Faith Gartney's GirlhoodWhitney, A. D. T. (Adeline Dutton Train)
General
Faith Gartney's Girlhood
Whitney, A. D. T. (Adeline Dutton Train)
Teenage girls -- Juvenile fiction
"Why, you are all wet, and draggled, and smoked!" said she, taking off
Faith's outer, borrowed garments. "What _has_ happened to you--and how
came you there, Miss Faith?"
"I fell asleep in the countingroom, last evening, and got locked in. I
was coming home. I can't tell you now, Glory. I don't dare to think it
all over, yet. And we mustn't let Aunt Faith know that I am here."
These sentences they spoke in whispers.
Glory asked no more; but brought warm water, and bathed and rubbed
Faith's feet, and helped her to undress, and put her night clothes on,
and covered her in bed with blankets, and then went away softly to the
kitchen, whence she brought back, presently, a cup of hot tea, and a
biscuit.
"Take these, please," she said.
"I don't think I can, Glory. I don't want anything."
"But he told me to take care of you, Miss Faith!"
That, also, had a power with Faith. Because he had said that, she drank
the tea, and then lay back--so tired!
* * * * *
"I waited up till you came, sir, because I thought you would like to
know," said Glory, meeting Mr. Armstrong once more upon the doorstone,
as he returned a second time from the fire. "She's gone to sleep, and is
resting beautiful!"
"You are a good girl, Glory, and I thank you," said the minister; and he
put his hand forth, and grasped hers as he spoke. "Now go to bed, and
rest, yourself."
It was reward enough.
From the plenitude that waits on one life, falls a crumb that stays the
craving of another.
CHAPTER XXX.
AUNT HENDERSON'S MYSTERY.
"Oh, the little birds sang east, and the little birds sang west,
And I said in underbreath,--All our life is mixed with death,
And who knoweth which is best?
"Oh, the little birds sang east, and the little birds sang west,
And I smiled to think God's greatness flowed around our incompleteness,--
Round our restlessness, His rest."
MRS. BROWNING.
"So the dreams depart,
So the fading phantoms flee,
And the sharp reality
Now must act its part."
WESTWOOD.
It was a little after noon of the next day, when Mr. Rushleigh came to
Cross Corners.
Faith was lying back, quite pale, and silent--feeling very weak after
the terror, excitement, and fatigue she had gone through--in the large
easy-chair which had been brought for her into the southeast room. Miss
Henderson had been removed from her bed to the sofa here, and the two
were keeping each other quiet company. Neither could bear the strain of
nerve to dwell long or particularly on the events of the night. The
story had been told, as simply as it might be; and the rest and the
thankfulness were all they could think of now. So there were deep
thoughts and few words between them. On Faith's part, a patient waiting
for a trial yet before her.
"It's Mr. Rushleigh, come over to see Miss Faith. Shall I bring him in?"
asked Glory, at the door.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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