Bessie and Her Friends

by Joanna H. Mathews

  VII.

  _AN UNEXPECTED VISITOR._

  Uncle Ruthven had brought home with him two servants, the elder ofwhom was a Swede, and did not interest the children much, being, asMaggie said, such a "very broken Englishman" that they could scarcelyunderstand him. But the other was a little Persian boy about twelveyears old, whom a sad, or rather a happy accident, had thrown intoMr. Stanton's hands. Riding one day through the streets of a Persiantown, as he turned a corner, this boy ran beneath his horse's feet, wasthrown down and badly hurt. Mr. Stanton took him up and had him kindlycared for, and finding that the boy was an orphan, with no one to lovehim, he went often to see him, and soon became much interested inthe grateful, affectionate little fellow; while Hafed learned to lovedearly the only face which looked kindly upon him. When the time camefor Mr. Stanton to go away, Hafed's grief was terrible to see, and heclung so to this new friend, that the gentleman could not find it inhis heart to leave him. It was not difficult to persuade those who hadthe care of him to give him up; they were only too glad to be rid ofthe charge. So, at some trouble to himself, Mr. Stanton had brought himaway. But if he needed payment, he found it in Hafed's happy face andtireless devotion to himself. He was less of a servant than a pet; buthis master did not mean him to grow up in idleness and ignorance, andas soon as he knew a little English, he was to go to school to learn toread and write; but at present he was allowed time to become accustomedto his new home.

  The children thought him a great curiosity, partly because of hisforeign dress, and that he had come from such a far-off country;partly because he could speak only half a dozen English words.

  Hafed took a great fancy to the little girls, and was never happierthan when his master took him to Mr. Bradford's house, and left him toplay with them for a while. Maggie and Bessie liked him also, and theyimmediately set about teaching him English. As yet, he knew only fouror five words, one of which was "Missy," by which name he called everyone who wore skirts, not excepting Franky, who considered it a greatinsult. Maggie was very eager to have him learn new words, and wasconstantly showing him something and repeating the name over and overtill he could say it. But though he took great pains, and was an aptscholar, he did not learn fast enough to satisfy Maggie.

  "Hafed," she said to him one day, holding up her doll, "say 'doll.'"

  "_Dole_," repeated Hafed, in his soft, musical tones.

  "Doll," said Maggie, not at all satisfied with his pronunciation, andspeaking in a louder voice, as if Hafed could understand the better forthat.

  "Dole," said Hafed again, with a contented smile.

  "D-o-o-ll," shrieked Maggie, in the ear of her patient pupil, with nobetter success on his part.

  Miss Rush was sitting by, and she called Maggie to her. "Maggie, dear,"she said, "you must not be impatient with Hafed. I am sure he tries hisbest; but you must remember it is hard work for that little foreigntongue of his to twist itself to our English words. He will learn topronounce them in time."

  "But, Aunt Bessie," said Maggie, "mamma said it was always best tolearn to do a thing well at first, and then one will not have to breakone's self of bad habits."

  "And so it is, dear; but then we cannot always do that at once. Whenmamma teaches you French, you cannot always pronounce the words as shedoes; can you?"

  "No; ma'am; but those are hard French words, and we are trying to teachHafed English, and that is so easy."

  "Easy to you, dear, who are accustomed to it, but not to him. It iseven harder for him to frame the English words than it is for you torepeat the French; and you should be gentle and patient with him, asmamma is with you."

  The little Persian felt the cold very much, and delighted to hang aboutthe fires and registers. He had a way of going down on his knees beforethe fire, and holding up both hands with the palms towards the blaze.The first time nurse saw him do this, she was quite shocked.

  "The poor little heathen," she said. "Well, I've often heard of themfire-worshippers, but I never expected to see one, at least, in thishouse. I shall just make so bold as to tell Mr. Ruthven he ought toteach him better."

  But Hafed was no fire-worshipper, for he had been taught better, andthanks to his kind master, did not bow down to that or any other falsegod. It was only his delight in the roaring blaze which had brought himdown in front of it, not, as nurse thought, the wish to pray to it.

  "Let's teach him about Jesus," said Bessie to her sister. "First, we'llteach him to say it, and then he'll want to know who he is."

  So kneeling down beside the little stranger, she took his hand in hers,and pointing upwards said, "Jesus."

  The boy's face lighted up immediately, and to Bessie's great delight,he repeated Jesus in a tone so clear and distinct as to show it was nonew word to him. He had a pretty way when he wished to say he loved aperson, of touching his fingers to his lips, laying them on his ownheart, and then on that of the one for whom he wished to express hisaffection. Now, at the sound of the name, which he, as well as Bessie,had learned to love, he tried, by a change in the pretty sign, toexpress his meaning. Touching first Bessie's lips and then her heartwith the tips of his fingers, he softly blew upon them, as if hewished to waft to heaven the love he could not utter in words, saying,"Missy--Jesus?"

