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TOKOXTO. i ?••■ • i ? 7 J. y if • • • t I • • • > I • ( ■ I i I ^ 1 1 i I i > t I > I I I - f p EDICATION Every one knows that there are, in the World, Inni- •Ireds of thousands of fatliers and niotliers, eacli one of wh<.ni possesses the best children that ever lived. I am, thereiore, moved by a sense of the eternal fitness of thin^^s to dedicate this little volume to [ttc |arcnte of ik |e^t |ltitctmi in ik forlcl, with the rcninder that it is considered the proper thing for each pers<.n, to whom a book is dedicated, to purchasi and read a cop3\ i .1 HZLEN'^ BABI£^. TiiK first cmi.so, so far as it can ])o dctL'rmim'd, of tlie existence of this book may bo fonnd in tlie follow- ing letter, written by my only married sister, and re- ceived by me, Harry IJnrton, salesman of white goods, bachelor, aged twenty-eight, and received just as !• was trying to decide where J should spend a fortiiiur vacation among people oi your own set, I write to ask you to come up here. I admit that I am not wholly diBinteiestea in inviting you. The truth is, 'i\nn and I are invited to spend a fortnight with my old school-mate, Ahce Wayne, wlio, you know, is the deadest girl in the work , though you .lldu't obey me and marry her before i^rank Wayne appeared. Well, we're dying to go, for Alice and J^ rank live lu splendid style ; but as tluy haven't in- cluded our chdciren iu their invitation, and have no chil- dren of their own, we must leave Budge .and Toddie at Jiome. Ive no doubt they'll he perfectly safe, for niv girl IS a jewel, and devoted to the children, but I would feed a great deal easier if there was a man in the house. Be- sides there's the silver, and burglars are less likely to 6 HELEN'S n A Jims. break into a liouso where tliere's a savago-lcokiiig man. (Never inmd about tliankinj,' me for the compliment ) If .*/(m7< only come np, my mind will be completely at rest, llie cluldren won't give you tlie slightest trouble ; they're the best children in the world— everyl)ody says so. "T«>iS5 has plenty of cigars, I know, for the money I should have had for a new suit Avent t.> i)ay his cigar-man He has some new claret, too, that /„: goes into eestaeies over, though I can't tell it from the vilest black ink ex- cept by tlie coh>r. Our horses are in splendid condition, and so IS the garden you see I don't foiget your old pas- sion for tli.wers. And, last and best, there never were so many Jiandsome girls at Hillciest as there are among the Slimmer ])oarders already here ; the girls you are alit-ady awiiiaiMted with here will see tliat you meet all the newer 5tC(piisitions, " Jlei.Iyl)y telegraph right away. Of course you'll say les.' "J " in great liaste, your loving " I'.S. Vou shall have our own chamber; it catclus every Itreeze, and commands the Hnest views. The chil- dren's r(»om communicates with it ; .so, if anything .sAo*/^/ Jiai.pen to the darlings at night, you'd be sure to hear them. ' "Just tlio thing!" I ejaculated. Five mimitcs later I liad telegraplied Helen my acceptance of jut invitation, and had mentally selected books enough to busy me during a dozen vacations. Witliout sharing Helen's belief that her boys were the best ones in the world, I knew them well enough to feel assured that they wuidd not give me any anjioyance. Tiiere were two of them, since Baby Phil died last ftdl ; Budge, the elder, was five years of age, and had generally, during my flying visits to Itelen, worn a shy, serious,' HELEN'S liAIilEX. iiig man. cut.) Jf y at rest. ; they're nioiiey 1 gar-man. ucstacit'S L ink, ox- Diidition, • old piis- i" were so aong the e already he newer ■oii'll say Iklkn. ■ catclifs riie ehil- to hear mimitcs '. of lier oiigh to sharing s in tlie :'ed that re Were nerally, serious, i i ™ meditative, nol)le face, witli great, pure, penetrating eyes, that made me almost fear their stare. Tom de- clared ho was a born philanthropist or prophet, and Helen made so free with Miss Muloch's lines as to sing " Ah, the day that flimt goest a wooing, Budgie, my l)oy ! " Toddie had seen hut three summers, and was a hap- py little know-nothing, with a head full of tangled yellow hair, and a very pretty fancy for finding out sunbeams and dancing in them. I had long envied Tom his horses, his t^anh'U, his house and his location, and tli(! idea of controlling them for a fortnight was particularly delightful. Tom's taste in cigars and claret I had always respected, while the lady inhabi- tants of Ilillcrest were, according to my memory, much like those of every other suburban villag;i(l]y. ({et ii)to this caniago." " Come oil, Tod," shouted lUuh^c, although Toddie's farther ear was not a yard from I Judge's nioutli. " Uncle Harry's going to take us ridiug ! '' "Going to take us riding !" echoed Toddie, with the air of one in a reverie ; hotli the echo and the reveiii' 1 soon learned were eharaeteristics of Toddie. As tlu'y clanihered into the carriage I noticed that each one carried a very dirty towei; knotted in the centre into wliat is known as a slip-noose knot, drawn very tight. After some nionieiits of disgusted con- templation of these rags, without being in the least able to comprehend their purpose, 1 asked Ludge what those towels were for. "They're not towels— they're dollies," promi)t!v answe'.-ed my nejjhew. " C;o(j(lne,ss ! " 1 exclaimed. *' I should think your mother could buy you res])ectable dolls, and not let you aj)pear in public with those loatliso»no rags." urV^"" '}''!! ^ ^^^'^' '"'•^■''*^ «lollies,'N.xplainedJ{udge. liese dollies is .lovely; mine's name is Mary, an' ioddies IS ^Marfa." " Marfa ? " I (pieried. " Yes ; dont you know about " Marfa and Mary's jus' gone along To ring dem cliarmin' bells, that them Jubilees sings about 1 " "Oh, ]\lartha, you mean V "Yes, Marfa— that's what I say. Toddie's dolly's got brown eyes, an' my dolly's got blue eyes." 10 HELEN'S li ABIES. " 1 wjint to sheo yours watch," remarked Toddie, snatdiiiig at my chain, and rolling into my lap. " Oh — oo— ee, so do 1," shouted Budge, hastening to occupy one knee, and hi traiisifu wiping his shoes on my trousers and the skirts of my coat. ' Kacii imp put an arm about me to steady himself, as I produced my threedmndred-dollar time-keeper, and showed them tlu! dial. " t want to see the wlieels go round," said Ihulge. " Want to shee wheels go wound," ((choed Toddie. " No ; 1 can't open my watch where there'ii so nuic'li dust," 1 said. "What for?" inquired Uudge, ^^ "Want to shee the wheels go M-ound," repeated Toddie. " The dust gets inside the watch and spoils it," I explained. " Want to shee the wheels go wound," said Toddie, once more. "1 tell you 1 can't, Toddie," said 1, with consider able asperity. " Dust spoils watches.'' The innocent gray eyes looked up wonderingly, the dirty, but pretty lips parted slightly, and Todd'ie mur- mured : — " Want to shee the wheels go wound." I abruptly closed my watch, and put it into my pocket. Instantly Toddie's lower lip comm(mced to turn outward, and continued to do so until I seriously fearetl the l)ony jwrtion of his chin would be exposed to view. Tiieu his lower jaw droppcil, and lio cried : — ''Ah— h— h—h— h— h— h — want—to— shee— the wheels — go wou — onnd.^' *' Charles" (Charles is his baptismal name),— t HELEN'S lUniES. 11 "Cliarles," I exclaimed, with some an<,'er, "stop that noise this instant ! Do you hear me 1 " "Yes — 00 — 00 — 00 — ahoo — ahoo." " Then stop it." " Wants to shee— " " Toihlie, I've got some candy in my trunk, but I won't give you a bit if you don't stop that infernal noise." " Well, I wants to shee whe, go wound. Ah ah-h _li_li_h ! '' "Toddie, dear, don't cry so. Here's some ladies c miing in a carriage; you wouldn't let Mr?/?, see you crying, would you I You shall see the wheels go round as soon as we get home." A carriage containing a couple of ladies was rapidly ai)[)roaching, as Toddie again raised hi« voice. " Ah^ — h — h — wants to slice wheels — " Madly I snatched my watch from my pocket, opened the case, and exi)osed the woiks to view. The other carriage was meeting ours, and I dropped my head to avoid meeting the glance of tlie unknown occupants, for my few moments of contact with my dreadful nephews had made me feel inexi)ressibly unneat. 8ud- otliUr.'«aVriage. There, ;e^e(;t»„ fresh, neat, composed, briglft-'eyed, . fair-fac(id,. Sjipiling . and observant,— she would have beeJ^aM :i'JiJ8, levti? iJf/tlvb .angel of the re- surrection h^d jifaC s«UHded Jhjsi^lread^ur-trump,— sat Miss Alice Mayton, a lady who, for about a year, I had been adoring from afar. 12 HELEN'S JiAlilEH. ^^ \Mien did you arrive, Mr. Burton ?" «lie asked, and how loni,^ have you boon ofliciatin<,^ as cliild's companion ? You're coitai/ily a liap])y-lookin- trio— so unconvontional. I hate to see cliildion airdressed up and stiff as little manikins, Avhon they 4^0 out to ride. And you look as if you'd been havin- mch a good time with them. " "I—I assure you. Miss Mayton," said I, "that my exporience has boon the exact reverse of a pleasant one. It King Jlorod wore yet alive I'd volunteer as an ex- ecutioner, and engage to deliver two interesting corpses at a mon^nt's notice." ^ "You dreadful wretch!" exclaimed the lady. IMotlior, let me make you ac(|Uiiinted with J\Ir iJur- ton,— Hek'n Lawrence's brother. IJow is your sister Mr. Jnirton ? " ^ > "1 don't know," I replied ; she has gone with her husband on a fortnight's visit to Captain and Mrs. Wayne, and 1 ve been silly enough to promise to have an eye to the place while they're away." " ^yhy, how delightful ! " exclaimed Miss Mayton. >>nch horses ! .SVrA ffowers ! Such a cook ! " " An.l such children," said I, glaring sii<((restively at the imps, and rescuing from Toddie a handkeivhiof which he li;\d extracted irum ciy po<,'ket. and was wav- ing to the i)Veeze.-„ •• • . . , . . , V'Why, they're the' b'e&t children 'iti ilie world llekn,t0ld me so the fiusfc ti-ne I met her thrs.sl'jv^on. UiiKfreii »viU be, cUildren, .you know. We had.three Jittle cousins: witb u«;lnst siimrmT,.'a?uhTm sure they made me Iwok years ^lde» thar; '[-really am." /'How young you must be, then. Miss Mayton!" m\\ I I suppose I looked at her as if I meant what HELEN'S BABIES. 13 I said, for, altliougli she inclined her head and said, " Oh, tiiank you," she didn't seem to turn my compli- ment off in her usual invulnerable style. Nothing happening in the course of conversation ever discom- posed Alice May ton for more than a hundred seconds, however, so she soon recovered her usual expression and self-command as her next remark fully indicated. ^ " I believe you arranged tiie floral decorations at the St. Zephaniah's Fair, last winter, Mr. Burton ? 'Twas the niost tasteful display of the season. I don't wish to give any hints, but at Mrs. Clarkson's, where we're boarding, there's not a flower in the whole garden. I break the* Tenth Commandment dreadfully every time I pass Col. Lawrence's garden. Good-bv, Mr Burton." ^' " Ah, thank you ; I sliall be delighted. Good-by." " Of course you'll call," said Miss Mavton, as her carriage started,— " It's dreadfully stupid here— no men except on Sundays." I bowed assent. In the contemplation of all the shy possibilities which my short chat with Miss Mayton had suggested, I had quite forgotten my dusty clothing and the two living causes tliereof While in Miss Mayton 's presence the imps had preserved perfect silence, but now their tongues were loosened. " Uncle Harry,'' said Budge, ''do you know how to make wliistles? " " Unken Hawwy," murmured Toddie, " does vou love dat lady ?" . . "No, Toddie, of course not." '^Thenyou's a baddy man, an' do Lord won't let you go to heaven if you don't love peophvs." 14 HELEN'S BABIES. " Yes, Budge/' I answered hastily, « I do know liow to make wliistles, and you shall have one." " Lord don't like mans what don't love peonies " reiterated Toddie. ^ ' "All right, Tod.lie," said I. 'Til see if I can't please the Lord some way. Driver, whip up, won't you? I nun a hurry to turn these voungsters overdo the girl, and ask her to drop them into the bath-tub." i found Helen had made every possible arrange- ment ior my comfort. Her room commanded excpiisite views of mountaiu-slope and valley, and even the fact that the imj)s' bedroom adjoininl mine gave me com- fort, for T thought of the pleasure of contemnlating them while they were asleep, and beyond the i)ower of tormenting their deluded uncle. At the supper-table Budge and Toddie appeared eleanly clothed and in their rightful faces. J]ud"-e seated himself at the table; Toddie i)ushed back ifis high-chair, climbed into it, and shouted :— " Put my legs under ze tabo." liightfully construing this remark as a reciuest to be moved to the table, 1 fulfilled his desire. The girl poured tea for nie and milk for the children, and re- tired ; and then I remembered, to my dismay, that Helen never had a servant in the dining-room, except upon grand occasions, her idea being that servants re- tail to their friends the cream of the private conversa- tion of the family circle. In princi[tl(^ 1 agreed with her, ])ut tiie p<'nalty of the practical application, with these two little cormorants on my hands, was greater snlfering than any I had ever been called upon, to en- dure for juinciple's sake ; but then^ was no help for it. 1 resignedly rapped on the table, bowed my head, said, HELEN' H li ABIES. 15 "For what we are about to receive, the T.ord make us thankful," and asked Ihidge whether lie ate bn-ad or biscuit. " Why, we aint asked no blessin' yet," said he "Yes, I did, Budge," said I. "Didn't you" hear me V " Do you mean what you said just now ?" " Oh, I don't think that was no })lessin' at all lapa never says that kind of a blessin'." " AVhat does papa say, may I ask ? " I innuiivd,with becoming meekness. " Why, i)apa says, ' Our Father, we thank thee for tins tood ; mercifully renicinlxr with us all the hun-rv and needy to-day, for Christ's sake, Amen.' That's wliat lie says. "It means the sanit; thing, Bud'-e." "/don't think it does • and Todd'ie .lidn't have no time to say lus blessin'. I don't think the Lord'll like It it you do it that way." " Well, how can he tell what Toddie means if Tod- die can't say anything ? " " Wantsh to shay my blessin'," whined Toddie l,n 1 V'''''i f""""^'^' ' '"^^ '"^-^^' encounter with Tod.lie liad taught me to respect the young gentleman's force of character. So again I bowed my head, and re- peated wh a Budge has reported as "papa's ble.sin'," ^mage kindly promptmg me where my memory failed. Ihe moment 1 began Toddie commenced to^'abber rapidly and aloud, and the instant the " Amen" was 16 ! HELEN' ^ n ABIES. pronounced lie raised his head and remarked witli cv: dent satisfjiction : — I slied bl( lossin tx'o timesh." And liiulge said <,a-avely : — " Noio I guess we're all right." The supi)er was an exquisite one, but the appetites of those (h'(\ailful ehildren elFectually prevented my enjoying the repast. I hastily retired, called the girl, and instructed her to see that the children had enough to eat, and were put to bed immediately after ; then I lit a cigar and strolled into the garden. The roses were just in bloom, the air was full of the perfume of honeysuckles, th^ rhododendrons had not disappeared, while I saw promise of the early unfolding of many other pet flowers of mine. I confess that I took a careful survey of the garden to see how line a boucpu^t I might make for Miss May ton, and was so abundantly satisfied with the material before me that I longed to begin the work at once, but that it would seem too hasty for true gentility. So I paced the paths, my hands behind my back, and my face well hidden by fragrant clouds of smoke, and went into wondering and reveries. I wondered if there was any sense in the language of flowers, of which I had occasionally seen mention made by silly writers; I wished I had learned it if it had any meaning ; I wonderiMl if Miss Mayton understood it. At any rate, I fanci{3d I could arrange flowers to the taste of any lady whose face I had ever seen ; and for Alice Mayton t would make something so superb that her face could not help light- ing up when she beheld it. I imagined just howlier lihiishgray eyes would brighten, her clieeks would redden, — not with sentiment, not a bit of it ; but with I HELEN'S n A HI EH. 17 lI with cvi- e appetites vented my 'd tlio girl, uid enough er ; then I The roses perfumo of sai»peared, ig of many it I took a a bou(pu!t abundantly ; longed to I seem too paths, my hidden by wondering ly sense in ccasionally ished I had fed if Miss 'ui(\ I could hose face I Duld make help light- st how lier cks would ; ; but with gejHiiiH! pleasure,— how her strong lips would part .slightly and disclose sweet lines not displayed when sill' held her features well in han /IFJLEN'fi /iAnr/'X i ' ;;;'! ^'f^ ^"' ^'"i""'';' ••^"v'»ty,^ an' both ho...M,s t J liastily (!\-tr;i(.:t(^(l tlin can.lv rroni mv f,-,.,.!- „ «l''l;.^ .t, an.l ,M.c. ,no,v said ^nod-nlj^t. " ' ^^ >, you <1,<1,. t .^Mvo „s any iH.MMirs," sai.l n,,.]... ^.ri;i-,.m, us son. to ,,..t in .,/,..,., ;;vSy numw.'' ^ ^"''"'' ^"^ ''''y ""^v'-waib until to- '■' Then wo, want diinks." ||n!lotMa.i,'-iohrin-y()U .Irink." Uantn.ynted me, nor any of the thousand noises that fill city air witb the spirit of unrest, and T fell into 24 1,, i I i J ^1 HELEN' H ISABIES. ji wonjior almost indignant tl.at sonsiblo, comfbrt- such ,1. hghtful rural honu-s wero so near at hami; tI.o, di tv ,df ' """' r} ^'"^'"^^^^ ^nd bouquets, and d ty n.plevvs, and fire-Hies an,l bad accounts/and tl.uusi eseonfusinglym n.y mind. Tben a vi,si<,„ n Odin '-''"^ ' "' ^''' "^"•'^^ ^iishionable attire and a modem earnage, came and banisb.Ml ti.em all by its nd m cnis r"'' "'^^ ^ "^" ""'"^^ "^ ^^- --t '^i- lui unconsciousness— -eo^ir-^^-^^-^^-'i-'^-oo-oo-oo-oo-ee-ee "Sli— h— ], !"Ihissed. ol>livio,r''''""^' '"•'■' ^"''^'*^' ^"'^^ ^««» ^^^'-^P^^^^ i"to 'ii^}'~^'~}'~^'~-^^—oo~^e~oo~ce - EK-ce." ^^ J^oddie, do you want your uncle to whip you ? " "Then lie still." whTre!'' ^'' ^"'^ "'^ '^""^' '"''' ^ ^''''' ^""^ ''^''' '^"y- " Well, ril find her for you in the morniiHr " Uo— oo— ee— I want my dolly." '^ '}\ ell, I tell you I'll fiud her for you in the morn- iiif >; " I want her now — oo— oo " " Voii can't have her noAv, so you can go to sleei) " Oh— 00— 00— 00— pe—" ^ Springing madly to my fec^t, I .started for the ollender s room I encountered a door ajar by the way my lorehead being first to discover it. I ground my ..