Little men: life at Plumfield with Jo's boys
Alcott, Louisa May, 1832-1888
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ALCOTT, AUTHOR OF “little WOMEN,” “ AN OLD-FASHIONED GIRL,” “EIGHT COUSINS,” “rose in bloom,” “under THE LILACS,” “ JACK AND JILL,” “hospital SKETCHES,” “wORK,” “SILVER / PITCHERS,” “aunt JO’s SCRAP-BAG.” ’’With JHUttstratiotts. # ) ) ' » ) > ) » 3 BOSTON: RCCHERTS BROTHERS. 1885. J Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1871, by LOUISA M. ALCOTT, in the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington. • t * TTniversity Press: John Wilson and Son, Cambridge. C' ... or r; / TO FREDDY AND JOHNNY, ^fje ILittle iWien TO WHOM SHE OWES SOME OF THE BEST AND HAPPIEST HOURS OF HER LIFE, THIS BOOK IS GRATEFULLY DEDICATED BY THEIR LOVING “AUNT WEEDY.” CONTENTS. CHAPTER PAGE I. Nat I II. The BpYS ig III. Sunday 29 IV. Stepping-Stones 52 V. Patty Pans 66 VI. A Fire Brand 89 VII. Naughty Nan 113 VIII. Pranks and Plays 126 IX. Daisy’s Ball 140 X. Home Again • 155 XI. Uncle Teddy ' 176 XII. Huckleberries 193 XIII. Goldilocks 221 XIV. Damon and Pythias 231 XV. In the Willow 255 XVI. Taming the Colt 277 XVII. Composition Day 289 jCVIII. Crops 3^5 XIX. foHN Brooke 3^7 XX. tlouND the Fire 33^ XXL Thanksgiving 5^7 LITTLE KE^: LIFE AT PLUMFIELD WITH JO’S BOYS. CHAPTER I. NAT. ** TT^LEASE, sir, is this Plumfield ? ” asked a ragged JL boy of the man who opened the great gate afc which the omnibus left him. “ Yes ; who sent you ? ” “ Mr. Laurence. I have got a letter for the lady.” “All right; go up to the house, and give it to her 5 she ’ll see to you, little chap.” The man spoke pleasantly, and the boy went on, feeling much cheered by the words. Through the soft spring rain that fell on sprouting grass and budding trees, Nat saw a large square house before him — a hospitable-looking house, with an old-fashioned porch, wide steps, and lights shining in many windows. Neither curtains nor shutters hid the cheerful glimmer ; and, pausing a moment before he rang, Nat saw many little shadows dancing on the walls, heard the pleasant hum of young voices, and felt that it was hardly possi- ble that the light and warmth and comfort within could be for a homeless “ little chap ” like him. 2 LITTLE MEN. I hope the lady will see to me,” he thought ; and gave a timid rap with the great bronze knocker, which was a jovial griffin’s head. A rosy-faced servant-maid opened the door, and smiled as she took the letter which he silently offered. She seemed used to receiving strange boys, for she pointed to a seat in the hall, and said, with a nod, — “ Sit there and drip on the mat a bit, while I take this in to missis.” Nat found plenty to amuse him while he waited, and stared about him curiously, enjoying the view, yet glad to do so unobserved in the dusky recess by the door. The house seemed swarming with boys, who were beguiling the rainy twilight with all sorts of amuse- ments. There were boys everywhere, ‘‘up-stairs and down-stairs and in the lady’s chamber,” apparently, for various open doors showed pleasant groups of big boys, little boys, and middle-sized boys in all stages of even- ing relaxation, not to say effervescence. Two large rooms on the right were evidently school-rooms, for desks, maps, blackboards, and books were scattered about. An open fire burned on the hearth, and several indolent lads lay on their backs before it, discussing a new cricket-ground, with such animation that their boots waved in the air. A tall youth was practising on the flute in one corner, quite undisturbed by the racket all about him. Two or three others were jump- ing over the desks, pausing, now and then, to get their breath, and laugh at the droll sketches of a little wag who was caricaturing the whole household on a black- board. In the room on the left a long supper-table was seen, N'AT. S set forth with great pitchers of new milk, piles of brown and white bread, and perfect stacks of the shiny ginger- bread so dear to boyish souls. A flavor of toast was in the air, also suggestions of baked apples, very tantaliz- ing to one hungry little nose and stomach. ' The hall, however, presented the most inviting pros- pect of all, for- a brisk game of tag was going on in the upper entry. One landing was devoted to marbles, the other to checkers, while the stairs were occupied by a boy reading, a girl singing lullaby to her doll, two pup- pies, a kitten, and a constant succession of small boys sliding down the banisters, to the great detriment of then’ clothes, and danger to their limbs. So absorbed did Nat become in this exciting race, that he ventured farther and farther out of his corner ; and when one very lively boy came down so swiftly that he could not stop himself, but fell ofi*' the banis- ters, with a crash that would have broken any head but one rendered nearly as hard as a cannon-ball by eleven years of constant bumping, Nat forgot himself, and ran up to the fallen rider, expecting to find him half-dead. The boy, however, only winked rapidly for a second, then lay calmly looking up at the new face with a surprised “ Hullo ! ” ‘‘Hullo!” returned Nat, not knowing what else to say, and thinking that form of reply both brief and easy. “ Are you a new boy ? ” asked the recumbent youth, without stirring. “ Don’t know yet.” “What’s your name?” “Nat Blake.” 