Time is not only a destroyer; he is a healer too. Sorrow and joy attend
his flight; and each in turn commands the passing hour. The family of
Mr. Rutherford had laid aside the badges of mourning which, in token of
respect for the memory of one they loved, they had put on when William
Andrews died. The scene at his bedside had been ratified in secret, and
Henry Tracy felt every day more and more satisfied with the one he had
chosen. There was some little stir, indeed, when it was known abroad,
and some even hinted the idea that he had stooped a little in taking one
situated as Hettie had been; but none who really knew her ever thought
so. She was a bright star, dimmed awhile by clouds, and now to shine in
her true, simple lustre; her husband's heart, her husband's home, and
the circle over which his care rested, were now to feel her sweet and
womanly influence.
The pressure of trouble had done its bidden work upon the views and
habits of Mr. Rutherford; and then, by the same kind hand which brought
it, was it taken off. The recovery of his deed at once placed him in
possession of wealth; the immense value of the tract of timber was daily
becoming more evident, and he was in a few months enabled to commence
the joyful duty of liquidating the claim upon his homestead. He had
resolved, in time, to rebuild upon the ruins of his former house; but
prudence was his watchword now, and until every cent of the claim was
cancelled, he determined to remain in his present situation. He was,
however, for a few months occupying the beautiful mansion of Commodore
Trysail, at the special request of the latter, who was about to leave
for the south, where he and his lady expected to remain some time.
The pretty parsonage, which has been so long waiting for an occupant, is
at last full of life and bustle. The windows have been opened for some
days, and young female forms are seen moving about in all directions
through the house. Curtains are putting up and carpets putting down,
bedsteads are coming together, and large flat beds are lying about in
readiness to be put upon them; piles of chairs, tied together two and
two, are waiting to be released; and crates, boxes, and baskets, all
well filled, are being broken open and pulled to pieces, while from
them be borne off by nimble hands and feet all sorts of every thing, to
be arranged according to their different uses.
In the mean time there is a great stir at Mr. Rutherford's. Old ladies
and young ones have been much together there of late; vast quantities of
needles and pins and silk and thread have been in requisition; and then
the old family recipe-book has been for days lying on the large kitchen
table, with heaps of flour and butter alongside of it, and busy hands
have been violently engaged beating insides of eggs, and taking out the
insides of raisins, and stewing things together in all sorts of ways;
while at times a most savory smell would escape to the upper stories,
enough to set all the old women and young children running down stairs.
At length the meaning of all this bustle is unfolded. A wedding day has
come. Henry Tracy has been putting his pretty cottage in readiness to
receive the lovely girl, who has consented to be its mistress; and
Hettie, with the aid of her companions, and under the care of Mrs.
Rutherford, has been making preparations for the hour when she yields
herself in holy wedlock to the man she loves.
It has been a busy day with the family of Mr. Rutherford from early dawn
until near its close; and now, as evening approaches, lights are seen
glistening from every window in the large building, and through the wide
hall, flitting like fairies, young ladies are passing and repassing, and
going up and down with light and joyous steps, as though pleasure had
come down and shed her quickening charm upon them all. Carriages of
various kinds are landing groups of young and old, and then driving off
with speed. Attendants at the door in neat array, are leading the new
comers to the various rooms assigned for their reception. For a while
confusion seems to reign; then all subsides to quiet. The joyous laugh
and the lively call are hushed, and within the spacious parlor have all
assembled who are to be the witnesses of the solemn rite. Dazzling with
lights, scattered profusely round, and trimmed with evergreens and early
flowers, it seems a fairy bower; while, circling the room the
well-dressed guests, with staid and even solemn faces, are whispering to
each other, or eyeing with curious gaze the beautiful festoons that
grace the windows or sweep across the lofty ceiling.
It is the wedding day of the young pastor and his gentle bride, and
Henry Tracy enters the room, accompanied by his three bridesmen, Captain
Oakum, and James and Edward Montjoy. Soon after Hettie appears led by
Mr. Rutherford, who is to act as her father, and give away the bride.
She is simply dressed without ornament of any kind, but the long white
veil which falls in light and graceful folds from her head, and partly
hides her dark luxuriant hair. Her bridesmaids follow, Susan Morris, and
the sisters of the young Captain, and of James and Edward Montjoy.
'Before I present to you,' said Mr. Rutherford, addressing Mr. Tracy,
'this chief earthly treasure'--and he turned his eyes for a moment to
the blushing girl who was leaning on his arm--'I must beg your
acceptance of this paper, you will find when you look upon it, that you
are not taking to your home a portionless bride. She is as dear to the
hearts of Mrs. Rutherford and myself as if she were our own child, and
we have given to her the dowry of a daughter of our own. You chose her
as a poor portionless girl, and would have loved her as tenderly had she
continued so; but we all know that this is an uncertain world, and it is
as well to be prepared for its troubles. May God bless you both!'
One wedding, it is said, leads to another. Whether this is so or not, I
cannot say, but the signs are ominous; for James Montjoy and Mary Oakum
take long walks by moonlight, and Sam spends every evening at General
Morris's, and other tokens tell plainly what things are coming to.
But the long road which I and my readers have travelled together, must
here end: are you not glad of it?
* * * * *
J. OGDEN AND CO. LIMITED, PRINTERS. GREAT SAFFRON HILL, E.C.
* * * * *
THE LILY SERIES.
_Uniform with this Volume._
The design of this Series is to include no books except such as are
peculiarly adapted by their high tone, pure taste, and thorough
principle to be read by those persons, young and old, who look upon
books as upon their friends--only worthy to be received into the Family
Circle for their good qualities and excellent characters. In view of
this design, no author whose name is not a guarantee of the real worth
and purity of his or her work, or whose book has not been subjected to a
rigid examination, will be admitted into the "Lily Series."
