THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES
 
 A LIST OF THE ELSIE BOOKS 
 BY 
 
 MARTHA FINLEY 
 
 ELSIE DINSMORE 
 ELSIE'S HOLIDAYS AT ROSE- 
 LANDS 
 
 ELSIE'S GIRLHOOD 
 ELSIE'S WOMANHOOD 
 ELSIE'S MOTHERHOOD 
 ELSIE'S CHILDREN 
 ELSIE'S WIDOWHOOD 
 GRANDMOTHER ELSIE 
 ELSIE'S NEW RELATIONS 
 ELSIE AT NANTUCKET 
 THE TWO ELSIES 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN 
 ELSIE'S FRIENDS AT WOOD- 
 BURN 
 CHRISTMAS WITH GRANDMA 
 
 ELSIE 
 
 ELSIE AND THE RAYMONDS 
 ELSIE YACHTING WITH THE 
 
 RAYMONDS 
 ELSIE'S VACATION 
 ELSIE AT VIAMEDE 
 ELSIE AT ION 
 
 ELSIE AT THE WORLD'S FAIR 
 ELSIE'S JOURNEY ON INLAND 
 
 WATERS 
 ELSIE AT HOME 
 ELSIE ON THE HUDSON 
 ELSIE IN THE SOUTH 
 ELSIE'S YOUNG FOLKS 
 ELSIE'S WINTER TRIP 
 ELSIE AND HER LOVED ONES 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES
 
 ELSIE AND 
 HER NAMESAKES 
 
 BY 
 
 MARTHA FINLEY 
 
 NEW YORK 
 
 DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY 
 
 PUBLISHERS
 
 COPYRIGHT, 1905 
 DODD, MEAD AND COMPANV 
 
 October, 1306
 
 PS 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 THINGS were going on blithely at Woodburn, 
 everybody deeply interested in the prepara 
 tions for the approaching wedding, as were 
 all the relatives and connections on the neigh 
 boring estates and those on more southern 
 plantations. Woodburn seemed a centre of 
 attraction; relatives and friends were con 
 stantly coming and going, many consulta 
 tions were held as to suitable gifts, especially 
 for Grace and Harold. There was great 
 interest shown by all in the preparation of 
 the trousseau, and Alma and one or two 
 assistants were very busy over it. 
 
 There were many shopping expeditions, in 
 
 which Grace sometimes shared, though rather 
 
 1
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 against Harold's wishes, so fearful was he 
 that she might take cold or suffer from over- 
 exertion. He had long been her careful 
 physician, but now was not only that, but 
 also her promised husband and ardent lover. 
 'And to please him Grace left the greater part 
 of the shopping to the other members of the 
 family, and made some of her selections by 
 samples brought by them or the mails. 
 
 In the meantime, plans for the wedding and 
 the honeymoon were discussed. Some one 
 spoke of a trip to the North, but Harold 
 vetoed that promptly. "It was too late in 
 the season now for Grace to try that. He 
 must take her to a warmer climate." 
 
 "Then let us all go to Viamede for the 
 winter," suggested his mother. "Would not 
 that suit you, Gracie dear?" 
 
 "Yes, indeed, Grandma Elsie ; I think there 
 is no sweeter spot upon earth," was the 
 pleased response. 
 
 "Then that is where we will go," Harold 
 
 said with a happy laugh, "and I hope our 
 
 2
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 mother and other dear ones will either accom 
 pany or follow us." 
 
 "Oh, I like that plan," exclaimed Violet, 
 "but I think few of us will be quite ready 
 to leave our homes here by the time the bridal 
 party starts." 
 
 "Then suppose you go in relays," suggested 
 Chester. 
 
 "Why not say we, instead of you, Brother 
 Chester," laughed Elsie Raymond. "I'm 
 sure grandma included you in her invi 
 tation." 
 
 "Certainly," said Grandma Elsie, giving 
 Chester one of her sweet smiles. "May I not 
 count you and Lucilla among my grand 
 children ?" 
 
 "Indeed, I am delighted to have you do so, 
 and proud to be able to claim real blood 
 relationship," returned Chester. "And but 
 for the claims of business, I should be glad 
 to accept your kind invitation. Those, how 
 ever, will not permit it." 
 
 There were exclamations of regret from 
 3
 
 ELSIE AND H'EE NAMESAKES 
 
 several of those present, Grandma Elsie 
 among them. 
 
 "But Sister Lu can go, can't she?" asked 
 Elsie Raymond. 
 
 "Go and leave my husband!" exclaimed 
 Lucilla in mock indignation. "Who could 
 suspect me of being so unfeeling a wife ?" 
 
 "Oh, no, Lu dear, I didn't mean that," 
 Elsie hastened to say. "I know you and 
 Brother Chester are very fond of each other, 
 but so are you and papa ; and all the rest of 
 us love you dearly; and we won't any of us 
 like to do without you, even for a few weeks. 
 Oh Brother Chester, can't you get somebody 
 else to manage your business while you go 
 along with us?" 
 
 "No, little sister; and seeing my wife does 
 not want to leave me, I am not willing to do 
 without her, either." 
 
 "And you are quite right about it, Chester," 
 
 said the captain, sighing slightly and giving 
 
 his eldest daughter a look of warm, fatherly 
 
 affection ; "much as I shall certainly miss her 
 
 4
 
 even for the few weeks of our separation, I 
 must concede that she is right in putting your 
 claim to her companionship first." 
 
 "And I know it's right when you say so, 
 papa; so I'll try to be content," said Elsie 
 cheerfully. "But you and Baby Mary will 
 go with us, won't you, Eva ?" 
 
 "And leave Lu alone all day while Chester 
 is away at his office ? Oh, I couldn't think of 
 doing that! And, besides, I think home is 
 the best place for baby and me for the pres 
 ent," returned Evelyn, gazing lovingly down 
 at the cooing babe upon her knee. 
 
 "Oh, thank you, Eva," cried Lucilla, clap 
 ping her hands in delight; "the thought of 
 having you and baby left half reconciles me 
 to seeing the others go, leaving me behind; 
 only oh, father," with a pathetic look at 
 him and a quiver of pain in her voice, "what 
 shall I what can I do without you?" 
 
 At that he stepped to her side and laid his 
 hand tenderly on her head. 
 
 "We will comfort ourselves with the thought 
 5
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 that the parting will be for but a brief season, 
 daughter dear," he said in moved tones; 
 "and with the prospect of the joyful reunion, 
 in store for us all in the spring." 
 
 "And you will help me with frequent letters, 
 papa dear, won't you ?" she asked, trying to 
 speak lightly and cheerfully. 
 
 "I think there will be a daily bulletin, per 
 haps more than one at least with Eva's 
 share counted in," the captain replied with 
 an affectionate look at his daughter-in-law 
 and her babe. 
 
 "Oh, I hope so, father; and of course Lu 
 will share with me the pleasure of mine," 
 responded Evelyn with a bright, glad look up 
 into his eyes. 
 
 "And though Viamede is ever so delightful, 
 I think we will all soon be in haste to get 
 home to see our dear little baby," Elsie ex 
 claimed, hurrying to Eva's side to pet and 
 fondle the little one. 
 
 "Yes; we will all sadly miss both her and 
 her mother," said Violet.
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "Indeed we will," added her mother, 
 "and I sincerely wish we could take her 
 and all the Sunnyside folk with us. We 
 will hope to do so the next time we go to 
 Viamede." 
 
 This was an afternoon chat in the library, 
 where they had gathered for the time, some 
 few of the cousins with them, and little, 
 feeble Ned asleep on a couch. 
 
 "Go to Viamede? When will we go?" he 
 asked feebly, rousing just in time to catch 
 his grandmother's concluding words. 
 
 "We hope to do so in the afternoon of the 
 wedding day, carrying my pet patient along," 
 replied Harold, taking the small, white hand 
 in his and patting it affectionately. 
 
 "Papa and mamma, too?" queried Ned, 
 rather anxiously. 
 
 "We are going in your papa's yacht, and 
 they are to follow us in a few days by rail, 
 join us on the Florida coast ; and from there 
 we expect to go on together to Viamede." 
 
 "Oh, that's nice but oh, what can I do 
 
 T
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 without papa and mammal Will you and 
 Gracie take care of me ?" 
 
 "Some of the time, I think, but your grand 
 ma still more; and your sister Elsie, and 
 some of the cousins who will be with us, will 
 help entertain you." 
 
 "And with all those you can do without 
 papa and mamma for a few days, can't you, 
 sonny boy ?" queried Violet, leaning over him 
 and patting his cheek caressingly. 
 
 "Yes, mamma; I love my dear grandma 
 and uncle and Sister Elsie the cousins, 
 too but I'll miss you and papa." 
 
 "Then you must try to be patient and happy 
 thinking it will be only a few days before 
 we may hope to be together again," returned 
 his mother, repeating her caresses. 
 
 "And show yourself a manly little man of 
 whom we can all be proud as well as fond," 
 added his father, standing by his side, smooth 
 ing his hair and looking down smilingly into 
 his face. 
 
 "I'll try, papa," responded the little fellow, 
 8
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "and I do believe we will have a nice time 
 if if I can keep on getting well." 
 
 "We will hope for that, and you will have 
 your good doctor with you. And you must 
 keep up your spirits with the thought that 
 we expect to be all together again in a few 
 days." 
 
 Grandma Elsie had been taking part in 
 some of the business visits to the neighboring 
 city, but now she decided to leave all that 
 to the younger ladies and devote herself to 
 the entertainment of Ned, Elsie and any 
 other of the young people of the family con 
 nection who might care to share with them 
 in listening to the interesting facts and 
 stories which she would relate for Ned's en 
 joyment and instruction. She presently 
 announced this determination, which was 
 gladly received by all the children present, 
 and asked if any of them could suggest a 
 subject for to-morrow's discourse. Elsie 
 responded with an eager look of delight and 
 entreaty. 
 
 9
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "Well, dear child, what is it?" asked 
 her grandma. 
 
 "Something about Washington, grandma, 
 beginning with what he did when he was a 
 very young man. I'd like to hear all you 
 can tell us about Braddock's defeat." 
 
 "Then that shall be our subject to-morrow, 
 if all my audience should be pleased to have 
 it so," was the kindly reply ; to which several 
 young voices responded witK expressions of 
 pleasure in the prospect.
 
 CHAPTER II 
 
 THE next day Grandma Elsie, true to Her 
 promise, remained with the children at Wood- 
 burn, while the younger ladies went on their 
 shopping expedition to the city. Ned had 
 been carried down to the library, and lay 
 there on a sofa, his pale face bright with' 
 expectation; for he dearly loved grandma's 
 stories, especially now when it seemed too 
 great an exertion to hold a book and read 
 for himself; his sister Elsie was there, too, 
 and so were several of the young cousins from 
 Ion and Fairview, who had come riding in on 
 their bicycles, full of joyful expectation, for 
 grandma's stories were to them a great de 
 light. 
 
 They gathered about her, and she began. 
 
 "I am going to tell you of our Washington 
 and some of his deeds and experiences. He 
 has been called the Father of his Country. 
 11
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 Some one once gave the toast, 'Washington: 
 Providence left him childless that his coun 
 try might call him father.' ' 
 
 "Had he never any children at all, grand 
 ma ?" asked Ned . 
 
 "None of his very own; only some step 
 children. He married a widow who had some 
 by a former husband. 
 
 "Washington was very young when he left 
 school and began life as a surveyor. At six 
 teen he was public surveyor of Culpeper 
 County, and he continued there at that work 
 for three years. Then, at nineteen, he was 
 made adjutant-general, with the rank of 
 major, in one of the four military districts 
 into which Virginia was divided. 
 
 "In 1Y53 Great Britain instructed her gov 
 ernors of the American colonies to serve 
 notice on the French that their forts built on 
 western lands claimed by the English were an 
 encroachment on her colonies ; and if the 
 French resisted, they were instructed to use 
 force to drive them away. 
 12
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "Washington was then twenty-one a tall, 
 grave, handsome young man, and one with 
 the talents and information required ; he had 
 courage, experience in the woods, knowledge 
 about forts and tact with savages. The gov 
 ernor offered the dangerous and difficult mis 
 sion to him, and he accepted it. 
 
 "This was in the summer. In October the 
 governor resolved to enlarge his army to ten 
 companies of one hundred men each, and no 
 officer in that Virginia regiment was to rank 
 higher than captain. Indignant at that, 
 Washington resigned and left the army. 
 
 "The next February Braddock came from 
 England with two regiments of troops, sup 
 plies and artillery. He landed in Virginia, 
 and Washington sent him a congratulatory 
 letter. Shortly afterward Braddock invited 
 him to become his aide-de-camp, and he will 
 ingly accepted the invitation. He joined 
 Braddock at Frederickstown, feeling much 
 displeased that the army should pass through' 
 Maryland instead of Virginia. 
 13
 
 <ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "Braddock proud Englishman despised 
 all colonials except Franklin and Washing 
 ton, but from the beginning he was pleased 
 with them." 
 
 "Colonial, grandma?" said Ned, inquir 
 ingly. 
 
 "Yes, dear ; you must remember that at that 
 time there were no United States of America ; 
 instead, just thirteen colonies subject to 
 Great Britain, and all on or near the Atlantic 
 coast. Our country has grown very much 
 ince then." 
 
 "And in more ways than one, hasn't it, 
 grandma ?" remarked Elsie Raymond with a 
 look of joy and pride. 
 
 "Yes, dear; it is many times as large, as 
 wealthy and full of comforts and conven 
 iences. Indeed, I think we may safely say 
 that we are the richest and most powerful 
 nation in the world. God has been wonder 
 fully good to us, and to Him be all the glory 
 and the praise. 
 
 "In the days I am telling you of there were 
 
 14
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 no railroads, and the rough mountain roads 
 would be very difficult to cross with the heavy 
 artillery and baggage. Therefore, Washing 
 ton urged a forward movement with a small 
 but chosen band and only such artillery and 
 light stores as were absolutely necessary. 
 
