CHAPTER VIII
IN SILK ATTIRE
The shopping the next day was something wonderful. Daffodil was quitesure the fairies must have had a hand in it. And such beautifulthings, she fairly held her breath over them.
"But, madam, when am I to wear these lovely garments? For mother saysI grow so fast, and there is no one to take them afterward."
Betty Wharton laughed many times at the fascinating simplicity of thechild.
Then she took her to the mantua-makers, where she was measured, andwhere she hardly understood a word of what they were saying, butbetween whiles played with a beautiful yellow cat, who sat on a silkencushion and purred his delight at the touch of the gentle hands.
"Now, you are to come home to dinner with me."
"Did uncle say I might? For mother told me to do nothing without hispermission."
"Oh, you darling infant!" She squeezed the slim little body that,after all, was plump enough. It was shocking for a young person to befat in those days.
"I will make it all right with him."
Miss Wharton's house was much smaller. A square sort of hall, withoddly pretty furnishing, a parlor and a dining-room off it, and allwere filled with curiosities that were family heirlooms, beautifulthings, for Miss Wharton abhorred ugliness and despised horrid Chineseidols. The dinner was very dainty, and Daffodil wondered how she couldfeel so much at home.
"And to-morrow we will go out again, but we will drive around, and youshall see the city. What means that sober look?"
"Oh, madam, I shall feel so spoiled with beauty, that I don't know howI shall content myself to go back to Pittsburg;" and her eyes swam ina soft lustre that was almost tears.
"Perhaps we shall not let you go back;" laughingly.
Jane came around for her in the afternoon, and she said, "We missedyou so much at dinner time. And ever so many bundles have come foryou."
"And I've been so full of pleasure, that any more would run over. Oh,madam, how can I thank you!"
"By coming again. I'll call for you to-morrow."
They walked home, past pretty gardens all a-bloom with summerrichness. Daffodil was so full of delight she wanted to dance. In herroom was one large box--that was the new hat. A rather fancy straw,and she had not seen it trimmed. It had a wreath of fine rosesinside, and larger ones on the outside, and beautiful wide strings ofsome gauzy stuff, that in warm weather were to float around, but in ahigh wind they were tied under the chin.
And there was a dainty pair of red slippers, laced across the top,with a red cord fastened diamond-wise, and a pair of black shoes. Theywere not "boots" then. These came up almost to the ankles, and werelaced across with ribbon and tied in a bow. There were some importedstockings, but Mrs. Jarvis declared she had never seen such prettyhome-knit ones as the little girl wore, that looked quite as if theywere of silk, and the clocks were perfect.
In another package was a beautiful scarf, with threads of gold in theborder, and some fine handkerchiefs.
"Mother has some at home, two that have wide borders of beautifullace, that she made herself. And bibs that you wear over the neck ofyour frocks. And she is making a lovely skirt for me, that is lace andneedlework, and I am to have it when I am quite grown up and go out totea."
Barbe Carrick had begun to think of her daughter's marriage, and asthere was but little ready money, outfits were made at home, andpacked away against the time. For most mothers counted on it, eventhought of grandchildren.
Daffodil had enough to talk about that evening. Mr. Bartram went out,and for an hour Dilly had her guardian quite to herself. Then twogentlemen came in, and the tired little girl went to bed.
About ten the next morning a pony chaise stopped at the door. Julescame out and took the reins, and Miss Wharton stepped lightly down andwas greeted by Mrs. Jarvis.
"I have come for the little girl," she said, "having her guardian'spermission. I am going to show her the sights, and make her sick ofPittsburg. We want her here. Why, I never supposed I had such amotherly streak in my nature, or I would have wedded and had ahouseful. Or else the child has some bewitchment about her. Jane, puton her new hat and the scarf. The frocks will be here in a day ortwo."
Daffodil did look bewitching as she stepped into the chaise. MissWharton was quite used to driving. They went along Chestnut Streetfirst, past the stores, then looked at some of the old places thatwere to be historical. Mistress Betty told over many of the waradventures and the coming of the good news.
