THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES This book is DUE on the last date stamped below ANGE <-ES NORMAL SOHOO. THE UNLIVED LIFE OF LITTLE MARY ELLEN By RUTH McENERY STUART Author of Sonny, Napoleon Jackson, etc. With Decorations by RUTH SYPHERD CLEMENTS THE BOBBS-MERRILL COMPANY Publishers 41 14 1 Courtesy of Harper and Brothers Copyright 1910 The Bobbs-Merrill Company PRESS OF BRAUNWORTH & CO. BOOKBINDERS AND PRINTERS BROOKLYN, N. Y. o THE UNLIVED LIFE OF LITTLE MARY ELLEN W i HEN Simpkinsville shirt-sleeves along her fronts in summer, she does not wisH:tci be considered en deshabille. Indeed, excepting in extreme cases, she would after requiring that you translate it into plain American, perhaps deny the soft impeachment. Simpkinsville knows about coats and she knows about ladies, and she THE UNLIVED LIFE knows that coats and ladies are to be taken together. But there are hot hours during Au- gust when nothing should be required to be taken with anything unless, in- deed, it be ice with everything except- ing more ice. During the long afternoons in fly- time no woman who has any discretion or, as the Simpkinsville men would say, any "management" would leave her comfortable home to go "hangin' roun' sto'e counters to be waited on." And if they will as they sometimes do why, let them take the consequences. Still, there are those who, from the sville popular mind-masculine as be j to a royal family before who aTT^hings^must give way even shirt- For these, and because any one of them may turn her horse's head into th main road and drive up to any of the stores any hot afternoon, there are coat- pegs within easy reach upon the inside door-frames pegs usually covered with the linen dusters and seersucker cutaways of the younger men without. Very few of the older ones disturb themselves about these trivial matters. THE UNLIVED LIFE Even the doctors, of whom there are two in town, both "leading physicians," are wont to receive their most import- ant "office patients" in this comfortable fashion as/palmetto fans in hand, they rise from/ their comfortable chairs, tiljted hack against the weather-boarded f/pnt#/of their respective drug-stores, tep forward to the buggies of such adpfes as drive up for quinine and cap- es, or to present their ailing babies r open-air glances at their throats or urns, without so much as displacing their linen lap-robes. When any of the village belles dri or walk past, such of he commerc OF LITTLE M ELLEN drummers as may be sitting trigly coated, as they sometimes do, among the shirt-sleeves, have a way of feeling of their ties and bringing the front legs of their chairs to the floor, while they sit forward in supposed parlor atti- tudes, and easily doff their hats with a grace that the Simpkinsville boys fiercely denounce while they vainly strive to imitate it. A country boy's hat will not take on that repose which marks the cast of the metropolitan hatter, let him try to com- mand it as he may. It was peculiarly hot and sultry to- day in Simpkinsville, and business was 5 THE UNLIVED LIFE abnormally dull even the apothecary business this being the annual mid- season's lull between spring fevers and green chinquapins. Old Doctor Alexander, after nod- ding for an hour over his fan beneath his tarnished gilt sign of the pestle and mortar, had strolled diagonally across the street to join his friend and confrere, Doctor Jenkins, in a friendly chat. The doctors were not much given to this sort of sociability, but sometimes when times were unbearably dull and healthy, and neither was called to any one else, they would visit each other and talk to keep awake. 6 OF LITTLE MARY ELLEN "Well, I should say so!" the visitor dropped into the vacant chair beside his host as he spoke. "I should say so. Ain't it hot enough for you? Ef it ain't, I'd advise you to renounce yo' religion an', prepare for a climate to your taste." This pleasantry was obviously in re- ply to the commoa summer-day greet- ing, "Hot enough for you to-day, Doc?" "Yas," continued the guest, as he zig- zagged the back legs of his chair for- ward by quick jerks until he had gained the desired leaning angle "Yas, it's too hot to live, an' not hot enough to die. I reckon that's why we have so many chronics a-hangin' on." 7 have to give up practisin' antl go rovides, Doctor," replied Hc&t, with a chuckle, the chronics, I reckon you makin' soap. Ain't that aboutjtl of it?" 