Colonel Russell's Baby

Front matter

COLONEL RUSSELL'S BABY. BT ELLINOR DAVENPORT ADAMS. " To such a child as this. Christ, charging well His chosen ones, forbade Offence: for, lo ! of such My Kingdom is." D. G. Kossett.. SonDon: WALTER SMITH AND INNES, (late Mozley), 31 & 32, BEDFORD STREET, STRAND, W.C. 1889. LONDON : PRINTI'D BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED, STAMFORD STRF.ET AND CHARING CROSS. CONTENTS. CHAPTER PAGE I. A Grand Consultation ... ... 1 II. The Baby of the Latin Class ... 17 III. In D1SGP4ACE ... ... ... 50 IV. Lily's Troubles ... ... 72 V. The Colonel "at Home" ... ... 93 VI. Lily's Adventure ... ... 123 VII. A New Game ... ... ... 143 VIII. The Old Dux and the New ... 166 IX. The Colonel and the Mystery ... 206 X. The Last Latin Lesson- ... ... 243 XL Colonel Eussell's Influence... ... 274 XII. The Prize Day... ... ... 311 XIII. Battles ... ... ... ... 344 XLV. Lily "at Home" ... ...

Chapter I

A GKAND CONSULTATION. " Miss Lily, Miss Lily ! you really must not stay by the open door like that. Run into the dining room, my dear. Master Wilfred won't come any quicker for your standing there to catch cold." This was too obviously true for any chance of argument, even had the little girl addressed felt a disposition to cross swords with the speaker. But in Mr. Eversley's modest household, " Nurse " had for three years reigned supreme ; the faithful guardian of her master's two motherless children, and of his domestic affairs generally. Lily turned from the door obediently, taking a straggling course for the dining-room to .suit the ideas of her grey kitten, who, with tail and nose at equal elevation, sprang from time to time at the strings of her white pinafore. Lily had a good deal of sympathy B with that kitten, ancl felt she would defraud it of its rightful enjoyment were she to take the shortest distance between any two given points.

" It does seem a long time to wait, Nursie ! I've something so very particular to tell him. I'll go and watch at the window ; and perhaps, if I count all the rose-bushes by the path twice over, he'll be really quite close." At that moment a boy's light .step bounded up the garden, and forgetting all warnings, Lily rushed back to open the door for her brother. She helped to undo buttons, talking all the time ; and finally dragged the little fellow into the dining-room with shoe-straps still unfastened, and school-books tumbling from his satchel all the way. " Take care, Lily ! I shall be an hour picking up all these things. What's the fuss ? I can't make out half you say when you chatter so fast ! " " But think how nice it is ! I'm not to stay at home all day by myself any more." " Are you going to school, then, after all ?

" " No ; to the Institute — that great big place in the town. Papa says they don't call it school, because it's for boys and girls who are nearly or quite grown up — like Miss Wilton and Mr. Sydney." " You're not grown up, though, Lily ! Your frocks are ever so short." Lily surveyed her diminutive skirts thoughtfully. " I don't suppose nurse will have them any longer, Wilfie, if I do go to the Institute. It wouldn't make me more grown-up, if she did. Mr. Darner doesn't mind about them, perhaps, because he told Papa I might have lessons with the big boys and girls. He said they would be very kind to me, so I am glad." " It will be funny for you, Lily. They have different things altogether at the Institute. Only one lesson of each kind in a week, but a jolly lot in it, Mr. Sydney told me." " Papa promised to explain all about it when he comes home to tea.

Before then, I'm to choose the things I want to learn most." " How many things ? " " Only six, besides music and drawing. Papa wouldn't let me have any more, because he said it took me so long to practise. Oh, Wilfie, I'm to have my violin lessons again ! " " That's splendid ! We shall get some new duets at last." " I may choose my lessons my own self, and you'll help me, won't you, Wilfie ? Then we can do them together in the evenings, like we used. I've found the Institute book — let's make haste." " All right. I'll pull our chairs up to the table, Lily, and we'll cock our feet up comfortably on the backs. It isn't wrong, for there's no one here to mind — unless we were particular about it for each other. I don't want to be at all particular for you, Lily, so cock your feet nicely. I won't, if you'd rather not."