4 LITTLE MEN. ‘‘ Mine ’s Tommy Bangs ; come up and have a go, will you ? ” and Tommy got upon his legs like one sud- denly remembering the duties of hospitality. “ Guess I won’t, till I see whether I ’m going to stay or not,” returned Nat, feeling the desire to stay increase every moment. I say, Demi, here ’s a new one. Come ar see to him;” and the lively Thomas returned to is sport wdth unabated relish. At his call, the boy reading on the stairs looked up with a pair of big brown eyes, and after an instant’s pause, as if a little shy, he put the book under his arm, and came soberly down to greet the new-comer, who found something very attractive in the pleasant face of this slender, mild-eyed boy. “Have you seen Aunt Jo?” he asked, as if thai was some sort of important ceremony. “I haven’t seen anybody yet but you boys; I’m waiting,” answered Nat. “Did Uncle Laurie send you?” proceeded Demi, politely, but gravely. “Mr. Laurence did.” “He is Uncle Laurie: and he always sends nice boys.” Nat looked gratified at the remark, and smiled, in a way that made his thin face very pleasant. He did not know what to say next, so the two stood staring at one another in friendly silence, till the little girl came up with her doll in her arms. She was very like Demi, only not so tall, and had a rounder, rosier face, and blue eyes. “ This is my sister Daisy,” announced Demi, as if presenting a rare and precious creature. NAT. 5 The children nodded to one another ; and the httle girl’s face dimpled with pleasure, as she said, affably, — ‘‘ I hope you ’ll stay. W e have such good times here ; don’t we, Demi ? ” ‘‘ Of course, we do; that’s what Aunt Jo has Plum- field for.” “It seems a very nice place indeed,” observed Nat, feeling that he must respond to these amiable young persons. “ It ’s the nicest place in the world ; isn’t it, Demi ? ” said Daisy, who evidently regarded her brother as authority on all subjects. “ No ; I think Greenland, where the icebergs and seals are, is more interesting. But I ’m fond of Plum- field, and it is a very nice place to be in,” returned Demi, who was interested just now in a book on Green- land. He was about to offer to show Nat the pictures and explain them, when the servant returned, saying, with a nod toward the parlor-door, — ‘^All right ; you are to stop.” “I’m glad; now come to Aunt Jo.” And Daisy took him by the hand with a -pretty protecting air, which made Nat feel at home at once. Demi returned to his beloved book, while his sister led the new-comer into a back room, where a stout gen- tleman was frolicking with two little boys on the sofa, and a thin lady was just finishing the letter which she seemed to have been re-reading. “ Here he is. Aunty ! ” cried Daisy. “ So this is my new boy ? I am glad to see you, my dear, and hope you’ll be happy here,” said the lady, di-awing him to her, and stroking back the hair from t 6 LITTLE MEN. his forehead with a kind hand and a motherly look, which made Nat’s lonely little heart yearn toward her. She was not at all handsome, but she had a merry sort of face, that never seemed to have forgotten cer- tain childish ways and looks, any more than her voice and manner had; and these things, hard to describe but very plain to see and feel, made her a genial, com- fortable kind of person, easy to get on with, and gener- ally “jolly,” as boys would say. She saw the little tremble of Nat’s lips as she smoothed his hair, and her keen eyes grew softer, but she only drew the shabby figure nearer and said, laughing, — “ I am Mother Bhaer, that gentleman is Father Bhaer, and these are the two little Bhaers. — Come here, boys, and see Nat.” The three wrrestlers obeyed at once; and the stout man, with a chubby child on each shoulder, came up to welcome the new boy. Rob and Teddy merely grinned at him, but Mr. Bhaer shook hands, and pointing to a low chair near the fire, said, in a cordial voice, — “ There is a place all ready for thee, my son ; sit down and dry thy wet feet at once.” “Wet? so they are! My dear, ofT with your shoes this minute, and I ’ll have some dry things ready for you in a jifiy,” cried Mrs. Bhaer, bustling about so energetically, that Nat found himself in the cosy little chair, with dry socks and warm slippers on his feet, before he would have had time to say J ack Robinson, if he had