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diff --git a/77348-0.txt b/77348-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..987376f --- /dev/null +++ b/77348-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7744 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 77348 *** + +Transcriber's notes: Unusual and inconsistent spelling is as printed. + +New original cover art included with this eBook is granted to the +public domain. + + + +[Illustration: Edah speaks kindly to Jack.] + + + + The Sign of the Cross; + + OR, + + EDAH CHAMPLIN. + + BY + + LUCY ELLEN GUERNSEY + + AUTHOR OF "SOPHIE KENNEDY'S EXPERIENCE," ETC., ETC. + + + —————————————— + + "IF ANY MAN WILL COME AFTER ME, LET HIM DENY HIMSELF, AND + TAKE UP HIS CROSS, AND FOLLOW ME."—ST. MATT. xvi. 24. + + —————————————— + + + NEW YORK: + GENERAL PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL S. S. UNION + AND + Church Book Society, + 637 BROADWAY. + + 1856. + + + + ——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— + + Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1855, by + + THE GEN. PROT. EPISCOPAL S. S. UNION and CHURCH BOOK SOCIETY, + + In the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the + Southern District of New York. + + ——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— + + + + R. C. VALENTINE, + STEREOTYPER AND ELECTROTYPIST, + 17 Dutch-st., cor. Fulton, N. Y. + + + + TO THE + + TRUE FRIEND OF MY EARLY DAYS, + + THE BELOVED + + PRINCIPAL OF THE ROCHESTER FEMALE ACADEMY, + + THE FOLLOWING PAGES + + ARE RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED BY + + THE AUTHOR + + + + PREFACE. + + ———— + + THE following pages were written with a desire of awakening in the +minds of the younger members of our Church, the inquiry, "Am I +living up, in any degree, to the promise and vow made in my name at +my Baptism? Have not I sometimes been ashamed to confess the faith +of Christ crucified, at least in deeds and in my daily life and +conversation? How many combats have I ever fought under His banner +against sin, the world, and the devil, since the Sign of the Cross was +first imprinted upon my forehead in the holy Sacrament?" + + It is to be feared that too many, even of those who have by their +own act ratified and confirmed those solemn promises in the presence +of the Bishop and congregation, are living in indifference to +them. They acknowledge their obligations indeed in words, but the +mainspring of their daily actions is very far from being a principle +of self-sacrifice and self-consecration. They offer at the Communion +themselves, their souls, and bodies, to be a reasonable, holy, and +living sacrifice; but no sooner have they retired from the Holy Table, +nay, sometimes before they are out of sight of it, than they act as +though body and soul were their own, and had never been bought with +a price, nor offered anew, in both the Sacraments, to Him who bought +them. How many are there, especially of young ladies, with whom one +might be in habits of familiar intercourse for weeks, without ever +suspecting that they had renounced the vain pomp and glory of the +world, with all covetous desires of the same! Nay, might not one rather +imagine that these very pomps and glories were the very end and aim +of their lives? The account of the debut of an eminent concert-singer +or tragedian possesses more interest for them than the story of the +most triumphant success obtained by the missionaries of the Cross +over the darkness and misery of heathenism; and they would rather a +dozen western Sunday Schools should go without books, than that they +themselves should want the latest fancy of lace or trimming. + + It is not often that we are called upon to make any great sacrifice +to our religious obligations, though perhaps such occasions would +present themselves more frequently if we were more willing to see them; +but there is not a day which does not bring with it some opportunity +of self-denial and self-sacrifice, or some necessity for an open +declaration of our principles either in words or actions. Let us be +careful that we do not heedlessly overlook or wilfully shut our eyes to +these opportunities as they occur. If faithfully improved, though the +plant be thorny to grasp, it will yield golden fruit of discipline and +strength; if weakly shunned, or boldly trodden down, the thorns will +remain to vex us, long after the occurrence is forgotten. It is often +difficult to perform our duty in this respect with a serene and quiet +temper; but for this, as for all graces, let us ask of Him who giveth +liberally and upbraideth not, and in due time we shall reap, if we +faint not. + + L. E. G. + + ROCHESTER, _Dec._ 1855. + + + + CONTENTS. + + ———— + +CHAPTER. + + I. INTRODUCTORY. + + II. CHANGING PLANS. + + III. THE NEW HOME. + + IV. NEW FRIENDS. + + V. THE SHOCK. + + VI. THE RESOLUTION. + + VII. THE DAY OF SMALL THINGS. + +VIII. NEW LABORS AND NEW PLEASURES. + + IX. THE CHRISTMAS SERVICE. + + X. LETTERS. + + XI. "OF SUCH IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN." + + XII. "ARISE AND BUILD." + +XIII. LENTEN SERVICES—BAD NEWS. + + XIV. THE JOURNEY. + + XV. THE EASTER SERVICE. + + + +[Illustration: The Sign of the Cross] + + + The Sign of the Cross; + + [Illustration] + +CHAPTER I. + +INTRODUCTORY. + + "THE Bishop of this Diocese will hold a Confirmation service in this +church on Sunday morning, the twelfth of May. Any persons intending to +come forward at that time will please give their names to the Rector +as soon as possible. A course of lectures preparatory to the rite will +commence on Wednesday evening of this week." + +Such was the notice read by the Rev. Mr. Wardwell one Sunday morning +before sermon, at the same time that he gave notice of the Communion, +and other matters to be published. There had not been a Confirmation +in the parish for more than three years, during which time it had been +without a settled Rector, and in the course of these three years a +number of young persons of both sexes had come to years of discretion +to answer for themselves. There was, moreover, a large boarding-school +in the village, kept by a lady who was a member of the Episcopal +Church, and it might reasonably be expected that some of its members +would be among the number who should present themselves at this time. + +Mr. Wardwell had occupied his present station about six months and he +had found things upon his arrival in rather a dilapidated state, as +might be expected in a flock having no shepherd for so long a time. The +number of regular communicants was very small; the Sunday School was +scattered, and the books lost; the church itself was out of repair, and +the people were rather unwilling to do any thing towards putting it in +better condition. Mr. Wardwell was a wise man, and knew very well that +it was not desirable to undertake too much at once, so he said nothing +at first about church repairs, but visited his people vigorously, +preached fervently, and prayed earnestly, and by and by things began +to look up. A new library was obtained, and the Sunday School started. +People began to come to church and to the Communion who had never been +seen there before. Many children and some grown persons were baptized, +and a general feeling of seriousness was apparent in the congregation. +All this was very encouraging: the faithful minister's heart sang for +joy; and when the Bishop informed him of his intention to visit the +parish at no very distant period, Mr. Wardwell had a confident hope of +being able to present a goodly number to receive the holy ordinance of +the laying on of hands. + +When church was out, and the congregation was on their way homewards, +there might be heard from different groups various conjectures as to +who would come forward and who ought to come forward, while several +might be observed walking silently and with serious faces, as if +thinking deeply on some subject of importance. Among these last were +two girls (perhaps they should be called young ladies) belonging to +Miss Anderson's school. They were both rather remarkably well-dressed, +and both very pretty—the elder being perhaps about eighteen, and the +other a year younger. + +They walked at least half the way down the long street without +exchanging a word, when the younger said, in a half-sportive tone, "How +sociable we are! A penny for your thoughts, Edah!" + +"I was thinking of the notice Mr. Wardwell gave about the Bishop," said +Edah; and then added, rather abruptly, after another moment's silence, +"I suppose you mean to be confirmed this time, don't you?" + +"Not that I know of," replied Milly, "at least I have not thought any +thing about it. Why did you think I meant to be confirmed?" + +"Why, because—you are old enough, and I know you never have been, so I +thought it natural enough that you should take this opportunity, as you +will so soon be going into society." + +"What of that?" asked Milly. "Cannot one go into society without being +confirmed? I have known many people very much in society who never +troubled their heads about the matter." + +"But I suppose you think every one ought to be confirmed, some time, +don't you?" asked Edah. And as her companion did not reply, she went on +urging various reasons in favor of the rite. + +Millicent listened in silence, and when Edah paused, she said, abruptly— + +"After all, Edah, what is the difference?" + +"The difference!" said Edah. "I don't know what you mean, Milly." + +"I mean, what difference does it make whether a person is confirmed +or not? Take ourselves, for instance. You have been confirmed, and I +have not, and what is the great difference between us? We are both +good scholars, and tolerably obedient and tractable. We should either +of us be ashamed to engage in any such foolish cabals and pranks as +some of the girls do. If there is any difference, I think I am rather +more careful in keeping rules than you are. But in other respects I +do not see any thing to choose. You are as fond of dress and company, +and every thing of the sort, as any girl in school, and spend as much +time upon them. I always thought that religious people were fond of +the Bible, and loved prayer; but we have roomed together for more than +three years, and I cannot see that you care any more for such things +than myself. To be sure you could go to the Communion if you chose, but +then you never do choose, and, as I said, what is the difference after +all?" + +Edah was silent, and Milly thought she was angry at the freedom with +which she had spoken. She hastened to say, "Do not be angry with me, +Edah. I don't say this by way of finding any fault with you, of course, +but only because—because I want to understand you. You know we always +say just what we think to each other." + +"I am not angry, my dear Milly," said Edah, forcing herself to speak; +"I was only thinking of what you have been saying, and I am afraid it +is too true." + +"It has never seemed to me," continued Millicent, "that I should wish +to be confirmed in that way, as if it were a mere ceremony, which was +in some way necessary to one's being grown-up. It appears to me to be a +much more solemn thing than that. I never heard much about it at home, +for my friends are not what you would call religious people, as you +know very well. Father is busy in his office from morning till night, +and almost from night till morning, and Aunt Maria cares for nothing +but society. But I used sometimes to hear old Dr. Shelly speak on the +subject, and from him I got what few ideas I have. It never seemed +to me that I should be willing to take such solemn vows upon myself, +unless I were sure of keeping them, and I am quite certain that I +should have to be something very different from what I am now to do +that." + +"What vows?" asked Edah. + +"Why, the baptismal vows, to be sure. I believe, after all, I know +more about it than you do. But here we are at home: how slowly we have +walked! I do not mean to say," she added, "that I shall not think of +Confirmation, and I mean to attend the lectures, at any rate, if Miss +Anderson will give me leave." + + +"I should like to stay at home this afternoon, Miss Anderson," said +Edah, with some hesitation, as the bells sounded for afternoon service. + +Miss Anderson looked surprised. + +"How is that, my dear? Are you not well?" + +"My head aches a little, but that is not the reason I wish to stay at +home. I feel as if I should like to be alone a little while." + +"Well, Edah," said Miss Anderson, "I think I may venture to give you +permission, though I would not do so for every one. But I know very +well that I may depend upon you—that you will not spend the time +improperly." + +Edah was glad to be so trusted, and she was still more glad to have +the time to herself. Millicent's remarks had awakened a new train of +thought in her mind, which she felt in a manner obliged to follow out. + +Edah had been rather peculiarly situated. Her mother died when she +was very young, and her father had married again very soon. She had +inherited some property from a distant relation, who, by his will, had +placed her under the care of another relative, a rich and childless +man, with whom she had resided almost entirely when she was not in +school. + +She had once or twice made very short visits to her father's house, now +filled with a young family, but she had never found these visits very +pleasant. Mrs. Champlin was kind to her, but she was not very refined +in manners or conversation, and her children were perfectly ungoverned +and unruly. Her father had never seemed the same since his first wife's +death. He was now careless in his dress and manners, indifferent to +business, and Edah feared he sometimes drank. She had stayed a week, +and then departed, without much regret on either side, for Mrs. +Champlin felt herself rather constrained in the presence of her really +refined and fashionable stepdaughter; and Edah thought the children +perfect little barbarians, as it must be confessed they were. + +Edah had received very little religious instruction. Miss Anderson +contented herself with seeing that her young ladies were all provided +with Bibles and Prayer-Books; that they went to church regularly, and +behaved well while there; and the younger ones were required to recite +the Church Catechism every Saturday morning, sometimes to a teacher, +but more frequently to some of the older girls, who were not very +particular as to the sense, provided the tongue was able to rattle off +the words glibly. + +At one time when she was at home, several of her most intimate +companions had been confirmed, and she had joined them, with the +consent of her guardian, who thought it a matter of little consequence +one way or the other. She had made some good resolutions at the time, +but the duties of school, and the gaieties of home, soon effaced them +from her mind, and she stood just where she did before, except that she +had learned to feel a kind of dependence on her Confirmation, as if +that alone insured her salvation. She had now and then a feeling as if +she were not living exactly as she ought; she felt that the things of +another world were very seldom in her thoughts, and had no influence +upon her life and conversation. But these impressions had never yet +been deep enough to produce any lasting change in her conduct. + +Millicent Amory was about her own age, and there were a good many +points of resemblance between them. They were both pretty and +intelligent, fond of study and reading, self-respecting, and somewhat +proud. Miss Anderson always felt that she could trust them without any +particular surveillance, and apply to them in any case of difficulty; +and they were oracles among the younger girls, who always appealed to +the one or the other in any perplexity or trouble. + +Thus far they were alike, but in many things there was an essential +difference. Edah was warm, hasty, and quick-tempered. Millicent, +on the contrary, was never known to be angry, and only under the +strongest pressure of emotion did she ever manifest any signs of mental +disturbance. Edah was fond of undertaking new and difficult studies, +at which she worked very hard for a time, and then became discouraged; +while Milly, cautious in regard to new undertakings, was never known to +give way to any difficulty short of an absolute impossibility. Edah was +very particular in regard to her dress and personal appointments, and +was always anxious to have every thing, from a bonnet to a shoe-tie, in +the latest and most elegant fashion; while Milly, though essentially +neat, and always appearing well-dressed, was somewhat indifferent as to +minor matters, and sometimes distressed her friend by wearing collars +and mantles out of date, and declining the trouble of having her +dresses altered to suit the present mode. + +Their worldly circumstances were somewhat similar, for both were +motherless, and had spent nearly all their lives at school. They were +both very liberally supplied with money, so liberally, indeed, that +Miss Anderson sometimes said such allowances would be ruinous to +any other girls. It had long been decided that as soon as they left +school, Edah was to spend a year with her friend, and the girls were +anticipating a great deal of pleasure from going into company together. +Mr. Liston, Edah's guardian, expected soon to make a voyage to India, +and remain there a year or two, and he was pleased to have his ward so +well provided for in his absence. + +When the girls had departed, and Edah was left alone in her room, +she took her Prayer-Book, and sat down to read over the Confirmation +Service, with which she was not at all familiar. The Preface was the +first thing that attracted her attention, and she read that, and the +Bishop's address, several times over. + +"I knew the Church Catechism, from beginning to end, long before I was +confirmed," she said to herself, "so, as far as that goes, I am well +enough prepared; but this renewing of the baptismal vows—I am afraid +I did not think much about them. I know I made some good resolutions, +but I am sure I have never kept one of them. The address of the Bishop +seemed very solemn, and so did all the circumstances—the standing up +before all the people, and kneeling at the Chancel; and I remember how +I trembled when the Bishop's hands were laid on my head; but after all, +I did not realize what I was doing. And these baptismal vows—I hardly +know at this moment what they are." + +She turned over and read them, and as she did so, the grace of God +enabled her to understand and feel their solemn meaning. + +"Dost thou renounce the devil and all his works, the vain pomp and +glory of the world, and all covetous desires of the same, with all +sinful desires of the flesh, so that thou wilt not follow, nor be led +by them?" + +"Dost thou believe all the Articles of the Christian faith, as +contained in the Apostles' Creed?" + +"Wilt thou then obediently keep God's holy will and commandment; and +walk in the same all the days of thy life?" + +Edah dropped the book in a kind of terror—she had never so much as +thought of keeping any of these promises. She could not but see that +she thought more of the vain pomp and glory of the world—of her +dress and appearance in company—of the pleasures of society, and +being looked up to and admired, than of any thing else. Her studies +and accomplishments were all means to the same end, and her liberal +allowance was disposed of for almost no other purpose. One of her +greatest pleasures consisted in anticipating the time when she should +leave school, and be placed at the head of a fine establishment in her +guardian's house, able to dress as magnificently as she pleased, and to +indulge to their fullest extent all those elegant tastes which she was +conscious of possessing. True, she had never committed any gross sins, +because she had never been exposed to them, but she could not build +much upon that, as long as she had yielded to almost every temptation +that came in her way. + +As to walking by the rule of God's commandments, she had hardly thought +of such a thing: she reviewed the events of the past week, and could +not discover that once during that time she had so much as considered +whether what she was about to do would be pleasing to Him or not. The +more she thought upon the subject, the more she became aware that she +had never confessed the faith of Christ crucified; nay, had she not +absolutely denied that faith, by turning her back upon the Table of the +Lord time after time? She had never fought one single combat under His +banner in all her life. + +The return of the girls from church, and the entrance of Milly +interrupted her meditations. She was about to return her Prayer-Book +hastily to its place, when the words she had just read, "ashamed to +confess the faith of Christ crucified," returned to her mind, and she +still retained it in her hand. Millicent, however, took no notice of +her studies: she seemed rather serious than otherwise, and instead of +sitting down to write a composition, or prepare some daily lesson, she +placed herself by the other window, and remained some time silent. + +"Was any thing more said about the Confirmation?" asked Edah at length. + +"The notice was repeated," replied Milly, "and Mr. Wardwell invited all +those who wished to converse with him upon that subject, or any other +connected with it, to call upon him between the hours of four and six +in the afternoon, and also on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday evenings. +I heard some of the Sunday School teachers talking about it; and they +seemed to think that a number of the scholars were interested in the +subject." + +"Would you not like to go into the Sunday School sometimes, Milly?" +asked Edah, as if struck with a sudden thought. "I don't mean to teach, +of course; but just to see how they go on. I never was in one in my +life." + +Milly assented, and there was another interval of silence. Edah was +considering whether she ought to make up her mind to approach the +Communion on the following Sunday. She could not decide: for the first +time she felt that she should be guilty in turning away, yet she feared +to be more so in going. + +"Milly," she said at last, "do you think there would be any harm in my +going down to Mr. Wardwell's to-morrow afternoon? I want to see him +very much, and one is never sure of finding him at home." + +"No harm certainly; what harm could there be?" + +"You know the notice was intended for those who are thinking of +Confirmation." + +"The subject of Confirmation, or any thing connected with it, he said. +But will you not feel rather awkwardly to go there? You do not know +them very well." + +"No; but after all he is the Rector, and seems the proper person to +apply to. I wish you would go with me." + +"I would rather not, at present," said Milly: "I have not at all made +up my mind about being confirmed, and would rather wait a little before +saying any thing about it. But that need not hinder your going." + + +The next day Edah obtained of Miss Anderson the requisite permission, +and presented herself, not without trepidation, at the door of Mr. +Wardwell's study. + +That gentleman received her with kindness, and after some little +indifferent conversation, said, "I presume, Miss Champlin, you have +called in consequence of the notice given yesterday. Are you thinking +of being confirmed?" + +"No, sir," replied Edah; "I have been confirmed." + +Mr. Wardwell looked surprised. "Indeed!" said he. "How long since?" + +"Almost two years ago, sir." + +"I do not remember that I have ever seen you at the Communion since I +have been here: how has that happened?" + +Edah was silent, and Mr. Wardwell continued gravely: "Six months is +a long time for a servant of the Lord Jesus to absent herself from +His Table. I should hope you had some very good excuse to offer, Miss +Champlin." + +"I have never been to the Communion at all," said Edah, speaking +with some effort; "I do not know that I ever thought of going till +yesterday, when something that Milly said made me consider the subject." + +"And what was the result of your considerations?" + +"I could not make up my mind about it, sir. I fear you will think me +very ignorant; but I hardly know what is necessary in order to partake. +I could not satisfy myself at all in the matter, and I came to see if +you would help me?" + +"I am very happy to see you, my dear young lady, and shall gladly do +all in my power to direct and assist you. You know your Catechism?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"What is required of those who come to the Lord's Supper?" + +"To examine themselves, whether they repent them truly of their former +sins, steadfastly purposing to lead a new life; have a lively faith in +God's mercy through Christ, with a thankful remembrance of his death; +and be in charity with all men," answered Edah. + +"Right," said the Rector. "Here, you see, we have all the necessary +qualifications of the communicant expressed in a very few words; and +you will find the same ideas expressed in the Communion Service. The +first thing requisite is true and hearty repentance of all past sins, +and this same repentance is made the condition of all God's spiritual +favors towards us. + +"'Repent and be baptized,' says St. Peter to the inquirers at Jerusalem +on the day of Pentecost. 'Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise +perish,' says our Saviour. + +"There is not a person living upon earth who has not need of this +repentance. You may perhaps consider that your life thus far has been +very innocent and harmless, and yet if you consider it in the light of +God's law, I venture to say that you will see enough in it to make you +cry, 'God be merciful to me a sinner.' + +"Nay, your very forgetfulness, if not denial of Christ, in thus turning +your back upon His Table, at which you were an invited guest, is alone +enough to condemn you, especially after you have, in the presence +of so many witnesses, solemnly renewed your baptismal covenant, and +acknowledged yourself bound to believe and to do all those things which +you then undertook, or your sponsors undertook for you. How those other +vows have been kept, I will not ask you: that is an affair between God +and your own heart." + +"They have not been kept at all," said Edah, struggling with her tears: +"I have always been ashamed of the faith of Christ crucified, and have +never fought under His banner. I see very well that the Lord's Table is +no place for me." + +With her usual impetuosity, she was rising to go, when Mr. Wardwell +detained her. + +"Stay a moment, Miss Champlin; there is something else to be +considered. You say very truly that the Lord's Table is no place for +unrepentant sinners, but have you reflected also that it is the most +proper place for those who do truly repent them of their sins? Have you +truly reflected that there is but one place for the unrepentant sinner? + +"'He that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out,' says our merciful +Saviour; but He also says, 'Whosoever shall deny Me before men, him +will I deny before the angels in heaven.' + +"God in His mercy has awakened from your spiritual lethargy, and +convicted you of sin; He has set your duty plainly before you, and +placed within your reach the means to perform it. You may refuse +both the duty and the grace, but it will be at the peril of your +undying soul. You must repent; you must yield Him your full unreserved +obedience, or you are lost." + +Edah trembled so excessively that she was glad to resume her seat. +After she had composed herself a little, she said— + +"I see that what you say is true, Mr. Wardwell, and I only wonder that +I never saw it before. I wish with all my heart that I had never been +confirmed!" + +"And how would that help you, my child? Confirmation creates no new +duties; it is only an acknowledgment of those already existing. You +would be just as much bound to yield obedience to God if you had never +confessed before the world that such was your duty. But why are you +unwilling to yield this obedience? Cannot you make up your mind to the +sacrifices it implies?" + +Edah hesitated. + +"I think I could," said she; "I am not sure. But how strange it is, Mr. +Wardwell, that I never thought of these things before!" + +"It is indeed strange, that any one, believing the truths which our +Church so strongly sets forth, and hearing them repeated from Sunday to +Sunday, can yet be indifferent to the eternal welfare of his soul. But +I trust, Miss Champlin, that you now see the absolute necessity of a +heartfelt repentance, not only as a preparation for the Communion, but +also as necessary to your welfare here and hereafter." + +"I do indeed, sir; but I fear I have never felt this repentance. What +must I do?" + +"You must earnestly beseech God to grant you repentance, and His Holy +Spirit, my dear child. You must ask Him, for Christ's sake, to forgive +you all that is past, and to grant that you may henceforth serve and +please Him in newness of life. You must go to Him, believing that He +is, and that He is the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. You +have every encouragement to seek Him, in His promises; in His love, as +manifested in the death of His dear Son, for the redemption of man. Let +me entreat you, my dear young friend, to settle this matter now: do not +be diverted from it by any thing. Give yourself no rest or peace till +you feel that you have so repented of your sins, and have such a lively +faith in God's mercy, that you can with safety approach His holy Table. +I hope to see you again soon, and have some further talk with you." + +The conversation was now interrupted, and Edah returned home, after +being furnished by the Rector with some reading suitable to her state +of mind. + + +Milly had too much delicacy to take any notice of the marks of recent +agitation which appeared on her countenance. + +For once Edah wished that she had no lessons to prepare. She could +hardly fix her mind upon her studies sufficiently to understand them, +and she gladly laid them aside the moment the bell rung for half-past +eight, and took up one of the volumes that Mr. Wardwell had lent her. + +Looking up a few moments after, she was glad to see that Millicent had +opened the other, and appeared interested in it, for she had so long +depended on Milly for sympathy that the thought of having any separate +interest was painful to her. + +Catching Edah's eye at the moment, Milly said with her usual directness— + +"Edah, I wish you would tell me about your conversation with Mr. +Wardwell. I do not see why we should not talk about this matter as +freely as any other; even if we do not think alike, it will do no harm +to compare our thoughts." + +Edah was very glad that her friend had broken the ice, and she related +to her the substance of the conversation, not without some tears. Milly +was also affected, though as usual she endeavored to conceal all signs +of emotion. + +"Do you mean to go again?" she asked. + +"Oh, yes! I shall go again on Wednesday. I do not mean to let the +matter rest till it is settled. Will you go with me?" + +"I think I will. Setting aside any feeling on the subject, it seems +unworthy of a rational being to live as we have done—so thoughtless of +every thing but the present moment." + +The night-bell was now rung, and the girls put away their books, and +prepared to go to rest. Edah knelt down by her bedside without any +diffidence, without even thinking whether any one was looking at her or +not. Milly did not kneel, but she was very silent and serious. + +The girls were very thoughtful all the next day, and did not join at +all in the merriment of recess and playtime. No one made any remark +about it, however; for it happened that a good many others were in the +same situation. + + +Wednesday afternoon found Edah again at Mr. Wardwell's, and this time +Milly accompanied her. She now felt more at home, and better acquainted +with the Rector, and she did not hesitate to open her whole heart to +him. The conversation was long, and very interesting, and Mr. Wardwell +was rejoiced to see that his young friend had been led to see her +sinfulness, and to seek for grace where alone it is to be found. + +"I shall be most happy to welcome you to the Communion Table next +Sunday," he said, "and I trust you will find there still more grace, +a deeper conviction of your own unworthiness, and of the boundless +mercy of God in Christ. But let me repeat to you once more: Be not +satisfied with any faith which does not show itself in your life and +conversation. If you truly love God, His will and His glory will be +your ruling motive. In all you do, you will be desirous to please Him +and to this test you will bring every action of your life, even the +most trivial. You must bring captive every thought into the obedience +of Christ, and unless you are willing to do this, you must not be +satisfied with your repentance." + +"I do not understand that expression, doing all to the glory of God," +said Milly, speaking almost for the first time. "I have heard it used +several times, and I do not understand it at all. I do not see how the +glory of God can depend upon men." + +"It does indeed seem strange that such beings as we are can glorify our +Maker by our action but He has so said, and we are bound to believe it. + +"'Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit,' says our +Saviour. 'Whether ye eat or think, or whatever ye do, do all to the +glory Of God,' says St. Paul. + +"On the contrary, He speaks of those who, by falling away, have +crucified the Son of God afresh, and put Him to an open shame. Suppose, +Miss Amory, you were going among strangers who had heard of your +father, and who would naturally judge of him and his character by you, +would you not be very anxious and very careful that nothing in your +conduct should give an unfavorable impression of him? Would you not +endeavor to be kind, generous, and self-denying, if, in so doing, you +could win the regard of your companions to your father?" + +"Certainly, sir!" + +"Well, my dear, this is a case in point. If people who are careless on +the subject of religion, or even those who directly oppose it, see the +professed disciples of Christ patient, unselfish, consistent, honest, +and so forth, will they not, even against their wills, be forced to +respect the principle which leads to all these good results? And if, on +the contrary, they behold these professed disciples seeking their own +interest, dishonest, busybodies, and the like, will they not at once +conclude that their profession is all a falsity, or, if it is not so, +that it is not worth considering?" + +"Yes, sir, I suppose so. But, Mr. Wardwell, this is a great task to +undertake. It seems to me that it would be a burden too heavy for any +one." + +"Would you then feel it a great task to behave in the manner I at first +supposed when your father's honor and reputation were concerned?" + +"No, sir, because I love my father, and that would make it light. It is +not hard to make sacrifices for those we love." + +"Then do you not see that when you love God as you do your father, this +difficulty would become a pleasure?" + +"But is that possible?" + +"I trust you will come to see the time when you will wonder that any +thing else is possible. When you come to understand the exceeding +great love of our Master and only Saviour the dying for us; when you +appreciate the amazing greatness of His sacrifice for sin, and feel +that that sacrifice was made for you personally—that the crucified +Jesus is your Saviour, your friend—that He now loves you, intercedes +for you, watches you—that God the Father is your Father, and has sent +His only-begotten Son into the world to redeem you—that He sends His +Holy Spirit to touch your heart, and bring you to a sense of your +sins—that He is more than ready to receive you, as soon as you are +willing to be received,—when you realize all this, you will not think +it much to devote your time and your talents wholly to him." + +Millicent appeared more affected than Edah had ever seen her. + +"I should not indeed," she said, in a trembling voice, "if I could only +once feel that this was true. But it hardly seems possible that He +should so love me, and when I have never obeyed Him—never thought of +Him." + +"But it is true, my child. God commended His love to us in that, while +we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. And He not only died for us, +but He ever liveth to make intercession for us. + +"'Behold, I stand at the door and knock.' + +"He is now knocking at your door. The moment you are ready, He is +willing to wash away your sins, and to give you strength to serve and +please Him in newness of life." + +"I must think a little more, Mr. Wardwell, before I can come to a +decision," said Milly. "I do not feel as though I quite understood the +matter." + +"Think and pray both, my friend, but above all, pray. Your prayers will +be heard, if you are sincere in them. I trust and believe that you will +be guided aright, and that I shall yet have the happiness of seeing you +fighting under the banner of the Cross." + + + +CHAPTER II. + +CHANGING PLANS. + +THE following Sunday saw Edah at the Communion for the first time in +her life. It had been customary for all the pupils of the school to +return home immediately after the Offertory, under the supervision +of some of the elder girls, while the teachers remained. But on this +particular Sunday morning so many of them asked permission to stay, +that Miss Anderson thought it best that all should do so, except the +very youngest, who were sent home under the care of the nurse and +matron. + +Milly was very much impressed with the solemnity of the scene which she +now witnessed for the first time,—the silence of the church after the +congregation had retired—the space allotted for mental devotion—the +solemn and beautiful service, and the impressive words with which the +elements were delivered to each of those now kneeling at the Chancel +rails. Especially when her friend Edah went forward with the rest, did +she feel a strong desire to be with her—a wish that she too might be +admitted into the band of Christ's followers, and she resolved that +from that day she would place the subject first in her mind, and never +rest till she had come to a conclusion upon the subject. + +And she kept her word. She devoted all her spare time to studying the +Bible, not only with all the force of her clear mind, but also with +earnest prayer for the assistance of the Spirit; for it signifies +little with what mental power we attempt to grapple with the truths +of God's word, unless, at the same time, the illumination of the Holy +Ghost accompany our efforts. She made diligent use of all the means of +grace placed in her way, keeping, at the same time, close watch over +her own temper and disposition, and when the decisive time came, she +chose as might have been expected—she chose the strait and narrow path, +which leadeth unto eternal life, and threw all her talents and all her +influence on the side of Christ. + +Mr. Wardwell remarked to Miss Anderson afterwards that in the whole +course of his ministry, he had never talked with a candidate who seemed +to have clearer ideas as to what she was about to do, or a more humble +desire to lean upon the arm of God for strength. + +But this was entirely in accordance with Millicent's natural character: +whatever she did was done thoroughly. She never commenced any thing +hastily, but whatever she began was carried through. + +More than a dozen of the school-girls were confirmed at this time, +and about the same number from the town, and it was remarked long +afterwards that those who took this important step under Mr. Wardwell's +ministry were noticeable for the steady consistency of their life +and conversation. They were especially noticed as being "useful" +Christians. Few of them were known to shirk their share of work as +Sunday School teachers, as visitors of the sick, and comforters of the +destitute, whether of body or mind. Indeed, Mr. Wardwell's definition +of the requirement to be in charity with all men was somewhat wide, +and comprehended a great deal more than the simple fact of having no +quarrel with any one. + + +The time passed as rapidly as it always does with busy people, and +school-girls especially, and vacation was very near. It had been +decided that this vacation was to be spent by our two friends mostly in +a retired watering-place on the sea-shore, and they were anticipating a +great deal of pleasure, when something happened to over throw all their +plans. + +The letters were always brought into the dining-room at dinner-time, +and there distributed to their owners. One day Milly and Edah each +received one. Milly's was a model of epistolary elegance—seal, +envelope, and paper being all according to the latest fashion, while +through all the vulgar contact with dunning letters, lawyers' packets, +and so forth, an odor of violets still lingered around the delicate +page. Edah's, on the contrary, was without an envelope, not remarkably +well folded, and the direction was written in a large boyish hand, with +a decided slope into one corner. Edah smiled as she looked at it. + +"Really, Edah," said Milly, laughing, "your friend does not trouble +himself much with the minor elegances of correspondence." + +"It is from Sam," said Edah, laughing in her turn, as she broke the +seal. "Poor fellow, his literary abilities have never been particularly +well developed; but after all, he is a good boy in his way, and likes +to write to me. Indeed, if it were not for him, I should never hear +from the family at all." + +She began reading her letter, with a smile on her face, which vanished +as she went on, and she grew very grave. + +"Is there any thing the matter?" asked Milly, observing the change. + +"Why, yes; they are in rather an uncomfortable state, according to Sam. +Mrs. Champlin is very unwell, indeed, and so is the baby, and Pauline, +the next to the youngest, is very delicate. I hardly see how they get +on at all." + +"There is another daughter, is there not?" + +"Oh, yes, Susan. She is about fourteen, but from what I saw when I was +at home, I should not imagine that she would be of much assistance. I +must write to-day, and ask Sam to let me know more particularly. But +what says Miss Concklin, for I presume that elegant epistle, which +forms such a contrast to poor Sam's, is from her?" + +"Oh, just as usual! She is very kind and affectionate, longs to have +the vacation arrive, that we may be with her; says my father is well, +but much absorbed in business, as usual; sends her love to yourself, +and her kind regards to Miss Anderson. Stay, here is a postscript. + +"'The arrangements are all made for our party to the sea-shore, and we +have every prospect of a most delightful sojourn. The party will be +smaller than was at first proposed, but I think it will lose nothing in +point of pleasantness. Be sure to come home the first day possible.' + +"How delightful it will be!" she said, refolding the elegant sheet, and +restoring it to its envelope. + +Edah did not reply. She was reading her brother's letter again; and +three or four times in the course of the afternoon Milly saw her refer +to it. + +"You study that letter, Edah, as if it were a mathematical problem. +What is there in it so very entertaining?" + +"Nothing very entertaining, but something rather interesting. I have +been seriously considering whether I ought not to give up this party to +the sea-shore, and go home to nurse mother. If she is so unwell, and +the younger children also, it seems to me as if they must need help." + +Millicent looked at her as if she had proposed to go to the moon. + +"Give up going to the sea-shore, and go home instead!" she exclaimed. +"Why, Edah, what are you thinking of? It will overset our plans +entirely." + +"I do not see why," returned Edah. "You could go just the same; and +although it would not be quite as pleasant for you, it would make no +difference to the others, whom I hardly know at all. It seems to me as +if I would be useful at home, in a good many ways." + +"But, my dear child, what could you do? You know hardly any thing about +work." + +"True; but then you know I am a pretty good nurse, at least so Miss +Anderson thinks, and I am good at sewing. Then there is another thing. +I fear, from what Sam says, that they are rather straitened in means: +the family is large, and father has not attended much to business +lately. Mr. Liston promised me a hundred and fifty dollars to spend +upon this journey, in addition to my allowance, and that would go a +good way towards making a family of children comfortable." + +"But it will be such a sacrifice for you." + +"It will be a sacrifice; I cannot deny it," and Edah sighed as she +spoke. "The children are terribly spoiled, and mother has no sort of +authority over them. I liked Sam the best of them all. He is a rough, +noisy fellow enough, but then he is warm-hearted and affectionate. +Susan seemed to me to be both jealous and selfish, but perhaps I might +judge differently now. The younger ones are like all spoiled children, +as far as I know. Sam, and Pauline, who was almost a baby then, took a +great liking to me, and I always intended when I had a home of my own, +to take Polly to live with me. But then, Milly, the sacrifice to myself +is not what I ought to think of: if I can be useful, that is the main +thing." + +"That is true," admitted Milly, rather reluctantly; "but, will Mr. +Liston consent?" + +"If he does not, it will be the first time he ever contradicted me +in his life," said Edah, laughing; "except once, when I wanted some +gunpowder to play with, like the boys in the street. Mr. Liston is +somewhat prejudiced against my father, it is true—unjustly as I think; +but after all, he likes to have people act from principle, as he says, +and then he likes to have me do as I please. I do not anticipate any +objection from him." + +"Well, Edah, I cannot find it in my heart to dissuade you, sorry as I +am to have our plans broken up. But do not decide hastily." + +"Oh, no; I shall wait for another letter from Sam, I ant going to write +to him this afternoon, and see what he thinks of the idea." + +Sam's second letter arrived in a few days, and quite decided Edah upon +abandoning her plan of amusement for the summer, and going home to +nurse her stepmother, who, according to Sam's account, was in rather +a critical situation. Mr. Liston made no very strong objections to +her plan; as Edah said, he never contradicted her in any thing, not +actually dangerous. + +Miss Concklin, Millicent's aunt, raised the loudest cry. She could +not conceive, she said in a letter to Milly, six pages long, that +Miss Champlin was under any obligations to her father's second wife. +Mr. Champlin had never done any thing for his daughter, and she had +no expectations from him. As far as she could learn, they were not at +all desirable people for a young lady of Miss Champlin's fortune and +expectations to associate with, and really, she must think that Miss +Champlin showed a very singular taste, in preferring the company of a +set of vulgar relations and spoiled children, in a country village, to +the society of some of the first people in the land, both in regard to +station and cultivation. But of course Miss Champlin must choose for +herself. + +Milly only laughed over this letter: she knew her aunt well enough to +be aware that her anger at the disappointment would exhaust itself in +words, and that she would then appreciate Edah's conduct. Severely as +she knew she should feel the loss of her friend's society, she would +not say one word to discourage her from the resolution she had formed. +And it was now settled that as soon as school was out, Edah should go +at once to Brooksville, where her father resided. + +"A year ago, Edah," remarked Milly, "you would hardly have thought of +doing such a thing. I do not mean, of course, that you would not have +done it for me, if I had been sick, but you would not have thought +yourself called upon to make such a great sacrifice for any one." + +"I hope I am very different from what I was a year ago," returned +Edah. "A year ago, I should