IX.
_MAKING GINGER-CAKES._
BUT how?
Ah! there it was. That which would have been easy and simple enough inthe beginning, had she but done as she should, and taken the mice atonce to the cook, was now a great trouble and difficulty.
For if she took them to Catherine now, the cook would ask where she hadfound them, and put other questions which she would not wish to answer;for that would involve a confession she had no mind to make, penitentthough she was, or thought herself.
And how was she to put the mice out of the way herself? She could nottell what to do with them. Should she carry the box off somewhere, awayto the woods or down on the shore, and let the mice out there?
But then again, if she did this, she must leave the other children,her little guests Maggie and Bessie, too; and this would excite wonderand curiosity; more than that, she was not allowed to go out of theirown grounds alone. She might perhaps hide them in the garden-houseif she could but contrive to escape the eyes of her companions for afew moments, but no, the black cat might return in search of Daisy'spets, and her own fall victims to the creature. No, that plan wouldnever answer; but what should she do? Oh! if she only had knownbeforehand what trouble and unhappiness her momentary disobedience anddeceit would bring upon her, she would never, never have yielded totemptation, and hidden the mice. Why had she not taken time to thinkabout all this?
Ah, Carrie, there it is. If we only knew beforehand, if we only couldforesee the consequences of our wrong-doing, the misery and punishmentwe shall bring upon ourselves, perhaps upon others, how carefulit would make us to avoid the sin! But the pleasure comes first,the punishment after, when it is too late; and nothing is left butrepentance and regret.
Carrie had run up to the garret once more, hastily taken the box fromits hiding-place, and brought it down to the room next her mother's,which she and Nellie shared. There she stood now, a most unhappy littlegirl, as such thoughts as these chased one another through her mind,trying to think of some plan for ridding herself of the mice, butobliged to reject first one and then another.
What was she to do?
She was in dread this very moment lest the other children should comeupstairs and find her there with her dreadful secret; yes, it wasdreadful to Carrie now; and she felt almost angry at the innocentlittle mice.
You have all heard of the unhappy man who was very anxious to have anelephant, and at last won one in a raffle; but the moment it was hisown he did not know what to do with it, and would have been glad tohave some one take it off his hands. Those mice were as bad as so manyelephants to poor Carrie, and oh, how she wished that she had neverseen them! _Seen_ them! She had not even done that! Only _heard_ themas they rustled in their prison-house; not very satisfactory paymentcertainly for all the pain and trouble she had gone through ever sinceshe had taken them. The man at least could _see_ his elephant, but hermice she had only _heard_.
And what a rustling and scratching and gnawing they were making nowwithin the box which stood on the table before her, where she regardedit with puzzled, troubled face, wishing it and its occupants a thousandmiles away!
There was a little hole near the bottom of the box: had the micegnawed it, trying to make their escape? And how had they come in thebox, and how many were there? What a noise they made!
Forgetting her anxieties for one moment, Carrie took up the boxagain, put her eye to the hole, and tried to peep within. But it wasuseless, she could see nothing; and now the mice, frightened by hermovements, were as quiet,--well, as quiet as only mice can be undersuch circumstances.
Carrie thought she would open the lid of the box a little and peepwithin, just a very little bit, not far enough for the mice to escape,but so she could see how many were there, and what they looked like.Mice were such dear little things!
No sooner said than done. She raised the lid, cautiously and veryslightly at first, then a little farther, when, quick as thought, amouse sprang through the opening, and in a second of time was gone.
Carrie gave a start as sudden; the box fell from her hands, thecover rolled off, and there were four or five little mice tearingwildly about the room, seeking each one for a hiding-place, but ratherbewildered by finding themselves so abruptly turned out from their oldhome, and scattered abroad upon the wide world.
But perhaps you would like to hear how the mice had come to be in thebox, and I will let you know. The mice never told _me_; but I know forall that, and this was the way.
Mother Nibble, having strayed into the house one day, made her wayinto the store-room, and there found this box with the lid partlyopen, a fine stock of chocolate and barley within, and plenty ofsoft, tender paper; and made up her mind that here would be a quiet,well-provisioned house in which to bring up her young family.
And here they had remained undisturbed until that very morning, whenNellie, putting her store-room to rights, had chanced to discover them,and, closing them down in sudden imprisonment, had sent them to a fatefrom which Carrie's naughtiness had saved them.
And they had escaped now, every one of them, and were scampering hereand there before Carrie's startled eyes.
