hristinai ■JJM\l\ (lit U P — ! ■~~X_^55»^CW*"' 1 PENNY = on *- tfi'asi'A-v X \ J. J. Bell Like fowk, guid buiks whiles hae a langirT for hame. % % ilcPribe ''< ;■:]' " Mind yer nut, auntie ! " she added ; " I'm gaun to drap this : yin." A large empty cardboard box fell at the spinster's feet. " Christina, I cannot allow you to address me in that dis- respectful fashion ! " Miss Pur vis cried indignantly. " Mind my nut, indeed ! What do you mean by it? " THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES GIFT OF JAMES J. MC BRIDE 1 J OH! CHRISTINA! "Miss Purvis gave her twelve-year-old niece a frown of disapproval." OH! CHRISTINA! BY J. J. BELL 4 Author of " Whither Thou Goest,' " Wee Macgreegor," etc. New York Chicago Toronto Fleming H. Revell Company London and Edinburgh Copyright, 1909, by FLEMING H. REVELL COMPANY New York: 158 Fifth Avenue Chicago : 80 Wabash Avenue Toronto : 25 Richmond St., W. London : 21 Paternoster Square Edinburgh : 100 Princes Street (oOC - TO MY SISTERS SUSIE AND SARA 712489 ^b CONTENTS I. The Incorrigible II. The Geography Lesson III. A Zealous Apprentice IV. In Full Charge V. " With Baldyin's Regairds " VI. A Doctor's Assistant VII. The Grammar Lesson VIII. The Inventory IX. The Cheap Sale X. " Ower Auld for True Love " XI. The Gum That Stuck XII. " Backward in Coming For ward " .... XIII. The Magic Potion XIV. The Compact XV. The Moonlight Cruise XVI. Miss Purvis's Romance PAGE 9 19 26 36 44 54 65 72 79 86 96 106 117 128 138 149 pspuSS" 1 *" " Ye cau send twa dizzen assortit. . . . Them wi' the big green jools." OH! CHRISTINA! THE INCORRIGIBLE FROM behind the counter, with its little piles of periodicals and trays of picture postcards, Miss Purvis gave her twelve- year-old niece a frown of disapproval. " Have you delivered the extra papers at the manse, Christina? " She spoke as severely as her peculiarly soft voice would allow her. "Uh-ha!" said Christina, with an almost choked utterance. " Why didn't you tidy yourself before you went to the manse?" " I forgot." Miss Purvis sighed. " I hope Mrs. Beaton didn't see you in such a state? " she said. " Ay, she seen me," mumbled the girl, smil- ing. " Oh, dear me ! " Miss Purvis made a gesture of despair. " And I'm sure I've told you a hundred times not to say seen when you mean saw. Try to remember that in future, Chris- tina." "Uh-ha!" 10 OH! CHRISTINA! " Don't say uh-ha! What have you got in your mouth? " " Jujubes." " Jujubes ! More than one jujube? " " Uh-ha ! " " Wh — where did you get jujubes? " " Frae Mistress Beaton." " And you put them all in your mouth at once? " Miss Purvis asked in a tone of disgust. " I jist got five frae her. ... Ye canna taste yin * jujube proper. Is the tea no' ready yet? " Christina's speech gained in freedom and clar- ity as the jujubes dissolved. " There will be no tea," said Miss Purvis firmly, " for a girl with dirty hands and untidy hair." " A' richt, auntie. I'll toshf masel' up in twa shakes," said Christina cheerfully, and passed through the glazed and curtained door at the back of the shop. Miss Purvis groaned as she adjusted the wick of the lamp burning above the counter. Chris- tina was certainly a heavy trial to the gentle — and very genteel — middle-aged spinster. Or- phaned and quite unprovided for, Christina had been brought from Glasgow six months ago, and ever since then her benefactress had been en- deavouring to improve her manners in general, and her grammar and mode of speech in par- ticular. Too frequently she had been driven to despair by the girl's lack of response to her * Yin=one. f Tosh «/=tidy up. THE INCORRIGIBLE 11 efforts. Miss Purvis, tbough compelled by cir- cumstances to earn a modest living in a west coast village, belonged to Edinburgh, a fact which she never forgot. " Manners first and money afterwards " might have been her motto. Miss Purvis was still under forty, of medium height, very slender and rather prim. But for her primness she might have been deemed at- tractive. Most of the villagers were inclined to regard her as " stuck-up " — the last thing she had any intention of being, desiring only to be lady-like, which was a natural enough desire, seeing that she was a lady at heart. She drew her chair near to the counter, and bent over the latest number of The Hearth-rug Novelist, which every week, for the sum of one penny, gives its readers a work of fiction, " equal in every respect to the average novel sold at six shillings " ; a page of " Housekeep- ing Hints " ; two pages of advice to worried lov- ers ; a paper pattern of a baby's