never have thought of going to church in +the rain, as we did yesterday; and as to wearing a gingham dress and +woollen shawl, I really believe I should have stayed at home every +Sunday for six months rather than do such a thing." + +"I do not think you care so much for dress, as you did," said Milly. + +"I hope I am not growing careless about it; am I?" + +"Oh, no; you are as neat as ever, but you do not spend so much time +upon it as you used to. I remember your saying, last summer, that you +could not possibly dress in less than an hour, and now you find a good +deal less than that sufficient. And you do not spend nearly so much +money upon it." + +"I know I do not. It does not seem right to waste so much upon mere +personal adornment, when there are so many better uses for money. The +difference between a twelve-dollar lace collar and a twelve-shilling +French worked one, would furnish a very good Sunday School library; and +how is any one the better for wearing a twelve-dollar collar?" + +"No better," said Milly; "for besides the expense, the worked collar +is much the prettiest in my opinion. I remember, last summer, when the +Miss Reeves had just been at our house with a great display of Honiton +lace in collars, sleeves, handkerchiefs, &c., my father, who seldom +notices dress, asked me how long it had been the fashion for ladies to +wear ragged lace. Aunt Maria was quite indignant. But you know, Edah, +some people say, 'What would become of the people that make these +things if no one wore them?'" + +"They would make something else, I suppose," said Edah; "and moreover, +I never heard that these people felt themselves bound to wear articles +after they went out of fashion, out of compassion for the people that +made them. I confess that question has puzzled me a little; but for all +that I cannot think it right to spend so much money for mere finery, +when it might be profitably employed in other ways." + +"I was speaking of your being altered, Edah," said Milly, after a few +moments' silence; "I notice it more in your temper than in any thing +else. You are much less quick and impatient than you used to be." + +"I am glad to hear you say so, Milly, for I assure you, I cannot see +the alteration in myself half as much as I wish I could. No one knows +how earnestly I strive and pray for a Christian temper; but every +little while something happens to upset me, and I find myself speaking +and feeling in a way, that when I think of it, makes me almost ready to +despair of myself. This very morning, Mary Snowden vexed me so, that I +hardly knew how to control myself. It does seem to me that she takes +pleasure in annoying me." + +"She takes pleasure in annoying every one," said Milly. "Nothing +delights her so much as to put any one out of temper. I cannot +understand that sort of disposition myself." + +"I confess I can," said Edah. "I have sometimes—I hope not lately—felt +something of it myself. A good many girls think it shows wit to +tease people, especially when they are irritable. It is a fact that +I am sometimes afraid to open my mouth before Mary Snowden, she will +invent so many ways to annoy me. I have tried every way to conciliate +her, but it seems as if the more I endeavor to be on my guard, the +more determined she is to throw me off it; and she puts on such a +face of surprise and contemptuous pity, and shrugs her shoulders so +significantly if I show the least annoyance, or even try to defend +myself ever so gently, I don't know how to bear it at all sometimes." + +"It is strange enough," said Milly, "that any person should take +pleasure in seeing one betrayed into sin, but I believe it is often the +case, much oftener than people acknowledge to themselves. You will have +to keep a double guard over yourself at home." + +"Yes," sighed Edah: "I almost dread it; but after all, the discipline +will be good for me. I have spent all my life so easily and pleasantly, +that I can hardly say I know what trouble is. You must write to me very +often, Milly, and tell me all that you are doing. I shall find time to +write to you, whatever else I have to do." + + +The next day saw Milly in New York, preparing for her excursion to the +seaside, and Edah in the stage-coach on her way to her father's. Her +heart almost sunk within her as she drew near to Brooksville, and saw +the village before her, but she tried to keep up good courage. Her +father received her at the gate affectionately enough, but Edah was +shocked to see how much he was altered. His eyes were red and watery, +his hands trembled, his figure was bent, and Edah thought his breath +smelt of spirits. Sam received her with a noisy demonstration of +kindness, which drew down a reproof from Susan for being so rude. Susan +herself was cold, and almost uncivil, and answered Edah's inquiries +about her mother very shortly. + +"She is very unwell, indeed," she said, "and quite unfit to be troubled +with company." + +"But I am not company," said Edah, good-naturedly, and taking up little +Pauline, who came to her side. "I have come to be of some use, if I +can. Sam wrote to me that mother was very unwell, and the baby also, +and I thought if that were the case, it would be more than you could do +to take care of every thing." + +"I am much obliged, I am sure," said Susan, in a tone which seemed to +express something very different from her words; "but I don't know that +I have made any complaint. Do get down, Pauline; how troublesome you +are!" + +But Pauline still kept her seat, and looked at her sister with an air +half of defiance, half of fear. Susan would have proceeded to force, +but at that moment she was called into the kitchen, and went out, +leaving it to Sam and Pauline to show Edah her room, which she was glad +to find pleasant in its aspect, and in comfortable order, with windows +which commanded an extremely pretty prospect. Pauline was unwilling to +leave her even here, but by alternate coaxing and scolding on Sam's +part, she was at last prevailed on to go down stairs, and leave her +sister to herself. + +Edah unpacked her trunk, and took out her presents for her mother and +the children. She then dressed herself in a pretty French calico frock +and black silk apron, and went down stairs. She was passing a half-open +door, when she heard a baby cry, and a feeble voice said: + +"Susan, is that you?" + +"It is Edah, mother," she said, entering softly. "Susan said you were +asleep, and I did not like to disturb you." + +Mrs. Champlin was sitting up in bed, holding the baby in her arms. She +was very thin and pale, and seemed hardly able to support the weight of +the puny little creature. She seemed very much pleased to see Edah, and +kissed her affectionately. + +"It is very good of you, I am sure," she said, with an appearance of a +good deal of feeling, "to come and stay with us, instead of going to +your friends, but I am afraid we cannot make it very pleasant for you." + +"I did not come a-pleasuring, as nurse says," replied Edah, smiling; +"but from Sam's account of things, I thought Susan must need some help, +and came to see what I could do: so let me take the baby to begin with. +You do not seem fit to hold him at all. What a tiny creature it is!" + +"Very small," assented Mrs. Champlin; "he has been sick ever since he +was born. If you will hand me that little bottle of milk, I will feed +him." + +"Do let me try," said Edah, bringing the bottle; "I am sure I can do +it, and do you lie down again." + +She took the child accordingly, and began feeding it, not unskilfully, +while Mrs. Champlin sank back on her pillow, and watched her at first +rather anxiously, and then apparently with some amusement. + +"Why, you get on very nicely," she said at length. "Do they teach +baby-tending at your school?" + +"No," said Edah; "but I have played with Mrs. Wardwell's baby a good +deal, especially since I knew I was coming here, and she taught me to +feed and dress it. I thought, as you had a young baby, it would be +convenient to know, and, besides, I love the little things dearly." + +So saying, she removed the handkerchief she had tucked under the +child's chin, and straightened out its clothes quite scientifically, +addressing to it, at the same time, some of that highly rational and +instructive conversation in which nurses are accustomed to deal, and +with which babies are at all times greatly delighted. She was engaged +in this manner, and in relating to her mother the incidents of the +journey, when Susan entered. + +"So! You seem to have got yourself into business," she said, in a tone +which was a shade more gracious than any she had yet used. "Do you like +babies?" + +"Very much," said Edah. + +"I am glad of it, for I don't. I never can get on with children, and +Sam and Pauline plague my life out." + +"Sam is one of the children, is he?" said her mother. "He is a whole +year older than you are." + +"He is old enough to know how to behave himself, then," returned Susan; +"but he don't, and I believe he never will. Tea is ready, Edah, or +perhaps I should say Miss Champlin." + +"I think, Susan," said her mother, "that I will go out into the other +room to-night, as Edah is here. I can lie on the sofa, and Sam will +draw me out in the rocking-chair." + +Susan made some objections, but her mother prevailed, and was drawn +into the other room, greatly to the delight of Pauline and Sam. + +"Really, mother," said Mr. Champlin, "you are getting quite smart. Edah +must be a good doctor, I think. But come, let us have our supper, for +it is past the time." + +"I think sister ought to make tea, Susan," said Pauline, as Susan sat +down before the teaboard. "She is the oldest." + +"Of course she ought," struck in Sam, while Mrs. Champlin looked +uncomfortable, and Susan, in a voice trembling with anger, replied,— + +"Oh, of course, I am nobody, now that 'sister' has come. I am only +good for something when there is work to be done. But I am sure she is +welcome to the place, if she wants it." + +"But I don't want it Susan," said Edah, gently. "I never do like +to make tea, and to-night I am very tired. Besides, Sam, I am only +company, you know." + +"But you said you were not company," persisted Sam, "and you will have +to do it now, for Sue looks so cross, she will turn all the milk sour." + +Susan looked more angry than ever at this provoking speech, and was +about to rise from the table, when her father, in a peremptory voice, +commanded them both to be quiet, and Susan to make the tea, adding that +their squabbles were enough to drive one crazy. + +No grace was said at the table. Sam employed all his wit, which, +indeed, was not small, to annoy and provoke Susan, while she, on her +part, was sullen and silent, resisting all Edah's attempts to draw +her into conversation. Pauline asked for every thing on the table, +interrupted everybody, and regularly refused to do every thing that +Susan inquired of her. She showed great alacrity in waiting on her +mother, however, and seemed very affectionate both to her and the baby. + +It may easily be imagined that the meal was not a very pleasant one +under these circumstances, and Edah was glad when it came to a close. +She produced her presents, which were received with great delight, and +even Susan smoothed her brow and seemed pleased when Edah presented her +with a pretty new dress, and a pair of nice under-sleeves, saying, in +rather an apologetic manner— + +"It is not a very sentimental present, Susan, but I did not know what +you would like, and I thought, perhaps, you would not have seen any +thing like this. It is quite new in style." + +"It is very welcome, I'm sure," said Susan, unfolding and admiring +it; "for I've hardly a decent dress to put on. See, mother, isn't it +pretty?" + +"Beautiful," replied Mrs. Champlin, "and it will be very becoming, if +you get it nicely made up." + +"I declare," said Sam, "it makes you look quite handsome, Sue." + +"You are a judge, no doubt," returned Susan, but not ill-naturedly; "I +am very much obliged to you, Edah, for remembering me. I did not expect +it." + +"Why not?" asked Edah. + +"Ob, because nobody does; that's all. I am nobody here—only, as I said, +when there is work to be done." + +"You must be very useful then, I am sure," said Edah; "when I was +fourteen, I was the last person thought of when there was work to be +done. I suspect you are a good deal before me now in housekeeping." + +"Susan is a good housekeeper for her age," remarked Mrs. Champlin; "she +makes excellent cake and bread, and sews very nicely." + +These compliments quite conciliated Susan, and Edah was surprised to +see how well she appeared, and how pretty she was, when her face was +not deformed by an angry flush, or an expression of sullenness. She +could not help thinking that some of her bad temper might be the result +of unfortunate circumstances, and resolved to do her best to conciliate +her and gain her confidence, and to remove the jealousy which had +evidently been roused in her sister's bosom towards herself. + +When eight o'clock came, Susan informed Pauline that it was time for +her to go to bed, but Pauline declined listening, and appealed to her +mother, who decided that she might sit up an hour longer on Edah's +account, if she would promise to go to bed quietly at the end of that +time. + +Susan seemed to take this permission a good deal amiss, and had quite +an argument with her mother on the subject; but Pauline had her own +way, and stayed up as long as any member of the family. Sam was deeply +engaged in one of his new books all the evening, and took but little +share in the conversation. As for Mr. Champlin, he went out immediately +after tea, and did not return till bedtime. + +Edah made her long ride and her fatigue an excuse for retiring early to +her room, when she sat down to write in her journal, as she did at the +close of every day. She had just finished, and was taking up her Bible, +when Susan entered, without knocking, which a little annoyed Edah. + +She drew a chair to the table, without waiting to be asked, and sat +down, saying as she did so, "I thought you were in a hurry to go to +bed. I suppose the truth was, you wanted to get away, and have a little +peace and quiet." + +"Not exactly," said Edah, "though I always like to have a little time +before going to bed; don't you?" + +"No," answered Susan, "not unless I have an interesting book to read. +What a pretty Bible that is! But why do you have two?" + +"One is a Prayer-Book," said Edah. "I think it a very pretty one!" + +"Are you an Episcopalian?" asked Susan, abruptly. + +"To be sure," replied Edah: "are not you?" + +"I am not any thing," said Susan. "We hardly ever have church here, and +when we do, Mr. Willson is so dull, I can't bear to hear him. I don't +like the service either: it is so long and tiresome, and I never can +find the places." + +"I could soon show you about them," said Edah; "and when you come to +understand the service, I am sure you would not think it tiresome. But +what do you do on Sundays when there is no church?" + +"Sometimes I go to the Methodist meeting and sometimes I stay at home. +Father never goes: he sits at home and reads the newspapers, or goes +over to Strong's. Sam goes to Raeburn to church, when he does not stay +at home to plague me. Did you ever see such a tormenting boy as he is?" + +"It is a pity he has got into the way of making such speeches," said +Edah, "for he seems very intelligent and affectionate." + +"You will find out how affectionate he is after a while," returned +Susan. "Your being here is a new thing now, but by and by he will tease +you just as he does me; though perhaps he may do differently, as you +have something to give him, and I have not, and even if I had, I should +be ashamed to bribe him. As for Pauline, she makes it the object of her +life to tease me, and mother always takes her part. She never spoiled +me so, I know. Do you read your Bible every night?" + +"Yes," replied Edah, "and every morning." + +"What is the use of reading it so much?" asked Susan. "You must know it +all by heart, I should think." + +"Not half as much as I wish I did; but I find something new every time +I read." + +Edah looked at her watch as she spoke, and Susan took the hint. + +"I see you are wanting to get rid of me," she said, rising, "and no +wonder. What an elegant watch! I suppose Mr. Liston gave it to you. It +is a nice thing to have rich relations and friends. Well, good-night! +You need not hurry about getting up, for we are not very early risers," +and so saying she disappeared. + +Edah, left alone, turned again to her reading and prayer. Tired as she +was, she did not close her eyes for a long time, but lay thinking of +the events of the day, and of her new situation. It was certainly a +very different one from any in which she had ever been before, and she +could not but foresee a good many annoyances and trials of temper, for +she perceived that Susan was jealous of her, and she had already seen +enough of that young lady to know that she was not very likely to put +any great restraint upon her feelings. Sam and Pauline seemed to her +easier to manage, though the one was turbulent and mischievous, and +the other thoroughly spoiled. Mrs. Champlin appeared kindly disposed +towards her, and the baby was certainly an object of pity. Her father +she had hardly seen, but she thought him a good deal altered, and not +for the better. + +Edah saw that she should have occasion for all those principles of +action which she had lately acquired, but she resolved to be patient +and gentle, to try to control her unruly temper, and with a prayer for +grace to do all things to the glory of God, she fell asleep. + + + +CHAPTER III. + +THE NEW HOME. + +THE next day, Edah spent most of the morning in unpacking her trunks, +arranging the books she had brought with her, and so forth, all of +which was very interesting to Pauline, who overlooked the process, and +was very desirous to be allowed to help, though her mother was rather +afraid she would be troublesome. + +"Shall I be troublesome, sister?" asked the little girl. + +"No," said Edah, smiling, "for if you do not do as I wish you to, I +shall send you down stairs. You may stay as long as you please, if you +will be quiet and not meddle, and I shall like very much to have you +help me." + +Pauline looked rather disturbed at the first part of this speech, but +finally decided to remain upon these conditions. Edah was careful to +give her enough to do, and not to put temptation in her way, and thus +the morning passed very pleasantly. + +"What makes you have so many books, sister?" asked the child, as Edah +gave her a heavy dictionary to put away. + +"Some to read," said Edah, "and some to study." + +"I did not know that grown-up people studied," said Pauline. + +"Did you not? Don't you know that lawyers have to study a great deal +before they are allowed to practise law, and doctors before they can +cure people? And a great many people study for pleasure." + +"That is funny! I am sure I would not do that." + +"Can you read, Pauline?" asked Edah. + +"Not very well," replied Pauline; "not well enough to read stories, and +I would rather have some one tell them for me." + +"But you cannot always have some one to tell you stories, you know, and +there are a great many necessary things to be learned out of books that +no one can tell you. If you would spell every day, you would soon learn +to read well, and then you could amuse yourself without being dependent +on anybody." + +"There is no one to hear me now," said Pauline. "Mother has not time, +even if she is well enough, and Sue won't; and even if she does, she is +so cross I cannot do any thing." + +"Are you sure it is only Susan that is cross? Don't you tease her +sometimes?" + +Pauline hung her head as she said, "I don't tease her any more than she +does me." + +"Then you do tease her a little?" + +Pauline did not make any reply, but said, after a little, "I wish you +would hear me. I should like to read to you, and I would do just what +you wanted me to." + +"I will try the experiment," said Edah, "if mother is willing, but then +I shall do so only on two conditions: one is that you shall come the +moment I call you, and the other, that you shall do just as I tell you, +while you are reading." + +"Well," said Pauline, "I will. But won't you tell me stories too +sometimes, because you know it will be a good while before I can read +well?" + +"Oh, yes! I will tell you a story every day that you read well, unless +something very important prevents me. But we must ask mother." + +"Oh, she won't care: she lets me do just as I please always." + +"Is Pauline here?" asked Susan, appearing at the door. "You must have +had a nice time unpacking with her in the room. Do come down stairs, +Pauline, and leave Edah in peace, and not be teasing her every minute: +how troublesome you are!" + +"I am not troublesome: am I, sister?" said Pauline. + +"Oh, no," said Edah; "she has helped me a great deal." + +"I should like to see her help any one," retorted Susan: "she has never +done any thing but hinder yet." + +"I'm sure I helped you shell all the beans for dinner yesterday," said +the child coloring, and beginning to cry, "and I got the baby to sleep +twice. You are just as hateful as you can be, Sue, and I will never do +any thing for you again as long as I live. I love sister a great deal +the best, and I don't love you a bit—so!" + +"Hush, hush, Polly! That is very naughty to speak so to sister Susan," +said Edah, trying to check her. "You must not do so, if you are going +to be my little girl." + +"Oh pray don't stop her, Miss Champlin," said Susan, in a voice which +trembled with anger: "it may as well come out first as last. I see she +has learned her lesson already; but I must say, I think you might be +better employed than in setting the child up against her own sister. I +shall just tell mother, and see what she thinks of such goings on." + +So saying, she left the room, despite of Edah's efforts to detain her. + +"Now, Polly, see what mischief you have done by speaking so foolishly," +said Edah. "You have made Susan angry at me, and worried poor sick +mother." + +"I do love you the best, any way," returned Pauline, still crying. + +"If you love me, you must show it by being good," said Edah, "and not +by making such naughty speeches. Susan has had a great deal to do, and +it is no wonder she is fretted sometime; and you ought to try and make +things easy for her. Now I think if you really want to be a good girl, +you will go and tell Susan that you are sorry." + +After a little hesitation, Pauline said— + +"I will, if you want me to, but I know she will only be cross." + +"That makes no difference," said Edah; "if she is cross, you must be +the more good-natured, that is all. Now, go and tell her." + +Pauline went, with some hesitation, and found Susan already relating +the story of her misdeeds to her mother, who looked anxious and +uncomfortable. + +"How could you be so naughty, Pauline?" she said to her. "Did you tell +Susan you did not love her a bit?" + +"Yes, mother," replied Polly; "but sister said I was very naughty, and +that I must come and tell Susan that I was sorry; so I came." + +"That's a good girl," said her mother. "You see, Susan, that Edah is +not doing any thing wrong about it, and that you are quite mistaken. +Come, now, kiss and be friends." + +Susan consented rather unwillingly; and Pauline, quite elated with +her victory over herself, went on telling her mother how sister had +promised to hear her read, and was going to tell her a story every day +when she was good. + +Mrs. Champlin readily consented to the arrangement, thinking at the +time that Edah would soon tire of her charge. + +When Pauline left the room, Susan said— + +"You see how it is, mother. She wants to take the whole management into +her own hands, and rule the household just as she pleases, and that is +why she makes such a fuss over Pauline—not because she cares any thing +about her." + +"For shame, Susan! You are very wrong to say so, and I will hear no +more about it. I think I am able to maintain my own authority. When I +cannot, I will ask your help. You have had a great deal of work to do +since I was sick, I know, and I give you great credit for doing it so +nicely; but I do wish you would try to get the better of your faults of +temper. Your perpetual quarrels with Sam and Pauline weary my life out, +and I feel as if I could die. But if I should be taken away, I don't +know what would become of the family, for you have no sort of influence +with Pauline. Do, for my sake, my child, try to get along a little +better." + +Susan was moved by her mother's remonstrances, and promised to try and +keep the peace, if she could—a promise which she kept very well for two +days, and part of the third. + +But unfortunately her batter-pudding turned out to be heavy at dinner, +and Sam, as usual, took the opportunity to make some annoying speeches. +Now, a failure in cookery is at best a trying thing, especially to a +young housekeeper, and it becomes doubly so when commented upon. Susan +lost her temper, and the more irritation she showed, the more Sam +teased her, despite Edah's efforts to stop him. + +"I do not see, Sam," she said to him, when they were alone after +dinner, "how you can take such pleasure in annoying and teasing poor +Susan. It does not seem to me right or fair." + +"She need not be so touchy, then," said Sam. "She swells up like a +turkey-cock if one looks at her. If she did not care any thing about +it, I should let her alone." + +"Well, I do not think it is right," said Edah. "If you had a lame foot, +you would not think that a reason why people should tread on your toes, +would you?" + +"You need not take Sue's part," returned Sam, evading a reply, "for she +cannot bear you. She is as jealous of you as she can be." + +"I am afraid she is," returned Edah; "but that makes no difference. It +does not make me want to see her uncomfortable, because she does not +like me, and I think it is very wrong to make her so angry." + +"Why is it wrong?" asked Sam, in rather a defiant tone. + +"It is leading her into temptation," replied Edah; "offending her, as +the Bible says. You know our Saviour says—'Whosoever shall offend one +of these little ones'—" + +"Oh, don't try to come the parson over me," said Sam, interrupting her. +"I tell you what it is, Miss Champlin, I think you take a deal too much +on yourself in this house. It is just as Sam says—you want to rule the +whole family, and if I were mother, I would not have it. A pretty story +it is, to be sure," he continued, getting more and more angry as he +went on, "for you to stay away all your life, and never come near us, +and the first moment you do come, to set every thing topsy turvy." + +Edah felt the color rise in her own face, but she controlled herself, +and said gently— + +"But, Sam, how you do mistake me! I have not the least desire to govern +you, but I don't like to see you doing wrong, and annoying Sam so." + +"Susan can take care of herself," returned Sam, "and so can I, without +any of your help. You think because you are two or three years older, +and have some property more than we have, and some grand acquaintances, +that it is mighty condescending in you to come out here and make a +visit. But we are as good as you are, any day, and as to being walked +over by you with your young lady airs, I, for one, won't, and there's +an end of it." + +So saying, he left the room, slamming the door after him. + +Edah was both hurt and angry, but she tried to govern herself, and +called Pauline to take her reading lesson. But the day seemed an +unfortunate one. Pauline was beginning to tire a little of her regular +employment, and the lessons had ceased to be a novelty. She was rather +unwilling to come, and was so inattentive that Edah reproved her, and +told her that she must do better, or lose her story. Pauline did a +little better for the moment, but soon relapsed again, and was really +very provoking. + +"Why, Pauline," she said, "you must do better, or I cannot hear you. +I cannot spend the time with you, unless you take pains to learn. You +don't try at all." + +"I don't care," said Pauline; "I won't read if I don't choose to." + +"Then you will lose your story." + +"I don't care for that, either," retorted the child. "Sam will tell me +stories, if I want him to. I am not going to read any more." + +"Very well," said Edah, putting away the book. + +"I like Susan better than you now," said Pauline, after a little, +apparently determined to provoke a contest. "I don't like you a bit." + +Edah made no answer. + +"I don't think your hair is pretty a bit," after a short pause. "Mother +says you are not half as pretty as Susan." + +"Mother is quite right," said Edah, smiling, though she felt annoyed. +"Susan is very handsome, I think myself." + +"You only say so to plague me, but I don't care. I shall not like you +any more." + +Edah rose and went to her own room, shutting Pauline out. She spent +some time in endeavoring to compose her feelings, and when she had it +some measure succeeded, she sat down and wrote a long letter to Milly. +She said not a word of any annoyances at home, but gave an account of +her journey, and of the kind reception she had met with, and when it +was finished, she put on her bonnet and carried it to the post-office +herself. + +The pleasure of writing to her friend, with the exercise and the fresh +air, entirely dispelled her annoyance, and she returned home in very +good spirits. Mrs. Champlin came out to tea, and was, as usual, kind +and cordial to Edah, and Pauline had almost forgotten her pet. But Sam +did his best, by words and looks, to be disagreeable, and that is an +undertaking in which any one can succeed. Susan seemed to enjoy Edah's +discomfort, and indeed said— + +"I thought you would find Sam out, after a while." + +After tea, Pauline came round for her story, as usual; but after a +little hesitation, Edah said— + +"You know, Polly, I cannot tell you a story, because you did not read +well, and would not mind." + +"I don't care! I think you might, any way," said Pauline, bursting into +tears. + +"What is the matter, Pauline?" asked her mother, rather sharply. + +"Sister won't tell me a story. She promised to, and now she won't." + +"I promised to tell you one, if you were good—not without," said Edah. +"You know that was part of the bargain." + +"Do stop crying, Pauline," said Mrs. Champlin; "you tire and worry my +life out. If you did not mean to keep on telling her stories, Edah, you +should not have begun. It is perfectly absurd to expect such a baby +as she is to keep to an engagement, and I must say I think you take a +great deal upon yourself in attempting to govern her at all. I wish you +would leave that to me." + +Sam and Susan exchanged glances of triumph. + +Edah felt her color rise, and her lip trembled, as she said— + +"I did not mean any interference, mother, I am sure—" + +But she was interrupted. + +"Do let the matter drop, and have done with it. I am tired of these +constant disputes, and they have been worse than ever since you came. +Pauline, be quiet." + +"Come here, Polly," said Sam, "and I will tell you a story, without +asking you any thing for it. I am not as rich as some folk; but I can +afford to give away a story." + +Edah's first impulse was to leave the room, and shut herself up in her +own apartment for the remainder of the evening; but she felt it would +be wrong to give way to the rebellious feelings which were rising in +her heart, so she restrained her tears—those provoking tears, which +would come whenever she was angry—and took up an apron which had been +begun for Pauline. + +"Pray, don't trouble yourself to do that," said Susan; "I can do it as +well as not, and I would much rather. I do wish you would let it be," +she continued, as Edah kept on with her work; "I prefer to finish it +myself. How ridiculous you do make yourself!" she added, in a tone too +low for her mother to hear, as she took the work out of her hands. + +Edah could not trust herself to speak, so she resigned the sewing +in silence, and began to work at a collar of her own—Sam and Susan, +meanwhile, keeping up a lively conversation till their mother retired. + +Susan made herself very active in waiting on her mother, and was very +careful not to allow Edah to do any thing either for her or the baby, +which she had undressed every night since her arrival. + +Edah took a lamp and went to her own room as soon as she could. + +"I will go back to Miss Anderson's to-morrow," she thought. "I might as +well have gone with Milly, for all the thanks I get for coming here." + +But better thoughts soon succeeded. She could not think that she had +done wrong, as far as Pauline was concerned, for she had only kept +her word with the child, and her mother had known of the arrangement +from the beginning. At the same time, she felt conscious of having +indulged very improper feelings, both towards Sam and Susan, and of not +having made sufficient efforts to overcome them. She regretted what +had occurred very much, as she feared that she should have no further +influence either with Sam or Pauline, to whom she had become much +attached. + +After a good deal of painful thought on the subject, she concluded +to remain a few days longer, and try to set matters right with her +stepmother. If she did not succeed in doing so, and if there seemed no +farther prospect of her being useful in the family, she could at any +time return to Miss Anderson's or go to New York. + +She had just finished her reading, and was preparing for bed, when her +mother's door at the foot of the stairs was opened, and her father +called loudly, "Susan! Susan! Get up directly; Pauline is in a fit." + +But Susan was a sound sleeper, and did not hear. + +Edah threw on her wrapper, and ran down stairs to her mother's +room, where she found the poor child in convulsions, and her mother +supporting her, though herself almost fainting from weakness and fright. + +Edah was one of those happy people whose courage rises with the danger, +and who are cool in proportion to the agitation of those about them, +and now she instinctively took the command of affairs on herself. + +"Run for the doctor, father; but first waken Sam," she said, taking the +struggling child on her lap: "oh, here he is! Sam, you must make a fire +directly, and put on plenty of water—a good large fire, Sam—to heat +quick. Susan, take Eddy up stairs, and put him into your bed, without +waking him, if you can. There, Polly dear, sister is holding you! You +will be better presently. Don't cry, if you can help it, Susan, but +attend to mother. Has father gone for the doctor?" + +"Yes," said Sam, "and I have made the fire." + +"That's right. Now, if you have not a bathing-tub, get the largest +wash-tub in the house, and have it ready in the dining-room. See if +there is any mustard, and have it at hand. I know a bath is often the +first thing needed." + +"How you do think of every thing!" Sam could not help saying. "Do you +think she will die, Edah?" + +"Hush!" said Edah, fearing the child would understand. "I hope she will +soon be better. Here comes the doctor." + +For two or three hours, Pauline lay unconscious, apparently between +life and death, and it seemed doubtful which would obtain the mastery. +The convulsions which shook her little feeble frame were frightful to +witness, and Sam and Susan were almost overcome. But Edah preserved +her calmness, and did every thing necessary, with a quiet good sense +and steadiness, which astonished the doctor, who was not accustomed to +think very highly of young ladies. + +"Upon my word," said he, "you are one of a thousand. If you should +think of studying medicine, I should like to take you into my office." + +"I have no such views at present," returned Edah, smiling, "but if I +ever should have, I will let you know." + +At last, the convulsions became less frequent, and ceased: the little +girl seemed to return to consciousness, and to suffer less, and after +a while she fell asleep on Edah's lap. Tired as she was, she would not +move for fear of disturbing her, but persuading the children to go to +bed, she sat down in a rocking-chair, where she could rest her head +comfortably. Mrs. Champlin also fell asleep, and the house was once +more quiet. + +Pauline slept till morning, and awoke almost free from pain, but weak +and languid, and disposed to be very fretful. She would allow no one +but Edah to do any thing for her: sister must rock her, and sing to +her; sister must feed her; she would take medicine from no one else, +and obey no one else. She was often restless at night, and then Edah +must take her on her lap, and sing to her till she fell asleep again. + +All this was wearisome enough, especially to one entirely unaccustomed +to such labors, and the more so, from there being no servants in the +house, except a young Irish girl, who, as Sam said, was as green as +the island she came from. Edah felt this deficiency very much, and she +thought, moreover, that it was altogether too hard upon Susan, who was +growing very fast, and, of course, not very strong. + + +One evening, when Pauline had fallen asleep, after an unusually fretful +day, Sam came softly into the room, and whispered to Edah— + +"Mother is asleep, and Sue wants you to come down stairs and get some +supper, and have a little rest. I am sure you must want it, for you are +as pale as a ghost. I will sit by Polly, and call you if I cannot keep +her quiet." + +Edah willingly consented, for she did indeed feel wearied almost to +death. + +Susan had got a nice supper ready, near the open window, at which the +sweet evening air came in pleasantly. + +"Come, Edah," she said, "draw up the other rocking-chair, and let us +have a comfortable rest. I don't believe you have sat down to-day, and +I'm sure I haven't. My shoulders and ankles ache like the toothache." + +"You are growing so fast," said Edah, gladly accepting the cup of tea +Susan handed her; "I think it is altogether too hard upon you. I wish +we had a right good girl that would do every thing in the kitchen, so +that you need have nothing to do but to wait upon mother." + +"That would be nice, if it could only be done," returned Susan: "but it +can't." + +"Why not?" asked Edah. "Cannot you find such a person here?" + +"Oh, yes; I could find one easy enough, if that were all; but the truth +is, Edah," she continued, after a pause, "we cannot afford it. It is as +much as we can do to get along and live as we are, and we do not half +do that. Father does not attend to his business, but lets every thing +go at loose ends, and yet he won't let Sam do any thing by which he +could earn his own living. + +"Mother used to sew a little before she was sick, but we had to be +careful not to let father know it. Since she has been laid up, there +have been a great many days when I have not known how to get a decent +dinner—and there you have the whole story." + +Susan tried to laugh, but her lip quivered, and her eyes filled with +tears. + +"I wish I had known this before," said Edah, much affected. "I saw +indeed that father was altered, and that you and mother seemed +careworn; but I had no idea it was so bad. I might have helped you as +well as not." + +"You have done all we could expect, I am sure," returned Susan, "in +dressing Pauline up so nicely, to say nothing of myself. I suppose +you thought I was very cross when you came, and I know I am very +bad-tempered, but I should not be quite so bad, if I were not worried +out of my life." + +"But, Susan, I might pay the girl myself. I have money enough with me, +and can get more by writing for it. If you will find a proper person, +I will agree to pay her wages, as long as I stay, at any rate. I would +have some one that can do every thing about house, and then you and I +can do all the nursing, sewing, and so on. And by and by, when they are +all well, you can go to school if you like." + +Susan tried to answer, but was unable to control her voice for a minute +or two. At last she said— + +"I cannot say how much I am obliged to you: I am sure I don't know what +we should have done without you. I will find some one to-morrow." + +"But what will mother say?" asked Edah. "I am afraid she will think as +she did about Pauline, that I interfere too much: I felt very badly +about that, though I really think that as long as she knew from the +beginning—" + +"Pshaw!" interrupted Susan. "That was not it. She happened to feel just +so, that was all. You must not mind what she says when she is worried, +for no matter how she feels, she just speaks it right out. She will be +right glad, I know, and very much obliged to you. As for father, he +won't say any thing as long as we don't ask him for money." + +"Don't ask him, then," said Edah: "we can manage that easily enough. I +will pay you three dollars a week for my board, and get what is wanted +for Pauline, and that will do something towards household expenses. But +I must go back to Polly, or she will be crying." + +The arrangement was communicated to Mrs. Champlin, who saw no objection +to it. And a capable middle-aged woman was soon installed in the +kitchen. The change was an agreeable one in every respect, for with +the best intentions in the world, Susan was not much of a cook, and +Biddy's ideas on the subject were very vague. Ruby-Anne cooked, washed, +and cleaned to admiration, and the whole house soon assumed a more +comfortable aspect. + +Susan seemed for a while fairly shamed out of her ill-humor, and Edah +felt herself much more pleasantly situated at home than she had yet +been. Pauline improved rapidly, and in a little while seemed as well +as ever, and Mrs. Champlin appeared to be gaining strength under her +improved fare. The poor baby, however, did not partake of the general +amendment: it continued a sickly little creature, and required a great +deal of care. + +"Sam," said Edah, one Saturday morning, after Pauline had quite +recovered, "do you think we could manage to go over to Raeburn to +church to-morrow?" + +"I don't know," said Sam; "I suppose you could not walk over, could +you?" + +"I am afraid I could not walk there and back," replied Edah. "But I +really want to go to-morrow very much, and I wish we could contrive it." + +"Why do you want to go to-morrow particularly?" asked Susan. + +"It will be Communion Sunday, I presume," said Edah; "it is the first +Sunday in the month, and you know I have not been to church since I +came here." + +"They do have Communion the first Sunday in the month, I know," said +Sam. "I presume I could get some sort of a 'gohicle,' though perhaps +not a very smart one—not much like Mr. Liston's carriage; but I suppose +you won't mind its not being very handsome." + +"I do not care what it is, so it is clean and safe," said Edah; "but I +have quite set my heart upon going." + +"I will do the best I can," said Sam. + +And he accordingly exerted himself to such good purpose that at +teatime, he told Edah he had engaged a horse and wagon for the next +morning. + +"You will have to be ready early though," he added, laughing, "for the +horse is not what you would call a fast one, by any means." + +Mrs. Champlin seemed to wonder that people should take so much pains +to go to one church instead of another, but she made no objection. She +did not know much about Episcopalians, she said, but she had always +supposed they were pretty much the same as Roman Catholics. Sam was +wonderfully taken with them, and very often went to Raeburn to church, +and sometimes she felt troubled about it, for she would not like to +have him turn out a papist. + +"They are no more alike than Presbyterians and Mormons are alike," said +Sam, rather sharply; "not that ever I could see." + +"You need not be so sharp, Sam," replied Mrs. Champlin, smiling. "I +said I did not know much about them." + +Sam was about to return a still sharper answer, when an entreating look +from Edah stopped him, and he only muttered that he wished people would +not talk of what they did not understand. + +"I like them, any way," said Pauline, in her sharp way, "for sister +says the Episcopal Church is her church, and I am going to have it for +mine too when I grow up." + +"Well done, Polly!" exclaimed her father, laughing. "Stick to your +friends. But if you are a Churchwoman, you will have to learn the +Catechism, and how will you like that?" + +"Sister will teach it to me, I know," said the little girl. "She has +taught me some hymns out of her church book already, and she tells me +beautiful stories out of the Bible, when I am going to sleep. Sister +will teach me the—I don't know how to pronounce it—won't you?" + +"If mother is willing," replied Edah. + +"Teach her all you can," said Mrs. Champlin; "no one else takes any +pains with her. I don't know what the poor child will do when you go +away, I am sure." + +"Or any of the rest of us," added Sam. + +"You will do as you did before," said Susan, rather sharply. "Edah is +very good to be sure, but she is not the only person in the world." + +A fortnight before, Sam would have taken advantage of this speech to +provoke Susan into a regular rage, but now he let it pass, and adroitly +turned the conversation upon some new shirts she had been making for +him, declaring that he liked them better than any he had ever had. This +compliment put Susan in a good humor at once, and she was very pleasant +all the evening. + + +The next morning, at a little after nine, the "gohicle," as Sam was +pleased to term it, was at the door, and Edah appeared, ready dressed, +and with her Prayer-Book in her hand. She could not help laughing, as +she seated herself in the old-fashioned one-horse wagon, and thought +of what Miss Concklin would say to such a conveyance. It was clean, +however, and tolerably easy, and the old horse started off at a better +pace than his appearance had promised. + +When they reached the top of one of the hills which surrounded the +village, Sam stopped to let the horse rest, and to give Edah an +opportunity of admiring the beautiful prospect spread out beneath them. +On one side lay the village they had just left, with its neat white +houses peeping out from among the trees, but, alas! with no church +tower or spire to point towards heaven. In the opposite direction lay +Raeburn, nestled in a nook of the green hills, just where two clear +brawling streams came winding down between high wooded banks to meet +the bright river, which now glanced in the sun, and now disappeared +under the shadow of the bank, as it wound from side to side of the +narrow green valley. + +Here and there on the hillsides arose tall columns of smoke, showing +that the autumn "burnings" had begun, and the air was filled with the +indescribable hum and murmur of a calm day in the middle of August. + +As they gazed and listened, the faint sound of the bell arose from the +distant church tower, and Sam started the old horse, who seemed to have +employed his interval of rest in taking a quiet nap. + +"We shall get there in good time," he said, in answer to a question +from Edah; "they always ring the bell an hour before church." + +"Is there a Sunday School at Raeburn?" asked Edah. + +"Yes, a pretty good one, I believe, and Miss Annie Laurence has one at +the Mills, near her father's house—Spring Bank, as they call it. There +has never been one at Brooksville, which has always been a heathenish +kind of place from the first." + +"But who are the Laurences, Sam? I have not heard of them before." + +"Oh, Captain Laurence is the richest man in all this country. He owned +all the valley when he came here, about forty years ago. There was not +a house anywhere round when they settled here, and they had to send a +wagon forty miles for every bit of groceries they used. Mrs. Laurence +is the loveliest old lady—every one round here fairly worships her and +her daughters. There are two of the young ladies still unmarried, but +one of them is lame, and does not go out much, except to church. Miss +Annie goes everywhere—sometimes on her pony, and sometimes on foot, and +she knows every poor person for ten miles round. There isn't one of the +lumbermen—and they are a rough set enough—that don't take off his hat +to her, and Mrs. Laurence and her daughters have more influence among +them than all the men in the