Hello.
Welcome to Sleep Stories with Steph.
A romantic bedtime podcast guaranteed to help you drift off into a calm relaxing sleep.
Come with me as we go back in time to visit Katie Carr.
She is all grown up now but she still has the same trials and tribulations she had as a child.
But before we begin let's take the time to focus on where we are now.
Take a deep breath in through your nose.
Take a deep breath in through your nose.
That's it.
Then let it out on a long sigh.
It is time to relax and really let go.
Feel yourself sink into the support beneath you.
And let the pressures of the day seep away.
Happy listening.
What Katie Did Next by Susan Coolidge Read and abridged by Stephanie Poppins Hello.
Welcome to Sleep Stories with Steph.
A romantic bedtime podcast guaranteed to help you drift off into a calm relaxing sleep.
Come with me as we go back in time to visit Katie Carr.
She is all grown up now but she still has the same trials and tribulations she had as a child.
But before we begin let's take the time to focus on where we are now.
Take a deep breath in through your nose.
That's it.
Then let it out on a long sigh.
It is time to relax and really let go.
Feel yourself sink into the support beneath you.
And let the pressures of the day seep away.
Happy listening.
What Katie Did Next by Susan Coolidge Read and abridged by Stephanie Poppins Chapter 7.
The Pension Suisse What do you suppose can have brought Katie Carr to Europe?
Inquired Lily as she stood in the window watching the three figures walk slowly down the sands.
She's the last person I expected to turn up here.
I suppose she was stuck in that horrid place.
What's the name of it?
Where they lived the rest of their life?
I confess I'm surprised at meeting her myself,
Rejoined Mrs.
Page.
I had no idea her father could afford so expensive a journey.
And who is that woman she's got along with her?
I have no idea.
I'm sure some western friend,
I suppose.
Dear me,
I wish they were going to some other house than this,
Said Lily.
If they were at the Rivoir,
For instance,
Or one of those places at the far end of the beach,
We shouldn't need to see anything of them or even know they were in town.
It's a real nuisance to have people spring upon you this way.
People you don't want to meet,
And when they happen to be relations,
It's all the worse.
Katie will be hanging on to us all the time,
I'm afraid.
Oh my dear,
There's no fear of that,
Said Mrs.
Page.
A little repression on our part will prevent her from being any trouble,
I'm quite certain.
But we must treat her politely.
You know,
Lily,
Her father is my cousin.
That's the saddest part of it.
Well,
There's one thing.
I shall not take her with me every time we go to the Frigates,
Said Lily decisively.
I'm not going to inflict a country cousin on Lieutenant Worthington and spoil all my own fun beside.
I'll give you fair warning,
Maman,
And you must manage it somehow.
Certainly,
Dear,
I will.
It'll be a great pity to have your visit to Nice spoiled in any way with the squadron here too,
And that pleasant Mr.
Worthington,
So very attentive.
Unconscious of these plans for her suppression,
Katie walked back to the hotel in a mood of pensive pleasure.
Europe at last promised to be as delightful as it had seemed,
When she only knew it from maps and books.
And Nice so far appeared to her the most charming place in the world.
Somebody was waiting for them at the Hotel d'Anglais.
A tall,
Bronze-looking woman,
But in uniform,
With pleasant brown eyes,
Beaming from beneath a gold-banded cap.
At the sight of who Amy rushed forward with her long locks flying,
And Mrs.
Ash uttered an exclamation of pleasure.
It was Ned Worthington,
Mrs.
Ash's only brother,
Whom she had not met for two years and a half,
And you can easily imagine how glad she was to see him.
You got my note then?
She said after the first eager greetings were over.
Note?
No,
Did you write me a note?
Yes,
To Villafranche.
To the ship?
I shan't get that till Katie's back.
I shan't get that till tomorrow,
He said.
Finding out you were here is just a bit of good fortune.
I came over to talk to some friends who's staying down the beach a little way,
And dropping in over to look at the list of arrivals,
I saw your names,
And the porter not being able to say which way you've gone,
I waited for you to come in.
We've been looking at such a delightful old place,
The penchant suisse,
And have taken rooms there.
The penchant suisse?
Why,
That was where I was going to call.
I know some people are staying there.
It seems a pleasant house.
I'm glad you're going there,
Polly.
