Jasper

by Mrs. Molesworth

all, and thewell-chosen plants and flowers arrived in good order, looking none theworse for their journey.

  They gave all the children a busy and--for that very reason perhaps--ahappy afternoon, Jasper especially, as his mother chose out half-a-dozenpots "for his very own" to keep on a tiny table in front of his window,and the others were arranged in groups on flower-stands in the threerooms downstairs, as neither Leila nor Chrissie cared to have any intheir own quarters.

  "I'd only forget to water them," said Chrissie coolly, "and so wouldLell, I'm sure, and then there'd be fusses," and though Leila halfthought of firing up at this, her usual dislike to trouble gained theday, and she said nothing.

  "The drawing-room looks quite a different place with flowers andgreenery about," said Mrs Fortescue, "and Aunt Margaret's prettywork-baskets and silver scissors and knick-knacks."

  "And books," added Chrissie. "Aren't they lovely--the bindings, Imean?" and she fondled the prayer-book which had so caught her fancy.

  "I am afraid the prayer-book is more ornamental than useful to me now,"said Miss Fortescue. "The print is too small for my old eyes. So Ihave to use a much larger one. Yes--my corner looks quite homelike,thanks to your table and that most comfortable arm-chair, Edith."

  "I think we may sit in here this evening," said Mrs Fortescue, eyeingthe still darkened carpet. "We will leave the window open and keep up abig fire till dark. But we had better not stay any longer just now. Ido hope to-morrow will be a brighter day."

  "But it is not raining, though it is dull," said her aunt, "and thechildren have not been out. I think we might have a little walk beforetea. I should like to know something of the neighbourhood."

  "I can show you the post-office--it's nearer than the pillar-box," saidJasper. "Mumsey lets me go to buy stamps--and the omlibusstartin'-place, and the church, and--"

  "Don't be silly, Jasper," said Leila, who was feeling cross at having togo out. "That's not what Aunt Margaret wants to see--not that there'sanything at all to see," she added gloomily. "It's perfectly hideous,it's not like London at all."

  "I thought you were within a mile of Kensington Gardens," said MissFortescue quietly. "I have very pleasant associations with KensingtonGardens and the old Palace."

  "We've never been there since we came," said Leila. "Mother's been toobusy to take us, and besides--they're always stuffed with nursery-maidsand perambulators."

  "Well--let us explore a little by degrees; as the spring comes on wemust find some pleasant walks. But we must be quick just now, or itwill be getting too late for even a short one."

  And for a wonder the two sisters did manage to be ready when their auntcame downstairs, followed by Jasper, who insisted on carrying her"numbrella." Leila was feeling a little ashamed of her peevishness, andChrissie was still under the good impression of the morning. So bothwere, for the time being, at their best, and the walk passed offpleasantly.

  But Aunt Margaret was very observant, and even now, in these first fewday's, when the novelty of her presence and the influence of hernever-failing cheerful kindliness did much to smooth things, her heartwas sometimes sad and anxious.

  "They have been terribly spoilt," she said to herself, "and while lifewas made so very easy for them, this did not show as it does now. Poordears--I hope we may be able to check this selfishness and want ofconsideration for others--it may be more owing to want of thought thanto any deeper cause."

  As time went on, however, her anxiety and disappointment increased.Leila fell back into her indolent habits, and Christabel grew moreopenly defiant and self-willed. And at last their mother felt that shecould no longer go on trying to make the best of things in hopes ofsparing her aunt distress, and herself perhaps, unselfish as she was,some sharp mortification.

  "I don't know what to do with either of the little girls," she said oneday, when things and tempers had been unusually trying. "I cannot bearto say much about it to Reginald--he has enough to worry him in so manyways. I had hoped that when we settled down into this new life theywould really try to be a comfort to us. But they think of nothing buttheir own likes and dislikes--they don't seem to have the least idea ofobedience. Why, Chrissie was almost rude to _you_, dear aunt, at theirFrench lesson to-day--and Leila had evidently not pretended to learnthose verses! And you are _so_ good to them."

