It was a pleasant, happy party that gathered round the breakfast table
at Crag Cottage the next morning, and a bountiful and excellent meal
which they found spread before them.
Mrs. Elsie Leland--acting mistress of the house for the present--was
highly pleased with the new arrangements planned for the double wedding.
"The extension of the time allotted for the preparations would make it
much easier to carry them out," she said, "while invited guests would
have more time for the carrying out of theirs; though I doubt if many
of them would think it paid to take so long and expensive a journey
even to see that interesting sight--a double wedding."
"I dare say not," said her husband. "Chester, do you expect your
brother and sisters to be here?"
"Hardly; the time being so short and the journey so long. And Frank,
I hear, has found a ladylove down there--which will be likely to
keep him away. Each of my sisters, as you probably know, has a young
child,--Maud, indeed, has two, Sidney one,--and they would probably
want neither to bring them along nor leave them behind."
"No, I suppose they will hardly want to journey so far for a short
visit, and will think it too late in the season for a long one,"
remarked Grandma Elsie.
"Yes; I fear that will keep Uncle Horace and Aunt Rose from joining us,
though they are no farther away than Philadelphia," said Chester.
"And, as Grandpa sometimes says, they are now not so young as they once
were," said Mrs. Leland. "We would be delighted to have them with us,
but can scarcely hope for it."
"No," said Violet, "and most of our relatives and friends, having had
their summer outings, returned home, and settled down again, can
hardly be expected to start out on so long a journey for so short a bit
of entertainment."
"Especially as there are a number of somebodies getting married every
day," laughed Lucilla.
"Yes," said Harold, with a smile, "it is a very common occurrence."
The two weeks passed quickly and happily away, the older ones attending
to necessary preparations, the younger filling up much of the time
with pleasant little excursions up and down the river in the yacht, or
walks, rides, and drives on land.
The wedding presents began to come in. The captain's principal gift
they knew was their joint home on his estate, Woodburn, but there were
a number of minor ones--in the way of silver for their tables, Sèvres
china, and napery, cut-glass and bric-a-brac. The gifts of Elsie and
Ned consisted of similar articles. Gracie's gift, chosen by her father
and "Mamma Vi," was a gold bracelet for each, ornamented with precious
stones. Each lover had visited Tiffany's and bought for his bride a
very handsome ornament called a sunburst--a star of diamonds to be worn
as locket or brooch. They were presented on the morning of the wedding,
and the girls were delighted with them, as they were with Harold's
gift--a very beautiful opal ring to each.
It was nearing ten o'clock the night before the wedding, and Captain
Raymond was taking his usual stroll back and forth upon the porch
before retiring, when Lucilla came to him for the usual bit of
good-night chat so pleasant to them both. He put his arm about her
and held her close to his heart, as he had so often done before. For
a moment neither spoke, then she said sobbingly: "Oh, father, my dear
father, this is the last time! How can I bear it! oh, how can I bear
it! how can I leave you, even for Chester, whom I do love dearly."
"No, dear child," he said in tones tremulous with emotion, "it need
not be the last time. We shall be near enough to see and embrace each
other very often while God spares our lives; and we will not love each
other less because we are not living all the time under the same roof."
"No, papa, no, indeed! Oh, I could never bear it if it wasn't for
knowing that! You have been such a good, kind, wise, and loving father
to me. Oh, I wish I had always been the good, obedient biddable child I
ought to have been."
"Yes, daughter dear, I know it; I know you do; while I often wish I had
been more patient and gentle--less stern with you. But let us forgive
and forget, and each try in the future to be all to the other that
could be desired. My own dear, dear child! 'The Lord bless thee: the
Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: the Lord
lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.'"
"Thank you, my dear, dear father," she said. "That is such a sweet
blessing, and I do so love to hear it from your lips. Oh, I can never
be thankful enough that I have a Christian father!"
"Nor I for the good hope that my dear eldest daughter is a true
servant, with me, of the same blessed Master. Now let us say
good-night, for it is time you were preparing for your rest."
Most of the invited guests except a few who would arrive in the morning
had come, but, by sending the young gentlemen and lads to sleep in the
yacht, room had been made for all.
The ceremony took place the next day at high noon--the brides, the
gifts, the house bedecked with flowers, all looking very lovely. A
grand wedding breakfast followed, then bridal dresses were exchanged
for travelling suits, handsome and becoming, and the newly married
couples, accompanied by Grace and Harold, went aboard the _Dolphin_,
which carried them to the city, where they would take the cars for
Niagara. Harold and Grace saw them on the train, waved them good-bye as
it started, then returned on the yacht to Crag Cottage.
A few days later the _Dolphin_ was again speeding southward, carrying
her owner and his family--including Mrs. Travilla and her son Harold,
also the Lelands, to their homes. They had a delightful voyage, and
arrived at their destination in fine health and spirits. But that was
not the last trip made by the yacht for that season; within a fortnight
she was again steaming up the Hudson, and in the harbor of the city
where the bridal party had left her they found her lying at anchor one
day, when the train bearing them on their return from the west came
rushing into the station.
"Oh, it really seems something like getting home!" Lucilla exclaimed as
she stepped upon the deck. "But father did not come!" she added, with
a slight sigh of disappointment, glancing about in the vain hope of
catching sight of the manly form and face she loved so well.
"No, Mrs. Dinsmore, but you'll be sure to get sight of the captain when
you reach the other end of the voyage," said Mr. Bailey, temporary
skipper, coming forward with a bow and smile.
