Mrs. Jane"s pair were an odd contrast, and even the stern disciplinarian herself could not help smiling as she watched them.
Steve was superb, and might have been married on the spot, so superfine was his broadcloth, glossy his linen, and perfect the fit of his gloves; while pride and happiness so fermented in his youthful bosom, that there would have been danger of spontaneous combustion if dancing had not proved a safety-valve; for his strong sense of the proprieties would not permit him to vent his emotions in any other way.
Kitty felt no such restraint, and looked like a blissful little gypsy, with her brunette prettiness set off by a dashing costume of cardinal and cream color, and every hair on her head curled in a Merry Pecksniffian crop; for youth was her strong point, and she much enjoyed the fact that she had been engaged three times before she was nineteen.
To see her and Steve spin round the room was a sight to bring a smile to the lips of the crustiest bachelor or saddest spinster; for happy lovers are always a pleasing spectacle, and two such merry little grigs as these are seldom seen.
Mac, meantime, with gla.s.ses astride of his nose, surveyed his brother"s performances "on the light fantastic" very much as a benevolent Newfoundland would the gambols of a toy terrier, receiving with thanks the hasty hints for his guidance which Steve breathed into his ear as he pa.s.sed, and forgetting all about them the next minute.
When not thus engaged, Mac stood about with his thumbs in his vest pockets, regarding the lively crowd like a meditative philosopher of a cheerful aspect, often smiling to himself at some whimsical fancy of his own, knitting his brows as some bit of ill-natured gossip met his ear, or staring with undisguised admiration as a beautiful face or figure caught his eye.
"I hope that girl knows what a treasure she has got. But I doubt if she ever fully appreciates it," said Mrs. Jane, bringing her spectacles to bear upon Kitty, as she whisked by, causing quite a gale with her flying skirts.
"I think she will: for Steve has been so well brought up, she cannot but see and feel the worth of what she has never had; and being so young she will profit by it," answered Mrs. Jessie, softly; thinking of the days when she and her Jem danced together, just betrothed.
"I"ve done my duty by both the boys, and done it _thoroughly_: or their father would have spoilt them; for he"s no more idea of discipline than a child," and Aunt Jane gave her own palm a smart rap with her closed fan, emphasizing the word "thoroughly" in a most suggestive manner.
"I"ve often wished I had your firmness, Jane: but, after all, I"m not sure that I don"t like my own way best, at least with my boys; for plenty of love, and plenty of patience, seem to have succeeded pretty well;" and Aunt Jessie lifted the nosegay from her lap, feeling as if that unfailing love and patience were already blooming into her life, as beautifully as the sweet-breathed roses given by her boy refreshed and brightened these long hours of patient waiting in a corner.
"I don"t deny that you"ve done well, Jessie; but you"ve been let alone, and had no one to hold your hand or interfere. If my Mac had gone to sea as your Jem did, I never should have been as severe as I am. Men are so perverse and short-sighted, they don"t trouble about the future as long as things are quiet and comfortable in the present," continued Mrs. Jane, quite forgetting that the short-sighted partner of the firm, physically speaking at least, was herself.
"Ah, yes! we mothers love to foresee and foretell our children"s lives even before they are born, and are very apt to be disappointed if they do not turn out as we planned. I know I am: yet I really have no cause to complain, and am learning to see that all we can do is to give the dear boys good principles, and the best training we may, then leave them to finish what we have begun;" and Mrs. Jessie"s eye wandered away to Archie, dancing with Rose, quite unconscious what a pretty little castle in the air tumbled down when he fell in love with Phebe.
"Right, quite right: on that point we agree exactly. I have spared nothing to give my boys good principles and good habits, and I am willing to trust them anywhere. Nine times did I whip my Steve to cure him of fibbing, and over and over again did Mac go without his dinner rather than wash his hands. But I whipped and starved them both into obedience, and _now_ I have my reward," concluded the "stern parent,"
with a proud wave of the fan, which looked very like a ferule, being as big, hard, and uncompromising as such an article could be.
