SAD FAREWELLS.
George Alden improved slowly, his back having received serious injuries,
from which Dr. Briar feared he would never fully recover. His faithful
nurses were in constant attendance at his bedside, bestowing every
attention that skill could suggest or loving hands perform. For many
weeks he could not be moved. He became much emaciated, paroxysms of pain
being of frequent occurrence and making opiates necessary.
Weeks passed, and spring was near at hand. Allowed to sit up for a short
time each day, Alden looked from the window upon the street, enjoying
every movement with delight known only to those confined for months
upon beds of sickness and pain. Belle sat beside him reading aloud from
a book, the patient watching her constantly, seemingly in a trance of
worshipful devotion. His eyes sent forth sympathetic and tender glances,
his heart catching every word that fell from the beautiful lips.
Forgetting himself, he was held in transports of love, soon, alas! to
be broken, leaving him a poor worshipper, removed far from his idol.
Enjoying these precious hours, and watching the expression of love and
happiness gathering upon the face of his young wife, he little thought
she was to be the victim of the ambition and lost fortunes of two other
men.
"Ah, Belle!" he said one day, "during all my sickness and suffering, I
have passed many happy hours; will it always last?"
"I hope so, my dear husband; and when you recover we will publish our
marriage, and then renew these happy moments without the attendant
suffering."
"But must I be a cripple? Oh, the thought is agony to me. What should I
do, a helpless person entirely dependent upon those I love? Even with
all the precious hours I could enjoy with you and my dear sister, I
should pray God to take me away."
"Do not talk of that. Dr. Briar says you will again be able to walk.
Do for the present let your mind rest and be contented; your recovery
depends entirely upon this."
"Yes, I know it, and were it not for my two good and loving nurses my
mind long ere this would have given way. I am truly happy, yet I am so
often reminded of the danger surrounding me that I cannot dispel the
thought that I may be permanently helpless."
Belle, rising from her chair, approached him lovingly, placed her arm
about his neck, and laughingly said:
"No more of such gloomy forebodings. If you wish to get well you must
be happy and contented; if not your nurses will retire and send two
snuff-taking, herb-giving hospital women to take care of you. How would
you like that, my impatient prisoner?"
"That being too great a punishment, I will promise to obey my nurses,
providing they will remain with me."
Week after week passing, the later spring began to send forth its balmy
breezes. The snows of winter long since gone, and the birds returned
from southern homes, the trees began taking on their garb of emerald,
while the apple blossoms were bursting forth, soon to expand their germs
into luscious fruit.
The factory had not been rebuilt, and much suffering had been
experienced among families whose members were thrown out of employment
by the disastrous fire of the previous fall.
The heavy loss to the Cleverdale Woollen Company forced several of its
stockholders into bankruptcy, and the business interests of the village
were more or less affected by the disaster. Naturally, everybody thought
Senator Hamblin too solid financially to be disturbed by the loss of one
hundred thousand dollars--the amount of his stock in the company--but
had they seen him in the solitude of his office or home meditating over
the critical condition of his business affairs, they would have formed
a far different opinion. During the winter he had been obliged to raise
large sums of money to prevent his own bank paper from going to protest,
but with an unlimited credit he could command almost any desired amount.
Men with funds lying idle were glad to place their money in the hands of
as safe a man as they supposed him to be. Widows and factory operatives
felt secure, could they induce the president of the Cleverdale Bank to
take their savings and pay them interest. In this way Senator Hamblin
succeeded in averting the calamity that would otherwise have overwhelmed
him.
He borrowed heavily from the bank on the notes of his friends.
