Read Ebook: Stella Rosevelt by Sheldon Georgie Mrs

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Ebook has 1337 lines and 61812 words, and 27 pages

"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.

"That was forty years ago, Star, and for thirty I have not heard one word concerning either her or her family; but I have lived my life out alone; I could never take any one to my broken heart; and perhaps, if your belief is true, my child, and I can ever be made clearly to see it, I may find my lost love somewhere in the great future; but I do not need to tell you that my past has been one long season of longing and regret, of sadness and loneliness."

His voice broke, his lips quivered painfully, and it seemed for a moment as if he must break down utterly.

Star softly slipped one of her small hands into his, and the sympathetic little act comforted him greatly. His closed over it in a strong, yet tender clasp.

"You pity the old man's weakness, don't you, dear?" he said, with a sad smile; "but it is not easy to open the secret chambers of one's heart when they have been closed for forty years.

"When, the next morning, you told me that your grandmother had named you, and that her name was Stella Winthrop, I had not a doubt; I felt convinced that you must be the child of one of her sons. You thought it merely a strange coincidence, but I knew better, and all my boasted coldness and hardness melted away, and I began to love you then and there. When that dreadful explosion occurred, and you urged me to save myself, as 'doubtless I had dear friends' and 'you had no one to love you'--when you refused to leave me, and took up your station by my side to die with me, as we both believed, I felt as if something of the spirit of my lost love was shining through you. Then your tenderness toward, and your care of me--your heroic self-denial and efforts to save my life while we were helplessly afloat on the mighty ocean--your sweet voice singing those hymns of faith and cheer, completed the conquest of my hardened nature. I can never make you understand how disappointed I was, on arriving in New York, to find you gone. I meant to tell you something of myself, and learn your own destination, so that I might see you once in awhile.

"But I never forgot you; and when I visited my nephew in the West, and met only coldness and neglect, simply because of my misfortunes, I could not help contrasting it with your kind attention to an entire stranger.

"I left those heartless people and came to my niece, and met with the same reception, when before they had always fawned at my feet, flattered and humored me as if I had been something more than common clay.

"I felt forsaken; no one loved me, no one wanted me; I was a burden and incumbrance. But just then you appeared to me, and your heavenly kindness made my poor old heart glow again. Still, I was so embittered by finding my only brother's children so heartless and selfish, that I was not quite sure of you. It made me mistrust everybody, and I feared you might grow to be like them. But for that I should not have remained a day beneath Ellen Richards' roof; I should have gone my own way again as soon as I became rested and recruited. Do you remember how you came to me the next morning after my arrival, and cheered me with your merry chat and your thoughtful little gift? I said, 'Surely this child must be artless--she must be true;' but I resolved to stay awhile and test and study you, and you have been a blessing to me from the first. My dear, I began to love you for my lost Star's sake; now I love you for your own. There, you have all my story now, and you must go to rest, for to-morrow will be your birthday, and we must celebrate a little in honor of it," Mr. Rosevelt concluded, patting her softly on the shoulder.

Star lifted a flushed and tearful face to his.

Uncle Jacob smiled fondly at her.

"I know there is one at least who treats me kindly for my own sake, and who would share all her laurels with me. My child, I was very proud of you to-night."

He laughed, such a bright, hearty laugh that she wondered to see him so pleased over her little compliment.

"Now, good-night," he said, rising; "I want you to be as fresh as possible to-morrow."

He led her to the door of her room, and then, with a softly breathed "God bless you!" sought his own.

But she did not go directly to bed, as he bade her; his story had strangely stirred her heart, and she could not rest until she had decided some questions that were troubling her.

She opened a drawer of her dressing-case, and taking that worn portfolio to which we have before referred from it, unlocked it, and drew forth a sealed package.

With reverent fingers she broke the seals, a sob rising to her lips as she thought whose hand had fastened them there, and how tenderly it used to stroke her hair and call her "My bright little Star."

The package contained several papers, and it took her more than an hour to examine them; but when she had read them through, there was a look of wonder in her large blue eyes and an almost blank expression on her white face.

Star Gladstone's eighteenth birthday dawned as bright and charming as it was possible for a morning to be. At eight o'clock she and Mr. Rosevelt sat down to their breakfast, and a merry meal they made of it, for both appeared in the best of spirits, in spite of the sad and exciting events of the previous evening upon which they had conversed.