county. They are very rich now, and can do +what they please, but there was a good while before this railroad was +made that they were very much straitened. You will see them at church +this morning." + +As Sam had foretold, they arrived at church in excellent season, before +the last bell had commenced ringing. As Edah was standing in the porch, +waiting for Sam, who was disposing of the old horse, she saw Mr. +Willson approaching and she was hesitating whether or not to introduce +herself, when Sam came up, and saved her the trouble. + +"This is my oldest sister, Mr. Willson; the one I told you of, you +know. She has come to stay a couple of months with us." + +Mr. Willson shook hands with Edah, and expressed his pleasure at seeing +her. + +"So you have brought your sister to church this warm day. Did you not +find the ride rather a fatiguing one, Miss Champlin?" + +"Oh, no, sir," said Edah; "it was a very pleasant one to me. I am not +much accustomed to hills, and take great delight in them. You would +have seen me at church before but for my little sister's illness. But +hearing from Sam that this was Communion-day, I felt that I must come, +if possible." + +"You will take a seat in our pew, if you please, and I shall insist on +your dining with us after church, and going home in the cool of the +day." + +They took their seats accordingly, and as they did so, the little bell +began its last summons. The people of the village and the neighborhood +began to drop in, and the church was soon well-filled. Mrs. Willson, a +motherly sort of personage, with two pretty daughters, looked rather +surprised at seeing a stranger in her pew, but soon guessed who she +must be, and made her very politely welcome. + +Edah felt a little annoyed at the staring of the congregation, but +she reflected that they were not much accustomed to seeing strangers, +and therefore excusable. Mr. and Mrs. Laurence and their daughters +arrived just as the bell stopped ringing, and took their places in a +large square pew opposite that of the Rector. Edah was rather surprised +to see such elegant-looking people, and hoped she might make their +acquaintance before she left Brooksville. + +When the service commenced, there were so few responses that Edah felt +half afraid to raise her voice as she was accustomed to do at home, +but she was encouraged by being joined by the family opposite, and +soon felt at her ease. Edah was pleased to observe how attentive Sam +was, especially to the sermon. During the Offertory, he asked her, in +a whisper, if there would be any thing improper in his staying through +the Communion Service. + +"Certainly not," replied Edah. + +And he resumed his seat accordingly, after having politely made way for +the youngest Miss Willson. + +The number of communicants was small, and the service proportionably +short, and Edah missed those opportunities for mental devotion which +are enjoyed when there are a number of groups to approach one after the +other. She enjoyed the service very much, however, and felt as if she +collected strength for a long time to come. + +She was introduced to Mr. and Mrs. Laurence after church, and received +from Mrs. Laurence a cordial invitation to visit them. + +"I seldom make calls, except upon the sick," she said, "but I shall be +very glad to see you at our house, and Annie will have the pleasure +of calling in a few days. You must not go away without seeing all the +beauties of this wild country." + +Edah expressed her thanks, and said she should be very happy to accept +the invitation, if possible, but added that her mother was very feeble, +and needed a great deal of attention. + +The carriage now appeared, and the Spring Bank party departed, and Edah +and her brother accompanied Mr. Willson home. + +"Do you intend to remain here long?" asked Mrs. Willson, at dinner. + +"I did not think of staying more than six weeks when I came," said +Edah, "but at present I am rather undecided. It will depend upon the +state of mother's health." + +"You had better spend the winter with us," remarked Mr. Willson. "We +can offer you no special inducement in the way of society, though +there are some pleasant people about here; but you could make yourself +exceedingly useful, if that is any argument." + +"I have thought myself that I might remain here some time longer than I +at first intended, though it is very uncertain. But in what way could I +make myself useful?" + +"You might establish a Sunday School in Brooksville, like Miss +Laurence's at the Saw-Mills, and perhaps you might aspire to having a +church there in time. I advise you to take it into consideration, at +any rate." + + +Sam and Edah arrived at home in very good season, and found Pauline +leaning over the gate watching for them. Tea was ready on the table, +and they sat down as soon as Edah had taken off her bonnet, and brushed +away the dust. + +When the meal was over, Susan seated herself with a book, and Edah +employed herself in teaching Pauline a hymn, promising to sing it for +her as soon as she could say it. + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +NEW FRIENDS. + +THE day but one after Edah's expedition to Raeburn, she was at work in +the little parlor, engaged in cutting out some garments for Pauline, +who was sitting conning her spelling-book, in which she had made +considerable progress sines her illness. Mrs. Champlin rarely left her +room till after dinner, and Susan had gone out to do some errand in the +village. Suddenly Pauline uttered an exclamation— + +"See, sister, what a beautiful carriage is stopping here, with two +ladies in it, and a black man driving, and they are getting out! What +beautiful horses!" + +Edah looked out; and recognized Captain Laurence's carriage, which she +had seen at the church door the Sunday before, and she saw that Mrs. +and Miss Laurence were preparing to descend. Hastily drawing her work +into smaller compass, and glancing at the little glass to see that her +own dress was in order, she advanced to the door to meet them, followed +by Pauline, whose ordinary shyness was conquered by her curiosity. + +Mrs. Laurence had been pleased with Edah's appearance the Sunday +before, but she was not altogether prepared to find her so finished and +graceful in her manners as she now appeared. + +After a few minutes conversation, Edah excused herself, and went up +stains to call her mother, but Mrs. Champlin declined descending, +and, indeed, the bare idea seemed to throw her into such a flutter of +nervous agitation that Edah did not press the matter, but went back to +her visitors. + +She found Mrs. Laurence talking to Pauline, and Annie looking at the +books on the table—mostly her own property, and among which were +several French and German volumes. + +"Do you read German, Miss Champlin?" + +"Yes," replied Edah; "I have rather a passion for it just now, and +brought some new books with me, but, as you may imagine, I have had but +little time for reading." + +"You must persuade Miss Champlin to come and help you out of some of +your difficulties, Annie," remarked Mrs. Laurence. "My girls and boys +are quite German-mad just now, but having no teacher, they do not make +very rapid progress. Have you made many acquaintances here?" + +"Very few," replied Edah. "Some of the neighbors were very kind during +Pauline's illness, but I have scarcely been out at all. I should not +imagine that there was much society here, from what I have heard and +seen. I feel the want of a church more than any thing." + +"Yes, it is a great pity that there is none here. Mr. Willson has +sometimes held a service in the school-house, and I believe it has been +well attended; but his health is not very strong, and he has charge of +two parishes already, so he cannot do much for Brooksville. I believe +there is not even a Sunday School here at present." + +"Sam told me, Miss Laurence, that you had one at the Mills every Sunday +afternoon," said Edah, "and I have been quite desirous to hear more +about it. Will you tell me something of your mode of proceeding?" + +"Oh, it is very simple. I began with about ten children who lived in +the immediate neighborhood, and who met me in the district school-house +every Sunday afternoon. Now my number has increased to forty, some of +whom live at quite a distance. We meet at three o'clock in summer, and +at two in winter, and after prayers and singing, I hear them recite +lessons of three or four verses from the New Testament, often setting +the older children to hear the younger ones, and I ask them questions, +and explain to them the lesson for the following Sunday. Then comes a +short recess, after which they recite the Apostles Creed and some part +of the Commandments, and then comes singing again. They then exchange +their books, or take their little papers, and go home. Our whole +session lasts about two hours." + +"Do you not find it difficult to fix the attention of so many?" asked +Edah. + +"I have had very little trouble thus far, and, indeed, I have succeeded +beyond my hopes. Many of the parents have become interested in the +undertaking, and drop in towards the close of school, ostensibly, of +course, to take Billy or Nancy home with them, so I often have quite +a congregation. I find it something of a trial to stand up and speak +before so many; but I do not like to discourage their coming, and so I +keep on, though I often wish that some gentleman would take my place." + +"I think the school has done a great deal of good," remarked Mrs. +Laurence. "It has been the means of bringing a good many families to +church, and under the influence of the Rector, who could have been +reached in no other way." + +"If I were likely to remain here, I think I would try to begin +something of the kind," said Edah; "but my stay is very uncertain. +Polly dear, there is sister Susan coming in: go and ask her to come +here." + +Susan entered the room, after she had disposed of her bonnet and shawl, +and Edah presented her to the ladies. But all Mrs. Laurence's kind +attempts to draw her into conversation were unavailing: she preserved +an absolute silence, or replied only in monosyllables. At last, the +visitors rose to go, not, however, before it was arranged that Edah +should come over the next Saturday, and spend Sunday at Spring Bank. + +"We shall send the carriage for you early on Saturday," said Miss +Laurence, "and you may expect to be attacked with grammars and +dictionaries the moment you enter the house. Poor Addison will be quite +comforted at the prospect of some relief, for I left him in a fit of +black despair over a scene in Wallenstein." + +Edah laughed, and promised to render all the assistance in her power to +the distressed young gentleman, and the ladies finally departed. + +"Mrs. Laurence left her kind regards for you, mother," said Edah, +entering her mother's room, "and hopes she shall have the pleasure of +seeing you at Spring Bank as soon as you are well enough." + +"I am much obliged to her, I am sure," god Mrs. Champlin, rather +shortly. + +"They are very condescending indeed," said Susan; "we might have lived +here to the end of time without their troubling themselves about us, if +you had not come." + +"That is hardly fair, Susan," returned her mother. "Mrs. Laurence came +and called on me when I was first married, and invited us there, but +we never went, even to return their calls. I always felt as if they +were quite too grand for me to associate with, but if they have taken a +liking to Edah, I am glad of it, for it will give her some society such +as she is used to." + +"Well, for my part, I don't like to be patronized," said Susan, rather +sharply. + +"I am sure Mrs. Laurence's manners are not at all patronizing," said +Edah; "and certainly she did her best to be polite to you, but you +would not say a word. I was really vexed with you." + +"You wanted me to display my ignorance and awkwardness as a set-off to +your elegance, I suppose," said Susan; "but I knew better." + +"For shame, Susan; you are really downright uncivil to Edah." + +"Edah gets plenty of flattery without my help," replied Susan. "She +would be quite spoiled, if I did not contradict her sometimes." + +"Thank you, Susan," returned Edah, laughing good-humoredly, though the +color had risen at her sister's rudeness. "I don't think you will ever +do much harm in that way; if I did not know that your bark was worse +than your bite, as Ruby-Anne elegantly says, I should be really afraid +of you. But have you any objections to my accepting the invitation, +mother?" + +"Not at all, my dear; I shall be very glad to have you go. The +Laurences are really excellent people, and very fond of books and all +such things, and you will enjoy yourself very much." + + +The week passed quickly away, as it always does with busy people, and +Edah was busy enough just now in replenishing Pauline's wardrobe, and +in helping Susan to refit hers, which was scanty enough. Edah would +have been glad to be permitted to furnish her with some materials for +new garments, but this Susan steadily refused. + +"You do as much as you ought, and more than your share, in clothing +Pauline. Father knows how much I am in want of clothes, for I have told +him time and again, but he finds it pleasanter to spend what money he +gets in liquor and cigars than to lay it out for his family. It is a +sin and a shame, and it's a wonder if I don't tell him some day." + +"Pray don't," said Edah; "you would only make things worse." + +"I don't suppose it will do any good; but it is enough to drive one mad +to see him losing his time, and wasting what little he does earn, while +we are really suffering for the necessaries of life. But as for having +you spend all your money in buying things for us, I won't, and that's +all about it: not but that I am very much obliged to you for the offer." + +After some consideration, Edah made up her mind to speak to her +father herself upon the subject of Susan's wardrobe, and she took an +opportunity when they were alone together one afternoon. + +"Father," said she, "do you know that Susan has hardly clothes enough +to make her comfortable?" + +"Why don't she go to work, and make some then," asked her father, +lighting his cigar. + +"She has nothing to make them of, and no money to buy materials," +replied Edah. + +"Let her set about something useful, and earn them then. She is old +enough to provide for herself instead of hanging about doing nothing +from morning till night." + +"Doing nothing?" said Edah indignantly; but recollecting herself, she +went on quietly. "I do not think you have any idea how much work it is +to take care of mother and the baby. It is one person's work to attend +to them, and Polly needs almost as much care just now as Eddy." + +"You make a perfect fool of that child, running after her so much," +exclaimed her father, angrily: "as for your mother, she is more +notional than any thing. If she had any energy, she would be well +enough." + +Edah's temper had nearly reached the boiling point; she dared not +speak, lest she should say something very unbecoming, and prudently +kept silence. + +"If Sue is so very destitute, why don't you make over some of your own +finery to her? I am sure you are well enough provided, and old Liston +has nothing to do but to buy you more, when that is gone. He can well +afford to let us have some of the money he has cheated his clients out +of." + +Edah's indignation would certainly have boiled over at these words, but +on looking at her father, she saw that he was excited by drinking. She +took up her work, and was going out of the room, when he called her +back. + +"Don't be in such a hurry," he said. "If the girl wants clothes, she +must have them, I suppose. There are five dollars for her, and she must +make it do as well as she can, for it is all she will get from me. If +she wants more, she must go to work and earn it." + +Edah took the bill, and thanked her father, though it was rather +difficult for her to do it with a good grace. + +As soon as she had composed herself a little, she showed the money to +Susan, proposing that they should go out directly, and buy what was +most needed. Susan joyfully consented, and they set out on a shopping +expedition, which was not very extensive in its range, as there were +only two shops in the place. + +Susan showed a great deal of prudence in disposing of her small amount +of money, and Edah, who had never been accustomed to any exact economy, +was surprised to see how far five dollars might be made to stretch. + +The rest of the day was spent in cutting out work and sewing. Sam came +in while they were busy. + +"I wish you would give me some sewing," he exclaimed; "you seem to be +having such a nice time over it." + +"Suppose you get a book and read to us," said Edah; "that will help us +a great deal. I can sew twice as fast with some one reading." + +"That is a good idea," remarked Susan: "do, Sam, there's a good fellow, +and you shall have some pancakes and maple sugar for your supper." + +Sam took his book accordingly, and the afternoon passed very pleasantly +for all parties. Susan provided the promised pancakes, which were +pronounced capital, and the reading was resumed in the evening, Edah +herself taking the book, when Sam appeared tired. + +"How beautifully you read!" said Mrs. Champlin. "It is a real pleasure +to hear you." + +"There, mother," said Sam, laughing, "you never said a word about my +reading." + +"Oh, well! You do the best you can, and that is all one can expect; but +I suppose you don't pretend to come up to Edah." + +"Indeed, I think Sam reads very nicely," said Edah, "and he has +certainly been very obliging this afternoon. But it is bedtime—" +looking at her watch: "How fast the evening has gone! Suppose," she +added, with some hesitation, "we finish our reading with a chapter from +the Bible." + +"A good thought!" said her mother. "Sam, bring your sister the book." + +Edah selected a chapter from the New Testament, and read it aloud. No +remarks were made at its conclusion, and after a moment's silence, the +party separated, Edah feeling quite satisfied with the way in which the +day had been passed. + +Two hours later she heard her father's step at the door, and knew +but too well in what condition he was likely to be. She was about +descending to let him in, and had put on her wrapper for that purpose, +when she heard Sam go down, and by mingled force and entreaties, +persuade his father to lie down on the sofa instead of going into +his mother's room. Poor Sam! It was not the first time he had been a +witness of his father's degradation. + +Edah no longer wondered at her mother's frequent irritability and +constant depression of spirits, and she resolved to do all in her +power, while she remained at home, to lighten the burden which weighed +her down. She prayed, though with an almost despairing faith, for +her father's reformation and conversion, and then lying down, she +endeavored to forget her troubles in sleep. + + +By nine o'clock on Saturday morning, the carriage was at the door to +convey her to Spring Bank, and bidding her friends good-by, she seated +herself in the roomy family barouche, and was soon at the door of Mr. +Laurence's substantial, old-fashioned stone house. Miss Laurence and +her brother came to the door to welcome her, and conducted her into the +parlor. Edah felt herself restored, as it were, to her native air. The +handsome curtains and carpets, the rich old-fashioned furniture, the +piano, and the numerous books and portfolios scattered about the large +apartments, all seemed like old friends. + +Louisa Laurence, the lame sister, was fully as attractive in her +appearance as the other ladies of the family, and Edah felt herself at +once at home. + +After a few minutes' conversation, Edah was shown to her bedroom, and +having refreshed herself by a bath and a change of dress, she descended +once more to the parlor. This room opened, with large long windows, +upon a wide piazza, from which a terraced bank descended nearly to the +margin of the river, which here rolled its clear waters in a winding +course through beautiful meadows, dotted here and there with large +trees, and speckled with grazing cattle and young horses. The view was +limited by high pine-covered hills, of no very friendly aspect, which +shut in the valley on all sides, and seemed to leave no place for the +river to get out. + +The young people were soon engaged in a German lesson, and between +reading, laughing, and talking, the hours passed swiftly away till +dinner-time, when Captain Laurence made his appearance. He was a tall, +stately old gentleman, with fine manners, and a noble head and face, +and Edah was greatly taken with him at first sight. + +After dinner, the youthful party sallied out to explore the grounds, +and especially to visit the spring, from which the place took its +name. This spring poured out in a copious stream from among some +loosely-piled rocks, about half-way down the natural terrace on which +the house was situated, and ran with a broad and clear but shallow +current across the meadow into the river. The spring itself was +protected from the approach of cattle by a pretty rustic railing, and +seats of the same character were placed around it, under the shade of +some fine old forest-trees that overhung the rippling waters. + +"What a lovely spot!" exclaimed Edah. + +"This spot, you must know, Miss Champlin, is my sister's sanctum," +said Addison Laurence, in a tone of mock earnestness. "In this sacred +inclosure, visited only by singing birds and gentle breezes, and +serenaded by the murmuring murmur of the murmuring stream, she spends +her hours in pensive retirement, far from the vulgar cares—" + +"Now, Addison, hold your peace! This tormenting brother of mine, Miss +Champlin, takes it upon him to hold me up as the most sentimental of +young ladies, whereas I am one of the most active, bustling, practical +housewives in this world, as he knows right well. But because I have +once or twice chosen to walk out here by moonlight, he represents me as +a perfect Lydia Languish." + +"You do not look much like it, that is certain," retorted her brother, +laughing. "What with your long walks and your pony-rides, you more +resemble Miss Hoyden." + +"If a love of moonlight be a symptom of sentimentalism, I must plead +guilty to the charge myself," said Edah. "I should like to see this +prospect as it looked by moonlight fifty years ago." + +"You would have seen a wild plain," returned Addison, "and instead +of the lowing of cows and the bleating of sheep, you might chance to +be serenaded by a panther crouched in the lower limbs of that old +oak, or a chorus of wolves from the neighboring swamp. Even within my +recollection, the wolves have come down within a mile of the house, and +I well remember hearing their doleful music on many a still winter's +night." + +"What is it like?" asked Edah. + +"Like no other noise you ever heard. It is worth while to hear them +for once, for the sake of knowing what fearful sounds can be produced +by brutal organs. But if you love wolf stories, Miss Champlin, you +must persuade my father to tell you some of his early experiences in +this country; and now, Miss Languish, it is time we were retracing our +steps, if we are to reach home before dark." + +The evening was spent delightfully to Edah, between music, lively +conversation, and the wolf and Indian stories of the old Captain, who +was delighted with having a new listener to his oft repeated tales. +Edah was much pleased with the manners of these young people towards +their parents and each other. Annie seemed to devote herself especially +to Louisa, watching her every motion, anticipating her wants, and +hardly, as it seemed, giving her time to form a wish, while Louisa, on +her part, seemed fully to appreciate her sister's kindness. She did +not, as is some times the case with confirmed invalids, receive every +attention as only her due, nor was she indifferent to the trouble she +caused to those about her. The deformity of her figure was not at all +observable, except when she walked; and as she sat in her large chair, +Edah thought she had never a more lovely picture of gentle contentment. + +As the clock struck ten, the music suspended, and the work put away. +Addison brought a small table to the side of his father's chair, upon +which he placed a Bible and Prayer-Book. The servants were called in, +and after the singing of the evening hymn, in which all joined, Captain +Laurence read a chapter in the New Testament, and then all united in +prayer. + +Edah's thoughts wandered a little. She could not help contrasting +the household in which she then was with that to which she must soon +return, and the wish arose in her mind that the lines had fallen to her +in as pleasant places as they seemed to have done to Annie Laurence. + +"We breakfast in good season on Sunday morning, Miss Champlin," said +Mrs. Laurence, as they separated for the night, "in order that the +servants may be able to go to church, if they wish." + +"And we dine in good season, that Annie may have time to go to her +ragged-school at the Mills," added Addison. "I presume, Miss Champlin, +you will be expected to visit that wonderful institution, and hear my +pious sister hold forth like a preaching woman-Friend to lumbermen and +their dirty ragged children." + +"I hope to do so, at any rate, if your sister will permit me," said +Edah, feeling that she did not like the superfine Mr. Laurence any the +better for this speech. "I am very much interested in the account she +has given me of her labors there." + +"Oh, there is no fear but she will let you. She is as proud of her +school as my father of his colts and young cattle—only the colts are +the more respectable of the two." + +"You must not mind what Addison says," said Annie, laughing, though +Edah thought she seemed a little hurt. "He gave me ten dollars to +provide books and so forth for my ragged regiment, without my even +asking him." + +"Why, as long as you persist in spending your time so, I think it is +better to do the thing creditably; and after all, it is a harmless +amusement enough. Everybody likes to have something to patronize—it is +human nature!" + +"But not the nature of Mr. Addison Laurence, I suppose," said Louisa. + +"Oh, I bestow it all on my horses and dogs, saving what little I find +it desirable to expend on yourself, my fair lady. But I must needs be +allowed my liberty at present, for when Dick comes home, the majority +will be so strong against ma that I shall not dare to open my mouth +from one week's end to another." + +"If you keep silence for an hour at a time, it will be what you have +never done in your life before," said his mother; "and now please +to take your candle and disappear. You have illustrated yourself +sufficiently for one night." + +Edah did not feel at all sleepy when she reached her room, and she sat +down to think over the events of the day. What a long day it seemed! +She could hardly bring herself to believe that she had been only twelve +hours at Spring Bank, and she began already to dread the time when she +must return to her father's house. This feeling increased as she went +on contrasting the two families in her mind, and she began to feel as +if it were impossible for her to return to Brooksville to live. + +"But how foolish I am!" she said, rousing herself from her reverie. "If +this is the way I am going to be affected by the visit, I had better +have stayed at home." + +Then repressing by a strong effort any further indulgence in the same +train of thought, she fixed her mind upon her Bible reading, and after +praying especially to be delivered from the temptations of wishing to +lay down the cross, she soon fell asleep. + + +The bell rung in good season next morning, but Edah was up and dressed +before it sounded, and when she descended to the drawing-room, there +was no one there. She was standing at the open window, enjoying the +beautiful view, and drinking in the fresh morning air, when Annie +joined her. + +"I have been looking for you," she said, kissing her, "but you are +too prompt for me. Is not this prospect beautiful under the morning +sun? How strange it is that people can prefer to shut themselves up in +cities, when they can have such beautiful sights and sounds, at so much +less expense." + +"But in winter," said Edah, "do you not feel it rather dismal here when +these hills are covered with snow? I should think they would then be +rather unfriendly in their aspect." + +"Not to me," replied Annie. "I was born and brought up among them, and +these bristling pine tops, which look so dreary to strangers, always +seem to welcome me back, like old friends, when I have been away a +while. Before the railroad was made, indeed, we were a good deal out +of the way of society in winter, but we had a very large family at +home then, and a governess to keep us at work. If we did not get many +new books, we made the most of what we had; and though our papers and +letters were often two weeks old before they reached us, they were all +the more welcome when they came. But now that my sisters are married, +and Henry and Dick are away, we do not regret that the means of +communication are more easy." + +"Then you have other brothels and sisters besides Miss Louisa and Mr. +Laurence!" + +"Dear me, yes! Did you not know it? I have two married sisters living +in Boston, and two brothers older than Addison. Henry is in the Navy, +and Richard is studying in New York. He will be ordained in the fall, +and then he is coming home to make a visit. I hope you will see him. He +is very different from Addison, who pretends to stand in great awe of +him. Harry has been away so much that I scarcely feel acquainted with +him. He has a sweet little wife, who usually spends her summers with +us, but she is on the sea-coast this year. And now you have our family +picture-gallery displayed, and my exposition is ended in good season, +for there is the bell. We will go into the breakfast-room, if you +please." + +All the family, including the servants, were collected in the +breakfast-room, as our two young ladies entered, and as soon as they +had taken their seats, prayers and a lesson were read by Captain +Laurence as before. Addison made his appearance when breakfast was half +over, apparently in no very good humor. + +"Do you not think, Miss Champlin, that it is a barbarous practice to +have breakfast so early on Sundays?" he said, as he took his seat. + +"On the contrary, it seems to me a very good arrangement," replied +Edah; "especially when one lives at a distance from church, as it +leaves the servants time to get ready." + +"Much they care about it," muttered the young gentleman. "But really +now, don't you think the human constitution was originally so formed as +to require an extra quantity of sleep every seventh day?" + +"I shall not dispute the point," said Edah, good-humoredly; "I can only +say it is not so with mine." + +"Oh, I see the girls have gained you over to their side entirely. The +majority against me was bad enough before; it is overwhelming now. I +have no longer any thing for it, but to confess myself a heathen man +and a publican. Mamma, I am ready to rise at three, next Sunday, if it +so please you." + +"Half-past seven will do for a beginning, my son; and now, if you have +finished your coffee, we will adjourn, for I see it is verging towards +nine o'clock." + + +The ladies rode to church in the barouche, while Captain Laurence and +his son followed on horseback. Edah was much pleased to see Sam waiting +for her in the porch, when they descended from the carriage. + +"How are all at home?" she asked, as she shook hands with him. + +"All about as usual," replied Sam. "I heard baby cry a good deal in the +night, and Polly has completely wearied us all, asking when you will be +home." + +"Allow me to introduce you to my brother Samuel, Mrs. Laurence," said +Edah, presenting him to that lady. + +Mrs. Laurence shook hands with him kindly, as did also Mr. Laurence and +Addison. + +"Will you not return to Spring Bank to dinner?" asked Mrs. Laurence. +"We shall be very happy to have you do so. I have often observed your +brother in church, Miss Champlin, and have been desirous to make his +acquaintance. You must come with your sister, Master Samuel, and make +us a visit." + +"And then, if you like fishing, we will find some first-rate trout +streams," added Addison; "though I dare say you know all in the +neighborhood already." + +Sam expressed his thanks, not at all awkwardly, but said he must return +home after church, as he would be wanted. + +Edah felt proud and pleased to see him appear so well, and to perceive +that he had made a favorable impression, for she had grown very fond of +the boy. There was a good deal of staring and whispering, as she took +her seat with the Laurence family, and she began to think she must be a +person of considerable importance. + +Mr. Willson was not a remarkably talented preacher, and his manner was +not impressive; but Edah was pleased and interested with the sermon, +which was both plain and practical. She could not help thinking that +it must be very hard work to preach to such a listless, inattentive +congregation, and she thought of a remark she had once heard a +clergyman make: + +"People are loud in their demands for smart preachers," he said, "but +they never reflect that preachers have an equal desire for smart +hearers." + +In the Laurence family, however, he had as attentive listeners as any +one could desire. + + +They dined early, as Addison had prophesied, and then Annie invited +Edah to accompany her to her school, an invitation which she gladly +accepted, and they were soon on their way "across lots," as we say in +the country, preferring the green meadows and river banks to the dusty +high-road. Mr. Laurence had taken the pains to have several gates made, +and some bridges built over the little streams in the way, for Annie's +accommodation, for he was very proud of his daughter's earnestness, +though he sometimes professed to think that she carried it a little too +far. + +A walk of half a mile brought them to a small stone school-house, on +the banks of a pretty rapid stream, which came down to meet the river, +and on which were built a flouring-mill and two saw-mills. + +A number of children were already collected around the door and under +the trees which shaded it, and more were seen coming along the road, +or over the fields, all hastening not to be late. Annie went round +among them, calling them all by name, and inquiring after fathers and +mothers, aunts, sisters, and grand-parents, till Edah wondered how +she could remember so many different names. Looking at her watch, +she announced that it was time to begin school, and accordingly the +children flocked into the school-house, and seated themselves in an +orderly manner—two or three tall girls seeming to take a certain +supervision of the littler ones. + +There were about thirty present in all. The exercises commenced by +calling the roll, to which the children responded. At the name of the +first absentee, Annie stopped: + +"Has any one seen Nancy Wood to-day?" + +"I see'd her as I was a-coming along," responded a little white-headed, +bare-footed Irish boy, "and she said she would not come to-day, because +her daddy was sick; but she wanted me to tell you she knew her lesson, +and would you please send her a book, and I am to tell her what is the +next lesson." + +Pat seemed quite abashed at having made such a long speech, and hid his +face behind his sister as he concluded. + +"Nancy shall have a book," said Annie, smiling, "and I am much obliged +to Patrick for offering to take it to her;" at which Pat held up his +head again, and appeared very highly delighted. + +After the roll was called, Annie read a few verses from the New +Testament, and then the children united with her in the Lord's Prayer, +which they all repeated distinctly, and with decent propriety, which +might shame some more educated boys and girls. Then began the lessons. + +Annie divided the school into two classes, and giving one to Edah, +proceeded to hear the other herself. Edah was surprised at the +correctness with which the verses constituting the day's lesson +were repeated, and still more, upon questioning them, to find them +displaying such knowledge of the Bible generally. + +"It is almost their only book," said Annie, upon Edah's remarking this +to her afterwards, "and they become very fond of reading it. In my +visits among them, they often bring their Bibles to me for explanations +of difficult passages, and, I assure you, I am often puzzled how to +answer their questions." + +When all the lessons were recited, Annie gave them a short recess, +saying, as she did so— + +"I know I need not tell you not to make a noise, and not to go away +from the door." + +At the end of ten minutes, they were again called in by the bell, and +took their seats as before, but with the addition of two or three +stout-looking men, and several women, who sat down near the door. These +were the fathers and mothers of some of the children, who had walked +some of them two or three miles, as they said, to see their little ones +safe home. + +Annie took her station behind the teacher's desk, and after giving +out the lesson for the next Sunday, proceeded to explain it in simple +terms, with such illustrations and anecdotes as were likely to make an +impression on their minds. Her voice, which trembled a little at first, +soon became firm, and she seemed to forget that she had any other +listeners than the children. + +Edah observed that more than one of her grown-up auditors seemed +considerably affected, especially one rough-looking man, with shaggy +beard and whiskers, and accompanied by a dog as shaggy as himself. + +The Apostles' Creed was now repeated by all the children standing, and +the services closed by the singing of a hymn and the distribution of +library books, two or three of the women taking books or tracts for +themselves. The children were then dismissed, and quietly took their +way home, comparing their books and talking as they went. The bearded +man lingered a few minutes about the door, and Edah thought he seemed +desirous of speaking to her companion, so she walked to the other end +of the room, and busied herself in putting in order the library books, +which were contained in a neat case, with a lock and key. + +After a few moments she heard Annie say: + +"I wish you would go and talk to Mr. Willson, Mr. Van Dake. He would +gladly give you all the instruction you want, and do it much better +than I can." + +"I kind of hate to!" said Long John, twisting his cap in his hands. +"The parson's always dressed so nice, and every thing about him is as +fine as a fiddle, and I am such a rough customer—" + +"Did you ever know him refuse to go anywhere or do any thing for any +one?" interrupted Annie. "Don't you remember how he used to go up to +Brunker's last winter, day after day, when their boy broke his leg?" + +"He did, that's a fact," said John. "The parson's a clever man, I don't +deny. The truth is, I believe, I am afraid folks will laugh to see me +running after such things." + +"But that is not right," returned Annie. "'The fear of man bringeth a +snare,' the Bible says; and besides," she added, smiling, "I should +think a man who had killed a bear and two panthers, fighting hand to +hand, need not be afraid of a few people in Raeburn!" + +Long John colored through his bronzed skin. + +"I am a fool to mind it, and no mistake!" said he. "Well, Miss Annie, I +believe I'll take your advice, and go to the minister. I wonder what my +good old mother would say to see me in Sunday School. But better late +than never, they say," and with a bow, which was not at all awkward, he +departed, followed by his dogs, and leading his little daughter by the +hand. + +"That is a curious personage," said Annie, as they walked back to +Spring Bank. "He lives in a little hut on the mountain yonder, with +no companions but this little child and his dogs, and an old but +white-headed negro woman, who is his housekeeper. At first, he sturdily +refused to let Agnes come to the school, but she finally coaxed +permission, and came with some children of their nearest neighbor—a +very decent Scotch family. After a while, he used to come and wait for +her at the door, and finally I persuaded him to come in and sit down. +Now he is as regular in his attendance as any of the children, has left +off drinking and swearing, never hunts on a Sunday, and I hope he is +in a fair way of becoming a Christian man. We must persuade Addison +to ride up there with us some time: his hut is a perfect curiosity, +and there is a splendid view from it. He found out from Addison last +spring, that Louisa was fond of painting wild-flowers, and hardly a +week has passed since then that he has not brought her a splendid +bouquet. I must show you her portfolio." + +The rest of the day passed pleasantly and quietly, and the next +afternoon Edah was conveyed back to Brooksville, as she steadily +refused the pressing invitations of her friends to spend another day. +Mrs. Laurence placed in the carriage a basket containing some beautiful +fruit and other delicacies for Mrs. Champlin, and Annie sent Pauline +two or three little books, which her little nieces had left behind the +summer before. + +She found all at home glad to see her, especially Sam and Pauline. +Susan was a little inclined to be sullen at first, but she relented at +the sight of the basket which Mrs. Laurence had sent her mother, and +allowed that they were indeed very kind. Pauline was pleased with her +books, and delighted to see her sister again; and on the whole Edah did +not find it so difficult to reconcile herself to her return as she had +at first feared. + + + +CHAPTER V. + +THE SHOCK. + +THINGS went on very pleasantly at Brooksville for two or three weeks +after Edah's visit to Spring Bank. Mrs. Champlin's health seemed to +improve rapidly, and even poor little Eddy was, as Ruby-Anne said, +"really picking up." Edah and Susan sewed busily from morning till +night, and Sam enjoyed very much spending his spare time in reading +aloud to them. + +Two or three days after Edah's return home, came a kind note from Annie +Laurence, with a basket of fresh brook-trout and delicate fruit for +Mrs. Champlin, and, best of all, to Edah a package of new books. These +volumes furnished them with reading for a number of evenings, and Mrs. +Champlin declared one Saturday night that she had never spent so many +pleasant hours since she was married, as since Edah came to stay with +them. Pauline improved rapidly, not only in reading and sewing, but +also in general good manners and behavior; and as for Sam, his mother +declared that he was growing quite a dandy. + +Among all these pleasant circumstances, there were one or two drawbacks +to Edah's comfort. + +The first of these was Susan's jealous temper, which every now and then +showed itself in a very unpleasant fashion. So surely as Edah differed +from her in opinion about any thing, or suggested any improvement +in household matters, or, above all, offered to instruct her in any +way, so surely did Susan take refuge either in sullen ill-humor or +provoking sarcasm. The latter was the hardest to bear of all, for +since her acquaintance with the Laurence family commenced, the arrows +of Susan's wit were usually bestowed upon them, upon Mr. Willson, and +Episcopalians in general; and it was sometimes very hard for Edah not +to retort in what she felt would be a very unbecoming manner. + +Two or three times, provoked past all patience, she had done so, but +of course it made matters much worse with Susan, and added to her +other troubles the reproaches of her own conscience. Mrs. Champlin +paid very little attention to these disputes, and if she noticed them, +she generally took Edah's part, and reproved Susan for not paying +her sister more respect, which did not mend matters at all. Sam was +usually on Edah's side, though he sometimes became offended with what +he called her over-strictness, and then he was pretty sure to join with +Susan in annoying her; but his ill-humor never lasted long, and he +generally tried to make up for it by increased kindness and attention +afterwards. Pauline was, of course, entirely on her sister's side; she +was a sharp little thing, with as great a talent for making provoking +speeches as Susan herself, and Edah's hardest task was keeping the +peace between these two, and in imposing silence upon Pauline, over +whom her influence wits almost unbounded. Sometimes for days together, +Susan would be in the best of tempers, and then all was sunshine in +the house, for no one could be more pleasant than she, if she were so +disposed. + +The other and greater drawback to Edah's happiness, was her father. She +could not but see, from day to day, that his degrading habit increased +upon him, that he became more and more selfish and ill-tempered, +provided less for his family, and seemed to feel less affection for +them. She now fairly dreaded to see him enter the house, especially +in the afternoon, for he was sure to bring disturbance with him. He +found fault with Susan most unreasonably, scolded Pauline, and even on +two or three occasions boxed her ears; which last, while it threw the +child into a perfect phrensy of rage and grief, irritated and alarmed +Edah to an almost insupportable degree, knowing, as she did, her frail +constitution, and strong predisposition to nervous disease. He treated +Ruby-Anne in such a way that she determined to leave them, and would +have done so but for Edah's remonstrances. + +"I can't help it, Miss Edah. I'd do a great deal for you and the +children; but I won't stay anywhere to be treated worse than a negro +slave. I've got a home, thank goodness, if it is a poor one, and I'll +go to it this very day." + +"And what shall we do when you are gone?" asked Edah. "I know you have +had a great deal to bear, Ruby-Anne, but I believe you have had no more +than Susan or I." + +"That's a fact too!" said Ruby-Anne, pondering. "And it's harder for +you, of course. I'm sure I wonder how you get on with things as you do. +Well, Miss Edah, I guess I'll try and keep the peace a little longer +for your sake. There ain't many like you in the world, that's certain;" +and so Ruby-Anne, who was really a good-natured and conscientious girl, +consented to stay, to Edah's great relief. + +She dared not say a word to her father about his habits, for the most +distant allusion to the subject put him into a fearful passion, and the +only consequence was that he either came home entirely intoxicated, or +remained out all night. Edah would have preferred the latter, but his +continued absence always alarmed Mrs. Champlin to such a degree, as to +cause her three or four days of intense suffering. + +It usually fell to Sam to let his father in and get him to bed, and a +hard time the poor boy had of it. On one of these occasions, as he was +trying to prevail upon him to retire quietly, without disturbing his +mother, Mr. Champlin became irritated, and struck him such a blow that +it knocked him down, and discolored his face for some days. + +Under these circumstances, Edah felt greatly the want of a friend in +whom she could confide, and of whom she could ask advice; and having by +this time become very well acquainted with Mr. Willson, she determined +to seek such a friend in him. Accordingly, she rode over to Raeburn one +day with a neighbor, intending to spend the day at the parsonage, in +accordance with an invitation from Mrs. Willson. + +Mr. Willson usually spent most of the morning in his study, and it +was there that Edah sought him. Her rather timid knock at the door +was answered by a cordial invitation to enter, and she found the +Rector in his study gown and slippers, comfortably seated in his great +armchair, and enjoying the luxury of a new review. Mr. Willson was a +man of considerable tact and penetration: he partly guessed the cause +of Edah's trouble, and gently and easily led the way to the expected +confidence. It turned out as he had anticipated. Edah told her story, +and begged for advice. + +"I hardly know what to say, my dear child," said Mr. Willson, in a +gentle, fatherly way that Edah felt to be very consoling. "It is a +very difficult subject. The habit is not so recently formed with your +father, as you suppose, but has been growing upon him for some years. +At the time when I first began to think that he was going down hill, +he was a tolerably constant attendant at church, and even came to the +Communion three or four times a year. I took what I thought a favorable +opportunity, and remonstrated with him on the subject; but though he +admitted that he now and then took a glass with a neighbor, and perhaps +sometimes a little too much, he laughed at the idea of his being in any +danger of ever drinking to excess. My own temperance principles were +not as ultra then as they have since become. I forebore to press the +subject, and I think for some time my remonstrances had some effect, +and he did better: but the amendment was very short. Again I attacked +him about it; and this time he grew very angry, told me I was meddling +with what was none of my business, and has never to my knowledge +entered the church door since. I have often tried to speak with him, +but he always avoids me." + +"It seems a hopeless case, indeed," said Edah wiping the tears from +her eyes, "but it seems too hard that nothing can be done to save him +from destruction. It is killing my mother, too. I sometimes fear that +it will be the death of her outright, or that her mind will give way +entirely. I am sure I do not see what is to become of us if it goes on +much longer. What do you suppose was the beginning of it, Mr. Willson?" + +"I cannot tell, my dear. There has been a great deal of hard drinking +in this part of the country, and some of our finest men have fallen a +sacrifice to it. How does your brother feel about it?" + +"It seems to me that indignation is the strongest feeling with him," +replied Edah. "He is angry with father for so degrading himself, and, +above all, for his harshness to my mother and the children. I have +never said a word to him on the subject." + +"That may, perhaps, be the wisest course." + +"But, Mr. Willson, cannot you suggest some way to help us out of our +difficulty? Cannot you try remonstrating with my father again?" + +"I can try, my dear," replied Mr. Willson, "but I have little hope of +any good resulting from it. When a man once becomes enslaved to this +debasing appetite, he is as if possessed by an evil spirit, and it +seems as if nothing short of a miracle could save him. In the mean +time, I need not recommend you to be earnest in seeking for strength +where alone it is to be found. I believe you have already learned where +to look for it." + +"I trust so, sir, and indeed I have found, more need of seeking that +fountain than ever before. I think I have prayed more in the last month +than in all my life." + +"And have you not found your prayers answered?" + +"In some sense, sir, I have. I have found strength to overcome +temptation, and have often had it removed from me, and my way made +plain when it seemed the most hopeless. It often seems to me that my +prayers are directly responded to and that I have a sense of the direct +absolute presence of my God and Saviour. I am afraid you will think me +fanatical, Mr. Willson." + +"By no means, my dear Edah. Such a sense of God's presence is what we +should most earnestly seek for in our prayers and all our devotions; +and when we lose the sense of His nearness to us, we should give +ourselves no rest under the loss, but anxiously, by repentance and deep +humility, and by carefully examining ourselves, seek to attain to it +again. As to giving you any father advice, I hardly know what to say. +I need not bid you keep yourself as busy as you can, for I know you +do that already. Be not too careful in spirit, but strive to commit +all your cares to God, as to a faithful Friend and tender Father. Make +diligent use of all the means of grace in your reach, above all praying +without ceasing. As to your father, I shall endeavor to see him, and +talk with him, though I fear he will only repulse me. For yourself, you +are in the path of duty—that strait and narrow path which leadeth unto +eternal life, and I can only counsel you to persevere, looking not to +an earthly but to a heavenly reward." + +Edah returned home, greatly comforted by her talk with the Rector, +and by her pleasant chat with kind, motherly Mrs. Willson and her +two pretty, sprightly daughters. To these young ladies Edah was glad +to find she could be of service, and thus make some return for the +kindness of their parents. They were intelligent, lively girls, who +were trying to learn to draw under the disadvantages of having no +teacher, and of often being unable to procure suitable patterns. Edah +was very fond of drawing, and excelled especially in sketching from +nature, a pursuit for which the picturesque hills and woodlands around +Raeburn and Brooksville afforded ample scope, and she was glad to place +her portfolio at the service of Annette and Lucy, and to give them such +instruction and assistance as they needed most. She would gladly have +included Susan in her instructions, but Susan declined, on the plea of +having no time. + + +Mr. Willson kept his promise to Edah by seeking an opportunity to +converse with her father. Much to his surprise, Mr. Champlin received +what he had to say with a civil indifference. He was aware, he said, +that he had sometimes taken more than was good for him—quite as much so +as his best friends could be. He knew that the love of pleasant society +had sometimes led him into excesses, but he knew, also, that he had his +own trials, of which Mr. Willson was not aware. When a man had no peace +or comfort at home, he naturally went elsewhere to seek it, and for +that, those who drove him from home were responsible in a far greater +degree than he was. + +Mr. Willson, however, not being disposed to admit the force of any of +these excuses, Mr. Champlin went on to say that he was sorry he had +caused any discomfort at home, as he supposed he might have done; and +as Mr. Willson's sympathies seemed all enlisted on the side of his wife +and children, he would assure him that their rest should no longer be +disturbed by him. This was all Mr. Willson could get out of him, and +he finally left him, completely in the dark as to what Mr. Champlin +intended to do. + +Two or three days after Mr. Willson's remonstrance, Mr. Champlin came +home to dinner, and announced that important business required him +to start for New York by that evening's train, which passed through +Raeburn about seven o'clock. He spent most of the afternoon in packing +his trunk, a work about which he would accept of no assistance, and +having hired a neighbor to carry him over to the station, he bade his +family farewell, as it seemed with unusual tenderness, even coming +back, after he had gone out to the wagon, to kiss his wife and the baby +a second time. + +Edah long remembered the way in which he pressed her hand, as he +said—"You are a good girl, Edah: take care of your mother and the +children when I am gone." + +He gave Susan fifteen dollars, and bade her be careful of it; shook +hands with Sam, and then drove off at a rapid pace, looking back as far +as he could see the house, till a turn in the road hid it from his view. + +"Father is as affectionate as if he were to be gone a year, instead of +a week," said Susan. + +"There is something curious about his manner, too," replied Sam, +to whom she made this remark: "I never saw him so at all. I don't +understand it." + +"What is the use of troubling yourself to account for father's whims? +You know he is as capricious as the wind. There is one comfort about +it—Edah will stay till he comes back." + +"Oh!" said Sam. "I didn't suppose you would be very anxious to keep her +here." + +"That is just the way," returned Susan: "you think because I am not +always running after Edah, and hanging about her, as you and Polly are, +that I don't care any thing for her, but you are greatly mistaken. I +like her just as well as you do; and if any thing were the matter with +her, you would see that I do." + +"I think she would be glad to compound for a little common civility +now," said Sam, "for really, Sue, whether you know it or not, you are +not half civil to her. It isn't very often that we want people to do +grand things, or to make great sacrifices for us, but we feel the need +of kindness and politeness every day and all day long." + +Susan made no reply, and the subject was dropped. + +Mr. Champlin had said before his departure that he might be absent +about two weeks, and promised to write to his wife during the time, but +no letter came. + + +The time drew near which Edah had set for her departure, and she began +to make preparations for her return to Miss Anderson's, though she +determined not to go until her father was again at home. The family +had by degrees come to be very dependent upon her, and Mrs. Champlin +especially felt as though she should not be able to live without her. +As for Pauline, she could not hear of sister's going away, without a +passion of grief, and Edah began to have serious thoughts of taking the +child back to Miss Anderson's with her, when she received a letter from +Milly with the intelligence that her father had concluded not to let +her return to school again, and claiming the fulfilment of her promise +to spend the winter with them. Of course she could not for a moment +think of taking Pauline there with her. If she had been an ordinary +child, Edah might have felt more at ease about leaving her; but Pauline +was no common child: her thoughts and feelings were far in advance of +her years, and her affections possessed more intensity than belongs to +many grown-up persons. Then she was, unfortunately, far superior in +natural abilities to those about her. + +Mrs. Champlin was a kind-hearted and well-meaning woman, but she +was without much cultivation, either mental or spiritual, and her +words and actions were directed almost entirely by the impulse of +the moment, whatever that impulse might be. Her naturally kind and +gentle disposition had been fretted and soured by constant illness and +suffering, and still more by domestic troubles; and the irritation +she would not or dared not manifest towards the direct cause of her +distress, was very frequently bestowed upon the other members of the +family. Such a mother could be no fit guide for an irritable and +delicate child, whose little head was constantly filled with thoughts +and questions altogether too grave for her years, and the force of +whose passions was as much above what it should be, as her strength +was below. Mrs. Champlin had, in fact, almost no influence with her +children: they were fond of her, and often assiduous in waiting +upon her, but they never dreamed of obeying her unless it suited +their own convenience. Edah was the only one of the family who ever +thought of consulting her upon her movements, and Mrs. Champlin often +felt painfully the contrast between the careful deference of her +stepdaughter and the careless independence of her own children. + +While Edah was revolving in her own mind what it was best to do, she +was most agreeably surprised by a visit from her guardian. She was +deeply attached to Mr. Liston, with whom she had spent almost all her +early years, as well as her vacations since she had been at school, and +he on his part loved his ward better than any thing else in the world. +Mr. Liston was a straightforward, honorable, steady man of business, +who never owed a penny that he could not pay on the instant, and never +took the slightest advantage of any one. He went to church regularly +once every Sunday, and read the papers the rest of the day, gave +bountifully to charitable objects of every kind, without ever troubling +himself to inquire into their merit, was a perfectly inoffensive +neighbor, and a judicious and faithful friend to all his employees and +dependents. He had made the most of Edah's moderate property, and no +one doubted that she would be his heiress. His only brother had lately +died in India, and it was some business in relation to his estate which +now called him to that distant country, for which he intended to set +out as soon as he had made the necessary arrangements for the comfort +and security of his ward during his absence. + +Mr. Liston stayed two days in Brooksville, lodging at the so-called +"hotel," and held many long conversations with Edah about her plans and +wishes, which conversations ended with his leaving it entirely optional +with her to return to Miss Anderson's for another year, or to spend the +time with her friends in New York. Edah thought, though he did not say +so, that he would prefer the former arrangement, and asked him if it +were not so. Mr. Liston admitted that it was. + +"I shall not be away more than a year," he said; "and on the whole, I +would prefer that your entrance into society—an absurd institution, my +dear, but one to which we must all pay some deference—should be made +under my own eye. Maria Concklin is a kind creature, but she is not +over-wise, and Mr. Amory is as much out of the world as the stuffed +elephant at the museum. Still, as this plan has been of long standing, +and any alteration of it would be a great disappointment to your +friend—a very nice girl, she seems—I am willing that you should spend +the winter there. How much longer do you intend to remain here?" + +"'Till my father returns," replied Edah. "I had no thought of staying +any longer; but mother is so unwell, and the poor baby so sickly, that +I do not like to leave at present." + +"Very well, my dear; act your own judgment about it. I shall leave a +suitable allowance for you in Mr. Amory's hands, which he will pay +to you quarterly, and I shall expect you to keep strictly within it, +incurring no debt, however trifling. You know that is the one thing, +about which I have always been positive. I have given him directions +not to advance a single penny, so if you use it up too fast, you will +have to wait for more till next quarter-day. And now, I must bid you +good-by." + +"So soon!" said Edah. + +"So soon!" replied Mr. Liston. "I did not intend to sail under two +weeks, but circumstances have occurred to alter my plans. If any thing +should happen to me, my affairs are all in Amory's hands, and he will +take my place to you. So farewell, my child, and write to me very +often. You will hear from London. God bless you!" + +Edah knew very well how much her guardian disliked a scene, and she +restrained her tears till he was out of sight, making herself amends by +a regular school-girl fit of crying afterwards. + +She could not help thinking her guardian unusually strict in regard to +money matters, and puzzled herself to think what could be the reason. +The fact was, Mr. Liston had thought it very probable that Edah's +father would want to borrow money of her, and he determined to put it +entirely out of her power to lend him any. Then a few days afterwards, +she received a note from Mr. Liston saying that he was just going on +board the steamer, and should write again as soon as he landed in +England. + +Mr. Champlin had been absent nearly two weeks, when one afternoon Sam +came up from the post-office, bringing a letter for his mother. + +"It is from father, and there is money in it," said he; "I do not +believe he is coming home after all. There are heaps of things for you, +Edah. I declare, I wonder how girls can write so many letters. You have +certainly doubled the revenue of our post-office since you have been +here. I am sure you cannot find sense enough to fill up all these pages +of fine writing." + +"And there is something for you, which is more than you deserve, after +your ungallant speech," said Edah, handing him some numbers of popular +magazines which Milly had sent her, and then becoming absorbed in the +perusal of her own letters. She was so intent upon the contents of +an epistle from Mr. and Mrs. Wardwell that she took no notice of her +companions, till she was roused by a sort of hysterical gasp from her +mother, and a shriek from Pauline, and saw Sam spring forward just in +time to prevent Eddy from falling to the floor, as Mrs. Champlin sank +back in her chair, in a violent fit of hysterics. + +Throwing down her letter, she sprang to her aid, and having quieted +Pauline by giving her the baby to hold, she took the first means at +hand of restoring her mother to consciousness, without having any idea +of what had caused her agitation. + +Mrs. Champlin recovered for a moment, but it was only to fall into +another fit, more violent than the first, and Edah, becoming seriously +alarmed, dispatched Sam for the doctor, and with the assistance of +Susan and Ruby-Anne, got her upon the bed. + +Doctor Longford happened to be passing near the house, and came in +almost immediately. He administered such restoratives as he thought +proper, and when his patient became in some degree quiet, called Edah +into the other room, and asked her if she had any idea what had caused +the seizure. + +"Not the least, sir," replied Edah. "She has been remarkably well for +several days past." + +"I think it was something in father's letter," said Pauline, who, after +her first fright was over, had devoted herself to the baby. "She was +reading it when she made that noise first." + +"Where is the letter?" asked Edah. + +"There, on the table, and the money that was in it. I laid them all +together." + +"Read the letter, Sam," said Edah, relieving Pauline of her charge. + +Sam glanced his eye over it, and then, with a flushed face, he said, in +a tone of extreme bitterness— + +"He has finished up the matter now. He has gone off to California." + +"Gone!" exclaimed Susan, who had come into the parlor, leaving +Ruby-Anne with her mother. "He has not really gone, has he?" + +"Gone for good!" said Sam. "Hear what he says: + +"'MY DEAR WIFE— + +"'Before this reaches you, I shall be on the sea, far on my way to +California, or somewhere else, when I shall be out of the way. I am +aware that I have been nothing but a burden to you for a long time, and +that the whole family will look upon my going as a relief. I send you +some money—all that I can spare, and shall let you have more, if I get +it myself. You won't see me again until I come home a rich man. If you +had made things comfortable for me at home, I should never have been +driven to the tavern, and so have been ruined; but I forgive you, and +hope you will be happy. The children must go to work and earn their +living, and Edah may do something to help you—she is rich enough. I +tried to borrow some money of old Liston, but he would not let me have +a cent. Good-by, and God bless you!'" + +"It was worth while to put that in at the end, to be sure," said Susan, +bitterly. "I don't care; I am glad he has gone!" + +"Hush, Susan, love! Don't speak so," said Edah. "Remember he is our +father, after all. I can hardly believe that he is really gone." + +"I can," replied Sam. "Don't you know, Sue, we noticed his manner the +day he went away, and he has taken all his clothes. What is to become +of us now, I wonder?" + +"How much money has he sent?" asked Susan. + +"Twenty-five—no, forty dollars," replied Sam, counting it over. "That +will last a little while, and we may get something out of the office +and lumber-yard, though I doubt it. I presume his debts cover all that, +and more too." + +"We will not trouble ourselves about that, just at this moment," said +Edah. "We have enough to do to take care of mother. I am afraid this +will be altogether too much for her." + +"And to charge her with it!" exclaimed Susan. "That is the worst of +all. I should think he might have left that out, at any rate." + +"It is the nature of men to throw all the blame of their own faults +upon their wives," remarked the doctor. "They have all done it, from +the first man down. But I must look in at your mother again before I +go." + +For two or three hours, Mrs. Champlin alternated between violent +convulsions and insensibility, but by degrees she became more quiet, +and finally sank into a deep slumber. + +The kind old doctor took his leave, promising to call the first thing +in the morning. + +Pauline, who had quietly cried herself to sleep on the sofa, was +carried up stairs and put to bed. Edah persuaded Susan to retire and +take the baby with her, and the house was again quiet. + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +THE RESOLUTION. + +FOR several days and nights Mrs. Champlin continued very ill, and her +life was almost despaired of. Edah and Susan took the principal care of +her, though the neighbors were very kind in offering to watch; but Mrs. +Champlin was so unwilling to have any one with her but her own children +that they feared the presence of strangers. + +The news soon spread through the little village that Mr. Champlin had +deserted his family, and gone off to California. He had departed in +debt to half the village, and the indignation of the little public was +extreme against him. Edah paid some bills which had been incurred for +necessaries out of her own pocket, but she absolutely refused to have +any thing to do with his tavern and grocery bills, which far exceeded +the others in amount. + +Mr. Champlin had not been content with spending all the ready money +he could lay his hands on, but he had also run large scores at the +principal tavern in the place, to pay which, and to raise a little +ready money for his journey, he had given a mortgage upon his household +furniture, and the landlord threatened to levy upon it immediately. + +Mr. Willson had come over as soon as he heard of the distress of the +family, and to him Edah confided all her troubles. He did not, at the +time, suggest any remedy. But the next morning, Captain Laurence's +light buggy and young horses were seen stopping at the door of the +Eagle—a very unusual sight—and Captain Laurence himself held a long +private conference with Mr. Scott. Nothing further was heard from that +personage by the Champlin family, who puzzled themselves in vain to +account for the change. But Mr. Scott knew his own interest too well +to disoblige Captain Laurence, and when the latter requested that the +mortgage should be made over to him, Mr. Scott was fain to consent, +making himself amends by some very hard swearing as soon as the old +Captain was well out of hearing. + +Mrs. Champlin's bodily health gradually improved, and in about three +weeks she was able to be about for part of the day, as usual. But it +became by degrees apparent that the shock had had its dreaded effect +upon her mind, already somewhat enfeebled by sickness and trouble. +She was not, perhaps, actually insane, and a stranger might sometimes +talk with her for an hour without perceiving any thing out of the way, +but her children saw the difference in her increased irritability, +which made it sometimes utterly impossible to satisfy her in her fits +of nervous fear, when she could not bear to be left alone a moment, +and above all, in her indifference to Eddy, so utterly opposed to the +solicitude with which she had watched over him from his birth. The +girls were now obliged to take the whole care of him, as if he were +left to his mother, she would often forget him altogether. + +Susan came out nobly under the trial. She seemed to forget herself +entirely and devoted herself to her little brother with a patience and +wisdom not to be surpassed by Edah herself. Sam, poor boy, was for +a time quite overcome and broken down. He felt keenly his father's +disgraceful conduct and shameful desertion, and it seemed as if he +could hardly endure to look anybody in the face. + +In the midst of her grief and perplexity, Edah found some consolation +in the active sympathy of Annie Laurence and her mother, and the +affectionate counsels and prayers of good Mr. Willson. Between Annie +and Edah there had grown up a strong friendship, rendered doubly firm +by their community of tastes and pursuits. Edah could not, of course, +leave home to go to Spring Bank, but there were not many days in the +week when Annie's active little brown horse was not to be seen standing +at the gate of Mr. Champlin's house; or that Mrs. Laurence's black man +Jube—her prime minister as she was wont to call him—did not come over +with a basket on his arm, containing something for the invalid. + +But if this friendship was a great comfort to our young heroine, she +had a source of anxiety which altogether outweighed it—this was the +state of her sister's health. Susan had grown up very fast, and, as is +often the case, her strength did not keep pace with her growth, and, +moreover, she had been entirely overburdened with work much too hard +for her, and with anxieties far beyond her years. For some time she had +appeared quite unaffected by her labors, but since Edah's coming had +relieved her of some care, and a great deal of her hard work had been +taken off her hands by Ruby-Anne, she seemed to droop at once. She grew +very thin and pale, and was troubled with a hard, dry cough, and Edah +discovered by accident that she had had two or three slight attacks of +bleeding at the lungs—very slight, indeed, they were, and Dr. Longford +made light of them, when Susan was finally persuaded to consult him; +but Edah was alarmed, nevertheless, and watched her anxiously from time +to time. + + +One day, after Mrs. Champlin seemed quite to have regained her former +not very high standard of health, and things were going on in the +household pretty much as they had done before the great shock, Edah +received a letter from her friends in New York, pressing her to come to +them immediately. + + "I would not urge you," Milly wrote, "while stepmother was so ill, and +while it seemed doubtful how your sister's case would turn out, but +now that she is as well as usual, and the doctor says that Susan is in +no danger, I cannot see what there is to detain you longer among the +stumps and aborigines of Brooksville. They certainly have no particular +right to claim your services, and I think that I have, both on account +of our long-arranged plan, and of our intimate friendship. You can +certainly find no society in Brooksville at all suited to you, except +the Laurences, and they live so far off that I think you cannot see +much of them. Besides, I have another reason to offer as an inducement +for you to come to us speedily. My father has promised, if you get here +in time, to take us on an autumnal trip to the White Mountains. I shall +expect to receive a letter by return of post, saying when you will +come." + +Edah read this letter once and again, and felt that the time was come +when she must make a final decision. It was true, as Milly said, that +they had a strong claim upon her. She had promised to be with her +friend through the winter, and her guardian did not object to the +plan. She could not tell what he would say to her spending the winter +in Brooksville. It was true, as Milly urged, that she would have no +society where she was. There were the Laurences, but she could not +expect to spend much time with them, even if they remained at Spring +Bank through the winter, which Annie had told her was very uncertain. +The winters in that region were very severe, and Louisa's lungs had +been delicate for some time. There was talk of their going South, and +in that case they would be away from Spring Bank till late in the +spring. + +Edah had no fears for her own health; she had scarcely been sick a +day in her life, and her strength, instead of diminishing, seemed +to grow with what she had to do; but she thought of the long dreary +winter, the absolute want of any companionship or sympathy such as +she had been accustomed to, of books, of every thing, in short, which +she had usually looked upon as rendering life desirable. She thought +of the trials of temper and patience she would have to endure; of +the daily and hourly tax upon her strength, her time, her income; +of the few and vulgar people who would constitute her only society. +She did not think—no, scarcely at all—of the good profession she had +professed before so many witnesses; of the resolution she had made at +the beginning of her Christian course—to live no more to herself, but +to devote her time, her talents, her means to the service and glory +of God. She did not remember the sign of her baptism—the sign of the +Cross—the symbol of self-denial and disinterestedness. She thought +only of her own trials and perplexities, on the one hand, and of the +enjoyments promised her, on the other. She looked at the matter, not +through the eyes of prayer, but of her own self-love and self-interest, +and in this view she had almost resolved to return to her friends in +New York. + +While she was yet pondering, afraid to decide irrevocably, and +conscious in her own heart that something was wrong, she was aroused +by the sound of a horse's feet, and looking out, she saw Mr. Willson +fastening his horse to the post before the gate. She was always glad to +see Mr. Willson, and now hastened to meet him. He shook hands with his +usual cordiality, and entered the sitting-room, where Edah's desk was +lying open, with writing materials ready for use. + +"So you are writing letters," said he. + +"Not exactly," replied Edah; "only thinking of writing. I have just +received a letter from my friends in New York, urging me to come to +them directly, as they are planning a tour through New England for next +month." + +"And have you decided to go?" asked Mr. Willson, looking, as Edah +thought, a little grave. + +"Why, no, sir—not exactly; but it is an old plan of ours, and I have +never thought of it in any other way than as entirely settled." + +"Do your friends in New York 'need' you?" asked Mr. Willson, with a +little emphasis on the word "need." + +"Oh, no," said Edah; "they are as pleasantly situated as people can be." + +Mr. Willson listened quietly, while Edah went on urging all the reasons +by which she had almost convinced herself that it was her duty to go, +and when she seemed to have arrived at the end, said quietly— + +"You seem to have considered one side of the question, at any rate, but +now what of the other? What will they do here when you are gone?" + +This was just the side which Edah did not wish to consider, and she +said, rather hastily— + +"I do not know, Mr. Willson, that I am called upon to renounce all my +own pleasures and engagements for the sake of the family here. I gave +up a good deal in coming at first." + +"Very true," said Mr. Willson; "so you did! Perhaps you gave up as much +as could reasonably be expected of any Christian. I confess, however, I +did not think so much of pleasures and enjoyments as of usefulness and +duties. I thought these were the chief concern of the children of God, +and not enjoyments and pleasures." + +Edah felt keenly the tone and look with which these words were +accompanied, and the rebuke contained in them came home with power to +her conscience. She colored deeply, and was silent. + +Mr. Willson went on in a milder tone: + +"Your Christian principles have had, as yet, very little to try them. +Your trials and temptations have been comparatively small. It remains +now to be seen how much they are worth!" + +"Do you think, then, Mr. Willson, that a Christian has no place in +society, or that there is any thing wrong in her taking such a place?" + +"I think the place of a Christian is where there is the most work to +be dons in his or her Master's service. We are to do our duty in that +state of life to which it pleases God in His providence to call us, and +if we would fight under His banner, it must be in the station which He +assigns us. But permit me to ask you, Miss Edah, have you made this +subject—this decision—a subject of prayer?" + +"No, sir." + +"Then let me urge it upon you not to decide upon any course till you +have done so. Ask counsel, not of your own erring judgment, or still +more erring will, but of the oracles of God. Ask with a determination +to submit to the will of God, as it shall be made known to you. Do not +answer this letter now. It will do your friend no harm to wait another +post, and in the mean time, seek the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit +in humility and sincerity, and, trust me, you will find some new light +thrown upon your course. Promise me that you will do this." + +"I give you my word, sir, that I will. I will not answer Milly's letter +till the day after to-morrow." + +"That is well; and now let us talk of something else. How is your +mother?" + +"She is pretty well to-day; as well, I suppose, as we can hope to see +her." + +"Do you think she will see me?" + +"I presume she will be glad to do so," replied Edah; "she has several +times asked when you were coming again." + +She left the room to speak to her mother, and found her descending to +the parlor. + +"I was just coming to look for you," said Edah, pleasantly. "Mr. +Willson is here, and asked for you." + +"I was coming to see him, at any rate," replied Mrs. Champlin. "I +concluded of course that he would ask for me, though you seem inclined +to take his visits, as you do Miss Laurence's, entirely to yourself. +No, thank you," declining Edah's proffered arm to help her down the +steps; "I am not quite as feeble as you and Susan would wish to make +out. I am not quite superannuated yet." + +Edah saw that her mother was in one of her fits of irritability and +suspicion, and made no reply. + +Mrs. Champlin entered the parlor, and seating herself, conversed with +the Rector in a tone and manner which would certainly never incline +a stranger to think her mind affected. She was very polite to Mr. +Willson, urged him to stay to tea, and inquired after the health of +his family, all with perfect propriety, and Mr. Willson could not help +believing that the children must be mistaken in thinking her at all +deranged. He declined the invitation, much to Edah's regret, and as +soon as he was gone, Mrs. Champlin resumed her complaining tone, not +only to Edah, but to Susan, who had entered with the baby in her arms. + +"Yes, when Miss Laurence or Mr. Willson comes, you take their visits +entirely to yourself, and never seem to think of referring them to me. +You make me a perfect nobody in the house, both of you. Susan spends +her whole time waiting on that baby, who is perfectly spoiled with so +much tending." + +"I am sure, mother," said Susan, "I do not attend to the poor little +fellow more than he needs. You would not have me leave him to cry, +would you?" + +"Hush, Susy!" whispered Edah. + +"What shall I hush for?" returned Susan, turning quickly upon her. "I +have as much right to speak as yourself." + +"Certainly she has!" joined in Mrs. Champlin. "And it is very +unbecoming in you, Edah, to stop her. You take great airs upon yourself +in ordering Susan about so: it is very improper in you;" and so on, +till Edah was able to make some excuse for escaping from the room. + +She paused in the hall, to try and check the tears which flowed in +spite of herself; and a moment after, Susan came out. + +"Don't cry, Edah!" she said, going up to her kindly. "I am sorry I +spoke so, but I can't bear to have any one order me so." + +"I did not mean to order you," replied Edah; "only I think when mother +gets into that way of complaining, it is best not to make her any +answer. You know she would not do it if she were herself." + +Susan sighed. + +"What shall I do when you are gone?" said she. "I shall never get on as +you do." + +"I am not gone yet," said Edah; and then wishing to change the subject, +she asked, "how is your cough to-day?" + +"Oh, it is well enough: I don't think it was any thing but a cold after +all." + +Edah felt uncomfortable and ill at ease all the evening, and it +was harder than ever to have to listen to Mrs. Champlin's peevish +complaints. She was glad when she said she was tired, and announced her +intention of retiring early, for Edah felt a strong desire to be alone. + +At last all was quiet in the house. Pauline was fast asleep, and Edah +was at liberty to sit down with her candle and her Bible, to think +about what Mr. Willson had said, and to make a final decision. But +before considering the subject of her return to New York, she fulfilled +her promise to Mr. Willson, by kneeling in prayer, and entreating the +influence of the Holy Spirit to guide her in the decision she was about +to make. She prayed in faith, truly believing that her thoughts would +be rightly directed, and then, with a very different spirit from that +in which she had first read her friend's letter, she sat down to think +the matter over again from beginning to end. + +"I need not think of the advantages of going to New York," she thought, +"as Mr. Willson says I have considered that thoroughly enough. Now let +me look at the other side, and think where I can do the most good. I +suppose I might find something to do in New York. I could take class +in Sunday School for one thing. But there is no Sunday School at all +here, and perhaps I might get up one like Annie's at the Mills. Mr. +Willson said something about it when I first saw him. That, however, is +a secondary consideration; I must think about them here at home first. + +"What would they do without me? In the first place, what would they +have to live on? Sam says he has about fifty dollars beforehand, and +that he means to try and get a place to earn something; but it is +doubtful how much he could earn. Mr. Liston has left me an allowance of +three hundred a year, and that would go a good way towards supporting +the family, if they could have the whole of it; but if I were to be +in New York at Mr. Amory's, I should be obliged to dress somewhat as +they do, and that and other expenses would use up every cent. If I stay +here, I can make all my last winter's dresses answer, cloak and bonnet +and all; and the fifty dollars that I shall receive at Christmas, with +what little we have now, would almost carry us through the winter, I +think. + +"Miss Concklin would say they have no claim on me for support; but +what of that, so long as they need it? I should not feel that I +had any right to be living in luxury, while they wanted even the +common necessaries of life. Then, if I stay here, I can be educating +Polly, and training her, I hope, in the right way, and influencing +Sam. Perhaps my being here may make all the difference between his +growing up a Christian or not. I am certain that he takes more and +more interest in such things now, and I am afraid if I go away, he +will return to his former carelessness. I cannot feel that I have any +influence over Susan in that way. Sometimes I think her jealous lest I +should rule her in some way, which makes her more opposed to religion +than she would be if I were not here. Still I know she depends upon me +in a great many ways, and a great deal more than she is aware of, and I +am afraid she would get on at all with mother as she is now, if I were +not here to keep the peace between them. I do not think she is very +well either, and if I were away, the work she would have to do might be +quite too much for her. Then there is mother—she has learned to depend +entirely on me, especially since father went away; no one else can do +any thing to suit her, when she has one of her fretful turns, and she +cannot bear me out of her sight. What would she do with no one but poor +Susan to depend upon? + +"I wonder what Mr. Wardwell would say? I have a great mind to write to +him; but I know very well what he would think. How many times I have +heard him say that a Christian has no right to live to himself, or to +seek for pleasures of any kind out of the path of duty! Could I say or +think that I was in the path of duty, if I went to New York to enjoy +myself in Milly's society, and that of her friends, knowing all the +time that I was needed here? But what would Mr. Liston say? I know very +well, he did not much want me to go to Amory's, or into society at all, +till he came home: he spoke of my going to Miss Anderson's again, but +after all, he told me to act according to my own judgment. I do not +think he would be displeased. No, my place is here! I wonder now, that +I could ever think of going anywhere else. Milly will be disappointed, +but I am sure she will see on consideration that I am right." + + +The next morning Mrs. Champlin had slept off her ill-humor, and was in +excellent spirits: every thing was as it should be—the breakfast was +excellent—Ruby-Anne was the best of girls—Susan the most excellent of +nurses, and nothing went wrong or could go wrong in the whole world. +Edah knew by experience that this mood would not last long, but she +was thankful for even this short respite, and made the most of it, by +keeping her mother amused and diverted as much as possible. + +After breakfast, Mrs. Champlin went into the kitchen to have a gossip +with Ruby-Anne, and Edah sat down to answer her friend's letter. + +"They are expecting you in New York, I suppose," said Susan; "when do +you go?" + +"I do not go at all," said Edah; "that is, if you will keep me here." + +"Not going!" exclaimed Sam and Susan in a breath, while Pauline uttered +a scream of joy. "Why, I thought you had decided to go long ago!" + +"So I did," said Edah; "but I have undecided again, and now I am +decided the other way. I have a great desire to see how these hills +look in winter." + +"That isn't the reason you stay, though," remarked Pauline; "it is +because you think we can't do without you; and you are the dearest girl +in the world: isn't she, Sam?" + +"To be sure she is, Poppet! Every one knew that long ago." + +"I am sure," Susan said, with some constraint, "I don't want you to +give up all the pleasure of your winter in New York, for the sake of +staying with us here. I am sure you would much rather be there; and +I don't want you to be feeling all the time as if you were making a +sacrifice for us." + +"Now, Sue," exclaimed Sam, "that is downright ungracious. Of course it +is a sacrifice for Edah to stay here, but if she is willing to make it, +I think the best return we can make is to take it kindly." + +"I am not fond of being sacrificed to," said Susan. "If Edah is going +to feel all the time how much rather she would be there than here, and +how good she is in staying here instead of going there, I would rather +she went." + +Edah could not help feeling very much annoyed at this speech, but she +controlled herself, and said gently— + +"If I made up my mind to stay here, I hope I should be more sensible +than to spend my time thinking how much better off I should be +somewhere else; and as to feeling good," she added laughing, "I will +try not to show it, if I do. But I am almost afraid you don't want me, +after all." + +"I should be very glad to have you, I am sure," replied Susan, +apparently ashamed of what she had said. "I do not know, as Sam says, +what we should do without you, especially mother, for I can do nothing +to suit her lately." + +Thus it was decided finally that Edah was to stay, and she dispatched +an answer to Milly to that effect. She also wrote to Miss Anderson to +send her her clothes and other matters she had left at W., and began to +consider herself settled for the winter. Mr. Willson smiled approvingly +when he heard her decision, and told her he had felt no doubt how she +would conclude, if she took time enough. + +"You must now begin to consider how you can make yourself most useful, +and do the most good. I think I must constitute you my curate in this +place, and let you lay the foundation of a church here." + +These words were not lightly spoken, nor lightly heard. From that +moment, Edah began to consider what she could do towards establishing a +church in the hitherto destitute village of Brooksville. + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +THE DAY OF SMALL THINGS. + +EDAH now considered her plans for the winter as settled, and began +to make her arrangements accordingly, for she was very much given to +making a systematic division of her time, and giving to each hour its +regular employment. She thought that by rising early enough she could +perform all her household duties before breakfast, and be free to sit +down immediately afterwards with her books or her work, or to instruct +Pauline, who had become really fond of study, and was making very good +progress. + +She found many interruptions, however, to this plan. Mrs. Champlin +often exacted the whole of her attention, or some of the neighbors +would drop in to spend an hour or two, or sometimes Susan would take +a perverse fit, and persist in interrupting her just when she was the +most engaged. She sometimes found it hard not to be irritated under all +these hindrances, especially as she grew more and more interested in +her studies; but she made great efforts, and felt that she was really +gaining very much in regard to temper. She forced herself to lay down +her books cheerfully, and to attend to Mrs. Champlin's long stories +about nothing, and what was still more difficult, she obliged herself +to bear with perfect gentleness all her complaints and insinuations, +which sometimes put Susan, and even Sam, entirely out of patience. +Still, with, all her interruptions and hindrances, she continued to +have a good deal of time, and really made good progress in her studies. + +She did not forget Mr. Willson's remark about the Sunday School, and +was anxious to make a beginning, but she did not exactly know how. She +thought it over and over, and at last decided to do nothing till she +could ask Mr. Willson's advice. + +One day, two of the neighbors' children came in to play with Pauline. +They were pretty little girls of ten and eleven years old, and Edah, +who had taken a good deal of interest in them, was always glad to see +them. Pauline, who was very assiduous in entertaining her visitors, was +on this occasion showing them the new hymn-book that Edah had given +her, when Sarah Bell proposed that they should sing some of the hymns. +Nothing could please Pauline better. They sang one after the other, and +Edah joined her own sweet and cultivated voice to those of the children. + +"Sister," said Pauline, "I wish you would sing that chant out of the +Prayer-Book that you sang the other night—the one you said they sang in +church." + +"The Gloria in Excelsis, do you mean," asked Edah; "the one that +begins—'Glory be to God on high'?" + +"Yes," replied Pauline. "Now, listen, girls." + +Edah sang the glorious old chant, and the children listened with +breathless attention. + +When she had finished, Abby Bell said, drawing a long breath— + +"I never heard any thing like that. It seems as if it took me right up +into the sky. Do you know any more such hymns, Miss Champlin?" + +"They are not hymns—they are chants, Abby," said Pauline, proud to +display her superior knowledge. "Sister says they always sing them in +her church, and some day she is going to take me there." + +"I wish there was a church here," said Sarah Bell. "In B—, where we +lived when I was a little bit of a girl, there was a church and a +Sunday School, and Abby went all the time." + +"Miss Champlin," asked Abby, "why can't 'you' have a Sunday School—just +for us children, you know? There would be Pauline, and Sarah, and I, +and I know Lizzie and Kitty Smith would like to come, and Mary Crampton +and her little brother. It would be so nice." + +"Oh, do, do!" exclaimed Pauline. "It would be just as nice as it could +be. Do, sister, won't you?" + +Edah smiled. + +"But what should we do for books?" she asked. + +"Oh, we could do without just at first, and perhaps we could get some +after a while," said Sarah. "We could learn lessons in the Testament, +at any rate, and you could explain them to us, and we could sing. It +would be delightful." + +"Do you think your mother would be willing?" asked Edah. + +"I know my mother would, and I am sure Lizzie Smith's mother would like +it," said Abby. "May I ask her, Miss Champlin?" + +"You may," said Edah, after a moment's consideration; "and if they are +willing, you may come here next Sunday, at two o'clock." + +There was a little whispering among the children, and then Abby said, +with some hesitation— + +"Miss Champlin, may we ask the little Fisher children? They are poor, +you know, and their father is a bad man, but their mother is a good +woman, and they are nice little things. They live on the hill, back of +our house." + +"Certainly," said Edah; "ask them by all means. I wish, Abby, that you +would come round on Saturday afternoon and tell me how many there are +likely to be, that I may make arrangements accordingly." + +Abby promised to do so, and the children went home full of their plan, +and impatient to put it into execution. + + +The next day Edah had an opportunity to send to Raeburn, and she +wrote a note to Mr. Willson, mentioning her project, and asking some +directions as to beginning. She was agreeably surprised on the return +of her messenger to receive about thirty books, new and old, suitable +for a Sunday School library. Mr. Willson gave her his advice as to the +course best to pursue, warning her against attempting too much, and +giving the plan his cordial approbation. + +"Did you see any one else at Raeburn?" asked Edah of Mr. Bell, who had +executed her commission. + +"I saw Miss Laurence at the parsonage, and some one else was there that +I'd as soon have expected to see a'most anywhere else, and that was +long John Van Dake. They say he is getting to be a real steady fellow. +But I say, Miss Champlin, what's this about the Sunday School? The +children are so full of it they don't know whether they are on their +heels or their heads, hardly." + +Edah smiled, and explained the project to Mr. Bell, who approved of it +entirely. + +"I like the notion very well," he said. "I'm not sure but I should like +to come myself, though I suppose you wouldn't take me. The young ones +shall come, if 'she' is willing, and I know she will be." + +Mr. and Mrs. Bell had a habit of speaking of one another as "he" and +"she," as if there were no other he and she in the world. + +Towards evening of the same day came over Jube, with the usual basket, +and a note from Annie: + +"I am sorry to tell you, my dear Edah," she wrote, "that the matter +is decided, and we are really going away for the whole winter. If it +were not for my mother's health, and for the sake of poor Lulu, who, +we hope, will be benefited by the sea voyage, I should not know how +to feel reconciled to it. Mrs. Millar will stay in the house and keep +things in order, and father says he shall leave the key of the library +with you, so the old place will not be quite deserted; and, moreover, +Dick will be up several times in the course of the winter, if he stays +in New York. My superfine brother Addison is going to Europe, where, I +presume, he will acquire a new stock of airs and graces wherewith to +astonish the natives and more thoroughly to disguise his native geed +sense and kindness of heart. I send you some packages of tracts, of +which Dick has supplied me with a perfect magazine, and which you may +find useful. We are counting on one more visit from you before we go." + + +On Saturday afternoon came over Abby Bell, her eyes sparkling with +delight. + +"We are coming, Miss Champlin—all of us. Sarah and I, and Kitty and +Lizzie Smith, and Mary Crampton, and Polly Fisher; and Jane and Selina +Bostwick will come too, if you will let them. They are quite big girls, +you know, and Selina can sing beautifully." + +"We shall have quite a school," said Edah. "I must be sure and have +seats enough provided. I think we will meet in the kitchen, and then +we shall not disturb mother, and you must be very careful to come +punctually." + +Edah was both surprised and ashamed at the reluctance she felt to +mentioning her plan to the family, but she felt that it was necessary +to do so. Mrs. Champlin wondered that she should put herself to so much +trouble, and thought she would soon be tired of it, but she was in a +good humor, and made no substantial objection. Susan thought it would +be very disagreeable to have the children running in and out all day +Sunday. + +"But they will not be running in and out," said Edah; "they will only +come in at the side-gate, and go quietly into the kitchen, and as +quietly go away again." + +"What good will it do them?" asked Susan. "Do you suppose it will be +any better for them than if they read their Bibles at home?" + +"Perhaps not, if they read them," replied Edah, "and yet I think it may +give them rather more interest in the matter, and they will have their +little books and tracts too." + +"From which they will derive great benefit, no doubt; Sunday School +books are usually so very entertaining and instructive! However, if you +like to amuse yourself in that way, I don't know why you should not, +only I don't think those Fisher children will be very nice playmates +for Pauline." + +"They will not be playmates for her at all," said Edah. "I do not +propose to have any play in school, and after school they will go home." + +"Now, Sue," said Pauline, "you are only talking so, just to be +contrary, you know." + +"There," returned Susan, "that is a good beginning. If you teach them +all as good manners as Pauline has acquired, you will be a benefactor +to the community. For my part, I think—" + +Susan stopped short, and Edah, seeing that she was a good deal out of +humor, thought it best to drop the conversation for the present. She +took an opportunity when she was putting Pauline to bed to tell her how +very improperly she had spoken. + +"You do a great deal of harm," said she "and make me a great deal of +trouble, when you talk so, and you know you would not like to have any +one speak so to you." + +"I don't think!" said Pauline, hanging her head. + +"But you must think! 