cheerfulness. It shone out of his eyes; out of the corners of his
half-closed mouth; and even out of his full, round double chin. Every part
of him seemed glowing with it; and no sooner had he got in his parlor,
than he flung his hat on the table; snapped his fingers over his head in
perfect ecstacy; made the hazardous experiment of a slow pirouette around
the table, and concluded his performances by making two or three passes
with his cane at the nose of Spite, who had been watching his conduct with
an air of extreme surprise, not unmingled with disapprobation. The attack
upon himself was carrying the joke too far; and after several ineffectual
attempts to avoid the point of the cane, with a discontented grumble,
between a whine and a growl, he retreated under an old side-board, sadly
troubled with misgivings as to the state of his master's intellect.
'Ha, ha! old pup! you don't understand the science of fence; but don't
take it hard. I've got a drop of comfort in store for you; for we're to
have a blow-out, Spite--a real, regular, out-and-out blow-out--ha! ha! And
you shall be under the table during the whole of it,' exclaimed Harson,
rubbing his hands together, and chuckling with indescribable glee. 'I'll
speak about it at once.' He opened the door and bawled out, in a voice
that made the old house shake: 'Hallo! there, Martha, Martha, come here,
quick!'
A frantic rush across the kitchen was heard, succeeded by a violent
clatter of slip-shod shoes through the entry; for Martha, since the late
burglary, being haunted in idea by shabby looking gentlemen with pistols
in their pockets, and dark lanterns under their arms, even in broad
daylight, was on the look-out for emergencies, and had every thing ready
for speedy egress to the street, either through the front door or the
cellar window; and the tone of Harson's voice being that of a man in
extremity, had such an effect upon her, that when she reached the door,
she could only gasp out:
'Lor' me! is they here ag'in?'
'Who?' demanded Harson, not a little surprised at the pale face of his
housekeeper.
'The robbers.'
'Poh, poh, nonsense!' replied he, perhaps not a little annoyed by the
reflection that his own manner had contributed to her mistake. 'There are
no greater thieves here than our two selves. Perhaps I _did_ speak rather
loud; but I was not thinking of what I was about. I shall have some
friends to dine with me to-morrow, and you must get things ready for them.
There may be six, or eight, or a dozen; damme! I don't know how many; but
have enough for twenty; d'ye hear?'
Martha curtseyed, at the same time intimating in a faint tone, that she
_did_ hear; for she had not entirely recovered from the embarrassment
attendant on the precipitancy of her advent into his presence.
'And hark ye!' continued Harson, warming as he went on; 'Frank's the very
devil and all; we'll tap the cask in the corner of the cellar. It's prime
stuff, which I've kept for some great occasion; and this is a glorious
one. And there's the fat saddle of mutton, hanging in the store room:
we'll have that. It'll be the very thing for the half-starved boy we've
found; and bring down a bottle or two of the red-seal wine; that of 1812.
It'll wake up old Dick Holmes, and make him ten years younger. There's no
fear of giving _him_ the gout. Ha, ha! Dick Holmes with the gout! I'd like
to see that!' exclaimed he, bursting out into a broad laugh at the bare
idea of such a catastrophe. 'Well, well,' added he, after a minute's
consideration, 'you may go, Martha. Upon the whole, I think I'll get the
things myself, and go to market too. There, that's all.'
Harson's spirits however were too exuberant to permit him to remain quiet;
for after he had returned to the room, drawn a chair to the fire, thrown
on a few sticks of wood, seated himself with a foot on each andiron,
folded his hands complacently over his abdomen, and fixed his eyes upon
the clock, as if it were a settled thing that he was to retain this
attitude for at least an hour, or perhaps a year, he suddenly started up,
thrust his thumbs in his waistcoat pockets, and walked up and down the
room, whistling with all his might; but even by whistling, he was unable
to work off his surplus of buoyancy. It was evidently gaining ground upon
him, do what he would. He had reached his present state by rapid stages.
From a feeling of complacency he had passed to one of high satisfaction;
from that to one of mirthfulness; thence he advanced rapidly to one of
joviality; and he was now fast verging upon one of uproariousness.
Something must be done! Excessive steam bursts a boiler; why should not a
similar surplus of delight burst a man? He wouldn't risk it! He must find
some vent for it. Ha! ha! It just occurred to him that the widow hadn't
heard the news. He clapped on his hat, seized his cane, and sallied out
into the street, in his haste shutting in Spite, who had started to follow
him, and who yelped mournfully for an hour afterward, to the great
edification of a thin maiden lady, who resided next door, and was
indulging herself with a nervous head-ache.
