“Were I so tall as to reach the pole,
Or grasp the ocean in my span,
I should be measured by my soul.
The mind’s the standard of the man.”
[Applause.
(Curtain falls.)
I once heard the above narrative repeated by Joe in a truly theatrical manner. On the same occasion I also saw the picture of the “creature” to which William Henry refers in his postscript to the Dwarf Letter.
Uncle Jacob hailed me one day as I was coming from my office, and after driving close to the curbstone, informed me that Cousin Joe and his accordion had arrived, both in good health and spirits. Also, that Billy’s school had met with a very sudden vacation, caused either by flues, or furnaces, or both, having something the matter with them, and the young rascal would be at home that evening, and I must come without fail. “Of course you know,” said he, “’tis a pretty hard thing for Billy having to give up his studies, so he’s coming home to his friends. Nothing like being among friends when you’re in trouble?”
Now this was by no means a remarkable event. Only a boy coming home for a few days to see his folks. Still, an occasion which worked Grandmother up to the pitch of putting on her best cap should not be passed over in silence.
I went out to the Farm that evening, and on arriving found Cousin Joe, and the accordion, and Aunt Phebe’s family, with a few relatives whom I had never met before, all assembled at Grandmother’s. They had made up a fire in the “Franklin fireplace.” This “Franklin fireplace” was a sort of iron framework, projecting from the chimney into the room. The top was flat, with brass balls on the corners. It had iron sides, which “flared out,” and a rounded iron hearth of its own, about an inch above the brick hearth, and shining brass andirons.
No one could wish for a brighter room, I thought, for there was the light from the fire, the light from the “lights,” and the light from all those smiling faces! An inviting supper-table was set out, covered dishes were “keeping warm” on the hearth and “frame,” and everything was ready and waiting for William Henry. Mr. Carver had gone to the station, and they were expected back every moment.
Georgiana was very busy over a skein of blue sewing-silk. She informed me that that was the first whole skein of sewing-silk she ever had in all her life, and that it came from a bundle of all colors, which Cousin Joe gave to Hannah Jane. It brought trouble with it, as it is said all earthly possessions do, and snarled at all her attempts to coax it on to a spool. Tommy, sober as a judge, was holding it for her to wind. He sat in a little chair, with his legs crossed. His mother said he was very particular to cross his legs, so as to seem more like a man.
Lucy Maria had just persuaded Grandmother to put on her best, double stringed, white-ribboned cap, in honor of William Henry. It was the very one he brought her so long ago, but was still as good as new, having very seldom seen the light of day, or of evening, since it first came home in the bandbox. She had also been coaxed into her second-best dress, and then into the rocking-chair. Lucy Maria tied her cap under the chin, with the narrow strings, and smoothed down the wide ones.