words. A friend of mine once had nobody 
 that could read to her when she was ill, but the maid, who 
 bargained that she might leave out every word above one 
 syllable long, because they were too hard for her ; and you 
 could hardly help laughing at the nonsense it sometimes 
 rttade; but I hope you will manage better." 
 
 « certainly, grandmama ! I can spell chrononhoton- 
 thologos, and all the other five-cornered words in my 
 « Reading Made Easy,' already." 
 
 "Besides that, my dear Laura ! unless you learn to look 
 over my bills, I may be sadly cheated by servants and shop- 
 keepers. You must positively study to find out how many 
 cherries make five." 
 
 " Ah ! grandmama ! nobody knows better than I do, that 
 two and two make four. I shall soon be quite able to keep 
 your accounts." 
 
 « Very well ! but you have not yet heard half the trouble 
 I mean to give you. I am remarkably fond of music, and 
 shall probably at last be obliged to hire every old fiddler as 
 he passes in the street, by giving him sixpence in order to 
 enjoy some of my favourite tunes." 
 
 " No, grandmama ! you shall hear them all from me. I 
 can play Malbrook, and Auld Robin Grey, already; and 
 Frank says if I practise two hours every day for ten years, 
 I shall become a very tolerable player, fit for you and uncle 
 David to hear, without being disagreeable." 
 
 " Then that will be more than seven thousand hours of 
 musical lessons which you have yet to endure, Laura ! There
 
 76 THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. 
 
 are many more things of still greater importance to learn 
 al.so, if you wish to be any better than a musical snuff-box. 
 For instance, when visitors come to sec me, they are ol\en 
 from France or Italy ; but perhaps you will not mind sitting 
 in the room as if you were deaf and dumb, gazing at those 
 foreigners, while they gaze at you, without understanding a 
 syllable they say, and causing them to feel strange and un- 
 comfortable as long as they remain in the house." 
 
 " No ! I would not for the world seem so unkind and 
 uncivil. Pray, let me learn plenty of languages." 
 
 " Very well ! but if you study no geography, what ridicu- 
 lous blunders you will be falling into! asking the Italians 
 about their native town Madrid, and the Americans if they 
 were born at Petersburgh. You will be fancying that tra- 
 vellers go by steam-boats to Moscow, and travel in a day 
 from Paris, through Stockholm to Naples. How ashamed 
 I should be of such n)istakcs !" 
 
 " And so should I, grandmama, still more than you ; for 
 it would be quite a disgrace." 
 
 " Do you remember, liaura, your uncle David laughing, 
 when he last went to live at Leamingtom, about poor Mrs. 
 Marmalade coming up stairs to say, she did not wish to be 
 troublesome, but should f<«l greatly obliged if he would call 
 at Portsmouth occasionally to see her son Thomas. And 
 when Ca|)tain Armylist's regiment was ordered last winter 
 to the village of Bathgate near this, he told me they were 
 to march in the course of that morning, nil the way to Bag- 
 dad." 
 
 "\es, grandmama! and Mrs. Crabtree said some weeks 
 ago, that if her l>i(>thcr went to Van Dieman's l>an(l, she 
 thought he would of course in passing, take n look at Jcru- 
 tialem ; and Frank was amused lately to hear Peter Grey 
 maintain, thjit Ciullivrr was as great aman asColunjbus, be- 
 cause he discovered Liliput!" 
 
 " Quito like him ! for I heard Peter ask one day lately,
 
 THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. 77 
 
 WAat side Bonaparte was on at the battle of Leipsic ? We 
 must include a little history I think, Laura, in our list of 
 studies, or you will fancy that Lord Nelson fought at the 
 battle of Blenheim, and that Henry VIIL cut off Queen 
 Mary's head." 
 
 " Not quite so bad as that, grandmama ! I seem to have 
 known all about Lord Nelson and Queen Mary, ever since 
 I was a baby in long frocks ! You have shewn me, however, 
 that it would be very foolish not to feel anxious for lessons, 
 especially when they are to make me a fit companion for 
 you at last." 
 
 " Yes, Laura ! and not only for me, but for many whose 
 conversation will entertain and improve you more than any 
 books. The most delightful accomplishment that a young 
 person can cultivate, is that of conversing agreeably ; and 
 it is less attended to in education than any other. You can- 
 not take a harp or piano about with you, but our minds and 
 tongues are always portable, and accompany us wherever we 
 go. If you wish to be loved by others, and to do good to 
 your associates, as well as to entertain them, take every op- 
 portunity of conversing with those who are either amiable or 
 agreeable ; not only attending to their opinions, but also 
 endeavouring to gain the habit of expressing your own 
 thoughts with ease and fluency ; and then rest assured, that 
 if the gift of conversation be rightly exercised, it is the 
 most desirable of all, as no teaching can have greater influ- 
 ence in leading people to think and act aright, than the in- 
 cidental remarks of an enlightened Christian, freely and 
 unaffectedly talking to his intimate friends." 
 
 " Well, grandmama ! the moral of all this is, that I shall 
 become busier than any body ever was before, when we get 
 home ; but in the meantime, I may take a good dose of 
 idleness now at Holiday House, to prepare me for settling 
 to very hard labour afterwards," said Laura, hastily tying 
 
 g2
 
 78 THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. 
 
 on her bonnet. " I wonder if I f^hall ever be as merry and 
 ha|)pv again !" 
 
 Most unfortunately, all the time of Laura's visit at Holiday 
 House, she bad been, as usual, extremely heedless, in tak- 
 ing no care whatever of her clothes ; consequently her blue 
 merino frock had been cruelly torn ; her green silk dress 
 became friiihtfuUy soiled ; four ^\hite frocks were utterly 
 ruined ; her Swiss muslin seemed a perfect object, and her 
 pink gingham was both torn and discoloured. Regularly 
 every evening Lady Harriet told her to take better care, or 
 she would 1)0 a bankrupt in frocks altogether ; but whatever 
 her grandmama said on that subject, the moment she was 
 out of sight, it went out of mind, till another dress had 
 shared the same deplorable fate. 
 
 At last, one morning, a.s soon as Laura got up, I^ady 
 Harriet gravely led her towards a large table on which all the 
 ill-used frocks had been laid out in a row; and a most dis- 
 mal sight they were ! Such a collection of stains and frac- 
 tures was probably never seen before ! A beggar would 
 scarcely have thanked her for her blue merino ; and tho 
 green silk frock looked like the tattered cover of a worn- 
 out umbrella. 
 
 " Laura," said Lady Harriet, " in Swit/erland a lady's 
 wardrobe descend.-^ to nia»iv generations : but uobodv will 
 envy your successor ! One might fancy that a wild beast 
 had torn you to pieces every day ! I wonder what an old 
 clothesman would give for your whole baggage ! It is only 
 fit for being used as rags in a paper manufactory I" 
 
 Poor Laura's face became perfectly pink when she saw 
 the destruction that a very short time had occasioned : and 
 ii\u: looked from one tattered garment to anolher, in mr-lan- 
 cholv silence, thinking how lately they had all been fresh 
 and beautiful ; but now not a vestige of their former splen- 
 dour remained. At last her grandmama broke the awful 
 silence, by saying,
 
 THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. 79 
 
 " My dear girl ! I have warned you very often lately that 
 we are not at home, where your frocks could be washed and 
 mended as soon as they were spoiled ; but without consi- 
 dering this you have, every day, destroyed several, so now 
 the maid finds, on examining your drawers, that there is 
 only one clean frock remaining !" 
 
 Laura looked gravely at the last clean frock, and won- 
 dered much what her grandmama would say next. 
 
 '•' I do not wish to make a prisoner of you at home during 
 this very fine weather, yet in five minutes after leaving the 
 house, you will, of course, become unfit to be seen, which 
 I should very much regret, as a number of fine people 
 are coming to dinner, whom you would like to see. 
 The great General Courteney, and all his Aide-de- 
 Camps, intend to be here on their way from a review, 
 besides many officers and ladies who know your papa very 
 well, and wish to see my little grand-daughter ; but I would 
 not on any account allow you to appear before them, look- 
 ing like a perfect tatterdemalion, as you too often do. 
 They would suppose you had been drawn backwards through 
 a hedge ! Now my plan is, that you shall wear this old 
 pink gingham for romping all morning in the garden, and 
 dress in your last clean frock for dinner ; but remember to 
 keep out of sight till then. Remain within the garden 
 walls, as none of the company will be walking there, but be 
 sure to avoid the terrace and shrubberies till you are made 
 tidy, for I shall be both angry and mortified if your papa's 
 friends see you for the first time looking like rag-fair." 
 
 Laura promised to remember her grandmama's injunc- 
 tions, and to remain invisible all morning ; so off she set 
 to the garden, singing and skipping with joy, as she ran 
 towards her pleasant hiding-place, planning twenty ways in 
 which the day might be delightfully spent alone. Before 
 long she had strung a long necklace of daisies — she had 
 put many bright leaves in a book to dry — she had made a
 
 80 THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. 
 
 large ball of cowslips to toss in the air — she had watered 
 the hyacinths, with a watering-pot, till they were nearly 
 washed away — she had plucked more roses than could pos- 
 sibly be carried, and eat as many gooseberries and cherries 
 as it was convenient to swallow, — but still there were seve- 
 ral hours remaining to be enjoyed, and nothing very parti- 
 cular, that Laura could think of, to do. 
 
 Meantime, the miserable pink frock was torn worse than 
 ever, and seemed to be made of nothing but holes, for 
 every gooseberry-bush in (he garden had got a share of it. 
 Laura wished pink gingham frocks had never been invent- 
 ed, and wondered why nothing stronger could be made ! 
 Having become perfectly tired of the garden, she now 
 wished herself anywhere else in the world, and thought she 
 was no better off, confined in this way within four walls, 
 than a canary bird in a cage. 
 
 " I should like so much to go, if it were only for five 
 minutes, on the terrace !" said she to herself. " How much 
 pleasanter it is than this. Graiidmania did not care where 
 I went, provided nobody saw me ! I may at least talvc a 
 peep to see if any one is there !'' 
 
 Laura now cautiously opened the garden-door, and put her 
 head out, intending only to look for a moment, but the mo- 
 ment grew longer and longer, till it stretched into ten minutes. 
 
 " What crowds of fine people are walking about on the 
 terrace !" thought she. " It looks as gay as a fair ! "Who 
 can that ofliffr be in a red coat, and cocked hat with white 
 feathers. Proijably General Courtency paying attention to 
 Lady Rockville. There is a lady in a blue cloalv and blue 
 flowers ! how very prctly ! Everybody is so exceedingly 
 smart ! and I see some little boys too! Grandmama never 
 told me any children were coming ! I wonder how old 
 they are, and if they will jilay with me in the evening I It 
 would be very amusing to venture a little nearer, and get a 
 better glimpse of them all !"
 
 TUE LAST CLEAN FROCK 81 
 
 If Laura's wishes pointed one way and her duty pointed 
 the other, it was a very sad thing how often she forgot to 
 pause and consider which she ought to follow ; and on this 
 occasion, as usual, she took the naughty side of the ques- 
 tion, and prepared to indulge her curiosity, though very 
 anxious that nothing might happen to displease her grand- 
 mama. She observed at some distance on the terrace, a 
 remarkably large thick holly-bush, near which the great pro- 
 cession of company would probably pass before long, 
 therefore, hoping nobody could possibly see her there, she 
 stole hastily out of the garden, and concealed herself behind 
 it; but when children do wrong, in hopes of not being 
 found out, they generally find themselves mistaken, as 
 Laura soon discovered to her cost. It is very lucky, however, 
 for the culprits, when they are detected, that they may learu 
 never to behave so foolishly again, because the greatest 
 misfortune that can happen to a child is, not to be found 
 out and punished when he does wrong. 
 
 A few minutes after Laura had taken her station behind 
 the hoily-bush, crowds of ladies and officers came strolling 
 along, so very near her hiding-place, that she saw them all 
 distinctly, and felt excessively amused and delighted at 
 first, to be perched like a bird in a tree watching this grand 
 party, while nobody saw her, nor guessed that she was 
 there. Presently, however, Laura became sadly frighten- 
 ed when an officer in a scarlet coat happened to look to- 
 wards the holly-bush, and exclaimed, with some surprise, 
 
 " There is surely something very odd about that plant ! 
 I see large pink spots between the leaves !" 
 
 " Oh no. Captain Digby, you are quite mistaken," an- 
 swered one of the ladies, dressed in a bright yellow bonnet 
 and green pelisse. " I see nothing particular there ! only 
 a common ugly bush of holly ! I wonder you ever thought 
 of noticing it !" 
 
 " But, Miss Perceval ! there certainly is something very
 
 82 THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. 
 
 curious behind ! I would bet five to one there is !" re- 
 plied Captain Digby, stepping up, close to the holly-bush, 
 and peojjing over: "What have we here! a ragged little 
 girl, I do believe ! in a pink frock !" 
 
 Poor Laura was now in a terrible scrape ; she started up 
 immediately fo run away. Probably she never ran so fast 
 in her life before, but Captain Digby was a person who en- 
 joyed a joke, so he called out 
 
 " Tally-ho ! a race for a thousand pounds !" 
 
 Offset the Captain, and away flew Laura. At any other 
 time she would have thought it capital fun, but now she 
 was frightened out of her wits, and tore away at the very 
 top of her speed. The whole party of ladies and gentle- 
 men stood laughing, and applauding, to sec how fast they 
 both cleared the ground, while Laura, seeing the garden 
 gate still wide open, hoped she might be able to dart in, 
 and close it, but alas ! when she arrived within four steps 
 of the threshold, feeling almost certain of escape. Captain 
 Digby seized hold of her pink frock behind. It instantly 
 began tearing, so she had great hopes of leaving the piece 
 in his hand and getting off; but he wa.s too clever for thai, 
 as he gra-spcd hold of her long sash, which was floating far 
 out behind, and led Laura a prisoner before Ihe whole com- 
 pany. 
 
 AVhen Lady Harriet discovered that this was really I^aura 
 advancing, her head hanging down, her hair streaming 
 about her ears, and her face like a full moon, she could 
 scarcely credit her own eyes, and hnld her hands up with 
 a-itonishment, while uncle David shrugged his .shoulders, 
 till they almost met over his head, but not a word wa.s said 
 on either side until they got home, when I^ady Harriet at 
 last broke the awful silence by .saying, 
 
 " My dear girl ! you must, of course, be severely punish- 
 ed for this act of disobedience, and it is not so much on
 
 THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. 83 
 
 account of feeling angry at your misconduct that I mean to 
 correct you, but because I love you, and wish to make you 
 behave better in future. Parents are appointed by God to 
 govern their children as he governs us, not carelessly indulg- 
 ing their faults, but wisely correcting them, for we are told 
 that our Great Father in heaven chastens those whom he 
 loves, and only afflicts us for great and wise purposes. I 
 have suffered many sorrows in the world, but they always 
 made me better in the end, and whatever discipline you meet 
 with from me, or from that Great Being who loves you still 
 more than I do, let it teach you to consider your ways, to 
 repent of your wilfulness, and to pray that you may be en- 
 abled to act more properly in future." 
 
 " Yes, grandmama," replied Laura, with tears in her eyes, 
 " I am quite willing to be punished, for it was very wrong 
 indeed to make you so vexed and ashamed, by disobeying 
 your orders." 
 
 " Then here is a long task which you must study before 
 dinner, as a penalty for trespassing bounds. It is a beauti- 
 ful poem on the death of Sir John Moore, which every 
 schooi-girl can repeat, but being rather long, you will scarce- 
 ly have time to learn it perfectly, before coming down to 
 dessert, therefore, that you may be quite ready, I shall ring 
 now for Lady Rockville's maid, and have you washed and 
 dressed immediately. Remember this is your last clean 
 frock, and be sure not to spoil it." 
 
 When Laura chose to pay attention, she could learn her 
 lessons wonderfully fast, and her eyes seemed nailed to the 
 book for some time after Lady Harriet went away, till at 
 last she could repeat the whole poem perfectly well. It was 
 neither " slowly nor sadly" that Laura " laid down" her book, 
 after practising it all, in a sort of jig time, till she could rat- 
 tle over the poem like a rail-road, and she walked to the 
 window, still murmuring the verses to herself with prodi-
 
 84 TUE LAST CLEAN FROCK. 
 
 gious glcc, and giving liltlc thought to their melancholy 
 subject. 
 
 A variety of plans suggested themselves to her mind for 
 amusing herself within doors, as she had been forbidden to 
 venture out, and she lost no time in executing them. First, 
 she tried on all her grandmama's caps at a looking-glass, 
 none of which were improved by being crushed and tum- 
 bled in such a way. Then she f|U!irrellcd with Lady Rock- 
 villc's beautiful cockatoo, till it bit her fincor violently, and 
 after that, she tcazcd the old cat till it scratched her ; but all 
 these diversions were not sufhciently entertaining, so Laura 
 began to grow rather tired, till at last she went to gaze out 
 at the portico of Holiday House, being perfectly determined, 
 on no account whatever, to go one single step farther. 
 
 Here Laura saw many things which entertained her ex- 
 tremely, for she had scarcely ever seen more of the country 
 than was to be enjoyed with Mrs. Crabtree in Charlotte 
 Square. The punctual crows were all returning home at 
 their usual hour for the evening, and looked like a black 
 shower over her head, while hundreds of them seemed try- 
 ing to make a concert at once; the robins hopped close to 
 her feet, evidoutly accustomed to be fed ; a tame pheasant, 
 as fat as a Loudou al<lerniaii, came up the steps to keep her 
 company ; and the peacock, spreading his tail, and strutting 
 about, looked the very picture of silly pride and vanity. 
 
 Laura admired and enjoyed all this extremely, and crum- 
 bled down nearly a loaf of bread, which she scattered on the 
 ground, in order to be popular amonghcr visitors, who took 
 all they could not from her, and quarrelled amoni; themselves 
 about it, very much as boys and girls would perhaps have 
 done in the same circumstances. 
 
 It happened at this moment, that a large flock of geese 
 crossed the park, on their way towards the river, stalking 
 along in a slow majestic manner, with their heads high in 
 the air. Laura observed them at a distance, and thought
 
 THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. 85 
 
 they were the prettiest creatures in the world, with their pure 
 white feathers and yellow stockings, so she wondered what 
 kind of birds these were, having never seen a goose before, 
 except when roasted for dinner, though, indeed, she was a 
 sad goose herself, as will very soon be told. 
 
 "How I should like to exam iiie those large, white, beau- 
 tiful birds, a little nearer," thought Laura to herself. "I 
 wonder if they could swim or fly ! — oh ! how perfect they 
 would look, floating like water-lilies on the river, and then 
 I might take a bit of bread to throw in, and they would all 
 rush after it !" 
 
 Laura, as usual, did not wait to reflect what her grand- 
 mama might be likely to think ; indeed it is to be feared 
 Laura forgot at the moment that she had a grandmama at 
 all, for her mind was never large enough to hold more than 
 one thing at a time, and now it was entirely filled with the 
 flock of geese. She instantly set off in pursuit of them, 
 and began chasing the whole party across the park, making 
 all sorts of dreadful noises, in hopes they might fly ; but, on 
 the contrary, they held up their hesgds, as if she had been a 
 dancing- master, and marched sloAvly on, cackling loudly to 
 each other, and evidently getting extremely angry. 
 
 Laura was now quite close to her new acquaintances, and 
 even threw a pebble to hurry them forward, when suddenly 
 an old gander stopped, and turned round in a terrible rage. 
 The whole flock of geese then did the same, after which 
 they flew towards Laura, with their bills wide open, hissing 
 furiously, and stretching out their long necks in an angry 
 menacing way, as if they wished to tear her in pieces. 
 
 Poor Laura became frightened out of any wits she ever 
 had, and ran off, with all the geese after her ! Anybody 
 must have laughed into fits, could they have heard what a 
 triumphant cackle the geese set up, and had they seen how 
 fast she flew away. If Laura had borrowed a pair of wings 
 
 H
 
 86 THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. 
 
 from her pursuers, she could scarcely have got more quick- 
 ly on. 
 
 In the hurry of escaping, she always looked hack to see 
 if the enemy followed, and scarcely observed which way she 
 ran herself, till suddenly her foot stumbled over a large stone, 
 and she fell headlong into the river ! — oh, what a scream 
 Laura gave ! it terrified even the old gander himself, and 
 sent the whole flock of geese marching off, nearly as fast 
 as they had come ; but Laura's cries also reached, at a creat 
 distance, the cars of somebody, vfho she would have been 
 very sorry to think had heard them. 
 
 Lady HaiTict, and all her friends at Holiday House, were 
 taking a delightful walk under some fine old fir trees, on the 
 banks of the river, admiring the beautiful scenery, while 
 Miss Perceval was admiring nothing but her own fine pock- 
 et handkerchief, which had cost ten guineas, being worked 
 with her name, trimmed with lace, and perfumed with eau 
 de Cologne; and Captain Digby was admiring his own 
 scarlet uniform, reflected in the bright clear water, and va- 
 rying his employment occasionally by throwing pebbles into 
 the stream, to see how far they wo>dd go. Suddenly, how- 
 ever, he stopped, with a look of surprise and alarm, saying, 
 " What noise can that be ! — a loud scream in the water !" 
 
 " Oh dear, no ! it was only one of those horrid peacocks," 
 answered Miss Perceval, waving her fine pocket handker- 
 chief " They are the most disagreeable, noisy creatures 
 in the world ! If mama ever keeps one, I shall get him a 
 singing-master, or put a muzzle on his mouth !" 
 
 " But surely there is something splashing in the river at 
 a great distance. Do you not see that ! — what can it be ?" 
 
 <' Nothiuff nt all. depend upon it! I could bet the value 
 of my pocket handkerchief, ten guineas, that it is nothing. 
 Officers who live constantly in barracks are so unaccustom- 
 ed to the country, that they seem to expect something won-
 
 THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. 87 
 
 derful shall happen every minute ! That is probably a salmon 
 or a minnow." 
 
 "I am determined, however, to see. If you are quite 
 sure this is a salmon, will you promise to eat for your din- 
 ner whatever we find, provided I can catch it?" 
 
 *' Certainly ! unless you catch a whale ! Oh ! I have 
 dropped my pocket handkerchief, — pray pick it up !" 
 
 Captain Digby did so ; but without waiting to examine 
 the pattern, he instantly ran forward, and to his own very 
 great astonishment, saw Laura up to her knees in the river, 
 trying to scramble out, while her face was white with terror, 
 and her limbs trembled with cold, like a poodle dog newly 
 washed. 
 
 " Why, here you are again ! — the very same little girl that 
 I caught in the morning," cried he, laughing heartily, while 
 he carefully pulled Laura towards the bank, though, by do- 
 ing so, he splashed his beautiful uniform most distressingly. 
 " We have had a complete game at bo-peep to-day, my friend! 
 but here comes a lady who has promised to eat you up, 
 therefore I shall have no more trouble." 
 
 Laura would have consented to be eaten up with pleasure, 
 rather than encounter Lady Harriet's eye, who really did 
 not recognize her for the first minute, as no one can sup- 
 pose what a figure she appeared. The last clean frock had 
 been covered entirely over with mud — her hair was dripping 
 with water — and her new yellow sash might be any colour 
 in the world. Laura felt so completely ashamed she could 
 not look up from the ground, and so sorry she could not 
 speak, while hot tears mingled themselves with the cold wa- 
 ter which trickled down her face. 
 
 " What is the matter ! Who is this ?" cried Lady Harriet, 
 hurrying up to the place where they stood. "Laura ! ! Im- 
 possible ! ! !" 
 
 " Let me put on a pair of spectacles, for I cannot believe 
 my eyes without them !" said Major Graham. "Ah! sure
 
 88 THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. 
 
 enough it is Laura, and such a looking Laura as I never 
 saw before. You must have hiul a nice cold bath !" 
 
 "•I have heard," continued l.ady Harriet, "that naiighty 
 people are often ducked in the water as a punishment, and 
 in that respect I am sure Laura deserves what she has got, 
 and a great deal more." 
 
 " She reminds me," observed Captain Digby, " of the 
 Chinese bird which has no legs, so it constantly flics about 
 from place to place, never a moment at rest." 
 
 "Follow mc, I^aura," said Lady Harriet, "that I may 
 hear whether you have anything to say for yourself on this 
 occasion. It is scarcely possible that there can be any ex- 
 cuse, but nobody should be condemned unheard." 
 
 When Laura had been put into dry clothes, she told her 
 whole history, and entreated Lady Harriet to hear how very 
 perfectly she had first learned her task, before venturing to 
 stir out of the room ; upon which her grandmama consented, 
 and amidst tears and sobs, the monody on Sir John Moore 
 was repeated without a single mist;dic. Lady Rockville 
 then came in, to entreat that, as this was the last day of the 
 visit to Holiday House, Laura might be forgiven and per- 
 mitted to appear at dessert, as all the company were anxious 
 to see her, and particularly Captain Digby, who regretted 
 that he had been the means at first of getting her into a 
 scrajjc. 
 
 " Lideed, my dear Jjady Rockville ! I might perliaps 
 have agreed to your wishes," answered Lady Harriet, 
 " particularly as Laura seems sincerely sorry, and did not 
 premeditate her disobedience ; but she actually has not a 
 tolerable frock to appear in now !" 
 
 "I must lend her one of my velvet dresses to destroy 
 next," said Lady Rockville, smiling. 
 
 "Uncle David's Mackintosh cloak wotdd be the fittest 
 thing for her to wear," replied Lady Harriet, rising to leave 
 the room. " Laura, you must learn a double ta-sk now !
 
 THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. 89 
 
 Here it is ! and at Lady Rockville's request I excuse you 
 this once ; though I am sorry that, for very sufficient rea- 
 sons, we cannot see you at dessert, which otherwise I should 
 have been most happy to do." 
 
 Laura sat down and cried during a quarter of an hour after 
 Lady Harriet had gone to dinner. She felt sorry for having 
 behaved ill, and sorry to have vexed her good grandmama ; 
 and sorry not to see all the fine party at dessert ; and sony 
 to think that next day she must leave Holiday House ; and 
 sorry, last of ail, to consider what Mrs. Crabtree would say 
 when all her ruined frocks were brought home. In short, 
 poor Laura felt j>erfectly overwhelmed with the greatness 
 and variety of her griefs, and scarcely believed that any one 
 in the world was ever more miserable than herself. 
 
 Her eyes were fixed on her task, while her thoughts were 
 wandering fifty miles away from it, when a housemaid, who 
 had frequently attended upon Laura during her visit, acci- 
 dentally entered the room, and seemed much surprised, as 
 well as concerned, to find the young lady in such a way, 
 for her sobbing could be beard in the next room. It was 
 quite a relief to see any one ; so Laura told over again all 
 the sad adventures of the day, without attempting to conceal 
 how naughty she had been ; and most attentively was her 
 narrative listened to, till the very end. 
 
 " You see, Miss !" observed Nelly, " when people 
 doesn't behave well, they must expect to be punished." 
 p " So they should !" sobbed Laura ; " and I dare say it 
 will make me better ! I would not pass such a miserable 
 day as this again, for the world ; but I deserve to he more 
 punished than I am." 
 
 " That's right, Miss !" replied Nelly, pleased to see the 
 good effect of her admonitions. " Punishment is as sure 
 to do us good when we are naughty, as physic when we 
 are ill. But now you'll go down to dessert, and forget it 
 all." 
 
 h2
 
 90 THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. 
 
 " No ! graiulmama would have allowed mc, and Lady 
 Rockvillc and every body was so very kind about inviting 
 me down ; but my last clean frock is quite unlit to be seen, 
 80 I have none to put on. Oh, dear ! what a thousand 
 million of pities !" 
 
 " Is that all. Miss ! Then dry your eyes, and I can wash 
 the frock in ten minutes. Give it to me, and learn your 
 lesson, so as to be ready when I come back." 
 
 Laura sprung off her seat with joy at this proposal, and 
 ran — or rather flew — to fetch her miserable object of a frock, 
 which Nelly crumpled under her arm, and walked away 
 with, in such haste that she was evidently determined to re- 
 turn very soon ; while Laura took her good advice, and sat 
 down to learn her task, though she could hardly look at 
 the book during two minutes at a time — she watched so 
 impatiently for her benefactress from the laundry. 
 
 At length the door flew open, and in walked Nelly, whose 
 face looked as red and hot as a beefsteak ; but in her hand 
 she carried a basket, on which was laid out, in great state, 
 the very cleanest frock that ever was seen ! It perfectly 
 smelled of soap and water, starch and hot irons, and seem- 
 ed still almost smoking from the laundry ; while Laura 
 looked at it with such delight and admiration, it might have 
 been supposed she never saw a clean frock before. 
 
 "When Lady Harriet was sitting after dinner that day, 
 sipping her wine, and thinking about nothing very particu- 
 lar, she became surprised to feel somebody gently twitching 
 her sleeve to attract notice. Turning instantly round to 
 aaceilain what was the matter, and who it could be, what 
 was her astonishment to see Laura at her elbow, looking 
 rather shy and frightened. 
 
 " How did you get hire, child I" exclaimed Lady Har- 
 riet, in accents of amazement, though almost lauL'bing. 
 " Am I never to see the la.<t of you to-day ! W here did you
 
 THE LAST CLEAN TROCK. 91 
 
 get that frock ! It must have dropped from the clouds ! 
 Or did some good fairy give you a new one ?" 
 
 " That good fairy was Nelly the housemaid," whispered 
 Laura. " She first tossed my frock into a washing-tub ; 
 and then at the great kitchen fire she toasted it, and " 
 
 " And buttered it, I hope," added Major Gra- 
 ham. " Come here, Laura ! I can read what is written 
 in your grandmama's face at this moment ; and it says, 'you 
 are a tiresome little puss, that nobody can keep in any order 
 except uncle David ;' therefore sit down beside him, and 
 eat as many almonds and raisins as he bids you." 
 
 " You are a nice, funny uncle David !" whispered Lau- 
 ra, crushing her way in between his chair and Miss Perce- 
 val's, " nobody will need a tongue now, if you can read so 
 exactly what we are all thinking." 
 
 " But here is Miss Perceval, still more wonderful ; for 
 she knows by the bumps on your head, all that is contained 
 inside. Let me see if I could do so ! There is a large 
 bump of reading, and a small one of writing and arithme- 
 tic. Here is a terrible organ of breaking dolls and destroy- 
 ing frocks. There is a very small bump of liking uncle 
 David, and a prodigious one of liking almonds and raisins !" 
 
 " No ! you are quite mistaken ! It is the largest bump 
 for loving uncle David, and the small one for every thing 
 else," interrupted Laura, eagerly. " I shall draw a map of 
 my head some day, to show you how it is all divided." 
 
 " And leave no room for any tiling naughty or foolish ! 
 Your head should be swept out, and put in order every 
 morning, that not a single cobweb may remain in your 
 brains. V/hat busy brains they must be for the next ten 
 years ! But in the meantime let us hope that you will never 
 again be reduced to your 
 
 " LAST CLEAN FROCK."
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 THE LONG LADDER. 
 
 There was a young pickle, and what do you think 7 
 He liv'd u|)on nothing but victuals and drink ; 
 Victuals and drink were the clucf of his diet, 
 And yet this young pickle could never be quiet. 
 
 One fine sultry day in the month of August, Harry and 
 Laura stood at the breakfast-room window, wondering to 
 see the large broken white clouds, looking like curds and 
 whey, while the sun was in such a blaze of heat, that every 
 thing seemed almost red hot. The street door had become 
 blistered by the sun-beams. Jowlcr the dog lay basking on 
 the pavement ; the green blinds were closed at every oppo- 
 site house ; the few gentlemen who ventured out, were lim- 
 ning themselves with their pocket handkerchiefs ; the ladies 
 were strolling' lazily along, under the umbrageous shade of 
 their green parasols ; and the poor people who were accus- 
 tomed in winter to .sell matches for lighting a fire, now 
 carried about gaudy paper hangings for the empty grates. 
 Lady Harriet found the butter so melted at breakfast, that 
 she could scarcely lift it on her knife ; and uncle David 
 complained that the sight of hot smoking tea put him in a 
 fever, and said he wished it could be iced. 
 
 <' I wonder how iced porridge would taste !" said Harr)'. 
 «' I put mine at the open window to cool, but that only 
 made it seem hotter. We were talking of the gentleman
 
 THE LONG LADDER. 93 
 
 you mentioned yesterday, who toasted his muffins at a vol- 
 cano ; and certainly yours might almost be done at the 
 drawing-room window this morning." 
 
 " Wait till you arrive at the countries I have visited, 
 where, as somebody remarked, the very salamanders die of 
 heat. At Agra, which is the hottest part of India, we could 
 scarcely write a letter, because the ink dries in the pen before 
 you can get it to the paper. I was obliged, when our regi- 
 ment was there, to lie down in the middle of the day, during 
 several hours, actually gasping for breath ; and to make up 
 for that, we all rose at midnight. An officer of ours, who 
 lived long in India, got up always at three in the morning, 
 after we returned home, and walked about the streets of 
 Portsmouth, wondering what had become of everybody." 
 
 " I shall try not to grumble about weather any more,'* 
 said Laura. " We seem no worse off than other people." 
 
 " Or rather we are a great deal better off ! At Bermu- 
 da, where my regiment stopped on the way to America, the 
 inhabitants are so tormented with high winds, that they 
 build ' hurricane houses' — low, flat rooms, where the fami- 
 lies must retire when a storm comes on, as trees, houses, 
 people, and cattle, are all whirled about with such violence, 
 that not a life is safe on the island while it lasts." 
 
 " That reminds me," said Lady Harriet, " of a droll 
 mistake made yesterday by the African camel, when he 
 landed at Leith. His keepers were leading him along the 
 high road to be made a show of in Edinburgh, at a time 
 when the wind was particularly high ; and the poor animal 
 encountering such clouds of dust, thought this must be a 
 simoon of the desert, and threw himself flat down, burying 
 his nose in the ground, according to custom on those occa- 
 sions. It was with great difficulty that he could at last be 
 induced to face the danger, and proceed." 
 
 " Quite a compliment to our dust," observed Laura. 
 " But really in such a hot day, the kangaroos and tigers
 
 94 TUE LONG LADDER. 
 
 might feci perfectly at home here. Oh ! how I should like 
 to visit the GVological (jJaidens in London !" 
 
 " Then suppose we set otf immediately !" said Major 
 Graham, pretending to rise from his chair. " Your grand- 
 mama's donkey-carriage holds two." 
 
 " Ah ! but you could carry the donkey-carriage more 
 easily than it could carry you !" 
 
 " Shall I try ? Well, if we go, who is to pay the turn- 
 pikes, for I remember the time, not a hundred years ago, 
 when Harry and you both thought that paying the cates was 
 the only expense of travelling. You asked me then how 
 poor grandmama could afford so many shillings and six- 
 pences." 
 
 " We know all about every thing now though !" said 
 Harry, nodding in a very sagacious manner. " I can tell 
 exactly how much time it takes going by the public coach 
 to London, and it sleeps only one night on the road." 
 
 " Sleeps !" cried uncle David. " What ! it puts on a 
 uight-cap, and goes to bed ?" 
 
 " Yes ! and it dines and breakfasts too, Mr. uncle David, 
 for I heard Mrs. Crabtree say so." 
 
 " Never name anybody, unless you wish to see her im- 
 mediately," said Major Graham, hearing a well-known tap 
 at the door. "As sure as you mention an absent person, if 
 he is supposed to be fifty miles off at the time, it is rather 
 odd, but he instantly appears !" 
 
 " Then there is somebody that I shall speak about very 
 often." 
 
 " Who can this Mr. Somebody bo?" asked uncle David, 
 smiling. "A foolish person that spoils you both I daresay, 
 and iiives you large slices of bread and jelly like this. 
 Hold them carefully ! Now, good bye, and j(»y be with 
 you." 
 
 But it was with rather rueful faces that Harry and Laura 
 left the room, wishing they might have remained another
 
 THE LONG LADDER. 95 
 
 hour to talk nonsense with uncle David, and dreading to 
 think what new scrapes and difficuUies they would get into 
 in the nursery, which always seemed to them a place of tor- 
 ture and imprisonment. 
 
 Major Graham used to say that Mrs. Crabtree should al- 
 ways have a thermometer in her own room when she 
 dressed, to tell her whether the weather was hot or cold, for 
 she seemed to feel no difference, and scarcely ever made 
 any change in her own attire, wearing always the same 
 pink gown and scarlet shawl, which made her look like a 
 large red flower-pot, while she was no more annoyed with 
 the heat than a flower-pot would have been. On this very op- 
 pressive morning she took as much pains in suffocating 
 Harry with a silk handkerchief round his neck, as if it had 
 been Christmas, and though Laura begged hard for leave to 
 go without one of her half-a-dozen wrappings, she might as 
 well have asked permission to go without her head, as Mrs. 
 Crabtree seemed perfectly deaf upon the subject. 
 
 " This day is so very cold and so very shivering," said 
 Harry, slyly, " that I suppose you will make Laura wear at 
 least fifty shawls." 
 
 "Not above twenty," answered Mrs. Crabtree, dryly. 
 " Give me no more of your nonsense. Master Harry ! 
 This is no business of yours ! I was in the world long be- 
 fore you were born, and must know best ; so hold your 
 tongue. None but fools and beggars need ever be cold." 
 
 At last Mrs. Crabtree had heaped as many clothes upon 
 her two little victims, as she was pleased to think necessa- 
 ry ; so she sallied forth with them, followed by Betty, and 
 proceeded towards the country, taking the sunny side of the 
 road, and raising clouds of dust at every step, till Harry and 
 Laura felt as if they had been made of wax, and were melt- 
 ing away. 
 
 " Mrs. Crabtree !" said Harry, " did you hear uncle 
 David's funny story yesterday 1 One hot morning a gen-
 
 96 THE LONG LADDER. 
 
 (Icnian was watching an ant's nest, when he observed, that 
 every Utile insect, as it came out, plucked a small leaf, to 
 hold over its head, as a parasol ! 1 wiah wc could find 
 leaves large enough for us." 
 
 " You must go to the Botanical Gardens, where one leaf 
 of a palm-tree was shown to grandmama, which measured 
 fourteen feet long," observed Laura. " How horrid these 
 very warm countries must be, where the heat is all the year 
 round like this !" 
 
 " You may well say that," answered Mrs. Crabtrce. " I 
 would not go to them East Indies — no ! not if I were Go- 
 verness-General, — to be running away with a tiger at your 
 back, and sleeping with real live serpents twisted round the 
 bed-post, and .scorpions under your pillow ! Catch me 
 there ! I'm often quite sorry for Master Frank, to think 
 that his ship is maybe going that way ! I'm told the very rats 
 have such a smell in that outlandish place, that if they 
 touch the outside of a bottle with tlicir tails, it tastes of musk 
 ever after ; and when people are sitting comfortably down, 
 expecting to enjoy their dinner, a swarm of great ants will 
 come, and fall, an inch thick, on all the side-dishes. I've 
 no desire whatever to see foreign parts !" 
 
 " But I wish to see every country in the universe," said 
 Harry ; " and I hope there will bo a rail-road all round the 
 world before I am grown up. Only think, Mrs. Crabtrce, 
 wliat fun lion-hunting must be, and catching dolphins, and 
 riding on elephants." 
 
