Читать книгу The Stumbling Shepherd - H. A. Cody - Страница 12
ОглавлениеHIS FIRST EXPERIENCE
Mr. Landrose sat down again upon the rustic seat after Doris had gone and remained for some time in deep thought. He looked out over the garden, but his mind was not upon the vegetables. He was in no mood for further hoeing just then. The quiet tenor of his morning's work had been disturbed, and the zest had vanished.
At length he arose and went into the house where he found Rachel in the kitchen preparing dinner. He glanced at the clock and was surprised to find that it was near noon.
"Dear me, how the morning has gone! I had no idea it was so late."
"Miss Randall must have been a pleasant companion, sir. She was so charming that I fell in love with her at once. What a host of admirers she will have this summer when the young men arrive. She will need some older one to look after her."
The clergyman started at these words. He had never thought of this before. It was a new problem which now confronted him. How could he do his duty in watching her and protecting her from undesirable suitors?
"Rachel, I am that girl's guardian," he confessed in a low voice.
"You are!" The housekeeper paused in her work and looked at her master. "You Miss Randall's guardian!"
"Yes, Rachel, I am. I gave her grandmother my solemn word that I would do my duty to the best of my ability. I was very weak to make such a promise."
"I don't envy you your job, sir. You are not a suitable person to be the guardian of such a girl. She needs a capable, steady woman instead of an old man who knows nothing about the ways of a young woman left alone at a summer hotel. Excuse me, sir, if I have spoken too plainly."
"I like to hear your opinion, Rachel, for I am in a great quandary. Now, look at this," and he showed her the paper he was holding in his hand. "Here is a list of things Miss Randall wishes me to purchase for her."
The housekeeper took the paper, and as her eyes rested upon the contents an amused expression overspread her face.
"This is really funny, sir."
"It isn't funny to me. It is a most serious matter. I never bought such things in my life."
"And do you intend to buy them?"
"What else can I do? The girl knows nothing about shopping, so she told me. Her grandmother did all that for her. I suppose I might as well go to the city this afternoon and get it over with as soon as possible."
"But this is not a man's job," Rachel reminded. "A woman should do it."
"I know that. But I am Miss Randall's guardian, you see, so how could I entrust the task to another? No, I must do it myself, and not shirk my duty. I have promised, and that promise must be fulfilled."
"But—"
"That will do, Rachel. I know you wish to turn me aside from my purpose. But it must not be. Please keep this a secret, for there are many in this parish only too ready to make my guardianship of a young girl a matter of vulgar gossip. Have dinner ready as soon as possible, for I must catch the 2.30 train."
Rachel smiled to herself as she went about her work. She knew far better than her master what it would mean for him to buy the articles mentioned in that list, especially to an inexperienced old clergyman.
"I would really like to see him in the store," she said to herself. "Poor man! I pity him. But he is so determined to go and do what he thinks is his duty that he will have to find out for himself. He will not listen to reason."
And only too truly did Mr. Landrose learn that afternoon what it meant to do a girl's shopping. As soon as he reached the city he went at once to the office of the Golden Trust Company and spent some time with the manager going carefully over a number of details connected with Martha's will, and learning about the duties which devolved upon him as guardian of her grand-daughter. All this was not difficult, for the Trust Company would look after the estate, allowing Doris such money as the clergyman considered sufficient for her needs, and would pay all bills which had his initialled signature of approval. If these were his only duties his task as guardian would be easy. How he wished that the Trust Company could manage the personal care of the girl in such a clear and business-like manner as they did the money.
This he realized more fully as he entered Reed & Langton's big store. He had often been here before, but had not the slightest knowledge of the Women's Department. It seemed to him that the store was full of women and that they were all looking at him as he spoke to a clerk. He was directed to the elevator, and this, too, happened to be crowded with women and girls. As he told the elevator girl where he wished to go, he felt the eyes of all fixed upon him. And truly the old clergyman from the country with his shovel-hat, faded clothes, worn and wrinkled face, did present a striking contrast to the well-dressed persons around him. He longed to get away from his crowded position. Although the day was not hot, he felt it very warm here, and his one desire was to be back to the quietness of his own parish.
And this desire was increased ten-fold when at last he reached the fourth floor and entered the Women's Department. If there were many women downstairs, their number seemed much larger to him here. They were everywhere, some walking around, and others sitting placidly at the counters. Timidly he walked forward, and then stopped. His courage was rapidly disappearing. He did not know what to do. The women were all looking at him, so he thought. The perspiration came out in beads upon his forehead, and his knees trembled.
And as he stood there, a young woman appeared before him and courteously asked what she could do for him. He looked at her, and then glanced once more fearfully around the room.
