WHAT KATY DID

By

SUSAN COOLIDGE

With Frontispiece in Color by Ralph Pallen Coleman

TO FIVE. 

 Six of us once, my darlings, played together Beneath green boughs, which faded long ago, Made merry in the golden summer weather, Pelted each other with new-fallen snow. 

 Did the sun always shine? I can't remember A single cloud that dimmed the happy blue, -- A single lightning-bolt or peal of thunder, To daunt our bright, unfearing lives: can you?

 We quarrelled often, but made peace as quickly, Shed many tears, but laughed the while they fell, Had our small woes, our childish bumps and bruises, But Mother always "kissed and made them well. "

 Is it long since?--it seems a moment only: Yet here we are in bonnets and tail-coats, Grave men of business, members of committees, Our play-time ended: even Baby votes!

 And star-eyed children, in whose innocent faces Kindles the gladness which was once our own, Crowd round our knees, with sweet and coaxing voices, Asking for stories of that old-time home. 

 "Were _you_ once little too?" they say, astonished; "Did you too play? How funny! tell us how. " Almost we start, forgetful for a moment; Almost we answer, "We are little _now!_"

 Dear friend and lover, whom to-day we christen, Forgive such brief bewilderment, --thy true And kindly hand we hold; we own thee fairest. But ah! our yesterday was precious too. 

 So, darlings, take this little childish story, In which some gleams of the old sunshine play, And, as with careless hands you turn the pages, Look back and smile, as here I smile to-day. 

CONTENTS

CHAPTER

I THE LITTLE CARRS

II PARADISE

III THE DAY OF SCRAPES

IV KIKERI

V IN THE LOFT

VI INTIMATE FRIENDS

VII COUSIN HELEN'S VISIT

VIII TO-MORROW

IX DISMAL DAYS

X ST. NICHOLAS AND ST. VALENTINE

XI A NEW LESSON TO LEARN

XII TWO YEARS AFTERWARD

XIII AT LAST

CHAPTER I

THE LITTLE CARRS

I was sitting in the meadows one day, not long ago, at a place wherethere was a small brook. It was a hot day. The sky was very blue, andwhite clouds, like great swans, went floating over it to and fro. Justopposite me was a clump of green rushes, with dark velvety spikes, andamong them one single tall, red cardinal flower, which was bending overthe brook as if to see its own beautiful face in the water. But thecardinal did not seem to be vain. 

The picture was so pretty that I sat a long time enjoying it. Suddenly, close to me, two small voices began to talk--or to sing, for I couldn'ttell exactly which it was. One voice was shrill; the other, which was alittle deeper, sounded very positive and cross. They were evidentlydisputing about something, for they said the same words over and overagain. These were the words--"Katy did. " "Katy didn't. " "She did. " "Shedidn't. " "She did. " "She didn't. " "Did. " "Didn't. " I think they musthave repeated them at least a hundred times. 

I got up from my seat to see if I could find the speakers; and sureenough, there on one of the cat-tail bulrushes, I spied two tinypale-green creatures. Their eyes seemed to be weak, for they both woreblack goggles. They had six legs apiece, --two short ones, two not soshort, and two very long. These last legs had joints like the springs tobuggy-tops; and as I watched, they began walking up the rush, and then Isaw that they moved exactly like an old-fashioned gig. In fact, if Ihadn't been too big, I _think_ I should have heard them creak as theywent along. They didn't say anything so long as I was there, but themoment my back was turned they began to quarrel again, and in the sameold words--"Katy did. " "Katy didn't. " "She did. " "She didn't. "

As I walked home I fell to thinking about another Katy, --a Katy I onceknew, who planned to do a great many wonderful things, and in the enddid none of them, but something quite different, --something she didn'tlike at all at first, but which, on the whole, was a great deal betterthan any of the doings she had dreamed about. And as I thought, thislittle story grew in my head, and I resolved to write it down for you. Ihave done it; and, in memory of my two little friends on the bulrush, Igive it their name. Here it is--the story of What Katy Did. 

Katy's name was Katy Carr. She lived in the town of Burnet, which wasn'ta very big town, but was growing as fast as it knew how. The house shelived in stood on the edge of the town. It was a large square house, white, with green blinds, and had a porch in front, over which roses andclematis made a thick bower. Four tall locust trees shaded the gravelpath which led to the front gate. On one side of the house was anorchard; on the other side were wood piles and barns, and an ice-house. Behind was a kitchen garden sloping to the south; and behind that apasture with a brook in it, and butternut trees, and four cows--two redones, a yellow one with sharp horns tipped with tin, and a dear littlewhite one named Daisy. 

There were six of the Carr children--four girls and two boys. Katy, theoldest, was twelve years old; little Phil, the youngest, was four, andthe rest fitted in between. 

Dr. Carr, their Papa, was a dear, kind, busy man, who was away from homeall day, and sometimes all night, too, taking care of sick people. Thechildren hadn't any Mamma. She had died when Phil was a baby, four yearsbefore my story began. Katy could remember her pretty well; to the restshe was but a sad, sweet name, spoken on Sunday, and at prayer-times, orwhen Papa was especially gentle and solemn. 

In place of this Mamma, whom they recollected so dimly, there was AuntIzzie, Papa's sister, who came to take care of them when Mamma went awayon that long journey, from which, for so many months, the little oneskept hoping she might return. Aunt Izzie was a small woman, sharp-facedand thin, rather old-looking, and very neat and particular abouteverything. She meant to be kind to the children, but they puzzled hermuch, because they were not a bit like herself when she was a child. Aunt Izzie had been a gentle, tidy little thing, who loved to sit asCurly Locks did, sewing long seams in the parlor, and to have her headpatted by older people, and be told that she was a good girl; whereasKaty tore her dress every day, hated sewing, and didn't care a buttonabout being called "good, " while Clover and Elsie shied off likerestless ponies when any one tried to pat their heads. It was veryperplexing to Aunt Izzie, and she found it hard to quite forgive thechildren for being so "unaccountable, " and so little like the good boysand girls in Sunday-school memoirs, who were the young people she likedbest, and understood most about. 

Then Dr. Carr was another person who worried her. He wished to have thechildren hardy and bold, and encouraged climbing and rough plays, inspite of the bumps and ragged clothes which resulted. In fact, there wasjust one half-hour of the day when Aunt Izzie was really satisfied abouther charges, and that was the half-hour before breakfast, when she hadmade a law that they were all to sit in their little chairs and learnthe Bible verse for the day. At this time she looked at them withpleased eyes, they were all so spick and span, with such nicely-brushedjackets and such neatly-combed hair. But the moment the bell rang hercomfort was over. From that time on, they were what she called "not fitto be seen. " The neighbors pitied her very much. They used to count thesixty stiff white pantalette legs hung out to dry every Monday morning, and say to each other what a sight of washing those children made, andwhat a chore it must be for poor Miss Carr to keep them so nice. Butpoor Miss Carr didn't think them at all nice; that was the worst of it. 

"Clover, go up stairs and wash your hands! Dorry, pick your hat off thefloor and hang it on the nail! Not that nail--the third nail from thecorner!" These were the kind of things Aunt Izzie was saying all daylong. The children minded her pretty well, but they didn't exactly loveher, I fear. They called her "Aunt Izzie" always, never "Aunty. " Boysand girls will know what _that_ meant. 

I want to show you the little Carrs, and I don't know that I could everhave a better chance than one day when five out of the six were perchedon top of the ice-house, like chickens on a roost. This ice-house wasone of their favorite places. It was only a low roof set over a hole inthe ground, and, as it stood in the middle of the side-yard, it alwaysseemed to the children that the shortest road to every place was up oneof its slopes and down the other. They also liked to mount to theridge-pole, and then, still keeping the sitting position, to let go, andscrape slowly down over the warm shingles to the ground. It was bad fortheir shoes and trousers, of course, but what of that? Shoes andtrousers, and clothes generally, were Aunt Izzie's affair; theirs was toslide and enjoy themselves. 

Clover, next in age to Katy, sat in the middle. She was a fair, sweetdumpling of a girl, with thick pig-tails of light brown hair, andshort-sighted blue eyes, which seemed to hold tears, just ready to fallfrom under the blue. Really, Clover was the jolliest little thing in theworld; but these eyes, and her soft cooing voice, always made peoplefeel like petting her and taking her part. Once, when she was verysmall, she ran away with Katy's doll, and when Katy pursued, and triedto take it from her, Clover held fast and would not let go. Dr. Carr, who wasn't attending particularly, heard nothing but the pathetic toneof Clover's voice, as she said: "Me won't! Me want dolly!" and, withoutstopping to inquire, he called out sharply: "For shame, Katy! give yoursister _her_ doll at once!" which Katy, much surprised, did; whileClover purred in triumph, like a satisfied kitten. Clover was sunny andsweet-tempered, a little indolent, and very modest about herself, though, in fact, she was particularly clever in all sorts of games, andextremely droll and funny in a quiet way. Everybody loved her, and sheloved everybody, especially Katy, whom she looked up to as one of thewisest people in the world. 

Pretty little Phil sat next on the roof to Clover, and she held himtight with her arm. Then came Elsie, a thin, brown child of eight, withbeautiful dark eyes, and crisp, short curls covering the whole of hersmall head. Poor little Elsie was the "odd one" among the Carrs. Shedidn't seem to belong exactly to either the older or the youngerchildren. The great desire and ambition of her heart was to be allowedto go about with Katy and Clover and Cecy Hall, and to know theirsecrets, and be permitted to put notes into the little post-offices theywere forever establishing in all sorts of hidden places. But they didn'twant Elsie, and used to tell her to "run away and play with thechildren, " which hurt her feelings very much. When she wouldn't runaway, I am sorry to say they ran away from her, which, as their legswere longest, it was easy to do. Poor Elsie, left behind, would crybitter tears, and, as she was too proud to play much with Dorry andJohn, her principal comfort was tracking the older ones about anddiscovering their mysteries, especially the post-offices, which were hergreatest grievance. Her eyes were bright and quick as a bird's. Shewould peep and peer, and follow and watch, till at last, in some odd, unlikely place, the crotch of a tree, the middle of the asparagus bed, or, perhaps, on the very top step of the scuttle ladder, she spied thelittle paper box, with its load of notes, all ending with: "Be sure andnot let Elsie know. " Then she would seize the box, and, marching up towherever the others were, she would throw it down, saying, defiantly:"There's your old post-office!" but feeling all the time just likecrying. Poor little Elsie! In almost every big family, there is one ofthese unmated, left-out children. Katy, who had the finest plans in theworld for being "heroic, " and of use, never saw, as she drifted on herheedless way, that here, in this lonely little sister, was the verychance she wanted for being a comfort to somebody who needed comfortvery much. She never saw it, and Elsie's heavy heart went uncheered. 

Dorry and Joanna sat on the two ends of the ridge-pole. Dorry was sixyears old; a pale, pudgy boy, with rather a solemn face, and smears ofmolasses on the sleeve of his jacket. Joanna, whom the children called"John, " and "Johnnie, " was a square, splendid child, a year younger thanDorry; she had big brave eyes, and a wide rosy mouth, which alwayslooked ready to laugh. These two were great friends, though Dorry seemedlike a girl who had got into boy's clothes by mistake, and Johnnie likea boy who, in a fit of fun, had borrowed his sister's frock. And now, asthey all sat there chattering and giggling, the window above opened, aglad shriek was heard, and Katy's head appeared. In her hand she held aheap of stockings, which she waved triumphantly. 

"Hurray!" she cried, "all done, and Aunt Izzie says we may go. Are youtired out waiting? I couldn't help it, the holes were so big, and tookso long. Hurry up, Clover, and get the things! Cecy and I will be downin a minute. "

The children jumped up gladly, and slid down the roof. Clover fetched acouple of baskets from the wood-shed. Elsie ran for her kitten. Dorryand John loaded themselves with two great fagots of green boughs. Justas they were ready, the side-door banged, and Katy and Cecy Hall cameinto the yard. 

I must tell you about Cecy. She was a great friend of the children's, and lived in a house next door. The yards of the houses were onlyseparated by a green hedge, with no gate, so that Cecy spent two-thirdsof her time at Dr. Carr's, and was exactly like one of the family. Shewas a neat, dapper, pink-and-white-girl, modest and prim in manner, withlight shiny hair, which always kept smooth, and slim hands, which neverlooked dirty. How different from my poor Katy! Katy's hair was foreverin a snarl; her gowns were always catching on nails and tearing"themselves"; and, in spite of her age and size, she was as heedless andinnocent as a child of six. Katy was the _longest_ girl that was everseen. What she did to make herself grow so, nobody could tell; but thereshe was--up above Papa's ear, and half a head taller than poor AuntIzzie. Whenever she stopped to think about her height she became veryawkward, and felt as if she were all legs and elbows, and angles andjoints. Happily, her head was so full of other things, of plans andschemes, and fancies of all sorts, that she didn't often take time toremember how tall she was. She was a dear, loving child, for all hercareless habits, and made bushels of good resolutions every week of herlife, only unluckily she never kept any of them. She had fits ofresponsibility about the other children, and longed to set them a goodexample, but when the chance came, she generally forgot to do so. Katy'sdays flew like the wind; for when she wasn't studying lessons, or sewingand darning with Aunt Izzie, which she hated extremely, there werealways so many delightful schemes rioting in her brains, that all shewished for was ten pairs of hands to carry them out. These same activebrains got her into perpetual scrapes. She was fond of building castlesin the air, and dreaming of the time when something she had done wouldmake her famous, so that everybody would hear of her, and want to knowher. I don't think she had made up her mind what this wonderful thingwas to be; but while thinking about it she often forgot to learn alesson, or to lace her boots, and then she had a bad mark, or a scoldingfrom Aunt Izzie. At such times she consoled herself with planning how, by and by, she would be beautiful and beloved, and amiable as an angel. A great deal was to happen to Katy before that time came. Her eyes, which were black, were to turn blue; her nose was to lengthen andstraighten, and her mouth, quite too large at present to suit the partof a heroine, was to be made over into a sort of rosy button. Meantime, and until these charming changes should take place, Katy forgot herfeatures as much as she could, though still, I think, the person onearth whom she most envied was that lady on the outside of theTricopherous bottles with the wonderful hair which sweeps the ground. 

CHAPTER II

PARADISE

The place to which the children were going was a sort of marshy thicketat the bottom of a field near the house. It wasn't a big thicket, but itlooked big, because the trees and bushes grew so closely that you couldnot see just where it ended. In winter the ground was damp and boggy, sothat nobody went there, excepting cows, who don't mind getting theirfeet wet; but in summer the water dried away, and then it was all freshand green, and full of delightful things--wild roses, and sassafras, andbirds' nests. Narrow, winding paths ran here and there, made by thecattle as they wandered to and fro. This place the children called"Paradise, " and to them it seemed as wide and endless and full ofadventure as any forest of fairy land. 

The way to Paradise was through some wooden bars. Katy and Cecy climbedthese with a hop, skip and jump, while the smaller ones scrambledunderneath. Once past the bars they were fairly in the field, and, withone consent, they all began to run till they reached the entrance of thewood. Then they halted, with a queer look of hesitation on their faces. It was always an exciting occasion to go to Paradise for the first timeafter the long winter. Who knew what the fairies might not have donesince any of them had been there to see?

"Which path shall we go in by?" asked Clover, at last. 

"Suppose we vote, " said Katy. "I say by the Pilgrim's Path and the Hillof Difficulty. "

"So do I!" chimed in Clover, who always agreed with Katy. 

"The Path of Peace is nice, " suggested Cecy. 

"No, no! We want to go by Sassafras Path!" cried John and Dorry. 

However, Katy, as usual, had her way. It was agreed that they shouldfirst try Pilgrim's Path, and afterward make a thorough exploration ofthe whole of their little kingdom, and see all that had happened sincelast they were there. So in they marched, Katy and Cecy heading theprocession, and Dorry, with his great trailing bunch of boughs, bringingup the rear. 

"Oh, there is the dear Rosary, all safe!" cried the children, as theyreached the top of the Hill of Difficulty, and came upon a tall stump, out of the middle of which waved a wild rose-bush, budded over withfresh green eaves. This "Rosary" was a fascinating thing to their minds. They were always inventing stories about it, and were in constant terrorlest some hungry cow should take a fancy to the rose-bush and eat it up. 

"Yes, " said Katy, stroking a leaf with her finger, "it was in greatdanger one night last winter, but it escaped. "

"Oh, how? Tell us about it!" cried the others, for Katy's stories werefamous in the family. 

"It was Christmas Eve, " continued Katy, in a mysterious tone. "The fairyof the Rosary was quite sick. She had taken a dreadful cold in her head, and the poplar-tree fairy, just over there, told her that sassafras teais good for colds. So she made a large acorn-cup full, and then cuddledherself in where the wood looks so black and soft, and fell asleep. Inthe middle of the night, when she was snoring soundly, there was a noisein the forest, and a dreadful black bull with fiery eyes galloped up. Hesaw our poor Rosy Posy, and, opening his big mouth, he was just going tobite her in two; but at that minute a little fat man, with a wand in hishand, popped out from behind the stump. It was Santa Claus, of course. He gave the bull such a rap with his wand that he moo-ed dreadfully, andthen put up his fore-paw, to see if his nose was on or not. He found itwas, but it hurt him so that he 'moo-ed' again, and galloped off as fastas he could into the woods. Then Santa Claus waked up the fairy, andtold her that if she didn't take better care of Rosy Posy he should putsome other fairy into her place, and set her to keep guard over aprickly, scratchy, blackberry-bush. "

"Is there really any fairy?" asked Dorry, who had listened to thisnarrative with open mouth. 

"Of course, " answered Katy. Then bending down toward Dorry, she added ina voice intended to be of wonderful sweetness: "I am a fairy, Dorry!"

"Pshaw!" was Dorry's reply; "you're a giraffe--Pa said so!"

The Path of Peace got its name because of its darkness and coolness. High bushes almost met over it, and trees kept it shady, even in themiddle of the day. A sort of white flower grew there, which the childrencalled Pollypods, because they didn't know the real name. They staid along while picking bunches of these flowers, and then John and Dorry hadto grub up an armful of sassafras roots; so that before they had fairlygone through Toadstool Avenue, Rabbit Hollow, and the rest, the sun wasjust over their heads, and it was noon. 

"I'm getting hungry, " said Dorry. 

"Oh, no, Dorry, you mustn't be hungry till the bower is ready!" criedthe little girls, alarmed, for Dorry was apt to be disconsolate if hewas kept waiting for his meals. So they made haste to build the bower. It did not take long, being composed of boughs hung over skipping-ropes, which were tied to the very poplar-tree where the fairy lived who hadrecommended sassafras tea to the Fairy of the Rose. 

When it was done they all cuddled in underneath. It was a very smallbower--just big enough to hold them, and the baskets, and the kitten. Idon't think there would have been room for anybody else, not evenanother kitten. Katy, who sat in the middle, untied and lifted the lidof the largest basket, while all the rest peeped eagerly to see whatwas inside. 

First came a great many ginger cakes. These were carefully laid on thegrass to keep till wanted: buttered biscuit came next--three apiece, with slices of cold lamb laid in between; and last of all were a dozenhard-boiled eggs, and a layer of thick bread and butter sandwiched withcorn-beef. Aunt Izzie had put up lunches for Paradise before, you see, and knew pretty well what to expect in the way of appetite. 

Oh, how good everything tasted in that bower, with the fresh windrustling the poplar leaves, sunshine and sweet wood-smells about them, and birds singing overhead! No grown-up dinner party ever had half somuch fun. Each mouthful was a pleasure; and when the last crumb hadvanished, Katy produced the second basket, and there, oh, delightfulsurprise! were seven little pies--molasses pies, baked in saucers--eachwith a brown top and crisp candified edge, which tasted like toffy andlemon-peel, and all sorts of good things mixed up together. 

There was a general shout. Even demure Cecy was pleased, and Dorry andJohn kicked their heels on the ground in a tumult of joy. Seven pairs ofhands were held out at once toward the basket; seven sets of teeth wentto work without a moment's delay. In an incredibly short time everyvestige of the pie had disappeared, and a blissful stickiness pervadedthe party. 

"What shall we do now?" asked Clover, while little Phil tipped thebaskets upside down, as if to make sure there was nothing left thatcould possibly be eaten. 

"I don't know, " replied Katy, dreamily. She had left her seat, and washalf-sitting, half-lying on the low, crooked bough of a butternut tree, which hung almost over the children's heads. 

"Let's play we're grown up, " said Cecy, "and tell what we mean to do. "

"Well, " said Clover, "you begin. What do you mean to do?"

"I mean to have a black silk dress, and pink roses in my bonnet, and awhite muslin long-shawl, " said Cecy; "and I mean to look _exactly_ likeMinerva Clark! I shall be very good, too; as good as Mrs. Bedell, only agreat deal prettier. All the young gentlemen will want me to go andride, but I shan't notice them at all, because you know I shall alwaysbe teaching in Sunday-school, and visiting the poor. And some day, whenI am bending over an old woman and feeding her with currant jelly, apoet will come along and see me, and he'll go home and write a poemabout me, " concluded Cecy, triumphantly. 

"Pooh!" said Clover. "I don't think that would be nice at all. _I'm_going to be a beautiful lady--the most beautiful lady in the world! AndI'm going to live in a yellow castle, with yellow pillars to theportico, and a square thing on top, like Mr. Sawyer's. My children aregoing to have a play-house up there. There's going to be a spy-glass inthe window, to look out of. I shall wear gold dresses and silver dressesevery day, and diamond rings, and have white satin aprons to tie on whenI'm dusting, or doing anything dirty. In the middle of my back-yardthere will be a pond-full of Lubin's Extracts, and whenever I want any Ishall go just out and dip a bottle in. And I shan't teach in Sundayschools, like Cecy, because I don't want to; but every Sunday I'll goand stand by the gate, and when her scholars go by on their way home, I'll put Lubin's Extracts on their handkerchiefs. "

"I mean to have just the same, " cried Elsie, whose imagination was firedby this gorgeous vision, "only my pond will be the biggest. I shall be agreat deal beautifuller, too, " she added. 

"You can't, " said Katy from overhead. "Clover is going to be the mostbeautiful lady in the world. "

"But I'll be more beautiful than the most beautiful, " persisted poorlittle Elsie; "and I'll be big, too, and know everybody's secrets. Andeverybody'll be kind, then, and never run away and hide; and there won'tbe any post offices, or anything disagreeable. "

"What'll you be, Johnnie?" asked Clover, anxious to change the subject, for Elsie's voice was growing plaintive. 

But Johnnie had no clear ideas as to her future. She laughed a greatdeal, and squeezed Dorry's arm very tight, but that was all. Dorry wasmore explicit. 

"I mean to have turkey every day, " he declared, "and batter-puddings;not boiled ones, you know, but little baked ones, with brown shinytops, and a great deal of pudding sauce to eat on them. And I shall beso big then that nobody will say, 'Three helps is quite enough for alittle boy. '"

"Oh, Dorry, you pig!" cried Katy, while the others screamed withlaughter. Dorry was much affronted. 

"I shall just go and tell Aunt Izzie what you called me, " he said, getting up in a great pet. 

But Clover, who was a born peacemaker, caught hold of his arm, and hercoaxings and entreaties consoled him so much that he finally said hewould stay; especially as the others were quite grave now, and promisedthat they wouldn't laugh any more. 

"And now, Katy, it's your turn, " said Cecy; "tell us what you're goingto be when you grow up. "

"I'm not sure about what I'll be, " replied Katy, from overhead;"beautiful, of course, and good if I can, only not so good as you, Cecy, because it would be nice to go and ride with the young gentlemen_sometimes_. And I'd like to have a large house and a splendiferousgarden, and then you could all come and live with me, and we would playin the garden, and Dorry should have turkey five times a day if heliked. And we'd have a machine to darn the stockings, and anothermachine to put the bureau drawers in order, and we'd never sew or knitgarters, or do anything we didn't want to. That's what I'd like to _be_. But now I'll tell you what I mean to _do_. "

"Isn't it the same thing?" asked Cecy. 

"Oh, no!" replied Katy, "quite different; for you see I mean to _do_something grand. I don't know what, yet; but when I'm grown up I shallfind out. " (Poor Katy always said "when I'm grown up, " forgetting howvery much she had grown already. ) "Perhaps, " she went on, "it will berowing out in boats, and saving peoples' lives, like that girl in thebook. Or perhaps I shall go and nurse in the hospital, like MissNightingale. Or else I'll head a crusade and ride on a white horse, witharmor and a helmet on my head, and carry a sacred flag. Or if I don't dothat, I'll paint pictures, or sing, or scalp--sculp, --what is it? youknow--make figures in marble. Anyhow it shall be _something_. And whenAunt Izzie sees it, and reads about me in the newspapers she will say, 'The dear child! I always knew she would turn out an ornament to thefamily, ' People very often say, afterward, that they 'always knew, '"concluded Katy sagaciously. 

"Oh, Katy! how beautiful it will be!" said Clover, clasping her hands. Clover believed in Katy as she did in the Bible. 

"I don't believe the newspapers would be so silly as to print thingsabout _you_, Katy Carr, " put in Elsie, vindictively. 

"Yes they will!" said Clover; and gave Elsie a push. 

By and by John and Dorry trotted away on mysterious errands oftheir own. 

"Wasn't Dorry funny with his turkey?" remarked Cecy; and they alllaughed again. 

"If you won't tell, " said Katy, "I'll let you see Dorry's journal. Hekept it once for almost two weeks, and then gave it up. I found thebook, this morning, in the nursery closet. "

All of them promised, and Katy produced it from her pocket. Itbegan thus:

"March 12. --Have resolved to keep a jurnal. 

March 13. --Had rost befe for diner, and cabage, and potato and appelsawse, and rice puding. I do not like rice puding when it is like ours. Charley Slack's kind is rele good. Mush and sirup for tea. 

March 19. --Forgit what did. John and me saved our pie to take to schule. 

March 21. --Forgit what did. Gridel cakes for brekfast. Debby didn'tfry enuff. 

March 24. --This is Sunday. Corn befe for dinnir. Studdied my Bibelleson. Aunt Issy said I was gredy. Have resollved not to think so muchabout things to ete. Wish I was a beter boy. Nothing pertikeler for tea. 

March 25. --Forgit what did. 

March 27. --Forgit what did. 

March 29. --Played. 

March 31. --Forgit what did. 

April 1. --Have dissided not to kepe a jurnal enny more. "

Here ended the extracts; and it seemed as if only a minute had passedsince they stopped laughing over them, before the long shadows began tofall, and Mary came to say that all of them must come in to get readyfor tea. It was dreadful to have to pick up the empty baskets and gohome, feeling that the long, delightful Saturday was over, and thatthere wouldn't be another for a week. But it was comforting to rememberthat Paradise was always there; and that at any moment when Kate andAunt Izzie were willing, they had only to climb a pair of bars--veryeasy ones, and without any fear of an angel with flaming sword to stopthe way--enter in, and take possession of their Eden. 

CHAPTER III

THE DAY OF SCRAPES

Mrs. Knight's school, to which Katy and Clover and Cecy went, stoodquite at the other end of the town from Dr. Carr's. It was a low, one-story building and had a yard behind it, in which the girls playedat recess. Unfortunately, next door to it was Miss Miller's school, equally large and popular, and with a yard behind it also. Only a highboard fence separated the two playgrounds. 

Mrs. Knight was a stout, gentle woman, who moved slowly, and had a facewhich made you think of an amiable and well-disposed cow. Miss Miller, on the contrary, had black eyes, with black corkscrew curls waving aboutthem, and was generally brisk and snappy. A constant feud raged betweenthe two schools as to the respective merits of the teachers and theinstruction. The Knight girls for some unknown reason, consideredthemselves genteel and the Miller girls vulgar, and took no pains toconceal this opinion; while the Miller girls, on the other hand, retaliated by being as aggravating as they knew how. They spent theirrecesses and intermissions mostly in making faces through the knot-holesin the fence, and over the top of it when they could get there, whichwasn't an easy thing to do, as the fence was pretty high. The Knightgirls could make faces too, for all their gentility. Their yard had onegreat advantage over the other: it possessed a wood-shed, with aclimbable roof, which commanded Miss Miller's premises, and upon thisthe girls used to sit in rows, turning up their noses at the next yard, and irritating the foe by jeering remarks. "Knights" and "Millerites, "the two schools called each other; and the feud raged so high, thatsometimes it was hardly safe for a Knight to meet a Millerite in thestreet; all of which, as may be imagined, was exceedingly improving bothto the manners and morals of the young ladies concerned. 

One morning, not long after the day in Paradise, Katy was late. Shecould not find her things. Her algebra, as she expressed it, had "goneand lost itself, " her slate was missing, and the string was off hersun-bonnet. She ran about, searching for these articles and bangingdoors, till Aunt Izzie was out of patience. 

"As for your algebra, " she said, "if it is that very dirty book withonly one cover, and scribbled all over the leaves, you will find itunder the kitchen-table. Philly was playing before breakfast that it wasa pig: no wonder, I'm sure, for it looks good for nothing else. How youdo manage to spoil your school-books in this manner, Katy, I cannotimagine. It is less than a month since your father got you a newalgebra, and look at it now--not fit to be carried about. I do wish youwould realize what books cost!

"About your slate, " she went on, "I know nothing; but here is thebonnet-string;" taking it out of her pocket. 

"Oh, thank you!" said Katy, hastily sticking it on with a pin. 

