Rising in the World CHAPTER 15.
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The mother of Doctor Baldwin was connected with a family of some note in the State, upon which fact she built up a pretty high estimate of her own importance. For everything low and vulgar, she had a most decided contempt, and would almost as soon be guilty of a crime, as a breach of etiquette. Her son had good reason to fear there would be some difficulty in the way of reconciling her to his marriage with a poor music teacher, when she had more than once expressed, in his hearing, the hope that he would not forget the advantages which his professional standing, as well as his family connections, gave him in a matter of this kind. It was, in fact, the mother's wish that her son, in marriage, should, above all things, seek to better his fortune. He had himself entertained that idea; but in a conversation he one day held with Doctor Hudson, was led to see that a man could not commit a greater folly, than to make any consideration predominate over personal qualities in marriage.
How best to break the matter to Mrs. Baldwin was a subject of a good deal of reflection. At last, as time was pressing, Doctor Baldwin ventured upon the bold and above-board measure of telling his mother the whole story of his acquaintanceship with Miss Hudson, and of the engagement of marriage that had followed. The mother was overcome withastonishment and indignation. The noble independence and affectionate self-denial which Ella had practiced, though portrayed by Baldwin in the warmest colors — made no favorable impression upon the proud woman's feelings, while the fact that she was the daughter of a poor mechanic, and obliged to teach music for a living — was magnified almost into a crime. Nothing that her son could urge, in the least reconciled her.
"Don't talk to me about her, Edward!" she exclaimed passionately. "The low-born creature shall never darken my door!"
This was more than Baldwin could bear, and to keep from making some retort that he would afterwards regret having uttered, he turned quickly away and left her presence. When they next met, both were cold and silent. Clara remained altogether neutral for the present, deeming it best to keep silence while her mother's mind continued in a state of over-excitement.
On the next day, invitations were received by the family to attend a party that was to be given by a physician who was much esteemed in the community for his character, standing, and high professional attainments. Doctor Baldwin, who happened to be one of his intimate personal friends, immediately called upon him, and asked if he had included Doctor Hudson and his wife in the number of his guests.
"I have not," he said. "Our families have never met under any circumstances. But I highly esteem the doctor, and shall be happy to send him and his lady an invitation. Do you know his wife?"
"Very well. She is a beautiful and accomplished woman."
Doctor Baldwin then gave this physician a full history of Dr. Hudson's family, and of the fact of his having been so charmed with Ella as to fall in love with her and make her an offer of his hand.
"I hardly think your mother will approve of that," said the physician.
"No," replied Baldwin. "So far from approving, she is incensed beyond measure, calls her a low-born creature, and says she shall never cross her door."
"Then I would say that you are in rather an unpleasant dilemma."
"I am. And I want you to help me out of it, if possible."
"A thing that I shall be very ready to do, if you will point out the way. I have seen this Miss Hudson several times in families where I visit professionally, and have heard her spoken of as a girl of no ordinary character. You wish her invited, of course?"
"Yes, that is what I was coming to. I want her not only invited, but I want you to show her particular, even marked attentions."
"Very well. I understand what you are after. All shall be done as you wish. I think we shall make your mother change her opinion a shade or two."
And the physician smiled.
Before evening, Doctor Hudson received a note requesting the pleasure of Doctor and Mrs. Hudson's and Miss Ella Hudson's company at the house of Doctor Sullivan. The compliments of Doctor and Mrs. Sullivan were expressed, of course. Though a little surprised, all the parties invited made preparations to go to the party.
When the evening came, Dr. Baldwin went with his mother and sisters. Since the first mention of the subject which had caused such an expression of indignation by Mrs. Baldwin, not a word of reference had been made to it. There was, of course, coldness and reserve between the mother and the son.
The party proved to be a large one; and at least one half of those present were strangers to Mrs. Baldwin.
"Who is that on Dr. Sullivan's arm?" she asked of her daughter, about an hour after her arrival at the scene of pleasure. The doctor was conducting to the piano a plain, but tastefully attired young lady, in whose sweet young face there was something that to Mrs. Baldwin seemed particularly attractive.
Clara turned her eyes towards the lady, but instead of answering her mother's question, said —
"She's a stranger to most people here, I rather think."
"Some relative of the doctor's, perhaps," remarked the mother.
By this time, the young lady was at the piano, around which a small circle immediately gathered. She touched the keys delicately, yet with ease and confidence, and after running her fingers over them for a few moments, struck the air of a popular and favorite song, which she sang with fine effect.
"Beautiful! beautiful!" said Mrs. Baldwin, speaking to Clara. "I think I never heard a sweeter voice. I wonder who she can be? Do you know?" and she turned to a lady at her side.
"I do not, madam," replied the lady. "I don't remember ever to have seen her before."
The young lady sang one or two more songs, and then rose from the piano, and was received upon the arm of Doctor Sullivan, who treated her with marked politeness. After conducting her to a seat, he introduced two or three gentlemen who came forward, and leaving them to entertain her, went to look after other guests who required his attentions.
"She sings exquisitely, doctor," remarked a gentleman who encountered Doctor Sullivan as he was moving away from the lady.
"Delightfully," was replied.
"But, doctor, my daughter tells me that she is her music teacher."
