Catharine Shaw

“ I am very glad."
"I'm glad," responded Evan heartily. "I never thought how nice it would be to have the Lord Jesus for my very own Saviour."
So the last cloud rolled from Lucia's heart, and that day, as she sat on her favourite wall at the edge of the wood to watch the sunset, she could not but think over the past, and thank God for His kindness in saving her from herself.
When the children were all in bed that night, she wrote to her cousins a brighter letter than she had been able to frame before. ”

“ May looked surprised at his tone, and said eagerly, "You've never asked what I am going to get—something that will do for us all! I would not say a word till Lucia said we might, and she was so long in that shop that I could not ask her. But she likes it very much, and you can't possibly guess what it is."
"I don't particularly want to," said Evan, full of his own plans, and not interested in hers. "It's sure to be some girl's stuff or other; nothing that boys care about."
Barbara laughed gleefully. "Much he knows, does he, May?" she said. ”

“ If only her mother had proposed that she should bring home Emmie or Phyllis with her as a companion, it would not have been so bad. But to be shut up in a cottage with nurse and five tiresome children—
And then the quiet face of her aunt's housekeeper rose up before her mental vision, and she could almost hear her say, "Dear Miss Lucia, it makes all the difference if we love to do the Lord's will, and not our own. His will is always kindest and best." ”

“ Lucia and nurse promised to walk with them, Barbara was to hold the reins, while May and Evan were to take the first turn of walking, it having been agreed that Neddy certainly should not be asked to pull more than two grown-up people or three children. Besides, the carriage was not intended for more than this.
Perhaps never were happier children than those five, as they proudly escorted Neddy through the wood. Nurse and Lucia smiled to each other as they watched them, and Lucia said—
"I love to see children happy, nurse; they can only have childhood once!" ”

“ If we only trusted our heavenly Father as those children in their play-houses trust their earthly father, how different life would be!"
She turned round and retraced her steps, without disturbing the little party; but though she left them behind, she did not leave the thoughts which they had suggested.
She entered the cottage, fetched her easel and her painting materials, and sat down under the elms to sketch, while the bees buzzed dreamily, and the birds sang a ceaseless song.
That quiet morning was a turning-point in Lucia's life. ”

“ For when she looked round at the change in her step-brothers and sisters, her heart melted with thankfulness.
One morning, soon after breakfast, a telegram was put into her hand.
"They are coming to-day—to-day!" she exclaimed, as nurse and children crowded round her. "They are coming here. They ask if we can make room for them."
"Make room for them?" echoed everybody. "Why, if we could squeeze flat—"
"I must telegraph back," began Lucia. "Where do they date from? Why, from Newhaven. They are there, waiting for my answer! Oh, mother! Oh, father!" ”

“ The children were never tired of hearing Lucia tell how one day when she was about seven years old, as she was walking near the cottage quite alone, she saw a cloud of dust approaching along the road, and in a moment she guessed it was caused by the outriders surrounding the Queen's carriage, and with beating heart stood upon the path to see her go by. ”

“ How she wished that she had not crept away so stealthily when the rest were scattering after dinner. How ashamed she was now of the answer she had given Barbara, as she led Queenie off in the other direction.
"I'm just going over there, Barbara, to get some ferns!"
She had stoutly assured herself then that this was not an untruth; but now—
Poor little May! She was beginning to pay very dearly for her "enjoyment," as many another does who attempts to snatch what is not given! ”

“ They were revelling in wild flowers, moss, stones, and ferns; making imaginary rooms among the furze bushes, and decking "the drawing room" with bunches of wild roses, while they picked endless fronds of bracken to form couches for the bedrooms.
A children's world is a happy world! No cares come to mar it, no anxieties enter in as to "what shall we eat or what shall we drink?" Their father's provision is sure to be right, he will provide dinner when dinner time comes; and here is lunch packed ready in the basket, why need they care? ”

“ About half an hour before dinner the happy party on the lawn saw the two boys coming slowly along the road.
"They look tired enough," remarked nurse; "they should have taken my advice, and not have gone on such a day; and footsore too, I do declare! I'm sure Evan is limping."
Lucia ran to meet them. "My dear boys!" she exclaimed. "You have been a long time; what has kept you so long?"
"What have you been doing?" asked Ivor, gazing across the lawn at the rest.
"Nothing particular," answered Lucia, still lingering by Evan. "Have you hurt your foot?" ”

“ It was not till the piano had been tried and retried, not till Lucia had sung them song after song, in her beautiful fresh young voice, that someone said,—
"Where's May?"
She certainly was not with them, and there ensued a general hunt, which ended in her being found talking to her doll, in a quiet corner, behind a hayrick, though what she had said to her doll was certainly unguessed by any of the party.
"Now, Rosabel," she had said, "when next we all go out for a walk in the woods, I shall keep my eyes open for the road that the Queen drives in. ”

“ Barbara offered a kiss, and Queenie threw her arms round her neck. "I'se so d'lad to get back," she said, "and I do want my lickle dinner so!"
Lucia could laugh as light-heartedly as any of them now, and she wondered that she could ever have thought the children so disagreeable.
At the rose-covered porch May stood waiting.
"It's all done," she announced. "Just come and see how neat we have made everything. Barbara, you and I are to have this cupboard all to ourselves, besides those drawers, and nurse says Evan and Ivor are not to come into our room at all." ”

