Elsie's Womanhood

by Martha Finley

  CHAPTER ELEVENTH.

  "Of truth, he truly will all styles deserve Of wise, good, just; a man both soul and nerve." --SHIRLEY.

  The story reached Mr. Travilla's ears that evening, and finding he couldbe spared from the sick-room, he hastened to the Oaks. His emotions weretoo big for utterance as he took his "little friend" in his arms andclasped her to his beating heart.

  "God be thanked that you are safe!" he said at last. "Oh, my darling, mydarling, what peril you have been in and how bravely you met it! You arethe heroine of the hour," he added with a faint laugh, "all, old andyoung, male and female, black and white, are loud in praise of yourwonderful firmness and courage. And, my darling, I fully agree with them,and exult in the thought that this brave lady is mine own."

  He drew her closer as he spoke, and just touched his lips to the shininghair and the pure white forehead resting on his breast.

  "Ah!" she murmured low and softly, a dewy light shining in her eyes, "whyshould they think it anything wonderful or strange that I felt littledread or fear at the prospect of a sudden transit from earth to heaven--aquick summons home to my Father's house on high, to be at once freed fromsin and forever with the Lord? I have a great deal to live for, lifelooks very bright and sweet to me; yet but for you and papa, I think itwould have mattered little to me had he carried out his threat."

  "My little friend, it would have broken my heart: to lose you were worsethan a thousand deaths."

  They were alone in Elsie's boudoir, but when an hour had slipped rapidlyaway there came a message from Mr. Dinsmore to the effect that theircompany would be very acceptable in the library.

  They repaired thither at once, and found him and Rose laying out plans fora summer trip. The matter was under discussion all the rest of the eveningand for some days after, resulting finally in the getting up a large partyof tourists, consisting of the entire families of the Oaks and Ion, withthe addition of Harry and Sophie Carrington, and Lora with her husband andchildren; servants of course included.

  They kept together for some time, visiting different points of interest inVirginia, Pennsylvania, and New York; spending several weeks at Cape May;where they were joined by the Allisons of Philadelphia; Mr. Edward andAdelaide among the rest, they having returned from Europe shortly before.

  At length they separated, some going in one direction, some in another.Lora went to Louise, Rose to her father's, Mrs. and Mr. Travilla tofriends in Cincinnati and its suburbs, and Elsie to pay a long-promisedvisit to Lucy in her married home, a beautiful country-seat on the banksof the Hudson. Her father saw her safely there, then left her for afortnight; their fears in regard to Jackson having been allayed by thenews that he had been again arrested for burglary, and Lucy and herhusband promising to guard their precious charge with jealous care.

  At the end of the fortnight Mr. Dinsmore returned for his daughter, andthey went on together to Lansdale to visit Miss Stanhope.

  Elsie had set her heart on having her dear old aunt spend the fall andwinter with them in the "sunny South," and especially on her being presentat the wedding; and Miss Stanhope, after much urging and manyprotestations that she was too old for such a journey, had at lastyielded, and given her promise, on condition that her nephew and nieceshould come for her, and first spend a week or two in Lansdale. Sheentreated that Mr. Travilla and his mother might be of the party. "He wasa great favorite of hers, and she was sure his mother must be a woman in athousand."

  They accepted the kindness as cordially as it was proffered; met theothers at the nearest point of connection, and all arrived together.

  It was not Lottie King who met them at the depot this time, but afine-looking young man with black moustache and roguish dark eye, whointroduced himself as Harry Duncan, Miss Stanhope's nephew.

  "Almost a cousin! Shall we consider you quite one?" asked Mr. Dinsmore,warmly shaking the hand held out to him in cordial greeting.

  "Thank you, I shall feel highly honored," the young man answered in agratified tone, and with a glance of undisguised admiration and arespectful bow directed towards Elsie. Then turning with an almostreverential air and deeper bow to Mrs. Travilla, "And, madam, may I havethe privilege of placing you alongside of my dear old aunt, and addressingyou by the same title?"

