CHAPTER XIV.
THE next day was the Sabbath, and spent as that holy day usually wasby our friends at Ion, Woodburn, and by their near kindred on theneighboring estates. To Zoe, rejoicing in her new hope—the blessedhope that she was indeed a child of God and an heir of glory—it was asweetly solemn and happy day, and to her young husband almost equallyso. They attended church in company with the other members of thefamily and received many kindly greetings and inquiries in regard tothe narrow escape of Thursday night.
Grace Raymond seemed very thoughtful on the homeward drive. “Papa,” sheasked at length, “do trees often fall suddenly like that one that cameso near killing Aunt Zoe and the rest?”
“I think not very often, daughter,” he replied. “I have heard of onlyone other such occurrence. Some years ago, out in Wisconsin, two littlegirls, sisters, were walking along near the edge of one of those prettylittle lakes of which there are so many in that State, when suddenly atree fell, striking one of the children to the ground, crushing her todeath instantly. Her sister, who had escaped unhurt, but was of courseterribly frightened and distressed, tried hard to move the tree anddrag her out from under it, but could not, so had to leave her thereand go for help.
“They were the children of a poor woman who was washing for some onewho lived on the other side of the lake, and it was while the littlegirls were on their way to their mother, probably to see her home whenher day’s work was done, that this dreadful accident happened.”
“Oh, how sad!” sighed Grace; “and was the little girl the tree fell ondead, did you say, papa?”
“Yes, quite dead; probably instantly killed by the blow. It seems verysad; yet it is quite possible she may have suffered less than she wouldhad she died after weeks of sickness and pain.”
“Oh, it makes me feel afraid to go into the woods again, to walk or toplay.”
“It need not, daughter; it is a rare occurrence. We all have to diesomewhere and somehow, and the only thing that need concern us is tobe ready whenever God shall call. It is wrong to needlessly rush intodanger and throw our lives away; we have no right to do that, thoughwe have a right and it is a duty to brave danger when by so doing wecan save others. And if we love the Lord Jesus and trust in him forsalvation, we need not be afraid of sudden death, for sudden death willbe to us sudden glory. ‘Yea, though I walk through the valley of theshadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod andthy staff they comfort me.’”
“It is very sweet to know that Jesus will be with us through that darkvalley, papa. Oh, I should be so afraid to go alone, and even you, mydear father who loves me so dearly, could not go with me.”
“No, my darling, dearly as I love you, I will have to let you go aloneshould God call you first,” he said with emotion. “But you need notfear to go nor I to part with you, for you will be ‘safe in the arms ofJesus, safe on his gentle breast.’”
“Yes, papa; and if I go first, how glad I’ll be when you come, and ifyou go first, how glad you’ll be to see me when I come.”
“Yes, indeed, my precious child; and to greet all my other loved oneswhen they too are brought home, and we are all there together free fromsin and sorrow and pain, never to part again, but to dwell forever withthe Lord, serving him in joy and peace and love throughout a blesteternity.”
“Oh, what a blessed hope it is!” said Violet, tears shining in hereyes. “And how thankful I am that almost every one whom I love verydearly is a Christian!
“‘Forever with the Lord, Amen, so let it be; Life from the dead is in that word, ’Tis immortality.’”
Marian had been greatly impressed by the sermon, the subject of whichwas the shortness and uncertainty of life. She was very quiet andthoughtful that afternoon and evening, but woke the next morning fullof thoughts of the shopping expedition of that day, which would be arather new experience to her.
She rose an hour earlier than usual, busied herself with her lessonsfor the day, and at breakfast-time was able to tell the captain thatshe felt prepared to recite then or on her return from the city, if itsuited him to hear her.
“Yes,” he said, “at either time, as you may prefer.”
“Oh, thank you sir!” she returned; “then, if you please, let it bebefore I go, for it will be a relief to have them off my mind andnothing to think of but the purchases we are going to make.”
So it happened that the recitations were over before the arrival of thecarriage from Ion bringing Grandma Elsie to join the shoppers, Rosieand Walter to attend to school duties.
It was not quite time to begin work in the school-room, so those whowere to remain behind gathered on the veranda to see the shoppers off.
Lulu watched them rather wistfully, and could not quite repress alittle sigh of regret that she was not to be of the number, butcatching her father’s eye and smile, her face grew bright again.
He had just turned and stepped back into the veranda, after handingthe ladies into the carriage, and it was driving away toward the greatgates opening on the high-road.
“Are you all sadly disappointed at being left behind?” he asked,addressing the little group collectively.
“I should be, sir, if I had had any expectation of going,” repliedRosie, putting on a hurt and indignant air, “but when mamma was invitedthe other evening, through the telephone, and nothing said about me, ofcourse I understood that I was not wanted in the party.”
“No, little sister, it was rather that you were wanted in theschool-room,” replied the captain with a slightly amused look. “Now letus all go there, and perhaps we may pick up something more valuablethan we could have found in the city stores.”
