CHAPTER VII
COUSIN HELEN'S VISIT
A little knot of the school-girls were walking home together oneafternoon in July. As they neared Dr. Carr's gate, Maria Fiskeexclaimed, at the sight of a pretty bunch of flowers lying in the middleof the sidewalk:
"Oh my!" she cried, "see what somebody's dropped! I'm going to have it."She stooped to pick it up. But, just as her fingers touched the stems,the nosegay, as if bewitched, began to move. Maria made a bewilderedclutch. The nosegay moved faster, and at last vanished under the gate,while a giggle sounded from the other side of the hedge.
"Did you see that?" shrieked Maria; "those flowers ran away ofthemselves."
"Nonsense," said Katy, "it's those absurd children." Then, opening thegate, she called: "John! Dorry! come out and show yourselves." Butnobody replied, and no one could be seen. The nosegay lay on the path,however, and picking it up, Katy exhibited to the girls a long end ofblack thread, tied to the stems.
"That's a very favorite trick of Johnnie's," she said: "she and Dorryare always tying up flowers, and putting them out on the walk to teasepeople. Here, Maria, take 'em if you like. Though I don't think John'staste in bouquets is very good."
"Isn't it splendid to have vacation come?" said one of the bigger girls."What are you all going to do? We're going to the seaside."
"Pa says he'll take Susie and me to Niagara," said Maria.
"I'm going to make my aunt a visit," said Alice Blair. "She lives in areal lovely place in the country, and there's a pond there; and Tom(that's my cousin) says he'll teach me to row. What are you going todo, Katy?"
"Oh, I don't know; play round and have splendid times," replied Katy,throwing her bag of books into the air, and catching it again. But theother girls looked as if they didn't think this good fun at all, and asif they were sorry for her; and Katy felt suddenly that her vacationwasn't going to be so pleasant as that of the rest.
"I wish Papa _would_ take us somewhere," she said to Clover, as theywalked up the gravel path. "All the other girls' Papas do."
"He's too busy," replied Clover. "Beside, I don't think any of the restof the girls have half such good times as we. Ellen Robbins says she'dgive a million of dollars for such nice brothers and sisters as ours toplay with. And, you know, Maria and Susie have _awful_ times at home,though they do go to places. Mrs. Fiske is so particular. She alwayssays 'Don't,' and they haven't got any yard to their house, or anything.I wouldn't change."
"Nor I," said Katy, cheering up at these words of wisdom. "Oh, isn't itlovely to think there won't be any school to-morrow? Vacations are justsplendid!" and she gave her bag another toss. It fell to the groundwith a crash.
"There, you've cracked your slate," said Clover.
"No matter, I sha'n't want it again for eight weeks," replied Katy,comfortably, as they ran up the steps.
They burst open the front door and raced up stairs, crying "Hurrah!hurrah! vacation's begun. Aunt Izzie, vacation's begun!" Then theystopped short, for lo! the upper hall was all in confusion. Sounds ofbeating and dusting came from the spare room. Tables and chairs werestanding about; and a cot-bed, which seemed to be taking a walk all byitself, had stopped short at the head of the stairs, and barred the way.
"Why, how queer!" said Katy, trying to get by. "What _can_ be going tohappen? Oh, there's Aunt Izzie! Aunt Izzie, who's coming? What _are_ youmoving the things out of the Blue-room for?"
"Oh, gracious! is that you?" replied Aunt Izzie, who looked very hot andflurried. "Now, children, it's no use for you to stand there askingquestions; I haven't got time to answer them. Let the bedstead alone,Katy, you'll push it into the wall. There, I told you so!" as Katy gavean impatient shove, "you've made a bad mark on the paper. What atroublesome child you are! Go right down stairs, both of you, and don'tcome up this way again till after tea. I've just as much as I canpossibly attend to till then."
"Just tell us what's going to happen, and we will," cried the children.
"Your Cousin Helen is coming to visit us," said Miss Izzie, curtly, anddisappeared into the Blue-room.