“ May I put you back into bed now?"
"Yes."
"I will come and tell you if the doctor says Evan is better. And you can ask God, Queenie. There is nothing so good as telling God."
So Queenie nestled into her pillow, closed her eyes with a peaceful look, and Lucia crept downstairs again, her own heart comforted and cheered. ”

“ The care of the five little brothers and sisters was no longer a burden too great for her shoulders; the broken visit with its hardly understood charms ceased to cause her such a heartache whenever she thought of it; for she had resigned the one and the other to His will, who surely loved her, and instead of fret and pain came a peace that passed all understanding.
She took up her brush once more, but that drawing never got to its destination. Into that pond and waterlilies, into those daisies and clover, were painted a yielded heart ”

“ FOR a few days the donkey carriage was in everybody's thoughts, and nothing else could be done. They went into the forest again, and spent a whole day there (a happier day than the last, May said, edging up close to Lucia to whisper it) , and Neddy could easily draw the basket of provisions, and even the kettle full of the water for their tea. ”

“ What they had bought did not transpire, though Barbara pumped them sufficiently to elicit that they had spent some of their money "on something."
"I 'spect it's sweets," said Queenie, shaking her curls; "that's what made Evan sick."
For Evan tried to eat his dinner, but failed, and had to condescend to lie down, and be made comfortable by nurse.
"It's the sun, I expect," she said to Lucia. "I wish we hadn't let them go, Miss Lucia; you're too easy with them!" ”

“ It had cost Lucia a great deal to write it, but it set her cousins thinking, and bore fruit after many days.
Emmie took it to her mother, but did not get much sympathy from her about it.
"I am sorry to see her more religious," she said. "We must have her here again, and make her forget it."
So Emmie carried it to the housekeeper, thinking she would be sure to understand. And so she did.
"It's the best news I've heard for many a day," she exclaimed heartily. "Oh, Miss Emmie, if you did but know it!"
"Perhaps I shall," Emmie answered softly. "I am not satisfied as I am, that's certain!" ”

“ Thus it came to pass that as soon as Lucia had step-brothers and sisters, she instilled her enthusiasm about the Queen into their susceptible little hearts, and May especially felt that the Royal lady who lived so near the cottage was her Queen—her property—to be loved and reverenced as long as she lived. ”

“ Early the next morning Lucia woke up to the knowledge of something which seemed like a heavy weight on her spirit. Then it all flashed upon her.
She rose hastily, for a busy time was before her. On the previous night she had not done any packing, and very soon after breakfast she was to start on her homeward journey. ”

“ But though the girls did not seem to tire of roaming about picking flowers, and taking turns in riding in the little carriage; and though Lucia was perfectly happy with her sketching wherever they liked to take her, the two boys had a project which effectually kept them from "settling down," as nurse was wont to call it.
One morning at breakfast, when the plans for the day were being discussed, Evan asked Lucia if he and Ivor might go into Windsor that morning.
"I don't care to walk so far in this heat," exclaimed nurse; "we'd far better stay in the garden to-day." ”

“ I was dreadfully unwilling, as you know, to take up my 'trust;' but oh, I cannot tell you how good God has been to me in it, nor how undeserving I feel of all His love. I should like to tell you this, because I am afraid I did not give you a very good idea of what a Christian should be like. ”

“ Lucia put on her hat and went up the road to see how they were getting on, and when she watched them from behind the bushes, for they were too busy to notice her, some such thoughts as these went through her mind—
"I wonder why older people are so anxious," she said to herself, "why they let things worry them so? ”

“ After the doctor had looked in late that night, Lucia kept her promise, and bent over her little sister's crib.
"Darling!" she whispered.
"Yes?" said Queenie, rousing herself quickly.
"God has made Evan better; the doctor says there is a wonderful change in him these last two hours."
"I'm so d'lad," whispered the child back. "I 'fought He would, Lucia."
CHAPTER XI. EVAN IS GLAD.
EVAN'S illness made a great impression on the little community at the cottage. ”

“ I used always to feel dreary as a child when there was no flag on the Round Tower."
May did not say any more; but in her heart she formed the resolve that she would watch and watch till she too had seen the Queen.
Meantime, while the boxes were being emptied and the drawers were being filled, the other children were enjoying the first morning in the real country. ”

“ BEFORE Lucia had time to realize that she was once more at home, the cab was driving from the door with her father and mother, and she was left in charge of her five brothers and sisters.
In the few days in which her mother had had everything to arrange, she had written for their own country cottage to be got ready for them, where the children could lead a free life, and be out of doors from morning till night ”

“ The next morning her step-father said at breakfast, "Oh, Lucia, did your mother tell you that you are to go back to Yorkshire and finish that visit? It seems they cannot be satisfied without it; so you are to be off as soon as possible—eh, mother? ”

“ This is the loveliest place I ever saw! Ten times as nice as the beach at Westgate."
So they found a basket, and with their lunch in the depths of it, to be replaced by flowers, set off together, Barbara being trusted with the care of Queenie (as they were not going out of sight) , and May pleading to stay with nurse to help put away the contents of the ten boxes which at present made a warehouse of the narrow little hall.
CHAPTER III. LUCIA'S QUEEN.
LOYALTY had been born and bred in the family of which Lucia was the eldest child. ”

“ So I mean to.
"I shall not take you with me, Rosabel, because I shall have to take my lunch, or something, and a sunshade in case it rains, and you would certainly be in the way if I had to go a long way. ”