Martha Finley

“ And you can love me. Ah, darling, you have made me the happiest of men; you do not deny that you love me; and you are to me the dearest of all earthly creatures.”
He held her close, while she dropped her head on his breast and wept for very joy and thankfulness. For Elsie was right; he had won her heart and was dearer to her than all the world besides.
Many low-breathed, comforting, endearing words fell from his lips as he held her close in such loving embrace as she had not felt since her mother’s death, till at length her tears ceased to fall and she was able to speak again. ”

“ Ah, how thankful I ought to be, and am, that my father is so different from poor Marian’s!”
“Yes, indeed,” said Violet. “Marian, poor girl, is greatly to be pitied; so let us all be as kind to her as possible.”
“Yes, Mamma Vi; and I think it will be my place to stay with her to-morrow, though I shall be very sorry to miss spending the afternoon and evening with the rest of you at Ion.”
“You dear girl, you shall do no such thing,” returned Violet with an affectionate smile into Lulu’s eyes. ”

“ Croly and Mary Keith had been most interested listeners, and when an instant’s lull occurred, after the parrot-like screams, the former said: “Well, ladies and gentlemen, I am now fully convinced that we have, at least, one ventriloquist among us, though which of you it is I have not been quite able to decide.”
“It may, perhaps, be easier to decide who it is not,” remarked the elder Mr. Dinsmore, with an amused smile.
[178]
“Very true, sir,” said Croly, “and I have come to the conclusion that it is not yourself, Captain Raymond, Doctor Conly, or my friends Harold or Herbert Travilla.” ”

“ Edward and Zoe with their twin babies in the one, Lester and Elsie Leland, with their two boys, in the other.
Affectionate greetings were exchanged, and soon all were on their homeward way. They found the drive delightful, the roads in excellent condition, gardens, fields, and woods arrayed in all the luxuriant verdure and bloom of the month of roses.
The children in the Woodburn carriage seemed full of mirth and jollity. ”

“ Dinsmore, “and any one who is so fortunate as to win his heart and hand will have one of the best, most affectionate, and attentive of husbands.”
“And the disparity of years will not be so very much greater than between Cousin Mary and his brother,” remarked Mrs. Dinsmore.
“And they seem a delightfully happy pair; as a certain married couple of my acquaintance, between whom there must be something like the same disparity of years, are to my actual knowledge,” remarked Violet with a bright, fond look up into her husband’s face as he sat by her side with baby Ned on his knee. ”

“ On leaving the table Marian was taken by Lulu and Grace to see the school-room.
“Oh, what a lovely room! what beautiful desks and comfortable-looking chairs!” she exclaimed. “And with your dear father for teacher it must be only a pleasure, a great pleasure, to study here!”
“So Lu and I think,” said Grace, “though I must own that there are times when I’m a little lazy.”
“I too,” said Lulu, “oftener than Gracie, I think; but though papa is always very patient and kind, he insists that if we are well the lessons must be learned.” ”

“ Life from the dead is in that word,
’Tis immortality.’”
Marian had been greatly impressed by the sermon, the subject of which was the shortness and uncertainty of life. She was very quiet and thoughtful that afternoon and evening, but woke the next morning full of thoughts of the shopping expedition of that day, which would be a rather new experience to her.
She rose an hour earlier than usual, busied herself with her lessons for the day, and at breakfast-time was able to tell the captain that she felt prepared to recite then or on her return from the city, if it suited him to hear her. ”

“ This is the room he bade me bring you to, Marian,” opening a door and leading the way into a large, airy, and beautifully furnished bedroom.
“Oh, how lovely, how lovely!” exclaimed Marian. “Ah, it is much too grand for me—a poor girl who has not a dollar in the world.”
“Not a bit,” said Lulu in reply; “those who have nothing need help all the more; besides, papa does not value people for their wealth and has never taught his children to. Ah, there is your trunk! I see the men have unstrapped it. ”

“ Polly wants a cracker,” responded the harsh voice.
“Come down, and if you are the good bird you seem, you shall have a cracker and a cup of coffee,” he promised; but the only reply was a sound as of the fluttering and flapping of wings that seemed to leave the tree and go farther away till lost in the distance.
“Gone!” said Croly; “and I did not catch so much as a glimpse of her. Did anybody else?”
“And you haven’t found the bugler either,” remarked Mary Keith.
[165]
“No,” laughed Calhoun Conly, sitting beside her, “they are not very successful hunters.” ”