'Don't think' is youngest brother to 'Don't care,' +and does quite as much mischief. You must think, and you must ask God +to teach you to curb your tongue." + +Pauline promised to try and do better. She was really improving very +much in every respect, but the habits of her little lifetime were not +to be conquered all at once, and every little slip she made was noted +and commented on by Susan, because she knew very well that it annoyed +Edah. It is a strange pleasure certainly which some people take in +seeing others do wrong, especially those who are trying with all their +might to do right. This was not always the case with Susan; but certain +it is, that there were times when it was her greatest delight to see +Edah's color rise and her eyes flash, and to see her utter some hasty +retort or angry sarcasm, and it really seemed as if she lent all the +energies of her mind to bring it about. + + +On Sunday afternoon at two o'clock, the children made their appearance, +for the most part shy and silent enough. They were all nicely dressed, +with the exception of Polly Fisher, who was, however, clean and neat. +She was a mild-looking little morsel of a child, with large gray eyes, +and "lint-white hair," and Edah thought there was something very +prepossessing in her almost infantine countenance: she was surprised to +learn that Polly was twelve years old. Selina and Jane Bostwick were +dark, pale girls of thirteen and fifteen, with good manners, but very +silent and shy. Mary Crampton and the little Smiths were nice little +children about nine or ten, and Pauline was the youngest child present. + +Ruby-Anne came in just as the children were taking their places. + +"Law sakes! What a nice little school!" she exclaimed. "I suppose you +will take me too, won't you?" + +Edah would rather have preferred not having any grown-up spectators +at first, but she did not see how to avoid it in this case, and Ruby +took her place with the rest. After a few words spoken to the children, +Edah requested all present to kneel and join her in the Lord's Prayer, +and when this was concluded, she read a collect or two from her +Prayer-Book. Mr. Willson had sent her among other things, half a dozen +hymn-books, and when the prayers were finished, she selected a hymn, +which was sung to a familiar tune. Jane and Selina had sweet, though +uncultivated voices, and Ruby-Anne joined with the rest. + +"Children," said Edah, when the hymn was finished, "why have we come +together here this afternoon?" + +There were several answers. "To have a Sunday school," said one. "To +learn about God."—"To study the Bible," said others. + +"Those are all very good answers," said Edah. "We have come to have a +Sunday School, to study the Bible, and I hope to learn something about +God and our duty. I think the best way to begin will be to read over +some verses, as of course you have not learned any lesson to-day, to +talk them over, and then you can learn them for next Sunday. We will +begin with the second chapter of St. Matthew's Gospel, and take seven +verses for our first lesson; but first, can any one tell me what is the +meaning of the word Gospel?" + +"I believe it means good tidings," said Selina, modestly, after a pause. + +"That is quite right. When the angel came to the shepherds on the +plains of Bethlehem, he said, 'I bring you glad tidings of great joy, +which shall be to all people.' But why is the Gospel good news?" + +"Because it tells us how to be saved," said Pauline. + +"Yes, because it tells us of a Saviour. It tells us how good God was +in sending His only Son into the world, to die for us that we might +be saved if we believe in Him and obey Him and love Him. We wish to +understand that good news, and to know all about it. Suppose your +father were in some distant place—in Europe, for instance—and he should +write you a letter, telling you that you might come and see him there, +and giving you directions how you must come, and promising you money +for the journey—you would be very anxious to understand the letter +properly, would you not?" + +"'I' should," said Mary Crampton. + +"Well, this is what Christ does in the Gospel. He tells us that if we +will, we may meet Him in heaven; He tells us how to come, and promises +us His Holy Spirit to help us on the way. But suppose any child should +get such a letter from her father, and should just put it away on the +shelf, and think no more about it—suppose, too, that unless she did +attend to the letter and go to meet her father, she would certainly +starve to death in a little while, or be carried away and made a slave +of. Would you not think her a very strange child?" + +"I don't believe any child would be so foolish as that," said Mary +Crampton. + +"You think not, Mary. Yet this is just what people do who neglect the +Bible—who put it away on the shelf; and take no pains to understand it." + +"But people are not starved to death because they don't understand the +Bible," said Pauline. + +"Not in this world perhaps, but in another world, my dear; have you +forgotten that? Our lives do not end when we stop living here and our +bodies are buried in the ground, do they? What becomes of our souls +then?" + +"They go to heaven," answered little Jemmie Fisher. + +"All of them?" asked Edah. "Do the souls of all sorts of people go to +heaven, Jemmie?" + +"Only Christians go to heaven," said Selina Bostwick. + +"And what becomes of the others?" + +"They are lost," said Selina solemnly, after a pause. + +"Yes," said Edah, "unless we learn the way to heaven in this world and +set out in that way, we shall never find it, and the sooner we set +out, the more sure we are of reaching the end of our journey. It is to +learn about that way that we come here this afternoon. But it will do +us no good to learn the road, unless we set out in it; we must remember +that: a great many people know the way, who I fear never take one step +forward therein. Now we will read over the lesson for next Sunday, and +see if we understand it." + +The lesson was accordingly read—a verse by each child in turn; and +Edah gave such explanations as she thought necessary. She did not like +to keep them too long at first; so she made her remarks as brief as +possible. All the children, except Jemmie Fisher, could read pretty +fluently, and he made out tolerably, by dint of spelling, and being +told the hard words by his sister. Edah gave them a short recess, +telling them not to go away from the door or make any noise, and she +was glad to find that they obeyed her. After they had taken their seats +again, she said— + +"Children, there are some words which I wish you to learn to repeat +altogether. They are called the Apostles' Creed, and they tell what all +Christians believe. I will say it all for you, and then we will repeat +it sentence by sentence till we learn it. The meaning of the word Creed +is belief." + +She repeated it slowly and seriously; then taking the first clause, +she said it with them three or four times, till they seemed to know it +perfectly. + +"I used to know that when I was a little girl," said Ruby-Anne. "I +guess I'll say it too; it will kind of help them along." + +"Do, if you please," said Edah, and accordingly Ruby-Anne's voice +chimed in with those of the little ones. In the course of half an +hour the older ones had it perfectly, and then Edah dismissed them, +after singing another hymn, and giving them their library books. They +all went home, feeling very nicely, and Edah herself was greatly +encouraged by this favorable beginning. She thought it very likely +that she would have more trouble as she went on, but she did not +mean to be discouraged. She was especially pleased at being able to +keep the attention of the children fixed, and at finding them all so +well-behaved, and looked forward with much pleasure to meeting them +again. + + +The next Sunday all the children made their appearance, with the +addition of two or three new faces, and Edah was gratified to find that +they had not only learned the words of their lesson, but also that they +remembered and comprehended her explanations. She pursued the same +course as before, and with the same success, and there seemed now a +fair prospect of the school's flourishing, and being useful not only +to the children, but to herself. She was surprised to find, when she +sat down to think over the verses of the lesson, how very indistinct +her own ideas were on the subject, and how much of study and meditation +were necessary in order to put them into an available shape. + +She was careful not to fatigue her pupils by too many explanations; but +instead of their being in a hurry to get away, she found them rather +unwilling to go, and very desirous to hear "some more." + +This week was destined to be one of trial to Edah. In the first place, +the Laurences set out on their journey. Edah had expected to miss them +very much, but she was not prepared to find such a blank in her daily +life as their departure created. It made her feel desolate not to be +expecting to see Annie, or to hear from her, or to ride over to Spring +Bank herself. She felt that there was no one left to her. + +She had, it is true, formed some acquaintances in the village, +particularly with Mrs. Bell, the mother of Abby and Sarah, and with +Miss Gilmore, a useful, painstaking maiden lady, Selina Bostwick's +aunt, who was much interested in her plans for the Sunday School, and +promised to help her whenever she needed assistance; but still they +were not very cultivated people, and knew nothing of many of the things +which interested her. Mrs. Bell, in particular, thought it very strange +that any one should take so much pains to learn a foreign language, +when there were so many books in English yet unread, and she could +hardly believe that any one whose mind was so much taken up with books +and such things could have any attention left for household duties. She +was obliged, however, to confess, when Edah laughingly brought in for +her inspection a shirt which she had just finished for Sam, that she +could not have made it better herself. + +Captain Laurence, who was a good deal of a book-collector, had, as +he said, made her free of his library, and she was at liberty at any +time to carry home whatever volumes she wanted—a precious privilege +in a country where books were by no means as plenty as blackberries. +Edah took up a course of history with Sam, who had become very fond of +reading aloud, and she hoped to make it profitable to both of them. +Moreover, she had herself become very much interested in some of our +most excellent old English divines, and she was especially delighted +with the Scripture Meditations of glorious Bishop Hall, which she +studied until she knew them by heart. Still, all these advantages could +not make up for the loss of the society of her friends, and she missed +them more and more every day. + +A few days after their final departure, she was out in the yard, when +her attention was attracted by an old negro who was lingering near the +gate, and she went out to speak to him. The old man seemed to have some +difficulty in getting out what he had to say, and hesitated, till Edah +said, good-naturedly— + +"What is it, Uncle Jake? I am sure there is something on your mind yet." + +"Well, missy, that's a fact. You see I didn't like to trouble missy, +if I could get along without, but it's mighty hard times, and this old +feller don't make out very well." + +"But I don't understand you yet, Jake? Do you want me to help you in +any way?" + +"No, missy; I don't ask nothing of nobody, only to be paid. You see, +missy, I used to work for Mr. Champlin, time and again, hauling boards +and driving, and so on, and sometimes he paid me, and then again he +didn't; but I didn't get nothing for most a year before Mr. Champlin +went away—that's a fact. So I got Mr. Bell to draw off the 'count, +'cause I always kept a 'count, and here it is. You see, missy, I knew +there was a good deal going out, and I didn't like to disturb the +family; but I'm mighty poor this fall—that's a fact." + +Edah took the account. It seemed all fair enough, and the amount was +fifteen dollars. She knew that Mr. Bell would have had nothing to do +with it unless it were all right, and she felt sorry not to have known +of it before. + +"You must be paid at once, Jake, of course. I wish you had called +before, though I am much obliged to you for your consideration. Walk +into the kitchen and sit down, and I will get you the money." + +"Missy is very kind. I guess I will sit down, for this old feller gets +tired mighty easy, now-a-days." + +Edah was startled, on counting over her stock of ready money, to see +that it would take half of what she had in hand to pay Jake. It was +more than two months to Christmas, when she would receive her next +instalment, and what were they to do in the mean time? + +"Do you ever work for Mr. Strong, at the Eagle, Jake?" she asked, as +she gave the old man his money. + +"Yes, missy—sometimes." + +"What sort of a man is he?" + +"Well, he's a hard man, that's a fact—a regular skinflint, he is. I +never see his match for that. Missy had any trouble with him since +Captain Laurence paid up the mortgage?" + +"Captain Laurence paid up the mortgage! What do you mean, Jake?" + +"Don't missy know? Laws sake, I's sorry I said a word." + +"But what is it, Jacob? I must know all about it," said Edah. + +"Well, missy knows Strong was agoing to take Miss Champlin's things, +and the old Captain he heard of it, and he come over and wanted Strong +to make over the mortgage to him. Strong swore he wouldn't at first, +but he knows which side his bread's buttered, and he dusn't offend the +old Captain, you see, so finally he let him have it, and the Captain +paid him the money; and if old Strong didn't swear tall, when the old +Captain was out of hearing, it's no matter. Real gentleman the old +Captain is, missy—none of your new-come-up folks, they ain't. My oldest +boy and girl was brung up there. Missy's seen my Jube and Sally at the +Captain's, I expect." + +"Are Jube and Sally your children, Jake? I did not know that. You must +be glad to have them in such good hands." + +"Yes, missy, thank the Lord, they's well brought up. Jube is a good +boy, and helps his old daddy a sight, he does. I's a deal to be +thankful for, that's a fact. Well, I thank you, missy, and bid you +good-morning. If you have any little jobs to do, Jake will be glad to +do them for you." + +"Sam," said Edah that night, "old Jake says that Captain Laurence took +that mortgage, and paid Strong the money. Did you know any thing about +it?" + +"No, indeed!" replied Sam, looking perfectly confounded. "Do you +believe it, Edah?" + +"Why, Jake says he was there at the time, and that Strong did not +want to let him have it, but that he dared not offend him, and so the +Captain paid the money." + +"How should he know any thing about it?" + +"Perhaps Mr. Willson told him. You know he knew all the circumstance; +for he was here the same day, and we talked it over with him." + +"And the Captain was at Strong's the next day, I know. I remember +seeing the young black horses standing there, hitched to the post. +That's the reason we have heard no more from Strong. But what do you +mean to do about it?" + +"It must be paid in some way," said Edah. "I would not pay Strong, if +I could help it; but now the debt is to Captain Laurence, and that is +quite another thing. It must be paid at some rate." + +"It ought to be, certainly; but I declare, Edah, I don't know how. I +have only twenty dollars left." + +"And I have only twelve, since paying Jake. I shall not have any more +till Christmas, and then only fifty dollars. But come in here—" they +were standing at the door of Edah's room—"and I will tell you what I +have been thinking. Talk low, so as not to wake Polly." + +Sam sat down accordingly, and Edah went on: "Do you know whether they +have found a teacher for the school yet?" + +"I know they have not," replied Sam. "I heard them talking about it at +the post-office to-night." + +"Do you think they would let me take it?" + +"You!" exclaimed Sam, with so much vehemence that Polly started in her +sleep. "I guess they would, and be glad of the chance; but you would +not think of doing it, would you?" + +"Why not?" asked Edah. "Don't you think I am competent to teach a +common school?" + +"But would you be willing to do it? Just think how it would take up +your time, and hew tired you would get. You would have to give up your +Spanish and drawing almost entirely; and then to have to teach and +manage all sorts of children—boys and girls, rough and smooth, just as +they come." + +"I have thought of all that," said Edah. "As to the children, I have no +fear but that I should manage them, for I am fond of children, and they +almost always like me. It would be hard work at first, but I should get +used to it, I presume. As to the Spanish and drawing, I should have to +give them up, to be sure, but they are not of so much consequence. I +shall never feel easy a moment till this debt is paid." + +"What in the world are you talking about?" asked Susan, putting her +head in at the door. + +"About ways and means," said Edah. "Come in and join the committee, +will you? I thought you were asleep." + +"So I was, till your talking waked me. And what about ways and means? +Ways to spend money, and no means of getting it, is what it signifies +in our case usually; but what new call is there for money?" + +Edah explained what she had heard. + +Susan listened in silence, and then said, in a voice which struggled in +vain to be calm— + +"Captain Laurence is very kind, but I almost wish he had let it alone. +I should not care whether Strong ever got a cent of it or not, but now +the case is altered. I don't like the idea of Captain Laurence losing +by us. How much is it?" + +"About one hundred and thirty dollars." + +"We never can pay it in the world," said Susan. + +"I am not sure of that," replied Edah. "Sam says that they have not +yet engaged a teacher for the district school, and he thinks they +would take me, if I applied, and in that way I could earn something. I +suppose they would give me, at least, twelve dollars a month." + +"Sixteen," said Sam. "I heard them say they would give sixteen, if they +got a teacher that suited them." + +"Well, sixteen dollars a month would go a good way, if well managed, +and then I could save my allowance towards the debt, and in time we +could get enough." + +Susan tried once or twice to speak, and then, bursting into tears, she +said, through her sobs— + +"I declare it is a perfect shame—you just support the family now, and +when it comes to paying father's whisky debts besides—for they are no +better—I think we had better break up, and go to the poorhouse at once." + +"You forget, Susy, that I am going to spend the winter here," said +Edah, smiling, and trying to speak gaily, though the tears stood in her +own eyes, "and I should not like to spend it in the poorhouse at all. +And after all, what harm will it do me to teach a few months? A great +many girls do it from choice; and besides, Sue, you forget that it will +give me a chance to extend my Sunday School—my pet, as you call it." + +"I believe that is at the bottom of it, after all," said Susan, trying +to laugh in her turn; "but it does seem a perfect shame that you should +have to give up all your own tastes and studies for the sake of earning +money for us. If I were in your place, I would just go off to New York, +and leave the family to its own devices." + +"I don't believe you would do any such thing," interrupted Edah. + +"I have been trying to think of some way in which I can earn +something," continued Susan, "but I don't see how I can. I am pretty +good at sewing, and I thought I could get some dresses to make; but I +cannot sew lately, it gives me such pain in my side, and makes me cough +so." + +"You must not think of such a thing," said Edah, earnestly. "You do +enough, and more than enough, in waiting upon mother and taking care of +Eddy, and you could not be more useful in any other way. Well, then, +since the committee approves of my plan, I shall make the proposition +to Mr. Bell to-morrow. I am sure of his good word, at any rate. And +then I shall be the school-ma'am, and you will all have to be very +respectful to me. I shall allow no liberties, I assure you." + +"And what will become of your drawing and Spanish, and your +history-reading, and all that?" asked Susan. + +"The drawing and Spanish will have to wait a while," replied Edah; "the +history will go on as usual, as it only occupies the evenings. Perhaps +I may contrive a little time for drawing, but if not, I must do without +for the present." + +"Well," said Susan, "all I can say is, I should like to know how you +came by your disposition. You did not get it by inheritance, I am sure +of that." + +"If you will believe me, Susan," replied Edah, earnestly, "I have +got whatever there is of good in me from my religious principles. It +is to these, and these alone, that I owe any power of good, or of +self-sacrifice. I used to think of nothing but myself, and my own +pleasure; and now, though I know I often fail, I also know that my +greatest desire is to do the will of God, and to glorify Him." + +"I am sure you do it," said Sam. + +Susan made no remark, but she kissed her sister good-night with unusual +affection. + +"One thing more before the committee rises," said Edah. "Don't say any +thing about it to mother till it is all settled and decided. She might +object, and make it difficult to arrange matters. I do not exactly like +to act without consulting her either, but, as she is now, I think it +will be best. So we will keep it all quiet till I have seen Mr. Bell +and the committee." + +"You don't know what a queer dream I had last night," said Pauline, at +breakfast. "I dreamed that Sam, and sister, and Susan were all in our +room talking about keeping a school for Captain Laurence, and that Sue +cried about it. Wasn't it curious? It seems to me just as if they had +really been there." + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +NEW LABORS AND NEW PLEASURES. + +THE next day Edah went over to see her fast friend Mr. Bell, who was +one of the school committee. He was much astonished by her offer to +take the school at sixteen dollars a month, and at first could hardly +believe she was serious; but when she assured him that she was really +desirous to undertake it, and that she was ready to begin immediately, +he promised to use all his influence in her favor; and with this +promise Edah was quite content, for she well knew that his voice was +all-powerful with the school committee. + +Accordingly the next morning after breakfast, Mr. Bell dropped in. + +"Well, Miss Champlin," said he, "we had a meeting last night, and +talked it over, and we agreed to let you have the school, but they want +you to begin right away next Monday. I told them I didn't know how that +would be." + +"I am willing to begin at once," replied Edah. + +"There's another thing," said Mr. Bell; "you don't know any Latin, do +you?" + +"Yes," replied Edah; "I have read Virgil, and I have been well drilled +in the Latin Grammar." + +"There now—I told them it was probable you did. You see there are +Bostwick's boy and girls, and my nephew, Bob Raymond: their folks +want them to learn Latin. Now if you'd teach them maybe half or three +quarters of an hour after school, they'd be perfectly willing to give +you a dollar a week more." + +"Very well!" said Edah. "I presume I can teach them all they want to +know." + +"Well then," said Mr. Bell, rising, "I don't see but it's all settled +out fair and square. Some of them wanted you to board round; but I told +'em you couldn't do that, on account of your ma's health. You'll find +some of the children rather rough customers, but I reckon you will get +along. There's Bob Raymond—his folks have nations of trouble with him, +but there ain't any need of it. He'll stay three months at a time with +me, as good a boy as you'd wish to see. It is with children just as it +is with horses: some folks seem as if they put Ned into them the minute +they touch them—'tain't so much in the horses as it is in the driving." + + +Edah had now the hardest task of all on her hands, and that was to +communicate to her mother the intelligence that she had engaged as a +district school teacher. At first, Mrs. Champlin would hardly believe +her, and when she assured herself that it was really so, she was +indignant beyond measure. + +"You, the daughter of Frederick Champlin, and the niece of John Liston, +to be teaching ragged children in a district school! A fine occupation +to be sure! And what am I to do while you are away from morning till +night, with no one to speak to, and not a soul to do any thing for me?" + +"There will be Susan and Ruby-Anne, you know," said Edah gently. + +"Susan indeed! Susan is a child, a perfect child! She is no company for +me at all. But you all of you think of every thing else before you do +of me." + +"I don't suppose Edah would teach a district school for the pleasure +of it, mother," said Susan, unable to keep silence any longer; "it +would be a great deal pleasanter for her to stay at home, and study her +Spanish and draw." + +"Why doesn't she do it then? You don't pretend to tell me that with +all the money your father sent home before he sailed, there is any +necessity for it." + +This was one of Mrs. Champlin's favorite ideas; she considered the +meager supply sent by her husband perfectly inexhaustible. "But you +must do as you please. I shall say no more about it, only I do think +it is rather hard that I am made a perfect cypher in my own house, and +that my own children rebel against me." + +Upon this complaint Mrs. Champlin rung the changes for the whole day, +till Edah's ears and heart ached with hearing it. Had she not been +perfectly satisfied that she was taking the right course, she would +have found this state of things perfectly intolerable. + +Mrs. Champlin commonly slept all the afternoon, and while she was +asleep, Edah took her work and went down to Miss Gilmore's, hoping +to find a little rest and refreshment in the society of her kind and +sensible friend. Miss Gilmore was sitting in the kitchen cutting +carpet-rags, and though rather distressed at the litter around her, she +made Edah cordially welcome. + +"Do tell if it is really true that you are going to take the school?" +she asked. "I heard it for certain, but I can hardly believe it." + +"It is really true," replied Edah; "I am going to begin next Monday, +and I want you to advise me about it, for I know you have taught." + +"The best advice I can give you," said Miss Gilmore, "is to do the very +best you can, and then trust to Providence for the result. But if you +want to know how to make the most of your time, I can tell you how I +used to do." + +She then went on with a detailed account of her mode of proceeding, to +which Edah listened with great interest. + +"You see I am old-fashioned in my notions," she said in conclusion; +"but after all, it seems to me that children learned as much when +I was young, as they do now. I know when I was thirteen years old, +I could read and write, and had been through Murray's Grammar and +Pike's Arithmetic, and understood them too, and that is more than many +children can my now-a-days." + +"I wanted to ask you about one thing," said Edah—"having prayers in +school. It seems to me the only right way, but I believe they have not +usually done it here." + +"About that I would do just as I thought right. I don't think any one +would object to it. You could read prayers, I suppose?" + +"I think so," replied Edah; "the plan I had in mind was this: first to +have all that are able read a chapter in the Testament, and then join +in the Lord's Prayer, followed by some short form of prayer. What do +you think of it?" + +"It seems a good plan enough, unless they would get so tired of a form +as not to attend to it, and I don't think there is much danger of that. +I don't doubt, my dear, but you will do very well, and be the means of +good in this place. Your little Sunday School has done much already: +the children all talk about it, and I presume a great many more would +like to come, only they are shy." + +"I almost wonder that no such thing has been done here before," said +Edah. + +"It is rather singular; but the fact is, there has been no one to take +hold of it. There are hardly any pious people here, for one thing: not +more than eight families in the place make any pretensions to religion, +and they are very lukewarm, and take but little interest in it. There +has never been any thing like a church here. Sometimes Mr. Willson, or +some Methodist minister, preaches in the school-house, but not often. I +wish it was different, with all my heart; and now that a Sunday School +is really started, and the few that go take so much interest, I should +not wonder if it was the beginning of better days: at any rate, we will +hope and pray that it may be so." + + +The next Monday morning Edah was ready early, and went over to the +school-house in good season. It was beautifully situated, being built +just upon the side of a hill, shaded by large trees on one side, while +upon the other, the ground descended abruptly to the bed of a brawling +mountain stream, which almost made an island of the village in its +circuitous course. The deep hollow, as it was called, was a favorite +play place with the children, who found the earliest spring flowers on +its precipitous sides, birds' nests in the bushes, and curious pebbles +and small petrifactions in the bed of the stream. About half-way down +the bank, one of the copious springs, so common in that part of the +country, issued from under the roots of an old cedar, and ran gaily +down into the brook below. + +The school-house itself was built of stone, and with its surroundings +of trees and rocks formed a very pretty picture. There was no one in +the room when she entered, but it had been carefully swept and dusted, +and a bunch of late flowers in a broken flower-pot was placed upon the +desk. Standing by that desk, Edah offered a silent prayer that she +might have grace to fulfil all her duties, and that she might be made +the instrument of much good to those under her care. + +The children dropped in, one after the other, or three or four at a +time, all shy and awkward enough, and replying in monosyllables to the +questions put to them by the new school-ma'am. The greater part of them +were young, but there was quite a class of great grown-up boys and +girls, some of whom looked older than their teacher. + +When nine o'clock came, Edah took her place on the platform, and rang +the bell, and the little crowd immediately took their seats in a kind +of disorderly order. She waited a few minutes till all was perfectly +still, and then said— + +"I am very glad to meet so many pleasant faces here this morning. I +hope and believe that you have all come prepared to do your best, to +learn your lessons well, and behave well. I am pleased too, to see so +many large boys and girls, and I presume I shall find them a great +assistance. But as no undertaking can be expected to prosper which is +not commenced with the blessing of God, we will begin all our mornings +with prayer. I wish all present who have Testaments would open to the +second chapter of St. Matthew's Gospel." + +There were a few glances of surprise interchanged, but the books were +produced, and the places found. + +"We will read round once two verses to each," continued Edah, "and then +you will all kneel and join with me in repeating the Lord's Prayer." + +The verses were read round accordingly, and all knelt in a very orderly +manner, but only a few voices joined in the prayer: these were Edah's +Sunday scholars, one of the older girls, and Bob Raymond. + +She was not unprepared for this result; but she had resolved beforehand +to persevere till the experiment was fairly tried. She knew she could +depend upon her Sunday scholars, and she hoped the rest would fall +in by degrees. The oldest girl in the school, whose name was Martha +Cowles, was a communicant of the church at Raeburn, a pleasant, +unassuming young woman, with mild dark eyes, and very prepossessing in +her appearance. + +The first day was spent in arranging classes, ascertaining the +acquirements of the pupils, and making acquaintance with them. In one +of the boys Edah was especially interested, not from any personal +beauty, or attractiveness of appearance, but quite the reverse. John +Downing was a pale, sullen, dark-haired boy, about fourteen years old. +He had good features, and might have been called handsome, but for +the settled expression of discontent and ill-humor which deformed his +countenance: he seldom smiled or looked up, and Edah could not help +thinking that with his sullenness there was also an expression of +habitual unhappiness. He seemed rather backward in his studies, and +when he was placed in a lower class than the other boys of his own age, +the gloom on his face deepened till it was painful to look at him. + +Edah resolved to take the first opportunity to attract his confidence, +and win his love. The opportunity soon presented itself, though in +rather an unexpected manner. One afternoon Jack was complained of by +the little ones for pinching them, pulling their hair, and otherwise +annoying them. He denied these accusations at once; but Edah was very +quick-sighted, and soon saw with her own eyes the offence repeated. + +"You will stay a little while after school to-night, John," said she. +"I must have a talk with you about this matter." + +Accordingly, when the other children were dismissed, John remained in +his seat, looking tenfold more dogged and sullen than ever. + +When all were gone, Edah turned the key in the door, and took a seat +beside him. + +"It seems to me, Jack," she said, gently, "that you are a very unhappy +boy." + +Jack looked up in some astonishment at this address, so different from +what he had expected, but dropped his eyes again on meeting Edah's +serious but kindly glance. + +"It seems to me that you are very unhappy," she went on. "I hardly ever +see you smile or laugh, and you seem to have no friends. Why is it?" + +"Nobody likes me," replied Jack, speaking suddenly, after a pause of +some minutes. "There ain't anybody in the world that can bear me. The +boys all hate me, and my father treats me worse than a dog. He wishes I +was dead, I know, and I wish so too, I do," he concluded; and bursting +into a passion of tears, he laid his head down on his folded arms, and +sobbed almost hysterically. + +Edah put her arm round his neck, stroked his head, and tried by +caresses and kind words to compose and reassure him. + +"I know I'm the worst boy that ever was," he said, after another pause, +"but how can I help it! Father never speaks to me except to find fault, +and never touches me except to whip me; and ma's pretty much so. They +never seem to notice when I try to do right; but just as sure as I go +wrong, I get a whipping. It's just so in school." + +"Did I ever whip you, Jack," interrupted Edah, "or find fault with you +when I could help it?" + +"No, not you—there ain't many like you; but all the teachers we have +had before have done so; and they always told father, and then I'd have +to take it again. Well, I am hateful, I know. Sometimes it makes me +feel as though I'd like to do all the mischief I can, and then I plague +and tease folks, right and left." + +"And does that make you feel any better?" + +"No, I don't know as it does. There don't any thing make me feel +better. I believe there was some good in me once, but there ain't any +now, and I don't expect there ever will be again." + +"Jack," said Edah, "do you believe that I am your friend? Will you +believe me if I tell you that I am really anxious to befriend you, and +make you happy?" + +"Yes," replied Jack, after some deliberation. "If you said so, I should +believe it, though it don't seem as if any one really could care for +me." + +"And will you follow my advice, and do as I want to have you?" + +"Yes. I will try, any way." + +Edah paused for a moment, and then said, in a still more serious and +affectionate tone— + +"Jack, do you ever think that you have a Friend in heaven, who can do +more for you than any earthly friend—who loves you, and is ready to +help you, as soon as you ask Him?" + +"Miss Champlin," said Jack, looking at her earnestly for the first +time, "do you really believe—now really and truly—that God cares +anything for such a boy as I am?" + +"Certainly I do, my dear; as truly as I believe I am sitting here. I +know it is so, and if you ask Him, He will give you help." + +"How?" + +"He will show you some way out of your difficulties, and will give you +strength to bear them better, and to be a better boy. For there is +no doubt, Jack, that a good many of your troubles are owing to your +own faults. You say that people don't like you; but is that strange? +Did you expect to make Jemmy Fisher like you by pulling his hair? Or +yesterday, when you threw Bob Raymond's cap up into the tree, was that +the way to make friends with him? In both these cases you had no sort +of provocation: is it strange that the boys do not like you when you +tease them so? Now the first thing for you to do, is to get over this +bad habit of teasing and annoying others. Try to think what you can do +to please people instead of contriving ways to injure them, and you +will soon find an alteration in their feelings towards you, and of +yours towards them. The best way of learning to like those around us is +to do them good. + +"Now if you will take my advice, you will begin to-morrow morning +with thinking what you can do to please Bob and Jemmy, and make them +some amends. I know you can contrive some way, if you try: don't be +discouraged, if you don't succeed well at first, but keep on trying. Be +diligent in your studies, and see if you do not have a pleasant day. +And first of all, ask God to give you the help you need, to be a better +boy, and you may be sure He will hear you, and be glad to see you +making an effort to reform, whether any one else is or not." + +"I'll try," said Jack, after a moment's thought; "but I know they will +only laugh at me." + +"Never mind it if they do; try all the more, and by and by they will +see that you are in earnest, and they will be glad to help you. Now run +home, and don't stop by the way." + + +The next day Edah was on the watch to see the effect of her lessons. +Jack came to school in excellent time, and was very industrious and +quiet all the morning. + +At noon a good many of the children were gathered around the door, and +Jemmie Fisher, who had a great talent for tumbling, contrived to fall +off the steps with his slate in his hand. He was not much hurt, but the +frame of the new slate, alas! was broken, and came off. + +"Never mind, Jemmie!" said Jack, taking it out of his hands. "I'll mend +it for you. Don't cry, but run and find me a little bit of hard wood." + +"What's going to happen now?" exclaimed Bob Raymond, who was rather a +thoughtless boy. "I think the world must be coming to an end when Jack +Downing offers to help any one." + +The angry words, "Mind your own business—" came at once to Jack's lips, +but did not pass them. He controlled himself, and said pleasantly +enough— + +"Better late than never, you know, Bob!" And then adding, "I wonder +what that young one is about," he went in search of Jemmie. + +"Bob," said Selina Bostwick, "suppose you had fallen down on the ice, +and were trying to get up, and every time you got up, a little some one +gave you a shove, and pushed you down again. I guess you would think it +was rather mean, wouldn't you?" + +"Of course I should," returned Bob; "but what of that?" + +"That's just what you did to Jack just now. Now it seems to me, if he +is really trying to do better, it would be kinder and more generous to +help him than to hinder him." + +"It wasn't quite fair, Selina, that's a fact," said Bob, coloring; "but +you see I was taken by surprise. However, I'll try to make it up to +him, somehow." + + +"Well, Jack, how have you succeeded?" asked Edah, when school was out +at night. "Have you had a pleasant day?" + +"Yes, ma'am," replied Jack, smiling; "a great deal pleasanter than +yesterday. It was hard work to begin though, I tell you, and I'd like +to have spoiled all when Bob Raymond laughed at me. But I didn't +though, and I know he was sorry he laughed, for he offered to lend me +his ball of his own accord afterwards." + +"I see you have made a good beginning," said Edah, "and what you have +now to do is to keep on, and try to do better every day. But you cannot +do this in your own strength, and as sure as you try, you will fail +again and again. It is only the strength which God gives that enables +us to stand against temptation and to do right." + +"I did say my prayers last night and this morning," said Jack, looking +down; "but I could hardly believe it would do any good. It didn't seem +as though there was any one to hear me." + +"But have you not found it easier to be good since?" + +"Yes, I think I did; and, Miss Champlin, when Bob laughed at me, I was +just going to say, 'Mind your own business,' when I remembered what you +said, and I don't know whether it was a prayer or not, but I wished He +would help me, and then I found I could answer pleasantly. But I can +hardly believe that He really did." + +"I can," said Edah, "and I believe He will help you more and more, the +more you ask Him. But you must try to have faith. I shall always like +to have you ask me any questions, or tell me any thing that puzzles +you, and I will answer you as well as I can." + +Every one noticed the change in Jack from this time. He was frequently +sad, and even gloomy when he came to school in the morning, or when it +was time to return at night; but he was obliging, kind, and gentle, +especially to the little ones, and to Edah his devotion was unbounded. +She was indeed his first and for some time his only friend, but he was +soon to have others raised up for him. Bob Raymond related to his uncle +the change that had come over Jack, and told how sorry the boys felt +for him when he came to school with his face so pale, and his eyes all +swelled with crying. + +"I suppose," said Mr. Bell, after a little reflection, "if I was to +take Jack for an apprentice, you and he'd raise Ned together, wouldn't +you?" + +"We would try not to," returned Bob, laughing. "I wish you would take +him, Uncle Joshua, and see if something couldn't be made of him." + +"I want a boy," continued Mr. Bell, "and I don't know but I might as +well have him as another. Well, don't say any thing just now, Bob, but +let me see about it." + +Mr. Bell saw about it accordingly, and in the course of a week Jack +was established as an apprentice in his workshop, and boarding