A TEA-PARTY.
Meanwhile, she was learning to systemize her time so as to make the most
of it, and, given a fresh impetus in her studies by this new
companionship, spent the days so busily she scarcely had time, till
night laid her on her pillow, to wonder where father might be, and when
he would return.
So far, with the exception of the storm which had proven so fatal to her
mother, the season had been quite free from gales, or "breezes" as the
fishermen call them; for with these hardy people a good-sized tornado is
only a "stiffish breeze" usually.
But when these new, delightful friends went away, it seemed as if
everything changed. Dull, foggy days, with fitful gusts, succeeded to
the lovely month just gone, and the skies were leaden and threatening.
Then, too, little by little, the wolf began creeping towards their door,
for Sara, in the large liberality of her nature, did not well know how
to deny the eager wants of the children, so long as she had any means to
gratify them; and was not so wise in hoarding against a rainy day as an
older head might have been.
Still further, to add to her gloom, baby had a slight attack of measles,
over which she worried more than was necessary; and, altogether, August
was for her a blue month, with only two bright spots to recall.
One of these was when Morton, red and exultant, came lugging home a
mammoth express package, with Molly, fish-knife in hand, dancing about
him like some crazy Apache squaw about a war-captive, though she was
only impatient to cut the cord.
When her wish was finally gratified, Sara's delighted eyes beheld two
volumes she had long been wishing for, and a pretty dress-pattern;
Morton's caught sight of some tackle that fairly electrified him, with a
suit of clothes better than he had ever owned before; Molly's darted
with lightning speed to a neat jacket and hat, also a handsome herbarium
book for her algae; while baby set up a squeal of joy at sight of some
novel toys and picture-books, leaving Sara to the full appreciation of a
dainty infant outfit below.
Of course these most acceptable gifts were from the Grandet party,--now
in Boston,--who had proven themselves thus more constant than most
"summer friends," and generous almost beyond belief, as Sara thought.
The other red-letter day was one when the whole family was invited to
tea at Miss Prue's. They went early, as was the fashion in Killamet,
Morton stiff and conscious in his new suit, and baby filled with
undisguised admiration for his own new shoes, while both girls looked so
unusually "dressed-up" in their Boston finery, that Miss Prue naturally
concluded good Reuben Olmstead must have left his family well provided
for during his absence, and had not the slightest idea how closely
pressed they were for actual money.
They had been seated but a few moments, Morton gravely staring at the
dragon-china with meekly folded hands, Molly tilted on the edge of her
chair like a bird about to fly, and the baby on Sara's lap wide-eyed and
inquiring, when Polly thought the quiet was growing oppressive, and
broke out,--
"Pretty Poll! Pretty Poll! How d'ye do? Oh, you fools!" At which Molly
ran over in a rippling little giggle, so infectious that every one had
to join in.
Miss Prue turned to her with an indulgent smile.
"Bless her heart! It would be dull here if 'tweren't for Polly, wouldn't
it? Let's see, I've a new game somewhere, from Boston; it's bits of
rhyme and scraps of knowledge, I believe; I never played it, but perhaps
you and Morton can make it out," and soon the two were seated, bending
over a light stand, quite happy for the nonce.
Meanwhile, baby was so impressed with the dignity and solemnity of the
occasion that he kept his round eyes fixed unwinkingly upon the parrot
(who occasionally addressed a remark to him), until the weary lids
closed, and he dropped his sleepy little head over against Sara's
shoulder.
Then she and Miss Prue had a long, delightsome talk, in which she told
her good friend all about the Grandet party, the order of the King's
Daughters, those beautiful, impressive books of Hale's, and something--
not a great deal, for Sara was naturally reticent of her inner life--of
the hopes and longings kindled by them in her soul.
As the kind old maid watched her noble, expressive face, and noted the
clinging little figure in her arms, she sighed, wondering,--
"Is here to be another life-long sacrifice? Are these sparkling,
youthful hopes to settle down into the dull, smouldering fires of duty--
a fire which will always boil the domestic kettle, and warm the family
hearth, but never be a beacon-light on the hill of effort, to help the
world onward?" Then she checked herself. "Is any life well lived,
however humble, quite lost to the world? And does not God know better
than I where to put her?" and thus ending her reflections, she turned
with a brighter look to say,
"My dear, don't let _anything_ discourage you from carrying out
your views! I believe this life of ours is like a flight of steps
leading to a throne. When we have performed all that is required of us
on the first step, we must go on and up But sometimes, alas! we will not
do what we should, and have to be ordered back. Then how painfully slow
seems the climb to our former position! But, if we can only always hear
that 'Come up higher,' and keep steadily on, slowly it may be, so slowly
the steps seem but an inch high, we will surely reach the throne in
time--or in eternity."
Sara's luminous eyes rested intently on her face.
"The steps may not all be beautiful or easy," she breathed.
"No, nor will be, my dear. There is a little book of essays I have, and
one is called 'The Gospel of Drudgery;' I want you to read it."
Miss Plunkett rose and stepped to the book-case on the opposite side of
the room, being enjoined, sleepily, by Mistress Polly meanwhile, to
"Come again, and don't be long!" When old Hester appeared in the
doorway, to bob a courtesy, and announce,--
"Tea is served, Miss Prue."
Hester was a character in Killamet, and must be described.
She was a pure-blooded African of Guinea, who, when a wee child, was
rescued from a slave-trader by Captain Plunkett, Miss Prue's father.
