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
“Isn’t it lovely?” she exclaimed; “and the more valuable because you
made it. I shall think of you every time I wear it,” and the impulsive
girl wound her arms around Helen’s neck, kissing her lovingly, while
Helen sank into a chair and sobbed aloud, “Oh, Katy, darling Katy! you
won’t forget me when you are rich and admired, and can have all you
want? You will remember us here at home, so sad and lonely? You don’t
know how desolate it will be, knowing you are gone, never to come back
again, just as you go away.”
In an instant Katy was on her knees before Helen, whom she tried to
comfort by telling her she should come back,—come often, too, staying a
long while; and that when she had a city home of her own she should live
with her for good, and they would be so happy.
“I cannot quite give Wilford up to please you,” she said, when that
gigantic sacrifice suggested itself as something which it was possible
Helen might require of her; “but I will do anything else, only please
don’t cry, darling Nellie—please don’t cry. It spoils all my pleasure,”
and Katy’s soft hands wiped away the tears running so fast over her
sister’s face.
After that Helen did not cry again in Katy’s presence, but the latter
knew she wanted to, and it made her rather sad, particularly when she
saw reflected in the faces of the other members of the family the grief
she had witnessed in Helen. Even Uncle Ephraim was not as cheerful as
usual, and once when Katy came upon him in the wood-shed chamber, where
he was shelling corn, she found him resting from his work and looking
from the window far off across the hills, with a look which made her
guess he was thinking of her, and stealing up beside him she laid her
hand upon his wrinkled face, whispering softly, “Poor Uncle Eph, are you
sorry, too?”
He knew what she meant, and the aged chin quivered, while a big tear
dropped into the tub of corn as he replied. “Yes, Katy-did—very sorry.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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