Amy Ella Blanchard

“ She ran forward as fast as her legs would carry her and sure enough the gate was open and beyond it smiled such a garden as Cassy had never [Pg 20] before seen. Tulips, red and yellow, flaunted themselves in their little round beds, daffodils nodded sunnily from the borders, primroses and pansies, flowering bush and early shrub were all in bloom. Cassy drew a long breath of delight. Was ever anything ever so beautiful? Her eager little face was bent forward and her big eyes were taking in the whole scene when the gardener came out trundling his wheelbarrow. ”

“ Rock heard her, and speaking over his shoulder said: “The greenhouses will have to be built, Cassy. There is room enough for them, as you’ll see. Look right ahead through those trees and you will see the cottage.”
“Come,” cried Eleanor, catching Cassy by the hand, “let’s get there first.” They ran ahead through the crisp brown leaves and stood panting on the porch, that porch of which they had talked, and to which still clung the morning-glory vines now withered and dry, but showing rustling seed pods. ”

“ Mrs. Law laughed again. “That’s a funny name for a dog.”
“Well, you know, they are shaggy like he is. Mr. McClure showed me a picture of them, and doggie is a kind of blue.”
“So he is. I think he is what they call a Skye-terrier, but I wouldn’t name him if I were you, for we have found a good home for him in the country.”
“Oh!” The tears sprang to Cassy’s eyes. “Jerry will be so sorry; he loves the dear little fellow.”
“I know he does, and I wish we could keep him, but you know, dear, the little milk he drinks is more than we can afford, and as he gets bigger he will require more.” ”

“ Behind the hedge which ran along one side the lawn Cassy could see John’s broad back and she ran down the graveled path towards him.
“What do you think?” she cried. “What do you think? News! News!”
Jerry dropped the trowel he was holding and John straightened himself up.
“What is it?” asked the latter. “Has your family of spiders come forth from that fuzzy ball you have been watching so long, or has your pet mouse learned to dance?”
Cassy laughed.
“No, better than that. The railroad people have paid mother; but——” she looked at Jerry, “we’re not rich at all. ”

“ But Bubbles threw up her hands and brought them together with a shout of delight. It was just the kind of sensation that she enjoyed.
“Ne’min’, Miss Cassy,” she said. “I reckons hit’s a good thing fo’ Miss Mouse she git away, fur de kitten mought git her.”
“Let’s make a house for the hen,” said Rock to Jerry who had followed up Rock and now had returned to see what all this fun was about.
“All right,” said Jerry, glad for some excuse to exercise his energies. “I’m going to keep the puppy right with me all the time. I tell you, he is a dandy. I am awfully glad to have him.” ”

“ Then the four visitors ran out, leaving Jerry and Cassy to wonder what was coming next.
They were so happy over all these delightful new things that as soon as the other children disappeared they hugged each other and danced up and down repeating in a singsong: “We’ve got a new home! We’ve got a new home!” for the want of something better to do and finding no other way to give vent to their feelings.
“It’s five minutes,” said Jerry, looking at his new watch. “Come on,” and they ran out to the stable, but, before they reached it, out came Rock bearing a Skye-terrier puppy in his arms. ”

“ Dallas. “They are both Rock’s now, although Flora used to be mine when I was a little girl, so naturally she is much older than Marcus. Rock was always fonder of his own doll when he was a little fellow. He used to say he felt more at home with him. You know where the piece bag is, Eleanor, and if you want to make doll’s clothes you can help yourselves. You don’t have to call the doll Flora if you’d rather name her something else,” she said, smiling down at Cassy, and holding the doll of her childish days affectionately. ”

“ The arbor vitæ hedge alone kept its green, and as Cassy stood looking at the wisps of straw which covered the rose-bushes, she told herself that she really felt less sorry to leave than she had ever thought she could. The prospect of that other garden near to Eleanor and to May Garland, that cottage which overlooked a shining strip of river, and in sight of which were the purple hills, all this made [Pg 212] her feel that she was to gain more than she was to lose. ”