"I don't mind in the least tiny bit," returned Lily, accommodatingly. " I think it's ever so con venient. Let's put the Institute book between us ; and you find where it tells about the classes." Wilfred turned over pages with a pleasantly important air. He was ten years old, and ought to know something about lessons and masters. "Ah, here's a line in big letters, 'Educational Department.' This must be the place, Lily. Yes ; here's a long list of 'subjects.' What a lot of different things ! — ' Languages — Science — Fine Arts W and ever so many more. How jolly! Shall we pick out those you want ; or cast lots, and just have whichever come up ? " " I think we'd better choose, Wilfie. I can see beautifully, but you read out loud and say which you'd have ; then I'll say." " Well, here's Greek.

Do you want that ? " " I don't think I do ; because of learning to write another alphabet. It does take such a long time to remember how to make all our own letters. I can't do r's and q's so very nicely, now ; can you, Wilfie ? " " Of course I can. I'm in number twelve, small round band." "I'm not," admitted the despondent little sister. " Mr. Smith, who looked over our copies, said I realty couldn't expect it. That was because I made capital T's like capital I's. Nobody who does that is worth more than number ten." " Never mind," observed Wilfred encouragingly. " You're past ' Safe bind, safe find,' and all that rubbish, if you stick in number ten for ever and ever, amen." " I know one thing I shall have — Latin. I'll choose that first of all. I did like it so much at Camford, and we had such a nice master."

" That's no reason it might be a nice one at the Institute, goosey ! Every Latin master isn't bound to be nice ! " " I believe he is, Wilfie, because he's always good in my exercises. He 'speaks kindly to the in dustrious girl,' and 'warns the attentive pupils,' and 'gives rewards to the happy children.'" " I dare say," laughed Wilfred. " He ' punishes the idle boy ' fast enough." " But he's very nice to girls, Wilfie. And so was our real master. Please see who's going to be mine, now." " I'll look up the name. Why, Lily ! " Wilfred stared at the page as though fascinated. " Just look, ' Colonel Russell.' " Lily nearly fell over her brother in her eagerness to make sure. " You know ! The famous soldier who lives with his sister in the big house on the shore, outside the town. At least, he lives there when he isn't in a war.

He has been in many wars, Lily, and beau tiful, bloody battles, with thousands killed and no end of wounded. And he was wounded himself last time, and he's a V.C." "I remember," returned Lily with breathless interest. " Papa told us. But go on, Wilfie ; I love when you talk about battles." " He was badly wounded. I almost think it said ' very severely ' in the papers, Lily ; and I'm not sure it wasn't ' dangerously,' or even ' mortally ' ! " " It couldn't have been ' mortally,' Wilfie dear, or he'd have been quite dead soon." " I don't know that," rejoined Wilfred, who wasn't easily crushed ; " they might have made a mistake, and he could have come alive again. Anyway, he got well, and came home, and Johnson minor says there was ever such a fuss here. They wanted to have the mayor, and an address, and a procession, and red carpet, and a laurel wreath, and everything proper; only Miss Russell told, and then Colonel Russell wrote to say he didn't want them.

So they gave the poor people a great feast instead, and everyone had fireworks, — especially the College boj^s. Johnson minor say she had five and sevenpence-halfpenny worth, and most of them went off, but some blew into his face. So he has a queer eye now; but he says he doesn't mind, for it's glorious to fall in the service of his country." "I haven't seen Colonel Russell, Wilfie, except the very back of his head at church. He never turns round, and we always go out first. What is he like ? " " Oh, he's quite different from everybody else — lots of ways. He doesn't in the least mind walking in the mud, for instance, if it's right in front. I know, for I watched one day, and Dr. Carpenter, who was with him, took ever such care about his boots ! " " I thought soldiers were so tidy," remarked Lily doubtfully.

