"Yes it was, because, you know, we have only fried pork for dinner to-day; and while we have the milk and eggs, it doesn"t cost much ? the sugar is almost nothing. He will like it better, and so will Hugh. As for you," said Fleda, gently touching her forehead again, "you know it is of no consequence!"
"I wish you would think yourself of some consequence," said Mrs. Rossitur.
"Don"t I think myself of consequence?" said Fleda, affectionately. "I don"t know how you"d all get on without me.
What do you think I have a mind to do now, by way of resting myself?"
"Well?" said Mrs. Rossitur, thinking of something else.
"It is the day for making presents to the minister, you know?"
"The minister? ?"
"Yes, the new minister ? they expect him to-day; you have heard of it; the things are all to be carried to his house to- day. I have a great notion to go and see the fun ? If I only had anything in the world I could possibly take with me ?"
"Aren"t you too tired, dear?"
"No ? it would rest me; it is early yet; if I only had something to take! I couldn"t go without taking something ?"
"A basket of eggs?" said Mrs. Rossitur.
"Can"t, aunt Lucy ? I can"t spare them; so many of the hens are setting now. A basket of strawberries! ? that"s the thing!
I"ve got enough picked for that and to-night too. That will do!"
Fleda"s preparations were soon made, and with her basket on her arm she was ready to set forth.
"If pride had not been a little put down in me," she said, smiling, "I suppose I should rather stay at home than go with such a petty offering. And no doubt every one that sees it or hears of it will lay it to anything but the right reason. So much the world knows about the people it judges! It is too bad to leave you all alone, aunt Lucy."
Mrs. Rossitur pulled her down for a kiss ? a kiss in which how much was said on both sides! ? and Fleda set forth, choosing, as she very commonly did, the old-time way through the kitchen.
"Off again?" said Barby, who was on her knees scrubbing the great flag-stones of the hearth.
"Yes, I am going up to see the donation party."
"Has the minister come?"
"No, but he is coming to-day, I understand."
"He ha"n"t preached for "em yet, has he?"
"Not yet; I suppose he will next Sunday."
"They are in a mighty hurry to give him a donation party!"
said Barby. "I"d a" waited till he was here first. I don"t believe they"d be quite so spry with their donations if they had paid the last man up as they ought. I"d rather give a man what belongs to him, and make him presents afterwards."
"Why, so I hope they will, Barby," said Fleda, laughing. But Barby said no more.
The parsonage-house was about a quarter of a mile, a little more, from the saw-mill, in a line at right angles with the main road. Fleda took Hugh from his work, to see her safe there. The road ran north, keeping near the level of the mid- hill, where it branched off a little below the saw-mill; and as the ground continued rising towards the east, and was well clothed with woods, the way, at this hour, was still pleasantly shady. To the left, the same slope of ground carried down to the foot of the hill gave them an uninterrupted view over a wide plain or bottom, edged in the distance with a circle of gently swelling hills. Close against the hills, in the far corner of the plain, lay the little village of Queechy Run, hid from sight by a slight intervening rise of ground. Not a chimney showed itself in the whole spread of country. A sunny landscape just now; but rich in picturesque a.s.sociations of hay-c.o.c.ks and win-rows, spotting it near and far; and close by below them was a field of mowers at work; they could distinctly hear the measured rush of the scythes through the gra.s.s, and then the soft clink of the rifles would seem to play some old delicious tune of childish days. Fleda made Hugh stand still to listen. It was a warm day, but "the sweet south that breathes upon a bank of violets" could hardly be more sweet than the air which, coming to them over the whole breadth of the valley, had been charged by the new-made hay.
"How good it is, Hugh," said Fleda, "that one can get out of doors, and forget everything that ever happened or ever will happen within four walls!"
"Do you?" said Hugh, rather soberly.
"Yes, I do ? even in my flower-patch, right before the house- door; but here" ? said Fleda, turning away, and swinging her basket of strawberries as she went, "I have no idea I ever did such a thing as make bread, ? and how clothes get mended I do not comprehend in the least!"
"And have you forgotten the pease and the asparagus too?"
"I am afraid you haven"t, dear Hugh," said Fleda, linking her arm within his. "Hugh ? I must find some way to make money."
"More money!" said Hugh, smiling.
"Yes ? this garden business is all very well, but it doesn"t come to any very great things after all, if you are aware of it; and Hugh, I want to get aunt Lucy a new dress. I can"t bear to see her in that old merino, and it isn"t good for her.
Why, Hugh, she couldn"t possibly see anybody, if anybody should come to the house."
"Who is there to come?" said Hugh.
"Why, n.o.body; but still, she ought not to be so."
"What more can you do, dear Fleda? You work a great deal too hard already," said Hugh, sighing. "You should have seen the way father and mother looked at you last night when you were asleep on the sofa."
Fleda stifled her sigh, and went on.
"I am sure there are things that might be done ? things for the booksellers ? translating, or copying, or something ? I don"t know exactly ? I have heard of people"s doing such things. I mean to write to uncle Orrin, and ask him. I am sure he can manage it for me."
"What were you writing the other night?" said Hugh, suddenly.
"When!"
"The other night ? when you were writing by the fire-light? I saw your pencil scribbling away at a furious rate over the paper, and you kept your hand up carefully between me and your face, but I could see it was something very interesting. Ha!"
? said Hugh, laughingly trying to get another view of Fleda"s face which was again kept from him. "Send that to uncle Orrin, Fleda; ? or show it to me first, and then I will tell you."
Fleda made no answer; and at the parsonage-door Hugh left her.
Two or three wagons were standing there, but n.o.body to be seen. Fleda went up the steps and crossed the broad piazza, brown and unpainted, but picturesque still, and guided by the sound of tongues turned to the right, where she found a large low room, the very centre of the stir. But the stir had not by any means reached the height yet. Not more than a dozen people were gathered. Here were aunt Syra and Mrs. Dougla.s.s, appointed a committee to receive and dispose the offerings as they were brought in.
"Why, there is not much to be seen yet," said Fleda. "I did not know I was so early."
"Time enough," said Mrs. Dougla.s.s. "They"ll come the thicker when they do come. Good morning, Dr. Quackenboss! I hope you"re a-going to give us something else besides a bow? and I wont take none of your physic neither."
"I humbly submit," said the doctor, graciously, "that nothing ought to be expected of gentlemen that ? a ? are so unhappy as to be alone; for they really ? a ? have nothing to give ? but themselves."
There was a shout of merriment.
"And suppos"n that"s a gift that n.o.body wants?" said Mrs.
Dougla.s.s"s sharp eye and voice at once.
"In that case," said the doctor, "I really ? Miss Ringgan, may I ? a ? may I relieve your hand of this fair burden?"
"It is not a very fair burden, Sir," said Fleda, laughing, and relinquishing her strawberries.