Nellie Melba

“ Memling vowed.
“Do what again?”
“Use forethought and caution, and all that sort of thing. Every time I take old Father Time by the forelock, he knees me in the stomach. Never in my life did I set out extra early to make a train that I didn’t get left.”
“There’s sumpum in what you say, Doik,” Nellie philosophized. “Trust to luck and you got a chance—not much, but some. But use your brain and it seems like you was challengin’ the Fates to a duel. They feel they gotta show you what a woim you really are.” ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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." ”

“ Mamma's praises and caresses helped her to conquer it this time again, though it was a harder trial than usual, and she altogether declined to look at the dinner-set, or to take any comfort therein.
"Papa," said Nellie to her father in a low tone, as she and Carrie stood beside him, their attention divided between the birds and Daisy, "papa, if you will buy Daisy a bird, I will take care of it for her. I suppose she is too little to do it herself; but she likes pets so much, and she was so very sweet and unselfish about her white mice, that I think she deserves a reward." ”

“ It's a shame to kill the dear, pretty little things. Belle Powers' papa just lets her have every thing she wants. I wish my papa and mamma did. And Daisy has her own way too, 'most always; and it's not fair. I'm older than she is. If she can have white mice, I don't see why I can't have gray ones. One isn't any more harm than the other. Besides, I don't have to mind Nellie. She needn't be telling me I must take the mice to Catherine. She thinks herself so great ever since she's been mamma's housekeeper ”

“ As Memling unslung his canvas from his back, he bowed to the old artist who lived at their little hotel, a genial patriarch who was so kindly of soul that Memling felt ashamed of himself for not admiring the veteran’s art as much as his heart.
Nellie had quite fallen in love with him. Old Henri la Berthe—which Nellie called “Ornery lar Boit—knew a little English, and enjoyed trying to make Nellie understand it. He even enjoyed trying to comprehend her. It was a sort of game of chess. To-day he insisted on seeing Memling's work, and it evoked his intense enthusiasm. ”

“ As the two children went down the stairs together, Nelly said,
“Isn’t she good, Melindy?”
Melinda was not accustomed to behave herself for so great a length of time; her stock of good conduct was now pretty nearly exhausted, so she answered rather sharply,
“Of course she is. I know that as well as you, without bein’ told.”
Nelly felt something choking her in her throat.
“I will not,” she said firmly to herself, “I will not answer back. I’ll do as Martin says, and make a friend of Melindy, if I can. She isn’t so very bad, after all. Why, I do believe I rather like her.” ”

“ With so much else to think about, it is not very surprising that the little girls should forget [98] the white mice; and, even up to the time of their leaving home to go to Mrs. Bradford's house, Nellie did not remember to ask her mother if she would object to them.
Daisy, mindful of the advantage she had gained in the morning, and very much enjoying the position of affairs, was extremely coy and coquettish with Frankie this afternoon; while he, anxious to return to his old standpoint with her, would have given her every thing she fancied, and courted her favor by every means in his power. ”

“ La Berthe felt that it would be easier to try to speak her language than to understand it, so he began:
“Mees Nellee, all las' night I am not sleep. I me remember Monsieur Memleeng his so sharmeeng painteeng. He did say to me: ‘No, no, I cannot make expose my painteeng to the Salon. I do not know nobody not at all. I have not the’—how did he say?—‘the pool.’ Now me, I am not great painter like Monsieur Memleeng.”
“Oh, Mussoo Ornery!” Nellie exclaimed.
“Pas de cérémonies, Mees Nellee. I have a nice talent, but not the grand talent. I know. ”

“ 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." ”

“ She knew she could depend on Nellie's sympathy, however much shocked her sister might be at her naughtiness, and she half believed that she could help her. How she wished now that she had not been so pettish and disagreeable to her!
"Nellie wasn't cross at all, it was old me that was cross and hateful and horrid; and I [226] have been ever since I took the mice," she said to herself, the tears rolling over her cheeks. "I wish she'd come up, and I'd tell her I'm sorry; and if she asks me what's the matter, I b'lieve I've a good mind to tell her. Oh dear! I wish I'd never seen those mice. ”

“ The commodore looked disappointed, and insisted. While he was urging her, Nellie was remembering that absence is said to make the heart grow fonder. She wondered if it would not be the best tactics to leave Memling alone with his old "frump of a grande damn"—Nellie thought of her now with an "n." She knew that Memling had a gift for jealousy, and she sometimes felt that she neglected it too much. If he really loved her, he would think more about her if she were out yachting with another man than if she were helplessly sulking in a chair while he sculped another woman. ”

“ In this edition there chanced to be a page devoted to the portraits of eleven Australian singers, and our eyes fell on Madame Melba, who was in the middle. As what character she was dressed I do not remember, but she looked magnificent. There was a crown upon her beautiful head, the plentiful hair was worn flowing, and the shapely bosom and arms exposed.
“Who’s that?” they inquired.
“Madame Melba; did you ever hear her name?”
“Who’s Madame Melba? What’s she do? Is she a queen?” ”

