Elizabeth Weston Timlow

“ Gayly the horses trotted along the hard country roads, glad of a chance to show their spirits and their speed. Merrily the girls’ tongues wagged, and ’Gustus John and ’Manda on the front seat exchanged delighted glances. They were such a good-natured couple that the children always wondered how they happened to have such a spoiled child as Mamie. Really ’Manda was too good-natured and easy with her. She never could bear to correct or punish her in any way, and since Mamie was not very good to begin with, the result was a bad one, as we know. Too much of our own way is not good for any of us. ”

“ MAMIE HECKER. According to the children’s ideas, one of the funniest things about living in the country was that eggs could be used as money.
It was such a delightfully simple way of getting candy. One could go to the barns, find two eggs, and, with one in each hand, march off to the corner grocery-store and get their value in chocolate-sticks, if you liked chocolate. If not, why, four marsh-mallows, rather stale and floury, to be sure, but just as nice for toasting, could be had for one egg. ”

“ Hilda did not realize that such an outbreak is seldom as sudden as it seems, and that many grievances will often smoulder for a long time, till some trifle fires the flame.
She walked along, miserable enough, half-crying, half-indignant. The rain had ceased, and the sky had cleared, so she stopped by the brook in the grassy lane, which the children used as a short cut, and sat down by the little bridge. She was ashamed to go on into the village street while she was crying.
Here she and Cricket had spent many happy hours, and had never, never quarrelled before. ”

“ The children watched the bend of the road with interest. Anything that passed was of the greatest importance in the present want of amusement.
“It’s Thomas, with the oxen,” cried Eunice. “Let’s make him take us, too—oh, bother! these children.”
The heavy team lumbered in sight, drawn by big, black oxen. Old Thomas was plodding along by their side, occasionally cracking the long lash of his goad around their patient heads. Will and Archie stood in the cart. ”

“ Eunice turned around very promptly.
“Cricket, please hold my eggs for me. Now, Mamie Hecker, if you step over that stick,—you’ll see.”
Mamie immediately took a step forward, keeping her eye on Eunice, intending to dodge at the last moment. Eunice stood perfectly still. She was a tall, strongly-built girl, for her age, and quite capable of carrying out her threat. Mamie Hecker had always been a thorn in her flesh, and there were a thousand provoking things in the past to punish her for. ”

“ A wild stampede instantly followed, as they fled, screaming and shrieking. The few berries, the rest of the lunch, the napkins and the pail-covers flew in every direction, as the children sped wildly on, thinking that the snake was in full pursuit. Nor did they stop until Cricket, who, on her swift feet, led the band, went, head over heels, over a projecting root, and found herself sitting on the bank of the ever-present Kayuna.
Then they all brought up, panting and breathless, and rather shamefaced.
“Ho! what made you girls run so?” asked Phil, recovering himself first. ”

“ In the munching of apples they quite forgot that they were tramps, until Cricket remarked that her hump made a most convenient pillow for her to lean back against.
“These clothes are getting awfully hot, Cricket,” said Eunice. “I wouldn’t be a boy for anything I can think of, to wear such things all the time.”
“I think girls are nicer than boys, anyway,” remarked Cricket, thoughtfully. “Girls are always smarter, and I think it makes boys mad.”
“Will always says if anything isn’t just right that we do, that it’s just like a girl,” returned Eunice, in an aggrieved tone. ”

“ It is not worse than when you forgot to tell Donald that Mr. Marsh wanted him to call at his office on business; or when you didn’t tell papa that Mr. Evans wanted to see him, or when you forgot the children, and gave poor little Helen such an attack of the croup that she is scarcely strong yet.”
“Do people always feel as badly as I do?” sobbed Cricket.
“Just as badly, my dear. Indeed, I think it’s a trifle easier when you’ve only yourself to blame. As Marjorie said, it is strange that you so seldom suffer yourself, and yet it is not strange, either. ”

“ I used to get into rages very easily, then.”
“You, mamma?” Eunice looked as if she could scarcely believe it.
“Yes, my dear, I wasn’t always a good little girl in those days. ‘I’m going to tell mother what a naughty girl you are, Jean,’ I half-sobbed.
“‘What a naughty girl I am? You’d better tell her what a naughty girl you are yourself, rolling down hill, and getting your dress all dirty,’ Jean said, getting angry in her turn. Then she went on with her play-house and wouldn’t speak to me any more. I ran crying towards the house. ”

