CHAPTER II
REBECCA'S SECRET
Mr. Weston looked down smilingly at his little daughter. He wasevidently amused at her excitement.
"Is this the little girl who was born in loyal Boston?" he questioned;for Rebecca was six years of age and Anna three when their parents cameto this far-off place to make their home. Eastern Maine was then awilderness, and this little village was not connected with the outsideworld except by the Indian trails or by the sailing craft which plied upand down the coast. But its citizens were soon to write a page ofheroism and valor in their country's history.
"Of course Machias is to have a liberty pole," continued Mr. Weston. "Ithas been so decided by a vote in a town meeting; and Dan and I willstart off in good season to-morrow morning to look for the finest pinesapling in the forest. It will be a great day for the village when 'tisset up, with its waving green plume to show that we are pledged toresist England's injustice to her long-suffering colonies."
It was the custom to leave a tuft of verdure at the top of the libertytree as an emblem, the best they had at command, of the flag they meantto fight for.
Before her father had finished speaking Rebecca had relinquished hergrasp on his arm and ran toward the cupboard, and neither her father normother gave much thought to her anxious question. The venison was justready to serve, and Mrs. Weston hurried from the fireplace to the table,on which Rebecca had now placed the dishes, while Mr. Weston and Annatalked happily together over the proposed excursion on the followingday.
"I am afraid that we may have to postpone our journey," said Mr. Weston,"for I noticed the gulls were coming in flocks close to the shores, andyou know:
"'When sea-birds fly to land A storm is at hand.'"
"But look at Malty," responded Anna quickly, pointing to the fat Maltesecat who was industriously washing her face:
"'If the cat washes her face over the ear 'Tis a sign the weather'll be fine and clear,'"
quoted the little girl; "and you told me 'twas a sure sign, Father; and'tis what Matty is doing this minute."
"To be sure," laughed Mr. Weston, "both are sure signs, and so we willhope for fair weather."
Rebecca was very silent at dinner, and as the sisters began to clearaway the dishes Anna watched her with troubled eyes.
"Perhaps it's because I called her 'Rebby,'" thought the little girlregretfully. "I'll tell her I am sorry," and when their mother left thekitchen Anna whispered:
"Flora, I forgot when I called you 'Rebby.' But I will now surelyremember. You are not vexed at me, are you?" and Anna leaned her headagainst her sister's arm and looked up at her pleadingly.
Rebecca sniffed a little, as if trying to keep back the tears. Shewished she could talk over her worries with Anna; but of course thatwould never do.
"I believe I'd rather be called 'Rebby,'" she managed to say, to thesurprise of her younger sister. "Do you suppose they really mean to putup a liberty pole?"
"Of course," responded Anna. "I heard the minister say that it must bedone."
Rebby sighed dolefully. She was old enough to understand the talk sheheard constantly of His Majesty's ships of war capturing the Americanfishing sloops, and of the many troubles caused to peaceable Americansall along the coast; and she, like all the American children, knew thattheir rights must be defended; but Lucia Horton's talk had frightenedand confused Rebecca's thoughts. To set up a liberty pole now seemed toher a most dangerous thing to do, and something that would bring onlytrouble.
She wished with all her heart that she could tell her father all thatLucia had told her. But that she could not do because of her promise.Rebecca knew that a promise was a sacred thing, not to be broken.
"Rebby, will you not go to the bluff with me? 'Twill be pleasant therethis afternoon, and we could see the _Polly_ if she chances to come intoharbor to-day," said Anna.
"You had best ask Luretta Foster, Danna," she answered quickly. "I amsure Mother will want my help with her quilting this afternoon."
Rebby so often played at being "grown up" that this reply did notsurprise Anna, and she ran off to find her mother and ask permission togo to the shore with Luretta Foster, a girl of about her own age. Mrs.Weston gave her consent, and in a few moments the little girl wasrunning along the river path toward the blacksmith shop where a shortpath led to Luretta's home.
Anna often thought that there could not be another little girl in allthe world as pretty as Luretta. Luretta was not as tall or as stronglymade as Anna; her eyes were as blue as the smooth waters of the harboron a summer's day; her hair was as yellow as the floss on an ear ofcorn, and her skin was not tanned brown like Anna's, but was fair anddelicate. Beside her Anna looked more like a boy than ever. But Lurettaadmired Anna's brown eyes and short curly hair, and was quite sure thatthere was no other little girl who could do or say such clever things asAnna Weston. So the two little girls were always well pleased with eachother's company, and to-day Luretta was quite ready to go down to theshore and watch for the _Polly_. Mrs. Foster tied on the big sunbonnetwhich Luretta always wore out-of-doors, and the two friends started off.
