Miss Churchill

“ Trevanion!" cried Lady Marchmont; "do only tell me that he is married, and I shall be eternally grateful to you."
"It is precisely," replied the other, "the fact of his marriage that I was about to communicate."
"You are the most charming person in the world. You are invested with a perfect halo of delight," exclaimed Henrietta. "Miss Churchill has some chimerical notion of honour in her head, but that is over now; your information does not leave a single obstacle in the way of the most perfect happiness that ever wound up a fairy tale. We must find Miss Churchill, and tell her ”

“ Miss Churchill was very kind and delicate.”
“Fan,” exclaimed papa as if waking out of a dream—“I think I do see the good seed. But some things are best to let grow by themselves. If you poke about the roots and snip off and tie up, you don’t get half the bloom and beauty. People like the Churchills might bring forth so much fruit. Perhaps it will come. The same God who made the gourd, made the century plant. Mother, couldn’t we have a quiet little hymn?”
It was a trick he had when there was any special thing on his mind. Mamma’s soft playing seemed to smooth out the tangles. ”

“ She continued talking to Miss Churchill. “We meet so seldom, and we are never upon terms,” she said lightly. “I assure you we are like cat and dog.” She came toward me and the blond maidens disappeared, everybody, everything disappeared. I had not seen her for nearly a year. I had vaguely gathered from Miss Churchill that she was regarded as a sister of mine, that she had, with wealth inherited from a semi-fabulous Australian uncle, revived the glories of my aunt’s house. ”

“ Lady Churchill governed this great man, in fact, like a child—who himself governed kings. Like the Princess des Ursins, she possessed incontestably certain qualities, a liking and capacity for public business, a knowledge of men, the shrewdness of her sex, the obstinacy of her race, an inconceivable love of domination; but she was hard, vindictive, insatiable of honours and wealth, and united to the pride of a queen the rage of a fury. ”

“ Churchill, angrily. “May is a thorough little lady whatever she is. She would not look at anyone beneath her.”
“Yet such things have been.”
“May would do nothing of the sort; I know that,” positively asserted her father. “And how do we know that she has gone away with anyone? Most likely gone on some wild-goose chase because she could not get on with you.”
“Oh! try to blame me. That’s just like a man.”
“I am not blaming you; but I won’t have anything of that kind said of my girl. May held herself too high for that.”
Mrs. Churchill did not speak. She drew in her firm lips. ”

“ Thus it came to pass that one winter's day in 1677, at St James's Palace, John Churchill led his bride to the altar, which proved the portal to one of the happiest wedded lives that have ever fallen to the lot of mortals. How little, at that crowning moment, Sarah Churchill could have foreseen those distant days of the future, when she was left to walk alone the last stage of life, in which she would read and re-read, with tear-dimmed eyes, the faded letters which her coldness had wrung from her lover in the flood-tide of his passion and his despair. ”

“ CHURCHILL, Miss Lide A., born in Harrison, Maine, 9th April, 1859. She is the youngest child of Josiah and Catherine Churchill. From her father she inherited her literary tastes and refined nature, from her mother her strong will and decided traits of character. Three years after her birth Mr. Churchill removed to New Gloucester, Maine, where he resided with his family until his death. When quite young, Miss Churchill decided to learn telegraphy, and went to Saundersville, Mass., where she partially mastered the art. ”

“ Watteau might have painted the group on the lawn; and, assuredly, Lady Marchmont, Lady Mary Wortley, and Miss Churchill, were each exquisite specimens of different styles of beauty.
"I am not sure," exclaimed Lady Mary, "that I like moonlight; it makes one look so pale."
"Well, if it does," returned Sir George Kingston, glancing at Lady Marchmont, whose regular features seemed outlined on the air like those of a statue,—
"'Paleur qui marque une ame tendre
A bien son prix.'"
Lady Mary observed the look, and it put her in what is best expressed by an ill-humour. ”

