Elsie's Widowhood

by Martha Finley

  CHAPTER III.

  "Faith is exceedingly charitable and believeth no evil of God." --_Rutherford._

  Delicious September days had come; the air was soft and balmy; a mellowhaze filled the woods, just beginning to show the touch of the FrostKing's fingers.

  The children could not content themselves within doors, and the wiselyindulgent mother had given them a holiday and spent the morning withthem on the banks of the lakelet and floating over its bright surface intheir pretty pleasure-boat.

  Returned to the house, she was now resting in her boudoir, lying back ina large easy chair with a book in her hand. Suddenly it dropped into herlap, she started up erect in her chair and seemed to listen intently.

  Was that her husband's step coming slowly along the hall? It was likeand yet unlike it, lacking the firm, elastic tread.

  The door opened and she sprang to her feet. "Edward! you are ill!" forthere was a deathly pallor on his face.

  "Do not be alarmed, little wife; it is nothing--a strange pain, a suddenfaintness," he said, trying to smile, but tottered and would havefallen had she not hastened to give him the support of her arm.

  She helped him to a couch, placed a pillow beneath his head, rang forassistance, brought him a glass of cold water, cologne andsmelling-salts from her dressing-table; doing all with a deft quicknessfree from flurry, though her heart almost stood still with a terriblefear and dread.

  What meant this sudden seizure, this anguish so great that it had bowedin a moment the strength of a strong man? She had never known him to beseriously ill before. He had seemed in usual health when he left her forhis accustomed round over the plantation only a few hours ago, and nowhe was nearly helpless with suffering.

  Servants were instantly despatched in different directions: one toRoselands to summon Dr. Arthur Conly, another to the Oaks for herfather, to whom she instinctively turned in every time of trouble, andwho was ever ready to obey the call.

  Both arrived speedily, to find Mr. Travilla in an agony of pain, bearingit without a murmur, almost without a moan or groan, but with cold beadsof perspiration standing on his brow; Elsie beside him, calm, quiet,alert to anticipate every wish, but pale as a marble statue and with alook of anguish in her beautiful eyes. It was so hard to stand by andsee the suffering endured by him who was dearer than her own life.

  She watched Arthur's face as he examined and questioned his patient, andsaw it grow white to the very lips.

  Was her husband's doom then sealed?

  But Arthur drew her and Mr. Dinsmore aside.

  "The case is a bad one, but not hopeless," he said. "I am unwilling totake the responsibility alone, but must call in Dr. Barton and also sendto the city for the best advice to be had there."

  "We have great confidence in your skill, Arthur," Elsie said, "but letnothing be left undone. God alone can heal, but he works by means."

  "And in the multitude of counsellors there is safety," added Mr.Dinsmore. "Dear daughter, 'be strong and of a good courage;' there shallno evil befall you, for your heavenly Father knows, and will do what isbest."

  "Yes, papa, I know, I believe it," she answered with emotion. "Ah, prayfor me, that strength may be given me according to my day: and to him,my dear, dear husband; no murmuring thoughts arise in either of ourhearts."

  The news had flown through the house that its master and head had beenstricken down with sudden, severe illness. Great were the consternationand distress among both children and servants, so beloved was he, sostrange a thing did it seem for him to be ill, for he had seldom had aday's sickness in all the years that they had known him.

  Elsie, Edward and Violet hastened to the door of the sick-room, beggingthat they might be admitted, that they might share in the work ofnursing the dear invalid.

  Their mamma came to them, her sweet face very pale but calm.

  "No, darlings," she said in her gentle, tender tones, "it will not do tohave so many in the room while your dear father is suffering so much.Your grandpa, mammy and I must be his only nurses for the present;though after a time your services may be needed."

  "O mamma, it is very hard to have to stay away from him," sobbed Violet.

  "I know it, dearest," her mother said, "and my heart aches for you andall my darlings; but I am sure you all love your dear father too wellnot to willingly sacrifice your own feelings when to indulge them mightinjure him or increase his pain."

  "O mamma, yes, yes indeed!" they all cried.

  "Well then, dears, go away now; look after the younger ones and theservants--I trust them all to your care; and when the doctors say itwill do, you shall see and speak to your father, and do anything for himthat you can."

  So with a loving, motherly caress bestowed upon each, she dismissed themto the duties she had pointed out, and returned to her station besideher husband's couch.

  Mr. Dinsmore, Arthur Conly, and Aunt Chloe were gathered about itengaged in efforts to relieve the torturing pain. His features wereconvulsed with it, but his eyes wandered restlessly around the room asif in search of something. As Elsie drew near they fixed themselves uponher face, and his was lighted up with a faint smile.

  "Darling, precious little wife," he murmured, drawing her down to himtill their lips met in a long loving kiss, "don't leave me for a moment.Nothing helps me to bear this agony like the sight of your sweet face."

  "Ah, beloved, if I might bear it for you!" she sighed, her eyes fillingwith tears, while her soft white hand was laid tenderly upon his brow.

  "No, no!" he said, "that were far worse, far worse!"

  Her tears were falling fast.

  "Ah, do not be so distressed; it is not unendurable," he hastened to saywith a loving, tender look and an effort to smile in the midst of hisagony. "And He, He is with me; the Lord my Saviour! 'I know that myRedeemer liveth,' and the sense of His love is very sweet, never sosweet before."

