CHAPTER XXI.
"Then all was jollity, Feasting and mirth, light wantonness andlaughter."
"It seems nice and warm here," remarked Lulu; "but," glancing about, "Idon't see any fire."
Her father pointed to a register. "There is a cellar underneath, and afurnace in it," he said. "I thought that the safest way to heat theserooms for the use of very little people. I do not want to expose you toany danger of setting yourselves on fire."
"It's getting a little dark," remarked Grace.
"Yes," he said. "We will go in now. It is time for you to be dressed forthe evening."
"Papa, who is to tell us what to wear,--you, or mamma Vi?" asked Lulu,as they pursued their way back to the house.
"You may wear your cream-colored cashmere with the cherry trimmings;Gracie, hers with the blue," he replied.
"That's just what I wanted you to say, papa! I like those dresses,"remarked Lulu with satisfaction.
"That is well: and Gracie, of course, is pleased; for she never objectsto any thing papa or mamma wishes her to do," he said, with a lovingglance down into the little girl's face.
"'Course not, papa; 'cause I know you and mamma always know best," shesaid, her blue eyes smiling up into his.
"And I mean to try to be like her in that, papa," Lulu said withunwonted humility.
"I hope so: I have no fault to find with your behavior of late," hereturned kindly.
They passed into the house, and in the hall met Christine and Alma.
"Ah! you have come, my good girls?" the captain said to them with apleased look. "Jane," to the girl who had admitted them, "show them totheir rooms."
Christine had come to assume her duties as housekeeper at Woodburn; Almawas to make her home there while still continuing to sew for thefamilies at Ion and Fairview--an arrangement which suited the sistersadmirably.
"Thanks, sir: it ees one grand place you haf here," said Christine. "Weshall be very pleased to haf so nice a home."
"I hope it will prove a happy one to you both," he returned kindly.Then, as they followed Jane to the rear of the mansion,--
"Now, children," he said, "make haste with your dressing."
"Yes, sir," they replied, hurrying up the broad stairway with willingfeet.
At its head they met Agnes, their mamma's maid.
"I'se to help yo' dress, Miss Lu and Miss Gracie," she said. "MissWi'let tole me so, and I'se laid out yo' things on yo' beds."
"What things? What dress for me?" asked Lulu sharply.
"De cream-colored cashmere, what Miss Wi'let corrected me to."
Lulu laughed. "Directed, you mean, Agnes. You may tie my sash when I'mready. I can do all the rest myself," she said, passing on into herbedroom, while Grace skipped gayly into hers.
"Mamma's very good to send you, Agnes," she said; "and you may pleasedress me as fast as you can, 'cause papa told us to make haste."
Grace was a favorite with Agnes as with all the servants at Ion.
"Ya'as, I'll dress yo' up fine, Miss Gracie, and make yo' look putty asa pink," she said, beginning her task.
"Lots ob folks comin' to-night, honey, and grand doin's gwine on in dekitchen and de dinin'-room. Dere's a long table sot out in de bigges'dinin'-room, and heaps and heaps ob splendiferous china dishes, widfruits and flowahs painted onto 'em, and silverware bright as de sun,and glass dishes dat sparkle like Miss Elsie's di'mon's; and in dekitchen dey's cookin' turkeys and chickens, and wild game ob wariouskinds, and oysters in warious styles; 'sides all de pastry and cakes andfruits and ices, and--oh, I cayn't begin to tell yo' all de good thingsthe captain has perwided! dere wasn't never nuffin' grander at Ion orWiamede or de Oaks, or any ob de grand places belongin' to ourfam'lies."
Grace was a highly interested listener.
"Oh," she said, "I want to see the table when it's all set and the goodthings on it! I wonder if papa will let me eat any of them."
"Maybe," said Agnes; "but you know, Miss Grace, yo's sickly,--leastways,not bery strong,--and de doctah doan' let you eat rich things."