garment, and a chance of winning almost anything from a 20 h.p. motor-car to a xylonite thimble. She resumed her reading at the point where Christina's entrance had interrupted her — the point at which the bold, black-bearded, Bulga- rian baron was assuring the lovely young Eng- lish heiress, whom he had abducted and lodged in his ancient castle, that he would soon tame her haughty spirit. But somehow the baron was much less ter- 12 OH! CHRISTINA! rifying, the heiress much less pathetic, than Miss Purvis had found them ten minutes earlier. Miss Purvis was depressed; she was, moreover, suffering from a slight headache. Passing her hand over her brow, from which the brown hair was drawn tightly back, she re- flected, as she had done every other day for many years, that she did not take sufficient ex- ercise. Her reflection was probably not unrea- sonable, considering that she rarely went out of doors except to church on Sundays. For a long time she had been intending to follow the in- structions given in a ladies' magazine, wherein a young woman was depicted in many unusual attitudes, each of which was stated to be help- ful to some part of the human frame and to the system generally. But as yet Miss Purvis had been unable to bring herself to lie, kicking, on the floor, or to stand on one foot, swinging the other, for five minutes. She had a horror of looking ridiculous, even in private, and the only exercise which she felt she could carry out with dignity was one specially prescribed for a person possessing a double chin, which Miss Purvis had not. " Want of exercise and, perhaps, want of ex- citement," she sighed to herself, or rather to the Bulgarian baron, whose dissipated but noble countenance stared at her from the page before her. During the last three years Miss Purvis had experienced but two incidents which might be THE INCORRIGIBLE 13 truly called exciting. Once her kitchen chimney had gone on fire; once she had fallen from the fourth step of the shop ladder along with a package containing a dozen doll's tea-sets. So far Christina's company had meant a good deal of anxiety and some irritation, but it had pro- duced no episodes which could be described as stirring in the mildest meaning of the word. " Yes," thought the spinster, absently dab- bing at the baron with the rusty pen she had picked up, " I do believe it's excitement, even more than exercise, that I require." " Here, auntie ! " called Christina from the door of the back room. Miss Purvis started. " What is wrong? " she called in reply, half-rising. " Naethin'. Am I to wash ma face? " " Certainly." " It's no' dirty." " The face should always be washed before meals," said Miss Purvis primly. Once upon a time she had dreamed of being a schoolmistress. " I think it needs washin' mair efter meals," remarked Christina, combing her abundant fair hair in the doorway. " Wash your face at once ! " cried Miss Pur- vis, trying to speak sternly. " Hooch, ay ! " Christina replied lightly, and disappeared. " Christina!" The girl returned to the doorway. " What's up?" she asked pleasantly. 14 OH! CHRISTINA! "What did you say when I told you to wash your face at once ? " her aunt demanded. " Hooch, ay ! " " Well, don't let me hear you using these words again, Christina." " They're in a comic song, auntie." " Well, you must not repeat them. They aren't nice words for a girl to use. I forbid you to repeat them." "Whatwey?" " Because I forbid you." " A' richt. Keep yer hair on, auntie." The girl turned away, laughing. " Christina ! " "Hullo?" " What — what do you mean by such impu- dence?" cried Miss Purvis, now really in- dignant. " I didna mean for to be impiddent. I jist meant " "Where do you learn such expressions?" " At the schule. I jist meant " " Go and wash vour face at once ! " Miss Purvis, with a hopeless sigh, bent once more over her novelette. " A' richt," said her niece, as cheerfully as ever, and banged the door behind her. It did not catch, however, and presently Miss Purvis heard the sound of running water, to which soon was added a shrill whistling. " Christina ! " "Hullo?" THE INCORRIGIBLE 15 "Stop that whistling!" " Hooch, ay ! — I mean, a' richt ! " A couple of minutes went past. " Christina ! " "Hullo?" "Have you finished washing?" " Uh-ha *! " "Turn off the water, and don't say uli-ha!" " Hooch— a' richt ! " The sound of water ceased, and for a little while silence reigned in the back room. Then Christina began to sing. Miss Purvis put a finger in each ear and sought to concentrate her thoughts on the con- versation of the swarthy baron and his fair prisoner. It was past the usual hour for tea, and Miss Purvis was wearying for a cup, but she had not the energy required for its prepara- tion. " Wretch!" she read, "you have decoyed me here under false pretences. But your triumph shall be short-lived. Last night my secret mes- sage would oe in the hands of the British am- bassador, and already I hear the sound of " At this point it was necessary to turn the page, and Miss Purvis unplugged one of her ears. Whereupon she clearly heard — " Stop yer ticklin', ticklin', tieklin', Stop yer ticklin', Jock ! " " Christina ! " "Hullo?" 