* •..*„.. HELEN'S JIAJUES. •it' tooth, lit a candlo, and said pomothing — no matter wliat. '- Oil, you said a bad suear ! " ojaculatod Toddie ; "you won't go to heaven when you die." " Neither will you, if you howl like a little demon all night. Are yon going to he (juiet, now ']" " Yesh, hnt 1 wants iny dolly." "/ don't know where your dolly is — do you snp- ])ose I'm going to search this entire house for that con- founded dolly?" •' 'Tahd 'founded. I wants my dolly." "I don't know where it is; you don't think I stole your dolly, do you 1 " " Well, I wants it, in de bed wif me." " diaries," said I, " when you arise in the morning, I hope your doll will be found. At present, however, you nuist be resigned and go to sleei). I'll cover 30U uj) nicely ; " here 1 began to rearrange the bed clothing, when the fateful dolly, source of all my woes, tum])k'd out of them. Toddie clutched it, his whole face light- ing Uj) with affectionate delight, and he screamcnr:— "Oh, dare is my dee dolly: turn to your own pai)a, dollv, an' I'll love vou." And that ridiculous child was so completely satis- fied by his outlay of aft'ection, that my own indig- * nation gave place to genuine artistic i)"loasure. One ('(ui tire of even beautiful pictures, though, when he is not fully awake, aiul is holding a candle in a draught of air; sol covere(l my nephews and retuined to my own rooin, when; I mused u[)on the contradictoriness of cIiildhoi)d until I fell asleep. In the morning I was awakened very early by the light streaming in the window^ the Idiiids of\vhich I II 2G HELEN'S BA BTEFi. I ! ■ i I ! l.ads than the shorten- lug of his precious sleepingdiours amounted to. In tact, h(^ was fast divesting me of my riglitful slecDi- ness, so I kissed him and said :— " Kun to bed, now, dear old fellow, and let uncle ^'o to sleep again. After breakfastT'llmakeyon a whistle" ITELEN'S liAnri'JS. 27 ^as jilivo IkmI with it. IJiit :.s for tlio ritil iiiid- 10 sliiulo, Ircaiiiily .such (>x- I'ijj.'ivo all h'licioiis and was ui^or in timidly od, and uMiovor : to." with a Bar con- — worse misiana it could ex pros - of tho coax a ihortcu- to, In sleopi- mclo go histlc." " Oh, will you ?" The angel turned into a hoy at once. " Ves ; now run along." "A Idiid whistle— a n^al loud one 1" " Yes, hut not if you don't go right hack to hed." The sound of little footst('j)s rctiedcd as T turned ov<'r and closed my eyes. S{)(H;dily the l)ird-song seemed to grow fainter ; my thoughts dropped to pieces ; I seemed to he floating on ll(>ecy clouds, in company with hundreds of cheruhs with JJudge's hsa- tures and night-drawers — " Uncle fiai-ry ! " May the f.onl forget tlie prayer I put up just then ! "I'll discipline you, my fine little hoy," thought T. " IV'rhaps, if I let you shriek your ahominahle little throat hoarse, you'll learn hetterthan to torment your uncle, that was juht g(^ttiiig ready to love you dearly.'' "Uncle liar— m;//" -x r " Howl away, you little imp," thought I. " You've got me wide awake, and your lungs 'may suffer for it." .Suddenly 1 heard, although in sleepy tones, and with a lazy drawl, some words which appalled me. The murmur(>r was Toddie :— " Want — shee — wheels —go — wound." "Ihi(lg((!" I shouted, in the desperation of my dread hvst Todilie, too, might wake up, " what do you want ? " " Uncle TIarry ! " "WHAT!" " UuchHfarry, what kind of wood arc you goin^^ to make the whistle out of r' ' '"^ " I won't make any at all— I'll cut a hig stick and 1 28 HELEN'S JiA IlfES. T'J'm. r r';\"'^ ^^^m^j^^S with it, for not h quiet, as I told yon to "Why, Uncie JIai ^''*'«t and amusement leir tiny forks soon ues were un- h^t a Ocken Ilawwy remarked Toddie, "daysh an HELEN'H JUniES. 29 b keeping us with never to " ])ai)a ? " "eivini,' a )ne tliiiiir er j)o.ssi- i^Mi'den. floWl'l'S, "(1 in 10- iswerinir e looked a speck '"terwrnd )i'epai'e(l e lion.se. :iot sncli ed M.'iii^- , and 1 y note, lieadfnl repast, senient ly forks It soon ere iin- ^'sli an awfoo funny chunt up 'tairs— awfoo ///// cliunt. I show it you after brei).s[)up." '• Toddici's a silly little boy," said IJud^o ; '' he al- w.iys says hre[)s[)U[) for brekbux."* " Oh ! What does he mean by chunt, Pxid^e 1 " " i (ja<%i he means trunk/' replied my" oldest nt'pluiw. Recollections of my childish delight in rumniagin«- an old trunk — it s(!ems a century ago that I did it — caused me to smile symi)athetically at Toddic, to his apparent great delight. Ifow didightful it is to strike a sympathetic chord in child-nature, thought I ; how (iuickly the infant eye com[)rehen(ls the look which ])rec("des the verbal ex[)ressi()n of an idea 1 Dear Toddie ! for years we might sit at one table, careless of each other's words, but tlu; casual mention of one of thy delights has suddeidy brought our souls into that sweetest of all human connnunions — that one which doubtle;vS bound the Master himself to that apostle who was otherwise ajjparently the weakest among the chosen twelve. " An awfoo funny clant " seemed to annjhilate suddenly all diil'erenccs of age, condition and experience between the wee boy [ind myself, and — A direful thought struck me. I dashed iipstairs and into my room. Yc^s, he did mean my trunk. / could see nothing funny about it— quite the contrary. The bond of sympathy between my nephew and my- self was suddenly broken. Looking at the matter from the comparative distance which a few weeks have placed between that day and this, I can see that I was unable to consider the scene before me with a cal ni Breakfast. 30 HJ'^LEN\S JiAJilKS. f.\ s"Ki";:"i;:ii,';'':::? ;::";''• , ' ^"^ "--'^"^Kod that ti,.. toncv. Mvsniill,.,,! "'*"""^ "t liiiiiwa luconsis. lovod t,. »-: t ?,,:■,:;:;• j^i:^'' i ;"'■%-.«! i.. which resulted from m ?.h "'<--"'iS'nons material l".e mc sh v^ 1 c e" Iv . ?T",'"'7"i":' ' "'" «<^''"^ he- tejied to oljscurc mv irmll , -^ "'"'?'' "'St'"i:t.s lias- joy. -vhieh .hoJidl. '' vS".''i';;i' '" '';•":"" ''.'f Iniition." -'^'^^*^'' ^« ^^st in full wl* a'';:^,at'e;"lt™l?' """['-^ "•"■■^•' ■- f-' to a„ exact sSe A^ w Ind 'n' '"r'"^« '"'■■''"'S «'lt, for it certainly seemed "f':"^ ' ""' '">'- «oor couhl iieviT h.,„, „ "^ '"'•''l* "I'on the «™.i,, T„;ui"„,irm,, :Tf a"i™enr'"^"" ""■"'• tl'.-i" mi amateur in lackin.r 'n *''"';■" .'"""'"'s.'eui- lii'it upon tl e si"e of t ' I '" '-"n"'"''^ ""'">" ^"""^ A .Ires'-hat and it, case w ',T •'■""" "*' '"^ """''■■ sl.ip i. dissolve 1, oca,Tj neaH':"- """"'■''' '■"'■"''"'- as before, even if th 'n, ^ '"'"^'' '''■'* "'•"'■■l' si«>co not usuaii/i™,:' in"'it"aS^'irri'a';t:; "r'"'^-' ""' soalim.r n hav rnm V ' . ,' " ^"'■'^ i^'Sms 1-rtable dres ,. ""^ ■2aV^'\ "^''i' '"' ^'"'' ''' '' in Vienna by a Lot er ei hi,™, ' t' ,''""=''" ''"' "'•' oh. coutineii ^^i^^r'ii'r t s;' !:^.^;' 1 -it- Allans winch i»rmrft„f.> i i.i i -hl^-i-iuJi Itcuif. entirely U 1,^^^™^ tot, ^ Irt T '"""'» way, and .n its hullo, lay .l.y dtto^rti^hll'rX:! H/'JLh'N'S /Jyl/ilJ'JS. 31 up. hiiatclung It up witli a violent oxclamation, and unrolling it, there dropped from it— one of those in- fernal dolls. At the same time a howl was sounded Iroiii the doorway. " You tookted my dolly out of her cradle— I want to wock'' my thdly— oo— oo— oo— ee— ee— ee-— " *' You young scoundrel," I screamed—yes, howled I was so enraged— " I've a great mind to cut your throat this niinute. What do you mean by meddlin«' with my trunk ? " -^ o " I—doe-know." Outward turned Toddie's lower hp; I believe the sight of it would move a JJen^^al tiger to pity, but no such thought occurred to me iSst then. '' " What made you do it 1 " "/;c— cause." " liecause what ? " "I — doe — know." Just then a terrific roar arose from the garden Looking out, I saw IJudge with a bleeding finger upon one hand, and my lazor in the other; he afterward explained he had been making a boat, and that knife was bad to him. To apply adhesive plaster to the cut was the work of but a niinute, and I had barely com- pleted this surgical operation Avhen Tom's gardener- coachman appeared, and handed me a letter. It was addressed m Helen's well-known hand, and read as follows (the passages in brackets were my own com- ments) : — •' " BLooMj)AnE, June 21, 1875. " Dkau Hakky •— I'lii very happy in the th.Hijrlit that ymiju' e w-itli my darling children, and, although fin liav- *liocIj:. ~ ' It<' 32 HELEN'S liAJilEH. nil,' a lovely tiiiio lierc, T oftou wish T was witli you. LUiiip— so do I j. I want yo-i to know tin; little treasures real well. [Thank yo-i, l)ut I don't think 1 eare to extend the ae(|uaintaneeship farther than is absolutely necessary |. It seems to uie so unnatural that relatives know so littit; of those of their own blood, and es|.L'ciallv of the innocent little spirits whose existence is almost unheeded. [N(.t Avhen there's unlocked trunks standiiiir about, sis. J " Now I want to ask a favour of you. When we were boys and girls at home, you used to talk perfect oceans iih.ut physiogiK.my, and phrenoloiry, and uneiring signs of character. 1 thought it was all nonsense then, but if you believe it now, I wish you'd study the children, and give luo your well-considered opinion of them. [Perfect denions, ma'am ; imps, rascals, born to be hung— both of them J. "1 can't get dver the feeling that dear Budge is born for something grand, [(jraiui nuisance.] He is some- tuues so thoughtful and so absorbed, that I. almost fear the result of disturbing htm ; then, he has that faculty of perseverance which seems to be the only thing some men have lacked to make them great. [He certainly has it ; he exemplitied it while 1 was trying to get to sleep this nioriiiug.] ' Toddie is going to make a p(K't or a musician or an artist. [That's so; all abominal'le scamps take to some artistic pursuit as an excuse for h)atiiig. J His fancies take hold of him very strongly. [They do— they do ; " shee wheels go wound," for iustance.] He has not Buddie's sublime earnestness, but he doesn't need it ; the irresist- ible force with which he is drawn toward whatever is beautiful compensates for the lack. [Ah— perhaps that explains his operation with my trunk]. But 1 want your own opinion, for 1 know you make more careful distinc- ti(m in character than 1 do. " Delighting myself with "the idea that I deserve most of the credit for the lots of reading you will have done by I vjis Avitli you. littlo treusurcs caro to extend .'ly necessary |. know so IHtUs if the innocent leeded. [Not It, sis. I Vhen we were lerfect oceans inerring signs ie tlien, ))ut if cliildren, and L;ni. (Perfect lung — both of >udge is born lie is some- I. ahnost fear bat facnlty of ng some men tainly has it ; , to sleep tliis nsician or an take to some s fancies take y do ; " slice not Budgie's the irresist- wliatever is perhaps that ; 1 want your reful distinc- g mo M HELEN'S BAIilEH. 33 this time, and hoping I shall soon luivo a lino tellin how my darlings are, [ am, as ever, *' Your loving sister " Hklkn." Seliloni liave I been so touscmI by a letter as I was by this one, and never did I promise myself more i^cniiine pleasure in writing a reply. I determined that it should be a master-jiiece ofaualysis and of calm yet forcible exj)ression of opinion. \J\)j\\ one step, at any rate, I was positively deter- nimed. Callin,^ the girl, I asked her where the key was that locked the cloor between my room and the children. "Please, sir, Toddie threw it down the well." " Is there a locksmith in thi- village ? " " No, sir ; the nearest one is at Pater.':on." " Is tliere a screw-driver in the house ? " " Yes, sir." " J>ring it to me, and tell the coachman to get ready at once to drive me to Paterson." The screw-driver was brought, and with it I removed the lock, got into the carriage, and told the driver to take me to Paterson by the hill-road— one of the most beautiful roads in America. " Paterson ! " exclaimed Budge. " Oh, there's a candy-store in that town ; come on, Toddie." " Will you % " thought I, snatching the whip and giving the horses a cut. " Not if I can help it. The idea of having such a drive spoiled by the clatter of 6«c/i a couple ! " AAvay went the horses, cand up rose a piercing shriek and a terrible roar. It seemed that both children 34 HELEN'S BABIES. must have been inuilully liurt, and I looked only to see Budge and Toddie out hastily, "unning after the car- nage, and crying pitifully, it was "too pitiful —1 could not have proceeded without them, even if they hiu been alllicted with small-pox. 'i'he driver stopped ot his own accord,— he seemed to know thi; ehihUt-n's ways and their results,— and 1 helped Budge and Tod- die in, meekly hoping that the eye of Providence was upon me, and that so self-saciificiiii' an act woul. Ue duly passed to my credit. As we reached the hill- road, my kindness to my nephews seemed to assume greater proi)ortions, for the view before me was inex- pressibly beautiful. The air was perfectly clear and across two score towns 1 saw the great metropolis itselt, the silent city of Greenwood beyon, an' if t1u» k Ilcniiglit illic alwii\.s iirry, angc^ls Phillio had ee nie. So ho, PiudiiG, Wo can't in the fiery urs, wasn't ttk; Phillio ht'avi'n, do iglit up to 1 gave me I my mamma an' papa, and Pliillie — but he took liim away again— an' To(Mie, but Toddie's a droa«lful bad boy sometimes, though." "Very true, Pudge," said T, remembering mytruidc and the objettt of my ride. " Pneie Harry, did you ever see th the falling water prevented me from hearing them did not cause them to relax their eflbrts in the least. I walked to the hotel for a cigar, taking the children 38 HELEN'S liAmES. nf !jn'c 1 V'^'^''"'"!^.'!^""^ "« wore than tliiee min- s m selectinc,^ and lighting a cigar, and askin. t o 'HH-d, the chddren were missing, nor couhl I sVo thnn m any direction. Sud.lenly before /eves 'ii.>>Lf> wiiic 1 J recognised •!« tlm i..if.. ,f i 4.1 I , '^ '^'^'f,'"*'^^' '«» ine Hats or mv nenhow* • W., 1 saw l,et,ve™ tl,. ,lisc.,an,l „,c two sinil fi ', '' lyi"K "|H,„ the g,«,,„,l. I „„s af,,u,l to simut f„?fo , of Msnng thorn, ,f tlicy Lappen,,! to I.ear mo I bo ,n,l,., across tl,o grass, im'lnstrionslv mvi " a,„ P aymK l.y turns. Tl.ey wore laying o„ thoir stomachs a nl looking „ver the edge of the cliff. I apprS 1 then, on t,|,-toe, threw myself upon the grm ,? 'n Bi-.ispi»l a foot of each chihl. ^rmuM, an.l •' < )h. Uncle Harry ! " screamed liudge in mv oar as " M'oll 'r V_|^"°;;''^Y^'nore than Toihlie ,li,I." good deal, «,:, how," said tTcwTo!]; sSncT'' " Mi« Mayton, and a most delightful occupation f„uu,I kin.l orr "" "'"' ' """""•*'' '=°»'1'"«'"' «f onlv a few coiding to geometric pattern. I used manv°i r.r,. «ower too shy of hloom to recon.meud i el" 1 7flori Is I comhmed tints almost as numerous as thetk ve rs s"r n»on "An'""' »» "hichcity ■oouquets arc u stiangcis. Arranging flowers isafavnu.it(. iv,...-n,o ,.<■ unao, but upon this particular occasion I eni'„™mv ::,'•„'";,;'.!,"•:''; ^ ''.'"' ,^y- '1-^^ before. NUtllaU was in love with Miss Mayton a man may honestly HELEN' H BABIES. 39 II tliree min- \ asking the but wlioii I could I see re my eyes 'o yellowish y nephews ; m;ill figures )Ut, for fear 3ar me. I raving and ir stomachs approached round, and my ear, as laking him idie did." .'(1 over a fence. ou(|uet for n\ I found only a few ranged ac- Luy a rare 3o florists ; he flowers ) are utter vistime of I joyed my s'ot that I lionostly aiid strongly admire a handsome, brilliant woman without being in love with her ; he can delight himself in trying to give her pleasure, without feeling it neces- sary that she shall give him herself in return. Since I anived at years of discretion, I have always smiled sarcastically at the mention of the generosity of men who were m love ; they have seemed to me rather to be asking an immense price for what they offered I had no such feeling toward Miss 3Iayton. There have been heathens who have offered gifts to goddesses out of pure adoration and without any idea of ever havin- t le exclusive companionship of their favourite divin''- ities. I never offered Miss May ton any attention which nly gentle- ce's. Ah ! Liy-drawers )aiid-box — >ox — it was rd i!ito tlie le card ac- id tlie bou- i search of ainud the 3iir. Mis- laiid each Y. Dliivil t tell." ou ; you'll rnber wiu- d, dressed L my box itli a head per. My le seemed I elevated I no dim- id all that ) much HO put them yddie dis- consolate. " lUit I want my dolly's k'adle," said he, piteously rulliiig out his lower lip. I remembered my experience when Toddie wanted to "slice wheels go wound," and 1 trembled. " Toddie," said 1, in a tone so persuasive that it would be worth thousands a year to me, as a sales- man, if I could only command it at will; ''Toddie, don't you want to ride on uncle's back ?" " No ;^ want my dolly's k'adle." "Don't you want me to tell you a story ?" For a moment Toddie's face indicated a terrible in- ternal conflict between old Adam and mother Eve, but curiosity finally over[)owered natural depravity, and Toddie murmured : — "Yesh." " What shall I tell you about 1 " '"Bout Nawndeark." " About what ? " " lie means Noah an' the ark," exclaimed Jhidge. "Datsh what / shay— Nawndeark," declared Toddie. " Well," said I, hastily refreshing my memory by pickmg up the Bible,— for Helen, like most people, is pi'etty sure to forget to pack her Bible when she runs away from home for a few days,—" well, once it rained iorty days and nights, and everybody was drowned ttom the face of the earth excepting Noah, a righteous man, who was saved with all his family, in an ark which the Lord commanded him to build." Uncle Harry," said Budge, after contemplating me with open eyes and mouth for at least two minutes alter I had finished, " do you think that's Noah ? " D 42 HELENAS BABIES. ^.^'^Ccrtainly, Budge; here's the whole story in tlie '' VVell / don't think it's Noah one sin-Ie bit " s.l.l he, with increasing emphasis. ^ ' '^'^'*^ "I'm beginning to think we read different VAhU. Budge; but Jet's hear y/wr,- version/' ""'""^ ^^^'^^^^' "Huh ?" l^.