Eight Cousins by Louisa M. Alcott

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"My darling, what is it?" and Uncle Alec had her in his arms in a
minute.

"Mac didn't come I can't get warm the fire makes me ache!" and
with a long shiver Rose burst out crying, while her teeth chattered,
and her poor little nose was so blue, it made one's heart ache to see
it.

In less time than it takes to tell it, Dr. Alec had her on the sofa
rolled up in the bear-skin coat, with Phebe rubbing her cold feet
while he rubbed the aching hands, and Aunt Plenty made a
comfortable hot drink, and Aunt Peace sent down her own
foot-warmer and embroidered blanket "for the dear."

Full of remorseful tenderness, Uncle Alec worked over his new
patient till she declared she was all right again. He would not let
her get up to dinner, but fed her himself, and then forgot his own
while he sat watching her fall into a drowse, for Aunt Plenty's
cordial made her sleepy.

She lay so several hours for the drowse deepened into a heavy
sleep, and Uncle Alec, still at his post, saw with growing anxiety
that a feverish colour began to burn in her cheeks, that her
breathing was quick and uneven, and now and then she gave a
little moan, as if in pain. Suddenly she woke up with a start, and
seeing Aunt Plenty bending over her, put out her arms like a sick
child, saying wearily

"Please, could I go to bed?"

"The best place for you, deary. Take her right up, Alec; I've got the
hot water ready, and after a nice bath, she shall have a cup of my
sage tea, and be rolled up in blankets to sleep off her cold,"
answered the old lady, cheerily, as she bustled away to give orders.

"Are you in pain, darling?" asked Uncle Alec, as he carried her up.

"My side aches when I breathe, and I feel stiff and queer; but it
isn't bad, so don't be troubled, uncle," whispered Rose, with a little
hot hand against his cheek.

But the poor doctor did look troubled, and had cause to do so, for
just then Rose tried to laugh at Dolly charging into the room with a
warming-pan, but could not, for the sharp pain took her breath
away and made her cry out.

"Pleurisy," sighed Aunt Plenty, from the depths of the bath-tub.

"Pewmonia!" groaned Dolly, burrowing among the bedclothes with
the long-handled pan, as if bent on fishing up that treacherous
disease.

"Oh, is it bad?" asked Phebe, nearly dropping a pail of hot water in
her dismay, for she knew nothing of sickness, and Dolly's
suggestion had a peculiarly dreadful sound to her.

"Hush!" ordered the Doctor, in a tone that silenced all further
predictions, and made everyone work with a will.

"Make her as comfortable as you can, and when she is in her little
bed I'll come and say good-night," he added, when the bath was
ready and the blankets browning nicely before the fire.

Then he went away to talk quite cheerfully to Aunt Peace about its
being "only a chill"; after which he tramped up and down the hall,
pulling his beard and knitting his brows, sure signs of great inward
perturbation.

"I thought it would be too good luck to get through the year
without a downfall. Confound my perversity! Why couldn't I take
Myra's advice and keep Rose at home. It's not fair that the poor
child should suffer for my sinful over-confidence. She shall not
suffer for it! Pneumonia, indeed! I defy it," and he shook his fist in
the ugly face of an Indian idol that happened to be before him, as
if that particularly hideous god had some spite against his own
little goddess.

In spite of his defiance his heart sunk when he saw Rose again, for
the pain was worse, and the bath and blankets, the warming-pan
and piping-hot sage tea, were all in vain. For several hours there
was no rest for the poor child, and all manner of gloomy
forebodings haunted the minds of those who hovered about her
with faces full of the tenderest anxiety.

In the midst of the worst paroxysm Charlie came to leave a
message from his mother, and was met by Phebe coming
despondently downstairs with a mustard plaster that had brought
no relief.

"What the dickens is the matter? You look as dismal as a
tombstone," he said, as she held up her hand to stop his lively
whistling.

"Miss Rose is dreadful sick."

"The deuce she is!"

"Don't swear, Mr. Charlie; she really is, and it's Mr. Mac's fault,"
and Phebe told the sad tale in a few sharp words, for she felt at war
with the entire race of boys at that moment.

"I'll give it to him, make your mind easy about that," said Charlie,
with an ominous doubling up of his fist. "But Rose isn't
dangerously ill, is she?" he added anxiously, as Aunt Plenty was
seen to trot across the upper hall, shaking a bottle violently as she
went.

"Oh, but she is though. The Doctor don't say much, but he don't
call it a 'chill' any more. It's 'pleurisy' now, and I'm so afraid it will
be pewmonia to-morrow," answered Phebe, with a despairing
glance at the plaster.

