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Page 40.
LEILA AT HOME
A CONTINUATION OF
LEILA IN ENGLAND.
BY
ANN FRASER TYTLER,
AUTHORESS OF ‘‘ MARY AND FLORENCE; OR, GRAVE AND
GAY,†&c. &c.
Second Enition.
LONDON :
T. HATCHARD, 187, PICCADILLY.
1852.
LONDON :
G. J. PALMER, SAVOY STREET, STRAND.
PREFACE.
Ir was the intention of the writer of the
following pages to have bid a last farewell
to Leila, but some of her young readers
have said “ No ;†and she feels too grateful
for the kindness they have shown her, not
to make an attempt to meet their wishes.
Circumstances have so long prevented her
fulfilling this intention, that it may be ne-
cessary to remind ¢hem that they took leave
of Leila when she had just set off for
Woodlands, (near Richmond,) a property
Mr. Howard had purchased near the resi-
1V PREFACE.
dence of her uncle, Mr. Stanley ;—that Leila
was in all the joy of her cousin, Selina
Stanley, having recovered her speech ; —
that Selina’s sister, Matilda, was continuing
to make many good: resolutions, and too
often to break them again ;—and that their
brother, little Alfred, was little Alfred still,
and not over wise.
Ems, Sept. 12th, 1851.
LEILA AT HOME
sulipitsisiiaennihclipiedisheailiaminli
CHAPTER L.
THE wooded banks of Richmond were in
all the soft green of early spring, when
they were first seen by Leila. A few months
had passed; the trees were now half stripped
of their leaves, and the autumn tints were
fast fading into sombre gray as she a se-
cond time caught sight of its wooded
heights; but how different were now her
feelings, how much more beautiful did the
whole scene appear to her with Selina by
her side! Selina was spring, summer, sun-—
B
2 LEILA AT HOME.
shine, and all to Leila, and she had nota
sigh to give to the falling leaves or the
moaning wind.
As the carriage drew up before the same
low, picturesque-looking house, which she
had before visited, Matilda and Alfred (who
with their papa and mamma had preceded
them but a few minutes) stood holding the
house-door open, ready to give them wel-
come. Little Alfred bustled out to assist in
letting down the steps, and Matilda, in her
eagerness to help them to alight, had well
nigh brought them to the ground.
“Softly, softly,’ Mr. Howard exclaimed,
as he endeavoured to catch hold of Leila’s
frock; but Matilda had succeeded in extri-
cating both the little girls from the car-
riage.
“Oh, what a day of joy,†she cried;
“Cousin Leila still to be with us for a
whole month, and Selina as able to talk to
her now as I am; Selina, do you remember
when you went away ?â€
Selina did remember: she coloured, her
eyes filled with tears, and throwing her
LEILA AT HOME, 3
arms first round her sister’s neck, and then
round Leila’s, she darted from their side.
“Why does she do that? where has she
gone?†Leila anxiously inquired.
“J think I know,†Matilda answered; and
pointing to a door on the opposite side of
the passage, she flew back to the carriage to
assist in getting out the parcels.
Leila crossed the passage, and softly
opened the door; Selina was on her knees
by the side of her little bed; she timidly
advanced, and lifting the white muslin cur-
tain which partly concealed Selina’s slight
figure, she knelt by her side. As the two
little girls rose from their knees, their eyes
met, eyes so full of gratitude to heaven, as
almost made Selina’s half-whispered expla-
nation, “ Leila, I could not wait till night,â€
unnecessary; “and now,†she continued,
“T must go to dear mamma.â€
When Selina returned soon after, she
found Leila and Matilda, assisted by Amy,
arranging the smaller parcels, and carrying
them to the different rooms. Matilda looked
eagerly in Selina’s eyes. |
B 2
4 LEILA AT HOME.
“TI see what you have been doing,†she
said, reproachfully; “ but I think it is I
that should cry: when we were here before,
I had to speak both for you and myself.
Oh, it was so nice; no, no, Selina, I don’t
mean that, I don’t indeed; I am so glad
you can speak, oh, so very glad; I said it.
only to make you laugh, and now I am near
crying myself, but I won’t; this is not a day
to weep, the very happiest day of all our
lives. Come, let us go and visit the school-
room; not to say lessons, you know, but
just to enjoy ourselves.â€
“Yes, that will be an excellent plan,â€
Leila answered; “ and perhaps in the bread-
basket we shall still find the head of the
doll, which would have been so pretty a
doll for my Sally, if it had not been so
hardly dealt with.â€
Matilda laughed: “ How funny you are,â€
she said, turning to Leila, and passing her
arm round her waist; “you have put away
my sorrow in a minute.â€
The three little girls proceeded to the
school-room.
LEILA AT HOME. °
“How very nice it looks,†Leila ex-
claimed; “how bright, how cheerful-look-
ing ; so different from what it was before.â€
“‘And were you very melancholy when
you were here before, and did not find us?â€
Matilda inquired.
“Oh, so melancholy when I saw the
flower-pots,†Leila answered ; “ and I cried
so when I saw the paper with ‘Custom
commonly makes things easy.’ Yes, ‘ Cus-
tom commonly’ was the worst of all.â€
“ But that is all over now,†Matilda ob-
served; “so we need not speak about it,
for now we are all three as happy as can be;
don’t you thiuk so, Selina ?â€
“Indeed I do, Matilda; but it is such a
deep joy I cannot find words to utter it;
it does not make me merry, but do not
think it is because I am sad. If you are
happy and think it a joyful day, what must
it be to me? I had given up all hope of
ever being able to speak again ; I was tell-
ing Leila so that very day, and making her
promise not to pray for it any more. Then
so many changes have come upon me.
6 LEILA AT HOME.
When I saw Leila on the ground, when I
thought her dead,—oh, I must not think of
it; and when she opened her eyes again,
and said, ‘Who spoke? what has hap-
pened?’ and when she knew God had
opened my lips, what a moment that was !
Leila’s joy, and my joy too, and to be able
to tell her how much I loved her. You do
not know how I used to struggle before,
and what it was for me not to be able to
speak.â€
“Indeed I do know very well,†Matilda
answered ; “for when mamma often says to
me, ‘ Matilda, I must beg you to be silent,
you distract my head, I am more anxious
to speak than ever; and so vexed, I would
rather she had given me a good slap.â€
“A good slap!†Leila exclaimed. “Oh,
Matilda, if my papa were ever to slap me,
I would—†she covered her face with her
hands and shuddered.
“What would you do?†Matilda anxiously
inquired, as she pulled down Leila’s hands,
and tried to get a sight of her face.
“TI would die,†Leila answered, in a
LEILA AT HOME, 7
voice so low that the words were scarcely
audible.
But Matilda caught them. “Oh dear,â€
she cried, “how I have shocked you; what
a shocked face you have; well, I am always
saying something wrong, and I daresay I
shall never be better; for these kind of
things come out before I know what I am
saying. Selina, do you think it was so
very wrong, and was Leila right to say she
would
? Youknow what I mean. You
always tell me we should take trials pa-
tiently.â€
Selina coloured. “I think you were both
a little wrong,†she said, timidly. “ You
were wrong to talk in that way of dear
mamma, who is always so patient and gen-
tle with you; and very wrong to say you
would never be better, when you know God
will give you strength if you pray for it
with all your heart; but not if you say
wandering prayers, and do not really wish
it;†and she looked anxiously at Matilda:
“And cousin Leila?†Matilda inquired.
Selina proceeded. “ Yes; Leila I thought
8 LEILA AT HOME.
was a little wrong to express herself so
strongly; you know Uncle Howard always
says she must try to command her feelings
more,—you are not angry with me, Leila,
for saying this ?â€
“Angry? Oh! no,no. I love you even
more when you tell me I have not done
right; for I feel that you are so true, and
you say it so gently, just as my papa
does.â€
“Well to be sure!†Matilda said; “to
like to be told that one is not good, I can
never get up to that; I don’t like at all to
be told I am not good; I would rather say
it of myself than that others should say it ;
indeed, it comforts me sometimes to say it
all out. Selina, do you know that at this
very moment I am not good ?â€
“Yes, Ido know,—you were glad when
I said Leila had been wrong too.â€
“ And was that all?†Matilda inquired.
“No, not quite all; you were disap-
pointed when you found it was so small a
fault.â€
“Oh, Selina, it is too bad in you to say
LEILA AT HOME, 9
that; you are glad when you find people
are good, and like yourself, and I cannot
help being rather glad also, when I find
people a little like myself, though I am not
good; but you are getting into a way of
seeing me through and through !—you must
not do that, or you will see a great many
things to frighten you; at least, please
don’t begin to-day, when we were to have
been so merry; but do you know what I
think is going to happen; something that
won’t make us merry at all,—and yet I shall
be so curious to see her.â€
“See whom?†both the others ex-
claimed ; “ what do you mean, Matilda ?â€
“T mean that we are going to get a
governess; that is, that I think, perhaps,
we are to get one.â€
“And why do you think so?†Selina
asked.
“Because when I went into the drawing-
room with one of the parcels, (mamma’s
blotting-book, you know,) I heard Unele
Howard say, ‘ Yes, I certainly do see the —
advantage of having a governess; but P
10 LEILA AT HOME.
and then I put down the parcel very slowly,
that I might hear more; but mamma said,
‘Matilda, don’t linger in the room, for we
are engaged at present, and wish to be
alone.’ So, you know, I was obliged to be
off very quick ; do you think you will like it,
Selina '—to be sure it won’t be so bad for
you, but it will be bad enough for poor me,
with all my scrapes ; and yet I should like
to see what sort of a face she has got, though
I am quite sure I shall not like it.â€
“But perhaps the governess is for me,â€
Leila said, in a sorrowful tone ; then added,
“and I shall never be alone with my papa
any more.â€
“No, no,†Matilda eagerly exclaimed ;
“don’t vex yourself, Leila. Don’t put on
that sorrowful face; I am sure the gover-
ness is for us; for once before I head
mamma say something about it to papa,—
it was one day when she said I was un-
“manageable, and you know you never are
unmanageable.â€
“If you mean that I never am very bad,
you are mistaken ; you don’t know all the
things I do sometimes, and wish to do.â€
LEILA AT HOME. Il
“Well, well,†Matilda answered, “ don’t
tell me about them, for I don’t want to
hear; it is too bad that to-day, when we
have no lessons, and are so happy to be
home again, we do nothing but speak about
faults, and make each other melancholy.
See, the sun is out—it is quite fair now—
let us go into the garden and have a nice
race.â€
Leila’s face brightened. “ It will be de-
lightful,†she said, as they all three ran off
together.
12 LEILA AT HOME.
CHAPTER II.
Marti.pa’s faults, and Leila’s fears, seemed
alike forgotten. They talked, and laughed,
and ran races, till fatigue at last made a
quieter mode of amusement desirable,
even to Matilda. The arbour, which was
in a sheltered spot at one end of the gar-
den, was still almost in summer beauty,—
the china-roses and many of the autumn
flowers were yet in rich luxuriance, and the
bright beams of the sun brought back the
feeling of summer with all its gladness. As
they seated themselves in the arbour, a
robin flew down from a neighbouring tree,
and timidly advanced within the entrance,
LEILA AT HOME. 18
then paused, and seemed to fix its clear
bright eye on Leila; she softly raised her
hand, and pointed to her lips to enjoin
silence ; but Matilda made a sudden move-
ment, and the next moment the robin was
gone. Leila sighed.
“Are you sorry I frightened it away ?â€
Matilda inquired.
“No,†Leila answered, cheerfully; “ it
was not that; you know the robin did not
know us, it would have flown away the
moment any of us had moved, and we could
not have sat all day quite still; so never
mind, Matilda, only it made me think r
she stopped and coloured.
“What did it make you think of? Do
tell me.â€
“Tt made me think that in the island the
birds never were afraid of me; they never
flew away, at least a great many of them
did not; they knew me quite well there.â€
“And you are wishing to be back to the
island,†Matilda exclaimed, reproachfully,
“because the birds know you there; and
you would leave Selina and me, who know
14 LEILA AT HOME.
you, I am sure, far better than the birds, and
love you better too; I am sure I wish that
—that island "
Selina placed her hands before Matilda’s
mouth. “ Hush, hush, Matilda, don’t say it.
You are working yourself up to be angry ;
you will be sorry afterwards ; indeed, you
will be sorry now;†and she pointed to
Leila, who stood covering her face with her
hands, while the tears trickled down be-
tween her fingers.
Matilda flew to her; she tried to remove
her hands, and kissed her repeatedly.
“There, you see, I am off again, and worse
than ever. Oh, this badness! will it never
leave me ; and, Cousin Leila, perhaps you
will begin to hate me now !â€
Leila removed her hands from her face,
and hastily brushed away her tears; then,
throwing her arms round Matilda’s neck,
she said,—“ Oh, Matilda! never, never say
that again, for 1 love you very much.â€
“You are so kind and good,†Matilda
was beginning to say.
Leila stopped her. “No, Matilda, no; I
LEILA AT HOME, 15
am not good. I was not crying now be-
cause I was sorry about the island, but be-
cause I was angry at you for speaking of it
in that way,—and now let me tell you all
that is in my heart. I am happy here, quite,
quite happy; I like living in the world
exceedingly, I think the world is delightful,
and the trials that papa spoke about I think
are not coming to me, at least, not the great
ones; for you know it is a little trial when
you are angry with me, and I should bear
it better, I know; but it is about the island
I wished to speak,—I do not wish to go
back to it to live. No, I could not leave—â€
She fixed her eyes fondly on Selina.—* Nor
you either, Matilda,†she added; “I could
not leave you, I do love you very much,
though sometimes you make me angry ; but
I love the island very much also. God
placed me there when He snatched me from
the dashing waves. It was my home, my
happy home; I had my papa all to myself
then; he used to call me his little friend,
and he was such a friend to me, always
keeping me right. You know I was alone
16 LEILA AT HOME.
there with my papa, and with God; and it
was so much easier to be good there. I
thought more of God in the island, for
everything seemed so full of His love, and
all so beautiful. The island was God’s
garden, the flowers always springing, so
bright and beautiful, the trees so green,
and nobody to take care of them but God;
the birds always singing to Him, the foun-
tain making that sweet sound, and the ever-
lasting hills—Oh! Matilda, it was com-
forting to live amongst God’s works, every-
thing to make me love Him, and nothing to
make me forget; here I am happy, too
happy sometimes, for it is a kind of happi-
ness which makes me forget, and then after-
wards comes the sorrow.â€
“And what do you do then?†Matilda
anxiously inquired.
“I often try to put it off, and I dash
about, and try to be merry; but I am not
merry, | get more sorrowful; then I re-
member that it is conscience that is speak-
ing to me, and that papa says conscience is
the voice of God, and if I do not listen, He
LEILA AT HOME, 17
will turn away from me; then I get fright-
ened as well as sorrowful, and I go away by
myself, sometimes into my room, sometimes
into the garden, and there I think â€
She hesitated, then continued,—“ I think of
Jesus Christ, and of all He did for us,
and how He loved little children, and took
them in his arms, and blessed them: and I
pray to Him in my heart to love me and to
bless me also. Do you remember how he
raised the little daughter of twelve years
old from the dead? I always think how
good she must have been after that, and
how she must have loved Jesus Christ, and
yet it should be the same with us; He
keeps us alive every moment, and preserves
us from every danger, and I forget Him
often, though twice He has saved my life,
in the stormy sea, you know, and from the
frightful——-â€.. She stopped and shuddered.
“Don’t, don’t think of it,†Matilda ex-
claimed ; “don’t work yourself up in that
way, Leila.â€
“ But it does me good, Matilda, to think |
of it, and besides it was such a day of hap-
C
18 LEILA AT HOME.
piness also,’—and she looked fondly at
Selina.
“Yes, yes, I know what you mean,†Ma-
tilda said, hastily ; “and I am sure it was a
day of happiness to me too; but we won’t
think any more about it now, for I do tire
a little if you speak too much about good-
ness; but what with you being so good,
and Selina being so good, I surely shall get
better in time ; indeed, I am a little better
already, I assure you I am—I am almost
always sorry now when I do wrong.â€
Selina looked up and smiled. “ Yes,
indeed, you are better, Matilda, I think
there has been a great improvement in you
since Leila came to stay with us, and now
I hope that you will not take to Lydia
Mildmay again so much, or allow her to
have such influence over you as she used to
have,—she did you no good,â€
“Why do you always say that?†Ma-
tilda exclaimed, colouring violently; “I
do wish, Selina, you would just tell me at
once why you don’t like Lydia. Iam sure
it 1s very ungrateful in you, and I think
LEILA AT HOME. : 19
that you need not be so sorry that she
should praise me sometimes, she praises
you also a great deal.â€
“Yes,†Selina answered, “ she does ; but
I don’t like her praise, and I would rather
she did not.â€
“ And why do you not like her praise ?â€
‘Because I cannot help thinking it is
not sincere.â€
“ Now, Selina, that is too bad in you,
Mamma often says, ‘ Give me a proof of it,
Matilda ;’? so I say to you, give me a proof
of it, Selina.†.
“No, I cannot give you a proof of it
now; some other time we will talk of it
again. I wish to go to mamma now—I
dare say I can help her to arrange some-
thing—you know there must be a great deal
to arrange on our first coming home.â€
“And let me go with you also,†Leila
eagerly said; “for I dare say I could do
some good. When we arrived in the cave,
! remember I assisted papa to arrange a
good deal. I unpacked the canteen, and
put out all the cups and saucers, and helped
C2
20 LEILA AT HOME.
Nurse to arrange the pans, and when papa
put up the shelves, I put the clothes upon
them, and his boots and shoes all in a row ;
but in this country there is not so much to
be done ; I sometimes think it is stupid to
have so many people making places for
everything, I used to like so much making
plans and contrivances.†|
“Well,†Matilda said, “if you are both
going to be such busy bees, I will go to
Alfred for a little; I see him down the
middle walk, and we can romp together ;
for you know this is to be a_ holiday,
mamma said so; so I need not work, un-
less I like it myself.†She was off in a
moment.
“Why,†inquired Leila, as they entered
the house together “would you not give
Matilda a proof of why you did not like
Lydia ?â€
“ Better not,†Selina answered; “ it does
not do with Matilda to talk to her too
much on subjects she does not like; if I
had gone on, in a few minutes more she
would have been angry. Did you not ob-
serve how her colour was rising ?â€
LEILA AT HOME. 21
“Yes, I did; and I am never very sure
when I am talking to Matilda how she is to
take it; she gets red very often,—but I
need not wonder at that, for it is just the
same with me—I am sure to get red very
often too.â€
“Yes,†Selina answered, “you do; you
colour very often, but then it is not with
anger.â€
“You don’t know, Selina; you think
that because you love me; but very often it
is with anger,—not so much when papa
tells me I am wrong, for he speaks so
gently to me, and always seems so sorry
himself, that it makes me very grieved, and
I always wish to be better, and say to my-
self, that I will try never to displease him
again; butitis quite another thing with Nurse.
I often feel my cheeks get as hot as fire
when she scolds me; but it is with anger
then ; for she sometimes teases the very life
_ outof me. Not often though, for I know
she loves me ; but then she is always say-
ing, ‘Oh! Miss Leila, you are a heart-
break to me ; if you would but sit to your
29 LEILA AT HOME.
work like a rational being,—you are not to
trust to Amy mending your things,—you
know your papa says you are not. You
are far too much taken up with your music
and your histories; and what sort of a
pocket-hole is that for a young lady to
have?’ I am laughing now, Selina, while I
am telling it to you; but though sometimes
I can bear it pretty well, and try to please
her by beginning to mend my pocket-hole
as quick as possible, at other times I get
quite into a passion, and can’t bear to put
in a single stitch; but we must make haste
now, or everything will be put in order, and
we shall have no work to do. I like that
kind of work very much, don’t you, Selina ?â€
LEILA AT HOME. 23
CHAPTER III.
1h oeeeemmnnl
MatILpa’s idea, that their having a go-
verness was a point determined on, proved
more correct than her hasty conclusions
generally did. Mr. Howard had been for
some time aware that the mode of life
which he must pursue in England would
prevent him giving that undivided attention
to Leila which his island home had af-
forded him, and which every day was be-
coming more necessary in the formation of
her inquiring mind and impetuous charac-
ter. He felt that Nurse, with all the fond
affection, in her attempts to rule, was only
fostering in his child a spirit of opposition
24 LEILA AT HOME.
and self-will; and that Leila was beginning
to think that in many things she knew bet-
ter than Nurse, and that she did right to re-
ject counsel, which, though always well in-
tended, was often not judiciously given.
Though resolved not to yield to the feeling,
he had been too long accustomed to the
exclusive society of his child, not to be
aware that there would be many occasions
in which the presence of a third person
would prove irksome to him, and it was
therefore with real gratitude that he listened
to Mrs. Stanley’s proposal, that the in-
tended governess should reside under their
roof, yet still have the joint charge of the
cousins. ‘“ The distance was so short,†she
observed, “ not two miles; it would only be
healthful exercise for Leila to walk when
the day was fine, and in bad weather she
could easily be sent to them in the car-
riage. She should take care that Leila was
always at home to dine with her papa when
he was alone, and to read and sing to him
in the evenings, as she had been accus-
tomed to do.â€
LEILA AT HOME. 95
When Mr. Howard sent for Leila next
day to communicate this intelligence, she
entered his room with an unusually grave
expression ; the dreaded idea of a gover-
ness had been haunting her imagination the
whole morning, and gaining strength every
minute. She advanced slowly, and taking
her papa’s hand in hers, she looked up
anxiously into his eyes:—“Is it a gover-
ness, papa?†she said, “is it? Oh, tell me
quick.â€
“ My dear child,†Mr. Howard answered,
as he stooped down and kissed her fore-
head, “my dear, dear child, what is all
this? Why do you look at me in this
piteous manner? Indeed you must not agi-
tate yourself in this way; you must not let
your imagination get the better of you; it
certainly was on this subject I wished to
talk to you; but is the idea of a governess
so very frightful to you ?â€
“No, papa; perhaps she is not frightful,
but you know I never saw one; perhaps
she is like other ladies, but then you know
she will be always there, always sticking to
26 LEILA AT HOME.
me; Matilda said something which made
me know that; always sticking, papa; and
then I shall never be alone with you. No
more nice chats with your little friend.â€
Her voice failed, she could not continue.
Mr. Howard looked at her anxiously:
“Leila, my dear child, you distress me; if
you allow yourself to get into this way of
anticipating imaginary evils, you will ener-
. vate your mind, and unfit yourself to bear
as you ought to do the real trials of life;
remember who says, ‘Sufficient unto the
day is the evil thereof.’ Now listen to me ;
I can see that Matilda has made you aware
that you are to have a governess, and all
the morning you have probably been work-
ing yourself up with the idea of suffering,
from what I trust may prove the greatest
blessing to you. I cannot now devote my
mornings to you as I did in the island;
I must frequently be absent, and you are
now of an age to require superior instruc-
tion to that of your faithful and affectionate
nurse ; but you will still be my little friend ;
in the evenings you will sing and read to
LEILA AT HOME. 97
me as you used to do, and we shall always
dine together.â€
Leila’s face brightened. “Oh, what a com-
fort!†she exclaimed: then added, “but I
don’t know that I shall be quite comfortable.
My governess won't like dining by herself ;
she will be melancholy.â€
“Now, dear child, you are again running
on before the point, though I am glad that
now it is that you are anxious for your -
governess’s comfort: but she is not to be
exclusively your governess, Leila; and she
is not to reside at Woodlands. Your aunt
has most kindly proposed that you should
spend the mornings with your cousins, and
be educated with them. We are to breakfast
together early as we used to do; when fine
you are to walk here immediately after
breakfast, or to be sent in the carriage when
the weather is bad; and by five o’clock you
are to be home to dine with your papa. I
give you a general invitation to dinner, Miss
Leila Howard, and pray give me a favour-
able answer.â€
“Papa, papa, how delightful you are to
28 LEILA AT HOME.
me,†Leila exclaimed; “all my fears, all
my sorrows, where are they? You are like
the sun to me, papa; the sun chasing away
the clouds, and now there is nothing but the
blue sky and my beautiful governess.â€
Mr. Howard smiled: “ And who told you
she was to be beautiful ?†he inquired.
“ Nobody, papa; but I think she will be,
and I am sure I shall like her so much.â€
“1 hope indeed that you will like her,
my love; for if your aunt succeeds in the
application she, is about to make, your
governess is likely to prove a very estima-
ble person; but I don’t suppose she ever
was beautiful, and she can’t be very young
now.â€
Leila’s countenance fell. “ As old as the
hills, I reckon,†she ejaculated, in a very
low voice.
But her papa caught the words: “‘ As
old as the hills, I reckon,†he repeated ;
“Leila, from whom have you caught up that
phrase ?â€
“From Peggy Dobie,†she replied.
“From Peggy Dobie; but, my love, have I
LEILA AT HOME. 29
not told you that I do not wish you to acquire
Peggy Dobie’s mode of expressing yourself ?
I shall regret my promise of allowing Peggy
to remove to Woodlands, if you are to adopt
her phrases, and try to imitate her mode of
speaking.â€
“But, papa, I promise you I will not, and
I dare say our governess would not like me
to speak in that way either. I hope she
will come to us very soon; how soon do
you think, papa? in a few days !—our
governess I mean. I know Peggy Dobie
cannot be here so soon, or my pets either:
how delightful it will be when they all
arrive, what a world of happiness it will be
then !â€
“* My dear Leila, I have already told you
that I hope this lady, if we succeed in en-
gaging her, may prove a real blessing and
advantage to you; but you must not allow
your imagination to run away with you in
this way, or suppose that you are imme-
diately to find her in every way delightful ;
she is a person who has experienced severe
trials; her husband lost a large fortune by
30 LEILA AT HOME,
the failure of a bank with which he was
connected; he died soon after, leaving her
and one little girl, totally unprovided for.
Her sister has taken this girl to be educated
with her own chifdren, and Mrs. Roberts
has for some time past been looking out for
a situation as governess. Your aunt has a
high idea of her principles, and was much
struck by the truly Christian way in which
she has borne up under her misfortunes ;
and having resided several years abroad,
she speaks both French and Italian with
facility, and is besides an excellent musi-
cian. All this makes her a most desirable
person, but the sorrows she has gone through
may probably make her graver than you may
at first think agreeable; and you must re-
member, besides, that a governess has an
arduous task to perform, and many difficul-
ties to combat.â€
“ What difficulties, papa?â€
“The difficulties, my love, of having three
little girls to correct, to control, and to in-
struct.â€
Leila repeated the word correct.
LEILA AT HOME, 31
“ Yes, my love,†Mr. Howard continued,
“Mrs. Roberts would be unworthy of our
confidence, and neglectful of her duty, if
she did not correct your faults.â€
“ But, papa, she would only have two to
correct: Selina is quite perfect; don’t you
think so, papa ?â€
“ No, my love; I know no one in this
world who is perfect, and Selina, though
several years older than you are, is still
very young, and requires much care and
instruction to form her character; but she
has fewer faults than any other little girl I
know—she is indeed singularly amiable ;
Mrs. Roberts, I have no doubt, will think
herself very fortunate in having such a
pupil.â€
“ And what will she think about me,
papa?†she anxiously inquired.
“ Why, she will probably think that she
has got rather an impetuous little woman to
manage, one who often allows her imagina-
tion to get the better of her.†But seeing
Leila’s downcast face, he added,—“ yet I -
feel sure also that she will not be long of
32 LEILA AT HOME.
loving my little girl, though she is not per-
fect; and now, Leila,†he continued, “ have
you any idea of what is to be done to-
day ?â€
“ No, papa, I have no idea. Are we to
begin our lessons again? Oh, no! I see
you have a plan—I see it in your face. Do
tell me: I am sure you have something
pleasant to tell.â€
“ Yes,†Mr. Howard answered, “ I think
you will like the arrangements for this fore-
noon. I have just been proposing to your
aunt that we should visit Woodlands, that
you may see your future home, my child;
and we have settled that you young folks
are to walk there with Nurse and Amy, and
I have ordered the open carriage to drive
your uncle and aunt; we shall probably be
there first to receive you.â€
“ Papa, how delightful! May I run and
tell Selina and Matilda the good news? and
Alfred, may he go too ?â€
“ Certainly, my love.â€
“ Well then, I am off—how delightful to
have so much to tell; and I may speak
LEILA AT HOME. 33
about our governess also, papa, may I
not ?â€
“Yes, my love, you may; but your aunt
has probably by this time mentioned the
subject to your cousins; I know she in-
tended doing so this morning.â€
34 LEILA AT HOME.
CHAPTER IV.
Wuen Leila entered the school-room
Selina was reading, but Matilda stood gaz-
ing out at the window with rather a dis-
turbed expression of countenance. “ Well,
Cousin Leila,†she said, “ we have news for
you, and not very good news either. Now
all the day long it will be,—‘ Hold up your
head, Miss Leila,†‘Why do you walk in
that awkward way, Miss Matilda? ‘ How
troublesome you are; I wish you would
take example by your elder sister—one
awkward trick after another—I really must
complain of you to Mrs. Stanley.’ Yes,
Selina, you need not shake your head at
LEILA AT HOME. 35
me and look so grave; Leila will look
grave also when she knows the truth. Yes,
Leila, I was quite right, it is all settled, we
are to have a governess ; so no more plea-
sant days forus. Botheration, botheration.â€
Leila had not been able to resist laughing
at first; but she checked herself, and re-
mained silent.
Selina spoke. “Oh, Matilda! how can
you speak in this way, and after all mamma
has been just saying? and you seemed to
feel it so.â€
“Yes, I know I am wrong; and when
mamma was speaking to me I felt very
sorry, and I resolved I would try to please
this Mrs. Roberts, or rather mamma, for I
would rather please mamma than any one
in the whole world ; but, Leila, you looked
when you came in as if you had something
joyful to say, if you have, please to say it,
for we need good news very much to-day.â€
But no sooner had Leila communicated
the pleasant intelligence of the proposed
visit to Woodlands, than all traces of sor-
row were banished from Matilda’s face ; she
D2
36 LEILA AT HOME.
was in ecstacies, and, flying across the
room, she dashed the book from Selina’s
hands, and throwing her arms round her
neck, she exclaimed,—“ Now no more read-
ing to-day, if you please Mrs. Demure;
this is what I call the rignt kind of a holi-
day—how merry we shall be. Well, I do
think Uncle Howard makes most delightful
plans; how do you manage, Leila, to get
him to do so many nice things ?â€
“T don’t manage,†Leila answered; “ he
is always thinking of doing kind things to
me and everybody, and he has told me all
about our governess, and made me _ like
having one more than I[ did at first; I will
tell you about it as we go along, for we are
to walk, you know, and we must make
haste and get ready, that papa and uncle
and aunt may not be there long before us.â€
The walk proved every way delightful.
The sky so brightly blue, the sunshine
splendid, and the woods, now tinted with
the glowing hues of autumn, gave additional
beauty to the scene. Here and there a so-
litary unprotected tree, standing out from
LEILA AT HOME. 37
the others, might have given warning to
more contemplative minds that winter and
its storms were approaching ; but there was
no winter in their young hearts—all was
fresh, gay, and green, and withered leaves
brought to them no memory of blighted
hopes, and of a world of many sorrows.
The distance could not be two miles, they
all agreed, though Matilda and Alfred did
their best to lengthen it, by continuing,
during every few yards of their progress, to
run up a little bank by the side of the road
and down again, assuring the others that it
was by far the quickest way of getting
on, but Leila greatly preferred walking
quietly straight forward with Selina; it
was always a particular pleasure to her to
have Selina entirely to herself. She now
related to her all her papa had told her of
Mrs. Roberts, and many were the good reso-
lutions made by both, that they would do all
they could to make her situation pleasant
to her. As they came in sight of a pretty-
looking house, standing in a small garden,
Leila stopped.
38 LEILA AT HOME,
“Took Selina,†she said, “JI think that
must be Woodlands, had we not better ask
some one if it is?â€
A countryman came up to them at that
moment, walking very quickly, and was
about to pass on before. Leila ran for-
ward.
“Pray do stop,†she said, “if you are
not very busy, and tell us if that is Wood-
lands.â€
The man turned back and looked at her
with astonishment.
“Dear heart, young lady, but you must
be a stranger in these parts—that Wood-
lands, that? It would be but a humble post
indeed to open the park gates to them good
people, a very decent family too, I mean to
say nothing disrespectful, but Woodlands,
bless your heart, Woodlands is one of the
principalest houses in the whole country-
side. Do you see that beautiful great house
standing on the height there, with the broad
terrace and the pleasure-grounds sloping
down to the river, and them grand woods
on each side, shutting out the summer’s sun
LEILA AT HOME. 39
and the winter’s blasts ?’—that’s Woodlands,
and it’s not every day you will see its like;
but you are pleasant-looking young ladies
to my mind, and if you have a fancy to see
Woodlands, though it’s not to every one I
would say as much, I have no objections
to unlock the gates for you, for once and
away.â€
“ And are the gates always locked ?†Leila
timidly inquired ; then added, “ papa told
us to go there.â€
“No, no, my young lady; it’s not papas
or mammas either that can give that per-
mission. As long as my head’s above
ground, there shall no promiscuous com-
pany enter there ; but never vex your sweet
heart,†he continued, more mildly, (observ-
ing Leila’s expression of blank dismay,)
“never vex your heart; you shall see the
place for all that ;†then added with a sigh,
“but Woodlands has gotten a new master,
one Squire Howard, they tell me—a fine
man from the Indies. Heaven send he may
be a kind one; but they tell queer stories
about him too. It was I that showed the
40 LEILA AT HOME,
two gentlemen that came to settle about it
all over the place, and they said something
of his having lived in a desert island, a
Robinson Crusoe sort. of an affair that I
could not make out at all ; but if we are to
have a master from a desert island, I hope
he will keep more company about him than
his man Friday, or Woodlands will be a
changed place.â€
“My papa had no man Friday with him
in the island,†Leila meekly answered ;
“but we do not live there now. We came
into the world last May, and our man-ser-
vant’s name is John; in the island we had
only Nurse—look, she is coming up to us
now, and she is to be my papa’s house-
keeper at Woodlands.â€
The ruddy face of the countryman became
actually pale, as he pulled off his hat, and
stood immoveable before Leila.
“My master’s daughter ; it’s not possible.
Surely —~â€
Matilda, who from the moment she had
joined them, had continued walking with
the others, and had hitherto remained won-
LEILA AT HOME. Al
derfully silent, could now no longer restrain
herself.
“You may indeed look surprised,†she
said, “for you have made a fine mistake.
Yes, it is quite true: you have all this time
been speaking to Miss Howard. She is the
young mistress of Woodlands. And now
will you open the gates ?â€
“Don’t, Matilda, pray don’t,†Leila ex-
claimed, in a voice of entreaty; “do you
not see how sorry he looks ?†then turning
with a smile to the poor man, who still re-
mained uncovered before them, “ Do put on
your hat,†she said; “the sun is hurting
your eyes, and you need not be the least
sorry for what you have said. I daresay
you were told to take care of Woodlands,
and you are quite right to take care of it;
that was just the way Nurse used to watch
over everything in the island, only there we
had no gates to lock.â€
In a few minutes longer they had reached
the lodge, a pretty small thatched house in
the cottage style, with a profusion of china
roses and honeysuckles on its white walls.
42 LEILA AT HOME.
Leila instantly thought how delightfully it
would have suited Peggy Dobie, but she
did not say so. The gates were no longer
shut, they stood most invitingly open; a
tidy, pleasant-looking young woman seemed
to have been watching for them at the door
of the cottage.
“Oh, Bill, Bill,†she exclaimed, “you
have been long, and to have been away to-
day of all days in the year, and a fine lady
and gentleman away up the approach in
the carriage, and the squire himself, and
a kind, civil spoken gentleman he seems
to be.†|
But the young people were too impatient
to listen to further details ; the moment they
entered the gates they bounded forward.
The windings of the approach, though cal-
culated to show the finest trees on the pro-
perty, they thought much too long, and by
the time they reached the house they were
breathless with impatience. Mr. Howard,
who had been watching them from the
window, was at the door to meet them.
“Welcome to all of you,†he said, and he
LEILA AT HOME. 43
stooped down and kissed Leila repeatedly ;
“welcome to your future home, my Leila ;
may it be a happy home to you, my dearest
child.â€
Leila seemed at first quite bewildered ;
the entrance hall seemed to be so large, the
drawing-room larger sti/]. The windows of
the drawing-room opened on a trellised bal-
cony, festooned with creeping plants, and
filled with rare and beautiful flowers; a
broad flight of steps, with stone balustrades
on each side, and large vases, with the
scarlet pomegranate and pink oleander in
full bloom, led from this balcony to the
terrace below; and beyond this terrace the
velvet turf, interspersed with beds of gay
and fragrant flowers, sloped down to the
edge of the broad river, on which many
little boats were gliding up and down; hap-
pily no steamboat being in sight on this
first-favoured moment.
All were loud in their expressions of ad-
miration; they had never seen anything
more beautiful; but though Leila admired,
44 LEILA AT HOME.
she seemed still bewildered, and almost
more oppressed than pleased.
“Tt is very beautiful,†she said, “very
beautiful; but how shall I ever be able to
manage such a house as this ?â€
Selina whispered, “ Don’t distress your-
self, Leila, it is not till you are grown up
that you will have to manage; your papa
will do it now, and my mamma will help
him.â€
Leila brightened a little, but still looked
anxiously round the room: “Surely it is
very large,†she said.
It was Matilda’s observation, “ Young
mistress of Woodlands,†that had done all
this; poor Leila was weighed down to the
ground with a sudden sense of her respon-
sibilities; to common observers she was a
simple child, young, even for her years ; but
there was often a deep under-current of
thought about her, to be discovered only in
the changes of her expressive countenance,
and in the hesitating, varied tones of her
voice.
LEILA AT HOME. 45
Mr. Howard understood her: “ We will
manage all for you very nicely,†he said ;
“so, my dear Leila, do not be afraid; and
this room will not look so large when it is
furnished, and we have sofas, and chairs,
and large tables, and little tables, and all
sorts of pretty things in it; and it certainly
will not be too large if we succeed in having
all the kind friends around us at Christmas
whom I hope we shall have. Your aunt,
uncle, and cousins, Mr. and Mrs. Herbert,
and Maria, and perhaps the Selbys, with
Louisa, who knows ?â€
Leila, from the moment of entering the
house, had been working herself up, and
struggling against comfort; but comfort, in
the shape of such a Christmas party as this,
who could resist? She quickly gave her-
self up to all its happy influences, and when
her papa led her into the adjoining break-
fast-room, which was small, and leading
into a spacious and beautiful conservatory,
she was in ecstacies.
“My birds, my birds,†she exclaimed,
“my turtle-doves, my parrots, how they will
46 LEILA AT HOME.
enjoy it. They will think this more beau-
tiful than their green parlour.â€
All was sunshine to her again; it was a
moment of exquisite happiness, such happi-
ness as is only to be felt in very early life,
before the sad memories of the past, and
the shadows of coming evils, have dimmed
its brightness.
The young people returned home in high
spirits; Leila forgetting every care in the
remembrance of the beautiful conservatory,
and in anticipating the enjoyment of her
birds in taking possession of it; and Ma-
tilda far too much excited to allow any of
them to rest, even for a moment.
“Come,†she said, “ we will act a play
now ;†and flying into the passage, she seized
her papa’s hat, placed it on one side on her
head, tied over her dress a green linen pin-
afore of Alfred’s to imitate a blouse, and
returning into the room, “ Now,†she said,
“T will be Bill; you, cousin Leila, are to
be talking very gravely with Selina, con-
sulting her how you are to order the dinner
at Woodlands when I come up to you; and
LEILA AT HOME. 47
you, Alfred, are to be the pit, and stamp
with your feet, and call out very loud.â€
“But why,†Leila exclaimed, “ should
poor Alfred be in the pit? I don’t like
that, it puts me in mind of such melancholy
things,—Joseph and his wicked brothers,
you know,—and he called out and they
would not listen; and the cruel thing we
did ourselves; we put the poor goats into
the pit ; but papa said that was a necessary
evil.â€
Matilda laughed : “ You are so odd,†she
said ; “it is not that sort of pit at all. I
never saw it myself, but Lydia told me
about it,—it is a place where all the gentle-
men sit in rows to see the play, and they
stamp very loud with their feet, and call out
encore ; encore means—say it again; don’t
forget that, Alfred.â€
Leila was quite relieved and satisfied,
and the play proceeded ; and so admirably
did Matilda imitate Bill’s voice and man-
ner, and so complete was the picture when
she drew off the hat, and stood with a face
of mute dismay before them, that Selina
48 LEILA AT HOME.
and Leila were convulsed with laughter; as
to little Alfred, he stamped so loud, and
called encore so often, that even Matilda,
with all her love of amusement, was fairly
exhausted.
“Now,†she said, “we have had enough
of this; let us play at Nurse’s play now, let
us play at being rational beings, and sit
down quietly to our work: now there’s a
proposal for you, Selina, what do you say
to that; JI am going to turn over an en-
tirely new leaf, and I will begin with put-
ting back this hat into its right place, and
folding up this crumpled pinafore so very
nicely that Nurse will say it is fresh out of
the fold. Now it is all done, and I declare
you have got out your work already ; well,
here is mine, and we can sit down comfort-
ably and converse about our future lives.â€
“Yes,†Leila said, “ that will be a de-
lightful subject.â€
“T don’t know that,†Matilda replied ;
“you are forgetting about the governess ;
she is to be here very soon, if she can come.
