AUNT ZELIE.
The interesting events were, first, the school commencements, and, the
week after, Cousin Helen's wedding.
This last, which was a grand affair, took place at her country home.
The ceremony was performed on the lawn, under the big forest trees,
and Bess and Louise made two charming and happy bridesmaids, quite
worthy of such a lovely bride.
The ten were all invited, for Miss Hazeltine took a deep interest in
the Order of the Big Front Door, and said she meant to start something
of the kind in her new home. There never was such a beautiful wedding,
these young people thought, and they were not alone in their opinion.
The sweet summer day, the blue sky, the trees and grass, and the gay
company, all made a lasting impression on the guests.
The bride would have no formality, but moved about among her friends
as if it were simply a garden party.
"Do you know what this reminds me of?" Bess asked Louise, as they sat
on the grass with the other girls, waiting for the boys to bring them
some ices.
"No, what?"
"Why, Lucie Carleton's wedding, to be sure; you haven't forgotten
that?" They both laughed at the recollection.
"Of course I haven't. What fun it was, and how long it is since we
have played 'the Carletons'!"
"What is the joke?" inquired Jim, coming back with his hands full.
"Oh, just something this wedding reminds us of," Bess replied.
"I'm reminded that there is not much more fun for me," said Ikey, in a
momentary fit of despondency.
"What a long face!" laughed Dora. "Remember this is a cheerful
occasion. The next thing you will be married yourself to some
California girl."
"He is coming back to see us before then, aren't you, Ikey?" said
Louise.
"In six years he is coming back to stay," added Carl.
"I wonder where we shall all be six years from now," said Constance,
placidly eating her ice.
"Dear me, I shall be twenty; think of it!" From Bess's tone one might
have inferred that this meant extreme old age.
"I expect to be married before that," remarked Elsie confidently.
"Is it possible? I wonder to whom," Aleck exclaimed with an air of
great surprise.
"I am sure I don't know, for I have never seen anybody I'd marry if he
begged me forever," she retorted scornfully.
"Be quiet, you two geese, and don't spoil this lovely day by
quarrelling," admonished Dora.
"To change the subject, isn't Aunt Zelie a daisy?" said Carl, pointing
across the lawn where she stood, looking wonderfully fair and sweet in
her soft white dress, with a touch of sunlight on her hair.
"There is nobody in the world like her," said Dora.
"I should think not!" echoed Jim.
"She is the dearest, loveliest, most beautiful, and
everything-else-you-can-think-of person that ever lived," Louise
declared with emphasis.
"You haven't left much for the rest of us to say," remarked Will, "but
I am sure we all agree."
There must have been some attraction about the ten pairs of eyes, for
just then she turned, and seeing them smiled and threw a kiss in their
direction.
The sad thing about this wedding was the parting which followed. Mr.
Arthur found himself very unpopular when at last it dawned upon her
young relatives what it meant to tell Cousin Helen good-by with the
certainty that, though she promised to come back often to visit, she
would never live among them, their merry playfellow, again.
Aleck discovered that he was extremely fond of this sister, and felt
what he considered an unmanly tightness about his throat when she
kissed him. The bridesmaids were decidedly tearful, and only the
thought of the other wedding in prospect restored their cheerfulness.
This last-mentioned affair took place two days later at the Cathedral.
The whole family attended, and Joanna, in blue with a white veil and
wreath, with Nannie for bridesmaid, in a dress the counterpart of her
own, made a blooming and happy bride. After a wedding breakfast at the
Hazeltines' the couple departed, with many good wishes for their
happiness, to have their pictures taken.
Aunt Zelie sat alone in the wide hall that afternoon. The door was
open, and outside the sunshine sifted through the vines as the wind
kept them swinging softly to and fro; it was very still, and the
ticking of the tall clock had a mournful sound.
No doubt it was the reaction after the excitement of the last few
weeks that made her feel so weary and sad. Unhappy thoughts seemed
determined to take possession of her mind--regrets for the past and
fears for the future; she could not throw off the depression.
She thought of Carl's going, and how she would miss him. Would he
become weaned from the old happy home life? Had she done all she might
have done to help him to good, true manhood?
She asked herself these questions sadly; in her present mood it seemed
to her she had failed of what she most wished to accomplish.
These dreary thoughts so engrossed her that Jim's voice, asking, "May
I come in?" caused her to start.
"Certainly," she answered, "I am glad to see you, though I warn you I
am not in a very good humor."
He did not appear alarmed. "I met Carl and he said I'd probably find
you here. I want to tell you something."
