The Boys' And Girls' Library Part 18

Bruno, the faithful Bruno, was given to Isabelle for her playmate and protector; and often might the two be seen bounding over the lawn, and through the meadows; and when the little girl was tired, Bruno would seat himself under the shade of some tree, while Isabelle would make him her pillow, and when she was rested, away they would run again. But this was on holidays; for Isabelle was a studious little girl, and did not spend all her time in play.

I suppose my little readers are all this time wondering why I do not tell them how Isabelle came to fall into the pond: I must beg pardon for my neglect, and repair the error by telling them. Well, Isabelle had leave to play in the garden with Bruno, and, as she was rambling by the pond, she saw a beautiful tuft of blue violets; and as she knew her mother was very fond of violets, she wished very much to get them for her; and though she had been told never to walk near the edge of the banks, she thought she should be able to get the flowers without danger; but in reaching for them, her foot slipped, and she fell over into the water.

Bruno immediately plunged in, and brought her safe to the bank, as we have seen; but Isabelle learnt a good lesson, which she never forgot, and that was, obedience to her parents; for with obedience to their commands, they will be always more pleased and happy, than with the most lovely flowers in the field.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

BESSIE LEE.

In an old school-house in one of our rural villages, one beautiful summer's day, a group of merry children were a.s.sembled. Some were hurrying with their lessons, while others were turning listlessly from their books to gaze with anxious faces upon the clock, which ticked loudly (and very slowly on this particular day) in the corner. An afternoon holiday had been promised, and an excursion to a not far distant wood, for the purpose of gathering berries. No wonder, then, all looked pleased and happy.

At length, the long-wished-for hour arrived. A waggon appeared at the door to convey the younger children and the basket to the entrance of the wood, and the elder scholars tripped gaily on--each one with a well-filled basket in hand to contribute to the repast "under the greenwood tree." It was not long ere they reached the wood.

"Oh, how cool!" one exclaimed, as the breeze sighed through the trees and rustled the green leaves; "and how shady!" another cried, as she walked beneath the spreading branches.

Near the entrance of the wood, meandered a clear stream, and the soft, rich gra.s.s sloped gently to the bank, while the branches of an old elm tree fell partly on the water, and formed a fairy-like nook; and here the children stopped,--'twas the very spot for their feast, before they gathered their berries. The baskets were quickly opened, and the contents spread upon the mossy bank. But who was to do the honours of the table? Their choice quickly fell upon a beautiful girl, the daughter of the minister. Bessie Lee was indeed beautiful; her golden hair cl.u.s.tered round her face, and her eyes, of the colour of the noonday sky, shaded by their dark lashes, gave an unusually lovely expression to her countenance;

"And her laugh, full of life, without any control, But the sweet one of gracefulness, rung from her soul."

No wonder, then, she was loved by all--rich and poor, young and old. A wreath of wild flowers was twined by the happy subjects, and the lovely queen was crowned. And then they separated to gather the berries, going in different directions, but intending to meet by the spring ere they returned home.

Bessie hurried eagerly on towards the interior of the woods, but she went not alone; her cousin, Harry Morton, about her own age, accompanied her to help to fill her basket. Hand in hand they wandered, ever and anon stopping to gather the cl.u.s.tering berries, or the bright flowers, that grew in their path. They heard the voices of their companions, but soon the sound died away in the distance. Yet they pressed on, conversing gaily;--but the baskets were filled, and should they not return, asked Harry of his cousin. She looked up,--the sun was shedding his declining rays through the trees, and the woods were flooded with golden light.

"I did not know it was so late," exclaimed Bessie: "we shall be missed, and our schoolmates will be waiting by the spring; we shall have to walk fast."

They turned to retrace their steps and hastened on. "Surely," said Henry, "this is not the way we came; the trees are closer together, and I do not see the big chestnut we said we would have for a landmark."

"Oh," cried Bessie, "that is farther on; it was just where the two roads met;--we shall soon be there--don't you think so?" The poor boy did not answer; he felt that they had lost their way, and he feared to tell his cousin, for timid as a fawn she had always been.

"Are you tired, Bessie?" He looked into her face; the flush of hope had disappeared, and her faltering steps could scarce support her. He placed his arm around her slender waist; "Lean upon me, cousin; you are fatigued."

"Oh, Henry!" she exclaimed, bursting into tears; "we are lost; and my poor mother, how will she feel? We shall never see her again; we shall have to stay in this dark place all night--and the bears and lions--oh, what shall we do?"

"Do not cry, dear cousin; there are no wild animals here now; there is nothing to hurt us here. The woods in this part are free; and don't you know what we read this morning,--there were no lions in this country?"

And so he tried to comfort her, and poor Bessie dried her eyes and tried to smile. "We are like the 'Babes in the Wood,' Harry; only I am afraid there are no pretty robins who will cover us up with leaves, and watch over us."

The last rays of the sun faded away, and the golden-fringed clouds melted into blue. The full moon rose high in the heavens, and the bright stars shone calmly down on the lost ones. Exhausted, the cousins sank upon the gra.s.s, under an old tree, whose friendly branches stretched far and wide to shelter them.

"I can go no farther," cried Bessie; "my head aches, and I feel so tired. Oh, if I could only see mother,--she will be so frightened. Do you think any one will come to find us?"

"Do not feel so bad," said Henry; "nothing will hurt us. G.o.d will take care of us, and it will soon be morning, and then we can easily find our way out of the woods. Your father will send some one for us, or he may come himself, who knows?"

"Hark!" cried Bessie, springing to her feet; "did you not hear a noise?

Something rustled in the gra.s.s; I am sure it was a snake." She clung closer and closer to Harry, and it was with difficulty he could soothe her. He told her how groundless were her fears; that a protecting Providence watched over them, and they would not be harmed.

