WIDENER LIBRARY HX 5GPV + TYP ان و ار Plustrated. AL996. HARVARD COLLEGE LIBRARY TE HARD RDIAN ACADE STO CHRIS? ECCLESZ E IN N ITIOIS MYN THE BEQUEST OF EVERT JANSEN WENDELL (CLASS OF 1882) OF NEW YORK 1918 This limpie@ Menit from an den Strantur THE ICE KING AND THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. B ETI BOSTON sho PHILLIPS SAMPSON & CO. THE ICE KING, AND THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. BY MRS. CAROLINE H. BUTLER, AUTHOR OF “THE LITTLE MESSENGER BIRDS; OR, THE CHIMES OF THE SILVER BELLS." “I will open my mouth in a parable." - PSALMS lxxviii. 2 BOSTON: PHILLIPS, SAMPSON, & Co., 110 WASHINGTON STREET. 185 2. HARVARD COLLEGE LIBRARY FROM THE BEQUEST OF EVERT JANSEN WENDELL 1918 come Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1851, BY PHILLIPS, SAMPSON, AND COMPANY, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the District of Massachusetts WRIGHT & HASTY, PRINTERS, 3 WATER STREET, BOSTON. My Little Friends, WILLIE AND EDDIE ELLIS, THIS VOLUME IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED. CONTENTS. PAGE 9 The IcE KING AND THE SWEET SOUTH WIND,...... THE CHRISTMAS CAKE, ............... LITTLE ANNIE LESLIE, .............. CASPAR AND THE LITTLE HUNCHBACK, . ........ THE DISOBEDIENT LITTLE SQUIRRELS, ......... THE CHRISTMAS GATHERING, ............ Poor LULU LEE, .. . THE ICE KING, AND THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. O THE Ice King, the Ice King ! A frosty old king is he! He sits on his throne -- an icy block, Firm and fixed as the solid rock, And with frozen snow in fluted fold Enwrapping his icy shoulders cold, His beard long icicles, sharp and thin, Which crackle beneath his pointed chin. O the Ice King, the Ice King! A frosty old king is he!! And I hope, dear children, you or I May never the Ice King see! 10 THE ICE KING, AND O the Ice King, the Ice King! A frigid old king is he! Ranged around in regular row, His satellites grim of sorrow and woe, In casque and cuirass of icy mail, Studded around with bullets of hail, Rattle their spears, most fearful to see, Shaped from the ice of the Frozen Sea. O the Ice King, the Ice King! A frigid old king is he! And I hope, dear children, you or I May never the Ice King see. O the Ice King, the Ice King ! A bitter old king is he! He points with his bloodless finger, cold, To the hearts of mortals, young and old, And there the mischief 'tis hard to tell, Which the Ice King works with his icy spell, Chilling, congealing, turning to stone The virtues which dwell there, one by one ! * 11 THE SWEET WEI SOUTH WIND. O the Ice King, the Ice King! A bitter old king is he! And I hope, dear children, you or I May never the Ice King see.. Yet for all the Ice King sits there in such stern majesty upon his lofty throne, which is as broad, and as brilliant, as the mighty Falls of Niagara would be, were the whole glorious mass of waters, in their stupendous leap, suddenly to become solid glittering ice; and although he is guarded on every side by those icy-mailed warriors rattling their sharp pointed spears,— yet the Ice King sometimes shakes with fear, and mighty throes, as of an earthquake, heave his stony bosom, and great drops gather upon his brow, and then falling slowly down his icy face, and freezing as they fall, rattle like hailstones through his icicled beard. 12 THE ICE KING, AND Ah, then how the frigid limbs of the Ice King tremble! How he shudders and quakes! For he fears that, mighty as he is, he is slipping from his broad, glittering throne — and that the throne itself is slowly, slowly sinking, like a huge iceberg, into the deep, deep ocean! But why does he fear! What is the pow- er which can thus dispute his sway, and move the frozen majesty of the Ice Monarch! What the mighty spirit overcoming might - which thus threatens to hurl both mon- arch and throne into the watery depths ! Ah, my dear little readers, it is no warrior grim travelling over the earth like the valiant men of olden time, to battle against Oppres- sion and Tyranny! It is no monstrous giant, with breath of flame, preparing bolts of fire to crush and dissolve the power of THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. 13 the Ice King! For not such the foes does the Ice King fear. It is the Sweet South Wind, balmy and soft as the breath of a babe on its mother's breast. It is the Sweet South Wind moving gently on, unseen, but felt, which causes the monarch to quake and tremble, and softly and mildly as the beautiful words of Jesus should move the heart of a little child to goodness, does the Sweet South Wind, in low murmuring tones, proclaim his presence. Very bitter is the hatred which the Ice King bears to the Sweet South Wind — just as sin always hates that which is good and lovely; and various are the ways by which he strives to oppose the entrance of his gen- tle but powerful foe into his dominions. * As soon as he feels the Sweet South Wind approaching, he blows from his monstrous 14 THE ICE KING, AND . mouth, and from his wide-expanded nos- , ing all around him, forms a huge icy barrier, which it would seem no power could over- come, and as the Ice King sits behind that frozen barricade, there are sounds like the howling of hungry bears upon the polar ice, and strange growlings, and roarings most dreadful to hear; and now and then sharp reports, like the firing of many guns, by which the Ice King hopes to frighten away the gentle Sweet South Wind. Nor is it only in this, the very region of his icy dominion, that he fears the gentle in- fluence. For into the homes and haunts of mortals, the Ice King sends forth a band of cruel spirits to work his will. Clad in robes of sleet and snow, they come riding on dark, leaden clouds, wailing and THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. 15 shrieking as they weave their icy spells. And to some of these is given power to touch the hearts of mortals with evil, and to chill in them those gentle feelings of love. Pity, kindness, and charity, which God has im- planted in every breast. · And it is here that the Ice King again feels and dreads the power of the Sweet South Wind. Shall I tell you why? Then listen :- O the Sweet South Wind, the Sweet South Wind! A Spirit of Beauty is he! Throned on a cloud of azure bright, Beaming and rosy as morning light, Over the Earth, and across the Sea, The Sweet South Wind moves lovingly, While softly swelleth all around, Music of sweet Æolian sound. 16 THE ICE KING, AND O the Sweet South Wind, the Sweet South Wind! A Spirit of Beauty is he! And I hope, dear children, you and I This Spirit of Beauty may see. O the Sweet South Wind, the Sweet South Wind! A Spirit of Gladness is he! Forever around him beings fair Circle and swim in the balmy air, Their robes more pure than the snow-white dove; They float near the spirit with looks of love, Their rosy pinions half unfurled, Blessings to bear to a sinful world. O the Sweet South Wind, the Sweet South Wind ! A Spirit of Gladness is he! And I hope, dear children, you and I This Spirit of Gladness may see. THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. 17 O the Sweet South Wind, the Sweet South Wind! A Spirit of Joy is he! For where the light of his smile is seen, Fair flowerets spring, the fields are green, Bright waters dance o'er the laughing earth, The bird and the butterfly wake to mirth, And the icy spells the Ice King wove Are melted away by that smile of love. O the Sweet South Wind, the Sweet South Wind! A Spirit of Joy is he! And I hope, dear children, you and I This Spirit of Joy may see. U O the Sweet South Wind, the Sweet South Wind! A Spirit of Love is he! There is not a babe of mortal birth, Or a being that walks the beautiful Eartis, 12 18 THE ICE KING, AND The Spirit of Love would not keep from harm, And draw unto him with his loving arm, While in every heart he would claim abode, And point Earth's children the way to God. O the Sweet South Wind, the Sweet South Wind ! A Spirit of Love is he! And I hope, dear children, you and I This Spirit of Love may see. Now, dear children, the spirits of the Ice King have great power, and are the cause of a great deal of sorrow in the world; and were it not for the gentle pleadings of the beautiful messengers which the Sweet South Wind sends forth to oppose their influence I am sure I do not know what would be- come of us; there would be no love, no pity, no kindness, I am afraid, among us, and our hearts would be cold as the Ice King's own. THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. 19 Often the pitiless Ice King points his fin- ger at the breast of some old gray-headed man, and then the spirits who obey his will fill the heart of that old man with avarice and cruelty, so that he will not even give a poor starving fellow-creature a crust of mouldy bread to keep him alive. Perhaps it is around the heart of some wife and mother, some young man or maiden, that the evil spirits would weave their spells, chilling all their generous and kindly feel- ings, and making them cold, selfish, and oftentimes very, very wicked! And even young and innocent childhood cannot escape the power of the Ice King! and indeed it is over children he loves best to exert his pow- er: their young and tender hearts it is his delight to chill. He would make them dis- obedient to their parents. He would have 20 THE ICE KING, AND them forget God. He would like them to be selfish and cruel. He would have them hate their books, and, indeed, so freeze and harden their hearts, little by little, that, should they live to be old, only a lump of ice, shaped like a human heart, would re- main in their bosoms. It is no wonder that the grim old Ice King hates the Sweet South Wind; for often, when he thinks the Ice Spirits have fastened their icy chains firmly around the heart of their victim, the Sweet South Wind, robed in beauty, glides softly in, and with balmy breath melis away their work, pen- etrates the fast-freezing heart, and, with a smile of resistless love, enthrones therein a band of gentle spirits, over whom neither the Ice King nor the Ice Spirits can have con- trol; for wherever the lovely followers of THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. 