"Katy Carr!" almost screamed Miss Izzie, "what are you about? Pinning onyour bonnet-string! Mercy on me, what shiftless thing will you do next?Now stand still, and don't fidget. You sha'n't stir till I have sewed iton properly. "

It wasn't easy to "stand still and not fidget, " with Aunt Izziefussing away and lecturing, and now and then, in a moment offorgetfulness, sticking her needle into one's chin. Katy bore it aswell as she could, only shifting perpetually from one foot to theother, and now and then uttering a little snort, like an impatienthorse. The minute she was released she flew into the kitchen, seizedthe algebra, and rushed like a whirlwind to the gate, where goodlittle Clover stood patiently waiting, though all ready herself, andterribly afraid she should be late. 

"We shall have to run, " gasped Katy, quite out of breath. "Aunt Izziekept me. She has been so horrid!"

They did run as fast as they could, but time ran faster, and before theywere half-way to school the town clock struck nine, and all hope wasover. This vexed Katy very much; for, though often late, she was alwayseager to be early. 

"There, " she said, stopping short, "I shall just tell Aunt Izzie that itwas her fault. It is _too_ bad. " And she marched into school in a verycross mood. 

A day begun in this manner is pretty sure to end badly, as most of usknow. All the morning through, things seemed to go wrong. Katy missedtwice in her grammar lesson, and lost her place in the class. Her handshook so when she copied her composition, that the writing, not good atbest, turned out almost illegible, so that Mrs. Knight said it must allbe done over again. This made Katy crosser than ever; and almost beforeshe thought, she had whispered to Clover, "How hateful!" And then, whenjust before recess all who had "communicated" were requested to standup, her conscience gave such a twinge that she was forced to get up withthe rest, and see a black mark put against her name on the list. Thetears came into her eyes from vexation; and, for fear the other girlswould notice them, she made a bolt for the yard as soon as the bellrang, and mounted up all alone to the wood-house roof, where she satwith her back to the school, fighting with her eyes, and trying to gether face in order before the rest should come. 

Miss Miller's clock was about four minutes slower than Mrs. Knight's, sothe next playground was empty. It was a warm, breezy day, and as Katysat here, suddenly a gust of wind came, and seizing her sun-bonnet, which was only half tied on, whirled it across the roof. She clutchedafter it as it flew, but too late. Once, twice, thrice, it flapped, thenit disappeared over the edge, and Katy, flying after, saw it lying acrumpled lilac heap in the very middle of the enemy's yard. 

This was horrible! Not merely losing the bonnet, for Katy wascomfortably indifferent as to what became of her clothes, but to lose it_so_. In another minute the Miller girls would be out. Already sheseemed to see them dancing war-dances round the unfortunate bonnet, pinning it on a pole, using it as a football, waving it over the fence, and otherwise treating it as Indians treat a captive taken in war. Wasit to be endured? Never! Better die first! And with very much thefeeling of a person who faces destruction rather than forfeit honor, Katy set her teeth, and sliding rapidly down the roof, seized the fence, and with one bold leap vaulted into Miss Miller's yard. 

Just then the recess bell tinkled; and a little Millerite who sat by thewindow, and who, for two seconds, had been dying to give the excitinginformation, squeaked out to the others: "There's Katy Carr in ourback-yard!"

Out poured the Millerites, big and little. Their wrath andindignation at this daring invasion cannot be described. With a howlof fury they precipitated themselves upon Katy, but she was quick asthey, and holding the rescued bonnet in her hand, was alreadyhalf-way up the fence. 

There are moments when it is a fine thing to be tall. On this occasionKaty's long legs and arms served her an excellent turn. Nothing but aDaddy Long Legs ever climbed so fast or so wildly as she did now. In onesecond she had gained the top of the fence. Just as she went over aMillerite seized her by the last foot, and almost dragged her boot off. 

Almost, not quite, thanks to the stout thread with which Aunt Izzie hadsewed on the buttons. With a frantic kick Katy released herself, and hadthe satisfaction of seeing her assailant go head over heels backward, while, with a shriek of triumph and fright, she herself plunged headlonginto the midst of a group of Knights. They were listening with openmouths to the uproar, and now stood transfixed at the astonishingspectacle of one of their number absolutely returning alive from thecamp of the enemy. 

I cannot tell you what a commotion ensued. The Knights were besidethemselves with pride and triumph. Katy was kissed and hugged, and madeto tell her story over and over again, while rows of exulting girls saton the wood-house roof to crow over the discomfited Millerites: andwhen, later, the foe rallied and began to retort over the fence, Clover, armed with a tack-hammer, was lifted up in the arms of one of the tallgirls to rap the intruding knuckles as they appeared on the top. Thisshe did with such good-will that the Millerites were glad to drop downagain, and mutter vengeance at a safe distance. Altogether it was agreat day for the school, a day to be remembered. As time went on, Katy, what with the excitement of her adventure, and of being praised andpetted by the big girls, grew perfectly reckless, and hardly knew whatshe said or did. 

A good many of the scholars lived too far from school to go home atnoon, and were in the habit of bringing their lunches in baskets, andstaying all day. Katy and Clover were of this number. This noon, afterthe dinners were eaten, it was proposed that they should play somethingin the school-room, and Katy's unlucky star put it into her head toinvent a new game, which she called the Game of Rivers. 

It was played in the following manner: Each girl took the name of ariver, and laid out for herself an appointed path through the room, winding among the desks and benches, and making a low, roaring sound, toimitate the noise of water. Cecy was the Platte, Marianne Brooks, a tallgirl, the Mississippi, Alice Blair, the Ohio, Clover, the Penobscot, andso on. They were instructed to run into each other once in a while, because, as Katy said, "rivers do. " As for Katy herself, she was "FatherOcean, " and, growling horribly, raged up and down the platform whereMrs. Knight usually sat. Every now and then, when the others were at thefar end of the room, she would suddenly cry out, "Now for a meeting ofthe waters!" whereupon all the rivers bouncing, bounding, scrambling, screaming, would turn and run toward Father Ocean, while he roaredlouder than all of them put together, and made short rushes up and down, to represent the movement of waves on a beach. 

Such a noise as this beautiful game made was never heard in the town ofBurnet before or since. It was like the bellowing of the bulls ofBashan, the squeaking of pigs, the cackle of turkey-cocks, and the laughof wild hyenas all at once; and, in addition, there was a great bangingof furniture and scraping of many feet on an uncarpeted floor. Peoplegoing by stopped and stared, children cried, an old lady asked why someone didn't run for a policeman; while the Miller girls listened to theproceedings with malicious pleasure, and told everybody that it was thenoise that Mrs. Knight's scholars "usually made at recess. "

Mrs. Knight coming back from dinner, was much amazed to see a crowd ofpeople collected in front of her school. As she drew near, the soundsreached her, and then she became really frightened, for she thoughtsomebody was being murdered on her premises. Hurrying in, she threw openthe door, and there, to her dismay, was the whole room in a frightfulstate of confusion and uproar: chairs flung down, desks upset, inkstreaming on the floor; while in the midst of the ruin the franticrivers raced and screamed, and old Father Ocean, with a face as red asfire, capered like a lunatic on the platform. 

"What _does_ this mean?" gasped poor Mrs. Knight, almost unable to speakfor horror. 

At the sound of her voice the Rivers stood still, Father Ocean broughthis prances to an abrupt close, and slunk down from the platform. Allof a sudden, each girl seemed to realize what a condition the room wasin, and what a horrible thing she had done. The timid ones coweredbehind their desks, the bold ones tried to look unconscious, and, tomake matters worse, the scholars who had gone home to dinner began toreturn, staring at the scene of disaster, and asking, in whispers, whathad been going on?

Mrs. Knight rang the bell. When the school had come to order, she hadthe desks and chairs picked up, while she herself brought wet cloths tosop the ink from the floor. This was done in profound silence; and theexpression of Mrs. Knight's face was so direful and solemn, that a freshdamp fell upon the spirits of the guilty Rivers, and Father Ocean wishedhimself thousands of miles away. 

When all was in order again, and the girls had taken their seats, Mrs. Knight made a short speech. She said she never was so shocked in herlife before; she had supposed that she could trust them to behave likeladies when her back was turned. The idea that they could act sodisgracefully, make such an uproar and alarm people going by, had neveroccurred to her, and she was deeply pained. It was setting a bad exampleto all the neighborhood--by which Mrs. Knight meant the rival school, Miss Miller having just sent over a little girl, with her compliments, to ask if any one was hurt, and could _she_ do anything? which wasnaturally aggravating! Mrs. Knight hoped they were sorry; she thoughtthey must be--sorry and ashamed. The exercises could now go on as usual. Of course some punishment would be inflicted for the offense, but sheshould have to reflect before deciding what it ought to be. Meantime shewanted them all to think it over seriously; and if any one felt that shewas more to blame than the others, now was the moment to rise andconfess it. 

Katy's heart gave a great thump, but she rose bravely: "I made up thegame, and I was Father Ocean, " she said to the astonished Mrs. Knight, who glared at her for a minute, and then replied solemnly: "Very well, Katy--sit down;" which Katy did, feeling more ashamed than ever, butsomehow relieved in her mind. There is a saving grace in truth whichhelps truth-tellers through the worst of their troubles, and Katy foundthis out now. 

The afternoon was long and hard. Mrs. Knight did not smile once; thelessons dragged; and Katy, after the heat and excitement of theforenoon, began to feel miserable. She had received more than one hardblow during the meetings of the waters, and had bruised herself almostwithout knowing it, against the desks and chairs. All these places nowbegan to ache: her head throbbed so that she could hardly see, and alump of something heavy seemed to be lying on her heart. 

When school was over, Mrs. Knight rose and said, "The young ladies whotook part in the game this afternoon are requested to remain. " All theothers went away, and shut the door behind them. It was a horriblemoment: the girls never forgot it, or the hopeless sound of the door asthe last departing scholar clapped it after her as she left. 

I can't begin to tell you what it was that Mrs. Knight said to them: itwas very affecting, and before long most of the girls began to cry. Thepenalty for their offense was announced to be the loss of recess forthree weeks; but that wasn't half so bad as seeing Mrs. Knight so"religious and afflicted, " as Cecy told her mother afterward. One by onethe sobbing sinners departed from the schoolroom. When most of them weregone, Mrs. Knight called Katy up to the platform, and said a few wordsto her specially. She was not really severe, but Katy was too penitentand worn out to bear much, and before long was weeping like awater-spout, or like the ocean she had pretended to be. 

At this, tender-hearted Mrs. Knight was so much affected that she lether off at once, and even kissed her in token of forgiveness, which madepoor Ocean sob harder than ever. All the way home she sobbed; faithfullittle Clover, running along by her side in great distress, begging herto stop crying, and trying in vain to hold up the fragments of herdress, which was torn in, at least, a dozen places. Katy could not stopcrying, and it was fortunate that Aunt Izzie happened to be out, andthat the only person who saw her in this piteous plight was Mary, thenurse, who doted on the children, and was always ready to help them outof their troubles. 

On this occasion she petted and cosseted Katy exactly as if it had beenJohnnie or little Phil. She took her on her lap, bathed the hot head, brushed the hair, put arnica on the bruises, and produced a clean frock, so that by tea-time the poor child, except for her red eyes, looked likeherself again, and Aunt Izzie didn't notice anything unusual. 

For a wonder, Dr. Carr was at home that evening. It was always a greattreat to the children when this happened, and Katy thought herself happywhen, after the little ones had gone to bed, she got Papa to herself, and told him the whole story. 

"Papa, " she said, sitting on his knee, which, big girl as she was, sheliked very much to do, "what is the reason that makes some days so luckyand other days so unlucky? Now today began all wrong, and everythingthat happened in it was wrong, and on other days I begin right, and allgoes right, straight through. If Aunt Izzie hadn't kept me in themorning, I shouldn't have lost my mark, and then I shouldn't have beencross, and then _perhaps_ I shouldn't have got in my other scrapes. "

"But what made Aunt Izzie keep you, Katy?"

"To sew on the string of my bonnet, Papa. "

"But how did it happen that the string was off?"

"Well, " said Katy, reluctantly, "I am afraid that was _my_ fault, for itcame off on Tuesday, and I didn't fasten it on. "

"So you see we must go back of Aunt Izzie for the beginning of thisunlucky day of yours, Childie. Did you ever hear the old saying about, 'For the want of a nail the shoe was lost'?"

"No, never--tell it to me!" cried Katy, who loved stories as well aswhen she was three years old. 

So Dr. Carr repeated--

 "For the want of a nail the shoe was lost, For the want of a shoe the horse was lost, For the want of a horse the rider was lost, For the want of a rider the battle was lost, For the want of a battle the kingdom was lost, And all for want of a horse-shoe nail. "

"Oh, Papa!" exclaimed Katy, giving him a great hug as she got off hisknee, "I see what you mean! Who would have thought such a littlespeck of a thing as not sewing on my string could make a difference?But I don't believe I shall get in any more scrapes, for I sha'n'tever forget--

 "'For the want of a nail the shoe was lost. '"

CHAPTER IV

KIKERI

But I am sorry to say that my poor, thoughtless Katy _did_ forget, and did get into another scrape, and that no later than the verynext Monday. 

Monday was apt to be rather a stormy day at the Carrs'. There was thebig wash to be done, and Aunt Izzie always seemed a little harder toplease, and the servants a good deal crosser than on common days. But Ithink it was also, in part, the fault of the children, who, after thequiet of Sunday, were specially frisky and uproarious, and readier thanusual for all sorts of mischief. 

To Clover and Elsie, Sunday seemed to begin at Saturday's bed-time, whentheir hair was wet, and screwed up in papers, that it might curl nextday. Elsie's waved naturally, so Aunt Izzie didn't think it necessary topin her papers very tight; but Clover's thick, straight locks requiredto be pinched hard before they would give even the least twirl, and toher, Saturday night was one of misery. She would lie tossing, andturning, and trying first one side of her head and then the other; butwhichever way she placed herself, the hard knobs and the pins stuck outand hurt her; so when at last she fell asleep, it was face down, withher small nose buried in the pillow, which was not comfortable, and gaveher bad dreams. In consequence of these sufferings Clover hated curls, and when she "made up" stories for the younger children, they alwayscommenced: "The hair of the beautiful princess was as straight as ayard-stick, and she never did it up in papers--never!"

Sunday always began with a Bible story, followed by a breakfast of bakedbeans, which two things were much tangled up together in Philly's mind. After breakfast the children studied their Sunday-school lessons, andthen the big carryall came round, and they drove to church, which was agood mile off. It was a large, old-fashioned church, with galleries, andlong pews with high red-cushioned seats. 

The choir sat at the end, behind a low, green curtain, which slippedfrom side to side on rods. When the sermon began, they would draw thecurtain aside and show themselves, all ready to listen, but the rest ofthe time they kept it shut. Katy always guessed that they must be havinggood times behind the green curtain--eating orange-peel, perhaps, orreading the Sunday-school books--and she often wished she might sit upthere among them. 

The seat in Dr. Carr's pew was so high that none of the children, exceptKaty, could touch the floor, even with the point of a toe. This madetheir feet go to sleep; and when they felt the queer little pin-prickswhich drowsy feet use to rouse themselves with, they would slide off theseat, and sit on the benches to get over it. Once there, and well hiddenfrom view, it was almost impossible not to whisper. Aunt Izzie wouldfrown and shake her head, but it did little good, especially as Phil andDorry were sleeping with their heads on her lap, and it took both herhands to keep them from rolling off into the bottom of the pew. Whengood old Dr. Stone said, "Finally, my brethren, " she would begin wakingthem up. It was hard work sometimes, but generally she succeeded, sothat during the last hymn the two stood together on the seat, quitebrisk and refreshed, sharing a hymn-book, and making believe to singlike the older people. 

After church came Sunday-school, which the children liked very much, andthen they went home to dinner, which was always the same on Sunday--coldcorned-beef, baked potatoes, and rice pudding. They did not go to churchin the afternoon unless they wished, but were pounced upon by Katyinstead, and forced to listen to the reading of _The Sunday Visitor_, areligious paper, of which she was the editor. This paper was partlywritten, partly printed, on a large sheet of foolscap, and had at thetop an ornamental device, in lead pencil, with "Sunday Visitor" in themiddle of it. The reading part began with a dull little piece of thekind which grown people call an editorial, about "Neatness, " or"Obedience, " or "Punctuality. " The children always fidgeted whenlistening to this, partly, I think, because it aggravated them to haveKaty recommending on paper, as very easy, the virtues which she herselffound it so hard to practise in real life. Next came anecdotes aboutdogs and elephants and snakes, taken from the Natural History book, andnot very interesting, because the audience knew them by heart already. Ahymn or two followed, or a string of original verses, and, last of all, a chapter of "Little Maria and Her Sisters, " a dreadful tale, in whichKaty drew so much moral, and made such personal allusions to the faultsof the rest, that it was almost more than they could bear. In fact, there had just been a nursery rebellion on the subject. You must knowthat, for some weeks back, Katy had been too lazy to prepare any fresh_Sunday Visitors_, and so had forced the children to sit in a row andlisten to the back numbers, which she read aloud from the verybeginning! "Little Maria" sounded much worse when taken in these largedoses, and Clover and Elsie, combining for once, made up their minds toendure it no longer. So, watching their chance, they carried off thewhole edition, and poked it into the kitchen fire, where they watched itburn with a mixture of fear and delight which it was comical to witness. They dared not confess the deed, but it was impossible not to lookconscious when Katy was flying about and rummaging after her losttreasure, and she suspected them, and was very irate in consequence. 

The evenings of Sunday were always spent in repeating hymns to Papa andAunt Izzie. This was fun, for they all took turns, and there was quite ascramble as to who should secure the favorites, such as, "The west hathshut its gate of gold, " and "Go when the morning shineth. " On the whole, Sunday was a sweet and pleasant day, and the children thought so; but, from its being so much quieter than other days, they always got up onMonday full of life and mischief, and ready to fizz over at any minute, like champagne bottles with the wires just cut. 

This particular Monday was rainy, so there couldn't be any out-doorplay, which was the usual vent for over-high spirits. The little ones, cooped up in the nursery all the afternoon, had grown perfectly riotous. Philly was not quite well, and had been taking medicine. The medicinewas called _Elixir Pro_. It was a great favorite with Aunt Izzie, whokept a bottle of it always on hand. The bottle was large and black, witha paper label tied round its neck, and the children shuddered at thesight of it. 

After Phil had stopped roaring and spluttering, and play had begunagain, the dolls, as was only natural, were taken ill also, and so was"Pikery, " John's little yellow chair, which she always pretended was adoll too. She kept an old apron tied on his back, and generally took himto bed with her--not into bed, that would have been troublesome; butclose by, tied to the bed-post. Now, as she told the others, Pikery wasvery sick indeed. He must have some medicine, just like Philly. 

"Give him some water, " suggested Dorry. 

"No, " said John, decidedly, "it must be black and out of a bottle, or itwon't do any good. "

After thinking a moment, she trotted quietly across the passage intoAunt Izzie's room. Nobody was there, but John knew where the Elixir Prowas kept--in the closet on the third shelf. She pulled one of thedrawers out a little, climbed up, and reached it down. The children wereenchanted when she marched back, the bottle in one hand, the cork in theother, and proceeded to pour a liberal dose on to Pikery's wooden seat, which John called his lap. 

"There! there! my poor boy, " she said, patting his shoulder--I mean hisarm--"swallow it down--it'll do you good. "

Just then Aunt Izzie came in, and to her dismay saw a long trickle ofsomething dark and sticky running down on to the carpet. It was Pikery'smedicine, which he had refused to swallow. 

"What is that?" she asked sharply. 

"My baby is sick, " faltered John, displaying the guilty bottle. 

Aunt Izzie rapped her over the head with a thimble, and told her thatshe was a very naughty child, whereupon Johnnie pouted, and cried alittle. Aunt Izzie wiped up the slop, and taking away the Elixir, retired with it to her closet, saying that she "never knew anything likeit--it was always so on Mondays. "

What further pranks were played in the nursery that day, I cannotpretend to tell. But late in the afternoon a dreadful screaming washeard, and when people rushed from all parts of the house to see whatwas the matter, behold the nursery door was locked, and nobody could getin. Aunt Izzie called through the keyhole to have it opened, but theroars were so loud that it was long before she could get an answer. Atlast Elsie, sobbing violently, explained that Dorry had locked the door, and now the key wouldn't turn, and they couldn't open it. _Would_ theyhave to stay there always, and starve?

"Of course you won't, you foolish child, " exclaimed Aunt Izzie. "Dear, dear, what on earth will come next? Stop crying, Elsie--do you hear me?You shall all be got out in a few minutes. "

And sure enough, the next thing came a rattling at the blinds, and therewas Alexander, the hired man, standing outside on a tall ladder andnodding his head at the children. The little ones forgot their fright. They flew to open the window, and frisked and jumped about Alexander ashe climbed in and unlocked the door. It struck them as being such a finething to be let out in this way, that Dorry began to rather plumehimself for fastening them in. 

But Aunt Izzie didn't take this view of the case. She scolded them well, and declared they were troublesome children, who couldn't be trusted onemoment out of sight, and that she was more than half sorry she hadpromised to go to the Lecture that evening. "How do I know, " sheconcluded, "that before I come home you won't have set the house onfire, or killed somebody?"

"Oh, no we won't! no we won't!" whined the children, quite moved by thisfrightful picture. But bless you--ten minutes afterward they hadforgotten all about it. 

All this time Katy had been sitting on the ledge of the bookcase in theLibrary, poring over a book. It was called Tasso's Jerusalem Delivered. The man who wrote it was an Italian, but somebody had done the storyover into English. It was rather a queer book for a little girl to takea fancy to, but somehow Katy liked it very much. It told about knights, and ladies, and giants, and battles, and made her feel hot and cold byturns as she read, and as if she must rush at something, and shout, andstrike blows. Katy was naturally fond of reading. Papa encouraged it. Hekept a few books locked up, and then turned her loose in the Library. She read all sorts of things: travels, and sermons, and old magazines. Nothing was so dull that she couldn't get through with it. Anythingreally interesting absorbed her so that she never knew what was going onabout her. The little girls to whose houses she went visiting had foundthis out, and always hid away their story-books when she was expected totea. If they didn't do this, she was sure to pick one up and plunge in, and then it was no use to call her, or tug at her dress, for she neithersaw nor heard anything more, till it was time to go home. 

This afternoon she read the Jerusalem till It was too dark to see anymore. On her way up stairs she met Aunt Izzie, with bonnet and shawl on. 

"Where _have_ you been?" she said. "I have been calling you for the lasthalf-hour. "

"I didn't hear you, ma'am. "

"But where were you?" persisted Miss Izzie. 

"In the Library, reading, " replied Katy. 

Her aunt gave a sort of sniff, but she knew Katy's ways, and said nomore. 

"I'm going out to drink tea with Mrs. Hall and attend the eveningLecture, " she went on. "Be sure that Clover gets her lesson, and if Cecycomes over as usual, you must send her home early. All of you must be inbed by nine. "

"Yes'm, " said Katy, but I fear she was not attending much, but thinking, in her secret soul, how jolly it was to have Aunt Izzie go out for once. Miss Carr was very faithful to her duties: she seldom left the children, even for an evening, so whenever she did, they felt a certain sense ofnovelty and freedom, which was dangerous as well as pleasant. 

Still, I am sure that on this occasion Katy meant no mischief. Like allexcitable people she seldom did _mean_ to do wrong, she just did it whenit came into her head. Supper passed off successfully, and all mighthave gone well, had it not been that after the lessons were learned andCecy had come in, they fell to talking about "Kikeri. "

Kikeri was a game which had been very popular with them a year before. They had invented it themselves, and chosen for it this queer name outof an old fairy story. It was a sort of mixture of Blindman's Buff andTag--only instead of any one's eyes being bandaged, they all played inthe dark. One of the children would stay out in the hall, which wasdimly lighted from the stairs, while the others hid themselves in thenursery. When they were all hidden, they would call out "Kikeri, " as asignal for the one in the hall to come in and find them. Of course, coming from the light he could see nothing, while the others could seeonly dimly. It was very exciting to stand crouching up in a corner andwatch the dark figure stumbling about and feeling to right and left, while every now and then somebody, just escaping his clutches, wouldslip past and gain the hall, which was "Freedom Castle, " with a joyfulshout of "Kikeri, Kikeri, Kikeri, Ki!" Whoever was caught had to takethe place of the catcher. For a long time this game was the delight ofthe Carr children; but so many scratches and black-and-blue spots cameof it, and so many of the nursery things were thrown down and broken, that at last Aunt Izzie issued an order that it should not be played anymore. This was almost a year since; but talking of it now put it intotheir heads to want to try it again. 

"After all we didn't promise, " said Cecy. 

"No, and _Papa_ never said a word about our not playing it, " added Katy, to whom "Papa" was authority, and must always be minded, while AuntIzzie might now and then be defied. 

So they all went up stairs. Dorry and John, though half undressed, wereallowed to join the game. Philly was fast asleep in another room. 

It was certainly splendid fun. Once Clover climbed up on themantel-piece and sat there, and when Katy, who was finder, groped abouta little more wildly than usual, she caught hold of Clover's foot, andcouldn't imagine where it came from. Dorry got a hard knock, and cried, and at another time Katy's dress caught on the bureau handle and wasfrightfully torn, but these were too much affairs of every day tointerfere in the least with the pleasures of Kikeri. The fun and frolicseemed to grow greater the longer they played. In the excitement, timewent on much faster than any of them dreamed. Suddenly, in the midst ofthe noise, came a sound--the sharp distinct slam of the carryall-door atthe side entrance. Aunt Izzie had returned from her Lecture. 

The dismay and confusion of that moment! Cecy slipped down stairs likean eel, and fled on the wings of fear along the path which led to herhome. Mrs. Hall, as she bade Aunt Izzie good-night, and shut Dr. Carr'sfront door behind her with a bang, might have been struck with thesingular fact that a distant bang came from her own front door like asort of echo. But she was not a suspicious woman; and when she went upstairs there were Cecy's clothes neatly folded on a chair, and Cecyherself in bed, fast asleep, only with a little more color than usual inher cheeks. 

Meantime, Aunt Izzie was on _her_ way up stairs, and such a panic asprevailed in the nursery! Katie felt it, and basely scuttled off to herown room, where she went to bed with all possible speed. But the othersfound it much harder to go to bed; there were so many of them, allgetting into each other's way, and with no lamp to see by. Dorry andJohn popped under the clothes half undressed, Elsie disappeared, andClover, too late for either, and hearing Aunt Izzie's step in the hall, did this horrible thing--fell on her knees, with her face buried in achair, and began to say her prayers very hard indeed. 

Aunt Izzie, coming in with a candle in her hand, stood in the doorway, astonished at the spectacle. She sat down and waited for Clover to getthrough, while Clover, on her part, didn't dare to get through, but wenton repeating "Now I lay me" over and over again, in a sort of despair. At last Aunt Izzie said very grimly: "That will do, Clover, you can getup!" and Clover rose, feeling like a culprit, which she was, for it wasmuch naughtier to pretend to be praying than to disobey Aunt Izzie andbe out of bed after ten o'clock, though I think Clover hardly understoodthis then. 

Aunt Izzie at once began to undress her, and while doing so asked somany questions, that before long she had got at the truth of the wholematter. She gave Clover a sharp scolding, and leaving her to wash hertearful face, she went to the bed where John and Dorry lay, fast asleep, and snoring as conspicuously as they knew how. Something strange in theappearance of the bed made her look more closely: she lifted theclothes, and there, sure enough, they were--half dressed, and with theirschool-boots on. 

Such a shake as Aunt Izzie gave the little scamps at this discovery, would have roused a couple of dormice. Much against their will John andDorry were forced to wake up, and be slapped and scolded, and madeready for bed, Aunt Izzie standing over them all the while, like adragon. She had just tucked them warmly in, when for the first time shemissed Elsie. 

"Where is my poor little Elsie?" she exclaimed. 

"In bed, " said Clover, meekly. 

"In bed!" repeated Aunt Izzie, much amazed. Then stooping down, she gavea vigorous pull. The trundle-bed came into view, and sure enough, therewas Elsie, in full dress, shoes and all, but so fast asleep that not allAunt Izzie's shakes, and pinches, and calls, were able to rouse her. Herclothes were taken off, her boots unlaced, her night-gown put on; butthrough it all Elsie slept, and she was the only one of the children whodid not get the scolding she deserved that dreadful night. 

Katy did not even pretend to be asleep when Aunt Izzie went to her room. Her tardy conscience had waked up, and she was lying in bed, verymiserable at having drawn the others into a scrape as well as herself, and at the failure of her last set of resolutions about "setting anexample to the younger ones. "

So unhappy was she, that Aunt Izzie's severe words were almost a relief;and though she cried herself to sleep, it was rather from the burden ofher own thoughts than because she had been scolded. 

She cried even harder the next day, for Dr. Carr talked to her moreseriously than he had ever done before. He reminded her of the time whenher Mamma died, and of how she said, "Katy must be a Mamma to the littleones, when she grows up. " And he asked her if she didn't think the timewas come for beginning to take this dear place towards the children. Poor Katy! She sobbed as if her heart would break at this, and thoughshe made no promises, I think she was never quite so thoughtless again, after that day. As for the rest, Papa called them together and made themdistinctly understand that "Kikeri" was never to be played any more. Itwas so seldom that Papa forbade any games, however boisterous, that thisorder really made an impression on the unruly brood, and they never haveplayed Kikeri again, from that day to this. 

