Janice Meredith

“ Meredith, indignantly. “Nor do I believe that even the rank and file would take such advantage of two helpless women as thou art seeking to do.”
“Tush! I may state it o’er plainly; but my intention is merely to make clear for your own good that ye have no other option but that I offer ye.”
“Any insults would be easier to bear than yours,” declared Janice, indignantly; “and theirs would be for once, while yours are unending.”
“Such folly is enough to make one forswear the whole sex,” the commissary angrily replied. “Nor am I the man to put up with such womanish humoursomeness. ”

“ Meredith, but which put an anxious look on his daughter’s face and a scowl on that of Mobray.
“I make no doubt ’t was a well-hatched scheme from the start,” he asserted. “Lord Clowes and Erskine are but Tom Tickle and Tom Scratch.”
With the same thought in her own mind, Janice took the first opportunity to beg her father to seek further rather than accept the commissary’s hospitality.
“Nay, lass,” replied Mr. Meredith. “Beggars cannot be choosers, and that is what we are. Remember that I am without money, and have been so ever since those rascals hounded me from home. ”

“ While Charles was within hearing, Mrs. Meredith continued to scold Janice about the burnt syrup, but this subject was ended with his exit. “I’m ashamed that a daughter of mine should allow a servant to be so familiar,” Mrs. Meredith began anew. “’T is a shame on us all, Janice. Hast thou no idea of what is decent and befitting to a girl of thy station?” ”

“ Meredith, made the more angry by his defence of the girl. “Men are all of a piece, and cannot hold anger if the eyes be bright, or the waist be slim,” she thought to herself wrathfully, quite forgetful of the time when that very tendency in masculine kind had been to her one of its merits. “Set to on the quilt, girl, and see to it that there’s no sneaking to the kitchen.”
Scarcely had Janice, obedient to her mother’s behest, seated herself at the big quilting-frame, when Lord Clowes joined her. ”

“ Ah, Miss Meredith, ’t is easy for the maid whose tints are a daily toast at the messes to blame those to whom nature has not given a transparent skin and mantling blood.”
When Mobray returned from Germantown, he at once sought out Janice and confirmed André’s action. Though he found her working on the costume, it was with so melancholy a countenance that he demanded the cause.
“T is what you know already,” moaned the girl, miserably. “Lord Clowes is pressing me for an answer, and now dadda is urgent that I give him ay.” ”

“ For I love you, Miss Janice, love you more
Though taken very much by surprise, Janice drew herself up proudly, and interrupted: “You forget—” she began.
“Of course I forget!” broke in the groom. “What would love be worth if it did n’t forget everything but itself? I forget I’m a bond-servant, you ’d say. So I should if I were a king. But you are too heartless to know what love is,” he ended bitterly.
“’T is not so,” denied Janice, angrily; “but I’ll love no redemptioner, though he be as good-looking and good-tempered as you are ill-natured and ugly.” ”

“ It is a regrettable fact that Miss Janice, who had looked the picture of submission as her mother spoke, made a mouth, which was far from respectful, at the departing figure.
“Oh, Janice,” said Tabitha, “will he be very severe?”
“Severe?” laughed Janice. “If dear dadda is really angry, I’ll let tears come into my eyes, and then he’ll say he’s sorry he hurt my feelings, and kiss me; but if he’s only doing it to please mommy, I’ll let my eyes shine, and then he’ll laugh and tell me to kiss him. Oh, Tibbie, what a nice time we could have if women were only as easy to manage as men!” ”

“ A pause of some moments followed and then Janice asked: “Dost think I am promised to Mr. Evatt, Tibbie?”—for let it be confessed that every incident of what she had pledged herself not to tell had been poured out to her confidant.
“I think so,” whispered the girl, “and he being used to court ways would surely know.”
“He ’s—well, he’s a fine figure of a man,” owned Janice. “And tho’ I ne’er intended it, I’d rather ’t would be he than Philemon Hennion or the parson.”
“What if thy father and mother should not consent?” said Tabitha. ”

