Book: St. Nicholas Magazine for Boys and Girls, Vol. 5, May, 1878, No. 7.

V >> Various >> St. Nicholas Magazine for Boys and Girls, Vol. 5, May, 1878, No. 7.




Then she was so happy herself, it was impossible for those about her to
be sad, and Ben soon grew cheerful again in spite of the very tender
memory of his father laid quietly away in the safest corner of his
heart. He would have been a very unboyish boy if he had _not_ been
happy, for the new place was such a pleasant one, he soon felt as if
for the first time he really had a home.

No more grubbing now, but daily tasks which never grew tiresome, they
were so varied and so light. No more cross Pats to try his temper, but
the sweetest mistress that ever was, since praise was oftener on her
lips than blame, and gratitude made willing service a delight.

At first it seemed as if there was going to be trouble between the two
boys, for Thorny was naturally masterful, and illness had left him weak
and nervous, so he was often both domineering and petulant. Ben had
been taught instant obedience to those older than himself, and if
Thorny had been a man Ben would have made no complaint; but it _was_
hard to be "ordered round" by a boy, and an unreasonable one into the
bargain.

A word from Miss Celia blew away the threatening cloud, however, and
for her sake her brother promised to try to be patient; for her sake
Ben declared he never would "get mad" if Mr. Thorny did fidget, and
both very soon forgot all about master and man and lived together like
two friendly lads, taking each other's ups and downs good-naturedly,
and finding mutual pleasure and profit in the new companionship.

The only point on which they never _could_ agree was legs, and many a
hearty laugh did they give Miss Celia by their warm and serious
discussion of this vexed question. Thorny insisted that Ben was
bow-legged; Ben resented the epithet, and declared that the legs of all
good horsemen must have a slight curve, and any one who knew anything
about the matter would acknowledge both its necessity and its beauty.
Then Thorny would observe that it might be all very well in the saddle,
but it made a man waddle like a duck when afoot; whereat Ben would
retort that for his part he would rather waddle like a duck than tumble
about like a horse with the staggers. He had his opponent there, for
poor Thorny did look very like a weak-kneed colt when he tried to walk;
but he would never own it, and came down upon Ben with crushing
allusions to centaurs, or the Greeks and Romans, who were famous both
for their horsemanship and fine limbs. Ben could not answer that,
except by proudly referring to the chariot-races copied from the
ancients in which _he_ had borne a part, which was more than _some
folks_ with long legs could say. Gentlemen never did that sort of
thing, nor did they twit their best friends with their misfortunes,
Thorny would remark, casting a pensive glance at his thin hands,
longing the while to give Ben a good shaking. This hint would remind
the other of his young master's late sufferings and all he owed his
dear mistress, and he usually ended the controversy by turning a few
lively somersaults as a vent for his swelling wrath, and come up with
his temper all right again. Or, if Thorny happened to be in the wheeled
chair, he would trot him round the garden at a pace which nearly took
his breath away, thereby proving that if "bow-legs" were not beautiful
to some benighted being, they _were_ "good to go."

Thorny liked that, and would drop the subject for the time by politely
introducing some more agreeable topic; so the impending quarrel would
end in a laugh over some boyish joke, and the word "legs" be avoided by
mutual consent till accident brought it up again.

The spirit of rivalry is hidden in the best of us, and is a helpful and
inspiring power if we know how to use it. Miss Celia knew this, and
tried to make the lads help one another by means of it,--not in
boastful or ungenerous comparison of each other's gifts, but by
interchanging them, giving and taking freely, kindly, and being glad to
love what was admirable wherever they found it. Thorny admired Ben's
strength, activity, and independence; Ben envied Thorny's learning,
good manners, and comfortable surroundings; and, when a wise word had
set the matter rightly before them, both enjoyed the feeling that there
was a certain equality between them, since money could not buy health;
and practical knowledge was as useful as any that can be found in
books. So they interchanged their small experiences, accomplishments,
and pleasures, and both were the better, as well as the happier, for
it, because in this way only can we truly love our neighbor as ourself
and get the real sweetness out of life.

There was no end to the new and pleasant things Ben had to do, from
keeping paths and flower-beds neat, feeding the pets, and running
errands, to waiting on Thorny and being right-hand man to Miss Celia.
He had a little room in the old house, newly papered with hunting
scenes, which he was never tired of admiring. In the closet hung
several out-grown suits of Thorny's, made over for his valet, and, what
Ben valued infinitely more, a pair of boots, well blacked and ready for
grand occasions when he rode abroad, with one old spur, found in the
attic, brightened up and merely worn for show, since nothing would have
induced him to prick beloved Lita with it.