wanted to try. He said “ Thank you, ma’am,” instead; and said it so gratefully, that Mrs. Bhaer’s eyes grew soft again, and she said something merry, because she ^elt so tender, which was a way she had. NAT. 7 ‘‘These are Tommy Bang’s slippers; but he never will remember to put them on in the house ; so he shall not have them. They are too big ; but that ’s all the better ; you can’t run away from us so fast as if they fitted.” “I don’t want to run away, ma’am.” And Nat spread his grimy little hands before the comfortable blaze, with a long sigh of satisfaction. “That’s good! Now I am going to toast you well, and try to get rid of that ugly cough. How long have you had it, dear ? ” asked Mrs. Bhaer, as she rummaged in her big basket for a strip of flannel. “ All winter. I got cold, and it wouldn’t get better, somehow.” “No wonder, living in that damp cellar with hardly a rag to his poor dear back 1 ” said Mrs. Bhaer, in a low tone to her husband, who was looking at the boy with a skilful pair of eyes, that marked the thin temples and feverish lips, as well as the hoarse voice and frequent fits of coughing that shook the bent shoulders under the patched jacket. “ Robin, my man, trot up to Nursey, and tell her to give thee the cough-bottle and the liniment,” said Mr. Bhaer, after his eyes had exchanged telegrams with his wife’s. Nat looked a little anxious at the preparations, but forgot his fears, in a hearty laugh, when Mrs. Bhaer whispered to him, with a droll look, — “ Hear my rogue Teddy try to cough. The syrup I ’m going to give you has honey in it ; and he wants some.” Little Ted was red in the face with his exertions 8 LITTLE MEN. the time the bottle came, and was allowed to suck the spoon, after Nat had manfully taken a dose, and had the bit of flannel put about his throat. These first steps toward a cure were hardly com- pleted, when a great bell rang, and a loud traniping through the hall announced supper. Bashful Nat quaked at the thought of meeting many strange boys, but Mrs. Bhaer held out hel' hand to him, and Rob said, patronizingly, “Don’t be ’fraid; I’ll take care of you.’' Twelve boys, six on a side, stood behind their chairs, prancing with impatience to begin, while the tall flute- playing youth was trying to curb their ardor. But no one sat down, till Mrs. Bhaer was in her place behind the teapot, with Teddy on her left, and Nat on her right. " “ This is our new boy, Nat Blake. After supper you can say. How do you do ? Gently, boys, gently.” As she spoke every one stared at Nat, and then whisked into their seats, trying to be orderly, and fail- ing utterly. The Bhaers did their best to have the lads behave well at meal times, and generally succeeded pretty well, for their rules were few and sensible, and the boys, knowing that they tried to make things easy and happy, did their best to obey. But there are times when hungry boys cannot be repressed without real cruelty, and Saturday evening, after a half-holiday, was one of those times. “ Dear little souls, do let them have one day in which they can howl and racket and frolic, to their hearts’ content. A holiday isn’t a holiday, without plenty of freedom and fun ; and they shall have full swing once a week,” Mrs. Bhaer used to say, when prim people irAT. 9 wondered why banister-sliding, pillow-fights, and all. manner of jovial games were allowed under the once decorous roof of Plumfield. It did seem at times as if the aforesaid roof was in danger of flying ofi* ; but it never did, for a word from Father Bhaer could at any time produce a lull, and the lads had learned that liberty must not be abused. So, in spite of many dark predictions, the school flourished, and manners and morals were insinuated, without the pupils exactly knowing how it was done. Kat found himself very well ofi* behind the tall pitchers, with Tommy Bangs just round the corner, and Mrs. Bhaer close by, to fill up plate and mug as fast as he could empty them. “ Who is that boy next the girl down at the other end ? ” whispered Nat to his young neighbor under cover of a general laugh. “ That ’s Demi Brooke. Mr. Bhaer is his uncle.” “ What a queer name ! ” “ His real name is John, but they call him Demi- John, because his father is John too. That’s a joke, don’t you see ? ” said Tommy, kindly explaining. Nat did not see, but politely smiled, and asked, with interest, — • ‘‘ Isn’t he a very nice boy ? ” “ I bet you he is ; knows lots and reads like anj thing.” “ Who is the fat one next him ? ” “ Oh, that ’s Stuffy Cole. His name is George, buV we call him Stuffy ’cause he eats so much. The little fellow next Father Bhaer is his boy Rob, and then there ’s big Franz his nephew ; he teaches some, and kind of sees to us.” 10 LITTLE MEN, He plays the flute, doesn’t he ? ” asked Nat as Tom- my rendered himself sj^eechless by