 "Washington went with the rear division, 
 riding in a covered wagon, for he had been 
 quite sick with fever and pains in his head, 
 and was not yet able to sit a horse. He over 
 took the advance division at the mouth of 
 the Youghiogheny River, fifteen miles from 
 Fort Duquesne, and the next morning, though 
 still very weak in body, attended Braddock on 
 horseback. The ground was very steep on 
 the north side of the Monongahela, which 
 made it necessary to ford the river twice and 
 march a part of the way on the south side. 
 About noon they were within ten miles of 
 Fort Duquesne. It was here they crossed to 
 tHe north side, and their road lay through a 
 level plain, at the north end of which a grad 
 ual ascent began, leading to hills of sow* 
 15
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 height, and then through an uneven country 
 covered with trees. Three hundred men, 
 under Colonel Gage, marched first, then came 
 another party of two hundred, then Brad- 
 dock with the main body, artillery and 
 
 "All had crossed the river, and the advance 
 body was going cheerfully up the hill, on each 
 side of which was a ravine eight or ten feet 
 deep, covered with trees and long grass. Gen 
 eral Braddock had not employed any scouts. 
 He despised Indians, colonists and their 
 irregular kind of warfare. A hundred 
 friendly Indians had joined him on the 
 march, but he treated them so coldly, in spite 
 of all Washington could say in their favor, 
 that they had all gone away. They came 
 again on the very night before this dress 
 parade between the ravines, and again offered 
 their assistance ; but in spite of all Washing 
 ton could say in favor of employing them, the 
 general refused to do so." 
 
 "And were the French and their Indians 
 16
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 hiding in those ravines, grandma?" asked 
 Ned. 
 
 "Yes," she replied; "that was just what 
 they were doing, and after the first British 
 division had got well into the field between 
 the ravines, without seeing or hearing an 
 enemy, they suddenly received a volley of 
 musket-balls in their faces. As one of the 
 soldiers afterward said, they could only tell 
 where the enemy were by the smoke of their 
 muskets. But the British at once returned a 
 fire that killed the French commander, and 
 was so heavy that the Indians thought it came 
 from artillery, and were about to retreat when 
 Dumas, who was in command now that his 
 superior officer was killed, rallied them and 
 sent them, under French officers, to attack 
 the right flank while he held the front. 
 
 "The British now received another rain of 
 bullets, and the wood rang with the savage 
 yells of the Indians, but they could see only 
 smoke, except when now and then an Indian 
 ventured from behind a tree to take a scalp. 
 
 17
 
 ELSIE AND BEE NAMESAKES 
 
 The Virginians, used to the Indian's way of 
 fighting, dropped on the ground or rushed 
 behind trees, and the British regulars tried 
 to imitate them. Braddock, just then reach 
 ing the scene, was furious at that. Riding 
 about the field, he forced his men, both Brit 
 ish and Virginians, back into the ranks, just 
 where the enemy could get full sight of them 
 and shoot them down the more readily." 
 
 "Why, grandma, what did he do that for ?" 
 asked Ned. 
 
 "It seems he wanted them to keep rank just 
 because he considered that the regular thing 
 to do." 
 
 "Stupid old fellow!" exclaimed one of the 
 other young listeners. 
 
 "Yes; he does not seem to have been very 
 bright in that particular line," assented Mrs. 
 Travilla, "but he was very brave ; four horses 
 were shot under him, and he mounted a fifth. 
 All his aides were shot down but one our 
 Washington; though hardly well enough to 
 sit in his saddle, he rode about the field de- 
 18
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 livering Braddock's orders to the troops, so 
 making himself a conspicuous target for the 
 enemy, who fired at him again and again, 
 but could not kill him did not even succeed 
 in wounding him, though two horses were 
 shot under him, and he sprang upon a third 
 and went fearlessly on with his work." 
 
 "But he was not wounded. I remember 
 reading that," said Elsie. "Surely, grand 
 ma, God took care of him, that he might after 
 a while become the Father of his Country." 
 
 "Yes, God protected him, and that made it 
 impossible for the foe to destroy him." 
 
 "But they killed Braddock, didn't they?" 
 asked Ned. 
 
 "I don't know," replied Mrs. Travilla, "that 
 Braddock was fatally wounded at that time, 
 but I have seen an account of his fatal wound 
 ing, which may or not be true. It is thought 
 that among the Americans who were in the 
 fight were two of the name of Fausett 
 brothers Thomas and Joseph. Thomas is 
 said to have been a man of gigantic frame 
 19
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 and of uncivilized, half savage propensities. 
 It is said that he spent most of his life in the 
 mountains, living as a hermit on the game 
 that he killed. In the battle we are talking 
 of he saw his brother behind a tree, saw Brad- 
 dock ride up to him in a passion and strike 
 him down with his sword. Tom Fausett drew 
 up his rifle instantly and shot Braddock 
 through the lungs, partly in revenge for the 
 outrage upon his brother and partly, as he 
 always declared, to get the general out of the 
 way that he might sacrifice no more of the 
 lives of the British and Americans." 
 
 "Why, grandma, did he want his own men 
 killed?" asked Ned. 
 
 "No; but he was foolish, obstinate and de 
 termined to have hip own way. Those who 
 appointed him commander of that force made 
 a great mistake. He was a good tactician, 
 but proud, prejudiced and conceited. Talk 
 ing with Benjamin Franklin, who was then 
 postmaster-general, he said, 'After taking 
 Port Duquesne, I am to proceed to Niagara, 
 20
 
 ELSIE 'AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 and having taken that, to Frontenac, if the 
 season will allow time, and I suppose it will, 
 for Duquesne can hardly detain me above 
 three or four days ; and then I can see nothing 
 that can obstruct my march to Niagara/ 
 [Franklin thought the plan excellent if he could 
 take his fine troops safely to Fort Duquesne, 
 but told him there might be danger from 
 Indian ambuscades; the savages, shooting 
 unexpectedly from their places of conceal 
 ment in the woods, might destroy his army in 
 detail. Braddock thought that an absurd 
 idea, and replied that the Indians might be 
 formidable enemies to raw American troops, 
 but it was impossible they should make an 
 impression upon the King's regular and dis 
 ciplined troops. And, as I have already told 
 you, that was the idea he acted upon in the 
 fight, which is always spoken of as 'Brad- 
 dock's defeat.' He insisted that his men 
 should be formed in regular platoons; they 
 fired by platoons at the rocks, into the 
 bushes and ravines, and so killed not enemies 
 21
 
 only, but many Americans as many as 
 by one volley." 
 
 "Oh, how dreadful!" cried Elsie; "killing 
 their own comrades instead of the enemies 
 they were fighting." 
 
 "Grandma, did Tom Fausett's shot kill 
 Braddock at once ?" asked Ned. 
 
 "No; it was on the 9th of July he was 
 shot, and he died on the evening of the 
 13th. It was on that day the remnant of 
 his army went into camp at the Great 
 Meadows. In the evening, after ihe fight, 
 Braddock exclaimed, 'Who would have 
 thought it ? 
 
 "Then he remained silent until a few min 
 utes before he died, when he said, 'We should 
 better know how to deal with them another 
 time.' They buried him before daybreak in 
 the road and levelled his grave with the 
 ground, lest the Indians should find and muti 
 late his body. The chaplain had been 
 wounded, and Washington read the burial 
 service."
 
 ELSIE r AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "At the Great Meadows, grandma?" asked 
 Elsie. 
 
 "About a mile from Fort Necessity," replied 
 Mrs. Travilla. "I have read that on the 17th 
 the sick and wounded reached Fort Cumber 
 land, and the next day Washington wrote to 
 a friend that since his arrival there he had 
 heard a circumstantial account of his own 
 death and dying speech, and now he was 
 taking the earliest opportunity of contradict 
 ing the first, and of giving the assurance that 
 he had not yet composed the latter." 
 
 "Well, I hope he got the praise he deserved 
 from somebody," said Elsie. 
 
 "Yes, he did," replied her grandma. "An 
 eloquent and accomplished preacher, Rev, 
 Samuel Davies, who a few years later became 
 president of Princeton College, in a sermon 
 to one of the companies organized after Brad- 
 dock's defeat, after praising the zeal and 
 Courage of the Virginia troops, added : 'As a 
 remarkable instance of this, I may point out 
 to the public that heroic youth, Colonel 
 23
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 Washington, whom I cannot but hope Provi 
 dence has hitherto preserved in so signal a 
 manner for some important service to his 
 country.' ' 
 
 "And doesn't it seem that that was what 
 God preserved him for, grandma ?" exclaimed 
 Elsie, her eyes shining with pleasure. 
 
 "It does, indeed; God was very good to us 
 in giving us such a leader for such a time 
 as that of our hard struggle for the freedom 
 which has made us the great and powerful 
 nation that we now are." 
 
 "And we are not the only people that think 
 very highly of Washington," remarked one of 
 the cousins in a tone which was half assertive, 
 half inquiring. 
 
 "No, indeed," replied Mrs. Travilla; "one 
 English historian has said that Washington's 
 place in the history of mankind is without a 
 fellow, and Lord Brougham said more than 
 once, 'It will be the duty of the historian in 
 all ages to let no occasion pass of commem 
 orating this illustrious man; and until time 
 24
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 shall be no more will a test of the progress 
 which our race has made in wisdom and 
 virtue be derived from the veneration paid to 
 the immortal name of Washington.' ' 
 
 "That's high praise, grandma, isn't it ?" said 
 Eric Leland; "and I think our Washington 
 deserved every word of it." 
 
 "As I do," she replied; "he was just, gen 
 erous, disinterested spending so many of the 
 best years of his life in fighting for the free 
 dom of his country, and that without a cent 
 of pay wise, fearless, heroic, self-sacrific 
 ing; he feared God, believed in Christ, waa 
 a man of prayer, fully acknowledging divine 
 aid and direction in all that he attempted and 
 all he accomplished. He was a wonderful 
 man, a God-given leader to us in a time when 
 such an one was sorely needed." 
 
 "When was the war quite over, grandma ?" 
 asked Ned. 
 
 "The treaty of peace was signed in Paris on 
 the 20th of January, 1783," replied Mrs. 
 Travilla. "News did not then fly nearly so 
 25
 
 "ELSIE 'AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 fast as it does now, and it was not till the 
 17th of the following April that Washington 
 received the proclamation of peace by our 
 Congress. On the 19th of April, the anni 
 versary of the shedding of the first blood of 
 the war, at Lexington, eight years before, 
 the cessation was proclaimed at the head of 
 every regiment of the army. That was by 
 Washington's general orders, in which he 
 added, "The chaplains of the several brigades 
 will render thanks to Almighty God for all 
 His mercies, particularly for His overruling 
 the wrath of man to His own glory, and caus 
 ing the rage of war to cease among the 
 nations.' "
 
 CHAPTEK HI 
 
 NOTICING now that weak little Ned began 
 to look weary and sleepy, Mrs. Travilla bade 
 the other children go out and amuse them 
 selves a while wherever they liked about the 
 house and grounds; so they quietly left the 
 room. 
 
 "Please don't go away, grandma. Please 
 stay beside me while I take my nap," mur 
 mured the little fellow, opening his eyes to 
 look up at her, then closing them again. 
 
 "No, darling, I won't," she said soothingly. 
 "I have a book and am going to sit here be 
 side you and read while you sleep." 
 
 Elsie and the others refreshed themselves 
 with some lively sport upon the lawn; then 
 the young guests, thinking it time to return 
 to their homes, mounted their bicycles and de 
 parted, leaving Elsie sitting in the veranda, 
 whiling away the time with a bit of fancy 
 27
 
 work while waiting and watching for the re 
 turn of father and mother and the other loved 
 ones from their city shopping. 
 
 Meantime, she was thinking how very 
 much she would like to give her dear sister 
 Grace a handsome wedding present, and re 
 gretting that she had not expected the wed 
 ding to come so soon and saved her pocket 
 money for that purpose. She had not wasted 
 it, but had been more liberal in gifts to some 
 others and spent more in self-indulgences 
 than now seemed to have been at all necessary. 
 
 But these regretful meditations were at 
 length interrupted by the carriage turning in 
 at the great gates and coming swiftly up the 
 driveway. 
 
 "Oh, I am so glad you have come back at 
 last, papa, mamma, and all the rest of you 
 dear folks," she exclaimed, hastening to meet 
 them as they alighted and came up the 
 veranda steps. "I suppose you have bought 
 ever so many beautiful things." 
 
 "Yes, so we have," replied her mother. 
 28
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "Many more than were at all necessary," 
 laughed Grace. "If this sort of kindness 
 killed, I am afraid I should not live very 
 long." 
 
 "But it does not, and you look very rosy and 
 well for you," laughed Elsie as Grace reached 
 her side, put an arm about her and gave her a 
 kiss. 
 
 "Yes, she has stood the ordeal very well so 
 far," remarked Dr. Harold, giving his 
 affianced a very lover-like glance and smile. 
 
 "I am ever so glad of that," said Elsie. 
 "And oh, I do want to see all those pretty 
 things ! Mayn't they be carried into the 
 library, mamma? Grandma and Ned will 
 want to see them, and they are in there." 
 
 "Yes, replied Violet, leading the way, "and 
 we will all go in there and examine them to 
 gether. I hear Ned talking, so there is no 
 danger of waking him out of a nap." 
 
 All followed her lead, a servant, bearing the 
 
 heavier packages, bringing up the rear. All 
 
 enjoyed examining the purchases v ich silks, 
 
 29
 
 ELSIE 'AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 laces, ribbons and jewelry and some min 
 utes were spent in lively chat over them and 
 about other pretty things seen in the city 
 stores. 
 
 Then Grace was summoned to the sewing 
 room to inspect the work going on there. 
 Violet went with her, and Harold hastened 
 away to see a patient, the captain and Elsie 
 following him as far as the veranda, he seat 
 ing himself and drawing her to his knee to 
 pet and fondle her, as was his wont when they 
 happened to be alone together. 
 
 "Well, darling little daughter," he said, "I 
 hope you have had a pleasant time at home 
 with grandma and ]^ed and cousins while 
 papa and mamma were away ?" 
 
 "Yes, sir; grandma was telling us about 
 Washington and Braddock's defeat, and it 
 was very interesting. So the time passed 
 very pleasantly. Papa, what beautiful things 
 you and mamma and the rest brought home 
 from the city ! I wish" she paused, blush 
 ing and hanging her head. 
 30
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "Well, dear child, speak out and tell papa 
 what you want," he said encouragingly. 
 
