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VR, NIL lEk Or r fly, The BaldJuln I.rary F da !f[in 3 ~tf / 'A -t I '' .. 7 / 7--- -i t9- ( 7, 7 / Vro *^. i - ,^ JK3 4 * . iAi &1 K44 GRANDFATHER'S STORIES. By IRS. COLMAN. AUTHOR OF THE "LU LU BOOKS." NEW YORK: JAMES MILLER, Publisher, No. 779 BROADWAY. (ntiints. GRANDFATHER'S STORIES. PAGE PIRST STORY, ' THE ORPHANS, 23 THE TWO PETS, 7 TWO ROSE-BUDS, 39 MATTIE AND HER DOG, 53 SIMPLE PLEASURES, 57 GOOD NIGHT, 76 LITTLE GRANDSON, 78 LITTLE BIRDS IN A STORM, 82 FAIRIES NOW-A-DAYS. 85 FIRST STORY. 4 OME my little fellows," S ~said grandfather, I will tell you a story, but I shall not make Sit all up out of nothing, I Shave heard, or read it in some book; well, it is a cu- rious story for an old man to tell, and it will be original to you, I am sure of that, and that is some- 8 GRANDFATHER'S STORIES. thing to be thought of now-a-days. But don't laugh, for I tell you now it is quite pitiful, as you shall see. Well, it is about a naughty boy named Love,-and an old poet, but it was not me-Oh, no, indeed! I assure you it was not me, I would not be so taken in by the naughty boy. I am too wise for that, even if he should come to my door by night, with his yellow locks drip- ping with the rain, and say, 'Oh, let me in! let me in! I have lost my way, I am wet to the skin-I shiver with the cold, I die, I die.' "No, I have heard of his sly tricks too FIRST STORY. 9 often, when I was a boy no older than you, my little fellows. My great-grandfather told me of him, and my mother! Oh, you may be sure she knew all about him, and I suppose the books that have been written about him, and are yet to be written, would fill up a good part of every library in the land; indeed I may truly say--the whole world even, would not contain the books concerning this- same naughty love, and his sly tricks. The naughty fellow! He is so cunning, I am told by some who have actually seen him, 10 GRANDFATHER'S STORIES. that he can sometimes make him- self invisible to mortals. Then too, though he looks as innocent, as a dove, he always shoots his arrows where they are sure to do the most harm, and I suppose he can beat William Tell all hollow in shooting at a mark; and yet, for all that, he sometimes let his arrows fly at ran- dom, the careless little elf! Now I will tell you what a sweet and most charming poet,* relates of this sam sly, cruel Love; and you may be sure he tells the truth, and nothing but the truth, for he knows "* Hans Christian Andersen. FIRST STORY. 11 all about him, yes indeed, any one can see that; I warrant you he has himself felt the smart of his arrows, many times, because no one ever es- capes, except they go armed cap-a- pie, or are wonderful wise like me, or perchance are beneath his notice; Oh this wonderful of all Loves! this giant in the body of a little child! But now for the story-so listen! "Once upon a time," (now this is the way all Mysterious Stories and Legends begin,) I say,-" Once upon a time, there was an old poet, one evening, he sat at home -it was dreadful weather out of doors-the 12 GRANDFATHER'S STORIES. rain poured down; but the old poet sat very comfortably, and in quite good humor, beside his stove, where the fire was burning brightly, and his apples were merrily roasting. "There will not be a dry thread on the poor souls who are out in this weather!" "Oh let me in I am freezing, and I am so wet!" cried the voice of a little child outside. It cried and knocked at the door, while the rain kept pouring down, and the wind rattled at all of the windows. Poor little soul !" said the old poet, and he got up to open the FIRST STORY. 13 door. There stood a little boy; he had not any clothes on, and the rain ran off from his long yellow hair. He shook with the cold; if he had not been taken in he would most surely have died of that bad weather. "Thou poor little soul!" said the kind old poet, and he took him by the hand; "come in, and I will warm thee! and thou shalt have some wine, and a nice roasted ap- ple, for thou art a pretty little boy!" And so he was. His eyes were like two bright stars, and, although the water ran down from his yellow hair, yet it curled so beautifully! 14 GRAND FATHER S STORIES. He looked just like a little angel, but he was pale with the cold, and his little body trembled all over. In his hand he carried a pretty little bow; but it was quite spoiled with the rain, and all the colors of his beautiful little arrows ran one into the other with the wet. The good old poet seated himself by the stove and took the little boy upon his knee, he wrung the rain out of his hair; warmed his little hands in his, and made some sweet wine warm for him; by this means the rosy col- er came back into his cheeks, he jumped down upon the floor, and FIRST STORY. 