'LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA ' SAN DIEGO Jack threw himself on tlio wind. I STRIVING AND GAINING. BY THE AUTHOR OF "KATHERINE MORRIS," "CLIMBING AND SLIDING," &c., &c. " Strive on ! Though dark and wild the clouds, Behind them shines the sun. Strive on ! By steadfast souls alone Are peace and victory won." BOSTON: NICHOLS AND NOTES. 1868. Entered, according to Act of OongreM, In the year 1867, by NICHOLS AMD NOTES, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts CAMBRIDGE: TKRnTTPED AND PBINTXO BT JOHN WILflOH AND SON. CONTENTS. CHAPTBH PAGE I. HANNAH GORDON'S TRIALS 1 II. HANNAH'S PLEASURES 16 HI. HANNAH'S BIRTHDAY 25 IV. EVA BARTON'S PARTY 43 V. THE OTHER SIDE 68 VI. POOR JACK 74 TH. VICTORY 83 VIII. VACATION 108 IX. MORE RESULTS FROM DR. GORDON'S TONIC . 120 X. PLAY-WORK 136 XI. COMPOUND INTEREST, OR MORE 147 XII. THE SEASHORE 161 XIII. CHANGES 188 XIV. "THE GIRLS" 195 XV. THE SOLDIERS' FAIR 206 XVI. " GOOD-NIGHT, DARLING " 219 XVII. "RICH OR POOR?" 233 XVIII. Two KINDS OF REST 243 XIX. ANOTHER CRUST 253 XX. SIXTEEN . . .261 STRIVING AND GAINING. CHAPTER I. HANNAH GORDON'S TRIALS. r INHERE was unusual quiet in Mrs. Gor- -*- don's nursery, a large square room, whose notched and battered furniture and well-worn carpet gave evidence of the vast amount of youthful spirit and energy that had been exercised upon it. It was a pleas ant room, nevertheless, in its aspect, and the windows overlooked the distant hills and gleaming river on one side, and, on the other, houses and shops, and the busy life of a large town. Hannah Gordon, the eldest daughter and second child of Dr. and Mrs. Gordon, sat at a table, writing a composition, and her earnest attitude and knit brows showed that she was intent upon her task. 2 STRIVING AND GAINING. All the little Gordons were out, with one honorable exception, who as yet had not been promoted to the nursery. The two boys next in age to Hannah, Jack and Charlie, twelve and ten years old, were at school ; Emma and Ellen, seven and five, had gone to visit their Aunt Mary ; Sam, whose second birthday was but just over, had gone out for a walk with the nurse ; while Walter, a little red-faced mite of humanity but two weeks old, was quietly sleeping beside his mother. Babies were no rarity in Dr. Gordon's household, but they always brought plenty of love in the parents' hearts, and most Hproarious demon strations of joy from Jack and Charlie, in creased in the present case by the sex of the new aspirant for love and care. ".Hurrah for the boy baby ! " said Jack ; "I'm so glad he's a boy." " Of course," said practical Charlie, " he's a boy ; you wouldn't have him a girl, would you?" " Well, it, then ? " " Worse and worse. Mamma says it's an insult to call a baby it."' HANNAH GORDON'S TRIALS. 3 " Oh, bother your bettiness ! I'm very highly delighted that our respected baby is a boy. Will that suit your dictionaryship ? Now we'll make the girls step round. Five against three, you know." " Counting Frank ? " " To be sure, Frank's a boy, isn't he ? " " Why, yes, but then he won't count for any thing in playing and teasing the girls. You know papa calls him Judge half the time." " Can't help that, he's a boy all the same, and likes fun occasionally, as well as the rest of us, if he is sixteen years old, and five feet six inches high." Emma and Ellen were rather disappointed that the new comer was not a girl, as in that case they would have looked forward to future companionship, whilst now, .from their expe rience with their lively brothers, they were disposed to regard the little helpless creature in mamma's bed as some dangerous animal in disguise. As for Hannah, she had said to her father, with a sigh of resignation, that she supposed 4 STRIVING AND GAINING. there was no help for it, but she really did hope she shouldn't have any more brothrrs. After finishing and neatly folding and mark ing her composition, Hannah put up her writ ing materials, locked her desk, and sat down by the broad window-ledge, looking out upon the prospect apparently, but in reality so Imsy thinking that she paid no heed to the opening door or advancing step, and was only made aware that she was no longer by herself, by hearing her father say in kind tones, " All alone, dear? The house seems so oppres sively still, I have been looking for you, and find even my active daughter infected with its unusual quiet." " Yes, papa : I've been writing my compo sition, and am tired. Please sit here," offer ing, as she spoke, the only easy-chair in the room. " No, not there, papa," in answer to a motion from her father to sit upon his knee ; " I want to talk and look at you. There, this will do nicely," seating herself on a stool at his feet, and holding one of his hands in both hers. 'There, this will do nio-ly. v I'agc 4. HANNAH GORDON S TRIALS. 5 " This is pleasant, papa. It's so seldom I have you to myself, and I've been thinking that to-morrow will be my birthday, and that in two years I shall be sixteen." Doctor Gordon smiled, and said, " What an anxious time of life yours is ! By and by you will not be in such haste to look forward two years. You are big enough now, and old enough, to be a great comfort to us, when " " When I'm pleasant and happy, I suppose you mean, papa, and not vexed with the others. But Jack does tease me so, and be side indeed and indeed, papa, I do have my troubles, though I dare say they don't seem such to you." " I know you do, dear, and I know, too, that the trials of the young are not light to them, however they may appear to others. But let us improve our rare hour of quiet this after noon, and talk over these .same stumbling- blocks in the way of your happiness. Per haps we shall find, upon inspection, that the mountains are mole-hills, that a little reso lute hop-skip of the will can surmount." 6 STRIVING AND GAINING. " I don't know about that ; it would take a perpetual hop-skip to surmount Jack's teasing, for I do believe he keeps it up all the time. He is always calling me madam, and asking me when I am to put on long skirts and wear spectacles. He hides my things, laughs at and mocks my pronunciation, teases me about my hair and ribbons ; and worst of all, ever since I wrote part of the original dialogue we had iii school, calls me an authoress. Why, only the last time Howard Grey was here, he asked him if he knew that Hannah was an authoress ? and when he laughed and said he didn't, Jack told him I was ; and that, beside having written several sonnets to cats and birds, I had lately brought out a comedy entitled 'All is not Gold that Glitters.' And Howard laughed so that I couldn't explain, and Jack never told the rest. Were you ever such a tease, papa ? " "I am afraid I must plead guilty to hav ing been a tease, if not such a tease as poor Jack," said Dr. Gordon, his Mue eyes fairly dancing with mirth, at the remembrance of HANNAH GORDONS TRIALS. 