A Little Maid of Massachusetts Colony

								

says I shall not visit Rose Freeman, and does not tell me why I shall
not go. My father would let me; I know that full well. And I am going; I
will walk to Brewster!" Anne's heart grew lighter as she thought of all
the joys that a visit to Rose would mean. "I'll start to-night," she
decided. "Maybe it will take me a long time, as there are no roads, but
I know I can find the way. Oh, I wish it would get dark! I'll take you,
Martha Stoddard, but I guess I'll change your name, for Aunt Martha
doesn't like me any more," and the little girl began to feel very lonely
and unhappy. The room door swung open at that very moment and there
stood Mrs. Stoddard with a mug full of creamy milk and a plate of corn
bread.
"Here is your supper, Anne. And I hope you are ready to tell me why you
pushed Amanda down and ran off with her basket," and Mrs. Stoddard
looked at Anne with a puzzled expression in her kind eyes.
"I did not----" began Anne.
"There, there, child. Mrs. Cary told me the whole story. Tell me the
truth, and I'll not be hard with you," and Mrs. Stoddard set down the
mug and plate on the light-stand and stood waiting.
"I will not say another word!" declared Anne, who felt that even her
dear Aunt Martha had turned against her.
"Then you must stay up here until you are a more obedient child," said
Mrs. Stoddard, and went slowly out of the room. "I don't see what has
possessed the child," she said to Captain Enos on returning to the
kitchen.
"She has always been a truthful child, Martha," ventured the captain,
"so why not believe her now?"
"I would gladly, Enos; but Mrs. Cary came straight to me as soon as
Amanda reached home, and 'twas an hour later when Anne returned, and she
has no word of excuse. 'Twill do the child no harm to stay in her room
until she can tell me the reason for such behavior. And of course this
visit to the Freemans' must be given up. 'Twould not do to let her go
after such conduct."
"A pity," responded the captain. "'Twould have been a fine journey for
the little maid."
Anne could hear the murmur of their voices as she drank the milk and ate
the corn bread. "I wish I had some bread to take with me," she thought.
"I'll take my blue cape, and my shoes and white stockings, for I'm sure
I ought to wear them on the chaise," and Anne tiptoed about the room
gathering up her clothing. It did not make a very large bundle, even
when she decided to take the white muslin dress, and the coral beads.
She heard Captain Enos and Aunt Martha go to their chamber, and then,
holding "Martha Stoddard" and the bundle in her arms, crept down the
narrow stairway. The outer door stood ajar to admit the cool fragrant
air, and in a moment Anne was running along the sandy track that led
through the little settlement. It was still early, but there was not a
light to be seen in any of the small gray houses. The summer sky was
filled with stars, and as Anne ran she could see her shadow stretching