  "Thank God that it is so! Ah, He is faithful to his promises!" she said.

  Then kneeling by his side she repeated one sweet and precious promiseafter another, the blessed words and loved tones seeming to have agreater power to soothe and relieve than anything else.

  The other physicians arrived, examined, consulted, used such remedies aswere known to them; everything was done that science and human skillcould do, but without avail; they could give temporary relief by the useof opiates and anaesthetics, but were powerless to remove the diseasewhich was fast hurrying its victim to the grave.

  Both Mr. Travilla and Elsie desired to know the truth, and it was notconcealed from them. On Mr. Dinsmore devolved the sad task of impartingit.

  It was in the afternoon of the second day. The doctors had held a finalconsultation and communicated their verdict to him. Moved to his veryheart's core at the thought of parting with his lifelong bosom friend,and more for the far sorer bereavement awaiting his almost idolizedchild, he waited a little to recover his composure, then entered thesick-room and drew silently near the bed.

  Elsie sat close at her husband's side, one hand clasped in his, whilewith the other she gently fanned him or wiped the death damp from hisbrow. Did she know it was that? Her face was colorless, but quite calm.

  Mr. Travilla was at that moment entirely conscious, and his eyes weregazing full into hers with an expression of unutterable love and thetenderest compassion.

  At length they turned from her face for an instant and were uplifted tothat of her father, as he stood close beside her, regarding them bothwith features working with emotion.

  The dying man understood its cause. "Is it so, Dinsmore?" he saidfeebly, but with perfect composure. "Elsie, little wife," and he drewher to him, both tone and gesture full of exceeding tenderness. "O love,darling, precious one, must we part? I go to the glory and bliss ofheaven, but you--" His voice broke.

  Her heart seemed riven in twain; but she must comfort him. One burstingsob as she hid her face upon his breast, one silent agonized cry toHeaven for help, and lifting her
head, she gave him a long look of love,then laid her cheek to his, put her arm about his neck.

  "My darling, my dear, dear husband," she said in her sweetest tones, "donot fear for me, or for our children. The Lord, even Jesus, will be ourkeeper. Do not let the thought of us disturb you now, or damp the gladanticipation of the wondrous glory and bliss to which you go. Soon youwill be with Him, 'forever with the Lord.' And how glad our darling Lilywill be to see her beloved father; dear mother to recover her son; andwhat a little, little while it will seem till we all shall join youthere, never, never to part again."

  "And neither she, my dear daughter, nor her children, shall want for afather's love and care while I live, my dear friend," said Mr. Dinsmore,his voice tremulous with emotion.

  "I know it, I know it, and God be thanked that I leave them in such goodand loving hands," Mr. Travilla answered, looking gratefully at hisfriend.

  "You trusted your darling child to me," he went on low and feebly andwith frequent pauses for breath, "and I give her back to you. Oh she hasbeen a dear, dear wife to me!" he exclaimed, softly stroking her hair."God bless you, my darling! God bless you for your faithful, unselfishlove! You have been the sunshine of my heart and home."

  "And you, my beloved, oh what a husband you have been to me!" shesobbed, covering his face with kisses; "never one unkind or impatientword, or look, or tone, nothing but the tenderest love and care have Ihad from you since the hour we gave ourselves to each other. And Ithought, oh I thought we had many more years to live and love together!But God's will be done!"

  "Yes," he said, "His will be done with me and mine. Darling, he willnever leave nor forsake you; and though I am almost done with time, weshall have all the ages of eternity to live and love together."

  Silent caresses were all that passed between them for some moments; thenMr. Dinsmore inquired if his friend had any directions to give about hisaffairs.

  "No," he said, "all that was attended to long since. Elsie knows whereto find all my papers, and understands everything in regard to theproperty and my business matters as well as I do.

  "And my peace is made with God," he continued after a pause, speaking ina sweetly solemn tone. "His presence is with me. I feel the everlastingarms underneath and around me. All my hope and trust are in the bloodand righteousness of Christ, my crucified and risen Saviour. All ispeace. I am a sinner saved by grace.

  "Let me see my children and give them a father's blessing, and I shallhave nothing more to do but fall asleep in Jesus."

  Elsie and Vi were together in a room across the hall from that in whichtheir father lay, sitting clasped in each other's arms, waiting, hopingfor the promised summons to go to him when he should be sufficientlyrelieved to bear their presence.

  Ah, there was in each young heart an unspoken fear that he would neverrise from that couch of pain, for they had seemed to read his doom inthe grave, anxious faces of grandfather and physicians; but oh it wastoo terrible a fear for either to put into words even to her ownconsciousness! How could life go on without the father who had thus farconstituted so large a part of it to them!

  A shuffling step drew near, and Aunt Chloe appeared before them, herface swollen with weeping, her eyes filled with tears.

  "You's to come now, chillens."

  "Oh is papa better?" they cried, starting up in eager haste to obey thesummons.

  The old nurse shook her head, tears bursting forth afresh. "He's mos'dar, chillens, mos' dar, whar dey don' hab no mo' pain, no mo' sickness,no mo' dyin'. I see de glory shinin' in his face; he's mos' dar."

  Then as their sobs and tears burst forth, "Oh my mistis, my bressedyoung mistis," she cried, throwing her apron over her head, "yo' olemammy'd die to keep massa here for yo' sake. But de Lord's will mus' bedone, an' He neber makes no mistakes."