V.
_PROMISING._
"How many of my little girls would like to help in a good work?" askedMiss Ashton, some two or three days after this.
Ten little hands went up. Ten? Nay, I think there were thirteen orfourteen; for some of the children were not content with holding upone, but raised both in their zeal to show Miss Ashton they were readyto do what she asked.
Miss Ashton went on to explain.
"I think you will all remember," she said, "the lame soldier who wasrun over and killed on the corner of this street?"
There was a murmur of assenting voices, and little Belle added,--
"Papa said it was a very generous thing for you and Mrs. Ashton to takecare of his three children, Miss Ashton; and I think so too."
Miss Ashton smiled at her, and continued,--
"But we could not take care of them always, dear Belle, and through thekindness of some friends we have found a pleasant home in the countryfor them. It is necessary that they should be comfortably fitted outbefore we send them there, however, and my uncle says that he willprovide all the materials that the school will make up. The youngladies in my mother's room say they will make all the dresses and moredifficult garments, and leave the simple and easier ones for you, ifyou choose to help. But before you make any promises, I wish you to askyour parents' permission, and also to make up your minds to have thegarment you take finished by the end of two weeks, when the childrenare to leave for their new home. You nearly all sew well enough to dothe easy work upon these little skirts and aprons, and I think yourfriends at home will give you what help you may need."
"But, Miss Ashton," said little Belle, with woe-begone voice and look,"I can hardly sew at all. Aunt Margaret has just begun to teach me, andshe says I _do_ take pains, but I b'lieve I do it pretty badly yet."
"And I don't know how to sew," said her cousin, Mabel Walton, who nowwas sorry that she had always obstinately refused to learn how to use aneedle.
"I think we can find some easy thing for you both to do," said MissAshton, kindly. "But remember, dear children, what you promise, youmust perform. If you undertake this work, you must have it finished atthe end of the time I have named,--two weeks. I do not _ask_ you to doit, for the older girls are willing to do all the work; but I thoughtit might be a pleasure to you to help."
"Oh, yes! indeed it will, Miss Ashton," said Lily, "and I'd like tohave two clothes to make. Mamma says I can sew pretty well fur such alittle girl, and Nora will show me how."
"One garment will be enough for you, Lily," said Miss Ashton; "if youfinish that in time, it is all we shall need."
"You need not be afraid I won't have it done in time, Miss Ashton,"said Lily. "I don't put off any more, nor be unpunctual either. I'vebeen early at school every morning this week,"--this was Tuesday,--"andmamma said I was beginning to improve. I couldn't help it very well, Ihad such a horrid lesson about an old beggar-woman who was nothing buta thief; and then Maggie and Bessie and Belle made me lovely proverbpictures about the consequences of procrastination, and Maggie wrote asplendid poem, so I ought to learn better with all that."
"I think so," said Miss Ashton; "but, by the way, I wonder if Maggieand Bessie would not like to join us in this work. They always takesuch an interest in all that goes on among us here that perhaps theywould be pleased if we offered to let them help."
"Yes, I know they would," cried Belle, always ready to speak in praiseof her beloved little playmates. "I know they would. Maggie and Bessieare very full of good works; and they always like to do what we do, ifthey can, too."
"Very well," said Miss Ashton. "You can ask them when you see them,Belle; and if they would like to help us, tell them to come into-morrow, at the close of school. You can all bring me word then ifyour parents are willing for you to undertake this work, and I willgive each one a piece to take home."
The next morning each little girl brought word that she had receivedpermission to take home and make such a garment as Miss Ashton shouldsee fit to give her; and they had all been promised help and teachingby their mammas or other friends.
The curiosity and interest of the class having been much excited byLily's glowing account of the "proverb picture" and poem furnished herby Maggie, Bessie, and Belle, she had been persuaded to bring themwith her; and being punctual for the third morning, she exhibited thembefore school was opened, to the great satisfaction and delight of theother children. They were also displayed to Miss Ashton.
"Maggie is quite a Murphy, isn't she, Miss Ashton?" said Lily.
"A what, dear?" asked the young lady, much puzzled.
"A Murphy--a M-m-ur-phy," said Lily, putting severe and long emphasison the word, as she saw that her teacher did not yet understand. "Don'tyou know what a Murphy is, Miss Ashton? It means some one very wise andgood, who teaches right things."