 The pedestrians had now arrived at the pretty village of Cor- 
 storphine, when they were unexpectedly met by Peter Grey, 
 who joined thorn without waiting to ask leave. Here the hills 
 are so I)e;uitifully wooded, and the villas so charming, that 
 Harry, I'ctcr, and Laura stijppcd a moment, to consider 
 what house thr-y would like best to live in. Near one side 
 of the road stood a large cart of hay, on the top of which 
 were several men, forking it in at the window of a high loft,
 
 THE LONG LADDER. 97 
 
 which could only be entered by a long ladder that leaned 
 against the wall. It was a busy joyous scene, and soon at- 
 tracted the children's whole attention, who were transfixed 
 with delight, seeing how rapidly the people ran up and down, 
 with their pitchforks in their hands, and tilted the hay from 
 the cart into the loft, while they had many jokes and much 
 laughter among themselves. At last their whole business 
 was finished, and the workmen drove away for another sup- 
 ply, to the neighbouring fields, where they had been raking 
 and tossing it all morning, as merry as crickets. 
 
 " What happy people !" exclaimed Harry, looking wist- 
 fully after the party, and wishing he might have scrambled 
 into the cart beside them. " I would be a haymaker for 
 nothing, if anybody would employ me ; would not you, 
 Peter r* 
 
 " It is very strange," said Master Grey, " why little ladies 
 and gentlemen seem always obliged to endure a perfectly 
 useless walk every day, as you and Laura are doing noAV. 
 You never saw animals set out to take a stroll for the good 
 of their healths ! How odd it would be to see a couple of 
 dogs set off for a country walk !" 
 
 " Miss Laura !" said Mrs. Crabtree, " Master Harry may 
 rest here for a minute or two with Master Peter, and let 
 them count their fingers, while you come with Betty and 
 me to visit a sick old aunt of mine who lives round the cor- 
 ner ; but be sure, boys, you do not presume to wander about, 
 or I shall punish you most severely. We are coming back 
 in two minutes." 
 
 Mrs. Crabtree had scarcely disappeared into a small shab- 
 by-looking cottage, before Peter turned eagerly to Harry, 
 with a face of great joy and importance, exclaiming, " Only 
 see how very lucky this is ! The haymakers have left their 
 long ladder, standing on purpose for us ! The window of 
 that loft is wide open, and I must climb up immediately to
 
 98 THE LONG LADDER. 
 
 peep in, because never, in all my life, did I see the inside 
 of a hay-loft before 1" 
 
 "JNorl!" added Harry. "Uncle David says, that all 
 round the floor there are deep holes, called mangers, down 
 which food is thrown for the horses, so that they can thrust 
 their heads in, to take a bite, whenever they choose." 
 
 " How I shuLild hate to have my dinner hung up always 
 before my nose in that way ! Suppose the kitchen were plac- 
 ed above your nursery, and that Mrs. Marmalade showered 
 down tarts and puddings, which wore to remain there till 
 you ate them, you would hate the sight of such things at last. 
 But now, Harry, for the hay-loft." 
 
 Peter scrambled so rapidly up the ladder, that he soon 
 reached the top, and instantly vanished in at the window, 
 calling eiigerly for Harry to follow. "You never saw such 
 a nice, clean, funny place as this, in all your life! — make 
 luiste ! — come faster ! — never mind crushing your hat or 
 tearing your jacket, — I'll put it all to rights. Ah ! there ! — 
 that's the thing ! — walk up, gentlemen ! walk up ! — the grand 
 show ! — sixpence each, and children half-price !" 
 
 All this time, Harry was slowly, and with great difTiculty, 
 picking his steps up the ladder, but a most troublesome bu- 
 siness it was ! First, his foot became entangled in a rope, 
 — then his hat got squeezed so out of shape, it looked per- 
 fectly tipsy, — next, one of his shoes nearly came off", — and 
 afterwards he dropped his gloves ; but at last he stumbled up 
 in safety, and stood beside Peter in the loft, both laughing 
 M-ith delight at their own enterprize. 
 
 The quantity of hay piled up on all sides, astonished them 
 greatly, while the nice wide floor between, seemed larger 
 tlian any (Irawiiig-room, and was certainly made on purpose 
 for a romp. Harry rolled up a large ball of hay to throw at 
 Peter, while he, in return, aimed at him, so they ran after 
 each other, round and round the loft, raising such a riot, 
 that tlie very " rafters diried."
 
 THE LONG LADDER. 99 
 
 The hay now flew about in clouds, while they jumped 
 over it, or crept under it, throwing handfuls about in every 
 direction, and observing that this was the best play-room 
 they had ever been in. 
 
 " How lucky that we came here !" cried Peter. " I 
 should like to stay an hour at least !" 
 
 " Oh I two hours, — or three, — or all day," added Harry. 
 *' But what shall we do about Mrs. Crabtree? She has not 
 gone to settle for life with that old sick aunt, so I am afraid 
 we must really be hurrying back, in case she may find out 
 our expedition, and that, you know, Peter, would be dread- 
 ful !" 
 
 " Only fancy, Harry, if she sees you and me clinging to 
 the ladder, about half way down ! what a way she would be 
 in!" 
 
 " We had better make haste," said Harry, looking around. 
 "What would gran dm am a say ! — I wish we had never come 
 up !" 
 
 At this moment, Harry was still more brought to his 
 senses, by hearing Mrs. Crabtree's voice, exclaiming, in 
 loud angry accents, " Where in all the world can those 
 troublesome boys be gone ! I must tether them to a tree 
 the next time they are left together ! Why ! sure ! they 
 would not venture up that long ladder in the hay-loft ! If 
 they have, they had better never come down again, for I 
 shall shew who is master here." 
 
 " Peter Grey would run up a ladder to the stars, if he 
 could find one," replied Betty. " Here are Master Harry's 
 gloves lying at the bottom of it. They can be gone no- 
 where else, for I have searched every other place. We 
 must send the town-crier with his bell after them, if they 
 are not found up there I" 
 
 Mrs. Crabtree now seemed fearfully angry, while Laura 
 began to tremble with fright for Harry, who was listening 
 overheadj and did not know very well what to do, but fool-
 
 100 THE LONG LADDEK. 
 
 ishly thought it best to put off the evil hour of being pun- 
 ished as long as possible ; so he and Peter silently crept in 
 below a great quantity of hay, and hid themselves so cun- 
 ningly, that even a thief-catcher could scarcely have dis- 
 covered their den. In this dark corner, Harry had time to 
 reflect and to feel more and more alarmed and sorry for his 
 misconduct, so he said, in a very distressed voice, " Oh, 
 Peter ! what a pity it is ever to be naughty, for we are al- 
 ways found out, and always so much happier when we are 
 good !" 
 
 " I wonder how Mrs. (.'rabtrce will get up the long lad- 
 der ]" whispered Peter, laughing. "I would give my lit- 
 tle finger, and one of my ears, to see her and i3etty scram- 
 bling along !" 
 
 Harry had to pinch Peter's arm almost black and blue 
 before he would be quiet ; and by the time he stopped talk- 
 ing, Mrs. Ciabtree and Betty were both standing in the 
 hay-loft, exceedingly out of breath with climbing so un- 
 usually high, while Mrs. Crabtrce very nearly fell, having 
 stumbled over a step at the entrance. 
 
 " Why, sure ! there's nobody here !" exclaimed she, in a 
 disappointed tone. "And what a disorderly place this is! 
 I thought a hay-loft was always kept in such nice order, with 
 the floor all swept I but here is a tine mess ! Those two great 
 lumps of hay in the corner look as if they were meant for 
 people to sleep upon !" 
 
 Harry gave himself up for lost when Mrs. Crabtrce no- 
 ticed the place where he and Peter had buried themselves 
 alive ; but to his great relief, no suspicion seemed to have 
 been excited, and neither of the two searchers were anxious 
 to venture beyond the door, alter having so nearly tripped 
 upon the threshold. 
 
 " They must have been stolen by a g'pscy? or perhaps 
 fallen into a well," said IJetty, who rather liked the bustle of 
 uu accident. " I always thought Master Peter would break
 
 THE LONG LADDER. 101 
 
 his neck, or something of that kind. Poor thing ! how dis- 
 tressed his papa will be !" 
 
 « Hold your tongue," interrupted Mrs. Crabtree, angrily. 
 "I wish people would either speak sense, or not speak at 
 all ! Did you hear a noise among the hay?" 
 
 « Rats, I dare say ! or perhaps a dog !" answered Betty, 
 turning hastily round, and hurrying down the ladder faster 
 than she had come up. " I certainly thought something 
 moved in yon far corner." 
 
 " Where can that little shrimp of a boy be hid ?" added 
 Mrs. Crabtree, following. " He must have obedience 
 knocked like a nail into his head, with a few good severe 
 blows. I shall beat him to powder when once we catch 
 him." 
 
 " You may depend upon it," persisted Betty, " that some 
 gipsey has got the boys for the sake of their clothes. It 
 will be a great pity, because Master Harry had on his best 
 bluejacket and trowsers." 
 
 No sooner was the loft cleared of these unwelcome visit- 
 ors, than Harry and Peter began to recover from their 
 panic, and jumped out of the hay, shaking themselves free 
 from it, and skipping about in greater glee than ever. 
 
 While they played about, as they had done before, and 
 tumbled as if they had been tumblers at Ducrow's, poor 
 Harry got into such spirits, that he completely forgot about 
 the deep holes called mangers, for containing the horse's 
 food, till all at once, when Peter was running after him, he 
 fell, with a loud crash, headlong into one of them ! Oh! 
 what a scream he gave ! — it echoed through the stable, ter- 
 rifying a whole team of horses that were feeding there, more 
 particularly the one into whose manger he had fallen. The 
 horse gave a tremendous start when Harry plunged down 
 close to his nose, and not being able to run away, he put 
 back his ears, opened his mouth, and kicked and struggled 
 in the most frightful manner, while Harry, who could not 
 
 i 2
 
 lOa THE LONG LADDER. 
 
 make his escape any more than the horse, shouted louder 
 and louder lor help. 
 
 Peter did all he could to assist Harry in this extraordinary 
 predicament, but finding it impossible to be of any use, he 
 forcot their terror of Mrs. Crabtree in his fears about Harry, 
 and rushed to the window, calling back their two pursuers, 
 who were walking away at a great distance. He screamed 
 and hoUooed, and waved his handkerchief, without ceasing, 
 till at lust Mrs. Crabtree heard him, and turned round, but 
 never was anybody more astonished then she was, on seeing 
 him there, so she scolded, stormed, and raged, up to the 
 very foot of the ladder. 
 
 " Now, you are the besiegers, and I am the garrison !" 
 cried Peter, when he saw Mrs. Crabtree panting and toil- 
 ing in her ascent. " We must make a treaty of peace to- 
 gether, for I could tumble you over in a minute, by merely 
 pushing this end a very little more to one side !" 
 
 " Do not touch it, Master Peter !" cried Mrs. Crabtree, 
 almost afraid he was iu earnest. "• There is a good boy, — 
 be quiet!" 
 
 " A good boy ! !" whispered Peter to himself. "What a 
 fright Mrs. Crabtree must be in, before she said that !" 
 
 The next moment Mrs. Crabtree snatched Harry out of 
 the manger, and shook him with rage. She then scolded 
 and beat him, till he was perfectly stupified with fright and 
 misery, after which the whole party were allowed to proceed 
 towards home, while Harry stumbled along the road, and 
 hung down his head, wishing, fifty times over, tliat he and 
 Peter Grey had never gone up 
 
 THE LONG LADDER.
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 THE MAD BULL. 
 
 There's something in a noble boy, 
 A brave, free-hearted, careless one; 
 With his uncheck'd, unbidden joy, 
 His dread of books and love of fun. 
 And in his clear and ready smile. 
 Unshaded by a thought of guile 
 And unrepress'd by sadness, — 
 Which brings me to my childhood back, 
 As if I trod its very track, 
 And felt its very gladness. 
 
 Willis, 
 
 One evening, ^\'hen Harry and Laura came down to dessert, 
 they were surprised to observe the two little plates usually 
 intended for them, turned upside down, while uncle David 
 pretended not to notice anything, though he stole a glance 
 to see what would happen next. On lifting up these mys- 
 terious plates, what did they see lying underneath, but two 
 letters with large red seals, one directed to " Master Harry 
 Graham," and the other to " Miss Laura Graham." 
 
 " A letter for me ! !" cried Harry, in a tone of delighted 
 astonishment, while he tore open the seal, and his hand 
 shook with impatience, so that he could hardly unfold the 
 paper. "What can it be about ! I like getting a letter very 
 much ! Is it from papa? Did the postman bring it ?" 
 
 " Yes, he did," said uncle David : " and he left a message 
 that you must pay a hundred pounds for it to-morrow."
 
 104 THE MAD nui.r,. 
 
 "Very likely, indeed," said Laura ; " you should pay that 
 for telling me such a fine story ; but my letter is worth more 
 than a hundred pounds, for it is inviting me to spend an- 
 other delightful week at Holiday House." 
 
 « I am asked too ! and not Mrs. Crabtree !" cried Harry, 
 looking at his letter, and almost screaming out for joy, 
 whilst he skipped about the room, rubbing his hands to- 
 gether, and ended by twirling Laura round and round, till 
 they both fell prostrate on the floor. 
 
 " If that be meant as a specimen of how you intend to 
 behave at Holiday House, we had better send your apology 
 at once," observed Lady Harriet, smiling. <' Lord Rock- 
 ville is very j)articu]ar about never hearing any noise, and 
 the slamming of a door, or even the creaking of a pair of 
 unruly shoes, would put him distracted." 
 
 " Yes !" added uncle David, " Holiday House is as quiet 
 as Harry's drum with a hole in it. If a pin drops in any 
 part of the mansion, Lord Rockville becomes annoyed, and 
 the very wasps scarcely dare to buz at his window so loud 
 as at any other person's. You will feel quite iish-out-of- 
 water-ish, trying to be quiet and hum-drum for a whole 
 week, so let me advi.se you not to go." 
 
 "The meaning of advice always is something that one 
 would rather wish not to do," observed Laura, gravely. " I 
 never in my life was advised to enjoy anything pleasant! 
 Taking physic — or learning lessons — or staying at home, 
 are very often advised, but never playing — or having a holi- 
 day — or amusing ourselves !" 
 
 "You know, Laura! that Harry's little Shttland pony, 
 Tom Thumb, in my field, is of no use at present, but kicks, 
 and capers, and runs about all day ; yet presently he will be 
 led out fa-stened to a rope, and made to trot round and round 
 in a circle, day after day, till he has no longer a will of his 
 own, — that is education. AHfrwards he shall have a bridle 
 put in his mouth, which some little girls would be much the
 
 THE MAD BULL. 105 
 
 better of also, when he shall be carefully guided ever after- 
 wards in the best ways ; and you likewise will go much more 
 steadily for all the reiniug-in and whipping you have got 
 from Mrs. Crabtree and me, which may, perhaps, make 
 you keep in the road of duty more easily hereafter." 
 
 " Uncle David !" said Harry, laughing, " we have read 
 in the Arabian Nights, about people being turned into ani- 
 mals, but I never thought you would turn Laura into a 
 horse ! What shall we do with my little Shetland pony if I 
 go away next week ?" 
 
 "I have thought of a capital plan for maliingTom Thumb 
 useful during the whole winter ! Your grandmama wants a 
 watch-dog in the country, so we shall build him a kennel 
 — put a chain round his neck, and get some one to teach 
 him to bark." 
 
 " Uncle David should be Professor of Nonsense at the 
 University," said Lady Harriet, smiling. "But, my dear 
 children, if you are allowed to pay this visit at Holiday 
 House, I hope you will endeavour to behave creditably ?" 
 
 " Yes," added Major Graham, "I understand that Lord 
 Rockville wished to have some particularly quiet children 
 there, for a short time, so he fixed upon Harry and Laura ! 
 Poor, mistaken Lord Rockville ! But, my good friends, 
 try not to break all his china ornaments the first day — spare 
 a few jars and tea-cups — leave a pane of glass or two in 
 the windows, and throw none of your marbles at the mir- 
 rors." 
 
 "I remember hearing," said Lady Harriet, "that when 
 Miss Pelham was married last year, her old aunt, Mrs. Bou- 
 verie, sent for her and said, that as she could not afford to 
 give baubles or trinkets, she would give her a very valuable 
 piece of advice ; and what do you think it was, Laura ?" 
 
 "I have no idea ! Do tell me." 
 
 " Then I shall bestow it on you, as the old lady did on
 
 106 THE MAD BULL. 
 
 / 
 
 her niece — < Be careful of china, paper and string, for thejr 
 are all very transitory possessions in this world I'" 
 
 " Very true! and most judicious !" observed Major Gra- 
 ham, laughing. " I certainly know several persons who 
 must have served an apprenticeship under that good lady. 
 Many gentlemen now, who despatch all their epistles from 
 the club, because there the paper costs them nothing, and a 
 number of ladies, who, for the same good reason, never 
 write letters till they are visiting in a country house." 
 
 Having received so many warnings and injunctions 
 about behaving well, Harry and 1-aura became so quiet 
 during the first few days at Holiday House, that they were 
 like shadows flitting through the rooms, going almost on 
 tiptoe, scarcely speaking above a whisper, and observing that 
 valuable rule for children, to let-themselvcs be seen, but not 
 heard. Lord Rockville was quite charmed with stjch ex- 
 treme good conduct, for they were both in especial fiwe of 
 him, and thought it a great condescension if he even looked 
 at them, he was so tall, so grand, and so grave, wearing a 
 large powdered wig and silver spectacles, which gave him a 
 particularly venerable appearance, though Harry was one 
 day very near getting into disgrace upon that subject. His 
 Lordship had a habit of always carrying two pairs of spec- 
 tacles in his pocket, and often, after thrusting one pair 
 high on his forehead, he forgot where tliey were, and 
 ])ut the others on his nose, which had such a droll appearance, 
 that the first time Harry saw it, he felt quite taken by sur- 
 prise, and burst into a fit of laughter, upon which Lord 
 Rockville gave him such a comical look of surprise and per- 
 plexity, that Harry's fit of laughing got worse and worse. 
 The more people know they are wrong, and try to stop, the 
 more convulsive it becomes, and the more dillicult to look 
 grave again, so at last, after repeated eflorts to appear se- 
 rious and composed, Harry started up, and in his hurry to
 
 ' THE MAD BULL. 107 
 
 escape, very nearly slammed the door behind him, which 
 would have given the last finish to his offences. 
 
 Both the little visitors found Lady Rockville so extreme- 
 ly indulgent and kind, that she seemed like another grand- 
 mama, therefore they gradually ventured to talk some of 
 their own nonsense before her, and even to try some of 
 their old ways, and frolicsome tricks, which she seldom 
 found any fault with, except when Harry one day eloped 
 with Lord Rockville's favourite walking-stick, to be used as 
 a fishing-rod among the minnows, with a long thread at the 
 end for a line, and a crooked pin to represent the hook, 
 while, on the same day, Laura privately mounted the ass 
 that gave Lord Rockville's ass's milk, and rode it all round 
 the park, while he sat at home expecting his usual refreshing 
 tumbler. Still they both passed muster for being very tole- 
 rable children, and his Lordship was heard once to say, in a 
 voice of great approbation, that Master and Miss Graham 
 were so punctual at dinner, and so perfectly quiet, he really 
 often forgot they were in the house. Indeed, Harry's com- 
 plaisance on the day after he had laughed so injudiciously 
 about the spectacles, was quite unheard of, as he felt anx- 
 ious to make up for his misconduct ; and when Lord Rock- 
 ville asked if he would like a fire in the play-room, as the 
 evening was chilly, he answered very politely, " Thank 
 you, my Lord ! We are ready to think it hot or cold, just 
 as you please !" 
 
 All this was too good to last ! One morning, when 
 Harry and Laura looked out of the window, it was a most 
 deplorably wet day. The whole sky looked like a large 
 grey cotton umbrella, and the clouds were so low that Harry 
 thought he could almost have touched them. In short, as 
 Lord Rockville remarked, " it rained cats and dogs," so his 
 Lordship knitted his brows, and thrust his hands into his 
 waistcoat pockets, walking up and down the room in a per- 
 fect fume of vexation, for he was so accustomed to be
 
 108 THE MAD nur.L» 
 
 obeyed, that it seemed rather a hardship when even the 
 weather contradicted his wishes. To complete hia vex- 
 ation, as "single misfortunes never come alone," his valet, 
 when carelessly drying the Morning Post at a large kitchen 
 fire, had set it in flames, so that all the wonderful news it 
 contained became reduced to ashes, therefore Lord Rock- 
 ville might well have given notice, that, for this day at least, 
 he had a right to be in extremely bad humour. 
 
 Lady Rockville privately recommended Harry and Laura 
 to sit quietly down and play at cat's cradle, which accord- 
 ingly they did, and when thai became no longer endurable, 
 some dominos were produced. Thus the morning wore te- 
 diously away till about two o'clock, when suddenly the rain 
 stopped, the sun burst forth with prodigious splendour, every 
 loaf in the park glittered, as if it had been sprinkled with 
 diamonds, and a hundred birds seemed singing a chorus of 
 joy, while bees and butterflies fluttered at the windows and 
 flew away rejoicing. 
 
 Harry was the first to observe this delightful change, and 
 with an exclamation of delight, he sprang from his seat, 
 pulled Laura from hers, upset the domino-table, and rushed 
 out of the room, slamming tlie door with a report like twen- 
 ty cannons. Away they both flew to the forest, Laura 
 swinging her bonnet in her hand, and Harry tossing iis 
 cap in the air, while Lord Rockville watched them angrily 
 from the drawing-room window, paying, in a tone of ex- 
 treme displeasure, " That boy ha.? a voice that might do for 
 the town-crier ! He laughs so loud, it is enough to crack 
 every glass in the room ! I wish he were condemned to 
 pass a week in those American prisons where no one ia 
 allowed to speak. Li short, he would be better anywhere 
 than here, for I mijirlu as well live with a hainmrr and tonjrs 
 as with the t\V(j children together. They are more restless 
 than the quicksilver figures from China, and I wish they 
 were as quiet, but my only comfort is, that at any rate they
 
 THE MAD BULL. 109 
 
 come home punctually to dinner at five. Nothing is so in- 
 tolerable as people dropping in too late and disordering the 
 table." 
 
 Meantime, the woods at Holiday House rung with sounds 
 of mirth and gaiety, while Harry scrambled up the trees like 
 a squirrel, and swung upon the branches, gathering walnuts 
 and crab-apples for Laura, after which they both cut their 
 names upon the bark of Lord Rockville's favourite beech, 
 so that every person who passed that way must observe 
 the large distinct letters. They were laughing and chatting 
 over this exploit, both talking at once, as noisy and happy as 
 possible, and expecting nothing particular to happen, when, 
 all on a sudden, Laura turned pale, and grasped hold of 
 Harry's arm, saying, in a low frightened voice, 
 
 " Hush, Harry ! — hush ! — I hear a very strange noise. 
 It sounds like some wild beast! What can that be?" 
 
 Harry listened as if he had ten pair of ears, and nearly 
 cracked his eye-balls staring round him, to see what could 
 be the matter. A curious deep growling sound might be 
 heard at some distance, while there was the noise of some- 
 thing trampling heavily on the ground, and of branches 
 breaking off the trees, as if some large creature was forciniT 
 his way through. Harry and Laura now stood like a cou- 
 ple of little statues, not daring to breathe, they felt so terri- 
 fied! The noise grew louder and louder, while it gradually 
 came nearer and nearer, till at length a large black bull 
 burst into view, with his tail standing high in the air, while 
 he tore up the ground with his horns, bellowing as loudly 
 as he could roar, and galloping straight towards the place 
 where they stood. 
 
 Laura's knees tottered under her, and she instantly drop- 
 ped on the ground with terror, feeling as if she would die 
 the next minute of fright, while, as for attempting to es- 
 cape, it never entered her head to think that possible. Har- 
 ry felt quite differently, for he was a bold boy, not easily 
 
 K
 
 110 THE MAD BULL. 
 
 scared out of his senses, and instantly saw that something 
 must be done, or they would both be lost. Many selfish 
 people would have run away alone, without caring for the 
 safety ot' any one but themselves, which was not at all the 
 case with Harry, who thought first of his poor frightened 
 companion. "Hollo, Laura! arc you hiding in a cart 
 rut ?" he exclaimed, pulling her hastily off the ground. " The 
 bull will soon find you there ! Come ! come ! as fast as 
 possible ! we must have a race for it yet ! That terrible 
 beast can scarcely make his way through the trees and 
 branches, they grow so closely ! Perhaps we may get on 
 as fust as he !" 
 
 All this time, Ilarry was dragging Laura along, and run- 
 ning himself into the tliickest part of the plantation ; but it 
 was very difficult to maktj any progress, as she had become 
 quite faint and bewildered with fright. 
 
 " Oh, Harry I" cried she, trembling all over, "you must 
 get on alone ! I am so weak with terror, it is impossible to 
 run a step further." 
 
 <' Do not waste your breath with talking," answered 
 Harry, still pushing on at full speed. " How can you sup- 
 pose I would be so shabby as to make my escape without 
 you ! No ! no ! we must either both be caught, or both 
 get off !" 
 
 Laura felt so grateful to Harry when he said this, that she 
 seemed for a moment almost to forget the bull, which was 
 still coming furiously on behind, while she now made a 
 desperate exertion to run faster than she had been able to 
 do before, clearing the ground almost as rapidly as Harry 
 could have done, though he still held her firmly by the hand, 
 to encourage her. 
 
 The trani|»liiig noise continued, the brraking of branches, 
 and the frii;lillul bdlowiiiir of tliis dreadful animal, when at 
 last Harry caught sight of a wooden paling, which he si- 
 lently pointed out lo Laura, being cjuite unable now to
 
 THE MAD BULL. Ill 
 
 speak. Having rushed forward to it, with almost frantic 
 haste, Harry threw himself over the top, after which he 
 helped Laura to squeeze herself through underneath, when 
 they proceeded rather more leisurely onwards. 
 
 "That fence will puzzle Mr. Bull," said Harry trium- 
 phantly, yet gasping for breath. "We can push through 
 places where his great hoof could scarcely be thrust ! I saw 
 him coming along, witli his heels high in the air, and his 
 head down, like an enormous wheel-barrow." 
 
 Scarcely had Harry spoken, before the infuriated animal 
 advanced at full gallop towards the fence, and after running 
 along the side a little way, he suddenly tore up the paling 
 with his horns, as if it had been made of paper, and rushed 
 forward more rapidly than ever. 
 
 Harry now began to fear that indeed all was over, for his 
 strength had become nearly exhausted, when, to his great 
 joy, he espied a large, rough stone wall, not very far off, 
 which was as welcome a sight as land to a shipwrecked 
 sailor. 
 
 "Run for your life, Laura!" he cried, pointing it out, 
 to encourage her. " There is safety, if we reach it." 
 
 On they both flew, faster than the wind, and Harry hav- 
 ing scrambled up the wall, like a grasshopper, pulled Laura 
 up beside him, and there they both stood at last, encamped 
 quite beyond the reach of danger, though the enemy arrived 
 a few minutes afterwards, pawing the air, and foaming and 
 bellowing with disappointment. 
 
 " Laura !" said Harry, after she had a little recovered 
 from her fright, and was walking slowly homewards, while 
 she cast an alarmed glance frequently behind, thinkinor she 
 still heard the bull in pursuit, "you see, as uncle David 
 says, whatever danger people are in, it is foolish to be quite 
 in despair, but we should rather think what it is best to do, 
 and do it directly." 
 
 " Yes, Harry ! and I shall never forget that you would
 
 112 THE MAD RUI.L. 
 
 not forsake me, but risked your own life, like a brave bro- 
 ther, iu my defence. I should like to do as much for you 
 another time !" 
 
 " Thank you, I^aura, as much as if you had, but I hope 
 we shall never be in such a scrape again ! If Frank were 
 here, he would put us both in mind to thank a merciful God 
 for taking so much care of us, and bringing us safely home !" 
 
 *' Yes, Hany ! It is perhaps a good thing being in dan- 
 ger sometimes, to remind us that we cannot be safe or hap- 
 py an hour without God's care, so iu our prayers to-night 
 we must renienibcr what has happened, and return thanks 
 very particularly." 
 
 It was long past five before Harry and Laura reached 
 Holiday House, where Lord Kockville met them at the 
 drawing-room door, looking taller, and grander, and graver 
 than ever, while Lady Rockville rose from her sofa, and 
 came up to them, saying, in a tone of gentle reproach, 
 
 " My dear children ! you ought to return home before 
 the dinner hour, and not kecj) his Lordship waiting !" 
 
 The very idea of Lord Rockville waiting dinner was too 
 dreadful ever to have entered their heads till this minute ; 
 but Harry and Laura immediately explained how exceeding- 
 ly sorry they were for what had occurred, and to show that it 
 was their misfortune rather than their fault, they told the 
 whole frightful story of the mad bull, to which Lady Rock- 
 ville listened, as if her very hair wore standing upon end, to 
 hear of such doings. She even turned up her eyes with asto- 
 nishment to think what a wonderful escape they had made ; 
 but his Lordship frowned through his spectacles, and leaned 
 his chin \ipon his stick, looking, as Harry thought, very like 
 a b<!ar upon a pole. 
 
 " Pshaw I — nonsense!" cxrlainied Lord Ro(kvill(» im- 
 patiently. " The bull would have done you no harm ! 
 He is a most resp(;ctable, quiet, well-disposed animal, and
 
 THK MAD BULL. 113 
 
 brought an excellent character from his last place ! I never 
 heard a complaint of him before !" 
 
 " It is curious," observed Laura, " that all bulls are 
 reckoned peaceable and tame, till they have tossed two or 
 three people, and killed them !" 
 
 " I thought," added Lord Rockville, looking very grand 
 and contemptuous, " that Harry was grown more a man 
 than to be so easily put to flight. When a bull, another 
 time, threatens to toss you, seize hold of his tail, — or toss 
 him ! — or, in short, do anything rather than run away the 
 first time an animal looks at you. This is a mere cock- 
 and-a-bull story, to excuse your keeping me waiting almost 
 a quarter of an hour for my dinner ! — you should be made 
 guard of a mail-coach for a month, to teach you punctuality, 
 Master Graham." 
 
 Lord Rockville gravely looked at his watch, while Harry 
 luckily considered how often his grandmamahad recommend- 
 ed him to make no answer when he was scolded, so he nearly 
 bit off the tip of his tongue to keep it quiet, while he could 
 not but wish, in his own mind, that my Lord himself saw 
 how very fierce the bull had looked. 
 
 Laura felt more vexed on Harry's account than her own, 
 and the dinner went on as uncomfortably as possible ; for even 
 when a French cook has dressed it, if ill-humour be the sauce, 
 any dish becomes unpalatable. Nothing was to be seen re- 
 flected on the surface of many fine silver covers, but very 
 cross, or very melancholy faces ; while Lady Rockville tried 
 to make her own countenance look both cheerful and good- 
 natured. She told Harry and Laura, to divert them, that 
 old Mrs. Bouveric had once been pursued by a furious milch 
 cow, along a lane, flanked on both sides by such very hi^h 
 walls, that escape seemed impossible, so the good lady, who 
 was fat and breathless, became so desperate, that without a 
 hope of getting off*, she seized the enraged animal by the 
 horns, and screamed in its face, till the cow herself became 
 
 k2
 
 Ill THE MAD BULL. 
 
 frightened. The creature stared, stopping backwards and 
 backwards, with increasing alarm, till at last, to the old 
 lady's great relief and surprise, she fairly turned her tail and 
 ran off. 
 
 In the evening, Lord Rockvillc had not yet recovered his 
 equanimity, and went out, rather in bad humour, to take his 
 usual walk l)eforc supper. AVilhout once remembering 
 about Harry and the bull, he strolled a great way into the 
 woods, marking several trees to be cut down, and admiring 
 a fine forest which he had planted himself long ago, but 
 without particularly considering what way he turned. It 
 was beginning, at last, to grow very dark and gloomy, so 
 Lord Rockvillc had some thoughts of returning home, when 
 he became suddenly startled by hearing a loud roar not far 
 off", and a moment afterwards the furious bull dashed out of 
 a neighbouring thicket, raging and foaming, and tearing 
 the ground with his horns, exactly as Harry had described 
 in the morning, while poor I^ord Rockvillc, who seldom 
 moved faster than a very dignified walk, instantly quickened 
 his pace, in an opposite direction, striding away faster and 
 faster, till at last, — it must be confessed, — his Lord.-hip end( d 
 by running ! ! ! 
 
 In spite of all Lord Rockvillc's exertions, the bull con- 
 tinued rapidly to gain upon him, for his Lordship, being 
 rather corpulent and easily fatigued, stopped every now and 
 then to gasp for breaih ; till at last, feeling it impossible to 
 get on faster, though the stables were now within sight, he 
 seized the branch of a large oak tree, which swept nearly to 
 the ground, and contrived, with great diuiculty, to scramble 
 out of reach. 
 
 The enraged bull gazed up into the tree and bellowed with 
 fury, when he saw Lord Rockvillc so judiciously perched 
 overhead, and he remained for half-an-hour, watching to see 
 if his Lordship would v<Mit'iro down again. At last the tor- 
 menting animal began Icisun ly eating gra.ss under the tree,
 
 THE MAD BULL. 115 
 
 but gradually he moved away, turning his back while he fed, 
 till Lord Rockville vainly deluded himself with the hope of 
 stealing off unobserved. Being somewhat rested and re- 
 freshed, while the enemy was looking in another direction, 
 he descended cautiously, as if he had been going to tread 
 upon needles and pins ; but, unaccustomed to such move- 
 ments, he jumped so heavily upon the ground, that the bull 
 hearing a noise, turned round, and set up a loud furious 
 roar, when he saw his intended victim again within reach. 
 
 Now the race began once more with redoubled agility ! 
 The odds seemed greatly in favour of the bull, and Lord 
 Rockville thought he already felt the animal's horns in his 
 side, when a groom, who saw the party approaching, instant- 
 ly seized a pitchfork and flew to the rescue of his master. 
 Lord Rockville never stopped his career till he reached the 
 stable, and ran up into a loft, from the window of which he 
 gave the alarm and called for more assistance, when several 
 ploughmen and stable-boys assembled, who drove the ani- 
 mal with great difhculty, into a stall, where he continued so 
 ungovernable, that iron chains were put round his neck, 
 and some days afterwards, seeing no one could manage 
 him. Lord Rockville ordered the bull to be shot, and his 
 carcase turned into beef for the poor of the parish, who all, 
 consequently, rejoiced at his demise ; though the meat turn- 
 ed out so tough, that it required their best teetli to eat it 
 with. 
 
 Meantime, on that memorable evening of so many adven- 
 tures, Harry, Laura, and Lady Rockville, wondered often 
 what had become of his Lordship, and, at last, when supper 
 appeared at the usual hour, his absence became still more 
 unaccountable ! 
 
 "^Vhat can be the matter?" exclaimed Lady Rockville, 
 anxiously. " This is very odd ! His Lordship is as punc- 
 tual as the postman in general ! especially for supper ; and 
 here is Lord Rockville's favourite dish of sago and wine,
 
 116 THE MAD BULL. 
 
 which will become uncatably cold in ten minutcsj if he does 
 not return home to enjoy it !" 
 
 Scarcely had she finished speaking, when the door open- 
 ed and Lord Rockvillc walked majestically into the room. 
 There wa3 something so diflcrent from usual in his manner 
 and appearance, however, that Harry and I*aura exchanged 
 looks of astonishment ; his neckcloth was loose — his face 
 excessively red — and his hand shook, while he breathed so 
 hard, that he might have been heard at the porter's lodge. 
 Lady Rockville gazed with amazement at all she saw, and 
 then asked what he chose for supper ; but when Lord Rock- 
 ville tried to speak, the words died on his lips, so he could 
 only point in silence to the sairo and wine. 
 
 *' ^^ hat in all the world has happened to you this evening, 
 my Lord ?" exclaimed Lady Rockville, unable to restrain 
 her curiosity a moment longer. " I never saw you in such 
 a way before ! Your eyes are perfectly blood-shot — your 
 dress strangely disordered — and you seem so hot and so 
 fatigued ! Tell me ! — what is the matter ?" 
 
 "Nothiug!" answered Lord Rockville, drawing himself 
 up, while he tried to look grander and graver than ever, 
 though his Lord.ship could not help panting for breath — put- 
 ting his hands to his sides — and wiping his forehead with 
 his pocket-handkerchief in an agony of fatigue. Harry ob- 
 served all this for some time, as eagerly and intently as a 
 cat watches a bird on a tree. He saw that something ex- 
 traordinary had occurred, and he began to have hopes that 
 it really was the very thing he wished ; because, seeing 
 Lord Rockville now perfectly safe, he would not have grudg- 
 ed him a pretty considerable fright from his friend the bull. 
 At last, unable any longer to control his impatience, Harry 
 started off his chair, ga/.ing so earnestly nt Lord Rockville, 
 that his eyes almost sprung out of their sockets, while ho 
 rubbed his hands with cestaey, saying, 
 
 "I guc.-s you've seen the bull ? Oh I I am sure you did!
 
 THE MAD BULL. 117 
 
 Pray tell us if you have? Did he run after you, — and did 
 you run away ?" 
 
 Lord Rockville tried more than he had ever done in his 
 life to look grave, but it would not do. Gradually his face 
 relaxed into a smile, till at last he burst into loud peals of 
 laughter, joined most heartily by Harry, Laura, and Lady 
 Rockville, Nobody recovered any gravity during the rest 
 of that evening, for whenever they tried to think or talk 
 quietly about anything else, Harry and Laura were sure to 
 burst forth again upon the subject, and even after being 
 safely stowed in their beds for the night, they both laughed 
 themselves to sleep at the idea of Lord Rockville himself 
 having been obliged, after all, to run away from that " most 
 respectable, quiet, well-disposed animal, 
 
 " THE MAD bull!"
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 THE BROKEN KEY. 
 
 First he moved liis ri;^lu li'g, 
 Then he moved his left le^, 
 Then he said, " I pardon beg," 
 And sat upon liis scat. 
 
 " On ! uncle David ! uncle David !" cried Laura, when 
 they arrived from Holiday House, "I would jump out of 
 the carriage window with joy to sec you again ; only the 
 persons passing in the street might be surprised !" 
 
 " Not at all ! They are (piite accustcjincd to see people 
 jumping out of the windows with ^oy, whenever I appear." 
 
 " We have so much to tell you," exclaimed Harry and 
 Laura, each seizing hold of a hand, " we hardly know where 
 to begin !" • 
 
 " Ladies and gentlemen ! If you both talk at once, I must 
 get a new pair of ears ! So you have not hten particularly 
 miserable at Holiday House ?" 
 
 " No ! no ! uncle David ! we did not think there had been 
 so much happiness in the world," answered Laura, eagerly. 
 " The last two days we could do nothing but play and laugh, 
 and" 
 
 " And grow fat 1 Why ! you both look so well fed, you 
 are just fit for killing ! I shall be obliged to shut you up two 
 or tliree days, without anything to cat, as is done to pet lap- 
 dogs, whuu they arc getting corpulent and gouty."
 