7 some boyish pranks his daughter's question called to mind. " Most boys of life and spirit are such, though I must own that at present teasing seems to be Jack's vocation, and not his pastime. But it is only a vent for his exuberant spirits. He does not mean to be ill-natured or cruel, as he sometimes appears to you. Join him in the laugh at your own expense, or get up, to speak pro fessionally, a counter irritation, by laughing at him in turn." " I can't always do that, for he seems cruel and ill-natured sometimes, if he isn't." " I know it ; but we must judge of the intent of acts by what we know of the general char acter. Now, I never knew Jack to torment a younger, weaker child than himself, or be cruel to animals ; and as for yourself, a warmer- hearted little brother is not to be found than he is. You cannot have forgotten last year's sickness, or how devoted Jack was to you ; repressing his noisy mirth, moving lightly for fear of disturbing you, ever ready to run errands in your behalf, anxious to spend his 8 STRIVING AND GAINING. small allowance of pocket-money for you, and tears even standing in his roguish eyes when told that you were too sick to eat any thing." " Oh, no, papa ; I have not forgotten that in deed, though, to be sure, I do not always re member it at the right time. Perhaps, if I go on, you will smooth away all my difficulties, and really I am almost ashamed to tell you my next grievance, it seems so selfish ; and yet I mean to be honest, and I know, papa, you will tell me if it is so. It does seem sometimes as if I never could have any time to myself, I'm so often called off from my work and studies, and, yes," in answer to a look half serious and half quizzical from her father, " my plea sures too. The boys and the little ones are continually wanting some thing done for them, and you know, papa, * many a little makes a mickle,' and so my time is used up, and then I get cross with them, and after wards still more cross with myself ; so there's a bad state of things generally. Then, an other of my troubles is, and this I know you will think the most foolish thing of all for HANNAH GORDON'S TRIALS. 9 me to care about, my dress, and that some of the girls treat me coldly because I wear plain clothes, and because we are not rich. There, it's all out now ; I mean all the moun tains ; there are lots of little mole-hills be side. I hope you love me enough, papa, not to think I am very weak." " I love you very dearly, my child, and I can understand in a degree why these things, really so unimportant in themselves, trouble and annoy you at your sensitive age and with your keen feelings. Let us consider sepa rately these trials of yours. I believe Jack's teasing is disposed of ; isn't it ? that is to say, the ill-natured aspect of it is removed, which made it so hard to be borne ? " " Yes, papa : I suppose I must call it a mole-hill now, though it's a pretty large one." " Very well, then, the numerous calls upon your time comes next upon your list, and to me this seems really the highest of your mountains, while it is almost unavoidable that it should be so, as you are the eldest daughter, and the one to whom, next to your 10 STRIVING AND GAINING. mother, the younger ones naturally look for help and counsel. I need not tell you, what you so well know, that it is a pleasure to help others, or to remind you of the Saviour whose life and death has taught us all the exceeding loveliness of self-sacrifice. I can give you no other rule in this matter than the simple one that, when calls upon you interfere with positive duties that cannot be postponed, or needed recreation, you must give your reasons for not responding to them, in a spirit that will leave no douht upon the minds of the little petitioners of your readiness to aid them. And an offset to these demands upon you may be found in the knowledge that you are helping your mother, already, from the delicate state of her health, so much over-taxed in this noisy household of ours." " I never forget that, papa, and that is why, or one reason why, I am so vexed with my self for being impatient with the other chil dren." " Well, Hannah, my dear, if that is the case, you are in a fair way to lessen the grievance. HANNAH GORDON'S TRIALS. 11 If you thought yourself justified in being un kind and disobliging, I should not easily know where to find a remedy for you ; as it is, I think I can safely leave the matter to your conscience. " And now for the third trouble I hardly know what to say. Here, at least, your mother would be a wiser counsellor for you, as I attach so very little importance to dress, if it is neat and becoming, and am not versed in the feminine estimate of its consequence. Don't look disappointed, dear. I dare say it is a real grievance to you. I only say I can not understand about it ; still less why you should care for the warmth or the coldness of girls who value you by the richness of your clothes, or the amount of your father's in come. " ' A man's a man for a' that, and a' that,' and so is a girl a girl, &c., and my big daughter, who will ' be sixteen in two years,' knows that it is character, and not the * guinea stamp,' that makes the person. Very likely, too, half the coldness you speak of is 12 STRIVING AND GAINING. fancied. Two or three purse-proud girls, with no real appreciation of that which entitles another to consideration and respect, treat you coldly, because their dress is of finer texture or more costly material than yours, and you take it for granted that all who are richer than yourself share the feeling, most unjustly too ; for your dearest friend, Helen Ashton, is not only the daughter of one of our richest, but also one of our most Chris tian and most highly educated, men." " Oh, Helen is a girl almost by herself. She is so noble and generous in every thing she thinks or does. I don't believe, papa, she ever did a mean thing in her life ! " " I believe your friend is all you say, Han nah, for she has an inheritance of nobility of nature ; still I doubt not there are others who, if less noble than Helen, are far less narrow-minded than you think them. And even if they are not so, you surely have friends enough without caring for the notice of those whose standard of worth is based merely upon money." HANNAH GORDON'S TRIALS. 13 " It isn't for myself only that I care, papa ; for of course no one dares to be very rude to Dr. Gordon's daughter if he isn't rich ; but they are some of them so cruel to Lydia Har ris. You know she is trying to get an educa tion, so that she can be a teacher ; and it so happens that all the girls in her class are in a different position in society from herself, and they do treat her shamefully sometimes. It was only the other day we had an example in arithmetic about measurement, and Lydia was the only one that had a perfectly correct answer, and Eva Barton said, of course she would be familiar with such examples, as her father is a carpenter." " Well, my dear, I hope she is not ashamed of that fact, as I know few more worthy and really refined men than Mr. Harris." " No, indeed : not she ; but Eva meant it unkindly, and that was the reason it dis turbed her." " Well, my dear, I can only advise you and Lydia, and all young or old, who are tried as many now are by the varying fortunes 14 STRTVTXG AND GAINING. and unsettled state of society in this countiy, to stand firm upon a proper self-respect, neither imagining slights that do not exist, nor over-estimating their importance when they do, and always to remember that, sooner or later, character tells in a community, even the character of a child. But yonder are the boys rushing homewards as if fearful that we are suffering from the interval of quiet we have enjoyed so much. I hope I have given you a little comfort, my darling; but the truth is, we most of us, big and little, have to solve these hard problems of life for ourselves, or else what is far bettor, lean in faith on Him who is able to guide us in all our ways. If I have only given you a little help towards that, I shall be glad. Ah, what now, Jack ? have you forgotten so soon that Dr. Gordon said there must be no noise in the house?". HANNAH'S PLEASURES. 