Aunt Kitty's Tales

by Madame Guizot

  CHAPTER IV.

  THE DISAPPOINTMENT--THE SECRET.

  The next morning Mary came over quite early for Harriet, and they ran toMr. Graham's full of glee; but they had been gone a very little while,when they came back looking quite vexed. On my asking what was thematter, Mary answered, "That cross Mr. Graham would not let us do anything."

  "Why, Mary, I never heard Mr. Graham called cross before."

  "Well, Aunt Kitty, he was cross, for Jessie was very glad to see us, andwanted us to help her pick strawberries, and he would not let us do it,but said we would tread on the vines,-as if we never picked strawberriesbefore."

  "Perhaps, Mary, you never did pick them where it was so important to becareful of the vines. You know Mr. Graham's garden is his only means ofsupport. But had Jessie nothing else to do which you could have done forher?"

  "I do not know," said Mary, "we were so vexed that we would not ask todo any thing else."

  "Do not say _we_, Mary," said Harriet, "for I would have asked old Mrs.Graham to let me count the eggs and feed the chickens, which Jessie saidwas all she had to do besides picking the strawberries, before school,but you were so angry and talked so loud, that I thought it was betterto come away."

  Mary looked very much ashamed, and hung her head, as she said, "Well,Aunt Kitty, it is very hard when we mean to do good to be scolded forit."

  "And did Mr. Graham scold you, Mary?"

  "He looked cross at us, Aunt Kitty, if he did not scold."

  "Mr. Graham might have looked not very well pleased, at the thought ofhaving his fine strawberry-plants trampled, and still have felt obligedby your kind feelings to Jessie. But I fear that my little niece musthave been thinking more of herself than of Jessie, more of the creditwhich Mary Mackay deserved, than of the assistance she was going togive, or she would not, because she found one service declined, havebeen unwilling to offer to help her friend in some other way."--As Ispoke I put my arm around Mary and drew her to me.--"Was it not so,Mary?"--she hid her face on my shoulder and was silent,--"Think of it,Mary, and tell me if I am right."

  In about a minute Mary raised her head, and said very frankly, "Yes,Aunt Kitty, I believe you are right; and now, if Harriet will go withme, I will go back and see if we can do any thing else for Jessie."

  But Harriet exclaimed, "We need not go, Mary, for here is Jessieherself; and now we will tell her what we meant to do, and if she wouldlike it, we will go to-morrow."

  Jessie was much pleased with the kind intentions of her young friends,and assured them that they could help her very much, for they couldcount the eggs, feed the chickens, and put the kitchen pantry in order,all which she generally did before coming to school. From this timeJessie was able to study more, and with Harriet's aid, her lessons werewell learned. Still she gained few merit cards, for Mary studied too,and was very punctual, seeming quite in earnest about the prize, whichshe nevertheless declared, steadily and positively, would be Jessie's.At this declaration Jessie only laughed, but Harriet seemed quitepuzzled, saying that she knew by Mary's looks she had some plan in herhead. And so it proved she had. The two months which had seemed to Mary,when her father first named them, so long, were ended at last. Two daysbefore the tickets were to be counted by Miss Bennett, Mary beggedJessie to bring hers with her to school, that she might see how manythey would each have before they were given in.

  "It is of no use, Mary," said Jessie, "for I know exactly how many Ihave, and I know you have more than twice as many merit cards."

  "I know I have more than twice as many blanks," said Mary, "but that isnothing, Jessie. I want to see your cards, and I think you might bringthem when I ask you."

  "And so I will bring them, Mary," said Jessie; and when she came thenext morning she brought a neat little box, which she held up to Maryas soon as she came in sight, calling out, "Here are my cards."

  "That is right, Jessie," said Mary; "now you must leave them with me,and to-morrow morning they will be here ready for you."

  "Well, Mary," said Jessie, as somewhat reluctantly she gave them up,"take care of them, because though I cannot get the lamb I would likeMiss Bennett to see that I have been careful of my cards as she wishedus to be."

  Mary promised, and put the box very carefully into a basket where herown cards were kept.