He wrapped her shawl closer around her, for the night air was chilly to her tender frame. "The soft gra.s.s shall be your bed, Bessie, and I will watch over you; but first let us say our evening prayer, just as if we were at home." Together the cousins knelt down and offered their humble pet.i.tion to the Most High, and then they lay down on their mossy bed to sleep,--Bessie, with her head pillowed on the breast of Harry; his arm supported her, and so they slept. Sweet visions of home haunted their dreams, and their parents' loved faces smiled upon and blessed them.

It was morning; the sun was just rising, and a faint light was diffused through the trees, and the birds were carolling forth their matin songs.

Bessie still slept--the innocent sleep of childhood. Henry lay in the same position, for he would not disturb her. For hours he had lain listening to every sound.

At length Bessie awoke; she looked around,--"Where am I?" were the first words that escaped her lips. She looked at Henry. "Oh! I remember now; we have been here all night. Do you think we shall get home to-day?"

"Oh, yes;" said her cousin, gaily. "I am so glad you have rested so well. We will soon set out, and perhaps we shall get home to breakfast.

But eat some of the berries, Bessie, and then we will try to find our way out of the wood."

She tasted the berries, but pushed them aside. "I cannot eat; I feel, Harry, if we do not soon get home, I shall never eat again."

"Oh! do not grieve so, dear, dear Bessie. Look, the sun is shining brightly through the trees; so _that is_ east, and you know the woods lie west of the school-house; so we will walk towards the sun, and then we will soon see dear home." He placed his arm carefully around her, and they set out, her steps still faltering.

Mile after mile they thus walked, for they had wandered far the preceding night. At times the trees grew thinner, and they would congratulate themselves they were almost home; but then again they could hardly find their way through the overgrown path.

"I cannot go much farther, Harry; for my head throbs almost to bursting, and I am so dizzy, I can hardly see." Bessie stopped and leaned for support against a tree; her hat fell back and revealed her face deadly pale. Poor Harry gazed upon her in despair. What if she should die there in the wood, away from all that loved her? The thought was agony,--the scalding tears started to his eyes. He took hold of her hand; "Bessie, speak to me; lean upon me--we will soon be home, only think so."

At that instant, a plunge was heard in a neighbouring bush. Bessie, too, heard it; it recalled her fleeting senses. She looked up,--a beautiful dog came bounding towards her. She stretched out her arms; "'Tis Carlo; dear, dear Carlo!" The dog crouched at her feet. She stooped to embrace the animal--the tear-drops glistened in her eyes and fell warm upon the faithful creature. "Oh, Harry! he has come to save us; we shall see home once more."

But she was too weak to walk, and how was he to bear her home?

Delicately formed himself, and worn out with fatigue and watching nearly the whole night, he could scarce bear his own weight. Carlo bounded gaily on, inviting them to follow. A voice was heard in the distance, calling on their names,--"Bessie! Harry!" He tried to answer, but his voice was low and feeble. "Bessie, let me help you; I hear voices; let us try to meet them; I will support you." He raised her from the ground and tried to bear her on. The voices approached nearer and nearer; again he essayed to answer,--this time he was heard. They saw some one coming rapidly towards them, and recognised Bessie's father. He hurried on, and received the almost insensible form of his child in his arms. He was accompanied by some of his neighbours, who supported Harry home.

Scarce half an hour elapsed, ere Bessie was laid in her mother's arms.

Carlo, half maddened with joy, frisked and gambolled round them. In vain poor Bessie tried to tell her story, but tears and sobs choked her voice.

They had wandered very far into the woods. On the return of their schoolmates without them, the anxious father, accompanied by some kind neighbours, had spent the night in search of them; but had been unable to trace them, and returned wearied and alone. Another party had immediately formed, and the bereaved father had insisted on again accompanying them. Carlo, Bessie's little favourite, had followed, and it was the instinct of the faithful animal that led the father to his children. And now they were safe in their own loved home; and many a fervent prayer of thanksgiving for the recovery of the lost ones ascended that night to heaven, from the humble dwelling of Pastor Lee.

THE STARS.--ORION.

"O Father," said Rollo, looking up; "look at the sky; see how full of stars it is."

The sky was indeed very full of stars. The galaxy, or the milky way, as it is sometimes called, was very bright. Rollo looked at the stars a moment, and then he got into the sleigh. His father advised him to take a seat with him, behind; but Rollo said he wanted to sit with Jonas, and see the pond, when they came to it.

"I am afraid you will be cold," said his father.

"No, sir," said Rollo; "I don't think it is cold."

So Rollo took his place, by the side of Jonas, on the front seat, and they rode along. After going at a brisk pace for a few miles, they came to the top of a hill, where the pond first appeared in sight. It looked like a great level field covered with snow. They could see a dark line winding along in a gently-serpentine direction across the surface of it.

Jonas said that this was the road they were to take in crossing the pond.

The horse went rapidly down the hill, and before long they were upon the pond. There was not much wind, but a light breeze blew keenly towards Rollo's face, and made his nose and cheeks cold. So he said he meant to turn round towards his father.

His father proposed to him to come and sit upon the back seat; but he said he should be warm upon the front seat, if he only turned round. So he put his feet over the seat, and enveloped them in the buffalo skins which were down in front of the back seat, and the buffalo skin which had been before him, he threw over his shoulders, so that now he had a very good place indeed. He could see, all around him, the sh.o.r.es of the pond, with the lights in the farm houses on the land, and all the constellations which were spread out before him in that quarter of the heavens at which he was looking.

"O father," said Rollo, "I see three stars all in a row. I wish I knew the names of them. Could you look round and see, father?"