Mamma wrote to her this morning ; she bid
LEILA AT HOME. 49
me hold the taper when she was sealing the
letter, and I could not help thinking how
nice it would be if I could give a little push
and set the letter on fire.â€
“Oh, Matilda,†Selina exclaimed, “ how
sorry you make me; why do you talk in
this way, and why should your future life
not be happy, because we are to have a
governess to save mamma trouble; you
know she is not very strong, and she is not
able to manage us herself.â€
“'To manage me, you should say, Selina ;
but how can my future life be happy,
when she will be for ever finding fault with
me ?â€
“But why do you think so? It is quite
in your own power to go on happily with
her; she will not find fault with you unless
you deserve it, and surely you would not
wish to grow up in your faults; you could
not have a happy future life if you are not
good, for you have a conscience, Matilda,
and after a little you are always sorry when
you do wrong.†|
“TI am, Selina; you know me very well ;
E
00 LEILA AT HOME.
but then I am so often bad, and so often
sorry, that there is no great happiness about
my life after all, even though I have not a
governess. Well, we shall sce if she makes
this great change.â€
“She cannot make the change, Matilda,
she can only tell you what is right; and
you cannot do it, either, of yourself. You
must pray for the Spirit of God to come
into your heart, and to make you really
sorry for your faults, and really anxious to
do what is right.â€
“ But I am really anxious,†Matilda an-
swered; “and I am always wishing I could
be as good as you are.â€
“[ wish you would not say that so often ;
I am not good.â€
“Oh, if you are not good, and you expect
me to be better than you are, it is a bad
business! I need not try.â€
“ Why do you talk in that way? You do
not know all the foolish things I think of
and wish to do; but remember, Matilda
the lesson I have had, and the great bless-
ing God has given me. Before I had made
LEILA AT HOME. 51
up my mind to be always dumb, I used
often to pray to Him, and promise that if
He would open my lips, I would try to be
more and more His child, and praise Him
with my life as well as with my heart; and
when I read of Jesus Christ opening the
eyes of the blind, and making the dumb to
speak, I used to have such deep sorrow,
that sometimes I could scarcely bear it; I
used to shut myself up alone and say to
myself, Why did I notlive then? Surely if
' IT had asked Him myself, and He had seen
my sorrow, He would have listened. Oh, it
was a sinful thought.â€
“ But why was it sinful ?†Matilda asked.
“It was sinful, because it was doubting
His wisdom, for He knew what was best for
me; it was also doubting His power, for in
heaven He equally hears our prayers and
sees our sorrows; and the miracles He
worked on earth are not greater than those
which are everywhere around us. The
spring and summer coming again, and
bringing up the flowers, and making the
dead earth so green and beautiful, are mira-
E 2
o2 LEILA AT HOME.
cles of His power; and the very miracle I
asked for was granted—granted in a mo-
ment—my lips were opened ; from that time
I made my resolution †She stopped
and coloured.
“What resolution?†Matilda eagerly
asked.
“ The resolution that I would try to think
of Him more than I had ever done before ;
that I would be part of every day alone, not
to ask for more worldly blessings, but to
thank Him for giving me more than I ever
can deserve.â€
“* And so this is the reason,†Matilda said,
“why you go away in the forenoon and
lock your door. I never could find out what
you were doing; once I thought I would
look through the keyhole, and I went on
tip-toe, but then I remembered mamma
saying that was a mean, low habit, and I
did not. But you do another thing, Selina,
which you never used to do before; in the
morning, after you have read the Bible, you
turn over and over the pages, as if you were
looking for something. What are you doing
then, for you cannot be reading ?â€
LEILA AT HOME, 53
“T am finding out texts. Every day I
search for a text, and an answer to it, and
I get them by heart; it helps to keep good
thoughts in my mind during the day.â€
“And you never told me a word of all
this,†Matilda said, reproachfully ; “and if
you had, it might have made me better, and
I could have learned texts also. Why did
you not tell me ?â€
Selina looked distressed, and coloured.
“T believe I was wrong, but I always feel
ashamed to talk on those subjects before
any one; I fear it is a false shame ?â€
“No, Selina, no,†Leila said quickly :
“my papa explained to me about that; to
be sure, to Matilda or to me you might have
said it, for he told me that with a very dear
friend it was a delightful subject, but that
in the world I must not talk about God as
I used to do in the island ; I must try to
think of Him constantly just the same, and
always ask myself how He would wish me
to act, but I must not say so before indiffer-
ent people (that means worldly people).
He says before worldly people it may do
54 LEILA AT HOME.
harm, for their minds may not be in a good
frame at the moment, and it might make
them worse, and might make them turn
away; and even before good people I
should not talk in this way, for good people
may be shocked, and think it too sacred a
subject to be talked of before many; but,
Selina, I would like to do all that you have
been telling me you do; I would like to
find out texts also, and try to keep them in
my mind, for it is not so easy to be good
here as in the island, so many new things
come into my mind here. What was the
text you found out for to-day ?â€
“Tt was from the Psalms: ‘ Blessed be
God which hath not turned away my prayer,
nor his mercy from me.’â€
“ And what answer did you find?†Leila
inquired.
“My answer was also from the Psalms:
‘I sought the Lord and he heard me, and
delivered me from all my fears.’â€
“ And it was an excellent answer,†Leila
observed, “and very comforting. I am so
glad, Selina, you have told me of this plan.
LEILA AT HOME. 55
i know a great many texts, for you know in
the island I had no other book to read but
the Bible, but I never thought of this plan ;
I wish I had.â€
Tears stood in Matilda’s eyes: “I do not
know the Bible by heart as Leila does,â€
she said; “ but you, Selina, will find out a
text to suit me, and I will learn it,†and she
rose and left the room.
“T must go to her,†Selina said; “she is
a dear, kind sister to me, and always so
sorry when she does wrong.â€
Leila was left alone. “Such a happy
home preparing for me, and so many to
love,†she whispered to herself; and clasp-
ing her hands together, she looked up for
a moment, then left the room to seek her
father.
56 LEILA AT HOME,
CHAPTER V.
NEARLY a month had passed rapidly
away : Mr. Howard had been much in Lon-
don during the mornings, selecting furni-
ture for Woodlands, and giving many ne-
cessary orders for their future comfort ; and
Mrs. Stanley had been well pleased to find
that the joint example of Selina and Leila
appeared to have a beneficial effect on Ma-
tilda; the daily lessons went on smoothly
and well. Matilda now learned her texts
regularly, and after the first few days, had
always selected them for herself; and these
texts generally evinced, not only a know-
ledge of her own faults, but a sincere desire
LEILA AT HOME. 57
to get the better of them: the text for that
morning had been, “Remember not the
sins of my youth, nor my transgressions :
according to thy mercy remember thou me,
for thy goodness’ sake, O Lord.â€
And the answer she had selected was, “I
have blotted out as a thick cloud thy trans-
gressions, and as a cloud thy sins: return
upto me, for I have redeemed thee.â€
During this period Woodlands had been
frequently visited. Leila had become more
and more pleased with the grounds, and the
beautiful walks with which it abounded.
Mr. Howard had selected a pretty little
cottage near the poultry-yard for Peggy
Dobie, and Lelia -had had much delight in
seeing the china roses, and several pretty
creepers, trained on its white walls, and the
little garden put in nice order, and well
stocked with useful winter vegetables. She
had asked the gardener to put up a green
turf seat in a warm corner of the garden;
he had humbly proposed that it should be
in the shade, but Leila said no—that Peggy
Dobie always sat in the sun when she
58 LEILA AT HOME.
watched her bees, and that she said, “ The
sun was gude baith for bees and bodies, and
gladdened her auld heart.â€
Peggy had been allowed time to visit her
friends before leaving her country, but the
period was now approaching for her arrival,
and Leila’s gay spirits were in full flow.
Selina, the cat, and one solitary parrot, had
been poor substitutes for the loss of all the
other favourites ; above all, the absence of
Dash had been particularly felt and mourned
over. “ Now,†she said, “I have but a few
days to wait, and I can scarce count up all
the pleasures that are coming upon me ;—
Woodlands, and all the Christmas party,
with all the friends that I love; and
Dash, and Peggy Dobie, and all my birds
and turtle doves again,—joy, nothing but
joy.â€
The morning in which Peggy Dobie was
to embark with her precious cargo rose
calm and bright. The wind, which had
been threatening to rise the day before, was
completely lulled, and Leila had been re-
joicing in the brightness of the day, and
LEILA AT HOME. 59
had watched the sun go down im golden
splendour. Later in the evening, however,
the wind began to rise again, but not so as
at all to alarm her, and Leila’s tranquil
sleep was unbroken by the coming storm,
the loud howling of the blast amidst the trees,
and the sound of distant thunder—it was a
fearful night. Mr. Howard had more than
once left his bed to look out upon the
scene of desolation, for the ground was
strewed with branches from the trees, and
the clouds were driving before the wind
with unceasing velocity. It recalled to his
mind that dreadful night when he seemed
about to part with all most dear to him, and
though deeply grateful for the present safety
of one so loved, he yet felt painfully anx-
ious for those that might now be in similar
circumstances. The good old woman too,
whom he had been the means of removing
from her quiet home! he thought what
Leila’s grief would be, and his own regrets,
if aught of ill befel her. Of all this threat-
ened danger Leila was in ignorance till
60 LEILA AT HOME.
awakened next morning by Nurse; her face
of dismay Leila was too sleepy to oe
but her words were startling.
“Oh, Miss Leila !†she exclaimed, “ poor,
poor Peggy Dobie, and our valuable Dash,
and al] the poor dumb animals.â€
“What is it, Nurse,†Leila cried, starting
up and rubbing her eyes ; “ are they arrived ?
—but no ; that is not possible ; they cannot
arrive for two days yet. What has hap-
pened? why do you look so? Oh, tell me ?â€
“ Calm yourself, my dear Miss Leila. It
was not like my usual prudence to frighten
you in this way ; but did you not hear the
awful wind in the night? listen to it now,
how it roars.â€
Leila was out of bed in a moment, and
gazing from the window. The lawn was
strewed with leaves and branches from the
trees ; one branch lay across the doorway,
so very large, it seemed an entire tree. She
shuddered. Mr. Howard entered the room
at this moment, and lifting her in his arms,
he replaced her in bed, and sat down be-
side her.
LEILA AT HOME. 61
Leiia’s long dark eyelashes were wet
with tears ; her cheeks were very pale, and
she trembled violently. Mr. Howard stooped
down and kissed her forehead.
“You were wrong to leave your bed, my
child, you are very cold—and cold also, I
fear, from excessive agitation. Now, dear
Leila, give me a proof this day that you are
endeavouring to gain more command over
your feelings, and let me see that you do
not give way to what are, I trust, unneces-
sary fears.â€
“Unnecessary ?†she replied, in a low
voice. “ Papa do you remember Clara ?â€
“Yes, my dear child, I do remember;
but I remember also that there is One
whose arm is mighty to save. He can say
to the angry waves, ‘be still; and without
His knowledge ‘not a sparrow falls to the
ground.’ He took Clara to Himself, and
He saved us from further trial. He willed
it so—let us trust to Him entirely. He
alone, who knows the end from the be-
ginning, can make all work together for
good.â€
62 LEILA AT HOME.
Leila hastily brushed the tears from her
eyes, and laid her little hand on her papa’s.
Mr. Howard started, it was so very cold;
but she struggled for composure, and said
in a calm voice,—“ Yes, papa, I will try to
think of all this, and my text for to-day
shall be, ‘The waves of the sea are mighty
and rage horribly, but yet the Lord who
dwelleth on high is mightier: for he maketh
the storm to cease, so that the waves thereof
are still.†Now kiss me, papa, and please
send Amy to help me to dress, and when
I have been to your room to say my
prayers and to read to you, I am sure I
shall feel quite comforted again, and you
shall see that I am getting command, papa.â€
Leila kept her promise. Not a moment
did she give way to outward emotion, but
during that day many an anxious expres-
sion passed over her sweet face, for the
storm continued to rage fearfully, and the
party were constantly startled from their
seats by the crashing sound of some large
branch from the surrounding trees. These
creaking and crashing sounds constantly
LEILA AT HOME. 63
brought a frightful moment to Leila’s imagi-
nation, and no one was without anxiety, for
it was impossible to believe but that such
a storm must bring disastrous consequences
to many an anxious heart. Selina seldom
left Leila’s side for a moment, and made
constant efforts to draw her into conversa-
tion ; and Matilda, as every fresh gust of wind
arose, exerted herself in every way she
could think of to divert her attention from
the scene without. Later in the day it
began to rain heavily, and the wind fell,
and towards evening the sky cleared, and
the moon shone out so bright, so calm, its
mild rays shed instant peace and hope into
Leila’s young heart, and she lay down to
sleep with many bright anticipations of the
morrow.
The morrow came, the lawn looked fresh
and green, all traces of the storm had been
removed, and eyery surrounding object
seemed rejoicing in the sunshine. Leila
proposed that after the lessons they should
walk with Nurse and Amy to Woodlands
64 . LEILA AT HOME.
to see if all was in order in Peggy Dobie’s
cottage for her reception in the evening.
“T am sorry,†she said, “that she is not
to arrive here at first with my pets, for we
cannot know the very moment, and it will
take some time for Bill to send us the mes-
sage. How nice it would be if we had a
carrier-pigeon, papa, then it could fly to
us in a moment; when we are staying at
Woodlands, perhaps you will allow me to
teach a carrier-pigeon, then I can send
letters to Selina and Matilda whenever I
wish to tell them anything. Eh, papa? is
not this a nice little plan? But you have
not answered me yet if we may go to Wood-
lands.â€
“Why, my dear child, so many nice
little plans from you come popping out,
one after another, that it is not easy to an-
swer them all; but I have no objection to
your going to Woodlands, only remember,
Leila, that it is not at all certain that Peggy
will arrive this evening; the steam-boat
will probably have been detained by the
storm.â€
LEILA AT HOME, 65
“Well papa, I will try to be very pa-
tient ; but I don’t think it will be detained ;
I think that perhaps the wind will have
blown it on much quicker; so we must be
quick also. You know, papa, you say we
must not anticipate evils, or give way to
imaginary fears, eh, papa?â€
“Get along, little woman,†was all Mr.
Howard’s answer, as he patted her head,
and the next moment she was gone.
As soon as the lessons were over, the
young party proceeded merrily on their way
to Woodlands. They soon reached the
lodge, and found Bill at his post, who
opened the gates, and gave them entrance
with the greatest alacrity ; and when in-
formed of their intention to visit Peggy
Dobie’s cottage, took down a large key that
hung behind his own door, and prepared to
lead the way. He would not hear of
Nurse’s proposal to save him that trouble.
“What!†he said, “was he not proud to
do that small service for his master’s daugh-
ter, or any of her friends—he hoped to do
F
66 LEILA AT HOME.
many a greater service than that for the
family ere long.â€
They were all much pleased with the
perfect order in which they found every-
thing around the cottage, and still more
delighted with all within. Mr. Howard had
indeed done his part; the little bed-room
looked so comfortable, with its nice tidy
bed in one corner, its chest of drawers, its
white deal table, with basin, ewer, &c., all,
in short, was complete. And then the kit-
chen—the kitchen was a picture indeed ;
there stood the pretty chairs, and the small
round table of walnut-tree, looking so
bright, which Leila had entreated her papa
to procure for Peggy. In a corner next
the latticed window, was a small cupboard
with a glass door, showing such pretty cups,
saucers, and glasses within, as could not
fail soon to become the pride of Peggy’s
heart. Above the small dresser there were
shelves with plates, and dishes, and bowls,
and mugs innumerable, and close by the
door a cuckoo clock was ticking cheerily.
LEILA AT HOME. . 67
They all looked round in perfect ecsta-
sles.
“Tt is most delightful,†Leila exclaimed ;
“ there is just one thing that could be better ;
this arm-chair for Peggy should be turned
round to the hearth, a cat should be lying
before it, and a nice fire burning. Were
you able to find peats in this country ?†she
said, turning to Bill; “ you know I begged
you to try.†)
“Yes, yes,†Matilda said, “he did find
them—I saw them in a box behind the
door.†She was off in a moment, and re-
turned with a couple in her hand.
“Now, Nurse, dear Nurse,†Leila said,
coaxingly, “do let me light Peggy’s first
fire myself—you know how very kind she
was to me; now there’s a good Nurse, I see
you are going to let me—you have your
good-natured face on, though you are shak-
ing your head; but I know what you mean
by shaking it—you think I shall dirty my
hands, and that it is not a young lady’s
work; but peats don’t dirty the hands—I
F 2
68 LEILA AT HOME.
am only going to put on peats and wood,
you know.â€
“Oh, Miss Leila, Miss Leila, you have
such a way with me.â€
“ But, Nurse, you know you say your-
self that I should not have useless hands
and be a fine lady. There, now I see it is
yes by yur eyes. Matilda, give me that
match-box from the chimney-piece.†She
was on her knees on the hearth, and had
struck a light in a moment.
“Now, Selina, take the bellows, and blow
very gently while I am crumpling down a
little of the peat; that’s it. Oh, how nice!
See what a blaze already—now for the
wood; we must put the wood behind, and
more peats in the front—how it burns; is
not this charming ?â€
Bill stood looking on in mute astonish-
ment. “ Well,†he said at last, “ desert
island, or no desert island, you are a handy
little miss; see when a London young
lady would have kindled a fire in such a
fashion,—but you seem all of one stamp.
Heaven be praised for such a family !â€
LEILA AT HOME. 69
“There is still one thing wanting,â€
Leila said, “still the cat. Peggy will not
think herself at home without a cat upon
the hearth. You are so good-natured,†she
continued, looking up in Bill’s face, “ per-
haps you would be so very kind as to give
us your cat, just for one day, till Peggy has
time to unpack her own.â€
Bill smiled. “There is nothing in my
house that I would not give,†he replied,
“to pleasure my young mistress ; but, bless
your heart, the cats in our country would
never abide on a strange hearth. Our cat
would be through the window in no time, [
am afeard.â€
“It was very foolish in me to propose
this,†Leila answered, “for I dare say all
cats are the same, and our Selina almost
mewed her heart out when she was first put
into the ship —she can’t bear strange places
either.â€
Once more she looked around the room
to see if all was perfect; the small latticed
window, with the China-roses clustering in
about it, she was sure would delight Peggy,
70 LEILA AT HOME.
for Peggy was so fond of flowers; might
they not gather a few, and make a nosegay
for the middle of the table. The next mo-
ment they were all in the little garden—the
flowers were quickly gathered and arranged,
and after giving Bill many injunctions to
be so very kind as to step up frequently
and put more wood on the fire, and also to
be quite sure to send off a quick messenger
the very moment Peggy and the pets en-
tered the gates, they left the cottage.
They had not time to enter the house at
Woodlands, where all with regard to fur-
nishing had been going on prosperously,
but they had seen what had been done
there more than once. Leila had thought
it all beautiful, but she had a simple taste ;
she really did not like fine things, and her
only request with regard to the furnishing
had been, “ Nothing fine in my room, papa
—please, nothing fine ; just a nice little
bed with white dimity curtains, and a large
sea-grass mat under my little washhand-
stand, for I don’t like to wash, and dash,
and splash on a Brussels carpet.â€
LEILA AT HOME. 71
The rest of the day passed in pleasant
expectation, but towards evening the young
people got very restless indeed, and little
Alfred was perpetually popping out at the
door and running a little way down the
gravel walk, in the hope of meeting
some one from Woodlands, and_bring-
ing the first intelligence ; but no carrier-
pigeon or swift messenger of any kind ar-
rived; and at a later hour than usual the
young people retired to rest, disappointed,
but not alarmed. ‘To-morrow was a new
day, and to-morrow would bring all they
wished. But to-morrow came; it was a
long trying day of expectation, and still no
tidings were received. It was with great
difficulty that they could attend at all to
their lessons; but Mrs. Stanley was very
indulgent, and repeated most of them her-
self; and the moment they were over, she
despatched them all to count over their
clothes, and to put their drawers in order;
to be busy and active was what she parti-
cularly required of them on that long, long
day. It came to an end at last, and they
72 LEILA AT HOME.
went early to bed; but Mr. Howard had
now become seriously uneasy, and next
morning, as soon as breakfast was over,
went to London to inquire at the steam-
boat office if they had received any intelli-
gence with regard to the “ Victoria.â€
Leila’s face brightened as she saw him
depart; the very idea that he would bring
back intelligence quite raised her spirits ;
she never for a moment dreaded that this
intelligence might not be favourable.
Mr. Howard returned sooner than was
expected, but he had learned nothing.
Neither the Victoria, nor the other steam-
boat which had sailed on the same day, had
come in, and the owners were in much
anxiety, as there were reports of several
wrecks on the coast. This last part of the
intelligence received, Mr. Howard did not
communicate to Leila, but he looked anx-
ious, and she knew his face too well not to
feel considerable alarm. Next day he again
went to London. Mrs. Stanley saw it would
be too much to ask any of them to attend
to their lessons; Leila was beginning to
LEILA AT HOME. | 73
have a pale, exhausted look; she therefore
gave Selina a book of natural history to
read to them aloud, while the other two
worked by the window. Poor Leila; she
did not listen much. She worked very
little, and looked out a great deal; after
some hours horse’s hoofs were heard on the
gravel walk ; she saw her papa alight at the
door ; her heart beat violently ; she felt un-
able to move; he looked up and smiled ;
she could not read that smile ; it was sweet
as usual, for was his smile ever otherwise
when it rested on her? But it was a
melancholy smile. He entered the room ;
they all clustered round him.
“The Victoria has come in,†he said.
Leila clapped her hands. “ My pets, my
pets,†she cried; “and Dash, and Peggy
Dobie—all—att safe !â€
“Dear child,†Mr. Howard continued,
looking anxiously at her, “ dear child, your
pets are safe, but Dash and Peggy—†he
stopped. 7
“What of them, papa? Oh tell me, tell
me quick—why do you look so grieved ?â€
74 LEILA AT HOME.
Mr. Howard drew her towards him. “ Try
to calm yourself, my beloved child, for you
have much to bear. Peggy and Dash are
not in the Victoria; they have not been seen
since the night of the storm.â€
“But how is that possible, papa? It
cannot be, they were in the ship—oh, yes
they were. I cannot understand what you
mean. I am not very frightened; say it all
out quick.â€
Mr. Howard then went on to say that he
had not been able to see the captain, and
had got but a confused account from two of
the sailors, but that both agreed in the same
story. The storm had been most fearful ;
they had anchored that dreadful night off
Scarborough, but with little hope of being
able to keep their anchor. They expected
every moment to be driven on the shore.
The passengers in the fore cabin were too
much frightened to keep below as they were
advised and entreated to do. A heavy sea
had swept the deck, and several of them
were washed overboard. Peggy, with Dash
by her side, had been seen on deck the
LEILA AT HOME. 75
moment before by both these sailors. The
night was frightfully dark, the sea running
mountains high; to save any of them was
impossible. Next morning both Peggy and
Dash were amongst those missing.
Leila for a moment did not utter a word,
she grew deadly pale, then throwing her
arms round her papa’s neck, she cried,
“ Lost to me, lost to me for ever! Oh, poor
Peggy, and my dear, dear Dash—my dear-
est friend—†but seeing her papa’s look of
distress, she stopped, then continued, “ [
am wrong, very, very wrong; I am vexing
you. Peggy herself said, if the dearest was
left, if she had him to love and him to listen
to—and have I not you, papa, and are you
not my dearest one, and so many besides
to love ?†and she drew Selina towards her,
and with her pocket-handkerchief she wiped
Selina’s eyes, then went on, “and it is bad
in me to be so sorry for Dash—for Peggy
is a human being—but Dash, my own Dash,
and twice he saved my life.†She covered
her face with her hands, and sobbed vio-
lently.
76 LEILA AT HOME.
Mr. Howard did not attempt to console
her, or to stop her tears; he lifted her
gently in his arms, and laying her on the
sofa, sat down beside her, clasping her hand
in his.
After some time she became more calm ;
she lifted his hand to her lips and kissed it,
then shutting her eyes she in a few minutes
dropped asleep; it was but a troubled sleep,
but all were thankful that it had brought
forgetfulness for the present. After some
time she awoke with a sudden start; slowly
she remembered all. Sad memories they
were which clouded her sweet face, and
tears again filled her eyes, but brushing
them hastily away, she said, ina low voice,
“The great trial has come to me at last,
and [ must bear it, but God will help me.â€
Then rising from the sofa she slowly left
the room.
Matilda sprang up to follow her, but
Selina held her back, and whispered in her
ear, “ You had better not, Matilda: I am
sure Leila has gone to her own room to
pray.â€
LEILA AT HOME. 77
Anxious to see the captain of the Vic-
toria, and if possible to obtain more intelli-
gence, Mr. Howard on the following morn-
ing again went to London, but to his dis-
appointment found that the vessel had
sailed on her downward passage a few
hours before. A gentleman came into the
office while he was there to inquire for one
of his trunks which was missing, and Mr.
Howard found he had been a passenger in
the Victoria. He said he had been much
at sea, but had only once before been out
ina similar storm; that their escape had
been most providential, as several vessels
near them had been driven on shore. The
frightful accident which had taken place,
had thrown a heavy gloom on all; their
being unable to render any assistance had
been heart-rending; it was a moment, he
sald, he never could forget, but the dark-
ness of the night, and the violence of the
storm, had rendered all attempts impossi-
ble. Not half an hour after the wind had
fallen in some degree for a short time, and
a boat had put off from the shore; some of
78 LEILA AT HOME.
the passengers had taken advantage of this,
and had left the vessel; but it seemed to
him as if no boat could live in such a sea,
and he had, after some hesitation, resolved
to abide by the ship.
Leila listened in breathless agitation.
“And Peggy, papa, and Dash? did he say
nothing of them °â€
“He spoke of Dash, my love, with much
regret ; he said he was a most noble animal.
He seemed not to have been aware to whom
he belonged.â€
Leila sighed heavily. “A most noble
animal ; yes, he was noble, everybody loved
Dash.†‘Then taking her papa’s hand, she
looked anxiously up in his face and said,
“ Dash could swim so well; do you think,
papa, there is any
She stopped.
“Any hope, you would say, my love; I
fear, Leila, we must not trust to it, but the
same idea struck me, and before I left town
I wrote an advertisement, fully describing
Dash, and giving our adress; and this I]
sent to the ‘ Times’ newspaper office.â€
“ Oh, thank you, thank you, dear papa,â€
LEILA AT HOME. 79
and she hastily walked to the window and
looked out. She was determined not again
to give way.
Leila’s naturally buoyant spirits did not
long remain much depressed; still the sud-
den shock, after all her bright anticipations,
had been so great, that it left evident traces
in her appearance, and when any accidental
circumstance recalled the late events, a pang
of such acute sorrow shot through her frame
as it greatly pained Mr. Howard to witness,
and he was not sorry that neither Mr. and
Mrs. Herbert, nor the Selbys, had accepted
his invitation for Christmas ; the Selbys had
a family party that day, and the Herberts
were on a tour of visits; both parties, how-
ever, promised to be at Woodlands soon
after Christmas, and Mr. Herbert added,
that if Mr. Howard would allow him, he
would then be glad to introduce to him his
son, who would be at home for the holidays.
Christmas-day, therefore, would be spent in
a manner more congenial to the tone of
their present feelings; and Mr. Howard
arranged that they should not remove to
80 LEILA AT HOME.
Woodlands till a few days before, when
Leila could have the comfort of having her
uncle and aunt and her cousins with her.
The meeting with her pets again had
been very trying to Leila, and still more so
was her first visit to Peggy Dobie’s cottage ;
Susan, Bill’s wife, had been employed to
take charge of her pets for the present, till
some one could be found to fill the situa-
tion, and the cottage had continued locked
up. Matilda had in vain tried to dissuade
Leila from making this visit, but she said
she felt sure she would feel better when it
was over, for she thought of it so much;
and Selina seemed’ of the same opinion.
It appeared but as yesterday when she had
been there before, and with what different
feelings! there stood the glass with the
withered flowers, on the little table, and the
wood ashes lay cold upon the hearth. Leila
gazed earnestly on every object which be-
fore had given her such delight; the tears
ran silently down her cheeks, there was no
violent emotion. She turned Peggy’s own
chair from the hearth, and placed it against
LEILA AT HOME, 81
the wall, then left the cottage followed by
Selina and Matilda. She was certainly
better after all this was over, yet there were
feelings which did not soon leave her; she
could not help remembering, with self-accu-
sation, that her papa had only yielded to
Peggy’s removal to England in consequence
of her entreaties ; he had at first represented
to her that at Peggy’s time of life it would
be wiser to leave her in her own country,
and probably more for her happiness to do
so; but Leila had been too much carried
away by her own wishes in this instance to
practise the lessons of self-sacrifice which
her papa so often inculcated ; she now felt
this deeply, and it was a lesson not lost
upon her.
82 LEILA AT HOME.
CHAPTER VI.
THE day had now arrived when Mrs.
Roberts was expected; the young people
were all assembled in the school-room busy
with their different tasks; Selina and Leila
were seated silently at their writing-desks,
translating English into French; Alfred,
quietly in a corner, drawing birds and ani-
mals on a slate, his favourite employment.
Matilda alone was restless and unquiet;
she kept constantly running from the table
to the window, holding a book of French
dialogues in her hand, and looking out on
the approach, while she rhymed the same
phrase over and over again: “Il faudra
LEILA AT HOME, 83
faire comme nous pourrons, il faudra faire
comme nous pourrons, il faudra faire comme
nous pourrons ; now surely this is knocked
into my brains.â€
Selina shook her head.
“Well, Selina,†she continued, “you
need not shake your head; il faudra faire
comme nous pourrons, and I am sure I am
doing the best I can.â€
“ Are you ?†Selina quickly said, and went
on with her writing.
“How provoking you are, Selina; there
do you two sit as quietly as if nothing were
going to happen, and as if Mrs. Roberts
might not arrive every moment.â€
“ But will running to the window, and
shaking the whole room, make her come
any sooner ?†Selina inquired.
“To be sure it will, that is, I shall see
her sooner. Alfred, do run down and listen
if you hear a carriage,†and she snatched
the slate from his hand; “ there’s a good
boy, run down and do like Fine-ear, you
know ; stoop down and put your ear to the
G2
84 LEILA AT HOME.
ground there’s a man,†and she pushed him
out at the door.
Alfred returned again almost immediately.
“ 1 could not play at fine-ear, Matilda,†he
said, “ for I saw the carriage at a little dis-
tance the moment I went out; listen, it is
stopping at the door now.â€
All the three young girls jumped up and
ran instantly to the window. The steps of
the carriage were let down, a ladylike per-
son, rather slender, and rather above the
middle height, stepped out, her bonnet en-
tirely concealing her face. Mr. Stanley
came forward, he seemed to welcome her
kindly ; they entered the house together.
The next moment they heard the drawing-
room door close. Matilda glided from the
room.
Selina looked anxiously after her; in a
few minutes she returned.
“ J have seen her trunks,†she said; “I
don’t like them.â€
Selina looked distressed,
“Well, Selina, why do you put on that
LEILA AT HOME. 85
sorrowful face? Idid not say I did not
like her. Come, cheer up, [will do the best
I can.â€
The drawing-room bell rang; in a few
minutes Amy tapped at the school-room
door to say the young ladies were wanted
in the drawing-room. They all went down.
Mrs. Roberts seemed talking earnestly to
their mamma when they entered; but she
stopped, and as Mrs. Stanley introduced
them, said a few kind words to each. Her
face was not pretty till she smiled; her
smile was very pleasing, and her voice was
low and sweet. Leila felt she should like
her; both she and Selina, when addressed,
said something in return, and probably just
what they ought to say, though no one
heard it; Matilda said nothing. Almost
immediately after Mrs. Stanley told them
they might return to the school-room, that
Mrs. Roberts was probably a little tired with
her journey, but if she felt inclined by-and-
by for a walk, they might join them in the
garden.
It was all over in a moment. “ Well,â€
86 LEILA AT HOME.
Matilda eagerly exclaimed, as they entered
the school-room again, “how do you like
her ?â€
Both answered, “ Very much, we like her
very much.â€
“Very much,†Matilda repeated; “ well,
I don’t. I don’t like her at all.â€
“And why, Matilda? why do you not
like her ?†Selina anxiously inquired.
“JT don’t like her nose.â€
“ Don’t like her nose !â€
“No, I don’t; she has a pinched nose,
and don’t you see it droops ?â€
Selina saw that at this moment it was a
hopeless case; she did not even attempt the
vindication of the nose.
Mrs. Stanley was not disappointed in her
expectations with regard to Mrs. Roberts ;
she proved to be a highly principled, ami-
able, accomplished woman, and with a gentle
steadiness about her which peculiarly fitted
her for the task she had undertaken. With
Selina and Leila she had comparatively
little trouble, and they soon became fond of
her, and anxious to give her satisfaction,
LEILA AT HOME. 87
but with Matilda she had a far more diffi-
cult task ; besides having strong prejudices
to combat, she had to struggle not only with
careless inattentive habits, but often with
an obstinate determination not to overcome
them, for Matilda’s goodness as yet only
came by fits and starts; there was no very
steady improvement, and the arrival of Mrs,
Roberts seemed rather to have thrown her
back. She had fancied that she would not
like her, and she seemed too often to have
a wish to act up to the opinion she had
formed. Mrs. Roberts’s patience with her
was wonderful ; indifferent observers might
have fancied that Matilda was her favourite ;
she spoke more to her than to the others,
often conversing cheerfully with her on in-
teresting subjects, and trying to draw out
her feelings and sentiments; and Matilda,
though she gave her much trouble, was not
quite insensible to this. There were times
when she acknowledged that Mrs. Roberts
was rather a kind person, though her nose
did droop.
The removal to Woodlands now took
88 LEILA AT HOME.
place, and the following morning Mrs. Ro-
berts granted a holiday to the young people,
that every room in the house might be
visited and properly admired, and also that
Leila might have time to settle with Susan
as to a convenient arrangement for several
of her pets, while, with the assistance of her
cousins, she hung the cages with the parrots
and the smaller birds up in the conserva-
tory. She had for some time been bringing
up a pair of turtle-doves as a gift to Mina,
and teaching a young parrot to speak, which
she intended for Louisa. The turtle-doves
were now at a very interesting age, just be-
ginning to be independent, and to coo to
each other in a most melodious manner,
and the parrot gave proof of fine abilities,
and could already say, “ I am Louisa’s pretty
bird.â€
The house was most comfortably though
simply furnished ; but the conservatory de-
lighted Leila more than any part of it: the
flowers so fragrant, so bright and beautiful,
and the birds so happy, they were already
singing in the branches. Once more
LEILA AT HOME. 89
she walked about amongst the birds and
flowers, and felt that but for one sad thought
she would not have had a wish ungratified.
She quite longed to give her papa an ac-
count of all her arrangements, and went in
search of him. She found Mr. Howard
reading in his library, but he answered her
little tap at his door with his usual kind
voice.
“ Come in, I think I know who is there;
what have you got to tell me, love?†and
the book was thrown aside, and she, seated
on a low stool at his knee, kept looking up
in his face, and pouring out her little his-
tory, he entering into all her arrangements
with all the attention and satisfaction her
heart could desire. And now, papa,†she
continued, “ you know I am of a great age
now, I am eleven, and I want to talk to you
a little about my responsibilities.â€
“Your responsibilities, my love !—that is
a very fine word for you; where did you
pick up that word, Leila ?â€
“ think it is a very nice word, papa, and
I understand it; and you must know I have
90 LEILA AT HOME.
responsibilities in my new home, for I heard
Aunt Stanley say to Mrs. Roberts the other
day, that Miss Palmer had gone now to keep
her father’s house, and would have many
responsibilities ; that besides the regulating
the house, and attending in every way to his
comfort, she would also have the school to
attend to, and the poor people to visit, and
it was a large parish. I could not find out
what a large parish meant, but I understood
all the rest; and don’t you think, papa, I
should have a school, also, and visit the poor
people ?â€
“No, dear Leila; I think you are too
young to have a school at present; but don’t
look so disappointed, my love; let us talk
this matter over quietly. Miss Palmer is a
great many years older than you are, she is
a grown up young lady, and it is quite right
that she should in every way imitate her ex-
cellent mother’s example, and endeavour to
make up as much as lies in her power for the
loss they have sustained in Mrs. Palmer’s
death: but you, my love, are still a child,
and requiring too much instruction yourself
LEILA AT HOME, 91
to be able to instruct others; yet you, dear
Leila, also have your responsibilities.â€
“T am so glad of that, papa,â€â€”and her
countenance brightened again.
“Yes,†Mr. Howard continued, “ you are
responsible for the talents God has entrusted
to you, for the employment of your time, for
the cultivation of the abilities He has given
you; for the use you make of the religious
instruction you receive in correcting your
faults; you are by nature ardent and impe-
tuous, you must struggle for the mastery
over yourself; for more self-denial, in re-
jecting the sudden impulses by which you
are governed; you must try to check that
excessive sensibility which, if indulged in,
must unfit you for the necessary exertion for
the welfare of others which is so high a duty,
and without which you would soon become
a useless, selfish being—turning away from
the misery of others, from the fear of what
you yourself must feel in witnessing it.â€
“ But, papa, if I am not to teach a school,
or visit the poor, and only to cultivate
92 LEILA AT HOME.
abilities, is not that turning away from
others, is not that being selfish ?â€
“But, my dear Leila, it is by no means
my wish that you should turn away from
others: though you are as yet too young to
teach a school yourself, you are not too
young to accompany your Aunt Stanley
when she goes to visit the school, in which
she takes so much interest. Selina often
accompanies her; I shall ask her to allow
you to do so also; and in this way you will
become acquainted with the duties you will,
I trust, one day fulfil yourself. You will,
also, accompany me in visiting the poor;
you have now a weekly allowance, which,
though not much, will still enable you, by
practising self-denial in some of your own
desires, to save a little each week for the
benefit of others: with this you can some-
times buy materials which may be useful to
poor children ; and by employing some part
of your time in making them up, you can
bestow a double benefit; for remember,
Leila, it is not real charity to give of your
superfluity only.â€
LEILA AT HOME. 93
“T know it, papa; I know that you are
thinking now of the rich man throwing into
the treasury ; and the widow’s mite, and I
will try to be the widow’s mite. Am I stay-
ing too long, papa?†she continued; “must
I go now? perhaps you wish to have your
book again ?â€
“No, my dear child, I am in no hurry to
resume my book; I am quite pleased to
have a little talk with you; besides, if I
had not heard your little tap at the door
just then, I meant to have sent for you—I
have got something to show you.â€
“'To show me, papa -â€
“Yes, my love; something which will
interest you, but will also bring to your
mind sorrowful recollections.â€
Leila looked up anxiously in her papa’s
face. “Is it about Dash ?†she said; “ has
any one answered the advertisement? or
Peggy ?—but no, about Peggy, that is im-
possible; poor Peggy !â€
Mr. Howard smiled mournfully as he an-
swered. “ No, my child, I have heard no-
thing of them.â€
94 LEILA AT HOME.
Leila continued: “I have tried to bear
it, papa, and not to give way; and I have
prayed to God, and he has strengthened
me, and often I feel quite comforted, some-
times I feel quite happy, just as if it had
never been; but often when I am talking
and laughing I am not really happy—I am
only pretending, for Selina and Matilda
always look so distressed when I am sor-
rowful; but night is the worst—I always
think of Peggy at night; and how kind
she was to me; and there is nobody to be
made sorrowful then, and so I often cry
very much; but I won't talk of it any
more, and I am forgetting you had some-
thing to show me ;†and she hastily brushed
the tears from her eyes.
Her papa carefully unfolded a small
paper which he took from his pocket-book,
and showed Leila a very few small seeds.
“ Flower-seeds ?†she asked, inquiringly ;
“are they not, papa?â€
“Yes, my love, they are the seeds of
Clara’s flower.â€
She started. “Of Clara’s flower! Who
LEILA AT HOME. 95
has been to visit her lonely grave? Who,
papa?â€
“No one, my love; I gathered those
seeds the day we left the island; but I did
not mention it to you, because I thought I
had lost them, and that they had dropped
from my pocket-book. This morning I
found that this paper had fallen within ano-
ther, and that the seeds were still there;
there are only seven of them, but I don’t
think there ever were more, for I remember
I had difficulty in finding even these.â€
Leila gazed at them earnestly. “I also
tried to find seeds that day, and could get
none—how interesting they will be to me.
I will plant them instantly, and when they
spring up, [ will have some of Clara’s flower
to give to her mamma.â€
“ But, my dear Leila,†Mr. Iloward said,
“had you not better wait till spring? I
fear this is not a good time to sow flower-
seeds ;†but seeing her look of distress, he
added,—“ at least, it would be more pru-
dent to sow only part now, and the others
in spring, this will give you the best chance
of securing some of the plants.â€
96 LEILA AT HOME.
“Well, papa, I will do that, and three I
think will be prudent;†and selecting three
of the seeds, she folded them into another
paper. “ You had better keep these, papa,
that I may not be tempted; and I will go
now to the gardener—he is very good-
natured—he will give me a flower-pot, and
the proper earth, and I will plant them this
moment and put them into the conserva-
tory. In the conservatory it will be the
same for them as in the island, for it is
always so warm there; so you see, papa,
I am very prudent about them, for I did
not mean to put them out in the cold.
Every day I shall watch for their coming
up. You could not have given me any-
thing, papa, so very interesting to me—I
will come back and tell you when they are
planted ;†and she darted off.
LEILA AT HOME. 97
CHAPTER VII.
