CHAPTER XI
IN TOUCH WITH NATURE
The school vacation of the Harris young ladies came and went on wings.The mother was too ill to leave her home; she stood in her door-way, andgave her farewell, "God keep and bless you, children!" The father hadgone to Chicago, so George Ingram saw the daughters off touchingGertrude's hand, with a hearty good-bye as she stood in the car door.
As George returned slowly to his task at the steel mills, he resolved touse his evenings in post-graduate work. The more he studied iron ores andsteel-making, the more he felt that he must conquer the whole intricatesubject, if he would be of greatest service to his employers. The intensecompetition in the trade demanded it.
The Empire State Express, the fastest train in the world, carriedGertrude and Lucille through New York state with speed and ease todelightful New England. Secretly Gertrude loved George, and sheresolved to study chemistry and electricity and keep pace with hisstudies, and if ever asked to become his wife, to aid him in everypossible way. She thought that she discovered in him the material fora noble man, a statue which she hoped to chisel. Too often marriageableyoung women and their anxious mothers demand the complete statue at theoutset, and are not content to accept and chisel granite.
At Smith College the months sped rapidly, as earnest study and brightexpectations occupied Gertrude's time and satisfied her heart. Every weekbrought a letter and a reply was promptly sent. George wanted to writetwice a week, but Gertrude checked him, saying that both needed theirtime, and that too frequent correspondence, like too much intimacy, oftenbrings disfavor.
"More details of the doings at the steel mills," wrote Gertrude. Shecared more about the welfare of her father's employees and their familiesand George Ingram's plans than to know the latest fad in society. Georgewas equally anxious to keep her informed, and to learn of herintellectual advancement, what books she read, and her views on theleading topics of the day.
Her first letter began, "My Coatless Friend," a reference to the loss ofa linen coat or duster, when the last ride at Harrisville was taken. Thesecond letter began "Friend George," and the third, "My dear Friend."Gertrude and George never addressed each other twice alike in theirwhole correspondence. The weekly letters were always torn open by each inhaste, and both noticed a gradual increase of warmth in these addresses.The fact that Gertrude was an heiress neither hindered nor helped hisdevotion. His heart was attracted by her many charms.
At Smith College Gertrude occupied rooms in the Morris Cottage among theapple tree blossoms. Much of her spare time was spent in the scientificlibrary and laboratory of Lilly Hall, or with the professor and histelescope in the observatory.
On clear nights, aided by the telescope, Gertrude gazed into theimmensity of space, whispering sometimes to her own soul, "How grand thisvast world-making, this frightful velocity of the giant dynamos in theirelliptical pathways through space!"
Often unable to sleep, she continued her thoughts and wondered if spacewere not interlaced with electrical currents that move the earth, thesister planets, and the myriads of suns and their planets. She thoughtshe saw, as never before, the necessity for an eternal existence of themind, if God is to be studied and known in his infinite variety.
Four years in college had developed Gertrude into a beautiful character.Regular work in the gymnasium, much outdoor exercise, and care as toventilation in her rooms, especially at night, had kept her in perfectphysical health. Her intimates shared her glow of vitality, for herpresence at "Lawn, or Character Teas," at tennis-courts, or atbasket-ball always brought sunshine and enthusiasm.
The Saturday before commencement, her mother and Lucille came to enjoythe charming festivities of Smith College. A representation of Racine's"Athalie," with Mendelssohn's music, was the evening attraction at theAcademy of Music, which the class had rented for the occasion.
Groups of ushers, with white satin wands, conducted students in tastefuldresses, and invited guests to their seats. When the curtain rose it wasdifficult to decide which one most admired, the stage with its artisticsetting, its young faces, sweet voices, and graceful movements, or thesympathetic audience of students and their friends. The stage and pressof the future guided in part by college-bred men and women will preach,it is hoped, purity, truth, and the beautiful.
Mrs. Harris and Lucille were very happy that Gertrude was to graduate,and Lucille who had just finished her education in Boston, half regrettedthat she too had not entered a woman's college. Gertrude never lookedmore beautiful than she did in the white-robed procession, as, onBaccalaureate Sunday, the several classes passed down the aisles of thechurch.
George Ingram had hurried to Northampton to see Gertrude graduate. Shemet him at the station, and took his hand warmly in both of hers. Georgehad brought from New York a box of white roses for her room, and a bigbunch of the star-flower, the pretty English blue forget-me-not. He alsohad in his valise a tiny case of which he made no mention to anybody.
Hundreds of young women in white walked across the campus and were massedon the college steps for their Ivy Exercise. Never before was George soproud of Gertrude. She and Nellie Nelson, afterwards Mrs. Eastlake, hadbeen chosen by the class for their beauty and sweet ways to head theprocession of the white-gowned graduates. The evening of Class-day is afitting close of the gay festivities at Smith College.
