Chapter 11. Martha,

Otago Witness, Issue 1832, 31 December 1886, Page 1

Chapter 11. Martha,

Books Pearl did havo in abundance. The first installment the old man brought home the next day and flung them down before her in pride and delight. Old periodicals and sensational novels chiefly, bought in a lot at a second hand shop, 'In vain did Pearl pore over them for days, searching in their pages for the record of great men passed away, for words of sweetness and grandeur such as had fallen from their giust's lips. She was seated one afternoon on the floor, amid a pile of "The Young Ladies' Journals," vainly searching in their pages for Longfellow's Ev&ogeline, when a shadow fell across her, and she looked up, to see a strange lady standing in the doorway. 40, I do declare !' exclaimed the visitor, walking in and dropping into the nearest chair. 'I'vn found you at last, I do believe. Golden hair and browa eyes, sweet face, and about sixteen ; little cottage on the cliff, about two miles from our place, if a step, Ju3t like Laurence— said it was about half a mile — has sent you 4 ' Longfellow," with his compliments ; waited at home all the week, expecting you and your papa to oall, and only remembered this morning that he had omitted to leave our address ; then sent me off post hasite, with his regrets and apologies and a book 1 Just like Laurence; thinks a book makes up for anything. And how are you, my dear? Very well, I hope, and do believe.' All this the lady had rattled out without pausing to take breath, fanning her goodnatured ft cc meanwhile with her handkerchief, Now sho stepped forward and saluted the blu«bing, bashful Pearl with a hearty kiss, 4 You are very kind,' replied Pearl with her instinctive grace aud courtesy, 'and I thank you vary much for taking so muoh trouble. I am so sorry the walk has fatigued you ; but if you will sit ia grandfather's armchair and rest I will make you Dome tea, and it will refresh you.' 4 Thanks,' replied the lady, changing her seat quickly and smiling all over her face, 4 you are a dear little soul, really and truly, and I am yerv glad I found you out; for in this horrid Now Zealand I am pining my heart out for a real sociable friend, Laurenca, you see, dear fellow, has got a poetic soul and soars away to flights you never did ! Real'y and truly you never did ! — but perhaps, my dear, you have a poetic soul also,' and, with a sudden look of anxiety and apprehension, the lady came to a full stop and gassed at Pearl. ' No,' answered the girl in all earnestness, ' I am afraid not,'

' Bless you ! my dear, it is a great relief to me to hear it, I should be absolutely compelled to shun your society if I thought you had ! You see, my dear, people with poetic bouls idealise everything.' 4 O, do they ?' queried Pearl, completely at sea.

'I should think they did, child. Take Laurence, for instance— the most unbusinesslike, unpractical creature you ever met. Instead of seeing in the clouds a hint to carry an umbrella, he sees shadows of doubt and sorrow shutting out Heaven's blue ; and in a storm at sea, instead of a cause for thankfulness you are safe on land, he sees a type of tho fruitless endeavours of man to break down the barriers of fate — that's in tho waves da&hi&g against the rocks ?'

' 0 !' said Pearl.

' Really and truly 1 and instead of üßing his talents to make money, ho has used them to search after and admire the talents of other people; to dream, and wonder, and puzzle about everything on earth, and millions of miles above it ; to adore, my dear, and worship etatuary, and pictures, and poets. Such a lime I've had of it rolling about with him from country to country.' 4 From country to country '! ' 'Yes, child, from Greenland's icy mountains (where I spent a fortune in fires to koop warm) to India's coral strard, where I couldn't wear one of them, and a continual change of bonnets ! You never, my dear ! to say nothing of losing all my matrimonial chances! for you know, my dear, if wo had. stayed long enough at a place for me to make an impression, how could I say to the party " Now, young man, this ia your last chance ; if you don't propose tonight, I shall be whirling away to some destination not yet decided upon." So here I am, at thirty-five, not married yetj. It way be

all very well for Laurence to furnish his life with imaginary interests, and people it with ideal people; but, naturally, a woman likes real flash and blood pc pie to live with.' 4 And your brother doea not care for them?' ' O yes he does, after a fashion of his own ; hunting up old men with wooden legs, and talking to them ; sitting up nights with people ill with such terrible fevers no one else will go near them ; giving beggar children money; and jumping suddenly into the water to save drowning folks, and all that sort of thing.' 4 He must be a very nice man to have for a brother.'

