Jewel: A Chapter in Her Life

by Clara Louise Burnham

  CHAPTER VII

  THE FIRST EVENING

  In the excitement of the early morning start, Jewel had eaten littlebreakfast, but the soft resonance of the Japanese gong, when it soundedin the hall below, found her unready for food.

  However, she judged the mellow sound to be her summons and obedientlyleft her seat by the window. As she went down she looked askance atthe tall dark clock which, even as she passed, chimed the half hourmelodiously. Certainly her important grandfather lived in a wonderfulhouse. She paused to hear the last notes of the bells, but catchingsight of the figure of Mrs. Forbes waiting below, she started and movedon.

  "That's right. Come along," said the housekeeper. "Mr. Evringham likeseverybody to be punctual in his house."

  "Oh, has grandpa come home?" inquired Jewel eagerly.

  "No, he won't be home for hours yet. Come this way."

  The little girl followed to the dining-room, which she thought quite aswonderful as the clock; but her admiration of all she saw was no longerunmixed. Mrs. Forbes seemed to cast a shadow.

  One place was laid at the table, one handsome chair was drawn up to it.Jewel longed to call Anna Belle's attention to the glittering array onthe sideboard and behind the crystal doors of cabinets, but somethingwithheld her.

  She looked questioningly at the housekeeper. "I think I'll draw upanother chair for Anna Belle," she said.

  Mrs. Forbes had already decided, from small signs of assurance, thatthis Western child was bold. "Give her an inch, and she'll take an ell,"she had said to herself. "I know her sort."

  "Do you mean the doll?" she returned. "Put it down anywhere. You mustnever bring it to the table. Mr. Evringham wouldn't like it."

  In silence Jewel seated the doll in the nearest chair against the wall,and as she slid up into her own, a neat maid appeared with a puffy andappetizing omelet.

  Mrs. Forbes filled the child's glass with water, and the maid set downthe omelet and departed.

  Jewel's heart sank while Mrs. Forbes presented the souffle.

  "I'm sorry," she began hesitatingly, "I never--I can't"--then sheswallowed hard in her desperate plight. "Isn't it pretty?" she saidrather breathlessly.

  "It's very good," returned the housekeeper briefly, misconstruing thechild's hesitation. "Shall I help you?"

  "I--could I have a drink of milk? I don't--I don't eat eggs."

  "Don't eat eggs?" repeated the housekeeper severely. "I'm sorry youhave been allowed to be notional. Children should eat what is set beforethem. Taste of it."

  "I--I couldn't, please." Jewel's face was averted.

  Mrs. Forbes touched an electric bell. The maid reappeared. "Remove theomelet, Sarah, and bring Miss Julia a glass of milk."

  That was the order, but oh, the tone of it! Jewel's heart beat a littlefaster as she took some bread and butter and drank the milk, Mrs. Forbesstanding by, a portentous, solemn, black-robed figure, awful in itssilence.

  When the child set down the glass empty, she started to push back herchair.

  "Wait," said Mrs. Forbes laconically. She again touched an electricbell. The maid reappeared, removed the bread and milk and served adainty dessert of preserved peaches, cream, and cake.

  "I've really had enough," said Jewel politely.

  "Don't you eat peaches and cream, or cake either?" asked Mrs. Forbesaccusingly.

  "Yes'm," returned the child, and ate them without further ado.

  "Your trunk has come," said Mrs. Forbes when at last Jewel slipped downfrom the table. "I will come up and help you unpack it."

  "If only she wouldn't!" thought the child as she lifted Anna Belle, butthe housekeeper preceded her up the stairs, breathing rather heavily.

  Sure enough, when they reached the white room, there stood the new trunkthat had been packed with so much anticipation. The bright black letterson the side, J. E., had power even now to send a little glow of pridethrough its possessor. She stole a glance at Mrs. Forbes, but, strangeas it may appear, the housekeeper gave no evidence of admiration.

  "I don't need to trouble you, Mrs. Forbes. I can unpack it," said thechild.

  "I'm up here now, and anyway, I'd better show you where to keep yourthings. Where's your key?"

  Jewel laid down the doll and opened her leather side-bag, producing thekey tied with a little ribbon.

  Mrs. Forbes unlocked the trunk, lifted out the tray, and began in abusiness-like manner to dispose of the small belongings that had lastbeen handled so tenderly.