 THE BROKEN KEY'. 119 
 
 << Then we shall be like bears living on our paws," replied 
 Harry, " and uncle David ! I would rather do that, than be 
 a glutton like Peter Grey. He went to a cheap shop lately, 
 where old cheese-cakes were sold at half-price, and greedily 
 devoured nearly a dozen, thinking that the dead flies scat- 
 tered on the top were currants, till Frank shewed him his 
 mistake !" 
 
 " Frank should have let him eat in peace ! There is no 
 accounting for tastes. I once knew a lady who liked to 
 swallow spiders ! She used to crack and eat them with the 
 greatest delight, whenever she could catch one." 
 
 " Oh ! what a horrid woman ! That is even worse than 
 grandmama's story about Dr. Manvers having dined on a 
 dish of mice, fried in cruojbs of bread!" 
 
 " You know the old proverb, Harry, ' one man's meat is 
 another man's poison.' The Persians are disgusted at our 
 eating lobsters ; and the Hindoos think us scarcely fit to 
 exist, because we live on beef; while we are equally amaz- 
 ed at the Chinese for devouring dog pies, and birds'-nest 
 soup. You turn up your nose at the French for liking 
 frogs ; and they think us ten times worse with our singed 
 sheep's head, oat cakes, and haggis." 
 
 " That reminds me," said Lady Harriet, " that when 
 Charles X. lived in what he called the <dear Canongate,' 
 His Majesty was heard to say, that he tried every sort of 
 Scotch goose, 'the solan goose, the wild goose, and the 
 tame goose ; but the best goose of all, was the hag-goose.' " 
 " Very polite, indeed, to adopt our national taste so com- 
 pletely," observed uncle David, smiling. "When my regi- 
 ment was quartered in Spain, an officer of ours, a great epi- 
 cure, and not quite so complaisant, used to say that the 
 country was scarcely fit to live in, because there it is cus- 
 tomary to dress almost every dish with sugar. At last,' one 
 day, in a rage, he ordered eggs to be brought up in their 
 shells for dinner, saying, ' tliat is the only thing the cook
 
 120 THE BROKEN KEY. 
 
 cannot possibly spoil.' "VVc played him a trick, however, 
 which was very like what you would have done, Harry, on a 
 similar occasion. I secretly put pounded sugar into the 
 salt-cellar, and when he tasted his first mouthful, you should 
 have seen the look of fury with which he spnaig ofl' his seat, 
 exclaiming, ' the barbarians eat sugar even with tlicir eggs !' " 
 
 " That would be the country for me to travel in," said 
 Harry. " I could live in a barrel of sugar ; and my little 
 pony, Tom Thuml), would be happy to accompany me 
 there, as he likes anything sweet." 
 
 " All animals arc of the same opinion. I remember the 
 famous rider, Ducrow, telling a brother-ofTicer of mine, thai 
 the way in which he gains so much influence over his 
 horses, is merely by bribing them with sugar. They maybe 
 managed in that way like children, and are quite aware, if 
 it be taken from them as a punishment for being restive." 
 
 " Oh ! those beautiful horses at Ducrow's ! How often I 
 think of them since we were there !" exclaimed Harry. 
 *' They were quite like fairies, with fine arched necks, and 
 long tails !" 
 
 "I never heard before of a fairy with a long tail, Master 
 Harry ; but perhaps in the course of your travels you may 
 have seen such a thing." 
 
 " How I should like to ride upon Tom Thumb, in Du- 
 crow's way, with my toe on the saddle !" 
 
 " Fine doings, indeed !" exclaitned Mrs. Crabtrce, who 
 had entered the room at this monicnt. " Have you forgot- 
 ten already. Master Harry, how many of the nurscy plates 
 you broke one day when I was out, in trying to copy that 
 there foolish Indian juggler, who tossed his plates in the air, 
 and twirled them on his thumb ! There must be no more 
 such nonsen.se ; for if once your neck is broke by a fall ofT 
 Tom Thumb, no doctor tliat I know of can mend it again. 
 Remember what a terrible tumble you had off tiessy last 
 year!"
 
 THE BROKEN KEY. 121 
 
 " You are always speaking about that little overturn, Mrs. 
 Crabtree ; and it was not worth recollecting above a week ! 
 Did you never see a man thrown off his horse before?" 
 
 " A man and horse indeed !" said uncle David, laughing, 
 when he looked at Harry. " You and your charger Avere 
 hardly large enough then for a toy-shop ; and you must 
 grow a little more, Captain Gulliver, before you will be fit 
 for a dragoon regiment." 
 
 Harry and Laura stayed very quietly at home for several 
 weeks after their return from Holiday House, attending so 
 busily to lessons, that uncle David said he felt much afraid 
 they were going to be a pair of little wonders, who would 
 die of too much learning. 
 
 " You will be taken ill of the multiplication table some 
 day, and confined to bed with a violent fit of geography ! 
 Pray take care of yourselves, and do not devour above three 
 books at once," said Major Graliam one day, entering the 
 room with a note in his hand. " Here is an invitation 
 that I suppose you are both too busy to accept, so perhaps I 
 might as well send an apology ; eh, Harry 1" 
 
 Down dropped the lesson-books upon the floor, and up 
 sprung Harry in an ecstacy of delight. " An invitation ! 
 Oh ! I like an invitation so very much ! Pray tell us all 
 about it !" 
 
 " Perhaps it is an invitation to spend a month with Dr. 
 Lexicon. What would you say to that 1 They breakfast 
 upon Latin grammars at school, and have a dish of real 
 French verbs, smothered in onions, for dinner every day." 
 
 " But in downright eai'nest, uncle David ! where are we 
 going 1" 
 
 " Must I tell you ? Well ! that good-natured old lady, 
 Mrs. Darwin, intends taking a large party of children next 
 week, in her own carriage, to pass ten days at Ivy Lodge, a 
 charming country house about twenty miles off, where you 
 are all to enjoy perfect happiness. I wish I could be ground 
 
 L
 
 122 THE BROKEN KEt. 
 
 down into a little boy myself, for the occasion ! Poor good 
 woman ! what a life she will lead ! There is only one little 
 drawback to your delight, that I am almost afraid to an- 
 nounce." 
 
 " AVhat is that, uncle David ?" asked Harry, looking as if 
 nothing in nature could ever make him grave again. 
 "Arc we to bite ofl our own noses before we return ?" 
 
 " Not exactly ; but somebody is to be of the parly who 
 will do it for you. Mrs. Darwin has heard that there are 
 certain children who become occasionally rather unmanage- 
 able ! I cannot think who they can be, for it is certainly 
 nobody we ever saw ; so she has requested that Mrs. Crab- 
 tree will follow in the mail-coach." 
 
 Harry and Laura looked as if a glass of cold water had 
 been thrown in their faces, after this was mentioned ; but 
 they soon forgot every little vexation, in a burst of joy, when, 
 some days afterwards, Mrs. Darwin stopped at the door to 
 pick them up, in the most curious-looking carriage they had 
 ever seen. It was a very large open car, as round as a 
 bird's nest, and so perfectly crowded with children, that no- 
 body could have sup|)oscd any room left even for a doll ; 
 but Mrs. Darwin said that whatever number of people came 
 in, there was ahVays accommodation for one more ; and 
 this really proved to be the case, for Harry and Laura soon 
 elbowed their way into seats, and set off, waving their hand- 
 kerchiefs to Major Graham, who had helped to pack them 
 in, and who now stood smiling at the door. 
 
 As this very large vehicle wjis drawn by only one horse, 
 it proceeded very slowly ; but Mrs. DarAvin amui-ed the 
 children with several very diverting stories, and gave ihcm 
 a grand luncheon in the carriage ; after which, they threw 
 what was left, wrapped up in an old newspaper, to some peo- 
 ple breaking stones on the road, feeling quite deliohted io 
 sec the surprise and joy of the poor labourers when they 
 opeiiLd the parcel. li\ short, everybody became sorry whcu
 
 THE BROKEN KEY. 123 
 
 this diverting journey was finished, and they drove up, at 
 last, to the gate of a tall old house, that looked as if it had 
 been built in the year one. The walls were very thick, and 
 quite mouldy with age. Indeed, the only wonder was, that 
 Ivy Lodge had still a roof upon its head, for every thing 
 about it looked so tottering and decayed. The very ser- 
 vants were all old ; and a white-headed butler opened the 
 door, who looked as frail and gloomy as the house ; but 
 before long, the old walls of Ivy Lodge rung and echoed 
 again with sounds of mirth and joy. It seemed to have 
 been built on purpose for hide and seek ; there were rooms 
 with invisible doors, and closets cut in the walls, and great 
 old chests where people might have been buried alive for a 
 year, without being found out. The gardens, too, were 
 perfectly enchanting. Such arbours to take strawberries 
 and cream in I and such summer-houses, where they drank 
 tea out of doors every evening ! Here they saw a prodi- 
 gious eagle, fastened to the ground by a chain, and looking 
 the most dull, melancholy creature in the world ; while 
 Harry wished the poor bird might be liberated, and thought 
 how delightful it would be to stand by and see him soaring 
 away to his native skies. 
 
 " Yes ! with a large slice of raw meat in his beak !" said 
 Peter Grey, who was always thinking of eating. "I dare 
 say he lives much better here, than he would do killing his 
 own mutton up in the clouds there, or taking his chance of 
 a dead horse on the sea-shore occasionally." 
 
 Harry and Peter were particularly amused with Mrs. 
 Darwin's curious colleption of pets. There were black 
 swans with red bills, swimming gracefully in a pond close to 
 the window, and ready to rush forward on the shortest notice, 
 for a morsel of bread. The lop-eared rabbits also surprised 
 them, with their ears hanging down to the ground, and they 
 were interested to see a pair of carrier-pigeons which could 
 earry letters as well as the postman. Mrs. Darwin showed
 
 124 THE liUOKEN KEY. 
 
 them tumbler pigeons too, that performed a summerset in 
 the air when they flew, and horsemen and dragoon pigeons, 
 trumpeters and pouters, till Peter Grey at last begged to see 
 the pigeons that made the pigeon-pies, and the cow that gave 
 the butter-milk ; he was likewise very anxious for leave to 
 bring his fishing-rod into the drawing-room, to try whether 
 he could catch one of the beautiful gold-fish that swam 
 about in a large glass globe, saying he thought it might 
 perhaps be very good to eat at breakfast. Mrs. Darwin 
 had a pet lamb that she was exceedingly fond of, because it 
 followed her everywhere, and Harry, who was very fond of 
 the little creature, said he wished some plan could be in- 
 vented to hinder its ever growing into a great fat vulgar 
 sheep ; and he thought the white mice were old animals that 
 had grown grey with years. 
 
 There were donkies for the children to ride upon, and 
 Mrs. Darwin had a boat that hold the whole party, to sail in, 
 round the pond, and she hung up a swing that seemed to fly 
 about as high as the house, which they swung upon, after 
 which they were allowed to shake the fruit-trees, and to eat 
 whatever came down about their ears ; so it very often rain- 
 ed apples and pears in the gardens at Ivy Lodge, for Peter 
 seemed never to tire of that joke; indeed the apple-trees 
 had a sad life of it as long as he remained. 
 
 Peter told Mrs. Darwin that he had " a patent appetite," 
 which was always ready on every occasion ; but the good 
 lady became so fond of stiiniug the children at all hours, 
 that even he felt a little puzzled sometimes how to dispose 
 of all she heaped upon his plate, while both Harry and Lau- 
 ra, who were far from greedy, became perfectly wearied of 
 hearing the gong. The whole party assembled at eight 
 every morning, to partake of porridge and butter-milk, after 
 which, at ten, thry breakfasted with Mrs. Darwin on tea, 
 mutllns, and swectuicats. They tlicn drove in the round 
 open car, to bathe in the sea, on their return from which,'
 
 THE BROKEN KEY. 125 
 
 luncheon was always ready, and after concluding that, they 
 might pass the interval till dinner among the fruit-trees. 
 They never could eat enough to please Mrs. Darwin at din- 
 ner ; tea followed, on a most substantial plan ; their supper 
 consisted of poached eggs, and the maid was desired to put 
 a biscuit under every visitor's pillow, in case the young 
 people should be hungry in the night, for Mrs. Darwin said 
 she had been starved at school herself, when she was a little 
 girl, and wished nobody ever to suffer, as she had done, 
 from hunger. 
 
 The good lady was so anxious for everything to be exact- 
 ly as the children liked it, that sometimes Laura felt quite 
 at a loss what to say or do. One day, having cracked her 
 egg-shell at breakfast, Mrs. Darwin peeped anxiously over 
 her shoulder, saying, 
 
 "I hope, my dear ! your egg is all right ?" 
 
 « Most excellent indeed I" 
 
 « Is it quite fresh 1" 
 
 " Perfectly ! I dare say it was laid only a minute before 
 it was boiled !" 
 
 " I have seen the eggs much larger than that." 
 
 " Yes ! but then I believe they are rather coarse, — at least 
 we think so, when Mrs. Crabtree gives us a turkey egg at 
 dinner." 
 
 " If you prefer them small, perhaps you would like a gui- 
 nea-fowl's egg?" 
 
 " Thank you ! but this one is just as I like them." 
 
 " It looks rather over-done ! If you think so, we could 
 get another in a minute !" 
 
 " No ! they are better well boiled !" 
 
 " Then probably it is not enough done. Some people 
 like them quite hard, and I could easily pop it into the slop- 
 basin for another minute." 
 
 " I am really obliged to you, but it could not be improv- 
 ed." 
 
 12
 
 126 THE imoKF.N KF.V. 
 
 " Do you not take any more salt with your egg?" 
 
 « No, I thank you !" 
 
 " A few more grains would improve it !" 
 
 " If you say so, I dare say they will." 
 
 " Ah ! now I am afraid you have put in too much ! pray 
 do get another !" 
 
 This long-continued attack upon her egg was too much 
 for Laura's gravity, who appeared for some minutes to have 
 a violent fit of coughing, and ending in a burst of laughter, 
 after which she hastily finished all that remained of it, and 
 thus ended the discussion. 
 
 In the midst of all their ha[)piness, while the children 
 thought that every succeeding day had no fault but being 
 too short, and Harry even planned with Peter to stop the 
 clock altogether, and see whether time itself would not stand 
 still, nobody ever thought for a moment of anything but 
 joy ; and yet a very sad and sudden distress awaited Mrs. 
 Darwin. One forenoon she received a letter that seemed 
 very hastily and awkwardly folded, — the seal ^\■as all to one 
 side, and surrounded with stray drops of red wax, — the direc- 
 tion appeared sadly blotted, and at the top was written in 
 large letters, the words, " To be delivered immediately." 
 
 When INIrs. Darwin hurriedly tore open this very strange- 
 looking letter, she found that it came from her own house- 
 keeper in town, to announce the dreadful event that her sis- 
 ter, Lady Barnet, had b( en that day seized MJth an apoplectic 
 fit, and was thought to be at the point of death, therefore it 
 was hoped that Mrs. Darwin would not lose an hour in re- 
 turning to town, that she might be present on the melan- 
 choly occasion. The shock of hearing this news was so 
 Tcry great, that poor Mrs. Darwin could not speak about it, 
 but after trying to compose herself for a few minutes, she 
 went into tho play-room, and told the children that, for rea- 
 sons she could not explain, thny must get ready to return
 
 THE BROKEN KEY. 127 
 
 home in an hour, when the car would be at the door for 
 their journey. 
 
 Nothing could exceed their surprise on hearing Mrs. 
 Darwin make such an unexpected proposal. At first Peter 
 Grey thought she was speaking in jest, and said he would 
 prefer if she ordered out a balloon to travel in, this morn- 
 ing ; but when it appeared that Mrs. Darwin was really in 
 earnest about their pleasant visit being over so soon, Harry's 
 face 'grew perfectly red with passion, while he said in a 
 loud angry voice, 
 
 " Grandmama allowed me to stay here till Friday ! — and 
 I was invited to stay, — and I will not go anywhere else !" 
 
 " Oh fie, Master Harry !" said Mrs. Crabtree. " Do not 
 talk so ! You ought to know better ! I shall soon teach 
 you, however, to do as you are bid !" 
 
 Saying these words, she stretched out her hand to seize 
 violent hold of him, but Harry dipped down and escaped. 
 Quickly opening the door, he ran, half in joke and half in 
 earnest, at full speed up two pairs of stairs, followed closely 
 by Mrs. Crabtree, who was now in a terrible rage, especial- 
 ly when she saw what a piece of fun Harry thought this fa- 
 tiguing race. A door happened to be standing wide open 
 on the second landing-place, which, having been observed 
 by Harry, he darted in, and slammed it in Mrs. Crabtree's 
 face, locking and double-locking it, to secure his own safe- 
 ty, after which he sat down in this empty apartment to en- 
 joy his victory in peace. When people once begin to 
 grow self-willed and rebellious, it is impossible to guess 
 where it will all end ! Harry might have been easily led to 
 do right at first, if any one had reasoned with him and 
 spoken kindly, but now he really was in a sort of don't-care- 
 a-button humour, and scarcely minded what he did next. 
 
 As long as Mrs. Crabtree continued to scold and rave 
 behind the door, Harry grew harder and harder ; but at 
 length the good old lady, Mrs. Darwin herself, arrived up
 
 128 
 
 THE nnOKEN KEY. 
 
 Stairs, and represented how ungrateful he was, not doing all 
 in his power to ))lease her, when she had taken so much 
 pains to make him happy. This brought the little rebel 
 round in a moment, as he became quite sensil)Ie of his own 
 misconduct, and resolved immediately to submit. Accord- 
 ingly, Harry tried to open the door, but, what is very easily 
 done cannot sometimes be undone, which turned out the 
 case on this occasion, as, with all his exertions, the key 
 would not turn in the lock ! Harry tried it first one way, 
 then another. He twisted with his whole strength, till his 
 face became perfectly scarlet with the cfTort, but in vain ! 
 At last he put the poker through the handle of the key, 
 thinking this a very clever plan, and quite sure to succeed, 
 but after a desperate struggle, the unfortunate key broke in 
 two, so tlien nobody could possibly open the door ! 
 
 After this provoking accident happened, Harry felt what 
 a very bad boy he had been, so he burst into tears, and 
 called through the key-hole to beg Mrs. Darwin's pardon, 
 while Mrs. Crabtrce scolded him through the key-hole in 
 return, till Harry shrunk away as if a cannonading had be- 
 gun at his ear. 
 
 Meantime, Mrs. Darwin hurried off, racking her brains 
 to think what had best be done to deliver the prisoner, since 
 no time could be lost, or she might perhaps not get to town 
 at all that night, and the car was expected every minute, to 
 come round for the travellers. The gardener said he 
 thought it might be possible to find a few ladders, which, 
 being tied one above another, would i)crhaps reach as high 
 as the window, where Harry had now appeared, and by 
 which he could easily scramble down ; so the servants made 
 haste to fetch all they could find, and to borrow all (hey 
 could see, till a great many were collected. These they 
 joined toiethor very sfronirly with ropes, but when it was at 
 \x^t reared against the wall, to the great disappointment of
 
 THE BROKEN KET. 129 
 
 Mrs. Darwin, the ladder appeared a yard and a-half too 
 short ! 
 
 What was to be done ? 
 
 The obliging gardener mounted to the very top of his 
 ladder, and Harry leaned so far over the window, he seem- 
 ed in danger of falling out, but still they did not reach one 
 another, so not a single person could guess what plan was 
 to be tried next. At length Harry called out very loudly to 
 the gardener, 
 
 " Hollo ! Mr. King of Spades ! If I were to let myself 
 drop very gently down from the window, could you catch 
 me in your arms ?" 
 
 " Mr. Harry ! Mr. Harry ! if you dare !" cried Mrs. 
 Crabtree, shaking her fist at him. "You'll be broken in 
 pieces like a tea-pot, you'll be made as flat as a pancake ! 
 Stay where you are ! Do ye hear !" 
 
 But Harry seemed suddenly grown deaf, and was now 
 more than half out — fixing his fingers very firmly on the 
 ledge of the window, and slowly dropping his legs down- 
 wards. 
 
 " Oh Harry ! you will be killed !" screamed Laura. 
 " Stop ! stop ! Harry, are you mad t can nobody stop 
 him ?" 
 
 But nobody could stop him, for, being so high above 
 everybody's head, Harry had it all his own way, and was 
 now nearly hanging altogether out of the window, but he 
 stopped a single minute, and called out, " Do not be fright- 
 ened, Laura ! I have behaved very ill, and deserve the 
 worst that can happen. If I do break my head, it will save 
 Mrs. Crabtree the trouble of breaking it for me, after I 
 come down." 
 
 The gardener now balanced himself steadily on the up- 
 per step of the ladder, and spread his arms out, while Harry 
 slowly let himself drop. Laura tried to look on without 
 screaming out, as that might have startled him, but the
 
 130 THE BROKEN KET. 
 
 scene became too frightful, so she closed her eyes, put her 
 haudd over her face and turned away, while her heart beat so 
 violently, that it might almost have been heard. Kven 
 Mrs. Crabtree clasped her hands in an agony of alarm, 
 while Mrs. Darwin put up her pocket handkerchief, and 
 could not look on another moniciit. An awful pause took 
 place, during which, a feather falling on the ground would 
 have startled them, when suddenly a loud shout from Peter 
 Grey and the other children, which was gaily echoed frora 
 the top of the ladder, made Laura venture to look up, and 
 there was Harry safe in the gardener's arms, who soon helped 
 him down to the ground, where he immediately asked par- 
 don of everybody for the fright he had given them. 
 
 There wag no time for more than half a scold from Mrs. 
 Crabtree, as Mrs. Darwin's ear had been waiting some 
 time ; so Harry said she might be owing him the rest, on 
 some future occasion. 
 
 " Yes ! and a hundred lashes besides !" added Peter 
 Grey, laughing. " Pray touch him up well, Mrs. Crabtree, 
 M'hen you are about it. There is no law against cruelty to 
 boys !" 
 
 This put Mrs. Crabtree into such a rage, that she follow- 
 ed Peter with a perfect hail-storm of angry words, till at 
 last, for a joke, he put up Mrs. Darwin's umbrella to screen 
 himself, and immediately afterwards the car drove slowly 
 off. 
 
 When uncle David heard all the adventures at Ivy Lodge, 
 he listened most attentively to " the confessions of Master 
 Harry Graham," and shook his head in a most serious 
 manner after they were concluded, saying, " I have always 
 thought that boys are like cats, with nine lives at least ! 
 You should be hung up in a basket, Harry, as they do with 
 unruly boys in the iSouth Sea Islands, where such young 
 gentlemen as you are left dangling in the air for days toge- 
 ther without a possibility of escape !"
 
 THE BROKEN KEY. 131 
 
 « I would not care for that compared with being teazed 
 and worried by Mrs. Crabtree. I really wish, uncle David, 
 that Dr. Bell would order me never to be scolded any more ! 
 It is very bad for me ! I generally feel an odd sort of over- 
 all-ish-ness as soon as she begins ; and I am getting too 
 big now, for any thing but a birch-rod like Frank. How 
 pleasant it is to be a grown-up man, uncle David, as you 
 are, sitting all day at the club with your hat on your head, 
 and nothing to do but look out of the window. That is what 
 I call happiness !" 
 
 " But once upon a time, Harry," said Lady Harriet, 
 " when I stopped in the carriage for your uncle David at 
 the club, he was in the middle of such a yawn at the win- 
 dow, that he very nearly dislocated his jaw ! it was quite 
 alarming to see him, and he told me in a great secret, that 
 the longest and most tiresome hours of his life are, when 
 he has nothing particular to do." 
 
 " Now, at this moment, I have nothing particular to do," 
 said Major Graham, " therefore I shall tell you a wonderful 
 story, children, about liking to be idle or busy, and you 
 must find out the moral for yourselves." 
 
 " A story ! a story !" cried Harry and Laura, in an ecs- 
 tacy of delight, aud as they each had a knee of uncle Da- 
 vid's, which belonged to themselves, they scrambled into 
 their places, exclaiming, " Now let it be all about very bad 
 boys, and giants, aud fairies !"
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 UNCLE DAVID'S NONSENSICAL STORY ABOUT 
 GIANTS AND FAIRIES. 
 
 " Pic-crust and pastry-crusi, that was the wall ; 
 The windows were made of black-puddings and white, 
 And slated with pancakes— you ne'er saw the like !" 
 
 In the (lays of yore, children were not all such clever, good 
 sensible people as they arc now ! Lessons were then con- 
 sidered rather a plague, sugar-plums were still in demand — 
 holidays continued yet in fashion — and toys were not then 
 made to teach mathematics, nor story-books to give instruc- 
 tion in cheini-stry and navigation. These were very strange 
 times, and there existed at that period, a very idle, greedy, 
 naughtyboy, suchas we never hear of in the present day. His 
 
 papa and mama were no matter who, and he lived, 
 
 no matter where. His name was Master No-book, and he 
 seemed to think his eyes were made for nothing but to stare 
 out of the windows, Jind his mouth for no other purpose but 
 to eat. This young gentleman hated lessons like mustard, 
 both of which brought tears into his eyes, and during .school- 
 hours, he sat gazing at his book.s, pretending to be busy, 
 while his mind wat»dered away to wish impatiently for his 
 dinner, and to consider where he could get the nicest pies, 
 pastry, ices, and jellies, while he smacked his lips at the
 
 THE WONDERl'UL STOHV. 133 
 
 very thoughts of them. I think he must have been first 
 cousin to Peter Grey, but that is not perfectly certain. 
 
 Whenever Master No-book spoke, it was always to ask 
 for something, and you might continually hear him say, in 
 a whining tone of voice, " Papa ! may I take this piece of 
 cake ? Aunt Sarah ! will you give me an apple 1 Mama ! do 
 send me the whole of that plum-pudding !" Indeed, very 
 frequently when he did not get permission to gormandize, 
 this naughty glutton helped himself without leave. Even 
 his dreams were like his waking hours, for he had often a 
 horrible night-mare about lessons, thinking that he was smo- 
 thered with Greek Lexicons, or pelted out of the school with 
 a shower of English Grammars, while one night, he fancied 
 himself sitting down to devour an enormous plum-cake, and 
 that all on a sudden it became transformed into a Latin 
 Dictionary ! 
 
 One afternoon, Master No-book, having played truant all 
 day from school, was lolling on his mama's best sofa in the 
 drawing-room, with his leather boots tucked up on the satin 
 cushions, and nothing to do but to suck a few oranges, and 
 nothing to think of but how much sugar to put upon them, 
 when suddenly an event took place which filled him with 
 astonishment. 
 
 A sound of soft music stole into the room, becoming 
 louder and louder the longer he listened, till at length, in a 
 few moments afterwards, a large hole burst open in the wall 
 of his room, and there stepped into his presence, two mag- 
 nificent fairies, just arrived from their castle in the air, to 
 pay him a visit. They had travelled all the way on purpose 
 to have some conversation with Master No-book, and imme- 
 diately introduced themselves in a very ceremonious man- 
 ner. 
 
 The fairy Do-nothing was gorgeously dressed with a 
 wreath of flaming gas round her head, a robe of gold tissue, 
 a necklace of rubies, and a bouquet in her hand, of glitter- 
 
 M
 
 134 THE WONDERFUL STORT. 
 
 ing diamonds. Her cheeks were rouged to the very eyes, 
 — her teeth were set in gold, and her hair was of a most 
 l)iilliant purple ; in short, so fine and fashionable looking a 
 fairy never was seen in a drawing-room before. 
 
 The fairy Teach-all, who followed next, was simply dress- 
 ed in white muslin, with bunches of natural flowers in her 
 lifht brown hair, and she carried in her hand a few neat 
 small books, which Master No-book looked at with a shud- 
 der of aversion. 
 
 The two fairies now informed him, that they very often 
 invited large parties of children, to spend sometime at their 
 palaces, but as they lived in quite an opposite direction, it 
 was necessary for their young guests to choose which it 
 would be best to visit first ; therefore now they had come to 
 inquire of Master No-book, whom he thought it would be 
 most airreeable to accompany on the j)resent occasion. 
 
 «' In my house," said the fairy Teach-all, speaking with a 
 very sweet smile, and a soft, pleasing voice, "you shall be 
 taught to find pleasure in every sort of exertion, for I delight 
 in activity and diligence. My young friends rise at seven 
 every morning, and amuse themselves with working in a 
 beautiful garden of flowers,— rearing whatever fruit they 
 wish to eat, — visiting among the poor, — associating plea- 
 santly together, — studying the arts and sciences, — and learn- 
 ing to know the world in which they live, and to fulfil the 
 purposes for which they have been brought into it. In short, 
 all our amusements tend to some useful object, either for our 
 own improvement or the good of others, and you will grow 
 wiser, better, and happier every day you remain in the Pa- 
 lace of Knowledge." 
 
 " lint in Castle Needless where I live," interrupted the 
 fairy Do-nothing, rudely pushing her companion aside, with 
 an angry contemptuous look, "we never think of exerting 
 ourselves for anything. Vou may put your head in your 
 pocket, and your hands in your sides as long as you choose
 
 THE WONDERFUL STORT. 135 
 
 to stay. No one is ever even asked a question, that he 
 may be spared the trouble of answering. We lead the most 
 fashionable life that can be imagined, for nobody speaks to 
 anybody ! Each of my visitors is quite an exclusive, and sits 
 with his back to as many of the company as possible, in the 
 most comfortable arm-chair that can be imagined. There, 
 if you are only so good as to take the trouble of wishing for 
 anything, it is yours, without even turning an eye round 
 to look where it comes from. Dresses are provided of the 
 most magnificent kind, which go on of themselves, without 
 your having the smallest annoyance with either buttons or 
 strings, — games which you can play without an effort of 
 thought, — and dishes dressed by a French cook, smoking 
 hot and hot under your nose, from morning till night, — 
 while any rain we have, is either made of cherry brandy, 
 lemonade, or lavender water, — and in winter it generally 
 snows iced-punch for an hour during the forenoon." 
 
 Nobody need be told which fairy Master No-book pre- 
 ferred ; and quite charmed at his own good fortune in re- 
 ceiving so agreeable an invitation, he eagerly gave his 
 hand to the splendid new acquaintance, who promised him 
 so much pleasure and ease, and gladly proceeded, in a car- 
 riage lined with velvet, stuffed with downy pillows, and 
 drawn by milk-white swans, to that magnificent residence 
 Castle Needless, which was lighted by a thousand windows 
 during the day, and by a million of lamps every night. 
 
 Here Master No-book enjoyed a constant holiday and a 
 constant feast, while a beautiful lady, covered with jewels, 
 was ready to tell him stories from morning till night, and 
 servants waited to pick up his playthings if they fell, or to 
 draw out his purse or his pocket-handkerchief when he wish- 
 ed to use them. 
 
 Thus Master No-book lay dozing for hours and days on 
 rich embroidered cushions, never stirring from his place, 
 bat admiring the view of trees covered with the richest
 
 136 THE WONUEnrUL STORY. 
 
 burned almonds, grottoes of sugar-candy, a jet d'cau of 
 champagne, a wide sea which tasted of suijar instead of salt, 
 and a bright clear pond, filled with gold-fish, that let them- 
 selves be caught whenever ho pleased. IVothing could bo 
 more complete, and yet, very strange to say, Master No- 
 book did not seem particularly happy ! This appears ex- 
 ceedingly unreasonable, when so much trouble was taken to 
 please him ; but the truth is, that every day he became more 
 fretful and peevish. No sweetmeats were worth the trouble 
 of eating, nothing was pleasant to jday at, and in the end 
 he wished it were possible to sleep all day, as well as all 
 night. 
 
 Not a hundred miles from the fairy Do-nothing's palace, 
 there lived a most cruel monster called the giant Snap-'em- 
 up, who looked, when he stood up, like the tall steeple of a 
 great church, raising his head so hiijh, that he could peep 
 over the loftiest mountains, and was obliged to climb up a 
 ladder to comb his own hair. 
 
 Every morning regularly, this prodigiously great giant 
 walked round the world before breakfast for an appetite, after 
 which, he made tea in a large lake, used the sea as a sloj)- 
 basin, and boiled his kettle on Mount Vesuvius. He lived 
 in great style, and his dinners were most magnificent, con- 
 sisting very often of an elejjhant roasted whole, ostrich pat- 
 ties, a tiger smothered in onions, stewed lions, and whale 
 soup ; but for a side-dish his greatest favourite consisted of 
 little boys, as fat as possible, fried in crumbs of bread, with 
 plenty of pepper and salt. 
 
 No children were so well fed, or in such good condition 
 fur eating, as those in the fairy Do-nothing's garden, who 
 was a very particular friend of the giant Siiap-'cm-iip's, and 
 who sometimes laughingly said she would give him a li- 
 cense, and call her own garden his " preserve," because she 
 allowed him to help himself', whenever he pleased, to as 
 many of her visitors as he chose, without taking the
 
 THE WONDERFUL STORY. 137 
 
 trouble even to count them, and in return for such extreme 
 civility, the giant very frequently invited her to dinner. 
 
 Snap-'em-up's favourite sport was, to see how many brace 
 of little boys he could bag in a morning ; so in passing 
 along the streets, he peeped into all the drawing-rooms 
 without having occasion to get upon tiptoe, and picked up 
 every young gentleman who was idly looking out of the 
 windows, and even a few occasionally who were playing 
 truant from school, but busy children seemed always some- 
 how quite out of his reach. 
 
 One day, when Master No-book felt even more lazy, 
 more idle, and more miserable than ever, he lay beside a 
 perfect mountain of toys and cakes, wondering what to wish 
 for next, and hating the very sight of everything and every- 
 body. At last he gave so loud a yawn of weariness and 
 disgust, that his jaw very nearly fell out of joint, and then 
 he sighed so deeply, that the giant Snap-'em-up heard the 
 sound as he passed along the road after breakfast, and in- 
 stantly stepped into the garden, with his glass at his eye, to 
 see what was the matter. Immediately on observing a large, 
 fat, over-grown boy, as round as a dumpling, lying on a bed 
 of roses, he gave a cry of delight, followed by a gigantic peal 
 of laughter, which was heard three miles off", and picking up 
 Master No-book between his finger and his thumb, with a 
 pinch that very nearly broke his ribs, he carried him rapid- 
 ly towards his own castle, while the fairy Do-nothing laugh- 
 ingly shook her head as he passed, saying, " That little man 
 does me great credit ! — he has only been fed for a week, 
 and is as fat already as a prize ox ! What a dainty morsel 
 he will be ! When do you dine to-day, in case I should 
 have time to look in upon you 1" 
 
 On reaching home, the giant immediately hung up Mas- 
 ter No-book by the hair of his head, on a prodigious hook 
 in the larder, having first taken some large lumps of nasty 
 suet, forcing them down his throat to make him become 
 
 ra2
 
 138 
 
 THE WONPERFUI, STORT. 
 
 still futtor, and then stirring the fire, that he might be almost 
 melted with heat, to make his liver grow larger. On a 
 shelf quite near, Master No-book perceived the dead bodies 
 of six other boys, whom he remembered to have seen fat- 
 tening in the Jhiry Do-nothing's garden, while he recol- 
 lected how some of them had rejoiced at the tlioiights of 
 leading a long, useless, idle life, with no one to please but 
 themselves. 
 
 The enormous cook now seized hold of Master No-book, 
 brandishing her knife, with an aspect of horrible determi- 
 nation, intending to kill him, while he took the trouble of 
 screaming and kicking in the most desperate manner, when 
 the giant turned gravely round and said, that as pigs were 
 considered a much greater dainty when whipped to death 
 than killed in any other way, he meant to see whether chil- 
 dren might not be improved by it also ; therefore she might 
 leave that great hog of a boy till he had time to try the ex- 
 periment, especially as his own appetite would be improved 
 by the exercise. This was a dreadful ]>rospect for the un- 
 happy prisoner ; but meantime it prolonged his life a few 
 hours, as he was immediately hung up again in the larder, 
 and left to himself. There, in torture of mind and body, — 
 like a fish upon a hook, — the wretched boy began at last to 
 reflect seriously upon his former ways, and to consider 
 what a happy home he might have had, if he could only 
 have been satisfied with business and pleasure succeeding 
 each other, like day and night, while lessons might havo 
 come in, as a pleasant sauce to his play-hours, and his play- 
 hours as a sauce to his lessons. 
 
 In the midst of many reflections, which were nil very 
 sensible, though rather too lafo. Master No-book's attention 
 became attracted by the sound of many voices laughing, 
 talking n'"! winginir, whieh causcil him to turn his eyes in 
 a new direction, when, for (he first time, he observed that 
 he fairy Teach-all's garden lay upon a beautiful sloping
 
 THE WONDERFUL STORY. 139 
 
 bank not far off. There a crowd of merry, noisy, rosy- 
 cheeked boys, were busily employed, and seemed happier 
 than the day was long ; while poor Master No-book watch- 
 ed them during his own miserable hours, envying the en- 
 joyment with which they raked the flower-borders, gathered 
 the fruit, carried baskets of vegetables to the poor, worked 
 with carpenters' tools, drew pictures, shot with bows and 
 arrows, played at cricket, and then sat in the sunny arbours 
 learning their tasks, or talking agreeably together, till at 
 length, a dinner-bell having been rung, the whole party 
 sat merrily down with hearty appetites, and cheerful good- 
 humour, to an entertainment of plain roast meat and pud- 
 ding, where the fairy Teach-all presided herself, and helped 
 her guests moderately, to as much as was good for each. 
 
 Large tears rolled down the cheeks of Master No-book 
 while watching this scene ; and remembering that if he 
 had known what was best for him, he might have been as 
 happy as the happiest of these excellent boys, instead of 
 suffering ennui and weariness, as he had done at the fairy 
 Do-nothing's, ending in a miserable death ; but his atten- 
 tion was soon after most alarmingly roused by hearing the 
 giant Snap-'em-up again in conversation with his cook, 
 who said, that if he wished for a good large dish of scol- 
 loped children at dinner, it would be necessary to catch a 
 few more, as those he had already provided would scarcely 
 be a mouthful. 
 
 As the giant kept very fashionable hours, and always 
 waited dinner for himself till nine o'clock, there was still 
 plenty of time ; so, with a loud grumble about the trou- 
 ble, he seized a large basket in his hand, and set off at 
 a rapid pace towards the fairy Teach-all's garden. It was 
 very seldom that Snap-'em-up ventured to think of foraging 
 in this direction, as he had never once succeeded in carry- 
 ing off a single captive from the enclosure, it was so well 
 fortified and so bravely defended ; but on this occasion, be-
 
 HO THE WONDERFUL STOUT. 
 
 ing dssperatoly hungry, he felt as bolil ns a lion, and walk- 
 ed, with outstretched hands, straight towards the fairy 
 Teach-all's dinner-table, taking such prodigious strides, that 
 he seemed almost as if he would trample on himself. 
 
 A cry of constcruatioa arose the instant this tremendous 
 giant appeared ; and as usual on such occasions, when lie 
 had made the same attempt before, a dreadful battle took 
 place. Fifty active little boys bravely flew upon the enemy, 
 armed with their dinner knives, and looked like a nest of 
 hornet', stinging him in every direction, till he roared with 
 pain, and would have run away, but the fairy Teach-all, 
 seeing his intention, rushed forward with the carving knife, 
 and brandishing it high over her head, she most courage- 
 ously stabbed him to the heart ! 
 
