LI B RAR.Y 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVLRSITY 
 
 Of ILLINOIS 
 
Return this book on or before the 
 Latest Date stamped below. 
 
 University of Illinois Library 
 
 L161— H41 
 
LISA LENA 
 
LISA LENA 
 
 EDWARD JENKINS 
 
 AUTHOR OF "GINX'S BABY " " JOBSOK'S EKEMIES " ETC 
 
 IN TWO VOLUMES 
 VOL I 
 
 LONDON 
 
 SAMPSON LOW MARSTON SEARLE & RIVINGTON 
 
 CROWN BUILDINGS 188 FLEET STREET 
 
 1880 
 
 (^All rights reserved) 
 
LONDON : 
 
 PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED, 
 
 STAMFORD STREET AND CHARING CROSS. 
 
1 
 
 
 Dctitcatcti 
 
 TO 
 
 MY FRIENDS 
 MR AND MRS BLANCHARD JERROLD 
 
CONTENTS OF VOL. I. 
 
 CHAPTER ^^^^ 
 
 I. A First Memory 1 
 
 II. Exciting Times 17 
 
 III. Deserted 54 
 
 IV. Ephraim Mason's 66 
 
 V. The Stranger's Visit 82 
 
 VI. Dragon acts like a G-entleman ... 107 
 
 VII. The Adieu to Farmer Mason's ... 122 
 
 VIIL A New Home 136 
 
 IX. A Strange Dream 157 
 
 X. Awkward Conjunctures ... ... 166 
 
 XI. I GO TO Jericho 182 
 
 XII. Sarah Dampwell's Sacrifice ... 204 
 
 XIII. The Spirit Willing but the Flesh 
 
 Very Weak 223 
 
 XIV. Timberville and the Trapeze ... 234 
 XV. I BECOME an "Artiste" 255 
 
LISA LENA 
 
 CHAPTEE I 
 
 A FIEST MEMOKY 
 
 The first thing I can remember is a dark 
 night, a strange, wild, terrible noise, a 
 confused roar of angry voices, and the 
 shar^D crack of firearms. I was in bed, 
 and had suddenly been awakened. A 
 woman in her delicate white night-dress, 
 laced and frilled, leaned out over the sill 
 of an open window, her hands clasped, 
 her long black hair, a wealth of glossy 
 beauty, floating down over her shoulders 
 and far below her waist in picturesque 
 
 VOL. I. B 
 
 / V. 
 
2 LISA LENA 
 
 disorder, lier white face, its fine profile 
 distorted with anguish, marked out like a 
 marble relief on the black background of 
 the night, while her eyes were strained 
 towards the tumult and the gloom. 
 
 It was more than twenty years ago ; 
 but I see it now as I saw it then — the 
 first revelation to me of life, of terror, of 
 pain, of the shadow of death. 
 
 The woman at the window, young and 
 graceful, yet in the full maturity of form 
 and beauty, was my mother. Beyond that 
 scene my memory recalls nothing definite. 
 There only remains with me a dreamy 
 sense of having been — a vision, unclouded 
 by care, in which she hovers as a guardian 
 angel. 
 
 Startled by the din, I sat up in my cot, 
 which stood in a corner of the room — a 
 great comfortable room with a large 
 white- curtained bed and handsome old- 
 fashioned furniture. 
 
A FIRST MEMORY 6 
 
 ^^ Mamma ! Mamma ! " 
 
 She did not hear me. She was there 
 at the window gazing intently on what- 
 ever terrible things were being enacted 
 nnoler her eyes. I pushed away the 
 clothes, and climbing the rails that shut 
 me in, I got my little feet on the ledge 
 outside, and tried to slide down to the 
 ground by the leg of the bed. My night- 
 gown wrapping my right foot I fell, 
 but was up in a moment and ran to the 
 window. Then I climbed the seat that 
 stood in the corner, and saw^ all that my 
 mother saw. A flash, a frightful noise, a 
 shriek, for a moment confused me ; but I 
 can remember how clearly I took in the 
 scene. A wide street, with low villas 
 ranged along on either side, embowered 
 in tropical foHage, with white palisaded 
 gardens, stretched away in front and to 
 the right. A few street lamps here and 
 
4 LISA LENA 
 
 there threw out just sufficient light to 
 enable me to discern a dark agitated 
 crowd, sprinkled over the broad white- 
 dusted road. The flash and the report 
 came from directly below the window,, 
 where, standing out under the light, with 
 his long raven-black hair thrown back 
 from his brow and tremulous with passion, 
 a noble figure was visible, six feet high at 
 least, shaking a discharged gun at the 
 crowd, and shouting — 
 
 '' Back, you cowards ! " 
 
 Then, as he handed the gun to a negro 
 standing behind him, he changed from his. 
 left hand to his right a little thing which 
 I could see was polished and gleaming. 
 
 ^' Do you hear me ? Go back, I tell 
 you, or I'll shoot again, and I never miss. 
 Corcoran, go back, for God's sake." 
 
 A man was running towards him, 
 urging the people, who hesitated, to come 
 
A FIRST MEMORY 5 
 
 on. He advanced a few paces and 
 stopped. 
 
 '^ Ba^k, I say, for the last time ! " 
 
 In Corcoran's hand was another little 
 gleaming thing, which he raised to his 
 shoulder-height, pointing it towards my 
 father. 
 
 ^' Come on, men," he said. ^'This 
 thing has got to stop " 
 
 Before another word came out, fire 
 flashed from my father's hand. At the 
 same instant Corcoran jumped high into 
 the air and fell with a heavy thud and 
 the people who were following ran, scat- 
 tering in all directions. 
 
 My mother shrieked and fell upon her 
 knees, resting her trembling elbows on the 
 window and wringing her small white 
 hands. 
 
 " God, have mercy upon us ! " 
 
 My father's handsome face turned up 
 
6 LISA LENA 
 
 under the gaslight for a second, as if he 
 had heard her. He called to her — 
 
 '^ Go in, Marie. See, Lisa is there. 
 She will he shot." 
 
 '^ Oh ! come in ; come in, Harry. They 
 are coming again." 
 
 He was turning the weapon in his hand 
 prohably reloading the emptied chamber. 
 Then he coolly walked towards the crowd, 
 which was collecting again, and from 
 which came furious cries, and at length 
 two strong reports, followed by a peculiar 
 shrill, singing sound. He threw back his 
 head in a rage of passion — I think I see 
 now his magnificent attitude as he did it 
 — and without a word ran swiftly towards 
 the shouting mob. They closed up to- 
 gether to support each other ; two more 
 shots were fired at him before he reached 
 them, and then he was upon them. 
 
 I see the tall figure. I see the arm 
 
A FIRST MEMORY 7 
 
 raised, and hear the outcry of a man struck 
 down, and then another ; again the crack 
 and sparkle of firearms ; and amongst the 
 moving mass closing round him I see a 
 man, head and shoulders ahove them all, 
 dealing blows with a. grand and terrible 
 force. 
 
 In another moment he was standing 
 alone. On the white road lay three or 
 four figures. The crowd had gone back 
 and was gathering about thirty yards ofi'y 
 and he was facing them again. The 
 negro had run up, and handed him his gun 
 reloaded. 
 
 ^'Have you not had enough?" he 
 shouted, as he levelled it straight upon 
 the centre of the mass, which wavered, 
 started, and then broke up into flying 
 nnits. 
 
 *' Mercer, we give in, by G ! " said 
 
 a deep but clear voice. " Stop ! don't 
 
« LISA LEXA 
 
 shoot again. I give you my word of 
 honour it is over. Here is my hand 
 upon it. You are the very devil to fight, 
 and the bravest fellow I ever saw." 
 
 A man, who must himself have been 
 brave indeed, was advancing straight 
 uj)on that terrible long shiny thing that 
 stood out from my father's shoulder. It 
 went down. A step or two and the two 
 men met, and we could see them shaking 
 hands, and then slowly others came up 
 and there was a general hand-shaking. 
 Then a deep sob broke from my mother, 
 and a rain of tears ran down her cheeks 
 and upon the proud, snowy bosom that 
 was only half shrouded by the frilled lace 
 of the open robe. And from sympathy 
 I sobbed too, still trying to see through 
 my watery eyes what was happening to 
 my father. This aroused my mother, who 
 clutched me in her arms, and straining 
 me to her bosom said — 
 
A FIRST MEMORY 9 
 
 ^* Thank God yon have a father, Lisa ! 
 Oh, my little Lisa, you don't know how 
 nearly we have lost him." 
 
 Then hearing some sharp voices — for 
 the air was surprisingly clear, and every 
 word could be distinctly heard — she 
 turned and peered out anxiously again. 
 
 Several persons had gathered round 
 the man who first ran forward and fell. 
 I could see my father on his knees, with 
 his hand on the breast of the prostrate 
 figure. I could hear some of the words 
 spoken around him. 
 
 *' It's all over, Mercer. Poor fellow ! 
 It cannot be helped. It was a fair fight, 
 and you have beaten us. You may say 
 what you please as long as you please. 
 If you hadn't shot him, he would have 
 done for you, I guess, right away." 
 
 Then they lifted up the fallen figure. 
 It seemed strange to me to see them do 
 
10 LISA LENA 
 
 this, a number of tliem, as if it were a log 
 of wood, or a bundle, or a stone. 
 
 " Why doesn't the man get up himself,, 
 mamma ? Is he frightened to ? " 
 
 My mother shuddered, and kissing me 
 ran to the bed, and covering me in said — • 
 
 ^' Stay there, Lisa; don't move again." 
 
 And she went back to the window, 
 drawing the light mushn close round her 
 splendid form and over her bosom, while 
 the long black hair fell down behind like 
 a dark river rolling through the snow. 
 
 A strange and awful silence had fallen 
 without. Some muffled sounds were 
 heard as if from departing footsteps step- 
 ping lightly. I lay there, my little being 
 filled with an electrical excitement. I 
 could hear my heart throbbing. I could 
 feel my pulse going wildly. My eyes 
 had been strained by gazing into the 
 doubtful gloom. And my mind had 
 
A FIRST MEMOEY 11 
 
 awakened to something in life new, 
 awful, real, whicli I was conscious I 
 should never shake off. My teeth began 
 to chatter mth terror. I shut my eyes 
 and trembled. The scene was still before 
 me. Every moment I started as at the 
 sound of those terrible flashing things. I 
 saw the man running. I saw the dark 
 bundle on the ground, the people lifting 
 it, and more dark bundles in the distance. 
 
 ^^Why didn't they get up?" I was 
 thinking to myself all the w^hile. " What 
 were they doing to them ? " 
 
 A step and the sound of an opening 
 door caused me to open my eyes. I 
 jumped up. My father — his face pale 
 and ghastly, his large brow covered with 
 sweat, his eyes still flashing with excite- 
 ment — was in the doorw^ay. His fine 
 nostrils opened and closed wdth his rapid 
 breathing. His lips w^ere drawn away 
 
12 LISA LENA 
 
 from his teeth — those white teeth, that 
 usually made him look so handsome with 
 their fascinating gleam. His shoulders 
 were slightly benfc, and his arms hung 
 helpless at his side. My mother with 
 a hound like that of a graceful tigress, 
 reached him and clasped her arms round 
 his strong waist, looking up with passion- 
 ate love into his pallid face, and striving 
 to reach the cheek to kiss it. His arms 
 went round the full fine figure, and he 
 lifted her up and kissed her again and 
 again. 
 
 '' Oh, Henri, are you hurt ? " 
 
 " No, sweetheart, no." He kissed her 
 once more as she clung round his neck. 
 
 ^' Thank God! thank God!" 
 
 I, standing up there, in my little cot, 
 four years old, holding by the post, looked 
 on this scene. It seemed to last so long ! 
 They had utterly forgotten me. I 
 
A FIRST MEMOEY IS^ 
 
 watched eagerly for the moment when his 
 eye or hers should fall on me and I 
 should take some part in these loving 
 embraces. Yes. It seemed to last so 
 long before they became conscious that 
 there was another being near — their first 
 child, their elder child, for I had a little 
 brother, with a queer, rosy face, so soft 
 and dimpled, and little bright eyes, and 
 dark downy hair upon his head. 
 
 At length I could bear it no longer. 
 
 *^Papa!" I cried out, in a voice of 
 agony. 
 
 '^ Papa — mamma — Tm here ! " 
 
 He started, and his face, which had 
 been calming down to tenderness under 
 my mother's soft caresses, turned to me 
 with a shadow over it, and his dark eye, 
 an instant before burning with affection,, 
 grew cold and lustreless towards me. 
 His arms uncoiled from my mother, and 
 
14 LISA LENA 
 
 she, dropping hers, turned too with a 
 strange expression in her eyes as she 
 looked at me. Ah, could I ever know 
 what that meant ? 
 
 *^ Can't you make her He down?" he 
 said coldly, as he turned toward the 
 window and looked out for a moment. 
 
 A slight flush came on my mother's 
 pale cheek. She glanced at him as he 
 moved, as if afraid, and running to me 
 WTapped me with her arms close to her 
 bosom, which heaved with strange ex- 
 citement. 
 
 '' Lie down, darling Lisa, won't you ? " 
 
 '^ No ! " I said out loud, and trying to 
 push her away. " No ! Lisa not lie 
 down." 
 
 She caressed me again, looking over 
 her shoulder towards the figure in the 
 window, to see if it were noticing. 
 
 " Want to kiss papa ! "—very loud, and 
 sobbing. 
 
A FIRST MEMORY 15 
 
 ^'The devil!" lie said pettishly, com- 
 ing back from the T^indow, a frown on his 
 brow. '* Won't she be quiet? You must 
 really send the child to sleep in the 
 nursery." 
 
 *^Want to kiss papa!" I cried again, 
 holding my arms towards him. 
 
 "With a sort of cold disdain — which I 
 felt then, feel now, and shall feel till mj 
 death — he took me up an instant, kissed 
 me on the forehead, and put me down 
 again. I was watching his face the while 
 with all the intensity of childhood. As 
 he took his hands from me he glanced at 
 my mother, whose face was close to his. 
 A slight, almost imperceptible, ilush 
 crossed their cheeks, and then she threw 
 her arms on his right shoulder, and 
 looked into his eyes with a half-beseech- 
 ing gaze. And he kissed her warmly, 
 passionately, as before. 
 
16 LISA LEXA 
 
 I could look on no longer. I had won 
 my point, and, turning away, I fell down 
 in my cot, laid my head on my arms, 
 and with tears in my eyes I fell asleep- 
 This was my first clear revelation of hfe. 
 
( 17 ) 
 
 CHAPTEE II 
 
 EXCITING TIMES 
 
 I don't think I can have been a veiy 
 quick child. Whether any record of my 
 birth exists I cannot say. The name I 
 bear, I have since found out, is my 
 mother's name — Bellamy. I have a little 
 note — it has been greatly treasured — the 
 last note my father ever sent her — which 
 begins with a play on her name. Belle 
 Amie, and is full of love. It is signed — 
 *' Your Henri Mercer." I can remember 
 their speaking a language together differ- 
 ent from that in which they spoke to me, 
 and I think they affected to be French. 
 
 VOL. I. G 
 
18 LISA LENA 
 
 His name and her name were spelt in 
 the French way. 
 
 It was many years afterwards that I 
 was able to glean some idea of my origin 
 and of the circumstances of my parents. 
 The town where the terrible scene oc- 
 cnrred was Elderville in Alabama, not 
 very far from Mobile. There my father 
 lived in a comfortable house, having some 
 business, I know not what, and also 
 possessing, about six miles off, a small 
 estate and thii'ty or forty slaves. He 
 was a man of great energy, of sjolendid 
 physique, of daring bravery and inde- 
 pendence. In those days it required a 
 bold man — a man who was not afraid to 
 carry his life in his hand wherever he 
 went — to do what my father is said to 
 have done. He was not a religious man 
 so far as I know, but he was owned by all 
 about him to be bold and true. On the 
 
EXCITING TIMES 19 
 
 subject of slavery he did not agree with 
 his friends and neighbours. He said ^^it 
 was a doomed institution — out of joint 
 with the times, and a constant danger to 
 the people who maintained it, as well as a 
 standing wrong to the persons enslaved." 
 That sentence remains now in a Mobile 
 newspaper as spoken at Elderville by Mr. 
 Henri Mercer, at a meeting of the inhabit- 
 ants. And that sentence was the origin 
 and cause of the horrible affair which 
 gave me my first outlook into life. 
 ***** 
 It was years afterwards that I found 
 out my birthplace, and something of the 
 earlier unconscious years of my life. My 
 father, smitten with the gold fever, had 
 gone to San Francisco, taking my mother 
 with him. They were married when she 
 was only thirteen years of age, a not un- 
 common thing in the South. I was born 
 
20 LISA LENA 
 
 in San Francisco wlien she was fourteen. 
 When I first remember liershewas a fine^ 
 full-developed woman. Having made 
 some little money in California through 
 energy, and kept it through daring, my 
 father came back to his native State — 
 Alabama — and entered on a property to 
 which he had succeeded in his absence. 
 We travelled by waggons across the great 
 prairies and by Salt Lake. I know 
 nothing of our adventures. I dare say 
 they were very exciting. To the experi- 
 ences of this wild journey it may be owing 
 that my mother could handle a gun or a 
 rifle or a revolver with skill. 
 
 That brings me to my second recollec- 
 tion of any consequence. It was two or 
 tliree years after the other. The war had 
 broken out between North and South, 
 and all our fighting people were forced to 
 the front. Though my father disapproved 
 
EXCITING TIMES 21 
 
 of slavery principles, lie did not refuse to 
 join the Southern army. He went away, 
 leaving my mother and his children, as 
 many other women and children were left, 
 almost at the mercy of the blacks. "We 
 then removed from town to our little 
 plantation, with its low two-story wooden 
 house, around which there ran a broad 
 verandah. The windows of the bedrooms 
 opened on the roof of this verandah. Old 
 Toxy, our negro, who was ever faithful to 
 us, slept in a back building, and some 
 women in the attics above us. I re- 
 member one night being awakened by 
 movements in the room where we chil- 
 dren slept together with our mother. A 
 night-light was burning. She was up in 
 her night-dress, and on her breast hung 
 my little brother, then about eight months 
 old. She used to nurse her children her- 
 self. His little dark curly hair stood out 
 
22 LISA LENA 
 
 against the soft rounded whiteness of lier 
 bosom. Somehow I av/oke all at once, 
 wide awake, and lay watching them. She 
 was leaning over and looking into his face, 
 with its half-closed eyes, and his tiny head 
 lying on her breast, and my heart thrilled 
 with pleasure to see her sitting there 
 opposite to me, so grand, so gentle, and 
 so motherly. Suddenly a startled expres- 
 sion flashed across her face. At the same 
 moment I thought I heard a slight move- 
 ment behind me, where the windows were. 
 She glanced an instant across me towards 
 the place where the noise came from, 
 hastily laid the boy on his back on the 
 floor, snatched from the rack over the bed, 
 where it always lay loaded, a long rifle, 
 and before I could reahze what was 
 coming there was a flash that blinded my 
 eyes, a frightful explosion, a sulphurous 
 smoke, a howl of agony, and the Venetian 
 
EXCITING TIMES 23 
 
 shutter of the window fell away with some 
 heavy body on the roof. I was stunned 
 with the noise and in deadly fear, but I 
 did not cry. When I opened my eyes my 
 mother stood there with her hair shaken 
 down all over her shoulders, her bosom 
 heaving with excitement, the discharged 
 rifle in her hand, looking eagerly towards 
 the window. Shrieks were filling the 
 room from the maids, who came running 
 in, presently followed by old Toxy. 
 " Lord, missus ; what de matty ? " 
 ^^It was Gummy, I'm certain," said 
 my mother calmly; "I know his hand 
 and his shirt. Toxy, load that gun again 
 right away. Libby, shut the window and 
 draw the curtain. Cissy, here, help me 
 on with my things." 
 
 In ten minutes she had thrown on her 
 clothes, and going to her dressmg- table 
 opened a revolver case, whence she took 
 a seven-shooter. 
 
24 LISA LENA 
 
 ^^Now, come and get the lanthorn, 
 Toxy, and we will go and see who it is." 
 
 ^' missy — pray, missy," cried Toxy, 
 going on his knees, "• don't yon go for to 
 go out dere dis time. P'raps a lot of 
 niggers dere try to shoot yon, sartain ! " 
 
 "What, Toxy!" she said, looking at 
 him with anger in her face; "you don't 
 want to go ? Are you in league with 
 them, eh?" and she deliberately cocked 
 the revolver and pointed it at his head. 
 
 "0 Lord a mussy ! " cried Toxy, 
 putting both hands over his woolly head, 
 and tumbling straight down as if he 
 really had been shot. "Don't 'ee shoot 
 me, missy. I'se yer only faithful ole 
 man. I'll go anywhere you like." And 
 he laid his two great brown hands on her 
 two pure white feet, and crawled up and 
 kissed one of them. 
 
 "Get up, you old fool," she said, 
 
EXCITING TIMES 25 
 
 kicking out her foot; ^^ get up and come 
 along." 
 
 And, slipping her feet into some cane 
 slippers, she went to the window, opened 
 it, and after examining them with a 
 candle, said — 
 
 ^^ Somebody has got it. See!" 
 
 I could not see what it was she pointed 
 to, but old Toxy said — 
 
 ^' Yes, honey; sartain you do for de 
 scoundrel dis time. Massa nebber do it 
 neater." 
 
 Then they went out together. We, 
 the trembling women and I, could hear 
 the bolts and bars of the front door being 
 opened, and Toxy loudly adjuring her not 
 to go out, to let him go ; and then 
 through the window, which was still 
 open, we heard an exclamation, and then 
 her voice speaking sharply, and after- 
 wards a groan. They had come upon 
 
26 LISA LENA 
 
 the motionless form of a negro — our 
 overseer, named Gummy — who, stricken 
 by the bullet in the shoulder, had rolled 
 off the verandah roof and seemed to be 
 insensible. But on turning him over he 
 groaned and opened his eyes. 
 
 '' Lord a mussy, missy, don't 'ee 
 shoot again." This we could hear the 
 thick voice of the wounded man say. 
 
 ^^What else do joii deserve?" said 
 my mother, in her clear, deliberate 
 voice. '^ What were you doing at the 
 shutter?" 
 
 *^ Ony liky see de missis and de leely 
 piccaniny," said the fellow, sobbing. 
 
 ''"Why, you scoundrel," she said, "did 
 you bring this along to see me with?" 
 She must have picked up something. 
 
 ''See here, Toxy," she said, laughing 
 loud, "here's a new opera glass." 
 
 Toxy seemed to be much amused, if 
 
EXCITING TIMES 27 
 
 one might judge from tlie strange sounds 
 that proceeded from him, and Gummy 
 could be heard crying and sobbing. 
 
 *^ No, no, missus ; ony lily pistol, case 
 de niggers come to worry missus. Der 
 ain't nuffin in it." 
 
 " Ha ! " she said in a loud, stern voice ; 
 ^'if there's nothing in it, there is a cap 
 on it. Toxy, point it at him right there 
 and pull the trigger, and we shall soon 
 see whether there's anything in it." 
 
 There was a yell — a movement — a 
 short scuffle of three or four seconds — ■ 
 and then another of those dreadful shots. 
 A dead silence ensued for not more than 
 a quarter of a minute, and then I heard 
 my mother's voice. 
 
 *^ Nothing in it, eh. Master Gummy ! " 
 
 ^' Lord, missus," said Toxy, ^^ dis 
 'ore's a narrow 'scape you made from dis 
 rascal. He go for to kill you sure enuf, 
 
28 LISA LEXA 
 
 if yon no kill him. Fangli I dis here 
 nigger's a reg'lar sknnk." 
 
 *^ Well," replied his mistress in a high 
 voice, '^if any other niggers come skulk- 
 ing around here again they will be 
 treated in the same way. You go round 
 all the cabins to-morrow, Toxy, and tell 
 them so, and order them all up here 
 before eight o'clock to see this thing, or, 
 you say, I shall be down to see them. 
 And then you take and put it in a hole in 
 the yellow field close by the mimosa tree, 
 and just tell the folks that there's where 
 we mean to bury all the traitors." 
 
 When my mother came back into the 
 room, with Toxy carrying the rifle and 
 the revolver, she ordered him out of 
 the room, and, locking the door, flung off 
 her gown, and then, throwing herself into 
 the low cane nursing seat, covered her 
 face with her hands and burst into hyste- 
 
EXCITINQ TIMES 29 
 
 rical sobs. Libby and Sissy, the two 
 maids, looked at her aghast; and as for 
 me, I set iip an outcry more sharp and 
 strident than hers. But she never heeded 
 me. Her arms were on her knees, her 
 white fingers over her eyes, the water 
 fast trickhng through. It was not only 
 reaction from the great excitement, but 
 a sense of the loneliness, the desolation 
 of her situation, exposed with us, whom 
 she held so dear, to such ruffianly out- 
 rages as that from which she had so 
 bravely defended herself. 
 
 From that night a change came over 
 her — a change that never changed so 
 long as I knew her. Before she had 
 borne my father's absence with tolerable 
 cheerfulness, regulating the house and 
 the outside affairs, fostering the three 
 children, and blooming in her grand and 
 dignified beauty. But she became then 
 
30 LISA LENA 
 
 and thenceforward pale and careworn. 
 She was restless, fatigued, yet ever 
 moving. She kept w^atch and ward every 
 night with nervous anxiety. Often, when 
 I woke, I saw her, rifle in hand, listening 
 at the closed window. Toxy slept out- 
 side her door on a mattress, making the 
 night hideous with his massive and 
 sonorous snore. She was often crying, 
 often distraite^ often agitated. Eough 
 people used to come to our house, and 
 use loud, harsh language. At such times 
 the negro girls would run away and hide, 
 and only old Toxy remained. 
 
 One day, a troop of soldiers on horse- 
 back, with some officers, came and 
 quartered themselves in the house, and 
 pitched tents in the field about it under 
 the trees. I remember their horses 
 staked in the stable yard, champing and 
 stamping, and the jingling of their curbs 
 
EXCITING TIMES 31 
 
 and bridles, and the rnnning to and fro 
 of men in their shirt-sleeves, and loud 
 and boisterous laughing, and a sort of 
 pandemonium. That day my mother 
 shut up my brother in her room and took 
 me to the kitchen, where she rolled up 
 the sleeves of her muslin jacket, and 
 worked her bare arms in making pastries 
 and her white fingers in peeling potatoes 
 and cutting herbs, while Toxy stood at the 
 door with a rifle in his hand, with orders 
 to shoot any one who tried to come in. 
 He would have executed them even on 
 an officer, to a dead certainty. By-and- 
 by, when all was ready, she took me up- 
 stairs and dressed me in a little blue silk 
 dress with low neck, and tied a ribbon 
 and some flowers in my hair. Then she 
 dressed herself — rolling down her own 
 long hair, and binding it up again with a 
 wreath of stephanotis, which lay like a 
 
32 LISA LENA 
 
 coronet of ivory on the ricli jet glossy 
 braids beneath. I remember her dress 
 was all white, cut low, but, to cover her 
 shoulders and neck, she threw on a white 
 lace shawl, casting the end over her left 
 shoulder in Spanish fashion. Then, 
 kissing the boys, she took me by the 
 hand and led me to the parlour, which 
 had been shut up during my father's 
 absence, but was now arranged with all 
 the abandon and elegance that only 
 Southern and refined taste could give to 
 it. Toxy, perfectly transmogrified, stood 
 grinning at the door, with an old dress 
 coat of his master's, which reached almost 
 to his heels ; white trousers of the same 
 belongings, which had no doubt been 
 drawn as high as Toxy's arms admitted 
 of, but still hanging limply at the knees 
 and rolling over his loose pumps ; a vast 
 white necktie bandaged round his neck, 
 
EXCITING TIMES 33 
 
 and a clean sliirt and white waistcoat. 
 He even had on a pair of white cotton 
 gloves, the long ends of the fingers loosely 
 flapping about. My mother, to whom 
 this spectacle was an evident surprise, 
 burst out into the only hearty laugh I had 
 heard her indulge in since Henri Mercer 
 went to the war. Toxy, standing with 
 his arms at his sides and his fingers all 
 sticking out, looked at her in a beseeching 
 sort of way, but grinning all over, while 
 she held her sides and shook with merry 
 laughter. I laughed too from sheer sym- 
 pathy, and at this moment a tall, fine- 
 looking man, with a grey moustache and 
 grey hair cut short, with very bright eyes, 
 dressed in a cavalry uniform, his sword 
 clanking at his side, and his heels and 
 spurs sounding on the wooden floor, came 
 behind Toxy, and, putting him aside with 
 his hand, was about to enter the room, 
 
 VOL. I, D 
 
34 LISA LENA 
 
 when Toxy dashed forward, and, bowing 
 to his mistress, said — 
 
 *^ Kernel Wood." 
 
