At Ion was now gathered as pleasant a family party as that now in
session at Woodburn. Grandma Elsie was there with her father and his
wife, her son Edward with Zoe, his wife, and their two children, the
twins Laurie and Lily, Ion being their home. Herbert and Walter were
also present, and all the Fairview folk; for Mrs. Elsie Leland wanted
a chat on family affairs and relatives with her mother, whom, until
to-day, she had not seen for several weeks; such a chat as they could
not well take in the larger company of relatives and friends whose
society they had just been enjoying at Woodburn. And Mr. Leland and his
little daughters had naturally accompanied the wife and mother, knowing
that they were always welcome guests at Ion.
They seemed to be enjoying themselves, the older ones in a quiet,
cheerful way, the younger ones, gathered in a separate group at the
farther end of the veranda, with a good deal of fun and frolic until
Ajax was seen coming round the corner of the house with the two little
tee-tees in his arms and passing down the driveway in the direction of
the front entrance to the grounds.
"Ajax, what are you doing with those little monkeys? Where are you
taking them?" cried Lily, hurrying down the steps and running after him.
"Ober to Woodburn, where dey b'long, Miss Lily," he answered, pausing
in his walk and turning toward her.
"Oh, I wish you wouldn't. I was most in hopes they'd let us keep them.
They are such funny little fellows, I don't like to give them up."
"But I'se tole to take 'em dar, an' I'se got to do it," replied Ajax in
a regretful tone. "I'll fetch 'em back hyar ef de Woodburn folks 'low
me to."
"But they won't. They'll be sure to keep them if they're there," sobbed
the little girl, tears rolling down her cheeks.
But even as she spoke a hand was laid gently on her shoulder, and her
father's voice said in kindest tones, "Don't cry, daughter dear. We
must let the tee-tees go home to their owners, but you and Laurie shall
have other pets in place of them. I have a pretty Maltese kitten bought
for you and a fine dog for your brother. Come back to the veranda and
these new pets shall be brought out."
"Oh, papa, how nice! Thank you ever so much!" cried Lily, brushing away
her tears and putting her hand in his to be led back to the veranda,
where the new pets were speedily produced, to the evident delight of
the young owners and the admiration of their guests.
And when Ajax returned with Captain Raymond's kindly expressed thanks,
Lily's grief seemed fully assuaged.
The older people, who had paused in their more important conversation
to observe what was going on among the children, now resumed it,
Grandma Elsie asking Walter of his engagements during the past winter.
He replied that he had been busy with his studies, but had found some
time for missionary work, especially on the Sabbath, among the poor and
degraded, particularly foreigners of the lower class.
"And, mother," he added, "I have quite decided that I want to go into
the ministry. I want to be a missionary to the poor and needy, the
ignorant and helpless."
"My dear son," she replied with emotion, "how glad I am to hear it! I
want you to be a winner of souls, a helper of the helpless, in this,
your own land, or in some other; preferably this, because you will be
nearer to me and I can see you oftener."
"Yes, mother," he returned, "and I think I could hardly find a better
field than among the mountains of Kentucky or Tennessee."
"No, I don't believe you could," said his grandfather approvingly.
"Those mountaineers are our own people, destitute as regards both
temporal and spiritual things, and have a prior claim to that of
those in heathen lands; and love for our land and nation should draw
us strongly to their aid, even if we did not care for their eternal
salvation."
Others in the little company gave expression to similar views and
feelings, then they discussed ways and means of helping the work
already going on among those mountaineers, and there was a general
expression of intention to do more for that corner of the Lord's
vineyard than they had ever yet done.
"And by way of carrying out our intentions, suppose we take up a
collection now," suggested Edward Travilla.
"I doubt if that would be our wisest course if we want to give
liberally," remarked his sister Elsie, "for I presume no one has much
in hand at this moment."
"So I dare say our motto just now would better be a lazy one, 'Not
to-day, we'll do it to-morrow," laughed Zoe.
"Yes; let us appoint a collector for to-morrow," said her husband. "I
propose Walter for the job. All in favor say 'aye.'" An invitation
which all immediately accepted.