4 Very nice, indeed, my dear, if it wasn't for his dreadful absentmindedness. It is a little annoying, really and truly, to hear him constantly thinking to-day was yesterday, and yesterday one day last week, and buy tickets for a concert and forget all about it till he reads the account of the entertainment in the papers.'

•Are you found of music?' asked -Pearl, smiling whilo she handed her visitor a fragrant cup of tea,

'Very, my dear. That is of comic songa and love songs; but not the kind of musio Lawrence plays. I positively do declare that sometimes it creaps down my backbone and gives me the shivers — so wild and weird it is— but what lovely tea you make, and how scrupulously clean you do keep the dear little house, little Undine, That's the name my brother has given you, because, he says your soul has not come to you. When it does, I beg and pray of you do not let it be a poetio one or I shall positively hays to shun you.' In this strain the lady chatted on for an hour, then rose to depart, with many injunctions to Pearl to bring her 4 pa ' (for so she persisted in calling Ned Hope) and spend an evening with them shortly. ' For Ido declare I have taken a great fancy to you, really and truly !' ehe concluded.

When Ned came home, half an hour later, Pearl caught him by the arm, and, pushing him towards his chair, cried gaily,

' Sit down whilo I talk to you. Mr Ward's sister has been here and brought me Longfellow, with Mr Ward's compliments, and, ohi euch a funny lady Miss Ward is ; beggad and prayed of me never to have a poetio soul or she should positively shun me. Says Lawrence — Mr Ward — saves people's lives in all manner* of ways, and thinks to-day was yesterday and yesterday one day last week " 4 1 shouldn't wonder at all, lass ; did Miss Ward givo you the idea of being absentminded, now ?'

4 Not in the least ; she gave me their address three or four times over, and we are to go soon — any evening we can.' 4 Aud what were the lady like, to look at! asked the old man,

Pearl considered for a moment, then, said slowly: 'she waa tall and bread, cot plump and soft looking, but large and bony. She wore her hair coir.bad down over her ears ia such a funny w«*y. I can't remember what her face was like, for it was all one large smile, all over it, eyes, and lips, and cheeks, grandfather.'

4 If. might have bean worse,' said Ned, thoughtfully, •it might have been a sight worse. 1

' She was dressed in such a funny way,' continued Pearl. • All her things looked as though sho had caught them up in a hurry, just what happened to be nearest, and bad put them on anyhow without looking in the glass. The colours didn't blend, and her gloves were toolargo ; I really do believe they were hep "brother's. She looked so funny I wanted to laugh all the time,' and Pearl laughed now, the old man joining in the merriment. 'It takes all sorts to make a world, lass, 1 -Baid he.

4 1 want so much to go to their house, grandfather, and hear some of the music that makes a shiver go down her backbone.' 4 Rhouaiaticß !' said he confidently, 'No it isn't rheumatics, grandfather, she said it was the music her brother played.' The old man pondered thoughtfully for a time, then slowly shook his head, 4 Never heard none on it ; nearest to my recollection is a barrel organ.' So they decided to go and find out on the following evening. When it came Pearl superintended her grandfather's toilet with great care, and bestowod equal paiDß upon her own, Very fresh and pretty sho looked, too, in her blue serge drees, with collar, and cuffs, and pale blue neck ribbon. As dainty and sweet as any lady in the laud. It came as natural to Pearl to dress with taste as it does to the daises to bloom pink-tipped. 4 Born iv her to make everything her hands touch look pretty," old Nad often said of her. It wns a roild night in early spriug, and the old man of tdxty five and tho yourg 1 girl of sixteen enjoyed their walk aa much as though thpy weie children. Thoir way led them through the town, and they regarded the usual Saturday night? bustle with interest, eveiy now and then pausing baforo a shop window to pick out what they would buy for one anothsr when they were rich. At length they left the streets of the town bohiud them, and ascending a pretty stiff little hill road, found, near the top, the house th r y had been directed to. 4 Steep flight of steps before the door, bay windows, greon shutters, hero we are,' said Ned. Here the; were, certainly, bat here no one else seemed.