 "I was just wishing I could buy a handsome 
 wedding gift for dear Sister Grace ; but I did 
 not think she was going to be married so soon, 
 and and my pocket money is almost all 
 gone." 
 
 "Well, never mind," he said with a smile 
 and patting her cheek. "I have been con 
 sidering an increase of pocket money for you 
 and Ned just at this time. I shall give eacH 
 of you $50 to-morrow, to do with exactly as 
 you please buy for yourselves or for others 
 or save up for some future time." 
 
 "Oh, papa, thank you, thank you !" she cried 
 joyously. "And now can you tell me what to 
 buy for Sister Grace ?" 
 
 "We will consult mamma about that," he 
 said, "and perhaps she will go with us into the 
 city to-morrow to make the purchase." 
 
 "Ah, Elsie wanting to do some shopping, 
 
 too?" asked Violet's pleasant voice as she 
 
 stepped out from the hall door to the veranda 
 
 31
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 and came quickly toward them. "No" to 
 her husband "do not get up; I will take a 
 seat by your side," suiting the action to the 
 word. 
 
 "Yes, mamma," answered the little girl; 
 "surely I ought to give a wedding present to 
 Sister Grace; and papa is going to give me 
 money $50 to buy it with." 
 
 "Oh, that is nice," said Violet. "Levis, my 
 dear, you are certainly the best of fathers, as 
 well as of husbands." 
 
 "According to my very partial wife," he re 
 turned with a pleased little laugh. 
 
 "And this one of your daughters, too, papa," 
 said Elsie. 
 
 "As well as all the kith and kin who know 
 him well," added "Violet. "What do you 
 think of buying with that large sum of money, 
 Elsie?" 
 
 "I want your advice about that, mamma." 
 
 "I believe Grace feels very rich now in 
 eilks, satins, laces, jewelry" Violet re 
 sponded in a musing tone. "Ah, well of that 
 32
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 last few ladies can have too much. A ring, 
 a bracelet, would hardly come amiss." 
 
 "No, mamma, I do not believe they would ; 
 and they would be becoming to sister's 
 beautiful hands and arms. I wonder if Ned 
 would not like to buy one or the other for her 
 with his $50." 
 
 "Let us go to the library now and con 
 sult him about it," said the captain, setting 
 Elsie down and rising to his feet as he 
 spoke. 
 
 "The best plan, I think," said Violet. "He 
 is sure to want to spend your gift to him in 
 something for Grace." 
 
 They found Ned still awake and pleased at 
 their coming. 
 
 "You may be newsteller and questioner, 
 Elsie," said their father, and she told in 
 hurried, joyous fashion what he had prom 
 ised, and what she thought of buying for 
 Grace with her $50, concluding with the 
 query, "What will you do with your fifty, 
 Ned?" 
 
 33
 
 ELSIE 'AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "I do not know. I cannot go to the stores to 
 find anything," he sighed disconsolately. 
 
 "But you can trust mamma and the rest of 
 us to select something for you," suggested his 
 father in tender tones. 
 
 "Oh, I guess that will do," responded Ned 
 more cheerfully ; "and be sure that I want it 
 to be something handsome, if it costs every 
 cent of the $50." 
 
 So that matter was settled, and the next 
 morning the captain, Violet and Elsie drove 
 into the city, visited the best jewelry store, 
 and selected a beautiful ring and bracelet. 
 Elsie was so charmed with them that she 
 seemed hardly able to think of anything else 
 on the homeward drive. 
 
 "I hope "Ned will be pleased with the brace 
 let," she said; "but if he would rather have 
 the ring for his gift to Gracie, he may, and I 
 will give the bracelet." 
 
 "That is right, daughter," said the captain. 
 "I think they are both beautiful, and they; 
 cost very nearly the same." 
 34
 
 They found !Ned awake and full of eager 
 expectation. He heard the carriage wheels 
 on the driveway, and cried out, "There they 
 are, grandma, and oh, how I wish I could run 
 out to the veranda to meet them !" 
 
 "Never mind about that, sonny boy; they 
 will be in here directly," was the kind re 
 sponse, and the next minute Elsie came run 
 ning in, holding up two little parcels. 
 
 "We have bought them, !Ned," she cried. 
 "They are just lovely, and you may open the 
 packages and take your choice which to have 
 for your gift to Sister Grace," and she put 
 them in his hands as she spoke. 
 
 He looked delighted, hastily tore open the 
 larger package, and cried out, "Oh, I will 
 take this for mine. It is the prettiest bracelet 
 I ever saw !" 
 
 "But the ring is every bit as beautiful," said 
 Elsie, "and I do not care in the least which 
 you give and which will be my present to 
 Gracie." 
 
 "And since you do not care in the least, it 
 35
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 won't matter who gives which," laughed their 
 mother. 
 
 "And that makes it easy for you both," said 
 the captain, drawing up a chair to the side 
 of the couch for his wife, then seating him 
 self by her side. 
 
 "What do you think of them, mother ?" turn 
 ing to Grandma Elsie. 
 
 "That they are both beautiful," she replied. 
 "Grace is sure to be greatly pleased with 
 them. Ah, here she comes!" as the young 
 girl came tripping in, followed by Harold. 
 
 "Oh, Gracie, here are our wedding gifts to 
 you Elsie's and mine. Come look at them," 
 cried Ned, raising himself to a sitting posture 
 in his excitement. 
 
 "Oh, they are lovely, lovely !" she responded, 
 taking them from his hands, turning them 
 about in hers and gazing upon them delight 
 edly. "But," she added in a regretful tone, 
 "I am afraid you have both spent far too 
 much on me." 
 
 "Not at all, daughter; they were bought 
 
 36
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 with both your mamma's and my full ap 
 proval," said the captain. "What do you 
 think of them, Harold?" as he, too, seemed 
 to be giving the trinkets a critical exam 
 ination. 
 
 "I entirely agree in the opinion Grace 
 has just expressed," he replied. "They are 
 quite worthy of the admiration of us all. 
 Must have cost a pretty penny, I should 
 say." 
 
 "But not too much for gifts to our dear 
 sister Grace," said Elsie. 
 
 "No, no; I quite agree with you in that 
 opinion," replied Harold, with a smile and a 
 look of ardent love and admiration at the 
 sweet face of his betrothed. 
 
 "Put them on, Gracie, and let us see how 
 they will look on your pretty hand and arm," 
 pleaded Ned, and she complied. 
 
 "Ah, they fit nicely," she said with a pleased 
 little laugh ; then took them off and replaced 
 them in their boxes, adding, "but are too 
 handsome and costly to wear just now. They 
 
 37
 
 EL'SIE 'AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 should be shown first along with the other 
 Christmas and wedding gifts." 
 
 "Such a long time to wait," sighed Ned dis 
 consolately. 
 
 "Not so very, Neddie boy," returned Grand 
 ma Elsie in a cheery tone; "this is Friday, 
 and Christmas comes next week on Wednea- 
 day." 
 
 "Oh, I am glad it is so near! But, oK, 
 dear," he added with a sigh, "it won't be so 
 delightful as it has been other years, because 
 I cannot go out of doors and run and play 
 as I have on other Christmas days." 
 
 "No; but do not fret, my little son; you 
 shall have a good time in the house," said his 
 father. 
 
 "Oh, yes, papa, and will we have a Christ 
 mas tree ? I am not too old for that, am I ?" 
 
 "No, not at all ; and I doubt if you ever will 
 be," returned his father, smoothing his hair 
 and smiling down into his face. 
 
 "Oh, Sister Grace, will your dresses be done 
 by that time ?" asked Elsie. 
 38
 
 ELSIE 'AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "Hardly, I think," smiled Grace; "but it 
 will be another week before we sail away in 
 our Dolphin; and if they are not all finished 
 then they can be sent after us to Viamede." 
 
 "I suppose, grandma, you will be wanting 
 us all at Ion for Christmas," said Ned. 
 "Uncle Harold, do you think I will be well 
 enough to go ?" 
 
 "No, my boy ; but we can have a fine Christ 
 mas here in your own home," replied his 
 uncle in kindly tones. 
 
 "Oh, yes, of course we can. There is no 
 place better than home, anyhow ; at least, not 
 if grandma and you, uncle, are here with us." 
 
 "Just what I think," said Elsie; "and you 
 will be here, won't you, grandma and uncle ?" 
 
 "Part of the time," replied Mrs. Travilla; 
 "and I think it likely that most of your other 
 relatives will make a call on you some time 
 'during the day." 
 
 "And you will stay witH us between this 
 time and that, and tell us your nice true 
 Btories, won't you, grandma 1" entreated Ned. 
 39
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "I have planned to be here a part of almost 
 every day until we go on board the Dolphin, 
 Neddie dear," she said, smiling kindly on 
 him as she spoke. 
 
 "And you will, too, won't you, uncle?" 
 queried the little fellow, with an entreating 
 look up into Harold's face. 
 
 "Yes ; I intend to give my little patient all 
 the care he needs from his uncle doctor," was 
 the pleasant-toned reply. 
 
 "Thank you, sir ; that is good ; I am glad I 
 have such a kind uncle that knows how to 
 treat sick folks," returned Ned, closing hia 
 eyes, composing himself for a nap, and add 
 ing, "I am tired and sleepy now. Please 
 everybody excuse me if I do not keep awake 
 to enjoy your company." 
 
 An hour later the little boy awoke, looking 
 and feeling stronger and better than he had 
 at any time since the beginning of his illness ; 
 and he continued to gain as the days passed 
 on, listening with pleasure while his grand 
 ma and others tried to entertain him with 
 40
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 stories, and now and then joining in some 
 quiet little game that called for no exertion 
 of strength. 
 
 At last it was Christmas eve, and he and 
 Elsie went early to bed and to sleep after 
 hanging up their stockings for Santa Glaus 
 to fill. They knew there was to be a Christ 
 mas tree, but the sight of it was to be deferred 
 till the next morning, because after his 
 night's rest Ned would be better able to en 
 joy it. 
 
 Over at Sunnyside Evelyn sat beside the 
 crib of her sleeping babe, busy with her 
 needle, fashioning a dainty robe for the 
 darling, when Lucilla stole softly in, came 
 to her side, and speaking in an undertone, 
 not to disturb the little sleeper, said : 
 
 "Chester and I are going over to Woodburn 
 to help in the trimming of the Christmas 
 tree, and should be happy to have your com 
 pany. Will you go along ?" 
 
 "Thank you, Lu; I should like to but for 
 leaving baby, and I won't disturb her, taking 
 41
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 her up to carry her along, she is sleeping so 
 sweetly." 
 
 "You are quite right; it would be a shame 
 to rouse her out of that sweet sleep. The 
 darling; how lovely she is!" responded Lu- 
 cilla, leaning over the crib and feasting her 
 eyes with a long, tender gaze into the innocent 
 little face. "But could not you trust her to 
 the care of her nurse for a half hour or so ?" 
 
 "Thank you, but I think I am more needed 
 here than there just now. There will be a 
 good many to join in the fun of trimming 
 the tree good fun, too, it will be, I know." 
 
 "Yes ; and you have already sent over your 
 and Max's lovely gifts. Well, good-by, sister 
 dear. You will be missed, but no one will 
 blame you for staying beside your darling." 
 
 Eva was missed and her absence regretted, 
 but the work of trimming the tree went 
 merrily on, the captain, Violet, Harold, 
 Grace, Chester and Lucilla all taking part in 
 the work, while visiting relatives came pour 
 ing in, bringing both Christmas and wedding 
 42
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 gifts. There was a merry time, and Grace 
 seemed almost overwhelmed by the multitude 
 of rare and beautiful presents, some of them 
 yery costly, bestowed upon her. There were 
 laces, jewelry, gold and silver tableware, 
 several handsome pictures for her walls, 
 pretty toilet sets, books; and from Harold's 
 mother and Grace's father certificates of 
 valuable stock, which would add largely to the 
 income of the young couple. 
 
 The tree was a particularly large and hand 
 some one when brought in, and made a grand 
 appearance, indeed, at the conclusion of the 
 work of its trimmers. 
 
 There were many expressions of gleeful ad 
 miration, then all were invited to the dining- 
 room and feasted with cakes and ices. 
 
 "Dearest, I fear this has been almost too 
 much for you," Harold said in a low aside to 
 his betrothed when the last of the guests had 
 bidden adieu and departed. "I hope excite 
 ment is not going to keep you awake." 
 
 "I will try not to allow it to do so," she 
 43
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 returned in the same low key, and smiling up 
 into his eyes. "I hope to show myself to 
 morrow a patient to be proud of." 
 
 "As you are to-night, love, and always," re 
 turned Harold gallantly, taking her hand and 
 carrying it to his lips. 
 
 "In the estimation of my very partial lover 
 doctor," laughed Grace. 
 
 "Ah, yes ; and in that of many others. The 
 lover is craving a tete-a-tete with his best be 
 loved, but the doctor knows she should at 
 once retire to her couch of rest. Good-night, 
 darling. Only a week now till I can claim 
 you for my very own." 
 
 "Good-night, my best and dearest of 
 physicians; I will follow your prescription, 
 as has been my wont in the past," returned 
 Grace, gently withdrawing her hand from 
 his grasp, then gliding into the hall and up 
 the stairway, while Harold passed out to the 
 veranda, where the captain and Violet, arm 
 in arm, were pacing to and fro, chatting cosily 
 of what they had been doing and were still 
 44
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 to do to make the morrow a specially 
 happy day to their children and servants. 
 They paused in their walk at sight of 
 Harold. 
 
 "You are not going to leave us to-night?" 
 they asked. 
 
 "Yes; I have a patient to visit, and must 
 hasten, for it is growing late." 
 
 "Well, come in as early as you can to 
 morrow," said Violet, and the captain sec 
 onded the invitation warmly. 
 
 "You may he sure I will do that," laughed 
 Harold, "for both the enjoyment of your 
 society and the good of my patients here. 
 lAu revoir." 
 
 "Dear fellow!" exclaimed Violet, looking 
 after him as he moved with his firm, elastic 
 tread down the driveway and through the 
 great gates into the road beyond ; "he is worth 
 his weight in gold, both as brother and 
 physician, I think." 
 
 "And I am pretty much of the same opin 
 ion," smiled the captain. "Now shall we go 
 45
 
 'ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 upstairs and oversee the doings of Santa 
 Claus with those stockings ?" 
 
