Mary Oakum was in personal appearance a lovely young creature, and an
equally lovely spirit breathed forth in every word, sparkled from every
look, and shone forth embodied in her whole conduct. She had the same
black hair, the same flashing, deep-set hazel eye, the same laughing
mouth--she was a beautiful miniature of Sam, only replacing his
nut-brown complexion with a pure red and white. Mary was now seventeen,
not tall of her age, but gracefully formed, and very feminine.
Susan, the youngest sister, was in a different style; for her hair was
light, and her eyes blue, and her complexion, though fair, without
color. Although two years younger, she was nearly as tall as her sister,
with a serious cast of countenance that made her appear at times of an
equal age.
The parents and children still occupied the little house on the shore;
it was a very small, poor building, but they had kept patching it up the
best they could; and being very happy among themselves, they thought not
of its imperfections with any feelings of repining or discontent.
Sam was the delight of them all; parents and sisters hung upon him with
an ardor of attachment, looked up to him with a feeling of dependence,
confidence, and joy, which made him ever the light of their humble home
when present with them, and drew their hearts after him with almost
painful interest when absent.
He still wore his sailor's rig; was very neat in his dress; never
appearing among business men or at his house, in the same garb in which
he stood at the helm. How anxiously would his sisters watch for the
first glimpse of his white sail in the distance! and how elastic were
their steps, as they bounded from the house to meet him, as soon as they
descried their neat, trim sailor-boy, as they called him, turning the
angle in the shore near their house.
The day of his return had come, and Mrs. Oakum and Susan were busily
employed clearing away the relics of the early meal, and putting, if
possible, a brighter polish on every thing, when Mary came into the
room, arrayed in her very best, and in one hand she held a small green
bag, and in the other her sun-bonnet.
'Why, sister, whither away so early? Your new dress on too, your hair
arranged so neatly, and your best shoes and all. Where are you going to
make a call so early?'
'Oh, no call, sister dear! I am only going to the store. You know I lost
my thimble the other evening, and I thought I would get another before
Sam comes; he might want me to do something, and I should be sorry to
say I had no thimble.'
A deep blush spread all over Mary's white neck, and temples, and
forehead; the rich rose of her cheeks seemed, of an instant, to have
sent its crimson hue in all directions. Had Mary equivocated? Not in
the least; she had never learned that art. Was not the errand a lawful
one? Certainly it was; she told the truth in all its simplicity. She
wanted a thimble, and was going for that, and with no other motive
whatever.
It was simply a flash of truth that crossed her mind--it was elicited by
the remark of her sister in reference to her dress. Susan meant nothing
in particular; nor had Mary, until then, an idea that she meant any
thing in particular by what she had done.
We must look into things a little, however, while Mary is on her way to
the store; for she smiled, slipped on her bonnet, and was off.
Mary was but a few years since a laughing, little romping girl, and she
had grown up in great intimacy with a very staid and rather good-looking
boy. She had sat on his lap, walked with him by the shore hand in hand,
looking for pretty stones and shells; played hide-and-seek with him, in
company with her brother and sister, among the rocks by moonlight, and
even kissed him just as she did Sam, and thought no harm of it. She has,
to be sure, long since, eschewed all such things, and stands now upon
her womanly dignity. But this boy, although grown up to manhood, has not
grown out of her interest. When the playfulness of childhood passed
away, as by right it should, other feelings began to take its place. A
deep respect for his fine character, which shone brighter and brighter
as he grew up; an admiration of his manly appearance; a feeling of
gratitude for the kind interest he took in her brother; a desire to do
whatever she heard him say he liked; in fine, to assimilate her views
and feelings, her tastes and pleasures, to his, was the unconscious
desire of her heart.
But did any body know this? Not a human being. A mother's searching eye
may possibly at times have discerned a glimmering of the truth; but if
so, she had kept it to herself.
Did Mary know this? No, not as the truth itself must say she did; it was
a secret, within what she could see of her little heart, into which no
human eye had yet pried; but there it was. It did sometimes betray
itself a little--a very little: that blush which seemed to come without
a cause, which sent her off so quickly from observation, was just a
token that she was a little conscious--only a little--how the matter
stood.
And does he love her? If he does not, he ought to; for, let him look the
world over, he cannot find a purer, lovelier object to meet his earthly
happiness upon; he cannot find a soul that burns with an intenser ardor
towards each friend her bosom cherishes; he cannot find a heart that,
glowing with the purest earthly love, holds all its rich and priceless
treasures for himself alone, like her's.