"And I remember that," said Daffodil. "Grandad was angry about it. Hestill believes England will get us back sometime."
"Yet your father went to war. How did he take that?"
"I was so little then. I think I didn't know much about him until weheard he would come home. Then I really began to remember. I didn'tlike him so much at first, and I went to great-grandfather forcomfort. Oh, madam, he was so sweet and dear. And when M. de Ronvillecame, and I put him in the old chair, it seemed almost as ifgrandfather had come back. And I liked him at once. Now he is to be myuncle, we have settled that."
Then they went out on the beautiful road, where the Shippens andseveral of the old families had their capacious estates, and theirlarge old mansions. Oh, how lovely and orderly everything looked, thepicture of peace and plenty.
"Some day we will go over to Valley Forge. But it is nearing noon, andI must not starve you. I know of a nice place, where ladies often goat noon, and you do not need to have a man tagging after you. Startup, Dolly!" to the pony.
They came back to busy streets. There were Quakers at Pittsburg, butthey did not seem so pronounced as here. And there were suchfine-looking men, in their drab suits, widebrimmed hats, and they woreknee-breeches and silk stockings, quite like the world's people. Hereand there one nodded to Miss Wharton. The elegance and harmonyappealed to the child, without her understanding why.
They paused at a house set back a little from the street, with acourtyard of blooming flowers. There was a wide covered porch and atrellis work wreathed with vines. A wide door opened into a spacioushall.
A young colored boy came out to them.
"Pomp," Miss Wharton said, "take the pony and give him a little feedand water, not too much, mind now. He wants a little rest, so do we."
Pompey assisted them out with a flourish, and led the pony up a sideway. They walked to the porch, raised by three steps, and Miss Whartonwas greeted warmly by several parties.
"Here is a table," said Mrs. Mason. "My dear creature, I haven't seenyou in an age. Have you been getting married, and is this _his_daughter? Did you take him for the sake of the child?"
"Alas! I have not been so fortunate! The child has both parents. Andshe has just come from Pittsburg. You know, M. de Ronville went outthere and brought back--well, it is his grandniece, I suppose--MissDaffodil Carrick."
The waiter, another colored servant--they were quite favorites in thecity for their obsequious politeness--placed chairs for them.
"Pittsburg! Why, that's way at the West in the Indian countries, onthe way to Ohio, I believe. What a long journey. And how is M. deRonville?"
"Rather improved by his journey, I think. Now, Daffodil, what will youhave? You ought to be hungry."
"You choose for me, madam;" in a low tone, and with a tint ofexquisite coloring.
It kept wavering over the sweet face, for she felt somehow that shewas being observed. She wished she had on one of the pretty frocks,but Jane had ironed out this white one, and Mrs. Jarvis had found hera sash. But she was not accustomed to much consideration of herself,and she was hungry. The ladies were prettily dressed, some of them inrather quakerish colors and they had beautiful fans and parasols. Itwas quite a meeting-place, where they exchanged bits of news, a littlegossip, and had most excellent tea.
"Carrick isn't a French name," said Madam Neville, rather critically.
"No. She is French on the mother's side. M. de Ronville's father andher grandfather were Huguenot exiles in the old times. He is herguardian now, and there
is some property, enough for a town, Ibelieve. And you know the French once had possession of most of thatcountry."
Betty Wharton knew that would settle her status at once, moredecisively than her beauty.
Then some other ladies, having finished their tea, came over for alittle chat. Had she been to see the new play? For "The Academy ofPolite Science" seemed rather above an ordinary theatre, andPhiladelphia had swung back to amusements. Was she going to Mrs.Chew's card party this evening?
"Oh, yes. She wouldn't miss it for anything."
"What a beautiful child!" whispered another. "Will she live here intown?"
"Oh, she is only on a visit now."
"She's too nice to be wasted on such an outlandish place as Pittsburg,where they do nothing but make whiskey."