 "Yes; for I presume the youthful owners 
 of the stockings are already safe from dis 
 turbance in the Land of E"od. Will Grace 
 hang her stocking up, do you think ?" 
 
 "Hardly, I suppose; but we might steal a 
 march upon the darling after she, too, has 
 reached that Land of Nod." 
 
 They had passed up the stairway while they 
 talked, and were now near the door of Grace's 
 sitting-room, and hearing their voices, though 
 their tones were rather subdued for fear of 
 waking the children, she opened it and came 
 smilingly out. 
 
 "Ah, papa and mamma, I presume you are 
 about to personate old Santa Claus, and I 
 should like to help a little," she laughed, hold 
 ing up to view a string of coral beads and a 
 pretty purse of her own knitting. 
 
 "Ah," said her father, "those will give 
 
 pleasure, I know. The children will be well 
 
 satisfied with those articles of Santa Clauses 
 
 46
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 selection. Ah, this reminds me of the first 
 Christmas in this house, and the delight of 
 my two daughters Lu and Grace over the 
 treasures they found in their stockings. Sup 
 pose you hang up yours to-night in memory 
 of that time." 
 
 "Oh, father dear, I, having already had so 
 many, many gifts far beyond my deserts, 
 should feel ashamed to be seeking more," 
 Grace replied with a look of ardent, filial 
 love up into his face. 
 
 "But do you think you could be wrong or 
 foolish in following your father's advice?" 
 was Violet's smiling query. 
 
 "Not if it be given seriously and in earnest, 
 mamma," returned Grace, giving her father 
 a look of loving inquiry. 
 
 "You may as well take it in earnest, 
 daughter mine," he answered, drawing her to 
 his side, putting an arm about her and giving 
 her a fond caress; "should you find nothing 
 in it of more worth than a paper of sugar 
 plums, you will have lost nothing by the ex- 
 47
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 periment. But go on now with your prepa 
 rations for bed, and do not let anxiety con 
 cerning the filling of the stocking keep you 
 awake." 
 
 "Thank you, my dearest and best of fathers. 
 I shall do my best to obey your kind order. 
 Good-night to you and mamma," she said, re 
 treating into her room and closing her door. 
 She did not fasten it, though, and laughingly 
 hung up her stocking before getting into 
 bed. 
 
 She was quite weary from the unusual ex 
 ertion of the day and evening, and spite of 
 excitement, had presently fallen into pro 
 found slumber; nor did she wake till broad 
 daylight. Then the first thing her eye fell 
 upon was the evidently well-filled stocking. 
 With a light laugh she sprang out of bed, 
 seized the stocking, crept back into bed and 
 began an excited examination. 
 
 There were fruits and candies, then a paper 
 
 parcel labelled "A little Christmas gift from 
 
 papa." Hastily opening it, she found a 
 
 48
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 some new portemonnaie well filled with bank 
 notes and change. 
 
 ''My dear father !" she murmured to herself 
 low and feelingly; "was there ever such an 
 other ! And mamma, too," as she picked up 
 a pretty knitted purse, between the meshes 
 of which shone some bright pieces of gold 
 and silver. "But it is Christmas morning; 
 no doubt everybody else in the house is up, 
 and so must I be," she added half aloud, and 
 suiting the action to the word. 
 
 She was looking very sweet and fair in a 
 pretty morning gown when, a few minutes 
 later, her father came in, took her in his arms 
 and wished her "A merry, happy Christmas, 
 to be followed by the happiest of New Years." 
 
 "Thank you, dear, dearest papa," she said, 
 returning his caresses. "I feel sure it will be 
 a happy year, because I am not to be parted 
 from you except for a few days till you 
 join us on the coast of Florida." 
 
 "Yes, daughter dear, Providence permit 
 ting, we shall follow you there very shortly 
 49
 
 ELSIE 'AND HER NAMESAKE'S 
 
 after you reach its shores. Now we will go 
 down to breakfast, which is ready and waiting 
 for us, and after that and family worship 
 children and servants are to see the Christ 
 mas tree and receive their gifts." 
 
 That programme was carried out, the last 
 act producing much mirth and jollity, amid 
 which Harold joined them. He came full of 
 good cheer, exchanged Christmas greetings, 
 and gave an amusing account of Christmas 
 doings and the effect of the Christmas tree at 
 Ion. 
 
 He and Grace had exchanged some trifling 
 gifts by means of the Christmas tree, but 
 now he drew her aside and added to the orna 
 ments she wore a beautiful diamond pin. 
 
 "OK, thank you!" she said, with a pleased 
 little laugh." I have a surprise for you, but 
 this lovely brooch quite casts it into the 
 sHade." 
 
 &s she spoke she drew from Her pocket a tiny 
 box and put it into his hand. He opened it 
 and found a diamond stud. 
 50
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "Ah, what a beauty !" he exclaimed in tones 
 of pleased surprise. "Thank you, my dar 
 ling; thank you a thousand times. It is 
 valuable in itself and still more valuable as 
 the gift of my best beloved of earthly dear 
 ones." 
 
 "I am very glad you like my little gift," she 
 returned, smiling up into his eyes, "though it 
 compares but poorly with this lovely and 
 ;costly one you have given me. Oh, but it is 
 a beauty ! I must show it to father, mamma 
 and the rest." 
 
 "Show us what ?" asked Violet, overhearing 
 the last few words, and turning toward the 
 speaker. 
 
 "This, that your good, generous brother has 
 just added to my already rich store of Christ 
 mas gifts," replied Grace, joyously display 
 ing her new treasure. 
 
 "Oh, what a beauty!" cried Violet. "I am 
 glad, Harold, that you show such good taste 
 and generosity to the dear girl you are steal 
 ing from us." 
 
 51
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 a l object to that last clause of your speech," 
 returned her brother with mock gravity. "It 
 will be no theft, since her father has made it 
 a gift, in generous gratitude for my small 
 services to your small son." 
 
 "Oh, true enough," laughed Violet, "and our 
 saved son is worth more than any quantity 
 of such jewelry," she added in moved tones, 
 putting an arm around Ned, who had stolen 
 to her side in an effort to see what had caused 
 her pleased exclamation. 
 
 "Oh, what a beautiful pin, Gracie !" he ex 
 claimed. "Did you buy it for her, uncle ?" 
 
 "Yes, on purpose for her," replied Harold, 
 smiling down at the little fellow. "You do 
 not think it too fine for her, do you ?" 
 
 "No, no; oh, no! nothing could be too fine 
 for our dear, sweet, beautiful Gracie." 
 
 "Just what papa thinks," the captain said, 
 joining the little group. "Ah," glancing 
 through the window, "here come our Sunny- 
 side folks to spend the day with us." 
 
 Visits from other relatives followed some- 
 52
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 what later, and some who had not been heard 
 from the day before brought additions to the 
 store of wedding and Christmas gifts. Ned 
 was not forgotten or neglected, and in spite 
 of having to remain at home and within 
 doors, passed a very happy day.
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 
 THAT CKristmas week was a busy and cheery 
 one to our Woodburn folk and their near and 
 dear ones on the neighboring estates. The 
 Fairview family were expecting to spend the 
 rest of the winter at Viamede ; Cousin Ronald 
 and his Annis had accepted a cordial invita 
 tion to do likewise, and Grandma Elsie's 
 brother and his family from the Oaks would 
 also pay her a visit there, the duration of 
 which was not settled, as -that would depend 
 upon how well Horace's affairs at home 
 should be carried on without his presence and 
 supervision. His little daughter Elsie was 
 to make one of the party on the yacht, but 
 the others would go by rail, as that would not 
 necessitate so early a start from home. The 
 ^Dolphin was being put in readiness for her 
 trip, and the overseeing of that business occu- 
 04
 
 pied quite a portion of Captain Kaymond's 
 time during that week. 
 
 Grace made a lovely bride, surrounded by 
 all her own and Harold's kith and kin. The 
 ceremony took place at noon ; a grand dinner 
 followed ; then wedding attire was exchanged 
 for a pretty and becoming travelling suit, 
 carriages conveyed bride, groom, his mother 
 and their young charges to the Dolphin, and 
 presently the southward journey was fairly 
 begun. 
 
 It had been rather Hard for Ned to part 
 from "papa and mamma" for even a few 
 days, though with dear grandma and unole 
 left to him, sister and cousins also, and 
 wearied with that grief and the exciting 
 scenes of the day, he was soon ready to take 
 to his berth and fall asleep. 
 
 The others found it too cool for comfort oa 
 the deck, but very pleasant in the well- 
 warmed and lighted saloon. They sat and 
 chatted there for some little time^ then re 
 tired to their staterooms for the night. 
 66
 
 ELSIE 'AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 The morning found Ned refreshed and 
 strengthened, the rest in fine health and 
 spirits. They made a cheerful, merry little 
 company about the breakfast table, afterward 
 took some exercise on the deck, then gathered 
 about Grandma Elsie in the saloon and 
 pleaded for one of her "lovely stories." 
 
 "Well, dears, what shall I tell of?" she 
 asked with her own sweet smile. "Something 
 more of our Washington or of others of our 
 Presidents ?" 
 
 "Oh, tell us about the time of our Civil War 
 and the pictures Nast drew then," cried Elsie 
 excitedly. "I saw something about him and 
 his drawings the other day, and I should like 
 to know more of him and his wonderful work. 
 Was he an American, grandma ?" 
 
 "No, my dear ; he was born in the military 
 barracks of Landau, a little fortified town of 
 Germany, and came to this country at the age 
 of six. He and his sister were brought here 
 by their mother. The husband and father 
 was then on a French man-of-war ; afterward 
 56
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 he enlisted on an American vessel, and he did 
 not join his family until Thomas, his son, 
 was ten years old, and mother and children 
 had been four years in this country. A com 
 rade of his told them he was coming, and 
 the news made a great excitement in the 
 family. 
 
 "The mother sent Thomas to buy a cake witLi 
 which to welcome his father. As he was 
 coming home with that he was passed by a 
 closed cab. It suddenly stopped, a man 
 sprang out, caught him up and put him in the 
 cab, then got in himself. For an instant 
 Thomas was frightened, thinking he was kid 
 napped. Then he found he was in his father's 
 arms, and was full of joy; but he was 
 troubled when he saw that between them they 
 had crushed the calre. He thought his mother 
 would be greatly disappointed by that. But 
 she was so glad to see her husband that she 
 did not seem to mind it the damage to the 
 cake ; nor did the children, being so delighted 
 to see their father and the many presents he 
 57
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 had brought them from distant places, and to 
 listen to all he had to tell about his travels. 
 
 "Thomas was a short, stout, moon-faced lad. 
 He attended a German school for a short time 
 after his father came home, but he was con 
 stantly drawing pictures. His teacher would 
 say to him, 'Go finish your picture, Nast; 
 you will never learn to read.' Often he 
 would draw a file of soldiers or a pair of 
 prize fighters; sometimes things he remem 
 bered from his life in Landau as a little girl 
 with her pet lamb or old Santa Glaus with 
 his pack. 
 
 "In 1860 he went to England, where he still 
 made drawings. Every steamer brought 
 letters from him and papers to the New York 
 News. From England he went, that same 
 year, to Italy to join Garibaldi." 
 
 "Who was Garibaldi, grandma, and what 
 did ]STast want to join him for ?" asked !N"ed. 
 
 "To help him to get Italy free," replied 
 Mrs. Travilla. "But I will not tell the story 
 of Garibaldi now some other time, perhaps. 
 58
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 The war was not very long, and Nast stayed 
 until it was over. In November of that same 
 year he said 'Good-by' to his friends in Italy. 
 Then he visited Rome, Florence and Genoa. 
 Late in December he reached Landau, his 
 native city. The old place had not changed, 
 except that to him it looked much smaller 
 than it had before. He went on through 
 Germany, visiting art galleries and cathe 
 drals. But he grew tired of it all and wanted 
 to get home. He crossed the channel to Eng 
 land, and there heard talk of the brewing of 
 war in this country, now his own land. He 
 stayed a few days in London, then sailed for 
 the United States, which he reached on Feb 
 ruary 1st, 1861. He had been gone a year, 
 and now arrived in New York with only a 
 dollar and a half in his pocket." 
 
 "Oh, how little after such long, hard work 1" 
 exclaimed Elsie Raymond. 
 
 "Yes," said Mrs. Travilla; <r but he was 
 
 brave and industrious and went on working 
 
 as before. Mr. Lincoln had been elected to 
 
 59
 
 'ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 the Presidency the November before, and in 
 March Nast went on to Washington to see his 
 inauguration." 
 
 A portfolio lav on the table beside which 
 Mrs. Travilla now sat, and she took it up and 
 opened it, saying, "I have some articles in 
 this which I have been saving for years past, 
 among them some things about Nast some 
 of his own writing ; for I have taken an inter 
 est in him ever since the time of our Civil 
 War. Listen to this, written of that time 
 when Lincoln was about to be inaugurated. 
 Nast had been ordered by his paperthe 
 News of New York to go on to Washington 
 to see the inaugural ceremony. Stopping in 
 Philadelphia, he was near Lincoln during the 
 celebrated speech and flag-raising at Inde 
 pendence Hall, and afterward heard the ad 
 dress Lincoln made from the balcony of the 
 Continental Hotel. 
 
 "At Washington Nast stopped at theWillard 
 Hotel, which was Lincoln's headquarters. A 
 feeling of shuddering horror, such as a bad 
 60
 
 dream sometimes gives us, came over him 
 there. The men who had sworn that 'Abe 
 Lincoln' should not take his seat were not 
 gone. Now I will read you what he says 
 about that time." 
 
 The children sat very still, listening 
 attentively Elsie Raymond with almost 
 breathless interest while her grandmother 
 read. 
 
