THE OAK AND THE LAUREL UNITED.
More than four months had elapsed since Mabel had left Oak Villa to
attend to her mamma, and Freddy had found a happy and delightful home in
that very desirable locality. The days were shortening now, and the
splendid autumn sunsets threw their gorgeous colouring over the trees,
that had already put on their russet mantles, as if in anticipation of
some great change. In human affairs it often happens that great changes
come very unexpectedly, and so it occurred in the families with whom we
have been the most familiar.
It was the beginning of October, when Aunt Mary received a letter from
her friend Mrs. Maitland which greatly surprised, and at first grieved
her not a little. It contained the startling intelligence that Mr.
Maitland wished to let their pretty homes, the Laurels, as the very
precarious state of health Mrs. Maitland's mother was in, rendered it
absolutely necessary that they should remain with her for perhaps a very
long time.
'Oh, Clara dear,' said her aunt, 'is not this sad news for us? I can
scarcely believe it. Mrs. Maitland says they are not coming back; but
are going to let the Laurels.
'How we shall miss them all, I fear we shall never get such good
neighbours again,' said the lady, in a much more dolorous tone than was
usual with her.
'Oh, I am so sorry!' exclaimed Clara, 'and so will Mabel be I know, for
Dora and Annie were our very best friends. But who is that other letter
from?' inquired the niece; 'I hope that does not contain bad news,
aunt!'
Miss Livesay took up the letter spoken of; she had been so taken by
surprise with the information contained in the first letter, that she
had almost forgotten the other, which she now opened, and a glad
exclamation which she uttered on reading the first line convinced Clara
that there was salve for the wound which had been inflicted.
She was not kept in a state of suspense, the letter was from Irene (Mrs.
Gordon), and the first line was: 'We are coming home to you, dear Mary!'
'Oh, when, aunt, when?' cried Clara.
'Wait, my dear, and you shall hear all,' replied Miss Livesay. '"Captain
Gordon has got leave of absence for six months; will you, can you, dear
Mary, let me come again to the dear old home? there is no place like
it!" Dear Irene,' cried Aunt Mary, she little thinks how I long to see
her, and the quick tears testified the melting heart.
Freddy all this time had stood an amazed listener; he could not at all
make it out why the breakfast should be delayed, but he remembered Aunt
Irene, and Captain Gordon, too, and he could somewhat enter into the
pleasure manifested at the idea of their coming to see them, only he
wished, notwithstanding, that Aunt Mary would pour the tea out, and
allow him to begin his breakfast. This was done almost mechanically by
Aunt Mary, her mind was already so full of projects, which, however,
must be explained some time hence.
'Now the first thing we do, dear Clara, after breakfast,' said the kind
aunt, 'must be to go to Camden Terrace; I hope your uncle will not have
gone out, as I have a message for him from Mr. Maitland.'
'Oh then, do let Freddy and me go at once,' entreated Clara; 'we can be
so quick, and we can tell Uncle Ellis that you are coming immediately,
so that you need not hurry yourself, dear aunt.'
'Not a bad proposition, my little girl,' said her aunt; 'and Freddy, is
he ready to go?'
'Oh yes, I am quite ready, and we can run all the way, and we can tell
mamma that Aunt Irene is coming to see her; won't she be pleased? and so
will Mabel and Julia. Oh, I am so glad, and Fred gave a remarkable
caper, which not only threw himself down, but _overthrew_ the gravity of
both aunt and cousin, who laughed heartily at the grotesque way in which
he exhibited his joy.
'We won't say anything about Aunt Irene's letter till you come,'
whispered Clara to her aunt, but that lady said:
'Depend upon it, dear Clara, your mamma has got a letter, as well as
myself, so this will be no news to her, though the Maitlands'
communications will, and of this you need not say anything.'
Mr. Ellis was just preparing to leave home when Clara and Fred made
their appearance.
'Why, you are early visitors this morning,' said that gentleman,
kissing, and shaking hands with the fresh, healthy looking messengers,
and adding; 'has the postman's news made you run off in such a hurry?'
'Yes, it is the postman's news, uncle, that sent us here so soon,' said
Clara, 'because Aunt Mary wants to see, and talk with you, before you go
out; she will be here in less than half an hour, if you will kindly
wait.'
'That I will do with pleasure, my little girl, and you and Fred can go
and find out mamma, and Mabel, and Julia, and Gertrude, and Willie, for
I can hear them all making a noise; this news about Aunt Irene has
caused a great commotion in the house,' said Mr. Ellis.
Away ran Clara and Freddy, to find, as papa had said, a glad and rather
noisy company in mamma's room. The invalid herself seeming evidently
better for this piece of joyous excitement.
