Little Men Read online

  CHAPTER VII. NAUGHTY NAN

  "Fritz, I've got a new idea," cried Mrs. Bhaer, as she met her husbandone day after school.

  "Well, my dear, what is it?" and he waited willingly to hear the newplan, for some of Mrs. Jo's ideas were so droll, it was impossible tohelp laughing at them, though usually they were quite sensible, and hewas glad to carry them out.

  "Daisy needs a companion, and the boys would be all the better foranother girl among them; you know we believe in bringing up little menand women together, and it is high time we acted up to our belief. Theypet and tyrannize over Daisy by turns, and she is getting spoilt. Thenthey must learn gentle ways, and improve their manners, and having girlsabout will do it better than any thing else."

  "You are right, as usual. Now, who shall we have?" asked Mr. Bhaer,seeing by the look in her eye that Mrs. Jo had some one all ready topropose.

  "Little Annie Harding."

  "What! Naughty Nan, as the lads call her?" cried Mr. Bhaer, looking verymuch amused.

  "Yes, she is running wild at home since her mother died, and is toobright a child to be spoilt by servants. I have had my eye on her forsome time, and when I met her father in town the other day I asked himwhy he did not send her to school. He said he would gladly if he couldfind as good a school for girls as ours was for boys. I know he wouldrejoice to have her come; so suppose we drive over this afternoon andsee about it."

  "Have not you cares enough now, my Jo, without this little gypsy totorment you?" asked Mr. Bhaer, patting the hand that lay on his arm.

  "Oh dear, no," said Mother Bhaer, briskly. "I like it, and never washappier than since I had my wilderness of boys. You see, Fritz, I feel agreat sympathy for Nan, because I was such a naughty child myself thatI know all about it. She is full of spirits, and only needs to be taughtwhat to do with them to be as nice a little girl as Daisy. Those quickwits of hers would enjoy lessons if they were rightly directed, and whatis now a tricksy midget would soon become a busy, happy child. I knowhow to manage her, for I remember how my blessed mother managed me,and--"

  "And if you succeed half as well as she did, you will have done amagnificent work," interrupted Mr. Bhaer, who labored under the delusionthat Mrs. B. was the best and most charming woman alive.

  "Now, if you make fun of my plan I'll give you bad coffee for a week,and then where are you, sir?" cried Mrs. Jo, tweaking him by the earjust as if he was one of the boys.

  "Won't Daisy's hair stand erect with horror at Nan's wild ways?" askedMr. Bhaer, presently, when Teddy had swarmed up his waistcoat, and Robup his back, for they always flew at their father the minute school wasdone.

  "At first, perhaps, but it will do Posy good. She is getting prim andBettyish, and needs stirring up a bit. She always has a good time whenNan comes over to play, and the two will help each other without knowingit. Dear me, half the science of teaching is knowing how much childrendo for one another, and when to mix them."

  "I only hope she won't turn out another firebrand."

  "My poor Dan! I never can quite forgive myself for letting him go,"sighed Mrs. Bhaer.

  At the sound of the name, little Teddy, who had never forgotten hisfriend, struggled down from his father's arms, and trotted to the door,looked out over the sunny lawn with a wistful face, and then trottedback again, saying, as he always did when disappointed of the longed-forsight,

  "My Danny's tummin' soon."

  "I really think we ought to have kept him, if only for Teddy's sake, hewas so fond of him, and perhaps baby's love would have done for him whatwe failed to do."

  "I've sometimes felt that myself; but after keeping the boys in aferment, and nearly burning up the whole family, I thought it safer toremove the firebrand, for a time at least," said Mr. Bhaer.

  "Dinner's ready, let me ring the bell," and Rob began a solo upon thatinstrument which made it impossible to hear one's self speak.

  "Then I may have Nan, may I?" asked Mrs. Jo.

  "A dozen Nans if you want them, my dear," answered Mr. Bhaer, who hadroom in his fatherly heart for all the naughty neglected children in theworld.

  When Mrs. Bhaer returned from her drive that afternoon, before she couldunpack the load of little boys, without whom she seldom moved, a smallgirl of ten skipped out at the back of the carry-all and ran into thehouse, shouting,

  "Hi, Daisy! where are you?"

