Aunt Milly

“ She is my namesake and godchild, and years hence, when your girls, perhaps, have children and homes of their own, Mildred will be mistress here, and the youngsters will talk about another 'Aunt Milly' and her diamonds."
My mother exclaimed, "Hush, dear Milly! Please do not put such a thought into the girl's head. I should never like to think of Mildred filling your place at Denesfield."
"Not while I live, Ellen, of course. Now she is as a daughter to me. You can hardly think how much happiness she has brought to a lonely woman. You must give Mildred to me. ”

“ My aunt asked questions about my parents and sisters; but beyond telling her of them, and delivering the loving messages with which I was charged, there was little time for conversation. It was evening when I arrived, so Aunt Milly kindly insisted that I should go to bed early.
"I want you to be quite rested after your long journey, dear," she said, "so as to be ready to make acquaintance with all the ins and outs of Denesfield."
"Indeed, aunt," I replied, "I am not at all weary. It is very nice to travel when one leaves home so seldom."
"True, my child. At sixteen, we know little of weariness ”

“ Then Aunt Milly told me of plans she had formed for the good of those around her, and of her anxiety to consult my father, whose experience was so much greater than her own.
"I wanted him to come here at once; but that cannot be, it seems. I do hope that Christmas will bring not only him, but your mother and sisters to Denesfield. With the whole family gathered round my fireside, Mildred, I should feel as though I belonged to somebody."
My father was always busy amongst his people at Christmas time, contriving comforts for the old, and pleasures for the young ”

“ I wish you had not set your heart on this.'
'Yes, we are too much of an age; but she need not fear, I am older in everything than she; there is nothing boyish about me, is there, Aunt Milly?'
'Not in your love for Ethel, I am afraid; but, Cardie, what would her father say if he knew it?'
'He will know it some day. Look here, Aunt Milly, I am one-and-twenty now, and I have loved Ethel, Miss Trelawny I mean, since I was a boy of twelve; people may laugh, but I felt for my old playmate something of what I feel now. She was always different from any one else in my eyes. ”

“ Aunt Milly, I don't know what we are to do without you, but all the same Dr. John shall have you. He is the only man who is worthy of Aunt Milly.'
'There, that will do, you have not spoken to Ethel yet.'
Oh, how Mildred longed to be alone with her thoughts, and yet the sound of her lover's praises were very sweet to her; he was Richard's hero as well as Ethel's, she knew, but with Richard's entrance Ethel seemed to think she must be going. ”

“ For shame, Aunt Milly, not to know me when I took my hat off to you at least three minutes ago;' but Roy had the grace to blush a little over this audacious statement as he helped Mildred out, and returned her warm grasp of the hand.
'My dear boy, how could you have known us, and Polly, a perfect stranger, too?'
Roy burst into a ringing laugh.
'Why you see, Aunt Milly, one never loses by a little extra attention; it always pays in the long run. I just took off my hat at random as the train came in sight, and there, as it happened, was Polly's face glued against the window. ”

“ Olive has always been perfectly incomprehensible to me. She is the worst sister, and, as far as I can judge, the worst daughter I ever knew. In my opinion she has simply no heart.'
'Perhaps I had better leave you, Richard; you are not quite yourself.'
The quiet reproof in Mildred's gentlest tones seemed to touch him.
'I am sorry if I grieve you, Aunt Milly. I wish myself that we had never entered on this subject.'
'I wish it with all my heart, Richard; but I had no idea my own nephew could be so hard.'
'Unhappiness and want of sympathy make a man hard, Aunt Milly. ”

“ It is laughable, isn't it, Aunt Milly?' but the poor lad's face contracted with a look of hopeless misery as he spoke.
'My dear, I am so glad,' returned Mildred in a reassured tone; 'never mind the trouble; trouble can be borne, so that you have done nothing wrong. But I feared I hardly know what, you looked and spoke so mysteriously; and then, remember we have heard nothing about you for so long—even Polly's letters have been unanswered.'
'Did she say so? did she mind it? ”

