CHAPTER IV
THE DEPARTURE
After several interviews with Mr. Lloyd, and after discussing the matterwith several other friends whose advice she valued, Mrs. Dorranceconcluded that it was best to try Dorothy's plan. It did seem hard tokeep the children in the city all summer, and however the experimentmight result it could do no great harm in any way.
They were to start the last week in May, and though Mr. Lloyd hadoffered to go up with them, Grandma Dorrance had concluded that wouldnot be necessary.
For all Mrs. Dorrance's gentle, helpless manner, the fine old lady had acertain reserve force, which often manifested itself in an unexpecteddecision.
Leicester, too, showed himself capable of rising to an emergency, andnow that there was occasion for him to be looked upon as the man of thefamily, he determined to play well the part. He suddenly seemed to be asold as Dorothy, and though he deferred to her judgment, he made manygood suggestions which she was glad to accept.
Indeed, the thought more than once occurred to Grandma Dorrance that theexperiences of the coming summer would teach the children a great deal,and strengthen their characters in many ways, whatever else its resultsmight be.
Not that the Dorrance children became sedate and responsible all atonce. By no means. Their discussions were quite as animated as formerly,if not more so; and as the time of departure drew nearer, they became soexcited and excitable that had they not been going away, there is apossibility that Mrs. Cooper might have invited them to do so.
Many of their friends came to see them during their last few days in thecity, and nearly all brought them gifts or remembrances of some sort.
Grandma Dorrance viewed with dismay the collection of souvenirs that thechildren planned to take with them. It was the live gifts that troubledher most, and she was finally obliged to stipulate that they should beallowed to carry only one pet each. So Dorothy took a dog, a large andbeautiful St. Bernard, which she had owned for some years. But as he waseven less desirable in a boarding-house than children, they had beenobliged to make his home with a friend who lived on Long Island. Dorothyhad been in the habit of visiting him frequently, and a great friendshipexisted between them.
The twins chose a pair of rabbits, because they had never had anyrabbits before, and as Leicester said, "What's a Domain withoutrabbits?"
Fairy hesitated long, between a kitten and a canary, but finally chosethe kitten, as being less trouble and more comfort; and the bird wasabout to be returned to its donor. But Grandma Dorrance declared thatshe too was entitled to a pet and would take the bird for hers,whereupon Fairy was ecstatically happy.
* * * * *
It was a difficult caravan to plan and to move, but one Monday morningthe departure was successfully accomplished.
Two carriages and a dray-load of trunks and boxes formed the procession.
Mrs. Dorrance had concluded that much of the necessary work of thehouse, especially at first, would be too hard for the girls; and hadtherefore decided to take with them a strong young Irish girl to help.
One of the waitresses, who was about to leave Mrs. Cooper's serviceanyway, seemed just the right one. Her name was Tessie, and she was adevoted friend of the young Dorrances. Her Irish sense of humor made herdelight in their pranks, and it was to the satisfaction of all that sheaccompanied the party.
They crossed the city without attracting attention, but the processionthat filed onto the ferry-boat could not long remain unnoticed.
Fairy persisted in dancing ahead, and then dancing back to know whichway to go next. She carried her kitten in a basket, and talked to itincessantly through the slats. Lilian carried the bird-cage, andLeicester, a box containing the rabbits. Dorothy led her big dog by aleash, and as she had assumed a sudden dignity, born of the occasion,she made with the magnificent and stately animal beside her, animpressive picture. Tessie was entrusted with the care of GrandmaDorrance; and this was a wise arrangement, for though accustomed totraveling, Mrs. Dorrance was also accustomed to lean on some one elsefor the responsibilities of the trip.
Dorothy saw this more plainly than ever during their journey, andresolved more strongly than ever that she would relieve her grandmotherof all possible care, and be a real help and support to her.
It was just as she reached this decision that Fairy lifted the lid ofher basket and peeped in to talk to the kitten. But she opened the lid atrifle too wide and the frightened kitten jumped out and ran to the edgeof the deck, where the poor little thing sat quivering, and shivering,and apparently just about to tumble into the water.
Involuntarily the four Dorrances gave one of their best concertedgroans. The low moaning notes and the final shriek roused Dare, thegreat dog, to a sudden wild excitement. Breaking away from Dorothy'shold, he flew after the tiny Maltese kitten, and taking her head in hismouth, rescued her from imminent peril.
But Fairy, not appreciating that it was a rescue, looked upon it as amassacre, and began to howl piteously. Whereupon Dare deposited thesquirming kitten at Fairy's feet, and added his bark, which was no faintone, to the general pandemonium.
All of which so disturbed poor Mrs. Dorrance, that she was glad to haveTessie lead her into the cabin, and there make her as comfortable aspossible with a pillow and some smelling-salts.
Meantime peace and quiet had been restored to the party on deck, andthey were waving joyful farewells to the tall buildings on ManhattanIsland.
"There's the old Flatiron," cried Leicester; "good-bye, old Flatiron!hope I won't see you again for a long while."
"There's the new Flatiron too," cried Lilian. "I don't want to see thatagain for ever so long, either."
