*CHAPTER III.*
*THE PETITION.*
The next few days passed away very happily. Having her sisters with heras companions quite equalled Lena's fondest expectations. Not a jar ora discord had broken the harmony of those days as yet. Milly was sonice, and always ready to admire and enjoy everything that Lena did orproposed; and as to giving up things,--certainly little Lucy didsometimes want what her elder sisters were playing with, but it was veryeasy to please and satisfy her, she was such a sweet little thing. Lenaoften wondered how Auntie could have feared her not liking to do it.
It was the end of April when the Grahams came to West Meadenham, and nowMay had arrived--bright warm sunshiny May, enabling them to spend mostof their time out of doors, either in the garden or the fields. Andnicest of all, many a happy hour was spent on the sands and among therocks, while their parents and Aunt walked up and down the Parade,watching them, or would sit with books and work on the shingle, ready tolisten to all their doings when they rushed up breathless and eager torecount them.
But these bright delightful days could not last for ever. The firstchange was Colonel Graham's leaving them for a few days on a visit tosome relations; and Lena had a shrewd suspicion, from words that she hadheard fall from Aunt Mary, that other changes were in store for themalso; but at present she was too much occupied with her sisters to thinkmuch about it.
The day after Colonel Graham left, Mama and Auntie announced that theywere going to be very busy, preparing Milly's and Lucy's summer-dresses,and that they wanted Hester's assistance, so the three children mightplay out in the garden together quietly.
"Not go to the beach to-day?"
"I am afraid not. You can be very happy without going there for oneafternoon."
"But, Mama," argued Lena, "it is such a pity not to go to-day, becauseit's low tide in the afternoon, and we should be able to have such anice long time on the rocks--do let us go."
"Run away now and play in the garden, and we will see what can be doneabout it after dinner."
"I do hope you will let us, Mama, Lena says."
"Never mind what Lena says, Milly. You must both do what you are told.It is not the way to gain your wishes by being disobedient."
The two girls went slowly and reluctantly from the room, and takingtheir hats, went into the garden.
What had come over them both I know not: perhaps it was that the lastfew days had been too pleasant, and they were beginning to think thatthings were always to be so for them; or perhaps it was that the firsthot weather made them both feel a little bit cross and languid--it hasthat effect sometimes, I believe; but whatever the reason was, the factwas what I have stated: they both were feeling rather cross, andinclined to take a gloomy view of things. And their being told thatthey might not be able to go to the beach that day was a ready-madegrievance for them.
They showed their feelings, however, in very different ways. WhileMilly went and sat down quietly on a garden-seat, and gazed wistfully atthe object of her affections, the sea, Lena wandered about the garden ina restless, disconsolate sort of way. Lucy was busy playing by herselfwith a little cart and horse, and for a few minutes Lena played withher; but seeing Milly leaning forward and looking quite interested, shesaid hastily, "You must play by yourself now, Lucy; I want to go andspeak to Milly."
It is a curious fact that when one is idle and unsettled, one is apt toget a feeling of being ill used at seeing any one else lookinginterested and occupied. This was what Lena felt when she saw hersister not looking dull and wistful as before, but with a bright andanimated expression on her face. Going up to her she said, "Milly, whatare you looking at?"
No answer. This was irritating, so she repeated her question in alouder tone. Instead of speaking, Milly held up her hands, as if toimpose silence on her.
This was too much for Lena in her present mood. Giving her sister apush, she exclaimed angrily, "How rude you are not to answer me! What_are_ you looking at?"
"There now, Lena, you have spoilt it all."
"Spoilt all what? How tiresome you are, Milly!"
"I was counting the ships that passed, or that I could see, and I wantedto count twenty, and I had only got to fourteen when you disturbed me.Now I must begin again."
"Oh, that's silly. It's all very well when you are by yourself, but notwhen you have any one to play with."
"What shall we do then?" asked Milly, who was now getting over herdisappointment; and as she was more accustomed to give up her own wishesthan Lena was, she was naturally of a far happier disposition. LittleLucy had been her constant companion; and Milly was so fond of herlittle sister, that she never thought it hard or disagreeable to putaside her own pleasures and wishes to please Lucy. So now she found iteasy to give in to Lena also. Lena had not found out how muchpleasanter and happier life is when one studies the happiness of others.Her happiness had been so studied by Aunt Mary that she took Milly'sgood-natured assent as a matter of course.