“ At last the little visitor was in a condition to be seen, for, thanks to Mike’s good care, he mended fast. The “splarsters” were taken off, though his legs were still in splints, and Mike groomed his shaggy, uneven coat as best he could.
Cricket and Eunice saw him first, and were perfectly delighted with him. He was even smaller than their dear Charcoal. After that they were his constant visitors, feeding him with apples and sugar, and petting him till poor little Alexander must have wondered if he had died and gone to the horse-heaven. ”

“ Cricket, however, too used to cows to fear them, did not notice her further, and drew the board to the right position to balance. Then with much squealing and laughing—little-girl fashion—the two seated themselves, and the fun began.
“See-saw! see-saw! here we go up and down,” sang the children gayly, as Cricket’s head rose above the fence and Eunice went down. They did not see Mamie peeping at them from the barn-door that opened above the cowyard, and they rather wondered at her unusual absence. ”

“ A fine attack of croup for Helen was the result, and a slight cold for Zaidee, who was stronger, and Cricket was in disgrace again.
“I don’t like to forget,” she said, miserably, when the entire family took her to task that evening. “I never mean to forget, and then I go and do it.”
“Go and don’t do it, you mean,” said Donald.
“The trouble is, little daughter,” said papa, as he had said a hundred times before, “that you do not pay sufficient attention. You know how many times I have told you that attention is putting your mind upon a point, with a view to remembering it.” ”

“ Kenneth was a star, by the way. He was always willing to be pulled about like a rag-doll, and really seemed to enjoy it. They would roll him up for a caterpillar, and stand him up straight for a post, and sprawl him out for a spider. ”

“ He ran around from one to another, crying excitedly, “Look a-hind you!” and then shrieked in great glee, “Apple-fool!” enjoying to the full the unfailing surprise of each person, however often he tried it.
By ten o’clock, however, came the great excitement of the day, making ice-cream in the back-kitchen. Will and Archie, and even seventeen-year-old Donald, pounded the ice which Thomas had already put there, in a big tub, while Marjorie measured the cream and milk and put in the sugar. ”

“ Cricket certainly always did as Hilda wished, but she was sure she was equally ready to do as Cricket wished, wasn’t she? She began to think. Cricket always liked to keep on through the woods to Hilda’s house, while she liked to strike off into the village street. How seldom they went through the woods, although it was nearer, and Cricket liked it so well! Cricket loved marsh-mallows, while Hilda was devoted to chocolate-creams; but when they spent their weekly pennies together for candy, as they always did, how was it they so rarely bought marsh-mallows? ”

“ Playing charades was one of the children’s favourite amusements. At Kayuna there was a fine, large nursery, opening off the wide hall, which gave a splendid field for action, and the good-natured nurse was always ready to help them out with their plans.
One rainy Saturday the whole troop were indoors, and after luncheon charades were voted for. There were Eunice and her little friend, Edith Craig, Hilda, Cricket, the twins, Helen and Zaidee, and Kenneth. ”

“ Mamma tasted her dish, and set it down suddenly. Auntie, after one trial, laid down her spoon, and coughed behind her hand as she caught mamma’s eye. Two or three other guests present toyed with their spoons.
“This is for you, papa,” Marjorie said then, “and it’s a particularly big dish, because you are so fond of it. There! isn’t that nice?”
“What under the canopy!” hastily exclaimed the doctor, eyeing his dish in great surprise, after his first mouthful.
“What is it? isn’t it good?” inquired Cricket, anxiously, with a sudden pang, as she remembered the peppermint.
“Good? it’s—it’s delicious. ”

“ Eunice leaned forward and took hold of the back of the front seat.
“Seems to me, Cricket,” she said, “this seat rather wiggles. Hope it won’t slip off.”
“Nonsense! I don’t feel it,” said Cricket. “’Gustus John always fastens it in tight. I’ve seen him lots of times,” and by way of showing her confidence in ’Gustus John’s care, she leaned back with a little unnecessary force. The horses at that moment came to what is called, in the country, a “thank you marm,” which is a sort of mound across the road to act as a water-shed. The wagon gave a jerk as it passed over. ”