  "Mrs. Harry certainly knows how to pack," ran her thoughts, "and she'dnaturally know how to sew. These things are as neat as wax, and thechild's well fixed." In the tray, among other things, were a number ofdoll's clothes, some writing materials, a box of different colored hairribbons, and a few books.

  "Glad to see a Bible," thought Mrs. Forbes. "Shows Mrs. Harry isrespectable." She glanced at the three other books. One was a copy of"Heidi," one was "Alice in Wonderland," and the third a small black bookwith the design of a cross and crown in gilt on the cover. Mrs. Forbeslooked from this up at the child.

  "What's this? Some kind of a daily book, Julia?"

  "I--yes, I read it every day."

  "Well, I hope you'll be faithful now your mother's gone. She's taken thetrouble to put it in."

  Jewel's eyes had caught a glimpse of green color. Eagerly she reacheddown into the trunk and drew out carefully a dress in tiny checks ofgreen and white.

  "That's my silk dress," she said, regarding it fondly.

  "It is very neatly made," returned Mrs. Forbes repressively. "It doesn'tmatter at all what little girls have on if they are clean and neat. Itonly matters that they shall be obedient and good."

  Jewel regarded her with the patience which children exercise towardthe inevitable. "I'd like to fix Anna Belle's drawer myself," she saidmodestly.

  "Very well, you may. Now here are your shoes and slippers, but I don'tfind any rubbers."

  "No, I never wear rubbers."

  "What? Doesn't it rain in Chicago?"

  "Oh yes indeed, it rains."

  "Then you must get your feet wet. I think you better have had rubbersthan a silk dress! What was your mother thinking of?"

  Jewel sighed vaguely. She wondered how soon Mrs. Forbes would go away.

  This happy event occurred before long, and the little girl amusedherself for a while with rearranging somewhat the closet and drawers.Then putting on her hat and taking her doll with her, she stole quietlydown the thickly carpeted stairs, and opening the heavy hall door, wentout upon the piazza. It was sheltered from the wind, and wicker chairswere scattered about. Jewel looked off curiously amid the trees to whereshe knew, by her father's description, she should find, after a fewminutes' ramble, the ravine and brook. Pretty soon she would wander outthere. Just now the sun was warm here, and the roomy chairs held outinviting arms. The child climbed into one of them. Father would comeback here some happy day and find her. The thought brought a smile,and with the smile on her lips, her head fell back against a yieldingcushion, and in a minute she had fallen asleep. Anna Belle toppledover backward. Her plumed hat was pushed rakishly askew, but little shecared. Her eyelids had fallen, too.

  Mrs. Evringham and Eloise, returning late from their luncheon, came uponthe little sleeping figure as they walked around the long piazza.

  "There she is!" exclaimed Mrs. Evringham softly, putting up herlorgnette. "Behold your rival!"

  Eloise regarded the sleeper without curiosity.

  "At least she has not come uninvited," was her only comment.

  "But she has come unwelcome, my dear," returned Mrs. Evringham withrelish. "Just wait until our gracious host realizes what he has lethimself in for. Oh, there's a good time coming, you may be sure. Hush,don't waken her! It would be a blessed dispensation if she were alwaysto sleep while her grandfather is absent," and Mrs. Evringham led theway into the house, her laces fluttering.

  On the first landing the ladies met Mrs. Forbes, troubled ofcountenance.

  "I am looking for the chil
d Julia," she said. "I can't think where shecan have disappeared."

  "You've not far to seek," returned Mrs. Evringham airily. "She is asleepon the piazza."

  "Thank you." Mrs. Forbes hastened downstairs and out of doors. Glancingabout she quickly perceived the short legs stretched in a recliningchair, and advanced toward the relaxed little figure.

  "Julia, wake up!" she said, touching her.

  The child stirred and opened her eyes. Her movement made the doll slipto the floor, and this caused her to come to herself suddenly.

  "Why, I fell asleep, didn't I?" she said drowsily, reaching for thedoll.

  "Yes, and in Mr. Evringham's own chair!" responded Mrs. Forbes.

  "They're all his, aren't they?" asked the child.

  "Yes, but this is his special favorite, where he always lies to rest.Remember!" returned Mrs. Forbes. "Come right upstairs now and changeyour dress for dinner. He will be coming home in a few minutes."

  "Oh, good!" exclaimed Jewel with satisfaction, and passed into thehouse. Mrs. Forbes was following ponderously. "Oh, you don't need tocome with me," protested the child earnestly. "I can do it all myself."

  "Are you sure?" doubtfully.

