Sari Bair

“ Sarah was evidently bent on conquest. Her toilet was a marvellous combination of some shining blue and white texture, mingled with pink roses and gold ornaments. Her soft fair hair was loosened and curled, and she had a childlike manner of being carelessly happy. Brune sat at her right hand; she talked to him in smiles and glances, and gave her words to Aspatria. She was determined to please both sister and brother, and she succeeded. Aspatria thought she had never in all her life seen a woman so lovable, so amusing, so individual. ”

“ She did not realize that the voice which bade her unlock the door was lower and softer than those to which she had been listening. She was too angry to distinguish one voice from another. The girl who had withstood the persecutions of an Uncle Daniel would not endure forever the teasing of two girls of her own age. She seized her pitcher from the stand. Not without much spilling of water on floor and bed, she climbed to the footboard.
"Will you go 'way, then!"
"Sarah, open the door."
"I won't." And Sarah turned the pitcher upside down, its mouth protruding from the transom. ”

“ So the Kewpie was rewarded for being good, and the Baby was rewarded for being bad, and Sara slipped through the ivory doors with both of them tucked under one arm.
Almost immediately a Gunkus in livery stepped up and handed her a note from Avrillia. He made a low bow, holding his shoe in his right hand over his heart.
It was written on a rose-leaf, of course, and it had a delightful faint odor, not only of roses, but of isthagaria. Sara opened it, and read,
"We're leaving on the early boat. Would you like to go with us? We'll be gone all day." ”

“ Martin, I want a long talk with you about Mr. Barrie. I know that you are very intimate with him. I need not tell you that I esteem him very highly. As a minister he has few equals, that we all feel; he is, besides, a gentleman in every sense of the word—a scholar, a man of culture, quite an acquisition to the district. Then Mrs. Barrie is a most delightful creature,—I do not know a more thorough lady than she is; and they have a very nice family—very nice children indeed—good-looking;—so they may well be, considering their parents—the handsomest couple in the parish, I may say in the county. ”

“ Ab-Domen had not overlooked her name, El-Sali, in the vernacular, which adorned the bow. Crew, supplies, all were in readiness.
In the cabins lay fresh clothes suited to the locality and climate. A native fellah in immaculate white bounded forth whenever I clapped my hands while Lady Sarah’s needs were looked after by a dusky Syrian maid who fawned at her feet or swung her fan until we sent her away on one pretext or another. My desert queen was a gorgeous picture when she first mounted the companion-way steps and stood under the green and white awning. ”

“ How one longs to take them gently out of the crowd, to wash their poor cheeks, and lead them to some quiet home, where they may shut their tired eyes in peace! 'What is the world to you?' one would say to them. 'You have done all your tasks,—well or badly; leave the arena to the young and the strong; it is no place for you; come home and rest, before the dark angel finds you in your tinsel and gewgaws.' Would they listen to me, I wonder?
Sara's soft dimples came into play presently. ”

“ He drove rapidly until he entered the park; then he walked the horse under the great elms, and let his thoughts wander back to the village, back to the beautiful woman who had become so dear to his heart. The brooding darkness on his brow cleared as he remembered the light and peace of Sarah's face, and when he lifted his eyes to his many-windowed, stately home, he thought of her as its mistress, and felt that his life without the hope would be a very sombre one indeed. ”

“ Sarah went to her friend the cook, told her of her trouble, and asked for two days absence. Mrs. Ellis went upstairs to see if she could find her mistress, and having done so, obtained not only a day or two, but a week. Sarah was crying so very bitterly she could hardly pack the few necessary things; but, with Edith to help her, she and Dick went off to Mr. Brown's home. There they found all in great confusion, neighbours whispering outside the house, and women trying to keep the children from screaming and making a noise. ”

“ She took her seat in an arm-chair like the one on the other Post, and Sara noticed that her kerchief was exactly the size of one of Mother's hemstitched sheets. She was indeed a handsome, venerable and distinguished-looking old lady, if you stood far enough away to see her all at once.
"Well, Sara, should you like to see the cousins?" asked Pirlaps, when this interesting manoeuvre had been completed and the other Grandmothers began to disperse. "We'll be just about in time for the drill." ”

