GOLD AT INTEREST.
'Papa,' said Primrose a few days after this,'they are very happy!
Duke and his wife, I mean.'
'Yes, my dear, yes,' answered Dr. Maryland; 'they ought to be.'
'Well, papa, they _are;_ and they are happy in the right way. Papa, I
was up there to-day, and I saw Jane Best, that little dressmaker
Arthur spoke about, who had got broken down with work; Hazel
has invited her to come there and rest out, you know, and get well.'
'Yes, my dear, I remember.'
'Well, I saw her to-day, papa. I was there, and I went into her
room. And I wish you could have seen her! Such a bright cheerful
room, open to the garden; which to be sure is all bare now, but
there is the look-out, and a good piece of blue sky above the tree
tops;and it was as prettily furnished as any lady need have; and
a bunch of splendid greenhouse flowers stood on the table by her.
She was sitting in an easy chair, taking royal comfort, I could see.
And while I was there her dinner was brought in; a roast quail,
papa, and tea in a dear little china tea-pot, and everything as nice
and dainty as it could be. And she told me that the day before,
you know yesterday was so mild and pleasant, papa,Hazel had
taken her out for a long drive; with herself, papa, under her own
fur robes, and had given her a blue gauze veil to save her eyes
from the glare, because there is so much snow about yet. You
ought to have seen Jane's face when she was telling me! She says
she has got among angels.'
'Whose doing was all that?' Prudentia asked.
'And then, oh papa, just think of it! for it is so unlike the way of
the world;two nights ago they had her to dine with themwith
themselvesand entertained her all the evening. They sang for
her, and talked to her. Poor Jane said she thought she was in
heaven already!'
Prim's eyes were full of bright tears, and Dr. Maryland's glistened.
'But that does not strike me as judicious,' put in Mrs. Coles. 'That
is mixing up things very much. A sewing-woman to dine with
them! That is Dane's doing, you may be sure. Hazel never would.'
'They are not of two minds,' said Prim; 'and she likes _this_, for she
told me about it, when I repeated to her what Jane had said to me.
It is only one evening a week; but one evening a week they will
entertain whoever is in the house. Being their _guest_, Hazel says
Duke says, gives them the right. Papa, they are very happy!'
'Ay!' said Dr. Maryland. 'They will be happy; for it is written
"He that watereth shall be watered also himself." '
So the gold of Chickaree had begun its work; and if one main
channel of the fertilizing flow went through Mill Hollow, that was
but one; and the others, larger and smaller, wentto use the old
image of the brook on the mountain side, literally wherever they
could. To the well and able, men or women, Rollo rarely ever gave
anything but work, which he never refused. Every other need met a
ready hand and open ear at Chickaree. Let no one imagine that the
heads of that house led an easy life; to meet wisely the demands
that came, to sift the false from the true, to apportion the help to
the need, called for all their best strength incessantly in exercise.
Being stewards of so much, less than all their time would not
suffice to use it wisely. For let it be remembered, they had not
allotted a part to philanthropy and a part to themselves; but had
given the whole to God. They were hard workers; and if at evening
Rollo threw off work and would have nothing but play, that was
needful too.
And did Hazel spend all her income wisely? Not always perhaps,
at first; that could hardly be expected. It is not easy for even
experienced hands to escape a deception now and then. But
slowly, surely, she made progress; chiefly by two things. First, an
eager desire to be a good steward with the power put in her hands,
which just guided and warned and stimulated too the also eager
desire to help everybody. Then Wych Hazel "prayed her way," and
took counsel. And by dint of loving all people and feeling for all
need, the way generally opened out. One thing was soon
decided,she would put her finger in every good work;
everywhere her hand touched and left its token. But then went the
nameless rills and drops of refreshment to hidden spots and places
of need known to nobody else. Poor students fitted out and paid
through college; poor invalids served with the best of medical care.
Overworked ministers sent on a pleasure trip, _wife and all_. A nice
dress here, a barrel of flour there, a wonderful book somewhere
else. Ice to the sick, boxes of tea to the needy. Then from her odds
and ends storehouse she showered prettiness upon the lives that
were dry and dusty with toil. Flowers to one, a flower dish to
anotherwherever she went she left a touch of light and colour.
People did not bend to kiss her shadowas of Florence
Nightingale: they turned and shaded their eyes to catch the light.
Not the sheen of mere wealth, dazzling the sight of their poverty;
but the joy and brightness of truth and love, reflected down upon
her, and from her to them.
If you would know, dear reader, part of the sequel to all the
foregoing, you may, if you will take a walk some summer day
through Mill Hollow. We will say it is ten years since Wych
Hazel's marriage.
