Chapter 3- Miss Campbell

While the travelers unpack their trunks, we will pick up, as briefly as possible, the dropped

stitches in the little romance we are weaving.

Rose’s life had been a very busy and quiet one for the four years following the May Day when she made her choice. Study, exercise, housework, and many wholesome pleasures kept her a happy, hearty, creature,

yearly growing in womanly graces, yet always preserving the innocent freshness

girls lose so soon when too early set upon the world’s stage and given a part

to play.

Not a remarkably gifted girl in any way, and far from perfect; full of all manner of youthful

whims and fancies; a little spoiled by much love, rather apt to think all lives

as safe and sweet as her own, and, when want or pains appealed to her, the

tender heart overflowed with a remorseful charity which gave of its abundance

recklessly. Yet, with all her human imperfections, the upright nature of the

child kept her desire climbing toward the just and pure and true, as flowers struggle

to the light; and the woman’s soul was budding beautifully under the green

leaves behind the little thorns.

At seventeen, Dr. Alec pronounced her ready for the voyage around the world, which he considered a

better finishing off than any school could give her. But just then Aunt Peace

began to fail and soon slipped quietly away to rejoin the lover she had waited

for so long. Youth seemed to come back in a mysterious way to touch the dead

face with lost loveliness, and all the romance of her past to gather around her

memory. Unlike most aged women, her friends were among the young, and at her

funeral the gray heads gave place to the band of loving girls who made the

sweet old maiden ready for her rest, bore her pall, and covered her grave with

the white flowers she had never worn.

When this over poor Aunt Plenty seemed so lost without her lifelong charge that Dr. Alec would not

leave her, and Rose gladly paid the debt she owed by the tender service which

comforts without words. But Aunt Plenty, having lived for others all her days,

soon rebelled against this willing sacrifice, soon found strength in her own

sincere piety, solace in cheerful occupation, and amusement in nursing Aunt

Myra, who was a capital patients, as she never died and never got well.

So at last the moment came when, with free minds, the travelers could set out, and on Rose’s

eighteenth birthday, with Uncle Alec and the faithful Phebe, she sailed away to

see and study the big, beautiful world which lies ready for us all if we only

know how to use and enjoy it.

Phebe was set to studying music in the best schools, and while she trained her lovely voice with

happy industry, Rose and her uncle roamed about in the most delightful way till

two years were gone like a dream and those at home clamored for their return.

Back they came, and now the heiress must make ready to take her place, for at twenty-one she came

into possession of the fortune she had been trying to learn how use well. Great

plans fermented in her brain, for, though the heart was as generous as ever,

time had though her prudence and observation shown her that the wisest charity

is that which helps the poor to help themselves.

Dr. Alec found it a little difficult to restrain the ardor of this young philanthropist who wanted

to begin at once to endow hospitals, built homes, adopt children, and befriend

all mankind.

“Take a little time to look about you and get your bearing, child. The world you have been living in

is a much simpler, honester one than that you are now to enter. Test yourself a

bit and see if the old ways seem best after all, for you are old enough to

decide, and wise enough to discover, what is for you truest good, I hope,” he

said trying to feel ready to let the bird escape from under his wing and make

little flights alone.

“Now, Uncle. I’m very much afraid you are going to be disappointed in me,” answered Rose with unusual

hesitation yet a very strong desire visible in her eyes. “You like to have me

quite honest, and I’ve learned to tell you all my foolish thoughts so I’ll

speak out, and if you find my wish very wrong and silly, please say so, for I

don’t want you to cast me off entirely, though I am grown up. You say, wait a

little, test myself, and try if the old ways are best. I should like to do

that, and can I in a better way than leading the life other girls lead? Just

for a little while,” she added as her uncle’s face grew grave.