in his +family. The Bells were very plain people, and not very rich, but they +were kind to each other, and the children were governed on a very +different plan from any to which Jack had been accustomed. It was like +a heaven on earth to him. He lost his gloomy frown and downcast look; +his eyes grew brighter, his manners frank and open, and though he had +some pretty serious faults, Mr. Bell pronounced him, at the end of his +three months' trial, a pretty good boy. + +Edah had little trouble in her school. She possessed that quiet dignity +of manner which seems to take obedience always for granted, and +which goes so far with children. Moreover, she was their friend and +counsellor in all their plans and amusements, was always ready to hear +and advise them in their little troubles, and she even went so far as +to assist at the construction of a playhouse in the cavity formed by a +jutting rock, which sheltered a deep recess in the hill-side. + +When Mrs. Downing heard of this last performance, she at once +prophesied the downfall of the school. Whoever heard of a school-ma'am +playing with the children, and having any authority afterwards? + +But as Edah's authority suffered no diminution whatever, and the +children were undeniably well-behaved, she was obliged to content +herself with the declaration that children were not so managed in her +time. + + +Meantime, the Sunday School flourished till it seemed likely to +out-grow the kitchen. The numbers were now increased to twenty, and the +children seemed to take more and more interest in their lessons, often +doing more than was required of them, and very seldom less. Of course +the Sunday exercises formed a subject of conversation among the school +children during the week, and almost all the scholars became interested +in it. Edah felt that she could not possibly take any more children at +home. Her mother had begun to make many objections to having them there +at all, and for two or three weeks her mind had been much troubled +about it. She could not bear to think of giving up her little flock, +and yet she felt that it was not right to annoy her mother by having +them in her house against her wishes. + +One day, after she had been revolving the matter in her mind, and +trying to see her way out of her difficulties, three or four of the +elder girls came to her in recess, and with some hesitation requested +to be admitted into her Sunday School. + +"I should be very glad, indeed, to have you," said Edah, "but the truth +is, I have no room for you. It rather disturbs my mother now to have so +many children about, and I do not exactly know what to do with those I +have already." + +There was a good deal of disappointment expressed in the faces of the +girls, but, as if struck with a bright thought, one of them said— + +"Miss Champlin, why could you not have the Sunday School here? Then +there would be room enough for as many as wanted to come." + +"Do you think the trustees would be willing?" asked Edah. + +"I don't see why they shouldn't. They always let every one preach and +lecture here, and all the town meetings are held here. Oh yes, I am +sure they would." + +"Then we should want fires, you know, and that would use up a good deal +of wood. How should we manage about that?" + +"I don't know," answered Martha Cowles. "Some of the trustees would be +willing we should have what wood we wanted; but there's Mr. Downing +would grudge the very water out of the spring. I dare say we could +manage it somehow." + +Edah promised to take the plan into consideration, and see what could +be done. She saw at once that it would greatly enlarge her labors, and +that she should need an assistant; but she knew Miss Gilmore would help +her at any time, as well as Martha Cowles, who was a well-instructed +girl, and truly pious. It seemed like taking a great deal on herself, +young as she was; but she already succeeded so well in teaching, that +she had no fears upon that score, and she finally decided that if she +could get the use of the school-room, she would see what she could do. +She mentioned the plan at tea. + +"I should think you had enough to do already," said Susan. "You will +make yourself sick before winter is over, and then what will become of +us?" + +"I do not look much like being sick just now," said Edah, smiling, and +glancing in the glass. "I shall not mind the fatigue at all, if I am +not needed at home. What do you say, mother?" + +"You might as well be there as here, if you are going to have them at +all," said Mrs. Champlin, peevishly. "We do not see you now from one +week's end to another. For my part, I like to have people attend to +their home duties first, and I think if you were to spend part of the +time that you give to the children in attending to me, you would do +quite as well." + +"But you are always asleep when I am with the children on Sunday +afternoon, mother." + +"I do not sleep all the week, do I? You are away from morning till +night. But I do not mean to object, for I know very well that I am +nobody. It is very foolish in me to pretend to any authority, for no +one regards me. It was not so when your father was at home," &c., &c. + +"Can you manage to do without me on Sunday afternoons, Sue?" asked +Edah, as soon as she had an opportunity. + +"Oh, yes," replied Susan. "It is only because I am afraid you will make +yourself sick that I care any thing about it. Mother always sleeps all +the afternoon, and Eddy is as good as can be, poor little fellow," she +added, looking tenderly at him, as he lay in her arms. + +"You used to say you did not like babies," observed Edah. + +"I don't like babies in general, but no one could help loving Eddy, he +is so good and so helpless. I don't believe he will last much longer: +he grows lighter every day." + +In the course of the evening, Edah went in to have a talk with Mr. +Bell, and found him quite ready to give her all the assistance in his +power. He offered at once to provide all the wood that would be wanted, +and Jack Downing claimed the privilege of making the fires. Miss +Gilmore also was ready to assist her. She would not consent to assume +the general direction, but proposed taking the younger children under +her care, and Edah assigned another class to Martha Cowles. + +Pauline at first demurred at being placed in Miss Gilmore's class, +but she was easily brought to give up the point when she heard Edah's +reasons, and thus all was settled. + +On Saturday morning, Edah announced the arrangement to the scholars, +and invited all who wished to attend the Sunday School to be present at +two o'clock next day. + +About two-thirds of the school accepted the invitation. Edah divided +them into three classes, giving the younger children to Miss Gilmore +and Martha, and taking the older girls and boys herself. She felt a +degree of repugnance to taking the lead with an elder person present, +but as Miss Gilmore positively refused the office of superintendent, +she was obliged to assume it. Of course there were not books enough for +all the children, and some of them looked a little disappointed, till +Edah told them she hoped to have some more books before long. She had +three or four dollars of her own, which she had laid by to purchase +some new Spanish books, and this she now determined to devote to the +library, trusting that more funds would be provided in some way. + +Every thing passed off very pleasantly: the children were orderly and +attentive, and seemed desirous to learn, and Edah returned home very +well satisfied with the success of her experiment. + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +THE CHRISTMAS SERVICE. + +EVER since the departure of the Laurence family, Edah had been in +the habit of going over to Spring Bank now and then upon Saturday +afternoons, to get such books as she wanted out of the library, and to +practice upon Annie's piano. Mrs. Millar, the housekeeper, knew when +to expect her, and always had a comfortable fire in the parlor, and +Edah greatly enjoyed these solitary afternoons. It happened once in the +beginning of winter, that three weeks passed without her being able to +ride over as usual. Susan was not very well, Mrs. Champlin was more +infirm and fretful than usual, and Edah remained at home all the time +that she was out of school to assist in taking care of Eddy. + +One Saturday afternoon, about a week before Christmas, Mr. Bell came +in, with his greatcoat on, apparently prepared for a drive. + +"Come, Miss Champlin," said he, "wrap yourself up, and ride over to +Spring Bank with me. 'Miss' Bell will come in, and sit with your ma." + +"Do," said Susan; "the ride will do you good, and you can get us some +new books." + +Edah was doubtful about it, but finally yielded to Susan's urging, and +went out with Mr. Bell, who left her at the gate, and went on his way +to Raeburn, promising to call for her about six o'clock. She went into +Mrs. Millar's room, which she found empty, though there was a good +fire. The library key was not in its usual place, and Edah supposed +that Mrs. Millar was engaged in dusting the books; and as soon as she +had laid aside her cloak and bonnet, and warmed her feet, she went in +search of her. + +She was not in the library, however, though the room was open and +warmed, nor in the parlor, where there was also a good fire; and +Edah, presuming that she was engaged in some other part of the house, +selected what books she wanted, and then going into the parlor, she +sat down to the piano. She had been playing some time, when in turning +round for a music-hook, she caught a glimpse of some one in the +adjoining apartment, the folding-doors of which were half-open. + +"Is that you, Mrs. Millar?" she called. "You see I have taken +possession of the premises." + +There was no answer, and on looking around again, she was surprised and +somewhat startled to see a young gentleman standing in the door, and +regarding her with a look of some amazement. She rose at once from the +music-stool, and the stranger, advancing at the same time, said very +politely— + +"Permit me to introduce myself. I am Richard Laurence, the brother of +Annie and Louisa, and you, I presume, are Miss Champlin, of whom I have +heard so much." + +The instant he spoke, Edah had guessed who he was, and though a little +confused by the unexpected meeting, she responded with civility to the +address of the stranger. + +"You must have been rather astonished to find that a stranger had taken +such unceremonious possession of your sister's instrument," said she. +"You see I have been foraging in the library also." + +"Not altogether surprised," replied the stranger. "I had heard of +you from Annie and Louisa before I came, and from Mrs. Millar since. +Moreover, I missed a favorite edition of Bishop Hall from its place, +and on applying to the library list, found it credited to Miss +Champlin, with other books equally solid in their character. I think +you must be fond of grave reading, to judge from your selections." + +"I am so," replied Edah smiling; "I have always had a partiality for +big books and old books ever since I can remember; and moreover I have +been reading history with my brother this winter. But when did you +arrive, and when have you heard from Annie?" + +"I came yesterday, and I heard from Annie the day before. They have +arrived at their destination, and find themselves very comfortably +situated. Louisa seems, on the whole, to be improving, and my mother +and father are well, but Annie, poor child, is desperately homesick. +She regrets her leisure, her studies, and above all her little Sunday +School. I hear that you are making a successful experiment of the same +kind at Brooksville." + +"I have done very well thus far," replied Edah, "though we are sadly in +want of books." + +"You must be supplied in some way," said Mr. Laurence; "I will try to +procure a library for you when I return to New York. Do you have any +preaching?" + +"There has been none since I came," replied Edah. "Mr. Willson is +unable to take any more duty on his hands than he has at present, and +there is no one else. I wish you would stay and preach for us." + +Mr. Laurence smiled. + +"I have thought of it myself," said he. "I am entirely at leisure just +now, and can as well as not remain here till after New Year's. I think +I will place myself at Mr. Willson's orders for a few weeks to come." + +"I wish we could have a Christmas Service," exclaimed Edah. "Why could +we not? Or if not upon Christmas-day, at least the day after. It falls +upon Saturday, this year, you know; why could you not preach for us the +next Sunday? I will have the school-house trimmed properly—the children +will enjoy that; and it will be like living in a Christian land again." + +"I see no objection to it," replied Mr. Laurence, after a moment's +consideration; "but I must first consult Mr. Willson. Do you think we +could get a congregation together?" + +"Oh, there is no doubt of it, I think. The children would all be +interested, I know, and they would bring their parents. I will talk to +my good friend Mr. Bell about it, and see what he says." + +Mrs. Millar was delighted that Miss Champlin should have chanced to +come over while Mr. Richard was there. She insisted on getting tea +for her before she left, and produced her richest cake and choicest +sweetmeats upon the occasion. + +Edah enjoyed very much her conversation with Mr. Laurence, and she +could hardly believe it when Mr. Bell told her that he had been +detained in the village an hour later than he expected, and that it was +after seven o'clock. + +Mr. Bell cordially approved of the idea of having service in the +school-house, though he expressed a fear that there would not be many +responses. He undertook to have the notice published properly, and +promised that Jack and Robert should have the horse and wagon to go +after the evergreens necessary for the Christmas decorations, upon +which Edah had set her heart. + +"I really think I will make an effort to go to church, if Mr. Laurence +comes to preach," said Susan, when they were talking the matter over. +"Perhaps I shall find him more enlivening than Mr. Willson, who always +puts me to sleep." + +"I should like to hear him too," remarked Ruby-Anne, who was in the +room. "My folks will expect me home to stay over Christmas, and I'll +get pa to hitch up, and fetch us over. I should like to hear what sort +of a sermon Dick Laurence would write." + +"I presume he will write a very good one," said Edah: "he appears very +intelligent;" and thereupon she fell into a reverie, which lasted for +some little time. + +The next afternoon Edah announced to the children that there would be +preaching in the school-house the following Sunday morning. She said +she hoped all who understood the service would be prepared to unite +audibly in the responses, and as for those who did not, if they would +apply to her, or to Martha Cowles, they would be glad to afford all the +explanations necessary. + +The result was, that a great many old Prayer-Books were hunted up +during the week. Martha enjoyed giving the necessary instructions about +finding places, and so forth, in which she was greatly assisted by Sam, +and by Selina and Jane Bostwick, who had been used to attending church +regularly; and thus before Sunday came a pretty fair proportion of the +congregation were prepared to unite understandingly in the services. + +Early on Friday morning the evergreens were drawn, no objection being +made to dismissing the school for that day, as Edah professed her +willingness to make it up at the end of the quarter. Boys and girls +united their efforts, and worked with such hearty good-will that before +dark the trimmings were all put up, the litter cleared away, the floor +washed, and Edah, as she looked around, felt very well satisfied +with the result of her labors. The children, of course, were in fine +spirits, and thought nothing had ever looked so pretty before, and they +were all delighted with the idea of going to church on Sunday. + + +On Saturday morning—Christmas morning—the same old horse which had +brought the evergreens was again put in requisition to convey Edah and +Sum to Raeburn to church. The morning was so fine and mild, and the +sleighing so good, that Edah thought she should run no risk in taking +Pauline; and the little girl was seated, warmly wrapped up, on a stool +at her sister's feet, delighted with the ride and the prospect of going +to church. + +She behaved as well as possible, joining her little voice in the Lord's +Prayer and the Creed, as well as in the psalms, for she had now learned +to read perfectly well, and she was also greatly interested in the +Communion Service, which Edah had explained to her beforehand. + +Mr. Laurence was in the chancel, and Edah was well pleased when he +ascended the pulpit. His manner was pleasant, and his delivery much +finer than Mr. Willson's, and, better than all, his sermon was just +such as Edah desired to hear. She only hoped he would preach the same +one at Brooksville the next day. There were almost twice as many +communicants as usual, and some who had never been at the Table before: +among them our friend Long John, whose appearance excited almost as +much wonder as if one of the bears for which the valley was formerly +celebrated had taken his place with the congregation. + +This was the first Christmas Communion which Edah had ever attended, +and she enjoyed it very much. As she contrasted her feelings of to-day +with those of a year before, and thought how she had been occupied at +that time with dress and other worldly and foolish trifles, she could +hardly believe that she was the same person, and she felt for the first +time the force of the Apostle's declaration, "If any man be in Christ, +he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things +are become new." + +"Shall you be with us all day to-morrow, Mr. Laurence?" asked Edah, as +they met in the porch after service. + +"If you wish it," replied Mr. Laurence. "I have a great desire to see +your school in operation." + +"Then will you please give notice in the morning that the school will +meet as usual at two o'clock?" + +"Certainly," said Mr. Laurence; "but will you not be present yourself?" + +"I think not in the morning. Sister Susan will wish to go, and some one +must stay with mother. I shall be at Sunday School, however, and shall +be very glad to resign into your hands my office of superintendent." + +"That is more than I bargained for," said Mr. Laurence, smiling, "but I +suppose I must not refuse." + +Susan was at first rather unwilling to accede to the proposition that +Edah should stay at home and take care of Eddy while she went to +church; but she yielded at last, and took Pauline with her, to whom +Edah had given some special charges about behaving well. Edah enjoyed +her morning at home very much. Eddy was good and quiet, her mother was +absorbed in a new book, and she was able to read, as well as to study +the noon's lesson, as she always made a point of doing. Being fully +occupied, the morning passed quickly away, and she was rather surprised +when the family returned. + +"How do you like Mr. Laurence, Susy?" she asked. + +"Oh, very well," replied Susan. "He reads beautifully, and his sermon +was very well written, indeed—different from any thing we have had +before. On the whole, I was very glad I went." + +"I wish Mr. Laurence would stay and preach all the time," remarked +Pauline. + +"Maybe he will," said Sam. "I heard Mr. Bell and Mr. Bostwick talking +to him about it, and he said he would take it into consideration." + +"What in the world should he come here for?" asked Susan. "They could +not pay him any salary, at least not what he would consider any thing, +and there will be places enough where he will be wanted. I don't see +why he should stay here." + +"Perhaps to do good," remarked Edah. + +"Pshaw! Do you think a young man of such talents and prospects is going +to bury himself in such a place as this for the sake of doing good? I +presume he will want to be paid for all he does." + +"Any one who heard you talk without knowing you, Sue, would think you +the most selfish of mortals," said Sam, smiling. "Happily we all know +better." + +"Thank you," returned Susan; "you are in a complimentary humor, Master +Sam. I am sure I, for one, would be very glad to have Mr. Laurence +stay, and if he wants to go on a mission to the heathen, he could not +find a better field than Brooksville. You would have been delighted, +Edah, to hear the way in which the responses were made. Sam and Bob +took the lead, and the rest, followed very well. I think they did +better than they do at Raeburn." + + +When Edah entered the school-room, a little before the appointed +time, she was surprised to find the room full. The children occupied +their usual places, every one of her day-scholars being present, +from the oldest to the youngest, while a number of the elders were +seated near the door, upon chairs provided by those who lived near the +school-house. In a few minutes Mr. Laurence made his appearance, with +Mr. Bell and Mr. Bostwick. He made some brief remark, the children sung +as usual, and then joined audibly in the Confession and the Lord's +Prayer. This over, the business of the school commenced, and the +room was filled with the hum of voices reciting collects, hymns, and +Scripture verses. + +Mr. Laurence walked from class to class, conversed both with children +and grown persons, asked questions, and interested himself in all that +was going on. When the lessons were over, and the books distributed as +far as they would go, he again took his place in the desk, and made +some remarks on the lesson that had just been recited, asking a number +of questions, which were readily answered by the children. + +Before dismissing the school, he announced that he should preach again +the next Sunday, and in the mean time he should be glad to meet any +who desired an opportunity for personal religious conversation at Mr. +Bell's house, on Wednesday and Friday. + +"Does he mean any of us scholars, Miss Champlin, or only the grown-up +people?" asked one of the boys, in a whisper. + +"Children or grown persons either," replied Mr. Laurence, overhearing +the question; "any one desirous of personal religious instruction. +Shook I decide to remain here for any length of time, I intend to form +a Bible Class for older persons in connection with Miss Champlin's +school, and shall be glad to receive into it as many as wish to join." + +He then dismissed the school with prayer. + +The villagers were all delighted with the services of the day, and the +prospect of their continuance, and the proposition to form a Bible +Class met with universal favor, though Mrs. Downing and one or two +others hinted that it was a great piece of presumption in Mr. Laurence +to pretend to be capable of instructing older Christians than himself. +Mrs. Downing thought it would be a great shame if the Sunday School was +to be taken out of Miss Champlin's hands, after she had got it up and +done so much for it, forgetting that she had thought Miss Champlin very +much out of her place in presuming to superintend a Sunday School at +all. + +But the dissenting voices were few in number. Most of the influential +men in the little village were rejoiced at the prospect of having a +church among them at last—some from a genuine love to the cause of +Christ, some because it offered a way of getting rid of the time which +often hung heavily on Sundays, and still others because it would add to +the desirableness of the place as a residence, and thus raise the price +of property. + +Miss Champlin herself was not distressed at being deprived of her +sceptre. I will not say that she had not felt some slight emotion +resembling jealousy at finding herself reduced to play a subordinate +part where she had so long been first, but the feeling passed away +almost without being recognized, and she was thankful from her heart +that the little seed planted by her hands in doubt and weakness was +likely to become a flourishing tree. + + +The next Sunday the school-house was again filled. And Ruby-Anne +offering to remain at home to take care of Eddy, Edah and Susan both +went to church. The sermon was an excellent one, having an especial +reference to the New Year. Every one was pleased; and when Mr. Laurence +announced that he had decided to accept the invitation tendered to him +by a committee of citizens and remain with them for a year, there was a +general interchange of glances of congratulations. Notice was given of +the formation of the Bible Class, and when the time came, Mr. Laurence +found a goodly number assembled to meet him. The Sunday School, too, +was so full that it was decided, after some consultation, to employ +mere teachers, and accordingly three new classes were formed, and +committed to the care of Mr. Bell, Mr. Bostwick, and Mrs. Stevens. + +The want of books was a serious evil, but it was hoped that it would +in time be remedied. Some of the men were already talking of a +subscription for the purpose, and Mr. Laurence promised, if they would +raise a certain sum, to see what he could do for them in New York. It +would have been quite as easy to procure all that was necessary, but +he well knew that what costs nothing is worth nothing. He knew that +a library paid for by themselves would be worth twice as much as one +bestowed gratuitously. + + + +CHAPTER X. + +LETTERS. + + _From the Rev. Richard Laurence to a Friend._ + +"I RECEIVED your letter a week ago, my dear friend, and with it another +containing a call from the vestry of Christ Church in P. You mention +the probability of this call, and say very confidently—'I suppose we +shall see you among us soon, before Lent commences.' What will you say +when I tell you that I have declined the call to P., and accepted an +invitation from the inhabitants of Brooksville to preach for them a +year in the district school-house? Now, imagining you to have exhausted +all your exclamations, I will tell you briefly my reasons for so doing. + +"But passing over all other reasons, I come to my principal one, which +you know we always put last. The vestrymen of Christ Church will easily +find some one else who will suit them as well as I should, for such +places do not go a-begging, but what will become of these poor souls +here if I leave them? They cannot pay, at the outside, more than two +or three hundred dollars salary. I have some doubt whether they will +do even that, and no one who has not other resources could live on +such a sum. By the almost unassisted efforts of one young girl, a +Sunday School has been established, without books, without maps, almost +without teachers, but still an efficient and flourishing school. By +the same agency an increasing interest in the things of God has been +awakened in the community, and the ground has been made ready for the +seed. It may indeed be said of her, 'she hath done what she could.' The +question now is, shall this ground be left for the occupation of the +devil, or shall it be made as the garden of the Lord? Shall the seed +already sown be left to die for want of care, or shall it be nurtured +and watered? + +"You will perhaps tell me I might do much more good in P. I doubt it. +That is a common phrase in these circumstances; but I think those who +use it overlook the fact, that all souls are of equal value in the +sight of God, whether rich or poor, cultivated or ignorant, refined or +vulgar; and it is just as necessary that these souls should be saved +here as those in P. The Word of Gad may be as faithfully preached in +a district school-house as in a Gothic church, and while there are +many able and willing to enjoy the one, there are but few that can or +will serve in the other. I am fully aware of the advantages I resign +in giving myself up to this work: I have considered them all, and I +am content with my choice. When you were thinking of going to China +with Bishop B., you did not hesitate a moment from the thought of the +inconveniences you were to suffer, though you would have resigned much +more than I shall do in staying here. You counted all things but dross +in comparison to Christ's work and service; and why should I not do the +same? + +"'With whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness?' would be +the question continually sounding in my ears if I should, for the sake +of my own gain or pleasure, accept this call to P., and I could not +answer with David, 'What have I done? Is there not a cause?' + +"In short, I have made my election, and am satisfied with it, and God +willing, I will devote my time and my talents to building up His Church +in this place. I hope to meet you in New York next week, and to talk +more fully upon this and other kindred matters." + + _From Milly to Edah._ + +"I take the opportunity of Mr. Laurence's return, my dear Edah, to +send you a package of books and other matters, which I hope may prove +acceptable. We have found your friend a very pleasant guest, and +the more so, because he could tell us all about you. And first and +foremost, what is the reason of your teaching school, and why have +you kept it a secret from us so long? Father thought the allowance +Mr. Liston made would be amply sufficient for all your wants in such +a place as Brooksville, and thinks you must have some other reason +than want of funds. Aunty is sure that it grows out of some of your +Quixotic notions about doing good, and is quite certain that you will +ruin your health by so much labor, but Mr. Laurence assures us that you +are as well as possible. For my part, I cannot understand it at all, +but presume you have some very good reason. Don't forget to tell us all +about it when you write. + +"You do not know how much we were all interested in the account Mr. +Laurence gave us of your little school, though indeed it seems to have +grown into a large one. Who would have anticipated, when you began +with teaching three or four children in the kitchen at home, that it +would have been the commencement of a church, as it seems likely to +prove? What an encouragement not to despise the day of small things! +Father was very much pleased, and I imagine he put some funds into Mr. +Laurence's hands for you, though I am not sure. I send my contribution +in the shape of a large package of Scripture and other prints, cards, +&c., for the instruction and entertainment of the infant department. +How I should like to look in, and see you at work! I must tell you, by +the by, that I have a class in Sunday School myself, and enjoy it very +much. Father was rather unwilling at first, but I persuaded him to let +me begin, and as I am most undeniably fat and rosy, he is content to +let me go on. + +"I have discovered a new way of making myself useful to him: his German +clerk has left him suddenly, and he finds it difficult to supply his +place at once, so I have taken up his pen, and daily indite most +interesting documents relative to domestic cottons, prints, &c., &c., +rather to the scandal of Aunt Maria, who considers such pursuits vain +and frivolous, compared to the creation of worsted cats and dogs, and +delicate crochet collars. I am very wrong to laugh at Aunt Maria, who +is very kind to me, but I cannot help grudging the time she spends on +such things. + +"Father has become quite reconciled to my precise ideas, as Aunt Maria +calls them, and not only gives me free choice to do as I please, about +dressing and going out, but even admits that I am in the right. He +finds it very pleasant to have me at home in the evening, ready to play +for him, or talk to him, or read to him, as he happens to be in the +humor. He is fond of music, and really an excellent judge. I take pains +to practise and to learn all the new music to please him, and he says +I improve every day. Is it not a happy thing for me that late hours +and parties really do not agree with me, and that I grew thin and pale +under them? + +"I hope to hear further accounts of your enterprises and undertakings, +and that you continue to succeed as well as at first. Pray write me +all the particulars you can think of, and especially how you get on at +home, where, from some things dropped by Mr. Laurence, I should think +you must have rather troublesome times. + +"As ever, my dear Edah, truly yours, + + "MILLY." + +When Mr. Laurence returned from New York, he brought with him, not only +the prints and cards sent by Milly, but a good Sunday School library of +about two hundred volumes, fifty small Prayer-Books, an equal number +of Testaments, and a large, plainly bound, but well-printed Bible and +Prayer-Book for the desk. The school-house began to be crowded both +morning and afternoon, and a Wednesday evening lecture was also well +attended. + +Almost every one was pleased with Mr. Laurence's plain practical +discourses, as well as with his winning manners; and it was a pleasing +sight to see the children crowding round him, after the Sunday School +was dismissed—each anxious for a word, a look, or a shake of the hand, +and no one going away ungratified. Every one, from Mr. and Mrs. Stuart, +who were decidedly the aristocrats of the little place, down to poor +Joe Fisher, who was drunk five days out of seven—every one felt the +influence of the young minister's kindly and polished manners, which +were the same to all. His bow of recognition was as kind and as elegant +to Mrs. Stuart's servant as to Mrs. Stuart herself, and not an old +woman or little child in the village, but found him ready to enter with +an unfeigned interest into all their troubles, spiritual, temporal, and +domestic. + +He even conciliated Mrs. Downing, who considered the Episcopal Church +as identical with the Church of Rome, and held with Fanny Fern's Deacon +that a man who cannot take the curl out of his hair has no business in +the ministry. Mrs. Champlin liked him when she was in a mood to like +anybody, and sometimes when she was not. Susan held out for some time, +but was at last vanquished by his genuine interest in and sympathy for +poor Eddy, who would put out his little wasted arms to him whenever +he appeared, and had been seen to laugh and crow like other children +at being held up to pat his gentle horse. As for the boys, they were +enlisted to a man on the side of the new minister, and woe to the +unlucky wight who ventured to assert that Mr. Laurence was any thing +but perfection. + + +At home things went on very much as usual. Edah rose early, and thus +gained an hour or two before breakfast for her own purposes. This time +was usually consecrated to study, and she was surprised to see how +much progress she made. The family breakfasted rather late on Mrs. +Champlin's account, and Edah was usually obliged to hurry from the +table directly to school, from whence, if the weather was bad, she did +not return till five o'clock, taking her luncheon with her, and staying +an hour after school to hear some extra classes by which she added +something to her salary. + +Meantime, Susan waited upon her mother, sewed, and took care of +Eddy, who was now eight months old. Mrs. Champlin had happily taken +to reading, which was a great relief to her daughters as well as to +herself. Mr. Laurence took care to keep her well supplied with books +of one sort and another, and as she generally took several naps in the +course of a page, one volume lasted her a long time. Thus Susan was +left to pursue her own reading and studies as she pleased. + +After tea, Sam commonly read aloud, while the girls occupied themselves +with their sewing or knitting. Sometimes Edah drew a little in the +evening, but not often, as she found that it tried her eyes. A chapter +in the Bible usually concluded the reading, and the family retired +early. On the whole, Edah found herself decidedly more comfortable +than when her father was at home. For one thing, Susan's temper was +much less irritable than formerly, though she now and then had a fit +of her old perversity, when she delighted in teasing all about her, +particularly Edah, whose naturally warm and hasty temper was not so +subdued by all her efforts as to be proof against these attacks, +especially when they were directed through Pauline. She was often +provoked to hasty retorts and angry remonstrances, for which she +afterwards suffered severely, and at such times she could not help +wishing that she had accepted Milly's invitation, and left the family +to their fate. These untoward events did not, however, occur very +often, and they became more and more infrequent. + +Pauline was to Edah a source of almost unmixed pleasure. There was +no denying her improvement both of mind and body since she had been +under her sister's care. She had formerly been indulged by her father +in eating every thing to which she took a fancy, whether hurtful or +not; thus she was in the habit of drinking strong tea and coffee twice +and sometimes three times a day, and of eating an unlimited amount of +spices, pickles, and sweet things. Her mother well knew that these +things injured her, but she had not sufficient fortitude to cross her +inclinations, even if Mr. Champlin would have permitted her to do so. +It was the same with going out and going to bed—Pauline did as she +pleased, except when her father now and then took a fit to govern her, +which he did always harshly, and almost always unjustly, and thus the +poor child's life was passed in a condition of continual contradiction +and discomfort. + +Of course the habits formed by such a state of things were not to be +overcome in a day. Pauline was often fretful, sometimes selfish and +sometimes shy; but her affection for Edah was unbounded, and her own +good sense showed her that she was much more comfortable when she was +guided by her sister than when she was left to her own devices. By +degrees Edah coaxed her to leave off the tea and coffee, substituting +warm milk and water, well sweetened, and served in a beautiful china +mug procured expressly for her, and consecrated to her sole use. +Proper precautions enabled her to take out of door exercise without +getting cold: regular employment and suitable hours of repose did the +rest, and Pauline was in a fair way of becoming as well and hardy +as other children. Reading opened to her a source of inexhaustible +delight. Her active mind exercised itself upon all it received, and her +sisters were often amused and sometimes puzzled by the sagacity of her +questions—questions which it was impossible to answer satisfactorily to +the mind of a child, or indeed to answer at all. + +"I don't know, my dear," or "You must wait till you are older," +were answers which she often received, and which always annoyed her +excessively. + +"I wish I knew every thing under the sun," she exclaimed one day, +rather petulantly, after receiving one of these unsatisfactory answers +to some grave metaphysical query—"I wish I knew every thing there is to +know." + +"Then you would have nothing to learn," said Susan, "and you would take +no more pleasure in reading. What would you do then?" + +"I would write books," returned the little lady, without a moment's +hesitation, "and explain things to other people, and I would never tell +anybody that they were too young to understand." + +Sam had improved almost as much as Pauline in the same time. He was now +a tall, manly boy, looking upon himself as the head and protector of +the family, and consequently despising all childish things. Mr. Stuart +had taken him into his store, where he received a tolerable salary, and +soon made himself a favorite, not only with his employer, but with all +who dealt with him. He took a certain pride in dressing and behaving +like a gentleman, and Susan never complained now of his teasing her, +though it must be allowed that she sometimes put his good temper and +forbearance to pretty severe trials. He was very much attached to Mr. +Laurence, and a great favorite with that gentleman, who exercised great +influence over all the boys in the village. + +Bob Raymond was also growing up tall and manly, and he and Jack +Downing, who still lived at Mr. Bell's, constituted themselves a sort +of body-guard for Edah. They did her errands, made her fires, carried +her to and from school on stormy days, and were never weary of devising +ways and means to give her pleasure. + +Mr. Downing could not avoid expressing his wonder that Mr. Bell had +so little trouble with Jack, at the same time that he governed him so +little. He did not believe the boy had ever had a whipping since he +left home. + +Eddy alone of all the little family did not seem to partake of the +general improvement. He did not thrive at all, with all Susan's care +and nursing, but continued the same puny, sickly little creature, +seldom laughing and playing like other children, not often crying, but +lying still and silent in the arms of whoever would hold him, with his +large gray eyes wide open, apparently musing on his unhappy condition. +He was afraid of almost all strangers, and cried if he were left alone, +but otherwise he was very good, and very little trouble, though a +constant source of anxiety. Of late, he had begun to be troubled with +a cough, and some difficulty of respiration. The doctor did not think +it worth while to disturb him with medicine; but upon being pressed for +his opinion, said frankly that nothing would do him any good. He might +linger for a few months longer, or even a year or two, but he would +never be well, and his death might take place at any time. + +The evening of the day on which he gave his opinion, Edah and Susan +were sitting together by fire-light—Edah knitting and looking at the +fire, and Susan holding her poor little pet who was asleep in her arms, +both sisters seemingly absorbed in their own meditations. Suddenly +Susan said— + +"Edah, don't you think Eddy ought to be baptized?" + +"I was just thinking of that very thing," returned Edah, rousing +herself from her reverie. "I think so certainly, and I have always been +anxious to have it done, but I did not know how you would feel." + +"I suppose I should have laughed at any one who had proposed such +a thing six months ago," said Susan, musingly; "but I feel very +differently now. I should like to have the dear little fellow—" She +paused, and then went on abruptly: "I suppose you don't see any change +in me, do you, Edah?" + +"Yes, I do," replied Edah; "you are hardly like the same person that +you were when I came here. I think you are very much improved." + +"But you think there is room for improvement still?" + +"There is room for improvement in everybody," said Edah, smiling. "I +suppose you don't pretend to be an exception to the general rule." + +"But when I tease you about your church, and about Mr. Laurence, and +Pauline, don't you wish I was in the Red Sea?" + +"No," said Edah. "I wish you would not do it, certainly, because it +makes me uncomfortable, and very often makes me do wrong, and I don't +think you are any happier for it yourself. But, Susan, you are not half +as fond of teasing people as you used to be. Don't you remember how you +and Sam used to quarrel when I first came here?" + +Susan smiled. + +"Sam is growing a fine fellow, isn't he? I only hope he will not be led +into bad company, or any thing of that sort." + +"I do not think there is much danger," replied Susan; "he has seen +enough of that to last him all his life. But about the baby—what do you +suppose mother will say?" + +"I hardly think she will object," said Edah; "and if she does, Mr. +Laurence has so much influence with her that he will soon bring her +over. I think we might have Polly baptized at the same time. Oh, Sue, +if you would only join them!" + +Susan shook her head. + +"Not now. I may perhaps come to it in time, but not at present. My head +is too full of other things; and besides, I am not prepared. I should +have to be very different from what I am now." + +"How different?" asked her sister. + +"I don't know that I can tell you—different entirely. I must learn to +put more constraint upon myself. I must be better, in short. But, as I +said, I cannot think enough about it just now to make up my mind. When +will you speak to Mr. Laurence about Eddy?" she added, rather hastily, +as if to change the subject. + +"To-morrow," answered Edah. "He told me he was coming here, and I will +ask him to mention it to mother." + +"Don't say any thing to him about me," said Susan, quickly. "Now +promise, Edah, that you won't." + +Edah could not avoid giving the promise, though she did it with regret, +for she was anxious that Mr. Laurence should converse with Susan. She +could only hope that he would have sufficient penetration to perceive +the state of her mind, and himself introduce the subject of personal +religion. + +Mr. Laurence called the next day, and being informed of the affair, +undertook to persuade Mrs. Champlin to consent, in which he succeeded +with but little trouble, for, as Edah had said, his influence with her +was almost unbounded. That day week was the one fixed upon for the +service, as Edah wished for some little time to instruct Pauline, and +prepare her mind to appreciate its solemnity and importance. In this +she succeeded beyond her hopes. Polly was much interested and very +serious: she asked a great many questions, both of Mr. Laurence and +her sister. Several times Edah found her at prayer by herself, and she +could not help hoping that the child of her love was indeed meetly +prepared, by the Holy Spirit's gracious influences, to become in Holy +Baptism, "a member of Christ, the child of God, and an inheritor of the +kingdom of heaven." + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +"OF SUCH IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN." + +FROM the day when Eddy's baptism was decided on, he seemed to decline +rapidly. He grew weaker and thinner, lost what little appetite he had, +and though he suffered apparently less than usual, it was evident to +all who saw him that his end was fast approaching. Susan now never left +him, day or night; and though her health suffered from the fatigue and +anxiety, she would allow no one to take her place, or do any thing +for him. Edah was desirous to dismiss her school, and remain at home +all day, but Susan would not hear of it, and as there was indeed no +absolute necessity for her presence, she was content to submit to her +sister's judgment, though she scarcely expected, each morning when she +left home, to find the child alive when she returned. Mrs. Champlin did +not realize Eddy's situation, and seemed not to consider him in any +danger; in fact, she troubled herself very little about the matter, +though she thought it very disagreeable to have the house kept so +still, and to see so many serious faces about her. + +When the day fixed upon for the service arrived, Eddy seemed a little +better: he noticed things around him, took a little food, and even +smiled, and made an effort to put out his little hands when Mr. +Laurence appeared. Two or three of the neighbors came in, among whom +were Mr. and Mrs. Bell, with Bob and Jack, and Miss Gilmore. The +service was very solemn and touching indeed, as Mr. Laurence performed +it, and did not distress or even disturb the sick child, though he was +usually very sensitive to the presence of strangers. Pauline behaved +perfectly well, and seemed to comprehend the nature and importance +of the service in which she was engaged, repeating the Lord's Prayer +distinctly, and saying the answers to the questions after Edah in a low +whisper. + +The scene was a very affecting one. Mrs. Bell and Miss Gilmore wept +without restraint; Mr. Bell was scarcely less moved, and Mr. Laurence +himself was obliged to pause several times in order to control his +voice. Susan was apparently the least agitated of the party: only her +pale face and compressed lips, and the intensity of her attention to +her darling, showed how much she felt. + +A few minutes after the conclusion of the ceremony, the doctor came in, +as he usually did twice or thrice a week, to inquire how the sick child +was. + +"He seems rather better, I think," said Susan, in answer to his +inquiries. "He has eaten a little to-day, and seems to take more notice +of things. I hope he is better." + +The doctor examined his pulse and skin, and as he rose from doing so, +he exchanged a glance with Mrs. Bell, which