Little Men Page 19

  CHAPTER XIX. JOHN BROOKE

  "Wake up, Demi, dear! I want you."

  "Why, I've just gone to bed; it can't be morning yet;" and Demi blinkedlike a little owl as he waked from his first sound sleep.

  "It's only ten, but your father is ill, and we must go to him. O mylittle John! my poor little John!" and Aunt Jo laid her head down onthe pillow with a sob that scared sleep from Demi's eyes and filled hisheart with fear and wonder; for he dimly felt why Aunt Jo called him"John," and wept over him as if some loss had come that left him poor.He clung to her without a word, and in a minute she was quite steadyagain, and said, with a tender kiss as she saw his troubled face,

  "We are going to say good-by to him, my darling, and there is no time tolose; so dress quickly and come to me in my room. I must go to Daisy."

  "Yes, I will;" and when Aunt Jo was gone, little Demi got up quietly,dressed as if in a dream, and leaving Tommy fast asleep went awaythrough the silent house, feeling that something new and sorrowful wasgoing to happen something that set him apart from the other boys fora time, and made the world seem as dark and still and strange as thosefamiliar rooms did in the night. A carriage sent by Mr. Laurie stoodbefore the door. Daisy was soon ready, and the brother and sister heldeach other by the hand all the way into town, as they drove swiftly andsilently with aunt and uncle through the shadowy roads to say good-by tofather.

  None of the boys but Franz and Emil knew what had happened, and whenthey came down next morning, great was their wonderment and discomfort,for the house seemed forlorn without its master and mistress. Breakfastwas a dismal meal with no cheery Mrs. Jo behind the teapots; and whenschool-time came, Father Bhaer's place was empty. They wandered about ina disconsolate kind of way for an hour, waiting for news and hoping itwould be all right with Demi's father, for good John Brooke was muchbeloved by the boys. Ten o'clock came, and no one arrived to relievetheir anxiety. They did not feel like playing, yet the time draggedheavily, and they sat about listless and sober. All at once, Franz gotup, and said, in his persuasive way,

  "Look here, boys! let's go into school and do our lessons just as ifUncle was here. It will make the day go faster, and will please him, Iknow."

  "But who will hear us say them?" asked Jack.

  "I will; I don't know much more than you do, but I'm the oldest here,and I'll try to fill Uncle's place till he comes, if you don't mind."

  Something in the modest, serious way Franz said this impressed the boys,for, though the poor lad's eyes were red with quiet crying for UncleJohn in that long sad night, there was a new manliness about him, as ifhe had already begun to feel the cares and troubles of life, and triedto take them bravely.

  "I will, for one," and Emil went to his seat, remembering that obedienceto his superior officer is a seaman's first duty.

  The others followed; Franz took his uncle's seat, and for an hourorder reigned. Lessons were learned and said, and Franz made a patient,pleasant teacher, wisely omitting such lessons as he was not equal to,and keeping order more by the unconscious dignity that sorrow gave himthan by any words of his own. The little boys were reading when a stepwas heard in the hall, and every one looked up to read the news in Mr.Bhaer's face as he came in. The kind face told them instantly that Demihad no father now, for it was worn and pale, and full of tender grief,which left him no words with which to answer Rob, as he ran to him,saying, reproachfully,

  "What made you go and leave me in the night, papa?"

  The memory of the other father who had left his children in the night,never to return, made Mr. Bhaer hold his own boy close, and, for aminute, hide his face in Robby's curly hair. Emil laid his head downon his arms, Franz, went to put his hand on his uncle's shoulder, hisboyish face pale with sympathy and sorrow, and the others sat so stillthat the soft rustle of the falling leaves outside was distinctly heard.

  Rob did not clearly understand what had happened, but he hated to seepapa unhappy, so he lifted up the bent head, and said, in his chirpylittle voice,

  "Don't cry, mein Vater! we were all so good, we did our lessons, withoutyou, and Franz was the master."

  Mr. Bhaer looked up then, tried to smile, and said in a grateful tonethat made the lads feel like saints, "I thank you very much, my boys.It was a beautiful way to help and comfort me. I shall not forget it, Iassure you."