CHAPTER V

IN THE LOFT

"I declare, " said Miss Petingill, laying down her work, "if themchildren don't beat all! What on airth _are_ the going to do now?"

Miss Petingill was sitting in the little room in the back building, which she always had when she came to the Carr's for a week's mendingand making over. She was the dearest, funniest old woman who ever wentout sewing by the day. Her face was round, and somehow made you think ofa very nice baked apple, it was so criss-crossed, and lined by athousand good-natured puckers. She was small and wiry, and wore caps anda false front, which was just the color of a dusty Newfoundland dog'sback. Her eyes were dim, and she used spectacles; but for all that, shewas an excellent worker. Every one liked Miss Petingill though AuntIzzie _did_ once say that her tongue "was hung in the middle. " AuntIzzie made this remark when she was in a temper, and was by no meansprepared to have Phil walk up at once and request Miss Petingill to"stick it out, " which she obligingly did; while the rest of the childrencrowded to look. They couldn't see that it was different from othertongues, but Philly persisted in finding something curious about it;there must be, you know--since it was hung in that queer way!

Wherever Miss Petingill went, all sorts of treasures went with her. Thechildren liked to have her come, for it was as good as a fairy story, orthe circus, to see her things unpacked. Miss Petingill was very muchafraid of burglars; she lay awake half the night listening for them andnothing on earth would have persuaded her to go anywhere, leaving behindwhat she called her "Plate. " This stately word meant six old teaspoons, very thin and bright and sharp, and a butter-knife, whose handle setforth that it was "A testimonial of gratitude, for saving the life ofIthuriel Jobson, aged seven, on the occasion of his being attacked withquinsy sore throat. " Miss Petingill was very proud of her knife. It andthe spoons travelled about in a little basket which hung on her arm, andwas never allowed to be out of her sight, even when the family she wassewing for were the honestest people in the world. 

Then, beside the plate-basket, Miss Petingill never stirred without Tom, her tortoiseshell cat. Tom was a beauty, and knew his power; he ruledMiss Petingill with a rod of iron, and always sat in the rocking-chairwhen there was one. It was no matter where _she_ sat, Miss Petingilltold people, but Tom was delicate, and must be made comfortable. A bigfamily Bible always came too, and a special red merino pin-cushion, andsome "shade pictures" of old Mr. And Mrs. Petingill and Peter Petingill, who was drowned at sea; and photographs of Mrs. Porter, who used to beMarcia Petingill, and Mrs. Porter's husband, and all the Porterchildren. Many little boxes and jars came also, and a long row of phialsand bottles, filled with homemade physic and herb teas. Miss Petingillcould not have slept without having them beside her, for, as she said, how did she know that she might not be "took sudden" with something, anddie for want of a little ginger-balsam or pennyroyal?

The Carr children always made so much noise, that it required somethingunusual to make Miss Petingill drop her work, as she did now, and fly tothe window. In fact there was a tremendous hubbub: hurrahs from Dorry, stamping of feet, and a great outcry of shrill, glad voices. Lookingdown, Miss Petingill saw the whole six--no, seven, for Cecy was theretoo--stream out of the wood-house door--which wasn't a door, but only atall open arch--and rush noisily across the yard. Katy was at the head, bearing a large black bottle without any cork in it, while the otherscarried in each hand what seemed to be a cookie. 

"Katherine Carr! Kather-_ine_!" screamed Miss Petingill, tapping loudlyon the glass. "Don't you see that it's raining? you ought to be ashamedto let your little brothers and sisters go out and get wet in such away!" But nobody heard her, and the children vanished into the shed, where nothing could be seen but a distant flapping of pantalettes andfrilled trousers, going up what seemed to be a ladder, farther back inthe shed. So, with a dissatisfied cluck, Miss Petingill drew back herhead, perched the spectacles on her nose, and went to work again onKaty's plaid alpaca, which had two immense zigzag rents across themiddle of the front breadth. Katy's frocks, strange to say, always toreexactly in that place!

If Miss Petingill's eyes could have reached a little farther, they wouldhave seen that it wasn't a ladder up which the children were climbing, but a tall wooden post, with spikes driven into it about a foot apart. It required quite a stride to get from one spike to the other; in factthe littler ones couldn't have managed it at all, had it not been forClover and Cecy "boosting" very hard from below, while Katy, making along arm, clawed from above. At last they were all safely up, and in thedelightful retreat which I am about to describe:

Imagine a low, dark loft without any windows, and with only a verylittle light coming in through the square hole in the floor, to whichthe spikey post led. There was a strong smell of corn-cobs, though thecorn had been taken away, a great deal of dust and spiderweb in thecorners, and some wet spots on the boards; for the roof always leaked alittle in rainy weather. 

This was the place, which for some reason I have never been able to findout, the Carr children preferred to any other on rainy Saturdays, whenthey could not play out-doors, Aunt Izzie was as much puzzled at thisfancy as I am. When she was young (a vague, far-off time, which none ofher nieces and nephews believed in much), she had never had any of thesequeer notions about getting off into holes and corners, and poke-awayplaces. Aunt Izzie would gladly have forbidden them to go the loft, butDr. Carr had given his permission, so all she could do was to inventstories about children who had broken their bones in various dreadfulways, by climbing posts and ladders. But these stories made noimpression on any of the children except little Phil, and theself-willed brood kept on their way, and climbed their spiked post asoften as they liked. 

"What's in the bottle?" demanded Dorry, the minute he was fairly landedin the loft. 

"Don't be greedy, " replied Katy, severely; "you will know when the timecomes. It is something _delicious_, I can assure you. 

"Now, " she went on, having thus quenched Dorry, "all of you had bettergive me your cookies to put away: if you don't, they'll be sure to beeaten up before the feast, and then you know there wouldn't be anythingto make a feast of. "

So all of them handed over their cookies. Dorry, who had begun on his ashe came up the ladder, was a little unwilling, but he was too much inthe habit of minding Katy to dare to disobey. The big bottle was set ina corner, and a stack of cookies built up around it. 

"That's right, " proceeded Katy, who, as oldest and biggest, always tookthe lead in their plays. "Now if we're fixed and ready to begin, theFête (Katy pronounced it _Feet_) can commence. The opening exercise willbe 'A Tragedy of the Alhambra, ' by Miss Hall. "

"No, " cried Clover; "first 'The Blue Wizard, or Edwitha of theHebrides, ' you know, Katy. "

"Didn't I tell you?" said Katy; "a dreadful accident has happened tothat. "

"Oh, what?" cried all the rest, for Edwitha was rather a favorite withthe family. It was one of the many serial stories which Katy was foreverwriting, and was about a lady, a knight, a blue wizard, and a poodlenamed Bop. It had been going on so many months now, that everybody hadforgotten the beginning, and nobody had any particular hope of living tohear the end, but still the news of its untimely fate was a shock. 

"I'll tell you, " said Katy. "Old Judge Kirby called this morning tosee Aunt Izzie; I was studying in the little room, but I saw him comein, and pull out the big chair and sit down, and I almost screamedout 'don't!'"

"Why?" cried the children. 

"Don't you see? I had stuffed 'Edwitha' down between the back and theseat. It was a _beau_tiful hiding-place, for the seat goes back ever sofar; but Edwitha was such a fat bundle, and old Judge Kirby takes up somuch room, that I was afraid there would be trouble. And sure enough, he had hardly dropped down Before there was a great crackling of paper, and he jumped up again and called out, 'Bless me! what is that?' Andthen he began poking, and poking, and just as he had poked out thewhole bundle, and was putting on his spectacles to see what it was, Aunt Izzie came in. "

"Well, what next?" cried the children, immensely tickled. 

"Oh!" continued Katy, "Aunt Izzie put on her glasses too, and screwed upher eyes--you know the way she does, and she and the judge read a littlebit of it; that part at the first, you remember, where Bop steals theblue-pills, and the Wizard tries to throw him into the sea. You can'tthink how funny it was to hear Aunt Izzie reading 'Edwitha' out loud--"and Katy went into convulsions at the recollection "where she got to 'OhBop--my angel Bop--' I just rolled under the table, and stuffed thetable-cover in my mouth to keep from screaming right out. By and by Iheard her call Debby, and give her the papers, and say: 'Here is a massof trash which I wish you to put at once into the kitchen fire. ' And shetold me afterward that she thought I would be in an insane asylum beforeI was twenty. It was too bad, " ended Katy half laughing and halfcrying, "to burn up the new chapter and all. But there's one goodthing--she didn't find 'The Fairy of the Dry Goods Box, ' that wasstuffed farther back in the seat. 

"And now, " continued the mistress of ceremonies, "we will begin. MissHall will please rise. "

"Miss Hall, " much flustered at her fine name, got up with veryred cheeks. 

"It was once upon a time, " she read, "Moonlight lay on the halls of theAlhambra, and the knight, striding impatiently down the passage, thoughtshe would never come. "

"Who, the moon?" asked Clover. 

"No, of course not, " replied Cecy, "a lady he was in love with. The nextverse is going to tell about her, only you interrupted. 

"She wore a turban of silver, with a jewelled crescent. As she stoledown the corregidor the beams struck it and it glittered like stars. 

"'So you are come, Zuleika?'

"'Yes, my lord. '

"Just then a sound as of steel smote upon the ear, and Zuleika'smail-clad father rushed in. He drew his sword, so did the other. Amoment more, and they both lay dead and stiff in the beams of the moon. Zuleika gave a loud shriek, and threw herself upon their bodies. She wasdead, too! And so ends the Tragedy of the Alhambra. "

"That's lovely, " said Katy, drawing a long breath, "only very sad! Whatbeautiful stories you do write, Cecy! But I wish you wouldn't alwayskill the people. Why couldn't the knight have killed the father, and--no, I suppose Zuleika wouldn't have married him then. Well, thefather might have--oh, bother! why must anybody be killed, anyhow? whynot have them fall on each other's necks, and make up?"

"Why, Katy!" cried Cecy, "it wouldn't have been a tragedy then. You knowthe name was A _Tragedy_ of the Alhambra. "

"Oh, well, " said Katy, hurriedly, for Cecy's lips were beginning topout, and her fair, pinkish face to redden, as if she were about to cry;"perhaps it _was_ prettier to have them all die; only I thought, fora change, you know!--What a lovely word that was--. 'Corregidor'--whatdoes it mean?"

"I don't know, " replied Cecy, quite consoled. "It was in the 'Conquestof Granada. ' Something to walk over, I believe. "

"The next, " went on Katy, consulting her paper, "is 'Yap, ' a SimplePoem, by Clover Carr. "

All the children giggled, but Clover got up composedly, and recited thefollowing verses:

 "Did you ever know Yap? The best little dog Who e'er sat on lap Or barked at a frog. 

 "His eyes were like beads, His tail like a mop, And it waggled as if It never would stop. 

 "His hair was like silk Of the glossiest sheen, He always ate milk, And once the cold-cream

 "Off the nursery bureau (That line is too long!) It made him quite ill, So endeth my song. 

 "For Yappy he died Just two months ago, And we oughtn't to sing At a funeral, you know. "

The "Poem" met with immense applause; all the children laughed, andshouted, and clapped, till the loft rang again. But Clover kept her faceperfectly, and sat down as demure as ever, except that the littledimples came and went at the corners of her mouth; dimples, partlynatural, and partly, I regret to say, the result of a pointedslate-pencil, with which Clover was in the habit of deepening them everyday while she studied her lessons. 

"Now, " said Katy, after the noise had subsided, "now come 'ScriptureVerses, ' by Miss Elsie and Joanna Carr. Hold up your head, Elsie, andspeak distinctly; and oh, Johnnie, you _mustn't_ giggle in that waywhen it comes your turn!"

But Johnnie only giggled the harder at this appeal, keeping her handsvery tight across her mouth, and peeping out over her fingers. Elsie, however, was solemn as a little judge, and with great dignity began:

 "An angel with a fiery sword, Came to send Adam and Eve abroad And as they journeyed through the skies They took one look at Paradise. They thought of all the happy hours Among the birds and fragrant bowers, And Eve she wept, and Adam bawled, And both together loudly squalled. "

Dorry snickered at this, but sedate Clover hushed him. 

"You mustn't, " she said; "it's about the Bible, you know. Now John, it'syour turn. "

But Johnnie would persist in holding her hands over her mouth, while herfat little shoulders shook with laughter. At last, with a great effort, she pulled her face straight, and speaking as fast as she possiblycould, repeated, in a sort of burst:

 "Balaam's donkey saw the Angel, And stopped short in fear. Balaam didn't see the Angel, Which is very queer. "

After which she took refuge again behind her fingers, while Elsie wenton--

 "Elijah by the creek, He by ravens fed, Took from their horny beak Pieces of meat and bread. "

"Come, Johnnie, " said Katy, but the incorrigible Johnnie was shakingagain, and all they could make out was--

 "The bears came down, and ate------and ate. "

These "Verses" were part of a grand project on which Clover and Elsiehad been busy for more than a year. It was a sort of rearrangement ofScripture for infant minds; and when it was finished, they meant to haveit published, bound in red, with daguerreotypes of the two authoresseson the cover. "The Youth's Poetical Bible" was to be the name of it. Papa, much tickled with the scraps which he overheard, proposed, instead, "The Trundle-Bed Book, " as having been composed principally inthat spot, but Elsie and Clover were highly indignant, and would notlisten to the idea for a moment. 

After the "Scripture Verses, " came Dorry's turn. He had been allowed tochoose for himself, which was unlucky, as his taste was peculiar, notto say gloomy. On this occasion he had selected that cheerful hymnwhich begins--

 "Hark, from the tombs a doleful sound. "

And he now began to recite it in a lugubrious voice and with greatemphasis, smacking his lips, as it were, over such lines as--

 "Princes, this clay _shall_ be your bed, In spite of all your towers. "

The older children listened with a sort of fascinated horror, ratherenjoying the cold chills which ran down their backs, and huddling closetogether, as Dorry's hollow tones echoed from the dark corners of theloft. It was too much for Philly, however. At the close of the piece hewas found to be in tears. 

"I don't want to st-a-a-y up here and be groaned at, " he sobbed. 

"There, you bad boy!" cried Katy, all the more angry because she wasconscious of having enjoyed it herself, "that's what you do with yourhorrid hymns, frightening us to death and making Phil cry!" And she gaveDorry a little shake. He began to whimper, and as Phil was stillsobbing, and Johnnie had begun to sob too, out of sympathy with theothers, the _Feet_ in the Loft seemed likely to come to a sad end. 

"I'm goin' to tell Aunt Izzie that I don't like you, " declared Dorry, putting one leg through the opening in the floor. 

"No, you aren't, " said Katy, seizing him, "you are going to stay, because _now_ we are going to have the Feast! Do stop, Phil; andJohnnie, don't be a goose, but come and pass round the cookies. "

The word "Feast" produced a speedy effect on the spirits of the party. Phil cheered at once, and Dorry changed his mind about going. The blackbottle was solemnly set in the midst, and the cookies were handed aboutby Johnnie, who was now all smiles. The cookies had scalloped edges andcaraway seeds inside, and were very nice. There were two apiece; and asthe last was finished, Katy put her hand in her pocket, and amid greatapplause, produced the crowning addition to the repast--seven long, brown sticks of cinnamon. 

"Isn't it fun?" she said. "Debby was real good-natured to-day, and letme put my own hand into the box, so I picked out the longest sticksthere were. Now, Cecy, as you're company, you shall have the first drinkout of the bottle. "

The "something delicious" proved to be weak vinegar-and-water. It wasquite warm, but somehow, drank up there in the loft, and out of abottle, it tasted very nice. Beside, they didn't _call_ itvinegar-and-water--of course not! Each child gave his or her swallow adifferent name, as if the bottle were like Signor Blitz's and could pourout a dozen things at once. Clover called her share "Raspberry Shrub, "Dorry christened his "Ginger Pop, " while Cecy, who was romantic, tookher three sips under the name of "Hydomel, " which she explained wassomething nice, made, she believed, of beeswax. The last drop gone, andthe last bit of cinnamon crunched, the company came to order again, forthe purpose of hearing Philly repeat his one piece, --

 "Little drops of water, "

which exciting poem he had said every Saturday as far back as they couldremember. After that Katy declared the literary part of the "Feet" over, and they all fell to playing "Stagecoach, " which, in spite of closequarters and an occasional bump from the roof, was such good fun, that ageneral "Oh dear!" welcomed the ringing of the tea-bell. I supposecookies and vinegar had taken away their appetites, for none of themwere hungry, and Dorry astonished Aunt Izzie very much by eyeing thetable in a disgusted way, and saying: "Pshaw! _only_ plum sweatmeats andsponge cake and hot biscuit! I don't want any supper. "

"What ails the child? he must be sick, " said Dr. Carr; but Katyexplained. 

"Oh no, Papa, it isn't that--only we've been having a feast inthe loft. "

"Did you have a good time?" asked Papa, while Aunt Izzie gave adissatisfied groan. And all the children answered at once:"Splendiferous!"

CHAPTER VI

INTIMATE FRIENDS

"Aunt Izzie, may I ask Imogen Clark to spend the day here on Saturday?"cried Katy, bursting in one afternoon. 

"Who on earth is Imogen Clark? I never heard the name before, "replied her aunt. 

"Oh, the _loveliest_ girl! She hasn't been going to Mrs. Knight's schoolbut a little while, but we're the greatest friends. And she's perfectlybeautiful, Aunt Izzie. Her hands are just as white as snow, and nobigger than _that_. She's got the littlest waist of any girl in school, and she's real sweet, and so self-denying and unselfish! I don't believeshe has a bit good times at home, either. Do let me ask her!"

"How do you know she's so sweet and self-denying, if you've known hersuch a short time?" asked Aunt Izzie, in an unpromising tone. 

"Oh, she tells me everything! We always walk together at recess now. Iknow all about her, and she's just lovely! Her father used to be realrich, but they're poor now, and Imogen had to have her boots patchedtwice last winter. I guess she's the flower of her family. You can'tthink how I love her!" concluded Katy, sentimentally. 

"No, I can't, " said Aunt Izzie. "I never could see into these suddenfriendships of yours, Katy, and I'd rather you wouldn't invite thisImogen, or whatever her name is, till I've had a chance to ask somebodyabout her. "

Katy clasped her hands in despair. "Oh, Aunt Izzie!" she cried, "Imogenknows that I came in to ask you, and she's standing at the gate at thismoment, waiting to hear what you say. Please let me, just this once! Ishall be so dreadfully ashamed not to. "

"Well, " said Miss Izzie, moved by the wretchedness of Katy's face, "ifyou've asked her already, it's no use my saying no, I suppose. Butrecollect, Katy, this is not to happen again. I can't have you invitinggirls, and then coming for my leave. Your father won't be at allpleased. He's very particular about whom you make friends with. Rememberhow Mrs. Spenser turned out. "

Poor Katy! Her propensity to fall violently in love with new people wasalways getting her into scrapes. Ever since she began to walk and talk, "Katy's intimate friends" had been one of the jokes of the household. 

Papa once undertook to keep a list of them, but the number grew so greatthat he gave it up in despair. First on the list was a small Irishchild, named Marianne O'Riley. Marianne lived in a street which Katypassed on her way to school. It was not Mrs. Knight's, but an ABCschool, to which Dorry and John now went. Marianne used to be alwaysmaking sand-pies in front of her mother's house, and Katy, who was aboutfive years old, often stopped to help her. Over this mutual pastry theygrew so intimate, that Katy resolved to adopt Marianne as her own littlegirl, and bring her up in a safe and hidden corner. 

She told Clover of this plan, but nobody else. The two children, full oftheir delightful secret, began to save pieces of bread and cookies fromtheir supper every evening. By degrees they collected a great heap ofdry crusts, and other refreshments, which they put safely away in thegarret. They also saved the apples which were given them for two weeks, and made a bed in a big empty box, with cotton quilts, and the dolls'pillows out of the baby-house. When all was ready, Katy broke the planto her beloved Marianne, and easily persuaded her to run away and takepossession of this new home. 

"We won't tell Papa and Mamma till she's quite grown up, " Katy said toClover; "then we'll bring her down stairs, and _won't_ they besurprised? Don't let's call her Marianne any longer, either. It isn'tpretty. We'll name her Susquehanna instead--Susquehanna Carr. Recollect, Marianne, you mustn't answer if I call you Marianne--only when I saySusquehanna. "

"Yes'm, " replied Marianne, very meekly. 

For a whole day all went on delightfully. Susquehanna lived in herwooden box, ate all the apples and the freshest cookies, and was happy. The two children took turns to steal away and play with the "Baby, " asthey called Marianne, though she was a great deal bigger than Clover. But when night came on, and nurse swooped on Katy and Clover, andcarried them off to bed, Miss O'Riley began to think that the garret wasa dreadful place. Peeping out of her box, she could see black thingsstanding in corners, which she did not recollect seeing in the day-time. They were really trunks and brooms and warming-pans, but somehow, in thedarkness, they looked different--big and awful. Poor little Mariannebore it as long as she could; but when at last a rat began to scratch inthe wall close beside her, her courage gave way entirely, and shescreamed at the top of her voice. 

"What is that?" said Dr. Carr, who had just come in, and was on his wayup stairs. 

"It sounds as if it came from the attic, " said Mrs. Carr (for this wasbefore Mamma died). "Can it be that one of the children has got out ofbed and wandered up stairs in her sleep?"

No, Katy and Clover were safe in the nursery; so Dr. Carr took acandle and went as fast as he could to the attic, where the yells weregrowing terrific. When he reached the top of the stairs, the criesceased. He looked about. Nothing was to be seen at first, then alittle head appeared over the edge of a big wooden box, and a piteousvoice sobbed out:

"Ah, Miss Katy, and indeed I can't be stayin' any longer. There'srats in it!"

"Who on earth _are_ you?" asked the amazed Doctor. 

"Sure I'm Miss Katy's and Miss Clover's Baby. But I don't want to be ababy any longer. I want to go home and see my mother. " And again thepoor little midge lifted up her voice and wept. 

I don't think Dr. Carr ever laughed so hard in his life, as whenfinally he got to the bottom of the story, and found that Katy andClover had been "adopting" a child. But he was very kind to poorSusquehanna, and carried her down stairs in his arms, to the nursery. There, in a bed close to the other children, she soon forgot hertroubles and fell asleep. 

The little sisters were much surprised when they waked up in themorning, and found their Baby asleep beside them. But their joy wasspeedily turned to tears. After breakfast, Dr. Carr carried Mariannehome to her mother, who was in a great fright over her disappearance, and explained to the children that the garret plan must be given up. Great was the mourning in the nursery; but as Marianne was allowed tocome and play with them now and then, they gradually got over theirgrief. A few months later Mr. O'Riley moved away from Burnet, and thatwas the end of Katy's first friendship. 

The next was even funnier. There was a queer old black woman who livedall alone by herself in a small house near the school. This old womanhad a very bad temper. The neighbors told horrible stories about her, sothat the children were afraid to pass the house. They used to turnalways just before they reached it, and cross to the other side of thestreet. This they did so regularly, that their feet had worn a path inthe grass. But for some reason Katy found a great fascination in thelittle house. She liked to dodge about the door, always holding herselfready to turn and run in case the old woman rushed out upon her with abroomstick. One day she begged a large cabbage of Alexander, and rolledit in at the door of the house. The old woman seemed to like it, andafter this Katy always stopped to speak when she went by. She even gotso far as to sit on the step and watch the old woman at work. There wasa sort of perilous pleasure in doing this. It was like sitting at theentrance of a lion's cage, uncertain at what moment his Majesty mighttake it into his head to give a spring and eat you up. 

After this, Katy took a fancy to a couple of twin sisters, daughters ofa German jeweller. They were quite grown-up, and always wore dressesexactly alike. Hardly any one could tell them apart. They spoke verylittle English, and as Katy didn't know a word of German, theirintercourse was confined to smiles, and to the giving of bunches offlowers, which Katy used to tie up and present to them whenever theypassed the gate. She was too shy to do more than just put the flowers intheir hands and run away; but the twins were evidently pleased, for oneday, when Clover happened to be looking out of the window, she saw themopen the gate, fasten a little parcel to a bush, and walk rapidly off. Of course she called Katy at once, and the two children flew out to seewhat the parcel was. It held a bonnet--a beautiful doll's bonnet of bluesilk, trimmed with artificial flowers; upon it was pinned a slip ofpaper with these words, in an odd foreign hand:

"To the nice little girl who was so kindly to give us some flowers. "

You can judge whether Katy and Clover were pleased or not. 

This was when Katy was six years old. I can't begin to tell you how manydifferent friends she had set up since then. There was an ash-man, and asteam-boat captain. There was Mrs. Sawyer's cook, a nice old woman, whogave Katy lessons in cooking, and taught her to make soft custard andsponge-cake. There was a bonnet-maker, pretty and dressy, whom, to AuntIzzie's great indignation, Katy persisted in calling "Cousin Estelle!"There was a thief in the town-jail, under whose window Katy used tostand, saying, "I'm so sorry, poor man!" and "have you got any littlegirls like me?" in the most piteous way. The thief had a piece of stringwhich he let down from the window. Katy would tie rosebuds and cherriesto this string, and the thief would draw them up. It was so interestingto do this, that Katy felt dreadfully when they carried the man off tothe State Prison. Then followed a short interval of Cornelia Perham, anice, good-natured girl, whose father was a fruit-merchant. I am afraidKaty's liking for prunes and white grapes played a part in thisintimacy. It was splendid fun to go with Cornelia to her father's bigshop, and have whole boxes of raisins and drums of figs opened for theiramusement, and be allowed to ride up and down in the elevator as much asthey liked. But of all Katy's queer acquaintances, Mrs. Spenser, to whomAunt Izzie had alluded, was the queerest. 

Mrs. Spenser was a mysterious lady whom nobody ever saw. Her husband wasa handsome, rather bad-looking man, who had come from parts unknown, andrented a small house in Burnet. He didn't seem to have any particularbusiness, and was away from home a great deal. His wife was said to bean invalid, and people, when they spoke of him, shook their heads andwondered how the poor woman got on all alone in the house, while herhusband was absent. 

Of course Katy was too young to understand these whispers, or thereasons why people were not disposed to think well of Mr. Spenser. Theromance of the closed door and the lady whom nobody saw, interested hervery much. She used to stop and stare at the windows, and wonder whatwas going on inside, till at last it seemed as if she _must_ know. So, one day she took some flowers and Victoria, her favorite doll, andboldly marched into the Spensers' yard. 

She tapped at the front door, but nobody answered. Then she tappedagain. Still nobody answered. She tried the door. It was locked. Soshouldering Victoria, she trudged round to the back of the house. As shepassed the side-door she saw that it was open a little way. She knockedfor the third time, and as no one came, she went in, and passing throughthe little hall, began to tap at all the inside doors. 

There seemed to be no people in the house, Katy peeped into the kitchenfirst. It was bare and forlorn. All sorts of dishes were standing about. There was no fire in the stove. The parlor was not much better. Mr. Spenser's boots lay in the middle of the floor. There were dirty glasseson the table. On the mantel-piece was a platter with bones of meat uponit. Dust lay thick over everything, and the whole house looked as if ithadn't been lived in for at least a year. 

Katy tried several other doors, all of which were locked, and then shewent up stairs. As she stood on the top step, grasping her flowers, anda little doubtful what to do next, a feeble voice from a bed-roomcalled out:

"Who is there?"

This was Mrs. Spenser. She was lying on her bed, which was very tossedand tumbled, as if it hadn't been made up that morning. The room was asdisorderly and dirty as all the rest of the house, and Mrs. Spenser'swrapper and night-cap were by no means clean, but her face was sweet, and she had beautiful curling hair, which fell over the pillow. She wasevidently very sick, and altogether Katy felt sorrier for her than shehad ever done for anybody in her life. 

"Who are you, child?" asked Mrs. Spenser. 

"I'm Dr. Carr's little girl, " answered Katy, going straight up to thebed. "I came to bring you some flowers. " And she laid the bouquet on thedirty sheet. 

Mrs. Spenser seemed to like the flowers. She took them up and smelledthem for a long time, without speaking. 

"But how did you get in?" she said at last. 

"The door was open, " faltered Katy, who was beginning to feel scared ather own daring, "and they said you were sick, so I thought perhaps youwould like me to come and see you. "

"You are a kind little girl, " said Mrs. Spenser, and gave her a kiss. 

After this Katy used to go every day. Sometimes Mrs. Spenser would be upand moving feebly about; but more often she was in bed, and Katy wouldsit beside her. The house never looked a bit better than it did thatfirst day, but after a while Katy used to brush Mrs. Spenser's hair, andwash her face with the corner of a towel. 

I think her visits were a comfort to the poor lady, who was very ill andlonely. Sometimes, when she felt pretty well, she would tell Katystories about the time when she was a little girl and lived at home withher father and mother. But she never spoke of Mr. Spenser, and Katynever saw him except once, when she was so frightened that for severaldays she dared not go near the house. At last Cecy reported that she hadseen him go off in the stage with his carpet-bag, so Katy ventured inagain. Mrs. Spenser cried when she saw her. 

"I thought you were never coming any more, " she said. 

Katy was touched and flattered at having been missed, and after that shenever lost a day. She always carried the prettiest flowers she couldfind, and if any one gave her a specially nice peach or a bunch ofgrapes, she saved it for Mrs. Spenser. 