It's first-rate luck the ship's having to be here just now.
I can see you every day.
But Ned,
Surely you're not leaving me so soon.
Surely you'll stay and dine with us?
Urged Mrs.
Ash,
And he took up his cap.
I wish I could,
But I can't tonight,
Polly.
You see,
I've engaged to take some ladies out to drive,
And they'll expect me.
I had no idea you'd be here.
I should have kept myself free.
Tomorrow I'll come over early and be at your service for whatever you like to do.
That's right,
Dear boy,
Said Mrs.
Ash.
We shall expect you.
The moment he was gone,
She said,
Now,
Katie,
Isn't he nice?
Dear fellow,
So he is.
Very nice,
I should think,
Said Katie.
I like his face so much,
And how fond he is of you.
The remove to the penchant suisse was made early the next morning.
Mrs.
Page and Lily did not appear to welcome them.
Katie rather rejoiced in their absence,
For she wanted the chance to get into order without interruptions.
There was something comfortable in the thought they were to stay a whole month in their new quarters.
For so long a time,
It seemed worthwhile to make them pretty and home-like.
So while Mrs.
Ash unpacked her own belongings and Amy's,
Katie,
Who had a natural turn for arranging rooms,
Took possession of the little parlour,
Pulled the furniture into new positions,
Laid out portfolios and work cases and a few books,
Pinned various photographs which they had bought in Oxford and London on the walls,
And tied back the curtains to emit the sunshine.
Then she paid a visit to the little garden and came back with a long branch of roses,
Which she'd trained across the mantelpiece,
And a bunch of wallflowers for one little vase.
The maid,
By her orders,
Laid a fire of wood and pine cones ready for lighting,
And when all was done,
She called Mrs.
Ash to pronounce upon the effect.
It is lovely,
Said Mrs.
Ash,
Sinking into a great velvet armchair.
I haven't seen anything so pleasant since we left home.
Let us try to make a more respectable impression today.
So they went down to breakfast,
Mrs.
Ash in one of her new Paris gowns,
Katie in a pretty dress of olive search,
And Amy all smiles and ruffled pinafore,
Walking hand in hand with her Uncle Ned,
Who had just arrived,
And whose great ally she was.
Mrs.
Page and Lily,
Who were already seated at table,
Had much ado to conceal their somewhat unflattering surprise at the conjunction.
For one moment,
Lily's eyes opened into a wide stare of incredulous astonishment.
Then she remembered herself,
Nodded as pleasantly as she could to Mrs.
Ash and Katie,
And favoured Lieutenant Worthington with a pretty blushing smile as he went by.
I,
Ned,
Do you know those people?
Asked Mrs.
Ash at the same moment.
Do you know them?
He said.
Yes,
We met yesterday.
They're connections of my friend,
Miss Carr.
Really?
There's not the least family likeness between them,
Said Mr.
Worthington,
And his eyes travelled deliberately from Lily's delicate golden prettiness to Katie,
Who,
Truth to say,
Did not shine by the contrast.
She has a nice,
Sensible sort of face,
He thought,
And she looks like a lady,
But for beauty,
There is no comparison between the two.
Then he turned to listen to his sister as she replied.
No,
Indeed,
Not the least no two girls could be less like.
Mrs.
Ash made the same comparison,
But with quite a different result.
Katie's face was grown dear to her,
And she had not taken the smallest fancy to Lily Page.
Her relationship to the young naval officer,
However,
Made a wonderful difference in the attitude of Mrs.
Page and Lily toward the party.
Katie became a person to be cultivated rather than repressed,
And thenceforth,
There was no lack of cordiality on their part.
I want to come in and have a good talk,
Said Lily,
Slipping her arm through Katie's as they left the dining room.
Mayn't I come now whilst Mama is calling on Mrs.
Ash?
This arrangement brought her to the side of Lieutenant Worthington,
And she walked between him and Katie down the hall and into the little drawing room.
Oh,
How perfectly charming!
You've been fixing up ever since you came,
Haven't you?
It looks just like home.
I wish we had a salon,
But Mama thought it wasn't worthwhile as we were only going to be here such a little time.
What a delicious balcony over the water,
Too!
May I go out on it?
Oh,
Mr.
Worthington,
Do see this!