21 the Sweet South Wind dwell, whether in palace or cottage, or in the hearts of mortals, these cruel spirits cannot enter. No. Like huge lions they may howl around — they may rattle and shiver their icy spears against the windows and doors, and knock, knock, knock, with their cold, stony fingers, at the heart — but all in vain! Subdued at length by the power of Goodness, they yield — they disappear — and as they vanish, the bright green grass springs up, and beautiful flow- ers blossom for joy. Perhaps, my dear young readers, you will understand my meaning better, if I relate to you some stories, which shall show you in what manner the Ice King and the Sweet South Wind may touch even your hearts, and influence your conduct. I dare say many of you have read Æsop's 22 THE ICE KING, AND Fables — that pleasant book, which makes the birds, and the beasts, and even the little fishes proclaim good and evil. I am not going to tell you fables. But perhaps you already say, that the Ice King and the Sweet South Wind are but a fable. Very well. I will therefore illustrate my fable, if fable you say it is, by giving you some little sketches of those children whom I know to have been made happy or unhappy — who were be- loved or disliked by every one — through the influence which these opposite spirits of the Good and of the Evil held over them. Let me hope their example may open your young hearts to the gentle and beauti- ful spirits of the Sweet South Wind, and that the power of the Ice King may melt away like the snows of winter under the genial breath of spring. phe Christmas Cake THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. - TIA, ...to 1 oso it is a more." con . ..! Wire oil." hrs 1. rogelsn i . Podat k i o slimit !!!, add it as quen...; . r k, curly iness, an û ** . E 24 THE ICE KING, AND Newfoundland dog might do, he exclaimed, laughing, – “There, mother — all right — this side up. Now, what is the errand ?” “O Alick, Alick, what a careless boy you are!” said Mrs. Alison. “Only see how you have spattered the water about! But come, put on your jacket, and your great- coat too, for it is growing cold. Now, here is a basket of eggs which you are to take to Mr. Girder's store, — be very careful you don't break them, Alick, — and ask him to give you some flour and sugar for them.” “Suppose I ask him to stir the eggs into the flour and sugar for a Christmas pud- ding,” cried Alick, roguishly. “O, nonsense, child — do mind what I say. Well, after you have got the flower and sugar for the eggs, go over to Mrs. Plant's , THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. 25 with this pail of butter, — there are just four pounds, — and get the money for it; and then, Alick, come straight home, and don't stop to play with any of the boys; and be sure that you get the flour and sugar, for if you don't, you cannot have your Christmas cake, and what is more, your little sister can- not have hers. There, now, run along; but do be careful, there's a good boy, not to up- set your basket.” “O, never fear, mother," answered Alick ; “I will walk as steady as our old gander, and shan't be goose enough to forget any thing, I can tell you. I am off. Good-by, mother!” And kissing her bright-eyed, handsome boy, Mrs. Alison saw him de- part. It was the day before Christmas, and a fine pleasant day it was. Not a cloud could 26 THE ICE KING, AND be seen floating on the bright blue sky, which bent so beautifully over the snow-covered earth, and the snow itself all crisped and sparkling in the glad sunshine; and as little Alick trudged along over the scarcely worn path, carefully balancing in each hand the basket, and the little tin pail of butter, he was as happy as child could be. He thought of the morrow, and of the fine Christmas cake which he was to have, and he won- dered if any other little boy would be as happy. It was true he had heard his mother tell a great many stories about Christmas, and what fine things Santa Claus sometimes gave good children. But this did not make him at all discontented or unhappy. Santa Claus had never given him any thing, to be sure; but he did not doubt that if he only knew there was such a little boy as Alick THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. 27 Alison, he would fetch him something; so that it was not his fault. His mother was poor, and he knew she had to work very hard. Now, if good Santa Claus would only bring her a new gown, or a warm shawl, that indeed would be nice. “But never mind, I shall soon be a man," thought this brave little boy of nine years old, “and then I shall be able to earn a great deal of money, and I will give it all to my mother.” And on went Alick, whistling and singing, across the snow. He was now more than half way to the vil- lage. He already saw the gilded weather- cock on the steeple of the meeting-house, glittering in the sunshine, and could see the smoke curling up from the black chimney tops, and he fancied he could almost hear the shouts of the children playing in the 28 THE ICE KING, AND streets; and Alick stepped more briskly for- ward. But now, what should Alick see but a flock of pretty little quails, hopping about on the snow. Pretty creatures they were, in their little brown coats, pecking the spar- kling crust with their slender bills. “Now, I shouldn't wonder," thought Alick, “ if I could hit one of those little fellows. How nice it would be for mother's Christmas dinner! I have a great mind to try.” So he very foolishly set down the basket of eggs, and the pail of butter, upon the top of a snow bank, by the side of the road; and then, scoop- ing up the snow, he began to roll it round and round in his little hands, squeezing it tighter and tighter, into little hard snowballs, to throw at the poor quails. Ah, take care, Alick, take care; you had better let them alone. THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. 29 But the little brown-coated quails did not seem to be at all frightened at the prepara- tions Alick was making for his mother's Christmas dinner. They cocked their little heads very knowingly as they skipped along, whistling, “ No, you don't, no, you don't ;” and some of them nodded at him, and shook their little wings, just as if they were laugh- ing at him. At last, approaching very softly, tip-tip-tipping on tiptoe, Alick let fly a large snowball right in the midst of them. The quails hopped up to it, tried it with their lit- tle black bills, and then, again nodding their cunning little heads, they whistled, “ Well done, well done." Alick aimed a second time. The little quails threw out their pretty feet, and began bobbing about, as if they were dancing a polka ; and then, to show their independence, THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. 31 If he had been suddenly turned into a lit- tle snow man, he could not have stood more still than he did for a minute or two, as he saw the consequence of his carelessness. Poor little boy! At last he threw himself down in the snow, and began to cry bitterly, “O dear, O dear, what shall I do? What will mother say to me? O, what a naughty boy I have been!” And then he thought of the Christmas cake, and his tears fell all the faster — not so much for his own disappointment, as be- cause his little sister, who was both sick and lame, could not have any. “O, those ugly quails, how I wish I had never seen them !” cried Alick, impatiently, as he wiped his eyes, and began to consider what he should do. Ah, Alick, don't call those pretty harmless THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. 33 him, and he would be so grateful to him be- sides. You may be very certain that Alick did not stop to snowball any more quails, but kept on very steadily, as he should have done at first, until he reached the village. He went directly to Mrs. Plant's with the butter, and knocked softly at the kitchen door. It was opened by Mrs. Plant herself, her sleeves turned up over her elbows, a rolling- pin in her hand, and her good-humored face all sprinkled with flour. You might have known it was merry Christmas time. “Come in, my little man; why, you look half frozen ; come sit down by the fire, and warm yourself,” she said, pointing to a little stool. Alick did feel a little cold; so he went and 34 THE ICE KING, AND OVE sat down in the corner of the large fireplace, piled up with great big logs, and where there was fire enough to have roasted a whole ox for Christmas, as they did in old times. A table stood out in the middle of the kitchen, covered with mince pies, and apple pies, and puddings, all ready to be put in the oven ; and Mrs. Plant's two little girls were stoning raisins, and beating eggs, which made poor Alick think again of his Christmas cake; and little Tommy, no bigger than himself, was pounding away at a great big mortar. 0, such preparations for merry Christmas little Alick had never seen! and then such a delicious smell of cake and other good things! For the first time in his life, a feeling of envy crept into the heart of the little boy, as he looked at these happy children, and THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. 35 thought what a fine Christmas they were going to have, and how, perhaps, his little sister and himself would not have any thing to eat but a bowl of hasty-pudding and milk, or a roast potato. His bright eyes clouded over with discontent, and he could scarcely refrain from crying. Envy is one of the spirits of the Ice King. The cheerful voice of Mrs. Plant aroused the little boy :- “I suppose your mother wants the money for the butter, Alick!" “If you please, ma'am.” “Well, here it is. Now be careful; don't lose it; and here is a nice Christmas cooky for you to eat as you go along," said Mrs. Plant, putting into his hand a bright silver half dollar, and a pretty little cake baked in the shape of a rose. 36 THE ICE KING, AND “Thank you, thank you!” cried Alick joyfully. And as soon as he got out of doors, he put the cake very carefully in his pocket, to carry home to his little sister. He would not have eaten it himself for the world. He no longer felt the wicked spirit of envy; but as he bent his way to the grocery store, in his grateful little heart Alick hoped that good Mrs. Plant's children would be happier on the morrow than any little chil- dren ever were before. How much good a kind word, or even a look, may do! “Ah, here you come, Alick!” said Mr. Girder, as the little boy entered the store. “So you have brought the eggs at last — why didn't you come sooner, eh? Here, Betty, come back; here are some fine fresh eggs, tell your mistress - eggs worth having. 38 THE ICE KING, AND “I could not help it,” sobbed out Alick again. “I did not mean to do it; I am very sorry." “O, you are sorry, are you? What good will that do me? I should like to know." “Indeed, I am very sorry; I know I have done wrong. I was throwing snowballs at some quails, and I hit the basket.” “Snowballing quails, eh!. O, you're a precious fellow; I'd quail you if you was my boy. Well, what do you want then ? What brought you here, eh?” said cross Mr. Girder. Alick felt better now; so he looked up into the face of Mr. Girder, half smiling through his tears, and said, - “ If you please, sir, I came to ask you if you would be so good as to let me have some flour and sugar for mother, as much THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. 39 as the eggs would have come to, sir, and I will work for you every day, sir, until I pay you." At these words the grocer burst out a laughing. “Well, if you ain't the most impudent young scamp I ever saw! Ask me to pay for eggs I never had, do you? Get out of my store quick, before I catch hold of you!”