  "Franz proposed it, and was a first-rate master, too," said Nat; and theothers gave a murmur of assent most gratifying to the young dominie.

  Mr. Bhaer put Rob down, and, standing up, put his arm round his tallnephew's shoulder, as he said, with a look of genuine pleasure,

  "This makes my hard day easier, and gives me confidence in you all. Iam needed there in town, and must leave you for some hours. I thoughtto give you a holiday, or send some of you home, but if you like to stayand go on as you have begun, I shall be glad and proud of my good boys."

  "We'll stay;" "We'd rather;" "Franz can see to us;" cried several,delighted with the confidence shown in them.

  "Isn't Marmar coming home?" asked Rob, wistfully; for home without"Marmar" was the world without the sun to him.

  "We shall both come to-night; but dear Aunt Meg needs Mother more thanyou do now, and I know you like to lend her for a little while."

  "Well, I will; but Teddy's been crying for her, and he slapped Nursey,and was dreadful naughty," answered Rob, as if the news might bringmother home.

  "Where is my little man?" asked Mr. Bhaer.

  "Dan took him out, to keep him quiet. He's all right now," said Franz,pointing to the window, through which they could see Dan drawing baby inhis little wagon, with the dogs frolicking about him.

  "I won't see him, it would only upset him again; but tell Dan I leaveTeddy in his care. You older boys I trust to manage yourselves for aday. Franz will direct you, and Silas is here to over see matters. Sogood-by till to-night."

  "Just tell me a word about Uncle John," said Emil, detaining Mr. Bhaer,as he was about hurrying away again.

  "He was only ill a few hours, and died as he has lived, so cheerfully,so peacefully, that it seems a sin to mar the beauty of it with anyviolent or selfish grief. We were in time to say good-by: and Daisy andDemi were in his arms as he fell asleep on Aunt Meg's breast. No morenow, I cannot bear it," and Mr. Bhaer went hastily away quite bowed withgrief, for in John Brooke he had lost both friend and brother, and therewas no one left to take his place.

  All that day the house was very still; the small boys played quietly inthe nursery; the others, feeling as if Sunday had come in the middleof the week, spent it in walking, sitting in the willow, or among theirpets, all talking much of "Uncle John," and feeling that somethinggentle, just, and strong, had gone out of their little world, leaving asense of loss that deepened every hour. At dusk, Mr. and Mrs. Bhaer camehome alone, for Demi and Daisy were their mother's best comfort now,and could not leave her. Poor Mrs. Jo seemed quite spent, and evidentlyneeded the same sort of comfort, for her first words, as she came up thestairs, were, "Where is my baby?"

  "Here I is," answered a little voice, as Dan put Teddy into her arms,adding, as she hugged him close, "My Danny tooked tare of me all day,and I was dood."

  Mrs. Jo turned to thank the faithful nurse, but Dan was waving off theboys, who had gathered in the hall to meet her, and was saying, in a lowvoice, "Keep back; she don't want to be bothered with us now."

  "No, don't keep back. I want you all. Come in and see me, my boys. I'veneglected you all day," and Mrs. Jo held out her hands to them as theygathered round and escorted her into her own room, saying little, butexpressing much by affectionate looks and clumsy little efforts to showtheir sorrow and sympathy.

  "I am so tired, I will lie here and cuddle Teddy, and you shall bring mein some tea," she said, trying to speak cheerfully for their sakes.

  A general stampede into the dining-room followed, and the supper-tablewould have been ravaged if Mr. Bhaer had not interfered. It was agreedthat one squad should carry in the mother's tea, and another bring itout. The four near
est and dearest claimed the first honor, so Franz borethe teapot, Emil the bread, Rob the milk, and Teddy insisted on carryingthe sugar basin, which was lighter by several lumps when it arrived thanwhen it started. Some women might have found it annoying at such a timeto have boys creaking in and out, upsetting cups and rattling spoons inviolent efforts to be quiet and helpful; but it suited Mrs. Jo, becausejust then her heart was very tender; and remembering that many of herboys were fatherless or motherless, she yearned over them, and foundcomfort in their blundering affection. It was the sort of food that didher more good than the very thick bread-and-butter that they gave her,and the rough Commodore's broken whisper,

  "Bear up, Aunty, it's a hard blow; but we'll weather it somehow;"cheered her more than the sloppy cup he brought her, full of tea asbitter as if some salt tear of his own had dropped into it on the way.When supper was over, a second deputation removed the tray; and Dansaid, holding out his arms for sleepy little Teddy,

  "Let me put him to bed, you're so tired, Mother."