This was news indeed. Katy and Clover ran down stairs in greatexcitement, and after consulting a little, retired to the Loft to talkit over in peace and quiet. Cousin Helen coming! It seemed as strange asif Queen Victoria, gold crown and all, had invited herself to tea. Or asif some character out of a book, Robinson Crusoe, say, or "Amy Herbert,"had driven up with a trunk and announced the intention of spending aweek. For to the imaginations of the children, Cousin Helen was asinteresting and unreal as anybody in the Fairy Tales: Cinderella, orBlue-Beard, or dear Red Riding-Hood herself. Only there was a sort ofmixture of Sunday-school book in their idea of her, for Cousin Helen wasvery, very good.
None of them had ever seen her. Philly said he was sure she hadn't anylegs, because she never went away from home, and lay on a sofa all thetime. But the rest knew that this was because Cousin Helen was ill. Papaalways went to visit her twice a year, and he liked to talk to thechildren about her, and tell how sweet and patient she was, and what apretty room she lived in. Katy and Clover had "played Cousin Helen" solong, that now they were frightened as well as glad at the idea ofseeing the real one.
"Do you suppose she will want us to say hymns to her all the time?"asked Clover.
"Not all the time," replied Katy, "because you know she'll get tired,and have to take naps in the afternoons. And then, of course, she readsthe Bible a great deal. Oh dear, how quiet we shall have to be! I wonderhow long she's going to stay?"
"What do you suppose she looks like?" went on Clover.
"Something like 'Lucy,' in Mrs. Sherwood, I guess, with blue eyes, andcurls, and a long, straight nose. And she'll keep her hands clasped _so_all the time, and wear 'frilled wrappers,' and lie on the sofa perfectlystill, and never smile, but just look patient. We'll have to take offour boots in the hall, Clover, and go up stairs in stocking feet, so asnot to make a noise, all the time she stays."
"Won't it be funny!" giggled Clover, her sober little face growingbright at the idea of this variation on the hymns.
The time seemed very long till the next afternoon, when Cousin Helen wasexpected. Aunt Izzie, who was in a great excitement, gave the childrenmany orders about their behavior. They were to do this and that, and notto do the other. Dorry, at last, announced that he wished Cousin Helenwould just stay at home. Clover and Elsie, who had been thinking prettymuch the same thing in private, were glad to hear that she was on herway to a Water Cure, and would stay only four days.
Five o'clock came. They all sat on the steps waiting for the carriage.At last it drove up. Papa was on the box. He motioned the children tostand back. Then he helped out a nice-looking young woman, who, AuntIzzie told them, was Cousin Helen's nurse, and then, very carefully,lifted Cousin Helen in his arms and brought her in.
"Oh, there are the chicks!" were the first words the children heard, insuch a gay, pleasant voice. "Do set me down somewhere, uncle. I want tosee them so much!"
So Papa put Cousin Helen on the hall sofa. The nurse fetched a pillow,and when she was made comfortable, Dr. Carr called to the little ones.
"Cousin Helen wants to see you," he said.
"Indeed I do," said the bright voice. "So this is Katy? Why, what asplendid tall Katy it is! And this is Clover," kissing her; "and thisdear little Elsie. You all look as natural as possible--just as if I hadseen you before."
And she hugged them all round, not as if it was polite to like thembecause they were relations, but as if she had loved them and wantedthem all her life.
There was something in Cousin Helen's face and manner, which made thechildren at home with her at once. Even Philly, who had backed away withhis hands behind him, after staring hard for a minute or two, came upwith a sort of rush to get his share of kissing.
Still, Katy's first feeling was one of disappointment. Cousin Helen wasnot at all like "Lucy," in Mrs. Sherwood's story. Her nose turned up theleast bit in the world. She had brown hair, which didn't curl, a brownskin, and b
right eyes, which danced when she laughed or spoke. Her facewas thin, but except for that you wouldn't have guessed that she wassick. She didn't fold her hands, and she didn't look patient, butabsolutely glad and merry. Her dress wasn't a "frilled wrapper," but asort of loose travelling thing of pretty gray stuff, with a rose-coloredbow, and bracelets, and a round hat trimmed with a gray feather. AllKaty's dreams about the "saintly invalid" seemed to take wings and flyaway. But the more she watched Cousin Helen the more she seemed to likeher, and to feel as if she were nicer than the imaginary person whichshe and Clover had invented.