 " 'It seemed to me that the shadow of death 
 was everywhere. I had endless visions of 
 black funeral parades accompanied by mourn 
 ful music. It was as if the whole city were 
 mined, and I know now that it was figura 
 tively true. A single yell of defiance would 
 have inflamed a mob. A shot would have 
 started a conflict. In my room at the Willard 
 Hotel I was trying to work. I picked up my 
 pencils and laid them down as many as a 
 dozen times. I got up at last and walked the 
 floor. Presently in the rooms next mine 
 other men were walking; I could hear them 
 in the silence. My head was beginning to 
 61
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 throb, and I sat down and pressed my hands 
 to my temples. Then all at once, in the 
 Ebbett House, across the way, a window was 
 flung up and a man stepped out on the bal 
 cony. The footsteps about me ceased. Every 
 body had heard the man and was waiting 
 breathlessly to see what he would do. Sud 
 denly, in a rich, powerful voice he began to 
 sing "The Star Spangled Banner." The re 
 sult was extraordinary. Windows were 
 thrown up. Crowds gathered on the streets. 
 A multitude of voices joined the song. When 
 it was over the street rang with cheers. The 
 men in the rooms next mine joined me in the 
 corridor. The hotel came to life. Guests 
 wept and flung their arms about one another. 
 Dissension and threats were silenced. It 
 seemed to me, and I believe to all of us, that 
 Washington had been saved by the inspira 
 tion of an unknown man with a voice to sing 
 that grand old song of songs.' ' 
 
 "Who was that man, grandma ?" asked Ned. 
 
 "I can't tell you that, Neddie," she replied. 
 62
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "I think it has never been known who he 
 was." 
 
 "Is there some more story about Nast and 
 his pictures ?" he asked. 
 
 "Yee ; he made a great many more pictures. 
 One, on the first page of the Christmas Harper , 
 was called 'Santa Glaus.' It showed him 
 dressed in the Stars and Stripes, distributing 
 presents in the military camp. In the same 
 paper was another called 'Christmas Eve.' It 
 had two parts : one, in a large wreath, was a 
 picture of the soldier's family at home; and 
 in another wreath was the soldier by the 
 camp-fire, looking at a picture of his wife and 
 children. Letters came from all parts of the 
 Union with thanks for that picture. A 
 colonel wrote that it reached him on Christ 
 mas Eve ; that he unfolded it by the light of 
 his camp-fire and wept over it. 'It was only 
 a picture/ he said, 'but I couldn't help it.' " 
 
 "I don't wonder," sighed Elsie softly, "for 
 how he must have wanted to be at home with 
 his wife and children." 
 63
 
 ELSIE 'AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 Harold and Grace, who had been taking 
 their morning exercise upon the deck, re 
 turned to the saloon and joined the group of 
 listeners just in time to hear their mother's 
 .story of last's Christmas pictures. 
 
 "Nast certainly did a great deal for 
 the Union cause," said Harold. "Do you 
 remember, mother, what Grant said of him 
 when asked, 'Who is the greatest single 
 figure in civil life developed by the Oivil 
 War?'" 
 
 "Yes. He answered without hesitation, 
 'Thomas Nast. He did as much as any one 
 man to bring the war to an end.' And many 
 of the Northern generals and statesmen held 
 the same opinion." 
 
 "Yes, mother; and all lovers of the Union 
 certainly owe him a debt of gratitude." 
 
 "Now, children, shall I tell you something 
 about Lincoln?" she asked. There was an 
 eager assent, and she went on. "He was a 
 noble, unselfish, Christian man ; came to the 
 Presidency in a dark and stormy time; did 
 64
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 all in his power to avert civil war without 
 allowing the destruction of the Union, deny 
 ing the right of any State or number of 
 States to go out of the Union. But the re 
 bellious States would not listen, declared 
 themselves out of the Union, began seizing 
 government property, firing upon those who 
 had it in charge, and Lincoln was compelled 
 to call out troops for its defence. 
 
 "But I shall not go over the whole sad story 
 now. After four years, when it was all over, 
 every loyal heart was full of joy and Lin 
 coln's praise was on every tongue. They felt 
 that he had saved his country and theirs, and 
 that at the expense of great suffering to him 
 self. But only a few days later he was fatally 
 shot by a bad fellow, an actor named John 
 Wilkes Booth." 
 
 "One of the Confederates, grandma ?" asked 
 Ned. 
 
 "I think not," she replied. "It is said that 
 
 his controlling motive for the dreadful deed 
 
 was insane conceit. That for weeks before- 
 
 65
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 hand he had declared his purpose to do some 
 thing that would make his name ring round 
 the world." 
 
 "As it has," remarked Harold ; "but in such 
 a way as I should think no sane man would 
 desire for his." 
 
 "And did they hang him ?" asked RTed. 
 
 "No," replied his uncle; "the awful crime 
 was so sudden and unexpected that for sev 
 eral minutes the audience did not comprehend 
 what had been done, and the assassin escaped 
 for the time. He ran out, leaped upon a 
 saddled horse kept waiting for him and gal 
 loped away into the country. He rode into 
 Maryland, from there into Virginia, and took 
 refuge in a barn. He was pursued, cavalry 
 surrounded the barn, and called upon him 
 and his companion to surrender. The other 
 man did, but Booth refused and offered to 
 fight the captain and all his men ; then they 
 set the barn on fire, and one of them, against 
 orders, shot Booth in the neck. That shot 
 made him helpless. He was carried out, laid 
 66
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 on the grass, and after four hours of intense 
 agony he died." 
 
 "That was a sad, sad time," sighed Mrs. 
 Travilla. "The whole North was in mourn 
 ing for Lincoln, and even the South soon saw 
 that it had lost its truest and best friend ; and 
 there was a movement of sympathy for our 
 nation in its great loss throughout the world." 
 
 "Yes, mother," said Harold ; "and time only 
 increases the esteem of the world for that 
 great and good man."
 
 CHAPTER V 
 
 THE next day, after some Healthful exercise 
 upon the deck, the children returned to the 
 saloon, and gathering about Grandma Elsie, 
 begged for another story. 
 
 "Something historical ?" she asked with her 
 pleasant smile. 
 
 "Yes, grandma, if you please," replied 
 Elsie. "I liked your story of Marion so 
 much, and should be glad to hear about some 
 other Revolutionary soldier who helped to 
 drive away the British." 
 
 "Well, if you would all like that, I will tell 
 you of Sergeant Jasper and his brave doings." 
 
 The other children gave an eager assent, 
 and Mrs. Travilla began. 
 
 "History tells us that "William Jasper was 
 
 born in South Carolina in 1750. That would 
 
 make him about twenty-six years old when 
 
 the Revolutionary War began. He was 
 
 68
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 patriotic, and at once enlisted as a sergeant 
 in the Second South Carolina Regiment. 
 
 "In June, 1776, a British fleet appeared off 
 Charleston bar, and several hundred land 
 troops took possession of Long Island, sepa 
 rated from Sullivan's on which was our 
 Fort Sullivan only by a narrow creek. At 
 half-past ten o'clock on the morning of the 
 28th of June the British ships anchored in 
 front of our Fort Sullivan, which instantly 
 poured a heavy fire upon them. 
 
 "But I shall not go into a detailed account 
 of the battle, which, Lossing tells us, was one 
 of the severest during the whole war, re 
 dounded to the military glory of the Ameri 
 cans, greatly increased the patriotic strength 
 at the South, and was regarded by the BritisK 
 as very disastrous ; for the loss of life on their 
 ships was frightful. 
 
 "But I must tell you of a daring feat per 
 formed by Sergeant Jasper. At the begin 
 ning of the action, the flag-staff of our fort 
 yr&a cut away by a ball from a British ship, 
 69
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 and the Crescent flag of South Carolina, that 
 waved opposite the Union flag upon the west 
 ern bastion, fell outside upon the beach. 
 Jasper leaped the parapet, walked the length 
 of the fort, picked up the flag, fastened it 
 upon a sponge staff, and in the sight of the 
 whole British fleet, whose iron hail was pour 
 ing upon the fortress, he fixed the flag firmly 
 upon the bastion. Then he climbed up to the 
 parapet and leaped, unhurt, within the fort, 
 three cheers greeting him as he did so." 
 
 "Oh, how brave he was!" cried Ned. "I 
 hope they gave him a reward for it." 
 
 "Yes," said his grandma, "the governor, on 
 the day after the battle, visited the fort, and 
 rewarded Jasper with the gift of his own 
 small sword, a handsome one which hung by 
 his side, and thanked him in the name of his 
 country. He also offered him a lieutenant's 
 commission; but the young hero declined it, 
 saying, 'I am not fit to keep officers' company ; 
 I am but a sergeant.' 
 
 "He seems to have had no educational ad* 
 70
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 vantages, as he could neither read nor 
 write." 
 
 "Oh, what a pity !" exclaimed several young 
 voices. 
 
 "Yes, it was," sighed Mrs. Travilla. "I 
 hope you are thankful, my dears, for your 
 superior advantages. 
 
 "I have read that Jasper was given a roving 
 commission, and choosing six men from the 
 regiment to go with him, he went here and 
 there, and often returned with prisoners be 
 fore his general knew of his absence. 
 
 "Jasper had a brother who had joined the 
 British, but he loved him so dearly that Be 
 ventured into the British garrison to see him. 
 The brother was greatly alarmed at sight of 
 him, lest he should be seized and hung as an 
 American spy, his name being well known to 
 many of the British officers. But Jasper said, 
 'Don't trouble yourself; I am no longer an 
 American soldier.' 
 
 " 'Thank God for that, William!' exclaimed 
 
 the brother, giving him a hearty shake of the 
 
 71
 
 'ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 ^hand; 'and now only say the word, my boy, 
 and hsre is a commission for you, with regi 
 mentals and gold to boot, to fight for his 
 Majesty, King George/ 
 
 "But Jasper shook his head, saying that 
 though there seemed but little encourage 
 ment to fight for his country, he could not 
 fight against her. He stayed two or three 
 days with his brother, hearing and seeing all 
 that he could, then bade good-by and returned 
 to the American camp by a circuitous route, 
 and told General Lincoln all that he had 
 seen." 
 
 "Grandma," said Ned thoughtfully, "it 
 seems to me he did not tell the truth when 
 he said he was not an American soldier. Was 
 it right for him to say that ?" 
 
 "I think not, Ned ; but I suppose he thought 
 it was, as he meant by it to help his country's 
 cause. But remember, my dears, it is never 
 right to do evil even that good may come. 
 
 "But to go on with my story. Jasper soon 
 went again to the English garrison, this time 
 72
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 taking with him his particular friend, Ser 
 geant Newton, a young man of great strength 
 and courage. Jasper's brother received them 
 very cordially, and they remained several 
 days at the British fort without causing tEe 
 least alarm. 
 
 "On the morning of the third day the 
 brother said to them, 'I have bad news to tell 
 you.' 'Aye, what is it ?' asked William. His 
 brother replied that ten or a dozen prisoners 
 had been brought in that morning, as desert 
 ers from Savannah ; that they were to be sent 
 there immediately, and from all he could 
 learn, it would be likely to go hard with them, 
 as it seemed they had all taken the King's 
 bounty." 
 
 "What does that mean, grandma ?" asked Ned. 
 
 "That they had agreed to remain British 
 subjects instead of fighting for their country ; 
 and for that the British were to protect them 
 against the Americans. But it seems they 
 had changed their minds and gone over to the 
 cause of their country.
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "Jasper asked to see the poor fellows, and 
 his brother took him and Newton to the spot 
 where the poor fellows were, handcuffed, and 
 sitting or lying upon the ground. With them 
 was a young woman, wife of one of the 
 prisoners, sitting on the ground opposite to 
 her husband, with her little boy leaning on 
 her lap. Her dress showed that she was poor, 
 and her coal-black hair spread in long, neg 
 lected tresses on her neck and bosom. Some 
 times she would sit silent, like a statue of 
 grief, her eyes fixed upon the ground; then 
 she would start convulsively, lift her eyes 
 and gaze on her husband's face with as sad a 
 look as if she already saw him struggling in 
 the halter, herself a widow and her child an 
 orphan. The child was evidently distressed 
 by his mother's anguish, and weeping with 
 her. 
 
 "Jasper and Newton felt keenly for them 
 
 in their misery. They silently walked away 
 
 into a neighboring wood, tears in the eyes of 
 
 both. Jasper presently spoke. 'Newton/ he 
 
 74
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 said, 'my days have been but few, but I be 
 lieve their course is nearly finished.' Newton 
 asked why he thought so, and he answered, 
 because he felt that he must rescue those poor 
 prisoners or die with them, otherwise the 
 remembrance of that poor woman and her 
 child would haunt him to his grave. 
 
 " 'That is exactly what I feel, too,' replied 
 Newton, 'and here is my hand and heart to 
 stand by you, my brave friend, to the last 
 drop. Thank God, a man can die but once, 
 and why should we fear to leave this life in 
 the way of our duty ?' 
 
 "Then the two embraced each other and at 
 once set about making the necessary arrange 
 ments for carrying out their desperate reso 
 lution." 
 
 "Oh, how brave and kind they were!" ex 
 claimed Elsie Raymond. "I am proud of 
 them as my countrymen." 
 
 "As we all may be," said her grandma, then 
 went on with her story. 
 
 "Shortly after breakfast the next morning 
 75
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 the prisoners were sent on their way to 
 Savannah, guarded by a sergeant and corpo 
 ral with eight men." 
 
 "Why, that was ten men for our two men 
 to fight !" exclaimed Elsie Dinsmore. 
 
 "But I hope our brave fellows didn't give it 
 up," said Elsie Raymond. 
 
 "No," replied her grandma; "Jasper pres 
 ently took leave of his brother, and he and 
 Newton started on some pretended errand to 
 the upper country, but as soon as fairly out 
 of sight of the town they struck into the 
 woods and hurried after the prisoners and 
 their guard, keeping out of sight in the bushes 
 and anxiously watching for an opportunity 
 to strike a blow. 
 
 "I think that to most men it would have 
 seemed great folly for two unarmed men to 
 attempt to strike a blow at ten men carrying 
 loaded muskets and bayonets. But they were 
 very brave and not willing to give up their 
 countrymen to the dreadful fate the cruel 
 British had appointed for them. 
 T6
 
 'ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "Jasper said to Newton, Terhaps the guard 
 may stop at the Spa to quench their thirst, 
 and we may be able to attack them there/ 
 
 "The Spa! What was that, grandma?" 
 asked Ned. 
 
 "A famous spring about two miles from 
 Savannah, where travellers often stopped for 
 a drink of its good water," she replied, then 
 went on with her story. 
 