Many pictures, cut from illustrated papers, of races, animals and
birds, were stuck round the room, giving it rather the air of a circus
and menagerie. This, however, made it only the more home-like to its
present owner, who felt exceedingly rich and respectable as he surveyed
his premises; almost like a retired showman who still fondly remembers
past successes, though now happy in the more private walks of life.

In one drawer of the quaint little bureau which he used, were kept the
relics of his father; very few and poor, and of no interest to any one
but himself,--only the letter telling of his death, a worn-out
watch-chain, and a photograph of Senor Jose Montebello, with his
youthful son standing on his head, both airily attired, and both
smiling with the calmly superior expression which gentlemen of their
profession usually wear in public. Ben's other treasures had been
stolen with his bundle; but these he cherished and often looked at when
he went to bed, wondering what heaven was like, since it was lovelier
than California, and usually fell asleep with a dreamy impression that
it must be something like America when Columbus found it,--"a pleasant
land, where were gay flowers and tall trees, with leaves and fruit such
as they had never seen before." And through this happy hunting-ground
"father" was forever riding on a beautiful white horse with wings, like
the one of which Miss Celia had a picture.

Nice times Ben had in his little room poring over his books, for he
soon had several of his own; but his favorites were Hammerton's
"Animals" and "Our Dumb Friends," both full of interesting pictures and
anecdotes such as boys love. Still nicer times working about the house,
helping get things in order; and best of all were the daily drives with
Miss Celia and Thorny, when weather permitted, or solitary rides to
town through the heaviest rain, for certain letters _must_ go and come,
no matter how the elements raged. The neighbors soon got used to the
"antics of that boy," but Ben knew that he was an object of interest as
he careered down the main street in a way that made old ladies cry out
and brought people flying to the window, sure that some one was being
run away with. Lita enjoyed the fun as much as he, and apparently did
her best to send him heels over head, having rapidly learned to
understand the signs he gave her by the touch of hand and foot, or the
tones of his voice.

These performances caused the boys to regard Ben Brown with intense
admiration, the girls with timid awe, all but Bab, who burned to
imitate him, and tried her best whenever she got a chance, much to the
anguish and dismay of poor Jack, for that long-suffering animal was the
only steed she was allowed to ride. Fortunately, neither she nor Betty
had much time for play just now, as school was about to close for the
long vacation, and all the little people were busy finishing up, that
they might go to play with free minds. So the "lilac-parties," as they
called them, were deferred till later, and the lads amused themselves
in their own way, with Miss Celia to suggest and advise.

It took Thorny a long time to arrange his possessions, for he could
only direct while Ben unpacked, wondering and admiring as he worked,
because he had never seen so many boyish treasures before. The little
printing-press was his especial delight, and leaving everything else in
confusion, Thorny taught him its use and planned a newspaper on the
spot, with Ben for printer, himself for editor, and "Sister" for chief
contributor, while Bab should be carrier and Betty office-boy. Next
came a postage-stamp book, and a rainy day was happily spent in pasting
a new collection where each particular one belonged, with copious
explanations from Thorny as they went along. Ben did not feel any great
interest in this amusement after one trial of it, but when a book
containing patterns of the flags of all nations turned up, he was
seized with a desire to copy them _all_, so that the house could be
fitly decorated on gala occasions. Finding that it amused her brother,
Miss Celia generously opened her piece-drawer and rag-bag, and as the
mania grew till her resources were exhausted, she bought bits of gay
cambric and many-colored papers, and startled the storekeeper by
purchasing several bottles of mucilage at once. Bab and Betty were
invited to sew the bright strips or stars, and pricked their little
fingers assiduously, finding this sort of needle-work much more
attractive than piecing bed-quilts.