“ Putting this in the bank meant, to us, digging a hole in the sand-bank, and burying the money in it. Then in some strange way, which we didn’t at all understand, the money would ‘grow,’ as Cecilia said, and by-and-by we would have a great deal more. I think we thought of its growing as the roots of a tree grow. Do you remember, Jean, how grand we felt, emptying our chamois-skin bags, and counting our pennies? ”

“ He’s nothing but a circus-pony, after all.”
That was not like Eunice, and she did not mean to hurt Cricket’s feelings. It was only that her own pony looked so fresh and dear to her. But Cricket fired up at once.
“You’re my own Mopsie,” she cried, hugging her black pony again, “and no other pony could be half so cunning and smart. Charcoal isn’t a bit smart, Eunice, you know he isn’t.” ”

“ Grinning Mike finally said that he believed “Miss Scriket thought he didn’t know a horse whin he met wan in the road,” since she gave him so many instructions.
Then the children must race down to the barns, at the farm-house, and take a last jump on the heaps of soft, dry hay. They must find some eggs to take to the store for a final exchange for candy. They must visit all their favourite haunts by the dear little brook, and say good-by to the dear old woods, now gay in their fall dress of scarlet and gold. ”

“ Hilda had been invited to go over to Marbury to stay for a week in August, with Cricket, at grandma’s, and, of course, the children were delighted to make arrangements for that important visit.
It was nine o’clock when Cricket and ’Manda returned to the farm-house, in the moonlight. It seemed odd enough not to go on up the hill when they came to the little bridge, but instead to turn in at the white gate, and Cricket felt a little spasm of homesickness, which increased when she was fairly inside the house, and ’Manda lighted the candle for her to go upstairs. How she did want mamma and Eunice! ”

“ She used to amuse her sisters by sitting on the ground and twisting both legs around her neck, like a clown in the circus. When she fell, she fell as a baby does, without making the slightest effort to save herself, and probably this was the reason why she escaped serious injury. ”

“ Cook shall put you up some luncheon, and you can take my keys and go into the house, if you like.”
“Let’s go to-morrow. Things always happen if you put things off,” said Eunice, not very clearly.
“Very well, my dear. I’m of your opinion myself,” said papa. “Marjorie, I’ll take you round to see May Chester, after dinner, and while you’re there, I’ll look up the boys.” Papa would take any amount of trouble for the happiness of his flock.
Everybody proved to be delighted with the idea. The next day was wonderfully fine, even for June. At nine o’clock the party were all gathered at the Wards’. ”

“ CRICKET’S BOOMERANG. Cricket was so completely subdued by this last piece of forgetfulness, and its consequences, that for weeks afterwards her improvement was simply wonderful.
But old habits are very strong. After a time Cricket’s watchfulness over herself grew less, and the old story began. She borrowed Marjorie’s new silk umbrella in a hurry, because she could not find her own, and left it in the horsecar. The very next week she took Zaidee and Helen out to walk, and left them on a seat in the park, while she ran to speak to some little friends. ”

“ Cricket, at first, was rather ashamed of Mopsie’s past history, considering that Eunice had her beautiful Charcoal, who had been born and brought up in a gentleman’s stable. The boys teased her about her “aristocratic pony,” till she would say, rather indignantly, “I don’t care. It doesn’t matter a bit what a person does, if he does it just the best he can, mamma says so. And it’s just the same with a pony. I know my Mopsie was the nicest horse in the circus, for the men said so. ”

“ Do you remember what cook said about her pumpkin pie, when your mother asked her receipt? ‘Shure, there’s milk, an’ there’s eggs an’ there’s some punkin, but after all, it’s principally ingrejiencies.’ Your ice-cream is really delicious, but if I were asked my candid opinion I should say it was principally ingrejiences.”
69“May Zaidee and I have it all, then, mamma,” asked Helen, eagerly, “if no one else wants it?” The twins had been eating up mamma’s and auntie’s cream with great relish. “We think it’s good.”
“Let them have all they want,” the doctor answered, laughing. ”

