"UNDER GREEN APPLE-BOUGHS."
A LIGHT breeze blew softly through the open doorway of the old home at
Roseville. Busy brown bees were making a drowsy hum among the blossoms
overhanging the porch; upon the garden slope, apple-trees sent with
every little gust of perfume-laden air a shower of rose-touched petals
to the ground; birds sang blithely in the as yet delicately clad
trees near the house, a flash of blue across the gray-green foliage
denoting the presence of a blue-bird, or a burnished orange redbreast
showing vividly against the grass of the lawn, telling that a robin had
returned to his May-time haunts.
Instead of Eldorado Ann, a little colored girl was cleaning knives by
the kitchen-door, once in a while joining in soft accord with Mammy,
whose singing came in snatches through the window as she worked away.
"When Eve eat de apple,
When Eve eat de apple,
When Eve eat de apple,
Oh, what a tryin' time!"
sang Mammy.
"When she gib de co' to Adam,
When she gib de co' to Adam,
When she gib de co' to Adam,
Oh, what a tryin' time!"
came in response from Tatty, energetically applying her piece of raw
potato to a knife-blade.
"Hyar, you Tatty! What you 'bout?" inquired Mammy, coming to the door.
"Don' yuh know Miss Theo done tell yuh ter come ter her ez soon as dem
knives is done? How long yuh reckon she gwine ter wait?"
"'Deed, Aunt Jane, I mos' done," Tatty replied, viewing a blade
critically. "Dese yer little spotty places ter'ble hard to git off'n de
knives. I hu'yin' all I kin."
"Den don' was'e yo' bref on Adam, er dey'll be tryin' times fer yuh
sho' 'nough," replied Mammy, returning to her work, her own voice in a
few moments rising shrilly to,—
"Air dey writin', air dey writin', air dey writin' on de wall?"
"How good it does sound to hear Mammy!" said Theo, coming into her
aunt's room. "And oh, auntie, how good it is altogether! Aren't you
glad we came home first? Much as I love Archie and Val, somehow or
other I can get hold of everything better when just you and I are here
alone. I mean just at first. I feel as if I could put my arms around
everything, and hug the whole place with everything on it, up close to
me, I love it so. Did you ever see any one so happy as Mammy is to have
us back again? And Tatty is as pleased as Punch to be here. She grins
all the time. Why, the blessed boy! Did he come to find Mitty?"
And Theo stooped to pick up her cat, Ishmael, who had followed her
up-stairs.
Posie-Cossie, who was lying at Miss Nelson's feet, raised his head
and regarded Ishmael fixedly. The two pets had not come to strictly
amicable terms as yet, though they behaved with great propriety.
Ishmael assumed an air of supreme indifference, while Posie-Cossie once
in a while made playful overtures, by leaping forward with a short
bark, and then hastily retreating if Ishmael turned his eyes upon him.
"Mrs. Lewis says that Ishmael would never go near my room all the time
we were away," said Theo, "and the very first evening I was at home,
he came up and established himself on the window-seat. The idea of
saying cats have no love for persons, only for places! I think I shall
find it very interesting to study the two, and note the difference
between feline and canine qualities. There, I must go. I hear Tatty. I
told her to come up and help me with Val's room when Mammy could spare
her. Isn't it a satisfaction to know Eldorado Ann is so contented at
Lyndehurst? I had no idea she would be."
"It is the very place for her," returned Miss Nelson. "Mammy could
never quite conceal her contempt for 'po' white trash,' and Eldorado
Ann could not be expected to brook Mammy's control. But with Mrs.
Barton it will be different, and Eldorado Ann will doubtless develop
into a good, honest woman, with wholesome ideas."
"Then, too, it is a good thing for Tommy," said Theo; "so Eldorado
Ann's discontent turned out to very good advantage after all, and Mammy
is having a fine time training Tatty."
"Mammy is nothing if not dictatorial," rejoined auntie. "She quite
resented my modernizing my dress. That I should go on the street
without a wrap quite scandalized her. I wish you could have heard the
severe tone in which she said, 'Law, Miss Janet, yuh ain't gwine out in
yo' figgur, is yuh?'"
Theo laughed. "That is so like Mammy," she said. Then she turned to
the window, saying, "What a beautiful May-day it is! I can hardly keep
in-doors. I am so glad they are all coming home to such loveliness. And
to think this afternoon, we will all be together, just as we used to
be. You don't know how much has rolled off since I came home. I believe
I felt all the burdens of humanity pressing upon me three months
ago, and here I forget so many disagreeable things. I can't forget
everything," she added, after a pause.
"That would be unwise," laughed Miss Nelson. "We are no lotus-eaters,
dear; we have work to do in this world which we must take up with
stout, brave hearts. I should be sorry to have you lapse into a life of
dreamy idleness."
"No danger," replied Theo, smiling. "There are too many things to
interest me. I have a dozen schemes on foot already, and am puzzling
over the best way of carrying them out. Now I really must go. I cannot
spend any more time here, pleasant as it is to chatter. I want to find
more violets for Val's room, and I must put some apple-blossoms in the
blue pitcher for Archie."
