CHAPTER XVI
Captain Raymond was sitting alone in the library at Viamede, busilyengaged in examining and answering letters received by that morning'smail when the telephone brought him Chester's message in regard toLucilla--her illness and the birth of their little son. It was newsof deepest interest and importance to the loving, anxious father. Heanswered at once, then went out into the grounds to seek his wife, who,with Elsie and Ned, had remained at home while the rest of their partyand neighbor friends had gone off on various excursions by land orwater.
Ned was not yet strong enough to be continually on the go, and hisparents and sister had elected to stay at home with him on thisoccasion. Violet was now sitting under the orange-trees with a childon each side, who were listening with keen interest to a story whichshe was reading to them. She paused at the sound of her husband'sfootsteps, and looking up into his face laughingly exclaimed, "Why, howhappy you look, my dear! Have you good news?"
"Yes, love," he replied. "I have a grandson; and mother and child seemto be doing well."
"Oh, papa! a grandson. Why, whose baby is it? Another for Eva?" queriedElsie in great excitement.
"No; it is your sister Lu who is the mother this time, and Chester isits father."
"Oh, a dear little boy! I wish we were there to see him," cried Ned.
"I hope to take you there in a few weeks," returned his father with apleased smile. "We won't delay much longer, for I should really like asight of the little fellow myself."
"As I certainly should," said Violet. "Dear Lu! I have no doubt sheis very happy over it. And they have named him for you, haven't they,Levis?"
"Yes, my dear; for me, his only living grandsire," returned thecaptain, tone and accompanying smile both showing the pleasure he feltin being thus affectionately remembered by both parents of the littleone.
"Yes, so you are; and I should have been exceedingly surprised had theygiven the child any other name; for Lu loves you with all her heart,and Chester seems to feel quite as if you were his own father."
"I believe that is so," returned the captain, his tone and countenanceexpressing satisfaction. "I am fortunate as concerns sons-in-law,except in the mixture of relationship in the gaining of the last, andthat seems to work well enough thus far."
"I think it does, and it has ceased to trouble me," said Violet. "Butthis news makes me feel like hurrying home to Woodburn, and I am surewill have that effect upon Grace when she hears it."
"I dare say," assented the captain; "and I think we need not lingerhere longer than another fortnight."
"I am so glad," cried Grace when she heard the news. "Lu wanted to giveyou your first grandson, and now she has got her wish."
"I fully appreciate the affection which prompted the wish, and amglad, especially for her sake, that it has been granted," returned thecaptain with a look that said even more than the words.
"As I am," said Dr. Harold; "especially as I know that it was Chester'swish as much as hers."
The Torriswood folk had come in with the Travillas, and now expressedtheir gratification at the news.
"A little nephew for us," exclaimed Maud. "And I am glad for Chester aswell as Lu, as it seems he wanted it; but I'm glad our baby is a girlthat we could name for dear Cousin Elsie," giving a warmly loving lookto Grandma Elsie as she spoke.
"As I am," said her husband, adding, "and I only hope that a closeresemblance in both looks and character may accompany the name."
"As I do in regard to my little darling," said Sidney and Dr. Johnson,speaking simultaneously; then they laughed, and Sidney added, "I shallwrite to the happy parents, offering my warm congratulations."
"And I shall do likewise," said Maud, "telling them I am glad I am auntto the wonderful little chap."
"And I shall write to Lu that she may consider me both his cousin andhis grandma," laughed Violet.
"Oh, mamma," exclaimed her daughter Elsie, "you know I don't like tohave you called a grandma. It sounds as if you were old, and you arenot at all old."
"Well, dear child, you needn't mind. It won't make me a day older,"laughed Violet.
"Nor me, although it would seem to make me a great-grandmother," addedGrandma Elsie pleasantly.
"While no one would suspect you from your looks of being even agrandmother," remarked the captain gallantly.
"No," said Dr. Percival; "I have seen many much younger women wholooked a great deal older."
"Oh, Dick, Dick, Cousin Dick, don't turn flatterer," she laughed,though looking not at all displeased. "Though I am not very sorry tohear such flattering remarks, as they are evidently pleasing to mychildren."
"Indeed they are," said Violet; "all the more so because we see thatthey are perfectly truthful."
"Well, it is high time that we busy doctors and proposed letter writerswere going home," said Dr. Percival, rising to take leave.
"Yes," said Maud, following his example, "especially as Elsie P. andElsie J. must be wanting their mothers by this time."
"So we are off for Torriswood," said Sidney. "Good-by, dear friendsand relatives, till next time. We hope to have this call returnedthis evening or to-morrow morning," and with that the four took theirdeparture.
"And I must write at once to dear Lu a letter of warm congratulation,"said Grace, following her father into the library, and being herselffollowed by Dr. Harold, announcing his intention to do likewise.
They were all letters which, when received by Lucilla, seemed to hervery sweet and refreshing, her father's even more so than either of theother two. But before they reached her she and Chester had had severalmessages from him by telegram or telephone. And all these were sharedwith Evelyn, Lucilla's constant, loved companion and dear sister.Most of them also by the nearby friends and relatives, whose loveand sympathy were shown by almost daily calls and hours of pleasantintercourse.
No one came oftener or showed more sympathy and kindness than Zoe, Mrs.Edward Travilla.
"I am glad for you, Lu, that your baby is a boy, since that was whatyou wanted," she remarked to Lucilla one day; "but for my part, if Ihave another child I hope it may be a girl, so that I can name it formamma. She is and has always been such a dear, kind mother to me."
"Yes, she is certainly one of the dearest and sweetest of women,"responded Lucilla heartily; "but there are so many Elsies that itreally seems a little confusing. I believe I should rather like to haveone myself if that were not the case," she added laughingly, "for I dodearly love Grandma Elsie, as I have been used to calling her. My, whata mixed-up set we are becoming! For, as you know, she is mother now tomy sister Grace."
"Who, to my delight, is my sister now, since she is the wife of myhusband's brother," returned Zoe exultingly.
"And mine, since I am the wife of her brother," laughed Evelyn. "Oh, weare a mixed-up set, but perhaps none the less happy and well off forthat."
"No, I think not," said Zoe.
"And I am quite sure of it," said Lucilla; "and as my husband is adistant relative of yours, Zoe, you and I can claim kin, can't we?"
"Yes, and we will. We will call ourselves cousins from this timeforward."
"And as my Aunt Elsie, Grandma Elsie's oldest daughter, is sister toyour husband, can't you and I claim kin, Zoe?" asked Evelyn.
"Certainly," promptly replied Zoe; "we will consider ourselves cousinsnow."
"So we will; it is a very comfortable way to settle matters," laughedEvelyn. "We have been calling you Aunt Zoe, but you are too young forthat, and we have been growing up to you in age."
"So you have. Well, how soon do you expect our kith and kin to comefrom Viamede to their more northern homes?"
"Father says in two or three weeks," replied Lucilla, "and I hope Ishall be allowed to sit up by that time. Oh, you don't know how I longto show him my little Ray of Sunshine!" she added, gently patting thesleeping babe by her side. "Oh, both Chester and I want very much tohave him resemble his grandfather, my dear father, in looks, characterand everything."
"As I hope and
believe he will," said Zoe in tones of sympathy andencouragement.