Dorothy C. Paine

“ Guided by its friendly beams, Laura led the way there. No one was within. The house was deserted but for the two trembling girls.
"Beth, God alone can help us," and Laura's face was almost as white as the Easter hat under her arm.
Beth's lip trembled. "He's so far away. I wish mamma were here."
"Beth, God will hear us if we pray. Get down on your knees beside me."
"I'd rather run out into the street," answered Beth, who always believed in action rather than words.
"You're a wicked little girl. ”

“ Then I asked him: 'Don't you wish you were a girl, Harvey?'"
"What did he say, dear?"
"He grunted and said, 'Eh—be a girl? I'd rather be nothing than be a girl.'"
Mrs. Davenport could hardly keep her face straight; nevertheless, she said gravely:
"If Harvey ever says that to you again, you tell him your mamma says that girls are of just as much consequence as boys. God would not have created them otherwise. Well, what else happened to-day?"
"Oh, Harvey offered me a bird's nest that he'd stolen. Mamma, I couldn't help scolding him about it. You know papa doesn't think it right. ”

“ But Don, with one long, loving look at Beth, gave up his breath with a gasp, stretching out in the rigidity of death.
"It is too late," said Mr. Davenport huskily.
"No, no, no," cried Beth; "God wouldn't be so cruel as to let him die. Don, look at me. Dear old doggie, I love you, I love you."
But Don was beyond range of her call. Mrs. Davenport and Marian were crying softly, too, and there were tears even in the eyes of Mr. Davenport and January.
"You'se breakfasts all gettin' cole," called Maggie, not knowing of the trouble.
"Food would choke me," declared Marian. ”

“ His jaws will open. His teeth will gleam. If any little girl cries, he will snap at her, and it will be good-bye girl. Now, if you are not a fraid-cat you'll say, 'Harvey Baker, whistle.'"
She wanted to run more than ever, but instead she repeated slowly:
"Harvey Baker, whistle."
The boy pursed up his lips, but he then made an impressive pause, and finally pointed his finger at Beth.
"Elizabeth Davenport, remember. If you give the least little bit of a cry, you die. But, if you keep perfectly still, and never tell what you see, I am your friend for life." ”

“ They dash through the flames, and are safe. Breathing is no longer a pain. They make their way beyond the reach of the sparks. Maggie fell on her knees crying:
"Praise to de Lo'd. Praise to de Lo'd."
Julia looked at the piazza down which she had wished to climb.
"Beth, if we had tried to come that way we couldn't have done it," she said, and there was thankfulness in her heart that she had conquered her fear. Otherwise precious time would have been lost, and she might have been burned to death.
"Our home is gone," sobbed Beth, for at that instant the roof fell. ”

“ The minute he opened the front door, one look to the right revealed the awful truth to him.
"Is Beth there?" he gasped to Gustus who had run around to the door to join him.
"I reckon so. Yo' won't let de debbil get her."
"The devil? It's worse. It's fire. She'll burn," cried Harvey in agony, tearing across the fields as fast as he could. Gustus followed trembling in every limb. He realized now that he had been a coward, that if his beloved little "missy" burned, he would be greatly to blame. ”

“ She beheld a lovely avenue formed of orange trees and red and white oleanders trimmed to a perfect archway. The winter had been a mild one. Not only did luscious ripe oranges cling to the trees, but green fruit was forming, and there was, also, a wealth of fragrant blossoms. The oleanders, too, were coming into bloom.
Beth stopped for a moment to draw in some of the wonderful fragrance that filled the air. No perfume is more delightful than that of orange blossoms in their native grove. The fruit, too, looks more tempting on the trees. ”

“ Davenport's eyes filled, but she bravely smiled. "I'm a little unhappy over leaving all our friends, Beth. Florida seems very far away."
"I wouldn't be unhappy."
"How would you help it, dearie?"
"Why mamma," she answered triumphantly after a second's thought, "there are so many pleasant things to think about that I just never think of the unpleasant ones," and her face broke into a smile, so cheery that Mrs. Davenport's heart lightened.
"Mamma," she continued, "it's very easy for me to be happy. Every one is so good to me. The chambermaid just gave me this dear, dear kitty. ”

