Two PenitentsJack and Jill never cared to say much about the night whichfollowed the first coasting party of the season, for it was thesaddest and the hardest their short lives had ever known. Jacksuffered most in body; for the setting of the broken leg was such apainful job, that it wrung several sharp cries from him, and madeFrank, who helped, quite weak and white with sympathy, when itwas over. The wounded head ached dreadfully, and the poor boyfelt as if bruised all over, for he had the worst of the fall. Dr.
Whiting spoke cheerfully of the case, and made so light of brokenlegs, that Jack innocently asked if he should not be up in a week orso.
"Well, no; it usually takes twenty-one days for bones to knit, andyoung ones make quick work of it," answered the doctor, with alast scientific tuck to the various bandages, which made Jack feellike a hapless chicken trussed for the spit.
"Twenty-one days! Three whole weeks in bed! I shouldn't call thatquick work," groaned the dismayed patient, whose experience ofillness had been limited.
"It is a forty days job, young man, and you must make up yourmind to bear it like a hero. We will do our best; but next time, lookbefore you leap, and save your bones. Good-night; you'll feelbetter in the morning. No jigs, remember"; and off went the busydoctor for another look at Jill, who had been ordered to bed andleft to rest till the other case was attended to.
Anyone would have thought Jack's plight much the worse, but thedoctor looked more sober over Jill's hurt back than the boy'scompound fractures; and the poor little girl had a very bad quarterof an hour while he was trying to discover the extent 0f the injury,"Keep her quiet, and time will show how much damage is done,"was all he said in her hearing; but if she had known that he toldMrs. Pecq he feared serious consequences, she would not havewondered why her mother cried as she rubbed the numb limbs andpaced the pillows so tenderly.
Jill suffered most in her mind; for only a sharp stab of pain nowand then reminded her of her body; but her remorseful little soulgave her no peace for thinking of Jack, whose bruises andbreakages her lively fancy painted in the darkest colors.
"Oh, don't be good to me, Mammy; I made him go, and now he'shurt dreadfully, and may die; and it is all my fault, and everybodyought to hate me," sobbed poor Jill, as a neighbor left the roomafter reporting in a minute manner how Jack screamed when hisleg was set, and how Frank was found white as a sheet, with hishead under the pump, while Gus restored the tone of his friend'snerves, by pumping as if the house was on fire.
"Whist, my lass, and go to sleep. Take a sup of the good wine Mrs.
Minot sent, for you are as cold as a clod, and it breaks my heart tosee my Janey so.""I can't go to sleep; I don't see how Jack's mother could send myanything when I've half killed him. I want to be cold and ache andhave horrid things done to me. Oh, if I ever get out of this bed I'llbe the best girl in the world, to pay for this. See if I ain t!" and Jillgave such a decided nod that her tears flew all about the pillowlike a shower.
"You d better begin at once, for you won't get out of that bed for along while, I m afraid, my lamb," sighed her mother, unable toconceal the anxiety that lay so heavy on her heart.
"Am I hurt badly, Mammy?""I fear it, lass.""I'm glad of it; I ought to be worse than Jack, and I hope I am. I'llbear it well, and be good right away. Sing, Mammy, and I'll try togo to sleep to please you."Jill shut her eyes with sudden and unusual meekness, and beforeher mother had crooned half a dozen verses of an old ballad, thelittle black head lay still upon the pillow, and repentant Jill wasfast asleep with a red mitten in her hand.
Mrs. Pecq was an Englishwoman who had left Montreal at thedeath of her husband, a French Canadian, and had come to live inthe tiny cottage which stood near Mrs. Minot's big house,separated only by an arbor-vitae hedge. A sad, silent person, whohad seen better days, but said nothing about them, and earned herbread by sewing, nursing, work in the factory, or anything thatcame in her way, being anxious to educate her little girl. Now, asshe sat beside the bed in the small, poor room, that hope almostdied within her, for here was the child laid up for months,probably, and the one ambition and pleasure of the solitarywoman's life was to see Janey Pecq's name over all the high marksin the school-reports she proudly brought home.
"She'll win through, please Heaven, and I'll see my lass agentlewoman yet, thanks to the good friend in yonder, who willnever let her want for care," thought the poor soul, looking out intothe gloom where a long ray of light streamed from the great housewarm and comfortable upon the cottage, like the spirit of kindnesswhich made the inmates friends and neighbors.
Meantime, that other mother sat by her boy's bed as anxious butwith better hope, for Mrs. Minot made trouble sweet and helpfulby the way in which she bore it; and her boys were learning of herhow to find silver linings to the clouds that must come into thebluest skies.
