CHAPTER VIII
THE END OF THE WORLD
"'Taint no such thing! The world couldn't come to an end!" Janey Dayquite forgot Mrs. Craven's strictures on speech. "It's too strong.And--and----"
"And it's round," said the wit of the school. "Round as a ring and hasno end. There now."
"But the world ain't like a ring."
"So is_n't_ my love for you, my friend."
There was quite a little shout of laughter.
One of the larger girls, Hester Brown, stood with upraised head andearnest countenance.
"It _is_ coming to an end in October. It is only two or three weeks off.My father has read it all in the Bible. And we are getting ready."
Her demeanor silenced the little group.
"But how _do_ you get ready?"
"We must repent of our sins. And that's why mother wouldn't let me cometo the dancing-class. She thinks it wrong, any way. And mother andAuntie are making their ascension robes. We go to church every night."
The girls stood awestruck.
"What's going to happen?" asked one.
"Why, the world will be burned up. All those who love God are to becaught up to heaven. Then the dead people who have been good will riseout of their graves. And all the rest--everything will be burned."
The solemnity of the girl's voice impressed so that they looked at eachother in silent fear.
"I just don't believe a word of it," declared Janey Day, drawing a longbreath. "My father's a good man and goes to church and reads the Bibleevery night. He's read it through more than fifty times, and he's neversaid a word about the world coming to an end. And he's building a newhouse for us to move into next spring."
"Fifty times, Janey Day! It takes a long, long while to read the Biblethrough. My grandmother's read it all through twice, and she's awfulold."
"Well--twenty times at least. And don't you 'spose he'd found somethingabout it?"
"Everybody can't tell. It's in Daniel. There's days and times to beadded up."
"Five of _you_, Janey," said the wit with a child's irreverence.
"Just _when_ is it coming to an end? Girls, there's no use to study anymore lessons."
"It will be next week," said Hester with almost tragic solemnity. "Butyou must all go on doing your work just the same."
"I don't see the sense. I've just begun fractions, and I hate them. Iwon't do another sum."
The bell rang and recess was at an end. The girls straggled until theyreached the doorway, then suddenly straightened themselves into anorderly line and took their seats quietly. There was a sound of rapidlymoving pencils--slates and pencils were in full swing then. No one hadinvented "pads."
One after another read out answers. A few went up to Mrs. Craven forassistance.
"Lottie Brower," the lady said presently.
Lottie colored. She had a kind of school-girl grudge against Hester.
"I--I haven't done my sums," she replied slowly.
"Why not?"
"Because the world is coming to an end. They're so hard, and what is theuse if we're not going to live longer than next week?"
Every girl stopped her work and stared at Hester, amazed, yet ratherenjoying Lottie's audacity.
"How did you come by such an idea?" asked Mrs. Craven quietly.
"But _is_ there any use of studying or anything?" Lottie's voice had alittle tremble in it. "I'm sure I don't want the world to come to anend, but----"
"Do your people believe this?"
"No, ma'am," replied Lottie.
"Where, then, did you get the idea?"
"Hester Brown is sure----"
Hester's face was scarlet. She felt that she was called upon to bearwitness.
"My father and mother believe it, and we are all getting ready. My unclemeans to give away all his things next week."
The girl was in such earnest that Mrs. Craven was puzzled for a moment.
"I do not think we shall know the day or the hour," was the reply. "Weare all exhorted to go on diligently with whatever we are doing. AndLottie, Hester has certainly set you an example. She did her sumscorrectly. She has added works to her faith as the Bible commands. I amaware many people think the end of the world is near, but that is noreason for our being careless and indolent. I doubt if that excuse wouldbe accepted; at all events, I cannot accept yours."
"But I hate fractions! The divisors and the multiples get all mixed upand go racing round in my head until I can't tell one from the other."
"Bring your slate here." Mrs. Craven made room for her by the table."Now, what is the trouble?"
Twelve o'clock struck before Lottie was through, but she had to admitthat it wasn't so "awful" when Mrs. Craven explained the sums in herquiet, lucid manner. The girls rose and went to the closet for theirhats and capes.
