Little Men (Little Women 2)

CHAPTER XV. IN THE WILLOW

The old tree saw and heard a good many little scenes and confidencesthat summer, because it became the favorite retreat of all the children,and the willow seemed to enjoy it, for a pleasant welcome always metthem, and the quiet hours spent in its arms did them all good. It hada great deal of company one Saturday afternoon, and some little birdreported what went on there.

First came Nan and Daisy with their small tubs and bits of soap, fornow and then they were seized with a tidy fit, and washed up all theirdolls' clothes in the brook. Asia would not have them "slopping round"in her kitchen, and the bath-room was forbidden since Nan forgot to turnoff the water till it overflowed and came gently dripping down throughthe ceiling. Daisy went systematically to work, washing first the whiteand then the colored things, rinsing them nicely, and hanging them todry on a cord fastened from one barberry-bush to another, and pinningthem up with a set of tiny clothes-pins Ned had turned for her. But Nanput all her little things to soak in the same tub, and then forgot themwhile she collected thistledown to stuff a pillow for Semiramis, Queenof Babylon, as one doll was named. This took some time, and when Mrs.Giddy-gaddy came to take out her clothes, deep green stains appeared onevery thing, for she had forgotten the green silk lining of a certaincape, and its color had soaked nicely into the pink and blue gowns, thelittle chemises, and even the best ruffled petticoat.

"Oh me! what a mess!" sighed Nan.

"Lay them on the grass to bleach," said Daisy, with an air ofexperience.

"So I will, and we can sit up in the nest and watch that they don't blowaway."

The Queen of Babylon's wardrobe was spread forth upon the bank, and,turning up their tubs to dry, the little washerwomen climbed into thenest, and fell to talking, as ladies are apt to do in the pauses ofdomestic labor.

"I'm going to have a feather-bed to go with my new pillow," said Mrs.Giddy-gaddy, as she transferred the thistledown from her pocket to herhandkerchief, losing about half in the process.

"I wouldn't; Aunt Jo says feather-beds aren't healthy. I never let mychildren sleep on any thing but a mattress," returned Mrs. ShakespeareSmith, decidedly.

"I don't care; my children are so strong they often sleep on thefloor, and don't mind it," (which was quite true). "I can't afford ninemattresses, and I like to make beds myself."

"Won't Tommy charge for the feathers?"

"May be he will, but I shan't pay him, and he won't care," returned Mrs.G., taking a base advantage of the well-known good nature of T. Bangs.

"I think the pink will fade out of that dress sooner than the green markwill," observed Mrs. S., looking down from her perch, and changing thesubject, for she and her gossip differed on many points, and Mrs. Smithwas a discreet lady.

"Never mind; I'm tired of dolls, and I guess I shall put them all awayand attend to my farm; I like it rather better than playing house," saidMrs. G., unconsciously expressing the desire of many older ladies, whocannot dispose of their families so easily however.

"But you mustn't leave them; they will die without their mother," criedthe tender Mrs. Smith.

"Let 'em die then; I'm tired of fussing over babies, and I'm goingto play with the boys; they need me to see to 'em," returned thestrong-minded lady.

Daisy knew nothing about women's rights; she quietly took all shewanted, and no one denied her claim, because she did not undertake whatshe could not carry out, but unconsciously used the all-powerful rightof her own influence to win from others any privilege for which shehad proved her fitness. Nan attempted all sorts of things, undaunted bydireful failures, and clamored fiercely to be allowed to do every thingthat the boys did. They laughed at her, hustled her out of the way, andprotested against her meddling with their affairs. But she would not bequenched and she would be heard, for her will was strong, and she hadthe spirit of a rampant reformer. Mrs. Bhaer sympathized with her, buttired to curb her frantic desire for entire liberty, showing her thatshe must wait a little, learn self-control, and be ready to use herfreedom before she asked for it. Nan had meek moments when she agreed tothis, and the influences at work upon her were gradually taking effect.She no longer declared that she would be engine-driver or a blacksmith,but turned her mind to farming, and found in it a vent for the energybottled up in her active little body. It did not quite satisfy her,however; for her sage and sweet marjoram were dumb things, and could notthank her for her care. She wanted something human to love, work for,and protect, and was never happier than when the little boys broughttheir cut fingers, bumped heads, or bruised joints for her to "mend-up."Seeing this, Mrs. Jo proposed that she should learn how to do it nicely,and Nursey had an apt pupil in bandaging, plastering, and fomenting. Theboys began to call her "Dr. Giddy-gaddy," and she liked it so well thatMrs. Jo one day said to the Professor,

"Fritz, I see what we can do for that child. She wants something to livefor even now, and will be one of the sharp, strong, discontented womenif she does not have it. Don't let us snub her restless little nature,but do our best to give her the work she likes, and by and by persuadeher father to let her study medicine. She will make a capital doctor,for she has courage, strong nerves, a tender heart, and an intense loveand pity for the weak and suffering."