  Bessie understood him. She knew he wished to ask if she loved Jesus,and with a sunny face, she answered him with a nod, asking, in herturn, "Do you, Hafed,--do you love Jesus?"

  The boy went through the same sign with his own heart and lips, saying,"Hafed--Jesus," and Bessie turned joyfully to her sister.

  "He knows him, Maggie. We won't have to teach him; he knows our Jesus,and he loves him too. Oh, I'm so glad!"

  "Now the Good Shepherd, that has called ye to be his lambs, bless youboth," said old nurse, with the tears starting to her eyes. "That's ascheering a sight as I want to see; and there was me a misjudging ofmy boy. I might have known him better than to think he'd let one asbelonged to him go on in darkness and heathendom."

  Nurse always called Mr. Stanton her "boy" when she was particularlypleased with him.

  From this time Hafed was almost as great a favorite with nurse as hewas with the children, and seeing how gentle and thoughtful he was, shewould even sometimes leave them for a few moments in his care.

  One morning mamma and Aunt Bessie were out, and Jane, who was sick, hadgone to bed. Hafed was in the nursery playing with the children, whenthe chamber-maid came in to ask nurse to go to Jane. Nurse hesitatedat first about leaving her charge, but they all said they would begood, and Hafed should take care of them. Nurse knew that this was asafe promise from Maggie and Bessie, but she feared that, with everyintention of being good, mischievous Franky would have himself or theothers in trouble if she stayed away five minutes.

  "See here," she said, "I'll put ye all into the crib, and there ye mayplay omnibus till I come back. That will keep ye out of harm's way,Franky, my man, for if there's a chance for you to get into mischief,ye'll find it."

  This was a great treat, for playing in the cribs and beds was notallowed without special permission, and Franky, being provided with apair of reins, and a chair turned upside down for a horse, took hispost as driver, in great glee; while the three little girls were packedin as passengers, Maggie holding the baby. Hafed was rather too largefor the crib, so he remained outside, though he, too, enjoyed the fun,even if he did not quite understand all it meant. Then, having withmany pointings and shakings of her head made Hafed understand that hewas not to go near the fire or windows, or to let the children fall outof the crib, mammy departed.

  They were all playing and singing as happy as birds, when thenursery-door opened, and a stranger stood before them. In a momentevery voice was mute, and all five children looked at her in utterastonishment. She was an old lady, with hair as white as snow, talland handsome; but there was something about her which made every oneof the little ones feel rather shy. They gazed at her in silence whileshe looked from one to another of them, and then about the room, as ifthose grave, stern
eyes were taking notice of the smallest thing there.

  "Well!" exclaimed the old lady, after a moment's pause, "this is apretty thing!"

  By this time Bessie's politeness had gained the better of herastonishment, and scrambling to her feet, she stood upright in thecrib. As the stranger's eyes were fixed upon Hafed as she spoke, thelittle girl supposed the "pretty thing" meant the dress of the youngPersian, which the children thought very elegant; and she answered,"Yes, ma'am, but he is not to wear it much longer, 'cause the boysyun after him in the street, so Uncle Yuthven is having some Englishclothes made for him."

  "Where is your mother?" asked the old lady, without other notice ofBessie's speech.

  "Gone out with Aunt Bessie, ma'am."

  "And is there nobody left to take care of you?"

  "Oh, yes, ma'am," answered Bessie. "Maggie and I are taking care of thechildren, and Hafed is taking care of us."

  "Humph!" said the old lady, as if she did not think this at all aproper arrangement. "I shall give Margaret a piece of my mind aboutthis."

  Bessie now opened her eyes very wide. "Papa don't allow it," she said,gravely.

  "Don't allow what?" asked the stranger, rather sharply.

  "Don't allow mamma to be scolded."

  "And who said I was going to scold her?"

  "You said you were going to give her a piece of your mind, and piecesof mind mean scoldings, and we never have mamma scolded, 'cause shenever deserves it."

  "Oh!" said the old lady, with a half-smile, "then she is better thanmost people."

  "Yes, ma'am," answered Bessie, innocently, "she is better than anybody,and so is papa."

  "Just as well _you_ should think so," said the lady, now smilingoutright. "And you are Maggie--no--Bessie, I suppose."

  "Yes, ma'am. I am Bessie, and this is Maggie, and this is baby, andthis is Franky, and this is Hafed," said the child, pointing in turn toeach of her playmates.

  "And is there no one but this little mountebank to look after you?"asked the old lady. "Where is your nurse?"

  "She is coming back in a few minutes," answered Bessie. "And Hafed isnot a--a--that thing you called him, ma'am. He is only a little Persianwhom Uncle Yuthven brought from far away over the sea, and he's a verygood boy. He does not know a great many of our words, but he tries tolearn them, and he knows about our Jesus, and tries to be a good littleboy."

