the man from glengarry-第13节

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mother　brought　him　to　his　senses。

〃No　breakfast；　no　sugar　bush　to…day；　Hughie；〃　she　said；　〃we　cannot
send　men　out　to　the　woods　that　cannot　eat　breakfast；　can　we；
Ranald？〃

Hughie　at　once　fell　upon　his　porridge　with　vigor；　while　Ranald；　who
was　much　too　shy　to　eat　at　the　minister's　table；　sat　and　waited。

After　breakfast　was　over；　Jessie　was　called　in　for　the　morning
worship；　without　which　no　day　was　ever　begun　in　the　manse。　　At
worship　in　the　minister's　house　every　one　present　took　part。　　It
was　Hughie's　special　joy　to　lead　the　singing　of　the　psalm。　　His
voice　rose　high　and　clear；　even　above　his　mother's；　for　he　loved　to
sing；　and　Ranald's　presence　inspired　him　to　do　his　best。　　Ranald
had　often　heard　the　psalm　sung　in　the　church


　　　　　　I　to　the　hills　will　lift　mine　eyes；
　　　　　　From　whence　doth　come　mine　aid；


and　the　tune　was　the　old；　familiar　〃French；〃　but　somehow　it　was　all
new　to　him　that　day。　　The　fresh　voices　and　the　crisp；　prompt
movement　of　the　tune　made　Ranald　feel　as　if　he　had　never　heard　the
psalm　sung　before。　　In　the　reading　he　took　his　verse　with　the
others；　stumbling　a　little；　not　because　the　words　were　too　big　for
him；　but　because　they　seemed　to　run　into　one　another。　　The　chapter
for　the　day　contained　Paul's　injunction　to　Timothy；　urging　him　to
fidelity　and　courage　as　a　good　soldier　of　Jesus　Christ。

When　the　reading　was　done；　Mrs。　Murray　told　them　a　story　of　a　young
man　who　had　shed　his　blood　upon　a　Scottish　moor　because　he　was　too
brave　to　be　untrue　to　his　lord；　and　then；　in　a　few　words；　made　them
all　see　that　still　some　conflict　was　being　waged；　and　that　there
was　still　opportunity　for　each　to　display　loyal　courage　and
fidelity。

In　the　prayer　that　followed；　the　first　thing　that　surprised　Ranald
was　the　absence　of　the　set　forms　and　tones　of　prayer；　with　which　he
was　familiar。　　It　was　all　so　simple　and　real。　　The　mother　was
telling　the　great　Father　in　heaven　her　cares　and　anxieties；　and　the
day's　needs　for　them　all；　sure　that　he　would　understand　and　answer。
Every　one　was　rememberedthe　absent　head　of　the　family　and　those
present；　the　young　man　worshiping　with　them；　that　he　might　be　a
true　man　and　a　good　soldier　of　Jesus　Christ；　and　at　the　close；　the
little　lad　going　away　this　morning；　that　he　might　be　kept　from　all
harm　and　from　all　evil　thoughts　and　deeds。　　The　simple　beauty　of
the　words；　the　music　in　the　voice；　and　the　tender；　trustful　feeling
that　breathed　through　the　prayer　awakened　in　Ranald's　heart
emotions　and　longings　he　had　never　known　before；　and　he　rose　from
his　knees　feeling　how　wicked　and　how　cruel　a　thing　it　would　be　to
cause　one　of　these　little　ones　to　stumble。

After　the　worship　was　over；　Hughie　seized　his　Scotch　bonnet　and
rushed　for　the　jumper；　and　in　a　few　minutes　his　mother　had　all　the
space　not　taken　up　by　him　and　Ranald　packed　with　blankets　and
baskets。

〃Jessie　thinks　that　even　great　shanty…men　like　you　and　Don　and
Hughie　will　not　object　to　something　better　than　bread　and　pork。〃

