Rolland, and there is a matter that has been troubling me ever since we
left Quincy. What would you say to staying with him a while, until
matters quiet down?" he went on, abruptly, as if to have an end to
something that oppressed him.
"Are you going to stay, too?" I asked.
"Well, no--or only for a day or so; but I will only be a little way off,
and we will see each other often, you know," he answered, reassuringly.
"Do you wish to leave me there?" I asked, a great lump filling my throat
at the thought.
"Yes, for a while. It will throw Moth off the track if he tries to
follow us, as I fear he will, for your aunt will spend half she has to
get you back, the old shrew!" he exclaimed, angrily. "Think of her
sending Moth on to Quincy. She is mad through and through, and now
Moth, the scamp! will be equally determined," and stopping, he seemed as
if trying to make out the persistence and cunning they would evince in
the pursuit. To all this I made no answer, being filled afresh with
direful forebodings. For I had fondly thought the last few days had
done away with fear of Moth, the river cutting off all possibility of
his troubling me further.
"If I can arrange to leave you with Rolland for a few weeks," Uncle Job
resumed, presently, "I will go home and take measures to put it out of
the power of your aunt to molest you further. After that we will have
clear sailing, and can do as we please."
The prospect thus held out of being freed from Aunt Jane, now brought up
afresh, served in some measure to reconcile me to what he said.
Nevertheless, it made me feel very sad; but in the week that had elapsed
since we left Wild Plum, now so far in the past, I had grown old, or had
the semblance of it, and so spoke up with some cheerfulness.
"I'll be glad to stay if you think it is best, uncle. I must learn to
be away from you sometime, and I might as well begin now, I suppose."
"That is my brave little brother," he answered, with a click in his
throat. "It is the best thing we can do, I am sure. No one will dream
of looking for you there, and I will be only a few miles off, anyway.
Rolland will be glad to have you come and stay with him, I know. You
will like him, too, for he is the gentlest man in the world, and will
treat you more like a companion than anything else. He never knows any
distinctions as regards age, he is so simple in his ways."
"I am sure I shall like him," I answered, anxious to put his mind at
ease.
"He is funny about some things," Uncle Job went on, "and microscopical,
like many clerical men; but the lens through which he looks at the world
is amber instead of ink, for there is no guile in him, nor crustiness of
any kind."
"Why do you say he's microscopical?" I asked, not knowing what he meant.
"Because of dealings with small things and of looking at them mostly
through the point of a pen. The world with such men too often takes on
the hue of the ink that fills their eyes, instead of the blue sky and
shining sun."
"I never thought of that," I replied.
"It diminishes the perspective, you see, and so a drop of ink is
oftentimes enough to hide or drown a dozen men. Rolland is not like
that, though, and if he ever drowns anybody it will be in honey, so
sweet is his nature."
"Oh, I am sure I'll like him; but what does he do?" I asked, now anxious
to prolong the conversation.
"He is a kind of land clerk, but his work does not take up all his time,
and so he has a good deal of leisure. This, I am sorry to say, his
habits sometimes lead him to misuse, but not often. Such things are
common, though, here, and not much thought of; but in his case they keep
him poor and prevent his rising in the world, as he would do otherwise."
"Is his wife like him?" I asked at a venture, not knowing what to say
next.
"I don't know, for I've never seen her. When our cousin died and
Rolland's home was broken up he was like one lost, and so after a while
determined to marry again. There being no one in Rock Island he thought
suitable, what did he do, the simpleton! but write to a friend in St.
Louis to pick him out a wife. This his friend did, and after a little
correspondence, Rolland went down after his bride. They were married
within an hour after his arrival, and before the day was over were on
their way home. It was quick work, but his business did not permit of
his being away, I suppose," Uncle Job added, as if to explain the
necessity for so much haste.
"What a queer way! And has it turned out as he would like?" I answered,
wondering what kind of a wife one would get in such a fashion.