“ While the young people strolled over the grounds the older ones sat conversing together in the veranda. Much of the talk was of Marian and what could be done to help her to a happy and useful life. It soon became apparent that any one of them was ready to offer her a home; Captain Raymond more than willing to take her into the number of his pupils, and Mr. Lilburn really anxious to bear all the expense of her clothing and education. ”

“ She talked to the young girl in the kindliest manner, saying that she must let her be as a mother to her now while she was so young as to need a mother’s loving care. “And you must let us, your own relatives, provide all needful things for you until you are educated and fitted to take care of yourself; which we will endeavor to do, remembering that all we have is the Lord’s, intrusted to us to be used in his service, a part of which is helping others to fit themselves for usefulness.”
“O cousin, how kind, how kind you and all these new-found relatives are!” ”

“ The tea-hour drew near and the young folks came trooping in and joined their elders on the veranda. All had presently found seats and were chatting gayly with their elders or among themselves. Marian alone, occupying a chair close by Mr. Lilburn’s side, was a silent though interested listener, until Captain Raymond, turning to her, asked in his pleasant tones how she liked Ion.
“O sir!” she exclaimed with enthusiasm, “it is lovely! lovely! but not any more beautiful than Woodburn.” ”

“ Humph! keen-eyed you must be if you can’t see a man o’ my size,” returned the voice.
“Perhaps so, sir,” replied Edward, turning a knowing and amused look upon Cousin Ronald, “and I think I do see you very well. But have you been neglected? Your plate and cup look to me to be well filled.”
“My plate and cup, sir?” exclaimed the voice in tones of indignant surprise. “Pray where are they?”
“Directly in front of Mr. Lilburn—or Cousin Ronald, as we, his relatives, are accustomed to call him.” ”

“ Raymond [84] marrying a man with a son of your age, and two other children not young enough to be her own; but remembering what your father is—so handsome, noble-looking, so entirely everything any one could ask or desire—I do not wonder at all at her choice. In fact, she may consider herself quite as fortunate as he in the selection of a partner for life.”
“So I think,” responded Max heartily; “for to me it seems that my father’s superior—indeed, I might say his equal—is not to be found anywhere; and I know Mamma Vi would agree with me. ”

“ Mary said, giving the young girl a warm embrace.
“And Hugh and I are to be left desolate and alone,” remarked Mr. Lilburn in a rueful tone. “Hugh, laddie, it is high time you were hunting up a wife.”
“I think I shall have to try, father,” returned the young man, coloring and laughing. “I contemplate robbing those who have robbed us; but a fair exchange is no robbery.” ”

“ Conly,” laughed Mary. “Whom the captain and Violet choose to invite is, I am sure, no affair of mine; nor should I object to your company so long as you continue so inoffensive as you have been during our brief acquaintance.”
“Thanks,” he returned, bowing low; “now I feel entirely comfortable.”
“That’s right, Cal,” said the captain. “And suppose we all go on deck to see the weighing of the anchor and the starting of the vessel; for the steam is up and we are about ready to move.”
An awning shaded the deck and a breeze from the sea made it a pleasant place to lounge and read or chat. ”

“ Presently her voice, or one very like it, was heard above the clatter of plates, knives and forks, and the buzz of talk, coming seemingly from the mantelpiece some yards in Mr. Lilburn’s rear.
“Polly wants her supper. What you ’bout? Polly’s hungry.”
“Stop your noise, Polly,” promptly responded the other parrot’s voice.
“Cup o’ coffee for Polly, Mamma Vi,” promptly demanded the first voice.
“Miss Ella rules here,” laughingly returned Violet, “but even she cannot serve you unless you show yourselves.” ”

“ Harold said, “and I think will undoubtedly show himself such when we begin our course of medicine.”
“I believe he will,” she responded with a loving smile into Herbert’s face and laying a hand tenderly upon his. “I hope to see you both eminent in your chosen profession and doing good to the bodies and souls of your fellow-men. I think there are few more useful men in the world than our cousin Arthur [126] Conly, and few who are more loved and respected than he; we all love him and have great confidence in his skill.” ”

“ Dinsmore, “yet are not saying more than he deserves. I know of no man for whom I have a higher esteem than Captain Raymond.”
“And I can echo my father’s sentiments. He is a noble Christian man, the best of husbands and fathers,” said Mrs. Travilla. “I know of no man with whom I could feel better satisfied as the husband of one of my daughters. Evidently he makes Violet very happy.”
“And his children from the oldest to the youngest fairly idolize him,” remarked Zoe.
“And you do not object to him as a brother-in-law?” said Rosie interrogatively. ”

