CHAPTER XVIII.
"You have been gone a good while, Albert; I hope it was not because offinding the child ill?" Mr. George Eldon remarked enquiringly when hisbrother re-entered their office.
"She is worn out and a long rest will be very necessary, I think," wasthe reply in an anxious tone, "and I for one shall do what I can to makeher take it. She is certainly a bright girl and one to be proud of,George. There are none too many who would exert themselves as she hasdone when they might live at ease, depending on relatives able andwilling to care for them."
"No, I dare say not, but I have sometimes felt that I should prefer tohave her a trifle less independent. But," glancing at the clock, "sitdown and give me an account of your visit, and the state in which youfound her and the others. I see we have time enough for a chat beforestarting for home."
The request was complied with, a consultation held as to how much, andin what way Ethel and the others should be assisted, then, stillconversing together on the subject, the brothers started for theirhomes.
It was the topic of conversation at the dinner table at Mr. GeorgeEldon's that evening, and Dorothy and the two young men seemed muchinterested.
"She is a brave, industrious little woman," said George. "I doubt ifthere are many girls who would have voluntarily undertaken all that shehas."
"There are certainly a great many who wouldn't," said William, "and Iown that I am more proud of her than of my very dressy, fashionablecousins next door."
"Or of the one sitting here, I presume," laughed Dorothy. "I don't blameyou, Will; but perhaps I might try going into business too if yourmother did not insist that she needs me here."
"Of course she does, and so do we," said her uncle. "There must besomebody to sew on buttons and strings and attend to various other smallmatters affecting our comfort."
"And certainly Dorothy deserves the credit of attending faithfully tothose small but necessary matters," said George.
"That's true," said his brother, "and of making quantities of garmentsfor other people besides. She's a regular Dorcas, as I've heard mothersay more than once."
"Be careful, young men, or you'll have me so puffed up there'll be noliving in the same house with me," returned Dorothy with merry look andtone, "and then who'll sew on your buttons and strings?"
"We'll carry them to mother," replied William with gravity. "She can'tgo round the house and hunt things up, but we will do that part, andshe'll be both able and willing to tack the things on for us."
"And you, of course, are not likely to tire of your part of the work,"returned Dorothy, "nor ever to forget to hunt up the garments and carrythem to aunt in good season to have them got ready for wear when wanted.I should really like to see that poor girl--Ethel," she continuedpresently. "I wonder if she would care to see me."
"I am going round there this evening--in about an hour from now," saidher uncle. "Would you like to go with me?"
"Yes, sir; yes, indeed, if I may."
"I shall be pleased to have you," he returned, "as I am partial toladies' society and your aunt cannot go with me."
"Have you told mother of Ethel's break-down, sir?" asked his son George.
"Not yet, but I am going up to do so now," Mr. Eldon replied, as theyall rose from the table.
Mrs. Eldon heard the story with interest, her husband recounting to herall that his brother had told him of the little home Ethel had made forherself and the younger ones, its comforts and conveniences, and whatwas lacking in that line; also how completely she had overworked herselfin her determined effort to provide for her little family.
"Now what can we do to help her?" she asked when he had finished. "Sheis worthy of help, for she has shown herself wonderfully brave,self-reliant, and industrious."
"She has indeed," he responded, "and must be prevented from beginningwork too soon. I am going to warn her to be careful, assuring her thatAlbert and I will provide all that is necessary, at least until she hasfully recovered her health, and strength; and I shall insist that sheallows us to do so. Her father would certainly have done the same by mychildren had the situation be reversed; and so I shall tell her."
"Yes; and lest she should doubt my willingness to have you do so, tellher I think it no more than one brother should do for the children ofanother, if he finds himself as able as you are."
"Thank you, my dear. And now I will go at once that I may get back toyou the sooner."
He found Dorothy ready, waiting for him in the parlor below, and theyset off at once.
They were joyfully welcomed on their arrival at their destination. Ethelwas surprised and touched at this evidence of feeling for her on thepart of her Uncle George and Dorothy. They found her awake, talked verykindly to her, showing much interest in her and the younger ones, but,perceiving that her greatest need was rest and sleep, left early,promising to come again soon. Her uncle bade her an affectionategood-by, telling her not to fret or worry about anything, but to takematters easily, trusting in Providence, and her uncles as Hisinstruments. He took her hand as he spoke and left something in it,which on examination she found to be a five-dollar bill.
