Elsie at the World's Fair

by Martha Finley

  ELSIE AT THE WORLD'S FAIR

  by

  MARTHA FINLEY

  Author of "The Elsie Books," "The Mildred Books,"_Wanted, A Pedigree_, etc., etc.

  New YorkDodd, Mead & CompanyPublishers

  1894

  NOTE--The author desires to acknowledge her indebtedness to the "_ChicagoRecord's_ History of the World's Fair," "The Historical Fine Art Series,"published by H.S. Smith and C.R. Graham, for Historical PublishingCompany, Philadelphia, and the "_World's_ Fine Art Series," published byN.D. Thompson Publishing Company, St. Louis, Mo., for descriptions andstatistics in regard to the White City and its exhibits.

  CHAPTER I.

  Hugh Lilburn was very urgent with his betrothed for a speedy marriage,pleading that as her brother had robbed him and his father of theirexpected housekeeper--his cousin Marian--he could not long do without thewife who was to supply her place. Her sisters, Isadore and Virginia, whohad come up from the far South to be present at the ceremony, joined withhim in his plea for haste. They wanted to see her in her own home, theysaid, and that without remaining too long away from theirs. Ella finallyyielded to their wishes so far as to complete her preparations within amonth after the home-coming from the North.

  The wedding was a really brilliant affair, and followed up by partiesgiven by the different members of the family connection; but no bridaltrip was taken, neither bride nor groom caring for it, and Hugh's businessrequiring his presence at home.

  A few weeks later Calhoun Conly went North for his bride. Some festivitiesfollowed his return; then all settled down for the winter, Harold andHerbert Travilla taking up their medical studies with Dr. Conly, andCaptain Raymond's pupils resuming such of their lessons as had beendropped for the time, though the wedding festivities had been allowed tointerfere but little with them, as--with the exception of Marian, now Mrs.Conly--they were considered too young to attend the parties. A matter ofregret to none of them except Rosie Travilla and Lucilla Raymond, and eventhey, though they would have been glad to be permitted to go, made noremonstrance or complaint, but submitted cheerfully to the decision oftheir elders.

  A busy, happy winter and spring followed, bringing no unusual event to anybranch of the family.

  Max was frequently heard from, his father continuing to send him dailyletters, several of which would be replied to together by one from thelad--always frank, candid, and affectionate, sometimes expressing a greatlonging for a sight of home and the dear ones there.

  After receiving such a letter the captain was very apt to pay a flyingvisit to the Academy, in case there were no special reasons for remainingclosely at home, sometimes going alone, at others taking one or moremembers of the family with him; his wife, if she could make it convenientto go, or one or more of his daughters, by whom the little trip and thesight of their brother were esteemed a great reward for good conduct andperfect recitations.

  Both they and the lad himself looked forward with ardent desire and joyousanticipation to the June commencement, after which would begin the onelong holiday Max would have during the six years of his course at theAcademy.

  The holidays for the home pupils began a day or two earlier, and a merryparty, including, besides the captain and his immediate family, the restof his pupils, with Grandma Elsie, her father and his wife, boarded the_Dolphin_ and set sail for Annapolis to attend the commencement at theNaval Academy.

  The weather was delightful, and all greatly enjoyed the little trip. Ontheir arrival they found Max well and in fine spirits. The reports of bothhis studies and conduct were all that could be desired, and the homefriends--his father in especial--regarded him with both pride andaffection, and expressed much pleasure in the fact that he was toaccompany them on the return trip.

  Max dearly loved his home, and during the nearly two years of his absencefrom it had had occasional fits of excessive homesickness; more, however,for the dear ones dwelling there than for the place. So that he was fullof joy on learning that every one of the family was on board the_Dolphin_.

  No one cared to tarry long at Annapolis, and they set out on the returntrip as soon as Max was free to go with them.

  The lovely weather continued, there was nothing to mar the pleasure of theshort voyage, the drive and ride that succeeded it--for the carriages andMax's pony, Rex, which he hailed with almost a shout of delight andhastened to mount, were found awaiting them at the wharf--or the arrivalat their homes, Ion and Woodburn, which seemed to the young cadet to belooking even more beautiful than ever before.

  "Oh, was there ever a lovelier place!" was his delighted exclamation asthe carriage, closely followed by Rex, turned in at the great gates givingadmission to the Woodburn driveway. "I thought that of it before I left,but it is vastly improved; almost an earthly paradise."

  "So I think," said Violet. "It does credit to your father's taste."

  "And yours," added her husband, with a pleased smile; "for have I notalways consulted with my wife before making any alteration or adding whatI thought would be an improvement? And has not the first suggestion comefrom her more than once?"

  "Quite true," she returned, giving him a look of loving appreciation; "infact, my dear, you are so ready to humor and indulge me in every possibleway that I am half afraid to make a suggestion."

  "Lest I should have too much pleasure in carrying it out?" he queried,with playful look and tone.

  "Oh, certainly!" she replied with a musical laugh; "it would be a sad pityto spoil so good a husband."

  "Father, may I ride over the grounds before alighting?" asked Max's voicein eager tones, just at that moment.

  "If you wish, my son," the captain answered pleasantly. "But suppose youdelay a little and let some of us accompany you?"

  "Yes, sir; that will be better," was the prompt, cheerful rejoinder, andin another minute Max had dismounted at the door of the mansion, and stoodready to assist the occupants of the carriage to alight.