The poor little black baby's mother had died during the cruel march to
the coast, and the little creature, become almost a skeleton, and
looking more like a baby chimpanzee than anything human, was made a pet
of by the crew on the homeward voyage, growing fat and saucy daily, so
that when the captain presented her to his daughter, then an infant of
two years, she was as cunning a specimen of a negro baby as one often
sees.
Instantly the fair little Prudence took a great fancy to her, thinking
her, doubtless, some new queer kind of doll; and from that time the two
were almost inseparable companions.
The little stranger was soon given free papers, formally adopted, and
baptized under the Christian name of Hester Plunkett; and from her
twenty-first birthday had always received wages for her services.
Her love for the family, especially Miss Prue, almost the only survivor
of this especial branch, was simply unbounded; and nothing could have
tempted her to leave the latter.
Even as she made the simple announcement, her great, soft black eyes
rested lovingly on her friend and mistress, then turned, with a smiling
welcome, upon the children.
"I'll tend the baby ef he wakes, Miss Sairay; let me lay him down now,"
she said, lifting him with her powerful black hands; "he likes his old
Aunt Hester!" and she nestled him against her broad bosom, and bent her
stately white-turbaned head caressingly over him.
Molly, who was always fascinated by her, watched every movement, her
eyes dancing, and her checks dimpling with some inner thought.
"Come, what are you sparkling over now?" cried Miss Prue, taking the
child's hand to lead her to the dining-room. "I know you've an idea in
that little brain of yours, because it's almost ready to jump out of
your eye-windows!" Molly gave a little hop--she seldom walked--and
caught the aged hand in both of hers. "I'll tell you, Miss Plunkett,
but you musn't tell anybody, will you?"
"I'll try to keep it a secret, Molly."
"Well, what do you s'pose Hester looks like?"
"Now, Molly! You wouldn't make fun of good old Hester, would you?"
"But I'm not making fun, Miss Prue, indeed and indeedy I'm not, only she
_does!_"
"Well, like what, Molly?"
By this time they had reached the dining-room, and Molly drew her behind
its door, to whisper mysteriously,--
"She looks just like Rocky Point when there's a high wind. Then the rock
stands up there black and big and square, just as Hester does; and her
muslin turban is the spray up over the top of it, don't you see?"
Miss Prue nodded comprehensively, for the resemblance of the tall,
straight negress to that bold headland was something she could recognize
herself, now it was brought to her notice.
"I think you're right, dear; but come, our supper is waiting. Pray
excuse me, Sara, for keeping you and Morton standing here; this little
lady-bird and I have been exchanging confidences behind the door!"
What a supper it was! Well worth waiting for, Morton thought, for the
queer foreign-spiced preserves and the hot pickles (which made Molly
wink tearful eyes rapidly, and say, "No more, thank you, ma'am!" with
great promptness) were all there; besides dainty cakes, such as only
Hester could make, and tea that was to the common beverage as nectar to
vinegar.
Once Molly paused, inspecting a small cream-cake in her hand with a
grave air.
"What is it, dear? What are you thinking?" asked Miss Prue, to whom the
child was always a whole page of fun and epigram.
"I was thinking, ma'am, how does this froth get inside the cake?"
"Molly, Molly! You are too curious," said her sister.
But now an idea suddenly struck the child, rippling and dimpling over
her bright face like a breeze over a little lake.
"Oh, I know!" she cried, "I know! You just churn the cream, and then
pour the dough around it, of course!" which lucid explanation seemed
perfectly satisfactory to herself at any rate.
All the stiffness of that first half-hour was now gone, and the rest of
the stay was one riotous frolic, in which baby Ned, sweetened by a long
nap and a good supper in Sara's arms, joined merrily; and, as Miss Prue
watched the little party leave her gate in the late dusk, it was through
misty eyes, for she could not help thinking of the home she might have
known, had not the sea claimed her husband for its own.
After this happy day came a few that were anxious enough to poor Sara;
for the little hoard was getting fearfully low, and now, too, the
provisions were nearly gone.
"I'm afraid, Morton," she said one morning, "if we don't hear something
from father this week, I'll have to borrow of Squire Scrantoun."
Molly's nose went up.
"I don't like him; he's a scowly man! Let's borrow of Uncle Adam or Miss
Prue."
"But old Adam Standish is nearly as poor as we, Molly."
"No, he ain't," with a toss of her head; "he's got a heap of money! He
keeps it in an old shot-bag, and I've seen it myself; he's got--well, as
much as five dollars, I do believe!"
As this magnificent sum did not impress Sara so much as it should, the
child concluded to drop finances for a while and attend to baby, who was
busily engaged just then in pulling straws out of the broom, a loss the
well-used article could ill afford.
Sara stepped past the two at their frolic and looked out of the open
door.
It was a glorious morning, the air washed clean by a thunder-storm
during the night, and the sea still white-capped from its violence.
As she was watching with admiration its turbulent beauty, Morton, who
had come to her side, burst out,--
"Why, Sara, look in the offing, isn't that the Seagull at anchor? Why,
it is, it must be! Then Jap Norris is here, and can tell us about
father!"
"Are you sure, Morton? I can't make her out from here.'
"Well, I can! I know the old Sea-gull like a book; and look! look, Sara,
if that isn't Jap this minute coming down the street!"
Sara looked, recognizing the straight young figure at once, and turned
back to her brother with a quick pang of foreboding that slightly paled
her sweet face.
"Morton," she said huskily, "he brings us news of father!"