15 danced round and round the old poet. "Thou art a merry lad," said the poet; "what is thy name?" "They call me Love," replied the boy; "dost thou not know me ? there lies my bow, I shoot with it, thou mayest believe! See, now, the weather clears up, the moon shines!" "But thy bow is spoiled," said the old poet. "That would be sad!" said the little boy, and took it up to see if it were. "Oh, it is quite dry," said he, "it is not hurt at all! the string is quite firm; now I will try it!" 16 GRAND FATHER'S STORIES. And with that he strung it, laid an arrow upon it, took his aim, and shot the good old poet right through the heart! Thou canst now see that this bow is not spoiled!" said he,-and laugh- ing as loud as he could, ran away. "What a naughty boy! to shoot the good old poet who had taken him in and warmed him." "What a bad boy!" said all the little boys at once, how ungrate- ful." "Yes indeed," said the grand- father. There the poor poet lay upon the ,- -. -- .2"- ' - t --- 'J SI-- ., ,,. ', -7..; , i-.%; , " "",' ' ..L,.,,) FIRST STORY. 1I floor and wept, for he was shot through the heart, and he said, Oh fy! what a naughty boy that Love is! I will tell all good little children about him, that they may drive him away before he makes them some bad return !" All good children, boys and girls, to whom the old poet told this, drove away that naughty little lad, but for all that he has made fools of them all, he is so artful! When students go from their lectures he walks by their side with a book under his arm and so they fancy he too is a student, and he runs an arrow into 18 GRAND- FATHER S STORIES. their breasts. When young girls g- to church, and when they stand in the aisles of the church, he has fol- lowed them. Yes, he is always fol- lowing people! He sits in the great chandelier in the theatre, and burns with a bright flame, and so people think he is a lamp, but afterwards they find some- thing else He runs about the king's garden, and on the bowling-green! Yes! he once shot thy father and mother through the heart! ask them about it, and then thou wilt hear what they say. Yes, indeed, he is a bad boy, that naughty Love, do Ik '0- . S!i , -'- . FIRST STORY. 21 thou never have anything to do with him! lie is always running after peo- ple Only think, he even shot an arrow at thy good old grandmother! but that is a long time ago, and it is past. But thus it is, he never for- gets any body! Fy, for shame naughty Love! But now, thou knowest him; and know- est how bad he is!" "This, my little friends, is the story of naughty Love,' and now I have told you about him you will be sure to keep out of his way, or go well armed. For when you come to be men, he will be sure to intro- 22 GRANDFATHER'S STORIES. duce himself to you, and if you have any heart worth having, he will fight for it, or sport with it either way that suits him best." for. ." U. A. THE ORPHANS. N the great City of New York where the houses are so crowded, that there is not room enough, Sfor all the poor women and. children that come into the country so fast; there are a great many who are obliged, to live in cellars, or miserable sheds, and hundreds remain all the day and 24 GRANDFATHER'S STORIES. night, in the open streets. Annie and Billy lived in a little room un- der-ground therefore it was quite dark, and uncomfortable, for there was no floor, neither any windows, to let in the fresh air and light; a little hole in the wall, where the sun peeped through at noon, served them for a window, through which they could see the tops of the houses and the trees which grew in the churchyard waving in the wind, and if they could but hear the birds sing, it was a real joy to their hearts. They lived all alone, for they had no mother, no father, no friend but TIE ORPHANS. 25 God, to help them; so they were obliged to take care of themselves. But the night was dreadful for them, especially in the cold winter weather, for they had to lie on the bare floor with only an old blanket to cover them poor little things; but they would look out upon the glit- tering stars, and forget all their sor- rows, for it made them think of that home where dwelt their parents; Little Annie imagined, and she told her brother that the stars were the abodes of departed spirits, where all people go after death, and the way to ascend to these aerial abodes, 26 GRANDFATHER'S STORIES. was by a shining staircase, so they were always looking for it, and ex- pecting to see it when they gazed up into the great firmament of stars but they never could see the way open, nor yet the stairs; and how could they when the only way, to departed spirits, or to heaven is by the way of the dead; but of this these poor little dreamers had not been taught, so they looked up to them in their loneliness, and peo- pled them with such beings as they thought in their childish dreams most resembled a loving father and mother; for once they had a friend, THE ORPHANS. 