But we must stop, for she has reached the store, and quietly walks up to
the side of the counter; passes a pleasant word with the few smiling
customers who are there before her, and receives a salutation from
Edward, who, busily attending upon those immediately before him, was
using his hand and his tongue with great skill and rapidity.
'Good morning, Mary, are all well at home to-day?' said James, stepping
from his place, and standing before her.
Mary looked up in surprise, for she had not yet glanced her eye to see
whether the graver senior partner was at his desk.
'All well--very well, I thank you.' His address, and the reply, were
delivered in a low tone, and he was leaning over the counter when he
spoke.
'Any demands to-day?'
'Nothing but a thimble;' and she smiled and held up her hand, preparing
to take off her glove. James immediately produced a little case, and
placed it before her, but she shook her head--
'These are silver--a common kind will answer me.' Another case was
brought, and James leaned over again, and began to select what, in his
judgment, should be about the size; but somehow he picked out of the
silver case alone.
'Just try this, Mary; none of those seem to fit you well;' and he gently
took the little hand, and placed the thimble on the taper finger.
'You will hardly do better than to keep that.'
'But it is silver, and I cannot afford to lose it; I am for ever losing
them.'
'You may be more fortunate with this, for it is a present.'
'Oh--thank you--thank you; it is a beautiful thimble. I shall be very
choice of it.'
'Because it is silver?' and James looked at her with rather a meaning
glance.
'Oh, no, not altogether; to be sure I should be sorry to lose this,
because--because it is more valuable,'--and seeing James beginning to
color--'it is not only silver, but it is a keepsake.'
All this passed in a tone that could not be heard amidst the din which
Edward and his customers kept up.
'I have news to tell you, likewise, and was on the point of walking to
your house to let you know that the owner of that building near you, and
about which there has been so much curiosity, is expected to arrive
to-day.'
'Then you have known who was the owner?'
'I suppose I may as well confess it.'
'And never told us?'
'You never asked me. The family I have long known; I esteem them highly,
and I think you will be much pleased with them, especially with the
eldest daughter.'
Mary was silent; she wished to ask several questions, but that _eldest
daughter_--somehow the words struck a chill to her heart; she was all at
once very thoughtful.
'Your brother and I are anxious to have things arranged before they get
here, and Sam particularly wishes that his father and all of you should
be there when they arrive, and I think,' said James, 'as you are to be
such near neighbors, it would be well to show them all kindness.'
'Oh, by all means; certainly, we will do every thing we can to welcome
them, as they are friends of yours; but--'
'But what, Mary?'
'Oh, you cannot be sure that they will wish to be very intimate with us,
our circumstances will be so different.'
'They are a family, Mary, that do not regard such distinctions. You will
love them--I know you will. I hope to enjoy their society much, and I am
sure you will too.'
'I will be there, as soon as I can, with the key; and if you are all
willing, we will go to work, and arrange things a little for them.'
'Oh, certainly; we will go with pleasure. Good morning.'
James accompanied her to the door.
'In an hour or so, I will be at your house. Good morning.'
'And I suppose he thinks the thimble will be a bribe to induce me to be
very polite to that _eldest daughter_; but he need not fear. I shall do
every thing I can to make it pleasant. The thimble I shall return when I
have an opportunity, and shall tell him that Mary Oakum could be kind to
his friends without--'
She could not say any more, and this she did not say--she only thought
it; and then she began to be very much ashamed that she had even thought
it. But there was a tumult in poor Mary's heart: at times she would hush
it, but then again it would arise, in spite of herself.
James came after a while with the key, but not so soon as he expected.
Mrs. Oakum and the girls accompanied him to the house; and as Mary
resolved to put down all selfish feelings, and to be very pleasant and
agreeable, every thing wore a cheerful aspect; for Mrs. Oakum and Susan
were delighted with the idea of seeing and becoming acquainted with
their new neighbors, especially as James gave such a favorable account
of them. He had to take a little scolding from Susan, but it was done in
such a good-natured way, that the harmony was not in the least disturbed
by it.
As they had never gratified their curiosity while the house was
building, as many had, it was all new to them; great was the admiration
expressed at the neatness, taste, and convenience of all its parts; the
rooms were so pleasant, and the view so charming.
'And what a sweet place this is!' said Susan, as they entered one of the
upper rooms; 'how gracefully those branches of the willow hang before
the window, and how beautiful the water looks through them, and the
church and the parsonage! It is the finest view from any part of the
house, is it not, sister.'
