Little Fishers: and Their Nets

  CHAPTER XXIV.

  THE PAST AND PRESENT.

  NETTIE DECKER sat by the window of her father's house, looking outinto the beautiful world; taking one last look at the flowers, and thetrees, and the lawn, and all the beautiful and familiar things. Sayinggood-by to them, for in a brief two hours she was to leave them, andthe old home.

  NETTIE DECKER HAS A SUITABLE DRESS AT LAST.]

  She is Nettie Decker still, but you will not be able to say that of herin another hour. She has changed somewhat since you last saw her inher blue gingham dress a trifle faded, or in her brown merino much theworse for time.

  To-day she is twenty years old. A lovely summer day, and her birthdayis to be celebrated by making it her wedding day. The blue gingham hasbeen long gone; so has the brown merino. The dress she wears to-daylooks unlike either of them. It is white, all white; she has asuitable dress at last for a gala day. Soft, rich, quiet white silk.Long and full and pure; not a touch of trimming about it anywhere. Noteven a flower yet, though she holds one in her hand in doubt whethershe will add it to the whiteness.

  I think it will probably be pushed among the folds of soft lace whichlie across her bosom; for that would please little Sate's artist eye,and Nettie likes to please Sate.

  While she sits there, watching the birds, and the flowers, and thinkingof the strange sweet past, and the strange sweet present, there pass byalmost underneath the window two young ladies; moving slowly, glancingup curiously at the open casement, from which Nettie draws a littleback, that she may not be seen.

  "That is Nettie's room where the window is open," says one of theladies. "It is a lovely room; I was in it once when the circle metthere; it is furnished in blue, with creamy tints on the walls andfurniture. I don't think I ever saw a prettier room. Nettie hasexcellent taste."

  "Do you say her brother is to be at the wedding?"

  "O, yes indeed! He came day before yesterday; he is a splendid-lookingfellow, and smart; they say he is the finest student Yale has hadfor years. He graduated with the very highest honors, and now he isstudying medicine. I heard Dr. Hobart say that he would be an honor tothe profession. You ought to hear him play; I thought he would be amusician, he is so fond of music, and really he plays exquisitely onthe organ. Last spring when he was home he played in church all day,and I heard ever so many people say they had never heard anything finerin any church."

  "I don't remember him. Was he in our set?"

  "O no! he wasn't in any set when you were here. Why, Irene Lewis, youmust remember the Deckers! They weren't in any set."

  "Oh! I remember them, of course; don't you know what fun we used tomake of Nettie? Didn't we call her Nan? I remember she always wore anold blue and white gingham to Sunday-school."

  "That was years ago; she dresses beautifully now, and in exquisitetaste. She must make a lovely bride. I should like to get a glimpse ofher."

  "The McClintocks are very rich, I have been told."

  "Oh! immensely so; and they say General McClintock just idolizesNettie. I don't wonder at that; she is a perfectly lovely girl."

  "Seems to me, Lorena, my dear, about the time I left this part of theworld you did not think so much of her as you do now. I remember youused to make all sorts of fun of her, and real hateful speeches, asschoolgirls will, you know. I have a distinct recollection of a flowerparty where she was, and my conscience, I remember, troubled me at thetime for saying so many disagreeable things about her that afternoon;but I recollect I comforted myself with the thought that you were muchworse than I. You used to lead off, in those days, you know."

  "Oh! I remember; I was a perfect little idiot in those days. Yes, I wasdisagreeable enough to Nettie Decker; if she hadn't been a real sweetgirl she would never have forgotten it; but I don't believe she everthinks of it, and really she is so utterly changed, and all the familyare, that I hardly ever remember her as the same girl."

  "What became of that little Irish boy she used to be so fondof--Jerry, his name was?"

  "Now, Irene Lewis! you don't mean to tell me you have never heard abouthim! Well, you have been out of the world, sure enough."

  "I have never heard a word of him from the time I went with UncleLawrence out West. Father moved in the spring, you know, so instead ofmy coming back early in the spring as I expected, I never came untilnow? What about Jerry? Did he distinguish himself in any way? I alwaysthought him a fine-looking boy."

  "That is too funny that you shouldn't know! Why, the Irish boy, Jerry,as you call him, is the Gerald McClintock whom Nettie Decker is tomarry at twelve o'clock to-day."

  "Gerald McClintock! How can that be? That boy's name was Jerry Mack."

