CHAPTER XIV.

THE JOURNEY.

THE next day Edah and Pauline set out for New York, under the care of a gentleman from Raeburn, and arrived in safety, without any remarkable adventures, though Pauline found material enough for a very long and not particularly clear letter to Susan, which she accomplished with great labor the day but one after their arrival.

Edah was happy to find herself once more with her friend, though the meeting was a sad one. Still more severe was the necessary trial of visiting her guardian's house, formerly so pleasant, but now shut up and desolate, of looking over his papers and other property, and deciding what should be kept and what disposed of. In the former class were included all Mr. Liston's books, of which he had quite a fine collection, the pictures, her piano, and the furniture of her own room, and of Mr. Liston's sitting-room. These articles she intended to take with her when she returned to Brooksville, for she had quite decided to make her home with her mother and sisters as long as she could be of any use to them.

This point was not yielded by her friends in New York till after a long discussion. Mr. Liston's will, made a short time before his departure, and lodged in Mr. Amory's hands, provided that she should receive the income of her property, amounting to about twelve hundred a year, until she was twenty-three years old, after which she was to have the entire control of her own business. She was left at liberty to choose her place of residence, subject to the approbation of Mr. Amory, who was appointed her guardian, and the sole executor of the will. Mr. Amory had quite made up his mind that Edah was to reside with him in future. He considered her a pretty, well-informed young girl, who would be an ornament to his establishment, and a suitable companion to his daughter, of whom he was justly proud. It was, therefore, with some feelings of disappointment that he heard her announce her determination to return to Brooksville before Easter, and to make it her home for the present.

"I have but one motive in doing so," said she; "I am quite sure that I can be more useful there than anywhere else at present. Even if I had no other reason for it, I cannot for a moment think of leaving Susan with the care of mother on her hands, and no one to relieve her."

"You are under so many obligations to Mrs. Champlin," said Miss Concklin, with sarcastic emphasis; "no doubt you are right in discharging them. The society there must also be remarkably congenial to the taste of a young lady of education."

"I have no complaint to make of the people to Brooksville," replied Edah, gently. "They have always been very kind to me since I went there. They are not very fashionable, and perhaps not very polished, but I assure you, Miss Maria, I have friends there whom I should be sorry to lose."

Miss Maria elevated her chin a little, and gave utterance to some murmurs respecting refined tastes, which were not quite finished when she was called down to receive some visitors in the drawing-room, for which Edah was not at all sorry. She felt that she could express herself much more freely to Mr. Amory and Milly when Aunt Maria was out of the way.

"My principal reasons for returning to Brooksville," she continued, "are, as I said, first, to assist Susan in taking care of mother, and secondly, on my brother's account."

"I thought your brother was in a store, and doing very well," interrupted Mr. Amory.

"He is," replied Edah; "and Mr. Stuart, his employer, would gladly keep him, but Sam does not wish to remain, if he can help it. He has set his heart upon studying a profession."

"Oh, ho! And what profession does the young gentleman incline to?"

"He wishes to enter the ministry," replied Edah.

Mr. Amory shoved his spectacles up on his forehead, took them off, wiped them, and put them on again before he replied—

"And so he wishes to indulge this fancy at your expense, instead of earning his own living and that of his sisters, like an honest man. A most exemplary young man, truly!"

"You are very much mistaken, Mr. Amory," answered Edah, with spirit. "Sam has not the least idea of being burdensome to anybody. On the contrary, he has avowed his intention to continue in his present situation for some time, at least, and of carrying on his preparatory studies at the same time. If you had seen him at the time of our great misfortune—a time certainly trying enough to us all—if you had known any thing about his patience, and self-denial, and industry since—you would never dream of accusing him of any thing like meanness."

Edah's color rose, and her eyes filled with tears as she spoke, and Mr. Amory, looking through his spectacles, professed to himself that she was really a remarkably handsome young woman.

"Well, well, my dear," he said, soothingly, "I did not intend to make any unjust reflections upon your brother. I dare say he is a very fine young man. But how will your living in Brooksville make any difference in his pursuing his studies?"

"In this way," replied Edah. "Twelve hundred a year will be an ample income for us all to live upon in Brooksville, where every thing is so cheap, and where, moreover, I can earn something, if I wish to do so. Thus Sam will be at liberty to use his own earnings for his own purposes, and he can work his way through college easily enough by teaching, and the other means that young men resort to in such circumstances. I think, and so do Mr. Laurence and Mr. Willson, that he has talents which fit him to be eminently useful in the calling which he has chosen; and I am sure," she continued, with animation, "that I could not spend my income in any way which would give me so much satisfaction."

