THE DOUBLE BIRTH-DAY.
Brother awake--my soul is strong with pain--
And humbled with a night of solemn prayer,
Never--oh, never, can I rest again,
Till restitution lifts me from despair!
When aunt Hannah entered uncle Nathan's room he was sound asleep, with
a smile upon his half-open mouth, and two large arms folded lovingly
over his head, as if a sweet morning nap were the most, exquisite
enjoyment known to him. For a moment aunt Hannah stood by the bed-side
with her eyes, full of dark trouble, fixed upon his serene face. When
had she slept so tranquilly? would she ever know an hour of innocent,
child-like slumber like that again?
"Nathan--brother Nathan," she said, in a husky voice that aroused the
old man from its very strangeness; "get up--I have something for you
to do."
"Why, Hannah," said the old man, rubbing his eyes like a great fat
child, "am I late? what is the matter? just give me my clothes there,
and I'll be up before you can get the breakfast on the table. I'm very
sorry, very sorry, indeed; but somehow, I couldn't seem to get asleep,
last night, tired as I was--you know what night it was. Old times keep
me awake nights, Hannah, I think so much just now of poor little
Anna!"
"It isn't late, Nathan," answered the sister, still in her hoarse,
unnatural voice, "but I want you to go up the street, and ask our
minister to come here at ten o'clock."
"The minister! why, what for, sister Hannah? You ain't getting
anxious, nor nothing--I thought the day of regeneration had come, long
ago, with both of us."
"Do not ask me questions, now, brother, but get up and go my errand."
"Yes, yes, of course," answered uncle Nat, eyeing the pale face before
him, anxiously; "I'll do anything that's best."
"When you have seen the minister, go down to Mrs. Farnham's, and ask
them all to come--Mr. Farnham, his mother, and Salina. After that call
for Judge Sharp."
"Do you want them at ten?"
"Yes!"
Aunt Hannah went out, and from that hour till after nine, was shut up
alone in the out-room. The family sat down to breakfast without her,
marvelling why she chose to fast, that morning, all but uncle
Nathan--he remembered that it was the anniversary of his sister's
death; and when he came in from the performance of his errands, there
was a gentle look of tenderness on his face that made those around
long to comfort him.
After breakfast aunt Hannah came forth, still very pale, but with a
look of serene resolution that no one had ever observed on her face
before.
"Children," she said, addressing Joseph and Mary Fuller, "tell me,
once again, that you love one another."
"We do--we do?" cried the young pair, lifting their faces, full of
holy sunshine, to hers, while their hands crept together, and
intertwined unconsciously.
"And you would be glad to marry this girl, Joseph?"
"Marry her!" exclaimed the youth, trembling from head to foot, "how
dare I--how can I?"
"Answer me, Joseph, yes or no, would it make you happy, if within an
hour, this girl could be your wife, to live with you, and love you for
ever and ever?"
"So happy," cried the youth, flushing red to the temples, "so happy
that I dare not think of it."
"And you, Mary Fuller?" she questioned, moving close to the shrinking
girl, and speaking in a low voice, impelled to gentleness by womanly
compassion.
"Oh, do not ask me, dear, dear aunt! you know how it is with me, I
have not dared to think of this."
Aunt Hannah bent down, and kissed that portion of the burning forehead
which Mary's hands had left uncovered.
Mary started, and lifted her moist eyes in amazement. Scarcely in her
life had she seen that cold woman kiss any one before.
Aunt Hannah looked kindly into her eyes, and laying a hand on her
head, addressed Joseph.
"This child is not beautiful, my son," she said, "but she has
something in her face, this moment, worth all the beauty in the
world."
"I know it; I feel the sunshine of her presence," answered the youth.
"It is this that troubles her; she fears that, in your love for
beautiful things, she will not always please you."
Joseph reached forth his arms and drew the shrinking girl to his
bosom.
"Don't tremble--don't cry, Mary, you are in my heart, and that is
flooded with beauty; what else do I want?"
Mary sobbed out the tenderness and gratitude that filled her bosom in
a few low murmurs, that had no meaning, save to the heart over which
they were uttered.
Aunt Hannah turned to uncle Nathan.
"Is it not best, my brother, that two creatures who love each other so
much should be married?"
Uncle Nathan was busy wiping the tears from his brown eyes, that were
full of tender light as those of a rabbit. It was seldom that he awoke
to a sense of worldly wisdom; but the helplessness of the young
creatures before him, for once overcame his benevolence.
"Oh, Hannah, what would become of them when we get too old for work?"
"We are too old, now," answered the sister, "but put all this on one
side. If you and I were rich enough to make them and theirs
comfortable, what would you say then?"
"What would I say--why, God bless them and multiply them upon the face
of the earth! That's what I would say!"
"And I," responded aunt Hannah, solemnly, "would answer amen!"
With a dignity that was very impressive, she took the clasped hands of
the youth and maiden between both hers and once more she uttered the
word "amen"
All this time Isabel Chester, pale and feeble from illness, sat in an
easy-chair upon the hearth, filled with self-compassion, and yet
feeling a generous pleasure that others could be happy though she was
so very desolate. Thus ten o'clock drew on, and the clergyman knocked
at the front door.
Aunt Hannah stood stiffly upright for a moment, as if nerving herself,
then, turned toward the family.
"Come!" she said. "It is twenty-one years to-day, since our sister
died, come!"