A California Girl Part 21

Mr. and Mrs. Herne had become greatly interested in Stella, and they made their house feel like a home to her whenever she favored them with a visit, which she did many times previous to her living with Penloe in the mountains. They were very much attracted towards her and loved her, for she always brought suns.h.i.+ne with her, and her charming presence, her agreeable manners, together with her fresh, bright, original character, so sweet and beautiful, could not but help making her a very desirable member of the Herne family, for they had come to look upon her as such since her engagement to Penloe, for Penloe to them was a dear brother, and now they looked upon Stella as a dear sister.

On the evening that Penloe was relating the story of the ring to Stella, Charles and Clara Herne were sitting on the porch enjoying the beautiful evening and entertaining themselves in a conversation about the newly married couple who were expected to come to-morrow and be their guests for several days.

While they were talking about the leading part Stella had taken on the s.e.x question, Clara said to her husband: "If Penloe had a wife made to order he could not have had a more suitable mate than Stella. That match was made in heaven."

Her husband, who had picked up some of Penloe's ideas, said: "Why, Clara, she was made to order for him."

Clara laughed and said: "Well, Charles, do you think I was made to order for you?"

"Certainly, and I was made to order for you, my dear," replied he.

Mrs. Herne said: "It is very easy to believe that persons so suited to each other as you and I, and Penloe and Stella, were made to order for each other, but how about Fred Thaxter and his wife, who were married a year ago? Mrs. Simmons called on me yesterday and told me she had heard that Fred was about to apply for a divorce."

Clara said: "I feel sorry for them both. Charles, so far, you and I have not taken any active part in the s.e.x reform movement which has been just started. While we are of the same mind as Penloe and Stella in thought, yet we have so far been silent, except in the circle of our own home, and I think the time has come for us to show our colors."

Charles said: "My dear, I am ready to hoist the flag whenever you say the word."

Clara made answer: "I say the word now, Charles."

Charles said: "We will have a talk with Penloe and Stella and see what way we can help the movement forward."

Clara said: "I think, Charles, we had better retire early to-night, for to-morrow Penloe and Stella will be with us for several days, and we never retire early when they are our guests, and the day after to-morrow we give a party in their honor."

Early next day, according to an understanding, Mr. Herne sent a man with his two-seated surrey to Mr. Wheelwright's for his guests, and about eleven the handsome span of blacks were reined up in front of the Herne residence, and there were two warm hearts on the porch to greet the newly married couple. Charles Herne came forward and received Stella as if she had been his own sister, and she kissed him as if he were her own brother, and Clara Herne received Penloe in the same way, for they lived what they taught, and Penloe and Stella called them Charles and Clara.

Just after dinner Clara was talking about the invited guests to the party to-morrow, saying that she had received a note from Mrs. Hardy, a lady who had been married about five years, which read that she could not come to-morrow as she was sick with her old complaint, but she wants you both to call on her before starting on your wedding tour.

Continuing, Clara said: "How much that poor lady has suffered. I have heard her talk very strongly of her mother for being so close-mouthed with her concerning matters that she ought to have enlightened her about. I remember calling on her at one time and found her lying on the lounge. At times she was in great pain. I was telling her about the interest which had just begun to be aroused in the s.e.x reform movement.

She said: 'Oh, if I could only be put back ten years with the knowledge I have, what an active part I would take in the movement, for I don't want other girls and women to suffer what I have, through ignorance and fear.'"

Penloe said: "Stella, we had better call on Phebe this afternoon, for neither of us have seen her since we lived our mountain life, and we will have more time to-day than later."

Stella answered: "I am ready any time."

Charles Herne asked Penloe: "What time would you like to leave here?"

Penloe said: "About two."

"Well," said Charles, "I will have the boy bring the team round for you at that time."

It was two o'clock but the team had not yet been brought to the front of the house. Charles Herne had gone out to the orchard and Clara was elsewhere in the house. Penloe and Stella were in the parlor.

Penloe said: "Stella, I will go up to the barn and see if the team is ready." So out he went.

While Penloe had gone to the barn for the team, Clara Herne entered the parlor, with a paper in her hand, and called Stella's attention to a criticism on the s.e.x reform movement.

When Clara entered the parlor, Stella was standing looking at an oil painting on the wall. Stella took the paper, and sat down on the nearest chair. Mrs. Herne went out in the kitchen, and there was Mrs. Wentworth and her child, who was about three years of age. Mrs. Wentworth's husband was poor, and they lived on a small, rented place, near the Herne ranch. Mrs. Wentworth belonged to that type of woman who has very little inclination for solving the problems of the Universe or settling the affairs of the nation, but who seem always to have a great amount of leisure to devote to the doings of her neighbors. It was seldom that Mrs. Herne had company but that Mrs. Wentworth found some kind of errand to her house.

One day at dinner Mrs. Herne, in a humorous way, said: "I think Mrs.

Wentworth is owing me for about twenty-seven lots of yeast, forty-two little lots of b.u.t.ter, sufficient matches to light all the fires in Orangeville for six months, enough loaves of bread to feed a mult.i.tude, for she often is out of bread or had bad luck with her baking. I have let her have more milk than would be required to drown herself in, and, as for coal-oil, why the quant.i.ty that she has borrowed would illuminate many dark places of the earth; and my tea and coffee seem just suited to her taste." Then, after a pause, she said: "Well, the poor woman is welcome to all she has had."

"Yes," said her husband, "they have a hard time."

To-day she came to get Mrs. Herne to read a letter she had received, saying: "There are some parts that neither my husband or myself can make out."