Another moment, and they were gone, hidden safely away in nooks andcrannies such as only mice could find.
But they were out at large. Here in this very room next to mamma's;even worse, Carrie had seen one run through the open door into mamma'sown bedroom! What was she to do? Suppose her mother should see him,find him anywhere, even hear him scratching and nibbling on her ownpremises! She had seen enough of her mother's nervous terror of amouse, strange, even needless it might seem to herself; but she knewtoo well what a torment it was; and now!
She felt as though it was rather hard that the mice should haveescaped, and here in this very place, just at the moment when she hadbeen going to sacrifice her own pleasure to her mother's comfort, andto be "as good as Daisy."
Ah! but, Carrie, there was a great difference between you and Daisy.Your little sister had never yielded to temptation, had put aside herown wishes at once for the sake of her mother's feelings,--put themaside as a matter of course, and without a thought that it could orshould be otherwise.
Dear, unselfish little Daisy!
But it would not do for her to stand here, idly gazing about her. Therewere the other children expecting her, perhaps looking for her; sheheard their voices even now in the hall below.
Hastily gathering up the scattered fragments of paper, tin-foil, andcrumbs of chocolate and barley which had fallen to the floor, shecollected them within the box, put the cover upon that, opened a drawerbelonging especially to herself, and thrust all beneath some otherthings. Some other time, she thought, she would throw the box away;for the present it was safe there.
This done, she ran downstairs and rejoined her sisters and brothersand young friends, who were all still so occupied with Daisy and herpathetic sorrow over the parting from the white mice, that they hadscarcely noticed Carrie's absence, and did not annoy her with thequestions she had dreaded.
But it was a miserable afternoon to Carrie. She felt that repentancehad come too late, and that now at any time her mother might encountera mouse. She was not sorry when it came to an end, and Mrs. Bradford,returning with Mrs. Ransom from their drive, took away her own littleflock with her; Frankie carrying the white mice, which he assured Daisyhe was "only keeping" for her till he and she were married, when hewould "build her a gold house for them;" and that they were just asmuch hers if they did live in his house.
Daisy watched the departure of her pets with the most pitiful oflittle faces, striving with all her might to smile and look cheerful,but failing distressingly. Mrs. Ransom hardly understood what it wasall about till Mrs. Bradford's carriage had gone, the white mice withit; but, when she did, she overwhelmed her unselfish little darlingwith so many thanks and caresses that Daisy felt repaid for hersacrifice.
Nellie wondered what it could be that made Carrie continue so out ofspirits and almost fretful all the evening; but, ha
ving been repulsedonce or twice when she would have attempted to give sympathy or askquestions, she found it best to let Carrie alone, even when she heardher crying quietly to herself after they had both gone to rest, and hersister believed her to be asleep.
But when the next morning came, and nothing had yet been seen or heard,so far as she knew, of the escaped prisoners, Carrie's spirits roseonce more, and she believed that she should have no farther troublefrom them.
Papa was expected home upon the evening of this day, and Nellie was tobe allowed to try her hand upon his favorite ginger-cakes. Nellie hadsomething of a turn for cooking, and was always so careful about rulesand proportions, steady little woman that she was, that mamma was notmuch afraid that she would fail, especially with good-natured Catherineto keep an eye upon her.
Of course the making of the ginger-cakes was a very important business,the grand event of the day to Nellie, Carrie, and Daisy; for the twolast must have a hand in them, and "help" Nellie in her operations.More than this, they were to be allowed to roll out some "teentytaunty" cakes for their own eating and that of their dolls. Theywould have had Nellie go to her cake-making the first thing in themorning, and leave all else till this was accomplished; but that wasnot Nellie's way. "Duty before pleasure" was generally her motto; andof late she had kept it steadily before her, and tried also to be verysure which was the _duty_ and which the _pleasure_, feeling that shehad too often mistaken the one for the other.
But at last all the regular small housekeeping tasks were done, and,with a pleasant consciousness of duty fulfilled, Nellie signified tothe other children that she was ready to begin her cookery.
Catherine had every thing ready for her; and Nellie with a long aprontied about her neck and covering all her dress, her sleeves rolledup to her shoulders, and her receipt-book lying open beside her, wassoon deep in the mysteries of mixing, while Carrie stood on the otherside of the table, sifting sugar; and Daisy, mounted on a chair besideNellie, ladled spoonful after spoonful of flour into the stone bowlwherein Nellie was stirring her mixture. Nor did she spill more than aquarter of each spoonful on the way, which, on the whole, is saying agood deal.