^'Tell « about Noah, if you know so ,a„el, about " I will, if you want nie to. Once tbp T ,,,.,1 e u uncomfortable cos folks was bad th^tt w!"!^ Z ever made anybody, or any world or any thin "^ ISoah wasn't bad-the Lord liked him first-ra J," so told Noah to build a big ark, and then the Lord would m ke It ram so everybody should be drownded iSoah an' his little boys an'girls, an' do-ries an' nn J an mamma-cows an^ httle-b^ o^w. an' Ti"t ^g.^t": an bosses an' everythng—Thev'd -o in fl.P 1 i '^ wouldn't get wetted a bft, when it rtin d In' Yc^h took lots o things to eat in the ark-cookies an' m ik an oatmeal, an' strawberries, an'porgies an'-oh ^es an I him-puddins' an' pumpkin-pies. But Noah liVln'; an said Itsgom to rain awful pretty soon • vou'd better be good an' then the Lonl'll let you^ come into my ark.' An' they jus' said, ' Oh, if it ra ,s we 'll go in he house till it stops ; ' an' 'other' folks s^d Zl aint ahaid of rain-we've got an umbrella.' An' somp u^.,„ , ^1 " s-.s^^Uq,. aii iuiK.j went in their houses an' the water came in, an' they got on the torn of the houses, an' up i,i big trees, an' up in mount- hfs an the water went after 'em everVwhere an' rwnded mnm HELEN'S nAIilES. 43 tory in tlio i bit," said jnt Bibles, incli about Jrd felf. su s sorry he i'»i,^ Jjiit cite, so he Jrd would 'iided but III' pussies girl cows e ark an' A.n' Noali nil' milk, -oh, yes ; •ih didn't d to f.dks » ; you'd ou come aius we'll aid, ' IVe ^ii' some >f just a ill their tJie tops )untaiiis, r». wnded everybody only just except Noah and the people in he ark. An it rnmed forty days an' nights an' then topped, a,,' Noah got out of the ark, a^' he and his little hoys an girls went wherever they wante.l to, ane field where last I saw Tom's sword in action, and tlii.> (juiet room where it now hung, forced me into a reverie from which I was aroused by Budge remark- ing:— " Aint you goin' to tell us one ? " "Oh, yes, Budge. One day while the war was go- ing on, there was a whole lot of soldiers going alon.^ IhrvIV]"' l''T ""T^' ^'"'W as theycoiddbel they hadn t had anything to eal that dav.'' \ by didn t they go into the houses, and tell the people they was hungry ? That's what 1 do when I goes along roads. ^' " Beciuse the people in that country di.ln't like lem , the brothers and papas and husbands of those ^^^X f'^'"''< ''V ^^"'' '^''y ^^*^»'t ^i^^' the t lem '' ^""^ about first, and they wanted to kill 44 HELEN'S Ji ABIES. I : M "I don't tliink tlicy were a bit nice," said Bml«^e with considerable decision. '^ ' " Well, the first soldiers wanted to kill fhcni, Budge." " Then they was all bad, to want to hill each other." "Oil, no, they weren't; there were a aivat many real good men on both sides." Poor Ihidge looked sadly puzzled, as he had an ex- cellent riiiht to do, since the wisest and best men are sorely i)ei|)lexed by the nature of warlike feeling. " Both parities of soldiers were on horse])ack," I continued, "and they were near each other, and when they saw each other tliey made their horses run fast, and the bugles l)lew, and the soldiers all took their swords out to kill each other with, just then a little boy, who had been out in the woods to pick ber ries for his mamma, tried to run across the road, and caught his toe some way, and fell down, and cried. Then somebody hollooed 'Halt!' very loud, and all the horses on one side stopped, and then somebody else hollooe.l ' Halt ! ' and a lot of bugles blew, anil every horse on the other side stoi)ped, and one soldier jumped off his horse, and picked up the little boy- he was only about as big as you. Budge— and tried to comfort him, and then a soldier from the other side came up to look at him ; and then more soldiers came from both sides to look at liim ; and when he i?ot better and walked home, the sohliers all rode away, because they didn't feel like fighting just then." " Uncle Harry ! I think it was an airfnl good soldier tliat got off his horse to take care of that poor little boy." ^ " Do you. Budge 1 who do you think it was !■ " " I dunno." ** It was your 23a])a." HELEN'S E ABIES. 45 said BufliTC, I'm, Budgo." I'acli otlier." L;reat many had an ex- L'st men are ^eeling. rsehnck," I otlier, and horses run ;rs all took' just tl.en a to pick ber ! road, and , and cried. Lid, and ail somebody blew, and one soldiiT ittle boy — id tried to other side diers came en he got 'ode away, en." 'U-ftil good lluit 2Joor as ? " *' Oh_ ]i_ h_ h_ h ! " If Tom could have but seen the expression upon his boy's face as he prolonged this exclamation, his loss of one of the grandest chances a cavalry officer ever had would not have seemed so great to him as it had done for years. He seemed to take in the story in all its bearings, and his great eyes grew in depth as they took on the far-away look which seemed too earnest for the strength of an earthly being to sui)port. But Toddle— he who a fond mamma thought en- dowed with art sense— Toddie had throughout my re- cital the air of a man who was musing on some affair of his own, aiid Budge's exclamation had hai-dly died away, when Toddie commenced to weave aloud an ex- tiavaganza wholly his own.. " AVhen 1 was a soldier," he remarked, very gravely, ;' I had a coat an' a hut on, an' a mulT, an' a little kiiake* wound ray neck to keep me warm, an' it waiued, an' hailed, an' 'tormed, an' I felt bad, so I whal- lowed a sword an' burned mo all down dead.'' "And how did you get here?" I asked, with in- terest proportioned t> the importance of Toddie's last clause. " Oh, I got up from the burn-down dead, an' coined right here. An' 1 want my dolly's k'adle." persistent little dragon ! If you were of age, what a fortune you might make i-i business ! Uncle Harry, I wish my papa would come home right away," said Budge. '•' Why, Budge ? " " I want to lov little boy in the war, lim for bein' so good to that poor Snake : tii)pt't. c 4G HELEN'S JiAIilES. lodthe. ^"Ciller, thus spake Jjndo-e. ""o» 'Jiicie tlarry ? ' askod ;;'^-. 01,1 fellou-, I f.,,.| .„„■„ tl,:at 1,0 ,li,I." >iiy ilcilly's k'adle an' my ,I„||y '• ' ' ' '''•■*"'■'' Unole Ha.;":-,', Ul'.t't.r ""''''' "'"'■'""»' "- go to bcl at all, at Jl' '° ' ""''"'• "'> '"^^^ ''•■'™ ^ *ew thy fa,,,,, , Ho.";, ^.f S L'- '' '■""' ''"" Ist,uS'"''''^''°»-"'-™l>tedmo/"Co.oi,,.-" Lanlied m'e"a S'.^'fir" ^'-f"- S-atest secrecy, •nean ? 1 liastilv nnono.l fi, ^'^'^■y^^"- >Vhat could it time Toddie ZeSfl "'™'"''"' ''"^' *' ""^ ■^'■'»'' lieart Uenol aad did !'i '''^P.'V.<"l-'"« '^^^"'°^^ "^'1'^^^^^ caressed -ehodytookit':^;L"-n^^^^^^ \V here are t ho.e tiowersr' I dt.n.nded. oony to K auie. 1 hat s ze way she work-s c^o i " a i res m_v fee inys ,n t|.e mast iiuacleyuato lan-u '4 but ot larij;iiage in »l,i„h to express mv Ceeliii.T, ?,, ° i r could «,Ki absolutely „„'„«. u^ti '!";;;:; moments [ ,ad discovered bow very anxious J really TOs to merit Miss May ton's rec^ard , , J i very different was the regard /wanLK;? thal'l '"" I had previously hoped might be accorded !1C! seemed too ridiculous to be ^i;ue that rX had years had dozens of chariniug lady me. It for acquaintances, and 48 HELEN'S JiAJJ/J'JS. yot hiul always maintained my common sonse and self control ; I, wlio had always considered it unmaidy for a man to specially interest himself inuny lady until he iKKl an incomes of fiv,' thousand a year; 1 who ha.l skilhiUy, and many times, argued, that life-attachments or attempts thereat, which were made without a careful preliminary study of the mental characteristics of the partner desired, was the most unpaidonable folly—/ had transgressed every one of my own rules, and, is if to mock mii tor any pretended wisdom and care my weakness was made known to me by a three-year old marplot and a, hideous rag-doll ! ^ That merciful and ennobling dispensation l- which Providtmce enables us to temper the severity of our own sutferings by alleviating those of others, came soon to my rescue. Under my stern glanceToddie gradually lost interest in his doll and its cradle, nd be " Wantsh yrm to love 1 complied with his me j> i^n 1 ,>---•,"" "'-^ ^-q^est. Theoretically, I had long believed that t] e higher wisdom of the Creator was most frequently expressed through the medium of hi.> most innocent creations. Surely here was a confir- mation of my theory, for who else had ever practically alight me the duty of the injured one toward 1^ ength succeeded in quieting him; his little face, in wi n oT' • ^'^ f '"• ^.^"^,tear..stains, was upturned \wtli moie ot beauty m it than t ever held when its owner was full of joy ; he looked earnestly, cl£lw rlSnT'' '^;" .^-"o-atulated myilf upon "tlfe exi M .t "^^^^-^^"^g.^Pirit, when Toddie suddenly rt-cxiubitedto me my old unregenerate nature, and the mcompleteness of my forgive'^ness, by saying -! Kish my dolly, too." ' J- J' o • .nin^^'"''^! ^^3;. forgiveness was made complete, but so was my humiliation. I abruptly closed our inte^ view. ^\ e exchanged " God bless you's," according to ononf fi,." ;.• • • 'Vl'^'^^'^^"^"^^'^^^, and at least one of the participants in this devotional exercise hoped tl petitions made by the other were distinctly held ilien 1 dropped into an easy-chair in the library, and E 50 fell to thinkinsr. HELEN'S BABIES. fell thinking. I f„nn,l myself really and seriously troubled by the results of Toddie's operation with my bouquet. I might exphiin the matter to Miss Maytoii —1 undoubtedly could, for she was too sensible a woman to be easily olfended merely by a ri.liculons mistake, caused by a child, ijnt she would laugh at m«-h<»w could she help it?-and to be laughed at by iAliss Mayton was a something the mere thought of which tormented me m a manner that made me fairly ashame.l "^^T , , . '■''''''>' *'^^'^'^' y'*""-^' »>i'^»» ii"iong y,Hin.' men I had been the butt of many a rough j.?ke, anil had borne them without wincing; it seemed "cowardly and contemptible that 1 should be so sensitive under the mere thought of laughter which would probably be heard by no one but iMiss Mayton herself. JJut the laughter of a mere accpiaintance is likely to lessen respect tor the person laughed at. Heavens ' the thought was unendurable ! At any rate, 1 must write an early apology. ^Vhen I was correspondent for the house with which I am now salesman I reclaimed many an old customer who had wandered off -certainly I might iiope by a well-written letter to re-ain in Miss Mayton's respect whatever position I had lost I hastily drafted a letter, corrected it carefully, copied iJb in due form, and forwarded it by the faithfurMichael Ihen I tried to read, but without the least success for hours I paced the piazza and consumed ci<'ars • when at last I retired it was with many ideas, hopes' fears, and fancies which had never before been mine.' j,.,«i.o ,,.j v{,tot, i iuur.t"i into my neplievvs room • there lay the boys, in postures more graceful than any which brush or chisel have ever reproduced. Toddie, HELEN'S liAIilES. 61 HI particular woro so lovely an exprossion tliat I could not rofrani from kissing l.im. J}ut I was none the less carefn to niake use of my new kev, and to lock my other door also. The next day was the Sal.bath. Believing fully in the bmduig turce and worldly wisdom of the Fourth Comnian.lment, so far as it refers to rest, I have con- scientiously trained myself to sleep two hours later on the morning of the holy day than I ever allowed my- M'lt to do on business days. JUit having inherited, besides a ISew Lngland conscience, a New England abhorrence of waste, I regularly sit iq) two boms later on Saui day nights than on any others ; and the night piece* ing this particular Sabbath wn. no exception to the rule, as the reader may imat M...lVo,a the foregoini; recital. At about 5.30 A.JVf., however, I became cont scions that my nephews weiv ii,,t in accord with r-e on the Sinaitic law. They were not only awake, but were disputing vigorously, and, seemingly, very loudly, for 1 heard their u„rds very distinctly. With sleepy condescension I endeavoured to ignore these n..isy irreverents, but I was suddenly moved to a be- let in tiie doctrine of vicarious atonement, for a flvmcr l)<«ly, with more momentum than weight, struck me upon the not prominent bridge of my nose, and speedi y and with unnecessary force accommodated itselt to the outline of my eyes. After a moment .'^pent in anguish, and in wonderinir how tb(^ missivp luine tiirough closed doors and windows, I discovered that my pain had been caused by one of the dolls Which, from its extreme uncleanness, 1 suspected be' 52 HELEN'S BABIES. longed to Toddie ; I also discovered that the door between tlie rooms was open. "Who threw that doll ? " I shouted, sternly. Ihere came no response, *VDo you henr r' I roared. "What is it, Uncle Harry?" asked I3udi;e, with most exipiisitely polite inflection. " Who threw that doll ? " "IJuh?" " I say, who threw that doll ? " "Why, nobody did it." " Toddie, who threw that doll ? " "Budge did," replied Toddie, in muffled tones, sul- gestive of a brotherly hand laid forcibly over a pair of Bmali hps. ^ " Jiudge, what did you do it for 1 " " "^Vhy — why —I ~ because — why, you sec— be- cause, why, Toddie froo his dolly in my mouth : some ot her ban- went in, any how, an' I didn't want his (iol y m my mouth so I sent it back to him, an' the foot of the bed didn't stick up enough, so it went froo the door to your bed— that's what for:" The explanation seemed to bear marks of genuine- ness, albeit the pain of my eye was not alleviated thereby, while the exertion expended in elicitin-.' tlie information had so thoroughly awakened mc that turther Sleep was out of the question. Be ides the open door— had a burglar been in the room 1 No • my watch and pocket-book were undisturbed. JiUdge, who opened that door?" After some hesitation, as if wondering who really UKl it, JJudge rei)lied : — o j "JVIe." "How did you do it?" HELEN'S BAlilES. 53 Wliy, you see we wanted a drink, an' the door was last, so_ we got out the window on the parazzo roof an' corned in your window." (Here a slight pause ) ''An' twas fun. An' tlien we unlocks • the door, an' corned back. Then I shoiikl be compelk'd to lock my window- buKls-or theirs, and this in the summer season, too ' Oh, It liekn could have but passed the liouse as tliat white-robed ])rocession had filed along the piazza-roof 1 lay pondering over the vast amount of unused in- genuity that was locked up in millions of children or eniijloyed only to work misery among unsuspecting adults, when I heard light foot-falls at my bedside^ and saw a small shape with a grave face ai)proach and remark : — " I wants to come in your bed " '' What for, Toddie T' " To fwolic; papa always fwolics us Sunday mornin's. lum, Ludgie. Ocken Ilawwy's doin' to fwolic us " r.udge replied by shrieking with delight, tumbling out o bed, and hunying to that side of my bed not already occujiied by Toddie. Then those two little sa\ages sounded the onslaught and advanced precipi- tately upon me. Sometimes, during the course of my lite, 1 have had day-dreams which 1 have told to no one. Among these has been one— not now so dis- tinct as It was before my four years of campaigniiin ^lie coS 1 most easily sei.ze Bu^nf r'N'"'- - "t"'''^'^ uncomf;>r4bIe minutes in mentally. _ abusing the customs of good society Ihe beginning of the service partially ended my uneasmess, for I luui no hymn-book_[he pew co2^ t lined none-so iliss Mayton kindly offered me a share in her own. And yet so faultlessly perfect and stranger-like was her manner that I woiuLJed wheU r her action might not have been prompted merely ]>y a euse of Christian duty ; had I been the Khan of" Ta^ tary she could not have been more polite and fri-id The music to the first hymn was an air I had nem- heard before, so T stumbled miseral)iv through the tenor, although Miss Mayton render.;! tho s^ ra o wahouL a smgie false note. The sermon was'/on'er than I was in the habit of listening to, and T was frequently conscious of not listening^t al As fo never HELEN'S BABIES. 57 service ''"^ ''"^ throughout the entire wi3^myt'ri:;Tr'::'' "^"' """"y- ''"-brethren," finale. 'iTZtr^Z 'Z^ ZT'''' """l' ^'""''^ l«thized with me f„" .1, <=»"greg.Uion sym- came evident, however tli»t .l,„ i' " '""'" ^e- liy some otiier (ZZJ'rlft "« I'^arers were move,! with moriaStv ; , ?, ' *''''--'"" ""■"«'' I""- 1'".""! -hich us ,a 7cLr c eZrr''''"' "'"' ">"' Srace minister himilf „ il , f I """"""' "'"' "le turned in mv ci!, , '^ P""*" "^ nmmxx^\ length. I i" Ws b st™4^ ttf "1^:: "'{/■''P'"'- l^U'lge, "dressed cane swi„,;i An the m' T7"r'{ "°™''''''' »"'' '"« "'^'>' at each pew, laref llvT.l ^ T' '• """'"""■• ^^ 1«"««"1 to fail in s,zj ri'i rrVf' "'=™p""'''' ''"■^•""J tinned his eS iLrtflf"* '"^^'•■»'^''' but con- 1 M ant to find my uncle." l-n'ied to me'^d^lfid'h™^ ^"^'l^''^'^ rapturously, vaded the church \VI, , ,„ ''^''' f."»''tion per- MissMayton he f^rfill'n '"'''' '" ™'"''"'> "s ber eyosiliM ;,fT',,,r ?' '"■'■''P'-^sed mirth, but ';> i.er! and 'L:Ld"ht™s:idT' t tf "^ ^"'"'■'" *-' ''-nimster, not witho^sot .iuLt.Sio.rS,' r "^ I II rtif HELEN'S.BAniES. pray." I liastily bowed my head, glad of a chance to hide my face ; but as I stole a glance at the cause of this irreligious disturbance. I caumit Miss Maytoii's eye. She was laughing so violently that the contagion was unavoidable, and I laughed all the harder as I felt that one mischievous boy had undone the mischief caused by another. After the benediction, Budge was the recipient of a great deal of attention, during the confusion of which, 1 embraced the opportunity to say to Miss May ton : — " Do you still sustain my sister in her opinion of my nephews. Miss Mayton ? " " I think they're too funny for anything," replied the lady, with great enthusiasm. " I do wisli you would bring them to call upon me. I'm longing to see an original young gentleman." " Thank you," said I. " And I'll have Toddie bring a bouquet by way of atonement " " Do," she replied, as I allowed her to pass from the pew. The word was an insignificant one, but it made me happy once more. ** You see, Uncle Harry," exclaimed Budge, as we left the church together, " the Sunday-school wasn't open yet, an' I wanted to hear if they'd sing again in church ; so I came in, an' you wasn't in pai)a's seat, an' I knew you was ^■«//«'nvhere, so I looked for you." " Bless you," thought I, snatching him into my arms as if to hurry him into Sabbath school, but really to give him a kiss of grateful affection, "you did right — ejyidlij right." My Sunday dinner was unexceptional in point of quantity and quality, and a bottle of my brother-in- law's claret proved to be the most excellent ; yet a HULKN'S IIABIEK 69 certain uneasiness of mind prevented my eniovin- thp mea as thoroughly as under other circnSanfe I nnght have done My uneasiness came of a mi. 4ed sense of responsibility and ignorance, I felt t a't it s™:t'i!'Zw;i;'iters: :; Sf -/-"■''- In™ «'., e IIT"^ ''"7-- ■''''''' ^"y^ "•''^« too mal Uo iKue i.iole-lessons admuiistered to them and thev w«e too hvely to be kept cpu'et by any ordh a^ meanf read to yon,-„hat ,lo they talk about 1 » ^ Uh, they swing us-lots ! " said IJudge with wightenuig eyes. " 'o>-. "nu "'oh'veri'"''"' T-'" §t •'"''"'" '''>«'"'^'' Tcldie. -;lo^'t y'ou knowt"'""' ""■'^" = "i^-'--->-"-.H.ll.it " Hiim--ye— es ; I ,lo remember some siirli thinrr oJ ZrWt'tilT, .. -^"^ ^™^' >vhereXX'.'rt? b.uW?f''vnr,''' f. ',"'";''' "'"'■'-'■ ""' '■'"■"«' "»' birch- ; ok- when ^ ''""' '""'N""' •^»"'" """W" i"t« the ,. , , " >^°" S° '" fc's' I'irch." An we goes to Hawksnest Jtoek," piped Todd ie .;" papa carries us up on his back « hen 've'gets tire '^ ., p ; , ''"„"'4f "-^ whistles," sai,l Uudge. " ' These earthly i)leasure3 I resign/ 60 HELEN'S BABIES. and I m rather astonished that your papa hasn't taii.