CHAPTER VI.
The weather the next morning proved all that could be desired, and theshopping expedition a grand success--everybody being not only satisfiedbut charmed with the results.
Mrs. Travilla and Rosie returned to Ion that evening, but scarcely a daypassed while the preparations for the wedding were going on, withoutmore or less interchange of visits among the young people of that place,Woodburn, Fairview, and the Oaks and Pinegrove.
Naturally the deepest interest was felt and shown by the ladies andyoung girls, but brothers and cousins were by no means indifferent.Harold and Herbert, though well pleased with the idea of taking theirfriend Croly into the family, were loath to part with Rosie, theiryoungest and only single sister, the only one now left in the Ionfamily. She had always been somewhat of a pet with them, and duringthese last weeks of her life with them they treated her as one for whomthey could not do enough; while her manner toward them showed fullappreciation of their kindness and affection. Much of her time andthoughts was necessarily taken up with the preparations for herapproaching marriage; but in leisure moments she had many sad thoughtsin regard to the coming separation from home and all there whom she soloved; especially the tender mother who had been, until within a fewmonths, her dearest earthly friend.
"Mamma dear, dearest mamma, I can hardly endure the thought of leavingyou," she sighed one day with starting tears, as they sat together overtheir needlework in Mrs. Travilla's dressing room.
They were quite alone at the moment, Zoe, who had been with them, havingjust gone out with her little ones.
"No one can ever take your place in my heart or home," continued Rosiewith almost a sob, "and oh, how I shall miss you--your love, your sweetmotherly counsels, your tender sympathy in all my joys and sorrows--oh,mamma, mamma! at times the very thought of it all is almost unendurable,and I am tempted to say to Will that he may come to me if he likes, butthat I can never tear myself away from my dear home and the preciousmother who has been everything to me since I first drew the breath oflife!" and dropping her work she knelt at her mother's feet, lifting tohers eyes full of tears.
"Dear child," her mother responded in tones tremulous with emotion, andbending down to press a kiss on the quivering lips, "it gives me a sadand sore heart to think of it. And yet, daughter dear, we may hope tosee each other very often--to spend weeks and months of every year ineach other's society, and when we are apart to exchange letters daily;and best of all, to be in a few brief years together in the better land,never to part again."
"Ah, mamma dear, that last seems a long look ahead. At least--oh, mamma,I cannot bear the thought of--of death coming between us; and yet we canhardly hope to go together."
"No, daughter dear, but time is short, as you will realize when you haveseen as many years in this world as I have; and after it will come thenever-ending ages of eternity--eternity, which we are hoping to spendwith our dear ones in the immediate presence of our Redeemer--united,never to part again."
"Yes, mamma; oh, that is indeed a sweet thought. But," she added with aheavy sigh, "sometimes I fear I may miss heaven; I seem so far, so veryfar from fit for its employments and its joys--so often indulging inwrong thoughts and feelings--so taken up with earthly cares andinterests."
"Dear daughter, look to God for help to fight against your sinfulnature," replied her mother in moved tones. "He says 'In me is thinehelp'; 'He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might heincreaseth strength.' 'They that wait upon the Lord shall renew theirstrength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, andnot be weary; they shall walk and not faint.' 'Fear thou not; for I amwith thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee;yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of myrighteousness.' These are some of his gracious promises."
"Ah, mamma, but the question with me is, is he really my God? am Ihis?--truly one of his redeemed ones, his adopted children? How shall Imake sure of that?"
"By accepting his conditions and believing his word, 'Come unto me allye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.' 'Him thatcometh unto me I will in no wise cast out.' Come now and accept hisoffered salvation, whether you have done so before or not; come,believing his word; 'I will in no wise cast out,' 'I have blotted out,as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and as a cloud, thy sins: returnunto me; for I have redeemed thee.' 'Surely shall one say, In the Lordhave I righteousness and strength; even to him shall all men come.' 'Inthe Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.''The just shall live by faith,' and faith is the gift of God, as we aretold again and again in his Holy Word; a gift that he will grant to allwho ask it of him."
There was a sound of approaching footsteps and Rosie resumed her seat,taking up the work she had dropped. They recognised the step asHarold's, and the next moment he stood in the open doorway.
"Mamma," he said, "I am going over to Roselands and should like to takeyou along. You have not seen that youngest Conly yet, and Arthurconsiders Marian now quite well enough for a call from you. I know, too,that she is wanting to see you."
"And I to see her, the dear girl," responded his mother, laying asideher work. "Come in and sit down while I don my bonnet and mantle."
"Let me get them out for you, mamma," said Rosie, dropping herembroidery and hastening to do so.
"I should include you in the invitation, Rosie," said Harold, "but wethink it safer not to let Marian have the excitement of many callersuntil she gains more strength."
"I thought she was doing finely," returned Rosie, bringing her mother'smantle and putting it about her with loving care.
