Chapter VII. Jill's Mission

Thegoodtimesbeganimmediately,andverylittlestudyingwasdonethatweekinspiteofthevirtuousresolutionsmadebycertainyoungpersonsonChristmasDay.But,dearme,howwasitpossibletosettledowntolessonsinthedelightfulBirdRoom,withnotonlyitsowncharmstodistractone,butallthenewgiftstoenjoy,andadozencallsadaytooccupyone'stime? “Iguesswe'dbetterwaittilltheothersareatschool,andjustgoinforfunthisweek,”saidJack,whowasingreatspiritsattheprospectofgettingup,forthesplintswereoff,andhehopedtobepromotedtocrutchesverysoon. “IshallkeepmySpellerbymeandtakealookatiteveryday,forthatiswhatI'mmostbackwardin.ButIintendtodevotemyselftoyou,Jack,andberealkindanduseful.I'vemadeaplantodoit,andImeantocarryitout,anyway,”answeredJill,whohadbeguntobeamissionary,andfeltthatthiswasafieldoflaborwhereshecoulddistinguishherself. “Here'sahomemissionallreadyforyou,andyoucanbepayingyourdebtsbesidedoingyourselfgood,”Mrs.Pecqsaidtoherinprivate,havingfoundplentytodoherself. NowJillmadeonegreatmistakeattheoutset—sheforgotthatshewastheonetobeconvertedtogoodmannersandgentleness,anddevotedhereffortstolookingafterJack,findingitmucheasiertocureotherpeople'sfaultsthanherown.Jackwasamostengagingheathen,andneededverylittleinstructionthereforeJillthoughthertaskwouldbeaneasyone.Butthreeorfourweeksofpettingandplayhadratherdemoralizedbothchildren,soJill'sSpeller,thoughtuckedunderthesofapilloweveryday,wasseldomlookedat,andJackshirkedhisLatinshamefully.Bothreadallthestory-bookstheycouldget,helddailyleveesintheBirdRoom,andalltheirspareminuteswerespentinteachingSnowdrop,thegreatAngoracat,tobringtheballwhentheydroppeditintheirgame.SoSaturdaycame,andbothwererathertheworseforsomuchidleness,sincedailydutiesandstudiesarethewholesomebreadwhichfeedsthemindbetterthanthedyspepticplum-cakeofsensationalreading,ortheunsubstantialbon-bonsoffrivolousamusement. Itwasastormyday,sotheyhadfewcallers,anddevotedthemselvestoarrangingthealbumforthesebookswerealltheragejustthen,andboysmettocompare,discuss,buy,sell,and“swap”stampswithasmuchinterestasmenon'Changegambleinstocks.Jackhadanicelittlecollection,andhadbeensavinguppocket-moneytobuyabookinwhichtopreservehistreasures.Now,thankstoJill'stimelysuggestion,Frankhadgivenhimafineone,andseveralfriendshadcontributedanumberofrarestampstogracethelarge,invitingpages.Jillwieldedthegum-brushandfittedonthelittleflaps,asherfingerswereskilfulatthisnicework,andJackputeachstampinitsproperplacewithgreatrustlingofleavesandcomparingofmarks.Returning,afterabriefabsence,Mrs.Minotbeheldthecountenancesoftheworkersadornedwithgaystamps,givingthemaverycuriousappearance. “Mydears!whatnewplayhaveyougotnow?AreyouwildIndians?orlettersthathavegoneroundtheworldbeforefindingtherightaddress?”sheasked,laughingattheridiculoussight,forbothwereassoberasjudgesanddeeplyabsorbedinsomedoubtfulspecimen. “Oh,wejuststuckthemtheretokeepthemsafetheygetlostifweleavethemlyinground.It'sveryhandy,forIcanseeinaminutewhatIwantonJill'sfaceandsheonmine,andputourfingersontherightchapatonce,”answeredJack,adding,withananxiousgazeathisfriend'svariegatedcountenance,“WherethedickensismyNewGranada?It'srare,andIwouldn'tloseitforadollar.” “Why,thereitisonyourownnose.Don'tyourememberyouputittherebecauseyousaidminewasnotbigenoughtoholdit?”laughedJill,tweakingalargeorangesquareofftheroundnoseofherneighbor,causingittowrinkleupinadrollway,asthegummadetheoperationslightlypainful. “SoIdid,andgaveyouLittleBolivaronyours.NowI'llhaveAlsaceandLorraine,1870.Therearesevenofthem,soholdstillandseehowyoulikeit,”returnedJack,pickingthelarge,palestampsonebyonefromJill'sforehead,whichtheycrossedlikeaband. Sheboreitwithoutflinching,sayingtoherselfwithasecretsmile,assheglancedatthehotfire,whichscorchedherifshekeptnearenoughtoJacktohelphim,“Thisreallyisbeinglikeamissionary,withatattooedsavagetolookafter.Ihavetosufferalittle,asthegoodfolksdidwhogotspearedandroastedsome