Maid Sally Part 3

And there was not a rood of ground, a horse, colored person, gate or wall, but was an attraction to Maid Sally, so long as it belonged to Ingleside.

And were it but said that Master Lionel was coming along, she would manage to lurk near the corner, or catch a glimpse from the window of Sir Percival's grand young son.

It was June, hot, balmy, fragrant June. And only of late had Sally found the place in the hedge where she could venture through. But now it would indeed have been a strong power that could have kept her long away from the charmed spot.

It mattered nothing that before the early supper she must build up the smart wood fire, get down the great spider, and stew herself along with the sizzling rashers, or mix the ash-cake or corn pone; oh, no matter for anything that must be done before supper, because now, as soon as it was over, off she could run to her enchanted ground!

But on the night when ended the Fairy tale we have seen that a new Sally began springing into life. Ah, it was true, the child could scarcely read, could neither write nor spell, and all at once--Sally cared!

And if it were strange, it yet were true, that she grew dignified, and correct in manner and speech, as she asked herself new, hard questions.

She had come, oh, very slowly and very soberly, back through Shady Path and Lover's Lane, to the piece of woods lying to the left of Slipside Row.

Pretty soon Mistress Cory Ann's sharp voice would call her in, and order her to bed in the close attic. Sitting on the warm, mossy turf, under the great pine-trees, she talked aloud in quaint, old-fas.h.i.+oned speech:

"Now, what, prithee, Sally, are we to do? Neither reading, writing, or spelling are properly known to Sally Dukeen, and what are the words that have just come to my ears?"

She repeated in low tones, and with a good show of memory: "'Who would wish to live without being useful? How can one be fitted to live properly without learning? It is the learning that comes through study and books that one must have to rightly understand things. The lad or the maid who is determined to learn can find the way! The lad or the maid who pushes through everything that would hinder, and _will get_ learning, is the one to succeed and to be admired.'"

Then up glowed the picture again: the manly figure on the wall, the glory of the setting sun lighting up the proud young face, the clothes he wore, his lace-shadowed hands, the s.h.i.+ning ring on his finger. All the scene flamed up before her keen imagination as the child glanced down at her brown little hands, her scanty dress, and her rough, bare feet.

And the child-sorrow that is very hard to bear, burst forth in a deep, choking sound, as slipping to the ground, face down, Sally cried out:

"O Fairy Prince! Fairy Prince! You stand so high, so high above my place on the ground. You are in the sun at the top of the garden wall. I am under the hedge in the shadow, out of sight. Thou art the eagle, Fairy Prince, and I the brush bird. You live at Ingleside, I at Slipside Row.

You have a proud, fine name. I am only poor Sally Dukeen. What can I do?

What can I do?"

She shook all over with the sobs that came hard and fast.

Ah, but it was _because_ Sally was more of a little maid and woman than she knew, that she cried and shook with sobs under the pine-trees. She had not noticed nor known that the brown fingers in her lap were pointed at the ends, and had deep, round nails. She did not know that the bare brown feet had high, arched insteps that meant good blood somewhere not far back in her poor little history. She did not know that the lank form under her shabby dress had graceful lines and supple curves that would fill out some day and stand for something better than Slipside Row knew of.

She did not know that it was _because_ a new Sally was becoming ashamed of the old one that she was crying so bitterly.

After a time the little maid lay so still that she did not hear Mistress Cory Ann calling her to come into the house. But as there was no reply, and it was getting late, Mistress Brace thought that Sally had gone to bed already, and so she troubled her head no more about her. She bolted the loose front door, put out the dim candles, and was soon asleep.

And Sally was sound asleep, too. Flat on her face, lying on the soft, dry moss, she slept as sweetly under the quiet stars as though she had been on her small husk mattress. The gentle winds stirred the red gold of her curly hair, and cooled her heated cheeks. She might have slept on until morning had it not been that an owl, perched high in one of the pine-trees, hooted in loud, solemn tones, "Too-whit? too-hoo! Too-whit?

Too-hoo!"

Then Sally opened her eyes, raised her head, and looked around. She remembered where she was, but was not the least afraid. Many a time, in midsummer's heat, had she thrown an old shawl about her, and slept sweetly under the pines the whole night through.

But Sally did not go right to sleep again. Instead of that she sat up against a tree, and began talking aloud to herself.

"Now, what am I to do? My Fairy Prince said that any one could get learning who was bound to find out a way."

Sally again looked around, as she said, "My Fairy Prince," as if afraid to have even the winds hear her.

"I care not," she said, "I will call him my Fairy Prince. No one can hear, and it doth surely help me in a way. It is unseemly, I dare say, but I must, I must, and will! But, however am I to get learning? Could I only go to a dame school, but, chicks and crows! as well might I seek to fly to the moon."

She giggled in a healthy, childish way, sure sign that she was feeling better, and that her sweet nature was coming up to her help.

All at once she drew herself up, held high her head, breathed hard a few times, then said, slowly:

"I am a maid that is determined to get learning,--and I will!"

At that she lay down again, and slept until the sun was high. Then up she jumped, crept into the kitchen, and began setting the table while Mistress Brace was down at the spring getting fresh water.

All the hot morning Sally was busy at her scrubbing and cleaning, and it must be told that not as happy or as sure did she feel as in the morning, because the hot sun and the wood fire had taken down her spirits.

And so, as she rested for a little in the afternoon, on the steps she had scrubbed in the morning, it in truth much cheered her to see Mammy Leezer come trundling along, and to know she would hear the dulcet voice. Her face lighted up, but not before Mammy had seen the sober, longing look she had worn a moment before.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "IT IN TRUTH MUCH CHEERED HER TO SEE MAMMY LEEZER COME TRUNDLING ALONG."]

"What a-matter, honey?" The question was in the caressing voice of the old Mammy.

"I was wis.h.i.+ng," said Sally.

"What for?"

"For things I must wait long before getting."

"And you want 'em bad, honey?"

"Oh, dreadfully."

Mammy shook like a jelly-bag. "You look a-here," she said, "you jus'

look a-here; jus' as sh.o.r.e as a lil young one have a clef in de middle ob her chin way down, she a-goin' fo' to get what she want'n. You mind now! I neber seen a lil pick'ninny, white or brack, have a split long de lower story ob her chin, but firs' or last she's gett'n' her own way.

Doan't yo' fret now, but 'member what I tole you, and you's all right.

And yo' lil chin is most split'n' in half. Lorr! it a mercy it hole togedder so long!"

Mammy went rolling along, still shaking with laughter, while away ran Sally for a peep into her fragment of a mirror.

"My chin _is_ split along the middle way down low," she said, "and perhaps Mammy knows!"

She felt happy again when it came time to put the leaf up against the wall, get down the plates from the old dresser, mix the ash-cakes for supper, and set the rashers to sizzling.

CHAPTER V.

THE NEW SALLY

When Sally went to the attic, having it in her mind to fix herself up a little, she had a feeling of anxiety she did not understand. But you see, it was the new Sally, beginning, just beginning, to spring into life.

And the first thing she was learning was her own ignorance, her own needs, and her own wants.

"My head is like a scarecrow!" she said; "where can I find a comb?"

She crept down to Mistress Cory Ann's room and found a coa.r.s.e, half-broken comb. Alas! she could do nothing with it. Her ruddy hair curled around it, across it, along it, but through it the matted ma.s.s would not go.