"I don't know," he replied, "as I have not seen him since he brought her
home; but you will not see much of her, and I am sure it must be all
right. If you think you will not like it, though, say the word, and we
will go on together and take the chance of fighting off your aunt until
matters can be fixed up."
"No, I'll stop with Cousin Rolland if you think it best," I answered,
not being able to see why the new wife should alter our determination
one way or the other.
"Yes, for the present, anyway; and now that it is settled, let us turn
in, for it is long past midnight," Uncle Job answered, getting to his
feet.
The arrangement thus concluded I did not afterward seek to change,
though it caused me to toss and tumble about for many an hour after I
went to bed. The next morning I awoke more reconciled than I had
thought, and indeed was inclined to it now rather than otherwise,
offering, as it did, some new excitement which, youth-like, I set off
against any objections there could be.
When we reached the little town of Rock Island, which we did the middle
of the forenoon, we parted from the Singletons with many kind
expressions of regret. Mrs. Singleton, now happy again in the reunion
of her family, embraced and kissed me, making me promise I would come
and see her as soon as I got to Appletop. This I was only too glad to
do, for I had become very fond of her and the young ladies, all having
been kind to me from the very first moment of my meeting them. The
leave-taking of Uncle Job was much more prolonged, and unduly so, it
seemed to me, in the case of Miss Betty, and afterward, I noticed, he
turned about continually, as we mounted the shore, to wave her a new
farewell. This I thought strange, for commonly he was inclined to be
very reserved with ladies. As we turned to leave the boat I was
surprised to observe Blott making his way toward the town. Hurrying to
him, I caught his hand, crying out:
"Please, Blott, you're not going to betray me to Moth, nor tell him I
have stopped here, are you?"
"Be off with you! What do you take me for?" he answered, with
considerable temper.
"Promise me, though," I pleaded.
"Well, I swear I won't, so help me," and he raised his hand as if being
sworn. "I'd stop drinkin' first, my little bantam," he added in a
lighter mood and as if to clinch the matter.
"Thank you; I know you'll do as you say," I answered, relieved.
"You bet your life I will; an' if Moth troubles you again, I'll break
every bone in his nasty little body. Mr. Lincoln's the man for him,
though, and a strange one he is, too. One minute so homely he'd sour
milk, and the next you look up expectin' to see the angels peerin'
through the clouds an' listenin' to what he says." Saying which, Blott
reached out and took hold of my shoulders, as if to embrace me, but
thinking better of it, turned and went his way.
Overjoyed, I hastened after Uncle Job, whom I found some distance off,
still waving his handkerchief to Miss Betty, who stood watching from the
boat. When we reached the town, which lay a little back from the river,
we went directly to Cousin Rolland's office, which proved to be a very
poor affair indeed, being over a store, and having nothing in it save a
few pieces of rough furniture. When he caught sight of Uncle Job, as we
mounted the stairs, he hastened to the landing to receive him; and very
glad he was indeed, if his reception was a sign, for he took both Uncle
Job's hands in his and held them as if he would never let go. When at
last Uncle Job was able to explain who I was and why we came, he
embraced me affectionately, saying with great heartiness:
"I am glad to welcome you, Cousin Gilbert. It is so long since I have
seen any of my kin that it does my eyes good."
"I'm glad to see you, Cousin Rolland, I am sure," I replied, much
pleased with his kind reception and cordial manner.
"We will be great friends and have many a lark together, depend upon
it," he went on, as he ushered us into his office.
When Uncle Job explained his plans for circumventing Aunt Jane, Cousin
Rolland manifested the greatest enthusiasm, and at a hint of the
possibility of a visit from Moth, he shook the goose-quill he held in
such a savage, menacing way that I felt at last that here I was safe.
When everything had been concluded to our satisfaction. Uncle Job spoke
of our new cousin and her willingness to receive me as one of her
family. At this Cousin Rolland seemed to remember her for the first
time, for at mention of her name his manner changed, and though he
continued to murmur words of welcome, he was not by any means the same
as before. However, after some stirring about the office, he was more
at ease, bursting out anew, and in the most animated way:
"Angeline will be glad to welcome you, Gilbert, I know she will.