. “But, Mr. Girder,” persisted Alick, “we shan't be able to have any Christmas cake, if you don't let me have the things for mother; please do, sir !” “ Christmas cake! You don't deserve to have any: away with you; I'll teach you how to break eggs!” And the grocer shook his hard red fist at the little boy. Alick now thought of the half dollar which Mrs. Plant had paid him for the butter, and . THE 41 SWEK SWEET SOUTH WIND. But there was no such good fortune for Alick. When he reached Mrs. Plant's house, he knocked very timidly, and asked, with tears in his eyes, if he had dropped the half dollar there. No, it was not there; and Mrs. Plant called him a very careless little boy, which grieved him almost as much as the loss of the money. Poor little Alick! he had been very care- less, it is true; but you would have pitied him, as he turned from the village and began to walk slowly homeward. When he left his dear mother, only two hours before, how happy he was ! and now he was going back to her in disgrace and empty-handed. He thought how sorry she would feel, and how much his bad behavior would grieve her; and then his poor little sister, how THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. 43 wonder how much there is in it.” And the little boy sat down on the snow by the road- side, and was about to open the pretty shin- ing purse, when suddenly the thought came over him, that he must not — that it was not his. “Perhaps Santa Claus did not mean it for me, after all!” he said ; “ somebody may have dropped it—no, I must not open it—but, O dear, how I do, do wish it was mine!” And little Alick looked at it wishfully, and turned it over and over in his hand, still wishing it was his. And while he sat thus looking at it, a very strange and terrible feeling came over the child. Why does he tremble so? why look so stealthily all around him, and up and down the road, as if he was doing a very wicked thing, and was afraid some one was looking at him? was Ome 0 ne was 44 THE ICE KING, AND Shall I tell you ? It was because the wicked spirits of the Ice King were near him, and he felt their chill breath freezing his blood; and his cheek turned white, and his heart grew cold, as they hoarsely whispered, — “Keep it, keep the purse, Alick! nobody saw you pick it up; put it in your pocket; it is yours !” “No, dear Alick!” sighed the spirit of the Sweet South Wind, kissing his cheek, “it is not yours; don't be so wicked as to keep it !" “It will give you a Christmas cake, Alick - it will give you a great many nice things; keep it!” urged the Ice Spirit. “ Alick, Alick! “Thou shalt not steal!"" again whispered the gentle spirit of the Sweet South Wind. “It is not stealing ; you found the purse — it is yours!” cried the other. THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. 45 And now, while these two spirits of Good, and of Evil, were thus contending for the heart of little Alick, the child saw a lady walking very slowly towards him, with her eyes bent upon the ground, and looking carefully on each side of the road, and into all the little snow drifts. “Get over the fence quick, and hide your- self — keep the purse; there is gold in it, Alick!” and it seemed to the little boy as if he felt the icy fangs of the Ice Spirit strik- ing deeper and deeper into his heart. Then, with his dear mother's eyes, did the upon him, and under that sorrowful, but kindly smile, the little boy felt his heart grow warm again. His eye brightened; he no longer trembled like some criminal. 46 THE ICE KING, AND “No, the purse is not mine — I will not keep it!” he exclaimed. And as the child spoke, the wicked spirits of the Ice King fled away. “Have you lost any thing, ma'am ?” said Alick, running to meet the lady. “Yes, I have lost my purse," was the answer. “Is this it?” holding up the little steel purse, with the tempting gold shining through it. “Yes, it is mine— thank you, my good lit- tle boy,” said the lady. “I was very much afraid I should not be able to find it again in the snow. You are an honest little fellow, I see, and here is a silver dollar for you." "O, thank you, thank you, ma'am! I am so much obliged to you!” cried the little THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. 47 boy. “Please, ma'am, may I spend it?” he asked, looking up eagerly into her face. “Why, to be sure you may if you wish — it is your own,” replied the lady, smiling ; “ but what do you want to buy?” “Why, I thought I would go back to the village and get some things for my mother, for to-morrow will be Christmas. 0, I am so happy, so glad! Now little Nelly can have her Christmas cake!” And as he said this, little Alick was so full of joy, that he actually jumped up on the top of a high snow bank, and cut two or three droll capers. O, how much happier he felt than if he had wickedly kept the purse ! The lady could not help laughing to see the little boy so merry, and she was pleased, too, to hear him say that it was for his mother he wanted to spend his money; so THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. 49 very wicked he felt, when he held her pretty purse in his hand, and how something whis- pered him to hide it and keep the money; and then that he seemed to see his mother looking at him, 0, so sorrowful, which made him know in a moment how very bad his thoughts were. “ And O, I was so glad,” continued the little boy, “when I saw you coming along the road, for I was sure that the purse was yours, and I felt a great deal happier when I had given it to you!” The lady told him she was very sorry that he had been so wicked as to even think for a moment of keeping her purse, but that he had done well to struggle against such a temptation, and to confess his fault. By this time they had reached the village, and Alick hastened into the grocery store to 4 50 THE ICE KING, AND purchase some nice things for his mother. Seeing that he held the money in his hand, Mr. Girder suddenly became very kind to the little boy, whom only a short time before he had turned out of his store, and he weighed out the flour and the sugar, and a pound of nice tea, with a very pleasant smile, and even joked the little boy about his snow- balling the birds. While waiting for his things, Alick hap- pened to cast his eyes upon the floor, and what should he see but his own bright silver half dollar which Mrs. Plant had paid him! Yes, there it lay among some straw which had been thrown out of a crockery crate! Alick had pulled it out of his pocket with his handkerchief, when he first came into the store ; but it fell so softly upon the straw, that he did not hear it drop. THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. 51 “Here it is — here is my half dollar!” he exclaimed joyfully to the lady, who had fol- lowed him into the store. But now Mr. Girder put on a very serious and threatening look, and told Alick the money could not be his ; and I am very much afraid that if the lady had not come forward to the assistance of the little boy, and claimed the money for him, poor Alick would have been cheated by cruel Mr. Gir- der, whose heart had long lain cold and heavy in the fetters of the Ice King. “ And now, Alick," said his kind friend, “you must have some plums; for what would a Christmas cake be without plums!” So, to Alick's great delight, she bought him some fine fresh raisins, and filled up his little tin pail with oranges, and figs, and al- monds; and what delighted little Alick even www THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. F. L Wedne osoby 1:3 ven : fisso intesis . Ir dear : 1 bad kesayang. sot eve !! Srrants when tu galia nimi: humneriu 54 THE ICE KING, AND little Annie in every thing; for Mrs. Leslie told them they must let her dear little girl do just as she pleased, and never attempt to oppose her wishes, but the very moment she expressed a desire to have any thing, or do any thing, whether right or wrong, she must be gratified. Now, this was not only very foolish, but very wrong; and the result of such bad man- agement was, that it made little Annie very disagreeable to every body, except to her poor mother, whose eyes were entirely blinded to her faults. But poor Mrs. Leslie was such an invalid that we must pity her weakness, and not condemn her. If she had been in health she would no doubt have done very differently. Well, as I said before, when Annie was ten years old Mrs. Leslie died. Very soon THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. 55 after this, her father, who was an officer in the navy, and who was seldom at home any length of time, was ordered off upon a long voyage. He felt very much grieved, as you may well suppose, to be obliged to leave his dear and motherless little girl for so long a time to the care of strangers. So he re- solved at length to write to his sister, who lived many miles away in a pretty town, and ask her to receive his little Annie under her care. The answer was satisfactory, and in a few days, under the charge of an old family servant, little Annie arrived at her aunt's. When the coach stopped, Annie saw a fine-looking lady standing in the door of a pretty cottage, holding by the hand a little girl quite as tall as Annie herself, while a boy about twelve years old was frolicking with a beautiful dog in the high sweet clover. 56 THE ICE KING, AND Mrs. Morland advanced to meet little Annie, as she was lifted from the coach, and kissing her tenderly on each cheek, she said, — “You are welcome, my dear little girl. Come here, Albert and Minnie; this is your little cousin Annie Leslie. Kiss her, and tell her how glad you are to see her.” . The children came forward smiling and blushing, and holding out their hands to the little stranger. But fetching a shrill scream, Annie stamped her foot, and throwing her- self into the arms of the woman who accom- panied her, cried out, — “Go away. I won't be kissed! I want to go home. I don't like you!” “But you will like us one of these days," said Mrs. Morland, smiling; “so come into the house now, and we will soon get ac- Use e THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. 