It may be that in some far-off day, by means of some wonderful instrument yet uncreated, our eyes shall look upon our friends, separated from them by long distances, shall know their comings and goings, their thoughts and motives. Being not possessed of any such power, mother Kensett vexed her soul in one city, while in another, two young people, happy as birds, held long consultations as to which should be mother"s room, just how it should be furnished, and ran here and there with the eagerness of children gathering moss and bits of china, and all rare and pretty things for a play-house under the trees.
Marian"s ancestral home had been closed for a long time. It was a stately mansion, of wide halls and towers and s.p.a.cious apartments, surrounded by magnificent grounds. During the last few months it had been thoroughly remodelled and refurnished, and now the young couple, after a brief bridal tour, were fairly established in it.
One might suppose that Mrs. Kensett would have felt some risings of pride, as, leaning on the arm of her youngest son, she mounted the marble steps, and walked through the s.p.a.cious halls and beautiful parlours of his home.
But John"s home was handsome, too; the carpets were soft and rich, the chairs luxurious, and curtained windows spread their drapery about them in soft fine folds.
What of all that when hearts were frozen? Wealth to this mother meant pride, selfishness, and irreligion.
She looked about her, feeling sure that a tall, elegant lady in a stiff silk train would sweep in, extend the tips of her fingers, and call a servant to get her off to her room with all possible despatch.
There was no one in the parlours, and Benjamin led his mother on into the dining-room--a room full of warmth and light--the tea-table already spread, and a delicate, home-like aroma of toast and tea pervading it.
A slight girlish figure in a simple dress of dark blue, her bright hair rippling away into a knot behind, was bending over the grate toasting a piece of bread by the coals. So noiselessly had they approached, that she heard no sound until they stood before her.
Mrs. Kensett was still looking for Benjamin"s wife to appear in the shape of a cold, grim person of imposing appearance, wearing gold eye-gla.s.ses--when suddenly the toasting-fork was dropped, and with a low cry of joy Marian sprang into her husband"s arms; then, without waiting for formal words of introduction, clasped loving arms about the tired mother, and nestled a rosy face close to hers, and gave her warm clinging kisses, such as are reserved only for our best beloved.
"Dear mother," she said, "I am so glad you have come! You are cold; sit right here," and she wheeled a large chair into the warmest corner, and with her own hands removed the wrappings and carried them away. "I wanted to have the toast just the right brown, so I was doing it myself," she explained, as she took up her toasting-fork and went on with her work, and the old mother sat and feasted her eyes on the pretty picture--the bright, happy face, the quick, graceful movements, as she dexterously put last little touches to the table, chatting pleasantly meanwhile, making tender inquiries about her health and her journey. Mrs. Kensett began already to feel as if this was a dear daughter separated from her years ago and now restored.
"It seemed just as if I had been away visiting and got home again,"
she told someone afterward.
After tea and resting, they both went with her in merry procession to her room, carrying shawls and satchel, and waiting with the eager joy of two children to see how she liked everything. She would have been hard to suit if she had not liked it. The room was a large, pleasant one, with a sunny bay window, a stand of plants, a case of books, and every other thing that she could possibly need or desire.
Mrs. Kensett started as her eye fell on familiar objects; there was the claw-footed mahogany centre-table with antique carvings, her straight-backed old rocker, and "father"s" dear arm-chair, both newly cushioned, and otherwise brightened up. The sofa, too, of ancient pattern, that had stood in her parlour at Hawthorn for forty years, looked like an old friend in a new dress. Benjamin had ransacked all the carpet stores to find a carpet that would resemble as nearly as possible, in colour and design, his mother"s parlour carpet when he was a boy. He succeeded so well that his mother put on her gla.s.ses and bent nearer to make sure that it was not that identical one.
In an out-of-the-way corner she discovered her little three-legged stand holding a tiny bra.s.s candlestick (one of her wedding presents) and the snuffers on the j.a.panned trays. It was not alone that the old times were brought back so vividly that made the tears come, but this one little thing showed such loving thoughtfulness for her comfort.
(John"s wife would never have allowed a candle in the house.)
This was Benjamin"s hour of triumph and gladness; for this he had spent years of patient toil, and now it had come in such a strange, unexpected way, it, and so much more than he had asked or looked for; this princely home, this precious wife, and mother abiding with them all the rest of her days; it was too much, such loving-kindness!
Marian understood; she did not express surprise when he brought out a little worn psalm-book that she had never seen, and said:
"Sing this for me, dear, to some old tune that fits it; I wish I knew what my father sang it to when I was a boy."