"I am ready to listen," she said encouragingly, but Jim seemed to find
it hard to begin, and looked at the floor in a hesitating way quite
unusual.
Aunt Zelie watched him, thinking that something had come into that
handsome young face of late which spoke hopefully for the future.
She was very much surprised at his words.
"Mrs. Howard, I have decided not to go to college." They were resolute
eyes that looked up at her.
"But I thought your uncle wished you to go--that it was all settled.
Are you sure you are doing wisely?"
His face flushed.
"I beg your pardon, dear," she said before he could reply. "I know you
have a good reason. I am surprised, that is all."
"It is on Mother's account, chiefly; she needs me now that Father is
so feeble. Then you know she is used to having things, and though she
thinks she could get along, I should feel mean to have her scrimp and
pinch at home when I am having a good time at college. I went to see
Mr. Barrows to-day, and he thinks he can give me a situation. They say
it is a good place for a fellow to get a start in, so I am going to be
a business man."
He spoke earnestly and cheerfully, but she guessed the struggle it had
cost. He was used to "having things" himself.
She laid her hand on his. "You are learning to be brave and unselfish,
to help in the truest sense, and these are far more valuable lessons
than any you could learn out of books. I honor you for your decision."
Aunt Zelie spoke with shining eyes.
"If I have learned anything it is you who have taught me," Jim said
gently.
"If I have really been a help to you I am very glad and thankful, but
I am sure most of the credit belongs to the boy who was so ready to be
helped."
When he left, after half an hour's talk, her sympathy and interest had
already made his sacrifice seem a little easier, but he did not guess
how he had on his part cheered and comforted this kind friend.
Jim had been gone only a few minutes when Aunt Zelie's corner was
again invaded. This time it was Ikey who looked in, and seeing her
alone came and took possession of a stool at her feet.
"I am going a week from next Thursday," he announced.
"I don't enjoy all these changes in the least," she said, patting the
curly head; "I can't think what I shall do without my boys."
"You have been so awfully good to me, only I never could say so like
Jim. I don't want to go away and have you think I don't care, for I
do, and I hope you won't forget me." Ikey got through this speech with
difficulty.
Aunt Zelie couldn't help laughing at him. "You are a dear boy, and
there is not the slightest danger that we will ever forget you," she
said, and then she told him about the talk she had just had with Jim.
"He is splendid, isn't he? and I used to wonder why Carl liked him."
"Yes, he has changed a good deal since we first knew him, but I am
proud of all my boys, and believe I can trust them wherever they go."
It was almost dark in the hall when she found herself taken possession
of by two strong arms, and Carl's voice inquired what she was doing
all alone.
"Feeling ashamed of myself."
"Very unnecessary, I am sure."
"No, I was worrying a little over you boys for one thing; then I had a
visit from Jim."
"He is tiptop, but I don't know what I am going to do without old
Ikey."
"Then tell him so, for he is afraid we will forget him."
"Ikey is a great goose; but indeed, Aunt Zelie, you need not be afraid
for us! I don't mean to be self-confident,--I know I shall often do
wrong,--but it means a lot to a fellow when he has somebody like you
to care for him."
"Why, how dark it is! Who is here? I can't see," exclaimed Bess,
coming in, followed by her father and Louise.
"Carl making love to Aunt Zelie," said the latter, dropping down on
the other side of her aunt, and taking possession of all that was
left.
Bess surveyed them discontentedly. "There is not a scrap of a place
for me."
"You will have to put up with your old father," said Mr. Hazeltine.
"You are better than nobody," she said saucily.
"I forgot to tell you," began Louise suddenly, "that Mr. Caruth is
going to Japan."
"Is that so?" her father said in surprise, while Carl and Bess both
exclaimed. "Did you know anything of it, Zelie?"
"It is rather a sudden decision, I fancy. Some friends have been
urging him to go. He was here this afternoon and said good-by," she
replied.
"I met him just as he was leaving," said Louise, "and he asked me to
say good-by to everybody for him."
"If everybody goes, what are we to do?" asked Bess disconsolately.
"Suppose we go, too! What do you say, Zelie, to sending Carie and
Helen to comfort Aunt Annie in her loneliness while the rest of us go
off for a holiday? We can see Ikey on his way and drop Carl at school
later on."
"You are an angel to think of such a thing!" cried Louise, and Mr.
Hazeltine was so nearly suffocated by his ecstatic daughters that he
almost regretted his proposal.
Aunt Zelie wouldn't have dared to object if she had wished to, so she
and her brother made their plans while the girls and Carl ran over to
tell Ikey the good news.