The Second Chance

by Nellie L. McClung

  CHAPTER XII

  PEARL VISITS THE PARSONAGE

  Mylo--he jest plows--and don't Never swear-like some folks won't.

  _----From "Mylo Jones' Wife."_

  THE Reverend Mr. Burrell, whom Mr. Donald recommended to Pearl as aproper person to consult on the questions that troubled her mind, wasthe Methodist minister in Millford. The first year of his pastoratethere he had been alone, Mrs. Burrell having remained "in the East,"with her own people.

  Mrs. Ducker was the president of the Ladies' Aid Society, and givento serious thinking, so when she read an article in the FiresideVisitor dealing with the relation of the minister's wife to thecongregation, she was seriously impressed with the fact that thecongregation was suffering every day by not having the minister'swife on the ground. Mrs. Ducker thereupon decided that she wouldbring the matter forward at the very next meeting.

  Now, it happened that the "rubberman" came to Millford the very daybefore the Ladies' Aid meeting was held, which may seem to be a veryunimportant and irrelevant fact; but it really had a significantbearing on that meeting of the Ladies' Aid, for little John ThomasForrest, dazzled by the offer of three lead-pencils for two rubbers,sold his mother's only pair, and being a cautious child, and not fondof disputatious conversation, did not mention the matter to hismother, but left her to discover her loss herself, which she did theday of the meeting.

  It was a sloppy day in November. Mrs. Forrest had a cold, and shecould not walk away over to Mrs. Ducker's without rubbers. Mrs.Forrest did not go to the meeting. If Mrs. Forrest had gone she wouldhave, beyond doubt, raised objections. She always did, and usuallyvery successful ones.

  But when Mrs. Ducker, after the business was over, breathlesslydeclared that she thought Mrs. Burrell should come and join herhusband, she found Mrs. Francis and Mrs. Bates quite imbued with thesame idea, for they likewise were subscribers to the FiresideVisitor. Mrs. Francis also gave prominence to the fact that Mr.Burrell needed some one to take care of him, for she had seen himthat very day without his rubbers. Having no children of her own,Mrs. Francis did not know that the day after the "rubberman" had beenin town quite a few people went without rubbers, not because theywere careless of their health either, but because they hadthoughtlessly left them in the front porch, where little boys caneasily get them.

  Half an hour after they began to discuss it, everybody felt that notonly was the church suffering severely, but that they had been theunconscious witnesses of a domestic tragedy.

  They formed a committee on "ways and means," another one to solicitaid from country members, and a social committee to get up a piesocial to buy a new stair-carpet for the parsonage, and theyappointed Mrs. Francis and Mrs. Ducker to approach Mr. Burrell on thesubject of his wife's coming.

  The unconscious object of their solicitude was quite surprised toreceive that evening a visit from Mrs. Francis and Mrs. Ducker.Reverend John Burrell did not look like a man who was pining for theloved and lost--he was a small, fair man, with a pair of humorousblue eyes. A cheerful fire was burning in the Klondike heater, and anair of comfort pervaded his study.

  The ladies made known their errand, and then waited to see the gladlook that would come into their pastor's face.

  He stirred the fire before replying.

  "It is very kind of you ladies to think of fixing up the parsonage,"he said. "Mrs. Burrell is having a very pleasant visit with hermother in Toronto."

  "Yes; but her place is here," Mrs. Ducker said with decision, feelingaround in the shadowy aisles of her mind for some of the FiresideVisitor's "It is lonely for you, and it must be for her."

  Mr. Burrell did not say it was not.

  Mrs. Francis was filled with enthusiasm over the idea of fixing upthe parsonage, and endeavoured, too, to give him some of the reasonswhy a church prospers better spiritually when there is a woman tohelp in the administration of its affairs.

  When the women had gone, the Reverend John Burrell sat looking longand earnestly into the fire. Then he got up suddenly and rattled downthe coals with almost unnecessary vigour and murmured somethingexclamatory about sainted womanhood and her hand being in every goodwork, though that may not have been the exact words he used!

  The work of remodelling the parsonage was carried on with enthusiasm,and two months later Mrs. Burrell arrived.