"Well," said Mr. Amory, "perhaps you may as well spend your time and means in making ministers as in manufacturing woollen cats, and dogs, and frogs—"

"Worsted, papa—worsted," interrupted Milly, laughing.

"Well, worsted, then—such as Maria lumbers up the house with," bestowing, at the same time, a vindictive glance upon Highland Mary, in Berlin wool, parting with her lover, on the back of a modern Gothic chair. "I honor your motive in this matter, my dear Edah, though, I confess, I regret that you have come to such a determination. Cannot your brother do as much good as a Christian merchant as he can in the capacity of a minister?"

"I think not, sir. There are a great many young men who are willing to remain merchants, and but few comparatively who are desirous of entering the ministry."

"Indeed," said Mr. Amory, "I am not altogether well-informed on such matters; but I had always supposed that profession to be entirely overfilled, like those of law and medicine."

"Not at all, sir. If you will look over the minutes of any of our Conventions, you will see that there are not nearly ministers enough to fill the places where they are needed. It is not generally a money-making profession; it does not hold out much prospect for fame, as not one minister in fifty ever becomes at all celebrated: it is a hard-working profession certainly; and in fact, there can be but one motive for entering it—that of doing good."

"And much good they do. I am not one of those who deny the value of the clergy; they are, beyond all question, one of the most useful bodies in the community, and their influence extends much further than is generally supposed. But, Milly, you have not said a word. Why do you not use your influence to persuade your friend to remain with us?"

"Because I rather think she is in the right, papa. I think I should do just so in her place."

"Upon my word, my own daughter has turned against me! Why, Miss Milly, I thought I was providing you with a great pleasure in inviting your friend to live with you."

"Yes, papa, and I am sure I am very much obliged to you; but if Edah should stay, against her conscience—"

"Or against her inclination—you think she would not be a very agreeable guest, eh? Well, my dears, we will not decide to-day; you have a week to spare in which to make up your minds. Are you a judge of organs, Edah?"

"No, sir," replied Edah, rather surprised; "I know when they are well toned, however."

"I am thinking of purchasing a small organ, and I should like to have you hear it first. You play the organ, I suppose?" Edah answered in the affirmative. "We will go down and look at it, and then take Miss Polly to see some more sights."

Edah remained a week longer with her friends in New York, her time being mostly occupied in superintending the packing of the furniture and other articles which she intended to take home with her.

Miss Maria, who really loved Edah, was at first very angry on hearing of her unalterable determination to return to her mother's house. But her anger was not very long lived, and she willingly undertook the whole business of providing Edah's mourning, and gave her whole time and attention to it for several days, thus relieving Edah herself of quite a burden, and leaving her at liberty for other matters.

The books and engravings, which were very valuable, were the objects of her especial attention, and she could not help smiling, in the midst of her tears, as she thought of the pleasure they would afford to Sam and Susan, and of the facilities which they would present to the former for pursuing his studies. She had written to them, communicating her intention of returning, and requesting them to have a large parlor, which had been for a long time unused, put in order for the reception of her treasures.

Pauline on her part was perfectly happy during the two weeks which she spent in New York. As she was really a very pretty and remarkably well-behaved child, she was in no one's way, and every one in the house petted her, from Mr. Amory down to the servants. It was Mr. Amory's perfect delight to take her to see all sorts of wonderful sights, and thus hear her speculations and questions about what she had seen. One day, however, he took her in the carriage through some of the poor and low streets of the city—those streets where Christian philanthropy has since made light out of darkness; and after this it was observable that Pauline's interest in New York declined. She no longer wished to live there always; but told her sister in confidence that she should be very glad to return to Brooksville, where, if there were no such beautiful houses and elegantly dressed ladies, there were no such dreadful places and people as she had seen that day.

"Only think, sister, Mr. Amory says that a great many of the little boys and girls I saw to-day were thieves, and had been in jails; and they did look wicked enough for any thing. I could not bear to live near such people, and not do any thing for them. Why do not good people go among them and try to make them better?"

"They wish to do so, my dear. I hear that some good ladies are trying to get up a school among them, in order to teach them better, as you say; but you must remember, Polly, that it is much easier to talk of doing good than to do it. Don't you remember how hard Mr. Laurence tried to make Joe Fisher sign the temperance pledge, and let his children go to places, and after all he did not succeed?"

