The good man can now make one of the party that assembles every evening
in the pleasant attic. He has not the distance to keep him away, nor the
weather, nor a feeble state of health, and right glad he is that every
obstacle to so welcome a privilege is removed. A stranger, used to the
polish and luxury of a different sphere, would wonder how such content
and happiness could reign amid apparent lowliness and effort, for
although things present a neat and thrifty aspect in the little room, it
is evident that much toil is necessary in order to maintain even this
degree of prosperity. The busy fingers of the mother are ever engaged
with the needle, and the child is separated from her home by a needful
economy; yet there is a real joy in every moment spent together, which
might well excite the envy as well as the curiosity of a spectator.
People are so long a time learning that harmony is of more value in a
household than thousands of gold or silver--that "a dinner of herbs,
where love is, is better than the stalled ox and hatred therewith."
Perhaps if they could look in upon some of their wealthy neighbors, who
are rich in every thing but the blessed element that money can not
purchase, and then return to the humble place that overfloweth with
love and peace, they would be ready to acknowledge wherein true
happiness consists, and to search for it with as much ardor as they now
do for an increased treasury or a higher station. Mrs. Bates never
troubled herself as to who was better off than she in point of tangible
good, but she perfectly reveled in the sunny atmosphere of her pleasant
home, endeavoring so to fix its present blessedness that no outward
vicissitudes would be able to affect it.
She had no verbal eloquence with which to commend a contented and glad
disposition to the members of her household, but her example was more
forcible than precept, and there needed no other adviser. It was not
always so; Nannie can look back to a sorrowful period, when even the
hope-light was hidden from them, and they all feel that the leaven of
the kind, and Christian, and benevolent heart has exercised its changing
and salutary power among them.
Well may you look about upon the group before you with a placid feeling,
Peter Bond. Isn't it worth a few more years severance from the spirit
that awaiteth thee elsewhere, to see so noble a work--the result of thy
instrumentality? It was a strange Providence to thee that raised thee up
from the jaws of death and set thee upon thy strong feet again; but to
question its wisdom was perfect folly--that thou feelest now as thy
usefulness becomes apparent even to thy humility.
Nannie wonders what subject is agitating her friend, as his face grows
thoughtful and serious; but she does not interrupt his meditations, for
she has many a moment of quiet reflection that she wouldn't have broken
for all the world, so she keeps very still until her hour has expired,
and then says "good-night," so gently that he is not disturbed.
Mr. Bond goes to his room, with puss sauntering after, and Mrs. Bates
indulges herself in a cat-nap in her chair, while Pat is enjoying the
moonlight walk to Mrs. Minturn's with Nannie. He is as happy as happy
can be until they reach the house, and Mike Dugan confronts them with a
gift for Nannie. It's all spoiled now! Pat frowns upon Mike, and making
a gruff adieu to Nannie, walks back again, with an uncomfortable feeling
as if all the world is against him; and Nannie puts the unopened parcel
upon the table, and cries herself asleep, with Pat's daguerreotype under
her pillow and his rough adieu in her heart.
Poor children! it's the same the world over--smiles and tears, and
smiles again; heart-breakings and heart-mendings; quarrels and
reconciliations. There's no help for it; you must have your own
experience!