The $30,000 Bequest, and Other Stories

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told

u actually confess

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ing, the three women spent their days and nights in adoring the young girl; in watching the movements of her sweet spirit in the mirror of her face; in refreshing their souls with the vision of her bloom and beauty

xteriorly austere, not to say stern. Their influence was effective in the house; so effective that the mother and the daughter conformed to its moral and religious requirements cheerfully, c

a lie-and confessed it, with tears and self-upbraidings. There are not any words that can paint the consternation of the aunts. It was as if the sky had crumpled up and collapsed and the earth had tumbled to ruin with a crash. They sat side by side, white and stern, gazing speechless upon the culprit, w

, Aunt Hester said,

told

annah followed with the mut

u actually confess

, incredible; they could not understand it, they did not kno

sought, implored that she might be spared this further disgrace, and that her mother might be spared the grief and pain of it; but this could not

her own, her mother had had no hand in

child was by all right and reason reversible; and therefore it was but just that the innocent mother of a sinnin

ved toward t

all the seas blew from him yet. He was a sturdy and loyal Christian, and believed he was the best one in the land, and the only one whose Christianity was perfectly sound, healthy, full-charged with common sense, and had no decayed places in it. People who had an ax to grind, or people who for any reason wanted to get on the soft side of him, called him The Christian-a phrase whose delicate flattery was music to his ears, and whose capital T was such an enchanting and vivid object to him that he could see it when it fell out of a person's mouth even in the dark. Many who were fond of him stood on their consciences with both feet and brazenly called him by that large title habitually, because it was a pleasure to them to do anything that would please him; and with eager and cordial malice his extensive and diligently cultivated crop of enemies gilded it, beflowered it, expanded it to "The only Christian." Of these two titles, the latter had the wider currency; the enemy, being greatly in the majority, att

prevailing weather in his face, and when he entered a room the parasols or the umbrellas went up-figuratively speaking-according to the indications. When the soft light was in his eye it mea

this feeling with interest. They mourned over his kind of Christianity, and he f

he distance; the aunts and the culpri

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other turned her head on the pillow; her tired eyes flamed up instantly with sympathy and passio

put out her hand and stayed th

ively, "tell your mother all. Purge y

the young girl mourned her sorrowful tale throu

rgive me? won't you forgi

s!-there, lay your head upon my breast, and

resence; they lay locked together, heart to heart, steeped in immeasurable content, dead to all things else. The physician stood many moments glaring and glooming upon the scene before him; stud

tected from all excitement? What the hell h

in sunshine, conducting Helen, with his arm about her waist, petting her, and sayin

and behave yourself. But wait-put out your tongue. There, that will do-you're as sound

s face clouded over again at o

That woman's disease is typhoid! You've brought it to a show-up, I think, with your insaniti

ladies sprang to their

at are you pr

ust fly t

apital of crimes and follies on a single deal? Sit down, I tell you. I have arranged for her to sleep;

d indignant, but obedient, u

me-as if there hadn't been emotion or excitement enough already. You

ching look at Hester-neither wanted to dance to this unsym

n, He

her shawl, and with lowere

duty. With a duty one has no choice; one must put all lighter considerations aside

o be trying to work up in his mind an understanding of a

he important thing that authorized you to venture to disobey my orders and imperil that woman's life! Look here, Hester Gray, this is pure lunacy; that girl could

to her sis

was that kind of a lie, and

got sense enough to discriminate between lies! Don't you know

h, setting her lips together like

e went to attack this proposition, but he did not quite

lie to shield a person from a

N

ven a

N

your deare

would

silence awhile with this

m from bitter pain a

ven to sav

r paus

his s

d a measurable interval-then Hester ans

his s

r a while; then

you the sa

she a

you bot

n, and could cost us the loss of our own souls-w

stumping vigorously along. At the threshold he turned and rasped out an admonition: "Reform! Drop this mean and sordid and selfish devotion to the saving of your shabby

rooded in bitterness and indignation over these blasphemies. They were hurt t

for

word resentfully. "Reform

hanges the complexion of his spirits-generally wholesomely. The minds of the two old ladies reverted to their beloved niece and the fearful disease which had smitten her; instantly they forgot the hurts their self-love had received, and a passionate desire rose in their hea

ere are no nurses comparable to us, for there are no others that will stand th

of moisture that blurred her glasses. "The doctor knows us, and knows w

no good for him to try it this time-but, laws! Hannah! after all's said and done, he is gifted and wise and good, and he would not

approaching step. He entered,

sently; then one of you must go to her. She will be worse before she is better. Pr

urst from both

flashed, and he

to let you." It was grand praise, golden praise, coming from such a source, and it took nearly all the resentment out of the aged twin's hearts. "Your Tilly and my old Nancy shall do the rest-good nurse

le surprised, and not cr

n hour since you said sh

answered,

as a

upon him indignant

ike that, in so indifferent a tone, when

and unsmirched Truth-Speakers, in whose cold-storage souls a lie would freeze to death if it got there! Why will you humbug yourselves with that foolish notion that no lie is a lie except a spoken one? What is the difference between lying with your eyes and lying with your mouth? There is none; and if you would reflect a moment you would see that it is so. There isn't a human being that doesn't tell a gross of lies every

When you two were in the sick-room raising that riot, w

l, w

out and carried Helen

ies wer

your object a

l, w

argaret's excitement proceeded from some cause not known to you. In a

lored, but d

silent lies, but you tell li

is n

dream of uttering a harmful one. Do you kno

o you

ance, you declined old Mrs. Foster's invitation last week to meet those odious Higbies at supper-in a polite note in which you expressed regret

d with a toss

Answer. Was it a

th women, and with a struggle and an

as a

a lie to save your dearest friend's soul, but you will spew out one withou

speaking for bo

shall never tell another one of any kind whatsoever, even lies of courtesy

n already; for what you have just uttered is a lie.

