CHAPTER XXIII. THE BRIDE’S PARTING. “From the home of childhood’s glee, From the days of laughter free, From the love of many years, Thou art gone to cares and fears; To another path and guide, To a bosom yet untried! Bright one, oh! there well may be Trembling ’midst our joy for thee.” MRS. HEMANS. “Mother! is not Rosalia to stay with you?” asked Gusty May, as he lingered over a late breakfast with his mother. “Why, _no_, Gusty, certainly not! what put such a thing in your head?” “Why, mother, it came there naturally enough, as Rose lived with us many years before she went to school, and as you always seemed so fond of her, and she also seemed so necessary to you, I thought, of course, you would like to have her again.” “But you know, my dear, _why_ Rose lived with us; that reason no longer exists, and Rose goes with her natural guardians.” “And, mother, who _are_ her natural guardians? Two new brides, quite lost in the glory of their bridehood; have _they_ thought or care for Rosalia?” “Sophie has.” “Yes, but Sophie! Sophie is so innocent. Sophie is going to live—didn’t you know it? on board the store-ship.” “Ship!” “Lord bless you, _yes_, mother! aboard the store-ship uncle commands. There is an elegant cabin, furnished luxuriously as any city drawing-room, and far beyond anything you see down in this neighborhood. Well, as I was saying, Sophie will live there—now is that a desirable home for a young girl like Rosalia, among all those gay, young officers, with a chaperone no wider awake than Sophie is, with a guardian merry and wild as Uncle Gusty?—and I tell you, mother, those young officers are devils of fellows—you know I know them.” Emily fell into thought a moment, and then she said, “Sophie is indeed very abstracted, and my brother, as you say, is wild; but then there is Hagar; I think that it were better she resided with Hagar.” “What, mother, with Hagar! don’t you know that Raymond proposes to board the first year? and with the narrow salary of an under professor, will Raymond be able to take her? Besides, a girl dependent, as she is, should be made to feel that she has quite a choice of homes, that many hearts and doors are ready to fly open to her.” “You know that I should love to have her with me, Gusty. I will invite her, press her to come. I do not think, however, that either Sophie or my brother will be willing to resign her.” “Thank you, dear mother! thank you!” exclaimed Gusty, jumping up and kissing her, “oh! thank you—‘willing!’ no, I don’t indeed suppose they will be willing to resign her—who _could_, in fact? nevertheless, we must try to overrule them.” “You run quite enthusiastic upon the subject, Master Gusty!” exclaimed Emily, looking at him attentively.