"She looks just like other people, don't she?" whispered Cecy, who hadcome over to have a peep at the new arrival.
"Y-e-s," replied Katy, doubtfully, "only a great, great deal prettier."
By and by, Papa carried Cousin Helen up stairs. All the children wantedto go too, but he told them she was tired, and must rest. So they wentout doors to play till tea-time.
"Oh, do let me take up the tray," cried Katy at the tea-table, as shewatched Aunt Izzie getting ready Cousin Helen's supper. Such a nicesupper! Cold chicken, and raspberries and cream, and tea in a prettypink-and-white china cup. And such a snow-white napkin as Aunt Izziespread over the tray!
"No indeed," said Aunt Izzie; "you'll drop it the first thing." ButKaty's eyes begged so hard, that Dr. Carr said, "Yes, let her, Izzie; Ilike to see the girls useful."
So Katy, proud of the commission, took the tray and carried itcarefully across the hall. There was a bowl of flowers on the table. Asshe passed, she was struck with a bright idea. She set down the tray,and picking out a rose, laid it on the napkin besides the saucer ofcrimson raspberries. It looked very pretty, and Katy smiled to herselfwith pleasure.
"What are you stopping for?" called Aunt Izzie, from the dining-room."Do be careful, Katy, I really think Bridget had better take it."
"Oh no, no!" protested Katy, "I'm most up already." And she sped upstairs as fast as she could go. Luckless speed! She had just reachedthe door of the Blue-room, when she tripped upon her boot-lace, which,as usual, was dangling, made a misstep, and stumbled. She caught atthe door to save herself; the door flew open; and Katy, with the tray,cream, raspberries, rose and all, descended in a confused heap uponthe carpet.
"I told you so!" exclaimed Aunt Izzie from the bottom of the stairs.
Katy never forgot how kind Cousin Helen was on this occasion. She was inbed, and was of course a good deal startled at the sudden crash andtumble on her floor. But after one little jump, nothing could have beensweeter than the way in which she comforted poor crest-fallen Katy, andmade so merry over the accident, that even Aunt Izzie almost forgot toscold. The broken dishes were piled up and the carpet made clean again,while Aunt Izzie prepared another tray just as nice as the first.
"Please let Katy bring it up!" pleaded Cousin Helen, in her pleasantvoice, "I am sure she will be careful this time. And Katy, I wantjust such another rose on the napkin. I guess that was yourdoing--wasn't it?"
Katy _was_ careful.--This time all went well. The tray was placed safelyon a little table beside the bed, and Katy sat watching Cousin Helen eather supper with a warm, loving feeling at her heart. I think we arescarcely ever so grateful to people as when they help us to get back ourown self-esteem.
Cousin Helen hadn't much appetite, though she declared everything wasdelicious. Katy could see that she was very tired.
"Now," she said, when she had finished, "if you'll shake up this pillow,_so;_--and move this other pillow a little, I think I will settle myselfto sleep. Thanks--that's just right. Why, Katy dear, you are a bornnurse Now kiss me. Good-night! To-morrow we will have a nice talk."
Katy went down stairs very happy.
"Cousin Helen's perfectly lovely," she told Clover. "And she's got onthe most _beautiful_ night-gown, all lace and ruffles. It's just like anight-gown in a book."
"Isn't it wicked to care about clothes when you're sick?"questioned Cecy.
"I don't believe Cousin Helen _could_ do anything wicked," said Katy.
"I told Ma that she had on bracelets, and Ma said she feared your cousinwas a worldly person," retorted Cecy, primming up her lips.
Katy and Clover were quite distressed at this opinion. They talked aboutit while they were undressing.
"I mean to ask Cousin Helen to-morrow," said Katy.
