Elsie at Ion

by Martha Finley

  CHAPTER XIII.

  SOLON had an exciting tale to tell in the kitchen while he gave hishorses a brief rest before returning to Roselands for the remainingmembers of the family.

  It was listened to with intense interest, and many ejaculations ofastonishment at the sudden fall of the tree and of thankfulness that noone was hurt.

  “My!” exclaimed the cook, “it would ’a’ been a’ awful thing if MissElsie been ’long and got killed wid dat tree a-fallin’ onto her.”

  “Yes, tank de good Lord dat she wasn’t dar,” said Solon; “but I reckonshe’d mos’ rather be killed her own self dan have such ting happen toMarse Edward an’ Miss Zoe and de babies.”

  “Course,” put in another servant; “Miss Elsie she’s got de kindestheart in de world, and she loves her chillen and gran’chillen better’nher own life.”

  “I reckon dat’s so; but I must be goin’ back after Miss Elsie and deres’,” said Solon, picking up his hat and putting it on as he passedout into the grounds.

  His story caused great excitement at Roselands, and the whole Ionfamily, with their guests, hastened home in anxiety to hear the versionof the story Edward and Herbert would give, and to learn what had beenthe effect of the fright upon Zoe and the babies.

  Solon’s report was: “Miss Zoe she scared most to deff, and Mr. Ed’ardhe huggin’ her up, and comfortin’ her all de way home; an’ she’s afraidof de trees on de lawn at Ion, les’ dey falls suddent—like de one inde woods—and kill somebody. But Mr. Ed’ard he tells her to trust in deLawd, an’ she needn’t be ’fraid ob nothin’.”

  “And the babies, Solon?” asked Rosie; “weren’t they frightened almostinto fits?”

  “Not a bit, Miss Rosie,” returned Solon, chuckling; “dey’s just’sprised, dey was, an’ quiet as two little mouses. ’Spect dey’swonderin’ what makes deir mudder cry so, and deir fader hug her and demup so tight.”

  “Ah, here comes Herbert,” said Harold, who, with Croly, was ridingalongside of the carriage. “We’ll get the whole story from him.”

  “Ah, has Solon been telling you of our adventure in the woods thisevening?” asked Herbert, reining in his steed near at hand. “It wasquite an exciting one, and we have great reason for gratitude over ournarrow escape.”

  “As we all have,” returned his mother with emotion. “It was you,Herbert, was it not, who saw the tree tottering and gave warning to theothers?”

  “Yes, mother. I, being on horseback, had of course a much betteropportunity to see it than the others in the covered carriage; yet itwas a good Providence that turned my eyes in that direction at thatprecise moment, and thus saved, possibly, all our lives.”

  “Oh, we can never be thankful enough for that!” exclaimed his mother.“But Zoe was very much frightened, Solon says?”

  “Oh, very much, and no wonder, poor thing! But Edward took her and thebabies directly to their rooms, and I have not seen them since. I wrotemy letter, rode in to Union and mailed it, and have just ridden outagain.”

  The carriage had been at a standstill while they talked, but now Mrs.Travilla bade Solon drive on. They were very near home, and in anotherminute or two had turned in at the avenue gates.

  Edward was waiting on the veranda to assist them to alight, and hismother at once inquired anxiously about Zoe and the twins.

  “The little ones are asleep, and Zoe is resting pretty quietly now onher couch,” Edward replied. “I suppose Herbert and Solon have told youof our narrow escape from being crushed by a falling tree as we passedthrough that bit of woods?”

  “Yes; it was a wonderful escape,” Elsie returned in tones quiveringwith emotion. “I can never be thankful enough for the spared lives ofmy children. Would Zoe care to see her mother just now, do you think?”

  “Yes, yes, indeed, mother! Shall I take you to her now? Our guests willexcuse us, I know, and we will leave the others to entertain them.”

  Zoe, lying on the couch in her dressing-room, the crib with itssleeping little occupants within reach of her hand, started up witha glad cry, “O mamma, dear mamma, how glad I am to see you!” as herhusband and his mother came softly in and drew near where she lay.

  Elsie took her in her arms and held her close with low-breathed wordsof tenderness and love. “My dear girl! my dear daughter! thank God thatI have you safe in my arms again. How little I thought of such dangerwhen we parted an hour ago, and oh! to have lost you—my sons—Edward andHerbert, and the darling babies, or any one of you!—ah, it is almosttoo terrible to think of for a moment.”