〃Indeed；　we　will　not；〃　said　Ranald；　heartily。

Then　Hughie　suddenly　remembered　that　he　was　actually　leaving　home；
and　climbing　out　of　the　jumper；　he　rushed　at　his　mother。

〃Oh；　mother；　good　by！〃　he　cried。

His　mother　stooped　and　put　her　arms　about　him。　　〃Good　by；　my
darling；〃　she　said；　in　a　low　voice；　〃I　trust　you　to　be　a　good　boy；
and；　Hughie；　don't　forget　your　prayers。〃

Then　came　to　Hughie；　for　the　first　time；　the　thought　that　had　been
in　the　mother's　heart　all　the　morning；　that　when　night　came　he
would　lie　down　to　sleep；　for　the　first　time　in　his　life；　without
the　nightly　story　and　her　good…night　kiss。

〃Mother；〃　whispered　the　little　lad；　holding　her　tight　about　the
neck；　〃won't　you　come；　too？　　I　don't　think　I　like　to　go　away。〃

He　could　have　said　no　more　comforting　word；　and　the　mother；　whose
heart　had　been　sore　enough　with　her　first　parting　from　her　boy；　was
more　than　glad　to　find　that　the　pain　was　not　all　on　her　side；　so
she　kissed　him　again；　and　said；　in　a　cheery　voice：　　〃Now　have　a
good　time。　　Don't　trouble　Ranald　too　much；　and　bring　me　back　some
sugar。〃　　Her　last　word　braced　the　lad　as　nothing　else　could。

〃Oh；　mother；　I'll　bring　you　heaps！〃　he　cried；　and　with　the　vision
of　what　he　would　bring　home　again　shining　vividly　before　his　eyes；
he　got　through　the　parting　without　tears；　and　was　soon　speeding
down　the　lane　beside　Ranald；　in　the　jumper。

The　mother　stood　and　watched　the　little　figure　holding　tight　to
Ranald　with　one　hand；　and　with　the　other　waving　frantically　his
bonnet　by　the　tails；　till　at　last　the　bush　hid　him　from　her　sight。
Then　she　turned　back　again　to　the　house　that　seemed　so　empty；　with
her　hand　pressed　hard　against　her　side　and　her　lip　quivering　as
with　sharp　pain。

〃How　foolish！〃　she　said；　impatiently　to　herself；　〃he　will　be　home
in　two　days。〃　　But　in　spite　of　herself　she　went　again　to　the　door；
and　looked　long　at　the　spot　where　the　bush　swallowed　up　the　road。
Then　she　went　upstairs　and　shut　her　door；　and　when　she　came　down
again　there　was　that　in　her　face　that　told　that　her　heart　had　had
its　first　touch　of　the　sword　that；　sooner　or　later；　must　pierce　all
mothers'　hearts。



CHAPTER　VII

MAIMIE


Before　Hughie　came　back　from　the　sugar　camp；　the　minister　had
returned　from　the　presbytery；　bringing　with　him　his　wife's　niece；
Maimie　St。　Clair；　who　had　come　from　her　home　in　a　Western　city　to
meet　him。　　Her　father；　Eugene　St。　Clair；　was　president　of　Raymond
and　St。　Clair　Lumber　Company。　　Nineteen　years　before　this　time　he
had　married　Mrs。　Murray's　eldest　sister；　and　established　his　home
with　every　prospect　of　a　prosperous　and　happy　life；　but　after　three
short；　bright　years　of　almost　perfect　joy；　his　young　wife；　his
heart's　idol；　after　two　days'　illness；　fluttered　out　from　her
beautiful　home；　leaving　with　her　broken…hearted　husband　her　little
boy　and　a　baby　girl　two　weeks　old。　　Then　Eugene　St。　Clair　besought
his　sister　to　come　out　from　England　and　preside　over　his　home　and
care　for　his　children；　and　that　he　might　forget　his　grief；　he　gave
himself；　heart　and　mind；　to　his　business。　　Wealth　came　to　him；　and
under　his　sister's　rule　his　home　became　a　place　of　cultured
elegance　and　a　center　of　fashionable　pleasure。