"No," returned the little girl, sighing slightly, "but I do have a goodmany nice things; and I'd rather eat plain victuals than be weak andsick. Wouldn't you, Agnes?"
"Yaas, I reckon. Dere, you's done finished, Miss Gracie, and looks sweetas a rosebud."
"So she does," said Lulu, coming hurrying in from her room, arrayed inher pretty cashmere, and with a wide, rich sash-ribbon in her hand."Now, Agnes, if you will please tie my sash, I'll be 'done finished'too."
"O Lu!" exclaimed Grace in loving admiration, "I'm sure you must looktwice as sweet and pretty as I do."
Their father opened the door, and stepped in just in time to hear herwords, and, glancing smilingly from one to the other, said, "To papa'seyes, both his dear little girls look sweet and lovable. Agnes, theirappearance does you credit. Now, my darlings, we will go down to tea,for there is the bell."
"Have the folks come, papa?" asked Grace, putting her hand into his.
"No, daughter: they will probably not begin to come for an hour or so."
"Then, are we going to have two suppers?"
"Yes, one for ourselves--the children especially--at the usual hour, anda later one for the company. That last will be too late, and too heavy,for your weak digestion."
"But not for Max's and mine, will it, papa?" questioned Lulu.
"Yes, I fear so."
"But we are strong and healthy."
"And I wish to keep you so," he said pleasantly; "but you may restassured that I shall not deny you any enjoyment I think it safe to grantyou. Now sit down and be quiet till the blessing has been asked,"--forthey had reached the dining-room, and found Violet and Max there waitingfor them.
Lulu had overheard a good deal of the glowing account of the comingfeast to which Agnes had treated Grace, and, when at liberty to speakagain, asked, in a rather discontented tone, if she and Max were not tohave any share in the good supper being prepared for the expectedguests.
Instead of answering directly, the captain turned to his son, and asked,"Max, what do you think of this supper?"
"It's good enough for a king, sir," returned the lad heartily, glancingover the table as he spoke,--"the nicest of bread and butter, plenty ofrich milk and cream, canned peaches and plums, and splendid gingerbread.Why, Lu, what more could you ask?"
Lulu only blushed and hung her head in reply.
"I think it is a meal to be thankful for," remarked Violet cheerily;"but, my dear, you will let them share in some of the lighterrefreshments provided for the guests, won't you?"
"Yes, I intend they shall," replied her husband. "Even Gracie can, Ithink, eat some ice-cream with safety."
"Thank you, papa: I'll be satisfied with that, if you don't think it isbest for me to have any thing else," Lulu said, recovering her spirits.
They had scarcely left the table when the guests began to arrive, thosefrom Ion and Fairview coming first.
"Mamma, dearest mamma! welcome, a thousand times welcome, to our home!"exclaimed Violet, embracing her mother with ardent affection.
"I wish it were yours also, mother," the captain said: "there could beno more welcome inmate."
There were cordial, affectionate greetings for each of the others also:then, when outdoor garments had been laid aside, all were conducted overthe house, to be shown the improvements already made, and told of thosestill in contemplation.
It was a great delight to Lulu and Grace to exhibit their pretty roomsto Evelyn and Rosie, and hear their expressions of surprise andadmiration; and the pleasure was repeated several times, as the littlefolks from the Laurels, the Oaks, and the Pines arrived, and insuccession went the same round.
"I am pleased with all I have seen, Vi; but this room is especiallycharming to me," grandma Elsie said, when Violet led her a second timeinto the nursery, the rest of the Ion party having passed on down to theparlors. "Baby should be a merry, happy child, if pleasant, cheerfulsurroundings can make her so."
"I trust sh
e will, mamma," returned the young mother, leading the way tothe dainty crib where the little one lay sweetly sleeping.
Elsie bent over the little form, gazing at the sweet baby face with eyesbrimful of motherly love and tenderness.
"The lovely, precious darling!" she murmured softly. "I am so rejoiced,so thankful, to see her looking almost herself again!"
