THE DEPARTURE
After several interviews with Mr. Lloyd, and after discussing the matter
with several other friends whose advice she valued, Mrs. Dorrance
concluded that it was best to try Dorothy's plan. It did seem hard to
keep the children in the city all summer, and however the experiment
might result it could do no great harm in any way.
They were to start the last week in May, and though Mr. Lloyd had
offered to go up with them, Grandma Dorrance had concluded that would
not be necessary.
For all Mrs. Dorrance's gentle, helpless manner, the fine old lady had a
certain reserve force, which often manifested itself in an unexpected
decision.
Leicester, too, showed himself capable of rising to an emergency, and
now that there was occasion for him to be looked upon as the man of the
family, he determined to play well the part. He suddenly seemed to be as
old as Dorothy, and though he deferred to her judgment, he made many
good suggestions which she was glad to accept.
Indeed, the thought more than once occurred to Grandma Dorrance that the
experiences of the coming summer would teach the children a great deal,
and strengthen their characters in many ways, whatever else its results
might be.
Not that the Dorrance children became sedate and responsible all at
once. By no means. Their discussions were quite as animated as formerly,
if not more so; and as the time of departure drew nearer, they became so
excited and excitable that had they not been going away, there is a
possibility that Mrs. Cooper might have invited them to do so.
Many of their friends came to see them during their last few days in the
city, and nearly all brought them gifts or remembrances of some sort.
Grandma Dorrance viewed with dismay the collection of souvenirs that the
children planned to take with them. It was the live gifts that troubled
her most, and she was finally obliged to stipulate that they should be
allowed to carry only one pet each. So Dorothy took a dog, a large and
beautiful St. Bernard, which she had owned for some years. But as he was
even less desirable in a boarding-house than children, they had been
obliged to make his home with a friend who lived on Long Island. Dorothy
had been in the habit of visiting him frequently, and a great friendship
existed between them.
The twins chose a pair of rabbits, because they had never had any
rabbits before, and as Leicester said, "What's a Domain without
rabbits?"
Fairy hesitated long, between a kitten and a canary, but finally chose
the kitten, as being less trouble and more comfort; and the bird was
about to be returned to its donor. But Grandma Dorrance declared that
she too was entitled to a pet and would take the bird for hers,
whereupon Fairy was ecstatically happy.
* * * * *
It was a difficult caravan to plan and to move, but one Monday morning
the departure was successfully accomplished.
Two carriages and a dray-load of trunks and boxes formed the procession.
Mrs. Dorrance had concluded that much of the necessary work of the
house, especially at first, would be too hard for the girls; and had
therefore decided to take with them a strong young Irish girl to help.
One of the waitresses, who was about to leave Mrs. Cooper's service
anyway, seemed just the right one. Her name was Tessie, and she was a
devoted friend of the young Dorrances. Her Irish sense of humor made her
delight in their pranks, and it was to the satisfaction of all that she
accompanied the party.
They crossed the city without attracting attention, but the procession
that filed onto the ferry-boat could not long remain unnoticed.
Fairy persisted in dancing ahead, and then dancing back to know which
way to go next. She carried her kitten in a basket, and talked to it
incessantly through the slats. Lilian carried the bird-cage, and
Leicester, a box containing the rabbits. Dorothy led her big dog by a
leash, and as she had assumed a sudden dignity, born of the occasion,
she made with the magnificent and stately animal beside her, an
impressive picture. Tessie was entrusted with the care of Grandma
Dorrance; and this was a wise arrangement, for though accustomed to
traveling, Mrs. Dorrance was also accustomed to lean on some one else
for the responsibilities of the trip.
Dorothy saw this more plainly than ever during their journey, and
resolved more strongly than ever that she would relieve her grandmother
of all possible care, and be a real help and support to her.
It was just as she reached this decision that Fairy lifted the lid of
her basket and peeped in to talk to the kitten. But she opened the lid a
trifle too wide and the frightened kitten jumped out and ran to the edge
of the deck, where the poor little thing sat quivering, and shivering,
and apparently just about to tumble into the water.
Involuntarily the four Dorrances gave one of their best concerted
groans. The low moaning notes and the final shriek roused Dare, the
great dog, to a sudden wild excitement. Breaking away from Dorothy's
hold, he flew after the tiny Maltese kitten, and taking her head in his
mouth, rescued her from imminent peril.
But Fairy, not appreciating that it was a rescue, looked upon it as a
massacre, and began to howl piteously. Whereupon Dare deposited the
squirming kitten at Fairy's feet, and added his bark, which was no faint
one, to the general pandemonium.
All of which so disturbed poor Mrs. Dorrance, that she was glad to have
Tessie lead her into the cabin, and there make her as comfortable as
possible with a pillow and some smelling-salts.
Meantime peace and quiet had been restored to the party on deck, and
they were waving joyful farewells to the tall buildings on Manhattan
Island.
"There's the old Flatiron," cried Leicester; "good-bye, old Flatiron!
hope I won't see you again for a long while."
"There's the new Flatiron too," cried Lilian. "I don't want to see that
again for ever so long, either."
