CHAPTER XX.

WINGS TO FLY.

Persis’s government bonds were indeed a most unexpected windfall, and

the family was given an entire surprise, for Mr. Peyton had a sister

and a brother to whom all his property would naturally be supposed to

go, and conscientious Persis at first rather demurred about accepting

the legacy, but as the executors informed her it was a strictly legal

matter, and as Mr. Peyton’s sister and brother were not needy, she was

glad to set aside her compunctions, and accepted her bonds gratefully.

“You and Annis, grandma, how much you have done for me!” she said.

“Isn’t it strange that Annis should have discovered the envelope, and

that it was she who put it into Mr. Peyton’s head to remember me?

Doesn’t it seem like bread upon the waters?”

“It does, indeed. I have regretted your giving up college more than I

can tell you, and now all is made smooth.”

“Do you suppose Mr. Peyton really knew that he had such a short time to

live?”

“Yes, I think so. I, too, have had a last word.” And grandma’s face

took on a grave look.

“Oh, grandma, have you?”

“Yes, dear; the letter was written just after your visit. I think it

is dated that same day. He said that he knew his time was short, and

that he wanted you to have what would have been yours if you had really

been his grand-daughter. Life was a battle for him in many ways. With

all the comforts which his means provided, he still had a strangely sad

life, and I am thankful that he is at rest. The things he most desired

in this world were never his; many things which might have added to his

happiness seemed to slip away from him. He was a great lover of books,

yet for years he was not able to use his eyes except for a few moments

at a time, two or three times a day, and there were other trials from

which he was never free.”

“How little we know,” Persis replied, softly. “I thought him such a

fortunate man. What a year of changes it has been. In it Lisa has been

away, and has come back engaged; the boys have left us; I have started

on my journalistic work; and now this comes. Before that everything

went along so uneventfully. I believe the changes have dated from our

discovery of Annis.”

But there were more changes to come, which were to involve the entire

family. The question of Persis’s college career was first considered,

and it was decided that she should make her home with Mrs. Brown and

Annis while she was away. Then came a decision to be made regarding

Mellicent, who had shot up into a tall girl so suddenly that she had

outgrown her strength, and the doctor advised a warmer climate and

cessation from study for at least a year. How this question was to be

met was determined most delightfully and opportunely for Mellicent by a

sudden offer on the part of the college to send Professor Holmes abroad

on an archæological expedition which would take him to Greece and

Egypt, and there seemed nothing better to be done than for Mrs. Holmes

and Mellicent to accompany him.

“Dear! dear!” Persis exclaimed when this was told her. “Just think how

my sisters are outdoing me. Here Lisa has been to Japan, and Mellicent

is going to Egypt, while I——”

“You are going to college, which is a place neither of us is likely to

go,” put in Mellicent, aptly.

“True, and when I get my degree I’ll go abroad; or maybe, Lisa, you

will be living in Japan. You know your Richard is likely to be ordered

anywhere, and you’ll tag after him, I suppose, so I’ll perhaps be able

to visit you in some of the out-of-the-way corners of the world.”

“Yes, that is something to anticipate, but just at present I am

wondering what is to be done with me while you are all planning for

next winter. It doesn’t seem to occur to any one that I am left out

of all these calculations. I believe, after all, I shall have to be

married in order to have a home and a protector.”

“Not a bit of it,” put in Basil, who was present at this family

session. “You know mother has leased Mrs. Brown’s house, and you can

come to us, you and Mrs. Estabrook. Then you can shut up this house

and give it no further thought.”

“That’s very kind of you,” Lisa replied, “but no doubt grandma and I

can manage to live very cosily here together.”

However, the suggestion started a new idea, and it was decided, after

much importuning from Persis and Annis, that Mrs. Estabrook should go

with Mrs. Brown, “to keep an eye on Persis,” she said, although every

one knew that it was really an excuse to be near her favorite, and that

Lisa should go with her parents and Mellicent.

“I don’t feel as if I could part from my girl again so soon,” Mrs.

Holmes had said. “And we shall be gone but six months from the first of

November. Persis can go with the Browns, and grandma can join her when

we are ready to shut up the house.”

Mrs. Brown at last consented to accept a small sum for board from

Persis, and Mrs. Estabrook made the same arrangement, so that the

matter was adjusted comfortably.

During the intervening time there were many plots and plans laid.

Persis exacted a promise from Lisa that she would not think of marrying

during the college session, but when the marriage did take place it

should be in the month of June, when Persis would be free from college

exactions.

“Of course I shall be best girl,” declared Persis, “and Mell can be

bridesmaid, with—who else, Lisa?”

