CHAPTER XVIII
Grandma Elsie, Violet and Grace were all sewing on some delicate pinksilk material, trimming it with bows of ribbon of the same color andduchess lace. Young Elsie presently drew near and asked what they weremaking.
"Guess," laughed her mother. "What does it look like?"
"As if it might be going to be a baby afghan," ventured the littlegirl. "Oh, is it one for Sister Lu's new baby?"
"It is," returned her mother; "you must indeed be a bit of a Yankee toguess so well."
"I believe I am, as papa says he is one," replied Elsie. "I hope itwill be as pretty as the one you made for Baby Mary's carriage. Oh, areyou going to give little Ray a carriage, too?"
"Yes, indeed; we must do all for him that we did for his little cousin."
"But you use different colors, so that they will always know which iswhich, don't you, mamma?"
"Yes, for that reason and because of the different complexions of thetwo children. Mary is fair, golden haired and has blue eyes, while Rayhas his mother's dark eyes and hair."
"Oh, yes, and I think it's nice that they differ in that way, andreally suppose one is just about as pretty as the other. Anyhow, Iexpect to think so, because I'm aunt to both of them."
"That's right," laughed her mother; "be as impartial as you can."
"Mary we know to be a dear little thing, whom no one with any heartcould help loving," said Grandma Elsie, "and I am pretty certain wewill find Ray equally lovable."
"And isn't he some relation to you, grandma?" asked Elsie.
"Yes, through his father, who is a Dinsmore--a cousin of mine.Lucilla's married name is the same as was my maiden name."
"And Lu is my sister, and that makes me aunt to the dear little fellow,just as I am to Brother Max's little daughter. I think it's nice to beaunt to such dear babies."
From that time on Elsie watched with great interest the work of gettingthe little coach quite ready for its intended baby owner, which wasentirely completed before the _Dolphin_ reached the dock at Uniontown.Meantime, great preparations for the coming of her passengers had beengoing on at Woodburn, Ion, the Laurels, Riverside, Fairview, Roselands,Sunnyside and Beechwood. Nearly all the relatives from those places metthem on the landing, ready to convey them to their homes, or whereverthey might want to go. But that was to Woodburn for all, the captaintold them, great preparations having been made there, by his orderssent on some days previously, for a grand welcoming feast.
The Woodburn and Sunnyside carriages were in waiting, were entered assoon as the glad greetings had been exchanged, and all went on theirway rejoicing.
Lucilla, now quite able to be up and about, was there in the library,with her babe sleeping in a crib by her side. She would stay there, shetold Eva, who, with her baby, sat there with her; that she would wanther father to come to her there and see her and Ray alone before sheshould meet the others. "I want a private interview first, if only forfive minutes," she said. "Then I shall be ready and glad to see theothers."
"I shall see that it is as you wish, dear sister," said Evelyn, and shekept her word. The captain met her and Baby Mary as he stepped uponthe veranda, gave a warm embrace to each, then sent a hurried glancearound, evidently in search of Lucilla.
"Sister Lu wants to see you alone first, father, and show you her babyboy--your first grandson--with no one else to look on," Evelyn saidwith a smile. "She is in the library waiting for you."
"Ah, yes, that is well," he said, and hastened there while the otherswere still engaged in the exchange of greetings.
As he entered Lucilla started to her feet with a glad cry, "Oh, father,father, my own dear father!"
He caught her in his arms and held her fast, caressing her withexceeding tenderness.
"My darling, my own dear, dear child. God be thanked that I come hometo find you here, restored to usual health and strength."
"And you, father? You are well?" she asked, looking lovingly into hiseyes.
"Quite well, daughter mine," he answered with another tender caress,"and if I were not, the sight of this dear child of mine would bealmost enough to make me so."
"And the sight of your new grandchild, your first grandson, might helpthe cure, might it not?" she answered with a proud, joyful glancedirected at the tiny sleeper in the crib.
"Ah, what a darling!" her father said, releasing her and leaning overthe crib. "His grandfather's heart has wide room in it for him. He is abeautiful babe in his grandsire's eyes, a dear one to his grandfather'sheart. I feel very rich with two lovely grandchildren."
"May I come in?" asked Violet's voice at the door.
