Part 1 (1/2)
Hope and Have.
by Oliver Optic.
PREFACE.
The fifth volume of the Woodville stories contains the experience of f.a.n.n.y Grant, who from a very naughty girl became a very good one, by the influence of a pure and beautiful example, exhibited to the erring child in the hour of her greatest wandering from the path of rect.i.tude.
The story is not an ill.u.s.tration of the ”pleasures of hope;” but an attempt to show the young reader that what we most desire, in moral and spiritual, as well as worldly things, we labor the hardest to obtain--a truism adopted by the heroine in the form of the princ.i.p.al t.i.tle of the volume, Hope and Have.
The terrible Indian ma.s.sacre which occurred in Minnesota, in 1862, is the foundation of the latter half of the story; and the incidents, so far as they have been used, were drawn from authentic sources. f.a.n.n.y Grant's experience is tame compared with that of hundreds who suffered by this deplorable event; and her adventures, in company with Ethan French, are far less romantic than many which are sufficiently attested by the princ.i.p.al actors in them.
Once more, and with increased pleasure, the author tenders to his juvenile friends his thanks for their continued kindness to him and his books; and he hopes his present offering will both please and benefit them.
WILLIAM T. ADAMS.
HARRISON SQUARE, Ma.s.s., July 16, 1866.
CHAPTER I.
THE NAUGHTY GIRL.
”Now you will be a good girl, f.a.n.n.y Jane, while I am gone--won't you?”
said f.a.n.n.y Grant, who has several times before appeared in these stories, to f.a.n.n.y Jane Grant, her namesake, who has not before been presented to our readers.
”O, yes, Miss f.a.n.n.y; I will be ever so good; I won't even look wrong,”
replied f.a.n.n.y Jane, whose snapping black eyes even then beamed with mischief.
”I am afraid you don't mean what you say,” added Miss f.a.n.n.y, suspiciously.
”Yes, I do; I mean every word of it, and more too.”
”You make large promises; and I find when you promise most, you perform least.”
”But, certain true as I live, I won't do a single thing this time,”
protested f.a.n.n.y Jane. ”Won't you believe me?”
”You have deceived me so often that I do not know when to trust you.”
”I have turned over a new leaf, and I mean to be just as good as ever I can be.”
”If you are not good, f.a.n.n.y Jane, I shall feel very bad when I return.
I have done a great deal for you, and I hope you will think of it if you are tempted to do wrong during my absence. This time, in particular, I wish you to behave very well, and not do any mischief.
You know what father says about you?”
”He don't like me,” pouted f.a.n.n.y Jane.
”When you are good he likes you.”