Aunt Izzie was much worried at all this. But Dr. Carr would notinterfere. He said it was a case where grown people could do nothing, and if Katy was a comfort to the poor lady he was glad. Katy was gladtoo, and the visits did her as much good as they did Mrs. Spenser, forthe intense pity she felt for the sick woman made her gentle and patientas she had never been before. 

One day she stopped, as usual, on her way home from school. She triedthe side-door--it was locked; the back-door, it was locked too. All theblinds were shut tight. This was very puzzling. 

As she stood in the yard a woman put her head out of the window ofthe next house. "It's no use knocking, " she said, "all the folks havegone away. "

"Gone away where?" asked Katy. 

"Nobody knows, " said the woman; "the gentleman came back in the middleof the night, and this morning, before light, he had a wagon at thedoor, and just put in the trunks and the sick lady, and drove off. There's been more than one a-knocking besides you, since then. But Mr. Pudgett, he's got the key, and nobody can get in without goin' to him. "

It was too true. Mrs. Spenser was gone, and Katy never saw her again. Ina few days it came out that Mr. Spenser was a very bad man, and had beenmaking false money--_counterfeiting_, as grown people call it. Thepolice were searching for him to put him in jail, and that was thereason he had come back in such a hurry and carried off his poor sickwife. Aunt Izzie cried with mortification, when she heard this. She saidshe thought it was a disgrace that Katy should have been visiting in acounterfeiter's family. But Dr. Carr only laughed. He told Aunt Izziethat he didn't think that kind of crime was catching, and as for Mrs. Spenser, she was much to be pitied. But Aunt Izzie could not get overher vexation, and every now and then, when she was vexed, she wouldrefer to the affair, though this all happened so long ago that mostpeople had forgotten all about it, and Philly and John had stoppedplaying at "Putting Mr. Spenser in Jail, " which for a long time was oneof their favorite games. 

Katy always felt badly when Aunt Izzie spoke unkindly of her poor sickfriend. She had tears in her eyes now, as she walked to the gate, andlooked so very sober, that Imogen Clark, who stood there waiting, clasped her hands and said:

"Ah, I see! Your aristocratic Aunt refuses. "

Imogen's real name was Elizabeth. She was rather a pretty girl, with ascrewed-up, sentimental mouth, shiny brown hair, and a little round curlon each of her cheeks. These curls must have been fastened on with glueor tin tacks, one would think, for they never moved, however much shelaughed or shook her head. Imogen was a bright girl, naturally, but shehad read so many novels that her brain was completely turned. It waspartly this which made her so attractive to Katy, who adored stories, and thought Imogen was a real heroine of romance. 

"Oh no, she doesn't, " she replied, hardly able to keep from laughing, atthe idea of Aunt Izzie's being called an "aristocratic relative"--"shesays she shall be my hap--" But here Katy's conscience gave a prick, andthe sentence ended in "um, um, um--" "So you'll come, won't you, darling? I am so glad!"

"And I!" said Imogen, turning up her eyes theatrically. 

From this time on till the end of the week, the children talked ofnothing but Imogen's visit, and the nice time they were going to have. Before breakfast on Saturday morning, Katy and Clover were at workbuilding a beautiful bower of asparagus boughs under the trees. All theplaythings were set out in order. Debby baked them some cinnamon cakes, the kitten had a pink ribbon tied round her neck, and the dolls, including "Pikery, " were arrayed in their best clothes. 

About half-past ten Imogen arrived. She was dressed in a light-bluebarège, with low neck and short sleeves, and wore coral beads in herhair, white satin slippers, and a pair of yellow gloves. The gloves andslippers were quite dirty, and the barège was old and darned; but thegeneral effect was so very gorgeous, that the children, who were dressedfor play, in gingham frocks and white aprons, were quite dazzled at theappearance of their guest. 

"Oh, Imogen, you look just like a young lady in a story!" said simpleKaty; whereupon Imogen tossed her head and rustled her skirts about morethan ever. 

Somehow, with these fine clothes, Imogen seemed to have put on a finemanner, quite different from the one she used every day. You know somepeople always do, when they go out visiting. You would almost havesupposed that this was a different Imogen, who was kept in a box most ofthe time, and taken out for Sundays and grand occasions. She swam about, and diddled, and lisped, and looked at herself in the glass, and wasgenerally grown-up and airy. When Aunt Izzie spoke to her, she flutteredand behaved so queerly, that Clover almost laughed; and even Katy, whocould see nothing wrong in people she loved, was glad to carry her awayto the playroom. 

"Come out to the bower, " she said, putting her arm round the bluebarège waist. 

"A bower!" cried Imogen. "How sweet!" But when they reached theasparagus boughs her face fell. "Why it hasn't any roof, or pinnacles, or any fountain!" she said. 

"Why no, of course not, " said Clover, staring, "we made it ourselves. "

"Oh!" said Imogen. She was evidently disappointed. Katy and Clover feltmortified; but as their visitor did not care for the bower, they triedto think of something else. 

"Let us go to the Loft, " they said. 

So they all crossed the yard together. Imogen picked her way daintilyin the white satin slippers, but when she saw the spiked post, shegave a scream. 

"Oh, not up there, darling, not up there!". She cried; "never, never!"

"Oh, do try! It's just as easy as can be, " pleaded Katy, going up anddown half a dozen times in succession to show how easy it was. ButImogen wouldn't be persuaded. 

"Do not ask me, " she said affectedly; "my nerves would never stand sucha thing! And besides--my dress!"

"What made you wear it?" said Philly, who was a plain-spoken child, andgiven to questions. While John whispered to Dorry, "That's a real stupidgirl. Let's go off somewhere and play by ourselves. "

So, one by one, the small fry crept away, leaving Katy and Clover toentertain the visitor by themselves. They tried dolls, but Imogen didnot care for dolls. Then they proposed to sit down in the shade, and capverses, a game they all liked. But Imogen said that though she adoredpoetry, she never could remember any. So it ended in their going to theorchard, where Imogen ate a great many plums and early apples, andreally seemed to enjoy herself. But when she could eat no more, adreadful dulness fell over the party. At last Imogen said:

"Don't you ever sit in the drawing-room?"

"The what?" asked Clover. 

"The drawing-room, " repeated Imogen. 

"Oh, she means the parlor!" cried Katy. "No, we don't sit there exceptwhen Aunt Izzie has company to tea. It is all dark and poky, you know. Beside, it's so much pleasanter to be out-doors. Don't you think so?"

"Yes, sometimes, " replied Imogen, doubtfully, "but I think it would bepleasant to go in and sit there for a while, now. My head achesdreadfully, being out here in this horrid sun. "

Katy was at her wit's end to know what to do. They scarcely ever wentinto the parlor, which Aunt Izzie regarded as a sort of sacred place. She kept cotton petticoats over all the chairs for fear of dust, andnever opened the blinds for fear of flies. The idea of children withdusty boots going in there to sit! On the other hand, Katy's naturalpoliteness made it hard to refuse a visitor anything she asked for. Andbeside, it was dreadful to think that Imogen might go away and report"Katy Carr isn't allowed to sit in the best room, even when she hascompany!" With a quaking heart she led the way to the parlor. She darednot open the blinds, so the room looked very dark. She could just seeImogen's figure as she sat on the sofa, and Clover twirling uneasilyabout on the piano-stool. All the time she kept listening to hear ifAunt Izzie were not coming, and altogether the parlor was a dismal placeto her; not half so pleasant as the asparagus bower, where they feltperfectly safe. 

But Imogen, who, for the first time, seemed comfortable, began to talk. Her talk was about herself. Such stories she told about the thingswhich had happened to her! All the young ladies in The Ledger puttogether, never had stranger adventures. Gradually, Katy and Clover gotso interested that they left their seats and crouched down close to thesofa, listening with open mouths to these stories. Katy forgot tolisten for Aunt Izzie. The parlor door swung open, but she did notnotice it. She did not even hear the front door shut, when Papa camehome to dinner. 

Dr. Carr, stopping in the hall to glance over his newspaper, heard thehigh-pitched voice running on in the parlor. At first he hardlylistened; then these words caught his ear:

"Oh, it was lovely, girls, perfectly delicious! I suppose I did lookwell, for I was all in white, with my hair let down, and just one rose, you know, here on top. And he leaned over me, and said in a low, deeptone, 'Lady, I am a Brigand, but I feel the enchanting power of yourbeauty. You are free!'"

Dr. Carr pushed the door open a little farther. Nothing was to be seenbut some indistinct figures, but he heard Katy's voice in an eager tone:

"Oh, _do_ go on. What happened next?"

"Who on earth have the children got in the parlor?" he asked Aunt Izzie, whom he found in the dining-room. 

"The parlor!" cried Miss Izzie, wrathfully, "why, what are they therefor?" Then going to the door, she called out, "Children, what are youdoing in the parlor? Come out right away. I thought you were playingout-doors. "

"Imogen had a head-ache, " faltered Katy. The three girls came out intothe hall; Clover and Katy looking scared, and even the Enchanter of theBrigand quite crest-fallen. 

"Oh, " said Aunt Izzie, grimly, "I am sorry to hear that. Probably youare bilious. Would you like some camphor or anything?"

"No, thank you, " replied Imogen, meekly. But afterwards shewhispered to Katy:

"Your aunt isn't very nice, I think. She's just like Jackima, thathorrid old woman I told you about, who lived in the Brigand's Cave anddid the cooking. 

"I don't think you're a bit polite to tell me so, " retorted Katy, veryangry at this speech. 

"Oh, never mind, dear, don't take it to heart!" replied Imogen, sweetly. "We can't help having relations that ain't nice, you know. "

The visit was evidently not a success. Papa was very civil to Imogen atdinner, but he watched her closely, and Katy saw a comical twinkle inhis eye, which she did not like. Papa had very droll eyes. They saweverything, and sometimes they seemed to talk almost as distinctly ashis tongue. Katy began to feel low-spirited. She confessed afterwardthat she should never have got through the afternoon if she hadn't runup stairs two or three times, and comforted herself by reading a littlein "Rosamond. "

"Aren't you glad she's gone?" whispered Clover, as they stood at thegate together watching Imogen walk down the street. 

"Oh, Clover! how can you?" said Katy But she gave Clover a great hug, and I think in her heart she _was_ glad. 

"Katy, " said Papa, next day, "you came into the room then, exactly likeyour new friend Miss Clark. "

"How? I don't know what you mean, " answered Katy, blushing deeply. 

"_So_, " said Dr. Carr; and he got up, raising his shoulders and squaringhis elbows, and took a few mincing steps across the room. Katy couldn'thelp laughing, it was so funny, and so like Imogen. Then Papa sat downagain and drew her close to him. 

"My dear, " he said, "you're an affectionate child, and I'm glad ofit. But there is such a thing as throwing away one's affection. Ididn't fancy that little girl at all yesterday. What makes you likeher so much?"

"I didn't like her so much, yesterday, " admitted Katy, reluctantly. "She's a great deal nicer than that at school, sometimes. "

"I'm glad to hear it, " said her father. "For I should be sorry to thinkthat you really admired such silly manners. And what was that nonsense Iheard her telling you about Brigands?"

"It really hap--" began Katy. --Then she caught Papa's eye, and bit herlip, for he looked very quizzical. "Well, " she went on, laughing, "Isuppose it didn't really all happen;--but it was ever so funny, Papa, even if it was a make-up. And Imogen's just as good-natured as can be. All the girls like her. "

"Make-ups are all very well, " said Papa, "as long as people don't try tomake you believe they are true. When they do that, it seems to me itcomes too near the edge of falsehood to be very safe or pleasant. If Iwere you, Katy, I'd be a little shy of swearing eternal friendship forMiss Clark. She may be good-natured, as you say, but I think two orthree years hence she won't seem so nice to you as she does now. Give mea kiss, Chick, and run away, for there's Alexander with the buggy. "

CHAPTER VII

COUSIN HELEN'S VISIT

A little knot of the school-girls were walking home together oneafternoon in July. As they neared Dr. Carr's gate, Maria Fiskeexclaimed, at the sight of a pretty bunch of flowers lying in the middleof the sidewalk:

"Oh my!" she cried, "see what somebody's dropped! I'm going to have it. "She stooped to pick it up. But, just as her fingers touched the stems, the nosegay, as if bewitched, began to move. Maria made a bewilderedclutch. The nosegay moved faster, and at last vanished under the gate, while a giggle sounded from the other side of the hedge. 

"Did you see that?" shrieked Maria; "those flowers ran away ofthemselves. "

"Nonsense, " said Katy, "it's those absurd children. " Then, opening thegate, she called: "John! Dorry! come out and show yourselves. " Butnobody replied, and no one could be seen. The nosegay lay on the path, however, and picking it up, Katy exhibited to the girls a long end ofblack thread, tied to the stems. 

"That's a very favorite trick of Johnnie's, " she said: "she and Dorryare always tying up flowers, and putting them out on the walk to teasepeople. Here, Maria, take 'em if you like. Though I don't think John'staste in bouquets is very good. "

"Isn't it splendid to have vacation come?" said one of the bigger girls. "What are you all going to do? We're going to the seaside. "

"Pa says he'll take Susie and me to Niagara, " said Maria. 

"I'm going to make my aunt a visit, " said Alice Blair. "She lives in areal lovely place in the country, and there's a pond there; and Tom(that's my cousin) says he'll teach me to row. What are you going todo, Katy?"

"Oh, I don't know; play round and have splendid times, " replied Katy, throwing her bag of books into the air, and catching it again. But theother girls looked as if they didn't think this good fun at all, and asif they were sorry for her; and Katy felt suddenly that her vacationwasn't going to be so pleasant as that of the rest. 

"I wish Papa _would_ take us somewhere, " she said to Clover, as theywalked up the gravel path. "All the other girls' Papas do. "

"He's too busy, " replied Clover. "Beside, I don't think any of the restof the girls have half such good times as we. Ellen Robbins says she'dgive a million of dollars for such nice brothers and sisters as ours toplay with. And, you know, Maria and Susie have _awful_ times at home, though they do go to places. Mrs. Fiske is so particular. She alwayssays 'Don't, ' and they haven't got any yard to their house, or anything. I wouldn't change. "

"Nor I, " said Katy, cheering up at these words of wisdom. "Oh, isn't itlovely to think there won't be any school to-morrow? Vacations are justsplendid!" and she gave her bag another toss. It fell to the groundwith a crash. 

"There, you've cracked your slate, " said Clover. 

"No matter, I sha'n't want it again for eight weeks, " replied Katy, comfortably, as they ran up the steps. 

They burst open the front door and raced up stairs, crying "Hurrah!hurrah! vacation's begun. Aunt Izzie, vacation's begun!" Then theystopped short, for lo! the upper hall was all in confusion. Sounds ofbeating and dusting came from the spare room. Tables and chairs werestanding about; and a cot-bed, which seemed to be taking a walk all byitself, had stopped short at the head of the stairs, and barred the way. 

"Why, how queer!" said Katy, trying to get by. "What _can_ be going tohappen? Oh, there's Aunt Izzie! Aunt Izzie, who's coming? What _are_ youmoving the things out of the Blue-room for?"

"Oh, gracious! is that you?" replied Aunt Izzie, who looked very hot andflurried. "Now, children, it's no use for you to stand there askingquestions; I haven't got time to answer them. Let the bedstead alone, Katy, you'll push it into the wall. There, I told you so!" as Katy gavean impatient shove, "you've made a bad mark on the paper. What atroublesome child you are! Go right down stairs, both of you, and don'tcome up this way again till after tea. I've just as much as I canpossibly attend to till then. "

"Just tell us what's going to happen, and we will, " cried the children. 

"Your Cousin Helen is coming to visit us, " said Miss Izzie, curtly, anddisappeared into the Blue-room. 

This was news indeed. Katy and Clover ran down stairs in greatexcitement, and after consulting a little, retired to the Loft to talkit over in peace and quiet. Cousin Helen coming! It seemed as strange asif Queen Victoria, gold crown and all, had invited herself to tea. Or asif some character out of a book, Robinson Crusoe, say, or "Amy Herbert, "had driven up with a trunk and announced the intention of spending aweek. For to the imaginations of the children, Cousin Helen was asinteresting and unreal as anybody in the Fairy Tales: Cinderella, orBlue-Beard, or dear Red Riding-Hood herself. Only there was a sort ofmixture of Sunday-school book in their idea of her, for Cousin Helen wasvery, very good. 

None of them had ever seen her. Philly said he was sure she hadn't anylegs, because she never went away from home, and lay on a sofa all thetime. But the rest knew that this was because Cousin Helen was ill. Papaalways went to visit her twice a year, and he liked to talk to thechildren about her, and tell how sweet and patient she was, and what apretty room she lived in. Katy and Clover had "played Cousin Helen" solong, that now they were frightened as well as glad at the idea ofseeing the real one. 

"Do you suppose she will want us to say hymns to her all the time?"asked Clover. 

"Not all the time, " replied Katy, "because you know she'll get tired, and have to take naps in the afternoons. And then, of course, she readsthe Bible a great deal. Oh dear, how quiet we shall have to be! I wonderhow long she's going to stay?"

"What do you suppose she looks like?" went on Clover. 

"Something like 'Lucy, ' in Mrs. Sherwood, I guess, with blue eyes, andcurls, and a long, straight nose. And she'll keep her hands clasped _so_all the time, and wear 'frilled wrappers, ' and lie on the sofa perfectlystill, and never smile, but just look patient. We'll have to take offour boots in the hall, Clover, and go up stairs in stocking feet, so asnot to make a noise, all the time she stays. "

"Won't it be funny!" giggled Clover, her sober little face growingbright at the idea of this variation on the hymns. 

The time seemed very long till the next afternoon, when Cousin Helen wasexpected. Aunt Izzie, who was in a great excitement, gave the childrenmany orders about their behavior. They were to do this and that, and notto do the other. Dorry, at last, announced that he wished Cousin Helenwould just stay at home. Clover and Elsie, who had been thinking prettymuch the same thing in private, were glad to hear that she was on herway to a Water Cure, and would stay only four days. 

Five o'clock came. They all sat on the steps waiting for the carriage. At last it drove up. Papa was on the box. He motioned the children tostand back. Then he helped out a nice-looking young woman, who, AuntIzzie told them, was Cousin Helen's nurse, and then, very carefully, lifted Cousin Helen in his arms and brought her in. 

"Oh, there are the chicks!" were the first words the children heard, insuch a gay, pleasant voice. "Do set me down somewhere, uncle. I want tosee them so much!"

So Papa put Cousin Helen on the hall sofa. The nurse fetched a pillow, and when she was made comfortable, Dr. Carr called to the little ones. 

"Cousin Helen wants to see you, " he said. 

"Indeed I do, " said the bright voice. "So this is Katy? Why, what asplendid tall Katy it is! And this is Clover, " kissing her; "and thisdear little Elsie. You all look as natural as possible--just as if I hadseen you before. "

And she hugged them all round, not as if it was polite to like thembecause they were relations, but as if she had loved them and wantedthem all her life. 

There was something in Cousin Helen's face and manner, which made thechildren at home with her at once. Even Philly, who had backed away withhis hands behind him, after staring hard for a minute or two, came upwith a sort of rush to get his share of kissing. 

Still, Katy's first feeling was one of disappointment. Cousin Helen wasnot at all like "Lucy, " in Mrs. Sherwood's story. Her nose turned up theleast bit in the world. She had brown hair, which didn't curl, a brownskin, and bright eyes, which danced when she laughed or spoke. Her facewas thin, but except for that you wouldn't have guessed that she wassick. She didn't fold her hands, and she didn't look patient, butabsolutely glad and merry. Her dress wasn't a "frilled wrapper, " but asort of loose travelling thing of pretty gray stuff, with a rose-coloredbow, and bracelets, and a round hat trimmed with a gray feather. AllKaty's dreams about the "saintly invalid" seemed to take wings and flyaway. But the more she watched Cousin Helen the more she seemed to likeher, and to feel as if she were nicer than the imaginary person whichshe and Clover had invented. 

"She looks just like other people, don't she?" whispered Cecy, who hadcome over to have a peep at the new arrival. 

"Y-e-s, " replied Katy, doubtfully, "only a great, great deal prettier. "

By and by, Papa carried Cousin Helen up stairs. All the children wantedto go too, but he told them she was tired, and must rest. So they wentout doors to play till tea-time. 

"Oh, do let me take up the tray, " cried Katy at the tea-table, as shewatched Aunt Izzie getting ready Cousin Helen's supper. Such a nicesupper! Cold chicken, and raspberries and cream, and tea in a prettypink-and-white china cup. And such a snow-white napkin as Aunt Izziespread over the tray!

"No indeed, " said Aunt Izzie; "you'll drop it the first thing. " ButKaty's eyes begged so hard, that Dr. Carr said, "Yes, let her, Izzie; Ilike to see the girls useful. "

So Katy, proud of the commission, took the tray and carried itcarefully across the hall. There was a bowl of flowers on the table. Asshe passed, she was struck with a bright idea. She set down the tray, and picking out a rose, laid it on the napkin besides the saucer ofcrimson raspberries. It looked very pretty, and Katy smiled to herselfwith pleasure. 

"What are you stopping for?" called Aunt Izzie, from the dining-room. "Do be careful, Katy, I really think Bridget had better take it. "

"Oh no, no!" protested Katy, "I'm most up already. " And she sped upstairs as fast as she could go. Luckless speed! She had just reachedthe door of the Blue-room, when she tripped upon her boot-lace, which, as usual, was dangling, made a misstep, and stumbled. She caught atthe door to save herself; the door flew open; and Katy, with the tray, cream, raspberries, rose and all, descended in a confused heap uponthe carpet. 

"I told you so!" exclaimed Aunt Izzie from the bottom of the stairs. 

Katy never forgot how kind Cousin Helen was on this occasion. She was inbed, and was of course a good deal startled at the sudden crash andtumble on her floor. But after one little jump, nothing could have beensweeter than the way in which she comforted poor crest-fallen Katy, andmade so merry over the accident, that even Aunt Izzie almost forgot toscold. The broken dishes were piled up and the carpet made clean again, while Aunt Izzie prepared another tray just as nice as the first. 

"Please let Katy bring it up!" pleaded Cousin Helen, in her pleasantvoice, "I am sure she will be careful this time. And Katy, I wantjust such another rose on the napkin. I guess that was yourdoing--wasn't it?"

Katy _was_ careful. --This time all went well. The tray was placed safelyon a little table beside the bed, and Katy sat watching Cousin Helen eather supper with a warm, loving feeling at her heart. I think we arescarcely ever so grateful to people as when they help us to get back ourown self-esteem. 

Cousin Helen hadn't much appetite, though she declared everything wasdelicious. Katy could see that she was very tired. 

"Now, " she said, when she had finished, "if you'll shake up this pillow, _so;_--and move this other pillow a little, I think I will settle myselfto sleep. Thanks--that's just right. Why, Katy dear, you are a bornnurse Now kiss me. Good-night! To-morrow we will have a nice talk. "

Katy went down stairs very happy. 

"Cousin Helen's perfectly lovely, " she told Clover. "And she's got onthe most _beautiful_ night-gown, all lace and ruffles. It's just like anight-gown in a book. "

"Isn't it wicked to care about clothes when you're sick?"questioned Cecy. 

"I don't believe Cousin Helen _could_ do anything wicked, " said Katy. 

"I told Ma that she had on bracelets, and Ma said she feared your cousinwas a worldly person, " retorted Cecy, primming up her lips. 

Katy and Clover were quite distressed at this opinion. They talked aboutit while they were undressing. 

"I mean to ask Cousin Helen to-morrow, " said Katy. 

Next morning the children got up very early. They were so glad that itwas vacation! If it hadn't been, they would have been forced to go toschool without seeing Cousin Helen, for she didn't wake till late. They grew so impatient of the delay, and went up stairs so often tolisten at the door, and see if she were moving, that Aunt Izziefinally had to order them off. Katy rebelled against this order a gooddeal, but she consoled herself by going into the garden and pickingthe prettiest flowers she could find, to give to Cousin Helen themoment she should see her. 

When Aunt Izzie let her go up, Cousin Helen was lying on the sofa alldressed for the day in a fresh blue muslin, with blue ribbons, andcunning bronze slippers with rosettes on the toes. The sofa had beenwheeled round with its back to the light. There was a cushion with apretty fluted cover, that Katy had never seen before, and several otherthings were scattered about, which gave the room quite a different air. All the house was neat, but somehow Aunt Izzie's rooms never werepretty. Children's eyes are quick to perceive such things, and Katy sawat once that the Blue-room had never looked like this. 

Cousin Helen was white and tired, but her eyes and smile were as brightas ever. She was delighted with the flowers, which Katy presentedrather shyly. 

"Oh, how lovely!" she said; "I must put them in water right away. Katydear, don't you want to bring that little vase on the bureau and set iton this chair beside me? And please pour a little water into it first. "

"What a beauty!" cried Katy, as she lifted the graceful white cup swungon a gilt stand. "Is it yours, Cousin Helen?"

"Yes, it is my pet vase. It stands on a little table beside me at home, and I fancied that the Water Cure would seem more home-like if I had itwith me there, so I brought it along. But why do you look so puzzled, Katy? Does it seem queer that a vase should travel about in a trunk?"

"No, " said Katy, slowly, "I was only thinking--Cousin Helen, is itworldly to have pretty things when you're sick?"

Cousin Helen laughed heartily. 

"What put that idea into your head?" she asked. 

"Cecy said so when I told her about your beautiful night-gown. "

Cousin Helen laughed again. 

"Well, " she said, "I'll tell you what I think, Katy. Pretty things areno more 'worldly' than ugly ones, except when they spoil us by making usvain, or careless of the comfort of other people. And sickness is such adisagreeable thing in itself, that unless sick people take great pains, they soon grow to be eyesores to themselves and everybody about them. Idon't think it is possible for an invalid to be too particular. And whenone has the back-ache, and the head-ache, and the all-over ache, " sheadded, smiling, "there isn't much danger of growing vain because of aruffle more or less on one's night-gown, or a bit of bright ribbon. "

Then she began to arrange the flowers, touching each separate onegently, and as if she loved it. 

"What a queer noise!" she exclaimed, suddenly stopping. 

It _was_ queer--a sort of snuffing and snorting sound, as if a walrus ora sea-horse were promenading up and down in the hall. Katy opened thedoor. Behold! there were John and Dorry, very red in the face fromflattening their noses against the key-hole, in a vain attempt to see ifCousin Helen were up and ready to receive company. 

"Oh, let them come in!" cried Cousin Helen from her sofa. 

So they came in, followed, before long, by Clover and Elsie. Such amerry morning as they had! Cousin Helen proved to possess a perfectgenius for story-telling, and for suggesting games which could be playedabout her sofa, and did not make more noise than she could bear. AuntIzzie, dropping in about eleven o'clock, found them having such a goodtime, that almost before she knew it, _she_ was drawn into the game too. Nobody had ever heard of such a thing before! There sat Aunt Izzie onthe floor, with three long lamp-lighters stuck in her hair, playing, "I'm a genteel Lady, always genteel, " in the jolliest manner possible. The children were so enchanted at the spectacle, that they could hardlyattend to the game, and were always forgetting how many "horns" theyhad. Clover privately thought that Cousin Helen must be a witch; andPapa, when he came home at noon, said almost the same thing. 

"What have you been doing to them, Helen?" he inquired, as he opened thedoor, and saw the merry circle on the carpet. Aunt Izzie's hair was halfpulled down, and Philly was rolling over and over in convulsions oflaughter. But Cousin Helen said she hadn't done anything, and prettysoon Papa was on the floor too, playing away as fast as the rest. 

"I must put a stop to this, " he cried, when everybody was tired oflaughing, and everybody's head was stuck as full of paper quills as aporcupine's back. "Cousin Helen will be worn out. Run away, all of you, and don't come near this door again till the clock strikes four. Do youhear, chicks? Run--run! Shoo! shoo!"

The children scuttled away like a brood of fowls--all but Katy. "Oh, Papa, I'll be _so_ quiet!" she pleaded. "Mightn't I stay just till thedinner-bell rings?"

"Do let her!" said Cousin Helen, so Papa said "Yes. "

Katy sat on the floor holding Cousin Helen's hand, and listening to hertalk with Papa. It interested her, though it was about things and peopleshe did not know. 

"How is Alex?" asked Dr. Carr, at length. 

"Quite well now, " replied Cousin Helen, with one of her brightest looks. "He was run down and tired in the Spring, and we were a little anxiousabout him, but Emma persuaded him to take a fortnight's vacation, and hecame back all right. "

"Do you see them often?"

"Almost every day. And little Helen comes every day, you know, forher lessons. "

"Is she as pretty as she used to be?"

"Oh yes--prettier, I think. She is a lovely little creature: having herso much with me is one of my greatest treats. Alex tries to think thatshe looks a little as I used to. But that is a compliment so great, thatI dare not appropriate it. "

Dr. Carr stooped and kissed Cousin Helen as if he could not help it. "My_dear_ child, " he said. That was all; but something in the tone madeKaty curious. 

"Papa, " she said, after dinner, "who is Alex, that you and Cousin Helenwere talking about?"

"Why, Katy? What makes you want to know?"

"I can't exactly tell--only Cousin Helen looked so;--and you kissedher;--and I thought perhaps it was something interesting. "

"So it is, " said Dr. Carr, drawing her on to his knee. "I've a mind totell you about it, Katy, because you're old enough to see how beautifulit is, and wise enough (I hope) not to chatter or ask questions. Alex isthe name of somebody who, long ago, when Cousin Helen was well andstrong, she loved, and expected to marry. "

"Oh! why didn't she?" cried Katy. 

