Little Trix, or, Grandmamma's lessons

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-Edinburgh: Printed by Thomas and Archibald Constable,
FOR

EDMONSTON AND DOUGLAS.

LONDON * + « « « + + HAMILTON, ADAMS, AND CO.
CAMBRIDGE .... . «. ~« MACMILLAN AND CO.
GLASGOW . . . . ». « « JAMES MACLEHOSE.







LITTLE TRIX

OR

GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS.

EDINBURGH:
EDMONSTON AND DOUGLAS.
13 Eo:



LITTLE TRIX

OR

GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS.
So
CHAPTER I.

One bright, sunny afternoon—it was early summer,
and the scent of roses and honeysuckle filled the
air. Little Trix sat under the plane-tree in the
garden playing with her doll. Her real name was
Beatrix Beresford, but she was such a mite of a
child that Beatrix seemed quite too long and hard
a name for her; so she was always called “Little
Trix.” On this summer day, as I said, she was playing
in the garden with her doll, sticking flowers into its
hair, and telling it about the fairies. “And,” she
was saying, “And as soon as they saw our beautiful

A



2 LITTLE TRIX, OR

oak-tree one of them cried out, ‘This will do, we
will hold our feast here to-night. And then they
began to clear the ground under the oak, to make
all the dead leaves and twigs the wind had blown
down to disappear, and then up grew the hig toad-
stools for tables, and such a feast as those fairies
did have! It was delicious, I can tell you, Miss Ada
(Ada was the doll’s name), though perhaps you and
I would not have liked it, because, you see, we are
not the fairies. It’s all true that I am telling you,
Ada ; if you won’t speak of it again I’ll tell you”—

And then little Trix bent her mouth close to the
doll’s face and whispered, “I saw them myself, Ada;
they were all taking Bie of hands and dancing
round the tree in a ring.”

When Little Trix had given her doll that piece of
information she leaned-her face thoughtfully on her
hand and was silent. She was remembering how
she had awakened in the night, and had been
tempted by the bright moonlight that streamed in
past the edge of the blind to get up and look out of
the window. The very first thing she saw was what



GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 3

looked like a number of tiny white figures dancing,
as she had said, in a ring round the oak. Trix was
awe-stricken, but trembling with delight at the sight
she had so wished beyond everything to see, a fairy.
And behold! as she fancied, her wish was gratified.
After looking for some time it struck the little girl
that nurse might like to see the fairies. too, so she
forthwith crossed the room and awakened her. But
instead of being pleased nurse was very angry at
being disturbed, and threatened Trix with terrible
punishment next day if she did not immediately
get back into bed.

“T’ll tell your: papa, Miss Trix, that I will, and
he’ll let you know about fairies in our garden, see
if he don’t! Haven’t I told you how wicked it is to
tell stories ?”

“Indeed, nurse, it is quite true,” Trix began, but
nurse would not listen. “Get into bed directly,
you'll catch your death of cold,” was all she would
say. So the child crept back sorrowfully into bed,
making no further mention of what she had seen. But
the moment she was dressed and could escape next



4 LITTLE TRIX, OR

morning, down she ran to the oak, and there, sure
enough, were the toadstools on which she supposed
the fairies had spread their feast, and it never
occurred to her that it was the toadstools she had
seen and mistaken for fairies.

Whilst Little Trix sat with her doll on her lap
meditating on the strange sight she believed herself
to have beheld, there drove up to the door a carriage
and pair of horses. Now it was a carriage Trix had
never seen before, so she began wondering whose it
miyht be, and when she saw an old gentleman with
snowy-white hair, quite a stranger to her, get out and
enter the house, she wondered more. Who ever could

«he be? where had he come from, and what could he
want ? were questions Trix asked herself; but she did
not get up and go into the house to find out, for
her mamma was very particular in teaching her to
repress all signs of curiosity, so the little girl only
_sat still and wondered.

But presently out came nurse to fetch her.

“You are to come and see your grandpapa, Miss
Beatrix.” Then catching sight of her frock, soiled



GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 5

and stained with the flowers she had crushed upon
it, nurse lifted her hands in dismay.

“ Bless the child!” she exclaimed, “how does she
contrive to make herself such a figure? I shall
have to put on her a clean frock.”

So Trix was marched off to the nursery, where,
under pretence of washing her face, nurse gave her
such a scrubbing as was quite a sufficient punish-
ment for having dirtied her frock.

“There ! now see you keep this one clean!” said
nurse, as she arrayed the little girl in a fresh white
frock and tied her sash. “There, you look pretty
now, if you would but keep so.”

“Yes, I’m pretty,’ Trix said complacently, sur-
veying her own image reflected in the looking-glass,
which was that of a fair blue-eyed child, with bright
yellow hair curling in little round rings all over her
head. Trix was eight years old, but she looked
younger, she was so small.

“Yes, I’m pretty,” she repeated, giving a tug to
her sleeve ribbon.

“Pretty is as pretty does,” said nurse quickly.



6 LITTLE TRIX, OR

She thought her charge was growing vain, and that she
would check the tendency at once, so she repeated,
“Pretty is that pretty does, you mind that, Miss
Trix.” Then, taking her by the hand, nurse led her
down to the drawing-room, where she found her
papa and mamma with the old gentleman whom she
had seen arrive in the strange carriage.

“Come and speak to your grandpapa, Queen Bee,”
Mrs. Beresford said smiling, as she entered the room,
and Trix went up to the old gentleman, who kissed
her and took her on his knee,

“So you are Beatrix,” he said, smiling and stroking
her hair.

“No, they call me Trix now, but when I grow up
nurse says I shall be Miss Beresford. Cousin Lizzie
is Miss Elizabeth, for though she is bigger and older
than I am, papa is older than Uncle William, and
that makes all the difference.”

«What is the child talking about?” Mr. Beres-
ford asked wonderingly of her mamma, whilst her
grandpapa laughed heartily.

“Why, papa, I heard nurse telling Rose; she



GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 7

said Lizzie ought not to be called Miss Beres-
ford.”

“You should not repeat what you hear,” said Mrs. °
Beresford, not well knowing what else to say, and
then she began talking to grandpapa.

Meantime Trix was wondering how many grand-
papas a little girl might have, for she had two
besides this one, grandpapa Beresford and grand-
papa Atherton, who was gone to heaven. She had
always thought that one could only have two, so
what could be the meaning of this? Was it grand-
papa Atherton come from heaven to see them?
But she thought people never did come from heaven,
so how could it be! She turned to look at him
more attentively, but could not make up her mind,
for she had only a very. indistinct recollection of
her dead grandpapa, and could not be at all sure
whether he was like this or not. So after consider-
ing for some time she said,—

“Have you come from heaven, grandpapa ?”

They all looked at her in surprise, and grandpapa
repeated her words—



8 LITTLE TRIX, OR

“From heaven, child ?”

“Yes; mamma said grandpapa Atherton was gone
to heaven.” :

“ And do you think I am grandpapa Atherton ?”

“ Aren’t you? who then?”

“Your mamma’s grandfather, your great-grand-
father.”

“Mamma’s grandpapa! How funny! Are you
a hundred years old ?”

“ Not quite.”

“ How old then?”

But here mamma interposed with “Don’t be
rude, Trix.”

“Ts it rude to ask people how old they are?”
Trix asked.

“ At least it is better not,” grandpapa answered,
smiling.

“You did not tell me your name; is it Ather-
ton?”

“ No, Levison,—grandpapa Levison.”

“And why have you never been here before,
grandpapa Levison, and what made you come now?”



GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 9

Trix asked with much curiosity, but before Mr.
Levison could answer, her mamma said—

“You had better go to the nursery, Beatrix.”

And the little girl got off her grandpapa’s knee,
feeling very much ashamed, for she knew her mamma
was sending her away because she had asked too
many questions. So she walked very slowly up to
the nursery, but when there she could not refrain
from speaking to nurse about the thought uppermost
in her mind.

“ Nurse, how is it that i never knew before that
I had a grandpapa Levison ?”

“Dear me! what questions the child does ask !”
exclaimed nurse by way of answer.

“Did you know, nurse ?”

“ Why yes, dearie, of course I did. I used to take
Miss Rosamond, that’s your ma, dear, to her grandpa’s
when she was as little as you be now.”

“ And why did you never tell me about it ?”

“ Well you see, Miss Trix, I didn’t just think about
it. It’s twelve years or more since I saw your
grandpapa, and in that time one forgets.”



10 LITTLE TRIX, OR

“T don’t see how anybody can forget, I never do,”
Trix said with a dignified little air, as if she had had
great experience, but nurse only smiled and went
on with her sewing.

The next morning Beatrix was out gardening, or
rather just at the time I am speaking of she was
leaning thoughtfully on her little spade. She had
been looking at the toad-stools and had found them
withering, from which she concluded that the fairies
had held their revels elsewhere during the past
night. But she could not help wondering, you know,
whether they would ever come again. She had a
great mind to tell her mamma what she had seen,
and ask her what she thought about it. But some-
how Trix could never make up her mind to speak
out to anybody about the things that filled her
mind, unless it were now and then to nurse, wha
looked upon this account of the fairies as an inven-
tion or a delusion of the little girl’s, and had for-
bidden her to speak of it. And suppose mamma
should look upon it in the same light! better



GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 1l

perhaps to keep silence and bury the knowledge in
her own mind. While she was still considering the
subject a step sounded on the gravel, and looking up
she saw her grandpapa coming towards her.

“Good morning, Ladybird,” he said; “what are
you doing?”

“T was only thinking,” Trix answered.

“Thinking, were you? Then what would you
think about going home with me to see your grand-
mamma ?” :

Trix looked up at that and answered doubtfully—

“T don’t know; how far is it ?”

“ A long way ; two days riding in the carriage.”

“TI don’t know,” she repeated, looking very wise
and thoughtful. Then, “ Why did not grandmamma
come with you ?”

“She is not strong enough to make so long a
journey now, but she would like very much to see
her great-grandchild. We should like you to come
and live with us.”

“To leave papa and mamma? But I should not
like that at all” And then catching sight of her



12 LITTLE TRIX, OR

mother, who was just coming out on to the lawn with
baby on her arms, Trix ran up to her, exclaiming—

“Mamma, grandpapa wants me to go and live
with him and grandmamma !”

“Yes, dear, we have been talking about it,” Mrs.
Beresford said.

“But you don’t mean I’m to go, mamma, do
you?”

“Yes, dear, since grandpapa wishes it; we should
like you to go at least for a time. We should have
been glad of longer notice, but grandpapa must go
back to-morrow.” To-morrow! Poor little Trix!
She heard these words in the greatest dismay. She
knew it was very silly, but she could not help feeling
a little afraid to go with the grandpapa, who was
almost a stranger to her, to the grandmamma she
had never seen, to say nothing of her grief at parting
with all the things with which her life was familiar.
She thought it was very cruel of her mamma to let
her go, it would be worse than being sent to school,
with which she was sometimes threatened when
naughty. But she never spoke a word of all these



GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 13

thoughts, but just stood there squeezing one little hand
with the other, and looking down at the ground as if
she wanted to see right through it; but she did not.
Poor child! she never even saw the grass on which
she was standing nor heard her mamma say, “ You
will be very happy there, Birdie.” So she made no
answer of either gladness or sorrow, and Mrs. Beres-
ford never guessed how grieved her little girl was,
nor knew that she cried herself to sleep that night
with the thought that on the morrow she would be
away from home and all the people she knew, with
not even nurse, for nurse must stay and attend to
the little baby sister.

But next day, when she kissed and said goodbye
to them all, little Trix never shed a tear, not when
her papa took her in his arms and bade her bea
good girl, nor when her mamma wrapped her cloak
about her and hoped she would be happy and con-
tent, even then Trix never said, as she was longing
to do, “ Let me stay at home, mamma!” but she
took her seat in the carriage beside her grandpapa
as quietly as if she were only going for an hour’s



14 LITTLE TRIX.

drive, instead of bidding goodbye to her home for
months.

“She is a strange child; she does not seem to
have any care or affection for anything,” Mrs. Beres-
ford said with a sigh, turning to her husband as the
carriage drove away.

“She is too young; we must not expect much
from her yet,” Trix’s papa answered, and went back
to his study. And neither he nor her mamma ever
knew that under their little daughter’s quiet un-
caring face lay hid a very sorrowful and desolate
heart. The little maid was saying to herself that
papa and mamma did not love her any longer, they
cared only for the new baby that had lately come
to them. Poor little lassie! she was only eight
years old, you know, and not very wise, so she
made herself very miserable without cause—all
because she had never learned to speak out about
the things that hurt her, and she often got credit
for being a sulky child, when in reality she was
bearing silently and bravely some pain or child-
sorrow that nobody knew of.



CHAPTER IL

As Mr. Levison had said, they were two days on
the journey, stopping all night at an inn on the
way, and once or twice on the road to change
horses. It was drawing towards the close of the
second day, and Trix was getting dreadfully tired,
and wondered how soon they would be at their
journey’s end.

“ How far is it now, grandpapa?” she was asking
for about the twentieth time, and instead of answer-
ing as he had done previously, “ We shall be there
soon,” Mr. Levison said, “ You will see the house as
soon as we come to the end of this road.”

You may be sure that on hearing that reply Trix
kept her eyes steadily fixed on the carriage windows,
in order that she might catch the very first glimpse

of her new home. She had no idea what sort of
16



16 LITTLE TRIX, OR

place it might be, but fancied it would be something
like the Rectory, her papa’s house.

“There it is !” said Mr. Levison, and he pointed
to a grand old castle, standing a little apart from a
village over which it seemed to be keeping solemn
guard.

“The castle, grandpapa?” Trix cried eagerly.

“Yes, Lyneburgh Castle. The old Hall, as it is
generally called by the good people about here.”

Now, next to seeing a fairy, our little maiden had
chiefly desired to see a real old castle, such as she
read about in her stories and the history of England.
And now to think she was going to live in one! It
almost took her breath away, and I could never tell
you half the strange thoughts and dreams that im-
mediately filled her mind.

Many a time all by herself in the garden Trix had
played at being a great lady, and living in a fortified
castle with moat and drawbridge. And now it was
all coming to pass! not quite all though. She was
disappointed to find neither moat nor drawbridge,
nor even was the place approached by a “ magni-



GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. ye

ficent avenue of trees,” as were many of the castles
in the story-books. No! Lyneburgh had neither
park nor avenue, moat nor drawbridge, when little
Trix came to it the guest of her great-grandfather, its
then owner; but it stood up grim and solemn at
the top of the road that led between fields straight
up to its ponderous, prison-like gates. There had
been a time when all the land about, as far as the
eye could reach, had belonged to Lyneburgh Castle,
but those days were long gone by. The Levisons
of Lyneburgh had been growing poorer and poorer
for many generations back, until hardly anything
beside the old castle itself was left to its present
possessor, who was likewise the last of his name.
The carriage had reached the gates, which at its
approach were flung open with a heavy sound, and
Trix found that they had entered a large court-yard,
three sides of which were formed by the castle itself
and the fourth by a high thick wall, wherein was
the gate by which they had entered. With this
part at least Trix was satisfied, this was quite what it
should be; and a very important personage indeed
B



18 LITTLE TRIX, OR

did our little girl feel at “coming home” to so grand
a place.

“Ts all right, John?” Mr. Levison asked of a
servant who came forward to let down the steps of
the carriage.

“ All right, sir,” the man answered respectfully ;
and looking at him Trix saw that he was quite elderly.
Taking her by the hand, her grandpapa led her into
the castle, through an immense hall, with dark oak
wainscoting and open timber roof, and long narrow
diamond-‘paned windows, like a church, whilst
against the walls were shields bearing strange de-
vices, and banners, mixed with trophies of the chase,
pieces of old armour and weapons of bygone days.
Altogether it was very grand, but very dark and
gloomy, and rather chilly, although it was summer,
and the great centre lamp, big as it was, did not
half light the place. Out of this hall they passed
into a narrow passage, or what seemed such, coming
out of the large room, and ascended a flight of stone
stairs. Then Mr. Levison opened the door of a room
wherein sat a lady, and in the grate of which, not-



GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 19

withstanding the time of year, a bright fire was
burning. As they emtered the room Mr. Levison let
go Trix’s hand and went up to the lady, while the child
stood still just where she was, without moving a step.
She had enough to do to examine the room, which was
just what you would have expected to find in such a
place, with walls and floor of dark polished oak, and
just a square of thick turkey carpet in the middle of
the floor, with the dark shining boards all round.
And such curious furniture! The chairs and tables
had queer carved and twisted legs ; and there were
not two things alike in all the room Trix thought.
Then there were pictures against the walls,—not
pretty. engravings or water-colours, as in the drawing-
room at home, but dark, sombre oil-paintings. But
she was interrupted in her survey of the room and
its contents by a voice asking,—“ Will you not
come and speak to me, dear?” And she started
impulsively forward towards the lady, whom she
now perceived to be quite old, but very grand and
stately. She was dressed in black velvet, with a
collar of point-lace almost large enough for a tippet,



20 LITTLE TRIX, OR

ruffles at her wrists to match, and a covering for
her head—a sort of veil—of the same material.
Her hair was soft and white as snow, and her voice,
although she was so old, had no harsh or discordant
tones in it, but was low and sweetly modulated, and
her utterance was as clear and distinct as—as an
English gentlewoman’s should ever be, to quote an
expression she herself would have used. Little Trix
thought then, and ever after, that her grandmamma
was one of the most beautiful old ladies that ever
lived, and there I fancy she was not far wrong.

Mrs. Levison did not take Trix on her knee, but
she put her arm about the little girl’s waist, and,
drawing her close, kissed her many times, then put
her a little away, to look at her the better, and then
kissed her again, stroking her yellow curls tenderly
and fondly.

“She is like Katherine,” Mrs. Levison said, after
a few minutes, and then she sighed deeply, as at the
remembrance of some past sorrow, and kissed the
little girl again; and Trix felt that she should love
her grandmamma very dearly.



GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 21

“But the bairn is very tired, Claude; hadn’t she
better go to bed?” Mr. Levison said, and his wife
answered—

“Yes; I think you are right. Will you ring for
Mason ?”

And grandpapa rang the bell, whereupon there
entered an old woman, very sweet and gentle-looking,
whom Trix soon discovered to be her grandmamma’s
waiting-woman.

“ Here she is, Mason; I know you are dying to
have a peep at the child,” Mrs. Levison said plea-
santly, and Mason made answer as if it were full
explanation—

“J nursed Miss Katherine, ma’am.” And again
Trix heard her grandmamma sigh, but she smiled too
as she said—

“Well, take her away then, for I see she is too
tired to sit up any longer. Give her something to
eat. I suppose her room is all ready ?”

«Yes, ma'am,” Mason answered; and then, when
Trix had said good-night to her grandpapa and grand-
mamma, she took her by the hanil and led her from



22 LITTLE TRIX, OR

the room, through several passages and up another
flight of stairs, into the prettiest little sitting-room.
There she took Trix in her arms and kissed her even
more than her grandmamma had done, and, to the
little girl’s wonder, cried over her. Then suddenly
putting her down, she exclaimed,—

“Ah, what am I thinking of, and the bair so
tired and hungry too!” Then she added, “ This is
your day-room, Miss Beatrix, and this,” opening the
door of one leading out of it, “this is your bedroom.
Your grandmamma’s is next to it, on the other
side.”

“Oh, how nice!” Trix cried, in great delight. It
was such a rise in life to have two rooms all to
herself.

Then Mason brought her a cup of hot tea and
some bread and butter and cold chicken; and when
she had eaten it Trix was so sleepy she hardly knew
how Mason managed to put her to bed.

She was, nevertheless, awake in very good time
next morning, long before Mason came to dress her,

“which she did at half-past seven. Trix was very



GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 23

anxious to be up and dressed, in order that she might
explore the place, for she meant to see every nook
and corner about it. Meantime she was asking a
great number of questions of Mason.

“Ts there no garden at all, Mason,—nothing but
the court-yard I saw last night ?”

“Oh, yes, darling, there’s the Pleasance. Come
and look!” And, drawing her to one of the windows
of the little sitting-room, she lifted the blind, and
Trix saw the most wonderful garden imaginable, or
go it seemed to her then; there were terraces, lying
one below another, with broad flights of steps, and
vases, and statues, and curious-shaped flower-beds,
bright with red and yellow and blue flowers. Trix
had never even dreamed of anything so wonderful.
She thought it was like Fairy-Land. The very trees,
many of them, were in the shape of beasts or birds,
two of them representing peacocks. And oh! greater
delight still, there were real live peacocks strutting
up and down the terrace near the house.

“ Won't you eat your breakfast now, my bairnie ?”
Mason said, but instead of answering Trix turned



24 LITTLE TRIX, OR

and asked a question she had wished to put the
night before had she not been so sleepy—

“Who is Katherine ?”

“Miss Katherine was your grandmamma.”

« Another grandmamma !” Trix cried, opening her
blue eyes to their full width.

“Your mamma’s mother, Mrs. Atherton.”

“Oh!” Trix said. She had heard her grand-
mamma Atherton spoken of. . At least they had the
portrait at home of a young lady in a white dress,
and she had often been told it was the portrait of
her grandmamma Atherton.

“She ’s dead,” Trix’ said quietly.

“Ay, the more’s the pity! The more’s the pity,
for we shall not see her like soon again,” Mason
said, speaking rather to herself than to Trix.

“Did you love her?” Trix asked, and Mason an-
swered, talking as if the child could understand it all.

“Love her! Who could have helped it? I was
under-nursemaid when she was a child, and own
maid to her when she grew bigger. I dressed her
for her wedding, and a sweeter, prettier bride was



GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 25

never seen. She was only seventeen and before she
was nineteen she was dead.”

“She died when mamma was born,” Trix said
gravely. She had learned the fact from her nurse,
and now imparted it as a great piece of information.