'Yas, chronics an' an' babies. Ef Hhey didn't come so punctual, summer an' winter, I wouldn't be able to feed mine thet're a'ready here. But talkin' |>out the chronics, do you know, Doc- s^ . rv for, thet sometimes when I don't have\ much else to think about, why, I think V\ about them. It's a strange ProvidenceV v_ /~* to me thet keeps people a-hangin' on f s , of co'se, but we've got icrp- for callin' Him the Great Physi- cian, ^n' why, when He could ef He oul4 He don't" "I wouldn't dare to ask myself sech questions as that, Doctor, ef I j^ 7 wouldn't, I know. Besides" and now he laughed "besides, I jest give you a reason for lettin' 'em remain they are to feed us poor devils effec- tors. An' besides that, I've often seen cases where it seemed to me they were ,4 allowed to live to sanctify them thet had to live 'with 'em. Of co'se in this 9 THE UNLIVED LIFE I'm not speakin' of great sufferers. And no doubt they all get pretty tired an' wo'e out with themselves sometimes. I do with myself, even, an' I'm well. Jest listen at them boys a-whistlin' After the Ball to Brother Binney's horse's trot! They haven't got no mo' rever- ence for a minister o' the gospel than nothin'. "I s'pose that as long as they ricol- lect his preachin' against dancin' they'll make him ride into town to that sort o' music. They've made it up among 'em to do it. Jest listen all the way up the street that same tune. An' Brother Bin- ney trottin' in smilin' to it. He's a good- 10 OF LITTLE MARY ELLEN natured man, with all his vigorous views. While they were talking\the Rever end Mr. Binney rode past, arid follow- ing, a short distance behind hirri, came - a shabby buggy, in which a shabby woman sat alone. She held her a trifle high as she drove, and it ^ somewhat awkward position which vealed the fact, even as she approache< in the distance, that she carried whal Deemed an infant lying upon her lap. \\ "There comes the saddest sight in all pkinsville, Doctor. I noticed them boys stop their whistlin' jest as soon as her buggy turned into the road. I'm ii THE UNLIVED LIFE glad there's some things they respect," said Doctor Alexander. "Yas, and I see the fellers at Row- ton's sto'e are goin' in for their coats. She's drawin' rein there now." "Yas, but she ain't more'n leavin' an order, I reckon. She's comin' this way." The shabby buggy was bearing down upon them now, indeed, and when Doc- tor Jenkins saw it he, too, rose and put on his coat. As its occupant drew rein he stepped out to her side, while his companion, having raised his hat, looked the other way. "Get out an' come in, Mis' Bradh 12 OF LITTLE MARY ELLEN Doctor Jenkins had taken her hand as he spoke. "No, thanky, Doctor. 'Tain't worth while. I jest want to consult you about little Mary Ellen. She ain't doin' well, some ways." At this she drew back the green barege veil that was spread over the bundle upon her lap, exposing, as she did so, the blond head and chubby face of a great wax doll, with eyes closed as if in sleep. The doctor laid the veil back in its place quickly. "I wouldn't expose her face to the evenin' sun, Mis' Bradley," he said THE UNLIVED LIFE gently. "I'll call out an' see her to-mor- row; an' ef I was you I think I'd keep her indoors for a day or so." Then as he glanced into the woman's haggard and eager face, he added: "She's get- tin' along as well as might be expected, Mis' Bradley. But I'll be out to-mor- row, an' fetch you somethin' thet'll put a little color in yo' face." "Oh, don't mind me, Doctor," she answered, with a sigh of relief, as she tucked the veil carefully under the lit- tle head. "Don't mind me. I ain't sick. If I could jest see her pick up a little, why, I'd feel all right. When you come to-morrer, better fetch somethin' OF LITTLE MARY ELLEN she can take. Well, good-by," she added, as she drove away. "Good-by, Mis' Bradley." It was some moments before either of the doctors spoke after Doctor Jenkins had returned to his place. And then it was he who said: "Talkin' about the ways o j Provi- dence, Doctor, what do you call that?" "That's one o' the mysteries that it's hard to unravel, Doctor. Ef anything would make me doubt the mercy of God Almighty, it would be some sech thing as that. And yet I don't know. Ef there was ever a sermon preached without words, there's one preached 15 THE UNLIVED LIFE uv~ 733? along the open streets of Simpkinsville by that pore little half-demented woman when she drives into town nurs- in' that wAx doll. An' it's preached II where io much needed, too to our loungy people. There ain't many jners that can reach 'em but >id you take notice jest now how, as ' // sm famed insane asylum, hoping but determined to spare no effort the bettering of things, if they could bettered. After this last effort and its discour- aging result, all hope of recovery seemed gone, and so the good women, when they prayed, despairing o|\human agency, asked simply for a miracle, 65 THE UNLIVED LIFE reading aloud, for the support of their faith, the stories of marvelous healing as related in the gospels. 