  Dear Bessie wished to say all she could in praise of Hafed, whom shethought the old lady looked at with displeasure. Perhaps Hafed thoughtso, also, for he seemed very much as if he would like to hide away fromher gaze. Meanwhile Maggie sat perfectly silent. When the old lady hadfirst spoken, she started violently, and, clasping her arms tightlyabout the baby, looked more and more frightened each instant; whilebaby, who was not usually shy, nestled her little head timidly againsther sister's shoulder, and stared at the stranger with eyes of graveinfant wonder.

  "And so you are Maggie," said the lady, coming closer to the crib.

  Poor Maggie gave a kind of gasp by way of answer.

  "Do you not know me, Maggie?" asked the old lady, in a voice which sheintended to be coaxing.

  To Bessie's dismay, Maggie burst into one of those sudden and violentfits of crying, to which she would sometimes give way when muchfrightened or distressed.

  "Why, why!" said the stranger, as the baby, startled by Maggie's sobs,and the way in which she clutched her, raised her voice also in a loudcry. "Why, why! what is all this about? Do you not know your AuntPatty?"

  Aunt Patty! Was it possible? At this astounding and alarming news,Bessie plumped down again in the bed beside Maggie, amazed at herselffor having dared to speak so boldly to that terrible person. And yetshe had not seemed so terrible, nor had she felt much afraid of hertill she found out who she was.

  But now Mrs. Lawrence was losing patience. Certainly she had not hada very pleasant reception. Coming cold and tired from a long journey,she had found her host and hostess out, and no one but the servants toreceive her. This was her own fault, of course, since she had not toldMr. and Mrs. Bradford to expect her; but that did not make it the lessannoying to her. It is not always the easier to bear a thing becausewe ourselves are to blame for it.

  However, she had made up her mind not to be vexed about it, and at oncewent to the nursery to make acquaintance with the children. But thegreeting she received was not of a kind to please any one, least of alla person of Aunt Patty's temper. And there was worse still to come.

  "What is the meaning of all this?" asked Mrs. Lawrence, in an angrytone. "Here, Maggie, give me that child, and stop crying at once."

  As she spoke, she tried to take the baby, but poor Maggie, now in utterdespair, shrieked aloud for nurse, and held her little sister closerthan before. Aunt Patty was determined, however, and much stronger thanMaggie, and in another minute the baby was screaming in her arms.

  "Oh, Maggie, why don't somebody come?" cried Bessie. "Oh, do say thosewords to her?"

  Maggie had quite forgotten how she had intended to alarm Aunt Patty ifshe interfered with them; but when Bessie spoke, it came to her mind,and the sight of her baby sister in the old lady's arms was too muchfor her. Springing upon her feet, she raised her arm after the mannerof the woman in the picture, and gasped out, "Beware, woman!"

  For a moment Aunt Patty took no notice of her, being occupied withtrying to soothe the baby.

  "Beware, woman!" cried Maggie, in a louder tone, and stamping her foot.

  Mrs. Lawrence turned and looked at her.

  "Beware, woman!" shrieked Maggie, and Bessie, thinking it time for herto come to her sister's aid, joined in the cry, "Beware, woman!" whileFranky, always ready to take part in any disturbance, struck at AuntPatty with his whip, and shouted, "'Ware, woman!" and Hafed, knowingnothing but that this old lady had alarmed and distressed his youngcharge, and that it was his duty to protect them, raised his voice ina whoop of defiance, and snatching up the hearth-brush, brandished itin a threatening manner as he danced wildly about her. Nor was thisall, for Flossy, who had also been taken into the crib as a passenger,commenced a furious barking, adding greatly to the uproar.

  Bessie's Friends. p. 158.]

  It would be difficult to say which was the greatest, Aunt Patty'sastonishment or her anger; and there is no knowing what she would havedone or said, for at this moment the door opened, and Uncle Ruthvenappeared.

  For a moment he stood perfectly motionless with surprise. It wasindeed a curious scene upon which he looked. In the centre of the roomstood an old lady who was a stranger to him, holding in her arms thescreaming baby; while around her danced his own little servant-boy,looking as if he might be one of the wild dervishes of his own country;and in the crib stood his young nieces and Franky, all shouting,"Beware, woman!" over and over again.

  But Aunt Patty had not the least idea of "running away, never to beseen again," and if her conscience were "guilty," it certainly did notseem to be at all alarmed by anything Maggie or Bessie could do.

  Nevertheless, Mr. Stanton's appearance was a great relief to her. Babyceased her loud cries, and stretched out her dimpled arms to her uncle,with a beseeching whimper; Hafed paused in his antics, and stood like astatue at sight of his master; and the three other children all turnedto him with exclamations of "Oh, Uncle Ruthven; we're so glad!" and"Please don't leave us," from Maggie and Bessie; and "Make dat Patty beoff wiz herself," from Franky.