There must have been something in the expression of Harson's face which
bore the stamp of his feelings; for as he trudged along, with a free
independent air, striding as lustily as if only twenty instead of sixty
years had passed over his head, and as if every sinew were as well strung,
and every muscle as firm as ever; not a few turned to take a second look
at his hearty, honest face; for such an one was not often met with; and as
they did so, observed: 'There goes a jolly old cock.'
Rap! rap! rap! went the head of his cane against the door of Mrs.
Chowles's blinking old house; but he was too much at home to think of
waiting for a reply, and had gone through the ceremony only for the
purpose of removing from his entrance all appearance of being underhanded
or surreptitious; for no sooner had he knocked with one hand, than with
the other he raised the latch and walked without hesitation toward the
widow's little parlor.
'Ah, ha! my visit will be a surprise to her!' thought he, as he took the
knob of the door in his hand. He was a true prophet. A faint scream
escaped the lady, for she was opening the door to come out at the very
moment he was doing the same to enter; and as the movements of both were
rapid, the lady precipitated herself into his arms, which in a most
unexpected manner closed about her, while three hearty smacks were
deposited on her forehead before she well knew where she was.
'Mr. Harson!' exclaimed she, extricating herself, though without any
appearance of anger; 'is it you?'
'By Jove, I believe it is!' replied Harson. 'If it isn't, it's some gay
fellow of twenty or thereabout, for I haven't been so young for thirty
years as I am to-day.'
Mrs. Chowles saw from his manner, and knew from the unusual hour of his
visit, that there was something on his mind which he had come to
communicate; and as she was not of that class who take pleasure in keeping
others in suspense, especially when she was liable to be a
fellow-sufferer, she drew an easy chair to the fire, and taking a seat in
another, said: 'Sit down, Harry. Now, what is it? what ails you?'
'What ails me?' exclaimed her visitor, turning his round joyous
countenance to her; 'look at me. Don't you see what a boy I've grown; how
the wrinkles have gone from my cheeks, and how clear and bright my eye is!
Look at me, from top to toe. See how jolly I am, and hear how loud and
lusty my laugh is: Ha! ha! ha!'
The lady _did_ look at him; and _did_ observe all the peculiarities to
which he called her attention; and _did_ listen to his loud ringing laugh;
and then, not knowing what to make of him, drew away.
'Aha! widow, you're frightened at finding yourself alone with such a gay
fellow!' said he, laughing still more merrily. 'Well, well, don't be
alarmed, for I'm not in the least dangerous; and to tell the truth, I am
so overjoyed to-day that I may be indulged in a little foolery. But I'll
keep you no longer in suspense. You recollect little Annie, the little
child who fled to my house for protection?'
'Yes; well?'
'And you remember too, how often I told you that that poor starved,
cast-off little thing looked to me like one born for a better destiny, and
like one who had seen brighter times; and how often you ridiculed me, when
I spoke of the faint recollections which still flitted through her mind of
sunnier hours; and how you said that they were merely dreams, and that I
was almost as great a child as she was, to attach any weight to them;
though you admitted--I'll give you credit for that--you _did_ admit that
she was a beautiful, good little thing, and worthy to belong to the best
in the land. And when I said that Providence never would have sent such a
frail being as that into the world as a beggar's brat, you told me, on the
contrary, that HE _might_ have cast the lot of that child, frail, feeble,
sickly as she was, amid the very outcasts of the earth for wise purposes,
which we never could fathom; and that I had no right to reason in that way
on the subject, or to comment on HIS doings. And there, widow,' added he
solemnly, 'you were right, and I was very wrong. But I was correct in my
surmises as to the child. She _was_ born for a brighter destiny, even than
my humble roof; although,' added he, his voice somewhat choked, 'she'll
never be where they'll love her more. But it's all right, and she must go;
for her parents are discovered. They _are_ of the best in the land; she is
_not_ a beggar's brat. Her brother too, is found; a miserably, thin
hollow-eyed fellow; but we'll put flesh on him. This is not all,' added
he, 'every body seems in luck to-day. Old Jacob Rhoneland has escaped
scathless out of Rust's clutches. Rust himself is on his way to the devil
post-haste, and there is nothing left to be done but to heal the breach
between Jacob and Ned. This matter settled, I hope to see Kate's cheeks
once more plump and round and rosy. I hope not only to _see_ them, but to
_kiss_ them too. I'm not too old to fancy such things, I can tell you; and
now, widow, hadn't I a right to be a little boisterous? Ah! I see that you
think me excusable; but bring me a pipe, and I'll give you all the
particulars over that. I'm a little thirsty, too; for I've already told a
long story, and have yet a longer one to tell.'