But now Trix began to feel hungry, and advanced
to the table on which was set a cup and saucer, a jug
of new milk, and a loaf.

“Where’s the coffee, and why do I have my
breakfast here instead of with grandmamma ?” she
asked impatiently.

“ Mistress said you would take milk, Miss Beatrix,”
Mason said, pouring out a cupful.

“But I never do take milk, I hate it, and I want
to have coffee; mamma lets me,” Trix cried, getting
quite cross as she proceeded—

“TJ think, dearie, you had better take the milk
this morning, and explain to your grandmamma
afterwards that you do not like it,” Mason advised.

“JT won't drink it! I tell you it makes me sick,
and Ill have my breakfast with grandmamma. Do
you hear? I’ll not drink it!” Trix had worked



26 LITTLE TRIX, OR

herself into quite a passion now, and was proceeding
with still more energetic declarations when the door
opened softly, and a grave voice asked,—

“What is the meaning of all this noise?”

“Mason has given me milk for breakfast, grand-
mamma, and I cannot bear milk. I want coffee.”

“ My dear, I don’t consider coffee good for you, I
wish you to have milk.”

“TI won’t have milk, I hate it! I’ll go without
breakfast first !”

“T hope, my love, you will behave like a gentle-
woman, whatever else you do or do not. You can
go without breakfast, if you prefer to do so.” And
with those words Mrs. Levison closed the door as
softly as she had opened it, leaving Trix almost
beside herself with passion.

But there was nobody to take any notice ; Mason
had left the room and her grandmamma did not
return, so after a while she grew calm, and even
made an attempt to eat the bread and milk. By
this time she was very hungry, and when one is
hungry even bread and milk may be eaten witha



GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 27

relish, As the time wore on she grew restless, and
longed very much to get out into the garden, but
she did not like to do so without leave, and conscious
how improperly she had behaved, she shrank from
meeting her grandmamma.

After nearly an hour had passed the door opened
and Mrs. Levison entered the room.

“Well, my dear?” she said.

Trix hung her head, feeling very much ashamed
as she replied—*“TI am sorry I was so rude; I did
not mean to be, but milk does make me sick.”

“That is nonsense, bairn; milk never made chil-
dren sick when I was young. ‘You must not in-
dulge in fancies of that kind.” And then Mrs.
Levison added very gravely indeed—« And, my
child, I heard you speak in a very unbecoming
manner to Mason. Now, I cannot permit such
conduct, and should it ever be repeated I should be
very much displeased with you. I expect you to
behave with politeness and consideration to Mason.”

“Mason is only a servant,” Trix said, with a little
inclination to pout.

*



.

28 LITTLE TRIX, OR

“True, but a servant who for more than forty
years has served us faithfully and devotedly. And
let me tell you, Trix, that a true gentlewoman is even
more careful to show every courtesy of speech and
manner to those in an inferior position in life, than
to those in her own station. Youare not old enough
to understand perhaps very fully what I mean, but
try and remember what I have said, and be very
gentle and courteous in requiring anything of a ser-
vant in future, there’s a dear child. Now you may
go into the garden and amuse yourself for a time.”

So into that wonderful garden Trix went, and
found it as pleasant even as she had anticipated,
and that is saying a great deal. Then she went
roaming over the house, in and out of its many
large, deserted, dilapidated rooms, that had once been
used and occupied, but now only harboured dust
and lumber, or perhaps some of them bats or owls.
Indeed, with the assistance of John, the servant,
Trix discovered a nest of young owls in a top room
of one of the turrets.

For many days our little girl found quite suffi-



GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS, 29

cient interest and amusement in making acquaint-
ance with the place and its past history, stories of
which Mason was never tired of repeating to her.
The two were soon very great friends; Trix grew
fonder of her than she had been of her nurse, for
Mason never scolded her, and never grew tired of
her chatter, or at least never showed that she was
so, but treated her little mistress, as she called Trix,
with the most perfect deference. This might have
proved injurious to thelittle girl had not grandmamma
kept such good watch over her, and checked de-
cidedly and at once all signs of exaction or imperi-
ousness; at the same time setting in her own life
such a beautiful example of courtesy and considera-
tion for those about her. But you must not think
that Trix did nothing save amuse herself in those
days; no, from the very first day Mrs. Levison
required that she should learn certain lessons, and
do a portion of needlework. At first Trix did not like
it much, but as she made progress and felt her powers
drawn out by her grandmamma’s rare teaching, lesson-
time soon became the pleasantest part of the day.



CHAPTER III.

ONE day when Trix had been perhaps a week at
Lyneburgh, she was wandering about a still unex-
plored portion of the castle, when she came to what
seemed a long gloomy room, with its walls covered
with pictures. She was half afraid to go in, and
perhaps might not have ventured, if just then Mason
had not come to look after her, lest, as she said,
the bairn should lose herself in that great rambling
place.

“Oh, Mason, I want to go in here, but it’s nearly
dark.”

“Shall I draw up the blinds, dearie? and then
you can see the pictures ; this is the picture gallery,
you know.”

Trix said “yes” to the drawing up of the blinds,

and they went in.
30



GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 31

“What black ugly pictures, and what queer folks!”
she cried, surveying with anything but flattering
recognition the portraits of her ancestors. “ What
are all these folks’ portraits kept here for, Mason ?
Who are they ?”

“Who are they, Miss Trix? They are the por-
traits of the Levisons, your ancestors, for several
hundred years back,’ Mason said, drawing herself
up a little, for she was as proud of the long lineage
and noble fame of the house she served, as though
she had been of its blood.

“Ancestors! What are ancestors?” Trix asked
with a puzzled air.

“ Ancestors are—don’t you know, Miss Beatrix ?
Ancestors are—grandpapas !”

At that explanation, which Mason gave with a
little air of triumph, Trix burst out laughing.

“T do think this is the queerest place, it’s nothing
but grandpapas! Is this a grandpapa too?” she
asked, stopping before the portrait of a beautiful
young lady.



32 LITTLE TRIX, OR

“ That was the Lady Blanche, Miss Trix, I wouldn’t
look at her; look at this one.”

“ But why should I not look at her? she’s much
the most beautiful.”

“Beautiful enough, bairnie, but she was not
good.”

“Tell me what she did.”

“Not to-day, darling.”

“Yes, just now, I want to know; I won’t go out
of this place until you tell me, so now begin, there’s
a good darling, Mason.”

When Trix coaxed, Mason could not resist, so,
though very doubtful of the propriety of telling her
story to the child, she could not turn a deaf ear to
her pleading. Then, too, her mind was full of
legends and traditions of the past life of Lyneburgh
Castle, and she liked to relate them to a sympathetic
listener, but especially did she like recounting them
to Trix, whom she wished to imbue with the same
enthusiastic love for the past of her people that she
herself felt, so she began to tell her the story of the
Lady Blanche.



GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 33

“Come here, Miss Trix, and look out of the win-
dow. Do you see the sea?”

“The sea, Mason! can one see the sea from
here?”

“Ves, see, that long white line, like silver, that is
the sea. It is five miles away. Well, once on a
time, a hundred years or more ago, there was one
night a great storm, and a vessel went down just off
the coast opposite. Sir Godfrey went down to the
shore first thing next morning to see if there was
anything to be done, but all the souls on board the
vessel had gone down with her except one little
child, a girl, who had been washed ashore. There
she sat on the beach, and would not let anybody
touch her. She said her name was Lady Blanche,
but not another word could they get out of her.
The women would have taken her home and tended
her, but she would not move or reply to anything
they said. But as soon as she saw Sir Godfrey, she
walked straight up to him, saying,—‘I will go home
with you.’

“Now Sir, Godfrey had a son about the little

Cc



34 LITTLE TRIX, OR

lady’s age, but his wife had been dead a long time,
so when Lady Blanche said she would go home
with him, he thought there might be two opinions
as to that, for a home without a mistress was
hardly the place to take a motherless little girl to;
but when he looked at her bonny face, and heard her
say again, ‘I will go home with you,’ instead of
telling her that that could not be, he just took her
in his arms and kissed her, saying that she should.
So Lady Blanche went home to Lyneburgh, and from
that day forth was treated exactly as if she were a
born daughter of the house. Master Cecil gave in
to her in everything, and Sir Godfrey seemed to
love her better than he did his own son; the thing
he feared most was that some day her people should
turn up and claim her.”

“Well, Mason, what next?” Trix asked eagerly,
for Mason had stopped.

“Well, Miss Trix, time went on and Master Cecil
went to school and college, and then abroad. And
Lady Blanche—she was always called Lady Blanche
—grew up more and more beautiful every day,



GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 35

until she was the talk of the county, and lovers
came from far and near. But she would not marry
any of them; she laughed in their faces, and said
she was too happy to change her condition. And
Sir Godfrey was right glad when she made such
answers, for he had set his heart on her marrying
Master Cecil, and then he thought she would stay
always at the castle, for he had grown so fond of her
he could hardly bear her out of his sight. The ser-
vants and folk about almost wondered why, for the
Lady Blanche, notwithstanding her beauty, was so
wild and queer-tempered, that sometimes it was quite
dangerous to go near her, and even Sir Godfrey
himself was not spared from her storms of passion.
But he could see no fault in her, she had so fas-
cinated him by her beauty and her little ways.
Well, at last Master Cecil came home, and there
were great rejoicings among the people, and a house
full of guests to welcome him. Among the rest
came gentle Agnes Lisle with her mother. For a
day or two Cecil was as charmed as everybody else
by Lady Blanche’s beauty, for he had not seen her



36 LITTLE TRIX, OR

then for two or three years. Everybody thought
they would be married, for Sir Godfrey’s wishes
were pretty well known, and it was plain to see
that Lady Blanche cared more for Cecil than for
anybody else; but he could not stand her terrible
temper, which broke out even to him, and before a
week was out he thought Lady Blanche’s beauty
was as nothing compared to Agnes Lisle’s gentle-
ness and goodness. And one day, when they were
walking together in the garden, he told her so, and
asked sweet Agnes to be his wife. As it happened
the Lady Blanche was behind the trees and heard
them, she was just mad with rage, and came and
stood before them, and cursed them and their house
for ever. She said that the first-born of the Levi-
sons, so long as the house lasted, should either
marry unhappily, or die within the first year of
being married.”

“ What a wicked woman, Mason!”

“Did I not tell you so, Miss Trix? Well, that
night she ran away and was never heard of more.”

« And did Cecil marry Agnes?”



GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 37

“Ay, he did—but he was killed the day his
first baby was born, and his wife died of grief when
they told her.”

“JT think that is a very disagreeable and stupid
story, Mason!”

“ You would have me tell you, Miss Trix.”

“Well, never mind, who was this one 2?”

“That, Miss Trix, was Mistress Theodosia; she
was— ”

“Oh! I hear grandpapa calling on me—please
tell me another day, Mason,” and Trix ran away
to meet her grandpapa at the end of the gallery.

“Why, Birdie, you’ve chosen a queer playing-
place,” he said, smiling. “Would you like to go
for a walk ?”

_ “Jndeed I should, grandpapa,” was the quick
reply. f

“Get your bonnet and come along then,” and
in a very few minutes the two were walking
down the road leading to the village. It was a
very pleasant walk that, and was, moreover, the
first Trix had taken since she came to Lyneburgh;



38 LITTLE TRIX, OR

then, too, it was a great treat to be with grand-
papa. But the walk was fated to be interrupted,
for before they had gone very far a carriage passed
them slowly, or rather was in the act of passing,
when a head was thrust out of the window, and a
voice said,—

“Arthur, is that you? I was just wishing to
see you.”

To which Mr. Levison answered, “ Why, what’s
the matter, Temple? Nothing wrong, I hope ?”

“No; only I had to see Plummer about those
wearisome deeds, and I thought you would perhaps
go with me.”

“To be sure,” Mr. Levison answered.

“Then will you get in and come now 2”

“Why,—here ’s the bairn.”

“Oh, bring her along, she ’ll enjoy the drive, and
it will save time. Whose bairn is it?” This last
question, as Trix was being put into the carriage by
her grandpapa.

“My great-grand-daughter,—Katherine’s grand-
child,” Mr. Levison answered.



GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 39

“ Ah, poor little Kate,” the stranger murmured
softly, and Trix looked at him more attentively.
He was quite old, nearly as old as her grandpapa;
indeed, they had been at school together, and had
kept up ever since the friendship formed there; but
somehow she did not like his face so well as her
grandpapa’s. She thought it looked cross and fret-
ful. The two gentlemen talked between themselves,
whilst Trix looked out of the carriage window;
and, if the truth must be told, wished herself back
in the castle garden, which would have been much
pleasanter than sitting there. But presently the
stranger gentleman turned to her abruptly, saying,—

“ How old are you, Kate?”

“My name is not Kate, and mamma said we
should not ask people how old they are,” Trix
answered, gravely.

“Task your pardon,” said the old gentleman,
making her a bow, and looking very much amused.
«Won't you tell me your name? How then shall
I distinguish you among my acquaintance? I think
I must call you Elf.”



40 LITTLE TRIX, OR

Trix laughed and shook her head. “ My name is
Beatrix,” she said.

“Beatrix! It’s not half so good a name as Elf,
now, is it?” the stranger asked.

But Trix did not know what to say to that, so she
wisely said nothing; but she began to think she
had been mistaken in fancying the stranger cross.

“ Have you got a doll, Elf? he asked.

“Not at the castle, but I have at home,” she
answered.

“Not got a doll! What is your grandpapa think-
ing of? I hope you tease him every day for one?”

“Indeed but I don’t! And I do not think he
would buy me one if I did. Grandmamma would
not like me to do so,” Trix answered quickly, and as
if she thought her honour were concerned.

“Lord Temple is quizzing you, Bee,” her grand-
papa said, smiling.

“But wouldn't you like a doll now?” Lord
Temple asked.

But Trix only shook her head, and said, “ I have
not got one,” as if that quite settled the matter,



GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 41

whereat Lord Temple laughed.. Then suddenly he
exclaimed, “Here we are!” and pulled the check-
string for the carriage to stop opposite a large toy-
shop. For by this time they had reached the town,
which was about four miles distant from Lyneburgh,
and which was Lord Temple’s destination.

“What are you going to do here?” Mr. Levison
asked in surprise.

“ Buy the child a doll, if you have no objection.”

Mr. Levison only laughed, he knew his friend
well, and did not attempt to oppose him—which
Trix’s eager sparkling eyes would have prevented
him doing had he been so inclined, but he was not.
So into the shop they all three went, and dolls of
all sorts and sizes were exhibited before them.
But choice was not so very difficult, for there was
one bigger and prettier than all the rest, with beau-
tiful wax feet and hands, dressed in a pink silk
frock. Lord Temple was not long in discovering
that all Trix’s heart had gone out to this beauty,
though she would not ask for it. So without more
ado it was bought, and proud and happy our little



42 LITTLE TRIX, OR

girl carried it to the carriage, feeling richer in its
possession than she had ever done in her life before.

Then they drove to the office of Lord Temple’s
man of business, and whilst the gentlemen went in
to consult with him, Trix sat in the carriage, nursing
her beautiful new treasure, and did not find the
time she had to wait either long or dull.

“What are you going to call her?” Lord Temple
asked, when they were on the way home.

“T don’t know; I cannot think of a pretty enough
name for such a doll,” she answered.

“Call her Lady Maria Compton ; she was a pretty
enough doll anyway,” Lord Temple said, quite bit-
terly, roused by some sudden remembrance. Trix
thought he was cross.

“Can you not forgive her yet, Temple?” Mr.
Levison said, laying his hand on his friend’s arm.

And Trix wondered very much what it all meant,
but only gathered that her doll was to be called
Lady Maria Compton, at which she was very sorry,
for it was not a pretty name. But she thought
Lord Temple wished it, and as he had given her



GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 43

the doll, she did not like to tell him she would have
preferred some other name for it.

“Don’t forget me, Elfie,” he said, on bidding them
good-bye at the castle gate.

“No, indeed!” Trix answered, as if it were quite
an impossibility. And she wondered how she
could ever have thought him cross,



CHAPTER IV.

“GRANDMAMMA, Mason is going down to the
village about the fruit; may I go with her?” Trix
asked, coming into the room where Mrs. Levison
was sitting.

“Yes, if you like, dear,” Mrs. Levison answered.

Trix ran for her things, and soon was going down
the road with Mason. Jumping and skipping, the
little girl started on her walk in high spirits, but
presently she settled into more staidness, though
only to chatter as fast as her tongue could go.

She was relating to Mason some story she had
made up, the scene of which was laid in the castle,
and she was saying—

“And so everybody believed he was dead, you
know ; all but the Lady Rosalie, and nothing could

persuade her but that he was alive, and would come
44



GRANDMAMMA’s LESSONS. 45

back some day, and they would be married as it
was all arranged. So when they wanted her to
marry Sir Hubert, she would not, but told them she
was sure Sir Ernest was alive, and, anyway, she
would marry nobody else. Then her father was
very angry, and locked her up in her bedroom, and
let her have nothing to eat but bread and water,
for he said she should marry Sir Hubert, whether
she wanted to or not. Well, what do you think
happened? Lady Rosalie spent all her time looking |
out of the window, and one day she saw Sir Ernest
come riding up to the castle. He looked quite ill
and altered, but she knew him, and oh! how glad
she felt that she had not married Sir Hubert. She
thought now that her father would come and fetch
her down to meet him, that his anger would be all
gone, and they would be quite happy again as in
the days before Sir Ernest had gone to the wars.
But she was mistaken ; instead of being glad to see
the poor knight, her father made them shut the
castle gates upon him, pretending not to know him.
Then poor Lady Rosalie pined and grew sick, and



46 LITTLE TRIX, OR

thought she would try to make her escape. So one
morning, when they came to her room, they found it
empty, and the window open. And they said she had
killed herself trying to get away. Ever since then
her ghost may be seen walking to and fro in that
room at twelve o’clock at night. Did you ever see it,
Mason?” Trix put this question quite suddenly.

“T, Miss Trix? Heaven forbid! Why do you ask
me such a question ?”

“Oh! [thought you might. It was at Lyneburgh
Castle it happened, you know.”

“Bless me! the bairn talks as if she believed her
own inventions!” At which Trix laughed in high
glee, and then walked quietly the rest of the way
until they reached the cottage where the woman
from whom they were to get the fruit lived. Mason
went in to arrange with her, but Trix stood outside
in the sunshine, admiring the flower-borders of the
garden. Presently she began to move slowly down
the walks, until she came to a large strawberry-bed.

“Are they quite over, or are there any left, I
wonder,” she said to herself, and she bent down and ;



GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 47

lifted up the leaves, discovering some of the largest
and loveliest strawberries she had ever seen in her
life. Looking hastily round to see if anybody was
watching her, and perceiving nobody, she plucked
the luscious fruit and transferred it to her mouth.
It was very wrong, as Trix knew, but she did not
stop to think of that; her one desire at the moment
was to get as many strawberries as possible eaten
before she was discovered. But all at once a rook
from an opposite tree began to caw, startling her into
full knowledge of what she was doing. It was just
as if somebody had said, “ Trix, you are stealing!”
and she jumped up red all over with shame and very
conscience-stricken. And there watching her, and
looking strangely sorrowful, stood Mason with the
old woman to whom the garden belonged behind
her. She had never felt so bad in all her life before,
she could not bear to meet Mason’s eye, and instead
of just staying and confessing her sorrow and re-
pentance, she made a dash past them and out at the
garden-gate. Up the lane she rushed until she was
out of breath, and then.flung herself on the bank



48 LITTLE TRIX, OR

by the roadside, crying as if her heart would
break.

“Oh! how could I do it! What would mamma
say ?” she exclaimed to herself, and then burying her
face in her hands she cried still more, and would not
lift her head when Mason got up to her and tried
to comfort her in the bitter shame she was feeling.

“How could I? How could I?” she moaned.

“Whisht then, darling; whisht, my little lamb;
ye didna think to do wrang, and God will just
pardon ye, gin ye ask Him. ODinna greet sae,
He’s no a hard Master when His bairns repent,”
Mason said, putting her arm round the little girl,
and falling into her native Scotch, as in her earnest-
ness she was sometimes wont to do. She did not try
to persuade the child that she had done no wrong;
she was too good and strict herself for that, but
she did want to comfort the child who was taking
her sin so much to heart. But her comfort was
beyond what Trix could take in yet. Indeed I
think she was too much ashamed and mortified yet
to be truly repentant, and so in a condition to



GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 49

receive real comfort; but in answer to Mason’s
entreaties she got up and walked towards the
castle, holding her head down, and sobbing now
and then. I think she had meant to go straight up
to her own room, and there hide her shame, but
Mrs. Levison was in the hall as they entered, and
perceived at once the sad tear-stained face of her
little grand-daughter. Drawing Trix gently towards
her, she asked with great tenderness—

“What is the matter with my wee bairnie ?”

Then, with many tears and sobs, Trix told her
story, finishing with the ery—

“ Now punish me, grandmamma, I will bear any-
thing ;” but grandmamma only drew the little girl
closer and stroked her hair, murmuring, “Poor
child! poor wee childie!” in so sad and grieved a
tone that Trix forgot to be ashamed any longer, and
was only sorry, but so sorry she did not know what
to do.

“A little boy was sent to prison, Trix, the other
day for doing no worse than you have done,” Mrs.
Levison said, still gently stroking the yellow curls.

D



50 LITTLE TRIX, OR

“To prison, grandmamma!” Trix cried, and shud-
dered at the thought.

“Yes, his mother was sick, and fancied some
strawberries, and the lad, who had no money to buy
her any, saw some in a garden and went and took
them. The owner caught him and took him before
a magistrate, who sent him to prison.”

“Oh, grandmamma, but I think it was wicked
to send him to prison for that,” Trix cried, forgetting
herself in her interest for the boy.

“My bairnie would not like it,” Mrs, Levison said
very softly.

Trix was silent for a long time, then she said
humbly, “ What must I do, grandmamma ?”