“ He and the artist exchanged rapid-fire chatter that evidently sent Memling into the seventh heaven of pride. Later he said to Nellie:
“The old man’s a bad painter, but he’s a good judge of what other people do.”
“Not knocking your own woik, at all,” Nellie had to say. But Memling was soaring too loftily to be brought down by any little shaft of irony.
The next morning he was up with the sun, for artists are Parsees by profession; they must serve in the temple of light while their god is there. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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." ”

“ Somehow this struck Nellie as funny, and even in the midst of her penitent distress she was obliged to give a low laugh; a nervous little laugh it was, too, as her mother noticed.
"She's 'most better now," said Daisy, in a loud whisper, and with a confidential nod at mamma. "I fought I'd cure her up. This is a very nice fan when people don't feel well, or feel sorry," she added, as she paused for a moment, with an admiring look at the article in question; "it makes such a lot of wind." ”

“ Phyllis sighed. “I suppose I must, but I shall hate it,” she said with sudden vehemence. “I don’t want to be separated from all the Adventure Girls. You mean more to me than you know,” she said, a sudden mist in her eyes. “You are the only friends I have. The only fun I have I have to steal with you. I never thought a person could be as cruel as Aunt Melba. She has taken every nice thing I ever had away from me. ”

“ Memling answered with a bow.
“Paris is doin’ you good already,” Nellie beamed. “Keep right on.”
“I painted a portrait of you, and showed it to old Vervins. He said: ‘You are a very poor painter, monsieur, but if you can remove what you put on, I shall do myself the honor of calling you a great artist.’”
Nellie was furious. “He’s got a noive! Why didn’t you smack his fat face off for him?” she demanded. “Telling you you weren’t a great painter. Didn’t you tell him you were a great sculptor?” ”

“ Those we get down here always seem soft and salty, like the spray."
"Come, Nellie," called Mrs. McLaughlin, "I am ready. Where is your hat?"
"Oh, yes, mother, I'm coming!" replied Nellie.
Bert had the donkey cart hitched and there was now no time to spare. Nellie kissed Freddie and Flossie affectionately, and promised to bring the little boy all through a big city, real fire-engine house when he came to see her. ”

“ 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." ”

“ Harry rushed towards his sister.
“Do go, Nellie. Let mother keep one of us. I don’t mind being drowned—not a bit. You tell mother I don’t mind. Go, Nellie; do go with the big brave girl.”
So Pauline carried Nellie through the rising tide, and, marvellous to relate, did land her safely on the other side.
“Now look here,” she said, “you must rush home as fast as you can, and when you get there you are to say that there are two girls and a boy in the White Bay, and that your people are to bring a boat immediately. Don’t waste a second. Find somebody. If all your people are out, go to ours. ”

“ Thoughtful Nellie in another instant had taken the mice from Daisy's hold, and shutting both within the box laid it on a chair at a distance.
"Mamma," sobbed Daisy, hiding her little pitiful face on her mother's bosom, "I will take 'em back to Frankie. I didn't know you [107] would degust 'em so, and I'm sorry I bringed 'em home for you to see. And, mamma, I wouldn't be a cry-baby, 'deed I wouldn't, if I could help it."
"You can cry a little if you want to, and no one shall call you a cry-baby, my pet," said her mother, "and"—Mrs. Ransom hesitated ”

“ Nellie went back to her attitude, and Memling assailed the canvas again. He had his days of triumph, when he cried: “I’ve got you now! I’m a better painter than I ever was sculptor.” And he had his days when he said: “If this canvas were mine, I’d throw' it into the River Loing. But it’s got another man’s masterpiece under this daub of mine.”
But he would not give it up, and one day he decided to call it finished, and stop before he ruined it with detail. That day he showed it to La Berthe, and the old man’s eyelids pursed with tears. ”

“ The next morning, when Nellie came in to take away her breakfast tray, she was already half dressed.
"Ada!" exclaimed her sister, astonished. "Can you, dear? Are you well enough?"
"Yes, Nellie, I am getting on very well; you go about your business. When I am dressed, I shall go into the nursery. I'm afraid I've been very selfish."
"They will be so glad to have you," said Nellie, thankful that her sister was so far recovering. ”

“ Nellie turned to Memling: "I knew it! They can disguise anything except their feet." She turned to Berthe: "And what did he have to say for himself, Boit?"
"Nossing for himself, madame. Me, I do not go to the door, but I hear heem ask the second man much question—when are you come here, how long you stay, and I do not know what."
"What did the second baseman say?"
"He say you are come feerst for Saturday a week ago, and then you are come back for veesit and make the bust of madame."
Nellie sighed with relief. "Doik, you'll have to slip that second baseman a little extra pin money. ”