About nine a handsome carriage drove to their humble abode, and the driver rang and asked for the "gentleman and lady who were going for a drive in the park."

Star looked surprised as she peered from the window and saw a pair of sleek, coal-black horses, with their silver-mounted harnesses, and the shining, velvet-lined coach.

"Uncle Jacob, did you order that carriage to come for us?" she asked.

"Yes, my dear," he said, with an expression of satisfaction, as he, too, looked out and saw the team. "It is not often that I ride, as you well know, but when I do, I like to go in style. One ride a year in 'ship-shape' would satisfy me, where a half-dozen in some broken-down hack wouldn't give me a bit of pleasure. Now, put on your hat, and tuck some roses in your belt, as you did yesterday, for this is to be a gala day, and I want you as fine as possible."

Star laughed and tripped away to obey, coming back after a few moments with such a bright and happy face that Mr. Rosevelt thought she had never looked so lovely before.

All the morning they drove, four long, delightful hours-hours that were always a pleasant memory afterward to both of them; and many who saw the nicely dressed old gentleman, with the fair, bright, golden-haired girl beside him in their elegant carriage, thought what a green old age must be his, with so much to make life pleasant.

About one o'clock they turned toward the city once more, and Star said, with a sigh of pleasure:

"Uncle Jacob, I believe there never was such a perfect day before, and I'm sure I never enjoyed a birthday more. You were very kind to plan this pleasure for me."

The old gentleman's eyes twinkled. Her delight, her bright, animated face were such a joy to him.

"If I had only been rich as I used to be, I should so like to have made you some nice present to-day--a watch, for instance," he said.

"You gave me something last night which I value far better--your confidence," Star said, softly. "I should like a watch," she added, after a moment, "and I mean to have one some time. When I have earned it, you shall go and select it for me, if you will. But what have you done with your own, Uncle Jacob? You had a very nice one when I first met you, and I remember seeing it on you after the wreck."

"Watches and I have not had much in common during the last two years," he answered, evasively; and she thought perhaps he had been obliged to sell it since he became poor.

All at once the carriage stopped in a quiet street up town, which, Star noticed, was lined on both sides with elegant brown-stone dwellings.

"What are we stopping here for?" she asked.

"A good woman whom I used to know lives here, and I thought, as we were in gala attire to-day, I would like to stop and make a call, and--introduce my Star to her," Mr. Rosevelt said, preparing to alight.

He helped Star out, and together they went up the marble steps.

Mr. Rosevelt rang the bell, and then took a card from one of his pockets, and, with an arch smile, said:

"It almost seems as if we were really fine people, doesn't it, dressed in our best, riding about in our carriage, and sending our cards in at a brown-stone house?"

"Yes, indeed; and it would be such fun if we could keep it up for awhile," Star said, gayly. "But," with a regretful little sigh, "like Cinderella of old, I suppose we shall soon be aroused to the fact that our coach and horses are gone, and find the stern realities of life staring us in the face again."

Mr. Rosevelt laughed.

"Would you like to be a fine lady, Star?" he asked.

There was not time for any more conversation, for the door was at this moment opened by a neat-looking servant.

She appeared to recognize Mr. Rosevelt, for she greeted him with a smile, and then her eyes wandered inquiringly to Star's lovely face.

She invited them to enter, and conducted them into a handsome drawing-room on the right of the hall, when, taking Mr. Rosevelt's card, she retired, leaving them alone.

"What a lovely room!" Star breathed, as her eyes roved about the apartment, over the beautiful pictures, the bright, rich carpet, the carved ebony furniture, upholstered in warm-hued satins, choice bric-a-brac, and all those fine things which add so much to a place like that. "Your friend must be a 'fine lady,' with plenty of money," she added.

Mr. Rosevelt merely nodded his head in reply, while he watched the door with evident impatience.

It was soon slowly opened, and a familiar face appeared in the aperture--a face all beaming with smiles of pleasure and good nature.

"Mrs. Blunt!" cried Star, in astonishment; and springing toward the woman, she grasped both her hands warmly.

Star thought her language somewhat ambiguous; but everything seemed rather ambiguous just then.

"Do you live here?" she questioned.

"Have you been in New York long? and why haven't we seen you before? and what are you laughing at?"

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