The William Henry Letters Part 32

Here they sat down to breathe awhile, and Hyladdu begged the boy to go for the faithful servant, that he might lead him home.

Now no sooner was the boy gone than Hyladdu began to look about him, and presently he discovered a slender staircase going still higher. Having climbed seven flights with help, he felt no fear in attempting the eighth alone. This slender staircase conducted him to the roof of the building. [_Emotion and handkerchief._] Excuse my emotion. But when I think what might have happened, if something else had not happened to prevent, when I think that he might have fallen from that immense height, to be dashed in pieces beneath, I--I--But I will let my story take its course.

And now let me tell you that the people of Empskutia were very fond of the beautiful. The streets were adorned with ornamental trees, and over the roofs of the houses were trained flowering vines, which ran to the highest peak of cupola or chimney, and, blooming sweetly there, filled the whole air with fragrance. It was the custom of the people to place stout iron hooks along the eaves of their dwellings, from which were suspended immense flower-pots of various beautiful designs. In these pots the flowering vines took root and from thence not only climbed the roof, but trailed gracefully down, thus giving the city a festive appearance, like a never-ending gala-day.

When Hyladdu looked out from the top of that last eighth flight, the long-smothered instinct of climbing burst out like a hidden fire. It would not be restrained. Ah, now will be seen the folly of crus.h.i.+ng that instinct. Had he only have been accustomed to dizzy heights, made familiar with danger, how different might have been his fate!

[_Emotion._]

The instinct of climbing, as I said, was now strong upon him! No sooner did he perceive that there was still a height to gain than he resolved to gain that height. Nothing less would satisfy him than sitting astride the ridgepole, where a pair of bright-feathered birds had built their nest, and were then feeding their young. He ventured out, made his way cautiously up, holding on by the vines. Ah, could his parents have seen him then!

He arrived at the top, and there, seated on that lofty pinnacle, surrounded by beautiful flowers, he gazed on the scene below, and enjoyed a new happiness. For the first time in his life he looked down from a height! for the first time in his life he gazed abroad over a wide extended country!

Such pleasure he had never known, and the faithful servant, anxiously searching, might have found him there, still enjoying it, but for a pretty little bluebird, that flew suddenly down and startled him, while he was gazing at some object far away. This little bird came flying through the air, and alighted for an instant on the child's head, thinking perhaps to make its nest in the soft curls, or it might have thought his rosy lips were cherries. The suddenness with which it came startled Hyladdu. He trembled, he lost his hold, slipped, then caught by a vine, it gave way, he slipped again, but, having no skill in climbing, slipped lower and lower, and would have fallen from the roof and been dashed in pieces, but for that custom which was mentioned just now, of suspending large flower-pots from the eaves. It happened that his course lay directly towards one of these iron hooks. He dropped, therefore, into the immense flower-pot beneath, where he lay as secure as a babe in its cradle!

From this frightful position he was at length rescued by one of the hook and ladder company of that city, and placed in his mother's arms. His own arms were nearly paralyzed by his frantic efforts to cling to some support, so that ever afterwards he could move them but very slightly, as you perceive. [_Dwarf moves his arms slightly, by shaking his body._]

And though the child's life was spared, yet the terrible fright had the effect of stopping his growth! Yes, my young friends, Hyladdu never grew more, except in wisdom! The innocent cause of all this, the poor sorrowing grandmother, died of remorse!

And now my story becomes a more pleasing one to tell. Although the child's body remained dwarfed in size, yet his heart grew in goodness, and his mind grew in knowledge, and he was beloved and respected by all.

Debarred earthly mountains, he mounted the heights of learning. The climbing instinct, which his body could not satisfy, was developed in his mind. He craved books, he craved whole libraries. Teacher after teacher came, all exhausting upon him their treasures of knowledge.