 If a great mountain had fallen to the earth, it would have 
 seemed like nothing in comparison of the giant Suap-'em- 
 up, who crushed two or three houses to powder bcncatli 
 him, and upset several fine monuments that were to have 
 made people retiiombercd for ever ; i)ut all this would have 
 seemed scarcely worth mentioning, had it not been for a 
 still greater event which occurred on the occnsion, no less 
 than the death of the fairy Do-nothing, who had been indo- 
 lently looking on at this great battle, without taking tho 
 trouble to interfere, or even to care who was victorious, but, 
 being also lazy about running away, when the giant fell, hU 
 sword came with so violent a stroke on her head, that sho 
 instantly expired. 
 
 Thus, luckily for the whole world, the fairy Teach-all 
 got possession of immense property, which she jirocceded 
 without delay to make the best use of in her power. 
 
 In the first place, however, she lost no time in liberating 
 Master No-book from his hook in the larder, and gave him 
 a lecture on activity, moderation, and good conduct, which 
 he never nflorwards forgot; and it was astonishing to seo 
 the change that took place immediately in his whole thoughta
 
 THE WONDERFUL STOUT. 141 
 
 and actions. From this very hour, Master No-book be- 
 came the most diligent, active, happy boy in the fairy 
 Teach-all's garden ; and on returning home a month after- 
 wards, he astonished all the masters at school by his extra- 
 ordinary reformation. The most difficult lessons were a 
 pleasure to him, — he scarcely ever stirred without a book in 
 his hand, — never lay on a sofa again, — would scarcely even 
 sit on a chair with a back to it, but preferred a three-legged 
 stool, — detested holidays, — never thought any exertion a 
 trouble, — preferred climbing over the top of a hill to creep- 
 ing round the bottom, — always ate the plainest food in very 
 small quantities, — joined a Temperance Society ! — and nev- 
 er tasted a morsel till he had worked very hard and got au 
 appetite. 
 
 Not long after this, an old uncle, who had formerly been 
 ashamed of Master No-book's indolence and gluttony, be- 
 came so pleased at the Avonderful change, that, on his death, 
 he left him a magnificent estate, desiring that he should take 
 his name ; therefore, instead of being any longer one of 
 the No-book family, he is now called Sir Timothy Blue- 
 stocking, — a pattern to the whole country round, for the 
 good he does to every one, and especially for his extraordi- 
 nary activity, appearing as if he could do twenty things at 
 once. Though generally very good-natured and agreeable. 
 Sir Timothy is occasionally observed in a violent passion, 
 laying about him with his walking-stick in the most terrific 
 manner, and beating little boys Avithin an inch of their 
 lives ; but on inquiry, it invariably appears that he has 
 found them out to be lazy, idle, or greedy, for all the indus- 
 ijious boys in the parish are sent to get employment from 
 tiim, while he assures them that they are far happier break- 
 ing stones on the road, than if they were sitting idly in a 
 drawing-room with nothing to do. Sir Timothy cares very 
 little for poetry in general ; but the following are his favour- 
 ite verses, which he has placed over the chimney-piece at a
 
 142 THE WONDERFUL STORT. 
 
 school that he built for the poor, and every scholar is obliged, 
 the very day he begins his education, to learn thcin : — 
 
 Some people complain ihcy have nothing to do, 
 And time passes slowly away ; 
 They saunter about with no object in view, 
 And long for the end of the day. 
 
 In vain are the trifles and toys they desire, 
 For nothing they truly enjoy ; 
 Of trifles, and toys, and amusements they tire, 
 For want of some useful employ. 
 
 Although for transgression the ground was accursed, 
 Yet gratefully man must allow, 
 'Twas really a blessing which doom'd him at first. 
 To live by the sweat of his brow. 
 
 Nursery Riivmes: 
 
 <' Thank you, a hundred times over, uncle David !" said 
 Harry, when the story was finished. '^ I shall 'take care 
 not to be found hanging any day on a hook in the larder ? 
 Certainly, Frank, you muat have spent a month with the 
 good fairy ; and I hope she will some day invite me to bo 
 made a scholar of too, for Laura and I still belong to tho 
 No-book family." 
 
 *' It is very important, Harry, to choose the best course 
 from the beginning," observed Lady Harriot. " Good or 
 bad habits grow strong<;r and stronger every minute, as if 
 an additional string were tied on daily, to keep us in the 
 rfiad where we walked the day before ; so those who mistake 
 the path of duty at first, find hourly increasing difliculty in 
 turning round." 
 
 " IJut, grandmama!" said Frank, " yoti have put up some 
 finger-posts to direct us right; and whenever 1 see 'no 
 passage this way,' we shall all wheel about directly." 
 
 *' As Mrs. Crablrec has not tapped at the door yet, I 
 shall describe the progress of a wise, and a foolish man, to
 
 THE WONDERFUL STORT. 143 
 
 see which Harry and you would prefer copying," replied 
 Lady Harriet, smiling. " The fool begins, when he is 
 young, with hating lessons, lying long in bed, and spend- 
 ing all his money on trash. Any books he will consent to 
 read, are never about what is true or important ; but he 
 wastes all his. time and thoughts on silly stories that never 
 could have happened. Thus he neglects to learn what was 
 done, and thought, by all the great and good men who really 
 lived in former times, while even his Bible, if he has one, 
 grows dusty on the shelf. After so bad a beginning, 
 he grows up with no useful or interesting knowledge ; 
 therefore his whole talk is to describe his own horses, his 
 own dogs, his own guns, and his own exploits ; boasting 
 of what a high wall his horse can leap over, the number of 
 little birds he can shoot in a day, and how many bottles of 
 wine he can swallow without tumbling under the table. 
 Thus, ' glorying in his shame,' he thinks himself a most 
 wonderful person, not knowing that men are born to do 
 much better things than merely to find selfish pleasure and 
 amusement for themselves. Presently he grows old, gouty, 
 and infirm — no longer able to do such prodigious achieve- 
 ments ; therefore now his great delight is, to sit with his 
 feet upon the fender, at a club all day, telling what a famous 
 rider, shooter, and drinker, he was long ago ; but nobody 
 cares to hear such old stories ; therefore he is called a 
 ' proser,' and every person avoids him. It is no wonder 
 a man talks about himself, if he has never read or thought 
 about any one else. But at length his precious time has all 
 been wasted, and his last hour comes, during which he can 
 have nothing to look back upon but a life of folly and guilt. 
 He sees no one around who loves him, or will weep over 
 his grave ; and when he looks forward, it is towards an 
 eternal world which he has never prepaied to enter, and of 
 which he knows nothing." 
 
 " What a terrible picture, grandmama !" said Frank,
 
 144 THE WONDERFUL STOUV. 
 
 rather gravely. " I hope there are not many people like 
 that, or it would be very sad to meet with them. Now pray 
 let us have a pleasantcr description of the sort of persons 
 you would like Harry and mc to become." 
 
 " The firiit foundation of all is, as you already know, 
 Frank, to pray that you may be put in the right course and 
 kept in it, for of ourselves we are so sinful and weak that 
 we can do no good thine:. Then feeling a full trust in the 
 Divine assistance, you must begin and end every day with 
 studying your Bible, not merely reading it, but carefully 
 endeavouring to understand and obey what it contains. 
 Our leisure should be bestowed on reading of wiser and 
 better people than ourselves, which will keep us humble 
 while it instructs our understandings, and thus we shall be 
 fitted to associate with persons whose society is even better 
 than books. Christians who are enlightened and sanctified 
 in the knowledge of all good things, will show us an exam- 
 ple of carefully using our time, which is the most valuable 
 of all earthly possessions. If we waste our money, we may 
 perhaps get more — if we lose our health, it may be restored 
 — but time squandered on tbily, nnist hereafter be answered 
 for, and can never be regained, ^^hatever be your station 
 ID life, waste none of your thoughts upon fancying how 
 much better you might have acted in some other person's 
 place, but see what duties belong to that station in which 
 you live, and do what that retjuircs with activity and dili- 
 gence. When we arc called to give an account of our 
 stewardship, let us not have to confess at the last that we 
 wasted our one talent, because wo wished to have been 
 trusted with ten ; but bt us prepare to render up what was 
 given to us, with joy and thankfulness, perfectly satisfied 
 that the best place in life is where Ciod appoints, and where 
 lie will guide us to a safe and peaceful end." 
 
 "Yes!" added Major Graham. "You have two eyes in 
 your minds as well as in your bodies. With one of tliese
 
 THE WONDiniFUL STORY. 145 
 
 wc see all that is good or agreeable in our lot — with the 
 other we see all that is unpleasant or disappointing, and you 
 may generally choose which eye to keep open. Some of 
 my friends always peevishly look at the troubles and vexa- 
 tions they endure, but they might turn them into good, by 
 considering that every circumstance is sent from the same 
 hand, with the same merciful purpose — to make us better 
 now and happier hereafter." 
 
 " Well ! my dear children," said Lady Harriet, " it is time 
 now for retiring to Bedfordshire ; so good night." 
 
 "If you please, grandmama! not yet," asked Harry, anx- 
 iously. " Give us five minutes longer !" 
 
 " xVnd then in the morning you will want to remain five 
 minutes more in bed. That is the way people learn to keep 
 such dreadfully late hours at last, Harry ! I knew one very 
 rich old gentleman formerly, who always wished to sit up a 
 little later every night, and to get up a little later in the 
 morning, till at length, he ended by hiring a set of servants 
 to rise at nine in the evening, as he did himself, and to 
 remain in bed all day." 
 
 " People should regulate their sleep very conscientiously," 
 added Major Graham, "so as to waste as little time as pos- 
 sible ; and our good king George IH. set us the example, 
 for he remarked, that six hours in the night were quite 
 enough for a man — seven hours for a woman, and eight for 
 a fool. Or perhaps, Harry, you might like to live by Sir 
 William Jones' rule : 
 
 ' Six hours to read, to soothing slumber seven, 
 Ten to the world allot— and all to Heaven.' " 
 
 N
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 THE ILLUMINATION. 
 
 A neighbour's house he'd slyly pass, 
 And throw a slonc lo break the glass. 
 
 One fine morning in Charlotte Square, Peter Grey per- 
 suaded a party of his companions to spend all the money 
 they had on cakes and sugar-plums, to make a splendid en- 
 tertainment under the trees, where they were to sit like a 
 horde of gypsies, and anuise themselves with telling fortunes 
 to each other. Harry and Laura had no one with them but 
 Betty, who gladly joined a group of nursery-maids at a dis- 
 tance, leaving them to their own devices; upon which they 
 rushed up to Peter and offered tlieir assistance, subscribing 
 all their pocket-money, and begifing him to set forth and 
 j)btain provisions for them ;is well as for himself. Neither 
 Harry nor Laura cared for eating the trash that was collect- 
 ed on this occasion, and would have been quite as well 
 plea.sed to distribute it among their conipanions; but they 
 both enjoyed extremely the bustle of arranging this elegant 
 dcjcime, or " f/».i/H«e," as Peter called it. Harry gathered 
 leaves off the trees to represent plates, on each of which 
 Peter arranged some of the fruit or sweetmeats he had pur- 
 chased, while they placed i)eiiches together as a table, and 
 borrowed lAuira's white India shawl for a table-cloth. 
 
 *' It looks like that grand public dinner we saw at the As-
 
 THE ILLUMINATION. 147 
 
 sembly Rooms one day !" exclaimed Hany, in an ecstacy 
 of admiration. "We must liave speeches and toasts like 
 real gentlemen and officers. Peter I if you will make a fine 
 oration, full of compliments to me, I shall say something won- 
 derful about you, and then Laura must beat upon the table 
 with a stick, to show that she agrees to all that we observe 
 in praise of each other." 
 
 " Or suppose we all take the names of some great per- 
 sonages," added Peter, " I shall be the Duke of Wellington, 
 and Laura, you must be Joseph Hume, and Harry, you are 
 Sir Francis Burdett, that we may seem as different as possi- 
 ble ; but here comes the usher of the black rod to disperse 
 us all ! Mrs. Crabtree hurrying into the square, her very 
 gown flaming with rage ! what can be the matter ! she 
 must have smelled the sugar-plums a mile off ! one comfort 
 is, if Harry and Laura are taken away, we shall have the 
 fewer people to divide these cakes among, and I could de- 
 vour every one of them, for my own share." 
 
 Before Peter finished speaking, Mrs. Crabtree had come 
 close up to the table, and without waiting to utter a word, 
 or even to scold, she twitched up Laura's shawl in her hand, 
 and thus scattered the whole feast in every direction on the 
 ground, after which she trampled the sugar-plums and cakes 
 into the earth, saying, 
 
 "I knew how it would be, as soon as I saw whose com- 
 pany you were in. Master Harry ! Peter Grey is the father 
 of mischief ! he ought to be put into the monkey's cage at 
 the Geological gardens ! I would not be your maid. Master 
 Grey, for a hundred a-year." 
 
 " You would need to buy a thrashing machine immediate- 
 ly," said Peter, laughing ; " what a fine time I should have of 
 it I you would scarcely allow me, I suppose, to blow my por- 
 ridge ! how long would it take you, Mrs. Crabtree, to make 
 quite a perfectly good boy of me 1 Perhaps a month, do
 
 148 TUC II.I.l'MlNATION. 
 
 you tliink 1 or to make mc as good as Frank, it might pos- 
 sibly require six weeks." 
 
 " Six weeks !" answered Mrs, Crabtrce ; " six years, or 
 sixty, would be too short. Yuu are no more like Mr. 
 Frank than a shilling is to a guinea, or a wax light to a 
 dip. It" the news were told that you had been a good boy 
 for a single day, the very slalnies in the streets would come 
 running along to see the wonder. No ! no ! I have ob- 
 served many surprising things in my day, but them great 
 pyramuses in Egypt will turn upside down before you turu 
 like Mr. Frank." 
 
 Some days after this advcntiue of Harry and Laura's, 
 there arrived new.spajicrs from London containing accounts 
 of a great battle which had been fought abroad. On that 
 occasion the British troops of course performed prodigies of 
 valour, and completely conquered the enemy, in consequence 
 of which, it was ordered by government, that, in every town, 
 and every village, and every ho\isc throughout the whole 
 kingdom, there should bo a grand illumination. 
 
 Neither Harry nor Laura had ever heard of such a thing 
 as an illumination before, and they were full of curiosity to 
 know what it was like ; but their very faces became lighted 
 up with joy, when Major Graham described that they would 
 sec crowds of candles flaming in every window, tar-barrels 
 bla/ing on every hill, flambeaux glaring at the doors, and 
 transparencies, tire-works, and coloured lumps shining in 
 all the streets. 
 
 " How delightful ! and walking out in the dark to see it," 
 cried Harry; "that will be best of all I <>li ! and a whole 
 holiday ! I hardly know whether I am in my right wits, or 
 my wnjng wiLs, for joy ! I wish wc gained a victory every 
 day 1" 
 
 *' What a warrior you would be, Harry ! Cu'sar was noth- 
 ijig to you," said Frank. "• \Vu might be satisfied with one
 
 THE ILLUMINATION. 149 
 
 good battle in a year, considering how many are killed and 
 wounded." 
 
 " Yes, but I hope all the wounded soldiers will recover." 
 
 " Or get pensions,"^ added uncle David. " It is a grand 
 sight, Frank, to see a whole nation rejoicing at once ! In 
 general, when you walk out and meet fifty persons in tho 
 street, they are all thinking of fifty different things, and 
 each intent on some business of his own, but on this oc- 
 casion all are of one mind and one heart." 
 
 Frank and Harry were allowed to nail a dozen of littlo 
 candlesticks upon each window in the house, which delight- 
 ed them exceedingly, and then, before every pane of glass, 
 they placed a tall candle, impatiently longing for the time 
 when these were to be illuminated. Laura was allowed to 
 carry a match, and assist in lighting them, but in the excess 
 of her joy, she very nearly made a bonfire of herself, as her 
 frock took fire, and would soon have been in a blaze, if 
 Frank had not hastily seized a large rug and rolled it round 
 her. 
 
 In every house within sight, servants and children were 
 to be seen hurrying about with burning matches, while hun- 
 dreds of lights blazed up in a moment, looking as if all the 
 houses in town had taken fire. 
 
 " Such a waste of candles !" said Mrs. Crabtree, angrily ; 
 " can't people be happy in the dark !" 
 
 " No, Mrs. Crabtree !" answered Frank, laughing. 
 " They cannot be happy in the dark ! People's spirits are 
 always in exact proportion to the number of lights. If you 
 ever feel dull with one candle, light another ; and if that 
 does not do, try a third, or a fourth, till you feel merry and 
 cheerful. We must not let you be candle-snuffer to-night, 
 or you will be putting them all out. You would snuff out 
 the sun itself, to save a shilling." 
 
 " The windows might perhaps be broken," added Laura ; 
 " for whatever pane of glass does not exhibit a candle, is to 
 
 n 2
 
 150 THE II.I.t;MI>ATION. 
 
 have a stone sent through it. Harry says the mob are all 
 glaziers, who break thcni on purpose to mend the damage 
 next day, which they will be paid handsomely for doing." 
 
 There were many happy, joyous faces, to be seen that 
 evening in the streets, admiring the splendid illumination ; 
 but the merriest party of all, was composed of Frank, Har- 
 ry, and Laura, under the command of uncle David, who had 
 lately sulTercd from a severe fit of the gout ; but it seemed 
 to have left him this night, in honour of the great victory, 
 when he appeared quite as much a boy as either of his two 
 companions. For many hours they walked about in the 
 streets, ga/.ing up at the glittering windows, some of which 
 looked as if a constellation of stars had come down for a 
 night to adorn them ; and others were filled with the most 
 beautiful pictures of Britannia carrying the world on her 
 !»houlders ; or Mars showering down wreaths of laurel on 
 the Duke of AVellington, while victory was sitting at his 
 feet, and fame blowing a trunjpct at his ear. Harry thought 
 these paintings finer than any he had ever seen before, and 
 stood for some moments entranced with admiration, on be- 
 holding a representation in red, blue, yellow, and black, of 
 Europe, Asia, Africa, and America, all doing homage to St. 
 George mounted on a dnigon, which breathed out fire and 
 smoke like a steam-boat. Nothing, however, occasioned 
 the party such a i)urst of delightful surprise, as when they 
 first beheld the line of blazing windows more than a mile 
 long, from the bottom of the Canongate to the highest pin- 
 nacle of the Castle, where they seemed almost to meet the 
 stars whining above, in their perpetual glory, " You see," 
 remarked Major Graham, when he pointed them out to his 
 young companions, " there is a fit emblem of the difference 
 between earth and heaven. These lights are nearer and 
 brighter to us at present ; but when tlicy have blazed and 
 glittered for one little hour, they come to an end ; whilo 
 those above, which we see so dimly now, will continue to
 
 THE ILLUMINATION. 151 
 
 shine for ages and generations hereafter, till time itself is 
 no more." 
 
 Occasionally, during their progress, Harry felt very in- 
 dignant to observe a few houses perfectly dark ; and whe- 
 ther the family were sick, or out of town, or whatever the 
 reason might be, he scarcely became sorry when a frequent 
 crash might be heard, as the mob, determined to have their 
 own way this night, aimed showers of stones at the offend- 
 ing windows, till the very frames seemed in danger of be- 
 ing broken. At last uncle David led his joyous little party 
 into Castle Street, in which not a light v/as to be seen, and 
 every blind seemed carefully closed. A crowd had assem- 
 bled, with an evident intention to attack these melancholy 
 houses, when Major Graham suddenly caught hold of Har- 
 ry's arm, on observing that he had privately picked up a 
 large stone, which he was in the very act of throwing with 
 his whole force at one of the defenceless windows. And 
 now the whole party stood stock still, while uncle David 
 said in a very angry and serious voice, 
 
 " Harry ! you heedless, mischievous boy ! will you never 
 learn to consider a moment before you do what is ^vrong ? 
 I am exceedingly displeased with you for this ! 'V\1iat busi- 
 ness is it of yours whether that house be lighted up or 
 not ?" 
 
 "But, uncle David ! surely it is very wrong not to obey 
 the government, and to be happy like everybody else ! Be- 
 sides, you see the mob will break those windows at any 
 rate, so it is no matter if I help them." 
 
 " Then, for the same reason, if they were setting the 
 house on fire, I suppose you would assist the conflagration, 
 Harry. Your excuse is a very bad one ; and when you 
 hear what I have to say about this house, let it be a lesson for 
 the rest of your life, never to judge hastily, nor to act rashly. 
 The officer to whom it belonged, has been killed in the great 
 battle abroad ; and while we are rejoicing in the victory
 
 152 THE ILLUMINATION. 
 
 that his bravery helped to gain, his widow and children are 
 weeping within those walls, for the hushand and father who 
 lies buried on a foreign shore. Think what a contrast these 
 shouts of joy must be to tlieir grief." 
 
 " Oh, uncle David ! how sorry I am !" said Harry. " I 
 deserve to go home this moment, and not to sec a candle 
 again for a week. It was very wrong of me indeed. I shall 
 walk all the way home, with my eyes shut, if you will only 
 excuse me." 
 
 " No, no, Harry ! that is not necessary ! If the eyes of 
 your mind are open, to see that you have acted amiss, then 
 try to behave better in future. When people are happy 
 themselves, they are too apt to forget that others may be in 
 distress, and ol\cn feci quite surprised and provoked at 
 those who appear melancholy ; but our turn must come like 
 theirs. Life is made up of sunshine and shadow, both of 
 which are sent for our good, and neither of them last, in 
 this world, for ever; but we should borrow part of our joys, 
 and part of our sorrows, from sympathy with all those we 
 see or know, which will moderate the excess of whatever is 
 our own portion in life." 
 
 At this moment, the mob, which had been gradually in- 
 creasing, gave a tremendous shout, and were on the point of 
 throwing a torrent of stones at the dark, mournful house, which 
 had made so narrow an escape from Harry's vengeance, when 
 Major Graham, forgetting his gfiut, hastily sprung upon a 
 lamp-post, and calling fur attention, he made a speech to 
 
 the crowd, telling of the brave Captain D who had died 
 
 for his country, covered with wounds, and that his mourn- 
 ing family was asseitiblcd in that house. Instantly the mob 
 became as sileiit and motionless as if they had themselves 
 been turned into stones ; after which they gradually stole 
 away, with downcast eyes, and mournful countenances ; 
 while it is bflicvcd that some riotous people, who had been 
 loudest and fiercest at first, allerwards stood at the top of tho
 
 THE ILLUMINATION. 163 
 
 little street like sentinels, for more than an hour, to warn 
 every one who passed, that he should go silently along, in 
 respect for the memory of a brave and good officer. Not 
 another shout was heard in the neighbourhood that night ; 
 and many a merry laugh was suddenly checked from rever- 
 ence for the memory of the dead, and the sorrow of the liv- 
 ing ; while some spectators remarked, with a sigh of me- 
 lancholy reflection, that men must ever join trembling with 
 their mirth, because even in the midst of life they are in 
 death. 
 
 " If we feel so much sorrow for this one officer and his 
 family, it shows," said Frank, "what a dreadful thing war ia, 
 which costs the lives of thousands and tens of thousands in 
 every campaign, by sickness and fatigue, and the other 
 sources of misery that accompany every army." 
 
 " Yes, Frank ! and yet there has scarcely been a year on 
 earth, while the world has existed, without fighting in some 
 country or another, for, since the time when Cain killed 
 Abel, men have been continually destroying each other. 
 Animals only fight in temporary irritation when they are 
 hungry, but pride, ambition, and folly of every kind, have 
 caused men to hate and massacre each other. Even reli- 
 gion itself has caused the fiercest and most bloody conflicts, 
 though, if that were only understood and obeyed as it ought 
 to be, the great trutPis of Scripture would produce peace ou 
 earth, and good-will among all the children of men." 
 
 The whole party had been standing for some minutes op- 
 posite to the post-office, which looked like a rainbow of co- 
 loured lamps, and Harry was beginning, for the twentieth 
 time, to try if he could count how many there were, when 
 Major Graham felt something twitching hold of his coat 
 pocket behind, and on wheeling suddenly round, he perceiv- 
 ed a little boy, not much older than Harry, darting rapidly 
 off" in another direction, carrying his own purse and pocket- 
 handkerchief in his hand. Being still rather lame, and uu-
 
 154 THE ILLUMINATION. 
 
 able to move very fast, Major Graham could only vociferate 
 at the very top of his voice, " Stop thief! stop thief!" but 
 not a constable appeared in sight, so the case seemed des- 
 l)eratc, and the money lost for ever, when Frank observed 
 also what had occurred, and being of an active spirit, he flew 
 after the young thief, followed closely by Harry. An eager 
 race ensued, up one street, and down another, with marvel- 
 lous rapidity, while Frank was so evidently gaining ground, 
 that the thief at last became terrified, and threw away the 
 purse, hoping thus to end the chace ; but neither of his pur- 
 suers paused a moment to pick it up, they were so intent 
 upon capturing the little culprit liimself. At length Frank 
 sprung forward and caught him by the collar, when a fierce 
 conflict ensued, during which the young thief was so inge- 
 nious, that he nearly slipped his arms out of his coat, and 
 would have made his escape, leaving a very tattered garment 
 in their hands, if Harry had not observed this trick, and 
 held him b^ the hair, which, as it was not a wig, he could 
 not so easily throw off. 
 
 At this moment, a large coarse ruflianlv-lookine: man 
 hurried up to the party, evidently intending to rescue the little 
 pick-pocket from their custody; so Frank called loudly for 
 help, while several police-officers who had been sent by Ma- 
 jor Graham, came racing along the street, springing their 
 rattles, and vocifcratinc, "Stop thief I" 
 
 Now, the boy struugled more violently than ever to dis- 
 entangle himself*, but Frank and Harry grasped hold of their 
 prisoner, as if they had been a couple of IUjw Street officers, 
 till at length the tall fierce man thought it time to be off, 
 though not before he had given Harry a blow on the face, 
 that caused him to reel back, and fall prostrate on the pave- 
 ment. 
 
 " Then,''s a brave little gciillemaii !" said one of the con- 
 stables, helping him up, while another secured the thief. 
 "You ought to be knighted for fighting so well! This boy
 
 THE ILLUMINATION. 166 
 
 you have taken is a sad fellow ! He broke his poor mother's 
 heart a year since by his wicked ways, and I have long 
 wished to catch him. A few weeks on the tread-mill now, 
 may save him from the gallows in future." 
 
 " He seems well practised in his business," observed 
 Major Graham. " I almost deserved, however, to lose my 
 pocket-book for bringing it out in a night of so much 
 crowding and confusion. Some lucky person will be all 
 the richer, though I fear it is totally lost to me." 
 
 *' But here is your pocket-handkerchief, uncle David, if 
 you mean to shed any tears for your misfortune," whispered 
 Laura ; " how very lucky that you felt it going !" 
 
 " Yes, and very surprising too, for the trick was so clever- 
 ly executed ! That little rascal might steal the teeth out of 
 one's head, without being noticed ! When I was in India, 
 the thieves there were so expert that they really could draw 
 the sheets from under a person sleeping in bed, without dis- 
 turbing his slumbers." 
 
 "With me, any person could do that, because I sleep so 
 very soundly," observed Frank. " You might beat a mili- 
 tary drum at my ear, as they do in the boy's sleeping rooms 
 at Sandhurst, and it would not have the smallest effect. I 
 scarcely think that even a gong would do !" 
 
 " How very different from me," replied Laura. " Last 
 night I was awakened by the scratching of a mouse nib- 
 bling in the wainscoat, and soon after it ran across my face." 
 
 " Then pray sleep to-night with your p.iouth open, and a 
 piece of toasted cheese in it, to catch the mouse," said Ma- 
 jor Graham. " That is the best trap I know !" 
 
 " Uncle David," asked Frank, as they proceeded along 
 the street, " if there is any hope of that wicked boy being 
 reformed, will you try to have him taught better 1 Being so 
 very young, he must have learned from older people to steal." 
 
 *' Certainly he must ! It is melancholy to know how care- 
 fully mere children are trained to commit the very worst
 
 156 THE ILLUMINATION. 
 
 crimes, and how little the mind of any young boy can be a 
 match for the cunning of old, experienced villains like those 
 who lead them astray. When once a child falls into the 
 snare of such practised ofieiiders, escape becomes as impos- 
 sible as that of a bird from a limed twig." 
 
 "So I believe," replied Frank. "Grandmama told me 
 that the very youngest children of poor people, when first 
 sent to school in London, are often waylaid by those old 
 women who sell apples in the street, and who pretend to be 
 so good-natured that they make them presents of fruit. Of 
 course these are very acceptable, but after some time, those 
 wicked wretches propose that the child in return shall bring 
 them a book, or anything he can pick up at home, which 
 shall be paid for in apples and pears. Few little boys have 
 sufficient firmness not to comply, whether they like it or 
 not, and after that the case is almost hopeless, because, 
 whenever the poor victim hesitates to steal more, those cruel 
 women threaten to inform the parents of his misconduct, 
 which terrifies the boy into doing anything rather than be 
 found out." 
 
 " Oh, how dreadful !" exrlaimed liaura. " It all begins 
 so smoothly ! No poor little boy could suspect any danger, 
 and then he becomes a hardened thief at once I" 
 
 " Crandmama s.iys, too, that pick-pockets in liOndon 
 used to have the stuflTed figure of a man hung from the roof 
 of their rooms, and covered all over with bells, for the boys 
 to practise upon, and no one was allowed to attempt stealing 
 on the streets, till he could pick the pocket of this dangling 
 cffisy, without ringing one of the many bells with which it 
 was ornamented." 
 
 "I think," said Harry, "when the young thieves saw 
 that figure hanging in the air, it might have reminded them 
 how soon they would share the same fate. i''.veu crows 
 take warning when tliny sco a brother crow hanging dead in 
 a field."
 
 THE ILLUMINATIOIf. 167 
 
 " It is a curious thing of crows, Harry, that they certainly 
 punish thieves among themselves," observed Major Gra- 
 ham. "In a large rookery, some outcasts are frequently to 
 be observed living apart from the rest, and not allowed to 
 associate with their more respectable brethren. I remember 
 
 hearing formerly, that in the great rookery at , 
 
 when all the other birds were absent, one solitary crow was 
 observed to linger behind, stealing materials for his nest 
 from those around, but next morning a prodigious uproar 
 was heard among the trees, — the cawing became so vocife- 
 rous, that evidently several great orators Were agitating the 
 crowd, till suddenly the enraged crows flew in a body upon 
 the nest of their dishonest associate, and tore it in pieces." 
 " Bravo !" cried Frank. " I do like to hear about all 
 the odd ways of birds and animals ! Grandmama mention- 
 ed lately, that, if you catch a crow, and fasten him down 
 with his back to the ground, he makes such an outcry, that 
 all his black brothers come wheeling about the place, till one 
 of them at last alights to help him. Immediately the trea- 
 cherous prisoner grapples hold of his obliging friend, and 
 never afterwards lets him escape ; so, by fastening down 
 one after another, we might entrap the whole rookery." 
 
 " I shall try it some day !" exclaimed Harry, eagerly. 
 " What fun to hear them all croaking and cawing !" 
 
 " We shall be croaking ourselves soon with colds, if we 
 do not hurry home," added uncle David. " There is not a 
 thimbleful of light remaining, and your grandmama will be 
 impatient to hear all the news. This has really been a 
 most adventurous night, and I am sure none cf us will soon 
 forget it." 
 
 When the whole party entered the drawing-room, in a 
 blaze of spirits, all speaking at once, to tell Lady Harriet 
 what had occurred, Mrs. Crabtree, who was waiting to take 
 a couple of little prisoners oflf to bed, suddenly gave an ex- 
 clamation of astonishment and dismay when she looked at 
 
 O
 
 158 THE ILLUMINATIOpr. 
 
 Harry, who now, for the first time since tlie robber had 
 knocked him down, approached the light, when he did, to be 
 sure, appear a most terrible .spectacle! His jacket was 
 bespattered with mud, his shirt-trill torn and bloody, one 
 eye almost swelled out of. his head, and the side of his face 
 quite black and blue. 
 
 *' AVhat mischief have you been in now, Mr. Harry?" 
 cried Mrs. Crabtree, angrily ; " you will not leave a 
 whole bone in your body, nor a whole shirt in your drawer!" 
 '• These are honourable scars, Mrs. Crabtree," interrupt- 
 ed Major Graham. "Harry has been fighting my battles, 
 and gained a great victory ! we must illuminate the nursery !" 
 Uncle David then told the whole story, with many droll 
 remarks, about his purse having been stolen, and said that, 
 as Harry never complained of being hurt, he never supposed 
 that anything of the kind could have occurred ; but he felt 
 very much pleased to observe how well a certain young 
 gentleman was able to bear pain, as boys must expect hard 
 blows iu the world, when they had to fight their way through 
 life, therefore it was well for them to give as few as they 
 could, and to bear widi i'urtitiide what tell to tlieir own 
 share. L'ncle David slyly added, that |)erhap3 Harry ])ut up 
 with these things all the better for having so much practice 
 in the nursery. 
 
 Mrs. Crabtree seemed rather proud of Harry's manly 
 spirit, and treated him with a little more respect than usual, 
 saying, she would tctch him some hot water to foment his 
 face, ilhc would go straiiilit up stairs with l^aura. Now, it 
 very seldom happened, tliat Harry went straight anywhere, 
 for he generally swung down the bannisters again, or took 
 a leap over any thing he saw on the way, or got upon some 
 of the tables and jumped olf, but this nii^ht he had resolutely 
 intended marching steadily u[) to bed, and advanced a con- 
 siderable way, when a loud shout in the street attracted hia 
 attention. Harry stejipi-d, and it was repeated again, so
 
 THE ILLUMINATIOK. 159- 
 
 seizing Laura by the hand, they flew eagerly into Lady 
 Harriet's dressing-room, and throwing open a window, they 
 picked up a couple of cloaks that were lying on a chair, and 
 both stepped out on a balcony to find out what was going 
 on ; and in case any one shoul(^see them in this unusual 
 place, Harry quietly shut the window down, intending to 
 remain only one single minute. Minutes run very fast 
 away when people are amused, and nothing could be more 
 diverting than the sight they now beheld, for at this moment 
 a grand crash exploded of squibs and rockets from the Castle- 
 hill, which looked so beautiful in the dark, that it seemed 
 impossible to think of anything else. Some flew high in 
 the air, and then burst into the appearance of twenty fiery 
 serpents falling from the sky, others assumed a variety of 
 colours, and dropped like flying meteors, looking as if the stars 
 vrere all learning to dance, while many rushed into the air 
 and disappeared, leaving not a trace behind. Harry and 
 Laura stood perfectly eritranced with admiration and delight, 
 till the fire-works neither burst, cracked, nor exploded any 
 more. 
 
 A ballad-singer next attracted their notice, singing the 
 tune of " Meet me by moonlight," and afterwards Laura 
 shewed Harry the constellation of Orion mentioned in the 
 Bible, which, besides the Great Bear, was the only one she 
 had the slightest acquaintance with. Neither of them had 
 ever observed the Northern Lights so brilliant before, and 
 now they felt almost alarmed to see them shooting like lan- 
 ces of fire across the sky, and glittering with many bright 
 colours, like a rainbow, while Laura remembered her 
 grandmama mentioning some days ago, that the poor na- 
 tives of Greenland believe these are the spirits of their fa- 
 thers going forth to battle. 
 
 Meantime, Lady Harriet called Frank, as usual, to his 
 evening prayers and reading in her dressing-room, where 
 it wa3 well known that they were on no account to be dis-
 
 160 THE ni-UMINATIOX. 
 
 turbed. Artcr having read a chapter, and talked very se- 
 rious*!/ about all it was iutended to teach, they had beg\into 
 discuss the prospect of Frank going abroad very soon to 
 become a midshipman, and he was wondering much where 
 his first great shipwreck ^ould take place, and telling Lady 
 Harriet about the loss of the Cabalvula, where the crew liv- 
 ed for eight days on a barren rock, with nothing to cat but 
 a cask of raspberry jam, which accidentally floated within 
 their reach. Before Frank had finished his story, how- 
 ever, he suddenly paused, and sprung upon his feet with an 
 exclamation of astonishment, while Lady Harriet, looking 
 hastily round in the same direction, became terrified to ob- 
 serve a couple of faces looking in at the window. It was 
 so dark, she could not sec what they were like, but a mo- 
 meat afterwards the sash began slowly and heavily opening, 
 after which two figures leaped into the room, while Frank 
 flew to ring a peal at the bell, and Lady Harriet sunk into 
 her own arm-chair, covering her face with her hands, and 
 nearly fainting with fright. 
 
 "Never mind, grandmama ! do not be afraid ! it is on- 
 ly us !" cried Harry ; "surely you know me ?" 
 
 " You ! ! !" exclaimed Lady Harriet, looking up with 
 amazement. " Harry and Launi ! ! impossible ! hoAv in 
 all the world did you get here ? I thought you were both in 
 bed half an hour ago ! Tiresome boy ! you will be the 
 death of me some time or other I I wonder when you will 
 ever pass a day without deserving the bastinado !" 
 
 "Do you not remeuiber the good day last month, grand- 
 mama, when I had a severe toothache, and sat all morning 
 beside the fire ? Nobody found fault with me then, and I 
 got safe to bed, without a single Oh fie ! from noon till 
 night." 
 
 " Wondorfiil, iiidood ! what a pity I ever allowed that 
 tooth to be drawn, but you behaved very bravely on the oc- 
 •ttsiou of iu being extracted. Now take yourselves 00!*! I
 
 TUE ILLUMINATION. 161 
 
 feel perfectly certain you will tell Mrs. Crabtree the exact 
 truth about where you have been, Eind if she punishes you, 
 remember that it is no more than you both deserve. Peo- 
 ple Avho behave ill are their own punishers, and should be 
 glad that some one will kindly take the trouble to teach 
 them better." 
 
 2
 
 CHAPTER XI, 
 
 THE POOR BOY. 
 
 Not all the fine things that fine people possess, 
 Should teach ihcm the poor to despise ; 
 For 'lis in good manners, and not in good dress, 
 That the truest gentility lies. 
 
 The following Saturday morning, Frank, Hai-ry, and Lau- 
 ra were assembled before Lady Harriet's breakfast hour, 
 talking overall their adventures on the night of the illumi- 
 nation ; and many a merry laugh was heard while uncle 
 David cracked his jokes and told his stories, for he seemed 
 as full of fun and spirits as the youngest boy in a play- 
 ground. 
 
 <' Well, old fellow !" said he, lifting up Harry, and sud- 
 denly seating him on the high marble chimney-piece. 
 "That is the situation where the poor little dwarf, Baron 
 BoroMloski \sas always put by his tall wife, when she wish- 
 ed to keep him out of mischief, and I wonder Mrs. Crabtree 
 never thought of the same plan for you." 
 
 «' Luckily there is no fire, or Harry would soon be roasted 
 for the Giant Snap-'em-up's dinner," said Frank, laughing ; 
 "he looks tip there like a China Mandarin. Shake your 
 head, Harry, and you will do rpiite as well !" 
 
 " Undo David !" cried Harry, eagerly, " pray let me see 
 you stand for one moment as you do at the club on a cold 
 day, with your feet upon the rug, your back to the fire,
 
 THE rOOR EOT. 163 
 
 and your coat-tails under your arms ! Pray do, for one 
 minute !" 
 