57 quainted.” And she attempted to take Annie's hand to lead her in; but the child, still cling- ing tightly to the servant, screamed, - “I won't go in — take away the dog! I hate dogs — take him away, you ugly great boy!” “The dog will not hurt you, my dear; but if you are afraid of him, Albert will take him off,” said Mrs. Morland, gently. Master Albert looked very much insulted, not only at the disrespect shown to his favor- ite Fido, but that his little cousin should apply the epithet “ugly” to himself; and it was with a flushed cheek and an angry glance at Annie, that, whistling to Fido, he bounded away through an adjoining field. After great coaxing, Miss Annie was at length prevailed upon to go up the steps leading into the pretty little porch, thence 58 THE ICE KING, AND into the house, where, after much resistance, her bonnet and shawl were taken off. But the little girl sat sulkily upon one end of the sofa, and would not answer any of the ques- tions her aunt put to her, or even speak to little Minnie, who had already brought her new doll for her to play with, and one or two pretty books besides. “Have you got a doll, Annie ?” asked Min- nie, sitting down on a little stool at her cousin's feet. . “To be sure I have. I don't want to see you? there!” and she pushed little Min- nie's arm, who, with tears swelling to her pretty blue eyes, walked away to the win- dow, and hid her face in the curtain. “What a small room this is, ain't it, Jane ? Why, it is not half so big as papa's parlor ; THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. 59 and what an ugly carpet, and what ugly chairs !” said Annie, casting her eyes around with a very disdainful air. “O, hush, Miss Annie; you must not talk so!” said the woman, looking half frightened at Mrs. Morland. “But I will talk so, and say just what I please,” answered the naughty girl. “I hate the place, and I won't stay here !” “Fie, Miss Annie! you know your dear papa has sent you here to live with your aunt until he comes back, and she will love you, and be kind to you." “I don't want her to be kind to me, and love me. I want to go home with you." “If you can be happy without love and kindness, you must be a very strange little girl,” said Mrs. Morland, smiling. “But come, we will go in to tea. I think you can- not live without eating, at any rate.” ve 60 THE ICE KING, AND Annie sat down to the nicely-spread sup- per table, but would scarcely taste of any thing. Albert had returned, and quite got over his pet; so he coaxed her to eat some red ripe strawberries, which he had picked from his own little garden on purpose for her; but Annie only pouted, and pushed them away from her plate. By and by Fido must needs pop his nose into the supper-room, just to remind Albert, I suppose, that dogs could be hungry as well as boys; but no sooner did Annie espy him, than she sprang up on her feet in the chair, and screamed as loud as ever she could. “A nice playmate she will be, Minnie ! cross as a little bear!” whispered Albert to his sister, as he indignantly left the supper table, to take away the dog again. This uncomfortable supper was at length THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. 61 over; made so by the perverse and obsti- nate conduct of little Annie; and soon after, her aunt led her up stairs, and showed her the pretty room in which she was to sleep, and which, she told her, was to be her own. Such a comfortable little room as it was, opening right into her aunt's apartment! There was a pretty green and white carpet on the floor; there were white muslin cur- tains to the windows, looped up with green silk cord and tassels ; and a bureau, and a washstand, painted green and white to match the carpet; and a pretty looking-glass hung over the bureau. The chairs, too, were white and green, and there was a little table with a nice white napkin upon it, and in the middle of it was a beautiful china vase filled with roses, which little Minnie had picked and arranged herself. 62 THE ICE KING, AND ter One could not help being perfectly charmed with such a pretty room to sleep in ? But Annie, of course, did not seem at all pleased or grateful; because she was so naughty that she was determined not to like any thing she saw, or that her aunt and cousins did for her. Are you not sorry that the Ice King has already touched Annie's young heart? Let us hope that the spirits of the Sweet South Wind may not be far off. “O mother, how disappointed I am!” cried Minnie Morland, as her mother came in after seeing Annie in bed; “I don't like her a bit!” “Nor I, I am sure !” added Albert, hug- ging the great shaggy head of Fido to his breast. “I never saw such a cross thing as 64 THE ICE KING, AND so bad for her to scream at Fido; do you, mother?” cried Minnie. “Well, children, I know you have not much reason to be pleased with Annie,” said Mrs. Morland. “If you had found her per- fect, there would be no virtue in liking her; so now try to love her with all her faults ; then, indeed, you will do well!” “But she is so cross !” cried Albert. “And she will not speak to me!” added Minnie. “Called me a great ugly' boy, and pouted her lips at my strawberries!” urged Albert. “And says she hates us all!” sobbed Minnie outright. “I know it, my dear children. Now, let us see if we cannot make her love us,” Mrs. Morland said. “You must not forget that THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. 65 Annie's poor mother was sick for a long, long time, and probably the little girl has either been left to her own self-will, or, what is perhaps worse, been under the influence of improper persons. This is a great misfor- tune, but is not, I hope, without a remedy. Although her manners are so very rude and disagreeable, your little cousin Annie may after all have a very kind heart." “True, mother, so she may; and if she did not scowl so, she would be very pretty, wouldn't she?” said Albert. "What beautiful long curls she has ! I wish my hair was as pretty," cried Minnie. “ And what red cheeks !” Albert added. “Yes, and her eyes are as blue as yours!” said Minnie. “ It seems, then, you find little Annie very pretty,” said Mrs. Morland, smiling; “ well, 66 THE ICE KING, AND let us hope, then, my dear children, that her beauty may be really her least attraction.” The next morning, long before Annie awoke, the woman who came with her left the village to return home. Mrs. Morland thought it best she should do so, in order to spare the little girl the pain of parting. When Annie opened her eyes, she called loudly for Jane, and upon being told that she was gone, nothing could exceed her — I really do not know whether to say grief or anger; for she shrieked and screamed at a terrible rate, seeming to be more angry than sorry — would not let her aunt or her cous- ins come near her, and indeed behaved very badly, spending the most of the morn- ing kicking and crying upon the bed. That was a hard day indeed, not only for Albert and Minnie, but for Mrs. Morland THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. herself. The children were very sorry for her, for they thought how bad they should feel if they were taken from their own home and left among strangers, and therefore they did every thing they could think of to amuse her; and Fido was shut up in the barn, poor fellow! the most of the day, lest he might cause some fresh disturbance to the wilful child. On his part, for Annie's entertainment, Albert brought forward his rabbits, and his little fawn, and made his little bantam rooster perch on his finger, flap his white wings, and crow. Minnie ran up stairs to the play- room, and brought down all her choicest playthings; but finding her little cousin would take no notice of them, she coaxed the old cat to let her have her four cunning little kittens to show her. Pussy very obligingly 68 TIIE ICE KING, AND said " miow," which of course meant "yes ;" and so in came Minnie, holding the little creatures carefully in her apron. “O, the ugly things! Do, for mercy sake, take them away!” cried Annie, lifting her hand, and striking the poor little black and white kitty upon its head. “O, Annie, how can you!” said Minnie, almost crying, as she hastily ran back to the old cat, and deposited the little brood safe in the basket. She then offered to show Annie pictures out of the great books in the library. No; Annie hated all pictures. Would she play “ Dr. Busby,” or “Trades,” or “The Man- sion of Happiness,” or “Loto”? No, Annie hated all games. Would she like to walk in the garden? No. Would she like to go into the fields, and pick berries ? No. THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. 69 Finding, at length, all their patient efforts to please Annie successless, with a sad and puzzled look at their mother, Albert and Minnie took their books and sat down to read. The next day, and the next, I am sorry to say, Annie behaved no better. Her cous- ins were perfect patterns of good nature, and continued their efforts to make her happy. It was of no use. She sulked all day, screamed as bad as ever if Fido came near her, and spoke in a very improper manner to her kind aunt. Mrs. Morland herself was nearly discouraged, and some- times almost regretted that she had under- taken so great a charge. The example, too, of such a child as Annie, she felt would be bad for her own children, especially for little Minnie. Then she was a perfect torment to 70 THE ICE KING, AND poor Albert; all his favorite pursuits were interrupted by her wilfulness; and indeed Mrs. Morland had very great reason to fear that the naturally cheerful and pleasant tem- pers of both her children might be soured by such constant trials as they were exposed to through Annie's peevishness. A week passed with no better results ; but Mrs. Morland loved the motherless little girl with all her faults; while the gentle spirits dwelling in her breast bade her per- severe, and rescue poor little Annie from the power of the Ice King. Monday morning, Mrs. Morland called Annie to her, and, smoothing her pretty golden curls, she said, - “I am very sorry, my dear little Annie, that you are not more happy with us. I am afraid it is your own fault, for I am very sure 72 THE ICE KING, AND aunt said this, for she loved her papa ; but she was so very naughty and stubborn, that she would not give up; so she only shrugged her shoulders, and said she was sure she did not care. Never in all her life had little Annie Leslie felt so lonesome as she did that morning after Albert and Minnie had gone with their mother into the library; for although she refused to play with her cousins, it was some pleasure to this naughty girl to have them to fret at, and find fault with. What to do with herself she did not know. She did not like to read, and of all things she hated sew- ing. She missed Albert's good-humored laugh, and little Minnie's pleasant smile; and she now thought she should really like to have them come and play with her. At last Annie walked out into the garden; THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. 