15 CHAPTER II. HANNAH'S PLEASURES. , I did forget, papa, I keep forgetting all the time about our new boy. Is it because his ears are so little that a noise hurts him ? I hope he'll hurry up and grow so that he can play with us. Why, Sam is learning to play ball. The trouble is, he's so fat and shaky, and throws the ball so hard, that he usually goes over with it. It's jolly fun to see him scrabble up and try it again. How are you, Miss Gordon ? Beg your pardon for not seeing you. Have you been engaged in literary labors? Oh, yes: I see the ink- spots on your fingers. You ought to give Howard Grey a poem to carry back with him to school, so that the people abroad may know what a poetess Wellwood can boast." All this was rattled off by Jack in answer 16 STRIVING AND GAINING. to his father's question. Dr. Gordon and Hannah exchanged looks, and smiled at this speedy confirmation of the latter's statement, but neither noticed it in any other way. Han nah only thought how foolish she had been ever to care for such nonsense, and to more than half suspect that she had made mountains out of mole-hills. " Now, boys," said Dr. Gordon, " run out in the garden, and work or play awhile. I'm going for the little ones, and Hannah with me, so I must put you upon your honor to be quiet. Run, boys, run ; and run, Hannah) and get ready." To hurry up-stairs, knock softly at her mother's door to let her know where she was going, put on her outside garments, and run down again to her father, was the work of very few moments; for Dr. Gordon, him self one of the busiest of men, had taught his children that promptness and despatch insured them many a favor that idling and delay would forfeit. One spring, and Hannah was beside her father, and Derby HANNAH'S PLEASURES. 17 was off in a swift trot in the direction of Aunt Mary's. A warm welcome from her aunt, and the loving little sisters who had been away from home a week, greeted her. " How's baby ? has he growed any, Hanny ? " asked Emma, while Ella lisped, " Has he dot a name, and is he 'eal dood ? " " Yes, pets : he has grown, and his name is Walter, and he is real good and sweet and lovely. Come, hurry, little ones ; Dr. Gordon is waiting to go and see a poor sick woman, and we mustn't keep him." " Oh, dear," said Emma, " I thought Papa Gordon was coming for us. I do hope he will be at home to-night to kiss us good-night and have a frolic." " 'Es," echoed Ella, " dood night, tiss papa," " You shall have the kisses now, darlings, with compound interest, and the frolic too," taking up first one and then another, and cov ering the little, soft, rosy faces with kisses. " 'At'll do, papa," said the little one, " ou picks Ella." 2 18 STRIVING AND GAINING. " Saucy one ! Come, kiss auntie, and we'll be off." " Any grist for the mill ? " " Oh, yes, * two bags full ; ' one for mamma and one for papa ; " and, throwing a child over each shoulder, Dr. Gordon made his exit from the house, amid the laughter of Aunt Mary and Hannah, and the screams of delight of Emma and Ella. " I declare," he exclaimed, panting as if excessively fatigued, as he put the children into the chaise, after Hannah, " what a heavy grist ! Step along, Derby, at your best pace." Arrived at home, he said, " Tell mamma I couldn't stop, as old Mrs. Blake is sick, and the ride is long ; and give me one more good-night kiss, little ones, as I shall not be at home till the little curtains are shut over your eyes." " But who'll hear our prayers then, papa, if mamma is sick ? " asked Emma, anxiously. " God always hears your prayers, dear, and .Hannah will come up to you as mamma used to do. Send Jack and Charlie out to me, Hannah, and don't wait tea too long, though HANNAH'S PLEASURES. 19 I'll try and be back by seven. Here, boys, I want you to eat your supper to-night with the little ones, as I shall be late, and then you may take your books, and sit down quietly to read. And, mind, don't betray any of to morrow's surprises." " Oh, must we, papa ? " in the first breath, and then, " Well, if you wish it," and " No, in deed," in the second, were the words sounding in Dr. Gordon's ears, as he drove off, saying to himself, " Good boys on the whole ; good children, all of them ; plenty of faults, and the material for plenty of virtues. The ground where weeds won't grow isn't worth cul tivating. All we have to do is to root them out as fast as they appear, and then put in the wheat and flowers." Hannah's conversation with her father had given her a brighter view of her life than she was apt to have, and had also determined her to try to bear with patience the demands made upon her by the younger children. But it was far from easy to put her good resolutions in practice that very night, when a heavy de- 20 STRIVING AND GAINING. mand was made upon her. Perhaps older persons than Hannah have found that the moment of exhilaration after making a good resolution is not the most favorable for put ting it in practice. However that may be, it certainly never was more difficult for Han nah to bear the noise of the boys, the almost ceaseless questions of the little ones, and the confusion consequent thereupon, than it was that evening, two hours or less after her firm resolutions upon the subject. Bear it she did, however, bravely, and she found the victory worth the struggle it cost her, in the con sciousness of having done right. She remem bered, too, that she had often heard her father say, that youthful spirits were like the steam in a tea-kettle : let it sing merrily at spout and cover, and no harm is done ; but stop them up, and an explosion is sure to follow, which does harm to more than the poor kettle. So, although Jack choked two or three times in his efforts to suppress a laugh upon some subject that seemed to divert him greatly, while Charlie somewhat loudly remonstrated HANNAH'S PLEASURES. 21 with him, and Emma and Ella laughed and prattled quite beyond ordinary supper rules, she didn't lose her patience or temper, but kindly strove to keep the din within bounds as much as possible. The meal was over at last, the boys took their books and sat by the table to read as their father had requested, and Hannah went up-stairs with her little sisters, and in hearing their simple prayers and the sweet childish prattle that followed found herself soothed and rested. Then she had a quiet half-hour with her mother, while the nurse went below to prepare her tea ; and after that were the few finishing touches to be put to the sitting-room, which was also the dining-room and library, to make every thing bright and cheery for her tired father when he should return home. These duties attended to, she sat waiting for her father, and was soon rewarded by hearing Derby's quick trot on the drive, and a moment after her father came in. " Here I am, Hannah. I'll run up to see mamma a moment, and meantime please tell 22 STRIVING AND GAINING. Bridget to bring in tea, some cold meat too, if there is any. My drive and the cold east wind have given me a fearful appetite." " Two great and rare privileges in one day," thought Hannah, after she had carefully waited upon her father at the tea-table. " A nice quiet chat with papa, and tea with him too, all by ourselves." " I've been thinking, papa, while I was wait ing for you and resting," she said, after the boys had gone to bed and they were once more left to themselves, " that my privileges and my pleasures are far greater and more than my troubles." ' Why, yes, dear: I should hope so, as, in case you had not made the discovery, I should call you a most unreasonable little woman. This bright and pleasant if not luxurious home; the fond love of your parents; the affection of your brothers and sisters ; the lively mirth of the younger ones, whose noise and prattle give so much life to the household, and an added value to rare hours of quiut ; the keen enjoyment which an active, intelli- HANNAH'S PLEASURES. 