“ But the surprises were not yet over. The tall gentleman found places for Miss Miflin and the children near the desk at the front [Pg 107] of the room. Sarah looked up at him with a mixture of gratitude and alarm.
"Couldn't you stay by us?" she whispered.
The stranger laughed.
"I'm not going away," he answered. Then to the amazement of Miss Miflin and Sarah and the consternation of Daniel Swartz, he took his place behind the desk.
"They were already by the judge!" said Uncle Daniel. "It is not fair, it—"
"I'd advise you to be quiet," said Mr. Weaver curtly.
Sarah seized Miss Miflin's arm. ”

“ What is the matter?"
"Jacob Kalb is living in our house," said Sarah hoarsely. "We have no home any more. The twins must go to Aunt Mena, and Albert to Uncle Daniel. We have no home any more. He took it away from us. It is not right."
Miss Miflin helped Sarah to her own chair. Then she took the county paper from her desk. ”

“ However, Sarah was going to marry a young man who had saved quite a sum of money. He was building a new house on a cross street at the foot of a meadow that lay behind Barney Swan's shop. Sarah had told Barney all about it, and he often strolled down the meadow and watched the workmen on the new house with a wise and interested air. He was very fond of Sarah. Sarah had her own opinion about Annie and the old man's daughters, but she was calm about expressing it even to her mother. She was a womanly young girl. ”

“ She came to a halt close beside the wheel, and Sarah started when she heard her speak.
"So you're off, are you, Sarah? Ay, well, you'll be best at home! I reckon our Sally's right, and you're not yourself at all. Mind and see doctor again, first thing as ever you can. It's a bad sign, they say, to go making up fancy tales. Folks as get telling lies is framing for softening of the brain."
Will looked back with a frown as he hurried on to open the gate.
"We've had enough o' that, missis!" he called sharply. "Just you let Sarah be!" ”

“ With one hand she took the umbrella from Sarah, with the other she unbuttoned her gingham dress. "Children, shut down the trunk-lid and sit on it. Now, Sarah, the gymnasium suit first."
Sarah chuckled hysterically as she was helped into the flannel blouse and bloomers.
"She looks like a bear," giggled Louisa Ellen. [Pg 15]
"Like a pretty thin bear," said Sister Laura. "She will have to be fatter when she comes home. Louisa Ellen, run and get my work-basket. These elastics must be tightened. Now, Sarah, the school dresses, then the blue sailor suit and the blue hat. ”

“ Well, well, my dear Lady Sarah, don't let us fall out about it.
Lady S. I am perfectly good humoured, I assure you; but you are so——
Sea. Yonder is your maid coming to speak to you, I'll leave you.
Lady S. Indeed she has nothing to say: I won't suffer her to break in upon our tender conversation.
Sea. But I must go to give directions about accommodating Lord Allcrest and his friend. They will be here soon.
Lady S. Nay, there you have no occasion to give yourself any trouble: leave every thing of that kind to me: you are too profuse, and too careless, in every thing. ”

“ Jacob Kalb alone said nothing. But Sarah saw him smile. He planned to live in the Wenner farmhouse.
"Will you plough?" demanded Uncle Daniel.
"Or plant the seeds?" asked Aunt 'Liza.
"Or harvest?" said Aunt Mena.
Sarah spoke quietly. "I have it all planned. Ebert will farm like always for the half."
"The half!" repeated Uncle Daniel. "Should we then give this good money to Ebert? The half! I will farm."
"Well, then," said Sarah. "But you must pay the half to us because we must live."
"Pay the half to you!" exclaimed Aunt Mena.
[Pg 19]
"It is our farm," replied Sarah. ”

“ She addressed the letter to Seattle, then, waking the twins, who had gone to sleep on the settle, she sent them to bed.
Ah, that old settle, how many times it had [Pg 61] held them! What would Uncle Daniel have done with that? He and Aunt Mena had settles of their own. Would he have left it there for Jacob Calf? And the dear, battered furniture, the high chair which had held them all, from William down to Albert,—would he have sold them? It would be like killing a live creature to break up that home. Sarah gave up her own dreams cheerfully. ”

