THE ANONYMOUS GIFT.
THE next week after Helen's arrival in Morrisville, Mrs. Prescott
sent Christopher to a neighbor to ask him to call upon her as soon as
convenient. When the gentleman arrived, she sent Helen off for a long
walk. The result of the neighbor's call may be seen in the following
note, which was addressed to the Reverend Frederic Knowles, Maytown.
"DEAR SIR: At the request of the gentleman who is engaged by the first
church in Morrisville to supply our pulpit until January, I write to
request you to preach on the last Sabbath in this month, it being his
desire to be absent on that day. Our usual price per Sabbath is fifteen
dollars.
"If you can come, you are requested to put up at the house of Mrs.
Martha Prescott on Elm Street. Please answer at your earliest
convenience.
"Yours, respectfully,
"THOMAS RICE."
"I expect a friend, my dear," remarked Aunt Martha on the Saturday
preceding the day in question. "Betsey has aired the room, and put it
in order, but I want you to see that all is right. A tiny bouquet cut
from the flowers below would prove to the guest a pleasant welcome."
Without a suspicion of the truth, Helen gladly undertook the task. She
ran here and there, singing gayly through the wide halls, carrying
small articles of bijouterie, to render the chamber attractive.
"I wish it were a gentleman," she exclaimed, rushing into Mrs.
Prescott's chamber, "for I have found a handsome travelling-case with
razors and all sorts of conveniences for the toilet. If our visitor
were a gentleman, I would ask you to let me carry it there."
"Except for the shaving apparatus the dressing-case is equally suited
for a lady's toilet, my dear."
"Shall I put it on the bureau then?"
"In the north parlor you will find a small ebony table, you may set the
dressing-case on that."
"Yes, and my little vase in front of it," and Helen ran off, singing,
to finish her pleasant work.
Saturday evening about the hour that Helen a fortnight earlier reached
Morrisville, there was a ring at the front door. At the old lady's
request her niece went down to receive the visitor, and to her surprise
and delight found herself face to face with her preserver.
After tea Mr. Rice called upon the young clergyman, and gave him a note
left by the minister who had gone from town.
In consequence of this visit Mr. Knowles was invited to return on the
first Sabbath in January to preach as a candidate for settlement,
which, having consulted with his father and Mrs. Prescott, he agreed to
do.
Having been disappointed in their former minister, the church and
parish now resolved to proceed with more caution in choosing a pastor.
But after listening to Mr. Knowles' earnest representation of the way
of salvation through Jesus Christ, his pleas with the unrenewed to
lay down the weapons of rebellion and enlist on the side of the great
Captain, they were zealous to obtain his services.
As it was Mrs. Prescott's wish that Helen's friend should for
the present make her house his home, the old lady had frequent
opportunities of conversation on the great doctrines of evangelical
truth, and discovered in him a richness of Christian experience which
greatly delighted her. She found too that he was eminently a working
man, and that he had the faculty, so rare, of interesting children in
his preaching.
"It's so simple," said one, "that my little boy listened spellbound."
"And yet," replied another, "it's food. I don't go away hungry, as I
used to."
Mr. Knowles on the first Sabbath visited the Sunday School. And
afterward he was seldom absent during some part of the exercises.
He went from class to class listening to the answers, and giving a
practical direction to the instructions which waked up both teachers
and scholars.
"I regret more than anything in leaving Maytown," he said one evening,
"our Sabbath School at Mottville. Did Helen ever tell you, Mrs.
Prescott, about her starting a school, gathering the scholars and
obtaining a room?"
"Never."
Frederic then gave a glowing description of the young lady's visits,
already described, dilating on her talk with the hard-faced woman.
"And only think, Aunt," added the young girl laughing, "that old
woman's children came after all. It was on the second Sabbath I
believe. I had my class seated around me when Lizzie came in dragging a
younger brother after her. The teachers were already engaged with their
classes, but she did not mind this.
"She spoke in a loud voice, 'I'm going to be Miss Edmond's scholar, and
so is Bobby. Ma says we sha'n't come, 'thout we can be in her class,
'cause she isn't stuck up like other rich folks.'"
"Just imagine our modest Helen receiving such praise in such a public
manner," remarked Frederic, archly. "I caught a glimpse of her blushing
face, and could scarcely help laughing at her too evident distress."
"Nonsense!" exclaimed Helen, frankly. "I liked it because it was
sincere. I was only blushing because you—you looked so comical."
