CHAPTER XX.
Circumstances seemed to favor the scheme of the captain, Violet, andLucilla, for the family and their guests had scarcely left the breakfasttable when there was a new arrival, a boat hailing the yacht anddischarging several passengers, who proved to be Annis' sisters, Mildredand Zillah, and her brother, the Rev. Cyril Keith.
It was an unexpected arrival, but they were most cordially welcomed andurgently invited to spend as much of their time on the yacht as could bespared from sight-seeing on shore. They were of course soon introduced toMr. Lilburn--already known to them by reputation--and presently informedof the state of affairs between him and their sister. They were decidedlypleased with the old gentleman, yet grieved at the thought of so wide aseparation between their dear youngest sister and themselves.
Violet afterward, seizing a momentary opportunity when neither Mr. Lilburnnor Annis was near, told of her plans in regard to the wedding, addingthat the subject had not yet been mentioned to Annis, but that sheherself hoped no objection would be raised; and it seemed to her thatCyril's arrival, thus providing a minister to perform the ceremony, thevery one Annis would have chosen of course, seemed providential.
At first both brother and sisters were decidedly opposed to it--theywanted Annis to be married at home where all the family could be gatheredto witness the ceremony; it was bad enough to lose her without beingdeprived of that privilege; besides time and thought must be given to thepreparation of a suitable trousseau. But in the course of a day or twothey were won over to the plan.
Then the consent of those most particularly interested had to be gained.There was no difficulty so far as concerned Mr. Lilburn; he was reallydelighted with the idea, but Annis at first positively refused. She wishedto be married at home and she must have a trousseau: not that she cared somuch about it for herself, but Mr. Lilburn must not be disgraced by abride not suitably adorned.
"Well, Annis dear," said Mildred, who was the one selected for the task ofobtaining her consent to the proposed plan, "you shall have all that youdesire in the way of dress. I would not have you do without a singlething you want or think would be suitable and becoming. You shall haveabundance of money to make such purchases without applying to your husbandfor any one of them. You have some money of your own, you know, and itwill be a great pleasure to your brothers and sisters to give to the deargirl who was such a help and comfort to our loved father and mother,anything and everything she wants, and will accept at our hands."
"Yes, I know I have the best and kindest of brothers and sisters, and oh,I can hardly keep the tears back when I think of the separation thatawaits us," said Annis with a sob, putting her arms round Mildred's neckand clinging to her.
"Yes, dear, I know. I feel just the same, though I believe you will bevery happy with the kind, genial old gentleman who is stealing you awayfrom us; but I can see that he is in great haste to get full possession ofhis dear little lady-love--at which I do not wonder at all--and I reallythink it would be better to take the plunge into matrimony suddenly andhave it over," she added, with a smile.
"Have what over?" asked Annis, smiling faintly.
"Not the matrimony," laughed her sister, "but the plunge into it."
"Oh, Milly dear, you wouldn't have liked to be hurried so!"
"Ah, but wasn't I?" laughed Mildred; "and that by this very brother ofours who expects to perform the ceremony for you."
"Ah, I don't remember about that," returned Annis, in a tone of enquiry.
"No, you were such a little girl then that I don't wonder it has slippedyour memory. But Cyril was about starting for college and so determined tosee me married, so fearful that he would miss the sight if he went offbefore-hand, that he coaxed, planned, and insisted till he actually gainedhis point--hurrying me into wedlock before I had even one wedding dressmade up."
"Oh, yes! and you were married in mother's wedding dress, I remember now.But, Milly, I haven't a single handsome dress with me! I did not thinkthey would be at all suitable to wear in tramping about the White City andits buildings, or needed in the hotel, where I spent but little timeexcept at night. And so far, what I brought with me have answered everypurpose."
"Never mind," said Mildred; "handsome ready-made dresses can be bought inChicago, and it will not take long to procure one. You will of course wantto select one that is well fitting and becoming in color; gray would, Ithink, be very becoming and altogether suitable for a--not very youngbride."
"No, I do not want to be too youthfully dressed, or to look too bridelikeon my wedding tour; so I think I will have a dark navy blue."
"So she has about consented to the desired arrangement," said Mildred, alittle triumphantly to herself; then aloud: "Yes, that will be quite asbecoming and a trifle more suitable; but let us go and talk it over withour cousins, Rose, Elsie, and Vi."
"There is no hurry," said Annis, blushing. "If I should give up to youenough to consent to have the ceremony performed here on the yacht, Ishall put it off till the very last day of your stay, for I don't intendto miss seeing all that I possibly can of you, Cyril, and Zillah, and ofthe Fair."
