CHAPTER XXIII.--_Home Again._
On the 25th day of May, of '74, Elvira and Mercedes found themselvesagain under the paternal roof of their California home, in the Alamarrancho. They could have arrived ten days sooner had they left New Yorkon the first of the month, as was first intended. This they were notallowed to do, because when Mrs. L. Mechlin heard that Mercedes'birthday would be on the 5th of May, she immediately said she could notand would not think of allowing Mercedes to spend her eighteenthbirthday in the cars. Consequently, invitations would be issued thefollowing day (which was the 22d of April) for "_A fete in celebrationof Miss Alamar's birthday, on the 5th day of May_."
The invitations were issued thus early to prevent friends of Mrs.Mechlin's from going into the country for the summer, as many of themdid every year, in May. All, however, accepted, and waited mostgraciously.
The season was already too far advanced, and the nights were getting toowarm to enjoy dancing, so Mrs. Mechlin thought it would be better tohave an excursion to West Point; to charter a river steamer, and thuspass the day on the water; to take breakfast on board on the way to thePoint; visit the Post; see the cadets drill and review; and re-embark;take dinner on board, and then the young people dance on deck, as therewould be a full band to give them music.
This was the programme--which though decided upon hurriedly, on theirreturn from Baltimore, where they had been visiting--was carried outsuccessfully. All their pleasure excursions had been equally delightful.They had visited Boston first, then they went to Philadelphia, intendingto remain only three or four days, but when they were there, Mrs.Mechlin's relatives in Baltimore sent urgent invitations to visit them,so there was nothing else to do but accept. Thus the jaunt toPhiladelphia was extended to Baltimore, and might have been prolonged,had not Elvira refused to be separated from George one day more. Thisyoung gentleman, on his part, seemed to have thought, too, that Elvirahad been away long enough. For as the party were waiting for the trainto move out of the depot who should come aboard but this same younggentleman, George Mechlin.
"The darling," said Elvira, perfectly overjoyed at the sight of thatbeloved apparition, throwing her arms about his neck.
"Precious," said he, clasping her to his heart.
And now Elvira and Mercedes, surrounded by their beloved family, wererelating this episode and many other occurrences of their eastern visit,all sitting in their favorite front veranda.
The Holman girls were there, too. They had made several visits toCarlota and Rosario within the last ten months, but this time they cameto see Elvira and Mercedes. Mr. Holman himself had accompanied them,that being a good pretext to question George closely regarding TexasPacific matters. Mr. Holman had invested all his ready money in SanDiego, placing implicit faith in the fact that the building of the TexasPacific was a measure of national importance so manifest that Congresswould never have the hardihood to deny it assistance, nor would be solacking in sense of honor, sense of justice, as to deprive millions ofAmerican people of a railway so much needed. These had been the reasons,he alleged, for plunging headlong into real estate speculations,followed closely by his friends, Don Mariano and Mr. James Mechlin.
These three gentlemen now sat at the eastern end of the veranda,listening to what George said that he and his uncle had learned inWashington regarding the prospect of that unlucky railroad; while theladies were equally entertained, listening to Elvira and Mercedes, onthe western end of the same veranda.
"But what has become of the handsome Clarence? Why is he not here?"Corina inquired, seeing Everett and Victoriano riding up with Gabrieltowards the house.
Elvira informed her that on their arrival at San Francisco, Clarencefound it necessary to visit his farm, and thence to go to Arizona onbusiness, but would return about the first of July.
"We heard that his mine is in bonanza," Amelia said.
"That it has been in bonanza ever since he bought it--hasn't he told youthat?" Corina added.
"No; he only said that the ore was very rich," Elvira replied.
Victoriano and Everett now came in and took seats near the ladies.Gabriel joined the gentlemen, and soon was deeply interested in theirconversation, it of course being upon that subject--the railroad--whichfilled the minds and hearts of all the San Diego people, absorbing alltheir faculties and all their money.
"How are all the ladies of your family? Well?" Amelia asked of Everett.
"Yes, thank you. They are all well, and I think they will be up thisevening--at least, some of them will. I heard words to that effect,"Everett replied.
"I hope all will come," Elvira said.
"What? Mr. Darrell, senior, also?" Corina asked.
"Certainly. Why not?" Mercedes answered.
"We were speaking of the ladies--but if Mr. Darrell should call, we willbe happy to receive him with sincere cordiality," Elvira added.
"All of which would be thrown away upon the stiffest neck in San DiegoCounty," Victoriano observed.
Everett laughed.
"Why, Tano! What makes you talk like that?" Mercedes exclaimed,reddening with evident annoyance.
"Because his '_butt-headedness_' is like that of a vicious old mule,which no one began to break until he was ten years old, and loves tokick from pure cussedness," Victoriano explained, with free use ofslang.
