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"Maggie," said Bessie, as she lay down again to wait till her sister was ready, "what was the name of that word you said?" "What,--'sponsibility?" "Yes, that's it; say it again." "Spons-er-bil-er-ty," said Maggie, slowly.
"Oh!" said Bessie, with a long breath, as if that word was almost too much for her, "what does it mean?" "It means something to do or to take care of." "Then when mamma put baby on the bed the other day, and told me to take care of her, was that a great spons-er-bil-er-ty?" "Yes," said Maggie.
"It's a nice word; isn't it, Maggie?" "Yes, but it is not so nice as happy circumstance." "Oh, that is very nice? What does that mean, Maggie?" "It means something very nice and pleasant. I'm going to say happy circumstance to some one to-day, if I get a chance."
"Whom are you going to say it to?" "I don't know yet; but I shall not say it to the boys, for they laugh at us when we say grown-up words. You may say it, Bessie, if you want to." "Oh, no," said Bessie, "I would not say your new words before you say them yourself; that would not be fair, and I would not do it for a hun...
While they were talking away, Maggie was putting on her clothes, and then Bessie got up; and by the time Jane came back, Maggie had nearly dressed her sister too. Jane called Maggie a good, helpful little girl, which pleased her very much, for she liked praise. After breakfast, as the children were standing on the porc...
"What for?" asked Jones. "Because you went so quick to send for our own doctor." "Deary me, that wasn't nothing," said Mr. Jones. "I'd ha' been a heathen if I hadn't." Maggie stood silent for a few moments, watching him, and then said, slowly, but very earnestly, "Mr. Jones, do you think Mrs. Jones is a very happy circ...
Mr. Jones looked at her for a moment as if he did not quite understand her, and then he smiled as he said, "Well, yes, I reckon I do; don't you?" "No, I _don't_," said Maggie. "What did make you marry her, Mr. Jones?" "Because I thought she would make me a good wife." [Illustration: Bessie at Sea Side. p. 152.]
"And does she?" "First-rate; don't you think she does?" "I don't know," said Maggie, "I don't like her very much; I like you a great deal better than I do her; I think you are a very nice man, Mr. Jones." "I guess I'm about of the same opinion about you," said Mr. Jones; "but what is the reason you don't like Mrs. Jone...
"Oh," said Maggie, "because she--she--does things. She makes me just as mad as a hop." "What things?" "She goes and has trundle-beds," said Maggie. Mr. Jones laughed out now as he said, "Oh, you haven't got over that trouble yet, eh? Well, what else does she do?"
"She said we could spare our baby, and we couldn't," said Maggie, angrily; "and she didn't want you to go send the message for our own doctor. I think she ought to be ashamed." "She didn't mean it," said Mr. Jones, coaxingly. "People ought not to say things they don't mean," said Maggie. "No more they oughtn't, but yet...
"And she said mamma took on," said Maggie, "and mamma would not do such a thing; mamma is a lady, and ladies do not take on." This seemed to amuse Mr. Jones more than anything else, and he laughed so loud and so long that Mrs. Jones came out to the kitchen door. "Sam'l," she called, "what are you making all that noise ...
"Now aint you just ashamed of yourself, Sam'l," said Mrs. Jones as she came up, "to be making all that hee-hawing, and poor Miss Bradford and that little sick lamb lying asleep? Do you want to wake 'em up? Is he laughing at you, Maggie?" Maggie hung her head, and looked as if she would like to run away. "I s'pose he's ...
In a few days the dear baby was quite well and bright again, while her little sisters thought they loved her more than ever, now that she had been spared to them when they had so much feared they were to lose her. XII. _MISS ADAMS._ Among the many pleasures which Maggie and Bessie Bradford enjoyed at Quam Beach, there ...
But there was staying at the hotel a lady who used to amaze Maggie and Bessie very much. Her name was Miss Adams. She was very tall and rather handsome, with bright, flashing black eyes, a beautiful color in her cheeks, and very white teeth. But she had a loud, rough voice and laugh, and a rude, wild manner, which was ...
