Elsie and Her Loved Ones Read online

  CHAPTER II

  THEY arrived at Coronado Beach, tired with their journey but full ofdelight with the beauty of their surroundings. On the morning aftertheir arrival they were gathered upon one of the galleries, takinga very interested view of the strange and beautiful scenery spreadout before them. The near prospect was of lovely grounds forming theinner court of the hotel, grass, trees and hedges of lovely green,borders and ovals and beds of marguerites, long lines and curves ofmarigolds, and a fountain encircled by calla-lilies. It was beautiful.And farther away they could see other lovely gardens, rocky wastes,lofty mountains, and the ocean with distant sails upon it; the beachwith foaming waves breaking on it, and Point Loma, grandly guarding theharbor on the right.

  “There must be a grand view from the top of that promontory,” remarkedChester.

  “Yes,” said the captain, “and perhaps a call there would be as good abeginning of our peregrinations as we could make. Point Loma commandsone of the most remarkable views in the world; an immense prospect andvery interesting in its details. I suppose you would all like to go?”he added inquiringly, and with a kindly glance from one to another.

  No one seemed at all inclined to reject the offered treat, carriageswere ordered, and in a few minutes they were on their way.

  There was no disappointment; the view from the top of the rockypromontory, Point Loma, was all they had been led to expect; a view ofmiles of old ocean, blue and sparkling in the sunshine, bearing distantvessels on its bosom; on the land ranges on ranges of mountains; awayin the distance to the South another promontory—the Point of Rocks,in Mexico. They drove along the narrow ridge of the promontory to thelighthouse, and found the view very fine from there.

  “How beautiful is that wide, curving coast line!” remarked GrandmaElsie.

  “Yes, mamma,” assented Violet, “and the ranges on ranges of hills andmountains. And there, see, are snow-peaks beyond them. What mountainsare they, my dear?”

  “San Bernardino and San Jacinto,” replied the captain; “and thatflat-topped one is Table Mountain, in Mexico.”

  “’Tis a grand view, this!” remarked Mr. Lilburn, in tones of delight.

  “Yes, one of the finest in the world,” responded the captain. “What aperfect crescent is that ocean beach, and how singular is the formationof North and South Coronado Beach! Notice the entrance to this harborhere along Point Loma, where we are standing, and on the spacious innerbay, the towns of San Diego, and National City; notice the lowlands andheights outside sprinkled with houses, gardens, vineyards and orchards.”

  “It is a beautiful scene,” said Mrs. Rose Dinsmore; “it alone is enoughto repay us for our long journey.”

  “Yes, grandma,” responded Violet, “especially as the journey itselfwas really delightful.”

  “So it was,” responded several voices.

  “Yes, I think it paid even for giving up my Tiny for a few weeks,” saidlittle Elsie. “Are we going anywhere else to-day, papa?” she asked,turning to her father.

  “That is a question I have not considered yet,” he answered, “but Ithink that by the time we get back to our hotel and eat our dinner, itwill be rather late for another trip.”

  “I think so; especially for those of our party who are my patients,”said Dr. Travilla. “For a time I must ask them to avoid both theevening and the early morning air.”

  “And such is their confidence in your medical wisdom and skill thatthey will be very apt to take your advice,” remarked Lucilla, withplayful look and tone.

  “Certainly we will,” added Chester; “where would be the use of bringinga doctor along if his advice is not to be followed?”

  “I’m very hungry,” put in little Ned. “Uncle Harold, wouldn’t it begood for us to have something to eat?”

  “Why yes, Ned, I highly approve of that suggestion,” laughed thedoctor, “and there are lunch baskets in our carriages that will nodoubt yield all that is needed to satisfy our appetites.”

  “Yes, I saw them, Uncle Harold, and so I knew we didn’t need to gohungry,” replied Ned. Then, turning to his father, “May I go and getthe baskets, papa?” he asked. “I s’pose we’ll have to eat out here.”

  “No doubt we can eat comfortably enough sitting here on the rocks,”replied his father; “but the baskets are too heavy for a boy ofyour size to carry. We will get one of our drivers to do that.”Then addressing the party, “Judging by my own feelings, ladies andgentlemen, I suppose you are all ready for lunch?”

  There was a general assent, and presently they were regaling themselveswith a very appetizing meal.

  That concluded, they re-entered their carriages and had a delightfuldrive back to the Hotel del Coronado, where they passed a pleasantevening, then retired early for a comfortable night’s rest.

  The next day was the Sabbath. Our party attended morning service in thenearest church, and in the afternoon spent an hour or more in Biblestudy together. After that little Elsie, Bible in hand, drew near Mrs.Travilla.