"Very well," Mildred answered. "I incline to think myself that that wouldbe the best plan; for really I want to see all I can of the dear sisterwho is going to leave us. O Annis, dear, whatever shall I do without you!"she exclaimed, putting an arm about her and kissing her with tears in hereyes. "Ah, it seems that in this world we cannot have any unalloyedgood!"
"No, Milly, dear sister; but when we get home to the Father's house onhigh, there will be no more partings, no sorrow, no sin--nothing buteverlasting joy and peace and love.
"'Tis there we'll meet At Jesus' feet, When we meet to part no more.
"Oh, doesn't it sometimes seem as if you could hardly wait for the timewhen you will be there with all the dear ones gone before? There at theMaster's feet, seeing him and bearing his image--like him; for we shallsee him as he is?"
"Yes, there are times when I do; and yet I am glad to stay a little longerin this world for the sake of husband and children; and to work for theMaster too, doing what I can to bring others to him. I want some jewels inthe crown I cast at his dear feet."
"Yes; and so do I." A moment of silence followed;--then Mildred said:
"Let us go now and have our talk with the cousins, for it will not be verylong before we will be summoned to the supper table."
Annis made no objection, and they went up to the deck, where they foundthe three ladies they sought--Zillah with them too--sitting in a littlegroup apart from the young girls and gentlemen.
They joined the group and Mildred quickly and briefly reported Annis'decision. All approved, saying they would be very glad to keep her to thelast minute, and there was a good deal more well worth looking at in theFair than she had already seen; also the delay would give plenty of timefor the selection of a wedding dress and other needed articles of apparel.
"Now I am going to relieve the anxiety of the gentlemen, particularly theone belonging especially to me," said Violet, in a lively tone, risingwith the last word and hurrying away in their direction. The others satsilently watching her and her auditors.
"Ah," laughed Mildred presently, "they are all well satisfied with thearrangement except Mr. Lilburn. He wears a dubious, disappointed look. Ah,Annis, how can you have the heart to disappoint him so?"
"Never mind, Annis, he will prize you all the more for not being able toget possession of you too quickly and easily," said Mrs. Dinsmore.
"So I think," returned Annis demurely; "also that it will be quite as wellfor him to have a little more time to learn about all my faults andfailings."
"I do not believe he will be able to find them," said Mrs. Dinsmore, withan admiring look into the sweet face of the speaker, "since I have notsucceeded in so doing."
Lucilla and Grace, seated a little apart from the others, had beenwatching with keen interest all that passed among both ladies andgentlemen.
"There, just look at Cousin Ronald
!" exclaimed Lucilla. "He isn'tsmiling--looks rather disappointed I think; so I suppose we are not to beallowed to carry out our plan. And I think it would be just splendid tohave a wedding here on board our yacht."
"Yes; so did I," returned Grace; "but I suppose she doesn't like the ideaof being married in a hurry. I'm sure I shouldn't. I don't believe Rosiewould mind that though; and Mr. Croly seems to say by his looks that hewould like to take possession of her as soon as possible."
"Yes, no doubt he would. He ought to wait till he can have his father andmother present, however; and besides Grandpa Dinsmore and Grandma Elsiewon't consent to let her marry for at least a year. I shouldn't think shewould feel willing to leave her mother even then; unless as Mamma Vi did,for such a man as our father."
"But there isn't any other," asserted Grace more positively than sheoften spoke. "Papa is just one by himself for lovableness, goodness,kindness--oh, everything that is admirable!"
"Indeed he is all that!" responded Lucilla heartily. "Oh, I could neverbear to leave him and cannot help wondering at Rosie--how she can think ofleaving her mother! Her father being dead, she wouldn't be leaving him,but Grandma Elsie is so sweet and lovable. To be sure, just as I said,Mamma Vi did leave her, but then it seems all right since it was for loveof papa. But what are you looking so searchingly at me for, Gracie?"
"Oh, something that Rosie said last night quite astonished me, and I waswondering if it were possible she could be right."
"Right about what?"
"Why, that Chester Dinsmore is deeply in love with you, and that you caresomething for him too."
"Oh, what nonsense!" exclaimed Lucilla with a half vexed, yet mirthfullook. "I am only half grown up, as papa always says, and really I don'tcare a continental for that young man. I like him quite well as afriend--he has always been very polite and kind to me since that time whenhe came so near cutting my fingers off with his skates--but it is absurdto think he wants to be anything more than a friend; besides papa doesn'twant me to think about beaux for years to come, and I don't want toeither."
"I believe you, Lu," said Grace, "for you are as perfectly truthful aperson as anybody could be. Besides I know I love our father too dearlyever to want to leave him for the best man that ever lived; there couldn'tbe a better one than he is, or one who could have a more unselfish lovefor you and me."
"Exactly what I think," returned Lucilla. "But there's the call tosupper."
Elsie at the World's Fair Page 20