  "Oh, ye--es!" replied the little girl, running lightly up the stairs.

  "I ought to put her on the second floor," mused Mrs. Forbes, "if I'vegot to be running up and down; but I suppose she has done for herself agreat deal. I suppose the mother hadn't time to be bothered. I'd like tomake Mamzell change rooms with her."

  Jewel hummed a tune as she took off her sailor suit, performed herablutions, and then went to her closet to choose a frock for dinner. Shedecided on a blue dress with white dots chiefly because she wouldnot have to change her hair ribbons. She had never herself tied thosevoluminous bows.

  At last she was ready and danced toward the door, but some noveltimidity made her hesitate and go back sedately to the chair by thewindow. Mrs. Forbes's impressive figure seemed to loom up with an orderto her to wait the summons of the gong.

  She sat there for what seemed a very long time, and at last a knocksounded at the door. Perhaps grandpa had come up. Jewel flew to open tohim--and saw the white capped maid who had appeared at luncheon.

  "They are all at table, and Mr. Evringham wishes you to come down," shesaid.

  "But I was waiting for the gong."

  "We only have that at noon."

  Jewel's feet flew down the stairs. Her grandfather had sent for her. Shewas eager to reach him, yet when she entered the dining-room, her littleface all alight, it was not so easy to run to him as she had fancied.

  He sat stiffly at the foot of the table. Opposite him was aunt Madge,and at her left sat the prettiest young lady the child had ever seen.

  Mrs. Forbes stood near Mr. Evringham, looking very serious.

  Jewel took in all this at a glance, and contenting herself with greetingher grandfather's lifted eyes with a smile, she ran to Mrs. Evringhamand turned her back.

  "There's just one button in the middle, aunt Madge, that I can't reach,"she explained softly.

  Every eye at the table was regarding the child curiously, but she tookno note of any one but her grandfather, and her dress buttoned, sheran to her chair and slid up on its smooth morocco. Eloise observed thelittle girl's loving expression.

  "I am sorry you are late, Julia," said Mr. Evringham.

  "Yes, so am I, grandpa," was the prompt response. "I wanted to be downhere as soon as you came home, but I thought I ought to wait for thegong, and then it didn't ring."

  Her eyes roved to where, directly opposite, the beautiful young lady wasregarding her soberly.

  Mrs. Evringham spoke. "That is your cousin Eloise, Julia."

  Eloise inclined her graceful head, but made no further recognition ofthe child's admiring look.

  "They haven't met before?" said Mr. Evringham, looking from one to theother.

  "No," returned Mrs. Evringham with her most gracious manner. "It justhappened that Eloise and I were engaged at luncheon to-day, and when wereturned the little girl was taking a nap."

  By this time Mrs. Forbes had brought Jewel's soup and she was eating.She looked up brightly at Mr. Evringham.

  "Yes, grandpa, I went to sleep in your big chair on the piazza. I didn'tknow it was your special chair until Mrs. Forbes waked me up."

  Her grandfather regarded her from under his heavy brows. He wasresenting the fact that Eloise had made no effort to welcome the child."Indeed?" he returned. "What did she wake you up for?"

  "Because it was time to get ready for dinner," returned Jewel. "Itreminded me of the story of Golden Hair, when she had gone to sleep onthe bear's bed, the way Mrs. Forbes said, 'This is your grandfather'schair!'"

  She looked around the table, expectant of sympathy. Only Mrs. Evringhamseemed to wish to laugh, and she was making heroic efforts not to do so.Lovely Eloise kept her serious eyes downcast.

  "Ha!" ejaculated Mr. Evringham, after a lightning glance of suspicionat his daughter-in-law. "I think I remember something about that. ButGolden Hair tried three beds, I believe."

  "Yes, she did, but you see there wasn't any little bear's chair on thepiazza."

  "Very true. Very true."

  "Golden Hair was a great beauty, I believe," suggested Mrs. Evringham,looking at the child oddly. "She had yellow hair like yours."

  Jewel put up a quick hand to the short tight braid which ended behindher ear. "Oh no, long, lovely, floating hair. Don't you remember?"

  "It's a good while since I read it," returned Mrs. Evringham, laughinglow and glancing at Eloise. Her father-in-law sent her a look ofdispleasure and turned back to Jewel.

  "Dr. Ballard found you on the train, I suppose?"

  "Yes, grandpa. We had a nice time. He is a very kind man." The childglanced across at her cousin again. She wished cousin Eloise would lifther eyes and not look so sorry. "I wonder," she added aloud, "why Dr.Ballard called cousin Eloise a little girl."

