ELSIE AND HER LOVED ONES

BY
MARTHA FINLEY

NEW YORK
DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY
Publishers

Copyright, 1903,

By Dodd, Mead and Company.
———
Published, November, 1903.

CHAPTER I

It was a lovely spring day—very lovely at Viamede, where Mrs. Travilla—or Grandma Elsie, as some of her young friends loved to call her—was seated under the orange trees on the flower-bespangled lawn, with her father and his wife, her cousins, Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife, her children, and some of the more distant relatives and friends gathered about her or wandering here and there at some little distance on the same beautiful lawn.

“What a beautiful place this is!” exclaimed Zoe, breaking a pause in the conversation.

“Yes,” said her husband, “but I am thinking it is about time we returned to our more northern homes.”

“I think it is,” said his grandfather, Mr. Dinsmore.

“I also; I feel as if I had been neglecting my business shamefully,” sighed Chester.

At that Dr. Harold shook his head smilingly. “Don’t let conscience reproach you, Chester, for what has probably saved you from invalidism and perhaps prolonged your life for years.”

“Well, cousin doctor, you will surely admit that I am well enough to go back to work now?” laughed Chester.

“Perhaps; but wait a little till you hear a plan I have to propose. Mother,” he went on, turning to her, “I met a gentleman yesterday who has just returned from California, which he pronounces the loveliest, most salubrious section of our country, and what he had to say of its climate and scenery has aroused in me a strong desire to visit it, taking you all with me—especially those of our party who are my patients.”

“Hardly at this time of year; though, I suppose, Harold,” she replied, giving him a look of loving appreciation, “it would seem wiser to move in a northerly direction before the summer heats come on.”

“Well, mother, this gentleman says the summers there are really more enjoyable than the winters, and the map shows us that Santa Barbara is a few degrees farther north than we are here, and San Francisco some few degrees north of that. It is not a tropical, but a semi-tropical climate, and for every month in the year you need the same sort of clothing that you wear in New York or Chicago in the winter. He tells me that for two-thirds of the year the weather is superb—the heat rare above 68 degrees and almost always tempered by a refreshing breeze from the ocean or the mountains. Sometimes there are fogs, but they don’t bring with them the raw, searching dampness of our eastern ones. Indeed, from all I have heard and read of the climate I think it would be most beneficial for these patients of mine,” Harold concluded, glancing smilingly from one to another.

“And a most enjoyable trip for us all, I have no doubt,” said Captain Raymond.

“How about the expense?” queried Chester.

“Never mind about that,” said the captain. “I claim the privilege of bearing it for the party. How many will go?”

“The Dolphin could hardly be made to hold us all, papa,” laughed Grace.

“No; nor to cross the plains and mountains,” returned her father with an amused smile. “We would go by rail and let those who prefer going home at once do so in our yacht.”

At that Edward Travilla, standing near, looked greatly pleased. “That is a most kind and generous offer, captain,” he said, “and I for one shall be very glad to accept it.”

“We will consider that you have done so,” returned the captain, “and you can begin engaging your passengers as soon as you like. But I am forgetting that I should first learn how many will accept my invitation for the land trip. Grandpa and Grandma Dinsmore, you will do so, will you not? And you, mother, Cousin Ronald and Cousin Annis?”

There was a slight demur, a little asking and answering of questions back and forth, which presently ended in a pleased acceptance of the captain’s generous invitation by all who had come with him in the Dolphin—Violet, his wife, with their children, Elsie and Ned; his older daughters, Lucilla and Grace, with Chester, Lucilla’s husband, and Grace’s lover, Dr. Harold Travilla; Evelyn, Max’s wife, and last but not least in importance, Grandma Elsie, Mr. and Mrs. Dinsmore—her father and his wife—and the cousins—Mr. Ronald Lilburn and Annis, his wife.

All had become greatly interested, and the talk was very cheery and animated. Different routes to California were discussed, and it was presently decided to go by the Southern Pacific, taking the cars at New Orleans—and that they would make an early start, as would those who were to return home in the Dolphin.

“May I take my Tiny along, papa?” asked Elsie, standing by his side with the little monkey on her shoulder.

“I think not, daughter,” he replied; “she would be very apt to get lost while we are wandering about in that strange part of the country.”

“Then I suppose I’ll have to leave her here till we come back; and do you think any of the servants can be trusted to take good care of her and not let her get lost in the woods, papa?” asked the little girl in tones quivering with emotion.

“If you will trust me to take care of her she can go home with us in the yacht and live at Ion till you come for her,” said Zoe. Then, turning to Ned, who was there with his pet: “And I make you the same offer for your Tee-tee,” she added, “for, of course, if Elsie’s can’t be trusted to go to California, neither can yours.”

“Thank you, Aunt Zoe,” both children answered, but in tones that told of regret that even for a time they must resign the care of their pets to another.

“And we’ll have Tiny and