Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

"When did you see him?"

"The last time I went to Montreal, I met him, he told me that after the death of his wife, which happened about four months after that of his child, that he rented his hotel, and moved upon a farm; he spoke in high commendations of the Rev. Charles Bradley, and said that his last interview with him had proved a great blessing; he has just informed me that he has corresponded with Mrs. Morse."

"And you think, Matilda, it wont answer at all?"

"I do not know, I am sure; I know that Mrs. Morse is very anxious to educate Odora, and Alpheus needs a father."

Mr. Bertram inquired if Alpheus was not a good boy?

"His disposition is selfish and stub

born."

"Does Mr. Willard wish you to negotiate for him?"

"It is pretty near that; he wishes me to speak a good word for him, and I think I shall."

"Why, Matilda, he is worth twentyfive thousand dollars, and what a home that will make for her and her family."

"Mr. Bertram, Mrs. Morse will never have a pleasanter home than she has now; throw back the curtain behind you, and look out at the window."

"We do have a fine view of the cottage from this window, but those beautiful shade trees, those full blown roses, nor that luxuriant brier, that has climbed to the eaves of the house, will not educate her children, nor support her in her old age."

46

"I see, my husband, that you are fully in favor of Mrs. Morse becoming the wife of Mr. Willard."

"It would be hard to be separated from her, and the village needs her society and influence; and Odora will soon be a young lady; our Florence is very much attached to her, I wish she could always be her companion."

Mr. Willard visited Roselle, several times during the summer, and again in the fall, carrying away a prize which had been appreciated there for more than twenty years.

Odora was very sad when she took leave of her friends, and when the carriage drove away from what had been her happy home, through her tears she bade it "farewell." It was a cold bleak November's day, and sometimes Odora's heart sank within her, when she thought of what she had left behind. Alpheus sat by her side, but it happened to be one of his cross days, so he paid but little attention to his sister.

Odora pointed to a large spreading tree that was stripped of its foliage, and in an under-tone told her brother that she was like it.

He pugnaciously answered her, "I don't know how you are like that great tree, unless it is because you feel so big."

Her dark blue eyes filled with tears as they mildly rested upon him.

"Don't talk so, dear brother, I only meant that we had left all our dear friends in Roselle."

"Well, if that is what you meant, I should think you are more like the leaves under the tree than anything else; that large beech has got large roots, and it is very evident that our roots were not very deep; if they had been, this Champlain wind would not have upset us and blown us so far from our native soil."

Odora laughed more to make her

brother good-natured, than because she was happy, and said, "Oh, you include yourself, you use the plural I see." She leaned over and placed her arms around his neck, and kissed the brow that had been all day frowning upon everything his eyes rested upon, and gently said, "Dear brother, if we are only rooted and grounded in Christ, these changes will lead us to place our affections on that God that changeth not. We shall no doubt be happy in our new home; Mr. Willard looks very pleasantly upon us; he told me this morning that he intended to send us to the best school in the state."

"He will probably send us back to Roselle then," was Alpheus's reply. "He told me this morning, that he designed to send us to the Academy at Mount Hope."

66

Well, brother, that is the very

« AnteriorContinuar »