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Mrs Jo spoke earnestly, for, knowing Dan better than anyone else, she saw that her colt was not thoroughly broken yet, and feared while she hoped, knowing that life would always be hard for one like him. She was sure that before he went away again, in some quiet moment he would give her a glimpse of his inner self, and then she could say the word of warning or encouragement that he needed. So she bided her time, studying him meanwhile, glad to see all that was promising, and quick to detect the harm the world was doing him. She was very anxious to make a success of her “firebrand” because others predicted failure; but having learned that people cannot be moulded like clay, she contented herself with the hope that this neglected boy might become a good man, and asked no more. Even that was much to expect, so full was he of wayward impulses, strong passions, and the lawless nature born in him. Nothing held him but the one affection of his life—the memory of Plumfield, the fear of disappointing these faithful friends, the pride, stronger than principle, that made him want to keep the regard of the mates who always had admired and loved him in spite of all his faults.
“Don’t fret, old dear; Emil is one of the happy-go-lucky sort who always fall on their legs. I’ll see to Nat, and Dan is in a good way now. Let him take a look at Kansas, and if the farm plan loses its charm, he can fall back on poor Lo, and really do good out there. He’s unusually fitted for that peculiar task and I hope he’ll decide to do it. Fighting oppressors, and befriending the oppressed will keep those dangerous energies of his busy, and the life will suit him better than sheep-folds and wheat-fields.”
“I hope so. What is that?” and Mrs Jo leaned forward to listen, as exclamations from Ted and Josie caught her ear.
“A mustang! a real, live one; and we can ride it. Dan, you are a first-class trump!” cried the boy.
“A whole Indian dress for me! Now I can play Namioka, if the boys act Metamora,” added Josie, clapping her hands.
“A buffalo’s head for Bess! Good gracious, Dan, why did you bring such a horrid thing as that to her?” asked Nan.
“Thought it would do her good to model something strong and natural. She’ll never amount to anything if she keeps on making namby-pamby gods and pet kittens,” answered irreverent Dan, remembering that when he was last here Bess was vibrating distractedly between a head of Apollo and her Persian cat as models.
“Thank you; I’ll try it, and if I fail we can put the buffalo up in the hall to remind us of you,” said Bess, indignant at the insult offered the gods of her idolatry, but too well bred to show it except in her voice, which was as sweet and as cold as ice-cream.
“I suppose you won’t come out to see our new settlement when the rest do? Too rough for you?” asked Dan, trying to assume the deferential air all the boys used when addressing their Princess.
“I am going to Rome to study for years. All the beauty and art of the world is there, and a lifetime isn’t long enough to enjoy it,” answered Bess.
“Rome is a mouldy old tomb compared to the ‘Garden of the gods’ and my magnificent Rockies. I don’t care a hang for art; nature is as much as I can stand, and I guess I could show you things that would knock your old masters higher than kites. Better come, and while Josie rides the horses you can model ’em. If a drove of a hundred or so of wild ones can’t show you beauty, I’ll give up,” cried Dan, waxing enthusiastic over the wild grace and vigour which he could enjoy but had no power to describe.
“I’ll come some day with papa, and see if they are better than the horses of St Mark and those on Capitol Hill. Please don’t abuse my gods, and I will try to like yours,” said Bess, beginning to think the West might be worth seeing, though no Raphael or Angelo had yet appeared there.
“That’s a bargain! I do think people ought to see their own country before they go scooting off to foreign parts, as if the new world wasn’t worth discovering,” began Dan, ready to bury the hatchet.
“It has some advantages, but not all. The women of England can vote, and we can’t. I’m ashamed of America that she isn’t ahead in all good things,” cried Nan, who held advanced views on all reforms, and was anxious about her rights, having had to fight for some of them.
“Oh, please don’t begin on that. People always quarrel over that question, and call names, and never agree. Do let us be quiet and happy tonight,” pleaded Daisy, who hated discussion as much as Nan loved it.
“You shall vote as much as you like in our new town, Nan; be mayor and aldermen, and run the whole concern. It’s going to be as free as air, or I can’t live in it,” said Dan, adding, with a laugh, “I see Mrs Giddy-gaddy and Mrs Shakespeare Smith don’t agree any better than they used to.”
