A Modern Cinderella, Amanda Minnie Douglas [free ereaders .txt] 📗

on the lift. She was a really charming little waitress.

"Such an odd thing occurred today," began Mrs. Borden. "John do you know a firm, Davis & Calthorpe, who manufacture something--"

"Yes, Calthorpe is selling out, I drew up some papers for him. He's been up in the Adirondacks all summer and is going to Bermuda; but he will never come back alive."

"How queer it all is! We met Mrs. Brant a few times at Bayside. They have come to Newton to look into the business and are staying with Mrs. Wheeler. They came to call and Mrs. Brant has a pretty, stylish young daughter. Of course they'll have to move here. She is quite taken with Newton. I told them about that Jamreth house down the street and they decided to look at it. Of course I didn't get much acquainted with her, but she seems a very nice body. And that's a promising business, but Calthorpe had to give it up and I'm sorry for the poor fellow; glad, too, that he met with this chance of disposing of his share. Brant appears to be a nice, brisk fellow and it is lucky for Davis as well."

The Jamreth house had stood empty all summer. Marilla passed it on her way to the park, for Arch street led direct. Suppose Ada was there sitting on the stoop or at the window and giving her that indifferent stare when they had been quite acquaintances!

For the first time fairy land and her dancing with the Prince failed to comfort. The whole world seemed changed, and how would Miss Armitage be, now that she was well?

But she was very, very busy; Jack went to school a week and was delighted with the boys.

"Sam Gordon has a little brother just big enough to begin school. I wish one of the twins was a boy. What's the use of so many girls?"

His father laughed a little at that. The second week the charm began to fail. His head ached and he wanted to stay at home and have Marilla read to him.

"Boys don't have headaches," said his mother. But he was cross and his face flushed up so that in the afternoon his teacher sent him home. "And I don't want this scratchy flannel on! I like the other better; can't I pull it off?"

"The others are worn out, and it is coming cooler weather. Oh, you'll get used to it," said his mother, teasingly.

Then he kicked the babies' playthings about and pinched Marilla's arm and wouldn't eat any dinner, and said his pudding was bitter. His father sent him to bed, but he tossed and tumbled and cried out for a drink ever so many times, and in the morning was red with a fever and some sort of eruption. So they sent for Dr. Baker, who pronounced it a fine case of measles.

"I don't see where he caught it, unless it is in the school, and I suppose the twins will have it," said Mrs. Borden in despair.

There were three pretty bad days and Jack tried the patience of the whole household sorely. Then the babies showed symptoms and seemed vexed that such a thing should happen to them, and now school was not to be thought of in some time.

"Run out and take a little airing, Marilla," said Mrs. Borden, late one afternoon. "You haven't been out of the house for days."

She was very glad to go. Jack was still a recluse though he seemed well.

Which way should she go? Her heart cried softly for Loraine place and almost unconsciously her feet turned thitherward. Miss Armitage sat by the window but she sprang up and opened the hall door with, "My dear, dear child!"

Marilla had her face in a transport of happy crying, from an overweighted heart.

"Oh, my dear!" leading her in.

"Oh, Miss Armitage, we have the measles round at our house. Perhaps I oughtn't come in."

"Oh, I had the measles long ago, and I've seen three cases this afternoon. I've only been home four days and had the most splendid time. But I want to hear about you--have you been well, and was it nice at the seaside? Why it seems like a year since we parted."

"Yes, I was well and the babies walk and talk and are real cunning and they do grow prettier. They're getting some real nice hair but I can't make it curl. I didn't like the house so well and there was no bath only a cold water faucet and a gas stove, and I missed Bridget so much. We staid out of doors most of the time. I didn't go in bathing--I was a little afraid, I think, and I would have had to go with some of the servants. There were a good many of them--we took our meals outside. I was glad to get home, and oh, so glad to see you!"

She caught the hand and kissed it rapturously. Miss Armitage held up the face with her hand under the chin.

"No, you haven't gained any."

"I think I did at first, but Jack was so troublesome, and the old lady, Aunt Hetty, wants one to read her to sleep and sometimes it takes so long."

"You surely are not helping with her?"

"Oh, only reading and answering her bell. She's somehow so nice when you wait on her. I think, like the rest of us, she's so glad to be back. One day she gave me a dollar and said I must spend it for candy, but I haven't yet. Do you think I ought to have told Mrs. Borden?"