Op David, who had been many years at
Woodlands, was indeed very good-natured,
and from the day when Leila had evinced
so much anxiety to have poor Peggy’s gar-
den put in nice order, had taken quite a
fancy to his young mistress. He stood over
her while she sprinkled the earth gently
upon the seeds, having given her a flower-
pot of the proper size to put them in, and he
seemed much interested as to their coming
up, but could give no positive opinion when
that event might take place. “ Some very
small seeds,†he remarked, “came up very
quickly ; while others of equal size required
H
98 LEILA AT HOME.
to lie in the ground a long time; he would
not despair,†he said, “though they did not
make their appearance for a month; be-
sides, who could tell what might be the
nature of flower-seeds from that outlandish
country,†for Leila had told him they came
from the island, though he had no idea of
the other circumstances which made them
so precious in her eyes. The residence of
the squire on a desert island had for some
time past been a favourite subject of discus-
sion both in David’s cottage and at the
lodge, and the wonderful histories related
by Nurse had been listened to with the
most profound attention and astonishment,
and had served to throw asort of romantic
interest around both Mr. Howard and his
child, Old David had remarked, “ that it
was easy to see their young mistress was
something by common, something sae glee-
some, and springing about her as if her
foot had been used to the hill-side and the
heather brae. She remembered him muckle
of the highland lassies of his own. dear
country ; for though he had been long
LEILA AT HOME. 99
enough in England to have forgotten his
Scotch tongue, (and the more the pity,) yet
he had not been long enough to forget their
ways, and he was still a highlander in his
heart, every inch of him.â€
But to return to Leila. She had just
completed sowing the precious seeds when
Alfred ran into the conservatory.
“J cannot find Selina,†he said; “ but,
Cousin Leila, you are always so good-na-
tured, perhaps you will go with me to Mrs.
Roberts,—I have done a cruel thing, though
I did not mean to be cruel, and I would
like to have some one with me when I tell
i.â€
Leila, having placed the flower-pot in
what David pronounced to be the most fa-
voured spot in the conservatory, proceeded
immediately with Alfred to seek Mrs. Ro-
berts. They found Selina and Matilda with
her.
“Mrs. Roberts,†Alfred began in a hesi-
tating manner, as they entered the room,
‘you told me not to be cruel, and I pro-
mised, and indeed I was not cruel; but I
H 2
100 LEILA AT HOME.
have brought the body to you to see if you
can bring it alive again ;†and he placed a
little bit of paper, crumpled up, before Mrs.
Roberts.
Matilda jumped up. “ What is the boy
saying ?, the body! what body?†and she
was about to seize the paper, but Alfred
spread his hands over it.
“Matilda, you are not to touch that
paper,†Mrs. Roberts said gently; and,
turning to Alfred, she continued,—“ and
now, my little man, compose yourself, and
tell me distinctly what has happened.â€
Alfred then proceeded to say that he had
been playing in the garden, and on lifting
up a stone, a number of spiders had run
out from below it, that one was very large
and beautifully spotted, that he did not
mean to kill it or even to catch it, only to
touch it very gently with his finger; but on
his doing so, immediately all its legs fell
off, and it dropped down dead; that he in-
stantly looked for its legs, but could not see
them, they had quite melted away. And
Alfred was so overcome by the recital of
LEILA AT HOME. 101
this sad catastrophe, that he dissolved into
tears.
“Crying for such a thing as that?†Ma-
tilda exclaimed ; “ foolish Alfred.â€
“ But Matilda, it had eight legs.â€
“ And so,†Matilda continued, “ because
its eight legs melted away you must melt
away also. Take care, Alfred, we shall be
looking for you next on the carpet, and not
be able to find you.â€
Alfred now did not know whether to
laugh or cry, but unfolding the paper, he
carefully laid before Mrs. Roberts what ap-
peared to be a very small, shapeless par-
ticle of brown earth—it certainly had no
resemblance to a spider.
“That is the body,†he said in a mys-
terious whisper, intended only for the ears
of Mrs. Roberts; ‘ and now,†he continued
aloud, “do you think I can do anything to
revive it? If I were to put it into a cup of
warm water, perhaps——â€
Matilda laughed. “Perhaps its legs
would grow on again, you mean. Well,
Alfred, this certainly would be a wonderful
102 LEILA AT HOME.
water-cure ; you should set up an establish-
ment and call it the warm water-cure for
making legs and arms grow on again. You
would make a fortune ; for I heard mamma
saying the other day, that this seemed to be
the age for believing in every sort of won-
derful cure that could be invented, the more
improbable the better.â€
“ How you run on, Matilda,†Mrs. Ro-
berts said; “ you should be aware Alfred
cannot enter into all this sort of thing—you
forget the difference of age between you ;â€
then turning to Alfred, she continued,—
“No, Alfred, it would not do to put this
spider into water. This is what is called a
wolf-spider, and were you to put it into
warm water, you would certainly kill it; at
present I do not think it is dead.â€
Alfred’s countenance brightened.
Mrs. Roberts continued,—“ Give me
that sheet of white paper.†She placed the
paper on a small work-table in a sunny
comer of the room, and laid the spider upon
it.
“Now keep quiet all of you,†she said,
LEILA AT HOME. 108
“ond we shall see what it does.†In a few
minutes the spider unfolded its legs, and
running across the paper to the edge of the
table, it shot out a slender thread from its
body, by which it swiftly descended to the
ground.
Alfred clapped his hands, exclaiming,—
“ Alive, and I did not kill it, and it has got
all its legs again; how very wonderful !
But where did the thread come from by
which it got down so very quick? oh, Mrs.
Roberts do tell me !â€
“Tt spun the thread from a sort of gluey
substance which is contained in the flasks
in its body. Each spider has four of those
flasks or bags of gum, and from each tube
communicates with what is called its spin-
neret, and with the gluey substance which
passes through these tubes, it spins its
thread with these spinnerets; it is very
wonderful, but too difficult for you to un-
derstand at present. That thread which
appeared to you so fine is composed of
many finer threads, which make it stronger ;
just as in cords of equal thickness, those
104 LEILA AT HOME.
which are composed of many smaller ones
united are greatly stronger than those which
are spun at once; but where has the spider
gone to now, Alfred? Yes, I see it; don’t
touch it;†and Mrs. Roberts took a cup in
which she carefully caught the spider with-
out touching it, and having placed this cup
in a saucer full of water, she desired them
to watch its further proceedings. The spider
ran repeatedly to the brim of the cup de-
scending on the other side, but was always
stopped by the water which surrounded it.
Sadly perplexed by this unexpected ob-
stacle, after having ran round and round by
the edge of the water several times, it stood
still, and raised its two fore-legs in the
air.
“Tt is trying,†Mrs. Roberts said, “to
ascertain from which side there is a current
of air to carry its thread to some object to
support it, the opposite rim of the saucer,
for instance.â€
“Oh, how very curious!†they all ex-
claimed. But this world of waters seemed
quite overwhelming to the poor spider, who
LEILA AT HOME. 105
could feel no current of air, and it was re-
turning hopelessly into the cup when Mrs.
Roberts said,— Now you shall see it
throw its little silken bridge across, and get
free from this sad imprisonment ;†and she
blew very gently in the desired direction.
The spider instantly descended again to
the edge of the water, and shot out a
thread, which it fixed to the cup at one
end, while the other end floating in the air,
also became fixed to the brim of the saucer.
It first pulled this thread with its fore-feet,
as if to ascertain its strength, then passed
swiftly along it, spinning another floating
thread as it went, lest the first should not
be sufficiently secure to ensure its safety,
and arriving safely on the brim of the
saucer, descended the other side, and once
more scampered off.
“Well done, you clever creature,†Ma-
tilda exclaimed; “ how I wish I could
sometimes escape from the school-room as
cleverly.â€
Leila glanced towards Mrs. Roberts, half
afraid. |
106 LEILA AT HOME.
But Mrs. Roberts only smiled. “ You
are asad girl, Matilda,†she said; “ there
is much folly bound up in your little heart,
but I don’t despair of you; the time will
come, and I trust ere long, when you will
not find the school-room such an imprison-
ment.â€
Matilda looked gratefully at Mrs. Ro-
berts, and sudden in all her impulses, she
jumped up, and kissed her hand; then
turning round, she said,—“ But, Leila, you
have expressed no surprise at all those
wonderful things! I do believe you knew
about them before, though you did not say
a word.â€
“Yes,†Leila answered, quietly; “papa
told me a good deal about spiders in the
island.â€
“Out with it then,†Matilda said, impa-
tiently ; “do, Leila, tell us everything you
know; how odd you are; when I know
anything I am dying to tell it. What more
did your papa say about them ?â€
“He showed me a water spider, sailing
in its curious little raft, and watching for its
LEILA AT HOME. 107
prey ; and a mason-spider, living in a beau-
tiful nest, lined with a sort of orange-co-
loured silk, which it had spun itself, and
with a little door to its nest with a spring
hinge, which shuts of itself when the spider
goes in. And he did a curious thing about
the eggs of the wolf-spider; he took away
the bag of eggs, and then the little spider
carried off the bag belonging to the large
spider; and they had such a fight about
it.â€
“Oh! do tell us more about that,†Ma-
tilda said eagerly. “I should like so to
hear about the fight; and so the little
spider carried off the bag of eggs belong-
ing to the big spider—that was most excel-
lent !â€
“ And most just,†Selina observed.
“Now, Selina, that is so like you; how
can you expect a spider to have a sense of
justice, and it is natural for spiders to fight,
I daresay; indeed it is natural for other |
people also sometimes, and just because they
have a sense of justice. But, Leila, do tell
us all about it.â€
108 LEILA AT HOME.
Leila coloured ; “ Mrs. Roberts could ex-
plain it much better,†she said.
“No, my dear, I don’t think I could; you
will do it more simply, because you will
tell only what you understand yourself; but
stay, did you not say, Alfred, that you saw
a great many spiders under the stones in the
garden ? perhaps, Leila, you might find some
with a bag of eggs—take this tumbler to
catch them in—bring two, if you can find
them, a larger and a smaller; and put this
paper over the glass, that they may not
escape. Matilda, I see you are eager to go
also—you may accompany Leila; but allow
her to catch the spiders—great care must
be taken not to injure the bags.â€
They were off in a moment, and soon
returned with two spiders in the tumbler.
“ Now we shall see it all,†Matilda said;
“you can’t think how cleverly Leila caught
them ; she is an excellent spider hunter.
Now, Leila, begin; do try to make them
fight.â€
Leila lifted the smaller of the two spiders
very gently, and took up a needle.
LEILA AT HOME. 109
“Stop, stop,†Matilda exclaimed; “are
you going to stick a needle in its body? I
don’t want to see that.â€
“No, no,†Leila answered; “don’t be
afraid; I am only going to take off the bag,
and the bag is not a part of its body, though
it looks like it—it will easily come off; the
spider glues it on, and it can easily do so
again, after we have seen them fight.â€
She then very dexterously disengaged the
bag of eggs without breaking it, and put it
on the table. The spider, instead of run-
ning away, as it otherwise would have done,
showed the greatest anxiety to regain it.
She slowly wandered over every corner of
the table, crawling over books, work-boxes,
&c. &c., as if in search of something ; then,
having at last discovered the lost bag behind
Selina’s work-box, she suddenly made a
rush towards it, and having seized it with
her upper pair of jaws, she ran off with it,
carrying it as a cat often does its kitten.
“O look!†Matilda exclaimed, “she is
stopping behind your writing-desk, Leila ;
she thinks she has got into a cunning hole,
110 LEILA AT HOME.
where no one will see her—what is she
about now ?—she is pushing the bag between
her legs, and I do believe she is glueing it
in—yes, indeed, for there she is scampering
off again, and with her bag just as it was
before ; she will be off the table in a mo-
ment.â€
But Leila caught the spider, and taking
the bag from her again, she put her under
the tumbler where the larger spider was :—
“Now,†she said, “if they are the same as
the spiders in the island, she will fancy the
bag of eggs of the other spider to be her
own, and she will fight for it; and hardly
had she spoken, when both spiders were
struggling and fighting violently for the
possession of the bag—they reared them-
selves up, extending their front legs in a
threatening attitude, and showing their an-
gry feelings in the most evident manner.
In the struggle, the other bag of eggs be-
came detached from the larger spider, and
the little one, after making the most violent
efforts to seize it, finally succeeded; the
larger spider having rolled over, the other one
LEILA AT HOME. 111
scampered off with the bag, and Leila hav-
ing raised the tumbler to permit its escape,
it was presently again on the table—it passed
its own bag of eggs on its way to the window,
but took no notice, seemingly quite satisfied
with its stolen treasure. ‘The other spider
was now also set at liberty, and having, after
running about some time, discovered the
other bag of eggs, it was making a dart to-
wards it, when Mrs. Roberts took the bag
up, and having pricked it with a needle,
instantly a multitude of young ones ran out,
and climbing up on the old spider, almost
covered her—she remained quite still, appa-
rently overwhelmed (as well she might be)
with the burden of such a family.
“ Poor thing !†Selina observed ; “ she will
never be able to manage so many little
ones.â€
“Oh, she will get a governess,†Matilda
said; “and I only hope she may get as
good a one as Mrs. Roberts.â€
Mrs. Roberts shook her head, but could
not help being amused :—“ You are an odd
girl, Matilda,†she replied ; “but you had
112 LEILA AT HOME.
better take the spider down into the garden
again, it will be more likely to find a gover-
ness there, who will understand the nature
of the charge.†She gently lifted the spider,
placed it in the glass, and gave it to Matilda
—then added, “ You will be the better, all
of you, for a little fresh air in the garden:
I have a letter to write, which has been too
long delayed, but I shall join you there as
soon as I have finished.â€
LEILA AT HOME. 113
CHAPTER VIII.
ee ns ene nee
CHRISTMAS had now passed: on the morn-
ing of that day they had all attended church,
then walked to a pretty small village on the
property, to visit several of the cottagers ;
Mr. Howard having, the day before, sent
money and a supply of blankets and of
coals to those that required such assistance.
In the evening, a mutual exchange of gifts
took place at Woodlands, which greatly in-
terested the young people ; but the day was
on the whole a trying one to Leila; she had
not regained her former spirits, and it seemed
as if those particular days to which she had
looked forward with the most pleasure,
I
114 LEILA AT HOME.
seemed still more to recall the memory of
her late trial. A short time after Christmas,
the expected party assembled at Woodlands.
The Selbys were the first to arrive. Cap-
tain Selby was delighted to see again his
little fairy queen, as he called Leila. Louisa
seemed improved, taller, and more animated
in manner; and the meeting between Leila
and her was most affectionate on both sides.
Louisa was soon taken to the conservatory,
followed by Selina and Matilda; Louisa
stealing many a look at Selina, who had
long been a subject of much interest to her,
though not unmixed with dread, lest she
should too entirely usurp her former place
with Leila; but the kind reception she met
with greatly reassured her. She struggled
with her natural timidity, and Matilda did
much to establish something like ease
between the parties: she eagerly introduced
Louisa to all her former favourites amongst the
pets; and seemed most anxious to draw her
attention to one of the parrots in particular.
“ How this one must have grown,†Louisa
observed ; “I scarcely remember it; what a
pretty bird !â€
LEILA AT HOME. 115
The parrot instantly flew to the side of
its cage, exclaiming, “I am Louisa’s pretty
bird, take me home—pray take me home â€
Matilda clapped herhands. “That is just
what I wanted it to do—yes, it is for you;
Leila has taught it to say that—it is to be
your parrot.â€
Louisa was still holding Leila’s hand, and
trying to thank her, when Leila was called
away. The Herberts had arrived. She found
Mina eagerly watching for her at the draw-
ing-room door, all her usual shyness having
given way before the interest of the moment.
The meeting between them was of the most
affectionate nature ; but no one till that mo-
ment had suspected the depth of feeling
with which Leila had looked forward to
seeing Mrs. Herbert again. “ Mamma,
mamma!†she exclaimed, as clasped in Mrs.
Herbert’s arms, she hid her face on her
shoulder, and struggled to retain her tears.
Mrs. Herbert was much affected, and no
real mother could have more fondly returned
her caresses; but seeing the struggle Leila
was making to restrain her emotion, she
12
116 LEILA AT HOME.
called her son Charles to her side, and _ put-
ting Leila’s hand in his, she said in a cheer-
ful voice,—
“T must not forget that my dear child has
also a brother to receive, who longs to know
her.†|
But Leila was disappointed ; Charles was
not such as she had expected him to be,
and looking up in his face she said hastily,
“ You are too tall to be my brother.â€
The bright, sparkling look of pleasure
with which he had approached to meet her,
faded before this reception ; he too was dis-
appointed, but he only said with much gen-
tleness, “ That is a fault I cannot change ;
I can only try to make you forget it.â€
And he did manage to do so in a wonder-
fully short space of time, for he had a good
deal to overcome. Leila had expected to
see a little boy such as Alfred, and had
been thinking a great deal of her little bro-
ther, and how she would watch over him,
and keep him out of scrapes ; she was quite
bewildered when she saw before her a youth
apparently about sixteen, and it was not in
LEILA AT HOME. 117
the first moments of disappointment, that
his slight graceful figure, his beaming coun-
tenance, and deep blue eyes, so full of
sweetness and animation, had any charm
for her; but before the day was over she
had told Mina in strict confidence, that she
did not think Charles nearly so tall as she
had done at first, and that she did not know
why it was, but she was not half so fright-
ened for him as she expected she would
have been; and the pleasant surprise of
next morning still further promoted inti-
macy between them. Leila was called to
the window by Selina to admire a beautiful
small Arabian pony, which Charles was
leading up the approach towards the house ;
the side-saddle and embroidered saddle-
cloth seemed to say that it was intended for
a lady’s use ; and what was Leila’s astonish-
ment and delight, when she found it was
a present from Mr. and Mrs. Herbert to
herself; the beautiful saddle-cloth the work
of Mrs. Herbert and Mina. Leila had
no words to express what she felt; for to
learn to ride, to have a pony of her own, to
118 LEILA AT HOME.
accompany her papa in his rides, had long
been the earnest wish of herheart. Charles
was immediately constituted riding-master
to the whole of the young party; a busy
time he had, and with strict impartiality did
he fulfil his appointed duty; one point of
difference only did he insist on; he particu-
larly requested that Leila alone should speak
to the pony and caress it, and it was only
to be from her hand that it was to receive a
piece of bread on the commencement of its
daily labours, and also at their close. Se-
Jina had communicated to Charles the sad
story of Peggy Dobie and the faithful Dash ;
of all Leila had suffered, and was still suf-
fering, from their loss; and he felt that
could she become attached to a new object,
it might in some degree interest her mind:
but though Leila soon became fond of her
pretty Selim, no new favourite could fill
Dash’s place to her; he could never be for-
gotten.
Many days passed pleasantly away, varied
by rides, and walks, and reading aloud. In
the evening there generally was music.
LEILA AT HOME. 119
Mrs. Herbert had a fine voice, which had
been much cultivated, and Charles and
Mina did great credit to her instructions ;
the young people thought there could be
nothing more beautiful than the trios Charles
and Mina sang with their mamma. Mrs.
Herbert had proposed to have a singing
class, and to instruct the whole group; but,
Leila alone had become her pupil. Louisa
had very little genius for music; so little,
that her mamma did not wish her to give
much time to its cultivation. Selina had
been forbidden to attempt singing for some:
years, her voice, even in speaking, being
still weak; and Matilda, Mrs. Stanley said,
was, from her habits of inattention, too far
back in more necessary studies to be al-
lowed this indulgence.
Leila made considerable progress; from
her having practised the guitar so much
during her residence on the island, she had
acquired rather unusual proficiency on that
instrument, and her voice and taste being
naturally good, Mrs. Herbert found her both
a willing and a successful pupil. Matilda
120 LEILA AT HOME.
had often entreated her mamma to allow
her also to learn the guitar, for Matilda was
ever eager for something new, always sure
that what she had no knowledge of would
be much more easily acquired than that
which she was then studying; but Mrs.
Stanley had always steadily refused this
request, though, at the same time, assuring
Matilda that, as soon as by steady and con-
tinued application, she had made that pro-
eress in her other studies which her years
and natural good abilities admitted of, she
should have every indulgence in the cultiva-
tion of her musical taste. It had been quite a
trial to Matilda when first told that she was
not to be allowed to take advantage of Mrs.
Herbert’s kind offer of instruction ; and her
temper had been on the point of giving
way,.but a look of entreaty from Selina had
arrested the angry words upon her lips;
she had hastily quitted the room, and in a
very few minutes had returned with all her
usual liveliness and good-humourt.
Mrs. Herbert had considerably regained
her health and spirits, and with the tranquil
LEILA AT HOME, 12]
gentleness of past sorrow there was a
warmth of affection and a winning sweet-
ness of manner which each day endeared
her more and more to Leila, who never was
happier than when, with her own transpa-
rent openness of character, she was pouring
all her thoughts, feelings, and wishes, into
Mrs. Herbert’s willing ear.
“T have never told you,†she said one
morning, as they sat alone together, (she
on a low stool looking up into Mrs. Her-
bert’s face,) “I have never told you how
very sorry I was afterwards for having made
that rude speech to Charles when I first
saw him; but I was so very much disap-
pointed, I could not help saying it; I had
been thinking so much of having a little
brother, and of how kind I should be to
him, and how he would grow up to love me.
And when I saw that tall Charles, I could
scarcely keep from crying, for since my
great trial of poor Peggy Dobie, and my
dear, dear Dash, I don’t know why it is, but
so often I am ready to cry when anything
122 LEILA AT HOME.
like another trial comes to me—but this has
not turned out a trial after all.â€
“So you are getting reconciled then, my
love, to Charles being tall, and don’t wish
so much now that you had a little brother
rather ?â€
“ No, indeed I don’t—I like it much bet-
ter; for Charles is so kind, and takes such
care of me, and he is so fond of Mina; he
is an excellent brother ; and don’t you think
he is an excellent son too? He often looks
at you just as Ido at my papa. I am sure
he is thinking then that you never can
know how much he loves you. I daresay
Charles never does anything very wrong;
only a little wrong, I suppose, for papa
always says no one is quite perfect.â€
Mrs. Herbert smiled. “No, my dear
Leila, I do not say Charles is by any means
perfect; he has faults, still I may say that
he is one who has never yet given us cause
for serious uneasiness.â€
“JT was sure of that,†Leila answered,
“for he always looks as if he could not bear
LEILA AT HOME. 123
to vex any one; I often wish to ask him to
forgive me for what I said: but I don't
know why, I often feel a little shy with
Charles, though I like so much to talk to
him. I hope it will go off in time, for I
should like to be able to tell him everything
I think, just as I do to you; if he had been
a little boy I would not have cared to do
this, I would only have said little things to
make him laugh and to amuse him; so, as
Nurse always says, everything in this world
turns out for the best, if we would only re-
member this, and not fret. But,†she
continued, “ when I said just now that I
told you everything, I forgot that there is
one thing I cannot tell you.â€
“ And what is that?†Mrs. Herbert in-
quired. “ Why should you be afraid to tell
me everything ?â€
“T am not afraid,†Leila answered ; “ but
it is not the right time yet to tell. Perhaps
I shall be disappointed myself, and then I
need not tell you, for it would only make
you sorry ; but if it comes up it is for you.
Now I must go to the conservatory ; I go
124 LEILA AT HOME.
there every morning alone, but don’t ask me
why I go.â€
Leila stood in the conservatory, earnestly
contemplating a flower-pot she held in her
hand, till startled by a voice behind her.
“ How now, lady bright, gazing on brown
earth, and so many beautiful blooming
flowers around you ?â€
She looked up; it was Charles who had
entered the conservatory unobserved, and
was bending over her shoulder.
“ Oh, Charles,†she said,“ I am so happy,
so very happy ; so thankful.â€
“Thankful,†he replied; “thankful for
small things indeed, for I can see nothing.â€
“Nothing! look again, Charles; only
look here—don’t you see ?â€
“No, I see nothing, and unluckily I have
not got my spectacles at hand.†But ob-
serving Leila’s heightened colour, and the
expression of her face, he added in quite a
different tone, “ Yes, I do see two tiny little
green leaves just peeping above the brown
earth ; but they will require all your tender
care to rear them. Why are they so pre-
LEILA AT HOME. 125
cious to you, Leila? But do not tell me if
you would rather not.â€
She lifted her eyes to his face. “Yes, I
should like to tell you—†she hesitated,
then continued in an agitated voice, “it is
seeds from the flower I planted on Clara’s
grave, and perhaps more will spring.â€
Charles’s colour mounted to his forehead ;
he took her hand. “Oh, Leila,†he said,
“ dear Leila, how I have longed for this
moment, how I have wished you to talk to
me of Clara. Clara, my own sweet sister,
my lost Clara; I seem to see her still, how
lovely she was !â€
“ You knew her then,†Leila said eagerly ;
“you remember her; but how—were you
not in England ?â€
“No; from our being up the country
and in a good climate, I was nearly ten
years old before it was thought necessary to
send me to England; never can I forget
the first time I saw Clara. I was taken
into the room where mamma was lying on
her bed, so pale, so beautiful, only the
slightest tinge of colour in her cheek.
126 LEILA AT HOME.
Clara and Mina lay on each side of her;
she took my hand, a bright flush came into
her face for a moment, ‘ My little son,’ she
said, ‘may God watch over you and pre-
serve you to be a protector to your sisters ;
if these dear ones live to be sent home to
England, you will be already there. Pro-
mise me that when you are together, you
will watch over them, and always endeavour
by your own example to teach them to love
and serve their heavenly Father. May you
never, dear Charles, forget this moment;
may my earnest request be always remem-
bered, when you yourself are tempted to do
what is wrong.â€
“ And were you sent away from them im-
mediately ?†Leila inquired. ‘“ How melan-
choly this must have been for you.â€
“Oh no, not immediately; Clara and
Mina were three years old before I left
India. They could talk and runabout. In
the cool season I used to make them run
races in the garden with each other. They
often laughed so at my constantly mistak-
ing the one for the other, for I never could
LEILA AT HOME. 127
distinguish them, till mamma put a small
gold chain round Clara’s neck.â€
“‘ Was it this?†Leila said, as she took a
chain from the folds of her dress, and gave
it into his hand.
“Yes, the very same; but there was no
locket suspended from it.â€
Leila touched the spring, it opened.
“My own mamma,†he said, “and how
beautiful! and those laughing eyes—yes, I
remember now she used to look in that way,
when she was playing with us all. And
this was Clara’s locket—my own dear sister,
and now alas! only one remains to me.â€
Leila coloured. “Then you will not
have me for a sister,†she said in a low-
toned voice. |
Charles’s countenance brightened, as in
his usual lively manner he said, “I thought
I was too tall to be your brother.â€
“Oh, don’t, don’t say that,†Leila ex-
claimed ; “ you don’t know how sorry I was
afterwards, and how often I have wished to
ask you to forgive me. Will you?†and
she put her hand into his. “ Yes, I see
128 LEILA AT HOME.
you will, I see it in your eyes. I always
know when people are loving me again by
their eyes.†Selina’s voice was heard call.
ing her; she ran off, but returned for a mo-|
ment to say, “ Do not tell mamma about
the seeds; it is to be a surprise to her. |
have planted four, and if more spring, |
should like so much to give you one also.â€
LEILA AT HOME. 129
CHAPTER IX,
To pay frequent visits to the village had
of late been a great interest to the young
people; they had become acquainted with
many of the cottagers, and Leila had al-
_ ready begun to have a lively interest in
their children, As the party were now to
leave Woodlands in a few days, she pro-
posed one morning that, as the weather was
uncommonly fine, they should cross the
fields under Charles’s escort, and pay a sort
of farewell visit to some of the cottagers.
The cold had been so severe in the night,
that the grass still felt crisp under their feet,
though the sunbeams glanced brightly on
K
130 LEILA AT HOME.
the scarlet berries of the holly, and on the
slender branches of the forest trees, fea-
thered white by the hoar-frost. At the
village they were welcomed by old and
young, for the kind, frank manners of the
young people had made them general fa-
vourites ; many of the children ran forward
to meet them, but they missed one little girl
whom they had in former visits particularly
distinguished. Her mother’s cottage stood
at the end of the village and they found
Dame Burton standing at her door, looking
anxiously in the direction of the road. She
invited them as usual to enter, but added,
“Tam rather out of sorts, young ladies, at
this moment, for I am fearing my little
Lizzy is getting into idle ways. Not a sight
can I see of her, all the other children
in the village home from the school, and
she still loitering on the road. IfI had not
had the dinner to get ready, I would have
been off to seek her myself, and would have
sent her home in a hurry; but her father
will be in to his dinner, and she will get it
from him I am thinking.â€
LEILA AT HOME. 131
Leila instantly proposed that they should
return by the road; “ As Charles is with
us, I don’t think papa will be displeased,â€
she said; “and we can tell him why.â€
Then turning to Dame Burton, she added,
“We shall be sure of meeting your little
Lizzy if we go by the road, and we shall
send her home to you very quick; but I
hope you won't be angry with her this time,
for you know when it is an interesting play
sometimes one forgets. I forget very often
myself, though I am so much older than
Lizzy.â€
The young people proceeded on their
way, talking and laughing merrily ; Charles
protesting “ that if they met the little truant,
the unworthy ‘little Lizzy, he would send
her home in a hurry; he would give it her,
her father’s anger would be a joke to his.â€
Leila looked up in his face in astonish-
ment.
“Never mind him,†Mina exclaimed, ob-
serving Leila’s face of perplexity; “ never
mind him—don’t believe a word of it, he’s
only saying it in fun; Charles is not the
K 2
132 LEILA AT HOME.
least bit ill-natured. If we meet Lizzy I
know the sort of thing he will do, he will
tap her kindly on the back, and say, ‘ Now
there’s a good girl, run home as quick as
you can. That’s the sort of way he will
scold.â€
“Ts it, my little wise sister ?†Charles re-
plied, laughing. “ Well, well, you will
soon see the contrary; you don’t know
what an angry man I can be; Leila has
never yet seen me in one of my right tower-
ing passions, it will frighten her out of her
wits.â€
“How merry we all are,†Mina said,
“and how happy we have all been, and now
in three more days it will all be over!â€
“Oh, Mina!†Louisa exclaimed, “ do
not speak of it; I have been thinking of it
all the time, though I have been trying to
laugh. I have never been so happy before,
and now I may never see you all again.
You will all be meeting often, but I shall
be far away. You know in two months we
are going abroad. I used to like the
thoughts of it so much; now I cannot bear
LEILA AT HOME. 133
it. And you, Leila, you will be growing
up, and have so many to love you, you will
forget me.â€
“Never, Louisa, never; you were my
first friend, you will always †She was
interrupted at this moment by the loud
screams of a child; they seemed to proceed
from a lane, which, a few yards further on
branched off from the road. The screams
were continued with increased violence.
They caught sight of a little girl struggling
to get free from a large dog, which seemed
dragging her along by her clothes.
Leila sprang forward. “ Don’t be fright-
ened, Lizzy, don’t; we shall protect you.â€
At the sound of her voice the dog let go
its hold with a joyful bark of recognition,
and the next moment was leaping upon
Leila with frantic joy.
“ Dash, my own Dash!†she cried, as
throwing her arms round his neck, she al-
most stifled the faithful animal with her
caresses. “But how is this? Is it my
Dash? is it really true? how did it hap-
pen? Lizzy, what is the meaning of this ?
134 LEILA AT HOME.
how did he come here? where did you find
him? Oh! tell me; but how thin you are,
my Dash; how changed—oh, he has been
starved! how dreadful! But, Lizzy, run
home to your mother ; don’t delay a moment
longer — she is sorry you have been so
long away; and let us get home also as
quick as we can, that we may get food
for my dear Dash. What joyful news
for papa, and for Nurse, and Amy. Poor
Peggy! Oh, if Dash could speak!†She
turned to regain the road, but Dash would
not allow this; he began to pull Leila up
the lane by her clothes, in the same way he
had been doing to the little girl.
“Don’t oppose him,†Charles said; “ there
is something under all this, we had better
follow as he leads,†They quickened their
pace, but saw nothing. Dash now fre-
quently ran on a little way before them, re-
turned again, and took hold of Leila’s dress
as before, looking up in her face, as if en-
couraging her to go on. A sudden thought
seized her; she darted forwards—she ran
on a considerable way—suddenly she saw
LEILA AT HOME. 135
a figure lying stretched on a bank by the
side of the lane; in the next moment she
was kneeling by Peggy Dobie’s side !
The others came up. They found Leila
clasping Peggy’s hands and sobbing vio-
lently.
“Her eyes are shut,†she said; “ she
does not hear me; oh, Charles, tell me, is
she dead? Can we do nothing ?â€
Dash began at this moment to lick Peggy’s
face, she opened her eyes. “ Am I dream-
ing,†she said, in a low faint voice, “and am
I still in the land of the living? surely it is
the faces of my own dear bairns that I see ;
but it canna be. Na, na, it is a vision 0’
the night, and it will leave me with the
light o’ morning as it has ever done afore ;
but it’s morning now. Where am I? how
has all this come about? oh! for a drop o’
water and a morsel 0’ †Her eyes
closed again—the momentary exertion was
too much.
Charles, who had been rubbing her cold
hands, sprang to his feet. “It is food she
136 LEILA AT HOME.
requires,†he said ; “ she is starving. I see
a house near, I will be back in a moment.â€
He flew off. He returned, followed by
the farmer to whom the house belonged.
Charles held a bowl of milk to Peggy’s lips
—she seemed unable to swallow.
“No, no, mister, that won’t do; this is a
bad job; there has been both cold and
hunger here; it’s brandy she must have,
and that instantly. Heaven grant it may
not be too late ; I have my doubts.â€
“No,†Leila cried, “don’t say it; we
have found her again—she must not die !â€
But the farmer was gone. He returned
again in a few minutes with the brandy and
a thick blanket. With Charles’s assistance
he poured a little brandy and water down
Peggy’s throat, and wrapped her in the
warm blanket. “These poor thin rags,†he
said, “are not for such cold as this, the
poor creature is half frozen; but she is
coming about again, her lips are not just
so white; she will do yet; and by good
luck, I see one of my carts coming from the
LEILA AT HOME 137
field ; we shall have her into it and home
in a jiffy. Hollo, there! Joe, my man,
here’s a bye-job for you.â€
Peggy was lifted into the cart, Selina and
Leila also getting in, and supporting her in
their arms. It was in vain Charles insisted
on taking this office on himself, they would
not hear of it ; it seemed as if it were quite
necessary for them to hold Peggy fast, as
well as see her, to convince them that the
scene before them was not a joyful dream.
But Dash also appeared resolved to make
one of the party in the cart—he leaped in>
stretched himself on Peggy’s feet, and to
move him was impossible.
“Let him lie there he will do much
good,†the farmer said; “he is a wise ani-
mal, and I am thinking it is to his good
offices that there is the breath of life in this
poor creature. Where is she bound for,
young ladies ?â€
“'To Woodlands,†Leila answered.
The cart proceeded, followed by the
others; when they arrived at the lodge,
Bill’s astonishment was great, and his joy
138 LEILA AT HOME.
also, when he heard the wonderful news,
for he had taken the greatest interest in
Leila’s distress; he called instantly to
Susan to accompany them, and taking the
key, which was still in his charge, they took
their way to Peggy’s cottage, Charles hav-
ing been sent on to the house to request
the attendance of Nurse. “Her papa,â€
Leila said, “had gone to London with her
Aunt Stanley; but Nurse, she was sure,
would be of great use, and might bring with
her whatever she thought necessary for
Peggy,†who still remained in a state of
stupor.
The fire was kindled, and Peggy laid
upon her bed when Nurse arrived, who,
after having given her a small portion of
nourishment, stood by the bed-side holding
her hand and gazing anxiously upon her.
“ How wonderful are the ways of Provi-
dence,†she said. “To think of Peggy being
restored to us again, she that we mourned
as sleeping under the salt wave !â€
Peggy opened her eyes. “And where-
fore did ye pit me there ?†she said, with a
LEILA AT HOME. 139
faint smile. “Na, na, it was nae just sae
bad as that, though it’s been out o’ perils by
sea and perils by land that the Lord has
delivered me, praise be to His holy name ;
but, oh! it’s a deliverance past my weak
comprehension, I canna make it out; but
it’s all His blessed work, and it’s a reality—
it’s no’ a dream.â€
“No, Peggy, it’s not a dream,†Matilda
said, eagerly. “See, we are all around
you, and now Cousin Leila will be happy
again, and merry as she was before.â€
“ And did the dear bairn grieve sae for
me? Oh! what it is to hear the voices of
ye all again, and to see your faces glinting
down on me like the blessed sunbeams on
my withered heart ; it was for this I prayed
and for this I toiled, as my puir blistered
feet can testify ; but it is a strength that I
have nought to do with that has brought me
to see this day; and now that the life
seems in me again, in a measure, I would
fain ken where I am. Is it your house,
Mistress Nurse, that they have brought me
to, and I making sae free, lying in your ain
140 LEILA AT HOME.
bed, wi’ thae bonnie genty white curtains,
and all sae clean and comfortable about
me, and never sae much as a word o’ thanks?
you will think I hae left my manners in
the sea-—but we will no speak o’ that awfu’
element.â€
“But, Peggy,†Selina wispered, “ it’s
not Nurse’s house—it is your own; and
Cousin Leila told her papa everything she
thought you would like.â€
“Yes,†Matilda added, “and there are
peats in a box behind the door; and you
have not seen the kitchen yet, with the
walnut-tree table, and cupboard, and the
cuckoo clock—all is for you —it is your
own house.â€
“My own house!†Peggy repeated, as
clasping her hands together in deep emotion,
she added, “ O what am I, that such bless-
ings should be showered upon me, when He
whom I serve ‘had not where to lay His
head!’ O my bairns! help me to praise
Him, who has brought me out o’ much
tribulation, for my mind’s weak and my
head sair confused. Could you no’ tak’ the
LEILA AT HOME. 141
book—it’s the Psalms o’ David that could
speak weel for me at sic a moment.â€
“ No, Peggy,†Nurse said; “ that must not
be: God looks to the heart. He knows all
your gratitude to Him—but you are more
exhausted than I ever saw mortal being, and
it's peace and quietness you want; you
must try to sleep, and the young ladies will
be gude bairns, (as you call them,) and go
quietly home—they will come to see you
again to morrow, when you will be more
able to speak to them of your mercies, for,
surely, it has been a great deliverance.â€
“ And may I not stay with Peggy °†Leila
said.
* No, Miss Leila, no; Peggy will be
better alone with me; and as she will re-
quire a little nourishment now and then,
and it will need my experience to know how
much, I will watch by her till the evening ;
I am sure my master will spare me on such
an occasion; and you may say, that if it is
his pleasure to allow Amy to step down
when I leave, and stay this first night with
Peggy, I think it is all she will require.â€
142 LEILA AT HOME.
On the young people getting up to take
leave, a painful struggle took place in Dash’s
upright mind, and for some moments he
stood irresolute. Between the dear young
companion of his palmy days, and the friend
of his late misfortunes, the line of duty was
difficult to discern ;—but this friend was no
longer perishing with hunger and cold, she
was now in a land of plenty and almost
smothered with blankets; so Dash wagged
his tail to Peggy, and darted after Leila. It
was not easy to say which was most light of
foot, as they bounded along—Dash capering
and frisking in renewed health and spirits,
and Leila as if she trode on air, so impatient
was she to tell all to her papa; but Mr.
Howard was already in possession of the
joyful intelligence, as immediately on his
return from London, he had been informed
by Charles of all that had taken place, and
of Nurse having been sent for, and they
now met both on their way to Peggy’s cot-
tage; but on hearing Leila’s account, Mr,
Howard thought it better to delay his visit
till the next morning, and retraced his steps
with the rest of the party.
LEILA AT HOME. 143
As they entered the house, Leila lingered
behind fora moment. ‘“ Charles,†she whis-
pered, in an agitated voice, “if you had
not told us to follow Dash, Peggy would
have died. Charles, if you had been a little
boy, you would not have said that.†The
bright colour which before had animated her
face had faded, she was pale and trembling ;
Charles was alarmed.
“You are ill, Leila!†he exclaimed ; “ the
agitation of all this has been too much for
you.â€
“No, I am not ill.†she said quickly ;
“but I must go to papa.†She passed him
hastily, and entered the library. Mr. Howard
looked up—her appearance alarmed him.
“ Has anything happened ?†he inquired ;
“Leila, my child, why are you so pale ?â€
Leila threw herself into her papa’s arms.
“Nothing more has happened, papa; but I
don’t know what is the matter with me; it
is joy—but it is too much happiness—how
can I ever thank God enough for all that He
has done for me!—He has given me so
many blessings. He sent me the trial, but
144 LEILA AT HOME.
He has taken it away from me again, and
gives me more than ever joy—tenfold joy,
papa—what can I say to Him—what can |
do?—surely, I am most ungrateful—my
heart is very full, but I feel as if I could do
nothing.â€
“You can give your heart more entirely,
my love, to Him, who has given so much
for you; you can think of Him, love Him,
walk with Him, and make Him more and
more to you an all-sufficient Saviour.â€
“ But, papa, what frightens me is this; I
have more blessings here than I had in the
island—friends, and beautiful rooms, and
fortune, and everything I could wish for—
but it does not make me give my heart more
to God. I used to think of God more in the
island, when I saw His beautiful world all
around me ; here it is beautiful also, but so
many pleasures, and so many people to love,
take up my heart; perhaps it would be bet-
ter for me if I had trials.â€
“My dear Leila, you must beware of the
error of believing, that were your situation
different, you would be better than you are
LEILA AT HOME. 145
now; the fault is in yourself, not in the cir-
cumstances which surround you. You think
it would be better for you if you had trials ;
you have a trial at this very moment—the
trial of prosperity, and it has often been
found more difficult to bear than the heaviest
misfortunes. Remember the words of your
blessed Saviour, that ‘it is easier for a
camel to go through the eye of a needle,
than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of
God.’ The possession of riches often tends
to increase pride and self-indulgence; they
expose one to flattery and to many tempta-
tions to pleasure, which make the self-deny-
ing principles of Christ more difficult to
follow ; it is not money alone, that is here
meant, but all the sinful vanities of a worldly
life.â€
“Well, papa, and is not this just what
frightens me? Would it not be better for
me to have no money, and to live in some
quiet place like the island, where we should
have nothing to tempt us off ?â€
“No, my dear child, had it been so, we
should have been continued there; but the
L
146 LEILA AT HOME,
Bible does not tell us to renounce the world,
but to overcome the world. We are to live
in it, but not to be led by it. If we have the
advantages of fortune and station in life, we
have also greater responsibilities—we are
responsible for the example we set to those
who look up to us, and for the use we make
of those riches which are intrusted to us,
and for which, as faithful servants, we must
one day give an account.â€
“ Then, papa, this is what you mean when
you say, this world is a state of trial; for it
is not only a trial when we are poor and
miserable, but when we are rich and happy
—I never thought of that before; but then
we can never be at peace, papa, nor enjoy
being happy.â€
“Yes, my child, we can be so, by endea-
vouring to bring eternity more constantly
before us, and by giving to things present
only their proper value : this will not pre-
vent our enjoying them where consistent with
duty, but will prevent our feeling as if all
were lost when they are taken away; for
God has promised to ‘ keep him in perfect
LEILA AT HOME. 147
peace, whose mind is stayed on Him,†. If
we could only keep constantly in mind, that
every event, whether happy or mournful, if
properly received, will work together for
our everlasting good, we should indeed
enjoy ‘ that peace which passeth all under-
standing. Go then, my dear child, and
enjoy the many blessings which surround
you, with a grateful heart.â€
“Yes, papa, I will go to Charles, and
tell him you have made we well again: he
thinks I am ill, which will make him sorry,
for you don’t know what a kind brother he
is to me, and I like him so very much; he
is one of my blessings, and I think he will
work for good, for he always tells me what
is right—good-bye, papa.â€
148 LEILA AT HOME.
CHAPTER X.