23 gent young mind takes in study ; the com panionship of a dear friend ; a pleasant if not very large circle of acquaintance ; and above and beyond all these, because himself cause and centre of all, the love and protecting care of the Heavenly Father : all this, and, beside all this, the privilege of ministering to others, thereby following the example of Him who came on earth, not to be ministered unto, but to minister." " Yes, papa : I am just beginning to realize that the power to do for others is a pleasure, but I cannot quite seem to feel as if God cared for me." " And yet we are told that he careth for the lilies of the field, and the birds of the air. How much more, then, for us, beings with immortal souls, whom his own will has created ! Never doubt that, child, even if you cannot fully grasp the idea of your Heavenly Father's all-embracing love. Fully grasp it, you never can here ; but you cun form some idea of it by what you know of an earthly parent's love, which is always deep enough for 24 STRIVING AND GAINING. the largest demands made upon it. How much greater, then, your Heavenly Father's ! Think of this, dear, when your mind falters in the vain attempt to measure the all-per vading love of the Father, and think, too, of all the free gifts he has showered down upon the humblest and lowest of his children, life, home, friends ; the fair world teeming with beauty and splendor, abounding in every thing that can comfort the heart and gladden the eye." " Sometimes, papa, I can feel that it is as you say, and that God is near even to me, but oftener I wonder how he can care for every one of us, and then I get puzzled." " Then try and speculate as little as pos sible upon a subject which puzzles you. The Saviour has revealed God to us as a tender, loving, and just Father, and as such let us love and worship him. And one thing we must all bear in mind, that whoever would know of the Father must do his will. Doing his will will bring us near to him, far nearer than idle attempts to fathom an infinite with our finite nature." HANNAH'S BIRTHDAY. 25 CHAPTER III. HANNAH'S BIRTHDAY. nnilE sun shone brightly, the air was soft -*- and balmy, on the morning of Hannah Gordon's fourteenth birthday. Within was the early stir of busy little feet and the sound of merry voices, while soap and water, combs and brushes, were called into requisition, to make rosy cheeks still more rosy, and smooth, tangled locks. Without, the grass gleamed with its freshest verdure, gardens and orchards were one mass of bloom from apple, pear, and peach trees, while the ground was white with the parting benediction of falling cherry bios-* soms, and the birds were singing their morn ing hymn of praise and joy in their loudest, fullest notes. Hannah stood several minutes at her open window, looking out upon the lovely scene, her heart swelling with grateful emotions, and sending up silent prayer to the Giver of all 26 STRIVING AND GAINING. good and beauty ; for to Dr. Gordon's children the worship and love of the Heavenly Father was not confined to set times and seasons, although such were always observed. They had been taught from their earliest childhood, that is, as soon as their minds were capable of receiving impressions of love and care, to asso ciate the idea of God with all their blessings and pleasures, and to render to him the sim ple" homage of loving and reverent hearts. And on this beautiful morning, the beginning of a new year of life and hope and antici pation, Hannah no longer felt any difficulty in realizing the nearness of her Heavenly Father, or his care and love for her. " Yes," she said softly : " the heavens re- *joice, the earth is glad, the field is joyful, and all the trees of the wood rejoice. How much more, then, should I, who have so much, so very much, to be grateful for ! " When the family met soon after the morn ing-prayers, the jubilant spirit of praise that animated all hearts found fitting response in the one hundred and fourth psalm, selected HANNAH'S BIRTHDAY. 27 by Dr. Gordon for the morning reading, be ginning, " Bless the Lord, my soul ! Lord, my God, thou art very great ; thou art clothed with honor and majesty." The few words of comment upon the read ing, which he was in the habit of making, were so simple and clear that the youngest child could either learn a direct lesson from it, or at least catch its spirit. This service over, Hannah was almost deaf ened with the wishes of " Happy birthday " from all the children, after which they trooped into breakfast in the finest spirits imaginable, without one of the number (as was sometimes the case) being out of temper or even fretful. " Charlie," said his father, when breakfaet was over, " run up to mamma, with papa's compliments, and say that we shall be happy to pay her a visit as soon as convenient, and stay, just whisper in Mrs. Blake's ear to make haste, for Dr. Gordon has a great deal to do this morning, and must be off early on his rounds." " What! all ready so soon ? " as Charlie came 28 STRIVING AND GAINING. back, two stairs at a time, almost immediately, to report that mamma, with her love, would be happy to receive visitors at once : " Come, Hannah and little ones, follow in order of age, except Sam, who is to have his favorite perch on papa's shoulder." " Here we are, mamma, at your service, a goodly company of us, if I do say it, who shouldn't ? Bless me, has the prince got his eyes open in honor of the occasion ? " The baby in the family had always been called the prince by the doctor, because, he said, the youngest was always the ruler of mamma, and, through her, of the rest. Mrs. Gordon was sitting up in her bed, propped up with pillows, the flush on her cheeks rivalling the color of the ribbons on her cap ; and after a kiss from all the children she said, " Jack, if you haven't exploded before this time, you shall be rewarded with taking the cloth off this little table." " No, indeed, all right and tight. I've kept the steam in ; only laughed and choked a little now and then, as a safety-valve. Off comes HANNAH'S BIRTHDAY. 