putting a whole baked apple into his mouth at one blow. Tommy nodded, and said, sooner than one would have imagined possible under the circumstances, ‘‘ Oh, don’t he, though ? and we dance sometimes, and do gymnastics to music. I like a drum myself, and mean to learn as soon as ever I can.” “I like a fiddle best; I can play one too,” said Nat, getting confidential on this attractive subject. “ Can you ? ” and Tommy stared over the rim of his mug with round eyes, full of interest. “Mr. Bhaer’s got an old fiddle, and • he ’ll let you play on it if you want to.” “ Could I ? Oh, I would like it ever so much. You see I used to go round fiddling with my father, and an- other man,' till he died.” “ W asn’t that fun ? ” cried Tommy, much impressed. “ No, it was horrid ; so cold in winter, and hot in summer. And I got tired ; and they were cross some- times ; and I didn’t have enough to eat.” Nat paused to take a generous bite of gingerbread, as if to assure himself that the hard times were over; and then he added regretfully, — “ But I did love my little fiddle, and I miss it. Nicolo took it away when father died, and wouldn’t have me any longer, ’cause I was sick.” “ You’ll belong to the band if you play good. See if you don’t.” “Do you have a band here?” And Nat’s eyes sparkled. “ Guess we do ; a jolly band, all boys ; and they have concerts and things. You just see what happens to- morrow night.” NAT, 11 After this pleasantly exciting remark, Tommy re- turned to his supper, and Nat sank into a blissful reverie over his full plate. Mrs. Bhaer had heard all they said, while apparently absorbed in filling mugs, and overseeing little Ted, who was so sleepy that he put his spoon in his eye, nodded like a rosy poppy, and finally fell fast asleep, with his cheek pillowed on a soft bun. Mrs. Bhaer had put Nat next to Tommy, because that roly-poly boy had a frank and social way with him, very attractive to shy persons. Nat felt this, and had made several small confidences during supper, which gave Mrs. Bhaer the key to the new boy’s character, better than if she had talked to him herself. In the letter which Mr. Laurence had sent with Nat, he had said — ‘‘Dear Jo, — Here is a case after your own heart. This poor lad is an orphan now, sick and friendless. He has been a street-musician ; and I found him in a cellar, mourning for his dead father, and his lost violin. I think there is something in him, and have a fancy that between us we may give this little man a lift. You cure his overtasked body, Fritz help his neglected mind, and when he is ready I ’ll see if he is a genius or only a boy with a talent which may earn his bread for him. Give him a trial, for the sake of your own boy, “ Teddy.” “ Of course we will ! ” cried Mrs. Bhaer, as she read the letter ; and when she saw Nat, she felt at once that whether he was a genius or not, here was a lonely, sick 14 LITTLE MEN. began to work, he dropped the fiddle, and turning to the wall, sobbed like a little child. My dear, what is it ? ” asked Mrs. Bhaer^ who Had been singing with all her might, and trying to keep little Rob from beating time with his boots. “You are all so kind — and it’s so beautiful — I can’t help it,” sobbed Nat, coughing till he was breathless. “ Come with me, dear ; you must go to bed and rest ; you are worn out, and this is too noisy a place for you,” whispered Mrs. Bhaer ; and took him away to her own parlor, where she let him cry himself quiet. Then she won him to tell her all his troubles, and listened to the little story with tears in her own eyes, though it was not a new one to her. “My child, you have got a father and a mother now, and this is home. Don’t think of those sad times any more, but get well and happy ; and be sure you shall never suffer again, if we can help it. This place is made for all sorts of boys to have a good time in, and to learn bow to help themselves and be useful men, I hope. You shall have as much music as you want,. only you must get strong first. Now come up to Nursey and have a bath, and then go to bed, and to- morrow we will lay some nice little plans together.” Nat held her hand fast in his, but had not a word to say, and let his grateful eyes speak for him, as Mrs. Bhaer led him up to a big room* where they found a stout German woman with a face so round and cheery, that it looked like a sort of sun, with the wide frill of her cap for rays. “This is Nursey Hummel, and .she will give you a nice bath, and cut your hair, and make you all ‘ comfy,’ NAT. 15 as Rob says. That’s the bath-room in there; and on Saturday nights we scrub all the little lads first, and pack them away in bed before the big ones get through singing. Now then, Rob, in with you.” As she talked, Mrs. Bhaer had whipped off Rob’s clothes and popped him into a long bath-tub in the little room opening