75 knew there was nothing which prevented her enjoyment but her own stubborn will; and yet she was so naughty that she would not yield, but continued to go moping and fretting about. Sometimes indeed, but rarely, she suffered herself to be amused, and for a little while would play very pleasantly with her cousins; but these occasions were so in- frequent that they gave no satisfaction either to Albert or Minnie. They began at length to tire of Annie's whims, and held long talks together not very flattering to their little cousin, and by mutual consent they soon re- solved to let her entirely alone. Day after day, therefore, they arranged their little sports, and took long and pleasant walks into the woods and fields, without the least refer- ence to little Annie, who was thus left to seek *her own amusements. When she noticed 76 THE ICE KING, AND this, it made her feel very unhappy and ashamed, for she knew she deserved it, and that she had not treated her cousins as she ought to have done. She became more gen- tle in her manners, seemed more desirous to please her aunt, and one day she even went so far as to offer Minnie her own beautiful wax doll which could open and shut its eyes. Minnie looked up wonderingly, and then, very much pleased, she took the doll to play with ; but as she thought it was only a sud- den whim of Annie's, it made no difference in her feelings, and she soon ran off to join her brother, leaving her little cousin once more alone. Mrs. Morland had been a silent observer of all that was passing, and although she was sorry to see this almost total alienation of the children, she began also to feel some THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. 77 ra encouragement, for she saw that the ill nature and obstinacy of Annie was gradually wear- ing away. She could not really blame Al- bert and Minnie, either, for keeping so en- tirely away from their cousin, for she knew they had both been very patient and kind to the little girl; yet she did not think it was right to encourage them in slighting hr, particularly as she saw that it made the child uuhappy. So one evening she said to them, — “My dear children, I have a little story to tell you ; should you like to hear it?” “ A story! yes, indeed, dear mother; I do love to hear you tell stories,” exclaimed Albert. “And so do I,” said little Minnie ; “ will you tell it now, mother?” “ Yes, but first let us go into the piazza, 80 . THE ICE KING, AND them before they could hurt each other; and often would chain them together by a short iron chain, and make them run around the deck, the bear trying to go one way, and the dog the other; but as the bear was the strong- est, the poor dog was dragged along, very much against his will, just where the other pleased to go. Well, one day, while they were chained in this uncomfortable manner, they seated themselves, as if by tacit consent, near a coil of ropes, and the captain, who happened to be walking the quarter deck, was surprised to hear something like a con- versation going on between them. Curious to know what these two creatures could be saying, he leaned over the side of the vessel, pretending to be watching the beautiful waves, and the great porpoises, which every moment came tumbling by, though in reality THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. 83 captain often cruelly chains us together as we are now. Then, let me ask you, what is the use of our quarrelling all the time, and making ourselves even more disagreeable to each other than nature intended ? Sup- pose, then, that we agree, for the rest of the time we are to live together, to go along peaceably and in good fellowship. What say you ?' “ • With all my heart, answered Bruin ; ' for what you say sounds like good sense. Yet, should we meet on shore, we will — ha, you understand me!' and the bear shook his head and grinned fiercely. ““O, I take your meaning, friend, replied the dog; here is my paw upon it. But until then, let us try to make our voyage together pleasant. Our natures, it is true, are very unlike, as also our education; yet I do THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. 85 Son away determined also to profit by the lesson learned from the dog and the bear.” “I think I know what you mean by this story, mother,” said Albert, looking up archly into Mrs. Morland's face. “So do I,” said Minnie; “ do you, Annie ?” Annie blushed, and hung down her head for a moment. “ Yes, I think I know what aunt means.” “ Then, my dear children,” said Mrs. Mor- land, “ if you all understand the meaning of my story, can you not do as well as the dog and the bear?” Albert and Minnie laughed merrily at this. “ Yes, yes, we will try, mother!” “Then kiss and be friends, and I hope I shall never again see any thing but harmony between my three children.” 88 THE ICE KING, AND bear to you, poor fellow. Come, let's be friends, will you ? 'Give us your paw.?” And Fido, as if he perfectly understood her, laughed as only a dog can laugh, and put his great shaggy paw in her hand. “Hurra! hurra for the dog and the bear!” cried Albert, leaping over the balustrade down into the dewy clover. “Follow me, Annie; come, Minnie ; now for a run in the garden by the bright moonlight. O, I am so happy! Come, Fido, come along, old fel- low!” And then, as the little girls sprang to his side, he caught Annie in his arms, gave her another hearty kiss, and then away went all three bounding down the walk, with Fido jumping and frolicking after them. From that evening III Humor and Self-will, the two spirits of evil which the Ice King had sent into the heart of little Annie, gradu- 90 THE ICE KING, AND glancing across the looking-glass, as if to snatch a glimpse of its own beauty, peeped, with a broad smile, right into the face of Caspar, as much as to say, “Come, it is time you were up!” And up Caspar sprang, with a merry shout, and ran to the window. How beautiful every thing looked! The trees were all glittering with the drops which the long summer rain had hid in their bright green leaves, and the dear little birds were flitting about among the branches, shaking their wings with gladness, and pouring the sweetest music from their little throats. Wreaths of snowy clouds were chasing each other over the beautiful blue sky, and the tall grass and the bright flowers bent to the loving kiss of the summer wind. “O, what a pleasant, pleasant day!” cried Caspar; “now I can go to uncle Nathan's !” THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. 91 Then rapidly putting on his clothes, he ran down stairs, and out into the garden, where already his mother was weeding her flower-beds. Mrs. Thorne playfully gave Caspar nine little taps upon his rosy cheek, and then nine sweet kisses to mark his birth- day, Caspar struggling and laughing all the time, and pretending he wanted to get away from her. Now, his father and mother had promised him that if the weather was pleasant, and he was a good boy, he might pass the day at his uncle Nathan's, a farmer who lived about three miles from the town. But every day for a week it had done nothing but rain, rain, rain ; rain in the morning when Cas- par awoke, rain at noon when he ate his din- ner, and rain at night when he went to bed; rain, rain, drip, drip, patter, patter, patter THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. 93 “Now, be very sure, Caspar, that you leave your uncle Nathan's before sundown, so that you can get home before dark; for we shall not be able to send for you to-night,” said Mrs. Thorne. “ Pooh! my dear, don't make a baby of the boy. Why, if he could not find his way from Woodland even in the dark, I should call him pretty stupid - eh, Caspar!” added Mr. Thorne. Caspar laughed, and said he guessed there was no fear of him; and then, kissing his father and mother, he bounded away down the green and shady lane, and was soon lost to sight. Poor old John could hardly keep pace with the active speed of the little boy, and was very glad when they arrived within half a mile of Woodland, as there he was to leave 94 THE ICE KING, AND Caspar, and might take his own slow, steady gait homeward. "Well, good-by, my little master,” said John. “Now, remember the road, will you? Don't forget the turn to the left, and mind and start from home long before sundown.” “Good-by, John. Ha, ha, ha! Why, I could find the way back blindfolded. Don't you be afraid. Give my love to mother. Good-by!” cried Caspar; and waving his hand, he ran gayly along the side of the road, scaring the butterflies up from the little flow- ers nestling in the high grass, and making the grasshoppers hop about at a great rate. Pretty soon he saw the old brown house of uncle Nathan peeping out from a pretty grove of fine old trees, elms, buttonwood, and maples; then he heard the low of cattle, and the tinkling of cow-bells, and saw a • THE ICE KING, AND 96 playing “ hide and seek” among the lilac bushes ; but as soon as they saw him, they left their play, and ran, with merry shouts, to meet him ; then they seized him by each hand, and dragged him along through the high clover into the dairy, where his aunt stood turning and buttering the great yellow cheeses. “Here is Caspar, mother! here is Caspar!" shouted the children; and a hearty welcome did the little boy receive from his good aunt. Never did any thing taste so nice as the great slice of bread and butter which she put into his hand; and then such milk ! Caspar was convinced that uncle Nathan's cows were different from any other cows, and he meant to speak to his father about it. I do not think that any little boy was ever THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. 97 happier than Caspar that day, his birthday. The hours flew very swiftly. His cousins had a great many things to show him — the pet lamb, the little white calf, the new brood of goslings, the cunning little ducks, and the guinea pigs. Then Caspar must go into the woods, and see the pretty robin's nest which James had found; and Sarah too had a nest to show him; but hers was hid away down in the bulrushes which grew around the pond in the meadow. When his uncle and cousin John came in from the field, they shook hands with the little boy, and said he was almost big enough for a ploughboy. Then they gave him a ride upon the old horse, which so much pleased Caspar, that his uncle told him he might have the little colt he saw in the barn for his own, and that he would take care of it for him, until THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. 99 thinking what à pleasant day he had spent, and wishing he might visit James, and Sarah, and good uncle Nathan more frequently, and of what his father would say when he should tell him about the beautiful colt. A little squirrel skipped nimbly along the fence just before him, and Caspar had a mind to try his speed too; so he started off upon a full run — the squirrel now and then stopping as if to let the little boy come up with him, and then, just as Caspar got al- most to him, he would wave his tail, leap down on the stones, scamper along over the ground, and then again, perching himself upon the rails, very gravely wait, with his little fore paws held up to his nose, for the approach of his rival racer. So intent was Caspar upon this sport, that he did not notice when he came to the turn 100 THE ICE KING, AND of the roads, and unfortunately continued on the right hand, which led to the woods. But by and by, when he was tired of the chase, he looked around him, and found he was in a strange place; he had already reached the entrance to that deep wood. Caspar was very much surprised and frightened, for he saw, too, that the sun was already down, and the twilight deepening. He turned hastily to retrace his steps, and get back into the right road; but in his con- fusion and hurry he again went wrong, tak- ing a path which led him still deeper into the forest. At every step he was more and more bewildered - the trees grew thicker, and the underbrush soon choked up every trace of a path. Caspar now began to weep, and call loudly for assistance; but nobody appeared to hear him, and the poor boy THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. 