Friends and Neighbors eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 294 pages of information about Friends and Neighbors.

Friends and Neighbors eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 294 pages of information about Friends and Neighbors.

Somehow, Annie Bermond thought it uncommonly grave and dull at the dinner-table, yet why should it be so?  Her uncle and aunt, as kind and dear as ever, were there; she, herself, a blithe fairy, sat in her accustomed seat; the day was bright, birds were singing, flowers were gleaming, but there was a change.  What could it be?  Annie knew not, yet her quick perception warned her of the presence of some trouble—­some cloud.  In her haste to talk and cheer her uncle and aunt, the poor child said what would have been best left unsaid.

“How beautiful those trees are; I mean those pines on the hill; don’t you admire them very much, Uncle John?”

“Tolerably,” was the rather short answer.  “I am too well used to trees to go into the raptures of my little city niece about them;” and all this time Margaret looked fixedly down upon the floor.

“Don’t you frown so, uncle, or I will run right home to-morrow,” said Annie, with the assurance of a privileged pet; “but I was going to ask you about the rock just back of those pines.  Do you and Aunt Margaret still go there to see the sunset?  I was thinking about you these two past evenings, when the sunsets were so grand, and wishing I was with you on the rock; and you were both there, weren’t you?”

This time John Greylston gave no answer, but his sister said briefly,

“No, Annie, we have not been at the rock for several evenings;” and then a rather painful silence followed.

Annie at last spoke: 

“You both, somehow, seem so changed and dull; I would just like to know the reason.  May be aunty is going to be married.  Is that it, Uncle John?”

Miss Margaret smiled, but the colour came brightly to her face.

“If this is really so, I don’t wonder you are sad and grave; you, especially, Uncle John; how lonely and wretched you would be!  Oh! would you not be very sorry if Aunt Madge should leave you, never to come back again?  Would not your heart almost break?”

John Greylston threw down his knife and fork violently upon the table, and pushing back his chair, went from the room.

Annie Bermond looked in perfect bewilderment at her aunt, but Miss Margaret was silent and tearful.

“Aunt! darling aunt! don’t look so distressed;” and Annie put her arms around her neck; “but tell me what have I done; what is the matter?”

Miss Greylston shook her head.

“You will not speak now, Aunt Margaret; you might tell me; I am sure something has happened to distress you.  Just as soon as I came here, I saw a change, but I could not understand it.  I cannot yet.  Tell me, dear aunt!” and she knelt beside her.

So Miss Greylston told her niece the whole story, softening, as far as truth would permit, many of John’s harsh speeches; but she was, not slow to blame herself.  Annie listened attentively.  Young as she was, her heart took in with the deepest sympathy the sorrow which shaded her beloved friends.

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Project Gutenberg
Friends and Neighbors from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.