Laura Elizabeth Howe Richards

“ One afternoon, when most of the campers were off fishing, Margaret wandered alone up to the top of the great down behind the camp. Thoroughly in love with the camp life as she was, in most of its aspects, she could not learn to care for fishing. To sit three, four, five hours in a boat, on the chance of killing a harmless and beautiful creature, did not, she protested, appeal to her; and many a lively argument had she had on the subject with Bell and Gertrude, who were ardent fisher-maidens.
"But, Margaret, it is the sport!" Bell would cry. "It isn't just killing, it is sport!" ”

“ Margaret was enchanted.
"How wonderfully they keep together!" she said. "Oh! but now they begin to separate. Look, there is a poor little one wobbling off all by itself. I wonder—I am afraid it is Peggy's. Yes, I am sure it is. Poor Peggy! Oh! the first three are going much faster than the rest. I wonder whose they are. How prettily they sail! Did you ever see anything prettier?" ”

“ I should be Beethoven if it were not for the deafness, but that I could not have borne."
"You all want to be men, don't you?" observed Margaret, thoughtfully.
"Why—yes, so we do! you are the only one who chose a woman."
"Everybody would be a man if they could!" cried Peggy, throwing grammar to the winds, as she was apt to do when excited. ”

“ She led the way, Margaret following, Gertrude and Peggy after them, still talking [28] eagerly. A row of flagstones led past the boat-house, and on under solemn pines and feathery birches to where a line of tents stood facing the water.
"Here is yours," said Bell; "next to ours, this big one; we are three, you see. Yours is small, but I hope you can be comfortable."
"Comfortable!" echoed Peggy; "I should think so! Oh, Margaret, do look! how perfect everything is! Oh, what ducky beds! the red blankets are just like home; our boys have red blankets. Oh, I shall be perfectly happy here!" ”

“ It was certainly a cheerful room, and so Miles Merryweather thought, as his eyes followed the Colonel's.
"We like it!" he said, simply. "It suits us, the place and the life. It's good for young and old both, to get away from hurry and bustle, and live for a time the natural life." ”

“ These solitary afternoons were sure to be pleasant ones for Margaret. She loved the merry companionship of the campers, but she loved, too, to wander through the woods, among the great straight-stemmed pines and dark feathery hemlocks, or to track the little clear brook through its windings, from the great bog to its outlet into the lake ”

“ Margaret, her soft eyes lighting up. "Nothing would induce me to be a man."
"I don't think you would make a very good one, to be sure!" said Peggy, looking affectionately at her cousin. "But I bet—I mean wager—you told me I might say 'wager,' Margaret!—that none of the other girls would hesitate a minute if they had the chance. I wouldn't! Think of it! No petticoats, no fuss, no having to remember to do this, and not to do that; and no hairpins, or gloves, or best hats—"
"Ah!" said Bell; "that is only the smallest part, Peggy. ”

“ The young moon shone bright; the lake lay a broad sheet of luminous black, with a silver path stretching across it. Four canoes lay beside the wharf, and the campers were taking their places. In the birch canoe, the original Cheemaun, Mrs. Merryweather was going as passenger, with her husband and Phil at bow and stern; in the Nahma was Colonel Ferrers, with Gertrude and Peggy; Kitty and Willy in the Rob Roy, Gerald and Margaret in the Wenonah.
"All ready?" asked the chief. "Where shall we go? Where are Jack and Bell?" ”

“ The rules for the regattas at Merryweather were few and simple. All boats must be built by their owners, unaided; no boat must be over a foot long from stem to stern; all sails must be of paper. Aside from these limitations, the fancies of the campers might roam at will; accordingly, the boats were of every shape and description, from Kitty's shingle, ballasted with pebbles, to Phil's elaborate catamaran. Peggy was struggling with a stout and somewhat "nubbly" piece of wood, which was slowly shaping itself under the vigorous strokes of her jack-knife. ”

“ Oh! very, very, very!"
"I don't understand you," said Margaret, simply. "We are here to take the time, as the boats pass the line. There is no other object in our being here."
"No other? Alas! poor Claud!" sighed Mr. Belleville. "Now, to me, Miss Montfort, the sailing of toy boats is the smallest possible factor in this afternoon's pleasure. It is not, believe me, the childish sport [148] that I shall remember when I am far away."
"Oh!" said Margaret, vaguely, her eyes on the white boat. ”

“ I am bewildered, too. Is Gerald a—a pitcher?"
"Is he? My child, he is the great original North American jug."
"Oh, pooh!" said Gerald. "Don't be an ass, Ferguson! You are as good a first-baseman as I am pitcher, any day. Of course we were glad to help them out, though I drew the line at scarlet breeches. My mother's angry shade hovered above me and forbade.
"'Go fight in fortune's deepest ditches,
But oh, avoid the scarlet breeches!'
I could hear her say it. ”

“ I have never been with many people, you know. I have never seen a large family together before. How happy you all are!"
"That's what we are!" said Gerald. "Especially now! I say, Margaret! the child Toots has fallen a victim." ”

“ Far out, her eye caught a white flash, the gleam of a paddle; there was another, just at the bend of the shore; and was that dark spot the prow [280] of a third canoe, moored in the fairy cove of Birch Island? Gertrude smiled again, and her smile said many things.
Presently she raised her arms above her head, and brought them down slowly, with a powerful gesture. "How good it would be to fly!" she said, dreamily. "To fly away up to the iceberg country, where the snowy owls live!" ”