The pipe was produced; the small three-legged table was placed at his
side, to support his elbow; and Harson, having carefully lighted his pipe,
suffered the smoke to eddy about his nose, while he arranged his ideas,
and cleared his throat; and then he entered into a full and faithful
detail of the proceedings which had been taken to unmask the villany of
Rust; and the various steps and precautions which had finally led to
success.
It was a pleasant sight to see two such persons as Harson and his crony,
both in the autumn of life, but with the charities of the heart yet green
and unwithered, talking and gossipping together, with eyes bright and
beaming with mutual admiration; each fully aware of the foibles of the
other, but carefully indulgent to them; for each knew that the heart of
the other was an odd casket, encasing a gem of the noblest kind, from
which radiated love, charity, and benevolence to man. Oh! Harry, Harry!
how joyously and yet mildly you looked into that widow's dark liquid eyes;
and how gently and confidingly she returned that look! What a risk you
both ran! Had you and she been but a few years younger, had either of you
cherished a whit less tenderly the memory of those who had once been all
in all to you, and whose forms were slumbering under the green sod, that
widow might have been a wife, and Harry Harson no longer a stout, sturdy
old bachelor; for it cannot be denied, that he _did_ become a little
animated as he proceeded; and that he _did_ take the widow's hand in his,
and did squeeze it, perhaps with a little too much freedom, and did look
into her eyes, as if he loved her with his whole soul and body into the
bargain; nor can it be denied that she was pleased with these tokens of
esteem, or love, or friendship, or whatever else she might have thought
them; for she did not withdraw her hand, and _she_ smiled when _he_
smiled; and there certainly was a strong sympathy apparent in their looks;
and even when in the fervor of his feelings he held his pipe between his
teeth to free the hand which held it, and deliberately squeezed _both_ of
her hands in his, still she did not appear embarrassed, nor vexed; and
when he had released it, quietly went on with her sewing, as composedly as
if what he had just done was quite usual, and a matter of course.
'And now, Mrs. Chowles,' said Harson, as he concluded his narrative; 'upon
the strength of our success we are to have a jollification to-morrow at my
house; and we'll have Dick Holmes there, and Kate, and Ned Somers, and
Kate's father. He must make up with Ned then, if not before. He knows he
was wrong, and he must give up.'
'But will he?' inquired the widow, anxiously. 'You know Jacob's a
wrong-headed old man, in some things. Will he?'
'Wont he?' ejaculated Harson, with a peculiar wink and nod of
satisfaction, as if he and himself were on excellent terms, and understood
what they were about perfectly well. 'I tell you what it is,' added he, in
a more grave tone; 'Jacob has had his own way, or rather Michael Rust's
way, in this matter, too long. He shall have it no longer. He _shall_ not
break his child's heart. I will not permit it.' He took his pipe from his
mouth, and slapped his knee emphatically. 'Have you observed no change in
the girl, since then? If _you_ have not, _I_ have. She is still the same
devoted, affectionate child to that warped old man that she always was;
but look at her face and form, and listen to her voice. She was once the
gayest, merriest little creature that ever lived. It threw sunshine into
one's heart only to look at her; and when she spoke, did you ever hear a
bird whose voice was half so joyous? Poor thing! when she laughs now, it
makes my heart ache. It's like the smile of one dying, when he is trying
to whisper hope to those who are weeping over his death-bed. God bless
her! and how should it be otherwise? But no matter; the worst is past. And
now,' said he, 'I must be gone. I came here to tell you the story, and to
ask you to dine with us; and between you and me, perhaps you had better
come early in the day, and keep an eye over Martha; for the idea of a
dinner party has quite frightened her; and there are so many little things
to be done, which I know nothing about, and which you understand, and
without which we should have every thing helter-skelter, that you must
come, or I'll never forgive you.' Harry made this last menace with so
fierce an air, and his mouth pursed up in so ferocious a manner, although
his eyes were dancing with fun, that the lady consented at once.
'It's well for you that you did,' said Harson, rising and putting on his
hat; 'if you hadn't, I don't know what I should have done; but it would
have been something dreadful. I'm a terrible fellow when fairly roused.'