101 went on plunging deeper and deeper into the woods. Now, he could see a few stars shining away up above the tree tops, and sometimes a ray of moonlight shot through the branches ; but still it was growing very, very dark in that lonesome wood. Then the tree- toads began their song, the mournful whip- poor-will uttered a cry close by his elbow, and he could hear, too, the dismal hooting of the owls. At the foot of a large oak, which stood where the trees did not grow so thick together, and where the light of the moon made it less lonely, the poor little fellow now crouched down, weeping and trembling with grief and terror. How sadly his pleasant day had terminat- ed! and when he thought of his dear father and mother, of his home, and of Woodland, VIL THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. 103 Something brushes by him, and then a hand, touching the shoulder of the little boy, gently shakes him :- “Hillo, little fellow ! are you asleep? What are you doing here?” 0, how delighted Caspar was to hear a human voice! He raised his head quickly, and then he was almost frightened again ; for standing before him, plainly revealed in the moonlight which shone brightly around the old oak, he saw a little figure not more than three feet high, with a large hump upon its back, and long, thin arms, nearly reaching to the ground! No wonder that Caspar was frightened at the sudden appear- ance of such a strange little figure, in that lonely place. Now, he had read a great many fairy tales, and wonderful stories about giants and gob- 106 Thorne. Well, it is too late to go home to- night; so you must come along to mother's with me, and in the morning I will show you Then the little hunchback led Caspar further into the woods, when pretty soon they came to a path where the trees were not so thick, and where the underbrush had been cleared away. The moon shone very bright, and Caspar could not help staring again and again at the queer little boy, who walked beside him. Bill told him he was fourteen, but his head scarcely reached to Caspar's waist, and seemed to be placed as it were in the middle of his breast.. In about half an hour, they arrived at a small house built of logs. Bill pushed the door open softly, and Caspar followed him in. 108 THE ICE KING, AND and crying under a tree. But the best of it is, mother, he took me for something strange; a fairy, or something of that sort, and was afraid of me, and put up his little hands, and begged me not to hurt him. Ha, ha, ha!” The woman smiled sadly as Bill said this, and the tears stood in her eyes. “Well, well, never mind!” said she, kiss- ing him. “O, I don't mind it, mother!” answered the little hunchback, laughing and shaking Caspar's hand. “I am ugly enough, I know, to be thought almost any thing." “But you are a good boy, Bill, and what would your poor old grandfather or I do without you, I wonder!” Then, going to a little cupboard, she brought out a bowl of milk, and some coarse THE SWEET SOUTH WIND 111 seemed scarcely to be alive; and then the woman herself, looking so very pale and sick. What blessings then could they have to be thankful for ? Ah, Caspar did not know that the door of that poor wretched cottage was barred against the spirits of the Ice King, and that under that humble roof dwelt Love and Content- ment, messengers of the Sweet South Wind! While thinking of all that he had seen, Caspar at length fell asleep. Just as the day was breaking, Bill shook him gently, and told him it was time to get up. The little boy stared around him, quite bewil- dered at first to find himself in such a strange place; but he soon found his senses, and sprang up joyfully from his little bed. He ate a slice of bread, and drank some 112 THE ICE KING, AND milk; and then, thanking the woman who had been so kind to him, Caspar set forth from the cottage, with the little hunchback. He now felt very happy, chatting and laugh- ing gayly with Bill, as they walked along through the woods. He told him all about his father and mother, and good uncle Na- than, and what a beautiful place Woodland was, and promised Bill, when he got his little horse from uncle Nathan, he would come and see him, and give him a ride. At length they got out of the woods; and then Bill told Caspar he did not like to go any farther with him, but that he must keep straight on to the branch of the roads, and soon see the village. Before they parted, the boys sat down, for a little while, on the stump of an old tree. THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. 115 traits in his character which will make him appear less amiable. .. For several weeks he thought often of the little hunchback, and would beg his father to let him go and see him. But Mr. Thorne had never any spare time to go with him; so he put him off, with a “one of these days." At length, Caspar began to think less and less of his kind little preserver, and as new pleasures and new pursuits came in his way, his interest in the little hunchback, and his gratitude, faded alike. More than a year passed on. Caspar was now nearly eleven, and had grown tall and manly. But he had also grown proud, and with pride came selfishness and vanity also. Mr. Thorne was a rich man, and Caspar knew it; he had been told so to flatter him; and he knew that few of his school-fellows THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. 119 “Have you forgotten the night when you were lost in the woods, and I found you cry- ing under a tree?" asked Bill. “Did it get lost in the woodsy, poor baby? Did it cry, and did Beauty find it?” cried one of the city lads in a mocking tone, and chucking Caspar under the chin. · This made Caspar mad. “ He lies!” he exclaimed. “I never saw him before !” Bill turned away; then stopping a moment, he said, looking the wicked boy reproach- fully in the face, “I have not forgotten my promise, Caspar Thorne, made when we sat on that old stump by the roadside; you have yours! My mother and my grandfather are dead, and I came to you to find a friend, as I said I would. But no matter. Good-by, Caspar. God will soon take me from the world!” 122 THE ICE KING, AND through the woods, how his heart leaped with joy and thankfulness. He recollected, too, that parting with the little hunchback, at the old stump by the roadside ; and how he had promised Bill that he would love him, and be a friend to him, when he should be all alone in the world, and that when Bill had said to him, “I am afraid you will be ashamed of me,” how boldly he had declared no, that he never could feel ashamed of him; and yet he had not only been so wicked as to do this, but had also called him a liar, and scoffed at him! And now Caspar began to weep bitterly, for he felt very, very wretched; and no wonder, for he had not only been guilty of the basest ingratitude, but had added to it the sin of falsehood and of insult! Again Caspar seemed to hear the voice of the poor THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. 123 friendless boy, crying, “Good-by, Caspar. God will soon take me from the world." Now, while, with sighs and tears, he was thus bitterly repenting of his wickedness, the beautiful spirits of the Sweet South Wind came floating in the soft moonlight, and hovered lovingly around the pillow of the little boy, smiling upon him, and fanning his fevered brow with their snowy pinions. Caspar knew not of their glad presence, al- though it was their gentle voices bade him go in search of the poor forlorn hunchback, and, asking pardon for his cruelty, bring him home, and be to him the friend he had prom- ised; and as he listened to their healthful promptings, his heart burst from the icy fetters of the Ice King. Then the sweet spirits sang to him gently, as it might be the song of angels over a 124 THE ICE KING, AND redeemed soul; and Caspar soon fell into a peaceful slumber. At the dawn of day, Caspar awoke and the spirits of the Sweet South Wind were yet smiling upon him. Hastily dress- ing himself, the penitent boy left the house, and went in search of poor Bill. He took the road leading to the wood, and made such speed that he soon found himself in the for- est. He had not proceeded very far, when, to his great joy, he discovered the object of his search, sitting upon the ground, with his head resting against the trunk of a fallen tree. He was asleep, and Caspar, sitting down softly beside him, began to weep afresh as he looked upon the pale, haggard coun- tenance of the unfortunate. With a deep sigh Bill soon awoke. Then Caspar, throwing his arms around him, kissed THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. 125 him, and begged forgiveness for his very wicked conduct; and he told him he had now come to take him home with him, and that he was going to ask his father to let him live with them always. But for a long time the desolate boy re- fused to listen to Caspar; he told him those rude boys he saw with him the day before would again insult him. “If they dare to make fun of you, Bill, I will fight every one of them !” cried Caspar, strong in his good resolution. Bill then urged that perhaps Caspar him- self might sometimes feel ashamed to ac- knowledge an acquaintance with such a poor misshapen object as he was. But the spirits of the Sweet South Wind assured Caspar that if they dwelt with him, he would never «again be so base ; and Caspar told Bill so. 126 THE ICE KING, AND His entreaties finally prevailed; and lead- ing the little hunchback by the hand, he soon reached home. The family were at breakfast. Still hold- ing the hand of Bill, Caspar entered the room, and, going directly to his father, said, " Father, this is the kind boy, who found me the night I got lost in the woods. He came to me yesterday, but I was so wicked and ungrateful that I pretended not to know him, and made fun of him, and drove him away. I am sorry for it. I am ashamed of it. Bill has no friends, no home, father, in the world. I want him to live here with us, and I will be kind to him, and will never see him insulted.” Mr. Thorne could not but admire the noble spirit of his son; and shaking hands with Bill, he said, — THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. 