"P-please show me the way to the street," he gasped.
"Take the elevator. It is just over there."
And back to the elevator he hurried, and not until he was out again on the street did he feel safe. He stopped and mopped his hot forehead. Never again would he undergo such an ordeal, so he decided. One experience such as that was enough.
He looked at his watch, and found that he had an hour and a half before the next train left the city. Across the street was his favorite book-store, and hither he made his way. Among the books he was at home and his calmness returned. But his nerves had been severely shaken, and more than once he glanced through the window at the store across the street from which he had so fearfully escaped. This soon passed, however, as his attention became fixed upon the books before him. Only works of a theological nature appealed to him. Fiction he passed by as unworthy of consideration.
At last he bought one book, "The Golden Ministry," which name was most attractive and suggestive. The author, unknown to him, had set down in a fascinating manner the story of his fifty years in the Ministry. He began the first chapter with the words uttered by the famous Dr. Johnson, and recorded by his faithful Boswell:
"I would rather have Chancery suits upon my hands than the care of souls. No, sir, I do not envy a clergyman's life as an easy life, nor do I envy the clergyman who makes it an easy life."
Mr. Landrose liked these words which were new to him, and he believed that in this book he had found a treasure of considerable value. Neither was he mistaken, for on his homeward journey he read several chapters with a great deal of pleasure. The writer had come into close contact with life, especially among humble, hard-working people. He wrote with deep sympathy and understanding, and in chapters such as "Harnessed Souls" and "The Sacrament of Dust" he gave full expression to his thoughts about the beauty and dignity of common toil. In one chapter, "Commanding the Morning", he wrote about youth, its freshness and opportunity. His work among the young had been the most inspiring part of his ministry, and his love for children was unmistakable. But he was forced to sound a word of serious warning. Looking upon developing youth from the elevated position of age and experience, he saw a menace which threatened the young people of to-day. He believed that too much was being done for them, and that they were not depending enough upon themselves. He admired the zealous spirit of workers on behalf of the young, but questioned whether their efforts would prove effective of the most lasting good. He believed that it was better for the young to be trained to work and make their own way in life rather than have everything done for them. Struggle and difficulties developed character. The tendency of youth to-day was to seek for ease and luxury. Instead of commanding the freshness of the morning of life, making good use of its glorious opportunities, so many were wasting their years in profitless rounds of giddy pleasure.
To all this Mr. Landrose agreed, and as he finished the chapter he closed the book, and gave himself up to meditation. He thought of Doris Randall and his responsibility as her guardian. With all the money that would be eventually hers, what would her future life be like if she were not properly trained now? And as he thus mused, a plan gradually took shape in his mind. He would take her in hand at once, so he decided. She must learn to work, to be able to do something useful, so that she could earn her own living, if necessary. A mere smattering of learning would not do. He wondered if she understood anything about house-hold affairs. It was hardly likely, as her manner of living had no doubt prevented her from acquiring such knowledge. But she should learn, and while under his care he would provide that she should not be ignorant of the practical and helpful things a woman ought to know.
Supper was ready by the time he reached the rectory. He was tired after the trying visit to the city, and he gave a sigh of relief as he took his seat at the table. Several letters were lying by his plate, but he left them unopened.
"I hope you made out all right this afternoon," Rachel remarked after she had brought in his supper. "Miss Randall left another list of things she needs, which she overlooked. Here it is," and she laid the paper upon the table by his side.
"You keep it, Rachel. And you may have the other one, too. I have no more use for it. To tell you the truth, I made a dismal failure this afternoon. The purchasing of a young woman's clothes is no business for a man, especially an old bachelor. You must arrange to go to the city with Doris when she is ready."
"You found it a difficult undertaking, then, sir?"
"Too difficult for me, Rachel. And, by the way, I did not know that only women patronized Reed & Langton's."
"Neither did I. Men go there, too, do they not?"
"I thought so until this afternoon. But I only saw women. And there was something else that seemed very remarkable to me. Perhaps you can explain why they have such large sales-ladies in the Women's Department?"
"Do they? I never noticed that they were extra large."
"But they are, Rachel. The ones I saw this afternoon were exceptionally large, almost like Amazons, in fact."
Rachel was about to express her surprise, when she paused. Then an expression of amusement appeared in her eyes as the light of understanding dawned upon her mind. She wanted to laugh outright, and afraid lest she should do so, she went quickly out into the kitchen. It was easy for her to picture her master in the Women's Department, and how in his confusion he had seen everything in a distorted light.
"Poor man! What a terrible time he must have had. But, oh, it is funny about the women."