 My mother, whom up to this moment 
 the officer had not seen, turned, and 
 he stood a moment in surprise as he 
 glanced at her all over. Instantly his 
 demeanour, which at first was stern and 
 decided, changed. He took off his cap, 
 bowed gallantly and advanced, and my 
 mother, taking a step forward, curtsied to 
 him, and said — 
 
 *' Colonel Wood, I have not the honour 
 of your acquaintance, but as a soldier of 
 the South you are welcome to my hus- 
 band's house and to our poor hospitality." 
 
 He bowed and looked embarrassed, and 
 glancing at me, and then at her again, he 
 said — 
 
 ^' Madam, I was not aware, when, in 
 making a forced march across this way, we 
 
EXCITING TIMES 60 
 
 were obliged to put up in this rather lonely 
 place " — he looked at her keenly again — 
 '^that I should find such an agreeable 
 hostess. I thought the ladies all around 
 here had been warned to go away." 
 
 ^^ Yes, colonel," she replied, ^^ I was 
 warned some weeks ago, but you see I 
 have not gone. I have hitherto been able 
 to take care of myself," she added, care- 
 lessly. '' We will do all we can to make 
 you comfortable so long as it suits you to 
 stay. Pray be seated. Is there no other 
 officer with you ?" 
 
 ''Yes," he said; ''there are two — 
 Captains Manley and Slocum " — and he 
 glanced nervously towards the door. 
 
 There was some loud talking in the 
 hall, where Toxy had gone after doing 
 his duty. 
 
 *'What does he say?" cried a loud, 
 harsh voice. "x\ woman in the house! 
 
36 LISA LENA 
 
 What the devil is she doing here ? Is she 
 a white ?" 
 
 *'Hist," said Toxy. **De lady's at home 
 and in de parlour der wid Kernel Wood. 
 Your names, gentlemen, if you i^lease." 
 
 '^Captain Manley," said a clear voice.. 
 The other did not answer. 
 
 *^ Yonr name, sah, if yon please." 
 
 '' Never mind my name," answered the 
 harsh voice; ^'I can answer for myself. 
 We don't stand upon ceremonies in these 
 times ;" and at the same moment a broad- 
 shouldered man, whose long, rough grizzly 
 hair fell from beneath a foraging cap he 
 carried on his head, strode into the room. 
 
 Colonel Wood had risen and taken a 
 step towards the door when the intruder 
 entered. I began to tremble, and watched 
 my mother's face, which flushed up a 
 moment and then grew pale, and her lips 
 were drawn firmly together. The man, 
 
EXCITING TIMES 37 
 
 without removing his cap, stood and stared 
 at her, his sword danglmg at his boots, 
 which were covered with dust, while, as 
 I had noticed, the colonel's had been 
 carefully cleaned. 
 
 She rose and looked straight at him 
 without any recognition, taking him in 
 all over, and appearing superb in the 
 hauteur of her attitude and glance. The 
 other officer and Toxy had by this time 
 entered the room. 
 
 ^' Captain Slocum," said the colonel, 
 biting his lip, ''this is the lady of the 
 
 house, Mrs. ?" he turned to my 
 
 mother. 
 
 ^' Henri Mercer," she said, '^ my 
 husband, is with the army near Shiloh, 
 but I am here to welcome any of his 
 comrades who are officers and gentle- 
 men." 
 
 She glanced again haughtily at Captain 
 
38 LISA LENA 
 
 Slocum's cap, and then advanced and 
 held out lier hand to Captain Manley, 
 who had bowed low, and who, with the 
 colonel, looked hard at Slocum. The 
 latter awkwardly removed his cap and 
 threw it into a corner. 
 
 ''We are soldiers, madam," he said, 
 '' and wherever we go we make ourselves 
 at home. Your presence here is unex- 
 pected." 
 
 ''But none the less agreeable," inter- 
 rupted Captain Manley, gallantly. "Let 
 us not keep you standing, Mrs. Mercer. 
 My friend Captain Slocum, as he says, is 
 a soldier, and being of the chivalry of the 
 South, must be equally delighted with 
 ourselves at the charming surprise you 
 have given us." 
 
 Captain Slocum did not seem pleased 
 with this speech, but he now turned and 
 bowed awkwardly to my mother, and 
 
EXCITING TIMES 39 
 
 then looked towards me as if to conceal 
 his confusion or his anger. 
 
 " Is that your Httle giii ? " he asked. 
 
 *^Yes," she replied. ^'Lisa, go and 
 shake hands with the gentleman." 
 
 "No," I said, catching at her dress 
 and getting behind it. 
 
 "Yes," he said, holdmg out his rough 
 hand, and smiling with a grim smile that 
 alarmed me. " Come here and kiss me." 
 
 " Go along, Lisa, and speak to the 
 gentleman." 
 
 "No." 
 
 "Why?" 
 
 "I don't like him. He's a nassy, ugly 
 man. I hke the oder man." And I ran 
 over to the colonel, who, some instinct 
 told me, would be our protector. 
 
 There was a hearty laugh, in which 
 Slocum joined, though he bit his lip, and 
 turned away to look out of the window. 
 
40 LISA LENA 
 
 It was tlien that my mother's peculiar 
 charm and tact and force came out. She 
 instantly put the officers at their ease. 
 
 ^^You are a naughty child," she said 
 to me playfully, and glancing at the surly 
 figure in the window. ^^You ought not 
 to have likes and dislikes at your age." 
 
 ^* Hum ! " cried Slocum, turning round 
 with that grim smile on his face. '^At 
 what age, I wonder, don't your sex sho^v 
 their likes and dislikes?" And he glanced 
 at Manley, who was a thin, graceful 
 young fellow, with flaxen hair and blue 
 eyes, and a fine pale face, some sunny 
 down on his upper lip. 
 
 '^ Well, captain," said my mother 
 vivaciously, smiling in his face, ^'is it 
 not the privilege of a Avoman? If we 
 have no strength of character or of 
 physique, we still retain our freedom of 
 choice ; it is all that is left to us." 
 
EXCITING TIMES 41 
 
 '^AncT yon exercise it pretty freely, 
 too," lie said, his large month breaking 
 into a hnmorons smile. 
 
 He glanced keenly at the other two 
 officers as if to find ont what they w^ere 
 thinking of him, and then he came ronnd 
 and took me np awkwardly, and kissed 
 me. I struggled for a moment to get 
 free, bnt he held me tight in his great 
 strong arms, and then he said — 
 
 '* Now we are friends, and you mustn't 
 hate me any more," and so he set me 
 down beside my mother, and began walk- 
 ing round the room, staring at all the 
 knick-knacks, his sword banging about his 
 heels, while the other two officers, who 
 had taken theirs off, conversed with my 
 mother. I sat on the colonel's knee. 
 He was a grave, anxious-looking man. 
 Every two or three minutes his eye 
 glanced out of the windows, or he 
 
42 LISA LENA 
 
 appeared to be listening sharply for far- 
 off noises. He must have been every 
 inch a soldier. 
 
 There was something about his face 
 that touched me. I have seen it on a 
 few other faces since — a downy softness 
 of expression that throws a gentle halo 
 over the strongest features, and excites 
 in the beholder sympathy and sadness. 
 I saw it once on a girl's face, for about 
 twenty-four hours, and noticed it. It 
 seemed like a sort of transfiguration. I 
 actually accused her of having had her- 
 self enamelled, or of using some new 
 wash. She was one of the most daring 
 girls I ever saw — daring physically, and 
 also morally without a sense of fear. 
 When I saw her picked up from the 
 ground a livid, fiaccid body, which I had 
 seen flash through the air from one tra- 
 peze towards another, shriek, miss her 
 
EXCITING TIMES 43' 
 
 aim, flasli down on the stage, and lie there 
 motionless, all in a few seconds of time, I 
 understood that strange expression which 
 she had worn. It was not the shadow, 
 bnt the fore-gleam of death. It was on 
 the colonel's face that night. He spoke 
 little, but with a strange, thriUing accent, 
 and the gentleness and fatherliness of his 
 demeanour towards my mother was very 
 striking. He mentioned that he had a 
 wife and two children at New Orleans. 
 
 ^^I may never see them again." I re- 
 member he said solemnly, after stating 
 this, '^ God's wiU be done." 
 
 All the incidents of that afternoon are 
 sharply written on my memory. 
 
 During the dinner a curious thing hap- 
 pened. Old Toxy had been excessively 
 active, fetching the dinner from the 
 kitchen, serving it up with great dignity 
 from the sideboard, while the colonel's 
 
44 LISA LENA 
 
 servant handed it round, wrapping np the 
 cooled bottles in white napkins, and him- 
 self poniing out the wine to the guests 
 and to my mother. But all the time 
 Toxy's eyes and ears were wide open, for 
 I caught him turning sometimes and glar- 
 ing sharply at Captain Manley and then 
 at my mother. 
 
 At dessert he stood behind her chair, 
 and Captain Manley, a little excited by 
 the wine, had thrown at her a glance so 
 ardent that she was confused, and for a 
 moment hid her face with her fan and 
 turned to speak to Colonel Wood. Toxy 
 with his arms crossed had caught the 
 captain's glance. His eyes opened wide, 
 his nostrils dilated, and the look he gave 
 the young ofi&cer was at once so severe 
 and so absurd, that the latter half 
 laughed, and, to cover his confusion, 
 called to me across the table to come to 
 him. 
 
EXCITING TIMES 45- 
 
 Toxy gave liis head an almost imper- 
 ceptible shake, of which I caught the 
 meaning, ^' Don't go." So I got off my 
 chair and ran to m}^ mother, and took 
 hold of her hand, saying — 
 
 '^ No, thank you, sir. We are going 
 away." 
 
 Slocum's face wore a sort of grim smile 
 at this. Perhaps he had been watching 
 the byplay between the two while he sat 
 thus silent. My mother rose immediately 
 and the gentlemen also. 
 
 ^^ Madam," said Colonel Wood, ^^ we 
 no longer have any right to intrude on 
 your privacy or your kindness. The sur- 
 prise of meeting you here has been as 
 fortunate as it was pleasant. But I 
 understand you have children, and we 
 have duties. Captain Manley, you will 
 order out a squad and patrol for five 
 miles up as far as the Eice Eiver Fork, 
 
46 LISA LENA 
 
 and Captain Slocum will take charge of 
 this post. I have some writing to do 
 and shall take a couple of hours' sleep, if 
 you will allow me, madam, and retire to 
 my room. The reveille will be sounded 
 at four, and will, I fear, disturb your rest, 
 but I pray you to give yourself no further, 
 anxiety. I will see every man off myself. 
 Perhaps your servant will be up to receive 
 any message I may wish to leave. I wish 
 you good-night and good-bye. Take my 
 earnest advice, and leave this place before 
 the week is out. It is likely to be the 
 scene of some rough work within the 
 next few weeks." 
 
 He took her hand affectionately and 
 bowed low. Then he stooped and kissed 
 me very gently. A tear dropped on my 
 cheek as he did so and glanced off. I 
 looked at him with my large black eyes. 
 
 ^^ God bless you, little girl," he said. 
 
EXCITING TIMES 47 
 
 as his fingers wandered a moment through 
 my loose hair. And then he drew him- 
 self up and looked gravely at the other 
 officers. Slocum came forward and 
 offered his hand. 
 
 ^'Good-bye, madam," he said. ^'You 
 may have found us a rough lot ; but we 
 could only wish well to you. Take the 
 colonel's advice, and clear out. This 
 ain't the place for a lonely woman." 
 
 Manley had stood looking at her, and 
 seeming rather annoyed and embarrassed. 
 He had evidently thought of a longer 
 evening. A flush was on his cheek as he 
 too bowed and held out his hand. She 
 placed her jewelled fingers in his, and he 
 held them an imnecessary time, and must 
 have pressed them hard, for my mother 
 drew away her hand quickly, and the 
 scarlet mantled in her cheek. 
 
 *^I had hoped," he said, "for a longer 
 
48 LISA LENA 
 
 acquaintance ; but duty is duty. Per- 
 haps we may meet again, and in any 
 case Captain Manley is always at your 
 service." 
 
 My mother bowed. Colonel Wood re- 
 mained standing near her, and bowed to 
 the officers, who, taking the hint, left the 
 room. 
 
 ^^ Madam," said the colonel, ^'let me 
 beg you again most earnestly to act 
 promptly. Your position here is one of 
 terrible danger. I am going to join the 
 army in which your husband is engaged. 
 I know his name. Major Henri Mercer 
 is a cool and daring officer. I shall cer- 
 tainly look him up, and tell him how 
 much I owe to your kindness — a delight- 
 ful evening and the comforts of a home 
 for the last time before a great battle. 
 If you would like me to be the bearer of 
 any letter or message, pray let me have 
 
EXCITINa TIMES 49 
 
 it before I leave at half-past four to- 
 morrow evening. Good night again." 
 
 He left the room. Toxy followed him. 
 My mother, taking my hand, led the way 
 to the drawing-room. One of the French 
 windows was open. There were no lights, 
 but the night outside was starry and 
 brilHant. A beautiful moon shed its soft 
 radiance over the dark foliage of the trees, 
 and on the graceful coronets and the slim 
 pillars of the tall palms, making them 
 gleam like pillars and capitals of bur- 
 nished gold. I was tired. I threw my- 
 self on a low chair in the shadow of the 
 room, while my mother stood in the 
 window looking over the glorious scene. 
 Behind the house we could hear the tramp 
 of horses, the clink of sabres, and the 
 subdued voices of the patrol turning out. 
 There was a quick, light footstep in the 
 verandah. My mother stepped back a 
 
 VOL. I. E 
 
50 LISA LENA 
 
 pace. In the place she had just left 
 stood Captain Manley. She did not 
 speak, but looked at him, while he gazed 
 at her, the moon flooding her all over with 
 its fairy light, transfigming her form and 
 dress into a wonderful image of silvery 
 beauty. 
 
 " I could not say * Good-bye ' thus," he 
 said in a quick low tone. " These are 
 war-times. I am going into danger. I 
 may never see you again. You have 
 stricken and blinded me. As long as I 
 live I can never forget this evening." 
 
 He seized her left hand and came close 
 to her. She did not move. She was 
 looking in his face. She did not with- 
 draw her hand. I fancy she pressed his. 
 In an instant he threw his arms round 
 her voluptuous form and kissed her two 
 or three times eagerl}^ She did not 
 struggle or cry out. For an instant her 
 
EXCITING TIMES 51 
 
 liand lay caressingly on his slioulder, her 
 head on his breast. 
 
 Then she kissed him on the cheek once, 
 and gently disengaged herself. She was 
 not angry, though her cheek was burning. 
 
 '^ Good-bye," she said, *^ good-bye. G-od 
 bless you!" And turning away she called 
 to me. 
 
 He started when he saw me, and in- 
 stantly calling in a low tone '' Good-bye," 
 went off to his duty as quietly as he had 
 come. 
 
 When my mother took my hand I 
 could feel she was agitated. Her fingers 
 were cold. She seemed nervous and 
 ashamed. She put nie to bed without 
 the candles, and after locking the door 
 and putting the revolver case as usual 
 beside her bed, she lay down. But neither 
 of us slept. Our thoughts were too full 
 for rest. We were both awake when the 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 >^" 
 
 V 
 
52 LISA LENA 
 
 reveille sonnded in the darkness, and tlie 
 neighing of the horses and cries of the 
 men indicated that our visitors were de- 
 parting. My mother got up and looked 
 out of the window. I chmbed up beside 
 her. The moon still flooded the land- 
 scape with light. Along the road that 
 wound through the lawn proceeded the 
 troops. In front rode Colonel Wood and 
 Captain Slocum, looking straight before 
 them. Behind, on a prancing charger, 
 was a light figure. He glanced up at the 
 window. He lifted his cap, and kissed 
 his hand. For a moment a white hand- 
 kerchief waved to him, and my mother 
 turned away and buried her face in her 
 hands. 
 
 Three days afterwards we moved into 
 Mobile, leaving the house and its furni- 
 ture, but carrying with us a great load 
 of linen and plate, and valuable knick- 
 
EXCITING TIMES 58. 
 
 knacks. The slaves were left. Only 
 Toxy accompanied us. We went to some 
 lodgings, where one morning, not many 
 days afterwards, reading a newspaper, my 
 mother fell down in a swoon. The paper 
 contained a list of killed and wounded at 
 the hattle of Shiloh. Among the gallant 
 dead were the names of Major Henri 
 Mercer, and Colonel Evelyn Sharmon 
 Wood. 
 
54 LISA LENA 
 
 CHAPTER III 
 
 DESEETED 
 
 Aftee the battle of Shiloli, the state of 
 things in Tennessee and Mississippi and 
 Alabama was dreadful. My mother found 
 she could not live at Mobile. It was diffi- 
 cult to get the necessaries of life, and the 
 place was in a state of perilous confu- 
 sion. Women and children were coming 
 in from all directions. She resolved 
 to take advantage of a boat that was 
 going up the river, and having procured 
 a pass from the general at Mobile, we all 
 set off, carrying our few valuables with 
 us, and still under the care of the ever- 
 
DESERTED 55 
 
 faithful Toxy. It was a tedious and a 
 23erilous passage, the incidents of which I 
 have mostly forgotten. My mother hore 
 herself with characteristic energy, and at 
 one time by her carriage and beaufcy pre- 
 vailed on a Yankee general to let the boat 
 through. At length we reached Illinois, 
 where my mother expected to find a rela- 
 tion, but was disappointed. The husband 
 had gone to the war, and the wife was in 
 New England. However, we found their 
 house, a small place in the suburbs, 
 which my mother took and occupied. 
 Toxy was our only servant. My mother 
 washed and dressed the children herself, 
 and helped him with the cooking. 
 
 In this American village, though the 
 war was at its height, and all hearts were 
 beating with excitement, everything went 
 on as usual, the factories, and bars, and 
 churches were kept going, the schools 
 
56 LISA LENA 
 
 were open every day, and I and my 
 brother, a year and a half younger, were 
 sent to school. Nothing of any conse- 
 quence occurred until the end of the war, 
 about ten months after my father's death. 
 
 Then one day my mother came home 
 with a tall, hard-featured woman, who 
 that night slept in the house. Next day 
 there was much bustle and packing. We 
 children were kept home from school, 
 and every now and then my mother 
 looked in upon us at our play, and caught 
 us up and kissed us with singularly 
 warm affection. The morning after she 
 came into the room where we lay in 
 bed chattering and amusing ourselves. 
 She was dressed in deep mourning, with 
 a long veil which was thrown back from 
 her white face. 
 
 '^ Lisa, Heb, Jem," she said, the tears 
 filling her eyes, '^ I am going away a 
 
DESERTED , 57 
 
 little while. I shan't he long. Mrs. Earn 
 is going to take care of you; " and she 
 turned to the door, where the tall, hard- 
 featured woman was standing, staring 
 at us all with her hands on her hips. 
 
 I jumped up in my night-dress, and 
 looked at my mother. Her face seemed 
 pale and careworn, and her eyes avoided 
 mine. 
 
 ^* Oh ! take me too, mamma. Take 
 me too." 
 
 ^' No, I can't," said my mother, fold- 
 ing me in her arms and kissing me. 
 "Lisa, you must stay to take care of 
 your brothers. It won't he very long, 
 and then we shall all go away back again 
 to EldervHle." 
 
 " Poppy there ? " cried the youngest, 
 Jem, looking at her with wondering 
 eyes. 
 
 "No, dear," she said, and she took 
 
-58 LISA LENA 
 
 him and the other on her Imee. ''^You 
 will never see Poppy again." Her eyes 
 were filling with tears, and she hung over 
 them in an agony of grief. I jumped out 
 of bed and ran to her. She leaned down 
 and let me put my arms round her neck, 
 and we all sobbed together. 
 
 How long it lasted I don't know. 
 Toxy came in and spoke. She put down 
 the boys — gave me a last kiss — took out 
 of her breast a little envelope, which she 
 gave me, and rushed from the room. It 
 was the last letter from my father. 
 
 '' Chere Belle Amie, 
 
 '^ A word before the battle, 
 which must begin to-morrow. How ifc 
 will end, God knows. We have more 
 men than the enemy, but are sadly de- 
 
DESERTED 59 
 
 iicient in artillery. Poor Tom, my liorse, 
 has fallen lame, and I don't know where 
 to get another, and may have to fight 
 afoot. However, I guess I shall fight 
 anyhow. Have seen Colonel Wood for 
 two minutes. He told me of his visit. 
 I hope you have taken his advice and 
 gone to Mobile. I shall commit this 
 letter to a commissariat man, who, I 
 guess, won't fight, and you may get it. 
 It may be my last. If so, I only have 
 to say that I go to battle loving you 
 still. I don't seem to see the shadow 
 between us to-night. I have forgotten — 
 I have forgiven. I love you now, dar- 
 hng wife, this very moment, more than 
 -ever. I have been thinking that perhaps 
 I have been cold to Lisa, and if ever I 
 get back I shall take her with you to 
 my heart. Kiss her and the two boys 
 for Poppy. Keep up good spirits. God 
 
60 LISA LENA 
 
 bless my own sweet, my darling, darling- 
 wife. — Yom- Henri, 
 
 ^^ Henei Mekcek." 
 
 That letter gives the only gleam into 
 the mystery of which I have spoken. 
 
 However, at that moment I did not 
 read it. My heart was full of grief. 
 Toxy had come and taken my small 
 hand in his huge paw. He kneeled 
 down and kissed it. 
 
 ^' Good-bye, Missy Lisa. God take 
 keer ob you, missy. Go away look for 
 mommy's propperty. Guess will be back 
 in few weeks ; pick you all up again. 
 Look after lilly missies, honey. Teach 
 am dare prayers ebery night and morn- 
 ing ; pray ^ God will let mommy come 
 back safe.' Good-bye, Missy Hetty — 
 good-bye. Massy Jem. Lord-a-mussy, 
 boys," said the old man, breaking out 
 
DESERTED 61 
 
 himself into loud convulsive sobs; ^'Lord- 
 a-mnssy, boys, doan't a go on so." And, 
 cramming a vast bine cotton handker- 
 chief of doubtful cleanliness into his 
 mouth, Toxy bolted, leaving us alone. 
 
 From that day to this I have never seen 
 either my mother or Toxy. What the 
 object of their journey was I do not know. 
 The woman Beulah Earn, who was left 
 behind, and looked after us for a few 
 weeks, stated that my mother's professed 
 intention was to go to Mobile, to try 
 and reclaim her husband's property. 
 Travelling was dangerous. The whole of 
 the Western and Southern States were in 
 a state of anarchy. I thought she might 
 have been murdered. Often my brain ran 
 over all the possibilities, only after worried 
 hours to grow weary with the useless 
 strain. 
 
 Beulah Eam was not only a hard- 
 
62 LISA LENA 
 
 featured woman, but cross. She was the 
 first person whom I remembered ever to 
 have struck me. I did not mind the pain, 
 but the passion it developed in me was 
 frightfuL I tried to stick her with a 
 knife. I yelled and shrieked like a httle 
 demon. She was what is called "re- 
 ligious." She took us every morning and 
 night, and forced us down on our knees, 
 and in a hard voice dictated to us a 
 prayer. My gorge rises at it now, to 
 think of little ones like us being dragooned 
 into expressions to the Great Good God 
 which we did not understand, and some 
 of which now I do not believe. On 
 Sundays we endured a day of torture. The 
 afternoons, when my mother used to love 
 to throw off her dress and loosen her 
 corset, and lie on the bed with us all 
 curled up about her, saying nothing in 
 words, but cooing like doves, or dozing in 
 
DESERTED 6^ 
 
 delicious dreams, were now devoted to 
 reading long chapters in Genesis, and to 
 expositions by Beulali of Calvinistic 
 Christianity. This endured for about 
 five weeks. During this time I was under- 
 going a change and a development. I 
 stood up for my little brothers against 
 Beulah's tyranny. I bearded her again 
 and again, and when she tried to get at 
 me I ran away 'c\nd stayed for hours roam- 
 ing about the town. Twice I was brought 
 back from farmhouses where I had taken 
 refuge — and each time Beulah received a 
 sound rating from the man who brought 
 me home. For I was able to tell my story, 
 young as I was, clearly and graphically. 
 Beulah did not beat me on these occa- 
 sions. I think she had a conscience, and 
 generally acted from a sense of dut}'. At 
 all events she acted from a sense of duty 
 to herself ; for the money my mother had 
 
64 LISA LENA 
 
 left haying given out, and no more coming 
 from lier, Benlali went to the town 
 authorities and stated that we were left 
 without support, and that she could not 
 take care of us. The facts having being 
 verified, we were all three bound out to 
 as many farmers in different parts of the 
 country, and my residence was fixed with 
 Mr. Ephraim Mason, a farmer in Keyugo 
 Township, Oscar County, in the eastern 
 part of Illinois. 
 
 I shall not describe my parting with my 
 brothers — how we all clung together, how 
 we all shrieked when rough hands tore us 
 asunder, and how my heart dried up and 
 the best feelings of my nature became 
 callous from that terrible experience. 
 
 If there are devils in the world, and 
 wicked creatures, and hopeless reprobates, 
 and fallen natures, the lesson my life has 
 taught me is that in nine cases out of ten 
 
DESERTED 65 
 
 it is the world itself that has made them 
 so. And I suppose society must take the 
 same lot as man, that whatsoever it 
 soweth, that shall it also reap. 
 
 I never saw the boys again. Many 
 and many a useless journey have I taken 
 to search for them : but they were 
 swallowed up in the vortex of American 
 society. I might as well have dived 
 after them into the Maelstrom. 
 
 VOL. I. 
 
66 LISA LENA 
 
 CHAPTEK IV 
 
 EPHEAIM mason's 
 
 My binding out to the Ephraim Mason 
 family closed what I may call the first 
 period of my life. It cut off my family 
 ties. It withered whatever hopes of 
 social position I might have entertained 
 from the circumstances of my parents. 
 It took me from comparative luxury and 
 refinement, and pitched me out headlong, 
 friendless, orphaned, and alone, into some 
 of the roughest life on God's earth. 
 Whatever the sailor, storm-tossed and 
 bruised and wrecked, may think of the 
 little haven from which he started so 
 
EPHRAIM mason's 67 
 
 long ago, with its smootli waters and its 
 delicious surroundings of natural beauty 
 or of human skill, I think when I go 
 back to that time over which angels seem 
 to hover with silver wings, and in which 
 I left behind all the most precious things 
 of life. 
 
 You who have passed all your days 
 in such halcyon harbours of refuge, who 
 have never sailed beyond, on whom the 
 sun has shone and the zephyrs have 
 breathed with kindliest gentleness, whose 
 hearts have never been chilled by the 
 rough winds of unmerited adversity, 
 whose bodies and souls have never known 
 the wracking tortures of variable mis- 
 fortune, try and understand something 
 of the miseries of such a being as mine ; 
 try to warm into some sort of sympa- 
 thetic compassion for a spirit battered 
 and crushed on the storm-beaten waters 
 
68 LISA LENA 
 
 of life. You fair, fine-scented, satin 
 sisters who tread with proud step the 
 parqueted floor of society and sit in 
 the scarlet-cushioned pews of luxurious 
 *' Houses of God," draw not away 
 your fine robes from the feared con- 
 tagion of such a life as mine, for in 
 it lie no 'more than the possibilities of 
 your own nature — no more than the 
 frailties common to women. For these 
 you may shut me out from the chamber 
 of your pity, but you cannot exclude 
 from your hearts the consciousness of a 
 nature similar to mine — a nature that 
 might know the same sorrow and thirsty 
 as I have thirsted, for human sympathy. 
 
 Ephraim Mason, who had written from 
 Keyugo for a little girl to be adopted 
 and trained as a help to his wife, was a 
 farmer from Maine, who had settled in 
 Illinois, soon after the building of the 
 
EPHRAIM mason's 69 
 
 Illinois Central Eailway, on a few 
 hundred acres of land about a mile back 
 from the railway and three miles from 
 Keyugo Station. When I was torn away 
 from my brothers and sisters, with a 
 Httle bundle containing whatever clothes 
 the honest Beulah Kam had been pleased 
 to leave me, I was put in charge of the 
 conductor of a train which stopped at 
 every station. He was a good-natured 
 fellow, and tried to ease the long journey 
 to me. He gave me a picture-book to 
 look at, lent me his pocket-handkerchief 
 (a very dirty one and smelling strongly 
 of tobacco), and bought me a packet of 
 highly coloured candy, with which I 
 gradually consoled myself, and coloured 
 up my face and fingers in clown-like spots 
 and streaks. This and the rough motion 
 of the cars and my sorrowful feelings 
 made me feel very squeamish. Where- 
 
70 LISA LENA 
 
 iipon lie administered to me a small dose 
 of whiskey and laid me down on a seat, 
 where I fell asleep. I was awakened by 
 loud talking and a hand shaking me. 
 