When the baby was quite well again, Mr. and Mrs. Bradford took a drive of some miles, to spend the day with an old friend. They took only baby and nurse with them, and Maggie and Bessie went up to the hotel to stay with their grandmamma. It was a very warm day, and grandmamma called them indoors earlier than usual. But...
"Here, Thorn," said Miss Adams, "sit down here;" and she moved nearer to Bessie, sweeping down some of the shells and pictures with her skirts. Mr. Thorn obeyed, and Maggie whispered to Bessie, "Let's go away." Bessie said, "Yes;" and they began to gather up their treasures, Maggie stooping to pick up those which Miss ...
"Come now, Lovatt," said Miss Adams, "are you not ashamed to be pulling a young lady's hair?" "Oh!" said Maggie, astonished out of her shyness, "you did it yourself! I saw you." Miss Adams shook her fist at Maggie, and then gave a longer and harder pull at Bessie's hair. "When I tell you _to don't_, why _don't_ you don...
Miss Adams and the gentlemen set up a shout of laughter, and Mr. Lovatt, who was standing just behind Bessie, caught her up in his arms and held her high in the air. Now Bessie disliked Mr. Lovatt almost as much as she did Miss Adams. He was a great tease, and was always running after her and trying to kiss her. He had...
"Put me down!" screamed Bessie, furious with passion. "For shame, Lovatt!" said Mr. Thorn, and Mr. Lovatt looked for a moment as if he was going to put Bessie down; but Miss Adams laughed and said,-- "You are not going to let that little mite get the better of you? _Make_ her kiss you. Such airs!" Mr. Lovatt lowered th...
"Kiss me, and I'll let you go," said Mr. Lovatt. "I wont, I wont!" shrieked Bessie. "I'll tell my papa." "Your papa is far away," said Miss Adams. "I'll tell Colonel Yush!" gasped Bessie.
"Do you think I care a _rush_ for him?" said Mr. Lovatt, as he tried to take the kisses she would not give. Bessie screamed aloud, clinched one little hand in Mr. Lovatt's hair, and with the other struck with all her force upon the mouth that was so near her own. "Whew!" said Mr. Lovatt, as he quickly set Bessie upon h...
XIII. _BESSIE'S REPENTANCE._ Mrs. Stanton would have come sooner, but her visitors were just leaving when Maggie came in, and she did not quite understand at first how it was. Miss Ellery, a young lady who had been standing by, rushed into Mrs. Stanton's room after she carried Bessie in, and told her how the little gir...
"Oh, no!" sobbed the little girl, clinging about her grandmother's neck, "it isn't that, grandmamma; I don't care much if she did pull my hair; but oh, I was so wicked! I was in a passion again, and I was _so_ bad! I struck that man, I know I did. Jesus will be sorry, and he will be angry with me too. He will think tha...
"Bessie," she said, "why did Jesus come down from heaven and die on the cross?" "So our Father in heaven could forgive us," answered the child more quietly. "And do you not think that his precious blood is enough to wash away our great sins as well as those which we may think are smaller?" "Yes, grandmamma."
"Now, no sin is small in the eyes of a just and holy God, Bessie; but when he made such a great sacrifice for us, it was that he might be able to forgive _every one_ of our sins against him, if we are truly sorry for them. And he will surely do so, my darling, and help and love us still, if we ask him for the sake of t...
"Just as much, my precious one," said grandmamma, drawing her arms close about Bessie, and pressing her lips on the little curly head. Then Bessie raised her face and turned around in her grandmamma's lap. A very pale little face it was, and very weak and tired she looked; but she lay quite quiet now except for a long ...
"Just as I am thou wilt receive, Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve, Because thy promise I believe, O Lamb of God! I come. "Just as I am,--thy love unknown Has broken every barrier down; Now to be thine, yea, thine alone O Lamb of God! I come." When she had sung one verse, Maggie joined in, and Bessie lay listening...
"Yes, do," said Bessie, "and I'll give you half of mine." The child stopped crying when she had the nice stick of candy. James was very much pleased, and after that he was always glad to wait upon our little girls. He had just now heard the story of Bessie's trouble, for Miss Ellery had taken pains to spread it through...
