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"For Father's Sake," or A Tale of New Zealand Life

Chapter V

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Chapter V.

That was the first of a whole series of weekly visits. Saturday after Saturday regularly found Nellie at her father's station. She would go up on Saturday and return on Sunday. Sometimes if there were anything very tempting being done she would not return until Monday. During those brief periods more was learned than was studied through all the other days of the week. Bit by bit she understood the whys and the wherefores of everything; until at last she had drilled herself into the whole system of station life. Of each machine she knew exactly what they should do, and whether they were doing their work aright. Often her ingenuity was called into question regarding the repairing of a sudden breakage. When her father went to the cow-sheds she followed, and few of his commands slipped past her unnoticed. In the stable she revelled, and many were the scoops-full of oats and chaff emptied by those dainty white hands into the mangers. At first she was filled with fear, and did not care to enter the stable door, but when she saw her father pass in and out among those restless horses; when she perceived their perfect obedience to his slightest command, she knew that her fears were groundless, and she became ashamed of herself. Clasping her hands together she would feel her heart bursting with pride as she realised she was the daughter of this brave wise man. No wonder the seeds of a noble enterprising nature were planted and nourished in that daughter's heart. "Father," she breathed, "that which thou doeth, doeth also thy child." From that day she feared page 39nothing, and soon those well-groomed horses learned to obey her voice as faithfully as they did that of her father. But when Mr. Main, preparing for a day's muster, would loosen the noisy nimble dogs from their chains, and when those dogs leaped up and threatened to smother their master by their boisterous embraces, and when they would bound off at his word or motion; ah! then she felt foiled, and dreamed of impossibilities. But even that did not make her give up hope, for, as soon as her father's back was turned, and he was safely out of sight, she would sally forth, armed with a most formidable weapon (a willow twig), and accompanied by the household pet, an old blind-eyed dog without a tail, or at least with the stump of a tail, sally forth to round up the few sheep that had been put, for the purpose of killing, in a handy paddock near the house. What those sleepy fat sheep thought, as they beheld this strange apparition advancing upon them with all the dignity of a commanding general and his allies, would be hard to say. Certainly they did not consider it worth their while to "move on," until forced, and even then, they would often turn round and stamp their feet contemptuously at the bob-tailed ally. Ah! I am afraid there was something wrong here; perhaps the woolly subjects had not been properly trained, or perhaps they did not understand the reason of all that "Get away back there, boy," "Come here, Jip, you bad dog," "Come behind now," "Lie down," "Go ahead there;" "Ah! you villain, what are you up to!" No wonder they refused to budge an inch when they arrived within about two yards of the sheep pens. They were not going to be made fools of. Still in spite of drawbacks, Nellie thoroughly enjoyed her wonderful work of mustering, and poor blind Jip became useful in his old age.

Then came the shearing. The father's nature was in his child; for many were the cups of water held out to the thirsty shearers. Hour after hour she would stand, marking page 40the workmanship, counting the sheep; and when evening came, she and her father would converse about that day's labour as freely as if they two were partners in the whole transaction; indeed the elder head had often to apply to the younger for the correct number of wool bales dumped, or the right quantity of fleeces in each. The neighbours found fault, and lectured the father on the folly of allowing a girl of Nellie's age to wander about among the workmen. To all such remonstrances he would give the smiling reply, "She is with me only once a week. It will do her no harm to learn farming. There is less danger among the workmen than there is among the gentlemen." And so Nellie was let alone. Her interest did not lessen when the harvesting time drew near, and, although her father forbade her leave the homestead, she could see the men at work, she could count the sacks of potatoes as they were brought in and stowed away in the barn. When the oats and barley were being thrashed, and when the straw was cut into chaff, she would wonder how many hungry mouths could be filled by the produce of those few acres of land. And the grass-seed cutting: how she loved to see the proud waving stalks fall beneath the sharp knives of the reaping machine; and where that machine could not enter, half a dozen or more natives appeared sickle in hand, mowing and gleaning; mimicking the harvesters of the ancient biblical times. The wonderful tying into bundles of the mower, and the casting away of those bundles when the tying was completed, puzzled Nellie not a little, and she actually found herself drawing pictures of the meeting between herself and the inventor of that machine. "What a jolly shake of the hand I will give him," she exclaimed; "even if Heaven is our trysting place."