 *^ That's her, eh?" said a grating 
 voice, with a terrible Yankee twang. 
 '^ Well, she ain't a beauty to look at, and 
 pretty small- sized of her years." 
 
 " I believe she's been raised well in 
 the South," said the conductor kindly, 
 as he awkwardly tried to arrange my 
 little straw hat on my head. 
 
 ^'A Southerner, eh? Du tell! I 
 hadn't calculated on a Secesh girl. Nice 
 idees, I dare say. No religion, I reckon — 
 lazy — quite a little missy — too much of 
 a lady to work, I 'spose. I guess I've 
 been too spry about this business. How- 
 somever, we'll inaugurate a new system, 
 I reckon, right away, and instruct her in 
 more useful and pious ways than she's 
 
EPHRAIM mason's 71 
 
 been raised to from the looks of her. 
 What's all this paint over yer face, Sissy, 
 eh?" 
 
 ^^ Candy," I replied, looking up at him. 
 My experience with Miss Ram had 
 braced my nature up a little, and this 
 man seemed to me to be a male Ram, 
 with all her characteristics, and I there 
 and then began to fight him. 
 
 *'Well, yer won't get much of that, 
 I reckon, where you're coming to, my 
 young lady," said he, nettled at my tone 
 and manner, which I dare say were 
 defiant. 
 
 *' Don't want 'em," I said tartly. 
 
 *'Hum!" said the man. *^ I guess 
 we'd better get along. My wife will 
 soon take her in hand and put a bit in 
 her teeth," said he to the conductor. 
 
 The good conductor looked at me 
 compassionately, and lifted me gently 
 
72 LISA LENA 
 
 down from the seat. I thanked him 
 with a grateful look, and gave him back 
 his pocket-handkerchief, to the other 
 properties of which I had added much 
 saccharine colouring. The conductor, 
 however, who had been long without it, 
 blew his nose without any fastidiousness. 
 
 *' Ain't yer going to kiss me ? " I said, 
 putting up my painted cheek. 
 
 '^Why, yes, miss, if yer like it," said 
 the honest fellow, stooping and kissing me. 
 '^ Hem ! Hum ! " He cleared his throat. 
 ^^ Good-bye and God bless yer. Sissy!" 
 he said. 
 
 We got out on a bare platform, raised 
 on high poles, in a wilderness. A single 
 petroleum lamp lighted what was called 
 by courtesy a DeiJot, that is, the rough- 
 boarded shelter erected to hide pas- 
 sengers from wind and rain. As far as I 
 could see in the deepening gloom stretched 
 
EPHRAIM mason's 73 
 
 out an expanse of land, with the growing 
 corn upon it. The man Ht his pipe, and 
 then lifting me, carrying my little bundle, 
 he placed me in a weather-beaten buggy 
 to which a horse was attached by a 
 harness, consisting mostly of rope, and we 
 started off at a good pace over a frightfully 
 rough road. 
 
 ^^Now," he said, holding the reins in 
 both hands, ^' young 'un, yer may as well 
 learn sooner or later. Jist yer hold on 
 with all yer fingers, for this ain't an easy 
 road to travel in a Hght buggy, and 
 Jeshurun's pretty fresh, I reckon." 
 
 Jeshurun was the horse's name. 
 
 At the word the wheel of the buggy on 
 his side went up, and the wheel on my 
 side went down, and I was pitched out on 
 to the side of the road. The man stopped 
 and jumped down. I had fallen on my 
 back and shoulder, and was only a little 
 
74 LISA LENA 
 
 bruised. I saw his face was white as lie 
 bent over me. His voice was gentler, and 
 a little tremulous. 
 
 ^^ Ai^e yer hurt, Sissy, eh ? " 
 
 ^'No, sir," I said, getting up and rub- 
 bing my shoulder. '' I guess I'm all 
 right." 
 
 ' ' All right, ' ' he said ; ' ' that'U teach you 
 to hold on next time, I reckon. But we'll 
 see if we can't hold you in." And he 
 took his handkerchief and tied it to my 
 waist and the rail of the buggy. ^' Now," 
 he said, '^ I guess you can swing around 
 as much as you please without taldng 
 headers off into the gutter." 
 
 And away we went — and I did swing 
 around much more than I pleased, as he 
 pressed the horse homewards. The horse 
 was by no means an easy animal to drive, 
 as even I could see. He cocked his ears 
 sometimes straight up, sometimes back. 
 
EPHRAIM mason's 75 
 
 and held his head alarmingly high in the 
 air, and had an unpleasant way of height- 
 ening his shoulders as if for a spring, and 
 of looking round at us with his wicked 
 eyes, for he was driven without hlinkers. 
 However, even with the support of the 
 handkerchief, I had enough to do to keep 
 my place, clenching the sHght iTon rail at 
 the side and behind with all my force, till 
 I felt quite sick with the pain and anxiety. 
 The road seemed to me endless. By-and- 
 by we saw a light about a mile ahead. 
 
 '^ There, that's your new ho-ome," said 
 Ephraim Mason, who had not s23oken a 
 word since my fall. I was tired and 
 sleepy, and scarcely cared about the news 
 he gave me. I tried to speak, but my 
 teeth chattered against my tongue, and 
 bit it. 
 
 At length we arrived, driving up a 
 straight road with a row of young trees 
 
76 LISA LENA 
 
 on each side, and reaching a long low 
 wooden building, placed in a clearing, 
 with stables and huge ricks behind. The 
 noise of the wheels aroused the inmates. 
 There was the barking of a dog, a moving 
 of lights, a door opened, and a woman 
 appeared. 
 
 ''Home, Eph ? " she shouted, as if 
 Ephraim were as deaf as a post. '' Have 
 you got the gal ? ' ' 
 
 '' Yes," he said. '' Here she is, or 
 what's left of her." 
 
 I was suffering terrible pain in my 
 shoulder. My arms and fingers were stiff 
 with holding on, and my body with the 
 horrible jolting of the machine. The 
 woman came out with a candle, and an 
 enormous dog followed her and jumped 
 about. When he saw me he gave a low 
 growl, and put me in a mortal fear. The 
 man undid the handkerchief, and lifting 
 
EPHRAIM mason's IT 
 
 me out set me down. The clog made a 
 rusli and knocked me over like a ninepin. 
 Then he smelt my face. I thought I was 
 dead, and shut my eyes. He put out his 
 big tongue and Hcked my cheek. At the 
 same instant a cut from his master's 
 whip sent him howling away. 
 
 '* Oh, poor little thing ! " said the 
 woman, helping me up. I could scarcely 
 stand, and reeled about. She tucked me 
 under her arm and carried me into the 
 room. It was a large, bright, comfort- 
 able kitchen. Though it was summer- 
 time a fire was burning in the stove in 
 the large chimney-place. There were 
 tea-things on the table. The woman 
 seated me on a large soft chair and 
 examined me. 
 
 " Lauk a day, what a little bit of a 
 thing ! Ain't her eyes black ? Du tell, 
 lookee here, what's this paint all over her 
 
78 LISA LENA 
 
 face ? And your hands — why, they're 
 bleedin'." She could scarcely open my 
 little hands. The nails had cut into the 
 skin in. the desperate effort to hold on, 
 and the hands were quite bloody. 
 
 <« Why, you've druv too quick, Eph, I 
 reckon," said the woman. " Lookee 
 here." 
 
 When she forced my hand open I 
 fainted. 
 
 On recovering I found myself lying on 
 a wooden box stuffed with straw, which 
 served the purpose of a sofa. Mrs. 
 Mason had been plentifully sprinkling my 
 face with water, for my hak was all wet, 
 and I felt half- drowned. Sitting at the 
 foot of the sofa on his haunches, his large 
 intelligent head posed in an attitude of 
 watchful curiosity, sat Dragon, the big 
 mastiff. He seemed to me as he sat as 
 tall as I. When I opened my eyes and 
 
EPHRAIM mason's 79 
 
 looked at him he moved sHghtly, then 
 his eyes assumed a gentle expression, 
 and I could hear his hig tail knocking on 
 the floor. 
 
 ^'Why, I declare if Dragon ain't gone 
 and tuk a fancy for the little girl ! " cried 
 Mrs. Mason. 
 
 *' Well, I thought he had took a fancy 
 for her before," responded Ephraim 
 Mason, who was sitting at the table 
 eating his supper as if for a wager. And 
 he laughed a little. 
 
 ^'Dragon." 
 
 Dragon wagged his tail, but did not 
 move. 
 
 ^^ Dragon." 
 
 The dog responded again with a caudal 
 flop, but did not stir. 
 
 *^Why, what's come of the brute?" 
 cried Ephraim Mason, turning round with 
 his mouth full, and examining Dragon. 
 
80 LISA LENA 
 
 Dragon on this rose, and putting lii& 
 two paws on the sofa, the better to see 
 me, with his ears meekly dropping, his 
 large eyes full of intense pleasure, and 
 his big tail wagging me a hearty welcome, 
 he gave a low whine or two. 
 
 *'Do you hear. Sissy?" said Ephraim, 
 getting up, and coming to look at me. 
 '* You needn't be afeared of Dragon any 
 more when he's tuk to you like that. I 
 never see him do it afore. Did you^ 
 Semmy?" 
 
 Mrs. Mason rejoiced in the high-sound- 
 ing name of Semiramis. 
 
 '^I reckon," she said. ^'Now, Sissy^ 
 try to stand up and take a little tea. 
 You can dress yourself, I guess ? " 
 
 ^^Some; but I kent tie my things 
 behind." 
 
 "Then we'll make 'em tie in front," 
 said Mrs. Mason, shortly. 
 
EPHRAIM mason's 81 
 
 In a few minutes I was eating my tea, 
 and Dragon, following me to the table, 
 sat with his chin resting on the table- 
 cloth staring at me. I no longer felt 
 afraid of him, and even ventured, when 
 the tea had strengthened me a little, to 
 say ^'Poor dog!" and to hold out my 
 hand, which he took into his big mouth, 
 and I thought I should never see it again. 
 But he did me no harm, and was from 
 that moment my firm friend and pro- 
 tector. 
 
 VOL. I. 
 
82 LISA LENA 
 
 CHAPTER Y 
 
 THE STKANGER's VISIT 
 
 I MUST mention two things whicli had a 
 considerable influence on my after life 
 and character, and in two opposite direc- 
 tions. If I am taking the trouble, as well 
 as the pain, of going back into and over 
 my wayward life, it is that the world may 
 know something of how such strange 
 creatures as I am — in whom good people 
 take little interest — are made. The taste 
 for theatrical amusements, ballets, stage 
 performances of every sort, is each year 
 drawing a greater number of young girls, 
 attractive and often gifted with a real 
 
THE stranger's VISIT 83 
 
 genius, which, along with their virtues, 
 goes to wreck in the wild life of the 
 scenes. And I have often found that 
 amongst the worst of these there re- 
 mained some rehcs of an early, happier 
 life, or of principles trampled on perhaps, 
 hut not wholly forgotten, and of ideas, 
 once refined, now vulgarized, and never- 
 theless exciting some influence in their 
 sorrowful career. What these disclosures 
 of mine may lead to I cannot tell. They 
 shall he frank at least — and then I must 
 leave them to read their own lesson. 
 
 In spite of Mrs. Mason's sourness, some 
 of the things she taught me did not fall 
 on idle ears. When she spoke, as I 
 thought she liked to do, with earnestness 
 about the wickedness of sin, and the cer- 
 tainty of hell, and depicted in glowing 
 terms the state of the ungodly after 
 death, she at all events succeeded in ter- 
 
84 LISA LENA 
 
 rifying me. I nsed to feel very nervous 
 about the devil, going about seeking 
 whom he might devour. To me he was 
 a very real person, though I believe that 
 since then people have been found to 
 deny his personality. When I was 
 naughty I attributed the blame to him, 
 and felt very uncomfortable about my 
 future relations to him, for I rather 
 shirked knowing too much on these 
 questions. I didn't like Mrs. Mason's 
 directly personal arguments ; neither did 
 I like the preaching at meeting, when 
 the minister would often come down on 
 me and on other children by name with 
 warnings and appeals. At such times my 
 hair would stand on end, and the big 
 drops would distil from my skin, and I 
 would be extremely unhappy for hours 
 till the effects wore off. In this way 
 religion, as it was called, became irksome 
 
THE STKANGER'S VISIT 85 
 
 to me. I was told I must be converted 
 or be damned, and conversion seemed so 
 bard and so remote and so incompre- 
 hensible a thing, that I felt I had no 
 chance. I don't say that, if I had had 
 the matter put to me in a more simple 
 or a more attractive form, I should have 
 become a better gui. There was much 
 in my nature that was wild and wayward. 
 Sometimes I think that until that has 
 run itself out in some way there is httle 
 hope of permanent redemption. I know 
 I am writing against the views of Evan- 
 gehcal Christians, and may be hurting 
 their feelings. But I cannot help that. 
 I am bound to say what I feel and felt. 
 
 In Keyugo, as I have said before, my 
 Sunday afternoon employment was to 
 learn a page of catechism. To get my 
 mind fixed upon anything for ten minutes 
 I needed to read something far more at- 
 
86 LISA LENA 
 
 tractive than the Catechism of the Bap- 
 tist Church in America for Younger 
 Children. I fancy even the most pre- 
 judiced person will admit that that work, 
 however able, is not amusing. Forced on 
 me by Mrs. Mason, it became positively 
 detestable. I loathed its set phrases, its 
 strange, difficult definitions. Perched on 
 a wooden stool with this in my hand, I 
 stared at the words, and mechanically 
 repeated them over and over again with- 
 out being able to carry them in my head. 
 Often I was sent to bed supperless for 
 not having succeeded in holding the 
 quota in my mind even for a few minutes. 
 Well, my ideas of practical rehgion came 
 from this and from the lives of the reH- 
 gious people who were about me. Then, 
 and ever after through life, I am sorry to 
 say that I found that my mind was more 
 perverted against religion by the appeals 
 
THE STKANGER'S VISIT 87 
 
 and acts of its friends than by the argu- 
 ments of its foes. 
 
 But there was an unreal view of reli- 
 gion presented to my imagination which 
 greatly fascinated me. I have never 
 through all my wild life lost the influence 
 of it. The only book possessed by Mrs. 
 Mason which excited any interest in my 
 mind was Bunyan's ^' Pilgrim's Progress.'* 
 The story of Christiana and her children, 
 and of the gentle Mercy, was the opening 
 to me of the most beautiful visions and 
 the rarest ideas. With this book I could 
 pass the dreariest day without weariness. 
 Hope and heaven seemed to open to me 
 as I followed the fortunes of the fair and 
 simple women under the leadership of 
 Greatheart. Could I have met such a 
 man, how I would have loved to follow 
 him. He entered into my dreams, and 
 I remember one night when the Masons 
 
88 LISA LENA 
 
 had beaten me cruelly, I saw Greatheart 
 with his sword, and I begged him to 
 come and cut off Farmer Mason's head. 
 Just as I thought, he was smiling on me 
 and promising to do it, I woke with a 
 shudder to find myself up in the dark 
 loft, and to hear below the snoring of my 
 tormentor. 
 
 This book I often took out into the 
 fields when I had learned my catechism 
 quickly, and my employers were nodding 
 and snoring at each other in two rocking- 
 chairs. Dragon would go out with me, 
 and I would read the book to him. It 
 was an odd sight to see the great dog, 
 when I had seated myself by the new 
 haystack, fenced in from the dun and 
 yellow cattle standing not far off switch- 
 ing thek tails and lazily blinking their 
 eyes, with their backs to the afternoon 
 sun and their faces towards the long 
 
THE stranger's VISIT 89 
 
 shadows they threw over the ground — it 
 was an odd sight to see Dragon, erect 
 upon his haunches opposite me, his eyes 
 watching me with almost human earnest- 
 ness, his head perched on one side, and 
 his big ears drooped in meek attention, 
 while I read to him. Every now and 
 then I would catch him snapping at a 
 big fly, or pricking his ears at a move- 
 ment among the kine, or giving a pro- 
 digious yawn, and would call out to 
 him — 
 
 ^^ Now, Dragon, you naughty, wicked 
 thing you, you ain't listening." 
 
 Then he would look at me wistfully, 
 and meekly resume his former attitude, 
 and be very solemn for a long time, as if 
 he were following all I read. 
 
 Ah ! dear old Dragon, the tears come 
 into my eyes when I think of those few 
 halcyon hours of true, devout friendship. 
 
90 LISA LENA 
 
 While we were thus engaged the sun 
 would be drooping downward toward the 
 far-off sky-line of the prairie. Then, when 
 I was tired, we would change oar posi- 
 tion. I would throw myself on my elbows 
 and look toward the great west, full on 
 the last splendours of his day's reign. 
 Dragon would lie out lazily and appear 
 to be contemplating the same objects. 
 The grasshoppers cricked around us in 
 thousands and millions. Then we saw 
 wonders. Young as I was those sunsets. 
 used to stir within me feelings sublime 
 and thrilling. 
 
 The great orb sank majestically, pil- 
 lowed in the fleecy masses of the golden 
 clouds, or sometimes sailing with his 
 aureate galleon through a sea of bright 
 clear amber, mellowing off into opales- 
 cent grey or pearl, and flecked here and 
 there with a long bar of glittering silver 
 
THE STEANGER'S VISIT 91 
 
 or of flaming gold. As lie neared the 
 line and almost touched it, he seemed 
 to swell through the misty exhalations of 
 the warm evening into vaster dimensions. 
 The azure haze that filled the heavens 
 above and around grew violet and purple 
 with the glow of his incandescence. 
 There he sat enthroned an instant ; earth 
 and air and sky all full of his influence, 
 all glorified by his splendour — he in the 
 centre of the glowing semi-circle arched 
 far up with light transparent crystalline 
 clouds, and the arc filled in with pale 
 lights of grey, and amber radiance and 
 streaks of ruby cloud, and specks of 
 silver. Then his big round globe touched 
 the tops of the low bank of clouds on the 
 horizon, a long irregular fringe of fire ran 
 along the outline, and, as if he had dipped 
 in molten metal, vast streaks and rays 
 sprang up the heavens, and were flung 
 
92 LISA LENA 
 
 out over the earth, and dazzled me with 
 their splendour. 
 
 Then I felt the full spell of his en- 
 €hantment. 
 
 Wherever a hght vapour floated in 
 high ether he transfigured it into some 
 glorious wonder — a purply cherub, a 
 floating gold-winged angel, a long bright 
 drapery of amethystine transparence. The 
 whole of the interminable plain beneath, 
 with its expanse of soft-tipped blades and 
 shining ears tremulous with the creeping 
 influence of the evening air, was trans- 
 formed into a vast golden sea. What- 
 ever emerged from it of house or tree, or 
 stake, or motionless animal had become 
 aureate. I felt transfigm^ed, too, by the 
 play of his glory on my uncovered head 
 and face and arms. It was as if I were 
 floating in a molten sea. Then my 
 imagination ran riot. The sun was the 
 
THE stranger's VISIT 9S 
 
 eternal God ; the amber translucence 
 about bim was the glory about the 
 throne; the fleecy clouds that floated 
 dazzling were the angels; the sea in front 
 was the glittering pavement of heaven ; 
 and my soul, overwhelmed with emotions 
 of ecstasy and of awe, bowed down and 
 worshipped. 
 
 — My face was in my hands, the tears 
 trickled through my fingers, and Dragon 
 grew restless and whined 
 
 When I looked up again. He was 
 vanishing. His golden sails were dis- 
 appearing behind the wavelets of the 
 horizon, now fretted and foaming with 
 luminous splendour. Great streaks of 
 flaming fire went up the sky in a crown 
 of amethyst and gold. The sea of the 
 prairie around had grown soft and purply. 
 All heaven was flushed with a deep 
 rich various glow. The tip of an arc 
 
.94 LISA LENA 
 
 of fire appeared for a moment above the 
 blazing frill. Then it flashed, then it 
 vanished ; and I lay wondering, dream- 
 ing, longing, my poor little soul unable 
 to apprehend the meaning of all this 
 magnificent display, but soothed and 
 awed by it into a few moments of joy. 
 
 ''0 God," I used to say, '^ take 
 Dragon and me up there among the 
 angels ; and please let us be in the same 
 room with Mercy, and don't let Mrs. 
 Mason come there, and I'll always be 
 good." 
 
 Bunyan and the Books of Daniel and 
 Eevelation alone excited in me any 
 religious emotion of a pleasant character. 
 The catechism told me I was and would 
 be damned unless I sought grace in a 
 mode therein laid down. Bunyan gave 
 to religion a picturesque and hopeful 
 character, and surrounded it, as the sun 
 
THE stranger's VISIT 95 
 
 did the heavens, with a brightening in- 
 fluence. 
 
 One Sunday afternoon when I had been 
 engaged as I have just described, and 
 a sultry day had closed with such a scene, 
 I was surprised to find a stranger stand- 
 ing close to me, and to hear his voice. 
 
 ^' Well, Sissy, what are you doin' here ? 
 Contemplating the glories of God?" 
 
 I glanced at the stranger. He had one 
 of those strongly marked Indian physiog- 
 nomies now so common in America. 
 Dark skin, high cheek-bones, hooked 
 nose, long hair, now growing silvery, that 
 dropped over his shoulders, a firm mouth, 
 and prominent chin. His eyes were dark 
 as jet and as bright. Yet there was a 
 gentleness that softened the harsh fea- 
 tures of his face, and though his look at 
 me was searching, it was not unkind. 
 
 Dragon roused and growled. 
 
96 LISA LENA 
 
 *^ Hallo," lie said, "Cerberus — well, 
 you are a dog," and lie went fearlessly- 
 over to the mastiff, and passing his hand 
 softly over his neck and ears soothed him 
 in a moment. 
 
 Then he said, "You're about the 
 biggest dog I ever saw." Afterwards 
 he turned to me. " What are you doing 
 here. Sissy ? -^JWhat's this ? " He stooped 
 and picked up the dirty, well-thumbed 
 copy of "Pilgrim's Progress." I looked 
 at the man as he sharply glanced at the 
 book. He was about six feet high, 
 dressed in black pants, a black frock-coat, 
 no waistcoat, a black necktie unloosed, a 
 great black soft felt hat, that lay on the 
 back of his head and shoulders. 
 
 "You prefer to read about the women, 
 eh ? " he said. " Well, that's nateral for 
 a gal." And he quietly sat down beside 
 me, and looked me all over. Then he 
 came back to my face. 
 
THE stranger's VISIT 97 
 
 '* You've been crying, eh ? Hurt yer- 
 self?" 
 
 I shook my head without speaking. 
 
 'f Come, Sissy, I guess you ain't dumb. 
 Show me yer tongue." 
 
 ^^No, sir." 
 
 *' Hah! Wal, that's better than silence. 
 Now we've broke the ice we'll get down 
 to running water pretty soon. You're too 
 young, I reckon, to be crying. What's 
 the matter ? " 
 
 ''It's so pretty!" I said, waving my 
 hand toward the golden gates of the 
 west. 
 
 ''Well, yer don't usually cry when 
 you're happy, do yer, Sissy? " 
 
 " Yes, sir, sometimes, and sometimes 
 when I ain't." 
 
 "But you're always happy, I reckon, 
 here in this comfortable home — among 
 good Christian people." 
 
 VOL. I. H 
 
98 LISA LENA 
 
 ^^ Oh no, no ! " I cried, bursting into 
 sobs, and covering my face while the 
 purple passion suffused my ears and 
 cheeks. 
 
 ^^ Lord," said the man for a 
 moment aloud; but to himself— ^^ I 
 reckon I've got hold of a pecooliar case 
 here needing more wit than Thy poor 
 servant has by nater; tell me how I'm 
 to work this thing right away, for I don't 
 see through it — not a streak. . . . Sissy," 
 he said to me, putting his band to puU 
 me up. ^' Let us pray." 
 
 '^ I don't want to pray," I said, striking 
 off his hand. 
 
 '' Ah ! Lord," lie said. '' It's all right. 
 Now w^e've got back to old human nater 
 again." 
 
 I had stopped sobbing. Dragon had 
 risen, and was uneasily studying tlie 
 scene. The man's face remained calm 
 
THE S'lllAXGER'S VISIT 99 
 
 and gentle. He rested silent for a few 
 minutes. 
 
 '^ You ain't liappy here, Sissy, eh ? " 
 
 ^' No ; I want to go away." 
 
 ^^Why?" 
 
 ^' They are bad people — they beat me." 
 
 '^Ah! p'raps you ain't good — p'raps 
 you tell Hes. Maybe you've a bad temper 
 and wicked passions ; mought be you 
 kick against God's laws and your guar- 
 deen's wishes — ^p'raps resist the Spirit of 
 Ood, and don't say yom- prayers — and 
 treasure up wicked thoughts in your 
 heart, and wish yourself dead." 
 
 As the old man went on coolly ana- 
 lyzing me in these terms, I. listened 
 stupefied. 
 
 ** Mrs. Mason's been teUing on me, I 
 guess?" 
 
 '^ Not a syllable. She ain't mentioned 
 you to me." 
 
100 LISA LENA 
 
 '' Then who told you ? " 
 
 ^' God/' he said, pointing upwards 
 solemnly. 
 
 I looked at him with my eyes wide 
 open. His face was serious and benig- 
 nant. I felt an awe of him. 
 
 **Why do you read this story?" he- 
 said. 
 
 " I like it ; it is so pretty." 
 
 "■ Nothing more?" 
 
 *^ No. I hate the catechism." 
 
 "Nater again," he said, laughing. 
 ^^ You hate catechism and you like 
 this." 
 
 ''Ever so much." 
 
 ''Well, they're both good, only this 
 is more taking to young uns. They both 
 tell you the way of salvation." 
 
 "I don't want to know the way of 
 salvation." 
 
 "0 Lord, this is a very hard case; give 
 
THE stranger's VISIT 101 
 
 US grace to pick our way througli these 
 bushes." (To me) — ''You don't want 
 to know the way of salvation, and yet 
 you Hke the story of Christiana, and 
 Mercy, and Greatheart ? " 
 
 ''Yes, I love that; but Mrs. Mason 
 says she's going the way of salvation, and 
 I don't care to travel along with her." 
 
 An odd smile passed over the old 
 man's face. However, he rebuked me. 
 
 "Mrs. Mason," he said, "is a good 
 woman so far as human judgment can 
 reckon. The Lord only knoweth His 
 own. Moreover, Sissy, she's your lawful 
 guardian, and you have been placed by 
 Providence in her hands, and it's your 
 dooty to try and love her and give her 
 all your obedience. Now," he said, 
 ' ' do you know the way of salvation is 
 nothing more nor less than the way 
 Christiana and Mercy went ? " 
 
102 LISA LENA 
 
 '^ There ain't no such way," I said 
 boldly. ^' There ain't no road with lions, 
 and no Greatheart, and no Interpreter's 
 house, and no land of Benlah — it's only 
 a story." 
 
 ^'0 Lord, I reckon I'm stumped this 
 time," said the man. ^' How shall I 
 show this dark soul the true meaning 
 of the parable? " 
 
 ^^ Sissy," he said, pointing to the de- 
 caying glory around, the reduced tints 
 of the western sky, the deepening bronzes 
 of the clouds, the creeping shadows be- 
 hind us, ^* did you not see all this just 
 now bright and radiant with the sunset ? 
 Warn't it all glorified and beauteous as 
 with the brightness of heaven? NoWy 
 you jist look behind you on that big 
 stretch of ugly prairie — see the big 
 shadows come rolling jip and out of the 
 east. I guess it's pretty commonplace 
 
THE STEANGER'S VISIT 103 
 
 ground, and corn and post-and-rail fence, 
 and shanties, and very or'nary sort of 
 folks living in 'em. Not many minutes 
 ago you and I saw all this looking like 
 a heavenly vision. Yet it's the same 
 earth, the same houses, the same corn, 
 the same post-and-rail fences ; and the 
 same little gal with an ugly hrown face 
 and red eyes and a wicked heart — eh ? 
 Wal, now, that's the differ hetween Bun- 
 yan's ' Pilgrim's Progress ' and the real 
 pilgrim's progress. The one is all golden 
 with Bunyan's fancy, hut it's the real 
 thing, too. When you've got the real 
 thing it's all tipped and gilt over hy the 
 Sun of Eighteousness in jist the same 
 way. All the hard things, all the coarse 
 things, all the cussed things get Hcked 
 up and renewed. Do you understand ? " 
 *^ Some ; hut I don't beheve it. I 
 guess Mrs. Mason aint licked up hy the 
 
104 LISA LENA 
 
 Sim of Eighteousness, or she wouldn't 
 wop me the way she does." 
 
