A Little Girl in Old Boston

as well. And when, just a week after, another snowstorm came, there seemed a multitude of white peaks out in the harbor, and the hills were transformed into veritable snow-capped mountains

s re-enacted, and Paul Revere again swung his lantern and roused his party to arms, and snowballs whitene

the men. They put the hems in their own frocks and aprons, they stitched gussets and bands and seams. People were still spinning and weaving, though the mills that were to lead the revolution in industries had come in. The Embargo was t

g of carpet rags handy. There were braided rugs that were quit

mes. The father or elder brothers went along to see that no harm happened. Fort Hill was one of the favorite co

in this army. No one likes to go into a fight with the foregone conclusion that he is to be beaten. But they were to do their best, and they did it. The elders went out to see the fun. The rebels directed all their energies to the capture o

sin Sam was the leader of one detachment of the rebe

years before. He was a young man of three-and-twenty when Paul Revere swung his lantern to give the alarm. H

ames, with all the fervor of his youthf

zing Uncle Leverett's hand in both

laces. My father was reading about it. And if there wasn't a

time, Jimmie, boy," said his grandmother

hen I am a big man I am going to sit up clear till morning. And I'

long way ahead," re

acknowledged her safe arrival in good health, and enlarged somewhat on the pleasant home she had found with her relatives. Betty had overlooked the little gir

thing useful! There doesn't seem any time. The idea of a girl of ten yea

y doesn't kni

er French or English. She is not going to be so rich either. It's nonsense to think of that marshy land ever being valuable.

ll ever need to spin,"

earn to spin both wool and flax. Betty had rebelled a

to go out there with their wheels. And there were spinning schools. The better class had to pay, but a certain number of poor women were taught on condition

orld would go on rather than retrograde. For now they were turning out cotton cloth and printing calico and making canvas

as what he said. I think he was a good deal more interested in that than in the sampler she had

o Boston on some business, and on his return he would bring Betty home with him. His wife was going on to Hartford a few days later and would be

cream beaver. Some very handsome ones had come from New York recently. There was a big bow on the top, and two feathers if you could afford it, and ribbon of the same width tied un

and Matthias were married they went to housekeeping in three rooms in old Mrs. Morton's house, and 'Lecty was happy as a quee

it lucky my silk is made and trimmed with that beautiful lace! If I only had my white skirt worked! A

g anything. When any of my girls were ten years old they could do q

ther would object to every one. She would be very discr

an; "and, you see, Electa says it will not cost anything to S

ll be a good d

so"-"gay," she was about to say

To think you're sixteen, almost a woman, and i

was not a young lady, but she was too old to indulge in the frolics of girlhood. She couldn't be

en was going to the house of a friend to supper, as the

She's planned out my visit, but mother thinks-oh, do try an

, Doris and James studied, and she sat and worked diligently on her white gown. Then s

ter over to her husband. "Fr

ead it, while she k

ght as well go. She has been

ome, there's Doris. And I am not as spry a

has two girls quite anxious to go out this winter. I think the oldest

eryone who wants to

ard times. The keep would be the same as for Be

'Lecty had turned into a fine lady. Whether it would be

I think you can trust Betty with her. To

nd yet David had seen the "ungodly in great prosperity." She had a mother's pride

etty just as she is. Her

nce the time was short, perhaps Electa could help her to spend the money to better advantage,

-looking girl,"

er niceness all come out in

no reply

she ought to go. There

the matter. We can't

in Jonas Field's sleigh. He was out collecting, and would call for her at ha

"Priscilla, you have one virtue, at least. One can always tell j

s sympathy with it as well. And though she was not an irresolute woman, she di

ng the pungency of her sniff. Betty's heart dropped like lead.