  "Indeed it wasn't. We were all deceived in that boy. It does seem sostrange that you have never heard the story! Why, you see, he wasGeneral McClintock's son all the time."

  "Why did he pretend he was somebody else?"

  "He didn't pretend; or at least I heard he said he didn't begin it.It seems that Mrs. Smith, the car-man's wife, you know, used to livein General McClintock's family before his wife died; and Job Smithlived there as coachman. When they married, General McClintock brokeup housekeeping, and went South with his family. Then Mrs. McClintockdied, and the General and this one boy boarded in New York, and Geraldattended school. In the spring the General was called to Californiaon some important law business--you know he is a celebrated lawyer,and they say his son is going to be even more brilliant than hisfather--well, the father had to go, and the boy made him promise thathe might spend the summer vacation with Mrs. Smith out here. TheMcClintocks had been very fond of her and her husband and trusted themboth; so the General agreed to it, thinking he would be back longbefore the vacation closed.

  "But he was delayed by one thing and another, and the boy coaxed tostay on, and study in the public school here; he was a pupil in WhatelyInstitute at home. Imagine him taking up with our common schools! so hestayed until the first of December, and then his father came.

  "Such a time as that was! You see we all knew of General McClintock, ofcourse, and when it was found we could get him to lecture, the peoplenearly went wild over it. We couldn't understand why we should havesuch good fortune, when we knew ever so many places--large cities--hadbeen refused; but it was all explained after he came.

  "It was a beautiful day when he came; all the schools were closed,and we formed a procession and marched to the depot, and the band wasthere, and great crowds. I remember as though it were yesterday howastonished we were to see Nettie Decker and that boy in a conspicuousplace on the corner of the platform. Nettie had on her old brownmerino, and looked so queer and seemed so out of place, that I wentand spoke to father about it, and he advised them to go down and jointhe procession; but it seems the marshal knew what he was about, andobjected to their moving. Then the train came, and there was a greatexcitement, and in the midst of it, the General almost took that boyJerry in his arms, and kissed and kissed him! Then he kissed NettieDecker, and while we stood wondering what on earth it all meant, theyall three entered an elegant carriage drawn by four horses, and werecarried to the Keppler House.

  "They had an elegant private dinner, they three; and in fact all thetime the General was here, he kept Nettie Decker with them; he treatedher more like a daughter than a stranger. I don't think there was eversuch an excitement in this town about anything as we had at that time;the circumstances were so peculiar, you know."

  "But I don't understand it, yet. Why did he call himself Jerry Mack?What was his object in deceiving us all?"

  "He hadn't the slightest intention of doing so. I heard he said sucha thought never entered his mind until we began it. It seems whenhe was a little bit of a fellow he tried to speak his name, GeraldMcClintock, and the nearest he could approach to it, was, Jerry Mack.Of course they thought that was cunning, and it grew to be his petname; so before they knew it, the servants and all his boy friendscalled him so, all the time. When he came here Mrs. Smith and herhusband naturally used the old name; then somebody, I'm sure I
don'tknow who, started the story that he was an Irish boy working at theSmiths for his board; and it seems he heard of it, and it amusedhim so much he decided to let people think so if they wanted to; hecoaxed the Smiths not to tell who he was, or why he was here; and theyso nearly worshipped him, that if he had asked them to say he was aNorth American Indian I believe they would have done it. It seems heliked Nettie Decker from the first, and was annoyed because she wasn'tinvited in our set. But I am sure I don't know how we were to blame;she had nothing to wear, and how were we to know that she was a verysmart girl, and real sweet and good? The Deckers were very poor, andMr. Decker drank, you know, and Norm was sort of a loafer, and wethought they were real low people."

  "I remember Ermina Farley was friendly with Nettie, and with the boy,too."

  "O yes, Ermina was always peculiar; she is yet. I have always thoughtthat perhaps Ermina knew something about the McClintocks, but she saysshe didn't. I heard her say the other day that somebody told her he wasan Irish boy, whose father had run away and left him; and the Smithsgave him a home out of pity; and she supposed of course it was so, andwas sorry for him. Then she always thought he was handsome, and smart;well, so did I, I must say."

  "I wonder who started that absurd story about his father deserting him?"

  "I don't know, I'm sure; somebody imagined it was so, I suppose, andspoke of it; such things spread, you know, nobody seems to understandquite how."