"So she is," replied Harold with a light laugh; "but we cannot be toocareful of her to satisfy her doting husband, and though eager toexhibit her new treasure to all her friends and relatives, she isentirely submissive to his will in the matter."
"Oh, well, I can wait," laughed Rosie. "Give her my love, mamma, andtell her I am not staying away from any indifference to her or thelittle newcomer."
"No fear that she would ever suspect you of that, Rosie dear," hermother said, with a slight smile; "but I will assure her of yourinterest in both herself and baby boy. Now good-bye till my return,which I presume will be in the course of an hour or two."
"Don't hurry home on my account, mamma dear," returned Rosie. "I shallnot be lonely. I have letters to write, and that will make the time passquickly."
"It is a lovely day and the short drive with my son will be veryenjoyable," Mrs. Travilla remarked, as Harold handed her into thevehicle.
"To us both, I hope, mother," he returned, giving her an affectionatelook and smile. "Yours is to me the best company in the world. The roadsare in fine condition," he added as he took up the reins and theystarted down the avenue, "the fields and gardens along the way also, andthe air full of the fragrance of flower and shrub. Oh, on such a morningas this it seems a joy just to be alive and well!"
"Yes," she responded, "oh, what cause for gratitude to the Giver of allgood that you and I, and all our nearest and dearest in this world, arealive and well."
"Yes, mother; attendance upon the sick and suffering has given me ahigher appreciation of the greatness of the blessing of sound healththan I had in earlier days. It is saddening to witness suffering fromaccident and disease, but a great privilege to be able in many cases torelieve it. That last makes me thankful that I was led to choose themedical profession."
"And you have often an opportunity to minister to souls as well asbodies; one which I hope you do not neglect."
"I am afraid I have sometimes neglected it, mother," he acknowledgedwith a sigh, "and at others performed it in a very halting and imperfectway. But as you know--for I could not keep from you such gladness asthe knowledge of that fact brought me--I have been privileged to winsome souls to Christ--smooth some dying pillows--and to lead somerecovering ones to devote their spared lives and restored health to theservice of the Master--the Physician of souls--in whose footsteps Iardently desire
to tread."
"I know it, my dear son, and it has filled me with joy and gratitude foryou, for them, and for myself--that I am the mother of one whom God hasso honoured and blessed."
Then she inquired about the condition and needs of some of his poorerpatients; for she made it her business to provide for their necessitiesand to furnish many a little luxury that helped on convalescence orsmoothed the passage to the grave.
As they drove up the avenue at Roselands Dr. Conly came out upon theveranda, his face beaming with smiles.
"Ah, Cousin Elsie," he said as he assisted her to alight, "this is kind.Marian has been looking forward to your visit with longing, both to seeyou and to exhibit to your appreciative eyes the little one who seemsto her the greatest and loveliest darling the world ever saw."
"Ah, I can understand that," she returned with a low, pleased laugh. "Ihave not forgotten how lovely and what an inestimable treasure my firstbaby seemed to me; though I am by no means sure that each one whofollowed was not an equal joy and delight."
"Your second son among the rest, I hope, mother," laughed Harold.
She gave him a loving smile in response.
"Will you go up with us, Harold?" asked Arthur.
"No, thank you," he said. "I will busy myself here with the morningpaper while mother makes her little call."
It was a most inviting looking apartment into which the doctor conductedhis cousin, tastefully furnished and redolent of the breath of flowers;in pretty vases set here and there on bureau, mantel, and table, andblooming in the garden beneath the open windows whence the soft, warmair came stealing in through the lace curtains. But the chief ornamentsof the room were its living occupants--the young mother lying amid hersnowy pillows and the little one sleeping in its dainty crib close ather side.
"Dear Cousin Elsie, you have come at last, and I am, oh, so glad to seeyou!" Marian exclaimed with a look of eager delight, and holding out herhand in joyous welcome. "I have hardly known how to wait to show you ourtreasure and receive your congratulations."
"Dear girl, I can quite understand that," Mrs. Travilla said with asmile and a tender caress, "and I wanted to come sooner; should havedone so had your good husband deemed it entirely safe for you."
"Ah, he is very careful of me," returned Marian, giving him a glance ofardent affection. "But, oh, look at our darling! His father and motherthink him the sweetest creature that ever was made," she added with ahappy laugh, laying a hand on the edge of the crib and gazing with eyesfull of mother love at the tiny pink face nestling among the pillowsthere.
Elsie bent over it too in tender motherly fashion.
"He is a dear little fellow," she said softly. "I congratulate you bothon this good gift from our Heavenly Father, and wish for you that he maygrow up into a God-fearing man, a blessing to his parents, to the Churchand the world."
"I hope he may indeed, cousin, and I want you to join your prayers toours that we may have grace and wisdom to train him up aright, should itplease the Lord to spare him to us," said the doctor with emotion.
"I think his mother needs those prayers the most," said Marian low andsoftly. "I am but a foolish young thing; scarcely fit for so great aresponsibility; but I am more glad and thankful than words can tell thatthe darling has a good, wise, Christian father to both train him and sethim a good example."