“ A dress of fine white India muslin lay on Miss Churchill’s bed. At least, the skirt which had three ruffles edged with delicate needlework. The rest had been ripped apart and ironed out.
“Do you think it pretty?” asked Miss Churchill.
“It is lovely. What exquisite muslin! I wonder what makes these old things so much more beautiful than what we have now?” ”

“ The good Mrs. Churchill had been rather curious to see Margaret. Adèle's enthusiasm and Arthur's boyish admiration had made her look for something remarkable, but she was scarcely prepared for the refinement, the style, the exquisite grace of her daughter's friend. It was a rare combination, even in those circles in which the rich and highly-connected widow moved.
Mrs. Churchill knew enough of the world to be quite sure at once that she was in the house of a lady—not only highly born and bred, but accustomed to the usages of society. ”

“ Trevanion and Miss Churchill was a family affair, arranged without the slightest regard to the young lady's feelings, which Mr. Trevanion well knew were interested by another."
A sudden turn in the walk brought them face to face with Lord Marchmont and Ethel, to whom the countess whispered a few words in a low voice. A flush of pleasure came over the listener's face.
"Trevanion," exclaimed Sir George, "might have spared all his anxiety on Miss Churchill's account. She looks as if the news were only too good to be true." ”

“ Miss Churchill made us a nice long call in the afternoon, and before she had gone papa returned. Dick had begged him to stay and go to the station for Mrs. Fairlie who had just come, and do several other special errands for him. The ladies had stopped on their homeward way at the house of a cousin in Bridgeport, and were thus easily reached by telegraph.
“What a terrible shock!” exclaimed Miss Churchill. “A man in almost perfect health, too; though Dr. Hawley I believe mentioned his having some trouble with his heart. ”

“ At this moment she saw her husband coming up the street in his runabout. When Doctor Churchill ran into his office after a case of instruments he had forgotten, his wife cast herself into his arms, in such a state of emotion that he held her close, bewildered.
"What on earth is it, dear?" he asked. "Are you laughing or crying? Here, let me see your face."
"O Andy"--Charlotte would not let her face be seen--"it's Cousin Lula! She's--she's--oh, she's--going away!"
Churchill burst into smothered laughter. "It can't be you're crying," he murmured. "Charlotte, I don't blame you. Look up and smile. ”

“ We used to work in a tall, dark, pleasant room, book-lined, and giving on to a lawn that was always an asylum for furtive thrushes. Miss Churchill, as a rule, sat half forgotten near the window, with the light falling over her shoulder. She was always very absorbed in papers; seemed to be spending laborious days in answering letters, in evolving reports. Occasionally she addressed a question to her nephew, occasionally received guests that came informally but could not be refused admittance. Once it was a semi-royal personage, once the Duc de Mersch, my reputed employer. ”

“ Churchill. “What was madam herself, who holds her head so high? Only a poor parson’s daughter, with a skin-flint mother, who begs for milk and eggs of everyone who is fool enough to give her them. My girl is as good as madam any day, and as for looks there’s no doubt May has the best of them.”
“You are too uplifted, William,” answered Mrs. Churchill, reproachfully; “remember pride may have a fall.” And having administered this rebuke, Mrs. Churchill left the room, leaving her husband seriously offended. ”

“ An elderly lady in widow's black was kneeling beside a man groaning in mortal agony, fanning away the flies already gathering about his face. He wore the uniform of a Union sergeant,—dusty and splotched and torn. A small Testament was clasped convulsively in the fingers of his right band. The left sleeve was empty. Virginia lingered, whelmed in pity, thrilled by a wonderful womanliness of her who knelt there. Her face the girl had not even seen, for it was bent over the man. ”

“ Prince Albert and the Queen called themselves Lord and Lady Churchill: the real Lady Churchill was now Miss Spencer, and General Grey became Dr. Grey. They were as excited as children in a new game over playing their parts properly, and the struggles of the two men-servants to remember not to say "Your Majesty" and "Your Royal Highness" amused them immensely. "The lady must be terrible rich," whispered an awe-struck woman to one of the servants, "for she has so many gold rings on her fingers." "And you have many more than I," said the aggrieved monarch to Lady Churchill. ”

