A California Girl Part 19

They spent their time in the following manner: Part of the day was devoted to prayer, meditation and concentration, and part of the time in the practise of mental telegraphy; and the balance of the time in doing what little work there was to do and in walks and talks.

Stella did enjoy the life so very much, and she was rapidly advancing physically, intellectually and spiritually. As for lonesomeness, she and Penloe did not know what that was, their minds being too active to be lonesome. They seemed to be new to each other every morning and fresh every evening, their life being a perfect joy and delight in its highest sense; for they realized each day more and more of their Divine natures.

Each day they came in touch with the Infinite, and when they came down from the mountain their faces shone as Moses' did of old; for they had walked and talked with G.o.d.

CHAPTER XXI.

A WEDDING IN ORANGEVILLE.

After Mrs. Marston had been in San Francisco about a month, she received a cablegram from Paris stating that her son had been shot by a jealous Frenchman and died two hours afterwards. When she had recovered from her first grief she thought it best to stay in San Francisco two weeks longer and then return to Roseland. She had not been home long when she realized how great the change had been on the s.e.x question, and how Stella's popularity had risen, and of course Mrs. Marston's mind had to conform to the new thought, which her circle of friends and most of the community had accepted. It was that lady's creed to have her ideas in style as much as her dress. It seemed to please her greatly to hear her niece praised and looked up to as a leader of the new thought on the s.e.x question; for deep down in her heart she loved Stella, even if she did not understand some of her strange ways, and now that her son was dead her affections went out more towards her niece.

When she received the letter from Stella stating she was engaged to Penloe, she had a good laugh about her proposing to him, and said the next thing she would hear would be that Stella had bought a wedding-ring to put on Penloe's finger. Since Mrs. Marston had seen Penloe there was no man she admired more than him; not on account of his spiritual thought, but for his distinguished personality, his graceful manners, and his polished expressions. So when she read about her niece being engaged to him, she was delighted, for she felt proud of them both and remarked, "They would make the finest appearing couple to be seen anywhere."

And she now looked forward to the time when they would be married, that she might have the pleasure of seeing them again. She was forming plans as to what she would do for Stella. She felt that she was able to do much for her, as her property was rising in value all the time, and her income far exceeded her expenditures. Her idea was that a couple, to be in style when they are married, should visit Europe or some other country; and, furthermore, it would be also nice for her to be able to say her niece had gone abroad on her wedding tour. She also remembered how delighted Stella was to read books of travel when she was at her house, and she heard her say, "I do hope some day I will be able to see my own and other countries, for the extent of my travel has only been from Orangeville to San Jose and return."

About a week before the day set for Stella's wedding, Mrs. Wheelwright went to Roseland and called on her sister, Mrs. Marston. In course of conversation, Mrs. Wheelwright said: "Well, Helen, it is Penloe's and Stella's wish to have no one invited to the wedding but yourself; for, if they invited friends, they could not draw the line and they could not invite all, and not only so but they think it far better to have a quiet wedding. Their marriage is so different to that of any other couple, there being none of that peculiar excitement connected with their marriage."

Mrs. Marston said: "I thought that would be about the kind of wedding they would have. What I would have liked would be to give Stella a big wedding at my own house, with all her friends present, but I knew she would wish to be married at her home in a very quiet way."

Mrs. Wheelwright said: "Well, Helen, we shall look for you on Wednesday of next week. They will be married at eleven in the morning, by the Rev.

B.F. Holingsworth."

On the morning of the wedding, Stella's aunt arrived at ten, Penloe and the minister came half an hour later. At eleven Penloe and Stella stood up to be made one in the eyes of the law. The Blessed Infinite Spirit had made them one some time ago. It is not necessary to remark how lovely the bride looked, for she always looked lovely, and she did not wear at her wedding a white silk or satin gown; for she wore a rich white dress, and it was one that she could wear any time; it became her exceedingly well. After the usual marriage ceremony was over, the minister offered a short fervent prayer, after which Penloe and Stella stood in silent prayer for about two minutes, then Penloe kissed Stella.

