Holiday house : a book for the young

Front matter

im^<§?A^MisuMi * Mm^hAim

ONDON; WARD, LOCK, AND CO.

I ROWLANDS' S

Preface

" Of ail the paper I have blotted, I have written nothing without the intention of some good. Whether I ha , e succeeded or not, is for others to judge."

The minds of young people are now manufactured like webs of linen, all alike, and nothing left to nature. From the hour when children can speak, till they come to years of discretion or of indiscretion, they are carefully prompted what to say, and what to think, and how to look, and how to feel ; while in most school-rooms Nature has been turned out of doors with obloquy, and Art has entirely supplanted her.

When a quarrel takes place, both parties are generally in some degree to blame ; therefore if Art and Nature could yet be made to go hand in hand towards the formation of character and principles, a graceful and beautiful superstructure might be reared, on the solid foundation of Christian faith and sound morality ; so that while many natural weeds would be eradicated, and many wild flowers pruned and carefully trained, some lovely blossoms that spring spontaneously in the uncuj r PREFACE.

tirated soil, might still be cherished into strength atwl heauty, far excelling what can be planted or reared by art.

Every infant is probably born with a character as peculiar to himself as the features in his countenance, if his faults and good qualities were permitted to expand according to their original tendency ; but education, which formerly did too little in teaching the " young idea how to shoot," seems now in danger of overshooting the mark altogether, by not allowing the young ideas to exist at all. In this age of wonderful mechanical inventions, the very mind of youth seems in danger of becoming a machine ; and while every effort is used to stuff the memory, like a cricket-ball, with well-known facts and ready-made opinions, no room is left for the vigour of natural feeling, the glow of natural genius, and the ardour of natural enthusiasm. It was a remark of Sir Walter Scott's many years ago, to the author herself, that in the rising generation there would be no poets, wits, or rators, because all play of the imagination is now carefully discouraged, and books written for yeunrr persons arc generally a mere dr^ record of facts, unenlivened by any appeal to „hc heart, or any excitement to the fancy. The catalogue of a child's

PREFACE. vu

library would contain Conversations on Natural Philosophy, — on Chemistry, — on Botany, — on Arts and Sciences, — Chronological Kecords of History, and travels as dry as a road-book, but nothing on the habits or ways of thinking, natural and suitable to the taste of children ; therefore, while such works are delightful to the parents and teachers who select them, the younger community are fed with strong meat instead of milk, and the reading which might be a relaxation from study becomes a study in itself.

In these pages the author has endeavoured to paiut that species of noisy, frolicsome, mischievous children, now almost extinct, wishing to preserve a sort of fabulous remembrance of days long past, when young people were like wild horses on the prairies, rather than like well-broken hacks on the road ; and when amidst many faults and eccentricities, there was still some individuality of character and feeling allowed to remain. In short, as Lord Byron described " the last man," the object of this volume is to describe " the last boy." It may be useful, she thinks, to shew, that amidst much requiring to be judiciously curbed tnd corrected, there may be the germs of high and generous feeling, and of steady, right principle.

Vffi PREFACE.

which should be the chief objects of culture and encouragement. Plodding industry is in the present day at a very high premium in education ; but it requires the leaven of mental energy and genius to make it work well; while it has been remarked by one whose experience in education is deep and practical that "those boys whose names appear most frequently in the black book of transgression, would sometimes deserve to be also most commonly recorded, if a book were kept for warm affections and generous actions."

The most formidable person to meet in society it present, is the mother of a promising boy, about nine or ten years old ; because there is no possible escape from a volume of anecdotes, and a complete system of education on the newest principles. The young gentleman has probably asked leave to bring hi 8 books to the breakfast-room, — can scarcely be torn away from his studies at the dinner-hour, — discards all toys, — abhors a holiday, — propounds questions of marvellous depth in politics or mineralogy,— and seems, in short, more fitted to enjoy the learned meeting at Oxford than the exhilarating exercise of the cricket-ground ; but, if the axiom be true, that " a little learning i» a dangerous thing," it has also been proved by

PRKPACE. ix

frequent, and sometimes by very melancholy experience, that, for minds not yet expanded to maturity, a great deal of learning is more dangerous still, and that in those school-rooms where there has been a society for the suppression of amusement, the mental energies have suffered as well as the health.

A prejudice has naturally arisen against giving works of fiction to children, because their chief interest too often rests on the detection and punishment of such mean vices as lying and stealing, which are so frequently and elaborately described that the way to commit those crimes is made obvious ; while a clever boy thinks he could easily avoid the oversights by which another has been discovered, and that if he does not yield to similar temptations, he is a model of virtue and good conduct.

