young ladies that I ever saw, who looked as if she had been crying,
and yet there was a happy smile on her face. I was wondering why she
looked so familiar to me, when she said, in a perfectly musical voice,
to some one near her,--"Is it not delightful to worship God with his own
chosen people once more?"
I turned to see who she thus addressed, and, notwithstanding the change
in his dress, at once recognized Richard Colman. I cannot describe to
you the joy I felt at finding him thus restored to his sister. Before I
thought that I was among strangers, I flew to his side, and
exclaimed,--"O, I am so glad that you have got your sister! I hope you
will never leave her again."
"He never will," Miss Louisa replied; for poor Dick was too much
overcome by the suddenness of my greeting to answer me. "You," she said,
looking at David and myself, "are, I doubt not, the little friends that
my brother has been telling me about. Come tomorrow and see us in
Chestnut Street, for I am anxious to make your acquaintance."
Dick then joined in this invitation, and David accepted it for both of
us.
We called upon Miss Colman the next day, and received a warm welcome;
but, of course, she did not allude to her brother's long absence, only
now and then as she looked at him her beautiful dark eyes would fill
with tears. O, Bennie, if you could only see her! for she is the most
lovely being that I ever met; but I hope that you may some day, for Dick
half promised Clarendon to pay us a visit, and I am going to get mamma
to write and beg his sister to come on with him.
I am so impatient now for Clarendon's letters to come! After we are once
started, we shall not stop till we reach Virginia. Yet I shall be sorry
to leave this same Yankee land, with its morality, its intelligence, and
its kindness. If for nothing else, I shall bless this fishing excursion
for having opened my eyes to the virtues of the excellent people whom I
really used to despise. Though a Virginian still in heart, I can join
David heartily in crying,--"Hurrah for New England now and for ever!"
Till we meet, which will, I trust, be soon, your affectionate cousin,
PIDGIE BEVERLEY.
THE END.
End of Project Gutenberg's Hurrah for New England!, by Louisa C. Tuthill