"Oh, yes, indeed, Mamma Vi," answered Lucilla in joyous tones. "Howglad I am to have you at home again," she added as they exchanged ahearty embrace. "Now come and look at my baby boy, my little Ray ofSunshine, from Sunnyside," she added with a gleeful laugh.
Violet's expressed admiration was quite equal to the mother's wishes."Oh, he is a lovely little fellow!" she exclaimed, leaning over thecrib as his grandfather had done; "and it's so fortunate that it is aboy, so that now we have both granddaughter and grandson."
Just then Grace's voice at the door asked, "May I come in?"
"Indeed you may!" cried Lucilla, running to meet her with delightedlook and outstretched arms. "Oh, Gracie dear, how I have been longingfor you, to see your dear face and show you my new treasure, my son andyour nephew. Come and look at him."
The words were accompanied by an ardent embrace each to the other, thenLucilla drew Grace to the side of the crib, the captain and Violetmaking room for her there, and bending over it she exclaimed, "Oh, Lu,what a darling, beautiful little fellow! As pretty, as lovely and sweetlooking as Max and Eva's little Mary, whom we all love so dearly."
Just then other voices were heard at the door, asking permission toenter, familiar voices--those of Dr. Harold, Elsie and Ned--and itbeing granted, the children rushed in, the doctor following with thebaby carriage that had been trimmed on board the _Dolphin_.
"A gift for that young gentleman from his loving grandsire, Mrs.Dinsmore," he announced with a graceful bow to Lucilla.
"Oh," she cried, clapping her hands in delight, "what a beauty! Thankyou, father dear, and you, too, Mamma Vi, and Sister Grace, for thebeautiful work is yours, I know. Oh, how good and kind you all are tome and my baby boy!" She was gloating over the pretty little vehicleand its adornment as she spoke. "What lovely lace and ribbons, thecolors exactly such as will show off to the best advantage my babyboy's complexion, hair and eyes. It is a delightful surprise, for I wasnot expecting anything of the kind."
"I am very glad it pleases you, my dear daughter," her father said,with his own kind smile, and laying a hand affectionately upon hershoulder.
"As I am," said Violet; "and I want you to know that mamma helpedlargely with the work of trimming the little coach. Your baby boy isrelated to her, she says."
"Yes, and I am glad to know it," smiled Lucilla; "and glad that mymarriage gives me some small claim to relationship to her. No one couldhave a right to claim it to a better, lovelier, dearer person."
"That is true, daughter," the captain said with emotion.
At that moment Chester came in with a pleased and cordial welcome tothe returned travellers, and presently all went out together to jointhe others--returned travellers, dear relatives and welcome guests.
To Grandma Elsie Lucilla gave the warmest of greetings and thanks forher share in trimming the lovely little coach for her baby boy.
"You are very welcome, my dear; it was a labor of love," was thegentle-spoken, smiling response.
There were hearty greetings, loving caresses, merry jests and happylaughter. No one was weary, for voyaging in Captain Raymond'swell-conditioned, well-furnished yacht was no strain upon the physicalnature; his late passengers were, therefore, in prime condition, aswere the other guests, coming from luxurious homes and not weary andworn with toil beyond their strength.
But soon came the call to the hospitable board, laden
with all theluxuries of the land and season, to which they brought good, healthfulappetites and where were enjoyed also to the full the pleasures ofsocial intercourse between those nearly related and of similar viewsand temperament. And that last went on after they had left the tablefor parlors and porches.
But at length the guests began to bid adieu until all had departedexcept the Sunnyside folk, who still sat on the veranda with theimmediate Woodburn family. The babies were both awake now, each restingon its mother's lap or in her arms.
"I feel very rich with two such grandchildren," observed the captain,glancing with a happy smile from one to the other.
"As we do, though they are not our grandchildren," laughed Chester."Don't we, Lu and Eva?"
Both ladies replied in the affirmative, each looking down with intense,joyful affection upon her little one.
"I should think you might, because they are both so pretty, sweet andgood," remarked their young aunt Elsie.
"Of course they are, and I'm glad to be their uncle," said Ned.
"As I am to be yours," said Dr. Harold, drawing him to a seat upon hisknee. "Are you glad to be at home again?"
