Emily Sarah Holt

“ May God bless thee, my maid, and make thee a blessing! I have but one word for thee at the parting, and if thou wilt take it as thy motto for life, thou mayest do well. ‘Look to the end.’ Try the ground afore thou settest down thy foot. ‘Many a cloudy morrow turneth out a fair day,’ and ‘’tis ill to get in the hundred and lose in the shire.’ So look to the end, Jenny, and be wise in time. ‘All that glittereth is not gold,’ and all gold does not glitter, specially when folk’s eyes be shut. ”

“ She thought of it many times during the week, when she was altering the flowered tabby to fit herself, and by the time that the dress was finished, Jenny’s regard for Robin Featherstone was about finished also. Love she had never had for him; but he had flattered her vanity, and she liked it.
The next Sunday morning came, and Jenny dressed herself in the flowered tabby, with a pink bow on her muslin tippet. With a gratified sense of pride, she passed Fortune and Dolly Campion on her way up the churchyard; not less gratified to hear their respective whispers. ”

“ There isn’t a soul as thinks as much of you as I do, not in all the country-side. Nor there isn’t one as ’ll miss you like me.”
“I just wish you’d take up with somebody else, and give over plaguing me,” said Jenny mercilessly. “There’s Ruth Merston, and Dolly Campion, and Abigail—”
“I don’t want ne’er a one on ’em,” answered Tom, in a rather hurt tone. “I’ve never thought, not a minute, o’ nobody but you, Jenny, not since we was a little lad and lass together. I’ve always loved you, Jenny. Haven’t you ne’er a kind word for me afore we part? May be a long day ere we shall meet again.” ”

“ At that moment the new servant, and his partner, the dairy-maid, whisked round close beside them, and Jenny saw, from the amused twinkle in his dark eyes, that Jackson had overheard her disparaging remark.
“He looks as if he hadn’t washed himself this week,” observed Mr Featherstone, whose complexion was fair.
“He’s an ill-looking fellow,” replied Jenny.
“Do you hear what they say of you?” asked Fortune, the dairy-maid, of her partner. ”

“ That’s safe to be His will, for He willeth not the death of a sinner. But as to giving her to thee, if I were thou, Tom, I’d leave that with Him. Meantime, thy way’s plain. ‘Be ye not unequally yoked together.’ The command’s clear as daylight. Never get a clog to thy soul. Thou canst live without Jenny Lavender; but couldst thou live without Jesus Christ? ”

“ Well, Jenny, don’t lose thy temper over Tom, or Robin either. Thou’rt like the most of maids—they’ll never heed the experience of old folks. If thou wilt not be ‘ruled by the rudder, thou must be ruled by the rock.’ ‘All is not gold that glitters,’ and I’m afeard thou shalt find it so, poor soul! ”

“ Considering the chain of shocks and disappointments which Mrs Jane had suffered, Jenny was astonished to see how extremely bright and mirthful she was, and still more surprised to perceive that this light-heartedness appeared to infect the Colonel. It was not, however, shared by Mrs Lane.
“Well, Jane, child,” she said one morning to her daughter, “I am truly glad to see thee so light of heart, in especial after all the troubles and discomfitures thou hast gone through. ’Tis a blessing to have a hopeful nature.” ”

“ Poor Jenny had no idea that Mrs Jane used a very moderate amount of them, as contrasted with most fashionable ladies of her day.
“I must have a word with you, Jenny, as to your manners,” said Mrs Jane, more gravely. “I can’t do to have you falling in love with anybody. It would be very inconvenient, and, in fact, there’s nobody here for you. Remember now, you are above Featherstone and all the men-servants; and you must not set your cap at the chaplain, because he’s Mrs Millicent’s property.” ”

“ It took them twenty hours to cross; and before ten of them were over, Robin Featherstone would have been thankful to be set down on the most uninhabited island in the Pacific Ocean, with no prospect of ever seeing Paris or anything else, might he but have been safe upon dry land. It was in a very limp, unstarched condition of mind and body that he landed on the Calais quay. Colonel Lane, an old traveller, and an excellent sailor, was rather disposed to make merry at poor Robin’s expense; for toothache and sea-sickness are maladies for which a man rarely meets with much sympathy. ”

“ But Master and Madam, they set forth to-morrow, and Diggory and I go with them. Mark my words, there’s somewhat wrong! and if it goes much further, I shall just give my warning and be off. I’ve no notion of getting into trouble for other folks.”
“But whatever is it all about?” said Jenny.
“Well, if you want my thoughts on it,” whispered Millicent, in an important tone, “I believe it’s all ’long of that Jackson. You thought he was a decent sort of fellow, you know. But you’ve to learn yet, Jenny Lavender, as all isn’t gold as glitters.” ”

“ This was Friday, and Mrs Jane was to leave home on Tuesday; and on Saturday afternoon, Robert Featherstone, Colonel Lane’s valet, whom Jenny thought such a gentleman, was to come for her and her luggage.
If a gentleman be a man who never does any useful thing that he can help, then Mr Robin Featherstone was a perfect gentleman—much more so than his master, who was ready to put his hand to any work that wanted doing. Mr Featherstone thought far more of his elegant white hands than the Colonel did of his, and oiled his chestnut locks at least three times as often. ”

“ Old Anthony understood in a moment.
“Ay so, Tom? I’m fain for thee. And thou’lt be glad all thy life long, my lad, that thou waited for the Lord to give it thee, and didn’t snatch it like out of His hand. We’re oft like children, that willn’t wait till the fruit be ripe, but makes theirselves ill by eating it green. And when folks does that, there’s no great pleasure in the eating, and a deal of pain at after.” ”