 Uncle David did as be was asked, evidently expecting 
 the result, which took place, for Harry sprung upon his 
 back with the agility of a monkey, and they went round and 
 round the room at a full gallop,duriag the next five minutes, 
 while Lady Harriet said she never saw two such noisy 
 people, but it was quite the fashion now, since the king 
 of France carried his grandchildren, in the same way, eve- 
 ry morning, a picture of which had lately been shown to her. 
 
 "Then I hope his majesty gets as good an appetite with 
 his romp as I have done," replied Major Graham, sitting 
 down. " None of your tea and toast for me ! that is 
 only fit for ladies. Frank, reach me these beef-steaks, and 
 a cup of chocolate." 
 
 Harry and Laura now planted themselves at the window, 
 gazing at crowds of people who passed, while, by way of a 
 joke, they guessed what everybody had come out for, and 
 who they all were. 
 
 " There is a fat cook with a basket under her arm, going 
 to market," said Harry. " Did you ever observe when Mrs. 
 Marmalade comes home, she says to grandmama, ' I have 
 desired a leg of mutton to come here, my lady ! and I told 
 a goose to be over also,' as if the leg of mutton and the 
 goose walked here, arm-in-arm, of themselves." 
 
 " Look at those children, going to see the wild beasts," 
 added Laura, " and this little girl is on her way to buy a new 
 frock. I am sure she needs one ! that old man is hurrv- 
 ing along because he is too late for the mail-coach ; and 
 this lady with a gown like a yellow daffodil, is going to take 
 root in the Botanical Gardens !" 
 
 " Uncle David ! there is the very poorest boy I ever 
 saw !" cried Harry, turning eagerly round ; "he has been 
 standing in the cold here, for ten minutes, looking the pic- 
 ture of misery ! he wears no hat, and has pulled hia long
 
 1G4 THE POOR noY. 
 
 lank hair to make a bow, about twenty times. Do come 
 and look at him ! he id very pale, and his clothes seem to 
 have been made before he began to grow, for they are so 
 much too small, and he is making us many signs to open 
 the window. May I do it ?" 
 
 " No ! no ! I never give to chance beggars of that kind, 
 especially young able-bodied fellowo like that, because there 
 are so many needy, deserving people whom I visit, 
 who worked as long as they could, and whom I know 
 to be sober and honest. Most of the money we scatter to 
 street beggars goes straight to the gin-shop, and even the very 
 youngest children will buy or steal, to get the means of be- 
 coming intoxicated. Only last week, Harry, the landlord of an 
 ale-house at Portobcllo was seen at the head of a long table, 
 surrounded with ragged beggar boys about twelve or four- 
 teen years of age, who were all perfectly drunk, and probably 
 your friend there might be of the party." 
 
 " Oh no ! uncle David ! this boy seems quite sober and 
 exceedingly clean, though he is so very poor !" replied Lau- 
 ra ; " his black trowsers are patched and repatched, his 
 jacket has faded into fifty colours, and his shoes are mended 
 in every direction, but still he looks almost respectable. His 
 face is so thin you might use it for a hatchet. I wish you 
 would take one little peep, for he seems so anxious to speak 
 to us." 
 
 " I daresay that! wc all know what the youngster has to 
 tell! Probably a wife and six small children at home, or, if 
 you like it better, he will be a shipwrecked sailor at your 
 service. I know the whole affair already ; but if you have 
 sixpence to spare, Laura, come with me after breakfast, and 
 we .shall bestow it on poor blind Mrs. Wilkic, who has been 
 bed-ridden for the last ten years ; or old paralytic Jemmy 
 Dixon the porter, who worked hard a.^ long as he was able. 
 If you had twenty more sixjionces, I could tell you of twenty 
 more people who deserve them as much."
 
 THE POOR BOY. 165 
 
 " Very true," added Lady Harriet. " Street beggars, who 
 are young and able to work, like that boy, it is cruelty to 
 encourage. Parents bring up their children in profligate 
 idleness, hoping to gain more money by lying and cheat- 
 ing, than by honest industry, and they too often succeed, 
 especially when the wicked mothers also starve and disfigure 
 these poor creatures, to excite more compassion. We must 
 relieve real distress, Harry, and search for it as we would 
 for hidden treasure s, because thus we show our love to God 
 and man ; but a large purse with easy strings will do more 
 harm than good." 
 
 " Do you remember, Frank, how long I suspected that 
 old John Davidson was imposing upon me ?" said Major 
 Graham. " He told such a dismal story always, that I never 
 liked to refuse him some assistance ; but yesterday, when 
 he was here, the thought struck me by chance to say, ' What 
 a fine supper you had last night, John !' You should have 
 seen the start he gave, and his look of consternation, when 
 he answered, 'Eh, Sir ! how did ye hear of that ! We got 
 the turkey very cheap, and none of us took more than two 
 glasses of toddy.' " 
 
 " That boy is pointing to his pockets, and making more 
 signs for us to open the window !" exclaimed Laura. 
 "What can it all mean ! he seems so very anxious !" 
 
 Major Graham threw down his knife and fork — rose has- 
 tily from breakfast — and flung open the window, calling out 
 in rather a loud, angry voice, " What do you want, you idle 
 fellow ? It is a perfect shame to see you standing there all 
 morning ! Surely you don't mean to say that an active 
 youngster like you would disgrace yourself by begging ?' 
 
 " No, Sir ! I want nothing !" answered the boy respect- 
 fully, but colouring to the deepest scarlet. "I never asked 
 for money in my life, and I never will." 
 
 " That's right, rny good boy !" answered the Major, in- 
 stantly changing his tone. "What brings you here then 1"
 
 166 THE POOR DOT. 
 
 " Please, Sir, your dcrvant? shut the door in my face, and 
 every body is so hasty like, that I don't know what to do. 
 I can't be listened to for a minute, though I have got some- 
 thing very particular to say, that some one would be glad to 
 hear." 
 
 Major Graham now looked exceedingly vexed with him- 
 self, for having spoken so roughly to the poor boy, who had 
 a thoughtful, mild, but care-worn countenance, which was 
 extremely interesting, while his manner seemed better than 
 his dress. 
 
 Frank was despatched, as a most willing messenger, to 
 bring the young stranger up stairs, while uncle David told 
 Harry that he would take this as a lesson to himself ever af- 
 terwards, not to judge hastily from appearances, because it 
 was impossible for any one to guess what might be in the 
 mind of another ; and lie began to hope this boy, who was 
 so civil and well-spoken, might yet turn out to be a proper, 
 industrious little fellow. 
 
 " Well, my lad ! Is there anything 1 can do for you ?" 
 asked Major Graham, when Frank led him kindly into the 
 room. ""What is your name ?" 
 
 "Evan Mackay, at your service. Please, Sir, did you 
 lose a pocket-book lust Thursday, with your name on the 
 back, and nine gold sovereigns inside?" 
 
 "Yes ! that I did, to my cost! Have you heard anything 
 of it?" 
 
 The boy silently drew a parcel from his pocket, and with- 
 out looking up or speaking, he modestly placed it on the 
 table, then colouring very deeply, he turned away, and hur- 
 ried towards the door. In another minute he would have 
 been off, but I'rank sprung forward and took hold of his 
 arm, saying, in the kindest possible manner, " Stoj), Evan ! 
 Stop a moment! That parcel seems fo contain all my un- 
 cle's money. Whrro did you get it? Hho sent it here V
 
 THE POOR BOY. 167 
 
 « I brought it, Sir ! The direction is on the pocket-book, 
 fio there could be no mistake." 
 
 "Did you find it yourself then ?" 
 
 " Yes ! it was lying in the street that night when I ran 
 for a Doctor to see my mother, who is dying. She told 
 me now to come back directly, Sir, so I must be going." 
 
 *' But let us give you something for being so honest," 
 said Frank. " You are a fine fellow, and you deserve to be 
 well rewarded." 
 
 " I only did my duty. Sir. Mother always says we should 
 do right for conscience' sake, and not for a reward." 
 
 " Yes ! but you are justly entitled to this," said Major 
 Graham, taking a sovereign out of the purse. " I shall do 
 more for you yet, but in the meantime here is what you have 
 honestly earned to-day." 
 
 "If 'I thought so. Sir," said the poor boy, looking 
 
 wistfully at the glittering coin. "If I was quite sure there 
 
 could be no harm , but I must speak first to mother 
 
 about it, Sir! She has seen better days once, and she is 
 sadly afraid of my ever taking charity. Mother mends my 
 clothes, and teaches me herself, and works very hard in 
 other ways, but she is quite bed -ridden, and we have scarce- 
 ly anything but the trifle I make by working in the fields. 
 It is very difficult to get a job at all sometimes, and if you 
 could put me in the way of earning that money, Sir, it 
 would make mother very happy. She is a little particular, 
 and would not taste a morsel that I could get by asking for 
 it." 
 
 " That is being very proud !" said Harry. 
 
 " No, Sir ! it is not from pride," replied Evan ; "but 
 mother says a merciful God has provided for her many 
 years, and she will not begin to distrust Him now. Her 
 hands are always busy, and her heart is always cheerful. 
 She rears many little plants by her bedside, which we sell, 
 and she teaches a neighbour's children, besides sewing for
 
 1G8 THE POOR nOT. 
 
 any one who will employ her, for mother's maxim alwcvys 
 was, that there can be no such thing as an idle Christian." 
 
 *' Very true !" said Lady Harriet. " Even the apostles 
 were mending tlieir nets and labouring hard, whenever 
 they were not teaching. Either the body or the mind should 
 always be active." 
 
 " If you saw mother, that is exactly her way, for she 
 does not eat the bread of idleness. Were a stranger to 
 offer us a blanket or a dinner in charity, she would rather 
 go without any than talie it. A very kind lady brought her 
 a gown one day, but mother would only have it if she were 
 allowed to knit as many stockings as would pay for the 
 stuff. I dare not take a penny more for my work than is 
 due, for she says, if once I begin receiving alms, I might 
 get accustomed to it." 
 
 " That is the good old Scotch feeling of former days," 
 observed Major Graham. "It was sometimes carried too 
 far then, but there is not enough of it now. Your mother 
 should have lived fifty years ago." 
 
 " Y'ou may say so, indeed, Sir ! We never had a drop 
 of broth from the soup-kitchen all winter, and many a day 
 we shivered without a fire, though the society offered her 
 sixpence a-week for coals, but she says ' the given morsel 
 is soon done ;' and now, many of our neighbours who 
 wasted what they got, feel worse off than we, who are accus- 
 tomed to suffer want, and to live upon our honest lal)our. 
 Long ago, if mother went out to tea with any of our neigh- 
 bours, she alway.-s took her own tea along with us." 
 
 " But that is being prouder than anybody else," observed 
 Frank, smiling. " If my grandmama goes out to a tea- 
 party, she allows her friends to provide the fare." 
 
 " Very likely, Sir ! but that is diflerent when people can 
 give as good as thoy get. Last week a kind neighbour 
 sent us sonic nice loaf bread, but mother made me take it 
 back, with her best thanks, and she preferred our own oat
 
 THE POOR Bor. 169 
 
 cake. She is more ready to give than to take, Sir, and di- 
 vides her last bannock, sometimes, with anybody who is 
 worse off than ourselves." 
 
 "Poor fellow!" said Frank, compassionately; "how 
 much you must often have suffered !" 
 
 " Suffered !" said the boy, with sudden emotion. " Yes ! 
 I have suffered ! It matters nothing to be clothed in rags, — 
 to be cold and hungry now ! There are worse trials than that ! 
 My father died last year, crushed to death in a moment by his 
 own cart-wheels, — my brothers and sisters have all gone to the 
 grave, scarcely able to afford the medicines that might have 
 cured them, — and I am left aJone with my poor dying mother. 
 It is a comfort that life is not very long, and we may trust 
 all to God while it lasts." 
 
 " Could you take us to see Mrs. Mackay ?" said Major 
 Graham, kindly. "Laura, get your bonnet." 
 
 " Oh, Sir! that young lady could not stay half a minute 
 in the place where my poor mother lives now. It is not a 
 pretty cottage such as we read of in tracts, but a dark cold 
 room, up a high stair, in the narrowest lane you ever saw, 
 with nothing to sit on but an old chest." 
 
 " Never mind that, Evan," replied Major Graham. " You 
 and your mother have a spirit of honour and honesty that 
 might shame many who are lying on sofas of silk and da- 
 mask. I respect her, and shall assist you if it be possible. 
 Show us the way." 
 
 Many dirty closes and narrow alleys were threaded by 
 the whole party, before they reached a dark ruinous staircase, 
 where Evan paused and looked round, to see whether Ma- 
 jor Graham still approached. He then slowly mounted one 
 flight of ancient crumbling steps after anotlier, lighted by 
 patched and broken windows, till at last they arrived at a 
 narrow wooden flight, perfectly dark. After groping to the 
 summit, they perceived a time-worn door, the latch of 
 which was gently lifted by Evan, who stole noiselessly into 
 
 P
 
 170 THE POOR BOT. 
 
 the room, followed by uncle David and the wondering chil- 
 dren. 
 
 There, a large cold room, nearly empty, but exceedingly 
 clean, presented itself to their notice. In one corner stood 
 a massive old chest of carved oak, surrounded with a perfect 
 glow of geraniums and myrtles in full blossom ; beside 
 which were arranged a large antique Bible, a jug of cold 
 water, and a pile of coarsely-knitted worsted stockings. 
 Beyond these, on a bed of clean straw, lay a tall, emaciated 
 old woman, apparently in the last stage of life, with a face 
 haggard by suffering ; and yet her thin, withered hands were 
 busily occupied with needle-work, while, in low, faltering 
 tones, she chanted these words, 
 
 " When from the dust of death I rise, 
 To claim my mansion in the skies, 
 This, this shall be my only plea, 
 Jesus has liv'd and died for me." 
 
 " Mother !" said Evan, wishing to arouse her attention. 
 " Look, mother !" 
 
 "Good day, Mrs. Mackay," added Major Graham, in a 
 voice of groat consideration, while she languidly turned her 
 head towards the door. '' I have come to thank you for re- 
 storing my purse this morning." 
 
 *' You are kindly welcome, Sir I AVhat else could we 
 do !" replied she, in a feeble, tremulous voice. " The 
 money was yours, and the sooner it went out of our hands 
 the better." 
 
 " It was perfectly safe while it stayed there," added Ma- 
 jor (iraham, not aflecting to speak in a homely accent, nor 
 putting on any airs of condescension at all, but sitting down 
 on the old chest as if he had never sat on any thing but a 
 chest in his life before, and looking at the clean bare floor 
 with as much respect as if it had been a Turkey carpet.
 
 THE POOR BOY. 171 
 
 " Your little boy's pocket seems to be as safe as the Bank 
 of Scotland." 
 
 "That is very true, Sir! My boy is honest ; and it is 
 well to keep a good conscience, as that is all he has in this 
 world to live for. Many have a heavy conscience to carry 
 with a heavy purse ; but these he need not envy. If we 
 are poor in this world, we are rich in faith ; and I trust the 
 money was not even a temptation to Evan, because he 
 has learned from the best of all teachers, that it would ' pro- 
 fit him nothing to gain the whole world, and lose his own 
 soul.' " 
 
 " True, Mrs. Mackay ! most true ! We have come here 
 this morning to request that you and he will do me the fa- 
 vour to accept of a small recompense." 
 
 *' We are already rewarded. Sir ! This has been an op- 
 portunity of testifying to our own hearts that we desire to do 
 right in the eye of God. At the same time, it was Provi- 
 dence who kindly directed my son's steps to the place where 
 that money was lying ; and if anything seems justly due to 
 poor Evan, let him have it. My wants are few, and must 
 soon be ended. But oh ! when I look at that boy, and 
 think of the long years he may be struggling with poverty 
 and temptation, my heart melts within me, and my whole 
 spirit is broken. Faith itself seems to fail, and I could be 
 a beggar for him now ! It is not money I would ask. Sir, 
 because that might soon be spent ; but get him some honest 
 employment, and I will thank you on my very knees." 
 
 Evan seemed startled at the sudden energy of his mother's 
 manner, and tears sprung into his eyes while she spoke 
 with a degree of agitation so different from what he had 
 ever heard before ; but he struggled to conceal his feelings, 
 and she continued with increasing emotion, 
 
 " Bodily suffering, and many a year of care and sorrow, 
 are fast closing their work on me. The moments are pass- 
 ing away like a weaver's shuttle ; and if I had less anxiety
 
 172 THE POOK BOY. 
 
 about Evan, how blessed a prospect it would appear ; but 
 that is the bitterness of death to me now. My poor, poor 
 boy ! I would rather hear he was in the way of earning his 
 livelihood, than that he got a hundred a-year. Toll nie, 
 Sir! — and oh! consider you are speaking to a dying 
 creature — can you possibly give hiin any creditable employ- 
 ment, where he might gain a crust of bread, and be inde- 
 pendent?" 
 
 " I honour your very proper feeling on the subject, Mrs. 
 Mackay, and shall help Kvan to the best of my ability," re- 
 plied Major Graham, in a tone of seriousness and sincerity. 
 "To judge by these fine geraniums, he must be fond of 
 cultivating plants ; and we want an under-gardener in the 
 country ; therefore he shall have that situation without loss 
 of time." 
 
 "Oh, mother! mother! speak no more of dying! You 
 will surely get better now!" said Evan, looking up, while 
 his thin pal« face assumed a momentary glow of pleasure. 
 " Try now to get better ! I never could work as well, if you 
 were not waiting to see me come home ! "VVe shall be so 
 happy now !" 
 
 " Yes ! I am happy !" said Mrs. Mackay, solemnly look- 
 ing towards heaven, with an expression that could not be 
 mistaken. " The last cord is cut that bound me to the 
 earth ; and may you. Sir, find hereafter the blessings that 
 arc promised to those who visit the fatherless and widowa 
 in their alllictiou."
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 THE YOUNG MIDSHIPMAN. 
 
 When hands are link'd that dread to part, 
 And heart is met by throbbing heart ; 
 Oh ! bitter, bitter is the smart 
 Of them that bid farewell. 
 
 Heber, 
 
 Next Monday morning, at an early hour, Frank had again 
 found his way with great difficulty to the house of Widow 
 Mackay, where he spent all his pocket money on two fine 
 scarlet geraniums. If they had been nettles or cabbages, 
 he would have felt the same pleasure in buying them ; and 
 his eyes sparkled with animation when he entered uncle 
 David's room, carrying them in his hand, and saying, " I 
 was so glad to have some money ! I could spare it quite 
 well. There is no greater pleasure in being rich than to 
 help such poor people as Evan Mackay and his poor sick 
 mother !" 
 
 "Yes, Frank, I often wonder that any enjoyment of 
 wealth can be considered equal to the exercise of kind feel- 
 ings, for surely the most delightful sensation in this world 
 is, to deserve and receive the grateful affection of those 
 around us," replied Major Graham. " What a wretched 
 being Robinson Crusoe was on the desert island alone, 
 though he found chests of gold, and yet many people are as 
 unblessed in the midst of society, who selfishly hoard for- 
 
 P2
 
 174 THE YOUNG MIDSHIPMAN. 
 
 tunes for themselves, unmindful of the many around who 
 ought to be gratefully receiving their daily benefits." 
 
 " 1 was laughing to read lately of tlie West India slaves, 
 who collected money all their lives in an old stocking," said 
 Frank, " and who watched with delight as it filled from year 
 to year ; but the bank is only a great stocking, where misers 
 in this country lay up treasures for themselves which they 
 are never to enjoy, though too often they lay up no treasures 
 for themselves in a better world." 
 
 <' I frequently think, Frank, if all men were as liberal, 
 kind, and forbearing to each other as the Holy Scriptures 
 enjoin, and if we lived as soberly, temperately, and godly 
 together, what a paradise this world would become, for many 
 of our worst suflerings arc brought on by our own folly, or 
 the unkindness of others. And certainly, if we wished to 
 fancy the wretchedness of hell itself, it would only be neces- 
 sary to imagine what the earth would become if all fear of 
 God and man were removed, and every person lived as his 
 own angry, selfish passions would dictate. Great are the 
 blessings we owe to Christianity, for making the world even 
 what it is now, and yet greater would those blessings be, if 
 we obeyed it better." 
 
 " That is exactly what grandmama says, and that we mu5t 
 attend to the Gospel from love and gratitude to God, rather 
 than from fear of punishment or hope of reward, which in 
 precisely what we saw in poor widow Mackay and Evan, 
 who seemed scarcely to expect a recompense for behaving 
 80 honestly." 
 
 "That was the more remarkable in them, as few Chris- 
 tians now are above receiving a public recompense for doing 
 their duty to (lod. Men of the world have long rewarded 
 each other with public dinners and pieces of plate, to ex- 
 press the utmost |)raisc and admiration, b-.it of late I never 
 open a newspaper witluiuf reading accounts of one clergy- 
 man or another, who has been 'honoured with a public
 
 THE YOUNG MIDSHIPMAN. 175 
 
 breakfast !' when he is presented by an admiring circle with 
 'a gold watch and appendages !' or a Bible with a compli- 
 mentary inscription, or a gown, or a pair of bands, worked 
 by the ladies of his congregation ! and all this, for labour- 
 ing among his own people, in his own sphere of duly ! 
 What would Archbishop Leighton and the old divines have 
 said to any one who attempted to rouse their vanity in this 
 way, with the praise of men 1" 
 
 "What you say reminds me, uncle David," said Frank, 
 " that we have been asked to present our Universal-Know- 
 ledge-Master with a silver snuff-box, as a testimonial 
 from the scholars in my class, because he is going soon to 
 Van Dieman's Land, therefore I hope you will give me 
 half-a-crown to subscribe, or I shall be quite in disgrace 
 with him." 
 
 " Not one shilling shall you receive from me, my good 
 friend, for any such purpose ! a snuff-box, indeed ! your 
 master ought to show his scholars an example of using 
 none ! a filthy waste of health, money, and time. Such 
 testimonials should only be given, as Archbishop Magee 
 says, to persons who have got into some scrape, which 
 makes their respectability doubtful. If my grocer is ever 
 publicly presented with a pair of silver sugar tongs, I shall 
 think he has been accused of adulterating the sugar, and 
 give over employing him directly." 
 
 " Laura," said Frank, "you will be having a silver thim- 
 ble voted to you for hemming six pocket-handkerchiefs in 
 six years !" 
 
 " I know one clergyman, Dr. Seton, who conscientious- 
 ly refused a piece of plate, which was about to be presented 
 in this way," continued Major Graham; "he accidentally 
 heard that such a subscription was begun among the rich 
 members of his congregation, and instantly stopped it, say- 
 ing, ' Let your testimonial consist in a regular attendance at 
 church, and let my sole reward be enjoyed hereafter, when
 
 176 THE VOUNG MIDSHirMAN. 
 
 you appear as my crown of joy and rejoicing in the pre- 
 sence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming.' " 
 
 Sir Edward Graham's particular friend, Captain Gordon, 
 at last wrote to say, that the Thunderbolt, 74, having been put 
 in conimii?sion for three years, was about to sail for the Afri- 
 can station, therefore he wished Frank to join without de- 
 lay; and as a farther mark of his regard, he promised that 
 he would endeavour to keep his young protege employed 
 until he had served out his time, because a midshipman once 
 paid off", was like a stranded whale, not very easily set afloat 
 again. 
 
 Lady Harriet sighed when she read the letter, and looked 
 paler all that day, but she knew that it was right and neces- 
 sary for Frank to go, therefore she said nothing to distress 
 him on the occasion, only in her prayers and explanations 
 of the Bible that evening, there was a deeper tone of feeling 
 than ever, and a cast of melancholy, which had rarely been 
 the case before, while she spoke much of that meeting in a 
 better world, which is the surest hope and consolation of 
 those Christians who separate on earth, and who know not 
 what a day, and still less what many years, may bring forth. 
 
 Major Graham tried to put a cheerful face on the matter 
 also, though he evidently felt very sorry indeed about part- 
 ing with Frank, and took him out a long walk to discuss 
 his future prospects, saying, " Now you are an ofticer and 
 a centlemau, entitled therefore to be treated with new re- 
 spcct and attention, by all your brother oflicers, naval or 
 military, in his Majesty's service." 
 
 P^rank himself, being a boy of great spirit and enter- 
 prize, felt glad that the time had really come for his being 
 afloat, and examining all the world over with his own eyes ; 
 but he said that his heart seemed as if it had been put in a 
 swinir, it fell so low when he thought of leaving his dear 
 happy homo, and then it rose again higher than ever at the 
 very idea of being launched ou the wide ocean, and going
 
 THE toUNG MIDSHIPMAN. 177 
 
 to the countries he had so often read of, where battles had 
 been fought and victories won. 
 
 " Frank !" said Peter Grey, who was going to join the 
 Thunderbolt, in about a fortnight afterwards, " you have 
 no idea how beautiful I looked in uniform to-day ! I tried 
 mine on, and felt so impatient to use my dirk, I could have 
 eat my dinner with it, instead of employing a common 
 knife." 
 
 « You never forget to be hungry, Peter," said Frank, 
 laughing. " But now you are like the old Lord Buchan, 
 who used to say he could cook his porridge in his helmet, 
 and stir it with his broad-sword." 
 
 " I hope," said Major Graham, " you both intend to be- 
 come very distinguished officers, and to leave a name at 
 which the world grows pale." 
 
 " Certainly," answered Peter. " All the old heroes we 
 read of shall be mere nobodies compared to me ! . I mean 
 to lose a leg or an arm in every battle," 
 
 " Till nothing is left of you but your shirt-collar and 
 shoe-strings," interrupted Frank, laughing. 
 
 " No ! No ! What remains of me at last shall die a Peer 
 of the realm," continued Peter. " We must climb to the top 
 of the tree, Frank ! W^hat title do you think I should take V* 
 
 " Lord Cockpit would suit you best for some time, 
 Peter ! It will not be so easy a business to rise as you 
 think. Every one can run a race, but very few can win," 
 observed Major Graham. "The rarest thing on earth is to 
 succeed in being both conspicuous and respectable. Any 
 dunce may easily be either the one or the other, but the 
 chief puzzle with most men is, how to be both. In your 
 profession there are great opportunities, but at the same 
 time let me warn you, that the sea is not a bed of roses." 
 
 " No, uncle David ! but I hope it Avill become a field of 
 laurels to us," replied Frank, laughing. " Now tell me
 
 178 THE YOUNG MIUSIIIPMAN. 
 
 in real earnest who you think was the greatest of our naval 
 heroes till now, when Peter is to cut them all out." 
 
 " He mu.st wait a few years. It is a long ladder to run 
 up before reaching the top. In France, the king's sons 
 are all born Field Marshals, but nobody in this country is 
 born an Admiral. The great Lord Duncan served during 
 half-a-century before gaining his most important victory, 
 but previous to that, he paved the way to success, not by 
 mere animal courage alone, but by being so truly good and 
 religious a man, that his extraordinary firmness and bene- 
 volence of character gained the confidence anrl respect of all 
 those who served willi him, and therefore half his success 
 in battle was owing to his admirable conduct during peace." 
 
 " So I have heard !" replied Frank ; " and when there 
 was mutiny in every other ship, the Admiral's own crew 
 remained faithful to him. Ifow nmch better it is to be 
 obeyed from respect and attachment than from fear, which 
 is a mean feeling that I hope neither to feel myself, nor to 
 excite in others. I wish to be like oSelson, who asked, 
 * ^Vhat is fear ? I never saw it.' " 
 
 " Yes, Frank ! Nelson was said to be ' brave as a lion, 
 and gentle as a lamb.' Certainly both he and Lord Dun- 
 can were pre-eminently great ; but neither Lord Duncan, 
 nor any other enlightened Christian, would have said what 
 Lord Nelson did, with his latest breath — ' I have not been 
 a great sinner !' No mortal could lilt up his eyes at the 
 day of judgment, and repeat those words again ; for every 
 man that breathes the breath of life is a great sinner. We 
 are living in God's own world without remembering him, 
 continually ; and amidst thousands of blessings we disobey 
 him. The chi«;f purpose for whith men are created, is to 
 glorify (iod, and to prepare for entering his presence in a 
 better world; but instead of doing so, we live as if thero 
 were no other object to live for, than our own pleasures and 
 amusements on earth. How, then, can we be otherwise
 
 THE YOUNG MIDSHIPMAN. 179 
 
 than great sinners ? I hope, Frank, that you will endeavour 
 to be, like Lord Duncan, not merely a good officer, but also 
 a good Christian ; for, besides fighting the battles of your 
 country, you must gain a great victory over yourself, as all 
 men must cither conquer their own evil dispositions, or 
 perigh for ever." 
 
 Lady Harriet was particularly earnest in entreating Frank 
 to write frequently home ; observing, that she considered it 
 a religious duty in all children, to shew their parents this at- 
 tention, as the Bible says that " a wise son maketh a glad 
 father," and that " the father of the righteous shall greatly 
 rejoice ;" but on the contrary, too many young persons leave 
 their parents to mourn in suspense and anxiety, as to the 
 health and happiness of those whom they love more than 
 they can ever love any one else. 
 
 *' Tell us of every thing that interests you, and even all 
 about the spouting whales, flying fish, and dying dolphins, 
 which you will of course see," said Laura. "Be sure to 
 write us also, how many albatrosses you shoot, and whether 
 you are duly introduced to Neptune at the Cape." 
 
 " Yes, Laura ! but Bishop Heber's Journal, or any other 
 book describing a voyage to the Cape, mentions exactly the 
 same thing. It will quite bring me home again when I 
 speak to you all on paper ; and I shall be able to fancy what 
 everybody will say when my letter is read. Mrs. Darwin 
 sent for me this morning on particular business ; and it was 
 to say that she wished me, in all the strange countries 
 where the Thunderbolt touched,, to employ my spare mo- 
 ments in chasing butterflies, that as many as possible might 
 be added to her museum." 
 
 " Capital ! How like Mrs. Darwin !" exclaimed Major 
 Graham, laughing. " You will of course be running all over 
 Africa, hat in hand, pursuing painted butterflies, till you get a 
 conp de soleil, like my friend Watson, who was killed by one. 
 Poor fellow ! I was with him then, and it was a frightful
 
 180 THE TOUNG MIDSIlirMAM. 
 
 scene. He wheeled round several times, in a sort of con- 
 vulsion, till he dropped down dead in my arms." 
 
 " I shall gild the legs and bilb of some ducks before 
 leaving home, and send them to her as a present from Sierra 
 Leone," said Peter. "The wings might be died scarlet, 
 which would look quite foreign ; and if an elephant falls ia 
 my way, it shall he stufl'cd and forwarded by express." 
 
 " Uncle David ! Do you remember what fun we had, 
 when you sent Mrs, Darwin that stuffed bear in a present ! 
 I was desired to announce that a foreigner of distinction 
 had arrived to stay at her house. "What a bustle she was in 
 on hearing tiiat he brought letters of introduction from you, 
 and intended to remain some time. Then we told her that 
 he could not speak a word of English, and brought <a Pole' 
 with him ; besides which he had once been a great dancer. 
 Oh ! how amusing it was, when she at last ventured into 
 the passage to be introduced, and saw her fine stuffed bear." 
 "Whatever people collect," said Peter, "every good- 
 natured person assists. I mean to begin a collection of 
 crooked sixpences immediately ; therefore, pray never spend 
 another, but give me as many as you can spare ; and the 
 more crooked the better." 
 
 " Sin" a song a sixpence !" said Frank, laughing. 
 " Laura should begin to collect diamonds for a necklace, 
 and perhaps it might be all ready before she comes out I 
 shall return home on purpose to see you then, Laura." 
 
 " Pray do. Master Frank," said Mrs. Crabtree, witLfnore 
 than usual kindness ; "we shall have great rejoicings on the 
 occasion of seeing you back — an ox roasted alive, as they 
 do in England, and all them sort of Tom-fooleries. I'll 
 dance a jig then myself for joy — you certainly are a wonderful 
 good bov, considcriiii: that I had not the managing of you." 
 Frank's departure was delayed till after the examination 
 of his school, because Mr. Lexicon had requested that, being 
 the best scholar there, he might remain to receive a whole
 
 THE YOUNG MIDSHIPMAN. 181 
 
 library of prize-books, and a whole pocketful of medals ; 
 for, as Peter remarked, " Frank Graham deserved any re- 
 ward, because he learned his lessons so perfectly, that he 
 could not say them wrong even if he wished !" 
 
 Hairy and Laura were allowed to attend on the great oc- 
 casion, that they might witness Frank's success ; and never, 
 certainly, had they seen any thing so grand in their lives 
 before ! A hundred and forty boys, all dressed in white 
 trowsers and yellow gloves, were seated in rows, opposite to 
 six grave learned-looking gentlemen, in wigs and spectacles, 
 who seemed as if they would condemn all the scholars to 
 death ! 
 
 The colour mounted into Harry's cheeks with delight, 
 and the tears rushed into his eyes, when he saw Frank, 
 whose face was radiant with good-humour and happiness, 
 take his place as head boy in the school. All his compa- 
 nions had crowded round Frank as he entered, knowing that 
 this was his last appearance in the class ; while he spoke a 
 merry or a kind word to each, leaning on the shoulder of 
 one, and grasping the hand of another with cordial kindness, 
 for he liked everybody, and everybody liked him. No one 
 envied Frank being dux, because they knew how hard he 
 worked for that place, and how anxious he had been to help 
 every other boy in learning as cleverly as himself; for all 
 the boobies would have become duxes if Frank could have 
 assisted them to rise, while many an idler had been made 
 busy by his attention and advice. No boy ever received, in 
 one day, more presents than Frank did on this occasion 
 from his young friends, who spent all their pocket-money 
 in pen-knives and pencil-cases, which were to be kept by 
 Frank, in remembrance of them, as long as he lived ; and 
 some of his companions had a tear in their eye on bidding 
 him farewell, which pleased him more than all their gifts. 
 
 Major Graham took his place, with more gravity than 
 usual, among the judges appointed to distribute the prizes ; 
 
 Q
 
 182 THE YOUNG MIDSHIPMAI*. 
 
 and now, duriii<:; more than two hours, tlic most puzzling 
 questions that could be invented were put to every scholar 
 in succession, while Frank seemed always ready with an 
 answer, and not only spoke for himself, but often good-na- 
 turedly prompted his neighbours, in so low atone that no one 
 else heard him. His eyes brightened, and his face grew red 
 •with anxiety, while even his voice shook at first ; but before 
 long Frank collected all his wits about him, and could con- 
 strue Latin or repeat Greek with perfect ease, till at length 
 the whole examination concluded, and the great Dr. Clif- 
 ford, who had lately come all the way from Oxford, was re- 
 quested to present the prizes. Upon this he rose majesti- 
 cally from his arm-chair, and made a long speech, filled a3 
 full as it could hold with Latin and Creek. lie praised 
 Homer and Horace for nearly twenty minutes, and brought 
 in several lines from Virgil, after which he turned to P'rank, 
 saying, in a tone of great kindness and condescension, 
 though at the same time exceedingly pompous, 
 
 "It seems almost a pity that this young gentleman — alrea- 
 dy so very accomplished a scholar — who is, I may say, a 
 perfect mulhtm in pnrvo, should prematurely pause in his 
 classical career to enter the navy; but in every situation of 
 life his extraordinary activity of mind, good temper, cour- 
 age and ability, must render him an honour to his country 
 and his profession." 
 
 Dr. Clifford now glanced over the list of prizes, and read 
 aloud — " First prize for Greek — Master Graham !" 
 
 Frank walked gracefully forward, coloured and bowed, 
 while a few words of approbation were said to him, and a 
 fiplrndidly-bound copy of Euripides was put into his hands 
 by Dr. riifibrd, who then hastily read over the catalogue of 
 prizes to himself, in an audible voice, and in a tone of great 
 surprise. 
 
 «< F'irst prize for Latin ! — Master Graham ! First for al- 
 gebra, — first for geography, — first for mathematics, — all
 
 THE YOUNG MIDSHIPMAN. 183 
 
 Master Graham ! ! ! — and last, not least, a medal for gene- 
 ral good conduct, which the boys are allowed to bestow 
 upon the scholar they think most deserving, — and here 
 stands the name of Master Graham again ! !" 
 
 Dr. Clifford paused, while the boys all stood up for a 
 moment and clapped their hands with enthusiasm, as a to- 
 ken of rejoicing at the destination of their own medal. 
 
 For the first time Frank was now completely overcome, 
 — he coloured more deeply than before, and looked gratefully 
 round, first at his companions, then at his master, and last 
 at Major Graham, who had a tear standing in his eye when 
 he smiled upon Frank, and held out his hand. 
 
 Frank's lip quivered for a moment, as if he would burst 
 into tears, but with a strong effort he recovered himself, and 
 affectionately grasping his uncle's hand, hastily resumed his 
 place on the bench, to remain there while his companions 
 received the smaller prizes awarded to them. 
 
 Meanwhile, Harry had been watching Frank with a feel- 
 ing of joy and pride, such as he never experienced before, 
 and could scarcely refrain from saying to every person near 
 him, " That is my brother !" He looked at Frank long and 
 earnestly, wishing to be like him, and resolving to follow his 
 good example at school. He gazed again and again, with 
 new feelings of pleasure and admiration, till gradually his 
 thoughts became melancholy, while remembering how soon 
 they must be separated ; and suddenly the terrible idea dart- 
 ed into his mind, "Perhaps we never may meet again!" 
 Harry tried not to think of this ; he turned his thoughts to 
 other subjects ; he forced himself to look at anything that 
 was going on, but still these words returned with mournful 
 apprehension to his heart, " Perhaps we never may meet 
 again !" 
 
 Frank's first action, after the examination had been con- 
 eluded, was hastily to gather up all his books, and bring a 
 eight of them to Harry and Laura ; but what was his as-
 
 1S4 THE YOUNG MIDSHIPMAN. 
 
 tonishincnt when, instead of looking at the prizes, llarr)' 
 suddculy threw his arms round his neck, and burst into 
 tears. 
 
 " My dear — dear boy ! what has happened !" exclaimed 
 Frank, affectionately embracing him, and looking much 
 surprised. " Tell me, dear Harry, has any thing distressed 
 you ?" 
 
 " I don't know very well, Frank ! but you are going 
 away, — and — and — I wish I had been a better boy ! I 
 would do any thing you bid me now ! — but I shall never be 
 so happy again — no ! never, without you !" 
 
 " But, dear Harry ! you will have Laura and grandmama, 
 and uncle David, all left, and I am coming back some day ! 
 Oh ! what a happy meeting we shall have then !" said 
 Frank, while the tears stood in his eyes ; and drawing 
 Harry's arm within his own, they walked slowly away toge- 
 ther. 
 
 " I am very — very anxious for you and Laura to be hap- 
 py," continued Frank, in the kindest manner; "but, dear 
 Harry, will you not take more care to do as you are bid, 
 and not always to prefer doing what you like! Mrs. Crab- 
 tree would not be half so terrible if you did not provoke her 
 by some new tricks every day. I almost like her myself ; 
 for as the old proverb says, ' her bark is worse than her 
 bite;' and she often reminds mc of that funny old fable, 
 where the mice were more afraid of (he loud, fierce-looking 
 cock, than of the sleek, smooth-looking cat, for there are 
 people carrying gentler tongues yet quite as difficult to deal 
 with. At the same time, seeing how uncomfortable you 
 and Laura both feel with Mrs. Oabtree, I have written a 
 letter to papa, asking, a.s my la.st and only request on leav- 
 ing home, that he will make a change of ministry, and 
 he is always so very kind, that I foel sure he will grant it." 
 