"If Mr. Darrell has said or done anything to vex you, the best thing isnot to go to his house, but it is not very courteous to speak as youhave in the presence of his son," Dona Josefa said.
"I forgive him," Everett said, patting Tano on the back.
"Not go to his house!" Tano exclaimed. "That is exactly what the oldpirate wants. It would be _nuts_ for the old Turk if I stayed away. Notmuch--I won't stay away. I'll go when he is at _the colony_ with hissweetly-scented pets."
"Where is the colony?" Mercedes asked.
"That is the new name for the large room next to the dining-room, whichClarence said he built for a 'growlery.' Alice called it the'_squattery_,' because father always receives the settlers there; butmother changed the name to '_colony_' to make it less offensive, andbecause the talk there is always about locating, or surveying, orfencing land--always land--as it would be in a new colony," Everettexplained.
"Whether he be at the colony or not, you should not go if he does notwish you to visit his house," Dona Josefa said to Tano.
"But we all wish it--my mother and every one of her children. Fatherdoesn't say anything about Tano's coming or not, but he is cross to allof us, and don't have the politeness to be more amiable in Tano'spresence--which, of course, is very disagreeable," Everett replied.
"I think Mrs. Darrell ought to put her foot down, and have it out withthe old filibuster," Tano asserted.
"We will see what he will do when Clarence comes," Everett said.
Everett thought as all the family did--that Clarence, being the favoritechild of the old man, and having naturally a winning manner and greatamiability, combined with persuasiveness, would influence his father,and dispel his bad humor. But if the family had known what was boilingand seething in the cauldron of their father's mind, they would haveperceived that, for once, neither Clarence's influence, nor yet the morepowerful one wielded by Mrs. Darrell, would at present be as effectiveas they heretofore had been.
Time alone must be the agent to operate on that hard skull. Time andcircumstances which, fortunately, no one as yet was misanthrophic enoughto foresee. The fact was, that no one of his family had understoodWilliam Darrell. It can hardly be said that he understood himself, forhe sincerely believed that he had forever renounced his "_squatting_"propensities, and honestly promised his wife that he would not take upland claimed by any one else. But no sooner was he surrounded by menwho, though his inferiors, talked loudly in assertion of their "_rightsunder the law_;" and no sooner had he thousands of broad acres beforehis eyes--acres which, by obeying the laws of Congress, he could makehis own--than he again felt within him the old squatter of Sonoma andNapa valleys. That mischievous squatter had
not lain dead therein; hehad been slumbering only, and unconsciously dreaming of the advantagesthat the law really gave to settlers. Alongside the sleeping squatterhad also slumbered Darrell's vanity, and this was, as it is generally inevery man, the strongest quality of his mind, the chief commandingtrait, before which everything must give way.
Mrs. Darrell had heretofore been the only will that had dared standbefore it, but Mrs. Darrell, being a wise little woman, not always madedirect assaults upon the strong citadel--oftener she made flankmovements and laid sieges. This time, however, all tactics had thus farfailed, and Mrs. Darrell withdrew all her forces, and waited, in"masterly inactivity," reinforcements when Clarence returned.
What exasperated Darrell the most, and had ended by putting him in a badhumor, was a lurking self-reproach he could not silence, a consciousnessthat having promised Don Mariano to pay for his land whenever the titlewas considered settled, that it was fair to suppose he ought to pay now.But on the other hand, he had also promised the settlers to stand bythem, and was determined to do so. Thus he stood in his own mindself-accused, unhappy and unrepentant, but resolutely upholding a lostcause. He avoided the society of his family with absurd persistency.After meals he would fill his pipe, and march himself off to the fartherend of his grain fields; resting his elbows on the fence boards, andturning his back upon the house which contained his dissenting family,would puff his smoke in high dudgeon, like an overturned locomotivewhich had run off its track, and became hopelessly ditched. In thatframe of mind, he thought himself ready to do battle against all hisfamily, but he knew he dreaded Clarence's return.
However, that event had at last arrived, and there was Clarence now onthe porch--just come from Arizona--kissing all the ladies of the familyand hugging all the males, not omitting the old man, who was literallyas well as figuratively taken off his feet by the strong arms of thedreaded Clarence.
"Clary is so much in love, father, that he comes courting you, too,"Everett said, laughing, as they all went into the parlor.
"I suppose so," Darrell answered, not looking at any one's face,excepting that of the clock on the chimney mantel.
