"GOOD BYE."
Gentle reader, would you like to follow the friends whom you have met in
this simple narrative still farther in the histories of their eventful
lives? Has your acquaintance thus far been a pleasant one? This is not
all. Every thoughtful mind will draw from the characters of history or
romance such lessons of hope and faith as cheer the heart in sorrow or
beneath the depressions of despondency something that will guide when
the soul is perplexed or shrinking. Sad indeed would the writer of this
story be, if in the delineations of the history of our little heroine no
lonely wayfarer should be comforted, or no friendless waif taught to
look up for the hand that safely leads. God is kind and watchful towards
his children, assuring them that they are "better than many sparrows,"
and therefore cannot fall to the ground without his notice; but is also
just to punish and chasten those who oppose his little ones.
Have these truths been set impressively before you? If so we will raise
the curtain yet a little higher and glance for one moment into the lives
and homes of the few in whom you are interested, after the terrible war
is over and peace again settles down like a holy benediction over our
beautiful land.
Colonel Hamilton could not be spared from the important position he had
occupied from the commencement of the struggle, and although his visits
home were frequent, the elegant house on Broad street wore an air of
desolation as the shadows of realities and uncertainties crept into it.
The reports of victories and defeats brought terror and dismay into
every heart, for loved ones were in jeopardy and mourning was in the
land.
One day there came a letter from the absent husband that thickened the
veil of apprehension and spread a new gloom over the hearts of those who
read it. "We must expect bad news my dear wife," it went on to say; "and
although I would shield my cherished ones from war's disasters I cannot
do it. Reports were brought in last night by our scouts that Rosedale
was in ashes and your brother, in a desperate hand to hand encounter
with some of the boys in blue, received a wound from which he died
before reaching the hospital camp. I was hoping to be able to shield
him, and for our mother's sake send him north. But now he is beyond our
reach."
"My poor, poor brother!" cried Mrs. Hamilton, as the letter dropped from
her hands. "I had placed so much hope on his coming! What can I tell
Mother? She is so much better, and was asking only this morning when
Charles would be here?"
"We cannot break the new sad news to her," replied the daughter; "let us
wait for Father. Somehow he is able to do everything without
difficulty."
Lillian smiled in spite of her tears. "Yes, darling, we will wait." But
it could not be. The hungry heart of the mother was enduring the agony
of famishing, and her cries for her only son were truly pitiful.
"Let the consequences be what they may I cannot longer endure her
appeals; she must know the truth," she said to Lily one morning some
weeks after. "Mother--Pearl cannot send him to you--how gladly he would
do it if he could; but it is too late!"
"Too late?"
"Yes, Mother; the war you know. It has destroyed Rosedale, scattered the
servants and--"
"Charles?"
"Charles has fallen into the ruin."
"Charles? Will he not come?"
"Never Mother; he is dead! And we are alone!"
"Dead! Dead! And he will not come! Gone! All, all gone!" and the white
fingers linked themselves together, twisting and untwisting with a slow
nervous motion as they lay upon her lap, while her large eyes never
moved their gaze from the face before her.
"Dead! Dead!" she murmured.
"Pearl will be here by and by, and he will love you and be as true a son
as my brother would have been. Let us wait and watch for him now."
"Dead! Dead! My boy--my Charles!" From this one subject nothing could
divert her thoughts. The sad, mournful wail bubbled up from her stricken
heart as naturally as her breath issued from her lungs, moaning and
breathing; yet not a tear moistened the burning eyeballs, until one
morning while Vina was arranging her dress for the day and telling her
how "de poor heart broke when little Shady went out and neber more come
back," the unseen hand laid a finger upon the main-spring of human life
and it stopped. Mrs. Belmont, the ambitious mistress of Rosedale was
also dead! The flickering light of a once massive brain was blown out;
the prison door opened, and the pent-up soul was gone! Now indeed were
the shadows deepened! The emblems of mourning were upon the door and
reflected their sombre shade's over everything within.
Colonel Hamilton could not leave his regiment, as they were engaged in
active duty; and so the daughter laid her away in Woodland cemetery
under the cool shadows, as the setting sun was scattering its last rays
upon the sparkling waters at the base of the hill. As the birds were
chanting their good-night songs the solemn cortege turned away--back to
life with all of its coming and stirring events, yet with heavy hearts.
"Yes, darling, we will leave Aunt Vina sole mistress of all and go to
Kirkham for a few weeks at least," Mrs. Hamilton said a few mornings
after, in answer to her daughter's plea.
"Willie is so anxious to tell me something and ask me about it. It has
been a whole year since my visit, and two since our separation, he
writes. I am so glad you have consented."