16 OH! CHRISTINA! " Don't sing that dreadful song ! " " A' richt." But the girl was not long silent. Stunned with horror, the aunt listened to the follow- ing— " Fause Maggie Jordan I She's made ma life a burden ! I'm no' fit to leeve, an' I'm gey sweirt * to dee. She's left me a' forlorrun ! I wish I'd ne'er been borrun, Since fause Maggie Jordan's gaed an' jiltit me ! — Tarara /—" " Oh, Christina, Christina ! " cried Miss Pur- vis, finding speech at last ; " where did you learn such songs?" " In Glesca, auntie. A laddie learnt them to me. I ken a lot mair." " Oh, but you mustn't sing them ! You must try to forget them." "Hoo that?" " Because — because I say so. Don't you un- derstand that it's wrong for a girl to know such songs?" Miss Purvis nearly went on to remark on her niece's up-bringing, but she managed to stop her tongue in time. Thus far she had never uttered a single reflection on the girl's parents and the Glasgow aunt, who had afterwards made but a doubtful guardian, but often she had been shocked by the indications of their neglect. " Promise me, Christina," she said solemnly, " never to sing such songs again." " Hooch, ay ! I promise." * Stceirt=unwi]]iag. THE INCORRIGIBLE 17 Miss Purvis let the forbidden expression of assent pass as a customer came into the shop. " Fine nicht," said the customer. " I was wantin' a leed pincil." " Yes," she returned, producing a box. " What's the price o' thur yins? " " Ha'pennies each." " Aw ! " The customer, an elderly man, picked out a pencil and examined it minutely under the lamp. " Ye can get three o' thur for a penny in the toon," he observed after much de- liberation. "Can you?" said Miss Purvis, a little wearily. " I'm afraid I couldn't afford to give more than two. They are good pencils." The man submitted the pencil to another long and searching examination. Then he laid it down and turned to the door. " Aweel, I'll think ower it," he said. " Guid nicht." A young woman came in and purchased a " Park Lane Cabinet of Choice Stationery," price threepence, after inspecting every vari- ety of notepaper in the shop. " Is these the only kinds ye've got?" she re- marked again and again. " I'll see if there's nothing else," returned the spinster, and ascended and descended the shop ladder till she was slightly giddy. When the young woman had departed, Miss Purvis sat down, placed her elbows on the 18 OH! CHRISTINA! counter and her head in her hands. If she could only rouse herself to make the tea ! " Hey, auntie ! " Christina was standing in the doorway, her face shining, her hair in order, her eyes dancing. Miss Purvis sat up. She tried to smile her approval, but it was a very wan smile. Then, suddenly, there was wafted towards her a whiff of that delicious odour which comes from bread just toasted, or being toasted. " Christina ! " she exclaimed, getting up. " I hear ye." " You don't mean to say you've been so clever as to make the tea." "Uh-ha!" " Oh, I never was so glad in my life ! " cried the spinster. " It was real good of you, dear." " Hooch, ay ! " said Christina, highly pleased with herself. II THE GEOGRAPHY LESSON W r HAT for are ye greetin', auntie ? Is it an awfu' sad story ye're at ? " Miss Purvis looked up from the novelette, and wiped her eyes hurriedly and in a somewhat shamefaced manner. " I — I fear I've got a cold in my head, Chris- tina," she said apologetically, unable to meet her niece's keen gaze. " A cold in my head al- ways makes my eyes water, you know," she went on. " But don't trouble about me, Chris- tina. Get on with your lessons, like a good girl." " A cauld in the heid should mak' ye sneeze. Yer nose is a wee thing rid, but that's wi' greetin', auntie. I've been watchin' the tears comin' oot yer e'en an' playin' pap on the paper. What's the story aboot?" " I have already told you to get on with your lessons, Christina," said Miss Purvis, with sundry sniffs. " Hooch, ay ! But are ye no' gaun to tell us what ye was