"How good in him!" she murmured; glad, grateful tears chasing each otherdown her cheeks.
"Uncle," said Dorothy, as they walked along together, "I think thosechildren need some clothes; excepting Harry, perhaps. Did you noticewhat a neat, new suit he had on?"
"Yes; it was a present this afternoon from his Uncle Albert. It would beno more than my share to provide for the girls whatever may be needed."
"Well, uncle, if you'll furnish the money I'll do the work. Aunt and Ihave been working for the Dorcas society--helping to clothe the poor--andit really seems to me that the needy ones of our own family have thevery first claim."
"That is my view of the matter," he said, "and I am ready to pay for allthe material you and your aunt may think it best to buy and make up forthem."
"Oh, thank you, sir! Shall we not have a talk with aunt about it when weget home?"
"Certainly. She will be apt to know just what should be bought, and, ifyou like, you can do the buying to-morrow. I will furnish the funds."
On reaching home they went directly to Mrs. Eldon's room, gave adetailed account of their visit and the discoveries made regarding theneeds of Ethel and the others, then of their plan for affording relief,of which Mrs. Eldon highly approved, and which she and Dorothy begancarrying out the next morning.
The result was a joyful surprise to the three girls and a lightening ofEthel's burden of care which greatly assisted her recovery. She strove,and with some measure of success, not to think of business cares andanxieties for some days, but as soon as she was able to be up and atwork again, she proposed to her partner that they should go over theirbooks, take an inventory of goods on hand, and find out exactly how theystood with their creditors. They did so and discovered to their dismaythat, so far from having made anything, they were in debt.
"There," exclaimed Carry, "I shall just stop right here; for if we go onI'll only get deeper and deeper into debt."
"Oh, no!" said Ethel. "I see where we have made mistakes. We'll avoidthem after this and will make something next year."
"I shan't try," said Carry, in a despairing tone. "You, of course, willdo as you like, but I'm done with the business."
"I don't think I am," said Ethel.
"Then suppose you buy me out; I'll sell cheap," said Carry, forcing alaugh to keep from crying.
"Yes, if you'll wait a little for your money," replied Ethel, a suddenconviction coming to her that she could do better alone, as she andCarry did not always agree in regard to the wisdom of proposed measures.
"Yes," said Carry, "I think it would be only fair that you should settlewith the creditors first, and I know you will pay me as soon afterwardas you can."
So it came about that Ethel was soon sole proprietor of the littlestore, and could manage all parts of the business to suit herself. Shebought goods on short credit and was very careful to pay promptly.
Shedid not know that her uncles privately went security for her, and wasrather surprised to find the wholesale merchants with whom she dealt sowilling to trust her to any amount, though she never bought verylargely, being far too cautious for that. She managed so well that inless than a year she was entirely free from debt and had a good run ofcustom; for so pleasing was her manner, so thoroughly well done herwork, her stock of goods so carefully selected, that those who bought ofher once were very apt to come again; also to recommend her to others.
Her uncles were kind, though her continuance in business did not meetwith their warm approval. Dorothy came in occasionally to see her andher sisters. Harry was given the half-promised place in his uncle'sstore, and Miss Seldon was a not infrequent visitor and customer aswell. She was very kind, bought of them herself, and recommended thestore to others. She would sometimes accept an invitation to stay andtake tea with them, all esteeming it a delight to entertain her--she wasso kind-hearted and showed such an interest in them and their affairs.
She was in easy circumstances, had travelled a good deal in this and inforeign countries, and her conversation was both interesting andinstructive.
One evening a casual mention of having some years before spent a numberof weeks on the island of Jamaica aroused a degree of excitement amongthem that surprised her.
"Jamaica!" exclaimed Blanche. "Oh, Miss Seldon, did you meet any of thewell-to-do people? any of the rich planters?"
"Yes," was the reply, "I had letters of introduction to several familiesand found them very hospitable; some of them most interesting andagreeable people. I particularly remember one old couple, of Englishdescent, without children, I think--at least I did not hear of any--whomade my visit of a couple of days very enjoyable, indeed."