Charlie exploded into a stifled laugh at the new pronunciation of
pneumonia, to Phebe's great indignation.

"How can you have the heart to do it, and she in such horrid pain?
Hark to that, and then laugh if you darst," she said with a tragic
gesture, and her black eyes full of fire.

Charlie listened and heard little moans that went to his heart and
made his face as sober as Phebe's. "O uncle, please stop the pain,
and let me rest a minute! Don't tell the boys I wasn't brave. I try to
bear it, but it's so sharp I can't help crying."

Neither could Charlie, when he heard the broken voice say that;
but, boy-like, he wouldn't own it, and said pettishly, as he rubbed
his sleeve across his eyes

"Don't hold that confounded thing right under my nose; the
mustard makes my eyes smart."

"Don't see how it can, when it hasn't any more strength in it than
meal. The Doctor said so, and I'm going to get some better," began
Phebe, not a bit ashamed of the great tears that were bedewing the
condemned plaster.

"I'll go!" and Charlie was off like a shot, glad of an excuse to get
out of sight for a few minutes.

When he came back all inconvenient emotion had been disposed
of, and, having delivered a box of the hottest mustard procurable
for money, he departed to "blow up" Mac, that being his next duty
in his opinion. He did it so energetically and thoroughly that the
poor Worm was cast into the depths of remorseful despair, and
went to bed that evening feeling that he was an outcast from
among men, and bore the mark of Cain upon his brow.

Thanks to the skill of the Doctor, and the devotion of his helpers,
Rose grew easier about midnight, and all hoped that the worst was
over. Phebe was making tea by the study fire, for the Doctor had
forgotten to eat and drink since Rose was ill, and Aunt Plenty
insisted on his having a "good cordial dish of tea" after his
exertions. A tap on the window startled Phebe, and, looking up,
she saw a face peering in. She was not afraid, for a second look
showed her that it was neither ghost nor burglar, but Mac, looking
pale and wild in the wintry moonlight.

"Come and let a fellow in," he said in a low tone, and when he
stood in the hall he clutched Phebe's arm, whispering gruffly,
"How is Rose?"

"Thanks be to goodness, she's better," answered Phebe, with a
smile that was like broad sunshine to the poor lad's anxious heart.

"And she will be all right again to-morrow?"

"Oh, dear no! Dolly says she's sure to have rheumatic fever, if she
don't have noo-monia!" answered Phebe, careful to pronounce the
word rightly this time.

Down went Mac's face, and remorse began to gnaw at him again as
he gave a great sigh and said doubtfully

"I suppose I couldn't see her?"

"Of course not at this time of night, when we want her to go to
sleep!"

Mac opened his mouth to say something more, when a sneeze
came upon him unawares, and a loud "Ah rash hoo!" awoke the
echoes of the quiet house.

"Why didn't you stop it?" said Phebe reproachfully. "I dare say
you've waked her up."

"Didn't know it was coming. Just my luck!" groaned Mac, turning
to go before his unfortunate presence did more harm.

But a voice from the stair-head called softly, "Mac, come up; Rose
wants to see you."

Up he went, and found his uncle waiting for him.

"What brings you here at this hour, my boy?" asked the Doctor in a
whisper.

"Charlie said it was all my fault, and if she died I'd killed her. I
couldn't sleep, so I came to see how she was, and no one knows it
but Steve," he said with such a troubled face and voice that the
Doctor had not the heart to blame him.

Before he could say anything more a feeble voice called "Mac!"
and with a hasty "Stay a minute just to please her, and then slip
away, for I want her to sleep," the Doctor led him into the room.

The face on the pillow looked very pale and childish, and the smile
that welcomed Mac was very faint, for Rose was spent with pain,
yet could not rest till she had said a word of comfort to her cousin.

"I knew your funny sneeze, and I guessed that you came to see how
I did, though it is very late. Don't be worried, I'm better now, and it
is my fault I was ill, not yours; for I needn't have been so silly as to
wait in the cold just because I said I would."

Mac hastened to explain, to load himself with reproaches, and to
beg her not to die on any account, for Charlie's lecture had made a
deep impression on the poor boy's mind.

"I didn't know there was any danger of my dying," and Rose looked
up at him with a solemn expression in her great eyes.

"Oh, I hope not; but people do sometimes go suddenly, you know,
and I couldn't rest till I'd asked you to forgive me," faltered Mac,
thinking that Rose looked very like an angel already, with the
golden hair loose on the pillow, and the meekness of suffering on
her little white face.