greetin' aboot?" " Certainly not. You are much too young to understand anything about the tragedies of life, my dear." Miss Purvis's voice became soft. 19 20 OH! CHRISTINA! " Och, I've read dizzens o' tliae wee stories," said Christina. " An' I've been gey near greetin' masel' whiles. Are ye jist at the second last chapter, auntie? Ay, that'll be whaur ye are." " How do you know that ? " Miss Purvis re- garded with surprise her niece, who was seated too far away to have read the small type of the novelette. " I jist guessed. The second last chapter's aye a bit sad," said Christina. " But it a' comes oot in the wash in the last chapter," she added cheerfully. " It's a peety ye canna keep mind o' that at the sad bits. Eh, auntie?" Miss Purvis smiled slightly. " I'm afraid the stories would not be so interesting if we always remembered that," she said. Christina did not speak for fully a minute. Her expression was thoughtful. " Auntie ! " "Yes, dear?" " I suppose ye like the love-stories the best? " " Oh, well " Miss Purvis hesitated. " Most of the stories I read now are what one might call love-stories. But I used to read other books a great deal— Carlyle, and Ruskin, and " "Was they murder stories?" " Dear me, no ! What an idea ! They weren't stories at all. They were— well, some day you must read them, too, or perhaps I shall read them to you. They are very inspiring." THE GEOGRAPHY LESSON 21 "Are they? I think I like love-stories the best, tae," said Christina. " My ! it's fine when ye come to a rale love3 r -dovey bit whaur the young man proposes " " Really, Christina ! I cannot allow you to talk of such things " " But it's awfu' when the young leddy says she canna except him, because she's got to mairry anither man for his gold ! There some unco bad folk in the stories whiles — oh, terrible bad folk, an' that crool ! D' t ye never feel ye wud like to knock the faces aff the bad yins, auntie? " " I think I had better hear you repeat some of your lessons now," said Miss Purvis. " What about your history and geography?" " Aw, there's nae hurry for them. D'ye no' feel ye wud like to knock " " That was a dreadful thing to say. Do not repeat it, Christina." " But d'ye no' get angry at the bad yins, auntie? " " Of course," Miss Purvis replied, rather firmly, " I am bound to feel indignant with those characters who are responsible for the sufferings of the good people in the story. But we should not allow the desire for cruel venge- ance to animate our " " Och, I believe ye wud knock the stuff- in' oot the bad yins, if ye got the chance, auntie ! " " Hush, Christina ! You must not use such 22 OH! CHRISTINA! language. Try to remember that it is un- maidenly, and that it hurts me." " I'll try," said Christina agreeably. " I say, auntie, did ye ever see onybody proposin' ? " " No, indeed ! Give me your geography." Christina unwillingly handed over the slim volume, and a short silence ensued, during which the aunt found the place. " Now, Christina, where is Liverpool situated, and for what is it noted ? " " We had that last week," said Christina. " Ye're at the wrang page. My ! I wud like fine to see a proposal. Me an' Jessie Ann M'Kirdy followed Miss Carvey an' a young gentleman for three mile on Sunday efternune, awa' through the woods, thinkin' he was gaun to propose, but " " Christina ! " Miss Purvis exclaimed in a horrified voice. " What a shocking thing to do!" " But he didna propose." " I mean that it was shocking of you to spy upon people. You must never do it again." " But I bet Jessie Ann a farden's worth o' slim-jim he wud propose next Sunday. We've been keepin' an e'e on them for a while back. He's been comin' wi' the efternune boat every Seturday since the New Year, an' last Setur- day he was that gled to see her that he fell ower a herrin'-boax on the pier an' smashed his guid bumberstick. An' then he tried to let on he was used to daein' that every day, an' then he gi'ed THE GEOGRAPHY LESSON 23 the pierman a glove instead o' a penny, an' then " " That will do, Christina," said Miss Purvis severely. " I am shocked and grieved at your want of delicacy. But I may tell you that the young gentleman has been betrothed to Miss Carvey since Christmas." " D'ye mean engaged ? " " I do." " Weel, that's an' awfu' drap," said Christina sadly. " I suppose Jessie Ann'll ha'e to get the slim-jim." " Are you in the habit of laying wagers with Jessie Ann M'Kirdy? " The voice of Miss Pur- vis was then nearer to being " awful " than it had ever been, to Christina's ears, at least. " Layin' what ? " the girl stammered. " You spoke just now of a bet " " Oh, that's what ye mean." Christina hesi- tated. " Answer me truthfully, Christina. Are you in the habit of betting with Jessie Ann?" " Whiles," replied Christina, at last, with an effort. " But "—her face cleared a little—" I never lost till this time, auntie." Miss Purvis shook her head in a helpless fashion. " Child," she said solemnly, " don't you un- derstand that it's wrong to bet, whether you win or lose? " " I'll no' dae't again, auntie," said Christina in a whisper. 