HOW HE SHIPPED.
A boy sat on a door-step in a despondent attitude, with his eyes fixedon a pair of very shabby shoes, and his elbows resting on his knees, asif to hide the big patches there. But it was not the fact that his toeswere nearly out and his clothes dilapidated which brought the wrinklesto his forehead and the tears to his eyes, for he was used to thatstate of things, and bore it without complaint. The prospect was a dullone for a lively lad full of the spring longings which sunny Aprilweather always brings. But it was not the narrow back-street where noisychildren played and two or three dusty trees tried to bud withoutsunshine, that made him look so dismal. Nor was it the knowledge that apile of vests was nearly ready for him to trudge away with before hecould really rest after doing many errands to save mother's weary feet.
No, it was a burden that lay very heavily on his heart, and made itimpossible to even whistle as he waited. Above the sounds that filledthe street he heard a patient moan from the room within; and no matterwhat object his eyes rested on, he saw with sorrowful distinctness asmall white face turned wistfully toward the window, as if weary of thepillow where it had laid so long.
Merry little Kitty, who used to sing and dance from morning till night,was now so feeble and wasted that he could carry her about like a baby.All day she lay moaning softly, and her one comfort was when "brother"could come and sing to her. That night he could not sing; his heart wasso full, because the doctor had said that the poor child must havecountry air as soon as possible, else she never would recover from thefever which left her such a sad little ghost of her former self. But,alas, there was no money for the trip, and mother was sewing day andnight to earn enough for a week at least of blessed country air andquiet. Jimmy did his best to help, but could find very little to do, andthe pennies came in so slowly he was almost in despair.
There was no father to lend a strong hand, and Mrs. Nelson was one ofthe "silent poor," who cannot ask for charity, no matter how much theymay need it. The twelve-year-old boy considered himself the man of thefamily, and manfully carried as many burdens as his young shoulderswould bear; but this was a very heavy one, so it is no wonder that helooked sober. Holding his curly head in his hands, as if to keep it fromflying asunder with the various plans working inside, he sat staring atthe dusty bricks in a desperate frame of mind.
Warm days were coming, and every hour was precious, for poor Kitty pinedin the close room, and all he could do was to bring her dandelions andbits of green grass from the Common when she begged to go in the fieldsand pick "pretties" for herself. He loved the little sister dearly,and, as he remembered her longing, his eyes filled, and he doubled upboth fists with an air of determination, muttering to himself,--
"She shall go! I don't see any other way, and I'll do it!"
The plan which had been uppermost lately was this. His father had been asailor, and Jimmy proposed to run away to sea as cabin boy. His wageswere to be paid before he went, so mother and Kitty could be in thecountry while he was gone, and in a few months he would come sailinggayly home to find the child her rosy self again. A very boyish andimpossible plan, but he meant it, and was in just the mood to carry itout,--for every other attempt to make money had failed.
"I'll do it as sure as my name is Jim Nelson. I'll take a look at theships this very night, and go in the first one that will have me," hesaid, with a resolute nod of the head, though his heart sank within himat the thought. "I wonder which kind of captains pay boys best? I guessI'll try a steamer; they make short trips. I heard the cannon to-day, soone is in, and I'll try for a place before I go to bed."
Little did desperate Jimmy guess what ship he would really sail in, norwhat a prosperous voyage he was about to make; for help was coming thatvery minute, as it generally does, sooner or later, to generous peoplewho are very much in earnest.
First a shrill whistle was heard, at the sound of which he looked upquickly; then a rosy-faced girl of about his own age came skipping downthe street, swinging her hat by one string; and, as Jimmy watched herapproach, a smile began to soften the grim look he wore, for WillyBryant was his best friend and neighbor, being full of courage, fun, andkindness. He nodded, and made room for her on the step,--the place sheusually occupied at spare moments when they got lessons and recountedtheir scrapes to each other.
But to-night Willy seemed possessed of some unusually good piece of newswhich she chose to tell in her own lively fashion, for, instead ofsitting down, she began to dance a sailor's hornpipe, singing gayly,"I'm little Buttercup, sweet little Buttercup," till her breath gaveout.
"What makes you so jolly, Will?" asked Jimmy, as she dropped downbeside him and fanned herself with the ill-used hat.
"Such fun--you'll never guess--just what we wanted--if your mother onlywill! You'll dance, too, when you know," panted the girl, smiling like asubstantial sort of fairy come to bring good luck.
"Fire away, then. It will have to be extra nice to set me off. I don'tfeel a bit like jigs now," answered Jimmy, as the gloom obscured hisface again, like a cloud over the sun.
