Elsie and Her Loved Ones Page 4

  CHAPTER IV

  IT was early morning, the sun just peeping over the mountain tops onthe farther side of the river, when Captain Raymond might have beenseen pacing to and fro in the beautiful grounds of Crag Cottage. Nowand then he glanced toward the open hall door, expecting that Lucillawould join him in his early stroll as she so often did. Presently someone did step out and hasten toward him. It was not Lucilla, however,but Dr. Harold Travilla.

  “Good-morning, Grandpa Raymond,” was Harold’s greeting, with a bow andsmile.

  “What?” cried the captain, standing still in surprise.

  “A pretty little girl has just arrived, scarcely an hour ago, and asMax claims to be her father, I take it that Max’s father must be hergrandsire.”

  “Ah! An astonishing bit of news! She was not expected so soon?”

  “No, not for some weeks yet, but the parents are very happy over herprompt arrival. So far both mother and child are doing well.”

  “That is good news; all you have told me is good news, although itseems a little odd to think of myself as a grandfather,” remarked thecaptain with a smile. Then turning to Lucilla, who joined them at thatmoment, he told the news to her.

  “Oh,” she cried, “how nice! Harold, can I go in now, speak to Eva andlook at her treasure?”

  “Not yet,” he said; “she needs rest and I think is sleeping. We willlet you in some hours later.”

  “Thank you. I don’t want to go to her until her physician considers itquite safe to do so,” returned Lucilla.

  “Nor do I,” said the captain, “though I shall be pleased to get sightof my first grandchild.”

  “Oh, yes, she has made you a grandfather, papa,” laughed Lucilla. “Howodd that seems!”

  “And you, Grace and Elsie, aunts; Ned—my little Ned—an uncle.”

  “Oh, won’t he be tickled!” laughed Lucilla.

  “We will see,” laughed the captain, “for here he comes,” as Ned wasseen at that moment approaching them in their walk.

  “Good-morning, papa and Sister Lu,” he cried, as he drew near.“Good-morning, Uncle Harold.”

  “Good-morning,” returned his father. “Have you heard the news?”

  “News, papa? No, sir; what is it?” he asked, putting his hand into thatof his father. “Nothing bad, I guess, ’cause you look pleased; and sodo sister and uncle.”

  “I hope you, too, will be pleased when you hear it,” said his father.“You have a little niece, Ned. You are an uncle.”

  “Oh, am I? Why how did it happen? Where is she?”

  “Only a little baby,” laughed Lucilla. “Brother Max and Sister Eva areher father and mother.”

  “And God gave her to them a little while ago,” added their father.“And I want you to remember to make no noise anywhere about the house,because your Sister Eva is not well and noise would be very apt to makeher worse.”

  “Yes, sir, I think I can remember to be quiet so as not to hurt SisterEva or wake the baby if it is asleep. I’d like to see it, though.”

  “I think we will all be treated to a sight of it before very long,”said the captain.

  “Oh,” cried Ned, “there are mamma and Elsie on the porch. Let’s go andtell them the good news.”

  And away he ran, followed by his father and Sister Lu.

  “Oh, mamma, have you heard the news?” he cried, as he came panting upthe steps.

  “That I am a grandmother and you an uncle?” she asked, with a merrylittle laugh.

  “Why, no, mamma, you are not old enough to be that,” exclaimed Elsie.

  “No, indeed!” cried Ned. “But papa is a grandfather and Lu and Graceand Elsie are aunts and I’m an uncle. Oh, isn’t it funny?”

  “I hope you will be a well-behaved uncle and not make your little nieceashamed of you,” laughed Violet.

  “I guess she won’t be,” returned Ned. “Anyhow, not till she getsbigger. She’s just a baby now, papa says.”

  Captain Raymond and Lucilla were now coming up the porch steps and atthe same moment Max stepped out from the hall door. He was looking veryhappy.

  “Good-morning, father,” he said. “Good-morning, Mamma Vi, and all ofyou. Father, I suppose Harold has told you the news?”

  “Yes, my dear boy; very pleasant news, though it seems to add somethingto my age to know myself a grandfather,” returned the captain with asmile, and taking Max’s extended hand in a warm pressure.

  “What did you choose a girl for, Brother Max?” asked Ned. “I shouldthink you’d rather have a boy.”

  “No, little brother,” laughed Max. “I’m glad it is a girl, and alwaysshall be glad, if she grows up to be just like her mother, as I hopeshe will.”

