"Oh, I"m so glad! I"m so glad!" shouted f.a.n.n.y, dancing round the room and flinging up her arms.
"And I"m glad, too!" said Gracie, catching the tone of congratulation, and putting her mouth up to Gertrude for a kiss.
"And _I_ am glad," said Mr. Clinton, placing his hands upon those of Willie and Gertrude, which were still clasped together, "that the n.o.ble and self-sacrificing girl, whom I have no words to thank, and no power to repay, has reaped a worthy reward in the love of one of the few men with whom a fond father may venture wholly to trust the happiness of his child."
Exhausted by so much excitement, Mr. Clinton now complained of sudden faintness, and was a.s.sisted to his room by Willie, who, after waiting to see him fully restored, returned to receive the blessing of Emily upon his new hopes, and hear with wonder and delight the circ.u.mstances which attended the discovery of Gertrude"s parentage.
For although it was an appointment to meet Mr. Amory which had summoned him back to Boston, and he had in the course of their interview acquainted him with the happy termination of a lover"s doubts, he had not, until the disclosure took place in Mr. Graham"s parlour, received in return the slightest hint of the great surprise which awaited him. He had felt a little astonishment at his friend"s express desire to join him at once in a visit to Mr. Graham"s; but on being informed that he had made the acquaintance of Mrs. Graham in Germany, he concluded that a desire to renew his intercourse with the family, and possibly a slight curiosity to see the lady of his own choice, were the only motives that had influenced him.
And now, amid retrospections of the past, thanksgiving for the present, and hopes and aspirations for the future, the evening pa.s.sed rapidly away.
"Come here, Gerty!" said Willie, "come to the window, and see what a beautiful night it is."
It was indeed a glorious night. Snow lay on the ground. The air was intensely cold without, as might be judged from the quick movements of the pedestrians and the brilliant icicles with which everything that had an edge was fringed. The stars were glittering too as they never glitter, except on the most intense of winter nights. The moon was just peeping above an old brown building--the same old corner building which had been visible from the door-step where Willie and Gerty were wont to sit in their childhood, and from behind which they had often watched the coming of the same round moon.
Leaning on Willie"s shoulder, Gertrude stood gazing until the full circle was visible in a s.p.a.ce of clear and cloudless ether. Neither of them spoke, but their hearts throbbed with the same emotion as they thought of the days that were past.
Just then the gasman came quickly up the street, lit, as by an electric touch, the bright burners that in close ranks lined either side-walk, and in a moment more was out of sight.
Gertrude sighed. "It was no such easy task for poor old Uncle True,"
said she; "there have been great improvements since his time."
"There have, indeed!" said Willie, glancing round the well-lit, warm, and pleasantly-furnished rooms of his own and Gertrude"s home, and resting his eyes at last upon the beloved one by his side, whose beaming face but reflected back his own happiness--"such improvements, Gerty, as we only dreamt of once! I wish the dear old man could be here and share them!"
A tear started to Gertrude"s eye; but, pressing Willie"s arm, she pointed reverently upward to a beautiful, bright star just breaking forth from a silvery film which had hitherto half overshadowed it; the star through which Gertrude had ever fancied she could discern the smile of the kind old man.
"Dear Uncle True!" said she; "his lamp still burns brightly in heaven, Willie; and its light is not yet gone out on earth!"
In a beautiful town about thirty miles from Boston, and on the sh.o.r.e of those hill-embosomed ponds which would be immortalized by the poet in a country less rich than ours with such sheets of blue transparent water, there stood a mansion-house of solid though ancient architecture. It had been the property of Philip Amory"s paternal grandparents, and the early home and sole inheritance of his father, who so cherished the spot that it was only with great reluctance, and when driven to the act by the spur of poverty, that he was induced to part with the much-valued estate.
To reclaim the venerable homestead, repair and judiciously modernize the house, and fertilize and adorn the grounds, was a favourite scheme with Philip. His ample means now rendered it practicable; he lost no time in putting it into execution, and the spring after he returned from his wanderings saw the work in a fair way to be speedily completed.
In the meantime Gertrude"s marriage had taken place; the Grahams had removed to their house in town (which, out of compliment to Isabel, who was pa.s.sing the winter with her aunt, was more than ever crowded with gay company), and the bustling mistress was already projecting changes in her husband"s country-seat.
And Emily, who had parted with her greatest treasure, and found herself in an atmosphere which was little in harmony with her spirit, murmured not; but, contented with her lot, neither dreamed of nor asked for outward change until Philip came to her one day and, taking her by the hand, said gently--
"This is no home for you, Emily. You are as much alone as I in my solitary farm-house. We loved each other in childhood, our hearts became one youth, and have continued so until now. Why should we be longer parted? Your father will not now oppose our wishes; and will you, dearest, refuse to bless and gladden the lonely life of your grey-haired lover?"
But Emily shook her head, while she answered, with her smile of ineffable sweetness--
"Oh no, Philip! do not speak of it! Think of my frail health and my helplessness."
"Your health, dear Emily, is improving. The roses are already coming back to your cheeks; and for your helplessness, what task can be so sweet to me as teaching you, through my devotion, to forget it! Oh, do not send me away disappointed, Emily! A cruel fate divided us for years; do not by your own act prolong that separation! Believe me, a union with my early love is my brightest, my only hope of happiness!"
And she did not withdraw the hand which he held, but yielded the other also to his fervent clasp.
"My only thought had been, dear Philip," said she, "that ere this I should have been called to my Father"s home; and even now I feel many a warning that I cannot be very long for earth; but while I stay, be it longer or shorter, it shall be as you wish. No word of mine shall part hearts so truly one, your home shall be mine."
And when the gra.s.s turned green, and the flowers sent up their fragrance, and the birds sang in the branches, and the spring gales blew soft and made a gentle ripple on the water, Emily came to live on the hillside with Philip; and Mrs. Ellis came too to superintend all things, and especially the dairy, which became henceforth her pride. She had long since tearfully implored, and easily obtained, the forgiveness of the much-wronged Philip; and proved, by the humility of her voluntary confession, that she was not without a woman"s heart.
Mrs. Prime pleaded hard for the cook"s situation at the farm, but Emily kindly expostulated with her, saying--
"We cannot all leave my father, Mrs. Prime. Who would see to his hot toast, and the fire in the library?" and the good old woman saw the matter in the right light and submitted.
And is the long-wandering, much-suffering, and deeply-sorrowing exile happy now? He is; but his peace springs not from his beautiful home, his wide possessions, an honourable repute among his fellow-men, or even the love of the gentle Emily.
All these are blessings that he well knows how to prize; but his world-tried soul has found a deeper anchor yet--a surer refuge from the tempest and the storm; for, through the power of a living faith, he has laid hold on eternal life. The blind girl"s prayers are answered; her last, best work is done; she has cast a ray from her blessed spirit into his darkened soul; and should her call to depart soon come, she will leave behind one to follow in her footsteps, fulfil her charities, and do good on earth until such time when he shall be summoned to join her again in heaven.
As they go forth in the summer evening to breathe the balmy air, listen to the winged songster of the grove, and drink in the refreshing influences of a summer sunset, all things speak of a holy peace to the new-born heart of him who has so long been a man of sorrow.
As the sun sinks among gorgeous clouds, as the western light grows dim, and the moon and the stars come forth in their solemn beauty, they utter a lesson to his awakened soul; and the voice of nature around, and the still, small voice within whisper in gentlest, holiest accents--
"The sun shall be no more thy light by day, neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee; but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy G.o.d thy glory."
"Thy sun shall no more go down, neither shall thy moon withdraw itself; for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended."
THE END.