Early in April, Mr. Knowles was ordained over the first church in
Morrisville. After this, it will easily be believed Helen consented
to remain for the present with her aunt. The new clergyman had a room
and boarded at Mr. Rice's, Mrs. Prescott's nearest neighbor. The young
man begged Helen to consent that their marriage should take place
immediately after his ordination. But she thought herself too young and
too ignorant for the responsibilities of such a station, and told him
that now while he was so near, she thought it much better to defer the
wedding until she was of age.
In the meantime, Frank, after the meeting with his guardian and Mr.
Knowles, returned to the city, where he was prosecuting his law
studies. Though there was some reason for suspicion that all was
not right, regarding their property, nothing could be proved; and
everything was left as before, in the hands of Mr. Tracy.
Since that time, beyond receiving her quarterly allowance, Helen had
had no communication with her guardian. Through her brother, she
learned that the gentleman was reputed as very rich, and speculating
with his loose capital. In the same manner she heard that Roswell Tracy
and young Quincy had failed in business, the ward having lost every
dollar he was worth. Roswell had left his father's house, and was
forbidden to return.
Pleasanter tidings came from Sarah Barrows. At the close of her
school-year, she was engaged to remain as teacher in the primary
department, while she continued her studies with the advanced class,
and perfected herself in music. She wrote enthusiastically of her
success, adding,—
"I shall never forget that you were the one employed by my heavenly
Father, to raise me from despair. If my earnest prayers for you are
answered, you will have every good that He can bestow."
One pleasant event occurred soon after Mr. Knowles' settlement. A man
rode to Mr. Rice's door, mounted on a noble, iron gray horse, and
inquired for the parson. He delivered a note, and then observing:
"There is no need of an answer," went down the steps, and walked away,
leaving his horse tied to the post near the gate.
The note was brief:
"DEAR SIR: As your parish is large, and your parishioners scattered,
I have taken the liberty to send you a horse, which may lighten the labor
of visiting them.
"A GRATEFUL PARISHIONER."
Before the young clergyman could bring himself to comprehend that the
present was really intended for him, the messenger was out of sight.
What was to be done? He turned again to the envelope, and there read,
"Rev. Frederic Knowles, Morrisville."
A sudden suspicion sent him at once to Helen, when she expressed so
much wonder and delight, that he was left to infer the note and the
animal were as new to her as to him.
"Isn't he a splendid creature?" she asked, again and again. "So high
spirited, and yet so kind. See, Frederic, how he likes me to pat his
neck. I must beg a ride now and then."
"But, Helen, it is impossible for me to accept so valuable a present
from an anonymous friend."
"I shouldn't call a parishioner, anonymous," she warmly urged. "Why,
I love your people so well that I would accept a present from any of
them; and this is exactly what you need."
"But where shall I keep him?"
"Has not Mr. Rice an empty stall?"
"No, I heard him say his stable was full."
"Wait a minute."
Helen bounded up the stairs to Mrs. Prescott's room. But instead of
making any inquiries of the old lady, she sank into a chair, and
covering her face, laughed till the tears trickled down her cheeks.
"He doesn't even suspect. He demurs about accepting it. Oh, it is so
nice!"
"Have you told him about our stable? And that Christopher will gladly
assume the care of the horse?"
"No, aunty, I asked whether Mr. Rice had not room."
"You had better invite him to come up to my chamber."
Mr. Knowles found the old lady at the front window gazing at the horse,
which stood in full view.
"I am glad our people are disposed to be so thoughtful for their
minister's comfort," she said, cordially. "I have been admiring the
beautiful creature. Are you a judge of a horse?"
"Enough so to understand that this is an expensive animal, sound, and
capable of enduring great fatigue. But," with an anxious smile, "I feel
a delicacy about accepting such a present. If I thought,—" casting a
sudden glance upon Helen, who stood flushed and excited behind him. He
checked himself, as she calmly returned his gaze.
"Helen tells me Mr. Rice cannot accommodate the horse. And therefore,
not to be behind your anonymous friend, I invite you to keep him in my
barn, at my expense, on condition Christopher does not object to the
care. Betsey, will you ask him to come here a moment?"
"I'll go," cried Helen, darting from the room.
"It is too much, Mrs. Prescott, after all your other kindness,"
murmured the young man.
Christopher, having received his instructions, entered the room, and
having listened to the story of the mysterious animal, was asked to
take it under his charge.
The man made sundry little bows,—after his usual fashion, and took a
moment for reflection. Then he said he'd be happy to do any kindness
for Miss Helen's friend. And if Mr. Knowles would assure him the horse
didn't bite, he'd feed him and groom him with pleasure.