Music and drawing, studied scientifically, were his amus.e.m.e.nts. He mastered astronomy, mineralogy, algebra, conchology, trigonometry, physiology, engineering, metaphysics, technology, geology, phrenology, also foreign languages unnumbered, with all the literature belonging to each. [_Sensation in the audience._] And when at last the storehouses of wisdom seemed exhausted, a report reached him of a great country beyond the seas, called the United States of America, in whose excellent schools there remains something yet to learn! [_Applause from the audience._]

He studied the written language of that country, read its history, and resolved to seek its sh.o.r.es. For he longed to behold the land of the Revolutionary War; to read the Declaration of Independence, and to stand upon the grave of Old John Brown! [_Applause._]

He had heard of Bunker's Hill. Travellers said that upon whomsoever rested the shadow of its monument, that person possessed forever after the unflinching bravery of those who bled and perished there!

[_Cheers._] He had heard of Plymouth Rock [_Cheers_], and been told that his foot once planted firmly upon it, he would feel springing up within him all the heroism, the self-sacrifice, and the everlasting perseverance of the glorious Pilgrim Fathers! [_Prolonged cheering._]

I have now, my young friends, told you, very briefly, the history of this remarkable character. His age is thirty-four years. He is of a cheerful disposition, having long ago resolved to look his misfortune steadily in the face and make the best of it. In books, where are treasures stored up by the scholars of all past time, he finds a never-ending pleasure. Though dwarfed in stature, he is resolved to make a man of himself, and will fight it out on that line if it takes all summer. For he early adopted for his motto, these beautiful lines of Dr.

Watts,--

"Were I so tall as to reach the pole, Or grasp the ocean in my span, I should be measured by my soul.

The mind's the standard of the man."

[_Applause._

(_Curtain falls._)

I once heard the above narrative repeated by Joe in a truly theatrical manner. On the same occasion I also saw the picture of the "creature" to which William Henry refers in his postscript to the Dwarf Letter.

Uncle Jacob hailed me one day as I was coming from my office, and after driving close to the curbstone, informed me that Cousin Joe and his accordion had arrived, both in good health and spirits. Also, that Billy's school had met with a very sudden vacation, caused either by flues, or furnaces, or both, having something the matter with them, and the young rascal would be at home that evening, and I must come without fail. "Of course you know," said he, "'tis a pretty hard thing for Billy having to give up his studies, so he's coming home to his friends.

Nothing like being among friends when you're in trouble?"

Now this was by no means a remarkable event. Only a boy coming home for a few days to see his folks. Still, an occasion which worked Grandmother up to the pitch of putting on her best cap should not be pa.s.sed over in silence.

I went out to the Farm that evening, and on arriving found Cousin Joe, and the accordion, and Aunt Phebe's family, with a few relatives whom I had never met before, all a.s.sembled at Grandmother's. They had made up a fire in the "Franklin fireplace." This "Franklin fireplace" was a sort of iron framework, projecting from the chimney into the room. The top was flat, with bra.s.s b.a.l.l.s on the corners. It had iron sides, which "flared out," and a rounded iron hearth of its own, about an inch above the brick hearth, and s.h.i.+ning bra.s.s andirons.

No one could wish for a brighter room, I thought, for there was the light from the fire, the light from the "lights," and the light from all those smiling faces! An inviting supper-table was set out, covered dishes were "keeping warm" on the hearth and "frame," and everything was ready and waiting for William Henry. Mr. Carver had gone to the station, and they were expected back every moment.

Georgiana was very busy over a skein of blue sewing-silk. She informed me that that was the first whole skein of sewing-silk she ever had in all her life, and that it came from a bundle of all colors, which Cousin Joe gave to Hannah Jane. It brought trouble with it, as it is said all earthly possessions do, and snarled at all her attempts to coax it on to a spool. Tommy, sober as a judge, was holding it for her to wind. He sat in a little chair, with his legs crossed. His mother said he was very particular to cross his legs, so as to seem more like a man.