Indeed, she will esteem it an honor, Cousin Job, and a pleasure. You
could not possibly leave the young man in better hands, so let us talk
about something else. Yes, indeed, it is all settled and fixed."
Saying which, he dropped into a chair and began to arrange the inkstands
and goose-quills on the table in rows and angles, as if that was a part
of the business of his life. This agitation passed unobserved by Uncle
Job, and I seeing it, set it down to a lover's embarrassment at mention
of his new wife, and nothing more.
"Why, do you know, Cousin Job," he went on, after a while, "she is the
dearest woman in the world, and when we were married I was so much in
love with her that I cut her name in two and called her 'Angel.'"
"And now?" Uncle Job asked, absently, standing on tip-toe and striving
to catch a glimpse of the boat we had just left.
"Oh, now! Well, in the stress of married life one gets to be more
formal, you see, and so I have come to call her plain Angeline."
"Plain Angeline?"
"Yes, by her full name, you know, and simply, without any formality. It
wears better. Oh, she will be more than pleased to have you with us,
Cousin Gilbert, I know she will," he concluded, commencing anew to
arrange and rearrange the inkstands and goose-quills on his desk.
Upon these assurances of Cousin Rolland, and everything else being
arranged, Uncle Job concluded at the last moment not to stop longer, but
to go forward on the boat we had just left. I thought afterward that
Miss Betty's presence had something to do with this, for when we
returned to the boat they greeted each other as if they had been
separated for months instead of a few minutes. This I wondered at
greatly, but without in any way understanding it, so simple and
inexperienced was I in the ways of the world.
*CHAPTER XXIII*
*COUSIN ANGELINE*
Uncle Job's departure made me very unhappy, and when I could no longer
see a trace of the boat that carried him away, my heart grew sick and
tears started in my eyes at the thought of my abandoned state. Cousin
Rolland, however, scarce giving me time to breathe, took me here and
there about the little town, keeping up the while such a flow of small
talk that in a little while I found myself joining with the greatest
heartiness in all he said and did. When it was time for luncheon we
went to his home, but not directly, for making some excuse, he left me a
little way off, going on alone. This I thought very proper, I being a
stranger to his wife and the circumstances of my coming peculiar. When,
however, he did not return for an hour or more, I became uneasy, and
some further time elapsing, was filled with fear, not being able to
understand the cause of his prolonged absence. At last, to my great
relief, he returned, and without explaining anything, began anew to
assure me of the delight with which Cousin Angeline entered into our
plans and the desire she had to know her young kinsman. Thus relieved
of any anxiety, for I was never of a suspicious disposition, I went on
with him to his home in the greatest possible ease of mind. Nothing in
Cousin Angeline's manner tended to disturb this feeling when I was
presented to her. Nor afterward, indeed, at luncheon, for she was, on
occasion and when that way inclined, a woman of more than ordinary tact
and dignity. Much younger than Cousin Rolland, she lacked his rosiness
of color and fullness of figure, he being very red and plump of build,
while she was tall and of somewhat meager frame. Her eyes, if I may
attempt to tell you how she looked, were a light blue, and save when at
times tinged with a steeliness as of ice, were rather attractive than
otherwise. Her mouth I thought remarkable for its great firmness, for
her lips offered no more resistance to the eye than the edge of a
knife-blade. Her nose, too, was noticeable, being finely formed and in
all things perfect, until at last, approaching the end, the material
giving out, or something else happening, what remained had been squeezed
into a point somewhat too sharp for comeliness, and so left. However, I
did not observe these things at the time, or if I did, only vaguely,
being young and generally ignorant in respect to the importance of such
matters in our daily life.
