'LINA'S LETTER
Wicked Hugh! How he did enjoy it, for days seeing the family come in and
out, talking as freely of him as if he were a log of wood, and how
perfectly happy he was when, one morning Alice came in and sat by him,
placing her tiny gold thimble upon her delicate finger, and bending over
her bit of dainty embroidery, humming occasionally a sweet, mournful
air, which showed that her thoughts were wandering back to the cottage
by the river, where her mother lived and died. While she was sitting
there Mrs. Worthington joined her, and a moment after a letter was
brought in from 'Lina, containing on the corner, "In haste."
Mrs. Worthington's eyesight had always been poor, and latterly it was
greatly impaired, making glasses indispensable. Unfortunately, she had
that very morning broken one of the eyes, and consequently could not use
them at all.
"What is that?" she asked, pointing out the words, "In haste," to Alice,
who explained what it was, while Mrs. Worthington, fearing lest
something had befallen her daughter, could scarcely tear open the
envelope. Then, when it was open, she could not read it, for 'Lina's
writing was never very plain, and passing it to Alice, she said,
entreatingly:
"Please read it for me. There is no secret, I presume."
Glancing at Hugh, who had purposely turned his face to the wall, Alice
commenced as follows:
"FIFTH AVENUE HOTEL, NEW YORK,
OCTOBER, 1860."
"DEAR MOTHER: What a little eternity it is since I heard from you,
and how am I to know that you are not all dead and buried. Were it
not that no news is good news, I should sometimes fancy that Hugh
was worse, and feel terribly for not having gone home when you did.
"Now, then, to business, and firstly, as Parson Brown, of Elm wood,
used to say, I want Hugh to send me some money, or all is lost. Tell
him he must either beg, borrow, pawn or steal, for the rhino I must
have. Let me explain.
"Here I am at Fifth Avenue Hotel, as good as any lady, if my purse
is almost empty. Plague on it, why didn't that Mrs. Johnson send
me two thousand instead of one? It would not hurt her, and them I
should get through nicely."
"Oh, I ought not to read this--I cannot," and Alice threw the letter
from her, and hurried from the room.
"The way of the transgressor is hard," groaned Hugh, and the groan
caught the ear of his mother.
"What is it, Hugh?" she asked, coming quickly to his side. "Are you
worse? Do you want anything?"
"No, I'm better, I reckon--the cobwebs are gone. I am myself again. What
have you here?" and Hugh grasped the closely written sheet.
In her delight at having her son restored to his reason so suddenly, so
unexpectedly, as the poor, deluded woman believed, Mrs. Worthington
forgot for a moment the pain, and clasped her arms about him, sobbing
like a child.
"Oh, my boy, I am so glad, so glad!" and her tears dropped fast, as like
a weary child, which wanted to be soothed, she laid her head upon his
bosom, crying quietly.
And Hugh, stronger now than she, held the poor, tired head there, and
kissed the white forehead, where there were more wrinkles now than when
he last observed it. His mother was growing old with care rather than
with years, and Hugh shuddered, as, for the first time in his life, he
thought how dreadful it would be to have no mother. Folding his weak
arms about her, mother and son wept together in that moment of perfect
understanding and union with each other. Hugh was the first to rally. It
seemed so pleasant to lean on him, to know that he cared so much for
her, that Mrs. Worthington would gladly have rested on his bosom longer,
but Hugh was anxious to know the worst, and brought her back to
something of the old, sad life, by asking if the letter were from 'Lina.
"Yes; I can't make it out, for one of my glasses is broken, and you know
she writes so blind."
"It never troubles me," and taking the letter from her unresisting hand,
Hugh asked that another pillow should be placed beneath his head, while
he read it aloud.
"You see that thousand is almost gone, and as board is two and a
half dollars per day, I can't stay long and shop in Broadway with
old Mrs. Richards, as I am expected to do in my capacity of
heiress. I tell you, Spring Bank, Kentucky--crazy old rat trap as
it is, has done wonders for me in the way of getting me noticed. If
I had any soul, big enough to find with a microscope, I believe I
should hate the North for cringing so to anything from Dixie. Let
the veriest vagabond in all the South, so ignorant that he can
scarcely spell baker correctly, to say nothing of biscuit, let him,
I say, come to any one of the New York hotels, and with something
of a swell write himself from Charleston, or any other Southern
city, and bless me, what deference is paid to my lord!
"You see I am a pure Southern woman here; nobody but Mrs. Richards
knows that I was born, mercy knows where. But for you, she never
need have known it either, but you must tell that we had not always
lived in Kentucky.
"But to do Mrs. Richards justice, she never alludes to my birth.
She takes it for granted that I moved, like Douglas, when I was
very young, and you ought to hear her introduce me to some of her
aristocratic friends. 'Mrs. So and So, Miss Worthington, from
Spring Bank, Kentucky,' then in an aside, which I am not supposed
to hear, she adds, 'A great heiress, of a very respectable family.