Daisy's face was radiant, and her troubles of yesterday were for thetime quite forgotten in the interest of her occupation.
"Carrie," said Nellie presently, trying to be mysterious, so that Daisymight not know she was the subject of remark, "Carrie, don't you thinka certain person of our acquaintance has pretty well recovered?"
"Yes," answered Carrie, "you mean the youngest person in thek-i-c-h-u-n, don't you? Oh! quite recovered."
But Daisy was too quick for them, and, immediately understandingthat she was the individual alluded to, thought herself called uponto return to the mournful demeanor which she considered proper underher bereavement, and, banishing the smiles from her face, she said,dolefully,--
"You mean me! I know you mean me; and I'm not recoveryed at all, notone bit."
"But I would if I were you," said Nellie. "When we do a kind thing forany one, like your giving up your mice for mamma, it is better not tolet them see we feel very badly about it. That is, if we can help it;and I think you could feel a little glad and happy now if you chose:couldn't you?"
"Well, I don't know, I b'ieve not," answered Daisy, closing her eyeswith an expression of the most hopeless resignation. "There now!"continued this unappreciated little mortal, opening them again, "justlook how that old flour went and spilled itself! There's only a littlespeck left in the spoon!"
"Because you didn't look what you were doing," said Nellie, laughing;"better keep your eyes open, Daisy, when you are carrying flour."
"I fink I could recovery a little if I only knew what was in that bigparcel," said Daisy, taking up another spoonful of flour, this timewith her eyes open.
"What parcel?" asked Carrie.
"That large parcel that came home yesterday," said Daisy. "It is forpapa, so mamma said it wasn't right for me to peek; and now it's in thehall-closet where I can't even see the outside of it. I asked mamma ifI couldn't just open the closet door and look at it, but she told meI'd better not, 'cause, if I did, it might be a temp-ta-tion," repeatedDaisy with a justifiable pride in the long word and her correctpronunciation of it.
"Yes, I know," said Nellie, turning to kiss the chubby, beflouredlittle face at her side. "I know, darling; and you were a wise girl tokeep away; you've been very good yesterday and to-day. Don't put in anymore flour till I come back. I am going into the store-room for anotherpaper of ginger."
"Carrie," said Daisy, when Nellie had gone, "did you ever have atemp-ta-tion?"
Carrie did not like this question; innocently as her little sister putit, it brought back to her too plainly that yielding to temptation ofwhich she had so lately been guilty.
"Of course, child," she answered pettishly, "everybody does."
"Did it make you do somefing naughty?" was Daisy's still more unwelcomequestion.
"Mind your own business," snapped Carrie. "Daisy, I never did see achild who talked so much."
Daisy ventured no further remark, but stood gravely regarding Carriewith reproving displeasure till Nellie returned, when she turned to herand said,--
"Nellie, isn't it more politer to say, 'Please wait and talk a littlemore anofer time,' than to say, 'Mind your own business, you talk toomuch!'"
"I should think it was. O Daisy, what a funny child you are!" saidNellie, much amused, and without the least suspicion that Carrie wasthe offender in question. "Who has been so rude to you, darling?"
"Never mind," said Daisy. "Carrie, I won't tell tales 'bout you, if youwas rude to me,--oh, so rude!"
Nellie laughed merrily again over Daisy's fancied concealment ofCarrie's sins against her.
"I don't see what there is to laugh about," said Carrie, angrily. "Youthink Daisy is so smart."
Nellie was grave in a moment, wondering, as she had had occasion to domany times during the last twenty-four hours, what could make Carrie socross and ready to take offence.
"Any more flour, Nellie?" asked Daisy.
"No more now," answered her sister. "Catherine, the receipt don't _say_cinnamon, but papa likes it so much, I think I will put some in. Itcan't do any harm, can it?"
"Not at all; I'm thinking it would be an improvement myself, MissNellie," answered the cook. "But then I've not a pinch of powderedcinnamon. I used the last yesterday for the rusks."
"There's some in the dining-room," said Nellie. "Daisy, dear, you cando that. Go to the sideboard, open the right-hand door, and bringsister the spice-box you will see on the first shelf. Bring it verycarefully."
"Yes, I know it," said Daisy, scrambling down from her chair, andfeeling rather important in her errand. "Cafarine, don't I help a wholelot?"