told her the truth. The +child was dying. He called Mr. Laurence out of the room, and said in a +low voice— + +"You must prepare them for a change. He will not last more than a few +hours longer." + +"Will you not inform them yourself?" asked Mr. Laurence. + +"No," replied the doctor, gruffly, and clearing his throat: "it is not +my business, but yours." + +"Do you think," asked Mr. Laurence, "that the service in which we have +just been engaged, can have shortened his life?" + +"No; oh no! He was marked for death three days ago, and I am only +surprised that he has lasted so long. Make it as easy as you can, for +that girl Susan's sake. I will look in again in half an hour." + +The doctor departed, and Mr. Laurence returned to the parlor, pondering +in what way best to discharge the painful duty assigned to him. But the +moment he opened the door, he saw that it was no longer necessary. + +Susan had either guessed the truth, or she had been informed of it +by Mrs. Bell. As pale as death itself, and almost as still, she was +sitting immovable, with her eyes riveted upon the face of the dying +child, utterly heedless of any other object, even of her mother, who +was rolling and struggling in one of her frightful hysterical attacks. +Pauline was kneeling by Susan's side, with her face buried in her +dress, now and then casting a look at her little brother, and evidently +making a strong effort to control her grief, lest it should add to her +sister's. + +Sam and Edah were endeavoring, in vain, to prevail on their mother to +retire to her room. Mr. Laurence saw at once that he could be useful +here, and going up to Mrs. Champlin, he requested her, in a kind but +peremptory tone, to take his arm and retire, at the same time assisting +her to rise. She obeyed him as submissively as possible, and, with +Sam's assistance, she was conveyed to her own bedroom, where they left +her in charge of Mrs. Bell, and returned to the parlor. + +The doctor was there, but nothing could be done. Eddy lay apparently in +a stupor, his eyes closed, his breathing gentle and soft, but evidently +growing shorter: he did not seem to suffer at all, and his face was +calm and composed. For several hours he lay in this state, with but +very little change; but about sunset he moved restlessly, and opened +his eyes, which wandered around the apartment, apparently searching for +something, till they fixed themselves on Susan's face. An ineffably +sweet smile lighted up his wan countenance, and, with a gentle sigh, +the spirit took wing. The sacred sign of baptism was hardly dry upon +his forehead, when his soul entered the presence of Him who said,— + +"Suffer little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not, for of +such is the Kingdom of Heaven." + +With many tears and sobs, the children gathered around the body of +their little angel brother, but Susan sat quiet and tearless: she +seemed perfectly stunned. Only when Miss Gilmore would have taken her +darling from her arms, she roused herself, and said, with a kind of +fretful impatience— + +"Don't move him, Miss Gilmore, you will hurt him." Then, as if +recollecting herself, she continued gently, "I will do all that is +necessary myself, if you please: I would much rather." + +Miss Gilmore hesitated, but the doctor, in a whisper, advised that she +should be humored in her wish, and she desisted. + +Susan washed the little body, dressed it in its prettiest white frock +and cap, and, after arranging the little crib in which Eddy usually +slept, she laid him carefully down as if he had been alive. She then +suffered Edah to lead her to her room, and was persuaded to lie down. + +The intelligence that all was over was communicated to Mrs. Champlin +with all due precaution, but she received it very quietly, merely +observing that she had expected such a result, as the poor, dear child +had been sickly from his birth. She seemed somewhat affected at the +sight of Pauline's tears, and even took some pains to comfort her, +assuring her that her little brother was now an angel in heaven, and +that she would see him again if she were a good girl. + +The next day but one was fixed upon for the funeral, which was from the +house. Mr. Laurence had brought his father's coach for the use of the +family, and Mr. Willson drove over in his open carriage, while a number +of the neighbors came in wagons and on horseback. + +Mr. Laurence and Mr. Willson read the burial service, and at the solemn +words, "I am the resurrection and the life, saith the Lord," Susan's +tears flowed for the first time. Edah was rejoiced to see her weeping, +for her perfect calmness had alarmed her friends who almost feared +for her reason. She wept abundantly as the service proceeded, and +especially at the grave, where her emotion seemed almost overpowering. +It was, indeed, a sad change from her gentle care and watchfulness, to +the cold ground covered with ice and snow; from the soft cradle and +warm covering, to the narrow coffin and the rattling earth. + +She returned from the graveyard tolerably serene and composed, but her +tears burst forth again on entering the sitting-room, from which Eddy's +crib had been removed, for the first time, in many months. Edah had +gone directly up to her mother, and Susan was alone with Pauline. The +little girl stood by her sister's side, afraid to speak, yet anxious to +administer some consolation. At last she put her arms round her neck, +and said, very softly— + +"Susy!" + +"What, dear?" + +"Isn't Eddy an angel in heaven now? Mother says so." + +"Yes, Polly, I hope he is." + +"Then when you go to heaven, you will have a little angel of your own, +won't you?" + +Susan seemed struck by these words. She took the little girl on her +lap, kissed her, and asked— + +"How came you to think of that, Polly?" + +"I don't know. I was thinking about it last night, and wondering how +it seemed to Eddy up there. Perhaps he will come to meet you the first +thing when you get there!" + +"Perhaps I shall not go there," said Susan, diverted from her own +thoughts for a moment. + +Pauline seemed struck by this supposition, and hesitated a moment with +a puzzled look. "Oh! But I think you will, for the Bible says, 'Where +your treasure is, there will your heart be also.' You know you always +called Eddy your treasure!" + +From that hour might be dated the beginning of a thorough understanding +between Susan and Pauline, and the change was a happy one for both +of them. Pauline was no longer exposed to be unjustly found fault +with and opposed by her sister, as had formerly been too often the +case, and Edah found her plans for Polly's benefit no longer thwarted +by unreasonable interference on Susan's part. Susan was indeed much +altered every respect, and if her old perversity now and then appeared, +it was only in flashes, and seldom continued long. She was very sad for +a long time, and there were days when she scarcely spoke from morning +till night; but these gloomy intervals grew less and less frequent, and +she returned gradually to her former busy habits. + +There was nothing now to keep anybody at home on Sundays, except when +Mrs. Champlin was more than usually unwell; and Susan was finally +prevailed upon, after a good deal of urging from Edah and coaxing from +Pauline, to join the Bible Class, which had increased till it numbered +nearly thirty members, all grown-up people; but a beginning once made, +she became very much interested, and never failed to attend when it was +possible. + + +It had now become a matter of course to have service twice a week in +the school-house, and many of those who at first ridiculed the idea of +a congregation being collected in Brooksville, would have been much +at a loss what to do with their Sunday mornings if Mr. Laurence had +ceased to ride over from Spring Bank. The school-house was becoming +overfilled, and there was talk of holding the services elsewhere, if a +suitable place could be found—a matter about which there seemed to be +some difficulty. Mr. Laurence was unwilling to make a change unless it +were decidedly for the better, at the same time that he foresaw that +some of his most cherished plans must be given up, unless some other +place than the school-house could be procured. + +In the midst of the considerations upon the matter, it happened that +quite a number of those interested were one evening collected at +Mrs. Champlin's. Bob Raymond and Jack Downing—now as inseparable as +Damon and Pythias—had come in, as they often did, to hear the evening +reading. Mr. and Mrs. Bell followed, ostensibly to see what had become +of the boys. Mr. Bostwick happened to be passing, and seeing Mr. Bell +enter, he remembered something that he wished to say to him, and came +too. Sam was about to lay aside his book, but the gentlemen begged him +to go on, and he continued accordingly. + +In the very middle of a paragraph, Bob, who was industriously working +away at a fishnet at a corner of the fire, suddenly dropped his needle, +and exclaimed, as if by a sudden inspiration,— + +"I know what we can do!" + +Sam stopped reading, and Mr. Bell, who had for some time appeared in +imminent danger of going to sleep, opened his eyes wide, and gazed at +his nephew in some astonishment. + +"Do about what?" asked Sam, laughing. + +"About the church," returned Bob, no ways abashed. "I know a plan that +will suit exactly if we can only get a little money to fix it up." + +"If ifs and ands were pots and pans," said Mr. Bell—"But go ahead, Bob. +What plan do you mean?" + +"Well, you know Mr. Champlin's old office—not the last one he had, but +the old land company's office, don't you? It isn't used at all now, and +some of the windows are broken, but in the main it is as good as ever. +Now, 'if' the partitions were taken out, and the walls mended, and 'if' +there was a pulpit and fixings, what's the reason it would not make a +nice little church?" + +Mr. Bell and Mr. Bostwick looked at each other. + +"Considering who brought you up, you are a pretty smart boy, Bob. I +shouldn't wonder of it was the best idea started yet. What do you say, +Brother Bostwick?" + +"Well, I don't know," said Mr. Bostwick; "it depends on +circumstances—on how much rent we should have to pay, for one thing. I +suppose Stuart would let it go pretty cheap for such a purpose." + +"I reckon he would," replied Mr. Bell, "particularly as he hasn't got +a cent out of it these five years. The walls and roof are good, as Bob +says, the glass is mostly broke out, and I think likely a good deal of +the plaster is off; but, amongst us, I reckon we could get up enough to +put it in pretty decent order. We should have to make a calculation, +and find out how much it would take, and then see how much we could +get towards it. 'Twould be a first-rate situation, that's a fact, and +I reckon it would hold about twice or three times as many as the old +school-house." + +The reading was now laid aside, and the subject discussed in all its +bearings, and the more it was talked about, the more feasible it +appeared. + +Mr. Bostwick thought he could furnish the mason work which would be +needed, and he was sure his brother-in-law would be willing to do, at +least, part of the painting. It was thought probable that Hildreth +would give part of the lumber necessary, and let them have the rest +cheap. They might depend upon the old doctor for something, though he +would grumble at being asked, and perhaps refuse at first. Strong would +do nothing to help them, and would hinder them if he could; but his +power was on the wane, and he was as afraid of the old Captain as he +was of—Well! On the whole, it was considered, as Mr. Bell said, to be +the best thing started yet. + +"And what shall we do for it—we boys, I mean?" asked Jack, who had +hitherto been a silent listener to the conversation. + +"As much as you like," said Mr. Bell. "I'll give you your time from now +till April—all the time you are out of school, I mean, of course, and +you can give your work. You are pretty smart at the tools, both of you, +and if Mr. Laurence is willing, you shall try your hands at pulpit and +reading-desk." + +"Capital!" exclaimed Bob. "When shall we begin, uncle?" + +"Not before to-morrow," said Mr. Bell; "and now as we have pretty much +disgusted the subject, as Mr. Warner says, I move we go home, for it is +getting time for honest folks to be abed. Good-night, young ladies, and +remember, if we get this scheme of Bob's agoing, we shall expect you to +turn to and do your share." + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +"ARISE AND BUILD." + +THE next day after the conversation related in the last chapter, +Bob's scheme was again talked over, and after a consultation with Mr. +Laurence, who cordially approved, an informal meeting of the principal +church-goers was called, and the plan laid before them. There were +various opinions about the matter. Mr. Stuart thought it would be an +odd thing to turn an old office into a church. He had never heard of +such a thing being done, but he saw no special objection, and if they +wanted the building, they could have it rent free. + +"So far, so good," said Mr. Bell; "but it will need some fixing up, +besides pulpit, seats, and so on." + +"Oh, you must do that yourselves. I cannot give you the house gratis, +and repair it into the bargain." + +"Of course not," returned Mr. Bell; "nobody calculated you would. +That's got to be done among the rest of us; Bostwick and I have been +down to look at it, and made a rough calculation about what will be +wanted, and we make out that a hundred and twenty dollars would fix it +first-rate. Now, then, how is it going to be done?" + +"That's the rub, I guess you'll find," said Mr. Crampton, the painter. +"Money ain't very plenty around here just now." + +"Them that can't give money can give work," replied Mr. Bell, "and them +that can't give work, can give good-will. Here's Brother Bostwick, now, +says he'll do all the mason work that's wanted, and that's something. +I will give the carpenter's work, and what of that sort needs to be +done, and I reckon you, Crampton, can do the painting and set the glass +without breaking yourself, can't you?" + +"WELL, I can, and more than that, if I've a mind." + +"Let's have that first, any way. Carpenter's work, mason work, and +painting—we are getting on well. We shall want about fourteen or +fifteen hundred feet of good lumber—perhaps more." + +"I'll give you a thousand feet, and let my team draw it," said +Hildreth, who was one of the wealthiest men in the place, "and after +that, if you want more, I'll see about it. I'm no great things of a +church-goer myself, but my wife is, and I'd do as much, if it was only +to oblige Miss Champlin, who I take to be the principal getter-up of +the business, and who is one of the finest young women I know. She has +had a hard row to hoe since she came home, I expect." + +"You might say so, if you knew," replied Mr. Bell; "but they get along +wonderful well, considering. Well, I don't see but we've got all we +want, except a little ready money, and that we must come at some way or +other. I think, friends, we should be justified in making a beginning +as it is, and them that thinks so, please signify it." + +The vote was unanimous, and they were just going to disperse, when Mr. +Crampton said— + +"Here's Downing coming; let's see what he'll say." + +Mr. Downing entered accordingly, and after going lightly over the +proposed plan, Mr. Crampton asked him what he would contribute. + +"Not a red cent!" replied Mr. Downing, with emphasis, and with a frown +which made his gloomy countenance still more repulsive. "I'll never +give the first penny as long as young Laurence stays here. He isn't the +kind of minister for my money. I'd as soon have Charley Strong himself." + +"Charley Strong! Pray what has he to do with Mr. Laurence?" asked Mr. +Bell. + +"Just this," answered Mr. Downing. "No longer ago than last Wednesday, +I saw Mr. Laurence and Charley Strong walking arm-in-arm all the way +from Stuart's store up to the school-house, talking as fast as you +please. More than that, I know well enough that the last time Laurence +was over here, Charley Strong rode home with him, and he has stayed +there, or about there ever since, to my certain knowledge. Now you +can do as you please; but a minister who don't know how to choose his +company any better than that, is not the man for my money, no matter +whose son he is." + +"Hem!" said Mr. Bostwick. "Did you ever happen to hear in all your life +of a certain person who went to dine with a man not over and above +respectable, and who kept company not over and above respectable, and +what some folks said about it?" + +"I don't know what you mean, Mr. Bostwick," returned Mr. Downing; "but +if the man pretended to be a minister, and the company was no better +than the one we were speaking of, I think folks had a right to talk." + +"Of course they had, and I'll tell you what they said. They said, 'He +received publicans and sinners, and eateth with them.' Mayhap you can +remember now what kind of an answer they got." + +Two or three of the men laughed, and Mr. Downing looked rather taken +aback, while Mr. Bostwick continued: "Now some folks think that men who +wear the kind of coat Richard Laurence does, should be as much like +their Master as they can. Charley Strong is a hard case, and no wonder, +considering how he has been brought up; but he has got a soul to be +saved as well as the best of us, and the Lord that bought him paid as +much for him as He did for you and me, Mr. Downing—just as much. And +if He was to walk through the towns of this county, as He did through +them towns of old, He'd be as likely to talk to such poor fellows as +Charley, or even Joe Fisher, as He would to you and me. I'm not an +educated man myself, but I was brought up by pious parents, and thank +the Lord I've known Him this many a year, and my experience of Him is +that He is just as ready to save the worst sinner as He is the smartest +feeling Pharisee." + +"Amen!" said Mr. Bell, emphatically. + +"That's well said, Bostwick," said Mr. Stuart, "and I think you have +the right of it. Who knows what might be done for such kind of people, +if Christians would only take them up and befriend them, and try to +help them along. I have not seen Charley so steady since he was ten +years old as he has been for the last two weeks, and if he was anywhere +but at home, he might do well enough yet; but what can you expect +when his father gets his living by selling the very poison that is +destroying his only son?" + +"If my memory serves me, you once sold liquor yourself, Mr. Stuart," +said Mr. Downing, with a sneer. + +"God forgive me, I did," replied Stuart earnestness; "and I would cut +off my right hand to be able to repair the mischief I have done. But +that's neither here nor there. Come, Downing, I know when you come +to reflect, you won't think the worse of Laurence for trying to do +something for poor Charley." + +"Why perhaps not, if that's the view you take of it, though I can't +say I think it looks very well. But after all, Laurence is a regular +dandy in his dress and ways. Just look at his fine black coat and white +cravat, and his hair curls like a girl's. To be sure it always did curl +when he was a little boy." + +"That is indeed a misfortune," said Mr. Stuart, gravely; "but then +isn't a curly-haired minister better than none at all?" + +Downing smiled in spite of himself. + +"Come, I see you are going to help the matter along after all. How much +are you going to give us?" + +"There's a dollar for you," replied Mr. Downing, "and that's all you +get from me, I can tell you." + +"That will do for a beginning; and now, as we seem to have finished our +business, I move that this committee do adjourn. When do you calculate +to begin, Mr. Bell?" + +"Right off," answered Mr. Bell. "I am going to set my boys to pulling +down the partitions, and mending the fences to-day. I've given them +their time to work for the church, and they are so pleased, you'd think +they were going to preach in it themselves." + +"It has been a first-rate thing for the children, that's a fact," +remarked Mr. Hildreth; and with these words the meeting adjourned. + +There was great rejoicing among the "women folks," when it was +understood how matters had gone, and it was agreed that they would do +their share towards fitting up the church decently. The very children +were anxious to help, and more than one little boy and girl vowed +secretly to devote the hoarded contents of his or her savings bank to +the same purpose. + +The work was commenced at once, as Mr. Bell had said. The green about +the door was nicely fenced, and cleared of all encumbrances, dusty +partitions were torn down and carried away, piles of new boards and +stacks of bricks made their appearance, and Mr. Laurence never passed +that way without rejoicing over his work, and praying for an increased +blessing upon the flock, over which he trusted the Holy Ghost had made +him overseer. + +Mr. Bostwick gave it as his opinion that the house might be ready for +occupation in about three weeks; that is, about the commencement of +Lent, which fell very late this year. Mr. Laurence was very desirous +that this should be the case, as his heart was set upon a series of +Lenten services, which could not well be holden in the school-house. + + +Charley Strong, the young man whose companionship had been so strongly +objected to by Mr. Downing, was the only son of the tavern-keeper with +whom my readers have become acquainted in the early part of this story. +He was a tan, handsome young man, very well educated, and, when sober, +very well bred. He had grown up, as Mr. Stuart said, under the very +worst influences possible. His father had begun by indulging him in +every thing, right or wrong, to which he took a fancy, and laughing at +those who warned him of the danger of this course. His mother—a good +and pious woman—died when he was about five years old—of a broken heart +it was said. Charley was brought up in the barroom, and saw, smelt, and +tasted liquor from morning till night. What wonder if he acquired a +taste for it? What wonder if the taste became a raging passion, which +deprived him of reason, and threatened to destroy him, body and soul? +At seventeen, Charley was sent to college, from which he returned in +disgrace, and before he had been at home a week, he ruined a valuable +horse belonging to his father, by over-driving him in a fit of +intoxication. From that time, their quarrels were constant: the father +seemed to lose all affection for his son, and though he allowed him to +take his meals and sleep at home, he showed him no other kindness, and +never spoke to him without abusing him for an idle, drunken, ungrateful +vagabond. + +Now and then, when unable to beg or borrow the means of satisfying his +raging appetite, Charley would do a little work, and several times he +had been known to keep sober and industrious for a week at a time; +but with the temptation ever before him, how could he be expected to +withstand it? These fits of abstinence were sure to be followed by fits +of drunkenness long and violent, and every one worse than the other. +He had lately had one or two attacks of delirium tremens; he grew pale +and thin, and was troubled with a distressing cough, and every one said +that he would not last much longer. And is it not a fearful thing to +say in such a case? Is it not fearful to think of a young man, of fine +talents and good disposition, capable of almost any amount of good, +going down to a drunkard's death bed—a drunkard's grave—a drunkard's +eternity? + +Richard Laurence had known Charley well at one time. They had been boys +at school together, though Richard was several years the oldest, and +there had been a degree of intimacy between them, until the time that +Richard finally decided to consecrate his talents to the service of +the Church, and went to the city of New York to pursue his studies for +the ministry. Even when the most degraded, Charley had retained some +sense of shame at his abasement. He kept himself as much as possible +out of the sight of his former friend, and, unless he was too much +intoxicated to recognize any one, he would go two miles out of his +way to avoid meeting him. Richard had tried in vain to bring about an +encounter—Charley kept determinedly out of his way. + +It chanced one Wednesday evening that he was passing near the +school-house, now lighted up for evening service, just as his former +friend was alighting from his horse at the door. In his haste to +escape, he stumbled over a stick of wood, which had been left in the +way, and fell; and before he could recover himself entirely, Richard +had seized his hand, and was expressing his delight at the meeting, in +a voice, the cordiality and sincerity of which did not admit of a doubt. + +"Come, Charley," said Richard, after a few minutes conversation, "you +have never yet heard me preach. Come in and listen, if it is only for +the sake of old times at school." + +Charley laughed and hesitated, and was finally persuaded to enter. +There was no little nudging and whispering among those already +assembled as he took his seat; and some persons looked a little uneasy, +but it was soon perceived that he was entirely sober. + +The lecture was upon the parable of the prodigal son, and was almost as +direct and simple in its character as a lecture could be. Every one in +the room felt that he or she was directly addressed by the preacher, +and a very evident solemnity and seriousness was diffused throughout +the congregation. Charley felt himself so much embarrassed by his new +situation that he could think of nothing else for a while, but his +attention was gradually directed from himself and fastened on the +preacher. + +"How well he writes!" he thought. "If he had been preaching before the +most fashionable and literary congregation in New York, he could not +have taken more pains with his discourse." + +But his attention was soon directed from the manner to the matter of +the lecture. He had never been able in all his degradation to destroy +either his conscience or his affections; and now that he was perfectly +sober, every word of the beautiful parable of the prodigal son came +home to his heart. He felt himself to be the very prodigal of the +story. Had he not wasted his substance, destroyed his health, lost his +reputation, and was he not now feeding on husks, lower than the swine, +hopeless in this world, and hopeless in the next? He knew all this +before, and why should he come here to be told of it? He almost made +up his mind to rise and leave the house, when the preacher went on to +another branch of his subject. + +"And he arose and came to his father, and while he was yet a great way +off, his father saw him, and had compassion on him, and ran and fell on +his neck, and kissed him." + +These words fell with strange force on the ear of the besotted +drunkard; they seemed to bring with them, I know not what, of light and +consolation. He began to feel almost as if his case were not hopeless; +as if "he" might at some time arise and go to his Father, and be met +with words of love and forgiveness. + +But when the preacher went on to enlarge on the love of God towards +penitent sinners, and His yearning over them even when a great way off; +when he spoke of the price paid for all; of the wonderful sacrifice for +sin; of the fountain opened for all uncleanness; of the grace ready and +waiting for the chief of sinners, Charley no longer cared or thought +where he was, or who saw him. He bowed his head on his trembling hands, +and tears—genuine tears of repentance—streamed from his eyes: he wept +almost aloud. + +He was not the only one who did so; more than one hard hand dashed away +the gathering drops; and more than one prayer went up, and was heard in +heaven, for the prodigal son. Richard saw and rejoiced with trembling +over the impression he had made, and, when he sat down at the end of +the discourse, he too bowed his head, and prayed with heart and soul +for the friend of his childhood. + +The congregation rose from their knees, and began to go out, but +Charley did not rise; and when all had departed but Mr. Bell, who +lingered about the door to take the key, Richard took a seat beside +him. He was rather at a loss how to begin the conversation that he +desired, but Charley saved him the trouble. + +"Richard Laurence," he said, raising his head, and looking his friend +full in the face, "do you really in your heart believe that there is +any salvation—any hope for such a miserable lost wretch as I am? As you +love your own soul, tell me nothing but the truth." + +"As truly as I believe there is a God, Charley," answered the young +minister with equal solemnity, "so truly do I believe that He is ready +and waiting to receive and pardon you the moment you make up your mind +to arise and go to Him. His love knows no difference, and He is just +as ready to accept you now as if you had never strayed from Him. He is +speaking to you by His Spirit, and calling you to come. It may be the +turning-point of your life, Charley; will you refuse His love?" + +"I am as ignorant as a heathen, Richard. What must I do?" + +"'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved;' you have +nothing else to do. Put your trust in Him who died to save you, and say +with the man of old, 'Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.'" + +"But such a wretch as I am! I was drunk yesterday, and I shall be drunk +to-morrow. No, there is no hope." + +"Do you wish to be drunk to-morrow, Charley?" + +"No, God knows I don't! I would never touch a drop again, if I could +help it; but how can I? The moment I go home, there it is before me. I +cannot go to my bed without seeing and smelling the accursed poison, +and though I would rather die than drink again, I know I shall not be +able to help it." + +"Then don't go home," said Richard. "Go over to Spring Bank with me, +and stay a while, and you will be out of the way of temptation. There +is no one at home but the housekeeper—your old friend, Mrs. Millar, you +know. There you will be safe, and we can talk further together. Come, +if it is only for the sake of our old friendship." + +"I will go, Richard. God bless you for your kindness. Oh! If I should +be saved after all—saved, body and soul! I tell you, Dick, there have +been times within this year that I have seen the pit of hell opening +under me, and felt that one step would take me into it, and yet I +couldn't help myself. But it seems lighter now. I feel as if all were +not lost yet." + +As they went out of the door, Mr. Bell came forward and shook the young +man cordially by the hand. + +"God bless you, Charley," said he; "we shall see you a man yet, by the +grace of God. I've got a brother that was once further down the hill +than you are, and he is now as fair a standing man as any in the State +of Michigan, and with as fine a family about him as you'd wish to see. +We shall all think of you, my boy, and pray for you. My wife always +said you'd come round sooner or later, if a mother's prayers were of +any account. Drop in and see us, and you'll find her ready to welcome +you for your ma's sake." + +Charley was not seen in Brooksville again before Sunday, when he rode +over to church with Mr. Laurence. He was very pale, and several persons +noticed how his hands trembled, but he was perfectly sober, and though +very serious, there was an expression of happiness about his face which +had not been seen there for many a day. + +"T wouldn't go over to the tavern, Charley," said Mr. Stuart to him +when church was out. "Come home and get your dinner with us." + +"By your leave, Mr. Stuart," interrupted Mr. Bell, "he don't do any +such thing. My woman has set her heart upon his coming to our house +to-day, and I shan't dare to go home without him. I'm dreadful afraid +of my wife, you know." + +Mr. Stuart smiled and yielded, only saying, "If there is any way I can +serve you, Charley, let me know." + +Mr. Laurence took his friend home with him again in the evening, and +he was not seen again in Brooksville for some time. No one knew what +he was about unless it were Mr. Bell; and if he was questioned, he +only said he guessed Charley was able to take care of himself, and if +he wasn't, he had friends to help him. His father seemed perfectly +indifferent about the matter, and indeed said openly that he considered +it a good riddance, wherever he was. He thought Laurence would find his +match with him, if Charley got into his tantrums, as he always did if +he was sober for a few days. It wouldn't be strange if Charley should +cut his throat for him. + +But Charley was in safe hands. He knew, better than any one else, his +own weakness and danger. Once escaped from the horrible pit, he was +resolved to make any sacrifice rather than return to it; and it was +at his own desire that two or three days after his last appearance at +Brooksville, Richard Laurence accompanied him to an Insane Asylum, +where he was placed as a boarder, and where he was rooted to stay till +all danger was over, employing himself when he was able to work at all, +with the study of medicine, which he had once before commenced. Here, +then, he remained, and the good people of Brooksville, after having +wondered for a while what had become of him, finally forgot him, and +talked of something else. + + +Meanwhile the work went rapidly on at the church, as it now began to +be called. The windows were all mended, the walls whitened, and a new +floor laid. The chancel was inclosed with a neat but plain railing, +and furnished with a pulpit, reading-desk, and communion table; and +the rest of the space was being filled up with comfortable benches +and hassocks, or haddocks, as Mr. Hildreth preferred to call them, +which, like all the rest of the woodwork, were painted white. A learned +ecclesiologist would have found much to object to in the form and +arrangement of all these things, but the good people of Brooksville +were perfectly content with them, and took great satisfaction in the +neatness and convenience of their little sanctuary. + +Mr. Laurence made his contribution in the shape of half a dozen very +pretty lamps to light up the church for evening service. Mr. Willson +gave two large Prayer-Books and a Psalm-Book for the desk, and a Bible +for the pulpit. Some ladies of Raeburn presented a pretty carpet for +the chancel (rag carpet was considered good enough for the aisles), and +to crown all, the old doctor, who had met the first application of the +committee with nothing but inarticulate growls, put into Mr. Laurence's +hands one day a large basket, containing a plain but handsome silver +Communion Service, saying as he did so, that he hoped to see it used +before many weeks were over. + +The women on their part were not idle. Already they had purchased and +made up a decent gown and surplice, and they were now employed upon the +cushions for the altar and the pulpit. Susan Champlin was persuaded to +collect the subscriptions. She had nothing in particular to keep her +at home now, and day after day she might be seen round the village, or +mounted on Mrs. Stuart's pony (for she was an excellent horse-woman), +riding off to sound the hearts and purses of all the farmers' wives in +the neighborhood. She was a very successful collector, and the fresh +air and diversion were of great service to her: her sadness abated; +the color returned to her pale cheek, and the light to her eyes; she +was once more heard singing about the house and over her work, and the +anxiety of her friends for her gradually passed away. + +All things were now in readiness, and on the Sunday before Lent, Mr. +Laurence announced that there would be service in the new church on Ash +Wednesday morning and evening, and that on Thursday morning, at nine +o'clock, a meeting would be held in the same place, for the purpose of +regularly organizing a Parish. + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +LENTEN SERVICES—BAD NEWS. + +ON Ash Wednesday morning the new church was well-filled, and in the +evening it was quite crowded,—a number of persons coming over from +Raeburn, so that it became necessary to provide extra seats. + +Mr. Laurence began his course of Lent Lectures by explaining the +origin of Lent, and its uses as a season of especial humiliation and +prayer. He trusted, he said, that the services would be sustained and +fully attended, and that his own labors would be accompanied by the +efforts and prayers of his people, and he hoped and believed that in +such a case they might expect the most blessed results, not only to +themselves, but also to those who were unhappily still out of the Ark +of Safety, and without a good hope of salvation through Christ. He +intended to give lectures on Wednesday evening and on Friday afternoon, +and on Thursday afternoon he would be happy to meet any who were +desirous of personal religious instruction, and especially any persons +desirous of receiving Baptism. The Holy Communion would be administered +at Easter, and there would be an opportunity for adult Baptism at the +same time. + +As the family were going home in the evening, Ruby-Anne, who was +walking with Edah, apparently absorbed in thought, suddenly said— + +"Miss Edah, I didn't know before that Episcopalians believed in change +of heart!" + +"What do you mean by a change of heart, Ruby-Anne?" asked Edah. + +"Why—what Mr. Laurence said to-night—conversion. I thought they did +not believe in any such thing; only that a person must be baptized and +confirmed, and all that, and that it made no difference what they were, +or how they felt. Now Mr. Laurence seems to preach as if that was the +main thing, and no one could be saved without it. I don't know—I never +was in the habit of thinking much about such things before I came to +live with you—I've thought a sight more since then, and I'd give the +world to feel as he says we ought to. I would like to be a Christian, +if I only knew how." + +"The way is very plain, Ruby," said Edah; "if you wish to be a +Christian, you must ask God, for Jesus Christ's sake, to forgive you +your sins, and to make you love Him; to give you a new heart, as you +say. Christ says, 'Ye must be born again;' but He also says, 'He that +believeth on the Son, hath everlasting life, and shall never come into +condemnation.' He gives the command, and He also gives the power to +fulfill it." + +Ruby-Anne sighed. + +"I know it's so," she said, "and yet I can't feel so. I can't make it +seem as if it really was true, that He died for me. I've wanted to get +religion this great while, but somehow I don't seem any nearer to it +than I did at first." + +"Have you prayed to God to give you a heart to love and fear Him?" +asked Edah. + +"Why no; I thought I must get religion first, before I prayed; I didn't +know as I could hardly." + +"And how did you think you were going to get it without asking for it? +Jesus says,— + +"'Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.' 'If ye shall +ask any thing in My name, I will do it.' + +"But He says nothing about giving His Holy Spirit to them that are +afar off, and do not seek to draw near. '"Ask," and ye shall receive; +"seek," and ye shall find; "knock," and it shall be opened unto you.' +There is not a word of promise to those that do not ask, and seek, and +knock, you see." + +"But there was St. Paul—I was reading about his conversion only last +night, and it was when he was going down to Damascus, breathing out +threatenings and slaughter, that the Lord met him." + +"Very true, and thus He meets many a one in the midst of their sins; +but after the Lord met him, what were the first words he said? + + "'Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?' + +"His next act was one of unquestioning and immediate obedience; and +when Ananias was commissioned to go to him, that he might receive his +sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost, it was said of him,— + + "'Behold he prayeth!' + +"You say that you wish to be a Christian, and that you have been +thinking about it this great while. God has thus met you in the way, +and now you must do as St. Paul did—pray that He will open your eyes, +forgive you your sins, justify you by Jesus Christ, and sanctify you by +His Holy Spirit; and depend upon it, if you do this, you will receive +an answer. I wish you would go to the church Thursday afternoon, and +talk to Mr. Laurence." + +"I kind of hate to," said Ruby-Anne, hanging her head. "I'd rather talk +to you than to him, and I'm afraid folks will think strange. If my +cousin should see me going there, and tell Uncle Jacob, he'd make no +end of fun of me next time I go home." + +"And yet you want to be a Christian, you say! I am afraid you will +never be one, if you are ashamed to have it known that you are seeking +the right way. No, no, that will never do, Ruby; you cannot expect +Christ to bless you while you are ashamed of Him." + +"I suppose that's so. I don't know, either, why I should mind their +laughing. If it isn't that, it will be something else." + + +This was not the only conversation of the kind that Edah held during +the week. Several of the scholars in her day-school came to her for +instruction, for encouragement, for sympathy. Some thought that they +were truly penitent and believing, and desired sympathy in their +overflowing joy; and what joy of earth is like his who feels assured +that his sins are forgiven—that his prayers are heard and answered +in Heaven? Others there were who, convinced of their sins and their +danger, could as yet find no way of escape, and no comfort anywhere—who +needed to be drawn away from the vain attempt to save themselves by +their own efforts, and to be led to that precious corner-stone, the +sure foundation on which whosoever buildeth shall not be ashamed. Edah +did her best to counsel, to warn, to teach, but she felt how weak and +ignorant she was, and she shrank from the responsibility imposed upon +her by her position, and by the confidence and affection of her young +friends. + +"I feel," said she, in relating some of these incidents to Mr. +Laurence, "as if I were very much out of my place in this matter, but +indeed I cannot help it. I try to persuade them to go at once to you, +but many of them are diffident and unwilling to do so. I cannot refuse +to give them all the aid in my power, though I often fear that I am +overstepping my proper bounds, and taking upon myself duties which +belong entirely to you." + +"By no means, Miss Champlin. You are taking a course which I should be +only too glad to see followed by every Christian member of my flock. I +believe that one great reason why so few, comparatively, are brought +to a knowledge of the truth is that Christians do not do their duty in +this respect, but leave all to their pastor. From the nature of things, +they have many opportunities which he has not. An inquiring sinner will +often open his heart to a near friend, when he would be ashamed or +unwilling to do so to a minister, and if that friend is faithful, he +will encourage him to do so, and will strive to direct him to the true +source of health and help. What is more natural than that those who +have themselves tasted the good word of God, and have known the truth, +should wish to impart unto others of the good things which they have +themselves received? Such was the spirit of the Apostolic Church, when +every Christian, whether man or woman, was in some sort a missionary. +Could this state of things be brought about again, we should no longer +see crowds retiring from the Communion Table, and only a handful +remaining, but the altar rails would be filled till there should be no +place." + +"I always try to send them to you," remarked Edah, "but they are not +always willing to go at first, especially the younger ones." + +"Nothing is more natural than that they should feel more confidence in +you than in a comparative stranger," said Mr. Laurence. "I shall hope +after a time to gain their confidence. Meantime, let me beg of you +never to omit an opportunity of doing good in that way. Several persons +have applied to me who, I am convinced, never would have done so but +for you: among the rest, Mr. Bell's boys and your brother. I suppose +you know that they are all three desirous of being baptized?" + +"Sam told me it was the case with himself, but I did not know certainly +about the others. I am not much surprised at hearing of it, for they +have seemed very thoughtful for a long time. I trust they will not be +the only ones who will avail themselves of the opportunity." + + +"Edah," said Sam, one beautiful spring day towards the end of March, "I +am going over to the Saw-Mills this afternoon to do some business for +Mr. Stuart, and I wish you would ride with me. I want a chance to talk +to you, and I will call for you at the school-house." + +Edah, of course, made no objection, and at five o'clock the brother +and sister were driving through the woods, on the shaded and romantic +road which led over hill and dale to the great lumbering mills of +Stuart & Company. The birds had begun to make their appearance, and +the air was filled with robin and bluebird music, while now and then a +blue-jay added his by no means melodious notes to the concert. The sky +was deeply blue, and the great mountains of white cloud made it appear +deeper still; while the air was filled with the indescribable fragrance +which always pervades a wood in the spring, especially where there is a +large proportion of evergreen trees. + +Edah was tired of talking in school, and she was very willing to be +quiet, and her brother's attention seemed wholly occupied with his +horses. At last, however, he broke the silence by saying— + +"Edah, do you know how old I am?" + +"Sixteen, are you not?" + +"Nearer seventeen," said Sam. "I shall be seventeen my next birthday, +and that is next Monday." + +"And I shall be nineteen. I thought there was more difference between +us, but you have always been so small till lately. Now you are taller +than I am." + +"So I see; but that isn't the thing. I am old enough to think what I am +going to do with myself." + +"You are doing very well with yourself now, I think," said Edah. "Mr. +Stuart says you are more and more useful every day, and that he never +had a clerk that he liked so much. He told me he should not be afraid +to leave you the whole charge of his business, if he were obliged to be +away for any length of time." + +"He is very kind," said Sam, coloring with pleasure. "There is not a +man in the world I would rather live with than Alim Stuart. He has been +like—what a father ought to be, ever since I went to him. But after +all, Edah, it is not what I want to be doing. My heart isn't in it." + +"It becomes tiresome now and then, I suppose," said Edah, "but any +business is wearisome sometimes. I am sure it is the case with +teaching. But when you are so well situated, it seems a pity to change, +unless there is some good reason, though, indeed, I never thought you +were as well suited to the business as to some other things—to studying +a profession especially." + +"What kind of a minister do you think I should make, Edah?" asked Sam, +in a low voice, after a pause of some minutes, during which he had +employed himself in switching off the tops of the dry weeds by the +roadside. + +Edah's heart bounded with joy. How often she had prayed—how fondly she +had hoped, that her darling brother's heart might be turned in this +direction! + +"I think you would make an excellent one, Sam, so far as I can judge of +you. I know of nothing that would give me more pleasure than to see you +looking forward to the ministry." + +"It is what I should prefer above all other things," said Sam, with +animation. "I used to think I would rather be a lawyer than any thing +else, and I built a great many castles in the air about it, thinking +how I should enjoy working my way on, and making myself respected, till +I came to be as celebrated as Mr. Webster or Judge Story; but it is all +changed now. I would rather be a minister like Mr. Laurence, and preach +the Gospel in some such little place as Raeburn or Brooksville, than +be the greatest lawyer or statesman that ever lived. There is only one +trouble about it," he continued, and the joy in his face faded