^ht you to do hkewise Don't he ever' read to you ? '' Oh, yes, cried Budge, clappini? his iiands is n hajw thought struck him " E g?ts doin the fiTble -the great kg Bible, you knovv-an' vv.all lav on the floor an' he rea ^.s us stories out of it. There's Divil an Noah, an' when Christ was a little boy In' J^^ 1 ' an' turnbackPharo'sarmyhalleleiah-'^ ^' ^ ' "And what?" " TurnbackPharoWmyhallelujah,'' repeated Budge. Don t you know how Moses held out his cane ove - the Ived Sea, an' the water went way up one side an' way up the other side, and all the IsruTite ^ent across? It's just the same thing as ./ro...oldPhaio' armyhallelujah— don't you know ? " tlJ'^T-f''^''''''^ ^;/'^ suspect you of having heard tlie Jubilee Snigers.' o "cciu " Oh, and papa and mamma sinjrs us all those Tub,' CH, s«ng«-therH'B ; Swing Low,' an° ' Itol Jo In .^ ' Stoal Away,' an' ' Jly Way's Cloudy,' an' ' Get on Lourd, ClnWuns, au' lots. "An' you can sin. u every one of 'em. ' ° ca^'et-'sSVSi: " '" "" '■"^•''' '"' ""*-■' - '' I don't know wliat that is," said Budge, " but I,e puts an' r„d,a-mbber blanket on the grass, and tiX we all lie aown an' make b'lieve we're soldiers asleen" Only sometimes when we wake up papa stavs asleep an mamma won't let us wake ii'm.' I don't think tnats a very nice play." (I The g good HELENAS li ABIES. 61 Budge seemed somewhat in doubt •' T Hn'ni- o • i^ets have Bible stories first" «aid T seph best." ' -^ «'"'"" I '•'<«' bout Jo- "Jn, no, Jod, remonstrated Buil™ • " Tn«o..l,'« oa was just as bloody as Goliath'. I ead ias " T Buge turned to „e ll explained^ '" Xf odTfe " Bliaif' s head was all bluLr^'v mi' ])..v,M' . ^ it as I read :- ^ "''""*'''• ""^' •'""iiWr condcnse.l iHmtr^lX'S'V'",'" 'r^ ^^I'o^e papa loved And ti4 tid i;i,„t g "w 'E^;"t" f^Vt "™- ^mart, and told people^hat fSdr^^'steS,:,^^ c: HELENAS liAniKS. ■t ip'i Mi then he let them know ulio he wa . And he sent tliem n.ui'^ho tliV'" Tr^l'"^ ^V''it,J//tell you how It is. Once there was a little boy named Joseph, an' he had eleven budrs. An' his j.apa i-ave hi a SetTt " ''•' 'r'.^""^^ ''''''' -^»^"^' ]>ut their old .pickets to wear. An' one day he was carryin-^ 'em but hey orner, nor noi^e of them tlnngs ; an' then he sent them back for the nam W when he sa;v his pnpa coniin,' lie ran lik vemt.'in" and gave him a great big hug and a kiss. Jos^) vus 00 big to ask nspnpa if he'd brought liini any c'ndv but he .vas awful gla.l to see him. °An' the k.^: n^e "And they dipped the coat in the blood, an' made it all bhiggy," reiterated Toddie maaeit III. ?i ''' -'"'^ ''y ""'^''^' '^""'t you? Nov tell us another story— oh 77/ t^li , -^ f "^^ 'bout—" ' ^ you— read ns ;; 'Jjout Bliaff," interrupted Toddie. VVl.y, said Toddie, " Bliaff was a brate bi'i..ther know you're out?' An' tin 'a;,io bov sai ;l want to go 'cross the river.'-' Weil/' sav.s Ferns yoUj.annght^littlen.lh,wtobetravelIin'^lon^^ 1 u So the 1. tie boy junipe,! np on Ferus's iMck, ami icrus walked nito the water Oh mv-- ;;;';;■';/ ;,^ ^''^'^ ^ ,/»' ^^^^'>; «tq> he took the ntiie boy g t heavier so l.rus nearly tuml,led down an' they •l.ed o both got droH'n,le.l. An' when they <.ot .UToss the^river Ferus said, ' Well, you are the he^^i- '.tsnial fry I ever carried,' an' he turned around li ookathnn an 'twasn't no little boy at all-'twas a ».g man-'twas Christ. An' Christ said, ' Fer^ I iH'ard you was tryin' to work for me, so I thou.dit I'd ••onie down an' see you, an' not let you know'who I r"'' II wrP''-''' ^*'" '^^''^^ ^^'^^^'^ "^^w "'^»»e ; you shall 1H3 called 6'Ar..s/otterus,_cos that means Chri^^carrti- ' An everbody called him Clrristofterus after that aA' when he died they called him Saint Christopher' cos Nainys what they call good people when they're J^udge himself had the face of a rapt saint as he told this story but my contemplation of his counten- ance was su.ldenly arrested by Toddic, wlio, disan- proving of the unexciting nature of his brother's recital had s rayed into the garden, investigated a hornet's Jiest, been stung, and set np a piercing shriek. He G GG HELEN'S BABIES. ran in to me, and as I hastily picked him up, he sobbed : — " Want to be wocked.* Want ' Todaie one boy day.' " '' I rocked liim violently, and petted him tenderly, but again he sobbed : — " Want ' Toddie one boy day.' " " What does the child mean 1 " I exclaimed. " lie wants you to sing to him about ' Charlie boy one day,'" said Budge. "He always wants mamma to smg that when he's hurt, an' then he stops cryin- " "I don't know it," said 1. " Won't ' lioll, Jorda^^i,' do, Toddie V ' "I'll tell you how it goes," said Budge, and forth- with the youth sang the following song, a line at a time, I following him in words and air : — " Where is my little bastik* gone ? Said Charley, one boy day ; I guess some little boy or girl Has taken it away. ** An' kittio, too — where uh slie gone ? Oh dear, what I shall do i I wish I could my bastik find, An' little kittie, too. "I'll go to mamma's room an' look ; Perhaps she may be there ; For kittie likes to take a nap In mamma's easy chair. *' O mamma, mamma, come an' look ! See what a little heap ! Hero's .attie in the bastik hero, All cuddled down to sleep." * Hocked. * Basket. HELEN'S BABIES. G7 Where the applicability of this poem to my nephew's peculiar trouble appeared, T could not see, but as I finished it, his sobs gave place to a sigh of relief " Toddie," said I, " do you love your Uncle Harry 1" " Esh, I do love you." " Then tell me how that ridiculous song comforts you ? " *' " Makes me feel good, an' all nicey," replied Toddie. " Wouldn't you feel just as good if I sang, ' Plunged in a gulf of dark despair ' ? " " No, don't like dokdishpairs ; if a dokdishpair done anyfing to me, I'd knock it right down dead." With this extremely lucid remark, our conversation on this particular subject ended ; but I wondered, dur- ing a few uneasy moments, whether the temporary mental aberration which had once afflicted Helen's grandfather and mine was not reappearing in this, his youngest descendant. My wondering was cut short by Budge, who remarked, in a confidential tone :— " Now, Uncle Harry, we'll have the whistles, I guess. I acted upon the suggestion, and led the way to the woods. I had not had occasion to seek a hickory sap- ling before for years; not since the war, in fact, when I learned how hot a fire small hickory sticks would make. I had not sought wood for whistles since— gracious, nearly a quarter of a century ago ! The dissimilar associations called up by these recollections threaten(>d to put me in a frame of mind wliich might have resulted in a bad poem, had not my nephews kept up a lively succession of questions such as no one but children can ask. The whistles completed, I was marched, with music, to the place where the GS HELEN'S^ BADJES. 11 jacks grew. It Avas just such a plac(3 as bovs in- stinctively dc^liglit in— low, damp, aiul ))oggy, Avith a Pf ;^^o^'^ Jnding ti'oacheronsly away under overlianoin*-- ferns and grasses. The cliildien knew ])y si-ht%he plant which bore the "jacks," and every drscovery was announced l)y a piercing shriek of (ielight. At first I looked hurriedly toward the brook as each yell clove the air ; but, as 1 became accustomed to it, my attention was diverted by some ex(juisit(! ferns. Sud- denly, however, a succession of shrieks announced tliat somelhing was wrong, and across a large fern I saw a small face in a great deal of agony. Jludge was hur- rying to the relief of his brother, and was soon as deeply imbedded as Toddie was in the rich black nnid at the bottom of the brook. 1 dashed to thci rescue stood astride the brook, and offered a hand to each boy, when a treacherous tuft of ijrass gave way, and with a glorious splash, I went in" myself. This acci- dent turned Toddie's sorrow to laughter, but I can't .^y I made light of my misfortune on that account. Jo fall mto dean water is not jdeasant, even when one IS trout-fishing; but to be clad in white pants and suddenly drop knee-deep in the lap of motJH'r Jl,arth IS quite a dift'erent tiling. I hastily picked up the children, and threw them upon tlie bank, and then wrathfully strode out myself, and tried to shake myself as I have seen a Newfoundland (h)g do. The shakewas not a success— it caused my troiiserdeg to flap dismally about my ankles, and sent the stream's of loathsome ooze trickling down into my shor.s. ^[y hat, of drab felt, had fallen off by the brookside, and been plentifully spattered as I got out. I looked at ^y youngest nephew with speechless indignation. HELEN'S BABIES. G9 "Uncle Harry," said Biulge, "'twas real good of the Lord to let you be witli us, else Toddie might Jiave been drownded." "Yes," said I, "aiid I shouldn't iiave much—" " Ocken Hawwy," cried Toddie, running impetu- 011SI3J toward me, pulling me down, and patting my cheek with his muddy black hand, " I Ioiwh you for takmg m(^ out de water." " 1 ,f cept your ai.ology," said I, <^ but let's hurry Jionie. Iliere was but one residence to pass, and tliat, thaidv fortune, was so der-ely screened by slirul)- hery tliat tlie inmates could not see the road. To be sure we were on a favourite driving-road, but we could reach home in five minutes, and we might dodge jnto the woods if we heard a carriage coming. Ha ! 1 hero came a carriage already, and we— was there ever a sorrier-looking group ? There were ladies in" the carriage, too— could it be— of course it was— di,l the evd spirit, which guided those chihlren always, send an attendant for Miss Mavton before he betr'an operations? There she was, \any way— cool, n?at, (iauity, trying to look collected, but severely flushed by the attempt. It was of no use to drop mv eyes, tor she had ahvady recognised me ; so I tunK-d'to iier a face which I think must have been just the one— unless more defiant—that I carried into two or three cavahy charges. " You seem to have been having a real good time together," said she, with a conventional .sniUe. as the carnage passed. "Kemember, you're all going to call on me to-morrow afternoon." ]>Iess the girl ! Her heart was as quick as her eyes —almost any other young lady won hi have devoted f 70 HELEN'S BABIES. her entire energy to laughing on such an occasion, but me took her cprliest opportunity to make me feel at ease. Such a royaJ hearted woman deserves to— I caught rnyself just here, with my clieeks growino- quite hot under the mud Toddie had put on them, and I led our retreat with a more stylish carriage than my appearance could jiossihly have warranted, 'and then I consigned my nephew's to the maid with very much the air of an officer turning over a large number of prisoners he had captured^ I hastily changed my soiled clothing for my best- not that I expected to see any one, but because of a sudden increase in the degree of respect I felt toward myself. When the children were put to bed, and I had no one but my thoughts for companions, I spent a delightful hour or two in imagining as possible some changes of which I ha 1 never dared to think before. _ On Monday morning I was in the garden at sur • rise. Toddie was to carry his expiatory bouquet to Miss Mayton that day, and I proposed that no pains should be spared to make his atonement as handsome as possible. I canvassed carefully every border, bed, and detached flowering plant until I had as accurate an idea of their possibilities as if I had inventoried the flowers in pen and ink. This done, I consulted the servant as to the unsoiled clothing of my nephews. She laid out the entire wardrobe for my inspe'^tion, and after a rigid examination of everything I selected the suits which the boys were to wear in the after- mi -r . 1 1 . . . . iioon. Then I told _ the girl tliat the boys w going with me after (3inner to call on some lad that I desired carefully. er. les, aiK- that she should wash and dress th 3m HELEN'S BABIES. 71 bt Tell me just what time you'll start, sir, and I'll 111 an hour beforehand," said she. " That's the only way to be sure that they don't disgrace you." For breakfast, we had, among other tl stewed oysters served in soup-plates. "0 Todd,'' shrieked Budge, "there's the turtle plates again—oh, a'mt I glad." Oo— ee— turtle-pyates," squealed Toddie. lungs, some W hat on earth do you mean, boys 1 " 1 (lemandetl. '• I II show you," said Budge, jumping down from his clKur, and bringing his phite of oysters cautiously toward me. "]Sow you just put your head down imderneath my plate, and look up, and you'll see a turtle. For a moment I forgot that I was not at a restau- rant, and I took the plate, held it up, and examined its bottom. "There ! " said Budge, pointing to the trade- mark, in colours, of the makers of the crockery, " don't vou see the turtle r' ^ I abruptly ordered Budge to his seat, unmoved even by Toddie's remark, that — " Dey ish turtles, but dey can't kwawl awouud like udder turtles." After breakfast I devoted a great deal of fussy attention to myself. Never did my own wardrobe seem so meagre and ill-assorted ; never did T cut my- self so many times while shaving; never did I use such unsatisfactory shoe-polish. I finally gave up in despair my effort to appear genteel, and devoted myself to the bouquet. I cut almost fiowers enough to dress a church, and then remorselessly excluded every one which was in the least particular imperfect. In mak- u. \ 72 HELEN'H BABIES. . ing the bouquet 1 enjoyed tho benefit of lay nejilie\v'<' assistance and counsel, and took entbrc*-,) part ii: con- versation whicli flowers suf^^gested. ;' Ocken Ilawvvy/' said tod.lie, " isli heaven ill lik.. tlii,s,^W!f pretty fovvers? Cos I don't i...; what ze ang.Ms ever turns out fox if 'tis." " Uncle HaiTv,'*' said liudge, "when the leaves all go up and dovv, :ind vriggle around so, are they talk- ing to the wind r '' ''I--lgiiess so, jVi fi'llou'." "Who are you uddng that bouquet for, Uiirle Harry % asked lauige. "For a lady— for Miss May ton— that ladv that saw us all muddy yesterday afternoon," said I. " " Oh, I like her," said Budge. '' She looks so nice and pretty— just like a cake— just as if she was good to eat-— oh, I just love her, don't you ? " " Wg\[, I respect her very highly, Budge." " 'Spect 1 What does 'spect mean ? " " Why, it means that I th;nk she's a lady— a real pleasant lady— just the nicest sort of lady in the world —the sort of person I'd like to see every day, and like to see her better than any one else." "Oh why, 'spect an' love means just the same thinjr don't they, Uncle Har— " ^ "Budge," I exclaimed, somewhat hastily, ''run ask Maggie tor a piece of string— quick ! " "All right '' said Budge, moving off, " but they do, don t they V ^ At tv/o o'clock I instructed Maggie to dress m ■ nephews, and at three we started to make our caP lo carry Toddie's bouonet, and hold a hand ->+' ea.^} boy so as to keep them;:- - ; i darting into the hed r.« for HELEN'S JiABIEH. 73 s so nice gnisslioppcrs, and tlie gutters for butterflic,., was no eiisy work, hut 1 nianag(Ml to do it. As we approached Mrs. t'larkson's hoardiiig-liouse I felt my liat was over one ear, and my cravat awry, hut there was no oppor- aiinty to rearrange tliem, fur I saw Alice lAIaytou on tlu- piazza, and felt that she saw me. Handing the bouquet to Toddie, and promising him three sti?ks of caudy if he would he careful and not drop it, we en- tered the garden. The moment we were inside the hedge and Toddie saw a man going over the lawn with a lawn-mower, he shrieked : '« Oh, deresh a cutter- grass ! and dropped the bouquet with the careless- ness born of perfect ecstasy. I snatched it before it reached the ground, dragged the offending youth up the walk, saluted Miss Mayton, and told Toddie to give the bouquet to the lady. This he succeeded in •"«! me air oi the detested son", '' Sit in a wockin'-chair, '''sobbed Toddie 1 ol)eyed ; and then my tormentor remarked •- wydes7 ^ ''"" ^''' ''^'^'' (words)- I wanis the r sang the words as softly as possible, with mv lips close to his ear, but he roared :-- ^ ^ " Sing louder." - '^^perati^r"" '"^^ '^""" "^''' '^"^'^'''" ^ ^"^'^^"^^'^ " <>lb I'll tell it ail I'"idge. And there, b( .0 you, Uncle PTarry," said ore that audience, anil her, I line. 1 !• 1 . . ' -- -v^.vy uiniu ciimiuiiui", JUKI / was obliged to sing that dreadful doggrel, line for 70 JTELEN'S JlAniEH. as IJiulge repcatod it. My tootl brow LTcw clam my, and I orazcl w 1 wore sot ti^i^dit, m} torriblo tlioiiglits in my mind. N. rc!w so dosjx i-iiW. tliiit a titter would 1 pon T,..» ] 'o with At last I lioiird (< om(> ono wlii; per t>n(! lau<,diod I lavo ijjivon relief. feet aSVv hov, he l«)v<>s him! I ai,'«my over the little fel!..w. 'oor man .'