Part 17 (1/2)
”Austin, here is a letter from Amy with great news in it. She is soon to be married, and wants to come home to make ready. What shall I tell her?” said Nell one day.
”This is Amy's home. She has the same right here as have the others,” said Austin, adding anxiously, ”I wonder what choice she has made.”
There followed a whirl of busy days after Amy came home, then the flitting of the young bride to her new home. Austin gave a sigh of relief, as many a parent has done, when at last he saw his restless sister anch.o.r.ed in a home of her own. He had followed her movements anxiously, for he knew there were many temptations for her in the care-free life she appeared to be living.
”What is your decision, Nell?” asked Austin one day some time after they had talked over the summer's outing.
”I have decided to go with the Freemans. I do not know how long I shall stay; but if I like it I shall stay all summer. I feel as if I never wanted to come back to the round of housework and cooking. I am so, oh, so tired of it all! But maybe I shall get homesick when I am once away.”
The first of June came, closing the term of school, and the next day Doyle was ready to start for the farm. So jubilant was he that he did not see the pained look on Austin's face, nor for one moment saw the wound it was to Austin that he could part with his home so easily. Austin's whole life was bound up in his home. He had not the experience to know that practically every boy of Doyle's age, and placed in the same circ.u.mstances, would do as he did; nor did he realize that because the children had been but the receivers of his gifts of love and sacrifice, they could not comprehend what it had all meant to him. After a while, when they had met life as all must meet it, they would look back and understand what he had done, and what he had felt. This home for the children had cost him his youth and youthful ambitions, and to part with it would have been like giving up life and hope; but to the children it was just home, and that a home with limitations.
A few days later Nell was off for her summer's outing, and Lila and Austin were home alone. How quiet and calm it seemed! And how they enjoyed themselves! Lila was busy with her music and the light housekeeping necessary for the two of them, and Austin came and went to and from his daily work with a heart freer from care than he had done for a long time.
”Oh, dear!” sighed Lila over the contents of a letter in her hand. ”The summer is not half gone and Nell is coming back. I thought I was to be housekeeper all summer. Oh, dear!”
”Surely my little sister is going to make Nell welcome! Think of all that Nell has been to us and our home ever since we began it,” said Austin soothingly.
”But Nell is cross, and she wants everything to go her way,” protested Lila with a scowl on her face.
”I know, Lila, that Nell is impatient sometimes. But she has not been well.
She has had to work too hard, and we must be patient with her. Let us make her welcome, and then I believe everything will go right. Cheer up,” said Austin happily.
Nell had found her outing much different from what she had thought it would be. She was a home body, and when she got away from the familiar scenes, and rested a little from the heavy work, she began to long for the dear home circle. Besides, she feared that Lila could not keep up the housework as it should be done. So she had decided to return long before the summer was ended.
In spite of Lila's protests, she took up her old responsibilities, and left the little girl free for her music and recreations. Austin was glad to have Nell with them again, for he had not altogether approved of leaving Lila so much alone.
Autumn came, bringing a letter from Doyle saying that he had decided to stay on the farm, a.s.suring his brother that he was perfectly satisfied with life as he found it there. Austin's answer was a complete release of the child, so that he no longer was counted in the family circle.
Harry was home very little, but when he came he brought good cheer and comrades.h.i.+p with him. He was fond of Nell, and found pleasure in spending a part of his means in buying her pretty clothes. Nell was handy with her needle, and was wise in the choice of both materials and styles, and so was able to go out carefully and tastefully dressed.
Home seemed to have settled once more into steady lines, with just the three in the family. But as this was a bark that seldom rested in quiet seas, another storm-cloud was seen arising, and it was larger than a man's hand.
Chapter 28
A STORMY SEASON
One day Austin sat in his room in deep and troubled thought. It had been many months since such a burden lay on his heart. He was perplexed as well as troubled. That there must be a way out of his trial he knew, but where to find it was his problem. There had been many times in his life when he had longed for some older and wiser one than himself to guide him and his family through the rocks that threatened the little bark, but never did he feel that lack as now. The very foundations of his home were at stake.
Every home must have its breadwinner and its home-maker. Ever since that day on which Nell had made her promise to stand by him and do her best, she had filled the place of home-maker to his satisfaction. There had been times when she had grown restless with the confinement of it, and he had arranged for her to be relieved or to have a change of employment for a time; but always she had come back with renewed love and zeal for her home.
He had expected her always to be so.
Austin was young in years, but his struggle with the real problems of life had developed his nature until he thought and felt as a man ten years older. In his mind his home was a permanent thing. There was, for him, to be no leaving of the old home and going out to make a new one. This was _his_ home in as strong a sense as the word could ever be used. Whatever threatened this establishment was placing his earthly happiness in jeopardy. He was ready to rise and defend it with all his strength.
With Nell it was different. When she had given her promise to Austin to help him with the undertaking, she had felt the need of the shelter home would give. She was a little girl then, now she was at the door of womanhood. Instinctively she felt that this was not always to be her home, and she had a longing for the freedom, that normal girlhood feels, from responsibility and care. She longed to go out, as other girls went, to face the battles and make the conquests of life. It seemed to her that unless she made a bold dash for freedom her whole life would be given up to dull household tasks.
These vague longings and dissatisfied thoughts caused Nell to lose interest in her home duties. And in turning her attention to outside affairs she, for lack of experience and of the wise, guiding hand of a mother, began placing her affections and desires upon those things that are very enticing to youth but which do not bring the best good. It seemed to her that better clothes, more social activity, worldly amus.e.m.e.nts, and entire freedom from restraint would bring her the opportunities and the pleasures she craved.
Since there was coming to her, as comes to every girl, that indefinite time when she must ”settle down in life,” why should she not have her good times now!