THE CHAISE BRINGS A FRIEND.
Kate dwelt with her Aunt in a lone cot, in one of the most sweet dells of Wales.—Cliffs rose in rude grace round their home, and the sea, with its smooth beach, was to be seen in front,—a wild wood stood on one side, and a heath spread out not far off; on the edge of which a church, with its grey spire, and a few rude huts were seen; a cot here and there was to be found in the wood, by the side of a rough path.
The Aunt of Kate was not rich, but she had a kind heart; and when she heard of the death of a dear friend, she sent for the child of that friend, and gave her a home in her lone cot. How glad was Kate, when she saw the chaise that brought poor Blanche. It drove to the door in a cloud of dust, and the noise of its wheels brought out Kate and her Aunt, and their maid, to the gate.
The Aunt held the poor child to her heart, and gave her a fond kiss. Kate caught her in her arms, and, with smiles, told her how glad she was to see her. Blanche shed tears of joy and love, and the three friends were soon gay and dear each to each.
The next day, Kate led Blanche through the lane and fields, down to the beach. The sea was bright with the sun, and the smooth sand shone as glass. They found shells, and weeds, and bits of red, blue, and green stones, that in their eyes were rich gems. The gull, a sea-bird, with its large white wings, was seen to fly as if on the waves, and the tide as it rose on the beach, brought to the feet of the girls, amid the light foam, some fine plants just torn from the rocks hid in the waters.
These plants were not like the plants that grow on the earth, for they were made to thrive in the salt sea, and were strong and firm, though the sprays of some were as fine as threads, and the leaves of some as tough as skin. The friends took home a large hoard of all they could find.
THE GIRLS AT HOME.
The Aunt was at her desk when they went home, and she told them how to dry the weeds, and clean the shells; she told them how to fix the weeds to boards with gum, and thus to make a kind of group of trees and shrubs. She taught them how to bore holes in the shells, and then form them to neat shapes to deck the room, and to join them in the form of a box to hold pins, and such small things. Then she bade them write down the names of those she knew, and thus, when in the house, they were gay with what they had found in their walks. So when they went out, they took care to use their eyes: for each bud and blade of grass might hide something that would pay their search; a small worm, or a snail in its snug shell, or a grub in its folds: with the help of a glass, these small things would look so large that each part could be seen—The legs and all their joints and hairs, the small bright eyes, the trunk drawn up in a coil, or spread out at full length; what to the eye was dust on a moth's wing, through the glass, was found to be fine plumes, and the clear gauze of the fly's wing was quite a treat to look on; so thin, so light, so rich.