“I think perhaps we may, papa,” Grace said with a bright, pleased lookand slipping her hand into his.
“I think so too, papa, and mean to try my very best,” said Lulu, takingpossession of his other hand and moving on with him and Grace in thedirection of the school-room, Rosie and Walter following.
Rosie’s vexation was all pretence; she set diligently to work, as dideach of the others, and all went swimmingly with them and their teachertill the day’s tasks were done and they dismissed to their sports.
Rosie and Walter had permission to stay at Woodburn until theirmother’s return, which was not till near tea-time. So they dined withthe captain and his children, and they were a very merry little party,the captain jesting with them all in a way to both entertain the olderones and help the babies to forget their mother’s absence.
They seemed to do so, and to be content and happy with their fatherand sisters, yet when mamma returned to them received her withdemonstrations of delight.
Both the captain and Violet urged Grandma Elsie to stay to tea, keepingRosie and Walter there with her.
“We want a little visit from you, mother,” added the captain; “would bevery glad to have you stay all night and as much longer as you will,but our family carriage will be at your service to carry you to Ionwhenever you desire to go.”
“Yes, mamma, do stay at least till after tea,” urged Walter; “it isvery pleasant here, about as pleasant as at home, and I think thechange may be of benefit to you.”
“So you are turning doctor, are you, Walter?” laughed Rosie. “It mightbe well to engage Cousin Art to superintend your studies as well asthose of Harold and Herbert; though it seems to me it would be rather amistake to put so many lads out of one family into one profession.”
“That is a question that may be considered at some other time,”returned Walter, with unmoved gravity. “Mamma, you will stay, will younot?”
“Yes, since a visit here is the prescription of my little new doctor,”Elsie returned with a smile; “and since the host and hostess are bothso kindly urgent.”
“Thank you, mamma,” said Rosie. “I am well pleased with your decision,for I am just aching to question Marian as to all that has been boughtto-day for the furnishing of Beechwood.”
“Then suppose you and Lulu and Grace come with me to my
room,” proposedMarian. “I feel quite in the humor for talking, but must at the sametime make myself neat for the tea-table.”
The invitation was promptly accepted, and Marian made her toilet withthe others looking on and occasionally giving some little assistance.
“I suppose you bought beautiful things, Marian?” observed Rosieinterrogatively.
“Oh, yes, I think so,” was the reply. “Cousin Ronald was, oh, so kind!Cousin Hugh also. They both seemed to want me to have everything tosuit my taste, particularly in my room; and the things we chose arevery pretty, I think, though of course not nearly so expensive as thefurnishings here in this room or in yours and Grace’s, Lulu.”
“But why shouldn’t they be?” queried Lulu. “Cousin Ronald seems to haveplenty of money and to think everything of you.”
“I really don’t know how much money he has,” returned Marian, “but I doknow that there is Beechwood to be paid for, besides the ground forthe factory, and the buildings that have to be put up, and I’m sure itmust take heaps of money to do it all. So I am more than content tohave pretty furnishings that do not cost nearly so much as what youhave here.”
“And I’m sure that’s just the right way to feel about it,” said Rosie,“though I’m not at all sure it would have occurred to me to take allthat into consideration.”
“Very likely it might not to me if I hadn’t had to struggle withpoverty nearly all my life,” said Marian.
Then she went on to give a minute and, to the listening girls,interesting description of the purchases made. The talk at thetea-table that evening was first of Beechwood and a few repairs andalterations needed there, then about the building of the factory,the engagement of workmen and women, and the markets to be found forthe textile fabrics to be made by them under Hugh’s direction andsupervision.
Then plans for the usual summer outing in the cooler climate of theNorth were discussed. Grandma Elsie, Captain Raymond, and Violet wereof the opinion that the start for that section should be made within aweek.
“You will go with us, Cousin Ronald, will you not?” asked GrandmaElsie, turning to him.
“I think not, cousin,” he replied. “I want to be here to help my laddiewith his building and the adorning of the house that’s to make a homefor Marian here and ourselves,” smiling kindly upon his young relativeas he spoke. “But I quite approve of her accompanying you, for she’sbeen a diligent scholar, the captain tells me, and occasional rest anddiversions are very good and desirable things for the young.”
“No better than for the old, Cousin Ronald,” returned Marian with agrateful, loving look into his eyes; “and if you don’t need them I donot, I am sure. I’ve had a very great change of scene and life, and along journey too, within the last few months, you know, and now thereis nothing I should enjoy more than staying here and helping you to putthe new home in order and place the pretty furniture we bought to-day.”
Cousin Ronald and Hugh both looked much pleased with her choice.
“Ah, lassie, you appreciate your privileges,” said Mr. Lilburn, “whichis more than can be said of everybody.”
“But everybody has not so many privileges or so great as mine,”returned Marian, her eyes shining.
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