RINGING THE CHANGES.
When Mr. Lucas took me to mother, she kissed me and shed abundance of
tears.
"Oh, my darling, if only your poor father could know of this," she
whispered; and when Uncle Geoffrey's turn came he seemed almost as
touched.
"What on earth are we to do without you, child?" he grumbled, wiping
his eye-glasses. "There, go along with you. If ever a girl deserved a
good husband and got it, you are the one."
"Yes, indeed," sighed mother; "Esther is every one's right hand."
But Mr. Lucas sat down by her side and said something so kind and
comforting that she soon grew more cheerful, and I went up to Carrie.
She was resting a little in the twilight, and I knelt down beside her
and hid my face on her shoulder, and now the happy tears would find a
vent.
"Why, Esther--why, my dear, what does this mean?" she asked, anxiously;
and then, with a sudden conviction dawning on her, she continued in an
excited voice--"Mr. Lucas is here; he has been saying something,
he--he----" And then I managed somehow to stammer out the truth.
"I am so happy; but you will miss me so dreadfully, darling, and so
will Dot and mother."
But Carrie took me in her arms and silenced me at once.
"We are all happy in your happiness; you shall not shed a tear for
us--not one. Do you know how glad I am, how proud I feel that he should
think so highly of my precious sister! Where is he? Let me get up, that
I may welcome my new brother. So you and your dear Ruth will be
sisters," she said, rallying me in her gentle way, and that made me
smile and blush.
How good Carrie was that evening! Mr. Lucas was quite touched by her
few sweet words of welcome, and mother looked quite relieved at the
sight of her bright face.
"What message am I to take to Ruth?" he said to me, as we stood
together in the porch later on that evening.
"Give her my dear love, and ask her to come to me," was my
half-whispered answer; and as I went to bed that night Carrie's words
rang in my ears like sweetest music--"You and Ruth will be sisters."
But it was Allan who was my first visitor. Directly Uncle Geoffrey told
him what had happened, he put on his broad-brimmed straw hat, and
leaving Uncle Geoffrey to attend to the patients, came striding down to
the cottage.
He had burst open the door and caught hold of me before I could put
down Dot's lesson book. The little fellow looked up amazed at his
radiant face.
"What a brick you are, Esther, and what a brick he is!" fairly hugging
me. "I never was so pleased at anything in my life. Hurrah for Mr.
Lucas at the Cedars!" and Allan threw up his hat and caught it. No
wonder Dot looked mystified.
"What does he mean?" asked the poor child; "and how hot you look,
Essie."
"Listen to me, Frankie," returned Allan, sitting down by Dot. "The
jolliest thing in the world has happened. Esther has made her fortune;
she is going to have a good husband and a rich husband, and one we
shall all like, Dot; and not only that, but she will have a dear little
daughter as well."
Dot fairly gasped as he looked at us both, and then he asked me rather
piteously if Allan was telling him a funny story to make him laugh.
"Oh, no, dear Dot," I whispered, bringing my face on a level with his,
and bravely disregarding Allan's quizzical looks. "It is quite true,
darling, although it is so strange I hardly know how to believe it
myself. But one day I am going to the Cedars."
"To live there? to leave us? Oh, Essie!" And Dot's eyes grew large and
mournful.
"Mr. Lucas wants me, and Flurry. Oh, my darling, forgive me!" as a big
tear rolled down his cheek. "I shall always love you, Dot; you will not
lose me. Oh, dear! oh dear! what am I to say to him, Allan?"
"You will not love me the most any longer, Essie."
And as I took him in my arms and kissed him passionately his cheek felt
wet against mine.
"Oh, Frankie, fie for shame!" interrupted Allan. "You have made Esther
cry, and just now, when she was so happy. I did not think you were so
selfish."
But I would not let him go on. I knew where the pain lay. Dot was
jealous for the first time in his life, and for a long time he refused
to be comforted.
Allan left us together by-and-by, and I took my darling on my lap and
listened to his childish exposition of grief and the recital of
grievances that were very real to him. How Flurry would always have me,
and he (Dot) would be dull and left out in the cold. How Mr. Lucas was
a very nice man; but he was so old, and he did not want him for a
brother--indeed, he did not want a brother at all.
He had Allan and that big, stupid Fred--for Dot, for once in his sweet
life, was decidedly cross. And then he confided to me that he loved
Carrie very much, but not half so well as he loved me. He wished Mr.
Lucas had taken her instead. She was very nice and very pretty, and all
that, and why hadn't he?
But here I thought it high time to interpose.
"But, Dot, I should not have liked that at all. And I am so happy," I
whispered.
"You love him--that old, old man, Essie!" in unmitigated astonishment.
"He is not old at all," I returned, indignantly; for, in spite of his
iron-gray hair, Mr. Lucas could hardly be forty, and was still a
young-looking man.
Dot gave a wicked little smile at that. In his present mood he rather
enjoyed vexing me.