 " How good of you, Frank !'' said Harry. " I am sure it 
 is our own faults very often when we arc in di.<grace, fur
 
 THE YOUNG MIDSUIPMAW. 185 
 
 we are seldom punished till we deserve it ; but I am 
 so sorry you are going away, that I can think of nothing 
 else." 
 
 " So am I, very sorry indeed ; but my best comfort, when 
 far from home, would be, to think that you and Laura are 
 happy, which will be the case when you become more watch- 
 ful to please grand mama." 
 
 " That is very true, Frank ! and I would rather offend 
 twenty Mrs. Crabtrees than one grandmama ; but perhaps 
 uncle David may send me to school now, when I shall try 
 to be like you, sitting at the top of the class, and getting 
 prizes for good behaviour." 
 
 " Well, Harry ! my pleasantest days at school have been 
 those when I was busiest, and you will find the same thing. 
 How delightful it was, going over and over my tasks till they 
 were quite perfect, and then rushing out to the play-ground, 
 where my mind got a rest, while my body was active ; you 
 know it is seldom that both mind and body work at once, 
 and the best way of resting the one is, to make the other 
 labour. That is probably the reason, Harry, why games 
 are never half so pleasant as after hard study." 
 
 "Perhaps," replied Harry, doubtfully; "but I always 
 hate anything that I am obliged to do." 
 
 " Then never be a sailor, as I shall be obliged to do fifty 
 things a-day that I would rather not ; for instance, to get up 
 in the middle of the night, when very likely dreaming 
 about being at home again ; but, as grandmama says, it is 
 pleasant to have some duties, for life would not get on well 
 without them." 
 
 "Yes — perhaps — I don't know! — we could find plenty 
 to do ourselves, without anybody telling us. I should like 
 to-morrow, to watch the boys playing at cricket, and to see 
 the races, and the Diorama, and in the evening to shoot 
 our bows and arrows." 
 
 " My good Sir 1 what the better would you, or any- 
 
 <12
 
 186 TJIE yOLNG MIUSHIPMAN. 
 
 body else, bo of such a lite as that ! Not a thing in this 
 world is made to be useless, Hurry ; the very weeds that 
 grow in the ground are t'(^r some serviceable purpose, and 
 you would not wish to be the only creature on earth living 
 entirely for yourself. It. would be better if neither of us had 
 ever been born, than that the time and opportunities which 
 God gives us for improving ourselves and doing good to 
 others, should all be wasted. Let mc hope, Harry, when I 
 am away, that you will often consider how dull grandmama 
 may then feel, and how hap[)y you might make her by being 
 very attentive and obedient." 
 
 " Yes, Frank I but I could never fill your place ! — that is 
 quite impossible! Nobody can do that !" 
 
 ''Tryl'-only try, Harry! grandmama is very easily 
 pleased whtii people do their best. She W(jnld not have 
 felt so well satistied with me, if that had not been the case." 
 
 " Frank !" said Harry, sorrowfully, " I feel as if ten bro- 
 thers were going away instead of one, for you are so good 
 to me ! I shall be sure to mention you in my prayers, be- 
 cause that is all I can do for you now." 
 
 " Not all, Harry ! though that is a great deal ; you must 
 write to me often, and tell me what makes you happy or 
 unhajipy, for I shall be more interested than ever, now that 
 we are se[>arated. Tell me everything about my school-fel- 
 lows, too, and about Laura. There is no corner of the 
 wide world where I shall not think of you both every day, 
 and foel anxious about the very least thing that concerns 
 you." 
 
 "My <lcar boys!" said Major Graham, who had joined 
 them some moments before, " it is fortunate that you have 
 both lived always in the same home, for that will make you 
 love each other atTcctionatcly as long as you live. In En- 
 gland, children of one family are all scattered to difTcreut 
 schools, without any one to care whether they are attached or 
 not, theicfore their earlie.->t and warmest friendships aro
 
 THE YOUNG MIDSHirMAN. 187 
 
 formed with strangers of the same age, whom they perhaps 
 never see again, after leaving school. In that case, brothers 
 have no happy days of childhood to talk over in future life, 
 as you both have, — no little scrapes to remember, that they 
 got into together — no pleasures enjoyed at the same moment 
 to smile at the recollection of, and no friction of their tempers 
 in youth, such as makes every thing go on smoothly be- 
 tween brothers when they grow older ; therefore, when at last 
 grown up and thrown together, they scarcely feel more mu- 
 tual friendship and intimacy than any other gentlemen tes- 
 tify towards each other." 
 
 " I dare say that is very true," said Frank. " Tom 
 Brownlow tells me when his three brothers come home from 
 Eton, Harrow, and Durham, they quarrel so excessively, that 
 sometimes no two of them are on speaking terms." 
 
 " Not at all improbable," observed Major Graham. " la 
 everything we see how much better God's arrangements are 
 than our own. Families were intended to be like a little 
 world in themselves — old people to govern the young 
 ones — young people to make their elders cheerful — 
 grown-up brothers and sisters to show their juniors a 
 good example — and children to be playthings and com- 
 panions to their seniors, but that is all at an end in the present 
 system." <■ 
 
 " Old Andrew says that large families 'squander' them- 
 selves all over the earth now," said Frank, laughing. 
 
 " Yes !" very young children are thrust into preparatory 
 schools — older boys go to distant academies — youths to Col- 
 lege — and young men are shipped off abroad, while who 
 among them all can say his heart is in his own home ? Parents 
 in the meantime, finding no occupation or amusement in 
 educating their children, begin writing books, perhaps 
 theories of education, or novels ; and try to fill up the rest 
 of their useless hours with plays, operas, concerts, balls, or 
 clubs. If people could only know what is the best happi-
 
 1S8 THE VOUNG MinSHIPMArf. 
 
 ness of this life, it certainly depends on l)eing loved by 
 those we belong to; for nothing can be called peace on 
 earth, which docs not consist in family afiection, built upon 
 a strong foundation of religion and morality." 
 
 Sir Edward Graham felt very proud of Frank, as all gen- 
 tlemen are of their eldest sons, and wrote a most affection- 
 ate letter on the occasion of his going to sea, promising to 
 meet him at Portsmouth, and lamenting that he still felt so 
 ill and melancholy he could not return home, but meant to 
 try whether the baths in Germany would do him any good. 
 In this letter was enclosed what he called " Frank's first 
 prize-money," the largest sum the young midshipman had 
 ever seen in his life, and before it had been a day in his pos- 
 session, more than the half was spent on presents to his 
 friends. Not a single person seemed to be forgotten except 
 himself; for Frank was so completely unselfish, that Peter 
 Grey once laughingly said, " Frank scarcely remembers 
 there is such a person as himself in the world, therefore it is 
 astonishing how he contrives to exist at all." 
 
 " If that be his worst fault, you shew him a very opposite 
 example, Peter," said Major Graham, smiling; "number 
 one is a great favourite with you." 
 
 " Frank is also very obliging !" added Lady Harriet ; '' ho 
 would do anything for any body." 
 
 "Ah, poor fellow ! lie can't help that," said Peter, in a 
 tone of pity. " Some people are born with that sort of des- 
 perate activity — flying to assist every one — running up stairs 
 for wliatever is wanted — scarcliing for whatever is lost — and 
 picking up whatever has been dropped. I have .«'cen seve- 
 ral others like I'' rank, who were troubled with that sort of 
 turn. He is indulging his own inclination in flyijig about 
 everywhere for everybody, as much as I do in sitting still ! — 
 it is all nature! — you know tastes differ, for some people 
 like apples and some like onions." 
 
 Frank had a black shade of himself, drawn in uniform
 
 THE YOUNG MIDSHIPMAN. 189 
 
 and put into a gilt frame, all for one shilling, which he pre- 
 sented to his grandrnama, who looked sadly at the likeness 
 when he came smiling into her dressing-room, and calling 
 Harry to assist in knocking a nail into the wall, that it 
 might be hung above the chimney-piece. *' I need nothing 
 to remind me of you, dear Frank," observed Lady Harriet, 
 " and this is a sad exchange, the shadow for the substance." 
 Frank gave a handsome new red morocco spectacle-case to 
 uncle David, and asked leave to carry away the old one with 
 him as a remembrance. He bought gowns for all the maids, 
 and books for all the men-servants. He presented Mrs. 
 Crabtree with an elegant set of tea-cups and saucers, pro- 
 mising to send her a box of tea the first time he went to 
 China ; and for Laura and Harry he produced a magnificent 
 magic lanthorn, representing all the stars and planets, which 
 cost him several guineas. It was exhibited the evening be- 
 fore Frank went away, and caused gi*eat entertainment to a 
 large party of his companions, who assembled at tea to take 
 leave of him, on which occasion Peter Grey made a funny 
 speech, proposing Frank's health in a bumper of bohea, 
 when the whole party became very merry, and did not dis- 
 perse till ten. 
 
 Major Graham intended accompanying Frank to Ports- 
 mouth, and they were to set off by the mail next evening. 
 That day was a sad one to Harry and Laura, who were al- 
 lowed a whole holiday ; but not a sound of merriment was 
 heard in the house, except when Frank tried to make them 
 'cheerful, by planning what was to be done after he came 
 back, or when Major Graham invented droll stories about 
 the adventures Frank would probably meet with at sea. 
 Even Mrs. Crabtree looked more grave and cross than 
 usual ; and she brought Frank a present of a needle-case 
 made with her own hands, and filled with thread of every 
 kind, saying, that she heard all "midshipmites" learned to 
 mend their things, and keep them decent, which was an ex-
 
 190 THE YOUNG MIDSHIPMAlf. 
 
 cclleiit custom, and ought to be encouraiied ; but she hoped 
 he would remember, that " a stitch in time saves nine." 
 
 Lady Harriet stayed most of that day in her dressing- 
 room, and tried to conceal the traces of many tears when 
 she did appear ; but it was only too evident how sadly her 
 time had been passed alone. 
 
 "Grandmamal" said Frank, takinghcr hand affectionate- 
 ly, and trying to look cheerful ; " we shall meet again ; 
 perhaps very soon !" 
 
 Lady Harriet silently laid her hand upon the Bible, to 
 show that there she found the certain assurance of another 
 meeting in a better world ; but she looked at Frank with 
 melancholy affection, and added, very solemnly and empha- 
 tically, 
 
 ' There is no union licrc of hearts, 
 That finds not here an end.' " 
 
 " But, grandmama! you are not so \cry old !'' exclaim- 
 ed Laura, earnestly. " Lord Rockville was born ten years 
 sooner, and besides, young people sometimes die before older 
 people." 
 
 " Ye.s, Laura ! young people may die, but old people 
 must. It is not possible that this feeble aged frame of mine 
 can long remain in the visible world. ' The eye of him 
 that hath seen me shall me no more.' I have many more 
 friends under the earth now, than on it. The .streets of this 
 city would be crowded, if all those I once knew and still re- 
 member, could be revived ; but my turn is fast coming, like 
 theirs, and Frank knows, as all of you do, where it is my 
 hope and prayer that we may certainly meet again." 
 
 " Grandmama !" said F'rank, in a low and broken voice, 
 "it wants but an hour to the time of my departure; I 
 should like much if the servants were to con.e up now for 
 family prayers, and if uncle David would read us the 14lU 
 chapter of St. John."
 
 THE YOUNG MIDSHIPMAN. 191 
 
 Lady Harriet rung the bell, and before long the whole 
 household had assembled, as not one would have been ab- 
 sent on the night of Master Frank's departure from home, 
 which all were deeply grieved at, and even Mrs. Crabtrec 
 dashed a tear from her cheek as she entered the room. 
 
 Frank sat with his hand in Lady Harriet's, while Major 
 Graliam read the beautiful and comforting chapter which 
 had been selected, and when the whole family kneeled in 
 solemn prayer together, many a deep sob, which could not 
 be conquered, was heard from Frank himself. After all 
 was over, he approached the servants, and silently shook 
 hands with each, but could not attempt to speak ; after 
 which Lady Harriet led him to her dressing-room, where 
 they remained some time, till, the carriage having arrived, 
 Frank hastened into the drawing-room, clasped Harry and 
 Laura in his arms, and having, in a voice choked with 
 grief, bid them both a long farewell, he hurried out of their 
 presence. 
 
 \Mien the door closed, something seemed to fall heavily 
 on the ground, but this scarcely attracted any one's atten- 
 tion, till Major Graham followed Frank, and was shocked 
 to find him lying on the staircase perfectly insensible. In- 
 stead of calling for assistance, however, uncle David care- 
 fully lifted Frank in his own arms, and carried him to the 
 carriage, where, after a few moments, the fresh air, and the 
 rapid motion revived his recollection, and he burst into 
 tears. 
 
 " Poor grandmama! and Harry and Laura!" cried he, 
 weeping convulsively. " Oh ! when shall I see them all 
 again !" 
 
 " My dear boy !" said Major Graham, trying to be cheer- 
 ful ; "do you think nobody ever left home before? One 
 would suppose you never expected to come back ! Three 
 years seem an age when we look forward, but are nothing 
 after they have fled. The longer we live, the shorter every
 
 192 THE YOUNG MIDSnir^IAN. 
 
 year appears, and it will seem only the day after to-morrow 
 when you are rushing into the house again, and all of us 
 standing at the door to welcome you back. Think what a 
 joyous moment that will be ! There is a wide and wonder- 
 ful world for you to see first, and then a happy home after- 
 wards to revisit." 
 
 " Yes, dear, good, kind uncle David ! no one ever had a 
 happier home ; and till the cast comes to the west, I shall 
 never cease to think of it with gratitude to you and grand- 
 mama. We shall surely all meet again. I must live upon 
 that prospect. Hope is the jewel that remains wherever we 
 go, and the hope to which grandmama has directed me, is 
 truly compared to a rainbow, which not only brightens the 
 earth, but stretches to heaven."
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 THE AMUSING DRIVE. 
 
 I would not enter on my list of friends 
 
 (Though grac'd with polish'd manners and fine sense, 
 
 Yet wanting sensibility) the man 
 
 Who needlessly sets foot upon a worm. 
 
 COWPER. 
 
 Lady Harriet was confined to bed for several days after 
 Frank's departure from home, and during all that week 
 Harry and Laura felt so melancholy, that even Mrs. Crab- 
 tree became sorry for them, saying it was quite distressing 
 to see how quiet and good they had become, for Master 
 Harry was as mild as milk now, and she almost wished he 
 would be at some of his old tricks again. 
 
 On the following Monday, a message arrived from Lady 
 Rockville, to say that she was going a long drive in her 
 phaeton, to visit some boys at Musselburgh school, and 
 would be happy to take Harry and Laura of the party, if 
 their grandmama had no objection. None being made by 
 anybody, they flew up stairs to get ready, while Harry did 
 not take above three steps at a time, and Laura, v/hen she 
 followed, felt quite astonished to find Mrs. Crabtree looking 
 almost as pleased as herself, and saying she hoped the ex- 
 pedition would do them both good. 
 
 Before five minutes had elapsed, Harry was mounted on 
 the dickey, where Lady Rockville desired him to sit, in- 
 
 R
 
 104 THE AMUSING DRIVE. 
 
 • 
 
 stead of the footman, who was now dismissed, as no room 
 could be made for both ; so after that Harry touched his 
 hat whenever any of the party spoke to him, as if he had 
 really been the servant. 
 
 Laura, mcauwhilc, was placed between Lady Rockville 
 and Miss Perceval, where she could hardly keep quiet a 
 minute for joy, though afraid to turn her head or to stir her 
 little finger, in case of being thought troublesome. 
 
 " I am told that the races take place at Musselburgh to- 
 day," said Lady Rockville. " It is a cruel amusement, de- 
 rived from the sufferings of noble animals ; they have as 
 good a right to be happy in the world as ourselves, l>aura ; 
 but we shall pass that way, so Harry and you will probably 
 see the crowds of carriages." 
 
 " Oh, how enchanting ! — I never saw a race-course in 
 my life !" exclaimed Laura, springing off her seat with de- 
 light. " Harry ! Harry ! we are going to the races !" 
 
 " Hurra !" exclaimed Harry, clapping his hands ; " what 
 a delightful surprise ! Oh ! I am so dreadfully happy !" 
 
 " After all, my dear Lady Rockville," said Miss Per- 
 ceval, yawning, " what have horses got legs for, except to 
 
 run ?" 
 
 " Yes, but not at such a pace ! It always shocked me — 
 formerly at Doncaster, where the jockeys were sometimes 
 paid £1000 for winning — to see how the poor animals wcro 
 lashed and spurred along tlie course, foaming with fatigue, 
 gasping till they nearly expired. Horses, poor creatures, 
 from the hour of their birth till tlieir death, have a sad timo 
 of it !" 
 
 " Grandmama once read me a beautiful description of a 
 wild horse in his natural state of liberty," said Laura. 
 Among the South American forests he was to be seen car- 
 rying his head erect, with sparkling eyes, flowing mane, 
 and splendid tail, trotting about among the noble trees, or
 
 THE AMUSING DRIVE. 195 
 
 cropping the grass at his feet, looking quite princely, and 
 doing precisely what he pleased." 
 
 " Then look at the contrast," said Lady Rockville, point- 
 ing to a long row of cart-horses with galled sides, shrivelled 
 skins, broken knees, and emaciated bodies, which were all 
 dragging their weary load along. " Animals are all meant 
 for the use of man, but not to be abused, like these poor 
 creatures !" 
 
 "As for racing," said Miss Perceval, "a thorough-bred 
 horse enters into the spirit of it quite as much as his rider. 
 Did you never hear of Quin's celebrated steed, which be- 
 came so eager to win, that when his antagonist passed he 
 seized him violently by the leg, and both jockeys had to 
 dismount that the furious animal might be torn away. The 
 famous horse Forester, too, caught hold of his opponent by 
 the jaw, and could scarcely be disengaged." 
 
 <' Think of all the cruel training these poor creatures 
 went through before they came to that," added Lady Rock- 
 ville ; " of the way in which horses are beaten, spurred, 
 and severely cut with the whip ; then, after their strength 
 fails, like the well-known ' high-mettled racer,' the poor an- 
 imal is probably sold at last to perpetual hard labour and ill- 
 usage." 
 
 " Uncle David shewed me yesterday," said Laura, " that 
 horrid picture which you have probably seen, by Cruick- 
 shanks, of the Knackers' Yards in London, where old 
 horses are sent to end their miserable days, after it is impos- 
 sible to torture them any longer into working. Oh ! it 
 was dreadful ! and yet grandmama said the whole sketch 
 had been taken from life." 
 
 " I know that," answered Lady Rockville. " In these 
 places the wretched animals are literally put to death by 
 starvation, and may be seen gnawing each other's manes in 
 the last agonies of hunger." 
 
 ^' My dear Lady Rockville," exclaimed Miss Perceval,
 
 136 THE AMUSING DRIVE. 
 
 afiectedly, " how can you talk of such unpleasant things ! — 
 there is an Act of Parliament against cruelty to animals, so 
 of course no such thing exists now. Many gentlemen are 
 vastly kind to old horses, turning them out to grass for years, 
 that they may enjoy a life of elegant leisure and rural re- 
 tirement, to which, no doubt, some are well entitled ; for in- 
 stance, the famous horse Eclipse, which gained his owner 
 i;25,000 ! I wish he had been mine !" 
 
 " But think how many arc ruined when one is enriched, 
 and indeed both are ruined in morals and good feeling ; 
 therefore I am glad that our sex have never yet taken to the 
 turf. It is bad enough, my dear Miss Perceval, to see that 
 they have taken to the moors ; for were I to say all I think 
 of those amazons who lately killed their six brace of grouse 
 on the 12th of August, they would probably challenge me 
 to single combat. Lord Rockville says, 'What with gen- 
 tlemen doing worsted work, and ladies shouldering double- 
 barrelled guns, he scarcely thinks this can be the same world 
 he was born in long ago.' " 
 
 The carriage, at this moment, i)cgan to proceed along tho 
 road with such extraordinary rapidity, that there seemed no 
 danger of their following in the dust of any other equipage, 
 and Miss Perceval became exceedingly alarmed, especially 
 when Lady Rockville mentioned that this was one of the 
 first times she had been driven by her new coachman, who 
 seemed so very unsteady on his seat, she had felt apprehen- 
 sive, for some time, that he might hv. drunk. 
 
 "A tipsy coachman! Dear liady Rockville, do let mo 
 out ! We shall certainly be killed in this crowd of carriages ! 
 I can walk home ! Pray stop him, Miss Laura ! I came to 
 look on at a race, but not to run one myself! This fast dri- 
 ving is like a railroad, only not (piite so straight ! I do 
 verily believe we are run of!' with ! Stop, coachman !--.sto|) !" 
 
 Li spite of all Miss Perceval's exflamatioiis and vocife- 
 rations, the carriage flew on with frightful rapidity, though
 
 THE AMUSING DRIVE. 197 
 
 it reeled from side to side of the road, as if it had become 
 intoxicated like the driver himself, who lashed his horses 
 and galloped along, within an inch of hedges and ditches 
 all the way, till at last, having reached the race-course, ho 
 pulled up so suddenly and violently, that the horses nearly 
 fell back on their haunches, while he swore at them in the 
 most furious and shocking manner. 
 
 Lady Rockville now stood up, and spoke to the coach- 
 man very severely on his misconduct, in first driving her 
 so dangerously fast, and then being disrespectful enough to 
 use profane language in her presence, adding, that if he did 
 not conduct himself more properly, she must complain to 
 Lord Rockville as soon as the carriage returned home. 
 Upon hearing this, the man looked exceedingly sulky, and 
 muttered angrily to himself in a tipsy voice, till at last he 
 suddenly threw away the reins, and., rising from the box, he 
 began to scramble his way down, nearly falling to the ground 
 in his haste, and saying, "^ if your ladyship is not pleased 
 with my driving, you may drive yourself!" 
 
 After this the intoxicated man staggered towards a drink- 
 ing-booth not far off, and disappeared, leaving Miss Perce, 
 val perfectly planet-struck with astonishment, and actually 
 dumb durins several minutes with wonder, at all she heara 
 and saw. There sat Harry, alone on the dicky, behind two 
 spirited blood-horses, foaming at the mouth with the speed 
 at which they had come, and ready to start off again at the 
 slightest hint, while noises on every side were to be heard 
 enough to frighten a pair of hobby-horses. Piemen ringing 
 their bells — blind fiddlers playing out of tune — ^boys calling 
 lists of the horses — drums beating at the starting-post — bal- 
 lad sintrers squalling at the full pitch of their voices — horses 
 galloping — grooms quarrelling — dogs barking — and children 
 crying. 
 
 In the midst of all this uproar, Harry unexpectedly observ- 
 ed Captain Digby on horseback not far off. Without los- 
 
 r2
 
 198 THE AMUSING DRIVE. 
 
 inc; a moment, he stood up, waving his handkerchief, and 
 calling to beg he would come to the carriage immediately, 
 as they were in want of assistance ; and Lady Rockville 
 told, as soon as he arrived, though hardly able to help laugh- 
 ing while she explained it, the extraordinary predicament 
 they had been placed in. Captain Digby, upon hearing tlic 
 story, looked ready to go oft* like a squib witli rage at the 
 oiTeuding coachman, and instantly seizing the driving-whip, 
 he desired his servant to hold the horses' heads, while he 
 proceeded towards the drinking-boolh, flourishing the long 
 lash in his hand as he went in a most ominous manner. 
 Several minutes elai)scd, during which Ilarry overheard a 
 prodigious outcry in the tent, and then the drunken coach- 
 man was seen reeling away along the road, while Captain 
 Digby, still brandishing the whip, returned, and mounting 
 the dicky himself, he gathered up the reins, and insisted on 
 driving Lady Rockville's phaeton for her. Before long it 
 was ranged close beside a chariot so full of ladies, it seemed 
 ready to burst, when Ilarry was amused to perceive that 
 Peter Grey and another boy, who were seated on the rum- 
 ble behind, had spread a tahlo-cluth on the roof of the car- 
 riage, using it for a dining-tablc, while they all seemed de- 
 termined to a-stonish their appetites by the quantity of oys- 
 ters and sandwiches they ate, and by drinking at the same 
 time large tumblers of porter. Lady Rockville wished she 
 could have the loan of Ilarry and [^aura's spirits fur an hour 
 or two, when she saw how perfcclly bewildered with delight 
 they were on beholding the thousands of eager persons as- 
 sembled on the race-ground, — ^jockeys riding about in liver- 
 ies as gay a.s tulips — ollicers in scarlet uniform — red flags 
 fluttering in the breeze — caravans exhibiting pictures of the 
 wildest-looking beasts in the world — bands of music — re- 
 cruiting parties — fire-catirs, who dined on red-hot pokerH 
 — portraits representing pigs fatter than the fattest in the 
 World — giantd a head and three pair of shoulders taller than
 
 THE AMUSING DRIVE. 199 
 
 any one else, and little dwarfs, scarcely visible with the 
 naked eye — all of which were shown to children for half 
 price ! 
 
 Lady Rockville very good naturedly gave Harry half-a- 
 erown, promising that, before leaving the race-ground, he 
 should either buy some oranges to lay the dust in his throat 
 after so long a drive, or visit as many shows as he pleased 
 for his half-crown ; and they were anxiously discussing 
 what five sights would be worth sixpence each, when a loud 
 hurra was heard, the drums beat, and five horses started off 
 for the first heat. Harry stood up in an ecstacy of delight, 
 and spoke loudly iu admiration of the jockey on a grey 
 horse, with a pink jacket, who took the lead, and seemed 
 perfectly to fly, as if he need never touch the ground ; but 
 Harry exclaimed angrily against the next rider, in a yellow 
 dress and green cap, who pulled back his own bay horse, 
 as if he really wished to lose. To Laura's astonishment, 
 however. Captain Digby preferred him, and Miss Perceval 
 declared in favour of a light-blue jacket and chesnut horse. 
 Harry now thought everybody stupid not to agree with him, 
 and called out in the height of his eagerness, " I would bet 
 this half-crown upon the pink jacket !" 
 
 " Done !" cried Peter, laughing. " The yellow dress 
 and green cap for my money !" 
 
 " Then I shall soon have five shillings !" exclaimed 
 Harry in great glee ; but scarcely had he spoken, before a 
 loud murmuring sound arose among the surrounding 
 crowd, upon hearing which he looked anxiously about, and 
 was astonished to see the green cap and yellow dress alrea- 
 dy at the winning-post, while his own favourite grey horse 
 cantered slowly along, far behind all the others, carrying the 
 jockey in the pink jacket, who hung his head, and was bent 
 nearly double, with shame and fatigue. 
 
 Peter Grey gave a loud laugh of triumph when he glanced 
 at Harry's disappointed angry countenance, and held out
 
 200 THE AMUSING DRIVE. 
 
 his hand for the half-crown, saying, " Pay your debt of 
 honour, Master Harry ! It is rather fortunate I won, seeing 
 that not one sixpence had I to have paid you with ! 
 not a penny to jingle on a mile-stone. You had more 
 money than wit, and I had more wit than money, so we are 
 well met. Did you not sec that the grey horse had fallen 
 lame ? Good-bye, youngster ! I shall tell all the giants and 
 wild beasts to expect you another day I" 
 
 " Harry!" said Lady Rockville, looking gravely at his 
 enraged countenance, " it is a foolish fish that is caught 
 with every bait ! I am quite relieved that you lost that 
 money. This is an early lesson against gambling, and no 
 one can ever be rich or happy who becomes fond of it. "We 
 were wrong to bring you here at all ; and I now sec you 
 could easily be led into that dreadful vice, which has caused 
 misery and ruin to thousands of young men. If you 
 had possessed an estate, it would have been thrown away 
 quite as foolishly as the poor half-crown, making you per- 
 haps miserable afterwards for life." 
 
 " I thought myself quite sure to win!" exclaimed Harry, 
 ctill looking with angry astonishment after Peter, who was 
 making odd grimaces, and holding up the half-crown in a 
 most teazing manner. " I would rather have thrown my 
 money into the sea than given it to Peter." 
 
 " Think, too, how many plcasanter and better ways there 
 are, in which you might have spent it !" added Ladv Rock- 
 ville. " Look at that poor blind man whom you could 
 have relieved, or consider what a nice present you should 
 have given t(j liUura ! Hut there seem to be no more 
 brains in your head, Harry, than in her thimble !" 
 
 " Peter is quite a little black-leg already," observed Mi?a 
 Perceval. " I never saw such a boy ! So fond of attracting 
 notice, that he would put on a cap and bells if that would 
 make him stared at. Last Saturday he undertook for a bet 
 I'j make a ceremonious bow to every lamp-post along
 
 THE AMUSING OUIVE. 201 
 
 Prince's Street, and I wish you could have seen the won- 
 dering crowd that gradually collected as he went along, per- 
 forming his task with the most perfect composure and 
 impudence." 
 
 " For cool assurance, I hope there are not many boys 
 equal to him," said Lady Rockville. " He scattered out of 
 the window lately several red-hot half-pence, among some 
 beggars, and I am told they perfectly stuck to the poor 
 creatures' fingers when trying to pick them up ; and he was 
 sent a message, on his pony, one very cold day lately, to 
 Lady De Vere's, who offered, when he was taking leave, to 
 cut him one of her finest camellias, to which he replied, ' I 
 would much rather you offered me a hot potatoe !' " 
 
 " Peter feels no sympathy in your disappointment, Harry," 
 added Miss Perceval ; " but we might as well expect wool 
 on a dog, as friendship from a gambler, who would ruin his 
 own father, and always laughs at those who lose." 
 
 " Go and cut your ^visdom teeth, Harry !" said Captain 
 Digby, smiling. " Any one must have been born blind 
 not to observe that the grey horse was falling behind ; but 
 you have bought half-a-crown's worth of wisdom by experi- 
 ence, and I hope it will last for life. Never venture to bet 
 even that your own head is on your shoulders, or it may turn 
 out a mistake." 
 
 " Harry is now the monkey that has seen the world, and 
 I think it will be a whole year of Saturdays before he ever 
 commits such a blunder again," continued Lady Rockville. 
 " We must for this once, not complain of what has occur- 
 red to Lady Harriet, because she would be exceedingly dis- 
 pleased, but certainly you are a most ingenious little gentle- 
 man for getting into scrapes !" 
 
 Harry told upon himself, however, on his return home, 
 because he had always been accustomed to do so, knowing 
 Major Graham and his grandmama were never very angry 
 at any fault that was confessed and repented of, therefore he
 
 202 THE AMUSING DRIVE. 
 
 went straight up stairs, and related his whole history to uncle 
 David, who gave him a very serious exhortation again.-t the 
 foolish and sinful vice of gambling. To keep him in mind 
 of his silly adventure that day, Harry was also desired, 
 during the whole evening, to wear his coat turned inside 
 out, a very frequent punishment administered by Major 
 Graham for small offences, and which was generally felt to 
 be a terrible disgrace.
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 THE UNEXPECTED EVENT. 
 
 His shout may ring upon the hill, 
 His voice be echoed in the hall, 
 His merry laugh like music trill, 
 I scarcely notice such things now. 
 
 Willis. 
 
 Some weeks after Frank had left, home, while lady Harriet 
 and Major Graham were absent at Holiday House, Harry 
 and Laura felt surprised to observe, that Mrs. Crabtree sud- 
 denly became very grave and silent, — her voice seemed to 
 have lost half its loudness, — her countenance looked rather 
 pale, — and they both escaped being scolded on several oc- 
 casions, when Harry himself could not but think he de- 
 served it. Once or twice he ventured to do things that at 
 other times he dared not have attempted, " merely as an ex- 
 periment," he said, " like that man in the menagerie, who 
 put his head into the lion's mouth, without feeling quite sure 
 whether it would be bit off the next moment or not ;" but 
 though Mrs. Crabtree evidently saw all that passed, she 
 turned away with a look of sadness, and said not a word. 
 
 What could be the matter 1 Harry almost wished she 
 would fly into a good passion and scold him, it became so 
 extraordinary and unnatural to see Mrs. Crabtree sitting all 
 day in a corner of the room, sewing in silence, and scarcely 
 looking up from her work ; but still the wonder grew, for
 
 204 THE UNEXPECTED EVENT. 
 
 she seemed to become worse and worse every day. Harry 
 dressed up the cat in an old cap and frock of Laura's, — he 
 terrified old Jowlcr by putting him into the shower-bath, — 
 and let ofV a few crackers at the nursery window, — but it 
 seemed as if he might have fired a cannon without being 
 scolded by Mrs. Crabtree, who merely turned her head 
 round for a minute, and then silently resumed her work. 
 Laura even fancied that Mrs. Crabtree was once in tears, 
 but that seemed quite impossible, so she tliought no more 
 about it, till one morning, when they had begun to despair 
 of ever hearing more about the business, and were whisper- 
 ing together in a corner of the room, observing that she 
 looked duller than ever, they were surprised to hear Mrs. 
 Crabtree calling them both to come near her. She looked 
 very pale, and was beginning to say something, when her 
 voice suddenly became so husky and indistinct, that she 
 seemed unable to proceed ; therefore, motioning with her 
 hand for them to go away, she began sewing very rapidly, 
 as she had done before, breaking her threads, and pricking 
 her fingers, at every stitch. 
 
 Laura and Harry silently looked at each other with some 
 apprehension, and the nursery now became so perfectly still, 
 that a feather falling on the ground would have been heard. 
 This had continued for some time, when at last Laura upon 
 tiptoe stole quietly up to where Mrs. Crabtree was sitting, 
 and said to her, in a very kind and anxious voice, "I am 
 afraid you are not well, Mrs. Crabtree ! Grandmama will 
 send for a doctor when she comes home. Shall I ask 
 her?" 
 
 " You are very kind, Miss Laura! — never mind me! 
 Your grandmama knows what is the matter. It will be 
 all one a hundred years hence," answered Mrs. Crab- 
 tree, in a low husky voice. "This is a thing you will be 
 very glad to hear ! — you must prepare to be told some good 
 news !" added she, forcing a laugh, but such a laugh as
 
 THE UNEXPECTED EVENT. 205 
 
 Harry and Laura never heard before, for it sounded so 
 much more like sorroAV than joy. They waited in great 
 suspense to hear what would follow, but Mrs. Crabtree, af- 
 ter struggling to speak again with composure, suddenly 
 started off her seat, and hurried rapidly out of the room. 
 She appeared no more in the nursery that day, but next 
 morning when they were at breakfast, she entered the room 
 with her face very much covered up in her bonnet, and 
 evidently tried to speak in her usual loud bustling voice, 
 though somehow it still sounded perfectly different from 
 common. "Well, children ! Lady Harriet was so kind as 
 to promise that my secret should be kept till I pleased, and 
 that no one should mention it to you but myself. I am go- 
 ing away !" 
 
 "You!" exclaimed Harry, looking earnestly in Mrs. 
 Crabtree's face. " Are you going away 1" 
 
 " Yes, Master Harry, — I leave this house to-day ! Now, 
 don't pretend to look sorry ! I know you are not ! I can't 
 bear children to tell stories. Who would ever be sorry for 
 a cross old woman like me ?" 
 
 " But perhaps I am sorry ! Are you in real earnest go- 
 ing away?' asked Harry again, with renewed astonishment. 
 " On no ! it is only a joke !" 
 
 " Do I look as if this were a joke V asked Mrs. Crab- 
 tree, turning round her face, which was bathed with tears. 
 " No, no ! I am come to bid you both a long farewell. A 
 fine mess you will get into now ! All your things going to 
 rack and ruin, with nobody fit to look after them !" 
 
 " But, Mrs. Crabtree ! we do not like you to go away,' 
 said Laura, kindly. "Why are you leaving us all on a 
 sudden ? it is very odd ! I never was so surprised in my 
 life !" 
 
 " Your papa's orders are come. He wrote me a line 
 some weeks ago, to say that I have been too severe. Per- 
 haps that is all true. I meant it well, and we are poor 
 
 S-
 
 206 THE UNEXPECTED EVENT. 
 
 creatures, who can only act for the best. However, it can't 
 be helped now ! There's no use in lamenting over spilt 
 cream. You'll be the better behaved afterwards. If ever you 
 think of nie again, children, let it be as kindly as possible. 
 Many and many a time I shall remember you both. I 
 never cared for any young people but yourselves, and I 
 shall never take charge of any others. Master Frank was 
 the best boy in the world, and you would both have been as 
 good under my care, — but it is no matter now !" 
 
 " But it does matter a very great deal," cried Harry, 
 eagerly. " You must stay here, Mrs. Crabtrcc, as long as 
 you live, and a great deal longer! I shall write a letter to 
 papa all about it. A\ e were very troublesome, and it was 
 our own faults if we were punished. Never mind, Mrs. 
 Crabtree, but take off your bonnet and sit down ! I am 
 going to do some dreadful mischief to-night, so you will be 
 wanted to keep me in order." 
 
 Mrs. Crabtree laid her hand upon Harry's head in si- 
 lence, and there was something so solemn and serious in 
 her manner, that he saw it would be useless to remonstrate 
 any more. She then held out her hand to Laura, endea- 
 vouring to smile as she did so, but it was a vain attempt, for 
 her lip quivered, and she turned away, saying, " Who 
 would ever believe I should make such a fool of myself ! 
 Farewell to you both ! and let nobody speak ill of me after 
 I am gone, if you can help it!" 
 
 Without looking round, Mrs. Crabtree hurried out of the 
 nursery and closed the door, leaving Harry and liaura per- 
 fectly bewildered with astonishment at this sudden event, 
 which seemed more like a dream than a reality. They both 
 felt exceedingly melancholy, hardly able to believe that she 
 had formerly been at all cross, while thoy stood at the win- 
 dow with tear.-i in their eyes, watching the departure of her 
 wcU-knowu blue cheat, on a whccl-barrow, and taking u
 
 THE UNEXPECTED EVENT. 207 
 
 last look of her red gown and scarlet shawl as she hastily 
 followed it. 
 
 For several weeks to come, whenever the door opened, 
 Harry and Laura almost expected her to enter, but month 
 after month elapsed, and Mrs. Crabtree appeared no more, 
 till one day, at their earnest entreaty. Lady Harriet took 
 them a drive of some miles into the country, to see the neat 
 little lodijing by the sea-side where she lived, and main- 
 tained herself by sewing, and by going out occasionally as 
 a sick-nurse. A more delightful surprise certainly never 
 could have been given than when Harry and Laura tapped 
 at the cottage door, which was opened by Mrs. Crabtree her- 
 self, who started back with an exclamation of joyful amaze- 
 ment, and looked as if she could scarcely believe her eyes on 
 beholding them, while they laughed at the joke till tears were 
 running down their cheeks. " Is Mrs. Crabtree at home 1" 
 said Harry, trying to look very grave. 
 
 " Grandmama says we may stay here for an hour, while 
 she drives along the shore," added Laura, stepping into the 
 house with a very merry face. " And how do you do, Mrs. 
 Crabtree?" 
 
 " Very well. Miss Laura, and very happy to see you. 
 What a tall girl you are become ! and Master Harry too ! 
 looking quite over his own shoulders !" 
 