He was disappointed, yet acknowledged that the desire was natural and in a moment saw that a trial

of this sort might have its advantages. Nevertheless, he dreaded it, for he had

intended to choose her society carefully and try to keep her unspoiled by the

world as long as possible, like many another fond parent and guardian. But the

spirit of Eve is strong in all her daughters forbidden fruit will look rosier

to them than any in their own orchards, and the temptation to take just one

little bite proves irresistible to the wisest. So Rose, looking out from the

safe seclusion of her girlhood into the woman’s kingdom which she was about to

take possession of, felt a sudden wish to try its pleasure before assuming its

responsibilities, and was too sincere to hide the longing.

“Very well, my dear, try it if you like, only take care of your health be temperate in your gaiety

and don’t lose more than you gain, if that is possible,” he added under his

breath, endeavoring to speak cheerfully and not look anxious.

“I know it is foolish,but I do want to be a regular butterfly for a little and see what it is like.

You know I couldn’t help seeing a good deal of fashionable life abroad, though

we were not in it, and here at home the girls tell me about all sorts of

pleasant things that are to happen this winter, so if you won’t despise me very

much, I should like to try it.”

“For how long?”

“You may like it so well that the three months be too long? New Year is a good time to take a fresh

start. Everyone is going to welcome me, so I must be gay in spite of myself,

unless I’m willing to seem very ungrateful and morose,” said Rose, glad to have

so good a reason to offer for her new experiment.

“You may like it so

well that the three months may become years. Pleasure is very sweet when we are

young.”

“Do you think it will

intoxicate me?”

“We shall see, my

dear.”

“We shall!” And Rose

marched away, looking as if she had taken a pledge of some sort, and meant to

keep it.

It was a great relief

to the public mind when it became known that Miss Campbell was really coming

out at last, and invitations to Aunt Plenty’s party were promptly accepted.

Aunt Clara was much disappointed about the grand ball she had planned, but Rose

stood firm, and the dear old lady had her way about everything.

The consequence was a

delightfully informal gathering of friends to welcome the traveler’s home. Just

a good, old-fashioned, hospitable housewarming, so simple, cordial, and genuine

that those who came to criticize remained to enjoy, and many owned the charm

they could neither describe nor imitate.

Much curiosity was

felt about Phebe, and much gossip went on behind fans that evening, for those

who had known her years ago found it hard to recognize the little housemaid in

the handsome young woman who bore herself with such quiet dignity and charmed

them all with her fine voice. “Cinderella has turned out a princess,” was the

general verdict, and Rose enjoyed the little sensation immensely, for she had

many battles to fight for her Phebe since she came among them, and now her

faith was vindicated.

Miss Campbell herself

was in great demand and did the honors so prettily that even Miss Bliss forgave

her for her sad neglect of Worth, though she shook her head over the white

gowns, just alike expect that Phebe wore crimson and Rose, blue trimming.

The girls swarmed

eagerly around their recovered friend, for Rose had been a favorite before she

went away and found her throne waiting for her now. The young men privately

pronounced Phebe the handsomest “But then you know there’s neither family nor

money, so it’s no use.” Phebe, therefore, was admired as one of the ornamental

properties belonging to the house and left respectfully alone.

But bonny Rose was

“all right,” as these amiable youths expressed it, and many a wistful eye

followed the bright head as it flitted about the rooms as if it were a second

Golden Fleece to be won with difficulty, for stalwart kinsmen hedged it round,

and watchful aunts keep guard.

Little wonder that the

girl found her new world an enchanting one and that her first sip pleasure

rather went to her head, everybody welcomed and smiled on her, flattered and

praised, whispered agreeable prophecies in her ear, and looked the compliments

and congratulations they dared not utter till she felt as if she must have left

her old self somewhere abroad and suddenly become a new and wonderfully gifted

being.

“It is very nice,

Uncle, and I’m not sure I mayn’t went another three months of it when the first

are gone,” she whispered to Dr. Alec as he stood watching the dance she was

leading with Charlie in the long hall after supper.