Leaning over the garden gate, watching that peaceful industrious scene, Nellie was as near to Heaven as would cause the envy of many more aged and more advanced christians. page 41And when the air, laden with the sweet scent of hay, was wafted to where she stood, she would look up to the blue sky above and praise God for the sweet lessons taught, and the sweeter manner of the teaching.

The infant school of her life will have to be passed, and like many others she will eventually accept the office of pupil teacher. I think her best lessons will be those taught in the allegorical language of the simple workings of a back country station.

"Father," she said one day; "when all this work is finished, what will the men do?"

"The work will never be finished," quietly answered the farmer. And his words were true: no sooner was one thing finished when another began. Is it not well for man that his work is never finished? Yet I hear man complain about having too much work, while his sympathizer, who stands before the plough with folded hands, answers the complaint by declaring he has not enough. Strange human nature. It is hard to understand what it wants.

One Saturday as Nellie dismounted, Mr. Main met her at the gate. After enquiring about the welfare of those at home, he continued:

"I am going out, Nellie. There has been an accident, and I must go and ascertain the amount of damage done. Do not expect me back for several hours, as the place of the accident is at the far end of the station."

"I wonder what has happened," thought Nellie, as she leisurely made her way into the house. "Papa looks very grave. I suppose those bothering cattle have gone and got tooted. Just as if they hadn't gumption enough to know toot is poison. Perhaps a horse has got the strangles. Oh, bother!" This last remark was to her glove, which had preferred to give a button rather than come off without a struggle.

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A very tempting smell issued from the kitchen. The little nose went into the air, sniff, sniff. "My word, I'm in for a feed," and hardly waiting to button up her dress, Miss Nellie marched into the kitchen.

"Oh, cook! I smell something nice. What is it?" and a very wicked glance was cast in the direction of the fireplace.

"Lor' bless yer, lass! and it's right glad I are to see you." The round checks swelled, and the round eyes swelled, and the round body swelled, until Nellie was afraid the whole woman would swell into one helpless mass.

"Of course you are, cook, and I am glad to see you, but haven't you anything nice in the cupboard!"

Cook opened the cupboard. "In coarse I have. I knowed you'd be hungry! I made you this." From the dark depth there appeared the chestnut crust of no ordinary sized pie. "There lassie, cat," and the savoury meat was placed directly under Nellie's nose.

Nellie burst out laughing. "Upon my word, Jane, that's too bad of you. I know I eat a great deal, but—but that is a littlemore than I can manage."

"Never mind, eat what you can," said cook, good naturedly, proceeding to spread a cloth.

"Don't bother about that thing," exclaimed Nellie looking, at the pie as if she meant to devour dish and all. "I am too hungry to wait for cloths. Give me a knife or a fork—that cleaver will do—anything at all, or I shall use my fingers." She was just on the point of "playing the deuce with the pie," as the boys would say, when on looking up she saw some one enter the gate.

"Good gracious! cook, here's someone coming through the back gate. Whatever shall I do," and the distracted girl glanced around to find a means of hiding her pie. Too late! the gentleman was at the door, and Nellie had to make the best of a bad situation.

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"I beg your pardon, but is"—then noticing the girl's embarrassment he paused. "I hope I am not intruding," said he, withdrawing a little. Nellie's face was crimson, but she was a Main, and equal to the occasion. Quickly rising and advancing to meet the gentleman, she said, "Pray don't apologize, I am only trying to empty cook's cupboard. Perhaps you will help me? Won't you come in?"

"Thanks. Is Mr. Main at home?"

"No! He has gone to the other end of the station, and will not be back for some time. Will you wait?" The brown eyes were twinkling mischievously, and the little figure was shaking with suppressed laughter. The gentleman had his suspicions.