  “Yes, mamma dear; even the sudden danger, though we all escaped, gaveme a shock that has completely unnerved me. I cannot forget for amoment how near we were to death—so sudden and dreadful—escaping onlyas by the skin of our teeth.”

  She shuddered and was silent for a moment, still clinging to hermother, and held fast in her loving embrace; then in a low, sweetvoice, “Mamma, dearest mamma,” she said, “this terrible experience,this narrow escape from a sudden, awful death, has proved to me ablessing in disguise. I have given myself to God and feel that he hastaken me for his very own child; and oh, amid all my suffering fromshattered nerves, there is a sweet peace in my heart such as I havenever known before!”

  “My dear, dear child!” Elsie exclaimed with emotion, “no sweeter,no gladder tidings could have reached me. It is an answer to prayeroffered for years that you—my Edward’s wife—might learn to know andlove the Lord who shed his own precious blood that we might haveeternal life.”

  “Yes, mamma, I wonder at myself that I could have ever resisted suchlove, that I did not give him my whole heart years ago, and strive toserve him with all my powers.”

  “Yes, dear little wife,” Edward said with emotion, “what seemed to usso terrible at the time has turned out a real blessing in disguise.”

  “So may every trial prove to you, my dear children,” said his mother.“I must leave you now; and Zoe dear, go to sleep in peace, fearingno evil. Remember and rest upon those sweet words: ‘The Lord is thykeeper; the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall notsmite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve theefrom all evil; he shall preserve thy soul.’”

  Edward saw his mother to the door and kissed her good-night.

  “My dear boy, I am very glad for you,” she said, “glad that you andyour young wife, the mother of your babes, are at last travelling thesame road, and may hope to spend a blest eternity together.”

  “Yes, mother dear, I think I have great reason to thank God for thatnarrow escape of ours from a sudden, terrible death,” he replied intones tremulous with emotion. “It was better than not to have been indanger, since it has proved to be the means of opening Zoe’s eyes toher guilt and danger as a sinner who had never sought pardon and safetyin the one way God has provided.”

  “Yes, my heart sings for joy for her and for you. But she is quiteworn out; get her to bed and to sleep as soon as you can.” So sayingElsie hastened downstairs, where she found the rest of her family andher guests sitting in the veranda talking over the events of the day,particularly the narrow escape of those present at the fall of the treein the wood.

  Both Harold and Herbert sprang up at sight of their mother and hastenedto hand her to a comfortable seat.

  “How is Zoe, Elsie?” asked her father.

  “A good deal shaken and exhausted by her fright, papa; but I hope anight’s sleep will restore her to usual health and spirits.

  “O Herbert, my dear son,” turning to him, “how thankful I am for yourescape as well as for theirs!”

  “As I am for your sake, mother, as well as my own,” Herbert returned,taking her hand and carrying it to his lips; for he had seated himselfclose at her side.

  “There’s the telephone bell!” exclaimed Rosie, springing to her feetand running into the hall.

  She found that Captain Raymond was calling from Woodburn to ask afterEdward, Zoe, and the others who had been present at the fall of thetree. He was glad to learn that t
hey had escaped injury and were doingwell.

  His inquiry was followed almost immediately by a similar one fromFairview, then from each of the other places with which Ion had suchconnection, and all expressed themselves relieved to learn that none ofthe little party had been injured.

  At Woodburn the captain and his two gentlemen guests sat conversingtogether.

  “This is a beautiful country, captain,” remarked Hugh. “Father and Iare so well pleased with it, and with the relatives we have found here,that we have serious thoughts of settling in the neighborhood.”

  “That would be pleasant for us,” said the captain, “and, by the way, Iheard to-day that our next neighbor talks of selling his plantation andleaving the vicinity.”

  “What! surely not that beautiful place that I was admiring the otherday?” questioned Cousin Ronald. “Beechwood I think you told me theycalled it.”

  “The very same,” replied the captain, “and we should all be very gladto see you and your son settled there.”

  “What do you say to that, laddie?” asked the old gentleman, turning toHugh.

  “It sounds very inviting, sir,” was the smiling reply; “and would notbe too distant from our proposed place of business.”

  “No, I think not; hardly more than fifteen minutes’ ride or drive fromthe village if one has the right kind of steed.”

  “Ah, you think of going into business in Union, do you?” inquired thecaptain in a tone of surprise.