"As we are," said Violet, in low, tremulous tones. "Her father isextremely fond of her, mamma, as he is of all his children. I think hehas no favorite among them, but loves each one devotedly."
"As I do mine," Elsie responded, a bright, sweet smile lighting up herface. "I love you, my Vi, and all your brothers and sisters, verydearly,--each with a love differing somewhat in kind from that given tothe others, but not at all in intensity."
They lingered a moment longer, watching the young sleeper: then with aparting injunction to the nurse to be very careful of her, not leavingher alone for an instant, they went down-stairs again, and rejoined therest of the company.
Everybody had come, the last party of children just descended from theinspection of the rooms of Max and his sisters.
"Now, have we seen positively every thing?" asked Rosie Travilla.
"Why, no!" cried Max, as with sudden recollection. Then hurrying to hisfather, who was talking on the other side of the room to Dr. Conly, andMr. Horace Dinsmore of the Oaks, he stood waiting respectfully for anopportunity to speak.
The gentlemen paused in their conversations and the captain asked, "Whatis it, my son?"
"We haven't shown the workroom or the playroom, papa."
"Ah, sure enough! We must have them lighted first. Send Scipio out toput a lamp in each. Then the ladies' wraps will have to be brought down,for they would be in danger of taking cold going even that shortdistance without."
"I'll attend to it all, sir," Max rejoined with cheerful alacrity, andhastened away to do so.
In a few minutes all was in readiness.
Max, announcing the fact to his father, and the company in general, saiddubiously, "I'm afraid we can't go all at once: the rooms aren't bigenough to take in so many."
"So we will go in divisions," said Mr. Dinsmore. "There are thirty ofus--not counting the Woodburn family proper: we will make fivedivisions, six in each, in addition to the guide and exhibiter. Doeseverybody consent?"
"Yes, yes," was heard on every side.
Then ensued a merry time forming the divisions, and deciding the orderof precedence; for every one was in mirthful mood.
It was all settled at last. The visits of inspection were made:everybody agreed in praising all they saw, and congratulating Max andhis sisters on the good fortune that had befallen them.
The rest of the evening passed off very pleasantly. The feast wasenjoyed, every dish being pronounced a success: the Woodburn childrenwere satisfied with the share of it allowed them,--all the more,perhaps, that a like care was exercised by the parents and guardians ofthe other young folks in respect to their indulgence of appetite.
Grace bade good-night, and went to her nest at nine o'clock, a cheerful,happy child; but, as the party broke up at ten, Max and Lulu wereallowed to remain up to see them off.
Lulu had taken an early opportunity to give the invitation for the nextday to Evelyn, and it was joyfully accepted, "uncle Lester" giving readypermission.
"You'll come as soon as lessons are over at Ion, won't you?" asked Luluin parting.
"Yes, you may be sure I'll come the first minute I can," Eva answeredgayly. "I expect to have a lovely time with you in those beautifulrooms, and I've had a lovely time to-night. Good-by," giving her frienda hearty embrace.
"Well, children," the captain said at breakfast the next morning,"remember, I expect every one of you to be in the schoolroom at fiveminutes before nine, and to begin studying exactly at the hour."
"Every thing to be done with naval precision, I suppose," remarkedViolet, giving him a bright half-saucy smile; "that being, I understand,about on a par with military."
"Yes," he said, smiling in return, "that is to be the rule in this housefor every one but my wife: she is to follow her own sweet will in allthings."
"Ah!" she responded gayly, "I fear you do not realize what a rashpromise you are making; or, rather, how rash you are in according such aprivilege."
"It is hardly that," he answered: "acknowledging a right, would be myway of expressing it."
They had left the table and the breakfast-room, and were alone at themoment, the children having scattered to their work or play.
"How good you are to me, my dear husband!" she said, looking up fondlyinto his face as they stood together before the parlor fire.
