CHAPTER III.
STUMBLING BLOCKS.
On the following Monday at recess, Miriam called a meeting of theB. S. S., and she and Winnie told the other two girls what they werethinking of doing. But it was very hard work to make Gretta Bergerunderstand.
"Giants!" said she, "what do we care for giants? We're no longer littlechildren, that we should believe in such things."
"But don't you believe that we have faults that we ought to try toconquer?" said Winnie.
"Faults! You'd think I had a million, if you'd hear my mother lectureme; and my sister Josephine seems to think I never did do anythingright. I never suit either of them. I'm scolded from Monday morning tillSaturday night, and I don't want all my play-time taken up in the sameway."
"Oh, Gretta, who is going to scold you? I'm sure we'll all have enoughto do to watch over our own faults, without talking to you of yours."
"Didn't you say we were to help each other? How can we do that, if wedon't say anything when one of us does wrong? No, let our teachers andparents and big sisters do that. I'm sure they seem to enjoy it wellenough."
"Enjoy it! Well, I'm sure we can't blame them. I don't know how elsethey are to get even with you, when you never give in half your demeritsfor the day, and sit and sulk for half an hour if you're told to stoptalking," said Miriam, with her usual heedlessness.
"Well. I'm not so lazy that I can't pin my collar on straight and cleanmy finger nails; and as for killing giants, I think we'd better beeating fruit and taffy than getting into a fuss by meddling with otherfolks' affairs!" And Gretta flounced off in high dudgeon.
Winnie's eyes filled with tears. All this was so unlike anything she hadimagined, and now they had gotten into a quarrel the very first thing.
"Let her go, Winnie," said Fannie; "she's always getting into the sulks,and her father's nothing but a music teacher, anyhow. I never could seewhy you girls liked her so much. I'm sure I never did."
"No!" said Miriam sarcastically, "we can't all be the handsome daughterof a wealthy and celebrated lawyer, more's the pity!"
Winnie's heart sank lower. How she wished she had tried to do rightherself, and let the other girls alone! Now Fannie would be angry, too.
But, to her surprise, Fannie laughed outright. "This is too absurd foranything, girls. Here we were just about to sweep the world before us,and now we've had our first quarrel for over a month. As for me, Iknow I'm proud and vain, and I do like my friends to be rich anddistinguished. But papa says it isn't exactly well-bred to choose ourfriends on such a basis, and he calls my pride silly, and tells me notto be a--well, yes, he does--a snob. But I like to be proud. Perhaps,though, someone else beside myself knows something, and I'll be glad tojoin, and will try to like it when my toes are stepped on."
"Well," said Miriam, "I'm sure I beg your pardon, if I hurt the toes.But I think your good-nature got the best of it. As for Gretta, you allknow she'll sulk just so long, anyhow, and when she gets tired ofit, she'll be all right; and if she once gets this thing through hersomewhat thick head, she'll want to join, too."
"My! but there's a lot of work before us! Do you know, girls, I actuallylay awake for an hour last night, wondering what faults I had, and now,since this squabble, I've seen signs of half a dozen. It's taken all thestarch out of me. Don't I look limp?" And Miriam hung her hands and armsso nervelessly and assumed such a vapid expression, that Fannie laughedoutright, and Winnie smiled through her tears.
"Well, there's one bad habit that we all have," said she decidedly."We're always saying, 'in a minute,' or 'by and by,' or 'to-morrow.' Idon't believe we'll get angry with each other over that, for it isn'twhat my father would call 'a personal peculiarity.'" Winnie did like touse big words.
"All right, Winnie, we'll all begin together, and you shall be thecaptain of our first expedition against the foe."
Winnie went home somewhat comforted, but still quite unhappy aboutGretta. She longed to tell her mother all that had happened, but Mrs.Burton was entertaining callers, and she was therefore obliged torestrain her impatience.
On Tuesdays there were fewer recitations for her class than on otherdays, and, having made good use of her study bells, she was quitethrough before five o'clock, and concluded to take Ralph out for awalk, so she called her mother to ask permission. Mrs. Burton was quitewilling, and said she might also go to the library and change her book.Then she returned to her guests.
Winnie ran to ask Norah if she would help get Ralph ready. She foundher in the wooden rocking-chair in the cheerful kitchen, reading the"Commercial Gazette," and "taking it easy," as she called it. Winniemade her request in a very peremptory manner. Norah looked at her aminute, and then said: "So you want me to dress Ralph, do you? Well, Iguess that want will have to be your master, for I don't intend to breakmy back over the wash-tub all day, and, when I'm snatching a moment forrest, be at the beck and call of a sassy little girl." So saying, Norahreturned to her newspaper, completely ignoring Winnie's presence.