“ Stepping across a narrow fissure in the rocks, the gentlemen helping the ladies and children over, they could see that it widened toward the water and that the sea roared and foamed like a seething caldron about the base of the rocks, which were very steep and uneven, in many places great stones piled upon each other in a way that made them look as if it would take very little to send them toppling down into the roaring, fuming water below. ”

“ Did you never hear her speak of her Cousin Ronald Lilburn?”
“Oh, I have, sir, I have! and you are he?”
“That I am, lassie; and old enough to be your grandsire; so dinna think it too great a liberty I take,” kissing her on cheek and lip. “And my cousin Elsie here, and her children, may claim kindred with you also, lassie,” putting the hand he held into that of Mrs. Travilla.
“Yes, we must be permitted to claim you as our own, dear girl,” Grandma Elsie said in tender tones and with an affectionate caress. Then turning to her children, “Rosie and Walter,” she said, “this is your cousin, too.” ”

“ But Marian seemed speechless with emotion, [3] clinging to Lulu and sobbing as if her heart would break.
“O you poor dear!” Lulu said, gently patting and stroking her, “don’t cry so bitterly; we will do all we can to make you happy. You must be very tired with your long journey, but you can rest now in this sweet home of ours.”
“Yes, take her up to the spare room nearest your own, Lulu,” said the captain, “and see that she has everything she needs.”
“And we will have her tea sent up to her,” added Violet. ”

“ But I doubt if there is another quite so dear and good—though Mamma Vi says hers was, and Grandma Elsie seems to think hers could not possibly be excelled! The idea! I’m as glad as can be that I wasn’t born his child, though the older he grows the better and kinder he seems to be. And that’s the way it ought to be with all of us; papa says so, and I know it’s according to Bible teachings. ‘Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,’ it says. Ah me! there’s nobody needs to do that more than you yourself, you bad-tempered, wilful Lulu Raymond. ”

“ I do not want to lose any time, for I wish to be able to earn my own living as soon as possible.”
“Why, what a very independent young woman you seem to be, Cousin Marian!” laughed a sweet girlish voice close at hand, and Violet tripped lightly from the doorway to a chair which her husband, hastily putting Grace from his knee, drew forward for her use.
“Thank you, my dear,” she said, taking possession. “You are intending to become one of my husband’s pupils, Marian?” ”

“ How he loved that hymn about the shining shore! and perhaps he has reached it now,” she added with a burst of tears.
“But oh, we will hope not! hope he is still living and will be spared to the parents who love him so dearly,” said Marian. “And I believe if anybody can save him it is your cousin, Dr. Conly.”
“I’ll run back to the house to see if there is any sign of life yet,” said Walter, and rushed away. ”

“ Mary Keith, Marian McAlpine, and Will Croly were all three at one and the same table, Mr. Lilburn, Harold, Herbert, Rosie, and Evelyn Leland sharing it with them. The last two and the brothers exchanged furtive glances of amused expectancy. Mr. and Mrs. Dinsmore, Grandma Elsie, Walter, and the Raymonds occupied the next two; the rest of the company others not far distant.
Almost every one seemed in gay spirits and all were blessed with good appetites, the satisfying of which kept them very busy for a time, though not to the entire exclusion of mirthful chat and laughter. ”

“ Marian’s look was inquiring and he went on: [51] “Knowledge of the right kind brings more real pleasure into one’s life than can be found in wealth, fits one for greater usefulness, and is, as you just remarked, not so easily lost.”
“Very true, sir,” Marian responded thoughtfully, “and if you help me to gain that you will be a benefactor indeed.”
“I am disposed to do all I can to help you, my good girl,” he said in a kindly tone; “and I think your companionship with Lulu in her studies will so interest and spur her on that I shall feel more than repaid for the slight addition to my labor.” ”

“ Toward tea-time all had gathered on the verandas and the lawn in front of the house. The young people and little ones were somewhat weary with romping games and roaming over the grounds, so that very little was going on among them except a bit of quiet chat here and there between some of the older people.
Walter, always eager for the sports Cousin Ronald could make for them with his ventriloquism, stepped to the back of the old gentleman’s chair and made a whispered request for an exertion of his skill in that line. ”

“ O Ned, dear, ask him to make their mother a Christian too.”
[185]
“My darling, I will; I do every day of my life,” he said with emotion, and holding her close.
In another moment the carriage had drawn up before the veranda steps and Herbert, who had arrived and dismounted a little in advance of the others, hastened to assist them to alight.
“Why, Zoe, dear girl, how you are trembling!” he exclaimed, as he lifted her out and set her on her feet. “Don’t allow yourself to be so agitated; the danger is past, and by God’s great goodness we have all escaped injury.” ”