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
It would be impossible to describe Helen’s indignation as she read this
letter, which roused her to a pitch of anger such as Wilford Cameron had
never imagined when he wrote the offensive lines. He had really no
intention of insulting her. On the contrary, the gift of money was
kindly meant, for he knew that Uncle Ephraim was poor, while the part
referring to the dressmaker was wholly his mother’s proposition, to
which he had acceded, knowing how much confidence Juno had in her taste,
and that whatever she might see at the farm-house would remain a secret
with her, or at most be confined to the ears of his mother and sisters.
He wished Katy to look well, and foolishly fancying that no country
artiste could make her look so, he consented to Mrs. Ryan’s going, never
dreaming of the effect it would have upon Helen, whose first impulse was
to throw the check into the fire. Her second, however, was soberer. She
would not destroy it, nor tell any one she had it, but Morris—_he_
should know the whole. Accordingly, she repaired to Linwood, finding
Morris at home, and startling him with the vehemence of her anger as she
explained the nature of her errand.
“If I disliked Wilford Cameron before, I hate him now. Yes, hate him,”
she said, stamping her little foot in fury.
“Why, Helen!” Morris exclaimed, laying his hand reprovingly on her
shoulder; “is this the right spirit for one who professes better things?
Stop a moment and think.”
“I know it is wrong,” Helen answered, “but somehow since he came after
Katy, I have grown so hard, so wicked toward Mr. Cameron. He seems so
proud, so unapproachable. Say, Cousin Morris, do you think him a good
man, that is, good enough for Katy?”
“Most people would call him too good for her,” Morris replied. “And, in
a worldly point of view, she is doing well. Cameron, I believe, is
better than three-fourths of the men who marry our girls. He is very
proud: but that results from his education and training. Looking only
from a New York standpoint he misjudges country people, but he will
appreciate you by and by. Do not begin by hating him so cordially.”
“Yes, but this money. Now, Morris, we do not want him to get Katy’s
outfit. I would rather go without clothes my whole life. Shall I send it
back?”
“I think that the best disposition to make of it,” Morris replied. “As
your brother, I can and will supply Katy’s needs.”
“I knew you would, Morris. And I’ll send it to-day, in time to keep that
dreadful Mrs. Ryan from coming; for I won’t have any of Wilford
Cameron’s dressmakers in the house.”
Morris could not help smiling at Helen’s energetic manner, as she
hurried to his library and taking his pen wrote to Wilford Cameron as
follows:
SILVERTON, May 9th, 18—.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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