"She met with a dreadful accident, " continued Dr. Carr. "For a long timethey thought she would die. Then she grew slowly better, and the doctorstold her that she might live a good many years, but that she would haveto lie on her sofa always, and be helpless, and a cripple. 

"Alex felt dreadfully when he heard this. He wanted to marry CousinHelen just the same, and be her nurse, and take care of her always; butshe would not consent. She broke the engagement, and told him that someday she hoped he would love somebody else well enough to marry her. Soafter a good many years, he did, and now he and his wife live next doorto Cousin Helen, and are her dearest friends. Their little girl is named'Helen. ' All their plans are talked over with her, and there is nobodyin the world they think so much of. "

"But doesn't it make Cousin Helen feel bad, when she sees them walkingabout and enjoying themselves, and she can't move?" asked Katy. 

"No, " said Dr. Carr, "it doesn't, because Cousin Helen is half an angelalready, and loves other people better than herself. I'm very glad shecould come here for once. She's an example to us all, Katy, and Icouldn't ask anything better than to have my little girls take patternafter her. "

"It must be awful to be sick, " soliloquized Katy, after Papa wasgone. "Why, if I had to stay in bed a whole week--I should _die_, Iknow I should. "

Poor Katy. It seemed to her, as it does to almost all young people, that there is nothing in the world so easy as to die, the momentthings go wrong!

This conversation with Papa made Cousin Helen doubly interesting inKaty's eyes. "It was just like something in a book, " to be in the samehouse with the heroine of a love-story so sad and sweet. 

The play that afternoon was much interrupted, for every few minutessomebody had to run in and see if it wasn't four o'clock. The instantthe hour came, all six children galloped up stairs. 

"I think we'll tell stories this time, " said Cousin Helen. 

So they told stories. Cousin Helen's were the best of all. There was oneof them about a robber, which sent delightful chills creeping down alltheir backs. All but Philly. He was so excited, that he grew warlike. 

"I ain't afraid of robbers, " he declared, strutting up and down. "Whenthey come, I shall just cut them in two with my sword which Papa gaveme. They did come once. I did cut them in two--three, five, eleven of'em. You'll see!"

But that evening, after the younger children were gone to bed, and Katyand Clover were sitting in the Blue-room, a lamentable howling was heardfrom the nursery. Clover ran to see what was the matter. Behold--therewas Phil, sitting up in bed, and crying for help. 

"There's robbers under the bed, " he sobbed; "ever so many robbers. "

"Why no, Philly!" said Clover, peeping under the valance to satisfy him;"there isn't anybody there. "

"Yes, there is, I tell you, " declared Phil, holding her tight. "I heardone. They were _chewing my india-rubbers_. "

"Poor little fellow!" said Cousin Helen, when Clover, having pacifiedPhil, came back to report. "It's a warning against robber stories. Butthis one ended so well, that I didn't think of anybody's beingfrightened. "

It was no use, after this, for Aunt Izzie to make rules about going intothe Blue-room. She might as well have ordered flies to keep away from asugar-bowl. By hook or by crook, the children _would_ get up stairs. Whenever Aunt Izzie went in, she was sure to find them there, just asclose to Cousin Helen as they could get. And Cousin Helen begged her notto interfere. 

"We have only three or four days to be together, " she said. "Let themcome as much as they like. It won't hurt me a bit. "

Little Elsie clung with a passionate love to this new friend. CousinHelen had sharp eyes. She saw the wistful look in Elsie's face at once, and took special pains to be sweet and tender to her. This preferencemade Katy jealous. She couldn't bear to share her cousin with anybody. 

When the last evening came, and they went up after tea to the Blue-room, Cousin Helen was opening a box which had just come by Express. 

"It is a Good-by Box, " she said. "All of you must sit down in a row, andwhen I hide my hands behind me, _so_, you must choose in turn which youwill take. "

So they all chose in turn, "Which hand will you have, the right or theleft?" and Cousin Helen, with the air of a wise fairy, brought out frombehind her pillow something pretty for each one. First came a vaseexactly like her own, which Katy had admired so much. Katy screamed withdelight as it was placed in her hands:

"Oh, how lovely! how lovely!" she cried. "I'll keep it as long as I liveand breathe. "

"If you do, it'll be the first time you ever kept anything for a weekwithout breaking it, " remarked Aunt Izzie. 

Next came a pretty purple pocket-book for Clover. It was just what shewanted, for she had lost her porte-monnaie. Then a cunning little locketon a bit of velvet ribbon, which Cousin Helen tied round Elsie's neck. 

"There's a piece of my hair in it, " she said. "Why, Elsie, darling, what's the matter? Don't cry so!"

"Oh, you're s-o beautiful, and s-o sweet!" sobbed Elsie; "and you'rego-o-ing away. "

Dorry had a box of dominoes, and John a solitaire board. For Phil thereappeared a book--"The History of the Robber Cat. "

"That will remind you of the night when the thieves came and chewed yourindia-rubbers, " said Cousin Helen, with a mischievous smile. They alllaughed, Phil loudest of all. 

Nobody was forgotten. There was a notebook for Papa, and a set of ivorytablets for Aunt Izzie. Even Cecy was remembered. Her present was "TheBook of Golden Deeds, " with all sorts of stories about boys and girlswho had done brave and good things. She was almost too pleased to speak. 

"Oh, thank you, Cousin Helen!" she said at last. Cecy wasn't acousin, but she and the Carr children were in the habit of sharingtheir aunts and uncles, and relations generally, as they did theirother good things. 

Next day came the sad parting. All the little ones stood at the gate, to wave their pocket-handkerchiefs as the carriage drove away. When itwas quite out of sight, Katy rushed off to "weep a little weep, " allby herself. 

"Papa said he wished we were all like Cousin Helen, " she thought, as shewiped her eyes, "and I mean to try, though I don't suppose if I tried athousand years I should ever get to be half so good. I'll study, andkeep my things in order, and be ever so kind to the little ones. Dearme--if only Aunt Izzie was Cousin Helen, how easy it would be! Nevermind--I'll think about her all the time, and I'll begin to-morrow. "

CHAPTER VIII

TO-MORROW

"To-morrow I will begin, " thought Katy, as she dropped asleep thatnight. How often we all do so! And what a pity it is that when morningcomes and to-morrow is to-day, we so frequently wake up feeling quitedifferently; careless or impatient, and not a bit inclined to do thefine things we planned overnight. 

Sometimes it seems as if there must be wicked little imps in the world, who are kept tied up so long as the sun shines, but who creep into ourbed-rooms when we are asleep, to tease us and ruffle our tempers. Else, why, when we go to rest good-natured and pleasant, should we wake up socross? Now there was Katy. Her last sleepy thought was an intention tobe an angel from that time on, and as much like Cousin Helen as shecould; and when she opened her eyes she was all out of sorts, and asfractious as a bear! Old Mary said that she got out of bed on the wrongside. I wonder, by the way, if anybody will ever be wise enough to tellus which side that is, so that we may always choose the other? Howcomfortable it would be if they could!

You know how, if we begin the day in a cross mood, all sorts ofunfortunate accidents seem to occur to add to our vexations. The veryfirst thing Katy did this morning was to break her precious vase--theone Cousin Helen had given her. 

It was standing on the bureau with a little cluster of blush-roses init. The bureau had a swing-glass. While Katy was brushing her hair, theglass tipped a little so that she could not see. At a good-humoredmoment, this accident wouldn't have troubled her much. But being out oftemper to begin with, it made her angry. She gave the glass a violentpush. The lower part swung forward, there was a smash, and the firstthing Katy knew, the blush-roses lay scattered all over the floor, andCousin Helen's pretty present was ruined. 

Katy just sat down on the carpet and cried as hard as if she had beenPhil himself. Aunt Izzie heard her lamenting, and came in. 

"I'm very sorry, " she said, picking up the broken glass, "but it's nomore than I expected, you're so careless, Katy. Now don't sit there inthat foolish way! Get up and dress yourself. You'll be late tobreakfast. "

"What's the matter?" asked Papa, noticing Katy's red eyes as she tookher seat at the table. 

"I've broken my vase, " said Katy, dolefully. 

"It was extremely careless of you to put it in such a dangerous place, "said her aunt. "You might have known that the glass would swing andknock it off. " Then, seeing a big tear fall in the middle of Katy'splate, she added: "Really, Katy, you're too big to behave like a baby. Why Dorry would be ashamed to do so. Pray control yourself!"

This snub did not improve Katy's temper. She went on with her breakfastin sulky silence. 

"What are you all going to do to-day?" asked Dr. Carr, hoping to givethings a more cheerful turn. 

"Swing!" cried John and Dorry both together. "Alexander's put us up asplendid one in the wood-shed. "

"No you're not, " said Aunt Izzie in a positive tone, "the swing is notto be used till to-morrow. Remember that, children. Not till to-morrow. And not then, unless I give you leave. "

This was unwise of Aunt Izzie. She would better have explained farther. The truth was, that Alexander, in putting up the swing, had cracked oneof the staples which fastened it to the roof. He meant to get a new onein the course of the day, and, meantime, he had cautioned Miss Carr tolet no one use the swing, because it really was not safe. If she hadtold this to the children, all would have been right; but Aunt Izzie'stheory was, that young people must obey their elders withoutexplanation. 

John, and Elsie, and Dorry, all pouted when they heard this order. Elsierecovered her good-humor first. 

"I don't care, " she said, "'cause I'm going to be very busy; I've got towrite a letter to Cousin Helen about somefing. " (Elsie never could quitepronounce the _th_. )

"What?" asked Clover. 

"Oh, somefing, " answered Elsie, wagging her head mysteriously. "None ofthe rest of you must know, Cousin Helen said so, it's a secret she andme has got. "

"I don't believe Cousin Helen said so at all, " said Katy, crossly. "Shewouldn't tell secrets to a silly little girl like you. "

"Yes she would too, " retorted Elsie angrily. "She said I was just asgood to trust as if I was ever so big. And she said I was her pet. Sothere! Katy Carr!"

"Stop disputing, " said Aunt Izzie. "Katy your top-drawer is all out oforder. I never saw anything look so badly. Go up stairs at once andstraighten it, before you do anything else. Children, you must keep inthe shade this morning. It's too hot for you to be running about in thesun. Elsie, go into the kitchen and tell Debby I want to speak to her. "

"Yes, " said Elsie, in an important tone, "And afterwards I'm coming backto write my letter to Cousin Helen. "

Katy went slowly up stairs, dragging one foot after the other. It was awarm, languid day. Her head ached a little, and her eyes smarted andfelt heavy from crying so much. Everything seemed dull and hateful. Shesaid to herself, that Aunt Izzie was very unkind to make her work invacation, and she pulled the top-drawer open with a disgusted groan. 

It must be confessed that Miss Izzie was right. A bureau-drawer couldhardly look worse than this one did. It reminded one of the WhiteKnight's recipe for a pudding, which began with blotting-paper, andended with sealing-wax and gunpowder. All sorts of things were mixedtogether, as if somebody had put in a long stick and stirred themwell up. There were books and paint-boxes and bits of scribbledpaper, and lead-pencils and brushes. Stocking-legs had come unrolled, and twisted themselves about pocket-handkerchiefs, and ends ofribbon, and linen collars. 

Ruffles, all crushed out of shape, stuck up from under the heavierthings, and sundry little paper boxes lay empty on top, the treasuresthey once held having sifted down to the bottom of the drawer, anddisappeared beneath the general mass. 

It took much time and patience to bring order out of this confusion. ButKaty knew that Aunt Izzie would be up by and by, and she dared not stoptill all was done. By the time it was finished, she was very tired. Going down stairs, she met Elsie coming up with a slate in her hand, which, as soon as she saw Katy, she put behind her. 

"You mustn't look, " she said, "it's my letter to Cousin Helen. Nobodybut me knows the secret. It's all written, and I'm going to send it tothe office. See--there's a stamp on it;" and she exhibited a corner ofthe slate. Sure enough, there was a stamp stuck on the frame. 

"You little goose!" said Katy, impatiently, "you can't send _that_ tothe post-office. Here, give me the slate. I'll copy what you've writtenon paper, and Papa'll give you an envelope. "

"No, no, " cried Elsie, struggling, "you mustn't! You'll see what I'vesaid and Cousin Helen said I wasn't to tell. It's a secret. Let go of myslate, I say! I'll tell Cousin Helen what a mean girl you are, and thenshe won't love you a bit. "

"There, then, take your old slate!" said Katy, giving her a vindictivepush. Elsie slipped, screamed, caught at the banisters, missed them, androlling over and over, fell with a thump on the hall floor. 

It wasn't much of a fall, only half-a-dozen steps, but the bump was ahard one, and Elsie roared as if she had been half killed. Aunt Izzieand Mary came rushing to the spot. 

"Katy--pushed--me, " sobbed Elsie. "She wanted me to tell her my secret, and I wouldn't. She's a bad, naughty girl!"

"Well, Katy Carr, I _should_ think you'd be ashamed of yourself, " saidAunt Izzie, "wreaking your temper on your poor little sister! I thinkyour Cousin Helen will be surprised when she hears this. There, there, Elsie! Don't cry any more, dear. Come up stairs with me. I'll put onsome arnica, and Katy sha'n't hurt you again. "

So they went up stairs. Katy, left below, felt very miserable:repentant, defiant, discontented, and sulky all at once. She knew inher heart that she had not meant to hurt Elsie, but was thoroughlyashamed of that push; but Aunt Izzie's hint about telling Cousin Helen, had made her too angry to allow of her confessing this to herself oranybody else. 

"I don't care!" she murmured, choking back her tears. "Elsie is a realcry-baby, anyway. And Aunt Izzie always takes her part. Just because Itold the little silly not to go and send a great heavy slate to thepost-office!"

She went out by the side-door into the yard. As she passed the shed, thenew swing caught her eye. 

"How exactly like Aunt Izzie, " she thought, "ordering the children notto swing till she gives them leave. I suppose she thinks it's too hot, or something. _I_ sha'n't mind her, anyhow. "

She seated herself in the swing. It was a first-rate one, with a broad, comfortable seat, and thick new ropes. The seat hung just the rightdistance from the floor. Alexander was a capital hand at putting upswings, and the wood-shed the nicest possible spot in which to have one. 

It was a big place, with a very high roof. There was not much wood leftin it just now, and the little there was, was piled neatly about thesides of the shed, so as to leave plenty of room. The place felt cooland dark, and the motion of the swing seemed to set the breeze blowing. It waved Katy's hair like a great fan, and made her dreamy and quiet. All sorts of sleepy ideas began to flit through her brain. Swinging toand fro like the pendulum of a great clock, she gradually rose higherand higher, driving herself along by the motion of her body, andstriking the floor smartly with her foot, at every sweep. Now she was atthe top of the high arched door. Then she could almost touch thecross-beam above it, and through the small square window could seepigeons sitting and pluming themselves on the eaves of the barn, andwhite clouds blowing over the blue sky. She had never swung so highbefore. It was like flying, she thought, and she bent and curved morestrongly in the seat, trying to send herself yet higher, and graze theroof with her toes. 

Suddenly, at the very highest point of the sweep, there was a sharpnoise of cracking. The swing gave a violent twist, spun half round, andtossed Katy into the air. She clutched the rope, --felt it dragged fromher grasp, --then, down, --down--down--she fell. All grew dark, and sheknew no more. 

When she opened her eyes she was lying on the sofa in the dining-room. Clover was kneeling beside her with a pale, scared face, and Aunt Izziewas dropping something cold and wet on her forehead. 

"What's the matter?" said Katy, faintly. 

"Oh, she's alive--she's alive!" and Clover put her arms round Katy'sneck and sobbed. 

"Hush, dear!" Aunt Izzie's voice sounded unusually gentle. "You've had abad tumble, Katy. Don't you recollect?"

"A tumble? Oh, yes--out of the swing, " said Katy, as it all cameslowly back to her. "Did the rope break, Aunt Izzie? I can't rememberabout it. "

"No, Katy, not the rope. The staple drew out of the roof. It was acracked one, and not safe. Don't you recollect my telling you not toswing to-day? Did you forget?"

"No, Aunt Izzie--I didn't forget. I--" but here Katy broke down. Sheclosed her eyes, and big tears rolled from under the lids. 

"Don't cry, " whispered Clover, crying herself, "please don't. Aunt Izzieisn't going to scold you. " But Katy was too weak and shaken not to cry. 

"I think I'd like to go up stairs and lie on the bed, " she said. Butwhen she tried to get off the sofa, everything swam before her, and shefell back again on the pillow. 

"Why, I can't stand up!" she gasped, looking very much frightened. 

"I'm afraid you've given yourself a sprain somewhere, " said Aunt Izzie, who looked rather frightened herself. "You'd better lie still a while, dear, before you try to move. Ah, here's the doctor! well, I am glad. "And she went forward to meet him. It wasn't Papa, but Dr. Alsop, wholived quite near them. 

"I am so relieved that you could come, " Aunt Izzie said. "My brother isgone out of town not to return till to-morrow, and one of the littlegirls has had a bad fall. "

Dr. Alsop sat down beside the sofa and counted Katy's pulse. Then hebegan feeling all over her. 

"Can you move this leg?" he asked. 

Katy gave a feeble kick. 

"And this?"

The kick was a good deal more feeble. 

"Did that hurt you?" asked Dr. Alsop, seeing a look of pain on her face. 

"Yes, a little, " replied Katy, trying hard not to cry. 

"In your back, eh? Was the pain high up or low down?" And the doctorpunched Katy's spine for some minutes, making her squirm uneasily. 

"I'm afraid she's done some mischief, " he said at last, "but it'simpossible to tell yet exactly what. It may be only a twist, or a slightsprain, " he added, seeing the look of terror on Katy's face. "You'dbetter get her up stairs and undress her as soon as you can, Miss Carr. I'll leave a prescription to rub her with. " And Dr. Alsop took out a bitof paper and began to write. 

"Oh, must I go to bed?" said Katy. "How long will I have to staythere, doctor?"

"That depends on how fast you get well, " replied the doctor; "not long, I hope. Perhaps only a few days. 

"A few days!" repeated Katy, in a despairing tone. 

After the doctor was gone, Aunt Izzie and Debby lifted Katy, and carriedher slowly up stairs. It was not easy, for every motion hurt her, andthe sense of being helpless hurt most of all. She couldn't help cryingafter she was undressed and put into bed. It all seemed so dreadful andstrange. If only Papa was here, she thought. But Dr. Carr had gone intothe country to see somebody who was very sick, and couldn't possibly beback till to-morrow. 

Such a long, long afternoon as that was! Aunt Izzie sent up some dinner, but Katy couldn't eat. Her lips were parched and her head achedviolently. The sun began to pour in, the room grew warm. Flies buzzed inthe window, and tormented her by lighting on her face. Little pricklesof pain ran up and down her back. She lay with her eyes shut, because ithurt to keep them open, and all sorts of uneasy thoughts went rushingthrough her mind. 

"Perhaps, if my back is really sprained, I shall have to lie here asmuch as a week, " she said to herself. "Oh dear, dear! I _can't_. Thevacation is only eight weeks, and I was going to do such lovely things!How can people be as patient as Cousin Helen when they have to liestill? Won't she be sorry when she hears! Was it really yesterday thatshe went away? It seems a year. If only I hadn't got into that nasty oldswing!" And then Katy began to imagine how it would have been if she_hadn't_, and how she and Clover had meant to go to Paradise thatafternoon. They might have been there under the cool trees now. As thesethoughts ran through her mind, her head grew hotter and her position inthe bed more uncomfortable. 

Suddenly she became conscious that the glaring light from the window wasshaded, and that the wind seemed to be blowing freshly over her. Sheopened her heavy eyes. The blinds were shut, and there beside the bedsat little Elsie, fanning her with a palm-leaf fan. 

"Did I wake you up, Katy?" she asked in a timid voice. 

Katy looked at her with startled, amazed eyes. 

"Don't be frightened, " said Elsie, "I won't disturb you. Johnnie and meare so sorry you're sick, " and her little lips trembled. "But we mean tokeep real quiet, and never bang the nursery door, or make noises on thestairs, till you're well again. And I've brought you somefing real nice. Some of it's from John, and some from me. It's because you got tumbledout of the swing. See--" and Elsie pointed triumphantly to a chair, which she had pulled up close to the bed, and on which were solemnly setforth: 1st. A pewter tea-set; 2d. A box with a glass lid, on whichflowers were painted; 3d. A jointed doll; 4th. A transparent slate; andlastly, two new lead pencils!

"They're all yours--yours to keep, " said generous little Elsie. "Youcan have Pikery, too, if you want. Only he's pretty big, and I'mafraid he'd be lonely without me. Don't you like the fings, Katy?They're real pretty!"

It seemed to Katy as if the hottest sort of a coal of fire was burninginto the top of her head as she looked at the treasures on the chair, and then at Elsie's face all lighted up with affectionateself-sacrifice. She tried to speak, but began to cry instead, whichfrightened Elsie very much. 

"Does it hurt you so bad?" she asked, crying, too, from sympathy. 

"Oh, no! it isn't that, " sobbed Katy, "but I was so cross to you thismorning, Elsie, and pushed you. Oh, please forgive me, please do!"

"Why, it's got well!" said Elsie, surprised. "Aunt Izzie put a fing outof a bottle on it, and the bump all went away. Shall I go and ask her toput some on you too--I will. " And she ran toward the door. 

"Oh, no!" cried Katy, "don't go away, Elsie. Come here and kissme, instead. "

Elsie turned as if doubtful whether this invitation could be meant forher. Katy held out her arms. Elsie ran right into them, and the bigsister and the little, exchanged an embrace which seemed to bring theirhearts closer together than they had ever been before. 

"You're the most _precious_ little darling, " murmured Katy, claspingElsie tight. "I've been real horrid to you, Elsie. But I'll never beagain. You shall play with me and Clover, and Cecy, just as much as youlike, and write notes in all the post-offices, and everything else. "

"Oh, goody! goody!" cried Elsie, executing little skips of transport. "How sweet you are, Katy! I mean to love you next best to Cousin Helenand Papa! And"--racking her brains for some way of repaying thiswonderful kindness--"I'll tell you the secret, if you want me to _very_much. I guess Cousin Helen would let me. "

"No!" said Katy; "never mind about the secret. I don't want you to tellit to me. Sit down by the bed, and fan me some more instead. "

"No!" persisted Elsie, who, now that she had made up her mind to partwith the treasured secret, could not bear to be stopped. "Cousin Helengave me a half-dollar, and told me to give it to Debby, and tell her shewas much obliged to her for making her such nice things to eat. And Idid. And Debby was real pleased. And I wrote Cousin Helen a letter, andtold her that Debby liked the half-dollar. That's the secret! Isn't it anice one? Only you mustn't tell anybody about it, ever--just as long asyou live. "

"No!" said Katy, smiling faintly, "I won't. "

All the rest of the afternoon Elsie sat beside the bed with herpalm-leaf fan, keeping off the flies, and "shue"-ing away the otherchildren when they peeped in at the door. "Do you really like to have mehere?" she asked, more than once, and smiled, oh, _so_ triumphantly!when Katy said "Yes!" But though Katy said yes, I am afraid it was onlyhalf the truth, for the sight of the dear little forgiving girl, whomshe had treated unkindly, gave her more pain than pleasure. 

"I'll be _so_ good to her when I get well, " she thought to herself, tossing uneasily to and fro. 

Aunt Izzie slept in her room that night. Katy was feverish. When morningcame, and Dr. Carr returned, he found her in a good deal of pain, hotand restless, with wide-open, anxious eyes. 

"Papa!" she cried the first thing, "must I lie here as much as a week?"

"My darling, I'm afraid you must, " replied her father, who lookedworried, and very grave. 

"Dear, dear!" sobbed Katy, "how can I bear it?"

CHAPTER IX

DISMAL DAYS

If anybody had told Katy, that first afternoon, that at the end of aweek she would still be in bed, and in pain, and with no time fixed forgetting up, I think it would have almost killed her. She was so restlessand eager, that to lie still seemed one of the hardest things in theworld. But to lie still and have her back ache all the time, was worseyet. Day after day she asked Papa with quivering lip: "Mayn't I get upand go down stairs this morning?" And when he shook his head, the lipwould quiver more, and tears would come. But if she tried to get up, ithurt her so much, that in spite of herself she was glad to sink backagain on the soft pillows and mattress, which felt so comfortable to herpoor bones. 

Then there came a time when Katy didn't even ask to be allowed to getup. A time when sharp, dreadful pain, such as she never imaginedbefore, took hold of her. When days and nights got all confused andtangled up together, and Aunt Izzie never seemed to go to bed. A timewhen Papa was constantly in her room. When other doctors came and stoodover her, and punched and felt her back, and talked to each other inlow whispers. It was all like a long, bad dream, from which shecouldn't wake up, though she tried ever so hard. Now and then she wouldrouse a little, and catch the sound of voices, or be aware that Cloveror Elsie stood at the door, crying softly; or that Aunt Izzie, increaking slippers, was going about the room on tiptoe. Then all thesethings would slip away again, and she would drop off into a dark place, where there was nothing but pain, and sleep, which made her forgetpain, and so seemed the best thing in the world. 

We will hurry over this time, for it is hard to think of our bright Katyin such a sad plight. By and by the pain grew less, and the sleepquieter. Then, as the pain became easier still, Katy woke up as itwere--began to take notice of what was going on about her; to putquestions. 

"How long have I been sick?" she asked one morning. 

"It is four weeks yesterday, " said Papa. 

"Four weeks!" said Katy. "Why, I didn't know it was so long as that. WasI very sick, Papa?"

"Very, dear. But you are a great deal better now. "

"How did I hurt me when I tumbled out of the swing?" asked Katy, who wasin an unusually wakeful mood. 

"I don't believe I could make you understand, dear. "

"But try, Papa!"

"Well--did you know that you had a long bone down your back, called a spine?"

"I thought that was a disease, " said Katy. "Clover said that CousinHelen had the spine!"

"No--the spine is a bone. It is made up of a row of smaller bones--orknobs--and in the middle of it is a sort of rope of nerves called thespinal cord. Nerves, you know, are the things we feel with. Well, thisspinal cord is rolled up for safe keeping in a soft wrapping, calledmembrane. When you fell out of the swing, you struck against one ofthese knobs, and bruised the membrane inside, and the nerve inflamed, and gave you a fever in the back. Do you see?"

"A little, " said Katy, not quite understanding, but too tired toquestion farther. After she had rested a while, she said: "Is the feverwell now, Papa? Can I get up again and go down stairs right away?"

"Not right away, I'm afraid, " said Dr. Carr, trying to speak cheerfully. 

Katy didn't ask any more questions then. Another week passed, andanother. The pain was almost gone. It only came back now and then for afew minutes. She could sleep now, and eat, and be raised in bed withoutfeeling giddy. But still the once active limbs hung heavy and lifeless, and she was not able to walk, or even stand alone. 

"My legs feel so queer, " she said one morning, "they are just like thePrince's legs which were turned to black marble in the Arabian Nights. What do you suppose is the reason, Papa? Won't they feel natural soon?"

"Not soon, " answered Dr. Carr. Then he said to himself: "Poor child! shehad better know the truth. " So he went on, aloud, "I am afraid, mydarling, that you must make up your mind to stay in bed a long time. "

"How long?" said Katy, looking frightened: "a month more?"

"I can't tell exactly how long, " answered her father. "The doctorsthink, as I do, that the injury to your spine is one which you willoutgrow by and by, because you are so young and strong. But it may takea good while to do it. It may be that you will have to lie here formonths, or it may be more. The only cure for such a hurt is time andpatience. It is hard, darling"--for Katy began to sob wildly--"but youhave Hope to help you along. Think of poor Cousin Helen, bearing allthese years without hope!"

"Oh, Papa!" gasped Katy, between her sobs, "doesn't it seem dreadful, that just getting into the swing for a few minutes should do so muchharm? Such a little thing as that!"

"Yes, such a little thing!" repeated Dr. Carr, sadly. "And it was only alittle thing, too, forgetting Aunt Izzie's order about the swing. Justfor the want of the small 'horseshoe nail' of Obedience, Katy. "

Years afterwards, Katy told somebody that the longest six weeks of herlife were those which followed this conversation with Papa. Now that sheknew there was no chance of getting well at once, the days draggeddreadfully. Each seemed duller and dismaller than the day before. Shelost heart about herself, and took no interest in anything. Aunt Izziebrought her books, but she didn't want to read, or to sew. Nothingamused her. Clover and Cecy would come and sit with her, but hearingthem tell about their plays, and the things they had been doing, madeher cry so miserably, that Aunt Izzie wouldn't let them come often. Theywere very sorry for Katy, but the room was so gloomy, and Katy so cross, that they didn't mind much not being allowed to see her. In those daysKaty made Aunt Izzie keep the blinds shut tight, and she lay in thedark, thinking how miserable she was, and how wretched all the rest ofher life was going to be. Everybody was very kind and patient with her, but she was too selfishly miserable to notice it. Aunt Izzie ran up anddown stairs, and was on her feet all day, trying to get something whichwould please her, but Katy hardly said "Thank you, " and never saw howtired Aunt Izzie looked. So long as she was forced to stay in bed, Katycould not be grateful for anything that was done for her. 