Next morning the children got up very early. They were so glad that itwas vacation! If it hadn't been, they would have been forced to go toschool without seeing Cousin Helen, for she didn't wake till late.They grew so impatient of the delay, and went up stairs so often tolisten at the door, and see if she were moving, that Aunt Izziefinally had to order them off. Katy rebelled against this order a gooddeal, but she consoled herself by going into the garden and pickingthe prettiest flowers she could find, to give to Cousin Helen themoment she should see her.
When Aunt Izzie let her go up, Cousin Helen was lying on the sofa alldressed for the day in a fresh blue muslin, with blue ribbons, andcunning bronze slippers with rosettes on the toes. The sofa had beenwheeled round with its back to the light. There was a cushion with apretty fluted cover, that Katy had never seen before, and several otherthings were scattered about, which gave the room quite a different air.All the house was neat, but somehow Aunt Izzie's rooms never werepretty. Children's eyes are quick to perceive such things, and Katy sawat once that the Blue-room had never looked like this.
Cousin Helen was white and tired, but her eyes and smile were as brightas ever. She was delighted with the flowers, which Katy presentedrather shyly.
"Oh, how lovely!" she said; "I must put them in water right away. Katydear, don't you want to bring that little vase on the bureau and set iton this chair beside me? And please pour a little water into it first."
"What a beauty!" cried Katy, as she lifted the graceful white cup swungon a gilt stand. "Is it yours, Cousin Helen?"
"Yes, it is my pet vase. It stands on a little table beside me at home,and I fancied that the Water Cure would seem more home-like if I had itwith me there, so I brought it along. But why do you look so puzzled,Katy? Does it seem queer that a vase should travel about in a trunk?"
"No," said Katy, slowly, "I was only thinking--Cousin Helen, is itworldly to have pretty things when you're sick?"
Cousin Helen laughed heartily.
"What put that idea into your head?" she asked.
"Cecy said so when I told her about your beautiful night-gown."
Cousin Helen laughed again.
"Well," she said, "I'll tell you what I think, Katy. Pretty things areno more 'worldly' than ugly ones, except when they spoil us by making usvain, or careless of the comfort of other people. And sickness is such adisagreeable thing in itself, that unless sick people take great pains,they soon grow to be eyesores to themselves and everybody about them. Idon't think it is possible for an invalid to be too particular. And whenone has the back-ache, and the head-ache, and the all-over ache," sheadded, smiling, "there isn't much danger of growing vain because of aruffle more or less on one's night-gown, or a bit of bright ribbon."
Then she began to arrange the flowers, touching each separate onegently, and as if she loved it.
"What a queer noise!" she exclaimed, suddenly stopping.
It _was_ queer--a sort of snuffing and snorting sound, as if a walrus ora sea-horse were promenading up and down in the hall. Katy opened thedoor. Behold! there were John and Dorry, very red in the face fromflattening their noses against the key-hole, in a vain attempt to see ifCousin Helen were up and ready to receive company.
"Oh, let them come in!" cried Cousin Helen from her sofa.
So they came in, followed, before long, by Clover and Elsie. Such amerry morning as they had! Cousin Helen proved to possess a perfectgenius for story-telling, and for suggesting games which could be playedabout her sofa, and did not make more noise than she could bear. AuntIzzie, dropping in about eleven o'clock, found them having such a goodtime, that almost before she knew it, _she_ was drawn into the game too.
Nobody had ever heard of such a thing before! There sat Aunt Izzie onthe floor, with three long lamp-lighters stuck in her hair, playing,"I'm a genteel Lady, always genteel," in the jolliest manner possible.The children were so enchanted at the spectacle, that they could hardlyattend to the game, and were always forgetting how many "horns" theyhad. Clover privately thought that Cousin Helen must be a witch; andPapa, when he came home at noon, said almost the same thing.
"What have you been doing to them, Helen?" he inquired, as he opened thedoor, and saw the merry circle on the carpet. Aunt Izzie's hair was halfpulled down, and Philly was rolling over and over in convulsions oflaughter. But Cousin Helen said she hadn't done anything, and prettysoon Papa was on the floor too, playing away as fast as the rest.
