Part 8 (1/2)
She whispered, with her small brown hand before her mouth:
”And we were both talking about getting learning!”
CHAPTER VIII.
A LONG GOOD-BY
August flew by with its sultry air, and the grand house lay warm and quiet until supper time, no one venturing out until the heat of the day was past.
A disappointment it was to Sally that so little time was spent by the young people in the arbor, for it was not easy for her to see or hear them anywhere else.
Then came there a day in September when all the place was stirred as by some great and important event. Captain Rothwell was at the dock or on the deck giving swift orders, the sailors were hurrying to and fro, and the brave _Belle Virgeen_ stood ready winged for sailing.
Sally a little while before had begged of Mistress Brace a piece of gray and white print, out of which, being exceeding deft with her needle, she had made for herself a neat gown.
Then the hired men had each agreed to pay her a few pence if every week she would darn their stockings. And the darns were indeed of surprising neatness for a little maid of but eleven years of age.
Sally could buy no stockings as yet with her earnings, but a cheap pair of shoes she already had bought, and on the sweet September day, away with the rest she went to see the _Belle Virgeen_ set sail.
Very hard she strained her eyes to get a glimpse of her Fairy Prince, and her poor little heart was aching at thought of his crossing the great lonely ocean to remain nearly a year away.
”Oh, a year doth seem such a very long while,” she murmured, ”and although I should be ready to die of shame did any one know it, yet great comfort and company hath it been for me to dream and imagine about the Fairy Prince.”
So much was there going on, and so great the bustle, that not much thought could fill her mind, and soon there came an extra stir, a carriage drove along the road, a lithe young form sprang out, and midst a cheer from the ”hands” that crowded the landing, Lionel Grandison went up the gangplank.
Then came the signal from Captain Rothwell to draw in the hawsers, and let the trim vessel glide.
Yes, there were Sir Percival Grandison, young Mistress Lucretia, and Mistress Rosamond Earlscourt, all waving their kerchiefs, and smiling bravely at the young student, who held his sea-cap high above his head, waving it constantly.
Lady Gabrielle had not come to see him sail away. Like unto other mothers at such times, she had not wished to see the lad depart.
On the edge of the crowd stood Sally. Still farther back she went, and not much notice did she take that she was standing near a great wagon that had brought some luggage to the dock, until all at once, from around the other side, she heard a musical voice half sobbing out a prayer:
”O Lorr Gord, do keep de chile f'om all de dangers ob de mighty deep!
Doan't let de waves nor de billows be swallerin' ob him up. Keep my babby safe f'om all de mis'ries ob a forr'n land. Dese yere arms has held him troo all kiner sickernesses. Deah Lorr, keep my chile safe--Yah! yah! yah!”
It was Mammy Leezer, who, without stopping to end her prayer in proper shape, had suddenly joined the cheer that went up as the vessel dropped slowly down the stream.
Very still it grew again as the _Belle Virgeen_ drifted off and away, until in the distance the staunch s.h.i.+p grew small, and the figure of a boy standing straight and tall looked like a mere point against the sky.
Sallie's breast heaved and tears filled her eyes.
”Farewell, O Fairy Prince,” she sighed, ”farewell! I hate to see thee go. I hope to see thee back some day, my Fairy Prince, and ah, what joy would it be, if, without shame, I might sometime meet thee face to face.”
”Then away and prepare,” cried her Fairy, and without stopping to look back, or even to say a word to Mammy Leezer, Sally went swiftly to the pine woods and began talking to herself again.
”Now one thing am I bound to do. It will be hard to see the way, but--I am going to a dame school!