THE young people were all impatience
next morning to visit Peggy Dobie’s cottage.
They met Mr. Howard returning from it,
who told them they would find Peggy much
recovered. He had found her up, sitting
by the fire reading her Bible, and full of
gratitude and thanksgiving for the blessings
which surrounded her.
“My bairns,†she said as they entered,
and she closed her Bible and laid aside her
spectacles, “ you have come at the right
moment—I hae been giving praise to Him
that has lifted me out o’ my sair tribulations,
and it is here I hae found the words, and
LEILA AT HOME, 149
noo may He put into my heart what I
should say to you; how can I ever thank
you enough for all I see about me, for all
you have done for me ?â€
“You need not thank us, Peggy,†Leila
answered ; “ for we are as happy as you are ;
and it is so joyful, that you should be alive,
and so wonderful, that we can scarce be-
lieve it;—and so you like your house ?â€
“ Like it, Miss Leila! ’deed that’s no’ the
word to testify my wonderment at all I see
around me. I hae been looking at that cup-
board, wi’ all the tumblers and_ glasses
sparkling and shining like a leddy dressed
out in her diamonds, and praying that my
auld head may not be turned a’thegither
wi the vanities o’ life; but to feel that I hae
come to sic a haven o’ rest, to lie down on
that bed last night, and to think it was my
ain ; to think that I am no longer a wanderer
on the face o’ the earth, without a covering
to my auld head, or a friend to speak the
word o’ comfort to my crushed spirit—no,
it’s no’ just at ance that I can get into a
measure o’ composedness for sic a change
150 LEILA AT HOME.
as this. I am in a bewilderment 0’ joy and
-gratitude—and there’s Dash, bonnie man,
wagging his tail, and aye looking in my
face ; he is telling me we are in the land 0’
Canaan noo. O let me ever thank God for
all his mercies ; and let me thank you also,
-my dear bairns, for all your kindness to me ;
for never did I think to have seen your bit
canty faces again in the land o’ the living,
‘for it’s out o’ the swellings o’ Jordan, that
‘puir auld Peggy has been delivered by an
‘arm o’ strength.â€
“Tt is so nice to hear you speaking
Scotch again,†Matilda said; “I like it so
‘much. That word canty is such a nice
word, and it is so nice to have you back
again when we thought you dead ; but how
did it all happen? Were you not washed
overboard in a storm? You must tell us
‘all about it. How were you saved ?â€
“Yes,†Leila said, “it will be such an
‘interesting story, and so long; for you must
tell us everything from the very beginning.
But you are not to tell it all in one day,
for that would tire you. You are very,
LEILA AT HOME. 151
very thin, Peggy,†and Leila took Peggy’s
withered hand in hers ; “ can we do nothing
to make you better? If it will tire you to
‘speak, we will wait for the story till another
day.â€
“No, my dear bairn, it will no tire me ;
and it’s weel my part to do all I can to
pleasure you or yours, though I will not
just say but what I may feel a wee thought
ashamed to tell sic a lang tale afore all the
young ladies, and this fine young genile-
man.â€
“ But Peggy,†Leila said eagerly, “he is
not a fine young gentleman; he is so kind
-.and good-natured, he will like to hear the
history of all that has happened to you very
much; and if he does not understand ‘all
the Scotch words, I will explain them to
him afterwards; he is my brother Charles
now, you need not be afraid of him.â€
“Your brother, is he?. Weel, weel, sae
let it be for the present, my bonnie lamb.
And noo where am I to begin in this lang
tale ?â€
. “ At the very beginning,†Leila and Ma-
152 LEILA AT HOME.
tilda both exclaimed at once ; “ at the very
beginning, Peggy, when you first embarked
with all the pets.â€
“ Ay, ay, and to think I hae no had the
grace to ask after the puir dumb things ;
but I am sair bewildered, and I kent they
needs be safe, for there’s my cat that was
amang them, just lying afore the fire quite
contented, and no ways strange, puir thing.
That civil gentleman, Master Bill, (I think
they called him,) brought it up to me this
morning, and my trunk too, with my big
Bible, and all the bits o’ things that are sae
valuable to me.â€
“ But the story, the story, Peggy,†Ma-
tilda exclaimed, rather emphatically.
“ Yes, my bairn, that’s true, I was forget-
ting, and it’s aye the story, the story, wi
you young things. Weel, then, to begin at
the very beginning, as you say. We got
into the ship, (that is, the pets, as Miss
Leila calls them, and me,) and it was a
bonnie day, and the sea sparkling like dia-
monds, and wi’ a most deceitfu’ and canny
look; but it was all put on; no a word o’
LEILA AT HOME. 153
truth in it, for it’s a most unchancy and
awfu’ element, and in no ways to be trusted
by a Christian woman. Weel, my first dis-
comfiture was when I was telt that I was by
no means to go near the pets, or take any
charge, for they would have better care than
mine ; deed, and I was in no ways weel
pleased, forbye that I had been thinking the
parrots would have been gude company,
and that I could hae given them some gude
instruction maybe, puir things, and got
them into a manner o’ more sensible dis-
course than aye crying, ‘ pretty poll,’ and the
like o’ thae vain and silly things. But it
was no to be, so I turned my mind.to some
wee helpless bairns that were aye wailing and
wearying for something ; for ye ken Peggy
must aye be doing. They had lost their
mother, puir things, and the father o’ them
was sadly put about when night came, and
all their bits o’ clothes to take off, and the
strings o’ them aye getting into knots, and
he wi no manner o’ skill or judgment to
gang to work in the right manner; so I
took them all in my ain hands, and got
154 LEILA AT HOME.
them into their bits o’ cribs wi’ a kind o’
comfort, and the wee thing who was but a
babby clinging round my neck in the dark,
and saying ‘Mammy was come back again,
and she was no to gang away ony more.’
Deed it was just a moving scene, and
minded me sae o’ my ain bonnie flowers;
and John, for that was his name, was sae
gratified, and could no’ say enough for the
little I could do. And so we got on wi’ a
measure 0’ comfort all the next day, till the
wind began to roar like a demented crea-
ture, wi’ no manner o’ discretion, ranting
and tearing wi’ the stedfast resolution no
to leave a hale rag in the ship; and there
were the bairns, puir things, wailing and
tumbling about on the floor, and nae marvel
either, seeing that them that had come to
the years o’ discretion could na keep their
feet; and the captain, there was he crying
to put in the dead lights, which was no just
civil to say the least, and we wi’ the breath
o’ life still in our bodies. Waes me, but it
was an unco’ dispensation for him to be
making preparations for a dead wake afore
LEILA AT HOME. 155
the living folk. He might hae thought, the
ungodly man, that there was an arm 0’
strength that could lift us out o’ the deepest
pit of our tribulation.—But where was I?
for deed I am sair bewildered wi all that
happened.â€
“You were telling about the storm,
Peggy,†Matilda said, eagerly. “Oh, do
go on, it is so very interesting.â€
“ Ay, that’s true, I was telling about the
storm; but waes me, words are weak to tell
o’ that awfu’ scene. Weel, naething would
serve me but I maun be upon deck to see
the warst o’ it; and there I stood, clinging
aye to John, and Dash at my side, wi’ the
sense o’ aman o’ fifty, holding me fast by
the gown; but it was na waves I saw, but
mountains rising to the black heavens, and
the white foam o’ them looking ghastly white
in the darkness o’ the night, and every now
and then a flash o’ fire like a curtain 0’
flame in the sky, and a sound like guns
mingling wi’ the roar o’ the awfu’ blast ;
and there was the captain again, wi’ a lang
thing like a trumpet in his mouth, and he
156 LEILA AT HOME.
thinking, wi’ his puir feckless breath, to lift
his voice above the anger o’ Heaven. I
could na stand that, so I turned down to the
cabin again; but oh, my bairns, never while
the breath o’ life is in my body will I forget
the sound that ere I was at the foot o’ the
stairs met my ear. I canna speak o’ it, I
dare na think o’ it. Them that had stood
at my side the minute afore in life and
strength, sent to their last account, and
without the power o’ a hand being stretched
out to save them. I am no clear in my
mind o’ what happened for a while after
that; but then there was a cry that the wind
was no just sae strong, and that a boat had
come off from the shore for the passengers
for Scarborough; it was for Scarborough
John was bound, to take up his abode wi’ a
sister, a widow-woman weel to do in the
world, and he was loath to part wi’ me, and
leave me in sic tribulation; and the bairns
they aye cried that mammy maun gang too,
and I was down the side o’ the ship, and in
the boat wi the wee babby in my arms
afore I kent where I was, and Dash holding
LEILA AT HOME. 157
on again by my gown as he did afore ; and
how we e’er reached the shore was the gra-
cious providence of God, for man had
nought to do wi’ it; and we were up in the
air the one minute, and in the watery pit 0’
destruction the next, and no a dry stitch
upon us when we were lifted out wi’ scarce
the breath o’ life in our bodies: but all but
gratitude to Heaven was forgotten when we
sat that night in quietness and in comfort
by that widow-woman’s cheerful fire-side.
And to see the bairns round the table at
their tea, wi’ their bit blythe faces, and ilk
ane wi’ a jelly piece in its hand, for, as I
said afore, she was well to do in the world
that widow-woman, and had all things in a
superior way. Deed it was a scene to lift
the heart wi’ gratitude and joy, and at night
when I found myself in a quiet comfortable
bed, and nae mair hiezing up and down wi’
all thae outlandish sounds in my ear, ’deed
I could na sleep wi’ very pleasure, so I
took to musing on the uses o†the sea, and
I could na make it weel out at all; it
seemed to me as if it was a fearfu’ scourge,
158 LEILA AT HOME,
aye ready to be iet loose on our sinfw’
heads, and made for naething but our de-
struction ; but then I minded me o’ the fine
caller haddys, and thae herrings at ten a
penny, sic a blessing for the puir, and then
I thought that there might be a measure 0’
comfort in it after all, so wi’ that I fell
asleep. The next morning I thought to
hae gone on my way, but they would nae
hear o’ it, and the bairns they aye clung to
me, and said I was to stay and be their
mammy. Deed, auld as I was, I could nae
but think shame o’ sic a proposal afore
John’s very face; and he, honest man, no
ways willing. The day after that John set
out wi’ me to put me on my road, and he
wrote me out a paper o’ all the towns I was
to gang through, ‘and sae we parted, and I
gaed on my way, thinking it wad be but a
pleasant walk; but waes me, I had little
thought or comprehension o’ what was afore
me. But I am thinking I have said enough
for this present time ; you will be weary wi’
sic a lang tale.â€
“Oh no, Peggy,†Leila exclaimed, “ I am
LEILA AT HOME. 159
quite sure none of us are weary. Do goon,
for we wish so much to hear how you got
here at last.â€
“ And ’deed, my bairn, that’s no easy to
tell, for I have but a confused thought o’ all
that happened. Every day I walked on
and on, and when I came to the towns, I
sleeped at big houses that they called houses
o entertainment; but ’deed it was no diver-
sion to me, the money they aye asked frae me
in the mornings ; sol took to sleeping at farm-
houses, and that answered better. To be
sure sometimes I had but the barn or the
hay-loft, and but a short word o’ welcome ;
but others that were mair civil let me sleep
in the big chair at the kitchen fire-side ; and
clean and comfortable mony o’ the kitchens
were, dishes and platters on the walls shin-
ing like silver, and big hams hanging from
the roof, wi’ the greatest plenty to eat and
drink, and blythe bairns running about,
looking sae like their meat, that it did my
heart good to see them. I was aye happy
when I got to a farm-house at night; but
sometimes I was not just sae lucky; and
160 LEILA AT HOME.
what wi’ paying for a night’s lodgings, and |
for a ride in a waggon, or a cart now and
then, and for a loaf o’ bread and a draught 0’
beer, my money was fast melting away, and
my heart no that light; for aye when |
asked if I was near London yet, they said
it was a weary way, and ower far for.sic an
auld woman as me tocompass. But it was
only when the days were fast shortening,
and the long nights setting in, that the like
o’ thae reflections crushed my spirit; yet
the morning’s sun made all right again and
warmed my auld heart, and I felt there was
a Providence abune that could make the
roughest way plain and the langest way
short to me. I was aye fond o’ the song 0’
‘ the robin, and whiles I would sit down by
the side o’ a hedge and hearken to them in
the trees abune my head, and then I would
throw them some crumbs frae my loaf o’
bread to pleasure them puir things; and
the bonnie creatures would come down to
the ground and look up in my face, as if I
had been a kent friend. And Dash, the
wise animal, he would keep his distance,
LEILA AT HOME. 161
and lie as if the breath o’ life was out of his
body, till they had ta’en their breakfast wi’
comfort and discretion. From all that I
hae experienced in my lang travel, I think
the robins are o’ the same nature as in my
ain land, just as frank and as kindly. But
oh, my bairns! sic a difference in the
rivers ; instead of the clear bonnie Esk that
I had been used to, wi’ the sand lying at
the bottom sparkling like diamonds in
some parts, and in others springing over
the big stones like bairns let loose frae the
school, there I came to rivers as quiet and
lazy as mill-ponds, and looking as black
and drumlie as if they had washed all the
dishes in thae big towns in them; but ’deed
it’s no wise discreet in me to be making thae
reflections; for if their waters are no just
sae clear, surely I am come to a land flow-
ing with milk and honey and need na mind.
But I am wandering from my road again.â€
“Yes, Peggy,†Matilda said, “you are
forgetting to tell us how your money lasted,
and what you did when it was done. Oh!
M
162 LEILA AT HOME.
it must have been so dreadful when you
began to be starved to death.â€
“Deed, and it was no ways pleasant ;
but it was no just sae bad as that; and I
aye keepit a thought on Him who feedeth
the fowls o’ the air, and was no that down-
hearted; still it was a serious thought, and
I was at my last shilling when the pedlar
was graciously sent to me.â€
“The pedlar, Peggy, how was that?â€
“You see, Miss Matilda, I was sitting by
the road-side one morning, taking counsel
wi’ my ain thoughts and looking at the
shilling, and turning it round and round in
my hand wi’ a serious countenance, nae
doubt, when an honest man wi’ a pack
upon his back came up tome. ‘ Mistress,’
he said, ‘you are looking at that shilling
as if there werena mony ahint it, and you
were loath to part company. ‘’Deed, I
said, ‘ you hae made a gude guess and are
no far wrong; for it’s the very last shilling
I hae in the world, and a long journey, I
reckon, is still afore me.’ Wi’ that we fell
LEILA AT HOME. 163
into discourse, and I telt him all my story ;
for he was frae my ain country, and my
heart warmed to him. He said that for
that day and the next our road lay in the
same direction, and that he would be blythe
o’ my company. Was I to refuse sic a civil
invitation ?—by no means. So we gaed on
our way thegither, and had muckle plea-
sant discourse; for he was far travelled,
and had great learning and experience 0’
the world, and was, forbye, a God-fearing
and civil man, and had but one fault that I
could discern, he was ower fond o’ beer;
preserve me, but I would hae sleepit sound,
and ower sound, as he, puir man, found
that night, if I had ta’en all he offered me,
for he was no ways niggardly ; and when I
spoke o’ asking up-pitting for the night at
a farm-house, he would na hear it; he
would treat me, he said, baith to a supper
and a bed, and be blythe to do so. Weel,
when night came on, we turned into a com-
fortable looking house by: the road-side,
where they selt the beer he was ower fond
o’; and it was a canty scene that big kit-
M 2
164 LEILA AT HOME.
chen, that lifted the very heart o’ me. ‘There
was the mistress frying bacon on the warm
red fire, and mair than one hungry man
sitting on low stools, listening wi’ delight to
the hissing sound o’ it; and a wee baby in
a cradle, no thiiiking o’ sleep, but lying so
pleased, wi’ the great een o’ it wide open,
and staring at its brothers and _ sisters,
dancing in a corner o’ the room to the
music o’ a blind fiddler; they were near to
a table where some men were drinking, and
there was a man sat there wi’ a face I could
na get out o’ my mind at all. He had a
down look and an ill look to my thought ;
and I noticed that though he had his tankard
o’ beer afore him like the rest, when he
thought nae body was looking that way,
he lifted the tankard that had been put
down afore the puir blind fiddler, and took
a lang pull out o’ it. I would na hae been
that sorry if it had choked him, and I felt
in my mind that that man would surely
come to shame and want. Aweel, when
the mistress showed me the room I was
to sleep in, I could na get this man’s
LEILA AT HOME, 165
ill face out o? my mind, and I asked her if
the men that were drinking at the table
were to bide all night. ‘Some of them
might, she said, ‘and some might not; but
I need not be frightened, for my friend the
pedlar was to sleep in the next room to me,
and there was a door through frae my
room to his. You see,’ she said, ‘ there is
only a latch to it, for the key has been
lost ; but as he is an honest man nae doubt,
and your friend, you will no mind that ; but
this is a decent house, and you need fear
no disturbance ;? and wi’ that she left me.
I had not been long in bed afore I heard
the pedlar, honest man, snoring soundly. I
was weary, weary, and yet for a lang time
I could na get to sleep, for the fiddle
seemed aye sounding in my ears, and the
bit bairnies dancing afore me, and that
man’s ill face aye taking anither look at
me, but after a time I heard steps passing
up the stairs, and the front door was barred
in, and quietness fell upon the house ; and
then, though it was no just sleep that came
over me, it was a kind o’ a dover, and how
166 LEILA AT HOME.
lang it lasted I canna tell, but suddenly it
seemed to me as if I heard a step in the
passage and some one stopping at my door,
—TI started up in my bed and listened; a
lock turned, but it was na’ in my room, but
in the next; and then I saw a light under
the door that had the latch. I sprang up
and looked through the key-hole; the ill
face o’ that awfw’ man seemed glaring on
me, I could scarcely breathe, for I felt sure
he saw me, but he turned away and went
straight up to the bed; he seemed to listen
for a moment, bending over it, then softly
lifting up a worsted plaid that was lying
over a chair by the bed-side, he seized the
pack which the plaid was covering, and
turned to the door again. He had his back
to me then; I lifted the latch and sprang
in, and the next moment I had him by the
throat, the ill rascal, wi? a scream that
wakened the whole house. He let fall the
pack, shook me off as if I had been a fea-
ther, and darted along the passage. He
took me for a ghaist, nae doubt; for, for
decency’s sake, I had put the white sheet
LEILA AT HOME. 167
about me. Aweel, we looked for him all
over the house, but saw naething but a win-
dow wide open, and doubtless out o’ that
window the ill-conditioned creature had
gone on his evil way. It was na muckle
sleep that either the pedlar or me got that
night I reckon, for I heard nae mair
snoring.â€
“Oh, Peggy!†more than one voice ex-
claimed, “ how frightful and how interest-
ing; but go on, go on, tell us more.â€
“ Aweel, in the morning he could na be
grateful enough, honest man, for what I had
done for him. ‘For himself, he said, ‘he
did na’ fancy riding much,’ but it would be
arest to me; so all that day we rode
thegither in a waggon like ladies and gen-
tlemen, he treating me to the best o’ every-
thing, and himsel’ no taking just sae muckle
o’ the beer. The next morning after that,
when we parted, he would force upon me
twa bonnie white half-crowns, and telt me
aye to ride when I could, for that he did
not think I was that strong for sic an un-
dertaking as I had still afore me. I
168 LEILA AT HOME,
would fain hae refused the money, for it
seemed to me like taking payment for doing
only what was natural to do; but I thought
also that pride might hae something to do
wi’ refusing, and pride was na’ for a Chris-
tian woman, so I took the siller. I took
his advice too, for I felt that I was not that
strong; so I aye rode when I could get a
cart or a waggon, but it took mair money
than I could weel spare. Many o’ the wag-
goners and carters spoke a language I
could na’ weel make out, but they aye con-
trived to make it plain to me that they
wanted siller. Every day my pocket got
lighter and lighter, and my heart heavier;
for I came to my last penny, and still a lang
way lay afore me. I needna vex your
hearts wi all that I suffered wi’ want and
lang travel. Some of the folk were kind to
me, and some were not; I dinna weel mind
all that happened, I ken only that aye
when I was at my last extremity, He
that I serve had pity upon me; and I aye
remembered that ‘ He had not where to lay
His head,’ and took courage. One night I
LEILA AT HOME. 169
came to a farm-house; the door was shut,
but I looked through the kitchen window,
and, oh! but it was a cheerfu’, canty scene.
There was a cat as big and as sleek as
a fat lamb lying afore the warm fire, and
the mistress, and the gude man, and the
bairns, and the farm servants, all round a
big table at their supper, and the greatest
plenty o’ everything, and sic a smoke from
the big dishes 0’ meat and o’ potatoes, and
sic a speaking and laughing, that I had to
tap many a time afore they heard me; but
at last the mistress hersel’ came to the door,
and wi’ her a bonnie wee lassie at her side.
I was all in a tremble, and I telt her my
story, and asked for a night’s lodging; but
the pleasant face o’ her entirely changed.
‘And how am I to know,’ she said, ‘that
there is a word of truth in all this? always
the story that they have lost their way, or
lost their money, or some such thing. It
was but last night that I gave lodging to an
old woman, who looked as respectable as
you do, and she was off this morning by
daybreak with two of my best night-caps
170 LEILA AT HOME.
that were drying before the fire. No, no,
you must take the road again, and be
thankfyl you have a clear moon above your
head.’ ‘Oh, mother, mother!’ I heard the
wee thing say, but she shut the door in my
face. I was weary, and I was faint wi’
hunger too, for I had tasted little that day ;
to gang on my way was no possible, for the
very life seemed sinking out o’ me; so I
erept round by the back o’ the house to
seek some sheltered nook to lie down in, no
wishing ever to rise again. All my desire
was to lay myself down in a quiet corner
and there to be found dead in the morning.
I was leaning against a wall sair spent, and
Dash keeping close at my side, as he aye
did, striving, puir thing, to keep me warm,
when a mist came afore my eyes—it cleared
away, and I seemed to see my ain bonnie
bairns wi’ the faces o’ angels beckoning to
me, and I heard my husband’s voice speak-
ing words o’ comfort, and then a door at
the back o’ the house softly opened, and
the bonnie lamb I had seen afore stepped
out into the moonlight; she looked about
LEILA AT HOME. 171
her for a moment on every side, and when
the light fell on the face o’ her it seemed
to me as if she too was a kind spirit frae
anither world. She was passing to the
front o’ the house when she saw me, and,
oh !—but it was a sweet voice that sounded
in my ear when she took my hand, and
said,—‘ There is a sixpence and a penny
for you, it is all the money I have, but
may be it will get you a bed at a house you
will soon come to on the road-side ; and
here is some bread and cheese for your
supper, for I am sure yon are hungry.’ I
was trying to say something, when a voice
cried out, ‘ Alice, Alice, where are you ?’ and
the mistress herse]’ came up to where we
were standing. ‘Oh, mother! the dear
bairn said, ‘do not put her away, for she
looks so sorrowful and she can scarcely walk;
do let her sit at the kitchen fire all night—
[ am sure she is an honest woman.’ The
mistress looked in my face, ‘ Well,’ she
said,‘ I may have judged you wrongfully, so
I will take Alice’s word for it! for it’s not
my usual custom to turn my face from the
172 LEILA AT HOME.
poor of the land, so come in old woman,
and you shall have some supper.’ She took
me into the warm kitchen, seated me at
the fire, and the best o’ everything was set
afore me, and bonnie wee Alice took a low
stool, and set herself down at my feet, and
she aye looked up in my face wi’ her kindly
smile, and seemed to enjoy every morsel I
put in my mouth; and she could na make
enough o’ Dash, and was sae pleased when
the mistress hersel’ set a plate o’ bones
afore him that might have served a king.
Aweel, we took our supper wi’ thanksgiving,
and in a closet off the kitchen I had a clean
comfortable bed to lie down on, which was
a great refreshment. The mistress took to
me in an uncommon way. I telt her where
I was going, and all about it; and in the
morning she gave me my breakfast and a
white shilling out o’ her ain pocket. I was
fain to gie little Alice back the sixpence
and the penny, but she was affronted and
would na hear tell o’ it; so I laid them
down on the wee pillow o’ her bed when
_she was looking anither way.â€
LEILA AT HOME. 173
The tears were in Leila’s eyes: “Oh,
Peggy,†she said, “ what a dear little girl
Alice must have been! how I wish I could
thank her for being so very kind to you;
but you are not to stop yet, you have more
to tell us.â€
“Not much more, Miss Leila, for mony
o’ the days after that seem to have passed
out o’ my mind. I think it was but twice
after that that I had onything like a decent
bed to lie down on; it was getting darkish
one day when I was passing through a vil-
lage, a heap o’ bairns came running past
just out o’ school, and a wild laddie had
something tied up in a napkin, and he aye
cried he was going to drown it, and they
maun come and see. My mind misgave me
that it was a kitten, puir thing, so I fol-
lowed on to a pond that I saw afore me,
and just as I got near I heard sic a wild
screech, and there was a wee lassie strug-
gling in the water; I cried loud to Dash,
and he was into the pond in no time, and
afore anither minute was over, the puir
half-drowned thing was laid at my feet.
174 LEILA AT HOME.
Aweel, I took it up in my arms and turned
back to the village. The mother o’ it was
like to go out o’ her judgment wi’ fright and
wi’ joy; I stayed to help to put the bairn
into a warm bed, the puir lamb would nae
be comforted. Aye when we thought she
was dropping over to sleep she started up
again in an unco tremble, and crying out,
‘No, no, mother, don’t be angry, I will
never, never go near the pond again;’ and
when Dash came up to the bed wagging his
tail, and trying to make acquaintance wi
her, she was like to go out o’ her judgment,
wi’ no manner o’ knowledge or gratitude for
what he had done for her. Aweel, she fell
into a sleep at last; ‘ Oh, my darling, the
mother said, ‘ many’s the time I have told
her to keep away from those wicked boys,
and by no means to go near that ugly pond,
for my mind misgave me that something
might happen; but she has been punished
enough, poor thing, she will not again
forget my werning ;’ and she leaned over the
dear bairn wi’ sic joy and thankfulness, and
kissed her over and over again. ‘Though it
LEILA AT HOME. 175
was getting late, I thought now to have
gone on my way again, but though she was
but a widow-woman, and seemed to have
naught to spare, she would na hear of it,
so I stayed wi her that night, and she did
all she could to make me comfortable. The
next circumstance that I remember was
when I found myself in a town, and sae
spent wi’ hunger I could scarcely walk; I
had parted wi’ my warm cloak afore, and I
think shame to tell you how many salt tears
that had cost me, (but it was a present from
my gudeman,) and I was thinking if there
was onything else I could sell, and holding
by the rails, for I could scarcely stand,
when a decent looking young woman, wi a
most pleasant face, came up to me. ‘ What
is the matter, poor woman,’ she said, in a
kindly voice, ‘ you are surely ill?’ I telt
her I was starving. ‘ Waes me,’ she said,
‘and I have no money to give you, for I
have just been disappointed myself: but
come with me, you shall have something to
eat at least.’ She took me by the arm and
helped me on, and we entered a big house,
176 LEILA AT HOME.
where a great mony people seemed to be
living, for I heard voices o’ men and
women, and bairns, some crying and some
laughing. ‘ My sister and I have a room
here, she said, as we gaed up the stairs ;
then taking me by the hand along a dark
passage, she opened a door, and I saw a
young woman sitting close to the window
working busily, though it was getting dark.
* Jessie,’ she said,‘ you will have thought me
long away, and after all I have come back
without the money for the shirts, for Mrs.
Churchill was not at home.’ ‘ Without the
money, Jessie repeated, ‘and not a morsel
in the house beyond our night’s supper, and
not a farthing to buy more! Oh, Ellen,
this is sorrowful news. But who is this you
have got with you?’ Ellen told her how
she had fallen in wi’ me, and it was beauti-
ful to see the kindness o’ baith the sisters.
There was but a small fire, but they ga-
thered up the cinders, and made me sit
close to it, and they rubbed my hands and
spoke words o’ comfort to me; and Ellen
brought some bread and cheese out of a
LEILA AT HOME. 177
cupboard, and set it afore me, and baith o’
them pressed me to eat. Just then there
was a tap at the door. ‘ That will be the
nurse,’ Ellen said, jumping up; ‘I forgot
to tell you that she said she might perhaps
be able to bring the money if her mistress
came home in time.’ It was the nurse sure
enough, and oh, sic joy it was to the kind-
hearted creatures when the nurse counted
down ten bonnie shillings on the table.
‘Put on the tea-kettle, Ellen said, ‘ and
I will be back in a moment with some
tea and sugar; and, Mistress Nurse, perhaps
you will stay and take a cup of tea, you
have always been such a kind friend to us.’
But Mistress Nurse said she could by no
means stay, for her lady might want her;
and she was just going away when she no-
ticed Dash. ‘ Bless me,’ she said, ‘ what a
fine animal, but how thin he is; he looks
half-starved ; my heart is sore for the crea-
ture, tea is not just the thing for him, but if
I can get hold of the stable-boy when I go
home, I will send him up with a plate of
scraps; he will like that better. And she
N
178 LEILA AT HOME.
was as good as her word; Dash had such a
supper as he had not seen for many a day.
And how the sisters were pleased and di-
verted when the creature picked out the
largest bone he could find in all the platter,
and laid it at my feet. Aweel, we had our
tea in comfort, and the best o’ butter, which
Ellen said was a treat by ordinar, and
muckle pleasant discourse ; and I telt them
about you Miss Selina, getting your speech
again, and about Miss Leila in the island.
They said it was like a fairy tale, and that
they had naething to tell me about them-
selves sae romantic. They had lost baith
father and mother, and they worked for
their bread, and had come through great
straits ; sometimes they had plenty to do,
and were comfortable enough, and some-
times they were sair put about, and at their
last penny; but their mother had been a
God-fearing woman, and had given them the
best o’ counsel, and they aye kept up their
hearts, for there was a Providence abune,
they said, that kent what was best for them.
The room was clean and neat, though the
LEILA AT HOME. 179
furniture was scant. There was but one bed,
but they borrowed a mattress from a kind
neighbour, and I lay baith warm and com-
fortable on it. In the morning [I had a sair
struggle, for they would hae me to take one
0’ their hard-earned shillings; but- I would
by no means hear o’ it, and I was the more
positive as they had telt me that I was but
a day’s journey or so frae Richmond, and
need na gang through that awfu’ London,
which was a great ease to my mind. So I
took only some small change Ellen had
gotten in from the tea, and gaed on my way.
It was a clear bright day, but it was hard
frost when night came on, and I was stiff
wi cold, and weary, weary; and I could
get naething better than a barn to lie down
in, for I had but a penny to offer, and they
jeered at me, and said a barn was ower
good for sic payment. The next morming
seems all like a confused kind o’ dream,
I remember naething but that I crawled on
and on, often stopping and feeling unco’
sleepy, but aye feared to lie down lest I
should ne’er waken again; but though I
N 2
180 LEILA AT HOME.
kent Richmond could na be far off now, I
was but the mair sorrowful, for I could bear
it no longer ; I could na move anither step,
but sunk down by the road-side. A mist
came afore my eyes, I ken naething mair,
but that I seemed to waken in Heaven, for
when I opened my eyes again, your dear
faces were all around me.†Peggy ceased
speaking, and clasped her hands together as
if in prayer. There were tears in most
eyes ; even Charles, who seemed to think it
unmanly to give way, had to struggle hard
with his emotion. :
“ Leila,†he said, as they returned home,
“JT can well understand what your grief
must have been in thinking Peggy lost to
you. I am going to write all her story
down, it is so interesting, and it will be my
first lesson in the Scotch language ; I would
not have missed hearing her tell it for the
world.â€
LEILA AT HOME. 18]
CHAPTER XI.
A FEW days more, and solitude and
silence seemed to have fallen on Wood-
lands. The whole party had dispersed.
Mrs. Roberts had come back from paying a
visit to her sister, and even the Stanleys
had returned home. Leila had felt the
parting with so many kind friends a good
deal, and the holidays seemed to her now
as but one bright day too quickly past.
But there were alleviations; Sherborne Park,
the residence of Mr. Herbert, was but an
hour’s ride from Woodlands; Leila could
now manage Selim with ease; Charles was
still to be one week more at home, and on
182 LEILA AT HOME.
the first Saturday after the breaking up of
the party, he promised to be early at Wood-
lands on his pony, to escort Mr. Howard
and Leila to Sherborne Park: besides this,
her joy and thankfulness at having reco-
vered Peggy and her dear Dash, bid de-
fiance to all approaches to any depression
of spirits. She was buoyant as ever, and
each morning, on her way to her Aunt
Stanley’s, she stopped for a few moments at
Peggy’s cottage to say a few kind words to
her, and bring joy and sunshine to the old
woman’s heart.
Most of the neighbouring families had
called at Woodlands ; amongst others, Mr.
and Mrs. Mildmay, with their daughter
Lydia. Leila liked Lydia’s appearance ;
she was a pretty looking girl, remarkably
well dressed, with a beautiful complexion,
fine hair, and a very animated expression
of face; she praised everything she saw,
was delighted with the pets, said they were
happy creatures to have such a dear, pretty
little mistress, and kissed Leila twice at
parting, and hoped they would always be
LEILA AT HOME. 183
great friends. Leila was much gratified,
and was tempted for the first time to think
Selina might be wrong, and too hasty in
her judgments. She was made very happy
a few days after, by her Aunt Stanley telling
her she had obtained her papa’s consent to
her remaining to dinner, as Mr. Mildmay,
having county business with Mr. Stanley,
was, with his wife and daughter, to dine
with them that day.
It was a very agreeable day to Leila; she
liked Lydia more and more. She had now
quite made up her mind to think Selina’s
character of her a mistaken one. Lydia
seemed full of heart and affection for all of
them, but apparently to prefer Selina to the
others ; always listening when she spoke,
and always declaring that she must know
best, and in all their little discussions
coming over to her way of thinking. But
Leila would have been the first to retract
the too favourable opinion she had formed,
had she been present at a conversation
which took place in the school-room before
tea. Lydia and Matilda were alone toge-
184 LEILA AT HOME,
ther, they had been talking of Leila.
“ Yes,†Lydia said, “I don’t wonder you
like her, she took my fancy very much;
there is some life and spirit in her. I am
sure I hope Selina will not make her as
prim as she is herself, for she seems to have
taken quite a passion for that dear sister of
yours.â€
Matilda’s colour mounted to her forehead.
“1 thought you were very fond of Selina,â€
she said, in an offended tone of voice; “I
am sure you always talk to her as if you
were.â€
“ And who tells you I am not ?â€
“You yourself do; you would not talk
in that way of one you really liked. Ah,
Lydia, that is not being sincere.†Selina’s
warning came forcibly into her mind at
that moment, but she was sorry she had
said so much, for Lydia seemed extremely
angry ; looking very red, she said,
“ Matilda, that idea would never have
entered your head; I know who has .
She stopped, and with a changed expres-
sion of look and tone she continued, “ But
LEILA AT HOME. 185
this is quite foolish, we are getting angry
with each other for no reason whatever, for
we are quite of the same opinion on this
subject ; I am sure you cannot have a higher
opinion of Selina than I have. I only wish
I could be more like her,†and she sighed
heavily ; “ but still you must not be angry if
I love my own little Matilda even more,â€
and she drew Matilda towards her, and
kissed her cheek.
Matilda felt at this moment she would
rather that she had not done so, but still
she was gratified and flattered. that one
generally allowed to be so clever and ac-
complished as Lydia, and who was several
years older than herself, should make quite
a friend of her, and even often condescend
to ask her advice. Had Matilda reflected
further, she would have been aware that
though she did so, she seldom, if ever, fol-
lowed it. Lydia, in fact, always ended by
taking her own way in everything, though
apparently yielding to the judgment of
others. She now, as if to change the sub-
ject, observed, “ What nice looking books
186 LEILA AT HOME.
you have got on those shelves ; your school-
room always looks so cheerful and so com-
fortable. What a pretty book that seems
to be at the top there; I should like to
see it.â€
“ Oh, that is a beautiful book,†Matilda
answered ; “ but it belongs to Mrs. Roberts.
There are sketches in it which were drawn
by her husband; she has the greatest value
for it, and she shows it to us sometimes ;
but she has forbidden us ever to touch it
when she is not by.†|
“ Oh, she is afraid, I suppose, of Alfred’s
dirty little hands, for you know he is for
ever grubbing in the earth, hunting after
snails or spiders, or some such creatures ;
but a young lady’s hands are very different,â€
and she drew off her nice kid glove, and
displayed her pretty little white hand, on
which a beautiful ring sparkled which had
often been Matilda’s admiration. “ You
cannot suppose,†she continued, “ that she
would have any objection to my looking at
the book; and as she is so very obliging and
good-natured, she will be quite gratified, I
LEILA AT HOME. 187
am sure, that I should admire her book.
She drew a chair towards her and was
mounting upon it.
Matilda held her back. “ Oh pray don’t ;â€
she said; “I don’t wish to disobey Mrs.
Roberts, and I promised not to touch or
look at it when she was not by.â€
“ Well, don’t touch it, my little pattern
miss,†Lydia said; “ don’t touch it; put
your hands behind your back and then you
can swear you did not; you need not even
look at it; shut your eyes and turn your
back my pretty dear, and I will describe to
you the beautiful scenes as I turn over the
pages; for I have no pleasure when it is
not shared.†Then changing her tone of
raillery, she continued: “ But what has
come over my little Matilda? I scarcely
know her again—she that used to be so
obliging and so affectionate towards me—
have I indeed lost my little friend ?â€
“Oh, no, no!†Matilda exclaimed, and
tears were in her eyes. “I am still your
little friend; don’t be angry with me, You
will love me again, won’t you?â€
188 LEILA AT HOME.
Lydia’s smile was that of triumph; but
Matilda did not see it—she was now cover-
ing her eyes with her hands.
Lydia jumped up on the chair and took
down the book ; then gently removing Ma-
tilda’s hands, she said,—“ Come, darling,
don’t be foolish; let me see my sweet Ma-
tilda again; let us be friends as we have
ever been.â€
Poor Matilda! all her sense of what was
right, all her good resolutions, vanished be-
fore Lydia’s bland smile. Selina’s repeated
warnings, and yet more, the texts of the
moming had been entirely forgotten. —
“ Show me thy ways, O Lord; teach me
thy paths.†And the answer: “ Trust in
the Lord with all thy heart, and lean not
unto thine own understanding ; in all thy
ways acknowledge Him, and He shall di-
rect thy paths.†Alas! had she asked im
sincerity to be shown His ways, to be
guided in His paths? had she not leant
to her own understanding, and listened to
the voice of the tempter ? how then could
she expect that God would direct her ways
LEILA AT HOME. 189
when God was not in all her thoughts?
She turned over the pages of the book for
Lydia, she explained the sketches, and
praised them extravagantly, with a confused
idea that she was atoning to Mrs. Roberts
in some degree by doing so, and she gave
herself completely up to the enjoyment of
the moment.
“Well,†Lydia said, as she turned the
last page, “ now we have finished; we have
had our pleasure, and what the worse, I
should like to know, is the pretty book for
our admiration? Come, let us put it up
again in the book-case.â€
Matilda jumped up to assist her, and in
her haste overturned an ink-glass on the
table, which she herself had neglected to
put into the inkstand again; a small por-
tion of the ink fell on the beautiful binding
of the book; Matilda was horror-struck.
“Oh! what shall I do? what shall I
do?†she exclaimed, as she stood in help-
less distress gazing upon it.
But Lydia did not lose her presence of
mind for a moment; tearing out a sheet of
190 LEILA AT HOME.
blotting-paper from a book which lay be-
fore them, she quickly soaked up the ink,
then seizing a sponge which Selina had
been using for her drawing, she dipped it
in a tumbler of water, and dexterously ef-
faced almost every trace of the stain. The
book was bound in white vellum, highly
glazed, so that the ink had not sunk in,
scarcely a trace of it was discernible.
“* Now is not this well and cleverly done ?â€
Lydia said. “Come, cheer up, Matilda,
don’t think of it another moment; it was
awkward enough in you, to be sure; but
mum’s the word, and it never will be per-
ceived; I must put it in the book-case
again, and as far back as I can.†She was
jumping up on the chair, but Matilda took
the book from her hand and looked at it
earnestly for a moment.
“Oh! you need not be afraid, and look so
dismal ; I really don’t think it is possible it
can be found out.â€
Maltida still retained the book in her
hand, and rose as if about to leave the
room.
LEILA AT HOME. 191]
“Where are you going?†Lydia impa-
tiently asked.