Mr. Bhaer smiled at first, but agreed to try, and gave Nan anherb-garden, teaching her the various healing properties of the plantsshe tended, and letting her try their virtues on the children inthe little illnesses they had from time to time. She learned fast,remembered well, and showed a sense and interest most encouraging toher Professor, who did not shut his door in her face because she was alittle woman.

She was thinking of this, as she sat in the willow that day, and whenDaisy said in her gentle way,

"I love to keep house, and mean to have a nice one for Demi when we growup and live together."

Nan replied with decision

"Well, I haven't got any brother, and I don't want any house to fussover. I shall have an office, with lots of bottles and drawers andpestle things in it, and I shall drive round in a horse and chaise andcure sick people. That will be such fun."

"Ugh! how can you bear the bad-smelling stuff and the nasty littlepowders and castor-oil and senna and hive syrup?" cried Daisy, with ashudder.

"I shan't have to take any, so I don't care. Besides, they make peoplewell, and I like to cure folks. Didn't my sage-tea make Mother Bhaer'sheadache go away, and my hops stop Ned's toothache in five hours? Sonow!"

"Shall you put leeches on people, and cut off legs and pull out teeth?"asked Daisy, quaking at the thought.

"Yes, I shall do every thing; I don't care if the people are all smashedup, I shall mend them. My grandpa was a doctor, and I saw him sew agreat cut in a man's cheek, and I held the sponge, and wasn't frighteneda bit, and Grandpa said I was a brave girl."

"How could you? I'm sorry for sick people, and I like to nurse them,but it makes my legs shake so I have to run away. I'm not a brave girl,"sighed Daisy.

"Well, you can be my nurse, and cuddle my patients when I have giventhem the physic and cut off their legs," said Nan, whose practice wasevidently to be of the heroic kind.

"Ship ahoy! Where are you, Nan?" called a voice from below.

"Here we are."

"Ay, ay!" said the voice, and Emil appeared holding one hand in theother, with his face puckered up as if in pain.

"Oh, what's the matter?" cried Daisy, anxiously.

"A confounded splinter in my thumb. Can't get it out. Take a pick at it,will you, Nanny?"

"It's in very deep, and I haven't any needle," said Nan, examining atarry thumb with interest.

"Take a pin," said Emil, in a hurry.

"No, it's too big and hasn't got a sharp point."

Here Daisy, who had dived into her pocket, presented a neat littlehousewife with four needles in it.

"You are the Posy who always has what we want," said Emil; and Nanresolved to have a needle-book in her own pocket henceforth, for justsuch cases as this were always occurring in her

practice.

Daisy covered her eyes, but Nan probed and picked with a steady hand,while Emil gave directions not down in any medical work or record.

"Starboard now! Steady, boys, steady! Try another tack. Heave ho! thereshe is!"

"Suck it," ordered the Doctor, surveying the splinter with anexperienced eye.

"Too dirty," responded the patient, shaking his bleeding hand.

"Wait; I'll tie it up if you have got a handkerchief."

"Haven't; take one of those rags down there."

"Gracious! no, indeed; they are doll's clothes," cried Daisy,indignantly.

"Take one of mine; I'd like to have you," said Nan; and swinging himselfdown, Emil caught up the first "rag" he saw. It happened to be thefrilled skirt; but Nan tore it up without a murmur; and when the royalpetticoat was turned into a neat little bandage, she dismissed herpatient with the command,

"Keep it wet, and let it alone; then it will heal right up, and not besore."

"What do you charge?" asked the Commodore, laughing.

"Nothing; I keep a 'spensary; that is a place where poor people aredoctored free gratis for nothing," explained Nan, with an air.

"Thank you, Doctor Giddy-gaddy. I'll always call you in when I cometo grief;" and Emil departed, but looked back to say for one good turndeserves another "Your duds are blowing away, Doctor."

Forgiving the disrespectful word, "duds," the ladies hastily descended,and, gathering up their wash, retired to the house to fire up the littlestove, and go to ironing.

A passing breath of air shook the old willow, as if it laughed softlyat the childish chatter which went on in the nest, and it had hardlycomposed itself when another pair of birds alighted for a confidentialtwitter.

"Now, I'll tell you the secret," began Tommy, who was "swellin' wisibly"with the importance of his news.

"Tell away," answered Nat, wishing he had brought his fiddle, it was soshady and quiet here.