"You'll see flatirons enough, my lady," said Dorothy, "when you findyourself doing the laundry work for a large and able-bodied family."
"I won't have to do that, will I?" cried Lilian, aghast; "nobody told methat!"
"Well, we needn't wash the clothes," said Dorothy; "but likely we'llhave to help iron; that is, if we wear any white dresses."
"I'll promise not to wear any white dresses," said Leicester.
"I don't care what I wear, if we just once get into the country," saidLilian. "Oh Dorothy, what _do_ you suppose it will be like?"
"Just like Mrs. Cooper's," said Dorothy, smiling.
"Well it can't be like that," said Lilian; "and so I don't care what itis."
Another excitement came when they were all getting packed into thetrain. Dare had to travel in the baggage-car, of which he expressed hisdisapproval by long and continuous growlings. The rabbits were putthere, too, but they made less fuss about it.
The bird and the kitten were allowed in the car with the children, andthis arrangement added to the general gayety.
Although Mrs. Dorrance naturally considered herself in charge of theexpedition, and though Dorothy felt sure she was, and though Leicesterhoped he might be, yet it was really quick-witted Tessie who lookedafter things and kept matters straight.
The ride through northern New Jersey was not picturesque, and as therewas very little to look at from the windows, the four soon returned totheir favorite game of guessing what the new home would be like.
"What shall we call it?" asked Leicester; "it ought to have a name."
"And a nice one, too," said Dorothy; "for, do you know, I think we shalllive there always."
"Wait 'til you see it," said Lilian; "we may not even want to stay overnight."
"We couldn't stay always," said Fairy; "how would we go to school?"
"I suppose we couldn't," said Dorothy; "but after we all get throughschool, then we can; and it will be lovely to have a home of our own,so let's get a good name for it."
"Why not the Domain?" said Leicester. "That's what we've always calledit, and so it sounds natural."
"That isn't enough by itself," said Dorothy. "How do you like theDorrance Domain?"
They all liked this, and so The Dorrance Domain was decided upon, andthey all rushed to tell grandma the name of her
new home.
It was noon when the train reached the Ponetcong Station. Here they allbundled out, bag and baggage, children and animals. But as the boat, inwhich they were to continue their journey did not leave until oneo'clock, there was ample time to get some luncheon,--which more thanpleased the four hungry Dorrances. Upon inquiry, they were directed to asmall country hotel and soon found themselves confronted with many smallportions of not over-attractive looking viands.
But for once, the children cared little about what they ate or how itwas served, so eager were they at the prospect of soon reaching theirnew home.
"What do you suppose it will be like?" said Lilian, quite as if she werepropounding a brand-new conundrum.
"I've s'posed everything I can possibly think of," said Leicester; "butI'm willing to guess again if you want me to."
"It isn't worth while guessing much more," said Dorothy; "for very soonwe will _know_. Now, Lilian, you and Fairy stay here with grandma, andLeicester and I will go over to that little store across the street andbuy some things to take with us for supper to-night. Tessie may go too,to help us carry them."
But this plan was far from acceptable.
"That isn't fair!" cried Lilian; "buying things for our own home is themost fun yet, and I think we all ought to go together."
"So do I," said Fairy. "Let Tessie stay with grandma, and us four willgo to purchase the eatabubbles."
Fairy did not stutter, but, when excited, she was apt to put extrasyllables in her words.
"Come on, then," said Dorothy, and with Dare bounding beside them, thefour ran across the road to the little grocery shop.
"Let's be very sensible," said Dorothy, "and get just the right things.You know young housekeepers always do ridiculous things when they go tobuy provisions. Now what do we need most?"
"Bread," said the twins together, and surely nobody could havecriticised their suggestion as ridiculous.
"Yes," said Dorothy, and then turning to the grocer, she said politely,"Have you any bread?"
"Yes, miss," replied the grocer, staring in amazement at the fourexcited children; "what kind?"
"Why, just bread," said Dorothy; "fresh bread, you know. Is there morethan one kind?"
"Yes, miss. Square loaf, long loaf, twist loaf and raisin bread."
"Oh!" exclaimed Dorothy, appalled by this superabundant variety.
But Leicester came to the rescue. "Raisin bread," said he; "that's thekind. And then we want some butter, if you please."
"Print, pat or tub?"
"Oh, not a whole tub full," said Dorothy, diligently trying to besensible; "we couldn't carry a tub. I think we'll take a--a print."
"Yes, miss; anything else?"
The weight of responsibility was so great, that no one spoke for amoment, and then Fairy, in a burst of confidence began:
"You see, mister, we've never bought anything before; we've just eatenother people's things; but now we've got a home of our own, a reallytruly home, and these things are to eat in it. So of course you see wehave to be very careful what we buy. We're trying very hard to besensible housekeepers, 'cause my sister says we must, and she knowseverything in the world. And so if you could 'vise us a little, we'dknow better 'bout selectioning."
After this speech, a few questions from the grocer resulted in a frankand straightforward statement of the case by Dorothy, and then ajudicious selection was made of immediate necessities for the commissarydepartment of The Dorrance Domain.