Carolina Lee

by Lilian Bell

  CHAPTER XVII.

  IN THE BARNWELLS' CARRYALL

  Aunt Angie La Grange descended from the Barnwells' carryall in front ofthe station platform at Enterprise, and tapped on the window of thetelegraph-agent's box.

  "How late is the train from Savannah, Barney, son?"

  Mr. Mazyck sauntered out.

  "Only about three hours to-day, Aunt Angie. Expecting the folks?"

  "Only Peachie. Mrs. Winchester and Carolina went on down toJacksonville on business. Did you ever see such a girl?"

  "I never did. She scares me 'most to death. I'd like to marry her,Aunt Angie, but what could I--what could any man do with such a wife?"

  "She'd make any man rich. Moultrie says she goes so far ahead of him inher ideas of business, he can't even keep her in sight."

  "Oh, any man has got to make up his mind to take her dust!" laughedBarnwell.

  "Are you in earnest about marrying her, Barney?"

  "Of cou'se I am! Aren't all the boys? Isn't Moultrie?"

  A shade darkened Aunt Angie's face.

  "You know, son, that Moultrie will never marry unless--"

  "Exactly! Unless! Well, there's a heap of unlesses which may he'p himto change his mind. And maybe Miss Carolina is one of them."

  "I'd be proud to have him win her, but, as you say, all the boys are inlove with her, here and in Charleston, and now she has been to Savannah,I suppose they will follow suit, and--"

  "Poor Jacksonville!" sighed Barnwell.

  Mrs. La Grange laughed.

  "We haven't had such a belle in South Carolina in many years," she said."Before the war--" and she sighed.

  Barney laughed unfeelingly, and Mrs. La Grange continued:

  "How about Araby, son? Are you going to sell her to Carolina?"

  "Indeed I am not, Aunt Angie. I'd give her to Miss Carolina before I'dsell her to anybody else; but, to tell you the truth, I'd about die if Ihad to part with that mare! She's human. Sound as a dollar and not atrick of any kind. That nigger horse-trainer is a magician withanimals. I'm blest if I don't believe he'll teach Araby to talk beforehe quits. And she whinnies if she even passes him in a crowd."

  "Carolina wants her worse than anything in the world."

  "Well, she can just go awn wantin'," said the usually gallant Mr.Mazyck, ungallantly. "If I'd give Araby to her, I'd lose both my mareand my sweetheart."

  "Somehow or other I can't help thinking that Carolina will get thathorse in spite of you. Barney, do go and see what time it is! This isthe third time I've been down here to wait for this mean train!"

  "Yonder she comes now. Only three hours and fifteen minutes late.That's not so bad, Aunt Angie. When she tries, she can tardy herself upa heap mo' than that!"

  Mrs. La Grange anxiously scanned the shabby coaches for a sight of herdaughter's blooming face. Peachie jumped from the car steps and ran toher mother's arms. They kissed each other like two lovers who had beenparted for years.

  "Have you had a pleasant week, darling baby?" asked her mother.

  Peachie's pink cheeks paled and her face clouded over.

  "No, I haven't," she whispered, hurriedly, "but I don't want anybody butyou to know. Don't let Barney ask me. Let's hurry."

  Mrs. La Grange led the way to the borrowed carriage with a sinkingheart. Aside from two visits to her aunt in Charleston, this was theonly time Peachie had ever been away from home. And now to have thisinvitation to visit Savannah, given the year before and anticipated allthis time, turn into the failure which Peachie's face indicated, wasalmost as great a disappointment to Mrs. La Grange as to the girlherself.

  In the carriage, where Old Moses could not hear them, the motheranxiously awaited the story.

  "Begin at the beginning and don't skip a word. We've two good hoursbefore us with nobody to interrupt."

  "Well, you know how happy Carolina was at the prospect of taking me to afine hotel like the De Soto, and how lovely my clothes were, and howpleased Cousin Lois was at the prospect of seeing her old friends there?Well, people called, of course,--none of the girls, though,--and Mrs.General Giddings, who is the leader of Savannah society, at once askedCousin Lois to be a chaperon at the Valentine Ball. John Hobson invitedme, and Jim Little asked Carolina, and, do you know, it was the firsttime in all her life that Carolina had ever been to a ball with a man!She says she always went with a chaperon and met her partners at thedance. And she wanted to do that in Savannah, but Mrs. Giddings assuredher that it was all right, and so she did.

