ELSIE AT HOME
by
MARTHA FINLEY
Author of "Elsie Dinsmore," "Elsie's Vacation," etc.
Special Authorized Edition
M. A. Donohue & CoChicago New YorkCopyright, 1887.byDodd, Mead and CompanyAll rights reserved.Made in U.S.A.
ELSIE AT HOME.
CHAPTER I.
The shades of evening were closing in upon a stormy March day; rain andsleet falling fast while a blustering northeast wind sent them sweepingacross the desolate-looking fields and gardens, and over the wet roadwhere a hack was lumbering along, drawn by two weary-looking steeds; itssolitary passenger sighing and groaning with impatience over its slowprogress and her own fatigue.
"Driver," she called, "are we ever going to arrive at Fairview?"
"One o' these days, I reckon, ma'am," drawled the man in reply. "It'sbeen a dreadful tedious ride for you, but a trifle worse for me, seein' Iget a lot more o' the wet out here than you do in thar."
"Yes," she returned in a tone of exasperation, "but I am a weak, ailingwoman and you a big, strong man, used to exertion and exposure." Thesentence ended in a distressing fit of coughing that seemed to shake herwhole frame.
"I'm right sorry fur ye, ma'am," he said, turning a pitying glance uponher, "but just hold on a bit longer and we'll be there. We're e'n a'mostin sight o' the place now. Kin o' yourn and expecting ye, I s'pose?"
"It is the home of my daughter--my only child," she returned, bridling,"and it will be strange indeed if she is not glad to see the mother whomshe has not seen for years."
"Surely, ma'am; and yonder's the house. We'll be there in fiveminutes--more or less."
His passenger looked eagerly in the direction indicated.
"A large house, isn't it?" she queried. "One can't see much out of thislittle pane of glass and through the rain and mist."
"It's a fine place, ma'am, and a good, big house," he returned. "Iwouldn't mind ownin' such a place myself. It's grand in the summer time,and not so bad to look at even now through all this storm o' mist, hail,and rain."
"Yes; I dare say," she said, shivering; "and if it was little betterthan a hovel I'd be glad to reach it and get out of this chilling wind.It penetrates to one's very bones."
She drew her cloak closer about her as she spoke, and as the hack turnedin at the avenue gates took up her satchel and umbrella in evident hasteto alight.
In the home-like parlour of the mansion they were approaching sat alovely-looking lady of mature years, a little group of children gatheredabout her listening intently and with great interest to a story she wastelling them, while a sweet-faced young girl, sitting near with a bit oftatting in her hands, seemed an equally interested hearer, ready to joinin the outburst of merriment that now and again greeted something in thenarrative.
"There is a hack coming up the avenue, Eva. Can we be going to have avisitor this stormy day?" suddenly exclaimed the eldest boy, glancingout of the window near where he stood. "Yes, it has come to a standstillat the foot of the veranda steps, and the driver seems to be gettingready to help someone out."
"A lady! Why, who can she be?" cried Eric, the next in age, as the hackdoor was thrown open and the driver assisted his passenger to alight,while Evelyn laid down her work and hastened into the hall to greet andwelcome the guest, whoever she might be; for the Fairview family, likenearly every other in that region of country, was exceedinglyhospitable.
A servant had already opened the outer door and now another steppedforward to take the lady's satchel and umbrella.
"Who can she be?" Evelyn asked herself as she hastily crossed theveranda and held out a welcoming hand with a word or two of pleasantgreeting.
"Is it you, Evelyn?" asked the stranger in tones that trembled withemotion. "And do you not know me--your own mother!"
"Mother; oh, mother, can it be you?" cried Evelyn, catching the strangerin her arms and holding her fast with sobs and tears and kisses. "I hadnot heard from you for so long, and have been feeling as if I shouldnever see you again. And oh, how thin and weak you look! You are sick,mother!" she added in tones of grief and anxiety, as she drew her intothe hall, where by this time the rest of the family--Grandma Elsie, andMr. and Mrs. Leland and their children--were gathered.
"Sister Laura! is it possible! Welcome to Fairview," was Mrs. Leland'sgreeting, accompanied by a warm embrace.
"Laura! we did not even know you were in America!" Mr. Leland said,grasping her hand in brotherly fashion. "And how weary and ill you arelooking! Let me help you off with your bonnet and cloak and to a couchhere in the parlour."
