The Maiden CHAPTER 11.
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Anna Lee sat sewing one morning, a few days after she had declined going to Mrs. Leslie's, when Florence Armitage, gaily dressed, called in to see her. There were many things about Florence that pleased Anna, although she did not approve much that she did and said. Her mother was a weak woman, and her father was too much absorbed in business to pay attention to his family; so that, between them, her home education had been very much neglected, and very badly managed as far as it went. Anna really pitied her for thedefects of her character; and, whenever an opportunity occurred, strove to correct them.
"Come, Anna, put away your work," Florence said. "The day is too fine a one to be spent indoors. I have called on purpose to take you out."
"I am sorry to disappoint you, Florence," Anna returned, smiling, "but I cannot go out today."
"Yes you can, I know. What in the world is there to keep you at home?"
"A great deal. We have a large family; and that makes plenty of work. It's as much as mother and I can both do to keep the children's clothes in order, after we get one-half of them made by a seamstress."
"One-half? You don't pretend to make half of their clothes!"
"Yes. Why not, if we can?"
"Just for the reason that you ought not to make a slave of yourself."
"And I don't. I must be engaged, usefully, all the while, and nothing more useful offers. I would be very sorry, indeed, to sit down and fold my hands in idleness, and put father to the expense of a seamstress in the house, for the whole year round. It would injure me, and be a burden to him. I am sure I would not be as happy as I now am, in the consciousness that I am doing only what I ought to do."
"You are a strange kind of a girl, Anna; and yet, I sometimes wish that I were just like you. But I am not, and can't be, so there is no use in wishing. However, be that as it may, I want you to go out with me this lovely morning."
"Why are you so desirous to have my company?"
"Because I like you, I suppose, and want to have you share a delightful promenade."
"Where?"
"Oh, down Chestnut Street, of course."
"Why down Chestnut Street?"
"To meet the young men."
"Florence!"
Anna looked at her young friend in surprise.
"Don't put on that grave face, Anna. What harm have I said? Is there anything wrong in walking out to look at the young men? Haven't you done it yourself hundreds of times?"
"Me? And the color on the maiden's cheek deepened to an indignant blush. "Me, Florence! No, never!"
"You haven't? What harm is there in it, please?"
"How can you ask such a question, Florence?"
"Innocently enough, for I am perfectly unconscious of any wrong in the matter, I have walked out, hundreds of times, for no other purpose than to meet the young men on the streets, and get a bow from this one, a smile from that one, and, perhaps, a very agreeable chat for a square or two, with another. It's delightful! And as to the harm, I think it will puzzle even you to point it out. So come, put away your work for this once, and go with me; I know you will enjoy it as much as I do."
Anna shook her head, and looked even more serious than before.
"Well, you are a strange creature, Miss Lee!" Florence said. "Won't you go?"
"No — of course not!"
"I know two girls that got husbands just by walking down Chestnut Street every day. There now! What do you think of that, my lady?"
"Why, Florence!" exclaimed Anna.
"It's true. Lizzy Glenn, who was married last week to Gaskill, met him first in the street. He saw her one day, and was so much pleased with her appearance, that he followed her home to see who she was and where she lived. A day or two afterwards he met her again, and looked at her so hard that she noticed it. For nearly a week they met every day, she encouraging him by looks, until he ventured to bow to her. She returned the salutation. On the following day he not only spoke to, but joined her, and walked for two or three squares by her side. The next advance was to accompany her home. After that, things went on as pleasantly as could be wished, and in two months they were married. Everybody says it is an excellent match. Now wasn't that delightful! For my part, if I thought it would be my good luck to catch a husband so easily, I would walk Chestnut Street from Monday morning until Saturday night. Wouldn't you?"
"Husbands caught in that way — I would hardly think worth having," Anna gravely replied.
"Why not? Isn't Gaskill worth having?"
"I know nothing about him."
"I do then; and I only wish he had imagined me instead of Lizzy Glenn. I think I would have made him quite as good a wife."
"It pains me to hear you speak lightly on so serious a matter, Florence," Anna returned. "Marriage is the last subject on which a maiden should trifle. If she thinks of it all, it should be with serious and holy feelings. On no account should she be anxious for the duties and responsibilities of wedded life — on no account should she seek to attract attention. But, if sought by one whose moral principles she can approve, and with whose heart her own can beat responsively — then she should, with a calm, deep, woman's trust, give herself to him, and seek to become one with him. Only in such a union can she hope to be blessed. To desire any other is folly — to form any other is madness. Ah, my friend! if all women had so acted, there would not now be so many sad-hearted wives; and that there are many, many such, even we have been made painfully conscious."