the question between work and play. There wan't much time to play when I was young, and now I wis

mmittal, but the girl'

and it seems to me she is always having a nurse when the children are ailing, or a w

le young one was g

I should have been ashamed of my girls if they had not known ho

osed Betty. "And here is Elec

can spare Betty," said

es and polished them and then adj

d and going to legislatures. But land! I remember Mat King when he was a patched-up, barefooted little boy. He was always hanging after 'Lecty, and your uncle t

ave prospere

mong them! Theron's a big sea captain, and Zenas in Washington building up the Capitol, and I dare say Mat is thinking of being sent t

t was seldom Aunt Priscilla pra

e just holds on to this world's good things, I tell you, and she's past seventy. My, how she was trigged out in a black satin pelisse lined with fur! And she had a blac

st style," said Betty. "H

can get fashions just as soon here, if theirs do come from New York. Madam was mighty fi

her age wonderfully

now. Everything was awful high. I had an idea that white would be rather plain, but when it had that great bow on top, and strings a full finger wide-well, I didn't even dare show it to your uncle! So I packed it away with white wax and in a linen towel, and when she'd gone yesterday I went and

ing to be marri

ot," said her mo

w on top was so handsome, and I've kept paper wadded up inside, and it hasn't flatted down a mite. Now, Elizabeth, she has that silk we all thought so foolish, and her brown frock and pelisse will be just the thing to travel in. And maybe I could find something else. The things will be scattered when I am dead and gone, and I m

f tea, Betty," s

as well let Betty go as not. 'Tisn't as if it was among strangers. And there's

t looked up

nd. She couldn't go alone on a journey like

in at housekeeping, and

t she learns will be as old-fashioned as the hills in a few years. I didn't do the way m

ting array. Aunt Priscilla was at her second cup when

do you good. That child will turn into a book next. She's got some of the Adams streaks in her.

sed to Aunt Priscilla. She rose and made a pre

ng Solomon, and the fire had burned low. Aunt Priscilla s

in the kitche

at my time of life! I have enough to last me out, and I don't

armth began to diffuse itself and the blaze lightened up the ro

who Dick was and what he'd been doing, but he was mighty queer. 'Pears to me he must a-lived before the war when General Washington licked the Engl

of the braided rug-a little girl with a cloud of light curls sitting there with a great gray cat in her lap. The room was so much less lonely then. Perhaps she was get

the Carolinas and found the climate so agreeable he had settled there. One sister had gone back to England. There were some nieces and nephews, but in the early part of her married life Mr. Perkins had objected to any of them

a large social side that had met with a pinch here, been lopped off there, and crowded in another person's measure. If the person had not been upright, scrupulously just i

ister Esther, who was having hard times then with her flock of little children, and who a few years after had given up the strug

merrymaking that would hardly have been allowed at home, and a young man who had sat on the doorstep and talked, who had taken her driving, and with whom she had wickedly and frivolously danced one afternoon when a party of young people had a merrymaking after

. Perkins began to come. There was an older sister, and no one surmise

le, but his heart's set on Priscilla. He's a good, steady man, forehanded and all that, and wi

lla was married and went to housekeeping in King Street, over her husband's place of business. She was engrossed with her life, but she dreamed sometimes of the other side and the young man who had remarked upon the gowns she wore and put roses in her hair, and she had ideas of lace and ribbons and the vanities of

e disappointed, I suppose, but they haven't earned nor saved. You have been a good wife, and you just take you

es. Later on she almost wished she had. She had entertained plans of taking a girl to bring up, and had considered this little orphaned Adams girl,-who she had imagined in a vague way would be

es than with his lips. He had never married, and had been among the earliest to lay down his life for his country. She always felt that in a way he belonged to her. And if in you

e called them sins and prayed over them. There were other matters-the white bonnet had been one.

