CHAPTER THE TWELFTH.
THE BIRTH-DAY.
Miss Lydia had several brothers as well as sisters, a good deal older than herself; among the rest was Gilbert, a boy, who from the goodness of his disposition, seemed formed to make his parents happy. Obliging to all, he was particularly indulgent and kind to little Lydia. One day, in the autumn, he joined a family party in the garden, and seeing some fine alpine strawberries in a little garden which the elder ones had given to Lydia, he asked her if he might gather some? No, pray brother, do not gather them now, said Lydia; for I keep them to treat you all with to-morrow upon my birth-day. Is to-morrow your birth-day, little girl? replied he; then, as to-day is a half-holiday, I will go a fishing, and try if I cannot get you a dish of fish for your dinner. I shall set off directly: and pray, Mamma, do not mind whether I return to dinner, for I do not care about that. Go then, said Mamma; and I will contribute some tarts and a cake, as my share of the entertainment.
Gilbert took his rod and his implements, and away he went. At dinner he was not much expected; but in the evening his Mamma began to grow uneasy, and was going to send a servant after him. However, just as she was speaking to the servant, Gilbert came in much tired, but without any fish.
I am sorry, Lydia, said he, not to have any fish to offer you; but I think when you know how it happened, you will not be displeased with me. I had, said he, no success at all till evening; the fish then began to bite, and I caught two very fine trout. I was coming home mightily delighted with my prize; but before I had walked a quarter of a mile, I heard the sound of somebody crying on the other side of the hedge, and heard a voice say, Now your brothers and sisters must go to-bed without their suppers; and poor things, I left them only a halfpenny roll in the morning; and we had nothing, you know, but a few turnips yesterday.
The hedge was so thick I could not see who was speaking, till we came to a stile, and then I saw the poor boy (who comes to the door sometimes with fish) and his mother get over into the lane. I asked her, what was the matter? and she told me, she had been about five miles to buy fish; that she had almost starved herself and her children to save up two shillings for the purpose, in hope of getting a little profit by it; she had staid all day, and could not get any; and she and her son were returning home. She had a hole in her pocket, and, therefore, had given the shillings to the boy; and as they were going through a close lane, she unguardedly said to her son, Bob, are your two shillings safe? Just at that moment a great, big man jumped over the hedge, and catching hold of the boy, said, Are you quite sure they are safe? let me take care of them for you; and then ran his hand into his pocket, and took away the two shillings: and now, said she, I have nothing to give to the children! I intended to have bought a six-penny loaf, when I got home, for this boy and I have tasted nothing to-day; and I should have tried to get some fish to-morrow with the remaining eighteen-pence. She cried so, added Gilbert, that I was ready to cry too. I had no money to give her. I had nothing but my fish; and I asked her, how much she could sell them for? O! dear Sir! said she, they are very fine fish! I dare say they would fetch a shilling or eighteen-pence a piece. And do you think you could sell them to-night if you had them? said I. She said, she did not doubt that she could sell them; but should not think of taking my fish: however, I begged her to take them; and if it had not been so late, I would have gone back and tried to get you some more, Lydia; but I will get up very early in the morning and go. Indeed, brother, said Lydia, I beg you will not think of it; for if there are such bad men about they may rob you too.
Gilbert, I believe, said Mamma, does not read Horace yet, or he might tell you that,
“Blythe sings the traveller with empty purse,
And in the robber’s sight pursues his course.”
But though it is certain that, if he has nothing he cannot be robbed, he may be uncivilly used, and, therefore, I would advise him not to go; we can, I dare say, procure fish without giving him any further trouble; but I thought you had a shilling this morning, Gilbert; what have you done with it?