"No fear, ma'am," said James. "You shall have it, if I make it myself;" and with a nod to the children, he went away. Bessie sat quiet in a corner of the sofa, still looking very grave. "Don't you feel happy now, Bessie?" said Maggie, creeping close to her, and putting her arm around her. "I am sure Jesus will forgive ...
"You was not half so bad as Miss Adams, if you did get into a passion," said Maggie, "and I don't believe he'll forgive her." "Oh, Maggie!" said Bessie. "Well, I don't believe she'll ask him." "Then I'll ask him," said Bessie.
"Now, Bessie, don't you do it!" "But I ought to ask him, if I want him to forgive me," said Bessie. "When we say 'Our Father in heaven,' we say 'Forgive us our sins as we forgive those that sin against us.' I think Miss Adams sinned against me a little bit; don't you, Maggie?" "No, I don't," said Maggie. "No little bit...
"_I_ sha'n't do it, I know," said Maggie. "I wish I was as tall as she is; no,--as tall as papa or Colonel Rush, and oh! wouldn't she get it then!" "What would you do?" asked Bessie. "I don't know,--something. Oh, yes! don't you know the pictures of Bluebeard's wives, where they're all hanging up by their hair? I'd jus...
"I don't care," said Maggie. "I'm going to say it." Just then James came back, and they forgot Miss Adams for a while. He brought a nice plate of toast and some butter. Grandmamma spread two pieces of toast and laid them on the little plates, and then went back again to the famous cupboard and brought out--oh, deliciou...
But the toast tasted so good with the guava jelly that Bessie eat the whole of hers and even asked for more, to grandma's great pleasure. When she brought it to her with some more jelly, she saw that Bessie had still some of the sweetmeats left on her plate. "Don't you like your jelly, dear?" she asked. "Yes, ma'am," s...
But now when she could not find Miss Adams, she went off to Mrs. Rush's room and told her and the colonel the whole story. The colonel was angry enough to please even Annie. He said so much, and grew so excited, that Mrs. Rush was sorry Annie had told him. He was far more displeased than he would have been with any ins...
In the afternoon the children asked their grandmother if they might go down upon the beach, but she said it was still too warm, and she did not wish Bessie to go out until the sun was down. "Grandma is going to take her nap now," said Aunt Annie; "suppose we go out on the piazza and have a store, and ask Lily and Graci...
"Oh, then we'll go," said Bessie. She did not feel afraid where the colonel was. "Are you going to sew with Mrs. Rush again?" asked Maggie. Aunt Annie laughed and pinched her cheeks, telling her not to be inquisitive. For the last few days Aunt Annie had always seemed to be sewing with Mrs. Rush, and they were very bus...
"Holloa!" said the colonel, "I forgot; come away from that drawer. I'm a nice man; can't keep my own secrets." Maggie was going to ask some questions; but the colonel began to talk about something else, and they both forgot the little cap. But they were very curious to know why Aunt Annie and Mrs. Rush were always whis...
Maggie went back with her to their little playmates, and in a few moments they were all as busy as bees. Maggie said Bessie must be store-keeper, for she knew she did not feel like running about. They had been playing but a little while, when Walter came up, and when he saw what they were doing, he said he would be a c...
Bessie stood quietly behind her counter, while the rest ran about after Maggie. She looked more pale and languid than usual that afternoon, as she always did when she had been tired or excited. All the soft pink color which had come into her cheek since she had been at Quam Beach was quite gone; it was no wonder that g...
"Come," said Miss Adams, holding out the parcel, "here are some sugar-plums for you; come, kiss me and make up." "I'll forgive you," said Bessie, gravely; "but I don't want the sugar-plums." "Oh, yes, you do!" said Miss Adams; "come and kiss me for them." "I don't kiss people for sugar-plums," said Bessie; "and I'm sur...
"Then come and kiss me without the sugar-plums." "No," said Bessie, "I'll shake hands with you, but I don't kiss people I don't like." "Oh!" said Miss Adams, "I suppose you keep all your kisses for your friend, the colonel." "Oh, no," answered Bessie, "a great many are for papa and mamma, and the yest of the people I l...
Miss Adams saw that the colonel was laughing behind his newspaper, and she was provoked. "And you don't like me, eh?" she said, sharply. "Don't you know it's very rude to tell a lady you don't like her, and wont kiss her?" Bessie opened her eyes very wide. "Are you a lady?" she asked, in a tone of great surprise. Mrs. ...