"You know 'Pinafore'?" began Will, and getting a quick nod for ananswer, she poured forth the following tale with great rapidity: "Well,some folks are going to get it up with children to do it, and they wantany boys and girls that can sing to go and be looked at to-morrow, andthe good ones will be picked out, and dressed up, and taught how to act,and have the nicest time that ever was. Some of our girls are going, andso am I, and you sing and must come, too, and have some fun. Won't it bejolly?"
"I guess it would; but I can't. Mother needs me every minute out ofschool," began Jimmy, with a shake of the head, having made up his mindsome time ago that he must learn to do without fun.
"But we shall be paid for it," cried Will, clapping her hands with thedouble delight of telling the best part of her story, and seeing Jimmy'ssober face clear suddenly as if the sun had burst forth with greatbrilliancy.
"Really? How much? Can I sing well enough?" and he clutched her armexcitedly, for this unexpected ray of hope dazzled him.
"Some of them will have ten dollars a week, and some more,--the realnice ones, like Lee, the singing boy, who is a wonder," answered Will,in the tone of one well informed on such points.
"Ten dollars!" gasped Jimmy, for the immensity of the sum took hisbreath away. "Could I get that? How long? Where do we go? Do theyreally want us fellows? Are you sure it's all true?"
"It was all in the paper, and Miss Pym, the teacher who boards at ourhouse, told Ma about it. The folks advertised for school-children, sixtyof 'em, and will really pay; and Ma said I could go and try, and allthe money I get I'm going to put in a bank and have for my own. Don'tyou believe me now?"
Miss Pym and the newspapers settled the matter in Jimmy's mind, and madehim more anxious than before about the other point.
"Do you think I would have any chance?" he asked, still holding Will,who seemed inclined for another dance.
"I know you would. Don't you do splendidly at school? And didn't theywant you for a choir boy, only your mother couldn't spare you?" answeredWill, decidedly; for Jimmy did love music, and had a sweet little pipeof his own, as she well knew.
"Mother will have to spare me now, if they pay like that. I can work allday and do without sleep to earn money this way. Oh, Will, I'm so gladyou came, for I was just ready to run away to sea. There didn't seemanything else to do," whispered Jimmy in a choky sort of tone, as hopesand fears struggled together in his boyish mind.
"Run as fast as you like, and I'll go too. We'll sail in the 'Pinafore,'and come home with our pockets full of money.
"'Sing, hey, the merry maiden and the tar!'"
burst out Will, who was so full of spirits she could not keep stillanother minute.
Jimmy joined in, and the fresh voices echoed through the street sopleasantly that Mrs. Peters stopped scolding her six squabblingchildren, while Kitty's moaning changed to a feeble little sound ofsatisfaction, for "brother's" lullabies were her chief comfort anddelight.
"We shall lose school, you know, for we act in the afternoon, not theevening. I don't care; but you will, you like to study so well. Miss Pymdidn't like it at first, but Ma said it would help the poor folks, and alittle fun wouldn't hurt the children. I thought of you right away, andif you don't get as much money as I do, you shall have some of mine, soKitty can go away soon."
Will's merry face grew very sweet and kind as she said that, and Jimmywas glad his mother called him just then, because he did not know howto thank this friend in need. When he came out with the parcel of vestshe looked like a different boy, for Mrs. Nelson had told him to go andfind out all about it, and had seemed as much dazzled by the prospect ashe did, sewing was such weary work.
Their interview with Miss Pym was a most encouraging one, and it wassoon settled that Jimmy should go with Will to try for a place on themorrow.
"And I'll get it, too!" he said to himself, as he kissed Kitty's thincheek, full of the sweet hope that he might be the means of bringingback life and color to the little face he loved so well.
He was so excited he could not sleep, and beguiled the long hours byhumming under his breath all the airs he knew belonging to the alreadypopular opera. Next morning he flew about his work as if for a wager,and when Will came for him there was not a happier heart in all the citythan the hopeful one that thumped under Jimmy's threadbare best jacket.
Such a crowd of girls and boys as they found at the hall where theywere told to apply for inspection; such a chirping and piping went onthere, it sounded like a big cage full of larks and linnets; and by andby, when the trial was over, such a smiling troop of children as wasleft to be drilled by the energetic gentlemen who had the matter inhand. Among this happy band stood our Jimmy, chosen for his good voice,and Will, because of her bright face and lively, self-possessed manners.They could hardly wait to be dismissed, and it was a race home to seewho should be first to tell the good news. Jimmy tried to be quiet onKitty's account, but failed entirely; and it was a pleasant sight to seethe boy run into his mother's arms, crying joyfully,--
"I'm in! I'm in! Ten dollars a week! Hurrah!"
"I can hardly believe it!" And weary Mrs. Nelson dropped her needle toindulge in a few moments of delightful repose.
"If it goes well they may want us for a month or six weeks," the mansaid. "Just think, maybe I'll get fifty or sixty dollars! and Baby willget well right off," cried Jimmy, in an arithmetical sort of rapture,as he leaned above Kitty, who tried to clap her little hands withoutquite knowing what the joy was all about.