  Daisy came, and looked pleased to see her guest, but also a triflealarmed, when Nan said, still prancing, as if it was impossible to keepstill,

  "I'm going to stay here always, papa says I may, and my box is comingtomorrow, all my things had to be washed and mended, and your aunt cameand carried me off. Isn't it great fun?"

  "Why, yes. Did you bring your big doll?" asked Daisy, hoping she had,for on the last visit Nan had ravaged the baby house, and insisted onwashing Blanche Matilda's plaster face, which spoilt the poor dear'scomplexion for ever.

  "Yes, she's somewhere round," returned Nan, with most unmaternalcarelessness. "I made you a ring coming along, and pulled the hairs outof Dobbin's tail. Don't you want it?" and Nan presented a horse-hairring in token of friendship, as they had both vowed they would neverspeak to one another again when they last parted.

  Won by the beauty of the offering, Daisy grew more cordial, and proposedretiring to the nursery, but Nan said, "No, I want to see the boys, andthe barn," and ran off, swinging her hat by one string till it broke,when she left it to its fate on the grass.

  "Hullo! Nan!" cried the boys as she bounced in among them with theannouncement,

  "I'm going to stay."

  "Hooray!" bawled Tommy from the wall on which he was perched, for Nanwas a kindred spirit, and he foresaw "larks" in the future.

  "I can bat; let me play," said Nan, who could turn her hand to anything, and did not mind hard knocks.

  "We ain't playing now, and our side beat without you."

  "I can beat you in running, any way," returned Nan, falling back on herstrong point.

  "Can she?" asked Nat of Jack.

  "She runs very well for a girl," answered Jack, who looked down upon Nanwith condescending approval.

  "Will you try?" said Nan, longing to display her powers.

  "It's too hot," and Tommy languished against the wall as if quiteexhausted.

  "What's the matter with Stuffy?" asked Nan, whose quick eyes were rovingfrom face to face.

  "Ball hurt his hand; he howls at every thing," answered Jack scornfully.

  "I don't, I never cry, no matter how I'm hurt; it's babyish," said Nan,loftily.

  "Pooh! I could make you cry in two minutes," returned Stuffy, rousingup.

  "See if you can."

  "Go and pick that bunch of nettles, then," and Stuffy pointed to asturdy specimen of that prickly plant growing by the wall.

  Nan instantly "grasped the nettle," pulled it up, and held it with adefiant gesture, in spite of the almost unbearable sting.

  "Good for you," cried the boys, quick to acknowledge courage even in oneof the weaker sex.

  More nettled than she was, Stuffy determined to get a cry out of hersomehow, and he said tauntingly, "You are used to poking your hands intoevery thing, so that isn't fair. Now go and bump your head real hardagainst the barn, and see if you don't howl then."

  "Don't do it," said Nat, who hated cruelty.

  But Nan was off, and running straight at the barn, she gave her head ablow that knocked her flat, and sounded like a battering-ram. Dizzy, butundaunted, she staggered up, saying stoutly, though her face was drawnwith pain,

  "That hurt, but I don't cry."

  "Do it again," said Stuffy angrily; and Nan would have done it, but Natheld her; and Tommy, forgetting the heat, flew at Stuffy like a littlegame-cock, roaring out,

  "Stop it, or I'll throw you over the barn!" and so shook and hustledpoor Stuffy that for a minute he did not know whether he was on his heador his heels.

  "She told me to," was all he could say, when Tommy let him alone.

  "Never mind if she did; it
is awfully mean to hurt a little girl," saidDemi, reproachfully.

  "Ho! I don't mind; I ain't a little girl, I'm older than you and Daisy;so now," cried Nan, ungratefully.

  "Don't preach, Deacon, you bully Posy every day of your life," calledout the Commodore, who just then hove in sight.

  "I don't hurt her; do I, Daisy?" and Demi turned to his sister, who was"pooring" Nan's tingling hands, and recommending water for the purplelump rapidly developing itself on her forehead.

  "You are the best boy in the world," promptly answered Daisy; adding,as truth compelled her to do, "You hurt me sometimes, but you don't meanto."