  "Oh, mother, I wish you could have seen us that night! You know how Ilooked, but Cousin Lois wore a black satin brocade, studded with realturquoises and blue ostrich feathers woven into the goods. And, withall her size, she looked perfectly lovely. Carolina wore a white Parismuslin over white silk, with every flounce trimmed with real lace. Herhair looked as if she only had one pin in it, it was so loose and fluffyand--well, artistic is the only word to describe her. She looked like afairy princess. It began in the dressing-room."

  "What began?

  "Well--Savannah began!" cried Peachie. "I never heard of such thingshappening to our girls when they go to Atlanta and Columbus and Augustaand Macon, while as for Charleston!--well, I needn't defend Charlestonmanners to _you_, mother!

  "Not a soul spoke to us, although everybody knew we were strangers andeverybody knew who we were, for of course it was in the papers,--suchdistinguished arrivals as Mrs. Rhett Winchester and Carolina Lee! Butnot a girl came near. They hollered and joked among themselves, andsomebody would whisper to two or three, then the whole roomful wouldscream like wild Indians, and once one of the boys came to the door andcalled to them to hurry up, and one girl screamed back, 'Shut yo' bigmouth!' and the rest fairly yelled with approval.

  "Then one girl was just going out with her bodice all gaping open, andCarolina stepped up to her as sweetly as if she had been received withperfect politeness and asked if she mightn't fasten it. The hooks werehalf off, so Carolina took a paper of pins and fairly pinned that girlinto her clothes,--her waist and skirt didn't meet. She accepted allthis help, thanked her, and went out, leaving us all alone. Then ourboys came and took us down to the ballroom, and, if you will believe it,mother, not a girl came near us or asked to be introduced or introduceda single boy! Not even the girl that Carolina had helped. I looked atCarolina to see if she noticed it, but her face was as calm as it alwaysis. Her colour, however, was a little less than usual at first.

  "We noticed that things sort of dragged at first, and soon we found outwhat it was. An English yacht was in the river, and its owner, SirHubert Wemyss, a young man only about thirty, was expected, and all thegirls were trying to save dances for him, and all the boys were tryingto get the choice ones.

  "The first dance I didn't watch Carolina, because I had heard that JimLittle was a good dancer, but, after it was over, I saw him take her tothe door and she went up to the dressing-room. I made John stop nearhim, and I asked him what was the matter. 'Oh, I stuck my foot throughthe lace of her dress, and she's gone to be sewed up. Say, MissPeachie, that girl can't dance! I never saw a Yankee that could!'

  "Well, mother, I could scarcely believe my ears! The conceit of that rawSouthern boy, who never had been outside of his own little town in thewhole of his life, except to go duck-shooting in the swamps, to presumeto criticize Carolina's dancing!"

  "What did you say to him, sweetheart?"

  Aunt Angie's cheeks were as red as any girl's. She sat bolt upright inthe borrowed carriage, in her cheap print dress and cotton gloves,looking like an empress. The proudest blood in South Carolina flowed inher veins and she had the spirit of her State.

  "I said, 'Are you sure, Mr. Little, that the fault was all hers?' Andhe laughed and said, 'Well, the Savannah girls never find fault with mydancing, Miss Peachie!' 'Oh,' I said, 'if such criterions have stampedtheir approval on you, Mr. Little, of course there is no more to besaid!' He didn't see the sa
rcasm at all,--he seems a trifle dense. Sowe waited for Carolina, and when she came back, I saw that her dress wasruined, but she had managed to hide it pretty well, and her manner wasjust as sweet to that man as if he had been fanning her, and we all fourwent back to Cousin Lois.

  "The next dance we changed partners, Jim Little taking me and JohnHobson taking Carolina. Now John is said to be the best dancer inSavannah, so I kept an eye on them, but they didn't do very well.Carolina's colour began to rise and her eyes began to grow that purplishblack--you remember? Oh, she looked so beautiful! But she wasn'tenjoying herself, and she stopped near me to rest. Then I heard Johnsay, 'You dance more like a Southern girl than any Yankee I ever knew!'Think, mother! That was twice she had been called a Yankee before wehad been there an hour. A Lee of South Carolina! Her cheeks just grewa little warmer and she lifted her chin a little higher, but didn'tcorrect him--just said, 'I suppose you intend that for a compliment, Mr.Hobson?' 'I should say I did!' he said. 'I never saw a Yankee girl whocould dance in all my born days!' 'How do you account for that?' askedCarolina, in just as sweet a tone, mother, as she always uses. Me? Iwas just boiling! I was ready to cry!"

