by Sophie May
CHAPTER XIV.
VISIT TO THE COTTAGE.
The evening of this first day at Oak Villa had been very pleasantlyspent by Aunt Mary and her nieces at Mr. Maitland's, where the youngpeople engaged themselves on the lawn, while the elders talked over thevarious events of the very eventful times, without being able to come toany conclusion as to how they were to be mended.
Mabel either really _was_ in a very gracious humour this evening, or thefact of a young gentleman being of their party made her careful not togive way to temper; though it must be confessed that Harry tried it twoor three times. However, all went on smoothly enough, and at nineo'clock the friends separated.
The gorgeous sunset gave token of a fine day on the morrow, when Claraanticipated the pleasure of finishing her labour of love, and taking amost acceptable present to her poor friends the Simmonses. The bell rangat the usual time in the morning, and after breakfast the work of theday before was resumed.
'Two hours, I think, will finish what you want to take with you to-day,'said Aunt Mary, 'so you will have time to go before dinner. You can takepoor Simmons some eggs, and Bridget has a rice pudding in the oven forthe children.'
'How delighted they will be to see us again; only I wish you could havegone with us, aunt,' said Clara.
'I wish I could have done so, but I expect a person to call on businessthis morning, so I must not be out of the way,' said the lady.
Steadily the work progressed; even Mabel, by the aid of her brightsilver thimble and sharp needle, seemed to get on better than she haddone the day before: so that not only was the night-shirt finished, buta little pinafore had been cut out and completed in less than the twohours. And now all had been packed up, the two girls were ready fortheir walk; and the careful Bridget had placed the pudding and the eggsin an oval basket for Clara to carry, while they were preparing fortheir walk.
'It will be frightfully hot walking this morning, I know,' said Mabel.'I wish our visit to the cottage could be put off until the evening; goand ask Aunt Mary if it may, Clara,' she added.
'No, I couldn't do that,' replied her cousin. 'Aunt never tells us to doanything that is unreasonable, and I know that she wishes very much thatthe children should have the pudding for their dinner, and that the poorsick man should have the new-laid eggs. Come, Mabel dear, be quick,' sheadded; 'we shall be under the shade of the trees great part of the way.'
'And who is to carry the basket and this parcel?' inquired Mabel, givinga rather contemptuous look at the rolled-up work.
'You may carry whichever you like,' said Clara; 'it does not matter tome which I take. Indeed, I shouldn't mind if I had to carry both,neither of them are heavy.'
'Perhaps not,' said the proud girl, 'but it is so servant-like to becarrying parcels and baskets; I wonder Aunt Mary likes you to do it.'
'Oh, Mabel!' cried her cousin, 'I can't help laughing at you. Why, youshould see what bundles aunt and I do carry sometimes. I suppose youwould be quite shocked.'
'I shouldn't wish to be seen with you,' replied the silly girl. 'I don'tthink, either, that it is any laughing matter.' And Clara, knowing thatit was a waste of time to argue the case any further, took up theobnoxious bundle, and ran downstairs; while Mabel followed, to find onthe hall-table her share of the disagreeable, in the closely-packedbasket.
It really was a very hot walk that the cousins had before them, in spiteof the occasional shade of the tall trees, and they were not at allsorry when they reached the small cottage of James Simmons, and wereinvited to sit and rest on the chairs, which the good wife dusted andput ready for them.
The cottage was very poorly supplied with furniture--one table, and fourchairs, and a stool, on which stood the washing-tub, out of which Mrs.Simmons was wringing some clothes from very hot water, when her visitorsentered. If, however, there was but little furniture, there was no lackof children, and three of them were rolling about the floor, while agirl, it might be of the age of seven, was making an attempt to washsome stockings. Her small fingers did not seem to be equal to the taskof rubbing and wringing, yet she was evidently proud of heroccupation--a great deal more so than her brother appeared of his, intrying to take care of the youngest child, a chubby infant of six monthsold, who would persist in rolling off his knee, and making towards thefireplace, there to become a regular Cinderella.
This scene, I need hardly say, was anything but delightful to the newvisitor, though she did not refuse to seat herself on the offered chair;while poor Mrs. Simmons, with many apologies for being found in such arough state, wiped her hot face with her apron, and took the little oneup from the floor, to the great relief of her brother Johnny, whoappeared particularly interested in the contents of the basket, whichClara was proceeding to set upon the table.
'Let me take the baby, Mrs. Simmons, while you put the eggs into abasin; I am afraid of their rolling off the table,' said Clara, as sheheld out her arms to take the very pretty, but certainly not very cleanlittle one.
'Oh, miss! she is not in a fit state for you to nurse,' replied thewoman; 'I am quite ashamed that you should have found us all so dirty,but indeed I cannot help it. What with my husband being ill so long, andthe washing, which must be done, I don't know sometimes which way toturn.'
'My aunt wants much to know how your husband is,' said Clara; 'she wouldhave come with us this morning, but she had an engagement.'
'The doctor thinks, miss, that my husband may get well, though he saysit may be many weeks yet before he will be able to walk. He has had aweary time of it, and if it had not been for Miss Livesay's kindness,and that of our good vicar and his wife, I think he could not havelived; for he required more nourishment than I could obtain for him, ifI worked ever so hard.'
'I know how glad my aunt will be to hear this good news,' said Clara;'and she has sent one of the night-shirts that we have made; I dare sayshe will bring the other herself. And now let me try on the pinafore forbaby; I want to see whether it will fit.' Baby, however, stoutlyresisted this trial, using arms and legs with marvellous dexterity, andalmost twisting herself out of mother's arms; so the contest was givenup for fear of creating a noise, which would have disturbed the invalid:while Clara's second suggestion, that baby should have some pudding,appeared to give entire satisfaction, and produced perfect calm, underwhich state of things the visitors rose to go, Mabel not havingexchanged a word either with mother or children the whole time, andstanding on the threshold of the door, waiting for her cousin, who wasshaking hands with Mrs. Simmons, and bestowing a parting kiss on the redround cheeks of the now smiling baby.
The young people walked on a short distance in silence; each had theirown peculiar thoughts of the other. Mabel was the first to break calm.Then she said: 'How you could kiss that dirty little thing and offer tonurse it, I can't conceive, Clara; it quite sickens me to think of it,'said Mabel, with something like a shudder. 'I wonder Aunt Mary sends usto such places; it is work for Bridget to do, and not for us,' shecontinued. 'I don't think my mamma would approve of my going.'
'Oh, you are mistaken there, I know,' said Clara; 'for I have oftenheard aunt tell of the poor people your mamma and she used to visit,before Aunt Ada married--yes, and for a long time after she was married,until she was poorly, and then of course she was obliged to give up; butI'm quite sure she will be glad to hear of your doing the same. Now wemust make haste, for fear we should be too late for dinner.'