27 who had told them of their parents, and that they were in heaven, lov- ing their children, even though they could not be seen. This was almost all they knew about social life. It was a very innocent conceit, and made their dreams pleasant when they slept, which was not always the case, for Jack-frost would some- times creep in through the cracks and bite their toes and fingers, and the wind would sing such doleful music all through the long night, that sleep fled away. In this poor way did the Orphans live for a long time, and Billy, was "28 GRANDFATHER'S STORIES. so old that he could amuse himself without Annie, for she must go out and beg for food or work; and then the little boy was left alone, to in- vent his own pleasures and employ- ments. Now he thought he could read on the walls of his room, a story which old time had written there; for it was a very old house, and had once been, inhabited by geniuses, I say it was very old, for there' was not a single trace of grandeur, or even comfort remain- ing, and yet for all that, it had once been a lordly mansion; and now on the walls of this house, could this A THE ORPHANS. 29 little boy read, by means of his imagination, many, many wonderful things, because he had been a dream- er ever since he came into this little room, and so he began as well as he could to make figures on the walls, with a piece of chalk which Annie found one day in the street; this piece of chalk was now as good as a whole cabinet of tools for him to work with; now these figures on the wall he called pictures, and so they were, if we may take Annie's word for it, for in her eyes they were beautiful-a real picture gallery, and she told him so. 80 GRANDFATHER'S STORIES. When Billy, looked out of his win. dow and saw the tops of the houses and the trees waving in the bright sunshine, it was as if he looked upon a whole panorama, though he knew nothing of such things, and he was obliged to content himself with sim- ple pleasures; and while he thus multiplied his pictures, God gave his imagination power to deck them out with added charms. When he grew older and his desires began to en- large he would sigh for wings, that he might join the birds in their flight up into the charming blue heavens. THE ORPHANS. 81 When the sun went down, and it grew dark in his little room, he would look out of his window, in order that he might not see the dark corners, because it made him feel lonely, he always watched the trees, as long as there was a single ray of sun upon them, and if the birds chanced to alight upon their branches and sing a few wild notes, we may be sure he experienced as much delight as the more favored sons and daughters of fortune. Na- ture has such a blessed influence, and the innocent are so sensible to her charms. 82 GRANDFATHER'S STORIES. What these simple children of nature enjoyed was all their own, not, borrowed from any external aid, but from that everlasting fountain of life and joy, within the soul, which- dwells alike in all humanity, and it was truly wonderful to see how angels seemed to teach and care for them. Otherwise they could not have fancied what they did. It was a cold chilly afternoon when I met Annie and Billy, the streets were wet and muddy, for there had been a great fall of snow which was fast melting away although there was no sun, and the air was THE ORPHANS. 33 filled with a thick mist. It was quite dark, and there was spread over na- ture, such a gloomy aspect that every unhappy object, which met the eye, was tenfold more unwelcome. I was hurrying through one of the streets where the children of the poor live, no one knows how so close and uncomfortable do they seem packed together. I closed my eyes and ears, as much as I could, to the pressing cry of little beggars; for what can one do at such a time, with an empty purse, but conceal his feelings if he has any? Well I forced my way through the crowd, 34 GRANDFATHER'S STORIES. but was obliged at. last to stop, and search my pockets for a few pen- nies. These children stood before me, a picture of want and sorrow. The feet of the little girl were red with cold and she had no cover to her head or her shoulders ; she might almost as well have been without any garment, so thin and tattered was the covering she wore, for her bare skin was peeping out every where. She walked up and down the streets, trembling with the cold, the little child she carried in her arms, held out its little hand to all they THE ORPHANS. met, and smiled a sweet smile, as one who had no sense of sorrow, for cold and hunger could not blight his infant joys. His pretty hair fell over his forehead, in curls, but no one saw that, or the stretched out hand, poor little souls! so they walked on and on through the misty weather, waiting patiently for something which they hoped would come, in spite of every cold repulse; for when they did chance to get sufficient to satis- fy their present hunger, they return- ed to their little cell, with cheerful hearts, and thought themselves rich, for the poor and forsaken will have 36 GRANDFATHER'S STORIES. their joys as well as their sorrows and perhaps far less to vex them, than we might suppose, judging by their outward circumstances. I was so much interested by the appearance of Annie and Billy, that I went to see them, and soon found a home for them, where they were taught useful things, and prepared to earn a good living, when old enough. ^- \~T Pages 37-38 missing from original 89 TWO ROSE-BUDS. BY MISS COLMAN. SGREAT way off in a country no one hears named now a days, there once dwelt two little girls-and what do you think they were like-let me think-well, one was fair, the other dark, were they not like white and red moss rose-buds ?