"A lady!" repeated Miss Adams; "what do you take me for? Don't you know a lady when you see one?" "Oh, yes," answered Bessie, innocently. "Mamma's a lady, and grandma and Aunt Annie and Mrs. Yush, and ever so many others." "And I'm not, eh?" said Miss Adams, angrily. Bessie did not answer, but peeped up under the colon...
Miss Adams was very angry. She would not have cared if she had been alone with Bessie; but she was provoked that she should tell her she was not a lady, before so many people, for two or three gentlemen had gathered near, and the colonel's amusement vexed her still more. "You don't call me a lady, eh?" said Miss Adams ...
"Nobody; I just knew it myself," said Bessie, drawing closer to the colonel, as Miss Adams came nearer to her. He threw down his paper, and put his hand over her shoulder. "You little impertinent!" said Miss Adams, "who made you a judge, I should like to know? Not a lady, indeed!" Poor Bessie! She would not say what sh...
The gentlemen who were standing by walked quickly away; Mrs. Rush looked frightened; Annie bent her head down on Gracie's shoulder, and shook with laughter; and the colonel reached his crutches and, rising, began to steady himself. Miss Adams stood silent a moment, and then began to speak in a voice almost choked with ...
But Miss Adams had never been so annoyed. She had no mother, or perhaps she would not have been so rough and unladylike; but she had had many a reproof from other people. Many a grave, elderly lady, and even some of her own age, had spoken, some kindly, some severely, upon the wild, boisterous manner in which she chose...
"Why, I had to, mamma; I didn't want to; but I couldn't _break the truth_; she asked me and asked me, so I had to." "Oh, my Bessie, my Bessie!" said mamma, with a low laugh, and then she held the little girl very close in her arms, and kissed her. Bessie nestled her head down on her mamma's bosom, and her mother held h...
"A letter from Uncle John!" said mamma, at the breakfast-table. "I hope Nellie is no worse. No, she is better; but the doctor has ordered sea air for her, and they all want to come here, if we can find room for them, either in this house or in the hotel." "The hotel is full, I know," said Mr. Bradford; "I do not think ...
So the next time Mrs. Jones came in with a plate full of hot cakes, she was asked if she could possibly take in Mr. Duncan's family. "Couldn't do it," she said. "If you didn't mind scroudging, I could give 'em one room; but two, I can't do it. I've plenty of beds, but no more rooms." Maggie and Bessie looked very much ...
"Oh, yes, well enough," said Mrs. Jones. "Didn't suppose you'd be willing to do that, York folks is so partickler." "We would be willing to do far more than that to accommodate our friends," said Mrs. Bradford, smiling. After a little more talk with Mrs. Jones, it was all settled; so mamma sat down to write to Uncle Jo...
"She meant to crowd." "I sha'n't take it for one of my words," said Maggie; "I don't think it sounds nice." "No," said mamma, laughing, "I do not think it is a very pretty word; crowd is much better." The children went out in the front porch, greatly pleased with the idea of having their Riverside friends with them. De...
"Maggie, if you was on the grass, what would you be?" "I don't know," said Maggie; "just Maggie Stanton Bradford, I suppose." "You'd be a grasshopper," said Bessie. Maggie stopped hopping to laugh. She thought this a very fine joke; and when, a moment after, her brothers came up to the house, she told them of Bessie's ...
Maggie sat down on the step by her sister. "Bessie," she said, "don't you think Mrs. Jones is very horrid, even if she does make us gingerbread men?" "Not very; I think she is a little horrid." "I do," said Maggie; "she talks so; she called papa and mamma 'York folks.'" "What does that mean?" asked Bessie.
"I don't know; something not nice, I'm sure." "Here comes papa," said Bessie; "we'll ask him. Papa, what did Mrs. Jones mean by York folks?" "She meant people from New York," said Mr. Bradford. "Then why don't she say that?" said Maggie; "it sounds better."
"Well, that is her way of talking," answered Mr. Bradford. "Do you think it a nice way, papa?" "Not very. I should be sorry to have you speak as she does; but you must remember that the people with whom she has lived are accustomed to talk in that way, and she does not know any better." "Then we'll teach her," said Mag...
