XII.
_MISS ADAMS._
Among the many pleasures which Maggie and Bessie Bradford enjoyed atQuam Beach, there was none which they liked much better than going overto the hotel to see the dear friends who were staying there. Sometimesit was to stay a while with grandmamma and Aunt Annie; perhaps to takea meal with them at the long hotel table; to hear grandmamma's stories,or to have a frolic with Aunt Annie and their little playmates. AuntAnnie was a young girl herself, merry and full of mischief, and likedplay almost as well as Maggie. Then there were those delightful visitsto Colonel and Mrs. Rush, which the colonel said he enjoyed more thanthey did; but they thought that could not be possible. They knew a goodmany of the other people, too, and almost every one was pleased to seethe two well-behaved, ladylike little girls.
But there was staying at the hotel a lady who used to amaze Maggieand Bessie very much. Her name was Miss Adams. She was very tall andrather handsome, with bright, flashing black eyes, a beautiful color inher cheeks, and very white teeth. But she had a loud, rough voice andlaugh, and a rude, wild manner, which was more like that of a coarseman than a young lady. Then she talked very strangely, using a greatmany words which are called "slang," and which are not nice for anyone to use, least of all for a lady. Maggie ran away whenever she camenear; but Bessie would stand and watch her with a grave, disapprovingair, which was very amusing to those who saw it.
Miss Adams generally had a number of gentlemen around her, with whomshe was very familiar, calling them by their names without any "Mr.,"slapping them on the shoulder, laughing and talking at the top of hervoice, and altogether behaving in a very unladylike way. But Bessiethought it very strange that sometimes, when Miss Adams had been actingin this rough, noisy manner, after she went away, the gentlemen wouldshrug their shoulders, and laugh and talk among themselves, as if theywere making unkind remarks about her. She thought they could not likeher very much, after all, when they did so.
One evening Harry came home from the hotel in a state of greatindignation. Miss Adams had a beautiful dog named Carlo. He was awater spaniel, and was a great favorite with all the boys, who oftencoaxed him to the shore, where they could play with him. Miss Adams wasgenerally willing enough to have him go; but that afternoon, when shewas going out in her pony carriage, she wanted him to go with her, andhe was not to be found. Something had happened before to put her out,and she was very angry at Carlo's absence. She had gone but a littleway, when it began to rain, and she had to turn back. This vexed herstill more; and just as she jumped from her carriage, Carlo ran up.
"So, sir," she said, with an angry frown, "I'll teach you to run awaywithout leave!" and taking the poor dog by the back of the neck, shethrashed him with the horse-whip she held in her other hand. Carlowhined and howled, and looked up in her face with pitiful eyes; but sheonly whipped him the harder. The ladies turned pale and walked away,and the gentlemen begged her to stop, but all in vain; she kept onuntil her arm was quite tired, and then the poor dog crept away shakingand trembling all over. The boys were furious, and Maggie and Bessiewere very much distressed when they heard the story, and disliked MissAdams more than ever.
When the baby was quite well again, Mr. and Mrs. Bradford took a driveof some miles, to spend the day with an old friend. They took onlybaby and nurse with them, and Maggie and Bessie went up to the hotelto stay with their grandmamma. It was a very warm day, and grandmammacalled them indoors earlier than usual. But they did not care much, forAunt Annie was a capital playmate, and she amused them for a long time.
But just as she was in the midst of a most interesting story, someladies came to make a visit to grandmamma. One of the ladies was oldand rather cross, and she did not like children, and Aunt Annie thoughtthat it would not be very pleasant for her little nieces to be in theroom while she was there. So she gave them a pack of picture cards anda basket of shells, and said they might go and play with them on one ofthe long settees which stood on the piazza.
There were only one or two people on the piazza, and the childrenspread out their shells and pictures, and were very busy and happy forsome time. They heard Miss Adams' loud voice in the hall, but did notpay any attention to her.
