Joanna H. Mathews

“ Nellie could not bear to damp her little sister's pleasure, but she feared that her mother would be nervous and troubled by their presence.
"Did you ask your mamma if Daisy could have them?" asked Maggie, noticing the expression of her face, and guessing the cause.
"No, I quite forgot it," answered Nellie; "and I can't bear to disappoint the dear little thing; and yet—and yet—I am 'most sure mamma will not like to have them about."
"I don't believe she'd mind," said Bessie. "Our Aunt Annie is dreadfully afraid of real mice, but she don't mind those white ones a bit." ”

“ Carrie sat a moment silent.
"And I suppose," she said at length, "that that was the reason you said you would not have time to make the bracket for mamma?"
"Yes," said Nellie, quietly.
"O Nellie!" said Carrie, "how much better you are than I am. You are a real, true help to mamma: you think of and you do what is really useful to her, but you don't talk about doing such great things. And Daisy, too; when I think about her giving up her white mice that she really had a right to keep, 'cause mamma said she could, I do feel too ashamed and mean for any thing. ”

“ I can't help it if so many girls want to marry me," added the young sultan, tenderly laying his sand pies in the wagon.
Daisy had ceased her cries to listen to Frankie's statement of the case; but her spirits were so depressed at once more hearing this indefinite postponement of her matrimonial prospects that she broke forth into a fresh wail of despair.
"Oh, Daisy!" said Nellie, "what shall we do with you: you're growing to be a real cry-baby."
"Yes," said Master Frankie, seeing his way at once to a peaceful solution of his difficulties. "And I shall never, never marry a cry-baby. ”

“ And, plunging her hand into her pocket, she brought forth one mouse and laid it in triumph on her mother's lap; then, opening the box, thrust the other beneath her very eyes, her own chubby face fairly brimming over with dimples and smiles.
Mrs. Ransom turned a shade paler, shrank back a little, then with a forced smile said,—
"Yes, darling, very pretty. I dare say you are very much pleased; but suppose you put this little fellow in the box with his brother. It is a better place for him than mamma's lap."
"Oh, no! mamma, he'd just as lieve stay in your lap," said Daisy. ”

“ She knew a man that was."
"Hannah had no business to tell you such stories as that," said Nellie. "Mamma wouldn't like it at all, Daisy."
"Then I'll tell her she mustn't do it," said Daisy; "but, Nellie, do people that kill mice have to be took to prison?"
"No," said Nellie, "mice are very troublesome and mischievous, so it is not wrong to kill them. But it would be very wicked to tease them or hurt them more than we can help."
"I'm glad of that," said Daisy, "'cause I wouldn't like you and Carrie to go to prison." ”

“ Daisy's excitement hardly knew bounds now, especially when there came from within one of the smaller parcels a little rustle, as though something alive was inside. Still, her attention was principally taken up with the "biggest one of all;" and, to her great delight, this was the first papa opened.
Paper and string removed, two bird-cages, empty cages, presented themselves to the eyes of the children. What could they be for?
"Papa," said Daisy, "you couldn't be going to catch the little birdies out the trees, and put them in there, could you?" ”

“ She could not believe it possible that any one should really have a fear or dislike to "such cunning little things" as her white mice, and she stood looking from mother to sister, dismay, disappointment, and wonder mingling in her expression.
Poor little Daisy!
Nellie hastily explained to her mother, telling her how she had been detained by Johnny, and that she had not intended to allow her to see the mice until she had learned whether or no they would annoy her; and ending by saying that she was sure Daisy would be a good girl and carry them back to Frankie. ”

“ You have all heard of the unhappy man who was very anxious to have an elephant, and at last won one in a raffle; but the moment it was his own he did not know what to do with it, and would have been glad to have some one take it off his hands. Those mice were as bad as so many elephants to poor Carrie, and oh, how she wished that she had never seen them! ”

“ But the pleasure comes first, the punishment after, when it is too late; and nothing is left but repentance and regret.
Carrie had run up to the garret once more, hastily taken the box from its hiding-place, and brought it down to the room next her mother's, which she and Nellie shared. There she stood now, a most unhappy little girl, as such thoughts as these chased one another through her mind, trying to think of some plan for ridding herself of the mice, but obliged to reject first one and then another. ”

