Mildred Keith

by Martha Finley

  Chapter Fourth.

  "And, like some low and mournful spell, To whisper but one word--farewell." --PARK BENJAMIN.

  ONE sweet June morning an expectant group gathered in the shade of thevine-wreathed porch of Miss Stanhope's pretty cottage. It consisted ofthat good lady herself Mr. and Mrs. Keith and their eight children, allattired in neat traveling costume, and awaiting the coming of the stagecoach which was to carry them the first step of their journey--to thenearest town situate on the Ohio and Erie Canal.

  Mr. and Mrs. Park, the new occupants of the cottage, were there too, anda few old neighbors and friends who had run in for a last good-bye.

  Mrs. Keith and Mildred turned now and then, a tearful lingering lookupon their deserted home and this other which was equally familiar,almost equally dear; Miss Stanhope seemed to have some ado to controlher feelings of sadness and anxiety for the future; but Mr. Keith was infine spirits in which the children evidently shared very largely.

  Eager to be off, they moved restlessly about asking again and again,"When will the stage come?" and kept sending out reconnoitering partiesto see if there were any signs of its approach.

  At length they espied it and announced the fact with joyful exclamationsas its four prancing steeds came sweeping around the corner and, swayingand rolling, it dashed up to the gate.

  The driver drew rein, the guard sprang from his lofty perch, threw openthe door and let down the steps.

  There were hurried embraces and farewells, a hasty stowing away of bags,bundles, and passengers large and small, in the inside, and of morebulky baggage in the boot of the coach, the steps were replaced, thedoor slammed to, and amid waving of handkerchiefs and a chorus ofgood-byes and good wishes, the "toot, toot!" of the guard's horn, thecrack of the coachman's whip, they swept away down the street, looking,in all probability, their last upon many a well known object, many afriendly face, nodding and smiling to them from door or window.

  Frank Osborne, at work in his mother's garden, dropped his hoe to lifthis hat and bow as the stage passed, and to gaze after it with alonging, lingering look.

  Spencer Hall, standing, cigar in mouth, on the steps of his father'smansion, did likewise.

  But Mildred had turned her head away, purposely, and did not see him.

  Never before had Lansdale put on so inviting an appearance, or thesurrounding country looked so lovely as to-day, while they rolled onwardthrough the valley and over the hills now clothed in all the richverdure of early summer and basking in the brilliant sunlightoccasionally mellowed and subdued by the flitting shadow of some soft,white, fleecy like cloud floating in the deep azure of the sky.

  A few hours' drive took our travellers to the town where they were toexchange the stage for the canal boat, the packet Pauline. She lay atthe wharf, and having dined comfortably at a hotel near by, they went onboard, taking with them the luggage brought by the stage.

  Their household goods had been dispatched on the same route some daysbefore.

  Here they were in quarters only less confined than those of the stage,the Pauline's cabin being so narrow that when the table was to be setfor a meal, most of the passengers had to go on deck to be out of theway.

  All along the side of the cabin ran a cushioned seat; used for thatpurpose in the daytime and as a lower berth at night; other shelf-likeberths being then set up over it; all so narrow that the occupant couldscarcely turn upon his couch; and the upper ones so close to the ceilingthat it required some care to avoid striking the head against it ingetting in or out. Also there was an unpleasant dampness about thebedding.

  In the cool of the evening or when the sun was clouded, the deck was thefavorite place of resort; but there a constant lookout for bridges mustbe kept, and to escape them it was sometimes necessary to throw one'sself flat upon the deck; not the most pleasant of alternatives.

  The progress of these packets was so slow too, that it took nearly aweek to reach Cleveland from the point where our friends embarked.

  But this mode of travel had its compensations. One was the almostabsolute safety; another the ease with which the voyager could stepashore when the boat was in a lock and refresh himself with a briskwalk along the tow-path; boarding her again when the next lock wasreached.

  This was done daily by some of the Keith family, even the very littleones being sometimes allowed the treat when the weather and walking werefine and the distance was not too great.

  Passengers were constantly getting off and on at the locks and the townsalong the route, and often the boat was crowded. It was so the firstnight that our friends spent on board; babies cried, older childrenfretted and some grown people indulged in loud complaints of scant anduncomfortable accommodations; altogether the cabin was a scene ofconfusion and the young Keiths felt very forlorn.

  But mother, aunt and older sister were very patient, soothed, comforted,and at length succeeded in getting them all to sleep.