"Girls," began Mrs. Craven, "I want to say a word. I hope each one ofyou will respect the other's religious belief. Our country has beenfounded on the corner-stone of liberty in this matter, and one ought tobe noble enough not to ridicule or sneer at any honest, sincere faith,remembering that we cannot all believe alike."
Hester went out with two or three of the larger girls.
"I do not think you were quite kind, Lottie," said her teacher, in asoft tone.
"But what would be the use of fractions if the world came to an end?"
"Oh, Mrs. Craven! _do_ you believe it? I should feel just dreadful. Theworld has so many splendid things in it--and to be burned up."
"I should just be frightened to death," and one little girl shuddered.
"Children, I am sorry anything has been said about this. There are agood many people who believe and who have preached for the last threeyears that the end of the world is near. The time has been set for nextweek. Yet the Bible _does_ say that _no_ man knoweth the day nor thehour. I do not believe in these predictions," and she smiledreassuringly. "I think we can all count on Thanksgiving and a merryChristmas as well as a happy New Year. I want you all to be kind to eachother, and when Hester is disappointed next week, to refrain fromteasing her. If you think for a moment, you will find it very easy tobelieve just as your parents do, for you love them the best of any onein this world. And the more you respect and obey them, the more readyyou are to be kind and gentle and truthful to all about you, the betteryou are serving God. You must leave this matter in His hands, andremember that He loves you all, and will do whatever is best. Don't feeltroubled about the world coming to an end. I am afraid Lottie here willhave a great deal more trouble about fractions. I doubt if she getsthrough by Christmas. Now run home or you will be late for dinner."
The little girl sat very quiet at the table. There was only her mother,John, and the boys. She wished that her father or Steve were here so shecould ask them. A strange awe was creeping over her. It seemed sodreadful to have all the world burned up. There might be some peopleleft behind in the hurry. It hurt terribly to be burned even a little.
There was a very sober lot of girls at school that afternoon. The jestwas all taken out of recess. Hester sat on the steps reading a littlepocket Testament. The others huddled together and shook their headsmysteriously, saying just above a whisper, "I don't believe it." "Mymother says it isn't so." But somehow they did not seem to fortifythemselves much with these protestations.
Some of the elder cousins had come to visit and take tea. People wentvisiting by three in the afternoon and carried their work along. Therewas an atmosphere of relationship and real living that gave a certainsatisfaction. You enjoyed it. It was not paying a social debtreluctantly, relieved to have it over, but a solid, substantialpleasure.
Martha took the little girl up-stairs and put on a blue delaine frock andwhite apron, and polished her "buskins," as the low shoes were called.Then she went into the parlor and spoke to all the ladies. She had herlace in a little bag, and presently she sat down on an ottoman and tookout her work.
"You don't mean to say that child can knit lace? And oak-leaf, too, I dodeclare! What a smart little girl!"
"Oh, she embroiders quite nicely, also. Hannah Ann, get your apron andshow Cousin Dorcas."
The apron was praised and the handkerchiefs she had marked for herfather were brought out. Then she was asked what she was studying atschool.
Cousin Dorcas was knitting "shells" for a counterpane. There was one ofwhite and one of red, and they were put together in a rather longdiamond shape with a row of openwork between every block. It was for herdaughter, who was going to be married in the spring, and it interestedthe little girl wonderfully.
Then they talked about Steve and Dolly Beekman. While the girls were atWhite Plains, Steve had coaxed his father and mother up to theBeekmans', and the engagement had been settled with all due formality.Dolly and her mother had been down and taken tea. And now Steve went upevery Sunday afternoon and stayed to supper, and once or twice throughthe week, and took Dolly out driving and escorted her to parties.
The Beekmans were good, solid people, and Peggy ought to be satisfiedthat Stephen had chosen so wisely. "Was it true that Steve had beenbuying some land way out of town? Did he mean to build there?"
"Oh, dear, no!" answered his mother. "It was a crazy thing, but John hadreally persuaded him, and John was too young to have any judgment. Buthe said the Astors were buying up there, and land was almost givenaway."
