English
ItwaslateinAprilbeforeMarkrosefromthebedonwhichforweekshehadtossedandravedinthedeliriumoffever.
Hehadravedofthehorribledarknessandthecoldwater,andbeggedthatthestarshouldnotbetakenaway.
Oneeveninghewokefromaheavy,death-likesleepinwhichhehadlainforhours,andinavoicesoweakthatitwasalmostawhisper,called“Mother.”
“HereIam,dear”;andthefigurewhichhadbeenalmostconstantlybesidehimduringthelongstruggle,bentoverandkissedhimgently.
“Iain’tdead,amI,mother?”hewhispered.
“No,dear,youarealive,andwithGod’shelparegoingtogetwellandstrongagain.Butdon’ttrytotalknow;waituntilyouarestronger.”
Forseveraldaystheboylaysleeping,orwitheyeswideopenwatchingthoseabouthim,butfeelingsoweakandtiredthateventothinkwasaneffort.
Still,thefeverhadlefthim,andfromthedayhecalled“Mother”hegraduallygrewstronger,untilfinallyhecouldsitupinbed.
Nexthewasmovedtoarocking-chairbythewindow,andatlasthewascarriedintothesitting-roomandlaidonthelounge—thesameloungeonwhichFrankhadlain,monthsbefore,whenhetoldthemwhatawickedboyhehadbeen.
NowthesameFrank,butyetanentirelydifferentFrank,satbesidehim,andheldhishand,andlookedlovinglydownintohisface.
Eachofthemhadsavedtheother’slife,andtheirloveforeachotherwasgreaterthanthatofbrothers.
MarkhadbeentoldofhowFrankhadgonedownintothe“sinkhole”afterhim,andstayedthereinthecold,rushingwaterwhilehewasdrawntothetop,buthecouldremembernothingofit.
Heonlyrememberedthestar,andofprayingthathemightlivetoseethesunlight.
Howhappytheyallwerewhentheinvalidtookhisfirstwalkout-of-doors,leaningonFrank,andstoppingmanytimestorest.
Theairwasheavywiththescentofmyriadsofflowers,andtheverybirdsseemedgladtoseehim,andsangtheirloudestandsweetesttowelcomehim.
Afterthisheimprovedinstrengthrapidly,andwassoonabletorideasfarasthemill,andtofloatontheriverinthecanoe,withFranktopaddleit;butstillhisparentswereveryanxiousabouthim.
Hewasnottheirmerry,light-heartedMarkofold.
Heneverlaughednow,butseemedalwaystobeoppressedwithsomegreatdread.
Hiswhitefaceworeafrightenedlook,andhewouldsitforhourswithhismotherasshesewed,sayinglittle,butgazingwistfullyather,asthoughfearfulthatinsomewayhemightloseherorbetakenfromher.
Allthistroubledhisparentsgreatly,andmanyaconsultationdidtheyhaveastowhattheyshoulddofortheirboy.
Theydecidedthatheneededanentirechangeofsceneandoccupation,butjusthowtoobtaintheseforhimtheycouldnotplan.
OnedayMrs.Elmersatdownandwrotealonglettertoheruncle,ChristopherBangs,tellinghimoftheirtrouble,andaskinghimwhattheyshoulddo.Tothislettercamethefollowinganswer:
“BANGOR,MAINE,May5,188-.
“DEARNIECEELLEN,—Youdidexactlytherightthing,asyoualwaysdo,inwritingtomeaboutGrandneph.Mark.
Ofcourseheneedsachangeofsceneafterspendingawholenighthundredsoffeetunderground,fightingalligators,andnaturallyhavingafeverafterwards.Whowouldn’t?Iwouldmyself.
Agoodthing’sgoodforawhile,butthereissuchathingashavingtoomuchofagoodthing,nomatterhowgooditis,andIratherguessGrandneph.
MarkhashadtoomuchofFloridy,andit’lldohimgoodtoleaveitforawhile.
Sojustyoubundlehimupandsendhimalongtomeforachange.