"Mr. Smith thought he might come, you know. What can you find for the
guest-room?"
"I'll find something," responded Theo. "There is no lack of blossoms,
and the wild-flowers are crowding the hill-sides. Can't you come with
me, auntie?"
"No, I am afraid not. I have a number of things on hand. You'll have to
do the decorative part, and I'll attend to the substantials."
Theo went into Val's room, where Tatty was wiping up the hearth. "Get
some fresh water for all the rooms, Tatty," she directed, "and ask Miss
Nelson for towels. Don't shut the window; we want all the out-doors we
can get. Did you shake the table-cover well? Now I think Miss Janet has
something for you to do. I am going to the woods. Oh, yes, Tatty, find
the old blue pitcher and put it in Mr. Archie's room."
And then, picking up her hat, Theo went out into the spring sunshine,
through the garden and down the little path that led to the nearest
piece of woods.
The whole world seemed to be pulsating with expectancy. Slender twigs
bore bursting buds; the curling fronds of tall ferns were gradually
unrolling to the genial warmth; tufts of green at first attracted the
eye to sunny spots which showed upon closer observation young buds
pushing soft pink tips through downy sheaths; an advance guard of
little buff butterflies hovered over a muddy place in the path where a
small stream crossed, which, tinkling on, lost itself under boughs of
low willows swinging pendulous streamers across the little flecks of
foam which every now and then leaped over the pebbles.
[Illustration: Then she turned towards home.]
But Theo did not stop for anemone or iris, nor even for a saucy
Jack-in-the-pulpit. She was looking for violets, and she knew her
ground; for, turning towards a sunny slope rising from the little
stream, "Blue ran the flash across," and in a few moments, she had her
hands full.
Then she turned towards home, stopping on the way for a branch of
dogwood, and gathering from a favorite tree apple-blossoms which showed
a livelier pink than any others in the garden.
"What a happy-looking girlie!" was Miss Janet's greeting as she
entered. "You look the very embodiment of spring with your blossoms."
"Aren't they lovely!" said Theo. "I thought this was such a pretty
branch of dogwood. Shall I put it in the guest-room?"
"Wouldn't it look better in the hall? You can find something sweeter
for Mr. Smith, I am sure."
"Bless his dear old heart! Of course I can. There, those go nicely in
this big vase. Now I'll arrange the others, and it will be nearly time
for the train. Would you go to meet them, auntie?"
"I hardly think it worth while. Take a little rest. You have been so
energetic to-day, I should think you would be tired out."
"I hadn't thought of it before, but I believe I am. I'll take this
magazine up-stairs and look it over between whiles. Lie down yourself,
auntie. There's a lot of time, for the train is always late."
But this time, for a wonder, the train arrived on time.
And Theo, deep in her magazine, was surprised by Tatty's voice
announcing, "Hyar dey come, Miss Theo; hyar dey come, bag an' baggage."
"Oh, Val, where are you?" cried Theo, as she sped down-stairs.
But it was not upon Val that her eyes rested as she entered the room;
it was upon a tall, manly figure which at that moment seemed to shut
out everything else from her vision. And she sprang past the others,
all her soul in her eyes, and her pulses flying fast, as she exclaimed,
"Oh, Jack!"
And poor, dear, obtuse Jack would never have seen at all, would never
have fathomed the gladness, the tenderness in Theo's tone, if sly
little Val had not said, teasingly, "When you have done feasting your
eyes upon Jack, Theo, perhaps you will have a word to say to me."
And then Theo, too, realized what it meant, and she flushed and was so
confused that, after all, she did not even shake hands with the dear
boy, but hid her confusion in the effusive greeting she bestowed upon
Val, while Jack's face wore such a look of gladness as it had not shown
for many a long day.
And after a little while, Val slipped out. Then her guardian, with a
twinkle in his eye, responded to Val's mute little gesture, and the two
were left together; for when Theo attempted to follow the others, Jack
stopped her, and, looking down at the drooping head, said, "Theo, Theo,
is it true?"
"Is what true?" was Theo's response, almost in a whisper.
"That you are glad to see me," was Jack's rather lame reply.
But to Theo, the sentence was full of meaning, and she did not realize
that this was their first word together for many months. She only felt
that it was enough to have Jack back again, and that to lose him would
be more than she could bear. So she looked up, with her sweet eyes
revealing all that was in her heart, though she said again only "Oh,
Jack!"
But that was quite sufficient. They both knew the rest; and Jack felt
that all the blessings of heaven and earth had been promised him in
that one little exclamation.
And then auntie, who had been detained by Val, came in, and was so glad
to see the boy that she gave him as loving a greeting as she could have
bestowed upon Archie.
"Where is Archie?" asked Theo, just realizing that some one was missing.
And Val, who had followed auntie, with a little mirthful laugh at
Theo's expense, explained that Archie had discovered that some mistake
had been made about the baggage, and had stopped to have the matter
inquired into.
"Do tell us all about yourself, Jack. What a surprise you have given
us, to be sure," said Miss Nelson.