- Oh ves; and modesty, like moss, 40 GRANDFATHER S STORIES. covered them as with a veil, she dwelt in their hearts, showing her- self in the delicate blushes on their cheeks, and looking out of their pure lovely eyes. And as moss roses usu- ally grow in beautiful gardens, and are watched with great care, so did these two children dwell in a charm- ing house, which was built in the midst of an exquisite garden, and so too were they guarded by tender loving parents, and angels, who con- tinually watched over them. Rose-buds have thorns, and not- withstanding all their goodness, these human rosebuds had thorns too; TWO ROSE-BUDS. 41 naughty thoughts and feelings which led to wrong actions. Rose-thorns scratch, and wound the flesh--so did these spirit-thorns pierce the hearts of the parents who loved their children so dearly, and the little girls were grieved, too, when they saw that these wrong deeds were like thorns to the fa- ther and mother they loved so much. One moonlight evening they walk- ed together in their garden, talking of the stars of heaven, and the fire- fly stars of earth, and of diamonds that look like beaming stars;---of 42 GRANDFATHER'S STORIES. pearls--and of the white snow-ber- ries hanging in the thick clusters, like vegetable pearls; then Red Rose- bud said: "Oh! how beautiful to have a net of diamonds for my head, there would be a halo round it then, like the angels." "And oh! how lovely a necklace of netted pearls -would be," said White Rose-bud. She had scarcely spoken, when just before them they saw two an- gels robed in white. Upon the head of one was a circlet of dia- monds pointed, and upon each point TWO ROSE-BUDS. 43 a diamond star; while gleaming soft- ly on the neck of the other, was a netted pearl necklace, pointed too, and from each point hung a rose-bud of seed pearls. Like strange sweet music, sounded the voice of the star- crowned angel who said to Red Rose bud: I am thy guardian-angel, and though I am always with thee, yet I cannot always appear to thy sight. Now I have come to tell thee what thou must do to be worthy a dia- mond circlet. Diamonds are costly external forms which represent the most truthful, and good affections of 14 GRANDFATHER'S STORIES. the heart, they are worn upon the head of the angels, and cause it to shine, and when thou hast purified thy heart from all sin, when thy soul shall be filled with jewels of truth and charity, then wilt thou have earned a diamond circle-then, when thou hast forgotten mere earthly or outward adornments, and seekest those within, thou shalt see thy wish granted." Then spoke the Pearl-angel to White Rose-bud, whose guardian she was: "Pearls too are representations, of heavenly truth and goodness, and thou must earn the right to wear TWO ROSE-BUDS. 45 them here, by first adorning thy soul like thy sister's. Then wilt thou find upon thy neck, the jewel for which thou hast wished." With sweet smiles the angel point- ed to the heavens and said, "ask and ye shall receive, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened," ye shall have help from God, heavenly food for your soul's strength. Then the children knelt on the spot where the angels had stood, and with their faces raised to hea- ven's bright burning stars, uttered a simple prayer. They thought no 16 GRANDFATHER'S STORIES. more of earthly gems, for the an. gels had spoken with them, and the sphere of goodness breathing from them, filled their hearts with this prayer. Our Father, give us this day our daily bread." They knew that these simple words meant, give us food for our soul's help to do right, and pow- er over all evil and false ways, to be good in the inmost heart. They gathered two rose-buds-red and white--wet with the evening dews which glittered in the moon- light like the tears in their eyes-- then they returned to their little TWO ROSE-BUDS. 47 chamber, and were soon sleeping soundly, while the moon looked down upon them, and their mother came to give them her good-night kiss. She lingered a long time for it was a lovely sight to see; upon the pillow lay four rose-buds; for, the children had lain those they had gathered close beside their faces, that they might breathe the perfume all night.-A long time passed- the human roses, were no longer buds, but grown to woman's stat- ure; still they lived in the same home--and still were they called, 48 GRANDFATHER'S STORIES. Red and White Rosebuds; and still they walked together by moonlight, "holding sweet converse." Again. their angels stood before them; then they looked at each other in aston- ishment, and the sweet voice now grown familiar (for they had listened to the teaching of the good angels,) once more stood before them. "Yes now you have won the cir- clet of diamonds long years have passed, since we first came to you, and your hearts have been so de- voted to winning the pearls and dia- monds of the spirit, that you have well nigh forgotten the external form. i B r II - _ : . .''I I TWO ROSE-BUDS. 51 We know your trials, that often you have been sore tempted to yield to wrong thoughts and feelings; but we know too, that you have never ceas- ed to pray for Heaven's daily bread, and that you have sought with your whole strength to love good and do it; and now we see that your hearts are adorned with heavenly jewels- like the diamond shines your love of goodness for its own sake, while charity gleams like the pearls you once wished for; your hearts are ad- orned with kindness, gentleness, and a forgiving spirit.