TellhimhisoldGrandunkChristmashasgotsomeimportantbusinessforhimtolookafter,andcan’tpossiblygetonwithouthimmorethanaweekortwolonger.
Ishallexpectaletterbyreturnmailsayinghehasstarted.
“GiveGrandunkChristmas’slovetoGrandnieceRuth,andwithrespectstoyourhusband,believemetobe,mosttruly,asever,
Youraffectionateuncle,
“CHRISTOPHERBANGS.”
“P.S.—Don’tmindtheexpense.SendtheboyC.O.D.I’llsettleallbills.C.B.”
InthesamemailwiththislettercameanotherfromMaine,directedto“MissRuthElmer.”
Itwasfromherdearestfriend,EdnaMay;andasRuthhandedittohermother,whoreaditaloudtothewholefamily,wewillreadittoo:
“NORTON,MAINE,May5,188-.
“MYOWNDARLINGRUTH,—Whatisthematter?
Ihaven’theardfromyouinmorethanaweek.
Oh,I’vegotSUCHaplan,orratherfathermadeitup,thatIamjustwildthinkingofit.
Itisthis:father’sship,Wildfire,hassailedfromNewYorkforSavannah,andbeforeheleft,fathersaidformetowriteandtellyouthathecouldn’tthinkoflettingmegotoFloridanextwinterunlessyoucamehereandspentthissummerwithme.
“TheWildfirewillleaveSavannahforNewYorkagainaboutthe15thofMay,andfatherwantsyoutomeethimthereandcomehomewithhim.
Hissister,AuntEmilyCoburn,hasgonewithhimforthesakeofthevoyage,andshewilltakecareofyou.
“Oh,docome!Won’titbesplendid?FatheriscominghomefromNewYork,sohecanbringyoualltheway.Iamsureyourmotherwillletyoucomewhensheknowshownicelyeverythingisplanned.
“Ihavegotlotsandlotstotellyou,butcan’tthinkofanythingelsenowbutyourcoming.
“WhatanawfultimepoorMarkhashad.Idon’tseehowheeverlivedthroughit.IthinkFrankMarchmustbesplendid.Writejustasquickasyoucan,andtellmeifyouarecoming.
“Good-bye.Withkissesandhugs,Iamyourdearest,lovingestfriend,
“EDNAMAY.”
ThesetwolettersfromthefarNorthcreatedquitearippleofexcitementinthatSouthernhousehold,andfurnishedamplesubjectfordiscussionwhenthefamilywasgatheredonthefrontporchintheeveningofthedaytheywerereceived.
Mr.Elmersaid,“IthinkitwouldbeagoodthingforMarktogo,andIshouldliketohaveRuthgotoo;butIdon’tseehowyoucanspareher,wife.”
“Ishallmissherdreadfully,butIshouldfeelmucheasiertothinkthatshewaswithMarkonthislongjourney.Poorboy,heisfarfromstrongyet.Yes,IthinkRuthoughttogo.
Itseemsprovidentialthatthesetwolettersshouldhavecometogether,andasifitwereasignthatthechildrenoughttogotogether,”answeredMrs.Elmer.
Mark,whohadlistenedquietlytothewholediscussion,nowspokeupandsaid,“Ishouldliketogo,father.
AslongasIstayhereIshallkeepthinkingofthatterribleundergroundriveroverthere.
Ithinkofitanddreamofitallthetime,andsometimesitseemsasifitwereonlywaitingandwatchingforachancetoswallowmeagain.
IshouldlovedearlytohaveRuthgowithmetoo,thoughIamquitesureIamstrongenoughtotakecareofmyself”;andheturnedtowardshismotherwithasmile.
Ruthsaid,“Oh,mother,Ishouldlovetogo,butIcan’tbeartoleaveyou!so,whicheverwayyoudecide,Ishallbeperfectlysatisfiedandcontented.”
Itwasfinallydecidedthattheyshouldbothgo.
MarkwastoaccompanyRuthasfarasSavannah,andseehersafelyonboardtheship;then,unlesshereceivedapressinginvitationfromCaptainMaytogowithhimtoNewYork,hewastogobysteamertoBoston,andtheretakeanothersteamerforBangor.