"Not a whit better than I ought to be, my darling," he responded,bending to kiss the sweet, upturned face. "I have taken you from atender mother and a most luxurious home, and it must be my care to seethat you lose nothing by the transplantation--sweet and delicate flowerthat you are!"
"In my place, Zoe would call you an old flatterer," she returned with alight laugh, but a tell-tale moisture gathering in her eyes.
"And what do you call me, my Violet?" he asked, putting his arm abouther, and drawing her close to his side.
"The kindest, best, dearest of husbands, the noblest of men!"
"Ah, my dear! who is the flatterer now?" he laughed. "I'm afraid you andI might be accused of forming a mutual admiration society."
"Well, what if we do? isn't it the very best sort of a society forhusband and wife to form? Levis, am I to have no duties in this house?none of the cares and labors that the mistress of an establishment isusually expected to assume?"
"You shall have no care of housekeeping that I can save you from," hesaid. "I undertake that, with Christine as my head assistant; thoughyou, of course, are mistress, with the right to give orders anddirections whenever you will--to housekeeper, servants, children, evento your husband if you see fit," he concluded with a humorous look andsmile.
"The idea of my ordering you whom I have promised to obey," she returnedmerrily. "But I'm afraid you are going to spoil me. Am I to have nothingto do?"
"You are to do exactly what you please," he said: "the care and trainingof our little one, aside from all the assistance to be had fromservants, will furnish you with no small amount of employment."
"But you will help me with that?"
"Certainly, love; I intend to be as good and faithful a father to her asI know how to be: but you are her mother, and will do a mother's part byher, I know. Then, there are wifely duties which you would not wish todelegate to any one else."
"No, never!" she cried. "O my dear husband! it is the greatest pleasurein life to do any thing I can to add to your comfort and happiness."
"I know it, sweet wife. Ah!" glancing at his watch, "I must tear myselfaway now from your dear society, and attend to the duties of employerand teacher. I have some directions to give both _employees_ andchildren."
Grace ran and opened the schoolroom door at the sound of her father'sapproaching footsteps.
"See, papa," she said, "we are all here, waiting for you to come, andtell us what lessons to learn."
"Yes, you are good, punctual children," he replied, glancing at thepretty little clock on the mantel; "for it still wants five minutes tonine."
"Papa, I know what lessons to learn, of course," remarked Lulu; "but theothers are waiting for you to tell them."
"Yes. I shall examine Max first," the captain said, seating himself athis writing-table. "Bring your books here, my son."
"Are you dreadfully frightened, Maxie? very afraid of your new teacher?"Lulu asked laughingly as her brother obeyed the order.
"I don't expect to faint with fright," he returned; "for I've a notionhe's pretty fond of me."
"Of you and of all his pupils," the captain said. "Lulu, you may takeout your books, and begin to study."
When the tasks had been assigned to each, "Now children," he said, "I amgoing to leave you for a while. I can do so without fear that you willtake advant
age of my absence to idle away your time; for I know that youare honorable and trustworthy, also obedient. I have seldom known anyone of you to disobey an order from me."
"Thank you, papa," Max said, answering for both himself and sisters, andcoloring with pleasure as he spoke. "We'll try to deserve your praiseand your confidence. But are we to consider ourselves forbidden to speakat all to each other while you are gone?"
"No, not entirely; but do not engage in unnecessary talk, to the neglectof your studies."
So saying, he went out and left them.
Returning exactly at the expiration of the first hour for study, hefound them all busily at work.
He commended their industry, and gave permission for five minutes' rest.
They were prompt to avail themselves of it, and gathered about him fullof gleeful chat, the girls seating themselves one on each knee, Maxstanding close at his side.
School was a decided success that day, and neither teacher nor pupilssaw any reason to regret the establishment of the new order of things.
Evelyn came soon after they were dismissed, spent the afternoon andevening, and, when she left, averred that it had been the mostdelightful visit she had ever paid.