Read Ebook: Stella Rosevelt by Sheldon Georgie Mrs

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Ebook has 1337 lines and 61812 words, and 27 pages

then melting into tears, until it was finished, and pronounced a "little gem;" while he was convinced that a sensitive, refined, and talented girl had thrown her heart, and perhaps something of her own life, into those touching pages.

He sent a note to her at once, asking her to come and see him again, and when she obeyed the summons, he questioned her about herself, how she had come to write her book, and what incidents had suggested it.

She told him that the scene of her little romance was laid in Derbyshire, England, and that many of the incidents were connected with her childhood; and the tears sprang to his eyes as she related to him something of the misfortune which overtook her in the death of her mother, the subsequent loss of her father, and how she was obliged to come, a stranger, to this country; of the tempestuous voyage across the ocean, with its thrilling events, and that as soon as she could complete her education she intended to become a teacher.

He was greatly interested in her, and told her that he should publish her book, and if the first edition sold well, she should have a thousand dollars, and a certain per cent. on all other editions.

It seemed like a fortune to Star, who had not thought of receiving anything like such a sum, and she went back to her duties with a joyful heart to await the issue of her book.

Mr. Appleton was so pleased with her that he saw her often after that, and having received a card from her for the commencement exercises of Professor Roberts' seminary, he decided he would go; and the little package which he had given her in the presence of Mr. Richards was a copy of her book, which had just come to him from the hands of the binders; and it was he, too, who, admiring her fine essay, begged it of her and sent it, with those few flattering remarks which had so annoyed Josephine, to the next morning's papers.

Star had put no name to her work, telling Mr. Appleton that she did not care to be known as its author; and he, too, thought it best, since it was her first experience in literary matters; so, when she had told him that her name was Stella, he had put a simple Star in place of it.

But the book had sold beyond even the publisher's most sanguine expectations, and when it became evident very soon that a second edition must be published, he asked her to allow him to put her name to it, as everybody was besieging him to know who wrote it.

But she was firm, and insisted upon having his promise that he would not betray her until after her graduation and her eighteenth birthday.

When he wrote her a check for the promised thousand dollars, she had taken it directly to Mr. Rosevelt.

"Now we need have no fears for the future," she said, with a proud smile, as she put it into his hand. "You must have every comfort, Uncle Jacob--fruits, and wines, and everything nice, to make you strong and well. There will be more coming, you know, as the other editions are sold, and when I begin to teach I shall have my salary besides."

The old gentleman was deeply touched by her thoughtfulness for him; he could not speak for the choking sensation in his throat, but drew her gently to him and kissed her fair forehead, feeling that she was the only gleam of sunshine which his life contained.

Now, as he stood by and heard her praises sung, and knew that she would have the fame that belonged to her, he exulted over it; and when, a little later, she came to him and slipped an envelope into his hand, saying: "It is another check, Uncle Jacob, which Mr. Appleton has just given to me. Please take care of it, for you are my banker, you know; and," a tear starting to her glorious eyes, "I believe I never expected to be so happy again as I am to-night," he thought his own cup of joy was nearly as full as hers.

She was, indeed, a star after that all through the evening, and held a right royal little court, receiving and making the acquaintance of the admirers of "Chatsworth's Pride," until she became so weary that she longed to get home to quiet and rest.

As soon as she could find an opportunity to do so, she drew Mr. Rosevelt to President Hunter and made her adieu.

Just as she was turning away, some one touched her on the arm.

"Miss Gladstone, allow me to present my brother, Mr. Ralph Meredith."

It was Miss Meredith--Grace Meredith she had told Star she was called--who spoke, and looking up, she found a pair of brilliant dark eyes looking into hers, a handsome face smiling down upon her, while a musical voice acknowledged the introduction with evident pleasure.

Star thanked him with a charming smile for his interest in her, and introduced him to Mr. Rosevelt; then turned to Miss Meredith to escape from the praises which she saw he was longing to pour into her ears.

The young man was somewhat chagrined at being thus summarily disposed of, but he was too polite and good-natured to betray it, and did his best to make himself agreeable to the old gentleman and win his good-will.

Gradually, however, he managed to attract the attention of the young ladies, and then the conversation became general, and they chatted pleasantly for several minutes, until, at a look from Star, Mr. Rosevelt declared they must go, "for he was not used to late hours, and Star, he knew, was nearly worn out with the excitement of the day."

Mr. Meredith regretted that they must leave, but begged, with his most captivating smile:

"May I have the pleasure, Miss Gladstone, of coming with my sister to call upon you?"

"Wait a minute, Star, and I will write our address down for them. It is so difficult to remember numbers, I am afraid they will forget;" and taking a leaf from a small notebook that was in his pocket, Mr. Rosevelt wrote both street and number and passed it to young Meredith.

Star thought he looked surprised as he read it. Was it because of the humble locality? she wondered.

They then exchanged good-nights and parted. When they reached the street, Mr. Rosevelt said:

"I am going to call a carriage, dear, for I know you are just ready to drop from weariness;" and Star did not object, for she was indeed exceedingly tired.

When they reached home she insisted upon making a cup of tea for Uncle Jacob, saying that he was not accustomed to such late hours and dissipation; "and besides," she added, with a smile, "she felt like having a drop herself."

But the old gentleman was so absent-minded over his tea, that she felt almost guilty for having kept him up so late, and feared he would be ill to-morrow.

