Yonge_The_Daisy_Chain.txt topic ['13', '324', '378', '393']
'd rather do
work, than no work for , and he is a good, kind-hearted fellow
after all! won't be a crab!"
did her best, and said the cock had a bright eye--all she
could say for him--and instructed her to admire the awkward
legs, and invited her to a poultry show, at , in two days'
time--and they sent him away to continue his consultations with the
poultry woman, which pullets should be preferred as candidates for a
prize.
" set him upon this," said . " hope you will go, .
see he can be very happy here."
"," said , "the more think, the more sure am that you
ought to ask advice."
" have asked yours," said , as if it were a great effort. "
don't know what to say-- shall do what see to be the only way to
rest."
" do know what to say," said ; "and that is, do as the -
book tells you, in any perplexity."
" am not perplexed," said .
"'t say so. is either the station to which has called
you, or it is not."
" never called me to it."
" you don't know whether you ought to leave it. you ought not,
you would be ten times more miserable. to , --he
belongs to you as much as --he has authority besides."
"!"
" is the clearest of us all in practical matters," said ,
preventing what she feared would be disparaging. " don't mean only
that you should ask him about this matter alone; but am
sure you would be happier and more settled if you talked things over
with him before--before you go to church."
" don't know what you propose."
" do," said , growing bolder. " have been going all this
time by feeling. have never cleared up, and got to the bottom
of, your troubles."
" could not talk to any one."
" to any one but a clergyman. , to enter on such a thing is
most averse to your nature; and do believe that, for that very
reason, it would be what would do you most good. say you have
recovered sense of--, ! can't talk of what you have gone
through; but if you have only a vague feeling that seems as if lying
still would be the only way to keep it, don't think it can be
altogether sound, or the 'quiet conscience' that is meant."
", ! ! have never told you what have undergone,
since knew my former quietness of conscience was but sleep! have
gone on in agony, with the sense of hypocrisy and despair, because
was afraid, for 's sake, to do otherwise."
felt herself utterly powerless to advise; and, after a kind
sound of sympathy, sat shocked, pondering on what none could answer;
whether this were, indeed, what poor imagined, or whether it
had been a holding-fast to the thread through the darkness.
proud reserve was the true evil, and prayed and trusted it
might give way.
went very amiably to with , and gained great
credit with him, for admiring the prettiest speckled
present; indeed, was becoming very fond of "poor ," as he
still called her, and sometimes predicted that she would turn out a
fine figure of a woman after all.
heard, on her return, that had been there; and three
days after, when was making arrangements for going to church, a
moment of confidence came over her, and she said, " did it, !
have spoken to ."
" am so glad!"
" were right. is as clear as he is kind," said ; "he
showed me that, for 's sake, must bear with my present life,
and do the best can with it, unless some leading comes for an
escape; and that the glare, and weariness, and being spoken well of,
must be taken as punishment for having sought after these things."
" was afraid he would say so," said . " you will find
happiness again, dear."
"--before come to and to my child," sighed .
" suppose it was that would not let me follow when wished
it. must work till the time of rest comes!"
" your own little will cheer you!" said , more
hopefully, as she saw bend over her baby with a face that might
one day be bright.
trusted that patient continuance in well-doing would one day win
peace and joy, even in the dreary world that poor had chosen.
her own part, found 's practical good sense and
sympathy very useful, in her present need of the counsel she had
always had from .
visit to lasted a fortnight, and was much benefited
by the leisure for reading and the repose after the long nursing;
though, before the end, her refreshed energies began to pine for
and her hymns, for and his , for and her
scholars, and, above all, for her father; for, come as often as he
would, it was not papa at home.
the other hand, was at a loss for every hour;
was putting off his affairs till should come home;
and longed for her to relieve the schoolroom from the
children; could not perform a lesson in comfort with any one
else--never ended a sum without groaning for , and sometimes
rode to for the mere purpose of appealing to her; in
short, no one could get on without her, and the doctor least of all.