"Indeed, you must do nothing of the kind," said Mr. Bradford, smiling at the idea of his shy Maggie teaching Mrs. Jones; "she would be very much offended." "Why, papa," said Bessie, "don't she like to do what is yight?" "Yes, so far as I can tell, she wishes to do right; but probably she thinks she speaks very well, an...
"Pretty well for such little girls," said papa. "Mrs. Jones laughs at us because she says we use such big words," said Maggie; "and Mr. Jones does too. They ought not to do it, when they don't know how to talk themselves. I like grown-up words, and I am going to say them, if they do laugh." "Well, there is no harm in t...
"Well, if Mrs. Jones thinks we are too particular about some things, we think she is not particular enough; so neither one thinks the other quite perfect." Maggie did not think this mended the matter at all. But just then the nurses came with the younger children, and after their father had played with them for a while...
When Mrs. Jones found how fond the children were of roast clams, she often had them for their breakfast or supper; but they never tasted so good as they did when they were cooked in the sand and eaten on the shore. One cool, bright afternoon, Mr. Bradford and Mr. Duncan went down to the beach for a walk. The children h...
Papa leaned forward and looked into the pool, and there he saw the thing Bessie thought so ugly. It was a small salt-water crab which had been left there by the tide. He was very black and had long, sprawling legs, spreading out in every direction. He lay quite still in the bottom of the pool, with his great eyes stari...
"Then I wont say it," said Bessie; "but when a thing looks--looks _that_ way, what shall I say?" "You might say ugly," said Mr. Bradford. "But, papa, sometimes a thing looks ugly, and not nasty. I think that animal looks ugly and nasty too." "Tell us of something that is ugly, but not nasty," said Uncle John.
Bessie looked very hard at her uncle. Now Mr. Duncan was not at all a handsome man. He had a pleasant, merry, good-natured face, but he was certainly no beauty. Bessie looked at him, and he looked back at her, with his eyes twinkling, and the corners of his mouth twitching with a smile, for he thought he knew what was ...
"But I want to know about 'nasty,'" said Bessie. "Is it saying bad grammar, like Mrs. Jones, to say it?" "Not exactly," said Mr. Bradford, "and you may say it when a thing is really nasty; but I think you often use it when there is no need. Perhaps this little fellow does look nasty as well as ugly; but the other day I...
"But, papa," said Bessie, "why did God make ugly things?" "Because he thought it best, Bessie. He made everything in the way which best fitted it for the purpose for which he intended it. This little crab lives under the sea, where he has a great many enemies, and where he has to find his food. With these round, starin...
"Yes," said Bessie, climbing on her father's knee as the crab tried to get out. "I didn't know he could pinch like that." "Or you would not have sat so quietly watching him, eh, Bessie?" said Uncle John. "Well, romp,"--to Maggie, as she rushed up to them, rosy and out of breath, and jumping upon the rock behind him, th...
"Maggie," said Bessie, "we must not say 'nasty.' Papa says it means what we do not mean, and it's unproper. Tell her about it, papa." "No," said papa, "we will not have another lecture now. By and by you may tell her. I think you can remember all I have said." "Now see, Maggie," said Uncle John, "you have hurt the crab...
"I think you are about right, Bessie; I guess we must let him go." So the next time the crab tried to come out of the pool, Uncle John put the stick by his claw, and when he took hold of it, lifted him out of the water and laid him on the sand. Away the crab scampered as fast as his long legs could carry him, moving in...
The tenth of August was Maggie's birthday. She would be seven years old, and on that day she was to have a party. At first, Mrs. Bradford had intended to have only twenty little children at this party, but there seemed some good reason for inviting this one and that one, until it was found that there were about thirty ...
Among those which Maggie had printed herself, was one to Colonel and Mrs. Rush. "What do you send them an invitation for?" said Fred. "They wont come. The colonel can't walk so far, and Mrs. Rush wont leave him." "Then they can send us a _refuse_," said Maggie. "I know the colonel can't come, but maybe Mrs. Rush will f...