Few preparations were needed, and in a week Willie and "Phebe" were once
more sitting together in the little parlor, where as a diminutive waif
she had entered more than twelve years before, alone and unattended.
What power of prescience could have pictured the changes? What
vicissitudes and pleasures; what a mixing up of joys and sorrows, of
snarls and hair-breadth escapes there had been crowded into the rolling
years.
"I guess I may better read the letter, for I can never tell you what is
in it," said Willie, taking the well-worn missive from his pocket. "No,
you may have that pleasure, while I will watch your face, reading as
well as you."
"How you puzzle me, Willie. I have a good mind to run away alone to read
it; you have made me nervous!"
"Not a step shall you go." But her quick eyes were following the page
down at a rapid rate, and did not listen.
"O Willie!" she exclaimed as she turned the paper and went on. "Do you
believe it? Can it be true?"
"He says so!"
"And he knows. 'I have written Mr. Palmer,' he says, 'and am informed
that there will be no difficulty in the operation, but it will require
considerable practice on your part to be able to walk firmly as he
does.' I know that he has two cork feet or legs, as one day while behind
him on Chestnut street a friend pointed him out with the expression,
'who would imagine that his walkers were artificial?' But those poor
little feet! O Willie, there is no joy without its gloomy side!"
But Willie did walk; never without his cane, but his creeping days came
to an end, and a thankful heart blessed God for its unexpected bliss.
Social life now has no horrors for his sensitive nature, and he mingled
freely with the refined and intelligent who frequented the parlors of
the honored colonel and his lovely family.
Reader, are you curious to see him? If so look for him in one of the
largest clothing stores in the city of Philadelphia. Not as clerk or
seamster as in former days, but as half owner and proprietor. Be good,
pure and noble if you would succeed in reaching the eminence ambition
points out to you. "Carve out your niche and place yourself in it," was
the advice of a true philosopher to his son, and will answer for the
young of all ages. Look up, and if too weak to climb, the hand above you
will lend its willing aid.
The war came to a close at last, and Mr. St. Clair with his wife and
daughter returned to their southern home. Mrs. Mason received them
joyfully, but declared that she could "never, _never_ forgive George for
his silly freak of connecting himself with such plebeianism! My
daughter's governess! He may better remain where such follies are
tolerated!" But the parents only laughed, and the sister remained
silent.
Rosedale would be rebuilt, not in as magnificent style as before, for
its owner's long stay in the north had taught him many lessons.
"It may be I shall not care to occupy it," the son had remarked at the
parting; "but my sweet sister will make a noble mistress for it."
And so it proved. George St. Clair became a northern man in deed as well
as in feelings. He proved a successful tradesman and government officer
in New York city in company with Elmore Pierson, who had been spared to
his mother.
A happy family gathered in the home circle, blessed with fresh young
blossoms of human life who were to adorn the world and bring comfort
into the declining years of those whose feet were going downward. It is
but a short journey between the two great rival cities, and the friends
bound together by so many vicissitudes kept up a pleasant intimacy,
often reviving past memories by tales of pleasant scenes or strange
coincidences that would otherwise fade from sight in the moving panorama
of human existence.
"We will have that Christmas dinner we were to have had three years
ago," exclaimed Colonel Hamilton a week before the world-famed day. "A
regular house warming! Let me see! Can we not get Willie's sister here
with her family, and not let the dear boy know anything about it until
then? Gaylord and his wife have gone back to their home, and I suppose
he would not come with any amount of coaxing! He has grown so sour and
ugly during the last six years that I pity that feeble little wife of
his! O my letter! I have not even told you what has set me in such a
commotion! Just like one of my freaks of forgetfulness!"
"I was wondering," laughed Mrs. Hamilton, for he was skipping around the
room with the joyousness of a little boy, while searching in his pockets
for the letter that was to make the revelations.
"Where is the thing? Well I declare, if it is not down to the office on
the desk, as true as the world! If Willie gets hold of it! But no
matter."
"Do, tell me, Pearl! I am glad you have doffed your regimentals. How you
would look in a Colonel's uniform at this moment!"
"Honor and glory must pass away, but the St. Clair's will not pass away;
they are coming and may be here to-day, Mrs. Mason and all!"
"And remain till after the holidays?"
"Longer, my dear! Christmas dinner, however, is the main subject under
consideration. Let me see; Vina is getting pretty old for such an
occasion, and if she will keep little Charlie safe in the nursery, it is
about all we ought to ask of her. Lizzie is good in her place, and
little Bobby is a treasure; but we must have another cook. What makes
you look so solemn, my dear wife?"
"O, no--only----."
"Well--only what?"
"Is that Major Belknap to be here?"