She pushed open the half-closed window and stepped out as she spoke.
Mr.
Worthington,
After hesitating a moment,
Followed.
Katie paused uncertain.
There was hardly room for three,
Yet she did not quite like to leave them,
But Lily had turned her back and was talking in a low tone.
It was nothing more in reality than lightest chit-chat,
But it had the air of being something confidential.
So Katie,
After waiting a little while,
Retreated to the sofa and took up her work,
Joining now and then in the conversation,
Which Mrs.
Ash was keeping with Cousin Olivia.
She did not mind Lily's ill-breeding,
Nor was she surprised at it.
Mrs.
Ash was less tolerant.
Isn't it rather damp out there,
Ned?
She called to her brother.
You'd better throw your shawl round Miss Page's shoulders.
Oh,
It isn't a bit damp,
Said Lily,
Recalled to herself by this broad hint.
Thank you so much for thinking of it,
Mrs.
Ash,
But I'm just coming in.
She seated herself beside Katie and began to question her rather languidly.
How were they all when you came away?
Oh,
Well,
Thank you,
Said Katie.
We sailed from Boston on the 14th of October,
And before that I spent two days with Rose Red.
You remember her?
She's married now and has the dearest little home and such a darling baby.
Yes,
I heard of her marriage.
Didn't seem much of a match for Mr.
Redding's daughter to make,
Did it?
I never suppose she'd be satisfied with anything less than a member of Congress or a secretary of legation.
Rose isn't particularly ambitious,
I think,
And she seems perfectly happy,
Replied Katie,
Flushing.
Oh,
You needn't fire up in her defence.
You and Clover always did adore Rose Red,
I know,
But I could never see what there was about her that was so wonderfully fascinating.
She never had the least style,
And she was always just as rude to me as she could be.
You were not intimate at school,
But I'm sure Rose was never rude,
Said Katie with spirit.
Well,
We won't fight about her this late day.
Tell me where you've been and where you're going and how long you're to stay in Europe.
Katie,
Glad to change the subject,
Complied,
And the conversation diverged into comparison of plans and experiences.
Lily had been in Europe nearly a year and had seen almost everything,
As she phrased it.
She and her mother had spent the previous winter in Italy,
Had taken a run into Russia,
Done Switzerland,
And from there to Paris to shop in preparation for their return home in the spring.
Of course we shall want quantities of things,
She said.
No one will believe we've been abroad unless we bring home a lot of clothes.
The lingerie and all that's ordered already.
But the dresses must be made at the last moment,
And we'll have a horrid time of it,
I suppose.
Worth has promised to make me two walking suits and two ball dresses,
But he's very bad about keeping his word.
Did you do much when you were in Paris,
Katie?
We went to the Louvre three times,
And were in Versailles and St Cloud,
Said Katie whisperly.
I didn't mean that kind of stupid thing.
I mean gowns.
What did you buy?
One tailor-made suit of dark blue cloth.
My,
What moderation!
Shopping played a large part in Lily's reminiscences.
She recollected places not from their situational beauty or historical associations,
Or because of the works of art which they contained,
But as the places which she bought this or that.
Europe to her was all things.
She collected trunks full of objects to carry home,
But of the other collections which do not go into trunks,
She had little or none.
Her mind was as empty,
Her heart as untouched as ever.
The beauty and the glory and the pathos of art and history and nature had been poured out in vain before her closed and indifferent eyes.
Life soon dropped into a peaceful routine at the Pension Suisse,
Which was at the same time restful and stimulating.
Katie's first act in the morning,
As soon as she opened her eyes,
Was to hurry to the window in hopes of getting a glimpse of Corsica.
Then,
After Corsica pulled the bright mists over its face and melted from view,
She'd hurry with her dressing,
And as soon as it was practicable,
Set to work to make the salon look bright before the coffee and roll should appear.
Then came walking and a French lesson,
And a long sitting on the beach,
While Katie worked at her home letters and Amy raced up and down in the sun.
And towards noon,
Lieutenant Ned generally appeared,
And some scheme of pleasure was set on foot.
Mrs.
Ash ignored his evident penchant for Lily Page,
And claimed his time and attentions as hers by right,
And he yielded to her behest with no audible objections.
Mrs.
Page and her daughter were included in these parties more than once,
But there was something in Mrs.