24 OH! CHRISTINA! " You promise ? " " Uh-ha." " And you will never seek to spy on people? " " I — I'll no' dae't again. But, auntie — it — it wudna be wrang to see a proposal by — by acci- dent — eh ? Supposin' I couldna help seein' " " You would shut your eyes, if you could not turn your back. Now, wouldn't you, my dear? " Christina's better nature won — with a strug- gle. " Uh-ha," she muttered. Whereupon Miss Purvis came over and kissed her, and promised her a whole pennyworth of slim-jim to divide with her fellow-sinner. " Maybe," said Christina reflectively, " I wudna like a real proposal as well as yin in a book. D'ye think it wud be as nice, auntie? " " I'm sure I could not say, dear," her aunt replied, as she reseated herself and opened the geography book. " But now you must put all those ideas out of your head, Christina, and keep them out for years to come. When you want a story to read come to me for it. Don't just read anything you happen to find on the counter. You will have plenty of time for all that later. And now — where is Bristol? " " On the map. I markit it wi' ma pincil. If ye turn back a page " "But whereabouts in England is it?" " Aw, ask me anither ! " said Christina. It was not the geography lesson that kept Christina lying awake that night half-an-hour THE GEOGRAPHY LESSON 25 longer than usual. Mr. Baldwin had called that day, and she had seen him during the dinner hour. " He's an awfu' nice man," she thought in the silence and darkness, " an' I think he's saft on auntie. I wonder if she's saft on him. Oh, I wonder ! But she wudna talk about love when I tried to get her to talk about it. My! It's peculiar! " Ill A ZEALOUS APPKENTICE ON Friday nights Christina went to bed with her hair in a score of tight, thin pigtails, and on Saturday mornings she paid especial attention to her toilet generally; for on Saturdays Miss Purvis allowed her to stand behind the counter, and even to serve those customers who desired such simple wares as newspapers and pins. Miss Purvis hoped that her niece might thus learn something of the stationery and fancy-goods trade, while Chris- tina, a few months after her first appearance in the shop, was privately of the opinion that she could have run the business a great deal bet- ter than her aunt. Christina chafed in secret at not being per- mitted to attend to any customer, irrespective of his or her requirements. She felt that there were many occasions when Miss Purvis failed to effect a sale through sheer lack of repartee — though, of course, that word was not in Chris- tina's vocabulary. But the word " gab " was, and the girl's inward remark was frequently to this effect — " If she gi'ed them mair gab they wud buy mair." 26 A ZEALOUS APPRENTICE 27 But Miss Purvis was too genteel and dignified to chaff or persuade customers. " I endeavour to stock the best of everything, and I can do no more/' she said on one occasion, when a lady had refused to pay fourpence for a hair-net because she had seen them advertised somewhere or other at seven for a shilling. " But ye should ha'e tell't her the chape yins was rotten rubbidge," said Christina. " Were," Miss Purvis gently replied. " And the word rotten is not a nice one. Old wood might sometimes be correctly described as rot- ten " " An' whiles aiples an' plooms an' ither frit," Christina put in. " I yinst got a " " Hush ! " Miss Purvis shuddered. "Weel, ye should ha'e tell't the leddy the chape yins was " " The lady should have known that for her- self." " If I was you, auntie, I wud keep naethin' but chape rubbidge — an' sell it dear when I got the chance. Ay, wud I ! " " That will do, Christina. You know quite well that honesty is the best policy." Christina smiled. " I suppose ye mean that cheatery '11 choke ye," she said. " That will do, Christina." " I dinna believe it. I've seen plenty cheatery, but I never seen it choke onybody," pursued Christina. " I never seen onybody chokit but a baby, an' it was a bit ham that done it, an' the 28 OH! CHRISTINA! baby was ower wee — it wasna a year auld — for to cheat onvbodv." Miss Purvis could not refrain from pointing out that tender infants did not get ham. " They dae in Glesca. I've seen babies gettin' wulks * ; ay, an' " Christina could not understand why at this point her aunt suddenly embraced her, and in a husky voice called her " a poor neglected child." On a certain chilly Saturday forenoon in January aunt and niece were at their posts be- hind the counter. Miss Purvis sat beside the till, crocheting. Christina was adding to the lustre of the stock of hatpins; she breathed loudly on each massive " gem," and then po- lished it with a handful of tissue paper. She liked handling the hatpins better than anything in the shop. Their richness appealed to her. Once Miss Purvis had come in from Sunday evening service to behold her niece, who had a cold, strutting before the small mirror with every pin in the shop thrust through her plain straw hat. But Christina's thoughts on this forenoon were not confined to the glittering vanities. She had done a good stroke of business earlier in the day, and she still brooded upon it with ex- quisite satisfaction. It was a secret which she would not have shared, even with her aunt. Just as the morning boat was taking the pier * Walks -Whilks. A ZEALOUS APPRENTICE 29 a gentleman — a stranger to Christina — had rushed into the shop, thrown down a penny, and gasped for a morning paper. The morning pa- pers had been sold out, but Christina, with a bright smile, handed him a copy of the previous day's issue. Through the window she had watched him staggering down the pier with a heavy bag, and had felt proud and happy ever since. " That's the wey to keep a shope," she tol'd herself. " Mavbe he didna get readin' vester- day's paper," she added, and felt quite virtuous. There had been a long lull in the forenoon's business — not an unusual happening — but at last there were signs that a customer was at hand. The door-handle, which was rather loose, rattled warningly and a face was pressed against the semi-opaque glass. Then the door opened a couple of inches and remained in that position. A sound of whispering reached the ears of Miss Purvis and Christina, both of whom were now standing at attention. At the end of a minute the door closed, and a coin was heard to drop on the doorstep. The ring of metal was followed by a shuffling of feet. Then a silence, during which two faces were pressed against the glass. Once more the door was opened, this time suf- ficiently wide to admit a little boy, of four years of age, whose fat countenance was exceed- ing solemn. The little boy was followed by his sister, a little girl, of seven or so, whose expres- 30 OH! CHRISTINA! sion was no less serious. Very gravely they ad- vanced towards the counter. Christina knew them quite well, but pretended she had never seen them before. The little girl, fixing a cold eye on Miss Pur- vis and jerking her head sideways in the direc- tion of the little boy, said — " He's wantin' to buy something." " And what does he want to buy, my dear? " Miss Purvis asked pleasantly. " He doesna ken," said the little girl. " Ay, I ken ! " said the little boy in a voice hoarse with excitement or indignation — per- haps both. " Weel, what dae ye want to buy? " " A penny thing." Miss Purvis turned to the little boy. " Is it a toy you wish to buy?" she inquired kindly. The little boy gaped, and his sister replied — " He wudna tell me, but I suppose it's a toy. It's a toy ye're wantin', Jimsie? " Jimsie shook his head violently. " Come on, noo, Jimsie, tell us what ye're wantin' to buy," his sister said persuasively. " Come on, tell us ! " " A scooter," said the boy in a low voice. " But ye canna get a scooter. Maw said ye wasna to get a scooter, an' ye promised ye wudna ask for yin." " But I want yin." The little girl turned from him impatiently. A ZEALOUS APPRENTICE 31 " Ha'e ye ony scooters ? " she demanded, with a warning wink at Miss Purvis. Miss Purvis looked blank. " She means things for sookin' in watter an' scootin' it oot again," put in Christina; adding, " we dinna keep them." "No; I don't keep them, my dear," said Miss Purvis. " There, ye see, Jimsie ! " the little girl cried triumphantly. " She doesna keep scooters, so ye canna get yin." Whereupon Jimsie sobbed freely till the penny slipped from his clutch, and he forgot his grief in searching for it. " Christina," said Miss Purvis, " bring for- ward some toys. Perhaps James will see some- thing he fancies." " I canna see onything," complained Jimsie, whose nose was touching the edge of the