“ They never desired the inheritance for their children; and when Aunt Milly took the course they always hoped she might be led to take, with regard to her husband's relatives, they were greatly pleased.
There was one thing which excited my surprise, and that was their anxiety that my aunt should arrange all her affairs and make William Dene's inheritance certain. I did not know that dear Aunt Milly was even then suffering from a disease which left no hope of long life, and that, when she talked to me of her heavenly treasures, she was expecting ere long to enter upon her eternal inheritance. ”

“ Aunt Milly told me that the sight of her husband's costly gift made her often pray to be numbered amongst the jewels of the Lord of Hosts.
My dear mother's home was very different from Denesfield. Her husband was a clergyman; and though for a few years the sisters lived near each other, my parents removed to Welland Vicarage whilst we children were quite young, and then we were a hundred and fifty miles from Aunt Milly and Denesfield. ”

“ Ah, as if I did not know all that! if I had not known it and gone over it all in my own mind a thousand times, there might have been some comfort in what she said.
“And look here,” said Aunt Milly, thrusting a purse into my pocket—not into my hand, to give me a chance of putting it back again—“he is our representative, dear. He is not to go a step till he has everything—everything you can so much as think upon to make him comfortable. ”

“ When you get right down to plain facts, it's a question of conserving time. You're wasting it—somewhere. I believe you can double up a bit. Let Aunt Milly listen to Belinda, and teach Aunt Milly to help Nonie. I'll take care of Davy. You say Aunt Milly likes to feel she's useful—if you start her she can help Nonie a lot and Nonie'll give her something to think about, too. ”

“ A year after Aunt Milly's death, William Dene brought me here as his wife, and gave me back my home and Aunt Milly's diamonds. I have had such a happy married life as wives have who can honour their husbands and see in them disciples of the Saviour. We have been spared to see our children grow up, and come in their turn bringing their boys and girls to keep Christmas at Denesfield. ”

“ What would Aunt Milly's life be if she went suddenly out of it?
There was Davy, too, and all she had planned to start for the Club and Nonie—
What must Nonie think? She had let a whole day go by and had not seen Liz!
Nancy re-read her father's letter. "If you want to do things to make this world better you can generally find them waiting for you in your very own corner!" Funny—that Daddy should have written just that! Nancy folded her letter with a sigh of relief. "Of course, there's work right here and maybe—I'd be a coward to run away—just now. ”

“ Aunt Milly came almost before we had finished breakfast. I dare say she is accustomed to early hours; but it was evidently strong anxiety and excitement that had brought her out so soon to-day. I had told Lizzie she was coming, and Lizzie, either with some perception of the real nature of her visit, which I could not in any way account for, or with natural Scotch jealousy and reluctance to satisfy the curiosity of strangers as to our relationship, kept on the watch after she had given baby into my charge, and got her triumphantly into the house without any intervention on the part of Domenico. ”

“ There is a treacherous wind this evening. You were standing still ever so long after I left you.'
'That comes of you leaving us, you see,' replied Roy, slyly. 'It took us just half an hour to discover the reason of your abrupt departure.' Richard's eyes twinkled with dry humour.
'One must confess to being bored at times. Keppel was far more entertaining company than you and Polly. When I am in despair for a little sensible conversation I must come to Aunt Milly.'
Aunt Milly was the universal sympathiser, as usual. ”

“ But Tom, his tongue once loosened, went on: "Now if she could spend one year with Aunt Milly—"
The Bishop's mouth twitched. "Well, now, it would be rather funny, wouldn't it, to have the life here curing what was bad for you in your Aunt Milly's training, and Aunt Milly's training curing what is bad for Joan in the life here; No, no; your Aunt Milly would suit for some girls, but not for Joan. She is a little oddity, and not very strong in body. She needs odd treatment. ”

“ Indeed, Anna’s mother, 17who was many years younger than her husband, had never known Milly, while Mr. Strong himself, who had loved her as a dear sister, never blamed her. She was more sinned against than sinning, and so he let her rest in peace, and his children only knew of her as Aunt Milly, who was very pretty, and who was dead. Mr. Strong was dead now himself, and his widow lived in a little red house on the common, with her three children—Mary, who made dresses in the winter, and taught school in the summer ”