"I am quite willing," he said, "and shall include Woodburn folks and
maybe some of the other nearby relatives in my list of hoped-for
and tried-for subscribers. I expect to beg in good season to-morrow
morning. So please all be ready for prompt compliance with my
solicitation."
Then Mr. Dinsmore suggested that it might be well now to have the
evening family devotions ere the young folks grew too weary and sleepy
to enjoy a share in them, and in response all were called within doors
and the service held.
About the same time similar services were going on at Woodburn, after
which the Sunnyside folk bade good-night and sought their own homes,
Chester drawing Ray in his new coach and a servant doing a like service
for Baby Mary, her devoted mother walking close by the side of the
dainty little vehicle.
The next morning Chester set off for his place of business at his usual
hour, and just as he disappeared down the road, Lucilla, still standing
upon the veranda, saw, to her delight, her father approaching from
Woodburn.
"Oh, father," she cried, "I am so glad to see you."
"Are you?" he said, coming up the steps and taking her in his arms for
a tender caress; "well, daughter dear, the joy is mutual. How is my
little grandson this morning?"
"Well, I believe, father, but still asleep. Won't you come in and have
a cup of coffee?"
He accepted the invitation, and they chatted together while she
finished her breakfast, Chester's hurried departure having called her
away from the table a trifle too soon.
The nurse girl brought Ray in, ready washed and dressed for the day,
just as they finished their meal.
"Give him to me," said the captain, and taking him in his arms, carried
him out to the veranda, Lucilla following.
It was a warm morning, and they sat down there side by side.
"To his grandfather he seems a lovely little darling," the captain
said, caressing the child as he spoke. "Lucilla, my daughter, I hope
you will prove a good, kind, patient, faithful mother, bringing him up
in the nurture and admonition of the Lord."
"Oh, father," she replied in tones tremulous with emotion, "I want to
do so, but--oh, you know what a bad natural temper I have, and I very
much fear that I shall not always be patient with him, dearly as I love
him."
"Watch and pray, daughter dear; ask the Lord daily, hourly for
strength, grace, wisdom according to your need. God is the hearer and
answerer of prayer. He says, 'Call upon me in the day of trouble; I
will deliver thee and thou shalt glorify me.' Trust in Him, and He will
deliver you from the power of the tempter and your own evil nature."
"I will, father; I do," she said; "and it helps and comforts me to know
that you pray for me; especially remembering that gracious, precious
promise of our Lord, 'If two of you shall agree on earth, as touching
anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father
which is in heaven.'"
"Yes, it is indeed a gracious, precious promise, and can never fail,"
he said. "But now I must go, daughter. Do you and Eva come over to
Woodburn again to-day as early as may suit your convenience," he added,
putting the child into her arms and giving to each a good-by caress.
Shortly after breakfast at Ion that morning Walter walked over to
Fairview and called upon the Lelands for their contributions for the
benefit of the Kentucky and Tennessee mountaineers. All, father and
mother to youngest child, gave liberally in proportion to their ability.
"Oh, I am delighted!" exclaimed Walter. "I think I shall go on and
present the cause to all the kith and kin in this neighborhood."
"Do," said his sister; "there won't be one who will not give according
to his or her ability. And when through with this, brother dear, come
here and pay us as long a visit as you can."
"Thank you, I think I shall, especially if you get mother to be here at
the same time; but I don't want to miss a minute of her society."
"Which you cannot love better than I do," returned his sister, with a
look that said more than her words, "and as she is decidedly fond of us
both, I think she will not refuse to accompany you here at my earnest
request, or to stay as long as you do."
"No, indeed; I am very sure she won't. I am going back now to Ion, and
mother will go with me in the gig to drive round to the home of each of
our relatives and near connections in this neighborhood, and ask them
to give what they can or like to give to this good object. We will take
Woodburn last, and get either Harold or the captain to put the money in
the right shape--a check, I suppose--and mail it so that it will reach
the spot as soon as possible."
With that Walter bade good-by and hastened to carry out his programme,
which he, with his mother's help, did successfully, every one solicited
by them giving liberally to the good cause, and the captain attending
promptly to the dispatch of the funds.