  "You may, indeed," was the smiling rejoinder. "And my son here, I suppose,will take his place with the others as cousin. No doubt we are allrelated, if we could only go back far enough in tracing out ourgenealogies."

  "To Father Adam, for instance," remarked Mr. Travilla, laughingly.

  "Or good old Noah, or even his son Japheth," rejoined Harry, leading theway to a family carriage sufficiently roomy to hold them all comfortably.

  "Your checks, if you please, aunt and cousins; and Simon here will attendto your luggage. Servants' also."

  Elsie turned her head to see a young colored man, bowing, scraping, andgrinning from ear to ear, in whom she perceived a faint resemblance to thelad Simon of four years ago.

  "You hain't forgot me, miss?" he said. "I'm still at de ole place wid MissWealthy."

  She gave him a smile and a nod, dropping a gold dollar into his hand alongwith her checks; the gentlemen said, "How d'ye do," and were equallygenerous, and he went off chuckling.

  As they drew near their destination, a quaint little figure could be seenstanding at the gate in the shade of a maple tree, whose leaves of mingledgreen and scarlet, just touched by the September frosts, made a brilliantcontrast to the sober hue of her dress.

  "There she is! our dear old auntie!" cried Elsie with eager delight, thatbrought a flush of pleasure to Harry's face.

  Miss Stanhope's greetings were characteristic. "Elsie! my darling! I haveyou again after all these years! Mrs. Vanilla too! how kind! but you tellme your face is always that. Horace, nephew, this _is_ good of you! AndMr. Torville, I'm as glad as the rest to see you. Come in, come in, all ofyou, and make yourselves at home."

  "Does Mrs. Schilling still live opposite to you, Aunt Wealthy?" askedElsie as they sat about the tea-table an hour later.

  "Yes, dearie; though she's lost all commercial value," laughed the oldlady; "she's taken a second wife at last; not Mr. Was though, but anewcomer, Mr. Smearer."

  "Dauber, auntie," corrected Harry, gravely.

  "Well, well, child, the meaning's about the same," returned Miss Stanhope,laughing afresh at her own mistake, "and I'd as soon be the other as one."

  "Mrs. Dauber wouldn't though," said Harry. "I noticed her face grow as redas a beet the other day when you called her Mrs. Smearer."

  "She didn't mind being Mrs. Sixpence, I think," said Elsie.

  "Oh yes, she did; it nettled her a good deal at first, but she finally gotused to it; after finding out how innocent auntie was, and how apt tomiscall other names."

  "But I thought she would never be content with anybody but Mr. Wert."

  "Well, she lost all hope there, and dropped him at once as soon as Daubermade his appearance."

  Mr. Dinsmore inquired about the Kings. Elsie had done so in a private chatwith her aunt, held in her room directly after their arrival.

  "The doctor's as busy as ever, killing people all round the country; he'svery successful at it," replied Miss Stanhope; "I've the utmost confidencein his skill."

  "You are a warm friend of his, I know, aunt," said Mr. Dinsmore, smiling,"but I would advise you not to try to assist his reputation amongstrangers."

  "Why not, nephew?"

  "Lest they should take your words literally, auntie."

  "Ah, yes, I must be careful how I use my stumbling tongue," she answeredwith a good-humored smile. "I ought to have always by, somebody to correctmy blunders. I've asked Harry to do me that kindness, and he often does."

  "It is quite unnecessary with us; for we all know what you intend to say,"remarked Mrs. Travilla, courteously.

  "Thank you, dear madam," said Miss Stanhope; "I am not at all sensitiveabout it, fortunately, as my nephew knows, and my
blunders afford as muchamusement to any one else as to me; when I'm made aware of them."

  "Nettie King is married, papa," said Elsie.

  "Ah! Lottie also?"

