"What is it? do tell us," urged her sister.
"You know little Juley Lane, what a pa.s.sionate child she has always been. I told Mrs. Lane the last time I was there, it wasn"t safe to leave her with the baby. She didn"t seem to have any love for him. Now she"s killed him."
Josey gave a start and sob of horror, while Mrs. Codman exclaimed,--
"Shocking! terrible! how did it happen?"
"I was making calls," added f.a.n.n.y, with a groan, "and I met Mrs. Lane.
She was hurrying with a basket of clean clothes, and told me she"d been obliged to leave Juley with her old mother and the baby. I told her I was going to call, which relieved her anxiety, and she said she"d be home in a short time.
"Long before I reached the house I heard awful groans, and on opening the door, what a sight was before me.
"Mrs. Lane, thinking the baby would be safer, had tied him into the high chair, and set him in front of the stove. Julia had one of her fits of anger and pushed him over. His poor hands and face fell upon the hot iron and burned to a crisp. When I went in, the old woman had crawled on her hands and feet, to the place, and was trying, with her poor deformed fingers, to release him. Juley stood by, frightened and crying, but not able to do anything.
"I flew to untie him from his chair, which was in a bright blaze, and then rushed to the door to send for a doctor. Then the mother came. Oh, dear! I wouldn"t go through such a scene again for a kingdom. I don"t believe the poor child was conscious; the doctor thought not; but such a sight! You wouldn"t know him from a piece of burnt wood; and there he lay, only showing he was alive by a feeble groan.
"Mrs. Lane shrieked and tore her hair, and when Juley pulled her dress, I was afraid she"d kill her, too. So I got a neighbor to carry her off, screaming and fighting. The old woman hasn"t been across the room before by herself for a year, and now lies speechless on the bed; I don"t believe she"ll live till morning."
Mr. Codman put on his hat directly and hurried away to the distressed family, while his wife took off f.a.n.n.y"s hat, and brought her a cup of tea, begging her to try and eat a piece of toast.
"You"ll be sick, dear, if you don"t," she urged. "The shock has been too much for you."
"I can"t hold the cup;" sobbed f.a.n.n.y, giving way at last; and then she held up her poor burned hands and arms.
"Oh! oh dear!" screamed her sister.
"My poor, poor girl!" exclaimed Mrs. Matthews; and then they and Josey and Nurse all cried together.
In less than half an hour Mr. Codman returned, and the doctor with him.
The old woman had breathed her last. f.a.n.n.y had saved her from burning to death, by tearing off her blazing clothes at the risk of her own life. The neighbors all said Miss f.a.n.n.y was an angel. If it had not been for her presence of mind, the house would have been burned, and the widow have lost everything.
The doctor bound up the poor, blistered hands and arms, talking cheerfully as he did so, but, his eyes grew moist as he told them afterward what she had done.
CHAPTER VII.
JOSEY"S SORROW.
In the hurry and excitement, no one thought of little Josey. It was not till Aunt f.a.n.n.y was sinking to sleep from the effects of the doctor"s medicine that his mother found him sobbing by himself in the corner.
"What will become of Juley, mamma? will she have to be put into prison?"
"Don"t think about Juley to-night, dear," she answered, soothingly.
"You"ll cry yourself sick. We must all thank G.o.d, who saved our dear Aunt f.a.n.n.y"s life. She was so good and thoughtful, and did not once stop on account of the pain in her hands, but threw water on the flames, and almost lifted the old woman into bed."
"Oh, mamma! I am glad about that; but I can"t help thinking, if you hadn"t taught me to love my sister, and not give way to temper, I might have--I mean, dear, darling Emma might have been burned to death. Do you think G.o.d has forgiven me, mamma, for striking her as I used to?"
"Yes, Josey, I am sure He has. You"re a kind, affectionate brother now, teaching your sister to be patient and obliging."
She saw the shock had been too much for him. He trembled excessively as he tried to unb.u.t.ton his jacket.
"I"ll talk with you all about it to-morrow," she said; "try to say your prayers now, and go to sleep."
"But, mamma, are you sure Aunt f.a.n.n.y will get well? She did groan so, when the doctor touched her arm."
"Oh, yes! I hope she"ll be better in a few days. Burns are always very painful at first."
"Well, Aunt f.a.n.n.y is a good missionary. Isn"t she? She was kind one to another."
"Yes, indeed! she always is that; just like your father, you know."
Mr. Codman wrote Mr. Barnard the same evening, and he came the day but one after the poor baby was burned, just as Mr. and Mrs. Codman were starting to attend the funeral of the old lady and child.
f.a.n.n.y was dressed and sitting in an easy chair, both arms bandaged to the elbows and laid out on a pillow. She looked very white, except where a fever spot burned on each cheek. Mrs. Matthews sat by, talking in a cheerful tone, while Rose and Emma played with their dolls in the corner of the chamber.
With a gentle knock Mrs. Codman peeped in, asking, in a mysterious voice,--
"Are you ready for visitors?" Then, without waiting for an answer, she beckoned the young missionary to come forward.
He flew to her side, and, not daring to trust his voice, instantly kissed her cheek.
"This is Mrs. Matthews," Mrs. Codman said. "She will be happy to tell you what a heroine your f.a.n.n.y has been. I must run away, or I shall be late."
Mrs. Matthews repeated some of the particulars of the dreadful accident, and then, seeing how hard it was for the young man to control his feelings, rose, and calling the children, left the room with them.
"My own f.a.n.n.y," he said, putting his hand softly on her head, "I wish I could bear this dreadful pain for you. How could you expose your precious life? What should I have done if you too"--
He stopped suddenly, and walked to the window, but soon returned at the sound of her voice, saying,--
"James, you are making quite too much of what I did. Any one would have done the same. I could never look you in the face if I had not tried to relieve such terrible suffering. But Oh, it was dreadful! I cannot forget it."
Tears filled her eyes, and he tenderly wiped them away.
"I cannot sleep," she went on, "except under the influence of anodynes.
The shrieks and groans ring in my ears."
"Your nervous system has had a shock, and it will take time to recover.
You know I have been studying a little medicine, and I shall take you for my first patient. I prescribe perfect rest, and that you see no one but me."
f.a.n.n.y laughed. "Josey will have something to say to that," she began.
"He has been the most unwearied little nurse, and his face has grown very sad."
"Dear little fellow! I shall love him better than ever."