The joyful couple then received the congratulations of their relatives.

When Mrs. Marston kissed Stella, she gave her a little package. A few minutes later Stella excused herself and went to her room, to open the package her aunt had given her. On opening the package, she found it contained a small, light-brown covered book, with a note which read as follows:

"SUNNYDOWN, Roseland, Calif.

"MY DEAR NIECE:--Knowing you had always a strong desire to travel and see something of the world, I know of no better time for you to travel than now, on your wedding tour.

"In the bank book you will see a sum deposited in your name, sufficient to take you and Penloe around the world in first-cla.s.s style.

"Wis.h.i.+ng you much joy, dear, with love to you both,

"YOUR AUNT HELEN."

Stella opened the bank book to see the amount deposited to her credit, and to her joy and surprise there were five figures in the amount. Such a handsome gift touched Stella very much. She realized then the genuineness of her aunt's interest in her material welfare and the love she bore her.

When Stella returned to the room where the company was she went to her aunt, and put her arms round her and kissed her affectionately, and said: "How good you have been to me." Her aunt looked at the beautiful girl with pride, and seemed delighted to see her so happy. She said: "Stella, dear, I have only you to love, and you deserve all I can do for you."

Mr. and Mrs. Wheelwright were very much gratified by the handsome gift Stella received from her aunt, and Penloe, whose face was always the picture of repose, had now an unusual bright smile as he saw Stella's delight. He went and sat beside Mrs. Marston, and entertained her with his brilliant conversation, much to that lady's pleasure, for she enjoyed receiving attention from Penloe.

In course of conversation with Mrs. Marston (while Stella was absent from the room), in a very becoming and graceful way, he paid a glowing tribute to Stella's n.o.bility of character and her intrinsic worth, which pleased Mrs. Marston greatly. Stella's aunt could not think of sitting down to a very plain meal on such an occasion as her niece's marriage, neither did she wish to see her sister or Stella with flushed faces through being over a hot cook-stove. So she had her caterer come from Roseland, with everything necessary, and take charge of the wedding dinner. They all had a very sociable time at the table, the topics of conversation being general, such as Mrs. Marston would be interested in.

After dinner, Stella had a few words in private with her aunt before leaving for Roseland. The gist of the talk was that she, when speaking of them, was not to say, "'Mr. Penloe Lenair' or 'Mrs. Penloe Lenair,'

or have inserted in the newspapers 'Penloe Lenair, Esq., and wife, are visiting you, but always speak of us as 'Penloe and Stella,' because we wish to live in the realization that we are all members of one family, and to say Mr. or Mrs. is cold, formal and distant; but in being called by our given names we come near to those who are talking to us, and they come near to and in touch with us."

After the minister and Mrs. Marston had left, Stella said to Penloe: "I may just as well begin to initiate you into the new order of things now as any other time, for you are my husband. So I am going to tell you that we are living in a new age, and instead of the wife obeying her husband the husband has to obey the wife."

Penloe smiled, and said: "I am perfectly willing to obey such a wife as you are. What are your orders, my dear?"

Stella laughed, and said: "Well, Penloe, I have been thinking that I would like to take you over to see an old friend of mine, who has sore eyes. You have never seen him, and he would be so pleased to have us come; for he must have many lonely times, because very few persons ever call on him, and, Penloe, dear, we have such a lot of good things left from aunt's big wedding dinner that she gave us, and I thought we would take some of the nice things along with us for the old man to enjoy. He seldom has anything very good to eat."

Penloe said: "So you are going to make a ministering angel of me, are you, my dear?"

Stella said, smiling: "I am not going to make you too angelic, Penloe, because you might take wings and fly away from me, and I want you to be an angel on the ground and not a soaring one. So get yourself ready to carry a basket."

Penloe said: "I am at your service, my dear."

