登陆注册
25627500000005

第5章

Had Maude Remington been twenty instead of five, she could not better have defined the difference between those two young lads, and in after years she had sad cause for remembering words which seemed almost prophetic. At Albany they, parted company, for though the boys lived in Rochester they were to remain in the city through the night, and Dr. Kennedy had decided to go on. By doing so he would reach home near the close of the next day, beside saving a large hotel bill, and this last was with him a very weighty reason. But he did not say so to his wife; neither did he tell her that he had left orders for his carriage to be in Canadaigua on the arrival of the noon train, but he said "he was in haste to show her to his daughter--that 'twas a maxim of his to save as much time as possible, and that unless she were very anxious to sleep, he would rather travel all night." So the poor, weary woman, whose head was aching terribly, smiled faintly upon him as she said, "Go on, of course," and nibbled at the hard seedcakes and harder crackers which he brought her, there not being time for supper in Albany.

It was a long, tedious ride, and though a strong arm was thrown around her, and her head was pillowed upon the bosom of her husband, who really tried to make her as comfortable as possible, Mrs.

Kennedy could scarcely refrain from tears as she thought how different was this bridal tour from what she had anticipated. She had fully expected to pass by daylight through the Empire State, and she had thought with how much delight her eye would rest upon the grassy meadows, the fertile plains, the winding Mohawk, the drone-like boats on the canal, the beautiful Cayuga, and the silvery water so famed in song; but, in contrast to all this, she was shut up in a dingy car, whose one dim lamp sent forth a sickly ray and sicklier smell, while without all was gloomy, dark, and drear. No wonder, then, that when toward morning Maude, who missed her soft, nice bed, began to cry for Janet and for home, the mother too burst forth in tears and choking sobs, which could not be controlled.

"Hush, Matty--don't," and the disturbed doctor shook her very gently; "it will soon be daylight, and 'tis a max--" Here he stopped, for he had no maxim suited to that occasion; and, in a most unenviable frame of mind, he frowned at the crying Maude, and tried to soothe his weeping wife, until at last, as the face of the latter was covered, and the former grew more noisy and unmanageable, he administered a fatherly rebuke in the shape of a boxed ear, which had no other effect than the eliciting from the child the outcry, "Let me be, old doctor, you!" if, indeed, we except the long scratch made upon his hand by the little sharp nail of his stepdaughter.

At that moment Matty lifted up her head, but as Maude was no tale-bearer, and the doctor hardly dared to tell her that he had thus early taken upon himself the government of her child, she never knew exactly what it was which made Maude's ear so red or her liege lord's face so dark.

It was nearly noon when they arrived at Canandaigua, where the first object which caught Mrs. Kennedy's eye was an old-fashioned carryall, which her husband honored with the appellation of carriage, said carriage being drawn by two farm-horses, which looked as if oats and corn were to them luxuries unknown.

"I must have a cup of tea," said Mrs. Kennedy, as she saw the black man, John, arranging the baggage upon the rack of the carryall, and heard her husband bid him hurry, as there was no time to lose. "I must have a cup of tea, my head is aching dreadfully," and her white lips quivered, while the tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Certainly, certainly," answered the doctor, who was in unusually good spirits, having just heard from an acquaintance whom he chanced to meet that a lawsuit which had long been pending was decided in his favor, and that the house and lot of a widow would probably come into his possession. "Certainly, two cups if you like; I should have proposed it myself, only I knew old Hannah would have dinner in readiness for us, and 'tis a maxim of mine, that fasting provokes an appetite."

"Hang dis nigger, if he aint a-maxin' her so quick!" muttered the darkey, showing his teeth from ear to ear; and, coaxing Maude away from her mother, he took her to a restaurant, where he literally crammed her with ginger-bread, raisins, and candy, bidding her eat all she wanted at once, for it would be a long time, maybe, ere she'd have another chance!

"If you please, sar," he said, when at last he had returned to his master, "if you please, Miss Nellie say how you must fotch her somethin', and the old woman spec's a present in honor of de 'casion."

Dr. Kennedy thought of the lawsuit, and so far opened both heart and purse as to buy for Nellie a paper of peanuts and for Hannah a ten-cent calico apron, after which he pronounced himself in readiness to go, and in a few moments Mrs. Kennedy was on her way to her new home.

The road led over rocky hills, reminding her so much of Vernon and its surrounding country that a feeling of rest stole over her, and she fell into a quiet sleep, from which she did not awaken until the carriage stopped suddenly and her husband whispered in her ear, "Wake, Matty, wake; we are home at last."

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 网游之不死之心

    网游之不死之心

    死神说:“我能让你不死。”一个濒死的灵魂说:“要我做什么?”……
  • tfboys之重生女配大翻身

    tfboys之重生女配大翻身

    一向倒霉的女兵――顾凉,在战场上中弹,重生之后的她,翻身成了女配,还有系统君?!嗯,她该考虑一下怎么翻身了……
  • 复仇三胞胎遇上邪魅三胞胎王子

    复仇三胞胎遇上邪魅三胞胎王子

    一个冰山,一个温柔,一个可爱,可是在她们的什么发生了许多不可思议的是,各各变得很可怕。
  • 流逝的伤痛

    流逝的伤痛

    宿舍的四个女孩,各有特色,从家里到宿舍相遇,发生一系列的情感变化,每个人都怀揣着不同的梦想踏进一所富丽堂皇的校园,对校园的感慨,对生活的追求,对美好未来的向往,在亲情、友情、爱情、利益和无尽的学海里穿梭。她们向往拥有美好的一切,可事事却不会那么如意,在经历了风风雨雨的洗礼后,她们们还可以保持一份纯洁的心去面对所有的困难、坎坷吗?在失去棱棱角角以后的她们,会如何实现自己的梦想?陪伴她们四年的友谊是否还那么坚定?
  • 重生之地下城

    重生之地下城

    苍云在异世前是一名dnf骨灰玩家,然而在一次车祸中他彻底的变成了植物人。变成植物人后他的灵魂飞向了阿拉德大陆,他会在阿拉德这片神奇的大陆上会有什么作为呢?让大家拭目以待吧。
  • 奕剑啸九天

    奕剑啸九天

    一剑在手,三界可游。一个少年,万千执念。不为成仙,只为守护心中那片温柔。
  • 古剑奇谭后转

    古剑奇谭后转

    在蓬莱一战后,欧阳少恭和韩云溪同归于尽了,而幽都有一个起死回生之术,就是两个人相爱在一起的话,如果有一个人死了,这个人就会到一个地方,另一个人如果找到他就可以起死回生,而风晴雪一直在寻找着韩云溪,他会找到韩云溪么?让我们到小说中寻找答案吧!
  • 追仙道途

    追仙道途

    一个出身佛门净土的少年,出身背景凄然漠漠,幼小被禅师收养,十几年来修道大成,成为了寻回六宝的天人之一。只不过,当一次又一次陷入万古第一天阵时候,他的一切开始从零开始...叶休道:“我很平凡,但却很不平凡!”——————————————————新书上传,需要大家的支持,谢谢你们!
  • 空兆

    空兆

    少年目睹了一场的车祸,打开一扇灵魂之门,让他成为命里注定的那个人。
  • 冥月天行

    冥月天行

    在那个兵荒马乱的战争年代,村里的人为了生计,几乎全部以盗墓为生,就在一次下斗时,我意外的发现了魔族的秘密.....