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ELSIE AT HOME
by
MARTHA FINLEY
Author of "Elsie Dinsmore," "Elsie's Vacation," etc.
Special Authorized Edition
[Illustration]
M. A. Donohue & Co
Chicago New York
Copyright, 1887.
by
Dodd, Mead and Company
All 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 and
sleet falling fast while a blustering northeast wind sent them sweeping
across the desolate-looking fields and gardens, and over the wet road
where a hack was lumbering along, drawn by two weary-looking steeds; its
solitary passenger sighing and groaning with impatience over its slow
progress 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's
been a dreadful tedious ride for you, but a trifle worse for me, seein' I
get 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, ailing
woman and you a big, strong man, used to exertion and exposure." The
sentence ended in a distressing fit of coughing that seemed to shake her
whole frame.
"I'm right sorry fur ye, ma'am," he said, turning a pitying glance upon
her, "but just hold on a bit longer and we'll be there. We're e'n a'most
in 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 whom
she has not seen for years."
"Surely, ma'am; and yonder's the house. We'll be there in five
minutes--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 this
little pane of glass and through the rain and mist."
"It's a fine place, ma'am, and a good, big house," he returned. "I
wouldn'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 better
than 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 turned
in at the avenue gates took up her satchel and umbrella in evident haste
to alight.
In the home-like parlour of the mansion they were approaching sat a
lovely-looking lady of mature years, a little group of children gathered
about her listening intently and with great interest to a story she was
telling them, while a sweet-faced young girl, sitting near with a bit of
tatting in her hands, seemed an equally interested hearer, ready to join
in the outburst of merriment that now and again greeted something in the
narrative.
"There is a hack coming up the avenue, Eva. Can we be going to have a
visitor this stormy day?" suddenly exclaimed the eldest boy, glancing
out of the window near where he stood. "Yes, it has come to a standstill
at the foot of the veranda steps, and the driver seems to be getting
ready to help someone out."
"A lady! Why, who can she be?" cried Eric, the next in age, as the hack
door was thrown open and the driver assisted his passenger to alight,
while Evelyn laid down her work and hastened into the hall to greet and
welcome the guest, whoever she might be; for the Fairview family, like
nearly every other in that region of country, was exceedingly
hospitable.
A servant had already opened the outer door and now another stepped
forward to take the lady's satchel and umbrella.
"Who can she be?" Evelyn asked herself as she hastily crossed the
veranda and held out a welcoming hand with a word or two of pleasant
greeting.
"Is it you, Evelyn?" asked the stranger in tones that trembled with
emotion. "And do you not know me--your own mother!"
"Mother; oh, mother, can it be you?" cried Evelyn, catching the stranger
in her arms and holding her fast with sobs and tears and kisses. "I had
not heard from you for so long, and have been feeling as if I should
never 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 into
the hall, where by this time the rest of the family--Grandma Elsie, and
Mr. and Mrs. Leland and their children--were gathered.
"Sister Laura! is it possible! Welcome to Fairview," was Mrs. Leland's
greeting, 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 are
looking! Let me help you off with your bonnet and cloak and to a couch
here in the parlour."
"Thank you; yes, I'll be very glad to lie down, for I'm worn out with my
journey and this troublesome cough," she said, struggling with a renewed
paroxysm and gasping for breath. "But my luggage and----"
"We'll attend to all that," he said, half carrying her to the couch
where his wife and her mother were arranging the pillows for her
comfort, and laying her gently down upon it.
"Oh, mother; my poor dear mother!" sighed Evelyn, as she leaned over
her, smoothing her hair with caressing hand, "it breaks my heart to see
you looking so weary and ill. But we will soon nurse you back to health
and strength--uncle and aunt and I."
"I hope so, indeed," Mrs. Leland said in her sweet, gentle tones. "You
have had most unpleasant weather for your journey, Laura, so that it is
not to be wondered at that you are exhausted. You must have some
refreshment at once," and with the last word she hastened away in search
of 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 the
cup contained nothing unpleasant to the taste, quickly swallowed its
contents, then lay back quietly upon her pillows, still keeping fast
hold of her daughter's hand, while Grandma Elsie, giving the cup to a
servant to carry away, resumed her easy chair on the farther side of the
room--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 long
separated mother and daughter--and her grandchildren again gathered
about her. But they seemed awed into silence by the presence of the
stranger invalid, whom they gazed upon with pitying curiosity, while her
attention seemed equally occupied with them.
"Your uncle's children?" she asked of Evelyn in a tone scarcely louder
than 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--she
is 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 call
Vi. 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 her
daughter-in-law, Aunt Zoe, has undertaken the most of the housekeeping
at Ion."