“To show this to Mrs. Roberts,†Matilda
answered, timidly.
“To show it to Mrs. Roberts! Are you
mad, Matilda? Surely you would not be
such a fool—oh! I beg your pardon for
calling you so; how mamma would be
shocked if she heard me talking in this
vulgar manner—there is nothing she dis-
likes so much as vulgarity. I beg your
pardon, but you did put me in such a pas-
sion.†Then changing her tone from that of
anger, she continued, mournfully,—* And so
you would bring me into this scrape and
get me punished, I who have ever loved
you, ever been your friend—I who would
have stood by you till the last moment!
Oh, Matilda! but go—go and leave me.â€
Matilda stood irresolute. She covered
her face with her hands, the tears trickled
down between her fingers, but she softly re-
peated to herself, “Trust in the Lord with
all thy heart, and He shall direct thy path.â€
192 LEILA AT HOME.
She removed her hands, she looked up, and
in a firm voice she said,—“ Lydia, it was I
who overturned the ink, and it is I who
shall bear the punishment ;†and she left the
room. ;
She found Selina and Leila with Mrs.
Roberts; the expression of her face in-
stantly arrested their attention. “ What has
happened, Matilda?†they both exclaimed ;
“what is the matter?â€
She put them back with her hand, and
steadily advancing to the table where Mrs.
Roberts sat, she laid the book before her,
and pointing to where the stain had been,
she said,—“ Mrs. Roberts, I spilt the ink
upon your book; I am very so .
She tried to say more, she could not, she
was weeping.
Mrs. Roberts looked much distressed.
* Matilda,†she said, “it is not on account
of any injury my book has sustained that I
am so distressed —and indeed I do not
think I should have observed it—but you
have disobeyed my express command, and
LEILA AT HOME. 193
you have also broken your promise to me ;
for it was yourself who voluntarily gave that
promise—I did not ask it of you.â€
“Oh! yes; I remember that quite well;
I have been very, very wrong; I deserve
to be punished, and I will try to bear it
well.â€
Selina looked earnestly at her; then
throwing her arms round her neck, she
whispered,—* Tell me, dear Matilda, did
Lydia ask you to show her that book ?â€
Matilda made no answer; she kissed
Selina fondly, then turning round, she said,
— “Mrs. Roberts, I know I must be
punished, what do I deserve ?†|
“‘ Not a very severe punishment, Matilda ;
for you have already lessened your fault by
confessing it to me; and you will still fur-
ther, I am sure, atone for it, by confessing it
to God and imploring His forgiveness. I
see that you feel it deeply and are really
penitent; I shall, therefore, leave your
punishment with yourself. Say, then, what
it shall be.â€
Matilda stood for some moments looking
0
194 LEILA AT HOME.
on the ground, her colour varying at every
moment. “I had rather that you should
have punished me,†she said. “ But if I
do not come into the room to-morrow, or
next day, or the next, when you read aloud
to us, will that be enough, do you think? I
assure you it will be a great punishment to
me.â€
Mrs. Roberts was in the habit of reading
out some interesting story to them for an
hour every day while they were employed
in working for the poor. Matilda used to
call it her happy hour, and the tears again
filled her eyes at the thoughts of such a
banishment. Mrs. Roberts saw it would in-
deed be punishment enough. She assented,
and taking Matilda in her arms and kissing
her, she said, —“ You have my forgiveness,
my child; now go to your room and ask
forgiveness of your Heavenly Father for
your Saviour’s sake, and strength from the
Holy Spirit to walk more and more in His
blessed ways.â€
When Matilda returned to the school-
room a short time afterwards, to invite
LEILA AT HOME, 195
Lydia to go to tea, her countenance was
quite cheerful again. Lydia looked at her
attentively. “ Well,†she said, “I see you
have got it over, and well over; I only
hope you have not committed me; what
did you say, Matilda? how much did you
tell °â€
“T told only that I had spilt the ink on
the book.â€
“ And you did not mention my name ‘â€
** No, I did not.â€
But Lydia seemed to understand the tone
and manner in which those few words were
said, and hastened to efface the bad im-
pression she had made. “ You are a
generous, noble girl, Matilda,†she said,
“and, though younger, far better than I
am; you must teach me to be like you;â€
she twined her arms fondly round her waist,
and they left the room together.
As Matilda finished reading the Bible
that evening, she closed the book, and sat
for some minutes in deep thought. “ Am I
a noble, generous girl ?†she asked herself ;
“and does Lydia really think so? perhaps
0 2
196 LEILA AT HOME.
she only said it to flatter me; I wish I
really knew; I wish I could ask Selina,—
that would be betraying Lydia. No, I am
not a noble girl—I often do wrong things ;
I wish [ had not liked the praise so much,
or believed Lydia. I wish I did not like
her so; perhaps she does me no good; but it
is not kind to Lydia to think so.†She knelt
down and said her prayers, and fervently
she asked to be forgiven for her disobe-
dience and for having broken her promise.
She asked also to have the love of praise
more taken out of her heart; to be meek
and lowly like Him she was taught to
serve ; and she got into bed more peaceful,
almost happy, and soon fell asleep.
Saturday came, and Charles was faithful
to his appointment. It was a bright morn-
ing, everything looked gay in the sunshine,
the ground sparkled with a light frost; but
Selim was the most sure-footed of ponies.
Leila rode between her papa and Charles—
how could she be afraid. She was in high
spirits, it was her first ride of any consider-
able length; she was quite elated by the
LEILA AT HOME, 197
dignity of her situation, and every now and
then she touched Selim lightly with her
whip, and sprang on a few yards before the
others, then looked back and laughed at
their grave looks. By degrees she became
more bold, more anxious to show off before
Charles, and to prove to him that she had
become quite an excellent horsewoman.
She touched Selim less gently—he sprang
forward, and from a brisk canter was soon
at full gallop, Leila’s light figure seeming
as if raised every moment into mid air.
The others held back; they knew the
danger of following too closely. “Oh, my
child! my child!†Mr. Howard repeatedly
exclaimed. It was to both a moment of
extreme agitation, for a turn in the road
now hid Leila from their sight. But Leila,
though much frightened at first, did not
lose her presence of mind. She allowed
Selim to proceed for some time without op-
position, then gently checked him as Charles
had instructed her to do, the obedient ani-
mal first slackened his pace, and then stood
entirely still. Her papa and Charles came
198 LEILA AT HOME.
up, both looking much alarmed. Charles
did not speak, he was extremely pale.
Leila looked at them both and burst into
tears. “Oh! how I have frightened and dis-
tressed you,†she said; “I have been so
wrong, so silly; do forgive me, papa—do
not be angry—lI am so sorry.â€
“You have indeed been wrong, and very
imprudent,†Mr. Howard answered; “ and
you have much reason to be grateful for the
escape you have made. You are far too
ignorant a horsewoman to be aware of the
danger you exposed yourself to; but don’t
let us talk of it any more at present; you
have now got a lesson which I am sure you
will not forget; keep close to us, my dear
child, for you are still far too inexperienced
to be trusted for a moment alone.â€
They now proceeded without further in-
terruption. Mina was watching for them at
the park gate, and ran by their side all up
the approach, they walking their horses that
they might keep pace with her, and Leila
chatting to her as gaily as ever. Mrs. Her-
bert’s reception of them was all that was
LEILA AT HOME. 199
kind and affectionate, as she welcomed
Leila to her second home; and, in rambling
with Charles and Mina all over the grounds,
the day was passed in much enjoyment.
The place was extensive and kept in the
most beautiful order. Leila, however, did
not admire it quite so much as Woodlands ;
but what interested her greatly was a small
picturesque looking church which stood in
the grounds and its adjoining parsonage.
With this scene she was delighted; and when
Charles told her the parsonage would pro-
bably one day be his future home, as he
wished to take holy orders, and the living
was in his father’s gift, she thought she had
never seen anything so charming.
“ And it looks so comfortable,†she said,
“so much nicer than alarge house. How I
wish Woodlands were no bigger than this
parsonage !—how happy will you be, Charles,
when you have such a house, and when I
come to visit here—you will often ask Mina
and me to come to tea, and you will let us
make tea for you, time about, won’t you ‘—
But, Charles,†she continued, “ you are not
200 LEILA AT HOME.
so merry as you used to be, and you don’t
say you would be happy to see us to tea—ah !
I know what it is; you are angry with me.â€
“Angry with you, Leila?—oh, no! how
can you think so :â€
“ Yes, because I know I deserve it; it
was so foolish of me to wish you to admire
me, and to think you would.â€
“ And do you think that would be so diffi-
cult Leila ?†he asked.
“T don’t know; I don’t understand about
that; but I know you should not—you should
not admire anything vain, and I should not
wish it; and if you are to be a clergyman,
you know, you should teach me to be meek
and lowly in heart. I am sure my papa
will be so glad when [I tell him you are to
be a clergyman; for he will think, as you
grow taller and older, you will help him to
make me better. But if you are not angry
with me, Charles, why are you so grave ?—
you have not told me that; what can you be
thinking about '—do tell us !â€
“T am thinking,†he answered, “ how de-
lightful â€â€”he hesitated—“ how delightful all
LEILA AT HOME, 201
this is !†he continued; “ and on Monday
how the scene will be changed !â€
“ And why changed ?†she inquired.
“ Because on Monday I return to school,
and there, instead of having you and Mina
to talk to, I shall be surrounded - a parcel
of such noisy fellows.â€
“ And you don’t like them, then ?â€
“ O yes, I do; that is to say, some of
them—some of them are excellent fellows,
and I like them very much; but don’t let us
talk of them now, let us enjoy the present ;
Easter will come in time, and then [ shall
be home again. You won't forget me, Leila ;
will you promise me that ?â€
“To be sure I will not, but it is needless
to promise ; do you think I could forget the
only brother I have in the world? you know
I have already told you, that now I do not
think you too tall to be my brother; so you
may grow as tall as ever you choose, and you
will still always be my brother.â€
When Leila was alone with her papa that
evening, she immediately recurred to what
had taken place during the ride.
202 LEILA AT HOME.
“Papa,†she said, “ I must have frightened
you very much.â€
“ You did, indeed, my love; I was ex-
tremely alarmed. You were not aware of
what. the fatal consequences might have
been and were very rash indeed to urge on
Selim as you did.â€
“Yes, and you will be more sorry, papa,
when I tell you why—it was what you call
the foot of pride—it entered into me, papa,
and I did it all on purpose—yes, I whipped
Selim on, that I might show off before
Charles, and that he might admire my
riding, and say how well I kept my seat:
once I heard him say, that Selina kept her
seat so well, and I wished him so much to
say the same of me ; you did not know this,
papa ?â€
“Yes, my love, I was aware of your
motive, and you may therefore suppose what
my feelings must have been, when I thought
my child’s life might fall a sacrifice to her
vanity and love of admiration.â€
“< My life, papa ?â€
“Yes, my dear Leila, you might not be
LEILA AT HOME. 203
aware of all the risks you ran, but it was
God’s goodness alone that saved you; for
you braved the danger, and it was great.â€
“O papa, how wrong I have been, and
God might have punished me—He might
even have taken my life, and He did not;
yet He saw into my heart, and knew how
vain and foolish I was—how can He love
me, how can He forgive me ?â€
“My Leila, God cannot love the sin,
yet has He compassion on the sinner. Do
you remember what St. John says—‘ So God
loved the world, that He gave His only-be-
gotten Son, to the end that all that believe
in Him should not perish, but have ever-
lasting life!’ and in the fourth chapter,
he says, ‘ Herein is love, not that we loved
God, but that He loved us, and sent
His Son to be the propitiation for our
sins.’ Yes, my child, it is the righteousness
of One who has never sinned, that is this
propitiation, which has been procured for
us. In our own strength we cannot walk ;
it is clad in the righteousness of our Saviour
Jesus Christ alone, that we can stand in the
an. LEILA AT HOME.
presence of a pure and holy God; and we
are also told, that ‘We have not an High
Priest, which cannot be touched with a feel-
ing of our infirmities ; but was, in all points,
tempted like as we are, yet without sin.’
You may meet with those who will tell you
that vanity and pride are but trifling faults,
mere human weaknesses ; but do not listen
to them—think often to what in your own
case they might have led; and, above all,
try to keep ever in your mind the example
of Him whom you love and serve ; think of
His deep humility, His meekness, His low-
liness of heart ; for our blessed Saviour not
only died for us, but He lived for us—He
left the glory of His Father’s kingdom, to
take our nature upon Him, that we might
learn of Him; He has compassion on our
weaknesses, for He knew them all, and it is
His example that should ever dwell in our
minds, as His sacrifice should ever dwell in
our inmost hearts.â€
“But, papa, I know this—I know that our
Saviour Jesus Christ was humble and meek,
and I know He can see into my heart, and
LEILA AT HOME. > Be
yet I have been foolish and vain—it is so
difficult—and then I am but a little child,
how can I follow so great an example ?â€
“You can only do so by praying con-
stantly for the grace of God to give you
strength; He can make the hardest duty
easy to you; and for your encouragement
you should think also of how your blessed
Saviour loved little children. Do you re-
member that when the disciples were dis-
puting together who should be the greatest,
our Lord set a child before them as an ex-
ample of the simplicity and humility of which
He approved, and which He wished them
to imitate? Strive then, my dearest Leila,
to become a meek and humble child, such
as your Saviour loves; kneel before Him in
all your weakness, and from Him you will
receive strength to help in time of need.â€
Leila threw her arms round her father’s
neck, and softly whispered, “I will try,
papa, and you will also pray for me,â€
206 LEILA AT HOME.
CHAPTER XII.
“‘ Now there is only one day more,†Ma-
tilda exclaimed, as she darted into the
school-room, (which Mrs. Roberts had just
left,) and clasped Selina round the neck so
tightly as almost to choke her; “ only one
day more, my sweet sister Demure, and my
punishment will be ended, and you will be,
I do believe, as happy as I am; for I know
you have not half enjoyed the stories with-
out me, nor you either, Leila—now tell me,
have you not missed me very much ?â€
Both assured her that they had.
“T knew it,†she continued, “ for you are
so tender-hearted ; but I hope Mrs. Roberts
LEILA AT HOME. 207
has been tender-hearted also, and that she
has not begun to read to you the account of
Lavalette’s escape yet: you know she said
she would abridge it for us, and last night,
when I saw her writing, I was so afraid she
would read it to you to-day—it would be
very cruel of her if she has done so.â€
“ But she was not cruel,†Leila answered
quickly ; “I think she stopped on purpose
that you might be with us—to-day she only
read to us some anecdotes of cats.â€
“ Of cats! OI don’t care so much about
cats ; what could put that into Mrs. Roberts’s
head ?â€
“ T had been telling her of the sad fright
Selina gave me last night; that made her
think of cats.â€
“And you did not tell me about Selina,â€
Matilda said, reproachfully; “though I
don’t care much for other people’s cats, you
know I always do for yours—I like every-
thing that you like, Leila.â€
“Yes, I know you do; and you are not
to look vexed now, for I don’t like that; the
reason I did not like to tell you was, that
208 LEILA AT HOME.
we began lessons the moment I arrived, for I
was later than usual to-day, because I staid to
talk to Peggy Dobie about a bee-hive ; I am
going to get her a bee-hive; I have money
for it now, and it will be ready for spring.
She is so fond of bees; she says they are
the best of company, an example to old and
young, and the very hum of them is pleasant
to her heart, and brings back her thoughts
to her own land, and to days long gone by.â€
“But what about Selina?†Matilda in-
quired.
“ O yes, I was almost forgetting to tell
you. She gave me such a fright. You
know I am taming a linnet, for I read a
story once about a little boy having tamed
a linnet, and taught it to call persons by
their names, and to imitate sounds, and
whistle like nightingales and larks; and
this linnet lived for forty years, and was
only killed by an ‘accident; so I thought if
my linnet lived forty years, it would be a
comfort to me in my old age; and now I
daresay it will be, for you can’t think how
tame it is getting since you saw it, and it
LEILA AT HOME. 209
seems to love me more and more every day.
Whenever I go into my room it flies to the
side of the cage, and puts up its bill to kiss
me, and then it hops down to the door, and
stands watching till I open it and let it out.
Yesterday, after I had let it out, I put a
saucer of water on the table, that it might
wash itself, for it likes so much to splash
about in the water; and then I went into the
drawing-room for a book. I staid a little,
for I had opened the book at an interesting
place, and I began to read, and forgot my
dear little Mimi. Suddenly I heard some-
thing rush past me—it was Selina with my
bird in her mouth. She darted under the
sofa quite out of sight; I did not dare to lift
up the cover of the sofa, for I thought I
should see Mimi torn to pieces. I covered
my face with my hands, and was trembling
to hear it scream. Oh, I was so frightened !
and so dreadfully angry, if I had had a
stick, I believe I could have killed Selina.
Think only if Thad done it! My own Se-
lina! I looked up and saw a strange cat
with large eyes glaring at me: I flew at it,
| P
210 LEILA AT HOME.
and dashed it out of the room in a great
rage, and then Selina came softly out from
below the sofa, and gently laid down Mimi
quite safe at my feet. It was to save it
from this strange cat that Selina had run
away with it.†*
“ Oh, what a dear creature !†Matilda ex-
claimed ; “ I do think no cat in the whole
world can be so delightful as Selina. What
a comfort that you did not hurt her. I was
wishing so for a stick when you were telling
it, I would have dashed her to pieces in a
moment; and even if I had not had one,
I think I would have trailed her out from
below the sofa in some way or other. What
a dreadful thing it would have been if I
had killed her. But you see, Cousin Leila,
we are a little like in some things, we both
wished for sticks.â€
“ Yes, indeed, that is quite true; and I
am sure you need never call me_ good.
Only the day before yesterday I almost lost
my life, because I was foolish and vain, and
yesterday I might have killed a cat.â€
* A fact.
LEILA AT HOME. 911
“ But you did not.â€
“No, I did not; but I made papa very
grieved, and he spoke to me a great deal
about it, and said that when these fits of
anger were not restrained in youth, they
often led to the most dreadful crimes. He
put me in mind of how I snatched my work
out of Nurse’s hands, and danced upon it;
and he said it grieved. him to see that
the same spirit of anger often possessed
me, that though I was so much older
now e
“ Well, don’t let us talk about that,†Ma-
tilda said. “ Did Mrs. Roberts read to you
anything interesting about cats, anything
worth telling? Selina, you have such a
good memory, I daresay you can remember
something worth telling me.â€
“ ‘Yes, she read us several anecdotes that
I think you would have liked. She read to
us about a favourite cat that belonged to a
Madame Helvetius. It never touched the
birds which she kept, almost constantly lay
at her feet, and seemed to be always watch-
P2
212 LEILA AT HOME.
ing over her, and would never take any
food but what she gave it. When Madame
Helvetius died, the poor cat was removed
from her chamber, but it made its way there
next morning, got upon her bed, then upon
her chair, slowly and mournfully passed
over her toilet, and cried most piteously,
as if lamenting her poor mistress ; it re-
fused all food, and after the funeral it
was found stretched out on the grave quite
dead.â€
“Oh, dear, what a melancholy story; I
don’t think I would have cared much to
hear that. Did Mrs. Roberts read you no-
thing better than that? nothing merry about
cats ?â€
“ She read us also an anecdote which we
thought interesting. A lady went to visit a
friend in the country, and this friend had a
favourite cat and dog; they were very fond
of each other, ate together from the same
plate, and slept on the same rug. Puss had
kittens while the lady was staying with her
friend, and Pincher went regularly every
LEILA AT HOME. 213
day to visit the kittens, whose nursery was
at the top of the house. One morning
there was a tremendous storm of thunder
and lightning ; Pincher was in the drawing-
room, and the cat was watching her little
family in the garret. Pincher seemed quite
frightened by the bright flashes of lightning,
and trembled all over; and just as he had
crept close to the visitor, and laid himself
down at her feet, (as if for protection,)
some one came into the drawing-room, fol-
lowed by puss, who walked in with a most
disturbed air, and mewing with all her
might, came up to Pincher, rubbed her face
against his cheek, touched him gently with
her paw, and then walked to the door,
stopped, looked back, mewed again, and
seemed to say, as plainly as words could
have done, ‘ Do come with me, Pincher ;’
but Pincher was too much frightened him-
self to give any comfort to poor puss, and
took not the least notice of her invitation.
She came back and renewed her request
with increased mewing. But the hard-
hearted Pincher was immoyeable, though he
214 LEILA AT HOME.
seemed perfectly to understand her mean-
ing, for he turned away his head with a
conscious guilty look, and crept still closer
to the lady; and pussy, finding all her en-
treaties useless, left the room. But soon
after her mewing became so very piteous,
that the lady could no longer resist going
to see what was the matter. She met the
cat at the top of the stairs, close to her bed-
room; puss ran to her, rubbed herself against
her, and then went into the room, and
crept under the wardrobe. A mewing was
then heard as if from two voices, and the
lady discovered that she had brought down
one of her kittens and hidden it there for
safety ; but her mind being in an unhappy
state of anxiety for the kittens above, and
this little one below, she had wished Pincher
to have the kindness to watch by this one
while she went for the others. She seemed
to trust, however, to having now found a
better friend, for she came out from below
the wardrobe and hastily left the room.
The lady followed, carrying with her the
kitten, placed it with the others, and moved
LEILA AT HOME. 215
their little bed further from the window,
through which the lightning had flashed so
brightly as to alarm poor pussy, who then
lay down beside them quite happy, and the
lady remained in the room till the sun shone
out again, and all was quite calm. Next
morning, to the lady’s surprise, she found
pussy waiting for her at the door of her
bed-room ; she went down with her, sat by
her, and caressed her in every possible way.
Before that she had always been in the
habit of going down to breakfast with the
lady of the house, but on this morning she
had resisted all her coaxing, and would not
move a step with her. As soon as break-
fast was over, she returned to her family in
the garret; and she never did this again.
She seemed to think she had shown her
gratitude and done her duty. But for a
long time after she took very little notice of
Pincher, and always looked distant and
huffy when he came near her.â€
“Well,†Matilda said, “ this anecdote is
interesting ; I should have liked very much
to hear Mrs. Roberts read it. But I
216 LEILA AT HOME.
daresay you have made it quite as good,
and I am glad it is only about animals that
she is reading to you now, for it interests
me much more to hear about men and
women, and, above all, about children, espe-
cially when they get into scrapes.â€
LEILA AT HOME. 217
CHAPTER XIII.
Ir was a beautiful morning ; Selina and
Matilda had been allowed to breakfast at
Woodlands, and were to return to Elmgrove
with Leila after a visit to Peggy Dobie’s
cottage, for the old gardener had promised
to be there by ten o’clock with the bee-
hive, and he was faithful to his word, for,
as they reached the cottage, they found
Peggy opening the little wicket-gate lead-
ing to the garden, to admit him and his pre-
cious burden; the hive was safely placed
in a sunny, sheltered corner, close to the
green turf seat which Leila had had erected
for Peggy, and to witness her joy with the
218 LEILA AT HOME.
whole arrangement was delightful. She
placed herself on the turf seat, and with her
hands clasped firmly together on her knees,
she kept gazing on the hive in a perfect
ecstacy of delight.
“ Weel, my bairns,†she exclaimed, “ you
hae surely entered into a compact to spoil
' the auld woman a’ thegither. If there was
a wish in my heart, amang all the grand
things, and the wonderfu’ blessings that
surround me, it was for a bee’s skep; it is
no’ to be told the love I hae for thae crea-
tures, they will be friends to me, and com-
pany to me, and example too, for they are
a weel principled, upright set, never leaving
their ain house, but for the useful work of
the day; and sae blythe and contented, for
a constant singing that bonnie sang amang
the flowers, that’s just music to my ears.
Can ony mortal man, or woman either, hae
a pleasanter employment than just to sit
down afore a bee’s skep, and tak observa-
tion o’ their wonderfw’ ways? and is there
nae honorable mention made o’ the work o’
their hands in the very Bible itsel’, Deute-
LEILA AT HOME. 219
ronomy thirty-second chapter, thirteenth
verse: ‘He made him ride on the high
places of the earth, that he might eat the
incense of the fields, and he made him to
suck honey out of the rock.’ And in the
eighty-second Psalm, sixteenth verse: ‘ He
should have fed them also with the finest of
wheat, and with honey out of the rock
should I have satisfied thee.’ Na, na, it’s no
thae jams and jellies, and sic articles 0’
man’s contrivance, that ye hear tell o’ them,
but it’s the handiwork o’ thae wonderfw’
creatures that’s had in honour; and I maun
just end, as I began, and say to you, my
dear bairns, that you could na hae given
me a greater compliment than this bonnie
bee’s skep.â€
“But, Peggy,†Matilda observed, “ we
did not give it you, it was Cousin Leila;
she saved up her money to buy it for you;
we only came to see your joy.â€
“ Oh, but it is a dear bairn,†Peggy said,
looking fondly at Leila, “ and sae generous,
and sae thoughtfu’ for her years. Weel, I
I am no just the woman I was, for my
220 LEILA AT HOME.
head’s often unco confused now, and my
memory’s no o’ the best since that fearfu’
journey ; but surely [ll forget my ainsel,
afore I forget all she has done for me.â€
“ Don’t say that,†Leila said, anxiously,
“ don’t say you are not just the same; you
are looking as well as you ever did now,
and you must be quite happy and cheery,—
I don’t like to see you look grave. We
have never been grave since you came back,
every day as merry and cheery as can be;
and you have never told us yet if you saw
all your friends in comfort before you came
away from Scotland, and if you enjoyed
yourself with them very much.â€
“And did I no’, Miss Leila? ’Deed, ’tis
no possible to say the pleasant tea drink-
ings I had afore I came away ; but the very
pleasantest of all was the last night but ane
afore I got into the awfu’ ship. It was at
my cousin, Mrs. Brown’s, and nae strangers
but my ain kith and kind. There was,
forby hersel, just four o’ us. There was
mysel, that’s ane; and there was the twa
Dobies, that twa; and there was Johnny,
LEILA AT HOME. 2291
man, that’s three; tuts, but there was four
o’ us. There was Johnny, man, that’s ane ;
and there was the twa Dobies, that’s twa;
and there was mysel, that’s three,—but there
was four o’ us; weel, I'll begin wi’ mysel
this time. There was mysel, that’s ane;
and the twa Dobies, that’s twa; and Johnny,
man, that’s three; preserve me, for I am
clean stupid all thegither! There was
Johnny, man, that’s ane; and there was the
twa Dobies, that’s twa; and there was my-
sel, that’s three,—and if I am no at mysel
again. Weel, and I maun gie it up a’
thegither; but I am morally certain there
was just four of us.â€
The young people were in such fits of
laughter that they could give Peggy no as-
sistance whatever in this mysterious calcu-
lation ; and Peggy herself joined heartily in
the laugh, only remarking that they might
see now that sometimes she was no just sae
clear as she used to be, but that ony way it
was a most pleasant party, and that there
was just four o them.
They could have remained for ever talk-
299 LEILA AT HOME.
ing with her, and, as Matilda observed, had
received most useful instruction in arith-
metic, a far better way of adding up than
she had been taught; but there were other
lessons to be attended to, and most unwill-
ingly they bid good-bye to Peggy, and pro-
ceeded on their way home. Leila, however,
observed that it would be almost as near to
return by the village ; she wished, so much,
she said, to ask Dame Burton how Lizzy
was going on, and it was so pleasant to see
the little things running to meet them ; be-
sides, she added, as they had a half holi-
day, they would still be home in time—so
to the village they went. By the time they
reached Dame Burton’s cottage they had
quite a little troop of rosy, laughing chil-
dren following them, quite eager to be
talked to and noticed; but Lizzy was not
among them, nor did they see her with her
mother on entering the house. Leila in-
quired for her, and hoped she had been
going on well, Dame Burton shook her
head. “Oh, Miss Howard,†she said,
“Lizzy gives me much vexation of spirit,
LEILA AT HOME. 293
and I don’t know what course to take with
that child. I have a kind neighbour, who
did much for me in a long illness, and it’s
well my part to be kind to her now; she
has an old mother, who is not able to get
up very early, and at times, when this friend
of mine has any work to do which takes her
out of hér house, I send in Lizzy to help
the old woman on with her clothes, and to be
company to her; I will not say that she isa
very kindly old woman, she may give a sharp
enough answer now and then to the chil-
dren, but is that an excuse for what Lizzy
did, and for the sight I saw ?â€
“ But what did you see ?†Matilda eagerly
inquired. “ You have not told us.â€
“ What did I see, miss? I saw the poor
old woman sitting shaking on her chair with
indignation and rage, her flannel petticoat
tied round her neck, she neither able to stir
hand nor foot, and Lizzy off to her play !â€
They all felt this act to be of a most atro-
cious nature, but the picture of the old
woman tied up, as it were, in a flannel bag
was too much, and the difficulty of restrain-
224 LEILA AT HOME.
ing their laughter was very great; Leila
struggled hard for composure: “ It was very
dreadful,†she said; “ but where is Lizzy
now ?â€.
“She is not far off,’ Dame Burton an-
swered, in a loud tone, as if she wished to
be overheard by some one; “ not far off,
young ladies, and she is experiencing (as
you shall see) a little of what she made
other people suffer; but she is young, I tell
her, and better able to bear it.†She threw
open the door of the adjoining room, and
there sat little Lizzy, propped up on a high
stool in the middle of the floor, her little
flannel petticoat tied round her neck, and
her little face no longer dimpled with its
accustomed smiles, but swelled with weep-
ing; her look of shame and helpless dis-
tress, when she saw them enter, was too
much ; Leila could not stand it, she covered
her face with her hands.
Selina spoke aside for a few minutes to
Dame Burton ; “ You will not forget to send
her to Elmgrove,†they heard her say. |
“No, Miss Stanley ; and I hope you may
LEILA AT HOME. 225
be able to make more impression on her
than I can,†was her answer. Selina, then
turning round to where the little culprit sat,
undid the string of the little flannel petti-
coat, took it off, wiped Lizzy’s eyes gently
with her pocket-handkerchief, and lifting
her down from the high stool, led her to her
mother. The poor child was weeping bit-
terly. She appeared most penitent, and as
it seemed better that she should at that mo-
ment be left alone with her mother, the
young people quitted the cottage.
In giving her old nurse an account of her
day, which was Leila’s general custom, she
mentioned what had taken place with re-
gard to Lizzy, and Amy, who was present,
almost started off her chair with astonish-
ment and indignation. “ And is it possi-
ble,†she said, “that she could treat an
old woman in that way? Oh, how very
dreadful.â€
“ Yes,†Nurse answered, “ you may well
be surprised and shocked, Amy, for it would
be long before you would act in such a
manner. You have always had a becoming
Q
226 LEILA AT HOME.
respect for your elders, and shown a quiet-
ness and discretion above your years. And
now, Miss Leila, this should be an awful
warning to you; you see to what the love
of play may lead, and must understand now
why I always tried to root the evil out of
your heart, and to settle you down to your
work with serious reflection ; and you are
far from what I could wish yet, you still
give me many an anxious thought. There
it was but the other day, when I gave you
that collar to trim; any well-brought up
young lady would have taken an interest in
having such a beautiful edging to sew on,
and would have arranged it properly in
quarters, and pinned it before her hand,
but there were you rumpling it on as if it
were a rag, putting all the fulness in the
middle, not a thought of how you were to
turn the corners. Did it never strike you
that that collar never could have been
ironed? Oh, Miss Leila, try to think more
deeply of those things, before it is too
late.â€
“ But, Nurse,†Leila said, in a deprecating
LEILA AT HOME. 297
tone of voice, “though I am not very fond
of work, I am sure I never would have tied
you up in a flannel bag /â€
Nurse drew up her little fat round figure
in a dignified manner. “Look at me, Miss
Leila, am I the sort of person to be tied up
in a flannel bag ?â€
Leila thought it would be difficult.
Nurse continued,—“ No, Miss Leila, I
have always brought you up in proper
habits of respect; but it was not of flannel
bags we were talking, but of that want of
serious reflection when you take a piece of
work into your hands; there, about that
very collar, you had been quiet for a time,
and I thought had settled down to it, when
you suddenly broke out with—‘ Oh, Nurse !
look at those clouds; did you ever see
anything so beautiful? they are like magni-
ficent mountains, bathed in golden light.’
What sort of nonsense was that, Mis¥ Leila,
to be seeing mountains in the clouds, in-
stead of the work that was before you; and
do you remember when I made you turn
your back to the window, and sit with your
| Q 2
228 LEILA AT HOME.
face opposite to me, how you kept tapping
your foot on the ground with anger and
indignation? but I am not wishing to vex
you at this moment, for I am sure the awful
lesson of this day will make a proper im-
pression ; so sit down and let me see how
quickly and how nicely you will stitch
round this pocket that I have cut out for
you, for you know I have no opinion of the
new fangled way of bringing up young ladies
not to wear pockets, and with everything
belonging to them to be hunted for all over
the house.â€
“Yes, Nurse,†Leila answered, “ give it
me, and you shall see how nicely I will do
it; but when I told Lydia Mildmay that to
wear a pocket was highly respectable, she
laughed at me very much.â€
“ And did she really, Miss Leila? then I
am sure she is a most improper and dan-
gerous companion for you; and, indeed, I
thought as much that day I saw her sailing
about, sweeping all the carpets with those
long flounces of hers. Now here is your
work ; sit down, and let me see how busy
you can be.†,
LEILA AT HOME. 299
Leila seated herself. After a few minutes
silence, she said, rather doubtingly,—“ But,
Nurse, would not bags be better ?â€
“ Bags!†Nurse repeated in a displeased
tone; “bags, Miss Leila, seem to run
strangely in your head to-day. And why
should bags be better ?â€
“ Because,†Leila answered, “ long ago
they made use of bags.â€
“They? of whom are you speaking? Who
made use of bags ?â€
“ The people of Nineveh. I saw them—
they were little square bags; it was more
than three thousand years ago.â€
Nurse looked up with a startled expres-
sion. “ Saw the people of Nineveh! three
thousand years ago! Oh, Miss Leila! speak
to me again; what are you talking of? Do
you feel anything particular? what is the
matter with you ?â€
Leila burst into a fit of laughter. “ Why
should I feel anything particular because I
saw the people of Nineveh and they had
bags. I saw them on the bas reliefs.â€
“Bas leaf!†Nurse repeated, still more
230 LEILA AT HOME.
frightened. “Oh, Amy! she is not speak-
ing English! What has come over the dear
child ?â€
Leila struggled hard to regain her com-
posure, for she saw her good old nurse was
really getting seriously alarmed, “ Nurse,â€
she said, “don’t be frightened; I know
quite well what I am saying. I saw the
figures of the people of Nineveh, carved on
stones, at the British Museum. You know
papa took me there, and he told me these
stones had lain in the earth more than three
thousand years. You know Nineveh was
overthrown. Do you remember the pro-
phecy in the Bible? it says, ‘ Nineveh is
laid waste, who will bemoan her?’ And it
was laid waste—it was overthrown — they
are digging it up again now.â€
Well, Miss Leila, I may not be a good
judge of such matters, but I think they had
better let that alone, and not be bringing
their evil deeds to light again. You know
the Bible also says,—‘ Woe to the bloody
city, it is full of lies and robbery ; and we
are told to flee from it.â€
LEILA AT HOME, 231
“Then I am afraid you will not like to
go there and see those wonderful things,
and I asked papa if you might take Amy
there,â€
“No, Miss Leila, I would rather not;
and I can’t help thinking that the less Amy
knows of the people of Nineveh the better;
she can learn no good lesson from them.â€
“But, Nurse, there are a great many
other things to be seen at the Museum be-
sides—I am sure you would like to see the
wild beasts and the birds. Oh! the birds
are so beautiful; how Amy would admire
the little humming-birds—they are scarcely
bigger than the wild bees we had in the
island; they have such lovely feathers,
purple, and green, and scarlet, and all
beautiful bright colours. Papa says that
when they are flittering about amongst the
flowers, they are quite splendid and daz-
zling to the eye; and they shoot those dear
little birds with little guns loaded with
water; the water does not injure their fea-
thers by wounding them, it only frightens
them, and then they fall down and die.
232 LEILA AT HOME.
There were no humming-birds in the island.
I wish there had been—I would not have
shot them, even with water, but I would
have tried to catch them in some way with-
out hurting them, and would have tamed
them as I did my other birds; I do hope
you will go to the Museum, Nurse, and take
Amy, she will be so surprised, for I don’t
think there is a bird in the whole world that
is not there ; and I am sure you would like
to see the owls, for you like wise birds, and
they look so wise; there were large owls,
and little owls, and every kind, and one
little owl near the corner of the glass case
had such a pretty face. Then there were
beautiful pheasants — and the argus-phea-
sant with its thousand eyes; oh! you must
go; Amy, would not you like it so much!â€
“ Yes, Miss Leila, I would like it; but a
bird with a thousand eyes, I think it would
frighten me.â€
“No, it would not,†Leila answered,
smiling; “for it has not really a thousand
eyes, it has only spots on its feathers ; but
it is a poetical way of speaking tha ’
LEILA AT HOME. 233
Nurse looked very grave. “ How often
have I told you, Miss Leila, that I do not
like a poetical way of speaking, and now
you see the bad effects of it; from my ex-
perience, I knew that no bird bad a thou-
sand eyes, but Amy did not; you should
speak to her in a way she can understand ;
but you do run on so. Is there no possibi-
lity of making you think of what you are
about? I see clearly that pocket never will
be finished.â€
Leila was silent for a moment, then
jumping up from her seat, she held the
pocket up in the air in a triumphant man-
ner, exclaiming,—* Now, Nurse, look if I
cannot both talk and stitch; see, it is quite
finished, and beautifully done; and now I
must go and sing to papa.â€
“ She is a dear child,†Nurse observed, as
she looked up for a moment from her work
and followed Leila’s light steps with affec-
tionate interest ; “ and she is far from being
a bad needle-woman either, though I should
like well to see her more steady, and taking
a greater interest in it; but Amy, though
234 LEILA AT HOME.
Miss Leila in most things sets you a most
superior example, you must never talk as
she does sometimes—you must never be
what she calls poetical. I would rather
that she were not so either; but that is a
matter for her papa to decide, not me.â€
LEILA AT HOME. 235
CHAPTER XIV.
WEEks and months glided on. Spring,
with its soft, tender green, and many blos-
soms, was spreading life and gladness over
the earth, and Leila thought Woodlands a
second Eden. The conservatory bloomed
with plants of the richest fragrance, and the
balcony was gay with flowers of the brightest
hue ; various beautiful creepers, with the
sweet-scented honeysuckle, forming arches
over head, and Leila herself looked as fresh
and blooming as the flowers, and as joyful
as the skylark, as it soared with its glad
song into the blue vault of Heaven. She
was never weary of admiring the beautiful
236 LEILA AT HOME,
scenery by which she was surrounded, for
early habit had made the beauties of nature
to her as a continual feast. Several of her
birds were now in full song, and she spent
many of her spare minutes in the conserva-
tory. The precious seeds had come up all
but one, and she had now three thriving
plants of Clara’s flower. Charles had not
returned at Easter to mark their progress—
he had gone into a distant county to visit
an uncle, a brother of Mr. Herbert’s, but by
Midsummer he would surely visit home,
and she hoped they would be in full flower
by that time, which would be for him a still
greater pleasure. Leila had, besides all
this, other interests to occupy her. She
frequently visited the school with her Aunt
Stanley and her cousins, and assisted the
younger girls in the preparation of their
tasks, and she paid frequent visits to Peggy
Dobie’s cottage, and to the village, where
she made herself acquainted with all the
wishes and wants of its various inmates.
The Saturdays were generally spent by
Selina and Matilda at Woodlands, when,
LEILA AT HOME. 237
during part of the morning, they assisted
Leila in giving instruction to many of the
village children in church music, for though
Selina’s voice was not yet strong, her know-
ledge in music made her a most useful as-
sistant. They also now took daily walks
with Mrs: Roberts in the fields, and gene-
rally returned loaded with wild flowers.
Leila had become most successful in drying
flowers so as to preserve their bright
colours. The field flowers, assisted by her
papa, she arranged in books in botanical
order; but with the flowers from the con-
servatory and the garden she often orna-
mented screens, producing a wonderfully
fine effect, superior to any painting, fixing
them on with gum, and grouping them toge-
ther in a most beautiful manner. Matilda
often tried to imitate Leila in this, but she
did not succeed, her flowers always lost
their bright tints, they grew white, or they
grew black, but they never grew beautiful ;
the stalks never would bend gracefully,
they would always stick straight up; the
gum would always go on in patches, never
238 LEILA AT HOME.
smoothly, and she complained that though
she put on a great deal of gum, some of the
leaves would not stick at all, so she gene-
rally ended by getting into a rage, and
dashing her hair pencil all over the paper.
“Do tell me, Leila, how you manage so
well,†she said one morning, as she stood
admiring a couple of fine screens which
Leila had just finished for Mrs. Herbert.
“ Those different coloured geraniums seem
to me to look brighter even than when they
were in the conservatory; and how grace-
fully the stalks are bent, and the flowers
hanging down so nicely, just as if they
were still growing; and those leaves and
ferns are of such a beautiful green, and
look so well mixed with the bright colour of
the flowers. My green leaves always turn
a dull yellow, or brown, or something abo-
minable; and as to the blue convolvulus,
that provokes me more than anything.
Look at yours, they are as bright as when
they grew in the garden, and when I try to
dry them, the colour goes away altogether,
and they get to be a dirty white. I cannot
LEILA AT HOME. 239
get anything to do well but yellow butter-
cups, and that is such a common flower.
