Love stories; New England -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction
When, after the surrender of Boston, Captain, now Colonel, Janeway
called on that Mary with the news of her lover’s death and his last
words, she knew her life was widowed. There was nothing in the power of
a man of wealth and growing distinction that the colonel did not offer
her. She rejected all with a New England woman’s quiet independence and
mild self-reliance. To become a schoolmistress, as she did, was only
to return to her original destiny.
Janeway remained her friend. He alone knew her secret. She was one of
those strangely spiritual beings who interfere like dreamy visions in
the inventive, busy business of Yankee life. She had a great, ennobling
sorrow. Her lover had been a martyr of two religions. He had died for
his country and for his friend. It may be said he died instinctively;
but Mary knew that only the noble and the brave have noble and brave
instincts.
To most people, Mary was only a pale schoolmistress. One person,
however, met her on terms of devoted respect. Governor Janeway, the
pre-eminently practical and successful man, found in her society what
he found not with his gorgeous wife. She became the Cassandra of young
Janeway--who went to the bad, it is true, but long after her death--and
the kindly guide of his infant child.
Late in life she married Benajah Waddy, the youngest brother of the
three. Janeway had made him bookkeeper, secretary, agent, but he had
finally, after his mother’s death, dwindled into the old shop. Mary,
considering herself his brother’s widow, came to a Hebraical, religious
conclusion as to her duty. With entire simplicity of heart, she told
Benajah that they ought to be married. As a matter of course, they
were. The usual wife found, also, in process of time, their only son,
Benajah, and married him. These both died, leaving their only son, Ira
Waddy, to the charge of his aged and widowed grandmother, Mary, widow
in heart of Ira the First.
Her grandson was named Ira after his great-uncle, the soldier.
By-and-by it was discovered that a wide river in India bore the same
name, and young Waddy was attracted toward his namesake. The old
influence which, now reviving, made his blood hot as flame, urged him
to know the land not merely of the citron and myrtle, but of spice and
pungent condiments. His grandmother lavished upon him all the beautiful
tenderness of her long-suppressed and desolated love, and then she died.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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