66 t was on a sultry morning, ^ \ \ ] night o:(lrain, near the end of Septem- ber. Old Doctor Jenkins stood behind the show-case in his drug-store deal out quinine pills and earache drops to the poor country folk and negroes, who, with sallow faces or heads bound up, declared themselves "chillin' ' ainful" while they waited. Patient cows, they stood in line while the dis- ensing hand of healing passed over to their tremulous, eager palms the prom- 67 THE UNLIVED LIFE ised "help" for their assorted "miser- ies." It was a humble crowd of sufferers, deferring equally, as they waited, to the dignitary who served them and to his environment of mysterious potencies, whose unreadable Latin labels glared at them in every direction as if in chal- lenge to their faith and respect. To the thoughtful observer it seemed an epit- ome of suffering humanity patient humanity waiting to be healed by some great, wise and mysterious Unknow- able. It may have been their general atti- tude of unconscious deference which 68 n OF LITTLE MARY ELLEN moved the crowd to fall back involun- tarily at the entrance of the first asser- tive visitor of the morning, or perhaps old 'Polio, the old negro who came rushing into the shop, would have been accorded right of way in a more preten- tious gathering. There was certainly that in his appearance which demanded attention. It was the tragedy aspect, so variously expressed in life, but always unequivocal. He had galloped up to the front door, his horse in a lather from the long, hot ride from the Williams homestead, four miles away, and, throwing his reins across the pommel of his saddle, had - ; - THE UNLIVED LIFE burst into the drug-store with an excited appeal : "Doctor Jinkins, come quick! For Miss Mary Ellen need Doctor she need you not wait for a response. Hav- elivered his summons, he turned another word, remounted his d rode away with all possible was not needed that the doctor should offer any apologies to his tients for leaving them. He did nojt> /(seem to reme were thjqre as he seize 70 OF LITTLE MARY ELLEN without even waiting to put it on, quickly unhitched his horse tied at the front door, and followed^ the negro down the road. It was a matter of but a few^noments to overtake him, and when the two we riding abreast the doctor saw tha|\th old man was crying. "De dorg, he must 'a' done it, Ma Doctor," he began, between sobs. "H must 'a' got in las' night. It was so hot we lef all de do's open, same lak we doin' But it warn't we-all's fault, Doctor. .N. * de dorg, het must 'a' snatc ile an' run ou THE UNLIVED LIFE yard wid it, an' it lay a-soakin' in de rain all night. "When Miss Mary Ellen fust woked up dis mornin' she called out to Milly, same as every day, to fetch de baby in to her. Milly she mos' gen'ally tecks it out'n de cradle early in de mornin' 'fo' missy wakes up, an' make pertend lak she feeds it in de kitchen. An' dis morn- in', when she call for it, Milly, she 'spon' back, 'I ain't got her, missy!' jes dat-a-way. "An' wid dat, 'fo' you could bat yo' eye, missy was hop out'n dat bed an' stan' in de middle o' de kitchen in her night-gownd, white in de face as my 72 OF LITTLE MARY ELLEN whitewash-bresh. An' when she had look at Milly an' den at me, she sclaim out, 'Whar my child?' "I tell you, Marse Doctor, when I see dat look an' heah dat inquiry, I trim- bled so dat dat kitchen flo' shuck tell de kittle-leds on de stove rattled. An' Milly, she see how scarified missy look, an' she commence to tu'n roun' an' seek for words, when we heah pit-a-pat/ pit- a-pat! on de po'ch; an' good Gord, Marse Doctor! heah come Rover, drag- gin' dat po' miser'ble little doll-baby in his mouf, drippin' wid mud an' sopped wid rain-water. "Quick as I looked at it I see dat 73 THE UNLIVED LIFE bofe eyes was done soaked out an' de paint gone, an' all its yaller hair it had done eve'y bit soaked off. "Sir? Oh, I don't know, sir, how she gwine teck it. Dey ain't no sayin' as to dat. She hadn't come to when I come away. She had jes drapped down in a dead faint in the mids' o' de kitchen, an' I holp Milly lif her on to de bed, an' I reshed for you. Co'se I had to stop an' ketch de horse ; an' de roads, dey was so awful muddy an' ' It was a long ride over the heavy roads, and as the good doctor trotted along, with the old darky steadily talk- 74 OF LITTLE MARY ELLEN ing beside him, he presently ceased to hear. Having once realized the situation, his professional mind busied itself in speculations as to the probable result of so critical an incident to his patient. Accident, chance, or mayhap a kind Providence, had done for her the thing he had long wished to try but had not dared. The mental shock, with the ir- reparable loss of the doll, would prob- ably have a definite effect for good or ill if, indeed, she would consent even now to give it up. Of course there was no telling. 