CHAPTER X
THE PASSING OF THE OLD
Oh, how queer it looked at Old Pittsburg, after the fine city she hadleft. Daffodil almost shrank from the sight of the old dilapidated loghouses, the streets that were still lanes. But there were the twohouseholds to greet her, with not a change in them. Oh, how dear theywere! The familiar room, the chair so endeared to her, the high shelf,with its brass candlestick, and there in the corner her mother'slittle flax wheel.
"We were so afraid they'd keep you," said Felix. "Didn't they want youto stay?"
"Ah, yes," and the tears came to her eyes.
"And you look queer, changed somehow. Your voice has a funny sound.And I want you to tell me all about Philadelphia. Did you see that Mr.Benjamin Franklin, and the men who signed the Declaration ofIndependence?"
"Mr. Franklin was abroad. And they don't all live there. I believe Isaw only three of them. But there was Governor Mifflin. And they hopesometime to have the Capitol there."
"Felix, let your sister have a little rest. There will be days anddays to talk. Dilly, are you not tired to death? Such a long journeyas it is. I don't see how Mrs. Craig stood it."
"Yes, I am tired," she answered. How plain her room looked, though ithad been put in nice order with the best knitted white quilt on herbed, and a bowl of flowers on a pretty new stand grandfather Bradinhad made. She hung her coat in the closet, and took off the frock shewas so tired of, glad to change it for a fresher one.
"Now you look natural," declared grandmere. "We have our little girlback, but it does seem as if you had grown. And, oh, how glad we areto have her!"
There certainly was some mysterious change. Her mother studied it aswell. It seemed as if the little girl had vanished, one could almostimagine the seven years had come and gone, and she had been tofairyland. But she put her face down on her mother's shoulder andcried.
"Dear, are you glad to see us all again, to come back to us? For Ihave had a heart-breaking fear that I know it must have beendelightful there, and Mr. de Ronville had a great love for you. Oh, Ireally wonder that he let you come."
"He wanted me to stay--yes. To stay and be educated in music and manythings. It is so different there. I don't know that I can make youunderstand."
"Dear," subjoined her mother, "he wrote to us. It was the kindliestletter. If he had persuaded you----"
They clung more closely together, each answering with the pressure.But she made no mention of Mr. Bartram. The talk had not been meantfor her ears, indeed, she did not rightly understand the real desirethat underlay it.
"Now you must rest awhile," said her mother. "There will be a crowd into supper."
Felix had been denied the pleasure of a half holiday. "You will havetime enough to see your sister," Barbe said to the importunate boy."She is going to stay at home now."
Daffodil did have a nap and awoke refreshed, though she still lookedtired and pale.
"Put on one of your pretty frocks," said her mother, with a touch ofpride. Indeed, much as she had missed her darling she had enjoyed thehonor. Not every girl could have such an opportunity to see the greatcity where so many notable events had happened. There were few formalinvitations in those early days. Evenings were generally given over topleasure, for the day was devoted to work. You were sure of a welcomeunless somewhere there was a family feud and even that was oftenoverlooked after a few glasses of whiskey. So there were guestsin--to supper. Daffodil was inspected, questioned, commented upon in afriendly fashion. They drank to her health, to the fact of her returnsafe and sound, for, after all, was not a big city where they had allsorts of dissipations dangerous.
But all that was nothing to the evening. Then there was a crowd.Grandad did get very merry and dance a jig, the laughter grewuproarious. Dilly shrank with a fear that was half disgust.
Barbe caught Norah's arm presently.
"Ask them over to finish their merriment," she said persuasively."Daffodil is very tired and must go to bed."
She looked like a little ghost now and her eyes were heavy.
"Yes, yes; we ought to have a little thought," and Norah rapped on thetable and gave her invitation, which was cordially accepted.
"Dear little daughter," began her father. "It's rather wild and rough,but it is their idea of a good, hearty welcome. And you must pardongrandad. He has a warm, loving heart."
"Oh, yes; I know all that. But I _am_ tired." And her voice was fullof tears.
"Oh, child, it would be hard to have you outgrow us. And I love youso! I had such hard work to win your love in the beginning. But youdon't remember."