All this provokes me so, I have no patience
for it. No one will ever give me a sove-
reign for the poor* for a couple of screens
as they did to you, and I wish so much
that they would.â€
“ But you know,†Leila answered, “ that
was only because it was a sale of ladies’
work for the poor. My screens were not
worth that.â€
“1 don’t know; they were most beau-
tiful, and I heard every one saying so, for 1
stood near the counter where they were that
I might hear them praised ; and when that
gentleman with the nice face took them up,
and the lady told him they were done by a
little girl, he said that little girl deserved
to be encouraged, and he paid down the
sovereign in a minute. Oh! I was so glad;
but though I cannot earn a sovereign, I
might earn something if you would only
tell me what I must do to dry them as you
do.â€
* A fact.
240 LEILA AT HOME.
“ Yes, I will tell you everything I can;
but I think the great matter is being very
patient.â€
“ But, Cousin Leila, I am sure you are
not very patient.â€
“Yes, I know that; papa often says I
am too impetuous.â€
“Well,†Matilda observed, “ and does
not that just mean that you have no pa-
tience ?â€
Leila coloured. “I suppose it does,â€
she said; “but in some things I have pa-
tience, I am always very patient about
flowers; to be sure, that is not wonderful,
for in the island they were like friends to
me. I used to visit them two or three times
in the day to see how they were getting on,
and to talk to them, as if they were alive,
and I often knew the hour of the day by
their opening and shutting.â€
“And do any of the flowers here open
and shut at certain hours?†Matilda in-
quired.
“Yes, some of them do; but I don’t
know the flowers here so well; one kind of
LEILA AT HOME. 241
~
evening primrose opens its flowers every
day a quarter of an hour before sunset; and
the chickweed, which you see me so often
gathering for my birds, seems to me to open
both leaves and flowers every morning at
nine o’clock, and closes its flowers again.
for some time at twelve, and will not open
them at all if it rains; then in the evening it
always seems to be making itself comfort-
able for the night, for the leaves all down
the stalk shut up to cover the young shoots,
just as if it were putting a great many
night-caps on them to keep them warm.â€
“How very curious,†Matilda said; “ but,
Leila, we are forgetting that you were to
tell me more about drying flowers. I know
I need never try to gain a sovereign like
you; but if I could even gain half-a-crown
or even a shilling sometimes, it would be
such a comfort, for 1 am always getting into
such scrapes about my money for the poor ;
somehow it always melts away ; both you and
Selina contrive to save a little every week.â€
“But I have more pocket-money than
you have.â€
R
242 LEILA AT HOME,
“Yes, you have; but still I know I
ought to save something, and often I cannot ;
it is all the fault of those trumpery shops.
When I go to Richmond there are so many
pretty things which I wish for; and then I
am so often hungry and must have some
bunns, you know,—how do you manage so
well ?â€
“I don’t manage very well—I often buy
bunns also; but when I wish for pretty
things which cost much, I remember that
Nurse says ‘I should turn away mine eyes
from beholding vanity, and then I try not
to look at them, but very often I do. You
know the other day when I saw that beau-
tiful basket I did not turn away. I looked
at it so long, and then I took it in my hand
and turned it round and round, and thought
it so beautiful, that I could not resist buying
it. And now I don’t like it at all; for it
cost so much that I shall not be able to
save any of my pocket-money this week.â€
“Well, that was wrong to be sure, and
just what I should have done myself; but
don’t be melancholy about it now, for you
LEILA AT HOME. 243°
have always money beforehand, so it does
not much signify for one week; so do tell
me how I am to earn half-a-crown, and
how I am to dry flowers in a most beautiful
manner; you say patience is the chief
thing. Will patience make them keep their
colour ? now do tell me that.â€
“ Yes,†Leila answered, “it will; and I
will tell you how. Very often when it
clears up after rain, and the flowers look
very bright, you wish to gather them for dry-
ing—I always tell you that it is a bad time,
but still you often try to do it—and they
get quite dim and discoloured, and you are
obliged to throw them away. Now when I
wish to dry them, I wait till it has been
quite fair for several days, and when it is
bright and sunny, and there is no damp in
the air, I gather the flowers. I always
choose those that are very bright and fully
blown, but before they have begun to fade.
in the slightest degree, If they have a de-
‘cayed speck no bigger than the head of a
pin, do not gather them, for they will not be
bright when dried.â€
R 2
244 LEILA AT HOME.
“ And what more do you do ?â€
“T put them between folds of close
smooth writing-paper, never into blotting-
paper.â€
‘“ But Lydia told me it should be blotting-
paper.â€
“ No, I have tried that ; but the blotting-
paper seems to suck the colour out of them.
Well, I place those papers between the
leaves of a book, and tie it tight up with a
ribbon, and put it under a weight; if it is a
very tender flower, such as the blue con-
volvulus, for instance, then you must not put
a very heavy weight, the weight must be in
proportion to the tenderness of the flower.
Next day I change the papers that there
may be no damp about them, for nothing
spoils their colour so much as damp. Now
all this, you see, takes patience ; for some-
times I have to change the papers more
than once.â€
“ Yes,†Matilda observed, “ and such pa-
tience, that I am sure I shall never be able
to doit. And this is all then?â€
“ No; in putting the flowers into dry bits
LEILA AT HOME. 245
of paper you must do it very gently, that
they may lie quite smooth; for much of
their beauty depends on their looking
smooth, and not shrivelled up in any way;
and I forgot to tell you that sometimes be-
fore putting them in at all, I bend the
stalks a little to make them lie gracefully.
The stalks of the geraniums are so stiff and
straight, that I am obliged to take off the
flower-heads, and put them in papers by
themselves, and then I flatten the stalks
and bend them a little before I begin to dry
them. The ferns, which you like so much,
grow so gracefully, that I seldom have to
bend them at all, but just to lay them on
paper as they grow. ‘The young ferns of a
bright tender green do best; indeed, all
green leaves should be dried when they
first come out, before they have got to be
a deep colour, for green is a very difficult
colour to dry well; most yellow flowers do
very well, the yellow crocus keeps very
bright; indeed, some scarlet and rose-co-
loured geraniums dry beautifully, and other
scarlets won’t dry at all,—you must just get
246 LEILA AT HOME.
acquainted with those that do well, and
with those that don’t.â€
Matilda groaned. “ My hopes are quite
dying away; half-a-crown!—TI don’t think
I shall be able to earn sixpence even ;—
but it is sunny and bright now, we might go
into the garden, and you could gather some
of the flowers which do best, and show me
how you lay them on the paper—I think I
have seen you working away with a long
pin; but if I were to take a pin in my
hand, I should be sure to run it through the
flowers if they would not lie the right way,
for I should be so provoked.â€
“Well, that is why I say that the chief
thing is patience; you would quite spoil
the flower if you even scratched it with the
pin. I take the pin to help me to guide
the leaves to lie right; for sometimes when
I lay down the branch on the paper, all the
leaves get crowded together, and I have to
separate them, and sometimes to pluck off
one or two.â€
“It is most horribly difficult, I can see
that ; however, let us go into the garden ;
LEILA AT HOME. 247
perhaps if I see you do it I might still
try.â€
“But, Matilda, it won't do to gather
flowers to dry to-day; you forget that it
rained in the night, and that this morning
even there was a slight shower.â€
Matilda shrugged her shoulders. What
a business! better give it up altogether,
and especially if I am to bear in mind every
time it rains. When the rain is over, I am
too glad to forget it—who ever thinks of
rain when the sun is shining? not J—I
always feel sure it is never to rain again;
and so all my little plans for goodness must
be given up, and I must just go on buying
bunns till I am older, and then perhaps I
shall not be so hungry, and shall not care
for them so much.â€
Leila smiled but shook her head. ‘“ Now
don’t talk in that way, Matilda, for you
know very well it is not right, and you do
not mean to go on spending all your money
on bunns; you could not be happy if you
did; you only say so to make me laugh;
248 LEILA AT HOME.
but come, let us go into the garden, and I
can show you what flowers do best for dry-
ing, and then when it is fine we can gather
them, and I will help you to put them in
paper. I am sure you also could make
money by it.â€
“ Oh, you are a darling!†Matilda ex-
claimed; “and again my hopes are rising,
rising—sixpence—a shilling—half-a-crown.
Oh! there will be no counting the money I
shall make. I shall have quite too much
for the poor, and be able to treat you all
with bunns into the bargain; now that is
what I call generous.â€
They found Mrs. Roberts and Alfred in
the garden, Alfred flying at full speed as if
in pursuit of something. “ Don’t stop me,
Matilda, don’t. Now it is going to settle
on that rose-bush—no, it is not—yes, it is
hovering—now don’t move, don’t make a
noise ; now I have him ;â€â€”and he held up
a large dragon-fly between his fingers.
Matilda screamed. “Oh! let him go,
Alfred—do let him go—he will sting you ;
LEILA AT HOME. 249
only see how he is putting out that long
frightful sting. I see his sting quite
plain.â€
““No, Matilda, you need not be afraid, he
cannot hurt me, for he has no sting. Mrs.
Roberts told me that was a vulgar error.â€
“ Did you tell Alfred that?†Matilda in-
quired, turning to Mrs. Roberts; “but how
can that be when I see it? and he is push-
ing it out every moment in a most frightful
manner; only look, Mrs. Roberts.â€
“ Yes, I see what you mean, Matilda;
but that movement in its body is only the
effort the poor dragon-fly is making to es-
cape; it is a perfectly harmless insect,
for it has no instrument with which it can
sting.â€
“Then if you are quite sure of that,â€
Matilda said, eagerly, “I should like to look
at him nearer. Stop, Alfred, and let me
see. Oh! what a beautiful creature he is,
and with four such lovely wings; when the
sun shines upon them.they seem to change
colour like mother-of-pearl. Now that I
know he has no sting I think him a perfect
250 LEILA AT HOME.
beauty, and before I used to run away from
a dragon-fly as if it had been a wild beast;
and they do look rather fierce though they
are beautiful, for they have such a way of
darting down so suddenly. Sometimes I
have watched them flying across the pond
at the bottom of the garden, and they dart
down so low, they seem as if they were
dropping into the water.â€
“Yes,†Mrs. Roberts observed, “ that is
because they chiefly live upon water in-
sects; with those large eyes they can dis-
cern their prey at a great distance, and then
dart down upon it; but it is a bold insect
and a voracious one also, and I have seen
it sometimes attack a butterfly fully as large
as itself and tear it to pieces. It lives,
however, chiefly on small water insects, and
seizes upon them as they skim along the
surface of the water; but another reason
why one so often sees dragon-flies in the
neighbourhood of ponds and ditches is,
that the dragon-fly itself passes its young
state in the water, and those small ones
which you have often seen near ponds are
LEILA AT HOME. 251
those which have just left their former state
and become winged insects.â€
“Yes, I know all about that,†Alfred
said; “ Mrs. Roberts told me about the
larva and about the puba skin, like a little
box that they crawl out of, and then fly off;
it was very interesting. Now I will let this
one fly away, and show you what she has
made for me, I Ind it behind that big
flower-pot till I required it again; see, it
is a little net of coarse muslin, sewed round
this circle of wire, and I fixed the pole to
it myself; it is for fishing in the pond for
larva. Mrs. Roberts, might we go now and
try for some, and then you could tell Cousin
Leila and Matilda more about it ?â€
Mrs. Roberts gave a willing assent, and
to the pond they all proceeded.
“Now, Alfred,†Matilda said, “do give
me the net; I daresay you have had it for
a long time to-day, and I should like so
much to fish for larva, for I want so much
to know what larva is.â€
Alfred looked a little disappointed, but
252 LEILA AT HOME.
yielded up the net, saying only, “ Now,
Matilda, do take care of it, please, for it will
be easily broken.â€
“ Never fear, little man, you are so easily
frightened; do you think I don’t know how
to take care of a fishing-net? Now stand
aside a little and you shall see.†She
plunged: it vigorously into the pond, the
net filled with mud, she could scarcely
draw it out again; little Alfred became very
red, and was near getting into a passion,
but a look from Mrs. Roberts, as she pro-
nounced his name, restrained him ; he took
the net from Matilda, and having washed
it out carefully, put it into Leila’s hands,
saying, “ Now it is your turn, Cousin Leila,
to try for larva.â€
Leila did try, but she was not much more
successful than Matilda, the net still came
up half filled with mud, for she plunged it
down too hastily; besides, the water had
been much disturbed.
Matilda clapped her hands. “ How glad
I am,†she exclaimed.
LEILA AT HOME. 253
Mrs. Roberts looked towards her; but. a
look, however impressive, was seldom suffi-
cient for Matilda.
“ Yes,†she continued, “I am glad; for
it is a comfort to me that though Cousin
Leila is so patient about flowers, she is not
in the least patient about larva.â€
Leila coloured, but said nothing.
Matilda looked at her for a moment, then
throwing her arms round her neck, she |
said,—“ Oh! I am a wretch to vex you,
and just at the very moment too when you
have been so kind to me about the flowers ;
but kiss me, Leila, and don’t let us think
any more about it; there, Alfred, do you
wash out the net again, and dip it in the
right way, and let us see the larva and talk
about it.â€
Alfred obeyed, and having gone to the
other side of the pond where the water had
not been disturbed, he dipped the net very
gently in, and soon brought up a large
muddy looking insect.
Mrs. Roberts looked at it attentively.
“You have been in good luck, Alfred,†she
954 LEILA AT HOME,
said, “for you have got the larva of the
great dragon-fly, the very same species you
caught in the garden. This species is fond
of concealing itself in the mud, and lies in
wait there till 1t pounces on any insect that
comes in its way.â€
“But it seems to move so slowly,†Ma-
tilda observed, “that I should think that if
the other insects were the least bit clever,
they could easily get out of its way. They
must stand still, silly things, to be de-
voured.â€
“No, Matilda, you are deciding too has-
tily. The poor insects are in much greater
danger than you are aware of. This slow-
looking gentleman has a most curious appa-
ratus at his command that you are not yet
acquainted with. He has very large jaws
which are covered with a kind of mask.
Look at this horny substance which covers
its face.â€
“So much the better that it does cover
its face,†Matilda said; “for I am sure it
must be a frightfully ugly one. But what
more does it do?â€
LEILA AT HOME. 255
“When it pleases it can let down this
mask, which has claws at the end, similar,
though on so small a scale, to the claws of
a lobster. When it sees its prey within
reach, it darts out these claws, and in a
moment conveys the poor insect to its
mouth. Then it has a way of bringing the
insects nearer to itself. Do you see those
five sharp little points at the tail? it has
the power of drawing in and pushing out
the water by opening and shutting them;
this produces a slight current in the water,
which floats the small insects within its
reach,â€
“Tt is a cunning, cruel wretch,†Matilda
said, “ and I don’t understand how such a
horrid creature as that can ever become
that beautiful harmless dragon-fly ; but did
you ever see ‘it in its pupa state? does it
begin to grow good then ?â€
“Why, as to that, Matilda, it moves and
eats in its pupa state just as it does now.
I am afraid you would not think there was
much improvement; but it is from instinct,
not cruelty, that it makes use of those
256 LEILA AT HOME.
means to procure food. You forget that we
too take the life of many animals to procure
our food, and often, I am afraid, in a very
unjustifiably cruel manner. But youask me
if I have ever seen the dragon-fly in its
pupa state. I did once, and it was very
curious indeed.â€
“Do tell us about it; how I wish I could
see it too. I hope it was not so ugly as
this larva creature.â€
“It certainly was more curious than
beautiful ; it was attached to the branch of
a shrub, and at first it seemed to me as an
insect with two bodies, with the head and
eyes of a dragon-fly.â€
_ “What a monster,†Matilda exclaimed,
“ worse even than the larva.â€
“No; on looking at it more attentively,
I saw it was ‘on the point of escaping from
its pupa case, so I sat down and watched it
for some time. Its wings were folded up
on its back in a wonderfully small space.
At first they looked quite short, but as it
cleared itself from its pupa skin, the wings
gradually expanded; it seemed, however,
LEILA AT HOME. 957
too weak to fly. It slowly crawled to an-
other branch of the shrub, and there re-
mained, as if resting from its labours.â€
“ And did you not see it fly ?â€
“No; I was obliged soon after to leave
the garden, and when I returned it was
gone, probably enjoying in the air its new
state of existence. The pupa case alone
remained, and was not in the least broken or
injured by the dragon-fly having made its
escape. It looked quite transparent; on
trying to remove it, I found it was attached
to the branch by two little claws which pro-
jected from that part of the case which
covered each leg.â€
“ Oh, how beautiful, and how wonderful !â€
Leila exclaimed, her whole countenance
beaming with intelligence.
Matilda, while Mrs. Roberts was giving
them this account, had looked at Leila once
or twice with some anxiety ; their eyes now
met; Leila’s sunny smile quite reassured
Matilda, and she whispered in her ear,
“You dear one, you are more beautiful to
me than a hundred dragon-flies; and I am
S
258 LEILA AT HOME,
so glad that you have not wings, and that
you cannot fly away from me.â€
“ Now, Alfred,†Mrs. Roberts said, “ put
by your net carefully.â€
“May I not fish just once more, and try
for the larva of the gnats and caddis worms
which you promised to tell me about ?â€
“No, not to-day; at another time you
shall do so.â€
Mrs. Roberts took Alfred by the hand,
and turned towards the house, while Leila
and Matilda took their way to the flower
beds; Matilda with most sanguine antici-
pations of the money she was about to
make.
LEILA AT HOME. 259
CHAPTER XV.
On the following Saturday Nurse, having
some commissions to execute in Richmond,
and the weather being uncommonly fine,
Leila and her cousins were allowed to ac-
company her. Matilda had for some days
before been pursuing most actively her new
method of drying flowers, and had already
tied up and placed in all sorts of odd cor-
ners half the books in her possession filled
with them; and as they had all received
that morning their weekly allowance of
pocket-money, she felt quite elated, not
only by the riches of which she was in
actual possession, but by the countless sums
she now felt sure of acquiring.
S 2
260 LEILA AT HOME.
In this dangerous state of mind poor Ma-
tilda was ill prepared for the trial which
awaited her, for some of Nurse’s commis-
sions were to be executed in the very shop
which had so often proved a scene of temp-
tation to her. She entered it with many
good resolutions. Reels of cotton were
wanted by the whole party, and reels of
cotton only Matilda was determined to buy.
Leila and Selina each selected a pretty
little box filled with them; but Matilda’s
eyes wandered all over the counter. Alas!
that so many bright little eyes should so
often wander over forbidden ground. A
most tempting, and a much more beautiful
box than those selected stood open before
Matilda; in addition to reels of cotton it
had also scissors and a thimble. It was
not at all too large, and it was not at all
dear; indeed, she thought it most wonder-
fully cheap, and she opened and shut it
again several times in great admiration.
Selina whispered, “ You had better put
it away, Matilda; you know it is only reels
of cotton you require.â€
LEILA AT HOME. 261
“ No, Selina,†she said, “ you are quite
mistaken ; you forget that I could not find
my thimble this morning; I looked every-
where for it, and lost so much of my time ;
and see only how I have hurt my finger
with sewing without one, it is quite red;
you would not wish me to do that again, I
am sure; so I must buy a thimble, and
it is only the scissors in addition, you
know.â€
“ But, Matilda, your thimble is only mis-
laid; it will be found I am sure. I saw it
on your finger yesterday.â€
“But you did not see it to-day, Selina,
and I tell you it is quite lost; I looked a
long time for it.â€
“ But do consider, Matilda,†Selina said,
very gently; “to buy this work-box will
require almost all the money you have.
Only twopence will remain.â€
Matilda coloured. Onlytwopence. She
seemed to hesitate, and pushed the box a
little way from her; but suddenly brighten-
ing up, and drawing it towards her again,
she said, “Selina, you quite forget the
262 LEILA AT HOME.
money I am now quite sure of making, for
I daresay I have now near a hundred
flowers, which I know quite well will be
beautiful.â€
“But you cannot be sure, Matilda, that
you will be able to make money in that
way.â€
“ And why should I not be sure? You
are so prudent, Selina, that it quite pro-
vokes me. Why should I not be able to
make money as well as Leila, if my flowers
are beautiful? I am sure I have taken
trouble enough with them, and patience
too; you might praise me, I think, a little
for that, instead of wishing to take all my
pleasures from me in this way; and it is
such a useful thing to buy, and when I tell
you too that I have lost my thimble; but
don’t say any more about it, for I am deter-
mined to buy it. It is not as if I were buy-
ing a foolish thing; this box will be most
useful to me.†She took it up as she
spoke, and moved to another corner of the
shop.
The work-box was soon carefully wrapped
LEILA AT HOME. 263
up in paper and paid for, and they all pro-
ceeded on their way. Having executed
several other commissions, Nurse proposed
that they should rest for a little in a baker's
shop, where each might have a bunn, as the
hour of luncheon would have passed before
they could return home. This they all
thought an excellent plan.
They were soon seated and enjoying their
bunns, and Matilda had just declared that
she meant to be prudent now, and though
she was very hungry indeed, she would
only allow herself one bunn, and would keep
the other penny in case of accidents, when
a little girl, carrying a basket tied over with
a napkin, entered the shop. She looked
very pale and thin, and her clothes, though
neither dirty nor ragged, were scanty and
much patched. As the baker was at the
moment serving a customer, she rested the
basket on the ground as if much fatigued,
and stood silently waiting by the counter.
A broken piece of roll lay upon it. She
gathered up a few stray crumbs, which she
put in her mouth, and they saw her then
264 LEILA AT HOME.
stretch out her thin little hand as if to take
the roll also, but she did mot; on the con-
trary, she pushed it further from her and
turned away. The baker seemed to have
perceived the action, for he said, pushing
it towards her, “ You may have that piece
of roll if you are hungry.â€
The child’s eyes glistened, she seized the
roll and began eagerly to eat it; suddenly
she stopped, looked anxiously at what re-
mained, and put it in her pocket. By this
time Leila’s attention was much excited.
The child, pointing to the basket, spoke
aside to the baker, who was now disen-
gaged, but in so low a tone she could not
make out what she said. The man shook
his head as he replied, though also in a low
tone, as if unwilling to be overheard by
them, “ No, no, we never buy cats; take it
away ; it is out of the question.â€
The child spoke again, and with a look
of much entreaty ; Leila thought she could
distinguish the words, “ loaf—starving.â€
“ Well,†the man said, “ I don’t know as
to a loaf; let me see, its skin might be
LEILA AT HOME. 265
worth that ;†and he put out his hand as if
to take the basket.
The child shuddered violently, and
snatching it hastily up, she proceeded to-
wards the door. She stopped, hesitated,
and turning back, she pushed the basket
towards him, saying in an excited voice,
“ Take it out, don’t let me see it; its legs
are tied, give me the loaf.†She tured
from him, covered her face with her hands,
and burst into tears.
The young people all rose, and in a mo-
ment were around her. Matilda pushed
aside the napkin which covered the basket,
and there lay a beautiful large cat, with
its legs tied together in a most pitiable
manner.
“ Oh, how cruel,†Leila exclaimed, “ to tie
its legs !—and why, little girl, did you wish
to sell your cat?—who did you say was
starving ?â€
The child made no answer; she was sob-
bing violently.
“Poor little girl,†Leila said, in her
soothing, gentle voice, “ compose yourself!
266 LEILA AT HOME.
Don’t cry ; we are not angry with you; we
are sure you have done nothing wrong—
do speak to us;—who did you say was
starving ?â€
“My mother and all of us,†she gasped
out; “we have not a morsel of food in the
house ; we have had no breakfast; oh, give
me the loaf, and let me go home !â€
Leila looked at her with a distressed and
agitated countenance ; “I have frightened
her,†she said; “I spoke harshly to her.
What can we do for her, Selina ?—do tell
me !â€
They spoke together aside for a few
minutes. “ Yes,†Leila continued, turning
towards the little girl again, “I am sure that
is the best thing to be done; Nurse. always
says tea is so refreshing. Don’t cry, little
girl, pray don’t !—your cat is not to be sold,
and your mother and all of you are to have a
nice breakfast ; we are going to buy tea, and
sugar, and butter, and everything that is
good; and the baker will give us two large
loaves ; we have plenty of money to pay for
everything.â€
LEILA AT HOME. 267
While this conversation was going on,
Matilda had stood beside the little girl, feed-
ing her with what remained of her own bunn ;
stuffing piece after piece into her mouth, and
almost choking her.
“And this is all I can do,†she said;
“and I cannot help you, Leila and Selina,
in buying butter, and tea, and sugar; I
have nothing left, but this abominable
penny ;â€â€”and she threw it on the ground in
uncontrolled distress—“ oh, what a hard-
hearted, extravagant, sinful, wretched, horrid
girl I have been !â€
Leila lifted the poor rejected penny from
the ground, and whispered in her ear, “ Don’t
be in such a state, Matilda; try to bear it;
you know I did just the same about the
basket. We have both been very wrong, but
we can both repent. You know that is the
right thing to do. And this penny can still
do a little good; take it, Matilda; you might
buy a bunn with it for the mother; Iam sure
she would like a bunn better than the bread.â€
But Matilda was not to be comforted ; she
bought the bunn, and wrapped it carefully up
268 LEILA AT HOME.
in paper; but as she got into the street, she
entreated Nurse to go back with her to the
shop where she had purchased the work-box.
She wished, she said, to ask the man to take
it again, and give her back the money. Nurse
thought it very doubtful that this would be
agreed to; but she yielded to Matilda's en-
treaties, and they went back to the shop.
The master was very civil; he said they
never took back goods that had been paid
for, they were obliged to make a rule not to
do so; he seemed, however, in this instance,
to be inclined to yield, and Matilda’s eyes
sparkled with joy, when he took the work-
box from her hand, and undid the paper;
but on seeing it, he shook his head—*“ I was
anxious to oblige you, young lady,†he said:
“but in this case it is impossible—this work-
box has been injured, it has got a fall.â€
“Yes, sir,†Nurse answered, (for poor
Matilda was now unable to speak,) “it did
get a fall; I told Miss Matilda she had
better not undo the paper in the street, but
we cannot expect young people to be wise
all at once; but I am quite sure of one
LEILA AT HOME. 269
thing, she did not know it had been injured,
for we both examined it, and were not aware
it had been scratched at all.â€
“No, of course not; no need of an apo-
logy, madam ;†and as he spoke, he care-
fully wrapped the unfortunate box up in a
fresh piece of paper, and, with a low bow,
put it into Matilda’s hands.
Poor Matilda ! she could scarcely articu-
late, as turning from the shop, she said,—
“ And it was my own fault, I would take it
out of the paper; oh, what a day of misfor-
tunes, surely no one was ever so unfortunate
as I am!â€
Leila whispered, “* You forget, Matilda
about Rosamond and the purple jar.â€
“ Oh, but that was not half so bad, don’t
say it was, Cousin Leila; she had only holes
in her shoes to vex her; she had not a whole
_houseful of starving people—no, no—no one
was ever so unfortunate as I am; don’t try
to comfort me, it makes me much worse.â€
The scene which presented itself on en-
tering the house to which the litile girl con-
ducted them, was certainly not calculated to
270 LEILA AT HOME.
lessen her sorrow. All within the house
bore the marks of extreme poverty. A pale,
emaciated woman was seated on a low stool,
endeavouring to lull to sleep a sickly-looking
infant; a girl, apparently some years older
than the child who accompanied them, sat
on the side of a miserable-looking bed, (the
only one the room contained,) knitting bu-
sily: her features were pretty, but she kept
her eyes cast down ; and though she seemed
to listen eagerly to what was said, she took
no further notice of their entrance. The
woman had risen, and was endeavouring to
silence three clamorous little urchins, who
all ran towards the door when it opened,
loudly exclaiming, “ Why did you take away
Tiny—what have you done with her ?—have
you brought no bread as you promised? we
have had no breakfast yet!†They shrank
back on seeing the strangers.
Nurse gave a glance around the room;
its contents were not numerous. A small
tea-kettle stood by the almost empty grate,
in which a few sparks of fire still lingered.
She went out, taking the eldest of the little
LEILA AT HOME. 271
boys with her, and soon returned with a
supply of wood. A fire was kindled, and in
a wonderfully short space of time, (for Leila
and her cousins assisted,) a few cups and
bowls were collected together, and the chil-
dren were all assembled round a small table,
devouring bread and butter as fast as it
could be prepared for them, and anticipating
the delight of having warm tea. The eldest
girl was also seated at the table, but still
kept her eyes cast down. ‘The mother, ob-
serving the inquiring glances which were
cast towards her, explained that she was
blind; but she added, “My poor Susan is
of the greatest assistance to me; ever since
her father’s death, she has worked late and
early ; her knitting has been our chief sup-
port, and when I can get a day’s work at a
time, she keeps the poor baby ; but she is
sorely changed, her health is suffering ; she
is not like the same girl she was when times
were better with us, for we were well to do
in the world, till the fever came amongst us,
and he that was always help and comfort to
us all, was taken away.â€
272 LEILA AT HOME.
“And was poor Susan always blind?â€
Leila inquired.
““No, my young, lady; your own eyes
were not brighter than hers were for the first
seven years of her life; but she took the
small-pox—for, alas! I had neglected to
have her vaccinated—indeed I had a pre-
judice against it, and many and many a
bitter thought that prejudice has cost me.â€
The tears were running down poor Susan’s
face, as her mother gave this recital. They all
looked at her with much interest ; suddenly
their attention was arrested by one of the
little boys sliding down from his stool, and
exclaiming, as he ran round the table and
took the hand of each of them in succession,
“ Thank you, good ladies, for our nice
breakfast ;’—but as he approached Matilda,
she pushed him from her—“ O no, no,†she
said, “do not thank me; I can bear it no
longer !â€â€”and she ran out of the room.
Selina followed her.
In a few minutes they both returned,
Matilda looking quite composed, though
sorrowful: she went up to the blind gil,
LEILA AT HOME. 273
and, in a low voice, tried to enter into con-
versation with her; but it was the greatest
possible relief to Matilda, when, soon after,
Nurse said it was time to return home;
assuring the poor woman, at the same time,
that she would speak to her master about
her, and that she was sure he would give
her some assistance.
On entering the house, on their return,
Matilda followed Leila to herroom. “ Leila,â€
she said, “ you must keep this work-box for
me, and put it out of my sight, for I cannot
bear to look at it. This has been a sad day
for me ; I don’t think I ever was so unhappy
before, as when I saw that blind girl knitting
so fast with her poor thin fingers, and look-
ing so starved: and when I thought I had
given all my money for this work-box, and
bought it though Selina so often told me not
to do it, and that I would repent—O I am a
monster !—don’t you think so, Leila ?â€
“No, Matilda; don’t say so; a monster
is a wild beast—you are not the least like
one—and you are repenting; you cannot
do more now than that, and you should be
T
974 LEILA AT HOME.
thankful you are not a wild beast, for then
you could not repent.â€
“ And then to eat that bunn in such good
spirits, what do you say to that ?â€
“ But you did not eat in very good spirits ;
you were sorrowful before the end, and gave
half away.â€
“ Yes, half; but what is that, and a whole
houseful of people starving—six children
and a mother, you know. O don’t try to
comfort me, it makes me much worse: I
would rather you had said I had been as
bad as possible.â€
“ No, Matilda, I cannot say that, though
you have been very wrong; but how can I
blame you even for that, when I was as bad!
You are forgetting about my buying this
basket,†and she pointed to a small table on
which the basket was placed; “a little girl
might have come with a cat to sell, and then
it would have been just the same thing.â€
“No, not the same thing; for you had
more money which you had saved, so you
could spare it;—but I must say one thing,
Cousin Leila, I do wonder how you can
LEILA AT HOME. 975
put this basket on the table before your
very eyes; I can’t bear even to look at this
box, Iam so sorry; and you said we had
both done wrong, and should both repent.
I don’t think this looks very like repenting.â€
Leila coloured, and the tears came into
her eyes as she said in a very low voice, “I
did it to make me repent.â€
“ To make you repent, I don’t understand
what you mean; you liked the basket, I
suppose ?â€
“No, I did not; I could not bear it; I
felt just the same as you did; and at first I
hid it in the corner behind that high chair ;
but then I thought it would be my punish-
ment if I saw it always before me, and that
it would keep me in mind not to buy useless
things again.†:
“And I have been thinking you wrong,â€
Matilda exclaimed, “ wen all the time you
were most excellent ; oh, Leila, I never can
be like you—no, not a hope of it; I do be-
lieve I am turning out quite worthless ;—first,
I would spend all my money for my own
pleasures ; then I would open the parcel,
T 2
276 LEILA AT HOME.
and let it fall; and after all this, I tried to
think you as bad as I am; but I know what
you are thinking now, and I can at least do
that—you are thinking that I should take
home this work-box, and put it on a table
before my eyes; and I will do it.†She
tore the paper from the work-box as she
spoke, and looked at it steadily. “O yes,
abominable box,†she said, “TI just hate
you !—but no, it is not the work-box that is
wrong,’—and she shook her head ;—“ but
we won’t talk any more about it now; let us
go into the conservatory, and see the dear
little birds, they are singing so cheerily, and
they don’t know anything about repentance,
or what I have been doing.â€
LEILA AT HOME. 277
CHAPTER XVI.
Many weeks now passed on tranquilly
and without any marked event. The poor
widow Barlow and her family had been
frequently visited. Mr. Howard had been
liberal in rendering her assistance, and
Leila and her cousins had employed many
of their leisure hours in working for the
children, who were now,comfortably clothed,
and the elder ones put to school. Matilda had
most cheerfully contributed her share, both .
in money and in work, and Mrs. Roberts
gave a favourable report of her general im-
provement; her constant association with
Selina and Leila was certainly producing
278 LEILA AT HOME.
a favourable effect on her character, but she
was still easily misled by bad example, and
often unprepared to meet the hour of trial ;
present gratification was generally yielded
to, and though in most cases deep repent-
ance followed, her feelings were as yet
stronger than her principles, and the many
good resolutions made in the hour of sor-
row too often gave way before fresh temp-
tation.
It was now nearly Midsummer ; the pre-
cious seeds had not only sprung up into
three healthy plants, but each plant pre-
sented flower-buds of promising appear-
ance. The old gardener, however, would
not hear of their being transplanted into se-
parate pots till the autumn, assuring Leila
that were he to do so sooner it would pre-
vent the flower-buds from opening, and in
every way retard the growth of the plant.
This was a disappointment; but she con-
soled herself by having the flower-pot re-
moved into her own room and placed on a
flower-stand before the window, that she
might watch the opening of the blossoms,
LEILA AT HOME. 279
having resolved to gather the first-blown
flower for Mrs. Herbert.
Mr. and Mrs. Stanley, with Selina and
Matilda, were now passing a few days at
Woodlands, and Leila had obtained per-
mission from her papa to invite Lydia Mild-
may to spend the following day with them,
as it was Matilda’s birthday, and she knew
it would give her pleasure.
A brilliant sun awoke the sisters at an
early hour, yet they found that Leila must
have already visited them, for their pretty
white bed was strewed with fresh flowers.
The dew of the morning was still upon
them, and Matilda thought no flowers be-
fore had ever smelt so sweet; she sprang
up to rush into Leila’s room to thank her,
when her steps were arrested by seeing a
little table placed by her bed-side, over
which a covering of embroidered muslin
was thrown.
“This is Cousin Leila again,†she ex-
claimed, as she hastily lifted the white
drapery, which proved to be an embroidered
apron, worked by Leila for this happy oc-
280 LEILA AT HOME.
casion. On the table was placed a pretty
little writing-desk, a present from her papa
and mamma, a case in mother-of-pearl,
with pens, pencil, sealing-wax, &c., from her
Uncle Herbert, and a beautiful purse worked
by Selma. Matilda was in ecstacies; how
she got dressed she never very well knew ;
she had no distinct remembrance but of
being half smothered with heat from being
closely wrapped up in a shawl and carried
back to her room by Nurse, who looked
unutterable things. How she longed for
twelve o’clock, the hour at which her friend
was to arrive; for to show all those beauties
to Lydia Mildmay would be such a renewal
of her pleasure !
Twelve o'clock came at last; but Matilda
was disappointed when Lydia saw her pretty
bed, (for Matilda had carefully preserved
the flowers upon it,) she only shrugged her
shoulders, exclaiming, “ How vastly poetical
we are.†And though she said all that was
civil when she saw the presents, her admi-
ration fell far short of what had been ex-
pected ; and all, that but the moment before
LEILA AT HOME. 281
had appeared so beautiful in Matilda’s eyes,
fell considerably in her estimation, when
Lydia, with an affected air of indifference,
observed, “This seems a day for showing
presents, so perhaps you would like to see
a little trifle which my godmother presented
to me some little time ago; at first I thought
it rather pretty, though now I don’t think
much of it ;†and she took from her reticule
a beautiful little etuc of the most finished
workmanship. It was a walnut-shell, bound
and lined with gold, containing scissors,
bodkin, and thimble, with small tablets of
mother-of-pearl, and a gold pencil-case with
an amethyst top. Matilda gazed in speech-
less: admiration. If Lydia’s intention was
to mortify her, she might have been satis-
fied with the look with which Matilda now
contemplated all that had before given her
so much pleasure; but after a little time
she rallied again, and whispering to Leila
that if her presents were not quite so beau-
tiful, they were at least far more useful,
she quite brightened up, and proposed that
282 LEILA AT HOME.
they should go into the conservatory to
visit the parrots, and then into the garden.
The day seemed to pass very pleasantly
to all; for though Lydia and Matilda were
always going off by themselves, the hours
never seemed long when Selina and Leila
were together. Immediately after dinner
the carriage was sent for Lydia, to convey
her home, as there was a large dinner party,
and her mamma wished her to be present
in the drawing-room. Matilda seemed quite
unhappy in parting with her; indeed, hav-
ing this intelligence communicated to her
just as they were sitting down to dinner
seemed quite to overset her. She held her
hand at parting, and looked anxiously up
in her face, then followed her a few steps as
she was leaving the room, and for some
minutes they whispered together. When
Matilda returned, Leila observed, that her
eyes were full of tears. She went up to
her, and took her kindly by the hand, but
Matilda hastily pushed her away, and ran
out of the room.
LEILA AT HOME. 283
“ What can be the matter with Matilda?â€
Leila inquired; “did you observe, Selina,
she appeared quite angry with me? Do
you think it is only that she is sorry Lydia
has gone away, or have I done anything to
offend her? Should I go and ask her, do
you think ?â€
“No, Leila, [ think you had better not.
You have done nothing to. make her angry.
I am sure it is not that. Matilda is never
the better of being alone with Lydia Mild-
may ; I am quite sorry now we left them so
much together; but I so dislike appearing
to watch them ; I fear something has hap-
pened, for I know the expression of Ma-
tilda’s face so well—it was not only at the
moment of parting she was so much overset.
Did you not observe her at dinner ?â€
“No, I did not look at her much, but I
think she was in good spirits then; I re-
member now she laughed two or three
times.â€
“Yes, she tried to laugh; but she looked
very unhappy; and it was only when she
saw me looking at her that she laughed.
284 LEILA AT HOME.
At one time she kept crumbling all her
bread down on the carpet, as if she did not
know what she was about, and once or
twice she could scarcely swallow. Then
mamma said something to her, and she
grew very red, and seemed to wish to hide
her hands under the table.â€
“OT can tell you what made her grow
red then. I heard Aunt Stanley tell her
that she must have forgotten to wash her
hands before dinner; and, to be sure, her
nails were quite as black as if she had been
grubbing in the earth like little Alfred.â€
Selina shook her head. “I don’t under-
stand it,’ she said; “but I fear Matilda
has done something wrong.â€
“Then I am sure it must be Lydia's fault
if she has,†Leila said eagerly ; “for Mrs.
Roberts says she improved so much of late.
I am so sorry I invited Lydia, and papa
advised me not; he said he thought we
three would be quite happy together. I
wish he had said steadily, ‘No, Leila, I
don’t wish it ;? but he very seldom now tells
me I am not to do a thing, as he used to do
LEILA AT HOME. 285
in the island; he says now that I am older
I should learn to govern myself, and that in
most cases he wishes only to advise. So it
is my fault also if Matilda has done wrong,
for I invited Lydia.â€
“But, Leila, we must not blame Lydia
without knowing. How can we bu
She was interrupted by Matilda looking
into the room; she drew hastily back, but
on Selina calling to her, she advanced a
few steps, hesitated, and looking anxiously
in Leila’s face for a moment, again left the
room. ‘They both observed that her eyes
were swoln with weeping, and Selina,
now seriously alarmed, said she must go
into the drawing-room, and find out if her
mamma was aware if anything was wrong.
She thought now she should speak to her
mamma, and she would come up into
Leila’s room and tell her what she had
heard.
Selina had not been in the drawing-room
many minutes when the door opened, and
Leila darted in, exclaiming, “Oh! Selina,
286 LEILA AT HOME.
my flowers, my precious flowers! Clara’s
flowers are dying.â€
They all followed her into her room—
everything seemed in perfect order, and the
flower-pot stood exactly where Leila had
placed it; but two of the plants seemed
withered, and when Mrs. Stanley touched
them they fell from her hand on the carpet,
they evidently had been broken off and
carefully stuck into the earth again.
“Who can have done this ?†Mrs. Stanley
exclaimed, and her eyes fell upon Selina,
who had become very pale. “ Selina,†she
said, “do you know anything of this ?â€
** No, mamma, I do not.â€
“But I see you suspect,’ Mrs. Stanley
said. ‘‘ Where is Matilda ?â€
At that moment Amy entered the room,
but seeing it occupied was retreating again,
when Mrs. Stanley called to her. “ Amy,â€
she said, “come here. Do you know any-
thing of this? did you overturn that flower-
pot :â€
“ Miss Leila’s favourite flowers! O no,
LEILA AT HOME. 287
no, I did not. I was not aware it had been
overturned.â€
Her look of perfect truthfulness it was im-
possible to doubt.
When the flowers fell to the ground,
Leila had hidden her face on her papa’s
shoulder, and was struggling with her emo-
tion; she now looked up, and turning to
Mrs. Stanley, she said, “ Aunt, there is still
one plant left, and it must have been an
accident. O don’t say anything more
about it.†)
But Mrs. Stanley would not yield to this:
“‘ No, my love,†she said, “ it is quite neces-
sary that I should endeavour to discover
the truth. The overturning of the flower-pot
might have been an accident, but the at-
tempt to deceive, the replanting the flowers
in the earth, could not have been acci-
dental. Now, Amy, recollect yourself, and
tell me if you have seen any one leaving
this room lately ?â€
Amy was silent.