  "No, she's at home and will be in, with her father and mother, thisevening," said Aunt Wealthy. "I've been matching to make a hope betweenher and Harry, but find it's quite useless."

  "No, we're the best of friends, but don't care to be anything more,"remarked the young gentleman, coloring and laughing.

  "No," said Mr. Travilla, "it is said by some one that two people with hairand eyes of the same color should beware of choosing each other aspartners for life."

  "And I believe it," returned Harry. "Lottie and I are too much alike indisposition. I must look for a blue-eyed, fair-haired maiden, whose mentaland moral characteristics will supply the deficiencies in mine."

  "Gray eyes and brown; that will do very well, won't it?" said the old ladyabsently, glancing from Elsie to Mr. Travilla and back again.

  Both smiled, and Elsie cast down her eyes with a lovely blush, while Mr.Travilla answered cheerily, "We think so, Miss Stanhope."

  "Call me Aunt Wealthy; almost everybody does, and you might as well beginnow as any time."

  "Thank you, I shall avail myself of the privilege in future."

  The weather was warm for the time of year, and on leaving the table thewhole party repaired to the front porch, where Harry quickly providedevery one with a seat.

  "That is a beautiful maple yonder," remarked Mr. Travilla.

  "Yes, sir," returned Harry; "we have a row of them all along the front ofthe lot; and as Mrs. Dauber says, they are 'perfectly gordeous' in thefall."

  "The maple is my favorite among the shade leaves," remarked Miss Stanhope,joining in the talk, "from the time it trees out in the spring till thebare become branches in the fall. Through this month and next they're aperpetual feast to the eye."

  "Aunt, how did you decide in regard to that investment you wrote toconsult me about?" asked Mr. Dinsmore, turning to her.

  "Oh, I concluded to put in a few hundreds, as you thought it safe, on theprinciple of not having all my baskets in one egg."

  "Small baskets they would have to be, auntie," Harry remarked quietly.

  "Yes, my eggs are not so many, but quite enough for an old lady like me."

  As the evening shadows crept over the landscape the air began to bechilly, and our friends adjourned to the parlor.

  Here all was just as when Elsie last saw it; neat as wax, everything inplace, and each feather-stuffed cushion beaten up and carefully smoothedto the state of perfect roundness in which Miss Stanhope's soul delighted.

  Mrs. Travilla, who had heard descriptions of the room and its appointmentsfrom both her son and Elsie, looked about her with interest: upon the oldportraits, the cabinet of curiosities, and the wonderful sampler worked byMiss Wealthy's grandmother. She examined with curiosity the richembroidery of the chair cushions, but preferred a seat upon the sofa.

  "Dr. and Mrs. King and Miss Lottie!" announced Simon's voice from thedoorway, and the three entered.

  Lively, cordial greetings followed, especially on the part of the twoyoung girls. Mrs. Travilla was introduced, and all settled themselves fora chat; Lottie and Elsie, of course, managing to find seats side by side.

  "You dearest girl, you have only changed by growing more beautiful thanever," cried Lottie, squeezing Elsie's hand which she still held, andgazing admiringly into her face.

  Elsie laughed low and musically.

  "Precisely what I was thinking of you, Lottie. It must be your own faultthat you are still single. But we won't waste time in flattering eachother, when we have so much to say that is better worth while."

  "No, surely; Aunt Wealthy has told me of your engagement."

  "That was right; it is no secret, and should not be from you if it werefrom others. Lottie, I want you to be one of my bridesmaids. We're goingto carry Aunt Wealthy off to spend the winter with us, and I shall not becontent unless I can do the same by you.'

  "A winter in the 'sunny South!' and with you; how delightful! you dear,kind creature, to think of it, and to ask me. Ah, if I only could!"

  "I think you can; though of course I know your father and mother must beconsulted; and if you come, you will grant my request?"

  "Yes, yes indeed! gladly."

  Aunt Chloe, always making herself useful wherever she went, was passingaround the room with a pile of plates, Phillis following with cakes andconfections, while Simon brought in a waiter with saucers and spoons, andtwo large moulds of ice cream.