You may have heard of them.' Somehow, this always makes me
uncomfortable, as it brings up certain cogitations touching that
scamp you were silly enough to marry, thereby giving me to the
world, which my delectable brother no doubt thinks would have been
better off without me. How is Hugh? And how is that Hastings woman?
Are you both as much in love with her as ever? Well, so be it. I do
not know as she ever harmed me, and she did fit my dresses
beautifully. Even Mrs. Richards, who is a judge of such things,
says they display so much taste, attributing it, of course, to my
own directions. I am so glad now that I forgot to send her letter,
as I would not for the world have Adah in the Richards' family. It
would ruin my prospects for becoming Mrs. Dr. Richards sure, and
allow me to say they are not inconsiderable."
"What does she mean? What letter? Who is Dr. Richards?" Hugh asked, his
face a purplish red, and contrasting strikingly with the one of ashen
hue still resting on his shoulder.
Mrs. Worthington explained as well as she could, and Hugh went on:
"Old Mrs. Richards would, of course, question Adah, and as Adah has
some foolish scruples about the truth, she would be very apt to let
the cat out of the bag.
"We left Saratoga a week ago--old lady Richards wanted to go to
Terrace Hill a while and show me to Anna, who, it seems, is a kind
of family oracle. After counting the little gold eagles in my
purse, I said perhaps I'd go for a few days, though I dreaded it
terribly, for the doctor had not yet bound himself fast, and I did
not know what the result of those three old maid sisters, sitting
on me, would be. Old lady was quite happy in prospect of going
home, when one day a letter came from Anna. I happened to have a
headache, and was lying on madam's bed, when the dinner bell
happened to ring. I just peeped into the letter, feeling like
stealing sheep, but being amply rewarded by the insight I obtained
into the family secrets.
"They are poorer than I supposed, but that does not matter,
position is what I want, and that they can give me. Anna, it seems,
has an income of her own, and, generous soul that she is, gives it
out to her mother. She sent fifty dollars in the letter, and in
referring to it, said, 'Much as I might enjoy it, dear mother, I
cannot afford to come where you are, I can pay your bills for some
time longer, if you really think the water a benefit, but my
presence would just double the expense. Then, if brother does
marry, I wish to surprise him with a handsome set of pearls for his
bride, and I am economizing to do so.'" (Note by 'Lina)--"Isn't she
a clever old soul? Don't she deserve a better sister-in-law than I
shall make, and won't I find the way to her purse often?"
Hugh groaned aloud, and the letter dropped from his hand.
"Mother," he gasped, "it must not be. 'Lina shall not thrust herself
upon them. This Anna shall not be so cruelly deceived. I don't care a
picayune for the doctor or the old lady. They are much like 'Lina, I
reckon, but this Anna awakens my sympathy. I mean to warn her."
Hugh read on, feeling as if he, too, were guilty, thus to know what
sweet Anna Richards had intended only for her mother's eye.
"'From some words you have dropped, I fancy you are not quite
satisfied with brother's choice--that Miss Worthington does not
suit you in all respects, and you wish me to see her. Dear mother,
John marries for himself, not for us. I have got so I can drive
myself out in the little pony phaeton which Miss Johnson was so
kind as to leave for my benefit. Darling Alice, how much I miss
her. She always did me good in more ways than one. She found the
germ of faith which I did not know I possessed. She encouraged me
to go on. She told me of Him who will not break the bruised reed.
She left me, as I trust, a better woman than she found me. Precious
Alice! how I loved her. Oh, if she could have fancied John, as at
one time I hoped she would.'
(Second note by 'Lina.) "How that made me gnash my teeth, for I had
suspected that I was only playing second fiddle for Alice Johnson,
'darling, precious Alice,' as Anna calls her."
"Oh, I am so glad Alice didn't read this letter," Mrs. Worthington
cried, while something which sounded much like a bit of an oath dropped
from Hugh's white lips, and then he continued:
"'When will you come? Asenath has sent the curtains in the north
chamber to the laundress, but will go no farther until we hear for
certain that Miss Worthington is to be our guest. Write
immediately.
"'Yours affectionately,
"'ANNA.
"'Remember me to John and Miss W----.
"'P.S.--I still continue to be annoyed with women answering that
advertisement. Sometimes I'm half sorry I put it in the paper,
though if the right one ever comes, I shall think there was a
Providence in it.'
"Mother, I am resolved now to win Dr. Richards at all hazards. Only
let me keep up the appearance of wealth, and the thing is easily
accomplished; but I can't go to Terrace Hill yet, cannot meet this
Anna, for, kindly as she spoke of me, I dread her decision more
than all the rest, inasmuch as I know it would have more weight
with the doctor.
