CHAPTER XI.
THE FIRST CAR RIDE.
It seemed as if cousin Lydia never would get ready to start. Eversince the letter from our mammas, Fel and I had been sure we werewanted at home; but there was no end to the things cousin Lydia had todo, and so far as we could see, Miss Samantha and Miss Julia didn'thelp her much. We dared not say this, however; we laid it away in ourminds, with twenty other things we meant to tell our mothers when wegot home.
My great consolation while waiting was a Maltese kitten with whitetoes, and eyes the color of blue clay; and when, at last, the joyfultime came for going to Willowbrook, I begged to take that kitty withus. Miss Julia said, "Nonsense!" But cousin Lydia was really asensible woman; for what did she do but butter Silvertoe's paws, andtie her into an egg-basket.
"But you must take care of her yourself, Maggie; I shall have my handsfull with you, and Ruphelle, and the baggage."
Kitty behaved beautifully at first; but presently the rough mountainroads began to jar upon her nerves, I think; for by the time the stagereached the station, she was scratching and mewing at such a rate thatI was ashamed of her. I lagged behind, so cousin shouldn't hear.
And was this the depot? A jail, I should say. Such a wicked manstaring through the hole in the wall! Wonder what he was put in for?
"The ticket-master, that is," said cousin Lydia, smiling at me, thoughI hoped she couldn't see what I had been thinking.
Then she bought the tickets; but she wouldn't let Fel or me keep ours.She said the kitty was all I could manage. So I should think!
We heard a shriek like my Big Giant. It frightened me dreadfully; Ibegan to think there _was_ such a man. No wonder kitty jumped. Nextmoment some yellow things came tearing along. Then I knew it was thecars.
"Come," said cousin Lydia, climbing the steps.
Well, I intended to come. My foot was just a little stiff, but I washurrying as fast as I could, when up sprang the cover of the basket,and out popped the kitty. Of course, I wasn't going withoutSilvertoes. She scampered round the end of the depot, and I ran afterher. It was of no use; she dropped into a hole. I couldn't have beengone half a minute; but those yellow things took that time to whiskoff. I ran the whole length of the platform, calling, "Whoa!" but theynever stopped.
The black-whiskered man had come out of his cell, and was locking thedepot door.
"O, won't you stop that railroad? Please, for pity's sake!"
The man made no reply; only shut one eye and whistled. I danced andscreamed. There were those things puffing out of breath, anddetermined not to stop.
"'Tain't no use to make a rumpus. The cars won't take back tracks fornobody."
I thought he didn't understand.
"Why, my cousin Lydia bought me a ticket, sir, right out of that hole.Don't you _know_ she did? And that railroad went off and left me. Iwas getting in in a minute, as soon as I found my kitty!"
"O, that's it, hey? Well, you see this ere's only a flag-station, andthey don't stop for cats."
I began to cry. The man patted me on the back, just as if I had afish-bone in my throat, and called me "Poor sissy." It made me veryangry--seven _whole_ years old--to be called sissy! I wiped my eyes atonce, and told him decidedly that I thought my cousin would make the"driver" come back for me.
The man whistled harder. This caused me to feel a little like a dogthat has lost his master; and I felt so all the more when the manpointed his finger at me and told me to follow him, and he would tryto get me "put up" for the night. But not knowing anything better todo, I trudged after him with my empty basket, forgetting all about thekitten.
We crossed the road, and went through a long yard where clothes weredrying, till we came to a little brown house. Near the open door ofthe porch sat a woman beating eggs in a yellow pudding-dish. She had askin somewhat the color of leather, and wore a leather-colored dress,gold beads, a brass-topped comb, and gold ear-drops, like upside downexclamation points. I thought she looked a little like a sheepskinbook father had in a gilt binding.
"This little creeter got left by the train, Harr'et; I don't see butwe shall have to eat and sleep her. What say?"
"Eat and sleep me!" I took a step backward. Of course they did notmean what they said; but I thought joking on this occasion was invery poor taste.
"Got left over? Poor little dear!"
The woman stopped her work to pity me, and drops of egg dripped fromthe fork-tines like yellow tears. I fell to crying then.
"It seems she's some related to Captain Tenney's folks," said thewhistling man, ending with another love-pat, and "Poor Sissy!"
But even those insulting words could not stop my crying this time.