“ We have some white mice that Willie Richards gave us; and they are just as tame, as tame."
"Oh! they're too cunning for any thing," said Belle. "They hide in your pocket, or up your sleeve, or in your bosom if you'll let them, and eat out of your fingers, and are not one bit afraid."
[76]
"How did you tame them so?" asked Carrie, who was extremely fond of dumb pets of all kinds.
"We did not do it," said Bessie. "Willie Richards did it before he sent them to us; but white mice can be tamed very easily. Harry says so."
"Gray mice can be tamed too," said Belle. ”

“ Ten minutes later, when Nellie had settled down to her reading, but with thoughts which would wander away to the garden-house, white mice and black cat, the boys came in from school, and were speedily made acquainted with the facts of the case.
This was nuts for Johnny and Bob; and true to that aversion with which every well regulated boy-mind must regard all animals of her species, away they rushed in search of the black cat, intending to take the direst vengeance upon her, if they caught her again threatening Daisy's darlings. ”

“ And now to have the door closed between her mother's room and the closet which led into the nursery became the great desire of Carrie's mind as she lay in her little bed,—closed so that the mouse should not find its way through. ”

“ Tell us all about it," said Johnny. "A mouse! Won't mamma be in a taking, though?"
"Poor mamma!" said Nellie; and then she related the whole story, seeming to think her own experience and Carrie's rather a good joke, though she was sadly troubled about mamma's nervousness over the matter.
"That's worse than white mice," said Daisy, who had listened with wide open eyes, in such intense interest that she quite forgot to eat her breakfast.
"But that's awful for mamma," said Bob. "What will she do?"
"It is a great pity," said Mr. Ransom. "I had hoped mamma would not be troubled in that way." ”

“ Carrie raised her downcast eyes in terror; but, to her relief, the servant in waiting had left the breakfast-room for one moment, and there was no contradiction of Nellie's words.
"Why, Cad?" said Johnny, "what ails you? you seem to take the mouse almost as hard as mamma would. You needn't be afraid for your bird, if that's it; for he was only after the seed."
Mr. Ransom looked at Carrie again.
"Don't be troubled, little daughter," he said. "Johnny is right: the mice will not hurt your birds. But you are quite upset with being so disturbed last night, are you not? Come here to papa." ”

“ But then Daisy always had been remarkable for her tender, clinging love for her mother, and her earnest desire to please her in all things.
It struck all the other children; and they overwhelmed her with caresses and expressions of admiration and affection; even bluff Bob, who seldom condescended to bestow much flattering notice upon his sisters, declaring,—
"Well, you are a little brick, Daisy."
It was pleasant to be so petted and admired, for Daisy dearly loved praise, and in all this [180] she found consolation, and began to put on little airs and graces befitting a heroine. ”

“ Why didn't you remind me of the practising and sewing, mamma?"
Her mother smiled.
"I thought it just as well to let you take the whole day for other things, Nellie," she [111] said: "a whole holiday from books and work will not hurt you. You have managed to live and be happy through it, have you not?"
"Why, yes," answered Nellie, astonished at herself, as she recollected how completely lessons, sewing, and practising had slipped from her mind; "and it has been a very nice day, as Carrie says. ”

“ This was a new view of the subject to Frankie, and, as he stood gazing at Daisy and considering it, Bessie added,—
"Anyhow, you ought to let her do half. You're not good to be so selfish."
Daisy meanwhile had been balancing in her own mind the comparative advantages of the present and the future good, and came to the conclusion that she had made a foolish choice, and that the mixing of sand pies was more to be desired than the promise, whose fulfilment seemed so far distant; and now, with a deprecating look at Frankie, she made known this change in her sentiments. ”

“ I think not at present, Nellie. I have spent as much as I can afford at this time on trifles, and Daisy must wait for her bird till Christmas, or some other holiday. But she is [212] a darling, blessed, little child, with a heart full of loving, generous feeling, and I do not think the less of her sacrifice because I do not find it best to give her a bird just now. I shall try to give her some other pleasure which may make up to her for the loss of her white mice. ”

