Michael O'Halloran — A Particular Nix
_A Particular Nix_ Peaches awakened early the following morning, but Mickey was watching beside her to help her remember, to prompt, to soothe, to comfort and to teach.
He followed Mrs. Harding to the kitchen and from the prepared food selected what he thought came closest filling the diet prescribed by the Sunshine Nurse, and then he carried the tray to a fresh, cool Peaches beside a window opening on a grassy, tree-covered lawn.
Her room was bewildering on account of its many, and to the child, magnificent furnishings.
She found herself stretching, twisting and filled with a wild desire to walk, to see the house, the little girl and the real baby, the lawn beyond her window, the flower-field, the red berries where they grew, and the birds and animals from which came the most amazing sounds.
After doing everything for Peaches he could, Mickey went to his breakfast.
Mary Harding and Bobbie were so anxious to see the visitor they could scarcely eat.
Knowing it was no use to try forcing them, their mother excused them and they ventured as far as the door.
There they stopped, gazing at the little stranger, while she stared back at them; but she was not frightened, because she knew who they were and that they would be good to her, else Mickey would not let them come.
So when Mary, holding little brother's hand, came peeping around the door-casing, Peaches withdrew her attention from exploration of the strip of lawn in her range and concentrated on them.
If they had come bounding at her, she would have been frightened, but they did not.
They stood still, half afraid, watching the tiny white creature, till suddenly she smiled at them and held out her hand.
"I like you," she said.
"Did you have red berries for breakfus?"
Mary nodded and smiled back.
"I think you're a pretty little girl," said Peaches.
"I ain't half as pretty as you," said Mary.
"No a-course you ain't," she admitted.
"Your family don't put your ribbon on you 'til night, do they?
Mickey put mine on this morning 'cause I have to look nice and be jus' as good, else I have to be took back to the hot room.
Do you have to be nice too?"
"Yes, I have to be a good girl," said Mary.
"What does your family do to you if you don't mind?"
"I ain't going to tell, but it makes me," said Mary.
"What does yours do to you?"
"I ain't going to tell either," said Peaches, "but I get jus' as good!
What's your name?"
"Mary."
"What's his?"
"Bobbie.
Mostly we call him little brother.
Ain't he sweet?"
asked Mary.
"Jus' a Precious Child!
Let him mark on my slate."
Mickey hurried to the room.
As he neared the door he stepped softly and peeped inside.
It was a problem with him as to how far Mary and Bobbie could be trusted.
Having been with Peaches every day he could not accurately mark improvements, but he could see that her bones did not protrude so far, that her skin was not the yellow, glisteny horror it had been, that the calloused spots were going under the steady rubbing of nightly oil massage, so lately he had added the same treatment to her feet; if they were not less bony, if the skin were not soft and taking on a pinkish colour, Mickey felt that his eyes were unreliable.
Surely she was better!
Of course she was better!
She had to be!
She ate more, she sat up longer, she moved her feet where first they had hung helpless.
She was better, much better, and for that especial reason, now was the time to watch closer than before.
Now he must make sure that a big strong child did not drag her from the bed, and forever undo all he had gained.
Since he had written Dr. Carrel, Mickey had rubbed in desperation, not only nights but mornings also, lest he had asked help before he was ready for it; for the Sunshine Lady had said explicitly that the sick back could not be operated until the child was stronger.
He was working according to instructions.
Mickey watched.
Any one could have seen the delicate flush on Peaches' cheek that morning, the hint of red on her lips, the clearing whites of her lovely eyes.
She was helping Bobbie as Mickey had taught her.
And Bobbie approved mightily.
He lifted his face, put up his arms and issued his command: "Take Bobbie!"
"No!
No, Bobbie," cautioned Mary.
"Mother said no!
You must stay on the floor!
Sister will take you.
You mustn't touch Peaches 'til God makes her well.
You asked Him last night, don't you know?
Mother will spank something awful if you touch her.
You must be careful 'til her back is well, mother said so, and father too; father said it crosser than mother, don't you remember?"
