REUNION.
Who shall follow them, or intrude on the sacredness of their
reconciliation, or relate with what broken tones, and frequent stops and
tears and smiles, and clinging embraces, their mutual explanations were
made?
At last Marian, raising her head from his shoulder, said:
"But I come to you a bankrupt, dear Thurston! I have inherited and
expended a large fortune since we parted--and now I am more than
penniless, for I stand responsible for large sums of money owed by my
'Orphans Home' and 'Emigrants Help'--money that I had intended to raise
by subscription."
"Now, I thank God abundantly for the wealth that He has given me. Your
fortune, dearest Marian, has been nobly appropriated--and for the rest,
it is my blessed privilege to assume all your responsibilities--and I
rejoice that they are great! for, sweetest wife, and fairest lady, I
feel that I never can sufficiently prove how much I love and reverence
you--how much I would and ought to sacrifice for you!"
"And even now, dear Thurston, I came hither, bound on a mission to the
Western prairies, to find a suitable piece of land for a colony of
emigrants."
"I know it, fairest and dearest lady, I know it all. I will lift that
burden from your shoulders, too, and all liabilities of yours do I
assume--oh! my dear Marian! with how much joy! and I will labor with and
for you, until all your responsibilities of every sort are discharged,
and my liege lady is free to live her own life!"
This scene took place in the private parlor of the hotel, while Paul
Douglass was gone to Colonel Thornton's lodgings, to carry the glad
tidings to Miriam, and also to procure a carriage for the conveyance of
the whole party to Dell-Delight.
He returned at last, accompanied by Miriam, whom he tenderly conducted
into the room, and who, passing by all others, tottered forward, and
sank, weeping, at the feet of Mr. Willcoxen, and clasping his knees,
still wept, as if her heart would break.
Thurston stooped and raised her, pressed the kiss of forgiveness on her
young brow, and then whispered:
"Miriam, have you forgotten that there is another here who claims your
attention?" took her by the hand and led her to Marian.
The young girl was shy and silent, but Marian drew to her bosom, saying:
"Has my 'baby' forgotten me? And so, you would have been an avenger,
Miriam. Remember, all your life, dear child, that such an office is
never to be assumed by an erring human creature. 'Vengeance is mine, and
I will repay, saith the Lord.'" And kissing Miriam fondly; she resigned
her to Paul's care, and turned, and gave her own hand to Thurston, who
conducted her to the carriage, and then returned for little Angel, who
all this time had sat demurely in a little parlor chair.
They were followed by Paul and Miriam, and so set forth for
Dell-Delight.
But little more remains to be told.
Thurston resigned his pastoral charge of the village Church; settled up
his business in the neighborhood; procured a discreet woman to keep
house at Dell-Delight; left Paul, Miriam and poor Fanny in her care, and
set out with Marian on their western journey, to select the site for the
settlement of her emigrant _protégés_. After successfully accomplishing
this mission, they returned East, and embarked for Liverpool, and thence
to London, where Marian dissolved her connection with the "Emigrants'
Help," and bade adieu to her "Orphans' Home." Thurston made large
donations to both these institutions. And Marian saw that her place was
well supplied to the "Orphans' Home" by another competent woman. Then
they returned to America. Their travels had occupied more than twelve
months. And their expenses, of all sorts, had absorbed more than a third
of Mr. Willcoxen's princely fortune--yet with what joy was it lavished
by his hand, who felt he could not do too much for his priceless Marian.
On their return home a heartfelt gratification met them--it was that the
parish had shown their undiminished confidence in Mr. Willcoxen, and
their high appreciation of his services, by keeping his pulpit open for
him. And a few days after his settlement at home a delegation of the
vestry waited upon him to solicit his acceptance of the ministry. And
after talking with his "liege lady," as he fondly and proudly termed
Marian, Mr. Willcoxen was well pleased to return a favorable answer.
And in a day or two Thurston and Marian were called upon to give
decision in another case, to wit:
Jacquelina had not returned to Bethlehem, nor renewed her vows; but had
doffed her nun's habit for a young lady's dress, and remained at
Luckenough. Cloudy had not failed to push his suit with all his might.
But Jacquelina still hesitated--she did not know, she said, but she
thought she had no right to be happy, as other people had, she had
caused so much trouble in the world, she reckoned she had better go back
to her convent.
"And because you unintentionally occasioned some sorrow, now happily
over, to some people, you would atone for the fault by adding one more
to the list of victims, and making me miserable. Bad logic, Lina, and
worse religion."
Jacquelina did not know--she could not decide--after so many grave
errors, she was afraid to trust herself. The matter was then
referred--of all men in the world--to the commodore, who graciously
replied, that they might go to the demon for him. But as Cloudy and Lina
had no especial business with his Satanic Majesty they declined to avail
themselves of the permission, and consulted Mrs. Waugh, whose deep,
mellow laugh preceded her answer, when she said:
"Take heart, Lapwing! take heart, and all the happiness you can possibly
get! I have lived a long time, and seen a great many people, good and
bad, and though I have sometimes met people who were not so happy as
they merited--yet I never have seen any one happier than they deserved
to be! and that they cannot be so, seems to be a law of nature that
ought to reconcile us very much to the apparent flourishing of the
wicked."
But Mrs. L'Oiseau warned her daughter not to trust to "Aunty," who
was so good-natured, and although such a misguided woman, that if she
had her will she would do away with all punishment--yes, even with
Satan and purgatory! But Jacquelina had much less confidence in Mrs.