"Well," replied Jack, "there isn't much to tell. Things didn't turn out
very well in Florida. The man of whose plantation I had charge had not
had much experience, and insisted upon trying all sorts of experiments.
We had a snapping frost just at the wrong time, and that finished him
up; so I wandered over to Texas, and there I fell in with Jim Downs. I
was pretty blue and miserable, and Jim offered me a living, so I took
his offer; but that wretched fever got hold of me and nearly finished
me. It didn't seem wise for me to stay down there another season and
risk my health."
"I should think not," interposed Miss Nelson.
"So," continued Jack, "when Mr. Smith wrote, telling me I was not quite
a pauper, I was ready enough to pull up stakes, I can tell you."
"You can imagine how I felt when the old fellow walked into the office
one day," said Archie, who had come in. "I don't think I was ever so
glad to see anybody in my life. But he hasn't told you half. Such
tales and such adventures! You ought to hear them. I have managed to
extract a few facts from him, but I'll venture to say he has a lot more
to tell. You would suppose from what he has told you that he had been
sitting around in an aimless sort of a way, or else driving up a few
sheep; but, my goodness! If you can get him in the mood—I always knew
Jack wouldn't stay in the background. If you can only get him warmed up
to tell how he saved Jim Downs's life, and how he got on the track of
a mail-robber, and how he saved a man from being lynched—my goodness!
People, you don't know what a hero you are entertaining."
"Now, Arch! Now, Arch!" Jack kept expostulating. "What do you bring
up those things for?" he said, as Archie concluded. "I just told you
because you were so persistent, and I thought you would be amused by my
cowboy exploits. Don't go and blow about them."
That evening, Jack disclosed to Theo his plans. "I have been talking to
Mr. Smith," he said. "You don't know what a brick he is. We are going
to look at a piece of property down this way that Mr. Smith thinks will
make a good manufacturing site. He proposes to start the concern, and I
am to manage it, if the matter is consummated."
"Then you will not have to go away again."
"Are you sorry?" asked Jack, smiling. But before she could answer, he
said, repentantly, "That wasn't a fair question. I know you are glad.
You are too true, too sincere, dear, for any pretence."
"I shall not pretend, and, after the abominable way I have treated you,
you deserve to know that I am more than glad."
"I have so little to offer you now," said Jack. "My little fortune is
very small, Theo, but I shall work faithfully, and perhaps it need not
be hard for you."
"We will work together," replied Theo, "and we shall be ever so much
happier for having to make a few sacrifices for each other. I am very
glad you haven't all that money. You are twice as valuable to me
without it. Come, Jack, let us go down to the apple-trees. I want you
to see how full they are of blossoms this year."
"And we will stay here together, Theo, always," said Jack, looking
around at the fair scene.
"Always, together," repeated Theo.
And then they both looked up at the wreaths of bloom, and smiled.
"Dear, good Mr. Smith!" said Theo to Archie, a few days later, as they
talked over Jack's prospects. "Imagine his ever being called 'that
disagreeable Mr. Smith.'"
Archie laughed. "He isn't always honey," he replied. "At times, he is
the most irritable man I ever saw. I've had the opportunity of becoming
pretty well acquainted with his moods. But he has a heart of gold,
though he doesn't show it to everybody."
"No. I realize that his 'seamy side' appears to be the best known, but
we know what he is, no matter what the rest of the world think."
"I am glad he is going to give himself a rest; it will do him a world
of good to take a long trip, and Val has a way of mellowing him up that
no one else has."
"I'm sure you have," said Theo.
"Sometimes; but he never can withstand Val. Where is Jack?" Archie
asked, suddenly.
"He is talking to auntie," said Theo, a little confusedly. "There is
the Colonel now, Arch. I want to speak to him," and running down the
steps, Theo met Mr. Smith, who was coming up the walk.
"I want to thank you, Colonel," she said, "for all your kindness to
Archie, and to—to Jack," she added.
Mr. Smith looked at her quizzically, as he answered, "I have done very
little, not enough to merit any very great depth of gratitude."
Then he continued, very seriously, "Nothing could gratify me more than
what you have done for Jack."
Theo looked up shyly, but with a happy smile. "You helped me there more
than any one. You showed me Jack's goodness better than any one else
did. I wonder at my blindness now."
Just then, Jack came out of the house, and seeing Archie on the
porch alone, sat down on the step by him. Archie regarded him with
satisfaction. "You're the happiest-looking fellow I ever saw," he said.
"I have reason to be," replied Jack, his eyes seeking Theo, who was
walking slowly towards the house with Mr. Smith.
"Well, you do seem mighty glad to get back to us," remarked Archie.
Then, following Jack's glance towards Theo, he caught the gentle smile
with which she answered his look, and he turned to Jack suddenly.
"I believe I am as blind as a mole," he said. "You old duplicitous
rascal! I've a mind to pound you."
Jack laughed. Jack's laugh was always good to hear, but this time it
was the embodiment of happiness. "Pound away," he said.
But, instead, Archie held out his hand and gave Jack's such a grip as
left no doubt of his feelings.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]