  “Yes, I have been quietly spying out the land,” replied Cousin Ronald,“and if Hugh agrees with me in thinking it a suitable place for afactory, I think we shall buy and build there.”

  “That is a pleasant prospect for us,” said Captain Raymond. “If youlike, I will drive you both over there to-morrow and also take you tolook at Beechwood.”

  The offer was at once accepted with thanks, and dismissing his pupils alittle earlier than usual the next morning, the captain fulfilled hispromise to his guests.

  When they returned, the news they brought was that they had secureda suitable site for a factory in the outskirts of Union, and werecarrying on negotiations for the purchase of Beechwood.

  “But who is going to keep house for you, Cousin Ronald?” asked Lulu.

  “Marian, I hope,” replied the old gentleman, looking smilingly at her.“You can do that in addition to attending to your studies, can you not,my bonny lassie?”

  “I can try,” she said with a look of delight; “for oh, but it would bepleasant to have a home with my dear, kind old kinsman.”

  “And so near to us, Marian. I hope you are as glad of that as I am,”exclaimed Lulu.

  “Oh, yes, yes, indeed!” cried Marian. “I hope there will be seldom aday when we shall not see each other; for you are like a sister to me.”

  “And you will come here to recite every school day, I hope,” said thecaptain, “for I do not want to lose so painstaking, industrious, andpromising a pupil.”

  “Nor I so good and kind a teacher,” responded Marian, looking herthanks.

  “I am much pleased with the place and its near vicinity to this one,the home of kind and congenial relatives,” remarked Hugh Lilburn,“but as yet we are not entirely sure of securing it. You know the oldsaying, ‘There’s many a slip ’twixt the cup and the lip.’”

  “Very true, laddie,” said his father, “yet in this case I feel littleapprehension of failure.”

  “Do you not like the house, Cousin Hugh?” asked Marian.

  “It suits me nicely,” he replied, “and I think you can hardly fail tolike it. The grounds too are to my taste. I think if we are successfulin securing it, it will make us a delightful home.”

  By the next evening he was able to say they had secured it, and wouldget possession in a fortnight. Marian and Lulu were full of delight,and indeed every one seemed much pleased.

  “Will you move in as soon as the other folks are out, Cousin Ronald?”asked Grace.

  “We hope to do so,” he replied. “However, we shall need to do somefurnishing first. This is Saturday evening: Cousin Vi, do you think youand your mother could go with us to the city next Monday and help usmake our selection?”

  “Yes, indeed; I shall be delighted to do so, and I have no doubt mammawill gladly accompany us. Marian is to be one of the party, I suppose?”

  “Oh, yes, if the captain will give her leave of absence for a fewhours?”

  “Certainly, for an occasion so important,” the captain said pleasantly.

  “If it were holiday time Lulu too should be invited to accompany us,”remarked Mr. Lilburn, “and I hope there will be another time when shecan.”

  “Thank you, sir, I should be glad to go along if it were not that Iknow papa wants me to stay at home and attend to lessons; and I don’twant to miss them, as our holidays will soon begin.”

  “That’s right, lassie,” he said; “make good use of your fineopportunities, and learn all you can in these young days that you maybe the better prepared for usefulness in future years.”

  “Yes, sir; that is just what papa often says to us,” replied Lulu, witha loving smile up into her father’s face; “and I’ve found out that healways knows best about whatever concerns me.

  “Quite a fortunate discovery for you,” returned Mr. Lilburn with akindly smile, while the captain’s look was full of gratified approval.

  “My dear little daughter,” he said when he came to bid her good-nightin her room, “your willingness to stay at home and attend to lessonsinstead of going to the city to help Marian with her shopping pleasesme very much, because it shows that you have confidence in yourfather’s wisdom and his love for you.”

  He smoothed her hair caressingly and kissed her as he spoke.

  “Thank you for telling me that, you dear papa,” she returned, her eyesshining. “I know you love me, and that your requirements are alwaysmeant for my good; also that you are very wise and know what is bestfor your own little girl. Oh, I’m so glad I am your very own!” sheadded, hugging him with all her strength.

  “Not gladder than I am to own you, my darling,” he said, repeatinghis caress. “I should like to give you the pleasure of going were itnot that I feel that you have had already more interruptions to yourstudies than ought really to have been allowed.”

  “Yes, papa, I believe I have,” she returned, “and as I do want to be aswell educated as possible, so that I may be very useful if God sparesmy life, I really do not want you to indulge me more in play-times andholidays than you think best.”