“ You couldn’t have as nice a one as my Uncle John if you tried. Uncle John, Uncle John; how nice that sounds. What will Rock say? And Eleanor, and oh dear, there’s so much I haven’t heard about yet. I wish they’d hurry up and tell me. I wish little girls could hear every blessed thing that grown people talk about. I wonder if my mouse is at home. ”

“ Only once more did Cassy see Eleanor before she returned home after her Easter holiday, and that was one afternoon, which added another red letter day to Cassy’s calendar. Looking over the top of her geranium she saw standing before the door a shining carriage drawn by a pair of glossy bay horses, and presently she heard footsteps approaching the top floor, and then some one knocked. Cassy opened the door and there stood Eleanor.
“I have come to take you to drive,” she said. “It is such a nice afternoon to go to the park. Can you go?” ”

“ The man laughed.
“No, pesky things; they grow so fast that they’d get the best of me in no time; though, [Pg 22] now I think of it, there were some by the kitchen door last year. The cook planted them, and I guess they’ll come up again this summer too plentiful for my use. Do you like ’em, sis?”
“I never saw any,” Cassy told him. “But I want to.”
She turned away as the gardener made ready to shut the gate, and all the way home she had scarcely a word to say. “It was like the garden of Eden,” she said under her breath once.
“I think he might have given us some flowers,” said Jerry. ”

“ To be free to wander in that enchanting garden; to hear a cool breeze whispering in the leafy tops of the trees; and when it was stifling hot in the streets to be able to sit on a porch overlooking a green lawn; to help John to weed and to water the flowers; to learn from him all sorts of useful things concerning plants; to watch the morning-glories open and shut in the morning, and the moon-flowers at night; all this was like a beautiful dream, and Cassy wished the summer would never come to an end. She dreaded the probable removal back to Orchard Street, next door to the parrot and old Mrs. ”

“ Cassy shook her head.
“You’re a sly little lad,” he said, pinching Jerry’s ear. “I thought that was what you came for.”
“I thought it was just to see the flowers,” said Cassy.
“You can do that, too, but we’ll pick out yours first. I slipped a lot of geraniums a while ago; they’re easy cared for and are good bloomers; no trouble if you give them a sunny window and a little water. Now then.” He stopped before a row of potted geraniums already showing their gay blooms of red and pink. “Take your pick,” he said.
“Oh!” Cassy crouched down and looked lovingly from one to the other. ”

“ Mother likes it up where we are because it is nearer the sky, and there is no one above us.”
“Sensible woman,” said John, nodding approvingly.
“And you’ve no yard? Well, you can plant the seeds in a box on the window-sill, unless you like to have a garden in the common yard.”
“Oh, we can’t. Billy Miles won’t let us.” And Cassy told the story of her treasured morning-glory, and of its destruction. Rock and John listened gravely. “And I was so sorry,” said Cassy, “for I had always wanted to see a morning-glory, because mother tells how they grew over our porch where we used to live. ”

“ Law is very proud and it wouldn’t do to seem to patronize them. I wish you’d think about it, and see if you can’t get up some nice plan to put them where they belong.”
So Mrs. Dallas had put on her thinking cap, and when little Eleanor Dallas came to spend Easter at her uncle’s house, Mrs. Dallas said to Rock: “How would it do to ask your little friend Cassy Law, to come and play with Eleanor? If she is as well-behaved as you say, I should think we might ask her. You know what a good-hearted child Eleanor is and I am sure she will like to have a little girl to spend the day with her. ”

“ Dallas told her husband, “but she is a little lady and her mother must be one. I am very much interested in them.”
“So am I, Uncle Heath,” Eleanor said, “and I think it is a dreadful shame that Cassy’s father died of that accident, and that they have never had any money from the railroad people. Jerry says they ought to, and that his mother was advised to—to—what is it they do to railroads to get money?”
“You mean sue them?”
“Oh, yes, that’s it. I knew it was a girl’s name. They ought to have done that, but Mrs. Law hadn’t the money to get a lawyer, and railroads are hard to fight, Jerry says. ”

