HANNAH'S HAPPY PROGNOSTICS.
The morn is tip again, the dewy morn,
With breath all incense and with cheek all bloom,
Laughing the night away with playful scorn,
Rejoicing as if earth contained no tomb
And glowing into day.
--_Byron_.
Ishmael had also keenly felt the parting with Beatrice. But
accustomed to self-government, he did not permit his feelings to
overcome him. And indeed his mind was too well balanced to be much
disturbed by what he believed would be but a short separation from
his betrothed.
He rode on gayly that pleasant winter morning, through the leafless
woods, until he came to those cross-roads of which we have so often
spoken.
Here he paused; for here it was necessary, finally, to decide a
question that he had been debating with himself for the last two
days.
And that was whether or not he should take the time to go to see
Hannah and Reuben and bid them good-by, before proceeding on his
long journey.
To go to Woodside he must take the road through Baymouth, which
would carry him some miles out of the direct road to Washington, and
consume several hours of that time of which every moment was now so
precious. But to leave the country without saying farewell to the
friends of his infancy was repugnant to every good feeling of his
heart. He did not hesitate long. He turned his horse's head towards
Baymouth and put him into a gallop. The horse was fresh, and Ishmael
thought he would ride fast until he got to Woodside and then let the
horse rest while he talked to Hannah.
He rode through Baymouth without drawing rein; only giving a rapid
glance of recognition as he passed the broad show-window of Hamlin's
bookstore, which used to be the wonder and delight of his destitute
boyhood.
It was still early in the morning when he reached Woodside and rode
up to the cottage gate. How bright and cheerful the cottage looked
that splendid winter morning. The evergreen trees around it and the
clusters of crimson rose-berries on the climbing rosevines over its
porch, making quite a winter verdure and bloom against its white
walls.
Ishmael dismounted, tied his horse, and entered the little gate.
Hannah was standing on the step of the porch, holding a tin pan of
chicken food in her hands, and feeding two pet bantams that she kept
separate from the shanghais, which beat them cruelly whenever they
got a chance.
On seeing Ishmael she dropped her pan of victuals and made a dash at
him, exclaiming:
"Why, Ishmael! Good fathers alive! is this you? And where did you
drop from?"
"From my saddle at your gate, last, Aunt Hannah," said Ishmael,
smiling, as he folded her in his embrace.
"But I'm so glad to see you, Ishmael! And so surprised! Come in, my
dear, dear boy. Shoo! you greedy, troublesome creeturs. You're never
satisfied! I wish the shanghais would swallow you!" cried Hannah,
speaking first to Ishmael as she cast her arms around his neck; and
next to the bantams that had flown up to her shoulders.
"I am delighted to see you looking so hearty, ma'am. I declare you
are growing quite stout," said Ishmael, affectionately surveying his
relation.
"Women are apt to, at my age, Ishmael. But come in, my dear boy,
come in!"
When they entered the cottage she drew Reuben's comfortable armchair
up to the fire; and when Ishmael had seated himself she said:
"And now! first of all--have you had your breakfast?"
"Hours ago, thank you."
"Yes; a road-side tavern breakfast. I know what that is. Here, Sam!
Sam! Lord, how I do miss Sally, to be sure!" complained Hannah, as
she went to the back door and bawled after her factotum.
"Sit down and give yourself no trouble. I breakfasted famously at
the Beacon."
"Oh!" exclaimed Hannah, with a little jealous twinge, "you've been
there, have you? That accounts for everything. Well, I suppose it's
natural. But when is that affair to come off, Ishmael?"
"If you mean my marriage with Miss Middleton, it will not take place
until next autumn, Aunt Hannah, as I believe I have already told
you."
"But haven't you been down there to coax the old man to shorten the
time?"
"No, ma'am, but with a very different purpose."
"A different purpose? What was it? But, law, here I am keeping you
talking in your greatcoat! Take it off at once, Ishmael, and be
comfortable. And I will make Sam light a fire and carry some hot
water in your room."
"No, ma'am, do not, please. Believe me it is unnecessary, and indeed
quite useless. I have but half an hour to stay."