“ Once Harvey stooped and thought he surely had a crab, when Beth beheld another crab with claws upstretched right behind.
"Harvey, come here quick," cried Beth; "a crab's going to bite you in the back."
Thereupon, he, too, jumped upon the lounge to escape the threatening claws. Immediately, however, he said:
"Oh, pshaw, it's silly to be afraid of crabs. I'm going to get down again." Beth, however, caught hold of his hand, saying:
"No, I won't let you. I wish somebody would come to help us. I'm going to try to make Maggie hear me. Maggie. Maggie." ”

“ Davenport drove, urged both by his voice and by the whip.
"Beth—Julia," cried two mothers the same second, as they rushed from the carriage and gathered two blanketed figures to their hearts. Tears of relief and thankfulness flowed thick and fast.
"It's terrible that our lovely home is gone," cried Beth.
"In evil there is good. You are safe, my darling," her mother murmured. ”

“ Will he ever be able to make it with that awful undertow to work against besides the extra precious burden he carries? How heroically he struggles. Oh, noble, noble Don, you will save her yet, and keep a mother's heart from breaking. Yes, he is slowly but surely making headway against the eddying waters. Now, now, his feet surely touch bottom. Yes, and Beth knows it and struggles to her feet. ”

“ Immediately, she set up a cry, and spit out the persimmon. "Ow-ow-ow, how it puckers!"
January chuckled, and, before driving on, he said: "I tole yo' so, Missy Beth."
Marian laughed until she was tired. "Beth, if you are drawn up inside the way your face is outside, it must be terrible."
"It is. It is." But she did not receive any sympathy. Even Mr. Davenport laughed at her. He had told her not to have January get them, but she had insisted on having her own way.
"Beth," he said, "I hope this may teach you a lesson. You must not taste things that you know nothing about." ”

“ How are you going to prove you're no 'fraid-cat, Eli—Beth?"
She pondered a moment. "'Fraid-cats cry when they're hurt, don't they?"
"Of course. So do girls."
"I don't cry when I'm hurt," and she looked triumphant as if that settled the matter. ”

“ Duke was all devotion, and the white dog thrived under such attention. She freshened up so well that Beth wondered how she ever thought the dog ugly. Kindness and good food work wonders with dogs as well as with people. The days of her stay lengthened into months.
One morning, Beth came running in from the barn, her eyes brilliant from excitement.
"Mamma, mamma," she called, "what do you think? White dog"—they had never given her a name—"has seven of the cutest little puppies you ever saw. Duke took me out and showed them to me." ”

“ Marian, tears came into Gustus's eyes, as he said, 'Missy Beth, the likes of us don't go to shows. I'se never been to a show in my life.'"
"Never been to a show in his life? How was that, Beth?"
"That was just what I asked him, Marian. I knew mamma paid him for waiting on us. He told me that he took all his money to his mother. Marian, I just couldn't help it. I spent my last forty cents for four Punch and Judy tickets for four of them, and Harvey and Julia bought some for the others. Do you think we were foolish?" ”

“ Now, as every stilt walker knows, it is impossible to stay motionless on stilts. Over Julia went into the water, headforemost.
Beth was so startled that she herself almost lost her balance, but, fortunately, she grabbed the wharf, and scrambled up on that. Away floated her stilts.
"Hello, what have we here?" and Harvey's boat darted towards them from under the bridge.
"Oh, Harvey, save her," cried poor Beth, almost in tears but somewhat reassured now that her boy friend was near.
"The water is hardly deep enough to drown a flea," he answered. ”

“ After breakfast, the porter, whose name Beth learned was "Bob," took her out on the back platform while the engine was taking on water. To the left of the train were five colored children clustered around a stump.
"Bob, how many children have you?" asked Beth, and her eyes opened wide in astonishment.
"Law, honey," and Bob's grin widened, "I ain't got any chillun. I'se a bachelor."
Beth stamped her foot. She could not bear deceit. "Bob, it's very wrong to tell stories. These children must be yours; they're just like you." ”