127 us, and we will try to make you happy. duct yesterday was unworthy of you; it was base, unmanly, wicked; nor can you atone for it by this one act of generosity. Let your continued friendship and kindness to this friendless boy mark your contrition.” The young friends of Caspar, who sat at the table, were heartily ashamed of their be- havior the day before. They rose up, and, shaking hands with Bill, confessed their re- gret, and asked pardon of the despised little hunchback. And this proved a lesson to them which they never forgot. 128 THE ICE KING, AND - TOS PISOBEDIENT LITIIE IN ༔ ༩ ༢༠ s}1 ས ༢༢ ཎ 4， （༤ ttG， Lived Mfr. Ciresel und somi. Qui tineri prodotti sono i Wenn ; suik. . . , for winter chains ! *: ?? o boast of a n. *. ' . Arr ay Sirrel, this 2! ! AHOL { it was, it is in no 10 Not a futób pat, nor a dog, a poca TO soror winter crack 19. One fine dar ustidagi just as the $;? 11: Squire you rubbing his is 204 TAI HAMA MASH The Disobedience Daryle Squirrels THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. 129 “ Ah, ha! my dear wife, make ready, I pray; We will go to the woods, and gather to-day The nuts for winter cracking !” Mrs. Squirrel sprang up as eager as he, (A helpmate indeed, Mrs. Squirrel was she !) Then calling the children, she said, “Now be good, And your father and I will bring from the wood Fine nuts for winter cracking!” le She lifted her paw, her eyes wet with tears, And stroking them fondly, “ Be careful, my dears! Don't stir from the nest - now mind what I say --- Until we come back at the close of the day, With nuts for winter cracking.” Each little one scraped its little hind leg, And shaking its ears, said, “ Mother, we beg THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. 131 For a time, as happy as squirrels could be, They played in their nest in the button-ball tree. First whisking and frisking, they scamper about, Now hiding within it, now peeping without, Chippering and chatting in innocent play, As their parents requested when they went away. At last little Bonny, the eldest, said he, “Why, this is dull work; here is nothing to see! It is stupid enough, shut up so all day! I'd like to be off on the fences to play, And cut a few capers for once without fear, Which I never can do in this old nest here ! We have no one to speak to, but Madam Red- breast, And she makes a fuss if we go near her nest, And all in a flutter, 'O, pray don't!' she begs. Dear me! as if we wanted her little blue eggs! Besides, do you know, that my friend Katydid Said she would not stay here? She did, Katydid! 132 THE ICE KING, AND And hark, now, I pray, to the bob-o-link's song: · Bob — bonny - ha, ha! where are you? come along ! It is too bad for you, and too bad for me, To stay here all day in this button-ball tree ! So come, follow me; we will have some fine fun, And be home again ere the set of the sun.” Thus spake naughty Bonny. Then little Bright Eye Raised her dear little paw, heaving a sigh, And patting him fondly, “Don't, Bonny dear! Indeed, it is wrong; you had better stay here! Our dear parents' wishes pray don't disobey ; Remain in the nest, do, while they are away!” “Che ---- che ! ” cried Bonny, with looks of con- tempt; “Stay home if you please; on a frolic I'm bent.” Then placing his paw aside of his nose, “I hope, Miss Bright Eye, you do not suppose You are able to rule me! Fine time of day, When a baby like you disputes what I say, 134 THE ICE KING, AND Why, I'm sure it must be a most charming place: Let us go in and view it; come, now for a race. Ah, what a fine thing is travel, my dears ! How much I shall know for one of my years!” But Bobby and Bushy were hungry and tired: “O, what can we eat ?” they sadly inquired. “ Eat !” replies Bonny, “why, look at that tree; Fruit riper and rarer I never did see! No squirrel, I am sure, could wish to dine On apples more tempting, so rosy and fine! Che--che! I am sure all is nonsense we hear About spring-traps and guns; there is nothing to fear; And the talk about dogs, it's all in my eye, And only to scare us: che, che ! let them try! How lucky it is we came out to-day! It would have been foolish at home to stay!” As he spoke, “ Bang!” “ Bang!” alas ! Bonny fell dead, Shot through the heart by a bullet of lead! -- THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. 135 While Bobby and Bushy, appalled at the sight, Leaped over the fences, screaming with fright. But, sad to relate, Bob was bit to the bone By a great ugly dog! And then a sharp stone, Thrown at poor little Bushy, sore wounded his leg! With most pitiful cries, O, how he did beg To go to his home in the button-ball tree, His father, and mother, and Bright Eye to see! But alas ! poor Bushy-'twas a dreadful doom To be put in a cage in that lonely room! And a large gray cat, with eyes of fire, Clapped her sharp claws through the iron wire ! When he felt the nails of this terrible foe, Down his pitiful nose how the tears did flow! And he wished he was home in that dear old nest, And pressed quite close to his mother's breast. All trembling with terror, the poor squirrel sat, And glaring upon him the eyes of the cat; 136 THE ICE KING, AND He saw her great claws, and he felt her hot breath; . A shudder crept o'er him; he knew it was death! These poor little things were but squirrels, it's Yet their story, dear child, is a lesson for you; For had they but done as their parents thought best, To this day they might have been safe in their nest. So when your own parents you would disobey, The fate of these squirrels remember, I pray. 140 THE ICE KING, AND doll shall have a party, and your doll must come to it, and we will set out our cups and saucers with candy and sugar-plums.” “And I will get on to my new rocking horse, and ride over and eat supper with you!” added Frank, “and then we will play some new games." “Yes,” lisped little Eddie," and I will take all the animals out of my Noah's ark, and play mena — mena — ” “Menagerie, Eddie." “Yes, mangeree." “And perhaps I will paint you some pic- tures with my new paints," said Emeline. “O, how I wish Christmas was come !" they all exclaimed again. “There are a great many children,” said Gertrude, as she took little Eddie upon her knee, “who have no parents or friends to give them pretty presents on Christmas, and THE SWEET SOUTH WIND.. 141 who can hardly get even a crust of bread to eat: don't you feel sorry for them ?” “Yes, I do,” answered little Laura ; " and if I knew where they lived, I would buy ever so many toys with my gold dollar, and give to them !” And as she said this, little Laura looked as beautiful, with her soft blue eyes and pleasant smile, as one of the spirits of the Sweet South Wind. “ Mercy, what an idea, Laura !” cried Emeline, tossing her head; “why, they know nothing about Christmas; so of course it can make no difference to them! What was that you were reading last night, Ger- trude? O, I remember. • Where ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise!' And Emeline drew herself up, and looked around with an air of great self-satisfaction. 142 THE ICE KING, AND “ But I don't think there can be much bliss in having nothing but a crust of bread to eat !” cried Frank. “Now, I will tell you what I would do," said Fanny; “I would ask all these poor little children to come up stairs into our play- room and play with us." “O, you strange child !” exclaimed Em- eline; "what, have those creatures han- OUT their dirty fingers ! Fie, Fanny!” “I did not think of that; I should not like to have my pretty new playthings soiled,” Fanny answered. “Well, I tell you what we might do, Fan; “ we might give them all our old ones,” said Laura. “I am sure my baby-house is quite nice yet; mother said it was.” “And what would you do, Frank ?” asked Gertrude. THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. 143 “I don't know; I think it would be fun to see such a set of ragged beggars in the house. I don't know what I should do, but I should want to treat them well. I would ask mother to give them all a good dinner, I guess." “And candy,” put in little Eddie. “And I would ask the waiter to open the street door, and push them all out!” cried Emeline. That evening, after the children were in bed, Gertrude May repeated this conversa- tion to her mother; but no notice was taken of it until the day before Christmas really arrived. It was a beautiful bright morning, and Mrs. May and the children were all as- sembled in the pleasant sitting-room. Some were reading, some sewing, some playing, but all very happy in expectation of the were 150 THE ICE KING, AND Little Fanny burst into tears, and sobbed out, — “O, what shall I do — what shall I do? my nice cups and saucers — and my new doll — O dear — I broke the — leg - off my old — doll yesterday — and her nose — is- all — O dear, dear!” “Do stop crying, Fan: how silly! Why, child, you are not obliged to give up your presents, you little goose!” said Emeline. “Shall you give up yours, Gertrude ?”. "I think an approving conscience will be better than the coral bracelet I was to have,” Gertrude answered, with a pleasant smile. “What are you thinking of, Laura ?" “Why, I was thinking,” replied the little girl, half laughing and half crying, “ that, after all, our presents would not be worth enough to buy many clothes for poor chil- THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. 151 d was dren, and I was wishing that father was richer, and that our presents would fill a great big room, heaping full, way up to the top; then, indeed, it would be something like to give them up!" “And I tell you what I wish,” cried Frank, suddenly stopping his horse and cart, loaded with Gertrude's spools of thread; “I wish I could catch old Santa Claus to-night; I would ask him to let all the rich children alone, and only go down the chimneys where the poor little girls and boys live.” "I do not see, for my part, why we should be asked to do such a ridiculous thing,” said Emeline : “I am sure there are a great many people richer than we are, and who will have all their beautiful presents without once thinking of poor folks. I don't see why we should trouble ourselves about a parcel of dirty, ragged children!” 152 THE ICE KING, AND “ If every one thought as you do, Emeline wretched indeed would be the lot of the poor!” said Gertrude. “Could you sleep to-morrow night, Emeline, if you knew that some poor little child was freezing to death, whom you might have made comfortable, by practising a little self-denial ?” “O, don't begin to preach : I shall do as I please,” was the retort of Emeline. In the evening, Mr. and Mrs. May, with Gertrude and Emeline, sat around the centre table, drawn up in front of a cheerful fire. The patting of little feet was heard in the hall, and the children came in to say good- night, and to give their written answers to their mother's proposal. As each child put up a rosy mouth for a kiss, a small piece of paper was slipped into Mrs. May's hand by cunning little fingers. 