"Leave her to me, Peter," said the woman. "Most likely she's afraid ofmen folks."
The man went away, to my great relief, and she took my bonnet andcloak, and then made me tell her all about my trials, while she beattime with her fork. My mouth once open, I talked steadily, giving thecomplete history of my life between my sobs,--only leaving out my lieabout the hatchet.
"Something cut my foot and I go a little lame, or I could have catchedthat kitty,--she has white _pors_. But _does_ the railroad have anyright to run off and leave folks that's bought tickets?"
"Never mind, dear, you're welcome to stay over with us. Brother Peterand I never calculate to turn folks away while we have a crust to eat,or a roof to cover us."
"O, dear, what poor people!" I ought not to stay. But it seemed theywere to have something to-night better than crusts. Harr'et was fryingpancakes,--how could she afford it?--and shaking them out of thekettle with a long-handled skimmer into a pan in a chair. She broughtme one, which she called her "try-cake;" but it didn't look likeRuth's, and I was too homesick to eat; so I managed to slip it into mypocket.
Harr'et wore heavy calfskin shoes, and shook the house fearfully whenshe walked. I couldn't help thinking of what she had said about theroof, and it seemed as if it might fall any minute and "cover us,"sure enough.
While I sat on the door-step watching her, all forlorn, she drew out ared armchair, gave it a little twitch, as you would to a sunshade, andlo! it turned into a table, with a round top. Then she covered it witha cloth, from a drawer in the chair part of the table, and put on somegreen and white dishes.
When tea was ready, the whistling man seemed to know it, and came in.It didn't look very inviting to me. The biscuits were specked withbrown spots as if the oven had freckled them; and I didn't likemolasses for sauce.
I thought of home, and the nice supper cousin Lydia was eating there,and could almost see her sitting next to mother, with my purse in herpocket, and my ticket too. And I could almost see Fel, and hear herqueer grandpa asking her questions, while Miss Rubie looked on, allsmiling, and dressed in her wedding-gown, of course.
They all thought I was lost, and they should never see me again.Perhaps they never would. How could I go home without a ticket? Oncethere was a man put off the car because he couldn't show a ticket. Felsaw the "driver" do it.
That thought choked me, together with the sudden recollection that Ihadn't told Harr'et my purse was gone. She and Peter might beexpecting to make quite a little sum out of my board, enough to keepthe roof on a while longer.
"Do eat, child," said the man.
"I didn't tell you, sir," I sobbed, "that the railroad ran off with mypurse,--cousin Lydia, I mean,--and I haven't the leastest thing to payyou with!"
I drew out my handkerchief in a great hurry, and out flew the pancake.Peter and Harriet looked at it and smiled, and I hid my face in shame.
"Never you worry your little head about money," said Peter, kindly. "Iknow young ladies about your size ain't in the habit of travellingwith their pockets full of rocks----let alone doughnuts."
O, what a kind man! And how I had mistaken him! I forgave him at oncefor calling me poor sissy.
"If you've done your supper, Peter, I motion you take her out and showher the sheep and lambs."
Peter did so, besides beguiling me with ple
asant talk; but pleasantestof all was the remark,--
"Don't be a bit concerned about your ticket; I'll make that all rightto-morrow."
And this was the man I had been so afraid of, only because he wasrough-looking, and liked to make jokes.
He told me his name was Peter Noble, and Harr'et was his sister, andkept house for him; and I actually told him in confidence that I meantto go to Italy when I grew to be a lady; for we became close friendsin a few minutes, and I felt that he could be trusted.
It was almost dark when we went back to the kitchen; but there wasHarriet, laughing.
"Whose kitty?" said she.
And it was Silvertoes, lapping milk out of a saucer by the stove. Shewas very hungry, and I suppose came to that house because it was sonear the depot. I felt as happy as Robinson Crusoe when he foundFriday. My trials were now nearly over.
I remember little more, except Peter's taking me into a car next dayin his arms, and Harriet's giving me my kitty through the window. Ihope I thanked them, but am not sure. That was the last I saw of them;but I carried the marks of Harriet's "try-cake" while my frock lasted,for soap took out the color.
The "driver" treated me with marked politeness, and when we reachedWillowbrook Corner, put me into the yellow stage, with as much care asif I had been a china tea-set.
There was a shout when I got home, for all the family were at thegate.