Winnifred knew that it would be utterly useless to say anything more;besides, she had been reproved by her mother more than once for herway of speaking to Norah. But she was greatly disappointed, for now shewould either have to take Ralph dressed as he was, or leave him at home.She finally concluded to do the former, so, hastily getting Ralph andherself into their coats, they were soon in the street car.
Ralph, as usual, had numberless questions to ask. When they reachedFountain Square, they got out, and Winnie, as she invariably did whendown town, crossed to the Esplanade to look at the fountain, of whichshe never wearied. Ralph said he liked to see the little boys and girlssprinkling, and then he must have a drink from the little boy with ashell in his hand.
All this took up time, so that when they reached the public library itwas quite late. The delivery room, as usual at that hour, was crowded,and, having handed in her card and list, Winnie sat down on one of thebenches to wait till her number was called. This took so long that Ralphbecame restless and then sleepy, and when they were finally in the caron their way home, he soon closed his eyes. Winnie knew that she wouldhave her hands full if he went to sleep, so she shook him, saying,"Ralphie, Ralphie, don't you know that you mustn't go to sleep?"
"Me isn't s'eepy!" said the little fellow, poking his chubby fingersinto his eyes to keep them open; but, finding it quite hard work, aftera minute's consideration he added, "But there's somefin in my eyes,'ough."
"Oh, Ralph, that's the Sandman; you mustn't let him throw sand in youreyes in the street car!"
"No, me 'on't," said Ralph, making a desperate effort.
This little conversation seemed greatly to amuse an old gentlemanopposite. He took Ralph on his knee and let him play with his watch, andkindly kept him awake until it was time for the children to get out.
When they reached home they found the family, with the addition of theirgrandma, Aunt Kitty and Uncle Fred, all at supper, laughing and talkingin the happiest manner imaginable. Winnie was delighted. Aunt Kittywas the dearest to her of all her aunts. She was young and gay andgood-natured, always ready to join in a frolic, or to help with one'slessons, or to take the children and the children's visitors to the"zoo" or the park or some other place equally delightful.
After supper they went into the sitting-room, and Winnie and Jack playedtheir last duet, which Aunt Kitty complimented quite highly. She saidto Mr. Burton, "Winnie does so nicely with her music that I hope you'llallow her to make more of it soon. If she goes to the high-school nextyear, she'll have more time to practice, won't she?"
"Yes, I think so," interrupted Uncle Fred. "She'll be putting on longdresses, and practicing the airs of a young lady before the glass. Butshe won't imitate you, Kitty; your ways will be too youthful for her bythat time," and he gave Winnie's braid a pull. "Isn't it singular?" hecontinued meditatively. "Here Winnie will be growing older every year,and Kitty just the reverse. I don't think she'll have another birthdayin ten years."
"Most assuredly not, if you'll tell me the way to av
oid it. Winnie canhave my birthdays and her own, too," laughed Aunt Kitty.
If there was one thing in the world that Winnie resented as anindignity, it was having her ears tweaked, and now she burst out:
"Grandma, do make Uncle Fred stop! I think he ought to have a goodscolding."
"Why, he's my baby," said grandma; "you wouldn't have me scold my baby,would you?"
Winnie's expression at the novel idea of teasing Uncle Fred's beinganybody's baby was one of such amazement that they all laughed, thoughWinnie herself hardly appreciated the joke.
"Never mind," said Uncle Fred, slipping a bag of chocolates into herhands as a peace-offering, "you know I must tease someone, and your AuntKitty is more invulnerable than Achilles himself, for I think that evenher heel was dipped."
"Oh, I have a vulnerable point," laughed Aunt Kitty, though a closeobserver might have noticed a queer little sober look about her eyesand mouth, "and it is this"--putting one of Winnifred's creams intoher mouth: "the absolute cruelty of giving someone else a paper ofchocolates while I'm present. By the way, Winnie, let's go into thekitchen and make some taffy, while my mother instructs your mother howto bring up children in the way they should go; for that she knowshow to do it, witness your Uncle Fred and myself as bright and shiningexamples."
But for once Winnie held back. At last she said: "Norah won't like it;she's cross to-day. She wouldn't help me get Ralph ready to go downtown."
"Oh, Winnie, I'm afraid you've been at your old tricks. But come on;I'll manage Norah, and she has probably forgiven you before this."
This proved to be the case, and Norah, who was very fond of Aunt Kitty,was so good-natured, not even grumbling about the "muss," that Winniefelt as if she were having coals of fire heaped on her head; and, not tobe outdone in generosity, contritely begged Norah's pardon for the wayshe had spoken to her in the afternoon.