“How much money have you, dear?”

“A silver fourpence and two pennies,” she
answered,

“Then I think, love, you must carry it to Mrs.
Watts, and tell her you are sorry, and that it is
in payment for what you took.”

“But I’m sure I did not eat sixpenny worth,
grandmamma.”



GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 51

“Very likely not, dear, but you cannot tell, and
you had better pay more than less, for it is you, not
Mrs. Watts, who must suffer for your sin.”

“Yes, grandmamma, Mason shall take it.”

“Nay, my love, but you must take it yourself.”

“Oh, grandmamma !”

“Ought you not to go yourself, Trix?” Mrs.
Levison asked gently.

“Yes, grandmamma,” she answered, slowly hang-
ing down her head, for she shrank very much from
the thought of doing it; but Mrs. Levison had no
intention of letting her off; she meant her to learn a
lesson that should be for all her life. Little Trix had
sinned, and she must do all in her power to repair
that sin, and not only so, she must face bravely all
the consequences of her wrong-doing.

Grandmamma was not angry, but she could not
excuse her little girl any portion of what her wrong-
doing entailed; she could only strengthen her to
bear it, for she said—“ God never lets us off: He
forgives us, that is, He is not angry with us, but He
punishes us all the same. If we do naughty things



52 LITTLE TRIX.

He does not turn them into good ones, however
sorry and repentant we may be. But He stands by
and helps us to bear it, and so to grow stronger and
better in the future.” So Trix went down again with
Mason to the village, and made her confession and
her payment to Mrs. Watts, and she did not soon
forget the lesson she had learned.



CHAPTER V.

Trix had a bad headache, at least she said it was
very bad, though when Mason proposed that she
should rest on her bed for awhile, the little girl
objected; she preferred to lay her head on Mason’s
shoulder, making little moans at intervals over her
pain, That was all very well so long as Mason
could spare the time, but fortunately for the little
girl she had other duties that required her attention,
and Trix sought her grandmamma’s company.

“Oh, grandmamma, my head is so bad,” she said.

“T’m very sorry, love; come and lie on the couch
and I will cover you up until it is better.”

“It makes it worse to lie down; I will sit down
on this low chair,” Trix answered, and she sat down

resting her head on her hand and looking very
58



54 LITTLE TRIX, OR

doleful, occasionally uttering a little moan or an
“ Oh dear,” as she had done when with Mason.

Mrs. Levison bore it for some time in silence, then
suddenly, half aloud and half to herself, she said,
“How shall I teach the child to have some self-
control, so that when she grows older she may not
be a burden to herself and all around her whenever"
she has any little ailment!” Then she called Trix
to her side and asked her gravely, “My child, does
it do your head any good to moan and complain in
that way ?”

Trix hung her head in confusion.

“ Because,” her grandmamma went on, “ if it does
I have nothing to say; but if not, it is a very bad
habit to fall into, and you must strive with all your
might against it. If your head be really bad, I
think it must make it worse.”

Still Trix made no answer; she felt ashamed of
having made so much ado about her little suffering,
and the tears began to fill her eyes, on seeing which
her grandmamma said quickly—

“Do not cry, my dear; that is very bad for a



GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 55

headache, but come and lie down.” And she rose
and placed the little girl upon the sofa, covering her
up snugly. Then she took a clean handkerchief, and,
having dipped it into some eau-de-Cologne mixed
with water, she laid it on Trix’s head.

“Now, love, you are to lie quite still, and not
speak a word until you are better.”

So Trix lay quiet, and very soon she had fallen
into a sound sleep, from which she waked up much
refreshed.

“T am quite better now, grantmamma; I think
the eau-de-Cologne is wonderful for a headache,” she
said, sitting up quite bright and rosy from her sleep.

“Then, bairnie, I shall give you a bottle, so that
the next time you have one you can just use it in
this way, and lie down on your bed at once; so you
will get well quickly, and not tease any one with
your complaints.”

Trix looked a little doubtful at this. “I did not
mean to tease, grandmamma,” she said.

“To, my child, I am aware of thet. That is why
you must not allow yourself to fall into any habits



56 LITTLE TRIX, OR

that might cause annoyance to others, but must
exercise self-control from the beginning. And you
can surely see that it must be very trying to your
friends to hear a constant complaiiting about little
troubles that cannot be helped.”

“Yes, grandmamma, but is one never to say when
one is ill? How can one help?” she asked.

“I don’t know, Trix; but I think for myself I
should like to bear what had to be borne, whether
sickness or mental pain, so cheerfully and silently
that nobody should guess I was bearing, and be
pained for me.”

Mrs. Levison had drawn Trix to her side, and was
smiling upon her as she said this; but as she
finished speaking she got up, and, opening the
drawer of a little cabinet standing behind her chair,
she took from it what she called a “manacle;” it
was a bracelet of black velvet, fastened by a gold
clasp, containing a miniature portrait of a young
lady, set round with pearls.

“This is a portrait of my sister,” Mrs. Levison
said, putting it into Trix’s hand,



GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 57

“Oh! how beautiful!” Trix exclaimed, looking
earnestly on the picture.

“T shall tell you about her,’ Mrs. Levison said,
reseating herself, and putting her arm round Trix as
she stood beside her. “There were only us two,
Katherine and myself—TI mean our parents had no
» other children, and we lived in France—’”

“Tn France, grandmamma?” Trix exclaimed in
surprise.

“Yes, dear, we were born in France. Our mother
was a Frenchwoman, but our father was English,
Ah! what pleasant times we had in those olden
days in beautiful France. I suppose there must
have been dull and disagreeable days then, but I do
not remember any. Looking back, it seems to me
as if the sun must always have shone then.” And
Mrs. Levison laughed softly.

“What used you to do?” Trix asked eagerly.

“We played and took long walks, or worked
with mamma. I do not know what else, but we
were very happy little girls. And once papa took
us to Paris, and we saw the beautiful Queen Marie



58 LITTLE TRIX, OR

Antoinette, and the Dauphin, and Madame Royale,
the young princess, you know.”

“Oh, grandmamma, were you in that dreadful
French Revolution ?”

“No, only on the edge of it, so to speak. Papa
brought us to England at the first threatenings of
the storm, and that brings me back to Katherine.
Soon after we came to England she began to show
signs of delicacy ; she was not exactly ill, but her
strength seemed quite gone; the least exertion
wearied her and brought on violent headaches. In
consequence of all this, Katherine, who hitherto
had been blessed with the sweetest and brightest
temper imaginable, was in danger at this time of
becoming fretful and peevish. So one day my
mother took her aside and warned her that, as she
would be liable to this sort of weakness all her life,
if she did not now struggle hard to form habits of
self-control and patient endurance, she would be-
come a burden to herself and to all her friends,

“«Well, I would not for worlds be like Lady

Huntley,’ Katherine said, naming an acquaintance
Â¥



GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 59 *

who always wearied us with the long accounts she
gave of her ailments, and the moans she made over
her sufferings.

“But our mother did not approve of remarks on
our neighbour's failings, so she said quickly—

“No, my daughter will strive rather to be like
unto Him who is our Master, and to practise that
charity which beareth all things and hopeth all
things, thinking no evil’” Mrs. Levison stopped
there as if her thoughts were busy with the past.
Trix waited awhile, but finding that her grand-
mamma did not continue, she asked,—

«And did your sister never cry out or complain
again ?”

Mrs. Levison smiled at the eager little girl.

“T cannot say that,” she replied; “but it was
wonderful how bright and gladsome she taught her-
self to be, how considerate for others. And that
notwithstanding that she had to be denied nearly all
the pleasures and pastimes natural to her youth;
and well was it for her that she had so trained her-
self, for in after years when she was married and had



60 LITTLE TRIX, OR

children she suffered from a terrible internal disease
which finally caused her death. But so well had
she learned to put aside her own sufferings and
enter into the joy of others, that until almost the
end we did not so much as guess what she was
enduring. When we knew that we must soon lose
her from among us, and realized all that she had
borne with such cheerful grace, we wondered at her
strength of mind, and at first almost felt it unkind
in her to have kept the sad knowledge from us, but
when we told her so she only smiled and said—

“<«Tf you could have helped me ever so little I
would not have hidden it from you, but you could
not ; why then should I have laid that burden on
your spirits? besides, I would not have cast a
cloud over the children’s lives, as it must have done
had you all known. ”

Mrs. Levison stopped speaking, and laid her cheek
upon her hand, as if lost in thought or remem-
brance.

“It was very brave,” Trix said, heaving a deep



GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 61

sigh, as if oppressed with the weight of it, and her
grandmamma looked up quickly—

“Have I tired my bairnie? Was my story too
hard for her ?” she said, patting Trix’s hand. “But
I must make the most of my time to teach her all
I can, and though it be hard now, she will remem-
ber the lesson in days to come when its meaning
will be plainer than now. Will you not like to go
out now, little one, for a breath of fresh air? Fetch
your hood, and we will go into the garden and you
shall help me to tie up my flowers.”



CHAPTER VI.

THE days passed very happily with Trix at Lyne-
burgh. It was August now, and she had been two
months at the Castle, but there was no talk of her
going home; nor did she wish it; she was happy
and content, and the delight of her grandparents’
hearts. She had never before, not even at home, felt
her life so surrounded with affection; but neither
had she ever before been kept in such strict order,
and made to fulfil the duties of her position as they
arose as she now was by her grandmamma. But it
was pleasant rather than otherwise to feel the re-
sponsibilities of life.dawning upon her, and to recog-
nise that she had been sent into the world with a
purpose. You are not to think from this that Trix
was ceasing to be a child and childlike ; it was not

so ; it was only that she was learning that she had
62



GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 63

duties to perform as well as good things to receive,
and that she had been born for something beyond
amusing herself. : ;

She was standing one day at the door of her
room, her doll in her arms, debating with herself a
little what she should do.

“JT wonder whether grandmamma could do with
me,” she said to herself. “But perhaps, as she is
going to get up, I had better not go; it might tire
her. I think I will go into the garden.”

Mrs. Levison had been confined to her room for
several days with a severe cold, but she was better
now, and had expressed her intention to resume
her usual habits should she feel no worse after
luncheon. So Mason had told Trix. Instead then of
going to her grandmamma’s room, as she had fre-
quently done at this time of day, she turned to go
down-stairs, but stopped a moment before the open
door of a room on her way.

“Ts it nearly ready, Mason ?” she asked.

“Yes, Miss Trix; Jane is just finishing it up,”



64 LITTLE TRIX, OR

Mason answered, coming out of the room to where
Liz stood.

“But, Mason, I don’t understand why this Gerald
is coming here.”

“Why, Miss T'rix, he’s your grandpapa’s ward, and
he always does come here for his holidays ; didn’t
your grandmamma tell you?”

“No, she only said he was coming, and I did not
ask about him. Grandmamma will be able to go
into the oak parlour to-day, won’t she, Mason ?”

“T hope it, dearie.”

“ And grandpapa will be home again too. That
will be delightful. Is Gerald nice, Mason ?”

“ We all think so, Miss Trix.”

“ Are his holidays long ?”

“Well, you see, darling, he’s not going back to
school. He is going to sea soon, so I don’t know
how long he will be at home.”

“ What time will he come 2?”

“ About five, I think, in time for dinner.”

“Very well, I’m going to take Lady Maria out for



GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 65

a walk on the terrace. Don’t you think, Mason, it
will do her good to be out in the air a little?”

“T haven’t any doubt of it, Miss Trix. Shall I
carry her down the stairs for you?”

“Tf you please.”

So Mason carried the doll, which was almost as
pig as Trix’s self, down to the garden. And the
little girl settled herself to her play all alone, but
she was not lonely. No indeed! she and Lady
Maria were never at a loss for amusement. They
held long conversations together—Trix, of course,
speaking for Lady Maria; or the doll would repre-
sent some grand lady on whom Trix had come to
call, and would sit up stiff in the garden-seat, look-
ing very grand in the pink silk frock and wreath
of fresh daisies; or, again, they would go through
some scene from the last story-book Trix had read,
as to-day, after this wise: The Lady Seraphina just
paying a visit to her old friend Princess Carrabas—
“JT hope I see your Highness well this morning.
You were not at the ball at the Palace last night, at
least I did not see you there. Her Majesty was

E



66 LITTLE TRIX, OR

very gracious, and the Princesses looked lovely.”
Lady Maria, speaking by Trix,—“ Was the King of ©
Bohemia there?” ‘Yes, indeed he was, and looking
so handsome that all the ladies declared he was the
only proper person to marry the lovely Princess Imo-
gen, for where would you find two such handsome
people again?” Lady Maria,—“But the Princess
Imogen is very bad tempered. Sweet little Princess
Violette, if not so pretty, would be much pleasanter
to live with.” Trix,—* Ah! yes; I quite agree with
your Highness there. The Princess Violette is the
sweetest tempered person one can imagine. It was
very unkind in her Fairy Godmothers not to give
her more beauty.”

“Fairy Godmothers!” said a voice at the little
gil’s side. “Has your Grace come from Fairyland,
and did you remember to leave the gate open against
your return ?”

She looked up and saw a tall gentlemanly lad,
of between fourteen and fifteen, standing beside her,
looking very much amused, but very good-natured.

« Are you Gerald ?” she asked.



GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 67

“T have that honour, if it be one,” the boy
replied.

« And you, your Grace, are one of the ladies of
Queen Titania’s court, are you not?”

The question was put so gravely that for a moment
Trix did not know what to make of it or the ques-
tioner, so she said —

“T don’t know what you are talking about.”

« About your home in Fairyland and your good
Queen. She 7s good, is she not 2”

So saying Gerald Cheveleigh flung himself on the
‘grass beside her, and looked as if he expected an
answer to his question. And, looking at his bright
good face, Trix felt that she had the most entire con-
fidence in him, and very soon found herself relating
the account of her own vision of the Fairies, to all of
which Gerald listened very attentively and sympa-
thetically. He would not on any account have dis-
turbed the child’s faith in her vision; he knew she
would outgrow it fast enough, without the expression
of any rude doubts from him, though he knew quite



68 LITTLE TRIX, OR

well it was nothing but the white toadstools she had
seen from her window.

“What a beautiful doll you se got,” he said,
when Trix had done speaking.

“Yes; isn’t she? Lord Temple gave her to me.
Do you know Lord Temple ?”

“T’ve seen him.”

“Do you like him 2?”

“Pretty well. How long has grandmamma been
ill 2”

“ A week, but she is better now; and grandpapa
has been at Lord Temple’s more than a week, but he
is coming home to-day. I say, does anybody know
you are come?” Trix asked, suddenly awaking to the
fact that the young gentleman had arrived sooner
than he had been expected.

“Yes; I sent word up to grandmamma, but she
could not see me yet, and, as you say, grandpapa
has not yet returned.”

“So you came tome. That was right. Did you
know I was at the Castle?”

“Yes; grandpapa wrote me word,”



GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 69

“ Aren’t you glad you got away from school ?”

“TJ like coming home, of course, but school was
very good too.”

Just then a great black beetle had found its way
up to Trix’s knee. She shook it hastily off, and was
about to set her foot upon it, as she had often seen
her nurse do on like occasions, but Gerald stayed
her hand, asking quietly,—

“ How do you know, Trix, that it is not a fairy ?”

She looked at him half wonderingly. “How can
it be?” she asked.

“Have you forgotten that fairies have the power
to change themselves to any form they please, and
that they sometimes appear to people as mice, or
beetles, or spiders, in order to find out whether
they are good and gentle or not ?”

“Do you think that beetle was a fairy?”

“Nay, that I cannot say; but if it was not, it
was one of God’s creatures; and, unless it was
doing you harm, and there was no other way to
prevent it, you had no right to kill it.”

“Nurse does,” Trix said.



70 LITTLE TRIX, OR —

“Then nurse does wrong. And it seems to me
so mean and spiteful to kill the poor creatures just
because they come in one’s way. We might leave
them to enjoy their little day, since we think they
have no other, you know.”

So Gerald Cheveleigh taught little Trix to be
kind to even the meanest creature. He taught
her many things afterwards, but that was the first
lesson ; and she never forgot it. At the time she
thought Gerald was avery queer boy, unlike any
other boy she had ever known; but she soon found
out that he was braver, truer, and gentler than
boys. often are; and that first day she thought him
strange, although she liked him very much.

“T declare it’s beginning to rain!” Gerald cried,
starting up. And so it was; while they had been
talking a big cloud had come up, and now began
to empty itself in great rain-drops.

“Let me take the doll,” Gerald cried; and doing
so, they both ran laughing into the house. As
they were passing the door of the picture gallery,
Gerald made as though he would enter.



GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 71

“Don’t go in there, Gerald,” Trix cried ; “ there is
nothing there but the portraits of a lot of musty
old fogies and a wicked woman. Come away!”

“A lot of musty old fogies! they were some of
the best and bravest men of their generation ; and
one day, when you are older, you will be prouder
of your connexion with them than if somebody
should put a crown of gold on your head.”

“What for?” Trix asked incredulously.

“Because they were brave and honourable men
and women, who would sooner have died than fail
in what they conceived to be their duty, or do a
base action; and because there is no inheritance
so grand as that of the noble deeds and spotless
fame of one’s ancestors,” Gerald answered earnestly,
forgetting that his little companion could hardly
understand what he was saying.

“Tell me what they did,” she said.

“ Well, this one—he was Sir Philip Levison ; he
was good, and true, and brave; faithful to his
friends, and generous to his foes. Well, he had an
enemy who hated and tried to injure him whenever



72 LITTLE TRIX, OR

an opportunity offered. One day they were both
engaged in the same battle, and Sir Philip saw his
enemy fall. Many men would have been glad, and
left him to his fate; but not so Sir Philip, who,
as soon as he could, hastened to rescue him, and,
at the risk of his own life, bore him from before
the enemy’s ranks to his own tent, and there nursed
him back to life and health.”

“That was good! I like to hear you tell of
them. What did this one do ?”

“That? He was John Levison; he fought and
suffered, and spent his substance for King Charles.
That is all.”

“Oh, don’t you think, Gerald, it was very wicked
of the people to kill King Charles, as they did?”
Trix asked, rushing eagerly into the subject.

“No, I don’t. I think it was the best thing
they could have done for him,” was the unexpected
answer.

“Oh, Gerald !”

“Yes, I do, for where a fellow proves himself so
manifestly unfit for his place as King Charles did,



GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 73

the sooner he’s put out of it the better, before he
does more mischief to himself or others. I wonder,
now, what Charles thought to himself when he got
to heaven, and God asked him if he had taken
proper care, and considered the interests of his
subjects; and he saw in a moment all he ought to
have done, and had not. I should think he would
be so seized with remorse he would need no further
punishment.”

Trix could not enter into that question; she
thought Gerald talked very strangely; she had
never heard anybody say such things as he did. But
just then Mason came in search of them, to say
Mrs. Levison was in the oak parlour, and ready to
receive them. And no sooner were they there than
Mr. Levison arrived, and Trix wondered to see how
he and Gerald loved each other, and how interested
he was in all the boy’s school stories ; and she could
hardly tell what to make of it when Gerald said—

“T asked Godolphin to come, sir, but he had
promised to go with O’Brien for a fortnight, so we
must not expect him before the 26th.”



74 LITTLE TRIX.

“T’m afraid then, my boy, you will find the time
dull till then,” Mr. Levison said.

“No fear of that, sir,’ Gerald answered in a hearty
tone, and they chatted on. Trix told herself that
Gerald was delightful, but she did wish that other
boy, Godolphin, were not coming.

Gerald dined late with Mr. and Mrs. Levison, and
Trix was, in consequence, more eager than usual-for
the bell to ring which called her down to dessert.
She thought they were very long over dinner to-
day, and wished she were old enough to dine late.
But there the bell was at last! and Mason gave a
fresh touch to her sash, and down the little girl
went. And Mr. Levison wheeled round in his
chair, as was his custom, to see if she entered the
room and curtsied, “ as became a gentlewoman,” and
then he made her a bow, as did likewise Gerald,
who rose to set her a chair. Then Gerald told fresh
stories about school, and his life there, that kept
them all laughing, and altogether it was a very
pleasant evening.



CHAPTER VII.

GERALD had been at home several days, and Trix
and he were the greatest friends possible. Our little
girl almost wondered how she had been able to
entertain herself before he came, and could not
imagine what she would do when Gerald should be |
gone away again; but she would not think of that ;
he was here now, and she would make the most of
the good time; so it was “Gerald, Gerald,” from
morning till night; they walked together, and to-
gether climbed the castle turrets, frightening poor
Mason nearly out of her wits, for she was in con-
stant dread lest Trix should fall and be killed in her
wild daring. .

«Ah, now, Master Gerald, don’t take the bairn
into such danger,’ she would entreat, but Gerald
would only laugh, and answer,—

“Oh, never fear, Mason, Bumble Bee is safe enough;
75



76 LITTLE TRIX, OR

she is sure-footed as a goat, and she never gets dizzy;
she can climb anywhere ; she won’t fall, Ill engage.”

“ But if she should?”

“T’ll take care she does not,” Gerald would
answer, and that was all the satisfaction Mason
could get, and the next minute she would be startled
by hearing Trix laugh, and seeing her face over what
she fancied to be a specially dangerous place in
the parapet. Poor Mason! if the children enjoyed
themselves, those were trying days to her, and for
the first time she wished that Master Gerald had no
holidays; for if anything should happen to the
“pairnie,” the “pet lamb,” the pride and joy of
Mason’s heart, what would they, any of them, do?”

But nothing did happen; Trix got into danger and
got out again; she was perfectly fearless, and, as
Gerald had said, sure-footed as a goat.

“ Queen Bee, come down to the courtyard; there
is something for you to look at,” Gerald cried, coming
towards her one day.

“What is it! can they not bring it here?” Trix
asked, looking up from the arrangement of Lady



GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 77

Maria’s new bonnet, that Mason had just finished
making.