In writing for any class of readers, and especially in occupying the leisure moments of such peculiarly fortunate young persons as have leisure moments at all, the author feels conscious of a deep responsibility, for it is at their early age that the seed can best be sown which shall bear fruit unto eternal life ; therefore it is hoped this volume may be found to inculcate a pleasing and permanent

X PREFACE.

consciousness, that religion is tlio best resource in happier hours, and the only refuge in hours of affliction.

Those who wish to be remembered for ever in the world, — and it is a very common object of ambition, — will find no monument more permanent, than the affectionate remembrance of any children they have treated with kindness ; for we may often observe in the reminiscences of old age, a tender recollection surviving all others, of friends in early days who enlivened the hours of childhood by presents of playthings and comfits. But above all, we never forget those who good-humouredly complied with the constantly-recurring petition of all young people in every generation, and in every house, — " Will you tell me a story 1"

In answer to such a request, often and importunately repeated, the author has from year to year delieiited in seeing herself surrounded bv a circle of joyous eager faces, listening with awe to the terrors of Mrs Crabtrec, or smiling at the frolics of Harry and Laura. The stories, originally, were so short, that some friends, aware of their popularity, and conscious of their harmless tendency, took the trouble of copying them in manuscript for their own young friends ; but the talcs havo since

PREFACE. XI

grown and expanded during frequent verbal repetitions, till, with various fanciful additions and new characters, they have enlarged into their present form, or rather so far beyond it, that several chapters are omitted, to keep the volume within moderate compass.

Paley remarks, that " any amusement which is innocent, is better than none ; as the writing of a book, the building of a house, the laying out of a garden, the digging of a fish-pond, even the raising of a cucumber," and it is hoped, that, while the author herself has found much interesting occupation in recording those often repeated stories, the time of herself and her young readers may be employed with some degree of profit, or she will certainly regret that it was not better occupied in the rearing of cucumbers.

It may add something to the interest, and yet more to the usefulness of those scenes and circumstances relative to the return from abroad and premature death of Frank Graham, to mention, that they are not fictitious ; and the author is mournfully touched by the consciousness that some tears of juvenile sympathy have fallen from eyes that never saw him, for the early fate of a brother deeply loved and deeply lamented. With every en-

Xll PREFACE.

clearing and admirable quality of head and heart, few ever held out a brighter promise of excellence, than he who, being restored as is here described for a few weeks to his family, dying, resigned himself without a murmur, to the will of God, and has long slumbered in a premature grave, his name being thus commemorated on a tombstone in the churchyard of Hackney :

En fflcmtvu

OF

LIEUTENANT JAMES SINCLAIR, who was arbested bt the hand of death ov his wat home,

atftrb an absence of some teaks, dueinq which he lost hir health on skrvioe against the bdkmese,

"H in tUo Lord, lot Him rto what secmoth Him good." " Ft I know that my Roedcmer livotu."

HOLIDAY HOUSE.

Chapter I. Chit Chat

A 6C.hool-boy, a dog, and a walnut tree, The moro you strike 'em, the better they be.

Laura and Harry Graham could scarcely feel sure that they ever had a mama, because she died while they were yet very young indeed ; but Frank, who was some years older, recollected perfectly well what pretty playthings she used to give him. and missed his kind, good mama so extremely, that lie one day asked if he might " go to a shop and buy a new mama 1" Frank often afterwards •bought of the time also, when he kneeled beside her bed to say his prayers, or when he sat upon her knee to hear funny stories about good boyfc and bad boys — all very interesting, and all told on purpose to shew how much happier obedient children are, than those who waste their time in i^lenoss and folly. Boys and girls all think they know the road to happiness without any mistake, and choose that which looks gayest and pleasantest at first, though older people, who have travelled that road already, can tell them that a very difficult path is the only one which ends agreeably ; and those who begin to walk in it when they are young will really find that " Wisdom's ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace." It was truly remarked by Solomon, that " even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right." Therefore, though Frank was yet but a little boy, his friends, who observed how carefully he attended to his mama's instructions, how frequently he studied his Bible, and how diligently he learned his lessons, all prophesied that this merry, lively child, with laughing eyes and dimpled cheeks, would yet grow up to be a good and useful man ; especially when it became evident that, by the blessing of God, he had been early turned away from the broad road that leadeth to destruction, in which every living person would naturally walk, and led into the narrow path that leadeth to eternal life.