Such a snipping and pasting, planning and stitching as went on in the
big back room, which was given up to them, and such a noble array of
banners and pennons as soon decorated its walls, would have caused the
dullest eye to brighten with amusement, if not with admiration. Of
course, the Stars and Stripes hung highest, with the English lion
ramping on the royal standard close by; then followed a regular
picture-gallery, for there was the white elephant of Siam, the splendid
peacock of Burmah, the double-headed Russian eagle and black dragon of
China, the winged lion of Venice, and the prancing pair on the red,
white and blue flag of Holland. The keys and miter of the Papal States
were a hard job, but up they went at last, with the yellow crescent of
Turkey on one side and the red full moon of Japan on the other; the
pretty blue and white flag of Greece hung below and the cross of free
Switzerland above. If materials had held out, the flags of all the
United States would have followed; but paste and patience were
exhausted, so the busy workers rested awhile before they "flung their
banner to the breeze," as the newspapers have it.

A spell of ship building and rigging followed the flag fit; for Thorny,
feeling too old now for such toys, made over his whole fleet to "the
children," condescending, however, to superintend a thorough repairing
of the same before he disposed of all but the big man-of-war, which
continued to ornament his own room, with all sail set and a little red
officer perpetually waving his sword on the quarter-deck.

These gifts led to out-of-door water-works, for the brook had to be
dammed up, that a shallow ocean might be made, where Ben's piratical
"Red Rover," with the black flag, might chase and capture Bab's smart
frigate, "Queen," while the "Bounding Betsey," laden with lumber,
safely sailed from Kennebunkport to Massachusetts Bay. Thorny, from his
chair, was chief-engineer, and directed his gang of one how to dig the
basin, throw up the embankment, and finally let in the water till the
mimic ocean was full; then regulate the little water-gate, lest it
should overflow and wreck the pretty squadron of ships, boats, canoes,
and rafts, which soon rode at anchor there.

Digging and paddling in mud and water proved such a delightful pastime
that the boys kept it up, till a series of water-wheels, little mills
and cataracts made the once quiet brook look as if a manufacturing
town was about to spring up where hitherto minnows had played in peace
and the retiring frog had chanted his serenade unmolested.

Miss Celia liked all this, for anything which would keep Thorny happy
out-of-doors in the sweet June weather found favor in her eyes, and
when the novelty had worn off from home affairs, she planned a series
of exploring expeditions which filled their boyish souls with delight.
As none of them knew much about the place, it really was quite exciting
to start off on a bright morning with a roll of wraps and cushions,
lunch, books, and drawing materials packed into the phaeton, and drive
at random about the shady roads and lanes, pausing when and where they
liked. Wonderful discoveries were made, pretty places were named, plans
were drawn, and all sorts of merry adventures befell the pilgrims.

Each day they camped in a new spot, and while Lita nibbled the fresh
grass at her ease, Miss Celia sketched under the big umbrella, Thorny
read or lounged or slept on his rubber blanket, and Ben made himself
generally useful. Unloading, filling the artist's water-bottle, piling
the invalid's cushions, setting out the lunch, running to and fro for a
flower or a butterfly, climbing a tree to report the view, reading,
chatting, or frolicking with Sancho,--any sort of duty was in Ben's
line, and he did them all well, for an out-of-door life was natural to
him and he liked it.

"Ben, I want an amanuensis," said Thorny, dropping book and pencil one
day, after a brief interval of silence, broken only by the whisper of
the young leaves overhead and the soft babble of the brook close by.

"A what?" asked Ben, pushing back his hat with such an air of amazement
that Thorny rather loftily inquired:

"Don't you know what an amanuensis is?"

"Well, no; not unless it's some relation to an anaconda. Shouldn't
think you'd want one of them, anyway."

Thorny rolled over with a hoot of derision, and his sister, who sat
close by, sketching an old gate, looked up to see what was going on.

"Well, you needn't laugh at a feller. _You_ didn't know what a wombat
was when I asked you, and _I_ didn't roar," said Ben, giving his hat a
slap, as nothing else was handy.

"The idea of wanting an anaconda tickled me so, I couldn't help it. I
dare say you'd have got me one if I _had_ asked for it, you are such an
obliging chap."

"Of course I would if I could. Shouldn't be surprised if you did some
day, you want such funny things," answered Ben, appeased by the
compliment.

"I'll try the amanuensis first. It's only some one to write for me; I
get so tired doing it without a table. You write well enough, and it
will be good for you to know something about botany. I intend to teach
you, Ben," said Thorny, as if conferring a great favor.

"It looks pretty hard," muttered Ben, with a doleful glance at the book
laid open upon a strew of torn leaves and flowers.

"No, it isn't; it's regularly jolly, and you'd be no end of a help if
you only knew a little. Now suppose I say, 'Bring me a "ranunculus
bulbosus,"' how would you know what I wanted?" demanded Thorny, waving
his microscope with a learned air.