At the evening reception, George was introduced to many of Gertrude'sclass-mates, and some of her intimate friends whispered, "Mr. Ingram andGertrude must be engaged! What a handsome pair they will make." Georgeoffered his arm to Gertrude, and they walked about the campus under theclassical trees that glowed with hundreds of colored paper lanterns;everywhere a throng of pretty happy girls with their relatives andfriends. Music by the glee clubs on the college steps, and refreshments,closed pleasantly Gertrude's last night of college life on the beautifulConnecticut.
She went to bed tired, but very happy. That evening her mother and sisterhad left for New York, and in the morning she and George were to spendthe day at Mt. Holyoke. Twice in the night, Gertrude awoke, looked at herwatch, and longed for daylight, and then went back to dream of flowersand music.
While she slept, warm southern breezes spread a coverlet of silver graymist over the homes of energy and thrift up and down the ConnecticutValley. In the morning when Gertrude opened the blinds, and saw the fogagainst the window panes and over the valley, she exclaimed, "It is toobad, I so wanted George to drive to Mt. Holyoke to-day, and see nature ather best! I hoped this would be the happiest day of my life."
It was a quarter to 8 o'clock when a pair of spirited black roadsters,hitched to a buckboard, were driven in front of the hotel for GeorgeIngram. As he appeared on the porch he looked every inch a gentleman.He was twenty-five years old, had received a practical education, and wasfilling acceptably the important position of assistant chemist of theHarrisville Iron & Steel Co., to which, six months before, he had beenpromoted. He had fine physique, dark hair and eyes, and a militarybearing that made him the natural commander of men. His firmness,tempered with great kindness of heart, always won for him the respectof both men and women.
He handled the team with skill for he was a member of the driving club athome. At a college window sat Gertrude who was eagerly watching for him,and now she ran down the gravel walk with a sunny face, greeting hermanly lover with such sweet voice and grace, that a college girl inpassing whispered to her companion. "Look, Bessie, there are true andhandsome lovers such as we read about in novels, but seldom meet."
Gertrude insisted, since the fog was lifting, that George should hitchhis horses and for five minutes go with her up on the college tower. Asthey looked out, Gertrude said, "Here, George, on the west are our halfdozen cozy college houses; on the smooth green lawn below you see ourtennis-courts, and an abundance of shade.
"Now, George, turn to the east and see how kindly the sun has removed themist and made for us a glorious day. How bright the colors in our flagthat floats over the high school yonder! There stands the
Soldiers'Memorial Hall, the Edwards Church with graceful spire, and across thegreen meadows, with its winding stream of silver, rise the ranges of Mt.Tom and Mt. Holyoke, outlined in curves against the blue sky."
"Beautiful!" responded George, "and yet, Gertrude, nothing in nature ishalf so lovely as your own dear self." Without warning he kissed her rosycheek, her whole face changing to crimson as she said, "George, we mustbe going."
Two happy young souls drove away from Smith College out under the Gothicelms, where the birds were mating and building their nests. The plan forthe day was to drive to the mountain, and follow the mother and sister onthe evening express to New York. The hotel clerk had pointed out the bestroad to Mt. Holyoke, and following his directions they drove southeast,leaving behind them shady Northampton, Smith College, and delightfulmemories of Jonathan Edwards, George Bancroft, and others.
A single white parasol was quite enough to protect two lovers from thesun's rays. Circular shadows, photographs of the sun, frolicked with eachother in the roadway as gentle breezes swayed the overhanging boughs.
Milk wagons with noisy cans were returning home, herds of black and whiteHolstein-Friesian cattle, famous for their yield of milk, were croppingsweet grasses in the pastures. Farmers were guiding their cultivators andmowing machines, while wives and daughters were shelling June peas,hulling strawberries, and preparing for dinner. The large white houses,with roomy barns in the shade of big elms, were the happy homes offreemen. Gertrude wanted the horses to walk more, but George wasunwilling to take the dust of wagons returning from the market, sohe kept the horses moving at a brisk pace.
At length the Hockanum Ferry with its odd device was reached. George gotout and led the horses into the middle of the small river craft. Then theboat was pushed off and a strong man and boy pulled at the wire rope. Theferryman's shanty, the willows, and tangled driftwood on the shore, fastreceded, and soon the middle of the Connecticut River was reached, wherethe current is swiftest. In sight were several canoes with light sails,scudding before the wind. It seemed as if the tiny rope of the ferrywould break, but the rope is of steel wire and the boat moved slowly tillthe opposite bank was reached. Gertrude held the lines, the sun shiningfull in her face, and talked to the boatman, to George, and the horses,but George said little as he was busy quieting the excited animals andstudying the primitive rope-ferry.
To the regular ferrage, Gertrude added a dime for Tim, the helper, whowatered the horses. As George was about to start his team, a twelve-yearold farm boy ran aboard the boat with a string of fine speckled troutstrung on a willow twig. All the spring the boy's anticipations for"a day off" had now been fully realized. Since daylight the little fellowhad tramped up and down the brook, his feet were bruised and sore, andhis face and hands were bitten by mosquitos. But what of that? He hadcaught a string of fine fish and was happy. Gertrude, for a silverdollar, bought the trout, and the boy danced with joy.