Miss　Frances　St。　Clair　was　a　woman　of　the　world；　proud　of　her
family…tree；　whose　root　disappeared　in　the　depths　of　past　centuries；
and　devoted　to　the　pursuit　and　cultivation　of　those　graces　and
manners　that　are　supposed　to　distinguish　people　of　birth　and
breeding　from　the　common　sort。　　Indeed；　from　common　men　and　things
she　shrank　almost　with　horror。　　The　entrance　of　〃trade〃　into　the
social　sphere　of　her　life　she　would　regard　as　an　impertinent
intrusion。　　It　was　as　much　as　she　could　bear　to　allow　the　approach
of　〃commerce；〃　which　her　brother　represented。　　She　supposed；　of
course；　there　must　be　people　to　carry　on　the　trades　and　industries
of　the　countryvery　worthy　people；　toobut　these　were　people　one
could　not　be　expected　to　know。　　Miss　St。　Clair　thanked　heaven　that
she　had　had　the　advantages　of　an　English　education　and　up…bringing；
and　she　lamented　the　stubborn　democratic　opinions　of　her　brother；
who　insisted　that　Harry　should　attend　the　public　school。　　She　was
not　surprised；　therefore；　though　greatly　grieved；　that　Harry　chose
his　friends　in　school　with　a　fine　disregard　of　〃their　people。〃　　It
was　with　surprise　amounting　to　pain　that　she　found　herself　one　day
introduced　by　her　nephew　to　Billie　Barclay；　who　turned　out　to　be　the
son　of　Harry's　favorite　confectioner。　　To　his　aunt's　remonstrance　it
seemed　to　Harry　a　sufficient　reply　that　Billy　was　a　〃brick〃　and　a
shining　〃quarter〃　on　the　school　Rugby　team。

〃But；　Harry；　think　of　his　people！〃　urged　his　aunt。

〃Oh；　rot！〃　replied　her　irreverent　nephew；　〃I　don't　play　with　his
people。〃

〃Yes；　but　Harry；　you　don't　expect　to　make　him　your　friend？〃

〃But　he　is　my　friend；　and　I　don't　care　what　his　people　are。
Besides；　I　think　his　governor　is　a　fine　old　boy；　and　I　know　he
gives　us　jolly　good　taffy。〃

〃But；　Harry；〃　answered　his　aunt；　in　despair；　〃you　are　positively
dreadful。　　Why　can't　you　make　friends　in　your　own　set？　　There　is
Hubert　Evans　and　the　Langford　boys。〃

〃Evans！〃　snorted　Harry；　with　contempt；　〃beastly　snob；　and　the
Langfords　are　regular　Mollies！〃　　Whereupon　Miss　St。　Clair　gave　up
her　nephew　as　impossible。　　But　Billie　did　not　repeat　his　visit　to
his　friend　Harry's　home。　　Miss　Frances　St。　Clair　had　a　way　of
looking　through　her　pince…nez　that　even　a　boy　could　understand　and
would　seek　to　avoid。

With　Maimie；　Miss　St。　Clair　achieved　better　results。　　She　was　a
gentle　girl；　with　an　affectionate；　yielding　disposition；　tending
towards　indolence　and　self…indulgence。　　Her　aunt's　chief　concern
about　her　was　that　she　should　be　frocked　and　mannered　as　became　her
position。　　Her　education　was　committed　to　a　very　select　young
ladies'　school；　where　only　the　daughters　of　the　first　families　ever
entered。　　What　or　how　they　were　taught；　her　aunt　never　inquired。
She　felt　quite　sure　that　the　lady　principal　would　resent；　as　indeed
she　ought；　any　such　inquiry。　　Hence　Maimie　came　to　have　a　smattering
of　the　English　poets；　could　talk　in　conversation…book　French；　and
could　dash　off　most　of　the　no