"Shouldn't."

"There are quantities of them all round us, and I want to analyze one.
See if you can't guess."

Ben stared vaguely from earth to sky, and was about to give it up, when
a buttercup fell at his feet, and he caught sight of Miss Celia smiling
at him from behind her brother, who did not see the flower.

"S'pose you mean this? _I_ don't call 'em rhinocerus bulburses, so I
wasn't sure." And taking the hint as quickly as it was given, Ben
presented the buttercup as if he knew all about it.

"You guessed that remarkably well. Now bring me a 'leontodon
taraxacum,'" said Thorny, charmed with the quickness of his pupil and
glad to display his learning.

Again Ben gazed, but the field was full of early flowers, and if a long
pencil had not pointed to a dandelion close by he would have been lost.

"Here you are, sir," he answered with a chuckle, and Thorny took his
turn at being astonished now.

"How the dickens did you know that?"

"Try it again, and may be you'll find out," laughed Ben.

Diving hap-hazard into his book, Thorny demanded a "trifolium
pratense."

The clever pencil pointed, and Ben brought a red clover, mightily
enjoying the joke, and thinking that _this_ kind of botany wasn't bad
fun.

"Look here, no fooling!" and Thorny sat up to investigate the matter,
so quickly that his sister had not time to sober down. "Ah, I've caught
you! Not fair to tell, Celia. Now, Ben, you've _got_ to learn all about
this buttercup, to pay for cheating."

"Werry good, sir; bring on your rhinoceriouses," answered Ben, who
couldn't help imitating his old friend the clown when he felt
particularly jolly.

"Sit there and write what I tell you," ordered Thorny, with all the
severity of a strict schoolmaster.

Perching himself on the mossy stump, Ben obediently floundered through
the following analysis, with constant help in the spelling and much
private wonder what would come of it:

"Phaenogamous. Exogenous. Angiosperm. Polypetalous. Stamens, more than
ten. Stamens on the receptacle. Pistils, more than one and separate.
Leaves without stipules. Crowfoot family. Genus ranunculus. Botanical
name, Ranunculus bulbosus."

"Jerusalem, what a flower! Pistols and crows' feet, and Polly put the
kettles on, and Angy sperms and all the rest of 'em! If that's your
botany I wont take any more, thank you," said Ben, as he paused as hot
and red as if he had been running a race.

"Yes, you will; you'll learn that all by heart, and then I shall give
you a dandelion to do. You'll like that, because it means _dent de
lion_ or lion's teeth, and I'll show them to you through my glass.
You've no idea how interesting it is, and what heaps of pretty things
you'll see," answered Thorny, who had already discovered how charming
the study was, and had found great satisfaction in it since he had been
forbidden more active pleasures.

"What's the good of it, any way?" asked Ben, who would rather have been
set to mowing the big field than to the task before him.

"It tells all about it in my book here--'Gray's Botany for Young
People.' But I can tell you what use it is to _us_," continued Thorny,
crossing his legs in the air and preparing to argue the matter,
comfortably lying flat on his back. "_We_ are a Scientific Exploration
Society, and we must keep an account of all the plants, animals,
minerals and so on, as we come across them. Then suppose we get lost
and have to hunt for food, how are we to know what is safe and what
isn't? Come, now, do you know the difference between a toad-stool and a
mushroom?"

"No, I don't."

"Then I'll teach you some day. There is sweet flag and poisonous flag,
and all sorts of berries and things, and you'd better look out when you
are in the woods or you'll touch ivy and dogwood, and have a horrid
time if you don't know your botany."

"Thorny learned much of his by sad experience and you will be wise to
take his advice," said Miss Celia, recalling her brother's various
mishaps before the new fancy came on.

"Didn't I have a time of it, though, when I had to go round for a week
with plantain leaves and cream stuck all over my face! Just picked some
pretty red dogwood, Ben, and then I was a regular guy, with a face like
a lobster and my eyes swelled out of sight. Come along and learn right
away, and never get into scrapes like most fellows."

Impressed by this warning, and attracted by Thorny's enthusiasm, Ben
cast himself down upon the blanket, and for an hour the two heads
bobbed to and fro from microscope to book, the teacher airing his small
knowledge, the pupil more and more interested in the new and curious
things he saw or heard,--though it must be confessed that Ben
infinitely preferred to watch ants and bugs, queer little worms and
gauzy-winged flies, rather than "putter" over plants with long names.
He did not dare to say so, however, but when Thorny asked him if it
wasn't capital fun, he dodged cleverly by proposing to hunt up the
flowers for his master to study, offering to learn about the dangerous
ones, but pleading want of time to investigate this pleasing science
very deeply.