"She certainly looks very young to be mother and grandmother to so
many," sighed the invalid, catching sight of her own sallow, prematurely
wrinkled face reflected in a large mirror on the opposite side of the
room. "But she has had an easy life, surrounded by kind, affectionate,
sympathising friends, while I--miserable woman that I am--have been
worried, brow-beaten, robbed, till nothing is left me but ill-health and
grinding poverty."
"Mother, mother dear, don't talk so while I am left you and have enough
to keep us both, with care and economy," entreated Evelyn in a voice
half choked with sobs. "It will be joy to me to share with you and do
all I can to make your last days comfortable and happy."
"Then you haven't lost all your love for your mother in our years of
separation?"
"No, no indeed!" answered Evelyn earnestly. But there the conversation
ended for the time, Mrs. Leland returning with the promised refreshment.
It seemed to give some strength to the invalid, and after taking it she
was, by her own request, assisted to her room, an apartment opening into
that of her daughter, with whose good help she was soon made ready for
her bed, the most comfortable she had lain upon for weeks or months, she
remarked, as she stretched her tired limbs upon it.
"I am very glad you find it so, mother dear," said Evelyn. "And now, if
you like, I will unpack your trunks and arrange their contents in
wardrobe, 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 you
uns while Miss Eva gwine eat wif de res' of de folks," said a neatly
dressed, pleasant-faced, elderly coloured woman, who had entered the
room 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, mother
dear?" explained Eva, seeing a puzzled look on her mother's face.
"Oh, no! that excellent broth fully satisfied my appetite," replied
Laura. "Go and get your supper, Eva, child, but come back when you have
finished; for we have been so long separated that now I can hardly bear
to have you out of my sight."
"Oh, mother, how sweet to hear you say that!" exclaimed Evelyn, bending
down 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 of
conversation 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 we
could reasonably ask him to come and see her to-night," she added with a
sigh.
"Yes," said her uncle, "but as it is so bad I think we will just give
him a full account of her symptoms and ask his advice through the
telephone. Then he will tell us what would better be done to-night, and
call in to see her to-morrow morning."
The ladies all agreed that that would be the better plan and it was
presently carried out. The doctor would have come at once, in spite of
the storm, had it seemed necessary, but from the account given he deemed
it 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 out
his directions for to-night," said Evelyn.
"Remembering that we are all ready to assist in any and every possible
way," added her uncle, smiling kindly upon her.
"Yes, indeed!" said Grandma Elsie; "and you must not hesitate to call
upon 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 as
you were some years ago, and I cannot afford to let you run any risk of
diminishing your stock of health and strength by loss of sleep or
over-exertion. Call upon me, Eva, should you need any assistance."
"Very well, daughter, I shall not insist upon the privilege of losing
sleep," returned Grandma Elsie with a smile, "but may perhaps be
permitted to make myself slightly useful during the day."
"Yes, slightly, mother dear, and at such time as you would not be
otherwise improving by taking needed rest or recreation," Mrs. Leland
replied as she hastened away with Eva, with the purpose to make sure
that her newly arrived guest lacked for nothing which she could provide.
"At last, Evelyn, child! I suppose you have not been long gone, but it
seemed so to my impatience," was Laura's salutation as Eva reentered her
room.
"It is sweet to hear you say that, mother dear; sweet to know that you
love me so," Evelyn said in moved tones, bending down to press a kiss on
the wan cheek, "and I mean to fairly surfeit you with my company in the
days and weeks that lie before us."
"And she only waited with the rest of us to consult our good doctor for
you, Laura," added Mrs. Leland. "He has prescribed a sleeping potion for
to-night, and will call to see you and prescribe further in the
morning."
"I think I should have been consulted," returned the invalid in a tone
of 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 a
breath, the former adding, "His charges are not heavy and it will be
strange 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 more
about it, mamma," added Evelyn in a tone of playful authority. "What
would be the use when you have a tolerably rich, grown-up daughter,
whose principal business and pleasure it will be to take care of and
provide for her long-lost, but now happily recovered mother. And here
comes uncle with your sleeping potion," she added, as Mr. Leland at that
moment 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 be
likely to secure you a good night's rest."
"I don't know," she returned doubtfully, eyeing the cup with evident
disfavour, "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 dose
would be better than that. And it was not so bad after all," she
concluded as she returned the cup, after swallowing its contents.
"Glad to hear you say so," he said in reply. "And now take my further
advice--lie still and go to sleep, leaving all the talk with Eva till
to-morrow. Good-night to you both." And he left the room, followed
presently by his wife, who lingered only until she had made sure that
all the wants of the invalid were fully supplied.
Laura had already fallen into a sweet sleep, under the soothing
influence of the draught, and Eva presently stretched herself beside
her, and with a heart filled with contending emotions--love for this her
only remaining parent, joy in their reunion, sorrow and care in view of
her evident exhaustion and ill-health, and plans for making her
remaining days happy--lay awake for a time silently asking for guidance
and help from on high, then fell into dreamless, refreshing sleep.