Lucy Maria had just persuaded Grandmother to put on her best, double stringed, white-ribboned cap, in honor of William Henry. It was the very one he brought her so long ago, but was still as good as new, having very seldom seen the light of day, or of evening, since it first came home in the bandbox. She had also been coaxed into her second-best dress, and then into the rocking-chair. Lucy Maria tied her cap under the chin, with the narrow strings, and smoothed down the wide ones.

"You have no idea, Grandmother," said she. "You haven't the faintest idea how well you look!"

"'T is too dressy for me," said Grandmother. "It don't feel natural on my head."

"Now I should think," said Uncle Jacob, "that a cap would feel more natural on anybody's head than anywhere!"

"It looks natural," said Lucy Maria, "I'm sure it does. Looks as if it grew there!"

"And only think how 't will please Billy!" said Aunt. Phebe.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

The "_Map of the United States_" had been brought out of the front room, and placed over the mantel-piece. And Lucy Maria, for fun, she said, and to pay a delicate compliment to the artist, had fastened a few sprays of upland cranberry around it. And, also, for fun, she pinned up near it a little picture, which I had quite a laugh over, and which, she said, was the renowned Megotharium, in the act of feeding drawn by the famous artist, William Henry, a.s.sisted by his brother artist, Dorry. The picture, she added, was not an _original_, but merely a copy done by a female. A photograph of these two artists, sitting side by side, was exhibited, underneath the picture.

Cousin Joe said that _creature_ beat all his going to sea. This young tailor, by the way, must have made a jolly s.h.i.+pmate. He was full of his jokes and his tricks. Tried to twirl Tommy round, by rubbing him between his two hands, as one does a top, telling him that was the way the Hottentots did to take the mischief out of boys!

Aunt Phebe said she thought if the Hottentots knew any way of taking the mischief out of boys, and were out of work, they might find employment in this country.

Tommy begged to play "one tune," and was allowed to. Cousin Joe declared that "that accordion was played every wave of the way across the Atlantic," either by himself or by one of the sailors, and that sometimes the mermaids sang to its music! Asked Tommy if he would like to bear the tune the mermaids sang? Tommy said he should rather wait till after supper. This was the way in which, company being present, the young chap let it be known that he was hungry.

Grandmother wondered, then, why they didn't come, and went to look out of the window, putting up both hands, to keep the light of the room from her eyes; then opened the outside door, to listen for the whistle; then went to look at the kitchen clock; then came back, saying it was a good deal past the time, and what could be the matter?

She little knew who was behind, following her on tiptoe into the room.

William Henry himself! He was creeping in at the sink room door, just as she turned to come back from looking at the clock, and followed softly behind. She didn't notice how very smiling we all looked. Billy shook his finger at us, to hush us.

"I hope there hasn't anything happened to the cars," said she.

"I hope so too!" shouted Billy. And, by a miraculous jump, he planted himself, square foot, in front of his grandmother, who, of course, walked straight into his arms!

Then everybody shouted, and clapped, and shook hands, and kissed. The cap got twisted about, and as if there were not confusion enough, Cousin Joe began to caper about, and to play on his accordion tunes that were never played before!

Such a splendid fellow as Billy was! Such a hearty, laughing, breezy fellow, with his thick head of hair, "not so red as it was," and his honest, good-natured face! I didn't wonder they were all so glad to see him.

"Welcome home, s.h.i.+pmate!" shouted Cousin Joe. "Welcome home! How long'll you be in port?" And worked away at Billy's hand as if he'd been pumping out s.h.i.+p.

"'Most a week," said Billy. "Mind my forefinger."

"Don't take long to stay at home a week," said Cousin Joe, tossing up his accordion.

"That's so," said Uncle Jacob. "Come, let's be doing something!"

"That means, let's be eating something," said Aunt Phebe. "Come, girls, put everything on the table! Billy, how tall and spruce you do look!

Poor Grandmother, she's losing her little Billy!"

"But what's her loss is his gain!" said Uncle Jacob. "I speak to sit next the frosted cake. Where's Tommy?"

Tommy came in, tugging Billy's carpet-bag, which he found in the kitchen, hoping, no doubt, there were goodies inside for him.