"Do you not like him, Lillian? He was one of the bravest and noblest
officers in the whole regiment."
"It is not that. But how can I ever spare my darling child?"
"This will have to be done some day; and I know of no one to whom I
could more easily transfer our daughter's happiness. It is evident that
her heart is not wholly her own, and it would not look well: for you or
me to interfere with any arrangement of this kind," he laughed. The
sunshine of the husband's cheerfulness fell into the chilly places of
the mother's fears, warming them into brightness.
The Christmas festivities were a secured success.
George St. Clair came down from New York, to be clasped in the arms of
his devoted mother; and receive the hearty hug from the dear old father,
and loving embrace from one sister, and the cold salutations of the
second. "If this does not take away my breath," he exclaimed, drawing
his hesitating wife towards the stately Mrs. Mason, while disengaging
herself from the demonstrative greetings of others.
"Sister," he said, "this is my wife, who has generously consented to add
an additional lustre to the St. Clair escutcheon, and, without doubt,
would as kindly place you on her list of friends!"
Anna extended her hand, which Mrs. Mason took with a stiff bow of
recognition.
This did not escape the quick eye of Colonel Hamilton. "A trifle freezy
for so warm a room," he whispered, sotto voce, as he turned to meet
Willie, who was approaching, leaning on the arm of his foster-sister.
"This way, my boy. A Merry Christmas," and he opened the door into the
family sitting-room, where Mr. and Mrs. Hopkins, with their own small
Willie, were waiting his coming.
He drew back. "Am I dreaming! Fanny, my sister! Is this really you?" A
tear found its way to the calm blue eyes, whose fountain had been closed
for many a happy month by the blessings that had been piled upon it.
"We are all here, my brother! You would not come to us, so we came to
you! If Mother could see--and know!"
Her voice choked and she turned to the window.
What a happy circle gathered around that bountifully-loaded table on
that Christmas day! Fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, friends
and lovers! While the host stood with uplifted hands, asking the Lord to
bless and draw all hearts together, an "Amen" found its way out of every
answering soul; and the feast went on.
Here we leave them, gentle reader,--bid them all good bye, with a wish
and a prayer for their future happiness and success.
[FINIS.]
* * * * *
Transcriber's Notes:
3. Minor punctuation errors have been corrected without comment and
consisted primarily of placing or removing missing or incorrectly placed
single and double quote marks, end periods, etc..
4. Throughout the text words denoting family or other close relations,
"Mother," "Father," "Aunt," "Auntie," "Old Auntie," "Brother," "Sister,"
"Uncle," "Massa," "Missus" and "Crazy Dimis" were inconsistently
capitalized when appearing immediately before a proper name, (_i.e._
aunt Nell and Aunt Nell, aunt Vina,) or when standing unmodified as a
substitute for a person's name, (_i.e._ "Poor Old Auntie came out from
the kitchen," or; "Take me home Mother." or; "Yes Massa"), and have been
correctly capitalized in this e-text.
5. SPELLING CORRECTIONS:
p. 20, "cooly" to "coolly" (coolly interrupted the stately lady.)
p. 33, "Mary" to "Maria" ("... either," answered Maria;)
p. 39, "ectasy" to "ecstasy" (ecstasy never before experienced)
p. 63, "bouyant" to "buoyant" (5) (a light buoyant step)
p. 64, "remarkably" to "remarkable" (many other remarkable things.)
p. 70, "blosssoms" to "blossoms" (the blossoms had disappeared)
p. 73, "musnt't" to "mustn't" ( mustn't eat too much)
p. 88, "bouyant" to "buoyant" (her light, buoyant figure)
p. 97, "though" to "thought" (as she thought how he would miss her)
p. 98, "Lillie-Pearl" to "Lily-Pearl" (21) (had given birth to
"Lily-Pearl")
p. 101, "semed" to "seemed" (that Fanny seemed so much)
p. 103, "wo" to "woe" (3) (cry of woe) and (feeble wail of woe)
p. 109, "lilly-pads" to "lily-pads" (the broad lily-pads)
p. 119, "supulcher" to "sepulcher" (2) (your heart's sepulcher)
p. 122, "pursuasion" to "persuasion" (4) (After much persuasion)
p. 123, "form" to "from" (break away from the injunction)
p. 129, "Lilly Bell" to "Lily-Bell" (5) (He loved "Lily-Bell")
p. 132, "bouyant" to "buoyant" (5) (from her buoyant nature)
p. 133, "Lilly Bell" to "Lily-Bell" (5) (Lily-Bell! what a suspicion)
p. 143, "Nebber" to "Neber" (3) (Neber you min')
p. 149, "darkdess" to "darkness" (fly into the darkness)
p. 160, "frolicing" to "frolicking" (frolicking like a kitten)
p. 172, "etherial" to "ethereal" (is truly ethereal)
p. 173, "cathesdra" to "Cathesdra" (Ah, there is 'Cathesdra'--listen,)
p. 175, "destestable" to "detestable" (that detestable governess)
p. 176, "see" to "she" (she could see no way of escape.)