"But we ought to try, sister, ought we not?" said Pauline.

"Certainly, my dear, we ought to do all we can, and every one can do something."

"Yes, they can pray, at any rate; and, sister, don't you think if all the Christians in the world were really to pray with all their hearts, a great deal more could be done? Don't you think God's kingdom would come a great deal sooner?"

"Yes, Polly, I have no doubt of it, and I am glad you think so much about it. I hope you will think more and more, and then when you grow up, you will be able to do a great deal for the Church—to be a living member of the same, as the Baptismal Service says. Then when Sam is a minister, you can help him very much, if you live with him."

"Is Sam going to be a minister?" asked Pauline.

"I presume he will, unless something unforeseen happens to prevent it. What do you think of it?"

"I think it will be very nice," said Pauline, with sparkling eyes; "but how will he do it? How will he get the money to go to college?"

"He will work and earn it, and I hope we shall be able to help him a little."

"I wish I could help him."

"You can, my dear; you can learn to sew nicely, and then you can help Susan and me to make his clothes with the pretty leather workbox Miss Maria gave you. Only think how glad he would be to have you make him a shirt all yourself!"

Polly had always disliked sewing very much; but now she was furnished with a motive for desiring to excel in it, and she earnestly resolved that it should not be long before she would sew well enough to make a shirt all herself. We are happy to inform our young readers that in about six months the feat was accomplished, and Sam actually wore a shirt of his little sister's manufacture, not failing to assure her that it was the nicest shirt he had ever had in his life.

The day before her return to Brooksville, Edah had a long conversation with Mr. Amory on the future prospect of the family. She was glad to find that though evidently sorry to lose her society, he gave his unqualified consent to her residing in Brooksville as long as she thought proper, only stipulating that she should make them a visit every year, a condition to which she very willingly agreed. He earnestly advised her to let Sam work his own way entirely.

"Depend upon it, my dear, he will preach all the better if he has to acquire his profession by his own labor. All our best men, in every condition of life, have been self-made, and if he has the talent and perseverance requisite for success in the calling he has chosen, he will get through his studies with no more difficulty than is good for him."

Though Edah did not promise not to assist Sam in any way, she thought Mr. Amory's view of the case a very sensible one, and resolved to act upon it to some extent.

Pauline cried heartily on bidding adieu to her new friends, and they were scarcely less sorry to part with her, so much had she endeared herself to them during her short stay.

They arrived in safety at Raeburn, where Sam was waiting for them with the wagon, and Edah was glad to find that all her boxes and packages had arrived in safety before her. Susan was standing at the gate watching for them, and welcomed them with as much warmth as if they had been absent two years instead of two weeks, and Mrs. Champlin herself came as far as the door to meet them. She was a little annoyed at first by the sight of Edah's deep mourning, and declared that it would make her low-spirited to have it always before her eyes; but she was easily diverted from this delicate topic by the sight of the books and other presents which Edah had brought her, and was soon wholly absorbed in the first volume of a new novel, leaving the children at liberty to attend to each other.

Ruby-Anne had provided an excellent supper, which was fully appreciated; and Pauline, on rising from the table, was heard to give utterance to the very original sentiment, that there is no place like home, after all.

The next day, and the next, were pretty fully occupied in unpacking and putting in order the furniture and other matters which Edah had brought home with her. Mr. Champlin's house was large, and had been a fine one in its day, but not more than half of it was at present in use, and the apartment selected by Edah for a library had been for some years used only as a lumber-room. But now that it was cleaned and painted, curtains put up, and a carpet laid down, and book-cases, chairs, cabinets, and tables all in their places, it was decidedly the handsomest room in Brooksville, and Ruby-Anne declared that there was nothing like it even at Spring Bank itself. It did, indeed, look very pretty and home-like, Edah thought, with its well-filled shelves, and tables covered with maps and engravings, its open piano and music-rack, and it was with a good deal of pride and pleasure that she introduced Mr. Laurence into it when it was all in order. That gentleman admired it to her heart's content, and after taking a full survey of the contents of the book-cases, settled himself in Edah's favorite chair, with an air of great contentment.

"So you have your piano, too: I am glad of that. Our new organ is up, and awaiting you, for of course you are expected to preside at it."

"An organ!" repeated Edah. "Have you an organ?"