  Then Aunt Wealthy, saying that she felt disposed to lie down and restbeside the children, persuaded Mrs. Keith and Mildred to go upon deckfor an hour to enjoy the moonlight and the pleasant evening breeze withMr. Keith and Rupert, who had been there ever since supper.

  Mr. Keith helped his wife and daughter up the short flight of stepsthat led from the stern to the deck, and found them seats on some oftheir own trunks.

  There were a number of other passengers sitting about or pacing to andfro; among the former a burly German who sat flat on the deck at thestern end of the boat, his long legs dangling over the edge, his elbowon his knee and his bearded chin in his hand, gazing out idly over themoonlight landscape, while wreaths of smoke from a pipe in his mouth,curled slowly up from his lips.

  The Pauline glided onward with easy pleasant motion; all had grown quietin the cabin below and the song of the bullfrogs, the dull thud of thehorses' hoofs and the gentle rush of the water against the sides of theboat, were the only sounds that broke the stillness.

  "How nice it is here!" exclaimed Mildred, "the breeze is so refreshing,the moonlight so bewitching!"

  "Yes, the country is looking beautiful," said her mother, "and one getsa good view of it here; but I feel somewhat apprehensive in regard tothe bridges. We must be on the watch for them and dodge in time."

  "We will," said her husband; "though we may pretty safely trust to thesteersman; it is his duty to be on the lookout and give timelywarning."

  "Well, we're facing in the right direction to see them," remarkedRupert, "but that Dutchman back there is not. I s'pose he's safe enough,though, with the man at the helm to sing out as we near them."

  With that they fell into talk on other topics, and thought no more ofthe smoker.

  "Bridge!" sang out the steersman, and down went every head except thatof the German, who sat and smoked on unmoved.

  "Bridge!" The cry was repeated in louder, more emphatic tones.

  "Yah, pridge, pridge!" responded the German straightening up a little,nodding his head assentingly, but not looking round.

  "Bridge!" sang out the steersman for the third time, "bridge, you stupidlout! dodge or"--

  But the boat was already sweeping under, and the bridge taking theGerman across his shoulders threw him with sudden violence to theplatform below, whence he rolled over into the canal, uttering a halfstifled cry for help as the water closed over him.

  But he rose again instantly panting and spluttering, and striking outvigorously for the boat; he presently succeeded in laying hold of theedge of the platform, and, the steersman lending him a helping hand,clambered on board, crestfallen and dripping, while the crowd on deck,seeing him safe, indulged in a hearty laugh at his expense.

  "I loss mein bipe," he said ruefully, shrugging his shoulders andshaking the water from his clothes.

  "Well, you got a free bath in exchange and may be thankful you didn'tlose your life," remarked the steersman with a grin. "Next time I callout bridge I guess you'll duck your head like the rest."

  The rain had been fa
lling heavily all night, but the sun shone brightly,and the clouds were flying before a high wind that blew fresh and coolfrom Lake Erie as the Pauline glided quietly into Cleveland.

  "What a beautiful city!" exclaimed the young Keiths as they steppedashore. "Do let us walk to the hotel, father, if it is not too far."

  "Just as Aunt Wealthy and your mother say," he replied, taking the babyfrom his wife. "I am told it is but a short distance, Marcia; I willhave our heavy baggage carried directly to the steamer which leaves thisafternoon; and Rupert and the girls can take charge of the satchels andsmall packages."

  The ladies decided in favor of the walk as affording agreeable exerciseand enabling them to see the city to better advantage than if cooped upin hack or omnibus, and no one regretted their choice: they found thewide streets so clean, the breeze so refreshing and exhilarating, andenjoyed so very much gazing upon the tall, elegant looking houses andthe pretty things displayed in the windows of the large, handsomestores.

  After a good dinner at the hotel, Mr. Keith, his wife and olderchildren, went out for another stroll about the city; Miss Stanhope, whoinsisted that she had had exercise enough, and preferred to stay whereshe was, taking charge of the little ones in their absence.

  On the return of the pedestrians the whole party went on board thesteamer which was to convey them across the lake to Detroit. It was afine boat, the cabin large and handsome; staterooms on each sidefurnished with berths of far more comfortable size than those of thecanal packets.

  The table here was better, too, both in its appointments and the qualityof the food, and was set in a lower saloon, reached from the upper oneby a flight of broad winding stairs.

  The children were delighted with the change and wanted to be on theguards all afternoon, watching the play of the great stern wheel,admiring the rainbows in the clouds of spray it sent up, looking outover the wide waste of waters, at the islands and an occasional passingboat, or racing back and forth.

