Martha Finley

“ So were Blanche and Nannette. Ethel too slumbered, but with tears upon her pillow and her cheek, while at intervals her young bosom heaved with a long-drawn, sobbing sigh.
An emotion of pity stirred in the heart of the stern, cold-mannered woman as she looked and listened.
“Poor little thing! I dare say she misses her dead father and mother,” she sighed to herself as she turned away, “and she seems to try her prettiest to supply a mother’s place to the younger ones. I don’t believe I’ll have any trouble with her, unless on account of the rest; but I’ll do my duty by them all.” ”

“ And they’ve murdered two or three more o’ the big men in Washington,” and with the last words, accompanied by a sob, the lad passed on, repeating his mournful cry.
“Oh, I can’t believe it! I don’t know how to believe anybody, even a reb, could be so wicked,” sobbed Mrs. Ray, hastily glancing over the headings. “Yes, yes: here it is! but I can’t believe it; it’s surely a hoax; for who could be so wicked as to murder such a good, kind man as dear Mr. Lincoln?”
“I can’t believe it either!” exclaimed Ethel, tears raining down her cheeks, “but read it aloud, won’t you, Mrs. Ray?” ”

“ Coote put in his head, saying:
“Mr. Eldon is here, asking to see the children. Let them come right in. No help for it, Sarah,” he added in a lower tone and with a look of suppressed anger and apprehension. “I can’t say yet whether it’s any tale-telling that’s brought him; but if that’s the case somebody’ll have to suffer for it.” And he too looked menacingly at poor trembling little Ethel.
“There then, go along all o’you,” said Mrs. Coote, who had just finished wiping their hands and faces, “and mind what you say and do, or you may get yourselves into trouble.” ”

“ Landreth, Stuart Ormsby entered with Blanche upon his arm.
“We have come for your blessing, Aunt Mildred, as the nearest representative of my father and mother,” he said, turning a beaming face upon her, “for this dear girl has promised to be mine; if her uncles do not object, which she assures me they will not. And, perhaps she will give herself to me even if they should prove so unreasonable and unkind.”
“Don’t be too sure of that, Mr. Ormsby,” said Blanche demurely; “one should show great respect for the opinions of one’s elders. ”

“ And it could hardly be worse to work in that store for so pleasant and kind a woman, as Mrs. Baker evidently was, than to be expected to wait at all times and seasons upon her aunt and cousins, meekly receiving and obeying all their orders, and bearing fault-finding and scolding without retort or remonstrance, no matter how unkind and unjust she might feel it to be. The only hard part would be the separation from her brother and younger sisters, particularly Nannette, who was so accustomed to lean upon her and had been so long her special charge. The tears would fall as she thought of that. ”

“ George Eldon grimly. “However, you needn’t fret, child; of course we, your uncles, will see that you do not come to want; that you are provided with all necessary things.”
“Of course we will,” said Uncle Albert, “and Ethel must do as the doctor advises—not exert herself in the least till he pronounces her entirely recovered. I will go back with you, Blanche, see Ethel, and do what lies in my power to make her easy in body and mind. And you may feel sure that none of you will be allowed to want for anything your uncles can supply.” ”

“ But tears fell fast from her eyes even as she spoke.
“It’s an old saying that while there’s life there’s hope,” said Harry, trying hard to make his tones steady; “so we’ll just hope on, at the same time doing everything that can be done to—to prolong her precious life; for she’s just the loveliest and dearest little sister that ever anybody had.”
“Yes,” said Ethel, “and nothing is impossible with God. Oh, let us all three pray that she may be spared to us if it is best for her and for us. I must go now and get her supper ready and carry it up to her.” ”

“ Ethel said, “and not to care for the cold and scornful looks of those who despise others who labor with their hands. I must go back to my work to-morrow,” she added with a smile, “for I have now been absent longer than was intended when we left home.”
“And I am going with her, mother, to ask her uncles’ consent. She thinks they will give it without hesitation,” he added with an admiring smile into the eyes of his betrothed; “and should they not, I will try argument and persuasion; which should be quite in a lawyer’s line.” ”

“ Uncle Albert ought to be very glad to get rid of such an expense. And you are never of any use; don’t do any errands for Aunt Augusta or her daughters or make yourself useful in any way.” He looked so grave and spoke in such a serious tone that Ethel felt puzzled.
“I have tried to be of use, uncle,” she said humbly, “but I know they can do very well without me. And I want to learn to make money, so that I can help Blanche and Harry and Nannette; because after a while it will cost a great deal to clothe and feed and educate them; and you and Uncle Albert have your own children to take care of.” ”

“ Good-by till dinner time, my dear;” and with the last word he left the room.
“Dear me! as if we hadn’t children enough of our own!” exclaimed Mrs. Eldon in a petulant tone, and impatiently tossing aside her book as the sound of her husband’s footsteps died away in the distance. “Albert needn’t talk as if they were to be no trouble to me. Who else is to do the shopping for their clothes, decide how they are to be made and find somebody to do the work? for of course if they don’t look all right, people will talk and say we don’t treat them as well as we do our own.” ”

“ Mildred said with a smile and another caress; “one who has shown herself such a brave, capable, energetic little woman, preferring to earn her own living rather than to live idly dependent upon others.”
“It is very, very kind in you to say that, dear Mrs. Landreth,” returned Ethel with a blush and a smile. “I know there are many who would despise me for having worked with my own hands for my daily bread, as do even some of my own dear kindred.” ”