-Then holding a mirror before them, they beheld 52 GRANDFATHER'S STORIES. shining upon the head of Red Rose, the pointed circlet with the diamond stars, while from the neck of White Rose, gleamed the soft light of the pearl necklace with Rose-bud drops. r m; . &: --- r*, r e 5 ~ ~' I r ;_ V'' j*2A I.tit: J-- - 'C- 1 tk~- -tt% h1A~ -t~ -__ ~sL~ i' MATTIE AND HER DOG ORIGINAL LINES.*.i BY GRENVILLE MELLEN. Ah!" Mattie---on-rmayJ iink th I In owning it, am-duller nigh, Than any log- . But I am really at a loss- More than I ever with these puppies was- I would'nt for the dif'rence twixtt ye give a toss- You, or your dog! 54 GRANDFATIIHER'S STORIES. Ye are both pretty-and pets, too- But that a while ago ye knew- And proud on't- There was some magic in that hair, That made it more thau an ev'ry day affair- As any one might swear to, roundly, who could wear Such a crowd on't! Those small dogs, Mattie, whom small girls Make as much love to for their curls, Or black or red, As for aught underneath they cover, Make not one-half so sensible a lover, As any such a hairy Carlo does, or Rover, With two-thirds head! So kick such whisker'd nincums, Mat- As you grow up-they're not wortl that!- Poor creatures!- MATTIE AND HER DOL. 55 And hold some puppy for your pet- So better are they than most dogs you get- And what's more comforting than all I've told you yet; No cheaters! I tell you Mattie, that that eye, You carry with such victory Under your brow, May be your minor furniture, As certain as you tolerate a wooer- And, as a sort of natural consequence, as sure As you make Vow, To any other dog than this You carry in such shaggy bliss In your white arms- So, keep your glances, Mattie, yet, For such a gentle-like and long ear'd pet- His whine is the most musical I've ever met Since I sung psalms 1 56 GRANDFATHER'S STORIES. And you may well be prouder, Mat, Of worship from such pug or cat, Than from most fellows- They are, in almost every case. The washy, snarling howl of your dogs, As destitute of good airs or a kindling grace As a rent bellows! SIMPLE PLEASURES. BY MISS BREMER. SAR down, in the pass of the CLARA mountains, I dwelt with my sister Joanna, we lived with an old aunt, who took us home S after our father's death. She was not in very good health and so could not do much for us. We were generally left to an old woman who had the charge of us; but she was a little severe, and 58 GRANDFATHER'S STORIES. very sharp, and very deaf; so that we did not have many pleasant days with her. Nevertheless, we tried to amuse ourselves as well as we could, we had tamed a little rat so that when we laid a little bit of sugar on the stone by the stove, he would come out and eat it while we stood in the other corner of the room. It is true that we dared scarcely to breathe, but yet we were not a lit- tle flattered by his confidence in us. Bits of sugar were, in these times, very rare treasures for us, and not more than two little pieces a week could we have for the rat and our SIMPLE PLEASURES. 59 own eating. Sunday were great holidays for us, for then we had Cologne water on the corners of our handkerchiefs, butter to our po- tatoes at breakfast, and roast meat at dinner. It was also among our pleasures that we could walk twice in the week in the court-yard, but as peo- ple are seldom content with what they have, we were not satisfied with our amusements; and when summer arrived, and all the great people came out to their estates in the country, we took great pleasure in the idea of making a country 60 GRANDFATHER'S STORIES. residence for ourselves. We had sometimes followed the old woman into the cellar, and we had observed a place in the corner on which the light struck from a certain air-hole open towards the garden, where we planted a pea one fine morning to- wards the end of May. For three weeks we went every day and sought out the place, removing the earth a little about it to see whether the pea had began to spout. Our delight was great, when, on the 24th day after the planting, we saw a little swelling up of the earth, and under this, our precious pea, SIMPLE PLEASURES. 