But doleful as the days were, they were not so bad as the nights, when, after Aunt Izzie was asleep, Katy would lie wide awake, and have long, hopeless fits of crying. At these times she would think of all the plansshe had made for doing beautiful things when she was grown up. "And nowI shall never do any of them, " she would say to herself, "only just liehere. Papa says I may get well by and by, but I sha'n't, I know Isha'n't. And even if I do, I shall have wasted all these years, and theothers will grow up and get ahead of me, and I sha'n't be a comfort tothem or to anybody else. Oh dear! oh dear! how dreadful it is!"

The first thing which broke in upon this sad state of affairs, was aletter from Cousin Helen, which Papa brought one morning and handed toAunt Izzie. 

"Helen tells me she's going home this week, " said Aunt Izzie, from thewindow, where she had gone to read the letter. "Well, I'm sorry, but Ithink she's quite right not to stop. It's just as she says: oneinvalid at a time is enough in a house. I'm sure I have my hands fullwith Katy. "

"Oh, Aunt Izzie!" cried Katy, "is Cousin Helen coming this way when shegoes home? Oh! do make her stop. If it's just for one day, do ask her! Iwant to see her so much! I can't tell you how much! Won't you? Please!Please, dear Papa!"

She was almost crying with eagerness. 

"Why, yes, darling, if you wish it so much, " said Dr. Carr. "It willcost Aunt Izzie some trouble, but she's so kind that I'm sure she'llmanage it if it is to give you so much pleasure. Can't you, Izzie?" Andhe looked eagerly at his sister. 

"Of course I will!" said Miss Izzie, heartily. Katy was so glad, that, for the first time in her life, she threw her arms of her own accordround Aunt Izzie's neck, and kissed her. 

"Thank you, dear Aunty!" she said. 

Aunt Izzie looked as pleased as could be. She had a warm hearthidden under her fidgety ways--only Katy had never been sick before, to find it out. 

For the next week Katy was feverish with expectation. At last CousinHelen came. This time Katy was not on the steps to welcome her, butafter a little while Papa brought Cousin Helen in his arms, and sat herin a big chair beside the bed. 

"How dark it is!" she said, after they had kissed each other and talkedfor a minute or two; "I can't see your face at all. Would it hurt youreyes to have a little more light?"

"Oh no!" answered Katy. "It don't hurt my eyes, only I hate to have thesun come in. It makes me feel worse, somehow. "

"Push the blind open a little bit then Clover;" and Clover did so. 

"Now I can see, " said Cousin Helen. 

It was a forlorn-looking child enough which she saw lying before her. Katy's face had grown thin, and her eyes had red circles about them fromcontinual crying. Her hair had been brushed twice that morning by AuntIzzie, but Katy had run her fingers impatiently through it, till itstood out above her head like a frowsy bush. She wore a calicodressing-gown, which, though clean, was particularly ugly in pattern;and the room, for all its tidiness, had a dismal look, with the chairsset up against the wall, and a row of medicine-bottles on thechimney-piece. 

"Isn't it horrid?" sighed Katy, as Cousin Helen looked around. "Everything's horrid. But I don't mind so much now that you've come. Oh, Cousin Helen, I've had such a dreadful, _dreadful_ time!"

"I know, " said her cousin, pityingly. "I've heard all about it, Katy, and I'm so very sorry for you! It is a hard trial, my poor darling. "

"But how do _you_ do it?" cried Katy. 

"How do you manage to be so sweet and beautiful and patient, when you'refeeling badly all the time, and can't do anything, or walk, orstand?"--her voice was lost in sobs. 

Cousin Helen didn't say anything for a little while. She just sat andstroked Katy's hand. 

"Katy, " she said at last, "has Papa told you that he thinks you aregoing to get well by and by?"

"Yes, " replied Katy, "he did say so. But perhaps it won't be for a long, long time. And I wanted to do so many things. And now I can't doanything at all!"

"What sort of things?"

"Study, and help people, and become famous. And I wanted to teach thechildren. Mamma said I must take care of them, and I meant to. And now Ican't go to school or learn anything myself. And if I ever do get well, the children will be almost grown up, and they won't need me. "

"But why must you wait till you get well?" asked Cousin Helen, smiling. 

"Why, Cousin Helen, what can I do lying here in bed?"

"A good deal. Shall I tell you, Katy, what it seems to me that I shouldsay to myself if I were in your place?"

"Yes, please!" replied Katy wonderingly. 

"I should say this: 'Now, Katy Carr, you wanted to go to school andlearn to be wise and useful, and here's a chance for you. God is goingto let you go to _His_ school--where He teaches all sorts of beautifulthings to people. Perhaps He will only keep you for one term, or perhapsit may be for three or four; but whichever it is, you must make the verymost of the chance, because He gives it to you Himself. '"

"But what is the school?" asked Katy. "I don't know what you mean. "

"It is called The School of Pain, " replied Cousin Helen, with hersweetest smile. "And the place where the lessons are to be learned isthis room of yours. The rules of the school are pretty hard, but thegood scholars, who keep them best, find out after a while how right andkind they are. And the lessons aren't easy, either, but the more youstudy the more interesting they become. "

"What are the lessons?" asked Katy, getting interested, and beginning tofeel as if Cousin Helen were telling her a story. 

"Well, there's the lesson of Patience. That's one of the hardeststudies. You can't learn much of it at a time, but every bit you get byheart, makes the next bit easier. And there's the lesson ofCheerfulness. And the lesson of Making the Best of Things. "

"Sometimes there isn't anything to make the best of, " remarked Katy, dolefully. 

"Yes there is, always! Everything in the world has two handles. Didn'tyou know that? One is a smooth handle. If you take hold of it, the thingcomes up lightly and easily, but if you seize the rough handle, it hurtsyour hand and the thing is hard to lift. Some people always manage toget hold of the wrong handle. "

"Is Aunt Izzie a 'thing?'" asked Katy. Cousin Helen was glad to hearher laugh. 

"Yes--Aunt Izzie is a _thing_--and she has a nice pleasant handle too, if you just try to find it. And the children are 'things, ' also, in onesense. All their handles are different. You know human beings aren'tmade just alike, like red flower-pots. We have to feel and guess beforewe can make out just how other people go, and how we ought to take holdof them. It is very interesting, I advise you to try it. And while youare trying, you will learn all sorts of things which will help you tohelp others. "

"If I only could!" sighed Katy. "Are there any other studies in theSchool, Cousin Helen?"

"Yes, there's the lesson of Hopefulness. That class has ever so manyteachers. The Sun is one. He sits outside the window all day waiting achance to slip in and get at his pupil. He's a first-rate teacher, too. I wouldn't shut him out, if I were you. 

"Every morning, the first thing when I woke up, I would say to myself:'I am going to get well, so Papa thinks. Perhaps it may be to-morrow. So, in case this _should_ be the last day of my sickness, let me spendit _beauti-_fully, and make my sick-room so pleasant that everybodywill like to remember it. '

"Then, there is one more lesson, Katy--the lesson of Neatness. School-rooms must be kept in order, you know. A sick person ought to beas fresh and dainty as a rose. "

"But it is such a fuss, " pleaded Katy. "I don't believe you've any ideawhat a bother it is to always be nice and in order. You never werecareless like me, Cousin Helen; you were born neat. "

"Oh, was I?" said her Cousin. "Well, Katy, we won't dispute that point, but I'll tell you a story, if you like, about a girl I once knew, who_wasn't_ born neat. "

"Oh, do!" cried Katy, enchanted. Cousin Helen had done her good, already. She looked brighter and less listless than for days. 

"This girl was quite young, " continued Cousin Helen; "she was strong andactive, and liked to run, and climb, and ride, and do all sorts of jollythings. One day something happened--an accident--and they told her thatall the rest of her life she had got to lie on her back and suffer pain, and never walk any more, or do any of the things she enjoyed most. "

"Just like you and me!" whispered Katy, squeezing Cousin Helen's hand. 

"Something like me; but not so much like you, because, you know, we hope_you_ are going to get well one of these days. The girl didn't mind itso much when they first told her, for she was so ill that she felt sureshe should die. But when she got better, and began to think of the longlife which lay before her, that was worse than ever the pain had been. She was so wretched, that she didn't care what became of anything, orhow anything looked. She had no Aunt Izzie to look after things, so herroom soon got into a dreadful state. It was full of dust and confusion, and dirty spoons and phials of physic. She kept the blinds shut, and lether hair tangle every which way, and altogether was a dismal spectacle. 

"This girl had a dear old father, " went on Cousin Helen, "who used tocome every day and sit beside her bed. One morning he said to her:

"'My daughter, I'm afraid you've got to live in this room for a longtime. Now there's one thing I want you to do for my sake. '

"'What's that?' she asked, surprised to hear there was anything leftwhich she could _do_ for anybody. 

"'I want you to turn out all these physic bottles, and make your roompleasant and pretty for _me_ to come and sit in. You see, I shall spenda good deal of my time here! Now I don't like dust and darkness. I liketo see flowers on the table, and sunshine in at the window. Will you dothis to please me?'

"'Yes, ' said the girl, but she gave a sigh, and I am afraid she felt asif it was going to be a dreadful trouble. 

"'Then, another thing, ' continued her father, 'I want _you_ to lookpretty. Can't nightgowns and wrappers be trimmed and made becoming justas much as dresses? A sick woman who isn't neat is a disagreeableobject. Do, to please me, send for something pretty, and let me see youlooking nice again. I can't bear to have my Helen turn into aslattern. '"

"Helen!" exclaimed Katy, with wide-open eyes, "was it _you_?"

"Yes, " said her cousin, smiling. "It was I though I didn't mean to letthe name slip out so soon. So, after my father was gone away, I sent fora looking-glass. Such a sight, Katy! My hair was a perfect mouse's nest, and I had frowned so much that my forehead was all criss-crossed withlines of pain, till it looked like an old woman's. "

Katy stared at Cousin Helen's smooth brow and glossy hair. "I can'tbelieve it, " she said; "your hair never could be rough. "

"Yes it was--worse, a great deal, than yours looks now. But that peep inthe glass did me good. I began to think how selfishly I was behaving, and to desire to do better. And after that, when the pain came on, Iused to lie and keep my forehead smooth with my fingers, and try not tolet my face show what I was enduring. So by and by the wrinkles woreaway, and though I am a good deal older now, they have never come back. 

"It was a great deal of trouble at first to have to think and plan tokeep my room and myself looking nice. But after a while it grew to be ahabit, and then it became easy. And the pleasure it gave my dear fatherrepaid for all. He had been proud of his active, healthy girl, but Ithink she was never such a comfort to him as his sick one, lying therein her bed. My room was his favorite sitting-place, and he spent somuch time there, that now the room, and everything in it, makes methink of him. "

There were tears in Cousin Helen's eyes as she ceased speaking. But Katylooked bright and eager. It seemed somehow to be a help, as well as agreat surprise, that ever there should have been a time when CousinHelen was less perfect than she was now. 

"Do you really think I could do so too?" she asked. 

"Do what? Comb your hair?" Cousin Helen was smiling now. 

"Oh no! Be nice and sweet and patient, and a comfort to people. You knowwhat I mean. "

"I am sure you can, if you try. "

"But what would you do first?" asked Katy; who, now that her mind hadgrasped a new idea, was eager to begin. 

"Well--first I would open the blinds, and make the room look a littleless dismal. Are you taking all those medicines in the bottles now?"

"No--only that big one with the blue label. "

"Then you might ask Aunt Izzy to take away the others. And I'd getClover to pick a bunch of fresh flowers every day for your table. By theway, I don't see the little white vase. "

"No--it got broken the very day after you went away; the day I fell outof the swing, " said Katy, sorrowfully. 

"Never mind, pet, don't look so doleful. I know the tree those vasesgrow upon, and you shall have another. Then, after the room is madepleasant, I would have all my lesson-books fetched up, if I were you, and I would study a couple of hours every morning. "

"Oh!" cried Katy, making a wry face at the idea. 

Cousin Helen smiled. "I know, " said she, "it sounds like dull work, learning geography and doing sums up here all by yourself. But I thinkif you make the effort you'll be glad by and by. You won't lose so muchground, you see--won't slip back quite so far in your education. Andthen, studying will be like working at a garden, where things don't groweasily. Every flower you raise will be a sort of triumph, and you willvalue it twice as much as a common flower which has cost no trouble. "

"Well, " said Katy, rather forlornly, "I'll try. But it won't be a bitnice studying without anybody to study with me. Is there anything else, Cousin Helen?"

Just then the door creaked, and Elsie timidly put her head into theroom. 

"Oh, Elsie, run away!" cried Katy. "Cousin Helen and I are talking. Don't come just now. "

Katy didn't speak unkindly, but Elsie's face fell, and she lookeddisappointed. She said nothing, however, but shut the door andstole away. 

Cousin Helen watched this little scene without speaking. For a fewminutes after Elsie was gone she seemed to be thinking. 

"Katy, " she said at last, "you were saying just now, that one of thethings you were sorry about was that while you were ill you could be ofno use to the children. Do you know, I don't think you have that reasonfor being sorry. "

"Why not?" said Katy, astonished. 

"Because you can be of use. It seems to me that you have more of achance with the children now, than you ever could have had when you werewell, and flying about as you used. You might do almost anything youliked with them. "

"I can't think what you mean, " said Katy, sadly. "Why, Cousin Helen, half the time I don't even know where they are, or what they are doing. And I can't get up and go after them, you know. "

"But you can make your room such a delightful place, that they willwant to come to you! Don't you see, a sick person has one splendidchance--she is always on hand. Everybody who wants her knows justwhere to go. If people love her, she gets naturally to be the heart ofthe house. 

"Once make the little ones feel that your room is the place of allothers to come to when they are tired, or happy, or grieved, or sorryabout anything, and that the Katy who lives there is sure to give them aloving reception--and the battle is won. For you know we never dopeople good by lecturing; only by living their lives with them, andhelping a little here, and a little there, to make them better. And whenone's own life is laid aside for a while, as yours is now, that is thevery time to take up other people's lives, as we can't do when we arescurrying and bustling over our own affairs. But I didn't mean to preacha sermon. I'm afraid you're tired. "

"No, I'm not a bit, " said Katy, holding Cousin Helen's hand tight inhers; "you can't think how much better I feel. Oh, Cousin Helen, Iwill try!"

"It won't be easy, " replied her cousin. "There will be days when yourhead aches, and you feel cross and fretted, and don't want to think ofany one but yourself. And there'll be other days when Clover and therest will come in, as Elsie did just now, and you will be doingsomething else, and will feel as if their coming was a bother. But youmust recollect that every time you forget, and are impatient orselfish, you chill them and drive them farther away. They are lovinglittle things, and are so sorry for you now, that nothing you do makesthem angry. But by and by they will get used to having you sick, and ifyou haven't won them as friends, they will grow away from you as theyget older. "

Just then Dr. Carr came in. 

"Oh, Papa! you haven't come to take Cousin Helen, have you?" cried Katy. 

"Indeed I have, " said her father. "I think the big invalid and thelittle invalid have talked quite long enough. Cousin Helen looks tired. "

For a minute, Katy felt just like crying. But she choked back the tears. "My first lesson in Patience, " she said to herself, and managed to givea faint, watery smile as Papa looked at her. 

"That's right, dear, " whispered Cousin Helen, as she bent forward tokiss her. "And one last word, Katy. In this school, to which you and Ibelong, there is one great comfort, and that is that the Teacher isalways at hand. He never goes away. If things puzzle us, there He is, close by, ready to explain and make all easy. Try to think of this, darling, and don't be afraid to ask Him for help if the lesson seemstoo hard. "

Katy had a strange dream that night. She thought she was trying to studya lesson out of a book which wouldn't come quite open. She could justsee a little bit of what was inside, but it was in a language which shedid not understand. She tried in vain; not a word could she read; andyet, for all that, it looked so interesting that she longed to go on. 

"Oh, if somebody would only help me!" she cried impatiently. 

Suddenly a hand came over her shoulder and took hold of the book. Itopened at once, and showed the whole page. And then the forefinger ofthe hand began to point to line after line, and as it moved the wordsbecame plain, and Katy could read them easily. She looked up. There, stooping over her, was a great beautiful Face. The eyes met hers. Thelips smiled. 

"Why didn't you ask me before, Little Scholar?" said a voice. 

"Why, it is You, just as Cousin Helen told me!" cried Katy. 

She must have spoken in her sleep, for Aunt Izzie half woke up, andsaid:

"What is it? Do you want anything?"

The dream broke, and Katy roused, to find herself in bed, with the firstsunbeams struggling in at the window, and Aunt Izzie raised on herelbow, looking at her with a sort of sleepy wonder. 

CHAPTER X

ST. NICHOLAS AND ST. VALENTINE

"What are the children all doing to-day?" said Katy laying down "Norwayand the Norwegians, " which she was reading for the fourth time; "Ihaven't seen them since breakfast. "

Aunt Izzie, who was sewing on the other side of the room, looked upfrom her work. 

"I don't know, " she said, "they're over at Cecy's, or somewhere. They'llbe back before long, I guess. "

Her voice sounded a little odd and mysterious, but Katy didn'tnotice it. 

"I thought of such a nice plan yesterday, " she went on. "That was thatall of them should hang their stockings up here to-morrow night insteadof in the nursery. Then I could see them open their presents, you know. Mayn't they, Aunt Izzie? It would be real fun. "

"I don't believe there will be any objection, " replied her aunt. Shelooked as if she were trying not to laugh. Katy wondered what was thematter with her. 

It was more than two months now since Cousin Helen went away, and Winterhad fairly come. Snow was falling out-doors. Katy could see the thickflakes go whirling past the window, but the sight did not chill her. Itonly made the room look warmer and more cosy. It was a pleasant roomnow. There was a bright fire in the grate. Everything was neat andorderly, the air was sweet with mignonette, from a little glass offlowers which stood on the table, and the Katy who lay in bed, was avery different-looking Katy from the forlorn girl of the last chapter. 

Cousin Helen's visit, though it lasted only one day, did great good. Notthat Katy grew perfect all at once. None of us do that, even in books. But it is everything to be started in the right path. Katy's feet wereon it now; and though she often stumbled and slipped, and often sat downdiscouraged, she kept on pretty steadily, in spite of bad days, whichmade her say to herself that she was not getting forward at all. 

These bad days, when everything seemed hard, and she herself was crossand fretful, and drove the children out of her room, cost Katy manybitter tears. But after them she would pick herself up, and try again, and harder. And I think that in spite of drawbacks, the little scholar, on the whole, was learning her lesson pretty well. 

Cousin Helen was a great comfort all this time. She never forgot Katy. Nearly every week some little thing came from her. Sometimes it was apencil note, written from her sofa. Sometimes it was an interestingbook, or a new magazine, or some pretty little thing for the room. Thecrimson wrapper which Katy wore was one of her presents, so were thebright chromos of Autumn leaves which hung on the wall, the little standfor the books--all sorts of things. Katy loved to look about her as shelay. All the room seemed full of Cousin Helen and her kindness. 

"I wish I had something pretty to put into everybody's stocking, " shewent on, wistfully; "but I've only got the muffetees for Papa, and thesereins for Phil. " She took them from under her pillow as she spoke--gayworsted affairs, with bells sewed on here and there. She had knit themherself, a very little bit at a time. 

"There's my pink sash, " she said suddenly, "I might give that toClover. I only wore it once, you know, and I don't think I got anyspots on it. Would you please fetch it and let me see, Aunt Izzie? It'sin the top drawer. "

Aunt Izzie brought the sash. It proved to be quite fresh, and they bothdecided that it would do nicely for Clover. 

"You know I sha'n't want sashes for ever so long, " said Katy, in rathera sad tone, "And this is a beauty. "

When she spoke next, her voice was bright again. 

"I wish I had something real nice for Elsie. Do you know, Aunt Izzie--Ithink Elsie is the dearest little girl that ever was. "

"I'm glad you've found it out, " said Aunt Izzie, who had always beenspecially fond of Elsie. 

"What she wants most of all is a writing-desk, " continued Katy. "AndJohnnie wants a sled. But, oh dear! these are such big things. And I'veonly got two dollars and a quarter. "

Aunt Izzie marched out of the room without saying anything. When shecame back she had something folded up in her hand. 

"I didn't know what to give you for Christmas, Katy, " she said, "becauseHelen sends you such a lot of things that there don't seem to beanything you haven't already. So I thought I'd give you this, and letyou choose for yourself. But if you've set your heart on gettingpresents for the children, perhaps you'd rather have it now. " So saying, Aunt Izzie laid on the bed a crisp, new five-dollar bill!

"How good you are!" cried Katy, flushed with pleasure. And indeed AuntIzzie _did_ seem to have grown wonderfully good of late. Perhaps Katyhad got hold of her smooth handle!

Being now in possession of seven dollars and a quarter, Katy couldafford to be gorgeously generous. She gave Aunt Izzie an exactdescription of the desk she wanted. 

"It's no matter about its being very big, " said Katy, "but it must havea blue velvet lining, and an inkstand, with a silver top. And please buysome little sheets of paper and envelopes, and a pen-handle; theprettiest you can find. Oh! and there must be a lock and key. Don'tforget that, Aunt Izzie. "

"No, I won't. What else?"

"I'd like the sled to be green, " went on Katy, "and to have a nice name. Sky-Scraper would be nice, if there was one. Johnnie saw a sled oncecalled Sky-Scraper, and she said it was splendid. And if there's moneyenough left, Aunty, won't you buy me a real nice book for Dorry, andanother for Cecy, and a silver thimble for Mary? Her old one is full ofholes. Oh! and some candy. And something for Debby and Bridget--somelittle thing, you know. I think that's all!"

Was ever seven dollars and a quarter expected to do so much? Aunt Izziemust have been a witch, indeed, to make it hold out. But she did, andnext day all the precious bundles came home. How Katy enjoyed untyingthe strings!

Everything was exactly right. 

"There wasn't any Sky-Scraper, " said Aunt Izzie, "so I got'Snow-Skimmer' instead. "

"It's beautiful, and I like it just as well, " said Katy contentedly. 

"Oh, hide them, hide them!" she cried with sudden terror, "somebody'scoming. " But the somebody was only Papa, who put his head into the roomas Aunt Izzie, laden with bundles, scuttled across the hall. 

Katy was glad to catch him alone. She had a little private secret totalk over with him. It was about Aunt Izzie, for whom she, as yet, hadno present. 

"I thought perhaps you'd get me a book like that one of Cousin Helen's, which Aunt Izzie liked so much, " she said. "I don't recollect the nameexactly. It was something about a Shadow. But I've spent all my money. "

"Never mind about that, " said Dr. Carr. "We'll make that right. 'TheShadow of the Cross'--was that it? I'll buy it this afternoon. "

"Oh, thank you, Papa! And please get a brown cover, if you can, becauseCousin Helen's was brown. And you won't let Aunt Izzie know, will you?Be careful, Papa!"

"I'll swallow the book first, brown cover and all, " said Papa, making a funny face. He was pleased to see Katy so interested aboutanything again. 

These delightful secrets took up so much of her thoughts, that Katyscarcely found time to wonder at the absence of the children, whogenerally haunted her room, but who for three days back had hardly beenseen. However, after supper they all came up in a body, looking verymerry, and as if they had been having a good time somewhere. 

"You don't know what we've been doing, " began Philly. 

"Hush, Phil!" said Clover, in a warning voice. Then she divided thestockings which she held in her hand. And everybody proceeded tohang them up. 

Dorry hung his on one side of the fireplace, and John hers exactlyopposite. Clover and Phil suspended theirs side by side, on two handlesof the bureau. 

"I'm going to put mine here, close to Katy, so that she can see it thefirst fing in the mornin', " said Elsie, pinning hers to the bed-post. 

Then they all sat down round the fire to write their wishes on bits ofpaper, and see whether they would burn, or fly up the chimney. If theydid the latter, it was a sign that Santa Claus had them safe, and wouldbring the things wished for. 

John wished for a sled and a doll's tea-set, and the continuation of theSwiss Family Robinson. Dorry's list ran thus:

 "A plum-cake, A new Bibel, Harry and Lucy, A Kellidescope, Everything else Santa Claus likes. "

When they had written these lists they threw them into the fire. Thefire gave a flicker just then, and the papers vanished. Nobody sawexactly how. John thought they flew up chimney, but Dorry said theydidn't. Phil dropped his piece in very solemnly. It flamed for a minute, then sank into ashes. 

"There, you won't get it, whatever it was!" said Dorry. "What did youwrite, Phil?"

"Nofing, " said Phil, "only just Philly Carr. "

The children shouted. 

"I wrote 'a writing-desk' on mine, " remarked Elsie, sorrowfully, "but itall burned up. "

Katy chuckled when she heard this. 

And now Clover produced her list. She read aloud:

 "'Strive and Thrive, ' A pair of kid gloves, A muff, A good temper!"

Then she dropped it into the fire. Behold, it flew straight up chimney. 

"How queer!" said Katy; "none of the rest of them did that. "

The truth was, that Clover, who was a canny little mortal, had slippedacross the room and opened the door just before putting her wishes in. This, of course, made a draft, and sent the paper right upward. 

Pretty soon Aunt Izzie came in and swept them all off to bed. 

"I know how it will be in the morning, " she said, "you'll all be upand racing about as soon as it is light. So you must get your sleepnow, if ever. "

After they had gone, Katy recollected that nobody had offered to hang astocking up for her. She felt a little hurt when she thought of it. "ButI suppose they forgot, " she said to herself. 

A little later Papa and Aunt Izzie came in, and they filled thestockings. It was great fun. Each was brought to Katy, as she lay inbed, that she might arrange it as she liked. 

The toes were stuffed with candy and oranges. Then came the parcels, allshapes and sizes, tied in white paper, with ribbons, and labelled. 

"What's that?" asked Dr. Carr, as Aunt Izzie rammed a long, narrowpackage into Clover's stocking. 

"A nail-brush, " answered Aunt Izzie. "Clover needed a new one. "

How Papa and Katy laughed! "I don't believe Santa Claus ever had such athing before, " said Dr. Carr. 

"He's a very dirty old gentleman, then, " observed Aunt Izzie, grimly. 

The desk and sled were too big to go into any stocking, so they werewrapped in paper and hung beneath the other things. It was ten o'clockbefore all was done, and Papa and Aunt Izzie went away. Katy lay a longtime watching the queer shapes of the stocking-legs as they dangled inthe firelight. Then she fell asleep. 

It seemed only a minute, before something touched her and woke her up. Behold, it was day-time, and there was Philly in his nightgown, climbingup on the bed to kiss her! The rest of the children, half dressed, weredancing about with their stockings in their hands. 

"Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!" they cried. "Oh, Katy, suchbeautiful, beautiful things!"

"Oh!" shrieked Elsie, who at that moment spied her desk, "Santa Claus_did_ bring it, after all! Why, it's got 'from Katy' written on it! Oh, Katy, it's so sweet, and I'm _so_ happy!" and Elsie hugged Katy, andsobbed for pleasure. 

But what was that strange thing beside the bed! Katy stared, and rubbedher eyes. It certainly had not been there when she went to sleep. Howhad it come?

It was a little evergreen tree planted in a red flower-pot. The pot hadstripes of gilt paper stuck on it, and gilt stars and crosses, whichmade it look very gay. The boughs of the tree were hung with oranges, and nuts, and shiny red apples, and pop-corn balls, and strings ofbright berries. There were also a number of little packages tied withblue and crimson ribbon, and altogether the tree looked so pretty, thatKaty gave a cry of delighted surprise. 

"It's a Christmas-tree for you, because you're sick, you know!" said thechildren, all trying to hug her at once. 

"We made it ourselves, " said Dorry, hopping about on one foot; "I pastedthe black stars on the pot. "

"And I popped the corn!" cried Philly. 

"Do you like it?" asked Elsie, cuddling close to Katy. "That's mypresent--that one tied with a green ribbon. I wish it was nicer! Don'tyou want to open 'em right away?"

Of course Katy wanted to. All sorts of things came out of the littlebundles. The children had arranged every parcel themselves. No grownperson had been allowed to help in the least. 

Elsie's present was a pen-wiper, with a gray flannel kitten on it. Johnnie's, a doll's tea-tray of scarlet tin. 

"Isn't it beau-ti-ful?" she said, admiringly. 

Dorry's gift, I regret to say, was a huge red-and-yellow spider, whichwhirred wildly when waved at the end of its string. 

"They didn't want me to buy it, " said he, "but I did! I thought it wouldamoose you. Does it amoose you, Katy?"

"Yes, indeed, " said Katy, laughing and blinking as Dorry waved thespider to and fro before her eyes. 

"You can play with it when we ain't here and you're all alone, youknow, " remarked Dorry, highly gratified. 

"But you don't notice what the tree's standing upon, " said Clover. 

It was a chair, a very large and curious one, with a long-cushionedback, which ended in a footstool. 

"That's Papa's present, " said Clover; "see, it tips back so as to bejust like a bed. And Papa says he thinks pretty soon you can lie on it, in the window, where you can see us play. "

"Does he really?" said Katy, doubtfully. It still hurt her very much tobe touched or moved. 

"And see what's tied to the arm of the chair, " said Elsie. 

It was a little silver bell, with "Katy" engraved on the handle. 

"Cousin Helen sent it. It's for you to ring when you want anybody tocome, " explained Elsie. 

More surprises. To the other arm of the chair was fastened a beautifulbook. It was "The Wide Wide World"--and there Was Katy's name written onit, 'from her affectionate Cecy. ' On it stood a great parcel of driedcherries from Mrs. Hall. Mrs. Hall had the most _delicious_ driedcherries, the children thought. 

"How perfectly lovely everybody is!" said Katy, with grateful tearsin her eyes. 