Ash's cool appropriation of her brother,
Which was infinitely vexatious to Lily,
Who before her arrival had rather looked upon Lieutenant Worthington as her own special property.
Katie is a nice enough girl,
Pronounced her mother,
But not the sort to attract a gay young man,
I should fancy.
I don't believe she's thinking of any such thing,
You needn't be afraid,
Lily.
I'm not afraid,
Said Lily with a pout,
Only it's so provoking.
Mrs.
Page was quite right,
Katie was not thinking of any such thing.
She liked Ned Worthington's frank manners,
She owned quite honestly she thought him handsome,
And she particularly admired the sort of deferential affection which he showed to Mrs.
Ash.
But her head was full of interesting things,
Plans and ideas.
She was not accustomed to being made the object of admiration and experienced none of the vexations of a neglected belle.
If Lieutenant Worthington happened to talk to her,
She responded frankly and freely.
If he did not,
She occupied herself with something else.
Toward the close of December,
The officers of the flagship gave a ball which was the great event of the season.
Americans were naturally in the ascendant on an American frigate,
And of all the American girls present,
Lily Page was unquestionably the prettiest.
Exquisitely dressed in white lace with bands of turquoises on her necks and arms,
She had more partners than she knew what to do with,
More bouquets than she could well carry,
And compliments enough to turn any girl's head.
She was engaged three deep when Lieutenant Worthington asked her to dance,
And she did not hear when he invited her to walk.
She turned a cold shoulder when he tried to talk to her and seemed to be in a bad mood.
Peaked and surprised,
Ned Worthington turned to Katie.
She did not dance,
Saying frankly she did not know how and was too tall,
And she was rather simply dressed in pearl grey silk,
Which had been her best gown the winter before.
She looked pleasant and serene,
And there was something about her which some people would not understand.
She looked pleasant and serene,
And there was something about her which somehow soothed his disturbed mind,
So he offered her his arm for a walk on the decks.
For a while,
They said little,
And Katie was quite content to pace up and down in silence,
Enjoying the really beautiful scene.
Do you care for this sort of thing?
He suddenly asked.
What sort of thing do you mean?
Oh,
All this jigging and waltzing and amusement.
I don't know how to jig,
But it's delightful to look upon,
Katie answered merrily.
I never saw anything so pretty in my life.
The happy tone of her voice and the unruffled face which she turned upon him quieted his irritation.
I really believe you mean it,
He said.
He said,
Yet if you won't think me rude to say so,
Most girls would consider the thing dull enough if they were only getting out of it what you are.
If they were not dancing,
I mean,
And nobody in particular was trying to entertain them.
But everything is being done to entertain me,
Cried Katie.
I can't imagine what makes you think it could seem dull.
I'm in it all,
Don't you see?
I'm stupid.
I can't make you understand.
Yes,
I do.
I understand perfectly,
He said.
It's just such a different point of view from what girls in general would take.
By girls,
He meant Lily.
Please do not think me uncivil.
You're not uncivil at all,
Said Katie,
But don't let us talk any more about me.
Look at the lights between the shadows of the moss on the water,
How they quiver.
I never saw anything so beautiful,
I think.
And I can't believe we're in December and it's nearly Christmas.
How is Polly going to celebrate her Christmas,
Have you decided?
Amy is to have a Christmas tree for her dolls,
Said Katie.
And two other dolls are coming.
We went out this morning to buy things for it.
That reminds me,
Do you suppose one can get any Christmas greens here?
Why not?
The place seems full of green.
Summer makes it look unnatural,
But I should like some to dress the parlour with if they could be had.
I'll see what I can find and send you a load,
He replied.
I don't know why this very simple little talk should have made such an impression on Lieutenant Worthington's mind,
But somehow he did not forget it.
"'Don't let us talk any more about me,
' he said to himself that night when alone in his cabin.
I wonder how long it would be before the other one did anything to divert the talk from herself.
Some time,
I fancied.
He smiled rather grimly as he unbuckled his sword belt.
It's unlucky for a girl when she starts a train of reflection like this,
And Lily's little attempt to pique her admirer had now somehow missed its mark.
The next afternoon,
Katie in her favourite place on the beach was at work on the long weekly letter,
Which she never failed to send home to Burnett.