"I believe we have met before, have we not! I think I recollect having seen the face."

The laughter bubbled over and flooded the room with its silvery sound. "Yes, Mr. Noble," answered Nellie, when she had recovered herself sufficiently to speak. "Under very painful circumstances, if I recollect rightly. It is well we do not always judge people by our first impressions,"

Mr. Noble laughed. "I remember: you are the young lady who gave me so much trouble when I was extracting her tooth."

"The same. But I shall return good for evil by inviting you to partake of my pie," And Nellie motioned her visitor to a chair.

"I heartily accept the invitation, for I have had nothing to eat since I left town." Mr. Noble drew his chair up to the table and sat down.

"But tell me," added he, beginning to help himself to the cream Jane had placed at their disposal. "Tell me what you mean by returning good for evil."

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"Well," began Nellie holding up her fingers and touching them lightly as she numbered each of her good deeds; "I give you pleasure, whereas you gave me pain. Is it not a pleasure to satisfy one's appetite? For men, I mean, their greatest—you know the rest"—this last with another of her wicked glances. "Good number one. I allow you the use of my chair, while you forced me out of yours, and caused me to perambulate up and down the floor, calling down all sorts of woes upon your devoted head. Good number two. I added to the weight of your purse by being a partaker of your pleasure, for I court another toothache, and another visit to the celebrated Mr, Noble; whereas you considerably alleviated mine by demanding half a crown. Good number three. Four! Five!" tipping lightly the remaining fingers. "I wish I could think of two more goods, then I would defy the—um—the toothache."

The gentleman laughed heartily. "I am too well employed to argue the point with you," he exclaimed, helping himself to a second plateful. "This is delicious. No wonder you look so well when this is your diet."

"Forbear, and eat no more," quoth Nellie, brandishing her spoon. "Necessity must be served. Know you not I almost die for food."

"And so do I, but eat and welcome," answered Mr. Noble, carrying out the mimic play, and throwing himself into a tragic attitude.

"Speak you so gently? Pardon me, I pray. Methought thou wert a savage, and therefore put I on this air. But continue with thy repast; thy gentleness moves me to force. May the gods defend you by-and-by my friend and countryman." Thus the gay repartee was kept up between the two, until with a relieved sigh they awoke to the fact that they had demolished the whole pie.

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"I declare," exclaimed Mr. Noble, leaning back in his chair, and looking at the empty dish. "I declare I would have stopped long ago, but for you. It is not etiquette to leave a lady alone."

"Man all over! His nature has not changed since the creation. Adam laid the blame on Eve, but I'll warrant he enjoyed the apple, and would have eaten another if he had had the chance."

"Ah! Miss Main, if ancient Eves were as bewitching as modern ones, I do not wonder at Adam's fall." Another very tragic attitude.

"When does man ever blame man where women are concerned? If ancient Adams were as fond of fruit (pies) as modern Adams appear to be, my wonder regarding Adam's fall is reversed. But we are wasting time," Mr. Noble, answered Nellie, rising. "Would you care to see around the place? Father forbids me leave home when he is away, but I can show you the garden."

"Thank you, I should like to see the garden very much. I am a bit of a botanist, you know."

"Are you? Preserve me from bits of botanists." The mischievous girl tried to look horrified. "Please don't start a lecture on stamens, parallel leaves, underground stems and—and—molecules. Molecules are atoms, are they not?" Such a very innocent face had the questioner.

"Well, yes! Molecules are atoms, but they are not bits, if that is what you are hinting at. Still, I fail to see where molecules come in with botany."

"Do you. Oh, I am so sorry; I forgot. Of course nobility deals with bulk in general, not with atoms in botany. Is that not so, Mr. Noble. You ought to know?" The meek questioner hung her head in conscious ignorance and suppressed laughter.

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"Not always, especially if they happen to be entangled in Mane,"

"Tit for tat," answered the gay laughing girl, leading the way into the garden, where in spite of Nellie's previous warning, Mr. Noble launched out into the mysteries of the development of several parts of a plant.

