CHAPTER XII
A WONDERFUL DAY
Anne held Rose's hand very tightly as they walked along. It seemed tothe little girl that all the people of the town were out walking up anddown the streets. Now and then there would be a clatter of hoofs overthe cobblestone pavements and Anne would look up to see a man go by onhorseback. And Mrs. Freeman told her to notice a fine coach drawn by twohorses, that stood in front of the very shop they were about to enter.
"If I spend a guinea for clothes will it not be enough?" Annequestioned, as Mrs. Freeman asked a smiling clerk to show them bluedimity.
"Why, yes, Anne; I think we can manage very nicely with a guinea,"responded Mrs. Freeman, who meant to supply Anne with many needfulthings from her own stores. "Do you wish to save one?"
Anne shook her head. "No," she responded, "but I want to buy a grandpresent for Aunt Martha and Uncle Enos, and something for Amanda Cary.I should like to take Amos and the Starkweather children something, butI fear there will not be enough money."
Mrs. Freeman smiled at Anne's thought for her playmates. "You canperhaps make something for some of your little friends. Would not theStarkweather children like a little work-bag or a hemstitchedhandkerchief?" she asked.
The thought of the Starkweather boys with work-bags and hemstitchedhandkerchiefs seemed very funny to Anne, and she gave a little laugh,saying, "But they are all boys."
"Oh, well, then we will make some fine candy just before you go home,and you and Rose can make some pretty boxes to put it in. So there'syour present for the Starkweather boys. And you'll have a whole guineato buy gifts for Mrs. Stoddard and the captain, and for Amanda. Isuppose Amanda is your dearest friend, isn't she?" and Mrs. Freemanlooked down into Anne's happy smiling face, quite sure that Mrs.Stoddard must be very glad that she had taken the little girl into herown home.
"Best friend, indeed!" exclaimed Rose, before Anne could answer. "Why,mother! Had it not been for that Amanda, Anne never would have runaway."
"But Anne wants to take her a present," said Mrs. Freeman.
A little flush crept into Anne's brown cheeks. "I guess Amanda didn'tmean to," she said.
The clerk was waiting patiently, and Mrs. Freeman now begged his pardonfor so long delaying her purchases, and ordered enough dimity for Anne'sdress. It was a light blue with a tiny white sprig, and Anne thought itthe prettiest pattern that any one could imagine.
"I have plenty of nainsook in the house for your underwear, so we willnot purchase that," said Mrs. Freeman, "but we will buy some good whitecotton yarn so that I can make up some stockings for you. Itwill make work for you at odd times." For in those days children weretaught that useful occupation brought as much pleasure as play, andevery girl had "pieced a quilt" before she was ten years of age, workeda sampler, and usually knit all her own stockings and mittens.
"Can't Anne have some thread gloves like mine?" Rose asked, and Annedrew a quick breath of delight. "White thread gloves," she thought toherself, would be more than she could hope for, but Mrs. Freeman seemedto think it a very reasonable request, and told Rose to go with Anne toa shop on Queen Street and select a pair of gloves.
"I must go home now," she added, "for it is Saturday, and I have much todo. After you have purchased the gloves you girls can walk up to theCommon if you wish; but be sure and be home in good season for dinner."
The girls both promised, and Mrs. Freeman left them, with a word ofcaution to be careful in crossing Long-acre Street, where there werealways many teams, carriages and horsemen going back and forth.
"You are almost a young lady, aren't you, Rose?" Anne said admiringly,as she looked up at her friend.
"I suppose so," Rose replied laughingly. "See, my skirts come to myankles, and Aunt Hetty said I must twist my braids around my head now.And I think it does become me better," and Rose put up her white-glovedhand to be quite sure that the braids were smoothly fastened.
The girls walked along the Mall, and a little way toward the CharlesRiver. Rose met several girls of her own age who greeted Annepleasantly. One of them asked Rose if she knew that a messenger hadreached Boston with a copy of the Declaration of Independence. "It is tobe read from the balcony of the State House on Tuesday," said Rose'sfriend. "'Twill be a great day, and 'tis well you have reached Boston intime for it."