"There is nothing nice to do here, the garden is so small; and Milly,don't you think that Mama might let us go to the beach? Aunt Marywould, I know."
"Mama will if she can; she always is good to us," and she gave Lena areproachful look for her last words.
Lena noticed the reproach in both words and look, but she answered,without remarking upon it, "She would not even let us stay and ask aboutit. I always coax and coax Aunt Mary till she says 'Yes.'"
"Does she always say yes when you coax?" was the surprised remarkelicited from Milly.
"Not always," Lena had to confess, "but sometimes."
There was a pause for a minute or two, and then Lena exclaimed eagerly,"Do you remember that man coming with a paper for Auntie to sign, andshe told us it was a petition, and the man said the more people thatsigned it, the more likely it would be to succeed."
"Yes; what of that?" answered Milly in an independent tone. She hadgone back to her occupation of counting the vessels in sight and wasonce more absorbed in it.
"I don't believe you listened to what I was saying; I do think it unkindof you."
At this accusation Milly started, and turning round, said gently, "Ididn't mean to be unkind, but what has the petition to do with us?"
"O Milly, you are stupid. Don't you see what I mean? Wouldn't it befine to write a petition to Mama to let us go to the beach?"
"Yes, let us: it would be something to do."
"I will go in and get a sheet of paper and a pencil, and then we willall sign it. Do you remember how it began?"
"Let me try and remember," said Milly with an air of wisdom, coveringher face with her hands, as if to prevent any outside object fromattracting her attention, only looking up, as Lena ran off to the house,to call out, "Mind and bring a pretty piece, Lena."
"All right," was the cheerful answer.
A few minutes after she returned with a packet of paper in her hand."Look, I have brought 'terra cotta;' it's a very fashionable colour,"was her announcement, as she held it out for her sister to see.
"It is not a very pretty colour though?"
"No, but the woman in the shop said it was very fashionable." This wassaid in a tone that admitted of no reply.
Laying the paper on the seat they both knelt down upon the ground, andeach began to write. They decided on writing a rough copy first, andthen, as Lena said, "she, as the eldest, would copy it out tidily."
"I took a look into the dictionary, to see that we were spelling it allright, for we mustn't make mistakes in that, or Mama and Auntie wouldlaugh at us."
There was silence for a little while, as both heads were bent over theirwork: it was more difficult than they expected. At last Milly gave agreat sigh, "I can't think where humble came; it did somewhere, I know."
"Yes, so it did. Now I remember; of course it ought to be at the end.We must put 'Your humble children.' Let me have a look at your paper.Why, I've got much more scratched out than you have. I've begun sixtimes a
lready."
"It's the beginning that is so difficult; but, Lena, I feel sure'humble' was at the top somewhere."
"Who was that petition to, I wonder?" said Lena.
"I am sure I don't know." And they both burst out laughing. Theirill-humour had all vanished by this time and they were in high spirits.
"It must have been to the 'Queen.'"
"Then they would not have put 'humble Queen.'"
At this there came another explosion of laughter.
"To our humble Mother and Aunt." That certainly sounded quite wrong.They remembered that the words "Most Gracious" were what they had seenoftenest written before their Sovereign's name.
At last they decided to write one together; it was more amusing indoing, and also more likely to be successful. Their continual peals oflaughter soon attracted Lucy's attention, and she hovered about them,quite ready and anxious to assist, and growing impatient at the longdelay before she was allowed to sign her name.
After nearly an hour's work they wrote the following:--
"To our Most Gracious Mother and Aunt.
"Please, dear darling Mama and Auntie--please let us go to the beachthis afternoon, because it will be low tide, and perhaps we shall beable to catch some little crabs. We love playing on the rocks, and dowant to go so much.
"Your loving and humble children, "HELENA MARY GRAHAM. "MILLICENT GRACE GRAHAM. "LUCY CAROLINE GRAHAM.
"_P.S._--We don't want anybody to go with us, and we will be very good.
"OUR PETITION."
These last two words were written in very large letters at the bottom ofthe page. They had an idea that it ought to be written somewhere, sothat there would be no mistake as to the nature of the document.
When this was all done, they surveyed their work with great pride. ThenMilly ran in for an envelope, and the petition was folded up and put in,and the address written--
"Mrs. GRAHAM,"Miss SOMERVILLE."