Jack lay wide awake, with hot cheeks, and throbbing head, and allsorts of queer sensations in the broken leg. The soothing potion hehad taken did not affect him yet, and he tried to beguile the wearytime by wondering who came and went below. Gentle rings at thefront door, and mysterious tappings at the back, had been going onall the evening; for the report of the accident had grownastonishingly in its travels, and at eight o clock the general beliefwas that Jack had broken both legs, fractured his skull, and lay atthe point of death, while Jill had dislocated one shoulder, and wasbruised black and blue from top to toe. Such being the case, it isno wonder that anxious playmates and neighbors haunted thedoorsteps of the two houses, and that offers of help poured in.
Frank, having tied up the bell and put a notice in the lightedside-window, saying, "Go to the back door," sat in the parlor,supported by his chum, Gus, while Ed played softly on the piano,hoping to lull Jack to sleep. It did soothe him, for a very sweetfriendship existed between the tall youth and the lad of thirteen.
Ed went with the big fellows, but always had a kind word for thesmaller boys; and affectionate Jack, never ashamed to show hislove, was often seen with his arm round Ed's shoulder, as they sattogether in the pleasant red parlors, where all the young peoplewere welcome and Frank was king.
"Is the pain any easier, my darling?" asked Mrs. Minot, leaningover the pillow, where the golden head lay quiet for a moment.
"Not much. I forget it listening to the music. Dear old Ed isplaying all my favorite tunes, and it is very nice. I guess he feelspretty sorry about me.""They all do. Frank could not talk of it. Gus wouldn't go home totea, he was so anxious to do something for us. Joe brought backthe bits of your poor sled, because he didn't like to leave themlying round for anyone to carry off, he said, and you might likethem to remember your fall by."Jack tried to laugh, but it was rather a failure, though be managedto say, cheerfully,"That was good of old Joe. I wouldn't lend him 'Thunderbolt forfear he d hurt it. Couldn't have smashed it up better than I did,could he? Don't think I want any pieces to remind me of that fall. Ijust wish you d seen us, mother! It must have been a splendid spillto look at, anyway.""No, thank you; I d rather not even try to imagine my precious boygoing heels over head down that dreadful hill. No more pranks ofthat sort for some time, Jacky"; and Mrs. Minot looked ratherpleased on the whole to have her venturesome bird safe under hermaternal wing.
"No coasting till some time in January. What a fool I was to do it!
Go-bangs always are dangerous, and that's the fun of the thing. Ohdear!"Jack threw his arms about and frowned darkly, but never said aword of the wilful little baggage who had led him into mischief; hewas too much of a gentleman to tell on a girl, though it cost him aneffort to hold his tongue, because Mamma's good opinion was veryprecious to him, and he longed to explain. She knew all about it,however, for Jill had been carried into the house reviling herselffor the mishap, and even in the midst of her own anxiety for herboy, Mrs. Minot understood the state of the case without morewords. So she now set his mind at rest by saying, quietly.
"Foolish fun, as you see, dear. Another time, stand firm and helpJill to control her headstrong will. When you learn to yield less andshe more, there will be no scrapes like this to try us all.""I'll remember, mother. I hate not to be obliging, but I guess itwould have saved us lots of trouble if I'd said No in thebeginning. I tried to, but she would go. Poor Jill! I'll take bettercare of her next time. Is she very ill, Mamma?""I can tell you better to-morrow. She does not suffer much, and wehope there is no great harm done.""I wish she had a nice place like this to be sick in. It must be verypoky in those little rooms," said Jack, as his eye roved round thelarge chamber where he lay so cosey, warm, and pleasant, with thegay chintz curtains draping doors and windows, the rosy carpet,comfortable chairs, and a fire glowing in the grate.
"I shall see that she suffers for nothing, so don't trouble your kindheart about her to-night, but try to sleep; that's what you need,"answered his mother, wetting the bandage on his forehead, andputting a cool hand on the flushed cheeks.
Jack obediently closed his eyes and listened while the boys sang"The Sweet By and By," softening their rough young voices for hissake till the music was as soft as a lullaby. He lay so still hismother thought he was off, but presently a tear slipped out androlled down the red cheek, wetting her hand as it passed.
"My blessed boy, what is it?" she whispered, with a touch and atone that only mothers have.
The blue eyes opened wide, and Jack's own sunshiny smile brokethrough the tears that filled them as he said with a sniff,"Everybody is so good to me I can't help making a noodle ofmyself.
"You are not a noodle!" cried Mamma, resenting the epithet. "Oneof the sweet things about pain and sorrow is that they show us howwell we are loved, how much kindness there is in the world, andhow easily we can make others happy in the same way when theyneed help and sympathy. Don't forget that, little son,""Don't see how I can, with you to show me how nice it is. Kiss megood-night, and then 'I'll be good, as Jill says."Nestling his head upon his mother's arm, Jack lay quiet till, lulledby the music of his mates, he drowsed away into the dreamlesssleep which is Nurse Nature's healthiest soothing sirup for wearysouls and bodies.