It is June, and you may smell the roses as soon as you get to the
entrance of the valley. Wych Hazel's dream has been realized. The
valley is a garden of roses. They climb the walls of the cottages,
they cluster on the palings, they stand by the way side. They are
set in a ground of smoothest green; for the turf everywhere is
perfectly cared for as if the valley were a park; smooth and rich
and luxuriant, it carpets the whole valley, except only where the
footpaths run and where the houses and gardens stand. The houses
nowhere stand close together; there is plenty of garden room; and
maples and oaks and American elms especially shade the valley
deliciously. In another ten years they will be very fine.
The place is as full of business as of roses, and as full of prosperity
as of either. You see that at every step. Not a house but is in
perfect repair and in perfect condition; the low white paling fences
glitter in their purity; the window are bright and clear. And meet
whom you will, man, woman or child, no rags or penury or squalor
will offend you; but the look is of respectable comfort and real and
hopeful life.
And why not? See that substantial stone building a little way up
the slope of the valley side; that is the Library. There are reading
rooms, for evening use, and well used by the hands. They have a
variety of papers and magazines and maps; and the stock of books
and pictures is large and excellent. Adjoining is the coffee room,
where refreshments of a simple kind are always to be had. There is
a reading room for the women and one for the men; large, lofty,
airy, well lighted, beautiful rooms, with every comfort of tables
and chairs and desks, for writing and reading.
On the other side of the valley, nearly opposite, is another large
and sightly edifice. It is the store. Everything the villagers need is
to be had there, at little over wholesale prices; it costs the owner
nothing, it saves the people a vast deal. Nobody can purchase
goods there except the hands and employees of Mill Hollow. There
is no place for the sale of liquor in all the village.
You see the two churches; one would not accommodate the
population. For Mr. Rollo has not ruined himself; on the contrary
his business has grown and spread and increased. He is a richer
man to-day than ten years before. That is, his income is larger; his
reserve capital never will be. Let us go up out of the valley by one
of these gentle and well-trodden ways.
Over the brow of the ridgeand there stretches before you a wide
landscape of cultivated park ground. It is a park, of many acres, for
the pleasure-taking of the hands of the Hollow. What is not here!
Groves and lawns, walks and seats under the trees; prepared places
for cricket and base ball and gymnastic exercises; swings for the
children. Flowers are cultivated here in profusion, of rare as well
as common kinds; and they are in abundance enough to be on hand
whenever floral decorations are wanted for a wedding or a funeral
in the cottages, or a festival in church or schoolhouse. For there are
festivals every now and then, besides the three national ones. The
park has great plantations of fruit trees also; the fruit free to all,
from the time it is officially declared to be ripe. And I assure you,
it is very little disturbed before such announcement. The park is
under an excellent police, and nothing but the most perfect order
prevails.
On the further edge of the park, if you go so far, you will see a low
elegant building of grey stone, with many cosy little windows and
doors. It is the home for the disabled and superannuated old
people. No herding in one common community of forlornness;
each small apartment or establishment is perfect in its way, with its
own entrance, and its own little kitchen and sleeping room. There
are people appointed to look after the comfort of those who are
finishing their days there, but nobody to interfere with it. Wych
Hazel is there very often, and her pony chaise never stops before a
door but to bring brightness within.
But down in the Hollow there are the schools yet to visit; they are
the pleasantest schoolrooms you ever saw. There is the bank.
There are the public baths. And I know not what beside. The
schools are provided with means and teachers for the art
instruction of those who show capability for art proficiency; and
designers and mechanics for Roll's work are growing up under
Rollo's eyes. And nobody enters work at his mills but wants to stay
with him; and nobody ever wishes, in all the Hollow, I think, to do
anything but what the master wishes; for they all know he does not
live to himself.
A visiter came to the Hollow however, about the time I speak of,
who was not ready to take the testimony of his eyes, not yet of his
ears, and he had both. It was an old gentleman who had left the
railway station a few miles from Crocus, and depositing his
baggage at the village inn desired to be driven on to the famous
manufacturing establishment in the neighbourhood. He was an
elderly man, but vigorous yet, of the sort of frame both of mind
and body which holds out a tough resistance to life's wear and tear.
That such he had seen, his somewhat set face, overhanging brows,
and keen, unrestful eyes, bore witness. The brows were
particularly drawn together to-day, and the eyes critical, almost
suspicious, in their glance.
It happened, as the old gentleman walked slowly up the Hollow,
for he had stopped the carriage at the entrance, that he fell in with
Dr. Arthur. It was a very frequent thing to see visiters in Mill
Hollow, strangers from other parts of the country and often
foreigners from abroad; and Dr. Arthur would have gone his ways
with a courteous salutation, but that in the instant of making it his
eye caught some indication which obliged him to look a second
time; and after that second look Dr. Arthur joined himself to the
stranger and offered to be his guide and attendant. Slowly, and
very taciturnly on the visiter's part, the various objects and places
of interest were gone over; Dr. Arthur explaining and enlarging
upon everything that seemed needful, but left very much in
ignorance all the while as to the impression made upon his
companion. At last, when they had reviewed the park and were
sitting down to rest and to look, on one of the many places
provided with seats, the old gentleman began to come out. They
had passed a great many cherry trees, hanging full of their just ripe
fruit; roses were all around them, as well as a multitude of other
flowers both old-fashioned and homely and rare; the grounds were
perfectly kept; the air was full of perfume. In the midst of all this,
the old gentleman began.
