La Flèche

“ I went over to France, with a view of prosecuting my studies in a country retreat; and I there laid that plan of life which I have steadily and successfully pursued. I resolved to make a very rigid frugality supply my deficiency of fortune, to maintain unimpaired my independency, and to regard every object as contemptible, except the improvement of my talents in literature.
During my retreat in France, first at Rheims, but chiefly at La Fleche, in Anjou, I composed my Treatise of Human Nature. ”

“ Getting no satisfaction from the duke, the envoy hastened to England to ask aid of the king. But Henry was engrossed in the affairs of his realm—which Robert’s return had rendered critical—and he prudently decided not to embark upon a hazardous foreign enterprise at that time. He thanked the Norman commanders at Le Mans for their loyalty and consideration, but sent their messenger away empty. And when they had thus “laudably proved their fidelity,” they surrendered the citadel to Helias of La Flèche, late in October, and marched out with the honors of war. ”

“ Third, when the vision comes without any semblance and only a voice is heard, the man is given not only the power to achieve success and foretell events, but he can foresee the coming of death. Should a man endowed with the third degree so elect, he can in due form join the Ghost Society; or, if he prefers, he can practice his powers individually.”
His father, the late Joseph La Flèche, told the author in 1882 that the Ghost Dance formerly belonged to the Ponka tribe, from whom the Omaha took it ”

“ THE ROOF-RIDGE OF NOTRE DAME.
(From a drawing by Joseph Pennell, by permission of the “Pall Mall Magazine.”)
The Flèche, over the crossing, was built in 1859–60, the ancient one being destroyed in 1787 and replaced by a bulb-like structure which was irreverently compared to a pepper box. To this circumstance Victor Hugo alludes scornfully: “Un architecte de bon goût l’a amputé, et a cru qu’il suffisait de masquer la plaie avec ce large emplâtre de plomb, qui ressemble au couvercle d’une marmite.” In removing this atrocity Viollet-le-Duc was assuredly performing a necessary service. ”

“ Tea was over, and everybody had left the dining-room but Mary and cousin Fred. Mary had just parted the curtains to look out, as people always do on a windy night, when Fred startled her by saying, in a whisper, “Flaxie, come here.”
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She dropped the curtain hastily, and crossed the room. What could Fred be wanting of her, and why should he whisper when they two were alone, and the wind outside was making such a noise?
“Put your ear down close to my mouth, Flaxie. You mustn’t tell anybody, now remember.”
“Why not, Fred? It isn’t best to make promises beforehand. Perhaps I ought to tell.” ”

“ As she rode along she sang as well as she could without neglecting the gum, sitting at one end of the seat like a man, the reins held carelessly in her left hand, notwithstanding the swift gait of the horse, who always knew when Flaxen was driving. She met a friend on the road, and said, "Hello!" pulling up her horse with one strong hand.
"Can't stop," she explained; "got to go over to the city to get some groceries for harvest. Goin' to the sociable to-morrow?" ”

“ Poor little Flaxie, I know [Pg 76] she's rushing round that car and crying! What will she do with herself? She won't get off anywhere? Oh, no, Flaxie isn't such a goose as to get off a car unless there's some sense in it! There's only one goose in the family, and that's Preston Gray. No, she won't get off. And let's see, the conductor will remember her, on account of that cracker. ”

“ At Bert's instigation, a middle-aged widow had been hired, at a fabulous price, to come and do the most of the work for them, thus releasing Flaxen from the weight of the hard work, which perhaps was all the worse for her. Hard work might have prevented the unbearable, sleepless pain within. She hated 114 the slatternly Mrs. Green at once for her meddling with her affairs, though the good woman meant no offence. She was jocose in the broad way of middle-aged persons, to whom a love-affair is legitimate food for raillery.
But Gearheart's keen eye was on Flaxen as well. ”

“ They had played games, and put together dissected maps, and tried puzzles, and read in Flaxy's wonderful books; and since tea they had had a grand romp at "fox and geese," even such big boys as Bernard and Dudley joining in; and now they were resting with pretty red cheeks and parted mouths.
"Well, what shall we do now?" cried little Prue, who could not bear that a minute of the precious time should be wasted in mere sitting still.
"Why, isn't it a good time for some one else to tell his story?" asked Flaxy. ”