'It is very beautiful,' said Mary; and she sighed.
'Now, sister dear, what was that for? You don't feel sad that we have no
such place?'
'My dear sister, do you think I am covetous or envious?' And Susan threw
her arms around her neck, and kissed off a tear which she supposed her
suggestion had produced.
'Covetous, envious; no, indeed, dear Mary, forgive me, if what I said
led to any such idea; but I don't think I ever heard you sigh before.
Why was it, sister?'
'Oh, nothing. But we ought not to stay here, ought we, as there is so
much to do?'
And down they went, and to work with good-will. Mrs. Oakum was in the
kitchen, examining with an eye of one who knew well the comfort of
conveniences there; every thing needed was close at hand: a well of
water by the door, a shed for the wood, and such a beauty of a
milk-room, it almost smelled of cream and butter; and from the kitchen
you could look out upon such a love of a garden-spot, large enough to
raise all that a moderate-sized family could possibly want; while
opening into it and near the house was a neat little stable, of
sufficient size for a cow and a horse, with their provender.
'Some one,' said Mrs. Oakum, 'has contrived all this who knows what is
needful for the comfort of a family.'
James was very active, and showed great skill in distributing the
several articles into the different apartments.
'I guess,' said Susan, smiling archly, 'that one, who seems to know so
well where things belong, must have had something to do in getting them:
who knows,' said she, winking to Mary, 'but this house is for himself
after all; and that _eldest daughter_ he talks so much about is to
be----. Dear sister, I know you are not well, you are so pale; you have
worked too hard.'
'I am afraid she has,' said James, looking with much anxiety.
'Oh, not at all; I am very well;--but these things, had we not better be
putting them in their places?'
'These must be all for one room; they are, you see, painted white and
tipped with green,--the chairs, and the table, and washstand, they must
be for that little upper room. Don't you think so Mary?' said Susan,
catching up a chair.
'I think they would be suitable there,' said Mary.
'There they shall go then,' said James: and soon the little room was
furnished.
'Oh, is it not sweet?' said Susan. 'But mother is calling us to help her
with the carpet,' replied Mary, and down they went. Here, however, was a
difficulty; the carpet was in a roll, and there would be no time to cut
it and sew it together.
'It would take us a whole day,' said Susan, 'do our best.'
Mrs. Oakum, however, proposed that she should cut the breadths, and lay
them down, and some other day they would come and assist the family in
sewing it together; so Mary took out her scissors, and soon the floor
was covered; and as this was the best room, the furniture suitable was
arranged in it, and to the girls it seemed a grand place.
'And now,' said Mrs. Oakum, 'the rooms seem to be all provided with
their furniture, except the kitchen, and I don't see that there is any
provision made for that. What will they do?' looking from one to the
other. James smiled, blushed, and appeared confused, and was about to
say something explanatory, when the door was opened, and Mr. Oakum
entered, dressed in his Sunday suit; this he had put on at the request
of the girls. He informed them that the sloop was in, and that Sam was
on his way up.
Sam had no lack of kisses that day, and Mary even hung upon him more
fondly than ever; and Sam thought he saw a tear glistening in her eye,
but she wiped it away, and said--
'It was nothing.'
Ah, Mary! the world is full of such _nothings_; it is ever piercing the
heart of such sensitive beings as yourself, and forcing out the drops
that tell in mute but unmistaking language the aching within.
'So, Mr. Sam, you knew the secret all the time about the house?' said
his youngest sister, coming up and hanging on him for a kiss.
'Oh, you know, Susan, secrets are troublesome to ladies; I did not wish
to burden you, my dear.'
'Very generous it was in you. Oh, I wish I was strong enough to shake
you;' but as she was not, she caught him round the neck, and kissed him.
'But come in, and see how well we have arranged things. Will they be
here soon?'
Sam made no reply to Susan's last question, but followed her immediately
into the house.
They were all soon collected in the parlor, expatiating on the beauty of
the place, and were beginning to ask Sam a variety of questions, when
James all at once left the room; and Sam, drawing from his pocket a
packet neatly enveloped, his parents and sisters looked at him,
expecting some new disclosure.
'My dear parents: I have practised a little deception upon you, for the
first time in my life, which I hope you will pardon when you hear the
nature of it. This house, which you have been arranging, does not belong
to any stranger, as you have been led to think--it is all your own; and
here, my dear father, is the deed which makes it and the ground around
it your's for ever,' handing to his wonder-stricken parent the paper he
had in his hand.