"And the voyage will be but a short one if the weather continues good,"
remarked Max, offering a hand to Bailey in cordial greeting, then
introducing his bride.
"Yes," said Bailey, taking in his the hand she offered, and looking
at her with admiring eyes, "I used to know her pretty well as Miss
Leland. I wish you both a great deal of happiness and prosperity. And
you and your bride the same, Mr. Dinsmore," shaking hands with Chester
in his turn. "I think, ladies and gentlemen, you will find everything
shipshape in the saloon and staterooms; the captain was very particular
about all that."
"Yes," said Evelyn, "and now that we are here on the dear old yacht I
feel that the discomforts of travel by rail are happily gotten rid of;
everything is so clean, quiet, and homelike here."
"I think it is delightful," said Lucilla; "only I am disappointed that
father did not come."
"No doubt it was having too many other things to attend to that
prevented him," said Max. "And doubtless he will meet us at the wharf
when we land."
The weather was all that could be desired, the yacht in fine condition,
and in due time they anchored in the harbor of their own city, and
presently landed, to find a number of the dear ones waiting for them.
Captain Raymond was there with his entire family, and Lucilla had
scarcely stepped ashore ere she found herself in his arms, his kiss of
fatherly love upon her lips.
"How glad I am to have you here again, my darling," he said in tender
tones. "I hope you have enjoyed your trip, and come back to me feeling
well and strong?"
"Oh, yes, father dear, yes indeed! and so, so glad to be with you
again! I could never, never live without my father."
"That is pretty much as I feel about my eldest daughter," he returned
with a smile, and repeating his caresses.
Then Eva must take her turn, and the son and son-in-law each received
a cordial grasp and shake of the hand. Then joyous greetings were
exchanged with the Lelands, Violet, Elsie, and Ned. The Woodburn and
Fairview carriages were there, and nearby stood another--a two-seated,
very handsome vehicle, with a pair of fine, spirited-looking grays
attached. Greetings over, the captain led the way to the equipage, and
turning with a kind, fatherly smile toward the bridal party, "Here,
my children," he said, "is a gift from your father to be held and
used--enjoyed, too, I trust--by the four of you in common."
"Father, I'm afraid you are doing too much for us!" exclaimed Max, with
emotion.
"A grand good gift, sir, for which I heartily thank you," said Chester
warmly.
"Dear father, don't ruin yourself by heaping so many, many gifts upon
us," cried Lucilla, turning, and putting her hand in his, while Evelyn
said, with starting tears "that it was really too much."
"No, I am perfectly able to afford it, my dears, and shall be very
glad if it adds to your enjoyment of your new home," said the generous
giver. "Get in now, drive over to your new home, and see if everything
about house and grounds has been arranged to suit your taste."
They obeyed, and found the carriage, as they afterward said, the
easiest, most comfortable one they had ever ridden in, and the horses
the finest of thoroughbreds.
"These are grand fellows, Max; I'll warrant your father has spent no
trifle on their purchase," remarked Chester as they sped onward with
easy, graceful motion.
"Just what I think," said Max. "No more generous man than he ever
lived."
"I only hope he won't ruin himself by heaping expensive gifts and
favors upon us," said Evelyn.
"I hope not, indeed!" sighed Lucilla, with a slight tremble in her
tones.
"Don't be anxious and troubled about it, sister mine," said Max very
kindly. "I happen to know that father has abundant means. And being so
generous of nature it is a delight to him to give--especially to his
wife and children."
"What a dear, good father he is! It is just a delight to me that I may
call him that now," said Evelyn.
Their carriage reached its destination some minutes ahead of the
captain's, and they immediately alighted and gazed about them with
wondering and delighted eyes--so many improvements had been made since
last they saw the place, trees and flowers, lovely and fragrant, having
been transplanted from other places to adorn this. They wandered here
and there, expressing in looks and joyous exclamations admiration,
gratitude, and delight.
They had hardly made acquaintance with all the beauties of the place
when the other carriage drove up and the rest of the family joined
them. Then, as the captain afterward said, they well-nigh overwhelmed
him with the extravagant outpouring of their admiration, gratitude, and
delight.
"I am very glad that you are all so well pleased," he said, in
return. "My wife and I have greatly enjoyed this labor of love,--the
overseeing and directing of these improvements,--and that they find
such favor with you all more than repays us. But, come, let us go
inside and see how well you are satisfied with things there."
He led the way as he spoke, and they found themselves in a wide hall
with a broad and easy stairway leading to the rooms above, and on
either side, on that floor, large, elegantly furnished rooms,--parlors,
libraries, dining rooms, a set for each little family,--beautiful lace
curtains at the windows, handsome paintings handsomely framed, on the
walls, many of them presents from Grandma Elsie and others of the Ion
family and Violet's relatives on the neighboring estates, and other
gifts and adornments too numerous to mention.
The young folks had decided to call their place Sunnyside, and so
lovely was it that the name seemed very appropriate. The upper rooms
were found scarcely less attractive in themselves or their furnishings
than the lower ones. A grand dinner was in course of preparation in
Lucilla's kitchen, and presently all sat down to it, served in her
dining-room. After that the whole party went over to Woodburn, no one
of them feeling satisfied without a peep at it--the dear old home all
loved so well.
THE END.
TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE:
Obvious printer errors have been corrected. Otherwise, the author's
original spelling, punctuation and hyphenation have been left intact.