The Second Chance Read online

  CHAPTER II

  THE RISING WATSONS

  There is ever a song somewhere, my dear, There is ever a something sings alway: There's a song of the lark when the skies are clear And the song of the thrush when the skies are gray.

  _----James Whitcomb Riley._

  WHILE Martha Perkins was weaving sweet fancies to beguile the tediumof her uneventful life, a very different scene was being enacted, afew miles away, in the humble home of John Watson, C. P. R.section-man, in the little town of Millford, where he and his wifeand family of nine were working out their own destiny. Mrs. Watson upto this time had spent very few of the daylight hours at home, havinga regular itinerary among some of the better homes of the town, whereshe did half-day stands at the washtub, with, a large grain sackdraped around her portly person, while the family at home broughtthemselves up in whatever way seemed best to them.

  One day the fortunes of the Watson family suddenly changed, and insuch a remarkable way it would convince the most sceptical of theexistence of good working fairies. A letter came to Pearl, the eldestgirl, from the Old Country, and the letter contained money!

  When it became known in the community that Pearl Watson had receiveda magnificent gift of money from the parents of the young Englishmanshe had nursed while she was working for Mrs. Sam Motherwell, itcreated no small stir in the hearts of those who had to do with otheryoung Englishmen. Parents across the sea, rolling in ancestral goldand Bank of England notes, acquired a reality they had never enjoyedbefore. The young chore boy who was working for five dollars a monthat George Steadman's never knew why Mrs. Steadman suddenly let himhave the second helping of butter and also sugar in his tea. Neitherdid he understand why she gave him an onion poultice for his achingear, and lard to rub into his chapped hands. Therefore, when sheasked him out straight about his folks in the Old Country, and "howthey were fixed," he, being a dull lad, and not quick to see anadvantage, foolishly explained that he "didn't 'ave nobody belonginkto him"--whereupon the old rule regarding second helpings was assuddenly restored.

  On the Monday morning after Pearl's return home she was the firstperson up in the house. She made the porridge and set the table forbreakfast, and then roused all the family except Danny, who was stillallowed the privilege of sleeping as long as he wished and evenencouraged in this.

  After the family had eaten their breakfast Pearl explained her plansto them. "Ma," she said, "you are not to wash any, more, and isn't itlucky there's a new Englishwoman across the track there in 'LittleEngland,' that'll be glad to get it to do, and no one'll bedisappointed, and we'll go to the store to-day and get Sunday suitsall round for the wee lads and all, and get them fixed up to go toSunday-school and church twice a day. Ye'll have to learn what ye canwhile the clothes last. Mary'll have a new fur collar, and Ma'll havethe fur-lined cape; and yer old coat, Ma, can be cut down for me.Camilla'll help us to buy what we need, and now, Ma, let's get themready for school. Money's no good to us if we haven't education, andit's education we'll have now, every last wan of us. Times haschanged for the Watsons! It seems as if the Lord sent us the moneyHimself, for He can't bear to have people ignorant if there's any wayout of it at all, at all, and there's nearly always a way ifpeople'll only take it. So, Ma, get out a new bar of soap and let'sget at them!"

  But in spite of all Pearl and her mother could'do, there was onlyenough clothing for two little boys, and Patsey had to stay at home;but Pearlie beguiled him into good-humour by telling him that when hegrew to be a man he would keep a big jewellery store, and inpreparation therefor she set him at work, draped, in a nightdress ofhis mother's, to cut watches and brooches from an old Christmascatalogue.

  "Now, Mary, alanna," Pearl continued, "you're to go to school, too,and make every day count, There's lots to learn, and it's all good.Get as much as ye can every day. I'm goin' myself, you bet, when Iget things fixed up, and Teddy and all of us. We've got the money togit the clothes, and we'll go as far with it as the clothes'll last."

  When Pearl, Mrs. Watson, and Camilla went that day to purchaseclothes for the family, they received the best of attention from theobliging clerks. Mr. Mason, the proprietor, examined the cheque, andeven went with Pearl to the bank to deposit it.

  Then came the joyous work of picking out clothes for the wholefamily. A neat blue and white hairline stripe was selected for Jimmy,in preference to a pepper-and-salt suit, which Pearl admitted wasnice enough, but would not do for Jimmy, for it seemed to be makingfun of his freckles. A soft brown serge with a white belt with twogold bears on it was chosen for Danny, and gray Norfolk jacket suitsfor Tommy and Patsey--just alike, because Pearl said everybody knewthey were twins, and there was no use denying it now. A green andblack plaid was bought to make Mary a new Sunday dress, and a red andblack plaid for "days." Pearl knew that when Mary was telling a storyto the boys she always clothed her leading lady in plaid, and fromthis she inferred how Mary's tastes ran! Stockings and shoes wereselected, and an assortment of underclothes, towels, toques, scarfs,and overshoes assembled.