"It's the effect of pie," inwardly commented Nellie. "It will wear off in time." Presently she opened the gate leading to the orchard.

"I am sorry, Mr. Noble, that I have no apples to tempt you with, but perhaps grapes will serve the purpose, since it is the Eves and not the apples who do the damage."

After they had helped themselves to whatever they could find in the orchard, and Nellie had selected the best bunch of grapes for her father, they returned to the house.

"I am afraid I cannot wait longer, Miss Main. I am sorry to go without having seen your father."

"Could you not leave a message?"

"Well—I came to see a horse he has advertised for sale, I don't suppose you know anything about it." Looking at the young face doubtingly.

"No! Of course not!" A decided toss of the little head. "Eves are not supposed to know aught else than the lore of temptation. However, if you follow this Eve, you will behold the object." Nellie led the way to the stable. Mr. Noble walked round and round, held his head on one side, changed the position of his feet, hm-ed and ha-ed, looked very important, stepped back and putting his hand behind him, thus he spoke: "Fine upstanding colt; rather dark of colour for my taste, yet none the worse for that. Sound in the legs, though weak in the hind quarters. Intelligent head. Grand eyes. He is a fine horse, Miss Main; well worth the money." This is his opinion; but then Miss Main was there. page 47Perhaps he would have another opinion when Miss Main was gone, and another Miss or Mr. had taken her place.

"I shall see Mr. Main when he comes to town," he said as he turned to say good-bye to his young hostess. "And I must thank you very much for an extremely enjoyable afternoon. It is worth a great deal to come in contact with originality, and I hope I shall be able to return your kindness."

"Indeed you are mistaken Mr. Noble," answered Nellie, a little gravely, "The pleasure lies in your being able to lay aside artificiality, and if, in so doing you find pleasure, why not dispense with art altogether? Nature affords a larger scope for indulgences,"

"One can hardly speak of prosaic business in the language of Poetic Nature."

"Why."

"Well!—It is hardly the thing."

"Why, I ask!"

Mr Noble looked puzzled—in fact, he did not know what to make of his questioner—she looked so innocent. At last he ventured on a reply.

"If you were in business you would understand. One has to do and say things they hardly mean, or they would not be patronized."

"Have they? Do you ever try to say things you do mean Mr. Noble? I think if you were to try, you would not find time for saying things you did not. Sheep are not the only creatures that say bah because their leader says it. Yet there is some excuse for sheep, bah is their natural cry. Next time a man comes to pay you a large account, when he utters his customary bah, do you inform him that you are a cow, and therefore cannot comply with his cry."

Mr. Noble laughed, "I understand what you are driving at, never fear Miss Main, I am a total abstainer.

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"Hardly, since you cannot abstain from the habit of saying what you do not mean," retorted Nellie. "However, I accept your invitation. Shall I label myself with "Beware of the dog," before I enter your mansion!"

"By all means. My wife will need warning," and politely raising his hat, Mr. Noble rode away, musing on the truth of Nellie's suggestive Bah.

The afternoon waned amd yet there was no sign of Mr. Main's return. Nellie tried all sorts of amusements to while away the time. She teased cook until cook chased her out of the kitchen. She criticised John's digging until John threatened to make her do the work. She lectured Jip upon the folly of shewing his affection too plainly to the outer world, when by burying what he had, it would become internal, and no one would have the option of dispising him; until Jip stood dumbfounded, inwardly wondering where Nellie had learned this item of philosophy. Even the horses were "Taken down a peg," for they were told not to be so affected. There was no one there to see them, and if they wanted to keep up with the fashion, they must reserve their kisses and smiles for the court, and their curses and frowns for the kitchen. At last growing too restless and anxious for anything. Nellie threw a shawl over her head and walked down to the gate to watch for the absentee. It was bright moonlight now, and she could see far up the road. "I wonder what can be keeping father. He has never been away after dark before," she mused.