to ba. No lights were visible, no sounds audible. After vainly knocking at least half a dozen times they turned to depart, when L^urpnoe ascanded the steps. ' Oh ! ah ! yes,' he said, shaking? hands. ' Undine and her grandfather. Thia ia_ good of you. Come in, come in, Martha ia inside somewhere. Never stand knocking again at our door. Just open the door and walk in, for nobody ever hears knocks here. You would have gone away again, and we should have lost this pleasure had I not come up when I did. Come in.

He opened the door aB he spoke, and led the way into the dark hall, stumbling over something. 'Ah, yes,' he said, quietly, 'that's the coal Bouttle ; Martha couldn't find it, I'll swear. Give me your hand, Miss Hope, there is no knowing what shoals and quicksands we shall meet in our journey down this hall. It is a convenient place, too, for no matter what gets mislaid it is bound to turn up here, from a toothbrußhto a broom. Martha " just pops," as she expresses it, things down here, in their transit from room to room, and forgets all about it.' ' So it do run in the blood, after all,' thought the old man carefully feeling his way along, and alluding to absentmindednesß. At tha extreme end of the hall, Laurence opened a door and led them into a room. In later years, when Pearl became acquainted with Dickens, she thought it more resembled ' The Old Curiosity Snop ' than anything else she ever saw. Iv*]was a large room, but there was scarce space to move about in it, so crowded and jumbled were the disarrangements. The furniture was both artistic and costly — the carpets, curtains, &c. being of the richest texture, and most beautiful shades, but covered with dust. Rare and costly paintings hung upon the walls, dainty ornaments were scattered about in alarming confusion, heaps of music were piled beside a grand piano, aud every chair in the room was made the receptacle of a book, basket, shawl, coat, or something that should either have been upon a shelf or pee. 'Upon a beautifully-carved rosewood table stood a pile of dirty dishes, beside which, in a terrible state of dismay, stood Martha, ironing, her face, as Pearl expressed it, ' one large smile.' ' Well, I declare.' she exclaimed, dropping the hot iron, and leaving it upon the front; of the shirt Bhe was getting up and coming forward beamingly with both hands extended. 'Really and truly this is too bad to catch me in this muddle, but the tiresome laundress was taken ill, and sent back Laurence's linen unironed, and I was just getting him up a shirt for tomorrow "

* The iron is e corching it,' said Pearl, with an anxious glance towards the table._ ' O, my goodness me, yes,' exclaimed Martha, catching up the iron and depositing it upon a silver card tray- ' Now, present me to your venerable pa. So glad to see you, lam sure. Suoh a fearful walk for you, at your time of life, up these hilly roads. Laurence raves about the beauty of the undulating scenery; it looks very pretty, indeed, in his pictures, but for real life givo me an unpoetic, flat road. Sit in this easy chair,' she rattled on, catching up an armful of unironed linen and throwing it under the sofa, ' and rest yourself, my good sir ; and you sit here, my dear child, on my low chair by the fire ; in two minutes we shall ba as snug as possible.' The old man sank down among the cushions perfectly dazed and bewildered, after one faintly muttered ' G-ood evening, mum,' he had not spoken, and sat staring about him in undisguised astonishment.' * Wuss than a ship's cabin after a storm,' he thought. Laurence was quietly watching him : a twinkle in his eyes, be crossed over to him. 'Martha's domestic arrangements seem to astonish you, Mr Hope ?' * Astonished ain't no word for it 3' he exclaimed, 'I'm dashed! " then suddenly recollecting himself, the old map stopped suddenly, and was covered with confusion. Laurence moved away, and to set him at his ease returned with a beautiful model of a ship, and asked his opinion on it. So interested was the old man that he did not observe Martha's disappearance, and when she reappeared, shortly after, in a hastily donned evening dress of black silk, he concluded it was another lady, and rose to bow politely, but when Martha's smile convinced him of his mistake he subsided into silence, long and deep. Laurenco gave them some music, and Pearl, seated baside Martha, grew so absorbed in it and so unconscious of the lady's clatter that Martha at length gave her up, and with a lurking fear that after all the child's soul would be poetic when it came to her, bustled off to make preparations for some supper. Nearer and nearer to the piano crept Pearl,-, until at last she stood baside it, with rapt face and claßped hands drinking in sounds bo Bweet. A measure so majestic, and with an undertone of such sadness that Bomehow the girl teemed to see and hear all those grand men Lawrence had spoken of the other night, 1 to feel the sadness of their disappointments, ! the gladness of their triumphs, the grandeurs of their lives. All at once Laurence stopped playing and turned his beautiful eye, upon Pearl, when they met his full of tears, he smiled and said in a low tone,

