For the Advertiser. 1891
THE
DOCTOR’S MAY-BASKET
______
BY JOE CONE
______
There remained but
one more day of showery April, when smiling May would enter and push her way to
the front.
In one of the
numerous, pleasant new England villages a group of young and rosy cheeked
school girls were holding a sort of half-whispered consultation as to who the
first May-basket victim should be.
It was finally
decided that Carlos Willey, who was a favorite with almost all of the small
girls in the village, should receive the first honor.
“You know,” said
Mabel Whitney, who was remarkable for her grown up ideas, “that Carl’s big
brother is a doctor, and he is rich, too, and perhaps we shall get something in
return; that is, if he should catch us and find out who we are.”
“Then, in that case,”
said Flora Moulton, a little tartly, “we will take good care that no one
catches us.”
Then they separated,
each wondering how she could pass away the time which would drag so slowly, as
it always seems to, upon such occasions.
Finally the hour came
round, and, according to agreement, they met at the home of Flora Moulton to
put a few finishing touches upon the little treasure; then they were to steal
softly along the roadside to the house where Carl lived. Every now and then
some of the children would go quietly to the door and peep out; the night had
grown quite dark, and by the time everything was in readiness they seemed to be
a trifle nervous about venturing out.
“Oh, I know what we’ll
do,” said little Flora; “let’s ask Lena to go; she isn’t afraid of
anything.” So Lena, who was Flora’s grown up sister, was called upon to act as
escort. Now the children had a vague remembrance that Lena Moulton was, at one
time, a sweetheart of Dr. Willey’s; but owing to the excitement which they were
under, it was all forgotten, and they thought it very strange that she should
turn so white and refuse to go.
They gathered around
her and plead earnestly, but it was all in vain, until her big brother, Will,
who had just returned from town, stepped in and overheard what the disappointed
children were saying.
“Oh, you need not be
afraid, sis,” said he, “for I met the doctor in M –, just as I was starting for
the train; and,” with a curious twinkle in his large blue eyes, “I left him
there.”
It was true that Lena
Moulton had been the intended wife of Dr. Willey, but for some reason, known
only to themselves, the engagement had been broken off. Will, who had since
childhood been a particular friend of the doctor’s, believed it was nothing but
pride, assisted by a little stubbornness on the part of both, that caused them
to so utterly ignore each other.
But the feeling
between Lena and the doctor had not at all lessened the friendship the
friendship of the young men; and Will had for a long time been watching for an
opportunity to bring about a reconciliation. He was wise enough to see that it
would require an extra ordinary circumstance in which both were concerned, to
accomplish it. When he entered the house that night and learned what it was the
children desired of Lena, he saw wherein he could make a good attempt if
nothing more. He told no falsehood when he said that he had met the doctor in M
– and that he had left him there; but he failed to mention that they had met
later on and returned on the same train.
So Lena, feeling
satisfied that he was not at home, consented to accompany the children and
began to make preparation to start.
“What a lovely
basket,” said Will; “let me look at it more closely,” and he gave the little
girls a winning smile which captivated them instantly.
He took it and looked
it over and over, then, unnoticed by any of them, picked out the card which
bore Carl Willey’s name, and dropped one which read as follows: “For Dr. and
Carlos Willey.” “A very pretty basket, little girls; I would like one myself if
it would only be as pretty as this one is.”
Then he returned it
and the unsuspecting little party set out. They walked quickly but silently
down the road, and big hearted and supperless Will skulked behind them. When
they reached the house Mabel Whitney and Flora stole noiselessly up the path,
and, placing the handle over the doorknob, they lifted the large brass knocker
and let it fall. Like two little fairies they flitted out and joined the
others, but before they had fairly started to run the door swung open and rays
of a light flashed out across the lawn and they saw doctor Willey standing in
the doorway. He removed the basket, and, seeing his own name along with Carl’s
upon the card, he laid it down and shouted for Carl to come. Then without hat
and with slippered feet he ran down the path and leaped the fence. Poor Lena’s
strength nearly deserted her, but having a fairly good start she hoped to reach
a safe hiding before he could in the least discover who she was.
The children in their
excitement forgot all about her, and scattered here, there and anywhere to get
out of sight, so that in a short time she was alone in her flight – and the
doctor was gaining on her at every step.
“Oh, heavens! what if
he catches me,” said she, at the same time trying to increase her speed. But
she was already beginning to feel exhausted and nearly sank to the ground as
she felt a strong hand placed upon her shoulder. Knowing that it would be
useless to attempt concealment any longer, she turned and faced him.
“I think, sir, this
is very unfair of you; the basket was intended for your brother Carlos.”
The doctor drew back;
he was too much astonished to speak for a moment; then stepping a little nearer
he said:
“I beg your pardon,
Lena, but my name was on the card, so how could I have done otherwise? but,” he
continued,” if I had known it were you –“ here he paused and they looked at
each other, both grateful to the darkness, which in a measure shielded their
pale faces. “No,” continued Dr. Willey, drawing still nearer; “no, if I had
known it were you I – I would have run a great deal faster.”
This caused her to
drop her eyes for an instant, but she managed to say:
“This is entirely the
children’s affair, Dr. Willey. I came here merely to – “
“To get caught, I
suppose,” interrupted he, laughing.
She was about to say
something more, but he drew her still closer and all her pretended anger,
confusion and blushes were concealed from the moon, which just at that moment
peeped out at them, by the doctor’s sweeping blonde mustache.
A hearty laugh from
behind a clump of bushes startled them, but when they found it was Will they
saw how it all came about. The doctor tried to get him to join them, but he
declined, saying:
“No, thank you; I
must hurry home or my supper will be getting cold,” and, after having another
hearty laugh, he stole away in the moonlight.
East
Cambridge, Mass.
No comments:
Post a Comment