"Oh, yes, I do. Was I dreadful? I think I couldn't love any one all atonce. And I didn't like mother to care so, when she had loved me best.But I know better now. Her love for me is different from her love forFelix and her love for you. Oh, I am glad to be back." And she clungto him convulsively.
He hoped in his heart she would never go away again. There were somepromising beaux in the town. Of course she would marry. He wouldn'twant his little girl to be an "old maid."
She said a long prayer that night, it seemed as if there had neverbeen so many things to pray for. Then she crawled into bed and criedsoftly, she did not know why. Did she wish herself back?
Was it that the place had changed so much or was it all in her. Felixseemed such a big boy, good looking too, with beautiful dark eyes anda very rosy face much sunburned. His dark hair was a mass ofclustering curls, they inherited that from their mother. But he talkedwith his mouth full, he clattered his knife and fork, dropped themoccasionally, and asked more questions than one could answer in anhour.
She looked up at her father and smiled her approval. He understood itwas that. He had some gentlemanly ways and she was very glad that M.de Ronville had not been shocked by the rude manners that obtainedlargely in the town. Grandmere waited on the table for there wasgenerally a second cooking. People had stout appetites in those days.
It seemed to her the trees had grown, they were longer armed. And herewas the pretty flower garden a-bloom now with marigolds, which werenot field flowers. There were large balls of pale yellow and deeporange, bronze ones with a pile as if made of velvet. How beautifulthey were. Not a weed was to be seen.
It was a half-cloudy day, not dark or sullen, but with friendly grayunder roof. She put on her sun-bonnet, her mother had it starched andironed for her. Up at the back of the house it was still wild land, asloping hill, a tangle of summer growth rhododendrons half smotheredwith it. She threaded her way up, then there was a long level ofstubble turning brown. Far to the north vaster bulks loomed up. Therewas a great world beyond. What if some day it should be cities likePhiladelphia. And--people, men and women living in pretty houses andhaving nice times.
It was a beautiful world, too. There was the fragrance of wild grapesin the air, the sweetness of dying clover blooms and the rich autumnalsmells. She drew long breaths and broke into song with the birds.Then she started and ran. How little the houses looked down there!
"Oh," she cried in dismay as she ran through the open doorway, "is itdinner time. I've been up in the woods. It _is_ beautiful."
Her mother looked up smilingly. She had been paring apples to dry andhad a great tubful. They strung them on a cord and hung them out inthe sunshine to dry. Grandmere had the dinner ready to dish up.
"Oh, I could have been stringing the apples!" she said remorsefully."And I've been way up the hill. I wondered if it would look so lovelyto me. For the Schuylkill is like a dream, but our rivers are finerthan the Delaware."
"Don't worry about work so soon. You must get used to it by degrees.And get rested over the journey. Janie and Kate Byerly were in. Theywant you to come to supper to-morrow night. Janie has a lover andshe's promised. 'Tisn't a good sign when the youngest goes off first."
"Why, Janie isn't----" in surprise.
"She was fifteen a month ago;" said grandmere.
"Would you want me to get married?" she asked soberly, recalling thetalk she could not confess for
honor's sake.
"We are in no hurry," said grandmere. "Though I approve of earlymarriages. You settle to one another more easily. And women arehappier in their own homes."
"I'll get father to put up an addition and bring my husband here;" sherejoined with a kind of reckless gayety. "I couldn't go very far awayfrom you."
Her mother glanced up with fond eyes. And just then her fatherentered.
Most people at that time were little given to caressing ways. But hisown had been much dearer to Bernard Carrick after his three years'absence, and now he kissed his daughter, taking her sweet face in bothhands.
"Why, you look fresh as a rose. I half expected to find you in bed.Are you equal to a ride this afternoon?"
"Oh, yes; only--mother----" glancing at her.
"Can't mother spare you?"
"Yes, yes. There will be time enough to work, child."
Her mother was made very happy at the deference.
Felix did not always come home at noon.
"They were pretty gay last night," he began apologetically. "Seengrandad this morning?"
"No, I went up in the woods. I wondered how it would look to me. Itwas beautiful. And it was a shame not to run over there first."