The luncheon was light, but every way fit for abstemious people, though
much unlike what I had been used to at Wild Plum, where there was
profusion verging on waste in all such things. However, being hungry, I
did not regard it particularly, but ate with great heartiness, paying
little attention to what was going on about me. Once indeed, as the
meal progressed, happening to glance in Cousin Angeline's direction, I
thought I detected some show of uneasiness at the inroads I was making
on her bread and butter, but not believing such a thing possible, I gave
it no further attention. Nothing of any account was said at the table,
except that Cousin Angeline showed much curiosity concerning my old
home, and particularly Aunt Jane and her attorney, Moth. This I thought
very kind, and answered her inquiries with great fullness, being
desirous above all things to please her. Seeing this, she smiled
encouragingly, as if much admiring my amiability and frankness of
speech.
After luncheon Cousin Rolland did not stop, but bidding me good by
hurried away, and this abruptly, as if greatly pressed for time. Being
thus left alone with Cousin Angeline, and she seeming to forget I was
there, I presently went out to inspect the garden, some glimpses of
which I had obtained from the window. Of gravel and cleanliness there
was no end, but of flowers no great profusion or variety, and such as
there were, I thought, had a stiff, aggressive look, as if challenging
me to come near or touch them. Altogether they had the air of soldiers
on duty, and because of too strict discipline or for some other good
reason, had lost something of the glow and comfort of outdoor life. Of
flowers, however, I had never as a youth taken much account, not being
able to understand them, nor, indeed, make them thrive, as my mother
could without thought. Because of this I was inclined to look on what I
now saw as something out of my line, and therefore not to be lightly
criticised. In this frame of mind I went on to where a mild-eyed cow
stood watching me curiously, as cows will when strangers approach. Not
having any morsel with which to tempt her palate, I stroked her face for
a while, and then turned to the little colonies of chickens that busied
themselves near by. These I saluted as old friends, being much inclined
to their cheerful companionship, carried on as it always is with so much
small talk and pleasurable excitement. Thus being once more in their
company, I fell into an attitude of attention and interest, to which
they at once responded by much clucking and diligent search after the
small particles of food the yard contained. These old friends I came in
time to know very well, and with great liking, because of their simple
ways; but of their product, which I looked forward to with interest, as
young people of good appetite will, only a small portion ever found its
way to the table. The reason of this, as I learned at a later day, was
that the greater part was put aside and converted by Cousin Angeline,
with other small perquisites of the house, into a secret fund for her
own particular behoof and divertisement. This properly enough.
However, it did not come fully to light until after Cousin Rolland's
death, some years later, when the fund thus laid away came in the nick
of time to enable her to live on in great contentment and ease of life.
This until one day a clergyman of studious habits coming along and being
desirous to marry, yet not having the time to examine the goods he was
getting, or being ignorant in respect to such matters, he took her out
of hand, as Cousin Rolland had done before him. However, these things
being then unknown, as I say, I confidently looked forward to a
plentiful supply of butter and eggs, as in the old time at Wild Plum,
though mistakenly, as it appeared. When the scantiness of fare in this
respect became apparent, I did not much regard it, I am bound to say,
being always stout of appetite for such things as fell in my way,
thinking little of what was lacking. Indeed, I had heard it said, and
wisely, that we were ever inclined to eat more than was good for us.
This saying was often on my Aunt Jane's lips, and she, living up to her
doctrine, was in everything healthy and well preserved. So that if
sometimes on getting up from Cousin Angelina's table I felt that I could
have eaten more, remembering my aunt and her rugged health, I was fain
to think it for the best. Such reflections of the young, however apt,
are more natural to mature folk, being seasoned in the latter case with
a philosophy of life that the former lack. So that if abstinence is not
always accepted by children with good grace, older people and relatives,
however remote, should make allowance for the circumstance.
On the evening of my arrival, tea was delayed by Cousin Rolland's not
coming at the time expected, and when he reached home I observed an
unsteadiness of limb and height of voice that I had not noticed before.