“Steady, my lass,

steady, and remember that you are not really a butterfly but a mortal girl with

a head that will ache tomorrow,” he answered, watching the flushed and smiling

face before him. “I almost wish there wasn’t any tomorrow, but that tonight

would last forever it is so pleasant, and everyone so kind,” she said with a

little sigh of happiness as she gathered up her fleecy skirt like a white bird

pluming itself for flight.

“I’ll ask your opinion

about that at two A.M.,” began her uncle with a warning nod.

“I’ll gave it

honestly,” was all Rose had time to say before Charlie swept her away into the

particolored cloud before them.

“It’s no use, Alec

train a girl as wisely as you choose, she will break loose when the time comes

and go in for pleasure as eagerly as the most frivolous, for this their nature

to,” said Uncle Mac, keeping time to the music as if he would not mind “going

in” for a bit of pleasure himself.

“My girl shall taste

and try, but unless I’m much mistaken, a little bit of it will satisfy her. I

want to see if she will stand the test, because if not, all my work is a

failure and I’d like to know it,” answered the doctor with a hopeful smile on

his lips but an anxious look in his eyes.

“She will come out all

right bless her heart! So let her sow her innocent wild oats and enjoy herself

till she is ready to settle down. I wish all our young folks were likely to

have as small a crop and get through as safely as she will,” added Uncle Mac

with a shake of the head as he glanced at some of the young men revolving

before him.

“Nothing amiss with

your lads, I hope?”

“No, thank heaven! So

far I’ve had little trouble with either, though Mac is an odd stick and Steve a

puppy. I don’t complain, for both will outgrow that sort of thing and are good

fellows at heart, thanks to their mother. But Clara’s boy is in a bad way, and

she will spoil him as a man as she had as a boy if his father doesn’t

interfere.”

“I told brother

Stephen all about him when I was in Calcutta last year, and he wrote to the

boy, but Clara has got no end of plans in her head and so she insisted on

keeping Charlie a year longer when his father ordered him off to India,”

replied the doctor as they walked away.

“It is too late to

‘order’ Charlie is a man now, and Stephen will find he had been too easy with

him all these years. Poor fellow, it has been hard lines for him, and is likely

to be harder, I fancy, unless he comes home and straightens things out.”

“He won’t do that if

he can help it. He had lost all his energy living in that climate and hates

worry more than ever, so you can imagine what an effort it would be to manage a

foolish woman and a headstrong boy. We must lend a hand, Mac, and do our best

for poor old Steve.”

“The best we can do

for the lad is to marry and settle him as soon as possible.”

“My dear fellow, he

only three and twenty,” began the doctor, as if the idea was preposterous. Then

a sudden change came over him as he added with a melancholy smile, “I forget

how much one can hope and suffer, even at twenty-three.”

“And be all the better

for, if bravely out lived,” said Uncle Mac, with his hand on his brother’s

shoulder and the sincerest approval in his voice. Then, kindly returning to the

younger people, he went on inquiringly, “You don’t incline to Clara’s view of

certain matter, I fancy?”

“Decidedly not. My

girl must have the best, and Clara’s training would spoil an angel,” answered

Dr. Alec quickly.

“But we shall find it

hard to let our little Rose go out of the family. How would Archie do? He has

been well brought up and is a thoroughly excellent lad.”

The brothers had retired

to the study by this time and were alone, yet Dr. Alec lowered his voice as he

said with a tender sort of anxiety pleasant to see: “You know I do not approve

of cousins marrying, so I’m in a quandary, Mac, for I love the child as if she

were my own and feel as if I could not give her up any to any man whom I did

not know and trust entirely. It is of no use for us to plan, for she must

choose for herself yet I do wish we could keep her among us and give one of our

boys a wife worth having.”

“We must, so never

mind your theories but devote yourself to testing our elder lads and making one

of them a happy fellow. All are heart-whole, I believe, and, though young still

for this sort of thing, we can be gently shaping matters for them, since no one

knows how soon the moment may come. My faith it is like living in a powder mill

to be among a lot of young folks nowadays! All looks as calm as possible till a

sudden spark produces an explosion, and heaven only knows where we find

ourselves after it is over.”