When Anne and Rose reached the Freeman house little Millicent was at thedoor waiting for them. She had a big doll in her arms and told Anne thatits name was "Hetty," because Aunt Hetty Freeman had made it and sent itto her. Frederick had hung the wasp's nest in his own room, and declaredthat there was not another boy in Boston who possessed one. Several ofhis friends had already seen it, and Frederick was quite sure that hewas a very fortunate boy to have it for his own.
On Sunday morning Anne was awakened by the sound of the bells of ChristChurch, which was not far distant from the Freemans' house. She laylistening to the musical notes, and wondering if those could really bechurch-bells.
"They sound like far-off voices singing," she thought to herself. Andwhen Mrs. Freeman, at breakfast time, told her that there were eightbells, and that they came all the way from Gloucester, England, in 1745,and were the first ring of bells in North America, they seemed even morewonderful to the little girl.
"William Shirley was Governor of Massachusetts at that time," said Mr.Freeman, "and when the bells reached Boston it was found that there wasno money in the church treasury to raise them to the church belfry, andjust then Boston had the good news that the colonial forces underGeneral Pepperell had captured Louisburg. Well, every bell in Boston wasringing with triumph, and it did not take long to start a subscriptionand get money enough to put those fine bells where they could be heard.They were made by good English bell-makers, and there are none better,"concluded Mr. Freeman. Anne thought to herself that she would be sure toremember about these wonderful bells so that she could tell Amanda.
On the morning of the 18th of July people began to gather in King Streetand the vicinity of the State House, so that long before one o'clock,the time advertised when the Declaration of Independence was to beread, there was a crowd. Mr. and Mrs. Freeman with Millicent, Frederick,Rose and Anne had a very good place where they could see the littlebalcony where Colonel Crafts was to stand.
"Look, father! There are some of the British officers!" said Frederick.
The crowd near where the Freemans were standing stood courteously backto make way for several British officers in full military dress. Theysecured a place where they could hear well, and Mr. Freeman and severalgentlemen exchanged smiles of satisfaction to see these officerspresent. When the clock struck one, Colonel Crafts, surrounded by anumber of gentlemen, appeared on the balcony, and in a clear voice readthe declaration announcing to the world that the American colonies wereno longer subject to Britain.
What a chorus of shouts and huzzas filled the air! Frederick's cap wentso high that it lodged on the State House balcony, but no one seemed tonotice it, and Frederick could not recover his property until late thatafternoon. There sounded the measured boom of cannon, and thirteenvolleys of musketry. A military band played, and the people dispersed,quietly, and as if they had taken part in a great ceremony, as indeedthey had.
"Now you girls will have to settle down; dresses do not makethemselves," said Mrs. Freeman; "nor do stockings grow on trees. Yourfather's ship will be coming into harbor before you know it, Anne; andyou must have your clothing in order, and Rose has agreed to help you.So to-morrow we must begin in earnest."
"I have a chance to send the black colt to Mr. Pierce to-morrow," saidMr. Freeman, "and I have bought a good side-saddle for Mrs. Pierce, thatthey may know we do not forget their great kindness."
"That is the very thing, father!" exclaimed Rose. "Now Aunt Anne Rosecan ride to the village and see her friends whenever she wishes. Shewill not be so lonely."
"I thought of that," said Mr. Freeman.
"You girls must make up a little package for the colt to carry to yournew aunt," suggested Mrs. Fr
eeman.
Anne had her golden guinea and several shillings besides in a prettyknit purse that Rose had given her, and she was very happy to thinkthat, out of her very own money, she could buy something for Aunt AnneRose.
"I know what she'd like," said Anne. "I told her about the fine bookthat my Aunt Martha keeps in the chest. 'Tis called 'Pilgrim'sProgress.' And Aunt Anne Rose said that if she had a book to read attimes 'twould be as good as company."
"You girls shall step into Mistress Mason's and select a suitable book,"said Mrs. Freeman. "You can write her name in it and put 'From Anne andRose to Aunt Anne Rose'; no doubt 'twill please her. And this evening wewill make some sweets to send her. We wish her to be very sure that wedo not lack in gratitude."
Mistress Mason's shop in Cornhill seemed a very wonderful place to Anne,with its shelves filled with bright pewter, tall brass candlesticks, andlarge and small boxes. On a lower shelf at the back of the small roomwas a row of books. On a narrow counter stood boots, shoes, andslippers. Above this counter, fastened to a stout cord, were hung anumber of dolls dressed in the latest fashion. Each one of these dollshad a small white card fastened to its sleeve.
