Laddie: A True Blue Story

eddin

of fashion may b

tillon, at whi

ration by vau

painting, and

fair one, in c

ts duties are de

warbles some

he needle with

e needle, the sw

rected by bea

eces if she got anything she wanted. When she asked the Almighty to make us good, obedient children, there was not a word she said that showed she trusted either the Lord or us, or thought there was anything between us and heaven that might make us good because we wanted to be. You couldn't keep your eyes from the big gad and ruler on her desk; she often fingered them as she prayed, and you knew from her stiff, little, sawed-out petition that her faith was in implements, and she'd hit you a crack the minute she was the least angry, same as she had me th

t is

f, and tried twice before I could

t-they do! But I was wrong to contradict you before every one, and on your first day, and if yo

my hands. That would be no Crusader way, but you might do it before you had time to think, when the ruler was big and your head wa

nt to see what was going on. They told us, and said we had better go away, because possibly things might happen that children would sleep better not to see. Strange how a thing like that makes you bound you will see. We went and sat on the fence and waited. Soon they reached Sabethany, but they could not seem to get her out. They tried, and tried, and at last they sent for more men. It took nine of them to

arth will they do with Sabethany?" I gasped. "Why, she couldn't fly to Heaven

pt a hitching post," said Leon, "and I gues

y; so we went, but the last glim

en a tiny speck of her. When I had waited for my head to be cracked, until I had time to remember that a Crusader didn't dodge and hide, I

please fo

then the only way to be sure was because no one e

turning to stone in a second-father said it had taken Sabethany seven years-and changing to gobbler red, Miss Amelia suddenly began to laugh. To laugh, of

e you. I see you had no intention of giving offense, so none

thus from flower to flower you fly, culling sweets the livelong day, never leaving off to play?" That was a poetry piece, and it was quite cheery, although it was all strung together like prose, but you couldn't fool me on poetry; I knew it every time. As I studied I felt better, and when Miss Amelia came to hear me she was

es asking God to open her eyes like Saul's when he tried to kick against the pricks, and make her to see, as he did, that God was not a myth, Well, there was no one in the sitting-room or the parlour, but there were voices farther

being made, was to shove up the window above my bed, push back the blind, and look in. I didn't care what she had. I just wanted to get ahead of her and see before she was ready, to pay her for beating me. I knew what she had, and I meant to tell her, and walk away with my n

there were heaps and stacks of hand-made underclothes. I could see the lovely chemise mother embroidered lying on top of a pile of bedding, and over and over Sally had said that every stitch in the wedding gown must be taken by hand. The Princess stood beside the bed. A funny little tight hat like a man's and a riding whip lay on a chair close by. I couldn't see what she wore-her usual riding clothes probably-for she had a nip in e

The Princess had as much red as I ever had seen in her cheeks,

fectly beautiful bride you will be! Never have I seen a

rrupt; but about six of those grown people told the Princess all at the same time how our oldest sister Elizabeth was married to a merchant wh

t down softly. "Oh look!" she cr

ittle faint splashes of black as if they had been lightly painted on. The skirt was so wide it almost filled the room. Every inch of that dress was lined with soft, white silk. There was exquisite lace made into a flat collar around the neck, and ruffled from sight up the inside of the wide sleeves. That was the beginning. The finish was something you never saw anything like before. It was a

ringe swing, and laughed, and talked every second. Sally, and mother, and all of them had smiled such wide smiles for so long, their

stood the dress, shimmering like the inside of a pearl-lined shell, white as a lily, and the tinkly gold fringe. No one COULD have said enough about it, so no matter what the Princess said, it had to be all right. She k

eve! Oh how will you wear this and think of a man

d, and so did

begged the Princess. "I know t

ox and took out a dear little gray bonnet with white ribbons, and the yellow bead fringe, and a bunch of whi

the bonnet, turni

so I can have things like these? I think your brother is a genius. I'm going to ride to Westchester tomorrow and give him an order to fill for me th

suit her, she sat on the floor and kept straight on saying the things my mother and sisters seemed crazy to hear. When Sally showed her the long white silk

say what she would do: "Or I can bring it the next time I come pa

use it for the

ncess. "It was made to go with these lace

ly. "If you really want me to h

. "And I wish you'd let me try a way I know to d

so I would appear perfectly natural to the folks; but if you know a more becom

iliar style that would make you seem different, just at a time when every one should see how lovely you are, as you always ha

sake!" cried m

to make beautiful things for your very own home, and lovely dresses, and be surrounded by friends all eager to help yo

the county who wouldn't propose to you, if you'd

e to meet him? you may be sure of that; won't

went even farther," said

cess. "Now I must go; I have been so long m

was on the back of his head, his face flushed, his collar loosened so that his strong white neck showed, and his sleeves were rolled to the elbow, as they had been all summer, and his arms were burned almost to blist

o make you acquainted w

rincess. Gee! I could have saved my feelings. She made mother the prettiest lit

ge stores some time ago," she said.

at I was sure none of the others saw, because they were not watching for it, and I was. Laddie bowed from the waist, and put the reins in her fingers all in one movement. He caught the glance she gave him too; I could almost feel it

aid, "I would ride as well as t

horses. Half the battle in riding is a thoroughbred," said La

hands one over the other on top of a post of the hitching rack. "I

e, covering her hands with hi

ned in the ways of the world, and she could influence me only as I chose to allow her. With you youngsters it is different. You'll find her captivating, and you may let her ways sway you without even knowing it. All these outward things are not essential; they are pleasing, I grant, but they have nothing to do with the one big, elemental fact that a Godless life is not even half a life. I never yet have known any man or woman who attempted it who did not waste life's grandest opportunities, a

id just those things to hers and won

on of the soul of a girl like that, not to mention her poor, housebound mother, and that man with the unhappiest face I ever have seen, her father. It's worth trying, but sup

ings you and father have taught us, and the lives you've lived before

have seen, and mighty willing t

r myself I will give you my word of honour that I won't be i

t encouragement by a girl like that, even his God can't always hold him; and you never h

hen all of us started to the house, for it was almost supper time. I got ready and thought I'd take one more peep at the dress before Sally p

you might come

I just slipped in to take a peep when I noticed the o

I would do, but

crying about

iss Amelia. "Once I made a wedding dr

t was a silly question, for of course she would

sobbed Mi

etimes happens. Right then I heard Sally coming, so I grabbed Miss Amelia and dragged her under the fourposter, where I always hid when caught doing something I shouldn't. But Sally had

the floor, holding the ruffle, peering in. "Miss

me for getting her into such a fix, and if she became too angry probably she'd take it

Sally as pathetica

knees shake against the floor. After a while she l

to show you before put

y, that was a good impulse, but it sent Sally to bed for a week. And when she threw a shovel of coals on Bill Ramsdell's dog, because Bill was a shiftless lout, and the dog was so starved it all the time came over a

d and put away wedding things. Any woman would have been wild to do that. Then she told Miss Amelia that she was going to ask fa

t of wanting her until that minute; and then she arranged for her to wait on table to keep her from trying to eat with the wedding party, because Miss Amelia had no pretty clothes for one

ng, and it was such a teasing thought I followed around and watched him

it, Little Si

put up with Peter doing it when I was his sister by law, but before, the old name the preacher baptized

ly's wedding dre

eason why you sh

"I was trying to see what in the world there

r shoes laced. But it showed a humble spirit in Peter. Not that I care for humble spirits. I am sure the Crusaders didn't have them. I don't believe Laddie would lace even the Princess' shoes, at least not to make a steady business of it.