A Little Maid of Old Philadelphia | Page 9

is your little girl, madam; she has done no harm, I assure you.
She did but make a friendly call on General Howe, who sent me to
bring her safely home," said the young officer, hat in hand, and making
his best bow.
"I thank thee for bringing the child home, sir," responded Aunt
Deborah, drawing Ruth firmly over the threshold and closing the door
before Major André could say another word. The young officer hurried
back to the General's dinner-table, a little vexed that he had made so
much needless trouble for himself by introducing the queer little girl to
General Howe.
"Slip off thy mother's dress at once, before you do it further harm," said
Aunt Deborah; and Ruth, not daring to look up, hastened to obey, as
she stood in the dimly-lit hall.
"I--I--only went to look for Hero," Ruth tried to explain, after a
moment's silence.
"So thee had to put on thy mother's very best gown; one that she does
not wear herself save on great occasions," responded Aunt Deborah,
taking up the silk dress out of which Ruth had just stepped. "It is
probably ruined. Go straight to bed. Thou art a willful and unruly
child," she continued, as Ruth started toward the stairway.

Aunt Deborah followed her, the dress over her arm, but she said no
more until they reached Ruth's chamber.
"I believed thee safe in thy room. When thee did not come to supper I
thought thee ashamed and sorry, because of the manner in which thou
spoke to me; so I did not open the door. But no; thee was playing at
being some one beside thy rightful self; and going to the house of an
enemy against whom thy father is fighting. I know not what to say to
thee, Ruth, nor how to make thee realize that thee has brought shame
upon us," said Aunt Deborah.
Ruth was crying bitterly, and could make no response. Aunt Deborah
took the candle and left the room, leaving Ruth to find her way into bed
in the dark. She wished with all her heart that she had not worn her
mother's silk gown and pretty bonnet. If they really were ruined she
knew it would be a long time before her mother could replace them; for
there was no extra money in the little household while America was
fighting for her rightful liberties.
"None of them, not even General Howe, believed that I was really
grown up. They were just laughing at me," she thought. "It would have
been just as well if I had waited, and had asked Aunt Deborah if I
might not go. Oh, dear! And now I have spoiled Mother's dress."
Ruth was so unhappy that she had quite forgotten that Hero might soon
be restored to her.
CHAPTER V
RUTH DECIDES
Ruth slept late the next morning, and when she first awoke it was with
the puzzled feeling of waking from a bad dream. Then slowly she
remembered the happenings of the previous day.
The spring sunlight filled the room. From a hawthorn tree just below
her window she could hear a robin singing as if there were nothing but
sunshine and delight in all the world. And then the big clock in the

hallway began to strike. "One! two! three! four! five! six! seven! eight!
Nine!" counted the little girl, and with the last stroke she was out of
bed.
Before she was dressed Aunt Deborah opened the door.
"Good-morning, Ruth," she said pleasantly, quite as if nothing had
happened on the previous day, and that Ruth had not slept two hours
later than usual. "I have brought thee thy breakfast; and thee may stay
in thy room until I call thee," and Aunt Deborah set a small tray on the
light stand near the window, and before Ruth could make any response
she had left the room.
Ruth was very hungry. She had no supper on the previous night, and
she now looked eagerly toward the little tray, which held only, a bowl
and pitcher. The bowl was nearly full of porridge, and the pitcher of
creamy milk.
That was all very well; and she ate it all, to the last spoonful. But
usually there were hot corn muffins and a bit of bacon or an egg to
follow the porridge, and Ruth was still hungry.
"Perhaps Aunt Deborah forgot," thought Ruth, "but I don't believe she
did. Perhaps she is only provoked at me for being late for breakfast!"
Ruth shook up her pillows, turned back the blankets of her bed, and
then went to the window and leaned out. There were two robins now on
the top branch of the hawthorn, and for a moment she watched them,
wondering if they were planning to