into the nursery. There were two tubs, besides foot-baths, basins, douche-pipes, and all manner of contrivances for clean- liness. Nat was soon luxuriating in the other bath ; and while simmering there, he watched the perfoim- ances of the two women, who scrubbed, clean night- gowned, and bundled into bed four or five small boys, who, of course, cut up all sorts of capers during the operation, and kept every one in a gale of merriment till they were extinguished in their beds. By the time Nat was washed and done up in a blanket by the fire, while Nursey cut his hair, a new detachment of boys arrived and were shut into the bath-room, where they made as much splashing and noise as a school of young whales at play. “Nat had better sleep here, so that if his cough troubles him in the night you can see that he takes a good draught of flax-seed tea,” said Mrs. Bhaer, who was flying about* like a distracted hen with a large brood of lively ducklings. Nursey approved^ the plan, finished Nat off with a flannel night-gown, a drink of something warm and sweet, and then tucked him into one of the three little beds standing in the room, where he lay looking like a contented mummy, and feeling that nothing more in the way of luxury could be ofiered him. Cleanliness 16 LITTLE MEN. in itself was a new and delightful sensation; flanne* gowns were unknown comforts in his world ; sips o) “ good stuff” soothed his cough as pleasantly as kind words did his lonely heart ; and the feeling that some- body cared for him made that plain room seem a sort of heaven to the homeless child. It was like a cosy dream ; and he often shut his eyes to see if it would not vanish when he opened them again. It was too pleasant to let him sleep, and he could not have done so if he had tried, for in a few minutes one of the peculiar institutions of Plumfield was revealed to his astonished but appreciative eyes. A momentary lull in the aquatic exercises was fol- lowed by the sudden appearance of pillows flying in all directions, hurled by white goblins, who came rioting out of their beds. The battle raged in several rooms, all down the upper hall, and even surged at intervals into the nursery, when some hard-pressed warrior took refuge there. No one seemed to mind this explosion in the least; no one forbade it, or even looked sur- prised. Nursey went on hanging up towels, and Mrs. Bhaer looked out clean clothes, as calmly as if the most perfect order reigned. Nay, she even chased one daring boy out of the room, and fired after him the pillow he had slyly thrown at her. “Won’t they hurt ’em ? ” asked Nat, who lay laugh- ing with all his might. “Oh dear, no! we always allow one pillow-fight Saturday night. The cases are changed to-morrow; and it gets up a glow after the boys’ baths; so I rather like it myself,” said Mrs. Bhaer, busy again among her dozen pairs of socks. NAT. 17 ^ What * very nice ecliool this is!” observed Nat, ih a burst of admiration. *‘It’s an odd one,” laughed Mrs. Bhaer; “but you see we don’t believe in making children miserable by too many rules, and too much study. I forbade night- gown parties at first ; but, bless you, it was of no use. I could no more keep those boys in their beds, than so many jacks in the box. So I made an agreement with them : I was to allow a fifleen-minute pillow-fight, every Saturday night ; and they promised to go prop- erly to bed, every other night. I tried it, and it worked well. If they don’t keep their word, no frolic ; if they do, I just turn the glasses round, put the lamps in safe places, and let them rampage as much as they like.” “It’s a beautiful plan,” said Nat, feeling that he should like to join in the fray, but not venturing to propose it the first night. So he lay enjoying the spectacle, which certainly was a lively one. Tommy Bangs led the assailing party, and Demi defended his own room with a dogged courage, fine to see, collecting pillows behind him as fast as they were thrown, till the besiegers were out of ammunition, when they would charge upon him in a body, and recover their arms. A few slight accidents occurred, but nobody minded, and gave and took sounding thwacks with perfect good humor, while pillows flew like big snow flakes, till Mrs. Bhaer looked at her watch, and called out — “ Time is up, boys. Into bed, every man Jack, or pay the forfeit!” “ What is the forfeit ? ” asked Nat, sitting up in his eagerness to know what happened to those wretches who 2 / 18 LITTLE MEN. ^ disobeyed this most peculiar, but public-spinted school- ma’am. “Lose their fun next time,” answered Mrs. Bhaer. “ I give them five minutes to settle down, then put out the lights, and expect order. They are honorable lads, and they keep their word.” That was evident, for the battle ended as abruptly as it began — a parting shot or two, a final cheer, as