  “Grandma,” she said, “I want to ask you about this verse inRevelations. Shall I read it to you?”

  “Yes, dear; let me hear it,” replied Grandma Elsie, and the child readin low, sweet tones:

  “‘He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto thechurches: To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hiddenmanna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new namewritten, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.’”

  The little girl paused, closed her Bible, and putting her hand in herpocket drew out a small white stone.

  “See, grandma,” she said, “I picked this up yesterday when we were outand it reminded me of that verse. Please, grandma, tell me what itmeans.”

  “I will do the best I can, darling,” was the sweet-toned reply. “Thewhite stone was the symbol of acquittal. When a man had been accusedor suspected of some crime, tried for it and found innocent, the judgewould give him a white stone, and he could show that as proof that hehad been pronounced innocent. The white stone was also the symbol ofvictory and honor, and was given to brave soldiers coming home frombattles for their country.”

  “Then they would be very proud to show it, I suppose,” said Elsie. “Butwas that all the use they had for such stones, grandma?”

  “No; they were used as a symbol of friendship. A single stone would becut in two, one man would take one half, his friend the other, eachwould write his name on the piece he held, then they would exchangethem, each keeping his piece with his friend’s name upon it, as proofand pledge of that friend’s love. They might be so separated afterwardsas not to see or hear from each other for years, and perhaps, if theymet again, not be able to recognize each other, because of changedappearances, but the stone would help them to prove their identity andgive them the joy of renewed friendship. And when they died their sonswould inherit those valuable stones, which would serve as helpers inkeeping up the friendship of their fathers.”

  Elsie sat for a moment in thoughtful silence, then turning to hergrandma, with a sweet smile: “That was a nice lesson,” she said. “Thankyou very much for it, grandma.”

  “What was that, daughter?” asked the captain, approaching them at thatmoment. In reply Elsie showed her stone and repeated what her grandmahad been telling her.

  “That was a very good lesson,” said her father. “Keep the little whitestone, daughter, and when you look at it remember the Master’s promisegiven with it—look to Him for strength to overcome, and you will notfail. He says to each one of His children: ‘Fear thou not; for I amwith thee; be not dismayed, for I am thy God; I will strengthen thee;yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand ofmy righteousness.’ Again and again in that same chapter He repeats Hisgracious admonition to His people not to fear, because they are His—Heis their God and will help them.”

  “Oh, it is lovely, papa, lovely to belong to Him and know that He willbring us safely all the way through this world to the home with Himthat He has prepared for
us above!” exclaimed the little girl in joyoustones, her eyes shining with happiness.

  At the moment Violet came in from the gallery, whither all the rest ofthe party had already gone.

  “Come, mamma dear,” she said, “we want your company, and have acomfortable chair placed ready for you. Plenty of room and a warmwelcome, Levis, for you and our little daughter, also,” she added,turning her sweet, smiling face toward her husband.

  All three promptly accepted her invitation, and found it verydelightful to gaze upon the beautiful grounds just below them, and thesparkling, restless ocean beyond, also to inhale the delightful seabreeze—all in the pleasant company of those whose conversation was bothinteresting and instructive.

  The summons to the tea table presently called them away from thatpleasant spot, but they returned to it until the approach of bedtime;then with cordial and kindly good-nights they separated.

  But Lucilla came back presently to find her father pacing the galleryto and fro as was his wont at home. Pausing in his walk, he welcomedher with a smile, put an arm about her and gave her a kiss that seemedto say she was very dear to him.

  “Father,” she said, “you were so kind to bring us all here to thislovely place.”

  “Kind to myself as well as to others,” he said with a smile; “I amvery glad, daughter, to know that you are enjoying it.”

  “I am, father dear, more than I can find words to express, as isChester, also; and I think the change is improving his health.”

  “Yes, I think so, and hope he will go home entirely recovered. Ah, whois this?” as another girlish figure came gliding toward them.

  “Another of your daughters, father,” answered a sweet-toned voice; “Ididn’t know you had a companion—though I might have guessed it—and Iwanted a bit of chat about your absent son. Isn’t it time for letters?”

  “Hardly, Eva, my dear, though possibly we may hear to-morrow or nextday,” replied the captain, putting an arm about her and drawing herclose to his side.

  “I wish Max could get a furlough and join us here,” said Lucilla. “Ifeel almost mean, Eva, to be enjoying the society of my husband whileyours is so far away.”

  “Oh, Lu, dear, don’t feel so,” returned Evelyn; “your happinesscertainly does not make mine any less; no, it makes it more; because,loving you, I rejoice in your happiness.”

  They chatted but a few moments longer, then bidding the captaingood-night, hastened away to their own rooms.