"I must put a stop to this," he cried, when everybody was tired oflaughing, and everybody's head was stuck as full of paper quills as aporcupine's back. "Cousin Helen will be worn out. Run away, all of you,and don't come near this door again till the clock strikes four. Do youhear, chicks? Run--run! Shoo! shoo!"
The children scuttled away like a brood of fowls--all but Katy. "Oh,Papa, I'll be _so_ quiet!" she pleaded. "Mightn't I stay just till thedinner-bell rings?"
"Do let her!" said Cousin Helen, so Papa said "Yes."
Katy sat on the floor holding Cousin Helen's hand, and listening to hertalk with Papa. It interested her, though it was about things and peopleshe did not know.
"How is Alex?" asked Dr. Carr, at length.
"Quite well now," replied Cousin Helen, with one of her brightest looks."He was run down and tired in the Spring, and we were a little anxiousabout him, but Emma persuaded him to take a fortnight's vacation, and hecame back all right."
"Do you see them often?"
"Almost every day. And little Helen comes every day, you know, forher lessons."
"Is she as pretty as she used to be?"
"Oh yes--prettier, I think. She is a lovely little creature: having herso much with me is one of my greatest treats. Alex tries to think thatshe looks a little as I used to. But that is a compliment so great, thatI dare not appropriate it."
Dr. Carr stooped and kissed Cousin Helen as if he could not help it. "My_dear_ child," he said. That was all; but something in the tone madeKaty curious.
"Papa," she said, after dinner, "who is Alex, that you and Cousin Helenwere talking about?"
"Why, Katy? What makes you want to know?"
"I can't exactly tell--only Cousin Helen looked so;--and you kissedher;--and I thought perhaps it was something interesting."
"So it is," said Dr. Carr, drawing her on to his knee. "I've a mind totell you about it, Katy, because you're old enough to see how beautifulit is, and wise enough (I hope) not to chatter or ask questions. Alex isthe name of somebody who, long ago, when Cousin Helen was well andstrong, she loved, and expected to marry."
"Oh! why didn't she?" cried Katy.
"She met with a dreadful accident," continued Dr. Carr. "For a long timethey thought she would die. Then she grew slowly better, and the doctorstold her that she might live a good many years, but that she would haveto lie on her sofa always, and be helpless, and a cripple.
"Alex felt dreadfully when he heard this. He wanted to marry CousinHelen just the same, and be her nurse, and take care of her always; butshe would not consent. She broke the engagement, and told him that someday she hoped he would love somebody else well enough to marry her. Soafter a good many years, he did, and now he and his wife live next doorto Cousin Helen, and are her dearest friends. Their little girl is named'Helen.' All their plans are talked over with her, and there is nobodyin the world they think so much of."
"But doesn't it make Cousin Helen feel bad, when she sees them walkingabout and enjoying themselves, and she can't move?" asked Katy.
"No," said Dr. Carr, "it doesn't, because Cousin Helen is half an angelalready, and loves other people better than herself. I'm very glad shecould come here for once. She's an example to us all, Katy, and Icouldn't ask anything better than to have my little girls take patternafter her."
"It must be awful to be sick," soliloquized Katy, after Papa wasgone. "Why, if I had to stay in bed a whole week--I should _die_, Iknow I should."
Poor Katy. It seemed to her, as it does to almost all young people,that there is nothing in the world so easy as to die, the momentthings go wrong!
This conversation with Papa made Cousin Helen doubly interesting inKaty's eyes. "It was just like something in a book," to be in the samehouse with the heroine of a love-story so sad and sweet.
The play that afternoon was much interrupted, for every few minutessomebody had to run in and see if it wasn't four o'clock. The instantthe hour came, all six children galloped up stairs.
"I think we'll tell stories this time," said Cousin Helen.
So they told stories. Cousin Helen's were the best of all. There was oneof them about a robber, which sent delightful chills creeping down alltheir backs. All but Philly. He was so excited, that he grew warlike.
