The English Orphans; Or, A Home in the New WorldHolmes, Mary Jane
General
The English Orphans; Or, A Home in the New World
Holmes, Mary Jane
Orphans -- Fiction
* * * * *
The morning train bound for Albany stood in the depot, waiting the
signal to start; and just before the final "all aboard" was sounded, a
handsome equipage drove slowly up, and from it alighted Mr. Lincoln,
bearing in his arms his daughter, whose head rested wearily upon his
shoulder. Accompanying him were his wife, Jenny, and a gray-haired
man, the family physician. Together they entered the rear car, and
instantly there was a hasty turning of heads, a shaking of curls, and
low whispers, as each noticed and commented upon the unearthly beauty
of Rose, who in her father's arms, lay as if wholly exhausted with the
effort she had made.
The sight of her, so young, so fair, and apparently so low, hushed all
selfish feelings, and a gay bridal party who had taken possession of
the ladies' saloon, immediately came forward, offering it to Mr.
Lincoln, who readily accepted it, and laying Rose upon the long
settee, he made her as comfortable as possible with the numerous
pillows and cushions he had brought with him. As the creaking engine
moved slowly out of Boston, Rose asked that the window might be
raised, and leaning upon her elbow, she looked out upon her native
city, which she was leaving for ever. Some such idea came to her mind;
but quickly repressing it, she turned towards her father, saying with
a smile, "I shall be better when I see Boston again."
Mr. Lincoln turned away to hide a tear, for he had no hope that she
would ever return. Towards nightfall of the next day they reached
Glenwood, and Rose, more fatigued than she was willing to acknowledge,
now that she was so determined to get well, was lifted from the
carriage and carried into the house. Mrs. Howland hastened forward to
receive her, and for once Rose forgot to notice whether the cut of her
cap was of this year's fashion or last.
"I am weary," she said. "Lay me where I can rest." And with the
grandmother leading the way, the father carried his child to the
chamber prepared for her with so much care.
"It's worse than I thought 'twas," said Mrs. Howland, returning to the
parlor below, where her daughter, after looking in vain for the big
rocking-chair, had thrown herself with a sigh upon the chintz-covered
lounge. "It's a deal worse than I thought 'twas. Hasn't she catched
cold, or been exposed some way?"
"Not in the least," returned Mrs. Lincoln, twirling the golden stopper
of her smelling bottle. "The foundation of her sickness was laid at
Mount Holyoke, and the whole faculty ought to be indicted for
manslaughter."
Jenny's clear, truthful eyes turned towards her mother, who frowned
darkly, and continued: "She was as well as any one until she went
there, and I consider it my duty to warn all parents against sending
their daughters to a place where neither health, manners, nor any
thing else is attended to, except religion and housework."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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