“ There were many errands to be done in so large a family, and as mamma believed that every child should be brought up to be useful, Cricket and Eunice were very apt to be the 125“leggers,” as they called it. They usually sold their services for an egg or two apiece.
“Well, young women,” said Dr. Ward, one morning, “I am in search of a pair of messengers of just about your size.”
“All right, papa. You can have them on the usual terms,” answered Cricket, importantly.
“You’re a regular pair of Jews, you two,” laughed papa, teasingly. “You do nothing for nothing. ”

“ The poor little birdie slowly disappeared in the yawning mouth, and the children could see the muscles of the black body work, as the whole undigested mass slipped slowly down. Then the snake made queer, darting movements with its head, and this broke the spell for the frightened children. ”

“ Eunice is more hurt than I am, though.”
“The cow,” said the doctor, looking suddenly stern. “Did you go into the barnyard?”
“Yes, sir, we always do, you know.”
“Didn’t you get my message?”
“Yes—but—well, I didn’t really believe Mamie, ’cause she didn’t say why,” burst out Cricket, after a moment’s hesitation. “And we always go in the barns whenever we wish, and ’Gustus John never says a word. And oh, dear! I do feel as if the socket was pulled out of my arm.” And Cricket, between excitement and pain, burst out crying. ”

“ Cricket took her pail and went up the brook after water, and presently returned, arrayed again in her pink cambric waist, which was very wrinkled and streaky as to the sleeves, and very damp and sticky as to the collar.
They spread their luncheon, a very generous one, since it had been provided, as they had begged, with a view to its serving two meals. But the boys seemed to be entirely hollow.
“See here, boys,” exclaimed Edith, in dismay. “You must stop. There won’t be bread and butter enough for supper, if you keep on, and we must make it last. ”

“ Then they stumbled on some wintergreen, and stopped to gather great bunches.
“Goodness gracious!” exclaimed Cricket, at last. “Boys, I believe it’s most supper-time, and I’d like to know where that West Road’s gone to.”
“It’s gone to Melville. That’s where it always goes,” said Harry, smartly.
“Since your wits are so sharp,” laughed Edith, “perhaps they’ll help you to decide which of these two paths we ought to take now.”
Harry considered.
“We want to go west,” he said, “and there’s the sun over there, so we’ll take that path. Jove, boys! Look at that sun! it must be four o’clock. ”

“ So when she now got off the gate and came up, chewing her sunbonnet string, as usual, the two little girls exchanged vexed glances.
“You can’t come, too,” said Cricket, decidedly.
“Yes, I can, too, you’re goin’ to the store to get some candy an’ I want some, too,” cried Mamie, dancing around them.
“No, we’re not, either. We’re going for a long walk, and you can’t come one step,” said Eunice, looking very determined, as they walked on.
“I will come, too! I will!” cried Mamie, catching hold of her dress, and trotting along. ”

“ In the name of common-sense, child, what are you doing around the house, all dressed, at midnight?”
“Why, it’s morning,” said Eunice and Hilda together, who, with the others, had gathered at the foot of the stairs, everybody asking questions and talking at once.
“It’s morning, and it’s the Fourth of July,” explained Eunice, “and we got up, and Cricket was going to wake the boys, and get a rise out of them. Is Cricket hurt?”
The doctor was still feeling Cricket’s back, and her mamma was rubbing her hands anxiously, but they all laughed at Eunice’s explanation. ”

“ So he started off, saying ‘Eggs, sugar, and molasses—eggs, sugar, and molasses.’ Suddenly he stubbed his toe, and fell headlong. As he picked himself up, he said, ‘Wax, tar, and rosin—wax, tar, and rosin—ain’t forgot yet.’ So when Cricket does remember, it is likely to be the wrong thing.”
“The trouble is that Cricket’s forgetfulness never makes any difference to herself. She isn’t the one that suffers,” said Marjorie, still feeling injured over her silk umbrella. “It’s always something of other people’s that she forgets.” ”

“ Ward to the twins, “you may go, please, and see if you and Eliza can’t find Cricket and Eunice. Kenneth, you take Irene down to the flower-beds, and you may pick a big bunch of nasturtiums.”
The nasturtium bed was dangerously near the arbour. Cricket and Eunice scarcely breathed. The little ones picked the flowers and chatted together.
“What a pretty little house,” said Irene, presently, noticing the arbour. “Is it your house, Kenneth? What’s in it?” She pushed apart the vines and peeped through the lattice.
The next moment the grown people were startled by the little ones’ cries of terror. ”