  "Well, as I remember things, Jerry--I shall always call him that name,I don't believe I could remember to say Mr. McClintock if I shouldmeet him now--as I remember him, he seemed to be as poor as Nettie; hedressed very well, but not as a gentleman's son, and he seemed to becontriving ways to earn little bits of money. Don't you remember thatold hen and chickens he bought? And he used to go to the Farleys everymorning with a fresh egg for Helen; sold it, you know, for I was thereone morning when Mrs. Farley paid him."

  "I know it; he was always contriving ways to earn money; why, Irene,don't you remember his selling fish to Ermina Farley that day when wewere talking down by the pond? I have always thought he heard more thanwe imagined he did, that day; I don't clearly remember what we said,but I know we were running on about Nettie Decker and about Jerry; Iused to sort of dislike them both, because Ermina Farley was alwaystrying to push them forward.

  "I would give something to know exactly what we did say that day. Forawhile I did not like to meet any of the McClintocks; it always seemedto me as though they were thinking about that time. But they have beenperfectly polite and cordial to me, always; and Nettie Decker is aperfect lady. But I know all about the poverty. It seems the boy Jerryhad been very fond of giving away money, and books, and all sorts ofthings to people whom he thought needed them; and his father began tobe afraid he would have no knowledge of the value of money, and wouldgive carelessly, you know, just because he felt like it. So the Generalhad a long talk with him, and made an arrangement that while he wasgone West, Jerry should have nothing to give away but what he earned.He might earn as much as he liked, or could, and give it all away if hechose; but not a penny besides, and he was not to appeal to his fatherto help anybody in any way whatever. Of course the father was to payall his bills for necessary things--they say he paid a splendid priceto the Smiths for taking care of him. Poor Mrs. Smith cried when hewent away, as though he had been her own child. Well, of course thatcrippled him, in his pocket money, but they say his father was verymuch pleased to find how many schemes he had started for earning money.That plan about the business was his from beginning to end, and justsee what it has grown to!"

  "What? I don't know; remember, I only came night before last, andhaven't heard anything about the town since the day I left it."

  "Why, the Norman House, the most elegant hotel in town, is theoutgrowth of that enterprise begun in the Decker's front room! Mr.Decker owns the whole thing, now, and manages it splendidly. Hiswife is a perfect genius, they say, about managing. She oversees thehousekeeping herself, and the cooking is perfect they say. GeneralMcClintock was so pleased with the beginning, that he bought thatlong low building on Smith street that first time he was here, andfitted it up for Norman and Nettie to run. He carried his son awaywith him, of course, but they stayed long enough to see that matterfairly under way. The Norman House is managed on the same generalprinciples; strictly temperance, of course. The General is as greata fanatic about that as the Deckers are, and the prices are verylow--lower than other first-class houses, while the table is better,and the rooms are beautifully furnished. They say it is because Mrs.Decker is such an excellent manager that they can afford things atsuch low prices. Then, besides, there is a lunch room for young men,where they can get excellent things for just what they cost; that isa sort of benevolence. General McClintock devotes a certain amount toit each year; and there is a splendid young man in charge of the room;you saw him once, Rick Walker, his name is. He used to be considered asort of hard boy, but there isn't a more respected young man in townthan he. He is book-keeper at the Norman House, and has the oversightof this Home Dining Room. You ought to go in there; it is very nicelyfurnished, and they have flowers, plants, you know, and birds, and afountain, and pictures on the walls, and for fifteen cents you can getan excellent dinner. Everybody likes Rick Walker; they say he hasa great influence over the boys in town, almost as great as NormanDecker; _he_ used to be in charge of it all, before he went to college."

  "Still, I shouldn't think the McClintocks would have liked NettieDecker to be in quite so public a place," interrupted her listener."Oh! she wasn't public; why, she went to New York to a private schoolthe very next winter after the General came home. She boarded withthem; the General's sister came East with him, and was the lady of thehouse; then he sent her to Wellesley, you know. Didn't you know that?She graduated at Wellesley a year ago. Yes, the McClintocks educatedher, or began it; her father has done so well that I suppose he hasn'tneeded their help lately. He is a master builder, you know, and keepsat his business, and owns and manages this hotel, besides. Oh! they arewell off; you ought to see Mrs. Decker. She is a very pretty woman,and a real lady; they say Nettie and Norman are so proud of her! Whatwas I telling you? Oh! about the room; they have a library connectedwith it, and a reading room, and everything complete; it is such anice thing for our young men. A great many wealthy gentlemen contributeto the library. There is a little alcove at the further end of thereading room, where they keep cake and lemonade, and nuts and littlethings of all sorts. They are very cheap, but the boys can't get anycigars there; I'm so glad of that. The Norman House is in very greatfavor--quite the fashion, and it makes such a difference with the boyswho are just beginning to imagine themselves young men, and who wantto be manly, to have an elegant place like that frown on all suchthings. My brother Dick, you remember him? He was a little fellow whenyou lived here--he went into the Norman House one day and called for acigar; he was just beginning to smoke, and I suppose he did it becausehe thought it would sound manly. It was in the spring when Norman wasat home on vacation, and it seems he expressed so much astonishmentthat Dick was quite ashamed; I don't think he has smoked a cigar since."