Mr. Oakum took the paper, but was so overcome with amazement, that he
could say nothing; he looked at his wife, who, for a moment, sat with
her hands clasped before her, her eyes strained in their intense gaze on
her darling boy. She then sprang to clasp him in her arms, but the
girls were before her, and were hanging around his neck, and fairly
smothering him with their fond embrace. Sam put out his arms to receive
his mother, and she fell upon his neck, and burst into tears.
'Oh, Sam! my dear Sam! may God bless you for ever and ever.'
His father, overcome by the rush of his own excited feelings and the
outburst of affection on the part of the mother and sisters, dropped the
paper, and leaning on his hands, could only shed tears of joy. It was
not the beautiful gift--valuable as it was--nor the sudden flow of
prosperity, that raised them at once from a poor and decayed tenement to
a dwelling equal in respectability to the best in the place; thoughts
far richer to a parent's heart were thrilling his bosom, and working up
his feelings into intense and overpowering emotion. To find in the man
who stood before him in his strength and ardor, the same kind, loving,
feeling fondness that the boy had manifested--in fine, to know that
prosperity and manhood had not changed his boy--it was enough: earth had
no better good, heaven could give no richer earthly solace. And could
that son have heard the thoughts which rose in gushing ardor to the
throne on high, and could his vision but have burst the veil which hides
that secret place where thoughts are registered, he would have felt that
a recompense already had been treasured for him beyond the reach of
venture or decay.
Sam had made but little calculation as to the effect of this surprise,
either on his parents or himself. He had often, in boyish days, even
when all around was dark and forbidding, amused himself with visions of
the future, of all that he might be and do, and in every fancy sketch,
his mind portrayed for the comfort of his parents; the joy which, in
some unexpected way, might be infused into their spirits, was ever the
prominent figure in the scene. This object, now so happily accomplished,
had been his aim for years: for this he had resisted his inward impulse
to go abroad and visit distant climes, and seek a fortune more genial to
his bounding spirit; steadily had he pursued his calling, and faithfully
labored and stored away his earnings with almost a miser's care, to
gratify this heaven-born, filial love, and in some hour of exquisite
delight enjoy his long, long-treasured wish. And now that hour had come.
He had opened the floodgates of happiness upon these dear objects of his
affection, and was overpowered himself. He sat down beside his mother,
and mingled his tears with her's.
But why has Mary left the scene? and why has she gone with such haste to
that little upper room? and why does she clasp her hands, and raise her
eye to heaven, and shed such tears as now overflow those long dark lids
and bathe her lovely cheek? Another token these of that deep feeling
which her secret heart so long has nourished; that room is pleasant now,
for hither she has come, in this moment of heart-felt bliss, to pour out
her heaving thoughts in gratitude to God; and there she hopes, in days
and years to come, to send up the incense so pleasing unto Him who loves
a contrite heart.
Mary had much to think of; no longer could she hide from herself the
fact that she loved James Montjoy; and every word which he had said, and
which had caused her so much inward pain, was now a source of new and
heart-felt joy, and it was impossible for her to misunderstand those
allusions which so plainly pointed to herself; and yet she would say,
'He was only in jest; he knew it must all come out--he meant nothing by
it, nothing particular.' Thus ruminating, and with a happy heart, she
passed lightly down the little staircase and along the hall, as James
was returning from a stroll in the garden, to which, out of delicacy for
the feelings of the family, he had retired, just as Sam was about to
make the disclosure.
He put out his hand to congratulate her upon the happy surprise;
overcome with the scene she had just passed through, and the rush of
feelings at the sight of him, she extended her hand, and burst into
tears.
As James entered the parlor with Mary, the scene had to be in some
measure renewed; for he was so identified with all the prosperity they
had enjoyed, that a sight of him under present circumstances but added
to the full tide of feeling.
'Oh,' said Mrs. Oakum, 'this has been all your doing.'
'By no means, my dear madam; Sam alone has devised it, and his own
honest earnings have paid the cost.'
'Yes, I have no doubt of that, and Heaven's blessing he will have for
it; but you first took him by the hand and encouraged him, and--'
'Oh, Mrs. Oakum, we will not go so far back now; and besides, I could no
more have done without Sam than he felt he could do without me; but we
must clear up our faces and prepare for company, for this matter will
fly like the wind when it gets abroad, and you will have the whole town
here to see you.'
Commodore Trysail was one of those specimens of humanity with which we
occasionally meet, where a rough exterior and a blunt manner conceal a
warm and tender heart. In all matters of business he was prompt,
correct, and very decided; a little tenacious of authority when he saw
any disposition to slight his orders, but allowing great latitude
whenever he knew there was a desire to please and obey him.