counter. Promptly his sister seized him in her arms, and bundled him upon a chair standing against the counter, on which Christina had just laid a small tin boat on wheels and a monkey on a stick. " Bring a lot of toys," whispered Miss Purvis. " If I bring a lot, he'll no' ken what to choose," muttered her niece. "Do as I tell you, Christina!" " Hooch, ay ! " said Christina resignedly, and brought a dozen different articles. Jimsie began to play with the monkey on the 32 OH! CHRISTINA! stick. Christina watched the monkey going up and down till she could bear it no longer. " Are ye gaun to buy it, Jiinsie ? " she asked sharply. " Hush, Christina ! " said her aunt. " It's nane o' your business, Teeny," said the little girl, putting out her tongue. Christina ignored her. " If ye spile the works, ye'll ha'e to buy it! " she said to the little boy. " Hush, Christina ! " The little boy laid down the monkey, and Christina snatched it from the counter. " He'll maybe buy it yet," said Jimsie's sis- ster. " He aye tak's a whiley to mak' up his mind. See, Jimsie! Here an' awfu' nice wee boat " " It winna sail," the boy objected. " But it'll hurl.* Wud ye no' like a watch an' chain ? Eh ? Weel, here a wee motor-caur. Is that no' nate, Jimsie? I'm shair ye wud like it fine. Ye wud like the trumpet? Blaw it, Jimsie. It's fine an' lood." Jimsie blew it till he was breathless. " If he blaws it again, he'll ha'e to buy it," said Christina in a loud whisper. " Hush, Christina ! " After further consideration, Jimsie decided against the trumpet. Christina removed it from the counter and scrutinized it to see if he had bitten the mouth-piece. " Weel, Jimsie," the little girl inquired, " if ye're no' for the trumpet, what are ye for? " * Hurl=ride (vehicle). A ZEALOUS APPRENTICE 33 " I dinna ken," replied Jimsie, as he picked up a toy in each hand. " I tell't ye, auntie ! " Christina muttered. " He canna chose his pick wi' sae mony things." " Hush, Christina ! " "Oh, hush-a-baw-baby ! " said Christina crossly. At the end of twenty minutes the little boy slid from his chair, and, drawing down his sis- ter's shoulder, whispered earnestly in her ear. "Ye should ha'e said that afore," said his sister, without, however, any displeasure. In fact, she smiled a little smile of satisfaction. She turned to Miss Purvis and calmly said — " He wants to buy sweeties wi' his penny." Then, taking hands, the twain moved to the door. A moment later Christina had whipped round the counter, and was at the door ere they could close it. The children fled. " Christina, where are you going? " Without answering, Christina ran out. In a few minutes she reappeared, smiling cheerfully, and gently pushing the children be- fore her. " He's gaun to buy the monkey," she an- nounced to her aunt. At the same time she took the monkey from the far-end of the coun- ter, where she had left it, and handed it to Jimsie, receiving his penny in exchange. 34 OH! CHRISTINA! She then guided the silent children, who had rather a dazed look, to the door, and saw them safely outside. " Christina," said Miss Purvis, on recovering from her amazement, " what did you say to those children ? " " Never heed," returned Christina, spinning the warm penny on the counter. " You must tell me." " Oh, weel, I jist tell't them I wud gi'e them the nick " "The what?" " The polis — ye ken awfu' little, auntie." " The police ! " Miss Purvis exclaimed, ig- noring the depreciatory remark. " What for?" " For pretendin' they was gaun to buy, an' no' buyin'. So they was feart, an' cam' back an' bocht the monkey. There ye are! That's the second penny — that's a penny I've saved ye the day. What's ado?" " Oh, Christina, Christina ! I'm vexed with you ! " "Hoothat?" Miss Purvis drew herself up. She pointed to the penny on the counter. " That's your Saturday penny, Christina " " Thenk ye, auntie." " You will run after the children at once, give them that penny, and tell them to buy sweets with it — from yourself." " No' likely ! " A ZEALOUS APPRENTICE 35 "Then I must do so myself," said Miss Purvis. There was a silence. " Aweel," said the girl slowly. " I'll gang." She went round to the door. " What'll I dae if he's broke the monkey ? " " You have nothing to do with the monkey. I expect you'll find the little boy crying because of your cruelty." Christina's expression softened. " I didna mean for to be crool," she said. " I— I'll gi'e him ma penny." She went out, and closed the door behind her. Then she opened it a few inches. " A' the same," she said, more in sorrow than in anger, " ye dinna ken