  "Ah, I see you have been making some changes and improvements here,father," he said, glancing about as he entered the hall door.

  "Yes, and in other parts of the house," said Violet. "Perhaps you might aswell go over it before visiting the grounds."

  "I am at liberty to go everywhere, as of old?" he returned, half inassertion, half enquiringly and turning from her to his father.

  "Certainly, my son; it is as truly your father's house, therefore open inevery part to you, as it was before you left its shelter for Uncle Sam'sNaval Academy," replied the captain, regarding the lad with mingledfatherly affection, pride, and amusement.

  "Thank you, sir," returned Max heartily. "Ah, Christine!" as thehousekeeper, whom something had detained in another part of the house atthe moment of their arrival, now appeared among them, "I'm pleased to seeyou again; looking so well, too. I really don't think you have changed inthe least in all the time I have been away," shaking her hand warmly as hespoke.

  "Ah, Master Max, sir, I can't say the same of you," she returned with apleasant smile into the bright young face. "You are growing up fast andlooking more than ever like your father."

  "Thank you," laughed Max, his eyes shining, "you couldn't possibly give mea higher compliment than that, Christine."

  "Ah, who shall say that I am not the complimented one, Max?" laughed thecaptain.

  "I, papa," cried Lulu. "O Maxie, come upstairs and see the improvementsthere. You can look at the downstairs rooms and grounds afterward."

  "Yes, run along, children," said their father, "and make yourselves readyfor the tea table before you come down again."

  "Yes, sir," they answered in cheerful tones, Max catching up little Ned ashe spoke, and setting him on his shoulder. "Hold on tight, laddie, andyour big brother will carry you up," he said, and one
chubby arm instantlywent round his neck, a gleeful laugh accompanying it as Max began theascent, his sisters following, Violet and the captain presently bringingup the rear.

  "Into our rooms first, Max," said Violet. "You, too, Lulu and Gracie, thatyou may hear what he has to say about things there."

  "Thank you, Mamma Vi," returned Max. "I want to visit every room in thehouse and have all the family go with me if they like."

  "You will find a few additions here and there to the furnishings, but nogreat changes anywhere, Max," said his father.

  "I should hope not, sir, as things seemed to me pretty nearly perfectbefore I went away," returned Max in a lively tone, "I only wish every oneof my mates had as sweet a home to spend his long vacation in, and as kinda father and friends to help him enjoy it."

  "Ah, we may well pity the lad who lacks the blessings of a good home andaffectionate parents," said the captain. "I can never forget how much theywere to me in my boyhood."

  "I think you must have forgotten how long I have been away, papa," laughedMax as they finished the circuit of the rooms on that floor, "for I havecome upon a good many new things."

  "Ah! well, they have been added so gradually that I did not realize hownumerous they were," returned his father, adding, "Now you may as well goon to the upper rooms and tarry long enough in your own to make yourselfneat for the tea table."

  "Yes, sir;" and the lad hurried up the stairs, the captain, Lulu, andGrace following.

  "Hurrah!" he cried joyously as he reached the open door of his own room,"why, this is lovely! prettier than ever, and it was like a room in apalace before compared to the one I share with Hunt at the Academy."

  "Suppose you walk in and take a nearer view," said his father, and Maxobeyed with alacrity, the others following.

  "Mamma and papa said there was nothing too good for you, and so we allthought, Maxie," said Grace, Lulu adding, "Indeed we do all think so."

  "Indeed, I'm afraid it is," returned Max, gazing admiringly at thebeautiful carpet, the lace curtains looped back with wreaths of flowers,the fine engravings on the walls, the easy chairs, tasteful mantelornaments, and the many other articles of adornment and convenience.

  "Your mamma and I have made some changes, improvements, as we thought,"the captain said in gratified and affectionate tones, "hoping you would bepleased with then; and I rather think you are."

  "Pleased, papa? I'm delighted!" cried Max. "The only drawback to mypleasure is the thought of the very short time I can stay to enjoy allthis beauty and luxury."

  "Yet I am sure my boy does not want to settle down here to a life ofinglorious ease," remarked the captain in a tone of mingled assertion andenquiry. "I rejoice in the firm conviction that his great desire is toserve God and his country to the best of his ability."

  "Yes, father, it is," said Max earnestly. "But," he added with a smile,"if you don't want me to love to be with you in this sweet home you shouldnot make it so attractive and be so very kind and affectionate to me."

  "My boy," the captain said with emotion and laying a hand affectionatelyon his son's shoulder, "there is never a day when I do not thank myheavenly Father for his gift to me of so good and dutiful a son."

  "I don't know how any fellow could help being dutiful and affectionate tosuch a father as mine, sir," returned Max, his eyes shining.

  By his own desire Max's vacation was spent at home and in its vicinity,with the occasional variety of a short voyage in his father's yacht, the_Dolphin_, which gave the lad opportunities for the display of theseafaring knowledge gained in the past two years, and adding to it fromhis father's store of the same, under that father's instruction.

  They were generally accompanied by the whole Woodburn family, always byLulu and Grace, Grandma Elsie, Rose, Walter, and Evelyn Leland.

  Thus the weeks flew by very enjoyably and on swift wings, and the timecame for Max's return to Annapolis. So the _Dolphin_ was headed for thatport and presently steamed away again, leaving the lad behind with arather sad heart at the thought that years must pass before he could againspend even a brief season under his father's roof.