Old Peter, who had accompanied the family of Major Morris to their new
residence, was quite a favorite with the Commodore; and as the two
families were but a short distance apart, with the exception that Peter
had his hammock slung in one of the Major's out-buildings--he was as
much at home at one house as the other.
It was one part of Peter's business to watch the coming in of the mail,
and see that the letters and papers for either family were distributed
in the quickest possible time; also to attend upon the departure and
arrival of the sloop, as there was always something to go or come by
that conveyance, it being the only regular one to and from the city.
This part of Peter's duty he performed with special pleasure; Sam had
ever been a favorite of his, and he never tired of telling over what he
knew of him when a boy, and extolling his fine appearance, his activity
and his correct conduct in all things, now that he had grown to be a
man.
Between the Commodore and Peter Sam was often a subject of conversation,
until all that Peter knew of his favorite had been many times repeated.
On this day, so distinguished in the life of his hero, Peter not only
brought along from the boat quite a number of parcels, but he had also a
weighty cargo of news, which he had gathered on his way back. After
giving Lady Morris, as he always styled her, the first of the tidings,
he hastened to the Commodore's as fast as his crutches would carry him.
It was a warm afternoon, and the Commodore was seated in his veranda on
the shady side of the house, enjoying the cooling view of the expanse of
water spread out before him, and the gentle breeze that scarce moved the
long branches of the willow that hung above and around him, when he
heard the well-known sound of the crutches stumping along the hard
gravel path at double quick time. Peter was so much out of breath, and
so excited with what he had to tell, that after he had reached the stoop
and taken off his hat, and smoothed down his queue and made several
obeisances, he could only stammer out,
'Your honor--'
The Commodore looked at him with no little surprise, for the preparation
Peter had made betokened quite a long yarn.
'A warm day, Peter.'
'Very, your honor;' and Peter fumbled away at his queue, and twisted his
quid to all sides of his mouth.
'You are out of breath, Peter; what is the haste to-day? any news
stirring?'
'Great news, your honor, great news.'
'Is war declared, or has the comet lost its tail? let me hear; out with
it, Peter.'
'No war, your honor, God forbid: and I guess the comet is whizzing away
yet, though we can't see him by daylight; but your honor knows that
picture of a house up along the bank there--'
'Ay, ay--what, the house that has no owner? and a pretty box it is; what
of it, Peter?'
'But it has got an owner, and who does your honor think it is? Our
Captain Sam; he's built it 'spressly for his father and mother, God
bless him! and he's rigged it all up for 'em, and he's put 'em in it
this blessed day, and there they are, as happy as your honor was in a
tight, new ship. And now he says, "Good-by to the old sloop, Peter; I've
got the old folks snug and happy, and now I am going to steer my way on
the broad ocean, just as you have always been wishing me to do." That's
just what he said, your honor. God bless him.'
The Commodore was a match for Peter with the tobacco any day, and
whenever a little excited, was sure to clap his finger and thumb into
his vest pocket, where there was generally a supply ready cut up of
suitable length. As Peter concluded his tale, the Commodore began to
fumble for a charge.
'Peter, I'm out; hand me that bit of yarn you are cutting from.'
'Bless your honor, not this; no, no;' and taking out a package that had
filled the whole capacity of his jacket pocket, 'here is some, your
honor, the boys have put up for me to-day (Peter had the run of the
store free), bless their kind hearts. It's bran new, your honor; take it
all, and welcome.'
Having untied the roll, cut off a liberal allowance, and given two or
three squeezes to the delicious morsel,
'Do you say, Peter, that he has built that handsome place for his father
and mother, and furnished it, and given it to them out-and-out?'
'It's God's truth, your honor.'
'Well, Peter, all I can say is, that he has got more of a sailor's heart
in him than I thought he had; and do you think that is the reason why he
has been shoaling along shore here, when we have all been wondering why
such a smart young fellow didn't try to climb a little higher in the
world?'
'Nothing else, as sure as that water is runnin' to the ocean. I always
tell'd your honor, Capt. Sam would come out bright; he wasn't never made
for a land lubber, your honor: his heart is too big, too big for that, I
always knowed it was.'
'And I suppose the old folks are very happy. Did they know of it
before?'