  It was like a dream to Pearl, the wildest, sweetest dream, the kindyou lie down and try to coax back again after you wake from it. Shecould not keep from feeling Danny's brown suit and stroking lovinglyhis shiny brown shoes.

  Then came a "stuff" dress for Ma, and Sunday suits for Pa, Teddy, andBilly. By this time the whole staff were busy helping on the goodwork. Mr. Mason had no fur-lined capes in stock, but he would sendfor one, he said, and have it still in time for Sunday, for Pearl wasdetermined to have her whole family go to church Sunday morning.

  "My, what an outburst of good clothes there'll be," Camilla said."Now, what are you going to have for yourself?"

  Pearl had always dreamed of a wine-coloured silk, but she hesitatednow, for she had heard that silk did not wear well, and was amaterial for rich people only, but that did not prevent the dreamfrom coming back. While Pearl was thinking about it, Mr. Mason andCamilla held a hurried conference.

  "What about your favourite colour, now, Pearl?" Camilla asked. "Isn'tit a wine-coloured silk you always wish for when you see the newmoon?"

  Pearl admitted that it had been her wish for quite a while, but shewanted to see overcoats first; so overcoats were bought and overcoatssent on approval. There were yards and yards of flannelette bought tobe made into various garments. Pearl was going to have a dressmakercome to the house, who, under Camilla's direction, would make allsorts of things for the Watsons.

  Pearl's purchases were so numerous that two packing boxes were sentup on the dray wagon, and it was a proud moment for her when she sawthem carried in and placed in the middle of the floor of the "room."

  "Now, set down," Pearl said firmly; "every wan of ye set on thefloor, so none of yer stuff can fall, and I'll give ye what's for ye.But ye can't put them on till Sunday morning, that is the Sundaythings, and ye can't put on any of them till, to-morrow morning, whenye'll be as clean as hot water and bar soap can make ye; for me andMa are going at ye all to-night. There's nothin' looks moremiserabler than a good suit of clothes with a dirty neck fornenstit."

  Everybody did as Pearl said, and soon their arms were full of herpurchases. Danny was so delighted with the gold bears that he quiteneglected to look at his suit. Tommy was rubbing his chin on his newcoat to see how it felt. Patsey was hunting for pockets in his, whensome one discovered that Bugsey was in tears, idle, out-of-placetears! Mrs. Watson, in great surprise, inquired the cause, and, aftersome coaxing, Bugsey whimpered: "I wish I'd always knew I was goin'to get them!"

  Mrs. Watson remonstrated with him, but Purl interposed gently. "L'avehim alone, Ma; I know how he feels! He's enjoyin' his cry as much asif he was laughin' his head off!"

  An hour was spent in rapturous inspection, and then everything wasplaced carefully back in the boxes. That night, after supper, therecame a knock at the door, and a long pasteboard box, neatly tied withwine-coloured ribbon, was handed in. On its upper surface it bore inbold characters the name of "Miss P. Watson," and below that, "With
the compliments of Mason & Meikle."

  Excitement ran high.

  "Open it, Pearlie dear," her mother said. "Don't stand there gawkin'at it. There'll be something in it, maybe."

  There was something in it for sure. There was a dress length of thesoftest, springiest silk, the kind that creaks when you squeeze it,and it was of the shade that Pearl had seen in her dreams. There wereyards of silk braid and of cream net. There were sparkling buttonsand spools of thread, and a "neck" of cream filling with silverspangles on it, and at the bottom of the box; rolled in tissue paper,were two pairs of embroidered stockings and a pair of glitteringblack patent leather slippers that you could see your face in!

  "Look at that now!" Mrs. Watson exclaimed. "Doesn't it beat all?"

  But Pearl, breathing heavily, was in a state of wordless delight."It's just as well I wasn't for scoldin' Bugsey for cryin' over hissuit," she said at length; "for if it wasn't that I'm feart o'spottin' some of these, I'd be for doin' a cry myself. I've got sucha glad spot here in me Adam's apple. Reach me yer apron, Ma--it'scomin' out of me eyes in spite of meself. Camilla must ha' told themwhat I would like, and wasn't it kind of them, Ma, to ever think o'me? And who'd ever 'a' thought of Mr. Mason being so kind, and him sostern lookin'?"

