CHAPTER XIII.
For more than an hour after his brother's departure Mr. George Eldon wasvery busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for ashort space, giving him time to think again of Ethel's letter and whatmight be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at hisown house and that of his brother.
"Albert will be back with them before night, and our wives ought to havewarning that they are coming. It would be hardly fair to take thementirely by surprise. I promised my brother too, that I would endeavorto prepare them for the unexpected arrival," he mused. "Well, I think Ican spare the time now as easily as later."
At that instant the door into the counting room opened and his eldestson came in.
"Ah, George," said the father, "I was just about to call you. I am goingup home to see your mother and aunt, to tell them of the contents ofthis letter," handing Ethel's missive to him as he spoke.
George took it, glanced rapidly over the contents, then turning to hisfather with flushing cheeks and flashing eyes, "The inhuman scoundrel!"he exclaimed, "You will take the poor little things away from him assoon as possible, I hope."
"Yes; your Uncle Albert has gone for them and will doubtless have themhere before night. I must go up home at once with the news, leavingmatters here in your care until I get back."
"Yes, sir, I think I can attend to them to your satisfaction," returnedthe son. "And I hope you will find mother and Aunt Augusta entirelywilling to take those poor little orphans in to share our homes. ThatCoote has always seemed to me a fawning hypocrite, and I am sure of itnow."
"I am of pretty much the same opinion, and he shall never again, with myconsent, have an opportunity to abuse those little ones, or any childcommitted to my care."
There had been some changes in Mr. George Eldon's family in the last twoyears. A fall on the icy pavement one winter day had so injured Mrs.Eldon's spine as to make her a cripple for life, never able to leave herroom unless carried from it. At first she felt the trial well-nighunendurable, but gradually she had grown submissive; gentle, patient,and resigned; thankful too for the blessings still hers--a good home,kind and affectionate husband, sons, and niece, a competent andefficient housekeeper and abundant means. Also that she still had theuse of all her senses, her hands and eyes, so that she could read, sew,and crochet, making herself useful to her family and helpful to theneedy.
In the family of Mr. Albert Eldon there had been little change exceptsuch as time inevitably brings to all; the boys and girls were growingup, Albert and Arabella were beginning to go into society, and theyounger ones had a governess, Miss Annie West, who also gave lessons inmusic and the languages to Dorothy Dean, Mrs. George's niece.
Mrs. Augusta still devoted much of her time to novel-reading and whatshe deemed the claims of society, yet paid a little more attention tothose of household, husband, and children.
Mrs. George, in an easy-chair and propped up with cushions, was busilycrocheting when she heard the front door open and shut, then herhusband's step on the stairs.
"Ah! I wonder what brings George home at this time of day?" was hermental exclamation, and as he entered by the open door of her room sheturned toward him with a welcoming smile.
"A pleasant surprise, my dear!" she said.
"Yes, to me as well as yourself," he said, returning the smile. "How areyou now? Free from pain, I hope."
"Yes, quite comfortable, thank you. Ah, I see you have a letter," as hedrew it from his pocket, at the same time taking possession of a chairclose at her side.
"Yes, from my little niece Ethel." And without further preface he beganreading it aloud.
"Why, the poor little things!" she exclaimed when he had finished. "Wemust send for them, George, and provide them with a better home, eitherhere or elsewhere. I never thought the Cootes could be so cruel."
"No, nor I. The letter came this morning. My brother and I were rousedto indignation by its perusal, and he has gone for the children--willhave them here, I confidently expect, sometime this afternoon."
"They shall be welcome," she returned. "Fortunately Mrs. Wood is fond ofchildren, and I dare say, being two years older, and having been socowed and kept down, they will be much more easily managed than theywere before."
"Yes, I hope so; and you need have no trouble whatever with them; ourgood housekeeper and Dorothy can certainly do all that is needed. Willyou order the necessary preparations, or shall I?"