p. 180, "cantained" to "contained" (cup of others contained.)
p. 187, "sheek" to "cheek" (that full round cheek,)
p. 194, "bullustrades" to "balustrades" (1) (heavy post of the
balustrades)
p. 198, "plebian" to "plebeian" (my 'plebeian' curiosity)
p. 204, "youg" to "young" (The young man looked)
p. 210, "hypocricy" to "hypocrisy" (Secrecy and hypocrisy)
p. 220, "percieve" to "perceive" (12) (perceive that her lips)
p. 226, "upraidings" to "upbraidings" (2) (terrible upbraidings of
conscience!)
p. 255, "nor" to "not" (who could not help smiling)
p. 281, "cathesdra" to "Cathesdra" (the sweet singer of "Cathesdra.")
p. 287, "old aunty" to "Old Auntie" (as Old Auntie would say)
p. 292, "hygeine" to "hygiene" (in your skill of hygiene;)
p. 297, "proclivites" to "proclivities" (1) (her confederate
proclivities)
p. 297, "perpertrated" to "perpetrated" (1) (perpetrated on you)
p. 311, "become" to "became" (but it became entangled)
p. 315, "apall" to "appall" (2) (Does the sight appall thee?)
p. 323, "unitiated" to "uninitiated" (to the uninitiated?)
p. 325, "uncontrolable" to "uncontrollable" (uncontrollable agitation)
p. 332, "proceding" to "proceeding" (15) (before proceeding farter?)
p. 339, "carrid" to "carried" (you were carried away.)
p. 339, "inadvertantly" to "inadvertently" (same time inadvertently)
p. 356, "trepidition" to "trepidation" (2) (with some trepidation)
p. 371, "greivous" to "grievous" (2) (a grievous wrong)
p. 372, "enconsed" to "ensconced" (was ensconced amid)
p. 372, "reponsibilities" to "responsibilities" (with extraordinary
responsibilities)
p. 388, "severly" to "severely" (3) (severely wounded by a sharpshooter)
p. 389, "he" to "be" (I'll be hanged)
p. 421, "whith" to "with" (with her white hand)
p. 422, "oustretched" to "outstretched" (with outstretched arms)
p. 424, "uncontrolable" to "uncontrollable" (uncontrollable desire)
p. 428, "batallion" to "battalion" (power of that battalion.)
p. 447, "removod" to "removed" (all wraps were removed)
p. 454, "sensative" to "sensitive" (8) (his sensitive nature)
p. 457, "consideratien" to "consideration" (4) (subject under
consideration)
p. 458, "escutchion" to "escutcheon" (to the St. Clair escutcheon)
6. TYPOGRAPHICAL CORRECTIONS:
p. 9, removed duplicate word "in" (manuscript in advance)
p. 62, removed duplicate word "with" (Phebe has been with us)
p. 97, added paragraph break after quote ("... bloom on without me.")
p. 104, removed duplicate word "but" (but there were no tears)
p. 167, The title of Chapter XVI on the Contents Page is "The Birthnight
Entertainment" however the Chapter title on the given page is
"The Birthday Entertainment" and has been retained as written.
p. 182, added word "our" to (a web of our own weaving)
p. 230, added word "with" (you must take my father and mother and Ellen
with you)
p. 234, removed duplicate word "the" (take rooms at the hotel)
p. 252, removed duplicate word "the" (like the whisperings of)
p. 305, added second "as" (activity as soon as yourself)
p. 318, removed duplicate word "the" (where the new resolutions)
p. 320, removed duplicate word "it" (we could not help it)
p. 322, changed word order "use the" to "the use" (what is the use of
throwing misery)
p. 387, removed duplicate word "over" (swing round over West Virginia)
p. 442, added word "a" (Never was a mother more hartily welcomed)
p. 458, removed duplicate word "the" (and the feast went on)
7. WORD VARIATIONS:
"a-goin'" (1) and "agoin" (1)
"ecstacy" (4) and "ecstasy" (2)
"gaiety" (1) and "gayety" (1)
"Lizzie" (5) and "Lizzy" (3)
"nuf" (1) and "nuff" (1) (slang for enough)
"road-side" (1) and "roadside" (1)
"sand-bar" (2) and "sandbar" (1)
"swear" (1) and "sware" (1) (archaic version)