  Mrs. Ducker, Mrs. Francis, and Mrs. Bates went to the station withMr. Burrell to meet her, and were quite surprised to see a large,handsome, auburn-haired woman, carrying two valises, alight from thetrain and greet their minister with these words: "Well, John Burrell,I declare if you aren't out this raw day without your overcoat, andyou know how easily you take a cough, too. I guess it is high timefor me to come. Now, please do keep your mouth closed."

  * * *

  The first time Pearl was in Millford she called at the Methodistparsonage to see Mr. Burrell. The question of having service in theschoolhouse was bothering Pearl.

  It was a dull brown house, with, a row of tall maples in front of it,and a pansy bed, made by filling the earth into old binder-wheels, oneach side of the walk. Pearl at once though of the old binder-wheelin the scrub at home, and in her quick fancy she saw the purple facesof prospective pansies looking up from it as it lay in front of theeast window.

  Mrs. Burrell came to the door in answer to Pearl's ring, but did notrecognize her at the first glance. She told Pearl to have a seat inthe parlour.

  When Mr. Burrell came in he was pleased to see Pearl, who said, inresponse to his friendly greeting: "We're doin' fine, Mr. Burrell.We're goin' to have a crop and potatoes and lots of things. There'sseven of us goin' to school and learning. Jimmy's at long division.I'm just finishing 'The Lady of the Lake.' Danny's doing digits,that's another name for figgers. Patsey's readin' at the Sweet Pealesson, with ten of the hardest words for meanings. That's all right,but there's no church or Sunday-school. We left town to get a betterchance to bring up the boys right, and the farm is fine only for whatI'm tellin' ye. Every Sunday the other children trap gophers and thepeople sleep or visit. I do be hearin' them tellin' about it atschool, and last Sunday, mind ye, wee Patsey and Bugsey wanted tomake a kite, and of course ma wouldn't let them, but Jimmy up andsays--he was in it, too, do you mind--he says: 'Let's make it out ofan Onward, and that will be all right; sure that's a Sunday paper.'"

  Mr. Burrell laughed sympathetically, but shook his head, too, soPearl knew he was with her on the proper observance of the Sabbath.

  "And Mr. Burrell," she went on, "I am worriedabout Danny--he's that artful and deep--if ever a child should belearnin' verses he's the wan. Yesterday he hit his thumb when he washammerin' with the little tack-hammer, and instead of just yellin'and stickin' his finger in his mouth the way he did before, he saidright out plain--well, you know what the beavers build to broaden outthe water--well, that's what he said."

  "Is it as bad as that, Pearlie?" Mr. Burrell asked in a shockedvoice, which was contradicted by the twinkle in his eye.

  "It is," Pearl answered, "and I was wonderin' if you could come andpreach to us on Sunday afternoons, and encourage them to get aSunday-school. There's lots of room in the school, and there's a finebig shed for the horses if it was raining, and there's no need of somany services here," she concluded with alarming frankness. "What Imean is," she explained in answer to his look of surprise, "there'slots of churches here, and all kinds of preachin' goin' on', withonly a few scatterin' people out at each one."

  Mrs. Burrell came in hastily and listened to the conversation.

  "How far out is it, Pearl?" Mr. Burrell asked.

  "About five miles, I think; just a nice drive for you and themissus."

  "Does she want you to take another country appointment, John?" Mrs.Burrell asked; and Pearl noticed for the first time that her hair wasjust the colour of their horse at home--the one that was cross.

  "That was Pearlie's suggestion," he answered.

  "Well, indeed, he is not going to do any such thing; I should saynot," and Mrs. Burrell shut her mou
th with a click. "And, besides,nearly every Sunday it rains."

  "Well, that's good for the crops," said Pearl, thinking of the twentyacres of wheat in front of the house and of the oat-field behind thebluff; "and, besides," quoting a favourite axiom of her mother's, "heain't sugar or salt, and he won't melt."

  "Well, what would happen our congregation if we had only one servicea day? They would all be going to the Presbyterian."

  "That won't hurt them," Pearl said hopefully. "They'll get goodsermons from Mr. Grantley."

  Mrs. Burrell could not think of what she wanted to say. Pearl kepther eye on Mr. Burrell--there was something in his face which madeher hope.