"I don't know what it's good for," declared Aunt Frasie. "Why it'll beforty years before the city'll go out there. Well, it may be good forhis grandchildren."
They all gave a little laugh.
Presently another of the cousins sat down at the piano and played the"Battle of Prague."
Then Aunt Frasie said, "Do sing something. It doesn't seem half likemusic without the singing."
Maria Jane ran her fingers over the keys, and began a plaintive air verymuch in vogue:
"Shed not a tear o'er your friend's early bier, When I am gone, I am gone."
Aunt Frasie heard her through the first verse, and then saidimpatiently:
"You've sung that at so many funerals, Maria Jane, that it makes me feelcreepy. You used to sing 'Banks and Braes.' Do try that."
It had been said of Maria Jane in her earlier years that she had sung"Bonnie Doon" so pathetically she had moved the roomful to tears. Hervoice was rather thin now, with a touch of shrillness on the high notes,but the little girl listened entranced. Then she sang "Scots wha' hae"and "Roy's wife of Aldivaloch." Margaret had come home, thesupper-table was spread, the men came in, and they sat down to thefeast. They teased Steve a little, and bade John beware, and were somerry all the evening that when it came her bedtime the little girl hadforgotten all about the world coming to an end.
The girls discussed it the next day. Most of their mothers and fathershad scouted the idea. Josie Dean was very positive it couldn't be--herfather had been going over the Bible and the Millerites had made a bigmistake.
"And girls," said Josie earnestly, "St. John, one of the disciples ofour Saviour, lived to be a hundred years old. Some people taught thatthe world would come to an end before he died. And now it's 1843, andit's stood all this while, though every now and then there's been anexcitement about it. And I ain't going to be afraid at all, there now!"
The little girl wondered whether she would be afraid. But Friday eveningthe boys were full of it, and Steve said it was nonsense. She crept upinto her father's lap and asked him in a tremulous whisper if he wasafraid.
"No, dear," he answered, pressing her to his heart.
"But if it _should_ come."
"Well--I'd take my little girl and mother and Margaret----"
"And what would you do?" as he made a long pause.
"I'd beg to be taken into heaven. And we would all be together. I thinkGod would be good to us."
"And the boys."
"Yes, the boys." He wondered within himself if they were all fit forheaven. But he was quite sure the little girl was.
There was a very great excitement. For months there had been meetings ofexhortation and prophesying, and appeals to conscience, to terror, tothe desire of being saved from impending destruction. Last winter therehad been revivals everywhere, yet during the summer thoughtful peoplehad questioned whether the moral tone of the community had been anyhigher. There were heroic souls, that always rise to the surface intimes of spiritual agitation. There were others moved by any excitement,who seized on this with a kind of ungovernable rapture.
No one spoke of it in Sunday-school. Hanny brought home "Little BlindLucy," and was so lost in its perusal that she hardly wanted to leaveoff for half an hour with Joe. But her mother let her look over to seewhether Lucy really did have her eyesight restored. She was so sleepythat when she had said her little prayer she felt quite sure that Godwould take care of her and the beautiful world He had made. It would becruel to burn it all up.
But the children went to school on Monday. Martha washed as usual. Shedid think it would be a waste of labor and strength if the world came toan end, though she was sure clean clothes would burn up quicker, and ifit had to be, one might as well have it over as soon as possible.
All things went on, the buying and selling, the business of the day, andin some houses there were weary pain-racked bodies that slipped out oflife gently without waiting for the general conflagration.
Still a strange awe did pervade the city. Some of the churches wereopen, and people were on their knees weeping and sobbing to be madeready; others were full of faith and expectations, singing hymns, andimpatiently waiting the moment when the trump would sound and they becaught up to glory. Down on Grand Street Hester Brown's uncle was givingaway shoes, and wondering at the fatal unbelief of those who were soready to accept. Here and there another of abounding faith was doing thesame thing, or perhaps giving away things they did not need, hoping itwould be accounted to them for good works.
