So Agnes found it, as after a few months of rest and quiet in her uncle’s happy home, the gloom of her sorrow began to fade away, the color returned to her cheek, and she began to be like the Agnes of former times. And now that health and energy had returned, she began to long for employment again, and though she knew it would cost a great struggle to leave her dear friends at Brook Farm, she began to urge them all to be on the watch for a situation for her as governess or teacher.
At length, one day, some months after her brother’s death, Mr. Wharton entered the room where she was sitting, and said:
“Agnes, there is a gentleman down stairs, who would like to engage you to superintend the education of his children.”
If Agnes had looked closely at her uncle’s face, she would have observed a very peculiar expression there; but only laying aside her work, she said:
“Please say to him, uncle, that I will come down in one moment.”
With a quiet step and an unpalpitating heart, Agnes opened the parlor door, and found herself alone with—Mr. Harrington!
And here we will end our short chapter, though enough was said that morning to make it a very long one, as it certainly was an eventful one in the history of Agnes.
XXI
The Winding Up or the Turning Point, whichever the Reader likes Best.
“Still at thy father’s board
There is kept a place for thee
And by thy smile restored,
Joy round the hearth shall be.”—MRS. HEMANS.
“He will not blush that has a father’s heart,
To take in childish plays a childish part,
But bends his sturdy back to any toy
That youth takes pleasure in, to please his boy.”—COWPER