And Uncle Mac sat

himself comfortably down to settle Rose’s fate while the doctor paced the room,

plucking at his bread and knitting his brows as if he found it hard to see his

way.

“Yes, Archie is a good

fellow,” he said, answering the question he had ignored before. “An upright,

steady, intelligent lad who will make an excellent husband if he ever finds out

that he has a heart. I suppose I’m an old fool, but I do like a little more

romance in a young man than he seems to have more warmth and enthusiasm, you know.

Bless the boy! He might be forty instead of three or four and twenty, he’s so

sober, calm, and cool. I’m younger than he is, and could go a-wooing like a

Romeo if I had any heart to offer a woman.”

The doctor looked

rather shamefaced as he spoke and his brother burst out laughing. “See here,

Alec, it’s a pity so much romance and excellence as yours should be lost, so

why don’t you set these young fellows an example and go a-wooing yourself?

Jessie has been wondering how you have managed to keep from falling on love

with Phebe all this time, and Clara is quite sure that you waited only till she

was safe under Aunt Plenty’s wing to offer yourself in the good old-fashioned

style.”

“I!” And the doctor

stood aghast at the mere idea, then he gave a resigned sort of sigh and added

like a martyr, “If those dear women would let me alone, I’d thank them forever,

put the idea out of their minds for heaven’s sake, Mac, or I shall be having

the poor girl flung at my head and her comfort destroyed. She is a fine creature

and I’m proud of her, but she deserves a better lot than to be tied to an old

fellow like me whose only merit is his fidelity.”

“As you please, I was

only joking,” and Uncle Mac dropped the subject with secret relief. The

excellent man thought a good deal of family and had been rather worried at the

hints of the ladies. After a moment’s silence he returned to a former topic,

which was rather a pet plan of this. “I don’t think you do Archie justice,

Alec. You don’t know him as well as I do, but you’ll find that he has heart

enough under his cool, quiet manner. I’ve grown very fond of him, think highly

of him, and don’t see how you could do better for Rose than to give her to

him.”

“She’ll do anything to

please you,” began Uncle Mac in perfect good faith, for twenty-five years in

the society of a very prosaic wife had taken nearly all the romance out of him.

“It is of no use for

us to plan, and I shall never interfere expect to advise, and if I were to

choose one of the boys, I should incline to my godson,” answered the doctor

gravely.

“What, my Ugly

Duckling!” exclaimed Uncle Mac in great surprise.

“The Ugly Duckling

turned out a swan, you remember. I’ve always been fond of the boy because he’s

so genuine and original. Crude as a green apple now, but sound at the core, and

only needs time to ripen. I’m sure he’ll turn out a capital specimen of the

Campbell variety.”

“Much obliged, Alec,

but it will never do at all. He’s a good fellow, and may do something to be

proud of by and by, but he’s not the mate for our Rose. She needs someone who

can manage her property when we are gone, and Archie is the man for that,

depend upon it.”

“Confound the

property!” cried Dr. Alec impetuously. “I want her to be happy, and I don’t

care how soon she gets rid of her money if it is going to be a millstone round

her neck. I declare to you, I dreaded the thought of this time so much that

I’ve kept her away as long as I could and trembled whenever a young fellow

joined us while we were abroad. Had one or two narrow escapes, and now I’m in

for it, as you can see by tonight’s ‘success’ as Clara calls it. Thank heaven I

haven’t many daughters to look after!”

“Come, come, don’t be

anxious take Archie and settle it right up safely and happily. That’s my

advice, and you’ll find it sound,” replied the elder conspirator, like one

having experience.

“I’ll think of it, but

mind you, Mac, not a word of this to the sisters. We are couple of old fools to

be matchmaking so soon but I see what is before me and it’s a comfort to free

my mind to someone.”

“So it is. Depend on

me not a breath even to Jane,” answered Uncle Mac, with a hearty shake and a

sympathetic slap on the shoulder.