—he's in per Had not the soi I bel over tl iL' r feet, bt vached its natural end just then H;ve i .dioul.l have tossed my wounded nephew IS, I set him upon his le pia'-cza rail. ^H it w announced the necessity of our departure, and ■gan to take leave when Miss Mayton's motheV in- si.sted that we should stay to dinn,.. i painfully npwanl. I ,larn] not .speak, for f.ar wonM drop tho i,lato. Suddi-nly ],e witlnl 77 lis eyos tnriifd head »f its contents sou'dit ref put on an aiioviic sniih', tilt'cd his id '»,i,'(! in th(i fohls of M Mayton s damty, snowy dress, wlnle tiie ofl •^'Teamed lew his plat(! so j)art iss cnder " Oo— ee ! zlia Inrth tiutleon ni} pyate!' on my pyate !— IJnd.rio, zh.- IJiid meal When the dessert was finished he quickly e used herself, while I removed Toddie a secluded corner ^- the piazza, an.l fav<.ured him Hith a ecture which sed him to howl pitifully, an.l omjHdled me o caress him and un.lo Sdl the good ^ ' < 1, my rehukes had done. Then he and Ihul,^^ re- '' o\."d themselves to t],e lawn, while I awaite.l Miss ^ ayton s reappearance to offer an apolo^^v for Toddie, d eMt ' m' '"pr''i "'^ ^' ''''' tl.e custom of th ad ivs a Mrs. Clarkson's to stroll ahnnt the lovely a walks after dn.ner and until twilight ; and on this li.ticnlar evening they departed in twos and threes, '"Mi>g me to make my apology without witnesses. I . ;is inMini' crwY'ir ♦!> i. s rather sorry they went T it M ri that I olunder. SCI as principally re.^ponsihle for my nepl a. id to have no opportunity to allay my once-pangs by conversation. It was not plensnt^t to liews con- i^Iayton was ton verin appearing; I even called nephews to .iaAesome one totalk'to eenied to me Miss up my ■ifi: 78 HELEN "^ HA n FES'. P Sucl.lonly sheappoare.1, an.l i„ an instant I fervently riL V '^ anatl.0 soup whiol» the child l.ad sn{ on Its amloss wan. ,uin.^s. I wonM rather pay the p asing and intelh.i^^.nt. Perhaps tlie an-er s methmg to do with putting unusual (.oh)nr into her ch eks, an.l a brighter sparkle than usual in her eves Whatever was the cause, slie looked queenly, and T IflT'l h'' ^ ''t^^^^^ i" l>er face a ^i^n o satisfaction at the involuntary start which l?er unex- pected appearance caused me to make. She accented Z7:t:^' f^?"^^"' .with queenly graciousn^:: and then, nstead of proposing that we should follov^ the other ladies as a moment before I had hoped she wouhl i. dropped into a chair. I accepted the invitath ' he children should have been in bed half anhour before' but my sense of responsibility had departed when Miss t e^ hould perform some new and unexpected act of in.pishness. 1 hey retired to one end of the piazza, ajid busied themselves in experiments upon a laig^ t Ike to the glorious woman before me, and enjoy,.! the spectacle of her radiant beauty. The twili-dit v?r„T 'l^^'P^'ned, bnt imagination prevented the v^ from ^ding. With the coming of the i llAlllE^i. 79 have listened to without suspecting a secret Tl,. ladies returned in little <'rouns l.nf ,ffi } % uw.inai.li/ ,'..f..;f- • to'^i'P'S '>"t either out of no manly intuition or m answer to niy unsi.oken l,u evH.t prayers, passed us and went into he louse J^nddenly a small shadow came from behind us and stood^beUeen us, and the voice of Budge renwl^,^ l^ icle Marry spects you, Miss Mayton." Suspects me ?-of what, pray ? "exclaimed the hidy patting my nephew's cheik ^^^^'-^'"^^d the " Jiudge ! ^' said I-l feel that my voice rose nearl v to a scream-- Budge, I nu.st beg of yrfu o resS the s^^vnctity of confidential comnnmicatLns'' ^^^^^^^^ t'?:^:^^^'^^'''^' Of what does he su!:;::;^ <'^To;«4. . , t ev think ;'""• '^''^'T^ '' ''^'^' ^■^"^^ ^1«' wlien tliey hmk you re nice, and like to talk to you and-'' ^ng, was of the and the result of some'^of tl my endeavour to explain to hini th respect in which gentlemen hold lad continued Budije 'ip?!.', tliis niorn- e nature " Vp« " ." '"Y^;- gentlemen noJd ladies. Only ulle H ""'' ^l'^^'' '' ^ ^"«^^ '-^^ ^^ ^1^""^.^^:% ^^^ ^ '^y i^ right. What espect / calls lot I know all about it. he call i bO HELEN'S BABIES. ■i ■ M Tli(iro was an awkward i)ause — it seemed an iv^o. Another blunder, and all on account of those dreadful children. I could tliiidv of no possible way to turn the cony(!r,sati(ni ; stranger yet, iMiss Mayton could not do so either. Something m//.s/ be done— I could at least be holiest, (;ome what would — 1 would be honest. " Miss Mayton,'' said I, hastily, earnestly, but in a very low tone. "Budge is a marplot, but he is a truth ful iiitcrprciter for all that, liut whatever my fate may be, phrase do not sus[)e(,t me of falling suddenly into love for a holiday's diversion. My malady is of some months' stamliui;. I — " " /want to talk .mm," observed Jjudge. '• Yon talk all the whoh; time. I— I- when / loVes anybody 1 kisses them." Miss Mayton gave a little start, and my thoughts f()llowed each other with unimagined rapidity. '^^She did not turn the conversation—it could not be possible that she could not. She was not angry, or she would have (expressed herself. Could it be that — I be!it over her, and acted upon Budge's suggestion. As she displayed no resentment, 1 pressed my lips a second time to her forehead, then she raised her head slightly, and I saw, in spite of darkness and shadows, that Alice Mayton had surrendered at discretion. Taking her hand and straightening myself to my full height, I offered to the Lord more fervtmt thanks than lie ever heard from me in church. Then I heard Budge say, "/wants to kiss you, too," and I saw my glorious Alice snatch th(^ little scamp into her arms, and treat him with more affection than I ever imagineil was in her nature. Then she seized Toddie, and gave him a few tokens of forgiveness — I dare not think they were of gratitude. HELEN'S BABIES. 81 Sii Idcnly two or thix^e ladies came upon the piazza. "Come, boys," said I, ''Then I'll call with tiie carnage to-morrow at three, Miss May ton. Good evening." '' ^^^uu ''Good-evening," replied the sweetest voice in the world • " I'll be ready at three." "Budge," said I, as soon as we were fairly outside he hedge-gate " what do you like better than any- thing else in the world 1 " ^ "Candy," said IJudge, very promptly. "What next?" "Oranges." " What next ? " ;' Oh, figs, an' raisins, an' dear little kittie-kitties, an drums an picture-books, an' little bakin' dishes to make mud-pies in, an' turtles, an' little wheelbarrows." *' Anything else ? " " ^^'' y^'S-great big black dogs-an' a goat, an' a wagiron for him to draw me in." "Very vvell, old fellow-you shall have everyone ot thos., tamgs to-morrow." " Oh— h--h— h— h ! " exclaimed Budge, " I .vue-s you re something like the Lord, aiiit you ? " "" ^ " What makes you think so. Budge ? " " Oh, 'cause you can do such lots^of things at once But amt poor little Tod goin' to have noffin' ? " Tod.Hel .';'''''^^^'"^S he wants. What would you like, "Wants a candy cigar," replied Toddie. " What else '\ " 82 HELEN'S BABIES. The t lougl^ts whicli were mine that nidit—tJie sense of hovv glorious a thing it is to be a man and b. loved—the Jiunn ity that comes witJi sucli a victorv as I had gamed-- tlie rapid alternation of hanji thoughts and noble resolutions-what man is there who does not know my whole story better than I can tell It ? I put my nephews to bed ; I told them everv story they asked tor ; an.l when Ihidge, in sayi.u. his prayers said " an bless that nice lady tiiat Uncle Harry spects 1 mterruptcd his devotions witii a hearty hug. The cluldren had been awake so far beyond then- nsual hour for retiring that they dronncl asleep without giving any special notice of their inten- tion to do so. Asleep, their faces were simply an<^eHc As I stood, candle m hand, gazing gratefully upon" them, 1 remend)ered a sadly neglecte.l duty. I hurried to the library and wrote the following to my sister :— " HiLT,riu<;sT, MoNOAV NicaiT " Deah Helen :-! sliouldliavo written y.ni before li.-iut the scales have fallen from my eyes, and 1 see cle.irly tnat my nephews are angels—positively angels. If 1 seeiii to speak extravagantly I beg t.. refer you to Alice May- ton for collateral evidence. Don't come liome at all— everything IS just as it slumld l>e even if you come ] guess I'll invite myself to spend the rest of the suunuer With you ; 1 ve chiu.ged my mind almut its being a bore to live out of town and take trains l)ack and f<.rth .'vcrv «bi.v .vskloiato think over such bits of real estate ii'i your neighbourhood as he nuagines I might like. HELEN'S n ABIES. 83 1 < »ur fittoctionato In-other "Hakrv." motlier, but to mnc one I n„mt tnll^ J t> i^ i'lfiii , 1 , . ""*^ ^ niusc talk at once. l]ndm «/tl, „ o.st i^^er , d sn 'e a iv« coul,l have ,,„,, .„, „,,,,,„,.,, ,„ , ''™;';" ^ ;;!" .U prattle wa. o„ that ,l,.l,.l,tf„| ,„n Ji, ,! a, ^ a Ity of repetition, an,l .,foch„i„K ^vl,ateve.• he hear an , cause,! h„n to „,„n„„r " Miff Mayto,,, Miff May less liy ns ceaseh'ss iteration. To he sure ]!u,lce took early an,l fre,|ne,it occasions to reniin ;.,,! 1" "SOS of the ni<,'ht hefore and To.l.l „ • i7 ilem.iii,I..,i n. n ." """u anil loililie occasional V .p ions only a.l,le,ljoy toniy own topic „fi„ ,^r "t • U time It was resumed. The Hllint- of liud-de's ^P.ic< in the carri.age ; even then tlie goat and iroat carnage wer,. compelh.d to follow hehind. ^ tl.o":i^Sr„? try^ne'T™ '"Z •''^"f" *" Am 1 iV I'Very one. 1 ir-'ive tlm po.ipliniip . 1, f 1 T' ' ""' '"" "'<' ''■<■" "> 'I'-i™ off without . S followed by two small figures an.l two pitif ^ ll M (. ,l . 84 HELEN'S BABIES. I always believed a horse was infected by the spirit of his driver. My dear old four-footed military com- panions always seemed to perfectly comprehend mv desires and intentions, and certainly- my brocher-iii- Jaw s horses entered into my own spirits on this par- ticular afternoon. They stepped proudly, they arched their powerful necks handsomely, their feet seemed barely to touch the ground ; yet they did not grow restive under the bit, nor were they frightened even at a hideous steam road-rolling machine which ])assed us As I drove up to Mrs. Clarkson's door I fiuml that most of the boarders were on the piazza-the memories ol ladies are usually good at times. Alice immediately appeared, composed of course, but more radiant than ever. *| Why, where are the boys % " she exclaimed. 1 was afraid they might annoy your mother," I re- plied, "so I left them behind." "Oh, mother hardly feels well enough to go to-day " said she ; «' she is lying down." ^' " Then we can pick up the boys on the road," said I or which remark, my enchantress, already descen'i,^\ i i .t- HELEN'S B A HIES. 85 turned and looked into my darling's face. Her eves and't rr '''" "^ '^'T ^^^^^^'' ^^"'^ «"^^^ -ith theTetl.r 'ff "" ?''^ ^"5n*^''^^^ "«"^'^ "«^ ^"t^rest W ta 'in . ''^ ^'''"'^ by experience to skip all o^c talks m nov-els ; no matter how deli-hthil the overs may be. lieealling now our conve?sation t does not seem to me to have had anything wonl rfu in It. I will only say that if I had been lm],py on the lied to be favoured with the love and conlidence of a simple g.rl scarcely past her chihlhood. is to receive a greater honour than conrt or field can bestow but ;;ia man wr""' " ''' ""'^"^^^^^ by that w&m"! a man when a woman of rare intelligence, tact and leaitof all is hopes and fears, and unhesitatinidy Alice Mayton do not thus give themselves unreservedly auay except when their trust is born of knowh-dn-e as on tha afternoon from whatever I had been into -M ^^|t I had long hoped I might one dav be. Lut the hours flew rapidly, and I reluctantlv turned whole of Happy Valley " behind us, and were ap- proaching residences again. ^ I; Now we must be very proper," said Alice. Certainly I replied, - here's a good-by to happy nonsense for this afternoon." ^^^ I leaned towards her, and gently placed one arm 86 HELEN'S n ABIES. about her neck ; she mised h loy and trust had banished er dear face, from which (I w-d 1 • , • ,,,-, */««ervo, my lips sou-ht'hers wh^oiTs, road, 1 .saw niy yonn-ost .ipiiIh.w aBi.e-ir tv„., iinkiiowii space, dcsiT l.i. n „i,..,i r " ! '" ' """' road an,l n^vke a t a'u „ ' f rtf™^"!" 'I'" I, J Hb— boo— lioo— wont to— 1,00— liyht lii.- 1,„„ noo — Iioo — llllMi on' T ;i,^* 1 * ^t "n"^ "l^ noo — robomtt' ^ «"■'" "■^•■"•^'"-'V ^ai,l Tod.lie, i„ eo,- " Well, walk ridit ho and d ress you," said T. and tell Maggie to wasl O Harry," pleaded Alice, -ifter they've been in O'^ icn w Purad siipj)ei HELENAS BABIES. Tom wliicli ion of cai) II suddenly ■iek, which prolonged iy a livc^ly 'OmeMiing 'nd of tii'c iom f^onx' n tho ail, ce in the . i\t tlh' \m\i\, the iiidgie dear,— and you, too, To your own Aunt Alice, .dd .^in,:;"^js^^5r-"^"^«"'' dirt off you, and kiss th ;irry. nie wipe the ugly old «' A lip":. " 't ,^ ;"T V \^^'' ''^"'^ '"'^^^♦^' it well." Alice I protested, 'Mon't let those dirtv bovs clamber all over you in that way " ^ ^ ''••silence, sir," said she, with mock di-aiity ''who gave me my lover, I should like to ask " ^' of p' o^ who Z I \ ''" ^^--^".^S-J^-^- with tin air people wlio had been devoting themselves to n ^-• u.,l,nf my nepl.ews. I'e.lmps tl.e touch of mv « lanfess ,li,l ,t ; perhaps it came only fro Z "m, • 1 1I.IS0I1 was, the tact lemams that for the r^o. of .i.„ ■■ enrag two very dirty suits of clothes iiehltw'o chiW- who yave one some idea of liow the doni/e , f I •iiad.se ,„,ght seem and act. They eve ate heir -1-ers without iuduljjing i„ any of tl^. "hsLo wlys ;■ 88 HELEN'S Ji ABIES. #> ! of wliicli tlioy liad so large an assortment, and they did not surreptitiously remove from the table any frair- ments of bread and butter to hiave on the piano, in the card-basket, and other places inappropriate to the reception of such varieties of abandoned property. They (hsmanded a song after supper, but when I sang, " Drink to me only with Thine Eyes," and " Thou. Thou, lieign'st in this Bosom," they stood by with silent tongues and appreciative eyes. When they went to bed, I accom^janied them by special invita- tion, but they showed no dis])osition to engage in the usual bedtime frolic and miniature pandemonium. Budge, when in bed, closed his eyes, folded his hands, and prayed : — " Dear Lord, bless papa an' mamma, an' Toddic. an' Uncle Harry, an' everybody else ; yes, an' bles-; just lots that lovely, lovely lady that comforted me after the goat was bad to me, an' let her comfort me lots of times, for Christ's sake. Amen." And Toddie wriggled, twisted, breathed heavily, threw his head back, and prayed : " Dee Lord, don't let dat old goat fro me into dc gutter on my head aden, an' let Ocken Hawvvy an' va pitty lady be dere netst time I dets hurted." Then the good-night salutations were exchanged, and I left the little darlings and enjoyed communion with my own thoughts, which were so peaceful and ecstatic as if the world contained no white goods houses, no doubtful customers, no business competi tion, no politics, gold rooms, stock-boards. d()p.!)tfni banks, political scandals, personal iniquity, nor any- thing which would prevent a short vacation from last ing through a long lifetime. me into i\>- HELEN'S JIAJSIES. 89 The next morning would have struck terror to thn eartofany one but a newly accepted lover Kan ;;.K.i,npe„et.U.ott'l„d't£^,^^^^^^^^^^^^^ • iec I a t r t- 1 "'r'™'«'"^ ^too'l about in Tom^ garni col.'" •'' '"'' "' ^"■™«''' -"1 «!<'" ''y cl.-pr'el'ed bv lili '"^' f,"'"''"?" "^ "'""l '^°"''' 1^'-' '^^asily a , to dri 7^ K .''"""■■ ^ '"'"''1 father have been t ,, , i' T.™"^ '<> tl'e post oftlce in theaftenioon bv t , ad wh.ch pa.se % /S Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 iV ^> ■SJ \\ ^^^". ^S. Wk\ WX^^ '^"^%. ^^S^ '^\j^ if^ ) 92 HELEN\^ BABIES. ago. Now dress like good boys, and you sliall havo some breaWast, and then you'Jl feel a great deal nicer ana tlieii Uncle Harry will play with you and tell you' stories all day long/' ^ Budge crept reluctantly out of bed and cau-ht nn ^"f, .f \'t stockings, while Toddie again began to cry. loddie, I shouted, "stop that dreadful racket and dress yourself. What are you cryin'r for ? " ' " Well, I feelsh bad." J o » " Well, dress yourself, and you'll feel better." " Wantsh you to djesh me." " Bring me your clothes, then—quick ! " Again the tears flowed copiously. "Don't want to bring 'em," said Toddie. " Then come here ! " I shoute.i; dragging him across the room, and snatching up his tiny articles of ai)parel 1 had dressed no small children since I was rather i small boy myself, and Toddie's clothing confused me somewhat. I hnally got something t i him, when a contemptuous laugh from Budge interrupted me "Iknyyou goin' to j.ut his shirt on under them things t (jueried my oldest nephew. " Budge," 1 retorted, " how are you going to i-et any breakfast if you don't i»ut on something besides that stocking ? " The young man's countenance fell, and just then the breakfast-bell rang. ]ludge raised a blank fac(^ hur- ried to the head of the stairs, and shouted :— " Maggi(! ? " " What is it, Budge 1 " 1 d'l' r'''^ "^^'^"^ ^^^^^ ^^^"^ 1 i«iiig-bell or the breakfast- " 'Twas the breakfast^bell." HELEN'S BABIES. 93 ^^^lt^ ^^^^"^^ '^' ' — ^' -^ ^i-n "Well we'll call that the risin'-bell. You can rin- clnt:['''T,^^'^'^^ 1-tty soon when /"^J «iH ssed. 1 ],en this volunteer adjuster of household nfiairs came calmly hack and commenceou do MitJi the button-hook yesterday ^< " ;; I)idn t ha^h no button-hook," assented Toddie Xf ! you did ; don't you 'member how we was a I'laym draw teef, an' the doctor's do^ had tlu 'toofl aches and I was pullin; his teef with the button-hoo to you to hohl for ,„e ? Where did you put it " Id no replied Toddie, i-uttin/his luuul in hi. pocket and bnuging out a sickly-looking toad. leel again, said I, throwing the toad out of the ndow, where it w.-.s followc.l by an agoni.ed shriek St % ''"' ten«ion.screw of lielen's sewing- achine ihen i attempted some research myself an speedily found my fingers a' '^"-i"' tune, so ">.™ whotLSdl''r„i°:Tv,7„': ']u\7'''Tr' p" i -^ ■Weared, hugging a boun^voW of " St SSF- slnJ l„vi , r" '"'^•■'" ''y "'y'S at everything ? I b!;1ucr.