  "Will you go with him, lovey?" asked Mrs. Jo of her small lord andmaster, who lay on her arm among the sofa-pillows.

  "Torse I will;" and he was proudly carried off by his faithful bearer.

  "I wish I could do something," said Nat, with a sigh, as Franz leanedover the sofa, and softly stroked Aunt Jo's hot forehead.

  "You can, dear. Go and get your violin, and play me the sweet littleairs Uncle Teddy sent you last. Music will comfort me better than anything else to-night."

  Nat flew for his fiddle, and, sitting just outside her door, played ashe had never done before, for now his heart was in it, and seemedto magnetize his fingers. The other lads sat quietly upon the steps,keeping watch that no new-comer should disturb the house; Franz lingeredat his post; and so, soothed, served, and guarded by her boys, poor Mrs.Jo slept at last, and forgot her sorrow for an hour.

  Two quiet days, and on the third Mr. Bhaer came in just after school,with a note in his hand, looking both moved and pleased.

  "I want to read you something, boys," he said; and as they stood roundhim he read this:

  "DEAR BROTHER FRITZ, I hear that you do not mean to bring your flocktoday, thinking that I may not like it. Please do. The sight of hisfriends will help Demi through the hard hour, and I want the boys tohear what father says of my John. It will do them good, I know. If theywould sing one of the sweet old hymns you have taught them so well,I should like it better than any other music, and feel that it wasbeautifully suited to the occasion. Please ask them, with my love.

  "MEG."

  "Will you go?" and Mr. Bhaer looked at the lads, who were greatlytouched by Mrs. Brooke's kind words and wishes.

  "Yes," they answered, like one boy; and an hour later they went awaywith Franz to bear their part in John Brooke's simple funeral.

  The little house looked as quiet, sunny, and home-like as when Megentered it as a bride, ten years ago, only then it was early summer,and rose blossomed everywhere; now it was early autumn, and dead leavesrustled softly down, leaving the branches bare. The bride was a widownow; but the same beautiful serenity shone in her face, and the sweetresignation of a truly pious soul made her presence a consolation tothose who came to comfort her.

  "O Meg! how can you bear it so?" whispered Jo, as she met them at thedoor with a smile of welcome, and no change in her gentle manner, exceptmore gentleness.

  "Dear Jo, the love that has blest me for ten happy years supports mestill. It could not die, and John is more my own than ever," whisperedMeg; and in her eyes the tender trust was so beautiful and bright, thatJo believed her, and thanked God for the immortality of love like hers.

  They were all there father and mother, Uncle Teddy, and Aunt Amy, oldMr. Laurence, white-haired and feeble now, Mr. and Mrs. Bhaer, withtheir flock, and many friends, come to do honor to the dead. One wouldhave said that modest John Brooke, in his busy, quiet, humble life,had had little time to make friends; but now they seemed to startup everywhere, old and young, rich and poor, high and low; for allunconsciously his influence had made itself widely felt, his virtueswere remembered, and his hidden charities rose up to bless him. Thegroup about his coffin was a far more eloquent eulogy than any Mr. Marchcould utter. There were the rich men whom he had served faithfully foryears; the poor old women whom he cherished with his little store, inmemory of his mother; the wife to whom he had given such happiness thatdeath could not mar it utterly; the brothers and sisters in whose heartshe had made a place for ever; the little son and daughter, who alreadyfelt the loss of his strong arm and tender voice; the young children,sobbing for their kindest playmate, and the tall lads, watching withsoftened faces a scene which they never could forget. A very simpleservice, and very short; for the fatherly voice that had faltered in themarriage-sacrament now failed entirely as Mr. March endeavored to payhis tribute of reverence and love to the son whom he most honored.Nothing but the soft coo of Baby Josy's voice up-stairs broke the longhush that followed the last Amen, till, at a sign from Mr. Bhaer, thewell-trained boyish voices broke out in a hymn, so full of lofty cheer,that one by one all joined in it, singing with full hearts, and findingtheir troubled spirits lifted into peace on the wings of that brave,sweet psalm.