She put away the tea things when they were through, and was about to light her lamp to retire, when he stopped her, saying:

"Star, my dear, come and sit down upon this ottoman by me; I have something I wish to say to you."

She obeyed, wondering what had happened to make him look and speak so gravely.

A startled look came into the girl's eyes at this question, and her heart leaped with sudden pain as her thoughts went bounding over the sea to one to whom she had given the first grand passion of her soul.

"Why, Uncle Jacob, you do not think I have any idea of going away from you, I hope," Star said, in surprise.

"Yes, sir; and I still think it a strange coincidence," Star answered.

Star looked up astonished at him.

"How can that be possible?" she asked.

"In this way," Mr. Rosevelt returned, a shade of pain crossing his face. "When your grandmother, Stella Winthrop--that was her name before her marriage, was it not?"

"Yes; and that is all I know about her, Uncle Jacob," Star answered, with a troubled look. "Papa never said much about his friends. Indeed, he did not appear to have any relatives, and never would allow me to question him about them. Once I said something to him about my name, and he remarked: 'Your grandmother once told me that if ever I had a little girl of my own, she would like me to call her Stella Rosevelt, and that is how you came by it.'

"'Where is my grandmother, papa?' I asked.

"'She is dead,' he said, and immediately left the room, looking so pale and miserable that I never dared ask him anything more about her."

"I do not see how that could have been, for the Mr. Gladstone who married Stella Winthrop was a very wealthy and important man in the county of Devonshire--at least, I was told so--and if your father was his son, he might have married almost any one he chose, and have conferred an honor in so doing. But this is not telling you my story.

"When Stella Winthrop was of your age, and I three or four years older, we met at a large reception in London. That meeting was fatal to us both, for we loved from that hour as true lovers ever love. For six months the world was like Paradise to us, and then I was called away to the far East on business for the firm with which I was connected. I am an American, but most of my life has been spent abroad.

"If I was successful in my business undertaking, it was agreed that I might claim my bride when I returned at the end of two years. The vessel on which I sailed was wrecked--I have had more than one such experience you see, my dear--and it was reported that every passenger on board was lost, while only a very few of the crew lived to tell the story of the disaster. But I was fortunate enough to secure a large cask, and with this I managed to keep afloat for two days, when I was picked up by a sailing-vessel bound for the Philippine Islands.

"My first work upon reaching land was to write to Stella and tell her of my safety; but my letter never reached her. I also notified the firm that I was all right, and should proceed directly about the business upon which I had been sent, but they knew nothing of my connection with Miss Winthrop, and accordingly did not communicate with her. I kept writing at intervals to my beloved, but never heard anything in return. At last, in despair, I wrote to the firm, telling them of my engagement, and asking them to notify her of my safety and give her my address in case she should have happened to lose the one I had given her. In reply, they said that the Winthrop family had gone abroad for an indefinite stay. Of course this was a great trial to me, and I was exceedingly impatient; but my two years were over at last, and I turned my face toward England once more. I had succeeded in my business beyond my most sanguine expectations, and I looked forward to the immediate fulfillment of my hopes when I should return.

"My first duty on reaching London was to acquaint my employers with the result of my transactions, and my next thought was for Stella--my bright Star. Never for an instant had I doubted her fidelity; I believed she would be as true to me as I was to her, and my heart beat high with hope as I bounded up the familiar steps leading to her home and rang the bell. I asked for Miss Winthrop of the maid who answered my summons, and she stared at me as if she thought me demented.

"'Miss Winthrop?' she repeated. 'There is no Miss Winthrop, sir; she was married and went away nearly a year ago.'

"'Married!' The word was like a thunderbolt to me, and in an instant all the light went out of my life--my heart was paralyzed. I staggered from the place, and hid myself from every one for a week. Then I gained something of calmness and courage to go out among my friends and try to learn how it happened that Stella Winthrop had married. As I told you before, it was reported that every passenger on the vessel in which I sailed was lost. Those of the crew who were saved affirmed that such was the case, and my betrothed had believed that I was dead.

"She grieved herself almost to death over my loss, and her parents, fearing they would lose her also, took her abroad and traveled for many months. It was during this absence that the firm received my letter relating to her, but were unable to learn her address, as she was moving from point to point, and so could not communicate with her.

"Six months after learning my fate, she met Mr. Gladstone in Paris. He fell in love with her, and offered himself to her. He was a gentleman in every sense of the word, was kind and sympathetic, and she liked him as a friend. She told him the story of her grief, and that she could never marry. He did not sneer at her 'girlish folly,' as many would have done, but comforted her, speaking so kindly and regretfully of me that he won even a warmer place in her heart. He was patient with her, and when at length a second time he asked her to marry him, she told him that she could never love him as she had loved me, but if he could be content to take her with what respect she could give him, and the duty she would strive to yield him, she would become his wife. He told her he would be content, and they were married--a year and three months after I sailed on the fatal voyage.

"They traveled several months longer, and when at length on their return to London, only three or four months before I arrived there, she learned that I had not perished, but was soon expected back, the shock nearly killed her a second time. Her husband was all kindness and attention, took her immediately away again, and showered everything that wealth could buy upon her; and after a time children were born to her, and those new ties aroused her to her sense of duty as a mother. I never saw her, for I had not courage to look upon her dear face, knowing that she was the wife of another; for I never ceased to love her, with an affection that amounted to idolatry. They told me that she had two children--two noble boys, one of them resembling her, the other his father--that she was a tender, faithful mother, and very much beloved by every one who knew her.

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