TIMID LUCY
by
Sarah Schoonmaker Baker
"FEAR NOT, LITTLE FLOCK."
LONDON:
JOHN MORGAN, 10, PATERNOSTER ROW.
1862
LONDON:
ROBERT K. BURT, PRINTER,
HOLBORN HILL.
CONTENTS.
CHAP.
I.—The Little Bed-room
II.—The Thunder-shower
III.—The Medicine
IV.—An Announcement
V.—The Arrival
VI.—An Accident
VII.—Sunday Morning
VIII.—Staying at Home
IX.—The King and his Weapons
X.—The Happy Sunday Evening
XI.—Judy M'Grath
XII.—The Visitor
XIII.—Sickness
XIV.—Conclusion
TIMID LUCY.
CHAPTER I.
THE LITTLE BED-ROOM.
Dr. Vale had the prettiest house in all Chatford.It was a tasteful, white cottage, with agreen lawn in front, and tall elm trees aboutit. The side windows looked out upon apleasant orchard, where the smooth, ripe applespeeped temptingly from their beds of freshleaves. At one of these windows there was aneat curtain, that was looped back one summerevening, while through the open casement therefloated the perfume of the rose bush that hadclimbed the cottage wall, until its buds couldlook in at the upper window. A pretty sightthere was within! the moonlight streamed onthe floor, and lit up as sweet a little bed-roomas any fairy could desire. The smallcounterpane and bureau-cover were white as snow, onthe tiny work-table there was a vase of freshflowers, and the miniature book-case was filledwith an interesting collection of nicely-boundvolumes. There was nothing wanting to givethe apartment an air of perfect taste and comfort.
Did the young owner enjoy that pleasantroom? Young she must have been, foreverything, even to the low rocking-chair, wasevidently prepared for the use of some favouredchild.
Presently the door opened, but no oneentered. Lucy Vale, the doctor's youngestdaughter, stood timidly without. Surely therewas nothing frightful in that quiet room? yetshe did not venture in until the light was sosteady that she could see plainly into itsfarthest corners. As soon, as she had locked thedoor behind her, she looked into the closet,behind the curtain, under the bed, and evenunder the bureau, where nothing thicker thana turtle could possibly have hidden itself.
There had not been a robbery in the peacefulvillage of Chatford in the memory of the oldestinhabitant, so there was no danger of Lucy'sdisturbing any villain in his hiding-place. Ifshe had chanced to find the thief she seemed soearnestly seeking, she would have been in amost unfortunate pos