"I ain't afraid of robbers," he declared, strutting up and down. "Whenthey come, I shall just cut them in two with my sword which Papa gaveme. They did come once. I did cut them in two--three, five, eleven of'em. You'll see!"
But that evening, after the younger children were gone to bed, and Katyand Clover were sitting in the Blue-room, a lamentable howling was heardfrom the nursery. Clover ran to see what was the matter. Behold--therewas Phil, sitting up in bed, and crying for help.
"There's robbers under the bed," he sobbed; "ever so many robbers."
"Why no, Philly!" said Clover, peeping under the valance to satisfy him;"there isn't anybody there."
"Yes, there is, I tell you," declared Phil, holding her tight. "I heardone. They were _chewing my india-rubbers_."
"Poor little fellow!" said Cousin Helen, when Clover, having pacifiedPhil, came back to report. "It's a warning against robber stories. Butthis one ended so well, that I didn't think of anybody's beingfrightened."
It was no use, after this, for Aunt Izzie to make rules about going intothe Blue-room. She might as well have ordered flies to keep away from asugar-bowl. By hook or by crook, the children _would_ get up stairs.Whenever Aunt Izzie went in, she was sure to find them there, just asclose to Cousin Helen as they could get. And Cousin Helen begged her notto interfere.
"We have only three or four days to be together," she said. "Let themcome as much as they like. It won't hurt me a bit."
Little Elsie clung with a passionate love to this new friend. CousinHelen had sharp eyes. She saw the wistful look in Elsie's face at once,and took special pains to be sweet and tender to her. This preferencemade Katy jealous. She couldn't bear to share her cousin with anybody.
When the last evening came, and they went up after tea to the Blue-room,Cousin Helen was opening a box which had just come by Express.
"It is a Good-by Box," she said. "All of you must sit down in a row, andwhen I hide my hands behind me, _so_, you must choose in turn which youwill take."
So they all chose in turn, "Which hand will you have, the right or theleft?" and Cousin Helen, with the air of a wise fairy, brought out frombehind her pillow something pretty for each one. First came a vaseexactly like her own, which Katy had admired so much. Katy screamed withdelight as it was placed in her hands:
"Oh, how lovely! how lovely!" she cried. "I'll keep it as long as I liveand breathe."
"If you do, it'll be the first time you ever kept anything for a weekwithout breaking it," remarked Aunt Izzie.
Next came a pretty purple pocket-book for Clover. It was just what shewanted, for she had lost her porte-monnaie. Then a cunning little locketon a bit of velvet ribbon, which Cousin Helen tied round Elsie's neck.
"There's a piece of my hair in it," she said. "Why, Elsie, darling,what's the matter? Don't cry so!"
"Oh, you're s-o beautiful, and s-o sweet!" sobbed Elsie; "and you'rego-o-ing away."
Dorry had a box of dominoes, and John a solitaire board. For Phil thereappear
ed a book--"The History of the Robber Cat."
"That will remind you of the night when the thieves came and chewed yourindia-rubbers," said Cousin Helen, with a mischievous smile. They alllaughed, Phil loudest of all.
Nobody was forgotten. There was a notebook for Papa, and a set of ivorytablets for Aunt Izzie. Even Cecy was remembered. Her present was "TheBook of Golden Deeds," with all sorts of stories about boys and girlswho had done brave and good things. She was almost too pleased to speak.
"Oh, thank you, Cousin Helen!" she said at last. Cecy wasn't acousin, but she and the Carr children were in the habit of sharingtheir aunts and uncles, and relations generally, as they did theirother good things.
Next day came the sad parting. All the little ones stood at the gate,to wave their pocket-handkerchiefs as the carriage drove away. When itwas quite out of sight, Katy rushed off to "weep a little weep," allby herself.
"Papa said he wished we were all like Cousin Helen," she thought, as shewiped her eyes, "and I mean to try, though I don't suppose if I tried athousand years I should ever get to be half so good. I'll study, andkeep my things in order, and be ever so kind to the little ones. Dearme--if only Aunt Izzie was Cousin Helen, how easy it would be! Nevermind--I'll think about her all the time, and I'll begin to-morrow."