“IT insist upon knowing,†Mrs. Stanley
said.
288 LEILA AT HOME.
“T saw Miss Matilda come out of the
room, ma’am,†Amy answered, in a trem-
bling voice.
“Was it before Miss Mildmay went
home, or after?†Mrs. Stanley inquired.
“ It was after, ma’am.â€
“And did you observe anything parti-
cular in Miss Matilda’s appearance? Did
she look distressed ?â€
Amy was again silent.
“ Speak out, Amy, I desire you,†Mrs.
Stanley said.
“ Miss Matilda was crying, ma’am.â€
“ You may go, Amy, and send Miss Ma-
tilda to me.â€
Amy left the room. Mr. Howard also
rose and quitted the room just as Matilda
was entering it; she came in trembling ex-
cessively, and looking very pale, but the
moment Mrs. Stanley placed the flower-pot
before her and said, “ Matilda, do you know
anything of this?†the deepest colour suf-
fused her face, and mounted to her temples.
She remained silent.
“You were in your cousin’s room after
LEILA AT HOME. 289
dinner, were you not?†Mrs. Stanley in-
quired.
“ Yes, mamma.†The words were scarcely
audible.
Mrs. Stanley fixed her eyes upon her face.
“ Matilda,†she said, “ I happened to be in
your cousin’s room immediately before din-
ner; I went to look fora book. The flowers
then looked perfectly fresh; you must have
overturned the flower-pot when Amy saw
you coming out of the room this evening.â€
Matilda’s agitation increased ; she tried
to speak, but Mrs. Stanley with difficulty
could make out the words, ‘‘ No, mamma.â€
Mrs. Stanley herself now became much
agitated. “ Oh, Matilda,†she said, “ I con-
jure you to speak out, and tell me clearly
what did happen; do not let me have the
pain of feeling that my child has not only
shown duplicity in the attempt to conceal
what at first was probably only an accident,
but is now adding falsehood to her fault;
tell me distinctly, did you or did you not
overthrow that flower-pot and break those
flowers ?â€
U
290 LEILA AT HOME.
There was no answer.
Leila went up to her and whispered,
“Matilda, dear Matilda, speak the truth,
don't be afraid; I am not angry, I don’t
care now for the flowers, that is, 1 don’t
care very much, I am not so sorry for them
now, indeed I am not. But say you did it,
O do say it; don’t make God angry with
you. O pray that this temptation may
be taken from you; He will give you
strength.â€
Matilda was still silent, but the piteous
look she cast on Leila was heart-rending.
Mrs. Stanley again spoke. “ Matilda,â€
she said, “ I see it is in vain to prolong this
scene. Go to your room, and on your
knees pray earnestly to your Heavenly Fa-
ther to touch your sinful heart; when you
have asked forgiveness of Him, and have
resolved to make a full and free confession
of your fault, send for me, I will be ready
to come to you at any moment.â€
Matilda left the room ; Mrs. Stanley soon
after followed. Selina and Leila were left
alone ; Selina was silently weeping. Nei-
LEILA AT HOME. 291
ther of them spoke for several minutes. .
Leila then said, “Selina, we cannot be
quite certain that Matilda is deceiving us;
Lydia may have done this.â€
Selina shook her head. “ O that I could
think so, but I cannot. I know the expres-
sion of Matilda’s face too well. I always
know when she has done wrong; and you
forget, Leila, that mamma saw the flowers
just before dinner, and they looked quite
fresh then; and Lydia was not in your
room after dinner, you know we were all
with her till the moment she went away.
When did you last observe them yourself?
You must have been in the room when you
were changing your dress for dinner.â€
Leila looked much distressed as she an-
swered, “ Yes, I saw them, and they did
look fresh; I remember it, because I ob-
served drops of water on the leaves, and
the earth looked wet, and I knew that Amy
must have watered them—she often does so
when the day has been warm; Amy was
very fond of my poor flowers.†She had no
sooner uttered the words than she coloured.
U 2
299 LEILA AT HOME.
“ It was very wrong in me to say this, and
to make you more sorry, for indeed it is not
the flowers I am thinking most of now: and
you know, Selina, I have still three more
seeds to sow. How wise it was of papa to
advise me to keep them in case of acci-
dents, and not to risk all at once. O if I
would always take papa’s advice, every-
thing would be well; if I had taken his
advice about Lydia, and had not invited
her, Matilda would have been with us as
usual during the whole time, and this would
not have happened. And yet papa says I
must learn to judge for myself, I must not
lean too much on others; how difficult all
this is. Do you think we should go to Ma-
tilda now ?â€
“No, I think mamma wished her to be
alone.â€
“ Then let us go into the garden, I feel
so unhappy ; I don’t like sitting still.â€
The door of Matilda’s room they saw was
not entirely shut as they passed.
“Perhaps she might speak to me,†Selina
said. She advanced a few steps into the
LEILA AT HOME. 293
room; Matilda had thrown herself upon the
bed. The flowers with which it had been
so lately decked now lay scattered on the
floor. Matilda evidently saw her, for she
looked up for a moment, but she did not
speak, and they passed on to the garden.
The whole evening wore slowly away,
and no message came from Matilda; every
time the drawing-room door opened, Selina
and Leila were in anxious expectation—but
still no message came. The young people
went early to bed: how brightly had the
morning dawned upon them, and now all
was turned to sorrow. The first thing
which struck Leila on entering her room
was the muslin apron which she had em-
broidered for Matilda folded up and laid
upon her bed; had she looked into her
aunt’s room, she would have seen the writ-
ing-desk also returned, and placed upon the
table. Had Matilda done this? had she
felt that she was unworthy of retaining
those gifts which had been given her as
marks of love and affection? Leila prayed
earnestly for Matilda, but it was long be-
294 LEILA AT HOME.
fore she could compose herself to sleep:
the piteous look which Matilda had cast
upon her haunted ber imagination.
Meanwhile poor Selina was not less un-
happy. On entering the bed-room, she
found Matilda seated at the table writing a
letter. She looked much fluttered when
Selina entered, and hastily threw her pocket-
handkerchief over something on the table.
Selina felt almost certain it was the etui
which Matilda had admired so much. Ma-
tilda seemed unwilling to begin to undress ;
after a short time she said, making a visible
effort to speak calmly, “ Selina, do go to
bed, and go quickly. I can’t come just yet ;
don’t ask me why ?â€
Selina began to undress. She then took
her Bible to read as usual before saying her
prayers. “ Matilda,†she said, after a few
minutes, “ may I read you this text which I
have turned up ?â€
There seemed a silent assent.
Selina read, “ There hath no temptation
taken you, but such as is common to man;
but God is faithful who will not suffer you
LEILA AT HOME. 295
to be tempted above that you are able, but
will with the temptation make a way to
escape, that you may be able to bear it.â€
“ Yes,†Selina said, “ and it is by praying
to God that we shall obtain His assistance,â€
and she knelt down by the side of her bed.
For some time after she had lain down,
all was still in the room. Selina had
turned her face from her sister, that she
might not seem to watch her. After
some time Matilda rose; she stood for a
moment by the bed, then put something
very gently below the pillow; she started
when Selina said, “ Matilda, I am not
asleep ;†but she knelt down, said her
prayers, and then got into bed.
“ How very cold you are, dear Matilda,â€
Selina said; “and how you tremble. O
why will you not tell me all ?â€
Matilda pressed her hand. “ Good night,
dearest ; try to sleep.â€
Matilda seemed more composed ; Selina
felt comfort, she knew not why. After a
considerable time Selina did sleep. She
was awakened early by the bright morning
296 LEILA AT HOME.
sun, but when she opened her eyes she saw
Matilda was not there. She called to her,
there was no answer. Much alarmed, she
sprang out of bed and flew to the window.
She saw Matilda, fully dressed, standing
below a tree speaking to the gardener’s
boy ; she put a small packet into his hand,
and pointed across the lawn in the direc-
tion of Mr. Mildmay’s. The packet was
larger than a letter, Selina felt sure it was
the etuz. She retreated from the window,
and when Matilda returned, took no notice
of what she had seen. At the breakfast-
table there was no Matilda with her smiling
face. All the morning she continued in her
room, seated by the window; she had her
work in her hand, but was generally look-
ing out along the approach as if she ex-
pected some one. About the middle of the
day a servant in livery was seen approach-
ing; he held a letter in his hand; as he
stopped below her window, she strained her
eyes to catch the address, but could not.
Poor Matilda! how her heart beat, and how
her colour went and came; but no one en-
LEILA AT HOME, 297
tered her room—the letter then could not
have been for her. She called to Amy,
who said she believed the servant had
brought a letter for Mrs. Stanley. At that
moment Selina came running in. “ Ma-
tilda,†she said, “ Mrs. Mildmay has written
to say that Lydia has lost her ruby ring,
and she begs it may be carefully looked
for ; she returned home, she says, with only
one glove, and Mrs. Mildmay thinks she
may have pulled it off in the glove, and
trusts we may be able to find it.â€
Selina looked earnestly at Matilda, but
her expression she could not make out;
she had brightened up considerably at first,
but now there was only agitation visible,
and she made no effort to assist in looking
for the lost glove. It was not to be found
in Matilda’s room; the drawing-room and
dining-room had already been searched.
They now proceeded to Leila’s apartment.
Here they were equally unsuccessful: under
the bed, under every chair, they searched in
vain. Suddenly it struck Selina that it was
at dinner, while Lydia was still there, that
298 LEILA AT HOME.
her mamma had observed that Matilda’s
nails were black. There was a small
window in one corner of Leila’s room which
looked out upon the court; she threw open
this window and gazed eagerly out; she
saw something lying which might be a
glove. Amy ran down into the court, and
returned with the glove in her hand. The
ring was sticking in one of the fingers, but
the pale kid glove was much stained with
earth, and could not have been used again.
A new light seemed to dawn on Mrs.
Stanley; “ Amy,†she said, “go to the
coachman, and tell him I shall require the
carriage as quickly as possible, I must drive
over to Mrs. Mildmay’s.†Then turning to
Selina, she whispered, “ I wish Matilda to
return to her room, and let no one question
her.â€
The hour of Mrs. Stanley’s absence was
an anxious hour to all. Selina and Leila
were both with Matilda when the carriage
was seen returning ; when it stopped before
the door Matilda seemed scarcely able to
breathe. Mrs. Stanley entered and took
LEILA AT HOME. 299
her in her arms. “ My poor child,†she
said, “ you have been very, very wrong;
but, thank God, you have not told an un-
truth. O Matilda, how you have been in-
jured by bad example, and how far the evil
might have spread, had I not discovered
Lydia’s artful character! Mrs. Mildmay
told me she suspected something was wrong
when she found you had written to Lydia,
and sent back her efwi; and even before I
went she had extracted from her a sort of
half confession. Unhappy girl! but she now
seems completely penitent.†Then turning
to Leila and Selina, she continued, “ She
seemed anxious to tell me all; she said
that she had insisted on going into Leila’s
room, as she wished to see her books and
some pretty ornaments she had observed on
the mantel-piece ; that when she overturned
the flower-stand, Matilda had wished her
immediately to confess it, but she would
not; that she had stuck the flowers into the
earth and watered them, in the hope of
keeping them fresh as long as she remained,
and that she had bribed Matilda to perfect
Y
300 LEILA AT HOME.
silence by offering her the etuz ; that Matilda
at firstrefused, but afterwards yielded, and
that Lydia had made her promise that she was
to answer no questions, and that she was not
on any account to say she had not done it.
Alas! my child, how you grieved the Holy
Spirit when you took that wicked bribe;
but deeply have you suffered, and I will in-
flict no further punishment upon you, than
that you should remain in your room during
the day. Think deeply of all that has
passed, and of the misery you have en-
dured, and pray earnestly to God for his
forgiveness, and for strength to resist future
temptation. Also you must give me your
promise to give up all intimacy with Lydia
Mildmay, and never to trust yourself alone
with her again, unless in after years I give
you leave to do so.â€
Matilda threw herself again into her
mamma's arms, but she could not speak.
She then slowly left the room.
“Selina,†she said, when soon after she
was alone with her sister, “ you can never
know how unhappy I have been. I cannot
LEILA AT HOME. 301
tell it to you. O it was so dreadful when
mamma questioned me, and I dared not
tell! And when I thought you all believed
I was telling untruths, and that you could
never love me again, I thought my heart
would break. I did not know what was
right and what was wrong, and for a long
time I could not pray. But then I did, and
God seemed to put it into my heart to send
back the etwi, and ask leave to tell; and I
was a little happier after that. But when
you took my hand in bed, and asked me
again to tell, I grew worse again. I could
not sleep; (only now and then a little ;)
my best time was when I stood under the
tree, and saw the gardener’s boy running
across the lawn with my letter, the air was
so fresh, and the birds were singing, and the
sun made everything so beautiful. I felt
quite happy then.â€
The tears were running down Selina’s
cheeks.
“ IT am making you sorry,†she continued ;
“T will not tell you any more. You know
Iam happy now, O so happy! and I will
302 LEILA AT HOME.
not forget this time, I am sure—no, I never,
never will forget. Now go, dearest, to
Leila, for I think mamma wishes me to be
alone ; but come in sometimes, with Cousin
Leila, and just kiss me and go away again.â€
LEILA AT HOME. 303
CHAPTER XVII.
From this time the improvement in Ma-
tilda’s character was much more steady ;
her warm affection for her sister and Leila
daily increased, and she seemed now to
have no wish beyond the enjoyment of their
society. They were a most happy little
trio; but days of trial were at hand, and
sorrow about to visit their young hearts in
an unexpected form. Charles was now at
home for the Midsummer holidays, and had
come over to pass the Saturday at Wood-
lands; he certainly was somewhat taller
than before, but Leila seemed rather to
think it an improvement, and she met him
304 LEILA AT HOME.
with all the frank gladness of her happy
age. There was so little of the rough
school-boy in Charles, and so much of the
gentle kind friend, that Leila had learnt to
look up to him with a feeling of happy se-
curity; he never flattered her: in asking
advice she was always sure of hearing
the truth from him, unbiassed by any pre- .
vious opinion expressed on her side. She
told him that an accident had happened to
the precious plant intended for him; but
she entered into no details, and he promised
to be patient, and to await the coming up of
the other seeds. They had not been long
together when he inquired for his friend
Peggy Dobie, and Leila proposed that they
should cross the lawn together and visit her
at her cottage ; they were sure of finding
her in her garden, she said, for Peggy had
told her that her bees were about to swarm,
and that she must watch them closely.
Never had Leila looked more joyous than
when she tied on her bonnet to accompany
Charles; her cheeks were glowing with
health, her eyes bright with intelligence,
LEILA AT HOME. 305
and the feelings of hopeful, trusting, happy
youth, were visible in every expression of
her sweet countenance.
It had been the loveliest of summer morn-
ings, and at first so elastic was Leila’s step,
that she seemed to tread on air; she pro-
posed to lengthen their walk by first mount-
ing one of the high fields from which the
view was particularly fine ; but by the time
they had gained the height, they felt the
heat of the sun overcoming, and in descend-
ing were glad to avail themselves of the
shelter of the wood. The bright sunshine,
however, which they had wished to avoid,
now suddenly gave way to dark lund
clouds ; the air became very close and op-
pressive ; there was a dull moaning sound
amongst the trees, as if the wind were about
to rise, and as they entered the wood the
sweet singing of the birds was hushed;
they were darting rapidly to and fro amongst
the branches in constant, uneasy motion, as
if danger were at hand. Charles locked
anxiously at the great masses of fiery-look-
x
306 LEILA AT HOME.
ing clouds which were now driven along by
a strong current of upper air. Leila caught
the anxious expression of his face.
“Why do you look so _ frightened,
Charles ?†she said. “TI like these sudden
changes, they are very good; don’t walk so
quick,—let us stop for a moment and watch
those magnificent clouds.â€
* No, Leila, no; let us hasten home; I
fear we shall have a storm.â€
“ A storm!†she repeated; “ O do then
let us make haste. I am not frightened—
that is, I am not much frightened, though a
storm always makes me think of melancholy
things ; but papa, I know, will be anxious
about us; let us walk very quick.â€
They hastened on, but Leila suddenly
paused for a moment to listen to the sound
of distant thunder. “ ‘The storm has be-
gun,†she said, in a tone of alarm; “ that is
thunder ;†then quickening her steps, she
proceeded more rapidly than before. A
second and louder peal succeeded to the
first; again and again it lightened, and the
LEILA AT HOME. 307
thunder seemed every moment to be ap-
proaching nearer. Leila trembled all over,
and clung to Charles in speechless terror.
“Tet us get out of the wood,†Charles
hastily exclaimed, “ we shall be safer in the
open field,†and seizing her arm he hurried
her forward.
At that moment the whole wood seemed
lighted up as if on fire; the lightning ran
along the ground, a great branch from a
tree fell with a loud crash at their feet, and
Leila screamed, “ Charles, where are you,
Charles? I cannot see you—I am blind!â€
O that moment of inexpressible agony,
as he stooped and gazed into her dear face !
It was unscathed, but the eyes were shut.
“ Open your eyes, dear, dear Leila; O do
not say you cannot open them. Merciful
God, it cannot be !â€
Alas! it was too true. She tried in vain
to raise her eyelids.
“T shall never see my papa again,†she
almost shrieked out, as she sank upon the
ground at Charles’s feet. He lifted her
gently in his arms, her head fell upon his
x 2
308 LEILA AT HOME.
shoulder ; she became still, he thought she
had fainted, but soon he heard her whisper,
“ It is God who has done it. He loves me,
I am His child, and He can comfort my
dear, dear papa.â€
Charles continued to carry her in his
arms, but his knees trembled so much he
could scarcely get along, and Leila felt a
tear drop upon her cheek.
“ Charles,†she said, “ you are weeping.
O do not weep for me; God can comfort
me, and he does. I cannot tell you what I
feel now, it seems as if angels were whis-
pering to me.†Then after a little she
said again, “ But it is for my papa, my own
papa. Charles, do not carry me to him at
first ; carry me to my own room.â€
She was obeyed. He stole up stairs un-
perceived by any one, and Leila knelt
down by the side of her bed and prayed
earnestly.
“ Now take me to my papa,†she said, as
she arose from her knees. “ Where are you,
Charles ?†she exclaimed, as she tried to
grasp the empty air.
LEILA AT HOME. 309
Charles had been watching at the door;
he too had offered up a silent earnest
prayer; he was now by her side in a mo-
ment, and led her to her papa’s room. She
tapped at his door.
“ Come in, my little woman,†Mr. Howard
said, in a glad voice, but without raising his
eyes from his book. “I am so relieved to
hear your little tap; I have been seeking
you, Leila. Where have you been during
this frightful storm? Why don’t you come
in, love ?â€
“Come to the door, dear papa, but do
not open it, till I speak to you.â€
Mr. Howard rose. “ What pleasant little
surprise are you preparing for me, my child?â€
he said, as he stood with his hand upon the
lock.
“ Papa, dear papa, it is not a pleasant
surprise ; but you will try to bear it.â€
The sound of her voice startled him, and
Mr. Howard opened the door in the greatest
alarm. Leila fell into his arms.
“ Papa,†she said, as she clung to him
and repeatedly kissed his cheek, “ papa,
310 LEILA AT HOME.
you will bear it ; God has done it. He knows
best. He has struck me blind !â€
Mr. Howard groaned aloud; he clasped
Leila more closely in his arms—he looked
upon her face—he could not speak.
Charles, in a trembling voice, related all
that had taken place.
Mr. Howard rallied, and seemed to re-
gain his usual firmness; he turned to
Charles, — “Send immediately to Rich-
mond,†he said, “for Dr. B , and let
the coachman get ready to ride to Lon-
don, I will give him a note. Leila, my
own heroic child, I must leave you a mo-
ment with Nurse.â€
The poor woman and Amy were already
in the room, both sobbing bitterly; but
upon Mr. Howard speaking aside to Nurse,
and telling her of the necessity there was
for self-command for Leila’s sake, she made
a wonderful effort for composure, and seat-
ing herself on the couch, she took Leila in
her arms, and laid her head gently upon
her shoulder as she used to do when she
was a little child. Amy stood by her side,
LEILA AT HOME. 311
her hands clasped together, and with an
expression of the deepest woe, while tears
still ran silently down her cheeks.
Leila was now quite composed. They
heard her whisper, “ The worst is over now,
my papa knows it all;†and she pressed
Nurse’s hand repeatedly, and said she felt
better, then drawing Amy towards her, she
whispered very low in her ear,—“ You will
be a good girl, Amy, and not cry, and you
will be a great comfort to me —you will
lead me everywhere.â€
Charles had himself gone off to Rich-
mond on Leila’s pony, but returned unsuc-
cessful; both Dr. B and another to
whom he applied were from home. The
agony of suspense to all was very great,
and though Charles strove hard to restrain
his emotion, the tones of his voice betrayed
his feelings to Leila every time he tried to
address her.
Mr. Howard spoke to him aside,—he
thought it better he should return home.
It was a great trial to him, but he instantly
obeyed, and stole out of the room without
312 LEILA AT HOME.
even a word of adieu; he felt that all addi-
tional agitation must be carefully avoided.
As he went out Leila raised her head and
listened. ‘“ Some one has left the room,â€
she said, “it must be Charles. Where has
he gone to ?â€
Mr. Howard explained that he had re-
turned home, he thought it better he should
do so.
“Ah, papa, I know why: it is because
I agitate myself so much. I know it is
very wrong, and I will try to be quite calm
and to comfort you more, papa; but I can-
not always do it, though sometimes for a
moment it seems quite easy, and I only feel
that God has done it for my good, and has
sent me this great trial because he loves me
and wishes to make me better, and that
perhaps he has shut my eyes on the world
that I may think more of my beautiful home
in Heaven; for, papa, you do not know
how much I had begun to love the world;
the love of it was creeping into me and you
did not know it; ever since we came into
it I have loved it every day more and
LEILA AT HOME. 313
more—the people, the flowers, this house,
everything. Yes, I have loved the world
better than the island, where I thought so
much more of God. And I used to like so
much to hear Bill and Susan call me their
little mistress,—all this was very wrong,
and I daresay this is why God has shut it
all out, the trees, the green fields, the beau-
tiful flowing river, and even your face, my
own papa—and for ever /—oh, that is the
part I cannot bear.â€
“Hush, my child, my own Leila ;—do
not say there is anything you cannot bear.
He who has sent the trial will give you
strength. Remember, we are told, that ‘ If
we endure chastening, God dealeth with us
as with sons, for what son is he whom the
Father chasteneth not ??>—and though for the
present it is very grievous to you, He will,
when His own righteous purposes have been
fulfilled, bring to your heart that sweet peace
‘which the world cannot know ;—but, my
child, you are exciting yourself in talking
too much, and I am most anxious that you
314 LEILA AT HOME.
should keep very quiet now, and try to get
a little sleep.â€
“Well, papa, I will. Do you remember
that day, papa, when you said to me,
‘ Leila, remember, duties are ours, but events
are in the hands of God?’ I am glad I have
thought of this now, for it comforts me—it
tells me it is my duty to be patient and to
trust it all to God—now I will try to sleep.â€
She did try, but soon she started up again,
and clasped her papa’s hand more tightly.
“Papa,†she said, “there is something I
wish to say to you; and then I think I could
sleep ;—will you write to Aunt Stanley, and
tell her everything, and beg her to come
here to-day as soon as possible, and bring
them all with her. I shall be better when I
have seen them all â€â€”(she stopped and
shuddered) —“ I shall be better when they
are here, I mean; and bid aunt tell Selina,
not to be very sorry, and to remember how
God comforted her when she was dumb, and
gave her strength to bear it; and He is giv-
ing me strength also, dear papa.â€
LEILA AT HOME. 315
Mr. Howard seated himself at the table
and began to write, and before he had
finished his note Leila was asleep—it seemed
a troubled sleep, she started often, and
called out repeatedly, as if in extreme terror,
for the shock on her nervous system had
been severe ; but before she awoke to per-
fect consciousness again, her uncle, aunt,
and all of them, stood gazing upon her.
They all struggled hard to control their
sorrow, but it was Matilda’s and Alfred’s
sobs that awakened Leila. I will not further
distress my young readers by dwelling on
this scene. Leila herself was the first to ob-
tain composure, and after some time she was
able to converse calmly with Selina.
She showed so much unwillingness to part
with them again, that Mr. Howard arranged
that they should all come over for some
weeks to Woodlands, Leila having promised
that she would be satisfied with exactly as
much of the society of her cousins as was
thought good for her; but the knowledge
that they were in the house, she said, would
be the greatest comfort to her; and it was
316 LEILA AT HOME.
further arranged that Selina was not to go
home that evening, but remain till the others
joined her.
This mournful day wore heavily on, and
still Dr. B—— had not arrived. It were diffi-
cult to say what they all expected would be the
result of his anxiously expected visit; but
when at last the sound of horses’ hoofs was
heard upon the gravel, the agitation of the
whole party was extreme. Mr. Howard be-
came very pale, and withdrew his hand from
Leila’s that she might not be aware how he
trembled; but she had heard the sound, and
seemed aware of his motive, for she said,
“Do not be afraid of me, papa; I know
what Dr. B will say, and I can bear
it; hold my hand again, it makes me feel
strong.â€
Dr. B entered; the look he cast on
all around was full of deep sympathy, for
Charles's note had made him aware of what
had happened. His eye rested mournfully
on Leila, who lay on the sofa looking pale
and agitated; but as he approached, she
hastily brushed a tear from her long, dark
LEILA AT HOME. 317
eyelashes, and the brightest colour dyed her
cheeks. He paused in evident emotion ;
then seating himself by her, he looked at
her attentively, took the hand Mr. Howard
had been holding, and felt her pulse; her
hand was deadly cold; again all colour had
now left her cheek, and she lay like a bruised
lily, shrinking from his touch.
“Try to compose yourself, my dear young
lady,†he said gently; “I am not going to
hurt you; but it is necessary that I should
examine your eyes more closely.†As he
spoke, he turned her face more fully to the
light. Mr. Howard was bending over her.
Dr. B gently raised one of her eyelids,
and Leila, in a voice of rapture, exclaimed,
‘My papa, I see him!â€
Who can express Mr. Howard’s feelings
at that moment. “Thank God!†the kind-
hearted physician exclaimed, “ the sight of
the eye in this dear child is not destroyed ;â€
and on examining the other, the result was
equally satisfactory. “This is not so bad
as we dreaded,†he said ; but he whispered
something to Mr. Howard, and seemed about
318 LEILA AT HOME.
to quit the room. He had asked to speak
to him alone.
Leila had not caught the words, but she
suspected something ; and springing up she
said, “ Do let him tell me everything, papa,
I am quite able to bear it. Does Dr.
B think I shall still be blind ?—do let
him speak out the truth.â€
Mr. Howard assented. The good doctor
was much affected. “ My dear young lady,â€
he said, “TI hope and trust that you will not
always be blind; but I am not prepared to
say that you certainly will recover the
power of raising your eyelids—there have
been frequent instances of the nerves never
recovering their powers; but you are young,
and in good health ; your well-turned mind,
and your power of commanding your feel-
ings, (and I am sure from the highest mo-
tives,) is much in your favour, and with
God nothing is impossible. And now I will
take my Jeave for to-day. I have only one
caution to give, and I address it to all,—
agitation of every kind must as much as
possible be avoided.â€
LEILA AT HOME. 319
It was no unnecessary caution, for the
lively joy expressed by Matilda and Alfred
when Dr. B—— pronounced his opinion,
Leila felt more difficult to bear than their
former sorrow; and Mr. Howard now ex-
pressed a wish, which was immediately com-
plied with, that Leila should be left alone
with him for the rest of the evening.
Before night the oculist from London also
arrived. He confirmed all that the physician
had said; he could pronounce nothing po-
sitive as to Leila’s recovering her sight, but
he had hope; and he enforced still more
strictly, if possible, that everything should
be done to strengthen her general health,
and agitation and excitement of every kind
carefully avoided. “Don’t let any one be
with her,†he said, “ who is likely to agitate
her; there is an old woman in the passage
in such a state of distress; she is clamorous
for admittance, but it must not be yielded
to.†This was spoken aside to Mr. Howard,
but Leila caught the words, “ old woman.â€
“Tt is Peggy Dobie,†she said, “my dear
Peggy ; oh, papa, let her come in for a
320 LEILA AT HOME.
moment, only one moment, papa, and then
I shall keep myself quite still, and not be
agitated again.â€
Mr. Howard thought she ought to be gra-
tified ; he knew better than the oculist the
command which Leila could maintain over
herself: he spoke to Peggy himself-—she
came in, knelt down by Leila’s bed, took
her hand, and with a voice which trembled
with emotion, she said, “ My dear, dear
bairn, your poor old Peggy will pray for
you, and there is a merciful God above.â€
Her voice sank to a whisper; she seemed
unable to add another word; but Leila
seemed calmed and comforted. Poor Peggy
left the room, but she lingered till a late
hour in the house, and was back again by the
first dawn of the morning.
The sad news had spread rapidly through
the village: Leila was so beloved by old
and young, that the inquiries during the
whole day had been numerous. The chil-
dren of the village, as well as her little
scholars, came in troops, and Amy had
many a sorrowful scene to go through with
LEILA AT HOME, 321
them. Nurse sat by Leila’s side during the
whole night, and Mr. Howard visited her
every hour. Her sleep was very broken,
and next day she was so feverish that no
one but her papa and Nurse were allowed to
see her—not even Selina; but by another
day, the feverish symptoms entirely left her ;
she felt weak and easily fluttered, but was
generally quite calm, and at times even cheer-
ful. For some days Matilda, though in the
house, was only allowed to come into the room
at short intervals. Matilda had not sufficient
control over her feelings, and the warm ex-
pression of an affection, which was now
greater than ever, was too much for poor
Leila. She was desired to be as much as
possible in the open air, and she was carried
out every day into the garden, and sat for
hours in the shade, taking a little turn now
and then, leaning upon her papa. The first
time she went out was a great trial to her,
and for some time she wept silently ; then
taking her papa’s hand as they sat together
under a tree in the garden, she said :—
“Papa, I have made you more sorry, but
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322 LEILA AT HOME.
it is over now; it was just at first—indeed I
could not help it, for the air brought to me
the sweet smell of the flowers which I can
no longer see, and from the feeling on my
eyelids I know the sun must be shining glo-
riously. O how I used to like to gaze on
the rising sun, and to watch the soft grey of
the morning fading before his golden light!
and it brought grand feelings to my mind,
and good feelings too, papa, for it made me
think of Him who is more glorious than the
sun.â€
“Yes, my child, but that feeling can still
be yours, and even in a higher degree, for
this trial may lead you to raise your mind
more constantly to Him in whose presence
there is everlasting light.â€
'“ Yes, papa, I know it, and I will pray
for this. Do you remember the text in
Isaiah which says, ‘I will bring the blind by
a way that they know not, I will lead them
in paths that they have not known; I will
make darkness light before them, and crooked
things straight; these things will I do unto
them, and not forsake them.’ And God may
LEILA AT HOME. 323
do this to me, papa; He may open the eyes
of my mind, and make it all more light to
me. And I have many pleasures yet, you
know: I have, you, papa; and that is more
than a pleasure, it is my happiness. O
you don’t know what I feel when you are
near me; I am not melancholy then; in-
deed I am never so melancholy as I thought
I should be; I know when it is light and
when it is dark quite well; and once you
know I saw your face for a moment; I think
I should be quite happy if I got leave to
see you for a moment every day, but Dr.
B—— says I must not—why papa ?â€
“ Because, my love, nothing must be done
to increase the injury on the nerves; there-
fore you must not try to force your eyelids
up.â€
“Well, papa, I will try to be patient; but
I may hope not to be always blind. You
know Jesus Christ opened the eyes of many
that were blind: He was full of pity, and I
may pray to Him to open my eyes,—that is,
if He thinks it good for me.â€
“Yes, my child, such prayers, leaving all
Y 2
324 LEILA AT HOME.
to Him, cannot fail to be acceptable in His
sight. He has loved you, Leila, from your
birth, with more than an earthly love; and
never more, I feel sure, than at this moment,
when you are bowing meekly to His will.
His deathless love is around, and above you,
even now; He can wipe all tears from your
eyes with a hand that never comforted in
vain; He can give you happy dreams of
green pastures and still waters, and brighter
and brighter hopes of that dear home, where
no darkness, no grief, no fear can enter;
only the eternal shining of a light divine,
and joy unspeakable! Now, sweet: one, we
must walk a little, I must not talk to you too
much.â€
“ But, papa, such talk as this !â€
* No, not even such talk as this; I must
not strain your mind in any way, my
Leila.â€
“Then, papa, take me to the bee-hives, I
think I should like to hear the bees hum-
ming.â€
LEILA AT HOME. 325
CHAPTER XVIII.
More than a fortnight had passed away,
and Leila’s general health was _ greatly
strengthened, though she had had many agi-
tating scenes to go through. The meeting
with Mr. and Mrs. Herbert and Mina had
at first affected her much, but she now had
great pleasure in their society, and they
came frequently, and spent the whole day,
for Leila clung more to Mrs. Herbert than
ever. It was a great pleasure to her to lie
on the sofa with her knitting, and to listen
to general conversation; and Mr. Howard
was most desirous in every way to promote
her cheerfulness. Charles’s visits had been
326 LEILA AT HOME.
almost daily; though he had been permitted
to see Leila only for a few minutes at a time.
He was now, however, frequently allowed to
lead her on Selim for a short ride, and Leila
assured her papa that each time she felt her
courage increase so much, that she was sure
before long she should be able to ride out
with him as usual.
“Yes, papa,†she said, “‘ you must not be
melancholy about me, for I am not unhappy.
Nurse sometimes thinks I am, but indeed I
am not; she fancies it, I believe, because
I do not speak so much now; [ like to think
and be still; you know, papa, my world is
more within me now—I do not see its beau-
tiful sunsets, its woods, and flowers; its
broad river with its green banks, which I
used to love so much; and so I picture
them in my own mind, and seem to dream
of them, though I am awake. It is that
which makes me often still, papa; and I
like those dreams, they make me happy
now.â€
“Yes, my own Leila, I can understand all
this; but those day-dreams must not be too
LEILA AT HOME. 327
much indulged in; there might be danger
then of your finding your pleasures in life
more in reverie, than in useful exertion and
in active duty; for you must not fancy, my
dear child, that you have not the same du-
ties to perform now as you formerly had ;
as your health strengthens, I should wish
you to return as much as possible, to your
former habits.â€
“ But, papa, I can do so little now.â€
“ Not so, my love; in a very short time
you will be surprised to find how much you
can do, and how independent you have be-
come. Do you remember, at first you were
afraid to move across the room, and now
you seem to walk fearlessly over almost
every part of the house.â€
** Yes, papa, I am not the least afraid now ;
and since I have been blind God seems to
have opened my ears more and more; be-
fore I always knew your footstep, and it
made me glad; but now I know the step of
every one in the house, and yours though
ever so far off; and when you are quite still,
I know your breathing, and I like to listen
328 LEILA AT HOME.
to it so much. O,I have many pleasures—
why do you sigh, papa?—you must not do
that, it makes me sorry; Selina often sighs
when I talk to her, and even Matilda; and
sometimes when Matilda begins to laugh,
she stops herself quite suddenly—I wish
she would not, I like to hear her laugh.
Papa, I have never heard you laugh since
that day ; my own papa, you must try—you
must be merry with me again ;â€â€”and she
held out her hand.
Mr. Howard pressed it fondly. “ My
Leila, my precious one!†was all he could
say.
“Yes, your precious one ; how I like you
to call me that! Come, let me sing to you;
now don’t say, ‘Another day, Leila, not
now, —for it is not to be another day, I am
quite able for it now—so let your precious
one have her guitar again.â€
She rose to search for it in its accustomed
corner: Mr. Howard had had it removed,
but he placed it in her hands again, and
she seated herself by his side, and began to
sing one of his most favourite airs. At first
LEILA AT HOME. 329
her voice was weak and tremulous; but
gradually it acquired more firmness, though
there was so much of unusual melancholy in
its rich and liquid tones, that Mr. Howard’s
eyes filled with tears. She evidently found
it a great effort to continue, and her next
choice was a more lively air.
“Now papa,†she said, as the second
song was ended, “I hope I have cheered
you again ; I should not have tried to sing
that melancholy song.â€
Alas! dear child, she could not see that
her second attempt had only increased Mr.
Howard’s agitation; but hastily brushing
his hand across his eyes, he said, in a steady
and even cheerful voice, “ No more at pre-
sent, my sweet child; but now every day
you shall sing to your papa as usual, and
cheer him as you have ever done; but what
does Amy want?—this is the second time
she has looked into the room.â€
“Oh, I know,†Leila answered. “ Yes,
Amy, I am coming presently—I know,
papa, what she wants; at this hour she
always takes me to visit my pets, and they
330 LEILA AT HOME.
are getting quite fond of me again, which
makes me so happy. At first they did not
like me so much, because I was blind; they
fluttered about, and seemed afraid of me—
not Dash nor Selina, they were always kind ;
Selina seems getting quite young again, for
she frisks about me always, jumps up when
I am passing by, and purs so loud, that I
am afraid she will make herself quite hoarse ;
and as to Dash, you don’t know what a dog
he is—wherever I am now, he lies outside
the door, and the moment I go out he fol-
lows; he does not think it is enough that
I should be alone with Amy, and looks at her
she says quite suspiciously ;—when you are
there he does not follow me quite so close,
but when I am alone with her he is touching
me the whole time. Yesterday he pulled me
aside by my dress; Amy said it was because
there was a stone in my path, and he was
afraid I might strike my foot against it; and
another day he seized a large branch of a
tree in his mouth, (which had fallen down,)
and threw it aside with such indignation,
and looked at her quite angrily, as if she
LEILA AT HOME. 331
were leading me into danger. Poor Dash,
he does not know how very kind Amy is to
me papa; I cannot persuade her yet to re-
turn to her own room at night; she still lies
on that little hard mattress at the foot of my
bed, and when I tell her not to do it, it
makes her sorry.â€
“ Yes, my child, I know she does ; and
I am sure she prefers doing so.â€
“ T think so too, papa, and for many days
I am sure she never slept, for always when
I awoke I found her standing by my bed,
ready to give me my lemonade, or to rub
my feet, or do whatever I wished, to make
me sleep again. Papa, if this trial had not
come to me, I never should have known the
love that is in many hearts for me ; I can-
not speak about Selina, I cannot tell you
what she is to me ; and Matilda so gentle
to me and so kind; and Mrs. Roberts also;
then Mrs. Herbert, Charles, and Mina ; but
it would take me all the day to tell you of
all the kindnesses to me,—and I am for-
getting that Amy is waiting, for I could
chat away with you, papa, for ever; but
332 LEILA AT HOME.
now I must go and chat a little to my
parrots, or they will be quite jealous. And
then Amy has to give me my lesson of
flowers ; she is teaching me to know them
all by the touch, for you know it is better
to be prepared for what may be. I hope
you are not looking melancholy because I
am saying this. Good-bye, dear papa.â€
She was gone, or a long and deep-drawn
sigh would have reached her ear.
Weeks and months passed on, and though
Leila had no fixed complaint, her health
was not what it had been before, and the
prospect of her recovering her sight seemed
gradually to be becoming more uncertain.
It was well for her, dear child, that she
could not see the mournful looks with which
her papa often now regarded her, as she,
with increased anxiety to acquire habits of
independence, performed her daily duties.
It was evident that Leila was preparing
her mind to meet, not only with resignation,
but with cheerfulness, what but a few short
months before would have weighed her to
the ground. How deeply had she felt poor
LEILA AT HOME. 333
Susan’s state ; how often had she looked at
the sightless eyes of the blind girl, and said
to herself, “ How can she bear it? O any
trial but this!†And this trial was now
hers; it came upon her in a moment. Sud-
denly was the whole face of nature shut out
from her sight ; yet, after the first natural an-
guish was over, there came also to her young
heart that faith, that reliance, which shed
peace and light on her darkest moments.
Her little scholars now came to her as
usual ; they daily read the Bible to her, and
also other books suited to their age, and in
this occupation she took much interest.
Susan also came frequently, and either Se-
lina or Matilda read to her while Leila
listened.
“ I wish Susan were nearer us,†she said
one morning to Selina, as Susan left the
room; “ how kind in you both to take such
pains with her ; she says it is her happiest
time when she is with us; and do you know
what I have been wishing for a long time,
and making a, little plan in my own mind
about? I have been wishing that we could
334 LEILA AT HOME.
find a house in our village for Susan’s
mother, and then poor Susan could come
oftener, for she would not have so far to
walk; and yesterday I spoke to papa about
it; he said he did not quite see how it could
be managed, but that he would turn it in
his mind. When papa says he will turn it
in his mind, he is sure to turn and twist it
into the right thing.â€
“But how,†Matilda inquired, “ can
Uncle Howard twist Susan’s mother, and
all her five brothers and sisters, into a house
in the village, when there is not one empty,
and all the people quite healthy, not
the least likely to die? He must twist
them out first, and that would not be
civil.â€
“T ‘don’t know, Matilda, but I am sure
my papa will not do anything unkind, and
yet I think he will manage it; I knew by
the sound of his voice that he thought it
possible, and I have been thinking a great
deal of all I could do for Susan to make
her happier; for she has not all my com-
forts and pleasures, and she has not a Se-
LEILA AT HOME. 335
lina and a Matilda to be eyes to her, and
to make everything cheerful to her, and
even light; for when I am with you, I
scarcely feel that I am blind at all.â€
Selina sighed deeply, but did not answer.