When his mama, Lady Graham, after a long and painful illness, was at last taken away to the better world, for which she had been many years preparing her only sorrow and anxiety seemed to be that she left behind her three such very dear children, who were now to be entirely under the care of their papa, Sir Edward Graham ; and it was with many prayers and tears that she tried to make her mind more easy about their future education, and future happiness.

Sir Edward felt such extreme grief on the death of Lady Graham, that instead of being able to remain at home with his young family, and to interest his mind as he would wish to have done, by attending to them, he was ordered by Dr Bell to set off immediately for Paris, Eome, and Naples, where it was hoped he might leave his distresses behind him while he travelled, or, at all events, forget them.

Luckily the children had a very good, kind uncle, Major David Graham, and their grandmama, Lady Harriet Graham, who were both exceedingly happy to take charge of them, observing that no house could be cheerful without a few little people being there, and that now they would have constant amusement in trying to make Frank, Harry, and Laura, as happy as possible, and even still happier.

" That is the thing I am almost afraid of !" said Sir Edward, smiling. " Uncles and grandmamas are only too kind, and my small family will b© quite spoiled with indulgence."

" Not if you leave that old vixen, Mrs Crafttree, as governor of the nursery," answered Major Graham, laughing. " She ought to have been the drummer of a regiment, she is so fond of beating ! I believe there never was such a tyrant since the time when nurserymaids were invented. Poor Harry would pass his life in a dark closet, like Baron Trenck, if Mrs Crabtree had her own way!"

" She means it all well. I am certain that Mrs Crabtree is devotedly fond of my children, and would go through fire and water to serve them ; but she is a little severe, perhaps. Her idea isj that if you nsver forgive a first fault, you will never hear of a second, which is probably true enough. At all events, her harshness will be the best remedy for your extreme indulgence ; therefore let me beg that you and my mother will seldom interfere with her 'method,' especially in respect to Harry and Laura. As for Frank, if all boys were like him, we might make a bonfire of birch-rods and canes. He is too old for nursery discipline now, and must be flogged at school, if deserving of it at all, till he goes to sea next year, with my friend Gordon, who has promised to rate him as a volunteer of the first class, on board the Thunderbolt."

In spite of Mrs Crabtrec's admirable " system" with children, Harry and Laura became, from this

CHIT C1IAT. 5

time, two of the most heedless, frolicsome beings in the world, and had to be whipped almost every morning ; for in those days it had not heen discovered that whipping is all a mistake, and that children can be made good without it ; though some old-fashioned people still say — and such, too, who take the God of truth for their guide — the old plan succeeded best, and that those who "spare the rod will spoil the child." When Lady Harriet and Major Graham spoke kindly to Harry and Laura about any thing wrong that had been done, they both felt more sad and sorry, than after the severest punishments of Mrs Crabtree, who frequently observed, that " if those children were shut up in a dark room alone, with nothing to do, they would still find some way of being mischievous, and of deserving to be punished."

" Harry !" said Major Graham, one day, " you remind me of a monkey which belonged to the colonel of our regiment. He was famous for contriving to play all sorts of pranks when no one supposed them to be possible, and I recollect once having a valuable French clock, which the malicious creature seemed particularly determined to break. Many a time I caught him in the fact, and saved my beautiful clock, but one day being suddenly summoned out of the room, I hastily fastened his chain to a table, so that he could not possibly, even at the full extent of his paw, so much as touch the glass case. I observed him impatiently -watching my departure, and felt a misgiving that he expected to get the better of me ; so, after shutting the door, I took a peep through the key-hole, and what do you think Jack had done, Harry ? for, next to Mr Monkey himself, you are certainly the cleverest contriver of mischief I know."

" What did he do \" asked Harry, eagerly ; " did he throw a stone at the clock 1"

" No ! but his leg Avas several inches longer than his arm, so having turned his tail towards his object, he stretched out his hind-paw, and before I could rush back, my splendid alabaster clock had been upset and broken to shivers."

Laura soon became quite as mischievous as Harry, which is very surprising, as she was a whole year older, and had been twice as often scolded by Mrs Crabtree. Neither of these children intended any harm, for they were only heedless, lively romps, who would not for twenty worlds have told a lie, or done a shabby thing, or taken what did not belong to them. They were not greedy either, and would not on any account hare resembled Peter Grey, who was quite an old boy, at the same school with Frank, and who spent all his own pocket-money and borrowed a great deal

01 other people's, to squander at the pastry-cook's, saying, he wished it were possible to eat three dinners, and two breakfasts, and five suppers every day.

Harry was not a cruel boy either ; he never lashed his pony, beat his dog, pinched his sister, or killed any butterflies, though he often chased them for fun ; and one day he even defended a wasp at the risk of being stung, when Mrs Crabtree intended to kill it.

