Bildungsromans; Communities -- Juvenile fiction; First loves -- Juvenile fiction; Pittsburgh (Pa.) -- History -- Juvenile fiction
"I was amazed," he said to Barbe. "Why, there are acres and acres of
ground that will be worth a mint of money some day. And it is all
securely made over to Daffodil Carrick. Your father and I are
appointed guardians, and this Mr. de Ronville is administrator. His
father was exiled about the same time, but he came at once to America.
It seems a little queer that great-grandfather shouldn't have made
more of it."
"I think, after the purchase he felt rather sore about it, as if it
was a foolish bargain. But he thought then that the French would be
the real rulers of America," said Mrs. Bradin. "Yet he never alluded
to the will; and you know he was always very fond of Dilly, and that
there was no other child."
"Dear old man! When Dilly is grown up she will be an heiress. It can
only be leased until she comes of age. I wish it was on this side of
the river. Well, as my father says, 'it will neither eat nor drink,'
except the rains of heaven. We won't proclaim it on the housetops."
So matters went on just the same. No one gave much thought to "over
the river" then.
One morning Mrs. Carrick was not very well. Norah came over, and there
was grave consulting. She took Dilly back with her, and in the
afternoon grandad bundled her up and drove her over to the mill with
him, and was very jolly. They did not return until dusk, and then
Norry's supper had such a savory fragrance she decided to share it.
Norry had been over to the other house, and "mother" had a bad
headache, and Dilly was to stay all night. She had brought over her
nightgown.
"That's funny!" exclaimed Daffodil. "Mother seldom has a headache.
Oh," with a sudden alarm, "you don't think mother will be ill for
weeks and weeks, and grow pale and thin, as she did before father came
home."
"Oh, no;" and Norry threw up her head with a laugh. "She'll be up
again in no time."
Grandad was teaching the little girl to play checkers, and she was
deeply interested. Norry was knitting a long woollen stocking for him,
and sang bits of gay Irish songs. But by and by the little girl began
to yawn, and made some bad plays.
"You're sleepy," said grandad.
"Yes, I can't get over to the king row;" and she smiled. "But you just
wait until to-morrow, when I'm bright and fresh."
So Norry put her to bed, and, leaving grandad to read the _Gazette_,
she ran over to see how it fared with Barbe, and did not come home
until morning. Grandad had a nice fire, and had made the coffee.
"Oh, dear," began Daffodil, coming out in her trained nightgown, as
they made garments for children to grow in, in those days, "isn't it
funny? When I woke up I couldn't think where I was, and it came into
my mind about little Bridget, that fairies took away for seven years.
Then I would be fourteen."
"That's some of Norry's nonsense. Get on your clothes, and come and
have these grand griddle cakes and sausage, that'll make you sing in
your sleep."
"Why not when I am awake?" with laughing eyes.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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