Elsie at the World's Fair

by Martha Finley

  CHAPTER III.

  "On, we have a lovely view from here!" remarked Lulu as they reached the_Dolphin's_ deck. "I'm not at all sleepy, papa; can't I sit here for awhile?"

  Grace was saying, "Good-night, papa."

  He returned it with a fatherly caress, then answered Lulu's query.

  "No, daughter; it is long past your usual hour for retiring, and as I wantyou to feel fresh and bright for to-morrow's pleasure, you, too, may bidme good-night and go at once to your berth."

  "Oh, yes, sir, that will be the best, I know," she said, rising promptlyfrom the seat she had taken, and with a loving look up into his face--forhe was close at her side now. "What a happy thing it is for me that I havesuch a kind, wise father to take care of me!"

  "A father whose strong desire it certainly is to make you and all hischildren as happy as possible," he said, laying a hand on her head andlooking fondly down into her eyes. "Good-night, daughter, and don'thesitate to call me if anything should go wrong with you or Grace."

  "Am I also under orders to retire, sir?" asked Violet with a mischievoussmile up into his face, as Lulu bade good-night to the rest of the companyand disappeared down the companion-way.

  "Not from me," he said, pleasantly taking a seat at her side as he spoke."Have I not told you many times that my wife does what she pleases? Atleast, if she fails to do so it is in consequence of no order from me."

  "No; you have never given me one yet, and I believe I should like you todo so for once that I may see how it feels," she added with a low, musicallaugh, slipping her hand confidingly into his.

  "Perhaps you might not find it particularly agreeable," he returned,pressing the little hand tenderly in his. "But just to satisfy you I maytry it one of these days. You are not disappointed in the Fair so far?"

  "No, no, not in the least! Oh, how lovely it is! and what a beautiful viewwe have from here! How delighted our little Elsie and Ned will be with itall to-morrow. I hardly know how to wait for the time to come when I cansee and share their pleasure."

  But now the others were saying good-night and going down to theirstate-rooms, and the captain remarked laughingly that he thought thelonged-for time would seem to come sooner if he and she should followtheir good example.

  "So it will," returned Violet, promptly rising and slipping her hand intohis arm.

  She went first to her mother's state-room, and the door being opened inanswer to her gentle rap, "Are you quite comfortable, mamma, dear?" sheasked. "Is there anything I can do or furnish to make you more so?"

  "I am perfectly comfortable and I need nothing but a good night's rest,Vi, dear," was the smiling response. "Something which I want you to betaking as soon as possible. We find ourselves here surrounded by so muchthat is wondrously enticing to look at, that I fear we will be tempted toneglect needed rest, and so make ourselves ill."

  "Ah, mamma, you and my husband are of one mind, as usual," laughed Violet,and then with a tenderly affectionate good-night they parted.

  Both the captain and Lulu retained their old habit of early rising, andshe joined him upon the deck the next morning just as the sun came peepingabove the horizon.

  "Good-morning, papa," she cried, running to him to put her arms about hisneck and give and receive the usual morning caress. "Isn't this a lovelyday? How we shall enjoy it at the Fair--that beautiful Court of Honor isjust like the loveliest of fairylands."

  "With which my eldest daughter is quite familiar, of course," he returnedwith amused look and tone, and smoothing her hair caressingly as he spoke.

  "Well, I think I can begin to imagine now what fairyland may be like," washer smiling rejoinder. "Papa, mayn't I keep close at your side, goingwherever you go?"

  "That is exactly what I want you to do," he said. "I should be troubledindeed by losing sight of any one of my children, unless after putting himor her in the care of someone whom I could implicitly trust."

  "I don't want to be in the care of anyone else, papa," she hastened tosay.

  "But it will be quite impossible to see everything here that is well worthlooking at," he said, "and our tastes may differ greatly in regard to thethings we care to examine."

  "Still I care most of all to be with you, papa. I'm not afraid of gettinglost, because I could easily find my way back to the Peristyle and waitand watch there for you and the rest, but I want to share in yourenjoyment, and have you share in mine," laying her rosy cheek against hisshoulder and lifting to his, eyes full of ardent affection.

  "That is right," he said, smiling, and patting her cheek.