"Oh! a wonderful lot! I never saw a darlin' that made herself souseful;" and with these words of praise sounding in her ears, Daisywent off happy.
In two minutes she was back again, breathless, with wide-open eyes, thecrimson deepening in her cheeks, but with the spice-box safely in herclasp.
"Nellie! and Carrie! and Cafarine! all of yous! what do you fink?" shecried. "Oh! such a fing!"
"What is the matter?" said all three at once.
"A mouse! a weally mouse in the dinin'-room. Not a white mouse, buta nigger mouse,--oh! I forgot again,--I mean a colored person mouse,right in the dinin'-room! What will mamma say?"
"Oh! you must be mistaken, Daisy," said Nellie, while Carrie heard thewords of her youngest sister with a sinking heart.
"No, I'm not, I'm not," persisted Daisy. "It was just as weally a mouseas it could be. He was under the sideboard, and he ran out and underthe sofa."
"Oh dear!" said Nellie, in dismay at the news. "Catherine, there mustbe mice in this house. A good many too."
"Well, no, miss, I think not," said the cook. "This is the first one"--
Down went the bowl into which Carrie was sifting her sugar, notpurposely, though she was only too thankful for the diversion itafforded, but be
cause she had given a violent start and knocked thebowl with her elbow in her alarm at Catherine's words. How nearly hersecret had been discovered! But now it was safe at least for the time,for the bowl was broken, the sugar scattered over the floor, and it wassome moments before order was restored; by which time Nellie was intentupon cutting out her cakes, marking them with the "jigging iron," andlaying them in the bake-pans, so that she had no thought for mice,white or gray.
Declaring herself "tired of helping," and feeling that her labors hadbrought no very satisfactory result to herself or others, Carrie leftthe kitchen and wandered into the dining-room, possibly to see if shecould spy the mouse Daisy had discovered. But no, there was no mousethere, at least she could find none; and she began to hope that, afterall, the little one had been mistaken.
Oh dear! how wretched and unhappy she felt! She began to think shewould feel better if she went and told mamma, making honest confessionof what she had done, and begging her forgiveness.
Just then Daisy came into the room, and began peeping around in everycorner and under each article of furniture.
"You needn't be looking for that mouse," said Carrie, "he's gone; and,any way, I don't believe there was any mouse there."
"There was, oh! there was," cried Daisy. "I saw him wif my own eyesrunning fast, fast. But, Carrie, Nellie says we'd better not speakabout it 'fore mamma, 'cause it would trouble her."
"I don't believe it. You just thought you saw him," persisted Carrie.
"Now you've said a great many bad fings to me, but that's the baddestone of all, and I shall leave you alone wif your own se'f," said theoffended Daisy, and walked away with her head held high.
Now it might almost have been imagined that Daisy knew that Carrie's"own se'f" was no very pleasant company just at this time, and that shewished to punish her by leaving her "alone wif" it; and, innocent asshe was of any such intention, she certainly had her revenge.
Carrie's own thoughts were not agreeable companions; even less so nowthan they had been before Daisy came in, for her half-formed resolutionof telling all to her mother seemed less difficult than it had donebefore her little sister had said that Nellie thought it best not tospeak of the mouse to mamma. If mamma was not to hear of one mouse,it would not do to tell her that several were running at large aboutthe house; and Carrie could not help feeling and believing that thiswas one of the escaped captives. Mice could come downstairs, that sheknew; for once, when she and Nellie had been spending the day with LilyNorris, they had seen a little mouse hopping down from stair to stair,and had stood motionless and silent, watching till he reached thebottom of the flight, when his quick, bright eyes caught sight of them,and he scampered away in a fright.
And now that it was forbidden, she was seized with a strong desireto relieve her mind by a full confession to mamma. Then at least shewould be free from the burden of carrying about with her such a guilty_secret_.
"Oh dear! oh dear!" she said to herself, "whenever I've done anythingnaughty before, I could always go and tell mamma, and then she forgaveme, and I felt better; but now it seems as if I did not dare to tellher this. I'd dare for myself, even if she was very much displeased andpunished me; but I suppose I mustn't dare for her. It is _too_ hard."
Ah, Carrie! so, sooner or later, we always find the way oftransgression; and oftentimes the sharpest thorns in the road are thosewhich we have planted with our own hands, not knowing that they willwound our feet, and hold us back when we would retrace our steps.