"Mustn't touch!"
repeated Bobbie, drawing back.
Mickey was satisfied with Mrs. Harding's instructions, but he took the opportunity to emphasize a few points himself.
He even slipped one white, bony foot from under the sheet and showed Mary how sick it was, and how carefully it must be rubbed before it would walk.
"I can rub it," announced Mary.
"Well don't you try that," cautioned Mickey.
"Why go on and let her!"
interposed Peaches.
"Go on and let her!
After today you said you'd be gone all day, an' if rubbing in the morning and evening is good, maybe more would make me walk sooner.
Mickey I ain't ever said it, 'cause you do so much an' try so hard, but Mickey, _I'm just about dead to walk!
_ Mickey, I'm so tired being lifted.
Mickey, I want to get up an' _go_ when I want to, like other folks!"
"Well that's the first time you ever said that."
"Well 'tain't the first time I ever could a-said it, if I'd a-wanted to," explained Peaches.
"I see!
You game little kid, you," said Mickey.
"All right Mary, you ask your mother and if she says so, I'll show you how, and maybe you can rub Lily's feet, if you go slow and easy and don't jar her back a speck."
"Ma said I could a-ready," explained Mary.
"Ma said for me to!
She said all of us would, all the time we had while you were away, so she'd get better faster.
Ma said she'd give a hundred dollars if Peaches would get so she could walk here."
Mickey sat back on his heels suddenly.
"Who'd she say that to?"
he demanded.
"Pa.
And he said he'd give five hundred."
"Aw-a-ah!"
marvelled Mickey.
"He did too!"
insisted Mary.
"This morning 'fore you came out.
And Junior would too.
He'd give all in his bank!
And he'd rub too!
He said he would."
"Well, if you ain't the nicest folks!"
cried Mickey.
"Gee, I'm glad I found you!"
"Jus' as glad!"
chimed in Peaches.
"Mary bring Robert here!"
called Mrs. Harding from the hall.
Mary obeyed.
Mickey moved up and looked intently at Peaches.
"Well Lily," he asked, "what do you _think_ of this?"
"I wouldn't trade this for Heaven!"
she answered.
"The country is all the Heaven a-body needs, in June."
"Mickey, bring in the cow now!"
ordered Peaches.
"Bring in the cow?"
queried Mickey.
"Sure, the little red cow in the book that makes the milk.
I want you to milk her right here on my bed!"
"Well, if I ever!"
gasped Mickey.
"Sure, I'll bring her in a minute;
but a cow is big, Lily!
Awful, great big.
I couldn't bring her in here;
but maybe I can drive her where you can see, or I don't know what would be the harm in taking you where the cows are.
But first, one thing!
Now you look right at me, Miss Chicken.
There's something I got to _know_ if you got in your head _straight_.
Who found you, and kept them from 'getting' you?"
"Mickey-lovest," replied Peaches promptly.
"Then who d'you belong to?"
he demanded.
"Mickey!"
she answered instantly.
"Who you got to do as I say?"
he continued.
"Mickey," she repeated.
"Whose _family_ are you?"
he pursued.
"Mickey's!"
she cried.
"Mickey, what's the matter?
Mickey, I love you best.
I'm all yours.
Mickey, I'll go back an' never say a word 'bout the hotness, or the longness, or anything, if you don't _want_ me here."
"Well I do want you here," said Mickey in slow insistent tone.
"I want you right here!
But you got to _understand_ a few things.
You're mine.
I'm going to keep you; you got to understand that."
"Yes Mickey," conceded Peaches.
"And if it will help you to be rubbed more than I can rub you while I got to earn money to pay for our supper when we go home, and fix your back, and save for the seminary, I'll let the nice pleasant lady rub you; and I'll let a good girl like Mary rub you, and if his hands ain't so big they hurt, maybe I'll let Peter rub you; he takes care of Bobbie, maybe he could you, and he's got a family of his own, so he knows how it feels; but it's _nix_ on anybody else, Miss Chicken, see?"
"They ain't nobody else!"
said Peaches.
"There is too!"
contradicted Mickey.
