Part 36 (2/2)
Lillian laughed. ”Not much like Peter am I after all?”
While this conversation was going on in the little parlor the two colonels were crossing the Delaware, and were soon in the cars rolling rapidly towards the great metropolis.
”But, Colonel Hamilton, you must confess that it was not pleasant while receiving the sympathies and kindnesses of the people, to remember I was wounded in the army that would, if they could, annihilate yours.”
”But they cannot!”
”That does not take away my chagrin! Here I am in the midst of those whom I once hoped, it may be, to conquer or slay, and from their hands receiving the 'coals of fire' that are scorching my heart instead of my head. It is this that makes me wish to bury myself away from it all.”
”But, my dear fellow; you are not the only one who ever changed his convictions! Just make yourself comfortable! See how rapidly we are getting along! Here is Burlington. I wish there were a boat going up the river as soon as you arrive in the city, so that you could lie down the rest of the way.”
”I am getting so 'yankeeized' that I could never wait for the slow motion of a steamer. I must take the lightning express.”
”And be at your destination before tea-time?”
”So Ellen has written me.”
”Well, take good care of your heart. This mixing up of fractions makes very serious troubles sometimes.”
”But in the final union of whole numbers there is bliss! Why not work out the sum and hand over the product in your advice?” A merry laugh followed this query, while the long train whirled on.
There was a happy reunion in the widow's cottage when Mr. St. Clair returned with his son to occupy the easy chair that had been especially procured for him. The mother had not seen him since the time when in his rebel uniform he had bid her good-bye in the far-away home, and her eyes were swimming with tears as she looked upon his changed face.
”They did not tell me you were so thin and pale,” she said as she kissed him tenderly.
”But I am very weary now; you have no idea what a night's rest will do for my good looks.” Still the mother's heart beat with a low, sad throbbing.
Anna was placid and reserved. Her greetings were cordial, while none save the maternal eye peered beneath the external calm.
”Well this is cozy,” he remarked, as the two young ladies drew his chair close to the table. ”Still it is a little mortifying to my masculine dignity--this being waited upon by ladies instead of slaves!”
”It is the way with us up here,” replied the sister; ”and all you can possibly do is to submit with as much grace as you can muster for the purpose. Where is Toby?” she continued, as though missing him for the first time.
”Taking good care of his liberty. I have not seen him since he concluded to use his privileges as a free man.”
The days sped rapidly by. The cool winds came sweeping up from the broad Hudson, while the frosts painted the trees with gaudy tints, blighting the flowers and searing the green gra.s.s.
”Are we not imposing upon good nature?” the son asked one morning, as, leaning on the arm of his father, they walked out among the fallen leaves that were carpeting the smoothly shorn lawn. ”It seems to me we must be burdensome. Why do we not go to our rooms at the hotel?”
”Are you not more comfortable here? Mrs. Pierson is so kind, and we have all become so fully domesticated at a home fireside that it would be a sad change to take up our quarters at the public inn.”
”But Ellen wrote--”
”Ah, yes--'that she had secured rooms at Maple Grove,' which, after all, meant here under these maple trees. But if you desire it, my son--”
”I am not the only one to be considered. It seems that the mother and daughter have altogether too much work to do, with only one servant in the kitchen, and she a white girl.”
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