Tell Me a Story

by Mrs. Molesworth

perhaps _Betsy_ doesn't see why you should think itwould be a fine thing to be in her place instead of in your own."

  Judy's eyes opened wider and wider. "Did you hear all that?" sheexclaimed.

  The old woman smiled.

  "So you really would like to be Betsy for a change?" she said.

  "Not exactly for a _change_," answered Judy. "It isn't that I am_tired_ of being myself, but I am sure no other little girl in the worldhas so many troubles; that is why I would rather be Betsy. You have noidea what troubles I have," she went on, "and I can never do _anything_I like. It's always `Miss Judy, you must,' or `Miss Judy, you mustn't,'all day long. And if ever I am merry for a little, then nurse tells meI shall wake baby. O! he _is_ such a cross baby!"

  "And do you think _Betsy's_ baby brothers and sisters are never cross?"inquired the old woman.

  "O no, I daresay they are; but then she's allowed to scold them andpunish them, and _I_ may never say anything, however tiresome the littleones are. If I might put baby in the corner when he is naughty, I wouldsoon cure him. But I may never do _anything_ I want; it's _too_ bad."

  "Poor thing, poor thing! it _is_ too bad, a great deal too bad. I dofeel for you," said the old woman.

  But when Judy looked up at her there was a queer twinkle in her eyes,which made her by no means sure whether she was laughing at her or not.The little girl felt more than half inclined to be affronted, but beforeshe had time to decide the point, the old woman interrupted her.

  "Look here, my dear," she said, lifting up the lid of the basket on herarm; "to show you that I am in earnest, see what I will do for you.Here is a nice rosy-cheeked apple; put it into your pocket, and don'tlet any one see it, and when you are in bed at night, if you are stillof the same mind about being Betsy instead of yourself, just take a biteof the apple, then turn round and go to sleep, and in the morning youshall see what you shall see."

  Half hesitatingly, Judy put out her hand for the apple.

  "Thank you very much," she said, "but--"

  "But what?" said the old woman rather sharply.

  "Must I _always_ be Betsy, if I try being her?"

  "Bless the child, what will she have?" exclaimed the old woman. "No,you needn't go on being Betsy if you don't want. Keep the apple, takecare you don't lose it, and when you've had enough of a change, takeanother bite. But after that, remember the apple can do no more foryou."

  "I daresay I shall not want it to do anything for me once I have leftoff being myself," said Judy. "Oh, how nice it will be not to havenurse ordering me about all day long, and not to be bothered aboutkeeping my frock clean, and to have no lessons!"

  "I'm glad you're pleased," said the old woman. "Now, good-bye; youwon't see me again till you want me."

  "Good-bye, and thank"--"Thank you very much," she was going to havesaid, holding out her hand as she spoke--for remember she was not a rudeor ill-mannered little girl by any means--but, lo and behold, there wasnobody there! the old woman had disappeared! Judy rubbed her eyes, andstared about her in every direction, but there was nothing to be seen--nothing, that is to say, in the least like an old woman, only some birdshopping about quite unconcernedly, and a tiny field-mouse, who peeped upat Judy for an instant with its bright little eyes, and then scurriedoff to its hole.

  It was growing late and dusk, the mists were creeping up from the notfar distant sea, and the hills were thinking of putting on theirnight-caps, and retiring from view. Judy felt a little strange and"eerie," as she stood there alone in the lane. She could almost havefancied she had been dreaming, but there was the rosy-cheeked apple inher hand, proof positive to the contrary. So Judy decided that the bestthing she could do was to run home as fast as she could, and consider ather leisure if she should make use of the little old woman's gift.

  It was nearly dark when she reached the garden gate--at least the treeson each side of the carriage-drive made it seem so. Judy had never beenout so late alone before, and she felt rather frightened as to whatnurse would say. The side door was open, so she ran in, and wentstraight up to the nursery. Just as she got upstairs she met nurse, hershawl and bonnet on, her kind old face looking hot and anxious. Atsight of the truant she stopped short.

