It must be confessed that my aunt's quaint style of dress contrasted
somewhat strongly with many of the fashionably attired lady passengers
in the same car. I presume this gave her little uneasiness, for she
cared little for the opinion of others in matters pertaining to dress;
and she regarded the slightly quizzical glances of some of the
passengers with cool indifference. Her apparel was of quite rich
material, but the style dated backward for many years, and the bonnet
she wore was quite too large to be considered fashionable. Directly in
front of us were seated two young ladies, dressed in the extreme of
fashion, who seemed to consider it their privilege to amuse themselves
by observing and passing remarks to each other, in an undertone, upon
the dress and appearance generally of the other passengers. When we took
the vacant seat behind them, we were subject to a prolonged stare from
the two young misses, and we distinctly heard one of them address the
other, saying with a sneer, "I wonder how much that old lady's bonnet
cost, when new, I would ask her only it must have been so long ago, I am
sure she has forgotten by this time." Aunt Lucinda was not one to let
this pass unnoticed. Touching the young lady lightly on the shoulder, to
attract her attention, she said in a voice loud enough to be heard by
several of the other passengers near us, "I believe, miss, you are
anxious to learn the price of my bonnet when new, I have forgotten the
exact sum, but you may be sure of one thing, I paid more for it than
your good sense and good manner are worth both together." These two
ladies had made themselves so disagreeable by their silly and vain
manners that this "cut up" from my aunt was greeted by a burst of
laughter from all near enough to hear it, and the laugh was evidently
not against my aunt. The two girls blushed crimson, but made no reply,
and as soon as possible changed their seat to a distant part of the car,
possibly they might, for the remainder of their journey, be more mindful
of the courtesy and respect due to a fellow traveller.
As the dear old village of Elmwood rose to my view in the distance, I
could hardly contain my joy. I had written to my mother, informing her
of the day she might look for my arrival, but at the time I knew not
that Aunt Lucinda would accompany me, and her visit was certainly a
joyful surprise. Quite a number of my young companions had accompanied
my mother and sister to the depot. Charley Gray, of course, was there,
having returned to Elmwood two days earlier than I. It is needless for
me to say that, to all, the meeting was a happy one. My mother was
almost overjoyed at thus unexpectedly meeting with the sister she had
not seen for so long a time, and the sight of her elder sister recalled
to her mind many almost forgotten incidents of her childhood's days.
"You see Ellen," said Aunt Lucinda, addressing my mother, "I have
brought your boy home to you safe and sound, and I believe half a head
taller than when he left you. I don't know as I should have come only I
couldn't trust him away from me so long." "I should say by Walter's
appearance, that he has not missed a mother's care very much, and thanks
from me would poorly express my gratitude." Charley Gray had remained
with me the last night I spent at home, and he also gained permission to
remain this first night of my return. It was a happy, and I might add a
merry party which surrounded my mother's tea-table that evening, which,
to please me, was spread under my favourite tree in the garden. So happy
was I to be once more at home that I almost felt afraid to go to sleep
that night lest I should awake in the morning and find it all a dream.
"If you were as tired of the cars as I am," said Aunt Lucinda "you would
think this journey no dream, but an awful reality, for my head is all in
a whirl yet, and I shall feel no better till I got a good night's sleep."
So swiftly had the time passed away, that, till Aunt Lucinda made this
remark, my mother had failed to notice the lateness of the hour, and,
obeying the hint, she at once offered to conduct her to her room with
an apology for having failed to remember that she must be very much
fatigued. My aunt was very willing to retire, saying she would be bright
enough in the morning, but for to-night she did feel about done out. As
for Charley and I, we had so much to say that sleep was out of the
question, and, after retiring to our room, we sat for a long time at
the open window, enjoying the beautiful moonlight which fell upon the
familiar scenes of Elmwood, and talking of all that had befallen us
during the past year, till Aunt Lucinda called at our door saying, in a
tone which Charley thought decidedly cross, "Do you shut that window
this minnit, boys, and go to bed; here it is nearly midnight, and not a
wink of sleep has there been in this house. How do you expect we shall
all feel to-morrow morning I should like to know? and besides you will
take the awfulest cold that ever was heard of, if you sit there by the
open window, in this night air." To please my aunt I closed the window,
and Charley and I retired, and if we talked longer our conversation was
carried on in a whisper, so fearful were we of again disturbing Aunt
Lucinda. I doubt very much if there was that night a happier family in
Elmwood than the one which rested beneath the roof of our little brown
cottage.