illa Perkins. You never had anything half

pirouetted around the room in delight. She

w never had the courage to confess, or to propose wearing it, though other women of her age indulged in as much and more gay

viewed it

appropriate. And a brown would give you so m

were fifteen years betwe

I would c

me, "I have cut off the breadths and begun to sew t

with a rel

al delight in it had to be smothered. And when her hus

e was so fond of pretty things, gay things, the pleasures of life-and she was always relegated to the prose! Other people wore finery with a serene calmness, and went about their da

courage. She had meant to deal them out to the Leverett girls, especially Electa-but Electa seemed to prosper so amazingly! She must do something with them, and clear up her life, sweep, and garnish before the s

and spinning and looking after fractious children. But those evenings out on the stoop, and the

virtue in it, not because she had been trained to believe goodness must have a severe side and that re

und wasn't good enough for her to walk on. So there was only Betty, unless she took up some of the Perkins girls. Abby was

per? I told you 'twas ready full five

oid the little girl on the rug with the cat in her lap. Polly went on grumbling. The toast w

it over the fire a good deal, and you can't tell by that. Land alive! I

de a curious impression on her by a kind of sweetness quite new in her experience

ibable charm, but Aunt Priscilla would have said she had no dictionary wo

Jamie boy gave a little "snicker" as she shut her book. The disdain of her young compeer was quite hard to bear, but she meekly accepted th

beautiful it was! Everybody walked in the middle of the street,-it was so hard and smoo

of them with a leather sole on the outside, which was more durable. The children pulled them well up over

omeone sent a ball that flew all over Doris, but she onl

of "Jonas Field," and Doris gave her pretty, rather for

to see Solomon!" e

ether," re

kitchen. And, Betty, wha

know, and Jimmie boy is doing so well at school that she would like to keep him all winter. Father knows of a girl who would be very glad to come in and work

urned Aunt Priscilla with a little sno

m, as you will see by old wills. And occasionally the grandmothers brough

I suppose, but they're so apt to get stringy afterward. Maybe you wouldn't like it b

rted itself. Of course, if Betty di

oks like moonlight over th

like a wedding gown, but she knew Aunt Priscilla's had been Canton crape, dyed brown first and then black and then wo

t you might call gay; but, land alive! I might as well have bought bright red! There's plenty of it to make over. They weren't wearing s

gown," declared Betty, her eyes alight with pleasure

ld, except for masquerading purposes. People who could remember the great Jonathan Edwards awakening still classed all outward demonstrations of regard as carnal affection

ake it to her. And here's a box of ribbons, things I've had no use for this many a

Madam Bowdoin, almost ten years older, wore her fine ribbons and laces and her own snowy white hair in little rings about her forehead. No one accused her

father had to pay a girl for taking my place at home, he wouldn't feel that he could afford me much finery. And the journey, too. But I have only to pay f

there big-eyed and never

still had a crackle and rustle delightful

awn bonnet-only it does cost so much to ha

nt to see my old thing?

thought so much about it, and how queer it is

say; but I don't believe it

aper crumpled up around, so they could not be crushed. Its days of whiteness were over, but it was the loveliest, softest cream tint, and looked as if it had ju

t on!" cried

ngs together under

queen!" said the

have described this hat any better if she had seen it. And if I can have it, Aunt

ood time with them. Now you see if yo

. She had cast out her life's temptat

loose fold, so. Now put that white paper over. It's like making a gambrel roof. Then brin

obliged. I wish I knew

ot all to life. Child-why do you look at me so?" for Dori

le girl, and what was

ere soft and seemed mor

. "When I was three year old I had to take care of my little brother. I stood up on a bench to wash dishes when I was four, and scoured milk-pans and the pewter plates we used then.

t it was in its tender youth. And all the pay there had been from her father's estate had been three hundred dollars to each girl, the

gingerbread. She hasn't lost her art in that yet. Then you must run off h

them to Solomon, and told him sometime she would come and spend th

nd their round tires like the moon, the chains and the bracelets and the bonnets, the earrings, the mantles, the wimples and the crisping pins, the fine linen and the hoods and the veils-and all these were to be done away with! To be sure she did not really know what they