Chapter 13 - Cosey Corner

by Louisa May Alcott

　　Vacation was over, the boys went back to school, and poor Mac was leftlamenting. He was out of the darkened room now, and promoted to bluegoggles, through which he took a gloomy view of life, as might have beenexpected; for there was nothing he could do but wander about, and try toamuse himself without using his eyes. Anyone who has ever been condemned tothat sort of idleness knows how irksome it is, and can understand the stateof mind which caused Mac to say to Rose in a desperate tone one day"Look here, if you don't invent some new employment or amusement for me, Ishall knock myself on the head as sure as you live."Rose flew to Uncle Alec for advice, and he ordered both patient and nurseto the mountains for a month, with Aunt Jessie and Jamie as escort. Pokeyand her mother joined the party, and one bright September morning six veryhappy-looking people were aboard the express train for Portland two smilingmammas, laden with luncheon baskets and wraps; a pretty young girl with abag of books on her arm; a tall thin lad with his hat over his eyes; andtwo small children, who sat with their short legs straight out before them,and their chubby faces beaming with the first speechless delight of "trulytravelling."An especially splendid sunset seemed to have been prepared to welcome themwhen, after a long day's journey, they drove into a wide, green door-yard,where a white colt, a red cow, two cats, four kittens, many hens, and adozen people, old and young, were gaily disporting themselves. Everyonenodded and smiled in the friendliest manner, and a lively old lady kissedthe new-comers all round, as she said heartily"Well, now, I'm proper glad to see you! Come right in and rest, and we'llhave tea in less than no time, for you must be tired. Lizzie, you show thefolks upstairs; Kitty, you fly round and help father in with the trunks;and Jenny and I will have the table all ready by the time you come down.Bless the dears, they want to go see the pussies, and so they shall!"The three pretty daughters did "fly round," and everyone felt at home atonce, all were so hospitable and kind. Aunt Jessie had raptures over thehome-made carpets, quilts and quaint furniture; Rose could not keep awayfrom the windows, for each framed a lovely picture; and the little folksmade friends at once with the other children, who filled their arms withchickens and kittens, and did the honours handsomely.The toot of a horn called all to supper, and a goodly party, including sixchildren besides the Camp-bells, assembled in the long dining-room, armedwith mountain appetites and the gayest spirits. It was impossible foranyone to be shy or sober, for such gales of merriment arose they blew thestarch out of the stiffest, and made the saddest jolly. Mother Atkinson, asall called their hostess, was the merriest there, and the busiest; for shekept flying up to wait on the children, to bring out some new dish, or tobanish the live stock, who were of such a social turn that the colt cameinto the entry and demanded sugar; the cats sat about in people's laps,winking suggestively at the food; and speckled hens cleared the kitchenfloor of crumbs, as they joined in the chat with a cheerful clucking.Everybody turned out after tea to watch the sunset till all the lovely redwas gone, and mosquitoes wound their shrill horns to sound the retreat. Themusic of an organ surprised the new-comers, and in the parlor they foundFather Atkinson playing sweetly on the little instrument made by himself.All the children gathered about him, and, led by the tuneful sisters, sangprettily till Pokey fell asleep behind the door, and Jamie gaped audiblyright in the middle of his favourite"Coo," said the little doves: "Coo," said she,"All in the top of the old pine-tree."The older travellers, being tired, went to "bye low" at the same time, andslept like tops in home-spun sheets, on husk mattresses made by MotherAtkinson, who seemed to have put some soothing powder among them, so deepand sweet was the slumber that came.Next day began the wholesome out-of-door life, which works such wonderswith tired minds and feeble bodies. The weather was perfect, and themountain air made the children as frisky as young lambs; while the elderswent about smiling at one another, and saying, "Isn't it splendid?" EvenMac, the "slow coach," was seen to leap over a fence as if he really couldnot help it; and when Rose ran after him with his broad-brimmed hat, hemade the spirited proposal to go into the woods and hunt for a catamount.Jamie and Pokey were at once enrolled in the Cosey Corner Light Infantry atruly superb company, composed entirely of officers, all wearing cockedhats, carrying flags, waving swords, or beating drums. It was a spectacleto stir the dullest soul when this gallant band marched out of the yard infull regimentals, with Captain Dove a solemn, big-headed boy of elevenissuing his orders with the gravity of a general, and his Falstaffianregiment obeying them with more docility than skill. The little Snowchildren did very well, and Lieutenant Jack Dove was fine to see; so wasDrummer Frank, the errand-boy of the house, as he rub-a-dub-dubbed with allhis heart and drumsticks. Jamie had "trained" before, and was made acolonel at once; but Pokey was the best of all, and called forth aspontaneous burst of applause from the spectators as she brought up therear, her cocked hat all over one eye, her flag trailing over her shoulder,and her wooden sword straight up in the air; her face beaming and everycurl bobbing with delight as her fat legs tottered in the vain attempt tokeep step manfully.Mac and Rose were picking blackberries in the