The pony came round, and the ladies said their good-bys. Since theclosing of the war, indeed, in gratitude for French assistance, muchhonor had been paid to our noble allies.
That evening M. de Ronville went to his card club. But Daffodil hadMrs. Jarvis for audience, and in return heard many wonderful thingsabout the great city.
If Daffodil had not been so utterly simple-hearted and had so littleself-consciousness, it might have proved a rather dangerous ordeal forher. In a few days she certainly was the light of the house. Even Mr.Bartram yielded to her charm, though he fancied girls of that age wereseldom interesting: either painfully shy, or overbold. She wasneither. She seemed to radiate a pervasive atmosphere of happiness,her smile was so full of light and joy; and her sweet voice touchedthe springs of one's heart.
M. de Ronville had never met with any such experience. A shy youngman, he had kept much to his own compatriots. Then he had devotedhimself to business, with a vague idea that when he had made a fortunehe would go back to France, that had grown much more liberal inmatters of religion. But he had become warmly interested in the newcountry, and especially the city.
He had been pleased with the household at Pittsburg, the plainsensible soldier, who was making an excellent citizen, but the twoladies he found most interesting. It was golden-crowned Daffodil thatstirred his heart in a new fashion, and made him feel how much hadbeen lost out of his life. And now he had her. A sweet, dazzling,bird-like creature, that gave the house an altogether new aspect.
She went with Jane to call on Mrs. Craig. The daughter was wellmarried, and had four small children, though their house was rathersimple.
"And have you cried yourself to sleep with homesickness?" asked Mrs.Craig. "I've heard it is rather quiet in the big house where you are,with only a few grown people. True, Mr. de Ronville is like a fatheror, perhaps, a grandfather would be nearer, and you have been used toelderly men."
"Oh, madam, it is delightful. I like him so much. I did at home, or Inever could have come. And Mrs. Jarvis is nice and pleasant, and tellsme what is good manners for little girls, and Jane spoils me bywaiting on me."
"Madam, indeed!" laughed Mrs. Craig. "Why, you make me feel as if Ibelonged to the quality!"
"They call the grown-up ladies that, the elder ones I mean. And thereis one who has been so good to me, Miss Wharton, who bought my newclothes, and tells me what to wear, and things to say that are thefashion here. I think we have not much fashion at home. She takes meout, and, oh, there are so many things to see. And now uncle has hireda pony, and I ride with him in the morning, and we all went to a play,where the people made believe they were part of a story, and I wascharmed, for it seemed so real. And there was a fine concert, I neverheard so many instruments. And going to church is quite grand. I wishwe had a lovely church at home. Oh, I hardly have a moment, but I dothink of them all, and how wild Felix will be over all I shall have totell him."
"I'm afraid you won't want to go back."
"Not go back to mother and all the others? Why, every day makes it oneday nearer;" and the lovely light in her face showed she was notforgetting them.
"I am going before real cold weather. It would be too hard a journeyto take in winter. But I find it very pleasant, too."
"And the stores are so full of beautiful things. People must be veryrich, they spend so much money."
"It is a big town, and there are many people."
"And one can't help being joyous and happy." She looked as if shecould dance or fly. "And uncle likes me best to be gay, and I shouldbe ungrateful to mope when so much is being done for me."
"Yes, that is true."
"And next week Miss Wharton is going to take me to a grand out-of-doorparty of young people. Mrs. Pemberton came and gave uncle theinvitation for me, and he has promised to come in the evening to seeus, and to fetch me home."
"Oh, but they're on the Schuylkill! Well, you are going among thequality. You'll never do for Pittsburg again."
"But I shall do for father and mother, and I shall have such funhearing grandad scold about all the doings, and say that I am spoiled,and not worth a pewter platter. And then he will hug me so tightlythat it will almost squeeze the breath out of me."
She laughed so merrily and her face was in a glow of mirth andmischief. Then Jane came for her, though she was quick about learningthe city streets. But M. de Ronville thought her too precious to betrusted out alone, though now the town was safe enough.
A Little Girl in Old Pittsburg Page 8