While Mrs. Herne was engaged in reading the letter, Mrs. Wentworth's child, seeing the door leading from one room to another open, took the opportunity of doing a little exploring. It was not long before he was in the parlor. When he entered Stella just looked up from the paper she was reading, to see who it was, and went on with her reading, which she was absorbed in. She had seen the child about the house on other occasions. Now, where Stella was sitting, there was another chair at the back of Stella's chair, and this vacant one was against the wall. On the wall just over the chair was a pretty shelf, with a fancy bright-colored ball fringe all around it, which attracted the child's attention. So he climbed up in the chair, and when he stood up on the seat he saw on the shelf a small, fancy, cut-gla.s.s bottle, with a very s.h.i.+ning silver-like top to it; so he put his hand out and took it from the shelf, after which he turned round and faced the back of Stella's chair. In pa.s.sing the bottle from one hand to the other, in order to help himself down with his possessions, his faculty of weight not being as yet well trained, he let go of the bottle before he had got a firm hold of it with the other hand, and the result was that it fell on Stella's shoulder. Fortunately the stopper did not come off till it reached her lap, when she received the whole contents of a bottle of ink on her wedding dress.

Just about that time Mrs. Wentworth said to Mrs. Herne: "I must go and see what that child is doing;" and she arrived in the room just as the bottle of ink fell into Stella's lap. Mrs. Wentworth took the situation in at a glance and the hot blood instantly flew to her face, and hotter words came from her mouth; and, among other things she said, was:

"My G.o.d! that brat of mine has spoiled your fine, white dress;" and she took the boy, and was spanking him amidst hot words and the cries of the child.

Stella said: "Please don't hurt the child; it's nothing, it's nothing, Mrs. Wentworth." But the mother paid no attention to Stella's protests, but left the room with the child just as Mrs. Herne entered.

Clara said: "Why, Stella, dear, what is the matter?" Stella laughed, and said: "I have got some new figures on my wedding dress. Don't you think they are pretty?"

On seeing Stella's skirt and underskirt all saturated with ink in places, Clara was not quite prepared to enter into the same laughable mood as her guest, but said:

"Stella, dear, how well you take it! I wish I could be that way."

To which Stella replied: "I would not have a disturbed mind for a dozen of the best dresses ever made. Clara, nothing is so dear and sacred to me as 'the peace of mind which pa.s.seth all understanding.'"

Clara said: "I see you kept the ink from going on my new carpet, by rolling your skirts up. It's just like your thoughtfulness, dear."

Mrs. Wentworth came running into the room, saying: "Penloe is waiting outside with the team. What will you do?" Stella smiling, went to the door, and holding out the front of her dress said, laughing, "Penloe, how do you like these hieroglyphics on my dress?"

Penloe laughed, and said: "They are different to any I have ever seen deciphered."

In about fifteen minutes Stella took her seat beside Penloe, with some new garments on, which she had brought with her, and they went on their way to Mrs. Harding's.

After they were gone, Mrs. Wentworth said to Mrs. Herne: "I never seen anything like those two in all my life. If that had happened to me I would have been so mad that I would have cursed and swore, and felt like warming the child's hide. And as for my husband, do you think he would have laughed and sat in the buggy, like a hen on her nest? No, he would have been in and out of the buggy many times; every minute he would be looking up at the house to see if I was coming, and now and then calling out to ask me if it took me all day to change my dress. Then he would think he had something to do about the horse's head, then back to his seat, then out again, doing something to the back of the buggy, then he would look up at the house again, with a frown on his face, and call out, 'Are you never coming?' He would be as restless as a fox in a cage."

Mrs. Herne smiled at the description of Mr. Wentworth's disposition, as given by his wife, and said, in a quiet tone: "We all need more patience and self-control."

On the following day all were very busy in the Herne household, making preparations for the party. Penloe and Stella attended to the rearranging of the furniture and decorating the rooms, while Clara superintended the supplies for the table. The guests arrived a few minutes after five. To Clara Herne's great surprise, the last guest to arrive came in the form of Mrs. Harding. Clara Herne, in receiving her, said: "What, Phebe, I am so glad you are able to come."

When they were all alone in the room where the ladies left their wraps and hats, Clara said: "Do tell me, Phebe, what has made you so much better, for after reading your note I had no idea of seeing you to-day."

"No more had I when I wrote the note," said Phebe. "But, Clara, have you not heard? Did not Penloe or Stella tell you?"

"No," said Clara; "when I asked them how you were, Stella told me what you said about your condition when she asked you how you were."

"Well, Clara, I will tell you," said Mrs. Harding. "Penloe and Stella were with me about an hour. After they had been in the room with me about ten minutes, they talked very little. About half an hour afterwards such a sweet feeling of peace and rest came over me; all pain had left me, and when they said 'good-bye,' I felt healed and I keep feeling better all the time. Clara, my heart is full of joy and grat.i.tude to that man of G.o.d and his angel wife. What beautiful countenances they have."

At half past five the company sat down at a long table which was tastefully spread with viands and dainties to tempt the appet.i.te of the most fastidious epicure. Penloe sat on Clara's right, and Stella sat on the left of Charles Herne. Four of Mr. Herne's men waited on the table; so well did they perform this service that a stranger could not have told them from professional waiters.

The meal was thoroughly enjoyed amidst mirth and laughter, wit and humor, jokes and short stories, for the whole company were in the best of spirits.

After supper some of the guests sat on the porch, others walked about the grounds, and some played croquet. Among the invited guests were Prof. French and wife, a couple who had been married about a year; they were both professional musicians, living in San Francisco, and were visiting their relatives, the King family, and they received an invitation with the King family to the party.