The Adventures of Elizabeth Ann | Page 7

Caroline had chosen for her and put in the rack
instead of the sandals-and was ready to have her face washed and her
hair brushed by the time Caroline had finished with the stout lady.
"Where do you suppose Aunt Isabel is?" she asked, trying to see under
one of the window shades.
"I reckon you'll find her at the gate," answered Caroline, taking her hat
from the paper bag where she had put it to keep it from the dust. "Folks
have to wait at the gate, you know."

Elizabeth Ann didn't know, but she thought she would not ask any
more questions, and presently Caroline led her out to where Mr. Hobart
was waiting. Fred was there, too, and the brakeman, and they all said
good-bye and shook hands with her, and said they hoped she would
travel on their train again. Then Mr. Hobart took her hand, and a
colored man with a red cap took her bag, and they walked down a
platform filled with people toward some iron gates back of which stood
still more people. Elizabeth Ann, who had lived all her short life where
there were no crowds, was astonished.
"Did they all come to see your train come in?" she asked,
Mr. Hobart laughed and squeezed her hand.
"Dear me, no," he told her. "Some of them were on our train and others
came to meet them, and some of these people are going away on other
trains or meeting friends on other trains. A great many trains a day
come into and leave this station."
Elizabeth Ann was already looking ahead at the gates hoping to see her
Aunt Isabel. There was a picture of Aunt Isabel on the mantel at home,
and she was sure she would know her at once. Aunt Isabel had a picture
of Elizabeth Ann too, taken on her sixth birthday, so she should know
her niece, the little girl thought.
"Is this Elizabeth Ann Loring?" asked a voice before they quite reached
the gate.
A young woman, dressed in black, stood by the iron railing.
"Mrs. Wood sent me to meet the little girl," she explained, smiling at
Mr. Hobart. "I'm Rosa," she added. "The car is outside."
It was impossible not to smile back at Rosa. She had such pink cheeks
and such dark eyes, and she looked so merry and good-natured. Mr.
Hobart turned to his charge.
"I'm sorry to lose you, little girl," he said gently. "I've never enjoyed a

trip more than this one, and it is because you were aboard."
Elizabeth Ann threw her arms around the kind conductor's neck, and
hugged him with all her strength.
"I'm not coming through the gate," he said, pushing her gently toward
Rosa. "The porter will carry your bag out to the car."
Elizabeth Ann waved to him as long as she could see him, while Rosa
steered her through the crowd, and until they stepped through a
doorway the blue-uniformed figure waved back.
"Is Aunt Isabel sick?" asked Elizabeth Ann, but just then Rosa led her
up to a shiny automobile.
CHAPTER IV
AUNT ISABEL'S HOUSE
Scanned by Deidre Johnson for her Josephine Lawrence website; please
do not use on other sites without permission
A tall, thin chauffeur opened the door for them, and Rosa lifted
Elizabeth Ann in. The red-capped porter put the hag in, and the
chauffeur closed the door. Then the car started.
"Mrs. Wood sick?" repeated Rosa, putting her arm around her to steady
Elizabeth Ann as the car shot around a curve. "Oh, no, she is all right.
But she was asleep when I left the house."
Mother had told Elizabeth Ann not to ask too many questions, so she
thought it would perhaps be impolite to ask more about her Aunt Isabel.
But it was now almost eight o'clock, and at home, on the ranch,
everyone was up and dressed long before eight every morning.
"Are you hungry?" said Rosa, smiling so that her pretty, even teeth
showed, between her red lips.

"Yes, a little," admitted Elizabeth Ann.
There was so much to see through the windows of the closed car, that
presently she stood up to look out. There seemed, to be as many people
on the sidewalks and crossing the street as there had been in the station.
She wondered how many people there were in New York.
"Here we are!" said Rosa suddenly. The car had stopped, before a high
building with many windows and two great green bushes growing in
green pots on either side of the glass door. As Elizabeth Ann stepped to
the sidewalk, she saw something that made her cry out.
"Is that the ocean?" she asked excitedly.
You see, Elizabeth Ann had never seen the ocean, so no wonder she
was