That was a pleasant Christmas. The children declared it to be the nicestthey had ever had. And though Katy couldn't quite say that, she enjoyedit too, and was very happy. 

It was several weeks before she was able to use the chair, but when onceshe became accustomed to it, it proved very comfortable. Aunt Izziewould dress her in the morning, tip the chair back till it was on alevel with the bed, and then, very gently and gradually, draw her overon to it. Wheeling across the room was always painful, but sitting inthe window and looking out at the clouds, the people going by, and thechildren playing in the snow, was delightful. How delightful nobodyknows, excepting those who, like Katy, have lain for six months in bed, without a peep at the outside world. Every day she grew brighter andmore cheerful. 

"How jolly Santa Claus was this year!" She happened to say one day, whenshe was talking with Cecy. "I wish another Saint would come and pay us avisit. But I don't know any more, except Cousin Helen, and she can't. "

"There's St. Valentine, " suggested Cecy. 

"Sure enough. What a bright thought!" cried Katy, clapping her hands. "Oh, Cecy, let's do something funny on Valentine's-Day! Such a good ideahas just popped into my mind. "

So the two girls put their heads together and held a long, mysteriousconfabulation. What it was about, we shall see farther on. 

Valentine's-Day was the next Friday. When the children came home fromschool on Thursday afternoon, Aunt Izzie met them, and, to their greatsurprise, told them that Cecy was come to drink tea, and they must allgo up stairs and be made nice. 

"But Cecy comes most every day, " remarked Dorry, who didn't see theconnection between this fact and having his face washed. 

"Yes--but to-night you are to take tea in Katy's room, " said Aunt Izzie;"here are the invitations: one for each of you. "

Sure enough, there was a neat little note for each, requesting thepleasure of their company at "Queen Katharine's Palace, " that afternoon, at six o'clock. 

This put quite a different aspect on the affair. The children scamperedup stairs, and pretty soon, all nicely brushed and washed, they wereknocking formally at the door of the "Palace. " How fine it sounded!

The room looked bright and inviting. Katy, in her chair, sat close tothe fire, Cecy was beside her, and there was a round table all set outwith a white cloth and mugs of milk and biscuit, and strawberry-Jam anddoughnuts. In the middle was a loaf of frosted cake. There was somethingon the icing which looked like pink letters, and Clover, leaningforward, read aloud, "St. Valentine. "

"What's that for?" asked Dorry. 

"Why, you know this is St. Valentine's-Eve, " replied Katy. "Debbieremembered it, I guess, so she put that on. "

Nothing more was said about St. Valentine just then. But when the lastpink letter of his name had been eaten, and the supper had been clearedaway, suddenly, as the children sat by the fire, there was a loud rapat the door. 

"Who can that be?" said Katy; "please see, Clover!"

So Clover opened the door. There stood Bridget, trying very hard not tolaugh, and holding a letter in her hand. 

"It's a note as has come for you, Miss Clover, " she said. 

"For _me_!" cried Clover, much amazed. Then she shut the door, andbrought the note to the table. 

"How very funny!" she exclaimed, as she looked at the envelope, whichwas a green and white one. There was something hard inside. Clover brokethe seal. Out tumbled a small green velvet pincushion made in the shapeof a clover-leaf, with a tiny stem of wire wound with green silk. Pinnedto the cushion was a paper, with these verses:

 "Some people love roses well, Tulips, gayly dressed, Some love violets blue and sweet, -- I love Clover best. 

 "Though she has a modest air, Though no grace she boast, Though no gardener call her fair, I love Clover most. 

 "Butterfly may pass her by, He is but a rover, I'm a faithful, loving Bee-- And I stick to Clover. "

This was the first valentine Clover had ever had. She was perfectlyenchanted. 

"Oh, who _do_ you suppose sent it?" she cried. 

But before anybody could answer, there came another loud knock atthe door, which made them all jump. Behold, Bridget again, with asecond letter!

"It's for you, Miss Elsie, this time, " she said with a grin. 

There was an instant rush from all the children, and the envelope wastorn open in the twinkling of an eye. Inside was a little ivory sealwith "Elsie" on it in old English letters, and these rhymes:

 "I know a little girl, She is very dear to me, She is just as sweet as honey When she chooses so to be, And her name begins with E, and ends with E. 

 "She has brown hair which curls, And black eyes for to see With, teeth like tiny pearls, And dimples, one, two--three, And her name begins with E, and ends with E. 

 "Her little feet run faster Than other feet can flee, As she brushes quickly past, her Voice hums like a bee, And her name begins with E, and ends with E. 

 "Do you ask me why I love her? Then I shall answer thee, Because I can't help loving, She is so sweet to me, This little girl whose name begins and ends with 'E. '"

"It's just like a fairy story, " said Elsie, whose eyes had grown asbig as saucers from surprise, while these verses were being readaloud by Cecy. 

Another knock. This time there was a perfect handful of letters. Everybody had one. Katy, to her great surprise, had _two_. 

"Why, what _can_ this be?" she said. But when she peeped into the secondone, she saw Cousin Helen's handwriting, and she put it into her pocket, till the valentines should be read. 

Dorry's was opened first. It had the picture of a pie at thetop--I ought to explain that Dorry had lately been having a siegewith the dentist. 

 "Little Jack Horner Sat in his corner, Eating his Christmas pie, When a sudden grimace Spread over his face, And he began loudly to cry. 

 "His tender Mamma Heard the sound from afar, And hastened to comfort her child; 'What aileth my John?' She inquired in a tone Which belied her question mild. 

 "'Oh, Mother, ' he said, 'Every tooth in my head Jumps and aches and is loose, O my! And it hurts me to eat Anything that is sweet-- So what _will_ become of my pie?'

 "It were vain to describe How he roared and he cried, And howled like a miniature tempest; Suffice it to say, That the very next day He had all his teeth pulled by a dentist!"

This valentine made the children laugh for a long time. Johnnie'senvelope held a paper doll named "Red Riding-Hood. " These werethe verses:

 "I send you my picture, dear Johnnie, to show That I'm just as alive as you, And that you needn't cry over my fate Any more, as you used to do. 

 "The wolf didn't hurt me at all that day, For I kicked and fought and cried, Till he dropped me out of his mouth, and ran Away in the woods to hide. 

 "And Grandma and I have lived ever since In the little brown house so small, And churned fresh butter and made cream cheeses, Nor seen the wolf at all. 

 "So cry no more for fear I am eaten, The naughty wolf is shot, And if you will come to tea some evening You shall see for yourself I'm not. "

Johnnie was immensely pleased at this, for Red Riding-Hood was a greatfavorite of hers. 

Philly had a bit of india-rubber in his letter, which was written withvery black ink on a big sheet of foolscap:

 "I was once a naughty man, And I hid beneath the bed, To steal your india-rubbers, But I chewed them up instead. 

 "Then you called out, 'Who is there?' I was thrown most in a fit, And I let the india-rubbers fall-- All but this little bit. 

 "I'm sorry for my naughty ways, And now, to make amends, I send the chewed piece back again, And beg we may be friends. 

 "ROBBER. "

"Just listen to mine, " said Cecy, who had all along pretended to be asmuch surprised as anybody, and now behaved as if she could hardly waittill Philly's was finished. Then she read aloud:

"TO CECY. 

 "If I were a bird And you were a bird, What would we do? Why you should be little and I would be big, And, side by side on a cherry-tree twig, We'd kiss with our yellow bills, and coo-- That's what we'd do!

 "If I were a fish And you were a fish, What would we do? We'd frolic, and whisk our little tails, And play all sorts of tricks with the whales, And call on the oysters, and order a 'stew, ' That's what we'd do!

 "If I were a bee And you were a bee, What would we do? We'd find a home in a breezy wood, And store it with honey sweet and good. You should feed me and I would feed you, That's what we'd do!

 "VALENTINE. "

"I think that's the prettiest of all, " said Clover. 

"I don't, " said Elsie. "I think mine is the prettiest. Cecy didn't haveany seal in hers, either. " And she fondled the little seal, which allthis time she had held in her hand. 

"Katy, you ought to have read yours first because you are the oldest, "said Clover. 

"Mine isn't much, " replied Katy, and she read:

 "The rose is red the violet blue, Sugar is sweet, and so are you. "

"What a mean valentine!" cried Elsie, with flashing eyes. "It's a realshame, Katy! You ought to have had the best of all. "

Katy could hardly keep from laughing. The fact was that the verses forthe others had taken so long, that no time had been left for writing avalentine to herself. So, thinking it would excite suspicion to havenone, she had scribbled this old rhyme at the last moment. 

"It isn't very nice, " she said, trying to look as pensive as she could, "but never mind. "

"It's a shame!" repeated Elsie, petting her very hard to make up for theinjustice. 

"Hasn't it been a funny evening?" said John; and Dorry replied, "Yes; wenever had such good times before Katy was sick, did we?"

Katy heard this with a mingled feeling of pleasure and pain. "I thinkthe children do love me a little more of late, " she said to herself. "But, oh, why couldn't I be good to them when I was well and strong!"

She didn't open Cousin Helen's letter until the rest were all gone tobed. I think somebody must have written and told about the valentineparty, for instead of a note there were these verses in Cousin Helen'sown clear, pretty hand. It wasn't a valentine, because it was toosolemn, as Katy explained to Clover, next day. "But, " she added, "it isa great deal beautifuller than any valentine that ever was written. " AndClover thought so too. 

These were the verses:

 "IN SCHOOL. 

 "I used to go to a bright school Where Youth and Frolic taught in turn; But idle scholar that I was, I liked to play, I would not learn; So the Great Teacher did ordain That I should try the School of Pain. 

 "One of the infant class I am With little, easy lessons, set In a great book; the higher class Have harder ones than I, and yet I find mine hard, and can't restrain My tears while studying thus with Pain. 

 "There are two Teachers in the school, One has a gentle voice and low, And smiles upon her scholars, as She softly passes to and fro. Her name is Love; 'tis very plain She shuns the sharper teacher, Pain. 

 "Or so I sometimes think; and then, At other times, they meet and kiss, And look so strangely like, that I Am puzzled to tell how it is, Or whence the change which makes it vain To guess if it be--Love or Pain. 

 "They tell me if I study well, And learn my lessons, I shall be Moved upward to that higher class Where dear Love teaches constantly; And I work hard, in hopes to gain Reward, and get away from Pain. 

 "Yet Pain is sometimes kind, and helps Me on when I am very dull; I thank him often in my heart; But Love is far more beautiful; Under her tender, gentle reign I must learn faster than of Pain. 

 "So I will do my very best, Nor chide the clock, nor call it slow; That when the Teacher calls me up To see if I am fit to go, I may to Love's high class attain, And bid a sweet good-by to Pain. "

CHAPTER XI

A NEW LESSON TO LEARN

It was a long time before the children ceased to talk and laugh overthat jolly evening. Dorry declared he wished there could be aValentine's-Day every week. 

"Don't you think St. Valentine would be tired of writing verses?" askedKaty. But she, too, had enjoyed the frolic, and the bright recollectionhelped her along through the rest of the long, cold winter. 

Spring opened late that year, but the Summer, when it came, was a warmone. Katy felt the heat very much. She could not change her seat andfollow the breeze about from window to window as other people could. Thelong burning days left her weak and parched. She hung her head, andseemed to wilt like the flowers in the garden-beds. Indeed she was worseoff than they, for every evening Alexander gave them a watering with thehose, while nobody was able to bring a watering-pot and pour out whatshe needed--a shower of cold, fresh air. 

It wasn't easy to be good-humored under these circumstances, and onecould hardly have blamed Katy if she had sometimes forgotten herresolutions and been cross and fretful. But she didn't--not very often. Now and then bad days came, when she was discouraged and forlorn. ButKaty's long year of schooling had taught her self-control, and, as ageneral thing, her discomforts were borne patiently. She could not helpgrowing pale and thin however, and Papa saw with concern that, as thesummer went on, she became too languid to read, or study, or sew, andjust sat hour after hour, with folded hands, gazing wistfully out ofthe window. 

He tried the experiment of taking her to drive. But the motion of thecarriage, and the being lifted in and out, brought on so much pain, thatKaty begged that he would not ask her to go again. So there was nothingto be done but wait for cooler weather. The summer dragged on, and allwho loved Katy rejoiced when it was over. 

When September came, with cool mornings and nights, and fresh breezes, smelling of pine woods, and hill-tops, all things seemed to revive, andKaty with them. She began to crochet and to read. After a while shecollected her books again, and tried to study as Cousin Helen hadadvised. But so many idle weeks made it seem harder work than ever. Oneday she asked Papa to let her take French lessons. 

"You see I'm forgetting all I knew, " she said, "and Clover is going tobegin this term, and I don't like that she should get so far ahead ofme. Don't you think Mr. Bergèr would be willing to come here, Papa? Hedoes go to houses sometimes. "

"I think he would if we asked him, " said Dr. Carr, pleased to see Katywaking up with something like life again. 

So the arrangement was made. Mr. Bergèr came twice every week, and satbeside the big chair, correcting Katy's exercises and practising her inthe verbs and pronunciation. He was a lively little old Frenchman, andknew how to make lesson-time pleasant. 

"You take more pain than you used, Mademoiselle, " he said one day; "ifyou go on so, you shall be my best scholar. And if to hurt the back makeyou study, it would be well that some other of my young ladies shall dothe same. "

Katy laughed. But in spite of Mr. Bergèr and his lessons, and in spiteof her endeavors to keep cheerful and busy, this second winter washarder than the first. It is often so with sick people. There is a sortof excitement in being ill which helps along just at the beginning. Butas months go on, and everything grows an old story, and one day followsanother day, all just alike and all tiresome, courage is apt to flag andspirits to grow dull. Spring seemed a long, long way off whenever Katythought about it. 

"I wish something would happen, " she often said to herself. Andsomething was about to happen. But she little guessed what it wasgoing to be. 

"Katy!" said Clover, coming in one day in November, "do you know wherethe camphor is? Aunt Izzie has got _such_ a headache. "

"No, " replied Katy, "I don't. Or--wait--Clover, it seems to me thatDebby came for it the other day. Perhaps if you look in her roomyou'll find it. "

"How very queer!" she soliloquized, when Clover was gone; "I never knewAunt Izzie to have a headache before. "

"How is Aunt Izzie?" she asked, when Papa came in at noon. 

"Well, I don't know. She has some fever and a bad pain in her head. Ihave told her that she had better lie still, and not try to get up thisevening. Old Mary will come in to undress you, Katy. You won't mind, will you, dear?"

"N-o!" said Katy, reluctantly. But she did mind. Aunt Izzie had grownused to her and her ways. Nobody else suited her so well. 

"It seems so strange to have to explain just how every little thing isto be done, " she remarked to Clover, rather petulantly. 

It seemed stranger yet, when the next day, and the next, and the nextafter that passed, and still no Aunt Izzie came near her. Blessingsbrighten as they take their flight. Katy began to appreciate for thefirst time how much she had learned to rely on her aunt. She missed herdreadfully. 

"When _is_ Aunt Izzie going to get well?" she asked her father; "I wanther so much. "

"We all want her, " said Dr. Carr, who looked disturbed and anxious. 

"Is she very sick?" asked Katy, struck by the expression of his face. 

"Pretty sick, I'm afraid, " he replied. "I'm going to get a regular nurseto take care of her. "

Aunt Izzie's attack proved to be typhoid fever. The doctors said thatthe house must be kept quiet, so John, and Dorry, and Phil were sentover to Mrs. Hall's to stay. Elsie and Clover were to have gone too, butthey begged so hard, and made so many promises of good behavior, thatfinally Papa permitted them to remain. The dear little things stoleabout the house on tiptoe, as quietly as mice, whispering to each other, and waiting on Katy, who would have been lonely enough without them, foreverybody else was absorbed in Aunt Izzie. 

It was a confused, melancholy time. The three girls didn't know muchabout sickness, but Papa's grave face, and the hushed house, weighedupon their spirits, and they missed the children very much. 

"Oh dear!" sighed Elsie. "How I wish Aunt Izzie would hurry andget well. "

"We'll be real good to her when she does, won't we?" said Clover. "Inever mean to leave my rubbers in the hat-stand any more, because shedon't like to have me. And I shall pick up the croquet-balls and putthem in the box every night. "

"Yes, " added Elsie, "so will I, when she gets well. "

It never occurred to either of them that perhaps Aunt Izzie might notget well. Little people are apt to feel as if grown folks are so strongand so big, that nothing can possibly happen to them. 

Katy was more anxious. Still she did not fairly realize the danger. Soit came like a sudden and violent shock to her, when, one morning onwaking up, she found old Mary crying quietly beside the bed, with herapron at her eyes. Aunt Izzie had died in the night!

All their kind, penitent thoughts of her; their resolutions toplease--their plans for obeying her wishes and saving her trouble, weretoo late! For the first time, the three girls, sobbing in each other'sarms, realized what a good friend Aunt Izzie had been to them. Herworrying ways were all forgotten now. They could only remember the manykind things she had done for them since they were little children. Howthey wished that they had never teased her, never said sharp words abouther to each other! But it was no use to wish. 

"What shall we do without Aunt Izzie?" thought Katy, as she criedherself to sleep that night. And the question came into her mind againand again, after the funeral was over and the little ones had come backfrom Mrs. Hall's, and things began to go on in their usual manner. 

For several days she saw almost nothing of her father. Clover reportedthat he looked very tired and scarcely said a word. 

"Did Papa eat any dinner?" asked Katy, one afternoon. 

"Not much. He said he wasn't hungry. And Mrs. Jackson's boy came for himbefore we were through. "

"Oh dear!" sighed Katy, "I do hope _he_ isn't going to be sick. How itrains! Clovy, I wish you'd run down and get out his slippers and putthem by the fire to warm. Oh, and ask Debby to make some cream-toast fortea! Papa likes cream-toast. "

After tea, Dr. Carr came up stairs to sit a while in Katy's room. Heoften did so, but this was the first time since Aunt Izzie's death. 

Katy studied his face anxiously. It seemed to her that it had grownolder of late, and there was a sad look upon it, which made her heartache. She longed to do something for him, but all she could do was topoke the fire bright, and then to possess herself of his hand, andstroke it gently with both hers. It wasn't much, to be sure, but I thinkPapa liked it. 

"What have you been about all day?" he asked. 

"Oh, nothing, much, " said Katy. "I studied my French lesson thismorning. And after school, Elsie and John brought in their patchwork, and we had a 'Bee. ' That's all. "

"I've been thinking how we are to manage about the housekeeping, " saidDr. Carr. "Of course we shall have to get somebody to come and takecharge. But it isn't easy to find just the right person. Mrs. Hall knowsof a woman who might do, but she is out West, just now, and it will be aweek or two before we can hear from her. Do you think you can get on asyou are for a few days?"

"Oh, Papa!" cried Katy, in dismay, "must we have anybody?"

"Why, how did you suppose we were going to arrange it? Clover is muchtoo young for a housekeeper. And beside, she is at school all day. "

"I don't know--I hadn't thought about it, " said Katy, in aperplexed tone. 

But she did think about it--all that evening, and the first thing whenshe woke in the morning. 

"Papa, " she said, the next time she got him to herself, "I've beenthinking over what you were saying last night, about getting somebody tokeep the house, you know. And I wish you wouldn't. I wish you would let_me_ try. Really and truly, I think I could manage. "

"But how?" asked Dr. Carr, much surprised. "I really don't see. If youwere well and strong, perhaps--but even then you would be pretty youngfor such a charge, Katy. "

"I shall be fourteen in two weeks, " said Katy, drawing herself up in herchair as straight as she could. "And if I _were_ well, Papa, I should begoing to school, you know, and then of course I couldn't. No, I'll tellyou my plan. I've been thinking about it all day. Debby and Bridget havebeen with us so long, that they know all Aunt Izzie's ways, and they'resuch good women, that all they want is just to be told a little now andthen. Now, why couldn't they come up to me when anything is wanted--justas well as to have me go down to them? Clover and old Mary will keepwatch, you know, and see if anything is wrong. And you wouldn't mind ifthings were a little crooked just at first, would you? because, youknow, I should be learning all the time. Do let me try! It will be realnice to have something to think about as I sit up here alone, so muchbetter than having a stranger in the house who doesn't know the childrenor anything. I am sure it will make me happier. Please say 'Yes, ' Papa, please do!"

"It's too much for you, a great deal too much, " replied Dr. Carr. But itwas not easy to resist Katy's "Please! Please!" and after a while itended with--

"Well, darling, you may try, though I am doubtful as to the result ofthe experiment. I will tell Mrs. Hall to put off writing to Wisconsinfor a month, and we will see. 

"Poor child, anything to take her thoughts off herself!" he muttered, ashe walked down stairs. "She'll be glad enough to give the thing up bythe end of the month. "

But Papa was mistaken. At the end of a month Katy was eager to go on. So he said, "Very well--she might try it till Spring. "

It was not such hard work as it sounds. Katy had plenty of quietthinking-time for one thing. The children were at school all day, andfew visitors came to interrupt her, so she could plan out her hours andkeep to the plans. That is a great help to a housekeeper. 

Then Aunt Izzie's regular, punctual ways were so well understood by theservants, that the house seemed almost to keep itself. As Katy had said, all Debby and Bridget needed was a little "telling" now and then. 

As soon as breakfast was over, and the dishes were washed and put away, Debby would tie on a clean apron, and come up stairs for orders. Atfirst Katy thought this great fun. But after ordering dinner a good manytimes, it began to grow tiresome. She never saw the dishes after theywere cooked; and, being inexperienced, it seemed impossible to think ofthings enough to make a variety. 

"Let me see--there is roast beef--leg of mutton--boiled chicken, " shewould say, counting on her fingers, "roast beef--leg of mutton--boiledchicken. Debby, you might roast the chickens. Dear!--I wish somebodywould invent a new animal! Where all the things to eat are gone to, Ican't imagine!"

Then Katy would send for every recipe-book in the house, and pore overthem by the hour, till her appetite was as completely gone as if she hadswallowed twenty dinners. Poor Debby learned to dread these books. Shewould stand by the door with her pleasant red face drawn up into apucker, while Katy read aloud some impossible-sounding rule. 

"This looks as if it were delicious, Debby, I wish you'd try it: Take agallon of oysters, a pint of beef stock, sixteen soda crackers, thejuice of two lemons, four cloves, a glass of white wine, a sprig ofmarjoram, a sprig of thyme, a sprig of bay, a sliced shalott--"

"Please, Miss Katy, what's them?"

"Oh, don't you know, Debby? It must be something quite common, for it'sin almost all the recipes. "

"No, Miss Katy, I never heard tell of it before. Miss Carr never gave meno shell-outs at all at all!"

"Dear me, how provoking!" Katy would cry, flapping over the leaves ofher book; "then we must try something else. "

Poor Debby! If she hadn't loved Katy so dearly, I think her patiencemust have given way. But she bore her trials meekly, except for anoccasional grumble when alone with Bridget. Dr. Carr had to eat a greatmany queer things in those days. But he didn't mind, and as for thechildren, they enjoyed it. Dinner-time became quite exciting, whennobody could tell exactly what any dish on the table was made of. Dorry, who was a sort of Dr. Livingstone where strange articles of food wereconcerned, usually made the first experiment, and if he said that it wasgood, the rest followed suit. 

After a while Katy grew wiser. She ceased teasing Debby to try newthings, and the Carr family went back to plain roast and boiled, much tothe advantage of all concerned. But then another series of experimentsbegan. Katy got hold of a book upon "The Stomach, " and was seized with arage for wholesome food. She entreated Clover and the other children togive up sugar, and butter, and gravy, and pudding-sauce, and buckwheatcakes, and pies, and almost everything else that they particularlyliked. Boiled rice seemed to her the most sensible dessert, and she keptthe family on it until finally John and Dorry started a rebellion, andDr. Carr was forced to interfere. 

"My dear, you are overdoing it sadly, " he said, as Katy opened her bookand prepared to explain her views; "I am glad to have the children eatsimple food--but really, boiled rice five times in a week is too much. "

Katy sighed, but submitted. Later, as the Spring came on, she had a fitof over-anxiousness, and was always sending Clover down to ask Debby ifher bread was not burning, or if she was sure that the pickles were notfermenting in their jars? She also fidgeted the children about wearingindia-rubbers, and keeping on their coats, and behaved altogether as ifthe cares of the world were on her shoulders. 

But all these were but the natural mistakes of a beginner. Katy was toomuch in earnest not to improve. Month by month she learned how tomanage a little better, and a little better still. Matters went on moresmoothly. Her cares ceased to fret her. Dr. Carr watching theincreasing brightness of her face and manner, felt that the experimentwas a success. Nothing more was said about "somebody else, " and Katy, sitting up stairs in her big chair, held the threads of the housefirmly in her hands. 

CHAPTER XII

TWO YEARS AFTERWARD

It was a pleasant morning in early June. A warm wind was rustling thetrees, which were covered thickly with half-opened leaves, and lookedlike fountains of green spray thrown high into the air. Dr. Carr's frontdoor stood wide open. Through the parlor window came the sound of pianopractice, and on the steps, under the budding roses, sat a small figure, busily sewing. 

This was Clover, little Clover still, though more than two years hadpassed since we saw her last, and she was now over fourteen. Clover wasnever intended to be tall. Her eyes were as blue and sweet as ever, andher apple-blossom cheeks as pink. But the brown pig-tails were pinned upinto a round knot, and the childish face had gained almost a womanlylook. Old Mary declared that Miss Clover was getting quiteyoung-ladyfied, and "Miss Clover" was quite aware of the fact, andmightily pleased with it. It delighted her to turn up her hair; and shewas very particular about having her dresses made to come below the topsof her boots. She had also left off ruffles, and wore narrow collarsinstead, and little cuffs with sleeve-buttons to fasten them. Thesesleeve-buttons, which were a present from Cousin Helen, Clover likedbest of all her things. Papa said that he was sure she took them to bedwith her, but of course that was only a joke, though she certainly wasnever seen without them in the daytime. She glanced frequently at thesebeloved buttons as she sat sewing, and every now and then laid down herwork to twist them into a better position, or give them an affectionatepat with her forefinger. 

Pretty soon the side-gate swung open, and Philly came round the cornerof the house. He had grown into a big boy. All his pretty baby curlswere cut off, and his frocks had given place to jacket and trousers. Inhis hand he held something. What, Clover could not see. 

"What's that?" she said, as he reached the steps. 

"I'm going up stairs to ask Katy if these are ripe, " replied Phil, exhibiting some currants faintly streaked with red. 

"Why, of course they're not ripe!" said Clover, putting one into hermouth. "Can't you tell by the taste? They're as green as can be. "

"I don't care, if Katy says they're ripe I shall eat 'em, " answeredPhil, defiantly, marching into the house. 

"What did Philly want?" asked Elsie, opening the parlor door as Philwent up stairs. 

"Only to know if the currants are ripe enough to eat. "

"How particular he always is about asking now!" said Elsie; "he's afraidof another dose of salts. "

"I should think he would be, " replied Clover, laughing. "Johnnie saysshe never was so scared in her life as when Papa called them, and theylooked up, and saw him standing there with the bottle in one hand and aspoon in the other!"

"Yes, " went on Elsie, "and you know Dorry held his in his mouth for everso long, and then went round the corner of the house and spat it out!Papa said he had a good mind to make him take another spoonful, but heremembered that after all Dorry had the bad taste a great deal longerthan the others, so he didn't. I think it was an _awful_ punishment, don't you?"

"Yes, but it was a good one, for none of them have ever touched thegreen gooseberries since. Have you got through practising? It doesn'tseem like an hour yet. "

"Oh, it isn't--it's only twenty-five minutes. But Katy told me not tosit more than half an hour at a time without getting up and runninground to rest. I'm going to walk twice down to the gate, and twice back. I promised her I would. " And Elsie set off, clapping her hands brisklybefore and behind her as she walked. 

"Why--what is Bridget doing in Papa's room?" she asked, as she came backthe second time. "She's flapping things out of the window. Are the girlsup there? I thought they were cleaning the dining-room. "

"They're doing both. Katy said it was such a good chance, having Papaaway, that she would have both the carpets taken up at once. There isn'tgoing to be any dinner today, only just bread and butter, and milk, andcold ham, up in Katy's room, because Debby is helping too, so as to getthrough and save Papa all the fuss. And see, " exhibiting her sewing, "Katy's making a new cover for Papa's pincushion, and I'm hemming theruffle to go round it. "

"How nicely you hem!" said Elsie. "I wish I had something for Papa'sroom too. There's my washstand mats--but the one for the soap-dish isn'tfinished. Do you suppose, if Katy would excuse me from the rest of mypractising, I could get it done? I've a great mind to go and ask her. "

"There's her bell!" said Clover, as a little tinkle sounded up stairs;"I'll ask her, if you like. "

"No, let me go. I'll see what she wants. " But Clover was alreadyhalf-way across the hall, and the two girls ran up side by side. Therewas often a little strife between them as to which should answer Katy'sbell. Both liked to wait on her so much. 

Katy came to meet them as they entered. Not on her feet: that, alas! wasstill only a far-off possibility; but in a chair with large wheels, withwhich she was rolling herself across the room. This chair was a greatcomfort to her. Sitting in it, she could get to her closet and herbureau-drawers, and help herself to what she wanted without troublinganybody. It was only lately that she had been able to use it. Dr. Carrconsidered her doing so as a hopeful sign, but he had never told Katythis. She had grown accustomed to her invalid life at last, and wascheerful in it, and he thought it unwise to make her restless, byexciting hopes which might after all end in fresh disappointment. 

