Elsie at Home

Elsie at Home

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Title: Elsie at Home
Author: Martha Finley

Release Date: January 12, 2006 [eBook #17496]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII)
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ELSIE AT HOME

by
MARTHA FINLEY
Author of "Elsie Dinsmore," "Elsie's Vacation," etc.
Special Authorized Edition

[Illustration]

M. A. Donohue & Co Chicago New York Copyright, 1887. by Dodd,
Mead and Company All rights reserved. Made in U.S.A.

ELSIE AT HOME.
CHAPTER I.
The shades of evening were closing in upon a stormy March day; rain
and sleet falling fast while a blustering northeast wind sent them
sweeping across the desolate-looking fields and gardens, and over the
wet road where a hack was lumbering along, drawn by two
weary-looking steeds; its solitary passenger sighing and groaning with
impatience over its slow progress and her own fatigue.
"Driver," she called, "are we ever going to arrive at Fairview?"
"One o' these days, I reckon, ma'am," drawled the man in reply. "It's
been a dreadful tedious ride for you, but a trifle worse for me, seein' I
get a lot more o' the wet out here than you do in thar."
"Yes," she returned in a tone of exasperation, "but I am a weak, ailing
woman and you a big, strong man, used to exertion and exposure." The
sentence ended in a distressing fit of coughing that seemed to shake her
whole frame.

"I'm right sorry fur ye, ma'am," he said, turning a pitying glance upon
her, "but just hold on a bit longer and we'll be there. We're e'n a'most in
sight o' the place now. Kin o' yourn and expecting ye, I s'pose?"
"It is the home of my daughter--my only child," she returned, bridling,
"and it will be strange indeed if she is not glad to see the mother whom
she has not seen for years."
"Surely, ma'am; and yonder's the house. We'll be there in five
minutes--more or less."
His passenger looked eagerly in the direction indicated.
"A large house, isn't it?" she queried. "One can't see much out of this
little pane of glass and through the rain and mist."
"It's a fine place, ma'am, and a good, big house," he returned. "I
wouldn't mind ownin' such a place myself. It's grand in the summer
time, and not so bad to look at even now through all this storm o' mist,
hail, and rain."
"Yes; I dare say," she said, shivering; "and if it was little better than a
hovel I'd be glad to reach it and get out of this chilling wind. It
penetrates to one's very bones."
She drew her cloak closer about her as she spoke, and as the hack
turned in at the avenue gates took up her satchel and umbrella in
evident haste to alight.
In the home-like parlour of the mansion they were approaching sat a
lovely-looking lady of mature years, a little group of children gathered
about her listening intently and with great interest to a story she was
telling them, while a sweet-faced young girl, sitting near with a bit of
tatting in her hands, seemed an equally interested hearer, ready to join
in the outburst of merriment that now and again greeted something in
the narrative.
"There is a hack coming up the avenue, Eva. Can we be going to have a

visitor this stormy day?" suddenly exclaimed the eldest boy, glancing
out of the window near where he stood. "Yes, it has come to a standstill
at the foot of the veranda steps, and the driver seems to be getting ready
to help someone out."
"A lady! Why, who can she be?" cried Eric, the next in age, as the hack
door was thrown open and the driver assisted his passenger to alight,
while Evelyn laid down her work and hastened into the hall to greet
and welcome the guest, whoever she might be; for the Fairview family,
like nearly every other in that region of country, was exceedingly
hospitable.
A servant had already opened the outer door and now another stepped
forward to take the lady's satchel and umbrella.
"Who can she be?" Evelyn asked herself as she hastily crossed the
veranda and held out a welcoming hand with a word or two of pleasant
greeting.
"Is it you, Evelyn?" asked the stranger in tones that trembled with