"Well, we fellows were talking over the late interesting case ofcircumstantial evidence," said Tommy, quoting at random from a speechFranz had made at the club, "and I proposed giving Dan something tomake up for our suspecting him, to show our respect, and so on, you knowsomething handsome and useful, that he could keep always and be proudof. What do you think we chose?"

"A butterfly-net; he wants one ever so much," said Nat, looking a littledisappointed, for he meant to get it himself.

"No, sir; it's to be a microscope, a real swell one, that we seewhat-do-you-call-'ems in water with, and stars, and ant-eggs, and allsorts of games, you know. Won't it be a jolly good present?" said Tommy,rather confusing microscopes and telescopes in his remarks.

"Tip-top! I'm so glad! Won't it cost a heap, though?" cried Nat, feelingthat his friend was beginning to be appreciated.

"Of course it will; but we are all going to give something. I headed thepaper with my five dollars; for if it is done at all, it must be donehandsome."

"What! all of it? I never did see such a generous chap as you are;" andNat beamed upon him with sincere admiration.

"Well, you see, I've been so bothered with my property, that I'm tiredof it, and don't mean to save up any more, but give it away as I goalong, and then nobody will envy me, or want to steal it, and I shan'tbe suspecting folks and worrying about my old cash," replied Tommy, onwhom the cares and anxieties of a millionaire weighed heavily.

"Will Mr. Bhaer let you do it?"

"He thought it was a first-rate plan, and said that some of the best menhe knew preferred to do good with their money instead of laying it up tobe squabbled over when they died."

"Your father is rich; does he do that way?"

"I'm not sure; he gives me all I want; I know that much. I'm going totalk to him about it when I go home. Anyhow, I shall set him a goodexample;" and Tommy was so serious, that Nat did not dare to laugh, butsaid, respectfully,

"You will be able to do ever so much with your money, won't you?"

"So Mr. Bhaer said, and he promised to advise me about useful ways ofspending it. I'm going to begin with Dan; and next time I get a dollaror so, I shall do something for Dick, he's such a good little chap, andonly has a cent a week for pocket-money. He can't earn much, you know;so I'm going to kind of see to him;" and good-hearted Tommy quite longedto begin.

"I think that's a beautiful plan, and I'm not going to try to buy afiddle any more; I'm going to get Dan his net all myself, and if thereis any money left, I'll do something to please poor Billy. He's fondof me, and though he isn't poor, he'd like some little thing from me,because I can make out what he wants better than the rest of you."And Nat fell to wondering how much happiness could be got out of hisprecious three dollars.

"So I would. Now come and ask Mr. Bhaer if you can't go in town with meon Monday afternoon, so you can get the net, while I get the microscope.Franz and Emil are going too, and we'll have a jolly time larking roundamong the shops."

The lads walked away arm-in-arm, discussing the new plans with drollimportance, yet beginning already to feel the sweet satisfaction whichcomes to those who try, no matter how humbly, to be earthly providencesto the poor and helpless, and gild their mite with the gold of charitybefore it is laid up where thieves cannot break through and steal.

"Come up and rest while we sort the leaves; it's so cool and pleasanthere," said Demi, as he and Dan came sauntering home from a long walk inthe woods.

"All right!" answered Dan, who was a boy of few words, and up they went.

"What makes birch leaves shake so much more than the others?" askedinquiring Demi, who was always sure of an answer from Dan.

"They are hung differently. Don't you see the stem where it joins theleaf is sort of pinched one way, and where it joins the twig, it ispinched another. This makes it waggle with the least bit of wind, butthe elm leaves hang straight, and keep stiller."

"How curious! will this do so?" and Demi held up a sprig of acacia,which he had broken from a little tree on the lawn, because it was sopretty.

"No; that belongs to the sort that shuts up when you touch it. Draw yourfinger down the middle of the stem, and see if the leaves don't curlup," said Dan, who was examining a bit of mica.

Demi tried it, and presently the little leaves did fold together, tillthe spray showed a single instead of a double line of leaves.

"I like that; tell me about the others. What do these do?" asked Demi,taking up a new branch.

"Feed silk-worms; they live on mulberry leaves, till they begin to spinthemselves up. I was in a silk-factory once, and there were rooms fullof shelves all covered with leaves, and worms eating them so fast thatit made a rustle. Sometimes they eat so much they die. Tell that toStuffy," and Dan laughed, as he took up another bit of rock with alichen on it.

"I know one thing about this mullein leaf: the fairies use them forblankets," said Demi, who had not quite given up his faith in theexistence of the little folk in green.

"If I had a microscope, I'd show you something prettier than fairies,"said Dan, wondering if he should ever own that coveted treasure. "I knewan old woman who used mullein leaves for a night-cap because she hadface-ache. She sewed them together, and wore it all the time."