29 the cloth, and appears gifts for Miss Gor don ! " "Oh, how beautiful, this vase and these flowers, from you, mamma ? I know you painted the vase. Work-box from Aunt Mary, with love ; oh, oh, box filled with drawing materials, colored crayons and all ; oh, papa ! " aud here Hannah broke down in a little laugh, which ended in a sob ; and Jack took up the word, and went on, "And a photograph in a frame, to hang up, of Frank Gordon, Esq., otherwise Judge Gordon, and letter from the same ; also a graduated ruler from Charlie ; also a box of colored silks and a spool-bag from Emma and Ella ; also a big sugar heart (which he would very much like to eat him self) , from Sam ; also a box of candy from Prince Walter ; also this from I declare there's never a label on it. Perhaps Howard Grey sent it." " This " proved to be two photographs in a frame, made to fold together, one representing a young lady in the ex treme of the fashion ; the other a thin, lank, spectacled young woman, with a book in her 30 STRIVING AND GAINING. hand ; the first labelled matter, the second mind. Hannah's countenance fell for a mo ment, but, rallying herself directly, she joined in her father's hearty laugh, and asked, " Which shall I take for my model, Jack ? " " Neither, unless you prefer them to this, that I heard you say one day was the desire of your heart," said Jack, producing, from under mamma's pillow, " Evangeline." " And you have saved up your money to get this for me, you good, naughty Jack ! And it has a companion-frame to Frank's picture. Ah, Jack, Jack ! How shall I thank you all ? " " Don't try to do it, I beg," said her father, " unless you wish to see my longest profes sional face, for I can't wait five minutes." " And I'm tired, and baby wants his bath," said Mrs. Gordon, " so please a kiss all round for mamma, and then be off all of you, except Hannah, who may wait to clear off my table, so encumbered with her possessions." " A fair challenge," said Dr. Gordon, " and one to which I most heartily respond ; now, children, follow suit, and follow me." HANNAH'S BIRTHDAY. 31 " But mamma didn't mean you," said Emma ; " she meant us children." " Very well, she should state her meaning more distinctly then. Good-by. Oh ! I invite you all, mamma and prince and the rest, to meet me on the front piazza this afternoon at four o'clock." " How funny," said Emma, " when he knows neither mamma nor baby can come ! " With a light step and happy heart Hannah went to school that morning, and acquitted herself with her usual faithfulness in her stud ies, notwithstanding the strong temptation there was for her busy mind to wander to her birthday gifts, and to the afternoon's surprise in store for her. Dinner was on the table when she came home from school, and her father had not returned ; so she found abundant calls upon her time in attending to the chil dren, whose spirits were still somewhat of the liveliest order. " What can papa want of us this after noon ? " said Charlie. " I guess it is only to see Hannah start off for a drive with him." 82 STRIVING AND GAINING. " Papa never would cheat us ao," said Emma, indignantly. " Cheat! who said any thing ahout cheat ing, little one ? " inquired Jack, patronizingly. " Charlie said just the same, for papa knows we all expect something pleasant, and if we don't have it, we shall be sorry and disap pointed." " Oh, it wasn't pleasant then to see Hannah receive her presents this morning," pursued her tormentor. " That was quite different, and you know it, Jack," said Emma, very surely and positively. " True for you " was the answer ; " now I guess we're all to have a walk in the woods." " And I," said Emma, " that papa will get a carryall, and take us out." " It surely will be a carryall if it takes all : what do you think, Hannah ? " "Who? I? Oh, I think it is excellent! when did he have it taken ? " This not exactly appropriate reply elicited shouts of laughter from the rest, and the ex clamation from Jack, " Don't disturb her, she's HANNAH'S BIRTHDAY. 33 composing a poem, or thinking of Howard Grey's tintype which I saw this morning in her album." "For shame, Jack!" said Hannah, half laughing, half inclined to be vexed, "I was thinking of Frank's photograph." " I dess," said Ella, speaking quite loud, as if determined upon proving her right to a voice in the matter, " that we's all to have a lot of tandy and sugar-plums." This " guess " was received with another shout, which Ella was at a loss whether to join in, or cry about, but finally mirth proved contagious, and her voice joined the rest, while Charlie remarked, in his usual grave manner, that he didn't think papa would call them all out on the piazza for that purpose. " I suppose," said Hannah, rising, " that four o'clock will decide the question ; and now, boys, it is time for you to be off to school. I'm going to sit with mamma awhile, and then I'll come to the nursery to see you," turning towards the little girls, who were eagerly look ing up at her. 84 STRIVING AND GAINING. It was three o'clock before Hannah found leisure to go to her own room. Then she had a history-lesson to learn, to put on, at her moth er's request, her pretty blue dress, as Aunt Maria was expected to tea, and then, surely then, she had a few spare moments in which to look over her new treasures; and in this pleasure she became so absorbed, that the hull- clock struck four without her hearing it, and she was only recalled to a sense of the time by hearing Jack's flying step on the stairs, and his voice saying, " Hannah, where are you ? Papa sends his compliments, and says the coach is waiting. Oh, it's so jolly ! why didn't you come down ? " " I will be down almost as soon as you are," snatching up, as she spoke, her sack and hat. " One, two, buckle my shoe, Three, four, open the door," shouted Jack, throwing wide the door, and displaying to Hannah's view a handsome ba rouche with two silver-gray horses before the piazza, her father walking back and forth, and HANNAH'S BIRTHDAY. 35 the children all dressed for a drive, running, laughing, and talking, in the highest glee. " Shall I have the pleasure, Miss Gordon, of taking you out for a drive ? Jump in first. Here goes," said Dr. Gordon, piling in one after the other. " Everybody in there make room for every body else and for papa. Here, Jack, up with you beside the driver. Now, Mr. Carter," to the colored man who sat on the box, reins in hand, displaying his teeth to the children, as they looked up at him with gleeful faces, " give us an hour's drive out into the real country, over the old turnpike, and back by the sea shore. We want a good look at the orchards on Pleasant Hill, where we shall have acres instead of rods of blossoms and greenness. Bless me, Ella ! " There was an old woman who lived in a shoe, And she had so many children she didn't know what to do." That's fast getting to be my case, I'm afraid. Now be sure and enjoy yourselves, don't be afraid to laugh and talk, provided you don't frighten the horses." 86 STRIVING AND GAINING. " Such a needful injunction, the first, papa," said Hannah. " One would think it was all the Gordons' birthday from the spirits they have." " Oh, how dood it is ! " said Ella, sliding down from Hannah's lap, and jumping up and down clapping her little hands in the overflowing of her cup of joy. " Yes, darling," said Dr. Gordon : " you have got the right word. 'And God looked upon every thing that he had made, and behold it was good.' That we can all understand, and that we can all strive to be, good. Do you know, Hannah, how much that little word of four letters, which a person who aimed at fine writing would despise, means ? what a host of meanings it has, rather, so that, in reality, one half-hour's circumlocution and exhaustion of fine phrases could not have expressed what we are looking upon and enjoying, as this little one of our Heavenly Father's has uncon sciously done in her one word ? " *' No, papa : I do not think I know quite all its meanings : I never thought about it before in that way." HANNAH'S BIRTHDAY. 