"Mary said Junior would rub your feet!
Well he _won't!
_ It's nix on Junior!
_He's only a boy!
He ain't got a family.
He hasn't had experience.
He doesn't know anything about families!
See?
_" "He carries Bobbie, an' I bet he's heavier 'an me."
For the first time Mickey lost his temper.
"Now you looky here, Miss Chicken," he stormed.
"I ain't saying what he _can_ do, I'm saying what he _can't!
_ See?
You are mine, and I'm going to keep you!
He can lift me for all I care, but he can't carry you, nor rub your feet, nor nothing; because he didn't find you, and you ain't his; and I won't have it, not at all!
Course he's a good boy, and he's a nice boy, and you can play with him, and talk to him, I'll let you just be awful nice to him, because it's polite that you should be, but when it comes to carrying and rubbing, it's nix on Junior, because he's got no family and doesn't understand.
See?"
"Umhuh," taunted Peaches.
"Well, are you going to promise?"
demanded Mickey.
"Maybe," she teased.
"Back you go and never see a cow at all if you don't promise," threatened Mickey.
"Mickey, what's the matter with you?"
cried Peaches suddenly.
"What you getting a tantrum yourself for?
You ain't never had none before."
"That ain't no sign I ain't just busting full of them," said Mickey.
"Bad ones, and I feel an awful one as can be coming right now, and coming quick.
Are you going to promise me nobody who hasn't a _family_, carries you, and rubs you?"
Peaches looked at him in steady wonderment.
"I guess you're pretty tired, an' you need to sleep a while, or somepin," she said.
"If you wasn't about sick yourself, you'd know 'at anybody 'cept you 'ull get their dam-gone heads ripped off if they touches me, nelse _you_ say so.
_Course_, you found me!
_Course_, they'd a-got me, if you hadn't took me.
_Course_, I'm yours!
_Course_, it's nix on Junior, an' it's _nix_ on Peter if you say so.
Mickey, I jus' love you an' love you.
I'll go back now if you say so, I tell you.
Mickey _what's_ the matter?"
She stretched up her arms, and Mickey sank into them.
He buried his face beside hers and for the first time she patted him, and whispered to him as she did to her doll.
She rubbed her cheek against his, crooned over him, and held him tight while he gulped down big sobs.
"Mickey, tell me," she begged, like a little mother.
"Tell me honey?
Are you got a pain anywhere?"
"No!"
he said.
"Maybe I _was_ kind of strung up, getting you here and being so awful scared about hurting you; but it's all right now.
You are here, and things are going to be fine, only, will you, cross your heart, _always and forever remember this: it's nix on Junior, or any boy, who ain't got a family, and doesn't understand?
_" "Yes Mickey, cross my heart, an' f'rever, an' ever; an' Mickey, you must get the soap.
I slipped, an' said the worse yet.
I didn't mean to, but Mickey, I guess you can't _trust_ me.
I guess you got to soap me, or beat me, or somepin awful.
Go on an' do it, Mickey."
"Why crazy!"
said Mickey.
"You're mixed up.
You didn't say anything!
What you said was all rightest ever; rightest of anything I ever heard.
_It was just exactly what I wanted you to say_.
I just _loved_ what you said."
"Well if I ever!"
cried Peaches.
"Mickey, you was so mixed up you didn't hear me.
I got 'nother chance.
Goody, goody!
Now show me the cow!"
"All right!"
said Mickey.
"I'll talk with Mrs. Harding and see how she thinks I best go at it.
Lily, you won't ever, ever forget that particular nix, will you?"
"Not ever," she promised, and lifted her lips to seal the pact with a kiss that meant more to Mickey than all that had preceded it.
"Just how do you feel, anyway, Flowersy-girl?"
"Fine!"
said Peaches.
"I can tell by how it is right now, that it isn't going to get all smothery an' sweatin's here; whoohoo it's so good, Mickey!"
Mickey bent over her holding both hands and whispered: "Then just you keep right before your eyes where you came from, Miss, and what you must go _back_ to, if you don't behave.