“If everyone agreed, we should never get on. Daisy is a dear, but inclined to be an old fogy; so I stir her up; and next fall she will go and vote with me. Demi will escort us to do the one thing we are allowed to do as yet.”
“Will you take ’em, Deacon?” asked Dan, using the old name as if he liked it. “It works capitally in Wyoming.”
“I shall be proud to do it. Mother and the aunts go every year, and Daisy will come with me. She is my better half still; and I don’t mean to leave her behind in anything,” said Demi, with an arm round his sister of whom he was fonder than ever.
Dan looked at them wistfully, thinking how sweet it must be to have such a tie; and his lonely youth seemed sadder than ever as he recalled its struggles. A gusty sigh from Tom made sentiment impossible, as he said pensively:
“I always wanted to be a twin. It’s so sociable and so cosy to have someone glad to lean on a fellow and comfort him, if other girls are cruel.”
As Tom’s unrequited passion was the standing joke of the family, this allusion produced a laugh, which Nan increased by whipping out a bottle of Nux, saying, with her professional air:
“I knew you ate too much lobster for tea. Take four pellets, and your dyspepsia will be all right. Tom always sighs and is silly when he’s overeaten.”
“I’ll take ’em. These are the only sweet things you ever give me.” And Tom gloomily crunched his dose.
“‘Who can minister to a mind diseased, or pluck out a rooted sorrow?’” quoted Josie tragically from her perch on the railing.
“Come with me, Tommy, and I’ll make a man of you. Drop your pills and powders, and cavort round the world a spell, and you’ll soon forget you’ve got a heart, or a stomach either,” said Dan, offering his one panacea for all ills.
“Ship with me, Tom. A good fit of seasickness will set you up, and a stiff north-easter blow your blue-devils away. Come along as surgeon—easy berth, and no end of larks.
And if your Nancy frowns, my lad,
And scorns a jacket blue,
Just hoist your sails for other ports,
And find a maid more true.”—
added Emil, who had a fragment of song to cheer every care and sorrow, and freely offered them to his friends.
“Perhaps I’ll think of it when I’ve got my diploma. I’m not going to grind three mortal years and have nothing to show for it. Till then—”
“I’ll never desert Mrs Micawber,” interrupted Teddy, with a gurgling sob.
Tom immediately rolled him off the step into the wet grass below; and by the time this slight skirmish was over, the jingle of teaspoons suggested refreshments of a more agreeable sort. In former times the little girls waited on the boys, to save confusion; now the young men flew to serve the ladies, young and old; and that slight fact showed plainly how the tables were turned by time. And what a pleasant arrangement it was! Even Josie sat still, and let Emil bring her berries; enjoying her young ladyhood, till Ted stole her cake, when she forgot manners, and chastised him with a rap on the knuckles. As guest of honour, Dan was only allowed to wait on Bess, who still held the highest place in this small world. Tom carefully selected the best of everything for Nan, to be crushed by the remark:
“I never eat at this hour; and you will have a nightmare if you do.”
So, dutifully curbing the pan
gs of hunger, he gave the plate to Daisy, and chewed rose-leaves for his supper.
When a surprising quantity of wholesome nourishment had been consumed, someone said, “Let’s sing!” and a tuneful hour followed. Nat fiddled, Demi piped, Dan strummed the old banjo, and Emil warbled a doleful ballad about the wreck of the Bounding Betsey; then everybody joined in the old songs till there was very decidedly “music in the air” and passers-by said, as they listened smiling: “Old Plum is gay tonight!”
When all had gone Dan lingered on the piazza, enjoying the balmy wind that blew up from the hay-fields, and brought the breath of flowers from Parnassus; and as he leaned there romantically in the moonlight, Mrs Jo came to shut the door.
“Dreaming dreams, Dan?” she asked, thinking the tender moment might have come. Imagine the shock when, instead of some interesting confidence or affectionate word, Dan swung round, saying bluntly:
“I was wishing I could smoke.”
Mrs Jo laughed at the downfall of her hopes, and answered kindly:
