CHAPTER XXI.
Dorothy came in the next morning soon after breakfast, looking cheerfuland bright.
"You two girls are to come to our house directly after shutting uphere," she said. "I arranged it all with your uncles last evening--thatis Aunt Sarah and I; we both want you, and so do uncle and the boys.They say you have hardly been there to make any stay at all, Ethel, andthat it is Blanche's old home; so of course you ought both to come, andwe have coaxed Uncle Albert to consent. You see I told him I wanted tohelp with your sewing and that you could run in to have a talk with himin the evenings, or he come into our house; and as he couldn't see muchof you at any other time--being down at his store all day--he finally gaveup with pretty good grace and said I might have it my own way. I am sureit is only right that I should, for I really care more about you thanany of his girls do. Now tell me honestly wouldn't you be as willing tospend those last weeks with us as with them?"
"Well," returned Ethel with a smile, "I cannot deny that I should. I donot know which of my uncles I love best; and you, Dorothy, are morecongenial and seem to care more for us than Uncle Albert's daughters. SoI am well pleased with the arrangement you propose. It is very kind inyou to offer your help with our sewing too."
"Yes, indeed," said Blanche. "You are more like an own cousin to us thanany one of the girls in the other house; and I'm very fond of UncleGeorge and his boys; of Aunt Sarah too, for she has been really kind tous for years."
"Then you'll come to us?"
"Yes, gladly," returned both girls, Blanche adding, "I am sure it willbe the best and pleasantest plan that could be thought of; especially aswe can see about as much of Uncle Albert as if we were spending our daysand nights in his house."
"Good girls!" said Dorothy. "And you'll let me help with your shopping,won't you?" A glad assent was given to that, for Dorothy was anexcellent shopper, and Ethel and Blanche felt that to have her taste andjudgment to rely upon would be a great help to them. They said as much,and Dorothy looked highly pleased.
They were in the back part of the store, Blanche running thesewing-machine while Ethel busied herself with a bit of needlework, forno customer was in at the moment.
"I don't think I have seen all you have been at work upon for yourwedding outfits," said Dorothy.
"No," replied both girls, "we have not shown you nearly all," Blancheadding, "You take her upstairs and show her both yours and mine, Ethel.I will stay here to attend to any customer who may happen to come in."
"No, sister," said Ethel, "it would hardly be fair for me to have allthat pleasure, leaving you to do all the work. I will show my own, thencome down and let you go up and exhibit yours."
"Very well," laughed Blanche, "anything to please you, sister mine."Then to Dorothy, "Isn't she the most unselfish, girl you ever saw?"
"I never saw one who had less selfishness in her, and I think PercyLandreth a most fortunate fellow," replied Dorothy, giving Ethel a lookof mingled admiration and affection.
"And I think I am the fortunate one," Ethel said with a joyous smile."Percy Landreth is no common man, and how he came to fancy me passes mycomprehension."
"Ah, there is no accounting for tastes, my dear," laughed Dorothy asthey left the room together. "Ah, what lovely work!" she exclaimed asEthel took garment after garment from a bureau drawer and spread themabout on the bed, for her inspection. "You must have been veryindustrious to have accomplished so much in so short a time."
"No," said Ethel, "some of it was done months ago and intended forsale."
"Oh, yes; before your engagement?"
"Yes; you see I had no other employment for my fingers while chattingwith Mrs. Landreth and the others in Mrs. Keith's parlor or on theporches during the day. Of course in the evening, after sundown, we allgave our eyes and fingers a rest."
"But not ears and tongues, I presume," laughed Dorothy. "Well, it seemsthere will hardly need to be much more sewing done except on thedresses. The shopping for them will be very enjoyable, I think; for Idearly love to look at pretty things. Suppose we make a beginning thisafternoon. The uncles will supply the needed money if we go down to theoffice for it. Indeed we can buy a good deal from them, telling themthey are to let us have the goods at wholesale prices; and if theyobject that they are not retailers, we will consent to take them inwholesale quantities."
"That might do very well," Ethel said with a smile, "if you will engageto be bridesmaid and wear a dress off the same piece with Blanche's andmine."
"No objection in the world to that, if Blanche agrees to it," saidDorothy. "But what a pity your uncles haven't kept the kind of goods yousell! It might have been such a help to you. Now please run down andsend Blanche up to show me her pretty things. After that, if you like,we will start out on our expedition."
Ethel did as requested. Blanche's garments were displayed, and receivedas high commendation as those of her sister; then Ethel dressed for thestreet, and she and Dorothy started out for the proposed call upon theuncles, and the shopping that was to follow.
"Ah, young ladies, how do you do? Whatever may have brought you, I ampleased to see your bonny faces," was Mr. George Eldon's greeting asthey entered his office, where they found him alone, his brother havinggone out on some errand connected with their business. "Sit down andtell me your errand; for I presume you have one."
"Yes, uncle, we are out shopping for wedding dresses," returned Dorothylaughingly.
"And want some money, I suppose," he said, turning to his desk.
"Yes, sir, or goods; we would be willing to take a whole piece of whitesilk or satin at wholesale price, if you will let us have it out of yourstore and provide the money to pay for it."
"Would you, indeed?" he asked with a grim smile. "Well, perhaps I mightas well close at once with so good and desirable an offer as that--reallysuch an one I never had before. Come along, both of you, into the storeand we will see what we can find."
He showed them the goods himself, looking gratified with the delightthey manifested in gazing upon them, commenting upon their beauties,exclaiming again and again, "Oh, how lovely! What a beautiful dressmight be made of that!" "Oh, that is fit for a queen!"
"Well, Ethel, which will you have?" he asked at length.
"Oh, uncle," she said, "I fear they are all too beautiful and expensivefor me; something not so----"
"Whichever you choose is to go at wholesale price, remember," he said,not allowing her to finish her sentence, "and your uncles are to settlethe bill, so take whichever you prefer without reference to the price."
"Oh, uncle, you are too good and kind!" she said, her eyes filling withtears of gratitude.
"Not a bit, my dear," he returned in kindest tones. "But choose quickly,for my time is precious. How would this answer?" indicating a beautifulgrosgrain silk. "I think it contains about three dress patterns andwould make up prettily for you, your sister, and Dorothy here. Will itsuit you both?"
"Yes, sir; oh, yes! It is only too lovely, too costly for--for me."
"Not a bit of it!" cried Dorothy, "though it may be for me, as I am tobe only a bridesmaid."
"In that case you can lay it aside for use when you become a brideyourself," said Mr. Eldon. "Here, Smith," to one of the clerks, "takecharge of this package and see that it is sent up to my house some timein the course of the day. Now, young ladies," leading the way to anotherpart of the store, where he showed them some beautiful laces, saying,"Select whichever you like best for trimming the dresses and bridalveils."
"Oh, uncle, it is too much!" exclaimed Ethel humbly. "It would belovely, but we can do very well without such things."
"Yes," he said, "I presume the knots could be tied just as tight withoutany such adornment for the brides, but I must acknowledge that I shalltake some pride and pleasure in seeing my nieces suitably adorned fortheir bridal. Nor am I going to ruin myself doing it. I have nodaughters of my own, you know, so may well afford it for you andBlanche; Dorothy, also, when her turn comes."
"Thank you, uncl
e," laughed Dorothy, "but I am doubtful of ever wantingbridal attire; good men and true are so scarce, you know--out of thefamily, I mean, of course--but I am exceedingly obliged for thebridesmaid's dress you have so generously bestowed upon me."
"You are most welcome," he replied. "Will you take the lace with you? orshall I send it with the dress goods?"
"Oh, I will carry it myself if you'll let me," said Dorothy. "Blanchemust see it, and I promise to take the best possible care of it."
"Very well," he returned. "We will go back to the office now, for I mustgive you some money to do such shopping as must needs be doneelsewhere."
"I feel as if I were really in danger of impoverishing you, uncle,dear," said Ethel as he put a roll of banknotes in her hand.
"Not at all, as you don't marry every day," he said laughingly. "In thatcase it might do some damage. I wish you success with your shopping, andshall be glad to see you, Blanche, and Harry too whenever you see fit toclose out your business and come to make your home with us until youwant to change for the western one in prospect before you. Your AuntSarah and I are both ready to give you a warm welcome."
"Dear uncle," Ethel said with emotion, "you could scarcely be kinder tous if we were your own daughters."
"I almost wish you were," he returned, "though that would make it allthe harder to part with you for the benefit of those young men from theWest. Good-by now for the present, and I wish you success with yourshopping. Give my love to your sister, and tell her I hope the silk andlace will be suited to her taste."
"O Dorothy, isn't he kind? whose uncles are better than ours?" exclaimedEthel as they walked up the street.
"Who, indeed!" said Dorothy. "Uncle George has always been good as goldto me. O Ethel, what perfectly lovely silk and lace he has given us! Ishall be surprised if Blanche does not go almost wild with delight whenshe sees them."
"Yes, they seem too beautiful and costly for girls so poor as we are.Yet I can't help feeling greatly pleased to have them. The Landreths arewealthy, as perhaps you know, and I own I did feel a little reluctant togo among them poorly dressed, especially as a bride."
"Well, you see you won't have to, and I am sure your uncles never meantyou should; they have too much family pride for that, even if they didnot love the girls and Harry also, and I am sure they do."
"Yes, I know they do," said Ethel, "and I esteem their fatherlyaffection a very great blessing; as I should even if they were not ableto help us at all."
"I do not doubt it in the least. But to change the subject--you must havea travelling dress, and I think a certain shade of gray, with a hat andfeather to match, would be the very thing."
"I agree with you," said Ethel, "and they would be pretty for Blanchetoo."
"Yes; but hers might be of a slightly different shade, as you don't--atleast I presume you don't want to dress exactly alike and have peopletaking you for twins," she concluded laughingly.
"No, not exactly, except in our wedding dresses," returned Ethel with asmile. "But if we choose, we can have them made up a little differently;the way of putting on the lace might be different if nothing else."
"Yes, and that will be quite enough difference to prevent you or anybodyelse from mistaking one for the other or thinking you a pair of twins. Ithink you ought each to have a handsome black silk too, and some prettyhome and morning dresses. But fortunately we don't need to purchase, oreven to decide on, everything to-day."
"No, we don't, and it is well, for I want to consult my sister first.She has as much right as I to decide these questions."
"I agree with you," said Dorothy, "but you are better than some sistersor you wouldn't be so ready to own it; some would say, 'I'm the eldest,and things ought all to be as I want them.'"
"Blanche always wants me to have my own things exactly as I want them,and reserves the same privilege for herself, which I think is the betterway; for what is becoming to one is not always equally so to the other."
"No, your complexions are different, but both beautiful. I have neverbeen able to decide which was the prettier, and would be only toothankful to exchange with either of you," said Dorothy in her merrytones.
"O Dorothy, how can you say that?" exclaimed Ethel. "I call you verypretty; you are not fair, but your skin is so smooth and soft, and youhave such a lovely bright color in your cheeks, such large handsome eyeswith long, silky lashes that curl so prettily, such beautiful teethand----"
"Oh, stop, stop, you little flatterer!" exclaimed Dorothy. "You'll haveme as vain as a peacock, which will entirely spoil any pretensions tobeauty that I may be supposed to have. Ah, let us go in here. They havethe loveliest dress goods, and I dare say we can find the very shade ofgray cloth wanted for your travelling suit."
Several hours were spent in shopping; then they returned to Ethel'slittle home laden with parcels, though the heavier bundles had all beenleft to be sent, either there or to Mr. George Eldon's.
"Oh, I am glad to see you!" cried Blanche as they entered, "and thoughyou do look tired, I know by your happy faces that you've beensuccessful, and by the looks of your satchels that you have a good manypretty little things to show me; but dinner's just ready and I can waittill you have refreshed yourselves with food. We will all enjoy theexhibition better after that has been attended to; so come out to thedining room," and she led the way as she spoke.
"Really I don't know whether we can wait to make our importantcommunications," said Dorothy, laying down her satchel and removing herhat and coat. "However, Ethel, it may be the wisest plan, if we considerBlanche's good; since what we have to say and to show might destroy herappetite for this dinner, which certainly smells very nice andappetizing. I think you will discover that I have not lost, by the way,my relish for good, substantial, well-prepared food. Partaking of itwill doubtless greatly assist me in abstaining from unwisely makingprompt revelation concerning the doings and happenings of our lateexpedition--the raids we have made upon merchants, wholesale and retail."
"And the plunder you have brought off, eh?" queried Blanche sedately,but with a twinkle of fun in her eye.
"That is included, of course," returned Dorothy.
"It is not according to one's strongest inclinations--this proposedwaiting," Ethel said laughingly, "but let us show how bravely we canbattle against them when we feel called upon to do so. Shall I help youto some oysters, Dorothy?"
"Indeed you may, my dear girl. I am particularly fond of oysters whenwell prepared, as I have always found them here, and hungry enough toeat almost anything."
"I am glad to hear it," said Blanche, "since it will tend to cause youto more highly appreciate our humble fare."
"Now don't put on any airs of mock humility, if you please, Miss Eldon,"returned Dorothy. "I say this dinner is fit for a king; sufficientvariety, and everything done to a turn. These oysters, this Sally Lunn,these baked potatoes are all delicious; and I never drank a better cupof coffee. So what more could any reasonable mortal ask?"
"I don't know really," returned Blanche, "except in my case--that I maybe told what you two have seen, and done, and bought. Did you find ouruncles in?"
"The senior partner was there in his office, the other out; so that wemissed seeing him altogether. You will hear the rest after we have fullysatisfied our appetites; but remember, my lady, it was not your thingsbut Ethel's we were buying to-day. You have probably been told more thanonce in the course of your short life, that older people must beattended to first, younger ones wait patiently till their turn comes."
"Yes, I remember to have been told something of the sort several timesin my life," said Blanche; "but I venture to predict that I shall nothear it very often after a certain ceremony expected to be performedwithin the next two or three months."
"Ah, after that you will probably consider yourself a much moreimportant personage than--such of your sex as see fit to live in singleblessedness."
"Possibly," returned Blanche with an arch look and smile.
So they chatted on for some little
time, then Dorothy exclaimed, "There,we are all done eating, I see, so suppose we proceed now, Ethel, todisplay our purchases to Blanche's astonished eyes."
"Yes," Ethel replied, "but let us carry them into the parlor so that wecan be on the watch for customers while Bridget eats her dinner."
They did so and Dorothy was in her element, opening packages anddisplaying the contents to Blanche's delighted eyes.
"Oh, everything is just lovely!" she said, her eyes dancing with mirth."I doubt if you could have done better even with my assistance andadvice--valuable as my friends have always found them."
"Possibly not," returned Dorothy; "but wind and weather permitting, andnothing else interfering, I hope to take you out to-morrow, my littledear, and give you the opportunity to show your talent in this line. Nowwe have shown you everything we bought to-day except the wedding dressand its trimmings."
"Oh, did you get them? Let me see them!" cried Blanche in an eager,excited tone.
"Unfortunately we cannot show the dress, or rather dresses--for UncleGeorge gave us a whole piece of the loveliest white silk, enough to makethree gowns--one for Ethel, one for you, and one for myself, and----"
"Oh, did he? How kind and generous!" cried Blanche half breathlessly.
"Yes, and this lace to trim them with," said Dorothy, taking the lastremaining package from her satchel, adding as she undid it, "but I can'tshow you the silk because it was ordered to be sent right up to hishouse. I dare say it's there by this time, and you can call and look atit when you will. There! what do you think of that?" throwing open herpackage and holding up a portion of the lace to view.
"Oh! oh! oh! it's the loveliest thing I ever saw!" was Blanche's excitedexclamation. "Did you say Uncle George gave it to us! I don't see how hecould afford it, for it must have cost a mint of money."
"He said we were to have it at wholesale price and take the money to payfor it from him."
"Oh!" gasped Blanche, "I hope he won't ruin himself."
"No danger, my dear; for though very, very generous he is exceedinglycareful too; as a business man should be."
"Or a business woman, or any other kind of man or woman," added Ethelwith a smile. "I think both our uncles are exceedingly kind to us all. Ioften wish it were in my power to make them some adequate return."
"Perhaps it may be some day," said Blanche; "or, if not to them, totheir children."
"Yes," said Dorothy, "there are so many ups and downs in this world;perhaps I might say particularly in this country. I must go home now,girls; it won't do to leave Aunt Sarah alone all day. But see that youare ready for your turn at shopping early to-morrow morning, Blanche, ifthe weather is at all suitable. Better make out a list of necessaryarticles, so that we won't forget and spend the money on the wrong ones.By the way, girls, I shouldn't buy any more handsome dresses--except ofcourse Blanche's travelling suit--till we see what your Uncle Albert willdo to get even with his brother in that line."
"Yes, he too is exceedingly generous," said Ethel; "but I think heshould remember that he has more children of his own to provide for thanUncle George has."
"Yes; and not the most economical ones in the world either," laughedDorothy as she stood before the glass, putting on her hat. "I must gonow," she said, picking up her satchel, "and I'll expect you bright andearly in the morning, Blanche. You'd better come for me so that you cantake a look at the silk for the wedding dresses."
"So I will; I want to see it, as who wouldn't if she expected to bemarried in it?" returned Blanche as she and Ethel went with Dorothy tothe door.