“ Then she turned to her friend and asked, “Shall I wear my light chintz and kenton kerchief, or my purple and white striped Persian?”
“Sufficiently smart for a country lass, Jan,” cried her friend.
“Don’t call me country bred, Tibbie Drinker, just because you are a modish city girl.”
“And why not thy blue shalloon?”
“’T is vastly unbecoming.”
“Janice Meredith! Can’t thee let the men alone?”
“I will when they will,” airily laughed the girl.
“Do unto others—” quoted Tabitha. ”

“ Meredith. “’T will be more comfortable for thee, and far happier for us.”
“Remember that I run the risk of capture, wife.”
“Thou canst be kept concealed from all but Peg and Sukey, who are as faithful as we.”
“And I am sure if by chance you were discovered,” suggested Janice, haltingly, “that Colonel Brereton would—would —save you from ill treatment.”
“Colonel Brereton?”
“Ay, Lambert,” spoke up Mrs. Meredith, as her daughter looked appealingly to her. “There is something yet to be told, which has won us a strong friend who would never permit thee to suffer. ”

“ Janice reached forward and raised the trap, but her mother caught her arm away, and the door fell with a bang.
“’T is all right, mommy,” the girl protested. “Didst not hear the jingle of his spurs? ’T is surely an officer, and we need not fear any such.”
Even as she spoke the trap was raised by a sabre from below. “Who ’s above?” the man demanded, and as Janice leaned forward and peeked through the opening, he went on, “I seek—” There he uncovered. “Ah, Miss Meredith, dark as it is above, I could pick you from a thousand by Colonel Brereton’s description. ”

“ Left alone by her father to digest this advice, Janice lapsed into a despondent attitude, while remarking: “’T is horrible, and never could I bring myself to it. Starvation would be easier.” She sat a little time pondering; then, getting her cloak, calash, and pattens, she set forth, the look of thought displaced by one of determination. A hurried walk of a few squares brought her to the Franklin house, where she asked for André.
“Miss Meredith,” cried the captain, as he appeared at the door, “this is indeed an honour! But why tarry you outside?” ”

“ Already her mother’s discussions of clothes, of linen, and of furniture were constant reminders of its imminence, and the mere fact that the servants of Greenwood and the neighbourhood accepted the matter as settled, made allusions to it too frequent for Janice not to feel that her bondage was inevitable. A dozen times a day the girl would catch her breath or pale or flush over the prospect before her, frightened, as the bird in the net, not so much by the present situation, as by what the future was certain to bring to pass. ”

“ I left the Delaware, Miss Janice, because the ‘Brune’ frigate sails for England in three days, and there are despatches to be writ and sent by her. And for the same reason I can tarry here but another hour, much as I should like to stay. Mr. Meredith, ’t is a man’s duty to aid a creditor to pay his debts. May I not hope to see you and Mrs. Meredith and Miss Janice at headquarters ere long? For if you come not willingly, I’ll put Miss Janice under arrest as an arrant and avowed rebel, and have her brought to York under guard. ”

“ But ’t is all right as long as the men don’t know that we do.”
“Here ’s the sleigh,” interrupted Tabitha, going to the door. “Come out quickly, while thy father is having the stirrup cup, and I’ll ask him about Thalia.”
“Oh, will you?” joyfully cried Janice. “Tibbie, you’re a—”
Miss Meredith’s speech was stopped by the two coming within hearing of the redemptioner, who promptly removed his cap. “’T will be good to have you back at Greenwood, Miss Janice,” he said with a bow.
“How gracefully he does it!” whispered Tabitha, as they approached the sleigh. ”

“ Phil, there is no occasion to go off like touchwood; ’t is not as thee thinks. What is true, however, is that we’ve a chance to catch this same rogue of a Brereton, if we but lay heads together.”
“Oh, dadda!” expostulated Janice. “You’ll not—for I promised him to tell nothing—and never would have spoken had I not been dazed—and thinking him dead. I should die of—”
“Fudge, child!” retorted Mr. Meredith. “We’ll have no heroics over a runaway redemptioner who is fighting against our good king. ”

“ Loring, Miss Meredith.”
“I pray you, madam, to believe,” entreated Janice, even as she made her curtsey, “that you entirely misinterpreted—”
“I care not what you meant,” broke in Mrs. Loring, without the pretence of returning the obeisance. “Say your say to Sir William, and be gone.”
“Damn you, Jane!” swore the general, bursting into a rage. “If you cannot behave yourself I will call in the servants and have you put from the room. Please be seated, Miss Meredith, and tell me in what manner I can serve you.” ”