  Her mother pressed her hand. Aunt Angle's own lips were trembling withindignation.

  "'Oh,' the fool said, 'I reckon they don't get as many chances to danceas our girls do!' Well, that saved me. I began to laugh and I laugheduntil I nearly went into hysterics. I had to excuse myself and ask Jimto get me some water!"

  "Did Carolina laugh, too?" asked Mrs. La Grange.

  "Well, she smiled, and I knew from that, that she was only holdingherself in.

  "The next was a Lancers. Carolina danced with Rube Bryan. He is verytall and from the first he tried to get fresh with Carolina. I was inthe same set dancing with John again. And I want to say right here thatI never saw such unladylike and ungentlemanly dancing in all my life.Why, in Charleston the chaperons would have requested the whole dance tobe stopped. They wouldn't have permitted such hootings and yellings,such jumps and shouts. Girls yelled at each other across the wholehall--just like negroes. 'Go it, Virgie!' 'Shake a foot, Nell!' Inthe ladies' chain the boys jerked the girls so that one girl in our setwas thrown down and her wrist sprained."

  "I was getting frightened and I could see that Carolina was on the vergeof leaving the set. Then she seemed to brace herself, for Mrs.Winchester had left the line of chaperons and was making her way down towhere we were dancing. And mother, there was rage in her whole bearing.She just looked as if Carolina were being insulted by dancing with suchrowdies. But Carolina gave her a look and she did not interfere. Shestood there, however."

  "Did anything happen, Peachie?" asked Mrs. La Grange, unable to wait forthe sequel.

  "Yes, mother, it did. I believe those girls had dared him to, becausehe waited until the very last, then he lifted Carolina off her feetclear up into the air, and landed her in front of Mrs. Winchester with adeep bow. Everybody laughed and screamed for a minute, then somethingin the attitude of both Mrs. Winchester and Carolina made them hush.Cousin Lois's voice was low, but you could hear it all over the room.

  "'Young man,' she said, 'your name is unknown to me, but let me say toyou that you are not a gentleman!'

  "What happened then?" cried Mrs. La Grange.

  "Mrs. Giddings, of course. She always says the cutting thing. 'You areperfectly right, Lois,' she said, 'the man is a nobody. We expect suchmanners from nobodies. Not that the somebodies are any better, if thisdance is a sample. This is my first appearance. Rest assured that itwill be my last. We Giddings don't chaperon barn dances!'

  "That, from Mrs. Giddings, seemed to sober them. They all moved awayleaving Rube Bryan bowing and scraping and trying to square himself.Cousin Lois simply waved him aside as if he were a piccaninny. Sheasked Carolina if she wanted to go home. Carolina hesitated a minute,then she lifted that chin of hers and said, 'No; a Lee cannot be drivenfrom a ballroom by rudeness. Just let me go and put on my truth!"

  "Bless the child!" cried Mrs. La Grange, who was as excited as aspectator at his first horse-race. "Bless her! There is pride! Thereis what the French call 'race'! And to see the dear _putting on thearmour of her religion even in a ballroom_!"

  "Mother, Carolina's religion helps her in everything. Why, she juststepped out of sight behind a row of palms. She went to a window andreached up one arm and leaned her head against it. With the other handshe drew back the curtain and looked up at the stars. I put my armaround her and she said, in a low, distinct voice. 'The eternal God isthy refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms.' 'And mother, itmade the tears come to my eyes. To think of my beautiful Carolina, withnothing but love in her heart for the whole South, to come home to usand be treated so rudely that she had to appeal to God to help her toget through something which ought to have been only a pleasure to her!"

  "I know, my dear baby," said her mother, whose own eyes weresuspiciously bright, "but I rather imagine that to a girl who has seenthe best society that Europe and America have to offer, a dance with alot of Savannah boys and girls could not be considered in the light ofmuch of a treat."

  "I know it, mother. Yet Cousin Carol's manners are so perfect that shenever lets you suspect that. She enters into everything with suchlove."

  "That is her religion," said Mrs. La Grange.