“ Jerry replied. “I reckon I wouldn’t either, if I were you.”
“Never mind, old fellow,” Rock went on, “you’ll be twice the man for it. I tell you when a fellow shows what he is willing to do and that he isn’t going to shirk, it goes a great way. John McClure told father about your insisting upon doing something to pay for that little measly geranium you got for Cassy, and ever since then father’s been keen to see to this business of your mother’s. John McClure is a fine man. Father says he is one of the most intelligent fellows he knows. ”

“ Can’t we walk around that way now? It won’t take us long and it’s so much nicer than the other way.”
“I don’t know why,” said Jerry. “Brick walls ain’t so awful pretty.”
“No, but the trees are getting green; little bits of baby leaves are coming out on them and we can see them above the wall. Let us go that way.”
“All right,” agreed Jerry.
They trotted along till the brick wall was reached and then Cassy exclaimed excitedly: “Oh, Jerry, I believe the gate is open; there is a man there with a wheelbarrow. Oh, do hurry.” ”

“ Now it showed only green leaves, but Cassy’s thoughts were busy in thinking of the lilies which had been and wondering whether they were now alive in another world.
Suddenly the twelve o’clock whistles blew shrilly and the little girl jumped down from her chair.
“There, Flora,” she said, “it is twelve o’clock [Pg 127] and Jerry will be home soon, and there’ll be no dinner for him unless I get it. I wonder if I can. Mother said she couldn’t tell when she’d be back, so I’ll have to do the best I can, for Jerry will be so hungry; he always is on Saturdays. I will see what there is in the safe.” ”

“ Cassy looked at Jerry.
“You might tell us just a little bit, only enough to make it interesting,” Jerry decided.
“Well, we are going to look at a house. You know we can’t stay here forever.”
The children looked at each other with dancing eyes.
“I am wild to know more, but I’ll not ask,” said Cassy. “It is too exciting for anything. ”

“ I am so [Pg 82] glad. I wish he would come back so we could tell him,” for after his farewell to the puppy, Jerry had not seen fit to remain within sight and hearing of him. “I don’t feel so bad about losing the dear doggie now,” Cassy went on to say. “I must tell Miss Morning-Glory about it!”
She had not told her brother about this new friend, for Jerry was of too practical a turn to appreciate the fancy, and Cassy had asked her mother not to tell him. “You understand, mother,” she said, “’cause mothers always can understand better than boys, and I don’t want Jerry to laugh at me. ”

“ What have you been doing to yourself?”
“I’ve been trying to make a fire and it won’t burn.” Cassy’s voice was full of tears. “And I can’t get this splinter out, and I cut myself trying to make kindling.”
“You poor little girl! you have had trouble of your own. Here, let me see. I’ll get that splinter out, and tie up that thumb properly, and make the fire, too. Are you here all alone?”
“Yes, you know Jerry has his market errands to do, and I wanted to have dinner ready by the time he came.”
“Poor little girl,” Rock repeated. “First get me a fine needle and I’ll see about that splinter. ”

“ Cassy remarked fervently.
“Father would like to build a little house in the corner of the garden for John, but he says, no, he has no one to keep house for him and that [Pg 139] some day he will have a place of his own; I think he means to be a florist and have greenhouses and such things; he reads about gardens and plants, and all that sort of thing, all the time.”
“I should think that would be the finest business,” said Jerry. “I tell you flowers sell for a big price sometimes.” ”

“ She thought it might be great fun to be a robin and go flying, flying among the trees. They did seem to be enjoying themselves so much that the little girl felt sorry that the cherries must be picked, and they be left without any, but she remembered that the cherries would not last very long anyhow, and that the robins would have their share first. Up and down the [Pg 153] lawn John went, while Cassy sat on the step and watched him and the robins, and gazed at the garden before her. ”

“ Are you tired, you poor mother, sitting here stitching, stitching all day long? If I could only have brought you a piece of that pie.”
“Do you think that would have rested me? I am not so very tired, for this is only Monday, you know.” ”