THE NEW HOME.
MANY weeks passed by after Johnny’s death, during which several
important changes took place in the Greyson family, but Hesper was
unconscious of them all, for she was very sick. Her youthful strength
had been so overburdened with care and anxiety, that she sank beneath
it, and a long and dangerous illness was the result. She knew nothing
of the comforts and conveniences by which she was surrounded, or who
they were that watched so faithfully by her bed-side. To her the
passing time was one long, dark, troubled dream to which she saw no
ending.
It happened at last, however, that one clear, bright, winter morning,
she awoke from a peaceful slumber, and opened her eyes as it were on
a new life. She gazed about her in silent wonder, but saw nothing
that would remind her of the past. The neat and prettily furnished
room which she occupied, was altogether new to her. The bed, with
its covering and curtains of beautifully flowered chintz--the nice
carpet--the cozy fire burning in the grate, and the picture of Christ
with Mary sitting at his feet, above the chimney-piece, all seemed
like objects in a dream. There was only one thing which had a familiar
look, and that was a great rose-bush, in full bloom, which stood in the
window seat, with the morning sunshine falling brightly upon it.
“O dear!” sighed Hesper, “I fear that this will all vanish, and the
dark, terrible night come again.” Then she remembered of having heard
said--when and where she could not tell--that some people believe that
when they die, they come into a world where everything is so much like
the one they have left, that they cannot realize they have passed
through the change called death. So Hesper thought perhaps this had
happened to her, for she could scarce recollect anything of the past.
The sound of some one moving near her, attracted her attention, and she
was about to stretch out her arm to draw the bed-curtain aside, when
she found that she was scarce able to move, and the sight of her own
hand, so pale and wasted, greatly surprised her. In a few moments a
door was opened, and some one asked, in a low tone--
“How is she this morning?”
“More comfortable, I think,” was the reply. “Father says that this
sleep she has fallen into, is very refreshing, and he hopes she will
be rational when she comes out of it.” The curtains were then drawn
aside, and Hesper saw Kate Smiley’s fair, sweet face, bending over her,
while near by stood Mrs. Grimsby with her bonnet and shawl on. She had
her old wash gown under her arm, as usual, for she was going out to
work, and had only stopped in a moment to inquire about Hesper.
“Where am I?” said Hesper, “and where are all the folks, and what has
happened to me?”
“O!” exclaimed Kate, “she is wide awake, and quite herself again! Dear
girl! How glad I am! Do you know that you have been very sick--so that
we scarce thought you would live? Father said you would certainly die
if you stayed where you were, so he had you and the family brought to
this house, where you could be more comfortable, and Alice and I could
care for you. Now I am so glad that you are better that I must run and
tell father directly.”
She left the room, and Mrs. Grimsby sat down on the side of the bed.
“Hesper,” said she, “I cannot tell you how lonely we have been since
your folks moved from our house. Juliana cries every day about it, and
I never felt so sorry for anything in my life, for now I suppose since
you have got into such a nice place, and have such fine friends to care
for you, that you will forget all about us.”
“O Mrs. Grimsby!” said Hesper, “wasn’t you a friend to me in my
greatest need? and didn’t you do for me what no one else could? No: I
never shall forget you as long as I live”--and with her slender white
fingers, she affectionately clasped the great toil-hardened hand which
rested on the bed beside her, Mrs. Grimsby raised her checked apron and
wiped away the tears which were flowing freely down her cheeks.
“There!” she said, as she started up with an effort to be cheerful, and
drew her shawl around her, “I won’t be a child! but really, Hesper, I
care more about such little things than any one would suppose.”
“Then don’t let that thought trouble you any longer” said Hesper, “but
send Juliana and the boys to see me, and kiss little Tommy for me, for
I shall always love you, and shall come to see you as soon as I am
able.”
“That is all I ask,” said Mrs. Grimsby. “Good bye, darling. Be very
careful of yourself”--and she left the room with a light step and
smiling countenance.
Although Hesper was very much better, the doctor would scarce allow
any one to enter the room for several days. Her mother stole in now
and then, and Hesper was astonished to see how, fast she had improved
under the doctor’s good, management, though she was still very weak and
feeble. The poor girl thought she would like to see her father, and
yet she dared not ask to, for he always appeared so cold and distant,
and had so often spoken unkindly to her, that she had a secret dread of
meeting him.
One evening, however, when she felt much brighter than usual, and was
sitting up in bed, supported by her pillows, her mother came and told
her that if she felt able, her father would like to speak with her.
Hesper assented, and her heart beat violently, when, in a few moments
after, she heard the sound of his approaching footsteps. With a half
frightened look, she glanced up at his face as he bent over her. There
were tears in his eyes, and his voice trembled as he spoke.