Demi X fired the seventh pillow at the retiring foe, a few chal- lenges for next time, then order prevailed ; and nothing but an occasional giggle, or a suppressed whisper, broke the quiet which followed the Saturday-night frolic, as Mother Bhaer kissed her new boy, and left him to happy dreams of life at Plumfield. CHAPTER II. THE BOYS. WHILE Nat takes a good long sleep, I will tell my little readers something about the boys, among whom he found himself when he woke up. To begin with our old friends. Franz was a tall lad, of sixteen now, a regular German, big, blond, and book- ish, also very domestic, amiable, and musical. His uncle was fitting him for college, and his aunt for a happy home of his own hereafter, because she carefully fostered in him gentle manners, love of children, respect for women, old and young, and helpful ways about the house. He was her right-hand man on all occasions, steady, kind, and patient ; and he loved his merry aunt like a mother, for such she had tried to be to him. Emil was quite difierent, being quick-tempered, rest- less, and enterprising, bent on going to sea, for the blood of the old vikings stirred in his veins, and could not be tamed. His uncle promised that he should go when he was sixteen, and set him to studying naviga^ tion, gave him stories of good and famous admirals and heroes to read, and let him lead the life of a frog in river, pond, and brook, when lessons were done. His room looked like the cabin of a man-of-war, for every 20 LITTLE MEN, thing was nautical, military, and ship shape. Captain Kyd was his delight, and his favorite amusement was to rig up like that piratical gentleman, and roar out sanguinary sea-songs at the top of his voice. He would dance nothing but sailors’ hornpipes, rolled in his gait, and was as nautical in conversation as his uncle would permit. The boys called him Commodore,” and took great pride in his fleet, which whitened the pond and suffered disasters that would have daunted any com- mander but a sea-struck boy. Demi was one of the children who show plainly the efiect of intelligent love and care, for soul and body worked harmoniously together. The natural refine- ment which nothing but home influence can teach, gave him sweet and simple manners : his mother had cher- ished an innocent and loving heart in him ; his father had watched over the physical growth of his boy, and kept the little body straight and strong on wholesome food and exercise and sleep, while Grandpa March cul- tivated the little mind with the tender wisdom of a modern Pythagoras, — not tasking it with long, hard lessons, parrot-learned, but helping it to unfold as naturally and beautifully as sun and dew help roses bloom. He was not a perfect child, by any means, but his faults were of the better sort ; and being early taught the secret of self-control, he was not left at the mercy of appetites and passions, as some poor little mortals are, and then punished for yielding to the temptations against which they have no armor. A quiet, quaint boy was Demi, serious, yet cheery, quite unconscious that he was unusually bright and beautiful, yet quick to see and love intelligence or beauty in other THE BOYS, children. Very fond of books, and full of lively fancies, bom of a strong imagination and a spiritual nature, these traits made his parents anxious to balance them with useful knowledge and healthful society, lest they should make him one of those pale precocious children who amaze and delight a family sometimes, and fade away like hot-house flowers, because the young soul blooms too soon, and has not a hearty body to root it firmly in the wholesome soil of this world. So Demi was transplanted to Plumfield, and took so kindly to the life there, that Meg and John and grand- pa felt satisfied that they had done well. Mixing with other boys brought out the practical side of him, roused his spirit, and brushed away the pretty cobwebs he was so fond of spinning in that little brain of his. To be sure, he rather shocked his mother when he came home, by banging doors, saying “ by George ” emphatically, and demanding tall thick boots “that clumped like papa’s.” But John rejoiced over him, laughed at his explosive remarks, got the boots, and said contentedly, “ He is doing well ; so let him clump. I want my son to be a manly boy, and this temporary roughness won’t hurt him. We can polish him up by and by; and as for learning, he will pick that up as pigeons do peas. So don’t hurry him.” Daisy was as sunshiny and charming as ever, with all sorts of little womanlinesses budding in her, for she was like her gentle mother, and delighted in domestic things. She had a family of dolls, whom she brought up in the most exemplary manner; she could not get on with- out her little work-basket and bits of sewing, which she did