Mrs. Darrel's eyes, however, were not in the least evasive--they metthose of Clarence, and he read in them a volume of what was troublinghis father's mind. He longed to have a talk with that true-hearted andclear-headed, well-beloved mother, but he must wait--for now came Tishato announce that luncheon was on the table. She was grinning withdelight to see her favorite Massa Clary again, and Clarence jumped upand ran to throw his arms around her, making that faithful heart throbwith unalloyed happiness, for she loved him from his babyhood, just ifhe had been her own child.
"I love them all, missis--all your dear children," she would say to Mrs.Darrell; "and they are all good children; but Massa Clary I love thebest of all. Next comes Miss Alice. But Massa Clary took my heart whenhe was six months old, and had the measles. He was the best, sweetestbaby I ever saw, and so beautiful." Thus Tisha would run on, if you lether follow the bent of her inclination, for Clarence was a theme shenever tired of.
All sorts of questions now showered upon Clarence about New York, aboutWashington, about San Francisco, and about Arizona--all of which heanswered most amiably.
"And are the Mechlins very grand? As rich as one might suppose? hearingthe Holman and Alamar girls talk of the parties and excursions that Mr.Lawrence Mechlin gave in honor of Elvira?" Jane asked.
"The excursion to West Point was to celebrate Mercedes' birthday," Aliceobserved.
"Yes, the Mechlins must be rich, to judge by their style of living.Their social position is certainly very high," Clarence replied.
"You had a delightful time, Clary?" Everett said.
"Yes, indeed; most delightful," was the answer.
"We, too, have had lots of fun, with old Mathews on the rampage, like anold hen who got wet and lost her only chicken," said Willie, at the topof his voice.
"Willie!" Mrs. Darrell said, to impose silence, but as Clarence andEverett laughed, and his father did not seem particularly displeased,Willie added:
"And the old man gets so mad, that he perspires, and smoke comes out ofhis back, as if his clothes were on fire."
"Oh, Willie! how you exaggerate," Lucy exclaimed.
"I don't. He snorts and clucks and growls and snarls. Romeo says hemiauls like a disappointed hyena."
"That will do. You must not repeat such unkind criticisms. Romeo isalways ridiculing Mr. Mathews," Mrs. Darrell said.
"Old Mathews is in worse humor since the Don began to send his cattleaway," Webster said.
"Why so?" Clarence asked.
"Because they made nice targets for his rifle," Everett replied.
"Scandalous!" Clarence exclaimed.
"He threatens to shoot George Mechlin, Tom Hughes says," Webster added.
"Why?" Clarence asked.
"Because he got the appeal dismissed," answered Webster.
"He is foolish to suppose that if George hadn't had it dismissed that noone else would," Clarence said.
"I met the old man this morning. He stopped his wagon to ask me iffather knew that Congress had passed the appropriation for money tosurvey lands in California. I told him I hadn't heard, and he went offwhipping his horses, and swearing at Don Mariano and George Mechlin,"Everett said.
"I thought there would be a better feeling when the Don's cattle shouldbe sent off, as they were the principal cause of irritation," Clarenceobserved.
"And it is so. Only those boys--Romeo, Tom and Jack Miller--are alwaysridiculing or teasing Mathews," Darrell said.
"Why, father!" Everett exclaimed; "the fathers of those boys are as badas Mathews, and old Gasbang is worse yet!"
"Gasbang was always dishonest, but he is worse now, at Peter Roper'sinstigation," Darrell said.
"Gasbang says that he and Roper will send the Don to the poor-house,"Everett said.
"Not while I live," Clarence replied; adding, "and how is everybody atthe Alamar house--all well?"
Up started Willie and Clementine, eager to be the first to tell Clarencethe great news.
"They had two arrivals," Mrs. Darrell said.
"Oh, Clary! you never saw prettier babies in all your life! Both havethe loveliest blue eyes," Clementine exclaimed, joining her hands, as ifin prayer, as Tisha always did when speaking of Clarence's babyhood.
"The boy has gray eyes," Willie interposed, with authority not to becontroverted. "He hasn't no blue eyes."
"How do you know? You haven't seen them, but _I_ have," Clementineasserted; "and the little girl is exactly the image of Miss Mercedes.She has Miss Mercedes' blue eyes, exactly, with long, curling lashes,the little thing."
"The girl looks like Don Gabriel, as she ought to," Willie stated in aperemptory manner, not to be contradicted, and whilst he discussed withClementine the looks of the babies, Clarence was informed by his motherand sisters that Elvira was the happy mother of a big, handsome boy, andLizzie rejoiced in the possession of a beautiful little girl, whichweighed nearly as much as her boy cousin. That Dona Josefa and Mrs.Beatrice Mechlin were nearly crazy with happiness, but that the craziestof all was Mr. James Mechlin, who made more "_fuss_" over those twobabies than either Gabriel or George, and went from one house to theother all day long, watching each baby, and talking about them by thehour.