1 Leslie Goldthwaite. Whitney.
2 The Gayworthys. Whitney.
3 Faith Gartney's Girlhood. Whitney.
4 The Gates Ajar. Phelps.
5 Little Women. Alcott.
6 Good Wives. Alcott.
7 Alone. Harland.
8 I've been Thinking. A. S. Roe.
9 Ida May. Langdon.
10 The Lamplighter. Cumming.
11 Stepping Heavenward. Prentiss.
12 Gypsy Breynton. Phelps.
13 Aunt Jane's Hero. Prentiss.
14 Wide, Wide World. Wetherell.
15 Queechy. Wetherell.
16 Looking Round. A. S. Roe.
17 Fabrics: A Story of To-day.
18 Our Village: Tales. Mitford.
19 The Winter Fire. Porter.
20 Flower of the Family. Prentiss.
21 Mercy Gliddon's Work. Phelps.
22 Patience Strong's Outings. Whitney.
23 Something to Do. Alcott.
24 Gertrude's Trial. Jefferis.
25 The Hidden Path. Harland.
26 Uncle Tom's Cabin. Stowe.
27 Fireside & Camp Stories. Alcott.
28 The Shady Side. A Pastor's Wife.
29 The Sunny Side. Trusta.
30 What Katy Did. Coolidge.
31 Fern Leaves. Fanny Fern.
32 Shadows and Sunbeams. Fanny Fern.
33 What Katy did at School. Coolidge.
34 Shiloh. Jay.
35 Pressing Heavenward. Prentiss.
36 Gypsy's Sowing & Reaping. Phelps.
37 Gypsy's Cousin Joy. Phelps.
38 Gypsy at Golden Crescent. Phelps.
39 Moral Tales. Edgeworth.
40 Popular Tales. Edgeworth.
41 Prince of House of David. Ingraham.
42 Anna Lee. Arthur.
43 The Throne of David. Ingraham.
44 The Pillar of Fire. Ingraham.
45 Prudence Palfrey. Aldrich.
46 Peep at Number Five. Trusta.
47 Marjorie's Quest. Gould.
48 Our Village: Country Pictures.
49 Woman our Angel. A. S. Roe.
50 How Marjory Helped. Carroll.
51 Mabel Vaughan. Cumming.
52 Melbourne House. Wetherell.
53 Father Clement. Kennedy.
54 Dunallan. Kennedy.
55 From Jest to Earnest. E. P. Roe.
56 Jessamine. Harland.
57 Miss Gilbert's Career. Holland.
58 The Old Helmet. Wetherell.
59 Forging their Own Chains. Cornwall.
60 Daisy. Wetherell.
61 Our Helen. May.
62 That Lass o'Lowrie's. Burnett.
63 The Years that are Told. Porter.
64 Near to Nature's Heart. E. P. Roe.
65 Esther Douglas. Baskin.
66 Knight of 19th Century. E. P. Roe.
67 Released. Baskin.
68 Quinnebasset Girls. Porter.
69 Helen. Edgeworth.
70 The Fairchild Family. Sherwood.
71 Freston Tower. Cobbold.
72 Godwyn's Ordeal. Spender.
73 Madeleine.
74 Onward to the Heights of Life.
75 Perry Harrison's Mistake. "Pansy."
76 Carl Krinken. Wetherell.
77 Without a Home. E. P. Roe.
78 Her Wedding Day. Harland.
79 His Sombre Rivals. E. P. Roe.
80 Odd or Even. Whitney.
81 Julamerk. Webb.
82 Martyrs of Carthage. Webb.
83 The Nun.
84 The Basket of Flowers.
85 Autobiography of a L5 Note.
86 Pilgrims of New England. Webb.
87 Only a Dandelion. Prentiss.
88 Follow Me. Prentiss.
89 Nidworth. Prentiss.
90 Nellie of Truro.
91 An Original Belle. E. P. Roe.
92 Barriers Burned Away. E. P. Roe.
93 Opening of a Chestnut Burr. E. P. Roe.
94 What Can She Do? E. P. Roe.
95 A Day of Fate. E. P. Roe.
96 A Face Illumined. E. P. Roe.
97 He Fell in Love with his Wife.
98 Driven Back to Eden. E. P. Roe.
99 What Katy Did Next. Coolidge.
100 Christine's Crook. Hamer.
101 Ben-Hur. Wallace.
102 Four Girls at Chautauqua. "Pansy."
103 The Chautauqua Girls at Home. E. P. Roe.
104 Christie's Christmas. "Pansy."
105 True to the Best. Price.
106 Drone's Honey. May.
107 An Endless Chain. "Pansy."
108 Ruth Erskine's Crosses. "Pansy."
109 Links in Rebecca's Life. "Pansy."
110 Mrs. Solomon Smith Looking on.
111 The Earth Trembled. E. P. Roe.
112 The Gates Between. Phelps.
113 Found, yet Lost. E. P. Roe.
114 Three People. "Pansy."
115 Ester Ried. "Pansy."
116 Ester Ried yet Speaking. "Pansy."
117 Julia Ried. "Pansy."
118 The Fair God. Wallace.
119 Sense and Sensibility. Austen.
120 Pride and Prejudice. Austen.
121 Emma. Austen.
124 Honoured in the Breach.
125 An Unexpected Result. E. P. Roe.
126 Naomi. Webb.
127 Beulah. Wilson.
* * * * *
Transcriber's Note: Hyphen variations left as printed.