'Well?'

llt is beautiful ! beautiful ! murmured Pearl, *It makes me feel like I feel when, on a summer's evening, I sit and watch the golden sunlight fade off the hills and sea, and one by one the stars come out in the grey sky, and over all a hush falls, broken only by the moaning of the waves.'

•Ah !' Laurence said it in the peculiar lingering way he had of saying * ah,' that might mean nothing at all or a very great deal. • Would you like to learn to play ?' he aßked suddenly. 'Me learn to play V exclaimed Pearl, 'Oh 1 I should, but how can I, we have no piano and no one to teach me.'

' That difficulty ib easily got over, answered Laurence, ' I have a piano in my studio that would be better standing in your warm sitting room at home until I need it, and it you will ,come here several times a week, and Martha will be delighted to have you, I will give you lessons.'

1 How good you are,' answered Pearl, earnestly, *it will [delight grandfather to hear me play, and I will try hard to learn quickly and learn well, and then, who knows,' she added deilghtedly. 'Perhaps I may one day be clever enough to teach others and earn money, for. you know,' she continued, dropping her voice, * one day I must earn enough money to keep dear grandfather and myself, too Mr Ward.

' Ah !~ bo you must,' he said. ' I bad not thought of that.'

' What can I do to show you my gratitude,' Bhe asked, looking earnestly into his face. He smiled in a manner which meant how futile the attempt would prove, and Baid ' Give Martha lessons in housekeeping,' But Pearl took it all in earnestness, and said— 'I will.' Martha hero summoned them to supper,

The dirty dishes and ironing board had disappeared, doubtless into tho hall, and the table was spread with a plentiful repast, ordered in haste from the nearest hotel. A piece of roast sucking pig and fried flounders formed a portion of the viands ; there was cheese and coW ham, in fact tha table, like the room, abounded in rich things, badly arranged, aud ill assorted. Laurence ate the flsh with the manner of a man who had fared ill all day. A glaß3 of Australian wina and a little ham sufficed Pearl, while bread and cheese and beer was Ned's choice of the good things. The sucking pig was untouched, and doubtless proved next day to be the only joint for dinner. Martha ate liUlo but talked much, and in vain did Pearl hopo for a repetition of Laurence's interesting conversation ©f the evening in their cottaga. Supper over, he leaned back in his chair, and with a patient smile allowed bis sißter to rattlo on uninterrupted. On their way home Ned found his tongue. • I'm dashed,' Baid he, c if I over Beed or heored the like. Too much of everything, even vittals, and no comfort anywheres. That there Martha, is too much for mo ; fust go eff I took her for a servant, and a dirty one at that, ten minutes arter I mistook her for a play-aoting lady with her long train and all that, but she's a good Bort, and a kind sort. Yes, dearie, I'm downright grateful for the favours they're bastowing upon you, and if it'ul make you happy go to 'em, go as often as you like, and right you are ; and as often as Mr Ward or Miss Martha like to come to see ub they'r heartily welcome, lass, but let me bide quietly in my own chimbley corner, for such ways I do not seem to understand ; perhaps'you do, Pearl, my girl, your mortal sharp, but I can't help fancying if that poor fellow, Laurence, got nice, clean, well-cooked meals at regular hours, instead of breakfast, dinner, and supper all in one, at bedtime, his mind would be more on the spot.