Then shaking the lady's hand, as if he intended to dislocate her
shoulders, he put his cane under his arm and went out.
'Ha! ha! old Jacob! you and I must have a tussle. Ha! ha!' exclaimed he,
still carrying his cane under his arm, and his hands under his coat tails,
'you must hear a little of what I think. A few words of wholesome advice
will do you no harm, and will rub off the rust that old age has fastened
upon you.'
With this hostile resolution upon his tongue, the old man made the best of
his way to Rhoneland's house. Jacob was there, dozing in his chair, with
his white locks hanging loosely over his shoulders; and Kate was sitting
at his side engaged in sewing. She was paler than usual; and there was a
nervous restlessness in her manner, which did not escape the quick glance
of Harson. He thought too that she seemed somewhat thinner than she was
wont to be. It might be mere suspicion, but still he thought so.
'It's too bad,' muttered he; 'but I'll set matters right, or my name's not
Harry Harson.'
There was something in the hearty greeting of the old fellow, as he took
her hands in his and called her his bright-eyed girl, so full of happiness
that it was impossible not to catch the same feeling as he spoke; and even
Jacob, as he felt the cordial grasp of his hand, assured himself, and
assumed something like a cheerful smile.
'Well, Kate,' said Harson, drawing a chair between her and her father;
'I've news for _you_; and for _you_ too, my old fellow,' said he, turning
to Rhoneland; 'we've used Rust up.'
Jacob stared at him, smiled faintly and half doubtfully, and then sank
back in his chair without speaking.
'Do you hear me?' exclaimed Harson, seizing him by the collar and shaking
him; 'do you hear me? Why don't you jump up and hurrah at the downfall of
such a scoundrel? Ha! ha! We've been on his track for months; but we've
run him down at last; and then he made a virtue of necessity, and told
all--all about the children, and about you, and about Ned; all lies, all
lies--every word of them: Ned he swore was as honest a fellow as ever
lived, or something to that effect. _You_, he admitted, had committed no
forgery; not a word of truth in it; but all invented, to force you to
consent to his marriage with my own little sweet-heart, Kate. God bless
me! how near I was to losing her! Perhaps you don't know that I intend
marrying her myself? Why don't you get up now, and hurrah? Confound it, I
never saw such people in all my life. Halloh! by Jove! Kate, quick! some
water! I swear, the old fellow has fainted!'
As he spoke, Rhoneland's head fell back, and the color forsook his cheeks.
Harson caught him, while Kate ran for water and brandy, a small quantity
of which being poured into his mouth, soon brought him to himself. Having
waited until he was sufficiently composed to listen, Harson commenced from
the beginning of his story, and detailed to both of his listeners much
that they already knew, and not a little which they had never dreamed of;
the causes which had first led to the enmity between Grosket and Rust, and
then, step by step, what they had done to detect and bring to light his
villany. 'Rust manoeuvred well and skilfully,' said he, 'for he was a
bold, reckless man, who stuck at nothing, and fought to the last. It is
doubtful whether he would not have got the better of us in the end, had
not a sudden misfortune fallen upon him, which prostrated his energies and
broke his hard heart. After that, he was no longer the same man; but
confessed every thing, and among other things, that it had been his
intention to become the husband of Kate, and finding that you were opposed
to it, he tried the effect of a display of wealth upon you. This failed.
Then he resolved to see what fear could do; and threatened to have you
indicted for forgery; and admitting that you were innocent, he yet showed
so clearly how he could support his charge, and succeed in blasting your
character, that you shrunk from collision with him: still you would not
consent to sacrifice your child, although you dared not give him such an
answer as would shut out all hope. There was another obstacle in his way.