“Why, what dark and

awful secrets are going on here? It is a Freemason’s Lodge and those the mystic

signs?” asked a gay voice at the door, and there stood Rose, full of smiling

wonder at the sight of her two uncles hand in hand, whispering and nodding to

one another mysteriously.

They stared like

schoolboys caught plotting mischief and looked so guilty that she took pity on

them, innocently imagining the brothers were indulging in a little sentiment on

this joyful occasion, so she added quickly, as she beckoned, without crossing

the threshold, “Women not allowed, of course, but both of you dear Odd Fellow

are wanted, for Aunt Plenty begs we will have an old-fashioned contra dance,

and I’m to lead off with Uncle Mac. I chose you, sir, because you do it in

style, pigeon wings and all. So, please come and Phebe is waiting for you,

Uncle Alec. She is rather shy you know, but will enjoy it with you to take care

of her.”

“Thank you, thank

you!” cried both gentlemen following with great alacrity.

Unconscious, Rose

enjoyed that Virginia reel immensely, for the pigeon wings were superb, and her

partner conducted her through the convolution of the dance without a fault,

going down the middle in his most gallant style. Landing safely at the bottom,

she stood aside to let him get his breath, for stout Uncle Mac was bound to do

or die on that occasion and would have danced his pumps through without a

murmur if she had desired it.

Leaning against the

wall with his hair in his eyes, and a decidedly bored expression of

countenance, was Mac, Jr., who had been surveying the gymnastics of his parent

with respectful astonishment.

“Come and take a turn,

my lad. Rose is fresh as a daisy, but we old fellows soon get enough of it, so

you shall have my place,” said his father, wiping his face, which glowed like a

cheerful peony.

“No, thank you, sir I

can’t stand that sort of thing. I’ll race you round the piazza with pleasure,

Cousin, but his oven is too much for me,” was Mac’s uncivil reply as he backed

toward the open window, as if glad of an excuse to escape.

“Fragile creature,

don’t stay in my account, I beg. I can’t leave my guests for a moonlight run,

even if I dared to take it on a frosty night in a thin dress,” said Rose,

fanning herself and not a bit ruffled by Mac’s refusal for she knew his ways

and they amused her.

“Not half as bad as

all this dust, gas, heat, and noise. What do you suppose lings are made of?”

demanded Mac, ready for a discussion then and there.

“I used to know, but

I’ve forgotten now. Been so busy with other things that I’ve neglected the

hobbies I used to ride five or six years ago,” she said, laughing.

“Ah, those were times

worth having! Are you going in for much of this sort of thing, Rose?” he asked

with a disapproving glance at the dancers.

“About three months of

it, I think.”

“Then good-bye till

New Year.” And Mac vanished behind the curtains.

“Rose, my dear, you

really must take that fellow in hand before he gets to be quite a bear. Since

you been gone he has lived in his books and got on so finely that we have let

him alone, though his mother groans over his manners. Polish him up a bit, I

beg of you, for it is high time he mended his odd ways and did justice to the

fine gifts he hides behind them,” said Uncle Mac, scandalized at the bluntness

of his son.

“I know my chestnut

burr to well to mind his prickles. But others do not, so I will take him in

hand and make him a credit to his family,” answered Rose readily.

“Take Archie for your

model he’s one of a thousand, and the girl who gets him gets a prize, I do

assure you,” added Uncle Mac, who found matchmaking to his taste and thought

that closing remark a deep one.

“Oh, me, how tired I

am!” cried Rose, dropping into a chair as the last carriage rolled away

somewhere between one and two.

“What is your opinion

now, Miss Campbell?” asked the doctor, addressing her the first time by the

name which had been uttered so often that night.

“My opinion is that

Miss Campbell is likely to have a gay life is she goes on as she has begun, and

that she finds it very delightful so far,” answered the girl, with lips still

smiling from their first taste of what the world calls pleasure.

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