They went to bed early, that, as Maggie said, "to-morrow might come soon," but they lay awake laughing and talking until nurse told them it was long past their usual bedtime, and they must go right to sleep. The next morning Bessie was the first to wake. She knew by the light that it was very early, not time to get up....
"Maggie, dear Maggie, wake up! Just see what somebody brought here!" Maggie stirred, and sleepily rubbed her eyes. "Wake up wide, Maggie! Only look! Did you ever see such a thing?" Maggie opened her eyes, and sat up beside Bessie. On the foot of the bed--one on Maggie's side, one on Bessie's--were two boxes. On each sa...
"Who did it, Bessie?" she said. "I don't know," said Bessie. "Mamma, I guess. I think they're for your birthday." "Why, so I s'pose it is!" said Maggie. "Why don't you come and take yours, Bessie?" "But it is not my birthday," said Bessie, creeping down to where her sister sat. "I don't believe somebody gave me one; bu...
"Bessie, if anybody did be so foolish as to give me two such beautiful dolls, do you think I'd keep them both myself, and not give you one? Indeed, I wouldn't. And even if they only gave me one, I'd let it be half yours, Bessie." Bessie put her arm about her sister's neck and kissed her, and then took up the other doll...
"Yes," said Bessie; "they are, and here's shoes and stockings, and oh! such a cunning parasol, and here's--oh, Maggie, here's the dear little cap that I saw in Mrs. Yush's drawer the day the colonel sent me to find his knife! Why, she must have done it!" "And look here, Bessie, at this dear little petticoat all 'broide...
"Soldier men can," said Bessie. "Don't you yemember how Colonel Yush told us he had to sew on his buttons? But I did not mean he made the dolly's clothes, only maybe he gave us the dolls, and Mrs. Yush and Aunt Annie made their things. Oh, here's another ni'-gown,--two ni'-gowns!" "Yes," said Maggie. "I was counting, a...
When this new excitement was over, Bessie put on her slippers and went for her present for Maggie. This was a little brown morocco work-bag, lined with blue silk, and fitted up with scissors, thimble, bodkin, and several other things. She gave it to her sister saying, "I make you many happy yeturns, dear Maggie." Then ...
"Indeed, then, Bessie was just right," said nurse. "Colonel Rush gave you the dolls, and his wife, with Miss Annie, made the clothes; and did you ever see dolls that had such a fittin' out? It was your mamma that bought the wagons and made the blankets." "We didn't see her," said Bessie. "No, but she did them when you ...
The children could scarcely keep still long enough to let nurse bathe and dress them; but at last it was done, and then the dolls were dressed, and the rest of the clothes put nicely away in the boxes. As soon as baby awoke, they were off to their mamma's room, scrambling up on the bed to show their treasures, and talk...
"Didn't you see or hear something last night?" asked mamma. Bessie looked at her mother for a minute, and then exclaimed, "Oh, yes, I do yemember, now! Maggie, last night I woke up and somebody was laughing, and I thought it was Aunt Annie; but when I opened my eyes, only mamma was there, and when I asked her where Aun...
"Do you like people to be mysterious, Bessie?" asked her father, laughing. "About dolls, I do, papa; but about some things, I don't." "What things?" "When they're going to say what they don't want me to hear, and they send me out of the yoom. I don't like that way of being mysteyious at all. It hurts children's feeling...
"What are these magnificent young ladies to be named?" asked Uncle John, at the breakfast-table. "Mine is to be Bessie Margaret Marion," said Maggie,--"after mamma and Bessie and Mrs. Rush." "Why, all your dolls are named Bessie," said Harry; "there are big Bessie and little Bessie and middling Bessie." "I don't care,"...
"And what is yours to be, Bessie?" "Margayet Colonel Hoyace Yush Byadford," said Bessie, trying very hard to pronounce her r's. The boys shouted and even the grown people laughed. "That is a regular boy's name,--all except the Margaret," said Fred, "and the Colonel is no name at all."
"It is," said Bessie,--"it is my own dear soldier's, and it is going to be my dolly's. You're bad to laugh at it, Fred." "Do not be vexed, my little girl," said her father. "Colonel is not a name; it is only a title given to a man because he commands a regiment of soldiers. Now young ladies do not command regiments, an...