 *^ Lord, forgive the weakness of 
 Thy servants, and teach 'em how to hold 
 up candles to these Thy little ones. 
 Amen ! . . . Sissy ! " 
 
 '^ Sir." 
 
 ^' Do you sing ? " 
 
 ^^Yes; a little." 
 
 *^ Let's have a hymn. Do you know 
 ^ Happy Land?'" 
 
 ^^ Yes, sir." 
 
 ^'Fire away! " and in a mellow voice, 
 a little tremulous, the old man sang with 
 me. Then he took my hand without 
 speaking, and said — 
 
 ^' I reckon we'll go in to supper, Sissy. 
 Come along, Cerberus ; " and away we 
 went. 
 
 He was very kind to me in the house ; 
 praised me for liking Bunyan; set me 
 
THE stranger's VISIT 105 
 
 l^eside him at supper. It turned out 
 that he was Elder Swan, a noted but 
 peculiar evangelist, who had come to 
 stay the night. He was put in the best 
 bedi'oom — no compliment I should say, 
 for it was hardly ever slept in, and looked 
 very dreary and uncomfortable. When 
 supper was over he took the Bible, and 
 read, and then prayed with great can- 
 dour, confessing all sorts of sins for 
 the company at large and himself in 
 particular. 
 
 Among other things he asked grace 
 for Mrs. Mason, our dear sister here, 
 to do her duty by this young immortal, 
 and grace for me to be a good and 
 gentle child. I was sent to bed — I slept 
 in an attic loft — but through the thin 
 partitions I could hear my name men- 
 tioned, and he must have spoken very 
 earnestly to Mrs. Mason about me, for 
 
106 LISA LENA 
 
 she was kinder next day, and for a week 
 afterwards. But Elder Swan would have 
 needed to pay a visit every day to cure 
 her of her queer temper. 
 
( 107 ) 
 
 CHAPTEE VI 
 
 DKAGON ACTS LIKE A GENTLEMAN 
 
 Life in Keyiigo was a slow, dull thing 
 enough to the few people who lived 
 there. Its surroundings were dismal. 
 The country stretched away in one vast 
 flat. There were a few fences, but they 
 were scarcely visible over the immensity 
 of waving wheat, varied by huge squares 
 of the green, tasseled Indian corn. Only 
 a few small trees here and there rose 
 above the level. "We were near no hills. 
 In the far distance were visible no blue 
 lines against the skj. No ravine offered 
 a pleasant shade where one might listen 
 
108 LISA LENA 
 
 to the cool purling of some silvery brook 
 on one of those summer days when 
 Nature seems to be burning up slowly — 
 w^hen the ground cracks asunder, and 
 when the leaves and flowers crisp up and 
 flag and wither. There were no walks 
 except along the bare country road, deep 
 in fine dust, or among the high corn. 
 That was my refuge. I loved to run 
 away when I could of a Sunday, Dragon 
 always following me, and slip in and out 
 between the interminable ridges of the 
 maize, whose long sword-like leaves 
 drooped over me some feet above my 
 head, in silent and motionless dignity, 
 or, stirred by the wind, spoke to me with 
 a mysterious whisper. Sometimes I 
 would get thed ; and then Dragon, 
 panting with heat, lay down, and I put 
 my head into my little cotton sun- 
 bonnet and rested against his huge side. 
 
DRAGON ACTS LIKE A GENTLEMAN 109' 
 
 That and watcliing the people who occa- 
 sionally — very seldom indeed — came 
 over to om' house to tea, or to a 
 *^ Bee," was my only and rare amuse- 
 ment. On those days I used to be 
 dressed up and shown off by Mrs. Mason, 
 who wished, no doubt, to give her meet- 
 ing-bouse friends a good impression of 
 her treatment of me. Except on these 
 occasions, I was a little dog to fetch and 
 carry, to slop and wash and scrub for 
 Mrs. Mason. Small as I was, I had to 
 learn to stand on a high stool and steep 
 my hands and arms in half-boiling soap- 
 suds. There was no difference in the- 
 living between me and the couple and 
 their farm hand, who changed every 
 month or so, for no one liked to stay 
 with them. The food was good and 
 plentiful, and if Mrs. Mason had acted 
 less up to what she called her ^4ights/* 
 
110 LISA LENA 
 
 and more after lier likings, slie might 
 have been a pretty good Christian woman ; 
 but the Hght which some people can ex- 
 tract from the Bible is almost worse than 
 darkness. 
 
 She was harsh by nature, cold as a 
 Massachusetts Yankee, and as acid as a 
 crab-apple. Her tongue could not help 
 its tartness — the acid was in the juices of 
 her body. She was a Baptist of a very 
 strict order — in fact, a ^'hard-shell" of 
 the hardest. Her husband professed to 
 be the same, and could lead off a long 
 and vindictive prayer at any moment, but 
 I never believed in the man's religion, 
 and perhaps when I have gone on a little 
 further with my experiences the reader 
 won't either. 
 
 I had not been long in the house before 
 they and I found out that there was a 
 good deal of incompatibility of temper 
 
DRAGON ACTS LIKE A GENTLEMAN 111 
 
 a,nd temperament between us. My soft 
 Southern nature, fostered by my mother's 
 kindness, the easy views which I had 
 gathered in my home life of rehgion and 
 piety, shocked these people brought np in 
 the straitest of the sects of the East and 
 j^orth. They tried to educate me in 
 their doctrines. I was a hard scholar, no 
 •doubt. I was sorry that my mother had 
 taught me to read. They were very par- 
 ticular about Sunday. On that day no 
 newspaper was opened, no book nofc a 
 pious one touched, no dinner was cooked. 
 They hitched up the horse in the buggy 
 and drove off, if it were fine, some four or 
 five miles to a farm where a meeting was 
 held. These often used to be occasions 
 of deHght to me, for they frequently left 
 me at home. There, all by myself, roam- 
 ing over the house or in the corn, or, in 
 winter, tucked cozily by the fire in the 
 
112 LISA LENA 
 
 great chair, Dragon watcliing every 
 movement, as lie lay out lazily with his 
 eyes half-shut, I used to dream of the 
 past and wonder about the future ; I used 
 to undress myself and wash my little 
 brown arms and legs, and try to soften 
 the corns and stiffness on my poor Httle 
 feet. The winter boots they bought me, 
 with their copper toes, were so hard and 
 heavy, so unhke the Hght pumps and 
 pretty gaiters in which my mother used 
 to shoe me. Then I used to let down 
 my dark hair, which was long even then^ 
 and required to be bound up out of the 
 way, or cut off. Mrs. Mason, indeed, one 
 day, angry at the bother this binding 
 gave her, seized a pak of shears and 
 was going to cut it all short ; but I 
 screamed and sobbed so terribly, and 
 called ^^ mommy" so loud, that she let 
 it alone. 
 
DKAGON ACTS LIKE A GENTLEMAN 113 
 
 Standing on a chair before the Httle 
 glass on the woman's coarse dressing- 
 table, I used to look at myself, and try to 
 trace the likeness to my mother, and 
 wonder whether I should ever resemble 
 her. One day, so wrapped up was I in 
 this agreeable contemplation, that, while 
 I was standing before the glass, stark as 
 I was born, with my hair all round my 
 neck, Mrs. Mason, who had returned 
 from a meeting, came into the room and 
 caught me. 
 
 ^^ Lack a day ! what's the ijiot doing ! " 
 she cried, running at me and catching me 
 up. •' Eph, you jest come and look 
 here ! " she shouted out of the window to 
 the man who was about to unhitch his 
 horse. 
 
 He came in, and she held me off^ 
 struggling to get free and blushing all 
 over. 
 
 VOL. I. I 
 
114 LISA LENA 
 
 ^^ She's like a little squaw," he said, 
 grinning. '^ How on airth did she come 
 to do that ? " 
 
 ^^ Yanity and sin," said Mrs. Mason. 
 ^' Yon believe me ? She was standing on 
 that stool, right before the looking-glass 
 there, staring at herself. If ever there 
 was a ^ possession ' like that elder Swan 
 spoke of at the meeting, she's possessed 
 with the devil of vanity." 
 
 ^' Well, I guess we'll take a little of it 
 out of her," said Mr. Ephraim grimly, 
 ^^ right away." 
 
 He went to the stable and fetched a 
 piece of old rein, and then tying me 
 down across the bed — not the first time 
 — he laid on me for some minutes with 
 all his might, spite of my shrieks and the 
 howling of Dragon, who was shut out in 
 the kitchen, and leaped about in terrible 
 excitement. When he was tired, he said — 
 
DRAGON ACTS LIKE A GENTLEMAN 115 
 
 ^' Well, I reckon there ain't much of 
 the devil left in her now." 
 
 I was sobbing, though I bit my lips to 
 try to stop from crying. 
 
 '^ He ain't so easy drew out as you 
 s'pose, Mr. Mason," said his wife. 
 ^^When he gets his claws into poor 
 human nature there ain't no power but 
 one can open 'em up. That's grace. But 
 that she won't get until she's converted 
 — the cussed httle piece." 
 
 "I don't w^ant it, if it makes me like 
 you," I said through my tears. 
 
 ^' Oh, you don't, don't you!" cried 
 Mrs. Mason in a fury. '' Well, I never! " 
 and she caught up the leather and beat 
 me till she was out of breath. I could 
 not cry. Overcome by pain and weak- 
 ness, I lost all consciousness. 
 
 How long I remained in this state I 
 cannot tell. When I recovered I was 
 
116 LISA LENA 
 
 still lying on the bed, undressed as tliey 
 but left me. My back was stiff and sore ; 
 it was indeed covered with welts from 
 shoulder to heels. I was chilled by ex- 
 posure, and could have shut my eyes 
 and expired with a feeling of relief. 
 Suddenly something touched me. I 
 screamed out, and Mrs. Mason came 
 running in. What should it be but poor 
 Dragon, who had managed to slip in, and 
 was now licking my back gently and 
 whining. The woman in a rage hit him 
 with a rolling pin she had m her hand. 
 In an instant, standing as he was on his 
 hind legs, and without removing his 
 forepaws from the bed, he turned his 
 head with a savage growl, his eyes flash- 
 ing fire, and his whole frame trembling 
 with excitement. 
 
 ^'Laws a mercy," she said, jumping 
 back. *' Dragon ! Dragon ! " 
 
DRAGOX ACTS LIKE A GENTLEMAN 117 
 
 He growled more savagely than before, 
 and she went for her husband. Dragon 
 went on hcking my back, and I felt happy. 
 
 *^ Oh, Dragon," I said, '' why didn't you 
 eat her?" 
 
 He stopped at my words as if to thuik, 
 and wagged his big tail ; then he whined 
 and stuck his nose up near my face as 
 if to try to understand what I said. I 
 could just stroke his big JGlapping ear 
 with my hand. 
 
 '^Why didn't you eat her?" I said 
 again. 
 
 He growled. 
 
 At that moment Farmer Mason entered 
 the room with a whip in his hand. As 
 a rule, at sight of that whip Dragon 
 always cowered ; now he leaped down 
 from the bed and rushed towards the 
 man, showing his teeth and flaming with 
 his small eyes. Mr. Mason tried a cut 
 
118 LISA LENA 
 
 at Mm, but, with a prodigious roar, the 
 mastiff threw himself on the man's 
 shoulders and cast him to the ground; 
 there he stood over him growling, but 
 not touching him. Mrs. Mason screamed 
 and the man halloed too. I could just 
 manage to look rou.nd, and I felt a 
 wicked delight in the farmer's discom- 
 fiture. He tried to get up, but the 
 dog grumbled and caught the arm he 
 stretched out, without, however, breakmg 
 the skin. I believe at that moment a 
 single word from me would have settled 
 the man's life. A bright thought, how- 
 ever, struck Mrs. Mason, who was a 
 bright woman. 
 
 ^' Lisa," she screamed from the kitchen, 
 "you call him off ! " 
 
 " Yes," said the farmer, in an agonized 
 voice. "You jest call him, Lisa — call 
 him, Lisa ! " 
 
DRAGON ACTS LIKE A GENTLEMAN 119 
 
 ''No," I replied, feeling my poor little 
 arms all blistered with his strokes. 
 
 The farmer, with the dog's two fore- 
 paws on his chest, turned livid. The 
 dog, with his head so held that he could 
 keep one eye on the man's movements, 
 turned wistfully towards me as if to ask 
 what he was to do. 
 
 '' Sissy," cried the woman earnestly, 
 ''jest you call him off, like a dear little 
 Sissy, and I'll come and dress you. You 
 shan't be whipped again." 
 
 "No, Lisa," said the man, "jest say 
 ' Dragon,' and I'll not whip you again. 
 Quick now." 
 
 iVt the mention of his name. Dragon 
 had set his tail going like a pendulum 
 and growled a little. 
 
 "You w^on't beat me again?" I said. 
 "Certam?" 
 
 "No, certain," they both said to- 
 gether. 
 
120 LISA LENA 
 
 *' And you'll send me away from here. 
 I guess I don't want to stay." 
 
 ^^Yes." 
 
 *' Dragon! Dragon!" I held out my 
 hand. With one spring the dog bounded 
 to the bed and put up his great mouth 
 in my face and gave me a little touch 
 with his tongue on the cheek, like a 
 kiss. Then he turned and looked at the 
 farmer getting up, but I held him by his 
 great ear. 
 
 ^^ Thankee, Sissy," he said, looking 
 rather crestfallen ; ' ^ you were a pretty 
 bad girl, I guess, but I mought p'raps a 
 been too hard on you. Mother, come in 
 and look after the little girl." 
 
 When Dragon saw that articles of 
 peace had been signed, he lay down 
 quietly by the bed, as Mrs. Mason came 
 and attended to me. She sponged me 
 with warm water, wrapped me in a warm 
 
DRAGON ACTS LIKE A GENTLEMAN 121 
 
 niglit'gown, and laid me in bed — their 
 own bed. My only sleeping-place was a 
 large box with a straw mattress and some 
 rough clothes, in the loft above their 
 room, where there was no other furniture. 
 It was reached by a wooden ladder in 
 the corner, terribly hot in summer and 
 cold in winter. Dragon, observing with 
 satisfaction, stretched his great length 
 along, where he could watch my face, 
 put his paws straight out before him, 
 and resting his chin on them, contem- 
 plated me benevolently. Having brought 
 me some warm mush and milk, and 
 tucked me in, Mrs. Mason disappeared, 
 and I fell off to sleep. 
 
 Dragon was my earliest and best pro- 
 tector — almost the only one I have ever 
 met who behaved to me with pure and 
 unalloyed chivalry, and loved me for my 
 own sake. 
 
122 LISA LENA 
 
 CHAPTER VII 
 
 THE ADIEU TO FARMER MASON 's 
 
 For some time after the liappeiiing of the- 
 incident related in the last chapter, there 
 was a change in the conduct of the 
 farmer and his wife towards me. Dragon 
 would no douht for his part in the affair 
 have been sent away or shot, had he not 
 been invaluable to Mrs. Mason, who was 
 often left alone in the solitary house, and 
 was a rather timid woman. The dog 
 never showed them any ill-will, but it 
 was clear to me from the manner in 
 which he was treated that Farmer Mason 
 would not again venture to correct him 
 
THE ADIEU TO FARMER MASOX'S 123- 
 
 with a whip. Though I had not for- 
 gotten it, I was afraid to remind them of 
 their promise to send me away. I was 
 beginning to grow, and my work grew 
 easier to me. So things went on in their 
 old Hne. 
 
 Meantime, a man came into their 
 service who, though in a very simple 
 manner, had a very material influence on 
 my after-life. He was called Boh Shafto,, 
 and was a middle-sized, ngiy-looking, but 
 light, strong, and dapper Englishman, 
 who dropped his h's as fearlessly as any 
 one I ever met. I can remember it was 
 my pleasure in laughing at him for this 
 habit that made us friends, for as a rule I 
 kept clear of the farm hands, being afraid 
 of them. He, however, was a jovial little 
 fellow, fond of singing, and what people 
 call ^^ larky," and certainly, from his 
 antecedents, by no means a desirable 
 
124 LISA LENA 
 
 tutor or companion for a young girl. He 
 had been a stable groom in a circus. I 
 never knew why he was obliged to 
 seclude himself in the Western States, 
 but I fancy there was some reason for it 
 which he would not have liked to divulge. 
 He was the only man we ever had that 
 could manage Jeshurun, and I found him 
 very useful to me, because, while he was 
 there, the wicked brute, which seemed to 
 have a special spite against me, was kept 
 in order. Mrs. Mason, afraid to correct 
 me before old Dragon, had hit upon a 
 diabolical mode of punishing me, which 
 would seem to be almost incredible, 
 especially in a woman of her professed 
 principles. Noticing my terror of 
 Jeshm'un, which was extreme, she used 
 to revenge herself on me by locking me 
 into the stables. No sooner would the 
 wicked brute observe that I was there. 
 
THE ADIEU TO FARMER MASON'S 125 
 
 than his eyes would start from his head^ 
 his ears stick up, and he would paw and 
 kick ferociously, while I, in a state of 
 ahject terror lest he should get loose and 
 tear me to pieces with his teeth, crouched 
 trembling in a corner. I can remember 
 now the awful trial, the pains and terrors 
 of the hours I spent in this way, never 
 daring to take my eyes off the maddened 
 horse, and expecting every moment to 
 see him tear away his halter. 
 
 From this Shafto saved me, because, 
 when he knew I was being thus punished, 
 he used to come and whistle to the horse, 
 outside the stable, and he would instantly 
 become quiet. 
 
 Although I was forbidden to speak to 
 the men, I would slip out into the corn, 
 and hold many a talk with this man. 
 He was a great rascal, I believe. Later 
 on he ran away with some money belong- 
 
126 LISA LENA 
 
 ing to one of the other harvest men, who 
 had hid it in the loft ; but he never said 
 anything to me of a bad or corrupting 
 character. He only told me stories of 
 his strange life, of the circuses with 
 •which he had travelled, of the beautiful 
 young ladies who used to ride the horses, 
 and perform so many graceful and 
 dangerous feats. Amongst other things, 
 he told me that " the thing " for a young- 
 woman in that line of life was to be a 
 trapezist ; that, in his view, that was 
 going to be the '* star thing to do ; " and 
 he even expressed his regret that he was 
 not a "young gal," to go in for the 
 business. These remarks of his, said, I 
 believe, innocently enough, produced a 
 powerful impression on my mind. I 
 dreamt of myself as a fascinating trapezist, 
 with long hair and a beautiful spangled 
 dress, swinging through the air, as he had 
 
THE ADIEU TO FARMER MASON'S 127 
 
 •described to me ; and thus, next to the 
 "^^ Pilgrim's Progress," this man's stories 
 became my chief thoughts and admu'ation. 
 In this way two contrary influences, 
 which I dare say the evangelists would 
 <3all the carnal and the spiritual, were 
 created in my life. It will be seen that 
 the struggle between them w^as long and 
 variable. Shafto also taught me one or 
 two acrobatic feats — to w^alk on a rail, to 
 swing on a round stick, and to stand on 
 my head. I w^as very sorry when he 
 w^ent away. 
 
 Such, then, was the education which I 
 had obtained at Farmer Mason's when I 
 w^as nearly nine years of age. A crisis 
 now occurred in my life. 
 
 As I grew older I became more hardy 
 and defiant. My strength of body in- 
 creased, and I cared not a jot for a 
 beating. I loved movement, but I also 
 
128 LISA LENA 
 
 loved to be lazy. Anything that was not 
 settled work pleased me. I doubt not, 
 from the point of view of Mrs. Mason, 
 with her strict ideas and the notion that 
 Providence had given me to her to use as 
 a little slave, I was an unsatisfactory 
 character. She could hardly have 
 thought me an angel. I robbed the 
 miserable little patch of garden, broke off 
 the favourite flowers, stole pieces of stuff 
 to clothe wooden dolls which the men 
 made me, and which I used to hide in 
 the haystacks and nurse in secret with 
 trembling ecstasy. There was no outlet 
 afforded to my childish nature. I was 
 expected to forego all the little follies and 
 amusements of childhood, and to be ever 
 on the strain of quietness and rigidity. 
 Conceive of a poor, little, passionate 
 nature, fostered as mine had. been by 
 my mother, placed in such conditions. 
 
THE ADIEU TO FAEMER MASON'S 129 
 
 One Sunday Farmer Mason *^ hitched 
 up " and drove over with his wife to 
 meeting. It was always a curious thing 
 to me, young as I was, to see these 
 people going to such a place with such a 
 devil as Jeshurun between the shafts. It 
 was a sultry day, and, as I thought, 
 happily for me, they were to stay over for 
 tea and some religious service afterwards. 
 The two farm men had leave to go to 
 Cashuta village, from which they would 
 return home pretty drunk at a late hour. 
 So Dragon and I had a charming after- 
 noon all to ourselves. I remember it as 
 if it were yesterday. There seemed to 
 me a pecuhar lightness and joy about it. 
 I had plenty of bread and milk. I and 
 the dog went out to the hay-stack and 
 ate it together. My two or three dolls 
 were brought forth from their hiding to 
 take an airing on Dragon's back. Now 
 
 VOL. I. K 
 
130 LISA LENA 
 
 and then he took them tip and gave them 
 an affectionate grip hetween his teeth. 
 Then I grew tired, and went roving 
 ahout for something to do. Naturally it 
 was mischief, according to Dr. Watts' s 
 epigram. It struck me I could make 
 myself some coffee. I set to work, lit a 
 fire, and made a hot decoction, well 
 charged with grounds. All went merrily 
 until I reached up to a shelf in the cup- 
 board where the tea-things were. I 
 could just touch them ; a large jug 
 toppled over, carrying one or two pieces 
 with it. They fell to the floor and were 
 smashed to atoms. Dragon and I looked 
 at the remains aghast. He smelt at 
 them, and then looked at me, and shook 
 his head as if to say — 
 
 *' This is a had business." 
 
 But I was too hardened by this time to 
 remain in very bad spirits. After sweep- 
 
THE ADIEU TO FAIOIER MASON'S 131 
 
 ing up the pieces, I got a cup and took 
 my coffee, and then went out to watch 
 for the people's return. 
 
 The sun had akeady set when they 
 came back. I was afraid to go in. I 
 saw Farmer Mason take the horse into 
 the stable. Dragon was with me, and 
 seemed in a very strange humour. The 
 lights were lit. I could see Mrs. Mason's 
 figure moving smartly about in the big 
 kitchen. I knew she would not be long 
 in finding out what had happened; she 
 was as sharp as a weasel. 
 
 Presently she came to the door and 
 called me very loudly. I did not answer. 
 She then called Dragon, who responded 
 with a low growl. I saw there was 
 nothing for it but to go to her. Dragon 
 did not accompany me, though I beckoned 
 to him. He seemed to have some pre- 
 sentiment. 
 
132 LISA LENA 
 
 *^ Well, miss," she said angrily, ^^ you've 
 been meddlin' with them tea-things 
 again ! There ain't no peace with you. 
 You are as full of wickedness as the 
 devil." 
 
 She was white with rage. I said no- 
 thing. I was quite hard and defiant. 
 
 ^^Yes, I did," I said. ^'But I didn't 
 do it on purpose. I was getting some 
 coffee." 
 
 ^^Oh, you were?" 
 
 At this moment Farmer Mason entered. 
 
 *' Look here," she said, showing him 
 the fragments of broken ware. *' This is 
 what this .piece has been doing while we 
 were away. What is to be done with 
 her?" 
 
 *^ I reckon we'll let her sleep in the 
 stable with Jeshurun," said the man^ 
 with a mahgnant smile. '' Here, Sissy, 
 you come along with me." 
 
THE ADIEU TO FARMER MASON'S 133 
 
 He seized my arm and dragged me 
 along. I screamed ont. What had taken 
 Dragon I did not know, but lie did not 
 appear, and I was carried to the stable, 
 shoved in at the door, and heard the bolt 
 outside driven in. 
 
 There were openings high up to let in 
 the air, but with all my activity I could 
 not have reached them. Jeshurun seemed 
 to smell me ; he instantly began to lash 
 out, to shake his halter, bite with his 
 teeth, and snarl and shriek. My fear was 
 mortal. I groped my way to the corner, 
 and lay there quivering with terror. I 
 felt sure that now I was going to be 
 punished for all my sins. Suddenly 
 something cold touched my hand ; I 
 shrieked in an agony of terror ; the next 
 moment Dragon's tongue licked my 
 cheek. I threw my arms round his neck, 
 and sobbed for joy. He sat up and bore 
 my fondhng with great good nature. 
 
134 LISA LENA , 
 
 Now I felt perfectly safe and liappy^ 
 though Jeshurun seemed to be im- 
 wontedly frenzied. He must have known 
 the dog was there. He kept moving 
 fi'om side to side and tugging fearfully at 
 his halter. This had lasted for two 
 hours, and, getting used to the noise, I 
 was beginning to fall asleep with my 
 head on Dragon's side, when he gave a 
 great growl and a spring. I fell into 
 the straw, happily for me, for the next 
 moment there was a fearful noise. Jes- 
 hurun had got loose, and quivering down 
 in my corner I could only make out from 
 the racket that the dog and horse were 
 fighting. The one lashed out ; the other, 
 after one or two growls, ceased to do 
 more than pant, and it seemed he had 
 hold of the horse by the throat, and the 
 latter vainly tried to rear and shake off 
 the prodigious brute. The row was tre- 
 
THE ADIEU TO FARMER MASON'S 135 
 
 mendous. Presently the door opened, 
 Jeshurun rushed out, carrying the dog 
 with him, and knocking the farmer, who 
 had come out from his bed to see what 
 was the matter, over senseless in his 
 passage. 
 
 I got up and ran to the door. There 
 was a sort of twihght, by which I could 
 distinguish the horse rearing and the dog 
 holding on. I stumbled over Farmer 
 Mason, but picked myself up and ran. I 
 had resolved to stay no longer in this 
 frightful place. The fight was coming to 
 an end. The horse sank down ; the dog, 
 terribly wounded by the brute's fore feet, 
 was unable to move. I said — 
 
 *^ Good-bye, Dragon," quietly, and at 
 a safe distance ; and started off down the 
 road in the opposite direction from the 
 railway depot. 
 
136 LISA LENA 
 
 CHAPTEE VIII 
 
 A NEW HOME 
 
 I WENT on into the night. The stars 
 shone brightly overhead in the great sky. 
 The earth was silent ; and around me I saw 
 the ground indistinctly and vaguely merge 
 into the gloom. I took my way along 
 the road, as I have said, in the opposite 
 direction from the railway depot by which 
 I had arrived. The night was so calm 
 and warm that I did not feel the need of 
 my little sun-bonnet, which was in the 
 house. I had on nothing but a few 
 cahco clothes, a pair of common cotton 
 stockings, and my boots. My hair was 
 flung down over my shoulders. 
 
A NEW HOME 137 
 
 In this state I tramped on quickly in 
 the gentle darkness. There was nothing 
 to disturb or alarm me — no hedge behind 
 which an animal could lurk, no trees to 
 conceal a man had there been one wish- 
 ing to lie 'perdii in such a locality. All 
 was silent, except the twit-twit here and 
 there of the earth crickets. There was a 
 little play of the aurora in the sky, and 
 before long I could see well enough to 
 pick my footsteps. 
 
 "When I had wandered on for a con- 
 siderable distance, listening carefully to 
 know whether any one was following, I 
 breathed a sigh of relief, and I can now 
 remember the sense of freedom that filled 
 my breast, and the steady resolve I made 
 that I would never again return to the 
 tutorship of Mrs. Mason. Of course, it 
 was not then known to me that in knock- 
 ing over the farmer, the horse had struck 
 
138 LISA LENA 
 
 him on the head with his fore-hoof, and 
 that it was a grave question whether 
 Mr. Mason would ever again return to 
 active hfe. He did, as I afterwards 
 learned, but it was so long after my 
 escape, that neither Mrs. Mason nor her 
 husband ever made any effort to recover 
 me. 
 
 One thing weighed heavily upon my 
 heart. It was the loss of Dragon. Over 
 this I wept bitterly as I dragged my little 
 dust-covered feet along. I was strongs 
 and must have walked many miles before 
 I stopped, and feeling tired I looked 
 about, as the early dawn came on, for 
 some place in which to get a rest. Across 
 the flat country, some distance off, I 
 could discern a building, but I felt unable 
 to reach it, so I went aside from the road 
 into a field of green wheat that extended 
 for a long distance, and finding a place 
 
A NEW HOME 139' 
 
 where it grew thick, lay down and took 
 a long sleep. 
 
