Mrs. Budd

“ Budd, turning up a red nose and two very swollen eyes, "I 'ave and I 'aven't. Could I see you privit?"
Doctor Brink led the way into the consulting-room and lit a pipe, at the same time inviting Mrs. Budd to "let us have it!"
"Now then, Mrs. Budd, let's have it!"
Mrs. Budd began to cry.
"That isn't what I asked for," explained the doctor.
"I—I 'ardly know 'ow to—to tell you," sobbed Mrs. Budd. "It's so disgraceful."
"I am always hearing disgraceful things," the doctor said. "You needn't consider my feelings: they are hardened." ”

“ There's a time, howsomever, in every man's life, when he begins to think of settling down, and of considerin' himself as a sort of mooring-chain, for children and the likes of them to make fast to. Such is my natur', I will own; and ever since I've got to be intimate in your family, Madam Budd, that sentiment has grown stronger and stronger in me, till it has got to be uppermost in all my idees. Bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh, as a body might say.”
Mrs. Budd now looked more than interested, for she looked a little confused, and Rose began to tremble for her aunt. ”

“ But not only Rose was there, and to be cared for, but what was far more difficult to get along with, her aunt was with her. It is true Mrs. Budd was no longer Spike’s dupe; but under any circumstances she was a difficult subject to manage, and most especially so in all matters that related to the sea. Then the young man submitted, more or less, to the strange influence which a fine craft almost invariably obtains over those that belong to her. He did not like the idea of deserting the Swash, at the very moment he would not have hesitated about punishing her owner for his many misdeeds. ”

“ Budd, delighted to settle to a cosy chat, “an’ then that’ll be the end of her. Just the same, she must be a real clever woman, Mrs. Chalmers, and then, my dear—as I told Mis’ Holt—there must be somethin’ the matter with her husband. No woman would take to pullin’ wires for a job, if her husband was the man he should be. Prob’ly he’s some lazy, no account s’ciety man, this——”
“No, Mrs. Budd,” Farleigh sat very erect, “I—I’m sure you’re mistaken,” she added less hastily, “he—her husband isn’t no account, or—you see, such a clever woman wouldn’t have married him!” ”

“ But no she won’t be apt to do that because she won’t think no manicure girl worth spoiling a fine muff over. It is exactly like the big scene in a play you know how it is Mom only you really don’t because it is another thing altogether when it is real.
Well I have got the pickle out of the way and so I say real careful like, “I have the honor to be a friend of Mr. Edgerton,” I says. And then I have a sudden bright idea and I raise my voice and call, “Come in Mrs. Budd.” Then I listen and I say again louder yet, “Please come in Mrs. Budd.” ”

“ Life in the farmhouse resumed its old course--but with a difference. Just what it was no one attempted to define. But each felt it in his own way. March was more gentle with Budd and Cherry, more often with his mother and Chi, more companionable for his father. Rose was quieter, but, if possible, more loving towards all. Budd was at times wholly disconsolate, and wasted sheets of his best Christmas note-paper in writing letters to Hazel which were never sent. ”

“ He soon found that his employer was a hard, cruel, grasping tyrant, while his wife was a complete termagant, scolding and fault-finding incessantly from morning until night. There was not an animal on the place that escaped the abuse of the master, and not even the master himself escaped the tirades of the mistress.
Budd, by faithfully performing every task assigned him, and thus frequently doing twice over what a lad of his age should have been expected to do, tried to win the approval of both Mr. Benton and his wife. ”

“ When the terrible rinderpest broke out in England in 1866, Budd was loud in his recommendations of “a poleaxe and a pit of quicklime” as the true solution of the difficulty, and although derided at first, this view was ultimately and successfully adopted.
DR. JOHN W. BUDD
From a photograph by his brother, Dr. Richard Budd of Barnstaple
Rarely has a whole family proved so able—and, what is more, proved the excellence of a home education, where the father is competent to give it. ”