“God bless you, my precious child!” he said--“I cannot tell you how
impatiently I have been waiting to see you, for I never knew how dear
you were until I feared you would be taken from me.” He raised her
gently in his arms, and drawing her close to his bosom, kissed her
again and again. Hesper felt that the cup of her happiness was full.
How pleasant it was to be resting in her father’s arms, while his
tears mingled with her own. It seemed as if the prayer which she had
so often repeated--“Let thy kingdom come”--was now fully answered, for
the peace and joy of heaven was in her heart, and all her father’s past
unkindness was forgotten.
“Hesper,” he said, “I have prayed night and day that God would spare
you; for often, when I have observed your faith and patience, I have
longed that you should love me as you did others, and I want to show
how much I can love you in return.” Hesper’s pale cheek was pressed
close to his--
“Father, I always have loved you,” she said, “but I never could say so
till now.”
“I do not doubt it, my dear child,” he replied. He laid her gently
upon her pillow again, and taking a seat beside her, he talked to her
a long time about little Johnny--the letters they had received from
Mose--their new home, with the fine large garden in the rear, which
they would all take so much pleasure in cultivating when the spring
opened, and many other things, to which Hesper listened with the
deepest interest; and when he left her, she felt so tranquil and happy,
that she sank into a pleasant sleep, which seemed to do her more good
than all the medicine she had taken.
After this, she improved so rapidly that she was soon able to talk
with all who visited her, and she was astonished to find how many kind
friends she had. Among others, George and Benny Grimsby made their
appearance, with their clothes neatly brushed, and their faces as clean
and bright as soap and water could make them. At first the boys were
very awkward, and scarce knew what to say, but Hesper soon touched an
answering chord.
“Well, George,” said she, “I had a letter from Mose to-day, and he
wrote that I must tell you, he had bought a real Guinea monkey.”
George opened wide both mouth and eyes, as he gazed at her in
breathless attention, and Benny immediately drew his thumb from his
mouth, where it had been, ever since he entered.
“He says, too,” continued Hesper, “that he means to teach him a great
many comical tricks before he comes home, and then, if you have been
good boys, you shall have him for your own.”
“Don’t you think we have been?” exclaimed George--“we did all we could
to help your father when he moved, and we have been up here every day
since you were sick to see how you were, and mother says she doesn’t
know what she should do without us.”
“Yes,” said Hesper, “I don’t know of any better boys in town, and I
will tell Mose so when he comes home.”
The boys looked very much gratified, and they continued talking about
their expected present with great animation, until aunt Betsey came
in, who looked so sharply at them, that they thought it was time to be
going. They lingered at the door however, and in a whisper begged of
Hesper a parting kiss. With many a side-long glance at aunt Betsey,
they received the favor, which was readily granted, and departed
perfectly satisfied.
“Fie!” said aunt Betsey, as she took off her moccasins and shook the
snow from them against the grate--“I wouldn’t have such great lubberly
boys kiss me; besides, I don’t think it will do you any good, listening
to their noisy talk.”
“O,” said Hesper, “it is a real pleasure, now that I am so much better.”
“Well,” said aunt Betsey, “I am glad if you are, though I am sure,
the night I watched with you, I hadn’t the least idea you would live
till morning. I didn’t watch with you but one night, Hesper, for I
was obliged to hurry so fast on my bed-quilt, that I could attend to
nothing else.”
“Is it done yet?” asked Hesper.
“Done!” repeated aunt Betsey, as she closed her eyes, and leaning back
in her chair, rocked nervously to and fro--“yes; don’t you know about
it?”
“No;” said Hesper. “What is it?”
“Well, after working night and day, I finished it just in time for the
great Exhibition. But, don’t you think! Mrs. Larkin sent in one which
was considered a great deal the handsomest, and won the highest prize,
while mine was hardly noticed. It was made of pieces only half as large
as mine, put together in all sorts of fanciful figures. I said, when
I looked at it, that it was a sin and a shame for people to waste so
much time upon things which were of so little use. Mrs. Larkin had
much better been making garments for the poor, or improving her mind by
useful reading.”
“It is too bad,” said Hesper, in a sympathizing tone, for she knew that
aunt Betsey must be greatly disappointed.
“So it is,” she replied, “for after all the time I have spent upon that
bed-quilt, it is just good for nothing. I can’t bear the sight of it;
and, Hesper, if you should ever live to be married, I will give it to
you for a wedding present.”
Hesper thanked her for her good intentions, but she thought to herself
that it was not at all likely she should ever marry, and if she did,
she should not want a satin bed-quilt.