Part 30 (1/2)

”You were late from school, Maria and Matilda,” their aunt remarked, finding Anne and Letty unmanageable. ”What was the reason?”

”Tilly was talking to me,” Maria said.

”You could talk on the way home, I should think. I dislike to have dinner eaten by stages; first one set coming, and then another. I am going to ask you to be punctual for the future. Do not be in a hurry, Maria; there is time enough, now you are here, to eat moderately.”

”I am hungry. I don't want to eat moderately, Aunt Erminia.”

”As much as you wish; but you can be moderate in manner, cannot you, even if not in quant.i.ty?”

”n.o.body ever told me I eat too much, before,” said Maria.

”There are a great many things that you have never been told, I suppose?” said Clarissa, lifting her handsome eyes quietly.

”I don't care about your telling me either,” said Maria.

”My dear, that is not polite,” interposed her aunt. ”I am sorry to hear you speak so. Would you not like to have Issa, or any one, tell you things that you would be the better for. You would not wish to remain just as you are, to the end of your days?”

”It don't hurt anybody but me,” said Maria.

”I beg your pardon. Everything that is not graceful and well-mannered, on the part of people in whose company we are, hurts me and Clarissa.

It hurts me to have you bolt down your food as you were doing just now--if I am sitting at the same table with you. And it hurts me to have you speak rudely. I hope you will mend in all these things.”

”It will not hurt you to have us say good-bye,” said Anne, rising. ”I will do that now, if you please. Letty, I will leave you to take care of these things, and I will finish the packing. We must be quick, too.”

The farewell greetings with her aunt and cousin were soon spoken; and Maria and Matilda tore up-stairs after their sister, to pour out tears and complaints together during the remaining moments of her being at home. Matilda's tears, however, were quiet and her words very few.

”Ain't she too bad!” exclaimed Maria.

”You must try and hold your own the best you can,” said Anne, ”until mamma gets up again. Poor children! I am afraid she will be too much for you.”

”But, Anne, did you think Aunt Candy was like that?” said Maria. ”She wasn't like that at first.”

”I guess she was. All she wanted was a chance. Now she's got it. Try and bear it the best you can till mamma is well. She cannot be worried now.”

”Is mamma very sick, Anne?” Matilda ventured.

”N-o,” said Anne, ”but she might be, Tilly, if she was worried. The doctor says she is very nervous, and must be kept quiet. She has been worrying so long, you see. So you must try and not do anything to fret her.”

The prospect was sad. When the omnibus came to take Anne and Letty to the station, and when the last kisses and hugs were over, and the omnibus bounced away, carrying with it all they had at the moment, the two girls left at home felt forlorn enough. The only thing to be done was to rush up-stairs to their room and cry their hearts out. And that was done thoroughly.

But by and by, Matilda's thoughts, in their very extreme need of comfort, began to take up the words again which she had once found so good: ”Cast thy burden upon the Lord; He shall sustain thee.” She left her sobbing, dried her eyes, sat down by the window, and found the place in her Bible, that her eyes might have the comfort of seeing and reading the words there. The Lord's words: Tilly knew they were true.

But Maria sobbed on. At last her little sister called her.

”What is it?” said she.

”Come here,--and I will show you something good.”

”Good?--what?” said Maria, approaching the window. ”Oh, words in the Bible!”