154 THE ICE KING, AND ni through long entries, and into half-darkened rooms, to peep and wonder at the mysterious squares and angles, which have unshaped the shapely stocking hung in the chimney corner. Of this number were our little friends Laura, Frank, and Fanny. “After all,” said they,“ perhaps we shall get some pretty pres- ents, if not as many as we did last Christ- mas!” So, hand in hand, they tripped softly down stairs, and into the sitting-room, where, with a feeble hope of getting something, they had hung up their stockings. But no ; the stockings were empty: not even a cake or an apple crowding out the little toes! and half laughing, half crying, the children crept back to bed. The breakfast table at Mr. May's, Christ- mas morning, was not as noisy as usual; the THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. 155 little mouths had now more leisure to eat the nice warm toast, for there was less to talk about, and no beautiful toys waiting for their little hands. But just as they rose from the table, a handsome sleigh, drawn by two beautiful white horses, stopped before the door, and Mr. May told the children to make haste and get ready, and he would give them a fine sleigh ride. What an unexpected pleasure! a sleigh ride! and away they all ran with merry shouts, the girls for their cloaks and bonnets, and Master Frank for his velvet cap and pa- letot. They were soon ready, and sprang laughing into the comfortable sleigh. Mr.May wrapped the nice warm buffalo skins snugly around them; he touched the reins, and then away swiftly glided the sleigh over the ice- 156 THE ICE KING, AND crusted pavements, to the merry music of the bells, and children's glad voices. The city clocks were striking twelve as the happy party returned from their delight- ful ride. O, such a nice time as they had been having! never was any thing half so fine! and as Gertrude helped them off with their things, it was really wonderful to hear what strange sights they had seen during that few hours' drive! Then Gertrude told them, that, as soon as they were warm, their mother wanted them to come up stairs very quietly into the play-room; and as she said this, Gertrude looked so mysterious and so happy, that the children thought no more about being cold, but were all ready in a moment to accom- pany her. So they.went up stairs, and Ger- trude very gently opened the door of the play-room. THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. 157 And then, such a sight as met the eyes of the wondering little group, I wish was more frequently witnessed. In the centre of the room, a large table was drawn out, covered with shawls and cloaks, hoods, mittens, gowns, aprons, and nice warm stockings and shoes; then there were also boys' roundabouts, woollen shirts, pantaloons, mittens, caps, and good strong boots; while upon a smaller table were spread out Bibles, Testaments, and Primers, spelling-books, pretty story-books, and slates and pencils ! But all these things the children scarcely saw; for what astonished them more was, that all around the room, upon benches and chairs, twenty little children were seated ! Some were very ragged; some had old shoes on their feet, but no stockings; others had THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. 161 Mrs. May told Laura and Fanny, and also little Frank, that they might gather all the things they could reach from the lower branches, and give them around to the little company, while Gertrude and herself would take those suspended upon the higher limbs. Little Eddie, standing on tiptoe, was allowed to perform his share of this pleasant work, and even Emeline, who had become inter- ested and pleased in what was passing, came forward to offer her assistance; but her mother motioned her away. Mortified, and really ashamed, Emeline withdrew, for she knew that in the happy scene before her she had no part. She had not helped to deck the wan faces of those poor little children with bright, happy smiles! In exchange for their old ragged garments, she now saw them neatly and 11 162 THE ICE KING, AND cleanly clad, and their cold feet made warm by nice stockings and shoes ; but not through her means had it been done —she had prac- tised no self-denial to render them happy! The pleasure caused by doing a kind, be- nevolent action, and which shone so brightly on the faces of her little brothers and sisters, she could not partake in ; for the Ice King, with a bolt of ice, had shut in her heart from all such enjoyment ! How much Emeline now regretted her selfishness! O, to be the means of making others happy, by a little self-sacrifice, she thought, was worth more than to receive all the presents in the world! In the mean time, a servant announced that the dinner was ready — a Christmas dinner for those starving children! Mrs. May then told them all to take hold THE ICE KING, AND then such a Christmas pudding was never seen; so large and round, with the plums all peeping out to look into the glad faces of the little ones! Fanny, Frank, and Laura were allowed to act as waiters upon the occasion, which they did with great credit to themselves, and satisfaction of their guests, who, although rather frightened at first, soon lost all fear in the good things before them, and ate with an appetite and a relish such as an epicure might have envied. . When they had all finished, Mrs. May dismissed the happy little things to their homes; some to go into low, damp cellars, and some into garrets ; but each little child went off happier than it had ever been be- fore; each with nice warm clothes and some pretty plaything; and each bearing a THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. 165 grateful heart to the good lady and her chil- dren, who had made them so happy. When they were gone, little Laura and Fanny declared they had never passed so pleasant a Christmas ; and Frank wished that every day could be just such a Christ- mas to the children of the poor! “Well, my dear children," said Mrs. May, who overheard their expressions of delight, “ do you not feel much happier than you would had you refused to relinquish your Christmas presents for the comfort of others? Think how many little hearts you have made glad by practising a little self- denial! Yes, to-day, my dears, you have really done unto others as ye would they should do unto you.”” The children kissed their mother, and as- sured her they had never felt so happy. THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. 167 “But every little helps, darling,” said Ger- trude, kissing her. After tea, Mrs. May told the children that, as it was Christmas night, they might sit up and have a little dance, if sister Gertrude would play for them. Gertrude accordingly sat down to the piano, and the little feet of the children were soon tripping merrily over the carpet. All at once the folding doors were drawn aside, and there, in the centre of the back par- lor, stood a Christmas tree most brilliantly lighted! On the top was placed the figure of a little fairy with beautiful golden wings; in one hand she held a scroll, on which was painted, -- A good action merits reward. With the other she pointed to Santa Claus, THE 169 THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. them!” exclaimed Emeline. “I do not merit them. Keep them for me, will you, mother, until you think I better deserve them than I now do!” Mrs. May embraced the penitent girl, and promised she would do so. Nor was it long, I am happy to say, before Emeline received them from her dear mother's hands. Christmas, after all, proved a happy day for Emeline; for with it came the spirits of the Sweet South Wind, to rescue her young heart from the power of the Ice King. I 170 THE ICE KING, AND POOR LULU LEE. The sweetest babe that ever nestled its little head to its mother's bosom was little Lulu Lee, with her pretty coral red lip, her little round chin with the one cunning dim- ple! Soft golden hair in tiny curls kissed the pure brow of the little darling, like threads of golden sunshine playing in the lily's cup, and her eyes, large and tender, were of a deep, deep heavenly blue; then the plump little arm, and the wee fingers, the fat little shoulders, and cunning little toes! O, never was there so lovely a babe as my little Lulu Lee! 170 THE ICE KING, AND The sweetest were not ! ) priser SSS SONUNA HAKIM M y pour bile Lemn THE SWEET SOUTH WIND. 171: By and by the darling could toddle about : on her cunning little feet; and next her. sweet infantile prattle was like the continual singing of a little bird in the house. Out in the garden little Lulu's father had built a beautiful bower, where the sunlight, stealing softly through the sweet honey- suckles, flickered and danced in merry gam- bols over the smooth green turf; then, close by, a little brook gurgled gayly along over a bed of shining pebbles, with thousands of beautiful flowers nodding to each other upon the bank. This pretty bower was little Lulu Lee's favorite play-ground ; and here her mamma would often sit with her, on a balmy summer's afternoon, sewing or reading, while the dear little girl toddled softly about with her doll and her kitten. One day little Lulu slipped softly out of 172 THE ICE KING, AND her little crib, where her mamma had laid her down to go to sleep, and wandered away by herself out into the garden ; and a happy little thing she was when she found herself all alone in this beautiful bower, her lap filled with flowers, and her little kitten frisk- ing by her side. But suddenly great rain drops began to patter through the leaves, drip-drip-dripping upon the golden head of Lulu, who, perfectly delighted, held up her tiny hands to catch the big round silver beads as they came leaping down through the honeysuckled roof. When her mamma found her, little Lulu was very wet. Her thin muslin robe clung to her pretty limbs ; her little red shoes were all soaked through and through, and the water dripped from her golden curls upon her white dimpled shoulders. THE SWEET SOUTH WINÐ. 175 would then sit down at her mother's feet in that favorite bower, and hold the pretty blos- soms in her hands, or form them into gar- lands; but as soon as she saw them begin to droop and wither, she would burst into tears, press them one by one to her lips, and then lay them in her bosom. Th f the birds she called the songs of angels. And when in the morning their joyous notes first met her ear, she would spring from her little bed, and pat softly across the floor to the window; and then she would wave her little arms, and smile sweetly as the birds flitted about the branches of the old elm, for she said they were angels singing to her, and telling her beautiful stories about heaven. But at length, like her own cherished flowers, the life of little Lulu began to droop