"I don't think I shall die; uncle won't let me; but if I do, remember I
forgave you."

She looked at him with a tender light in her eyes, and, seeing how
pathetic his dumb grief was, she added softly, drawing his head
down, "I wouldn't kiss you under the mistletoe, but I will now, for I
want you to be sure I do forgive and love you just the same."

That quite upset poor Mac; he could only murmur his thanks and
get out of the room as fast as possible, to grope his way to the
couch at the far end of the hall, and lie there till he fell asleep,
worn out with trying not to "make a baby" of himself.

Chapter 22 - Something to do

Whatever danger there might have been from the effects of that
sudden chill, it was soon over, though, of course, Aunt Myra
refused to believe it, and Dr. Alec cherished his girl with
redoubled vigilance and tenderness for months afterward. Rose
quite enjoyed being sick, because as soon as the pain ended the fun
began, and for a week or two she led the life of a little princess
secluded in the Bower, while every one served, amused, and
watched over her in the most delightful manner. But the doctor
was called away to see an old friend, who was dangerously ill, and
then Rose felt like a young bird deprived of its mother's sheltering
wing; especially on one afternoon when the aunts were taking their
naps, and the house was very still within while snow fell softly
without.

"I'll go and hunt up Phebe, she is always nice and busy, and likes to
have me help her. If Dolly is out of the way we can make caramels
and surprise the boys when they come," Rose said to herself, as she
threw down her book and felt ready for society of some sort.

She took the precaution to peep through the slide before she
entered the kitchen, for Dolly allowed no messing when she was
round. But the coast was clear, and no one but Phebe appeared,
sitting at the table with her head on her arms apparently asleep.
Rose was just about to wake her with a "Boo!" when she lifted her
head, dried her wet eyes with her blue apron, and fell to work with
a resolute face on something she was evidently much interested in.
Rose could not make out what it was, and her curiosity was greatly
excited, for Phebe was writing with a sputtering pen on some bits
of brown paper, apparently copying something from a little book.

"I must know what the dear thing is about, and why she cried, and
then set her lips tight and went to work with all her might,"
thought Rose, forgetting all about the caramels, and, going round
to the door, she entered the kitchen, saying pleasantly

"Phebe, I want something to do. Can't you let me help you about
anything, or shall I be in the way?"

"Oh, dear no, miss; I always love to have you round when things
are tidy. What would you like to do?" answered Phebe, opening a
drawer as if about to sweep her own affairs out of sight; but Rose
stopped her, exclaiming, like a curious child

"Let me see! What is it? I won't tell if you'd rather not have Dolly
know."

"I'm only trying to study a bit; but I'm so stupid I don't get on
much," answered the girl reluctantly, permitting her little mistress
to examine the poor contrivances she was trying to work with.

A broken slate that had blown off the roof, an inch or two of
pencil, an old almanac for a reader, several bits of brown or yellow
paper ironed smoothly and sewn together for a copy-book, and the
copies sundry receipts written in Aunt Plenty's neat hand. These,
with a small bottle of ink and a rusty pen, made up Phebe's outfit,
and it was little wonder that she did not "get on" in spite of the
patient persistence that dried the desponding tears and drove along
the sputtering pen with a will.

"You may laugh if you want to, Miss Rose, I know my things are
queer, and that's why I hide 'em; but I don't mind since you've
found me out, and I ain't a bit ashamed except of being so
backward at my age," said Phebe humbly, though her cheeks grew
redder as she washed out some crooked capitals with a tear or two
not yet dried upon the slate.

"Laugh at you! I feel more like crying to think what a selfish girl I
am, to have loads of books and things and never remember to give
you some. Why didn't you come and ask me, and not go struggling
along alone in this way? It was very wrong of you, Phebe, and I'll
never forgive you if you do so again," answered Rose, with one
hand on Phebe's shoulder, while the other gently turned the leaves
of the poor little copy-book.

"I didn't like to ask for anything more when you are so good to me
all the time, miss, dear," began Phebe, looking up with grateful
eyes.

"O you proud thing! just as if it wasn't fun to give away, and I had
the best of it. Now, see here, I've got a plan and you mustn't say no,
or I shall scold. I want something to do, and I'm going to teach you
all I know; it won't take long," and Rose laughed as she put her
arm around Phebe's neck, and patted the smooth dark head with
the kind little hand that so loved to give.