The manner of Anna, and the tone of her voice, as well as her words, caused the feelings of Florence to change. Her character was not all perverted. There was yet enough of thewoman in her, to feel that what her friend had said was true. She replied, in a quieter tone than any in which she had yet spoken,
"According to your idea, a young girl should keep out of the sight of young men as much at possible."
"She should not seek to attract their attention. This is all I mean."
"Then she ought never to go into company?"
"That does not follow. At a suitable age, let her go into company by all means. But while in company, let her be retiring and modest."
"And so get no attentions paid to her?"
"She may not receive the attentions of those who look no deeper than a mirthful dress and an imposing manner; but she will lose nothing by this. But, for me, I cannot conceive why a young girl should be anxious about having the attentions of young men."
"As to the why, I don't know that there is any great use in stopping to reason about it — the fact is indisputable. We do like to receive their attentions. Isn't it so?"
"I can only speak for myself," Anna replied. "For one, I neither think about, nor desire the attentions of young men, while in company. I do not object to them. They are, in fact, when made by the honorable-minded, pleasant to me."
"And you would be unhappy, if neglected?"
"No. I have been as happy while conversing a whole evening in a circle of ladies, as I have been when surrounded by gentlemen. Why should I not be?"
"You are not like any other girl I ever saw, Anna. I can't make you out, altogether. If I didn't know you as well as I do, I would say you had no heart. But I know you have, and a warm one too. Ah, me! I wish I could be just like you. And so you won't put by your sewing and walk with me?"
"No, Florence; I cannot spare the time, for one thing — and for another, I could not walk out, unless I had a higher end in view than the one you are proposing to yourself. But suppose you lay off your things, and spend the morning with me."
"No, thank you! I have come out for a walk on Chestnut Street, and I must have it. So, good day, dear, if I am not to have your good company."
Florence arose, as she said this, and moved towards the door. The friends chatted a few minutes longer, standing, and then the visitor departed.
Going at once into Chestnut Street, Florence Armitage took her way slowly down. She had not gone far, before she met William Archer, who joined her. Although the young man had resolved to make an attempt in another quarter, he thought it nothing more than a wise policy to maintain with Florence the best possible understanding; so that, should he fail, as prophesied by his friend, Mrs. Leslie, in his attempts to win Anna Lee — he might have all things in such a fair order, that an offer could at once be made to Florence. As to the acceptance of that offer, he had no very serious doubts. On this occasion, he strolled about for an hour with Florence, made two or three calls with her, and then saw her to her own door.
On the evening of that day, Anna Lee sat reading to her father and mother, when one of the servants came in, and said that a young gentleman was in the parlor, who wished to see her. "Who is it? asked Anna. "He did not tell me his name," replied the servant.
The maiden cast her eyes to the floor, and thought for a moment; then looking up, she said,
"Ask him to send up his name, Margaret."
"Hadn't you better go down, Anna? Perhaps it may be some friend, who will think you rude." Mr. Lee remarked.
Anna thought again, and then replied — "I would rather Margaret would get his name."
"Go then, Margaret," said Mr. Lee, who was beginning to feel a deeper respect for his daughter's perceptions of what was right in matters that concerned herself.
"Who can it be, I wonder?" the mother asked, half musingly.
Anna did not reply, but sat with her eyes upon the page of the book she had been reading. In a few moments the servant returned, and handed her a card. Her cheek flushed the moment she saw the name upon it. With something of indignation in her voice, she said —
"Say to him, Margaret, that I cannot see him."
"Who is it? asked the father and mother at the same moment. Anna handed her father the card —
"William Archer!" he ejaculated, in surprise. "What brings him here?"
"He has asked for me," replied Anna; "but I cannot see him."
"Hadn't you, then, better let Margaret say that you will thank him to excuse you this evening?" returned Mrs. Lee. "That would be a milder way of refusing to see the young man."
"I would rather she would say to him, from me, that I cannot see him. That is just the truth, and I wish him to know it. I would not sit alone and talk with that young man for anything that could be given me." And the pure-hearted girl shuddered with an instinctive feeling of horror at the thoughts of his evil character.
Nothing more was said, and the servant conveyed to Archer Anna's precise words. The young man, half-prepared for some such answer, since his name had gone up, retired without a remark, or the evidence of a single emotion. But he was deeply chagrined, and felt angry and bitter towards Anna. A muttered threat of revenge passed his lips as he gained the pavement, and strode off at a rapid pace. But the sweet maiden was safe from all harm he might purpose against her in his evil heart. She was surrounded and defended by the sphere of her own innocence.
And were every maiden so surrounded and defended, every maiden would be as safe, though she were encompassed by a host of those who sought her ruin. Even the lion is said to become tame in the presence of a pure virgin. This may be much more than a mere figure of speech.
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