"Well, you may go a bit before we start. I have some papers to lookover. We're in a great wrastle about some whiskey business. And now aman has to hold his tongue sharp if he isn't on the right side."
"You are on the right side?" She looked at him with laughing, trustingeyes.
"I wouldn't dare go agin grandad," he laughed back.
It was the old time to her. The cloth was coarse homespun partlybleached; they had some fine ones laid away for the little girl'soutfit; the dishes were a motley lot, some pewter plates among them.The pretty accessories that she had become so accustomed to weremissing. Was it this way when M. de Ronville was here? She coloredvividly.
"I'll get up, Doll," her father said, "and stop for you." So she randown to the other house.
Norah kissed her effusively.
"I'm glad you weren't in this morning. I was on thorns an' briars allthe time for fear. The men were in howling an' shouting until you'dthought they'd upset the government. An' they will, too. We're notgoing to pay tax on our very bread. Why they're coming the old gamethat they fit about for seven years. And grandad's fierce. He'd turnus all back to England to-morrer."
"I don't know----" Daffodil looked up confused.
"No, I s'pose not. Women has husbands to think for them an' galsneedn't think about anything but beaux. Did you have any over there?"nodding her head. "Body o' me! but you've grown tall. You ain't alittle girl any more. And we'll have to look you up a nice beau."
"Must everybody be married?"
Norah put both hands on her lips and laughed.
"Well, I don't know as there's a _must_, only old maids ain't of muchaccount an' get sticks poked at 'em pretty often. I wouldn't be onefor any money. I'd go out in the woods and ask the first man I met tomarry me."
"How old must you be?" asked Daffodil soberly, thinking of MissWharton.
"Well, if you ain't married by twenty, lovers ain't so plenty, and attwenty-four you're pushed out of the door and at thirty you might aswell go down. But you're not likely to have to ring the bell for them.My! but you're pretty, only I wish your cheeks were redder. I guessyou've been housed up too much. I want to hear all about the sort oftime you had! Wasn't the old gentleman a little stiff?"
"Oh, no. He seemed so much like great-grandfather to me. I loved him agreat deal. And there was a splendid housekeeper. The maid was sweetand she cried when I came away."
"Little Girl," called her father.
"Oh, are you going to ride away? Come over to-night. Grandad is goingto the meeting where they will spout like a leaky gargoyle. Or stay,your father will go too. I'll come over instead."
Daffodil mounted Dolly, who certainly had not grown fat in herabsence. Felix had attended to that. "Dear old Dolly!" patting herneck, and the mare whinnied as if overjoyed.
"You haven't forgotten, dear old Dolly;" and Daffodil was minded tolean over and give her a hug as she had times before.
"We'll go down town. We are stretching out our borders. Here is thenew dock. We are building boats for the western trade, and here is theshipyard."
It had doubled itself since spring. Everybody seemed hurrying to andfro. Brawny, sunburned men with shirt sleeves rolled nearly to theshoulders, jesting, whistling, sometimes swearing, the younger onespausing now and then to indulge in a few jig steps. There were boatsloading with a variety of freight, but largely whiskey. Carrick tooksome drawings out of his memorandum book.
"Look them over sharp, Cap'n Boyle, though I think you'll find themall right."
There was the long point, the two rivers flowing into the Ohio, themurmur like the undertone of the sea. And over beyond, far beyond anendless stretch. There were some Indian wigwams, there were longreaches of cornfields yet uncut, a few stacked; apples ripening in themellow sunshine, a wild kind of fruit, great tangles of grapevineenough to smother any tree.
"It is beautiful," she said with deep feeling. "Oh, do you supposethere'll ever be anything--over there--like a town, houses and such?"
She nodded upward. That was her portion.
"If we go on this way. There's a line for trade between this andCincinnati all planned out, boats being built, there's coal and ironto supply places around, and they're talking about glass even. Weshall be the head centre. Oh, land doesn't cost much since taxes areso light. Yes, some likely young fellow will take it in hand andevolve a fortune for you. Daffodil, you will not go back to deRonville?"
"To live? Oh, no."
"I couldn't spare my little girl. I want you to marry and settlehere."