"I do not want to take too much of your valuable time," she replied,"so, if you like to trust Mrs. Wood and me, I will talk matters overwith her and get her to do what is necessary."
"Very well, then, I will go at once to Augusta with the news, that she,too, may have time for needed preparations."
He found Augusta in her dressing room, the older three of her daughtersand Dorothy Dean engaged in examining fashion plates and discussingweighty questions in regard to what materials they should purchase fortheir fall dresses, and in what style they should have them made up.
"Ah, I see I am interrupting a solemn council," said Mr. Eldon withplayful look and tone, "but do not be too much distressed; I shall takebut a very few minutes of your precious time, my own being equallyvaluable." With that he opened and read aloud Ethel's letter.
All present seemed excited to indignation, Dorothy perhaps the most ofany.
"The poor little things!" she exclaimed. "Uncle, do have them broughthere at once, even if we must take the whole four."
"We'll not let you do that. We'll do our share," said Mrs. Augusta. "Ishould never have been in favor of sending them to the Cootes if I haddreamed they could be guilty of treating the poor little creatures withsuch barbarous cruelty."
"No, nor would any of us," said Arabella. "Has papa gone for them, UncleGeorge?"
"Yes, and will probably have them here in a few hours. I did not wantyou or my wife taken by surprise, Augusta, so came up to forewarn you oftheir expected arrival. And now I must hurry back to my business; sogood-morning to you all," and with the last word he bowed himself out ofthe room.
"Dear me, what a shame it is!" exclaimed Dorothy. "I'd just enjoy havingthat cruel wretch of a Coote thrashed within an inch of his life."
"I, too," said Olive. "How I wish papa and Uncle George had found himout long ago; still more that they had never given him a chance to abusethose poor children."
"I'm afraid we were none of us quite so kind to them as we might havebeen," said Arabella, "but now we are going to have a chance to make itup to them."
"Yes, remember that, all of you," said their mother. "Minnie, go andtell Miss Norris I wish to see her at once if she is at leisure." Minniehastened to do the errand, the housekeeper came, listened with evidentinterest to the story of the little orphan nephew and nieces expected toarrive that afternoon, received Mrs. Eldon's directions in regard to thenecessary preparations, and at once set to work to carry them out.
So the little party, arriving in due time, received a hearty welcome inboth families and were made very comfortable, very happy; for thoughdomiciled in the two houses, they were together a great deal through theday. Also they enjoyed their studies under the tuition of the kindestand most patient of governesses.
Mrs. Wood too was very kind to Blanche and Harry; so were their uncles,Cousins George and William, and Dorothy Dean. They seldom saw their AuntSarah, but when they did, found her far kinder than she had been whenthey were with her before. So were the relatives in the other housealso, and to the four young orphans life was far more enjoyable than ithad been since the death of their parents.
Yet there were days when things went wrong with them and they longed fora home of their own where they could all be together. Ethel in especiallooked forward to such a time, and tried to learn all she could thatwould enable her to earn money to make a home and support herself andthe others; and when any one of them was in trouble, she tried to cheerand comfort that one with the hope that some day the bright dream wouldbecome a reality.
She still indulged a
faint hope that some day they would find, or befound by their maternal grandparents; but lest they should not, she wascareful not to slacken her exertions to prepare for self-support. Shewas obliging and helpful by nature, and her older cousins soon fell intothe habit of calling upon her to do their errands about the house, thenoccasionally at the stores, and to assist them in dressing for partiesand calls, at length making quite a Cinderella of her. Her dress wassimple and inexpensive, while they wore silks and rich laces anddiamonds. She bore it all without murmur or complaint, making herself asuseful as she could, never confiding her plans and wishes to them, butusing her spare moments for the beautiful needlework taught her by Mrs.Coote, hoping that at some future time she would be able to dispose ofit for money which would help in the carrying out of her plans for thefuture of herself and dear brother and sisters.