Mrs. Jessie gave a mild murmur of a.s.sent, but could not help thinking, with a smile, that, in spite of their early tribulations, the sins for which the boys suffered had got a little mixed in their results; for fibbing Steve was now the tidy one, and careless Mac the truth-teller.
But such small contradictions will happen in the best-regulated families, and all perplexed parents can do is to keep up a steadfast preaching and practising, in the hope that it will bear fruit sometime; for according to the old proverb,--
""Children pick up words as pigeons pease, To utter them again as G.o.d shall please.""
"I hope they won"t dance the child to death among them; for each one seems bound to have his turn, even your sober Mac," said Mrs. Jessie, a few minutes later, as she saw Archie hand Rose over to his cousin, who carried her off with an air of triumph from several other claimants.
"She"s very good to him, and her influence is excellent; for he is of an age now when a young woman"s opinion has more weight than an old one"s. Though he is always good to his mother, and I feel as if I should take great comfort in him. He"s one of the sort who will not marry till late, if ever, being fond of books and a quiet life,"
responded Mrs. Jane, remembering how often her son had expressed his belief that philosophers should not marry, and brought up Plato as an example of the serene wisdom only to be attained by a single man, while her husband sided with Socrates, for whom he felt a profound sympathy, though he didn"t dare to own it.
"Well, I don"t know about that. Since my Archie surprised me by losing his heart as he did, I"m prepared for any thing, and advise you to do likewise. I really shouldn"t wonder if Mac did something remarkable in that line, though he shows no signs of it yet, I confess," answered Mrs. Jessie, laughing.
"It won"t be in that direction, you may be sure; for _her_ fate is sealed. Dear me, how sad it is to see a superior girl, like that, about to throw herself away on a handsome scapegrace. I won"t mention names, but you understand me;" and Mrs. Jane shook her head, as if she _could_ mention the name of one superior girl who had thrown herself away, and now saw the folly of it.
"I"m very anxious, of course, and so is Alec: but it may be the saving of one party, and the happiness of the other; for some women love to give more than they receive," said Mrs. Jessie, privately wondering, for the thousandth time, why brother Mac ever married the learned Miss Humphries.
"You"ll see that it won"t prosper; and I shall always maintain that a wife cannot entirely undo a mother"s work. Rose will have her hands full if she tries to set all Clara"s mistakes right," answered Aunt Jane, grimly; then began to fan violently as their hostess approached to have a dish of chat about "our dear young people."
Rose was in a merry mood that night, and found Mac quite ready for fun, which was fortunate, since her first remark set them off on a droll subject.
"O Mac! Annabel has just confided to me that she is engaged to Fun See! Think of her going to housekeeping in Canton some day, and having to order rats, puppies, and birds"-nest soup for dinner," whispered Rose, too much amused to keep the news to herself.
"By Confucius! isn"t that a sweet prospect?" and Mac burst out laughing, to the great surprise of his neighbors, who wondered what there was amusing about the Chinese sage. "It is rather alarming, though, to have these infants going on at this rate. Seems to be catching; a new sort of scarlet-fever, to judge by Annabel"s cheeks and Kitty"s gown," he added, regarding the aforesaid ladies with eyes still twinkling with merriment.
"Don"t be ungallant, but go and do likewise; for it is all the fashion. I heard Mrs. Van tell old Mrs. Joy that it was going to be a marrying year; so you"ll be sure to catch it," answered Rose, reefing her skirts; for, with all his training, Mac still found it difficult to keep his long legs out of the man-traps.
"It doesn"t look like a painful disease; but I must be careful, for I"ve no time to be ill now. What are the symptoms?" asked Mac, trying to combine business with pleasure, and improve his mind while doing his duty.
"If you ever come back I"ll tell you," laughed Rose, as he danced away into the wrong corner, b.u.mped smartly against another gentleman, and returned as soberly as if that was the proper figure.
"Well, tell me "how not to do it,"" he said, subsiding for a moment"s talk when Rose had floated to and fro in her turn.
"Oh! you see some young girl who strikes you as particularly charming,--whether she really is or not doesn"t matter a bit,--and you begin to think about her a great deal, to want to see her, and to get generally sentimental and absurd," began Rose, finding it difficult to give a diagnosis of the most mysterious disease under the sun.