 "Jasper and Newton hurried on and con 
 cealed themselves among the bushes that grew 
 thickly around the spring. Soon the soldiers 
 and their prisoners came in sight of it, and 
 the sergeant ordered a halt. That gave our 
 heroes a little hope, though the odds were 
 fearfully against them. The corporal, with 
 his guard of four men, led the prisoners to the 
 spring, while the sergeant, with the other 
 four, grounded their arms near the road, then 
 brought up the rear. The prisoners, wearied 
 with their long walk, were permitted to rest 
 themselves on the earth. Mrs. Jones took her 
 seat opposite her husband, as usual, and her 
 77
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 tired little boy fell asleep on her lap. Two of 
 the corporal's men were ordered to keep guard 
 and the other two to give the prisoners a 
 drink out of their canteens. They obeyed, 
 drew near the spring, rested their muskets 
 against a pine-tree, then dipped up the water, 
 drank, filled their canteens again and turned 
 to give the prisoners a drink. 
 
 " 'Now, Newton, is our time,' whispered 
 Jasper. With that they sprang from their 
 concealment, snatched up the two muskets 
 resting against the tree, and in an instant 
 shot down the two soldiers who were upon 
 guard. The other two Englishmen sprang 
 forward and seized their muskets ; but before 
 they could use them Jasper and Newton 
 with clubbed guns levelled a blow at their 
 heads, broke their skulls, and down they sank, 
 pale and quivering, without a groan. Then 
 snatching up the muskets, our heroes flew be 
 tween the other British soldiers and their 
 arms, grounded near the road, and ordered 
 them to surrender, which they immediately 
 
 78
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 did. Then they our men snapped the 
 handcuffs off the prisoners and armed them 
 with muskets." 
 
 "Oh, how good!" exclaimed Ned and the 
 little girls who were listening to Grandma 
 Elsie's story. 
 
 "But what did Mrs. Jones do while that 
 fight was going on?" asked Elsie Dins- 
 more. 
 
 "At the beginning of it she fainted," replied 
 Mrs. Travilla, "and her little son stood 
 screaming piteously over her. But when she 
 recovered her senses and saw her husband and 
 his friends freed from their fetters, she 
 seemed frantic with joy. She sprang to her 
 husband, and, with her arms about his neck, 
 sobbed out, 'My husband is safe, bless God, 
 my husband is safe !' Then snatching up her 
 child, she pressed him to her heart, exclaim 
 ing, 'Thank God, my son has a father yet/ 
 Then kneeling at the feet of Jasper and New 
 ton, she pressed their hands vehemently, but 
 so full was her heart that all she could say 
 79
 
 EL'SIE 'AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 was, 'God bless you. God Almighty bless 
 you.' " 
 
 "Oh, how nice!" exclaimed Ned, clapping 
 his hands in delight. 
 
 "Then what did they all do, grandma?" 
 asked Elsie Raymond. "Not go to Savannah, 
 I suppose, as the British were there ?" 
 
 "No; they recrossed the Savannah River, 
 taking the arms and regimentals of the dead, 
 their prisoners, too, and safely joined the 
 American army at Parisburg, where they 
 were received with great astonishment and 
 
 joy." 
 
 "No wonder there was astonishment," said 
 Elsie, "that two men could beat ten." 
 
 "That was because the two were Americans 
 and the others only Englishmen," chuckled 
 Ned. "Is there any more story about Jasper, 
 grandma ?" 
 
 "Not much," she replied. "He was killed 
 at the siege of Savannah in 17Y9. Several 
 gallant defenders of the French and Ameri 
 can colors had been shot down; Sergeant 
 80
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 Jasper sprang forward, seized the standards 
 and kept them erect ; then he, too, was pros 
 trated by a bullet and fell into the ditch. He 
 was carried to the camp, and soon died. 
 Jasper's name is honored in Savannah; they 
 have made that evident by bestowing it upon 
 one of the city's squares." 
 
 81
 
 CHAPTER VI 
 
 IT was Sabbath morning, and our little party 
 on the yacht were gathered about the break 
 fast table, Dr. Harold having just come down 
 from the deck, where he had spent the last 
 few minutes. 
 
 "What of the weather, Harold ?" asked his 
 mother. 
 
 "It is cool and cloudy," he said in reply; 
 "rather too cool and damp for ladies and 
 children to pass much time on deck, I think, 
 mother. I may gather the men there and 
 read them a sermon, but the rest of you, I 
 hope, will be content to pass at least most of 
 the day in these lower, warmer quarters." 
 
 "I think we can very contentedly, if mother 
 will lead us in some Bible lessons," said 
 Grace, with a loving, smiling look at her 
 whom, until of late, she had been wont to call 
 Grandma Elsie. 
 
 82
 
 "Very willingly, daughter mine," was the 
 sweet-toned, smiling assent, received by all 
 the children with looks and words of pleased 
 anticipation. 
 
 On leaving the table they had family wor 
 ship in the saloon, Dr. Harold leading the 
 service as usual. Then he went upon the 
 deck and the others gathered about Grandma 
 Elsie. 
 
 Then Elsie Raymond, sitting there Bible in 
 hand, exclaimed eagerly, "Oh, grandma, I am 
 glad of this opportunity to ask you about 
 what I have been reading here this miracle 
 of the Lord Jesus feeding so many, many 
 folks five thousand men, besides women and 
 children on only five loaves and two fishes. 
 It couldn't have been nearly enough, except 
 by Jesus blessing it and making it more, 
 could it, grandma ?" 
 
 "No, indeed, Elsie. Five large loaves, such 
 
 as you are accustomed to seeing, would hardly 
 
 be enough to feed fifty such hungry men ; and 
 
 those five loaves were much smaller than 
 
 83
 
 "EL'SIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 ours probably little, if any, larger than our 
 soda crackers; hardly enough to satisfy tHe 
 appetite of one hungry boy." 
 
 "There were two fishes besides, you know, 
 grandma ; but if they were small ones, a boy 
 could eat them, too." 
 
 "Yes ; so no wonder the disciples thought it 
 utterly impossible to feed that great crowd 
 of hungry people, and begged Jesus to send 
 them away to go into the villages and buy 
 themselves victuals." 
 
 "Do you suppose they had any money to 
 buy with, grandma ?" asked the little girl. 
 
 "I think it probable that most of them were 
 poor people with little or no money about 
 them," replied Grandma Elsie. "And even 
 if they had money, they were too many to 
 find sufficient food in the little nearby towns. 
 Jesus knew all that ; He could see how weary 
 and hungry many, if not all of them, were, 
 particularly the women and little children. 
 Jesus pitied and was ready to help them as 
 no one else could, and no doubt he was glad 
 84
 
 ELSIE AND REE NAMESAKES 
 
 He had the power. He bade His disciples not 
 to tell them to depart, but 'Give ye them to 
 eat/ He said ; and they replied, 'We have here 
 but five loaves and two fishes;' and Jesus 
 said, 'Bring them hither to me.' And He 
 said, 'Make the men sit down.' John tells us 
 there was much grass in the place, and that 
 the men sat down, in number about five thou 
 sand. Then He (Jesus) took the five loaves 
 and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, 
 He blessed and brake the loaves, and gave 
 them to His disciples, and they distributed 
 them among that great multitude. All ate 
 till they were satisfied; then Jesus said, 
 'Gather up the fragments that remain, that 
 nothing be lost.' John tells us, 'Therefore, 
 they gathered them together, and filled twelve 
 baskets with the fragments of the five barley 
 loaves, which remained over and above unto 
 them that had eaten.' " 
 
 "It was very, very wonderful, grandma, 
 wasn't it ?" exclaimed the little girl thought 
 fully. 
 
 M
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "Yes, indeed ! a miracle that none but God 
 could work. It proved that Jesus was divine. 
 You have been reading Matthew's account 
 of this miracle ; now turn to the sixth chapter 
 of Mark, and you will find the same story 
 told by him. Then in the eighth we will find 
 that he tells of another time when Jesus had 
 worked a similar miracle when He fed four 
 thousand on seven loaves and a few small 
 fishes ; and they took up of the broken meat 
 that was left seven baskets." 
 
 "Yes," grandma," said the little girl, turning 
 over the leaves of her Bible, "and it says after 
 that first time that He departed into a moun 
 tain to pray. But after the second, 'and 
 straightway He entered into a ship with His 
 disciples, and came into the parts of Dal- 
 manutha.' Where was that, grandma ?" 
 
 "It was a town on the west coast of the 
 sea of Galilee. Read on now to the four 
 teenth verse." 
 
 Elsie read, "And the Pharisees came forth 
 
 and began to question with Him, seeking oi? 
 
 86
 
 Him a sign from heaven, tempting Him. 
 And He sighed deeply in His spirit, and said, 
 Why doth this generation seek after a sign ? 
 Verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be 
 given unto this generation. And He left them, 
 and entering into the ship, again departed 
 to the other side." 
 
 "Weren't the had men wanting to do Jesus 
 harm ?" asked Xed. 
 
 "Yes, they were, indeed," replied his grand 
 ma ; "they hated Him because He told them of 
 their sins. 'Woe unto you, scribes and Phari 
 sees, hypocrites: for ye are as graves which 
 appear not, and the men that walk over them 
 are not aware of them.' Then to the people : 
 'Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, 
 which is hypocrisy.' Again He said of them: 
 'In vain do they worship me, teaching for 
 doctrines the commandments of men. . . . 
 Woe unto you, lawyers, for ye have taken 
 away the key of knowledge ; ye entered not in 
 yourselves, and them that were entering ye 
 hindered.' And as He said these things unto 
 87
 
 VLS1E AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 them, the scribes and Pharisees began to urge 
 Him vehemently, and to provoke Him to 
 speak of many things ; laying wait for Him, 
 and seeking to catch something out of His 
 mouth, that they might accuse Him. They 
 were angry and wanted to kill Jesus, because 
 He exposed their wickedness. In another 
 chapter we are told, 'And He went into the 
 temple, and began to cast out them that sold 
 therein, and them that bought; saying unto 
 them, It is written, My house is the house 
 of prayer; but ye have made it a den of 
 thieves.' And He taught daily in the temple. 
 But the chief priests and the scribes and the 
 chief of the people sought to destroy Him, 
 and could not find what they might do; for 
 all the people were very attentive to hear 
 Him." 
 
 "So they went out at night, when the crowds 
 of people who loved Him were in their homes 
 and asleep, I suppose, the wicked, money-loving 
 Judas showing them where He was, and led 
 Him away to the high priest, and all the chief 
 88
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 priests and the elders and the scribes," sighed 
 Elsie Raymond. 
 
 "Yes," said her grandma; "and they went 
 through a mock trial, but could not get their 
 witnesses to agree. And the high priest stood 
 up in the midst and asked Jesus, saying, 
 'Answerest thou nothing ? What is it which 
 these witness against thee ? But Jesus made 
 no answer. And the high priest asked him, 
 'Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed ?' 
 Jesus said, 'I am; and ye shall see the son 
 of man sitting on the right hand of power, 
 and coming in the clouds of heaven.' Then 
 the high priest rent his clothes and said, 
 'What need we any further witnesses? Ye 
 have heard the blasphemy; what think ye?' 
 And they all condemned Him to be guilty of 
 death. And some began to spit on Him, and 
 to cover His face, and to buffet Him, and to 
 say unto Him, Prophesy: and the servants 
 did strike Him with the palms of their 
 hands." 
 
 "And He could have struck them all dead 
 89
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 without a word, couldn't He, grandma?" 
 asked Ned. 
 
 "Indeed He could/' she replied ; "but in His 
 great love for you and for me and all His 
 people, He chose to bear it all all that and 
 all the awful agony of the death upon the 
 cross, that we might be saved. The Bible 
 tells us, 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ 
 and thou shalt be saved.' The dear Saviour, 
 who died that awful death for us, invites us 
 all to come to Him and be saved. For God 
 so loved the world that He gave His only be 
 gotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him 
 should not perish, but have everlasting life. 
 Those are His own words, spoken to Nico- 
 deinus." 
 
 "Grandma, couldn't Jesus have hindered 
 those wicked men from treating Him so? 
 Couldn't He have made them all die that min 
 ute if He had chosen to ?" asked Ned. 
 
 "Yes, he could ; but as I have just told you, 
 
 He bore it all, and the awful death on the 
 
 cross, that we might be saved we and all 
 
 90
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 who would give themselves to Him. The 
 Bible says Christ died for our sins ac 
 cording to the Scriptures. He took upon 
 Himself our human nature that He might 
 bear our punishment and save us from eternal 
 death." 
 
 "And all His earthly life long He was look 
 ing forward to that awful, agonizing death," 
 sighed Grace in tones tremulous with emo 
 tion. "Oh, how can we help loving Him with 
 all our hearts ?" 
 
 "And striving to be like Him," added 
 Grandma Elsie "so unselfish, so forbearing 
 and forgiving. Think of His loving, cheer 
 ing, sympathizing talk with His disciples in 
 that very night in which He was betrayed and 
 His awful suffering began. Remember, He 
 knew all the agony He was to go through that 
 very night in the garden of Gethsemane, 
 where He prayed in so great an agony that 
 His sweat became as it were great drops of 
 blood falling down upon the ground. After 
 that the betrayal, arrest, trial before the Jew- 
 91
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 ish authorities, with all the abuse heaped 
 upon Him there, then in the morning before 
 Pilate and Herod, the scourging, the clothing 
 with the purple robe and crown of thorns, the 
 mocking salutation, 'Hail, King of the Jews/ 
 the smiting of His head with the reed they 
 had put in His right hand, the mocking bow 
 ing of the knees and spitting upon Him. 
 Then He was led out wearing the purple robe 
 and crown of thorns, the cry of the chief 
 priests and officers, 'Crucify Him! Crucify 
 Him ! Away with Him ! Away with Him ! 
 Crucify Him!'" 
 
 Grandma Elsie paused, her eyes filled with 
 tears, her lips trembling with emotion. 
 
 "Oh, how wonderful it was that Jesus bore 
 it all, when even without a word He could 
 have made every one of those dreadful perse 
 cutors die," said Elsie Dinsmore. 
 
 "Yes," said her aunt; "His love and com 
 passion for us sinners was wonderfully great. 
 Oh, how we should love Him, how carefully 
 obey all His commands ! Ah, how sweet it ia 
 92
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 to belong to Him ! 'Since He is mine and I 
 am His, what can I want beside/ ' 
 
 "Grandma, I want to belong to Him," said 
 Alie Leland ; "how shall I get to be His, and 
 know that I am?" 
 