Thus two years passed, bringing no remarkable event. Then one Octoberday--it was in the year 1859--Ethel, who had continued to feel a greatinterest in the history of the country she now esteemed her own, wasmuch excited by the conversation she heard going on among her olderrelatives, who were discussing the exciting topic of the raid of JohnBrown into Virginia, and his seizure of the United States arsenal atHarper's Ferry.
She was only a listener to the talk, but afterward she searched thenewspapers for information on the subject, and felt very sorry for JohnBrown because he lost his life in trying to set men free, which shethought was a noble thing to do--for to be a slave must be very dreadful,and surely God had given everyone a right to freedom, unless he hadforfeited that right by some dreadful crime.
It was a time of great excitement among the Eldons as well as others;the sons, who had been born in America, feeling it even more than theirfathers, who were but naturalized citizens. But they, as well as theirboys, were opposed to slavery and anxious for the preservation of theUnion.
George and William, the sons of the older Mr. Eldon, were frequently inat their Uncle Albert's, talking over the subject with him and hisoldest son Albert; and George at length noticed the deep interest takenby Ethel in all they were saying.
"Well, little coz," he said at length, "what do you think of it all?"
"Oh," she returned excitedly, "I do hope this great, grand big Unionwon't be broken up! Do you think it will, Cousin George?"
"Oh, no," he said with a reassuring smile. "The Southerners are onlytalking, I think; they would hardly be so foolish as to begin a war whenthe far greater part of the Union would be opposed to them."
"Oh, I am glad to hear that!" she said with a sigh of relief, "for warmust be a dreadful thing."
"Yes; especially a civil war."
"Civil?" she returned in a tone of surprise. "I thought civil--was--was--Iunderstood that it was right and good manners to be civil to people."
"Ah, yes," he said, smiling and patting the small hand she had laid onhis knee, while gazing earnestly and enquiringly into his face; "itsometimes means to be courteous, polite, well-bred, but when applied towar it means a fight between people of the same race and country."
"And a dreadful kind of war it is when brother fights against brother,"sighed his father, sitting near. "But I can hardly think it will come tothat in this case. I think there are few besides the leaders in theSouth, who would be willing to imbrue their hands in the blood of theirbrethren."
"And they are not oppressed, uncle?"
"No, not by any means; they have been having only too much, of their ownway and domineering over the rest of the nation. Slavery has had by nomeans a good effect upon them; it has made them proud, haughty,heartless, selfish, and cruel."
"No," said her Uncle Albert, "they have been the oppressors rather thanthe oppressed; caring only for getting and keeping wealth and power forthemselves, and treating their fellow-citizens of the North as beneaththem; 'the mud-sills of the North,' they are calling us."
"It is easy to call names," remarked William; "that sort of warfarerequires neither courage nor talent; and so long as they contentthemselves with that the North will, I think, let them alone severely;but let them secede and attempt to set up a separate government and itis at least doubtful if the loyal North will continue to let themalone."
Ethel listened eagerly and her fears were relieved for a time. But thevery next day came the news that South Carolina had seceded, and itseemed no one could tell what would follow. The daily papers were readwith eager interest. The Southern leaders seemed to be crazed, andwhirled their States out of the Union one after another without pausingto learn the wishes of the rest of the people; many of whom werestrongly opposed to their action and certainly had as indisputable aright to remain in the Union as those leaders to go out.
Ethel hardly understood what was going on, but continued to read thepapers and listen to the talk of her elders with a dazed and confusedfeeling that a great danger was drawing near.
But one Saturday evening, April 13, 1861, news came flashing over thewires that almost struck the hearers dumb with astonishment and dismay.This was the despatch: "Fort Sumter has fallen after a terrificbombardment of thirty-six hours."
People heard it with sinking of hearts. Was the Union to be destroyed?Was it, could it be possible, that those who should have loved andhonored the dear old flag--the beautiful, starry emblem of ourliberties--had so insulted it? It was a bitter thought, and men wept asat the loss of a dear and honored friend.