HOW HE SAILED.
After that day Jimmy led a very happy life, for he loved music andenjoyed the daily drill with his mates, though it was long before he sawthe inside of the theatre. Will knew a good deal about it, for anactor's family had boarded with her mother, and the little girl had beenbehind the scenes. But to Jimmy, who had only seen one fairy play, allwas very strange when at last he went upon the stage; for the glitteringworld he expected was gone, and all was dusty, dark, and queer, withtrap-doors underfoot, machinery overhead, and a wilderness of sceneryjumbled together in the drollest way. He was all eyes and ears, andenjoyed himself immensely as he came and went, sung and acted, with thetroop of lads who made up the sailor chorus. It was a real ship to him,in spite of painted cannon, shaky masts, and cabin doors that lednowhere. He longed to run up the rigging; but as that was forbidden,for fear of danger, he contented himself by obeying orders with nauticalobedience, singing with all his might, and taking great satisfaction inhis blue suit with the magical letters "H. M. S. Pinafore" round hiscap.
Day by day all grew more and more interesting. His mother was nevertired of hearing his adventures, he sung Kitty to sleep with the newsongs, and the neighbors took such a friendly interest in his successthat they called him Lord Nelson, and predicted that he would be asfamous as his great namesake.
When the grand day came at last, and the crew of jolly young tars stoodready to burst forth with the opening chorus,
"We sail the ocean blue, Our saucy ship's a beauty;We're gallant men and true, And bound to do our duty!"
Jimmy hardly knew whether he stood on his head or his heels at first,for, in spite of many rehearsals, everything seemed changed. Instead ofdaylight, gas shone everywhere, the empty seats were full, theorchestra playing splendidly, and when the curtain rose, a sea offriendly faces welcomed them, and the pleasant sound of applause madethe hearts under the blue jackets dance gayly.
How those boys did sing! how their eyes shone, and their feet kept timeto the familiar strains! with what a relish they hitched up theirtrousers and lurched about, or saluted and cheered as the play demanded.With what interest they watched the microscopic midshipmite, listened toRafe as his sweet voice melodiously told the story of his hapless love,and smiled on pretty Josephine, who was a regular bluebird without thescream.
"Ain't this fun?" whispered Jimmy's next neighbor, taking advantage of ageneral burst of laughter, as the inimitable little bumboat womanadvertised her wares with captivating drollery.
"Right down jolly!" answered Jimmy, feeling that a series of somersaultsacross the stage would be an immense relief to the pent-up emotions ofhis boyish soul. For under all the natural excitement of the hour deepdown lay the sweet certainty that he was earning health for Kitty, andit made his heart sing for joy more blithely than any jovial chorus towhich he lent his happy voice.
But his bliss was not complete till the stately Sir Joseph, K. C. B.,had come aboard, followed by "his sisters and his cousins and hisaunts;" for among that flock of devoted relatives in white muslin andgay ribbons was Will. Standing in the front row, her bright face wasgood to see, for her black eyes sparkled, every hair on her head curledits best, her cherry bows streamed in the breeze, and her feet prancedirresistibly at the lively parts of the music. She longed to dance thehornpipe which the little Quaker aunt did so capitally, but, beingdenied that honor, distinguished herself by the comic vigor with whichshe "polished up the handle of the big front door," and did the other"business" recorded by the gallant "ruler of the Queen's Navee."
She and Jimmy nodded to each other behind the Admiral's august back, andwhile Captain Corcoran was singing to the moon, and Buttercup sufferingthe pangs of "Wemorse," the young people had a gay time behind thescenes. Jimmy and Will sat upon a green baize bank to compare notes,while the relatives flew about like butterflies, and the sailors talkedbase-ball, jack-knives, and other congenial topics, when not envying SirJoseph his cocked hat, and the Captain his epaulettes.
It was a very successful launch, and the merry little crew set sail witha fair wind and every prospect of a prosperous voyage. When the firstperformance was over, our two children left their fine feathers behindthem, like Cinderella when the magic hour struck, and went gayly home,feeling much elated, for they knew they should go back to freshtriumphs, and were earning money by their voices like Jenny Lind andMario. How they pitied other boys and girls who could not go in at thatmysterious little door; how important they felt as parts of thespectacle about which every one was talking, and what millionnaires theyconsidered themselves as they discussed their earnings and planned whatto do with the prospective fortunes.
That was the beginning of many busy, happy weeks for both thechildren,--weeks which they long remembered with great pleasure, as didolder and wiser people; for that merry, innocent little opera provedthat theatres can be made the scenes of harmless amusement, and openedto a certain class of young people a new and profitable field for theirtalents. So popular did this small company become that the piece went onthrough the summer vacation, and was played in the morning as well asafternoon to satisfy the crowds who wished to see and hear it.
