Maid Sally Part 29

"Mammy can begin the story, you must finish it. Tell him of your love for Ingleside, but not of the rocky seat. It would not be maidenly or needful. Tell him your name, and hide not the fact of his relations.h.i.+p."

Maid Sally took her good Fairy's advice, and at the story Mammy Leezer cried, "Sho' now!" and "Bress yo' dear lil heart!" and "Lorr de ma.s.sy sakes alive!" until Sally knew how her music-full voice and flowery speech would set forth all that she would pour into the ears of the listening Prince.

Then for several days, the young Lionel, who never tired of the whole pleasing story, was set and determined to have Maid Sally near him every moment that he could.

But good Parson Kendall had talked and prayed with hurt and troubled men, while Doctor Hanc.o.c.ke had given medicines and good advice, and nursing dames of kind hearts and willing hands had waited on the sick.

Now a fortnight had slipped away since the battle of Great Bridge, the wounded men were doing well, a number had been taken to their homes, and Parson Kendall and Doctor Hanc.o.c.ke were about to return homeward.

The Fairy Prince, still too weak for removal, rebelled at thought of missing the sweet face of his dear Fairy Girl.

But Parson Kendall was firm as a rock.

In vain Mammy Leezer said, with rolling eyes and fearful air:

"I dunno what de consekens will be, ef dat lil missy go 'way!"

The good parson believed that Sally had gone forth in time of need, and now that she was no longer really needed, she should return to other duties. And Sally knew that he was right.

So, very early one morning, Sally threw her Fairy Prince a kiss when he was sleeping and n.o.body saw, for Mammy had advised that he should know nought of her going until she must tell him she had gone, and long after midnight she was back with Goodwife Kendall, who received her with a warm embrace, so truly glad was she to have the maiden back again.

It was a week later that Parson Kendall said to Sally, as he again met her in the hall:

"My dear young damsel, I have but just parted from Sir Percival Grandison, who hath been here to make inquiries concerning thyself.

"He declareth, doth Sir Percival, that you have bewitched his son, and that nought will do but thou must repair to Ingleside and sit beside him. The young man hath been brought by easy stages to his home, but wearies all the time for his 'Fairy Girl.'

"Beshrew me, but I fear thou mayest be in very truth a kind of witch!"

The parson's mouth twitched with a smile he tried to keep back. Then he added:

"I have laid thy whole story before Sir Percival, part of which he already knew, and right pleased hath he been to find that the young maid who has so drawn the fancy of his son is of good mind, a lady born, and of kins.h.i.+p with his wife, the Lady Gabrielle.

"So prepare thyself, Maid Sara Duquesne, and in an hour the coach will come to bear thee to Ingleside."

And to fair Ingleside went Maid Sally.

The doors opened wide to receive her. For the Lady Gabrielle Grandison said that no lack of welcome should be shown one of her own name and family.

The Lady Rosamond Earlscourt received her but coldly, but Lucretia was kind and gentle in her greeting.

Never before that she could remember had Sally entered so grand a room as the one in which sat the Fairy Prince well wrapped about with gaily flowered comforters, the wide arm-chair drawn up before a great blazing fire.

Sir Percival Grandison arose from a seat near his son as Sally came forward, nor did he longer wonder that the warm-hearted Southern lad, who was almost a man, had lost his heart to the lovely, blus.h.i.+ng maiden.

Goodwife Kendall knew what she was doing in arraying Maid Sally in a skirt of crimson bombazine, an overdress of rich silk, and a crimson velvet bodice laced over quillings of white muslin, when she went forth to meet her relatives.

Like a ripe, tropical flower looked the maid as she bowed before Sir Percival.

The Fairy Prince again took her hand in both of his and kissed it.

And while the struggle went on between king's men and colonists, fair Maid Sally became a frequent guest at Ingleside.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "MAID SALLY BECAME A FREQUENT GUEST AT INGLESIDE."]

The Fairy Prince _would_ have it so.

She knew that when the spring should come, he would go forth under him who was to be the great commander-in-chief, George Was.h.i.+ngton, to again do battle for his beloved country. Nor would she have him stay.

And then came a brave, welcome day, when Sir Percival Grandison became convinced that the colonists were right in resisting the king's rule, and boldly said so.

The character of Was.h.i.+ngton, too, so calm, so grand, and determined, was that of a man to be trusted, and Sir Percival took his stand with the American cause, once and for all.

In February, Lady Rosamond Earlscourt took her departure for England, intending to remain there.

Early in June the Fairy Prince was to join a company under the commander-in-chief.

Ah, but that month of May! sweet, sweet May!

The birds sang as never before. The garden bloomed as never bloomed a garden before since the world was young.

Day after day the arbor held the Fairy Prince, and beside him sat his Fairy Girl.

Once Sally peered over the wall. The upper stone of her rocky seat had fallen to the ground.

"I shall want it no more," she thought.

There was a fine party and feast at Ingleside shortly before Lionel was to go away.

Mammy Leezer did her best. There was porcupine marmalade, sorghum foam, salads, nut and cheese cakes, macaroon paste, floating-island, syllabub, and sangaree.

Sally was all in white, white blossoms in her red gold hair, white blossoms at her breast.

As she roamed with Lionel about the lawn after the other guests had gone, and they stopped for a moment at the summer-house, the young man said:

"I think of you always, dear, as my Fairy Girl."

And Maid Sally replied:

"I saw you in this garden once and called you my Fairy Prince."

"Promise me you will never have any Fairy Prince in your heart but me!"

he cried.

"I promise I will never have any Fairy Prince in my heart but you," said Maid Sally.