 "Give yourself to Him, dear child, asking 
 Him to make you just what He would have 
 you to be. His promise is, 'Him that cometh 
 to me I will in no wise cast out;' and who 
 shall doubt His own word? And how kind 
 and forgiving He was! Peter, who had 
 denied Him, then repented with bitter weep 
 ing, seems to have been one of the first to 
 whom He appeared after His resurrection. 
 You remember, the angel whom the woman 
 found sitting in the tomb said to them, 'Go 
 tell His disciples and Peter.' ' 
 
 "And if we are really His disciples we will 
 be forgiven, too, won't we, grandma?" said 
 Elsie Raymond. 
 
 "Yes ; we will ask Him to help us to be so, 
 and He will." 
 
 "Grandma," said Ned, "wasn't it strange 
 93
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 that when Jesus could make victuals so easily 
 He should say to the disciples, 'Gather up 
 the fragments that remain, that nothing be 
 lost' ?" 
 
 "I think it was to teach us all that waste is 
 sinful ; that nothing which could be made use 
 ful to us or to any one else should be thrown 
 away. Let us take the lesson to heart and 
 carefully obey this, and every teaching of our 
 dear Lord and Master," was the gentle, sweet- 
 toned reply, the eyes of the speaker shining 
 with love to Him of whom she spoke, and joy 
 that she was His very own for time and for 
 eternity.
 
 CHAPTER VII 
 
 "WHERE are we now, uncle ? Have we come 
 down to Florida yet?" asked Ned at the 
 breakfast table. 
 
 "Yes; we are now moving along down the 
 east coast of that State," replied Dr. Harold ; 
 "and now we may as well decide at which and 
 how many of its ports we will call. Should 
 you enjoy visiting St. Augustine and Fort 
 Marion again, Elsie ?" he queried with a look 
 of amusement at his niece. 
 
 "Oh, no, indeed, uncle !" was the quick, em 
 phatic reply, accompanied by a little shiver, 
 as if the very name brought some unpleasant 
 recollection. 
 
 "But why not ?" asked Elsie Dinsmore with 
 a look of surprise and curiosity. 
 
 "Oh," exclaimed Elsie Raymond, "it's a 
 dreadful place, over three hundred years old, 
 with dungeons where people used to be tor- 
 95
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 tured long, long ago, and we seemed to hear 
 one of them saying, 'Here have I lain for 
 three hundred years with none to pity or help. 
 Oh, 'tis a weary while ! Shall I never, never 
 escape ?' ' 
 
 "But as Cousin Ronald is not with us now 
 we needn't fear a repetition of that," re 
 marked Dr. Harold reassuringly. "Still, 
 perhaps we may as well pass St. Augustine 
 by this time, and visit places or things we did 
 not look at before. Mother, what do you say 
 to seeing something of the sponging busi 
 ness ?" 
 
 "That it would be instructive and probably 
 quite interesting," was the pleased reply. 
 
 "Sponging business !" echoed Ned. "What 
 does that mean?" 
 
 "The work of gathering sponges and making 
 them ready for the market," replied his uncle. 
 
 "Oh, I think that would be interesting!" 
 
 Cried the little fellow. "Do they grow down 
 
 under the water, and are they nice and clean 
 
 when they are brought up, uncle ?" 
 
 96
 
 "ELSIE 'AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "Not very, Ned," replied Dr. Harold, 
 smiling kindly upon his young questioner; 
 "but with your grandma's help I think I can 
 give you all needed information on the sub 
 ject ; and afterward you may be able to see for 
 yourself." 
 
 "Oh, that'll be good ! Will you tell me about 
 it, grandma?" asked Ned, turning excitedly 
 to her. 
 
 "Sonny boy, we will have a nice talk about it 
 in the saloon after our family worship," Mrs. 
 Travilla replied in her usual kindly tone. 
 
 "And I am sure we will all be glad to hear 
 whatever you can tell us on the subject, 
 mother," said Grace. "I know it will be 
 interesting to me, and a good preparation 
 for the sight of the spongers' work." 
 
 The two Elsies and Alie Leland expressed 
 their pleasure in the prospect of both the in 
 formation promised by Grandma Elsie and 
 the afterward sight of the doings of the 
 spongers. 
 
 "I think, if it suits you, mother," said Dr. 
 
 97
 
 ELSIE AND HER 'NAMESAKES 
 
 Harold, "we will have our talk on the spong 
 ing subject before our morning exercise upon 
 the deck. Sitting still for a while will aid 
 the digestion of this hearty breakfast, and the 
 sun will make the deck a little warmer for us 
 afterward." 
 
 Everybody seemed pleased with that plan, 
 and it was carried out, Dr. Harold making 
 one of his mother's little audience. 
 
 "Haven't you a map of Florida, Harold ?" 
 she asked. 
 
 "Oh, yes, mother, I have," he replied ; "also 
 some pictures that will be helpful." He 
 hastened to his stateroom and brought them 
 out. 
 
 "Ah, these will be quite a help," she said. 
 "Come, children, let us look at the map first." 
 
 Then, as they gathered round the table on 
 which she had laid the map, "There, on the 
 east coast, near the southern end of the State, 
 you see Miami, and starting from a point 
 near it a chain of keys, or islands, begins 
 which extends in the shape of a horn away 
 98
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 down into the Gulf of Mexico, the Dry Tor- 
 tugas being the westernmost. Sponges are 
 found in the waters surrounding most o 
 these keys, also between them and the main 
 land as far as Cape Sable. This is called 
 'the key grounds.' Some few of the people 
 living on the larger islands and spongers 
 from Key West are the only persons who 
 engage in that work there. In the Gulf of 
 Mexico, on the west coast, are the 'bay 
 grounds,' which yield the most. They extend 
 from John's Pass, a few miles north of the 
 entrance to Tampa Bay, to St. Mark's Light 
 house." 
 
 "How far is that, grandma ?" asked Ned. 
 
 "How far, Harold ?" she asked. 
 
 "About two hundred miles, mother," he re 
 plied. 
 
 "There are some few sponges found between 
 Tampa Bay and Cape Sable, but not enough 
 to make it worth while to take special trips 
 to that point," she continued. 
 
 "Now, who can tell me whether it is to the 
 99
 
 vegetable or animal kingdom sponge be 
 longs ?" 
 
 "Oh, grandma," laughed Ned, "I'm sure a 
 sponge isn't an animal." 
 
 "Are you?" she queried with an amused 
 mile. "Now, little girls, what are your opin 
 ions in regard to the matter ?" 
 
 "Why, I never thought of a sponge as 
 being either an animal or a vegetable!" 
 exclaimed Alie Leland. "Which is it, 
 grandma ?" 
 
 "It belongs to the animal kingdom," was the 
 reply. "I have never seen it in its natural 
 state, but from what I have read and heard 
 I know it is a very different looking object 
 from what it becomes in being prepared for 
 the market. When first brought up from the 
 water it looks something like a jelly-fish or 
 mass of liver, its entire surface covered with 
 a thin, slimy skin, usually of a dark color, 
 and having openings into what we call the 
 holes of the sponge. What we call a sponge 
 is really only the skeleton of one." 
 100
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "And men go down into deep water to get 
 them, do they ?" queried Ned. 
 
 "Do you know how deep the water is on this 
 coast, Harold ?" asked his mother. 
 
 "I have been told from ten to fifty feet here 
 in Florida, mother, but considerably more 
 in the Mediterranean Sea; and the finest 
 grades are found in the deepest water. 
 Sponges from that sea^are said to be superior 
 in quality to those found in either Florida or 
 the West Indies." 
 
 "Go on, my son, and give us all the infor 
 mation you can," said his mother as he 
 paused. 
 
 "If you wish it, mother," he replied with an 
 affectionate look and smile. "In the waters 
 of Florida and the West Indies the fishing 
 is done in flat-bottomed boats called dingies. 
 'A tin or wooden pail with a glass bottom is 
 used to help locate the sponges by lowering 
 it into the water and looking down through 
 it. When that has been done, they are 
 brought up by means of a pole some thirty 
 101
 
 ELSIE AND HETt NAMESAKES 
 
 feet long, with a sharp, curved, double hook, 
 with which they, the sponges, are detached 
 and drawn up to the surface. Having gotten 
 a boatload, it is laid out to decompose in a 
 kraal on the beach, where it is washed by th 
 sea. At that time the odor is very unpleasant. 
 When they have been in the kraal about a week 
 they are beaten out with a short, heavy stick, 
 which removes most of the slime and animal 
 matter still remaining in them, and where 
 the black scum still adheres they are scraped 
 with a knife. The sponges are next squeezed 
 out right thoroughly with the hands, then 
 taken to the shore and strung on pieces of 
 coarse twine about six feet long, and then 
 they are ready for sale by auction." 
 
 "What is a kraal, uncle ?" asked !N"ed. 
 
 "It is a pen, generally about ten feet square, 
 built of wattled stakes, and is placed in 
 shallow water near some key or island," re 
 plied Dr. Harold. "Here is a picture of one/' 
 he added, taking it from the table and holding 
 it out so that all could see. 
 102
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 It was gazed upon with interest. Then sev 
 eral other pictures were shown, examined and 
 commented upon interestedly one or two 
 spongers at work on the water, one of them 
 with the long, hooked pole, the other gazing 
 through the bucket with the glass bottom. 
 
 Another picture was of the sponge yard at 
 Key West, showing the sponges drying. 
 There were pictures of sponge auctions, too, 
 and of a boat bringing sponges to the wharf 
 at Key West. 
 
 "And can we see all these things when we 
 get there to Key West, I mean?" asked 
 Ned, adding, "I think it would be a good deal 
 better more interesting to look at them 
 than only at their pictures." 
 
 "I hope to give you that pleasure, Neddie 
 boy," replied his uncle, smiling on him and 
 patting his cheek. "We will very likely have 
 to wait a day or two at Key West for your 
 father and mother and the rest who are to 
 join us there and pass with us through the 
 Gulf of Mexico on the way to Viamede." 
 103
 
 ELSIE AND HER 'NAMESAKES 
 
 "Is there a town there, uncle ?" asked Elsie. 
 
 "Yes; a well-built one, with wide streets 
 crossing at right angles, and having churches, 
 schools and a fine Marine Hospital belonging 
 to the United States." 
 
 "Hotels, too, I suppose," remarked Elsie 
 Dinsmore, "but we won't care for them, hav 
 ing this delightful yacht to stay in." 
 
 "No ; and in it we can sail about and see the 
 originals of the pictures we have been looking 
 at. Large quantities of sponges, turtles and 
 fish are sent out from Key West to our At 
 lantic cities. But wrecking is the principal 
 business of the place." 
 
 "Why, what does that mean, uncle ?" asked 
 Ned. 
 
 "You know what we mean when we say a 
 vessel has been wrecked, don't you?" his 
 uncle asked in reply. "Well, about forty-five 
 or fifty vessels are wrecked in the course of 
 a year near Key West, and the people of that 
 island help to save the cargoes, doing so in a 
 way to benefit the owners as well as them- 
 104
 
 pelves. I am told they derive an annual profit 
 of about two hundred thousand dollars." 
 
 "It (Key West) is considered an important 
 military station, is it not ?" asked Grace. 
 
 "Yes ; being the key to the Florida Pass and 
 the Gulf of Mexico," replied Harold. "It 
 has a large and safe harbor, which will admit 
 vessels drawing twenty-two feet of water ; and 
 Fort Taylor, which defends it, is a powerful 
 work." " 
 
 "Oh, I for one expect to have a good time 
 there!" exclaimed his cousin Elsie; "we can 
 visit the town and the fort to see what they 
 are like, then come back to this yacht and 
 have a good time here while waiting for the 
 rest of our party." 
 
 "Yes, I think we can," assented Dr. 
 Harold. "And now suppose we all wrap up 
 and go on deck for a little healthful exer 
 cise." 
 
 They did so, and all greatly enjoyed their 
 promenade, though Ned soon grew weary 
 enough to be glad to go below again and lie 
 105
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 down for a little nap. Grandma and sister 
 went with him, the other children soon fol 
 lowed, and Grace and her husband were left 
 alone together, a state of things by no means 
 disagreeable to either. It was still very early 
 in their honeymoon, and dearly as they loved 
 their mother and the little folks so nearly 
 related to them, they were glad now and then 
 to be left quite to themselves Harold that 
 he might pet and caress his heart's idol un 
 observed, and Grace that she might receive 
 and return such tokens of ardent affection" 
 unabashed by the thought of indifferent or 
 amused spectators of the scene. 
 
 But at length they began taking note of the 
 progress that they were making toward their 
 destination, and Grace asked: 
 
 "How soon do you think we will reach Key 
 West?" 
 
 "We are nearing it now," replied Harold, 
 "and will anchor in the harbor to-night, I 
 think." 
 
 "Oh, I am glad to hear that!" exclaimed 
 106
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 Grace. "And how soon do you think father 
 and his party will join us ?" 
 
 "Doubtless in a few days we shall see them. 
 They will come down by rail to Cedar Keys, 
 from there by steamer to Key West." 
 
 "And they will want to stay a few days to 
 see the sponge auctions, sponge yard and 
 so forth ; and after that we will have the rest 
 of our pleasant journey in the yacht to Via- 
 mede, mother's beautiful and delightful 
 Southern home." 
 
 "To me it is both beautiful and delightful," 
 returned Harold, smiling fondly upon her, 
 "and I am very glad that it is to my little wife 
 also." 
 
 "Oh, she's not so very little!" exclaimed 
 Grace with an amused and happy laugh, 
 drawing herself up to her full height as she 
 spoke. 
 
 "Yet rather small compared to your tall, 
 broad-shouldered husband," returned Harold, 
 accompanying his words with a very loverlike 
 caress. 
 
 107
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "Now, Rory, leave off, sir; 
 
 You'll hug me no more; 
 That is eight times to-day 
 
 That you've kissed me before," 
 
 eang Grace, ending with a merry laugh. 
 
 "Then here goes another on that to make sure, 
 
 For there's luck in odd numbers says Rory O'More." 
 
 rejoined Harold in laughing reply, and suit 
 ing the action to the word. 
 