"But half an hour to stay with me! Do you mean to insult me, Ishmael
Worth?" demanded Hannah wrathfully.
"Certainly not, dear Aunt Hannah," laughed Ishmael, "but I am going
to leave the country, and so--"
"Going to--what?"
"I am going to leave the country quite suddenly, and that is the
reason--"
"Ishmael Worth! have you robbed a bank or killed a man that you are
going to run away from your native land?" exclaimed Hannah
indignantly.
"Neither, ma'am," laughed Ishmael. "I go with Judge Merlin, on
professional business--"
"Is that old man going to travel at his age?"
"Yes, because--"
"The more fool he!"
"He goes on very important business."
"Very important fiddle-stick's end! The great old baby is pining
after his daughter. And he's just made up this excuse of business
because he is ashamed to let people know the real reason--as well he
may be! But why he should drag you along with him is more than I can
guess."
"He thinks I can be of service to him, and I shall try."
"You'll try to ruin yourself, that's what you'll do!"
"Aunt Hannah, I have but a few minutes left. If you will permit me,
I will just give my horse some water and go."
"Go! What, so suddenly? Lord, Lord, and Reuben away out in the field
and the children with him! And you'll go away without taking a last
farewell of them. I'll call Sam and send for them if you will wait a
minute. Sam! Sam! Sam!" cried Hannah, going to the back door and
screaming at the top of her voice.
But no Sam was forthcoming.
"Plague take that nigger! I do wish from the very bottom of my heart
the deuce had him! Now, what shall I do?" she cried, returning to
the room and dropping into her chair.
Fate answered the question by relieving her from her dilemma.
The front door opened and Reuben Gray entered, leading the two
children and saying:
"It was too sharp for 'em out there, Hannah, my dear, especially as
Molly, bless her, was a-sneezin' dreadful, as if she was a-catchin'
a cold in her head; and so I fotch 'em in."
"Reuben, where's your eyes? Don't you see who is in the room? Here's
Ishmael!" exclaimed Hannah irately.
"Ishmael! Why, so he is! Why, Lord bless you, boy. I'm so glad to
see you!" exclaimed Reuben, with his honest face all in a glow of
delight as he shook his guest's hands.
And at the same time the children let go their father's hand, and
stood before the young man, waiting eagerly to be noticed.
"Yes, you better look at him! Look at him your fill now, You'll
never see him again!" groaned Hannah.
"Never see who again? What are you talking about, Hannah, my dear?"
"Ishmael! He's come to bid a last good-by to us all. He's a-going to
leave his native country! He's a-going to foreign parts!"
"Ishmael going to foreign parts!" exclaimed Reuben, gazing in
surprise on his young guest.
"Yes, Uncle Reuben, I am going to England with Judge Merlin on
business."
"Well, to be sure! that is a surprise! I knowed the judge was a-
going to see his darter; but I had no idee that you was a-going
'long of him," said Reuben.
"When do you go? that is what I want to know," cried Hannah sharply.
"We sail in the 'Oceana' from Boston on Wednesday; and that is the
reason, Aunt Hannah, why I am so hurried; you see I must reach
Washington to-night so as to finish up my business there, and take
the early train for the North on Tuesday morning."
"What? you going in one of them steamers? Oh, law!"
"What is the matter, ma'am?"
"I know the steamer'll burst its boiler, or catch afire, or sink, or
something! I know it!"
"Lord, Hannah, don't dishearten people that-a-way! Why should the
steamer do anything of the kind?" said Reuben, with a doubtful and
troubled air.
"Because they are always and for everlasting a-doing of such things.
Just think what happened to the 'Geyser'--burst her boiler and
scalded everybody to death!"
"Law, Hannah! that was only one in a--"
"And the 'Vesuvius,'" fiercely continued Hannah; "the 'Vesuvius'
caught on fire and burned down to the water's edge, and was so
found--a floating charcoal, and every soul on board perished."
"Lord, Hannah, you're enough to make anybody's flesh creep. Surely
that was only--"
"And then there was the 'Wave,' as struck St. George's bar and
smashed all to pieces, and all on board were drowned!"