  "The Deckers seem to be quite a centre of interest in town."

  "Well, they are. They are a sort of exceptional family someway;their experience has been so romantic. Mr. Decker has become sucha nice man; Deacon Decker, he is, a prominent man in the church,and everywhere. Oh! do you remember those two cunning little girls?I always thought they were sweet. Susie is a perfect lady; she isgoing with Nettie and her husband to Washington; but little Sate isa beauty. They say she is going to be a poet and an artist, and shelooks almost like an angel. General McClintock admires her very much;he says she shall have the finest art teachers in Europe. I never sawa family come up as they did, from nothing, you may say. But then itwas all owing to that fortunate accident of being friends with GeraldMcClintock, and having the Farleys interested in them. Did I tell youNorman was engaged to Ermina Farley? O yes! they will marry as soonas he graduates from
the medical college, and then he will take herabroad and take a post graduate course in medicine there. I supposethey will take Sate with them then. They say that is the plan. No, Icertainly never saw anything like their success in life. Mrs. Smithdoesn't believe in luck, you know, nor much in money, though since herJob has a position in the Norman House that pays better than carting,they have built an addition to their house, and, Sarah Ann says, "livelike folks." She is housekeeper at the Norman House--Mrs. Decker'sright-hand woman. Mrs. Smith says the Lord had a great deal to do withthe Decker family; that Nettie came home resolved to be faithful toHim, and to trust Him to save her father and brother, and so He didit, of course. It seems she and Jerry promised each other to work forNorman and the father in every possible way until they were converted;and they did. I must say I think they are real wonderful Christians,all of them. I like to hear Mr. Decker pray better than almost anyother man in our meeting; and as for Norman, he leads a meetingbeautifully. They say Mr. Sherrill thought at first that he ought topreach; but now he says he is reconciled; there is greater need forChristian physicians than for ministers. Mr. Sherrill has always beengreat friends with all the Deckers; you remember he was, from thefirst. Norman studied with him all the time he was managing that firstlittle bit of a restaurant in the square room of the old Decker house.They tore down that house last month, to make room for a carriage drivearound the back of their new house, and they say Nettie cried when thesquare room was torn up.

  "She has some of the quaintest furniture! Sofas, she calls them, madeout of boxes; and a queer old-fashioned hour-glass stand, and a barrelchair, which have been sent on with all her elegant things, to NewYork; she is going to furnish a room for Gerald and her with them; hemade them, it seems, when they began that queer scheme. Who would havesupposed it could grow as it did? It really seems as though the Lordmust have had a good deal to do with it, doesn't it? I tell you, Irene,it is wonderful how many young men they have helped save, those two.It seems a pity sometimes that they could not have told us girls whatthey were about and let us help; but then, I don't know as we wouldhave helped if we had understood; I used to be such a perfect littleidiot then! Well, it was Nettie Decker got hold of me at last. Normansigned the pledge that night when General McClintock lectured here, andduring the winter he was converted; but it was two years after thatbefore I made up my mind. I was miserable all that time, too; because Iknew I was doing wrong. And I didn't treat Nettie wonderfully well anyof the time; but when she came to me with her eyes shining with tears,and said she had been praying for me ever since that day of the flowerparty, I just broke down.

  "O Irene, there's the carriage with the bride and groom and Norman andErmina. Doesn't the bride look lovely! I wish they had had a publicwedding and let us all see her! But they say General McClintock thinksweddings ought to be very private. Never mind, we will see her at thereception next week; but then, she won't be Nettie Decker; we shallhave to say good-by to her."

  And Miss Lorena Barstow stood still in the street, and shaded her eyesfrom the sunlight to watch the bridal party as the carriage woundaround the square, looking her last with tender, loving eyes, uponNettie Decker.

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