L'Oiseau than in Mrs. Waugh; and so she told Cloudy, who thought that
he had waited already quite long enough, to wait until Marian and
Thurston came home, and if they thought it would be right for her to be
happy--why--then--maybe--she might be! But the matter must be referred
to them.
And now it was referred to them, by the sorely tried Cloudy. And they
gave Jacquelina leave to be "happy." And she was happy! And as for
Cloudy, poor, constant fellow! he was so overjoyed that he declared he
would petition the Legislature to change his name as no longer
appropriate, for though his morning had been cloudy enough, his day was
going to be a very bright one!
When Mrs. L'Oiseau heard of this engagement, she crossed herself, and
told her beads, and vowed that the world was growing so wicked that she
could no longer live in it. And she commenced preparations to retire to
a convent, to which in fact she soon after went, and where in strict
truth, she was likely to be much happier than her nature would permit
her to be elsewhere.
Cloudy and Lina were very quietly married, and took up their abode at
the pleasant farmhouse of Locust Hill, which was repaired and
refurnished for their reception. But if the leopard cannot change his
spots, nor the Ethiope his skin--neither can the fairy permanently
change her nature; for no sooner was Jacko's happiness secured, than the
elfish spirit, the lightest part of her nature, effervesced to the
top--for the torment of Cloudy. Jacko and Cloudy, even, had one
quarrel--it was upon the first occasion after their marriage, of his
leaving her to join his ship--and when the whilom Sister of Charity
drove Cloudy nearly frantic by insisting--whether in jest or earnest no
one on earth could tell--upon donning the little middy's uniform and
going with him! However, the quarrel happily was never renewed, for
before the next time of sailing, there appeared a certain tiny Cloudy at
home, that made the land quite as dear as the sea to its mother. And
this little imp became Mrs. Waugh's especial pet. And if Jacquelina did
not train the little scion very straight, at least she did not twist him
awry. And she even tried, in her fitful, capricious way, to reform her
own manners, that she might form those of her little children. And Mrs.
Waugh and dear Marian aided her and encouraged her in her uncertain
efforts.
About this time, Paul and Miriam were united, and went to housekeeping
in the pretty villa built for them upon the site of Old Field Cottage by
Thurston, and furnished for them by Mrs. Waugh.
And a very pleasant country neighborhood they formed--these three young
families--of Dell-Delight, Locust Hill and the villa.
Two other important events occurred in their social circle--first, poor
harmless Fanny passed smilingly to her heavenly home, and all thought it
very well.
And one night Commodore Waugh, after eating a good, hearty supper, was
comfortably tucked up in bed, and went into a sound, deep sleep from
which he never more awoke. May he rest in peace. But do you think Mrs.
Waugh did not cry about it for two weeks, and ever after speak of him as
the poor, dear commodore?
But Henrietta was of too healthful a nature to break her heart for the
loss of a very good man, and it was not likely she was going to do so
for the missing of a very uncomfortable one; and so in a week or two
more her happy spirits returned, and she began to realize to what
freedom, ease and cheerfulness she had fallen heir! Now she could live
and breathe, and go and come without molestation. Now when she wished to
open her generous heart to the claims of affection in the way of helping
Lapwing or Miriam, who were neither of them very rich--or to the greater
claims of humanity in the relief of the suffering poor, or the pardon of
delinquent servants, she could do so to her utmost content, and without
having to accompany her kind act with a deep sigh at the anticipation of
the parlor storm it would raise at home. And though Mrs. Henrietta still
"waxed fat," her good flesh was no longer an incumbrance to her--the
leaven of cheerfulness lightened the whole mass.
Mrs. Waugh had brought her old maid Jenny back. Jenny had begged to come
home to "old mistress" for she said it was "'stonishin how age-able,"
she felt, though nobody might believe it, she was "gettin' oler and
oler, ebery singly day" of her life, and she wanted to end her days
"'long o' ole mistress."
Old mistress was rich and good, and Luckenough was a quiet, comfortable
home, where the old maid was very sure of being lodged, boarded, and
clothed almost as well as old mistress herself--not that these selfish
considerations entered largely into Jenny's mind, for she really loved
Mrs. Henrietta.
And old mistress and old maid were never happier than on some fine,
clear day, when seated on their two old mules, they ambled along through
forest and over field, to spend a day with Lapwing or with Hebe--or
perhaps with the "Pigeon Pair," as they called the new married couple at
the villa.
Yes; there was a time when Mrs. Henrietta was happier still! It was,
when upon some birthday or other festival, she would gather all the
young families--Thurston and Hebe, Cloudy and Lapwing, the Pigeons, and
all the babies, in the big parlor of Luckenough, and sit surrounded by a
flock of tiny lapwings, hebes and pigeons, forming a group that our
fairy saucily called, "The old hen and chickens."
And what shall we say in taking leave of Thurston and Marian? He had had
some faults, as you have seen--but the conquering of faults is the
noblest conquest, and he had achieved such a victory. He called Marian
the angel of his salvation. Year by year their affection deepened and
strengthened, and drew them closer in heart and soul and purpose. From
their home as from a center emanated a healthful, beneficent and
elevating influence, happily felt through all their social circle. A
lovely family grew around them--and among the beautiful children none
were more tenderly nursed or carefully trained than the little waif,
Angel. And in all the pleasant country neighborhood, the sweetest and
the happiest home is that of Dell-Delight.