“ Never had maid been so cruelly treated by man! After spurning Churchill for months, returning nothing to his ardour and homage but a disdainful shoulder or a gibe, the moment he dares to turn his eyes on any other divinity she is the most outraged woman who ever staked happiness on a man's constancy. But at least her anger served the purpose of bringing Churchill back to his allegiance more promptly than smiles could have done. ”

“ The head-mistress Miss Buckingham came in with a very stern expression on her face, and Miss Churchill seemed on the verge of tears.
"I am grieved to tell you that there is a cheat--yes, a cheat," and Miss Buckingham repeated the words with scornful emphasis, "amongst you girls of the Fourth Form. Miss Churchill found this paper, containing arithmetical tables and various other information, under one of the desks when you had left the classroom. I desire that girl, who has sought to secure a good place in the examination list by such despicable means to stand up in her place." ”

“ Miss Churchill looked up from the card that had been placed in her hands.
"Edward," she said, "the Duc de Mersch."
Churchill rose irritably from his low seat. "Confound him," he said, "I won't see him."
"You can't help it, I think," his aunt said, reflectively; "you will have to settle it sooner or later."
I know pretty well what it was they had to settle—the Greenland affair that had hung in the air so long. I knew it from hearsay, from Fox, vaguely enough. Mr. Gurnard was said to recommend it for financial reasons, the Duc to be eager, Churchill to hang back unaccountably. ”

“ Churchill's fan tapped the Bishop's wrist.
"It is your duty to lecture her soundly on her descent into the Bohemian ranks of roaming 'bachelor girls,' who, running after tinsel kites they call 'careers,' turn their backs on all home duties, forsake every form of genuine feminine domesticity, cast family ties to the winds and herd in tenements, boat-houses and mountain camps. Professional female tramps!"
"I am very sure he will agree with me in thinking that Mrs. Churchill is cruel in smothering her innocent friend under an avalanche of opprobrious epithets. ”

“ A friend is never alarmed for us in the right place. But how did you manage to convince Sir Robert that you were in your sober senses?"
"Why, I did what I always do," returned his uncle, "to a man for whom I have a respect,—I told him the truth. I frankly avowed that I took an interest in Miss Churchill, and on your account."
Norbourne coloured, from mixed sensations; still hope was the predominant one.
"I believe that the whole business," continued his uncle, "is now settled. I do not think that you will regret Mrs. Churchill being obliged to remain in town for some time to come ”

“ In England there is no woman below the royal family whose name and personality are so generally known as Lady Randolph Churchill's.
Her prominent identification with the Primrose League has carried her fame into the colonies and into India. Many people in Russia and Germany follow her career with keen interest, the press of both countries bringing her frequently before the public, and even in self-centred France the women of the aristocracy, in imitation of her political achievements, have from time to time essayed to "jouer la Lady Randolph Churchill." ”

“ The Vicomte shrugged his shoulders.
"It is not in America that you will find your destiny, Mademoiselle. You are made to grace a salon, a court, which you will not find in this country. Such a woman as you is thrown away here. You possess qualities—you will pardon me—in which your countrywomen are lacking, —esprit, imagination, elan, the power to bind people to you. I have read you as you have not read yourself. I have seen how you have served yourself by this famille Holt, and how at the same time you have kept their friendship." ”

“ He caught her, struggling wildly, terror-stricken, in his arms, beat down her hands, flung back her hood, and kissed her forehead—her hair, blown by the wind—her lips. In that moment she felt the mystery of heaven and hell, of all kinds of power. In that moment she was like a seed flying in the storm above the mountain spruces whither, she knew not, cared not. ”

“ And this time Miss Churchill laughed heartily. “How fortunate you are to be able to do your own! though I think every woman ought to have some knowledge of it.”
“Every woman ought to know enough of something to support herself by it, if the necessity comes.”
“Yes. And do you know, now that there is so much talk of independence, I am afraid many of our girls are making a sad mistake? They are [Pg 111] all trying to rush into the very front ranks, whether they are geniuses or not; and some of them will be crowded out. ”