\a\i::" ^•'" '" ''^'' "«"■"> ifyouVogo^to Plau,ld B^t' "'"^ ''" '"'"'•^' ''''*^' '"'"y •'•■'VV ox- «obbS* Toddir^''''^ "''"'^■'' ^''••■''f''»"<»ved Djonah," 96 HELEN'S n ABIES. ! "Can't )on demand something that's within the range of possibility, Toddio 1 " I mihlly asked. ^ " The \yliale Toddie moans is in this big red book, I'll find it for yon," said Budge, turning over the leaves. Suddenly a rejoicing squeal from Toddie announced that leviiithan had been found, and I hastened to gaze. He was certaiidy a divadful-looking animal, but he had an enormous mouth, which Toddie caressed with his pudgy little hand, and kissed with tenderness, murmuring as he did so: — " Dee old whay-al, I loves you. Is Jonah all goneded out of you 'tomach, whay-al 1 I firdts 'twa^ weal mean in Djonah to get froed u[) when you hadn't noffin' else to eat, pnor oM whay-al." " Of course Jonah's gone," said Budge, " he went to heaven long ago— pr > soon after he went to Nineveh an' done what the Lord told him to do. Now swing us, Uncle Harry." The swing was on th(^ piazza under cover from the rain ; so I obeyed, lloth boys fought for the right to swing. first, and when L decided in favour of Budge, Toddie went off weei>i!ig, and declaring that he would look at his dear whay-al anyhow. A moment later his wail changed to a pi^Tcing shriek ; and, running to his assistance, I saw him holding one finger tenderly and trampling on a wasp. " What's the matter, Toddie 1 " " Oo — 00— ee— eo— oe— cr^— I putted my fing(;r on a vvaps, and — oo— oo — the nasty old waps — oo^bited me. An' 1 don't like wapses a bit, but 1 likes whay-als — 00 — ce — ee." A happy thought struck mo. " Why don't you boys itliin the 1. 3(1 book, over the monnced 1 to gaze. I, but lu! 56(1 witli iderncss, goneded eal mean )ffiii' else went to Nineveh \v swing Tom the right to f Budge, le would later his ng to his erly and inijer on i.J i }t v^ • * vvhay-als y^ou boys HELEN'S BABIES. 97 make believe that big packing- bnv ,•„ ., i is a whale ?" said I. ° "' ^^"'^ play-room A compound shriek of deli.dif- fnll^,..^i ^i tion, „„d botl. boys .ora,ffll,pSt ';i,,t"fr- free mai. again. I InokeJ lemorsefullv itX W.^/f 't of books winch I bad brongbt to 3 L, b^l^ ".' looked at for a week. Eve,? new my iemoidfd Zl move me to open tliem-I found mv^M-Zl^, ' tracted toward Tom'<, lib,..,r, 1 i ^ ■ "'s'«a'I at- of novels a, d volnlVof poLs Mv"'""° ""^ ""''^ by " Initials,- a lovrstor/Xh IbS T '™' """f'" ^^._ sudden,? li^^^^S^ "Go wayfroTnthere,\vill ve? Ah vp Hffl i .t's good for ye that ye'r fablV don^^ S, ™ '^eSd?' voice °" ' '"•* '" "*"'^ "''l ""-^'V' PiP«J Toddle's Looking up at the play-room window n Innn- ,, I iciii c, squealed Toddie go i,f nd[™;T'' '"" '"'' "="* ''™ '" ' Toddie, "Ten you I tan't doe in," repeated Toddie. " Ze 98 HELEN' ^ BABIES. bid bots isli ze whay-al, an' I'ze Djonah, an' ze whay-al's freed mc up, auTze dot to 'tay up here clseze wliay-al 'ill fwallow mo adcu." " I won't hd him swallow you. Get in now — hurry," said I. " Will you i^ive him a penny not to fwallow me no morel" queried Toddie. " Yes — a whole lot of pennies." " Aw wight. Whay-al, don't you fwallow me no more, an' zen my Ocken Hawwy div you whole lots of pennies. You must be weal dood whay-al now, an' then I buys yod some tand)? wif your pennies, an' — " Just then two great hands seized Toddie's frock in front, and he disappeared with a howl, while I, with the first feeling of faintness I had ever experienced, went in search of hammer, nails, and some strips of board, to nail on the outside of the window-frame. But boards could not be found, so I went up to the play-room and began to knock a piece or two off the box which had done duty as whale. A pitiful scream from Toddie caused me to stop. " You're hurtin' my dee old whay-al ; you's brakin' his 'tomach all open — ^ou's a baddy man — Hop hurtin' my whay-al, ee — ee— ee," cried my nephew. " I'm not hurting him, Toddie," said I ; " I'm making his mouth bigger, so he can swallow you easier," A bright thought came into Toddie's face and shone through his tears. " Then he can fwallow Budgie too, an' there'll be two Djonahs— ha — ha — ha ! Make his mouf so big he can fwallow Mike, an' z&n mate it 'ittle aden, so Mike tan't det out ; nashty old Mike ! " I explained that Mike would not come upstairs again, so I was permitted to depart after securing the window. HELEN'S BABIES. 99 Inn, but he was not i„ the least aW I ; nfnc" I 7 "Uncle Harry," said he, throwing liSfl mt What's the matter, old fellow 1 " I asked TlnHI le spoke I eouki have boxed his ears with ttt sat s faction to myself; but there is so much "enu Weil' '" •' Oi: Pm hL-^" t f'' '.'■■^' h-^ commaX^spt ; ^^iJ, Im tired of playin' w th Toddie in' T f^ J lonesome. Won't yon tell me a story?'' ' ''' ^ ^''^ Then what'Il poor Toddie do, Bud-e ? " " Which one ? " ;; '^11 me one that I never heard before at all." ^^ Well, let s see ; I guess I'll tell—" W and int; fli f-K ' "^'^^^^-^t ^--^"le down the stair^ way ana into the library, accompanied bv Toddie whn on spying me, dropped his inarticulate uUertce'heM up both hands, and exclaimed :— ' ^Djonah bwoke he tay-al I " True enough ; in one hand Toddie held the bodv of .r 'S;T^ "^ ''r '''''' ^^'^^ '^'^'^'^ -"da appe'nd- age , there was also perceptible, thono-h r,-t ^" "l- '^"!f^T" r'^.''' •^"r «yectionableodou?in the room COOP and n?'-^ ^' " ^' '^''''' J«"'^^^ i«t« the diicC coop and I 1 give you some candy." for i,f„t''"' ''^'"'"^ ^''^^'' " -^ I f«"nd the mouse 100 HELEN'S BABIES. I made both boys liappy with candy, exacted a pledge not logo ont in the rain, and tlien, turning them loose on the piazza, returned to my book. I hail read perliaps half-a-dozen pages, when there arose and swelled rapidly in volume a scream from Toddio. Madly determined to put both boys into chairs, tie them, and claj) ailhesive plaster over their mouths, I rushed out upon the piazza. " Budgie tried to eat my candy," complained Toddie. ■ " I didn't," said Bud-e. " What did you do T' I demanded. " I didn't bite' it at all— I only wanted to see how it would feel between my t-eth— that's all." I felt the corners of my mouth breaking down, and hurried back to the library, where I spent a quiet quarter of an hour in pondering over the demoralizing influence exerted upon principle by asenseof the ludi- crous. For some time afterward the boys got along without doing anything worse than make a dreadful noise, which caused me to resolve to find some method of deadening piazza-floors if / ever owned a house in the country. In the occasional intervals of compara- tive quiet I caught snatches of very funny conversa- tion. The boys had coined a great many words whose meaning was evident enough, hut I wondered greatly why Tom and Helen had never taught them the proper substitutes. Among others was the word " deader," whose mean- ing I could not imagine. Budge shouted :— " O Tod ; there comes a deader. See where all them things like rooster's tails are a-shakin' ?— Well, there's a deader under them." '' Datsh funny," remarked Toddie. HELEN'S BASTES. 101 "An' see all the peoples a-comin' alon- " continnprl Budge, /% know 'bout the deader in' H, .?'"•, to see it fixed Here it con.as [[die" d ader ' '^""" ;;Haj-oh deader," echoed Toddie. ' ' ' What conld deader mean ? My curiosity was too much for my weariiie« • T l"--,;vitl, „, hands on ^ S^rl^'^Z I hall, the front door was closed, and two determined ha ds covered two threatening little moutll ™'""' 1(11 as ji the boys and heard two piolon<'i.(l l.n.vk f„„ lo'tSk th.tl'^" I asked Budge h^S^:^^':£J^^ ^ y zra.TO / a funeral," said he, " 'Twas an deaders can't hear nothin' " ;; But the people in the can'iages could," said I. inrtof Lw V'/ T'^y ''''' «« S^^'' ^^'"^t the other but I do u;ant to see him again awful." ' '"'' " antsh to shee Phillip ^(Un --rvff.^ >» .-: i rp , ,. i^au'r? ^r«" !'"'• i-rrieVtff ;ftL uCiy:;; s ust then to administer farther instruction or reproof «ould cease falling, so the children could go out of •assing onlj^ a deader, 102 HELEN'S RABTES. dooi's, and I could get a little rest, and freedom from responsibility. But the skies showed no sign of being (implied, the boys were snarling on the stairway, and I was losing my temper «[uite rapidly. Suddenly I iu'thonght me of one of the delights of my own childish days— the making of scrap-books. One of Tom's library drawers held a great many Lailif>i Jourunls. ( )f course Helen meant to have them boun^ contemptuously. -You " Well Izhe goin' to be dead some day, an' zen vour nashty old goat shan't see me a bit-sefhow he'like ^at. And loddie made a ferocious attack on a slice of melon nearly as large as himself. '' After lunch Toddie was sent to his room to take his iftTnoon nap, and Budge went to the barn on my houlders I gave Mike a dollar, with instructions to keep Budge m sight, to keep him from teasing the goat, and to prevent his being impaled or butted Ihen I stretched myself on a tounge, and wondered . n the mo adorable woman in the world had been so vrndi Zl ^^'' ""''y ^^""^^"^'^ «f tl^is rainy day )\ould make my joy seem all the dearer a..^ i.J. m?"vp; ^ '^''"T} ^'"PP^^^ ^«^ ^ few moments ^hh my knowledge. What put into my mind the wreck- scene ti-om the play of ''David Coalfield '' I ioii^t lOG HELh'J^^S nABlKS. \W know ; but tliore it came, and in my dream I was sit- ting 111 the balcony at Ijootii's, and taking a proper interest in tlie scene, wiien it occurred to me that the t Hinder liad less of reverberation and more woodenness than good stage thunder should have. The mental exertion 1 underwent on this subject disturbed the course of my nap, but as wakefulness returned, the sound of the poorly-simulated thunder did not cease • on the contrary, it was just as noisy, and more hope essly a counterfeit than ever. What could the sound be ? I stepped through the window to the piazza, and the sound Wi.j directly over my head. I sprang down the terrace and out upon the lawn, looked ud, and beheld my youngest nephew strutting back and forth on the tin roof ot the piazza, holding over his head a ragged old parasol. I roared— " Go in, Toddie— this instant ! " The sound of my voice startled the young man so severely that he lost his footing, fell, and begkn to roll toward the edge and to scream, both operations bein--- l)erformed with great rapidity. I ran to catch him a's Jie tell, but the out edge of the water-trough was high enough to arrest his progress, though it had no eftect 111 reducing the volume of his howls. " Toddie," 1 shouted, " lie perfectly still until uncle can get to you. Do you hear ? " " Ess, but don't want to lie 'till," came in reply from the roof. " 'Tan't shee noffin' but sky an' rain." f iw/^ ?ii^^' ^ reiterated, ''or I'll whip you dread- tiilly. Then I dashed upstairs, remr^ved my shoes, climbed out and rescued Toddie, shook him soundly, and then shook myself. "I wazh only djust pyayin mamma, an' walkin' in ze yam wif au umbayalla," Toddi(i explained. HELEN'S BABIES. 107 rMn\Z ^""?, "P"" ^l^« bed and departed. It was plain that neither logic, threats, or the presence of danger could keep this dreadful child from dohi 'wLf eTpl yed rA^T'^' .^^^"f "^"^"^ '' restraint ^oiW be employed t Although not as re]ifdon«! -i mon oc pi aye r, as a last resort, might not he effective Fnr olfthro::i 7 TV"'^""' ' would clKSlyli": can t^irougl. the whole prayer-book. I couM LvMv x; c™;' \i;f b'ldc"'! """■'"', "" «■'- ^''''' '"'^ » iirt^l'l fl ^'}'=^-'^0"^' ••""I reported that Bndgo imselfinto a chair, put on a look which I imo^ no ■fcSe'dt^^ "^ ^''^ "'" --8" '» '- »s„": if e'vWr„'S ''" 1''"" ""'" ''"y* ^™'' "■•'"le for, anyhow • Lord wc^tte'if „,,,;' o't:";: Miki t ''t -"■ "" other folks f^n T • , t" '\S, "^^ IS,— an' some was veiy different from.it, or any more creditable. I 108 HELEN' ^ liABTEH. ji j: had no time to speiul even in pious reflection, how- ever Budge was quite wet, Ids shoes were soaking and lie already liad an attack of catarrli -, so I took liini to MS room and redressed him, wonderini,' all tlic while how mucli similar duties my own lather liad had to do by me had shortened liis life, and how, with such a son as I was, he lived as long as he did. The idea that I was in some slight degree atoning for my early sins, so filled my thong I ts, that 1 did wk at first notice the absence of Toddie. When it did become evident to me that my youngest nei)hew was not in the bed in whiph I had placeil him, I went in search ot him. He was in none of the chambers, but hear- ing gentle murmurs issue from a long light closet I looked in and saw Toddie sitting on the floor, and eat- ing the cheese out ol' a mouse-trap. A squeak of my boots betrayed me, and Toddie, equal to the emergency si)rang to his feet, and exclaimed :— "1 didn't hurt de 'ittle mousie one bittio : I just letted him out, and he runded away." And still it rained. Oh, for a single hour of sun- light, so that the mud might be only damp dirt, ang of lamb several ears of green corn, the butter-dish 'and its c^Xts and several other misplaced edibles. Oue tldZ was quite evident; the scalding contents of thegr^^^^-d 'l had been emptied on Toddie's arn., and hovv severe! v he poor child m ght be scalded, l' di.l not know 'l hnstiysht open his sleeve from wrist to shoulder 2 haind the skin very red ; so, n-membe ing 2 n others favourite treatment for scalds and burns I quickly spread the contents of a dish of mnsl.ed not^to on a clean handkerchief, and wound the whraroi nd ^:rr'^'''''^^''^^^' Th-Idunandedan";;! . k/7't' ?r^ '^J"'^ reatchin' for a pieshe of bwed " sobbed loddie, '' an' then the bad old tabo W n d ed to froe al its fings at me, an' tumble down bang '' ^ He undoubtedly told the truth as far as he knew it • hut leaching over tables is a bnd habit in smal bovs^ itir lor.ms of tables, which nave folding leaves- so I banished Toddie to his room, sui,perle?s, to tUnk of what he had done. With Budge ilone i had a com oy loUdie and then I went upstairs to see if the offender had repented. It was Imrd to fpll by li^ whether he had or not, for his back was to me as'' he t^^z n uitr" •^^'"'"'^^" '''^''''' ^"* i"-^"- iM.ic my poultice was gone. 110 HJ'^Lm\S JiAIilES. ^^^^^ Where is what t.ncle i„,t on your arm, Toddie ? " I ^^Myouoatthel.un.lk.rd.Ktoo?'' "J ^""t,. JJiJt tji«! task was no ensv nno nr mv brotipriii l..,i. 'r . i "■' "" ^'^'^> one. ut course pergonal weaknc..., i„,,r,^\'„'^^^XVrd?' wo d e?or n'„. ;''." "7 "'''"■. «>-eat- tl,i„|s of the devout nltl.e < r"' " '"r^'ti»" as earnest and uevout as tlie Catholic i.ays to the Virgin. In a tif'^LEN^S BABIES. m single (lay, I, a strong man wit), „nfi • occupy my mind, am leclS to ^ ^"'-^ ''^^'^ *« worthlessness by the ner L,>i ^ -P"'^^ ''"^ "^^"^'-^1 mischievous or bad An l ' ^i'''^ ^^°>'''' "^^ «^^'r. l-w--lmve «.aSen weeks' m^^n""'" ^"'^^ ^-^--« times of just such exneri^n. i' ^'''''' >'^-«' ^'f^' burden of house old cSeTo^,?' """'^i ^I/'^^ ^''^'" t''« •sions, of mental a^ieSn ^'''' '",' '""^ ^^^^P^^^' many sorrows a gr vecf^ Compared with th/endur-in o tW^f .^^"'^''^ ^^ «^^' the athlete, is as weakneJ^ /i. ^ of the young man, wonderful e'ven in Er weakn i' T"' '' f' "f^^^«' the power of the wLs T^'r f ^T^ "' ^^^^^ «f opportunities are mo e freouenr^tt'^ t''''"' ^''^ greatest statesmen • th v 1h ro?l i T -^^^^'^ ^^ ^^'^ cance that of fort and fie^J t^ T^^'' "^^^ ^"«'»"i«- of diplomacy svch as the mo ?" ''^ '-'"^"^''^ ^" '-^ ^^.ool I'ot furnish. Do scoffirVr .r^'"''""''^^ ^""'^t can- -i"s of Governmentf 4S rrr"' T' '^^^^ ^^- savages than to h^ thl . rf ^^ *^ ^"^<^ «- band of l--ng3om Col tetw^t^f^ '"'^f-^' ^^ ^^^^ ^i^^^^ f'^^ilures are full^;Tlr 'i! Tf^%«f J^^". ^'ven thy may, thy one uvZ ^T^l • ^^'^ ^''"^^« ^^hat they cess^'pIa^erTh^c t' SerTTr' ""^^^I^-'-^.'^We suc^ or priest. ' '^"^^^ ^^^ ''^'^''^ warrior, ruler leaving the cl.iWren'r roon, V f °"'", '"^•'''"' "ft'-''- next mo" in" -if ? ' ',"^ ■"""' '' '^'■'"'k "nli tl.e dropped aZS j^ ItlLritn '." ?^l"f /',"■" ^ '-''j' nenriy twelve Urs 1 Jit acres "i bed in "' ^ ''"' ^f"' .^bio po.uo„,a„d witCt^r.:rg .rriratt'; 112 HELEN'S BABIES. My next imprcGsion was that quite a bulky letter \m\ been pushed under my chamber-door, (^ould it be tJmt my darling-I hastily seized the envelope an.l tound It addressed in my sister's writing, and promising a more vohmiinous letter than that lady had ever befor? honoured me with. I opened it, dropping an enclosun, w'liich doubtless was a list of necessities which I would please pack, etc., and read as follows:— *' July 1st, 1875. *'My Deak Old Brother :-IFohWm'^ I like to m vo you the wannes^t of sisterly hugs ? I can't believe it, unci yet I am ni ecstasies over it. To think that you should havx' got liat perfection of a girl, who has declined so many great catches-yo«, my sober, business-like, unromautic blrbro- ther-oh. It 8 too wonderful ! But now I think of it you ar- just the people for each other. I'd like to say that it's just wliat Id alwaysjonged for,and I invited you to Hillcrest to bring It about ; but the trouble with such a story would br tha it wouldn t have a word of trutii mi it. You always did have a faculty for doing just what you j.leased, and what "oSf *''''''' ^'"'^''''^ ^'*'" ^"^ '^"' ^"*^ "''''■ ^'^'''''^ exceeded "And to think that my little darlings played an iuinoi- tant part m bringing it all about ! I shall take the credit ot that, for if It hadn't been for me who would have helpe.l you su- / 1 shall expect you to remember both of them handsomely at Christmas. ''1 don't believe I am guilty of breach of confidence in sending the enclosed, which [ have just received from my sister-ni-law that is to be. It will tell you some causes (ff your success of which you, with a man's conceit, haven't imagined xora minute, and it will teil you, too, of a maid- en s first and natural fear under such circumstances,- a fear which I know that you' with your honest, generous heart, will hasten to dispel. As you're a mant you're HELEN'S BABIES. 113 Xi^f!.!?''^^ ^''T^fi*^" '*"P^'^ *« ^-^'-^^^ ^l^'-^t's written between letting Jieiself go so easily, she may have seemed to Uoh ffi't^i.t*n'''' •'^"' -If-fespect. ton don't neenl to be to d that no woman ahve has more of tliese very (.ualities shake^t'oT^th T ^^'^V^^^^^' Harry,-yon deJerVe to be ^i''.