'Never, your honor, till this blessed day; and when I com'd along by
there, Miss Mary came runnin' out; 'Come in, Peter, come in and see our
new house;' and so in I goes, and sich a sight your honor never see;
there was the mother with the tears a runnin', and the father lookin' as
if he had been standin' eight-and-forty hours facing a nor'wester, and
the galls and all hold on me, and showing me every thing, and making me
eat and drink; it's the happiest family, your honor, I believe there is
at this moment on the breathin' earth; I was no better than a baby
myself, your honor.'
'Peter, do you go this minute, do you hear?'--Peter had like not to have
heard, for he was on his way going somewhere, he knew not exactly for
what--'and tell Harry to rig up the carriage, and--do you hear, Peter?'
'Ay, ay, sir.' Peter was hardly within hailing distance.
'Tell Mrs. Morris that I shall call for her.'
'Ay, ay, sir.'
'Bless my soul! he's a fine fellow.' The Commodore was now walking up
and down very fast: 'Something must be done for him; he must let that
old sloop go to the ----;' the Commodore was not always particular
where he sent things, so that they were out of his way.
There are green spots in this world of ours, which tempt us to forget
that it is a fallen world, and point us, in their exhibition of true
enjoyment, to what it might have been, and what it may yet be. There are
pleasures that seem so unalloyed by selfish, earthly dross, we almost
feel the breath of heaven fanning our spirits while we mingle in them.
Such was the bright and pleasant scene that Sam had lighted up within
that circle of domestic love, his home.
Nor was there any lack of friends that day to greet them kindly, or to
sympathize in their joy. The tidings soon spread, as James said they
would, and neighbor after neighbor came dropping in, some, no doubt, to
gratify their curiosity, but many, many more to give utterance to the
joy they really felt.
It was about the middle of the afternoon when the equipage of Commodore
Trysail drove up. The old gentleman was a sailor, and not very
particular when dealing with men, at least not always so, to polish
either his language or his manners; but in the company of ladies he
never forgot the respect due to them; he was mild and courteous, no
matter how humble the individual or the circle to which he was
introduced. Mrs. Morris was no stranger to the family; she had often
visited them in their lonely home, and by her affable and kind manners
had won their hearts.
No wonder, then, that the girls ran with such haste to welcome her, and
conducted her into their new abode with feelings, if not of pride, at
least of heart-felt pleasure. She kissed them as they met her at the
door.
'I wish you joy, my dear good girls, with all my heart. Mrs. Oakum, I
congratulate you on your entrance into such a pretty home; it is a sweet
place; but it must be doubly sweet and precious to you under all the
circumstances.'
Mrs. Oakum could not reply; tears alone responded to the kind greeting.
'But where is that noble fellow, Sam? I must call him so yet--where is
he?'
'He has run away. Do you think, Mrs. Morris,' said Mary, 'he found the
neighbors began to come in, and off he went.'
'Do you tell him for me, he's a pretty fellow; and that I shall expect a
visit from him expressly in return for this.'
The Commodore had been detained at the door a moment, in offering his
whole-soul congratulations to Sam's father. As he entered the room, Mrs.
Morris formally introduced him to the mother and sisters. Bowing very
low to Mrs. Oakum,
'Madam, I do not wonder that your feelings are excited; he is a noble
boy, and you have every reason to be proud of him.'
'He has ever been a dear, good child, sir.'
'Yes; I have no doubt of that, madam; and I suspect he has had a dear,
good mother. Ah! it is these mothers that make men what they ought to
be. I had a dear, good mother once. I never shall forget her; she taught
me a great many good things, when she used to lean over me in my bed.
What a different man I should have been had I minded her; but, thank
God, I hope I have not forgotten them all.'
A tear might have been seen bedewing an eye that had met the shock of
battle, and the rush of the tempest, without a twinkle.
'But, bless my soul! are these two cherubs your daughters?--a kiss,
girls; a kiss.'
There was no affectation in their honest hearts, and they received a
hearty salutation without blushing any more than might have been
expected.
'Do you think, Commodore,' said Mrs. Morris, 'our hero has betaken
himself away!'
'The rogue! I wanted to have given him a good sailor's squeeze; and to
tell him how happy I am to find that he has a true sailor's heart. But I
see how it is; he had rather do a good deed than be praised for it. Will
you tell him for me, madam,' turning to Mrs. Oakum, 'that I should be
pleased to see him at my house as early to-morrow morning as his
engagements will permit? Again, allow me, madam, to wish you much
happiness in your new abode, and many, many years to enjoy it in.'
The Commodore bowed to the whole circle, and offering his arm to Mrs.
Morris, led her to the carriage.