“ Bring it here! I should think not; if you don’t
come straight off and look, you'll be sorry all the
rest of your life.”

“T believe you are making fun of me,” Trix said,
but she got up nevertheless, and went down with
him, to find John holding the reins of the very
loveliest pony you ever saw.

“Oh! what a beauty! whose is he? Is he yours,
Gerald?” Trix cried in great delight, going up to
the animal.

“No; he’s for you.”

“For me!” she cried, turning red and pale by
turns in her excitement at the thought. “For me,
Gerald! Are you sure ?”

“Quite sure, Bee. Ask grandpapa.”

Turning, Trix found Mr. Levison standing behind
her smiling.

“Well, birdie, do you approve of him?” he asked.

“Oh, grandpapa, I’m so happy, I don’t know what
to do; it makes me want to cry,” was her answer,



78 LITTLE TRIX, OR

“Better get on his back, and take a. ride round
the court,’ Mr. Levison said, and John lifted her -
into the saddle.

Oh dear! Trix felt as if she should go wild with
delight.

“Well?” asked Mr. Levison, as she came round
to them again, but Trix could only repeat her “ Oh,
grandpapa !”

“What is his name, John?” she asked, patting
the pony’s neck.

“He’s called Tomtit, Miss Beatrix, but you can
give him another name if you don’t like that.” *

“Tomtit ! what a funny name fora horse! But
I don’t think T’ll change it, John; would you 2”

“Well, Miss Beatrix, it’s not a bad name for him,
but some ladies might prefer a finer one. Lady
Julia Stanleigh, now, calls her horse Bellerophon,
and her sister’s is called Radamanthus.”

“T like Tomtit better than either of those. I
think he shall keep his name, John.”

Then Trix went in, and found awaiting her there
the prettiest little grey riding-habit, with a round



GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 79

grey felt hat and black feather, over which she went
into fresh raptures.

“Oh, Mason! oh, grandmamma! what shall I
do?” she exclaimed between laughing and crying,
for the tears would come this time, at this addition
to her cup of delight. “It’s because I’m so happy,
grandmamma,” she said; but the explanation was
not necessary—Mrs. Levison knew all about it.

After that the days seemed to pass more quickly
and happily than before. Trix and Gerald-took such
pleasant rides together, and sometimes even Mr.
Levison would accompany them, but that was only
rarely, for he no longer cared to take such active
exercise as in former years.

“T’m an old man now, bairns,” he would say,
smiling, “I’m an old man now, and cannot keep up
with you young ones.”

But that was only his way of speaking, for when
‘ they did persuade him to come out, grandpapa
enjoyed a canter or a gallop as much as Trix’s self,
and Gerald used to declare that, as soon as she got
on Tomtit’s back, they both went wild; and, indeed,



80 LITTLE TRIX, OR

it sometimes looked like it, for they would start off
in such spirits, child and horse, that one half-feared
their coming to grief. But they never did, and
John, at least, was proud of his little mistress’s feats
of horsemanship.

Then Gerald’s friend, Godolphin, came, a quiet
thoughtful lad, earnest and generous, but rather too
much afraid of standing alone or of acting inde-
pendently. He would doubtless mend of that as he
grew older, but at present he clung to Gerald, and
sought his advice more than was good for either of
them.

“He’s a very nice boy, I daresay ; but he’s not
like Gerald, is he, Mason?” Trix said one day.

“No, indeed! he’s not like Master Gerald, Miss
Trixy.”

“ But then that would be impossible ; there is not
another boy like Gerald in the world. Do you
think there is, Mason 2”

“T don’t think there are many.”

“T never saw one,” Trix said, as if she had
had great experience, and that settled the matter.



GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 81

Then she went down to the garden where the two
boys were walking arm-in-arm, and, as frequently
happened, discussing some question of moral action.

“Tl tell you what it is, Hugh,” Gerald was
saying earnestly, “there’s nothing like speaking
straight out, and taking the consequences.”

“That ’s all very well for you, who are not afraid
of anybody, but—”

“Tt’s not a qyestion of being afraid, but of doing
what is xight,” Gerald interposed quickly.

“If everybody thought as you do, Gerald—”
began Godolphin.

“T don’t know what folk think, but I do wonder
we are not all ashamed of ourselves to go on, day
after day, saying in our prayers, ‘Thy kingdom
come, and Thy will be done, and never trying the
least bit to bring the kingdom or to do the will,
just as if God only heard what we said, and never
saw what we did.”

“Well,” said Godolphin with a sigh, “I wish I
knew what I ought to do. If I should speak out,
as you say, all the boys will be against me; and,

F



82 LITTLE TRIX, OR

after all, I’m only one. I don’t suppose it will
make much difference what I do, one way or the
other.”

“Tt will make all the difference to yourself
though! Suppose now that Christ had said, ‘I am
only one, it cannot make much difference what I do.”

“We are not as Christ.”

“No, unhappily! but we call ourselves by His
name, and so are bound to follow Him in all earnest-
ness, and to do our duty, as He did His, faithfully,
even though it lead to death. Mind, Hugh, we are
not only to call Him Lord, Lord! but to do the
things He said—the will of our Father who is in
Heaven.”

“ Well, I'll think about it—and see, there are the
ponies coming round.” This last sentence Godolphin
uttered with a sigh of relief. Gerald’s determination
to try everything always by the highest standard
was a little hard to him—he did so like ease and
smooth waters—so that sometimes it almost seemed
as if he would sacrifice his conscience for the sake
of peace.



GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 83

“ Scamper off, Trix, and get ready; we have let the
time slip by with our talk, so make haste!” Gerald
said; and very soon they were galloping off to-
wards the sea-shore.



CHAPTER VIII

Ir was a very lovely day, but Trix seemed not to
notice that, or not to care about it. She stood by
her day-room window, looking very disconsolate,
whilst an occasional tear rolled down her cheek.
For the moment even Lady Maria had lost all
charms for her, and the world felt a very dismal
place.

“Why, my bonnie bairn, what ails you?” Mason,
asked, coming up to her.

“JT hate that Godolphin! I wish he would go
away; Gerald does not care for me at all now he is
here,” Trix answered with a little choking sob.

“Nay, nay, that is not well, Miss Beatrix, what
could put such thoughts into your head ?”

“Tt is quite true! Gerald used to like me to be

with him all the time, but now he won’t let me go
84



GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 85

with them ; he says he cannot take care of me; as
if I wanted taking care of!” she cried indignantly.
“ T don’t think either he will let me ride with them
this afternoon, and it is so stupid with only John.”

“Oh, yes, dearie, I know he will; I heard him
ordering the horses for directly after lunch, and he
mentioned Tomtit specially ; so dry your eyes, my
bairn, and come with me to sort my linen.”

So away they went to the linen-closet, and Mason
looked over and counted her store, laying aside
such pieces as wanted repairing.

“Look what a lovely piece of darning, Miss Trix;
that is your grandmamma’s work; when are you
going to be able to do anything like it?”

“T don’t think I ever could do it so well, Mason.
Do you think I could?”

“Your grandmamma had to learn once, dearie,
’ and you can but do the same. I'll give you a piece
of linen and show you how to begin whenever you
like to try.”

“Can you do darning as well as that, Mason ?”

“No, Miss Trix, it needs a lady to work as well as



86 LITTLE TRIX, OR

that,” Mason said smiling, but in perfect good faith ;
“but I can teach you the beginning, and your
grandmamma will teach you the rest no doubt if
you ask her.”

« Well, I think I should like to begin now, please;
grandmamma said I did my fine stitching very well
for me.”

So, provided with a piece of old linen, Trix sat
down to take her first lesson in fine darning, and, in
its intricacies, forgot her grievance against Gerald
for his desertion. And Mrs. Levison passing the
door, looked in upon the little girl, and hearing
what she was about, said—

“Why, that is quite notable, and reminds me of
my first lesson in darning.”

“Oh, grandmamma, won’t you tell me about it?”

Mrs. Levison smiled, and sat down beside Trix.

“Tt was just before we left France,” she said,
“when I was about your age, and Katherine was
ten. We had been with my mother to the annual
sale of convent needlework. Ah! that was fine
work if you will! lovely embroidery of birds, and



GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 87

fruits, and flowers, and most exquisite lace. After
we got home Katherine was quite wild about it.
She wanted to go and take lessons from the sisters
in embroidery. And mamma said, ‘Yes, when you
can do a piece of fine darning, for that was one of
Katherine’s troubles. She could not darn nicely,
though in other ways very clever with her needle ;
and she felt that condition rather a hard one; still
she was very eager about the embroidery, and was
quite determined to win the lessons since it depended
on her own exertions. To spur her on still more,
mamma brought out a lovely inlaid box with imple-
ments for all kinds of work, and said we were both
to try, and she would give it to the one of us who,
at the end of a month, could show her the finest
piece of darning. We worked very hard, for the
box was a treasure we both very much desired to
possess ; hitherto we had only been allowed to look
at it on rare occasions, and as a great treat. To
possess it was beyond our wildest hopes. So we set
to work very diligently, and for some days our pro-
gress was pretty equal; then Katherine gained a



88 LITTLE TRIX, OR

little upon me, and I am afraid my temper was
somewhat tried by it. The next day her advantage
was more decided, and her delight was great ; when
suddenly her work seemed to lose its interest for
her—she would hold it listlessly in her hands
without taking a stitch. This continued for several
days, until mamma took her to task and pressed
for the reason of her unaccountable behaviour, when
she confessed it was because she saw I had set my
heart on the box, and she would not have me dis-
appointed.

«Your motive is a kindly one, and I am glad to
see that you can sacrifice yourself to your sister,
our mother answered, ‘but you are not in this
matter acting fairly either to yourself or Claude;
or respectfully to me in keeping back your best
efforts.’

“« Oh, mamma, how can that be?’ we both ex-
claimed at once.

««Tt is true, my daughters ; for you were both to
strive your utmost, and the box was to be the re-
ward of the one who was most successful. Now,



GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 89

Katherine, if you, whilst pretending to strive, do
less than your utmost, you are unfaithful both to
yourself and to Claude—and to me, for you will
cause me to give an unrighteous judgment when I
wish to be just between you. Besides, my dear,
she added, smiling, ‘how did you know that Claude
would not have caught you up, and gained the prize
honestly without any unfaithfulness on your part?’

“¢T did not think of that—perhaps she will, my
sister said, putting her arm round my neck. ‘But
suppose, mamma, we do equally well, what then ?’
she asked.

“ a smile; ‘your business is to do your work with
all your might—the rest is for me.’

“So after that we both worked again very hard,
and sometimes I did best, and sometimes Katherine ;
but when the month was out our work was so
nearly equal in merit that it would have puzzled
the best judge to say which was superior.

“So we kissed each other, determined that we
would not be disappointed however mamma awarded



90 LITTLE TRIX, OR

the box. I thought it should belong to Katherine,
because she was the elder; whilst she declared
mamma must give it me for the opposite reason,
that I was the younger. Then we went with our
work into our mother’s room, and she examined and
praised both our achievements as much as we could
desire, and, uncovering her little work-table, showed
"us two boxes so exactly alike, both inside and out,

that we did not know which was the old one and
which the new. That we were greatly delighted
I need not tell you. And our mother had still
a further pleasure in store for us; we were to
go into the forest and gather chestnuts, and roast
them in a fire we were to kindle of dried twigs,
ete. Ah! you cannot think what a lovely time we
had!”

“Oh, grandmamma, how nice!” Trix exclaimed.

“Well, now I must run away, for it is near
lunch time, and your grandpapa will be wanting
me.”

Hardly was Mrs, Levison gone wken the two boys
returned ; and Gerald, going up to Trix, said—



GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 91

“ Here, Bumble Bee, I’ve brought you something,”
and held out to her a nest of little birds just fledged.
It was a late brood of linnets,

The little girl started to her feet in delighted
surprise. “Oh, Gerald, you darling!” she cried,
stretching out her hands to receive the nest. “But
you did not take them, did you?” she asked in a
doubtful voice the moment after.

“Why, Trix, you ought to know me better than
to suppose I would do such a thing, even to please
you! No; I found them in the possession of a
young urchin in the village. I bought them from
him for twopence.”

“ Oh, dear, I wonder whether I shall be able to
feed them and bring them up,” Trix said.

“Yes; I’ll show you how. I had a nest just
like this once before, with three birds; one of the
creatures died, but two of them lived. I gave one
of them away, but the other was a very jolly little
fellow. He would sit on my shoulder and follow
me about everywhere. I used to put his cage out
on the terrace, and open the door; and he would



92 LITTLE TRIX, OR

come out and hop about on the grass or among the
shrubs during the day, and go back to his cage, and
be carried into the house at night.”

« And did he never fly away?” Trix and Godol-
phin asked in a breath.

“Well, he did at last. First he went for a day
quite away, and came back at night, just when I
was making up my mind that he was quite lost.
He came and perched on my shoulder, singing a
little song as if he meant to tell me all he had
seen. A few days after he went away again, and
did not return for a week. I never expected to
see him any more, when one morning he appeared
at the window where his cage was hung, and stayed
an hour or two. But then I had to go back to
school, so that I never knew whether that was
his last appearance.”

“ Weren’t you very sorry to lose him, Gerald ?”

“Well, yes, I was at first, until I remembered
that it was natural and right that he should pre-
fer his liberty and companions of his own kind to
me. Though, I fancy, if I had been staying at



GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 93

home he would always have paid me visits from
time to time—perhaps have brought a wife and
built a nest in the garden.”

“Oh, dear, I do hope these will live and get
tame! Do you think they will learn to know me
from other people?” Trix asked.

“Of course they will,’ Gerald pronounced un-
hesitatingly, and Godolphin said—

“Tt’s queer how birds do get to know and care
for people. Now my sister had a canary that was so
tame it would follow her about like a dog wherever
she went. Well, once she had to go away for a few
days, and she did not take it with her. Would you
believe it? the creature moped and refused its food
for near a week until she came home, and as soon
as it heard her voice, it tried to fly to her, but
dropped down dead at her feet.”

“How dreadful!” Trix said, quite overcome at
this sad ending.

“Yes, we were awfully cut up about it, I can tell
you. We buried him in the garden and put a
stone over him.”


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LITTLE TRI.
-Edinburgh: Printed by Thomas and Archibald Constable,
FOR

EDMONSTON AND DOUGLAS.

LONDON * + « « « + + HAMILTON, ADAMS, AND CO.
CAMBRIDGE .... . «. ~« MACMILLAN AND CO.
GLASGOW . . . . ». « « JAMES MACLEHOSE.

LITTLE TRIX

OR

GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS.

EDINBURGH:
EDMONSTON AND DOUGLAS.
13 Eo:
LITTLE TRIX

OR

GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS.
So
CHAPTER I.

One bright, sunny afternoon—it was early summer,
and the scent of roses and honeysuckle filled the
air. Little Trix sat under the plane-tree in the
garden playing with her doll. Her real name was
Beatrix Beresford, but she was such a mite of a
child that Beatrix seemed quite too long and hard
a name for her; so she was always called “Little
Trix.” On this summer day, as I said, she was playing
in the garden with her doll, sticking flowers into its
hair, and telling it about the fairies. “And,” she
was saying, “And as soon as they saw our beautiful

A
2 LITTLE TRIX, OR

oak-tree one of them cried out, ‘This will do, we
will hold our feast here to-night. And then they
began to clear the ground under the oak, to make
all the dead leaves and twigs the wind had blown
down to disappear, and then up grew the hig toad-
stools for tables, and such a feast as those fairies
did have! It was delicious, I can tell you, Miss Ada
(Ada was the doll’s name), though perhaps you and
I would not have liked it, because, you see, we are
not the fairies. It’s all true that I am telling you,
Ada ; if you won’t speak of it again I’ll tell you”—

And then little Trix bent her mouth close to the
doll’s face and whispered, “I saw them myself, Ada;
they were all taking Bie of hands and dancing
round the tree in a ring.”

When Little Trix had given her doll that piece of
information she leaned-her face thoughtfully on her
hand and was silent. She was remembering how
she had awakened in the night, and had been
tempted by the bright moonlight that streamed in
past the edge of the blind to get up and look out of
the window. The very first thing she saw was what
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 3

looked like a number of tiny white figures dancing,
as she had said, in a ring round the oak. Trix was
awe-stricken, but trembling with delight at the sight
she had so wished beyond everything to see, a fairy.
And behold! as she fancied, her wish was gratified.
After looking for some time it struck the little girl
that nurse might like to see the fairies. too, so she
forthwith crossed the room and awakened her. But
instead of being pleased nurse was very angry at
being disturbed, and threatened Trix with terrible
punishment next day if she did not immediately
get back into bed.

“T’ll tell your: papa, Miss Trix, that I will, and
he’ll let you know about fairies in our garden, see
if he don’t! Haven’t I told you how wicked it is to
tell stories ?”

“Indeed, nurse, it is quite true,” Trix began, but
nurse would not listen. “Get into bed directly,
you'll catch your death of cold,” was all she would
say. So the child crept back sorrowfully into bed,
making no further mention of what she had seen. But
the moment she was dressed and could escape next
4 LITTLE TRIX, OR

morning, down she ran to the oak, and there, sure
enough, were the toadstools on which she supposed
the fairies had spread their feast, and it never
occurred to her that it was the toadstools she had
seen and mistaken for fairies.

Whilst Little Trix sat with her doll on her lap
meditating on the strange sight she believed herself
to have beheld, there drove up to the door a carriage
and pair of horses. Now it was a carriage Trix had
never seen before, so she began wondering whose it
miyht be, and when she saw an old gentleman with
snowy-white hair, quite a stranger to her, get out and
enter the house, she wondered more. Who ever could

«he be? where had he come from, and what could he
want ? were questions Trix asked herself; but she did
not get up and go into the house to find out, for
her mamma was very particular in teaching her to
repress all signs of curiosity, so the little girl only
_sat still and wondered.

But presently out came nurse to fetch her.

“You are to come and see your grandpapa, Miss
Beatrix.” Then catching sight of her frock, soiled
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 5

and stained with the flowers she had crushed upon
it, nurse lifted her hands in dismay.

“ Bless the child!” she exclaimed, “how does she
contrive to make herself such a figure? I shall
have to put on her a clean frock.”

So Trix was marched off to the nursery, where,
under pretence of washing her face, nurse gave her
such a scrubbing as was quite a sufficient punish-
ment for having dirtied her frock.

“There ! now see you keep this one clean!” said
nurse, as she arrayed the little girl in a fresh white
frock and tied her sash. “There, you look pretty
now, if you would but keep so.”

“Yes, I’m pretty,’ Trix said complacently, sur-
veying her own image reflected in the looking-glass,
which was that of a fair blue-eyed child, with bright
yellow hair curling in little round rings all over her
head. Trix was eight years old, but she looked
younger, she was so small.

“Yes, I’m pretty,” she repeated, giving a tug to
her sleeve ribbon.

“Pretty is as pretty does,” said nurse quickly.
6 LITTLE TRIX, OR

She thought her charge was growing vain, and that she
would check the tendency at once, so she repeated,
“Pretty is that pretty does, you mind that, Miss
Trix.” Then, taking her by the hand, nurse led her
down to the drawing-room, where she found her
papa and mamma with the old gentleman whom she
had seen arrive in the strange carriage.

“Come and speak to your grandpapa, Queen Bee,”
Mrs. Beresford said smiling, as she entered the room,
and Trix went up to the old gentleman, who kissed
her and took her on his knee,

“So you are Beatrix,” he said, smiling and stroking
her hair.

“No, they call me Trix now, but when I grow up
nurse says I shall be Miss Beresford. Cousin Lizzie
is Miss Elizabeth, for though she is bigger and older
than I am, papa is older than Uncle William, and
that makes all the difference.”

«What is the child talking about?” Mr. Beres-
ford asked wonderingly of her mamma, whilst her
grandpapa laughed heartily.

“Why, papa, I heard nurse telling Rose; she
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 7

said Lizzie ought not to be called Miss Beres-
ford.”

“You should not repeat what you hear,” said Mrs. °
Beresford, not well knowing what else to say, and
then she began talking to grandpapa.

Meantime Trix was wondering how many grand-
papas a little girl might have, for she had two
besides this one, grandpapa Beresford and grand-
papa Atherton, who was gone to heaven. She had
always thought that one could only have two, so
what could be the meaning of this? Was it grand-
papa Atherton come from heaven to see them?
But she thought people never did come from heaven,
so how could it be! She turned to look at him
more attentively, but could not make up her mind,
for she had only a very. indistinct recollection of
her dead grandpapa, and could not be at all sure
whether he was like this or not. So after consider-
ing for some time she said,—

“Have you come from heaven, grandpapa ?”

They all looked at her in surprise, and grandpapa
repeated her words—
8 LITTLE TRIX, OR

“From heaven, child ?”

“Yes; mamma said grandpapa Atherton was gone
to heaven.” :

“ And do you think I am grandpapa Atherton ?”

“ Aren’t you? who then?”

“Your mamma’s grandfather, your great-grand-
father.”

“Mamma’s grandpapa! How funny! Are you
a hundred years old ?”

“ Not quite.”

“ How old then?”

But here mamma interposed with “Don’t be
rude, Trix.”

“Ts it rude to ask people how old they are?”
Trix asked.

“ At least it is better not,” grandpapa answered,
smiling.

“You did not tell me your name; is it Ather-
ton?”

“ No, Levison,—grandpapa Levison.”

“And why have you never been here before,
grandpapa Levison, and what made you come now?”
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 9

Trix asked with much curiosity, but before Mr.
Levison could answer, her mamma said—

“You had better go to the nursery, Beatrix.”

And the little girl got off her grandpapa’s knee,
feeling very much ashamed, for she knew her mamma
was sending her away because she had asked too
many questions. So she walked very slowly up to
the nursery, but when there she could not refrain
from speaking to nurse about the thought uppermost
in her mind.

