Lucy Ellen Guernsey

“ Percy laughed, and owned that it was foolish to worry herself so about what never might come to pass. Nevertheless, it was not more than a week afterwards, that Blandina and Jenny, coming home from a walk, found Percy on the bed, drowned in tears and sobs, and Flora in vain trying to comfort her.
"What is the matter?" exclaimed both girls at once. "Has Percy heard any bad news from home?"
"I can't make out," said Flora. "It was something in her aunt's letter; but I can't find out what; only that Miss Devine wants her to go away somewhere." ”

“ As she passed through the kitchen, she saw Louise just finishing the washing of the breakfast-things—which were not many, as there were only three in the family, even when Percy was at home.
"Why, Louise!" exclaimed Percy, her eyes opening very wide,—which was not necessary, seeing that they were large enough by nature. "Haven't you finished your dishes yet? Well, if ever!"
"Oh, yes, it is all very well for you to say, 'Well, if ever!' when you are all dressed up and going off to school on the boat," said Louise, sulkily. "Wait till you have it to do, before you make so much fuss about it!" ”

“ You must be a very careful little girl, I think. And how do you like your school?"
"Oh, very much!" answered Percy, with animation. "It is not a bit like a school: it seems just like home."
"It must be very unlike any boarding school I ever attended," said Miss Ackerman. "Mamma, the carriage is ready; and there is not much time to spare, you know."
"True," answered her mother. "Good-by, my love; you must try not to feel lonely. Sylvester will show you the library and the flowers, if you like, or you can lie down and rest after your lunch, just as you feel disposed. ”

“ She thinks every one is cross who will not let her be just as idle as she wants to be. But don't you see, Percy, that it is absolutely necessary for her own sake and mine, that Louise should learn to work? I can't afford to keep her, unless she is some help to me; and as she is now, she will never learn to get her own living in the world."
"She thinks it is very hard that she cannot go to school, as I do," remarked Percy. "She says she knows she could do well enough, if she could only have an education." ”

“ She finally decided to be left at home, because she wanted to see her bundles when they came, for she couldn't help thinking, after all, that her merino must be part cotton.
"Aunt Ackerman," said Percy, very soberly, after they had gone on some little way in silence, "I never will borrow any trouble again as long as I live."
"That is a very good resolution, my dear," answered Aunt Ackerman. "Borrowing trouble is very foolish, and it is also wrong." ”

“ My dear, it was very good in you to give your holidays to us. I hope we shall make them pleasant for you. Margaret, have you explained to Percy about our going out?"
"Yes, mamma."
"You see, we are going to arrange about the orphans' Christmas-tree," continued Mrs. Ackerman, in a soft, purring kind of voice. "We have to divide the work of buying supplies, because there are so many children this year. To-morrow you shall go around to the shops with me to see what we can find; and I dare say you will like to help Margaret dress some dolls." ”

“ Percy had not expected any Christmas presents after her beautiful desk and paper; but when she came down on Christmas morning, there was a mysterious pile on her plate, covered by a white napkin.
"Oh, aunt, you give me too many nice things!" she exclaimed, as successive boxes developed a silver napkin ring, a set of Scott's poems with beautiful pictures, a package of dainty little kid gloves (Percy always loved kid gloves) , and some unheard-of sugar-plums and dried fruits. "You and Cousin Margaret give me so much and do so much for me, and I can't do anything for you." ”

“ But if Percy was backward in her growth and manners, she was by no means so in her mind; and when she began to feel herself at home with Aunt Zoe, she showed such a capacity for and eagerness in learning, that Miss Devine at once decided to give her niece the best education possible. This was not done without some self-sacrifice on her part; for though "well off" as the phrase is, Miss Devine was by no means rich, and the income of Percy's own little property was not much more than enough to clothe her. Miss Devine did not altogether like the school at "The Bridge." ”

“ At first, mamma thought she would like to have you at school here, so as to be near us; but you seem to be doing so well where you are, that it hardly seems worth while to change. So, if you will give us half your holidays and half your letters, we shall be quite content. My dear little girl, what is the matter?" For two large tears came splashing down right into Percy's coffee cup.
"Nothing; only,—only you are so good, and I was so naughty and silly about coming here. I didn't want to come; and I thought Aunt Ackerman would be exactly like a New York aunt in a story-book! ”

