: England in America 1580-1652 by Tyler Lyon Gardiner - United States History Colonial period ca. 1600-1775 Children's History

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CHAPTER

MOUSEY

A FAMILY CONFERENCE

THE funeral was over, and the mourners had returned to the small villa which had been the abode of Mrs. Abbot and her little daughter to discuss what was to be done with the few bits of poor furniture, and to decide where Mousey was to make her future home. Mousey, whose real name was Arabella, but who had always been called Mousey on account of her quiet ways and soft brown eyes, was beginning to awaken from the dream-like feeling which had mercifully dulled her senses since her mother's death four days before, and to realise her loss, which was indeed great, for her father had died when she had been a baby, and she had neither sister nor brother to share her grief.

Poor little girl! When she had stood by the open grave that afternoon, and had heard the earth fall upon her mother's coffin, she had felt as though her heart must break; but she had bravely choked down her sobs, and restrained her tears as much as possible, so that her Aunt Eliza, her mother's sister, who had held her hand, had thought her a strange child not to show more signs of emotion.

Now, as Mousey sat by her aunt's side on the horse-hair sofa in the sitting-room, she looked timidly around on the faces which were turned towards her full of pity, conscious that this was a crisis in her life. Opposite to her, in the one easy-chair the room possessed, was Uncle Dick, Aunt Eliza's husband, who smiled at the little girl encouragingly whenever his eyes met hers. There were also present a few other relatives, including an elderly man whom Mousey knew must be her mother's cousin, Robert Harding, a watchmaker and jeweller, living in a neighbouring town. Mrs. Abbot had often spoken of her Cousin Robert to Mousey, telling her how he was a bachelor who lived a penurious life, and was supposed to have saved a lot of money. He had a reputation for being very mean, and had never been known to spend twopence when a single penny would do. In appearance he was tall and thin and shrivelled, with a face like a dried apple, and a pair of twinkling beady eyes which had an uncommonly sharp way of looking at one.

"I suppose my poor sister's furniture will have to be sold by auction," remarked Aunt Eliza, casting a glance around the room, and shaking her head. "The things won't make much--there'll be little enough for the child!"

"Was my lamented cousin entirely without means?" inquired Mr. Harding in a gruff voice. "I am aware her husband was a poor man, but she was a careful, hard-working woman. Did she save nothing?"

"It was as much as she could do to support herself and Mousey," Uncle Dick responded; "she let lodgings, and took in plain sewing, and slaved from morning to night, but folks don't make fortunes that way!"

Mousey's eyes filled with tears, and her slight frame shook with sobs. All day she had been endeavouring to restrain her sorrow, but now it was overcoming her.

"Come, my dear, you mustn't cry like that!" exclaimed Uncle Dick, looking much distressed.

"You mustn't grieve for her, Mousey," said Aunt Eliza; "you must remember she's far better off now than she was here on earth."

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