"Yes, to be sure, and a very nice one. Why, you look as puzzled as possible. I supposed you knew all about it, for Mr. Amory, to whom we owe it, said that you had selected it, and I thought it did great credit to your taste."

"I did go to look at an organ, which he said he thought of purchasing," said Edah, "but I supposed he intended it for Milly. He gave me no hint of sending it here."

"Here it is, however, and we are all as proud of it as if we had made it ourselves. I have been drilling our young people a little in the chants, and I want you to practice them with the organ, that we may have them on Easter Sunday."

"I will do so, certainly, with a great deal of pleasure. How little I anticipated, when I came here, that in little less than a year I should attend the Faster Service in a church in this place! And even when I began my little Sunday School in mother's kitchen, I was told that I should not succeed in keeping it together three months."

"It is to that little school, under God, that we owe the present happy state of things, for so I may well call it, in Brooksville," said Mr. Laurence.

"You must not give me all the credit," said Edah, blushing. "I should never have succeeded but for Mr. Bell. It was more his work than mine."

"And how long did Mr. Bell live here without even thinking of such a thing? Mr. Bell himself says that his interest in religion was almost dead when you came, and that it was the pleasure which his little girls took in their Sunday school lessons, and the questions which they asked him, that first aroused him to a sense of his declining and dangerous position. If you keep on doing good here, as you have begun, this county will have reason to bless the time that you came into it."

"What have you decided to call the church?" asked Edah.

"St. John's is the name finally fixed upon," replied Mr. Laurence. "You will see it on the front of the church before Easter-day, in gilt letters, the work of Mr. Crampton's apprentice, who came to me, and desired to make his contribution in that form. He is one of those who are to be baptized, and your girl Ruby-Anne is another. We shall have ten or twelve in all, and I anticipate about an equal number of infant baptisms in the afternoon. And, by the by, what do you think of my plan of omitting the usual Sunday School exercises upon Communion Sundays, and devoting the time to the Catechism instead?"

"I like the idea very much," said Edah, "and I think that teachers as well as scholars will find the exercise a profitable one. How delightful it is to think of having regular Communion days once a month! Have you had any talk with Susan about baptism, Mr. Laurence?"

"Oh, yes, many times. She has been one of the most regular attendants upon my Thursday afternoon lectures since you went away, and I have also conversed with her at home. She seems almost determined, and yet she hangs back. I hardly think she will come forward this time, though I hope we shall soon have her among our number."

Susan herself entered the room as Mr. Laurence was speaking, and he continued, addressing himself to her—

"We were just talking of you, Miss Susan, and I was expressing a hope that at some future time, if not on the present occasion, we might see you among the professed followers of Christ. I only wish you could be persuaded that now is the accepted time, and the day of salvation."

"There is only one thing that hinders me," said Susan, coloring.

"And what is that one thing?"

"It is just this, Mr. Laurence. I have been so much opposed to any thing like a religious profession, and have said so much about it, that I am ashamed to come out on the other side. When Edah commenced her Sunday School, I did my best to hinder her, and laugh her out of it; and whenever I heard of any religious persons failing in any thing, or living inconsistent, I used to hold it up, and make the most of it, on purpose to annoy her, and I was perfectly delighted when I succeeded in putting her out of temper."

"But you would not do so now," said Edah; "you have not done so for a long time."

"Perhaps not; but still I cannot forget that I have done it, and I am afraid I might do the same again under temptation. In short, I am afraid I should be so inconsistent, that I do not like to begin."

"But my dear Miss Susan, you are no more likely to fall into temptation, because you have been baptized."

"I know it; but I think I had better wait till I am more stable and persevering."

"Where do you expect to obtain the strength to become stable and persevering?" asked Mr. Laurence. "Do you expect to make yourself so, or must the strength and grace come from God?"

"From God, certainly. I know very well that I cannot help myself."

"Then you expect this grace and favor from God, at the very time that you are refusing to obey two of His most distinct commands. He commands all men to be baptized; and the injunction, 'Do this in remembrance of Me,' cannot be obeyed till the other is first complied with. Is there not a great inconsistency here?"

"There seems to be certainly," said Susan, thoughtfully. "I never thought of it in that light."

"Is it not the true light?"

"I think it is myself. Well, Mr. Laurence, I will consider the subject a little more, and make up my mind. You will allow that I have every motive to consent, as if I do not, I shall soon be the only heathen in the family. But if I hesitate, it is only from the fear of doing wrong, and not from any indifference, I assure you."