This was a certain young fellow, who as well as Rust, had an eye on Kate,
and whom perhaps Kate did not think the worst man in the world. Rust
determined to be rid of him; so he basely slandered him to you; and you,
not suspecting Rust's veracity, as the knowledge which you already had of
his character should have induced you to do, rashly forbade his rival the
house; and I am sorry to say, added harsh words to the wrong which you
were already committing. I need not tell you who that young man was. He
came to me shortly afterward and told me what had occurred. He's a noble
fellow, for not one hard word or epithet did he breathe against you. He
said he was aware that for a long time back some person had been
endeavoring to poison your mind against him. He had observed it in the
gradual change of your manner, and in your avoiding his society. He had
hoped, he said, that in time, when you found out that his character was
fair and irreproachable, that these hard feelings would wear off, and you
could again meet as heretofore. But this was not to be. Instead of
diminishing, your hostility to him increased, until one day when he was in
your own house, you used language to him which left him no alternative but
to quit it forever. The charges which you made against him were very
grave, Jacob, and very vile; and when you made them you had no right to
withhold the name of the person on whose authority you accused him; but
you did; and although Ned might and did suspect one person, Michael Rust,
to be the kind friend to whom he owed your ill will, yet he had no proof
of it that would justify him in calling him to account. Ned had a hard
task before him; for the charge you made against him was that of harboring
evil thoughts and of cherishing unfair designs against your child. It was
a serious charge, and one that he could not refute; for a man's thoughts
are not susceptible of proof; all that he can do in justification, is to
point to his past life and say: 'Judge by that;' and unless Ned could
impeach the character of his traducer, of whom he was then ignorant, but
who now stands revealed in the person of Michael Rust, as great a
scoundrel as ever lived, he had no alternative but to submit, and to hope
that time would exculpate him. Now Jacob, even supposing Rust had not
confessed that the tales which he had told you respecting Ned were
calumnies, is there any thing in Ned's past life to justify the suspicion
you have cherished against him? Answer candidly, and you will answer 'No.'
Rust's motive was clear enough; he feared Somers, and wished to drive from
you one who might be a friend in time of need, and who might one day stand
as a shield between you and his dark purposes. Come, Jacob, Rust has
confessed all; what he did, what his motives were; and now, tell me,
whether you cannot say, from the bottom of your heart, 'Ned Somers, I have
wronged you?''
He paused, and looked earnestly at Rhoneland, while every feature glowed
with the fervor of his feelings. 'Come, Jacob, what do you say?'
There was one other person too who leaned forward to catch the reply; but
Rhoneland answered:
'She's my only child, and she's very dear to me. It was a cruel suspicion,
and perhaps I _did_ act hastily. I will not say that I _did not_, for I
was greatly excited, and said many things that I have since forgotten. But
it was better that he should go. Wasn't it, Kate?'
He turned to his daughter, took her hand, and repeated his question.
'Wasn't it better that he should keep away Kate?'
Kate's voice trembled as she asked: 'What harm did he do, father, in
coming here? If his character is fair, why should he not come?'
Her father eyed her with an uneasy look. In truth, he feared Ned's
presence; for he knew that he loved Kate, and that she reciprocated the
feeling; and with the selfishness which old age sometimes brings with it,
he was unwilling that she should care for another than himself, or that
another should have a claim upon her. At last, he replied rather sharply:
'The reason why he should not come, is because I don't want him.'
Kate drew back, and said not another word; but Harson saw from her
compressed lip that the reply had cut deeply; and catching her eye, he
made a sign to her to leave them. Kate took the hint, and went out; and
Harson, after looking Rhoneland steadily in the face for some time, said,
'Jacob, you have given _your_ reason why Ned Somers should not come here.
It's a very poor one, and not such as I expected. Now I'll give you _mine_
why he _should_: Kate loves him, and he loves her.'
Jacob knit his brows, but made no reply.
'And let me tell you, too, that unless you _do_ consent, your child will
die. I'm in earnest. There are some who fall in love, as they call it, a
hundred times; bestowing their affections, such as they are, sometimes on
one, sometimes on another; until at last perhaps the owner of a handsome
face offers his hand and gets in return the tattered thing they call their
heart. God help me! this is called _love_. But thank God, for the credit
of human nature, there are others who love as they should--purely, nobly,
with their whole soul. These love once, and only once; and wo to the man
who unwisely, or for his own selfish ends, crosses them! The sin of a
broken heart too often lies at his door. Jacob, you're an old man; but you
are not too old to have forgotten the wife who once was yours. You loved
her well, my dear old fellow, I know it,' said he, taking his hand. 'She
deserved it too. Kate is very like her. What would have been your feelings
had any one stepped in between you and her?'
Rhoneland grew very pale, and the tears came in his eyes.
'Come, come, Jacob, I'll not press the matter now; but you must reflect on
what I've said; and you must not forget how much Kate has at stake. Ned's
a glorious fellow, and will make your house very cheery.'
'Well, I'll think of it,' replied Rhoneland, after a short pause.
'_Do_; that's a good fellow. I'll consider it a personal favor; and I _do_
think you owe me something for the pains I've taken in aiding to rid you
of that rascal, Rust.'