  “I hope so too, Max, and I am well pleased that she is a girl,” saidLucilla, “but I am glad that father and mother had a boy first so thatI have always had an older brother to look up to.”

  “And you have really looked up to him?” laughed Max. “I haven’t alwaysknown it, and certainly have not always been worthy of it.”

  Just then they were joined by Grandma Elsie and her daughter, Mrs.Leland, with her husband and children.

  All had heard the news and were full of the subject. The ladies andchildren wanted to see the little newcomer, but that could not be forthe present without running the risk of disturbing its mother, and justthen came the summons to the breakfast table.

  Dr. Harold was with them there, and on being questioned spoke in acheerful, hopeful way of his patient.

  “I left her asleep,” he said, “and looking very peaceful andcomfortable, the bit lassie reposing by her side. The nurse seems acapable one and I think will take the best care of both mother andbabe.”

  “When can we see it, Uncle Harold?” asked little Elsie.

  “After its mother wakes yours or mine will probably carry it out intothe dressing-room for a few minutes, and then if you two will engageto be very quiet you may go in there and take a peep at the littlenameless stranger,” replied the doctor.

  “Nameless!” exclaimed Elsie. “Oh, Brother Max, what are you going toname it?”

  “Its mother shall name it. I am sure she has the best right,” repliedMax.

  “So I think,” said his father. “Violet, my dear, how soon will you beready for our trip down the river?”

  “I think I can make ready in an hour or two at any time,” Violetanswered with a smile.

  “Oh, father, don’t think of leaving us!” exclaimed Max. “I amabsolutely hungry for a good visit with you; and you have had seaair for months past. Besides, there is plenty of room here, and ofeverything else that is wanted. I hope you will all stay until Eva andI are ready to go.”

  “Thank you, my son,” the captain said, giving Max a look of fatherlypride and pleasure; “a few weeks of your society will be far fromdisagreeable to your old father. So, Violet,” turning to her, “shall weaccept his invitation?”

  “Yes, with the understanding that if at any time we prove troublesomecompany we are to be informed that such is the case and to leave atvery short notice.”

  “You may be sure of getting such notice if your conduct calls forit,” laughed Mrs. Leland. “So don’t set your hearts too strongly uponstaying here as long as Max and Eva do.”

  “There is not the slightest danger of Sister Violet earning such noticeand hardly of her children doing so,” remarked Mr. Leland, “but I amnot so sure of our own boys and girls. Remember, my children,” glancingaround upon them, “that you are to play very quietly when you are in ornear the house while Cousin Eva is sick.”

  In answer there was a chorus of assurances that they would be verycareful to do nothing to injure “dear Cousin Eva,” but everything theycould to help her to get well.

  An hour later they were all—including Elsie and Ned—invited to goquietly into Cousin Eva’s dressing-room and see her new treasure, whichthey found sleeping on Grandma Elsie’s lap. They all regarded it withgreat interest and pronounced it a dear, pretty little thing.

  �
�What is its name, grandma?” they asked.

  “I don’t think she has any yet, except that she is a little MissRaymond,” Grandma Elsie answered, with a smile and a loving look downinto the wee face.

  “Oh, yes, because Brother Max is her father and his name is Raymond,”said little Elsie, “and Sisters Lu and Grace and I are her aunts. Oh, Ithink it’s nice to have such a dear little niece!”

  “Or cousin,” said Eric Leland. “I can’t be her uncle, but she’s mycousin, because her mother is.”

  “Yes,” said Grandma Elsie, “so she is, and I hope you will be so kindto her that she cannot help loving you. Now you may all go out into thegrounds and enjoy yourselves there; far enough from the house not todisturb your sick cousin if you want to make any noise.”

  “I think we will all try to be quiet, grandma,” said Elsie, “and go farenough away not to disturb Sister Eva with our talk.” And with thatthey all passed out very quietly.

  Elsie led the way to the summer house on the edge of the cliff, whichhad always been one of Evelyn’s favorite resorts. There they seatedthemselves, enjoying the beautiful prospect of the river and itsfarther shore.

  “That baby is a dear, pretty little cousin for us all, isn’t she?”remarked Alie Leland.

  “To you and your sister and brothers,” Elsie answered, with merry lookand tone; “but niece to Ned and me, you must remember, because herfather is our brother.”

  “Well, I don’t care,” laughed Alie. “I believe it’s about as good to becousin as aunt.”