"Thank you; yes, I'll be very glad to lie down, for I'm worn out with myjourney and this troublesome cough," she said, struggling with a renewedparoxysm and gasping for breath. "But my luggage and----"
"We'll attend to all that," he said, half carrying her to the couchwhere his wife and her mother were arranging the pillows for hercomfort, and laying her gently down upon it.
"Oh, mother; my poor dear mother!" sighed Evelyn, as she leaned overher, smoothing her hair with caressing hand, "it breaks my heart to seeyou looking so weary and ill. But we will soon nurse you back to healthand strength--uncle and aunt and I."
"I hope so, indeed," Mrs. Leland said in her sweet, gentle tones. "Youhave had most unpleasant weather for your journey, Laura, so that it isnot to be wondered at that you are exhausted. You must have somerefreshment at once," and with the last word she hastened away in searchof it.
"And here is something to relieve that dreadful cough," said Mrs.Travilla, presenting herself with a delicate china cup in her hand.
Evelyn introduced the two ladies, and her mother, being assured that thecup contained nothing unpleasant to the taste, quickly swallowed itscontents, then lay back quietly upon her pillows, still keeping fasthold of her daughter's hand, while Grandma Elsie, giving the cup to aservant to carry away, resumed her easy chair on the farther side of theroom--near enough to be ready to render assistance should it be needed,yet not so near as to interfere with any private talk between the longseparated mother and daughter--and her grandchildren again gatheredabout her. But they seemed awed into silence by the presence of thestranger invalid, whom they gazed upon with pitying curiosity, while herattention seemed equally occupied with them.
"Your uncle's children?" she asked of Evelyn in a tone scarcely louderthan a whisper.
"Yes, mamma. Edward, the eldest, you saw when he was a mere baby boy.Eric, the next, is papa's namesake. The eldest of the little girls--sheis in her fifth year--is Elsie Alicia, named for her two grandmothers;we call her Alie. And the youngest--that two-year-old darling--we callVi. She is named for her aunt, Mrs. Raymond."
"And Mrs. Travilla lives here with her daughter?"
"No; she is paying a visit of a few days, as she often does since herdaughter-in-law, Aunt Zoe, has undertaken the most of the housekeepingat Ion."
"She certainly looks very young to be mother and grandmother to somany," sighed the invalid, catching sight of her own sallow, prematurelywrinkled face reflected in a large mirror on the opposite side of theroom. "But she has had an easy life, surrounded by kind, affectionate,sympathising friends, while I--miserable woman that I am--have beenworried, brow-beaten, robbed, till nothing is left me but ill-health andgrinding poverty."
"Mother, mother dear, don't talk so while I am left you and have enoughto keep us both, with care and economy," entreated Evelyn in a voicehalf choked with sobs. "It will be joy to me to share with you and doall I can to make your last days comfortable and happy."
"Then you haven't lost all your love for your mother in our years ofseparation?"
"No, no indeed!" answered Evelyn earnestly. But there the conversationended for the time, Mrs. Leland returning with the promised refreshment.It see
med to give some strength to the invalid, and after taking it shewas, by her own request, assisted to her room, an apartment opening intothat of her daughter, with whose good help she was soon made ready forher bed, the most comfortable she had lain upon for weeks or months, sheremarked, as she stretched her tired limbs upon it.
"I am very glad you find it so, mother dear," said Evelyn. "And now, ifyou like, I will unpack your trunks and arrange their contents inwardrobe, bureau drawers, and closet."
"There is no hurry about that, and isn't that your supper bell I hear?"
"Yes'm, suppah's on de table, an' I's come to set yere and 'tend to youuns while Miss Eva gwine eat wif de res' of de folks," said a neatlydressed, pleasant-faced, elderly coloured woman, who had entered theroom just in time to hear the query in regard to the bell. "But, missus,Miss Elsie she tole me for to ax you could you take somethin' mo'?"
"She says Aunt Elsie wants to know could you eat something more, motherdear?" explained Eva, seeing a puzzled look on her mother's face.
"Oh, no! that excellent broth fully satisfied my appetite," repliedLaura. "Go and get your supper, Eva, child, but come back when you havefinished; for we have been so long separated that now I can hardly bearto have you out of my sight."
"Oh, mother, how sweet to hear you say that!" exclaimed Evelyn, bendingdown to bestow another ardent caress upon her newly restored parent."Indeed, I shall not stay away a moment longer than necessary."