" Oh, they're tidy enough, but they can't be always poking on the ground. They have to watch for the enemy, lest he should steal on un awares. Perhaps Colonel Russell was looking to see where the French might be likely to land, if they got across. Then, haven't you noticed in church, he never says his prayers into his hat ? " " No, I didn't see, Wilfie." " Well, look next time. But it's so very funny for you to have him for a Latin master." " Soldiers are very particular, aren't they ? " inquired Lily. " Oh, dear, yes. If anyone doesn't do exactly what he's told, they'll have him shot as soon as look." Lily moved in her chair rather uncomfortably. " Still, you needn't mind about that, as you aren't a soldier. J think it's perfectly splendid to have a colonel for a Latin master. I do love soldiers.

You've all the luck, Lily, and I just wish I were you. It would be so much jollier if our head master were a colonel — or I should think a head master might even equal a general, shouldn't you ? " " Not if he hadn't been in battles. I'm glad I'm to be in Colonel Russell's class — if he doesn't mind my frocks being pretty short still — and I'm sure I shall do what he says, so that he won't feel like wanting me to be shot." " In that last war, Lily, far out in the East, he was ever so brave. But perhaps you remember ? " added Wilfred, wTith an anxious look at his sister. " Never mind, Wilfie, I like to hear. Only not about the fields after the battles, please ; and legs being cut off. He hadn't a leg cut off, had he ? " " No ; that's the one thing about him that's a pity. He has no wooden legs, or arms, or anything ; and not a single glorious scar that you can see.

But he was very brave. There was a city with rebels all round, and a little garrison inside, and the English general couldn't possibly get near. So Colonel Russell said he would go if he might have a very few men — ' a mere handful,' it was written in the paper; but of course it must have meant more than that. And the general said he might try. So he took some men, and they went up a narrow path because it was the only way, and when they got near the top the rebels came and tried to stop them; but they couldn't, because Colonel Russell went in front, and all his men cheered and rushed after him ; so they drove the rebels back." " But that wasn't the end, Wilfie." " Of course not ; it was far nicer after that. The rebels returned, and the English kept beating them off; and every day they got on a little further ; only they had nothing to eat " " Then they'd have starved."

" Well, next to nothing — -and their clothes were all torn in bits. I dare say Colonel Russell's were most torn, because he was in front. It must have been dreadfully uncomfortable. At last he was shot; but he made them carry him, and told them what to do, and wouldn't let them stop to take care of him. So they went on ; and the town was saved just in time. The rebels were going to have taken it through spies, that very night ! " " Oh, Wilfred ! You do tell it nicely ! ': " And I didn't put in any arms or legs ; " observed Wilfred, with modest pride. " So you don't feel at all nasty, do you ? " " No, Wilfie dear ; and I do like Colonel Russell. I'll learn my Latin as well as ever I can. Did he get quite well, soon ? " " Oh no ; not for a long time. But when he came back from saving the town, everybody made such a fuss about him.

Not that he told — of course he wouldn't say half he did — but a very brave war correspondent went with him and wrote it all down every day, because he couldn't send telegrams to the editor of his paper in London till he got back. Then he did, and it was all printed, and I read it. So did you, Lily," continued Wilfred courteously, " and it's very kind of you to play you didn't, and let me quite finish all the story ; because I do so like telling you about it ! " "I love to hear you, Wilfie," replied the little sister gently ; and putting an arm round his neck, she rubbed her soft cheek against his. "And I like soldiers ; only I'm so glad you're to go to college, and won't have to be one ! " Wilfred gave a small sigh. " I suppose I mustn't, since you don't want it, Lily. Now let's go on about the classes ; or we shall never be done by tea-time.