Never had the dear old Boston Museum, which so many of us have loved andhaunted for years, seen such a pretty sight as one of those morningperformances. It was the perfection of harmless merry-making, and theaudience was as pleasant a spectacle as that upon the stage. Fathers andmothers stole an hour from their busy lives to come and be children withtheir children, irresistibly attracted and charmed by the innocent fun,the gay music that bewitched the ear one could hardly tell why, and theartless acting of those who are always playing parts, whether thenursery or the theatre is their stage.
The windows stood open, and sunshine and fresh air came in to join therevel. Babies crowed and prattled, mammas chatted together, old peoplefound they had not forgotten how to laugh, and boys and girls rejoicedover the discovery of a new delight for holidays. It was good to bethere, and in spite of all the discussion in papers and parlors, no harmcame to the young mariners, but much careful training of various sorts,and well-earned wages that went into pockets which sorely needed asilver lining.
HOW THE VOYAGE ENDED.
So the good ship "Pinafore" sailed and sailed for many prosperous weeks,and when at last she came into port and dropped anchor for the seasonshe was received with a salute of general approbation for the successfulengagement out of which she came with her flags flying and not one ofher gallant crew killed or wounded. Well pleased with their share of theglory, officers and men went ashore to spend their prize money withtrue sailor generosity, all eager to ship again for another cruise inthe autumn.
But long before that time Able Seaman James Nelson had sent his familyinto the country, mother begging Will to take good care of her dear boytill he could join them, and Kitty throwing kisses as she smiledgood-by, with cheeks already the rosier for the comforts "brother" hadearned for her. Jimmy would not desert his ship while she floated, butmanaged to spend his Sundays out of town, often taking Will with him asfirst mate; and, thanks to her lively tongue, friends were soon made forthe new-comers. Mrs. Nelson found plenty of sewing, Kitty grew strongand well in the fine air, and the farmer with whom they lived, seeingwhat a handy lad the boy was, offered him work and wages for the autumn,so all could be independent and together. With this comfortable prospectbefore him, Jimmy sang away like a contented blackbird, never tiring ofhis duty, for he was a general favorite, and Kitty literally strewed hisway with flowers gathered by her own grateful little hands.
When the last day came, he was in such spirits that he was found doingdouble-shuffles in corners, hugging the midshipmite, who was a littlegirl of about Kitty's age, and treating his messmates to peanuts with alavish hand. Will had her hornpipe, also, when the curtain was down,kissed every one of the other "sisters, cousins, and aunts," and joinedlustily in the rousing farewell cheers given by the crew.
A few hours later, a cheerful-looking boy might have been seen trudgingtoward one of the railway-stations. A new hat, brave in blue streamers,was on his head; a red balloon struggled to escape from one hand; ashabby carpet-bag, stuffed full, was in the other; and a pair of shinyshoes creaked briskly, as if the feet inside were going on a verypleasant errand.
About this young traveller, who walked with a sailor-like roll andlurch, revolved a little girl chattering like a magpie, and occasionallybreaking into song, as if she couldn't help it.
"Be sure you come next Saturday; it won't be half such fun if you don'tgo halves," said the boy, beaming at her as he hauled down theimpatient balloon, which seemed inclined to break from its moorings
"'Yes, I knowThat is so!'"
hummed the girl with a skip to starboard, that she might bear a handwith the bag. "Keep some cherries for me, and don't forget to give Kitthe doll I dressed for her."
"I shouldn't have been going myself if it hadn't been for you, Will. Inever shall forget that," said Jimmy, whom intense satisfaction renderedrather more sedate than his friend.
"Running away to sea is great fun,
'With a tar that ploughs the water!'"
sung Will in spite of herself.
"'And a gallant captain's daughter,'"
echoed Jimmy, smiling across the carpet-bag. Then both joined in anirrepressible chorus of "Dash it! Dash it!" as a big man nearly upsetthem and a dog barked madly at the balloon.
Being safely landed in the train, Jimmy hung out of the window till thelast minute, discussing his new prospects with Will, who stood on tiptoeoutside, bubbling over with fun.
"I'll teach you to make butter and cheese, and you shall be mydairy-woman, for I mean to be a farmer," he said, just as the bell rang.
"All right, I'd like that ever so much." And then the irrepressiblemadcap burst out, to the great amusement of the passengers,--
"'For you might have been a Roosian,A Frenchman, Turk or Proosian, Or an Ital-i-an.'"
And Jimmy could not resist shouting back, as the train began to move,--
"'But in spite of all temptationsTo belong to other nations, I'm an Amer-i-can.'"
Then he subsided, to think over the happy holiday before him and therich cargo of comfort, independence, and pleasure he had brought homefrom his successful cruise in the "Pinafore."