“ Nurse, how is it that i never knew before that
I had a grandpapa Levison ?”

“Dear me! what questions the child does ask !”
exclaimed nurse by way of answer.

“Did you know, nurse ?”

“ Why yes, dearie, of course I did. I used to take
Miss Rosamond, that’s your ma, dear, to her grandpa’s
when she was as little as you be now.”

“ And why did you never tell me about it ?”

“ Well you see, Miss Trix, I didn’t just think about
it. It’s twelve years or more since I saw your
grandpapa, and in that time one forgets.”
10 LITTLE TRIX, OR

“T don’t see how anybody can forget, I never do,”
Trix said with a dignified little air, as if she had had
great experience, but nurse only smiled and went
on with her sewing.

The next morning Beatrix was out gardening, or
rather just at the time I am speaking of she was
leaning thoughtfully on her little spade. She had
been looking at the toad-stools and had found them
withering, from which she concluded that the fairies
had held their revels elsewhere during the past
night. But she could not help wondering, you know,
whether they would ever come again. She had a
great mind to tell her mamma what she had seen,
and ask her what she thought about it. But some-
how Trix could never make up her mind to speak
out to anybody about the things that filled her
mind, unless it were now and then to nurse, wha
looked upon this account of the fairies as an inven-
tion or a delusion of the little girl’s, and had for-
bidden her to speak of it. And suppose mamma
should look upon it in the same light! better
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 1l

perhaps to keep silence and bury the knowledge in
her own mind. While she was still considering the
subject a step sounded on the gravel, and looking up
she saw her grandpapa coming towards her.

“Good morning, Ladybird,” he said; “what are
you doing?”

“T was only thinking,” Trix answered.

“Thinking, were you? Then what would you
think about going home with me to see your grand-
mamma ?” :

Trix looked up at that and answered doubtfully—

“T don’t know; how far is it ?”

“ A long way ; two days riding in the carriage.”

“TI don’t know,” she repeated, looking very wise
and thoughtful. Then, “ Why did not grandmamma
come with you ?”

“She is not strong enough to make so long a
journey now, but she would like very much to see
her great-grandchild. We should like you to come
and live with us.”

“To leave papa and mamma? But I should not
like that at all” And then catching sight of her
12 LITTLE TRIX, OR

mother, who was just coming out on to the lawn with
baby on her arms, Trix ran up to her, exclaiming—

“Mamma, grandpapa wants me to go and live
with him and grandmamma !”

“Yes, dear, we have been talking about it,” Mrs.
Beresford said.

“But you don’t mean I’m to go, mamma, do
you?”

“Yes, dear, since grandpapa wishes it; we should
like you to go at least for a time. We should have
been glad of longer notice, but grandpapa must go
back to-morrow.” To-morrow! Poor little Trix!
She heard these words in the greatest dismay. She
knew it was very silly, but she could not help feeling
a little afraid to go with the grandpapa, who was
almost a stranger to her, to the grandmamma she
had never seen, to say nothing of her grief at parting
with all the things with which her life was familiar.
She thought it was very cruel of her mamma to let
her go, it would be worse than being sent to school,
with which she was sometimes threatened when
naughty. But she never spoke a word of all these
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 13

thoughts, but just stood there squeezing one little hand
with the other, and looking down at the ground as if
she wanted to see right through it; but she did not.
Poor child! she never even saw the grass on which
she was standing nor heard her mamma say, “ You
will be very happy there, Birdie.” So she made no
answer of either gladness or sorrow, and Mrs. Beres-
ford never guessed how grieved her little girl was,
nor knew that she cried herself to sleep that night
with the thought that on the morrow she would be
away from home and all the people she knew, with
not even nurse, for nurse must stay and attend to
the little baby sister.

But next day, when she kissed and said goodbye
to them all, little Trix never shed a tear, not when
her papa took her in his arms and bade her bea
good girl, nor when her mamma wrapped her cloak
about her and hoped she would be happy and con-
tent, even then Trix never said, as she was longing
to do, “ Let me stay at home, mamma!” but she
took her seat in the carriage beside her grandpapa
as quietly as if she were only going for an hour’s
14 LITTLE TRIX.

drive, instead of bidding goodbye to her home for
months.

“She is a strange child; she does not seem to
have any care or affection for anything,” Mrs. Beres-
ford said with a sigh, turning to her husband as the
carriage drove away.

“She is too young; we must not expect much
from her yet,” Trix’s papa answered, and went back
to his study. And neither he nor her mamma ever
knew that under their little daughter’s quiet un-
caring face lay hid a very sorrowful and desolate
heart. The little maid was saying to herself that
papa and mamma did not love her any longer, they
cared only for the new baby that had lately come
to them. Poor little lassie! she was only eight
years old, you know, and not very wise, so she
made herself very miserable without cause—all
because she had never learned to speak out about
the things that hurt her, and she often got credit
for being a sulky child, when in reality she was
bearing silently and bravely some pain or child-
sorrow that nobody knew of.
CHAPTER IL

As Mr. Levison had said, they were two days on
the journey, stopping all night at an inn on the
way, and once or twice on the road to change
horses. It was drawing towards the close of the
second day, and Trix was getting dreadfully tired,
and wondered how soon they would be at their
journey’s end.

“ How far is it now, grandpapa?” she was asking
for about the twentieth time, and instead of answer-
ing as he had done previously, “ We shall be there
soon,” Mr. Levison said, “ You will see the house as
soon as we come to the end of this road.”

You may be sure that on hearing that reply Trix
kept her eyes steadily fixed on the carriage windows,
in order that she might catch the very first glimpse

of her new home. She had no idea what sort of
16
16 LITTLE TRIX, OR

place it might be, but fancied it would be something
like the Rectory, her papa’s house.

“There it is !” said Mr. Levison, and he pointed
to a grand old castle, standing a little apart from a
village over which it seemed to be keeping solemn
guard.

“The castle, grandpapa?” Trix cried eagerly.

“Yes, Lyneburgh Castle. The old Hall, as it is
generally called by the good people about here.”

Now, next to seeing a fairy, our little maiden had
chiefly desired to see a real old castle, such as she
read about in her stories and the history of England.
And now to think she was going to live in one! It
almost took her breath away, and I could never tell
you half the strange thoughts and dreams that im-
mediately filled her mind.

Many a time all by herself in the garden Trix had
played at being a great lady, and living in a fortified
castle with moat and drawbridge. And now it was
all coming to pass! not quite all though. She was
disappointed to find neither moat nor drawbridge,
nor even was the place approached by a “ magni-
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. ye

ficent avenue of trees,” as were many of the castles
in the story-books. No! Lyneburgh had neither
park nor avenue, moat nor drawbridge, when little
Trix came to it the guest of her great-grandfather, its
then owner; but it stood up grim and solemn at
the top of the road that led between fields straight
up to its ponderous, prison-like gates. There had
been a time when all the land about, as far as the
eye could reach, had belonged to Lyneburgh Castle,
but those days were long gone by. The Levisons
of Lyneburgh had been growing poorer and poorer
for many generations back, until hardly anything
beside the old castle itself was left to its present
possessor, who was likewise the last of his name.
The carriage had reached the gates, which at its
approach were flung open with a heavy sound, and
Trix found that they had entered a large court-yard,
three sides of which were formed by the castle itself
and the fourth by a high thick wall, wherein was
the gate by which they had entered. With this
part at least Trix was satisfied, this was quite what it
should be; and a very important personage indeed
B
18 LITTLE TRIX, OR

did our little girl feel at “coming home” to so grand
a place.

“Ts all right, John?” Mr. Levison asked of a
servant who came forward to let down the steps of
the carriage.

“ All right, sir,” the man answered respectfully ;
and looking at him Trix saw that he was quite elderly.
Taking her by the hand, her grandpapa led her into
the castle, through an immense hall, with dark oak
wainscoting and open timber roof, and long narrow
diamond-‘paned windows, like a church, whilst
against the walls were shields bearing strange de-
vices, and banners, mixed with trophies of the chase,
pieces of old armour and weapons of bygone days.
Altogether it was very grand, but very dark and
gloomy, and rather chilly, although it was summer,
and the great centre lamp, big as it was, did not
half light the place. Out of this hall they passed
into a narrow passage, or what seemed such, coming
out of the large room, and ascended a flight of stone
stairs. Then Mr. Levison opened the door of a room
wherein sat a lady, and in the grate of which, not-
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 19

withstanding the time of year, a bright fire was
burning. As they emtered the room Mr. Levison let
go Trix’s hand and went up to the lady, while the child
stood still just where she was, without moving a step.
She had enough to do to examine the room, which was
just what you would have expected to find in such a
place, with walls and floor of dark polished oak, and
just a square of thick turkey carpet in the middle of
the floor, with the dark shining boards all round.
And such curious furniture! The chairs and tables
had queer carved and twisted legs ; and there were
not two things alike in all the room Trix thought.
Then there were pictures against the walls,—not
pretty. engravings or water-colours, as in the drawing-
room at home, but dark, sombre oil-paintings. But
she was interrupted in her survey of the room and
its contents by a voice asking,—“ Will you not
come and speak to me, dear?” And she started
impulsively forward towards the lady, whom she
now perceived to be quite old, but very grand and
stately. She was dressed in black velvet, with a
collar of point-lace almost large enough for a tippet,
20 LITTLE TRIX, OR

ruffles at her wrists to match, and a covering for
her head—a sort of veil—of the same material.
Her hair was soft and white as snow, and her voice,
although she was so old, had no harsh or discordant
tones in it, but was low and sweetly modulated, and
her utterance was as clear and distinct as—as an
English gentlewoman’s should ever be, to quote an
expression she herself would have used. Little Trix
thought then, and ever after, that her grandmamma
was one of the most beautiful old ladies that ever
lived, and there I fancy she was not far wrong.

Mrs. Levison did not take Trix on her knee, but
she put her arm about the little girl’s waist, and,
drawing her close, kissed her many times, then put
her a little away, to look at her the better, and then
kissed her again, stroking her yellow curls tenderly
and fondly.

“She is like Katherine,” Mrs. Levison said, after
a few minutes, and then she sighed deeply, as at the
remembrance of some past sorrow, and kissed the
little girl again; and Trix felt that she should love
her grandmamma very dearly.
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 21

“But the bairn is very tired, Claude; hadn’t she
better go to bed?” Mr. Levison said, and his wife
answered—

“Yes; I think you are right. Will you ring for
Mason ?”

And grandpapa rang the bell, whereupon there
entered an old woman, very sweet and gentle-looking,
whom Trix soon discovered to be her grandmamma’s
waiting-woman.

“ Here she is, Mason; I know you are dying to
have a peep at the child,” Mrs. Levison said plea-
santly, and Mason made answer as if it were full
explanation—

“J nursed Miss Katherine, ma’am.” And again
Trix heard her grandmamma sigh, but she smiled too
as she said—

“Well, take her away then, for I see she is too
tired to sit up any longer. Give her something to
eat. I suppose her room is all ready ?”

«Yes, ma'am,” Mason answered; and then, when
Trix had said good-night to her grandpapa and grand-
mamma, she took her by the hanil and led her from
22 LITTLE TRIX, OR

the room, through several passages and up another
flight of stairs, into the prettiest little sitting-room.
There she took Trix in her arms and kissed her even
more than her grandmamma had done, and, to the
little girl’s wonder, cried over her. Then suddenly
putting her down, she exclaimed,—

“Ah, what am I thinking of, and the bair so
tired and hungry too!” Then she added, “ This is
your day-room, Miss Beatrix, and this,” opening the
door of one leading out of it, “this is your bedroom.
Your grandmamma’s is next to it, on the other
side.”

“Oh, how nice!” Trix cried, in great delight. It
was such a rise in life to have two rooms all to
herself.

Then Mason brought her a cup of hot tea and
some bread and butter and cold chicken; and when
she had eaten it Trix was so sleepy she hardly knew
how Mason managed to put her to bed.

She was, nevertheless, awake in very good time
next morning, long before Mason came to dress her,

“which she did at half-past seven. Trix was very
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 23

anxious to be up and dressed, in order that she might
explore the place, for she meant to see every nook
and corner about it. Meantime she was asking a
great number of questions of Mason.

“Ts there no garden at all, Mason,—nothing but
the court-yard I saw last night ?”

“Oh, yes, darling, there’s the Pleasance. Come
and look!” And, drawing her to one of the windows
of the little sitting-room, she lifted the blind, and
Trix saw the most wonderful garden imaginable, or
go it seemed to her then; there were terraces, lying
one below another, with broad flights of steps, and
vases, and statues, and curious-shaped flower-beds,
bright with red and yellow and blue flowers. Trix
had never even dreamed of anything so wonderful.
She thought it was like Fairy-Land. The very trees,
many of them, were in the shape of beasts or birds,
two of them representing peacocks. And oh! greater
delight still, there were real live peacocks strutting
up and down the terrace near the house.

“ Won't you eat your breakfast now, my bairnie ?”
Mason said, but instead of answering Trix turned
24 LITTLE TRIX, OR

and asked a question she had wished to put the
night before had she not been so sleepy—

“Who is Katherine ?”

“Miss Katherine was your grandmamma.”

« Another grandmamma !” Trix cried, opening her
blue eyes to their full width.

“Your mamma’s mother, Mrs. Atherton.”

“Oh!” Trix said. She had heard her grand-
mamma Atherton spoken of. . At least they had the
portrait at home of a young lady in a white dress,
and she had often been told it was the portrait of
her grandmamma Atherton.

“She ’s dead,” Trix’ said quietly.

“Ay, the more’s the pity! The more’s the pity,
for we shall not see her like soon again,” Mason
said, speaking rather to herself than to Trix.

“Did you love her?” Trix asked, and Mason an-
swered, talking as if the child could understand it all.

“Love her! Who could have helped it? I was
under-nursemaid when she was a child, and own
maid to her when she grew bigger. I dressed her
for her wedding, and a sweeter, prettier bride was
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 25

never seen. She was only seventeen and before she
was nineteen she was dead.”

“She died when mamma was born,” Trix said
gravely. She had learned the fact from her nurse,
and now imparted it as a great piece of information.

But now Trix began to feel hungry, and advanced
to the table on which was set a cup and saucer, a jug
of new milk, and a loaf.

“Where’s the coffee, and why do I have my
breakfast here instead of with grandmamma ?” she
asked impatiently.

“ Mistress said you would take milk, Miss Beatrix,”
Mason said, pouring out a cupful.

“But I never do take milk, I hate it, and I want
to have coffee; mamma lets me,” Trix cried, getting
quite cross as she proceeded—

“TJ think, dearie, you had better take the milk
this morning, and explain to your grandmamma
afterwards that you do not like it,” Mason advised.

“JT won't drink it! I tell you it makes me sick,
and Ill have my breakfast with grandmamma. Do
you hear? I’ll not drink it!” Trix had worked
26 LITTLE TRIX, OR

herself into quite a passion now, and was proceeding
with still more energetic declarations when the door
opened softly, and a grave voice asked,—

“What is the meaning of all this noise?”

“Mason has given me milk for breakfast, grand-
mamma, and I cannot bear milk. I want coffee.”

“ My dear, I don’t consider coffee good for you, I
wish you to have milk.”

“TI won’t have milk, I hate it! I’ll go without
breakfast first !”

“T hope, my love, you will behave like a gentle-
woman, whatever else you do or do not. You can
go without breakfast, if you prefer to do so.” And
with those words Mrs. Levison closed the door as
softly as she had opened it, leaving Trix almost
beside herself with passion.

But there was nobody to take any notice ; Mason
had left the room and her grandmamma did not
return, so after a while she grew calm, and even
made an attempt to eat the bread and milk. By
this time she was very hungry, and when one is
hungry even bread and milk may be eaten witha
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 27

relish, As the time wore on she grew restless, and
longed very much to get out into the garden, but
she did not like to do so without leave, and conscious
how improperly she had behaved, she shrank from
meeting her grandmamma.

After nearly an hour had passed the door opened
and Mrs. Levison entered the room.

“Well, my dear?” she said.

Trix hung her head, feeling very much ashamed
as she replied—*“TI am sorry I was so rude; I did
not mean to be, but milk does make me sick.”

“That is nonsense, bairn; milk never made chil-
dren sick when I was young. ‘You must not in-
dulge in fancies of that kind.” And then Mrs.
Levison added very gravely indeed—« And, my
child, I heard you speak in a very unbecoming
manner to Mason. Now, I cannot permit such
conduct, and should it ever be repeated I should be
very much displeased with you. I expect you to
behave with politeness and consideration to Mason.”

“Mason is only a servant,” Trix said, with a little
inclination to pout.

*
.

28 LITTLE TRIX, OR

“True, but a servant who for more than forty
years has served us faithfully and devotedly. And
let me tell you, Trix, that a true gentlewoman is even
more careful to show every courtesy of speech and
manner to those in an inferior position in life, than
to those in her own station. Youare not old enough
to understand perhaps very fully what I mean, but
try and remember what I have said, and be very
gentle and courteous in requiring anything of a ser-
vant in future, there’s a dear child. Now you may
go into the garden and amuse yourself for a time.”

So into that wonderful garden Trix went, and
found it as pleasant even as she had anticipated,
and that is saying a great deal. Then she went
roaming over the house, in and out of its many
large, deserted, dilapidated rooms, that had once been
used and occupied, but now only harboured dust
and lumber, or perhaps some of them bats or owls.
Indeed, with the assistance of John, the servant,
Trix discovered a nest of young owls in a top room
of one of the turrets.

For many days our little girl found quite suffi-
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS, 29

cient interest and amusement in making acquaint-
ance with the place and its past history, stories of
which Mason was never tired of repeating to her.
The two were soon very great friends; Trix grew
fonder of her than she had been of her nurse, for
Mason never scolded her, and never grew tired of
her chatter, or at least never showed that she was
so, but treated her little mistress, as she called Trix,
with the most perfect deference. This might have
proved injurious to thelittle girl had not grandmamma
kept such good watch over her, and checked de-
cidedly and at once all signs of exaction or imperi-
ousness; at the same time setting in her own life
such a beautiful example of courtesy and considera-
tion for those about her. But you must not think
that Trix did nothing save amuse herself in those
days; no, from the very first day Mrs. Levison
required that she should learn certain lessons, and
do a portion of needlework. At first Trix did not like
it much, but as she made progress and felt her powers
drawn out by her grandmamma’s rare teaching, lesson-
time soon became the pleasantest part of the day.
CHAPTER III.

ONE day when Trix had been perhaps a week at
Lyneburgh, she was wandering about a still unex-
plored portion of the castle, when she came to what
seemed a long gloomy room, with its walls covered
with pictures. She was half afraid to go in, and
perhaps might not have ventured, if just then Mason
had not come to look after her, lest, as she said,
the bairn should lose herself in that great rambling
place.

“Oh, Mason, I want to go in here, but it’s nearly
dark.”

“Shall I draw up the blinds, dearie? and then
you can see the pictures ; this is the picture gallery,
you know.”

Trix said “yes” to the drawing up of the blinds,

and they went in.
30
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 31

“What black ugly pictures, and what queer folks!”
she cried, surveying with anything but flattering
recognition the portraits of her ancestors. “ What
are all these folks’ portraits kept here for, Mason ?
Who are they ?”

“Who are they, Miss Trix? They are the por-
traits of the Levisons, your ancestors, for several
hundred years back,’ Mason said, drawing herself
up a little, for she was as proud of the long lineage
and noble fame of the house she served, as though
she had been of its blood.

“Ancestors! What are ancestors?” Trix asked
with a puzzled air.

“ Ancestors are—don’t you know, Miss Beatrix ?
Ancestors are—grandpapas !”

At that explanation, which Mason gave with a
little air of triumph, Trix burst out laughing.

“T do think this is the queerest place, it’s nothing
but grandpapas! Is this a grandpapa too?” she
asked, stopping before the portrait of a beautiful
young lady.
32 LITTLE TRIX, OR

“ That was the Lady Blanche, Miss Trix, I wouldn’t
look at her; look at this one.”

“ But why should I not look at her? she’s much
the most beautiful.”

“Beautiful enough, bairnie, but she was not
good.”

“Tell me what she did.”

“Not to-day, darling.”

“Yes, just now, I want to know; I won’t go out
of this place until you tell me, so now begin, there’s
a good darling, Mason.”

When Trix coaxed, Mason could not resist, so,
though very doubtful of the propriety of telling her
story to the child, she could not turn a deaf ear to
her pleading. Then, too, her mind was full of
legends and traditions of the past life of Lyneburgh
Castle, and she liked to relate them to a sympathetic
listener, but especially did she like recounting them
to Trix, whom she wished to imbue with the same
enthusiastic love for the past of her people that she
herself felt, so she began to tell her the story of the
Lady Blanche.
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 33

“Come here, Miss Trix, and look out of the win-
dow. Do you see the sea?”

“The sea, Mason! can one see the sea from
here?”

“Ves, see, that long white line, like silver, that is
the sea. It is five miles away. Well, once on a
time, a hundred years or more ago, there was one
night a great storm, and a vessel went down just off
the coast opposite. Sir Godfrey went down to the
shore first thing next morning to see if there was
anything to be done, but all the souls on board the
vessel had gone down with her except one little
child, a girl, who had been washed ashore. There
she sat on the beach, and would not let anybody
touch her. She said her name was Lady Blanche,
but not another word could they get out of her.
The women would have taken her home and tended
her, but she would not move or reply to anything
they said. But as soon as she saw Sir Godfrey, she
walked straight up to him, saying,—‘I will go home
with you.’