She seemed to shrink from the thought.
Down here they were working streets. New houses were going up.Store-houses were being built. Carrick had to stop and discuss severalopenings. And no matter what subject was in hand it came round to thewhiskey.
"What is it all about, father?" she asked, raising her perplexed faceto his.
"I don't know that you can understand. We were all served with asummons in the summer to appear at court over the other side of themountains. Crops were just at the point where they would be ruined ifleft. The distillers were very angry, the farmers, too. They heldmeetings and decided they wouldn't go. It's a matter of the generalgovernment. The country is behind in everything and is striving tomeet its expenses. It could not be otherwise after such a war as wehave had. The tax is four pence per gallon--it seems a big figure onhundreds of gallons, still they can recoup themselves on the otherend."
"And who is right?"
Bernard Carrick laughed.
"There is but one side to be on just now. Grandad is among thedistillers and Norah is as hotheaded as he. But women ought to stayout of it. Take pattern by mother and grandmere and have no opinions.You can't help hearing it talked about. I'm glad it wasn't one of M.de Ronville's interests or you might have heard hard things said aboutus. There now, business is done, let us have a fine gallop over thisroad."
Dolly went very well for a while then said plainly she could not keepit up.
"You are a good rider, Dilly. I'm glad you did not get out ofpractice. Your guardian must have been indulgent."
"We had a ride every fine morning. He was very fond of it."
He was glad to have her talk about her visit. The life would be verydifferent here. Not only were all his interests here, and he wasgetting to be one of the rising men of the town, but the Bradins heldthe house they lived in and he was as a son to them. Barbe had neverbeen parted from her mother. And though he had gone to his country'scall with their consent he knew his own father would never forgive asecond defection. No, he must stay here, and his daughter must marryhere.
Felix begged her to come out with him and see the great bee tree wherefather was going to take up the honey some night, but she was tiredand curled herself up in the grandfather chair. Her thoughts w
andereda little.
"I don't believe you are paying a bit of attention to me!" the boyflung out angrily. "I wish you hadn't gone to that old city. You weretwice as good fun before. And I s'pose you won't climb trees or runraces or--or do any of the things that used to be such good fun. Whatin the world _did_ you do there?"
"Oh, I'll try them with you again. But I've been out with father allthe afternoon----"
"And now he'll be so taken up with you he won't want me. Girls haven'tany call to be out so much with men."
"Not when they are our own fathers?" smiling.
"Well--there's knitting, and spinning, and sewing, and darningstockings----"
"I thought you were begging me to go out and have a good romp withyou?"
"Oh, that's different."
She laughed. Then father came in and they had supper. After that untilhe went out he had to help Felix with sums, then the boy was sleepy,and went to bed.
Daffodil had to talk about her visit. She had been to the theatretwice and to some fine out-of-doors concerts. Then the afternoon atthe Pembertons, where the ladies had been so beautifully dressed, andthe dance and the tea on the lawn. She had been sent to a dancingclass and knew the modern steps.
"And I just don't believe any one can beat grandad;" said Norah withpride. "And stout as he is, he's as light on his feet as a young girl.And about this Miss Wharton and her living alone with servants just asif she was a widow, and she must be an old maid. It's queer theyshould make so much of her."
"But she's so nice and sweet. Everybody likes her. And her house is sofull of pretty things. The gentlemen are always wanting to dance withher and come to tea."
"Well, it's very queer except for a queen. There was a great queenonce who didn't and wouldn't get married."
"That was Queen Elizabeth and Virginia was named in her honor."
"Well, I hope you won't get sick of us after a little. But blood'sthicker than water;" and Norah nodded confidently to Daffodil'smother.
Then it seemed really strange to go over to the Byerly's to tea. Theyhad been older girls in school. Now they were busy all day spinningand Kate wove on a hand loom. Girls worked through the day andfrolicked in the evening. They all seemed so large to Daffodil. Theyjoked one another about beaux. Half a dozen young men were invited.Kitchen and dining-room was all one, and the two tables were puttogether, and would have groaned with their burden if they had notbeen strong.