ThiswasthebothofMay,andastheWildfirewastosailonoraboutthe15th,theymustbeinSavannahonthatday;thereforenotimewastobelostinmakingpreparationsforthejourney.
Suchbusydaysasthenextthreewere!suchmakingofnewclothesandmendingofold,tobewornonthejourney!
somanythingstobethoughtofanddone!
EvenAuntChloebecameexcited,andpreparedsomanynicethingsfor“MistoMarkan’MissyRufetoeatwhendey’sa-trabblin’”thatMarkactuallylaughedwhenhesawthem.
“Why,AuntClo,”heexplained,“youhavegotenoughtheretolastusallthetimewe’regone.Doyouthinktheydon’thaveanythingtoeatupNorth?”
“Dunno,honey,”answeredtheoldwoman,gazingwithanairofgreatsatisfactionatthearrayofgoodies.
“Allushearntellasit’sapowerfulpore,colekentryupdarwharyou’sa-gwine.
‘Specsdeyhabsomfintoeat,obco’se,butreckondarain’tnonetoomuch,sichashitis.”
Thegoodsoulwasmuchdistressedatthesmallquantityofwhatshehadprovided,forwhichroomwasfoundinthelunch-basket,andsaidshe“’loweddemarchillun’sgwinehungryheapo’timesbefo’deysetseyesonoleCloagin.”
IthadbeenarrangedthatMr.andMrs.ElmerandFrankMarchshouldgowiththetravelersasfarasTallahassee,andseethemfairlyofffromthere.
Brightandearlyonthemorningofthe13ththemulewagon,inwhichcomfortableseatswerefixed,wasdrivenuptothefrontdoor,thetrunks,bags,andlunch-basketwereputin,andeverythingwasinreadinessforthestart.
Mr.March,Jan,AuntChloe,andseveraloftheneighborsfromacrosstheriverhadassembledtoseethemoff,andmanyandheartywerethegoodwishesofferedforapleasantjourneyandasafereturninthefall.
“Good-bye,MistoMarkan’MissyRufe,”saidAuntChloe;“trus’indeLo’dwhileyou’syoung,an’heain’tgwinefo’gityo’inyo’oleage.”
“Good-bye,AuntClo!good-bye,everybody!”
shoutedMark,asthewagonrattledaway.“Don’tforgetus!”
Andinanotherminute“dearoldGoBang,”asthechildrenalreadycalledit,washiddenfromviewbehindthetreesaroundthesulphurspring.
Theystoppedforaminuteatthemilltogetasackofcornforthemules,andastheydrovefromititsbusymachineryseemedtosay,
“Good-bye,Mr.President,good-bye,Mr.President,good-bye,Mr.PresidentoftheElmerMills.”
TheyreachedTallahasseeearlyintheafternoon,andwenttoahotelforthenight.
FromthemanycowsonthestreetMarktriedtopointouttoRuthandFranktheonehehadseenclimbintoacartonhispreviousvisit,butnoneofthosetheysawlookedabletodistinguishherselfinthatway.
Theyconcludedthatshehadbecomedisgustedatbeingcalled“aolegood-fo’-nuffin,”andhadcarriedhertalentselsewhere.
Thetrainleftsoearlythenextmorningthatthesadnessofpartingwasalmostforgotteninthehurryofeatingbreakfastandgettingdowntothestation.
InthetrainMarkchargedFranktotakegoodcareofhiscanoeandrifle,RuthbeggedhimtobeverykindtopoorBruce,whowouldbesolonely,andtheybothpromisedtowritefromSavannah.
Thentheconductorshouted,“Allaboard!”
hurriedkissesandlastgood-byeswereexchanged,andthetrainmovedoff.
Ruthcriedalittleatfirst,andMarklookedprettysober,buttheysooncheeredup,andbecameinterestedinthescenerythroughwhichtheywerepassing.
Foranhourortwotheyrodethroughabeautifulhillcountry,inwhichwashereandtherealakecoveredwithgreatpond-lilies.