"Don"t think it sounds enticing. Can"t I find an antidote somewhere; for if it is in the air this year I"m sure to get it, and it may be fatal," said Mac, who felt pretty lively and liked to make Rose merry; for he suspected that she had a little trouble from a hint Dr. Alec had given him.
"I hope you will catch it, because you"ll be so funny."
"Will you take care of me as you did before, or have you got your hands full?"
"I"ll help; but really with Archie and Steve and--Charlie, I shall have enough to do. You"d better take it lightly the first time, and so won"t need much care."
"Very well, how shall I begin? Enlighten my ignorance and start me right, I beg."
"Go about and see people; make yourself agreeable, and not sit in corners observing other people as if they were puppets dancing for your amus.e.m.e.nt. I heard Mrs. Van once say that propinquity works wonders; and she ought to know, having married off two daughters, and just engaged a third to "a most charming young man.""
"Good lack! the cure sounds worse than the disease. Propinquity, hey?
Why, I may be in danger this identical moment, and can"t flee for my life," said Mac, gently catching her round the waist for a general waltz.
"Don"t be alarmed, but mind your steps; for Charlie is looking at us, and I want you to do your best. That"s perfect: take me quite round; for I love to waltz, and seldom get a good turn except with you boys,"
said Rose, smiling up at him approvingly, as his strong arm guided her among the revolving couples, and his feet kept time without a fault.
"This certainly is a great improvement on the chair business, to which I have devoted myself with such energy that I"ve broken the backs of two partners and dislocated the arm of the old rocker. I took an occasional turn with that heavy party, thinking it good practice in case I ever happen to dance with stout ladies," and Mac nodded toward Annabel, pounding gaily away with Mr. Tokio, whose yellow countenance beamed as his beady eyes rested on his plump _fiancee_.
Pausing in the midst of her merriment at the image of Mac and the old rocking-chair, Rose said reprovingly,--
"Though a heathen Chinee, Fun puts you to shame; for _he_ did not ask foolish questions, but went a wooing like a sensible little man; and I"ve no doubt Annabel will be very happy."
"Choose me a suitable divinity, and I will try to adore. Can I do more than that to retrieve my character?" answered Mac, safely landing his partner, and plying the fan according to instructions.
"How would Emma do?" inquired Rose, whose sense of the ludicrous was strong, and who could not resist the temptation of horrifying Mac by the suggestion.
"Never! It sets my teeth on edge to look at her to-night. I suppose that dress is "a sweet thing just out;" but, upon my word, she reminds me of nothing but a harlequin ice," and Mac turned his back on her with a shudder; for he was sensitive to discords of all kinds.
"She certainly does; and that mixture of chocolate, pea green, and pink is simply detestable, though many people would consider it decidedly "chic," to use her favorite word. I suppose you will dress your wife like a Spartan matron of the time of Lycurgus," added Rose, much tickled by his new conceit.
"I"ll wait till I get her before I decide. But one thing I"m sure of,--she shall _not_ dress like a Greek dancer of the time of Pericles," answered Mac, regarding with great disfavor a young lady who, having a statuesque figure, affected drapery of the scanty and clinging description.
"Then it is of no use to suggest that cla.s.sic creature; so, as you reject my first attempts, I won"t go on, but look about me quietly, and you had better do the same. Seriously, Mac, more gayety and less study would do you good; for you will grow old before your time, if you shut yourself up and pore over books so much."
"I don"t believe there is a younger or a jollier feeling fellow in the room than I am, though I may not conduct myself like a dancing dervish. But I own you may be right about the books; for there are many sorts of intemperance, and a library is as irresistible to me as a bar-room to a toper. I shall have to sign a pledge, and cork up the only bottle that tempts me,--my inkstand."
"I"ll tell you how to make it easier to abstain. Stop studying, and write a novel into which you can put all your wise things, and so clear your brains for a new start by and by. Do: I should _so_ like to read it," cried Rose, delighted with the project; for she was sure Mac could do any thing he liked in that line.
"First live, then write. How can I go to romancing till I know what romance means?" he asked soberly, feeling that so far he had had very little in his life.