Rose in Bloom by Louisa May Alcott

name of her own, since he has nothing but disgrace to give her.?

“Uncle can show you how to do that if you need any help. He has

been so successful in his first attempt, I fancy you won’t require

much,” said Mac, picking up the spools for the sixth time.

“Yes, I shall, for it is a great responsibility, and I do not undertake

it lightly,” answered Rose soberly, though the double-barreled

compliment pleased her very much.

“I’m sure Phebe has turned out splendidly, and you began very

early with her.?

“So I did! That’s encouraging. Dear thing, how bewildered she

looked when I proposed adopting her. I remember all about it, for

Uncle had just come and I was quite crazy over a box of presents

and rushed at Phebe as she was cleaning brasses. How little I

thought my childish offer would end so well!” And Rose fell

a-musing with a happy smile on her face while baby picked the last

morsels out of the porringer with her own busy fingers.

It certainly had ended well, for Phebe at the end of six months not

only had a good place as choir singer but several young pupils and

excellent prospects for the next winter.

“Accept the blessing of a poor young man,

Whose lucky steps have led him to your door,

and let me help as much as I can.

Good-bye, my Dulcinea.”

And, with a farewell stroke of the smooth head, Mac went away to

report his success to his mother, who, in spite of her seeming

harshness, was already planning how she could best befriend this

inconvenient baby.

Chapter 17 AMONG THE HAYCOCKS

Uncle Alec did not object and, finding that no one had any claim

upon the child, permitted Rose to keep it for a time at least. So

little Dulce, newly equipped even to a name, took her place among

them and slowly began to thrive. But she did not grow pretty and

never was a gay, attractive child, for she seemed to have been born

in sorrow and brought up in misery. A pale, pensive little creature,

always creeping into corners and looking timidly out, as if asking

leave to live, and, when offered playthings, taking them with a

meek surprise that was very touching.

Rose soon won her heart, and then almost wished she had not, for

baby clung to her with inconvenient fondness, changing her former

wail of “Marmar” into a lament for “Aunty Wose” if separated

long. Nevertheless, there was great satisfaction in cherishing the

little waif, for she learned more than she could teach and felt a

sense of responsibility which was excellent ballast for her

enthusiastic nature.

Kitty Van, who made Rose her model in all things, was

immediately inspired to go and do likewise, to the great

amusement as well as annoyance of her family. Selecting the

prettiest, liveliest child in the Asylum, she took it home on trial for

a week. “A perfect cherub” she pronounced it the first day, but an

“enfant terrible ” before the week was over, for the young hero

rioted by day, howled by night, ravaged the house from top to

bottom, and kept his guardians in a series of panics by his

hairbreadth escapes. So early on Saturday, poor exhausted Kitty

restored the “cherub” with many thanks, and decided to wait until

her views of education were rather more advanced.

As the warm weather came on, Rose announced that Dulce needed

mountain air, for she dutifully repeated as many of Dr. Alec’s

prescriptions as possible and, remembering how much good Cozy

Corner did her long ago, resolved to try it on her baby. Aunt Jessie

and Jamie went with her, and Mother Atkinson received them as

cordially as ever. The pretty daughters were all married and gone,

but a stout damsel took their place, and nothing seemed changed

except that the old heads were grayer and the young ones a good

deal taller than six years ago.

Jamie immediately fraternized with neighboring boys and devoted

himself to fishing with an ardor which deserved greater success.

Aunt Jessie reveled in reading, for which she had no time at home,

and lay in her hammock a happy woman, with no socks to darn,

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