  "Ye never can tell by looks, Pearlie," her mother said sententiously."Many's the kind heart beats behind a homely face." Which is trueenough in experience, though perhaps not quite in keeping with thefindings of anatomical science.

  That night there were prohibitory laws made regarding the taking ofcherished possessions to bed by the owners thereof; but when thelights were all out, and peaceful slumber had come to the littlehouse, one small girl in her nightgown went quietly across the barefloor to the lounge in the "room" to feel once more the smoothsurface of her slippers and to smell that delicious leathery smell.She was tempted to take one of them back with her, but her consciencereminded her of the rule she had made for the others, and so sheimprinted a rapturous kiss on the sole of one of them, where it wouldnot show, and went back to her dreams.

  All week the sound of the sewing machine could be heard in the Watsonhome, as Mary Barner, Camilla, Mrs. Watson, and one real dressmakerfashioned various garments for the young Watsons. Even Mrs. Francisbecame infected with the desire to help, and came over hurriedly toshow Mrs. Watson how to put a French hem on her new napery. But asthe only napery, visible or invisible, was a marbled oilcloth tackedon the table, Mrs. Francis was unable to demonstrate the principle ofFrench hemming. Camilla, however, showed her mistress where to workthe buttonholes on Patsey's nightshirt, and later in the afternoonshe felled the seams in Mary's plaid dress.

  Saturday night brought with it arduous duties, for Pearl wasdetermined that the good clothes of her family would not be anoutward show only.

  On Sunday morning, an hour before church time, the children were alldressed and put on chairs as a precaution against accidents. Mrs.Watson's fur-lined cape had come the night before, and Camilla hadbrought over a real winter hat in good repair, which Mrs. Ducker hadgiven her. Mrs. Ducker said it was really too good a hat to giveaway, but she could not wear it with any comfort now, for Mrs.Grieves had one almost the same. Mrs. Ducker and Mrs. Grieves had hada slight unpleasantness at the last annual Ladies' Aid dinner, thesubject under discussion being whether chickens should be served withor without bones.

  Camilla came for the boys on Sunday morning, and took them for Mrs.Francis to see, and also for the boys to see themselves in the longmirror in the hall. Danny sidled up to Mrs. Francis and said in aconfidential whisper: "Ain't I the biggest dood in the bunch?"

  When the others had admired their appearance sufficiently and filedback to the dining-room, Bugsey still stood before the glass,resolutely digging away at a large brown freckle on his cheek. Hecame out to Camilla and asked her for a sharp knife, and it was withdifficulty that he was dissuaded from his purpose. When Mrs. Francissaw the drift of Bugsey's intention, she made a note in her littlered book under the heading, "The leaven of good clothes."

  Just as they went into church Pearlie gave them her partinginstructions.

  "Don't put yer collection in yer mouths, ye might swallow it; I'aveit tied up in yer handkerchiefs, and don't chew the knot. Keep yereye on the minister and try to understand all ye can of it, and looklike as if ye did, anyway!"

  John Watson, coached by Pearl, went first and waited at the end ofthe seat to let the whole flock march past him. There was one rowfull and four in the row behind. Pearl sat just behind Danny, so thatshe could watch his behaviour from a strategic point.

  The minister smiled sympathetically when he saw the Watson familyfile in. He had intended preaching a doctrinal sermon on baptism, butthe eager faces of the Watson children inspired him to tell the storyof Esther. Even Danny stayed awake to listen, and when it came to anend and Mr. Burrell told of the wicked Haman being hanged on thescaffold of his own making, Patsey whispered to Bugsey in a loud "pigwhisper:" "That's when he got it in the neck!" Mrs. Watson washorrified beyond words, but Pearl pointed out that while it wasbeyond doubt very bad to whisper in church, still what Patsey saidshowed that he had "sensed what the story was about."

  The next week she dramatized the story for the boys. Jimmy was alwaysthe proud and haughty Ahasuerus, his crown made of the pasteboard ofthe box his father's new cap came in. Bugsey was the gentle Estherwho came in trembling to see if she would suit his Majesty. Thehandle of a dismembered parasol was used for the golden sceptre, andmade a very good one after Mary had wound it around with the yellowselvage that came off her plaid dress.

  "You lads have got to play educated games now," Pearl had said, whenshe started them at this one. "'Bull-in-the-ring,' 'squat-tag,''button, button, who's got the button?' are all right for kids thatdon't have to rise in the world, but with you lads it's different.Ye've got to make yer games count. When I get to school I'll learnlots of games for ye, but ye must all do yer best now."