"Oh, yes, mamma," said Maggie; "I have done nothing but think it was my birthday ever since I woke up. You know I could not forget it when every one was so kind and gave me such lots and lots of lovely things." "But have you remembered to thank God for letting you see another birthday, and for giving you all these kind...
"To thank God because he made Colonel Rush think of giving us such beautiful ones. Bessie said we ought to, but I thought God would not care to hear about such little things as that. Bessie said we asked every day for our daily bread; and dolls were a great deal better blessing than bread, so we ought to thank him. But...
"What, mamma?" "That you have been able, with God's help, to do so much towards conquering a very troublesome fault." "Oh, yes, mamma! and I do think God helped me to do that, for I asked him every night and morning, since I meddled with papa's inkstand. I mean, when I said, 'God bless,' when I came to 'make me a good ...
Then Mrs. Bradford knelt down with Maggie, and thanked God that he had spared her child's life, and given her so many blessings, and prayed that each year, as she grew older, she might be better and wiser, and live more to his glory and praise. "I am not quite careful yet, mamma," said Maggie, when they rose from their...
Maggie said this was the very best birthday she had ever had. The whole day seemed one long pleasure. She and Bessie walked over, with their father and Uncle John, to see Colonel and Mrs. Rush, leaving mamma, Aunt Helen, and Aunt Annie all helping Mrs. Jones to prepare for the evening. There were cakes and ice cream an...
"Then in sixty days you would be old ladies. How would you like that?" said Uncle John. "Not a bit," answered Maggie; "old ladies don't have half so much fun as children." "So you will be content with one birthday in a year?" "Yes, Uncle John."
"And you liked all your presents, Maggie?" asked the colonel. "Yes, sir, except only one." "And what was that?" "Mrs. Jones gave me a white _Canting_ flannel rabbit, with black silk for its nose, and red beads for its eyes. Idea of it! just as if I was a little girl, and I am seven! I told nurse if baby wanted it, she ...
The colonel and Uncle John seemed very much amused when Maggie said this, but her father looked rather grave, though he said nothing. "Colonel Yush," said Bessie, "you didn't send me a yefuse." "A what?" "A yefuse to our party note."
"Oh, I understand. Did you want me to refuse?" "Oh, no, we didn't _want_ you to; but then we knew you couldn't come, because you are so lame." "Will it do if you get an answer to-night?" said the colonel. Bessie said that would do very well.
When they were going home, Mr. Bradford fell a little behind the rest, and called Maggie to him. "Maggie, dear," he said, "I do not want to find fault with my little girl on her birthday, but I do not think you feel very pleasantly towards Mrs. Jones." "No, papa, I do not; I can't bear her; and the make-believe rabbit ...
"Then we will not call her poor if she does not like it," said Mr. Bradford; "but Mrs. Jones is a kind-hearted woman, if she is a little rough sometimes. She tries very hard to please you. Late last night, I went into her kitchen to speak to Mr. Jones, and there she sat making that rabbit, although she had been hard at...
"Suppose he had told other people that he didn't like work done in that way, and was not going to be grateful for it?" Maggie hung her head, and looked ashamed. She saw now how unkindly she had felt and acted towards Mrs. Jones. Mr. Bradford went on: "I think Mrs. Jones was hurt this morning, Maggie. Now, I am sure you...
"No, of course you must not. Truth before all things. But you might play with it a little, and not put it out of sight, as you did this morning. Perhaps, too, you may find a chance to thank her in a pleasanter way than you did before." "I'll make a chance," said Maggie. When they reached the house, Maggie ran up to the...
"Please give it to me," said Maggie; "I'm going to cure Mrs. Jones' feelings." Nurse handed it to her, and she ran down stairs with it. She took her doll out of the little wagon, put the rabbit in its place, and tucked the affghan all round it. Then she ran into the kitchen, pulling the wagon after her. "Now, come," sa...
"Well, do you know?" said Mrs. Jones. "I declare I thought you didn't care nothing about it,--and me sitting up late last night to make it. I was a little put out when you seemed to take it so cool like, and I thought you were stuck up with all the handsome presents you'd been getting. That wasn't nothing alongside of ...