"It is a cause for great thankfulness," Elsie said, "but never forget,dear girl, how very great and important is a mother's influence;especially in the early years when the strongest and most lastingimpressions are apt to be made. No doubt you feel--as I often have,often do--like crying out in the midst of it all, 'Alas, who issufficient for these things!' but what a blessing, what a comfort isthe promise, 'If any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God that givethto all men liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.'"
"Oh, those are comforting texts!" Marian said with a look of relief. "Iwish I were as well acquainted with the Bible as you are, cousin."
"I know more of it now than I did at your age," Elsie returned in areassuring tone, "and you, as well as I, have it at hand to turn to inevery perplexity; and if you do so you will find the truth of the wordsof the Psalmist, 'Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light unto mypath.'"
"Ah, yes! an open Bible is an inestimable blessing," said Arthur, "andmy Marian and I will endeavour to make it the rule of our life, the manof our counsel."
At that moment the babe stirred and opened its eyes.
"Ah, he is awake, the darling!" said Marian. "Don't you want to take himup, papa, and let Cousin Elsie have a better look at him?"
"Yes, mamma; as you know, I am very proud to exhibit my son and heir,"laughed the doctor, bending over the crib, gently lifting the babe andplacing it in Elsie's arms, smilingly outstretched to receive it.
"He is indeed a lovely little darling," she said, gazing on it withadmiring eyes, then softly pressing her lips to the velvet cheek. "Thereis nothing sweeter to me than a little helpless babe. I hope he may liveto grow up if the will of God be so, and I think he is going to resemblehis father," she added with a most affectionate look up into thedoctor's face.
"If he equals his father in all respects, his mother will be fullysatisfied," Marian said with a happy little laugh.
"Ah, love is blind, dearest," was Arthur's smiling response.
"And well for me that it is in your case, as I have often thought," shesaid in sportive tone, "for it seems to hide all my imperfections andshow you virtues that are wholly imaginary."
"Then it is a very good and desirable kind of blindness, I think,"remarked Grandma Elsie with her pleasant smile.
"Now, Cousin Elsie, please tell me about Rosie," Marian requested with alook of keen interest. "I suppose she is both very busy and very happy."
"Quite busy and happy too, I think, except when her thoughts turn uponthe approaching separation--partial at least--from home and its lovedones."
"And doubtless that thought makes you sad too, cousin," sighed Marian."Ah, what a world of partings it is! and how sudden and unexpected manyof them are."
"Yes; but there are none in that happy land to which we are journeying.Ah, what a blessed land it must be! no sin, no sorrow, pain or care, nodeath, but eternal life at the foot of the dear Master whose love forhis redeemed ones is greater, tenderer than that of a mother for her ownlittle helpless child."
"How intense it must be!" said Marian musingly. "I can realise that nowas I never could before my little darling came. But now, about Rosie andher betrothed. Do they not expect to settle somewhere in this region,cousin?"
"I think that question remains yet to be fully discussed; it iscertainly still undecided. Probably they will not for some time settlepermanently in any one spot. Mrs. Croly is an invalid, almost constantlybeing taken from place to place in search of health, and never satisfiedto be long separated from either husband or son--her only child."
"Ah, I'm afraid that will make it hard for Rosie," said Marian. "By theway, I think they would better bring her here and put her in ourdoctor's care," she added with a smiling and arch look up into herhusband's face.
"Ah, my dear!" he said with a slight smile and a warning shake of thehead, "don't allow yourself to take to the business of hunting up casesfor me; especially chronic and incurable ones."
"But is she so bad as that?" asked Marian, turning to her cousin Elsieagain.
"I suppose so," Elsie replied. "I have never been told that her case wasconsidered incurable, but I know that she has been an invalid for manyyears."
"And with no daughter to nurse and care for her! She may well deemherself fortunate in getting one so sweet and bright as Rosie."
"Rosie has had no experience as a nurse," said her mother, "but she iskind-hearted and I hope will prove a pleasant and helpful daughter toher husband's mother; as she has been to her own."
"I haven't a doubt of it. And is the wedding to come off soon, cousin?"
"The day has not yet been set," replied Mrs. Travilla, with a slights
igh at thought of the parting that must follow, "but we expect to fixupon one in the latter part of June; which I hope will give you time togrow strong enough to make one of our party. But I fear I am keeping youtalking too long," she added, rising and laying the babe, who had fallenasleep again, gently back among its pillows.
"I am sure your call has done me good, and I hope you will come againsoon, dear cousin," Marian said, receiving and returning a farewellcaress.
"Sometime when your doctor gives permission," was Elsie's smiling reply."Never mind coming down with me, Arthur," she added, "I know the wayand have a son waiting there on the veranda to hand me into thecarriage. So good-bye, and don't consider it necessary to wait forsickness among us to call you to Ion."