  As Meg listened, she felt that she had done well; for not only did themoment comfort her with the assurance that John's last lullaby was sungby the young voices he loved so well, but in the faces of the boys shesaw that they had caught a glimpse of the beauty of virtue in its mostimpressive form, and that the memory of the good man lying dead beforethem would live long and helpfully in their remembrance. Daisy's headlay in her lap, and Demi held her hand, looking often at her, with eyesso like his father's, and a little gesture that seemed to say, "Don'tbe troubled, mother; I am here;" and all about her were friends to leanupon and love; so patient, pious Meg put by her heavy grief, feelingthat her best help would be to live for others, as her John had done.

  That evening, as the Plumfield boys sat on the steps, as usual, in themild September moonlight, they naturally fell to talking of the event ofthe day.

  Emil began by breaking out, in his impetuous way, "Uncle Fritz is thewisest, and Uncle Laurie the jolliest, but Uncle John was the best; andI'd rather be like him than any man I ever saw."

  "So would I. Did you hear what those gentlemen said to Grandpa to-day? Iwould like to have that said of me when I was dead;" and Franz felt withregret that he had not appreciated Uncle John enough.

  "What did they say?" asked Jack, who had been much impressed by thescenes of the day.

  "Why, one of the partners of Mr. Laurence, where Uncle John has beenever so long, was saying that he was conscientious almost to a fault asa business man, and above reproach in all things. Another gentleman saidno money could repay the fidelity and honesty with which Uncle John hadserved him, and then Grandpa told them the best of all. Uncle John oncehad a place in the office of a man who cheated, and when this man wanteduncle to help him do it, uncle wouldn't, though he was offered a bigsalary. The man was angry and said, 'You will never get on in businesswith such strict principles;' and uncle answered back, 'I never will tryto get on without them,' and left the place for a much harder and poorerone."

  "Good!" cried several of the boys warmly, for they were in the mood tounderstand and value the little story as never before.

  "He wasn't rich, was he?" asked Jack.

  "No."

  "He never did any thing to make a stir in the world, did he?"

  "No."

  "He was only good?"

  "That's all;" and Franz found himself wishing that Uncle John had donesomething to boast of, for it was evident that Jack was disappointed byhis replies.

  "Only good. That is all and every thing," said Mr. Bhaer, who hadoverheard the last few words, and guessed what was going on the minds ofthe lads.

  "Let me tell you a little about John Brooke, and you will see why menhonor him, and why he was satisfied to be good rather than rich orfamous. He simply did his duty in all things, and did it so c
heerfully,so faithfully, that it kept him patient and brave, and happy throughpoverty and loneliness and years of hard work. He was a good son, andgave up his own plans to stay and live with his mother while she neededhim. He was a good friend, and taught Laurie much beside his Greek andLatin, did it unconsciously, perhaps, by showing him an example of anupright man. He was a faithful servant, and made himself so valuable tothose who employed him that they will find it hard to fill his place.He was a good husband and father, so tender, wise, and thoughtful, thatLaurie and I learned much of him, and only knew how well he loved hisfamily, when we discovered all he had done for them, unsuspected andunassisted."

  Mr. Bhaer stopped a minute, and the boys sat like statues in themoonlight until he went on again, in a subdued, but earnest voice: "Ashe lay dying, I said to him, 'Have no care for Meg and the little ones;I will see that they never want.' Then he smiled and pressed my hand,and answered, in his cheerful way, 'No need of that; I have cared forthem.' And so he had, for when we looked among his papers, all was inorder, not a debt remained; and safely put away was enough to keep Megcomfortable and independent. Then we knew why he had lived so plainly,denied himself so many pleasures, except that of charity, and workedso hard that I fear he shortened his good life. He never asked help forhimself, though often for others, but bore his own burden and workedout his own task bravely and quietly. No one can say a word of complaintagainst him, so just and generous and kind was he; and now, when he isgone, all find so much to love and praise and honor, that I am proud tohave been his friend, and would rather leave my children the legacy heleaves his than the largest fortune ever made. Yes! Simple, generousgoodness is the best capital to found the business of this life upon. Itlasts when fame and money fail, and is the only riches we can take outof this world with us. Remember that, my boys; and if you want to earnrespect and confidence and love follow in the footsteps of John Brooke."

