Part 41 (1/2)

THE Pa.s.sING OF OLD SALEM

After all, they were foolish lovers. She did not h.o.a.rd up any sweetness.

If he could not look forward to so many years, she must give him a double portion. That was her only regret about him, and she never confessed that.

He was surprised at himself. If she had loved another, the wound of loneliness must have bled inwardly until it sapped his life. Oh, how daintily sweet she was! Every day he found some new trait.

”You see,” she explained to Miss Winn, ”we shall all keep together.

Father trusted you to the uttermost, and you have been n.o.bly loyal. I couldn't do without you. And no one could look so well after Cousin Eunice, who will keep growing older.”

That was true enough. She was very well content in her home, and at her time of life did not care to try a new one. Cynthia was almost like a child to her.

Meanwhile matters had not gone prosperously with old Salem, England had claimed her right of search, against which the country strongly protested. The British government issued orders, and the French Emperor decrees, forbidding s.h.i.+ps of neutrals to enter the ports, or engage in trade with their respective enemies. This crippled the trade of Salem.

Then there had been the embargo, which for a while closed the ports. But the town went on improving. Fortunes had been made and now were being spent. But much of the s.h.i.+pping lay idle. Yet the social life went on, there was marrying and giving in marriage.

Of course, there was some gossip about the Saltonstall fiasco. No one, at least very few, supposed a sensible girl would give up such an opportunity to settle herself. Miss Cynthia would no doubt use her best efforts to get him back. She seemed superbly indifferent to the gossip.

At first Chilian insisted upon an engagement of some length, so that she might be sure of the wisdom of the step. But she only laughed in her charming fas.h.i.+on, and declared she would not give up the old house, much more its owner.

But they had a quiet wedding, with only the choicest friends, and then they went to Boston to escape the wonderings. Cousin Giles was really displeased.

”It's an unfair thing for an old fellow like you to do. And you had money enough of your own; her fortune should have gone to help some nice young fellow along. Why, really Cynthia has hardly outgrown childhood.

You might have been her father!”

”Hardly!” returned Chilian dryly.

On their return the house was opened and really crowded with guests.

Cynthia was in her most splendid attire. Happiness had certainly improved Chilian Leverett, he had gained some flesh and looked younger.

The most beautiful belongings had been brought out to decorate the rooms.

”For I am not going to have them stored away for possible grandchildren,” she declared gayly.

And the guests had a charming welcome. The younger girls were truly glad she had made her election, and no one could deny that she was very much in love with her husband. Neither had need to marry for money, since both had fortunes. And they wished her health and happiness with all their hearts.

Jane had said to her, ”Mis' Leverett, there's an old adage:

”'Change the name and not the letter, You marry for worse and not for better.'”

Cynthia laughed. ”I'm not going to let signs or omens trouble me. And I haven't even changed my name, so the letter cannot count. And it is one of the good old Salem names. It was my dear father's.”

One incident touched Cynthia deeply. Eunice took her up in the garret one day and exhumed from a chest the beautiful white quilt of Elizabeth's handiwork. Pinned to one corner was a card, ”For my little Cynthia.”

”Only a few days before she had her stroke she made me write this and go up and pin it on the quilt. Maybe she'd had a warning, people do sometimes. I supposed she'd leave it to Chilian. Oh, my dear, she'd be so glad to have you go on in the old house if she could know.”

Eunice wiped the tears from her eyes. Cynthia bent over and kissed among the st.i.tches the poor fingers had toiled at day after day, sorry for the toil, glad for the love that came at the last.

The Leverett house opened its doors with a generous hospitality. People, men at least, began to think of something beside money-making, and some fine plans were broached. Chilian Leverett seemed to grow younger.

Cynthia should not miss the joys of youth out of her life. He did something more than dance minuets, for her sake he essayed quadrilles.

The exquisite motion with her, her dainty hand in his, or at times resting on his shoulder, filled him with an all-pervading delight.