so nicely, that Demi firequently pulled out his hand- LITTLE MEN. > display her neat stitches, and Baby J osy had petticoat beautifully made by Sister Daisy, ,d to quiddle about the china-closet, prepare the liars, put the spoons straight on the table ; and / day went round the parlor with her brush, dust- ^ chairs and tables. Demi called her a ‘‘ Betty,” but was very glad to have her keep his things in order, lend him her nimble fingers in all sorts of work, and help him with his lessons, for they kept abreast there, and had no thought of rivalry. The love between them was as strong as ever ; and no one could laugh Demi out of his affectionate ways wdth Daisy. He fought her battles valiantly, and never could understand why boys should be ashamed to say ‘‘ right out,” that they loved their sisters. Daisy adored her twin, thought ‘‘ my brother ” the most remarkable boy in the world, and every morning, in her little wrap- per, trotted to tap at his door with a motherly — Get up, my dear, it’s ’most breakfast time ; and here’s your clean collar.” Rob was an energetic morsel of a boy, who seemed to have discovered the secret of perpetual motion, for he never was still. Fortunately, he was not mischiev- ous, nor very brave ; so he kept out of trouble pretty well, and vibrated between father and mother like an affectionate little pendulum with a lively tick, for Rob was a chatterbox. Teddy was too young to play a very important part in the affairs of Plumfield, yet he had his little sphere, and filled it beautifully. Every one felt the need of a pet at times, and Baby was always ready to accommo- date, for kissing and cuddling suited him excellently. THE BOYS, 23 Mrs. Jo seldom stirred without him ; so he had his lit- tle finger in all the domestic pies, and every one found tliem all the better for it, for they believed in babies at Plumfield. Dick Brown, and Adolphus or Dolly Pettingill, were two eight-years olds. Dolly stuttered badly, but was gradually getting over it, for no one was allowed to mock him and Mr. Bhaer tried to cure it, by making him talk slowly. Dolly was a good little lad, quite uninteresting and ordinary, but he flourished here, and went through his daily duties and pleasures with placid content and propriety. Dick Brown’s affliction was a crooked back, yet he bore his burden so cheerfully, that Demi once asked in his queer way, “ Do humps make people good-natured ? I ’d like one if they do.” Dick was always merry, and did his best to be like other boys, for a plucky spirit lived in the feeble little body. When he first came, he was very sensitive about his misfortune, but soon learned to forget it, for no one dared remind him of it, after Mr. Bhaer had punished one boy for laughing at him. “ God don’t care ; for my soul is straight if my back isn’t,” sobbed Dick to his tormentor on that occasion ; and, by cherishing this idea, the Bhaers soon led him to believe that people also loved his soul, and did not mind his body, except to pity and help him to bear it. Playing menagerie once with the others, some one said, “ What animal will you be, Dick ? ” “ Oh, I ’m the dromedary ; don’t you see the hump on my back ? ” was the laughing answer. “ So you are, my nice little one that don’t carry loads, 24 LITTLE MEN. but marches by the elephant first in the procession,” said Demi, wlio was arranging the spectacle. I hope others will be as kind to the poor dear as my boys have learned to be,” said Mrs. Jo, quite satisfied with the success of her teaching, as Dick ambled past her, looking like a very happy, but a very feeble little dromedary, beside stout Stuffy, who did the elephant with ponderous propriety. Jack Ford was a sharp, rather a sly lad, who was sent to this school, because it was cheaj3. Many men would have thought him a smart boy, but Mr. Bhaer did not like his way of illustrating that Yankee word, and thought his unboyish keenness and money-loving as much of an affliction as Dolly’s stutter, or Dick’s hump. Ned Barker was like a thousand other boys of four- teen, all legs, blunder^ and bluster. Indeed the family called him the ‘‘ Blunderbuss,” and always expected to see him tumble over the chairs, bump against the tables, and knock down any small articles near him. He bragged a good deal about what he could do, but sel- dom did any thing to prove it, was not brave, and a little given to tale-telling. He was apt to bully the small boys, and flatter the big ones, and without being at all bad, was just the sort of fellow who could very easily be led astray. George Cole had been spoilt by an over-indulgent mother, who stuffed him with sweetmeats till he was sick, and then thought him too delicate to study, so that at twelve years old, he was a pale, puffy boy, dull, fret- ful, and lazy. A friend persuaded her to send him to Plumfield, and