  After a pause he said to her: "Pearl, your idea is strictlyfirst-class. I have wanted to take another outside appointment eversince I came here, but the congregation had objections. However,I'll talk it over with Mr. Grantley, and I'm sure we can arrangesomething."

  Mrs. Burrell remembered then. She found the words she was lookingfor. "You'll do nothing of the sort, John. Going away every Sundayto two outside appointments and leaving our own people exposedto Presbyterian doctrine. That's a horrid, bare, desolate littleschool, anyway, and you couldn't do a bit of good to those people; Iknow you couldn't. I'll go to the Trustee Board meeting--they meetto-night--and I'll tell them you are physically unfit--you arewearing two thicknesses of flannel, with mustard quilted in betweenthem, now on your chest, and you had onion poultices on your feetlast night for your cough, and so you're not fit to go."

  "Please, ma'am," said Pearl, "we won't mind. I didn't notice it atall, and I don't believe anybody will, if you don't tell them."

  Mr. Burrell laughed so heartily that Mrs. Burrell told him he was avery frivolous man, and quite unfit for the position he held.

  "Sure, you could come out yerself," Pearl said encouragingly, "andshow us how to fix it up. It is bare, as you said, but the land isthere, and it could grow scarlet-runners and pansies, the same as youhave yer self here by the cheek of the dure. If some one likeyerself'd come and show us how to fix it up, we might have a purtyplace yet!"

  "Fix it up on Sunday!" Mrs. Burrell cried, with vehement emphasis.

  "Show us, I said," Pearl corrected her, "and I guess it would be areal good work to fix it up, too."

  "It is lawful to do well on the Sabbath day, you know, Mattie," Mr.Burrell quoted gently.

  Mrs. Burrell sniffed audibly.

  "The trustees meet this evening, Pearl. Now, if you will stay in,I'll drive you out to-morrow morning. Mrs. Burrell will be glad tohave you stay here."

  Mrs. Burrell seconded the invitation.

  "But I am going to the meeting, John," she declared decidedly. "I'lltell them that you are not to undertake it."

  "My dear, I understood the Ladies' Aid were meeting to-night," herhusband said, with the forced enthusiasm of a person who tries todraw a child's attention from a prohibited pleasure.

  "It does, too; but I am going to the other meeting," answered hisamiable spouse.

  Mr. Burrell looked at Pearl in alarm.

  "But I want you to stay, Pearl," Mrs. Burrell said quickly, and withmore kindliness than she had yet shown.

  Pearl thanked her, but said she would have to go to see her fatherfirst and see if she could stay. Mrs. Burrell went out into thekitchen to get tea ready, while Mr. Burrell went to the door withPearl.

  In the little square hall they held a hurried conference. "Will shego to that meeting?" Pearl asked in a whisper.

  He nodded.

  "Will she cut up rough?"

  Mr. Burrell thought it likely that she would.

  "Don't let her go," said Pearl, who evidently believed in man'ssupremacy.

  He made a gesture of helplessness.

  Pearl wrinkled her forehead, and then took a step nearer him and saidslowly: "Hide her false teeth--she won't go if she has to gum it."

  He stared at her a second before he grasped the full significance ofher suggestion.

  "Things like that have been done," Pearl said, reassuringly. "Ma knewa woman once, and whenever she wanted to keep her man at home she hidhis wooden leg. I suppose, now, she hasn't----" Pearl looked at himmeaningly.

  "Oh, no!" he said hastily. "We can't do that."

  Pearl went out, leaving the Reverend John Burrell clearlydemonstrating the fact that he was too frivolous a person for hisposition.

  * * *

  When Pearl came back, after getting her father's permission to stayfor the night, she found Mrs. Burrell in a more amiable frame ofmind, and after tea was over she was much relieved to find that Mrs.Burrell had given up the idea of going to the trustee meeting, butwas going to the Ladies' Aid meeting instead, and was going to takePearl with her.

  Before the meeting, Pearl went over to see Camilla and Mrs. Francis.Mrs. Francis was the secretary of the Ladies' Aid, but was unable togo to the meeting that night on account of a severe headache. Pearl,always ready to help, asked if she could take the minutes of themeeting.