"Will it not be fine if the _Polly_ reaches harbor to-day?" said Anna."My father says she will bring sugar and molasses and spices, and it maybe the _Unity_ will come sailing in beside her loaded with things fromfar lands. Do you not wish our fathers were captains of fine sloops,Luretta, so that perhaps we could go sailing off to Boston?"
But Luretta shook her head. "I'd much rather journey by land," sheanswered; "but 'tis said the _Polly_ is to bring a fine silk gown forMistress Lyon; 'tis a present from her sister in Boston, and two dollsfor Melvina Lyon. Why is it that ministers' daughters have so manygifts?" and Luretta sighed. Her only doll was made of wood, and, thoughit was very dear to her, Luretta longed for a doll with a china head andhands, such as the fortunate little daughter of the minister alreadypossessed.
"I care not for Melvina Lyon, if she be a minister's daughter," Annaresponded bravely. "She can do nothing but sew and knit and make finecakes, and read from grown-up books. She is never allowed to gofishing, or wade in the cove on warm days, or go off in the woods as Ido. I doubt if Melvina Lyon could tell the difference 'twixt a partridgeand heron, or if she could tell a spruce tree from a fir. And as forpresents, hers are of no account. They are but dolls, and silverthimbles and silk aprons. Why! did not my father bring me home a finebeaver skin for a hood, and a pair of duck's wings, and a pair ofmoccasins the very last time he went north!" And Anna, out of breath,looked at her friend triumphantly.
"But Melvina's things are all bought in stores in big towns, and yourpresents are all from the woods, just as if you were a little Indiangirl," objected Luretta, who greatly admired the ruffled gowns ofMelvina's dolls, such as no other little girl in the settlementpossessed.
Anna made no response to this; but she was surprised that Luretta shouldnot think as she did about the value of her gifts, and rather vexed thatMelvina Lyon should be praised by her own particular friend.
The girls had passed the sawmill and lumber yard, and now turned fromthe well-traveled path to climb a hill where they could catch the firstglimpse of any sail entering the harbor. Farther along this bluff stoodthe church, not yet quite finished, and beyond it the house of theminister, the Reverend James Lyon, whose little daughter, Melvina, wassaid to be the best behaved and the smartest girl in the settlement.Although only ten years old Melvina had already "pieced" four patchworkquilts and quilted them; and her neat stitches were the admiration ofall the women of the town. But most of the little girls were a little inawe of Melvina, who never cared to play games, and always brought herknitting or sewing when she came for an afternoon visit.
Anna and Luretta sat down on the short grass, and for a few momentstalked of the _Polly_, and looked in vain for the glimmer of a sail.
"Look, Danna! Here comes Melvina now," whispered Luretta, whose quickears had caught the sound of steps.
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p; Anna looked quickly around. "She's all dressed up," she responded. "See,her skirts set out all around her like a wheel."
Melvina walked with great care, avoiding the rough places, and so intenton her steps that, if Anna had not called her name, she would havepassed without seeing them. She was thin and dark, and looked more likea little old lady than a ten-year-old girl.
"How do you do?" she said, bowing as ceremoniously as if Luretta andAnna were grown up people of importance.
"Come and sit down, Melly, and watch for the _Polly_," said Anna.
"And tell us about the fine dolls that are on board for you," addedLuretta quickly.
A little smile crept over Melvina's face and she took a step towardthem, but stopped suddenly.
"I fear 'twould not be wise for me to stop," she said a littlefearfully; but before she could say anything more Anna and Luretta hadjumped up and ran toward her.
"Look!" exclaimed Anna, pointing to a flock of white gulls that had justsettled on the smooth water near the shore.
"Look, Melly, at the fine partridges!"
Melvina's dark eyes looked in the direction Anna pointed. "Thank you,Anna. How white they are, and what a queer noise they make," sheresponded seriously.
Anna's eyes danced with delight as she heard Luretta's half-repressedgiggle at Melvina's reply. She resolved that Luretta should realize ofhow little importance Melvina Lyon, with all her dolls, and her starchedskirts like wheels, really was.
"And are those not big alder trees, Melly?" she continued, pointing to agroup of fine pine trees near by.
