The Right Knock Part 4

"He will--"

"He won't eever--"

"He will, 'cos mamma said so," said naughty Fred.

Jamie's little face clouded and the lip began to quiver; then a sudden thought striking him, he jumped up, beaming with delight, and cried, as he ran towards the hall:

"Mamma said Jack Frost couldn't find me when I had my overcoat and wed mittens on, and my wed cap."

"You can't reach your coat an' you've lost your mittens," insisted Fred, with perseverance worthy a better cause.

"O, yes I can. I can 'tep on my high chair," dragging it after him.

"I can get my things on first," said Fred who suddenly decided in favor of the snow man, and hurriedly suiting the action to the word, rushed to get his coat which hung under Jamie's, just as Jamie reached his little hands up to get his. Fred gave a tremendous flirt and pull at his coat which overbalanced his little brother and down came the high chair and Jamie plump upon the luckless Fred, whose angry squeals and kicks, mingled with Jamie's loud shrieks of terror made a commotion that brought Anna, the housekeeper, to the rescue.

"What _is_ the matter?" as she plucked Jamie from the general _debris_.

"Fred pulled me down--"

"Jamie jumped on me," said both at once as soon as they could get their breath.

"An', I aint lost my wed mittens, an' my little white leg is broke off,"

cried Jamie suddenly, spying the oft-mended leg of the high-chair, which in this _melee_, had completely severed company with the rest of the chair, and now mutely appealed for help to be put on again.

"There, there, papa can mend it all right again. Don't cry, little man.

Now Fred, you must stop crying and play nice with Jamie and not quarrel so much. There! I hear mamma's bell; I must go see what she wants. Run away and be quiet, for mamma can't stand a _bit_ of noise to-day," and Anna left them again to their own devices. Jamie carefully laid the little white leg away in his box of playthings, and then both children went back to the window to watch the drops again.

"I see one, two, three, seven, four, ten--" slowly counted Jamie as the crystal drops fell.

"Oh, I see a ice berg, an' I'm goin' to get it for candy," shouted Fred as he ran out on the porch and seized an icicle. It seemed so nice out there that he stayed and called Jamie to come, too. They were delighted with the new plaything and new sights, and any thought of being cold or needing their coats never entered their minds, so the icicle, the beautiful drops, and finally the snow claimed their attention until they were at last happily engaged in the much-desired occupation of making a snow man.

It was near noon and the sun had finally rifted the grayest clouds, and was sending such warm smiles on the snow-laden earth that trees and fences, roofs and ridges burst into tears of joy. So, often does the sun-s.h.i.+ny smile melt the ice-bound prison of discontent or misunderstanding.

Fred and Jamie were in the midst of their interesting creation when Mr.

Hayden came home to dinner.

"Boys! boys!" he called from the gate as soon as he saw them. "You'll catch your death of cold; run into the house, quick! Why haven't you something on your heads and rubbers on your feet?" and without waiting to hear their vociferous reply, he hurried them into the house.

"Oh, but it was such fun, papa, an' we was goin' to put two coals in his head, cos' his eyes was black, you know, an' your old mashed hat for his head, an'--"

"An' me foun' a 'tick for his arm," interrupted Jamie, who must be sure papa knew all about this wonderful man.

"Yes, he looks very promising, and I guess I'll have to finish him for you; but you must not go out again to-day. Just think what would we do if you should be sick while mamma must be in bed. Poor mamma, she would feel bad and cry because she couldn't help you, and it would make her feel very sorry indeed to know her little boys went out without somebody saying they might."

"Well, papa, we didn't mean to go 'thout our things on, but two of the _beautifullest_ icebergs hunged down an' we played they was candy an'

all the pretty drops said stop, stop, stop, an'--"

"Yes, an' the 'no was full of 'tars 'at s.h.i.+ned right up at us an'

laughed an' played hide an' seek wiv each other."

"An' Jamie wanted to make a snow man," suddenly remembered Fred.

"Cos papa did when he was a little boy, an' he telled me sometimes so could I--"

"Oh, you little rogues, it is well you can trace it back," laughed papa, catching each small man, and placing upon his knees.

"Why, look here, your shoes are all wet, and your fingers red, and your clothes sprinkled with water. This will never do. Take off your shoes, Fred. Here, Anna," he called, as he heard her in the dining room, "bring some dry stockings and ap.r.o.ns. These boys have been out in the wet snow, and must be changed right away. Put a flannel round their necks, too. I'm afraid they'll have the croup to-night." With as much haste as possible, he stripped off their wet clothes, chafed their hands and feet, and with an anxious look left them, to go and speak to his wife who, when suffering from headache could allow no one to enter the room except her husband or Anna.

That night the whole household were aroused by the hoa.r.s.e and unmistakable cough of croup. Jamie had taken cold, as his father feared he would. The doctor was sent for in wild haste, and after several hours of watchful care and frequent taking of hive syrup or ipecac, Jamie was at last sleeping quietly, and every one felt that after this, at least, those children should be so well guarded that escape would be impossible, and the dreaded enemy kept out. This was always a result of exposure, and Mr. and Mrs. Hayden had often wished for the time when Jamie would outgrow the attacks as that really seemed the only thing in which lay any hope.

CHAPTER VI.

"Build thee more stately mansions Oh my soul, As the swift seasons roll, Leave thy low vaulted past.

Let each new temple n.o.bler than the last Shut thee from heaven with a dome more vast, Till thou at length art free: Leaving thine outgrown sh.e.l.l by life's unresting sea."

--_O. W. Holmes._

"How do you do Mrs. Hayden? You see I come in without ceremony as usual, but I heard you'd had one of your headaches again," and Mrs. Reade seated herself cosily on the sofa near which Mrs. Hayden sat languidly trying to read.

"Oh, I have about recovered my usual strength, but of course I must be careful and not get excited or overworked, though my work I am sorry to say, does not amount to much." After a few moments commonplace conversation, Mrs. Reade said, carefully:

"Now Mrs. Hayden, I believe there _is_ a help for you somewhere.

Wouldn't you like to try something new?"

"Why, you _know_ I would try anything that would give relief, but I have exhausted everything that ever was heard of, and now every remedy seems very transient or of no effect at all."

Mrs. Hayden leaned wearily back in her chair and seemed to think there was no use discussing the subject any longer. After a few moments thoughtful silence, Mrs. Reade looked up at her friend and said, timidly:

"Mrs. Hayden, have you ever heard of Christian Healing?"

"No. What is it?"

"I can't tell, only that it is just the most wonderful panacea for all ills that ever was discovered and they say it can be learned, and applied by everybody."

"Do you mean that I could learn it and could then cure myself?"

"Yes, that is what they claim."

"Why, Mrs. Reade, what is all this wonderful news, and if it is true, why hasn't the world heard of it before?" exclaimed Mrs. Hayden with an amused smile.

Mrs. Reade did not return the smile but a still more earnest look came into her eyes. She bent over her bit of sewing for a moment and then looking up, as though resolved to speak the truth at any cost, she went on:

"Mrs. Hayden, it is the fulfillment of the promises in the Bible, that to them that believe, these signs should be given. You remember the pa.s.sage don't you, where Jesus gave His disciples the same power to heal that He had?"