away as +he spoke—"I have turned it over and over in my mind, and I do not see +how it is to be done." + +"Why not?" asked Edah. + +"The why not is easily told," replied Sam. "If I had no one to do for +or care for but myself, it would be very easy—that is, in comparison to +what it is now. I could teach school, and live cheaply, and work myself +on almost anyhow. But even supposing that I succeeded in preparing +myself to take orders, preaching is not commonly a money-making +profession, you know very well; and there are mother and the girls—how +are they to be supported? For I don't suppose anybody is so foolish as +to expect any help from father." + +"That is true," said Edah, echoing his sigh as he paused, "and yet +I cannot bear to give up the idea. Oh! If I were only two years +older—only my own mistress!" + +"What then?" asked Sam. "What difference would that make?" + +"Then I could live at home, and take care of mother and Polly with what +means I have. Susan and I would make it enough, and you would have, as +you say, nothing to do but to take care of yourself." + +"Do you think I would let you do that?" said Sam, a little indignantly. +"Why, it would just amount to my educating myself at your expense." + +"And suppose it were, how could I spend my fortune to better purpose, +than in sending laborers into Christ's vineyard? And who should I send, +if not my own brother?" + +"Well," resumed Sam, "you are not your own mistress, and in one sense +you never will be—not as much perhaps as you are now. When Mr. Liston +returns, he will of course want you to come and live with him, and I +know he will be very unwilling to have you spend your money on us. +He will think, and with some reason too, that I ought to support my +sisters, instead of letting them support me." + +"Nevertheless, if I were of age, I could do as I pleased." + +"You could, undoubtedly; but ought you? Mr. Liston has brought you up, +and done every thing he could for you; and now that you are grown-up, +and able to appreciate his kindness, he will naturally expect a return, +and he has a right to expect it." + +"You are right, Sam, and I am wrong. But we won't despair yet. I am +sure some way will be raised up for us. The Lord will provide, if it is +His will that you should follow out this plan; and I cannot but believe +that it is." + +"I hope so, I am sure," replied Sam, "for I do not feel as if I could +be happy in any other way. Of course I don't mean to be so self-willed +as to be determinedly miserable, because I cannot have my own way; but +the more I think about entering the ministry, the more desirous I am to +do it; and so I have told Mr. Laurence." + +"What did he say?" + +"Just what you do. He bade me not be discouraged, since if the call +was from God, He would certainly provide the means for its fulfilment. +He advised me to employ all my spare time in study, and gain as much +information as possible; and he has offered to teach me Greek himself." + +"I will study it with you," said Edah. "It is always easier for two to +go on together, than for one to work alone. I will lay aside my Spanish +for the present, and if you have a mind to rise as early as I do, we +can have a good hour before breakfast. It is surprising how much one +can accomplish in an hour, by making the most of it. I often think that +I do more in that little time, than I used to in all day at school." + +"Time is like money in more ways than one," remarked Sam. "One does not +appreciate the worth of it, as long as one has as much as one wants. +And, by the by, is it not more than time for you to hear from Mr. +Liston?" + +"It is indeed, and I am very uneasy about him. If he went by the +overland route, as he said he should do in the letter I had from +London, I ought to have heard three or four times before this. I am +very much afraid that something has happened to him, for he is so +methodical in all his habits, that I am sure he has not forgotten it." + +"Then about this matter of studying," resumed Sam, after a few moments' +silence, "you are quite clear that I ought not to give up the idea?" + +"Indeed I am, Sam! I am sure some path will be provided for you, if you +are patient, and meanwhile you will not be losing any thing. You will +be gaining information and experience that will be as useful to you as +any thing you can learn out of books. I feel quite sure that you will +see your way clear after a while." + + +Edah had indeed become very anxious and uneasy at not hearing from her +guardian. She had expected to hear both from Malta and Alexandria, +but sufficient time had now elapsed for a letter to have come from +Calcutta, and yet she received no intelligence. Mr. Liston, as she +said, was a man who never forgot an engagement, or neglected a duty. +She was sure he would have written if he had been well, and it was very +unlikely that all his letters should have been lost. For some time +before the conversation recorded above, she had been in a state of +feverish impatience for some intelligence, and she felt that almost any +news would be a relief to her mind in its uncertainty. + +The news came at last. Edah received a letter from Mr. Amory, inclosing +one from the American consul at Alexandria, which contained the +mournful news of her kind guardian's death at that place. The consul +stated that Mr. Liston had called upon him immediately after his +arrival in that port, and that he seemed very unwell, so much so that +he invited and urged him not to return to his hotel, but to remain +at the consular residence, which Mr. Liston at last consented to +do, though he made light of his illness, attributing it entirely to +fatigue. In the morning, however, he was so much worse as to be unable +to rise, and he continued to grow worse for about three weeks, when +he died. He had had the best of medical attendance, the consul said, +and a clergyman of the Church of England, who had come to Alexandria +at the same time, was almost constantly with him. He had retained full +possession of his senses till the last moment, and had frequently +talked of his friends at home, particularly of his dear child, as he +called her. The day before his death, he had received the Sacrament, +and he had especially desired that this fact might be communicated to +Miss Champlin. + +The writer of the letter stated that Mr. Liston had made many friends +in Alexandria during the short time that he remained there, and that +every respect had been paid to his memory that his friends could +desire. Mr. Amory's letter was full of the kindest sympathy, and +contained a pressing invitation to her to come to New York, and make +her home with him. + +The sorrow and desolation which Edah experienced on receiving this +intelligence can only be appreciated by those who have suffered similar +bereavements. She felt herself entirely alone in the world, without +home and without friends, and it almost seemed to her as if God himself +had dealt unkindly with her in taking away her beloved guardian. For +a while she felt that she could never be happy again. But Edah's mind +and heart were too healthy for such a mood to be lasting with her, and +these feelings soon passed away. She was enabled to find relief—where +alone it is to be successfully sought—in earnest, humble prayer, and +to appreciate all the blessed comfort contained in the account of her +friend's last moments. She felt deeply thankful that even so late in +life his attention had been turned to preparation for eternity, and +that she was enabled to cherish a good hope of meeting him again in +that world where partings are no more. + +Mr. Amory's first letter was immediately followed by another, urging +Edah to come to New York, if only for a few days as there were some +matters of business which rendered her presence necessary, and +inclosing funds for the journey. She was sorry to leave Brooksville +just at this time, but there was no alternative, and she felt, too, +that the companionship and sympathy of Milly would be the greatest +possible comfort to her. + +On consulting the school committee, no objection was made to giving the +school a vacation of two weeks; longer than this Edah did not intend to +be absent, as she was very desirous of being in Brooksville at Easter +not only because Sam was to be baptized, but because she had promised +to stand sponsor for two of her pupils, who were to be admitted to the +fellowship of Christ's flock on that day. Mrs. Hildreth willingly took +charge of her Sunday School class, and kind Mr. Bell, always anxious +to smooth every thing for her, assured her that the vacation would be +a real advantage, as they were desirous of making some repairs in the +school-house, which could be made at no time so conveniently as now. + +Pauline was now the only subject of uneasiness with Edah. She had not +so far overcome her former perverseness but that sparks of it would +occasionally break out, especially towards Susan, who was not always +very reasonable or judicious with the child, and she feared that the +two weeks of her absence would almost undo all she had done. At one +time, she thought of leaving Pauline with Miss Gilmore, but a little +reflection had shown her that this would be a direct affront to Susan, +as implying that she was not to be trusted with the care of the child. +She had finally decided, though with rather an anxious heart, to let +matters take their course, when she received another note from Milly, +saying— + +"Father says he has forgotten whether or not be asked you to bring +Pauline with you, but he desires that you will do so by all means, as +it will give him the greatest pleasure to see her." + +Edah held a consultation with Susan and Sam, before she showed this +note to Pauline; but as they both cordially approved of the plan, she +informed the little girl at the dinner-table that if she wished it, she +could go to New York with her. + +Polly's eyes sparkled, and her cheeks flushed—it was a felicity beyond +her highest hopes; but in a moment a change came over her bright +countenance—"Susan will be so lonely," she said. + +"I shall have Sam to keep me company, you know," said Susan. + +"Yes; but then he is away all day, and suppose you should be sick. I +think, 'upon the whole,' sister," she said, trying to speak firmly, +though her eyes filled with tears at the thought of the sacrifice she +was making, "I had better not go." + +"You are a darling girl, Polly," said Susan, kissing her, with tears +in her own eyes, "and I love you dearly, but I cannot have you stay at +home for me, my dear. If I am lonely, I can have Selina come and stay +with me; and then you know you have learned to write now, and you can +write me such nice entertaining letters from New York about all the +things you see there." + +Thus, it was finally settled, and Pauline was at liberty to run over to +Miss Gilmore's, and pour out all her hopes and expectations into the +ear of Selina, her bosom friend, while her sisters were busily occupied +in preparations for the journey. + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +THE JOURNEY. + +THE next day Edah and Pauline set out for New York, under the care of a +gentleman from Raeburn, and arrived in safety, without any remarkable +adventures, though Pauline found material enough for a very long and +not particularly clear letter to Susan, which she accomplished with +great labor the day but one after their arrival. + +Edah was happy to find herself once more with her friend, though the +meeting was a sad one. Still more severe was the necessary trial of +visiting her guardian's house, formerly so pleasant, but now shut +up and desolate, of looking over his papers and other property, and +deciding what should be kept and what disposed of. In the former class +were included all Mr. Liston's books, of which he had quite a fine +collection, the pictures, her piano, and the furniture of her own room, +and of Mr. Liston's sitting-room. These articles she intended to take +with her when she returned to Brooksville, for she had quite decided to +make her home with her mother and sisters as long as she could be of +any use to them. + +This point was not yielded by her friends in New York till after a long +discussion. Mr. Liston's will, made a short time before his departure, +and lodged in Mr. Amory's hands, provided that she should receive the +income of her property, amounting to about twelve hundred a year, +until she was twenty-three years old, after which she was to have the +entire control of her own business. She was left at liberty to choose +her place of residence, subject to the approbation of Mr. Amory, who +was appointed her guardian, and the sole executor of the will. Mr. +Amory had quite made up his mind that Edah was to reside with him in +future. He considered her a pretty, well-informed young girl, who would +be an ornament to his establishment, and a suitable companion to his +daughter, of whom he was justly proud. It was, therefore, with some +feelings of disappointment that he heard her announce her determination +to return to Brooksville before Easter, and to make it her home for the +present. + +"I have but one motive in doing so," said she; "I am quite sure that I +can be more useful there than anywhere else at present. Even if I had +no other reason for it, I cannot for a moment think of leaving Susan +with the care of mother on her hands, and no one to relieve her." + +"You are under so many obligations to Mrs. Champlin," said Miss +Concklin, with sarcastic emphasis; "no doubt you are right in +discharging them. The society there must also be remarkably congenial +to the taste of a young lady of education." + +"I have no complaint to make of the people to Brooksville," replied +Edah, gently. "They have always been very kind to me since I went +there. They are not very fashionable, and perhaps not very polished, +but I assure you, Miss Maria, I have friends there whom I should be +sorry to lose." + +Miss Maria elevated her chin a little, and gave utterance to some +murmurs respecting refined tastes, which were not quite finished when +she was called down to receive some visitors in the drawing-room, +for which Edah was not at all sorry. She felt that she could express +herself much more freely to Mr. Amory and Milly when Aunt Maria was out +of the way. + +"My principal reasons for returning to Brooksville," she continued, +"are, as I said, first, to assist Susan in taking care of mother, and +secondly, on my brother's account." + +"I thought your brother was in a store, and doing very well," +interrupted Mr. Amory. + +"He is," replied Edah; "and Mr. Stuart, his employer, would gladly keep +him, but Sam does not wish to remain, if he can help it. He has set his +heart upon studying a profession." + +"Oh, ho! And what profession does the young gentleman incline to?" + +"He wishes to enter the ministry," replied Edah. + +Mr. Amory shoved his spectacles up on his forehead, took them off, +wiped them, and put them on again before he replied— + +"And so he wishes to indulge this fancy at your expense, instead of +earning his own living and that of his sisters, like an honest man. A +most exemplary young man, truly!" + +"You are very much mistaken, Mr. Amory," answered Edah, with spirit. +"Sam has not the least idea of being burdensome to anybody. On the +contrary, he has avowed his intention to continue in his present +situation for some time, at least, and of carrying on his preparatory +studies at the same time. If you had seen him at the time of our great +misfortune—a time certainly trying enough to us all—if you had known +any thing about his patience, and self-denial, and industry since—you +would never dream of accusing him of any thing like meanness." + +Edah's color rose, and her eyes filled with tears as she spoke, and Mr. +Amory, looking through his spectacles, professed to himself that she +was really a remarkably handsome young woman. + +"Well, well, my dear," he said, soothingly, "I did not intend to make +any unjust reflections upon your brother. I dare say he is a very fine +young man. But how will your living in Brooksville make any difference +in his pursuing his studies?" + +"In this way," replied Edah. "Twelve hundred a year will be an ample +income for us all to live upon in Brooksville, where every thing is +so cheap, and where, moreover, I can earn something, if I wish to +do so. Thus Sam will be at liberty to use his own earnings for his +own purposes, and he can work his way through college easily enough +by teaching, and the other means that young men resort to in such +circumstances. I think, and so do Mr. Laurence and Mr. Willson, that he +has talents which fit him to be eminently useful in the calling which +he has chosen; and I am sure," she continued, with animation, "that +I could not spend my income in any way which would give me so much +satisfaction." + +"Well," said Mr. Amory, "perhaps you may as well spend your time and +means in making ministers as in manufacturing woollen cats, and dogs, +and frogs—" + +"Worsted, papa—worsted," interrupted Milly, laughing. + +"Well, worsted, then—such as Maria lumbers up the house with," +bestowing, at the same time, a vindictive glance upon Highland Mary, +in Berlin wool, parting with her lover, on the back of a modern Gothic +chair. "I honor your motive in this matter, my dear Edah, though, I +confess, I regret that you have come to such a determination. Cannot +your brother do as much good as a Christian merchant as he can in the +capacity of a minister?" + +"I think not, sir. There are a great many young men who are willing +to remain merchants, and but few comparatively who are desirous of +entering the ministry." + +"Indeed," said Mr. Amory, "I am not altogether well-informed on such +matters; but I had always supposed that profession to be entirely +overfilled, like those of law and medicine." + +"Not at all, sir. If you will look over the minutes of any of our +Conventions, you will see that there are not nearly ministers enough +to fill the places where they are needed. It is not generally a +money-making profession; it does not hold out much prospect for fame, +as not one minister in fifty ever becomes at all celebrated: it is a +hard-working profession certainly; and in fact, there can be but one +motive for entering it—that of doing good." + +"And much good they do. I am not one of those who deny the value of the +clergy; they are, beyond all question, one of the most useful bodies +in the community, and their influence extends much further than is +generally supposed. But, Milly, you have not said a word. Why do you +not use your influence to persuade your friend to remain with us?" + +"Because I rather think she is in the right, papa. I think I should do +just so in her place." + +"Upon my word, my own daughter has turned against me! Why, Miss Milly, +I thought I was providing you with a great pleasure in inviting your +friend to live with you." + +"Yes, papa, and I am sure I am very much obliged to you; but if Edah +should stay, against her conscience—" + +"Or against her inclination—you think she would not be a very agreeable +guest, eh? Well, my dears, we will not decide to-day; you have a week +to spare in which to make up your minds. Are you a judge of organs, +Edah?" + +"No, sir," replied Edah, rather surprised; "I know when they are well +toned, however." + +"I am thinking of purchasing a small organ, and I should like to have +you hear it first. You play the organ, I suppose?" Edah answered in the +affirmative. "We will go down and look at it, and then take Miss Polly +to see some more sights." + + +Edah remained a week longer with her friends in New York, her time +being mostly occupied in superintending the packing of the furniture +and other articles which she intended to take home with her. + +Miss Maria, who really loved Edah, was at first very angry on hearing +of her unalterable determination to return to her mother's house. But +her anger was not very long lived, and she willingly undertook the +whole business of providing Edah's mourning, and gave her whole time +and attention to it for several days, thus relieving Edah herself of +quite a burden, and leaving her at liberty for other matters. + +The books and engravings, which were very valuable, were the objects of +her especial attention, and she could not help smiling, in the midst +of her tears, as she thought of the pleasure they would afford to Sam +and Susan, and of the facilities which they would present to the former +for pursuing his studies. She had written to them, communicating her +intention of returning, and requesting them to have a large parlor, +which had been for a long time unused, put in order for the reception +of her treasures. + +Pauline on her part was perfectly happy during the two weeks which +she spent in New York. As she was really a very pretty and remarkably +well-behaved child, she was in no one's way, and every one in the house +petted her, from Mr. Amory down to the servants. It was Mr. Amory's +perfect delight to take her to see all sorts of wonderful sights, and +thus hear her speculations and questions about what she had seen. One +day, however, he took her in the carriage through some of the poor and +low streets of the city—those streets where Christian philanthropy has +since made light out of darkness; and after this it was observable that +Pauline's interest in New York declined. She no longer wished to live +there always; but told her sister in confidence that she should be very +glad to return to Brooksville, where, if there were no such beautiful +houses and elegantly dressed ladies, there were no such dreadful places +and people as she had seen that day. + +"Only think, sister, Mr. Amory says that a great many of the little +boys and girls I saw to-day were thieves, and had been in jails; and +they did look wicked enough for any thing. I could not bear to live +near such people, and not do any thing for them. Why do not good people +go among them and try to make them better?" + +"They wish to do so, my dear. I hear that some good ladies are trying +to get up a school among them, in order to teach them better, as you +say; but you must remember, Polly, that it is much easier to talk of +doing good than to do it. Don't you remember how hard Mr. Laurence +tried to make Joe Fisher sign the temperance pledge, and let his +children go to places, and after all he did not succeed?" + +"But we ought to try, sister, ought we not?" said Pauline. + +"Certainly, my dear, we ought to do all we can, and every one can do +something." + +"Yes, they can pray, at any rate; and, sister, don't you think if all +the Christians in the world were really to pray with all their hearts, +a great deal more could be done? Don't you think God's kingdom would +come a great deal sooner?" + +"Yes, Polly, I have no doubt of it, and I am glad you think so much +about it. I hope you will think more and more, and then when you grow +up, you will be able to do a great deal for the Church—to be a living +member of the same, as the Baptismal Service says. Then when Sam is a +minister, you can help him very much, if you live with him." + +"Is Sam going to be a minister?" asked Pauline. + +"I presume he will, unless something unforeseen happens to prevent it. +What do you think of it?" + +"I think it will be very nice," said Pauline, with sparkling eyes; "but +how will he do it? How will he get the money to go to college?" + +"He will work and earn it, and I hope we shall be able to help him a +little." + +"I wish I could help him." + +"You can, my dear; you can learn to sew nicely, and then you can help +Susan and me to make his clothes with the pretty leather workbox Miss +Maria gave you. Only think how glad he would be to have you make him a +shirt all yourself!" + +Polly had always disliked sewing very much; but now she was furnished +with a motive for desiring to excel in it, and she earnestly resolved +that it should not be long before she would sew well enough to make a +shirt all herself. We are happy to inform our young readers that in +about six months the feat was accomplished, and Sam actually wore a +shirt of his little sister's manufacture, not failing to assure her +that it was the nicest shirt he had ever had in his life. + +The day before her return to Brooksville, Edah had a long conversation +with Mr. Amory on the future prospect of the family. She was glad +to find that though evidently sorry to lose her society, he gave +his unqualified consent to her residing in Brooksville as long as +she thought proper, only stipulating that she should make them a +visit every year, a condition to which she very willingly agreed. He +earnestly advised her to let Sam work his own way entirely. + +"Depend upon it, my dear, he will preach all the better if he has to +acquire his profession by his own labor. All our best men, in every +condition of life, have been self-made, and if he has the talent and +perseverance requisite for success in the calling he has chosen, he +will get through his studies with no more difficulty than is good for +him." + +Though Edah did not promise not to assist Sam in any way, she thought +Mr. Amory's view of the case a very sensible one, and resolved to act +upon it to some extent. + +Pauline cried heartily on bidding adieu to her new friends, and they +were scarcely less sorry to part with her, so much had she endeared +herself to them during her short stay. + + +They arrived in safety at Raeburn, where Sam was waiting for them with +the wagon, and Edah was glad to find that all her boxes and packages +had arrived in safety before her. Susan was standing at the gate +watching for them, and welcomed them with as much warmth as if they had +been absent two years instead of two weeks, and Mrs. Champlin herself +came as far as the door to meet them. She was a little annoyed at first +by the sight of Edah's deep mourning, and declared that it would make +her low-spirited to have it always before her eyes; but she was easily +diverted from this delicate topic by the sight of the books and other +presents which Edah had brought her, and was soon wholly absorbed in +the first volume of a new novel, leaving the children at liberty to +attend to each other. + +Ruby-Anne had provided an excellent supper, which was fully +appreciated; and Pauline, on rising from the table, was heard to give +utterance to the very original sentiment, that there is no place like +home, after all. + +The next day, and the next, were pretty fully occupied in unpacking +and putting in order the furniture and other matters which Edah had +brought home with her. Mr. Champlin's house was large, and had been a +fine one in its day, but not more than half of it was at present in +use, and the apartment selected by Edah for a library had been for +some years used only as a lumber-room. But now that it was cleaned +and painted, curtains put up, and a carpet laid down, and book-cases, +chairs, cabinets, and tables all in their places, it was decidedly the +handsomest room in Brooksville, and Ruby-Anne declared that there was +nothing like it even at Spring Bank itself. It did, indeed, look very +pretty and home-like, Edah thought, with its well-filled shelves, and +tables covered with maps and engravings, its open piano and music-rack, +and it was with a good deal of pride and pleasure that she introduced +Mr. Laurence into it when it was all in order. That gentleman admired +it to her heart's content, and after taking a full survey of the +contents of the book-cases, settled himself in Edah's favorite chair, +with an air of great contentment. + +"So you have your piano, too: I am glad of that. Our new organ is up, +and awaiting you, for of course you are expected to preside at it." + +"An organ!" repeated Edah. "Have you an organ?" + +"Yes, to be sure, and a very nice one. Why, you look as puzzled as +possible. I supposed you knew all about it, for Mr. Amory, to whom +we owe it, said that you had selected it, and I thought it did great +credit to your taste." + +"I did go to look at an organ, which he said he thought of purchasing," +said Edah, "but I supposed he intended it for Milly. He gave me no hint +of sending it here." + +"Here it is, however, and we are all as proud of it as if we had made +it ourselves. I have been drilling our young people a little in the +chants, and I want you to practice them with the organ, that we may +have them on Easter Sunday." + +"I will do so, certainly, with a great deal of pleasure. How little I +anticipated, when I came here, that in little less than a year I should +attend the Faster Service in a church in this place! And even when I +began my little Sunday School in mother's kitchen, I was told that I +should not succeed in keeping it together three months." + +"It is to that little school, under God, that we owe the present happy +state of things, for so I may well call it, in Brooksville," said Mr. +Laurence. + +"You must not give me all the credit," said Edah, blushing. "I should +never have succeeded but for Mr. Bell. It was more his work than mine." + +"And how long did Mr. Bell live here without even thinking of such a +thing? Mr. Bell himself says that his interest in religion was almost +dead when you came, and that it was the pleasure which his little girls +took in their Sunday school lessons, and the questions which they asked +him, that first aroused him to a sense of his declining and dangerous +position. If you keep on doing good here, as you have begun, this +county will have reason to bless the time that you came into it." + +"What have you decided to call the church?" asked Edah. + +"St. John's is the name finally fixed upon," replied Mr. Laurence. +"You will see it on the front of the church before Easter-day, in gilt +letters, the work of Mr. Crampton's apprentice, who came to me, and +desired to make his contribution in that form. He is one of those who +are to be baptized, and your girl Ruby-Anne is another. We shall have +ten or twelve in all, and I anticipate about an equal number of infant +baptisms in the afternoon. And, by the by, what do you think of my plan +of omitting the usual Sunday School exercises upon Communion Sundays, +and devoting the time to the Catechism instead?" + +"I like the idea very much," said Edah, "and I think that teachers +as well as scholars will find the exercise a profitable one. How +delightful it is to think of having regular Communion days once a +month! Have you had any talk with Susan about baptism, Mr. Laurence?" + +"Oh, yes, many times. She has been one of the most regular attendants +upon my Thursday afternoon lectures since you went away, and I have +also conversed with her at home. She seems almost determined, and yet +she hangs back. I hardly think she will come forward this time, though +I hope we shall soon have her among our number." + +Susan herself entered the room as Mr. Laurence was speaking, and he +continued, addressing himself to her— + +"We were just talking of you, Miss Susan, and I was expressing a hope +that at some future time, if not on the present occasion, we might see +you among the professed followers of Christ. I only wish you could be +persuaded that now is the accepted time, and the day of salvation." + +"There is only one thing that hinders me," said Susan, coloring. + +"And what is that one thing?" + +"It is just this, Mr. Laurence. I have been so much opposed to any +thing like a religious profession, and have said so much about it, that +I am ashamed to come out on the other side. When Edah commenced her +Sunday School, I did my best to hinder her, and laugh her out of it; +and whenever I heard of any religious persons failing in any thing, or +living inconsistent, I used to hold it up, and make the most of it, on +purpose to annoy her, and I was perfectly delighted when I succeeded in +putting her out of temper." + +"But you would not do so now," said Edah; "you have not done so for a +long time." + +"Perhaps not; but still I cannot forget that I have done it, and I +am afraid I might do the same again under temptation. In short, I am +afraid I should be so inconsistent, that I do not like to begin." + +"But my dear Miss Susan, you are no more likely to fall into +temptation, because you have been baptized." + +"I know it; but I think I had better wait till I am more stable and +persevering." + +"Where do you expect to obtain the strength to become stable and +persevering?" asked Mr. Laurence. "Do you expect to make yourself so, +or must the strength and grace come from God?" + +"From God, certainly. I know very well that I cannot help myself." + +"Then you expect this grace and favor from God, at the very time that +you are refusing to obey two of His most distinct commands. He commands +all men to be baptized; and the injunction, 'Do this in remembrance of +Me,' cannot be obeyed till the other is first complied with. Is there +not a great inconsistency here?" + +"There seems to be certainly," said Susan, thoughtfully. "I never +thought of it in that light." + +"Is it not the true light?" + +"I think it is myself. Well, Mr. Laurence, I will consider the subject +a little more, and make up my mind. You will allow that I have every +motive to consent, as if I do not, I shall soon be the only heathen in +the family. But if I hesitate, it is only from the fear of doing wrong, +and not from any indifference, I assure you." + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +THE EASTER SERVICE. + +EASTER morning rose clear and bright in the village of Brooksville, and +the hills which inclosed the valley seemed to put on their most smiling +aspect, to welcome in the Resurrection Morn. The season was remarkably +forward, and many early flowers were in blossom, while the air was +filled with the fragrance of the blossoming fruit-trees, and the songs +of birds. + +Edah rose earlier than usual, for she felt anxious, by devotion and +meditation, to prepare herself for the full enjoyment of the day's +solemnities. After her usual prayer and reading, she seated herself by +the open window, and endeavored to compose her mind to a realization of +the blessings she enjoyed, and the labors yet before her. + +Last Easter she had been at school; she had attended church on +that day, but it had been only as a spectator of the devotions of +others;—the sermon had pleased her, but it was only as a specimen of +finished eloquence that she admired it; and when the invitation was +given for the followers of Christ to draw near, and with thankful +hearts to celebrate their Passover, she had turned away with the crowd, +who thus proclaimed that they had no part nor lot in the matter. +The remaining hours had been spent in miscellaneous reading, or in +preparing some school exercise, and she could not remember that, during +the whole day, she had bestowed one thought upon the great event it was +intended to commemorate. + +What would she have said, had some supernatural power spread before +her eyes, at that time, the scenes through which she had just passed, +and the labors in which she had since found her chief pleasure—had +some one told her that in less than a year she would find herself the +painstaking mistress of a district school, and devoting all her fortune +to the single object of educating her then almost unknown brother for +the ministry? As she contrasted her thoughts and feelings and pleasures +then, with those which possessed her now, the present seemed like a +dream, and she almost expected to wake in the old familiar room at W. + +But the striking clock warned her that it was time to wake and dress +Pauline for church. + +Before breakfast, the whole family, including Ruby-Anne, assembled in +the library, when, after reading a portion of Scripture and singing a +hymn, they all knelt in prayer—the first time that the family-altar had +ever been erected under that roof. The absent father was not forgotten +in their petitions, and then it was that Edah first felt a hope that +the wanderer might one day return to the family he had forsaken, a +wiser and better man. + +There was not much conversation at breakfast, for all were occupied +with their own thoughts. Mrs. Champlin alone seemed unconcerned, and +Edah exerted herself to entertain and amuse her mother, in order that +the others might be left to their own reflections. + +The children felt no fear at leaving their mother alone in the house: +although her derangement had become more decided in its character, she +was more quiet than formerly, and much easier to manage, employing +herself chiefly in reading and writing, to which last she had lately +taken a great fancy, which they took care to encourage. Edah had +purchased a pretty new desk for her in New York, well furnished with +conveniences and elegancies. This she now placed before her for the +first time; and as she witnessed the childish delight with which she +examined it, and began arranging its contents, she felt satisfied that +Mrs. Champlin was provided with an agreeable employment for the whole +day. + +They proceeded to church, hoping to be there early, but were surprised +to find nearly the whole congregation collected. The choir, well +drilled in their respective parts, were assembled round the organ, with +their books in their hands; and little Jacob Crampton, who had received +the appointment of organ-blower, was at his post, with his hand on +the handle, feeling all the pride of office, and ready to commence +operations as soon as he should receive the signal. + +A good many little heads, and some large ones, were twisted round, +when Edah began the voluntary, and all her resolves could not keep her +from feeling a little nervous, but she acquitted herself to her own +tolerable satisfaction, and to the evident delight of her hearers. She +had felt some anxiety about her choir, as they were all young, and some +of them had never heard chanting before; but all went off exceedingly +well, especially the Easter Chant, "Christ our Passover, is sacrificed +for us." And after the first was through, she began to feel at ease, +and at liberty to give her attention to something else. + +After the close of the second lesson, Mr. Laurence advanced to the +chancel rails, and requested the candidates for Baptism to come forward +with their sponsors. There was a stir in the little congregation, as +bonnets were removed and Prayer-Books taken: one group waited for +another, and finally, by a simultaneous movement, all together rose and +advanced up the aisle. Mr. Bell went with his two boys, as he called +them, Robert Raymond and John Downing; Mrs. Bell with her unmarried +sister who had spent part of the winter with her; Edah accompanied her +sister and Ruby-Anne, while Mr. Stuart was Sam's chosen witness. The +others were Mrs. Hildreth, Mr. Crampton, with his wife and apprentice, +black Jacob's eldest daughter Sally, two of Edah's school-girls, and +last not least Charley Strong, whose pale face and wasted figure +perhaps attracted more notice than all the rest. It was the first time +he had appeared in Brooksville since the Sunday when Mr. Downing had +seen him riding home with Mr. Laurence from church. + +The candidates and their witnesses made quite a crowd around the +chancel, where they remained standing till a short address had been +made and a hymn sung, when they returned to their seats, and the +service continued: A stranger would have been struck by the great +earnestness with which the responses were made, and the unanimity with +which the congregation rose and knelt. This was in a great measure +owing to Edah's example, and that of the children and young people whom +she had instructed. + +We have been before now in Episcopal churches, where the responses +were only a faint inarticulate murmur, and where the congregation +paid so little attention to the prescribed position that we had some +difficulty in realizing where we were. It may perhaps be a matter of +minor importance, but we do confess a dislike to see one-half the +congregation sitting during the Psalms and Hymns, and not rising even +at the Gloria Patri, or the Creed. It may undoubtedly be the case that +some persons are unable to stand through the Te Deum and we have now +and then, when in feeble health, been obliged to sit down before the +close of the Psalms; but we can hardly imagine that any one who is well +enough to come to church at all should be unable to maintain the proper +position during the recitation of the Apostles' Creed. + +Mr. Laurence's sermon was appropriate to the occasion; and at the close +of it, he addressed himself particularly to those who were then and +there to receive the Communion for the first time. He exhorted them +always to remember the profession which they had just made, and the +vows which they had taken upon themselves. He reminded them that they +had not only renounced the service of the world, but they had taken +upon themselves the service of God, and they were bound to labor for +Him and for His Church, as long as they remained on the earth, looking +unto Him for strength and wisdom to do His work. He bade them remember +that they were no longer their own, but bought with a precious price, +and that henceforth they had no right, as they should have no desire, +to live to themselves. Whatever they ate or drank, or whatever they +did, they were to do all to the glory of God: in the workshop or in +the field—at home or abroad—in their places of business or in the +house of God—they were to have Him always before them, and to lose +no opportunity of advancing His cause, with their time, their means, +and their talents. Thus when they came to render up their account, +they would do it with joy and not with grief, and though they might +perchance go forth weeping, and bearing their precious seed, they would +surely come again with joy and great gladness, bringing their sheaves +with them. + +"God," said he, "has been pleased by the exertions of a faithful few to +set His Church in this place, so long without the sound of the Gospel. +The little seed, planted in faith and self-denial, has sprung up and +begun to bear fruit; it will depend greatly upon you, whether the plant +shall become a great tree, so that the fowls of the air may lodge in +the branches thereof, or whether it shall wither for lack of earth and +moisture. Should this ever happen, your last state will be worse than +the first; but I trust it will never be. Stand, then, having your loins +girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness, +and your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace; above +all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench +the fiery darts of the wicked, and take the Helmet of Salvation and the +Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Be faithful and watch +unto prayer, yea, be faithful, and He who has called you from death +unto life shall give you a crown of glory in that day when He shall +come to judge both the quick and the dead, saying— + +"'Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you +from the foundation of the world. Ye have been faithful over a few +things—I will make you ruler over many things; enter ye into the joy of +your Lord!'" + +[Illustration] + +Our task is done for the present. We have traced in these pages +the path of a young girl, with no peculiar advantages, with some +faults, and many weaknesses. We have seen her, though professedly and +by Baptism a member of Christ, spending some of her best years in +forgetfulness of Him. We have seen her suddenly aroused by the power +of the Spirit of God, alive to a sense of her great sin, seeking +instruction, and finding at last peace in believing. We have seen +her acting no more from the caprice of the moment, from a refined +selfishness, or, at best, from simple good impulses, but guiding all +her actions by the one great principle of glorifying God. We have seen +her under the influence of this motive, renouncing innocent and refined +pleasures for the sake of nursing the sick, comforting the afflicted, +and teaching the ignorant—bearing with misconstruction and ridicule, +overcoming evil with good, and perverseness with love, till we have +seen, at last, a family-altar raised, where once the name of God was +never spoken, save in profanity, and a well-filled church adorning the +beautiful valley, where, for many years, there had been a famine, not +of bread nor of water, but of hearing the word of the Lord. And now may +the Author be permitted to linger a moment longer, for the purpose of +saying a few words to the younger part of her readers, and especially +those of her own sex? + +You, my dear young friends, have put on Christ in Baptism, and been +signed with the Sign of the Cross, in token that hereafter you might +not be ashamed to confess the faith of Christ crucified. Many have +acknowledged, in the solemn rite of Confirmation, that the promises +made in your name at your Baptism are binding upon you. Some of you, +perchance, have even received the Sacrament of Christ's most blessed +Body and Blood. Will you not now pause and ask yourselves, in all +honesty and sincerity,— + +"What am I doing to fulfil my baptismal vow? How many battles have +I ever fought under Christ's banner against sin, the world, and the +devil? Has the coming of that blessed time when all shall know Him, +from the least to the greatest, ever been hastened one moment by my +exertions? Have I, since I became a member of Christ's Church, ever +made one sacrifice, or denied myself one gratification, or labored one +hour for the salvation of souls?" + +I fear there are many, yes, some even of my own acquaintance, who +cannot honestly answer these questions in the affirmative. To such +I would say, Is not your position rather a singular one? Members of +Christ, yet having none of His Spirit; heirs of God, and living as +if you had no hope and no expectation of any thing beyond this life; +inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven, yet with all your treasures upon +earth! Now, if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of +His; and dare you say that you have that Spirit, when you have never +yet spent one hour as He spent all his hours when He was here among +men? He purchased His Church with His own blood: you have never +yet lifted a finger for it; and can you, then, imagine that your +Church-membership will be any thing to you but a savor of death unto +death? + +Nor can you properly plead as your justification ignorance of the way +to do good. Wilful ignorance is no excuse, and yours must be wilful +if it exist at all. A little thought might show you more ways than +one in which you might be useful, and your pastor is always ready to +advise you, and put you in the right way. Is there a Sunday School in +your parish, and if there is, what have you done for it? If you are a +pupil, do you set an example of regular attendance and good lessons? Do +you pray for your teachers and your classmates? If you are a teacher, +are you doing all you can, by study, by prayer, by regular attendance, +and by visiting your pupils, for the good of your class? If you are +not a teacher, cannot you become one? Are there no young people of +your acquaintance to whom you may say a word upon the all-important +subject of personal religion? Are there no poor children coming to your +door with baskets to beg, over whom you may obtain an influence for +good—whom you may teach to read and to sew—whom you may persuade to +attend the Sunday School, and clothe decently that they may be able to +do so? + +I have mentioned but a few out of the many ways of doing good that +constantly surround us, but I shall wonder if, even in this short +catalogue, there cannot be found some work that you can do—something +that, perhaps, you have never yet thought of doing. Then put your hand +to the work, and be not discouraged nor faint, though you find it hard +and unpromising at first, and though in the course of months you may +seem to effect nothing. Be no longer the barren fig-tree, which only +occupies uselessly the garden of the Lord, lest He should one day say— + +"Behold, I come these many years seeking fruit, and finding none. Cut +it down: why cumbereth it the ground?" + +Rather let it be said of you, as was said of one of old, whose memorial +was to be cherished wherever the Gospel was preached—"She hath done +what she could." + + + + FINIS. + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 77348 *** |