Again Melvina's eyes followed the direction of Anna's pointing finger,and again the minister's little daughter replied politely that the treeswere indeed very fine alders.
Luretta was now laughing without any effort to conceal her amusement.That any little girl in Maine should not know a partridge from a gull,or an alder bush from a pine tree, seemed too funny to even make itnecessary to try to be polite; and Luretta was now ready to join in thegame of finding out how little Melvina Lyon, "the smartest andbest-behaved child in the settlement," really knew.
"And, Danna, perhaps Melvina has never seen the birds we call clams?"she suggested.
Melvina looked from Anna to Luretta questioningly. These little girlscould not be laughing at her, she thought, recalling with satisfactionthat it was well known that she could spell the names of every city inEurope, and repeat the list of all England's kings and queens. Sheremembered, also, that Anna Weston was called a tomboy, and that hermother said it was a scandal for a little girl to have short hair. Soshe again replied pleasantly that she had never known that clams werebirds. "We have them stewed very often," she declared.
Anna fairly danced about the neat little figure in the well-starchedblue linen skirt.
"Oh, Melly! You must come down to the shore, and we will show you aclam's nest," she said, remembering that only yesterday she haddiscovered the nest of a kingfisher in an oak tree whose branches nearlytouched the shore, and could point this out to the ignorant Melvina.
"But I am to visit Lucia Horton this afternoon, and I must not linger,"objected Melvina.
"It will not take long," urged Anna, clasping Melvina's arm, whileLuretta promptly grasped the other, and half led, half pushed thesurprised and uncertain Melvina along the rough slope. Anna talkedrapidly as they hurried along. "You ought really to see a clam's nest,"she urged, between her bursts of laughter; "why, Melly, even Luretta andI know about clams."
Anna had not intended to be rude or cruel when she first began her gameof letting Luretta see that Melly and her possessions were of noimportance, but Melvina's ignorance of the common things about her, aswell as her neatly braided hair, her white stockings and kid shoes, suchas no other child in the village possessed, made Anna feel as if Melvinawas not a real little girl, but a dressed-up figure. She chuckled at thethought of Luretta's calling clams "birds," with a new admiration forher friend.
"I guess after this Luretta won't always be talking about Melvina Lyonand her dolls," she thought triumphantly; and at that moment Melvina'sfoot slipped and all three of the little girls went sliding down thesandy bluff.
The slide did not matter to either Anna or Luretta, in their stout shoesand every-day dresses of coarse flannel, but to the carefully dressedMelvina it was a serious mishap. Her starched skirts were crushed andstained, her white stockings soiled, and her slippers scratched. The hatof fine-braided straw with its ribbon band, another "present" from theBoston relatives, now hung about her neck, and her knitting-bag waslost.
As the little girls gathered themselves up Melvina began to cry. Herdelicate hands were scratched, and never before in her short life hadshe been so frightened and surprised.
She pulled herself away from Anna's effort to straighten her hat. "Youare a rough child," she sobbed, "and I wish I had not stopped to speakwith you. And my knitting-bag with my half-finished stocking is lost!"
At the sight of Melvina's tears both Anna and Luretta forgot all aboutshowing her a "clam's nest," and became seriously frightened. After all,Melly was the minister's daughter, and the Reverend Mr. Lyon was aperson of importance; why, he even had a colored body-servant, LondonAtus by name, who usually walked behind the clergyman carrying his cloakand Bible, and who opened the door for visitors. Often Melvina wasattended in her walks by London, who thought his little mistress farsuperior to the other children.
"Don't cry, Melvina," pleaded Luretta. "We will find your bag, and wewill wash the stains from your stockings and dress, and help you back upthe slope. Don't cry," and Luretta put a protecting arm about thefrightened Melvina. "Your hat has only slipped from your head; it isnot hurt at all," she added consolingly.
Melvina was finally comforted, and Anna climbed up the slope to searchfor the missing bag, while Luretta persuaded Melvina to take off herstockings in order that they might be washed.
"They'll dry in no time," Luretta assured her. "I can wash them outright here in this clean puddle, and put them on the warm rocks to dry."So Melvina reluctantly took off her slippers, and the pretty open-workstockings, and curling her feet under her, sat down on a big rock towatch Luretta dip the stockings in the little pool of sea water near by,and to send anxious glances toward the sandy bluff where Anna wassearching for the missing bag.
A Little Maid of Old Maine Page 3
