Nothing daunted by this ungracious reception, Jenny advanced towards the "back room," where she found Mary at the "sink," her arms immersed in dishwater, and a formidable pile of plates, platters and bowls all ready to be wiped, standing near her. Throwing aside her bonnet and seizing the coa.r.s.e dish towel, Jenny exclaimed, "I"m going to wipe dishes Mary, I know how, and when they are done, if Miss Grundy won"t let you go up stairs a minute, I"ll ask Mr. Parker. I saw him under the woodshed grinding an axe."
It was a rare thing to see Jenny Lincoln in the kitchen at the poor-house, and now the fact that she was there, and wiping dishes too, circulated rapidly, bringing to the spot the sour-faced woman, the pleasant-looking woman, the girl with the crooked feet, and half a dozen others, each of whom commented upon the phenomenon after her own fashion.
"Do see the little thing," said one; "handles the wiping rag just like any body!"
"And look there," cried a second; "setting them up in the cupboard!
Did you ever!" While a third remarked that she wore silk stockings, wondering whether they were bought on purpose for her, or had been cut over from a pair of her mother"s.
Thus noticed and flattered Jenny worked away, a.s.sisting in scouring knives and washing spiders, until her dress was splashed with dishwater, and her white ap.r.o.n crocked by the kettles.
"Won"t your marm scold you for getting so dirty?" asked the girl with the crooked feet.
"I s"pose so," said Jenny, carelessly; "but then she scolds most all the time, so I don"t mind it!"
The dishes being done, and Miss Grundy making no objections, Mary accompanied Jenny up stairs, where the latter, opening her basket, held to view a neat-looking straw hat, far prettier than the one which Mrs. Campbell had presented.
"See," said she, placing it upon Mary"s head; "this is for you. I wanted to give you mine, but "twasn"t big enough, so Rose let you have hers. It"s real becoming, too."
The tears which fell from Mary"s eyes were caused not less by Jenny"s kindness, than by the thought that the haughty Rose Lincoln had given her a bonnet! She did not know of the sacrifice which the n.o.ble-hearted Jenny had made to obtain it, and it was well she did not, for it would have spoiled all the happiness she experienced in wearing it.
"Thank you, Jenny, and Rose too," said she. "I am so glad, for I love to go to church, and I surely would never have gone again and wore that other bonnet."
"I wouldn"t either," returned Jenny. "I think it was ridiculous for Mrs. Campbell to give you such an old dud of a thing, and I know mother thinks so too, for she laughed hard for her, when I described it, though she said nothing except that "beggars shouldn"t be choosers." I wonder what that means. Do you know?"
Mary felt that she was beginning to know, but she did not care to enlighten Jenny, who soon sprang up, saying she must go home, or her mother would be sending Henry after her. "And I don"t want him to come here," said she, "for I know you don"t like him, and there don"t hardly any body, he"s so stuck up and kind of--I don"t know what."
In pa.s.sing through the hall, the girls met Miss Grundy, who had just come from Patsy"s room. As soon as she saw Mary, she said, "Clap on your bonnet quick, and run as fast as ever you can to Miss Thornfield"s. Dr. Gilbert has gone there, and do you tell him to come here right away, for Patsy is dreadful sick, and has fits all the time."
There was a tremor in her voice, and she seemed much excited, which surprised the girls, who fancied she would not care even if Patsy died. Mrs. Thornfield"s was soon reached, the message given, and then they hurried back.
"Is Patsy worse?" asked Mary, as she saw the bedroom door open, and two or three women standing near the bed.
Miss Grundy did not answer, and when next her face was visible, the girls saw that her eyes were red, as if she had been weeping.
"Funny, isn"t it?" said Jenny, as she started for home. "I didn"t suppose any thing would make her cry, and I guess now the tears are sort of _sour!_"
Dr. Gilbert came, but his skill could not save the poor idiot girl, and at about four that afternoon she died. Around the bed of death there were no tears or lamentations, for those who stood by and watched the lamp of life as it went out, felt that the spirit which was leaving them would be happier far in another world, for never in this had a ray of reason shone upon poor Patsy"s darkened mind. We have said there were no tears, and yet, although the waters came not to the surface, there was one heart which wept, as with unflinching nerve the cold, stern woman arrayed the dead girl for the grave.
That night Mary was aroused from sleep, by some one whispering her name in her ear, and starting up, she saw Sally bending over her.
"Come with me," said she softly, "and I"ll show you the queerest sight you ever saw."
Trembling in every joint, Mary arose and followed Sal, who led her towards the room where Patsy lay. As she drew near the door they paused, and by the light of the autumn moon, which streamed through the curtained window Mary saw Miss Grundy kneeling by the cold body, and sobbing bitterly. Once she spoke, and Mary caught the words, "My child, my poor child."
Wonderingly she looked up to Sally for an explanation; but the crazy woman only replied, as they returned to their rooms, "Yes,--there"s been queer doings some time or other, it"s very evident; but I know one thing, I"ll never draw her profile again, and I"ll call her _Mrs._ Grundy after this!"