 When I woke the sun was already high 
 in the heavens ; his burning rays were 
 beating on my unprotected head. I felt 
 hot and feverish and thirsty. I broke off 
 and chewed some of the early green ears, 
 which moistened my mouth, and then set 
 off for the house I had seen in the dis- 
 tance. There a woman, who was wash- 
 ing some things under a shed, was sur- 
 prised to see me, as I staggered in and 
 asked for a drink of milk. 
 
 ^^Why, Sissy," she said kindly, '^who- 
 are you ? Where are you going to ? " 
 
 " Going to look for my mother." 
 
 ^^ What's your name ? " 
 
 ^^ Elizabeth Bellamy." 
 
 *' And Where's your mother ? " 
 
 '' I guess she's in Alabama." 
 
 The woman was, I think, an Irish- 
 
140 LISA LENA 
 
 woman, wlio happily knew very little of 
 lier neighbours, and had no communica- 
 tions with the Masons. 
 
 '' Well," she exclaimed, '' that's a long 
 way off for a child of your age to travel, 
 without a bonnet, too. Have you got no 
 money ? " 
 
 ^'No, ma'am." 
 
 She looked at me very curiously. 
 '' Why," she said kindly, ^^you look as 
 if you had walked a long way. Where 
 did you come from ? " 
 
 I mentioned a village some miles to 
 the other side of Farmer Mason's. 
 
 ^' Well, now, the best thing for you to 
 do is to wash yourself, and I'll make you 
 some bread and milk. There's a towel 
 and a bowl and some soap, and you can 
 go to the pump, and come back as soon 
 as you are ready." 
 
 It was indeed a pleasure to feel myself 
 
A NEW HOME 141 
 
 Iree, to be spoken to kindly, and my 
 ablutions that morning were refreshing. 
 When I came in the woman's children 
 were all there, a number of them, looking 
 poor and ill-dressed, and some of them 
 unhealthy. They examined me curiously 
 and asked me various questions, but I 
 was a self-contained little piece and an- 
 swered very cautiously. But getting 
 more familiar with them, we went round 
 the fields, and there, in the pride of my 
 heart, I showed them some of the tricks 
 that Shafto had taught me. They were 
 delighted, and on our return insisted on 
 my reproducing them for the mother's 
 benefit. She was a good deal amused. 
 She said — 
 
 "You're a sharp 'un. There's a dime 
 for you. And, look here. Sissy, you 
 hadn't ought to walk in the hot sun 
 without something on your head." 
 
142 LISA LENA 
 
 She went and got a sun-bonnet, made 
 of coloured calico, belonging to lier eldest 
 girl, and put it over my bead, leaving the 
 -strings loose, as the day was hot. 
 
 ^^ There," she said, ^^tbat is all I can 
 do for you. Sis. Take care of yourself, 
 and God bless you, whoever you are and 
 wherever you are going." 
 
 All the children came out to the road 
 to see me off, and they waved their hands 
 and said '^ Good-bye ; " and when I turned 
 from them to plod on, much refreshed 
 and full of resolve, I had a choking sensa- 
 tion in the throat, and a tear was in my 
 eye. No such kindness had ever before 
 reached me from strangers. When I got 
 on a little way, I turned to take a last 
 look, and saw the poor woman standing 
 in the door of her house, shading her eyes 
 with her hand and looking after me. I 
 never forgot that figure. The sunlight 
 
A NEW HOME 143 
 
 and the distance and the clear air made 
 it very distinct, and it seemed to me as 
 if she were like good Prudence, looking 
 after the little pilgrim, and wishing her 
 God-speed. 
 
 On I plodded slowly, my heart getting 
 stronger as I felt myself getting farther 
 and farther from Farmer Mason's. There 
 was little to vary the journey. Now and 
 then I met waggons and light huggies, 
 and sometimes got a hft for a few miles, 
 and a meal at the end of it. Every one 
 was kind, but in those days there was in 
 that district a thin population : the land 
 was not first-rate, and the people were 
 poor and depressed. It was astonishing 
 how little interest they took in a child 
 wandering along as I was doing. No 
 one attempted to stop me. 
 
 It would be very difficult for me to 
 convey to the reader an idea of the sensa- 
 
144 LISA LENA 
 
 tions with wliicli I, a little girl of less 
 than nine years of age, pursued this 
 strange pilgrimage. I was hardy and 
 ready, and experienced no fear during 
 the whole two weeks of my wanderings, 
 except once from a drunken Irishman, 
 who allowed me to put up one night in 
 his cabin, but who, I am convinced, 
 never meant me any harm. I trudged 
 along, sometimes singing, sometimes cry- 
 ing, often hungry and weary, but always 
 steadily resolved to get away as far as 
 possible from Farmer Mason's. I really 
 had no fixed plan. Where I should pull 
 up I did not know. There was a sort 
 of desperate submission to fate and wait- 
 ing on Providence which sustained me 
 from day to day. If I went to sleep at 
 night out in the open I felt no fear, and 
 though I suffered sometimes the pangs 
 of hunger, I had no idea of going back 
 again to my so-called guardians. 
 
A NEW HOME 145 
 
 I had gone on thus, I say, for about 
 a fortnight, when one clay I struck the 
 railway. It at once occurred to me that 
 here was a means of getting farther away, 
 and, reflecting on the matter, I resolved 
 to walk along it till I reached a depot, 
 and to try and get on a train going 
 towards Alabama. Of course, I had a 
 very vague idea of geography and direc- 
 tion. Along the route of this railway on 
 either side I found more people had 
 settled than in the country through which 
 I had been wandering. But exposure, 
 fatigue, and hunger had told upon me, 
 and I was scarcely able to drag myself 
 along. I struggled on. I had had 
 nothing to eat for twenty-four hours 
 except some green corn, and I had been 
 unlucky in finding water. Two trains 
 thundered past me as I panted on, 
 but though I waved my sun-bonnet to 
 
 VOL. I. L 
 
146 LISA LENA 
 
 the conductors and engine-drivers, tliey 
 either never saw me or disregarded my 
 signals. 
 
 Night began to fall. It was summer- 
 time, and nearly nine o'clock. I saw on 
 the right a low, long house, with out- 
 buildings. With great difficulty I man- 
 aged to struggle to it. It was quite 
 dark when I got there, and, overcome 
 mth weariness and famine, I fell upon 
 the door-step and went to sleep. I had 
 not been there long when I was rudely 
 disturbed by a kick in the side and some 
 heavy body falling over me, and by the 
 outcry of a female voice. There was 
 an immediate commotion, people were 
 around me, and after lifting off the 
 weight which was upon me they stood 
 me up. I then saw what had happened. 
 A big, strapping girl, coming out with a 
 tub of dirty water, had tumbled over me. 
 
A NEW HOME 14.7 
 
 Her bare elbows were bleeding, and she 
 was crying very energetically. The people 
 asked me " What I was doing there ? " 
 
 " Going to Alabama," I said. 
 
 They laughed heartily. 
 
 *' Look here, miss," said a man who 
 had come out, " don't play tricks with us. 
 Who are you, and where do you come 
 from?" 
 
 ^^ I am Miss Bellamy, and I am going 
 to Alabama to find my mother." 
 
 ^^I think she's a little touched," said 
 the man, pointing to his head. ^^Well, 
 where did you come from last ? " 
 
 ** I don't know. I came along the rail- 
 w^ay." 
 
 ^' Did you walk ? " 
 
 ^^Yes." 
 
 *^ She looks as if she had walked fifty 
 miles," said the girl, who had dried her 
 eyes, pointing to the remains of my boots. 
 
148 LISA LENA 
 
 I was certainly a pitiable object. My 
 dress was torn and dirty, my stockings 
 had long since grown black and gone to 
 fragments, and there was little left of the 
 boots but the uppers. 
 
 '^ Where have you walked from?" 
 asked the man again. 
 
 ^^ A long way — more than two weeks." 
 
 The man shook his head. 
 
 ^^ Well," he said, '^ I don't believe you. 
 Are you hungry ? " 
 
 *' I ain't had anything since night 
 before last." 
 
 The girl whose elbows I had scratched 
 here cried out, " Poor little thing ! " and 
 ran into the kitchen. 
 
 *' You may come in," said the man, 
 somewhat surlily, ^'but you must keep 
 quiet. My mother's dying." 
 
 And he went through the kitchen into 
 an inner room. 
 
A NEW HOME 149 
 
 The giii brought me into the kitchen, 
 which was large and comfortable, and sat 
 me down opposite some milk and hoe- 
 cake. As I ate I could hear the man's 
 deep voice speaking very gently and the 
 querulous tones of an old woman in the 
 other room. The door was partly open. 
 
 *' She is a tramp, I guess," he said. 
 '^ Mebbe a thief. Never mind about her, 
 mother." 
 
 ^^ ^ I was hungry, and ye gave me 
 meat ; ' John, remember that. She may 
 be telhng the truth." 
 
 ''Never mind, mother. She is getting 
 something to eat. Keep quiet, mother." 
 
 I went on eating. There was silence 
 for a while. The big girl had washed her 
 elbows with cold water, and now came 
 and looked at me very good-naturedly. 
 
 '' Hungry ? " she said. 
 
 ^'Yes." 
 
150 LISA LENA 
 
 '^Well, eat as much as ever you like. 
 Did you fall asleep on the step ? " 
 
 *^ Yes, I was so tired and hungry." My 
 mouth was full as I spoke. 
 
 " Well, you nearly settled me, miss," 
 she said, laughing. She had a round, 
 good-natured face. 
 
 ^^ I am very sorry," I said. *'Let me 
 kiss you." 
 
 *^ No, thank you," she replied. ^^ You're 
 as black as a nigger, and covered with 
 dust. You must wash yourself first. 
 You're a furriner, I reckon." 
 
 " No, I ain't ; I'm from Alabama." 
 
 '* Oh ! nigger, perhaps ? " 
 
 '^ No ! " I shouted in a rage. 
 
 *^ Well, you look so. Your arms and 
 neck are as brown as brown." 
 
 I jumped from the chair and began to 
 tear off my clothes. 
 
 ^' I'll show you," I said. Off went my 
 
A NEW HOME 151 
 
 dress. There was nothing under it but 
 a little caUco garment. I opened it at 
 the breast, and showed her a milk-white 
 skin. 
 
 ^* Oh la ! " she said, '* how pretty your 
 skin is. No, you ain't a nigger." 
 
 At this moment the man put his head 
 through the door, and looked much sur- 
 prised, while I snatched up my dress and 
 threw it over my head. 
 
 ^' Sissy ! " he said to me gravely. 
 ^^ Mother says she must see you. Ee- 
 member she is very ill, and say as httle 
 as maybe, hke a good girl. It ain't 
 good for her to talk, but it's best to let 
 her have her way." 
 
 He opened the door and I went into 
 the room. It was not large, and on a 
 low, small bed in the corner, propped up 
 by piUows of a beautiful white, and in 
 a white cap, was an old woman, looking 
 
152 LISA LENA 
 
 very pale, but dignified and gentle. Her 
 grey hair was parted smoothly under her 
 cap over a high, wrinkled forehead. She 
 had a strongly marked brow and deeply 
 sunken eyes. Her cap-strings were tied 
 in a large bow under a long narrow chin. 
 Her nose was long and straight and her 
 cheeks shrivelled, but altogether her as- 
 pect was peculiarly impressive, especially 
 on a child of my experience. I looked 
 at her very earnestly, and I saw her 
 quick eye glance over my figure, my 
 dress half on and half off, my dishevelled 
 and dusty hair, and my black, brilliant 
 eyes. I forgot to say that a woman was 
 by her bedside, a nice-looking person, 
 who also examined me curiously. 
 
 ''Poor httle thing!" they said to- 
 gether. 
 
 ''I ain't poor, ma'am," I said. ''I 
 have a dime here." 
 
A NEW HOME 153 
 
 They did not smile. The old woman 
 spoke with difficulty, and there was sad- 
 ness in the whole scene. 
 
 '^ What is your name ? " said she. 
 ^' Come lip here close to the bed, my 
 dear, and answer me the truth, as you 
 will be judged at the Great Day. Do 
 you know about God and heaven ? " 
 
 ** Oh yes ! and Eevelations, and Chris- 
 tiana and Mercy." 
 
 The old woman's eyes grew softer, 
 and she nodded her head at her son, 
 who stood by watching the scene spell- 
 bound. 
 
 *^ Now," she said, ^* begin where you 
 were born and tell me your story. Con- 
 ceal nothing — and be short, my Httle 
 girl, for I have not long to stay. Never 
 mind, John. I must do it." 
 
 I could not have concealed anything 
 from that old woman, she spoke so 
 
154 LISA LENA 
 
 kindly, yet so commandingly, and I felt 
 as if her glance would drag out my 
 secrets whether I would or no. So I 
 told my story truly and fully. She 
 listened attentively. 
 
 ^^Do you know those Masons?" she 
 inquired of her son. 
 
 *' Never heard of them. The girl can't 
 be tellin' the truth, mother. She looks 
 to me like a gipsy or a half-nigger." 
 
 ^^I ain't," I said angrily. ^^I'm as 
 white as you." 
 
 *' Looks so," said the man contempt- 
 uously, pointing to my neck. 
 
 Once more I jumped out of my dress, 
 and exposed the white skin on my little 
 bosom. 
 
 The old lady nodded to her son. 
 
 '^You see you have done her one in- 
 justice, John, at least. I am convinced 
 her story is true, and I tell you it is 
 
A NEW HOME 155 
 
 my wish, that she should be taken care 
 of. It may be my last wish, but I feel 
 as if a Providence had sent that child 
 to my bed. Keep her, John and Mary, 
 and may God's blessing come on you for 
 your goodness to the orphan and the 
 wanderer." 
 
 '' Mother!" he said gently, ^' we'll 
 do anything you say." 
 
 ^' Yes, we'll take care of her," said 
 the woman, Mary. ^^ She shall be treated 
 just as Gib and Tommy are, for your 
 sake, mother, unless she turns out too 
 bad to keep. Will you do your best to 
 be a good girl ? " she said to me. 
 
 '* Yes, ma'am," I said, and I sank 
 down on the floor and sobbed bitterly. 
 I was overcome with weakness and by 
 the old woman's kindness. The man 
 took me out to the kitchen. In half 
 
156 LISA LENA 
 
 an liour Ellen, the ^'help," had given 
 me a bath, and tucked me into her own 
 bed, and I slept as I had not slept since 
 I left my mother's room. 
 
( 157 ) 
 
 CHAPTEE IX 
 
 A STEANGE DEEAM 
 
 The family into which I thus found 
 myself introduced consisted of the old 
 woman, named Pennyquick, her son and 
 his wife, their two sons of fourteen and 
 sixteen years of age, and the ^4ielp," 
 Barbara, commonly called ^^ Bobby," who 
 was, I fancy, a distant sort of relation. 
 They treated her with great kindness, 
 and she certainly passed it on to me, 
 notwithstanding the somewhat scurvy 
 accident of which I had been the in- 
 nocent cause. 
 
 The morning after my arrival, when 
 Mr. Pennyquick had gone out, his wife 
 
158 LISA LENA 
 
 took me in to see the old lady, who had 
 greatly recovered during the night, and 
 from that time sensibly began to mend. 
 She received me with great kindness. 
 She had a quaint, Methodistic way of 
 talking, but it was clear her mind had 
 to some extent given way and her 
 memory of Scripture passages had gone 
 sadly wrong, leaving, as it were, only 
 floating scraps and fragments, which she 
 rarely succeeded in putting together with 
 any relevancy. I often used to laugh at 
 the quaint results. The family were 
 English, and had come from Yorkshire. 
 They had the Enghsh peculiarities of 
 cold, rough manners and warm hearts, 
 and were always brusque and straight- 
 forward in their talk. 
 
 '^ Child," said the old woman, turning 
 her clear eye on me, *^ was your story 
 true last night ?" 
 
A STRANGE DREAM 159 
 
 ^' Yes, ma'am." 
 
 ^' Every word?" 
 
 ^* Yes, ma'am." 
 
 " Yom^ mother deserted you in the way 
 you say? " 
 
 " My mother went away with Toxy. 
 I never saw her again." 
 
 '' Ah ! ^ Can a mother forget her suck- 
 ing child? Yea, they may forget. But 
 verily I say unto you, they shall all 
 likewise perish.' Little gui, my son will 
 adopt you. He has no daughter. Now 
 you are washed and tidied up you look 
 very well. Would you like to stay with 
 us?" 
 
 "Yes, ma'am — if you please. What 
 work shall I have to do ? " 
 
 "Work!" cried the old woman, "a 
 chit like you do any work ! Wait until 
 you are grown up to talk of work. Then 
 * work while it is called to-day — for suf- 
 
160 LISA LENA 
 
 ficient unto the day is the evil thereof/ 
 You shall come and learn to read to me. 
 Now, my dear, let us ask the Lord's 
 blessing on this arrangement. Kneel 
 down beside me, child." 
 
 In a weak, quavering voice, full of emo- 
 tion, which thrilled through me, and 
 brought the tears to my eyes, the old 
 woman offered up a prayer in a way that 
 showed she had been accustomed to that 
 sort of exercise. It was curious how well 
 she could speak, though her memory was 
 so bad. Afterwards, many and many a 
 time I heard her, when she had gathered 
 the family round her bed — she was always 
 bedridden — do the same, and always with 
 singular simpHcity and power. 
 
 I soon made friends with the two boys, 
 who were already working on the farm, 
 but whom their father obliged to occupj^ 
 some hom's every night in their own 
 
A STEANGE DKEAM 161 
 
 education. They were big, chubby, 
 rough-headed fellows ; Tom, the elder, 
 being the quieter and more thoughtful, 
 and Gibson, the other, having rather a 
 passionate temper. Their father was a 
 stern man, and, though he was kind, 
 controlled them with great firmness, so 
 that before him they were weU-behaved. 
 But behind his back Gibson sometimes 
 broke out into mischief and ill temper. 
 ^' Bobby " held her own with them by 
 sheer force. If they tried any tricks with 
 her she bravely boxed their ears, and I 
 never saw them cruel to her. 
 
 Mr. Pennyquick, Hke his mother, was 
 a strong Methodist, and of a very severe 
 type. Our Sundays were strictly kept. 
 We were allowed no play, no book beyond 
 the Bible, but I am bound to say theirs 
 was a very different kind of religion from 
 that of Mr. and Mrs. Mason. I believed 
 
 VOL. T. M 
 
162 LISA LENA 
 
 in the old lady's sincerity. I found Mrs.. 
 Pennyquick the younger not only kind 
 but gentle, and very anxious about her 
 boys ; she was a motherly sort of woman, 
 ever considerate and generous to me. 
 
 In this family I remained, gradually 
 working myself into their affections all 
 round, and on the other hand getting to 
 hke them every one. Bobby was my best 
 friend. 
 
 As I grew I became quick at my learn- 
 ing, and soon caught up to the plodding 
 Tom and the lazy Gibson, and was ac- 
 cordingly commended by Mrs. Penny- 
 quick. I became the old woman's 
 favourite companion, sleeping in her room, 
 sitting for hours beside her, talking about 
 her Yorkshire life or listening to her 
 stories, some Biblical, some secular. It 
 was the brightest and happiest time of 
 my life, when my days were little dis- 
 
A STRANGE DREAM 163 
 
 turbed, and I slept at night under a calm 
 sense of comfort and protection. 
 
 Thus two years passed without impor- 
 tant incidents, when one night, a little 
 after midnight, I was awakened by a 
 noise in the room, and starting up saw, 
 by the light which was always burning, 
 old Mrs. Penny quick sitting up in her 
 bed. This struck me as curious, because 
 ordinarily she could not sit up without 
 assistance. She was looking straight 
 before her, and her thin white hands, 
 coming out of the cuffs of her night-dress, 
 were raised upward towards heaven. 
 She seemed to me to see something. 
 
 " Martha ! " she cried in a deep, thrill- 
 ing voice. ^^ Martha, are you going 
 home ? " 
 
 It was evident, although nothing 
 reached my ear, that the old woman 
 heard something. 
 
164 LISA LENA 
 
 '' What, Martha, without me ! " 
 
 Her voice was one of anguish. She 
 put one hand on her heart. I saw her 
 still looking upward. 
 
 '^ She is going," she said; '^ even so 
 
 come " And she fell back suddenly 
 
 and heavily. 
 
 A dreadful fear came over me. I could 
 no longer hear her breathing. I called 
 out shrilly, and Mr. and Mrs. Penny quick 
 rushed into the room. 
 
 Their mother was dead. 
 
 I told them what had occurred and 
 what she had said. They were much 
 astonished. 
 
 '^Did she ever tall^ to you about her 
 younger sister Martha, who was living in 
 England ? " they said. 
 
 ^' No. I did not know that she had a 
 sister." 
 
 '* It was a dream, then." 
 
A STRANGE DREAM 165 
 
 A few weeks afterwards the news came 
 of the death of Mrs. Penny quick's sister^ 
 and on a comparison of dates and hom's 
 it was clear that not more than an hour 
 had elapsed between the decease of 
 Martha and her sister Mary. 
 
166 LISA LENA 
 
 CHAPTEE X 
 
 AWKWAED CONJUNCTUEES 
 
 DuEiNG the four years which I had spent 
 with my kind guardians at Phillip sburg I 
 grew to be a strong, tall girl, improving 
 in appearance and spirit, a picture of 
 health. I was treated by Mr. and Mrs. 
 Pennyquick after the old lady's death 
 exactly as if I had been their own child. 
 They looked as well after my education 
 as after that of their own flesh and blood, 
 and being people of a simple religious 
 spuit, did their best to promote my moral 
 and religious welfare. If their views of 
 Christianity were narrow, they were at all 
 
AWKWARD CONJUNCTURES 167 
 
 events liiimane. They were very severe 
 about breaches of truth ; they, too, were 
 rigid in their moral rules ; but, unlike the 
 Masons, there was not that hard, insen- 
 sate cruelty of holiness which seems to 
 distinguish some classes of Puritans. 
 They reasoned with us about our faults 
 as they appealed to our consciences, and 
 Mrs. Penny quick in particular often over- 
 looked our little errors. The husband 
 was by nature rather of a serious dispo- 
 sition, but I quickly perceived that he 
 was a man whose rehgion had taken so 
 strong a hold upon him that he tried to 
 overcome his natural tendency and to 
 cultivate openness, gentleness, and kind- 
 ness. He is to me at this hour, when I 
 look back upon his character, one of the 
 standing proofs of the reality of religion. 
 I don't know how I could better express 
 my appreciation of him. He is long since 
 
168 LISA LENA 
 
 dead — but his memory still remains a 
 pleasant green spot in a howling wilder- 
 ness. 
 
 The ghi ^^ Bobby " is another of my 
 happy personages. From the first we 
 became friends. She was a girl of a sus- 
 ceptible nature, easily moved to tears or 
 to anger. I have said I thought that she 
 was related to the Pennyquicks and had 
 been thrown on their care. They made a 
 domestic, or ^' help," of her, but of course 
 in such a family there was no effort to 
 preserve any distance between the various 
 members of the household. We were all 
 friends, and Bobby was perfectly familiar 
 all round. 
 
 Bobby wanted to be religious, but was 
 conscious that there were many strong 
 forces within her which kicked vigorously 
 against; this desire. She had to repress a 
 very fluent tongue, one that very fre- 
 
AWKWAED CONJUNCTUKES 169 
 
 quently wagged without discretion. Her 
 feet and ankles were made for movement^ 
 and before she had come into the family 
 she had been taught certain quicksteps 
 and dances, which in moments of high 
 spirits she almost unconsciously began to 
 practise. The wickedness of dancing was 
 one of the cardinal principles of the late 
 Mrs. Pennyquick's religion, and conse- 
 quently it was a high sin on Bobby's part 
 to indulge in these fandangos. On the 
 other hand, Bobby was greatly impressed 
 by religious meetings, sermons, and 
 prayers, and I believe had a very sincere 
 desire to become religious. Sometimes 
 she would spend the greater part of the 
 day or night in crying and thinking over 
 her sins. As I shared her room with her 
 I had to partake the varieties of her 
 temper, and as a young child, very im- 
 pressionable, it may be imagined what an 
 
170 LISA LENA 
 
 effect Bobby's vacillations had upon me. 
 Sometimes I was in the doldrmns of grief 
 and repentance, and again would be roused 
 to share the boisterous excitement of my 
 companion. However, on the whole I 
 was happy. Mind and body grew healthily 
 together. 
 
 The two boys became like brothers to 
 me. We read and played in company. 
 They and I had grown, insensibly, of 
 ■course, to ourselves, and they were now 
 young men, while I, who developed rapidly, 
 though a mere girl, seemed to be on the 
 threshold of womanhood. Doubtless the 
 23ersonal attractions which afterwards had 
 so great a part in the arrangement of my 
 fortunes had already begun to show them- 
 selves. 
 
 Gibson was a big, strong fellow, of a 
 manly height and frame, well able for 
 outside work, and indeed preferring it to 
 
AWKWAPtD COXJUNCTUEES 171 
 
 any other; active, and by no means so 
 quietly or religiously inclined as his 
 brother Tom, who had taken to books 
 and used to say that he intended to be- 
 come a '^ minister." 
 
 I was so curiously constituted that I 
 could enjoy the company of either of 
 these boys. I loved to work beside 
 Gibson, binding the heavy sheaves of 
 corn, or helping to supply the steam 
 thrasher, or sometimes romping in the 
 fresh-mown hay. Our life was so seques- 
 tered, we saw so little of other people, 
 that all that vast world of morbid thought 
 and feeling and life which lay beyond was 
 unknown to me. My regard for these 
 boys was very simple, very sincere, and 
 very harmless. With Tom I passed 
 quieter hours ; I liked to sit by him and 
 knit while he read some of the books of 
 missionary travels and so forth which we 
 
172 LISA LENA 
 
 had, or stories from the annuals or week- 
 lies that were taken at the farm. 
 
 Sometimes we read inside the honse, 
 especially through the long winter, when 
 Gibson's restless spirit could hardty be 
 chained, and he often went off to walk 
 four miles to PhilHpsburg, where, I dare 
 say, he did not always amuse himself as 
 his father would have wished. 
 
 Tom, although so bookish, was a very 
 powerful youth. He was a head shorter 
 than his brother, with a great chest, broad 
 shoulders, long arms, but perhaps some- 
 what disproportionately short legs. His 
 head was large, and covered with strong 
 grizzly hair. He had heavy dark eye- 
 brows, piercing eyes, a good nose and 
 mouth, and was in many respects a very 
 taking fellow. 
 
 I had no consciousness of liking either 
 of these young men better than the 
 
AWKWARD CONJUNCTUEES 173 
 
 other. We lived so miicli as brothers 
 and sister, and I was so childish, though 
 I had developed so rapidly, that any senti- 
 ment of affection I entertained for them 
 was of an ordinary character, and one 
 might have hoped that the simplicity of 
 our relations would long have remained 
 undistm^bed. But the boys were older 
 than I — they knew I was not a sister ; 
 and one day a strange revelation was 
 made to me. 
 
 It was only long afterwards that I was 
 able on looking back to interpret to my- 
 self some little events that had happened 
 before. 
 
 They had both earned some money 
 during the season's harvesting. It was 
 not much, a few dollars, but when the 
 harvest was over they proposed to take 
 the train to New Eome, some twenty 
 miles distant, which was a better place 
 
174 LISA LEXA 
 
 than Phillipsburg for its shops and stores. 
 Both of them asked that I might go with 
 them, and Mrs. Pennyqnick allowed me 
 and Bobby to go. 
 
 The town was very interesting to me. 
 It had a big hotel, many shops, churches, 
 and good houses. On the way, in the 
 cars, the young men held a discourse as 
 to the manner in which they were going 
 to spend their money. 
 
 ^' I am first going to buy some books,"" 
 said Tom, taking a list out of his pocket,. 
 ^^ and one for you, Lisa," he said to me. 
 
 '^ I know what I am going to do," said 
 Gibson, " but I won't tell now." 
 
 There was a good deal of banter about 
 Gibson's reticence, and w^hen we arrived 
 at New Kome his brother, before pur- 
 chasing his books, waited to see what 
 Gibson proposed to do. We went about 
 looking at everything of interest, and at 
 
AWKWAED CONJUNCTURES 175 
 
 length Gibson, who knew the place very 
 well, took the way to a jeweller's shop, 
 and asked the jeweller to show hhn a 
 coral necklet. Of course the sort of 
 coral to be found in such a place was 
 neither good nor expensive, but Master 
 Gibson, to our surprise, finished by pur- 
 chasing for eight dollars a bundle of bits 
 of coral with a gold clasp, which he pro- 
 ceeded to fasten round my neck. 
 
 ^' There, Lisa," he said to me, '' that is 
 for you, with my love." 
 