"What was their name, Miss Seldon?" asked Ethel half breathlessly, forher heart was beating fast between a newly aroused hope and the fearthat it might not be realized.
"Eyre," returned Miss Seldon. "But why do you ask? Oh, what is it?" forevery face at the table had brightened visibly, and there was anexchange of rejoicing, exulting, excited glances.
"I think they must have been our grandparents," said Ethel, scarcelyable to speak from emotion, "mamma's father and mother, whom we havenever been able to find because we did not know their address. Oh, howglad--how glad I am!" and she wept for joy and thankfulness.
Harry and the others were scarcely less excited; they could talk ofnothing else while together at the table, but soon after leaving it,Ethel, taking Miss Seldon with her, accompanied by Harry as escort, setout for her old home to inform her uncles of the discovery just made,and ask their advice in regard to the best way of opening communicationwith her grandparents.
"This is good news, Ethel--at least I hope it will prove so," said herUncle George when the story had been told; "but I am extremely doubtfulif your grandparents are still living; for in that case they wouldsurely have been hunting up their daughter's children. But we must seton foot such enquiries as will remove all doubt, and in case of theirdeath recover for you and your brother and sisters any property they mayhave left."
At that Ethel's eyes filled. "I want my dear grandparents a great dealmore than I do their property," she said.
"I have no doubt of that, Ethel," said her Uncle Albert, "but in case oftheir death the property will be yours by right, and not to be despised;and they of course would have wished it to fall to their daughter'schildren rather than to anyone else."
"I should think so; yes, I am quite sure of it," she said, adding with asmile, "and it will be a great help to us all in getting a start in theworld."
"Yes," he returned, "and for that reason I shall be very glad if itturns out that there is a good deal of it."
"We will make enquiries for you, Ethel," said her Uncle George, "and setabout it at once. So you need give yourself no farther trouble, mydear."
"Thank you both very much, indeed, uncles," was her reply in a tone fullof grateful affection. "I think, though, that I will write a letter tomy grandparents to say how dearly I love them, and how I have longedever since dear mamma and papa died to be with them in the sweet oldhome I can just remember, but did not write till now because of notknowing their address. Shall I not do so?"
"I do not believe they are living, child," replied her Uncle George."Had they been, you surely would have heard from them in some way beforethis."
"But they have not known where we were," she returned, tears starting toher eyes again. "So I think I had better write."
"Yes, do so if you wish. It cannot do any harm," said her uncle Albert.
Blanche and Nannette eagerly awaited the return of their brother andsister, and on their coming besieged them with questions, asking whattheir uncles thought and said, and what was going to be done to find"Grandpa and Grandma Eyre." Neither Ethel nor Harry was disposed to keepanything back, but the others were disappointed that there was so littleto tell, and were almost indignant that it should be thought that theirgrandparents were dead. They urged Ethel to write at once and find outcertainly whether they were or not.
"It is just what I intend doing," she said, "and now, if you will bequiet, I will set to work at once. I'll make my letter short, promisingto write again as soon as we hear from them."
The letter was written, read to the others for their approval, andmailed by Harry before they went to bed that night.
Some weeks of anxious suspense followed, then news was received of thedeath, some years before, of both Mr. and Mrs. Eyre. They had leftproperty which, their daughter's children heired, but only a part of itwas recovered for them.
In the meantime the young people had talked much together of their dearold home in Jamaica, and the grandparents who had so loved and pettedthem in their babyhood; Ethel, at the request of the others, repeatingagain and again all that she could remember of the lovely place, andtheir life there, so different from that they were now leading, and, asthey talked, the desire to return to that beautiful home and thosedoating grandparents grew apace.
It was therefore a sore disappointment when they learned that death hadrobbed them of the dear old people, orphaning them a second time. Forthe first few days after hearing the sad news they were almostinconsolable in their grief and disappointment, but gradually theyrecovered from that and felt glad and thankful because of theirincreased means; for though by no means sufficient to free them from thenecessity of exertion, life was made easier and advantages were securedwhich without it were beyond their reach.
A capable woman was found who took Blanche's place as housekeeper andcook, so that she could go back to school and resume her studies, and ayoung girl, who did errands and sometimes waited upon customers, wasalso added to the establishment.