“Oh, I don’t know; Margaret Greene and Nellie Hall and Annis, I think.”

Persis looked pleased. “That’s nice of you, Lisa; and is there anything

gayer than a military or a naval wedding, with all the men in their

uniforms and everything so fine! I believe you thought of that when you

decided to accept Mr. Griffith.”

“No, I didn’t,” Lisa protested. She was very lovable these days.

Whether it was due to her stay with the gentle, courteous Japanese,

or to the happiness she felt in her engagement, Persis could not

determine, but she certainly found her sister’s arrogance much

softened. “She seems to be on good terms with the whole world,” Persis

said to herself.

“No, I didn’t,” repeated Lisa. “I liked him because he was so

thoughtful of every one, and so good and frank. He never pretended

not to like me from the first. He always looked it; and yet he has

seldom said he admired me. I think he brought all the best of me to the

surface by his belief in that best. You can’t help liking him, Tommy;

he is so genuine.”

Persis laughed. “I never expected to hear you go on in this way. I

might look for it in the Pigeon, but in the Princess, never.”

This was a few days after Persis had returned from her trip to

Virginia, and the two girls were unpacking one of Lisa’s trunks, which

had just come on from San Francisco.

“There,” and Lisa shook out a gay costume, “I bought this specially for

you. Put it on, Persis, and I will dress your hair _à la_ Japanese, and

you can make yourself look exactly like one. Let me see,” as Persis

made narrow slits of her eyes and screwed up her mouth after the

manner of a figure on a face. “I knew it,” continued Lisa. “Here are

two of those queer little silver shields that are worn on the fingers

to make them taper. I thought they could be mounted as pins for you and

Melly.”

“How odd and pretty!” returned Persis, duly admiring them. And next

Lisa proceeded to arrange her sister’s glossy black hair.

“Now go off and show yourself,” she said, when she had completed

the wonderful structure. “Wait till I stick these funny pins in for

ornament. Now take that fan.” And she followed the droll figure

down-stairs, laughing at the exact reproduction. “I hear Basil in

the library,” she said. “Stand there, Persis, by the door of the

dining-room by the big screen.” And Persis obeyed.

Before Basil made his appearance, Prue came in with a tray full of

dishes. She stared at Persis, who stood immovable. Prue’s curiosity was

aroused. She stepped up with her head to one side, and Persis made a

sudden movement. “Law, it’s alive!” exclaimed Prue. “I thought it was

one o’ them Chinee figgers.”

Lisa and Basil, coming in, joined in the laugh; then Basil turned

Persis around and admired her pretty, comfortable dress. “I must make a

sketch of you Persis,” he said. “You’re a regular Japanese decoration.”

“I suppose I’ve got to go and take off these things; it’s dinner-time.”

Persis spoke regretfully. “Don’t tell me the Japanese are not more

civilized than we are. I never wore such a satisfactory costume.”

“Keep it on,” suggested Lisa, “and let the family see it when they come

down to dinner.” And Persis was only too glad to retain the convenient

attire, and actually sat down to dinner in her odd array, rather to

the disapproval of Mrs. Estabrook, who was somewhat particular in such

matters.

Once more the original company gathered together at Bellingly for the

summer. Ruth was overjoyed to see Lisa again, but the little girl was

outgrowing her belief in fairies, and Callie was fading into a creature

of the past. Patience and Amber still held their places in the child’s

affection, but such a very sedate cat now objected to being dressed up

as a fairy prince, and, moreover, was now seldom called upon to take

such a character, while Patience sometimes sat for a whole day staring

ahead of her without once changing her point of vision. The reason

of this was that Ruth had acquired such a love of reading that she

devoured eagerly anything she could lay her hands upon,—from works on

theology to the lightest of light magazines.

Mr. Danforth spent his infrequent holidays with these friends, and

it amused Lisa to see Persis’s interest in the long galley-proofs he

brought her and Mr. Danforth’s interest in the girl herself.

He and Lisa were now on excellent terms. Had she but known it, the

pretty girl was much more attractive to the young man in her present

happy, gracious humor, when she demanded nothing and was at peace with

every one. They had pleasant talks together when Persis was off on what

she called her metalsome steed with her “brother Basil.” Quite as

often it was Annis who was Basil’s companion, while Persis and “Mr.

Dan” were still discussing the work of the paper. Then Lisa, with eyes

made wise by her new experiences, saw possibilities which probably none

of the others discerned. Lisa liked much to be with her grandmother

these days. To the dear old lady she could talk of her sailor-boy and

be sure of an interested and sympathetic listener.

“To think of Persis being so grown up! eighteen! think of it, grandma,”

she said one day. “I can hardly realize it; and Annis a young lady,

too. Don’t you think Annis likes Basil very much?”