Stella went into the kitchen, and selected some choice eatables, such as she knew the old man would most enjoy, and the two were soon on their way to the cabin. As they were walking along Stella related to Penloe all she knew of the history of the old man, as he was called, though he was not more than fifty-eight years old.

When they arrived at the cabin, the old man was busy getting stove-wood.

As soon as Stella spoke to him he knew instantly who it was. His sight being in that condition that he could see Penloe's form, but could not see clearly his features, he could distinguish a man's form from that of a woman's, but that was all. Stella introduced Penloe to him, and told the old man that they were married this morning, whereupon the old man instantly congratulated them and showered his blessings on both of them, saying: "Mr. Penloe, what an angel you have got for a wife!" And went on telling Penloe how good she had been to him.

Stella did not check him, because she knew it would do him good to have some one to express his feelings to. After the old man had finished his eulogies on Stella, she told him what she had brought him and said she would put them where they belonged, for she had cleaned up his cabin many a time. He was touched to the heart by such thoughtful kindness, that on their wedding day she should think of him, and he did not know just what to say he was so overcome; he seemed choked. They very soon put him at his ease, and in about ten minutes afterwards conversation had quieted down.

Just then Stella received a mental telegram from Penloe, and it was not long before the old man was sitting in his rocking chair, fast asleep.

While he was in that condition, Penloe and Stella went into the silence, remaining in that state for about an hour, when Penloe asked Stella to get a basin, with some water, a clean cloth, and a towel. When she had got everything ready, the old man seemed to be waking up. When he was fully awake, he said: "How much better I feel." Stella said: "I have a basin here, with some water. Let me bathe your eyes." While she was bathing them, she said: "Andrew, you are going to see so that you can read just as well as you could before your eyes became sore." (As Andrew had always a.s.sociated Stella in his mind as being a member of the angelic band, he was ready to believe anything she said.)

He said: "Am I? Praise G.o.d! (he was a good man). How fine your touch does feel to my face."

When she had finished bathing his eyes, she gave him a towel to wipe his eyes with. After he had wiped them, he opened and closed them several times, when, with his eyes open, he said: "Yes, I can see! O, I can see so much better. I keep seeing clearer all the time." And in a few minutes he could see Penloe and Stella just as well as they could see themselves.

The old man was overcome with joy. Looking at Stella, he said: "Bless G.o.d! I can see your dear face." And when he cast his eyes on the features of Penloe he became silent, then he looked at Stella, then at Penloe, and he seemed in a dream, for he did not know which was the greater surprise to him, having his sight restored or seeing the angelic countenances of the two before him.

Penloe took a newspaper and gave it to him, saying: "See if you can read that?"

Andrew took the paper, and to his great delight he could read it just as well as when he was a young man. The old man put the paper down, then in a little while he took it up again and read more, saying: "Yes, it is true. I can see to read to myself. Bless the Lord! I can see to read."

He looked at them both again, and a feeling came over him as if there was a great distance between him and them. For he said, in speaking to Stella:

"Mrs. Penloe."

Whereupon Stella laughed, and told him: "I am not Mrs. Penloe, for I am just the same now as I was before I was married. I am your sister Stella, and my husband is your brother Penloe. Both of us look upon all boys and men as our brothers, and all girls and women as our sisters, for we are all members of one family."

The old man sat in silence after Stella spoke; he seemed to be amazed.

Stella said: "We must go now."

As she wished him good-bye, he said to them: "What must I do in return for the great blessing of sight which has been given me to-day?"

Penloe said: "Live much in prayer, live in the realization of Divine love. Remember your body is the temple of G.o.d. Keep it as such, and help others to live the Divine life."

Was there ever a bride so happy as Stella was on the after noon of her wedding day, when she was returning home to tell her mother the joyful news that Andrew had recovered his sight. The world has never seen a happier bride than she was on that afternoon.

Stella had not been in the house but a few minutes before she told her parents all about Andrew receiving his sight through Penloe's healing power.