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Show 10-! lUCilA HD 11 UHDIS. a bank and tears to pieces the flowers and shrubs which have cost her so much l)ains to gather. She sings and talks Ly turns as she thus employs herself, and prating in idiot soliloquy at fits, she speaks to the flowers that she rends, and has some idle history of each. "There's more of blue than of tlw others, and smc there should be, for the skies arc blue, and they take their color from tl1c skies. But I don't want so much of the blue; I won't !~tw o so much; I must have more yellow; nnd there's a little pink flower that Mr. John showed me long time ago, if I could get only one of them; one would do me to ]mt in the middl('. There's a meaning in that little flower, and )[r. John read it like a printed book. It has drops of yellow in the bottom, and it looks like a little cup for the birds to drink from. lmust look for that. If I c:m only get one now, I would keep it for Mr. John to read, aml I would remember wl11ll he tells me of it. But :Mr. John don't love Aowcrs ; he docs not wear them in his button-hole as I sec Mr. Richard; :mel j\[iss l\fary loYes flowers too; I always sec her with a bunch of them in her hand, ;mel ~;he gathers great bunches for the fireplace at home. She rends them, too, like a book; but I will not get her to rend my little }link fl ower for me. I will get Mr. John; for J1e laughs when l1e rends it, mal J\1 iss l\Iary looks almost. like she would cry; and she looks at me, and she docs not look at tho flower, ~mel she canies me home with her; but Mr. John takes me a long wnlk with him in the woods, and we gathet· more flowers togetl1cr, nnd we sit down upon tho log, and pull tl1em to pieces. I wish he would come now. Jf he were with me, I could go deeper into the woods; but they look too blnck when I am by myself, and I will not go ;done. There's more th:m twenty be<1rs in those bl:tc.k woods, so mother tells me; and yet, when l go there with ]Hr .• John, I don't sec any, and I don't even hear them growl; tiley must be afraid of him, und run when they know he's coming. I wish he were coming to rend my flower. I have onc-I have two-if he woulcl but come. Oh, me, mother !-what's that 1" rrhc girl started from the bank in fear, daslling down the flowers in the same instant, and preparing l1erself for Hight. rl'he voice of the intruder reassured her:- 11 A\1, J ane, my pretty, is it you 1" . "Denr me, Mr. J -ohn, I'm so glad you're come! I thought 1t was the bhck bears. }\[other says there's more than twenty in these woods, and tells me that I musn't go into them; that they'll cat me up, and won't even leave my bonos. But when von're with me, l\lr. Jolm, I'm not afraid of the bears." "' "Humph!" was the nnut~cred thought of the new-comer; u not the less danO"er perhaps, but of this no matter." "So you're afr~\i(l of the bears, my pretty Jane 1" he said aloud. "Ah, no, uot when you're with me, Mr. John; they're afraid of you. But when I'm by myself, the woods look so black, l'm afraid to go into them." "Pretty idiot!" exclaimed John llurdis, for it was he; "but you're not afraid now, Jane: let us take a. walk, an~l laugh at these bearS. rl'hd'y will not stop to look at US j and If they do, all we 1!:1ve to do is to laugh at them aloud, and they'll be sure to run. There's no danger in looking at them when they nm, yon know." "No, to be sure; but,i)Ir.John-stop. I don't knowwheth~ cr I ought to go with you any longer; for do you know-. - " U01·e she lowered her voice to a. whisper, and looked cnutlously around her as ~he spoke-" do yon know mother's been talking t.o tlacl about you, and she says-but I won't tell ?'ou." And, with a playful manner, she turned from hnn as she finished tbe sentence, ancl }H·oeeeded to gather up the flowers, which, iu her first alarm, she lwcl scattered tdl m-ound her. lie stooped to assist her, and, putting his ann about her waist.' tl1cy walk f'orwanl into the wood, the si11y creature all the wlulc rc~ fusing to go, yet seeming perfcc.tly unconscious that she was cveu then complying with his demand. " ' hen they we:e some~ what concealed within its recesses, he stopped, and wtth some little anxiety demanded to know what it was that her mother had sniJ.. "I won't tell you, Mr. John, I won't." . lie knew very well how to effect his purpose, and replied calmly- " Well if you won't tell me, Jane, I will call the bears-" 41 No, don't!" she screamed aloud; "don't, Mr. John! I'll 5* |