“Does she? I had not observed it.”

Lisa laughed. “Oh, grandma, I suppose I am looking for romances

on every side. I see that Mr. Danforth likes Persis more than she

suspects, and that Annis always looks very happy when she is with

Basil,—shy little Annis; and that Persis, dear old Tommy——”

“What of her?” asked Mrs. Estabrook, a trifle anxiously.

“She is heart free. I don’t believe her heart has waked up yet. She

finds in Mr. Danforth a good comrade; she is as free from consciousness

and is as spontaneous as need be in his company, and the same with

Basil, although sometimes I have seen her watch Annis and Basil rather

closely. Basil, like Persis, doesn’t think about the girls except in

the light of comrades.”

“Well, my dear, there is plenty of time to settle all those questions.

Probably each one will make some very different selection, eventually.

I know Persis has no romantic notions, and I think while she is a

college student she will not bother her head over any such matters, if

she ever does.”

“‘She is a woman, and therefore to be wooed,’” quoted Lisa.

“Time enough,” returned grandma. “Let her springtime last as long

as possible. I should not disturb her serenity by suggesting

possibilities, Lisa.”

“That’s just why I am telling you. I must talk over my little romances

to you, grandma. I think I should prefer Basil for a brother. There is

something very lovable about Basil; but you should see my Richard.”

Grandma smiled indulgently, but she sighed as she watched Persis come

up the lane with Basil and Annis. There was, however, no need of

anxiety in Persis’s direction. Her eager young mind craved knowledge.

Of love she felt she had no lack, so content was she in the affection

of her friends and her family, affection to which she responded with

all the warmth of her ardent nature. Her dreams held visions of college

balls; of days spent in digging for the nuggets of learning; of whys

answered and wherefores satisfied; and her serious intent was visible

in the lack of coquetry with which she received attention, and in the

trend of her girlish enthusiasms. She liked companionship which could

yield her pleasant mental stimulus, but she had a lofty scorn for

triflers, even though she did enjoy nonsense in a most hearty way.

“Persis’s intellect far outstrips mine,” Lisa acknowledged,

reluctantly. “She is so thorough and so original. I was never anything

but a copyist.”

And so the golden summer drifted away, bringing them, at its close,

all together again under the home roof, only to be separated. When

September’s last days came they saw Persis ready to take a new flight.

It was hard to be the first to say good-bye, and but for the warm

welcome which met her in Mrs. Brown’s cosey little home, it would have

been a very homesick girl who spent her first night within sight of the

college walls.

The first of November found the house deserted, shutters barred, and

doors bolted. It looked very lonely to Porter and Basil as they passed

it each day on their way to college. But they heard after a time of the

safe arrival of the voyagers across the ocean, of the eager diligence

with which Persis was taking up her new work, nearer home, of Mrs.

Estabrook’s interest in the doings of the college community, and of

Annis’s happiness in having her dearest friend with her.

“We’ll see them all next summer, Port,” said Basil, “but I do miss them

every one.”

“And I, too,” returned Porter. “They’ve been awfully good to us, Baz,

and we mustn’t go back on them, even if they’re not here to keep us up

to time.”

Basil looked down with pride at the tall, manly boy striding along at

his side. “I believe Port is going to turn out all right,” he thought.

“He needed Mr. Dan, as well as the others, to take him in tow.” But it

was not all Mr. Dan, nor even the others, who had been of most use to

Porter, for the unswerving example of his elder brother had been his

best guide.

Afar under unchanging blue skies Lisa dreamed of wedding-bells, and

Mellicent drew in strength with each breath of balmy air, so different

from the biting winds which Persis faced with glowing cheeks as each

day she took her wintry way through the streets of the dignified old

town where her college stood.

But hope stood by the three sisters and brought them cheer, whispering

to Lisa of love, to Mellicent of health, to Persis of success, and to

all of them of a coming happy reunion.

THE END.

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Transcriber’s Notes

pg 28 Changed: I wont, then.

to: I won’t, then.

pg 127 Changed: Margaret cames out ahead

to: Margaret comes out ahead

pg 167 Changed: King Mileseus of Spain

to: King Milesius of Spain

pg 167 Changed: but William the Conquerer

to: but William the Conqueror

pg 179 Changed: runners appear on the opposite site of the ring

to: runners appear on the opposite side of the ring

pg 181 Changed: waving hat, hankerchief, even carriage whip

to: waving hat, handkerchief, even carriage whip

pg 222 Changed: “that everthing else is knocked out

to: “that everything else is knocked out

Three pretty maids · 第 20 / 20 章