Volume I Part 81 (1/2)
”No, indeed,” said Fleda, brightly; ”I am very glad I have come home. We will try and manage the troubles, aunt Lucy.”
There was no doing anything that day, but the very next afternoon Fleda and Hugh walked down through the snow to Mrs.
Dougla.s.s's. It was a long walk and a cold one, and the snow was heavy; but the pleasure of being together made up for it all. It was a bright walk, too, in spite of everything.
In a most thrifty-looking well-painted farm-house, lived Mrs.
Dougla.s.s.
”Why, 'taint you, is it'?” she said, when she opened the door ? ”Catharine said it was, and I said I guessed it wa'n't, for I reckoned you had made up your mind not to come and see me at all. How do you do?”
The last sentence in the tone of hearty and earnest hospitality. Fleda made her excuses.
”Ay, ay ? I can understand all that just as well as if you said it. I know how much it means, too. Take off your hat.”
Fleda said she could not stay, and explained her business.
”So you ha'n't come to see me, after all? Well, now, take off your hat 'cause I wont have anything to say to you till you do. I'll give you supper right away.”
”But I have left my aunt alone, Mrs. Dougla.s.s; and the afternoons are so short now, it would be dark before we could get home.”
”Serve her right for not coming along! and you sha'n't walk home in the dark, for Earl will harness the team, and carry you home like a streak ? the horses have nothing to do. Come, you sha'n't go.”
And as Mrs. Dougla.s.s laid violent hands on her bonnet, Fleda thought best to submit. She was presently rewarded with the promise of the very person she wanted ? a boy, or young man, then in Earl Dougla.s.s's employ; but his wife said, ”she guessed he'd give him up to her;” and what his wife said, Fleda knew Earl Dougla.s.s was in the habit of making good.
”There aint enough to do to keep him busy,” said Mrs.
Dougla.s.s. ”I told Earl he made me more work than he saved; but he's hung on till now.”
”What sort of a boy is he, Mrs. Dougla.s.s.”
”He aint a steel-trap, I tell you beforehand,” said the lady, with one of her sharp intelligent glances; ”he don't know which way to go till you show him; but he's a clever enough kind of a chap ? he don't mean no harm. I guess he'll do for what you want.”
”Is he to be trusted?”
”Trust him with anything but a knife and fork,” said she, with another look and shake of the head. ”He has no idee but what everything on the supper-table is meant to be eaten straight off. I would keep two such men as my husband as soon as I would Philetus.”
”Philetus!” said Fleda ? ”the person that brought the chicken, and thought he had brought two?”
”You've hit it,” said Mrs. Dougla.s.s. ”Now you know him. How do you like our new minister?”
”We are all very much pleased with him.”
”He's very good-looking, don't you think so?”
”A very pleasant face.”
”I ha'n't seen him much yet except in church; but those that know, say he is very agreeable in the house.”
”Truly, I dare say,” answered Fleda, for Mrs. Dougla.s.s's face looked for her testimony.
”But I think he looks as if he was beating his brains out there among his books. I tell him he is getting the blues, living in that big house by himself.”
”Do you manage to do all your work without help, Mrs.