It was hardly worth while, as the neighbors thought, to be at all the trouble and expense of carrying a foolish girl without friends or relatives to the graveyard, so they buried her beneath the shadow of a wide-spreading maple, in a little inclosure where several other unfortunate ones lay sleeping At the funeral many wondered at the ghastly whiteness of Miss Grundy"s face, and why she grasped at the coffin lid, as if to keep from falling, when with others she gazed upon the pale face which, in its dreamless slumber, looked calm and placid as that of a child.
There were but few who knew of Miss Grundy"s sin, and her secret was buried in Patsy"s grave, where often a mother"s form was bending and a mother"s tears were shed, when the world was dark and still, and there was no eye to see, save that of Him who said, "Go and sin no more."
CHAPTER X.
WINTER AT THE POOR-HOUSE.
One afternoon about the middle of October, Mary sat under an apple-tree in the orchard, weeping bitterly. It was in vain that Alice, who was with her, and who by this time was able to stand alone, climbed up to her side, patting her cheeks, and trying various ways to win her attention. She still wept on, unmindful of the sound of rapid footsteps upon the gra.s.s, nor until twice repeated did she hear the words, "Why, Mary, what is the matter? What"s happened?"--then looking up she saw Billy Bender, who raised her in his arms, and insisted upon knowing what was the matter.
Laying her head on his shoulder, she sobbed out, "She"s gone,--she"s gone, and there"s n.o.body left but Sally. Oh dear, oh dear!"
"Gone! Who"s gone?" asked Billy.
"Jenny," was Mary"s reply. "She"s gone to Boston, and won"t come back till next May; and I loved her so much."
"Oh, yes, I know," returned Billy. "I met them all on their way to the depot; but I wouldn"t feel so badly. Jenny will come again, and besides that, I"ve got some real good news to tell you.
"About Ella?" said Mary.
"No, not about Ella, but about myself; I"m coming here to live with you."
"Coming here to live!" repeated Mary with astonishment. "What for?
Are your folks all dead?"
Billy smiled and answered, "Not quite so bad as that. I went to school here two years ago, and I know I learned more than I ever did at home in two seasons. The boys, when Henry Lincoln is away, don"t act half as badly as they do in the village; and then they usually have a lady teacher, because it"s cheaper I suppose, for they don"t pay them half as much as they do gentlemen, and I think they are a great deal the best. Any way, I can learn the most when I go to a woman."
"But what makes you come here, and what will your mother do?" asked Mary.
"She"s got a sister come from the West to stay with her, and as I shall go home every Sat.u.r.day night, she"ll get along well enough. I heard Mr. Parker in the store one day inquiring for a boy to do ch.o.r.es. So after consulting mother, I offered my services, and was accepted. Won"t we have real nice times going to school together, and then I"ve brought a plaything for you. Are you afraid of dogs?"
So saying he gave a whistle, and a large Newfoundland dog came bounding through the orchard. At first Mary drew back in alarm, for the dog, though young, was unusually large; but her fears soon vanished when she saw how affectionate he was, licking her own and Alice"s hands, and bounding playfully upon his master"s shoulders.
"He is a nice fellow," said she, stroking his s.h.a.ggy sides. What do you call him?"
"Ta.s.so," answered Billy; and then seeing Mr. Parker at a distance, and wishing to speak to him, he walked away.
Three weeks from that time the winter school commenced; and Billy took up his abode at the poor-house, greatly to the satisfaction of Sally and Mary, and greatly to the annoyance of Miss Grundy, who, since Patsy"s death, was crosser and more fault-finding than ever.
"Smart idea!" said she, "to have that great lummux around to be waited on!" and when she saw how happy his presence seemed to make Mary, she vented her displeasure upon her in various ways, conjuring up all sorts of reasons why she should stay out of school as often as possible, and wondering "what the world was a coming to, when young ones hardly out of the cradle begun to court! It wasn"t so in her younger days, goodness knew!"
"I wouldn"t venture a great many remarks about my younger days, if I were you, _Mrs._ Grundy," said Sal, who had adhered to her resolution of always addressing her old enemy as _Mrs._, though she whispered it to Mary as her opinion that the woman didn"t fancy her new t.i.tle.
Much as Mary had learned to prize Sally"s friendship, before winter was over she had cause to value it still more highly. Wretched and dest.i.tute as the poor crazed creature now was, she showed plainly that at some period or other of her life, she had had rare advantages for education, which she now brought into use for Mary"s benefit. When Mary first commenced attending school, Miss Grundy insisted that she should knit every evening, and thus she found no opportunity for studying at home. One evening when, as usual, a part of the family were a.s.sembled around a blazing fire in the kitchen, Sal Furbush suddenly exclaimed, "Mary, why don"t you bring your books home at night, just as Mr. Bender does."
She had conceived a great respect for Billy, and always called him _Mr._ Mary cast a rueful glance at the coa.r.s.e sock, which certainly was not growing fast, and replied, "I should like to, but I have to knit all the time."
"Fudge on your everlasting knitting," said Sal, s.n.a.t.c.hing the sock from Mary"s hands and making the needles fly nimbly. "I"m going to be very magnanimous, and every time you"ll bring your books home I"ll knit for you--I beg Mrs. Grundy, that you"ll not throw the fire all over the floor," she added, as that lady gave the forestick a violent kick.