“ Carrie gave a start, a start as violent as though she herself had been afraid of the harmless little animals her mother held in such nervous dread, causing Ruth to start also in involuntary sympathy, and thus waking the baby upon her lap. ”

“ Is it not so?"
"I dare say you think so, papa, after to-day," answered Nellie, with quivering voice; [47] "but I can try not to let myself be so taken up again with my lessons, and then there will be no harm in it, will there?"
"Have you felt very well, quite like yourself, during the last few days, Nellie?"
"Well, no, sir," said Nellie, reluctantly. "Not quite. I feel rather tired every morning when I wake up, and my head aches a good deal 'most all the time. And—and—I don't feel quite like myself, for I feel cross and hateful, and I don't think I usually am very cross, papa." ”

“ He likes peoples. See, he'll run right up your arm;" and, taking the mouse up, she would have laid it upon her mother's hand, had not Mrs. Ransom drawn back with an unmistakable shudder and expression of disgust which struck even the unconscious Daisy.
"Don't, darling, don't," she said hurriedly, but gently, unwilling to wound her little girl, [104] or to give her any dread of the harmless creatures, but still feeling that she could not bear them near her. "Take them away, my pet: you know mamma does not like mice." ”

“ She would go presently when she had looked out three—well, no—five—six more verses, and written them out; and once more she took up the Bible.
But the words before her eyes mingled themselves with those which were sounding in her ears.
"Not like she used to be! Crosser and crosser every day!"
Ah! none knew this better than Nellie herself, and yet she strove, or thought she did, against the growing evil.
Well, there was no use thinking about it now. She would finish the task she had set herself, call Carrie, make it up with her, and go to the beach. ”

“ Jane came for him," answered Daisy, "and mamma told Jane to ask Maggie's and Bessie's mamma to let them come and play with you this afternoon; and Frankie said he'd just as lieve come back too; and mamma said he could. But, O Nellie! what do you fink? a great big, ugly, black cat came in the garden-house, and she was so saucy she was looking at my white mice." ”

“ Certainly, Nellie, I think it your duty to make the most of your advantages, and that you should try to improve yourself as much as you can at proper times and in proper places; but I do not think it wise or right that my little girl should spend the time that she needs for rest or play in what is to her hard work and study. ”

“ Nellie was generally ready to give any assistance that was needed, to tend baby awhile, put Daisy to bed, or any other little office not too hard for her; and few little girls of her age do as much for themselves as she was accustomed to do. And since she had resolved to give all the help she could to mamma, she did all this pleasantly and cheerfully; often, as in the present case, not waiting to be asked, but taking up the small duty of her own free will. ”

“ Papa is away."
"No, we'll leave it till papa returns. He will be here to-morrow evening."
"I don't fink it's a good plan to wait. It makes people tired," said Daisy, plaintively.
"But it is right to wait when papa did not tell us to open it," said Mrs. Ransom. "Little girls must not be too curious."
"Is it kurous to make a little hole in the paper and peek in?" asked Daisy, after a moment or two of deep reflection.
"Yes, curious and very naughty," said Mrs. Ransom. "That would be meddlesome. Ask Nellie to tell you a story she knows about a meddlesome girl." ”

“ Carrie's own thoughts were not agreeable companions; even less so now than they had been before Daisy came in, for her half-formed resolution of telling all to her mother seemed less difficult than it had done before her little sister had said that Nellie thought it best not to speak of the mouse to mamma. If mamma was not to hear of one mouse, it would not do to tell her that several were running at large [202] about the house; and Carrie could not help feeling and believing that this was one of the escaped captives. Mice could come downstairs, that she knew ”

“ They looked rather uncomfortable and astonished, it is true, and as if they might be thoroughly tired of their narrow quarters, from which Mr. Ransom now speedily released them, putting one bird in each large cage, which was soon furnished with fresh seed and water, sugar, and all that birds love. ”