Whitney_Faith_Gartneys_Girlhood.txt topic ['13', '324', '378', '393']
were of chicken comfort, overbrooded with
warm love, or of a clothed, contented childhood, in safe shelter,
mattered not a bit.
this warm, blithe scene came , just as the fable was ended for
the fourth time, bringing the last little chick, flushed and rosy from a
bath; born into beauty, like from the sea; her fair hair, combed
and glossy, hanging about her neck in curls; and wrapped, not in a
"round-o-caliker," but in a scarlet-flannel nightgown, comfortable and
gay. they had bowls of bread and milk, and gingerbread, and ate
their suppers by the fire. then told them the old story of
; and how, if they hung their stockings by the chimney, there
was no knowing what they mightn't find in them to-morrow.
"," she said, "whatever it is, and whoever sends it by, it all
comes from the good , first of all."
then, the two white beds in the two bedrooms close by held four
little happy bodies, whose souls were given into 's keeping till his
dawn should come, in the old, holy rhyme, said after .
and by, and . and came over from the
, with parcels from. .
now there was a gladsome time for all; but chiefly, for .
unpacking and refolding in separate papers! sugar pig, and
dog, and pussy cat must be in a distinct wrapping, that so the children
might be a long time finding out all that had brought them.
stuffing, and tying, and pinning, inside, and outside, and over the
little red woolen legs that hung, expectant, above the big, open
chimney! laughed, and sorted, and tied and made errands for
string and pins, and seized the opportunity for brushing away great
tears of love, and joy, and thankfulness, that would keep coming into
her eyes! then, when all was done, and she and came back from
a little flitting into the bedrooms, and a hovering look over the wee,
peaceful, sleeping faces there, and they all stood, for a minute,
surveying the goodly fullness of small delights stored up and waiting
for the morrow--how she turned suddenly, and stretched her hands out
toward the kind friends who had helped and sympathized in all, and said,
with a quick overflow of feeling, that could find only the old words
wherein to utter herself:
" a time as this! a beautiful time! to think that should
be in it!"
's will was fulfilled.
happy, young life had gathered again about the ancient hearthstone
that had seen two hundred years of human change.
, wherefrom the last of a long line had passed on into the
, had become 's heritage.
spent her with the .
must have her again, they told her, at parting, for the wedding;
which would be in .
" may be a thousand miles off, by that time. shall think of you,
all the same, wherever am. work is coming. feel it. 's a
smell of blood and death in the air; and all the strong hearts and
hands'll be wanted. 'll see it."
with that, she was gone.
.
.
" tree
kindlier nurture from a soil enriched
its own fallen leaves; and man is made,
heart and spirit, from deciduous hopes
things that seem to perish."
" stream always among woods or in the sunshine is pleasant to all
and happy in itself. , forced through rocks, and choked with
sand, under ground, cold, dark, comes up able to heal the
world."-- " ."
" we plan a wedding journey, ?"
was one evening in that . said this. day for
the marriage had been fixed for the first week in .
had something of the bird nature about her. , at this moment
of the year, a restlessness, akin to that which prompts the flitting of
winged things that track the sunshine and the creeping greenness that
goes up the latitudes, had used to seize her, inwardly. that
came with the swelling of tender buds, and the springing of bright
blades, and the first music born from winter silence, had prompted her
with the whisper: "! abroad! into the beautiful earth!"
had been one of her unsatisfied longings. had thought, what a joy
it would be if she could have said, frankly, ", mother! let us
have a pleasant journey in the lovely weather!"
now, that one stood at her side, who would have taken her in his
tender guardianship whithersoever she might choose--now that there was
no need for hesitancy in her wish--this child, who had never been beyond
the , who had thought longingly of , and , and
, and had seen them only in her dreams--felt, inexplicably, a
contrary impulse, that said within her, " yet!" , she did not
care, at this great and beautiful hour of her life, to wander away into
strange places. holy happiness belonged to home.
" now. you wish it. on purpose. me with you, some
time, when, perhaps, you would have gone alone. it _happen_."
" will just begin our quiet life, then, darling, shall we? life
that is to be our real blessedness, and that has no need to give itself
a holiday, as yet. let the workdays and the holidays be portioned as
pleases?"