"Oh!" said Miss Ashton, smiling, as light broke in upon her; "you meana Mentor, do you not, Lily?"
"Oh, yes, that's it," said Lily; "but I thought it was Murphy. But Ithink Murphy is just as pretty a name as Mentor."
"But people would understand your meaning better if you put the rightname, Lily," said Miss Ashton, as she rang the bell for silence.
Maggie and Bessie had told Belle that they would be very glad tojoin in the work of making clothes for the poor little orphans; andaccordingly, when school was over and word was brought that they werebelow, she was sent to bring them up to the school-room. Places weresoon found for them among their former school-mates, who were alldelighted to see them; and, as Bessie said, "it seemed quite as if theywere all young again."
Then Miss Ashton had a large basket of work brought in, and took fromit a number of little garments cut out, but not made, which she laidupon the table before her.
"I have six skirts and six aprons here," she said, "and three calicobags, which our little orphans must have to hold their lesson-books. Ithink we had better give the bags to those who are the youngest, or theleast accustomed to sewing,--Bessie, Belle, and Mabel. Then the restmay choose, so far as you can, whether you will take a petticoat oran apron; but as there is more work upon the petticoats than upon theaprons, I shall think it wiser for those who are not very industriousand persevering to take the latter, so that they may be sure to finishtheir work. Or perhaps the older ones, Nellie, Maggie, Grace, and Dora,might take the skirts, and let the other five take aprons. As I saidyesterday, the young ladies in the other room will finish whatever youleave."
All were satisfied with this arrangement but two.
"Miss Ashton," said Nellie Ransom, in rather a hesitating voice, asthough she thought she might be drawing upon herself the disapproval ofher classmates,--"Miss Ashton, I think perhaps I had better only takean apron. I do not sew very fast, and I might not have a skirt donein time; and I would rather take the apron, so that I may be sure tofinish it."
"Pooh!" said Lily, "I should think any one might have a petticoatdone in two weeks! No, not pooh, either, Nellie, I forgot that wasnot courteous; but then I should think you'd have plenty of time tomake the skirt, and I'm going to take one 'stead of the apron, if MissAshton will let me."
"I will let you," said her teacher. "I told you you should take whatyou pleased; but, Lily, I think Nellie is a wise little girl not toundertake more than she feels _sure_ she can do, and you would do wellto follow her example. You do not like steady work, you know, Lily, andI should not wish the petticoat to be brought back to me half finished."
"Oh, I'd never do that!" exclaimed Lily. "I see, Miss Ashton, youthink it _probalal_ that Nellie and I will be the hare and thetortoise,--Nellie the tortoise and I the hare; but we'll be twotortoises, won't we, Nellie? And please let me have the petticoat,Miss Ashton. I'll be sure, oh, _sure_ to have it finished!"
Miss Ashton did as she was asked, and handed Lily the skirt; but shelooked as if she were not quite so sure that Lily would perform all shepromised; and though she smiled as she gave the parcel to the littlegirl, she shook her head doubtfully, and said,--
"No, ma'am," answered Lily, confidently, "I am quite cured of that.I wish you'd let me have two just to see how soon I will have themfinished."
"If you finish the petticoat at the end of ten days, you shall havesome other thing to make," said Miss Ashton, rather gravely. "Nellie,my dear, here is your apron."
The work was very neatly cut out and basted; prepared so that thelittle girls might not find it difficult to do, or give more troublethan was actually necessary to their friends at home; and each oneopened her parcel and examined it with great satisfaction after theywere dismissed.
"I expect Nellie's will be sewed the best, 'cause she takes so muchpains with every thing she does," said Bessie. "Hers and Dora's willbe, for Dora is industrious too, and has a great deal of perseverance."
"I think mine will be the best," said Gracie, "for I sew very nicely.Mrs. Bradish told mamma she never saw a child of my age sew so neatly."
"Proudy!" said Lily, "you always think you do every thing better thananybody else; and you always go and tell when any one makes you acompliment. Gracie, you do grow conceiteder and conceiteder every day.Pretty soon, we won't be able to stand you at all."
"Why, Lily!" said Belle, "you're a dreadful anti-politer this morning."
