Lewie | Page 2

new strange girl--Nocturnal disturbances--Ruth Glenn's expostulations--Imminent danger--The physician consulted--Morning walks--Sad partings 173

CHAPTER XII.
LEWIE AT SCHOOL.
The dictator in the play-ground--Strife and contention--The tormentor--Lewie's mortification--The sore spot--The attack upon Colton--The removal from school--Mrs. Elwyn's failing health--Agnes summoned--A death bed--Changes proposed to Agnes--Her departure for Wilston 196

CHAPTER XIII.
NEW SCENES FOR AGNES.
The two Miss Fairlands--The step-mother--Arrival at Wilston--Unpromising pupils--Poor Tiney--Dreadful scene at the tea-table--Tiney's suffering--The effect of music 212

CHAPTER XIV.
THE SCHOOL IN THE WEST WING.
A hard task--The children's toilettes--Bible teachings--Practical applications--Sunday at Mr. Fairland's--The children's singing--The father's tears--A visit to Brook Farm--A visit from Lewie 223

CHAPTER XV.
THE STRANGERS IN THE ROOKERY.
An arrival--The Rookery--Mrs. Danby and Bella--A sudden accident--The rescue--The strangers--An old friend--A row on the lake--Music on the water--Shrieking in the house--A new method of laying spirits--Mortifying disclosures by Frank 250

CHAPTER XVI.
DEATH AND THE FUGITIVE.
Music on the lawn--The midnight interview--The horrid truth disclosed--Lewie a fugitive from justice--Jealousy of Calista and Evelina--Poor Tiney's death bed--The search--The arrest 269

CHAPTER XVII.
THE JAIL.
Return to Brook Farm--The visit to the jail--The involuntary and the voluntary prisoner--A talk about the future--Mr. Malcolm's visits--The lawyer--The evening before the trial 284

CHAPTER XVIII.
THE TRIAL.
The Court-room--Mr. W.--The testimony--Speeches--Mr. G.'s agitation--Charge to the jury 298

CHAPTER XIX.
THE SEALED PAPER.
A night of fearful suspense--The verdict--Insensibility--Delirium--Meeting between the brother and sister--Lewie's illness--Longings for freedom--A journey to the capital--Ruth Glenn again--The governor--A sister's pleadings--Her reward 310

CHAPTER XX.
TWICE FREE.
Freedom for the captive--Removal to Brook Farm--Decline--Changes of temper and heart--A final release--The quiet nook--Resignation --Cheerfulness--The unexpected visitor 328

CHAPTER XXI.
THE WINDING UP.
Repairs at the Rookery--Calista and Evelina on the _qui vive_--Mr. Harrington and his bride--Another Christmas gathering--Farewell, and kind wishes 331

I.
Little Agnes.
"And she, not seven years old, A slighted child."--WORDSWORTH.
"What is it Lewie wants? Does he want sister's pretty book?"
"No!" roared the cross baby boy, pointing with his finger to the side-board.
"Well, see here, Lewie! here is a pretty ball; shall we roll it? There! now roll it back to sister."
"No-o-o!" still screamed Master Lewie, the little finger still stretched out towards something on the side-board which he seemed much to desire.
"Here is my lovely dolly, Lewie. If you will be very careful, I will let you take her. See her beautiful eyes! Will Lewie make her open and shut her eyes?"
"No-o-o-o!" again shouted the fretful child, and this time so loud as effectually to arouse his youthful mamma, who was deep in an arm-chair, and deeper still in the last fashionable novel.
"Agnes!" she exclaimed sharply, "cannot you let that child alone? I told you to amuse him; and instead of doing so, you seem to delight in teazing him and making him scream."
Again the little girl tried in various ways to amuse the wayward child. He really was not well, and felt cross and irritable, and nothing that his little sister could do to please him would succeed. With the utmost patience and gentleness she labored to bring a smile to her little brother's cheek, or at least so to win his attention as to keep him from disturbing her mother. But the handkerchief rabbits, and the paper men and women she could cut so beautifully, and which at times gave little Lewie so much pleasure, were now all dashed impatiently aside. One by one her little playthings were brought out, and placed before him, but with no better success. Lewie had once seen the contents of a beautiful work-box of his sister's, which stood in the centre of the side-board: at this he pointed, and for this he screamed. Nothing else would please him; at nothing else would he condescend to look.
"Oh, Lewie! darling Lewie! play with something else! Don't you know Aunt Ellen gave sister that pretty work-box? and she said I must be so careful of it, and Lewie would break all sister's pretty things."
Again Master Lewie had recourse to the strength of his lungs, which he knew, by past experience, to be all-powerful in gaining whatever his fancy might desire, and sent forth a roar so loud as once more to arouse the attention of the novel-reading mamma; who, with a stamp of the foot, and a threatening shake of the finger, gave the little girl to understand that she must expect instant and severe punishment, if Lewie was heard to scream again.
Still Lewie demanded the work-box, and nothing that the patient little Agnes could do would divert his attention from it for a moment. The little angry brow was contracted, and the mouth wide open for another shriek, when little Agnes, with a sigh of despair, went to the side-board, and, mounting on a chair, lifted down her much-valued and carefully-preserved treasure, saying to herself:
"If Aunt Ellen only knew, I think she would not blame me!"
And now with a shout of delight the spoiled child seized on the pretty work-box; and in another moment, winders, spools, scissors, thimble, were scattered in sad confusion over the carpet.