Miss Ravenel's conversion from secession to loyalty
Page 40
CHAPTER XXXVII.
A MARRIAGE.
Doctor Ravenel was delighted when Lillie, blushing monstrously and withone arm around his neck, and her face at first a little behind hisshoulder, confided to him the new revelation which had made her lifedoubly precious.
"I never was more happy since I came into the world, my dear," he said."I am entirely satisfied. I do most heartily return thanks for this. Ibelieve that now your happiness and well-being are assured, so far asthey can be by any human circumstance. He is the noblest young man thatI ever knew."
"Shall I send him to you to implore your consent?" she asked roguishly."Do you want a chance to domineer over him?"
The Doctor laughed outright at the absurdity of the idea.
"I feel," said he, "as though I ought to ask his consent. I ought toapologize to the municipal authorities for taking the finest fellow inthe city away from the young ladies of native birth. Seriously, my dearchild, you will have to try hard in order to be good enough for him."
"Go away," answered Lillie with a little push. "Papas are the mostungrateful of all human beings. Well, if I am not good enough, there isRavvie, and you. I throw you both in to make it an even bargain."
It was soon decided that the marriage should take place early inSeptember. Lillie had never had a long engagement, and did not nowspecially care for one, being therein, I understand, similar to mostwidows when they are once persuaded to exchange their mourning forbridal attire. Men never like that period of expectation, and Colburneurged an early day for his inauguration as monarch of a heart andhousehold. His family homestead, just now tenantless, was made fine bythe application of much paint and wall-paper, and the introduction ofhalf-a-dozen new articles of furniture. Lillie and he visited it nearlyevery day during their brief betrothal, usually accompanied by Ravvie inthe wicker baby-wagon, and were very happy in dressing up the neglectedgarden, arranging and re-arranging the chairs, and tables, and planninghow the rooms should be distributed among the family. To the Doctor wasassigned the best front bed-room, and to the Smithites and Brownites,etc., an adjoining closet of abundant dimensions.
"Ravvie and Rosann shall have the back chamber," said Lillie, "so thatRavvie can look out on the garden and be away from the dust of thestreet. I am so delighted that the little fellow is at last to have agarden and flowers. You and I will take the other front bedroom, next topapa's."
Here she colored at her own frankness, and hurried on to otherdispositions.
"That will leave us two little rooms for servants up stairs; and downstairs we shall have a parlor, and dining-room, and kitchen; we shallfairly lose ourselves. How much pleasanter than a hotel!"
Colburne had noticed her blush with a sense of pleasure and triumph; buthe was generous enough and delicate enough to spare her any allusion toit.
"You have left no place for friends," he merely observed.
"Oh, but we mustn't entertain much, for a while. We--you--cannot affordit. I have been catechising Mrs. Whitewood about the cost of meat andthings. Prices are dreadful."
After a little pause she broke out, "Oh, won't it be delightful to havea house, and garden, and flowers! Ravvie will be so happy here! We shallall be so happy! I can't think of anything else."
"And you don't want a wedding tour?"
"Oh yes! I _do_ want it. But, my darling, you cannot afford it. You mustnot tempt me. We will have the wedding tour five years hence, when wecome to celebrate our wooden wedding. Then you will be rich, perhaps."
The grand ceremony which legalized and ratified all these arrangementstook place at five o'clock in the afternoon in the little church of St.Joseph. The city being yet small enough to feel a decided interest inthe private affairs of any noted citizen, a crowd of uninvitedspectators collected to witness the marriage of the popular youngcaptain with the widow of the lamented Union General. Stories of how thefather had given up his all for the sake of the Republic, how Colburnehad single-handed saved Mrs. Carter from a brigade of Texans, and howthe dying General had bequeathed the care of his family to the Captainon the field of victory, circulated among the lookers on and inflamedthem to an enthusiasm which exhibited itself in a violent waving ofhandkerchief as the little bridal party came out of the church and drovehomeward. Since New Boston was founded no other nuptials had been socelebrated, if we may believe the oldest inhabitant.
At last Colburne had his wife, and his wife had her home. For the lastfour years they have sailed separately over stormy seas, but now theyare in a quiet haven, united so long as life shall last.
It grieves me to leave this young woman thus on the threshold of herhistory. Here she is, at twenty-three, with but one child, and only ather second husband. Two-thirds of her years and heart history areprobably before her. Women are most interesting at thirty: then only dothey in general enter upon their full bloom, physical, moral andintellectual: then only do they attain their highest charm as members ofsociety. But a sense of artistic fitness, derived from a belief that nowshe has a sure start in the voyage of happiness, compels me to close thebiography of my heroine at her marriage with my favorite, Mr. Colburne.Moreover, it will be perceived that, if I continue her story, I shallhave to do it through the medium of prophecy, which might give it an airof improbability to the reader, besides leading me to assume certaingrave responsibilities, such, for instance, as deciding the nextpresidential election without waiting for the verdict of the people.