" Nasty, useless vermin !" said she, angrily. " What business have they in the world ! coming into other people's houses, with nothing to do ! They sting and torment every body ! Bees are very different, for they are useful, making honey."

" And wasps make jelly !" said Harry, resolutely, while he opened the window, and shook the happy wasp out of his pocket-handkerchief.

Mrs Crabtree allowed no pet of any description in her territories, and ordered the children to be happy without any such nonsense. When Laura's canary-bird escaped one unlucky day out of its cage, Mrs Crabtree was strongly suspected by Major Graham of having secretly opened the door, as she had long declared war upon bullfinches, white mice, parrots, kittens, dogs, bantams, and gold fish, observing that animals only made a noise and soiled the house, therefore every beast should remain in its own home, " birds in the air, fish in the sea, and beasts in the desert." She seemed always watching, in hopes Harry and Laura might do something that they ought to be punished for : and Mrs Crabtree certainly had more ears than other people, or slept with one eye open, as, whatever might be done, night or day, she overheard the lowest whisper of mischief, and appeared able to see what was going on in the dark.

When Harry was a yery little boy, he sometimes put himself in the corner, after doing anything wrong, apparently quite sensible that he deserved to be punished, and once after being terribly scolded by Mrs Crabtree, he drew in his stool beside her chair, with a funny, penitent face, twirling his thumbs over and over each other, and saying, " Now, Mrs Crabtree ! look what a good boy I am going to be !"

" You a good boy !" replied she, contemptuously : " JN T o ! no ! the world will be turned into a cream-cheese first !"

Lady Harriet gave Harry and Laura a closet of their own, in which she allowed them to keep their toys, and nobody could help laughing to see that, amidst the whole collection, there was seldom one unbroken. Frank wrote out a list once of what lie found in this crowded little storeroom, and amused himself often with reading it oyer afterwards. There were three dolls without faces, a horse with no legs, a drum with a hole in the top, a cart without wheels, a churn with no bottom, a kite without a tail, a skipping-rope with no handles, and a cup and ball that had lost the string. Lady Harriet called this closet the hospital for decayed toys, and she often employed herself as their doctor, mending legs and arms for soldiers, horses, and dolls, though her skill seldom succeeded long ; because playthings must have been made of cast-iron to last a week with Harry. One cold winter morning, when Laura entered the nursery, she found a large fire blazing, and all her wax dolls sitting in a row staring at the flames. Harry intended no mischief on this occasion, but great was his vexation when Laura burst into tears, and shewed him that their faces were running in a hot stream down upon their beautiful silk frocks, which were completely ruined, and not a doll had its nose remaining. Another time, Harry pricked a hole in his own beautiful largo gas-ball, wishing to see how the gas could possibly escape, after which, in a moment, it shrivelled up into a useless empty bladder ; and when his kite was flying up to the clouds, Harry often wished that he co"'4 be tied to the tail himself, so as to fly also through the air like a bird, and sec every thing.

Mrs Crabtree always Avore a prodigious bunch of jingling keys in her pocket, that rung whenever she moved, as if she carried a dinner-bell in her pocket, and Frank said it was like a rattlesnake, giving warning of her approach, which was of great use, as everybody had time to put on a look of good behaviour before she arrived. Even Betty, the under nurserymaid, felt in terror of Mrs Crabtree's entrance, and was obliged to worfe harder than any six housemaids united. Frank told her one day that he thought brooms might soon be invented, which would go by steam and brush carpets of themselves ; but, in the mean time, not a grain of dust could lurk in any corner of the nursery without being dislodged. Betty would have required ten hands, and twenty pair of feet, to do all the work that was expected ; but the grate looked like jet, the windows would not have soiled a cambric handkerchief, and the carpet was switched with so many tea-leaves, that Frank thought Mrs Crabtree often took several additional cups of tea in order to leave a plentiful supply of leaves for sweeping the floor next morning.

If Laura and Harry left any breakfast, Mrs Crabtree kept it carefully till dinner time, when they were obliged to finish the whole before tasting meat ; and if they refused it at dinner, the remains were kept for supper. Mrs Crabtree always informed them that she did it " for their good," though Harry never could see any good that it did to either of them ; and when she mentioned how many poor children would be glad to cat what they despised, he often wished the hungry beggars had some of his own hot dinner, which he would gladly have spared to them ; for Harry Avas really so generous, that he would have lived upon air, if he might be of use to anybody. Time passed on, and Lady Harriet engaged a master for some hours a-day to teach the children lessons, while even Mrs Crabtree found no other fault to Harry and Laura, except that in respect to good behaviour their memories were like a sieve, which let out everything they were desired to keep in mind. They seemed always to hope, somehow or other, that when Mrs Crabtree once turned her back, she would never shew her face again ; so their promises of better conduct were all " wind without rain," very loud, and plenty of them, but no good effect to be seen afterwards.