 After sitting some time, Mrs. Crabtree insisted on their 
 having some dinner in her cottage ; so making Harry and 
 Laura sit down on each side of a large blazing fire, she 
 cooked some most delicious pancakes for them in rapid 
 succession, as fast as they could eat, tossing them high in 
 the air first, and then rolling up each as it was fried, with a 
 large spoonful of jam in the centre, till Harry and Laura at 
 last said, that unless Mrs. Crabtree supplied fresh appetites, 
 she need make no more pancakes, for they thought even 
 Peter Grey himself could scarcely have finished all she pro- 
 vided.
 
 208 THE UNEXI'ECTKD EVENT. 
 
 Harry had now been several months constantly attending 
 school, where he became a great favourite with the boys, 
 and a great torment to the masters, while, for his own part, 
 he liked it twenty times better than he had expected, because 
 the lessons were tolerably easy to a clever boy, as he really 
 was, and the games at cricket and foot-ball in the play- 
 ground put him perfectly wild with joy. Every boy at 
 school seemed to be his particular friend, and many called 
 him "the holiday-maker," because, if ever a holiday was 
 wished for, Harry always became leader in tlie scheme. 
 The last morning of Peter Grey's appearing at school, 
 he got the name of " the copper cai)tain," because Mr. 
 Lexicon having fined him half-a-crown, for not knowing 
 one of his lessons, he brought the whole sum in half-pence, 
 carrying them in his hat, aiid gravely counting them all out, 
 with such a pains-taking, good-boy look, that any one, to 
 see him, would have supposed he was quite penitent and 
 sorry for his misconduct ; but no sooner had he finished the 
 task and ranged all the half-pence neatly in rows along Mr. 
 Lexicon's desk, than he was desired, in a voice of thunder, 
 to leave the room instantly, and never to return, which 
 accordingly he never did, having started next day on the 
 top of the coach for Portsmouth, and the last peep Harry got 
 of him, he was buying a perfect mountain of gingerbread 
 out of an old man's basket, to cat by the way. 
 
 Meantime Laura had lessons from a regular day-govcrncss, 
 who came every morning at seven, and never disappeared 
 till four in the afternoon, so, as Mrs. Crabtrec remarked, 
 " the puir thing was perfectly dcaved wi' edication," but 
 she made such rapid i)rogres8, th.-jt uncle David said it would 
 be difiicult to decide whether she was growing fastest in 
 body or in mind. Iiaura seemed born to be under the tuition 
 of none but ill-tempered people, and Madame I'irouctte ap- 
 peared in a constant state of irritability. During the music- 
 lessons, she sat close to the piano, with a pair of sharp-
 
 THE UNEXPECTED EVENT. 209 
 
 pointed scissors in her hand, and whenever Laura played a 
 wrong note, she stuck their points into the offending finger, 
 saying sometimes in an angry foreign accent, " put your 
 toe upon 'dis note ! I tell you, put your toe upon 'dis note !" 
 
 " My finger, I suppose you mean V asked Laura, trying 
 not to laugh. 
 
 " Ah ! fingare and toe ! dat is all one ! Speak not a 
 word ! take hold of your tongue." 
 
 "Laura!" said Major Graham, one day, "I would as 
 soon hear a gong sounded at my ear for half an hour, as 
 most of the fine pieces you perform now. Taste and ex- 
 pression are quite out of date, but the chief object of ambition 
 is, to seem as if you had four hands instead of two, from 
 the torrent of notes produced at once. If ever you wish to 
 please my old-fashioned ears, give me melody, — something 
 that touches the heart and dwells in the memory, — then 
 years afterwards, when we hear it again, the language seems 
 familiar to our feelings, and we listen with deep delight to 
 sounds recalling a thousand recollections of former days, 
 which are brought back by music (real music) with dis- 
 tinctness and interest which nothing else can equal. 
 
 During more than two years, while Harry and Laura 
 were rapidly advancing in education, they received many 
 interesting letters from Frank, expressing the most affec- 
 tionate anxiety to hear of their being well and happy, while 
 his paper was filled with amusing accounts of the various 
 wonderful countries he visited ; and at the bottom of the 
 paper, he always very kindly remembered to send them an 
 order on his banker, as he called uncle David, drawn up in 
 proper form, saying, " Please to pay Master Harry and Miss 
 Laura Graham the sum of five shillings on my account. 
 Francis Arthur Graham." 
 
 In Frank's gay, merry epistles, he kept all his little an- 
 noyances or vexations to himself, and invariably took up 
 the pen with such a desire to send cheerfulness into his own 
 
 s2
 
 210 
 
 THE UNEXPECTED EVENT. 
 
 beloved homo, that his letters might have been written with 
 a sun-bcain, they were so full of warmth and vivacity. It 
 seemed always a fair wind to Frank, for he looked upon the 
 best side of every thing, and never teazed his absent friends 
 with comi)laints of distresses they could not remedy, except 
 when ho frcquontly mentioned his sorrow at being separated 
 from them, adding, that he often wished it were possible to 
 meet them during one day in every year, to tell all his 
 thoughts, and to hear theirs in return, for sometimes now, 
 during the night watches, when all other resources failed, 
 he entertained himself, by imagining the circle of home all 
 gathered around him, and by inventing what each individual 
 would say iipon any subjects he liked, while all his adven- 
 tures acquired a double interest, from considering that the 
 recital would one day amuse his dear friends when their 
 happy meeting at last took place. Frank was not so over- 
 anxious about his own comfort, as to feel very much irri- 
 tated and discomposed at any privations that fell in his 
 way, and once sitting up in the middle of a dark night, 
 with the rain pouring in torrents, and the wind blowing a 
 perfect hurricane, he drew his watch-coat round him, say- 
 ing good humouredly to his grumbling companions, " Thi^j 
 is by no means so bad ! and whatever change takes place 
 now, will ]>robabIy be for the better. Sunshine is as sure 
 to come as Christmas, if you only wait for it, and in the 
 meantime we are all more comfortably off than St. Patrick, 
 when he had to swim across a stormy sea, with his head 
 under his arm." 
 
 Frank often amused his messmates with stories which he 
 had hr-ard from uncle David, and soon became the greatest 
 favourite imaginable with them all, while he frequently en- 
 deavoured to lead their minds to the same sure foundation 
 of happiness which he always found the best security of his 
 own. He had louir iifcn tauiiht to know that a vessel might 
 a.s well be steered without rudiicr or compass, as any indi-
 
 THE UNKXPECTED EVENT. 211 
 
 vidual be brought into a haven of peace, unless directed by 
 the Holy Scriptures ; and his delight was frequently to study 
 such passages as these : " When thou passest through the 
 waters, I will be with thee ; and through the rivers, they 
 shall not overflow thee ; when thou walkest through the fire, 
 thou shalt not be burned ; neither shall the flame kindle 
 upon thee. For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of 
 Israel, thy Saviour."
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 AN UNEXPECTED VOYAGE. 
 
 Full little know'st thou, thai hast not tried, 
 How strange it is in " steam-boat " long to bide,— 
 To fret thy soul with crosses and with cares, 
 To eat thy heart through comfortless despairs. 
 To speed to-day — to be put back to-morrow — 
 To feed on hope — to pine with fear and sorrow. 
 
 SPENEEn. 
 
 As Harry and liaura grew older, they were gradually treat- 
 ed like friends and companion.s by Lady Harriet and Ma- 
 jor Graham, who improved their minds by frequent inte- 
 re.5ting conversations, in which knowledge and principle 
 were in.scnsibly instilled into their minds, not by formal in- 
 struction, but merely by mentioning facts, or expressing 
 opinions and sentiments such as naturally arose out 
 of the subjects under discussion, and accustoming tho 
 young people themselves to feel certain that their own 
 remarks and thoughts were to be heard with the same inte- 
 rest as those of any other person. No surprise was ex- 
 pressed, if they appeared more acute or more amusing than 
 might have been expected, — no angry contempt betrayed it- 
 self if they spoke foolishly, unless it were something posi- 
 tively wrong ; and thus iMajor (iraham and Lady Harriet 
 succeeded in making that very diflicult transition from treat- 
 ing children a.s toys, to becoming their confidential friond.s,
 
 AN UNEXPECTED VOYAGE. 213 
 
 and most trusted, as well as most respected and beloved as- 
 sociates. 
 
 Frank had been upwards of five years cruizing on vari- 
 ous stations abroad, and many officers who had seen him, 
 gave such agreeable reports to Major Graham of his admir- 
 able conduct on several occasions, and of his having turned 
 out so extremely handsome and pleasing, that Lady Harriet 
 often wished, with tears in her eyes, it were possible she 
 might live to see him once again, though her own daily in- 
 creasing infirmities rendered that hope every hour more im- 
 probable. She was told that he spoke of her very frequent- 
 ly, and said once when he met an aged person at the Cape, 
 " I would give all I possess on earth, and ten times more, 
 if I had it, to see my dear grandmother as well, and to meet 
 her once more." This deeply affected Lady Harriet, 
 who was speaking one day with unusual earnestness of the 
 comfort it gave, whatever might be the will of Providence 
 in respect to herself, that Frank seemed so happy, and liked 
 his profession so well, when the door flew open, and An- 
 drew hastened into the room, his old face perfectly wrinkled 
 with delight, while he displayed a letter in his hand, saying 
 in a tone of breathless agitation, as he delivered it to Major 
 Graham, " The post-mark is Portsmouth, Sir !" 
 
 Lady Harriet nearly rose from her seat with an exclama- 
 tion of joy, but unable for the exertion, she sunk back, cov- 
 ering her face with her hands, and listening in speechless 
 suspense to hear whether Frank had indeed returned. Har- 
 ry and Laura eagerly looked over Major Graham's shoulder, 
 and Andrew lingered anxiously at the door, till this welcome 
 letter was hurriedly torn open and read. The direction was 
 certainly Frank's writing, though it seemed very different 
 from usual, but the contents filled Major Graham with a de- 
 gree of consternation and alarm, which he vainly endea- 
 voured to conceal, for it informed him that, during a despe- 
 rate engagement with some slave-ships off" the coast of Afri-
 
 214 AN UNEXPECTED VOYAGE. 
 
 ca, Frank had been most severely wounded, from which he 
 scarcely recovered before a violent attack of fever reduced 
 him so extremely, that the doctors declared his only chance 
 of rchftoration was to be invalided home immediately ; 
 " therefore," added he, " you must all unite a prayer for my 
 recovery, with a thanksgiving for my return, and I can 
 scarcely regret an illness that restores me to home. My 
 heart is already with you all, but my frail shattered body 
 must rest some days in London, as the voyairc from Sierra 
 Leone has been extremely fatiguing and tedious." 
 
 Lady Harriet n)ade not a single remark when this let- 
 ter was closed, but tears coursed each other rapidly down 
 her aged checks, while she slowly removed her hands from 
 her face, and gazed at Major Graham, who seated himself by 
 her side, in evident agitation, and calling back Andrew when 
 he was leaving the room, he said, in accents of unusual 
 emotion, "Desire John to inquire immediately whether any 
 steam-boat sails for London to-day." 
 
 " You arc right !" said Lady Harriet, feebly. " Oh ! that 
 I could accompany you ! But bring him to me if possible. 
 I dare not hope to go. Surely we shall meet at last. Now 
 indeed I feel my own weakness, when I cannot fly to see 
 him. But he will be quite able for the journey. Frank 
 had an excellent constitution, — he — he was — " 
 
 Lady Harriet's voice failed, and she burst into a convul- 
 sive agony of tears. 
 
 A few hours, and uncle David had embarked for Jjondon, 
 where, after a short passage, he arrived at his usual lodgings 
 in St. James' Place; but some days elapsed, during which 
 he laboured in vain to discover the smallest trace of Frank, 
 who had omitted, in his hurried letter from PortsmoiUh, to 
 mention where he intended living in town. One evening, 
 fatigued with his long and unavailing search, Major Gra- 
 ham sat down, at the British Coflec-house, to take some re- 
 freshment before resuming his inquiries, and was afterwards
 
 ^N UNEXl'ECTED VOYAGE. 215 
 
 about to leave the room, when he observed a very tall inter- 
 esting young man, exceedingly emaciated, who strolled lan- 
 guidly into the room, with so feeble a step, that he scarcely 
 seemed able to support himself. The stranger took off his 
 hat, sunk into a scat, and passed his fingers through the 
 dark masses of curls that hung over his pale white forehead, 
 his large eyes closed heavily with fatigue, his cheek assumed 
 a hectic glow, and his head sunk upon his hand. In a low 
 subdued voice he gave some directions to the waiter, and 
 Major Graham, after gazing for a moment with melancholy 
 interest at this apparently consumptive youth, was about to 
 depart, when a turn of the young man's countenance caused 
 him to start ; he looked again more earnestly — every fibre 
 of his frame seemed suddenly to thrill with apprehension, 
 and at last, in a voice of doubt and astonishment, he ex- 
 claimed, " Frank !" 
 
 The stranger sprung from his seat, gazed eagerly round 
 the room, rushed into the arms of Major Graham, and 
 fainted. 
 
 Long and anxiously did uncle David watch for the res- 
 toration of Frank, while every means were used to revive 
 him, and when at length he did regain his consciousness, 
 no time was lost in conveying him to St. James' Place, 
 where, after being confined to bed, and attended by Sir Ast- 
 ley Cooper and Sir Henry Halford, during some days, they 
 united in recommending that he should be carried some 
 miles out of town, to the neighbourhood of Hammersmith, 
 for change of air, till the efiect of medicine and diet could 
 be fully tried. Frank earnestly entreated that he might be 
 taken immediately to his own home, but this the doctors 
 pronounced quite impossible, privately hinting to Major 
 Graham that it seemed very doubtful indeed whether he 
 could ever be moved there at all, or whether he might sur- 
 vive above a few months. 
 
 " Home is anywhere that my own family live with me,"
 
 216 AN UNEXPECTED VOYACiE. 
 
 said Frank in a tone of resignation, when he heard a jour- 
 ney to Scotland pronounced impossible. '' It is not where 
 I am, but who I see, that signifies ; and this meeting with 
 you, uncle David, did me more good than an ocean of 
 physic. Oh ! if I could only converse with grandmama 
 for half-an-hour, and speak to dear Harry and Laura, it 
 would be too much happiness. I want to see how much 
 they are both grown, and to hear their merry laugh again. 
 Perhaps I never may ! But if I get worse, they must come 
 here. I have many things to say ! Why should they not 
 set off now ? — immediately ! If I recover, we might be 
 such a happy party to Scotland again. For grandmama, I 
 know it is impossible ; but will you write and a.sk her about 
 Harry and Laura? The sooner the better, uncle David, 
 
 because I often think it probable " 
 
 Frank coloured and hesitated ; he looked earnestly at his 
 uncle for some moments, who saw what was meant, and 
 tlien added, 
 
 " There is one person more, far distant, and little think- 
 ing of what is to come, who must be told. Yuu have 
 always been a father to me, uncle David, but he also would 
 wish to be here now. Little as we have been together, I 
 know how much he loves me." 
 
 Frank's request became no sooner known than it was 
 complied with by Lady Harriet, who thought it belter not 
 to distress Harry and Laura, by mentioning the full extent 
 of his danger, but merely said, that he f(;it impatient for the 
 meeting, and that they might prepare on the following day, 
 to embark under charge of old Andrew and her own maid 
 Harrison, for a voyage to London, where she hoped they 
 would find the dear invalid already better; Laura was as- 
 tonished at the agitation with which she spoke, and felt be- 
 wildered and amazed by this sudden announcement. She 
 and Harry had once or twice in their lives caught cold, and 
 spent a day in bed, confined to a diet of gruel and syrup,
 
 AN UNEXPECTED VOYAGE. 217 
 
 which always proved an infallible remedy for the very worst 
 attacks, and they had frequently witnessed the severe suffer- 
 ings of their grandmama, from which, however, she always 
 recovered, and which seemed to them the natural effects of 
 her extreme old age ; but to imagine the possibility of 
 Frank's life being in actual danger, never crossed their 
 thoughts for an instant, and, therefore, it was with a feeling 
 of unutterable joy that they stood on the deck of the Royal 
 Pandemonium, knowing that they were now actually going 
 to meet Frank. 
 
 Nothing could be a greater novelty to both the young 
 travellers than the scene by which they were now surround- 
 ed ; trumpets were sounding — bells ringing — children cry- 
 ing — sailors, passengers, carriages, dogs, and baggage all 
 hurrying on board pell-mell, while a jet of steam came bel- 
 lowing forth from the waste-pipe, as if it were struggling to 
 get rid of the huge column of black smoke vomited forth 
 by the chimney. Below stairs they were still more asto- 
 nished to find a large cabin, covered with gilding, red da- 
 mask, and mirrors, where crowds of strange-looking people, 
 more than half sick, and very cross, were scolding and 
 bustling about, bawling for their carpet bags, and trying to 
 be of as much consequence as possible, while they ate and 
 drank trash, to keep off sea-sickness, that might have made 
 any one sick on shore — sipping brandy and water, or eating 
 peppermint drops, according as the case required. Among 
 those in the ladies' cabin, Laura and Harry were amused to 
 discover Miss Perceval, who had hastened into bed already, 
 in case of being ill, and was talking unceasingly to any 
 one who would listen, besides ordering and scolding a poor 
 sick maid, scarcely able to stand. Her head was enveloped 
 in a most singular night-cap, ornamented with old ribbons 
 and artificial flowers — she wore a bright yellow shawl, and 
 had taken into the berth beside her, a little Blenheim spa- 
 niel — a parrot — and a cage of canary birds, the noisy iuha- 
 
 T
 
 218 AN UNEXPECTED VOYAGE. 
 
 bitants of which sung at ihe full pitch of their voices till the 
 very latest hour of the night, being kept awake by the lamp 
 which swung from side to side, while nothing could be com- 
 pared to their volubility except the perpetual clamour occa- 
 sioned by Miss Perceval herself. 
 
 " I declare these little narrow beds arc no better than 
 coffins! I never saw such places ! and the smell is like 
 singed blankets and cabbages boiled in melted oil ! It is 
 enough to make anybody ill ! IMary ! go and fetch me a cup 
 of tea, and, do you hear ! tell those people on deck not to 
 mal<e such a noise — it gives me a headache! Be sure you 
 say that 1 shall complain to the Captain, Reach mc some 
 bread and milk for th«! parrot, — fetch my smelling bottle, — 
 go to the saloon for that book I was reading, — and search 
 again for the pocket-handkerchief I mislaid. It cost ten 
 guineas, and must be found. I hop-o no one has stolen it! 
 Now do make haste with the tea ! "What are you dawdling 
 there for? If you do not stop that noise on deck, Mary, I 
 shall bo exceedingly displeased ! Some of those horrid peo- 
 ple in the steerage were smoking too, but tell the Captain 
 that if I come up he must forbid them. It is a trick to 
 make us all sick and save ])rovisions. I observed a gun- 
 case in the saloon too, which is a most dangerous thing, for 
 guns always go ofl'when you least expect. If anyone fires, 
 I shall fall into hysterics. I shall, indeed ! "What a creak- 
 ing noise the vessel makes ! I hope there is no danger of 
 its splitting ! We ought not to goon sailing after dusk. 
 The Captain must positively cast anchor during the night, 
 that we may have no more of this noise or motion, but sleep 
 in peace and fiuietnoss till morning." 
 
 Soon after the Royal Pandemonium had set sail, or rather 
 BCt fire, the wind freshened, and the pitching of the vessel 
 became so roui^h, that Harry and Laura, with nrrat (liffirul- 
 ty, staccrered to seats on the deck, leaving both Lady Har- 
 riet's servants so very sick below, that instead of being able
 
 AN UNEXPECTED VOYAGE. 219 
 
 to attend on them, they gave nine times the trouble that any 
 other passenger did on board, and were not visible again 
 during the whole voyage. The two young travellers now 
 sat down together, and watched, with great curiosity, several 
 groups of strangers on deck : ladies, half sick, trying to 
 entertain gentlemen in seal-skin travelling caps and pale 
 cadaverous countenances, smoking cigars ; others opening 
 baskets of provisions, and eating with good sea-faring ap- 
 petite ; while one party had a carriage on the deck so filled 
 with luxuries of every kind, that there seemed no end to 
 the multitude of Perigord pies, German sausages, cold 
 fowls, pastry, and fruit that were produced during the even- 
 ing. The owners had a table spread on the deck, and ate 
 voraciously, before a circle of hungry spectators, which had 
 such an appearance of selfishness and gluttony, that both 
 his young friends thought immediately of Peter Grey. 
 
 As evening closed in, Harry and Laura began to feel 
 very desolate thus for the first time in their lives alone, 
 while the wide waste of waters around made the scene yet 
 more forlorn. They had enjoyed unmingled delight iu 
 talking over and over about their happy meeting with Frank, 
 and planned a hundred times howjoyfuUy they would rush into 
 the house, and with what pleasure they would relate all that hap- 
 pened to themselves, after hearing from his own mouth the 
 extraordinary adventures which his letters had described. 
 Laura produced from her reticule several of the last she had 
 received, and laughed again over the funny jokes and stories 
 they contained, inventing many new questions to ask him 
 on the subject, and fancying she already heard his voice, 
 and saw his bright and joyous countenance. But now the 
 night had grown so dark and chilly, that both Harry and 
 Laura felt themselves gradually becoming cold, melancholy, 
 and dejected. They made an effort to walk arm-in-arm up 
 and down the deck, in imitation of the i'ew other passen- 
 gers who had been able to remain out of bed, and they tried
 
 220 AN UNEXPECTED VOTACE. 
 
 still to talk cheerfully, hut in .s|)itc of every cfTort, their 
 thoughts became mournful. After clinging together for 
 some time, and .staggering up and down, without feeling 
 in spirits to speak, they were still shiveringly cold, yet unwil- 
 ling to separate for the night, when Harry suddenly stood 
 still, grasping I^aura's arm with a lock of startled astonish- 
 ment, which caused her hastily to glance round in the di- 
 rection where he was eagerly gazing, but nothing became 
 visible except the dim outline of a woman's figure, rolled 
 up in several enormous shawls, and with her bonnet 
 slouched far over her face. 
 
 " I am certain it was her!" whispered Harry, in a tone 
 of breathless amazement ; "almost certain !" 
 
 " Who ?" asked Laura, eagerly. 
 
 Without answering, Harry sprung forward, and seized 
 the unknown person by the arm, who instantly looked 
 round. It was Mrs. Crabtree ! 
 
 " 1 am sorry you observed me, Master Harry ! I did 
 not intend to trouble you and Miss I^aura during the 
 voyage," said she, turning her fare slowly towards him, 
 when, to his surprise, he saw that the traces of tears were 
 on her check, and her manner appeared so subdued, and al- 
 together so rlifl'erent from former times, that Laura could 
 scarcely yet credit her senses. " I shall not be at all in 
 
 your way, children, but I I must see Master 
 
 Frank again. He was always too good for this world, and 
 he'll not be here long — Andrew told me all about it, and I 
 could not stay behind. I wish we were all as well prepared, 
 and then the sooner we die the better." 
 
 Harry and liaura listened in speechless consternation to 
 these words. The very idea of losing Frank had never 
 iMjforo crossed their imaginations for a moment, and they 
 could have wished to belifve that what Mrs. ("rabtree said 
 wa.s like the ravings of delirium, yet an irresistible feeling 
 of awe and alarm rushed into their minds.
 
 AN UNEXPECTED VOYAGE. 221 
 
 " Miss Laura! if you want any help in undressing, call 
 to me at any time. I was sure that doited body Harrison 
 could be of no service. She never was fit to take care of 
 herself, and far less of such as you. It put me wild to think 
 of your coming all this way with nobody fit to look after 
 you, and then the distress that must follow." 
 
 *' But surely, Mrs. Crabtree, you do not think Frank so 
 very ill," asked Laura, making an effort to recover her 
 voice, and speaking in a tone of deep anxiety ; " he had 
 recovered from the fever, but is only rather too weak for tra- 
 velling." 
 
 " Well, Miss Laura ! grief always comes too soon, and I 
 would have held my tongue had I thought you did not know 
 the worst already. If I might order as in former days, it 
 would be to send you both down directly, out of this heavy 
 fog and cold wind." 
 
 " But you may order us, Mrs. Crabtree," said Harry, 
 taking her kindly by the hand ; " we are very glad to see 
 you again ! and I shall do whatever you bid me ! So you 
 came all this way on purpose for us ! How very kind I" 
 
 " Master Harry, I would go round the wide world to 
 serve any one of you ! who else have I to care for ? But it 
 was chiefiy to see Master Frank. Let us hope the best, 
 and pray to be prepared for any event that may come. All 
 things are ordained for good, and we can only make the 
 best of what happens. The world must go round, — it must 
 go round, and we can't prevent it." 
 
 Harry and Laura hung their heads in dismay, for there 
 was something agitated and solemn in Mrs. Crabtree's 
 manner, which astonished and shocked them, so they hur- 
 ried silently to bed ; and Laura's pillow was drenched with 
 tears of anxiety and distress that night, though gradually, as 
 she thought of Frank's bright colour and sparkling eyes, his 
 joyous spirits and unbroken health, it seemed impossible 
 that all were so soon to fade away, that the Avind should 
 
 t2
 
 2^"^ AN UNEXrECTED VOYACiE. 
 
 have already passed over them, and they were gone, till hy 
 degrees her mind beeame more calm ; her hopes grew into 
 certainties ; she told herself twenty times over, that Mrs. 
 Crabtree must be entirely mistaken, and at last sunk into a 
 restless agitated slumber. 
 
 Next day the sun shone, the sky was clear, and every 
 thing appeared so full of life and joy, that Harry and Laura 
 would have fancied the whole scene with Mrs. Crabtree a 
 distressing dream, had they not been awakened to recollec- 
 tion before six in the morning, by the sound of her voice, 
 angrily rebuking Miss Perceval and other ladies, who with 
 too good reason, were iirumbling at the hardship of sleeping, 
 or rather vainly attempting to sleep, in such n;irrow uncom- 
 fortable dog-holes. I^aura heard Mrs. Crabtree conclude 
 an eloquent oration on the subject of contentment, by say- 
 ing, " Indeed, ladies ! many a brave man, and noblemen's 
 sons too, have laid their heads on the green grass, fighting 
 for you, so we should put up with a hard bed patiently for 
 one nicht." 
 
 Miss Perceval turned angrily away, and summoned her 
 maid to receive a multitude of new directions. " Mary, tell 
 the Captain that when I looked out last, there was scarcely 
 any smoke coming out of the funnel, so I am sure he is 
 saving fuel, and not keeping good enough fires to carry us 
 on! I never knew such shabbiness ! Tell the engineer, 
 that I insist on his throwing on more coals immediately. 
 Bring me some hot water, as fast as possible ! These 
 towels are so coarse, I cannot, on any account, use them. 
 At'ter being accustomed to such pocket-handkerchiefs as 
 mine, at t<n guineas each, one does become particular. 
 Can you not find a larger basin ? This looks like a soup- 
 plate, and it seems impossible here to get enough of hot 
 water to wash comfortably." 
 
 " Shesh()»d»l be put into the boiler of the steam-boat," mut- 
 tered Mrs. Crabtree. " 1 wish them animal-magnifying
 
 AN UNEXPECTED VOYAGE. 223 
 
 doctors would put the young lady to sleep till wo arrive iu 
 London." 
 
 "Now!" continued Miss Perceval, "get me another 
 cup of tea. The last was too sweet, the one before not 
 strong enough, and the first half cold, but this is worse than 
 any. Do remember to mention, that yesterday night the 
 steward sent up a tin tea-pot, a thing I cannot possibly suf- 
 fer again. We must have the urn, too, instead of that 
 black tea-kettle ; and desire him to prepare some butter- 
 toast — I am not hungry, so three rounds will be enough. 
 Let me have some green tea this time ; and see that the 
 cream is better than last night, when I am certain it was 
 thickened with chalk or snails. The jelly, too, was execra- 
 ble, for it tasted like sticking-plaster — I shall starve if bet- 
 ter can't be had ; and the table-cloth looked like a pair of 
 old sheets. Tell the steward all this, and say, he must get 
 my breakfast ready on deck in half an hour ; but meantime, 
 I shall sit here with a book while you brush my hair." 
 
 The sick persecuted maid seemed anxious to do all she 
 was bid ; so, after delivering as many of the messages as 
 possible, she tried to stand up and do Miss Perceval's hair, 
 but the motion of the vessel had greatly increased, and she 
 turned as pale as death, apparently on flie point of sinking 
 to the ground, when Laura, now quite dressed, quietly 
 slipped the brush out of her hand, and carefully brushed 
 Miss Perceval's thin locks, while poor Mary silently drop- 
 ped upon a seat, being perfectly faint with sickness. 
 
 Miss Perceval read on, without observing the change of 
 abigails, till Harry, who had watched this whole scene from 
 the cabin-door, made a hissing noise, such as grooms do 
 when they currycomb a horse, which caused the young 
 lady to look hastily round, when great was Miss Perceval's 
 astonishment to discover her new abigail, with a very pains- 
 taking look, brushing her hair, while poor Mary lay more 
 dead than alive on the benches. "Well ! I declare ! was
 
 224 AN UNEXPECTED VOYAGE. 
 
 there ever anytliing so odd !" she exclaimed in a voice of 
 ama/cincnt. " How very strange ! What can be the matter 
 with i\Iary ! There is no cud to the plague of servants !" 
 
 " Or rather to tlic plague of mistresses !" thought Laura, 
 while she glanced from Miss Perceval's round, red bustling 
 face, to the poor suffering maid, who became worse and 
 worse during the day, for there came on what sailors call " a 
 capful of wind," which gradually rose to a " stifl' breeze," or, 
 what the passengers considered a hurricane ; and, towards 
 night, it attained the dignity of a real undeniable " storm." 
 A scene of indescribable tumult then ensued. The Cap- 
 tain attempted to make his voice heard above the roaring 
 tempest, using a torrent of unintelligible nautical phrases, 
 and an incessant volley of very intelligible oaths. The sail- 
 ors flew about, and every plank ia the vessel seemed creak- 
 ing and straining, but high above all, the shrill tones of 
 Miss Perceval were audil)ly heard, exclaiming, 
 
 " Arc there enough of ' hands' on board ? Is there any 
 danger? Are you sure the boiler will not burst? I wish 
 steam-boats had never been invented ! People arc sure to 
 be blown up to the clouds, or sunk to the bottom of the 
 ocean, or scalded to death like so many lobsters. I cannot 
 stand this any longer ! Stop tlic ship, and set me on shore 
 instantly !" 
 
 I^aura clung closer to Harry, and felt that they were like 
 two mere pigmies, amid the wide waste of waters, rolling 
 and tossing around them, while his spirits, on the contrary, 
 rose to the highest pitch of excitement with all he heard and 
 saw, till at length, wishing to enjoy more of the " fun," he 
 determined to venture above board. By the time Harry's 
 nose wa3 on a level with the deck, he gazed around, and 
 saw that not a person appeared visilile except two sailors, 
 both la-shed to the hrlm, while all was silent now, except the 
 deafening noise made by the wild waves and the stormy 
 blast, which seemed as if it would blow his tcith down his
 
 AN UNEXPECTED VOYAGE. 225 
 
 throat. Harry thought the two men looked no larger than 
 mice in such a scene, and stood, clinging to the bannisters, 
 perfectly entranced with astonishment and admiration at the 
 novelty of all he saw, and thinking how often Frank 
 must have been in such scenes, when suddenly a wave 
 washed quite over the deck, and he felt his arm grasped by 
 Mrs. Crabtree, who desired him to come down immediately, 
 in a tone of authority which he did not even yet feel bold 
 enough to disobey ; therefore, slowly and reluctantly he de- 
 scended to the cabin, where the only living thing that seemed 
 well enough to move, was Miss Perceval's tongue. 
 
 " Steward !" she cried, in sharp angry accents. " Stew- 
 ard ! here is water pouring down the sky-lights like a show- 
 er-bath ! Look at my baud-box swimming on the floor! 
 Mary! Tiresome creature ! don't you see that ? My best 
 bonnet will be destroyed ! Send the Captain here ! He 
 must positively stop that noise on deck ; it is quite intolera- 
 ble. My head aches, as if it would burst like the boiler of 
 a steam-boat ! Stupid man ! Can't he put into some port, 
 or cast anchor ? How can he keep us all uncomfortable in 
 this way ! Mary ! Mary, I say ! are you deaf? Steward ! 
 send one of the sailors here to take care of this dog ! I 
 declare poor Frisk is going to be sick ! Mary ! Mary ! This 
 is insufferable ! I wish the Captain would come and help 
 me to scold my maid ! I shall certainly give you warning, 
 Mary." 
 
 This awful threat had but little effect on one who thought 
 herself on the brink of being buried beneath the waves, 
 besides being too sick to care whether she died the next 
 minute or not ; and even Miss Perceval's voice became 
 drowned at last in the tremendous storm which raged 
 throughout the night, during which the Captain rather in- 
 creased Laura's panic, if that were possible, by consider- 
 ately putting his head into the cabin now and then to say, 
 " Don't be afraid, ladies ! There is no danger !"
 
 226 AN UNEXPECTED VOYAGE. 
 
 " But I must come up and see what you are about, Cap- 
 tain!" exclaimed Miss Perceval. 
 
 " You had better be still, ma'am," replied Mrs. Crabtree. 
 *'It is as well to be drowned in bed as on deck." 
 
 Nothing gives a more awful idea oi" the helplessness of 
 man, and the wrath of God, than a tempestuous sea during 
 tlie gloom of midnight; and every mind on board became 
 awed into silence and solemnity during this war of ele- 
 ments, till at length, towards morning, while the hurricane 
 seemed yet raging with undiminished fury, Laura suddenly 
 gave an exclamation of rapture, on hearing a sailor at tho 
 helm begin to sing Tom fowling. "JSow I feel sure the 
 danger is over," said she, " otherwise that man could not have 
 the heart to sing! If I live a century, I shall always like 
 a sailor's song for the future." 
 
 It is seldom that any person's thankfulness after danger 
 bears a fair proportion to the fear they felt while it lasted ; 
 but Harry and Laura had been taught to remember where 
 their gratitude was due, and felt it the more deeply next day, 
 when they entered the Yarmouth Roads, and were shewn 
 the masts of several vessels, appearing partly above the 
 water, which had on various occasions been lost in that wil- 
 derness of shoals, where so many melancholy catastrophes 
 have occurred. 
 
 After sailing uj) the Thames, and duly staring at (Green- 
 wich hospital, tile hulks, and the Tower of London, they 
 landed at last; and having offered Mrs. Crabtree a place in 
 the hackney coach, they hurried impatiently into it, eager 
 for the happy moment of meeting with Frank. Harry, in 
 his ardour, thought that no carriage had ever driven so 
 slowly before. He wished there had been a rail-road through 
 the town ; and far from wasting a thought upon the novel- 
 ties of Holborn or Piccadilly, he and Laura gained no idea 
 of the metropolis, more distinct than that of tho Irishman 
 who complained he could not sec liondou for the quantity
 
 AN UNEXPECTED VOYAGE. 227 
 
 of houses. One only idea filled their hearts, and brighten- 
 ed their countenances, while they looked at each other with 
 a smile of delight, saying, " now, at last, we are going to 
 see Frank !"
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 THE ARRIVAL. 
 
 "What is life 1 a variod tale, 
 
 Deeply moving, quickly told. 
 
 Willis. 
 
 "On! what a lovely cottage!" exclaimed Laura, iu an 
 ecstacy of joy, when they stopped before a beautiful house, 
 with large airy windows down to the ground ; walls that 
 Bcemed one brilliant mass of roses; rich flowery meadows 
 in front, and a bright smooth lawn behind, stretching down 
 to the broad bosom of the Thames, which icflcctcd on its 
 gla.ssy surface innumerable boats, filled with gay groups of 
 merry people. " That is such a place as I have often dream- 
 ed of, but never saw before ! It seems made for perfect 
 happiness !" 
 
 " Yes ! how dtlightful to live here with Frank and uncle 
 David!" added Harry. "We shall be sailing on the water 
 all day !" 
 
 The cottage gate was now opened, and Major Craham 
 him.'iclf appeared under the porch ; but in.stcad of hurrying 
 forward, as he always formerly did, to welcome them after 
 the very shortest separation, he stood gravely and silently at 
 the door, without so much as raising his eyes from the 
 ground ; and the paleness of his countenance filled both 
 Harry and Laura with astonishment. They flew to meet
 
 THE ARRIVAL. 229 
 
 him, making an exclamation of joy ; but after embracing 
 them affectionately, he did not utter a word, and led the way 
 with hurried and agitated steps into a sitting room. 
 
 " Where is Frank?" exclaimed Harry, looking eagerly 
 round. "Why is he not here 1 Call him down ! Tell him 
 we are come !" 
 
 A long pause ensued ; and Laura trembled when she look- 
 ed at her uncle, who was some moments before he could 
 speak, and sat down taking each of them by the hand, with 
 such a look of sorrow and commiseration, that they were 
 filled with alarm. 
 
 « My dear Harry and Laura !" said he solemnly, " you 
 have never known grief till now, but if you love me, listen 
 with composure. I have sad news to tell, yet it is of the 
 very greatest consequence that you should bear up with for- 
 titude. Frank is extremely ill ; and the joy he felt about 
 your coming, has agitated him so much, that he is worse 
 than you can possibly conceive. It probably depends upon 
 your conduct now, whether he survives this night or not. 
 Frank knows you are here ; he is impatient for you to em- 
 brace him ; he becomes more and more agitated every mo- 
 ment the meeting is delayed ; yet if you give way to child- 
 ish grief, or even to childish joy, upon seeing him again, 
 the Doctors think it may cause his immediate death. You 
 might hear his breathing in any part of this house. He is 
 in the lowest extreme of weakness ! It will be a dreadful 
 scene for you both. Tell me, Harry and Laura, can you 
 trust yourselves 1 Can you, for Frank's own sake, enter his 
 room this moment, as quietly as if you had seen him yester- 
 day, and speak to him with composure ?" 
 
 Laura felt, on hearing these words, as if the very earth 
 had opened under her feet, — a choking sensation arose in 
 her throat, — her colour fled, — her limbs shook, — her whole 
 countenance became convulsed with anguish, — but making 
 
 U
 
 230 TUE ARRIVAL. 
 
 a resolute effort, she looked anxiously at Harry, and then 
 said, in a low, almost inaudible voice, 
 
 '' Uncle David ! we are able, — God will strengthen us. I 
 dare not think a moment. The sooner it is done \\\c better. 
 Let us go now." 
 
 Major Graliam slowly led the way without speaking, till 
 they reach the bed-room door, where he paused for a mo- 
 ment, while Harry and Laura listened to the gasping sound 
 of Frank struggling for breath. 
 
 "Remember you will scarcely know him," whispered he, 
 looking doubtfully at J^aura's pallid countenance ; "but a 
 .single expression of emotion may be fatal. Show your love 
 for Frank now, my dear children. Sparc him all agitation, 
 — forget your own feelings for his sake." 
 
 AVhen Harry and Laura entered the room, Frank buried 
 his face in his hands, and leaned them on tlie table, saying, 
 in convulsive accents, " Go away, Laura ! — oh go away 
 just now ! I cannot bear it yet ! — leave me ! — leave me !" 
 
