Adventures of Prince Lazybones, and Other Stories

  CHAPTER V

  LISA VISITS MISS SCHUYLER

  "So you are Phil's good friend Lisa?" said Miss Rachel Schuyler, sittingin her cool white wrapper in the dusk of this warm May evening. "I wantto hear more about Phil. The dear child has quite won my heart, he looksso like a friend of mine whom I have not seen for many years. How areyou related to him, and who were his parents?"

  "I am not related to him at all, Miss Schuyler."

  "No?" in some surprise. "Why, then, have you the care and charge ofhim?"

  "I was brought up in his mother's family as seamstress, and went to livewith her when she married Mr. Randolph, and--"

  "Who did you say? What Mr. Randolph?"

  "Mr. Peyton Randolph."

  Miss Rachel seemed much overcome, but she controlled herself, andhurriedly said, "Go on."

  "There was no intercourse between the families after the marriage, forMrs. Randolph was poor, and they all had been opposed to her. I supposeyou do not care to hear all the details--how they went abroad, and Mr.Randolph died there; and while they were absent their house was burned;and there was no one to take care of Phil but me, for Phil had been toosick to go with his father and mother; and Mrs. Randolph did not livelong after her return. I nursed them both--Phil and his mother; and whenshe was gone I came on to the city, thinking I could do better here, butI have found it hard, very hard, with no friends. Still, I have prettysteady work now as shopwoman, though I cannot do all that I would liketo do for Phil."

  Miss Schuyler was crying.

  "Lisa, you good woman, how glad I am I have found you! Phil's father wasthe dearest friend I ever had."

  "Phil's mother gave the child to me, Miss Schuyler."

  "Don't be alarmed. I do not wish to separate you. How can I ever thankyou enough for telling me all this? And what a noble, generous creatureyou are, to be toiling and suffering for a child no way related to you,and who must have friends fully able to care for him if they would!"

  "I love him as if he were my own. Sometimes I have thought I ought totry and see if any of his relatives would help us, but I cannot bear to,and so we have just worried along as we could. But Phil needs a doctorand medicine, and more than I can give him."

  "He shall have all he needs, and you too," said Miss Schuyler, warmly.

  At this Lisa broke down, the kind words were so welcome. And the twowomen cried together; but not long, for Miss Schuyler rose and got Lisasome refreshing drink, and made her take off her bonnet and quietherself, and then said:

  "Now we must plan a change for Phil, and see how soon it can beaccomplished. And you must leave that tiresome shop, and I will give youplenty of work to do. See, here are some things I bought to-day that Ishall have to wear this summer."

  She opened the packages--soft sheer lawn and delicate cambric that gaveLisa a thrill of pleasure just to touch once more, for she loved herwork. "I shall be so glad to sew again, and I wish I had some of mywork to show you."

  "Oh, I know you will do it nicely. I am going out of town in a few days,and I want you and Phil to go with me. Do you think you can?"

  "I am a little afraid," said Lisa, hesitating, "that we are not fit to;and yet--"

  "I will see to all that. Now I suppose you cannot leave Phil alone muchlonger--besides, there is a shower coming. To-morrow I will bring adoctor to visit the dear boy, and we will see what can be done"; and sheput a roll of money in Lisa's hand, assuring her that she should be asindependent as she pleased after a while, and repay her, but that nowshe needed help, and should have it, and that henceforth Phil was to betheirs in partnership.

  Lisa hurried away with a light heart. She had indeed toiled andsuffered, striven early and late, for the child of her affections, andthis timely assistance was a source of great joy.

  She was too happy to heed the dashing shower which was now falling.Herself she had never thought of, and her dear Phil now was to behelped, to be cheered, perhaps to be made strong and well, and able todo all that his poor weak hands had tried to do so ineffectually.

  She opened the door softly when she reached her room. A little shiver ofsweet, sad sounds came from the wind harp. She lighted a candle, andlooked into the pale face of the sleeping child as he lay in an attitudeof weariness and exhaustion, with hands falling apart, and a feverishflush on his thin cheeks.

  "My poor Phil! I hope help has not come too late," she whispered, as shebegan her preparations for his more comfortable repose.

  The next day Miss Schuyler came, as she had promised, and brought aphysician--a good, kind surgeon--who examined Phil, and pulled thisjoint and that joint, and touched him here and there, and found outwhere the pain was, and what caused it, and said nice, funny things tomake him laugh, and told him he hoped to make him a strong boy yet. Andthen they whispered a little about him, and Joe was sent for, and acarriage came, and Phil was wrapped in a blanket and laid on pillows,and taken out for a drive alone with Miss Schuyler, who chatted withhim, and got him more flowers; and when they came back there was a nicedinner on a tray, and ice-cream for his dessert, and Joe was to staywith him until Lisa came home; and before Lisa came there was a nice newtrunk brought in, and several large parcels. And Phil thought he hadnever seen such a day of happiness. After his dinner and a nap, andwhile Joe Sat and played on his violin, Phil sketched and made a lovelylittle picture of flowers and fairies, in his own simple fashion, togive to Miss Schuyler. And then Lisa came home, and the parcels wereopened; and there were nice new dresses for Lisa, and a pretty, thinshawl, and a new bonnet; and for Phil there was a comfortable flannelgown, and soft slippers, and fine handkerchiefs and stockings; and Philfound a little parcel too for Joe with a bright bandanna in it, and theold man was very happy.

  "It seems like Christmas," said Joe.

  Phil thought he had never seen quite such a Christmas, and said, "Itseems more like Fairy-land, and I only hope it will not all fade awayand come to an end, like a bubble bursting."

  "To me," said Lisa, "it is God's own goodness that has done it all, forit was He who gave Miss Schuyler her warm, kind heart."

  "And, Joe," said Phil, "we are to go to the country, and you are to gowith us; is not that nice?"

  "Very nice, Phil. I'm glad Miss Rachel's found out your father was herfriend."

  Then Joe took up his violin again, and played "Home, Sweet Home," and"Auld Lang Syne"; and Phil fancied the violin was a bird, and sang ofits own free-will, and thinking this reminded him how soon he would hearthe dear wild birds in the woods, and he wondered if the fairies wouldcome to him there.

  Then Joe went home, and Lisa had errands to do, and again she put thewind harp in the window, and left Phil alone, keeping very still inexpectation of another visit from his fairy friend.