The limited amount a bank may loan to any one individual--as regulated
by the National Banking law--is one tenth of its capital stock, but
on notes of his friends President Hamblin had already borrowed three
quarters of the bank's capital. Thus keeping himself apparently solvent,
the people of Cleverdale looked upon him as the wealthiest man in the
county, and being a shrewd actor in life's drama, by his conversation
and general demeanor he succeeded in making good the impression of his
wealth, bestowing gifts upon charitable objects with more liberality
than ever before. The Hamblin Guards were his especial pride; he
contributed largely to the company's support when occasion afforded
opportunity for the organization to do credit to its patron. At the
State Capitol he was the leader in numerous projects, and his power was
felt on many occasions, when important bills had to be carried through
both houses. He returned to his home nearly every Saturday, remaining
until Monday. While appearing happy and at ease before the public, in
private he was discontented and miserable. Inevitable ruin staring him
in the face, he planned to avert the calamity by the assistance of
Walter Mannis.
He delayed making final arrangements for disgracing the cashier, hoping
the latter would die, but as months passed and the obstinate fellow
refused to play the part assigned him, Senator Hamblin became petulant
and cross because he was so long in getting well.
He constantly chided Belle for confining herself so closely to the
sick-room.
"You must go away from home for a time. Your mother and yourself had
better make preparations immediately for the long-talked-of visit to
your aunt in Philadelphia," said he. "You need rest and recreation, my
daughter."
"I cannot leave home at present; perhaps I may be able to go next month.
George is improving rapidly and begins to walk about the room, and even
talks of soon resuming his work at the bank."
"Tell him to hurry up, for I want to see the roses back again in your
cheeks. You must have rest and at once."
As he turned and left the room, he failed to hear his daughter remark:
"What would Papa say did he know I was the wife of George Alden?"
Two weeks later George Alden, riding for the first time since his
illness through the streets of the village, received many demonstrations
of the esteem in which he was held. Not only were kind expressions
uttered by men, but the "God bless you" of many an old woman reaching
him touched his heart-strings. Each day's drive gave him new force, he
grew stronger, and the danger of being crippled for life finally passed
away.
One day, after he had returned from his drive, Belle sat at his side,
where she had passed so many anxious hours.
"Belle, my darling," he said, "you look tired and careworn, your bright
color has entirely vanished, and you need a change of air and scene. I
am improving so rapidly now, you ought to go away for a while."
"Do you think so, George? Papa said the same thing to me a short time
ago. He wants Mamma and me to visit his sister at Philadelphia, but I
cannot endure the thought of leaving you."
"I am much better, and by another week hope to be able to resume my
duties at the bank. Although I should greatly miss you, nevertheless you
must promise to go, for you need it."
Fannie entering the room at that moment, her brother appealed to her.
"Fannie, I am trying to persuade Belle to leave home for a short time.
Her father also desires her to visit his sister; and she needs rest.
Come, Fannie, be as decided with her as you have been with me, and she
will not dare disobey."
Fannie laughingly replied, "Yes, my dear Belle, you must go, for it will
greatly benefit your health. Get ready to go at once, for George will
soon be able to go into the bank."
Belle consented, and returning home, told her mother of her
determination. Mrs. Hamblin readily fell in with the arrangement; so
dressmakers were called, and everything was done to make the ladies
ready for the journey.
One week later George Alden declared himself able to resume his duties,
but postponed returning to the bank until after the departure of his
wife. Naturally enough he and Belle were constantly together, and were
as one in dreading the separation.
"I am sorry, George, I promised to go," said Belle one day. "I cannot
tell why I feel so badly about leaving you. I am not superstitious, but
I fear something will occur to keep us apart."
"It is all for the best," said George. "Go, my precious wife, for a
change is what you need. I shall resume my work at once, and while you
are absent will write you each day. Returning you will be better able to
meet your father, and tell him of our marriage."
The two were together several hours the day before the departure, but
there was an indescribable feeling in the minds of both that something
would occur affecting their happiness.
Telling their fears to Fannie, she laughed and said:
"Nonsense; lovers always feel that way when they part. Nothing is
likely to occur affecting your happiness, unless it will make you both
miserable to see the roses again in bloom upon Belle's cheeks."
But the final parting was full of sad forebodings, and as the train bore
away Mrs. Hamblin and daughter, the tears shed in silence by the latter
would not have ceased so soon had she known that her cup of happiness
was to be replaced by one so full of trouble that its very bitterness
would almost drive her into eternity.