  "Ah, here come your mamma, Gracie, and the little ones. You are early, mydear," to Violet as he handed her to a seat, took one at her side, drawingGrace to his knee for a moment's petting and fondling, then letting hergive place to the younger two, both eagerly waiting for their turn.

  "Yes," Violet replied, "we are all ready for an early start for the Fair."

  "As I expected," he said pleasantly. "I have ordered breakfast to be onthe table an hour earlier than usual, and if our guests appear in seasonwe will have prayers before eating; so that we may be able to start soonafter leaving the table."

  "Judging by some slight sounds I have heard, I think they are all up andwill join us presently," said Violet.

  "Yes, mamma, I do believe we are all in a great hurry to get to the Fair,"remarked her little Elsie. "Oh, papa, is that it over there where thatarch is with all those pillars on each side of it?"

  "And, oh, papa, what big ship is that?" cried Ned, catching sight of the_Illinois_. "I like ships, and I want to go there. Can't I?"

  "I intend to take you there one of these days," his father answered.

  Just then the rest of the party came trooping up from the cabin. Morningsalutations were exchanged, family worship followed, and then breakfast,during which plans for the day were again discussed and furtherarrangements made.

  They had scarcely left the table when Harold and Herbert appeared,bringing further plans and suggestions in regard to the sight-seeing, forthey were anxious to help the newer arrivals--particularly theirmother--to the greatest possible enjoyment of the day.

  After a little discussion it was finally decided that they would go firstto the Ferris Wheel, from which they would have a fine view of the wholeextent of the White City. "Then to the Wooded Island, where we willprobably find enough to keep us busy until dinner time," said Harold;"perhaps even longer."

  "No matter if it should," said his grandfather; "since we are not hurriedfor time, we may as well let all get their fill of everything; and if somewant to tarry longer than others we can break up into smaller parties."

  "Yes, sir, I rather think we will find that the better plan, as our partyis so uncommonly large."

  It was large, but they were congenial and greatly enjoyed being together,sharing the same pleasures of sight and sound.

  In another half hour they were all on shore enjoying a second view of thelovely Peristyle and Court of Honor, through which they passed on theirway to the Ferris Wheel, the ride in which they found so delightful thatat the earnest solicitation of little Ned they retained their seats duringa second revolution. Then they left it and walked on to the Wooded Island.

  "I want to take you to the Hunter's Cabin," said Harold. "See, yonder itis."

  "What! that old log building?" exclaimed his sister Rose, catching sightof it among the trees. "Who cares to look at such a thing as that?"

  "I do," he returned lightly, "since it is a museum and memorial of DanielBoone and Davy Crockett,--two historical characters who were veryinteresting to me in my youth,--and also gives one a very good idea of themanner of life of our Western pioneers forty or more years ago."

  He led the way as he spoke, the others following. They found that thebuilding consisted of one large room divided by a rope into twoapartments, a public and a private one. There was a broad fireplace suchas belonged to the dwellings of the pioneers of fifty or more years ago;there were beds and settees made of stretched skins, and skins of w
ildanimals covered the floor; there were also tin dishes, candles, a stoolmade of a section of a log, and such cooking apparatus as was used in thekind of dwelling represented.

  The cabin was occupied by a hunter who wore long hair and a wide-brimmedfelt hat.

  He was ready to answer questions, many of which were asked by the youngermembers of our party, who, as well as their elders, seemed much interestedin this representation of pioneer life in the olden times.

  "Where now?" asked Mr. Dinsmore as they left the Hunter's Cabin.

  "I think Master Neddie here would enjoy a look at the ostriches," remarkedHerbert, with a smiling glance at the rosy, happy face of his littlenephew, who was trudging along with his hand in that of his father.

  "Oh, yes!" cried the child in a tone of eager delight. "I should like tosee them ever so much!"

  "Then if no one objects, that is where we will go," said Harold, and asthe only rejoinders from the other members of the party were those ofassent, he led the way.

  "Is it a very expensive entertainment?" asked Walter soberly.

  "Costs all of ten cents apiece," replied Herbert. "An enormous sum, butone cannot expect to see Old Abe, General Grant, Jim Blaine, and GroverCleveland for just nothing at all."

