Maid Sally Part 27

Mammy put her hand, edgewise, side of her mouth, and whispered, loudly:

"Sperrits, honey! Sperrits!"

Sally laughed and shook her s.h.i.+ning head.

"Oh, no, Mammy," she said, her voice full and bubbling, "no, no! spirits don't come with strong hands and feet and take a horse away. Bill had a nap, little Jule got easy, and you dozed, then some person led Hotspur away."

Mammy looked carefully around, then said, with a twinkle in her eye:

"Ennyway, I'se glad dat boy get away. Dis yere war won't help de Inglish any. De ole king needn't tink he can put his big foot on de people's neck, and dey not kick back.

"Let Mars' Perc'val and Mistis Gran'son go back to Inglan' ef dey wants to. Dey soon come totin' back 'gain. And Mars' Lion, ef he is a young man, can run de place all it want to be run while dese times is goin'

on."

So he was coming back! her Fairy Prince!--

"I must learn yet more," said Maid Sally.

And so, while the dragon-fly buzzed in the hot summer sun, and the lazy breeze scarcely stirred the cobwebs strung from bush to bush, while the flaming poppies were seen through mists of heat, and the cattle stood knee-deep in the streams, Maid Sally studied, recited, sewed, picked over fruits, baked, and grew skilled both in pantry and in parlor.

Truly a little woman of the olden time.

Not often did the old-time parson freely praise any one. But Parson Kendall one day said to Sally:

"I deem it but just, Maid Sally Duquesne, to say that very n.o.bly hast thou done with thy lessons. Many a fine lady might well be proud could she stand by thy side, equal with thee in learning."

And Sally could have hugged herself from very happiness.

Then came the cooler days of autumn. The cotton had burst its bolls, the sugar-cane given up its sweets, the tobacco was stored, the fruits preserved.

One fine day in November, Sally saw Hotspur go das.h.i.+ng by, her Fairy Prince holding the rein.

It was like a waft of new, sweet air thus to behold him. Too much a child of nature was Maid Sally to lose or cast aside the dearest fancy of her life as she grew older, and the Fairy Prince of poorer days was the Fairy Prince still in her deep young heart.

He was also her hero now. She had helped him do battle for his country and hers. He was her relation. What a secret to hug within her breast!

But now, hotter and hotter grew the news from all directions. Lord Dunmore, gone from Williamsburg, yet made mischief in other parts of Virginia.

And soon came reports of trouble from near Norfolk, south of Williamsburg.

Sir Percival Grandison, who yet lingered in his Virginia home, no longer tried to keep his young son from fighting with the "rebels."

There was in very truth something he kept very quiet about, in connection with the Boston affair.

And he was not surprised when, with young Spottswood, Norris, Byrd, and others, Lionel again mounted Hotspur and went clattering off toward Norfolk to see what trouble the British were making in that quarter.

One morning, when December was in its second week, Sally was in the wide kitchen plucking a goose, that she might learn how, when Parson Kendall came to the door, his wig somewhat awry, his face flushed with excitement, his manner hurried.

"Good Matilda," he said to his wife, "I would that a hamper of food might be quickly prepared, a roll of linen be made ready, and several flasks of your most strengthening tonics be got out. I go with our horse Rupert, and saddle-bags, a long day's journey and nearly a night's, to give such comfort as I can to certain of our men that lie wounded at Great Bridge, near Norfolk.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE BATTLE AT GREAT BRIDGE.]

"News hath been brought that on the seventh, a battle was fought, and great victory was given to the colonists. But young Lionel Grandison and Hugh Spottswood of our towns.h.i.+p are among the wounded, and help in caring for the injured is called for.

"Doctor Hanc.o.c.ke goes in his wagon with drugs and potions, and so loud a lament made Mammy Leezer, the old colored nurse at Ingleside, begging to go and care for her 'chile,'--for so she calleth young Lionel,--that Doctor Hanc.o.c.ke will take her along with his medicines and bandages.

"Sir Percival also hopes she will soon be able to return with the young man in charge. He scarcely dareth to go himself to the scene of conflict, for feeling is bitter against the Tories. Lady Gabrielle hath taken to her room with cries of anger and sorrow at the news, and as for Rosamond Earlscourt, she hath servants, smelling-bottles, hot drinks, and all she can muster about the place attending on her, so loud is her grief.

"Beshrew me! but I would like to see were it only an ounce of common sense poured into her from some bottle or other!

"Now I go to get my camlet ready,"--a great cape like a cloak,--"and to roll up a blanket."

"Oh, _please_!"

Parson Kendall and his wife Matilda turned about to see Maid Sally standing with out-stretched hands, cheeks burning, eyes full of entreaty.

"Oh, please let me go! I will squeeze into Doctor Hanc.o.c.ke's wagon with Mammy Leezer, taking but little room. Very, oh, very sorely I have longed to do something that would help in these days. Let me wait on the wounded. I am strong and full of health, and almost a woman grown. I can twist a bandage, make a posset, mix a medicine, feed the sick. I prithee, let me go!"

The parson looked puzzled, Goodwife Kendall looked surprised.

"Dear maid," she said, "it is no easy thing to tend on wounded men. One must be strong of nerve and firm of hand to deal with the injured."

"Have I asked for smelling-salts or shown weakness in any way when bad news came?" asked Sally. "Try me, but try me! I think I could go through fire or through flood to help our men. Pray let me go!"

But never a word said Maid Sally about its being her kinsman that lay among the wounded.

And Parson Kendall said:

"I like well thy high spirit, maiden, and as a woman goeth in our company,"--he turned toward his wife,--"what think you, good Matilda, of letting the wench come with us?"

"I think," said Goodwife Kendall, "that since she so much desireth it, we might let her go."

CHAPTER XXIII.

MAID SALLY AND HER FAIRY PRINCE

While she was making ready, Sally kept saying:

"I am coming, Fairy Prince, I am coming!"

And a sweet bird of hope was singing in her ears that all would yet be well with the brave Dream lad of her girlish years.

"I will serve the others too," she said, "for in good faith I love my country well."

At Great Bridge all was bustle and confusion. But the wounded had been carried into a long, low building, really a tobacco warehouse, now turned into hospital barracks.