“ It was a joyful meeting, and Sarah was amazed to see her brother. The free, open-air life had developed him physically, as well as mentally and morally. He was brown and merry and strong, and full of fun.
"Oh, my dear, dear lad," she cried, "but I am glad to see thee! Why, thou isn't t' same Steve at all!"
"Mebbe I'm not, Sarah; but I am t' right Steve now. I am t' Steve that God and nature meant me to be. Why, Joyce and Sarah, lasses, I am t' quartermaster already, and some day I'll sail my own ship to every port I hev read and dreamed about. See if I don't!" ”

“ Sarah was brewing the tea and considered an answer unnecessary. The conversation drifted away from the Hathaway case and into less personal channels. When Nan Shelley finally rose to go there was sincere friendliness in Sarah's "good-bye" and the elder woman said in parting:
"You're the right sort, Sarah. If ever you drift into Washington and need work, come to me and I'll get the Chief to take you on. I know he'd be glad to get you." ”

“ Don't you know your uncle is to be your guardian?"
"Guardian?" repeated Sarah.
"Yes, here it is. 'Daniel Swartz, of Spring Grove township, has applied to be appointed guardian of Sarah, Ellen Louisa, Louisa Ellen, and Albert Wenner, minor children of Henry Wenner, deceased.' Oh, Sarah, that means you will have to do as he says!"
"We would have to do as he says whether he was guardian or not," said Sarah dully. "He wants to take the farm. He has already taken the fence down. It is nothing to be done." ”

“ One fine day, some time after this, two of the Rajah's little daughters thought they would go and see Parbuttee Bai; and as it happened, Parbuttee Bai had on the Rakshas' saree, and was standing by the half-closed window-shutters looking out, when the Princesses arrived at her house. The little Princesses were quite dazzled by the golden saree, and running home said to their mother, 'That young Rajah's wife has the most beautiful saree we ever saw. It shines like the sun, and dazzles one's eyes. We have no sarees half so beautiful, and although you are Ranee you have none so rich as that. ”

“ Sara protested. “He was so successful with all the rest of his business. They ought to take that into count.”
“We'll soon fix it up all right,” Mr. Cray promised.
Sara sighed.
“I know how clever you are, Dad,” she said, “but I really don't see what you can do here.”
“What I should like to do,” Mr. Cray remarked thoughtfully, “is to turn a slight disaster into an absolute triumph. Blanche Wieller, eh? Well, well! The wife of Jacob N. Wieller of Cincinnati, eh?”
“Do you know something about her, Dad? Have you ever seen her before?” Sara inquired.
Mr. Cray smiled mysteriously. ”

“ I gave my handmaid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the Lord judge between me and thee.' 6But Abram said unto Sarai: 'Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her that which is good in thine eyes.' And Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her face. 7And the angel of the Lord found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur. 8And he said: 'Hagar, Sarai's handmaid, whence camest thou? ”

“ At these times she herself endured agonies of reflex suffering and apprehension, since her attachment to Patrick Lovell was the moving factor of her existence. Other girls had parents, brothers and sisters, and still more distant relatives upon whom their capacity for loving might severally expend itself. Sara had none of these, and the whole devotion of her intensely ardent nature lavished itself upon the man whom she called uncle. ”

“ By this time Beautiful Sara had somewhat awakened from her dreams, and she gazed at the hills on the shore, on the summits of which lights of castles were gleaming, and at the foot of which the mist, shimmering in the moonlight, was beginning to rise. Suddenly she seemed to see her friends and relatives, as they, with corpse-like faces and flowing shrouds, passed in awful procession along the Rhine.... The world grew dark before her eyes, an icy current ran through her soul, and, as if in sleep, she only heard the Rabbi repeating the night-prayer slowly and painfully, as if at a deathbed. ”

“ She let two pies burn while she thought of little Sarah, who looked so ill, and who had started away so wildly. She was just about to put on her shawl and go up to the Swartz house, to ask whether Sarah was there, when the door opened again. ”