“ Such generosity quite overcame Beth. "But, Gustus, I couldn't think of taking him away from you."
"Don't yo' worry, missy," he answered with a chuckle. "Yo' ain't takin' him 'way from me. I'se yo'r niggah now. Yo' owns Fritz an' me."
Beth hardly knew what to say. She thought it would be wrong to "own" Gustus. Slave days were a thing of the past. However, his devotion made her feel self-important.
"Well, Gustus, you must be a good boy," was all she could think to say. ”

“ Duke would be a good name for him. Here, Duke. Here, Duke."
At the call, the dog raised his head and came bounding up to the carriage. By a strange coincidence, Mrs. Davenport had hit upon his name.
"Come here, Duke," cried Beth.
Large as the dog was, he jumped into the back part of the carriage where Marian and Beth sat. Both children were wild with delight.
"Papa, let's take him home with us," begged Marian.
Mr. Davenport, however, would not listen to the suggestion.
"He is a very valuable dog, and it would not be honorable," he declared. "Push him out immediately." ”

“ Repeat after me, 'Harvey Baker——'"
"Is that your name?"
"Yes—don't interrupt me. 'Harvey Baker, if I tell what you show me, I hope I may be forever doomed and tortured.'"
Beth looked shocked. "I won't say that."
"'Fraid-cat. 'Fraid-cat."
Again she stamped her foot. "I won't be called that. It's not true. I will promise not to tell. Can't you believe me?"
The boy considered. "Girls are hardly ever to be trusted, but I'll try you. In this river there is a great, big, black animal that hates fraid-cats as much as I do. He eats them up. ”

“ People were already gathering on the grandstand and they held their breath for very fear, Beth held hers also. Dollie needed all of her breath for her solitary run. On, on, she flew. Beth clung closer, while people sprang to their feet in their anxiety over the outcome.
By this time Beth was hatless. Her long curls and the clumsy torn skirt were flying backwards.
On, on they came. People leaned far over the stand. Jockeys ran out on the track. One of them cried enthusiastically:
"It is a beautiful run if only the little one isn't killed." ”

“ Maggie sighed sympathetically. "Law, honey, would yo' like some brof?"
"Broth," repeated Beth almost in tears. "I hate broth. I'll starve before I eat any more. I want chicken. Please, please get me some."
The appeal melted Maggie completely. She arose and called Duke from the doorway.
"Duke," she said, pointing to the cot, "don't yo' let any one come near missy till I come back. Do yo' understand?"
The delighted dog wagged his tail, and Maggie left the room.
Duke's first impulse was to rush up to the cot, and show his joy in true dog fashion. ”

“ At the word, to the horror of Beth who did not understand, the men set fire to the low palmettoes a short distance away where there was an open space.
It seemed wicked to her to set more trees on fire, especially when the men seemed so anxious about their homes burning.
"Let's go," she sobbed.
Harvey held his head high. "No, indeed, I won't go. If their houses burn, it's my fault. I have some money in the bank and I'll give them every cent of it. They look like poor fishermen. Oh, Beth, it's too terrible. See how high the flames go." ”

“ My papa says if people don't keep quiet, they'll scare all the fish away. You're laughing awful loud."
He immediately sobered down. "True for you, Beth. It is silly to laugh and you're a wise girl. You'll make a good fisher. Here, I'll put the bait on for you."
He baited her line and threw it out into deep water for her.
She waited patiently for the fish to bite, but it seemed as if her patience was to go unrewarded. She wished for Harvey's good opinion, and so she did not even speak. ”

“ They're not boats."
"Oh, pshaw. If you're afraid, you can watch me."
Watch her indeed! Dragons could not have kept Beth from making the attempt if Julia did.
They took their stilts to the river. Beth was in such a hurry to show Julia she was not afraid, that she had great difficulty in starting. Julia mounted, and walked out into the water as proudly as a peacock. Beth followed, but, of necessity, more slowly, and she kept near the wharf. Julia skimmed through the water for a minute or two almost as easily as she went on land. But alas, pride goes before a fall. ”