there he soon got waked up, for sweet things were seldom allowed, much exercise required, TEE BOYS. 25 and study made so pleasant, that Stu^- was gently lured along, till he quite amazed his anxious mamma by his improvement, and convinced her that there was really something remarkable in Plumfield air. Billy Ward was what the Scotch tenderly call an “innocent,” for though thirteen years. old, he was like a child of six. He had been an unusually intelligent boy, and his father had hurried him on too fast, giving him all sorts of hard lessons, keeping him at his books six hours a day, and expecting him to absorb knowledge as a Strasburg goose does the food crammed down its throat. He thought he was doing his duty, but he nearly killed the boy, for a fever gave the poor child a sad holiday, and when he recovered, the overtasked brain gave out, and Billy’s mind was like a slate over which a sponge has passed, leaving it blank. It was a terrible lesson to his ambitious father ; he could not bear the sight of his promising child, changed to a feeble idiot, and he sent him away to Plumfield, scarcely hoping that he could be helped, but sure that he would be kindly treated. Quite docile and harmless was Billy, and it was pitiful to see how hard he tried to learn, as if groping dimly after the lost knowledge which had cost him so much. Day after day, he pored over the alphabet, proudly said A and B, and thought that he knew them, but on the morrow they were gone, and all the work was to be done over again. Mr. Bhaer I had infinite patience with him, and kept on in spite of 1 the apparent hopelessness of the task, not caring for j book lessons, but trying gently to clear away the mists 1 from the darkened mind, and give it back intelligence j enough to make the boy less a burden and an affliction. 26 LITTLE MEN. Mrs. Bliaer strengthened his health by every aid she could invent, and the boys all pitied and were kind to him. He did not like their active plays, but would sit for hours watching the doves, would dig holes for Teddy till even that ardent grubber was satisfied, or follow Silas, the man, from place to place seeing him work, for honest Si was very good to him, and though he forgot his letters Billy remembered friendly faces. Tommy Bangs was the scapegrace of the school, and the most trying little scapegrace that ever lived. As full of mischief as a monkey, yet so good-hearted that one could not help forgiving his tricks ; so scatter- brained that words went by him like the wind, yet so penitent for every misdeed, that it was impossible to keep sober when he vowed tremendous vows of refor- mation, or proposed all sorts of queer punishments to be inflicted upon himself. Mr. and Mrs. Bhaer lived in a state of preparation for any mishap, from the breaking of Tommy’s own neck, to the blowing up of the entire family with gunpowder; and Nursey had a particular drawer in which she kept bandages, plasters, and salves for his especial use, for Tommy was always being brought in half dead ; but nothing ever killed him, and he rose from every downfall with redoubled vigor. The first day he came, he chopped the top off one finger in the hay-cutter, and during the week, fell from the shed roof, was chased by an angry hen who tried to pick his eyes out because he examined her chickens, got run away with, and had his ears boxed violently by Asia, who caught him luxuriously skimming a pan of cream with half a stolen pie. Undaunted, however, by any failures or rebuffs, this indomitable youth went THE BOYS. 27 on amusing himself with all sorts of tricks till no one felt safe. If he did not know his lessons, he always had some droll excuse to offer, and as he was usually clever at his books, and as bright as a button in composing answers when he did not know them, he got on pretty well at school. But out of school, — Ye gods and little fishes! how Tommy did carouse ! He wound fat Asia up in her own clothes line against the post, and left her there to fume and scold for. half an hour one busy Monday morning. He dropped a hot cent down Mary Ann’s back as that pretty maid was waiting at table one day when there were gentlemen to dinner, whereat the poor girl upset the soup and rushed out of the room in dismay, leaving the family to think that she had gone mad. He fixed a pail of water up in a tree, with a bit of ribbon fastened to the handle, and when Daisy, attracted by the gay streamer, tried to pull it down, she got a douche bath that spoiled her clean frock and hurt her little feelings very much. He put rough white pebbles in the sugar-bowl wl|ln his grand- mother came to tea, and the poor old lady wondered why they didn’t melt in her cup, but was too polite to say any thing. He passed round snuff in church so that five of the boys sneezed with such violence they had to go out. 