CHAPTERVIBEN’S BEAUTIFUL SURPRISE
WhenSaturday came Benny set off on his wheel for his visit to the Welch’s, a very happy little boy, with his hard earnings in his pocket. As he neared the store he saw Jennie on the lookout for him. He could scarcely wait to show his wheel, and made his pedal go as he covered the last few rods. “See my wheel,” he cried. “Aren’t you surprised to see me on one?”
But Jennie hardly noticed the wheel. “He’s come, father, he’s come!” she cried. “Oh, Benny, we’ve such a beautiful surprise to show you. Hurry! Hurry!”
Benny hastened his step at Jennie’s call, wondering the while what this finesurprise might be. “Maybe it’s some more puppies,” he thought, and he followed Jennie around to the side porch. “Sit down on that step,” said Jennie, “and you’ll see something fine.”
Benny did as he was bid, and the next moment two hands were clasped over his eyes. “Guess who!” cried Jennie, but before he could decide a familiar little laugh came to his ears, and the secret was out. “Kitty!” he cried, jumping up. “Oh, Kitty, how did you get here? Is mother with you?”
“No,” answered Kitty, “there is only me for you to see. I’ll tell you all about it. This morning Mrs. Welch and Jennie came to town, and they came to our house straight off, and asked mother to let me come back with them this afternoon. Mrs. Welch said that you had told them about me and that Jennie wanted so muchto have me come; and mother hurried and got me ready and I came, and I am going to stay a week. Oh, Benny, I am so glad to see you, and isn’t it all lovely?”
Benny was ready to agree with her most emphatically.
“I didn’t want to leave mother all alone, but she was so glad to have me come, and Miss Perkins is going to stay with her while we are away. Mrs. Welch brought mother some lovely strawberries and some eggs, and she’ll have a feast to-morrow. Oh, Benny, aren’t they good? Now tell me everything, I want so much to hear.” And Benny proceeded to tell his experiences to a very much interested little girl, who was properly indignant, pleased, or proud, as the case might be.
“And oh, Benny,” said Kitty, when he had told of Mr. Welch’s kindness, “Jennie is so dear; she just begged to have mecome, and we have had such a good time to-day.” The fact of the matter was that Jennie’s quiet sympathies had been so aroused by Benny’s account of his delicate little sister that she had implored her parents to ask Kitty to come and make her a visit, and would not rest till her mother had taken her to town to see Kitty, and Mrs. Jordan’s consent was then won without much difficulty.
Three very happy children they were who went down to see the collie puppies, and who laughed to see the tiny speckled pigs with curly tails, and who viewed the poultry yard with much pride, Jennie, growing ecstatic over the broods of pretty downy chickens. It was while she was cuddling a yellow duckling that they were summoned to the house to help Mrs. Welch to make ice cream. Benny made himself most useful, pounding theice and turning the freezer with a good will.
“Is it anybody’s birthday? It’s just like a festival,” said Kitty. “Strawberries and ice cream and cake. Think of it, Benny; I didn’t know people ever had such things just in an everyday way; I thought they only had them when they had festivals or parties or something.”
“I suppose it is somebody’s birthday,” said Mrs. Welch, laughing, “but I don’t know just whose. We make ice cream very often in summer, for we’ve an icehouse full of ice, and plenty of cream. Suppose we celebrate your birthday to-day?”
Kitty, very much pleased at the suggestion, looked up with a radiant smile.
“Oh, then she’ll have to have some birthday gifts,” said Jennie, and she ran off to have a consultation with her father,the result of which was that at suppertime Kitty’s plate was piled high with packages, not of very much value, but they represented great bounty to Kitty, who so seldom had anything new. First there was a cunning little china tea set from Jennie, then a small doll from Mollie, a little box of candy from Mr. Welch, and a handkerchief from Joe, while Mrs. Welch placed before her a big frosted cake on which the name “Kitty” was outlined with little pink candies.
Kitty looked from one to the other in speechless joy, and Benny was so overcome with gratitude at such kindness that he turned to Joe, who sat next him, and hugged him in the most energetic manner.
For once in his life Benny had all the ice cream and strawberries that he could eat. It would not be well to state howmany saucerfuls he ate, for the statement might seem a doubtful one, and it is still a greater surprise that he was not made ill.
The peaceful Sabbath came with a soft, blue sky, with orioles and wrens singing in the flowering honeysuckles which grew around the porch; with sweet odors wafted up from the roses in the garden; with everything so fair, so quiet, so beautiful, that Benny and Kitty both felt a new reverence for the day, and they started off for Sunday-school as happy as possible. Mrs. Welch had dressed Kitty in one of the pretty little white dresses that Jennie had outgrown, had put upon her feet a pair of nice tan shoes which were too small for Jennie, had curled the little maid’s fair hair so that when she appeared with her sweet little face shining with pleasure, even Mr. Welch gave heran admiring glance, and said, “Well, little one, you look as sweet as that rosebud pinned on your frock.”