“ I do think I had the honour of touching His Gracious Majesty’s little finger, I really do!”
“Really do, by all means, if it makes you happier; I’ve no objection. Jenny, I shall eat up all your cake. It is fit to be set before the Queen. Millicent, I wonder you can find in your heart to wash your hands.”
“Oh, but I had washed them, madam, before I knew,” answered Millicent regretfully.
“Well, I hope you had,” answered Lady Fisher, “seeing there lay nine years betwixt. Heigh ho! time runs away, and we with it. ”

“ Everybody knows the lower table is only for the household”—a word which then meant the servants—“but those who sit at the upper, and belong to the family, must hold their tongues. If we did not, strangers might take us for the gentlewomen.”
Jenny silently and earnestly wished they would.
“Now then, go into the parlour and behave yourself!” was the concluding order from Millicent.
Poor Jenny escaped into the parlour, with a longing wish in her heart for the old farmhouse kitchen, where nobody thought of putting a lock upon her lips. She felt she was buying her dignities very dear. ”

“ The pockets of the suite proved to be almost as bare as those of the King. The Duke of Hamilton managed to find a half-louis (which he well knew he should never see again) ; Queen Henrietta was applied to in her coach, but in vain, as she either had no money, or did not choose to produce it, well knowing her son’s extravagance and thoughtlessness. Colonel Lane had a sovereign, which he furnished. ”

“ Robin’s a gentleman, and Tom’s a clown.”
“I don’t see how you are to give up Robin, when you are going into the very house where he lives.”
“Of course not. ’Tis all rubbish! I wish old women would hold their tongues. I’m not going to Bentley Hall to sit mewed up in my mistress’ chamber, turning up the whites of my eyes, and singing Psalms through my nose. I mean to lead a jolly life there, I can tell you, for all Grandmother. It really is too bad of old folks, that can’t knock about and enjoy their lives, to pen up young maids like so many sheep. ”

“ The Hall pew was empty, and Jenny herself was once more a mere nobody in the corner of her father’s seat. There was no coach to ride in; and very humiliated she felt when Dorothy Campion gave her a smart blow on the back as she went down the churchyard.
“Well, Mrs. Jenny! so you’ve come down from your pedestal? Going to be very grand, weren’t you?—couldn’t see your old acquaintances last Sunday! But hey, presto, all is changed, and my fine young madam come down to a farmhouse lass.
“How was it, Jenny? Did Mrs Jane catch you at the mirror, trying on her sky-coloured gown? ”

“ Thou’st never been turned away, child?”
“Not for nought ill, father,” said Jenny, almost crying with conflicting feelings; “but Mrs Jane, she’s going to France, and all’s that upset—” and Jenny sobbed too much to proceed.
Mr Featherstone came to the rescue, and explained matters.
“Humph!” said the farmer; “that’s it, is it? World’s upset, pretty nigh, seems to me. Well, folks can’t always help themselves—that’s true enough. Howbeit, thou’rt welcome home, Jenny! there’s always a place for thee here, if there’s none anywhere else. You’ll come in and take a snack, Mr Featherstone?” ”

“ The good Lord always keeps His door open, and turns away none as come.”
At that moment Tom came in, with a hearty welcome to his guest. Jenny, helped by Molly, bustled about, setting the table, and cutting bread and butter, while Tom drew the ale; and they had just sat down when a little rap came on the door.
“Anybody at home here?” asked a bright voice. Jenny knew it at once.
“O Mrs Jane!—I crave pardon, my Lady!—pray you come in, and do us the honour to sit down in our house.”
“I’ll do you more honour than that,” said Lady Fisher comically, as she came forward. ”

“ Such a sermon Jenny Lavender had never heard before.
The text was Genesis, chapter 32, verse 26: “I will not let Thee go, except Thou bless me.” The preacher told his hearers in a plain fashion, without any learned disquisitions or flowery phrases, what blessing meant; that for God to bless a man was to give him, not what he wished, but what he really needed for his soul’s welfare; that many things which men thought blessings, were really evils, and that all which did not help a man towards God, only hurried him faster on the road to perdition. ”

“ There’s been a many changes since we met—Molly, dust that chair, quick, and bring it up for the gentlewoman.”
“Ay,” said Millicent, with another sigh, as she sat down in the heavy Windsor chair which it required all Molly’s strength to set for her; “there are many changes, Jenny, very many, since you and I lived together at Bentley Hall.”
“Not for the worser, are they?” replied Jenny cheerfully.
“Ah! I’m not so sure of that, Jenny,” answered Millicent.
“Well, I’m nowise afeard of changes,” said Jenny, in the same bright tone. “The Lord means His people good by all the changes He sends. ”

“ Jenny felt very little inclined for jests; the rather since she was beginning to feel extremely doubtful if she would ever have any wedding-day at all. She felt instinctively that a jewel such as King Charles’s clasp was not fit for her to wear. Tom would not like to see it, she well knew ”

“ For two hours all was haste and tumult in Bentley Hall. Then, when the soldiers had departed, carrying their prisoners with them, a hush almost like that of death fell upon the house.
Mrs Lane had wept till she had no more tears to shed; her daughter did not weep, but she looked very white and sad.
“Now you mark my words!” said Millicent to Jenny; “’tis that Jackson has done it. He’s played the traitor. Didn’t I always say he was a Roundhead! Depend upon it, he’s betrayed something the Colonel’s done in His Majesty’s service, and that’s why that wicked Parliament’s down on him. ”

“ Satan’ll have thee down if thou doesn’t. He’s strong and full o’ wiles, and if he can’t conquer thee in his black robe, he’ll put on a white one. There’s no harm in thy saying to the Lord, ‘Lord, Thou knowest that I love Jenny Lavender’; but take care that it does not come before, ‘Lord, Thou knowest that I love Thee.’ Maybe He’s putting the same question to thee to-night, that He did to Peter at the lake-side. ”