Jane's Baby Page #4

"Jane's Baby" by Lucy Maud Montgomery is a touching short story that explores themes of love, sacrifice, and the complexities of motherhood. The narrative centers around Jane, a young woman who faces the challenges and emotional turmoil of an unexpected pregnancy. As she grapples with her circumstances, Jane navigates societal pressures and personal desires, ultimately revealing the strength of her character and the depth of her feelings. Through Montgomery's poignant prose, the story delves into the profound impact of choices and the enduring bonds of family, making it a resonant tale of resilience and hope.

• Short story

								

Methusaleh and have done with it?"

One afternoon in October, when Miss Rosetta was picking her
apples and thinking drearily about lost Camilla Jane, a woman
came running breathlessly down the hill and into the yard.  Miss
Rosetta gave an exclamation of amazement and dropped her basket
of apples.  Of all incredible things!  The woman was
Charlotte--Charlotte who had never set foot on the grounds of the Ellis
cottage since her marriage ten years ago, Charlotte, bare-headed,
wild-eyed, distraught, wringing her hands and sobbing.

Miss Rosetta flew to meet her.

"You've scalded Camilla Jane to death!" she exclaimed.  "I always
knew you would--always expected it!"

"Oh, for heaven's sake, come quick, Rosetta!" gasped Charlotte.
"Barbara Jane is in convulsions and I don't know what to do.  The
hired man has gone for the doctor.  You were the nearest, so I
came to you.  Jenny White was there when they came on, so I left
her and ran.  Oh, Rosetta, come, come, if you have a spark of
humanity in you!  You know what to do for convulsions--you
saved the Ellis baby when it had them.  Oh, come and save Barbara
Jane!"

"You mean Camilla Jane, I presume?" said Miss Rosetta firmly, in
spite of her agitation.

For a second Charlotte Wheeler hesitated.  Then she said
passionately: "Yes, yes, Camilla Jane--any name you like!  Only
come."

Miss Rosetta went, and not a moment too soon, either.  The doctor
lived eight miles away and the baby was very bad.  The two women
and Jenny White worked over her for hours.  It was not until
dark, when the baby was sleeping soundly and the doctor had gone,
after telling Miss Rosetta that she had saved the child's life,
that a realization of the situation came home to them.

"Well," said Miss Rosetta, dropping into an armchair with a long
sigh of weariness, "I guess you'll admit now, Charlotte Wheeler,
that you are hardly a fit person to have charge of a baby, even
if you had to go and steal it from me.  I should think your
conscience would reproach you--that is, if any woman who would
marry Jacob Wheeler in such an underhanded fashion has a--"

"I--I wanted the baby," sobbed Charlotte, tremulously.  "I was so
lonely here.  I didn't think it was any harm to take her, because
Jane gave her to me in her letter.  But you have saved her life,
Rosetta, and you--you can have her back, although it will break
my heart to give her up.  But, oh, Rosetta, won't you let me come
and see her sometimes?  I love her so I can't bear to give her up
entirely."

"Charlotte," said Miss Rosetta firmly, "the most sensible thing
for you to do is just to come back with the baby.  You are
worried to death trying to run this farm with the debt Jacob
Wheeler left on it for you.  Sell it, and come home with me.  And
we'll both have the baby then."

"Oh, Rosetta, I'd love to," faltered Charlotte.  "I've--I've
wanted to be good friends with you again so much.  But I thought
you were so hard and bitter you'd never make up."

"Maybe I've talked too much," conceded Miss Rosetta, "but you
ought to know me well enough to know I didn't mean a word of it.
It was your never saying anything, no matter what I said, that
riled me up so bad.  Let bygones be bygones, and come home,
Charlotte."

"I will," said Charlotte resolutely, wiping away her tears.  "I'm
sick of living here and putting up with hired men.  I'll be real
glad to go home, Rosetta, and that's the truth.  I've had a hard
enough time.  I s'pose you'll say I deserved it; but I was fond
of Jacob, and--"

"Of course, of course.  Why shouldn't you be?" said Miss Rosetta
briskly.  "I'm sure Jacob Wheeler was a good enough soul, if he
was a little slack-twisted.  I'd like to hear anybody say a word
against him in my presence.  Look at that blessed child,
Charlotte.  Isn't she the sweetest thing?  I'm desperate glad you
are coming back home, Charlotte.  I've never been able to put up
a decent mess of mustard pickles since you went away, and you
were always such a hand with them!  We'll be real snug and cozy
again--you and me and little Camilla Barbara Jane."
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