“ We were only thinking—at least I was—how lovely it would be if Peggy and Phil should—"
"Kitty dear, hush!" said Gertrude, decidedly. "You would better not think, and you certainly must not talk, about anything of the kind. There are enough real love-affairs to interest you, you little match-maker, without your building castles in the air. Let Peggy and Phil alone!"
"I should think there were!" said Willy. "That's just what I was saying, Toots; it's nothing but spooning, all over the place. There's no fun anywhere; this wretched [278] love-making spoils everything. ”

“ Isn't it just because women know the—the things they cannot do, that they are able to understand and sympathize, and—and help, in ways that men cannot, because they do not know?"
"I think Margaret is right!" said Gertrude, slowly. "And besides, there is strength and strength, Bell. For long endurance of pain or hardship, the woman will outlast the man nine times out of ten, I believe; and I heard Doctor Strong say once that women would often bear pain quietly that would set a man raving. Yes, I come over to your side, May Margaret. ”

“ I ask nothing better. Years passed. A form was seen, gray and bent with age, feebly tugging at a pair of oars. Trailing behind the crazy boat, another figure might be distinguished—I forbear further description, Margaret: I may grow old, but not you; [115] please stay as you are always. Anyhow, the people will flock to the shore. Ha! the Muse! the afflatus descends.
"The people thronged the rocky shore,
And viewed that graybeard old and hoar;
'Oh! why thus dodderest at the oar,
Unhappy soul?'
The answer came: 'Forever more
She wished to troll!'"
"Gerald, I think we'd better go back now." ”

“ So you did learn something besides fiddling, eh, Jack?"
"Cooking is a part of chemistry, Uncle," said Jack, soberly; "a very important part. This dish is chemically prepared, sir; please regard it as a demonstration!"
"And please try my fried potatoes as a further demonstration!" said Bell. "Margaret, you are not eating anything."
"She never does!" said Peggy.
"Oh!" cried Margaret, "but I never ate so much before. Oh, please not!" as Phil tried to heap her plate with potatoes. "They are delicious, but I really cannot!" [44]
"I can!" said Gertrude, holding out her plate. ”

“ The thing I think about is the freedom, the strength, the power to go right ahead and do things!" and, as she spoke, Bell threw her head back and stretched her arms abroad with a vigorous gesture. "Of course we girls are all well and strong, [97] but it isn't the same strength as a man's. We are constantly running up against things we cannot, ought not to do. I do envy the boys, I cannot help it."
"Yes!" cried Margaret, leaning forward, a soft flush rising to her cheeks. "I know—it is glorious to see them; but, Bell, isn't the very weakness part of our strength? ”

“ They had become great friends, and Willy was never tired of hearing about Basil, who, he declared, "must certainly be a corker."
"I suppose he is, Willy," said Margaret, [240] with resignation. "There seems nothing else for any nice person to be. Did I tell you how brave he was when a great savage dog attacked our poor puppies? Oh, you must hear that."
The recital of Basil's heroism lasted till they reached the farmhouse, both in a state of high enthusiasm, and Willy filled with ardent longings for attacks by savage dogs, that he might show qualities equal to those of the youthful hero. ”

“ Toots will help us with the boat, won't you, Toots?"
"Yes, I'll help!" said the Snowy Owl.
Ten minutes later the white boat was speeding on her way to the fishing-ground, the little rowers bending to their oars, chattering merrily as they went.
"That's one comfort!" Willy was saying. "We've got Toots. Nobody will get her away from us." [279]
"I should hope not," said Kitty. "There's nobody good enough, in the first place; and besides, of course somebody must stay with Papa and Mamma."
"I suppose you will be grown up yourself some day!" said Willy, gruffly. ”

“ Oh, Peggy, I was so glad!"
"Blissful, my dear, is no word for it! they have no eyes for any one else. He can't remember that there is any one else, and she—"
"Well, I always said that if Grace did care for any one—"
"Yes, in October. The wedding is to be at Fernley, and—" [23]
"Anybody coming with me?" inquired Gerald, wistfully. "Margaret, will you risk life and limb with me and the old horse?"
"With pleasure!" said Margaret. "Is he very wild? He doesn't look so."
"Only by comparison with the young horse!" said Gerald. "Jacob, don't strain your back lifting that carpet-bag!" ”

“ It takes quite a bit of planning for two persons to fit into a tent. By and by, when you are all settled, would you like to go out on the water? Hurrah! we'll come for you. Come on, Toots!"
The two sisters walked slowly down the long slip that led to the floating wharf, and sat down with their feet hanging over the edge.
"Well, Bell!" said Gertrude, eagerly.
"Well!" said Bell, slowly.
"What do you think of them? Isn't she lovely? and isn't Peggy a dear?" [31]
"Yes," said Bell. "I think you have just hit it, Toots. Peggy is a dear; just a hearty, jolly dear; but Margaret is lovely. ”

“ He swept Gerald with a comprehensive glance, from his mop of red hair, tanned into rust-color, to his feet, clad in superannuated "sneakers."
"They can do all the honors of the place as they should be done," he added. "But you, Cousin Miles, you must positively come to Bar Harbor. You live too much the life of the fields. Mamma is constantly deploring it. We will show you a little life, Mamma and I. I will put you up at my Club, and take you out in my new auto; in a week, you will not know yourself, I give you my word. ”

“ Slowly, very slowly, the oars rose and fell, and the boat crept over the water. What could be the matter with the children?
"Too much bloodshed has upset the gallant England!" said Phil. "When it comes to Willy's not wanting his tea!"
"They have had some accident!" said Mr. [87] Merryweather. "Broken an oar, probably, or lost a rowlock. No. They are both rowing. Well, here they come."
The whole family started for the wharf, but a piteous wail arose from the now approaching boat.
"Please don't everybody come down! we want just Papa and Mamma." ”