Jay_Shiloh.txt topic ['13', '324', '378', '393']
-
dence, little . old house is brimming over with
guests ; yet not more so than the hearts of its owners with
genuine, old-time hospitality, neither overlabored nor
overcareless, giving of its best as freely as the sky of its
sunshine, and with as little self-misgiving. . and .
were never more easy, more unembarrassed, more
wholly themselves,, than now. looks at them
with growing wonder and respect ; she will carry some
new lights upon farmers and farm-life back to her aristo-
cratic home.
old house is full of cheer, too, but of a subdued
and heart-deep kind ; none that need turn aside, in its ful-
lest flow, from 's chair ; which has had
the lovely inspiration to wreathe with white flowers, fast-
ened here and there by dainty bows of soft, white ribbon.
same pure taste and felicitous touch have been busy
throughout the house, causing flowers to fall and cling to-
gether everywhere, in such wise as must needs have sprung
from the unhindered operation of their own sweet laws of
being ; and using autumn leaves, where flowers grew
scarce, with wonderful richness and harmony of effect.
me, the latter have the deeper meaning. fullest
beauty of life and love has been revealed to me through
the frost-touch of sorrow.
further miracles of decoration and her
corps of assistants have wrought, over at the church, re-
mains to be seen. only know that they have been busy
484 .
there half the morning, and that took care that
they should be amply supplied with flowers.
we are to be married in . 's, . offi-
ciating. will be there to see, if it pleases.
all is, in one sense, a friend.
go to for the winter. accompanies us ;
cannot yet do without my deft little hand-maiden, who
has been hands and feet, strength and motion, to me, so
long. my illness, learned to value her as she
deserves. quick insight, which used to annoy me so
much, was a rare treasure in my sick-room ; divining what
wanted before knew it myself. , desire to
kindle her imagination and enrich her memory with tropi-
cal pictures palms waving and shimmering in moonlight
glory, the golden gloom of orange groves, the rythmic
tread of the breeze in the canefield, the purple distances of
starry nights ; sometime, perhaps, to be distilled, by her
thought-alembic, into verse that shall set them, in all their
finest essence and deepest sentiment, before eyes that every-
where long for, yet are denied the actual sight. trip
will not unhinge the self-poised, self-moved little maiden.
will come back to the old, quiet life, with vision cleared
to discern its hidden beauty and value ; to brighten the
venerable house with her quickened thought and fuller
knowledge ; to be . 's faithful helper ; to succeed
me in my secretaryship and teaching ; to take up
whatever work lay down, and carry it forward to better
end, hope, than have done. , too, trust, to
become the centre and light of a home of her own ; which,
now have good reason to believe, will also be the home
of .
few days ago, laughingly hinted this conviction to
. heard it in silence, turning her face away.
her time for practice came, instead of the vocalizes
which expected, there rose from the outroom a song (if
song it could be called, that had no distinguishable words,
. 485
only a wild melody), which seemed to give full, fit expres-
sion to every pang and pain that could rend a human
heart. , it seemed to me, were tones so deeply
pathetic* so exquisitely sweet, so heart-breakingly mourn-
ful. seemed to have been molten into music. held
my breath to listen, with unconscious tears in my eyes.
, while the anguish was yet at its profoundest depth,
the voice seemed to soar out of it, as it were, and, with
only enough of sorrow left for richest sweetness, gradually
to rise and float out of hearing.
x thus was it revealed, to and myself, that she
has the faculty of musical improvisation ! , when -
ner gets his coveted pupil, he will find' her even more
gifted than he expects. he will get her very soon.
, it has been arranged that shall take my vacant
place in 's household, this winter. has
taken an immense fancy to her ; so has ; even
has been quickened into un wonted kindliness of
interest by her beauty, her talent, and her misfortune.
the spring, when and return to set up our temporary
home in the city, during the prosecution of his theological
studies, she will come to us. far as human prevision goes,
's future is assured. to add that, so far as
human plans and purposes are of avail, it will be musical.
is her desire.