  "So there you are, Miss Judy," she exclaimed; "and a nice fright you'vegiven me. It's my turn to speak about `too bad' _now_, I think. Itreally was too bad of you to stay behind like that, and me neverthinking but what you were close behind till this moment; at least, thatyou had come in close behind, and had stayed down in the drawing-roomfor a little. You've frightened me out of my wits, you naughty child;and if only your mamma was at home, I would go straight down-stairs, andtell her it's more than I can put up with."

  "It's more than I can put up with to be scolded so for nothing," saidJudy crossly, and with a tone in her voice new to her, and which rathertook nurse aback. She had not meant to be harsh to the child, but shehad been really frightened, and, as is often the case, on finding therehad been no cause for her alarm, a feeling of provocation took itsplace.

  "You should not speak so, Miss Judy," she said quietly, for she was wiseenough not to wish to irritate the little girl, whom she truly loved,further.

  But Judy was not to be so easily pacified.

  "It's too bad," she began as usual; "it's a great deal too bad, that Ishould never be allowed to do the least thing I want; to be scolded sofor nothing at all--just staying out for two or three minutes;" and she"banged about" the nursery, dragging her hat off, and kicking her bootsinto the corner in an extremely indignant manner.

  Nurse felt much distressed. To Judy's grumbling she was accustomed, butthis was worse than grumbling. "What can have come over the child?" shesaid to herself, but to Judy she thought it best to say nothing at all.All through tea Judy looked far from amiable; she hardly spoke, though afaint "Too bad" was now and then heard from her direction. Poor nursehad not a very pleasant time of it, for the "cross" infection spread,as, alas! it is too apt to do, and little Lena, Judy's four-years'-oldsister, grew peevish and discontented, and pinched Master Baby, inreturn for which he, as was to be expected, set up a dismal howl.

  "Naughty, horrid little things!" said Judy. "If I had _my_ way withthem, they should both be whipped and put to bed."

  "Hush, Miss Judy!" said nurse. "If you would be pleasant and help toamuse them, they would not be so cross."

  "I've something else to do than to amuse such ill-natured littlethings," said Judy.

  "Well I should think it _was_ time you learnt your lessons forto-morrow," said nurse. "We've had tea so late, it will soon be timefor you to be dressed to go down to the drawing-room to your papa.There are some gentlemen dining with him to-night."

  "I can't bear going down when mamma's away," said Judy. "It's too badof her to go away and leave us."

  "For shame, Miss Judy, to speak so, when you know that it's only becauseyour poor aunt is so ill that your mamma had to go away. Now get yourbooks, there's a good girl, and do your lessons."

  "I'm not going to do them," said Judy, with sudden resolution. "Ineedn't unless I like. I don't think I shall ever do any more. It'stoo bad I should never have a minute of time to myself."

  Nurse really began to think the little girl must be going to be ill.Never, in all her experience of her, had she known her so cross. It wasthe same all the evening. Judy grumbled and stormed at everything; shewould not stand still to have her hair brushed, or her pretty whitemuslin frock fastened; and when she came upstairs she was more illpleased than before, because, just as she was beginning to amuse herselfwith some pictures, her papa told her he thought it was time for littlegirls to be in bed. How often, while she was being undressed, shedeclared that something or other was "too bad," I really could notundertake to say. She grumbled at her nice warm bath, she grumbled ather hair being combed out, she grumbled at having to go to bed when shewasn't "the least bit sleepy," she grumbled at everything and everybody,herself, included, for she came to the resolution that she really wouldnot be herse
lf any longer! No sooner had nurse and the candle left theroom than Judy drew out the apple, which, while nurse was not looking,she had managed to hide under her pillow, took a good big bite of it,turned round on her side, and, notwithstanding that her little heart wasbeating much faster than usual, half with excitement, half with fear, atwhat she had done, in two minutes she was sound asleep.

  "Betsy, Betsy girl, it's time you were stirring. Up with you, child;you must look