 I coloured and laughed. Of course it 
 gave me pleasure, but knowing that he 
 had spent nearly all the money he had, 
 and that spending it in this way would 
 never be approved by his parents, I began 
 to feel a Httle distressed, and begged him 
 to give it back to the jeweller. He would 
 not Hsten. He drew out the money to 
 pay for the necklet. My eye at that 
 
176 LISA LENA 
 
 moment happened to fall on Tom's face. 
 It had suddenly become black as a 
 thundercloud. The light leaped in his 
 dark eyes. His breathing seemed to be 
 heavy. His hands were strongly clutched 
 together. 
 
 '' Why, Tom ! " I said, '' are you ill ? " 
 
 Gibson, who was counting the money, 
 turned round, and the eyes of the two 
 youths met. There was something deadly 
 and terrible in those of Tom. Gibson 
 turned pale when he looked at him. 
 
 ^'Oh! there is nothing the matter," 
 xeplied Tom with a strong effort, and he 
 turned and rushed from the shop. 
 
 Gibson looked uneasy. Bobby, who 
 had watched it all closely, ran out after 
 him. 
 
 ^' What can be the matter?" I said, 
 opening my eyes very wide, and staring 
 at Gibson. " He seems so angry." 
 
AWKWAED CONJUNCTURES 177 
 
 "Nothing, Sissy, I reckon. He don't 
 like my giving you that thing, perhaps." 
 
 "Why?" 
 
 " Oh ! no reason at all — perhaps he's 
 jealous." 
 
 "Jealous! What's that? Does he 
 want the money for books ? " 
 
 " He thinks you may like me better 
 than him after that." 
 
 " WeU, I shan't; it is too silly. Oh ! 
 I wish you would give it back again. I 
 don't want it," said I, tearing off the 
 necklet and throwing it on the counter. 
 " Please hand Gibson back the money," 
 I cried to the jeweller. "I won't keep it." 
 
 " I guess you will have to keep it now, 
 miss ; it is paid for," said the jeweller. 
 " There ain't no return empties in this 
 business." 
 
 I was going to run to the door when 
 Gibson took my arm. 
 
 VOL. I. N 
 
178 LISA LENA 
 
 ^' Don't you be silly, Lis," he said to 
 me in a low, agitated voice. ^' If yon 
 don't put that on and keep it, I'll never 
 speak to you again." I saw in his eye, 
 Hghter than his brother's and at most 
 times gentler, a dangerous play of anger. 
 I suffered him to put it on again, though 
 tears were in my eyes. 
 
 He did no more, but silently accom- 
 panied me out of the shop. Tom was 
 nowhere to be seen. We looked about a 
 long time. Bobby had missed him, and 
 could give no account of him. We waited 
 in the verandah of the hotel where it had 
 been arranged that we should dine. At 
 length Tom arrived. He said nothing. 
 His nature was more dark and secret than 
 that of his brother. He had controlled 
 himself, and presently matters took a 
 happier turn. We went to dinner, and 
 after to me a very exciting and delightful 
 day, reached home in the evening. 
 
AWKWAKD CONJUNCTURES 179 
 
 I felt very uncomfortable about Gib- 
 son's present, and was greatly perplexed 
 to know how to explain the affair to Mrs. 
 Penny quick. But before we went in, 
 when Gibson had run off to look after the 
 horse, Tom took my hand, and led me 
 into the patch of land which was called 
 the garden. 
 
 '^ See here, Lisa," he said to me, **I 
 can be as kind as Gib too. I bought you 
 this," and he dragged out a pair of ear- 
 rings, which would have suited some 
 gigantic black- woman, with bright stones 
 in them, and placed them in my hand. 
 
 ^'Oh, Tom!" I said to him. ''You 
 naughty boy ! What made you do that ? 
 You haven't bought yourself a single 
 book." 
 
 I felt as if I could have thrown the 
 earrings and the necklet away. 
 
 "Because I like you, Lisa," said Tom, 
 
180 LISA LENA 
 
 suddenly taking me in his arms and 
 giving me a kiss. I felt the heat of his 
 breathing on my face, and the grip of 
 his strong arm round my waist. 
 
 A terror came over me. I grew as pale 
 as death. I could hardly murmur a word. 
 He let me go ; I staggered, and only re- 
 lieved myself by a fit of weeping. 
 
 Tom tried to soothe me, but I ran 
 away from him and rushed into the house, 
 straight into Bobby's bedroom. She 
 came in after me, and asked what had 
 happened? I showed her the earrings 
 which I held clutched in my hand. 
 
 '' Oh ! Bobby, what am I to do ? Poppy 
 and mommy will be so angry about this. 
 "Why have they done it ? " 
 
 Bobby had been crying too. Perhaps, 
 poor girl, she had her reasons for sorrow 
 at what had occurred. Gib was her ideal 
 of a good fellow. But she took me by 
 both arms and looked in my eyes. 
 
AWKWAED CONJUNCTURES 181 
 
 ''Can't you tliink," she said, ''why 
 they gave you these presents ? " 
 
 "No," I replied. 
 
 She saw that my mind was perfectly 
 artless. 
 
 "Why, Lisa," she said, "--they must 
 both be in love with you. That's it." 
 
 " In love with me ? Of course they 
 love me, and I love them. But that is 
 no reason why they should give me 
 presents." 
 
 Bobby looked at me again. Then she 
 kissed me. 
 
 " You're getting a big girl now," she 
 said. " This is a bad business. I guess 
 you better go right into the kitchen with 
 them things, and tell Mrs. Pennyquick 
 all about it." 
 
182 LISA LENA 
 
 CHAPTEE XI 
 
 I GO TO JEKICHO 
 
 I WENT in, feeling very guilty, as if I had 
 myself committed some dreadful fault, and 
 silently placed before Mrs. Penny quick, 
 who was sitting at a table darning some 
 8ocks by a lamp, the two presents I had 
 received. 
 
 '' Why, Lisa, what is this ? " 
 
 '^ Tom gave me that, and Gib gave me 
 these. What does it mean, mommy ? " 
 
 A quick glance, w^hich I stood with 
 perfect composure, was thrown into my 
 face and eyes ; and then she looked at the 
 trinkets. Her features grew dark. 
 
I GO TO JERICHO 183 
 
 ^^ Did you go and ask the boys for any- 
 thing ? " she said with some severity. 
 
 "No." 
 
 '^ And did they go and buy them all of 
 their own accord ? " 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 '^ How much did they pay for them ? " 
 
 " Gibson gave eight dollars for this — I 
 don't know how much Tom spent. He 
 only just now gave me the earrings out 
 in the garden." 
 
 A great anger came into her face, 
 usually mild and somewhat stolid. She 
 went to the door. 
 
 " Tom ! Gib ! " she screamed out. 
 
 They did not answer. Mr. Penny quick 
 was away in the buggy, so that she could 
 not call for him. She went into the 
 kitchen and I could overhear her cross- 
 examining Bobby. Bobby told all that 
 she knew, and the good mother came 
 
184 LISA LEKA 
 
 back greatly troubled. She put the 
 things into her basket and continued 
 working, without taking any further 
 notice of me. I felt as if a great iceberg 
 had suddenly come between us. After 
 sitting a long time silent, I could endure 
 it no longer. 
 
 "Mommy," I said, "are you angry 
 with me ? tell me what is the matter 
 with you!" and throwing myself at her 
 knees I began to cry passionately. 
 
 Her heart had become hard a moment, 
 but at this it melted. She drew me to 
 her ; she was a simple woman, of simple 
 ideas and words. 
 
 " Do not cry, Lisa," she said. " This 
 seems to me a sad business. Maybe it is 
 not your fault — but after this, things can 
 never be as they were with us. I never 
 thought those boys could be so bad." 
 
 "Bad!" 
 
I GO TO JEEICHO 185 
 
 ''Yes — to go and waste money on such 
 trash as that, and then to go and give it 
 to you — you're a mere child — what should 
 you do with such finery ? " 
 
 ''I said so. I hate it — I wanted to 
 throw it away. You keep it, mommy — 
 and never let me see it again." 
 
 ''Oh! I'U keep it," she said firmly, 
 "safe enough, but there is more behind 
 this. Are you sure the boys — neither of 
 the boys — has ever said anything to you 
 — never said they liked you ? " 
 
 " Only just now in the garden, when 
 Tom took me in his arms, and kissed me. 
 He was so strange ! " 
 
 The mother hstened and smote her 
 hands together. 
 
 "It is even as I feared," she said. 
 " Oh, Lisa, you can stay here no longer." 
 
 I ran out of the room to Bobby and 
 sobbed upon her neck. This sudden 
 
186 LISA LENA 
 
 transformation, this horrible storm that 
 had arisen over my peaceful horizon, I 
 could not understand. While I was 
 sobbing Tom came into the kitchen. 
 
 *' What is the matter ? " he said. 
 
 '^Mrs. Penny quick has taken away her 
 things," said Bobby, mistaking the cause 
 of my grief. 
 
 *' Taken away her presents!" shouted 
 Tom, flushing up in very ugly fashion. 
 '' She shan't do it ! " He stamped his 
 foot furiously. His mother could hear 
 him through the thin partition. 
 
 *^ Oh no, no, it ain't that," I cried. 
 ^*It's because you took me in your arms 
 and kissed me. She says I can't stay 
 here any longer." 
 
 Bobby dropped me. 
 
 ^' 0-o-o-oh ! " she said, looking at 
 Master Tom. 
 
 '^ I had nearly fallen. Tom caught me 
 
I GO TO JERICHO 187 
 
 and supported me. At that moment Gib 
 came in from the stable. 
 
 **What is this?" he cried in a loud, 
 hoarse voice. 
 
 *' Why," said Bobby, who was never 
 wanting in readiness of tongue, ^* Mrs. 
 Pennyquick is very angry about the pre- 
 sents you two gave to Lisa." 
 
 ''We tivor' echoed Gib. 
 
 I had torn away from Tom and stood 
 apart, with my eyes on the floor. 
 
 '' Yes — you two," replied Bobby. 
 *' There was the necklace from you, and 
 the earrings from Tom." 
 
 The two lads looked at each other. 
 
 *' What did you give her earrings for ? " 
 shouted Gibson, beside himself with 
 anger. 
 
 '^ I've as much right to give her ear- 
 rings as you have to give her a necklace," 
 answered Tom in a hard, chill voice. 
 
188 LISA LENA 
 
 " I'll let you know whether you have 
 or no," exclaimed Gibson, jumping for- 
 ward. 
 
 The door opened, and their mother 
 stood on the threshold. Her face was 
 pale and frightened, but she stepped out 
 briskly and stood between the two youths. 
 
 ^' Tom ! Gib ! " she cried out, and her 
 voice was a voice of anguish. '^ What is 
 the meaning of this ? You two brothers 
 going to fight in your father's kitchen ? " 
 
 Bobby had caught hold of Gib's arm. 
 He shook her off roughly — so roughly 
 that she nearly fell. She put her hand 
 on her heart. 
 
 '' We ain't going to fight, ma'am," said 
 Tom, though his eyes at the moment 
 were filled with a dangerous glow. 
 *^ What have you took away Lisa's pre- 
 sents for ? " 
 
 '' Because you have no right to go and 
 
I GO TO JEKICHO 189 
 
 waste your money on a child like Lisa. 
 If you choose to behave like a fool, it is 
 my duty to stop it, and I will." 
 
 Gib said nothing. He was quicker of 
 temper, but cooled down more rapidly 
 than his brother. 
 
 '* Don't interfere, mother," said Tom, 
 in a determined voice. ^^ I am a man 
 now, and I will do what I like with my 
 money. You give me back those ear- 
 rings." 
 
 ^^Oh, Tom!" I said, stepping out. 
 ** Talking to mommy like that ! " I 
 won't take the earrings — there now ! " 
 
 *' Go away," said Mrs. Penny quick to 
 me, in an angry voice. '* Go up to bed. 
 I wish I had never seen your face. You 
 have set my sons against one another and 
 against me." 
 
 *' Stay where you are," said Tom, 
 seizing me by the arm. I wrenched my- 
 
190 LISA LENA 
 
 self away, and running up to my little 
 room in the attic I shut the door and 
 secured it. I could hear his voice in 
 the kitchen as I listened trembhng, but 
 through the open window the sound of 
 wheels came clearly. I rushed to the 
 window and cried to Mr. Pennyquick, 
 who was leisurely driving up. 
 
 *^ Oh, quick, poppy, please. Eun into 
 the kitchen. There is something the 
 matter with Tom and Gib." 
 
 Mr. Pennyquick was an active man, 
 and was in the kitchen in a minute. 
 The voices there instantly ceased. The 
 father's moral superiority was supported 
 by his physical force. I heard through 
 the thin partition his voice in low but 
 commanding tones, and I could hear his 
 wife and Bobby sobbing. 
 
 Presently some one went out of the 
 kitchen. I peeped out. It was Gib 
 going to put the horse up. 
 
I GO TO JERICHO 191 
 
 I drew back, and cowered down utterly 
 wretched and broken-hearted. Bnt I 
 was naturally a girl of a quick and firm 
 resolve, as the reader will have seen. 
 My mind was revolving all the events of 
 the day, and although I could not find a 
 key to them, so innocently had I been 
 brought up, I instinctively felt that some- 
 thing had happened to break for ever the 
 happiness of my relation with this house- 
 hold. I had seen Bobby's glance of 
 anger at me and Mrs. Penny quick's wor.ds 
 burned into my soul. 
 
 Suddenly I heard a low call below my 
 dormer window. It was only about 
 fifteen feet from the ground. 
 
 ^^Lisa! Lisa!" 
 
 Gibson had returned from the stable. 
 
 I did not stir. 
 
 *^ Lisa — dear Lisa — look out." 
 
 I remained quiet. 
 
192 LISA LENA 
 
 The latch of the kitchen door clicked, 
 and Mr. Penny quick's deep voice called — 
 
 "Gibson!" 
 
 I heard the door close, and long after, 
 nntil late into the evening, the sound of 
 the voices came to me, sometimes low, 
 sometimes raised to anger. They had 
 forgotten me. No one came to ask me 
 whether I would have tea ; no one 
 brought me a word of comfort. 
 
 I had cast myseK on my bed and lay 
 there sometimes weeping and anon drying 
 my eyes. My mind was made up. I 
 must get away from this place as soon as 
 possible. In a short time Bobby would 
 come upstairs to her room, the next to 
 mine, which I used to share with her 
 until I had grown too big for her bed. I 
 threw myself on my knees by my cot, a 
 rough enough resting-place, and com- 
 mended myseK to God, feehng, too, as if 
 
I GO TO JERICHO 193 
 
 I had been guilty of some great wicked- 
 ness ; whereas, in truth, I had done no- 
 thing to be ashamed of. Then I took the 
 sheet, and tying it in a big knot to the 
 back of a chair, so placed it that it would 
 catch on either side of the window-frame. 
 I threw my boots out of the window, 
 strung my straw hat round my neck, 
 and taking away only a *' Bogat sky's 
 Golden Treasury," which old Mrs. Penny- 
 quick had given me, I boldly crawled 
 through the window on the roof, the 
 shingles of which sloped down a couple 
 of feet to the spout ; and letting myself 
 down from that I slid to within five or 
 six feet from the ground and dropped. 
 The shock hurt my stockinged feet ter- 
 ribly, and for a moment I sank down, 
 with a scarcely suppressed groan of pain. 
 Then fancying I heard a slight movement 
 in the house, I rose, groped for my boots, 
 
 YOL. I. 
 
194 LISA LENA 
 
 and, avoiding either of tlie paths about 
 the house, got over the fence and plunged 
 through the tall rows of the Indian corn. 
 Just before I turned in among the leafy 
 stalks, I stood and glanced a moment at 
 the house where so many good and happy 
 days had been passed. A sigh was on 
 my lips, when a light appeared in the 
 dormer next to my room. It was Bobby's 
 room. My eyes filled with tears. 
 " Good-bye, Bobby," I said out loud. 
 Could she have heard it in the silent 
 night ? At all events, while I was yet 
 looking I heard a commotion in the 
 house. I could not move. I listened 
 spellbound. Blows were heard. Were 
 they fighting ? . . . No. In an instant 
 a flood of light came through my own 
 window, and I saw two or three figures 
 looking out. 
 
 *' She's gone ! " shouted Gibson. I 
 
I GO TO JERICHO 195 
 
 could hear him quite clearly. In another 
 moment his figure came through the 
 window and I heard a fall ; then I could 
 hear him say, ^^ Father, bring a hght." 
 
 I turned and sped down the long inter- 
 minable row of maize as fast as my bare 
 feet would carry me. The field was an 
 immense one. I ran a quarter of a mile 
 straight on, then turning to the right, 
 ran as far in that direction. I could hear 
 shouts from the house. No doubt they 
 were following up the roads ; but among 
 the maize, even if they had suspected I 
 was there, it would have been hard for 
 them to catch me. However, I sped on. 
 In dayHght, as I bethought me, they 
 might find the track of my footsteps. 
 So I got out of the field as soon as I 
 could, and luckily on the pasture of a 
 neighbouring farm. Here, after walking 
 some distance slowly and painfuUy with 
 
196 LISA LENA 
 
 my injured feet, I sat down and forced on 
 my boots. I knew that a very few farms 
 further on I should get on a road that ran 
 parallel with the main road leading from 
 Farmer Pennyquick's to Philipsburg, 
 which place I had resolved to avoid. 
 
 This other road led to the railway. 
 
 My appearance at this time was that of 
 a slim, overgrown ghl. I was dressed in 
 a calico dress that came to my ankles. 
 My straw hat was broad-brimmed, coarse, 
 and trimmed only with a bit of blue 
 ribbon. My boots were thick but well 
 made, and my stockings, home-knitted, 
 of a coarse bluish-white thread. Over 
 the calico dress I had thrown a jacket 
 Mrs. Penny quick had given me, made of 
 kerseymere cloth of a greyish colour. I 
 had had the forethought to put a comb 
 in my pocket. Walking as fast as my 
 sore feet would let me, I was, when the 
 
I GO TO JEKICHO 197 
 
 dawn broke, a good distance of ten or a 
 dozen miles from my late home, and 
 looking round I found I was not far fi^om 
 a farmhouse. In one of the fields was 
 a well, to which I went, and drawing up 
 some of the water, washed my hands 
 and face and feet, and then combed my 
 hair, using the water in the bucket for a 
 mirror. I looked then much better, and 
 approached the house. The farmer was 
 going out himself with a pail to milk his 
 cows. 
 
 ** Well, young gal ! " he said, '^ you're 
 up early, eh ? Where are you going ? " 
 
 *^I'm going down to to look for a 
 
 help's place," I answered promptly. 
 
 ^' Tidy gal," he said, '* though you're 
 rather young for work. Will you have 
 a drink of fresh milk ? " 
 
 *^ Oh yes," I replied. ^^I am a little 
 hungry. I come from Cashuta way.'* 
 
198 LISA LEXA 
 
 Cashiita was a village off the railway 
 line, about four or five miles from Farmer 
 Pennyquick's. 
 
 *^ You're goin' to tlie depot at Prickett's 
 Crossin', then ? It's a good six mile yet. 
 I reckon you'll ketch a train if you're 
 spry. It's due about ten, but half-past 
 is time enough." 
 
 This news which he volunteered, and 
 for which I dared not have asked, cheered 
 me up, and after the milk and the re- 
 freshing wash, I set off briskly. There 
 is no necessity for asking your way in 
 Illinois. The roads lead straight on, I 
 arrived at the depot half an hour before 
 the cars came along, and found a number 
 of vehicles waiting with persons who 
 were going down the line. I discovered 
 by the accident of a woman asking when 
 the train from Philipsburg would arrive 
 that it was coming from the direction 
 
I GO TO JEKICHO 199 
 
 of the Pennyquicks', and my heart beat 
 with fear lest some member of the family 
 should come along the route in search 
 of me. The woman was very talkative, 
 and I sat beside her when the train 
 arrived. She was going a long way ; had 
 a trunk and many articles with her. She 
 asked me to help her to carry them into 
 the cars. As usual on these roads, tickets 
 were not issued at the depots, but the 
 fares were collected inside by the con- 
 ductor. So, taking up two of the 
 woman's bundles, I followed her into the 
 carriage and sat beside her. 
 
 ^'How far is the next station?" I 
 asked. 
 
 " Oh ! a long way, I guess — twenty 
 miles to Stubbsville. Will be a good two 
 hours." 
 
 The cars went on at a slow jog, rattling, 
 bumping along. The conductor passed 
 
200 LISA LEXA 
 
 through, chatting with the passengers 
 now and then, or offering newspapers and 
 cheap novels. The inevitable shrill- 
 tongued boy came and went with his 
 candies and apples. Knowing that my 
 companion was going a considerable dis- 
 tance, and supposing I was with her, the 
 conductor did not trouble us about our 
 fares. We passed Sfcubbsville, Athens, 
 Alexandria, Constantinople, and Dickens- 
 town, and were at about four in the 
 afternoon within a station or two of 
 Diddlebury, whither she was bound. 
 The train stopped a few minutes at each 
 place. I got out, and, keeping my eye 
 on the conductor, who had no suspicions 
 of me whatever, I slipped round to the 
 back of the depot, and observing a covered 
 buggy which was tied to a tree, jumped in 
 and concealed myself behind the curtain. 
 The whistle sounded, the steam puffed 
 
I GO TO JERICHO 201 
 
 out from the engine, it gave its usual 
 steady cough before starting, and then 
 jet, jet, jet, jet, off it went. I peej^ed 
 out. The conductor was standing on the 
 last platform outside the car, peeling an 
 orange. His face had a peculiar self- 
 satisfied expression as he threw off the 
 golden-coloured rind on either side. I 
 felt very guilty. I could not help think- 
 ing how different an expression he would 
 wear when he found my empty seat and 
 began to make inquiries of my fellow- 
 traveller. I jumped out of the buggy 
 just in time, for a stout, dumpy man, 
 accompanied by a girl, came down from 
 the depot, where he had been getting 
 some rather heavy parcels of hardware. 
 I was standing clear of his waggon, 
 holding on to the fence with both arms, 
 for I was starving and could scarcely 
 keep up. 
 
202 LISA LENA 
 
 *' Goin' to Jericho ? " he inquired. 
 
 ^^Ye-yes, I believe I am," I replied, 
 hardly knowing what he meant. 
 
 '^Well," he said, '^it's a good three 
 miles, and you don't look strong. I'll 
 give you a lift ^ directly. Get in and rest 
 yourself." 
 
 There is hardly any country part of 
 America that I know of where a woman, 
 at all events, and I fancy most men, 
 would not meet with spontaneous kind- 
 ness like this. The American is a sar- 
 donic, self-conscious, and self-contained 
 sort of creature ; but he is full of human 
 kindness, as well as of cold, calculating, 
 unscrupulous, and devilish cruelty when 
 his nature is not trained, or has been 
 perverted by the influences of his life. 
 
 The girl who helped me in and got in 
 after me said — 
 
 '^ Lord, how pale you are, miss ! Will 
 you try an apple?" 
 
I GO TO JERICHO 203 
 
 How I seized tlie red-cheeked fruit. 
 
 and gulped it down ! A poor meal for 
 a growing girl, but a welcome one. 
 
 I found that Jericho was not such a 
 bad place after all, and my benefactor 
 ascertaining that I had no friends there, 
 and was looking for a home, put me up 
 for the night. The man had a store in 
 the place in the main street, and did a 
 very good business. He was a Methodist, 
 and his daughter having told him that 
 I was religious, and had a book of texts, 
 his heart warmed towards me. He in- 
 terested himself to get me a place. He 
 succeeded with the minister of a small 
 Baptist Church in the town. 
 
20i LISA LENA 
 
 CHAPTEK XII 
 
 SAEAH DAMPWELL's SACBIFICE 
 
 The Eeverend Eufus Damp well was a 
 thin, spare man, with a falcon's nose, 
 thin lips, a face with a broad full fore- 
 head above and ending in a peak at the 
 chin. There was a large crop of rugged 
 hair on his head; he wore spectacles with 
 very thick glasses, which showed how 
 short-sighted he was in earthly things, 
 however far his spiritual vision might 
 reach. It did reach pretty far, if one 
 might judge from his sermons, but when 
 men are penetrating the unknown they 
 often mistake mere shadows for far-off 
 
SAEAH DAMPWELL'S SACRIFICE 205 
 
 realities, and one can scarcely say 
 wKetlier Mr. Damp well was always 
 accurate in his spiritually telescopic 
 views. 
 
 Mrs. Damp well was a little woman, 
 slightly inclining to stoutness, with a 
 fat face, dark eyes and hair, a simper 
 always on her dimpling cheek. Although 
 generally suffering from indigestion, I 
 am bound to say she suffered from it in 
 a Christian spirit. It hurt her ^* chest," 
 but it did not touch her heart or sour her 
 tongue. Indigestion in America is rarely 
 so fortunate. 
 
 Mr. Dampwell was nervous, energetic, 
 and earnest. It was the cold-blooded 
 energy of the eel or the Hzard, but it was 
 zealous and sincere. When he got hold 
 of a sinner he stepped immediately to 
 the point, and so far as tongue and body 
 could emphasize speech he emphasized 
 
206 LISA LENA 
 
 it. And I say he was honest. It would 
 have heen very hard to imagine anything 
 making Mr. Damp well attractive. Yet 
 '* grace" — as he called it — and very 
 properly, I should say — made him a 
 kindly and generous man. People in 
 Jericho generally liked him, and even 
 his dyspeptic wife was loved by a few 
 gentle people. " Grace" certainly did not 
 do as much for his congregation as it did 
 for Mr. Dampwell. They plunged, but 
 did not seem to be much the better for 
 it. He went in for total immersion with- 
 out and cold water within, but if his 
 opinions were chilly they were real and 
 substantial. 
 
 Few of those who will read these pages 
 will be able to imagine what the life of 
 such a man as the Eeverend Mr. Damp- 
 well was in such a town as Jericho, at 
 the time I speak of, and perhaps even 
 
SAEAH DAMPWELL'S SACRIFICE 207 
 
 now. His house, a small one, was con- 
 sidered to be the property of the Church, 
 and therefore open in all its parts, even 
 the most intimate, to the visits and in- 
 spection of the reverend gentleman's 
 flock. There was a Mrs. Brisket, as 
 jovial a Baptist as one could conceive 
 of, whose face seemed to give the lie to 
 her strictly teetotal principles, so rubi- 
 cund and pulpy did it appear. It did 
 not matter at what hour of the day she 
 called, the moment I opened the door 
 to her energetic rat-tat-too with the 
 handle of her parasol she bounced into 
 the passage, and shouting — ^^ Where is 
 she ? " (alluding to my respected employer) 
 — dashed into the parlour as if to see 
 whether Mrs. Dampwell were engaged 
 in some worldly occupation, and thence 
 into the bedroom, thinking perhaps to 
 catch her trying to relieve her dyspepsia 
 
208 LISA LENA 
 
 "with a little brandy, or into the kitchen 
 to see whether the minister's wife was 
 indulging in some expensive delicacy. 
 Poor thing ! If Mrs. Dampwell suffered 
 from a weak stomach it was no wonder. 
 The minister was paid by his flock not 
 in money but in kind — that is to say, in 
 anything his ^^ people" cared to give. 
 There was a certain awkwardness in this 
 mode of paying a salary. In the Fall, 
 buckets of apples were the favourite gifts 
 — and plenty of old stringy pumpkins 
 came along, and rather advanced ^' green' 
 corn was delivered at our door, and if 
 a barrel of meal or of flour had become 
 at all mildewed it was apt to find its 
 way, with a flourish of trumpets, to our 
 poor house. I have seen the cellar 
 nearly filled with bad fruit, and Mr. 
 Dampwell obliged to put on his hat and 
 go round to one of his parishioners to 
 
SAEAH DAMPWELL'S SACRIFICE 209 
 
 borrow enough floui' for the next tea. 
 Sometimes in winter we nearly starved 
 for want of food. I have seen twenty 
 chickens hanging up at a warm time of 
 the year, and gently indicating in the 
 manner peculiar to all flesh that burial 
 had not with sufficient promptitude fol- 
 lowed on decease, and not a potato or 
 a vegetable in the house to dish up with 
 them. Occasionally matters went so far 
 that the good minister was driven to 
 make an announcement from the pulpit 
 in this way : — 
 
 *^ Dear Sisters and Brethren, — through 
 your kind benevolence my dear wife and 
 I have now, I reckon, about enough eggs, 
 if eggs was not perishable and we eat 
 nothing else, to last us till the end of 
 next month, and keep us in hoe-cake 
 
 VOL. I. p 
 
210 LISA LENA 
 
 for a year — but, my dear sisters and 
 brethren, there ain't even a handful of 
 meal in the barrel, and the cruse of 
 butter has nothing left in it for even a 
 cat to lick up. Let us hope that the 
 Lord will move the heart of some of 
 our good friends to keep the ministerial 
 mill a-grinding, for a mill won't grind 
 out much more than sand, unless it is 
 fed at the hopper." 
 