“ Anson saw it all now. In her fear and pain she had turned to him—poor, motherless little bird—forgetting her boy-husband or feeling the need of a broader 140 breast and stronger hand. It was a beautiful trust, and as the great, shaggy man went out into the morning he was exalted by the thought. "My little babe—my Flaxen!" he said with unutterable love and pity.
Again his mind ran over the line of his life—the cabin, the dead woman, the baby face nestling at his throat, the girl coming to him with her trials and triumphs. ”

“ There was a little wicket-gate there, set in the ivied wall; as Bryce opened it, a man in the working dress of a stone-mason, whom he recognized as being one of the master-mason's staff, came running out of the bushes. His face, too, was white, and his eyes were big with excitement. And recognizing Bryce, he halted, panting.
“What is it, Varner?” asked Bryce calmly. “Something happened?”
The man swept his hand across his forehead as if he were dazed, and then jerked his thumb over his shoulder.
“A man!” he gasped. “Foot of St. Wrytha's Stair there, doctor. Dead—or if not dead, near it. ”

“ Phil had a grieved lip. He hardly liked the little pink morsel in the nurse’s lap; but he was glad to see Flaxie, and stood on his head with delight.74
Mamma looked very happy, and so did Dr. Papa. Ninny went singing about the house, and Preston whistled more than ever.
It was all beautiful, only Flaxie wanted to have a “talk” with mamma, but nurse said, “You’d better go down-stairs to play;” and then, not long after supper, she said again, “And now you’d better go to bed!”
“A queer woman, scolding so to other people’s little girls,” thought Flaxie. ”

“ The twigs are soon crackling under the pail. He points his finger disdainfully at the poor squaw, who cannot make a fire. She looks so brow-beaten and discouraged at this, so unlike the spirited Flaxie Frizzle of real life, that the audience laugh. ”

“ Flax sped along through the wind and the rain and the thunder. She was very much afraid that she should not reach the tall pine which was quite a way distant before the sun shone out, and the rainbow came. ”

“ Ah, Flaxie, Flaxie! To think you should know no better than to meddle with such dreadful things! The antimony was as poisonous as it could be; but, if anybody had told you so, you would have swallowed it all the same, I suppose, you silly little creature!
How much antimony Flaxie took, I'm sure I don't know, but it was a great deal; [23] and it frightens me now to think of it, for this is a true story.
"I'm a doctor's chillen; I mus' take mederson," said she, making a wry face as she found it did not taste at all "nice." ”

“ Neither was Mary conscious this evening of her own looks and appearance. Her tresses “of crisped gold” floated unheeded, and she never once looked down at her new dress to admire the color. Her thoughts were not of herself but of others.
“Dr. Gray,” said Miss Pike in a low tone, “don’t you agree with me that this last year has been the best year of Mary’s life? I believe she will grow up to be a thoughtful, unselfish woman.”
“Flaxie Growing Up!” said Dr. Gray, blinking and rubbing his eyes. ”

“ THE FLAX
The flax was in full bloom; it had pretty little blue flowers as delicate as the wings of a moth, or even more so. The sun shone, and the showers watered it, so that it became very beautiful.
“People say that I look exceedingly well,” said the flax, “and that I am so fine and long, that I shall make an excellent piece of linen. How fortunate I am! it makes me so happy; it is such a pleasant thing to know that something can be made of me. How the sunshine cheers me, and how sweet and refreshing is the rain! no one in the world can feel happier than I do.” ”

“ Flaxie dropped her head and blushed. “Oh, yes’m, I can stay. I’ve sent Preston home, and locked the door!”
Mrs. Proudfit smiled into the oven as she looked at her gingerbread, and thought—of course she did—that Flaxie Frizzle was a very queer child.
It did seem as if that gingerbread never38 would bake! A cloud came up, the wind blew, the baby cried so Patty couldn’t play, the children quarrelled, and the kitten ran round in a fit.
Nothing seemed half as nice as it had seemed an hour ago; and when supper was ready, that gingerbread was burnt, and, as true as you live, the preserves were sour! ”

“ There’s a sort of recess, something like a cave, there. I picked up the coin in that cave, lying among some seaweed—”
“Look as if it had been there long?” interrupted Cherry. “Any sand on it?”
“No; it was just as it is now,” replied Bryce. “Looked as if somebody dropped it recently, and it had fallen or rolled among the seaweed. But that’s not all,” he continued, growing more and more important. “There are footmarks in that recess that I’m sure you ought to see. A man’s—a big man’s too! And they lead straight across the sand: firm white sand it is, there, and they’re the only marks on it. ”