She met the girls with a bright smile as they came in, and said:

"Oh, Clovy, it was you I rang for! I am troubled for fear Bridget willmeddle with the things on Papa's table. You know he likes them to beleft just so. Will you please go and remind her that she is not totouch them at all? After the carpet is put down, I want you to dust thetable, so as to be sure that everything is put back in the same place. Will you?"

"Of course I will!" said Clover, who was a born housewife, and dearlyloved to act as Katy's prime minister. 

"Sha'n't I fetch you the pincushion too, while I'm there?"

"Oh yes, please do! I want to measure. "

"Katy, " said Elsie, "those mats of mine are most done, and I would liketo finish them and put them on Papa's washstand before he comes back. Mayn't I stop practising now, and bring my crochet up here instead?"

"Will there be plenty of time to learn the new exercise before MissPhillips comes, if you do?"

"I think so, plenty. She doesn't come till Friday, you know. "

"Well, then it seems to me that you might just as well as not. AndElsie, dear, run into papa's room first, and bring me the drawer out ofhis table. I want to put that in order myself. "

Elsie went cheerfully. She laid the drawer across Katy's lap, and Katybegan to dust and arrange the contents. Pretty soon Clover joined them. 

"Here's the cushion, " she said. "Now we'll have a nice quiet time all byourselves, won't we? I like this sort of day, when nobody comes in tointerrupt us. "

Somebody tapped at the door, as she spoke. Katy called out, "Come!" Andin marched a tall, broad-shouldered lad, with a solemn, sensible face, and a little clock carried carefully in both his hands. This was Dorry. He has grown and improved very much since we saw him last, and isturning out clever in several ways. Among the rest, he has developed astrong turn for mechanics. 

"Here's your clock, Katy, " he said. "I've got it fixed so that itstrikes all right. Only you must be careful not to hit the striker whenyou start the pendulum. "

"Have you, really?" said Katy. "Why, Dorry, you're a genius! I'm ever somuch obliged. "

"It's four minutes to eleven now, " went on Dorry. "So it'll strikepretty soon. I guess I'd better stay and hear it, so as to be sure thatit is right. That is, " he added politely, "unless you're busy, and wouldrather not. "

"I'm never too busy to want you, old fellow, " said Katy, stroking hisarm. "Here, this drawer is arranged now. Don't you want to carry itinto Papa's room and put it back into the table? Your hands arestronger than Elsie's. "

Dorry looked gratified. When he came back the clock was just beginningto strike. 

"There!" he exclaimed; "that's splendid, isn't it?"

But alas! the clock did not stop at eleven. It went on--Twelve, Thirteen, Fourteen, Fifteen, Sixteen!

"Dear me!" said Clover, "what does all this mean? It must be day afterto-morrow, at least. "

Dorry stared with open mouth at the clock, which was still strikingas though it would split its sides. Elsie, screaming with laughter, kept count. 

"Thirty, Thirty-one--Oh, Dorry! Thirty-two! Thirty-three! Thirty-four!"

"You've bewitched it, Dorry!" said Katy, as much entertained as therest. 

Then they all began counting. Dorry seized the clock--shook it, slappedit, turned it upside-down. But still the sharp, vibrating soundscontinued, as if the clock, having got its own way for once, meant to goon till it was tired out. At last, at the one-hundred-and-thirtiethstroke, it suddenly ceased; and Dorry, with a red, amazed countenance, faced the laughing company. 

"It's very queer, " he said, "but I'm sure it's not because of anything Idid. I can fix it, though, if you'll let me try again. May I, Katy? I'llpromise not to hurt it. "

For a moment Katy hesitated. Clover pulled her sleeve, andwhispered, "Don't!" Then seeing the mortification on Dorry's face, she made up her mind. 

"Yes! take it, Dorry. I'm sure you'll be careful. But if I were you, I'dcarry it down to Wetherell's first of all, and talk it over with them. Together you could hit on just the right thing. Don't you think so?"

"Perhaps, " said Dorry; "yes, I think I will. " Then he departed with theclock under his arm, while Clover called after him teasingly, "Lunch at132 o'clock; don't forget!"

"No, I won't!" said Dorry. Two years before he would not have borne tobe laughed at so good-naturedly. 

"How could you let him take your clock again?" said Clover, as soon asthe door was shut. "He'll spoil it. And you think so much of it. "

"I thought he would feel mortified if I didn't let him try, " repliedKaty, quietly, "I don't believe he'll hurt it. Wetherell's man likesDorry, and he'll show him what to do. "

"You were real good to do it, " responded Clover; "but if it had beenmine I don't think I could. "

Just then the door flew open, and Johnnie rushed in, two years taller, but otherwise looking exactly as she used to do. 

"Oh, Katy!" she gasped, "won't you please tell Philly not to wash thechickens in the rain-water tub? He's put in every one of Speckle's, andis just beginning on Dame Durden's. I'm afraid one little yellow one isdead already--"

"Why, he mustn't--of course he mustn't!" said Katy; "what made him thinkof such a thing?"

"He says they're dirty, because they've just come out of egg-shells! Andhe insists that the yellow on them is yolk-of-egg. I told him it wasn't, but he wouldn't listen to me. " And Johnnie wrung her hands. 

"Clover!" cried Katy, "won't you run down and ask Philly to come up tome? Speak pleasantly, you know!"

"I spoke pleasantly--real pleasantly, but it wasn't any use, " saidJohnnie, on whom the wrongs of the chicks had evidently made a deepimpression. 

"What a mischief Phil is getting to be!" said Elsie. "Papa says his nameought to be Pickle. "

"Pickles turn out very nice sometimes, you know, " replied Katy, laughing. 

Pretty soon Philly came up, escorted by Clover. He looked a littledefiant, but Katy understood how to manage him. She lifted him into herlap, which, big boy as he was, he liked extremely; and talked to him soaffectionately about the poor little shivering chicks, that his heartwas quite melted. 

"I didn't mean to hurt 'em, really and truly, " he said, "but they wereall dirty and yellow--with egg, you know, and I thought you'd like me toclean 'em up. "

"But that wasn't egg, Philly--it was dear little clean feathers, like acanary-bird's wings. "

"Was it?"

"Yes. And now the chickies are as cold and forlorn as you would feel ifyou tumbled into a pond and nobody gave you any dry clothes. Don't youthink you ought to go and warm them?"

"How?"

"Well--in your hands, very gently. And then I would let them run roundin the sun. "

"I will!" said Philly, getting down from her lap. "Only kiss me first, because I didn't mean to, you know!"--Philly was very fond of Katy. MissPetingill said it was wonderful to see how that child let himself bemanaged. But I think the secret was that Katy didn't "manage, " but triedto be always kind and loving, and considerate of Phil's feelings. 

Before the echo of Phil's boots had fairly died away on the stairs, old Mary put her head into the door. There was a distressed expressionon her face. 

"Miss Katy, " she said, "I wish _you'd_ speak to Alexander about puttingthe woodshed in order. I don't think you know how bad it looks. "

"I don't suppose I do, " said Katy, smiling, and then sighing. She hadnever seen the wood-shed since the day of her fall from the swing. "Never mind, Mary, I'll talk to Alexander about it, and he shall make itall nice. "

Mary trotted down stairs satisfied. But in the course of a few minutesshe was up again. 

"There's a man come with a box of soap, Miss Katy, and here's the bill. He says it's resated. "

It took Katy a little time to find her purse, and then she wantedher pencil and account book, and Elsie had to move from her seat atthe table. 

"Oh dear!" she said, "I wish people wouldn't keep coming andinterrupting us. Who'll be the next, I wonder?"

She was not left to wonder long. Almost as she spoke, there was anotherknock at the door. 

"Come in!" said Katy, rather wearily. The door opened. 

"Shall I?" said a voice. There was a rustle of skirts, a clatter ofboot-heels, and Imogen Clark swept into the room. Katy could not thinkwho it was, at first. She had not seen Imogen for almost two years. 

"I found the front door open, " explained Imogen, in her high-pitchedvoice, "and as nobody seemed to hear when I rang the bell, I ventured tocome right up stairs. I hope I'm not interrupting anything private?"

"Not at all, " said Katy, politely. "Elsie, dear, move up that low chair, please. Do sit down, Imogen! I'm sorry nobody answered your ring, butthe servants are cleaning house to-day, and I suppose they didn't hear. "

So Imogen sat down and began to rattle on in her usual manner, whileElsie, from behind Katy's chair, took a wide-awake survey of her dress. It was of cheap material, but very gorgeously made and trimmed, withflounces and puffs, and Imogen wore a jet necklace and long blackear-rings, which jingled and clicked when she waved her head about. Shestill had the little round curls stuck on to her cheeks, and Elsiewondered anew what kept them in their places. 

By and by the object of Imogen's visit came out. She had called to saygood-by. The Clark family were all going back to Jacksonville to live. 

"Did you ever see the Brigand again?" asked Clover, who had neverforgotten that eventful tale told in the parlor. 

"Yes, " replied Imogen, "several times. And I get letters from him quiteoften. He writes _beau_tiful letters. I wish I had one with me, so thatI could read you a little bit. You would enjoy it, I know. Let mesee--perhaps I have. " And she put her hand into her pocket. Sure enoughthere _was_ a letter. Clover couldn't help suspecting that Imogen knewit all the time. 

The Brigand seemed to write a bold, black hand, and his note-paper andenvelope was just like anybody else's. But perhaps his band hadsurprised a pedlar with a box of stationery. 

"Let me see, " said Imogen, running her eye down the page. "'AdoredImogen'--that wouldn't interest you--hm, hm, hm--ah, here's something!'I took dinner at the Rock House on Christmas. It was lonesome withoutyou. I had roast turkey, roast goose, roast beef, mince pie, plumpudding, and nuts and raisins. A pretty good dinner, was it not? Butnothing tastes first-rate when friends are away. '"

Katy and Clover stared, as well they might. Such language from aBrigand!

"John Billings has bought a new horse, " continued Imogen; "hm, hm, hm--him. I don't think there is anything else you'd care about. Oh, yes!just here, at the end, is some poetry:

 "'Come, little dove, with azure wing, And brood upon my breast, '

"That's sweet, ain't it?"

"Hasn't he reformed?" said Clover; "he writes as if he had. "

"Reformed!" cried Imogen, with a toss of the jingling ear-rings. "He wasalways just as good as he could be!"

There was nothing to be said in reply to this. Katy felt her lipstwitch, and for fear she should be rude, and laugh out, she began totalk as fast as she could about something else. All the time she foundherself taking measure of Imogen, and thinking--"Did I ever really likeher? How queer! Oh, what a wise man Papa is!"

Imogen stayed half an hour. Then she took her leave. 

"She never asked how you were!" cried Elsie, indignantly; "I noticed, and she didn't--not once. "

"Oh well--I suppose she forgot. We were talking about her, not aboutme, " replied Katy. 

The little group settled down again to their work. This time half anhour went by without any more interruptions. Then the door bell rang, and Bridget, with a disturbed face, came up stairs. 

"Miss Katy, " she said, "it's old Mrs. Worrett, and I reckon's she'scome to spend the day, for she's brought her bag. What ever shall Itell her?"

Katy looked dismayed. "Oh dear!" she said, "how unlucky. What can wedo?"

Mrs. Worrett was an old friend of Aunt Izzie's, who lived in thecountry, about six miles from Burnet, and was in the habit of coming toDr. Carr's for lunch, on days when shopping or other business broughther into town. This did not occur often; and, as it happened, Katy hadnever had to entertain her before. 

"Tell her ye're busy, and can't see her, " suggested Bridget; "there's nodinner nor nothing, you know. "

The Katy of two years ago would probably have jumped at this idea. Butthe Katy of to-day was more considerate. 

"N-o, " she said; "I don't like to do that. We must just make the best ofit, Bridget. Run down, Clover, dear, that's a good girl! and tell Mrs. Worrett that the dining-room is all in confusion, but that we're goingto have lunch here, and, after she's rested, I should be glad to haveher come up. And, oh, Clovy! give her a fan the first thing. She'll be_so_ hot. Bridget, you can bring up the luncheon just the same, onlytake out some canned peaches, by way of a dessert, and make Mrs. Worretta cup of tea. She drinks tea always, I believe. 

"I can't bear to send the poor old lady away when she has come so far, "she explained to Elsie, after the others were gone. "Pull therocking-chair a little this way, Elsie. And oh! push all those littlechairs back against the wall. Mrs. Worrett broke down in one the lasttime she was here--don't you recollect?"

It took some time to cool Mrs. Worrett off, so nearly twenty minutespassed before a heavy, creaking step on the stairs announced that theguest was on her way up. Elsie began to giggle. Mrs. Worrett always madeher giggle. Katy had just time to give her a warning glance before thedoor opened. 

Mrs. Worrett was the most enormously fat person ever seen. Nobody daredto guess how much she weighed, but she looked as if it might be athousand pounds. Her face was extremely red. In the coldest weather sheappeared hot, and on a mild day she seemed absolutely ready to melt. Herbonnet-strings were flying loose as she came in, and she fanned herselfall the way across the room, which shook as she walked. 

"Well, my dear, " she said, as she plumped herself into therocking-chair, "and how do you do?"

"Very well, thank you, " replied Katy, thinking that she never saw Mrs. Worrett look half so fat before, and wondering how she _was_ toentertain her. 

"And how's your Pa?" inquired Mrs. Worrett. Katy answered politely, andthen asked after Mrs. Worrett's own health. 

"Well, I'm so's to be round, " was the reply, which had the effect ofsending Elsie off into a fit of convulsive laughter behind Katy's chair. 

"I had business at the bank, " continued the visitor, "and I thoughtwhile I was about it I'd step up to Miss Petingill's and see if Icouldn't get her to come and let out my black silk. It was made quite apiece back, and I seem to have fleshed up since then, for I can't makethe hooks and eyes meet at all. But when I got there, she was out, soI'd my walk for nothing. Do you know where she's sewing now?"

"No, " said Katy, feeling her chair shake, and keeping her owncountenance with difficulty, "she was here for three days last week tomake Johnnie a school-dress. But I haven't heard anything about hersince. Elsie, don't you want to run down stairs and ask Bridget tobring a--a--a glass of iced water for Mrs. Worrett? She looks warmafter her walk. "

Elsie, dreadfully ashamed, made a bolt from the room, and hid herself inthe hall closet to have her laugh out. She came back after a while, witha perfectly straight face. Luncheon was brought up. Mrs. Worrett made agood meal, and seemed to enjoy everything. She was so comfortable thatshe never stirred till four o'clock! Oh, how long that afternoon didseem to the poor girls, sitting there and trying to think of somethingto say to their vast visitor!

At last Mrs. Worrett got out of her chair, and prepared to depart. 

"Well, " she said, tying her bonnet-strings, "I've had a good rest, andfeel all the better for it. Ain't some of you young folks coming out tosee me one of these days? I'd like to have you, first-rate, if you will. 'Tain't every girl would know how to take care of a fat old woman, andmake her feel to home, as you have me, Katy. I wish your aunt could seeyou all as you are now. She'd be right pleased; I know that. "

Somehow, this sentence rang pleasantly in Katy's ears. 

"Ah! don't laugh at her, " she said later in the evening, when thechildren, after their tea in the clean, fresh-smelling dining-room, werecome up to sit with her, and Cecy, in her pretty pink lawn and whiteshawl, had dropped in to spend an hour or two; "she's a real kind oldwoman, and I don't like to have you. It isn't her fault that she's fat. And Aunt Izzie was fond of her, you know. It is doing something for herwhen we can show a little attention to one of her friends. I was sorrywhen she came, but now it's over, I'm glad. "

"It feels so nice when it stops aching, " quoted Elsie, mischievously, while Cecy whispered to Clover. 

"Isn't Katy sweet?"

"Isn't she!" replied Clover. "I wish I was half so good. Sometimes Ithink I shall really be sorry if she ever gets well. She's such a dearold darling to us all, sitting there in her chair, that it wouldn't seemso nice to have her anywhere else. But then, I know it's horrid in me. And I don't believe she'd be different, or grow slam-bang and horrid, like some of the girls, even if she were well. "

"Of course she wouldn't!" replied Cecy. 

CHAPTER XIII

AT LAST

It was about six weeks after this, that one day, Clover and Elsie werebusy down stairs, they were startled by the sound of Katy's bell ringingin a sudden and agitated manner. Both ran up two steps at a time, to seewhat was wanted. 

Katy sat in her chair, looking very much flushed and excited. 

"Oh, girls!" she exclaimed, "what do you think? I stood up!"

"What?" cried Clover and Elsie. 

"I really did! I stood up on my feet! by myself!"

The others were too much astonished to speak, so Katy went onexplaining. 

"It was all at once, you see. Suddenly, I had the feeling that if Itried I could, and almost before I thought, I _did_ try, and there Iwas, up and out of the chair. Only I kept hold of the arm all the time!I don't know how I got back, I was so frightened. Oh, girls!"--and Katyburied her face in her hands. 

"Do you think I shall ever be able to do it again?" she asked, lookingup with wet eyes. 

"Why, of course you will!" said Clover; while Elsie danced about, cryingout anxiously: "Be careful! Do be careful!"

Katy tried, but the spring was gone. She could not move out of the chairat all. She began to wonder if she had dreamed the whole thing. 

But next day, when Clover happened to be in the room, she heard a suddenexclamation, and turning, there stood Katy, absolutely on her feet. 

"Papa! papa!" shrieked Clover, rushing down stairs. "Dorry, John, Elsie--come! Come and see!"

Papa was out, but all the rest crowded up at once. This time Katy foundno trouble in "doing it again. " It seemed as if her will had beenasleep; and now that it had waked up, the limbs recognized its ordersand obeyed them. 

When Papa came in, he was as much excited as any of the children. Hewalked round and round the chair, questioning Katy and making her standup and sit down. 

"Am I really going to get well?" she asked, almost in a whisper. 

"Yes, my love, I think you are, " replied Dr. Carr, seizing Phil andgiving him a toss into the air. None of the children had ever beforeseen Papa behave so like a boy. But pretty soon, noticing Katy's burningcheeks and excited eyes, he calmed himself, sent the others all away, and sat down to soothe and quiet her with gentle words. 

"I think it is coming, my darling, " he said, "but it will take time, andyou must have a great deal of patience. After being such a good childall the years, I am sure you won't fail now. Remember, any imprudencewill put you back. You must be content to gain a very little at a time. There is no royal road to walking any more than there is to learning. Every baby finds that out. "

"Oh, Papa!" said Katy, "it's no matter if it takes a year--if only I getwell at last. "

How happy she was that night--too happy to sleep. Papa noticed the darkcircles under her eyes in the morning, and shook his head. 

"You must be careful, " he told her, "or you'll be laid up again. Acourse of fever would put you back for years. "

Katy knew Papa was right, and she was careful, though it was by nomeans easy to be so with that new life tingling in every limb. Herprogress was slow, as Dr. Carr had predicted. At first she only stoodon her feet a few seconds, then a minute, then five minutes, holdingtightly all the while by the chair. Next she ventured to let go thechair, and stand alone. After that she began to walk a step at a time, pushing a chair before her, as children do when they are learning theuse of their feet. Clover and Elsie hovered about her as she moved, like anxious mammas. It was droll, and a little pitiful, to see tallKaty with her feeble, unsteady progress, and the active figures of thelittle sisters following her protectingly. But Katy did not consider iteither droll or pitiful; to her it was simply delightful--the mostdelightful thing possible. No baby of a year old was ever prouder ofhis first steps than she. 

Gradually she grew adventurous, and ventured on a bolder flight. Clover, running up stairs one day to her own room, stood transfixed atthe sight of Katy sitting there, flushed, panting, but enjoying thesurprise she caused. 

"You see, " she explained, in an apologizing tone, "I was seized with adesire to explore. It is such a time since I saw any room but my own!But oh dear, how long that hall is! I had forgotten it could be so long. I shall have to take a good rest before I go back. "

Katy did take a good rest, but she was very tired next day. Theexperiment, however, did no harm. In the course of two or three weeks, she was able to walk all over the second story. 

This was a great enjoyment. It was like reading an interesting book tosee all the new things, and the little changes. She was foreverwondering over something. 

"Why, Dorry, " she would say, "what a pretty book-shelf! When didyou get it?"

"That old thing! Why, I've had it two years. Didn't I ever tell youabout it?"

"Perhaps you did, " Katy would reply, "but you see I never saw it before, so it made no impression. "

By the end of August she was grown so strong, that she began to talkabout going down stairs. But Papa said, "Wait. "

"It will tire you much more than walking about on a level, " heexplained, "you had better put it off a little while--till you are quitesure of your feet. "

"I think so too, " said Clover; "and beside, I want to have the house allput in order and made nice, before your sharp eyes see it, Mrs. Housekeeper. Oh, I'll tell you! Such a beautiful idea has come into myhead! You shall fix a day to come down, Katy, and we'll be all ready foryou, and have a 'celebration' among ourselves. That would be justlovely! How soon may she, Papa?"

"Well--in ten days, I should say, it might be safe. "

"Ten days! that will bring it to the seventh of September, won't it?"said Katy. "Then Papa, if I may, I'll come down stairs the first timeon the eighth. It was Mamma's birthday, you know, " she added in alower voice. 

So it was settled. "How delicious!" cried Clover, skipping about andclapping her hands: "I never, never, never _did_ hear of anything soperfectly lovely. Papa, when are you coming down stairs? I want to speakto you _dreadfully_. "

"Right away--rather than have my coat-tails pulled off, " answered Dr. Carr, laughing, and they went away together. Katy sat looking out of thewindow in a peaceful, happy mood. 

"Oh!" she thought, "can it really be? Is School going to 'let out, ' justas Cousin Helen's hymn said? Am I going to 'Bid a sweet good-bye toPain?' But there was Love in the Pain. I see it now. How good the dearTeacher has been to me!"

Clover seemed to be very busy all the rest of that week. She was "havingwindows washed, " she said, but this explanation hardly accounted for herlong absences, and the mysterious exultation on her face, not to mentioncertain sounds of hammering and sawing which came from down stairs. Theother children had evidently been warned to say nothing; for once ortwice Philly broke out with, "Oh, Katy!" and then hushed himself up, saying, "I 'most forgot!" Katy grew very curious. But she saw that thesecret, whatever it was, gave immense satisfaction to everybody exceptherself; so, though she longed to know, she concluded not to spoil thefun by asking any questions. 

At last it wanted but one day of the important occasion. 

"See, " said Katy, as Clover came into the room a little before tea-time. "Miss Petingill has brought home my new dress. I'm going to wear it forthe first time to go down stairs in. "

"How pretty!" said Clover, examining the dress, which was a soft, dove-colored cashmere, trimmed with ribbon of the same shade. "But Katy, I came up to shut your door. Bridget's going to sweep the hall, and Idon't want the dust to fly in, because your room was brushed thismorning, you know. "

"What a queer time to sweep a hall!" said Katy, wonderingly. "Why don'tyou make her wait till morning?"

"Oh, she can't! There are--she has--I mean there will be other thingsfor her to do to-morrow. It's a great deal more convenient that sheshould do it now. Don't worry, Katy, darling, but just keep your doorshut. You will, won't you? Promise me!"

"Very well, " said Katy, more and more amazed, but yielding to Clover'seagerness, "I'll keep it shut. " Her curiosity was excited. She took abook and tried to read, but the letters danced up and down before hereyes, and she couldn't help listening. Bridget was making a mostostentatious noise with her broom, but through it all, Katy seemed tohear other sounds--feet on the stairs, doors opening and shutting--once, a stifled giggle. How queer it all was!

"Never mind, " she said, resolutely stopping her ears, "I shall know allabout it to-morrow. "

To-morrow dawned fresh and fair--the very ideal of a September day. 

"Katy!" said Clover, as she came in from the garden with her hands fullof flowers, "that dress of yours is sweet. You never looked so nicebefore in your life!" And she stuck a beautiful carnation pink underKaty's breast-pin and fastened another in her hair. 

"There!" she said, "now you're adorned. Papa is coming up in a fewminutes to take you down. "

Just then Elsie and Johnnie came in. They had on their best frocks. Sohad Clover. It was evidently a festival-day to all the house. Cecyfollowed, invited over for the special purpose of seeing Katy walk downstairs. She, too, had on a new frock. 

"How fine we are!" said Clover, as she remarked this magnificence. "Turnround, Cecy--a panier, I do declare--and a sash! You are getting awfullygrown up, Miss Hall. "

"None of us will ever be so 'grown up' as Katy, " said Cecy, laughing. 

And now Papa appeared. Very slowly they all went down stairs, Katyleaning on Papa, with Dorry on her other side, and the girls behind, while Philly clattered ahead. And there were Debby and Bridget andAlexander, peeping out of the kitchen door to watch her, and dear oldMary with her apron at her eyes crying for joy. 

"Oh, the front door is open!" said Katy, in a delighted tone. "How nice!And what a pretty oil-cloth. That's new since I was here. "

"Don't stop to look at _that_!" cried Philly, who seemed in a greathurry about something. "It isn't new. It's been there ever and ever solong! Come into the parlor instead. "

"Yes!" said Papa, "dinner isn't quite ready yet, you'll have time torest a little after your walk down stairs. You have borne it admirably, Katy. Are you very tired?"

"Not a bit!" replied Katy, cheerfully. "I could do it alone, I think. Oh! the bookcase door has been mended! How nice it looks. "

"Don't wait, oh, don't wait!" repeated Phil, in an agony of impatience. 

So they moved on. Papa opened the parlor door. Katy took one step intothe room--then stopped. The color flashed over her face, and she heldby the door-knob to support herself. What was it that she saw?

Not merely the room itself, with its fresh muslin curtains and vases offlowers. Nor even the wide, beautiful window which had been cut towardthe sun, or the inviting little couch and table which stood there, evidently for her. No, there was something else! The sofa was pulled outand there upon it, supported by pillows, her bright eyes turned to thedoor, lay--Cousin Helen! When she saw Katy, she held out her arms. 

Clover and Cecy agreed afterward that they never were so frightened intheir lives as at this moment; for Katy, forgetting her weakness, let goof Papa's arm, and absolutely _ran_ toward the sofa. "Oh, Cousin Helen!dear, dear Cousin Helen!" she cried. Then she tumbled down by the sofasomehow, the two pairs of arms and the two faces met, and for a momentor two not a word more was heard from anybody. 

"Isn't a nice 'prise?" shouted Philly, turning a somerset by way ofrelieving his feelings, while John and Dorry executed a sort ofwar-dance round the sofa. 

Phil's voice seemed to break the spell of silence, and a perfect hubbubof questions and exclamations began. 

It appeared that this happy thought of getting Cousin Helen to the"Celebration, " was Clover's. She it was who had proposed it to Papa, and made all the arrangements. And, artful puss! she had set Bridgetto sweep the hall, on purpose that Katy might not hear the noise ofthe arrival. 

"Cousin Helen's going to stay three weeks this time--isn't that nice?"asked Elsie, while Clover anxiously questioned: "Are you sure that youdidn't suspect? Not one bit? Not the least tiny, weeny mite?"

"No, indeed--not the least. How could I suspect anything so perfectlydelightful?" And Katy gave Cousin Helen another rapturous kiss. 

Such a short day as that seemed! There was so much to see, to ask about, to talk over, that the hours flew, and evening dropped upon them alllike another great surprise. 

Cousin Helen was perhaps the happiest of the party. Beside thepleasure of knowing Katy to be almost well again, she had theadditional enjoyment of seeing for herself how many changes for thebetter had taken place, during the four years, among the littlecousins she loved so much. 

It was very interesting to watch them all. Elsie and Dorry seemed toher the most improved of the family. Elsie had quite lost her plaintivelook and little injured tone, and was as bright and beaming a maiden oftwelve as any one could wish to see. Dorry's moody face had grown openand sensible, and his manners were good-humored and obliging. He wasstill a sober boy, and not specially quick in catching an idea, but hepromised to turn out a valuable man. And to him, as to all the otherchildren, Katy was evidently the centre and the sun. They all revolvedabout her, and trusted her for everything. Cousin Helen looked on asPhil came in crying, after a hard tumble, and was consoled; as Johnniewhispered an important secret, and Elsie begged for help in her work. She saw Katy meet them all pleasantly and sweetly, without a bit of thedictatorial elder-sister in her manner, and with none of her old, impetuous tone. And best of all, she saw the change in Katy's own face:the gentle expression of her eyes, the womanly look, the pleasantvoice, the politeness, the tact in advising the others, without seemingto advise. 

"Dear Katy, " she said a day or two after her arrival, "this visit is agreat pleasure to me--you can't think how great. It is such a contrastto the last I made, when you were so sick, and everybody so sad. Do youremember?"

"Indeed I do! And how good you were, and how you helped me! I shallnever forget that. "

"I'm glad! But what I could do was very little. You have been learningby yourself all this time. And Katy, darling, I want to tell you howpleased I am to see how bravely you have worked your way up. I canperceive it in everything--in Papa, in the children, in yourself. Youhave won the place, which, you recollect, I once told you an invalidshould try to gain, of being to everybody 'The Heart of the House. '"

"Oh, Cousin Helen, don't!" said Katy, her eyes filling with suddentears. "I haven't been brave. You can't think how badly I sometimes havebehaved--how cross and ungrateful I am, and how stupid and slow. Everyday I see things which ought to be done, and I don't do them. It's toodelightful to have you praise me--but you mustn't. I don't deserve it. "

But although she said she didn't deserve it I think that Katy did!