bushes beside the road whenthe soldiers passed without seeing them, and they witnessed a sight thatwas both pretty and comical. A little farther on was one of the familyburial spots so common in those parts, and just this side of it CaptainFred Dove ordered his company to halt, explaining his reason for so doingin the following words"That's a graveyard, and it's proper to muffle the drums and lower theflags as we go by, and we'd better take off our hats, too; it's morerespectable, I think.""Isn't that cunning of the dears?" whispered Rose, as the little troopmarched slowly by to the muffled roll of the drums, every flag and swordheld low, all the little heads uncovered, and the childish faces very soberas the leafy shadows flickered over them."Let's follow and see what they are after," proposed Mac, who found sittingon the wall and being fed with blackberries luxurious but tiresome.So they followed and heard the music grow lively, saw the banners wave inthe breeze again when the graveyard was passed, and watched the companyfile into the dilapidated old church that stood at the corner of threewoodland roads. Presently the sound of singing made the outsiders quickentheir steps, and, stealing up, they peeped in at one of the broken windows.Captain Dove was up in the old wooden pulpit, gazing solemnly down upon hiscompany, who, having stacked their arms in the porch, now sat in the barepews singing a Sunday-school hymn with great vigour and relish."Let us pray," said Captain Dove, with as much reverence as an armychaplain; and, folding his hands, he repeated a prayer which he thought allwould know an excellent little prayer, but not exactly appropriate to themorning, for it was"Now I lay me down to sleep."Everyone joined in saying it, and it was a pretty sight to see the littlecreatures bowing their curly heads and lisping out the words they knew sowell. Tears came into Rose's eyes as she looked; Mac took his hat offinvoluntarily, and then clapped it on again as if ashamed of showing anyfeeling."Now I shall preach you a short sermon, and my text is, 'Little children,love one another.' I asked mamma to give me one, and she thought that wouldbe good; so you all sit still and I'll preach it. You mustn't whisper,Marion, but hear me. It means that we should be good to each other, andplay fair, and not quarrel as we did this very day about the wagon. Jackcan't always drive, and needn't be mad because I like to go with Frank.Annette ought to be horse sometimes and not always driver; and Willie mayas well make up his mind to let Marion build her house by his, for she willdo it, and he needn't fuss about it. Jamie seems to be a good boy, but Ishall preach to him if he isn't. No, Pokey, people don't kiss in church orput their hats on. Now you must all remember what I tell you, because I amthe captain, and you should mind me."Here Lieutenant Jack spoke right out in meeting with the rebellious remark"Don't care if you are; you'd better mind yourself, and tell how you tookaway my strap, and kept the biggest doughnut, and didn't draw fair when wehad the truck.""Yes, and you slapped Frank; I saw you!" bawled Willie Snow, bobbing up inhis pew."And you took my book away and hid it 'cause I wouldn't go and swing whenyou wanted me to," added Annette, the oldest of the Snow trio."I shan't build my house by Willie's if he don't want me to, so now!" putin little Marion, joining the mutiny."I will tiss Dimmy! and I tored up my hat 'tause a pin picked me," shoutedPokey, regardless of Jamie's efforts to restrain her.Captain Dove looked rather taken aback at this outbreak in the ranks; but,being a dignified and calm personage, he quelled the rising rebellion withgreat tact and skill, by saying, briefly"We'll sing the last hymn; 'Sweet, sweet good-by' you all know that, so doit nicely, and then we will go and have luncheon."Peace was instantly restored, and a burst of melody drowned the suppressedgiggles of Rose and Mac, who found it impossible to keep sober during thelatter part of this somewhat remarkable service. Fifteen minutes of reposerendered it a physical impossibility for the company to march out asquietly as they had marched in. I grieve to state that the entire troopraced home as hard as they could pelt, and were soon skirmishing brisklyover their lunch, utterly oblivious of what Jamie (who had been muchimpressed by the sermon) called "the captain's beautiful teck."It was astonishing how much they all found to do at Cosey Corner; and Mac,instead of lying in a hammock and being read to, as he had expected, wasbusiest of all. He was invited to survey and lay out Skeeterville, a townwhich the children were getting up in a huckleberry pasture; and he foundmuch amusement in planning little roads, staking off house-lots, attendingto the water-works, and consulting with the "selectmen" about the bestsites for public buildings; for Mac was a boy still, in spite of hisfifteen years and his love of books.Then he went fishing with a certain jovial gentleman from the West; andthough they seldom caught anything but colds, they had great fun andexercise chasing the phantom trout they were bound to have. Mac alsodeveloped a geological mania, and went tapping about at rocks and stones,discoursing wisely of "strata, periods, and fossil remains"; while Rosepicked up leaves and lichens, and gave him lessons in botany in return forhis lectures on geology.They led a very merry life; for the Atkinson girls kept up a sort ofperpetual picnic; and did it so capitally, that one was never tired of it.So their visitors throve finely, and long before the month was out it wasevident that Dr. Alec had prescribed the right medicine for his patients.