"It would be just heavenly!" and Phebe's face shone at the mere
idea; but fell again as she added wistfully, "Only I'm afraid I ought
not to let you do it, Miss Rose. It will take time, and maybe the
Doctor wouldn't like it."

"He didn't want me to study much, but he never said a word about
teaching, and I don't believe he will mind a bit. Anyway, we can
try it till he comes, so pack up your things and go right to my room
and we'll begin this very day; I'd truly like to do it, and we'll have
nice times, see if we don't!" cried Rose eagerly.

It was a pretty sight to see Phebe bundle her humble outfit into her
apron, and spring up as if the desire of her heart had suddenly been
made a happy fact to her; it was a still prettier sight to see Rose
run gaily on before, smiling like a good fairy as she beckoned to
the other, singing as she went

"The way into my parlour is up a winding stair,
And many are the curious things I'll show you when you're there.
Will you, will you walk in, Phebe dear?"

"Oh, won't I!" answered Phebe fervently, adding, as they entered
the Bower, "You are the dearest spider that ever was, and I'm the
happiest fly."

"I'm going to be very strict, so sit down in that chair and don't say a
word till school is ready to open," ordered Rose, delighted with the
prospect of such a useful and pleasant "something to do."

So Phebe sat demurely in her place while her new teacher laid
forth books and slates, a pretty inkstand and a little globe; hastily
tore a bit off her big sponge, sharpened pencils with more energy
than skill, and when all was ready gave a prance of satisfaction
that set the pupil laughing.

"Now the school is open, and I shall hear you read, so that I may
know in which class to put you, Miss Moore," began Rose with
great dignity, as she laid a book before her scholar, and sat down
in the easy chair with a long rule in her hand.

Phebe did pretty well, only tripping now and then over a hard
word, and pronouncing identical "identickle," in a sober way that
tickled Rose, though never a smile betrayed her. The spelling
lesson which followed was rather discouraging; Phebe's ideas of
geography were very vague, and grammar was nowhere, though
the pupil protested that she tried so hard to "talk nice like educated
folks" that Dolly called her "a stuck-up piece who didn't know her
place."

"Dolly's an old goose, so don't you mind her, for she will say
'nater,' 'vittles,' and 'doos' as long as she lives, and insist that they
are right. You do talk very nicely, Phebe, I've observed it, and
grammar will help you, and show you some things are right and
others ain't are not, I mean," added Rose, correcting herself, and
feeling that she must mind her own parts of speech if she was to
serve as an example for Phebe.

When the arithmetic came, the little teacher was surprised to find
her scholar quicker in some things than herself, for Phebe had
worked away at the columns in the butcher's and baker's books till
she could add so quickly and correctly that Rose was amazed, and
felt that in this branch the pupil would soon excel the teacher if
she kept on at the same pace. Her praise cheered Phebe
immensely, and they went bravely on, both getting so interested
that time flew unheeded till Aunt Plenty appeared, exclaiming, as
she stared at the two heads bent over one slate

"Bless my heart, what is going on now?"

"School, aunty. I'm teaching Phebe, and it's great fun!" cried Rose,
looking up with a bright face.

But Phebe's was brighter, though she added with a wistful look

"Maybe I ought to have asked leave first; only when Miss Rose
proposed this, I was so happy I forgot to. Shall I stop, ma'am?"

"Of course not, child; I'm glad to see you fond of your book, and to
find Rose helping you along. My blessed mother used to sit at
work with her maids about her, teaching them many a useful thing
in the good old fashion that's gone by now. Only don't neglect your
work, dear, or let the books interfere with the duties."

As Aunt Plenty spoke, with her kind old face beaming approvingly
upon the girls, Phebe glanced at the clock, saw that it pointed to
five, knew that Dolly would soon be down, expecting to find
preparations for supper under way, and, hastily dropping her
pencil, she jumped up, saying

"Please, can I go? I'll clear up after I've done my chores."

"School is dismissed," answered Rose, and with a grateful "Thank
you, heaps and heaps!" Phebe ran away singing the multiplication
table as she set the tea ditto.

That was the way it began, and for a week the class of one went on
with great pleasure and profit to all concerned; for the pupil
proved a bright one, and came to her lessons as to a feast, while
the young teacher did her best to be worthy the high opinion held
of her, for Phebe firmly believed that Miss Rose knew everything
in the way of learning.

Of course the lads found out what was going on, and chaffed the
girls about the "Seminary," as they called the new enterprise; but
they thought it a good thing on the whole, kindly offered to give
lessons in Greek and Latin gratis, and decided among themselves
that "Rose was a little trump to give the Phebe-bird such a capital
boost."