hoo to keep a shope, auntie." IV IN FULL CHARGE WHEN the doctor had gone Miss Pur- vis, who was lying on the shabby old sofa in the living-room, turned to her niece, and, with a groan of despair, said — " This is a dreadful predicament, Christina. I'm sure I don't know what is to be done. It will be three days at least before I can stand." " Och, never you heed, auntie," said Chris- tina kindly and reassuringly. " I'll luk efter ye." "Yes, dear; but who's to look after the shop?" " I'll manage that fine," said Christina promptly, unable to repress a snigger of satis- faction. Miss Purvis did not know what to say; she shrank from hurting the girl's feelings. So she groaned again. " Is yer fit hurtin' ye, auntie?" " Not now. The doctor has made it much easier with the bandages. But nothing could have been more unfortunate than a sprained ankle." " It wud ha'e been mair unfortunate if ye had broke yer neck. I've been expectin' ye to 36 IN FULL CHARGE 37 hurt yersel' for a while back." Christina spoke almost severely. " Ye're no' soople enough for sclimin' ladders. Ye should let me dae that. But it was a guid thing ye fell afore ye got the haud o' the gum bottles. A dizzen o' gum wud ha'e made an awfu' mess " " And I might have been severely wounded," said Miss Purvis. " So ye might. I never thocht o' that. 'Deed, ye've a heap to be thankfu' for — ha'e ye no'?" Miss Purvis smiled in spite of her mental and physical discomfort. " You're an extraordinary girl, Christina ! " "Hoo that?" " I think," said her aunt, evading the ques- tion, " I think you may shut the front door now. It was certainly fortunate that my accident oc- curred when business was over for the day. When you have shut the door, bring me the account-file and the cash-box. Mr. Baldwin will be calling to-morrow, and I must have his money ready for you to pay to him." " Could Baldyin no' come ben an' see ye here, auntie? " " Certainly not ! " cried Miss Purvis, flushing. "What wey that?" " Oh, you don't understand, Christina. It would be most improper. And — er — his name is Mr. Baldicin." " Ay, I ken. But I canna help ca'in' him 38 OH! CHRISTINA! Baldyin, for he is a bald yin." Christina laughed heartily. " That will do, Christina," said her aunt re- provingly. " Go at once and shut the door. Then I shall instruct you regarding to-morrow. I do hope you will be careful and discreet." " Hooch, ay ! " Christina replied, and left Miss Purvis full of forebodings, which forebod- ings did not decrease during the watches of the night. Christina was up betimes. First she ran down to the pier to receive the parcel of morn- ing papers from the early boat. Then she de- livered copies at certain houses. Then she re- turned to the shop, which she had locked up behind her, opened it, and arranged the remain- ing papers on the counter. Then she made breakfast, after which she assisted her aunt to dress. " Well, dear," Miss Purvis gratefully re- marked, " if you end the day as well as you have begun it, I'm sure I'll be very proud of you." " Oh, dinna fash yersel', auntie. I'll no' gi'e onything awa' for naethin'." " But I trust you will be circumspect and discreet. Some customers, you know, are very easily offended; all customers must be treated respectfully. You promise to be careful?" Christina nodded her head vigorously. " And try to speak nicely," continued Miss IN FULL CHARGE 39 Purvis. " Now here is Mr. Baldwin's account and the money to pay it " " Ony discoont? " " No ; Mr. Baldwin's firm does not allow dis- count." " We'll ha'e to see about that ! " " Christina ! You promised to be discreet." " A' richt," said Christina, not satisfied, how- ever. " And here," went on Miss Purvis, " is a list of goods to be ordered from Mr. Baldwin. You may read it over." The girl read it over, frowning. " If I was you," she said at last, " I wudna get ony mair o' thae penny whustles. They're no' in the noo. An' cheeny dolls is oot, tae. An' ye've forgot to pit doon peevers,* an' " " I haven't sold a peever for years," Miss Purvis interrupted. " Ye canna expect to sell onything if ye dinna keep it. Get a dizzen o' peevers, an' I'll shin f get the lassies to buy them. I'm a dab at the peever, and I'll set the fashion. But I wudna get ony mair cheeny dolls nor " Miss Purvis snatched away the list, and cried irritably, " If you can't promise to do exactly as you are told, Christina, I shan't allow you be- hind the counter again. I'll simply shut the shop until I am better." " Ye canna shut the shope frae whaur ye are," Christina calmly returned, " unless ye hap' a' * P