"That's one side of the case," returned Doctor Sullivan. "The other is, that she is the sister of Doctor Hudson, who is destined to be one of the most eminent surgeons in the country; and is, so far as herself is concerned, a lady in every sense of the word, and one that I feel proud to number among my guests. The world would be better, my friend, if there were more in it like Miss Hudson."
"Is she a woman of education."
"She is highly educated, I am told by Doctor Baldwin, to whom she is engaged in marriage"
"Engaged to Doctor Baldwin!" exclaimed the friend.
"Yes, I have it from his own lips. She has given up her music teaching — a calling that she followed more from her love of independence and usefulness, than from any necessity to do so — in view of her marriage with the doctor."
"Well, I'm astonished! I must own, however, that he is a man of taste and good sense."
"In which I perfectly agree with you."
The two men separated, and Doctor Sullivan passed on to another part of the room. When cotillions were formed, Doctor Sullivan led out Ella, and danced the first set with her.
"How gracefully she moves," remarked Mrs. Baldwin to Clara, who had declined dancing, she having her own reasons for wishing to keep beside her mother. "I wonder who she is? Nobody that I have asked, knows her."
"What makes you notice her so particularly, mother?" asked Clara. "There are many other young ladies in the room whom you have never seen before. And some quite as beautiful as she is."
"But none with just such a face. It is so youthful and innocent, yet so womanlike in its tone. Several times I have found her eyes fixed intently upon me, with an expression that I felt, but could not understand. There are others as lovely, and few who do make a more brilliant appearance; but none who have such a natural unconscious grace."
"Really, mother," said Clara, smiling, "you have grown an enthusiast. If you were a young man, I think this would be a case of love at first sight."
"If I were a young man, and about to fall in love at first sight with anyone in this room, it would be with her," said the mother, smiling in return.
"I saw Edward sitting by her side a little while ago, and looking into her face as if he had forgotten that there was anybody else in the room."
"Edward! Is it possible? Does he know her?"
"He was conversing with her. It would be no matter of wonder, if he feels as you do, if he were to fall in love with her."
"Pray Heaven he may!" said the mother warmly.
Just then the cotillion dissolved, and Mrs. Baldwin saw her son receive the young lady from Dr. Sullivan, conduct her to a seat, and take his place beside her. She looked into his face with a familiar expression, and he seemed to be perfectly at home with her. At the same moment, Doctor Sullivan came up to Mrs. Baldwin and her daughter, and the former said to him —
"What charming young lady is that you were dancing with just now? She is an entire stranger to me."
"She is a charming girl, sure enough," returned the doctor. "Shall I introduce her to you?"
"If you please, doctor. I will take it as a favor."
Doctor Sullivan went over to where Ella was sitting, and said to her that Mrs. Baldwin would be happy to make her acquaintance. Ella arose and took the doctor's arm, while her lover, with some few tremors about his heart, moved to another part of the room from which he could carefully observe them.
"Let me introduce you to my excellent young friend, Miss Hudson," said Doctor Sullivan, presenting Ella. He purposely spoke the name so indistinctly that Mrs. Baldwin did not clearly make it out, and she was too well-bred to ask to have it repeated. Clara and Ella exchanged a look of intelligence that the mother did not observe.
"My daughter," she said, as the doctor, after seating Ella by her side, turned away. The young ladies bowed to each other, and smiled cordially.
For half an hour Mrs. Baldwin conversed with her future daughter-in-law on many subjects, and found her quite as interesting in reality, as she was in appearance; and when someone claimed her hand for a dance, she let her go with reluctance. By this time, there were a good many in the room who knew that Ella was engaged to be married to Doctor Baldwin, for the information volunteered by Doctor Sullivan had spread with considerable rapidity.
"I really must congratulate you on your future daughter-in-law," said a gentleman to Mrs. Baldwin, whose standing in society was altogether as high as her own. "She is decidedly the most charming girl in the room. Edward has shown uncommon good taste and good sense. There are not a few who would have been fools enough to pass her by, because she had once taught music, but Edward's independence has stamped him, in my estimation, as a man. May both be as happy as they deserve to be."
Someone touched the speaker on the arm, and he turned away without observing the blank look of astonishment that settled upon the face of her he addressed.
"What does he mean, Clara?" asked the mother, in a low, earnest whisper, turning to her daughter with a bewildered air.
"He means," replied the daughter, calmly, "that this lovely young girl, with whom every one is so charmed, is none other than Ella Hudson, and the betrothed of Edward."
"It cannot be!" returned the mother.
"It can be, and is, mother. And the fact seems to be well known in the room — it has just been alluded to as a matter of course — I think it will be much the wiser course if you show no surprise and no disapprobation at the discovery you have made, but rather resolve to receive this sweet, accomplished, lovely-minded young girl into your affections, as you would receive your own child. That she is worthy thus to be received, even you cannot now for an instant doubt."
"No, Ella, I cannot doubt it," returned the mother, after a pause of some moments for hurried reflection. "I did not dream that the humble music teacher and daughter of a poor watchmaker, could be so love-inspiring a creature as this. That Edward was attracted by her, is no longer a matter of surprise. I forgive him from my heart."
Not many minutes passed before Clara had found out her brother, and communicated the entire success of his plan for breaking down their mother's prejudice. He was the happiest man in the room.
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