“ Their uncle Albert did at length make them a hasty visit, but Mr. Coote took good care that they should not be left for a moment alone with him. Also he treated them with the greatest and most effusive kindness in their uncle’s presence, so that Mr. Eldon left them there feeling assured that they had a very happy home.
Thus two years rolled slowly away to Ethel and Blanche, Harry and Nannette, bringing little change except that they all grew older and taller; wiser too in some respects and more than ever fondly attached to each other, and the next-door neighbors who treated them so kindly. ”

“ It was at first something of a disappointment to Ethel and Blanche to find that Mrs. Keith had other guests than themselves—her husband’s sister Mildred and her two daughters Marcia and Fanny—but a few hours in their pleasant society more than reconciled them to this unexpected addition to the little party; both mother and daughters proving very kind, congenial, and sympathetic; listening with evident interest to the loving remembrances of Nannette indulged in by the sisters and Mrs. Keith and her Mary. ”

“ There was scarcely time to think of the pain of the coming partings from brother, uncles, and other relatives; pain it would be, yet not to be compared with that of many a young bride who must leave father, mother, home, and more than one loved brother and sister.
The wedding was a pronounced success; brides and bridesmaids looking their best—groom and groomsmen also—and each going through his or her part of the ceremony in an altogether creditable manner. ”

“ Good-by now for the present, and I wish you success with your shopping. Give my love to your sister, and tell her I hope the silk and lace will be suited to her taste.”
“O Dorothy, isn’t he kind? whose uncles are better than ours?” exclaimed Ethel as they walked up the street.
“Who, indeed!” said Dorothy. “Uncle George has always been good as gold to me. O Ethel, what perfectly lovely silk and lace he has given us! I shall be surprised if Blanche does not go almost wild with delight when she sees them.”
“Yes, they seem too beautiful and costly for girls so poor as we are. ”

“ Harry returned, blushing, “I can’t help growing fast, and of course Ethel can’t make enough money to be always buying new clothes for me. But I can stand it,” he added cheerfully, “and I hope one of these days I’ll be able to make enough to dress myself and all my sisters, too.”
“Great expectations, my boy,” his uncle said with a smile; “but if you make use of all your advantages I dare say they may be realized some day. And by the way, Harry, if you do make yourself fit for the place, I’ll take you into the store one of these days, should you happen to fancy the business.” ”

“ Coote had hardly gone when the little boy raised himself in the bed and looking with tearful eyes at his sisters grouped together beside him:
“I’ll be a man some o’ these days,” he sobbed, “and then if I don’t take that old rascal down and beat him harder’n he beat me to-day—it—it’ll be queer. Yes, I’ll just thrash him till he can’t move, so I will.”
“I couldn’t feel sorry for him, I couldn’t,” sobbed Ethel, “but, O Harry, dear, we must try to forgive him; because the Bible says, ‘Forgive your enemies. Forgive and ye shall be forgiven.’ And we all need to have forgiveness from God. ”

“ I have heard your mother and sisters speak of her, Percy, and I should like nothing better than to pay her a little visit in her own house, and engage her to make a return, if possible,” Ethel said, her eyes sparkling with pleasure at the very idea.
“I, too,” exclaimed Blanche. “Oh, it would be lovely! better than going to the Eastern States, if we cannot do both.”
“Oh, we can do both,” said Stuart, “if we do not stay too long at any one place.” ”

“ Keith turned to Ethel.
“We have a little shopping to do, my dear,” she said; “so will have to bid you good-by unless you may go with us and care to do so.”
“Thank you, ma’am, I think I must go home now, when I have done an errand or two for Aunt Augusta and Cousin Adelaide,” replied the young girl. “But aunt told me to invite you ladies to go home with me to dinner. Won’t you?”
“No, my dear; we must finish our shopping and hurry home to our little folks, who are sure to be wanting mother and grandma. Take our thanks to your aunt, and tell her we hope to see her at our house one of these days.” ”

“ Blanche had her sewing also, and Ethel some of the fine needlework taught her years before by Mrs. Coote. They could not forget their recent bereavement, and often when alone together their tears would fall as they thought or talked of Nannette, rejoicing for her that she had safely reached the better land, but mourning for themselves that they would see her dear face no more upon earth. ”

“ As Ethel’s needle flew in and out, her thoughts were busy with the glad news of a few days before—that Lee had surrendered to Grant.
“The war must be just about over,” she said to herself, “and how glad dear, good President Lincoln and all the people that love the Union must feel! I don’t think one wants to punish the rebels now, much as we have lost and suffered through the efforts of the Confederates to destroy it—the grand old Union—we just say ‘They’ve given up now, and we will do all we can to help them to repair their losses and begin to prosper again.’ But, oh, hark! ”

“ Baker’s breakfast table one morning early in the next June.
“Father’s coming home from the war to-day!” cried the children exultingly; “the fighting is all done and father’s coming home to stay.”
“Yes,” returned their mother, tears of mingled joy and thankfulness shining in her eyes. “Oh, how thankful I am that he has never been wounded or taken prisoner—to starve and freeze to death, as so many of our poor, dear soldiers did. Oh, children, let us thank God every day of our lives for that!” ”

“ At that Nannette looked up piteously, and with quivering lip, into Ethel’s face, but did not dare to so much as whimper. It was a very faint and watery smile Ethel gave her in reply.
They were hurried into the dining room, a barely furnished apartment with whitewashed walls, green paper window blinds, and rag carpet; exquisitely neat and clean, but wearing like its mistress a cold and cheerless aspect in striking contrast with the beautiful homes of their uncles, which the children had left but a few hours before. ”

“ Percy and Ethel, Stuart and Blanche, felt that they knew each other well, had become mutually attached, and there was a double betrothal and a looking forward to a double wedding when a year or so should establish the young men more fully in business, increasing their means, and bring to the girls a feeling that the mourning garments, now worn in memory of Nannette, might be willingly and with propriety laid aside. ”