“Now Sir, Godfrey had a son about the little

Cc
34 LITTLE TRIX, OR

lady’s age, but his wife had been dead a long time,
so when Lady Blanche said she would go home
with him, he thought there might be two opinions
as to that, for a home without a mistress was
hardly the place to take a motherless little girl to;
but when he looked at her bonny face, and heard her
say again, ‘I will go home with you,’ instead of
telling her that that could not be, he just took her
in his arms and kissed her, saying that she should.
So Lady Blanche went home to Lyneburgh, and from
that day forth was treated exactly as if she were a
born daughter of the house. Master Cecil gave in
to her in everything, and Sir Godfrey seemed to
love her better than he did his own son; the thing
he feared most was that some day her people should
turn up and claim her.”

“Well, Mason, what next?” Trix asked eagerly,
for Mason had stopped.

“Well, Miss Trix, time went on and Master Cecil
went to school and college, and then abroad. And
Lady Blanche—she was always called Lady Blanche
—grew up more and more beautiful every day,
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 35

until she was the talk of the county, and lovers
came from far and near. But she would not marry
any of them; she laughed in their faces, and said
she was too happy to change her condition. And
Sir Godfrey was right glad when she made such
answers, for he had set his heart on her marrying
Master Cecil, and then he thought she would stay
always at the castle, for he had grown so fond of her
he could hardly bear her out of his sight. The ser-
vants and folk about almost wondered why, for the
Lady Blanche, notwithstanding her beauty, was so
wild and queer-tempered, that sometimes it was quite
dangerous to go near her, and even Sir Godfrey
himself was not spared from her storms of passion.
But he could see no fault in her, she had so fas-
cinated him by her beauty and her little ways.
Well, at last Master Cecil came home, and there
were great rejoicings among the people, and a house
full of guests to welcome him. Among the rest
came gentle Agnes Lisle with her mother. For a
day or two Cecil was as charmed as everybody else
by Lady Blanche’s beauty, for he had not seen her
36 LITTLE TRIX, OR

then for two or three years. Everybody thought
they would be married, for Sir Godfrey’s wishes
were pretty well known, and it was plain to see
that Lady Blanche cared more for Cecil than for
anybody else; but he could not stand her terrible
temper, which broke out even to him, and before a
week was out he thought Lady Blanche’s beauty
was as nothing compared to Agnes Lisle’s gentle-
ness and goodness. And one day, when they were
walking together in the garden, he told her so, and
asked sweet Agnes to be his wife. As it happened
the Lady Blanche was behind the trees and heard
them, she was just mad with rage, and came and
stood before them, and cursed them and their house
for ever. She said that the first-born of the Levi-
sons, so long as the house lasted, should either
marry unhappily, or die within the first year of
being married.”

“ What a wicked woman, Mason!”

“Did I not tell you so, Miss Trix? Well, that
night she ran away and was never heard of more.”

« And did Cecil marry Agnes?”
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 37

“Ay, he did—but he was killed the day his
first baby was born, and his wife died of grief when
they told her.”

“JT think that is a very disagreeable and stupid
story, Mason!”

“ You would have me tell you, Miss Trix.”

“Well, never mind, who was this one 2?”

“That, Miss Trix, was Mistress Theodosia; she
was— ”

“Oh! I hear grandpapa calling on me—please
tell me another day, Mason,” and Trix ran away
to meet her grandpapa at the end of the gallery.

“Why, Birdie, you’ve chosen a queer playing-
place,” he said, smiling. “Would you like to go
for a walk ?”

_ “Jndeed I should, grandpapa,” was the quick
reply. f

“Get your bonnet and come along then,” and
in a very few minutes the two were walking
down the road leading to the village. It was a
very pleasant walk that, and was, moreover, the
first Trix had taken since she came to Lyneburgh;
38 LITTLE TRIX, OR

then, too, it was a great treat to be with grand-
papa. But the walk was fated to be interrupted,
for before they had gone very far a carriage passed
them slowly, or rather was in the act of passing,
when a head was thrust out of the window, and a
voice said,—

“Arthur, is that you? I was just wishing to
see you.”

To which Mr. Levison answered, “ Why, what’s
the matter, Temple? Nothing wrong, I hope ?”

“No; only I had to see Plummer about those
wearisome deeds, and I thought you would perhaps
go with me.”

“To be sure,” Mr. Levison answered.

“Then will you get in and come now 2”

“Why,—here ’s the bairn.”

“Oh, bring her along, she ’ll enjoy the drive, and
it will save time. Whose bairn is it?” This last
question, as Trix was being put into the carriage by
her grandpapa.

“My great-grand-daughter,—Katherine’s grand-
child,” Mr. Levison answered.
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 39

“ Ah, poor little Kate,” the stranger murmured
softly, and Trix looked at him more attentively.
He was quite old, nearly as old as her grandpapa;
indeed, they had been at school together, and had
kept up ever since the friendship formed there; but
somehow she did not like his face so well as her
grandpapa’s. She thought it looked cross and fret-
ful. The two gentlemen talked between themselves,
whilst Trix looked out of the carriage window;
and, if the truth must be told, wished herself back
in the castle garden, which would have been much
pleasanter than sitting there. But presently the
stranger gentleman turned to her abruptly, saying,—

“ How old are you, Kate?”

“My name is not Kate, and mamma said we
should not ask people how old they are,” Trix
answered, gravely.

“Task your pardon,” said the old gentleman,
making her a bow, and looking very much amused.
«Won't you tell me your name? How then shall
I distinguish you among my acquaintance? I think
I must call you Elf.”
40 LITTLE TRIX, OR

Trix laughed and shook her head. “ My name is
Beatrix,” she said.

“Beatrix! It’s not half so good a name as Elf,
now, is it?” the stranger asked.

But Trix did not know what to say to that, so she
wisely said nothing; but she began to think she
had been mistaken in fancying the stranger cross.

“ Have you got a doll, Elf? he asked.

“Not at the castle, but I have at home,” she
answered.

“Not got a doll! What is your grandpapa think-
ing of? I hope you tease him every day for one?”

“Indeed but I don’t! And I do not think he
would buy me one if I did. Grandmamma would
not like me to do so,” Trix answered quickly, and as
if she thought her honour were concerned.

“Lord Temple is quizzing you, Bee,” her grand-
papa said, smiling.

“But wouldn't you like a doll now?” Lord
Temple asked.

But Trix only shook her head, and said, “ I have
not got one,” as if that quite settled the matter,
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 41

whereat Lord Temple laughed.. Then suddenly he
exclaimed, “Here we are!” and pulled the check-
string for the carriage to stop opposite a large toy-
shop. For by this time they had reached the town,
which was about four miles distant from Lyneburgh,
and which was Lord Temple’s destination.

“What are you going to do here?” Mr. Levison
asked in surprise.

“ Buy the child a doll, if you have no objection.”

Mr. Levison only laughed, he knew his friend
well, and did not attempt to oppose him—which
Trix’s eager sparkling eyes would have prevented
him doing had he been so inclined, but he was not.
So into the shop they all three went, and dolls of
all sorts and sizes were exhibited before them.
But choice was not so very difficult, for there was
one bigger and prettier than all the rest, with beau-
tiful wax feet and hands, dressed in a pink silk
frock. Lord Temple was not long in discovering
that all Trix’s heart had gone out to this beauty,
though she would not ask for it. So without more
ado it was bought, and proud and happy our little
42 LITTLE TRIX, OR

girl carried it to the carriage, feeling richer in its
possession than she had ever done in her life before.

Then they drove to the office of Lord Temple’s
man of business, and whilst the gentlemen went in
to consult with him, Trix sat in the carriage, nursing
her beautiful new treasure, and did not find the
time she had to wait either long or dull.

“What are you going to call her?” Lord Temple
asked, when they were on the way home.

“T don’t know; I cannot think of a pretty enough
name for such a doll,” she answered.

“Call her Lady Maria Compton ; she was a pretty
enough doll anyway,” Lord Temple said, quite bit-
terly, roused by some sudden remembrance. Trix
thought he was cross.

“Can you not forgive her yet, Temple?” Mr.
Levison said, laying his hand on his friend’s arm.

And Trix wondered very much what it all meant,
but only gathered that her doll was to be called
Lady Maria Compton, at which she was very sorry,
for it was not a pretty name. But she thought
Lord Temple wished it, and as he had given her
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 43

the doll, she did not like to tell him she would have
preferred some other name for it.

“Don’t forget me, Elfie,” he said, on bidding them
good-bye at the castle gate.

“No, indeed!” Trix answered, as if it were quite
an impossibility. And she wondered how she
could ever have thought him cross,
CHAPTER IV.

“GRANDMAMMA, Mason is going down to the
village about the fruit; may I go with her?” Trix
asked, coming into the room where Mrs. Levison
was sitting.

“Yes, if you like, dear,” Mrs. Levison answered.

Trix ran for her things, and soon was going down
the road with Mason. Jumping and skipping, the
little girl started on her walk in high spirits, but
presently she settled into more staidness, though
only to chatter as fast as her tongue could go.

She was relating to Mason some story she had
made up, the scene of which was laid in the castle,
and she was saying—

“And so everybody believed he was dead, you
know ; all but the Lady Rosalie, and nothing could

persuade her but that he was alive, and would come
44
GRANDMAMMA’s LESSONS. 45

back some day, and they would be married as it
was all arranged. So when they wanted her to
marry Sir Hubert, she would not, but told them she
was sure Sir Ernest was alive, and, anyway, she
would marry nobody else. Then her father was
very angry, and locked her up in her bedroom, and
let her have nothing to eat but bread and water,
for he said she should marry Sir Hubert, whether
she wanted to or not. Well, what do you think
happened? Lady Rosalie spent all her time looking |
out of the window, and one day she saw Sir Ernest
come riding up to the castle. He looked quite ill
and altered, but she knew him, and oh! how glad
she felt that she had not married Sir Hubert. She
thought now that her father would come and fetch
her down to meet him, that his anger would be all
gone, and they would be quite happy again as in
the days before Sir Ernest had gone to the wars.
But she was mistaken ; instead of being glad to see
the poor knight, her father made them shut the
castle gates upon him, pretending not to know him.
Then poor Lady Rosalie pined and grew sick, and
46 LITTLE TRIX, OR

thought she would try to make her escape. So one
morning, when they came to her room, they found it
empty, and the window open. And they said she had
killed herself trying to get away. Ever since then
her ghost may be seen walking to and fro in that
room at twelve o’clock at night. Did you ever see it,
Mason?” Trix put this question quite suddenly.

“T, Miss Trix? Heaven forbid! Why do you ask
me such a question ?”

“Oh! [thought you might. It was at Lyneburgh
Castle it happened, you know.”

“Bless me! the bairn talks as if she believed her
own inventions!” At which Trix laughed in high
glee, and then walked quietly the rest of the way
until they reached the cottage where the woman
from whom they were to get the fruit lived. Mason
went in to arrange with her, but Trix stood outside
in the sunshine, admiring the flower-borders of the
garden. Presently she began to move slowly down
the walks, until she came to a large strawberry-bed.

“Are they quite over, or are there any left, I
wonder,” she said to herself, and she bent down and ;
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 47

lifted up the leaves, discovering some of the largest
and loveliest strawberries she had ever seen in her
life. Looking hastily round to see if anybody was
watching her, and perceiving nobody, she plucked
the luscious fruit and transferred it to her mouth.
It was very wrong, as Trix knew, but she did not
stop to think of that; her one desire at the moment
was to get as many strawberries as possible eaten
before she was discovered. But all at once a rook
from an opposite tree began to caw, startling her into
full knowledge of what she was doing. It was just
as if somebody had said, “ Trix, you are stealing!”
and she jumped up red all over with shame and very
conscience-stricken. And there watching her, and
looking strangely sorrowful, stood Mason with the
old woman to whom the garden belonged behind
her. She had never felt so bad in all her life before,
she could not bear to meet Mason’s eye, and instead
of just staying and confessing her sorrow and re-
pentance, she made a dash past them and out at the
garden-gate. Up the lane she rushed until she was
out of breath, and then.flung herself on the bank
48 LITTLE TRIX, OR

by the roadside, crying as if her heart would
break.

“Oh! how could I do it! What would mamma
say ?” she exclaimed to herself, and then burying her
face in her hands she cried still more, and would not
lift her head when Mason got up to her and tried
to comfort her in the bitter shame she was feeling.

“How could I? How could I?” she moaned.

“Whisht then, darling; whisht, my little lamb;
ye didna think to do wrang, and God will just
pardon ye, gin ye ask Him. ODinna greet sae,
He’s no a hard Master when His bairns repent,”
Mason said, putting her arm round the little girl,
and falling into her native Scotch, as in her earnest-
ness she was sometimes wont to do. She did not try
to persuade the child that she had done no wrong;
she was too good and strict herself for that, but
she did want to comfort the child who was taking
her sin so much to heart. But her comfort was
beyond what Trix could take in yet. Indeed I
think she was too much ashamed and mortified yet
to be truly repentant, and so in a condition to
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 49

receive real comfort; but in answer to Mason’s
entreaties she got up and walked towards the
castle, holding her head down, and sobbing now
and then. I think she had meant to go straight up
to her own room, and there hide her shame, but
Mrs. Levison was in the hall as they entered, and
perceived at once the sad tear-stained face of her
little grand-daughter. Drawing Trix gently towards
her, she asked with great tenderness—

“What is the matter with my wee bairnie ?”

Then, with many tears and sobs, Trix told her
story, finishing with the ery—

“ Now punish me, grandmamma, I will bear any-
thing ;” but grandmamma only drew the little girl
closer and stroked her hair, murmuring, “Poor
child! poor wee childie!” in so sad and grieved a
tone that Trix forgot to be ashamed any longer, and
was only sorry, but so sorry she did not know what
to do.

“A little boy was sent to prison, Trix, the other
day for doing no worse than you have done,” Mrs.
Levison said, still gently stroking the yellow curls.

D
50 LITTLE TRIX, OR

“To prison, grandmamma!” Trix cried, and shud-
dered at the thought.

“Yes, his mother was sick, and fancied some
strawberries, and the lad, who had no money to buy
her any, saw some in a garden and went and took
them. The owner caught him and took him before
a magistrate, who sent him to prison.”

“Oh, grandmamma, but I think it was wicked
to send him to prison for that,” Trix cried, forgetting
herself in her interest for the boy.

“My bairnie would not like it,” Mrs, Levison said
very softly.

Trix was silent for a long time, then she said
humbly, “ What must I do, grandmamma ?”

“How much money have you, dear?”

“A silver fourpence and two pennies,” she
answered,

“Then I think, love, you must carry it to Mrs.
Watts, and tell her you are sorry, and that it is
in payment for what you took.”

“But I’m sure I did not eat sixpenny worth,
grandmamma.”
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 51

“Very likely not, dear, but you cannot tell, and
you had better pay more than less, for it is you, not
Mrs. Watts, who must suffer for your sin.”

“Yes, grandmamma, Mason shall take it.”

“Nay, my love, but you must take it yourself.”

“Oh, grandmamma !”

“Ought you not to go yourself, Trix?” Mrs.
Levison asked gently.

“Yes, grandmamma,” she answered, slowly hang-
ing down her head, for she shrank very much from
the thought of doing it; but Mrs. Levison had no
intention of letting her off; she meant her to learn a
lesson that should be for all her life. Little Trix had
sinned, and she must do all in her power to repair
that sin, and not only so, she must face bravely all
the consequences of her wrong-doing.

Grandmamma was not angry, but she could not
excuse her little girl any portion of what her wrong-
doing entailed; she could only strengthen her to
bear it, for she said—“ God never lets us off: He
forgives us, that is, He is not angry with us, but He
punishes us all the same. If we do naughty things
52 LITTLE TRIX.

He does not turn them into good ones, however
sorry and repentant we may be. But He stands by
and helps us to bear it, and so to grow stronger and
better in the future.” So Trix went down again with
Mason to the village, and made her confession and
her payment to Mrs. Watts, and she did not soon
forget the lesson she had learned.
CHAPTER V.

Trix had a bad headache, at least she said it was
very bad, though when Mason proposed that she
should rest on her bed for awhile, the little girl
objected; she preferred to lay her head on Mason’s
shoulder, making little moans at intervals over her
pain, That was all very well so long as Mason
could spare the time, but fortunately for the little
girl she had other duties that required her attention,
and Trix sought her grandmamma’s company.

“Oh, grandmamma, my head is so bad,” she said.

“T’m very sorry, love; come and lie on the couch
and I will cover you up until it is better.”

“It makes it worse to lie down; I will sit down
on this low chair,” Trix answered, and she sat down

resting her head on her hand and looking very
58
54 LITTLE TRIX, OR

doleful, occasionally uttering a little moan or an
“ Oh dear,” as she had done when with Mason.

Mrs. Levison bore it for some time in silence, then
suddenly, half aloud and half to herself, she said,
“How shall I teach the child to have some self-
control, so that when she grows older she may not
be a burden to herself and all around her whenever"
she has any little ailment!” Then she called Trix
to her side and asked her gravely, “My child, does
it do your head any good to moan and complain in
that way ?”

Trix hung her head in confusion.

“ Because,” her grandmamma went on, “ if it does
I have nothing to say; but if not, it is a very bad
habit to fall into, and you must strive with all your
might against it. If your head be really bad, I
think it must make it worse.”

Still Trix made no answer; she felt ashamed of
having made so much ado about her little suffering,
and the tears began to fill her eyes, on seeing which
her grandmamma said quickly—

“Do not cry, my dear; that is very bad for a
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 55

headache, but come and lie down.” And she rose
and placed the little girl upon the sofa, covering her
up snugly. Then she took a clean handkerchief, and,
having dipped it into some eau-de-Cologne mixed
with water, she laid it on Trix’s head.

“Now, love, you are to lie quite still, and not
speak a word until you are better.”

So Trix lay quiet, and very soon she had fallen
into a sound sleep, from which she waked up much
refreshed.

“T am quite better now, grantmamma; I think
the eau-de-Cologne is wonderful for a headache,” she
said, sitting up quite bright and rosy from her sleep.

“Then, bairnie, I shall give you a bottle, so that
the next time you have one you can just use it in
this way, and lie down on your bed at once; so you
will get well quickly, and not tease any one with
your complaints.”

Trix looked a little doubtful at this. “I did not
mean to tease, grandmamma,” she said.

“To, my child, I am aware of thet. That is why
you must not allow yourself to fall into any habits
56 LITTLE TRIX, OR

that might cause annoyance to others, but must
exercise self-control from the beginning. And you
can surely see that it must be very trying to your
friends to hear a constant complaiiting about little
troubles that cannot be helped.”

“Yes, grandmamma, but is one never to say when
one is ill? How can one help?” she asked.

“I don’t know, Trix; but I think for myself I
should like to bear what had to be borne, whether
sickness or mental pain, so cheerfully and silently
that nobody should guess I was bearing, and be
pained for me.”

Mrs. Levison had drawn Trix to her side, and was
smiling upon her as she said this; but as she
finished speaking she got up, and, opening the
drawer of a little cabinet standing behind her chair,
she took from it what she called a “manacle;” it
was a bracelet of black velvet, fastened by a gold
clasp, containing a miniature portrait of a young
lady, set round with pearls.

“This is a portrait of my sister,” Mrs. Levison
said, putting it into Trix’s hand,
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 57

“Oh! how beautiful!” Trix exclaimed, looking
earnestly on the picture.

“T shall tell you about her,’ Mrs. Levison said,
reseating herself, and putting her arm round Trix as
she stood beside her. “There were only us two,
Katherine and myself—TI mean our parents had no
» other children, and we lived in France—’”

“Tn France, grandmamma?” Trix exclaimed in
surprise.

“Yes, dear, we were born in France. Our mother
was a Frenchwoman, but our father was English,
Ah! what pleasant times we had in those olden
days in beautiful France. I suppose there must
have been dull and disagreeable days then, but I do
not remember any. Looking back, it seems to me
as if the sun must always have shone then.” And
Mrs. Levison laughed softly.

“What used you to do?” Trix asked eagerly.

“We played and took long walks, or worked
with mamma. I do not know what else, but we
were very happy little girls. And once papa took
us to Paris, and we saw the beautiful Queen Marie
58 LITTLE TRIX, OR

Antoinette, and the Dauphin, and Madame Royale,
the young princess, you know.”

“Oh, grandmamma, were you in that dreadful
French Revolution ?”

“No, only on the edge of it, so to speak. Papa
brought us to England at the first threatenings of
the storm, and that brings me back to Katherine.
Soon after we came to England she began to show
signs of delicacy ; she was not exactly ill, but her
strength seemed quite gone; the least exertion
wearied her and brought on violent headaches. In
consequence of all this, Katherine, who hitherto
had been blessed with the sweetest and brightest
temper imaginable, was in danger at this time of
becoming fretful and peevish. So one day my
mother took her aside and warned her that, as she
would be liable to this sort of weakness all her life,
if she did not now struggle hard to form habits of
self-control and patient endurance, she would be-
come a burden to herself and to all her friends,

“«Well, I would not for worlds be like Lady

Huntley,’ Katherine said, naming an acquaintance
Â¥
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 59 *

who always wearied us with the long accounts she
gave of her ailments, and the moans she made over
her sufferings.

“But our mother did not approve of remarks on
our neighbour's failings, so she said quickly—

“No, my daughter will strive rather to be like
unto Him who is our Master, and to practise that
charity which beareth all things and hopeth all
things, thinking no evil’” Mrs. Levison stopped
there as if her thoughts were busy with the past.
Trix waited awhile, but finding that her grand-
mamma did not continue, she asked,—

«And did your sister never cry out or complain
again ?”

Mrs. Levison smiled at the eager little girl.

“T cannot say that,” she replied; “but it was
wonderful how bright and gladsome she taught her-
self to be, how considerate for others. And that
notwithstanding that she had to be denied nearly all
the pleasures and pastimes natural to her youth;
and well was it for her that she had so trained her-
self, for in after years when she was married and had
60 LITTLE TRIX, OR

children she suffered from a terrible internal disease
which finally caused her death. But so well had
she learned to put aside her own sufferings and
enter into the joy of others, that until almost the
end we did not so much as guess what she was
enduring. When we knew that we must soon lose
her from among us, and realized all that she had
borne with such cheerful grace, we wondered at her
strength of mind, and at first almost felt it unkind
in her to have kept the sad knowledge from us, but
when we told her so she only smiled and said—

“<«Tf you could have helped me ever so little I
would not have hidden it from you, but you could
not ; why then should I have laid that burden on
your spirits? besides, I would not have cast a
cloud over the children’s lives, as it must have done
had you all known. ”

Mrs. Levison stopped speaking, and laid her cheek
upon her hand, as if lost in thought or remem-
brance.