The Sunday that followed was a sad one; but by Monday morning a reactionhad come; at whatever cost the nation should live was the verdict of thepeople; the President had written with his own hand a proclamation, andthe telegraph was flashing it east and west to every city and town:
"I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, in virtue of thepower in me vested by the Constitution and the laws, have thought fit tocall forth, and do call forth, the militia of the several States of theUnion to the aggregate number of seventy-five thousand, in order tosuppress this combination against the laws, and to cause the laws to beduly executed."
At the call patriotism awoke and showed itself in a furor of love to theUnion and the flag as the emblem of its power and glory, and rapidvoluntary enlistments for its defence followed, soon furnishing moretroops than the President had called for.
The young men in the Eldon families were as full of patriotic excitementas any others, George and Albert being among the first volunteers intheir State, their fathers giving a ready consent, mothers and sistersalso, though many and bitter tears were shed over the parting, by Ethelas well as the nearer relatives, for she had grown to love them both,especially her cousin George.
Then the mothers and older girls joined the aid societies and busiedthemselves with work for the soldiers--making shirts, knitting stockings,scraping lint--and Ethel, full of interest for the cause and of pity forthose who must do the fighting for the Union, spent as much time ascould be spared from lessons and waiting upon her aunt and cousins, insharing in those labors; doing so gladly and without any urging orsolicitation; she only wished herself old enough to be a nurse, since,being neither boy nor man, she could not enlist as a soldier.
The younger children, too, were anxious to help and took such part inthe work as their tender years permitted. It was hoped the war would notlast very long; almost everybody thought it would be over in a fewmonths; yet no one could be certain that his or her dear ones might notbe killed or sorely wounded in the meantime, or that the struggle mightnot be prolonged far beyond the time for which enlistments were made atthe start.
Mrs. Weston and Mrs. Keith had not forgotten the Eldon children orceased to feel an interest in them, and occasionally Ethel had a letterfrom one or the other, which she answered with great painstaking,telling frankly such news of herself, brother, and sisters as shethought they would care to hear.
A letter from Mrs. Weston came for her about the time that her cousinsleft with the other Philadelphia troops in response to the President'scall, and from it she learned that Mr. Keith, too, had enlisted; alsosome of his brothers living in Indian
a.
"And now," continued Mrs. Weston, "we women who cannot do the fighting,are banding together to do all in our power to add to the comfort of oursoldiers engaged in the struggle to save our dear country from beingrent in pieces. We expect to be very busy, but not too busy to be gladto see you and your brother and sisters if you are allowed to pay us avisit this summer. Mrs. Rupert Keith will probably be with us for atime, perhaps all summer, but that need not interfere with a visit fromyou little folks."
That invitation Ethel and the others were allowed to accept in thesummer vacation. How much had happened meantime! the attack on theMassachusetts troops as they passed through Baltimore in response to thePresident's call; the seizure of Harper's Ferry and Norfolk Navy Yard,besides several battles, some in the East and some in the West.
And the very day of their arrival at Mr. Keith's came the sad news ofthe battle of Bull Run, speedily followed by the President's call forthree hundred thousand more men to suppress the rebellion.
It was a time full of excitement, of almost heart-breaking distress,over the disaster, followed by the determination that the rebellion mustand should be crushed, cost what it might.
Mrs. Rupert Keith was in sore anxiety and distress till the welcome newsarrived that her husband, though in the battle, had been neither woundednor taken prisoner. The other ladies, though in deep distress for theland they loved, were suffering less keenly than she, as they knew thatMr. Donald Keith was too far West to have been in the battle.
Ethel and Blanche wept bitterly, fearing that their cousins George andAlbert had been in the fight and were killed or wounded. But in a day ortwo a letter from Dorothy brought the welcome news that though among thetroops engaged, they had escaped unharmed.