You will be a good girl, won't you?"
"Honest, Mickey-lovest, jus' as good."
"Well how goes it with the Little White Butterfly?"
asked Peter at the door.
Mickey looked at Peaches to slightly nod encouragement, then he slipped from the room.
She gave Peter a smile of wonderment and answered readily: "Grand as queen-lady.
You're jus' so nice and fine."
Now Peter hadn't known it, but all his life he had been big; handled rough tools, tasks, implements and animals; while his body grew sinewy and hard, to cope with his task, his heart demanded more refined things; so if Peaches had known the most musical languages on earth, she could not have used words to Peter that would have served her better.
He radiated content.
"Good!"
he cried.
"That's grand and good!
I didn't take a fair look at you last night.
It was so sissing hot in that place and you went to sleep before I got my chores done; but now we must get acquainted.
Tell me honey, does any particular place in your little body hurt you?
If there does, put your hand and show Peter where."
Peaches stared at Peter, then she faintly smiled at him and laid a fluttering hand on her left side.
"Oh shockings!"
mourned Peter.
"That's too bad!
That's vital!
Your heart's right under there, honey.
Is there a pain in your _heart?
_" Peaches nodded solemnly.
"Not _all_ the time!"
she explained.
"Only like now, when you are so _good_ to me.
Jus' so fine and good."
Then and there Peter surrendered.
He bent and kissed the hand he held, and said with tears saturating his words, just as tears do permeate speech sometimes: "Pshaw now, Little White Butterfly!
I never was more pleased to hear anything in my life.
Ma and I have talked for years of having some city children here for summer, but we've been slow trying it because we hear such bad reports from many of them, and it's natural for people to shield their own; but I guess instead of shielding, we may have been denying.
I can't see anything about you children to hurt ours; and I notice a number of ways where it is beneficial to have you here.
It's surely good for all of us.
You're the nicest little folks!"
Peaches sat up suddenly and smiled on Peter.
"Mickey is nice an' fine," she told him.
"Not even you, or anybody, is nice as Mickey.
An' I'm _going_ to be.
I'd _like_ to be!
But you see, I laid alone all day in a dark corner so long, an' I got so wild like, 'at when granny did come, I done an' said jus' like she did, but Mickey doesn't like it.
He's scairt 'most stiff fear I'll forget an' say bad swearin's, an' you'll send me back to the hotness, so's I won't get better.
Would you send me back if I forget _just once_, Peter?"
"Why pshaw now!"
said Peter.
"Pshaw Little Soul, don't you worry about that.
You try _hard_ to remember, and be like Mickey wants you to, and if you make a slip, I'll speak to Ma about it, and we'll just turn a deaf ear, and away out here, you'll soon forget it."
Just then, Mickey, trailing a rope, passed before the window; there was a crunching sound; a lumbering cow stopped, lifted a mouth half filled with grass, and bawled her loudest protest at being separated from her calf.
Peaches had only half a glance, but her shriek was utter terror.
She launched herself on Peter and climbed him, until her knees were on his chest, and her fingers clutching his hair.
"God Jesus!"
she screamed.
"It 'ull eat me!"
Peter caught her in his arms, turning his back.
Mickey heard, and saw, and realized that the cow was too big and had appeared too precipitately, and bellowed too loudly.
He should have begun on the smallest calf on the place.
He rushed the cow back to Junior, and himself to Peaches, who, sobbing wildly, still clung to Peter.
As Mickey entered, frightened and despairing, he saw that Peter was much concerned, but laughing until his shoulders shook, and in relief that he was, and that none of the children were present, Mickey grinned, acquired a slow red, and tried to quiet Peaches.
"Shut that window!"
she screamed.
"Shut it quick!"
"Why honey, that's the cow you wanted to see," soothed Mickey.
"That's the nice cow that gave the very milk you had for breakfast.
Junior was going to milk her where you could see.
We thought you'd _like_ it!"
"Don't let it get me!"
cried Peaches.
"Why it ain't going to get anything but grass!"
said Mickey.
"Didn't you see me leading it?
