Archie’s Vacation
By Mary Joanna Porter
“Papa has come,” shouted Archie Conwood, as he rushed down stairs two steps at a time, with his sisters Minnie and Katy following close behind, and mamma bringing up the rear. Papa had been to Cousin Faraton’s to see if he could engage summer board for the family.
Cousin Faraton lived in a pleasant village about a hundred miles distant from the city in which Mr. and Mrs. Conwood were living. They had agreed that to board with him would insure a pleasant vacation for all.
Papa brought a good report. Everything had been favorably arranged.
“And what do you think!” he asked, in concluding his narrative. “Cousin Faraton has persuaded me to buy a bicycle for you, Archie. He thought it would be quite delightful for you and your Cousin Samuel to ride about on their fine roads together. So I stopped and ordered one on my way home.”
“Oh, you dear, good papa?” exclaimed Archie, “do let me give you a hug.”
“Are you sure it’s healthful exercise?” asked Mrs. Conwood, rather timidly. After the way of mothers, she was anxious for the health of her son.
“Nothing could be better, if taken in moderation,” Mr. Conwood positively replied, thus setting his wife’s fears at rest.
The order for the bicycle was promptly filled, and Archie had some opportunity of using it before going to the country. When the day for leaving town arrived, he was naturally more interested in the safe carrying of what he called his “machine” than in anything else connected with the journey.
He succeeded in taking it to Cousin Faraton’s uninjured, and was much pleased to find that it met with the entire approbation of Samuel, whose opinion, as he was two years older than himself, was considered most important.
The two boys immediately planned a short excursion for the following day, and obtained the consent of their parents.
Breakfast next morning was scarcely over when they made their start. The sunshine was bright, the sky was cloudless; they were well and strong. Everything promised the pleasantest sort of a day. Yet, alas! for all human hopes. Who can tell what sudden disappointment a moment may bring?
The cousins had just disappeared from view of the group assembled on the piazza to see them start, when Samuel came back in breathless haste, exclaiming:
“Archie has fallen, and I think he’s hurt.”
The two fathers ran at full speed to the spot where Archie was, and found him pale and almost fainting by the roadside. They picked him up and carried him tenderly back to the house, while Samuel hurried off for the village doctor. Fortunately he found him in his carriage about setting forth on his morning round and quite ready to drive at a rapid rate to the scene of the accident.
The first thing to be done was to administer a restorative, for Archie had had a severe shock. The next thing was an examination, which resulted in the announcement of a broken leg.
Surely there was an end to all plans for a pleasant vacation.
The doctor might be kind, sympathetic and skillful, as indeed he was. The other children might unite in trying to entertain their injured playfellow. They might bring him flowers without number, and relate to him their various adventures, and read him their most interesting story-books—all this they did. Mother might be tireless in her devotion, trying day and night to make him forget the pain—what mother would not have done all in her power?
Still there was no escape from the actual suffering, no relief from the long six weeks’ imprisonment; while outside the birds were singing and the summer breezes playing in ever so many delightful places that might have been visited had it not been for that broken leg.
Archie tried to be brave and cheerful, and to conceal from every one the tears which would sometimes force their way to his eyes.
He endeavored to interest himself in the amusements which were within his reach, and he succeeded admirably. Yet the fact remained that he was having a sadly tedious vacation.
The kind-hearted doctor often entertained him by telling of his experiences while surgeon in a hospital during the war.
“Do you know,” he said one day in the midst of a story, “that the men who had been bravest on the field of battle were most patient in bearing suffering? They showed what we call fortitude, and bravery and fortitude go hand in hand.”
This was an encouraging thought to Archie, for he resolved to show that he could endure suffering as well as any soldier. Another thing that helped him very much was the fact, of which his mother reminded him, that by trying to be patient he was doing what he could, to please the Lord Jesus.
“It was He,” she said, “who allowed this trial to come to you, because He saw that through it you might grow to be a better and a nobler boy. And you will be growing better every day by simply trying to be patient, as I see you do.”
“I want to be, mamma,” Archie answered; “and there’s another thing about this broken leg, I think it will teach me to care more when other people are sick.”
“No doubt it will, Archie, and if you learn to exercise patience and sympathy, your vacation will not be lost, after all.”