The Silver Lining / A Guernsey Story

nces of a

a two-storeyed cottage, situate at the bottom of the Rohais, a woman

d by an occasional sob from the husband, and t

looked at his wife. He saw that she wanted to speak to

feel that I am rapidly drawing nearer the end. I know

sed as if un

eagerness to our second meeting. I shall meet you there, Annie," he said, and, pressi

e few words. Presently a change came over her face. Her husband beckoned to Marie, the servant,

s. The soul passed from the bod

big eyes fixed on the corpse, ha

tter, much better," she said,

storm-a state which is common to people dying from consumption. Make

s told and the man

h had visited them. And the boy felt completely weighed down with grief. His mother had been

ere few and far between. His grief

same attitude, bowed down as it were by

tory-for Frank Mathers it was who mour

d only son were seated r

row," said Frank's father, "it is time fo

did not please him; he looked up from his book fo

u have a liking for books, I think you would do well

ld enough to leave s

id his father, "we can't afford to

n sympathetically, she knew h

till five, and, if you are diligent, you shall b

d the boy

Frank had left school and was se

how Frank liked these winter evenings. He took his books, and, drawing his chair near a small t

a bank. He possessed a good knowledge of English and Frenc

systems of shorthand: on

ful sciences, of which he had strive

to succeed," he sometimes said to himself. "I have done all that I possibly could do to

sake of better fitting himself for life's struggle. Often, when his companions invited him to spend an evening

e with his mother, who sometimes lifted her eyes from her knitting

nd son; for the father, who was a carpe

ould never live to see it. She was very anxious for her son's future.

nxiousness for her son's welfare rose to such a p

you know that I am no

, mo

and, I should so much like to know if you have form

he youth in a half-frightened tone

she added in a very affectionate tone: "Will you promise

his voice quivering with

es. Their hearts were too full. Affectionate love

entered and the

lled. She felt much worse and stayed in bed.

ntensely lonely. He suppressed his grief as much

ght not to be attached to his mother's pinafore! The house seemed so empty, it seemed quite large now, a roomy

emperament, and the life of self-sacrifice which he had

d word to spur him on. "Ah! life without love," he

t deal of his former activity and was often absent-minded. His emp

eak to him. "I cannot make out what ails you," he said

ore interest in your work, or I shall feel obl

swered Frank. "I

id, but all

self more than once. No! he was not insane, not yet at any rate; he simply took no interest in l

often tried to coax h

n empty bubble," oftener, he said nothing at al

altogether. He did not send a letter to his employers, telling them of h

not. He hardly gave her a thought now, and, when he did, his ey

ndria," he said as he met the enquiring glance of Mr. Mather

hout being consulte

liness he grew a little bit better. His father noticed tha

. Mathers, and, one day, when his son seemed in

t a greenhouse you could tak

so," said

Mr. Mathers, "I might as well put

h like to grow tomatoes an

rst words which he ventured to speak to his son about his healt

pause--"Of course, I have not been very well lat

ve a greenhouse. I think you had better go in the g

ouse was a small one, covering some twenty-five perches; of th

g up some Chrysanthemums, he wa

work, Master F

ittle," h

' about doing nothing," was the

llow must do something when he can,

ent-mindedly, as if she had not u

e was no one about; then she came quite close

?" questio

ather is goin' to mar

s lips tightened, his pruning

ed, as if he had n

nt in an undertone, "and I'll tell you who told me s

hom?" questioned

f Miss Tozer,"

ur poor, dear mother was dying, she mentioned something to your father about marrying. He prete

ive months," said Frank, mor

id Marie. "Jim Tozer told me they w

em, she pretended to gather some parsley

his son then, but began takin

t his mother's memory was being slighted; but he resolved not to say

ging up, the fields were being clothed in verdure. Nature, which had lain so long dormant, was awakening. From t

ith delight as he watched

lanting some tomatoes, he was surprised

was rather pale. H

id the father, meani

red his son; "I was just thinki

ad something to communicate to him, and he guessed what it

at, Mr. Mathers began: "It is a good thing that the tomat

have all these bo

-morrow I am goin

and looked straight at his father. His li

and look back defiantly at his son. He, however, recovered his self-composure, tried to make himself

escaped him. He stepped forward and walked out

etly married at the

en he came in to dine, his step-mother was

s. Mathers No. 2, he did not feel nearly so ho

warmly when his heart clamoured o

nd in a cold tone, his lips still uttering what his heart did not inspire, he s

ted on the impulse of the moment. In fact, he had dug the ab

er to obey one's heart." He did not even sto

e had loved his mother dearly, and now

idleness and perhaps of vice. The genial atmosphere of their little parlour had k

was a house, a comfortable dwelling place; that was all. He would n

had suffered for conscience's sake. He remembered how his blood rushed to his face, when he read a

termined than ever to do right; to champion the go