When the girls entered they did not at first see any one in the shop,but in a moment Anne noticed that a very tiny old lady was standingbehind the further counter.
"Why, she isn't any bigger than I am!" thought the little girl.
"Good-afternoon, Mistress Mason," said Rose; "this is my friend, littleAnne Nelson, from Province Town."
"Not so very little, as I view it. Fully as large as I am myself. Ishould call her large; that is, large for a girl," responded the littlewhite-haired woman, who was rather sensitive in regard to her size. "Isee you wear good shoes," she continued, peering over the low counterand pointing a tiny finger toward Anne's feet. "I know my own shoes whenI see 'em," and she laughed pleasantly. "My brother makes every shoe Isell; makes 'em right back here in his own shop, as Miss Rose Freemanwell knows."
"Yes, indeed," answered Rose, "and Mistress Mason makes dolls, Anne--allthose fine ones near the door."
"All but the ones with china heads; I make only bodies for the heads.The china heads come from France and cost me dear. But they are goodbodies, as you can see, my dears; with joints where joints should be,and with feet and hands of soft kid. 'Tis some work, I do assure you,young ladies, to stitch fingers and toes as fingers and toes should bestitched," and Mistress Mason looked very serious indeed. "And as formaking dolls with kid-covered heads, and then painting their faces andgiving a good expression to eyes and mouths, I do feel that it's almostbeyond me. I do indeed!"
The little old lady trotted briskly across the shop and unfasteningseveral dolls from the line held them toward her visitors. "Now here isLady Melissa Melvina," and Anne saw that on each of the white cards waswritten the name belonging to the doll on whose sleeve the card waspinned. "Lady Melissa Melvina is all kid," went on Mistress Mason,"head, body, feet and fingers; and every stitch she wears is of thebest. She's worth twenty shillings. But----!" and Mistress Mason made animpressive pause and shook her head. "Could I get that amount? No. So,though 'tis far too little, you may have her for ten shillings six," andshe smiled as if she were really bestowing a gift upon them.
"We did not come to buy a doll, Mistress Mason, although I'm sure Annewould like greatly to have so fine a doll as this; but we want topurchase a book," said Rose.
The little old woman was evidently disappointed. "A book, indeed," sheresponded. "I know not what is coming to people. Everybody, even thevery children, are asking for books. We can hardly keep our shelf neatlyfilled, and I have half a mind not to keep them. Many a person whoshould buy a stout pair of shoes puts the money in books," and she shookher head as if not understanding such folly.
"'Tis for a present," responded Rose, as if to excuse their purchase,"to a lady who lives in the country and is much alone."
"I see; well, maybe such folk find company in reading," said theshopkeeper. "Here is a book may please her," and she took up a thinvolume and opened it. "'Tis a book of verse, but 'tis well thought of. Isee but little sense in verse myself; but, for verse, this reads well:
"'Great conquerors greater glory gain By foes in triumph led than slain,'"
she read, and went on to a second couplet:
"'Ay me! What perils do environ The man that meddles with cold iron.'
"And I declare here is what I've always said of poetry. 'Tis as true as Imake good dolls:
"'Those that write in rhyme still make The one verse for the other's sake.'"
"I think Aunt Anne Rose would like 'Pilgrim's Progress,'" Anne ventured,a little timidly, to suggest.
"Maybe. I have a fine copy. Not too large, and easy to read. 'Twill costfive shillings," and Mistress Mason put back the book of verse and tookfrom the shelf a small square book that she handed to Rose.
The girls looked it over carefully. "But it is not like Aunt Martha'sbook," said Anne; "'tis not so large, nor has it such fine pictures.These pictures are little and black."
"It tells the same story," Rose assured her, "and I know it would pleaseAunt Anne Rose. It will cost us two and six, sixty-two cents, apiece."
They decided to purchase it, and Mistress Mason wrapped it up in a neatpackage for them, and said that she hoped they would step in again. Shefollowed them to the door, and Rose and Anne both bowed very politely asthey wished her good-day.
A Little Maid of Massachusetts Colony Page 12
