A Little Girl in Old New York

r yard had come out in bloom. Buds were swelling everywhere, and the gray spots were all green and shining in the soft golden atmosphere. There was the wi

me of the world's most famous singers. And when she looked out of that weird, narrow waterway and wondered just where Europe was, and ho

talets and white stockings and low shoes. The clothes she thought were beautiful. The hats were full of flowers. She had a new straw gypsy with a wreath of buttercups, and soft yellow strings tied under her chin. Her challi de laine had small blue flowers on a white grou

h he gave his name, and a few months later when some hovels were built to shelter the sailors, the beginning of a settlement. And how in 1614 the Dutch erected a rude fort an

even then, more than two hundred years a

the little girl. It sounds an immens

four dollars at that

s face is amusin

hundred a few days ago. Why, he could have bough

ave wanted to live in such a

ame-he was really here?" It

Royalist town until the Revolutionary War. We had a 'scrap' about tea, too," and Stephen laughs. "Old Castle Clinton was a famous spot. And when Gene

spect was dear to the hearts of the older people. They rose and walked about in the fragra

e of the place were sitting about enjoying the loveliness. One old Frenchman had a ruffled s

Is this your little sister? Do walk in and chat with us. My sister Jane and I have come

farther on Mrs. Morris, fat, fair, and matronly. She was reading "The Lady of the Manor," and when the little girl found it afterward i

l me your name. Why, you look like a lily astray in a bed of bu

explained Stephen. "And this

hands. Then she made room

told me your

roken and let her money down in the ocean, or some one could have stolen it and bought a new Manhattan Island in the

as named after b

d Mr. Morris would call you Nan at once. I never knew such a man for short names. We've alwa

ed. The economy of th

your father

was grown into quite a big girl when

ty, too. And wher

rst St

me see-you did live at Yonkers? I'

nd oh, the Croton water pipe cam

he celebration! Such a wond

t of the boys. Mother said

ittle girl! Well, I don't bla

very rough ones said "no, ma'am," and "yes, m

t did yo

tainments, and her simplicity she thought charmi

You must bring her down again. We think there's nothi

me, indeed. The little girl felt very happy and joyous, and

at night telling him about Mrs.

was the Reig

s a horrible time of war in Fra

. And ruffles all down his shirt-bosom and long, curly, white hair. And Mrs. Morris said he was in prison in the Reign of Terror, and

u will learn all about it in history. But you needn't h

it was to always think of something! Your feet didn't always walk, your hands didn't always work, but that strange thing inside of you never stopped. Oh, y

house-cleaning, and her lover had come on. He was a Vermonter by birth, and an uncle in the Mohawk valley had brought him up. Then he had gone West, but not taken especial root anywhere. He was tall and thin, with reddish hair and beard,

ack up, that she was going to leave, a while at least, in the garret. Her sister-in-law was very

affodils, and the May pinks were full of buds. And then the chickens, the ducks' nests full of eggs, the pretty little dark-

ight. She went out on the old stoop and felt strangely lonesome. T

like it, Han

he meant

e and John are there"-yet her

e any boy

is a big public school round in Houston Street, and I guess there

thousand children in all New York

ity of her statement, for she w

oing all this time?"

d we had to have some new clothes made. A girl

her head. Yes-I see you're mi

"We had a beautiful walk one Sunday on the Battery, and I t

hey didn't have

Jim. Tell us about

ted. When she paused he said, "What else?" She told them of her

bowers in it any more, onl

," commented

on as mammy can get ready. It isn't

y don't do it in the city," sa

ll say pop and mammy when I like. I'm not going to dress up in Sunday best manners

tenderly. "I wish I had seen tha

ls there?" interr

spierre was at the head of it. And there was a dreadful prison into which they threw everybody they suspected, and only brought them out fo

e might come as soon as she was settled. I'm not going to stay here and be ordered about by t

slowly. "There would be such a splend

, who had developed some ideas of his own in this brief space. And

glad Dave Andrews is staying on. I don't altogether like Uncle Faid's ideas, and oh, mother, 'tisn't any such jolly home as

Western experiences, and the little girl sat with wide-open eyes, looking at Retty in the moon-light, thinking what a great wonderful world it was to have so many places and all so different. Did you have two organs of thought? She was so puzzled about thought, anyhow. For with

tairs with her mothe

lbow; "say, Ben, don't you want to go back to New York with mothe

me through the s

nter time. Ben, you take after Uncle Faid. It takes him 'most all day

to tell." Ben laughed

int half the fun here that it used to be.

" in a tone t

olled into a bundle. And if you don't care I'll fight my way through. There, Benjami

losing h

to go. There would be s

it all!

in prison through that awful Reign of Terror. He undressed slowly. He was

n the summer. But they coaxed. And somehow, the old home had changed already. The air of brisk cheerfulness was gone. Aunt Crete had her face tied up most of the

y," he said. "They're worth their keep. A boy

county house. And Jim had been her baby for so long. The little girl pleaded also. She told them finally th

ss. She had thought she could never be content

day of their stay up on the knoll w

be old people, we will come back here. I shall want you, Ha

ty? And oh, she did hope her mother wouldn't have tic douloureux and wear shawl

to see the girls and boys. And one girl said: "I s'pose it's city

l swept up to the middle of the street, leaving the round faces of the cobble-stones fairly shining. It was quite delightful to show the boys all over the house and then go through the yard to