75 THE UNLIVED LIFE This question was almost immedi- ately answered, however, for when, presently, the old negro led the way into the lane leading to the Williams gate, preceding the doctor so as to open the gate for him, he leaned suddenly over his horse's neck and peered eagerly forward. Then drawing rein for a mo- ment, he called back: "Marse Doctor, look hard, please, sir, an' see what dat my ol' 'oman Milly is doin' out at de front gate." The doctor's eyes were little better than his companion's. Still, he was able a moment to reply: hy, old man, she is tying a piece OF LITTLE MARY ELLEN of white muslin upon the gate-post. Something has happened." "White is for babies, ain't it, Marse Doctor?" "Yes or for" "Den it mus' be she's give it up for dead." The old man began sobbing again. "Yes; thank God!" said the doctor. And he wiped his eyes. lane had soon told its absurd some little tale of woe to the few ers-by on the road its playful an- ncement of half the story, the omedy side, pathetically suggesting the tragedy that was being enacted within. Before many hours all Simpkinsville new what had happened, and the little community had succumbed to an attack of hysteria. 78 OF LITTLE MARY ELLEN Simpkinsville was not usually of a particularly nervous or hysterical tem- per, but a wholesome sense of the ludi- crous, colliding with her maternal love for her afflicted child, could not do less than find relief in simultaneous laugh- ter and tears. And still, be it said to their credit, when the good women separated, after meeting in the various houses to talk it over, it was the mark of tears which re- mained upon their faces. But when it was presently known that their nerve poise was to be still more critically tested by a "funeral" an- nounced for the next day, there was less 79 - THE UNLIVED LIFE emotion exhibited, perhaps, with more quiet consultations among the serious- minded. When Miss Mary Ellen, prostrate and wan wth the burden of her long- borne sj^row, had from her pillow given instructions for the , the old doctor, who solicitously hed beside her, in the double ca- ity of friend and physician, had not en able to say her nay. And when on the next day he had invited a conference on the ject with her brother, the minister, his ftctor, and several perso f the family, tl|< OF LITTLE MARY ELLEN lines about his eyes, and he confessed that before daring his advice on so sen- sitive a point he had "wajked the flo' the livelong night." And then he had stronglyj^nequivo- cally, advised the funeral. "We've thought it best to hu all the way through," he began, now, when the end is clairly in si why, there ain't any consistency changin' the treatment. Maybe whe it's buried she'll forget it, an' in time to herself. Of co'se it'll be a try- h' ordeel, but there's enough of us sens- relations it, if m friends the be." HehadJ 81 THE UNLIVED LIFE up and down the room as he spoke, his hands clasped behind him, and now he stopped before the minister. "Of co'se, Brother Binney" he spoke with pain- ful hesitation "of co'se she'll look for you to come an' to put up a prayer, an' maybe read a po'tion o' Scripture. An' I've thought that over. Seems to me the whole thing is sad enough for religious services ef anything is. I've seen reel funerals thet wasn't half so mo'nful, ef I'm any judge of earthly sorrers. There wouldn't be any occasion to bring in the doll in the services, I don't think. But there ain't any earthly grief, in my opinion, but's got a Scripture tex' to 82 OF LITTLE MARY ELLEN match it, ef it's properly selected," the old doctor concluded. A painful stillness followed this ap- peal. But presently, after closing his eyes for a moment as if in prayer, the good minister said: "Of course, my dear friends, you can see thet this thing can't be conducted as a funeral. But, as our good brother has jest remarked, for all the vicissitudes of life and death for our safety in joy and our comfort in sorrow, we are given precious words of sweet and blessed consolation." The saddest funeral gathering in all 83 THE UNLIVED LIFE annals of Simpkinsville so it is still al- ways designated by those who wept at the obsequies was that of Miss Mary Ellen's doll, led by the good brother in Christ on the following day. The prayer-meeting women were there, of course, fortified in their faith by the supreme demand laid upon it, and even equipped with fresh self-con- trol for this crucial test of their poise and worthiness. Their love was deep a^d^iijcere, and yet so sensitive were the dangers of this most pre- situation that when presently njijiister entered, book in hand, a apprehension seized them. 8 4 \ OF LITTLE MARY ELLEN .