I got him in a better frame of mind by-and-by. I hardly knew what I
said, but I kissed him, and cried and told him how unhappy he made me,
and how pleased mother and Carrie and Jack were; and after that he left
off saying sharp things, and treated me to a series of penitent hugs,
and promised that he would not be cross with "my little girl" Flurry;
for after that day he always persisted in calling her "my little girl."
Dot had been a little exhausting, so I went down to the bench near the
fernery to cool myself and secure a little quiet, and there Ruth found
me. I saw her coming over the grass with outstretched hands, and such a
smile on her dear face; and though I was so shy that I could scarcely
greet her, I could feel by the way she kissed me how glad--how very
glad--she was.
"Dear Esther! My dear new sister!" she whispered.
"Oh, Ruth, is it true?" I returned, blushing. "Last night it seemed
real, but this morning I feel half in a dream. It will do me good to
know that you are really pleased about this."
"Can you doubt it, dearest?" she returned, reproachfully. "Have you not
grown so deep into our hearts that we cannot tear you out if you would?
You are necessary to all of us, Esther--to Flurry and me as to
Giles----"
But I put my hand on her lips to stop her. It was sweet, and yet it
troubled me to know what he thought of me; but Ruth would not be
stopped.
"He came home so proud and happy last night. 'She has accepted me,
Ruth,' he said, in such a pleased voice, and then he told me what you
had said about being so young and inexperienced."
"That was my great fear," I replied, in a low voice.
"Your youth is a fault that will mend," she answered, quaintly. "I wish
I could remember Giles' rhapsody--'So true, so unselfish, so womanly
and devoted.' By-the-by, I have forgotten to give you his message; he
will be here this afternoon with Flurry."
We talked more soberly after a time, and the sweet golden forenoon wore
away as we sat there looking at the cool green fronds of the ferns
before us, with mother's bees humming about the roses. There was summer
over the land and summer in my heart, and above us the blue open sky of
God's Providence enfolding us.
I was tying up the rose in the porch, when I saw Mr. Lucas and Flurry
crossing the common. Dot, who was helping me, grew a little solemn all
at once.
"Here is your little girl, Essie," he said very gravely. My dear boy,
how could he?
"Oh, Esther," she panted, for she had broken away from her father at
the sight of us, "auntie has told me you are going to be my own mamma,
in place of poor mamma who died. I shall call you mammy. I was lying
awake ever so long last night, thinking which name it should be, and I
like that best."
"You shall call me what you like, dear Flurry; but I am only Esther
now."
"Yes, but you will be mammy soon," she returned, nodding her little
head sagely. "Mamma was such a grand lady; so big and handsome, she was
older, too--" But here Mr. Lucas interrupted us.
Dot received him in a very dignified manner.
"How do you do?" he said, putting out his mite of a hand, in such an
old-fashioned way. I could see Mr. Lucas' lip curl with secret
amusement, and then he took the little fellow in his arms.
"What is the matter, Dot? You do not seem half pleased to see me this
afternoon. I suppose you are very angry with me for proposing to take
Esther away. Don't you want an old fellow like me to be your brother?"
Dot's face grew scarlet. Truth and politeness were sadly at variance,
but at last he effected a compromise.
"Esther says you are not so very old, after all," he stammered.
"Oh, Esther says that, does she?" in an amused voice.
"Father is not old at all," interrupted Flurry, in a cross voice.
"Never mind, so that Esther is satisfied," returned Mr. Lucas,
soothingly; "but as Flurry is going to be her little girl, you must be
my little boy, eh, Dot?"
"I am Esther's and Allan's little boy," replied Dot, rather
ungraciously. We had spoiled our crippled darling among us, and had
only ourselves to blame for his little tempers.
"Yes, but you must be mine too," he replied, still more gently; and
then he whispered something into his ear. I saw Dot's sulky countenance
relax, and a little smile chase away his frown, and in another moment
his arms closed round Mr. Lucas' neck; the reconciliation was complete.
What a happy autumn that was! But November found us strangely busy, for
we were preparing for my wedding. We were married on New Year's Day,
when the snow lay on the ground. A quiet, a very quiet wedding, it was.
I was married in my traveling dress, at Giles' expressed wish, and we
drove straight from the church door to the station, for we were to
spend the first few weeks in Devonshire.
Dear Jessie, my old schoolmate, was my only bridesmaid; for Carrie
would not hear of fulfilling that office on her crutches.
I have a vague idea that the church was very full and I have a misty
recollection of Dot, with very round eyes, standing near Allan; but I
can recall no more, for my thoughts were engaged by the solemn vows we
were exchanging.
Three weeks afterward, and we were settled in the house that was to be
mine for so many happy years; but never shall I forget the sweetness of
that home-coming.
Dear Ruth welcomed us on the threshold, and then took my hand and
Giles' and led us into the bright firelit room. Two little faces peeped
at us from the curtained recess, and these were Dot and Flurry. I had
them both in my arms at once. I would not let Giles have Flurry at
first till he threatened to take Dot.