"You'll see flatirons enough, my lady," said Dorothy, "when you find
yourself doing the laundry work for a large and able-bodied family."
"I won't have to do that, will I?" cried Lilian, aghast; "nobody told me
that!"
"Well, we needn't wash the clothes," said Dorothy; "but likely we'll
have to help iron; that is, if we wear any white dresses."
"I'll promise not to wear any white dresses," said Leicester.
"I don't care what I wear, if we just once get into the country," said
Lilian. "Oh Dorothy, what _do_ you suppose it will be like?"
"Just like Mrs. Cooper's," said Dorothy, smiling.
"Well it can't be like that," said Lilian; "and so I don't care what it
is."
Another excitement came when they were all getting packed into the
train. Dare had to travel in the baggage-car, of which he expressed his
disapproval by long and continuous growlings. The rabbits were put
there, too, but they made less fuss about it.
The bird and the kitten were allowed in the car with the children, and
this arrangement added to the general gayety.
Although Mrs. Dorrance naturally considered herself in charge of the
expedition, and though Dorothy felt sure she was, and though Leicester
hoped he might be, yet it was really quick-witted Tessie who looked
after things and kept matters straight.
The ride through northern New Jersey was not picturesque, and as there
was very little to look at from the windows, the four soon returned to
their favorite game of guessing what the new home would be like.
"What shall we call it?" asked Leicester; "it ought to have a name."
"And a nice one, too," said Dorothy; "for, do you know, I think we shall
live there always."
"Wait 'til you see it," said Lilian; "we may not even want to stay over
night."
"We couldn't stay always," said Fairy; "how would we go to school?"
"I suppose we couldn't," said Dorothy; "but after we all get through
school, then we can; and it will be lovely to have a home of our own,
so let's get a good name for it."
"Why not the Domain?" said Leicester. "That's what we've always called
it, and so it sounds natural."
"That isn't enough by itself," said Dorothy. "How do you like the
Dorrance Domain?"
They all liked this, and so The Dorrance Domain was decided upon, and
they all rushed to tell grandma the name of her new home.
It was noon when the train reached the Ponetcong Station. Here they all
bundled out, bag and baggage, children and animals. But as the boat, in
which they were to continue their journey did not leave until one
o'clock, there was ample time to get some luncheon,--which more than
pleased the four hungry Dorrances. Upon inquiry, they were directed to a
small country hotel and soon found themselves confronted with many small
portions of not over-attractive looking viands.
But for once, the children cared little about what they ate or how it
was served, so eager were they at the prospect of soon reaching their
new home.
"What do you suppose it will be like?" said Lilian, quite as if she were
propounding a brand-new conundrum.
"I've s'posed everything I can possibly think of," said Leicester; "but
I'm willing to guess again if you want me to."
"It isn't worth while guessing much more," said Dorothy; "for very soon
we will _know_. Now, Lilian, you and Fairy stay here with grandma, and
Leicester and I will go over to that little store across the street and
buy some things to take with us for supper to-night. Tessie may go too,
to help us carry them."
But this plan was far from acceptable.
"That isn't fair!" cried Lilian; "buying things for our own home is the
most fun yet, and I think we all ought to go together."
"So do I," said Fairy. "Let Tessie stay with grandma, and us four will
go to purchase the eatabubbles."
Fairy did not stutter, but, when excited, she was apt to put extra
syllables in her words.
"Come on, then," said Dorothy, and with Dare bounding beside them, the
four ran across the road to the little grocery shop.
"Let's be very sensible," said Dorothy, "and get just the right things.
You know young housekeepers always do ridiculous things when they go to
buy provisions. Now what do we need most?"
"Bread," said the twins together, and surely nobody could have
criticised their suggestion as ridiculous.
"Yes," said Dorothy, and then turning to the grocer, she said politely,
"Have you any bread?"
"Yes, miss," replied the grocer, staring in amazement at the four
excited children; "what kind?"
"Why, just bread," said Dorothy; "fresh bread, you know. Is there more
than one kind?"
"Yes, miss. Square loaf, long loaf, twist loaf and raisin bread."
"Oh!" exclaimed Dorothy, appalled by this superabundant variety.
But Leicester came to the rescue. "Raisin bread," said he; "that's the
kind. And then we want some butter, if you please."
"Print, pat or tub?"
"Oh, not a whole tub full," said Dorothy, diligently trying to be
sensible; "we couldn't carry a tub. I think we'll take a--a print."
"Yes, miss; anything else?"
The weight of responsibility was so great, that no one spoke for a
moment, and then Fairy, in a burst of confidence began:
"You see, mister, we've never bought anything before; we've just eaten
other people's things; but now we've got a home of our own, a really
truly home, and these things are to eat in it. So of course you see we
have to be very careful what we buy. We're trying very hard to be
sensible housekeepers, 'cause my sister says we must, and she knows
everything in the world. And so if you could 'vise us a little, we'd
know better 'bout selectioning."
After this speech, a few questions from the grocer resulted in a frank
and straightforward statement of the case by Dorothy, and then a
judicious selection was made of immediate necessities for the commissary
department of The Dorrance Domain.