"Yes, sir; and glad that you are to live here in our house now, insteadof taking Gracie away from us to some other place."
"I should be sorry, indeed, to take her away from you and the rest ofthe family here, and I don't think I shall ever carry her off very farfrom you and the others who love her so dearly," replied Harold; "butyou wouldn't mind my going, if I left her behind with you, would you?"
"Why of course I should, uncle doctor. I might get sick again andperhaps die if I hadn't you to cure me."
"Oh, that needn't follow while you have your other uncles--my brotherHerbert and Dr. Arthur Conly. Either of them would be as likely tosucceed in curing you as I."
"By the blessing of God upon their efforts," said the captain. "Butwithout that no one could succeed."
"Most true, sir, and I did not mean to ignore that undeniable andimportant fact," said Dr. Harold. "I never use a remedy without cravingHis blessing upon it, and I desire to give to Him all the glory and thepraise."
"Yes, we know you do, brother dear," said Violet, "and that is why weare so ready to trust our dear ones to your care when they are ill."
"And please understand that I was not doubting that or your knowledgeor skill," added Captain Raymond with most cordial look and tone.
Just then a colored man was seen coming up the driveway with two littlemonkeys in his arms.
"Oh," cried the children in delighted chorus, "there are our tee-tees.Ajax has brought them from Ion." And they ran to meet him, holding outtheir arms to their pets.
"Yaas, little massa and missus, I'se brung um, an' I reckon dey's gladto come," returned Ajax, loosening his hold, when the little fellowssprang from his arms to those of their young master and mistress, whoat once carried them up into the veranda and exhibited them with greatpride and pleasure, while the captain stepped down to the side of Ajaxand rewarded him liberally for the service done; thanking him, too, andbidding him carry warm thanks to those who had cared for the littleanimals and returned them in prime condition.
"We are so glad to get them back, the dear, funny little fellows,"remarked Elsie to Lucilla and Evelyn; "and they will make fun for ourlittle nephew and niece when they are old enough to understand andenjoy it."
"Thank you, Elsie dear," returned Eva with her own sweet smile.
"You are very kind, Sister Elsie, to begin so soon to think ofamusement for our babies," laughed Lucilla, "and I hope you and Ned maybe able to keep your monkeys alive and well till they are old enough toenjoy them."
"Yes, indeed, I hope so," responded Elsie. "I want both Mary and Ray tohave lots of fun when they are old enough for it."
"Yes," said Dr. Harold, "I am always in favor of timely, innocent funas a great promoter of health."
"Yes," said Lucilla, "'laugh and grow fat' is an old adage, and we'lltry to have our babies do it, won't we, Eva?"
"I certainly intend to do all I can to make my darling bit lassie bothhealthy and happy," returned Evelyn, looking down with a tender,loving smile at the little one on her knee. "But fun and frolic neednot fill up all the time. There is a quiet kind of happiness that wouldbe better as a steady diet, I think, than constant frolic and fun. Ihope she will be a contented little body, for there is much truth andwisdom in that other old adage, 'Contentment is better than wealth.'"
Both Violet and the captain expressed warm approval of her sentiments,as did Lucilla, Chester and Dr. Harold also.
"But I'd like to have some fun now with our tee-tees," said Ned,stroking and patting his as he held it in his arms. "I wish we had Maxor Cousin Ronald here to make them talk."
"I'd wish so, too, if it would do any good," said Elsie.
"No," laughed Lucilla, "it wouldn't, and I am reminded of the oldsaying, 'If wishes were horses, then beggars might ride.'"
"As you two are so glad to get your tee-tees back again, don't youfeel sorry for Lily and Laurie, that they had to part with them?" askedViolet.
"Yes, mamma," replied Ned, "I do; but they have had them a good while."
"I'm sorry for them," Elsie said in a regretful tone, "and I wish wecould buy them tee-tees or something else that they'd like just aswell."
"Perhaps we can," said their father. "We will think about it."
"Oh, papa, I'm glad to hear you say that," she said in joyous tones,"for I do feel sorry for them."
"And so do I," said Ned; "sorry enough to give all the pocket money Ihave now to buy them something nice."
Elsie and Her Namesakes Page 18