After what seemed to her hours of waiting, she saw him coming. He did not notice the quiet figure standing in the shadow of the high somber painted gate; and for a few minutes Nellie did not make herself known. Again that nameless feeling crept into her heart as she watched the bent head and abstracted gaze. "How old father looks; even in this cold untruthful light I can see the wrinkles on his face."

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"You have been a long time away father," she said, stepping forward to unfasten the gate. I was begining to grow anxious."

The absent look left the face, and, jumping off his horse, Mr. Main threw the reins to one of his men; and together father and daughter walked up the long wide avenue. "How is it that you are down here Nellie? Are you not afraid of catching cold?" The father's voice was full of grave concern.

"Oh no father, I seldom catch cold, and I am sure I run after it enough." (Colds are like young men, seldom caught by the pursuer). "But what was the accident?"

"Some wild dogs got among my sheep and killed about two hundred. Several they cruelly mutilated, and the remainder they drove headlong into the creek. But that is not all," added Mr. Main half to himself, "It is quite true, trouble never comes singly,, Then into the listening ears of the girl was poured a tale of many serious losses sustained during those past few months, "And my favourite colt." The hitherto firm voice of the reciter quivered a little at this saddest loss of all. "My favorite colt that I had set my hopes of winning the spring two year old with, I had to shoot yesterday. That, I think, is the hardest of all."

It was a very sad little voice that bade father good night, and it was a much sadder heart that turned away to hide the disappointment in the darkness of a bedroom.

"Good night daughter," said Mr. Main, kindly, "I am afraid this must be your last visit here for a while. The roads are not safe, and I do not care to see you run such risks."

Nellie knew better than offer any remonstrance—father's word was law. And from that time, until the beginning of the next summer, the old homestead never once echoed page 50the girl's happy careless laugh. How mach Nellie felt the dissappointment, only those know who have had to relinquish the source of their greatest enjoyment.

One day, after an absence of about two months, Mr Main came to town. The girls joy at seeing her parent, was so great, that she almost forgot the awe with which she and all the children regarded him; and it was with difficulty she could refrain from throwing her arms around his neck as he stooped to kiss her.

"Well, Nell, lass; did you think your old dad had left you?" said he, gently patting the dark head.

"Why don't you let me live with you always?" asked Nellie half reproachfully.

"It is no place for you child," and without waiting to hear Nellie's pleadings, Mr. Main turned away to remove the muddy travel stains. When he returned Nellie had prepared him a tempting luncheon, of which he partook freely. He had hardly been seated five minutes when the door bell rang.

"That is for me. Shew the gentlemen in please, Nellie." And Nellie, mistaking her father's meaning, shewed them into the room where Mr. Main sat.

"You are prompt," and Mr. Main's lip curled sarcastically.

"Prompt's my name, Sir," the shortest, and the reddest, and the fattest of the two men answered. "'Twould be better for some people if they had the same name."

"I am sorry I cannot oblige you in that respect." Mr. Main deliberately poured himself out a second cup of tea. He quite understood the double meaning of those insinuating words. "Pray be seated, Mr. Luce. Or, perhaps, as I wil not be ready for a few minutes, you would like to amuse yourselves, Nellie, shew these gentlemen into the drawing room."

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A very wrathful look was thrown upon the smiling host as the man addressed as Mr. Luce, followed by his silent companion, slouched out of the room. "I'll make him sweat for this, you see if I don't. The cursed upstart. I have him by the nose and I shall keep him. Airing his good breeding! If the truth were known he is no better than the rest of his kind. Picked up from the gutter and educated in Dr. Bernardo's Home I dare say."

They had not long to wait, however, for Mr, Main was as anxious to get the business over as they were to begin it. All that afternoon the three gentlemen were closeted together. What passed those who undertand the entanglements of mortgages well know. It will be sufficient for us to hear the restless pacing, the angry word, the significant cough

When the two visitors had gone, Mr. Main remained locked in his room, and long into the early hours of the next morning Nellie heard those irregular steps pacing the floor. How worn and weary he looked as he made the few necessary preparations for his return to the country. The daughter's heart was very heavy as she noticed how much deeper the lines of care had grown on that beloved face.