Kitty looked up at him with gratitude. “It must be nice to have a father,” she said, and the good man turned away to hide his feelings.
“Poor little tots,” he said to his wife, as the children went out the gate, “it’s pretty tough when a man has to leave children like those unprovided for.”
“Then don’t you do it, Thad,” said his wife, with a twinkle in her eye.
Mr. Welch laughed and started out to follow the children.
The little picker took his way back to Mr. Bentley’s early the next morning, feeling that, with Kitty so near, and the happy memory of that delightful visit, he could get through the week quite happily, especially since he was now deliveredof the disagreeable presence of Ivan, and no longer was compelled to sleep in the pickers’ quarters.
“If Mrs. Bentley wants your help you just do what she tells you,” Mr. Bentley said to him, “and it will be the same as if you worked in the field. I’ll make it all right.” In consequence there were many times when Benny was bidden to go for the mail, which gave the happiness of a few words with Kitty; again, he was sent to get vegetables from the garden, to bring milk from the dairy, to help Mrs. Bentley with her chickens, until he learned many things of which he had hitherto been ignorant. He particularly liked to work in the garden, and Mrs. Bentley was well pleased to have some one to carry flowerpots, to make a border, or to help her transplant the growing flowers.
“I shall have a fine garden thisyear,” she said to her husband, “that little Ben is so quick and willing, and is so interested in what he does. I should really like to keep him here all the time.”
“I reckon his mother will want him home again,” replied Mr. Bentley, “but we’ll have him down early next year. Thad Welch says he is an uncommonly nice little fellow.”
“I’ll take him to the picnic with me,” said Mrs. Bentley, “he makes himself so useful, and will be such a help with the children; besides, he will enjoy a holiday.”
And so, to Benny’s great delight, he was told that he was invited to a Sunday-school picnic. He had heard great tales of it from the Welches, and Kitty was in a high state of excitement over it.
“Oh, I’m going to the picnic!” he gleefullytold the two little girls the next time he went for the mail.
“Oh! oh!” cried the two children, “Ben is going! How fine! I thought you said you couldn’t go, Benny.”
“Well, I didn’t think I could. Mr. Bentley didn’t say anything about my stopping work; but now Mrs. Bentley says she wants me to go with her; and Oh, Kit! she’s making cakes and pies, and frying chicken, and making biscuit till you can’t rest! I tell you she’s got a lot cooked!”
“So have we,” put in Jennie. “I must tell mother right away that you are going; she’ll be so glad.”
A long drive in the big Dayton, in which were stowed sundry baskets, brought the picnicers to a pleasant grove which overlooked a beautiful creek. And it would be useless to try to tellwhat a good time the children had; of how they swung on the grapevine swings; of how they gathered lovely, sweet-smelling magnolias; of how they fished from a little rowboat, and of how they ate unlimited supplies of good things; then the games that they played and the songs that they sang, till, just as a glorious sunset touched the water with long streaks of rose and gold, they made ready to drive home. If was all entirely too delightful not to give enjoyment during every minute of the day to the little city children who had scarcely ever been beyond brick walls, and they joined heartily in the homeward singing, going to bed at last with very tired bodies, but very happy hearts.
“Do you think you can help me churn?” Mrs. Bentley asked Benny the next morning.
“I don’t know,” replied he. “I never saw how butter is made, but I’ll try.”
“Oh, well, that is all I want you to do. There is not much skill required, and if you keep the handle of the churn going that is all you need do.”
So, under a widespreading chestnut tree, Benny set to work at this new employment. It was rather monotonous work, but he could do it mechanically and let his eyes rove over field and sky till, after a while, he felt the cream growing more and more lumpy.
There was a long lane leading from the road up to the house, the gate opening into it from the side yard being nearly always open. Just before the gate little Alice was playing contentedly in the sand with sticks and pebbles.
Benny turned to look at her when he saw something which made him drop hischurn handle and run swiftly. A buggy was coming up the lane, the horse rushing on furiously. It was evident that the girl who was driving had lost control of her horse. It was Molly Welch who held the reins, and her horse was running away. In another instant the horse would reach the gate. Not only was Molly in danger, but little Alice was directly in the road. Benny rushed forward with one thought uppermost—if he could only reach the gate and shut it. It was a race between him and the runaway horse. He darted off, reached Alice, flung her aside, and made a last desperate rush for the gate.