  "Will you help the cream, Harry?" said Miss Stanhope. "There are twokinds, you see, travilla and melon. Ask Mrs. Vanilla which she'll have; orif she'll take both."

  "Mrs. Travilla, may I have the pleasure of helping you to ice cream?" heasked. "There are two kinds, vanilla and lemon. Let me give you both."

  "If you please," she answered, with a slightly amused look; for thoughAunt Wealthy had spoken in an undertone, the words had reached her ear.

  "Which will you have, dearies?" said the old lady, drawing near the younggirls' corner, "travilla cream or melon?"

  "Lemon for me, if you please, Aunt Wealthy," replied Lottie.

  "And I will take Travilla," Elsie said, low and mischievously, and with amerry twinkle in her eye.

  "But you have no cake! your plate is quite empty and useless," exclaimedthe aunt. "Horace," turning towards her nephew, who was chatting with thedoctor at the other side of the room, "some of this cake is very plain;you don't object to Elsie eating a little of it?"

  "She is quite grown up now, aunt, and can judge for herself in suchmatters," he answered smiling, then turned to finish what he had beensaying to the doctor.

  "You will have some then, dear, won't you?" Miss Stanhope inquired in hermost coaxing tone.

  "A very small slice of this sponge cake, if you please, auntie."

  "How young Mr. Travilla looks," remarked Lottie, "younger I think, than hedid four years ago. Happiness, I presume; it's said to have that effect. Ibelieve I was vexed when I first heard you were engaged to him, because Ithought he was too old; but really he doesn't look so; a man should beconsiderably older than his wife, that she may find it easier to look upto him; and he know the better how to take care of her."

  "I would not have him a day younger, except that he would like to benearer my age, or different in any way from what he is," Elsie said, hereyes involuntarily turning in Mr. Travilla's direction.

  They met the ardent gaze of his. Both smiled, and rising he crossed theroom and joined them. They had a half hour of lively chat together, thenMrs. King rose to take leave.

  Mr. Travilla moved away to speak to the doctor, and Lottie seized theopportunity to whisper to her friend, "He's just splendid, Elsie! I don'twonder you look so happy, or that he secured your hand and heart afterthey had been refused to dukes and lords. You see Aunt Wealthy has beentelling me all about your conquests in Europe," she added, in answer toElsie's look of surprise.

  "I am, indeed, very happy, Lottie," Elsie replied in the same low tone; "Iknow Mr. Travilla so thoroughly, and have not more perfect confidence inpapa's goodness and love to me, than in his. It is a very restful thing tohave such a friend."

  Dr. King's circumstances had greatly improved in the last four years, sothat he was quite able to give Lottie the pleasure of accepting Elsie'sinvitation, and at once gave his cordial consent. Mrs. King at firstobjected that the two weeks of our friends' intended stay in Lansdalewould not give sufficient time for the necessary additions to Lottie'swardrobe; but this difficulty was overcome by a suggestion from Elsie. Shewould spend two or three weeks in Philadelphia, attending to thepurchasing and making up of her trousseau, she said, and Lottie's dressescould be bought and made at the same time and place.

  The two weeks allotted to Lansdale of course passed very rapidly;especially to Harry, to whom the society of these new-found relatives wasa great pleasure, and who on their departure would be left behind, withon
ly Phillis for his housekeeper.

  The latter received so many charges from Aunt Wealthy in regard to carefulattention to "Mr. Harry's" health and comfort, that at length she grewindignant, and protested that she loved "Mr. Harry as if he was her ownchild--didn't she nuss him when he was a little feller? and there was no'casion for missus to worry an' fret as if she was leavin' him to astranger."

  It was not for want of a cordial invitation to both the Oaks and Ion thatHarry was left behind; but business required his presence at home, and hecould only promise himself a week's holiday at the time of the wedding.