The Cameron pride; or, purified by suffering : $b A novelHolmes, Mary Jane
General
The Cameron pride; or, purified by suffering : $b A novel
Holmes, Mary Jane
American fiction -- 19th century
“Why not send for Helen, then? She is a splendid girl, and they idolize
each other. Talk of _her_ injuring Katy, that’s all a humbug. She is
just fitted for a nurse. Almost the sight of her would cure one of
nervousness, she is so calm and quiet.”
This was what Mark said, and the next morning Mrs. Banker’s carriage
stood at the door of No.—— Madison Square, while Mrs. Banker herself was
talking to Wilford in the library, and urging that Helen be sent for at
once.
“It may save her life. She is more feverish to-day than yesterday, and
this constant asking for her sister will wear her out so fast,” she
added, and that last argument prevailed.
Helen was sent for, and now sat waiting in the parlor for the coming of
Mrs. Cameron. Wilford did not mean Katy to hear him as he whispered to
his mother that Helen was below; but she did, and her blue eyes flashed
brightly as she started from her pillow, exclaiming:
“I am so glad, so glad! Kiss me, Wilford, because I am so glad. Does she
know? Have you told her? Wasn’t she surprised, and will she come up
quick?”
They could not quiet her at once, and only the assurance that unless she
were more composed, Helen should not see her that night, had any effect
upon her; but when they told her that, she lay back upon her pillow
submissively, and Wilford saw the great tears dropping from her hot
cheeks, while the pallid lips kept softly whispering “Helen.” Then the
sister love took another channel, and she said:
“She has not been to supper, and Phillips is always cross at extras.
Will somebody see to it. Send Esther to me, please. Esther knows and is
good-natured.”
“Mother will do all that is necessary. She is going down,” Wilford said;
but Katy had quite as much fear of leaving Helen to “mother” as to
Phillips, and insisted upon Esther until the latter came, receiving
numerous injunctions as to the jam, the sweetmeats, the peaches, and the
cold ham Helen must have, each one being remembered as her favorite.
Wholly unselfish, Katy thought nothing of herself or the effort it cost
her to care for Helen; but when it was over and Esther was gone, she
seemed so utterly exhausted that Mrs. Cameron did not leave her, but
stayed at her bedside, until the extreme paleness was gone, and her eyes
were more natural. Meanwhile the supper, which as Katy feared had made
Phillips cross, had been arranged by Esther, who conducted Helen to the
dining-room, herself standing by and waiting upon her because the one
whose duty it was had gone out for the evening, and Phillips had
declined the “honor,” as she styled it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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