Aunt Jane's Nieces
Elmhurst was a beautiful place. Beth sighed as she wondered if it
would ever be hers. Then she opened her book and began to work.
During the next hour the click of the hedge-shears drew nearer, but
the girl did not notice this. In another half hour James himself came
into view, intent upon his monotonous task. Gradually the motionless
form of the girl and the plodding figure of the gardener drew
together, until he stood but two yards distant. Then he paused, looked
toward the arbor, and uttered an exclamation.
Beth looked up.
"Good morning," she said, pleasantly.
James stared at her, but made no reply save a slight inclination of
his head.
"Am I in your way?" she asked.
He turned his back to her, then, and began clipping away as before.
Beth sprang up and laid a hand upon his arm, arresting him. Again he
turned to stare at her, and in his eyes was a look almost of fear.
She drew back.
"Why won't you speak to me?" enquired the girl, gently. "I'm a
stranger at Elmhurst, but I want to be your friend. Won't you let me?"
To her amazement James threw up his hands, letting the shears clatter
to the ground, and with a hoarse cry turned and fled up the path as
swiftly as he could go.
Beth was really puzzled, but as she stood silently looking after the
gardener she heard a soft laugh, and found old Misery beside her.
"It's just his way, Miss; don't you be scared by anything that James
does," said the woman. "Why, at times he won't even speak to Miss
Jane."
"He isn't dumb, is he?" asked Beth.
"Lor', no! But he's that odd an' contrary he won't talk to a soul.
Never did, since the day Master Tom was killed. James was travellin'
with Master Tom, you know, and there was an accident, an' the train
run off'n the track an' tipped over. James wasn't hurt at all, but he
dragged Master Tom out'n the wreck and sat by him until he died. Then
James brought Master Tom's body back home again; but his mind
seemed to have got a shock, in some way, and he never was the same
afterwards.
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There was once a king who was very powerful. He had great influence over the wild beasts and animals. Now the tortoise was looked upon as the wisest of all beasts and men. This king had a son named Ekpenyon, to whom he gave fifty young girls as wives, but the prince did not like any of them. The king was very angry at this, and made a law that if any man had a daughter who was finer than the prince's wives, and who found favour in his son's eyes, the girl herself and her father and mother should be killed.
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