 If Laura had been turned into marble at the moment, she 
 could not have seemed more perfectly calm, for her mind 
 was wound up to an almost supernatural effort, and advanc- 
 ing to the place where he sat, without attempting to speak, 
 she took Frank by the hand — Hurry did the same ; and not 
 a sound was heard for some moments, but the convulsive 
 struggles of Frank himself, whih; he gasped for breath, and 
 vainly tried to speak, till at length he raised his head and 
 fixed his eyes on Laura, who felt then, for the first time, 
 btruck with the dreadlul conviction, that tliis meeting was 
 l)Ul a [»relude to tlieir immediate and final separation. The 
 pale a.shy cheek, the hollow eye, the sharp and altered fea- 
 tures, all told a tale of anguish siich as she; had never before 
 conceived, and a cold tremor passed tlirough her frame, as 
 she stood ama/Ad and bewildered with grief, while the past, 
 the present, and the future seemed all one mighty heap of 
 agony. Still she gazed steadily on Frank, and said nothing,
 
 THE ARIRVAL. 231 
 
 conscious that the smallest indulgence of emotion would 
 bring forth a torrent which nothing could control, and de- 
 termined, unless her heart ceased to beat, that he should see 
 nothing to increase his agitation. 
 
 At length, in a low, faint, broken voice, Frank was able 
 to speak, and looking with affectionate sympathy at Laura, 
 he said, " Do not think, dear sister, that I always suffer as 
 you see me now. This joy has been too much for me. I 
 shall soon feel easier." 
 
 Major Graham observed a livid paleness come over 
 Laura's countenance when she attempted to answer, and 
 seeing it was impossible to sustain the trial a moment long- 
 er, he made a pretext to hurry her away. Harry instantly 
 followed, and rushing into a vacant room, he threw himself 
 down in an agony of grief, and wept convulsively, till the 
 very bed shook beneath him. Hours passed on, and Major 
 Graham left them to exhaust their grief in weeping together, 
 but every moment seemed only to increase their agitation, 
 as the conviction became more fearfully certain that Frank 
 was indeed lost to them for ever. This then was the meet- 
 ing they had so often, and so joyously anticipated ! Laura 
 sunk upon her knees beside Harry, and prayers were min- 
 gled with their tears, while they asked for consolation, 
 and tried to feel resigned. " Alas I" thought she solemnly, 
 <' how truly did grandmama say, ' If the sorrows of this 
 world are called ' light afflictions,' what must be those from 
 which Christ died to save us !' It is merciful that we 
 are not forbid to weep, for, oh ! who ever lost such a broth- 
 er? — the kindest — the best of brothers! — dear, dear Frank! 
 — can nothing be done ! Uncle David !" added Laura, 
 clinging to Major Graham, when he entered the room, 
 " oh ! say something to us about Frank getting better, — 
 do you think he will ? May we have a hope? — one single 
 hope to live upon, that Frank may possibly be spared ; 
 do not turn away — do not look so very sad — think hovr
 
 232 
 
 THE ARRIVAL. 
 
 young Frank is,— and the Doctors are so skilful — and — and 
 oh, uncle David! he is dying! I see it! I must believe 
 it!" continued she, wringing her hands with grief. " You 
 cannot give us one word of hope, though the whole world 
 would be nothing without him." 
 
 " My dear, — my very dear I.aura ! rcmrnibcr that con- 
 soling text in holy Scripture, 'Be still, and know that I am 
 God ;' — we have no idea what He can do in saving us from 
 sorrow, or in comforting us when it comes, therefore let us 
 seek peace from Ilim, and believe that all shall indeed be 
 ordered well, even though our own hearts were to bo 
 broken with affliction. Frank has seen old nurse Crabtree, 
 and is now in a refreshing sleep, therefore I wish you to 
 take the opportunity of sitting in his room, and accustom- 
 ing yourselves, if possible, to the sight of his altered ap- 
 pearance. He is sometimes very cheerful, and always pa- 
 tient, therefore wo must keep up our own spirits, and try to 
 assist him in bearing his sufferings, rather than increase 
 them, by showing what we feel ourselves. I was pleased 
 with you both this morning — that meeting was no common 
 effort, and now we must show our submission to the Divino 
 will, difficult as that may be, by a deep, heartfelt resignation 
 to whatever He ordains." 
 
 Harry and Laura still felt stupificd with grief, but they 
 mechanically followed Major Graliam into Frank's room, 
 and sat down in a distant corner behind his chair, observinff 
 with awe and astonishment his pallid countenance, his ema- 
 ciated hands, and his drooping figure, while scarcely yet 
 able to believe that this was indeed their own beloved Frank. 
 After they had remained immovcably still for some time, 
 though shedding many bitter tears, as they gazed on the 
 wreck of one so very dear, he suddenly started awake, and 
 glanced anxiously round the room, then with a look of deep 
 disappointment, he said to uncle David, in low, feeble ac- 
 centH,
 
 THE ARRIVAL. 233 
 
 "It was only a dream ! I have often dreamed the same 
 thing, when far away at sea, — that would have been too 
 much happiness ! I fancied Harry and Laura were here !" 
 
 "It was no dream, dear Frank! we are here," said Lau- 
 ra, trying to speak in a quiet, subdued voice. 
 
 " My dear sister ! then all is well ! but pray sit always 
 where I can see you. After wishing so long for our meet- 
 ing, it appears nearly impossible that we are together at 
 last." 
 
 Frank became exhausted with speaking so much, but 
 pointed to a seat near himself, where Harry and Laura sat 
 down, after which he gazed at them long and earnestly, with 
 a look of affectionate pleasure, while his smile, which had 
 lost eJI its former cheerfulness, was now full of tenderness 
 and sensibility. At length his countenance gradually chang- 
 ed, while large tears gathered in his eyes, and coursed each 
 other silently down his cheeks. Thought3 of the deepest 
 sadness seemed passing through his mind during some mo- 
 ments, but checking the heavy sigh that rose in his breast, 
 he riveted his hands together, and looked towards heaven 
 with an expression of placid submission, saying these words 
 in a scarcely audible tone, though evidently addressed to 
 those around, 
 
 " Weeping endureth for a night, but joy cometh in the 
 morning." "We know that if our earthly house of this ta- 
 bernacle be dissolved, we have a building of God, an house 
 not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." " Weep ye 
 not for the dead, neither bemoan him ; but weep sore for 
 him that goeth away : for he shall return no more, nor see 
 his native country."* 
 
 These words fell upon the ear of Harry and Laura like a 
 knell of death, for they now saw that Frank himself believ- 
 ed he was dying, and it appeared as if their last spark of 
 
 • Jeremiah xxii. 10. 
 u2
 
 234 THE ARRIVAL. 
 
 hope expired when they heard this terrible dispensation an- 
 nounced from his own lips. He seemed anxious now that 
 they should understand his full meaning, and receive all the 
 consolation which his mind could afford, for he closed his 
 eyes, and added in solemn accents, 
 
 "I must have died at some time, and why not now? If 
 I leave friends who are very dear on earth, I go to my chief 
 best friend in heaven. The whole peace and comfort of my 
 mind rest on thinking of our Saviour's merits. Let us all 
 be ready to say, ' the will of the Lord be done.' Think 
 often, Harry and liaura, of those words we so frequently re- 
 peated to grandmama formerly : 
 
 ' Take comfort, Christians, when your friends 
 
 In Jesus fall asleep, 
 Their belter being never ends, 
 
 Why then dejected weep 1 
 
 Why inconsolable as those 
 
 To whom no liope is given ? 
 Death is the mcsseng'cr of peace, 
 
 And calls ' my' soul to Heaven.'" 
 
 Frank's voice failed, his head fell back upon the pillows, 
 and he remained for a length of time, with his eyes closed 
 in solemn meditation atul prayer, while I^aura and Harry, 
 unable so much as to look at each other, leaned U|)on the 
 table, and wept in silence. 
 
 Laura felt as if she had grown old in a moment, — as if 
 life could give no more joy — and as if she herself stood al- 
 ready on the verge of the grave. It appeared like a dream 
 that she had ever been happy, and a dreadful reality to which 
 she was now awakened. " Behold, (iod taketh away ! who 
 can hinder him t who will say unto him, \N hat doest thou?" 
 " Cease ye from man, >\ hose breath is in his nostrils." 
 These were texts which forced themselves on her mind, with 
 mournful emphasis, while she felt how helpless is earthly
 
 THE ARRIVAL. 235 
 
 affection when the dispensations of God are upon us. All 
 her love for Frank could not avert the stroke of death, — all 
 his attachment to her must now be buried in the grave, — • 
 and the very tenderness they felt for each other, only embit- 
 tered the sorrows of this dreadful moment. 
 
 From that day, Harry and Laura, according to the 
 advice of uncle David, testified their affection for Frank, 
 not by tears and useless lamentations, though these were 
 not always to be controlled in private, but by the incessant, 
 devoted attention with which they watched his looks, anti- 
 cipated his wishes, and thought every exertion a pleasure 
 which could in the slightest degree contribute to his com- 
 fort. Frank, on his part, spared their feelings, by often 
 concealing what he suffered, and by speaking of his own 
 death, as if it had been a journey on which he must pre- 
 pare with readiness to enter, reminding them, that never to 
 die, was never to be happy, as all they saw him endure from 
 sickness, became nothing to what he endured from strug- 
 gling against sin and temptation, which were the great evils 
 of existence, — and that from all these he would be for ever 
 freed by death. " Those who are prepared for the change," 
 added he, solemnly, " can neither live too long, nor die too 
 soon ; for when God gives us His blessing. He then sends 
 heaven, as it were, into the soul before the soul ascends to 
 heaven ; and I trust to being gifted with faith and submis- 
 sion for all that may be ordained during my few remaining 
 hours upon earth." 
 
 Yet, with every desire to feel resigned, Frank himself 
 was sometimes surprised out of his usual fortitude, espe- 
 cially when thinking that he must never more hope to see 
 Lady Harriet, towards whom he cast many a longing and 
 affecting thoutrht, saying once, with deep emotion, " If I 
 could only see grandmama again, I should feel quite well !" 
 One evening, as he sat near an open window, gazing on 
 the rich tints of twilight, and breathing with more than
 
 236 THE ARRIVAL. 
 
 usual case, a wandering musician paused with her guitar, 
 and sung several airs with great pathos and expression. At 
 length she played the tune of "Home! sweet home," to 
 which Frank listened for some moments with intense agi- 
 tation, till, clasping his hands and bursting into tears, ho 
 exclaimed, in accents of powerful emotion, 
 
 " Home ! That happy home ! Oh ! never — never more, 
 — my home is in the grave." 
 
 Laura wept convulsively while he added in broken ac- 
 cents, "I shall still be remembered still lamented 
 
 you must not love me too well, Laura, — not as I love you, 
 or your sorrow would be too great ; but long hence, when 
 Harry and you are happy together, surrounded with friends, 
 think sometimes of one who must for ever be absent, — who 
 loved you better than them all, — whose last prayer will be 
 for you both. Oh ! who can tell what my feelings are ! I 
 can do nothing now but cause distress and anguish to those 
 who love me best!'' 
 
 " Frank, I would not exchange your affection for the wealth 
 of worlds. As long as I live, it will be my greatest earthly 
 happiness to have had such a brother; and if we are to suf- 
 fer a sorrow that I cannot name, and dare not think of, you 
 are teaching me how to bear it, and leaving us the only 
 comfort we can have, in knowing that you are happy." 
 
 " Many plans and many hopes I had for the future, 
 Laura," added Frank; "but there is no future to me now 
 in this world. Perhaps I may escape a multitude of sor- 
 rows, but how gladly would I have shared all yours, and en- 
 sured my best happiness by uniting with Harry and you in 
 living to God. If you both learn more by my death than 
 by my life, then, indeed, I do rejoice. With respect to my- 
 self, it matters but little a few years or hours sooner, for I 
 may say, in the words of Job, ' tliough He slay me, yet will 
 I trust in Him.' " 
 
 Frank's sufferings increased every day, and became so
 
 THE ARRIVAL. 237 
 
 very great at last, that the Doctor proposed giving him strong 
 doses of laudanum, to bring on a stupor and allay the pain ; 
 but when this was mentioned to him, he said, " I know it is 
 my duty to take whatever you prescribe, and I certainly 
 shall, but if we can do without opiates, let me entreat you 
 to refrain from them. Often formerly at sea I used to think 
 it very sad how few of those I attended in sickness were 
 allowed by the physician to die in possession of their senses, 
 on account of being made to take laudanum, which gave 
 them false spirits and temporary ease. Let me retain my 
 faculties as long as they are mercifully granted to me. I 
 can bear pain, — at least, God grant me strength to do so, — 
 but I cannot willingly enter the presence of my Creator in 
 a state little short of intoxication." 
 
 Many days of agony followed this resolution on the part 
 of Frank, but though the medicine, which would have 
 brought some hours of oblivion, lay within reach, he perse- 
 vered in wishing to preserve his consciousness, whatever 
 suffering it might cost ; and though now and then a prayer 
 for bodily relief was wrung from him in his acute agony, 
 the most frequent and fervent supplications that he uttered 
 night and day were, in an accent of intense emotion, " God 
 have mercy upon my soul." 
 
 Harry and Laura were surprised to find the fields and 
 walks near London so very rural and beautiful as they ap- 
 peared at Hammersmith, and to meet with much more 
 simplicity and kindness among the common people than 
 they had anticipated. The poorer neighbours, who became 
 aware of their affliction, testified a degree of sympathy 
 which frequently astonished them, and was often afterwards 
 remembered with pleasure, one instance of which seemed 
 peculiarly touching to Laura. Frank always suffered most 
 acutely during the night, and seldom closed his eyes in 
 sleep till morning, therefore she invariably remained with 
 him, to beguile those weary hoursj while any remonstrance
 
 23d THE ARRIVAL. 
 
 on his part against so fatiguing a duty, became a mere 
 waste of words, as she only grew sadder and paler, saying, 
 there would be time enough to take care of herself when 
 she could no longer be of use to him. The earliest thing 
 that gave any relief to Frank's cough every day, generally 
 was, a tumbler of milk, warm from the cow, which had 
 been ordered for him, and was brought almost as soon as 
 the dawn of light. Once, when Frank had been unusually 
 ill, and sighed in restless agony till morning, Laura watched 
 impatiently for day, and when the milkman was seen, at 
 six o'clock, slowly trudging through the fields, and advanc- 
 ing leisurely towards the house, liaura hurried eagerly 
 down to meet him, exclaiming in accents of joy, while she 
 held out the tumbler, " Oh ! I am so glad you are come at 
 last !" 
 
 "At last. Miss! ! I am as early as usual !" replied he, 
 gruffly. " It's not many poor folks that gets up so soon 
 to their work, and if you had to labour as hard as me all 
 day, you would maybe think the morning came too soon." 
 " I am seldom in bed all night," answered Laura, sadly. 
 " My poor sick brother cannot rest till this milk is brought, 
 and I wait with him, hour after hour till daylight, wearying 
 for you to come." 
 
 The old dairyman looked with sorrowful surprise at Lau- 
 ra, while she, thinking no more of what had passed, hmried 
 away ; but next morning, when sitting up again with 
 Frank, she became surprised to observe the milkman a 
 whole hour earlier than usual, plodding along towards his 
 cattle at a peculiarly rapid pace. He stayed not more than 
 five minutes, only milking one cow, though all the others 
 gathered round him, and as soon as he had filled his little 
 pail, he came straight toward Major (Jraham's cottage, and 
 knocked at the door. Laura instantlv ran down to thank 
 him with her whole heart for his kind attention, after which,
 
 THE ARRIVAL. 239 
 
 ftS long as Frank continued ill, the old dairyman rose long 
 before his usual time, to bring this welcome refreshment. 
 
 Frank desired Laura to beg that he would not take so 
 much trouble, or else to insist on his accepting some remu- 
 neration, but the old man would neither discontinue the 
 custom, nor receive any recompense. 
 
 " Let me see this kind good dairyman, to thank him my- 
 self," said Frank, one night, when he felt rather easier ; and 
 next morning, Laura invited poor Teddy Collins to walk 
 up stairs, who looked exceedingly astonished, though very 
 much pleased at the proposal, saying, « May be, Ma'am, 
 the poor young gentleman would not like to see a stranger 
 like me !" 
 
 " No one is a stranger who feels for him as you have 
 done," replied Laura, leading the way, and Frank's counte- 
 nance lighted up with a smile of pleasure when they enter- 
 ed his room. He held out his thin emaciated hand to Ted- 
 dy, who looked earnestly and sorrowfully in his face as he 
 grasped hold of it, saying, " You look very poorly, Sir I 
 I'm afraid, indeed, you are sadly ill." 
 
 " That I am ! as ill as any one can be on this side of 
 eternity! My tale is told, my days are numbered; but I 
 would not go out of this world without saying how grateful 
 we both feel for your attention. As a cup of cold water 
 given in Christian kindness shall hereafter be rewarded, I 
 trust also that your attention to me may not be forgotten." 
 
 " You are heartily welcome. Sir ! It is a great honour 
 for a poor old man like me to oblige anybody. I shall not long 
 be able for work now, seeing that I am upwards of three- 
 score and ten, and my days are already full of labour and 
 sorrow." 
 
 " To both of us, then, the night is far spent, and the day 
 is at hand," replied Frank — " How strange it seems, that, 
 old as you are, I am still older ; my feeble frame will be 
 sooner worn out, and my body laid at rest in the grave J
 
 210 THE ARRIVAL. 
 
 Let mc hope that you have already applied your heart to wis- 
 dom, for every child of earth must, sooner or later, find how 
 short is every thing but eternity. A\ bile I ai)pcar Ijefore you 
 here as a spectacle of mortality, think how soon and how 
 certainly you must follow. May youthen find, as I do, that 
 even in the last extreme of sickness aud sorrow, there is 
 comfort in looking forward to such blessings as ' eye hath 
 not seen, nor ear heard.' Farewell, my kind friend ! In 
 this world we shall meet no more, but there is another and 
 a better." 
 
 The old man, apparently unwilling to withdraw, paused 
 for some moments after Frank had ceased to speak. He 
 muttered a few inaudible words in reply, and then slowly 
 and sorrowfully left the room, while Frank's head sunk lan- 
 guidly on the pillows, and Laura retired to her room, where, 
 as usual, she wept herself to sleep. 
 
 When Harry and Laura first arrived at Hammersmith, 
 Frank felt anxious that they should walk out every day for 
 the benefit of their health; but finding that each made fre- 
 quent excuses for remaining constantly with him at home, 
 he invented a plan which induced them to talvc exercise re- 
 gularly. 
 
 Being early in June, strawberrios were yet so exceedingly 
 rare, that they could scan«;ly be had fur any money ; but the 
 Doctor had allowed his patient to eat fruit. Frank asked his 
 two young attendants to wander about in quest of gardens 
 where a few strawberries could be got, and to bring him 
 some. Accordingly, they set out one morning ; and after 
 a long, unsuccessful search, at last observed a small green- 
 house near the road, with one little basket in the window, 
 scarcely larger than a thimble, containing two or three de- 
 licious King seedlings, perfectly ripe. These were to be 
 sold for five shilling.s ; b\it lijirdly waiting to ascertain the 
 price, Laura seized this welcome prize with delight, and paid 
 for it on the spot. Every niorniiig afterwards, her regular
 
 THE ARRIVAL. 241 
 
 walk was to hasten with Harry towards this pretty little shop, 
 where they talked to the gardener about poor Frank being 
 so very ill, and told him that this fine fruit was wanted for 
 their sick brother at home. 
 
 One day the invalid seemed so much worse than usual, 
 that neither Harry nor Laura could bear to leave him a mo- 
 ment ; so they requested Mrs. Crabtree to fetch the straw- 
 berries, which she readily agreed to do ; but on drawing out 
 her purse in the shop, and saying that she came to buy that 
 little basket of fruit at the window, what was her astonish- 
 ment when the gardener looked civil and sorry, answering 
 that he would not sell those strawberries if she offered him 
 a guinea a-piece. 
 
 " No !" exclaimed Mrs. Crabtree, getting into a rage ; 
 " then what do you put them up at the window for ? There 
 is no use pretending to keep a shop, if you will not sell 
 what is in it! Give me these strawberries this minute, and 
 here's your five shillings !" 
 
 "It's quite impossible," replied the gardener, holding back 
 the basket. " You see, ma'am, every day last week a little 
 Master and Miss came to this here shop, buying my straw- 
 berries for a young gentleman who is very ill ; and they look 
 both so sweet and so mournful-like, that I would not disap- 
 point them for all the world. They seem later to-day than 
 usual, and are, may be, not coming at all ; but if I lose my 
 day's profits, it can't be helped. They shall not walk here 
 for nothing, if they please to come !" 
 
 When Mrs. Crabtree explained that she belonged to the 
 same family as Harry and Laura, the gardener looked hard 
 at her to see if she were attempting to deceive him ; but 
 feeling convinced that she spoke the truth, he begged her to 
 carry off the basket to his young friends, positively refusing 
 to take the price. 
 
 X
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 THE LAST BIRTH-DAY. 
 
 Mere human power shall fast decay, 
 And youthful vigour cease ; 
 But they who wait ujjon the Lord, 
 In strength shall still increase. 
 
 Frank felt no unnatural apathy or indifierencc about dying, 
 for he looked upon it with awe, though not with fear; nor 
 did he express any rapturous excitement on the solemn oc- 
 casion, knowing that death is an appointed penalty for 
 transgression, which, though deprived of its sharpest sting 
 by the triumphs of the cross, yet awfully testifies to all suc- 
 ceeding generations, that each living man has individually 
 merited the utmost wrath of God, and that the last moment 
 on earth, of even the most devoted Christian, must be dark, 
 ened by the gloom of our original sin and natural corrup- 
 tion. Yet, " as in Adam all die, so in Christ are all made 
 alive;" and amidst the throng of consolatory and affecting 
 meditations that crowded into his mind on the great sub- 
 ject of our salvation, he kept a little book in which were 
 carefully recorded such texts and reflections as he consider- 
 ed likely to strengthen his own faith, and to comfort those 
 he left behind — saying one dny to Major t.'raham, 
 
 " Tell grandmama, that though my days have been few 
 upon the earth, they were happy! When you think of me, 
 uuclc David, after my sulFcrings are over, it may well be a
 
 THE LAST BIRTH-DAT. 243 
 
 pleasing remembrance, that you were always the best, th& 
 kindest of friends. Oh! how kind! but I must not — 
 
 cannot speak of that . This is my birth-day ! — my 
 
 last birth-day ! Many a joyous one we kept together, but 
 those merry days are over, and these sadder ones too shall 
 cease ; yet the time is fast approaching, so welcome to us 
 both, 
 
 ' When death-divided friends at last 
 
 Shall meet to part no more.' " 
 
 In the evening, Major Graham observed that Frank made 
 Mrs. Crabtree bring everything belonging to him, and lay it 
 on the table, when he employed himself busily in tying 
 up a number of little parcels, remarking, with a languid 
 smile, 
 
 " My possessions are not valuable, but these are for somo 
 old friends and messmates, who will be pleased to receive a 
 trifling memorial of one who loved them. Send my dirk 
 to Peter Grey, who is much reformed now. Here are all 
 the letters any of you ever sent me ; how very often they 
 have been read I but now, even that intercourse must end ; 
 keep them, for they were the dearest treasures I possessed. 
 At Madras, formerly, I remember hearing of a nabob who 
 was bringing his whole fortune home in a chest of gold, 
 but the ropes for hoisting his treasure on board were so in- 
 sufficient, that the whole gave way, and it fell into the 
 ocean, never to be recovered. That seemed a very sudden 
 termination of his hopes and plans, but scarcely more unex- 
 pected than my own. ' We are a wind that passeth away 
 and Cometh not again.' Many restless nights are ordained 
 for me now, probably that I may find no resource but pray- 
 er and meditation. Others can afford time to slumber, but 
 I so soon shall sleep the sleep of death, that it becomes a 
 blessing to have such hours of solitary thought, for prepar- 
 ing my heart and establishing my faith, during this moment 
 of need."
 
 244 THE LAST UIRTH-DAf. 
 
 " Yes, Frank ! but your prayers are not solitary, for ours 
 arc joined to yours," added Laura. " I read in an old au- 
 thor lately, that Christian friends in this world might he 
 compared to travellers going along the same road in sepa- 
 rate carriages — son\etimes tliey arc together — oitcn they are 
 apart — sometimes they can exchange assistance, as we do 
 now — and often they jostle against each other, till at last, 
 having reached the journey's end, they are removed out of 
 these earthly vehicles into a better state, where they shall 
 look back upon former circumstances, and know even as 
 they are known." 
 
 Laura was often astonished to observe the change which 
 had taken place in her own character and feelings within 
 the very short period of their distress. Her extreme terror 
 of a thunder-storm formerly, had occasioned many a jest to 
 her brothers, when Harry used, occasionally, to roll heavy 
 weights in the room above her own, to imitate the loudest 
 peals, while Frank somctimos endeavoured to arcuc her out 
 of that excessive apprehension with which she listened to 
 the most distant surmise of a storm. Now, however, at 
 Hammersmith, long alter midnight, the moon, on one oc- 
 casion, became completely obscured by dense heavy clouds, 
 and the air felt so oppressively hot, that Frank, who seemed 
 unusually breathless, drew closer to the window. Laura 
 supported his head, and was deeply occupied in talking to 
 him, when suddenly a broad Hash of lightning glared into 
 the room, followed by a crash of tliunder, that seemed to 
 crack the very heavens. Again and again the lightning 
 gleamed in her face with such vividness, that Laura fancied 
 she could distinguish the heat of it, and yet she stirred not, 
 nor did a single exclamation, as in former days, arise ou 
 her lips. 
 
 " Pray shut tht; window, Laura," said Fraidv languidly, 
 raising his eyes ; "• and be so kind as to close the shut- 
 ters !"
 
 THE LAST BIRTH-DAY. 245 
 
 " "Why, Frank? — you never used to be alarmed by thun- 
 der !» 
 
 « No!" nor am I now, dear Laura. What danger need 
 a dying person fear ? Some few hours sooner or later would 
 be of little consequence — 
 
 Come he slow, or come he fast, 
 It is but death that comes at last. 
 
 Yet, Laura, do you think I have forgotten old times ! Oh, 
 no ! — not while I live. You attend to my feelings, and 
 surely it is my duty to remember yours." 
 
 " Never mind me, Frank !" whispered Laura. " I have 
 got over all that folly. When real fears and sorrows come, 
 we care no more about those that were imaginary." 
 
 " True, my dear sister ; and there is no courage or forti- 
 tude like that derived from faith in a superintending provi- 
 dence. Though all creation reel, we may sleep in peace, 
 for to Christians ' danger is safe, and tumult calm.' " 
 
 When Frank grew worse, he became often delirious. 
 Yet as in health he had been habitually cheerful, his mind 
 generally wandered to agreeable subjects. He fancied him- 
 self walking on the bright meadows, and picking flowers by 
 the river side, — meeting Lady Harriet, — and even speaking 
 to his father, as if Sir Edward had been present ; while 
 Harry and Laura listened, weeping and trembling, to be- 
 hold the wreck of such a mind and heart as his. One 
 evening, he seemed unusually well, and requested that his 
 arm-chair might be wheeled to the open window, where he 
 gazed with delight at the hills and meadows, — the clouds 
 and glittering water, — the cattle standing in the stream, — 
 the boats reflected on its surface, — and the roses fluttering 
 at every casement. 
 
 <' Those joyous little birds I — their song malies me cheer- 
 ful," said he, in a tone of placid enjoyment. " I have been 
 in countries where the birds never sing, and the leaves 
 
 x2
 
 246 THE I.A3T BIRTH-DAT. 
 
 never facie ; but they excited no sympathy or interest. Here 
 we have notes of gladness both in sunshine and storm, 
 teaching us a lesson of grateful contentment, — while those 
 drooping roses preach a sermon to me, for as easily might 
 they recover freshness and bloom as myself. We shall 
 both lie low before long in the dust, yet a spring shall come 
 hereafter to revive even 'the ashes of the urn.' Then, 
 uncle David, we meet again, — not as now, amidst sorrow 
 and suffering, with death and separation before us, — but 
 blessed by the consciousness that our sins are forgiven, — 
 our trials all ended, — and that our afflictions, which were 
 but for a moment, have worked out for us a far more ex- 
 ceeding, even an eternal weight of glory." 
 
 Some hours afterwards the Doctor entered. After re- 
 ceiving a cordial welcome from Frank, and feeling his 
 pukse, he instantly examined his arms and neck, which were 
 covered entirely over with small red spots, upon observing 
 which, the friendly physician suddenly changed counte- 
 nance, and stole an alarmed glance at Major d'raham. 
 
 " I feel easier and better to-day. Doctor, than at any time 
 since my illness," said Frank, looking earnestly in his 
 fhco. "Do you think this eruption will dome good? Life 
 has much that would be dear to me, while I have friends 
 like these to live for. Can it be possible that I may yet re- 
 cover ?" 
 
 The Doctor turned away, unable to reply, while Frank 
 intenselv watched his countenance, and then gazed at the 
 pale acitaled face of Major (Jraham. (Gradually th(^ hope 
 which had brightened in his cheek began to fade, — the lus- 
 tre of his eye became dim, — his countenance settled into 
 an expression of mournful resignation, — and covering his 
 face with his hands, he said, in a voice of deep emotion, 
 
 *' I see how it is! — God*s will be done !" 
 
 The sitrnce of death succeeded, while* Frank laid his 
 head on the pilk)w and closed bis eyes. A few natural tears
 
 THE LAST BIRTH-DAY» 247 
 
 coursed each other slowly down his cheek ; but at length, 
 an hour or two afterwards, being completely exhausted, he 
 fell into a gentle sleep, from which the Doctor considered it 
 very doubtful if he would ever awaken, as the red spots in- 
 dicated mortification, which must inevitably terminate his 
 life before next day. 
 
 Laura retired to the window, making a strenuous effort to 
 restrain her feelings, that she might be enabled to witness 
 the last awful scene ; and fervently did she pray for such 
 strength to sustain it with fortitude, as might still render her 
 of some use to her dying brother. Her pale countenance 
 might almost have been mistaken for that of a corpse, but 
 for the expression of living agony in her eye ; and she was 
 sunk in deep, solemn thought, when her attention became 
 suddenly roused by observing a chariot and four drive furi- 
 ously up to the gate, while the horses were foaming and 
 panting as they stopped. A tall gentleman, of exceedingly 
 striking appearance, sprung hurriedly out, walked rapidly 
 towards the cottage door, and in another minute entered 
 Frank's room, with the animated look of one who expected 
 to be gladly welcomed, and to occasion an agreeable surprise. 
 Harry and Laura shrunk close to their uncle, when the 
 stranger, now in. evident agitation, gazed round the room 
 with an air of painful astonishment, till Major Graham 
 looked round, and instantly started up with an exclamation 
 of amazement, " Edward ! is it possible ! This is indeed 
 a consolation ! you are still in time!" 
 
 "In time! !" exclaimed Sir Edward, grasping his 
 brother's hand with vehement agitation. " Do you mean to 
 say that Frank is yet in danger !" 
 
 Major Graham mournfully shook his head, and undrawing 
 the bed curtains, he silently pointed to the sleeping counte- 
 nance of Frank, which was as still as death, and already 
 overspread by a ghastly paleness. Sir Edward then sunk 
 into a chair, and clenched his hands over his forehead with
 
 248 THE LAST BinTH-DAY. 
 
 a look of unspeakable anguish, saying, in an under-tonc, 
 *' ^\oru out, as I am, in mind and body, I needed not this 
 to destroy mc ! Say at once, brother, is there any hope?" 
 
 " None, my dear Kdward ! None ! Even now he is in- 
 sensible, and I tear with little prospect of ever becoming 
 conscious again." 
 
 At this moment Frank opened his eyes, which were dim 
 and glassy, while it became evident that he had relapsed 
 into a state of temporary delirium. 
 
 " Get more candles ! how very dark it is !" he said. 
 "AVho arc all those people? Send away everybody but 
 grandmama ! I must speak to her alone. Never tell papa 
 of all this, it would only distress him — say nothing atiout 
 me. Why do Harry and Laura never come 1 They have 
 been absent more than a week ! >Vho took away uncle 
 David too?" 
 
 Laura listened for some time in an agony of grief, till at 
 last, unable any longer to restrain her feelings, she clasped 
 Frank in her arms and burst into tears, exclaiming, in ac- 
 cents of piercing distress, " Oh Frank ! dear Frank ! have 
 you forgotten poor Laura?" 
 
 "Not till I am dead !" whispered he, while a momentary 
 gleam of recollection lighted up his face. "Laura! wc 
 meet again." 
 
 Sir Edward now wished to si)eak, but Frank had relapsed 
 into a state of feeble unconsciousness, from which nothing 
 could arouse him ; once or twice he repeated the name of 
 Laura in a low melancholy voice, till it became totally in- 
 audible — his breath became shorter — his lips became livid — 
 his whole frame seemed convulsed — and some hours aflor- 
 wards, all that was mortal of Frank Graham ceased to 
 exist About four in the morning his body was at rest, and 
 his spirit returned to (iod who gave it. 
 
 The candles had burned low in their sockets, and still 
 the mourners remained, unwilling to move from the awful
 
 THE LAST BIRTU-DAT. 249 
 
 Bcene of their bereavement. Mrs. Crabtree at length, who 
 laid out the body herself, extinguished the lights, and flung 
 open the window curtains. Then suddenly a bright blaze 
 of sunshine streamed into the room, and rested on the cold 
 pale face of the dead. To the stunned and bewildered 
 senses of Harry and Laura, the brilliant dawn of morning 
 seemed like a mockery of their distress. Many persons 
 were already passing by — the busy stir of life had begun, 
 and a boy strolling along the road whistled his merry tune 
 as he went gaily on. 
 
 "We are indeed mere atoms in the world!" thought 
 Laura bitterly, while these sights and sounds fell heavily on 
 her heart. If Harry and I had both been dead also, the sun 
 would have shone as brightly, the birds sung as joyfully, and 
 those people been all as gay and happy as ever ! Nobody 
 is thinking of Frank — nobody knows our misery — the 
 world is going on as if nothing had happened, and we are 
 breaking our hearts with grief!" 
 
 Laura's heart became stilled as she gazed on the peace- 
 ful and almost happy expression of those beautiful features, 
 which had now lost all appearance of suffering. The eyes, 
 from which nothing but kindness and love had beamed up- 
 on her, were now closed for ever ; the lips which had spo* 
 ken oiily words of generous affection and pious hope, were 
 silent ; and the heart which had beat with every warm and 
 brotherly feeling, was for the first time insensible to her sor- 
 rows ; yet Laura did not give way to the strong excess of 
 her grief, for it sunk upon her spirit with a leaden weight 
 of anguish, which tears and lamentations could not express, 
 and could not even relieve. She rose and kissed, for the 
 last time, that beloved countenance, which she was never to 
 look upon again till they met in heaven, and stole away to 
 the silence and solitude of her own room, where Laura tried 
 in vain to collect her thoughts. All seemed a dreary blank. 
 She did not sigh — she could nost weep ; but she sat in dark
 
 250 THE LAST BIRTH-DAT. 
 
 and vacant abstraction, with one only consciousness filling 
 her mind — the bitter remembrance that F'rank was dead — 
 that she could be of no farther use to him — that she could 
 have no future intercourse with him — that even in her pray- 
 ers she could no longer have the comfort of naminn; him; 
 and when at last she turned to his own Bible which he had 
 given her, to seek for consolation, her eyes refused their of- 
 fice, and the pages became blistered with tears. 
 
 After Frank's funeral, Sir Edward became too ill to leave 
 his bed; and Major Graham remained with him in constant 
 conversation; while Harry and Laura did every thing to 
 testify their affection, and to fill the place now so sadly va- 
 cant. 
 
 On the following Sunday, several of the congregation at 
 Hammersmith observed two young strangers in the rector's 
 pew, dressed in the deepest mourning, with pale and down- 
 cast countenances, who glided early into church, and sat 
 immoveably still, side by side, while Mr. Palmer gave out 
 for his text the atfecting and appropriate words which Frank 
 himself had often repeated during his last illness, "In an 
 hour that ye think not, the Son of man cometh." 
 
 Not a tear was shed by either Harry or Laura, — their 
 grief was too great for utterance; yet they listened with 
 breathless interest to the sermon, intended not only to con- 
 sole them, but also to instruct other young persons, from the 
 afflicting event of Frank's death. 
 
 Mr. Palmer took this opportunity to describe all the ami- 
 able dispositions of youth, and to show how much of what 
 is pleasing may appear before religion has yet taken entire 
 possession of the mind ; but he painted in glowing colour.'* 
 the beautiful consistency and harmony of character which 
 must ensue after that ha[)py change, when the Holy Spirit 
 renews the heart and influences the life. It almost seemed 
 to Harry and Laura as if Frank were visibly before their 
 eyes, when Mr. Palmer spoke in eloquent terms of that hu-
 
 THE LAST BIRTH-DAY. 251 
 
 mility which no praise could diminish — that benevolence 
 which attended to the feelings, as well as the wants of others, 
 — that affection which was ever ready to make any sacrifice 
 for diose he loved, — that docility which obeyed the call of 
 duty on every occasion, — that meekness in the midst of pro- 
 vocation which could not be irritated, — that gentle firmness 
 in maintaining the truths of the gospel, which no opposition 
 could intimidate, — that cheerful submission to sufl^ering 
 which saw a hand of mercy in the darkest hour, — and that 
 faith which was ever " forgetting those things which are be- 
 hind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 
 — pressing toward the mark for the prize of the high calling 
 of God in Christ Jesus." 
 
 It seemed as if years had passed over the heads of Harry 
 and Laura during the short period of their absence from 
 home — that home where Frank had so anxiously desired to 
 go ! All was changed within and around them, — sorrow had 
 filled their hearts, and no longer merry, thoughtless creatures, 
 believing the world one scene of frolicsome enjoyment and 
 careless ease ; they had now witnessed its realities, — they 
 had felt its trials, — they had experienced the importance of 
 religion, — they had learned the frailty of all earthly joy, — 
 and they had received, amidst tears and sorrows, the last in- 
 junction of a dying brother, to " call upon the Lord while 
 He is near, and to seek Him while he may yet be found." 
 " Uncle David," said Laura one day, several months after 
 their return home, " Mrs. Crabtree first endeavoured to lead 
 us aright by severity, — you and grandmama then tried what 
 kindness could do, but nothing was efiectual till now, when 
 God Himself has laid His hand upon us. Oh ! what a 
 heavy stroke was necessary to bring me to my right mind, 
 but now, while we weep many bitter tears, Harry and I of- 
 ten pray together that good may come out of evil, and that 
 " we who mourn so deeply, may find our best, our only 
 comfort from above."
 
 262 
 
 THE LAST 1!1KTH-DAT. 
 
 Unthinking, idle, wild, and young, 
 
 I laugh'd, and talk'd, and danc'd, and sung; 
 
 And proud of licalth, of frolic vain, 
 
 Drcam'd not of sorrow, care, or pain, 
 
 Concluding in those hours of glee. 
 
 That all the world was made for me. 
 
 But when the days of trial canr^. 
 When sorrow shook this trembling frame, 
 When folly's gay pursuits were o'er, 
 And I could dance or sing no more; 
 It then occurr'd how sad 'twould be 
 Were this world only made for me. 
 
 Prin'cp.ss A.mklia. 
 
 T)IR KNIS
 
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