  "Do not distress yourself for _me_," said Miss Fortescue. "We have allbeen to blame in the past, and we must face it and do our best. I amsure it will all come right in the end. Your children and Reginald's,dear Edith, _cannot_ be really selfish."

  Mrs Fortescue tried to smile.

  "Perhaps _I_ have been selfish in not being stricter with them," shesaid. "My one idea was to make them happy, and with the boys it seemsto have done no harm."

  "Roland has had the discipline of school for several years," said AuntMargaret; "and as for little Jasper--well, really, he seems one of thosesweet natures that _can't_ be spoilt."

  "And I fancy he has had rather a Cinderella-like life in the nursery,boy though he is," said his mother. "How strange it seems thatselfishness in some should be good training for those who suffer fromit."

  "But, on the other hand, there is the good example," replied MissFortescue. "I have noticed several times that the little fellow'sgentleness and sweetness _have_ made his sisters ashamed of themselves--Chrissie especially. And Jasper is not very strong, you know, whereasthe girls are overflowing with health, which may be a bar to sympathysometimes--all good gifts _may_ be abused. But I do hope that the greatchange in their lives may prove a blessing in disguise to our littlegirls."

  "I had hoped so too," said their mother. "Indeed, Miss Earle saidsomething of the kind before she left. She had begun to feel verydiscouraged."

  "And other discipline will be sent if they do not profit by this," saidMiss Fortescue almost solemnly. "But let us hope that they will."

  Life, however, as the days went on, was by no means as peaceful andhappy in the small house in Spenser Terrace as it might have been, andshould have been. And but for Aunt Margaret's unfailing sympathy andhopefulness I scarcely think Mrs Fortescue could have kept up at all.For she knew that she _must_ be cheerful when her husband was at home.Life was far from easy for him at present; he was working hard in waysthat were new to him, and more trying than if he had been a younger man,and a bright welcome and peaceful evenings were certainly due to him.More than once she tried to make her little daughters understand this,and for a few hours, a day or two at most, it seemed to impress them.But, alas! all too soon the old habits overmastered them again: Leilawas as lazy and self-absorbed as ever; Chrissie disobedient and defiant.

  Mrs Fortescue, with some difficulty, had found a daily governess,living near them, who was glad to come for the morning hours and takethe children for a walk when lessons were over. She was a simple,good-natured girl, well taught and well able to teach up to a certainpoint, but she was a very different sort of governess from Miss Earle,and very soon both Leila and Christabel began to take advantage of hersimplicity and half-timid manners.

  One day, to her great distress, Mrs Fortescue, meeting the poor thingon her way out, saw unmistakable signs of recent tears in her face andeyes, and when a kind inquiry was made as to their cause, they burst outagain more freely.

  "I'm afraid I must give it up," she sobbed, "and I was so glad to comenear home and all. And it's not easy for me to find pupils, as ofcourse I am not accomplished."

  "But your English teaching is excellent," said Mrs Fortescue; "it isall I require for the children at present. Please don't bediscouraged."

  Still she sobbed on.

  "It's--it's not that," she said, "except that if I were cleverer they--they might respect me. Jasper is as good as gold, but--but the littlegirls, the young ladies--they do not obey me in the least, and--and--they say things--"

  Mrs Fortescue turned and walked down the street with her. It wasquiet, and really less likely to be disturbed by passers-by than thesmall house by incursions of childre
n!

  "What sort of things? Tell me more, I beg you, Miss Greenall."

  "That--that I'm not a lady--and I have never pretended to be one in thefull sense of the word. Father was only a shop-keeper, and mother is afarmer's daughter. But still--I don't think Christabel need speak asshe does. And leila dawdles on purpose to vex me sometimes, I do think,and when I found fault to-day--she kept us waiting fully ten minutes--she said of course _I_ couldn't understand what it was to have nomaid--`of course _you_,' she