Thenthehillsandlakesdisappeared,andtheyhurriedthroughmileaftermileofpineforests,wheretheysawmengatheringturpentinefromwhichtomakeresin.
Itwasscoopedintobucketsfromcutsmadeinthebarkofthetrees,andthewholeoperation“lookedforalltheworld,”asMarksaid,“likeasugar-bushinMaine.”
AtEllaville,sixty-fivemilesfromTallahassee,theysawgreatsaw-mills,anddirectlytheycrossedoneofthemostfamousriversinthecountry,theSuwannee,andRuthhummedsoftly,
“’WaydownupondeSwaneeRibber,
Far,faraway.”
SoonafterwardstheyreachedLiveOak,wheretheyweretochangecarsforSavannah.
Theymadethechangeeasily,fortheirtrunkshadbeencheckedthrough,andtheyhadlittlebaggagetotroublethem.
AfewmilesfarthertookthemacrosstheStatelineandintoGeorgia,whichRuthsaid,withasomewhatdisappointedair,lookedtoherverymuchthesameasFlorida.
NowthattheywereinGeorgiatheyfeltthattheymustbequitenearSavannah,andbegantotalkofCaptainMay,andwonderifhewouldbeatthedepottomeetthem.
LettershadbeensenttoUncleChristopherBangs,toEdna,andtoCaptainMay,assoonasitwasdecidedthattheyshouldtakethisjourney,andMr.ElmerhadtelegraphedtothecaptainfromTallahasseethatmorning,sotheyfeltprettysurehewouldknowoftheircoming.
Atajunctionwiththefunnynameof“Waycross”theircarwasattachedtoanexpresstrainfromJacksonville,onwhichwerenumbersofNortherntouristswhohadbeenspendingthewinterinFloridaandwerenowontheirwayhome.
Thesepeopleinterestedthechildrensomuchthattheyforgottobetired,thoughitwasnowlateintheafternoon.
Atlast,asitwasbeginningtogrowdark,thetrainrolledintothedepotatSavannah.
Takingtheirbagsandholdingeachother’shandstight,forfearofbeingseparatedinthecrowd,thechildrensteppedoutontheplatform,wheretheywereatoncecompletelybewilderedbythethrongofhurryingpeople,theconfusion,andthenoise.
Astheystoodirresolute,notknowingwhichwaytoturnnorwhattodo,acheeryvoicecalledout,
“Halloo!hereweare.
Why,Mark,myhearty,thisisindeedapleasure—andlittleRuth,too!Won’tmyEdnabedelighted!”
AndCaptainMaystoopeddownandkissedher,righttherebeforeallthepeople,asthoughhewereherownfather.
“Oh,CaptainBill!”saidMark,greatlyrelievedatseeingthefamiliarface,“wearesogladtoseeyou.Wewerejustbeginningtofeellost.”
“Lost,eh?”laughedthecaptain;“well,that’sagoodone.
Theideaofaboywho’sbeenthroughwhatyouhavefeelinglost—righthereamongfolkstoo.
Butthen,tooneusedtothewater,thisheredrylandisamightybewilderingplace,that’safact.Well,come,let’sgetunderway.
I’vegotacarriagemooredalongsidethestationhere,andwe’llclapsailontoitandlayacoursefortheWildfire.
Steward’sgotsupperreadybythistime,andSisterEmily’simpatienttoseeyou.Checks?Ohyes.
Here,driver,takethesebrasses,androustoutthatdunnage;lively,now!”
Whentheywereinthecarriage,androllingquietlyalongthroughthesandystreets,CaptainMaysaidtheywerejustintime,forhewasreadytodropdowntheriverthatnight.
“ThenI’dbettergotoahotel,”saidMark.
“Whatfor?”askedCaptainMay.
“BecauseI’mtogotoBostonbysteamerfromhere,andRuthistogowithyou.”
“Steamernothing;”shoutedCaptainBill.“You’recomingalongwithusontheWildfire.Steamer,indeed!”
Thisseemedtosettleit,andMarkwrotehomethateveningthat,havingreceiveda“pressinginvitation,”hewasgoingtosailtoNewYorkwithCaptainBillMayintheWildfire.
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