Niece,
December 22nd.
Dear Papa and everybody,
Amy and I are sitting on my purple cloak which is spread over the sand just where it was spread the last time I wrote you.
We're playing the following game.
I'm a fairy and she's a little girl.
Another fairy,
Not sitting on the cloak,
Has enchanted the little girl,
And I'm telling her various ways she can work out her deliverance.
The task is to find 24 dull red pebbles of the same colour.
Failing to do so,
She is to be changed into an owl.
At home there is a very gossiping young woman on the story beneath ours,
Whom I meet sometimes in the garden,
And from her I hear all manner of romantic tales about people in the house.
One little French girl's dying of consumption and a broken heart because of a quarrel with her lover who's a courier.
Amy has buried all her pebbles now and said she's tired of playing fairy.
She's sitting with her head on my shoulder and studying her French verb for tomorrow.
I'm sorry to say she's conversing with me about beheadings,
A subject which,
Since her visit to the tower,
Has exercised a horrible fascination over her mind.
Katie was interrupted at this point by a crunching on the gravel behind her.
Good afternoon,
Said a voice.
Polly sent me to fetch you and Amy in.
She said it's growing cool.
Ned Worthington sat down on the cloak beside her.
The distance was now still grey against the sky.
There came a stripe of violet and a broad sheet of the vivid iridescent blue,
Which one sees on the necks of peacocks.
See that gull,
He said.
How it drops plum into the sea as if bound to go through China.
This is Hawthorne,
Calls gulls skylarks,
Replied Katie.
Sea gull seems to me like grown-up raptures.
Are you going?
Said Lieutenant Worthington in a tone of surprise as she rose.
Didn't you say that Polly wanted us to come in?
Didn't you say that Polly wanted us to come in?
Why,
Yes,
But it seems too good to leave,
Doesn't it?
By the way,
Miss Carr,
I came across a man today and ordered your greens.
They'll be sent on Christmas Eve.
Is that all right?
Quite right,
And we're ever so much obliged to you.
Katie turned for a last look at the sea,
And unseen by Ned Worthington,
Formed her lips into a good night.
Katie had made great friends with the Mediterranean.
The promised greens appeared on the afternoon before Christmas Day in the shape of an enormous faggot of laurel and holly,
Orange and lemon boughs with ripe fruit hanging from them.
Thick,
Ivy tendrils hold yards long.
The man apologised for bringing so little.
The gentleman had ordered two francs worth,
He said,
But this was all he could carry.
He would fetch some more if the young lady wished.
But Katie,
Exclaiming with delight over her newfound wealth,
Wished no more.
Mabel and Mary Matilda were their two dull visitors sat gravely round the table in the laps of their little mistress,
And Katie putting on an apron and an improvised cap.
Served them with a repast of rolls and cocoa,
Raspberry jam and delicious little almond cakes.
And now for the Christmas tree,
She said.
It was a very little tree,
But it bore some remarkable fruits,
For in addition to the tiny toys and candles fit for Lilliput,
Various parcels were found to have been hastily added at the last moment.
It was quite unlike Christmas at home,
But altogether delightful.
And as Katie sat next morning on the sand after the service in the English church,
She felt the warm sun on her cheek,
And the perfumed air blow past as softly as in June,
And had to remind herself,
Christmas is not necessarily synonymous with snow and winter,
But it means the great central heat of the year.
But it means the great central heat and warmth,
The advent of him who came to lighten the whole earth.
A few days after this pleasant Christmas,
They left Nice.
All of them were reluctant to move,
And Amy loudly bewailed the necessity.
But what a pity it would be not to see Italy,
Said her mother,
Just think of Naples and Roman Venice.
I don't want to think about them,
It makes me feel as if I'm studying a great long geography lesson,
Said Amy,
And it tires me to learn it.
Amy dear,
You're not very well.
Yes,
I am,
She insisted,
Only I don't want to go away from Nice.
You only have to learn a little bit at time of your geography,
You know,
Suggested Katie,
And it's a great deal nicer way to study it than out of a book.
This was a consolation,
And it made going all that easier.
Katie had to admit to herself as much as she loved it.
Nice was not the only,
Not even the most beautiful place in Europe.
Already she felt her horizon growing,
Convictions changing,
And who should say what lay beyond.