"Well, but, Hannah, you know--"
"And the 'Boreas,' that was lost in a gale. And the 'White Bear,'
that was jammed to smash between two icebergs. And the 'Platina,'
that sunk to the bottom with a clear sky and a smooth sea. Sunk to
the bottom as if she had been so much lead. And the--"
"Goodness, gracious, me alive! And the Lord bless my soul, Hannah!
You turn my very blood to water with your stories. Ishmael, don't
you go!"
"Nonsense, Uncle Reuben! You know Aunt Hannah. She cannot help
looking on the darkest side. When I was a boy, she was always
prophesying I'd be hung, you know. Positively, sometimes she made me
fear I might be," said Ishmael, smiling, and turning an affectionate
glance upon his croaking relative.
"Yes, it's all very well for you to talk that way, Ishmael Worth.
But I know one thing. I know I never heard of any sort of a ship
going safe into port more than two or three times in the whole
course of my life. And I have heard of many and many a shipwreck!"
said Hannah, nodding her head, with the air of one who had just
uttered a "knock-down" argument.
"Why, of course, Aunt Hannah. Because, in your remote country
neighborhood you always hear of the wreck that happens once in a
year or in two years; but you never hear of the thousands upon
thousands of ships that are always making safe voyages."
"Oh, Ishmael, hush! It won't do. I'm not convinced. I don't expect
ever to see you alive again."
"Law, Hannah, my dear, don't be so disbelieving. Really, now, you
disencourage one."
"Hold your tongue, Reuben, you're a fool! I say it, and I stand to
it, that steamer will either burst her boiler, or catch on fire, or
sink, or something! And we shall never see our boy again."
Here little Molly, who had been attentively listening to the
conversation, and, like the poor Desdemona, understood "a horror in
the words," if not the words, opened her mouth and set up a howl
that was immediately seconded by her brother.
It became necessary to soothe and quiet these youngsters; and Reuben
lifted them both to his knees.
"Why, what's the matter with pappy's pets, then? What's all this
about?" he inquired, tenderly stroking their heads.
"Cousin Ishmael is going away to be drownded! Boo-hoo-woo!" bawled
Molly.
"And be burnt up, too! Ar-r-r-r-r-r-r!" roared Johnny.
"No, I am not going to be either one or the other," said the subject
of all this interest cheerfully, as he took the children from Reuben
and enthroned them on his own knees. "I am going abroad for a little
while, and I will bring you ever so many pretty things when I come
back."
They were reassured and stopped howling.
"How is your doll, Molly!"
"Her poor nose is broke."
"I thought so." Well, I will bring you a prettier and a larger doll,
that can open and shut its mouth and cry."
"Oh-h!" exclaimed Molly, making great eyes in her surprise and
delight.
"Now, what else shall I bring you, besides the new doll?"
"Another one."
"What, two dolls?"
"Yes."
"Well, what else?"
"Another one, too."
"Three dolls! goodness! but tell me what you would like beside the
three dolls?"
"Some more dolls," persisted Molly, with her finger in her mouth.
"Whew! What would you like, Johnny?" inquired Ishmael, smiling on
the little boy.
"I'd like a hatchet all of my own. I want one the worst kind of a
way," said Johnny solemnly.
"Shall I bring him a little box of dwarf carpenter tools, Uncle
Reuben?" inquired Ishmael doubtfully.
"Just as you please, Ishmael. He can't do much damage with them
inside, because Hannah is always here to watch him; and he may hack
and saw as much as he likes outside," said Reuben.
These points being settled, and the children not only soothed, but
delighted, Ishmael put them off his knees and arose to depart.
He kissed the children, shook hands with Reuben and embraced Hannah,
whose maternal tenderness caused her to restrain her emotions and
forbear her croakings, lest she should frighten the children again.
When he got outside he found Sam standing by the horse, having just
given him water, and being in the act of removing the empty bucket.
Ishmael shook hands with him also, got into the saddle, and, amid
the fervent blessings of Reuben and Hannah, recommenced his journey.