We may well believe that the noise was not lessened in the room by the
advent of Clara and Freddy; the latter having, since his departure from
home, and the good accounts received of him from Aunt Mary, become
somewhat of a hero in the estimation of the little people and even of
his sisters. But here are other visitors, Aunt Mary and Mr. Ellis appear
upon the scene, and they both stand for a moment in silent astonishment
at the uproar that is made.
'Well,' said Aunt Mary, after a moment's pause, 'this is not much like
the chamber of an invalid; and yet you look wonderfully bright, my dear
Ada,' she said to her sister, putting her arms round and kissing Mrs.
Ellis, who was already up, and seated in her arm-chair.
'Oh, I am so much better, dear Mary; Irene's letter has acted like a
cordial to me this morning; of course _you_ have received one from her?'
said Mrs. Ellis.
'Yes; and I have also had one from our friend Mrs. Maitland, which, as
it requires advice and consideration, will also require a little peace
and quietness, so we had better dismiss the joyous young party; they can
finish off, and talk over pleasant affairs, in the nursery. What do you
say to this, my dears?' inquired Aunt Mary.
'We all say yes, yes, aunt!' replied Mabel, catching up Willie, and
making a speedy exit, followed by the whole troop of rejoicing spirits,
who were not at all sorry to leave grave discussions to their seniors.
'And now,' said Miss Livesay, after the young tribe had left the room,
'let us proceed to business. I have had a letter this morning from our
friends the Maitlands, and in it, a request from Mr. Maitland to you,
dear brother, to help him in the letting of his house, as they do not
intend to return.'
'Oh, how I wish we could take the Laurels, Arthur!' said Mrs. Ellis,
eagerly; 'it would be so delightful to be near dear Mary; the thought
almost makes me well, I declare,' she continued, as the colour mounted
to her pale cheeks.
'It was the very idea that entered my head when I read the letter,' said
Miss Livesay. 'I do think, dear Ada, that such a change of air and scene
would be very beneficial to you; but, of course, it will require
consideration, which, I know, your husband will give it.'
'I don't think that we should find any difficulty in letting _this_
house,' observed Mr. Ellis; 'and I assure you, I am as anxious for a
change as my wife is; though the distance from my office will be
greater, I should not mind that; I think we should all be greatly
benefited in health. I will myself write to Mr. Maitland this very day,
and run the risk of letting our own house, rather than lose such a
golden opportunity.'
My young readers, I dare say, know nothing about the troubles of a
removal; I do, and I am not at all disposed to inflict details on them.
All I have to say on the subject is, that matters were so speedily and
amicably arranged, that the Laurels or Laurel Villa, received its new
occupants before the month of November had commenced, and that so great
an improvement had taken place in the health of Mrs. Ellis, as made the
doctor, aye, and Aunt Mary too, suspect that the _nerves_ had received a
great deal too much consideration, and that henceforth they were not to
claim more than their due share. We may imagine how busy Mabel, and
Clara, and Julia, and even Freddy had been; and, oh! what a comfort it
was to all parties, that now, neither Laurel Villa, nor Oak Villa, would
receive ill-conditioned men, women, or children, for did not the kind
and benevolent fairy preside over both houses?
Yes, she did; and I am bound to say that there was no opposition, for
Aunt Mary's ways and doings had worked such wonders as disinterested
love alone _can_ work, and her heart was filled with joy and
thankfulness at the success achieved.
Captain Gordon and Aunt Irene did not arrive in England so soon as had
been expected, but they put in an appearance before Christmas, and were
quite delighted with the change that had been made; and, oh! what a
joyous party helped to make the splendid wreath for the decoration of
Mr. Norton's church, at Christmas time; plenty of laurels, we know, they
had close at hand, so that though there were other kind workers in this
delightful employ, I think we may say that none excelled in design or
quantity the productions of the two villas.
Our former friend, Harry Maitland, was on a visit to Mr. Newlove, and
not a day passed during the Christmas week in which there was not an
interchange of visits with the young people; and when on Christmas Day
they all assembled at church, I don't think there could have been in
England a happier or more thankful family party than that which came
from the intertwined _Oak and Laurel_!
'_Order_ is Heaven's first law!'
But _Love_ is the elastic, all-embracing band, which, wreathed with
amaranthine flowers, endures when time shall be no more!
THE END.
* * * * *
BY THE SAME AUTHOR.
The Story of a Mouse.
The Story of a Cat.
The Village School.
The Story of a Penny.
Our Poor Neighbours.
The Three Sisters.
Ellen and Frank.
The Twin Brothers.
Lilian Seacroft.
BILLING AND SONS, PRINTERS AND ELECTROTYPERS, GUILDFORD.