<: -.,. It was as a great wave of indescrib- able fright, so awful that for a moment their hearts seemed to stop beating, so irresistible in its force that unless it should be quickly stayed it must pres- ently break in some emotion. No doubt the good brother felt it too, for instead of opening his book, as had; been his intention, he laid it down upon'/* the table before him the small center- table upon which lay what seemed a tiny mound heaped with flowers and, placing both hands upon the bowed head of the little woman who sat beside 1 - it, closed his eyes, and raised his face heavenward. 85 THE UNLIVED LIFE "Dear Lord, Thou knowest," he said slowly. Then finding no other words, perhaps, and willing to be still, he waited a moment in silence. When he spoke again the wave had broken. The air seemed to sway with the unmistakable vibrations that tell of silent weeping, and every face was buried in a handkerchief. "Thou knowest, O Lord," he re- sumed presently, raising his voice a lit- tle as if in an access of courage "Thou knowest how dear to our hearts is Thy handmaiden, this beloved sister who sits in sorrow among us to-day. Thou knowest how we love her. Thou know- 86 OF LITTLE MARY ELLEN est that her afflictions are ours. And oh, dear Father, if it be possible, grant that when we have reverently put this poor little symbol of our common sor- row out of sight for ever, Thy peace may descend and fill her heart and ours with Thy everlasting benediction." The words, which had come slowly, though without apparent effort, might have been inspired. Surely they sounded to the women who waited as if uttered by a voice from Heaven, and to their spiritually attuned ears it was a voice comforting, composing, quieting. After this followed a reading of Scripture a selection taken for its THE UNLIVED LIFE wide application to all God's sorrowing people and the singing of the hymn, "God shall charge His angel legions Watch and ward o'er thee to keep." This was sung, without a break, from the beginning clear through to the end, with its sweet promise to the grief- stricken of "life beyond the grave." Then came the benediction the bene- diction of the churches since the days of the apostles, used of all Christians the world over, but ever beautiful and new "The peace of God, which pass- eth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds," etc. 7 All tfie company all e ire cere position and when it recL when the moment of silent r$ yas over and one by one the women rose from their knees, there came an awkward interval pending the_ next step in this most difficult and ceptional service. The little woman in whose behalf it had been conducted, for whom all the prayers had been said, made no sign to her further will in the matter. It had been expected that she would herself go to the burial, and against this THE UNLIVED LIFE contingency a little grave had been pre- pared in the family burial-plot, which, happily, was situated upon her own ground, in a grove of trees a short dis- tance from the house, beyond the gar- den. After waiting for some moments, and seeing that she still did not move, the reverend brother finally approached her and laid his palm as before upon her head. Then, quickly reaching around, he drew her hand from beneath her cheek, felt her pulse, and now, turn- ing, he motioned to the doctor to come. The old man, Doctor Jenkins, lifted her limp arm tenderly and felt her 90 OF LITTLE MARY ELLEN wrist, listened with his ear against her bosom, waited, and listened again and again. And then, laying back the hand tenderly, he took his handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his eyes. "Dear friends," he said huskily, "your prayers have been answered. Sister Mary Ellen has found peace." UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY Los Angeles This book is DUE on the last date stamped below. Form L9-32m-8,'58(5876s4)444 PS Stuart..*-- 2960 The unlived U!?8 lii'e of little Mary Ellen. 001231490 UCLA-Young Research Library PS2960 .U58 yr 009 604 365 8 PS 2960 U58