  Mr. Stanton recovered himself in a moment, and bowing politely to Mrs.Lawrence, said, with a smile sparkling in his eye, "I fear you are insome trouble, madam; can I help you?"

  "Help me?" repeated the old lady; "I fear you will want help yourself.Why, it must need half a dozen keepers to hold these little Bedlamitesin any kind of order."

  "They are usually orderly enough," answered Mr. Stanton as he took babyfrom Aunt Patty, who was only too glad to give her up; "but I do notunderstand this. What is the matter, Maggie, and where is nurse?"

  But Maggie only answered by a new burst of sobs, and Bessie spoke f
orher. "She's Aunt Patty, Uncle Yuthven; she says she is."

  "Well," said Uncle Ruthven, more puzzled than ever, for he knew littleof Mrs. Lawrence, save that she was Mr. Bradford's aunt, "and do youwelcome her with such an uproar as this? Tell me where nurse is,Bessie."

  As he spoke, nurse herself came in, answering his question with, "HereI am, sir, and--"

  Nurse, in her turn, was so astonished by the unexpected sight of AuntPatty that she stood quite still, gazing at her old enemy. But, as sheafterwards said, she presently "recollected her manners," and droppinga stiff courtesy to Mrs. Lawrence, she took the baby from Mr. Stanton,and in a few words explained the cause of her ten minutes' absence. Thetearful faces of her nurslings, and that of Aunt Patty, flushed andangry, gave nurse a pretty good guess how things had been going whileshe had been away, but she saw fit to ask no questions.

  "My lady is out, ma'am," she said, with a grim sort of politeness toMrs. Lawrence, "and I think she was not looking for you just now, orshe would have been at home."

  Then Mr. Stanton introduced himself, and asking Mrs. Lawrence if shewould let him play the part of host till his sister came home, heoffered the old lady his arm, and led her away.

  Poor Aunt Patty! she scarcely knew what to do. The old angry, jealoustemper and the new spirit which had lately come to dwell in her heartwere doing hard battle, each striving for the victory. She thought, andnot without reason, that her nephew's little children must have beentaught to fear and dislike her, when they could receive her in such amanner; and the evil spirit said, "Go, do not remain in a house whereyou have been treated so. Leave it, and never come back to it. You havebeen insulted! do not bear it! Tell these people what you think oftheir unkindness, and never see them again." But the better angel, thespirit of the meek and lowly Master, of whom she was striving to learn,said, "No, stay, and try to overcome evil with good. This is all yourown fault, the consequence of your own ungoverned and violent temper.Your very name has become a name of fear to these innocent children;but you must bear it, and let them find they have no longer cause todread you. And do not be too proud to let their parents see that youare sorry for the past, and wish it to be forgotten. If this is hard,and not what you would have expected, remember how much they have bornefrom you in former days; how patient and gentle and forbearing theywere."

  Then, as her anger cooled down, she began to think how very unlikelyit was that Mr. or Mrs. Bradford had said or done anything which couldcause their children to act in the way Maggie and Bessie had donethat morning. This was probably the work of others who remembered howperverse and trying she had been during her last visit. And Aunt Pattywas forced to acknowledge to herself that it was no more than shedeserved, or might have looked for.

  And so, trying to reason herself into better humor, as she thoughtthe matter over, she began to see its droll side (for Aunt Patty hada quick sense of fun) and to find some amusement mingling with hervexation at the singular conduct of the children.

  Meanwhile, Mr. Stanton, who saw that the poor lady had been greatlyannoyed, and who wondered much at all the commotion he had seen in thenursery, though, like nurse, he thought it wisest to ask no questions,was doing his best to make her forget it; and so well did he succeed,that presently Mrs. Lawrence found herself, she scarcely knew how,laughing heartily with him as she related the story of Maggie's strangeattack upon her. Mr. Stanton understood it no better than she did,perhaps not so well; but he was very much amused; and as he thoughtthese young nieces and nephews of his were very wonderful littlebeings, he told Aunt Patty many of their droll sayings and doings,making himself so agreeable and entertaining, that by the time hissister came in, the old lady had almost forgotten that she had causeto be offended, and was not only quite ready to meet Mrs. Bradford ina pleasant manner, but actually went so far as to apologize for takingthem all by surprise.

  This was a great deal to come from Aunt Patty. She would not havespoken so four years ago; but Mrs. Bradford was not more surprised bythis than she was at the difference in look and manner which now showeditself in the old lady. Surely, some great change must have come toher; and her friends, seeing how much more patient and gentle she wasthan in former days, could not but think it was the one blessed changewhich must come to the hearts of those who seek for love and peace bythe true way.

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