  "Put away the bats and things, and mind what you are about, my hearties.No fighting allowed aboard this ship," said Emil, who rather lorded itover the others.

  "How do you do, Madge Wildfire?" said Mr. Bhaer, as Nan came in withthe rest to supper. "Give the right hand, little daughter, and mind thymanners," he added, as Nan offered him her left.

  "The other hurts me."

  "The poor little hand! what has it been doing to get those blisters?" heasked, drawing it from behind her back, where she had put it with a lookwhich made him think she had been in mischief.

  Before Nan could think of any excuse, Daisy burst out with the wholestory, during which Stuffy tried to hide his face in a bowl of bread andmilk. When the tale was finished, Mr. Bhaer looked down the long tabletowards his wife, and said with a laugh in his eyes,

  "This rather belongs to your side of the house, so I won't meddle withit, my dear."

  Mrs. Jo knew what he meant, but she liked her little black sheep all thebetter for her pluck, though she only said in her soberest way,

  "Do you know why I asked Nan to come here?"

  "To plague me," muttered Stuffy, with his mouth full.

  "To help make little gentlemen of you, and I think you have shown thatsome of you need it."

  Here Stuffy retired into his bowl again, and did not emerge till Demimade them all laugh by saying, in his slow wondering way,

  "How can she, when she's such a tomboy?"

  "That's just it, she needs help as much as you, and I expect you set heran example of good manners."

  "Is she going to be a little gentleman too?" asked Rob.

  "She'd like it; wouldn't you, Nan?" added Tommy.

  "No, I shouldn't; I hate boys!" said Nan fiercely, for her hand stillsmarted, and she began to think that she might have shown her courage insome wiser way.

  "I am sorry you hate my boys, because they can be well-mannered, andmost agreeable when they choose. Kindness in looks and words and ways istrue politeness, and any one can have it if they only try to treat otherpeople as they like to be treated themselves."

  Mrs. Bhaer had addressed herself to Nan, but the boys nudged oneanother, and appeared to take the hint, for that time at least, andpassed the butter; said "please," and "thank you," "yes, sir," and "no,ma'am," with unusual elegance and respect. Nan said nothing, but keptherself quiet and refrained from tickling Demi, though strongly temptedto do so, because of the dignified airs he put on. She also appearedto have forgotten her hatred of boys, and played "I spy" with them tilldark. Stuffy was observed to offer her frequent sucks on his candy-ballduring the game, which evidently sweetened her temper, for the lastthing she said on going to bed was,

  "When my battledore and shuttle-cock comes, I'll let you all play with'em."

  Her first remark in the morning was "Has my box come?" and when toldthat it would arrive sometime during the day, she fretted and fumed, andwhipped her doll, till Daisy was shocked. She managed to exist, however,till five o'clock, when she disappeared, and was not missed tillsupper-time, because those at home thought she had gone to the hill withTommy and Demi.

  "I saw her going down the avenue alone as hard as she could pelt,"said Mary Ann, coming in with the hasty-pudding, and finding every oneasking, "Where is Nan?"

  "She has run home, little gypsy!" cried Mrs. Bhaer, looking anxious.

  "Perhaps she has gone to the station to look after her luggage,"suggested Franz.

  "That is impossible, she does not know the way, and if she found it, shecould never carry the box a mile," said Mrs. Bhaer, beginning to thinkthat her new idea might be rather a hard one to carry out.

  "It would be like her," and Mr. Bhaer caught up his hat to go and findthe child, when a shout from Jack, who was at the window, made everyonehurry to the door.

  There was Miss Nan, to be sure, tugging along a very large band-box tiedup in linen bag. Very hot and dusty and tired did she look, but marchedstoutly along, and came puffing up to the steps, where she droppedher load with a sigh of relief, and sat down upon it, observed as shecrossed her tired arms,

  "I couldn't wait any longer, so I went and got it."

  "But you did not know the way," said Tommy, while the rest stood roundenjoying the joke.

  "Oh, I found it, I never get lost."

  "It's a mile, how could you go so far?"

  "Well, it was pretty far, but I rested a good deal."