" must give my life to music, now" she said to me,
recently, with an unconscious betrayal of some hidden dis-
appointment, some incommunicable sorrow. " some-
time, no doubt, shall be quite happy in it," she added,
sighing low, yet with eyes deeply lit by inward resolve and
hope. genius, baptized in pain, will now soar on
strong and purified wing !
came to me, a few days since, with a blush on her
cheek and a new sweetness in her blue eyes. , too, is
won. have promised, if am in life, to be here for her
wedding in the spring. am glad to be furnished with so
486 .
pleasant an excuse for an early visit to ; a spot that
will always be thickly embroidered with golden memories
and suggestions. came to it seeking rest. got, first,
work ; then, peace ; finally, joy. may be a type.
all healthful life is labor, death may be only a peaceful
sleep, and heaven is surely joy !
learn that . is slowly getting the better of
the paralytic attack, but will probably be more or less of an
invalid, for the rest of her days. , of course, is with
her. are and . latter will soon be in
the enjoyment of their inheritance. saw a good
deal of them, at , and liked them much.
avers that has only enough of singularity left, to
make her charming ; and that the twain are excellently
well suited to each other. degree of friendship sprang
up between him and , out of which grew certain con-
fidences that prepared him for your letter, and helped to
interpret its meaning.
. is still here ; also her diamonds.
will lend their brilliancy to my wedding. they are
not so inseparable as formerly ; the lady is sometimes seen,
now, without the jewels. said to me, this morning,
laughingly indicating them,
" is the last time that they will go into . 's ;
and they will certainly never go into any other church, ex-
cept to do honor to a wedding ! have learned better
than to wear them to service. wonder that ever had
the bad taste ! much good, you see, if no more, has
grown out of my exile in , slow, stupid, dear, de-
lightful spot ! "
exile is almost over. . is expected on
the next steamer, his business having been brought to a
satisfactory and prosperous termination.
cannot yet leave his father in that des- v
olate home. is probable that he will never return to
, except for a visit. has shifted its human prom-
ise, its best reality, to native land.
. 487
question of the ownership of , mooted by -
ry, was referred to , himself. two masters shook
hands, separated in opposite directions, and each called the
dog. was a moment of hesitation ; then, rub-
bed his head against 's hand, by way of farewell,
and followed the master whose life he had saved, and whom
he had served so long and so well. he had done other-
wise, think it would almost have broken the farmer's
heart ! , it is best so. both, alas ! are grow-
ing old. the last sands of their simple, genuine, and
unselfish lives run out together !
, noble, absurd was one of the visitors
turned out of my room at the beginning of this epistle.
" had come," she said, " to offer me her conglomerations.
, to utter a ; would be as dissolute as a
grave without , and , and me." has prom-
ised to visit me in my own home. could not
refrain from a comic lifting of her eyebrows, when she heard
the invitation given and accepted ; doubtless, she was pic-
turing 's introduction to some of our city friends.
, even she has learned to esteem the faithful,
self-devoted nurse at an approximation to her real value ;
and will meet with all due courtesy at her hands.
. there is no positive change for the better.
most that can be said, is that he is less cynical, less
morose, less ready with his scepticism, than formerly. ,
he has taken to studying the ; but whether to find
matter for cavil or for faith, know not. his wife
hopes and prays.
. will be left to carry on the ,
and other lay -work, almost alone. will do it
with more tact and discretion than formerly, think ; she
cannot do it with more zeal, perse vei*ance, and singleness of
heart. all her faults, would there were more like her !
. is still in that spell-hedged dwelling, the
, whereof it is yet to be written that ever
of or has crossed its threshold. work
488 .
in , so far as his temporal support is concerned, at
least, will rest hereafter upon a more assured basis.
a thank-offering to for tender mercy toward us,
has bestowed upon . 's an ample endowment.
would consider it wasted upon a place so small, so
out of the way, and so sparsely populated ; but he thinks
otherwise. by-ways of , he says, these
quiet, out-lying farm districts, hidden away among the hills,
are the sources whence the waste of our towns and cities
is largely supplied ; whence, too, the great draws
much of its best brain and energy. behooves us of the
city, therefore, to see to it that these springs of our being
are not poisoned by indifference or infidelity ; that this
strength, wherewith we continually recruit our exhausted
energies, is not of the of , unto destruction, but
of the of , unto .
and ? remain with me. heart
is still to be shaken and trampled by their irreconcilable
warfare ; the entity called " " is still to be tossed to and
fro on the tide of battle, the will burdened with the ever-
recurring necessity of declaring for one or the other.
life, which is not all a miserable defeat, must needs be a
conflict. hour of death, only, is the hour of complete
victory. be to , who, in that hour, through
our , maketh us " more than conquerors ! "
now, oh, ! they call me no
more ! not less faithfully yours is
.