61 beautifully green, and very shy, peep- ing up with an expanded leaf; we danced around it and sung for joy. Near this plantation, we then placed a little paste-board house, and before it a small bench, on which we put some paper gentlemen and ladies, and no one can have a livelier en- joyment in his country residence, than we had in ours. We lodged in a small and very dark room, but from my bed I could see a little bit of sky, and the chim- ney of our neighbor's house; but when the smoke rose from the chim- ney and was colored red and yel- 62 GRANDFATHER'S STORIES. low by the rising sun, under the dome of the blue sky, then I thought the world up in the air must be very beautiful, and I longed to go thither. I conceived a great desire to fly, and confided this wish to Joanna; we made ourselves paper wings, and as these could not lift us up, we tried whether they would not at least sus- tain us if we let ourselves go from the stove, chest of drawers, or what- ever we had climbed up upon. But, besides that, we got many bruises in these attempts, we made such a noise by falling to the floor that it brought in the old woman, who SIMPLE PLEASURES. 63 gave a hearty scolding to the clum- sy angels. Meanwhile, we thought of still another means of sustaining ourselves as we hovered over the earth. We selected suitable sticks, which we used as stilts, and on these we went round and about the court- yard, imagining all the time that we were flying. Would that we had been content with this! But the desire of knowing more of the world without, threw us into misfortunes. The house which we lived in was situated within a court-yard, and was separated from the street by a high wooden fence; 64 GRANDFATHER'S STORIES. a part of the enclosure was a garden well fenced in, and belonged to a notary. He was a severe man, and we were much afraid of him. The temptation to evil came this time in the shape of a little pig. We saw one day, when we were passing our play-house in the court-yard, a fortunate pig who was enjoying him- self in the most riotous manner in this garden; spinach, tulips, straw- berries, and parsley, all were thrown around him, as he dug with his snout in the earth. Our anger at this was very great, and not less our wonder how the SIMPLE PLEASURES. 65 pig could have got into the garden, as the gate was shut and the fence was so firm. We looked about care- fully, and at last discovered a hole which had been nearly covered by a few old boards placed against it, but which the little pig had instinctive- ly found out, and through which he had forced his way. We thought it of the greatest im- portance to get the pig immediately out of the pleasure-garden, and we could see no other means of doing so than to creep in at the same hole by which he had made his way; and now we hunted with great zeal our 66 %;ANDFATHERS STORIES. poor guide, and then put in order, as well as we could, what he had scattered about. We closed the hole in the fence with a board, and could not resist the desire to let it serve us now and then, as an entrance to this pa- radise. As we did not mean to hurt, or even meddle with anything in the garden, we thought it would not be wrong to take a breath of fresh air there, now and then. Every Sun- day, in particular, we crept in by the pig's hole, which we always closed carefully after us. All around within the garden- SIMPLE PLEASURES. 67 fence, there was a hedge of syringo bushes which hindered us from being seen from without. However, it was very wrong in us to go into another person's garden without leave; and we soon found that every wrong thing brings with it its own punish- ment, sooner or later. There was a little summer-house in the garden near that part of the fence which separated it from the street. There were some bushes so near, that Joanna and I took the bold resolution to climb up by them, so as to get on the roof of the sum- mer-house, and there to look over 68 GRANDFATHER'S STORIES. the fence into the street. Soon as thought it was done. Proud, triumphant and glad, we found ourselves after a quarter of an "hour's labor, on the much promising roof, and richly were we repaid for our trouble. We had a full view into the street. We saw, now and then, an old woman with a milk- cart, sometimes a gentleman in a chaise, and when we were in great luck, a lady with a parasol; and still better, we had even a distinct perspective of King-street, and had the indescribable delight of seeing a croud of walkers and idlers on N-- __',,_,__ .'_ I .': I f ,, -II -- = 7 ---- -- 1:1 ,' II .I v__-mr- I '1 'l, I .... --- -- - _. ,. T;..; -- -- !~ ~ : ..... --- -- I SIMPLE PLEASURES. 71 horseback and in carriages passing by. The whole world seemed to be moving there. After we had once seen this, we could not move without seeing it again. One day-I remember it as if it were yesterday-well, one day we had taken our high post, and were looking curiously upon the world in King-street, all at once we saw a stately rider on horseback, and di- rectly after him a pair of white horses drawing a splendid carriage. That must be the queen!-perhaps the king himself Out of our senses 72 GRANDFATHER'S STORIES. with delight, we began to clap our hands and hurra loudly. At the same moment we heard the notary coughing in the garden. We were dreadfully frightened. We wanted to get down quickly from the roof, and hide ourselves among the trees; but in our alarm, we could not find the right place for our hands and feet. Joanna rolled like a ball over the notary's strawberry bed, and I remained hanging by the chin to a great nail in the plank and scream- ing as if out of my senses. See, here is the scar made by the nail, it can be seen even now. SIMPLE PLEASURES. 