  "Oh, uncle!" cried little Elsie, "are all those great men there? Oh, no,of course they can't be--'cause some of them are dead. I know it was dear,good Mr. Lincoln they called Old Abe, and that a wicked man shot him long,long ago; and that General Grant was sick and died."

  "That is all true," returned her uncle, "but these fellows still weartheir feathers, and are very much alive."

  "Oh, I know now," laughed the little girl. "You mean the ostrich man hasnamed some of his birds after those famous men." They were now on thenorthern side of Midway Plaisance, and presently reached the enclosurewhere the ostriches were. There were twenty-three, full-grown, all fromCalifornia. The sight was an interesting one to both the grown people andthe children, and all listened attentively to the remarks of theexhibitor, delivered in solemn tones, in regard to the habits of thebirds. He spoke of the male bird as most kind and self-forgetful in histreatment of his mate, or mates, saying it was he who built the nest andobtained the food; also that he would sit on the eggs in the nest forsixteen hours at a stretch, while the mother did the same for only eighthours. He had other things also to tell of the domineering of the femaleover the male, which caused some merriment among the ladies and girls ofour party; to the gentlemen also, though they pretended to highlydisapprove. But all laughed together over the ridiculous movements of theflock in passing from one side of the grounds to another.

  "What do they eat, papa?" asked Ned.

  "Corn, grasses, seeds of various kinds," replied his father. "They swallowlarge stones too, as smaller birds swallow sand to help grind up the foodin the gizzard, and, indeed, ostriches have been known to swallow bits ofiron, shoes, copper coins, glass, bricks, and other things such as youwould think no living creature would want to eat."

  "They look very big and strong, papa," remarked the little boy, gazing atthem with great interest.

  "Yes; they are so strong that one can easily carry two men on his back."

  "Is that what they are good for, papa?"

  "That is one thing; and their feathers are very valuable. For that reasonostrich farms have been established for the raising of the birds, and haveproved very profitable."

  "Don't folks eat ostriches, papa?" asked Elsie.

  "Sometimes a young one; and their eggs are eaten too. They are so largethat each one is about equal to two dozen ordinary hen's eggs; to cook onethey usually set it up on end over a fire, and having first broken a holein the top, they stir it with a forked stick while it is cooking. Theshells are very thick and strong and the Africans use them for watervessels."

  "Do they have nests to lay their eggs in, like our chickens?" asked Ned.

  "They do not take the pains in building a nest that most other birds do,"replied his father, "but merely scoop a hole in the sand. One male usuallyappropriates to himself from two to seven females and each hen lays teneggs--so it is supposed--all in the same nest, and each egg is stood up onend."

  "It must take a big, big nest to hold them; such great big eggs as you saythey are, papa!"

  "Yes, and generally there are some to be found lying on the sand outsideof the nest; perhaps laid there by hens who came to lay in it but foundanother in possession; one who had got there before them."

  "I have often heard or read that the ostrich leaves her eggs lying in thesand to be hatched by the heat of the sun," remarked Evelyn.

  "Perhaps she does in those very hot countries," said the exhibitor, "butnot in California; though, as I've been telling you, she makes the malebird do the most of the setting."

  "Maybe that's because the eggs are all his, but don't all belong to any ofthe females," laughed Walter.

  "Perhaps that is it, sir," returned the man.

  "Can they run very fast?" asked Neddie. "I should think they could withsuch great long legs."

  "Yes," said his father, "the ostrich is supposed to be able to run at therate of sixty miles an hour when it first sets out, but is not able tokeep up that rate of speed very long. And it has a habit of running in acurve instead of a straight line. It is thus possible for men on horsebackto meet it and get a shot at it."

  "I think it's a great pity to shoot them when they are not even good toeat," remarked the little fellow in indignant tones. "Besides, they mightsave them to grow feathers."

  "Yes," returned the exhibitor, "that's what we're raising them for inCalifornia."

  "Papa, I'd like to have some," said Neddie as they walked away.

  "Some what, son?"

  "Ostriches, papa."

  "About how many?"

  "Couldn't we have an ostrich farm?" asked the little fellow after amoment's consideration of the question.

  "Well, not to-day, my son," returned his father with an amused look."There will be plenty of time to talk it over before we are ready to gointo the business."