"Why, not necessarily."

"I'm not so very fond of candy. There's a beautiful book of fairy stories in a store down town that I'd like. Only Jack takes every thing, and he keeps asking if I haven't a penny when we go out. His mother doesn't give him pennies to spend, and a very good thing, too."

"What kind of books do you read to the old lady?"

"Well, you see it's this way, she reads on pages and pages and puts in a mark, then I go on where she left off and so I don't get the real sense of the story. They seem to have a good deal of trouble. I'd rather read about little girls who went to their grandmother's and had nice times, and beautiful verses full of music such as you used to read."

Miss Armitage laughed pleasantly. "We'll have some nice reading again. And you ought to go to school."

"But you see I can't. I look over Jack's books and I write on pieces of paper. I don't know how to spell all the words. Oh, I wrote a letter to Dr. Richards. He asked me to, and he sent such a nice answer. I did want to write again, but I hadn't any paper nor postage stamp, and I didn't like to ask the second time. Oh, I might buy some with my dollar, mightn't I?"

"I'll do you up a little package. He wants to see you, so I'll ask him to come here and let you know. And sometimes when you are out with the babies you must stop here and let me see them, and I'll call and see you all."

"Oh, how nice that will be. I'm so glad you love me. For I never shall be like the girls who have pretty homes and parents to love them. But you'll be the fairy godmother always, won't you?"

"Yes, dear," in a soft tone.

"And now I must go. It's so sweet to know that some one really loves you even if you are a bound-out girl. And now I'm beginning to count the years."

Miss Armitage kissed her and watched her tripping down the steps. She was worthy of a better fate. Would she love the hand that set her in pleasanter places and not come to think wholly of self? For she, woman past thirty, as she was, longed for a little daughter's love, a daughter to grow up along side of her, to share her very life.

The babies went out walking up and down the block one day and took no harm. Violet was wild to run away, as Jack had been, and so was quite a care. Then the men came to fumigate the house and they all went to a friend's and took lunch.

"Dear me, what a nice little maid you have," said the friend. "She seems to know just what to do, and she's so pleasant tempered. Where did you find her?"

"She came from Bethany Home and she's bound to me until she's eighteen. She'll be of good service."

The Autumn was glorious with a good deal of sunshine; Jack went back to school and was getting to be a regular boy, full of pranks; they were sometimes rather rough. He did stand in awe of his father, but he occasionally said things to Marilla that were not a bit nice, then he would coax her not to tell of them.

One afternoon Miss Armitage came. Bridget said she was sorry the ladies were out but the visitor said she wanted to see Marilla and the babies and went up stairs to the nursery. Playthings were all about; Marilla had been building houses for the twins to knock down. They glanced at Miss Armitage with wondering eyes, but they said "down, down" when Marilla took to a chair. Then they tumbled over her and buried their hands in her curly hair, even if it pulled. They showed they owned her, and it really was not an easy lot for the little girl. She did look pale and tired but she was so glad to see her friend.

Then the lady began to plan if there was any way to get her free. She went to see Mrs. Johnson.

"Why the child seems very well off," was the rather tart reply. "She is well fed and clothed and has nothing to do but amuse two little ones. Many a girl would jump at the place. It wouldn't do for us to be changing them about, you see. We do sometimes take away a child who is ill treated. I've visited this Mrs. Borden several times and found things very satisfactory."

"But she could be educated--"

"My dear lady, there are hundreds of these poor children who need a good home and to be fitted for their station in life which cannot be a very high one. Their heads must not be filled with dreams of wonderful fortunes. Real work is and must be the lot of those who are homeless and dependent. Now, if _you_ wanted to adopt some child I have two lovely little girls here, one of them born to luxury it would seem, but misfortune and death made a waif of her. I do hope some well-to-do people will take a fancy to her."

No, she didn't want any stranger. She would wait and see. Why should she care so much for Marilla? The faint little voice haunted her--"Are you a fairy godmother?"

The Bordens were really disappointed when they found they had missed Miss Armitage. Then a dressmaker was to come, and friends were dropping in. Unless they shut the nursery door the little girls were in everything, and then they fairly howled for mama.

"Oh, Marilla, can't you keep those children entertained? It sounds as if they were getting murdered. Put on their things and take