“It was very brave,” Trix said, heaving a deep
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 61

sigh, as if oppressed with the weight of it, and her
grandmamma looked up quickly—

“Have I tired my bairnie? Was my story too
hard for her ?” she said, patting Trix’s hand. “But
I must make the most of my time to teach her all
I can, and though it be hard now, she will remem-
ber the lesson in days to come when its meaning
will be plainer than now. Will you not like to go
out now, little one, for a breath of fresh air? Fetch
your hood, and we will go into the garden and you
shall help me to tie up my flowers.”
CHAPTER VI.

THE days passed very happily with Trix at Lyne-
burgh. It was August now, and she had been two
months at the Castle, but there was no talk of her
going home; nor did she wish it; she was happy
and content, and the delight of her grandparents’
hearts. She had never before, not even at home, felt
her life so surrounded with affection; but neither
had she ever before been kept in such strict order,
and made to fulfil the duties of her position as they
arose as she now was by her grandmamma. But it
was pleasant rather than otherwise to feel the re-
sponsibilities of life.dawning upon her, and to recog-
nise that she had been sent into the world with a
purpose. You are not to think from this that Trix
was ceasing to be a child and childlike ; it was not

so ; it was only that she was learning that she had
62
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 63

duties to perform as well as good things to receive,
and that she had been born for something beyond
amusing herself. : ;

She was standing one day at the door of her
room, her doll in her arms, debating with herself a
little what she should do.

“JT wonder whether grandmamma could do with
me,” she said to herself. “But perhaps, as she is
going to get up, I had better not go; it might tire
her. I think I will go into the garden.”

Mrs. Levison had been confined to her room for
several days with a severe cold, but she was better
now, and had expressed her intention to resume
her usual habits should she feel no worse after
luncheon. So Mason had told Trix. Instead then of
going to her grandmamma’s room, as she had fre-
quently done at this time of day, she turned to go
down-stairs, but stopped a moment before the open
door of a room on her way.

“Ts it nearly ready, Mason ?” she asked.

“Yes, Miss Trix; Jane is just finishing it up,”
64 LITTLE TRIX, OR

Mason answered, coming out of the room to where
Liz stood.

“But, Mason, I don’t understand why this Gerald
is coming here.”

“Why, Miss T'rix, he’s your grandpapa’s ward, and
he always does come here for his holidays ; didn’t
your grandmamma tell you?”

“No, she only said he was coming, and I did not
ask about him. Grandmamma will be able to go
into the oak parlour to-day, won’t she, Mason ?”

“T hope it, dearie.”

“ And grandpapa will be home again too. That
will be delightful. Is Gerald nice, Mason ?”

“ We all think so, Miss Trix.”

“ Are his holidays long ?”

“Well, you see, darling, he’s not going back to
school. He is going to sea soon, so I don’t know
how long he will be at home.”

“ What time will he come 2?”

“ About five, I think, in time for dinner.”

“Very well, I’m going to take Lady Maria out for
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 65

a walk on the terrace. Don’t you think, Mason, it
will do her good to be out in the air a little?”

“T haven’t any doubt of it, Miss Trix. Shall I
carry her down the stairs for you?”

“Tf you please.”

So Mason carried the doll, which was almost as
pig as Trix’s self, down to the garden. And the
little girl settled herself to her play all alone, but
she was not lonely. No indeed! she and Lady
Maria were never at a loss for amusement. They
held long conversations together—Trix, of course,
speaking for Lady Maria; or the doll would repre-
sent some grand lady on whom Trix had come to
call, and would sit up stiff in the garden-seat, look-
ing very grand in the pink silk frock and wreath
of fresh daisies; or, again, they would go through
some scene from the last story-book Trix had read,
as to-day, after this wise: The Lady Seraphina just
paying a visit to her old friend Princess Carrabas—
“JT hope I see your Highness well this morning.
You were not at the ball at the Palace last night, at
least I did not see you there. Her Majesty was

E
66 LITTLE TRIX, OR

very gracious, and the Princesses looked lovely.”
Lady Maria, speaking by Trix,—“ Was the King of ©
Bohemia there?” ‘Yes, indeed he was, and looking
so handsome that all the ladies declared he was the
only proper person to marry the lovely Princess Imo-
gen, for where would you find two such handsome
people again?” Lady Maria,—“But the Princess
Imogen is very bad tempered. Sweet little Princess
Violette, if not so pretty, would be much pleasanter
to live with.” Trix,—* Ah! yes; I quite agree with
your Highness there. The Princess Violette is the
sweetest tempered person one can imagine. It was
very unkind in her Fairy Godmothers not to give
her more beauty.”

“Fairy Godmothers!” said a voice at the little
gil’s side. “Has your Grace come from Fairyland,
and did you remember to leave the gate open against
your return ?”

She looked up and saw a tall gentlemanly lad,
of between fourteen and fifteen, standing beside her,
looking very much amused, but very good-natured.

« Are you Gerald ?” she asked.
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 67

“T have that honour, if it be one,” the boy
replied.

« And you, your Grace, are one of the ladies of
Queen Titania’s court, are you not?”

The question was put so gravely that for a moment
Trix did not know what to make of it or the ques-
tioner, so she said —

“T don’t know what you are talking about.”

« About your home in Fairyland and your good
Queen. She 7s good, is she not 2”

So saying Gerald Cheveleigh flung himself on the
‘grass beside her, and looked as if he expected an
answer to his question. And, looking at his bright
good face, Trix felt that she had the most entire con-
fidence in him, and very soon found herself relating
the account of her own vision of the Fairies, to all of
which Gerald listened very attentively and sympa-
thetically. He would not on any account have dis-
turbed the child’s faith in her vision; he knew she
would outgrow it fast enough, without the expression
of any rude doubts from him, though he knew quite
68 LITTLE TRIX, OR

well it was nothing but the white toadstools she had
seen from her window.

“What a beautiful doll you se got,” he said,
when Trix had done speaking.

“Yes; isn’t she? Lord Temple gave her to me.
Do you know Lord Temple ?”

“T’ve seen him.”

“Do you like him 2?”

“Pretty well. How long has grandmamma been
ill 2”

“ A week, but she is better now; and grandpapa
has been at Lord Temple’s more than a week, but he
is coming home to-day. I say, does anybody know
you are come?” Trix asked, suddenly awaking to the
fact that the young gentleman had arrived sooner
than he had been expected.

“Yes; I sent word up to grandmamma, but she
could not see me yet, and, as you say, grandpapa
has not yet returned.”

“So you came tome. That was right. Did you
know I was at the Castle?”

“Yes; grandpapa wrote me word,”
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 69

“ Aren’t you glad you got away from school ?”

“TJ like coming home, of course, but school was
very good too.”

Just then a great black beetle had found its way
up to Trix’s knee. She shook it hastily off, and was
about to set her foot upon it, as she had often seen
her nurse do on like occasions, but Gerald stayed
her hand, asking quietly,—

“ How do you know, Trix, that it is not a fairy ?”

She looked at him half wonderingly. “How can
it be?” she asked.

“Have you forgotten that fairies have the power
to change themselves to any form they please, and
that they sometimes appear to people as mice, or
beetles, or spiders, in order to find out whether
they are good and gentle or not ?”

“Do you think that beetle was a fairy?”

“Nay, that I cannot say; but if it was not, it
was one of God’s creatures; and, unless it was
doing you harm, and there was no other way to
prevent it, you had no right to kill it.”

“Nurse does,” Trix said.
70 LITTLE TRIX, OR —

“Then nurse does wrong. And it seems to me
so mean and spiteful to kill the poor creatures just
because they come in one’s way. We might leave
them to enjoy their little day, since we think they
have no other, you know.”

So Gerald Cheveleigh taught little Trix to be
kind to even the meanest creature. He taught
her many things afterwards, but that was the first
lesson ; and she never forgot it. At the time she
thought Gerald was avery queer boy, unlike any
other boy she had ever known; but she soon found
out that he was braver, truer, and gentler than
boys. often are; and that first day she thought him
strange, although she liked him very much.

“T declare it’s beginning to rain!” Gerald cried,
starting up. And so it was; while they had been
talking a big cloud had come up, and now began
to empty itself in great rain-drops.

“Let me take the doll,” Gerald cried; and doing
so, they both ran laughing into the house. As
they were passing the door of the picture gallery,
Gerald made as though he would enter.
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 71

“Don’t go in there, Gerald,” Trix cried ; “ there is
nothing there but the portraits of a lot of musty
old fogies and a wicked woman. Come away!”

“A lot of musty old fogies! they were some of
the best and bravest men of their generation ; and
one day, when you are older, you will be prouder
of your connexion with them than if somebody
should put a crown of gold on your head.”

“What for?” Trix asked incredulously.

“Because they were brave and honourable men
and women, who would sooner have died than fail
in what they conceived to be their duty, or do a
base action; and because there is no inheritance
so grand as that of the noble deeds and spotless
fame of one’s ancestors,” Gerald answered earnestly,
forgetting that his little companion could hardly
understand what he was saying.

“Tell me what they did,” she said.

“ Well, this one—he was Sir Philip Levison ; he
was good, and true, and brave; faithful to his
friends, and generous to his foes. Well, he had an
enemy who hated and tried to injure him whenever
72 LITTLE TRIX, OR

an opportunity offered. One day they were both
engaged in the same battle, and Sir Philip saw his
enemy fall. Many men would have been glad, and
left him to his fate; but not so Sir Philip, who,
as soon as he could, hastened to rescue him, and,
at the risk of his own life, bore him from before
the enemy’s ranks to his own tent, and there nursed
him back to life and health.”

“That was good! I like to hear you tell of
them. What did this one do ?”

“That? He was John Levison; he fought and
suffered, and spent his substance for King Charles.
That is all.”

“Oh, don’t you think, Gerald, it was very wicked
of the people to kill King Charles, as they did?”
Trix asked, rushing eagerly into the subject.

“No, I don’t. I think it was the best thing
they could have done for him,” was the unexpected
answer.

“Oh, Gerald !”

“Yes, I do, for where a fellow proves himself so
manifestly unfit for his place as King Charles did,
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 73

the sooner he’s put out of it the better, before he
does more mischief to himself or others. I wonder,
now, what Charles thought to himself when he got
to heaven, and God asked him if he had taken
proper care, and considered the interests of his
subjects; and he saw in a moment all he ought to
have done, and had not. I should think he would
be so seized with remorse he would need no further
punishment.”

Trix could not enter into that question; she
thought Gerald talked very strangely; she had
never heard anybody say such things as he did. But
just then Mason came in search of them, to say
Mrs. Levison was in the oak parlour, and ready to
receive them. And no sooner were they there than
Mr. Levison arrived, and Trix wondered to see how
he and Gerald loved each other, and how interested
he was in all the boy’s school stories ; and she could
hardly tell what to make of it when Gerald said—

“T asked Godolphin to come, sir, but he had
promised to go with O’Brien for a fortnight, so we
must not expect him before the 26th.”
74 LITTLE TRIX.

“T’m afraid then, my boy, you will find the time
dull till then,” Mr. Levison said.

“No fear of that, sir,’ Gerald answered in a hearty
tone, and they chatted on. Trix told herself that
Gerald was delightful, but she did wish that other
boy, Godolphin, were not coming.

Gerald dined late with Mr. and Mrs. Levison, and
Trix was, in consequence, more eager than usual-for
the bell to ring which called her down to dessert.
She thought they were very long over dinner to-
day, and wished she were old enough to dine late.
But there the bell was at last! and Mason gave a
fresh touch to her sash, and down the little girl
went. And Mr. Levison wheeled round in his
chair, as was his custom, to see if she entered the
room and curtsied, “ as became a gentlewoman,” and
then he made her a bow, as did likewise Gerald,
who rose to set her a chair. Then Gerald told fresh
stories about school, and his life there, that kept
them all laughing, and altogether it was a very
pleasant evening.
CHAPTER VII.

GERALD had been at home several days, and Trix
and he were the greatest friends possible. Our little
girl almost wondered how she had been able to
entertain herself before he came, and could not
imagine what she would do when Gerald should be |
gone away again; but she would not think of that ;
he was here now, and she would make the most of
the good time; so it was “Gerald, Gerald,” from
morning till night; they walked together, and to-
gether climbed the castle turrets, frightening poor
Mason nearly out of her wits, for she was in con-
stant dread lest Trix should fall and be killed in her
wild daring. .

«Ah, now, Master Gerald, don’t take the bairn
into such danger,’ she would entreat, but Gerald
would only laugh, and answer,—

“Oh, never fear, Mason, Bumble Bee is safe enough;
75
76 LITTLE TRIX, OR

she is sure-footed as a goat, and she never gets dizzy;
she can climb anywhere ; she won’t fall, Ill engage.”

“ But if she should?”

“T’ll take care she does not,” Gerald would
answer, and that was all the satisfaction Mason
could get, and the next minute she would be startled
by hearing Trix laugh, and seeing her face over what
she fancied to be a specially dangerous place in
the parapet. Poor Mason! if the children enjoyed
themselves, those were trying days to her, and for
the first time she wished that Master Gerald had no
holidays; for if anything should happen to the
“pairnie,” the “pet lamb,” the pride and joy of
Mason’s heart, what would they, any of them, do?”

But nothing did happen; Trix got into danger and
got out again; she was perfectly fearless, and, as
Gerald had said, sure-footed as a goat.

“ Queen Bee, come down to the courtyard; there
is something for you to look at,” Gerald cried, coming
towards her one day.

“What is it! can they not bring it here?” Trix
asked, looking up from the arrangement of Lady
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 77

Maria’s new bonnet, that Mason had just finished
making.

“ Bring it here! I should think not; if you don’t
come straight off and look, you'll be sorry all the
rest of your life.”

“T believe you are making fun of me,” Trix said,
but she got up nevertheless, and went down with
him, to find John holding the reins of the very
loveliest pony you ever saw.

“Oh! what a beauty! whose is he? Is he yours,
Gerald?” Trix cried in great delight, going up to
the animal.

“No; he’s for you.”

“For me!” she cried, turning red and pale by
turns in her excitement at the thought. “For me,
Gerald! Are you sure ?”

“Quite sure, Bee. Ask grandpapa.”

Turning, Trix found Mr. Levison standing behind
her smiling.

“Well, birdie, do you approve of him?” he asked.

“Oh, grandpapa, I’m so happy, I don’t know what
to do; it makes me want to cry,” was her answer,
78 LITTLE TRIX, OR

“Better get on his back, and take a. ride round
the court,’ Mr. Levison said, and John lifted her -
into the saddle.

Oh dear! Trix felt as if she should go wild with
delight.

“Well?” asked Mr. Levison, as she came round
to them again, but Trix could only repeat her “ Oh,
grandpapa !”

“What is his name, John?” she asked, patting
the pony’s neck.

“He’s called Tomtit, Miss Beatrix, but you can
give him another name if you don’t like that.” *

“Tomtit ! what a funny name fora horse! But
I don’t think T’ll change it, John; would you 2”

“Well, Miss Beatrix, it’s not a bad name for him,
but some ladies might prefer a finer one. Lady
Julia Stanleigh, now, calls her horse Bellerophon,
and her sister’s is called Radamanthus.”

“T like Tomtit better than either of those. I
think he shall keep his name, John.”

Then Trix went in, and found awaiting her there
the prettiest little grey riding-habit, with a round
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 79

grey felt hat and black feather, over which she went
into fresh raptures.

“Oh, Mason! oh, grandmamma! what shall I
do?” she exclaimed between laughing and crying,
for the tears would come this time, at this addition
to her cup of delight. “It’s because I’m so happy,
grandmamma,” she said; but the explanation was
not necessary—Mrs. Levison knew all about it.

After that the days seemed to pass more quickly
and happily than before. Trix and Gerald-took such
pleasant rides together, and sometimes even Mr.
Levison would accompany them, but that was only
rarely, for he no longer cared to take such active
exercise as in former years.

“T’m an old man now, bairns,” he would say,
smiling, “I’m an old man now, and cannot keep up
with you young ones.”

But that was only his way of speaking, for when
‘ they did persuade him to come out, grandpapa
enjoyed a canter or a gallop as much as Trix’s self,
and Gerald used to declare that, as soon as she got
on Tomtit’s back, they both went wild; and, indeed,
80 LITTLE TRIX, OR

it sometimes looked like it, for they would start off
in such spirits, child and horse, that one half-feared
their coming to grief. But they never did, and
John, at least, was proud of his little mistress’s feats
of horsemanship.

Then Gerald’s friend, Godolphin, came, a quiet
thoughtful lad, earnest and generous, but rather too
much afraid of standing alone or of acting inde-
pendently. He would doubtless mend of that as he
grew older, but at present he clung to Gerald, and
sought his advice more than was good for either of
them.

“He’s a very nice boy, I daresay ; but he’s not
like Gerald, is he, Mason?” Trix said one day.

“No, indeed! he’s not like Master Gerald, Miss
Trixy.”

“ But then that would be impossible ; there is not
another boy like Gerald in the world. Do you
think there is, Mason 2”

“T don’t think there are many.”

“T never saw one,” Trix said, as if she had
had great experience, and that settled the matter.
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 81

Then she went down to the garden where the two
boys were walking arm-in-arm, and, as frequently
happened, discussing some question of moral action.

“Tl tell you what it is, Hugh,” Gerald was
saying earnestly, “there’s nothing like speaking
straight out, and taking the consequences.”

“That ’s all very well for you, who are not afraid
of anybody, but—”

“Tt’s not a qyestion of being afraid, but of doing
what is xight,” Gerald interposed quickly.

“If everybody thought as you do, Gerald—”
began Godolphin.

“T don’t know what folk think, but I do wonder
we are not all ashamed of ourselves to go on, day
after day, saying in our prayers, ‘Thy kingdom
come, and Thy will be done, and never trying the
least bit to bring the kingdom or to do the will,
just as if God only heard what we said, and never
saw what we did.”

“Well,” said Godolphin with a sigh, “I wish I
knew what I ought to do. If I should speak out,
as you say, all the boys will be against me; and,

F
82 LITTLE TRIX, OR

after all, I’m only one. I don’t suppose it will
make much difference what I do, one way or the
other.”

“Tt will make all the difference to yourself
though! Suppose now that Christ had said, ‘I am
only one, it cannot make much difference what I do.”

“We are not as Christ.”

“No, unhappily! but we call ourselves by His
name, and so are bound to follow Him in all earnest-
ness, and to do our duty, as He did His, faithfully,
even though it lead to death. Mind, Hugh, we are
not only to call Him Lord, Lord! but to do the
things He said—the will of our Father who is in
Heaven.”

“ Well, I'll think about it—and see, there are the
ponies coming round.” This last sentence Godolphin
uttered with a sigh of relief. Gerald’s determination
to try everything always by the highest standard
was a little hard to him—he did so like ease and
smooth waters—so that sometimes it almost seemed
as if he would sacrifice his conscience for the sake
of peace.
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 83

“ Scamper off, Trix, and get ready; we have let the
time slip by with our talk, so make haste!” Gerald
said; and very soon they were galloping off to-
wards the sea-shore.
CHAPTER VIII

Ir was a very lovely day, but Trix seemed not to
notice that, or not to care about it. She stood by
her day-room window, looking very disconsolate,
whilst an occasional tear rolled down her cheek.
For the moment even Lady Maria had lost all
charms for her, and the world felt a very dismal
place.

“Why, my bonnie bairn, what ails you?” Mason,
asked, coming up to her.

“JT hate that Godolphin! I wish he would go
away; Gerald does not care for me at all now he is
here,” Trix answered with a little choking sob.

“Nay, nay, that is not well, Miss Beatrix, what
could put such thoughts into your head ?”

“Tt is quite true! Gerald used to like me to be

with him all the time, but now he won’t let me go
84
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 85

with them ; he says he cannot take care of me; as
if I wanted taking care of!” she cried indignantly.
“ T don’t think either he will let me ride with them
this afternoon, and it is so stupid with only John.”

“Oh, yes, dearie, I know he will; I heard him
ordering the horses for directly after lunch, and he
mentioned Tomtit specially ; so dry your eyes, my
bairn, and come with me to sort my linen.”

So away they went to the linen-closet, and Mason
looked over and counted her store, laying aside
such pieces as wanted repairing.

“Look what a lovely piece of darning, Miss Trix;
that is your grandmamma’s work; when are you
going to be able to do anything like it?”

“T don’t think I ever could do it so well, Mason.
Do you think I could?”

“Your grandmamma had to learn once, dearie,
’ and you can but do the same. I'll give you a piece
of linen and show you how to begin whenever you
like to try.”

“Can you do darning as well as that, Mason ?”

“No, Miss Trix, it needs a lady to work as well as
86 LITTLE TRIX, OR

that,” Mason said smiling, but in perfect good faith ;
“but I can teach you the beginning, and your
grandmamma will teach you the rest no doubt if
you ask her.”

« Well, I think I should like to begin now, please;
grandmamma said I did my fine stitching very well
for me.”

So, provided with a piece of old linen, Trix sat
down to take her first lesson in fine darning, and, in
its intricacies, forgot her grievance against Gerald
for his desertion. And Mrs. Levison passing the
door, looked in upon the little girl, and hearing
what she was about, said—

“Why, that is quite notable, and reminds me of
my first lesson in darning.”

“Oh, grandmamma, won’t you tell me about it?”

Mrs. Levison smiled, and sat down beside Trix.

