Mrs. George Cupples

“ I wonder why he is so different from Charles. Your brother is seldom cross with you, not even when you are cross with him."
"No," said Lizzie; "he is really a good kind boy; but I know somebody, not very far off, who is just as good and gentle as my brother Charles,—and that is yourself, you patient little puss."
"Oh, don't say that, Lizzie dear," said Caroline, with flushed cheeks. "I'm often hasty and ill-tempered, and make Herbert worse than he might be if I left him alone." ”

“ But whenever I look at it I am reminded, if revenge is sweet, it doesn't escape without something bitter too; and Miss Emma no doubt felt the same, because I left my mark for ever upon her soft white arm."
"Thank you, Polly," said Herbert. "I see the fairy is right in saying you have many useful lessons to teach; but I must now go and see what Mr. Cockatoo is about. I do hope he hasn't flown away, for Uncle James would never forgive me for letting him off, he thinks so much of his beautiful plumage." ”

“ Alfred is so different.'
"'Oh no,' said Vea quickly; 'I am only sorry that he was so naughty and required the punishment;' but, as if afraid she was condemning her brother, she added, 'Patrick has a warm, affectionate nature, aunt; if he could only get over his love of mischief he would be a dear, good boy.'
"'Well, my dear, we must try to help him to be good. Boys will be boys, however; though it is necessary to punish them sometimes, else they might get into serious disgrace. ”

“ Martha looked a little distressed at the idea of her kind father being considered cruel by the young lady, but she didn't know very well how to answer her. "Father doesn't mean to be cruel, miss," said Martha; "but he likes all the pigeons to be white; and if a blue one comes he shoots it. I will ask father not to shoot them, and perhaps he won't."
"Oh yes, please do ask him," replied Caroline; "and tell him if he only could catch them, and send them down to me, I would give him my new shilling papa gave me on my birth-day. Tell him to be sure and not to shoot them." ”

“ Here is a whole doll-village, church and all. Perhaps the boys don't care about seeing it; but then we must always be polite, and put in pictures to suit the girls. Well, I am sure the dolls who own all these fine houses must be very happy dolls indeed; and the little girl who owns the dolls, and, of course, the houses and the trees and the church into the bargain, must be the very happiest little girl in the world. She surely never cries, and is always good, and is a pattern to all her friends. ”

“ POOR POLLY.
"'Yes, Rachel, I heard her say that,' replied Polly; 'and I try to think about it; but oh! my step-mother would make anybody angry; and then my temper rises, and I speak out, and then I am beaten. I wouldn't mind that, however, if she would only beat me; but when I see her raise her hand to strike little Willie, who never [Pg 40] was angry in his life, but was always gentle and good—always, always.'
"'Is there anything I can do for you, little girl?' said Vea, stepping forward, forgetting for the time her own trouble while witnessing the distress of another. ”

“ Herbert was about to express his indignation, when Polly called out, "I'm shocked! leave the room! murder! oh dear! oh fie!"
"You may well say so, Polly," said Herbert. "I cannot understand how any one can kill one of God's creatures—more especially a girl."
That afternoon, when the children were busily engaged playing at blowing soap bubbles, Jane stole out into the garden, and crossed over to where Polly was sitting among the bushes. Of late Mrs. Polly had rather enjoyed being set at liberty, and, with Cockatoo, would sometimes defy the cat and her kittens. ”

“ It is not always convenient to get an old woman to assist at the 'turning of the heel;' and many parents cannot themselves knit—the last generation being sadly behind in this simple but useful art.
The present manual is intended for the benefit of those who already know a little about stocking-knitting, but who are not very sure of their own unassisted powers; and it will also prove serviceable to the teacher, as she may see at a glance how many stitches, etc., to cast on for the different sizes required by her pupils. ”

“ Poor Patrick! Aunt Mary has so often said he would need to get some severe lessons to make him think. She was always telling him that he would find out the path of transgressors is hard, instead of pleasant, as he seemed to fancy. I don't think there is such a miserable girl as I am in the world?' And here Vea began to cry. ”

“ They are out in the woods in their native state, and how they do screech and chatter. One has a green breast, with a mottled green and black back, with lovely blue feathers in its wings, and two long red ones in its tail; the other has a red breast and a red head, and, though very different, is quite as pretty. Of course, when they are at home in the woods, they cannot say, "Pretty Polly," or speak at all; it is only when they are caught and tamed that they become so clever. Only, I think they like being wild best. They can search for the food they like, and are free as the air. ”

“ But Herbert says, if we are very kind to the [Pg 94] animals, even although we do not understand their language exactly as he does, we will get to understand a different kind; and by the expression in their eye, and by their voice, will know when they are happy or sad. Now, you always kill every insect and fly you see."
"I really can't help killing them. I wonder why they were made at all," said Jane.
"But, Jane, do you never think how displeased God must be if you kill even a beetle?" ”