Going into the house, they gave it to Emma the servant. Taking her intotheir confidence, they easily obtained her promise to ring the hall-doorbell, and bring it into the dining-room on a salver.
"What time would you like it brought in?" she asked with a smile, quiteentering into the spirit of the fun.
"Soon," said Milly, "or Lucy will let it all out."
"She had better not," began Lena.
"When I have handed round the plates I will get master to ring the bell,and then I will go out and bring it in."
That was a delightful arrangement, and now all they had to do was toimpress upon Lucy the necessity of silence.
As they were still pointing out to her the dreadful consequences thatwould follow, if she mentioned a word about what they had been doing,Hester was heard calling them in to get ready for their dinner.
That something was exciting the children, was very quickly seen by bothMama and Auntie, from the frequent and meaning looks they exchanged, andfrom the state of suppressed excitement they were all in.
The hall-door bell was heard to ring.
"There it is!" exclaimed Lucy, eagerly.
"Hush!" came immediately from the other two.
Then Emma went out and returned with a letter, which she handed to Mrs.Graham, who on reading the address had great difficulty in suppressing asmile.
Opening the letter, she read it through carefully; then handing it toMiss Somerville, said, "It will require serious consideration before wegive an answer."
"Oh, please, don't say that, Mama; we want an answer at once."
"Your Aunt has not even read it yet. After dinner my humble littlechildren can come to me in the drawing-room, and then I hope to givethem a gracious answer."
With this they had to be content, for not a word more would Mrs. Grahamsay on the subject until after dinner. Lucy was carried off for anhour's sleep; and Mama, seating herself on the sofa, drew Lena to herside, while Milly installed herself on the other side; then Mrs. Grahamsaid--
"You are longing for an answer to your petition, I know, dears. First Imust tell you that Auntie and I graciously assent to it."
"That means we are to go, Mama?" asked Milly.
"Thank you, thank you," exclaimed Lena; "I told you, Milly, if we coaxedthem."
"No, Lena dear," interrupted her mother, "that was the very thing thatnearly lost it to you. I could not promise when you asked me before,because I never like to break a promise, and I was not sure whether itwould be safe for you three children to go alone."
"I could have told you it would," said Lena, reproachfully.
"But I preferred Aunt Mary's opinion," was her mother's answer, givenwith a smile.
"She thinks it safe, doesn't she, Mama?"
"Yes, but what I want to say to you now, is particularly to you, Lena.I saw my little girl thought I was very unkind in not consenting to herwishes at once, and now you think I have given leave because you beggedand coaxed."
Lena blushed furiously at this, but nodded her head, as much as to say,"Yes, that is true."
"What I want you both, my children, to do, is to trust me. I think itgives me more pain to refuse you a pleasure, than you to be refused; andwhen I say No, try, darlings, and believe that Mama has some good reasonfor it."
"Yes, we will," they both exclaimed at once. Then Lena went on to say,"But, Mama, why didn't you tell us that you were not sure, and thereason, and then I could have told you it was quite safe to go alone?"
"In fact, dear, why did I not ask your advice, you mean?"
"No, I didn't mean that; only if you had said"----
"And what about obedience, Lena?"
Not receiving any answer, Mrs. Graham continued. "Perfect obedience,dear, is what Papa and I both expect from all our children; and by andby, when you know us better, you will find out that it is not only yourduty but your happiness to give it. I think Milly knows that already."
"Yes, Mama, and I know how good you are, and always try to do what welike."
"And I hope Lena will soon think so too."
"You talk as if Milly loved you better than I do," said Lena jealously,"and I am sure she does not."
"No, darling, I did not mean that, for I am sure you both love medearly. What I meant was that Milly knows me best, and understands myways."
"And Lena will soon," said Milly, stooping across her mother to smile ather sister, "for we are going to be the greatest friends, aren't we,Lena? We have settled that a long time."
Then, after a loving kiss from Mama, the two girls went off together toget ready for their walk; and by the time buckets and spades had beenhunted out, and they were both ready, Lucy had had her sleep, and waswaiting for them in the hall.
"Be sure and come in by half-past five or six at latest. Auntie won'tmind putting off Lucy's tea till then, I am sure."
No. Auntie was quite ready to do anything she was asked; and after manypromises of being very good and careful, they started, Lena callingback, as they shut the gate, "You can trust them to me; I will lookafter them."
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