37 " Look it up, then, sometime ; and you too, Charlie, who are all ready to argue the point. Another time will do. Never undertake to combat till your weapons are all sharp, and fit for use." Yes, it was good, all of it : the easy motion of the pleasant carriage, as the horses, with arched necks and prancing feet, drew them swiftly over the level road through the town by its stately or humble homes, almost every one of which had its garden with fruit and or namental trees, shrubs, and flowers, over the open marsh, through which the turnpike ran ; then up a gradual ascent to a more hilly re gion, past pleasant rural homes and quiet farms, riding through and looking down upon fields of pink and white blossoms so abounding as to conceal the foliage, while their beauty was enhanced by the rich verdure of the grass beneath. It was good, leaving this rich ful ness of beauty of the blossoming time, to go down again to the quiet valley, and strike off to the shore-road, from whence could be seen the bay, its blue waters sparkling and leaping 88 STRIVING AND GAINING. as if they too rejoiced in this rarely beautiful spring-day. It was good to see the wild exuberance of the children's spirits gradually toned down to a more quiet, but not less full happiness as they looked eagerly out upon the broad expanse of water, an unfamiliar sight to them, but one which never failed to elicit their admiration and delight. It was good to look at Dr. Gordon in this, one of his very rare intervals of leisure, to see his blue eyes sparkling with sympathetic mirth and pleasure as he looked from one happy, beaming face to another, always finally resting upon Hannah, between whom and him self was even more than the ordinary love of father and daughter. When the happy party reached home, they were met by Aunt Mary and Aunt Maria, the former Mrs. Gordon's, the latter Dr. Gordon's, sister. They had an early tea, in which all the chil dren were allowed to join, and over which Hannah presided. The birthday cake was HANNAH'S BIRTHDAY. 39 cut, and pronounced excellent, and Hannah received from her Aunt Maria a hair bracelet with gold clasps. Dr. Gordon smiled as it was presented, and said, "I thought so." " Yes, I meant the poor child should have sometliing ornamental to wear. I hope you don't object, Frank." " Not I. I am glad to see my little girl gratified. I was only thinking how sure I felt that you would give her something of the sort. I don't object to such gifts if they are not too rich or abundant for a poor hard-work ing doctor's daughter; only I never should think of buying them. I don't miss them when they are not worn ; but I do miss the absence of them, when I see girls or women bedizened out with enough jewellery to stock a travelling pedler." Mrs. Maria Howard glanced at her own rich set of gold and black enamel, and her heavy watch-chain, but said nothing ; and her brother laughingly added, " I meant nothing personal, Maria: your taste is too good to suffer you 40 STRIVING AND GAINING. to be included in the class of walking exhibi tors of jewelry. There's the bell. I hope it isn't professional." Jack, who had answered its summons, came back breathless to announce " Helen Ash ton, Lydia Harris, Howard and Annie Grey, cous ins Will and Lucy Howard, and a lot more, Hannah." The " lot more " proved but three, but these were quite enough to give them all a most merry evening, Jack occasionally being checked by his father when his spirits were too uproari ous, with " Softly, softly, my boy, remember mamma and the prince up-stairs." When all had gone home, and the boys had said their last " good-night," Hannah lingered a moment to say, " papa ! what must you have thought of me, what do you think of me, to complain of my trials, when I have so much to be thankful for, so much to make me happy ? " " Think, my dear child ! why, nothing but that you are pretty much like the rest of the world, in that you are more apt to look at your HANNAH'S BIRTHDAY. 41 trials than your blessings. A good plan for you would be, if you find yourself again fall ing into a desponding state, to make notes for an entire week of your troubles and also of your pleasures, and see how the balance stands at the end. I tried that plan once, and I own I was astonished at the result." " Do you mean for me to put down what 1 call troubles, or only what every one would allow to be such ? " " Oh ! certainly what you call troubles, pro vided you will also fairly state, on the other side, your blessings. But there is one thing, dear, yon must always remember in the effect your estimates have upon you, and that is, that we are nowhere promised, either in les sons drawn from the Saviour's life or teach ings, ease or self-indulgence. If we are to be happy in this world, the Bible does not encour age us to hope to find it in that way. No, no, child, there is a higher life than that. Blessed are they, young or old, who early find it." By such timely words of instruction this 42 STRIVING AND GAINING. good man and father strove to cherish and increase in his children's hearts love and rev erence for Christ the Saviour, and God the Heavenly Father. And his influence had more power hecause he was in himself a remark able combination of the most patient and untiring love, with the strictest justice and most rigid adherence to duty. Out of these traits had arisen a habit in Frank, in his younger days, of calling his father Dr. or Papa Gordon ; Dr. Gordon when he saw that he was intent upon his profes sional or other cares, and Papa Gordon when he was free to unbend in his family. This habit had naturally been followed by the oth ers, and was understood by all their intimate friends. EVA BARTON'S PARTY. 4iJ CHAPTER IV. EVA BARTON'S PARTY. " T DO believe, Helen, that I am c-r-o-s-s to- -*- day," said Hannah Gordon to her friend, one morning about two weeks after her birth day, as they walked to school together ; " and, moreover, I am afraid that this is going to be a Rosamond week of misfortunes and vexa tions. Sunday morning I got up with a head ache, mamma's nurse had gone, and I felt that I must do all that I could to lighten her cares. Jack was more full of mischief than ever; though, when he found that my head ached, he did help me by taking care of Sam, who oan't get used at once to being turned off by mamma and the nurse too. Well, after a morning of confusion. I went to Sunday school, and couldn't answer the very first question Mr. Grey asked me, which, of course, made 44 STRIVING AND GAINING. me feel mortified enough, as I was sure that I had learned my lesson. When I got home, I found mamma looking pale and tired, hold ing Ella, who had hurt her head by a fall ; so I took her in my lap, and told her stories, which didn't help my head any. " It was pretty much the same all day, and two or three times I spoke very impatiently to the children, and twice I caught papa's eyes fixed upon me, with that grave look of his, which is as great a punishment to me as I ever need for any thing. " Yesterday my head was all right again, but I wasn't in the house ten minutes, except the hour after dinner, when I locked my door, that it wasn't ' Do, Hannah, show me how to do this,' or, ' Please, Hannah, do that for me,' and so on. Then I tore my school-dress, and had to take half of my walking-time to mend that. This morning my history-lesson is half learned because I overslept myself, and my composition for to-morrow is not touched. And last, but I am afraid not least, is Eva Barton's party for Friday. I haven't nice EVA BARTON'S PARTY. 45 things to wear like the other girls, who are, most of them at least, to have new dresses, and will stay till twelve. Mamma says I may go if I am willing to wear my white mus lin, and come home at ten o'clock." " You have a lot of troubles, to be sure, Hannah," said Helen, laughing. " Most of Sunday's and Monday's may be set down to the headache and its consequences, and a little tendency you have to looking on the dark side of things as if that side was always to be uppermost. As for the party, I shall not have any thing new. I mean to wear white, and pink ribbons. You must wear your pretty white dress, with blue on your neck and hair." " Yes, of course, I must wear it, but all the girls know it is my only company-dress, and have seen it again and again." " If you feel so badly about it, Hannah, I would stay at home." " The very thing I don't want to do." " Well, Hannah, if you don't want to go, and do want to go, I don't see how I can help you to decide. You must balance the fors 46 STRIVING AND GAINING. and againsts, and see which is likely to be the winning side." " There ! that reminds me what a capital time it will be for me to keep my promise to papa that I told you about, when I had an uncommonly trying week, to put down my trials on one list, and my blessings on another, and see how the balance comes out. I'll do it, this very week. What with this party, my head, and the slightly irregular state of our domestic affairs, I'm likely to have plenty of items for one side ; and yes, I mean to be honest I dare say there will be a good many on the other that I don't remember when I'm vexed or troubled." "And as to your dress for the party, Han nah, I wouldn't let that trouble me." " Excellent advice, that, Miss Ashton ; very well for you to talk, when you can have any thing you like to wear, and the girls all know it." " No, Hannah, I could not have every thing I liked to wear if I cared for a great deal ; for both my father and mother disapprove EVA BARTON'S PARTY. 47 of the present extravagant mode of dress prevailing amongst young girls, and would never allow me to have very expensive clothes if I wanted them. My best dress is that blue and white check silk ; and I never, as you well know, wear any thing to school but plaids and merinos, plainly made, in win ter, and calicoes and ginghams in summer." " Well, but you won't see the difference. You can afford to have handsome things, and the girls all know it, while I " " While you, silly little goose that you are, care too much what ' the girls ' say and do. It's like the everlasting 'they' of fashionable life. Now, Hannah, I can't have this nonsense. I'm older than you are by a whole year, taller by two inches, wiser by that increased age and height, beside being, as you've told me hundreds of times, your very best friend, consequently, in virtue of all these advantages and superiorities, I am going to give you a little lecture." " It's got to be short, as here we aro at school." 48 STRIVING AND GAINING. " Plenty of time for the three divisions of my discourse, which are, first, you are too sensitive, Hannah Gordon, to your own opin ion of yourself; secondly, you are too sensi tive, Hannah Gordon, to your friends' opinion of you ; thirdly, you are too sensitive, Han nah Gordon, to ' the girls' ' opinion of you. Not a word : we've only time to hang up our hats, and go into school ; another time, if you wish, I'll enlarge and explain." " Too sensitive, too sensitive," thought Han nah, as she mechanically took her seat, " per haps I am ; I'll think it over." And think it over she did, somewhat to the detriment of her lessons; for twice her teacher reproved her for inattention. When recess came, she walked off by herself to a quiet spot, and soliloquized after this fashion : " ' Too sensitive to my own opinion of my self.' I believe that is true ; for Aunt Mary says I have got into a bad habit of analyzing myself, and dwelling morbidly upon my defi ciencies." "'Too sensitive to my friends' opinion of EVA BARTON'S TARTY. 49 me.' That is true also ; for I am positively unhappy if I read disapprobation in the ex pression only of any one whom I love, and that, too, when I feel that I have done right. After all, though Helen didn't say it, I know she meant this was only a plausible cover to love of approbation. ' Too sensitive to the opinion of the girls.' That is the truest of all the trues ; for, in reality, I do not care whether my dress is silk or muslin (except that I think muslin really the prettiest for young girls), if it were not for what ' the girls' say and think about it. I'll go to the party, have a good time while I do stay, and try not to think of my clothes. Thank you, Helen," as the latter appeared in search of her ; " I've enlarged upon and explained your lecture myself, and I mean to try and not be a gdose any more." " A wise resolution, Hannah, and now I want you to see if you haven't enough pieces of muslin to make a broad sash like mine. I know you have blue ribbon to bind it with, for I saw some in your ' fancy drawer ' the 50 STRIVING AND GAINING. other day. In case you have, and your mamma is willing, let me make the sash for you. I have more time at home than you can possibly have, this ' Rosamond week.' ' " Perhaps the trial part of it is over, and I shall be able to imitate Rosamond in her better moods. I suppose it is treason, Helen, but I like Rosamond a great deal better than Laura. I can't bear your dreadful good girls, who never do wrong, nor make a mistake. Rosamond was good at heart, and never did wrong with, as Mr. Percy would say, malice aforethought. Even you, Helen, get vexed sometimes, and do things you are sorry for." Helen laughed at Hannah's earnestness to prove her fallibility, and said, " I am grateful to you for that admission. I was really afraid that I was one of ' the dreadful good girls ' you seem to dislike so much.'* But the Rosamond week was not ended. Hannah was tired, a little overworked, and a good deal out of sorts generally. Nothing went very smoothly with her ; consequently the little jars and annoyances, which Wednes- EVA BARTON'S PARTY. 51 day and Thursday, like most days of the week, brought with them, were magnified into real causes of trouble. Friday morning, she got up feeling better and happier than she had done any previous day in the week ; and six o'clock came and found her ready for Eva Barton's party, satisfied with her appearance, and with everybody and every thing. " She really does look very pretty," said Mrs. Gordon to her husband, as Hannah left the nursery where she had been to kiss the little ones good-night. " Yes," said Dr. Gordon, " the best kind of pretty too ; she has, when she is happy, such a bright, pleasant face, and honest look, and I don't know much about gowns, you know ; but it seems to me that white and blue com bination is very becoming to her, quite airy and cloudlike. What do you call the stream ers at her side, that floated out so prettily as she danced out of the room ? " " Oh ! her sash you mean, I suppose. I thought you never noticed dress." " There you mistake, my dear Madam Gor- 52 STRIVING AND GAINING. don. I notice it in two ways, when it is simple and becoming, and when it is overdone and hideous. I always know what I like and what I don't like, though I couldn't tell you the names of different articles of wearing apparel, as I could the ingredients of the mixture of which you partook this morning. I hope Hannah will keep her bright face on till I call for her to-night." " I hope so too," said Mrs. Gordon, " and I think she will, if those foolish girls who at tach so much importance to fine clothes do not make any disparaging remarks in her hearing." It was not all the partial view of fond parents that saw that evening in Hannah Gordon a far prettier girl than many who had really more beauty and much richer attire. There was something very attractive in her bright face and, as her father rightly ex pressed it, " honest look ; " and her manners were simple and natural, with no affected airs or languid graces. She appeared just as she was, and what in the present hot-house sys- EVA BARTON'S PARTY. 