We need have no fears about the prospects of Colburne. It is true thatduring his military career luck has been against him, and he has notreceived promotion although he deserved it; but his disappointment innot obtaining great military glory will finally give strength to hischaracter and secure to him perfect manliness and success. It has takendown his false pride, and taught him to use means for ends; moreover, itwill preserve him from being enfeebled by a dropsy of vanity. Had hebeen mustered out of service as a Brigadier-General of volunteers, hemight possibly have disdained the small beginnings of a law business,demanded a foreign consulate or home collectorship, and became a Statepauper for life. As it is, he will stand on his own base, which is abroad and solid one; and the men around him will have no advantage overhim, except so far as their individual bases are better than his; for incivilian life there is no rank, nor seniority, and the close corporationof political cabal has little influence. The chivalrous sentiment whichwould not let him beg for promotion will show forth in a resoluteself-reliance and an incorruptible honor, which in the long run will beto his outward advantage. His responsibilities will take all dreaminessout of him, and make him practical, industrious, able to arrive atresults. His courage will prolong his health, and his health will beused in effective labor. He has the patience of a soldier, and asoldier's fortitude under discouragement. He is a better and strongerman for having fought three years, out-facing death and suffering. Likethe nation, he has developed, and learned his powers. Possessing morephysical and intellectual vigor than is merely necessary to exist, hewill succeed in the duties of life, and control other men's lives,labors, opinions, successes. It is greatly to his honor, it is a surepromise of his future, that he understands his seeming failure as asoldier, and is not discouraged by it, but takes hold of the next thingto do with confident energy.
He is the soldier citizen: he could face the flame of battle for hiscountry: he can also earn his own living. He could leave hisoffice-chair to march and fight for three years; and he can return topeaceful industry, as ennobling as his fighting.
It is in millions of such men that the strength of the Republicconsists.
As for his domestic history, I think that we need have no terrors eitherfor his happiness or that of Mrs. Colburne.
"I don't see but that you get along very well together," said theDoctor, addressing the young couple, a week or so after the marriage. "Ireally don't see why I can't hereafter devote myself exclusively to myBrownites and Robinsonites."
"Papa," answered Lillie, "I never felt so near saying that I could spareyou."
Colburne listened, happily smiling, conscious of a loved and lovingwife, of a growing balance in bank, of surroundings which he would nothave exchanged for a field of victory.
THE END.
ADVERTISEMENTS
_Mr. Motley, the American historian of the United Netherlands--we owe him English homage._--LONDON TIMES.
"_As interesting as a romance, and as reliable as a proposition of Euclid._"
History of The United Netherlands.
FROM THE DEATH OF WILLIAM THE SILENT TO THE SYNOD OF DORT. WITH AFULL VIEW OF THE ENGLISH-DUTCH STRUGGLE AGAINST SPAIN, ANDOF THE ORIGIN AND DESTRUCTION OF THE SPANISHARMADA.
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His living and truthful picture of events.--_Quarterly Review_ (London), Jan., 1861.
Fertile as the present age has been in historical works of the highest merit, none of them can be ranked above these volumes in the grand qualities of interest, accuracy, and truth.--_Edinburgh Quarterly Review_, Jan., 1861.
This noble work.--_Westminster Review_ (London).
One of the most fascinating as well as important histories of the century.--_Cor. N. Y. Evening Post._
The careful study of these volumes will infallibly afford a feast both rich and rare.--_Baltimore Republican._
Already takes a rank among standard works of history.--_London Critic._
Mr. Motley's prose epic.--_London Spectator._
Its pages are pregnant with instruction.--_London Literary Gazette._
We may profit by almost every page of his narrative. All the topics which agitate us now are more or less vividly presented in the History of the United Netherlands.--_New York Times._
Bears on every page marks of the same vigorous mind that produced "The Rise of the Dutch Republic;" but the new work is riper, mellower, and though equally racy of the soil, softer flavored. The inspiring idea which breathes through Mr. Motley's histories and colors the whole texture of his narrative, is the grandeur of that memorable struggle in the 16th century by which the human mind broke the thraldom of religious intolerance and achieved its independence.--_The World, N. Y._
The name of Motley now stands in the very front rank of living historians. His _Dutch Republic_ took the world by surprise; but the favorable verdict then given is now only the more deliberately confirmed on the publication of the continued story under the title of the _History of the United Netherlands_. All the nerve, and power, and substance of juicy life are there, lending a charm to every page.--_Church Journal, N. Y._
Motley, indeed, has produced a prose epic, and his fighting scenes are as real, spirited, and life-like as the combats in the Iliad.--_The Press_ (Phila.).
His history is as interesting as a romance, and as reliable as a proposition of Euclid. Clio never had a more faithful disciple. We advise every reader whose means will permit to become the owner of these fascinating volumes, assuring him that he will never regret the investment.--_Christian Intelligencer, N. Y._
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