“ All day he has been very busy laying up a store of acorns in a hollow of a tree; for God has taught him to know that "winter, dreary winter, is coming, and that he must be active in the autumn, else he will starve when the snow comes. ”

“ The poor dog often looked up in her face as if to say, Are you being punished too? and then, while still looking at her, made little springs and barked, as if to encourage her to rise in rebellion and escape from her persecutors. He was really so droll that Caroline could not help laughing very heartily at him, and Herbert and her cousins were so glad when they heard it, [Pg 68] that they left off their game at once, and came over beside her.
"I say, Carry, do come and play," said Charlie; "we can't feel happy without you."
"It is very sad about the bird," said Harry. ”

“ Polly saying to the cockatoo, "Now, sir, if you sulk, Master Herbert will know what it's for."
"I say, Polly," said Herbert, "am I really to understand your language? Did you see the fairy too?"
"Oh yes, sir," replied Mrs. Polly. "I saw her, and heard what she said; and let me tell you, sir, it isn't every boy that receives such a reward; but you must have pleased the fairy Fauna, by being [Pg 19] kind to all the creatures, great and small. Yes, she has heard no doubt how you open the window, and put the bees and the blue-bottle flies out, instead of killing them. ”

“ I told him. And when he heard it, he called my step-mother some hard names; and then says he, "Are you the little girl young Dick helps when he has any spare time?" And when I answered "Yes," he says, "Well, then, give me the ropes and I'll help you, for Dick is away to-day." I couldn't help saying that dragging drift-wood wasn't fit work for a gentleman; but he just laughed, and said there were lots of people would be glad to know Patrick Berkley was so usefully employed.'
"'And did he drag the wood for you?' said Vea, the tears standing in her eyes. ”

“ I am glad to say there are no slaves in America now; and the overseer dare not use that great long whip to force them to work, as he did only a very few years ago. These men have been sent to tie up and whip one of the women, because she did not do as much work as the overseer thought she ought to have done. How glad the negroes must be now to think they cannot be whipped, or sold away from their children and homes ”

“ They were here interrupted by the appearance once more of Master Herbert, who brought a most tempting piece of cake in his hand. Going up to the cockatoo, he said, "I suppose I needn't offer you this, Cockatoo. You are determined not to be friends." The cockatoo put out his claw for it, and took it gently from Herbert's hand, who could not fail to see there was a marked difference in the bird's appearance.
"Good boy, good boy!" shrieked the gray parrot from her perch, quite forgetting she had promised never to speak the English language, in her eagerness to mark her approval of his conduct. ”

“ He is a kind brother really, and always seems to be able to do and say the right thing at the proper time; and as for being cross with Lizzie, he would sooner think of flying." [Pg 54]
"Well, we shall say nothing more about it, dear," said Caroline kindly. "All I have to say is, I'd rather have you for my brother, though Charlie is as good a boy as ever lived, I do think. Let us forget everything disagreeable to-day, as I am to leave home so soon. Oh dear! I was forgetting; I promised Daisy, my lamb, I would have a romp with her before dinner, and the bell will ring very soon!" ”

“ When these were ready, he turned to look at his patient, and bidding every one leave the hut but the two fishermen and Natilie, he shut the door against them himself, and secured it firmly.
"'Oh, please, doctor, let me stay,' Vea had said pitifully. 'I'm sure Patrick would like me to stay.'
"'I'm sure of that too,' said the doctor kindly; 'but you shall have plenty of nursing by-and-by: don't be afraid, I mean to engage you as my chief assistant. Meanwhile, my dear, trust me for knowing what is best for you and for your brother, and take yourself off to the beach there. ”

“ We lived close to the banks of a small river; and oh, it was so delightful, after plunging into the water, to keep shaking my plumage, until the greater portion of water was out, and then sit in the sun till I was quite dry! There were no men on our island, else I should have remembered seeing them; and nothing ever disturbed our slumbers, save the wild pigs that sometimes went about routing and grunting, or a cry from one of our band. ”

“ The little girls like to pay him a visit, for he is such a very funny bird. He is pure white, with such a lovely yellow crest; and when he is pleased, he makes it stand up on his head till you can see every feather quite distinctly. Unfortunately, when he does that he almost always gives a terribly loud screech, which forces you to put your hands to your ears to shut out the ugly sound. ”

“ To Herbert's great surprise, Caroline returned with a bright smiling face, and said nothing about the state she had found her garden in.
The next morning Caroline got up much earlier than her usual time for rising, but not so early as she intended, for there was a good deal [Pg 46] of hard work before her garden could be made neat again. Dressing herself quickly, she ran out, not even taking time to put on her bonnet, so eager was she to begin; when to her surprise, there was Herbert busy at work with a trowel smoothing the ground and propping up the earth round the crushed flowers. ”