  No one spoke, so Mrs. Evringham broke the momentary silence. "Did he?"she asked.

  "Yes, he said that my cousin Eloise was a very charming little girl."

  Jewel wondered why Eloise flushed and looked still sorrier, and why auntMadge raised her napkin and turned her laugh into a cough. Perhaps itteased young ladies to be called little girls. Jewel regretted havingmentioned it.

  "I guess he was just April-fooling me," she suggested comfortingly, andthe insistence of her soft gaze was such that Eloise looked up and met asmile so irresistible, that in spite of herself, her expression relaxed.

  The softened look was a relief to the child. "I've heard about you, ofcourse, cousin Eloise," she said, "and I couldn't forget, because yourname is so nice and--and slippery. Eloise Evringham. Eloise Evringham.It sounds just like--like--oh, like sliding down the banisters. Don'tyou think so?"

  Eloise smiled a little. "I hadn't thought of it," she returned, thenrelapsed into quiet.

  Mrs. Forbes's countenance was stony. "Children should be seen and notheard," was her doctrine, and this dressmaker's child had an assurancebeyond belief. She seemed to feel no awe whatever in her grandfather'spresence.

  The housekeeper caught Jewel's eye and gave her such a quenching lookthat thenceforward the little girl succumbed to the silence which theothers seemed to prefer.

  After dinner she would have a good visit with grandpa and talk aboutwhen father was a little boy. Her hopes were dashed, for just as theywere rising from the table, a man was announced, with whom Mr. Evringhamcloseted himself in the library.

  In the drawing-room aunt Madge and cousin Eloise both set themselves atletter-writing, and entirely ignored Jewel. The child looked listlesslyat a book with pictures, which she found on the table, until half-pasteight, when Mrs. Forbes came to say it was time for her to go to bed.

  She rose and stood a moment, turning hesitatingly from her aunt to hercousin.

  "Oh, is it bedtime?" asked aunt Madge, looking up from her letter."Good-night, Julia. I hope you'll sleep well." Then she returned to
herwriting.

  Eloise bit her lip as she regarded the little girl with a moment'shesitation, but no, she had decided on her plan of action. Mrs. Forbeswas observing her. Eloise knew the housekeeper's attitude toward themwas defensive, if not offensive. "Good-night," she said briefly, andlooked down again.

  "Good-night," returned Jewel quietly, and went out.

  In the hall she hesitated. "I want to say good-night to grandpa," shesaid.

  "Well, you can't," returned Mrs. Forbes decidedly. "He is talkingbusiness and mustn't be disturbed."

  She followed the child up the staircase.

  "I could go to bed alone, if I only knew where the matches are."

  "You said you could dress alone, but you had to ask Mrs. Evringham tobutton your frock. Remember after this that I am the one to ask. She andMiss Eloise don't want to be bothered."

  "Is it a bother to do a kindness?" asked Jewel in a subdued tone.

  "To some folks it is," was the response. They had reached the door ofthe child's room; "but some folks can see their duty and do it," sheadded virtuously.

  Jewel realized regretfully that her present companion belonged to thelatter class.

  "Now here, right inside the door," proceeded Mrs. Forbes, "is theswitch. There's electricity all over this house, and you don't needany matches. See?" Mrs. Forbes turned the switch and the white room wasflooded with light.

  A few hours ago this magic would have evoked much enthusiasm. Even nowJewel was pleased to turn the light on and off several times, as Mrs.Forbes told her to do.

  "Now I'll see if you can undress yourself," said the housekeeper.Jewel's deft fingers flew over the buttons in her eagerness to prove herindependence. When at last she stood in her little white nightgown, soneat and fine in its small decorations, Mrs. Forbes said, "Do you wantme to hear you say your prayers?"

  "No, I thank you." With her hasty response Jewel promptly jumped intothe bed, from which the white spread had been removed.

  "I hope you always say them," said Mrs. Forbes, regarding herundecidedly.

  "Yes'm, I always do."

  The child cuddled down under the covers with her face to the wall, lestMrs. Forbes should see a further duty and do it.

  "You ought to say them on your knees," continued the housekeeper.

  "I'd just as lief," replied Jewel, "but I don't believe God cares."

  "Well," returned Mrs. Forbes solemnly, "it is a matter for your ownconscience, Julia, if your mother didn't train you to it. Good-night."