'This is all very fine, sir. Do you think the owner holds his own in
the matter of money? for after all, that is the test.'
Dr. Arthur smiled. 'One can hardly say of such a man that he has
grown "rich," ' he said; 'but Rollo's income increases with every
year.'
'Doesn't give it, or fling it, all away then?'
'All the increase he gives away. He does not "heap up riches, not
knowing who shall gather them." '
'Hm!Has he nobody to come after him? I am told he has
children. I should think this arrangement,' indicating the park and
the roses by a vicious movement of his stick, 'would be very
open to abuse.'
'Yet you can see that it is not abused. This is the pleasure-ground
of the workers, where they rest, and keep well, and _get_ well.
Where they learn to forget drinking saloons, and to do without low
excitements. We have fine band music here every evening in
summer, which is a great attraction. The park is kept in order, as
you see; the work is given by preference to mill peopletoo old or
too young for the steady mill labour. And any child may have his
own plot of flowers, _if_ he will give it good care. If you enjoy such
things, sir,' the young man went on with a glance at his companion,
'it will be worth your while to come here next week to the mill
fruit and flower show, and see Mrs. Rollo give out the prizes.'
'Does _she_ come here often?' the old gentleman asked in a stifled
kind of voice.
'I might say daily. Of all that look after the comfort of those poor
worn-out people over there, Mrs. Rollo is chief. An hour ago you
would have found her pony chaise here. If you choose to step in,
sir, you will find the fragrance _her_ roses have left. They will talk of
herthese poor old peopletill she comes again. They will watch
for her "in the gates" till she enters there!'
'Hm' said the discontented old man. 'Does she find time to do
anything else?'
'Else?' the doctor repeated.
'Yes. These people who do so much abroad are apt to be cyphers at
home, in my experience.'
Dr. Arthur laughed a little over the word "cypher."
'Any one who had known Chickaree years ago,' he said, 'with its
gay rush of surface pleasure, would find much to study in the full
literary and artistic life that now fills the old place.'
'Eh?' said the other in the same way, but pricking up his ears at the
same time. 'Literary? Then they do not go much into societyif I
understand you?'
'They goand they receiveboth "much," ' said the doctor; 'yet
both after an unusual fashion. Where they can confer a favour, or
shew a kindness, or get refreshment and help in their life-work,
they go. And they receiveall people!for everybody goes there.
Yet not to great entertainments; at Chickaree society is not
finished off at wholesale. It is the usual dinner, or breakfast, or
luncheon, to which rich friends and strangers are welcomed. If
there comes one who has known "the loss of all things," 'the
doctor paused a moment, with some thought he did not put into
words;'if one of the Lord's special guests comes,' he ended
abruptly, 'then indeed he is received as such.'
'Do I understand you, that they never give entertainments like
other people?'
'Neverwhat are called by that name. Unless to people who are
"entertained" nowhere else,' said the doctor with a tone of
satisfaction which was every now and then perceptible in his talk.
'Their "feasts" are all "Bible feasts,"but their hospitality is
boundless! And the cuisine at Chickaree is perfect.'
'It remains nevertheless,' said the other after a slight pause, and
speaking with a certain concealed grumble in his voice, 'that if
theyor anybodyneglects the world, the world will neglect
them. Concourse is not society, sir.'
'Chickaree hospitality is not precisely _neglect_,' said the doctor with
some quickness. 'I have yet to see the first personscientific,
literary, fashionablewho was not glad of a chance to enjoy it. It
is _the_ house in all this region where you are sure to meet whoever
is worth seeing.'
'Well, sir, well,' said the old gentleman, getting up and giving
himself an uneasy shake, 'perhaps I have something to learn!'
If he had, he began upon his course of lessons that very evening,
appearing at Chickaree for dinner. A few days after, Mr. Falkirk
took possession of his old cottage again; and he has no purpose to
forsake it any more.
Typographical errors silently corrected :
Chapter 1 : =On dit= silently corrected as =On-dit=
Chapter 2 : =of on dit= silently corrected as =of on-dit=
Chapter 13 : =speak very coolly'= silently corrected as =speak very
coolly,'=
Chapter 23 : =discomfitted= silently as =discomfited=
Chapter 24 : =make that do;= silently corrected as =make that do,=
Écrit : unshared / gray / eat (ate) / judgment / northeast / visiter /
mayhap / realizing / considerative / recognized / pettinesses /
troublous / chestnutting / merrymakings / bluebeard / pic-nic? /
beringed / promiser / realization / jeopardizing /