“ Gertrude looked at him with mock solemnity.119 “I fear, Mr. Budd, that the age of miracles has long gone by.”
Budd strolled thoughtfully along the avenue toward his favorite club. “She is mistaken about the age of miracles,” he was saying to himself. “There are amazing and inexplicable phenomena in sight all around us. A newspaper man who appears to advantage in a drawing-room! ”

“ Budd found, to his grief and boyish despair,
That his neck was so stiff that he could not turn his head,
And must spend the whole day alone in his bed.
What was worse, his own stocking hung limp on a chair,
And on it these words were written most fair:
"To him who is greedy I leave less than all;
The world is so large and my reindeer so small.
"My pack is elastic when children are kind,
But it shuts with a snap and leaves nothing behind,
When a boy or girl is selfish or mean.
Good-bye, little Budd, I am off with my team.
(Signed) Santa Claus."
Christmas ”

“ Rose Budd’s sweet eyes were full of fun and expectation, and she could no more repress her laugh than youth and spirits can always be discreet.
“Yes, with the pigs,” she cried, “that might do very well; but how is it with those—other creatures?”
“Rosy, dear,” interrupted the aunt, “I wish you would say no more about such shocking things. It’s enough for us that Capt. Spike has ordered them all to stay forward among the men, which is always done on board well disciplined vessels. ”

“ Budd's visits, they struggled against an imprudent inclination to leave the young people too much alone. Their conclusions were the result of indirect observation, for neither of them dared to be caught watching Mr. Budd: they behaved like naturalists on the trail of a rare butterfly.
In his efforts not to notice Mr. Budd, Lethbury centred his attentions on Jane; and Jane, at this crucial moment, wrung from him a reluctant admiration. While her parents went about dissembling their emotions, she seemed to have none to conceal. She betrayed neither eagerness nor surprise ”

“ So old Budd thought she would have made a good angel. That was nice. Budd had been at the pageant at the church. He had a part in the play to be given this morning. And as Betty happened to meet him in the hall on her way to her home room, she gave him such a welcoming smile, without realizing it in the least, that Budd was pleasantly surprised. He believed he’d get ahead of old Chet and ask Betty way ahead for something or other in the party line. Say, why couldn’t he take her to that big moving picture that was coming in vacation? It was a proper one that the Lees would let Betty see. ”

“ They are yours, are they not?"
"Yes; and as the shanty don't belong to pop, they ought to be moved. If we get the island, we can bring everything over here, and set up housekeeping in pretty decent style."
"Exactly," went on Budd, smilingly; "and while they are yours, I shall be having the benefit of them, and that is worth considerable. But there is one thing you possess more valuable yet, and for which you ought to have full allowance."
"What do you mean?" asked Judd, in wonder.
"Knowledge of the business," responded Budd. "I can row or sail a boat--have been used to that all my life ”

“ There is no knowing what old Benton will do to you for losing his cart and oxen. You'd better go back to the island with me, and let him think you are dead."
"No," said Budd. "My duty is to go to him and tell him the whole story, let the consequences be what they may, and I shall do it."
"I always did admire pluck," replied Judd, in undisguised admiration, "and you have it. I'd rather take your sail of last night than go back and face the old tyrant. Only, if he kicks you off of the farm, remember you are welcome to go pards with me on the island. It's better than no place to lay your head." ”

“ Later on, he could see that the ruling of his spirit that day won for him, if not a city, certainly the happiest results, though severe trials stood between him and their consummation.
That night, at as early an hour as possible, Budd sought his little room. Closing the door carefully after him, he walked over to the rude rack on the wall and took down his light overcoat. From an inside pocket he took a long wallet, and from the wallet a postal card. ”

“ They were still discussing the plans they hoped to realize when they reached the island. Mr. Boyd was at the wharf, and immediately opened the letter Budd gave him.
"Hold on!" he a moment later cried out, as Budd was about to take the sloop to her anchorage. "This letter has laid in the office ever since yesterday noon. Mr. Johnson simply says he is coming down to-night to remain over Sunday with us, and wants you to meet him at the six o'clock train. One of you will have to go back to the village after him."
"We will both go," replied Judd; "there is nothing else to do." ”