“ Flaxie’s mother was so nice! Perhaps she had cows, and needed a little girl to milk them? But, oh dear, she wouldn’t hire anybody that couldn’t “behave!”
After this, Pecielena hovered about Camp Comfort longingly, but would have got no farther than the door-stone, if Flaxie had not come out and urged her to enter.
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“Oh yes, come in, Pecy, come in, and have some raisins.”
It had been a bright day for Pecy when the Quintette came to Camp Comfort, a brighter day than she knew. Miss Pike had a “plan” for her. ”

“ He glanced at Bryce as he had glanced at Glassdale—over the tops of his spectacles, and the glance had no more than mild inquiry in it. But if Bryce had been less excited, he would have seen that Folliot, as he beckoned him inside the garden, swept a sharp look over the Close and ascertained that there was no one about, that Bryce's entrance was unobserved. Save for a child or two, playing under the tall elms near one of the gates, and for a clerical figure that stalked a path in the far distance, the Close was empty of life. ”

“ This, with a side-glance at Mary. “I’d as lief let her have my handbag as not,” remarked Blanche Jones.
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“Shan’t you do anything, Flaxie? You have so much money of your own.”
Mrs. Gray could scarcely restrain an amused smile as Mary replied in a low voice,
“Perhaps I’ll do something—I’ll see”—and then had to steal out of the room for fear she might add,—
“Yes, indeed I’m going to do more than all the rest of you put together. And if mamma’s willing, I shall teach Pecy her letters too!” ”

“ We shall never be able to leave Flaxie in charge of any thing; you might as well set a squirrel to watch a weasel," said Dr. Gray.
"I know it," replied his wife; "but I never saw a child six years old that could take charge of any thing, did you?"
Flaxie began to call for her supper the moment her father and mother and little Phil were out of sight.
"'Cause there's queam-cakes, too, I saw 'em. And then I guess I'd better go see Lucy; she's spectin' me."
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"No, ma'am, Flaxie Frizzle," said Preston, firmly. "You're not going further than the weeping-willow this day ”

“ It’s the biggest thing that’ll be done to-morrow, see if it isn’t?”
Mary looked doubtful.
“I was a goose to tell you, though, Flaxie; I might have known girls always make a fuss.”
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“Oh, it isn’t because I’m a girl, Fred! Girls like fun as well as anybody, only girls have more——.” She did not know whether to say “delicacy” or “discretion,” but decided that either word would give offence; “girls are different.” ”

“ For thirty-five years she had been using her talents and her energies in training up young girls for noble womanhood. Like others in our list of Remarkable Women, her early home was among the New England hills. As another has expressed it, "On the little mountain farm the child saw the flax grow to make her single summer dress, and herself petted and fed the lambs and sheep which gave the wool to keep her warm in winter. The fairy flax flowers, blue as heaven, delighted her eyes." ”

“ She's real white; and I can't stand it," said Preston, stroking her cold cheeks in alarm.
At that Flaxie began to cry. She was not in pain, as she had been when she got the slate-pencil up her nose; but somehow she felt very unhappy.
"Guess I's goin' to die," sobbed she.
"Why, Flaxie Frizzle Gray, what do you mean by such talk as that? What do YOU know about dying?"
"O, I know 'bout it; we'll all die some [29] day, mamma said so; guess it's some day now," gasped Flaxie, mournfully.
"That's not a pretty way to talk," said Bert Abbott. "Here, eat a raisin, Flaxie, that's a good baby." ”

“ And who saved it?”
“Miss Pike!” broke forth all the children in chorus.
“Yes,” said Johnny; “but she marched us all out first, so the little ones wouldn’t get burnt. Never said a word about the fire till we got out!”106
“She always does things just right. She’s one of God’s girls,” cried Freddy.
“Yes,” broke in Flaxie, strongly excited; “I don’t care if I can’t see her soul. I’ve seen it shine! Oh, it’s beautiful to be homely!”
Nobody smiled—they all thought Flaxie was right.
“Yes, it is beautiful to be homely in just Miss Pike’s way,” said Aunt Charlotte. ”