« hurry home and see you l,oth with mv own eves \r^7^ ome \?pr ' r' *''^ 1\"^ ^^'''^'^'^■^^' ^'^^ ^ has come to pass. Give Ahce a sister's kiss from lue rif .u know how to give more than one kind), and ./ve mv t^. :iX^-^-ol^f-m the mother thi VL^ 7e " With love and congratulations, ■ "Helen." The otlier letter which I opened with considerable reverence and more delight, tL as follows .^^'^""'^ " HiLLCREST, June, 29, 1875. ''Dear Friend Helen : —SometlmKr has hannei.Pd ZViMonrr ' '"* ' '-^^ "r^ *^^^- a nttle tS ed' ccmed ^j'\''f'^.^y^l' ••"•« «"e of the persons nearly con- sil Ip ' W ^""'"^ *? '^'^"^^'^^ *« you as soon as pos- ;. i!ii Harry-yonr brother, I mean-will be s re want tr,? T^ n """' '!}'' ^'^'"''^ ^^''^ «- ^^^'^^^t and I S n ^l^^" P/:^'f^^^*^ '■•^^«*^ t*^ solemnly assm'e you ns a d l"d-i^t Blig ite.t idea of such a thhig comfng^ to IMSS and 1 didn't do the slightest thing to bring it about I always thought your brother was^a splSid ^K* hhi^^i^^/jrr^ ^^'^ r ?^r ^^^ "^^^^^ ^^^ hero' T h.," 'i ," ''"'' , "*^ S^^'^^ ^*^ ^^«t^^"- -But out ever T '^1 "^^T'''^'^ ^'r''^"^^^^ *« admire him more than thfm. ,^,^l^^^f'"y/«U«it/^im of intentionally doing any- lul^ '''''''?*^. '^ favourable impression ; if his several appearaiK^es before me 7u..o been\tudied he is certZly * • $1 lU HELEN'S BABIES. the most origiiuil being I ever heard of. Your cliildren are angels — you've told nie so yourself, and I've my own very distinct impression on the sul)ject, but tliijy duiit study to save their uncle's appearance. The figures that unfortu- nate man has cut several times- well, 1 won't try to des- cribe tliem on paper, for fear he might some day see a scrap of it, and take offence. But he always seems to l)e patient with them, and devoted to them, and I haven't been able to keepfrom seeing that a man who could be soh >v- able with thoughtless and unreasonable childre!i must be perfectly adorable to the woman he loved, if she were a woman at all. Still, I hadn't the faintest idea tliat I would be the fortunate, woman. At last the day came, but 1 was in blissful ignorance of what was to happen. Your little Charley hurt himself, and insisted upon Har — your brother singing an odd stmg to him ; and just when tlie young gentleman was doing the elegant to a dozen of us ladies at once, too ! If you could have seen his face ! — it was tt)0 funny, until he got over his annoyance, and began to feel properly sorry for the little fellow— then he seeined all at once to be all tenderness and heart, and I did wish for a moment that conventionalities didn't exist, and I mi'dit tell him that he was a model, '''hen your youngest playfully spilt a plate of soup on my dress (don't be Avorried — 'twas only a connnon muslin, and 'twill wash). Of course I had to change it, and as I retired, th e happy thought struck me that I'd make so elaborate a toilet that 1 wouhai't finish in time to join the other ladies for the usunl even- ing walk ; conse(pience, I would have a chance to monopo- lize a gentleman for half-an-hour or more — a chance wliich, no thanks to the gentlemen who don't come to Hillcrest, no lady here has had this season. Every time I peered through the blinds to see if the other girls had started, I could see him, looking so disti-essed, and broodinir ovei- those two cb.iidren as if he was their mother, and he seemed so good. He seemed pleased to see me when I appeared, and coming from such a man the implied com- pliment was fully appreciated ; everything he said to me ir eliilJren ay own vory i't study to uit unfortn- try to dcs- ) (lay SCO ;i 3e01U3 to 1)0 I I haven't Id be aolov- ?2i must be she were a lat I woulil ^ule, but 1 )en. Yoiu- iJar — your ; when tlie ozen of us s face ! — it and begiui he seemed 'id wish for nd I might 3t i^hiyfully fied — 'twas )urse I had ght struck I wouhai't isnnl oven- o monopo- nce whicli, Hillcrest, 3 I peereel d started, )ding over V, and ho •ne when I plied corn- said to me HELEN'S BABIES. 116 seemed a little more worth hearing than if it had come froni any man not so good. Then suddenly your eldest msisted on retailing the result of a conversation he had had with his uncle, and the upshot was that Harry declared lumselt ; he wasn't romantic a bit, but Im was real straight- forward and manly, while I was so completely taken aback that I couldn t think of a thing to say. Then the impu- dent fellow kissed me, and I lost my tongue worse than ever. It 1 Jiad known anything of his feelings beforehand, 1 sliou (I lijive been prepared to behave more proiierly ; but-0 Helen, I'm s., glad I dUbCt know ! I should bo the liappiest being that ever lived, if I wasn't afraid that you or your husband might think that 1 liad given myself away too hastily. As to other people, we will see that tJiey don t know a word about it for months to cf)me. Do write that I was not to blame, and make believe accept me as a sister, because I caiiH oifer to give Harry u]) to any one else you may have picked out for him. " Your sincere friend, " Alice Mayton." Was there ever so delightful a reveille ? All the boyishness in me seemed suddenly to come to the sur- tnce, and instead of saying and doing tlie decorous things which novelists' heroes dounder"simi]ar circum- stances, I shouted *' Hurrah!" and danced into the chi drens room so violently that Budge sat up in bed and regarded me with reproving eyes, while Toddie burst into a happy laugh, and volunteered as a partner in the dance. Tlien I realized that the rain Avas over and the sun was shining— I cnnhl tnk-. Ajir^ p.,f f^l another drive, and until then the cliildren could take care of themselves. I remembered suddenly, and with a sharp pang, that my vacation was nearly at an end and 1 lound myself consuming witli impatience to know !5 I ffl vl IH HELEITH JiAfi/ES. lio%i „„, h loii^ance. Strolling past the he^-^ard 1 saw a meditative turtle, and, picking him up and shouting to my nephews, I held the reptile up for thei inspection. Their window-blinds flew open, and p unanimous though not exactly harmonious " Oh " greete/. my i)rize. ' ' " Wliere did you iret it. Uncle Hnrrv^" a.'iked Bud-e '' Down by the hen-coop." " ° ' Budge'fe ves opened wide; he seemed to devote a moment to j^, '"o- ...d thought, and then he exclaimed • HELKN'H llAlilEH. 117 illcrest. It ore the end says 'tisn't kin' before /s wliat he iging up ill matter of a iin' I (lon'L iven wlu!ii i Harry % " thout car- , rising in !S an' Izlie I celestial my toih't, r to think ;n-}ar(l 1 1 up and • for tliei n. and a " Oh," d Budge. devote a claimed : "Why, I don't see how the hens mill lay such a Ivii'l ou1~^"'^ I'Uthini in your hat till I come down, I dropped the turtle in Budge's wheelbarrow, and made a tour of the flower-borders. The flowers always lull '>f suggestion to me, seemed suddenly to Have new charms and powers ; they actually impelled me to try to make rhymes,-me, a steady white-goods salesman ! 1 he impulse was too strong to be resisted, though I must admit that the results were pitifullv meagre : — * •' " As radiant as that niatchleHS rose Which p(»et-;u'ti.st,s fancy ; As fair as wliitcst lily-l)l<)\v8 ; As modest as tlic pansy ; As pure as dew wliicli hides within Aurora's suu-kissod clialicc ; As tender as the priun-oso sweet All this, and more, is Alice." In inflicting this fragment upon the reader, I have not the faintest idea that he can discover any merit in It ; I quote It only that a subsequent experience of mine may be more intelligible. When I had composed these wretched lines I became conscious that I had neither pencil nor ])aper wherewith to preserve them. Should 1 js<> them— my first self-constiucted poem ? Never ' lliis was not the first time in which I had found it necessary to preserve words by memory alone. So I repeattd my ridiculous lines over and over again until the eloquent feeling of which they were the graceless expression inspired me to accompany my recital with g^stures. Six-eight ^ten- a dozen -twenty times II 118 HELEN'S BABIES. I I repeated these lines, each time with additional emo- tion and gesture, when a thin voice, very near me re- marked : — ^ J > ic /' Ocken Hawwy, you does djust asif you was swim- Jill 11 ■ Turning, I beheld my nephew Toddie— how lono- he had been behind me I had no idea. He looked - earnestly mto my eyes, and then remarked :— "Ocken Hawvyy, your faysh is wed, diust like a wosy-posy/' ''Let's go right in to breakfast, Toddie." said I aloud, as I grumbled to myself about the faculty of observation which Tom's children seemed to have Immediately after l)reakftist I despatched Mike with a note to Alice, informing her that I would be glad to drive her to the Falls in tlie afternoon, calling for her at two. Ihen I placed myself unreservedly at the dis- posal of the boys for the morning, it being distinctly understood that they must not expect to see me be- tween lunch and dinner. I was first instructed to harness the goat, which order I obeyed, and I after- ward watched that grave animal as he drew my ne- phews up and down the carriage-road, his countenance as demure as if he had no idea of suddenly departin<^ when my back should l)e turned. The wheels of th? goat-carnage uttered the most heart-rending noises I had ever lieard from ungreased axle ; so I persuaded the boys to dismount, and submit to the temporary unhar- nessing of the goat, while I should lubricate the axles. ^^a!t an xiour of dirty work sufficed, with such assist- ance as I gained from juvenile advice, to accomplish the task properly ; then I put the horned steed into the shales, Budge cracked the whip, the carriage HELEN'S BABIES. 119 ;ional emo- ear me, re- was svvim- -how long- He looked list like a ?," said I faculty of have. Mike wi til be glad to ig for her Lt the dis- distinctly 3e me be- tucted to d I after- ^ my ne- ntenance leparting Is of the noises I laded the y unhar- he axles, h assist- 3omplish eed into carriage moved off without noise, and Toddie began to weep bitterly. " Cawwidge is all bwoke," said he ; " wheelsh don't sing a hittie no more,'' while Budge remarked : — " I think the carriage sounds kind o' lonesome now, don't you, Uncle Harry ? " " Uncle Harry,'' asked Budge, a little later in the morning, " do you know what makes the thunder 1 " " Yes, Budge— when two clouds go bump into each other they make a good deal of noise, and they call it thunder." " That ain't it at all," said Budge. '' When it thun^ dered yesterday it was because the Lord was riding along through the sky, and the wheels of his carriage made an awful noise, an' that was the thunder." " Don't like nashty old Tunder," remarked Toddie. " It goesh into our cellar an' makesh all ze milk sour —Maggie said so. An' so I can't hazh no nice white tea for my brepspup." " I should think you'd likp the Lord to go a-ridin', Toddie, with all the angels running after Him,"' said Budge, " even if the thunder docsmnkQ the milk sour. And it's so splendid to see the thunder bang." •' How do you see it. Budge 1 " I asked. " Why, don't you know when the thunder bangs, and then you see an awful bright place in the sky ?— that's where the Lord's carriage gives an awful pound, and makes little cracks through the floor of heaven, an' we see right in. But what's the reason ,ve can't ever see anybody through the cracks, Uncle Harry 1 " '' I don't know, old fellow,— I guess it's because it isn't cracks in heaven that look so bright,— it's a kind If 111 120 HELEN'S BABIES. ,1 • Of fire that the Lord makes up in the clouds. You'll Know all about it when you get big^'er " - Well, I'll feel awful sorry if 'Siin't anything but Roariu' thunders, lightenin's blazes, Wiiout tlie great Creator's praises ? ' ltA'^>^'T\-T^}^ 7'^'''^ it means, but I think it's kind o splendid, don't you 1 " I did know the old song ; I had heard it in a West- tZ Pf l"^-^"^^<^"^g' ^>^hen scarcely older than Budge, and It left upon my mind just the effect it seemed to have done on his. I blessed his sympathetic youn" bori^""^"; f^^'''''^'" ^^ ''^'""^^^^' "y«» c^^^^I on your hands and knees and play you was a horse, and I'll ride on your back." II No, thank you, Budge, not on the dirt." animair'" ^'^""^ menagerie, an' you be all the To this proposition I assented, and after hiding our- selves m one of the retired angles of the house, so t at no one could know who was guilty of disturbing the peace by such diro noises, the performance com- menced I was by turns a bear, a lion, a zebra, an elephant dogs of various kinds, and a cat. As I per- sonated the latter named animal. Tod.lif. oclmo,i mv voice. ' " ^ wb'l ^n ""^ • ^^t^T • " '^'"^ '^^' " ^^^'^ ^vhat cats saysh wlien they goesh down wells." HELEN'S BABIES. ids. You'll lything but papa sings ;e8, V I think it's in a West- laii Budge, seemed to 3tic young Instantly, d on your le, and I'll 3e all the tiding our- house, so listurbing mce com- zebra, an As I per- cats saysh 121 ''Faith an' it's him that knows," remarkod Mil.^ who had inv ted l.,'mcnif f.. „ r.. ' ^^^F^ed Mike invited himself to a free seat gerie, and assistec each personation. Harry, dhat young dhivil in the mena- ' n;^ the applause which had greeted ye belavo it, Misth Would ,'ot out tlie front d er lyin' on the kitclien .loor-mat a,,' H,.t ■. ,"'"' dl.o well. The ,locth„ IS home bir . ''""■" -- him, a,,' her hoan was clll tSer Iha I'l^' I'-' out and throwed boords down fn- .1 •'>»e lur- 'Bad I, w ^Z 1 " ^^ ""?"• A"' ^^Ii«l' l>octor sed splash about in the watr." ' '^'^'' ' '^''^ «"^>^ "^en grop in the cistern an' 'plash can't you." . Lunch-time, and after it thetimo for T-d-iir - -' 122 HELEN'S BABIES. grumbled, I would have felt less uncomfortable; but there's nothing so touching and overpowering to either gods or men, as the spectacle of mute resignation. At last, to my great relief, he opened his mouth. " Uncle Harry," said he, " do you 'spooe folks ever get lonesome in heaven 1" "I guess not, Budge." " Do little boy-angels' papas an' mammas go off vis- itin', an' stay ever so long 1 " '• I don't exactly know, Budge, but if they do, the little boy angels have plenty of other little boy angels to play with, so they can't very well be lonesome.'' " Well, I don't b'leeve they could make me happy, when I wanted to see my papa an' mamma. When 1 haven't got anybody to play with, then I want papa an' mamma so bad — so bad as if I would die if I didn't see 'em right away." I was shaving, and only half-done, but I hastily wiped off my face, dropped into a rocking-chair, took the forlorn little boy into my arms, and kissed him, caressed him, sympathised with him, and devoted my- self entirely to the task and pleasure of comforting him. His sober little face gradually assumed a happier ap- pearance ; his lips parted in sucli lines as no old mas- ter ever put upon angel-lips ; his eyes, from being dim and. hopeless, grew warm and lustrous and melting. At last he said : — " Uncle Harry, I'm ever so happy now. An' can't Mike go around with me and the goat all the time you re awiiy riding 1 An' bring us hornc some candy, an' marbles — oh, yes — an' a new dog." Anxious as I was to hurry off to meet my engage- ment, I was rather disgusted as I unseated Budge and HELEN'S BABIES. 123 the evklenee vvasln^- '/"'*'' "'" P°" boy, ju.licidly, vinccd n,e that my ,h ty was Z^ZT '''''""'' •=""- . A^ I Jrovo up t^o th/stZ of c cV:,.;;::: .^'^k''^'-. ;ng-house it seemed to ine a month l,ni, ,''''•"'■''• last I was there in,! ti, 1 '' ulapsed since all thatpreventohnv „-;'!'''''''r' ^'•'^""f «»>» was the won,\erM':;r; Jlig S'dK n" " tinr'r;- '''.«""'^''' tenance liad un(lerm„o i , / "'V*"S'' '"''t Alice's coim- a.e indieatio^oreC ete .\:w f 4?'^^ "T'] ""' iJacointlie countenance of T,! "'^''.I'f'' <=»larly ni but when, with"" E: tjTA '"''f i" ^"^i^'y. • radiance boni of love and tn .!f '- « ' '■■*'"' <"' *''e bly charming Jes,x.ci,d V t t e' tfo7Vhe m"'™'?" causes the chanw T „„'„ . ^ , ""^ ™an wlio between H iK a,^ the p"?r°i "■"■«f-"'<'->vay roads never known tha, 1 i . "o^erUnl^ft"'" '" ""' 7"'" I'appy companion, who n othe- d vfr V'"?"' •■"" ""^ nii!,dit one dav hv \1 i ■ ■ P ^ '""' "nagmed exceed the e^oitL Tidy Sr' ^ "{IS. •^■"' <•»-« once asked if Iwn, „,r„ „,i ' ' -"'f Tnnie, never Only a single e.r, ^e ZXr h",: l^Jiie't^'x ^ooa learned the cause » . -m-i Ox tins 1 taking^^^ahn.'j^or"'?' ''"T"" " ""^ ^'''«' --""l II 124 llh'L/'JN'S HAJilES'. My answer was not verbally expressed, but its purport seemed to be understood and accepted, for Alice continued : — " I wouldn't undo a bit of what's happened— I'm the happiest, proudest woman in the world. But we have been very hasty, for people who have been mere acquaintances. And mother is dreadfully opposed to such affiiirs- she is of the old style, you know." " It was all my fault," said I. " I'll apologise promptly and handsomely. The time and agony whidi I didn't consume in laying siege to your heart, I'll devote to the tjisk ofgainingyourmother's good graces." The look I received in reply to this remark would have richly repaid me had my task been to concilitate as many mothers-in-law as iliigham Young possesses. But her smile faded as she said : — " You don't know what a task you have before yoii. Mother has a very tender heart, but it's thoroughly fenced in by proprieties. In her day and set, court- ship was a very slow, stately affair, and mother believes it the proper way now ; so do I, but I admit possible exceptions, and mother doesn't. I'm afraid she won't be patient if she knows the whole truth, yet I can't bear to keep it from her. I'm her only child, you know." '^ Don't keep it from her," said I, " unless for some reason of your own. Lc^t me tell the whole story, take all the responsibility, and accept the penalties, if there are any. Your mother is right in principle, if there is a certain delifditfid {'V(!«'»)ti()ii that v/e know of." " My only fear is for f/on," said my darling, nestling closer to me. " She colnes of a family that can dis play most glorious indignation, when there's a good but its )ted, for eel — I'm But \v(i icn iiiL'ie posed to ipologiso ly wliicli 3art, I'll graces." k would ncilitnte ossesses. ore you. )roughly t, court- believes possible le won't t I can't ild, you for some ry, take if there if there of." nestling can dis a good HELEN'S BABIES. ]25 even more for ^ f-' ^ '"^1'^'^'^' " '^"^ I could do And f^ mytv^'X"\Tr"atf '^''f' '''''\''' ^^^--"• a sen=!r. n/l,; • 5' , ^'^"^^"^^^ '"^nytli '»i( than treasure nn ] .]