73 These adventures were related to amuse two little girls, who were suffering under a disappointment, having been prevented from going out to see an exhibition of fire- works. When their governess had reached this point in her story, a more than usually delicate supper was announced, and the children ran off to join their dear aunt, who ted them to the supper room that they might enjoy the repast with- out stopping to enquire farther about the scar on the good lady's chin." Pages 74 75 missing from original GOOD NIGHT. GOOD night, good night, my mother death Bright angels bless thee from above, For viewless wings, are hovering near To hold the sleepless watch of love. The sun has sunk-and so should set Those spirit orbs serenely mild, Then sleep, my mother, and forget, The errors of thy wayward child. .I GOOD NIGHT. 77 Good night, my mother dear, good night, I pray to him who ever hears, To hold my hand and guide me right, And give me penitence and tears. And when to us life's day is past, And death shall hush this weary clay, May we awake and see at last The dawn of that eternal day. LITTLE GRANDSON. HAVE a little grandson- \ his name is Louis, his eyes are as blue as the violet, and as clear as the sky when no cloud obscures its charming face. r He is a real child-innocent and sportive, as the sunbeams when they dance upon the face of the waters. Innocent, did I say? Yes, indeed. LITTLE GRANDSON. 79 He is the very spirit of innocence, therefore he is lovely, as the sweet- scented breath of the morning, and his noisy din is quite bearable if not charming. He is so fond of his drum and tamborine, that he often drives his mother quite distracted; but he struts up and down the room and takes no heed of her frowning face, until compelled into silence. Then he shuts himself up in his little bed- room, and there he begins a new song. Now, it is a song all about Jenny Lind, for she is his beau-ideal of all there can be, or ever was, or ever will be, in music. She is his 80 GRANDFATHER'S STORIES. divimty, and he knows all about it- yes, to be sure he does, and like some older children, he believes it must be so, because the Tribune says so. Not that he has heard her, no; he is confiding because he is but a little child. Yet, ah! how soon all this inno- cent, sportive confidence is over, for as soon as childhood passes away, then comes unknown desires and longings. Then it is that the song of angels might sometimes fail to please! But let the child be a child, as long as he will, for every day of LITTLE GRANDSON. 81 their life is a story, a song or a fairy tale-full of changes, but never to be forgotten; every event of which is stored up in the memory to furnish beautiful images and thoughts that will endure to eter- nity. Yes, to eternity ! I am many years older then this little boy's mother, but his noisy sport disturbs me no more. I am content to see this free life of inno- cent activity, unfold itself; and I fancy, in every pretty action, I see the future glory of the man. LITTLE BIRDS IN A STORM. Mother, Rock the baby, Bessy, Rock the cradle, dear; Sing to the baby, Bessy, The song he loves to hear. The winds are blowing, Bessy, The rain is falling fast; The little birds are chirping All in the stormy blast. LITTLE BIRDS TN A STORM. 83 Child. I pity them, dear mother, Where will they rest to night ? The storm it is so dreadful, It doth them so affright. Mother. Dear Saviour, in the stormy night VWhen all around is dark, Take pity on the little birds, Keep them 'till morning light. And pity the poor little ores- The children of the poor; We see them all around us, They beg from door to door. Their little feet are cold and bare, They shiver in the wind; Then keep them do, dear Jesus, Beneath thy mighty wing. 84 FAIRIES NOW-A-DAYS. BY MISS COLMAN. ^i- ELL, if there were only "such a thing as fairies Snow-a-days, I might be ,i '- a good girl." This was the reply a naughty SlitihI' girl named Fidelia, made ti. lieri mother, because she had "buen reproved for her faults; and she went on to say: "as long as there are not, I don't mean to try." FAIRIES NOW-A-DAYS. 85 Then she went out of her room without noticing the tears stealing down her mother's cheek. Long sat the mother there, deeply thinking what she should do for her child, suddenly a smile illumined her face, and she asked God to help her. The next morning according to custom, Fidelia walked in the garden early, and upon the white rose-bush she saw the first bud of the season almost blown, she plucked it, although she knew that it was a very large flower, and very choice too, and that her mother preferred seeing it in the garden. She began to pull the leaves 36 GRANDFATHER'S STORIES. open, when, what was her astonish- ment to see fall out, something that looked like a paper rose-leaf rolled up. She opened it, and found writ- ten in the most fairy-like hand ima- ginable, these words: Believest thou In fairies now, Or say, do notes In roses grow ?" Fidelia was amazed, she examin- ed the rose again thinking it must be an artificial one, put there to make fun of her; but no, the petals