" will be better--happier," answered, timidly. ", with
all this fearful tramping to war through the whole land, how can one
feel like pleasure journeying? then"--there was another little
reason that peeped out last--"they would have been so sure to make a
fuss about us in !"
adjuncts of life had been much to her in those restless days when a
dark doubt lay over its deep reality. had found a passing cheer and
relief in them, then. , she was so sure, so quietly content! was a
joy too sacred to be intermeddled with.
a family group, only, gathered in the hillside parlor, on the fair
morning wherein good, venerable . said the words that made
and one.
was all still, and bright, and simple. , standing modestly by
the door, said within herself, "it was like a little piece of heaven."
afterwards--not the bride and groom--but father, mother, and little
brother, said good-by, and went away upon their journey, and left them
there. the quaint, pleasant home, that was theirs now, under the
budding elms, with the smile of the promise pouring in.
made a at the , by and by. the little
children climbed in the apple branches, and perched there, singing, like
the birds.
was there not a white-robed presence with them, somehow, watching
all?
* * * * *
three months had gone. hay was down. distillation of
sweet clover was in all the air. little ones at the were
out, in the lengthening shadows of the afternoon, rolling and
reveling in the perfumed, elastic heaps.
stood with , in the porch angle, looking on.
and beautiful. the joy of birds and children making sound and
stir across the summer stillness.
over the broad face of the earth, out from such peace as this,
might there, if one could look--unroll some vision of horrible contrast?
blood, and wrath, and groans, and thunderous roar of guns down
there under that far, fair horizon, stooping in golden beauty to the
cool, green hills?
walked down the field path, presently, to meet her husband, coming
up. held in his hand an open paper, that he had brought, just now
from the village.
was news.
, horror, confusion, death, dismay.
field of had been fought. armies were falling
back, in disorder, upon .
, with pale faces, and with hands that grasped each other in
a deep excitement that could not come to speech, they read those
columns, together.
there, on those plains, was this.
they were here, in quiet safety, among the clover blooms, and the
new-cut hay. , men were mown.
"!" said , when, by and by, they had grown calmer over the
fearful tidings, and had had words of peace and cheer for the
fevered and bloody rumors of men--"mightn't we take our wedding journey,
now?"
the bright, early summer, in those first months of their life
together, they had been finding work to do. they had hardly dreamed
of when had feared she might be left to a mere, unworthy, selfish
rest and happiness.
old spirit had roused itself, mightily, in the little
country town. had forgotten their own needs, and the provision
they were wont to make, at this time, each household for itself.
and material, and quick, willing hands were found, and a good work went
on; and kindling zeal, and noble sympathies, and hearty prayers wove
themselves in, with toil of thread and needle, to homely fabrics, and
embalmed, with every finger touch, all whereon they labored.
had remembered the old struggle wherein their country had been
born. were glad and proud to bear their burden in this grander one
wherein she was to be born anew, to higher life.
and his wife had been the spring and soul and center of
all.
now said: "! mayn't we take our wedding journey?"
for a bridal holiday--not for gay change and pleasure--but for a
holy purpose, went they out from home.
among the wounded, and war-smitten. comfort of gifts, and
helpful words, and prayers. whatsoever they found to do, now;
seeking and learning what they might best do, hereafter. , left
them not without a work. noble ministry lay ready for them, at this
very threshold of their wedded life.
the hospital at , they found .
" told you so," she said. " knew it was coming. the first gun
brought me down here to be ready. 've been out to ; and
came back here when we got the news of this. shall follow round,
wherever the clouds roll."
, still another meeting awaited them.
, in a 's uniform, came, one day, to the table of
their hotel.
first gun had brought him, also, where he could be ready. had
sailed for home, with his father, upon the reception, abroad, of the
tidings of the fall of .
" country will want you, now, my son," had been the words of the
brave and loyal gentleman. , like another , he had set his
face toward the mount of sacrifice.
was a new light in the young man's eye. soul awakened there.
purpose, better than any plan or hope of a mere happy living in the
earth.
met his old friends frankly, generously; and, seemingly, without a
pang. were all one now, in the sublime labor that, in their several
spheres, lay out before them.
" were right, ," he said, as he stood with them, and spoke
briefly of the past, before they parted. " shall be more of a man, than
if 'd had my first wish. war is going to make a nation of men. 'm
free, now, to give my heart and hand to my country, as long as she needs
me. by and by, perhaps, if live, some woman may love me with the
sort of love you have for your husband. feel now, how surely should
have come to be dissatisfied with less. bless you both!"
" bless you, !"