  "Oh, that reminds me. She went on talking aloud as we stood there. Shesaid, 'I must remember that the vesture of truth is my raiment. I muststand sentinel at the door of my thought and not allow error to enterit. And the way to keep error out, is to pour love in. Love! Love!Love! That is the way to meet them. Father--mother--God! Help me tolove mine enemies!' Oh, and mother dearest, by that time I was weeping,but Carol's eyes were quite dry. 'Don't cry, little girl,' she said, 'Idon't any more, for I have got beyond the belief that religion is anemotion. It is too real--too lasting. Emotions die out.' And a littlelight seemed to dawn for me--just as I have seen clouds break on a darknight and a single star shine through."

  "Then did you go back?" asked her mother, after a pressure of the handto show that she understood. There was a singular bond between thesetwo.

  "Yes, she turned and pressed my hand just as you did then, with suchunderstanding, and her face was fairly shining, but with such adifferent radiance. 'Come, Peachie, darling! faithful little comrade.You would not have been one of the disciples who slept and left theirMaster to pray alone, would you? Well, I have conquered my littlemoment of error. Now let's go back.' 'And show them how South Carolinafaces her foes,' I said. 'Wouldn't it be better to go back and showthem how South Carolina can forgive?' she asked."

  "Bless her heart!" murmured Mrs. La Grange. "I know how a young girlfeels to be mistreated at a ball."

  "Yes, but wait. The grandest, glorious-est thing happened. Just as wecame from behind the palms who should be bowing to the chaperons but thehandsomest man I ever saw in my life. Tall, dark, distinguished-looking,with one white lock of hair and all the rest black as a coal. He has aslight limp from a wound at Magersfontein, but it only distinguished himthe more and doesn't interfere with his dancing a bit. Well, when hesaw Carolina, his face lighted up and he said, 'Oh, Miss Lee, howawfully jolly to see you again! To tell the truth, I had half a mindnot to come, after all I had promised, and I wanted to get out of it theworst way until I heard that you were to be here. Then I couldn't gethere fast enough.' Well, mother, even if every girl there hadn'tsuddenly found that side of the room strangely attractive, his voice hasa carrying tone, and--well, I wish you could have seen those girls.They looked as though they had been slapped in the face."

  "As they deserved!" said Mrs. La Grange, grimly.

  "Then the band struck up a two-step and he turned to Mrs. Winchester andasked her if she would save her first square dance for him, but she saidshe wasn't dancing. So then he asked Carolina. She gave me a littlelook which meant that I could have him next, and then! Well, I've seendancing all my life, but I never saw anybo
dy dance as those two did. Itwas like the flight of swallows. So graceful, so dignified, sodistinguished, and yet so spirited. Carolina dances like a breeze."

  "I can imagine just how she dances," cried Mrs. La Grange, excitedly."Go on, child!"

  "Well, the funniest sight of all was Cousin Lois. She drew her chin inand waved her fan and puffed herself out for all the world like ourturkey-hen. I could have laughed."

  "I know just how she felt--just how I should have felt in her place ifyou had been treated as Carolina was. Then did he dance with you?"

  "Yes, then he danced with me. Then with Carolina again. Then she saidto him, 'Now, Sir Hubert, I want you to meet some of these pretty girls,but as I don't know them myself, I shall ask Mr. Little to take youaround and introduce you to the brightest of them, so that you will takeaway with you the best impression of our Southern girls.'"

  "Oh, Peachie! I couldn't have done that!"

  "Nor I either, mother. I just couldn't. So Jim started to take him,but he said, 'Just wait a moment.' Then he came to me and took--"

  "I hope he took more than one!" cried Mrs. La Grange, jealously.

  "He took seven, mother. And in the German he favoured me until--"

  "That was too many, Peachie. You ought not--"

  "I know, dearest honey mother. I ought not to do heaps of things I dodo, but after all, what do I care what those people think of me? Allthey can say is that I flirted with him--"

  "Or that he flirted with you," laughed her mother.

  "Oh, yes, they will say that, never fear. And yet--"

  "And yet what, my darling? Here we are at home."

  "And yet he took Cousin Lois and Carolina to Jacksonville on his yacht,and he asked me to go, but I said I had to get back to you, and he waswith us all the rest of the time we were there--"

  Her mother turned and looked at her.

  "And he is coming to see me on his way back."

  As Mrs. La Grange stepped from the carriage with the air of a queendescending from her chariot, she put her arm around her daughter's waistand said:

  "I think I have to be proud of a dear, generous little girl whoseloyalty caused an otherwise pleasant week to be spoiled."

  Peachie's cheeks flushed and her eyes sparkled.

  "It wasn't quite spoiled, mother dear. Oh, honey, he is the handsomestman and the best dancer! Just wait till you see him!"