You've chosen only Latin ; but that's settled." " If Colonel Russell doesn't mind my not being grown-up," put in Lily rather uneasily. "I do hope he won't." " The next thing is French. I suppose you must have that, Lily ; though I believe you know more about it than any fellow at the College — M. de Leon taught you so splendidly." " Oh, Wilfie ! Dear M. de Leon ! " " Well, don't cry. I'm awfully sorry he's dead, too ; it was so nice of him to be so kind to you. But you know Nurse said he was far too good for this wicked world, and we ought to dry our tears. Nurse said so, Lily, and I don't want to be unfeel ing ; but oh ! I do wish you'd dry yours." "Ye-es, I will." " Then we can go on looking at this list, if they're quite dried. You mustn't make it mucky, Lily. Next comes German ; but Papa won't let you have three languages, so we'll skip a bit.

Here's Eng lish Literature ; and look ! the master is Dr. Car penter, our ver}1- own head-master at the College ! Now I do really think, Lily, as I'm one of his boys, I should like you to go to his class. It seems quite polite ; and besides, Papa says it's a disgrace to any Englishman not to know the great writers of his country. So I suppose it's a disgrace to any Englishwoman — and some day you will be an Englishwoman." " I'll choose Literature, Wilfie. It sounds hard but I love about books." " Then there's Euclid. Now, Lily, I truly advise you to learn that, because we can go at it together beautifully." "Very well, Wilfie. I'd like to have all things that I can do with you. Still, as I may have only six, oughtn't I to pick some commoner ones, like Grammar and Geography ? " Lily advanced this suggestion with a good deal of hesitation, for she was tolerably sure it wouldn't meet with approval.

However, Wilfred concealed his feelings, and con descended to look for the desired classes. The two children were greatly puzzled because they were nowhere to be found. " I suppose they don't teach them at Institutes," concluded Wilfred, after much anxious rumpling of his curly mop. "But if you want common things, Lily, here's History. That's far commoner than English Literature, and tells about battles." " I'll have History. And, Wilfie, can't we do the very common ones at home ? I want to know how to find the places where they fought the battles and did the other great things." "Yes, we'll look for them in the second-best Atlas. Next comes Natural Science. Lily, I love that. We've such a jolly class at school for Physics, and we're going to make a thermometer." " Oh, Wilfred ! How lovely !

A real one . " "Yes, and I wish you could come. I'll ask the master to let you, as a favour, if you'd like it, Lily." " I'm afraid he wouldn't have a little girl," sighed a rather melancholy voice. " I can't see what it could matter, just because you've petticoats and I've knickerbockers ; — why, you might easily put on my Sunday suit, and everybody says we're exactly like each other. It's very hard a fellow can't take his sister with him to do such a simple thing as make a thermometer. There's no obligingness in masters; they're so cranky." If I went to the class at the Institute, Wilfred, I could learn; because, you see, it's for girls as well as boys. Then we could make a thermometer at home." Wilfred drummed delightedly on the table. " So we could ! We'll choose Physics." " That's the sixth thing, Wilfred.

There's Music besides. Let's look for that." "Here it is. Ever so many classes. 'Musical Director, Dr. Percival.' Why, Lily ! He's the organist at church, and our master at the College, as well. What a lot of things he is ! You'll like him, Lily. He's nice, and tells one about the music like the organist at Camford used, when we went to learn to sing." " Ah, that's one more thing, Wilfred. Papa says we're both to go into the Institute choir." " That's Dr. Percival's, too, and I love to sing. I shall like the choir ; won't you, Lily ? " " Yes ; because we shall sing all together, not by ourselves. I can't sing by myself before people." " I can't see why you care. I never think about the people." " I don't want to, but I can't help it. Oh, Wilfie, that's the gate. It's Papa ; let's run ! " Tea wasn't quite ready, and Mr. Eversley sub mitted to be dragged into the dining-room and there seated forcibly by the fire, with Lily on his knee and Wilfred at his feet.

