Jemima Placid; or, The Advantage of Good-Nature

by Mary Ann Kilner

Our young traveller became, by the next morning, very sociable with her cousins, and complied with their customs with that cheerful obligingness which has always so much distinguished her character. She was much surprised at the bustle which she saw in the street, and the number of carriages so agreeably engaged her attention, that it was with reluctance she quitted her seat on a red trunk by the window, to enjoy the plays in which her cousins were solicitous to engage her. Mrs. Piner had been for some time engaged to dine with a lady of her acquaintance, where she could not conveniently take either of her children, and they both fretted and pined at the disappointment so as to render themselves uncomfortable, and lose the pleasure of a holiday, which their mamma had allowed them in consequence of their cousin's arrival. Miss Ellen, the eldest, was continually teazing to know the reason why she might not go? though she had repeatedly been told it was inconvenient; and Jemima beheld with astonishment two girls, so much older than herself, presume to argue with their mamma about the propriety of her commands, when their duty should have been quiet submission. When her aunt was gone, she took all the pains in her power to engage them to be good-humoured, presented them with their toys, and carried to them their dolls; but they sullenly replied, to all her endeavours, they did not want them; and told her not to plague them so, for they had seen them all a hundred times. At last, Sally taking up a little tin fireplace, which belonged to her sister, Miss Ellen snatched it from her, and said, She should not have it! Sally caught it back again, and they struggled for it with such passion, as to be entirely careless of the mischief they might do each other.

Poor Jemima, who had never disagreed with her brothers, nor been witness to such a scene in her life, was terrified to see them engage with a degree of violence which threatened them with essential hurt. She endeavoured to appease their fury, and ventured, after she had stood still for some time between two chairs, to try if, by catching hold of one of their hands, she could be able to part them; but they only gave her some blows, and said, She had no business in their quarrel! She then retired to the farther part of the room, and ardently wished herself at home. When spying another fire-place under the table, she took it up with good-natured transport, and running to Miss Piner, told her, There was one for her; which she hoped would put an end to the dispute. This, however, proved to be the property of Miss Sally, who declared, in her turn, that her sister should not touch any of her play-things; and finding she was not strong enough to retain it, she threw it with all her force to the other end of the room, and unfortunately hit Miss Placid a blow with one of the sharp corners, just above her temple. This at once put an end to the battle, for the blood immediately trickled down her cheek, and alarmed the two sisters, who, forgetting the subject of the debate, began to be uneasy at the effects of it; only Ellen, who considered herself as more innocent (merely because she had not been the immediate cause of the accident), with a recriminating air, said, There, miss, you have done it now; You have killed your cousin, I believe! Jemima, though in a great deal of pain, and much frightened, did not cry; as she seldom shed tears, unless from sensibility, or at parting with her friends. She held her handkerchief to the place, and became more alarmed, in proportion as she saw it covered with blood; till at last, finding it was beyond their art to stop the effusion, Ellen, with trembling steps, went up stairs to tell the servant of their misfortune. Dinah, which was the maid's name, had been so often accustomed to find her young ladies in mischief, that she did not descend in very good-humour, and upon her entrance exclaimed, That they were all the naughtiest girls in the world! without inquiring how the accident happened, or making any exception to the innocence of Jemima, who could only again most sincerely wish to be once more at Smiledale with her mamma. Dinah, after washing her temple with vinegar, which made it smart very much (though she did not complain), told them, They had been so naughty that they should not go to play any more; nor would she hear Miss Placid's justification, but crossly interrupted her, by saying, Hold your tongue, child! and do not want to get into mischief again; for my mistress will make a fine piece of work, I suppose, about what you have done already!—Jemima was too much awed, by the ill-nature of her looks and the anger of her expressions, to vindicate her conduct any farther; but quietly sitting down, she comforted herself with the reflection, that her displeasure was undeserved, and that to fret at what she could not avoid, would not make her more happy; and therefore, with great good humour, took up a bit of paper, which contained the rough drawing of a little horse, which Charles had given her on the day of her departure, and which she had since carefully preserved.

In justice to Mrs. Dinah, I must here observe, that she was not naturally ill-natured; but the Miss Piners were so frequently naughty, as to give her a great deal of trouble, and tire out her patience; and their mamma, by not taking the proper methods to subdue the errors of their dispositions, had made them so refractory, that it soured her own temper, and occasioned her to blame her servants for the consequence of those faults which it was her duty to have prevented. So you see, my dear Eliza, from such instances, how mistaken is that indulgence, which, by gratifying the humours of children, will make them impatient and vindictive, unhappy in themselves, and a trouble to every one with whom they are connected. The amiable Jemima was always contented and good-humoured, even when she was not in a state agreeable to her wishes; and, by learning to submit to what she did not like, when it could not be altered, she obtained the love of every body who knew her, and passed through life with less trouble than people usually experience; for, by making it a rule to comply with her situation, she always enjoyed the comforts it afforded, and suffered as little as possible from its inconvenience. In the present case, her cousins, by their ill-temper and fretfulness, had quarrelled with each other; and when Dinah would not let them play, as indeed they justly deserved to be punished, they did nothing but grumble and cry the whole day; and were so conscious of their bad behaviour, as to be afraid of seeing their mamma; while Miss Placid, serene in her own innocence, entertained herself for some time with looking at the horse above-mentioned, and afterwards with pricking it, till Dinah set her at liberty; which, seeing her good temper, she soon did, and gave her besides some pretty pictures to look at, and some fruit to eat, of all which her cousins were deprived. By the next morning Jemima's temple had turned black; and Mrs. Piner inquired how she had hurt herself? She coloured at the question with some confusion, not willing to inform her aunt of any thing to Miss Sally's disadvantage; but as she was too honest to say any thing but the truth, she begged Mrs. Piner would not be angry if she informed her; which she having promised, Jemima told her; adding, that her cousin had no intention to hurt her.

Mrs. Piner kissed and commended Jemima very much; and Dinah having likewise given a high account of her goodness, she told her daughters she was much displeased with them; but in consequence of their cousin's intercession, would not punish them that time, and desired them for the future to imitate her example.

As soon as breakfast was over, they were dismissed to school, while Jemima remained with her aunt; who, after having heard her read, gave her a handkerchief to hem, which she sat down by her to do; and when she had done work, very prettily entered into conversation.—I should be much obliged to you, madam (said she), as I do not know my way about London, if you would go with me to buy some things for my brothers, which I promised to carry back when I return. I have got some money to pay for them, for Charles gave me a six-pence, and three halfpence, and a farthing; and William gave me three-pence; and I have got a silver-penny, and a two-pence of my own, all screwed safely in a little red box.

Mrs. Piner inquired what the articles were which she wished to purchase, and smiled on perusing the list which Charles had written.—And pray, my dear, said she, how do you intend to carry the coach-whip, for you will not be able conveniently to pack it up; and as to the skates, I do not think your papa would choose your brothers should make use of them till they are much older, as they are very dangerous, and particularly so to little boys. The other things I will endeavour to procure, and you shall take a walk with me to buy the books, and choose them yourself, and I will pay for them; so you may save your money in the little box, for you are a very good girl, and therefore deserve to meet with encouragement. Jemima thanked her aunt for her kind intentions, and said, if she could get a coach-whip, she thought she could carry it to Smiledale in her hand; and as her brothers were always kind to her, she wished to do every thing in her power to oblige them.