  "Thank you so much, Pearl," Mrs. Francis said. "It would relieve meif you would write down everything that happens, so that I can make afull report of it. It is so sweet of you, dear, to offer to do it forme; and now run along with Camilla, for I know she has a lot ofthings that she is longing to show you."

  Camilla took Pearl upstairs to her room, and there spread out beforePearl's enraptured vision a wonderful creation of white silk andlace.

  "The lace has little cucumbers in it," Pearl said, looking at itclosely, "and it's the loveliest dress I ever saw. Have you worn ityet?"

  Camilla did not at once reply, and then, quite by intuition, Pearlguessed the truth.

  "Camilla!" she exclaimed. "You are going to be married to Jim."

  Camilla put her gently.

  "Yes, dear, I am," she said. Pearl, sat thinking deeply.

  "Are you happy, Camilla?" she said at last. "Are you that happy youfeel you can never lose a bit of the glad feeling?"

  Camilla held her tighter, and kissed her again. "I've thought aboutit a little," Pearl said after a while, "and I thought perhaps thatwould be how people felt, and then it didn't matter if it was alldark and gloomy outside, or even if the wind was howlin' and rattlin'the windows, you wouldn't mind, for all the time you would be singin'inside, just bustin' for joy, and you'd feel that contented sort offeelin', just as if the sun was pourin' down and the birds singin'and the hills all white with cherry-blossoms; is that anything likeit, Camilla?"

  "It is very like that, Pearl," she said.

  "And, Camilla," she went on, "do you feel like you could die to savehim from any trouble or pain, and even if he did go wrong--Jim neverwill, I know, but I am just supposin'--even if he did go wrong you'dnever go back on him, or wish you hadn't took him, but you'd staywith the job and say to yourself: 'He's my man, and I'll stay by him,so I will!'"

  Camilla nodded her head.

  Pearl's eyes suddenly filled with tears.

  "And, Camilla, do you ever think if you were to lose him it wouldn'tbe so bad as' never to have had him, and even if the time came thathe had to go, you could bear it, for you'd know that somewhere you'dfind him again waitin' for you and lovin' you still, just the same;and even if it was long, long years ago that you were left alone,you'd never forget him, but you'd always know that somewhere, up inthe air or in the clouds or maybe not so far, he was there dear asever, and you'd always keep thinkin' in your heart: 'He's the onlyman for me.'"

  Camilla's arms tightened around her, and Pearl felt something warm onher cheek.

  "How do you know all this?" Camilla whispered, after a while.

  Pearl laughed and wiped her eyes on her handkerchief. "I don't know,"she said. "I never knew that I did know it all till just now. I'vethought about it a little."

  Camilla laughed, too, and went over to the wash stand to bathe hereyes, while Pearl, in wonder, inspected the dress.

  "Now, Pearlie Watson, I want you to do me a favour," said Camillagaily.

  "As many as you like," was Pearl's quick answer
.

  "I want you for my bridesmaid. You are my good luck, Pearl. Rememberyou sent Jim to me. If it hadn't been for you I might never have methim."

  Pearl's eyes sparkled with delight, but no words came.

  "And see here, Miss Watson, I have been reading up all aboutweddings, and I find it is a very correct thing for the bride andbridesmaid to be dressed alike. Miss Watson, will you please stand upand shut your eyes?"

  Pearl stood up.

  Over her head she felt Camilla putting something soft and deliciouslysilky. Camilla was putting her arms in unmistakable sleeves, andpulling down an unmistakable skirt.

  "Open your eyes, Pearlie."

  When Pearl opened her eyes she found herself dressed in a white silkdress, exactly the same as the one that lay on the bed--cucumbers andall!

  "Oh, Camilla!" was all she could say, as she lovingly stroked thedress.

  "Jim would not think of having anybody but you, and Dr. Clay is goingto be the groomsman."

  Pearl looked up quickly.

  "Dr. Clay told me," Camilla went on, "that he would rather have youfor the bridesmaid when he was going to be the groomsman than anyother girl, big or little."

  Pearl clasped her hands with a quick motion.

  "Better'n Miss Morrison?" she asked, all in one breath.

  "Yes; better than pose so, for he said on earth."

  "Oh, Camilla!" Pearl said again, taking deep breaths of happiness,and the starry look in her eyes set Camilla wondering.