“ You might give her her death. When my missis wants her draughts, will you call me?” While I promised to do so, Aunt Milly woke up from a short sleep. “Has anything happened, Milly?” she cried, starting up suddenly. Nothing had happened but that her start had thrown down a footstool, and made a noise which sounded dreadful in the calm of the night. The three of us dispersed hastily upon that sound. Carson disappeared out of the room. Aunt Milly sat up trembling on the sofa. ”

“ Proportioned somewhat like a clothes-pin, he could not stand much lengthening of limb.
"Shorty, it's too bad you weren't first aid man this time," teased Harvie. "It might have made a man of you. All you need is a good stretching."
"Wait until I get you where Aunt Milly can't help you and I'll give you the pounding you need," answered the boy, as he paddled the canoe in the wake of the launch. [202]
Aunt Milly was comfortably ensconced in the seat of honor, sleeping the sleep of the just and generous chaperone. ”

“ Aunt Milly made over the white dress for Nonie. Nancy wrote the invitations, in Miss Sabrina's name, and despatched them by Webb to what B'lindy called "Tom, Dick and Harry" in Freedom.
Nancy, herself, invited Webb.
"I'll tell you a secret about this party, Webb! I want everyone in Freedom to know that Happy House is a happy house; I want them to see how wonderful Aunt Milly is and that she wouldn't be happier in her grave! I want them to see the old mantel and the lovely rooms. And I want them to know that the Hopworth's are invited!" ”

“ My dear, I don’t think it is worth your while to warn her against talking about such matters. When they think a thing’s important, they are all the more likely to talk.”
“But you don’t know Lizzie,” said I.
“No,” said Aunt Milly, doubtfully. “I always have heard the Scotch were faithful servants; but it’s undeniable that they do love to talk. Besides, she’s only a child. My dear, has she any particular claim upon you?”
“Only that she is an orphan,” said I, “like Harry and me.”
“Ah, dear child! there’s two of you; it does not matter to you,” cried Aunt Milly ”

“ We all of us know what is the matter: last night coming home from big meeting there wasn't a thing the matter. You all of you meant to come back to work this morning. You came home late, but you had promised Aunt Maria to stay on while my guests were here, and you meant to do it. The moon was shining bright and just as you came over the hill and got out of that bit of pine woods, off there towards the landing, you saw a ghost——"
"Gawd in heaben, Mr. Harbie! Did you see her, too?" Poor old Aunt Milly's eyes were almost popping out of her head. ”

“ But Milly sighed as she shook her head. “It was different in those days, honey,” she said. “You couldn’t help comin’ back to your ole mammy when you were chil’en. But you’re older now, an’ a mighty good looking pair o’ girls, if I do say it, an’ there’s no tellin’ what may happen when you get to gallivantin’ roun’ with the young men in your mother’s country.”
“Now, Aunt Milly,” laughed Kate, “you’ve always pretended to think we’re only children still, and all at once you talk as if we were grown-up young ladies. ”

“ You can knit socks for the children in Europe, though you must begin on washcloths. Jonathan—I don't suppose there's any use trying to teach you—you must keep us supplied with flowers because Aunt Milly can't have enough—you see there are so many years she has to make up. And sometimes I'll read to you and sometimes I'll work. We'll come here every afternoon—shall we?"
B'lindy and Jonathan and Aunt Milly nodded their heads. B'lindy, watching Miss Milly's face, was beginning to think that there might be some sense in Nancy's prescription of happiness. ”

“ And thou shalt not travel far, neither, to come to the end of that cord.”
“O Aunt Joyce, I do never love to hear such talk as that!” saith Milly. “It causeth one feel so poor and mean.”
“Then it causeth thee feel what thou art,” saith she. “’Tis good for a man to find, at times, how little he can do.”
“It may be good, but ’tis mighty displeasant,” quoth Milisent.
“’Tis very well when it be no worse than displeasant,” Aunt Joyce makes answer. “I thought of places, Milly, which were not displeasant, but awful—where the human soul feels nigh to being shut up in the blackness of darkness for ever. ”