. , and . , and all his sons and daughters, had done
their best for him; but, in spite of his satisfaction at seeing the
two sisters so happy together, he could not help missing every
minute, as the very light of his home; and when, at last,
brought her back, she was received with uproarious joy by and
, while the rest of the household felt a revival and refreshment
of spirits--the first drawing aside of the cloud that had hung over
the winter. pearl of their home might be missed every hour, but
they could thankfully rest in the trust that she was a jewel stored
up in safety and peace, to shine as a star for evermore.
few weeks more, and there were other partings, sad indeed, yet
cheery. . told . that, though he grieved that so
much of sorrow had come to dim her visit, he could not but own that
it was the very time when her coming could be most comforting; and
this, as she truly said, was satisfaction enough for her, besides
that she could not rejoice enough that her arrival had been in time
to see their dear . should carry away most precious
recollections; and she further told . that she was far more
comfortable about her brother-in-law, than if she had only known him
in his youthful character, which had seemed so little calculated to
bear sorrow or care. looked at him now only to wonder at, and
reverence the change that had been gradually wrought by the
affections placed above.
and his wife went with her--the one grave but hopeful, the
other trying to wile away the pain of parting, by her tearful mirth--
making all sorts of odd promises and touching requests, between jest
and earnest, and clinging to the last to her dear father-in-law, as
if the separation from him were the hardest of all.
", humming-birds must be let fly!" said he at last. "! ha!
, are they of no use?"
" till you hear!" said archly--then turning back once more.
"! how have thanked you, , for those first hints you gave me
how to make my life real. had only sat still and wished,
instead of trying what could be done as was, how unhappy should
have been!"
", take your sprite away, , if you don't want me to keep
her for good! bless you, my dear children! -bye! knows
but when sets up in my place, and may come out and
pay you a visit?"
had all been over for some weeks, and the home-party had settled
down again into what was likely to be their usual course, excepting
in the holidays, to which the doctor looked forward with redoubled
interest, as was fast becoming a very agreeable and sensible
companion; for his moodiness had been charmed away by , and
principle was teaching him true command of temper. seemed to take
his father as a special charge, bequeathed to him by , and had
already acquired that value and importance at home which comes of the
laying aside of all self-importance.
was a clear evening in , full of promise of spring, and
was standing in the church porch at , after making some
visits in the parish, waiting for , while the bell was ringing
for the evening service, and the pearly tints of a
cloudless sunset were fading into the western sky.
began to wonder where might be looking at the sun
dipping into the western sea, and thence arose before her the visions
of her girlhood, when she had first dreamt of a church on ,
and of ministering before a willing congregation. strange
did the accomplishment seem, that she even touched the stone to
assure herself of the reality; and therewith came intense
thanksgiving that the work had been taken out of her hands, to be the
more fully blessed and accomplished--that is, as far as the building
went; as to the people, there was far more labour in store, and the
same must be looked to for the increase.
herself, looked back and looked on. 's
marriage seemed to her to have fixed her lot in life, and what was
that lot? and had been her choice, and they were
before her. ! but her eyes had been opened to see that earthly
homes may not endure, nor fill the heart. dear father might,
indeed, claim her full-hearted devotion, but, to him, she was only
one of many. was no longer solely hers; and she had begun to
understand that the unmarried woman must not seek undivided return of
affection, and must not set her love, with exclusive eagerness, on
aught below, but must be ready to cease in turn to be first with any.
was truly a mother to the younger ones; but she faced the
probability that they would find others to whom she would have the
second place. love each heartily, to do her utmost for each in
turn, and to be grateful for their fondness, was her call; but never
to count on their affection as her sole right and inalienable
possession. felt that this was the probable course, and that she
might look to becoming comparatively solitary in the course of years
--then tried to realise what her lonely life might be, but broke off
smiling at herself, " is that to me? will it be when it is
over? course and aim are straight on, and will direct my
paths. don't know that shall be alone, and shall have the
memory--the communion with them, if not their presence. one
there must be to be loved and helped, and the poor for certain.
must have my treasure above, and when think what is there, and
of--! that bliss of being perfectly able to praise--with no bad
old self to mar the full joy of giving thanks, and blessing, and
honour, and power! dread a few short years?--and they have
not begun yet--perhaps they won't--! here is actually papa coming
home this way! how delightful! , are you coming to church here?"
", . weathercock of 's is a magnet, believe!
draws me from all parts of the country to hear in .
's ."