 Mr. Dampwell's costume and that of 
 his wife were not regulated by fashion 
 so much as by the chances of congre- 
 gational generosity. Mr. Slowcoach, one 
 of the deacons, a long thin man, nearly 
 six feet high, had a pair of black 
 pants which did not fit him — he sent 
 them to the minister. When the Keve- 
 rend Mr. Damp well went out into the 
 back-garden to saw wood, and took off 
 
SAEAH DAMPWELL'S SACRIFICE 211 
 
 his coat and waistcoat for the purpose, 
 these pants appeared to have been 
 ** hitched up" under his arms and yet 
 left a corrugated pile round his old 
 boots. These boots were a present from 
 Deacon Eidgeway, a vendor of ready- 
 made articles, and had been returned to 
 him by a customer who after some days' 
 wear had found they did more than much 
 of the land about Jericho would do — 
 raised corns. Mrs. Dampwell wore a 
 bombazine dress, which had been cast 
 off by Mrs. Crump, the wife of one of 
 our richest members. She also had a 
 jacket which Mrs. Brisket had put round 
 her one cold night when she saw her 
 about to go out into the shivering blast 
 with no wrapper but an old thin shawl. 
 
 Once I remember a box arriving from 
 the Eastern States, where there are 
 regular societies established for collect- 
 
212 LISA LENA 
 
 ing second-liand clothes to be sent to 
 "bretheren in the ministry" situated in 
 tbe neglected or poor Western districts. 
 By some providence Mr. Dampwell was 
 assigned one of these boxes. I never 
 laughed so much in my life as I did when 
 this was unpacked. Its arrival had been 
 bruited about, and several ladies of the 
 congregation came in to watch the 
 operation. 
 
 Eufus Dampwell, with his coat off, and 
 an axe in his hand, stood in the middle 
 of the kitchen glaring at the box through 
 his strong lenses. Mrs. Dampwell, with 
 her hand on her chest, tried to forget 
 the pain there, in the pleasure to come. 
 Mrs. Brisket, who had thrown off her 
 bonnet and shawl, talked and spun roimd 
 the room, removing everything visible, to 
 make room for the expected wonders 
 of the box. Miss Duckster, an old maid, 
 
SAEAH DAMP WELL'S SACRIFICE 213 
 
 with a pale, ghostlike face, and a very 
 sharp tongue, sat on a chair, without 
 using the back, her arms crossed, and her 
 keen eyes eagerly devouring the outside 
 of the package. 
 
 After considerable difficulty, Mr. Damp- 
 well, his brow moistened with agitation, 
 managed to get the edge of the big axe 
 under the cover and to display the con- 
 tents. 
 
 "Well," said Miss Duckster with a 
 sneer, as her eye darted under the rising 
 lid, "It's old noospapers and magazines, 
 to begin." 
 
 She w^as correct. Nearly a foot deep 
 of old religious newspapers, annuals, etc. 
 
 These the good Mr. Dampwell eagerly 
 caught up and placed under his glasses, 
 but there was a look of disappointment in 
 his face, as he carefully handed them out 
 to Mrs. Bouncer and his wife. 
 
214 LISA LENA 
 
 At lengtli he reached a stratum of 
 clothes. The first article which Mrs. 
 Bouncer darted on to open up was a 
 flannel petticoat for a child of six or 
 seven years of age, and the next a pair 
 of unmentionables for a little boy. 
 
 *^0h!" cried Miss Duckster, covering 
 her eyes with her hands, and turning 
 away. ^^ You ain't got no use for them, 
 I guess, Mrs. Dampwell." 
 
 The minister had glared at these 
 through his spectacles, and a smile flit- 
 ted across his face. 
 
 ^^ They'll just do for Mrs. Cantin's boy 
 and girl," said the minister's wife, catch- 
 ing at them, and looking them over. 
 '' I'm so glad." 
 
 Next came a second-hand great-coat, 
 made for some portly deacon of the East. 
 Encased in this Mr. Dampwell looked 
 like an umbrella stuck in a loose rug- 
 
SARAH DAMPWELL'S SACRIFICE 215 
 
 bundle, and even his wife could not help 
 laughing. 
 
 ^^We can give it to Peter," he said 
 calmly, referring to a stout EngHshman 
 who had turned up in Jericho in a state 
 of great poverty, and was living on 
 charity and chance jobs. 
 
 The next dive brought up an article 
 which made the ladies' eyes sparkle. It 
 was a lady's cloak, of cashmere, trimmed 
 with silk, and with some fur on it. The 
 lady who had parted with this had 
 evidently not done so until she had given 
 it every opportunity of using itself up — 
 but nevertheless it was, for Jericho, a 
 handsome thing. 
 
 Mrs. Brisket seized upon it, and tried 
 it on. 
 
 '' Well, I am thankful for that ! " cried 
 poor Mrs. Damp well, with a tear in her 
 eye. ''It will be so useful for night 
 meetings." 
 
216 LISA LENA 
 
 ^' My idea is it's too grand for, a 
 minister's wife," said Miss Duckster, 
 with a cold sneer. ^' It ain't right, Sarah 
 Dampwell, to be so stuck up with pride 
 with the cerement of the body. / never 
 saw a minister's wife so worldly as you 
 are. If you wear that there cloak, folks 
 won't know you — and it ain't no use 
 trying to do God's work dressed like a 
 wicked worldly woman." 
 
 '' Perhaps you're right, sister," said 
 Mrs. Dampwell with a sigh, turning her 
 eyes away from the attractive article. 
 " Perhaps you're right. It might scanda- 
 lize the friends, and God forbid I should 
 let my comfort be a cause of offence and 
 scandal." 
 
 ''Take it off, Mary," she said to Mrs. 
 Brisket, and she turned it inside out and 
 laid it down with just a little sigh. 
 
 ''Nonsense," cried Mr. Dampwell, for 
 
SAEAH DAMPWELL'S SACRIFICE 217 
 
 the first time in his Hfe showing a Httle 
 warmth. *^ It is a good gift, and one you 
 sadly needed, Sarah. You shall keep it 
 and wear it" — at the same time he drew 
 from the box a sofa-cushion. While the 
 two married ladies examined this with 
 cries of wonder, Miss Duckster stole to 
 the cloak, and threw it over her shoulders, 
 and was engaged in screwing her long 
 neck round, to try to see how it fitted 
 behind. 
 
 The box was soon emptied, and on the 
 whole, though there were some things 
 which pleased Kufus Dampwell mightily, 
 especially a copy of the *' Biblical 
 Dictionary," and a dozen pairs of warm 
 stockings which some sensible soul had 
 put in, very little came out of much 
 practical value. But nevertheless, that 
 night, at prayers, the good minister gave 
 very hearty thanks for the gift they had 
 
218 LISA LENA 
 
 received, and I thought he and Mrs. 
 Dampwell had never seemed to be so 
 human and so warm-blooded. 
 
 But the box was like Pandora's — it 
 was full of mischief. The very next day 
 was Sunday, and Mrs. Dampwell went to 
 meeting in the warm cloak. It was a 
 comfort to see her leaving the door. I 
 went with her. There was never any 
 cooking at Eufus Dampwell's on a 
 Sunday. 
 
 No sooner had we reached the 
 minister's pew than there was a buzz in 
 the congregation. Heads were put to- 
 gether — all eyes were on the minister's 
 wife — tongues were going. "When Eufus 
 Dampwell entered the pulpit the Con- 
 versation scarcely subsided. It was from 
 time to time renewed through the service. 
 Mrs. Dampwell's face was flushed. It 
 was evident she was not givmg that 
 
SAEAH DAMPWELL'S SACRIFICE 219 
 
 whole-souled attention to the services of 
 the day which was her wont. 
 
 The benediction had hardly been per- 
 formed when Mrs. Crump, whose husband^ 
 being the richest man in the congrega- 
 tion, almost controlled the place, leaned 
 over, and I could hear her say — 
 
 '^Well, Sarah Dampwell, I never would 
 have expected that you would do this ! " 
 
 '' Do what ? " said Mrs. Dampwell, 
 involuntarily, and flushing. She was 
 conscious that there was a little in- 
 sincerity in the answer. 
 
 " Set an example in the meeting-house 
 with a fashionable wrap like that. What 
 will the ungodly say ? " 
 
 This was only the beginning of it. 
 Deacons Eidgeway and Slowcoach waited, 
 by special request of their wives, on Eufus 
 Dampwell in the vestry, and asked him 
 how he could have permitted his wife to 
 
^220 LISA LENA 
 
 introduce this scandal into the congrega- 
 tion ? He listened meekly. 
 
 ^^ Brothers," he said, *^it was a gift 
 from people as good as you are ; why 
 should not my wife take the benefit 
 of it?" 
 
 *^ There ain't another such cloak in the 
 meeting," said Mr. Slowcoach. *^ It's 
 wicked and worldly." 
 
 ''Paul wore a cloak," said Mr. Damp- 
 well feebly, looking for some loophole of 
 escape. 
 
 '' It warn't trimmed with fur — it warn't 
 a worldly, fashionable garment — it warn't 
 made of handsome cloth and trimmed 
 with black silk," said the deacon. 
 
 ''I don't know anything about it — I 
 never saw Paul's cloak," rephed Mr. 
 Dampwell, with just a touch of uncon- 
 scious humour. 
 
 '' Kufus Dampwell!" cried Deacon 
 
SAEAH DAMPWELL'S SACRIFICE 221 
 
 Kidgeway, ^'the world is entering into 
 yonr heart. Satan is tempting yon with 
 this ontward adorning. Kemember the 
 divine threatenings against these things. 
 ' The Lord will take away the bravery of 
 their tinkling ornaments, the chains and 
 the bracelets and the mufflers, the 
 bonnets and the ornaments of the legs, 
 and the headbands, the changeable suits 
 of apparel, the mantles and the wimples 
 and the crisping pins, the glasses and the 
 fine linen, and the hoods and the veils; 
 and it shall come to pass that instead of 
 sweet smell there shall be stink; and 
 instead of a gii'dle a rent ; and instead of 
 well-set hair baldness; and instead of a 
 stomacher a girding of sackcloth.' " 
 
 The minister bowed his head. He 
 sadly took up his little sermon-case, and 
 came out and walked away with his wife 
 on his arm. They were followed down 
 
222 LISA LENA 
 
 the street with angry eyes and shaking 
 heads. Miss Duckster, who had been 
 the rounds and prepared the congregation 
 for the apparition of Mrs. Dampwell in 
 the w^orldly cloak, was still talking 
 vigorously from group to group. 
 
 We entered the minister's house very 
 sadly. Mrs. Dampwell threw off the 
 cloak, holding it in her hand a minute, 
 and looking at its tarnished handsome- 
 ness with an instant's admiration. Then 
 she threw it on a chair. 
 
 Neither husband nor wife had spoken. 
 He took her hand. 
 
 "It is very hard, dear Sarah," he said. 
 *^ But the Word is clear. ' Give none 
 offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the 
 Church of God.'" 
 
 "It is very hard," said Sarah Damp- 
 well, with a gulp. " The cloak is so com- 
 fortable; but, Eufus, if it gives offence, 
 I shall not wear it again." 
 
( 223 ) 
 
 CHAPTEE XIII 
 
 THE SPIRIT WILLING BUT THE FLESH VEEY 
 WEAK 
 
 My stay with the Eeverend Mr. Damp- 
 well and his good-natured wife was not 
 destined to be a long one ; and curiously 
 enough, the cause of my leaving was the 
 very one which would have been con- 
 ceived to be most Hkely to attach me 
 permanently to the family. 
 
 I had not been many months in 
 Jericho before it was visited with one of 
 those popular breezes which is called a 
 *^ revival." It is not for me to say a 
 word one w^ay or another about these 
 
224 LISA LENA 
 
 revivals. My relation to them is a very 
 simple one, and I state the imvarnished 
 facts. The reader will have seen that I 
 had had, for a young girl, some varied 
 experiences in religious ideas, and, in 
 truth, whatever other effect the peculiar 
 circumstances of my life had exerted on 
 my character, there was an undouhted 
 religious influence left upon me. My 
 association with the elder Mrs. Penny- 
 quick had softened me considerably, so 
 that I was at this time quite open to 
 religious impressions. 
 
 When the great revival swept in its 
 course across Illinois, leaping like a prairie 
 fire across the broad land, and from house 
 to house and town to town, it one day 
 reached Jericho. The Eeverend Eufus 
 had prayed for it — he had asked that ^^ the 
 heavens w^ould open and the floods 
 descend" — that ^^ the fire would quicken 
 
THE SPIRIT WILLING— THE FLESH WEAK 225 
 
 and the flame lick up the waters and 
 consume the sacrifice on the altar of 
 every heart in Jericho;" or ^'that the 
 south wind might blow — even the great 
 south wind : and energize the wilted and 
 dying souls of Jericho;" or ^^ that the 
 Spirit would come into the valley, even 
 among the dry bones, and quicken them, 
 that they might draw together bone to 
 bone, and the flesh come upon them, and 
 they shall live." Kufus was never very 
 particular about his grammar or his meta- 
 phors. And so earnest was Mr. Damp- 
 well, and so tremendous were these 
 metaphors, that the whole congregation, 
 forgetting poor Mrs. Dampwell's back- 
 sliding into worldliness about the cloak, 
 seemed to shiver under the minister's 
 prayers and exhortations. 
 
 And one day the answer came. Some 
 scoffed it, some welcomed it — but all were 
 
 VOL. I, Q 
 
226 LISA LENA 
 
 obliged to admit it was a reality. It 
 began by Miss Bella Crump, daughter of 
 the deacon, rising up while Mr. Dampwell 
 was describing a state of things elsewhere 
 I never liked to contemplate, and throw- 
 ing off her bonnet and shrieking at the 
 top of her voice — 
 
 '^Oh, ma, I'm took!" 
 
 Any one who has not been present at 
 one of these scenes can hardly imagine 
 what a thrill it sends through the heart. 
 The poor girl threw herself on her back, 
 and kicked and foamed, while people with 
 tears in their eyes and kind earnest voices 
 tried to comfort her, and Mr. Dampwell 
 gave out a hymn, 
 
 " Hark, a sound divides the sky," 
 
 or something like that. It was a terrific 
 hymn. The people jumped up and sang 
 it. A wild excitement broke out : women 
 went into hysterics, men dropped on 
 
THE SPIRIT WILLING— THE FLESH WEAK 227 
 
 their knees and groaned, children cried 
 with fright, and Mr. Dampwell, far above 
 it all in the wooden pulpit, looked at the 
 ceiling through his spectacles with an 
 expression of celestial thankfulness and 
 joy. I remember how it thrilled through 
 me. All ordinary life vanished away. I 
 was in presence for the time of nothing 
 but what a writer I have since read calls 
 ^'eternal verities" — Heaven and Hell 
 and God and the Devil seemed near 
 realities. My sensations were awful. I 
 will not try to describe them. At this 
 moment I cannot recall them with- 
 out shuddering, and without a strange 
 cuiiosity and doubt as to what they 
 meant. Cries, groans, shouts, were going 
 on around me, while those who could 
 keep theii' presence of mind went on 
 singing. When they had ceased there 
 was a silence of a minute or so, and then 
 
228 LISA LENA 
 
 came forth from all parts of the chm'ch a 
 terrible wail. People left their seats ; 
 some threw themselves on theii' knees 
 in the passages ; others went about 
 among them speaking to them, whisper- 
 ing words of warning or of comfort, or 
 listening to their confessions. Above it 
 all Eufus Dampwell, who felt that the 
 moment for which he had prayed so long 
 was come, spoke, pleaded, warned, with 
 a perfectly new inspiration of eloquence 
 and feehng. 
 
 While I was sobbing on my knees in 
 my pew, good Mrs. Dampwell came and 
 knelt beside me. I am not going to tell 
 what passed between iis. She was skilful 
 and tender, and I felt much happier when 
 she went away to some other person. 
 This scene lasted for many hours, and at 
 its close we returned home weary, and 
 threw ourselves dressed as we were on 
 
THE SPIRIT WILLING— THE FLESH WEAK 229 
 
 onr beds. The next day and the next 
 similar scenes went on, until at length by 
 sheer expenditure of force the excitement 
 died out. 
 
 Then Kufus Dampwell and liis two 
 brethren, one a Methodist and one a 
 Presbyterian, counted up their nets. And 
 among the fish then counted I was one. 
 
 And I was to be treated Hke a fish. 
 
 It was arranged that along with a 
 number of others who had resolved to 
 renounce their past ways, and live the new 
 life according to the Baptist model, I was 
 to be baptized. I was old enough to be- 
 come a member of the Church, in Mr. 
 Dampwell's ^dew, and he prepared me 
 for the ceremony of total immersion. 
 This ceremony had always struck me 
 with both terror and amusement. There 
 was no convenience in our little chapel 
 for its performance, and the wide, deep 
 
230 LISA LENA 
 
 creek, or what in England would be called 
 river, which, ran by Jericho was used for 
 the purpose. Mr. Dampwell, protected 
 by a pair of waterproof trousers, waded 
 out, leading the acolytes, and then stand- 
 ing out there with the person, man or 
 woman, generally clothed in a white 
 dress, in his arms, he threw the body 
 back, and brought it up again half- 
 drowned. On more than one occasion 
 I have seen Mr. Dampwell struggling 
 with a heavy woman or leaden-weighted 
 man, and I always thought the time 
 would come when some one would dis- 
 appear from his arms and never come up 
 again. No sooner, then, had Mrs. Damp- 
 well persuaded me that it was my duty 
 to prepare for this ceremony than, earnest 
 and real as at that time were my religious 
 convictions, I began to tremble. I could 
 not sleep. I felt the chill shudder go 
 
THE SPIRIT WILLING — THE FLESH WEAK 231 
 
 through me as I entered the water; I 
 felt myself suspended for a moment in 
 the not very muscular arms of the Kev. 
 Kufus Dampwell, with the stream running 
 and splashing rapidly past us ; I felt him 
 suddenly pitch me back into the cold 
 flood, the water came over me, he let me 
 go, and I fancied I could see him peering 
 through his thick glasses at the bubbling 
 surface in search of me, while I was sweep- 
 ing down in my white dress, under the 
 current. As each day brought me nearer 
 to the dread morning, my nervousness 
 increased. For awhile I suppressed these 
 apprehensions by reasoning with myself 
 about their wickedness ; but gradually 
 my fear got the better of arguments. I 
 told Mrs. Dampwell I could not go 
 through the ordeal. She represented to 
 me that this was a temptation of the 
 wicked one, and looking to what after- 
 
282 LISA LENA 
 
 wards happened to me, there was no want 
 of confirmation of her views. However 
 that may be, when I found myself almost 
 on the very brink of the river, that is the 
 day before that fixed for the ceremony, 
 at which half the population of Jericho 
 would have, as the French say, ^'as- 
 sisted," my resolution wholly broke down. 
 I went to the preliminary meeting with 
 Mrs. Dampwell; slipped out while she 
 was engaged in talking to some of the 
 other candidates, ran home, got my purse, 
 which had a few dollars in it, my best 
 boots, and an old warm coatee, which 
 had been given me by one of the ladies, 
 and crying heartily, for the kindness of 
 these good, though sober and stern 
 people, had greatly endeared them to me, 
 I struck off once more for myself in hfe. 
 There was a train which always passed 
 through Jericho at about nine o'clock at 
 
THE SPIRIT WILLING — THE FLESH WEAK 233 
 
 niglit. Creeping up quietly to tlie depot 
 and not showing myself, I slipped into 
 one of the carriages at the last moment 
 before the train started, and getting into 
 a corner, wrapped myself up in the old 
 cloak, and after crying silently for a time 
 I went to sleep. 
 
234 LISA LENA 
 
 CHAPTEE XIV 
 
 TIMBEKVILLE AND THE TEAPEZE 
 
 In American cars, I may explain for tlie 
 benefit of any Engiisli persons who have 
 not seen them, the seats are arranged in 
 long saloons, with reversible backs, so 
 that persons may sit two and two, facing 
 the engine, or a party of four may be 
 formed to face each other. I had crept 
 into the corner of the badly lighted car, 
 and had the seat to myself. The car was 
 pretty well filled, but most of the people 
 were nodding. No one was sitting on 
 the seat in front of me. 
 
 I slept, and the train veritably jogged 
 
TIMBEKVILLE AND THE TEAPEZE 235 
 
 on, for the first laying of the IHinois 
 Central Kailway was not of the steadiest 
 character. 
 
 I was awakened by a poke in my side 
 and a voice : 
 
 ^^ Your fare, miss, please ; where on 
 airth did you spring from ? I never seed 
 you come aboard ! " 
 
 I roused myself and looked at him. He 
 carried a lanthorn, which threw a light 
 on his face. He had seated himself 
 opposite me. 
 
 He was getting grey, but his face was 
 a kindly one, and his eye was bright and 
 gentle. I recognized at once my old 
 friend the conductor who had handed me 
 over to Farmer Mason. 
 
 ^^ Why ! " I cried out, dehghted. ^^ Don't 
 you know me ? " 
 
 He looked at me with a puzzled air, 
 but after running his keen eye over my 
 face, figure, and dress, he said — 
 
236 . LISA LENA 
 
 ^' No — dead beat. I reckon some mis- 
 take. Never seed you in this life, 111 
 swear, not to know it." 
 
 ^^ Yes, you did. Do you remember a 
 little girl you gave up to a man called 
 Mason?" 
 
 ^^ Jee — roo — sa — lem ! " be said, open- 
 ing bis eyes very wide, wbicb made me 
 laugb. ^'I guess I do. I never forgot 
 that little gal. Poor little thing. She 
 stuck to my heart, she was so lone Hke. 
 And you're the gal, eh ? Wal ! " he said, 
 holding up the lantborn and taking a 
 good look in my face, ^' and a spry-looking 
 gal, too; none the worse of the time 
 between, eh ? Du tell — why, this is 
 hunky ! " 
 
 He forgot all about his fare and laid 
 down his lantborn and asked me about 
 my history. I told ifc to him. He opened 
 his eyes and slapped his knee. 
 
TIMBERYILLE AND THE TRAPEZE 237 
 
 '^ Ah ! " he cried, when I told him 
 ahoiit the thrashings of Farmer Mason. 
 ^* I'd jist like to have my finger twisted 
 for three minutes in that theer fellow's 
 neck-cloth. I remember his long wilted 
 face and yeller eyes, the darned skunk." 
 
 When I told him about the baptism 
 and my running away, he laughed 
 heartily. 
 
 ^' I bein't much of a religionist," he 
 said, ^^ though my wife she is a Methody, 
 and does a power of praying on my behalf 
 — and I reckon I shall need it all. But 
 I never could a stood them hard shells — 
 too much for my stomach — soft shells is 
 bad enough. So you didn't like the dip, 
 eh ? He ! he ! " 
 
 He laughed in a choked, subdued sort 
 of way so as not to waken any one — 
 though the row the rattHng train was 
 making would have required a cachinna- 
 
238 LISA LENA 
 
 tion like that of Gargantua to make itself 
 lieard many feet away. 
 
 ''Now," he said, ''how much money 
 have you got ? " 
 
 I put my wretched little purse in his 
 hand, and he counted out three dollars 
 and eighty-five cents. 
 
 "Well," he said, "I can't exactly 
 cheat the company, and I can't take all 
 this money. It won't carry you far, 
 I reckon. I'll put you down at Timber- 
 ville. It's the biggest place for nigh a 
 hundred miles. I've a friend at the depot 
 — I'll speak to him about you — and you 
 can trust him to help you to find a place. 
 If you get into trouble there and want 
 to see me at any time, you just go to 
 him — his name's Smart, and smart he is, 
 too — and ask him to tell you when Jose- 
 phus Hookey' s turn comes, and I guess 
 he'U fix it for you to be there when I 
 
TIMBERVILLE AND THE TRAPEZE 239 
 
 pass. So, Sissy, keep up heart ; you've 
 got one friend any way ; and as for 
 Farmer Mason, if the devil don't catch 
 him before I do, I reckon I'll pay him up 
 that httle account you owe him for yer 
 board and lodging and them stripes he 
 scored upon your back, with interest till 
 date. By I will." 
 
 So at Timberville I was dropped in the 
 dead of the night, or the early morning, 
 and Josephus Hockey's friend Smart, a 
 tall, satm'nine man, duly took charge of 
 me, allowed me to sleep in the ladies' 
 room, gave me breakfast, and introduced 
 me to a registry in the town from which, 
 as helps were scarce, I was soon provided 
 with a situation. 
 
 Timberville, 111., was one of the largest 
 places I had ever been in ; and now 
 having obtained an employment in which 
 I had good pay and some liberty of 
 
240 LISA LENA 
 
 action, it was a pleasure to me, after I 
 had settled down, to make some acquain- 
 tance with life. The people I was with 
 w^ere wholly different from any of my 
 previous guardians and employers. The 
 husband was engaged on a newspaper, 
 and was often out late at nights ; and,, 
 though not an habitual drunkard as the 
 phrase is, he came home sometimes in 
 the condition called jovial, I suppose in 
 irony. She was a sharp little woman,, 
 rather good-looking, went out a good deal 
 to amusements and balls ; and as there 
 were no children, I had plenty of time to 
 myself, and was not by any means over- 
 worked. I soon formed acquaintances^ 
 among them that of a girl in the next 
 house, who called herself Miss Lily Edge. 
 This was a quick, active, intelligent little 
 brunette, about my own age, but not 
 by any means so grown or so strong as I. 
 
TIMBERVILLE AND THE TRAPEZE 241 
 
 But she had had an infinitely wider ex- 
 perience of the world. Already she had 
 her heanx, gave some regard to fashion- 
 able dressing, and knew all the amuse- 
 ments of the town. Her father had been 
 a horse-dealer, who had come to grief 
 and bolted, leaving his wife and daughter 
 absolutely nothing. However, they were 
 equal to their necessity. The mother 
 kept a small shop for stationery and little 
 knick-knacks ; and the daughter was help 
 at the house of a surgeon who had a 
 pretty good practice in Timberville. 
 
 Since I had left Jericho, my good feel- 
 ings had gradually been wearing away. 
 As I felt myself freed from the everlasting 
 oversight and scrutiny and rebukes of the 
 good people I had been with, I breathed 
 with a sense of relief, and was glad to get 
 rid of the serious thoughts which op- 
 pressed me. 
 
 VOL. I. R 
 
242 LISA LENA 
 
 Yet an influence remained. I said a 
 short prayer morning and evening, and 
 got out my Bogatsky and read the daily 
 portion, as Mrs. Penny quick had enjoined 
 on me ; and strange to say, wild and 
 bad as my life may have been, this habit 
 has been very rarely intermitted. It is 
 often so. Some of the wickedest men 
 I have ever met, men who had gone 
 through every experience of life, from the 
 gentleman of fashion to that of the lowest 
 servant, the regular '^ cad," have con- 
 fessed to me that they dared not go to 
 rest without a prayer. It is a very 
 curious phase of human nature, for the 
 inutility of a service which is so incon- 
 gruous with all the thoughts and acts 
 of life must often occur to those who 
 mechanically engage in it. However, I 
 now, and with singular rapidity, emanci- 
 pated myself from the thoughts and 
 
TIMBERVILLE AND THE TRAPEZE 243 
 
 opinions of so many years, and soon 
 dropped off from any association with 
 religions people. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Siirtees made no profes- 
 sion of religion at all, and left me to do 
 as I liked. Lily Edge and I, therefore, 
 formed a close friendship. I told her all 
 the story of my life. We exchanged con- 
 fidences; she enlightened me on a hun- 
 dred unknown subjects, made fun of my 
 religious ideas, introduced me to some of 
 her young friends, and gave me hints 
 about my dress. Young girls in our posi- 
 tion in the United States are not only 
 better paid, but in a much freer con- 
 dition, and I will add more respectable, 
 to use a favourite Enghsh word, than in 
 England, which will account for the 
 rapidity with which I began to mature. 
 
 Among the amusements which Lily 
 Edge held out to me as something too 
 
244 ■ LISA LENA 
 
 glorious to be described in language was 
 the Circus which annually visited Tim- 
 berville. It was not until the winter was 
 over and the spring had advanced that at 
 last the walls began to glow with brilliant 
 pictures of terrible animals, and curveting 
 horses, and airy and fairy women leaping 
 through hoops, and marvellous men in 
 marvellous costumes. The circus and 
 managerie was coming beyond a doubt. 
 
 Never shall I forget the first night I 
 spent in this place ! I went with Lily 
 Edge and Mr. Parbury, a dentist's lad,, 
 who affected her, and an admirer of my 
 own, named Eand, who served in a dry- 
 goods' store. Though I was good-looking, 
 I had not yet risen to have a beau among 
 the professions. Eand was a goose of a 
 very innocent disposition, and brimming 
 over with good-nature. He treated me 
 with great respect and generosity too. 
 