Hester was not in school. Neither did she come on Tuesday, and thatnight was to be the fatal end of all things. A great many people went tochurch that day. The children did suffer from dread, though LottieBrower kept up a sort of cheery bravado, as one whistles or sings in thedark.
"And I don't think Hester's been such an awful sight better than therest of us. She answered correct one day when she had talked, andpretended she had forgotten all about it. And she was just mean enoughabout that clover-leaf pattern and wouldn't show a single girl. And shegets mad just as easy as the rest of us."
"I think we oughtn't get mad any more. And, girls, I'll lend you myknife to sharpen your pencils. We ought to _try_ to be just as good aswe could, for my Sunday-school teacher said if we died the world came toan end for us."
They made many resolves. Mrs. Craven thought they had never been soangelic in their lives.
But the little girl was very much "stirred up."
People didn't say nervous so much in those days. In fact nervousness wasrather associated with whims and tempers. Joe came over to supper--hecould get off from the hospital now and then. They were all talkingabout going to Delancey Street Church, where it was said people wouldbe dressed in their ascension robes, and remain to the final change.
Margaret begged to go, and said she knew all her lessons. The boys hadtheirs to study. Jim scouted the idea of the world's coming to an end.Benny adduced several remarkable reasons why it couldn't come just yet.The Millerites had made a mistake in the true meaning of the "days" inDaniel.
"Are you quite sure?" asked the little girl timidly.
"Well--you'll see the same old world next week this time. Don't you getfrightened, Hanny dear," and Ben kissed her reassuringly.
She sat by the boys and knit on her lace a while. Then her mother lookedup from the stockings she was darning. She said "she always took Time bythe forelock," and the little girl had a fancy some time she would draghim out. She wondered if she would really like to see Time with hishour-glass and scythe, and all his bones showing.
Mrs. Underhill looked up at the clock.
"My goodness, Hanny!" she exclaimed, "it's time you were in bed half anhour ag
o. Put up your lace. You'll be sleepy enough in the morning."
The little girl wound it round her needles and then stuck the ends inthe stem of the spool and put it away in her basket. She kissed Ben andJim good-night, and followed her mother. Her eyes had a half-frightenedlook and the pupils were very large. Mrs. Underhill felt out of patiencethat there should be so much talk about the world coming to an endbefore children. She knew Hanny was "just alive with terror." Shecouldn't pretend to explain anything to her; she was of the opinion thatas you grew older "you found out things for yourself." And I am reallyafraid she didn't believe in total depravity for sweet little girls likeHanny. It was well enough for boys. So much of her life had been spentin doing, that she might have neglected some of the "mint, anise, andcummin." She undressed the little girl. Oh, how fair and pretty hershoulders were, and her round white arms that had a dimple at the top ofthe elbow. She was small for her age, but nice and plump, and her motherfelt just this minute as if she would like to cuddle her up in her armsand kiss her as she had in babyhood. If she had, all the fear would havegone out of the little girl's heart.
Hanny said her prayer, and added to it, "Oh, Lord Jesus, please don'tlet the world come to an end to-night." Then her mother patted down thebed, took off one pillow and the pretty top quilt, and put her in,kissing her tenderly, the little trembling thing.
Then she stood still awhile.
"I do wonder what I did with your red coat," she began. "Cousin Cynthiasaid it might be let down and do for this winter. There's no little girlto grow into your clothes. Let me see--I put a lot of things in thiscloset. I remember pinning them up in linen pillow-cases, but I meant tostore them in the cedar chest. I wonder if I have been that careless."
She stood up on a chair and threw down some bundles with unnecessaryforce. Then she stepped down and began to look them over, keeping up arunning comment. She would not have admitted that she was talkingagainst time, secretly hoping the little girl would drop off to sleep.But the coat was not in any of the bundles.
"I think it must be in the chest. While I'm about it I may as well goand see. If you have outgrown it, it could be made over into a dress;it's nice, fine merino, a little thicker than I'd buy for a dress, butyour father would have just that piece. I'll get a candle and goup-stairs--I wouldn't trust a glass lamp with this horrid burning-fluidin _my_ storeroom. Hanny, be sure you don't get up and touch it," as ifthere was the slightest possibility. "I'll be down again in fiveminutes."