"I want Daffodil Carrick," said Ned Langdale rather peremptorily. "Iwent to her first party and she came to mine."
"That's whether she wants you," said Janie saucily. "Do you,Daffodil?"
"Do I--what?"
"Want Ned to take you in to supper. We're pairing off. By right youought to take Kate," to Ned. "She can have some of the younger boys."
Daffodil was rather startled at Ned. He had grown so tall and lookedso manly.
"I'll take Archie," she said a little timidly.
Archie smiled and came over to her, clasping her hand.
"I'm so glad," he said in a half whisper. "Oh, Daffodil, you're sopretty, like some of the sweet pictures in a book mother has. Yes, I'mso glad."
Did Daffodil go to school with most of these girls? She felt curiouslystrange. After the first greeting and the question about her visit,that she was getting rather tired of, there was a new diversion at theentrance of Mr. Josephus Sanders, who was announced to the company byhis betrothed. He was a great, rather coarse-looking fellow, with ared face burned by wind and water, and reddish hair that seemed tostand up all over his head. Even at the back it hardly lay down. Hewas a boatman, had made two trips to New Orleans, and now was goingregular between Pittsburg and Cincinnati with a share in the boatwhich he meant to own by and by. He had a loud voice and took thejesting in good part, giving back replies of coarse wit and muchlaughter.
Mrs. Byerly waited on the guests, though the viands were so arrangedthat there was a dish for every three or four. Cold chicken, cold ham,cold roast pork temptingly sliced. White bread and brown, fried nutsas they called them, the old Dutch doughnuts and spiced cakes, besidethe great round one cut in generous slices. And after that lusciousfruits of all kinds.
"Yes, I am so glad to see you. And you have been off among thequality. But I hope you have not forgotten--" and he raised his eyes,then colored and added, "but you weren't so much with the boys. I dosuppose girls' schools are different. Still there were Saturdays."
"I don't know why I lagged behind," and she gave a soft laugh that wasdelicious. "Maybe it was because some of them were older. Even now Ifeel like a little girl and I don't mean to be married in a long time.Oh, yes, I remember the May day fun and the races and tag----"pausing.
"And the tree climbing and the big jumps and prisoner's base, and'open the gates' and 'tug of war.' Ned was famous in them. I likedoften to go off by myself and read, but once in a while it was fun."
"Oh, you should go to Philadelphia. There are so many fine books. Andmany of the people have libraries of their own. My guardian had. Andpictures."
He bent his head quite low.
"I'm going some day. That's my secret. I mean to be a doctor."
"Oh!" The eyes she turned upon him thrilled him to the heart. Oh, shewas the prettiest and sweetest girl in the room.
But she wasn't glowing and red-cheeked and black-eyed. Then yellowhair wasn't particularly in favor.
The table was cleared and the dessert was grapes and melons,yellow-hearted cantelopes and rosy watermelons, and they snapped seedsat one another, a rather rude play, which made a great deal ofdodging. Afterward they went to the best room and had some morerefined plays. They "picked cherries," they had to call theirsweetheart and stand with him in the middle of the room. Ned choseDaffodil Carrick and he kissed her of course, that made her blush likea peony. And she chose Archie.
But, alas! Archie had to choose some one else. He said afterward--"Ihad a great mind to choose you again, but I knew they'd laugh and sayit wasn't fair. But I didn't care at all for Emma Watkins."
They wound up with "Oats, Peas, Beans, and Barley Grows." Then JanieByerly took her betrothed's hand and stood in the middle of the room.
"Joe and I are to be married in October somewhere about the middle. Wehaven't set the day yet, but you'll all know it and I want a greatcrowd to come and see the knot tied. Then we're going to Cincinnati onJoe's boat to visit his folks, and if I like it first-class we maysettle there. I hope you have all had a good time."
They said they had in a shout.
"I'm coming over to see your pretty frocks," Janie whispered toDaffodil. "My, I shall be so busy that my head will spin."
Of course Archie had to see her home, but as Ned's girl was alreadyhome, he walked with them and did most of the talking, to Archie'schagrin. And he ended with--"I've so much to tell you. I'm coming overright soon."
A Little Girl in Old Pittsburg Page 10