“ The others immediately desired to follow suit, when Cricket “set the Psalm,” as their old nurse used to say, and in a few minutes six little bare feet were paddling about.
“It’s very strange,” said Cricket, at last, after a brief fit of silence, “that Eunice never falls in the water, nor tears her clothes, nor anything. I b’lieve my mother’d just think herself in luck if she had two like you, ’stead of me. I’m the most misfortunate girl always.”
Eunice was a careful little girl, and not nearly so much of a romp as Cricket was. ”

“ Cook was a large woman, and as she slowly rose out of her chair, she towered like a mountain above the children, who instinctively dodged her threatening hand.
“Git out of this, immijit! Shure I’ll have no tramps here.”
112“We’re not tramps,” said Eunice, changing base. “We’re selling things.”
“It’s selling things ye are, are ye? and shure, where’s the things ye’re afther sellin’?”
“We’re selling post-holes,” said Cricket, promptly, as her eye fell on a particularly large hole near by, that had been freshly dug for a clothes-post. “We’ve brought some with us.” ”

“ All the best berries grow in his pasture, and wouldn’t he like to catch you picking them!” said Donald. “He’s been lying in wait for you children, ever since you flooded his meadows. Most probably he’d put you all in the lock-up, if he caught you.”
This was a sore subject with Eunice and 161Cricket, and they turned the conversation by asking mamma what cook should put up for their luncheon.
“We want a lot,” said Cricket, decidedly. “’Cause we’ll have to have our dinner, you know, and then we must have enough left for a nice lunch before we start for home. ”

“ Husbands are such a ’sponsibility. Mamma, you know, always fixes papa’s cravats for him, and he never, never goes to the right drawer for his clean shirts. It’s so funny! Shall you get married, Cricket?”
Cricket considered the question.
“I think,” she said, after some reflection, “that if I don’t go to Africa as a missionary, that I’d rather be a widow with an only son.”
“But Cricket,” exclaimed Eunice, “you’d have to be married first if you were a widow.” ”

“ It won’t take long to put it on in the morning, and I’ll be more comfortable.”
“I was just thinking,” agreed Edna, sleepily, “that we’d better take off our dresses.”
“I think,” said Eunice, when their dresses were off, “I’ll take off my skirts, too. They get so twisty.”
With their skirts removed they lay down again, and began to talk with renewed zest. Presently conversation flagged again.
“Cricket,” said Edna, rousing suddenly, “I can’t stand it, and I’m going to bed, just the same as usual. I don’t think it’s a bit of fun to sit up all night. Listen! What is that striking? Only ten o’clock!” ”

“ At the back of the barn, opposite the front door, was another wide door, opening on the cowyard, ten feet below, so that a wagon backed up there could easily be loaded from above.
Fortunately, ’Gustus John was good-nature itself, and “admired to hev the children enjoy themselves,” as he often said. In all their capers, he had never been known to say anything stronger than, “Wal, I do vum! I never see sech goin’s-on.” It was for this reason that Eunice and Cricket did not in the least believe Mamie when she said that her father had sent her to tell them not to go into the barnyard that day. ”

“ I told you to go directly with the note, and get your candy afterwards. Your disobedience is the cause of your very unladylike display of temper. You can both go to the house. Mamie, you may go home also. See that hereafter you do not follow or tease the girls, and I will see that they never touch you again.”
Cricket and Eunice walked soberly up to the house, meek enough in appearance, but really deeply indignant. To be sent away in disgrace before that horrid little Mamie Hecker! ”

“ MAMIE’S REPENTANCE. Mamie went sneaking past them to the house and went into the kitchen where her mother was at work.
“Oh, ma!” she cried. “The girls has been in the barnyard where that cross cow is, ’n’ Cricket got knocked over the fence, and Eunice is most killed I guess, ’n’ I don’t b’lieve she kin walk home.”
“Got hooked! Law ful suz! You don’t say so!” and ’Manda hurriedly wiped her hands and ran out to the lane. The barn was not far from the house, but the kitchen was on the further side, so she had not noticed the children’s screams. ”