United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Fiction
"Mrs. Mayburn is not strong enough to take care of you any longer. She
will take care of your father. Will you let me take care of you as she
does?"
She smiled contentedly, for the word "care" appeared to make all
natural and right.
It was arranged that they should be married in the presence of Dr.
Markham, Aunt Sheba, and Jinny, in addition to those so deeply
interested. The physician prepared the clergyman for the ceremony,
which was exceedingly brief and simple, Grace smiling into Graham's
face when he promised to take care of her always, and she signifying
her consent and pleasure in the manner that was so mute and sad. Then
he told her that he was going to take her away, that she might get
perfectly strong and well; and she went at his request without
hesitancy, although seeming to wonder slightly at the strong emotion of
her father and Mrs. Mayburn when parting from her. Jinny, who had been
her nurse in childhood, accompanied her. Dr. Markham also went with
them as far as the steamer, and they sailed away into a future as vague
and unknown to them as the ocean they were crossing.
The waves seen from the deck of the steamer produced in Grace the same
content with which she had gazed at them from the shore during the
previous summer; only now there were faint signs of wonder in her
expression, and sometimes of perplexity. Her eyes also wandered around
the great vessel with something of the interest of a child, but she
asked no questions. That Graham was with her and smiled reassuringly
seemed sufficient, while the presence of her old colored nurse, who in
some dim way was connected with her past, gave also an additional sense
of security.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account