Presently she came out on the piazza, followed by three or fourgentlemen, and looked around for a shady place. She saw none that sheliked as well as that where Maggie and Bessie were playing, and comingup to them, she sat down on the other end of the bench. The gentlemenstood around.
"Here, Thorn," said Miss Adams, "sit down here;" and she moved nearerto Bessie, sweeping down some of the shells and pictures with herskirts. Mr. Thorn obeyed, and Maggie whispered to Bessie, "Let's goaway." Bessie said, "Yes;" and they began to gather up their treasures,Maggie stooping to pick up those which Miss Adams had thrown down.Presently Bessie felt a pretty hard pull at one of her long curls. Shewas sure it was Miss Adams, although she did not see her; but she saidnothing, only shook back her hair, and put on the look she always didwhen Miss Adams was doing anything of which she did not approve.
There came another pull, this time a little harder. "Don't," saidBessie.
A third pull, just as Maggie raised her head and saw Miss Adams' handat Bessie's hair.
"Don't!" said Bessie again, in a louder and more impatient tone.
"Come now, Lovatt," said Miss Adams, "are you not ashamed to be pullinga young lady's hair?"
"Oh!" said Maggie, astonished out of her shyness, "you did it yourself!I saw you."
Miss Adams shook her fist at Maggie, and then gave a longer and harderpull at Bessie's hair.
"When I tell you _to don't_, why _don't_ you don't?" said Bessie,furiously, stamping her foot, and turning to Miss Adams, her facecrimson with anger.
Miss Adams and the gentlemen set up a shout of laughter, and Mr.Lovatt, who was standing just behind Bessie, caught her up in his armsand held her high in the air.
Now Bessie disliked Mr. Lovatt almost as much as she did Miss Adams. Hewas a great tease, and was always running after her and trying to kissher. He had never done it yet, for she had always managed to run awayfrom him, or some of her friends had interfered to save her from beingannoyed.
"Put me down!" she said.
"Not until you have given me three kisses," said Mr. Lovatt. "I haveyou now, and you cannot help yourself."
"Put me down!" screamed Bessie, furious with passion.
"For shame, Lovatt!" said Mr. Thorn, and Mr. Lovatt looked for a momentas if he was going to put Bessie down; but Miss Adams laughed andsaid,--
"You are not going to let that little mite get the better of you?_Make_ her kiss you. Such airs!"
Mr. Lovatt lowered the struggling child a little, but still held herfast in his arms, while Maggie ran off to call her grandmamma.
"Kiss me, and I'll let you go," said Mr. Lovatt.
"I wont, I wont!" shrieked Bessie. "I'll tell my papa."
"Your papa is far away," said Miss Adams.
"I'll tell Colonel Yush!" gasped Bessie.
"Do you think I care a _rush_ for him?" said Mr. Lovatt, as he tried totake the kisses she would not give. Bessie screamed aloud, clinched onelittle hand in Mr. Lovatt's hair, and with the other struck with allher force upon the mouth that was so near her own.
"Whew!" said Mr. Lovatt, as he quickly set Bessie upon her feet, "whowould have thought that tiny hand could have stung so?"
"You little tiger!" said Miss Adams, seizing Bessie by the shoulder andgiving her a shake. "You are the child they call so good; are you? Why,there's not another in the house would have flown into such a passionfor nothing. What a furious temper!"
Bessie had never been shaken before. It was a punishment which Mr. andMrs. Bradford would not have thought proper for a child, were sheever so naughty, and she had never been punished at all by any one buther father or mother, and that but seldom. But it was not so much theshaking as Miss Adams' words which sobered Bessie in an instant. Shehad been in a passion again! She stood perfectly silent, her lips andcheeks growing so white that Miss
Adams was frightened, but just thenMrs. Stanton stepped out on the piazza and came quickly toward them.They all looked ashamed and uncomfortable as the stately old ladylifted her little granddaughter in her arms and spoke a few words ofstern reproof to the thoughtless young people who could find amusementin tormenting a little child. Then she carried Bessie away.