“ It is in very good condition; and I have put your clothes into my hat-box, so you will have plenty of room."
"Thank you, Aunt Zoe, I should like it very much; but how shall I manage when I get to Round Springs? I can't carry the hat-box up myself, you know."
"Oh, Percy, you do go beyond everybody I ever saw, for putting mountains in your own way!" exclaimed Aunt Zoe, laughing. "Are there no men, or boys, or carts, or wheelbarrows, down at the wharf when the boat comes in? How do other girls get their trunks carried up to the school?" ”

“ It doesn't follow that people are bad because you don't know them. Your Aunt Zoe is acquainted with Mrs. Ackerman, and she thinks her a nice woman, you see."
"And, besides, she isn't my real aunt—not my aunt at all," pursued Percy. "Her husband's first wife was my mother's sister. Miss Ackerman is my cousin; but that doesn't make her stepmother my aunt, does it?" ”

“ Oh, you need have no fears; we shall do perfectly well."
Nothing seemed to Percy more unlikely than that they should do perfectly well, when she saw the crowds of people in the streets, and realized what a great city she had come into. Nevertheless, she could have wished the ride to be longer; and her heart began to beat very fast when the carriage drew up at a very handsome brown house on Fifth Avenue.
"Here we are, all right," said Miss Baldwin. "See there the name on the door. Good-by, dear; I hope you will have a very nice time. The expressman will bring your trunk before long." ”

“ Learning lessons is your work, and you ought to do it the best you can; but not be unhappy or fretful, if you do happen to make a mistake. It would be a good thing if you and Louise could be stirred together, and divided evenly," added Aunt Zoe, smiling again, and drawing forth a pretty, old-fashioned writing-desk from the great chest. "See, here is your mother's old writing-desk. Don't you want to take it to school to help make your room look pretty? ”

“ And please, aunt, may I have those big books of birds to look at?"
Percy was not destined to have much comfort with the big books of birds. Cousin Sarah was by no means pleased to be left alone in the house, as she said, though she had an able-bodied man and three women within call, whenever she chose to ring the bell.
"But I ought to know what to expect," she concluded, plaintively. "Poor relations are of no account here. They just measure everything by money, money. Such worldliness! My dear, didn't you hear something moving up-stairs?" ”

“ Ackerman. "Nothing is more disagreeable than to be in the company of a person who is always foreboding evil."
"And it makes people fretful, don't it, aunt?" asked Percy. "Blandina says sometimes, 'Don't fret, Percy!' when I am in a worry for fear of being late or losing my place."
"Yes, it is very apt to make people fretful and impatient; and, besides that, my dear, the habit of borrowing trouble shows a want of faith in our heavenly Father, and is a disobeying of an express command: 'Take therefore no thought for to-morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. ”

“ Cousin Sarah here began to put Percy through a series of questions relating to her aunt Devine, her father and mother, her school, and other things which diverted her from her fears, till Mrs. Ackerman and Margaret came home. Then came another trouble. She was sure she never should dare to sleep alone, and in the third story, too. What if there should be a fire, and she should not wake till it was too late to save herself. What if a robber should come in? He would be sure to go up-stairs first of all. ”

“ Neither of the girls could help laughing.
"What a dreadful aunt, to be sure!" said Blandina, "To send you boxes of candy. My aunt in New York never sends me anything but dreadfully stupid and instructive books. But, Percy, all ladies who live on Fifth Avenue are not heathens nor cannibals. I have known some quite respectable people from that part of the city." ”

“ I'll tell you what it is, Percy, it is time you left off making such scarecrows for yourself out of nothing at all. You keep yourself in a perpetual worry about things more than half of which never come to pass after all. ”