Among her many other torments, Mrs Crabtree rolled up Laura's hair every night on all sides o. her head, in large stiff* curl-papers, till they were as round and hard a?> walnuts, after which she tied on a night-cap. as tightly as possible above all, saying this would curl the hair still better. Laura could not 'ay any part of her head on the pillow, without surfcring so much pain, that, night after night, she sat up in bed, after Mrs Crab tree had bustled out of the room, and quietly took the cruel papers out, though she was punished so severely for doing so, that she obeyed orders at last, and lay wide awake half the night with torture ; and it was but small comfort to Laura afterwards, that Lady Harriet's visitors frequently admired the forest of long, glossy ringlets that adorned her head, and complimented Mrs Crabtree on the trouble it must cost her to keep that charming hair in order. Often did Laura wish that it were ornamenting any wig-block, rather than her own head ; and one day Lady Harriet laughed heartily, when some strangers admired her little grandaughter's ringlets, and Laura asked, very anxiously, if they would like to cut oil" a few of the longest, and keep them for her sake.

" Your hair does curl like a cork-screw," said Frank, laughing. " If I want to draw a cork out of a beer bottle any day, 1 shall borrow one of those ringlets, Laura !"

" You may laugh, Frank ; for it is fun to you, and death to me," answered poor Laura, gravely shaking her curls at him. " I wish we were all bald, like uncle David ! During the night I cannot lie still, on account of those tiresome curls, and all day I dare not stir for fear of spoiling them ; so they are never out of my head."

" Nor off your head ! How pleasant it must he to have Mrs Crahtree comhing and scolding, and scolding and combing, for hours every day ! Poor Laura! we must get Dr Bell to say that they shall be taken off on pain of death, and then, perhaps, grandmama would order some Irish reapers to cut tliem down with a sickle."

" Frank ! what a lucky boy you are., to be at school, and not in the nursery ! I wish next year would come immediately, for then I shall have a governess, after which goodbye to Mrs Crabtree. and the wearisome curl-papers."

" I don't like school !" said Harry. " It is perfect nonsense to plague me with lessons now. All big people can read and write, so, of course I shall somehow be able to do like others. There is no hurry about it !"

Never was there a more amiable, pious, excellent boy than Frank, who read his Bible so attentively, and said his prayers so regularly every morning and evening, that he soon learned both to know his duty and to do it. Though he laughed heartily at the scrapes which Harry and Laura so constantly fell into he often also helped them

14 CI1TT CIIAT.

out of their difficulties , being very different from most elderly boys, who find an odd kind of pleasure in teasing younger children — pulling their hair — pinching their arms — twitching away their dinners — and twenty more plans for tormenting, which Frank never attempted to enjoy, but he often gave Harry and Laura a great deal of kind, sober, good advice, which they listened to very attentively while they were in any new distress, but generally forgot again as soon as their spirits rose. Frank came home only upon Saturdays and Sundays, because he attended during most of the week at Mr Hannay's academy, where he gradually became so clever that the masters all praised his extraordinary attention, and covered him with medals, while Major Graham often filled his pockets with a reward of money, after which he ran towards the nearest shop to spend his little fortune in buying a present for somebody. Frank scarcely ever wanted any thing for himself, but he always wished to contrive some kind, generous plan for other people ; and Major Graham used to say, " if that boy had only sixpence in tin world, he would lay it all out on penny tarts to distribute among half-a-dozen of his friends.'' lie even saved his pocket-money once, during three wholo months, to purchase a gown for Mrs Crabtrce, who looked ^'uost good-humcurcd during the space of five minutes, when Frank presented it to her, saying, in his joyous, merry voice, "Mrs Crab tree! £ wish you health to wear it, strength to tear it, and money to buy another !"

Certainly there never was such a gown before ! It had been chosen by Frank and Harry together, who thought nothing could be more perfect. The colour was so bright an apple-green, that it would have put anybody's teeth on edge to look at it, and the whole was dotted over with large, round spots of every colour, as if a box of wafers had been showered upon the surface. Laura wished Mrs Crabtree might receive a present every day. as it put her in such good humour, and nearly three weeks passed without a single scold being heard in the nursery ; so Frank observed that he thought Mrs Crabtree would soon be quite out of practice.