"I don't care," said Lily; "Gracie does make me so mad. Yes, I do careabout being called an anti-politer too," she added on second thoughts;"but, Gracie, I don't believe your work will be the best. I think likeBessie, that Nellie's will be, 'cause she sews so nicely; and so doesMaggie."
"Anyhow mine will be done, and yours won't, I know," retorted Gracie,who always resented very strongly the idea that any other childcould do as well or better than herself. "You always put off andprocrastinate, so that you never have any thing ready at the righttime."
"Well, I'm not going to do so any more," said Lily; "and, anyhow, I'drather be Pro than Proudy. It's very, very naughty to be proud, andit's only a--a--well, an inconvenient habit to procrastinate. And I'mpretty well cured of it now. Don't you be afraid my petticoat won't bedone; and don't let's be cross about it any more, Gracie."
Peace was restored by her last words; but here were Lily's snares andstumbling-blocks. Firstly, that she had too much confidence in herown strength, and was too sure that she could cure herself of thistroublesome habit if she only chose to do so; secondly, that shehardly looked upon it as a fault at all, and did not think it of muchconsequence, except just at the moment when it had brought some greatannoyance upon herself or others.
Lily was gay, light-hearted, and sweet-tempered, and trouble ordisappointment seldom oppressed her spirits long,--all good things andgreat blessings in their proper times and places; but she sometimes letthis run into carelessness, and was often disposed to make too light ofher faults and their consequences. She certainly had warning and helpenough in this case, if that were all she needed.
She, Maggie and Bessie, Belle and Mabel all took the same way homeward;and just before they parted, Maggie said,--
"I have an idea! Would it not be a good plan for us five to have alittle sewing meeting at our house for these clothes, if mamma has noobjections? And it will seem to help us along, and not let it be sostupid; for I do hate to sew."
The other children agreed that it would be a capital arrangement; andMaggie, turning to Bessie, asked if she thought mamma would be willing.
"For we better not make too many plans about it till we know what mammawould say," said Maggie, "or we might 'live in hope only to die indespair.'"
Bessie thought mamma would be quite willing, but agreed with Maggiethat it would be better not to build up too many arrangements on thistill they knew what she had to say.
"I would like to have asked all the class," said Maggie, "but I do notthink mamma wants a great many children about now; because grandmamma'shouse is being painted, and she and Aunt Annie and Uncle Ruthven andAunt Bessie are all staying with us, and it makes a pretty largefamily,--a lovely large one," she added, with a nod of satisfaction inthe present size of the household.
"We'll ask mamma if we can have a meeting once a week till our thingsare all finished," said Bessie; "and we can sew on them between times,and show each other how much we have done. And it may be a little helpto you in not putting off, Lily," she said, rather anxiously. "I wouldbe so sorry if your petticoat was not finished."
"Oh, never fear," said Lily; "you are all so afraid about me; and Itell you, I'm not going to put off any more."
"I am sorry, my daughter, that you took the petticoat instead of theapron," said Mrs. Norris, when Lily reached home and told her storyof the morning's business. "There would have been more hope of yourfinishing the apron, with your unsteady ways about work and duties."
"It is not a duty for me to make this, is it, mamma?" asked Lily,unrolling the parcel and holding up the skirt.
"Yes, it is a duty for you to do that which you have promised to do, isit not?"
"Yes, mamma; but I need not have promised if I did not choose."
"No, you need not; but now that you have undertaken it of your ownfree will, that makes it all the more a duty for you to finish it intime. Will you sew on it a little while this afternoon, after you havehad your lunch?"
"No, mamma, I think not," said Lily. "Maggie and Bessie are going toask their mamma if they can have us for a sewing meeting at theirhouse, and I'll wait and see what they say. It will be fun."
Mrs. Norris sighed as Lily gleefully rolled up her work and tossed itupon the table. This was not a very good beginning.
"Put it away in the large work-box, dear," she said.
"Presently, mamma; I'm just going to tell Nora about it."
"No, Lily, put it away at once. And remember, my darling, that I shallnot allow Nora to finish it for you if you fall behindhand through yourown fault."
"Oh, no, mamma," said Lily, as she obeyed her mother's order; "but Iwould have put it away in a minute or two."
Lily Norris' Enemy Page 6