That was a shrewd motherly excuse not to leave the little girl alone inthe dark, though she was never afraid.
She lay there very still, with a feeling of safety since her mother wasup-stairs. Of course she was old enough to know a great many things andto have ideas on religious subjects. But I think the Underhills weremore intelligent than intellectual, and people were still living rathersimple lives, not yet impregnated with ideas. They had not had the oldPuritan training, and the ferment of science and philosophy andtranscendentalism had not invaded the country places. To-night in thecity there were wise heads proving and disproving the times and halftimes, and days and signs, but they really had no interest for Mrs.Underhill, who was training her family the best she knew how, makinggood men and women.
And the little girl's ideas were extremely vague. She thought her soulwas that part of her heart that beat. When it ceased beating you diedand the body was left behind; so of course that was what went to heaven.And when she had been naughty or when she had left something undone andwas hurrying with all her might to do it, this thing beat and throbbed.If she wanted something very much and was almost tempted to take it, thefeeling came up in her throat, and she knew that was conscience. She wastrying now to recall and repent of her sins, and oh, she did so wishher father was here. Would he be back before the end came, and take themall in his strong arms? and they would run--Oh, no! they were to becaught up in the clouds. But she would be safe where he was.
Years afterward, she was to understand how human and finite loveforeshadowed the eternal. But then she could only believe, and her faithin her human father was the rock of her salvation.
And when her mother came down she _had_ fallen asleep, but she thoughtit would be just as well to leave the lamp burning until Margaret'sreturn. She would look in now and then to see that it didn't explode.Burning-fluid was considered rather dangerous stuff.
Hanny was so tired that she slept soundly. It was almost midnight whenthe folks came home, and Mrs. Underhill begged Margaret to go to bedquietly and not disturb her. And it was all light with the sun rising inthe eastern sky and shining in one window when she opened her eyes.Margaret stood before the glass plaiting her pretty, long hair.
The little girl sat up. Something had happened. There was a greatweight--a great fear. What was it? Oh, yes, this was their room; theywere all alive, for she heard Jim's breezy voice, and Joe, who hadstayed all night, said impatiently:
"Peggy, are you never coming down?"
Hanny sprang out of bed and clasped her little arms about her sister.
"Oh!" with a great exultation in her sweet child's voice--"the worlddidn't come to an end, did it? Oh, you beautiful world! I am so glad youare left. And everybody--only--Margaret, were the people at the churchdreadfully disappointed? What a pity God couldn't have taken those whowanted to go; but I'm so glad we are left. Oh, you lovely world, you aretoo nice to burn up!"
I think there were a great many people in the city just as glad asHanny, if they did not put it in the same joyful words.
Margaret smiled. "Hurry, dear," she said, "Joe will have to go, and Iknow he wants to see you."
Hanny put on her shoes and stockings, and Margaret helped her with therest, washed her and just tied up her hair with a second-best ribbon.Joseph had eaten his breakfast and was impatiently waiting to saygood-by. John was off already.
Nothing had happened. The world was going on as usual. True there hadbeen the comet and falling stars and wars and rumors of wars, but theold world had sailed triumphantly through them all. The dear, old,splendid world, that was to grow more splendid with the years.
Perhaps it did rouse people to better and kindlier living and moreserious thought. Before Mr. Underhill went away his wife said:
"'Milyer, hadn't you better look after those old people up at Harlem. Isuppose they had some garden truck, but there's flour and meat andlittle things that take off the money when you haven't much. And fuel.I'll try to go up some day with you and see what they need to keep themcomfortable in cold weather."
The girls could hardly study at school, there was so much excitement.Did people really have on their ascension robes? What _would_ Hestersay?
Hester did not come to school all the week. Of course they had made amistake in computing the time, but a few weeks couldn't make muchdifference. Still, the worst scare was over, and if one mistake could bemade, why not another? Were they so sure all the signs were fulfilled?