? '''^"Shter Lesides, you're her dearest t hint fh^f • '''^ ^'""^ ^''S^^ t« know of even the least tinng that in any way concerns you " And you re a nol>le fellow in«"''''•'"■'' before, to mothers, vvldle lit '£t"'f '" ^ "^^nf peculia; both. '^"^ '""^^t into tears, and kissed us occt/;;:j":r:j:i!tT'a^it',dr ''T"^ p^»p'» -- pose faces which sSd bf"'^^ ' "!"' 'O' "g to com- :s?!i' i.«ppen int:''t^;atr:rr^^^^^^^^^^^^ " And me," saU I ' ''^' •^«''-'"''o"«■ -■; b/f in such excellent spirits th-vfLfi'r '?"•>■• ' '"^^ knoWM.ehave.I'/evers,,,,^'!:!""'' ^"''''^"'j- " ''o yo„ understood the nieaiiin, „f ,i "^ " ' """ ^ scarcely middle of the room, and ex'Sed*"""'''""- ■"'»«'<' Todl'S^^tX^,^^^^^^^^^^ C^-e along, I sang the first line,— ''When Wl was in bondage, they cried nnto do Lord,'> Without any assistance, but the hov« .. - ' ' fully on the refrain beatW l^L -^ f'^""^ '" I^^^^^r their four fists, upon 'my ^eht T^^^'^^^^t ^^^^^ ^ h' my cnest, I cannot think it it t^ f.'-^ 'ill 130 HELEN'S BAIilES. strange that I suddonly ceased singing, but the boy.s viewed my action IVoni a different r;tan(l-point. "Wiiat makes you stop, Uncle Harry?" asked Budge. "Because you hurt me badly, my boy ; you mustn't do that again." " Why, 1 guess you aint very strong ; that's the way we do to papa, an' it don't hurt Idm.'^ Poor Tom ! No wonder he grows flat-chested. " Guesh you's a ky-baby," suggested Toddie. This imputation I bore witli meekness, ])ut ventured to remark tiiat it was bedtime. After jUlowing a few moments for the usual expressions of (lissent, I stag- gered ui)stairs with Toddie in my arms, and Budge on my Ijack, both boys roaring the refrain of the negro hymn : — (( I'm a rolling through an Unfriendly World." The offer of a stick of candy to whichever boy was first undressed, caused some lively disrobing, after which each boy received the prize. Budge bit a large piece, wedged it between his cheek and his teetli, closed his eyes, folded his hands on his breast, and prayed : — " Dear Lord, bless papa an' mamma, an' Toddie an' me, an' that turtle Uncle Harry found : and bless that lovely lady Uncle Harry goes ridin' with, an' make 'em take me too, an' bless that nice c Id lady with white hair, that cried, and said I was a smart boy. Amen." Toddie sighed as he drew his stick of candy from his lips ; then he shut his eyes and remarked : — " Dee Lord, blesh Toddie, an* make him good boy. HELEN'S liAniES. 181 the bvat an'hlesl. zem Inrlies zat t..M mo to say it a.len •" i C H '' "\^ ',' ''^7'''^ ''' ''^''"- ^^■^■» understood bv least tlii-ee adults of my acniaintauoo. Ihe course of Budge's interview with Mrs. Mayton was afterwanl related by that lady, as follows :_ hhe was sitting in her own room (which was on the parlour-Hoor and in the rear of the house), and was entally dropped her glasses. Stooping to pick them up, she becanio aware that she was not alone. A small very dirty U,t goocl-featnred boy stood before her, his hands behind his back, and an inquiring look m Jus eyes. i o '^ " Kun away, little boy," said she. -Don't you Witisnt pohte to enter rooms without knock- '' I'm lookin' for my uncle," said Budge, in most nielodious accents, "an' the other ladies said you wouhl know wr.en he would come back." J\ \r '''f?!'^ ^^'^y '^'''**' "^'''^^"^ ^"n ^f you— or me," sa d the old lady a little severely. '< { don't knoJv anything about little boys' uncles. .\ow run away, ana don t disturb me any more." cn-.i ^^"^y continued Budge, '' they said vour little girl went with him, and you'd know when 6A^^ would come back. "I haven't any little girl," said the old lady, her in- dignat.on at a supposed joke threatening to overcome her dignity. '* Now, go away." "She isn't a r^r^ litUe girl,"' said Budge, honestly a xious to concdiate ; "that is, she's bigger'n I J, but they said you was her mother, an' so°she's you're little girl, isn't she ? I think she's lovely, too '' I * 1 1 I I I- ^ 132 HELEN'S BABIES. " Do you mean Miss Mayton ? " asked the lady, thinking she had a possible clue to the cause of Bud^^e's anxiety. * " Oil, yes— that's her name— I couldn't think of it," eagerly replied Budge. "An' ain't she AWFUL nicel — I know she is ! " "Your judgment is quite correct, considering your age," said Mrs. Mayton, exhibiting more interest in Budge than she had heretofore done. "But what makes yon think she is nice 1 You are rather youn^^er than her male admirers usually are." ° "Why, my Uncle Harry told me so," replied Ludge, " an' he knows everjithm^y Mrs. Mayton grew vigilant at once, and dropped her book. " Who is^ your Uncle Harry, little boy '? " " He's Uncle Harry ; don't you know him 1 He can make nicer whistles than my papa can. An' he found a turtle " — " Wlio is your papa ? " interrupted the old lady. " Why, he's papa~I thought everybody knew who he was." " What is your name V asked Mrs. Mayton. "John Burton Lawrence," promptly answered Budge. Mrs. Mayton wrinkled her brows for a moment, and finally asked : — " Is Mr. Burton the uncle you are looking for 1" " I don't know any Mr. Burton," said Budge, a little dazed ; " uncle is mamma's brother, an' he's been livin' at our house ever since mamma an' papa went off vis- itin', an' he goes ridin' in our carriage, an " — " Humph ! " remarked the old lady, with so much HELEN'S BABIES. 133 A moment later emphasis tliut Budge ceased talkin-, she said : — ^ "I didn't mean to interning vnn i.-ffi i " A „> K • 1 "/"^ciiupt you, little bov ; j?oon " 'spects her." ' '' ' ^ ^"^^^^^ ^^'^ '^- An' he ;; What ? '' exclai^ned the old lady. mokes him give her J,„gs a„' IdSes ?" '' '^°" '' ^""" fo/i mo^r- A"it:.t tr'!!^"^ '"" -- -p>y kis'se"?"' ''" ^"" '"">'-' ''«-S'ves her h„g. and later she felt a liXt toS ?'' ""■'"' """"""ts her eves saiv R„3l i i ■ °" ''*"■ ''"^''' ''""'. wininif ^W3^r eyes, sa,v Budge look.ng symiiathetioally 'into' her ■f J'i'l" t"'*^"' ^""^ J'"^' '■'^f'' "'•■"'." said he " Are v„„ ^%t T-' y°" little girl ridin' so lo^J" '^"" cisiol" ' ''^''"""'' ^^- *%*«>'. with great de- "Well, you needn't be" «niV] p,,^../ ..f... t. , Harry's awful careful an' smart.'' °'' ^"'^" " "- - lit to be ashamed of himself!" exclaimed the lady. u T „,, ri!lth*<',^?¥ Budge, "cozhe^ thing he ought to be. He's awful s ev'ry- careful. T'other 134 HELEN'S BABIES. day, when the goat ran away, an' Toddie an' me got in the carriage with them, he held on to her tif'ht, so she couldn't fall out." Mrs. Mayton brought her foot down with a violent stamp. " I know you'd 'spect him, if you knew how nice he was," continued Budge. " He sings awful funny son^s an', tells splendid stories." ° ' " Nonsence ! " exclaimed the angry mother. "They aint no nonsense at all," said Budge. ''I don't think it's nice for to say that, when his stories are always about Joseph, an' Abraham, an' Moses, an' when Jesus was a little boy, an' the Hebrew children, an' lots of people that the Lord loved. An' he's awful 'fectionate, too." " Yes, I suppose so," said Mrs. Mayton. "When we says our prayers we prays for the nice lady what he' spects, an' he likes us to do it," continued Budge. " How do you know ?" demanded Mrs. Mayton. *• Vjoz he always kisses us when we do it, an' that's what my papa does when he likes what we pray." Mrs. May ton's mind became absorbed in earnest thought, but Budge had not said all that was in his heart. " An' wlien Toddie or mo tumbles down an' hurts ourselves, ' taint no matter what Uncle Harry's doin' he runs right out an' picks us up an' comforts us. He freed awa) a cigar the other day, he was in such a hurry when 9 W'^sn etsin" rnp an' ToJ -- principal offi^ncle" "'' ''""'^"'"" "'^"■■J H'" .miiappv" 'InM'n^h"''*''%''/ ''"°^^ '"^'" 'x' "^^f"'. awful ^Suppose, then, that I ^kt her go," said Mrs. gan at oncelo make ,TaUe,?t '' """ '""" '"'' '^"^ ba- ton 'Torrrof'tlL''"'" ''fr' V ^^■^'"'"""l M>-s.May- rath'er hasty." "'" '^""' '^'''"^' '""^ '' « good, if iti As I rose the next morniu" I f,,,,,,,! , i„.i j f-™_.s:.-X5;rt£tttrr'r^i! exiie^f^^T ^^«7^R.-l've beenrecallin" ^L.^J^:.-. i expe^aence /re; once had of courtshin in ., k"° -^ r- v,,,^.^, « ^-^ and I've determined to onVl ^^ ** boardnig-houae, liome, and give you and A L ^*^ ""''' '''''^ ^'^''^' ^^^^ry , do.enoA.ointeJ:^Xni^-^^i;j-^^^ : ill 136 HELENAS BABIES. \ "iZlJCJ'^^FT '""f' "'!'^ ^'^' *'^^ ^^'^^^^''^ -I^l ^'^rling for us a hJw"% ^'^''' *'>^.^^^"-i^V^'« at Hillcrest station lor us at 11.40 Friday mornln<^ Invite Alicp mul li«,. mother for me to dine with us Sinuiay i^eU IWi'I hem home from church with us. ^ " ''Lovingly, your sister, "Helen. ri^e^o^ci^ nir" ^'"'^ '"'^ "^ '^^^"^=« ^" ^^^ -- guesf dnmblr'? '^' T I* "'^'r^' ^T' t"" '''''''' "^^^ ^he best Friday morning they intended to arrive,-blessines on their thoughtful hearts !-and this was Friday ? ni;med into the boys' room, and shouted •— loddie ! Eiidge ! who do you think is coming to see you tins morning ? " ^ '' Who r' asked Budge. 'I Organ-grinder ? " queried Toddie. ' iNo, your papa and mamma." Budge looked like an angel in an instant but Tod- mure?-^ ''^ a little, and he mournfully mur- " I fought it wasli an organ-grinder " " ^ Uncle Harry 1 " said Budge, springing out of bed in a perfect delirium of delight, - 1 belTeve if mv papa and mamma had stayed away any longer, I believe I would die. IVe been so lonesome f?r 'em that I haven't known what to do-I've cried whole pillowstul about It, right here in the dark " •• VVhy, my poor old fellow," said I, picking him up and kissing him, "Why didn't you come up and tell Uncle Harry, and let him try to comfort you ? " (( HELEN^S BABIED, I37 ''IconUn't;' said BucW • "wlip,, t . 7 It feels as if my mouth w.i ol ,^ ^^^' lonesome, big stone ^.Jr^ut e^e' A^: 7/' r^' ' ^'^'^ hand on his chest? "^""^ ^"^o^^ P»t liis "T'^Lf ^•?'^''"'' ''^''^^^^ "^«hide of w^"so,vi T.y 1 d take it out an' frow it -if tl,o li • 1 ,. -loddie, "Toddie " <,.nM T a , '^^ ^"^ shickens." are^ coming'? " '^ ^' ''''' ' >'°" S'^^^^ Papa an' mamma "Yesh/'said Toddie "I finl- ifn 1 Mamma always bwin-s m/ro 1 V^ ^? awfoo nish. anyfere." , ^ ^' "''' ''^''^>' ^^n she goes away ;; Toddie, you're a mercenary wretch " T^ nS"Z;i SI'I^ ' /^'^^ ^^^^- Yawncie." his brother, llTw ^r 'chncv u^^': ^'? •'^^•""^-^ ^^^''^'^ systems of theolo'y are to Z ^ ""^ ''^'^^ «^"^^ very lofty motive of actfonh, '-^^^^^rants-not a he could fully undeL and '.n H '''''^' ^"^^ something getting hims'elf t^ ui/Tn his'If ^^^^^^^^^^ '^ thing wonderful ^ ^^ ^^^^^^^^^ '^as some- ,. Of course not," said ]|,ulge.^ amoutT^Sl.'„»^,^^'f Helen had an undue second generation.' ' " ™' "'e.-'Ppearing in tiie ^,. J An' I >vant»h my sho'es made all nigger," said Tod- " What ! " I 138 mJLt\Y\S BABIUS. Dwusii, too, .said ro(l(li(3. I looked appealingly at Hudge, who answered :- lie meaus lie wants his shoes bkcked, with the polish that H m a bottle, au' you nib it on with a brush " ^ An 1 wantsli a thatli on," continued Toddie. ^^ feash lie means," said iitidge. - He's awful proud." An Ize doin to wear niy takker-hat," said Toddie. "An luy wed djuN'.s." thii^-'S r ""' "'" ^'^^" ""'^ '''' ^^« - A look of ino of rude boreas, if you choose ; but don't go to cryinc^ " "Don't wan't no niantle-o'wude-bawyusses/'declared . loddie, following me phonetically, '' wantsh my own pitty cozhesh, au' iioboJy esliesh." "0 Uncle Harry!" exclaimed Budge, " I want to bring mamma home in my goat-carriage ! " "The goat isn't strong enough, Budge to draw mamma and you." ° "Well, then, let me drive down to the depot, lust to s/um papa an mamma I've goat a goat-carriage— I'm sure maiiima would bo very unhappy when slfe fount) out 1 had one, and she had'nt seen it first thir"- " (< Well, I guess you may follow me down Budge out you must drive very carefully," " Oh, yes— I wouldn't get us hurt when coming, for anijthiu mamma was HELEN'S BABIES. I39 you'Jl get yourselves dirty " ^ ^ """^ ''^ '^^^^« fail to do my management di^crec ?" A r .f to.Mike and another to A^e were of t f'''l assistance in this work so I fpl fL . "^^terial S-andt,i'h:;r an ','"""' ^T^ "'"^ ■•''"- blackted:f,';;,tt";:J^^",!-'" ^-■J Toddie; "I likes 3ymStfd\n'L"^ i"- I asked, with some. WlJn H.T , 'racing rental nf nonce a.^ain thp viol „ 4. -5^(-,l {l(t ccuilUm. As 1 tonV the vml-a two-ounce-one-I asked :- ^'^ ^ ^ook « if ^7 "^,"ch did you take, Toddie ? " ^^X^i:^;^:r' "^^^v' -if he. J tuL j.ioei ciught my eye— it read l?ARE- M 140 HELEN'S BABIES. ^ ^l \ V ^" a. second I had snatched a shavvJ, wrap- ped loddie in It, tucked him under my arm, and was on my way to the barn. In a moment more I was on one of the horses and galloping furiously to the village, with Toddie under one arm, his vellow curls streaming in the breeze. People came out and stared as they did at John Gilpin, while one old farmer whom I met turned his team about, whipped up furi- ously, and followed me, shouting '' Stop thief ! " I after- learned that he took me to be one of the abductors of Charley Koss, With the lost child under my arm and that visions of the 820,000 reward floated before his eyes. In front of an apothecary's I brought the horse suddenly upon his haunches, and dashed in, exclaim- "Give this child a strong emetic— quick ! He's swallowed poison ! " i . ixc a The apothecary hurried to his prescription-desk, wlnle a motherly-looking Irish woman upon whom he had been waiting, exclaimed, " Holy Mither ! I'll run an fetcli Father O'Kelley," and hurried out. Mean- while loddie upon whom the medicine had not com- menced to take effect, had seized the apothecary's cat by the tail, which operation resulted in a considerable vocal protest from that animal. The experiences of the next few moments were more pronounced and revolutionary than pleasing to relate in detaii.^ It IS sufficient to say that Toddie's weight was materially diminished, and that his complexTon was temporarily pallid. Father O'Kelley arrived at a brisK run, and was honestly glad to find that his services were not required, although I assured him that it Catholic baptism and a sprinkling of holy HELEN'S BABIES. 141 water would improve Toddie's character I thouc^hf quietly back to the house, anc wliile \ iva<; -iskin^ Maggie to try and coax TocWie into Lkin" ' "',, ! heard the patient remark to his brother - " ' ' ' full of uv'er'm^r'''''- '"' ' '""^ "" " "'"''^ «"- start'Ti^H!''"!'""'.'' '^'""''P'-'ssed before it was time to iteepuig the children from so n<» their rloHirx, • K„t J.. success was so little tJnf r ,'° ""^'V '^"""es, but my First thev ■•nti.tii , . *' "y temper ent rely. w Ml he s,., „^ "T '''"^'"8 °" " l'"' »f the lawn wiiicn the sun had not yet reached. Then while T had gone into the house for a match to li"ht mT c kar JSlo'f ^T ''"I' '"^ '••■'"P ^''"^^ into tlSmi Idle of the road, where the dust was ankle dee,, Then Ms mother anfr^J" 7"^^ '" 1"'=''''' bouquet for 1115 niotner, and Toddie took the precaution to smsll mnj to get us nose covered w th lily-pollen so th-it he boked like a badly used prize-fighter In l„„f tlieir spasms of inaction, Biu^e asfei :- ^" °"' "^ . « hat makes some of the men in church hive „„ l.;ur on the tops of their head.,, U„cle Sry " "" Tn^i^ r'!' •""'' ^' P^^^'ng '""g enouirh to shake I"r^.'^\'J'"}'y'PS toget my ,?atch°out ot'mv n^Jw' thrtLTs::ferd.:!;»^ '» bother them--»ii U( 142 HELEN'S BABIES. Q . ^f;"f«« the horses, Mike," I shonteo goat, too," added Bud.^e , live minutes later T was se- tedin H , rather n Torn's tun ^o.,f i ^" ^"^' cariiai^e, or shouted, 1^4 tot! ffr'^''" '''''•-°"- "^Mike/'I readyfbWhef^lLUenttr''/? ^^''^^'^ «ome lunch ' quick, won't you ? " '^ ^'"^ J'ere-run, tell her, ■the reins «„d whipt'-.n^-^" '" "'"' ""<' "''''"^ don't ;:;,Vh "rc^: ,^;itfr'"' '•"™ '''•^' "•■'■>. -<• going to drive Cry 1 Iv Z" °" "^ "'"y- I'™ and all you need to dot to hTl " ' '''"'"^ "^ t''""^. " All \.; 1 i. >/ . , ^ '•^ "'^Jd your reins " mans^^wh^'fYdri""' '""^°^' " "« ^ 'i'<"to-looi. ,i,ce yo^'. ^^No^f^ ''" *''^' "•'•^n somebody can run beside f &:r;:Sy' ^vr^ur- ^^ '"^ «"- depot, liowever, the train s« en „ 1 ?'•";"'' f *''^ be on the platform to meet tV^' VuV"''""'"' '» watch was evidently IT J J, /f"1 ""'""■ '"" "y looked behind a 1 «. .' v^"™ '■''<' •""'^es the whin and I was so !;''■« »^«'f' '^' ' ^'"'•'' "'"'' "P°" '"^' that nothing but tleslm^nlTnf?"" ^ "'^"«d my head severe accident The nnhl! ■ T" ''''>'"' "o ''■em a quickly as I did, I'o vever anST'' T "'« ''""S^^ "^ small space ; as heTdHl^'lV"""' "> marvellously upon the vv'oodVn wail oflhe i'm'^ J'vo hard thumps '- frightful howls, 'J^':^^x^::tJ^ Ml. e carriage, or " Mike," I e some lunch run, tell her, went. ^s I fix this. > and taking o at whip, and 3 way. I'm >ity of time, ns." to look like 1 run beside d the goat nute of the ntended to -n, but my 5 the whip, ' upon me, d my head me from a danger as rveliously 'd thump's leard also consider- HELEN'S BABIES. 145 I leaving the^ity' t?^;^ re id'^^'jes' nln'^^^^' ^^^^'^ was unanswerable and IsubmiUed Id?/ '''^""''"^ I purchased a lovely bit ofTr i }^ T^"^ ^^^^ \ stands in Tom4 naL for fif "'^ ^^'^^"-^ *h« ^'eed brought upTeveraUIat nf T'^f^^ ^"^ ^om has evenfng they are s'^^^^ and every there gather round them f"' ^'"!"&-r«om table, and a white goods satman fnd?''^^'' ^T^^ ^'^^"^ ^'^ bright Jof eytlXh^^^^^^^^^ This latter-named persoha-e ha<, hi. ■• ^'''^^• the merits of all plan' suited and'^in^T'r:^^ whatever plan is arlnnf..! J» .1 ' ^"" insisted that be setapaftTs tLlS i^^rtrt » ^'/^ r/" '» Young as these gentlemen aV I fiL V " " '"'y^- sions to be friKhtuIIv iltl.,? ' \ l""* fr'-quent occa- alone is able to nreven/t?,!; "P'^'-^uasions- artifice ofan adorable beinr of wh?" ""'"?P»'if"g ^'e time bly have too mucr' sL LsTstm ' b" T.' P"^^'" mony takes place in D.ecen>b r 'they hlll'offici f" groomsmen, and I havp nnf fl ' ,7,^"aJl ofliciate as she will car;y her point In f . t^^^^f ' ^^^^^ ^l^^t affectionate ll:XT^^.,^2'^ Z^ '^ 'TX""' I retire M'ithout first seek wil ^ ^^' ^"^ when a grateful kiss upof ^^^l^'^ZJ:^^^ ^^'^^^^ science upbraids me with base ingratitude T?.)?'^ I might yet be a hopeless bacheloTtd it not h. ^V"^ them, is to overflow witli fho«i T! "°* 1^^^" f<>r Helen's Babies ^l^ankfulness to the giver of