"I have a book of old music here, perhaps I can find the very one,"
she said; and then the pure voice soared out in the song of praise his father had loved:
"Praise G.o.d, for he is kind; His mercy lasts for aye; Give thanks with heart and mind To G.o.d of G.o.ds alway.
For certainly His mercies dure, Most firm and sure, Eternally."
The quaint rendering--new to her--pleased her, and she sang others, closing in low, soft notes, with:
"The Lord"s my Shepherd, I"ll not want, He makes me down to lie; In pastures green he leadeth me The quiet waters by."
And the dear old mother dreamed, as a strain or two of Lenox and St.
Martin"s floated up to her room, that she was in the old home, and "father" was conducting family worship. Little by little, with her coaxing ways, Marian succeeded in effecting a change in her mother-in-law"s dress, and when one day everything was finished, and she had her arrayed in a fine black cashmere, made according to her own ideas of simplicity, the white hair crowned with a soft white lace cap, and the same soft folds about hep neck, her delight was complete.
"You dear, beautiful mother," she said, clasping the lace with a plain jet pin; "it is just delightful to fix you up, everything sets you out so; its better than dressing dolls. Won"t Benjie be delighted?"
When Maria, and John, and John"s wife came to visit their new sister-in-law, they were astonished beyond measure to find that mother had been transformed into that handsome old lady who moved about this elegant home with easy dignity, as if it were her own.
This rare son and daughter never made their mother feel that she was that uncomfortable third person who spoiled delightful confidences for young people; they talked freely together, and with her, and she renewed her youth in their lively intercourse. When company was announced she was given to retiring in haste from the room, just as she did at Maria"s and John"s, but Marian stopped that with "Please do stay, mother, and help us entertain them; besides, I want you in that corner with your bright knitting to make our rooms picturesque; you"re the greatest ornament they contain." Then the old lady would say, "Pooh! you don"t want an old body like me," albeit she was well pleased that she was wanted, and would remain, occasionally throwing in her quaint remark, adding zest to the conversation.
If an old lady could be easily spoiled, Mrs. Kensett was in danger; these two fond children were continually bringing offerings to her shrine, flowers, choice fruit, new books, wherever they went they remembered her. It was an altogether new and delightful life that she had entered upon. With Marian she visited charitable inst.i.tutions, dispensed bounties--read the Bible to the sick and poor, and ministered comfort to many a distressed soul. They attended wonderful meetings, and sat in heavenly places, and Marian and she enjoyed each other quite as much as they did everything else. The tie that united them was not Benjamin alone; each recognised in the other the lineaments of the Lord she loved, their sympathies flowed together as if half a century did not stretch between them.
Is there any other influence known that levels all differences and brings souls so near together as this strange personal love to Christ? They talked and read together, they were dear, confidential friends--such intercourse is rarely found between mother and daughter.
The following summer, when they all took up their abode in Hawthorn, in the old home that Marian had purchased and refitted for a summer residence, and Mrs. Kensett trained again the vines in her garden, her cup was full; especially when in the old church she joined her voice to the great congregation and sang her joy and thanks in the sweet psalm:
"O thou my soul, bless G.o.d the Lord; And all that in me is, Be stirred up, his holy name To magnify and bless.
Bless, O my soul, the Lord thy G.o.d, And not forgetful be Of all his gracious benefits."
THE PANSY BOOKS.
_LIST OF THE SERIES_.
1. FOUR GIRLS AT CHAUTAUQUA.
2. LITTLE FISHERS & THEIR NETS.
3. THREE PEOPLE.
4. ECHOING AND RE-ECHOING.
5. CHRISTIE"S CHRISTMAS.
6. DIVERS WOMEN.
7. SPUN FROM FACT.
8. THE CHAUTAUQUA GIRLS AT HOME.
9. THE POCKET MEASURE.
10. JULIA RIED.
11. WISE AND OTHERWISE.
12. THE KING"S DAUGHTER.
13. LINKS IN REBECCA"S LIFE.
14. INTERRUPTED.
15. THE MASTER HAND.
16. AN ENDLESS CHAIN.
17. ESTER RIED.
18. ESTER RIED YET SPEAKING.
19. THE MAN OF THE HOUSE.
20. RUTH ERSKINE"S CROSSES.
21. HOUSEHOLD PUZZLES.
22. MABEL WYNN; OR, THOSE BOYS.
23. MODERN PROPHETS.
24. THE RANDOLPHS.
25. MRS. SOLOMON SMITH LOOKING ON.
26. FROM DIFFERENT STANDPOINTS.
27. A NEW GRAFT ON THE FAMILY TREE.