  Mildred and Rupert were given charge of the three little ones and foundgreat vigilance necessary to prevent Cyril and Don from puttingthemselves in peril of their lives. Mildred was more than once sorelytempted to shake the young rogues who gave her no peace; but,remembering and acting upon her mother's advice, was able to restrainherself and treat them with uniform gentleness.

  She felt rewarded when, as she was putting them to bed, her mother beingbusy with the babe, Don threw his arms impulsively round her neck andkissing her again and again, said "I loves you, Milly; you so dood to usnaughty chillens."

  "That she is!" assented Cyril, heartily, "an' I wish I didn't be sobad."

  "Well, try again to-morrow to be ever so good," Mildred answered,tucking them in and leaving them with a good-night kiss.

  She helped her sisters with their preparations for the night, then wasrewarded with a delightful evening spent with the older members of thefamily in the open air, looking out upon the beautiful wide expanse ofwaters, now starlit and anon illumined by the silvery rays of the moonas she rose apparently from the distant eastern edge of the lake andslowly ascended the azure vault of the heavens, now shiningresplendently and again veiling her fair face for a moment with a thinfloating cloud.

  The next morning the steamer lay at anchor in Detroit harbor and ourfriends left her for a hotel in what was then the principal street ofthe city. Here, too, they walked out to view the land, and passing thestores and public buildings, found well-shaded streets and handsomeresidences with pretty door-yards in front.

  Mr. Keith gave his children their choice of passing around the lakes ina steamer or in the sloop Queen Charlotte. They chose the latter and thenext morning the family and their luggage were transferred to her decks.

  The ladies pointed out the articles they wished carried to theirstaterooms and followed in the wake of the bearers.

  There was less of show here than on the steamer they had left, butcomfort and convenience had not been overlooked, and though Mildred'sface clouded a little, it brightened again in a moment as she noted thecheerful content in those of her mother and aunt.

  They hurried on deck again where Rupert had been left in charge of theyounger children, to watch the vessel getting under way.

  They were lying close to a steamer on whose other side was a secondsloop in quite as close proximity. All seemed hurry and bustle on boardthe three.

  "I don't see how we are to start," observed Mildred, glancing up at thesails which hung almost motionless on the masts, "for there's scarcely abreath of wind."

  "Don't you see that they're lashing us and the Milwaukee yonder fast tothe steamboat, one on each side?" said Rupert. "She's to tow both tillthe wind gets up."

  "Oh, is that the way? she'll have hard work to do it, I should think."

  "She won't growl any way."

  "No, I suppose not. Which is the captain, Ru.?"

  "That nice jolly looking chap over yonder, that's giving orders in sucha loud peremptory tone, is Captain Wells, master of the ship; that blueeyed, brown haired, rosy cheeked stripling standing near is his son,Edward Wells; and they're both English; so don't remind them that thisvessel was taken from the British in the last war."

  "Of course not, unless they say something mean or exasperating aboutWashington or America."

  "In that case I give you leave to twit 'em as hard as you like."

  "Who was that nice looking man that helped us on board? I thought fatheror somebody called him captain."

  "So he is, Captain Jones; but acting as first mate here. That lady,talking to mother and Aunt Wealthy, is his wife. They're both Yankees;so you can relieve your mind occasionally on the subject of the ship, bya little private exultation with them.

  "Do you notice the contrast between those two faces?--mother's and Mrs.Jones'; hers so dark, mother's so beautifully fair and rosy."

  "Who could help noticing it? Rupert, I do think our mother has just theloveliest face in the world!"

  "Ditto!" he said, gazing at her with a world of filial love, pride andchivalric admiration in his handsome eyes.

  "I say what's the use? you may just as well set still where you hare,"growled a voice near at hand.

  The young people turned involuntarily at the sound, and perceived thatthe speaker was a burly, red-faced young Englishman; the one so politelyand kindly addressed, a little meek-eyed woman of the same nationality,with a chalky complexion, and washed out appearance generally, who, asthey afterward learned, and suspected at the time, was the wife of hisbosom.

  "'What a bear!" exclaimed Rupert in an aside to his sister, and drawingher away as he spoke. "See, we're beginning to move. Let's go over tothe other side where we can have a better view."

  "I presume that's what she wanted to do," remarked Mildred, glancingback at the meek-eyed woman. "And why shouldn't he have let her?"

  "Why, indeed, except that he's a cowardly bully."

  "How do you know?"

  "Because that's the only kind of man that would speak so to a decentwoman."