“Tt was just before we left France,” she said,
“when I was about your age, and Katherine was
ten. We had been with my mother to the annual
sale of convent needlework. Ah! that was fine
work if you will! lovely embroidery of birds, and
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 87

fruits, and flowers, and most exquisite lace. After
we got home Katherine was quite wild about it.
She wanted to go and take lessons from the sisters
in embroidery. And mamma said, ‘Yes, when you
can do a piece of fine darning, for that was one of
Katherine’s troubles. She could not darn nicely,
though in other ways very clever with her needle ;
and she felt that condition rather a hard one; still
she was very eager about the embroidery, and was
quite determined to win the lessons since it depended
on her own exertions. To spur her on still more,
mamma brought out a lovely inlaid box with imple-
ments for all kinds of work, and said we were both
to try, and she would give it to the one of us who,
at the end of a month, could show her the finest
piece of darning. We worked very hard, for the
box was a treasure we both very much desired to
possess ; hitherto we had only been allowed to look
at it on rare occasions, and as a great treat. To
possess it was beyond our wildest hopes. So we set
to work very diligently, and for some days our pro-
gress was pretty equal; then Katherine gained a
88 LITTLE TRIX, OR

little upon me, and I am afraid my temper was
somewhat tried by it. The next day her advantage
was more decided, and her delight was great ; when
suddenly her work seemed to lose its interest for
her—she would hold it listlessly in her hands
without taking a stitch. This continued for several
days, until mamma took her to task and pressed
for the reason of her unaccountable behaviour, when
she confessed it was because she saw I had set my
heart on the box, and she would not have me dis-
appointed.

«Your motive is a kindly one, and I am glad to
see that you can sacrifice yourself to your sister,
our mother answered, ‘but you are not in this
matter acting fairly either to yourself or Claude;
or respectfully to me in keeping back your best
efforts.’

“« Oh, mamma, how can that be?’ we both ex-
claimed at once.

««Tt is true, my daughters ; for you were both to
strive your utmost, and the box was to be the re-
ward of the one who was most successful. Now,
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 89

Katherine, if you, whilst pretending to strive, do
less than your utmost, you are unfaithful both to
yourself and to Claude—and to me, for you will
cause me to give an unrighteous judgment when I
wish to be just between you. Besides, my dear,
she added, smiling, ‘how did you know that Claude
would not have caught you up, and gained the prize
honestly without any unfaithfulness on your part?’

“¢T did not think of that—perhaps she will, my
sister said, putting her arm round my neck. ‘But
suppose, mamma, we do equally well, what then ?’
she asked.

“ a smile; ‘your business is to do your work with
all your might—the rest is for me.’

“So after that we both worked again very hard,
and sometimes I did best, and sometimes Katherine ;
but when the month was out our work was so
nearly equal in merit that it would have puzzled
the best judge to say which was superior.

“So we kissed each other, determined that we
would not be disappointed however mamma awarded
90 LITTLE TRIX, OR

the box. I thought it should belong to Katherine,
because she was the elder; whilst she declared
mamma must give it me for the opposite reason,
that I was the younger. Then we went with our
work into our mother’s room, and she examined and
praised both our achievements as much as we could
desire, and, uncovering her little work-table, showed
"us two boxes so exactly alike, both inside and out,

that we did not know which was the old one and
which the new. That we were greatly delighted
I need not tell you. And our mother had still
a further pleasure in store for us; we were to
go into the forest and gather chestnuts, and roast
them in a fire we were to kindle of dried twigs,
ete. Ah! you cannot think what a lovely time we
had!”

“Oh, grandmamma, how nice!” Trix exclaimed.

“Well, now I must run away, for it is near
lunch time, and your grandpapa will be wanting
me.”

Hardly was Mrs, Levison gone wken the two boys
returned ; and Gerald, going up to Trix, said—
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 91

“ Here, Bumble Bee, I’ve brought you something,”
and held out to her a nest of little birds just fledged.
It was a late brood of linnets,

The little girl started to her feet in delighted
surprise. “Oh, Gerald, you darling!” she cried,
stretching out her hands to receive the nest. “But
you did not take them, did you?” she asked in a
doubtful voice the moment after.

“Why, Trix, you ought to know me better than
to suppose I would do such a thing, even to please
you! No; I found them in the possession of a
young urchin in the village. I bought them from
him for twopence.”

“ Oh, dear, I wonder whether I shall be able to
feed them and bring them up,” Trix said.

“Yes; I’ll show you how. I had a nest just
like this once before, with three birds; one of the
creatures died, but two of them lived. I gave one
of them away, but the other was a very jolly little
fellow. He would sit on my shoulder and follow
me about everywhere. I used to put his cage out
on the terrace, and open the door; and he would
92 LITTLE TRIX, OR

come out and hop about on the grass or among the
shrubs during the day, and go back to his cage, and
be carried into the house at night.”

« And did he never fly away?” Trix and Godol-
phin asked in a breath.

“Well, he did at last. First he went for a day
quite away, and came back at night, just when I
was making up my mind that he was quite lost.
He came and perched on my shoulder, singing a
little song as if he meant to tell me all he had
seen. A few days after he went away again, and
did not return for a week. I never expected to
see him any more, when one morning he appeared
at the window where his cage was hung, and stayed
an hour or two. But then I had to go back to
school, so that I never knew whether that was
his last appearance.”

“ Weren’t you very sorry to lose him, Gerald ?”

“Well, yes, I was at first, until I remembered
that it was natural and right that he should pre-
fer his liberty and companions of his own kind to
me. Though, I fancy, if I had been staying at
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 93

home he would always have paid me visits from
time to time—perhaps have brought a wife and
built a nest in the garden.”

“Oh, dear, I do hope these will live and get
tame! Do you think they will learn to know me
from other people?” Trix asked.

“Of course they will,’ Gerald pronounced un-
hesitatingly, and Godolphin said—

“Tt’s queer how birds do get to know and care
for people. Now my sister had a canary that was so
tame it would follow her about like a dog wherever
she went. Well, once she had to go away for a few
days, and she did not take it with her. Would you
believe it? the creature moped and refused its food
for near a week until she came home, and as soon
as it heard her voice, it tried to fly to her, but
dropped down dead at her feet.”

“How dreadful!” Trix said, quite overcome at
this sad ending.

“Yes, we were awfully cut up about it, I can tell
you. We buried him in the garden and put a
stone over him.”
94 LITTLE TRIX.

They were summoned to lunch at that moment,
and Trix committed her young charges reluctantly
to Mason’s care for the time; but her ride, about
which she had been so unhappy a few hours before,
was sacrificed without a word to their necessities.
Happily they repaid her care by all living, and
were a never-ceasing source of pleasure and amuse-
ment to her, as they grew older and developed each
his own individual character.
CHAPTER IX.

“GERALD, I’m going out with grandmamma, and
you won’t see me all day,” Trix said, going up to
where Gerald was standing. Godolphin had gone
back to school, so the two were again thrown solely
upon each other for entertainment.

“You don’t mean that now, Bee ! What ever shall
I do all day? I shall drown myself in the old
well before the day is out, I shall get so moped.”

“Don’t talk rubbish.”

“ Rubbish do you call it? I thought I was show-
ing my devotion. But where are you going ?”

“To see Mabel Alison. Ihave never seen her,
but you know, Gerald, she is a great invalid. She
has not been able to walk for nearly six years, and
she is thirteen now; she has to lie on her couch all
day long.”

96


96 LITTLE TRIX, OR

“Poor little wretch! I wonder how she bears
it.”

“For shame, Gerald! to call her a wretch. I’m
sure she’s an angel. I know she’s like Alice Gray
in my story-book, and I mean to love her very much
indeed.”

“Very well, I hope you may. For my part I
never saw an angel, so I cannot tell whether I
should be so ready to love her very much indeed.
I shall be very impatient for your return to hear all
about it.”

“ Will you come down the road to meet us ?”

Gerald promised. And he kept his word, for on
their return there he was, a long way down the road;
but instead of springing out of the carriage to meet
him and give an eager account of her visit, Trix
steadily kept her seat and her eyes fixed on some-
thing in the distance—anywhere but on her friend,
and when they reached the house she hastened at
once to take off her things, and did not appear for
so long, that Gerald, who had no idea of being put
off so, went up to seek her. He opened the day-
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 97

room door and went in, Trix was standing with her
back to him looking out of the window.

“Well, Bumble Bee, how did you find your angel?”
he asked, coming up behind her. But instead of
answering Trix burst into tears.

“Holloa! what’s all this about?” Gerald cried
in great concern, putting his arm about her neck.

“I wish I’d never gone to see her, I do! she’s
not an angel. She’s not any better nor so good
as other children! Being ill has not done her the
least bit of good !”

“Well, Trix, I don’t see why you should expect it
would, For my part I know I should hate to be ill
and mewed up, and should get into a horrid temper
about it, I declare!” Gerald cried, waxing warm.
“T don’t see what right anybody has to expect sick
folk to behave well at all!”

At hearing this Trix opened her eyes wide in
wonder,

“Why, Gerald, you don’t know what you are
talking about. Where is the good of folk being ill
if it does not make them better than other people?

G
98 LITTLE TRIX, OR

I never knew anybody who was sick before, but E
never either read or heard of anybody who was ill
and went on as Mabel does. I thought she would
be like the children in books, so good and patient.”

“The books are all bosh!” interrupted Gerald;
“are not sick folk like other folk, only with more
to bear? And if they bear it well, so much the
better they; but if they bear it ill, I don’t see that
we who are well have any right to blame them,
though we may be sorry for them. But tell us what
happened.”

“Well, you know, when we got sie I went
straight to Mabel’s room, whilst grandmamma talked
to Mrs. Alison. Mabel was on her couch and
seemed glad to see me, so we got on very well for a
time, until one of her brothers—Harry his name is
—came into the room and did something that vexed
her, so she picked up a little book from the table
and threw it at him. It struck him on the head
and he went out crying.

“TI expect I looked very shocked, for she said—

“What are you staring at me like that for?’
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 99

“So I said, ‘Oh Mabel, aren’t you sorry you
threw the book at Harry? It might have hurt him
very badly, you know.’

“¢T should not care if it had? she said. ‘I’d do
it again, if he came and took my things as he was
doing !’

“So I told her I thought she was very wicked,
and that being ill had not done her the least bit of
good. At which she got into a great passion, and
shrieked for her nurse. So I went away and left
her, for I never saw anybody so disagreeable in all
my life. Now, Gerald, what are you laughing at?”

“Tam thinking what you would look like when
you told her she was wicked. But you know, Trix,
I don’t think you ought to have said that.”

“Yes, I did! She was wicked; she deserved
whipping!”

“Perhaps she did; but I am not sure that it was
for you, who had not known her an hour, to tell her
so.”

“But if nobody tells her, how is she to learn
, better ?”
100 LITTLE TRIX, OR

“And if everybody tells her as sharp out as I
guess you did, how is she likely to do aught but
hate goodness and good folk ?”

“But what else could I do?”

“T don’t know, except to bear with her and show
her a better way of your own.”

“Well, I can’t do that now, and I shall never go
and see her again,” Trix said, but it was with a little
sigh of regret, as for a lost opportunity. For lately
she had been trying hard, in her small way, to be
and do good, as it behoves all Christian people to
try, and now, helped by Gerald to see wherein she
had been wrong, the little girl did wish she had
shown more gentleness and consideration.

“T don’t think she would care to see me if I did
go again,” she said, after a little pause.

“ Suppose you were to send her something to show
her that you don’t feel unfriendly,” Gerald suggested.

“But I haven’t got anything she would care for ;
she has a lot more things than I have—”

TI don’t think she has got anything so jolly as
your linnets—”
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 101

“Oh, no, Gerald, not the linnets! I could not
give one of the linnets; they know me, and care
for me; besides, it would be unkind to separate
one from the others—”

“You might give her two, and keep two.”

“ Oh, Gerald, do you think I ought?”

“Why, you need not, unless you like, of course.”

“Tf it were anything else than the linnets!”

“Well, don’t send anything then; I only thought
you would like to make it up with Her; and if you
do give, it must be something worth receiving, and
something you care for, else where is the use a

“Well, I will; come and help me choose which
two I had best send her.”

So two of the birds were chosen and put into a
separate cage, and the next day were sent as a peace-
offering to Mabel. Trix shed a few tears at parting
with them, but she did not repent, and Mabel’s joy
at receiving them more than reconciled her to their
loss. And a friendship was begun between the two
that was destined in after years to be a help and
blessing to both of them. Trix soon found that she
102 LITTLE TRIX.

had first seen Mabel in one of her worst moments,
and that she was really trying to keep her feet in
the upward path of life. “But if you only knew
how hard it is! and how I do try!” poor Mabel
said to her. And Trix learned from her intercourse
with the sick child many lessons of charity and
forbearance she might not otherwise have gained.
CHAPTER X.

GERALD had left Lyneburgh and gone to join the
ship to which he had been appointed, so that Trix was
once more alone with her grandparents. She had
not seemed quite well for several days past, but had
been languid and dispirited, a very unusual state
of things with her. Mason had noticed it, and
thought she was wearying for companionship. “It
was doubtless dreary for the bairn to be the only child
in the place, with so many old people about,” the old
woman said, communicating her idea to her mistress.
The consequence was that Gertrude Alison, Mabel’s
sister, was invited to spend a few days at the Castle,
and Trix brightened -up at once, to Mason’s intense
delight and relief.

“We’ll go down to the river, Gertrude, shall we?

We can get over on the stones; and there are no
103
104 LITTLE TRIX, OR

end of blackberries on the other side; it will be
such fun!” Trix proposed at once, referring to a
stream that ran near the Castle, and which she had
dignified with the name of river. And she further
proceeded to give Gertrude such a glowing account
of a blackberrying expedition into the woods near
her home which she had made the previous year
with her nurse, as made Gertrude quite eager to
undertake one also.

“Do let us go, Mason!” she cried, adding her
entreaties to those of Trix.

“T’m afraid, bairns, the ground will be very wet
with the heavy rains yesterday,” Mason said, some-
what dubious as to the wisdom of complying with
the request. 2

“Oh, no, Mason! not now that it has been so fine
all to-day ; besides, we will keep on the path.”

So Mason was persuaded. But great was the chil-
dren’s disappointment on reaching the rivulet to find
it so swollen as to render “ crossing on the stones”
quite out of the question, for what was usually but a
shallow stream had become almost a torrent, “ deep
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 105

enough to drown us,” Gertrude said, as they stood
disconsolately watching the water rush by.

“There’s a bridge higher up, but it’s a mile off,”
Trix said.

“Only little better than a quarter, Miss Beatrix,”
Mason corrected.

“Tt is all the same thing!” she answered im-
patiently. “Just look at that tree washed down!
It’s as good as a bridge. I do believe I could cross
on it.”

“Pray don’t try, dearie,” Mason cried, trying to
catch her hand.

“T will! I’ve been in many a worse place than
that. Come on, Gerty!” Trix cried; and before
Mason could interfere to prevent it she was half-
way across the stream on the slippery tree-trunk.
So far she went fearlessly and safely, but about the
middle, chancing to look down on the boiling water
beneath her, she all at once turned sick and dizzy.
With a great cry she flung up her arms, and—she
never knew how she managed it—but she took a
great leap, which, with the exception of wet feet and
106 LITTLE TRIX, OR

ankles, landed her safely on the other side. There
she flung herself, or rather fell, to the ground, hardly
conscious where she was, for the earth seemed reeling
to and fro, and, for the moment at least, standing
was out of the question. But Trix had to rouse
herself, for Gerty and Mason shrieked so loudly as
to completely bring her to her senses. Getting up,
and pretending to laugh, as if it had all been fun,
she asked,—

“Now, shall I come back?” But she had no
intention of going back that way, as Mason might
have known by her white face and the frightened
look in her eyes. But Mason only thought of her
reckless daring, and entreated that she would walk
up the bank and cross the bridge properly, to which,
with another laugh, Trix agreed, trying to appear as
if nothing had happened, but somehow her step had
lost its elasticity, and every now and then she raised
her hand to her head as though it ached or she were
still dizzy. And none of Gerty’s attempts could
rouse her spirits to the brightness they had had at
starting.
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 107

“Do you feel ill, Miss Beatrix?” Mason asked, but
she only answered a little crossly—

“Why-should I feel ill? I feel to have wet feet,
that is all.”

Whereupon Mason made them hasten home still
faster to change their stockings and boots. But even
then Trix continued listless and dispirited ; and try
as she might, Gerty could not persuade her to join in
any of their usual games.

“Do let me alone, please, Gerty ; I am so tired,
and my head aches so I can hardly see,’ she
entreated.

“What can have made your head ache so?’ Gerty
asked, as if trying to solve a problem.

“How can I tell?” Trix answered; but she could
have told—that it was crossing the stream and get-
ting frightened as she had done ; she could have told
that not only did her head ache, but that every few
minutes she turned quite sick and giddy, just as she
had done when she feared falling into the water.

“ Sit in the rocking-chair, Mason, and take me on
your knee,” she entreated; “my head is so hot
108 LITTLE TRIX, OR

and queer,” laying it on Mason’s shoulder as she
spoke.

“T’m afraid you have caught cold with those wet
feet, Miss Beatrix,” Mason said, and began wonder-
ing what she had better give the child to ward off
any further ill effects. .

“Let me get up and give you something for it,
dearie,” she said, attempting to rise and put Trix
down, but she clung to her the more tightly, plead-
ing—

“No, no, only let me sit quiet on your knee; I
don’t want anything else, I’m only tired.”

But when dinner-time came, and Trix would not
be dressed and go down to dessert, Mason got
alarmed and tried to coax her to rouse herself.

“But, dearie, your grandmamma will not be
pleased, and Lord Temple is there; you would like
to see him, I’m sure,” she said.

“No, I should not; do let me be quiet!”

“ Then let me put you to bed, darling; that will
be the best thing for your cold ;” and Trix assenting,
Mason did so.
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 109

“I’m fearing she is real ill,” the old woman said
to herself as she looked on the flushed cheek and
heavy eyes, and laid her hand on the burning brow
of the poor child. “She seems quite feverish, and
ah, me! I mind as how Johnny Norris said there
was fever in the village; can it be the bairn has
took it? If she’s not better in an hour, I think we
must send for the doctor.”

Instead of being better in an hour, Trix was evi-
dently in a high fever. There was no doubt now
that she had been sickening for the attack these
last days, and that was the explanation of her un-
wonted languor, and her exploit of crossing the
stream had probably hurried it to a crisis ; for every
few minutes she would start up with piercing
shrieks. “TI shall be drowned!” she cried over and
over, and Mason could not pacify her. So the
doctor was sent for, and declared her to be suffering
from a severe attack of scarlet fever.

Once she woke up, and saw her grandmamma
standing by the bed. Thinking she had come to
say good-night as was her custom, Trix said—
110 LITTLE TRIX, OR

“TI would not come down, grandmamma, my head
ached so, but I shall be better to-morrow.”

But she was not better “to-morrow,” nor for
many morrows. Day after day she lay there
tossing and moaning in the fever, most of the time
unconscious ; and the old castle had a stiller anid
more solemn air than usual even, for anxiety

was in every heart within its walls and fear for the
life of their darling. And every house in the village
too shared the anxiety, for no joy or sorrow could
touch the beloved “master and mistress” without
being felt by the people among whom they had
lived and for whom they had cared so long.

Poor Mason was growing pale and ill with
watching, but no persuasions could induce her to
leave for long the room where lay her “precious
wee bairnie.” Mrs. Beresford came likewise to
watch over her child to whom death had come so
near.

But Trix did not die. Slowly the life flowed back
to her, and though for many days yet she lay in her
bed white and weak, health did come again to her,

-
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 111

filling the hearts of her friends with joy and thank-
fulness. When she was carried into the garden for
the first time there was a general rejoicing in the
village, for they said, “We cannot but be glad in the
joy of the dear master and mistress. God bless
them !” as indeed He had done in giving back to
them the life of the dear child.

And nothing would satisfy the simple affectionate
people, but ringing the church bells. And the
sound of their sweet music came floating up to the
castle, and reached Trix, who was sitting on the
terrace with her mother enjoying the soft autumn
sunshine.

‘How kind the people are,” Trix said, for she
knew it was in her honour the bells were pealing
out so joyously.

“ Yes, it is beautiful to see the respect and affec-
tion they have for the ‘ Master and Mistress ;’ it is
for their sakes, not for yours, little one, that the
people are so glad,” Mrs. Beresford said smiling and
kissing her daughter.

“T know that, mamma; and it would be strange
112 LITTLE TRIX, OR

if they did not love grandpapa and grandmamma,
who care and have done so much for them, and
have lived among them so very long.”

“Ah, yes, and there is nobody to come after
them,” Mrs. Beresford said, with a yearning look
toward the grand old pile in whose shadow they
were standing.

Trix was silent for some time, for she had caught
the ~eflection of her mother’s sadness. But pre-
sently she looked up and said,—

“Mamma, Gerald says it is a grand thing to
belong to an old and noble family that has had
such brave men belonging to it as this has; but I
think it is still better to know and belong to any-
body so good and kind as grandmamma; don’t you?
If ever I grow up I shall try to be just like her.”

“You are right, love,” Mrs. Beresford said, stoop-
ing to kiss her little girl. “ You are right, love, far
before the noblest lineage, the fairest fame, or the
greatest riches, is the sweet Christian life of your
grandmother. And better than all, it can be at-
tained without any of these things, for the lowliest
GRANDMAMMA’S LESSONS. 113

of God’s children may have it for the earnest seek-
ing. And I have no dearer wish for my daughter
than that she should find and wear that ‘ornament
of a meek and quiet spirit,” and choose that good
part which shall not be taken from her.

EDINBURGH ; T. AND A, CONSTABLE,
PRINTERS TO THE QUEEN, AND TO THE UNIVERSITY,
ISh Al S4