Oh, how happy we were. Ruth made tea for us, and I sat in my favorite
low chair. The children scrambled up on Giles' knee, and he peeped at
me between their eager faces; but I was quite content to let them
engross him; it was pleasure enough for me to watch them.
"Why, how grand you look, Essie!" Dot said at last. "Your fingers are
twinkling with green and white stones, and your dress rustles like old
Mrs. Jameson's."
"'And she shall walk in silk attire,
And silver have to spare,'"
sang Giles. "Never mind Dot, Esther. Your brave attire suits you well."
"She looks very nice," put in Ruth, softly; "but she is our dear old
Esther all the same."
"Nonsense, auntie," exclaimed Flurry, in her sharp little voice. "She
is not Esther any longer; she is my dear new mammy." At which we all
laughed.
I was always mammy to Flurry, though my other darlings called me
mother; for before many years were over I had Dots of my own--dear
little fat Winnie, her brother Harold, and baby Geoffrey--to whom Ruth
was always "auntie," or "little auntie," as my mischievous Harold
called her.
As the years passed on there were changes at Eltham Cottage--some of
them sad and some of them pleasant, after the bitter-sweet fashions of
life.
The first great sorrow of my married life was dear mother's death. She
failed a little after Harold's birth, and, to my great grief, she never
saw my baby boy, Geoffrey. A few months before he came into the world
she sank peacefully and painlessly to rest.
Fred came up to the funeral, and stayed with Allan; he had grown a long
beard, and looked very manly and handsome. His pictures were never
accepted by the hanging committee; and after a few years he grew tired
of his desultory work, and thankfully accepted a post Giles had
procured for him in the Colonies. After this he found his place in
life, and settled down, and when we last heard from him he was on the
eve of marriage with a Canadian girl. He sent us her photograph, and
both Giles and I approved of the open, candid face and smiling brown
eyes, and thought Fred had done well for himself.
Allan was a long time making his choice; but at last it fell on our new
vicar's daughter, Emily Sherbourne; for, three years after our
marriage, Mr. Smedley had been attacked by sudden illness, which
carried him off.
How pleased I was when Allan told me that he and Emmie had settled it
between them. She was such a sweet girl; not pretty, but with a
lovable, gentle face, and she had such simple kindly manners, so
different from the girls of the present day, who hide their good
womanly hearts under such abrupt loud ways. Emily, or, as we always
called her, Emmie, was not clever, but she suited Allan to a nicety.
She was wonderfully amiable, and bore his little irritabilities with
the most placid good humor; nothing put her out, and she believed in
him with a credulity that amused Allan largely; but he was very proud
of her, and they made the happiest couple in the world, with the
exception of Giles and me.
Carrie lost her lameness, after all; but not until she had been up to
London and had undergone skillful treatment under the care of a very
skillful physician. I shall always remember Dot's joy when she took her
first walk without her crutches. She came down to the Cedars with Jack,
now a fine well-grown girl, and I shall never forget her sweet April
face of smiles and tears.
"How good God has been to me, Essie," she whispered, as we sat together
under the cedar tree, while Jack ran off for her usual romp with Winnie
and Harold. "I have just had to lie quiet until I learned the lesson He
wanted me to learn years ago, and now He is making me so happy, and
giving me back my work."
It was just so; Carrie had come out of her painful ordeal strengthened
and disciplined, and fit to teach others. No longer the weak, dreamy
girl who stretched out over-eager hands for the work God in His wise
providence withheld from her, she had emerged from her enforced
retirement a bright helpful woman, who carried about her a secret fund
of joy, of which no earthly circumstances could deprive her.
"My sweet sister Charity," Allan called her, and the poor of Milnthorpe
had reason to bless her; for early and late she labored among them,
tending the sick and dying, working often at Allan's side among his
poorer patients.
At home she was Uncle Geoffrey's comfort, and a most sweet companion
for him and Jack. As for Dot, he lived almost entirely at the Cedars.
Giles had grown very fond of him, and we neither of us could spare him.
They say he will always be a cripple; but what does that matter, when
he spends day after day so happily in the little room Giles has fitted
up for him?
We believe, after all, Dot will be an artist. He has taken a lifelike
portrait of my Harold that has delighted Giles, and he vows that he
shall have all the advantages he can give him; for Giles is very
rich--so rich that I almost tremble at the thought of our
responsibilities; only I know my husband is a faithful steward, and
makes a good use of his talents. Carrie is his almoner, and sometimes I
work with her. There are some almshouses which Giles is building in
which I take great interest, and where I mean to visit the old people,
with Winnie trotting by my side.
Just now Giles came in heated and tired. "What, little wife, still
scribbling?"
"Wait a moment, dear Giles," I replied. "I have just finished."
And so I have--the few scanty recollections of Esther Cameron's life.
THE END.