"
He united Rhoda and the Judge, as he had married his first love--to
another; she was pale and in tears; he kissed her at the altar, and gave
his hand to the Judge warmly:
"I know you will be a better Christian, Cousin Daniel. God has given you
much love on the earth. Our prayers for you have been answered."
Vesta was disappointed, expecting to see William made happy in a
marriage with Rhoda.
CHAPTER XLVI.
THE CURSE OF THE HAT.
As the spring burst upon Princess Anne in cherry blossoms and dogwood
flowers, in herring and shad weighting the river seines, and broods of
young chickens and peach-trees pullulating, and as the time of fruit and
corn and early cantaloupe followed, the life in human veins also
unfolded in infant fruit, and Vesta became a mother.
The forest and the court had harmonized in the offspring, and the young
boy took the name of Custis Milburn.
Healthy and comely, as if Society had made the match for Nature, the
infant flourished without a day's ailing, and grew upon its parents'
eyes like a miracle, having the symmetry and loveliness of the mother,
and the bold, challenging countenance of the father; and to Meshach it
brought the satisfaction of an improved posterity, and an heir to his
success; to Vesta, compensation for the loss of worldly society.
She found more joy in Teackle Hall, with this wondrous product of her
sacrifice and pain, than with the admiration of all the good families in
Maryland; and a sense of warmth and gratitude sprang to her conscience
towards the father of this matchless gift.
Pages:
632
633
634
635
636
637
638
639
640
641
642
643
644
645
646
647
648
649
650
651
652
653
654
655
656