“ Relieved to know who it was, but too breathless to make reply, Janice leaned against the lintel until a sleepy soldier gave them entrance. There was a further delay while Lord Clowes ignited a dip from the lamp and lighted her to the stairway. Here he handed it to her, but retaining his own hold, so as to prevent her departing, he said—
“I lost my temper at hearing that young scamp make such ardent love, and so I spoke harshly to ye. Canst not make allowance for a lover’s jealousy?” ”

“ In a greater or less degree these merits and defects are reflected in "The Story of an Untold Love" and in "The Great K. & A. Train Robbery," but "Janice Meredith" reveals marked literary improvement. Janice is unquestionably the least artificial of all his female characters. In "Janice Meredith," too, the author is on familiar ground. One has only to compare his Washington with the Washington [275] whom Thackeray pictured in "The Virginians" to realize fully that while the English novelist was the abler writer the American is the closer student. ”

“ Meredith, with an ease that excited the envy of her daughter.
“The general has ordered his barge for us, my dear,” said the squire, “and ’t is best that we get across the river while there ’s daylight, if we hope to be back at Greenwood by to-morrow evening.”
Farewells were promptly made, and, under the escort of Major Gibbs, they set out for the river. Once in the boat, Janice launched into an ecstatic eulogium on the commander-in-chief.
“Ay,” assented Mr. Meredith; “the general ’s a fine man in bad company. ’T is a mortal shame to think he’s like to come to the gallows.” ”

“ That Tibbie intended to shirk the consequences of her misdemeanour was only too clearly proved to Janice, when later she went to her room to prink for supper, for lying on her dressing stand was the miniature. Shocked as Miss Meredith was at the sight, she lifted and examined the trinket.
Bred in colonial simplicity, it seemed to the maid that she had never seen anything quite so exquisite. A gold case, richly set with brilliants, encompassed the portrait of a girl of very positive beauty. ”

“ As for Janice, she took what came with such merriness and good cheer that she was soon friends not merely with a number of their fellow-companions in misery, the British and Brunswick officers, but with the officers of their escort of Continental troops, and they were all quickly vying to do the little they could to add to the Merediths’ comfort and ease. Of the miserable lodgings, whether in town or field, they were sure to be given the least poor ”

“ Ah, Miss Janice, they have beaten our troops, but they’ve still to beat our general, and if I can but make Lee— I must not linger. Wilt give me a good-by and God-speed to warm me on the ride?”
“Both,” answered Janice, holding out her hand, which the officer once again stooped and kissed. “And to-night I’ll pray for his Excellency.’
Brereton shoved open the door wide enough for the horse to pass through. “And not for his Excellency’s aide?” he asked.
Janice laughed a little shyly as she replied: “Does not the greater always include the lesser?” ”

“ Meredith.
“Ay,” added the squire. “Hast heard of how that scoundrel Evatt schemed
“Oh, dadda!” moaned Janice, imploringly.
“No scoundrel is he, squire, nor farmer neither; he bein’ Lord Clowes,” asserted Phil. “He joined our army at New York, and is Sir William’s commissary-general an’ right-hand man.”
A more effectual interruption than that of the girl’s prevented Mr. Meredith from enlarging upon the theme, for the bugle sounded in quick succession the “assembly” and “boots and saddles.” ”

“ Meredith, and during the whole day the two were never alone. His forgiveness partly won by his service, the commissary ventured to take a seat beside the quilter, and sought to increase his favour with her by all the arts of tongue and manner he had at command. As these were manifold, he saw no reason, as dusk set in, to be dissatisfied with the day’s results. Inexperienced as Janice was, she could not know that the cooler and less ardent the man, the better he plays the lover’s part ”

“ On the morning following this conversation Janice was stopped by the commissary as she was passing his office. “Will ye give me the honour of your presence within for a moment?” he requested. “I have something of import to say to ye.”
With a little trepidation the girl entered, and took the seat he placed for her.
Taking a standing position at a respectful distance, Lord Clowes without circumlocution plunged at once into the object of the interview. “That I have long wished ye for my wife, Miss Meredith,” he said with frank bluffness, “is scarce worth repeating. ”