53 tern which prevails in most families one rarely sees, a young girl enjoying the pleasures and pastimes suited to her age, without an attempt or wish to ape the manners of grown-up young ladyhood. She joined in the games and dancing upon the lawn, partook with the keen relish of youthful appetite of the nice supper prepared for this birthday feast, and was enjoying as much as she thought one person could well contain, when she iinfor- tunately overheard Eva Barton say to Flora Manning, one of " the girls " of whom she stood so much in fear, " There's Hannah Gor don with her everlasting white dress fudged over with a sash to make it look new. I do think her father might afford to give her better clothes ; she's the eldest girl, too. I would have them, or stay at home, I know." " Oh ! " said Flora, with a contemptuous toss of her head, " it don't matter what she wears, anyhow, she, a dowdy thing ; no style about her." Miss Flora's idea of style consisted in having a huge bag of hair, then all the rage, 54 STRIVING AND GAINING. called a waterfall (who could have so slan dered one of the loveliest of nature's works ?) hanging down her back, wearing the largest hoops and longest skirts her mother would allow, and swinging these appendages grace fully (as she thought). Perhaps Hannah could have borne this without much disturbance, though no one likes to be called a dowdy, least of all a sensi tive young girl ; but, just as she was moving out of hearing distance from Eva and Flora, she met Anna Blake. " Ah, you here, Hannah ! I didn't know as mamma would let you come. Good child ! to be willing to go home early, and to wear that old frock. It doesn't look so badly, I declare; but you know Eva made it a point with all the girls of her set, that they should have new dresses. How do you like my pink silk ? Isn't it lovely ? I coaxed it out of papa. He scolded well, as he always does when I ask for new things, and talked about money needed for disabled soldiers coming home from the war, for the freedmen, try, to keep things straight, so she gave it up. Then, when * he ' died, she was took sick, and;ali they could do was just to worry through ; and, now that her leg was broken, she didn't see how they ever could get along. I talked about Tommy, and that roused her, and she began to feel interested, and said we might do what we pleased to the kitchen and yard, and that she was very grateful to Master Jack for his VACATION. 115 interest. Now, Master Jack, after to-morrow, I am at your service. What shall we do ? " " Well," said Jack, with a very business-like air, " the first thing to be done is for me to find out the probable expense of the repairs needed, so that we shall not exceed our means ; and then Frank will " " Frank has," interrupted his brother, " be gun his work already. I took the measure of the broken step in the yard, and mean to fix that first, and then the gap in the fence. I told Tommy to take a basket, and carry off to a place, not far distant, the town is filling up preparatory to laying out a new street, the rubbish in the yard, advising him to keep the bones, and sell them." " There ! " said Jack, with a crestfallen expression. " I forgot entirely that I was to consult with you and Hannah, whether we should use the money for Mrs. Brown, or take it for that window we want so much in the shed. I hope you don't care much, either of you ; for I'd rather help Mrs. Brown." " And as the mouey is yours, and not ours, 116 STRIVING AND GAINING. Jack," said Hannah, " I don't see why you shouldn't do as you like with it, even if we do care ; but, for one, I am very much interested in brightening up Mrs. Brown." " And I also," said Frank : " so the good work shall go on, and Howard Grey is to help me paper, when we come to that part." " All right, then : go ahead, Frankie, and I'll foot the bills ; only mind, and see what you can do with ten dollars, how much, I mean." " Certainly ; but I must ask father, first of all, whether I may use his pieces of board, nails, \v Beach, and he will gladly take you to board for a very reasonable sum, which I am quite able to pay. He wanted very much that you should come only as visitors, alleging that he owed me more than he could ever repay. Of course I would not listen to that plan, but I was will ing to pay them only a moderate board. It's the very place for Jack to get his strength and color back again, and, in fact, for you all ; and though," looking, as he spoke, at Charlie, " I do not think it is right to spend money ex travagantly or foolishly for ourselves when there are so many of our fellow-creatures suffer ing for the bare necessaries of life, I do think it is right to afford recreation that is sure to bring a return of increased health and strength." A fortnight later found part of Dr. Gor don's family established at Mr. Hanly's com fortable farmhouse, where they were welcomed cordially, and every effort made to ensure their comfort and happiness. Mrs. Gordon had her anxieties, which prevented her full enjoyment THE SEASHORE. 167 of the change ; but she rejoiced in the mani fest benefit it was to Hannah and Jack, and in the happiness which it gave them. But for them, she would have preferred to be at home ; for she knew that it was an unusually sickly season in Wellwood, and she knew, too, that Dr. Gordon had long been overtaxing his strength. In answer to her entreaties that he would give himself a little recreation, he inva riably said, " I cannot leave my post just now, even if my life is the forfeit I pay for remain ing : give me, then, the relief of knowing that you are all happy and safe." Although Jack could not walk to Darrow Beach, as his ankle was still weak, Mr. Hanly often took him and Hannah there on his way to the nearest village, where he did his mar keting. Then there was a little strip of beach near the house, upon which they spent many hours, watching the ever-changing play of the waters, gathering pretty-colored stones, shells, and mosses. As Jack grew stronger, he was able to go on berrying parties with Joseph Hanly, a boy near his own age, and to help in 168 STRIVING AND GAINING. raking the second crop of hay, and other light farm-work ; and with increase of health came back his abounding spirits, and love of adven ture. Some boys of his acquaintance from Wellwood were staying with their parents at the hotel at Darrow Beach ; and one morn ing, when Jack drove over there with Mr. Hanly, they urged his joining a water party, which was to go down some six or eight miles to Darrow Point, to fish, have a chowder,