As Thorny had talked himself hoarse, he was very ready to dismiss his
class of one to fish the milk-bottle out of the brook, and recess was
prolonged till next day. But both boys found a new pleasure in the
pretty pastime they made of it, for active Ben ranged the woods and
fields with a tin box slung over his shoulder, and feeble Thorny had a
little room fitted up for his own use where he pressed flowers in
newspaper books, dried herbs on the walls, had bottles and cups, pans
and platters for his treasures, and made as much litter as he liked.

Presently, Ben brought such lively accounts of the green nooks where
jacks-in-the-pulpit preached their little sermons, brooks beside which
grew blue violets and lovely ferns, rocks round which danced the
columbines like rosy elves, or the trees where birds built, squirrels
chattered and woodchucks burrowed, that Thorny was seized with a desire
to go and see these beauties for himself. So Jack was saddled and went,
plodding, scrambling and wandering into all manner of pleasant places,
always bringing home a stronger, browner rider than he carried away.

This delighted Miss Celia, and she gladly saw them ramble off together,
leaving her time to stitch happily at certain dainty bits of sewing,
write voluminous letters, or dream over others quite as long, swinging
in her hammock under the lilacs.



CHAPTER XIII.

SOMEBODY RUNS AWAY.


"School is done,
Now we'll have fun,"

sung Bab and Betty, slamming down their books as if they never meant to
take them up again, when they came home on the last day of June.

Tired teacher had dismissed them for eight whole weeks and gone away to
rest; the little school-house was shut up, lessons were over, spirits
rising fast, and vacation had begun. The quiet town seemed suddenly
inundated with children all in such a rampant state that busy mothers
wondered how they ever should be able to keep their frisky darlings out
of mischief; thrifty fathers planned how they could bribe the idle
hands to pick berries or rake hay; and the old folks, while wishing the
young folks well, secretly blessed the man who invented schools.

The girls immediately began to talk about picnics, and have them, too;
for little hats sprung up in the fields like a new sort of
mushroom,--every hill-side bloomed with gay gowns, looking as if the
flowers had gone out for a walk, and the woods were full of featherless
birds chirping away as blithely as the thrushes, robins, and wrens.

The boys took to base-ball like ducks to water, and the common was the
scene of tremendous battles waged with much tumult but little
bloodshed. To the uninitiated it appeared as if these young men had
lost their wits; for no matter how warm it was, there they were,
tearing about in the maddest manner, jackets off, sleeves rolled up,
queer caps flung on anyway, all batting shabby leather balls and
catching the same as if their lives depended on it. Every one talking
in his gruffest tone, bawling at the top of his voice, squabbling over
every point of the game, and seeming to enjoy himself immensely in
spite of the heat, dust, uproar, and imminent danger of getting eyes or
teeth knocked out.

Thorny was an excellent player, but not being strong enough to show his
prowess, he made Ben his proxy, and, sitting on the fence, acted as
umpire to his heart's content. Ben was a promising pupil and made rapid
progress, for eye, foot, and hand had been so well trained that they
did him good service now, and Brown was considered a first-rate
"catcher."

Sancho distinguished himself by his skill in hunting up stray balls,
and guarding jackets when not needed, with the air of one of the Old
Guard on duty at the tomb of Napoleon. Bab also longed to join in the
fun, which suited her better than "stupid picnics" or "fussing over
dolls;" but her heroes would not have her at any price, and she was
obliged to content herself with sitting by Thorny, and watching with
breathless interest the varying fortunes of "our side."

A grand match was planned for the Fourth of July; but when the club
met, things were found to be unpropitious. Thorny had gone out of town
with his sister to pass the day, two of the best players did not
appear, and the others were somewhat exhausted by the festivities,
which began at sunrise for them. So they lay about on the grass in the
shade of the big elm, languidly discussing their various wrongs and
disappointments.

"It's the meanest Fourth I ever saw. Can't have no crackers, because
somebody's horse got scared last year," growled Sam Kitteridge,
bitterly resenting the stern edict which forbade free-born citizens to
burn as much gunpowder as they liked on that glorious day.

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