“ The door was opened presently by a very stylish-looking, elderly coloured man, who looked at Percy in some surprise.
"Is—is my aunt at home? Mrs. Ackerman, I mean," Percy managed to say at last.
"Oh, yes!" replied Sylvester, all smiles, directly. "Missy will be the young lady that was expected to-morrow morning. Let me take your things, Miss, and please walk up-stairs. How you do favour your dear ma, to be sure. This way, Miss. Mrs. Ackerman is in her room, but she will be down directly. Take a seat by the fire." ”

“ I like to work hard when I do work," said Percy; "but I am afraid I shall be very ignorant and backward, because I have never been to school. I have always done my lessons at home with my father or mother."
"Don't you borrow any trouble about that," said Blandina. "Miss Reynolds says she likes to teach girls who have never been to school, because they have so much general information." ”

“ They are afraid of keeping a man-servant, for fear of being robbed, or of doing without one, because they feel so unprotected. I don't tell you these things to make you laugh at your cousins, my dear,—though I allow that one cannot always help doing so; but I want you to see what such a disposition is likely to grow to, unless it is taken in time."
Percy had plenty of chances to see this during the week that she spent with Cousin Sarah, and the lesson did her a great deal of good. All the girls noticed the change in her when she came back to school. ”

“ Swayne?" asked Percy, as, having dispatched Harry with her box, she came back to the kitchen door, to watch for the first whistle of the little steamer which lay in sight at the landing below.
"Oh, 't is just a by-word they have in Scotland," replied Mrs. Swayne. "When a person is well off, and yet keeps grumbling and discontented-like, and all the time wishing themselves elsewhere, people say they are sinning their mercies. Louise has just as good a place as any girl could have, and as kind a friend as ever lived in your aunt ”

“ After lunch, Mrs. Ackerman asked Cousin Sarah, whether she would like to go home, or whether she had any more to do.
"I want to make a call in Brooklyn; and it is such a pleasant day, I think Percy will enjoy the ride and crossing the ferry: won't you, my dear?" ”

“ Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.' You know who said that, Percy."
"Our Lord," answered Percy, reverently.
"We know that our heavenly Father is perfectly wise and good and all-powerful," continued Aunt Ackerman. "And we know that he loves us, and has promised to give us all things that we need, if we seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. We know of course that he does, and permits many things which seem to us very mysterious ”

“ Ackerman. "However, we must be kind to the poor thing, and we won't let to-morrow spoil to-day, if we can help it. Come, Percy dear, gather up your pretty things and put them away. It is time we were getting ready for church."
Percy had dreaded Christmas, because she thought she should feel so sadly, but the day passed very pleasantly, after all. She went to church with her aunt and cousin, and after church they drove round to the Orphans' Home, and saw all the children at their dinner of turkeys and plum puddings. ”

“ Ackerman's own carriage. Percy found out afterwards that they were teachers in the public school and the Sunday-school.
"Mamma is apt to make her holiday parties on Scripture principles," said Margaret to Percy, when they were alone together. "She does not invite her rich neighbors, but looks out for those who have no friends or home to go to."
The next morning Percy went to the station with Margaret to meet Cousin Sarah.
"There she is," said Margaret, as a thin, tall, anxious-looking woman came out of the car. "Take care! She will be run over." ”

“ I dare say you have found that out."
"I don't know what you mean," said Percy, colouring. "I am sure Aunt Ackerman and Margaret are just as kind as they can be."
"Oh, well! I dare say they are kind to you, child. You have a social position, you see. And Cousin Julia Ackerman does mean to be kind, I dare say; but she is no hand to do shopping at all. I sent her sixty dollars to buy me a Paisley shawl; and when I came to look it over, there were three threads of cotton in it. Now, a shawl that is part cotton will fade in streaks, you know ”

“ Lester liked the climate of Colorado, and found his own health and his wife's the better for the change, and he began to talk quite seriously about selling his place and practice at Round Springs, and setting up his staff in Denver city.
"Don't you hate the thought of going out there, away from everybody you have ever known?" asked Percy one day, after Flora had been reading a letter from her father.
"I don't know—no," answered Flora, considering before she spoke, as usual. "Perhaps I should, if I thought much about it; but I don't. Something may happen, or father may change his mind ”