The new arrival and her sad condition were the principal topics ofconversation at the table.
"I am so glad we have such a good doctor in Cousin Arthur," said Evelyn."I hope he can cure mamma's cough. I wish the weather was such that wecould reasonably ask him to come and see her to-night," she added with asigh.
"Yes," said her uncle, "but as it is so bad I think we will just givehim a full account of her symptoms and ask his advice through thetelephone. Then he will tell us what would better be done to-night, andcall in to see her to-morrow morning."
The ladies all agreed that that would be the better plan and it waspresently carried out. The doctor would have come at once, in spite ofthe storm, had it seemed necessary, but from the account given he deemedit not so.
"I will come directly after breakfast to-morrow morning," he concluded,after giving his advice in regard to what should be done immediately.
"That is satisfactory; and now I will go at once to mamma and carry outhis directions for to-night," said Evelyn.
"Remembering that we are all ready to assist in any and every possibleway," added her uncle, smiling kindly upon her.
"Yes, indeed!" said Grandma Elsie; "and you must not hesitate to callupon me if you need help."
"No, no, mother dear. I put my veto upon that!" exclaimed Mrs. Leland."You are not a really old-looking woman yet, but are not as vigorous asyou were some years ago, and I cannot afford to let you run any risk ofdiminishing your stock of health and strength by loss of sleep orover-exertion. Call upon me, Eva, should you need any assistance."
"Very well, daughter, I shall not insist upon the privilege of losingsleep," returned Grandma Elsie with a smile, "but may perhaps bepermitted to make myself slightly useful during the day."
"Yes, slightly, mother dear, and at such time as you would not beotherwise improving by taking needed rest or recreation," Mrs. Lelandreplied as she hastened away with Eva, with the purpose to make surethat her newly arrived guest lacked for nothing which she could provide.
"At last, Evelyn, child! I suppose you have not been long gone, but itseemed so to my impatience," was Laura's salutation as Eva reentered herroom.
"It is sweet to hear you say that, mother dear; sweet to know that youlove me so," Evelyn said in moved tones, bending down to press a kiss onthe wan cheek, "and I mean to fairly surfeit you with my company in thedays and weeks that lie before us."
"And she only waited with the rest of us to consult our good doctor foryou, Laura," added Mrs. Leland. "He has prescribed a sleeping potion forto-night, and will call to see you and prescribe further in themorning."
"I think I should have been consulted," returned the invalid in a toneof irritation; "my money is all gone and he may never get his pay."
"Oh, don't trouble about that!" exclaimed Mrs. Leland and Evelyn in abreath, the former adding, "His charges are not heavy and it will bestrange indeed if we cannot find a way to meet and defray them."
"Of course we can and will, and you are not to concern yourself any moreabout it, mamma," added Evelyn in a tone of playful authority. "Whatwould be the use when you have a tolerably rich, grown-up daughter,whose principal business and pleasure it will be to take care of andprovide for her long-lost, but now happily recovered mother. And herecomes uncle with your sleeping potion," she added, as Mr. Leland at thatmoment appeared in the doorway, cup in hand.
"Here is something which I hope will quiet your cough, Laura," he said,coming to the bedside. "It is not bad to take, either, and will belikely to secure you a good night's rest."
"I don't know," she returned doubtfully, eyeing the cup with evidentdisfavour, "I was never good at dosing."
"You prefer lying awake, racked with that distressing cough?"
"No," she sighed, taking the cup from his hand, "even quite a bad dosewould be better than that. And it was not so bad after all," sheconcluded as she returned the cup, after swallowing its contents.
"Glad to hear you say so," he said in reply. "And now take my furtheradvice--lie still and go to sleep, leaving all the talk with Eva tillto-morrow. Good-night to you both." And he left the room, followedpresently by his wife, who lingered only until she had made sure thatall the wants of the invalid were fully supplied.
Laura had already fallen into a sweet sleep, under the soothinginfluence of the draught, and Eva presently stretched herself besideher, and with a heart filled with contending emotions--love for this heronly remaining parent, joy in their reunion, sorrow and care in view ofher evident exhaustion and ill-health, and plans for making herremaining days happy--lay awake for a time silently asking for guidanceand help from on high, then fell into dreamless, refreshing sleep.