Cousin Angeline also remarked the change, and harshly, by a word that,
out of respect for Cousin Rolland, I may not repeat. When the meal was
over, and it was not such, I am bound to say, as to cause one to lay
awake because of too much fullness, we sat about in great discomfort of
mind, Cousin Rolland making pretense of reading and Cousin Angeline
busying herself with some accounts that lay docketed in a precise way on
her table. These, I learned later, had to do with the many charitable
matters in which she was interested, and to their great and lasting
good, so it was claimed. Her contributions toward work of this nature,
however, were rather in the way of supervision and needed advice than in
the giving of more tangible things. In new and unorganized societies
such duties, she was often at pains to point out, were much more
necessary and difficult of procurement than the mere giving of money.
Nevertheless, in accepting offices requiring this disparity of service
she did so without jealousy or protest, her desire to help, she would
say, leading her to act with cheerful zeal, leaving the lesser labor of
providing funds and supplies to those competent in that direction.
When it was time to retire for the night, Cousin Angeline made much of
the cozy nook she had arranged for me, and indeed it quite exceeded
anything of the kind I had ever seen. The couch, which answered for both
bed and lounge, was put to one side of the kitchen, and so deftly that
lying down my feet just missed the stove at one end, while my head
barely escaped contact with the cupboard at the other. Upon trial I
found the bed hard and the clothing scant, but it being summer this last
I thought not worth noticing. Cousin Rolland, who had by this time
regained his former composure, eyed the bed with great disfavor, but
being in disgrace, did not venture further than to inquire why she had
not given me a room, there being one unoccupied. To this Cousin
Angeline replied by look rather than words, but on the whole giving out
that it was unprepared, and in any event hardly suitable for such
occupancy, being in the nature of a guest-chamber. As I made no remark,
but began resolutely to take off my clothes, being tired with the day's
doings, nothing more was said on the subject. Bidding me good night,
they went away, leaving me in darkness, save that, happily and as of
good omen, plenty of light came from the full moon shining through the
open window at my side. The bed, to my young and pliant bones, seemed
at first not so hard, but later, the edge being taken off my weariness,
I awoke to find it different; but never having set much store by such
things when living in greater luxury of life, and being still tired, I
turned my face to the wall, and was soon lost in sleep.
My life the first day was in no particular different throughout my stay
with Cousin Angeline, except such slight change as going to Cousin
Rolland's office or loitering by the river, which latter ever drew me,
by reason of its great and masterful ways. Unhappily for me, however,
my habits, and more particularly my manners, not being suited to city
life, soon attracted the attention and reproof of Cousin Angeline. In
this connection, and that I might improve the faster, she cited as
examples for me to study her orphaned nephews, Rudley and James, whose
bringing-up she had supervised, and to whom she was in all things
greatly attached. Her reference to these young gentlemen, whom I was
destined never to see, were given, too, with much strength of utterance
as time went on and the need of reproof became more and more apparent.
For Cousin Angeline was not lacking in force of speech, as she was fond
of saying, when good might be accomplished thereby. Her frequent
reference to Rudley and James made them a source of anxiety to me at
first, and later a cause of fear and shame, for however strenuously I
sought to follow their example, I could never by any chance come near to
them, even in the smallest particular of their lives. In the larger
things my failure was more marked, but not without hopefulness at first.
Thus, when Cousin Angeline told me it had never been necessary to bribe
Rudley and James to read the Bible, and that even as children they loved
to bury their faces in its sacred pages, I strove to become equally
interested. So, too, in regard to keeping the Sabbath and absence of
desire to amuse myself on that sacred day. To them, she was wont to
say, the hum of the Sunday-school was like the music of the harps; and
upright and alert, with attentive faces, no fragment of prayer or sermon
ever escaped their hungry ears. Of texts they could repeat every one
they had heard, down to the very last, but I, when questioned, could not
for the life of me think of one. It thus fell out that the feet of
Rudley and James, being fixed on solid ground, all else came easy. It
was a second nature to them to be respectful and prompt at meals,
sparing in the use of jam, and ever regardful of those about them. Nor
could they tell a lie, or come to the table save with shining faces.