“ Rose Budd, however, had received the vicious education which civilized society inflicts on her sex, and, as a matter of course, was totally helpless in an element in which it was the design of Divine Providence she should possess the common means of sustaining herself, like every other being endued with animal life. Not so with Mulford, he swam with ease and force, and had no difficulty in sustaining Rose until the schooner had settled into her new berth, or in hauling her on the vessel’s bottom immediately after. ”

“ The presence of other women, with whom I have been in love, has usually thrown me into a turbulent fever; but Ally Budd's pale, beautiful face, soft eyes, and gentle voice, had a calm and soothing influence on my spirit Her words fell like oil, even on the stormy tide of her aunt's rough passions ”

“ Here, too, I've remained in undisputed possession ever since."
"How do you live?" asked Budd, with a good deal of curiosity.
"Oh! that's easy enough," said Judd, with a laugh. "I catch fish and dig clams. Some I eat; the rest I sell. That enables me to purchase what groceries and provisions I may want. I was over to the village and made some purchases early this morning. By and by, when the watering-places open up, I can get odd jobs enough. I shall fare as well as I have ever done, I assure you. I'm no pauper--not if I know myself. By the way, won't you have something to eat?" ”

“ Budd had married his silly wife, on account of her pretty face, and when the novelty of that was over, he often amused himself by inventing all sorts of absurdities, to amuse both her and himself. Among other things, Rose well remembered his quieting her aunt’s scruples about falling off the earth, by laying down the theory that the world did not “roll over,” but “whirl round.” But Rose did not answer the question.
“Objects are kept in their places on the earth, by means of attraction,” Mulford ventured to say, with a great deal of humility of manner. ”

“ Budd gave him directions how to find the leading hotel, and then cast off the fastenings of the sloop and sped away for the island.
Promptly at one o'clock he was at the village, and as he took Mr. Wilson on board he asked if he should run down and take the gentleman's skiff in tow; for, expecting to do this, he had left his own yawl with Judd.
"No, never mind that; it isn't worth taking with us," replied Mr. Wilson. ”

“ Almost every one of the current magazines has monthly contributions from prominent instructors, shedding new light upon this question of the coming education. So much in order to prove the timeliness of the following reference to the past.
Thomas Budd arrived in Burlington, New Jersey, in 1678. His father was the Rev. Thomas Budd, at one time rector of the parish of Martock, Somersetshire, England, but who forsook the state Church and became a follower of George Fox, and an ardent Quaker. ”

“ Then lowering his voice, so as not to be heard by anyone passing, he added: "You need have no fear of the Town Board, my lad, as long as you show a disposition to be industrious and take care of yourself. We wish you every success."
"He was just asking me to go over to the island and enter into partnership with him," explained Budd; "he says I can make as much as I was getting from Mr. Benton."
"And not have half as rough an experience," Judd chimed in, with a laugh.
"How do you expect to make it, Judd?" Mr. Wright asked, a little doubtingly.
"Selling fish and clams; taking out fishing-parties ”

“ I think you will be much happier, Mr. Budd, in sticking to your former convictions, and not attempting to take an interest in movements and tendencies with which, you know, you are not in sympathy at heart.”
“But,” persisted Budd, who felt that somehow his plan of campaign was not working itself out with the success that should attend a111 truly Napoleonic manœuvre, “I came here to ask you to help me, not by throwing cold water on my aspirations, but by telling me how to become worthy of—of the new woman.”
Gertrude Van Vleck laughed nervously. ”

“ Her reappearance in the wash silk and velvet turban was the signal, on March's part, for a burst of applause, and cries of admiration from Budd and Cherry.
"Grand transformation scene!" cried March, as Rose tripped down in the blue taffeta, looking like a very rose herself.
"Beats all!" murmured Chi, who had become nearly speechless with admiration, "what clothes 'll do for a good-lookin' woman; but for a ravin', tearin' beauty like our Rose--George Washin'ton! She 'll open those high-flyers' eyes." ”