"But to come back to the madam, showing her point-lace cap at
dinner, and telling Mrs. ex-Governor Somebody how Miss Worthington
had a severe headache. I was fast asleep when she returned. Had not
read Anna's letter, nor anything! You should have seen her face
when I told her I had changed my mind, that I could not go to
Terrace Hill, that mamma (that's you!) did not think it would be
proper, inasmuch as I had no claim upon them. You see, I made her
believe I had written to you on the subject, receiving a reply that
you disapproved of my going, and Brother Hugh, too, I quote him a
heap, making madam laugh till she cried with repeating his odd
speeches, she does so want to see that eccentric Hugh, she says."
Another groan from Mrs. Worthington, another something like an oath from
that eccentric Hugh, and he went on:
"I said, brother was afraid it was improper under the circumstances
for me to go, afraid lest people should talk; that I preferred
going at once to New York. So it was finally decided, to the
doctor's relief, I fancied, that we come here, and here we
are--hotel just like a beehive, and my room is in the fifth story.
"John had come on the day before to secure rooms, so madam and I
were alone, occupying two whole seats, madam and myself on one,
madam's feet, two satchels, two silk umbrellas, one fan, one
bouquet, and a book in the other. Several tired-looking folks
glanced wistfully in that direction, but madam frowned so
majestically that they passed on into another car, leaving us to
our extra seat. At Rhinebeck, however, she found her match in a
very fine-looking man, apparently forty or thereabouts, with a weed
on his hat and a certain air, which savored strongly of psalms and
hymns and extempore praying. In short, I guessed at once that he
was a Presbyterian minister, old school at that. Now, madam, you
know, is true blue--apostolically descended, and cannot tolerate
anything like a dissenter. But I do not give her credit for having
sufficient sagacity to detect the heretic in this handsome,
pleasant-faced stranger, who stood looking this way and that for a
seat. Madam, I saw, grew very red in the face, and finally threw
down her veil, but not till the minister saw it, and half started
forward as if about to speak. The movement showed him one extra
seat, and very politely he laid his hand upon it, saying:
"'Pardon me, ladies, this, I believe, is unoccupied, and I can find
no other.'
"Madam's feet came down with a jerk, ditto madam's portion of the
traps, although the stranger insisted that they did not trouble
him, while again his mild but expressive eyes scanned the brown
veil as if he would know whose face was under it. When we reached
New York, he bowed to us again, as if to offer us assistance, but
the doctor himself appeared, so that his services were unnecessary.
"'Did you see him?' madam whispered to John, who answered:
"'See who?'
"'Millbrook! He sat right there!'
"'What, the parson? Where is he going?'
"'I don't know. I'm so glad Anna was not here.'
"All this was in an aside, but I heard it, and here are the
conclusions. Parson Millbrook has been and wants to be again a
lover of Anna Richards, but madam has shut up her bowels of
compassion against him for some reason to this deponent unknown.
Poor Anna, I am sorry for her, and as her sister, may perhaps help
her; but shall I ever be her sister? Ay, there's the rub, and now,
honor bright, I reach the point at last.
"I am determined to bring the doctor to terms, and so rid you and
Hugh of myself. To do this I must at some rate keep up the
appearance of wealth. Perhaps Hugh never knew that Nell Tiffton
lent me that elegant pearl bracelet, bought by her father at Ball &
Black's. Night before last the doctor took me to hear Charlotte
Cushman as _Meg Merrilies_. I wore all the jewelery for which I
could find a place, Nell's bracelet with the rest. The doctor and
madam have both admired it very much, never dreaming that it was
borrowed. In the jam coming out it must have unclasped and dropped
off, for it's not to be found high nor low, and you can fancy the
muss I am in. Down at Ball & Black's there fortunately is another
exactly like Nell's, and this I must buy at any rate. I can perhaps
pay my board bills four or five weeks longer, but Hugh must send me
fifty dollars with which to replace the bracelet. It must be done.
"Don't for mercy's sake, let Alice Johnson get a sight of this
letter. I wonder if Dr. Richards did fancy her. Send the money,
send the money.
"Your distracted
"'LINA.
"P.S.--One day later. Rejoice, oh, rejoice! and give ear. The
doctor has actually asked the question, and I blushingly referred
him to mamma, but he seemed to think this unnecessary, took alarm
at once, and pressed the matter until I said yea. Aren't you glad?
But one thing is sure--Hugh must sell a nigger to get me a handsome
outfit. There's Mug, always under foot, doing no one any good.
She'll bring six hundred any day, she's so bright and healthy. Lulu
he must give out and out for a waiting maid. Madam expects it. And
now one word more; if Adah Hastings has not got over her idea of
going to Terrace Hill, she must get over it. Coax, advise, plead
with, threaten, or even throttle her, if necessary--anything to
keep her back.
"Yours, in ecstatic distress,
"'LINA"