  "Good-night," came faintly from beneath the bedclothes.

  Mrs. Forbes turned off the light and went out, closing the door behindher.

  "If she'd always speak when she's spoken to, and be quiet and modest asshe is with me, she'd be a very well-behaved child," she soliloquized."I could train her. I shouldn't wonder at all if her mother should see agreat difference in her when she comes back."

  The housekeeper went heavily downstairs. Jewel, pushing off thebedclothes, listened attentively to the retiring steps, and when theycould no longer be heard, she jumped out of bed nimbly, and feeling forthe electric switch, turned on the light. Her breath was coming ratherunevenly, and she ran over the soft carpet to where her doll lay.Catching her up, she pressed her to her breast, then sitting down in thebig chair, she began to undress her, crossing one little bare foot overthe other knee to make a lap.

  "Darling Anna Belle, did you think I'd forgotten you?" she askedbreathlessly. "Did you think you weren't going to have any one tokiss you good-night? It's hard not to have any one you love kiss yougood-night." Jewel dashed her hand across her eyes quickly, then wentswiftly on with her work. "You might have known that I was only waitinguntil that--that giantess went away. She wouldn't let me bring you downto dinner, dearie, but you didn't miss anything. Poor grandpa, I don'twonder any longer that he doesn't look happy. He has the sorriest peopleall around him that you ever saw. He lives in a big, beautiful castle,but it's Castle Discord. I named it that at dinner. Nobody lovesone another. Of course grandpa loves me, because I'm his own littlegrandchild, but he's too sorry to show it. The beautiful enchantedmaiden, and the Error fairy, and the giantess, are all making discordaround him. A little flat is better than a big castle, isn't it? We knowa flat--let's call it Harmony Flat, Anna Belle. Perhaps if we're very,_very_, good, we'll get back there some time." Jewel suddenly pressedthe doll's nightdress against her wet eyes. "Don't, don't, dearie! Iknow it does seem a year since--since the boat this morning. If all thedays were as long as this, we'd be very, very old when father and mothercome home." The soft voice broke in a sob. "I don't know what I shoulddo if you weren't a Christian Scientist, Anna Belle. We'll help eachother all we can. Now come--come into bed and say your prayers."

  "Say your--your prayer first, dearie," she whispered, sobbing:--

  "'Father, Mother, God, Loving me,-- Guard me when I sleep; Guide my little feet Up to Thee.'

  "Now you'll feel--better, dearie. In a minute you won't be so--homesickfor--for--father and mother. Hush, while I say mine."

  Jewel repeated the Lord's Prayer. When she had finished, her breathstill caught convulsively, so she continued:--

  "Dear Father, Mother, God, loving me, help me to know that I am closeto Thee. Help me to remember that things that are unhappy aren't realthings. Help me to know that everything is good and harmonious, and thatthe people in this castle are Thy children, even if they do seem to haveeyes like fishes. Help me to love one another, even the giantess, andplease show grandpa how to meet error. Please let Dr. Ballard come tosee me soon, because he has kind eyes, and I'm sure he doesn't know it'swrong to believe in materia medica. Please take more care of father andmother than anything, and say 'Peace be still' if the wind blows thesea. I know, dear Father in Heaven, that Thou dost not forget anything,but I say it to make me feel better. I am Thy little Jewel, and AnnaBelle loves Thee, too. Take us into the everlasting arms of Love whilewe go to sleep. Amen."

  Jewel brushed away the tears as she ceased, and with her usual quicknessof motion, jumped out of bed to get a handkerchief. Turning on theelectric light, she went to the chair over which hung the dotted dress.She remembered having slipped a clean handkerchief into its pocketbefore going to dinner.

  In reaching for it her fingers encountered a scrap of paper in thedepths of the pocket. She drew it forth. It was folded. She opened itand found it written over in a clear round hand.

  "Is my little darling loving every one around her? People do not alwaysseem lovely at first, but remember that every one is lovable because heis a thought of God. Those who seem unlovely are always unhappy, too,in their hearts. We must help them, and the best way to help is to love.Mother is thinking about her little Jewel, and no seas can divide us."

  A slow smile gladdened the child's tear-stained face. She read themessage again, then turned out the light for the last time and cuddleddown in bed, her warm cheek pressing the scrap of paper in her hand, herbreath still catching.

  "Mother has spoken to us, Anna Belle," she whispered, clasping thedoll close. "Wasn't it just like God to let her!" Then she fell asleepsmiling.