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Authors: Gilbert L. Morris
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it.”
“Actually, I think God knew what was best for each of us,” Eileen said. “Just as He knows what’s best for everyone. Now, tell me more about Lucy and Jeff.”
Leah gaped at her. “How did you know I was talking about Jeff?”
“Oh, I saw the way you were looking at him and the way he was looking at you when he came to visit. You’ve been friends a long time, haven’t you?”
“All of our lives. We did everything together when we were kids.” She began talking with enthusiasm about how she and Jeff had grown up together. “But it’s different now,” she ended almost sullenly. “Ever since we came to Richmond, he’s been paying a lot of attention to Lucy Driscoll. Her father is rich, and she has all kinds of pretty clothes. She knows how to do all the latest dances. And look at me. Why shouldn’t Jeff go to the minstrel show with her? I don’t blame him a bit!”
Guardedly, Eileen tried to explain how difficult it is to grow up. “All of us have to do it. Boys, too. We have to learn how to stop being children and become adults. And sometimes when we’re halfway between, not quite grown, not quite a child, it’s hard to know how to behave.”
“Did you feel that way when you were growing up?”
Eileen laughed, her eyes sparkled, and she shookher head in despair. “I thought I’d go crazy for a while there when I was about your age. I couldn’t seem to do anything right.” Eileen knew she was good at giving counsel without seeming to. She went on making light of her own foolishness and finally she saw that Leah was becoming quieter. And then Eileen said, “I even feel a little bit funny about Jeff’s father.”
“About Colonel Majors? Why?”
“Well, there’s an officers’ ball coming up, and he’s asked me to go to it. I’m all confused about it.”
“Why, it would be fun!”
“I suppose, but you see, all the other ladies will have nice dresses and shoes. And I don’t have anything like that here.”
Instantly Leah got to her feet. “Well, you
will
have, Eileen! You’ve got to go! We’ll fix you a dress. As a matter of fact, some of my sister Sarah’s dresses are still here from when we were in Richmond before. We’ll fix you something that will make you the belle of the ball!”
Eileen Fremont sat quietly, amused at the girl’s enthusiasm. Then, “I haven’t been to a ball in I don’t know when,” she said. “The last time I went, it was with my husband, just before Shiloh. I think it might make me sad to go.”
Leah came close and put a hand on her arm. “I think you ought to go,” she said softly. “It would be good for you. Come, let’s go look. Maybe one of Sarah’s dresses can be taken up for you a little bit. You’re smaller than she is. We’ve got everything we need here.”
“But what about shoes?”
“We’ll paint your feet black!” Leah laughed. “No,come on. Shoes aren’t important. It’s going to be such fun. When is the ball?”
“On the twelfth. That’s day after tomorrow!”
“Oh, that’s plenty of time! You send word that you’ll go, and we’ll have you ready like Cinderella when Colonel Majors comes to get you.”
Jeff learned about the ball on the morning of the twelfth. He came into the tent to find the colonel getting his hair cut by the regimental barber, and Jeff stood quietly watching. After the barber had left, his father said, “I’m going out to buy a new uniform—if I can find anything.”
“You mean to wear when we leave?”
“No, I mean to wear tonight. I’m taking Eileen to the ball.”
“You’re taking Mrs. Fremont to a
ball?
But she’s a servant!”
Colonel Majors was studying himself in the mirror. “Oh, I hardly think that’s the case. She’s just helping us out, Jeff, and she’s been a
great
help. Esther’s crazy about her!”
For some reason Jeff found the idea of his father taking Eileen Fremont to the ball unpleasant. He did not know how to express this, so he said nothing. But
“Actually, I think God knew what was best for each of us,” Eileen said. “Just as He knows what’s best for everyone. Now, tell me more about Lucy and Jeff.”
Leah gaped at her. “How did you know I was talking about Jeff?”
“Oh, I saw the way you were looking at him and the way he was looking at you when he came to visit. You’ve been friends a long time, haven’t you?”
“All of our lives. We did everything together when we were kids.” She began talking with enthusiasm about how she and Jeff had grown up together. “But it’s different now,” she ended almost sullenly. “Ever since we came to Richmond, he’s been paying a lot of attention to Lucy Driscoll. Her father is rich, and she has all kinds of pretty clothes. She knows how to do all the latest dances. And look at me. Why shouldn’t Jeff go to the minstrel show with her? I don’t blame him a bit!”
Guardedly, Eileen tried to explain how difficult it is to grow up. “All of us have to do it. Boys, too. We have to learn how to stop being children and become adults. And sometimes when we’re halfway between, not quite grown, not quite a child, it’s hard to know how to behave.”
“Did you feel that way when you were growing up?”
Eileen laughed, her eyes sparkled, and she shookher head in despair. “I thought I’d go crazy for a while there when I was about your age. I couldn’t seem to do anything right.” Eileen knew she was good at giving counsel without seeming to. She went on making light of her own foolishness and finally she saw that Leah was becoming quieter. And then Eileen said, “I even feel a little bit funny about Jeff’s father.”
“About Colonel Majors? Why?”
“Well, there’s an officers’ ball coming up, and he’s asked me to go to it. I’m all confused about it.”
“Why, it would be fun!”
“I suppose, but you see, all the other ladies will have nice dresses and shoes. And I don’t have anything like that here.”
Instantly Leah got to her feet. “Well, you
will
have, Eileen! You’ve got to go! We’ll fix you a dress. As a matter of fact, some of my sister Sarah’s dresses are still here from when we were in Richmond before. We’ll fix you something that will make you the belle of the ball!”
Eileen Fremont sat quietly, amused at the girl’s enthusiasm. Then, “I haven’t been to a ball in I don’t know when,” she said. “The last time I went, it was with my husband, just before Shiloh. I think it might make me sad to go.”
Leah came close and put a hand on her arm. “I think you ought to go,” she said softly. “It would be good for you. Come, let’s go look. Maybe one of Sarah’s dresses can be taken up for you a little bit. You’re smaller than she is. We’ve got everything we need here.”
“But what about shoes?”
“We’ll paint your feet black!” Leah laughed. “No,come on. Shoes aren’t important. It’s going to be such fun. When is the ball?”
“On the twelfth. That’s day after tomorrow!”
“Oh, that’s plenty of time! You send word that you’ll go, and we’ll have you ready like Cinderella when Colonel Majors comes to get you.”
Jeff learned about the ball on the morning of the twelfth. He came into the tent to find the colonel getting his hair cut by the regimental barber, and Jeff stood quietly watching. After the barber had left, his father said, “I’m going out to buy a new uniform—if I can find anything.”
“You mean to wear when we leave?”
“No, I mean to wear tonight. I’m taking Eileen to the ball.”
“You’re taking Mrs. Fremont to a
ball?
But she’s a servant!”
Colonel Majors was studying himself in the mirror. “Oh, I hardly think that’s the case. She’s just helping us out, Jeff, and she’s been a
great
help. Esther’s crazy about her!”
For some reason Jeff found the idea of his father taking Eileen Fremont to the ball unpleasant. He did not know how to express this, so he said nothing. But
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