TDIBERYILLE AND THE TRAPEZE 245 
 
 As we aiiproached the great tent which 
 had been erected on a vacant space in 
 the suburbs of Timberville, a thrill went 
 through me when I heard a terrible noise 
 and was told it came from the lions. 
 Bunyan's two lions, in the book, had ever 
 dwelt in my fancy, and the awful bliss of 
 now at length seeing these creatures in 
 the flesh, and hearing their roars, trans- 
 ported me. When we got inside, and 
 saw the circle of the huge tent, the saw- 
 dust arena, the patent lights throwing 
 their radiance down over the whole 
 scene, the brilhantly coloured flags, the 
 cages with their various animals ranged 
 around, the lines upon lines of benches 
 ah'eady beginning to be filled by a motley 
 crowd, I felt that I had never before 
 known what pleasures life had in it, 
 and I abandoned myself to the most 
 ecstatic enjoyments. Lily, as an ex- 
 
246 LISA LENA 
 
 perienced person, partly repressed my 
 transports, and partly, in a patronizing 
 way, explained everything. But I did 
 not notice her manner. My delight 
 was ingenuous and overflowing. The 
 monkeys, the tigers, the poor ^' old bald- 
 headed eagle from the Nevada," the 
 laughing hyenas, the camels, the ele- 
 phant — all were equally delicious. 
 
 In going the rounds a very singular 
 thing happened. We were opposite the 
 cage which contained two magnificent 
 Bengal tigers, a male and female, the 
 male especially of great size. As we 
 were standing rather close to the cage 
 admiring them, the male suddenly sprang 
 across the cage, dashed against the bars, 
 and with one blow of his paw knocked 
 off the hat of my companion, Mr. Kand. 
 Had it struck a few inches lower down, 
 Mr. Eand would never have looked at a 
 
TIMBERYILLE AND THE TRAPEZE 247 
 
 tiger again. He uttered a shriek and fell 
 back. I was standing close beside him, 
 but as the tiger, who immediately dropped 
 on his four feet, gnashed with his teeth 
 against the bars, baying furiously and 
 glaring at the prostrate Kand, who 
 crawled off as fast as he could, I, fas- 
 cinated by the animal, stood firm and 
 stared at him with my large black eyes. 
 For an instant this seemed to infuriate 
 him the more, and then he stayed his 
 growls, smoothed his face, and, lying- 
 down, looked at me, with his tail moving 
 gently to and fro. The keeper of the 
 animals, a big, coarse man, had run up 
 at Eand's cry. 
 
 ^' Stand back," he cried to me, ^'you 
 are within reach of him." 
 
 I did not stir. My eye was still fixed 
 with strange fascination on those of the 
 tiger, which continued to watch me. 
 
248 LISA LENA 
 
 *^ Poor tiger," I said, and approacJiing 
 <3lose to the grill, lie rolled over, and 
 turning Ms head towards me, put his 
 j)aws through the bars and fawned on me 
 gently. 
 
 ^'Well," cried the man, while Lily 
 Edge, from a safe distance, besought me 
 to come away, ''I never saw anything 
 like that before. He's taken to you, 
 miss, sure enough." People were gather- 
 ing to see the odd sight, but the bell 
 rang for the circus performance to com- 
 mence, and after first stroking one of the 
 tiger's formidable paws, I went away. 
 
 Then came the scenes in the ring, the 
 girls in their gaudy and gauzy dresses, 
 with their light leaps, thek graceful ges- 
 tures, and I recalled all that the English- 
 man Shafto had told me. By-and-by, 
 when the feats in the ring were over, 
 and the attendants had raked down 
 
TIMBERVILLE AND THE TRAPEZE 249 
 
 the saw-dust, there was a hush in the 
 assemblage. 
 
 " What is it now ? " I asked. 
 
 '' Miss Zaza," said Band ; '' she's to fly 
 on that swing — they call it a trapeze." 
 
 As he spoke, the crowds of attendants 
 and fast young men of the town who 
 filled up the gangway between the ring 
 and the retiring places, suddenly opened, 
 and a young girl, dressed in a very slight 
 costume, with blue silk bodice and pants, 
 and Hght blue silk tights, tripped forward, 
 her hair flying behind her, and gracefully 
 curtsied to the audience. A rope with a 
 loop in it had been let down on a block ; 
 she placed one foot in it, and was lightly 
 liauled up till she reached the trapeze. 
 Seating herself on it, she disentangled 
 the rope from the bar, threw it down to 
 the man, and up on that dizzy height 
 poising herself on the bar, which moved 
 
250 LISA LENA 
 
 slightly, without holding on, she rubbed 
 her hands with her handkerchief, while 
 she looked smilingly round on the sea of 
 upturned faces below her. Then seizing 
 the ropes on either side she began to 
 swing gently. 
 
 We watched her breathlessly. Thirty 
 feet at least was the perilous distance 
 from that light bar with its wiry tackle 
 down to hard earth — thirty feet without 
 an obsfcacle between. 
 
 By-and-by the swing went briskly in 
 long, steady sweeps ; suddenly, without a 
 moment's notice, the girl turned over and 
 dropped on the bar with both hands. A 
 sob of terror went up from the audience. 
 She was swinging now only by the hands. 
 Again ! She threw up her legs over 
 the bar, spreading them wide, her two 
 feet caught at the corners, and then- 
 with a little cry she let go by the hands 
 
TIMBERVILLE AND THE TRAPEZE 251 
 
 and dropped backwards. I screamed out, 
 and the people around me laughed. I 
 looked again; she had crossed her arms 
 on her bosom, and was swinging there, 
 head down, her long hair waving to and 
 fro. Then, with a sudden movement, she 
 recovered the bar with her hands, dis- 
 entangled her feet, cast one leg over the 
 bar, and resumed her sitting posture, 
 coolly rubbing her palms again in the 
 handkerchief, while the tent rang with 
 acclamations. 
 
 Nothing had ever fascinated me so 
 much. There was an element of danger 
 and of the spirihiel in it, which went 
 home to something in my nature. I 
 thought I would give anything to be like 
 that. When the performance was over 
 and we were going away, I wanted to 
 linger and see this beautiful vision on the 
 ground. But the lights were turned out 
 
252 LISA LENA 
 
 almost immediately after, and we had to 
 leave. 
 
 That was another turning-point to my 
 life. I dreamed of Miss Zaza. I talked 
 about her with Lily Edge. I inoculated 
 her with my own craziness. Again and 
 again we went to the circus to watch the 
 girl's performances, until my stock of 
 money diminished to nothing. I man- 
 aged, by speaking to Mr. Charlemagne 
 Bunny, the somewhat surly manager of 
 the wild beasts, to get a sight of her, and 
 found that she was not by any means, 
 when seen in ordinary costume, a beauti- 
 ful angel. I asked him how she had 
 learned her -art and how long it took. 
 
 ^'Oh!" he said, ''two years. There's 
 nothing in it but a dare-devil brain and 
 an active body." 
 
 Lily and I talked this over. I was 
 possessed with an idea; and, after con- 
 
TIMBEEVILLE AND THE TRAPEZE 253 
 
 siderable thinking, resolved to carry it 
 out. There was a space at the back of 
 our houses for drying clothes. Some 
 strong jDosts were placed there. In- 
 credible as it may seem, Lily and I, 
 without any aid, and after many failures, 
 managed to rig up there, with some 
 strong hempen washing-line, and some 
 hickory broomstick handles, a couple of 
 trapezes, just high enough to enable us 
 to jump up and catch hold of them. The 
 lessons I had received from Shafto stood 
 me in good stead ; and there in the dusk, 
 when our people were out, Lily and I 
 used to meet. We began by practising 
 tm'novers on the bar ; and by dint of 
 recklessly exposing our necks to disloca- 
 tion, gradually and persistently worked 
 our way until we could perform some of 
 the tricks of Miss Zaza. I was the 
 stronger, but Lily was much quicker and 
 
254 LISA LENA 
 
 lighter, and she picked up the tricks with 
 wonderful celerity. We had many falls, 
 and many bumps, but nature seemed to 
 have formed us to fall easily, or taught us 
 instinctively how to do so, for only two 
 or three times did we tumble on our 
 heads, and no conscious harm came of it. 
 Doubtless the reader will say that from 
 my own evidence that is not to be won- 
 dered at. 
 
( 255 ) 
 
 CHAPTEE XV 
 
 I BECOME AN '^ ARTISTE " 
 
 It must not be supposed that Lily Edge 
 and I tiu'ned into clever gymnasts in a 
 week. Nearly a year had elapsed since 
 the last visit of '^ Lane's Grand Compo- 
 site Co-operative Circus and Menagerie " 
 before the walls of Timberville began 
 once more to grow gay with the gorgeous 
 placards of Mr. Lucius Brutus Lane. 
 Our pluck and resolution may be judged 
 of by this : we never missed an oppor- 
 tunity of practice. Most of our money, 
 moreover, went in buying cosmetics for 
 the skin, bandoline for the hair, washes 
 
256 LISA LENA 
 
 for the teeth, etc. We began to give 
 considerable attention to our persons. 
 Hard-working girls as we were, we tried 
 to soften our hands and render them 
 white, omitting to note that the very 
 exercises we were so constantly practising 
 tended to harden them and put them out 
 of shape. We were both nnder fifteen, 
 but our constant exercise, simple food, 
 and regular life — for we had now set 
 before us a high idea of our future, and 
 encouraged by cheap novels, which were 
 our only dissipation, Ave had visions of 
 the time when nobles and princes should 
 go on their knees to us, and crowds of 
 handsome men would seek our hands — I 
 say exercise and our regular life had 
 developed us, so that although we were 
 still in ''short frocks," we were big, 
 attractive-looking young girls. As soon 
 as I began to be possessed with the idea 
 
I BECOME AN " AETISTE " 257 
 
 of emulating Zaza, and to feel that I had 
 the power in me to do it, I dismissed my 
 cavalier, Eand, and Lily also sent off her 
 young gentleman, the surgeon's appren- 
 tice. Lily always behaved with perfect 
 discretion, and as for me, I was quite un- 
 sophisticated in notions of gallantry. All 
 my dreams then were pure dreams, thank 
 God, and brought no shadows with them. 
 
 So soon as Mr. Lane's Circus was 
 announced we laid our plans. We had 
 each bought a new dress and pretty hats, 
 and Lily's mother had given her some 
 cheap ornaments for the ears and bosom, 
 and had, at Lily's instance, also pre- 
 sented me with a similar set. She knew 
 nothing of our intentions, and I used to 
 feel some compunction about the deceit 
 we were going to practise on her. 
 
 Lane's Circus entered the town with 
 great pomp. There were triumj)hal cars, 
 
 VOL. I. S 
 
258 LISA LENA 
 
 ^'Arabian" steeds, the ^' coal-black mares 
 of Abyssinia," the " bevy of fairies " in 
 a large gilt gondola, etc., etc. On the 
 evening of its arrival we formed part 
 of the crowd that went to watch the 
 ^^reparations. As we were looking about, 
 Mr. Charlemagne Bunny, the lion and 
 tiger tamer, came along. He had his 
 big leather dog-whip in his hand. He 
 was a gentleman with a round brown 
 face, a round nose, a round chin, a round 
 mouth vvdth very thick lips, and round 
 eyes. His hair was very thick and black, 
 and stood out all over his head. On the 
 top of it, on one side, was perched a 
 beaver of what I believe is technically 
 termed by hatters the ^' bell " shape, I 
 suppose for the old-fashioned reason that 
 it does not remotely resemble any known 
 form of bell. He wore very '' loud " 
 trousers, of a plaid pattern, a little 
 
I BECOME AN " AHTISTE » 259 
 
 brownish-gray coatee with large horn 
 buttons, a black stock containing a pro- 
 digious cameo-pin, with a chain which 
 was attached to a smaller pin below it. 
 His vest w^as wide open at the bosom, 
 showing, around the stock, a vast ex- 
 panse "of shirt front, which this evening 
 was very ruffled and dirty ; and so were 
 his high collars, crumpled down on each 
 side of his shaven face. He strode along 
 with his nose in the air, if such a nose 
 ever could have such a thing said of it ! — 
 and nearly trod on us. 
 
 '^ Hallo ! " he said roughly, '' why don't 
 you get out of the way ? " 
 
 '' How do you do, Mr. Bunny? " 
 '^ Hallo!" he said again. ^^ Why, I 
 declare, this is the little tiger tamer ! 
 Beg pardon, ladies." He raised his hat. 
 *^ Old Tom is in awful tantrums. Can't 
 go near his cage. Can't say what is the 
 matter with him." 
 
260 LISA LENA 
 
 . He thought a mmiite. 
 
 '^ I say," he cried out at length. 
 *^Look here, miss, would you raind, just 
 to oblige me, coming to take a look at 
 
 him ? D him, he'll be the death of 
 
 me yet." 
 
 I assented. My heart beat high as I 
 followed the man. I was determined at 
 any risk to show my pluck. We entered 
 the enclosure, and approached a van 
 where a terrific movement and noise was 
 going on. Tom was certainly in one of 
 his '* tantrums." He was bounding from 
 
 side to side of his cage, pawing and 
 roaring and turning over. They had 
 
 separated him by a thick partition from 
 the female tiger, who was also making 
 
 an uncomfortable noise. Charlemagne 
 
 Bunny explained to me that he dared 
 
 not trust her with the infuriated brute. 
 
 When we reached the van, Bunny caused 
 
I BECOME AN " ARTISTE " 261 
 
 the front boards that covered up the 
 grill to be removed, and there was our 
 tiger Tom, his fangs disjDlayed, froth 
 dropping from his tongue, his eyes glaring, 
 his tail straight out behind him. No 
 sooner did he see Bunny than he made 
 a fiightful spring at the bars, and clung 
 to them with his paws. Bunny cut the 
 paws across with a lash of his dog- whip, 
 and the brute dropped on all fours, glaring 
 and growling, but by no means subdued. 
 
 ''Give me the whip!" I cried; and 
 snatching it out of Bunny's hand I ran 
 forward quite close to the cage, and 
 looking in the creature's eyes I held it up 
 threateningly. 
 
 The moment he saw me he ceased 
 growling, his tail dropped, his eyes began 
 to soften, a lassitude came over him, he 
 lay down with his head on his paws and 
 his eyes fixed on me. 
 
262 LISA LENA 
 
 Bunny was astounded. He called out 
 to me to be on my guard, and began 
 himself to come nearer the cage. The 
 tiger raised his head and growled savagely. 
 I did not take my eye off him, but I 
 begged the man to go back. One of the 
 brute's paws was hanging through the 
 bars within a foot of me. He could have 
 killed me with a stroke. At length I 
 ventured, as before, to caress the paw 
 with my hand. He moved his head 
 nearer the bars and his eyes nearly closed. 
 Then I put my hand through and rubbed 
 him behind the ears. His tail waved to 
 and fro for pleasure. He was thoroughly 
 happy. 
 
 *'Now," said Bunny, keeping at a 
 distance, *^ look at the ball of the foot 
 and see if there is a cut or a nail in it." 
 
 I examined the foot, which the brute 
 allowed me to do with perfect quietness^ 
 
I BECOME AN "ARTISTE" 263 
 
 and found that the claws had grown 
 round and entered the flesh, and that 
 there was a sore with some suppuration. 
 
 *'Now, miss," cried Charlemagne, who 
 had not many of the characteristics of 
 his namesake, ^^you stay there till I get 
 a rope and a board ; we must cut them 
 nails, or there will be the devil to pay." 
 
 In a few minutes he retm^ned with a 
 strong piece of fine tackle rope, and a 
 board and two assistants. The rope had 
 a noose in it. He handed it to me. 
 
 ^^ You slip that over the paw," he said. 
 I did so, and retired. In an instant the 
 rope was drawn, the tiger gave a tre- 
 mendous roar, made a bound and tried 
 to pull his paw through the bars. His 
 struggles were awful. It was of no use. 
 No one could have cut the poor brute's 
 claws in such circumstances. They gave 
 it up, and Old Tom lay down, licked his 
 
264 LISA LENA 
 
 paw, and looked reproacMully at me. I 
 again gradually drew near him, always 
 keeping my eye firmly fixed on his. 
 Some instinct seemed to tell me that I 
 had control of him. I took his foot and 
 extricated it from the rope, and as I 
 did it his great mouth came down on 
 my hand and he licked it gently with 
 his tongue. He let me draw the foot 
 through the bars. I soothed it with my 
 hands. 
 
 ^^ Now, sir!" I cried to Charlemagne, 
 ^' you bring the scissors and cut the claws. 
 I'll hold him." 
 
 Charlemagne's face was a picture. 
 
 ^' I see myself doin' it," he replied. 
 
 However, with a little further persua- 
 sion he approached, and I talked to the 
 tiger, soothing him. 
 
 He trembled when he saw Charlemagne, 
 but did not stir ; and I held the paw, while 
 
I BECOME AN " AETISTE " 265 
 
 the man, who knew his business very 
 well, dexterously cut with a pair of 
 powerful champagne scissors the formid- 
 able nails. When it was done Tom drew 
 his paw in, licked it, gave vent to his 
 satisfaction in guttural growls, and began 
 bounding about his cage. 
 
 ^' Well 1 " cried Mr. Charlemagne with 
 an oath, " you are a miracle — otherwise 
 a witch. Jest come along and try the 
 lions." 
 
 But the lions gave no heed to me what- 
 ever, and the curious thing was, that 
 though I afterwards travelled with mena- 
 geries, no wild animals ever showed the 
 respect and regard for me evinced by poor 
 Tom: I say '^ poor Tom," because he 
 afterwards eat up part of Mr. Charlemagne 
 Bunny, in Barnum's Museum, and was 
 shot for thus appeasing his natural 
 appetite. 
 
266 LISA LENA 
 
 The story of my success with the tiger 
 was of course soon over the company. 
 Zaza was not with them this time, and 
 they had no trapeze exhibition, and it 
 made a material difference to their recep- 
 tion. Of com'se this was in om- favom\ 
 
 The last day of the show had come. 
 Some of the company had already gone 
 on. The tents were being packed up, 
 and the main body of the caravan were 
 next day to take their journey towards 
 the Mississippi, intending to go by boat 
 to New Orleans. Neither Lily nor I had 
 had the courage as yet to moot the ques- 
 tion of our designs. The manager, Mr. 
 Lucius Brutus Lane, was living at a small 
 hotel near the menagerie, and in the 
 evening we two girls, with trembling and 
 anxious hearts, took our way thither. We 
 had firmly resolved to go with the com- 
 pany whether they would or no, and in 
 
I BECOME AN "AETISTE" 267 
 
 our hands were two little bnndles con-^ 
 taining all our worldly goods. Arrived at 
 the Union Hotel, we left our parcels out 
 in the stables, and entered the bar-room. 
 There Mr. Lucius Brutus Lane was sit- 
 ting in a corner, smoking a cigar, and 
 talking with Mr. Charlemagne Bunny, 
 and some other of his cronies. Among 
 them, I remember, was a big man, of 
 enormous strength, who practised as an 
 athlete for the company, named Heenan, 
 the very same person who afterwards had 
 the famous fight with Tom Sayers. 
 
 We stepped up to the group, who were 
 engaged over their cocktails, and as we 
 came forward Bunny said — 
 
 ^^Why, here's the little tiger-tamer 
 gal!" 
 
 Mr. Lane turned round and eyed me. 
 He was a coarse-featured man, of tremen- 
 dous shoulders, a deep chest, a large head,. 
 
^268 LISA LENA 
 
 with the long hair thrown back from a 
 forehead which would have given dignity 
 to a statesman. His eye was dark, and 
 small and sharp, and very bright. He had 
 bushy eyebrows, a hooked nose, large 
 nostrils, which moved freely, a big mouth 
 not ill-shaped, and a round but well- 
 formed and very decided chin. He wore 
 only a coat over a coloured shirt, without 
 a waistcoat, and loose pants. His great 
 brown hand hung over the back of the 
 chair. There were marks of dissipation 
 on this man's face, in his air and man- 
 ners, and in the fleshiness which was 
 beginning to show itself in his person, but 
 yet he was a remarkable character. I 
 saw a good deal of him afterwards, in 
 situations, of danger and crisis — and, as 
 the fighting men say, ^^he was always up 
 to time," and " up to the scratch." He 
 juled his company with firmness — and 
 
I BECOME AN "ARTISTE" 269^ 
 
 even Heenan, though he could have 
 knocked him to pieces, could not stand 
 the steady, cool fire of Mr. Lane's eye. 
 This eye was now fixed on me, and not 
 unkindly. 
 
 '' Well, miss ! " he said, ^^ you've never 
 had anything for hel^Ding to cut old Tom's 
 claws, have you ? Will you take a cock- 
 tail ? " 
 
 '' No, thank you, sir, I don't drink," I 
 said promptly. 
 
 *^ Eight, Sissy ! " cried Heenan, who 
 was smoking a short pipe, and looked at 
 me with some interest. ^^ You stick to 
 that and you'll do." 
 
 " Well, miss, if you won't have a cock- 
 tail, what can I do for you ? " 
 
 ^^If you please, sir," I replied, blush- 
 ing, '' my friend here, Miss Edge, and 
 me, we want to go into the company 
 business along with your circus." 
 
270 LISA LENA 
 
 ^^ Pshaw," cried Bunny rouglily, ^Hhe 
 gal's mad. That affair with Tom has 
 turned her head. Send them home to 
 iheir mothers." 
 
 ^* Charley," said Heenan, taking his 
 pipe out of his mouth and bringing his 
 massive knuckles down on the table with 
 a sharp rap, ^'you shut up your derned 
 jaw, and let the gals speak, do you hear : 
 what bisness is it o' yourn ? " 
 
 Charley turned as red as a turkey-cock, 
 but he thought it better not to retort on 
 his formidable friend. 
 
 '^ Now, Heenan," cried Lane, ^^ don't 
 be quarrelsome. Time enough for you to 
 stick up for the gal when she's hurt. 
 Why, what on airth could we do with 
 you, little 'un?" 
 
 '^ Oh, we can do a lot of tricks, like 
 Miss Zaza, on the swinging bars, and 
 turn summersets, and stand on our heads, 
 and do the drop, down ropes." 
 
I BECOME AN "ARTISTE" 271 
 
 ^'Yoii!" cried Mr. Laue, with an in- 
 credulous look. ''Who taught you all 
 this?" 
 
 '' We taught ourselves." 
 
 The men laughed. 
 
 '^ I reckon she'd find a difference be- 
 tween her and Zaza if she was to try," 
 observed Mr. Bunny. 
 
 '' Well, my dears," exclaimed Mr. Lane, 
 ' ' 5^ou take my breath away. Zaza's the 
 only woman in the world that can do 
 them tricks just now. Come here ; let's 
 look at your arm." 
 
 I bared my arm and he felt it. He did 
 the same for Lily. 
 
 '' Strong," he said, '' and good-looking. 
 You can jump, you say ? " 
 
 I turned and put my two hands on 
 Lily's shoulder and went over her head 
 in a twinkling. Then turning my back 
 to her, she performed the same feat. The 
 men laughed heartily. 
 
272 LISA LENA 
 
 '' My eye ! " cried Mr. Lane, 'Aplenty 
 of bounce and mnscle. Look here, 
 Bunny, go and ask Bill and Joe to rig 
 np a little round bar on two ropes from 
 a beam in the barn, and get two of the 
 cage lanthorns, and we'll see right away 
 what they are up to. Sit down, my 
 dears. Have you got any tights ? " 
 
 Lily and I had made ourselves flannel 
 suits for our exercises, which left us 
 freedom of the limbs. We had them on 
 under our dresses. 
 
 We remained talking to the men^ 
 Heenan asking a number of questions, 
 and we could see by their manner that 
 we had made a favourable impression. 
 Heenan, however, tried to dissuade us 
 from the undertaking. He told us we 
 were going in for a hard life, that we 
 should find it pretty rough, that there 
 were too many blackguards in it, and 
 
I BECOME AN " AKTISTE " 27^ 
 
 that for respectable girls like us it was 
 full of perils and temptations. He was 
 very cautious in thus talking to us, and, 
 happily or unhappily, we were too young 
 and unsophisticated to apprehend the 
 nature of the perils at which he hinted. 
 When he found we were resolved he 
 turned to Lane and said — 
 
 *' Well, they've made up their minds, 
 and they're gals — and when gals have 
 made up thek minds one way or another 
 it ain't man — nor God — nor the devil that 
 can alter them. Let's go and see what 
 they can do." 
 
 We went out to the barn, where a 
 rough swing had been rigged up from 
 a beam in the roof, and the bar hung 
 six feet fi'om the floor. Eetiring infco 
 a corner we sHpped off our over- clothes, 
 and appeared in a loose flannel gymnast 
 costume. Heenan's tall form towered 
 
 VOL. I. ^ T 
 
274 LISA LENA 
 
 Tip beside the bar bolding a lantborn, 
 while Bunny held another, and in the 
 circle of light thus formed hung the tra- 
 peze. With a bound I caught the bar 
 and swung myself over. Then I sat a 
 moment precisely as I had seen Zaza 
 sit, without holding on. Then putting 
 one leg over the bar and holding on 
 with both hands, I whirled round and 
 round a dozen times. 
 
 " Bravo ! " cried the men. 
 
 Then I suddenly threw myself back- 
 wards, only saving myself from being 
 dashed on the floor by catching the 
 corner of the trapeze with my feet. 
 
 ^^ This is the devil ! " exlaimed Heenan, 
 ^' I can't stand ifc. She'll break her neck." 
 
 ^^ No she won't," cried Lily, and she 
 leaped up beside me. 
 
 "We turned over together repeatedly. 
 Then, as a last trick, she stood upright 
 
I BECOME AN "ARTISTE" 275 
 
 on the bar ; I turned face downwards ^ 
 with my feet on her shoulders, and then 
 suddenly letting go with a cry, dropped 
 four feet at least, but catching on the 
 bar with my feet and ankles as before. 
 
 Heenan had dropped the lanthorn^ 
 smashing the glass, to catch me. He 
 thought I was done for. Even Lane 
 uttered an exclamation of horror. Heenan 
 put me on my feet on the floor. 
 
 ^^Why," I said, ^^ sir, you spoiled my 
 trick." 
 
 '' What ! did you do it on purpose ? " 
 
 '' Yes. I'U do it again." 
 
 ''No, no!" said Lane. ''Tricks like 
 those must be done on good tackle. I'm 
 not going to let you knock your brains 
 out on a barn floor. Here, take the 
 lanthorn and get on yom- things. I'll 
 see you over in the hotel presently." 
 
 "We dressed and cooled ourselves, and 
 
■276 LISA LENA 
 
 then went over. The men had been in 
 deep conversation. They ordered us 
 some lemonade. 
 
 *' Now," said Mr. Lane, '' air you two 
 derned fools bent on goin' on with this 
 bisiness ? " 
 
 ^^Yes." 
 
 ** And you have no father or mother ? " 
 
 ^' Not that I know of," I replied. Lily 
 said nothing. 
 
 ^'"Well," he said, '^ Mr. Heenan here 
 has been yom- friend, and we agree to 
 take you along with us. You'll travel 
 with the other gals. I can't tell you yet 
 how much you will get until I have seen 
 you operate on proper tackle, and you 
 will require a good deal of teaching yet. 
 That drop of yours, miss, is clever, but 
 if you go on doing it in that way, your 
 brains will go into a bran mash some of 
 these days. Meantime, I'll stand your 
 
I BECOME AN " AETISTE " 277 
 
 expenses, and if you're good g^ls you'll 
 make a good thing of it." 
 
 We both shook hands with him and 
 Heenan and Mr. Bunny, who, however, 
 seemed crusty and dissatisfied. He had 
 opposed our coming in. The incident 
 with the tiger had given rise to some 
 chaffing on the part of his companions, 
 who began to doubt his bravery. Tom 
 would never have chewed him up as he 
 afterwards did had he been at once gentle 
 and undaunted. 
 
 With joyous hearts we went to a huge 
 van, which was pointed out to us. There 
 three or four women lay about on clean 
 straw, with some coverlets, fast asleep. 
 They were to start at four in the morn- 
 ing, and had determined not to spend the 
 night in the hotel. As for us, we could 
 not sleep for delight, and we sat up in 
 the corner whispering to each other, 
 
278 LISA LENA 
 
 until the noise and movement around 
 showed that at length Mr. Lane's Grand 
 Composite Co-operative Circus and Mena- 
 gerie was about to leave Timberville for 
 New Orleans. 
 
 END OF VOL. I. 
 
 LONDON : PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOTVES AND SONS, LIMITED^ 
 STAJirOKD STUEET AND CHARING CROSS. 
 
WBONE&SOT