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days

er disease was typhoid, she was frightened, and asked if there was danger that Helen could have contracted it the day before, when she was in the sick-chamber on that confession visit. Hester told her the doctor had poo-pooed the idea. It troubled Hester to say it, although it was true, for she had not believed the doctor; but when she saw the mother's joy in the news, the pain in her conscience lost something of its force-a result which made her ashamed of the constructive dece

she

refused to come. The mother lay languidly looking, mu

what is it?

rtured heart rose in re

forted; sh

all her happy hea

words! Kiss me. How I wo

annah, who received it with a

, it wa

piteously; she choked

ot help it. I could not endure the frigh

lie. God will hold yo

ging her hands, "but even if it were now, I co

elen in the morning. I wil

her sister, begg

oh, don't-you

least speak

e braced herself for the trial. When she returned from her mission,

take it-that poor

ere swimming in

I told her the

l "God bless you, Hannah!" and poured out her th

hard requirements of the situation. Daily they told the morning lie, and confessed their sin in prayer; not asking forgiveness, as not

l old aunts painted her glowing bloom and her fresh young beauty to the wan m

other, in which she concealed her illness; and these the mother read and reread through happy eyes wet with

ther. They did not know what to do. Hester began a carefully studied and plausible explanation, but lost the track of it and grew confused; suspicion began to show in the mother's face, then alarm. Hester s

y there, and, although she did not want to go, and you so sick, we persuaded her, she being young and needing t

ealth, that is all I ask. Don't let that suffer; I could not bear it. How thankful I am that she escaped this infection-and what a narrow risk she ran, Aunt Hester! Think of that lovely face all dulled and burned with fever. I ca

before, if such a thing can be"-and Hester turned away and f

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as none to see; they themselves were unconscious of it. Often their tears fell upon the notes and spoiled them; sometimes a single misformed word made a note risky which could have been ventured but for that; but at last Hannah produced one whose script was a good enough imitation of Helen's to pass any but a suspicious eye, and

arms about me! I am so glad my practicing does not disturb you. Get well s

she must practice all she pleases; and, Aunt Hannah-tell her I can't hear the piano this far, nor her dear voice when she sings: God

came away she was singing, 'Loch Lomond.' The patho

ome youthful sorrow is brooding in her breast and she si

Marg

omes over me that I shall neve

t, Margaret! I

d and distressed,

k to mine. Be comforted. I wish to live. I will live if I can. Ah, what co

he time-al

wrote the note the

She would not wait to

wife knows she is loved, but she makes her husband tell her so every day, just for the joy of hearing it.... She used the pen

it was her

oked her plea

There was never such a dear and

Marg

hip her. Why-you are crying again. Don't be so worried

eding ears. The girl babbled on unaware; looking up at her with wondering an

she come now?... There are so many houses ... and they oppress me so... and everything whirls and turns and whirls... oh, my head, my head!"-and so she

hot brow, murmuring endearing and pitying words, and thanking

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hose pilgrimage was also now nearing its end. And daily they forged loving and cheery notes in the child's hand, and stood by with remorseful consciences and bleeding hearts, and wept

chamber, and grouped themselves about her bed, for a warning had gone forth, and they knew. The dying girl lay with closed lids, and unconscious, the drapery upon her breast faintly rising and falling as her wasting life ebbed awa

reat sob Hester gathered her to her breast, crying, "Oh, my child, my darling!" A rapturous light broke in the dying girl's face, for it was mercifully vo

ter made her report

t with th

is

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he preparation of the dead was finished, and in the coffin lay the fair young form, beautiful, and in the sweet face a great peace. Two mourners sat b

ks for

service was ended. But she realized now that that could not be. For a little while t

it-she must have it; s

would f

looked at the dead face, and her eyes

d it. The clo

soon be together again. Is not that good ne

r mourned

shall never see her again in life. It is hard, so

you will s

ear Aunt Hester! None goes near h

ld be a

ou see

stance bet

two guardian angels-steel is not so true as you. Other

l, and her poor o

danger is past, place the kiss upon her dear lips some day, and s

ng tears upon the dead face, p

TER

brought comforting news to the failing mother, and a happy note, which said agai

a bell came moani

or soul is at rest. As I shall be so

nows she n

es, Aunt Hannah? It sounds li

athering, for-for Helen's sake, poor little prisoner. There wil

r heart can desire. How good you two are to her,

listenin

r ears on the still air. "Yes, it is her touch, dear heart, I recognize it. They are singing. Why-it is a hymn! and the sacred

e words rose out

my God,

r to

ugh it b

raise

rest, and they that had been one in life were not sund

it was that s

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ngel of the Lord appeared in the midst transfigure

e they burn in the fires of hell from

heir hands and bowed their gray heads, adoring. But their t

he chancery of heaven and bring again th

heir heads yet lo

r creatures who have learned our human weakness, and we know that if we were in those hard straits again our he

el was gone. While they marveled and wept he cam

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Heaven?