Elsie's children

by Martha Finley

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIRST.

  "Vice is a monster of so frightful mien, As to be hated needs but to be seen; Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face, We first endure, then pity, then embrace." --POPE.

  The winter and spring passed very quietly at Ion. At Roselands there wasmore gayety, the girls going out frequently, and receiving a good deal ofcompany at home.

  Virginia was seldom at Ion, but Isadore spent an hour there almost everyday pursuing the investigation proposed by her Cousin Elsie.

  She was an honest and earnest inquirer after truth, and at lengthacknowledged herself entirely convinced of the errors into which she hadbeen led, entirely restored to the evangelical faith; and more than that,she became a sincere and devoted Christian; much to the disgust andchagrin of her worldly-minded mother and Aunt Delaford, who would havebeen far better pleased to see her a mere butterfly of fashion, as wereher sister and most of her younger friends.

  But to her brother Arthur, and at both the Oaks and Ion, the change in Isawas a source of deep joy and thankfulness.

  Also it was the means of leading Calhoun, who had long been haltingbetween two opinions, to come out decidedly upon the Lord's side.

  Old Mr. Dinsmore had become quite infirm, and Cal now took entire chargeof the plantation. Arthur was busy in his profession, and Walter was atWest Point preparing to enter the army.

  Herbert and Meta Carrington were at the North; the one attending college,the other at boarding-school. Old Mrs. Carrington was still living; makingher home at Ashlands; and through her, the Rosses were frequently heardfrom.

  They were still enjoying a large measure of worldly prosperity, Mr. Rossbeing a very successful merchant. He had taken his son Philip intopartnership a year ago, and Lucy's letter spoke much of the lad asdelighting his father and herself, by his business ability and shrewdness.

  They had their city residence, as well as their country seat. Gertrude hadmade her debut into fashionable society in the fall, and spent a very gaywinter, and the occasional letters she wrote to the younger Elsie, werefilled with descriptions of the balls, parties, operas and theatricals sheattended, the splendors of her own attire, and the elegant dresses worn byothers.

  It may be that at another time Elsie, so unaccustomed to worldlypleasures, would have found these subjects interesting from their verynovelty; but now while the parting from Lily was so recent, when herhappy death had brought the glories of heaven so near, how frivolous theyseemed.

  They had more attraction for excitable, excitement-loving Violet; yet evenshe, interested for the moment, presently forgot them again, as somethingreminded her of the dear little sister, who was not lost but gone beforeto the better land.

  Vi had a warm, loving heart; no one could be fonder of home, parents,brothers and sisters than she, but as spring drew on, she began to have arestless longing for change of scene and employment. She had been growingfast, and felt weak and languid.

  Both she and Elsie had attained their full height, Vi being a trifle thetaller of the two; they grew daily in beauty and grace, and were not morelovely in person than in character and mind.

  They were as open as the day with their gentle, tender mother, and theirfond, proud father--proud of his lovely wife, and his sons and daughters,whose equals he truly believed were not to be found anywhere throughoutthe whole length and breadth of the land. So Vi was not slow in telling ofher desire for change.

  It was on a lovely evening in May, when the whole family were gathered inthe veranda, serenely happy in each other's society, the babe in hismother's arms, Rosie on her father's knee, the others grouped about them,doing nothing but enjoy the rest and quiet after a busy day with booksand work.

  Molly in her wheeled chair, was there in their midst, feeling herselfquite one of them and looking as contented and even blithesome as any ofthe rest. She was feeling very glad over her success in a second literaryventure, thinking of Dick too, and how delightful it would be if she couldonly talk it all over with him.

  He had told her in his last letter that she was making him proud of her,and what a thrill of delight the words had given her.

  "Papa and mamma!" exclaimed Violet, breaking a pause in the conversation,"home is very dear and sweet, and yet--I'm afraid I ought to be ashamed tosay it, but I do want to go away somewhere for awhile, to the seashore Ithink; that is if we can all go and be together."

  "I see no objection if all would like it," her father said, with anindulgent smile. "What do you say to the plan, little wife?"

  "I echo my husband's sentiments as a good wife should," she answered withsomething of the sportiveness of other days.

  "And we echo yours, mother," said Edward. "Do we not?" appealing to theothers.

  "Oh yes, yes!" they cried, "a summer at the seashore, by all means."

  "In a cottage home of our own; shall it not be, papa?" added Elsie.

  "Your mamma decides all such questions," was his smiling rejoinder.

  "I approve the suggestion. It is far preferable to hotel life," she said."Molly, my child, you are the only one who has not spoken."

  Molly's bright face had clouded a little. "I want you all to go and enjoyyourselves," she said, "though I shall miss you sadly."

  "Miss us! do you then intend to decline going along?"

  Molly colored and hesitated; "I'm such a troublesome piece of furniture tomove," she said half jestingly, bravely trying to cover up the real painthat came with the thought.

  "That is nothing," said Mr. Travilla, so gently and tenderly that happy,grateful tears sprang to her eyes; "you go, of course, with the rest ofus; unless there is some more insuperable objection--such as adisinclination on your part, and even that should, perhaps, be overruled;for the change would do you good."

  "O Molly you will not think of staying behind?"

  "We should miss you sadly," said Elsie and Vi.

  "And if you go you'll see Dick," suggested Eddie.

  Molly's heart bounded at the thought. "Oh," she said, her eyes sparkling,"how delightful that would be! and since you are all so kind, I'll beglad, very glad to go."

  "Here comes grandpa's carriage. I'm so glad!" exclaimed Herbert, the firstto spy it as it turned in at the avenue gate. "Now I hope they'll saythey'll all go too."