The children pro duced their list of the desired classes with a good deal of pride, explaining at length why each had been chosen, and so evidently expecting congratulations on their discretion that their father nodded approval, and merely inquired whether Lily could inform him what three loaves at fourpence three farthings each would cost ! The little girl worked the sum quite solemnly, and admitted that she had entirely forgotten arithmetic. Numberless questions concerning the Institute were put and answered, until at last Mr. Eversley declared they really knew all about it. " No, papa ! " exclaimed Wilfred. " You haven't told us the very most important thing of all. You see, Lily has chosen Latin ; and who do you think is the master ? Why, Colonel Russell ! Now, how did he get away from battles to Latin ?

" " Did that puzzle you ? Well, I can explain it easily, since you are so eager to understand. The classes at the Institute belong to the ' Educational Department,' and were badly managed from the first. The Fleetmouth boys and girls did not care to go back to study after leaving school, and they went to the Institute rather to play than work. Their masters failed to keep proper order, which displeased the parents of these silly lads and lassies, so the number of students grew smaller and smaller, until, at the end of the last session, Mr. Darner, the president, found he had to meet a heavy loss. You will not understand it all, but he thought he should have to stop the classes altogether." " He didn't, though, papa ; there are crowds ! " " Yes, because in the summer Colonel Russell came home on a leave of eighteen months, and began to take an interest in the town affairs, especially in the Institute, which was started by his father when Vicar of Fleetmouth."

" Like Dr. Wilton ? " "Just the same. Dr. Russell was the vicar for many years, and being a fine classical scholar he trained his only son well ; so that Mr. Damer thought it might be a good thing to get the Colonel to be head of the Educational Department as chair man, and see if he could think of anything to save the classes." " Now, that was a really good idea, papa; wasn't it ? Soldiers always have such lots of plans ! " " Colonel Russell had one, at all events. He asked some gentlemen of the town to help, and they agreed to teach the classes at the Institute for one session without any payment, so that all the pupils' fees should be saved to start the Educational Department afresh next year. I think this generous arrangement must have charmed the Fleet mouth papas and mammas, for I hear that there are plenty of students again.

I hope my little girl will do well amongst them, and set a good example of obedience and respect. I know several of the masters, Lily, and I shall be disappointed if I don't have bright accounts. — Colonel Russell took the Latin classes himself; he has one for girls and one for boys." " Won't he be very particular, papa ? " " I dare say ! " replied Mr. Eversley, laughing. " I should think he would know how to keep little girls severely in order ! However, I'm not afraid of mine getting into trouble ; so don't look so alarmed, darling." Lily tried to smile cheei-fully, but there was quite a weight on her mind as she anticipated her first appearance before her military instructor. However bravely she might endeavour to carry herself, she was without doubt small, and the owner of frocks distinctly short.

" Colonel Russell has a nice sister, hasn't he, papa ? " she timidly inquired. " Very nice. Every one declares that Miss Russell is charming. And she brought up her brother, Lily ; for he is ten years the younger, and lost his mother when he was six ; so he ought to be as pleasant as he looks ! At all events, they say he worships his gentle sister, and that speaks well for him. Now, here comes Nurse; so we must leave the Educational Department and turn our attention to tea and toast."

Chapter II. The Baby Of The Latin Class

It was five o'clock on Wednesday evening, and the ladies' Latin class was assembled in one of the Institute rooms. Colonel Russell had just taken his seat, and was speculating, as he surveyed his open book with a meditative eye, whether he might venture to ask a question or two " back," without having his feelings tried more than usual. The row of eighteen girls, whose chairs occupied two sides of the room, betrayed no interest whatever in his proceedings. They were silent, indeed ; but theirs was a silence of necessity, not of inclination : while pages were turned and places found in a manner suggestive of utter indifference rather than of intelligent study. In such an atmosphere of boredom and deliberate dulness the occupant of the master's chair, his face and figure instinct with alert and vigorous manhood, appeared singularly out of place.