were genuine rose petals, soft and velvety, and besides had the pure and true FAIRIES NOW-A-DAYS. 87 rose perfume which could not be found in false flowers; so she said: Well, there are fairies in the world, to be sure, so I'll see if they'll help me to be good by rewarding me." She walked along and pre- sently came to a white lily, and looking into it, she saw another of the same fairy notes; upon it was written: Be good and kind One single day, And thou shalt find I'm not in play; For from this cup Of Nature's make At early dawn, A gift thou'lt take." 88 GRANDFATHER'S STORIES. Rejoiced, Fidelia returned to the house, and, wonderful to relate, during the whole of that day she was careful not to do anything ugly. At dawn she was bending over the lily's cup-what did she see, was it a diamond that gleamed so bright ? No, on looking nearer she was convinced that it was nothing but one little drop of dew; disap- pointed she looked around hoping that the promised gift had fallen upon the ground; another fairy missal alone greeted her eyes: "Pure as this liquid gem, Thy heart in truth must be, FAIRIES NOW-A-DAYS. 89 Ere thou with sparkling eyes The wished-for gift canst see." Fidelia was enraged, she stamped her foot and screamed out: "I might just as well be ugly as good, if this is all the reward I get." Soft as angel music a strain fell on her ear, it seemed to come from a tree near to the house, but such music she had never heard before; soon a blush stole into her cheeks, and finally she hung her head in shame. Then she said to herself, "What does she mean by telling me to be pure?" Again she read 90 GRANDFATHER'S STORIES. the magic verse, and also another which, in her anger she had over looked: "Not only do no harm, But do to others good,- Try one week, this loving life, Then seek me in the wood." Fidelia turned sorrowing away; during the whole of that week which seemed so long to look for- ward to-she was obliging and ami- able-now and then a cross word or action would break forth, but she would be instantly sorry and strive to make amends. She amused her sisters and baby- FAIRIES NOW-A-DAYS. 91 brother, read to her mother, attend- ed to her lessons carefully, and in- deed did as well as she knew how. Never had they passed such a hap- py week, and Fidelia's heart was glad when she saw in her mother's face, the smile of approving love. Before the dew rose to meet the sun's rays, Fidelia was in the neigh- boring wood, the first thing that greeted her eye was a bed of lilies of the valley. "This is the place, I know," said she, ana stooping down she sought for the tiny fairy; but she found only another scroll. She was so disappointed that tears 92 GRANDFATHER'S STORIES. rolled down her cheeks, but they were tears of sorrow now, and she could not stamp her foot with anger; So far thou hast done well, my child, But from thy heart the knowledge seek, If 'twas the gift, or love of good, That blessed thee through the long, long week." "Oh! 'twas the gift," said Fidelia to herself, as she read the second verse: I know the answer it will make, But try again, Fidelia-try, Love good, and do it for itself, Then evil in your heart will die." When four weeks have passed away, Come seek me here again, FAIRIES NOW-A-DAYS. 93 And if thou hast done really well, I will reward thee then." Fidelia returned home--the four weeks passed, during which time her courage had often failed, and she was near giving up; then she would go to her mother's chamber and sit upon her little cricket, lean- ing her elbow upon the dear old armchair and think over what she had done wrong, and pray for help to resist evil temptations. At the end of this time she had grown so humble, that she thought herself quite unworthy to meet the fairy, who had taught her how to 94 GRANDFATHER'S STORIES. do right, and it was not until four times four weeks had passed, when the violets and lilies of the valley had all gone to sleep, that Fidelia once more stood upon the soft, green turf beneath the old oak tree. Here she had expected to meet the fairy, for it was a pleasant spot, the ground that had been spangled with the first flowers of summer was now green with grass of autumn. Fidelia saw something gleaming in the grass, and stooping down she turned the long spears aside, when she espied a spray of lilies of the valley. Fidelia gazed at them in astonishment, and FAIRIES NOW-A-DAYS. 95 in the same moment a kind arm enbolded her, it was her mother's voice that spoke kind words of love Are you sorry darling, that your mother is the fairy who rolled the paper leaves and placed them in the rose and lily, and who put an eolian harp into the tree near the house, and now presents you, her beloved daughter, with a spray of those modest flowers, whom she hopes you now seek to be like. Your humble opinion of your merits is symbolised by these drooping flowers, let your love of useful em- ployment and true goodness of heart 96 GRANDFATHER'S STORIES. be compared to their penetrating and charming perfume, while the silver of which they are made, shall corres- pond to the truth, which shall gleam brightly in your soul." |