  When Demi returned to school, after some weeks at home, he seemed tohave recovered from his loss with the blessed elasticity of childhood,and so he had in a measure; but he did not forget, for his was a natureinto which things sank deeply, to be pondered over, and absorbed intothe soil where the small virtues were growing fast. He played andstudied, worked and sang, just as before, and few suspected any change;but there was one and Aunt Jo saw it for she watched over the boy withher whole heart, trying to fill John's place in her poor way. He seldomspoke of his loss, but Aunt Jo often heard a stifled sobbing in thelittle bed at night; and when she went to comfort him, all his cry was,"I want my father! oh, I want my father!" for the tie between the twohad been a very tender one, and the child's heart bled when it wasbroken. But time was kind to him, and slowly he came to feel that fatherwas not lost, only invisible for a while, and sure to be found again,well and strong and fond as ever, even though his little son should seethe purple asters blossom on his grave many, many times before they met.To this belief Demi held fast, and in it found both help and comfort,because it led him unconsciously through a tender longing for the fatherwhom he had seen to a childlike trust in the Father whom he had notseen. Both were in heaven, and he prayed to both, trying to be good forlove of them.

  The outward change corresponded to the inward, for in those few weeksDemi seemed to have grown tall, and began to drop his childish plays,not as if ashamed of them, as some boys do, but as if he had outgrownthem, and wanted something manlier. He took to the hated arithmetic,and held on so steadily that his uncle was charmed, though he could notunderstand the whim, until Demi said,

  "I am going to be a bookkeeper when I grow up, like papa, and I mustknow about figures and things, else I can't have nice, neat ledgers likehis."

  At another time he came to his aunt with a very serious face, and said

  "What can a small boy do to earn money?"

  "Why do you ask, my deary?"

  "My father told me to take care of mother and the little girls, and Iwant to, but I don't know how to begin."

  "He did not mean now, Demi, but by and by, when you are large."

  "But I wish to begin now, if I can, because I think I ought to make somemoney to buy things for the family. I am ten, and other boys no biggerthan I earn pennies sometimes."

  "Well, then, suppose you rake up all the dead leaves and cover thestrawberry bed. I'll pay you a dollar for the job," said Aunt Jo.

  "Isn't that a great deal? I could do it in one day. You must be fair,and no pay too much, because I want to truly earn it."

  "My little John, I will be fair, and not pay a penny too much. Don'twork too hard; and when that is done I will have something else for youto do," said Mrs. Jo, much touched by his desire to help, and his senseof justice, so like his scrupulous father.

  When the leaves were done, many barrowloads of chips were wheeled fromthe wood to the shed, and another dollar earned. Then Demi helpedcover the schoolbooks, working in the evenings under Franz's direction,tugging patiently away at each book, letting no one help, and receivinghis wages with such satisfaction that the dingy bills became quiteglorified in his sight.

  "Now, I have a dollar for each of them, and I should like to takemy money to mother all myself, so she can see that I have minded myfather."

  So Demi made a duteous pilgrimage to his mother, who received his littleearnings as a treasure of great worth, and would have kept it untouched,if Demi had not begged her to buy some useful thing for herself and thewomen-children, whom he felt were left to his care.

  This made him very happy, and, though he often forgot hisresponsibilities for a time, the desire to help was still there,strengthening with his years. He always uttered the words "my father"with an air of gentle pride, and often said, as if he claimed a titlefull of honor, "Don't call me Demi any more. I am John Brooke now."So, strengthened by a purpose and a hope, the little lad of ten bravelybegan the world, and entered into his inheritance, the memory of a wiseand tender father, the legacy of an honest name.