"The first conjugation, ladies " Colonel c COLONEL RUSSELL'S BAISY. Russell came to an abrupt stop as some one first loudly tapped and then opened the door. The intruder proved to be Mr. Damer, the Pre sident of the Institute ; and Colonel Russell saw with surprise that he led by the hand a little girl, whose eyes, timid almost to desperation, were im mediately fixed on the master of the Latin class. Mr. Damer came forward alone, and the eighteen girls gazed with one consent at the small figure by the door. "Colonel Russell, I have brought a new pupil. At least, if age is not a great consideration, this little lady will beg admittance to your class." The gentleman addressed turned a still more astonished glance on Mr. Darner's companion. Just inside the door she continued to stand, a slight and graceful little form, attired simply, but with an extreme of neatness, in a sailor-frock of rough blue serge.

Colonel Russell liked the delicate'little face, the short golden curls, the large dark, thoughtful eyes ; and did not fail to mark the evidences of an individuality, childish indeed, but neither to be overlooked nor forgotten. There was nothin o common-place about the small figure now endeavouring to uphold itself and be of a good courage, in spite of failing heart and almost overwhelming sense of loneliness. " She is very young," began the Colonel, hesita ting as he discerned an aggravated trial in store. Mr. Damer drew close and spoke in a low voice. " Her father is the new editor of our chief paper. You will remember it has a weekly issue which exercises a great deal of county influence; so we always get a first-rate journalist for the post. This is the best we have had ; a scholar and a gentleman, too, though of limited means."

" Oh — Mr. Eversley ? " " Yes. Have you met ? " " Not so far ; but I have heard the vicar talk about him, and we are going to call together." " You won't regret it ; and I don't think you'll regret taking Lily as a pupil." " She looks dreadfully shy." " That's rather refreshing nowadays. Come, Lily, and shake hands with Colonel Russell." This was a ceremony which the child found quite enough of an ordeal ; though when it was over, and she had summoned courage to look up at the tall, soldierly figure, with close-cut brown hair and grave, steady grey eyes, she perceived that the grave eyes had a kindly gleam, an encouraging smile could be detected under the Colonel's brown moustache, while a particularly pleasant voice, which seemed accustomed to speak very softly to somebody, charmed away her first fear.

" And so," began the master of the Latin class, ' you want to be a classical scholar ? " " If you please, sir," replied the child shyly. " Haven't you enough lessons at school, then ? " " I don't go to school, sir. I used to," said little Lily ; adding, as she gathered that hard fate forced her to speak for herself, " It was the doctor. He said I mustn't, but I might have some other lessons. So papa let me choose them, and Wilfred helped. There were six ; and one was Latin, please, if — if I'm big enough." The last words came with a very doubtful look at the occupants of the eighteen chairs. " She means," interrupted Mr. Damer kindly, " that the medical men have prohibited school for her on account of the long hours; so she is to join a few of our classes. Her tastes are distinguished, you see, for I believe she chiefly aspires to yours.

Lily, do you think you can persuade Colonel Russell to have you ? " The child gave an uneasy glance at the master of the Latin class. Could he po.ssibly be troubled with a little girl ? All the students before her looked quite grown-up : they must certainly be very far on. In a voice shyer than ever, she tried to make some sort of case for herself. " I'm not very old, and I've learned only a very little Latin; but I shall be ten after Christmas." Lily endeavoured to feel hopeful, but truthfulness compelled her to add, " It will be two months and a half after Christmas when I'm exactly ten ; but I shall be nearly ten a good while before that." "Ah !" observed the Colonel, suppressing a smile, "now, if you had only been exactly ten, I might have thought of it ! " " Won't it be big enough, sir ?