“ Now why do you sigh, Selina? that
must not be. Do not pity me, you must
get reconciled as I am doing; you must
both of you help me to be cheerful; and
you, Matilda, must try to laugh a great deal
more than you do now, for I like so much
to hear you merry. And look, Selina, what
a pretty nosegay I am tying up for you; is
it not very well arranged for a little blind
girl? Amy says I am improving every day
now; you see I arrange the green leaves
and the different colours of the flowers, so
as to have a grand effect. At first they
used to be all higgledy piggledy, as Peggy
Dobie would say. What excellent words
Peggy Dobie has; don’t you think higgledy
piggledy delightful? I am sure any one
must know it means confusion. And I
shall teach Susan to make nosegays, for
336 LEILA AT HOME.
I hope there will be a garden to the
cottage.â€
“ And what would Susan do with so many
nosegays ?†Matilda inquired.
“ Perhaps she might sell the nosegays at
Richmond, and make a little more money
for her mother, which would make her so
happy. She might sit under the trees on
the terrace early in the mornings before she
came to us, and she could knit all the time,
and be as busy as if she were at home; I
daresay every one would like to buy nose-
gays from a blind girl, I am sure I should;
and I think Nurse would perhaps allow me
to give her my second best bonnet, to keep
the hot sun off her eye-lids; I am sure it
must be looking very old now, though I am
afraid Nurse does not think so, for she
makes me stretch out the strings every day,
and says it is wonderful how long things
will look respectable with proper manage-
ment.â€
“ Yes,†Matilda said, “ and you are so
terribly conscientious, Leila, and stretch
LEILA AT HOME. 337
away so every morning, that I am afraid
your strings never will look disrespectable ;
if I were you I would begin to crumple them
a little now. Do begin to-morrow.â€
Selina looked up. “ How you talk, Ma-
tilda ; you know very well you would not
do so now.â€
“ Then you do think me a little improved,
Selina ?â€
“ Not a little, but a great deal im-
proved.â€
“©O I am so glad; and you, Cousin
Leila, should be glad also, for it is all
owing to you. When I saw you so good
and patient, and trying always to bear your
trial so well, I prayed a great deal to be
made good and patient too, for you know
I have my little trials; always the holding
up my head, and the never putting my
elbows on the table, or being the least com-
fortable, all those hundred. little bothera-
tions that used to put me wild; I do think
I bear them a little better now. But you
will be rewarded for bearing your great
trials as you do, forl am sure God must
Z
338 LEILA AT HOME.
love you so much, that very soon now He
will open your eyes, and you will see as well
as we do. O what joy then—what joy !â€
“ Hush! Matilda, hush! do not say it,â€
Leila hastily answered. “ God does love me,
I feel He does, for He gives me sweet,
peaceful feelings now, and makes me
happy; but His ways are different. He
does what is best for me, and I am making
up my mind, for I feel as if I were to be
always blind. Selina knows it, for I have
told her; and now that I have told you, I
shall be happier. I wish I could speak
about it to papa too, but I can’t just yet.
Don’t cry, Matilda, don’t, my own dear Ma-
tilda.†She threw her arms round her and
kissed her fondly. ‘ Now there is a dear
one; you will be good, you will be pa-
tient, and say it is all quite, quite right.
You know, Matilda, it must be so.†Her
soft, soothing voice was silent; she gently
disengaged herself from Matilda, and left
the room.
And it was really so; Leila had struggled
hard with herself, and had all but con-
LEILA AT HOME. 339
quered. She now really felt that entire
dependence on her Heavenly Father’s love
which she had so fervently prayed for; the
idea that she was to be for ever blind had
taken strong possession of her, and she was
resigned. Yet one earthly wish was still
unsubdued : it was to gaze once more upon
her father’s face. ‘“ Yes,†she said to her-
self, “ once, only once again, and then I
feel I shall be able to say from my very
heart, ‘ Thy will be done.’â€
But how was this to be accomplished ?
She felt she could never tell her father that
she wished to see him for the last time;
she could never give him that bitter pang.
And there were other difficulties. She could
see him only when looking down upon him ;
how was this to be managed? She thought
of it constantly; no way presented itself.
Yet time pressed, for she felt as if every
day her eyelids were getting more stiff and
depressed ; in fact, the struggle in her mind
was affecting her general health. Circum-
stances, however; favoured her unexpectedly.
Mr. Howard had spent a whole forenoon
Z2
340 LEILA AT HOME
in London; Leila had for hours expected
him, and he returned fatigued and dispirited.
He had been to arrange a consultation for
the following day with regard to Leila’s
health, which was now daily giving him
much uneasiness. Leila immediately be-
came aware that he was out of spirits.
“* Dear papa,†she said, “I am sure you
are feeling unwell, you have over-fatigued
yourself. Do let me take care of you and
make you better. You shall lie down on
the sofa, and I will sing you to sleep.
Sleep is the very thing you want. Now,
there is a dear papa, stretch yourself out;
now then let me arrange the pillows com-
fortably.†She passed her little hand below
her papa’s head, and raised it gently,
“ There now,—so ; is not that comfortable ?
Now [I shall take my guitar, and sing you a
sweet lullaby ; but you must shut your dear
eyes first. Are you shutting them, papa?â€
She passed her hand across Mr. Howard’s
eyes. “O you naughty papa, they are wide
open.â€
They were indeed open, they were ear-
LEILA AT HOME. 341
nestly fixed upon the pale countenance of
his child. Softly drawing down his eyelids,
she drew a chair close to the sofa, and
striking a few chords, she began to sing in
a sweet low voice, and after a little while
Mr. Howard dropped asleep. Leila was
immediately aware of this; she continued
singing for a few minutes, as she watched
his regular breathing ; by degrees her voice
sunk to the lowest whisper, then altogether
ceased. Fora moment she bent over him
and listened. ‘“ Now is the time,†she said ;
and mounting upon the chair on which
she had been seated, she gently raised her
eyelids, and stood gazing down upon him.
Was she looking upon that much loved
face for the last time? She felt as if it
were so. “QO my Father in Heaven,†she
said, “ give me of thy strength! I thought
I had been resigned; O pardon a poor
weak child, and make me strong !â€
A deep sigh awoke Mr. Howard; he
opened his eyes. Was it a sweet spirit from
a world unseen, who stood gazing upon him
with a look of more than earthly love, or was
342 LEILA AT HOME.
it indeed his child? He started up, and Leila
threw herself into his arms.
“Forgive me, dearest papa,†she said, “I
could not help it; once more to see your
face, papa, only once more ;†then gradually
becoming more calm, she entered fully on
the subject, and poured out all that had
been so long struggling in her heart. “ And
now, papa, I feel that God will strengthen
me to be resigned. You know He says,—
‘When thou passest through the waters I
will be with thee; and through the rivers,
they shail not overflow thee: when thou
walkest through the fire thou shalt not be
burned, neither shall the fire kindle upon
thee. And has it not come true with me,
papa? He saved me in the waters, and in
the fire; and shall I not trust in Him? I
feel now as if He did not mean to open my
eyes, but it must be right.â€
Mr. Howard did not attempt to conceal
from Leila that of late he too had felt less
sanguine as to her recovering her eyesight,
but still he said that he felt it a duty to em-
ploy every human means; and he informed
LEILA AT HOME. 3438
her of the meeting he had appointed for
next day. She struggled to conceal her
emotion from him; but it was evident that
this intelligence made the effort still more
difficult.
The consultation took place as had been
appointed, and the result was more favour-
able than either Mr. Howard or Leila had
dared to hope. The physicians by no
means despaired of Leila recovering the
power of raising her eyelids. They thought
that the weakened state of her general
health, and the excitement of her too sen-
sitive mind in the continual effort she had
made to conceal her feelings, had probably
hitherto retarded her recovery. They re-
commended her instantly being removed to
Brighton, with only her papa and Selina,
and that sea-baths and galvanism should be
tried. Poor Matilda! what a trial was this
separation to her. How often did she re-
solve to bear it heroically, and how often
did her good resolutions give way to tears
and lamentations! In vain Selina reminded
her that she had resolved to bear her trials
344 LEILA AT HOME.
well, “My little trials,†she answered,
“but a great trial like this! No, no, Se-
lina; how can you be so unreasonable? I
said nothing about a great one, and I am
not like Leila, or you, I must cry, and I
should.â€
Yet even in her most sorrowful moments
Matilda kept constantly saying she felt sure
Leila would get quite well. She had always
thought so, and now she saw those excel-
lent wise physicians thought so too, and
Leila would return to them seeing as well
as she ever had done.
LEILA AT HOME. 345
CHAPTER XIX.
MarIiupa’s bright anticipations were real-
ized. We pass over many weary weeks
and months, for Leila’s recovery was
tedious, and there were many fluctuations,
but she did recover ; and towards the end
of April she returned to Woodlands in all
the joy of restored sight, and once more did
she lift her eyes to the rising sun stealing
over the glad earth with steps of light,
awakening all nature with the spirit of
gladness and of life! How more than ever
beautiful was the soft fresh green of spring
to her delighted eyes! One universal
garden seemed to bloom beneath her feet ;
346 LEILA AT HOME.
one universal hymn of praise was in the
song of the bird, in the murmur of the
stream, and, above all, in her own grateful,
devoted heart. And what was Matilda’s
joy, what was the joy of Charles and Mina,
and of all those many friends of high and
low degree who loved her dearly? for all
were there to welcome her return. Peggy
Dobie pressing forward amongst the first to
bless her dear, dear bairn, with a glow
upon her cheeks which made her look
young again.
Matilda, capering around her at one
moment, in the next holding her in her
arms, looking into her eyes with tearful joy,
and exclaiming,—“ You dear one, you
more than darling! and with your eyes so
bright, so open—only at times the slightest
little beautiful droop, just to remind us of
what has been. Did I not tell you how it
would be? did I not say you would again
see better than any of us ?†|
And Charles, what did he say? No-
thing. He stood gazing into Leila’s eyes
as if he could have looked into them for
LEILA AT HOME. 347
’
ever, then raising her hand, he pressed it to
his lips.
“ Charles,†she said, “how strange you
are. Amy does that sometimes to me; she
says it is from love and respect; is it from
love and respect, eh, Charles ?â€
The happiness of this happy day seemed
every hour to increase. In the evening
they all walked to the village, and what did
Leila see just before entering it?
cottage in a lovely little garden, blooming
with flowers, roses and honeysuckles trained
on its white walls, a green turf seat by the
side of its little porch, and a bee-hive in
a sheltered corner. And this was Mr.
Howard’s glad surprise for Leila; this was
a cottage he had directed should be built
during their absence for Susan’s mother,
and in two days, on the first of May, she
was to take possession of it.
There were others who looked forward to
May-day with eager expectation; for an
old custom was to be revived, a youthful
queen was to be chosen. Leila herself,
though at a distance, had for some time
348 LEILA AT HOME.
been all anxiety on this subject, ie
volving in her mind the different merits of
her little scholars, and scarcely knowing
which most to wish should obtain the pro-
mised honour. And she had returned to
witness this; returned able to see and to
enjoy it all. What happiness, what deep
gratitude was hers !
Next day all was joyful bustle and ac-
tivity. The village children were up with
the sun, and while the dew still lay upon
the grass, and crystal drops sparkled on
every tree and shrub, their merry voices
mingled with the song of the skylark, and,
like the bee, they were darting from flower
to flower, wandering far and wide amidst
banks of primroses, lilies of the valley, and
dark blue harebells. Long did they pursue
their pleasant toil, and in the evening they
returned to it again, and not till twilight
shades had fallen on the lovely valley, and
the silver moon had risen to guide them on
their way, were they to be seen trooping
homewards, laden with green boughs and
heaps of blooming flowers. It was but a
LEILA AT HOME: 349
short repose that lulled any of them to for-
getfulness that night; they were up by the
first streak of day to weave the garlands for
their youthful queen, and the morning rose
fair and bright upon their pleasant labours.
Matilda for some time past had been giving
them instructions in the art of weaving gar-
lands, and many of them did great credit to
their little mistress. She had a few days
before constructed for them a crown which
they were to imitate, and so well did they
now succeed, that it seemed an equal grief
to old and young that anything so beautiful
should ever fade.
Selina had returned to her own home;
but it had been arranged that Matilda and
she were to be early at Woodlands on May
morning, to accompany Leila to the village,
that they might all be there when. the queen
was chosen. Leila’s own repose was also
somewhat broken on the eve of this eventful
day, and having risen early, dressed herself,
and offered up her prayer and _ grateful
praise, she seated herself at the open win-
dow to watch for the expected summons.
350 LEILA AT HOME.
The morning breeze blew softly on her
blooming cheek, her whole heart was full of
sweet emotions ; again there was joy to her
in every rural sight and sound. Often she
listened eagerly, and fancied she could hear
the joyful hum of many voices from the dis-
tant village. Again she listened; was it
the sound of distant music she heard? It
went, and came again, and she could now
distinctly hear a chorus of youthful voices
rising on the passing breeze, and could dis-
tinguish at intervals, wending their way
through the wood, a group of the village
children, dressed in white, carrying gar-
lands and green boughs. As they reached
the open lawn, the group divided, and
she saw, surrounded by this youthful band,
her beautiful Selim, led by Charles, and
followed by Mima, Selina, and Matilda.
Selim was decked with flowers, and on the
pretty saddle-cloth was placed the crown.
They all advanced, still singing; and, in
breathless surprise, Leila listened to the
following words :—
LEILA AT HOME. 351
The sun has risen on high
With bright and cheerful ray,
To greet with loving eye
Our Leila, queen of May!
“The little birds of air
Join in our simple lay,
To greet thee, lady fair,
Our gentle queen of May!
‘“ The sweetest flowers of spring
Bloom round thy path to-day,
A woodland wreath we bring,
To crown thee queen of May!
“ Bright sun, gay birds, fair flowers,
Speak not alone to-day,
From these full hearts of ours,
We hail thee, queen of May !â€
Yes, with the universal assent of all their
loving hearts, Leila was chosen queen of
the May! Wreathed with garlands, she
was soon seated on her beautiful favourite,
and the procession wound its way, the chil-
dren singing and scattering flowers, to the
village green; there, unknown to her, her
papa, and all the elders of the party, had as-
sembled, and under the May-pole was placed
352 LEILA AT HOME.
the throne ; and there, amidst all she loved,
and cheers from old and young, was Leila
crowned and proclaimed Queen of the
May !
“Did I no’ aye tell ye that peerless jewel
o’ a bairn was fit to grace a crown?†was
Peggy Dobie’s observation.
THE END.
LONDON :
G. J. PALMER, SAVOY STREET, STRAND.
August, 18538.
dorks
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eeeseeeeeeeeiantlmai mamma EE
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THOMAS HATCHARD. 1}
FRERE, J. H.—NOTES FORMING a BRIEF INTERPRE-
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— CONFIRMATION; its Nature, Importance, and Benefits.
Fourth Edition, 4d., or 3s.6d. a dozen.
— THE LORD’S SUPPER;; its Nature, Requirements, and
Benefits. Third Edition, Feap. 8vo.cloth, 2s. 6d.
ee
THOMAS HATCHARD. 13
GRAGLIA, C.—A POCKET DICTIONARY of tlie Italian
and English Languages. By C.Graciia. Square 18mo. bound, 4s. 6d.
GRAY, MRS. H.—HISTORY of ROME for Young Persons,
By Mrs. Hamitton Gray, with numerous Wood Engravings. 2 vols.
12mo. cloth, 12s.
‘¢ A very ingenious attempt to bring the recent discoveries of the critical
school into working competition with the miserable Goldsmiths and Pinnocks
of our youth.†—Christian Remembrancer.
‘* The clear, lively, and pleasing style of narration is admirably calculated
to awaken and sustain the attention.†—Atheneum.
— EMPERORS OF ROME FROM AUGUSTUS TO CON.
STANTINE; being a Continuation of the History of Rome. 1 vol. 12mo.
with Illustrations, 8s.
** So many applications are made to us for histories suited to a period of
life when the mind is beginning to develope its power, and to find satisfac-
tion in connecting the past with the present and the future in human affairs,
that we are induced to recommend these volumes, which however widely
circulated, have not half the circulation which they deserve. Theyare clearly
written. They neither minister to childish imbecility, or take for granted
a measure of knowledge which cannot be lawfully expected of the young.
They present the page of history as it really is—not a series of dry details,
nor of gorgeous spectacles, but with enough of plain fact to instruct the
understanding, and of romantic incident to kindle the sympathies and affec-
tions. The Ger. an school of historical doubters are neither listened to by
Mrs. Gray as oracles, nor rejected as imposters. Niebuhr is heard, without,
as in some cases, being worshipped. Those will do little justice to these
volumes who regard them as of value only to the young. We know of no
book of the kind in which the upper classes of public schools may more suc-
cessfully study those facts of which they are apt to be miserably ignorant,
and in which their fathers may find more suggestive hints for the Pulpit and
the Senate.†—Christian Observer.
‘* We have no hesitation in saying, that this is one of the best histories of
the Roman Empire for children and young people which has come under our
notice. Mrs. Hamilton Gray has made herself acquainted with at least some
of the more important ancient writers on the subject of which she treats,
and also with the criticisms of Niebuhr and other modern investigators of
Roman history.â€â€”Atheneum.
** It may be recommended as a clear, rapid, and well arranged summary
of facts, pointed by frequent but brief reflections. . . . The book is a
very good compendium of the Imperial History, primarily designed for chil-
dren, but useful for all.â€"— Spectator.
** It would be an erroneous impression to convey of this volume, that it is
written solely for schools and children. In reality it is an abridgment far
more likely to be useful to grown-up persons, who can reflect upon the
working of general laws, and make their own observations upon men and
things. A striking characteristic of the book is the impartiality of its
political tone, and its high moral feeling.â€â€”Examiner.
B7
Srnec enemieresneeneerentenepiettiersenevnmentuminmnenme: tacos cuss, al
14 WORKS PUBLISHED BY
CRAY, MRS. H.
— THE HISTORY of ETRURIA. Part I. TARCHUN i
AND HIS TIMES. From the Foundation of Tarquinia to the Foun-
dation of Rome. Part Il. FROM THE FOUNDATION OF ROME
TO THE GENERAL PEACE OF ANNO TARQUINIENSIS; 839,
B. C. 348. 2 vols. post 8vo. cloth, each 12s.
‘* A work which we strongly recommend as certain to afford pleasure and
profit to every reader.†—Atheneum.
— TOUR to the SEPULCHRES of ETRURIA in 1839.
Third Edition. With numerous Illustrations, post 8vo. cloth, 1. 1s.
‘* Mrs. Gray has won an honourable place in the large assembly of ;
modern female writers.â€,—Quarterly Review.
‘* We warmly recommend Mrs. Gray’s most useful and interesting volume.â€
—Edinburgh Review.
GRAY, REV. J. H.—EXPLANATION of the CHURCH CA-
“ TECHISM. With Scripture Proofs, for the use of Sunday Schools. By
the Rev. Joan Hamiiton Gray, M.A., of Magdalen College, Oxford ;
Vicar of Bolsover and Scarcliff. Second Edition. 12mo. cloth, Is.
GRAY, MISS. A. T.-THE TWIN PUPILS; or, Education at
Home. A Tale addressed to the Young. By Ann THomson GRay.
Feap. cloth, 7s. 6d.
*¢ The story is well planned, well varied, and well riba. â€â€”Spectator.
*¢ More sound principles and useful practical remarks we have not lately
met in any work on the much treated subject of education. The book is
written with liveliness as well as good sense.†— Literary Gazette.
‘¢ A volume of excellent tendency, which may be put with safety and
advantage into the hands of well-educated young people.—Evangelical
Magazine.
CGRIMSTON, HON. MISS.-ARRANGEMENT ofthe COMMON
PRAYER BOOK and LESSONS, Dedicated, by Permission, to Her Ma-
jesty.
The peculiar advantage of this arrangement consists in having the entire
Morning and Evening Service printed in a large clear type, in two portable
volumes, one for the Morning and the other for the Evening.
The following are the prices :—
£ ss. d.
Royall8mo. Morocco elegant - - - 18 0
Ditto plain - . - 110 0
Ditto calf gilt leaves - - t.. 6.8
Royal 32mo. Morocco elegant - - >> wide to
Ditto plain . : - 110
Ditto calf gilt leaves - - : 016 0
a ere
THOMAS HATCHARD.
HANKINSON, REV. T. E.—POEMS. By Tomas Epwarps
Hankinson, M.A., late of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, and Minister
of St. Matthew’s Chapel, Denmark Hill. Edited by his Brothers. Third
Edition. Fcap. cloth, 7s.
— SERMONS. §8vo.cloth, 10s. 6d.
HARE, REV.A.W.—SERMONS to a COUNTRY CONGREGA-
TION. By Aveustus Wituttam Hare, A.M.,. late Fellow of New
College, and Rector of Alton Barnes. Seventh Edition. 2 vols. 12mo.
cloth, 16s.
** They are, in truth, as appears to us, compositions of very rare merit,
and realise a notion we have always entertained, that a sermon for our rural
congregations there somewhere was, if it could be hit off, which in language
should be familiar without being plain, and in matter solid without being
abstruse.â€â€” Quarterly Review.
HARRY BRIGHTSIDE; or, the Young Traveller in Italy. By
' Aunr Louisa. Feap. 4s. 6d.
“It will be a very popular Boys’ Book, and we trust may exercise a
song influence upon the minds of all its young readers.â€â€™â€”Bickersteth's
** A book of instruction and amusement for young people, contains much
information on the scenery, topography, works of art, and antiquities of
Italy, written in a pleasing and familiar style, and in a spirit which com-
mends the book to the use of juvenile readers.’’—Literary Gazette.
HASTINGS, REV. H. J.—THE WHOLE ARMOUR of
GOD. Four Sermons, preached before the University of Cambridge,
during the month of May, 1848.. By Henry James Hastines, M.A., of
Trinity College, Honorary Canon of Worcester, Rural Dean, Rector of
Areley Kings, Worcestershire. Feap. cloth, 3s. 6d.
“* These are plain, sensible discourses, and apparently very well adapted
to engage the attention of those to whom they were addressed.â€â€™â€”English
— PAROCHIAL SERMONS, from Trinity to Advent. 8vo.
cloth, 12s,
HERVEY, REV. LORD A.— SERMONS for the SUNDAYS
and PRINCIPAL HOLYDAYS throughout the YEAR. Preached in
the Parish Churches of Ickworth and Horringer. By the Rev. Lorp
ArTHuR Hervey, A.M., Rector of Ickworth and Curate of Horringer.
2 vols. 12mo. cloth, 12s.
** They are plain and unaffected productions, intended for rural congrega-
tions, and well adapted to deta Guardian.
a ne
SSS mn
16 WORKS PUBLISHED BY
HINTS on EARLY EDUCATION and NURSERY DIS-
CIPLINE. Sixteenth Edition. 12mo. cloth, 3s. 6d.
HINTS for REFLECTION. Compiled from various Authors.
Third Edition. 32mo. cloth, 2s.
HISTORY of JOB, in Language adapted to Children. By the
Author of the “‘ Peep of Day,†“‘ Line upon Line,†&¢. 18mo.cloth, ls,
HOARE, ARCHDEACON.—BAPTISM,;; or, the MINISTRA-
TION of PUBLIC BAPTISM of INFANTS, to be used in the Church;
Scripturally illustrated and explained. By the Venerable C. J. Hoarg,
A.M., Archdeacon of Surrey, Canon of Winchester, and Vicar of Godstone.
Feap. cloth, 5s. 6d.
“This volume is a valuable accession to our popular theology, which we
cordially commend to the attentive perusal of our readers generally, and
especially to heads of tamilies.â€"—Chur'ch of England Quarterly Review,
HOARE, REV. E.-THE SCRIPTURAL PRINCIPLES of
our Protestant Church. By the Rev. Epwarp Hoare, A.M., Incumbent
of Christ Church, Ramsgate. Second Edition. 12mo. cloth, 3s,
— THE TIME OF THE END;; or, The World, the Visible
Church, and the People of God, at the Advent of the Lord. Third
Edition. 12mo. cloth, 1s. 6d.
— THE COMMUNION, AND THE COMMUNICANT.
18mo. 3s. per dozen,
HOPE, MRS.—SELF-EDUCATION and the FORMATION
of CHARACTER: Addressed to the Young. By Mrs. Hors. Second
Edition, Revised. 18mo. cloth, 2s. 6d,
** Parents and teachers will gain many useful hints from the perusal of this
volume.â€â€”Record,
HOPE, DR.-MEMOIRS of the LATE JAMES HOPE, M.D.,
Physician to St. George’s Hospital, &c. &c. By Mrs. Hore. To which
are added, REMARKS on CLASSICAL EDUCATION. By Dr. Hope.
And LETTERS from a SENIOR to a JUNIOR PHYSICIAN. By Dr.
Burper. The whole edited by Kuern Grant, M.D., &c. &c. Fourth
Edition. Post 8vo. cloth, 7s.
**The general, as well as the medical reader, will find this a most
interesting and instructive volume.â€â€”Gentleman’s Magazine.
‘* A very interesting memoir to every class of readers.â€â€”Christian Ob-
server.
THOMAS HATCHARD. 17
HOWARD, J.—MEMOIRS of JOHN HOWARD, the Christian
Philanthropist: with a Detailof his extraordinary Labours; and an Ac-
count of the Prisons, Schools, Lazarettos, and Public Institutions he
visited. By Tuomas Tayuor, Esq., Author of “ The Life of Cowper,â€
&c.&c. Second Edition. With a Portrait. 12mo. cloth, 7s.
HUME & SMOLLETT.—THE HISTORY of ENGLAND,
from the Invasion of Julius Cesar to the Death of George the Second. By
D. Hums and T. SMOLLETT, 10 vols. 8vo. cloth, 42.
JACKSON, REV. F. — A FIRST SERIES OF SERMONS.
By the Rev. F. Jackson, Incumbent of Parson Drove, Isle of Ely.
Feap. 5s.
** Discourses addressed to a village congregation. The chief aim of the
preacher has been to enforce practical conclusions for the guidance of the
humblest, from some of the most striking events or sentiments of Scripture.
The style is plain and forcible.â€â€”Spectator.
— A SECOND SERIES OF SERMONS. Fcap. In prepa-
ration.
JENOUR, REV. A.—RATIONALE APOCALYPTICUM;; or, A
Systematic Exposition of the REVELATION oF St. JoHN, with a Map and
other Illustrations. To which is appended an Analysis of some of the
principal Modern Commentaries, including a particular examination of
Mr. Extiotr’s Hor ApocaLyptic®. By the Rev. ALFRED J£NOUR?
Rector of Kittisford, Author of ‘‘ A New Translation and Exposition of
Isaiah. 2 vols. 8vo. cloth, £1 8s.
JEWSBURY, MISS M. J.—LETTERS to the YOUNG. By
Maria JANE JEwsBuRY. Fifth Edition. Fcap. cloth, 5s.
JOHNSON, DR.—A DICTIONARY of the ENGLISH LAN-
GUAGE. By Samvue. Jonnson, L.L.D.. Abridged by Cuatmgrs. 8vo.
12s., or 18mo. bound, 2s. 6d.
LECTURES onthe DESTINY of the JEWS, and their Connexion
with the Gentile Nations. By Ten Clergymen of the Church of Eng-
land. 12mo. cloth, 9s.
LINE UPON LINE; or, a Second Series of the Earliest Religious
Instruction the Infant Mind is capable of receiving ; with Verses illustra-
tive of the Subjects. By the author of ‘‘ The Peep of Day,†&c. Part I.
Forty-seventh thousand. PartII. Fortieth thousand. 18mo. cloth, each
2s. 6d.
CL
.
:
‘
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'
‘
|
|
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18 WORKS PUBLISHED BY
LAMB, REV. R.—SERMONS on PASSING SEASONS and
EVENTS. By Roserr Lams, M.A., St. John’s College, Oxford, Incum-
bent of St. Paul’s, Manchester. 12mo. 7s.
‘* Contains valuable specimens of pulpit teaching, fervency of spirit being
combined with a thorough appreciation of Gospel truth.â€â€”Bell’s Weekly
Messenger.
** Very ably written.â€â€”Church and State Gazette, .
‘* Inculcating practical lessons. ‘rhe Christianity is Protestant; the
matter substantial; and the style possesses a plain strength.†—Spectator.
‘* The teachings of a pious mind.â€â€”Ox/ford University Herald.
‘* Well calculated to awaken the interests of the most callous listeners.â€â€â€”
Britannia.
‘‘ Plain, sometimes forcible.’’— Guardian,
‘* Plain, earnest, practical discourses. The style is simple and forcible,
and while the author’s learning is apparent, there is no display of pedantry
unsuited to his themes.â€â€™â€”Literary Gazette. '
*‘ The style is elegant, and the compositions are faultless. The sentiments
also are good, and precious truths are interspersed.â€â€” Christian Times.
‘* Deserve commendation for the earnestness of their tone. We find pas-
sages of true eloquence; not exuberant, but chastened by refined taste.â€â€”
The Critic.
LIGHT in the DWELLING; or, a Harmony of the Four Gospels,
with very Short and Simple Remarks adapted to Reading at Family
Prayers, and arranged in 365 sections, for every day of the year. By the
Author of ‘‘ The Peep of Day,â€â€™ “Line upon Line,†&c. Revised and
corrected by a Clergyman of the Church of England. Eighth Thousand.
12mo. cloth, 8s.; or, in 8vo., large type, 12s.
“ Brief remarks, always to the point, full of spiritual meaning, and what
is far better, of spiritual feeling, meet us in every page of this work.â€â€”
Christian Ladies’ Magazine.
‘¢ Those who use this interesting and beautifully written manual, will have
‘ Light in the Dwelling.’ We can, with a good conscience, and an enlight-
ened conviction, recommend the work, both for family and private reading.â€
—Evangelical Magazine. rt
-
MACEE, REV. W. C.—SERMONS delivered at St. Saviour’s
Church, Bath. By the Rev. W. C. Macre, B.A. Second Edition.
12mo. cloth, 5s.
‘But the writer of this little volume before us, who is the grandson of
Archbishop Magee, has claims of his own, if the production of a well-written,
well-reasoned, and rightly-minded volume of sermons may be so regarded.
It is rare, indeed, that the sermons of young men are not wanting in that
style of writing which springs from deep religious experience. It is im-
possible for them to paint what perhaps they have not seen, or to describe
what they have not felt. But Mr. Magee writes somewhat in advance, if we
may so speak, of his own period of life ; and his sermons are on this account
the more calculated to touch the deeper springs of thought and feeling
within us.â€â€” Christian Observer.
a ennes
THOMAS HATCHARD. _ 19
MANCHESTER, DUKE OF.—THE FINISHED MYSTERY;
to which is added, an Examination of a Work by the Rev. Dayid Brown,
entitled ‘‘ Christ’s Second Coming. Will it be ‘ Premillennial?’†By
GEorGE, DuKE OF MANCHESTER, $8vo. cloth, 12s.
M‘NEILE, REV. DR.—LECTURES on the CHURCH of ENG-
LAND, delivered in London, March, 1840. By Huca M‘NgiIxz,
D.D., Hon. Canon of Chester, and Incumbent of St. Paul’s Church,
Prince’s Park, Liverpool. Eighth Edition. 12mo. cloth, 5s.
— LECTURES on the SYMPATHIES, SUFFERINGS, and RE-
SURRECTION of the LORD JESUS CHRIST, delivered in Liverpool
during Passion Week and Easter Day. Third Edition. 12mo. cloth,
4s. 6d,
MARRIOTT, REV. H.—SERMONS on the CHARACTER and
DUTIES of WOMEN. By the Rev. Harvey Marriorr, Vicar of
Loddiswell, and Chaplain to the Right Honourable Lord Kenyon. 12mo,
cloth, 4s. 6d.
— FOUR COURSES of PRACTICAL SERMONS. 8vo.
each 10s. 6d. :
MARSDEN, REV. J.B. —The HISTORY of the EARLY PURI-_
TANS; from the Reformation to the Opening of the Civil War in 1642.
By J.B. Marspen, M.A, Second Edition. 8vo. cloth, 1s.6d.
— The HISTORY of the LATER PURITANS; from the Open-
ing of the Civil War in 1642, to the Ejection of the Non-conforming
Clergy in 1662. 8vo. cloth, 10s. 6d.
MARSHALL, MISS.—EXTRACTS from the RELIGIOUS
WORKS of FENELON, Archbishop of Cambray. Translated from the
Original French, By Miss MarsHAuu. Eleventh Edition, with a Portrait.
Feap. cloth, 5s.
MEEK, REV. R.—THE MUTUAL RECOGNITION and EX-
ALTED FELICITY of GLORIFIED SAINTS. By the Rev. Roperr
Meex, M.A., Rector of St. Michael, Sutton Bonnington, Notts. Fifth
Edition. Feap. cloth, 3s. 6d.
—_—— SC
eee ennai LLL LLL LL aS
20 WORKS PUBLISHED BY
an
MEEK, REV. R.
— PRACTICAL and DEVOTIONAL MEDITATIONS on
the LORD’S SUPPER, or Holy Communion. 18mo. cloth, 2s. 6d.
— PASSION WEEK;; a Practical and Devotional Exposition of
the Gospels and Epistles appointed for that Season, composed for the
Closet and the Family. 12mo. boards, 4s.
MOSHEIM, DR.— INSTITUTES of ECCLESIASTICAL
HISTORY, Ancient and Modern. By J. L. Von MosuzEim,D.D. A new
and revised Edition with Additions. By Henry Soamgs, M.A., Rector
of Stapleford Tawney. 4 vols. 8vo. cloth, 20. 8s.
NEAR HOME; or, the Countries of Europe described to
Children, with Anecdotes. By the author of “ Peep of Day,†“ Light in |
the Dwelling,†&c. Illustrated with numerous Wood Engravings. Thir-
teenth Thousand. Fcap. cloth, 5s.
‘¢ Tt must be very interesting to children. Those to whom we have read
passages, taken at random, clap their little hands with delight.â€â€”English
Journal of Education.
‘¢ A well-arranged and well-written book for children; compiled from the
best writers on the various countries, and full of sound and useful inform-
ation, pleasantly conveyed for the most part in the homely monosyllabic
Saxon which children learn from their mothers and nurses.â€â€™â€”Atheneum.
NEW MANUAL of DEVOTIONS; containing Family and
Private Prayers, the Office for the Holy Communion, &c. 12mo. bd., 4s.
NEWNHAM, W.—A TRIBUTE of SYMPATHY ADDRESSED
to MOURNERS. By W. Newnuanm, Esq., M.R.S.L.
Contents :—1. Indulgence of Grief. 2. Moderation of Grief. 3. Fixces-
sive Sorrow. 4. Advantages of Sorrow. 5. Self-examination. 6. Resignation.
7. Sources of Consolation. Tenth Edition. Fcap. cloth, 5s.
— THE RECIPROCAL INFLUENCE of BODY and MIND | ~
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—Mental Diseases—The Agency of Mind upon the Body—Of Physical
Temperament upon the Manifestations of Mind—and upon the Expression
of Religious Feeling. 8vo. cloth, 14s. .
NIGHT of TOIL; or, a Familiar Account of the Labours of the
First Missionaries in the South Sea Islands. By the Author of ‘* The Peep
of Day,†*‘ Near Home,†&c. Third Edition. Feap. cloth, 5s.
—_—— SS ror"
eee
THOMAS HATCHARD. 21
NIND, REV. W.—LECTURE-SERMONS. Preached in a
Country Parish Church. By WiLu1AmM Ninp, M.A.,, Fellow of St. Peter’s
College, Cambridge, and Vicar of Cherry Hinton. Second Series. 12mo.
cloth, 6s.
‘* Sermons distinguished by brevity, good sense, and a plainness of
manner and exposition which well adapt them for family perusal, especially
as their style is neat and simple, not bare.’’—Spectator.
‘* The many who have read the first volume of these sermons, will wel-
come, no doubt, with joy, the appearance of the second. They are readable
and preachable ; and those of the second volume are even plainer and sim-
pler than their predecessors. We recommend both volumes most heartily.â€
—English Review.
NORTHESK, COUNTESS OF.—THE SHELTERING
VINE. Selections by the Countess or NortHEesk. Third Thousand.
3 vols. small 8vo, cloth, lls.
NUCENT’S POCKET DICTIONARY of the FRENCH
and ENGLISH LANGUAGES. The Twenty-sixth Edition, revised by
J. C. Tarver, French Master, Eton, &c. Square 18mo. bound, 5s. 6d.
OXENDEN, REV. A.—THE COTTAGE LIBRARY. Vol.I.
The Sacrament of Baptism. By the Rev. ASHTON OxENDEN, Rector of
Pluckley, Kent. 18mo. sewed, Is., or cloth, 1s. 6d.
“* A little book of probably large usefulness. It avoids disputed points,
but conveys a clear and simple view of the holy rite of baptism. It is admir-
ably suited to the cottage, as well as to all places in which ignorance reigns
upon the subject.â€â€”Church and State Gazette.
— THE COTTAGE LIBRARY. Vol. 2. THE SACRAMENT
OF THE LORD’SSUPPER. Third Edition, 18mo. sewed, 1s,, or cloth,
ls. 6d,
— THE COTTAGE LIBRARY, Vol. 8. A Plain History of
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Edition. 18mo. cloth, 2s.
— THE COTTAGE LIBRARY. Vol. 6. The Story of Ruth.
18mo. cloth, 2s,
22 WORKS PUBLISHED BY
OXFORD, BISHOP OF.—FOUR SERMONS, Preached before
Her MostGracious Majesty Queen Victoria in 184] and 1842. By Samvug.,
Lord Bishop of Oxford, Chancellor of the most Noble Order of the Garter,
Lord High Almoner to the Queen. Published by command. Third Edition,
Feap. 8vo. cloth, 4s.
PARKER, MISS F. S.—TRUTH WITHOUT NOVELTY ; or,
a Course of Scriptural Instruction for every Sunday in the Year, principally
designedfor Private Family Instruction, and Sunday Schools. By FRANCES
8. Parker, Author of ‘‘ The Guiding Starand other Tales,†“ The First
Communion,†&c. Second Edition. Fcap. cloth, 3s.
PARRY, SIR W. E.-THOUGHTS on the PARENTAL CHA-
RACTER of GOD. By Captain Sir Wimnt1am Epwarp Parry, R.N.
Third Edition. 18mo. cloth, ls. 6d.
PEARS, REV. S. A.-SERMONS. By the Rev. Srzvarr Apot-
pHus Pears, B.D., one of the Assistant Masters of Harrow School, for-
merly Fellow of Corpus Christi College, Oxford. 12mo. cloth, 5s. 6d.
‘* The good which Arnold effected had many imitators; few, however,
have reached nearer to him than Mr. Pears. There is the same plainness
and simplicity in the enunciation of everlasting truth, the identical persua-
siveness, the same motive, candour, and honesty; and these characteristics
render the Sermons invaluable.â€â€”Bell’s Messenger.
PEARSON, REV. J. N-SUNDAY READINGS for the FA-
MILY and the CLOSET. By the Rev. J. Norman Pearson, M.A.
Incumbent of the District Church, Tunbridge Wells. 12mo. cloth, 7s.
*¢ Sound and practical.â€â€”British Magazine.
‘¢ A most valuable work.â€â€”Church of England Magazine.
PEEP of DAY; or, a Series of the Earliest Religious Instruction
the Infant Mind is capable of receiving. With Verses illustrative of the
Subjects. Seventy-seventh thousand, revised and corrected, 1i8mo.
cloth, 3s.
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS TOWARDS ALLEVIATING
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38.
THOMAS HATCHARD. 23
PRAYERS, FAMILY AND PRIVATE.
A FORM of PRAYERS, Selected and Composed for the Use
of a Family principally consisting of Young Persons. Thirteenth
Edition. 12mo. cloth, 2s. 6d.
FAMILY PRAYERS. By the late Henry Tuorxton,
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SEVENTY PRAYERS on SCRIPTURAL SUBJECTS:
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Family Prayers for a Month. By Clergymen of the Church of
England, Fifth Ten Thousand. 12mo.cloth, 2s.
FAMILY PRAYERS. By the late W, Witserrorcz, Esq.
Edited by his Son, the Rev. R. I. Wilberforce, Archdeacon of the
East Riding of Yorkshire; Vicar of Burton-Agnes, late Fellow of
Oriel College. Tenth Edition. Fcap. 8vo. sewed, Is. 6d.
FAMILY PRAYERS for Every Day of the Week, Selected
from various portions of the Holy Bible, with References. Third
Edition. 12mo. boards, 2s. 6d.
FAMILY PRAYERS for Every Day in the Week. By
CLericus. 18mo. cloth, Is. 6d.
FAMILY PRAYERS, composed from the Book éf Psalms.
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byshire. Fcap. cloth, 7s.
THE CHURCHMAN'S BOOK of FAMILY PRAYER,
following the arrangement of the Book of Common Prayer, and
chiefly framed from its Occasional Services. By the Rev. J. H.
Swainson, M.A., Rector of Alresford, Essex. 18mo. cloth, 1s.6d.
PRAYERS and OFFICES of DEVOTION for Families
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HELPS to DEVOTION; Morning and Evening Prayers for
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H. Tatram,D.D., Archdeacon of Bedford. 12mo. boards, 2s.6d.
tenet
a i
24 WORKS PUBLISHED BY
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THOMAS HATCHARD. 25
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THOMAS HATCHARD. 33
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a i ar ac neal sleaoiietasaietiaaleaih ila
THOMAS HATCHARD. 35
WHITE REV. G.—THE NATURAL HISTORY and ANTI.
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| WILLYAMS, MISS J. L.—CHILLON;; or, Protestants of the
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‘‘ The book before us furnishes proof of considerable ability.â€â€”British
Quarterly Review.
}
WILSON, REV. H. B.—THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS. An
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and SERMONS. 8vo. cloth, 12s.
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PREPARING FOR PUBLICATION.
POO~n
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