  "Wasn't that thing very heavy?"

  "It's so round, I couldn't get hold of it good, and I thought my armswould break right off."

  "I don't see how the station-master let you have it," said Tommy.

  "I didn't say anything to him. He was in the little ticket place, anddidn't see me, so I just took it off the platform."

  "Run down and tell him it is all right, Franz, or old Dodd will thinkit is stolen," said Mr. Bhaer, joining in the shout of laughter at Nan'scoolness.

  "I told you we would send for it if it did not come. Another time youmust wait, for you will get into trouble if you run away. Promise methis, or I shall not dare to trust you out of my sight," said Mrs.Bhaer, wiping the dust off Nan's little hot face.

  "Well, I won't, only papa tells me not to put off doing things, so Idon't."

  "That is rather a poser; I think you had better give her some suppernow, and a private lecture by and by," said Mr. Bhaer, too much amusedto be angry at the young lady's exploit.

  The boys thought it "great fun," and Nan entertained them allsupper-time with an account of her adventures; for a big dog had barkedat her, a man had laughed at her, a woman had given her a doughnut, andher hat had fallen into the brook when she stopped to drink, exhaustedwith her exertion.

  "I fancy you will have your hands full now, my dear; Tommy and Nan arequite enough for one woman," said Mr. Bhaer, half an hour later.

  "I know it will take some time to tame the child, but she is such agenerous, warm-hearted little thing, I should love her even if she weretwice as naughty," answered Mrs. Jo, pointing to the merry group, inthe middle of which stood Nan, giving away her things right and left, aslavishly as if the big band-box had no bottom.

  It was those good traits that soon made little "Giddygaddy," as theycalled her, a favorite with every one. Daisy never complained of beingdull again, for Nan invented the most delightful plays, and her pranksrivalled Tommy's, to the amusement of the whole school. She buried herbig doll and forgot it for a week, and found it well mildewed when shedragged it up. Daisy was in despair, but Nan took it to the painter whoas at work about the house, got him to paint it brick red, with staringblack eyes, then she dressed it up with feathers, and scarlet flannel,and one of Ned's leaden hatchets; and in the character of an Indianchief, the late Poppydilla tomahawked all the other dolls, and causedthe nursery to run red with imaginary gore. She gave away her new shoesto a beggar child, hoping to be allowed to go barefoot, but found itimpossible to combine charity and comfort, and was ordered to ask leavebefore disposing of her clothes. She delighted the boys by making afire-ship out of a shingle with two large sails wet with turpentine,which she lighted, and then sent the little vessel floating down thebrook at dusk. She harnessed the old turkey-cock to a straw wagon, andmade him trot round the house at a tremendous pace. She gave her coralnecklace for four unhappy kittens, which had been tormented by someheartless lads, and tended them for days as gently as a mother, dressingtheir wounds
with cold cream, feeding them with a doll's spoon, andmourning over them when they died, till she was consoled by one ofDemi's best turtles. She made Silas tattoo an anchor on her arm likehis, and begged hard to have a blue star on each cheek, but he dared notdo it, though she coaxed and scolded till the soft-hearted fellow longedto give in. She rode every animal on the place, from the big horse Andyto the cross pig, from whom she was rescued with difficulty. Whateverthe boys dared her to do she instantly attempted, no matter howdangerous it might be, and they were never tired of testing her courage.

  Mr. Bhaer suggested that they should see who would study best, and Nanfound as much pleasure in using her quick wits and fine memory as heractive feet and merry tongue, while the lads had to do their best tokeep their places, for Nan showed them that girls could do most thingsas well as boys, and some things better. There were no rewards inschool, but Mr. Bhaer's "Well done!" and Mrs. Bhaer's good report on theconscience book, taught them to love duty for its own sake, and try todo it faithfully, sure sooner or later the recompense would come. LittleNan was quick to feel the new atmosphere, to enjoy it, to show that itwas what she needed; for this little garden was full of sweet flowers,half hidden by the weeds; and when kind hands gently began tocultivate it, all sorts of green shoots sprung up, promising to blossombeautifully in the warmth of love and care, the best climate for younghearts and souls all the world over.