Rose herself had some doubts as to how it would strike her uncle,
and concocted a wheedlesome speech which should at once
convince him that it was the most useful, wholesome, and
delightful plan ever devised. But she got no chance to deliver her
address, for Dr. Alec came upon her so unexpectedly that it went
out of her head entirely. She was sitting on the floor in the library,
poring over a big book laid open in her lap, and knew nothing of
the long-desired arrival till two large, warm hands met under her
chin and gently turned her head back, so that someone could kiss
her heartily on either cheek, while a fatherly voice said, half
reproachfully, "Why is my girl brooding over a dusty Encyclopedia
when she ought to be running to meet the old gentleman who
couldn't get on another minute without her?"

"O uncle! I'm so glad! and so sorry! Why didn't you let us know
what time you'd be here, or call out the minute you came? Haven't
I been home-sick for you? and now I'm so happy to have you back
I could hug your dear old curly head off," cried Rose, as the
Encyclopedia went down with a bang, and she up with a spring
that carried her into Dr. Alec's arms, to be kept there in the sort of
embrace a man gives to the dearest creature the world holds for
him.

Presently he was in his easy chair with Rose upon his knee smiling
up in his face and talking as fast as her tongue could go, while he
watched her with an expression of supreme content, as he stroked
the smooth round cheek, or held the little hand in his, rejoicing to
see how rosy was the one, how plump and strong the other.

"Have you had a good time? Did you save the poor lady? Aren't
you glad to be home again with your girl to torment you?"

"Yes, to all those questions. Now tell me what you've been at, little
sinner? Aunty Plen says you want to consult me about some new
and remarkable project which you have dared to start in my
absence."

"She didn't tell you, I hope?"

"Not a word more expect that you were rather doubtful how I'd
take it, and so wanted to 'fess' yourself and get round me as you
always try to do, though you don't often succeed. Now, then, own
up and take the consequences."

So Rose told about her school in her pretty, earnest way, dwelling
on Phebe's hunger for knowledge, and the delight it was to help
her, adding, with a wise nod

"And it helps me too, uncle, for she is so quick and eager I have to
do my best or she will get ahead of me in some things. To-day,
now, she had the word 'cotton' in a lesson and asked all about it,
and I was ashamed to find I really knew so little that I could only
say that it was a plant that grew down South in a kind of a pod, and
was made into cloth. That's what I was reading up when you came,
and to-morrow I shall tell her all about it, and indigo too. So you
see it teaches me also, and is as good as a general review of what
I've learned, in a pleasanter way than going over it alone."

"You artful little baggage! that's the way you expect to get round
me, is it? That's not studying, I suppose?"

"No, sir, it's teaching; and please, I like it much better than having
a good time by myself. Besides, you know, I adopted Phebe and
promised to be a sister to her, so I am bound to keep my word, am
I not?" answered Rose, looking both anxious and resolute as she
waited for her sentence.

Dr. Alec was evidently already won, for Rose had described the
old slate and brown paper copy-book with pathetic effect, and the
excellent man had not only decided to send Phebe to school long
before the story was done, but reproached himself for forgetting
his duty to one little girl in his love for another. So when Rose
tried to look meek and failed utterly, he laughed and pinched her
cheek, and answered in that genial way which adds such warmth
and grace to any favour

"I haven't the slightest objection in the world. In fact, I was
beginning to think I might let you go at your books again,
moderately, since you are so well; and this is an excellent way to
try your powers. Phebe is a brave, bright lass, and shall have a fair
chance in the world, if we can give it to her, so that if she ever
finds her friends they need not be ashamed of her."

"I think she has found some already," began Rose eagerly.

"Hey? what? has anyone turned up since I've been gone?" asked
Dr. Alec quickly, for it was a firm belief in the family that Phebe
would prove to be "somebody" sooner or later.

"No, her best friend turned up when you came home, uncle,"
answered Rose with an approving pat, adding gratefully, "I can't
half thank you for being so good to my girl, but she will, because I
know she is going to make a woman to be proud of, she's so strong
and true, and loving."

"Bless your dear heart, I haven't begun to do anything yet, more
shame to me! But I'm going at it now, and as soon as she gets on a
bit, she shall go to school as long as she likes. How will that do for
a beginning?"

"It will be 'just heavenly,' as Phebe says, for it is the wish of her
life to 'get lots of schooling,' and she will be too happy when I tell
her. May I, please? it will be so lovely to see the dear thing open
her big eyes and clap her hands at the splendid news."

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