Her mother's secretSouthworth, Emma Dorothy Eliza Nevitte
General
Her mother's secret
Southworth, Emma Dorothy Eliza Nevitte
Fiction
Mrs. Force found a sealskin dolman--one of the first ever made in this
country--with muff and turban to match, from her husband; a satin
patchwork quilt, which had been the secret work of a year, from her
children; an embroidered hand screen, from Miss Meeke, and an elegant
ivory fan, brought from Canton, by Le.
Odalite received a "handy" edition of Shakespeare, in twelve small
volumes, bound in white vellum and silver and inclosed in a white morocco
case, with silver clasps, from her father; a small Bible, prayer book and
hymn book, bound in white velvet, with silver clasps and inclosed in a
hand case of white morocco, for church service, from her mother; a very
handsome and completely fitted workbox, brought all the way from Canton,
from Le.
Le himself received a very princely gift from his uncle, namely, a fine,
young horse of famous stock, with a handsome saddle and bridle, from his
aunt. These gifts were not exactly found in his chamber, only the letter
conferring them on his dressing table. A box of articles made by Odalite
during the three years of his absence--namely, six dozen white lambs' wool
socks, knit by her own fingers, and each pair warranted to outlast any
dozen pairs of machine-made hose; six ample zephyr wool scarfs, to be
used--if allowed--during the deck watches of the winter nights at sea; six
dozen pairs of lambs' wool gloves, six dozen pocket handkerchiefs, with
his name worked in the corners with the dark hair of her head. All these,
for their intrinsic usefulness, would have been very valuable; but for the
love and thought worked into them by the dear fingers of her whom he
loved, and during the longs years of his absence, this box of treasures
was invaluable to Le. The wealth of the Rothschilds could not have bought
it from him. Each precious item, as he turned it about in his hands, and
kissed it again and again, was full of her magnetism.
He put on a pair of the socks, because he loved to feel them next him. He
put one of the handkerchiefs in his bosom, next his heart, for the same
reason. But it would take up too much time and space to tell of all the
Christmas offerings of that happy day.
The children had passed the age of dolls and dolls' furniture, but they
received beautiful dressing cases, with boxes and writing desks, all
fitted up and exactly alike, except that brunette Wynnette's were all
lined with crimson velvet or satin, and blond Elva's with blue; and they
received books and trinkets suitable to their years.
Miss Meeke received a pair of gold bracelets from her pupils and a black
silk dress from their parents.
Even the transient guest, Mrs. Anglesea, received from Mr. and Mrs. Force
a handsome set of coral and gold jewelry that exactly suited her style and
taste.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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