It was half past eleven before the Half-way Station up the mountain wasreached, and the steep ascent to Prospect House on the top of Mt. Holyokewas made by the car on the inclined railway. The morning ride and thethought of a dinner of brook trout on the mountain had sharpened theappetites of the lovers. George and Gertrude needed but a singleannouncement of dinner from the clerk to make them hasten for seats at soinviting a meal. They sat near an open window, and never did they enjoy adinner more. College work was now over, and on the threshold of life,apart from the busy world in sight below, two souls could plan andconfide in each other. As the two walked the broad porch, a panoramaunfolded before them of almost unsurpassed beauty.
Charles Sumner who, in 1847, stood on Mt. Holyoke, said, "I have neverseen anything so unsurpassingly lovely as this." He had traveled throughthe Highlands of Scotland, up and down the Rhine, had ascended MontBlanc, and stood on the Campagna in Rome. Gertrude with her college mateshad often climbed Mt. Holyoke, and she was very familiar with thismasterpiece of nature in western Massachusetts. So she described thegrand landscape to her lover who sat enchanted with the scene before him.
"This alluvial basin," she said, "is twenty miles in length and fifteenin width, and is enclosed by the Mt. Holyoke and Mt. Tom ranges, and theabrupt cones of Toby and Sugar Loaf, while the Green Mountains lie to thenorth, whence the rich soils have been brought by thousands of vernalfloods. Grove-like masses of elms mark well the townships of Northampton,Easthampton, Southampton and Westhampton, Hatfield, Williamsburg andWhately, Hadley, Amherst, Leverett and Sunderland.
"In twelve miles, the Connecticut River turns four times to the east andthree times to the west, forming the famous 'Ox-Bow.'
"This beautiful river receives its life from springs in adjacent forestsand mountains, and, forcing a passage between Mt. Holyoke and Mt.Nonotuck, flows far south into Long Island Sound. Its banks are fringedwith a tanglewood of willows, shrubs, trees, and clambering vines.Bordering on the Connecticut River and near thrifty towns are thousandsof acres of rich meadows and arable lands, without fence, which areinterspersed with lofty trees and orchards and covered with exquisiteverdure.
"These countless farms seen from this mountain top resemble garden plots,distinguishable from each other by vegetation varying in tints from thedark green of the maize to the brilliant gold of barley, rye, and oats.Over the billowy grain, cloud shadows chase each other as if in play.Grazing herds are on every hillside and in all the valleys."
Gertrude's words were music to George's ear. Her voice and themagnificent landscape charmed him. When released from the spell he said,"Yes, dear, you have this day hung a never-to-be-forgotten picture in mymemory. I shall always remember the arching elms, white gables, collegetowers, and spires pointing heavenward that mark the towns in thishistoric and lovely intervale. I seem to hear far off sounds of busypeople, thrifty mills, and successful railways. These reveal the secretof New England's power at home and abroad. The greatness of this peoplesprings from their respect for, and practice of, the virtues so longtaught in their schools and churches; viz., honesty, industry, economy,love of liberty, and belief in God. Here can be found inspirations forpoet, painter, and sculptor."
How glorious the picture as the two young lovers looked out upon theworld of promise! It was well thus, for much too soon in life, humanityexperiences the same old story of unsatisfied ambitions and wearystruggles after the unattainable.
Thus a happy summer afternoon was enjoyed till the sun hid his facebehind the western hills. Clouds floated low on the horizon, revealingbehind the gold and purple to ambitious souls the indistinct outlinesof a gorgeous temple of fame; and birds of rich plumage among themountain foliage were lulled to sleep by their own sweet songs.
"Life without Gertrude," thought George, "would prove a failure." Thentaking her white hand in his, he whispered, "I love you, dearest, withall my heart, and you must be my wife."
"George," she replied, "in a thousand ways you have shown it. I haveknown your heart ever since we studied together at the high school. Myown life has been ennobled by contact with yours." Her voice and handtrembled as she added, "Yes, George, my life and happiness I gladlyplace in your sacred keeping, and I promise purity and loyalty foreternity."
Then George opened the little case which he had brought from New York,and gave Gertrude a ring containing two diamonds and a ruby, whichsurprised and delighted her. She placed it on her first finger, saying,"George, we will advance this crystal pledge to the third finger justas soon as we get the consent of father and mother."
Gertrude had found on a former trip some purple crystals on themountainside, and had had two unique emblems of their love made in NewYork City. George pinned upon Gertrude a gold star set with a purpleamethyst, a tiny cross and a guard chain being attached, and she gaveGeorge a gold cross set with an amethyst, the guard pin being a tiny starand chain. Before midnight the two happy lovers had joined the mother andLucille in New York, and at the close of the week all had returned toHarrisville.