  He had his wish; the carriage contained Mr. and Mrs. Dinsmore, their sonand daughter, and it soon appeared that they had come to propose the verything Herbert desired, viz., that adjacent cottages at the seashore shouldbe engaged for the two families, and all spend the summer there together.

  It was finally arranged that the Dinsmores should precede the others bytwo or three weeks, then Mr. Dinsmore return for his daughter and herfamily, and Mr. Travilla follow a little later in the season.

  Also that the second party should make their journey by water; it would beeasier for Molly, and newer to all than the land route which they hadtaken much oftener in going North.

  "Dear me, how I wish we were rich!" exclaimed Virginia Conly when sheheard of it the next morning at breakfast, from Cal, who had spent theevening at Ion. "I'd like nothing better than to go North for the summer;not to a dull, prosy life in a cottage though, but to some of the grandhotels where people dress splendidly and have hops and all sorts of gaytimes. If I had the means I'd go to the seashore for a few weeks, and thenoff to Saratoga for the rest of the season, Mamma, couldn't we manage itsomehow? You ought to give Isa and me every advantage possible, if youwant us to make good matches."

  "I shouldn't need persuasion to gratify you, if I had the money,Virginia," she answered dryly, and with a significant glance at her fatherand sons.

  There was no response from them; for none of them felt able to supply thecoveted funds.

  "I think it very likely Cousin Elsie will invite you to visit them,"remarked Arthur at length, breaking the silence which had followed hismother's remark.

  "I shall certainly accept if she does," said Isa; "for I should dearlylike to spend the summer wi
th her there."

  "Making garments for the poor, reading good books and singing psalms andhymns," remarked Virginia with a contemptuous sniff.

  "Very good employments, all of them," returned Arthur quietly, "though Ifeel safe in predicting that a good deal more time will be spent by theTravillas in bathing, riding, driving, boating and fishing. They are noascetics, but the most cheerful, happy family I have ever come across."

  "Yes, it's quite astonishing how easily they've taken the death of thatchild," said Mrs. Conly, ill-naturedly.

  "Mother, how can you!" exclaimed Arthur, indignant at the insinuation.

  "O mamma, no one could think for a moment it was from want of affection!"cried Isadore.

  "I have not said so; but you didn't tell me, I suppose, how Molly assuredyou her cousin had no need of consolation?"

  "Yes, mother, but it was that her grief was swallowed up in the realizingsense of the bliss of her dear departed child. Oh they all talk of her tothis day with glad tears in their eyes,--sorrowing for themselves butrejoicing for her."

  Elsie did give a cordial invitation to her aunt and the two girls to spendthe summer with her and it was accepted at first, but declined afterwardwhen a letter came from Mrs. Delaford, inviting them to join her in someweeks' sojourn, at her expense, first at Cape May and afterward atSaratoga.

  It would be the gay life of dressing, dancing and flirting at greathotels, for which Virginia hungered, and was snatched at with greatavidity by herself and her mother.

  Isadore would have preferred to be with the Travillas, but Mrs. Conlywould not hear of it.

  "Aunt Delaford would be mortally offended. And then the idea of throwingaway such a chance! Was Isa crazy? It would be well enough to acceptElsie's offer to pay their traveling expenses and provide each with ahandsome outfit; but her cottage would be no place to spend the summer in,when they could do so much better; they would meet few gentlemen there;Elsie and Mr. Travilla were so absurdly particular as to whom theyadmitted to an acquaintance with their daughters; if there was theslightest suspicion against a man's moral character, he might as well wishfor the moon as for the entree to their house; or so much as a bowingacquaintance with Elsie or Vi. It was really too absurd."

  "But, mamma," expostulated Isadore, "surely you would not be willing thatwe should associate with any one who was not of irreproachable character?"

  Mrs. Conly colored and looked annoyed.

  "There is no use in being too particular, Isadore," she said, "one can'texpect perfection; young men are very apt to be a little wild, and theyoften settle down afterward into very good husbands."

  "Really, I don't think any the worse of a young fellow for sowing a fewwild oats," remarked Virginia, with a toss of her head: "they're a greatdeal more interesting than your _good_ young men."

  "Such as Cal and Art," suggested Isa, smiling slightly. "Mamma, don't youwish they'd be a little wild?"

  "Nonsense, Isadore! your brothers are just what I would have them! I don't_prefer_ wild young men, but I hope I have sense enough not to expecteverybody's sons to be as good as mine, and charity enough to overlookthe imperfections of those who are not."

  "Well, mamma," said Isadore with great seriousness, "I have talked thismatter over with Cousin Elsie, and I think she takes the right view of it;that the rule should be as strict for men as for women; that the sin whichmakes a woman an outcast from decent society, should receive the samecondemnation when committed by a man; that a woman should require asabsolute moral purity in the man she marries, as men do in the women theychoose for wives; and so long as we are content with anything less, solong as we smile on men whom we know to be immoral, we are in a measureresponsible for their vices."

  "I endorse that sentiment," said Arthur, coming in from an adjoining room;"it would be a great restraint upon men's vicious inclinations, if theyknew that indulgence in vice would shut them out of ladies' society."

  "A truce to the subject. I'm tired of it," said Virginia. "Is it decided,mamma, that we take passage in the steamer with the Travillas?"

  "Yes; and now let us turn our attention to the much more agreeable topicof dress; there are a good many questions to settle in regard to it;--whatwe must have, what can be got here, and what after we reach Philadelphia."

  "And how one dollar can be made to do the work of two," added Virginia;"for there are loads and loads of things I must have in order to make arespectable appearance at the watering-places."

  "And we have just two weeks in which to make our arrangements," added hermother.