 The Dolphin entered the harbor of Key 
 West early that evening and anchored near 
 the shore. All her passengers were on deck, 
 eager to take a bird's-eye view of the place, 
 expecting to do more than that in the morning. 
 
 "I suppose we will all go ashore directly, or 
 at least pretty soon after breakfast, won't we, 
 Harold ?" asked Elsie Dinsmore. 
 
 "Hardly all of us, Cousin Elsie," replied 
 Harold, giving Ned a regretful glance as he 
 spoke; "the exertion would be too great for 
 my young patient's strength, and surely some 
 one of us should stay here in our yacht with 
 him." 
 
 108
 
 ELSIE AND BEE NAMESAKES 
 
 "And his grandmother is the very one to do 
 that/' quickly responded Mrs. Elsie Travilla. 
 
 "But, mother, you should not be deprived of 
 the sight of this town of Key West," remon 
 strated Harold, and Ned's sisters, Grace and 
 Elsie, each promptly offered to stay and take 
 care of their little invalid brother. "Very 
 good and kind of you both," remarked Harold 
 with a pleased smile, "but now I think of it, 
 we are likely to lie in this port for some days, 
 and that being the case, can divide forces and 
 make two trips to the town, some going to-day, 
 others to-morrow." 
 
 "That entirely obviates the difficulty," said 
 his mother. "I will be caretaker of my little 
 grandson to-day, and perhaps some one else 
 may be to-morrow." 
 
 A sailor had been sent ashore to inquire for 
 mail and telegrams, and now approached our 
 party with several letters and a telegram, that 
 last directed to Dr. Harold, who took and 
 promptly opened it. 
 
 "Ah ha !" he said with a pleased smile ; "the 
 
 109
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 rest of our party will be here with us soon 
 to-night or to-morrow, I think." 
 
 "Oh, that's good!" cried ISTed joyously; 
 "how glad I'll be to see dear papa and 
 mamma! With them here I sha'n't care at 
 all for not being able to go on shore." 
 
 Everybody else seemed to share his delight 
 at the prospect of the expected addition to 
 their company, and talked merrily of what 
 they hoped to do and see in the next few days. 
 
 "I wish you could go ashore with the rest 
 of us, Neddie dear," said his sister in a re 
 gretful tone, taking his hand in hers and 
 giving it an affectionate squeeze. "You poor 
 little brother, it does seem hard that you have 
 to miss so many of the pleasures the rest of 
 us have." 
 
 "It's good of you to feel so for me, Elsie 
 dear," he replied, returning the squeeze and 
 smiling up into her face, "but I don't mind it 
 a bit if I can have grandma or mamma or 
 papa with me; they're so kind and tell me 
 such nice stories ; and I can have a rest or a 
 nap whenever I want it." 
 110
 
 CHAPTER VIII 
 
 THE departure of the bridal party from 
 Woodtmrn was soon followed by that of the 
 guests, till all were gone but those from 
 Sunny side. They were entreated to linger, 
 and assured there was nothing to hurry them 
 away from their father's house. 
 
 "I can't bear to have you go yet," said Violet 
 entreatingly. "You are the only ones of my 
 husband's children left to us, and the house 
 will seem desolate enough to him and me till 
 we, too, can start for Viamede. Besides, you 
 are none of you going there with us, so we 
 want to see all we can of you now and here." 
 
 "We do, indeed," said the captain; "and 
 especially of you, Max, as there is no know 
 ing how long it may be before Uncle Sam 
 will let us have you with us again." 
 
 "True, father, and I don't want to lose a 
 
 minute of the time I may have with you," 
 
 111
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 returned Max feelingly, "or with the other 
 dear ones wife, child, sister and brother," 
 he added, glancing from one to another. 
 
 "]STo; and we all want to be together while 
 we can; it is so sad to have to part even 
 for a time," sighed Lucilla, turning a regret 
 fully affectionate look upon one and another, 
 especially her father, her eyes filling as 
 they met the tenderly loving expression in 
 his. 
 
 "Yes, parting is hard," he said with forced 
 cheerfulness; "but we will console ourselves 
 with the thought that it is not likely to be 
 for very long. We seem to be in that respect 
 an unusually happy family." 
 
 "True, and I think our wedding party has 
 been an entire success," said Violet in her 
 usual sprightly tones ; "nothing went wrong, 
 and our darling Grace made the loveliest of 
 brides." 
 
 There was a word of cordial assent to that 
 from all present except Baby Mary, who ha<? 
 fallen asleep in her mother's arms. 
 112
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "How long may you stay with us this time, 
 Max?" asked Chester. 
 
 "I must leave next Tuesday morning," 
 was the reply. "May I trust you to take 
 good care of my wife and daughter while 
 they are left alone with you and Sister 
 Lu?" 
 
 "Certainly; I intend to do the very best I 
 can for them," returned Chester with the air 
 of one making a very solemn promise. "I 
 hope you are willing to trust me, Sister Eva ?" 
 turning to her. 
 
 "Perfectly," she said with a pleasant little 
 laugh. "And Lu and I will try to take good 
 nare of Baby Mary's Uncle Chester." 
 
 "Ah, it seems it is worth my while to claim 
 to be that," he laughed. 
 
 "My dear," said Violet, addressing the cap 
 tain, "don't you think we can make our 
 arrangements to leave for Viamede by next 
 Tuesday morning ?" 
 
 "Yes; I think we can if you wish to go 
 then," he replied ; "and by so doing we should 
 113
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 probably reach Key West only a day or two 
 later than our party on the Dolphin." 
 
 "Which would be very pleasant for our dear 
 ones, especially Elsie and Ned." 
 
 "And how glad they will be to see papa and 
 mamma," remarked Lucilla, unable to re 
 press a sigh as she spoke. 
 
 "Daughter dear, I am sorry, indeed, that 
 you, Chester, Eva and Max are not all to be 
 of our party," her father said, regarding her 
 with a loving, regretful look; "but cheer up 
 with the thought that the separation is not 
 likely to be a very long one. We may hope 
 to be all together again in a few months ; and 
 I hope with Ned quite restored to wonted 
 health and strength." 
 
 "Oh, I hope so," she said. "Dear little 
 fellow ! His Sister Lu is very fond of him. 
 And, father, you will write frequently to 
 me?" 
 
 "Every day if you will do the same by me," 
 
 he answered with a smile. "And in addition 
 
 to that we can have telegrams and 'phone 
 
 114
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 messages. So that the separation will not be 
 so bad as it was in the days when I was in 
 Uncle Sam's naval service. Now I think I'll 
 go to the 'phone and ask if cousins Ronald 
 and Annis can be ready to start on Tuesday 
 morning." 
 
 He did so, and the answer was in the affirm 
 ative. Everybody was glad, for those cousins 
 were esteemed good company by one and all, 
 and Ned was known to be always greatly 
 entertained by Cousin Ronald's use of his 
 ventriloquial powers. 
 
 "The fun he will make for our Neddie boy 
 will do the little chap a world of good, no 
 doubt," said Max with satisfaction. 
 
 "Surely it will," said Lucilla ; "and I am so 
 glad that Dr. Harold still has him in his 
 charge, for certainly Harold is a skilful 
 physician, even though related to us," she 
 added with a little laugh. 
 
 "Yes," said her father ; "I am glad he is to 
 be with us, and that our dear ones here will 
 still have the services of his brother Herbert 
 115
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 and Dr. Arthur Conly, both equally skilful in 
 the practice of their profession. Don't let 
 them neglect you, daughter/' he added 
 earnestly. "Don't fail to summon them 
 promptly, Chester, should any one of you be 
 at all ill." 
 
 "Rest assured I will not, sir," returned 
 Chester with prompt decision. "Trust me to 
 do my very best for the health and happiness 
 of the two dear ladies left in my charge ; the 
 little newcomer also." 
 
 "Thank you, Brother Chester," said Max. 
 "It is a great comfort to me that I can leave 
 my dear ones in your care." 
 
 "It seems hard to give our dear ones into the 
 scare of others," sighed Violet. "It was hard 
 for us to part with our darling Neddie for 
 even a few days, but mamma and Harold can 
 and will take better care of him than we could, 
 and we hope to join them very soon." 
 
 "Yes," said the captain ; "and when we start 
 we may hope to overtake them in somewhat 
 less than two days." 
 
 116
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "Yes, father," responded Max; "and what 
 a blessing it is that travelling is so much 
 speedier work than it used to be even not so 
 very many years ago." 
 
 "And that messages can be sent and received 
 so promptly by telegraph and 'phone," re 
 sponded the captain. "It seems to bring dis 
 tant parts of the world much nearer than 
 they used to be, so that temporary separations 
 by land or sea are not now the sore trials they 
 were in former days." 
 
 "Eva and I feel it a great comfort," said 
 Max, turning to his wife and child with a 
 tender smile, "as in case I were needed here 
 I might be so easily summoned and come 
 promptly, even at the risk of having to resign 
 from the navy," he added in a half jesting 
 tone. 
 
 "Ah, Max, the possibility of tempting you 
 to so rash an act as that would certainly make 
 me hesitate to summon you, except in a case 
 of the direst necessity," said Eva in tones 
 tremulous with emotion. 
 117
 
 "But we will hope that no such necessity 
 may ever arise," remarked Captain Raymond 
 in a cheery tone. "By the way, let us take 
 another look at Grace's bridal gifts. Many 
 of them are well worth close scrutiny." 
 
 "Yes, indeed," said Violet; "and I must 
 see them carefully packed away to-day or to 
 morrow." 
 
 "Oh, let us help you with it to-day, Mamma 
 Vi," said Lucilla. 
 
 "Thank you, I will," replied Violet. 
 
 Examining, chatting over and the packing 
 away of the numerous bridal gifts occupied 
 the greater part of the afternoon; an early 
 tea followed, and soon after that the Sunny- 
 eide folk returned to their homes, thinking 
 it not well to have the baby out any later 
 tfctt that in cold weather. 
 
 For the next few days Violet and the captain 
 felt it lonely enough without the dear ones 
 aboard the Dolphin, but busied themselves 
 with preparations for following them, and in 
 the meantime greatly enjoyed their daily in- 
 118
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 tercourse with their near and loved neigh 
 bors, his older children and the baby grand 
 daughter. 
 
 So the time passed, and to most of them it 
 seemed but a little while before Tuesday 
 morning dawned. Good-bys were then said; 
 Max went his way northward and the others 
 of the captain's party took a southward-bound 
 train of cars, which carried them to Cedar 
 Keys, on the western Florida coast. From 
 there they went down by steamer to Key 
 West. As we have seen, the captain had 
 sent a telegram ahead, and their arrival 
 was a glad event, but not a surprise to 
 the Dolphin's passengers. Ned's joy was 
 very great. He had been happy with grand 
 ma, uncle and sisters, but papa and mamma 
 were even' more to him than were they, so 
 that their coming seemed to quicken his re 
 covery. Several days were spent at that 
 port, that all might have abundant oppor 
 tunity to see all on both land and water that 
 they cared to see. Ned had no desire to visit 
 119
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 the sponge yards or auctions, but some 
 sponges were brought on board the Dolphin^ 
 and he was rather startled for a moment 
 when, on picking one up, a scream as of pain 
 and anger seemed to come from it. "Don't, 
 you naughty boy; just let me alone!" 
 
 "Oh," cried Ned, dropping it hastily, "I 
 didn't know you were alive. But don't be 
 seared; I'll not hurt you." 
 
 Then noticing a quizzical look in his father's 
 eye, and catching the sound of a half-smoth 
 ered laugh from his sister and some of the 
 others, he suddenly comprehended how it 
 happened that the sponge seemed so alive and 
 able to speak in good, plain English. 
 
 "Oh, I know ; it was Cousin Ronald making 
 the thing talk; for it can't be that it's alive 
 after being pulled up out of the water and 
 scraped and cleaned and all that." 
 
 "Silly boy! Dead folks can't talk, but I 
 can," the sponge seemed to reply, speaking 
 in a sneering tone. 
 
 ," laughed Ned; "but Cousin Ronald 
 
 120
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 isn't dead, if you are. Besides, I don't 
 believe you could talk when you were 
 alive." 
 
 "Huh! Much you know about it. Some 
 silly little folks think they know a great deal 
 more than they do." 
 
 Ned seemed highly amused. "Oh, it's good 
 fun, Cousin Ronald, so please keep on," he 
 begged, looking up into the kindly face of the 
 old gentleman. 
 
 "Well, now," Mr. Lilburn exclaimed, as if 
 much surprised, "I don't live in that bit of 
 sponge." 
 
 "No," laughed Ned ; "it's much too little for 
 anybody to live in; but I think your voice 
 can get in it, and it's real fun to hear it talk, 
 so please make it say something more." 
 
 "I used to live on the rocks away down 
 under the water," the sponge seemed to say; 
 "that was my home, and I wanted to stay 
 there, but a cruel man came down, pulled 
 me off, and brought me up, and I've had an 
 awful time ever since; they shook me and 
 
 121
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 scraped me and squeezed me so hard and long 
 that now I'm more dead than alive." 
 
 "Oh, it's too bad!" exclaimed Ned. I 
 think they might have let you live on in your 
 own home. Maybe we might send you back: 
 to it, if you were alive ; but it's no use now if 
 you are dead." 
 
 "Well, Neddie boy, don't you think Mr. 
 Sponge has talked enough now?" asked 
 Cousin Ronald in his own natural voice. 
 "I am really afraid our good friends here 
 must be tired of the very sound of his 
 voice." 
 
 "Perhaps they are," replied Ned ; "and I'm 
 afraid you are tired making him talk. But 
 it has been good fun, and I am very much 
 obliged to you for it, Cousin Ronald." 
 
 "You are very welcome," replied Mr. Lil- 
 burn ; "and I am very glad to be able to give 
 a bit of amusement to a young cousin who has 
 been so ill." 
 
 "Thank you, sir ; you are ever so kind," re 
 turned Ned in grateful tones. 
 122
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 All this happened on deck, late in the after 
 noon, and Dr. Harold now said he thought it 
 time for his little patient to be taken down 
 into the saloon, as the air was growing quite 
 cool. 
 
 "Oh uncle, I don't want to go down yet, 
 leaving all this good company," exclaimed 
 "Ned imploringly. 
 
 "But you don't want to get worse, do you 3" 
 asked Harold in kindly tones. 
 
 "And mother will go with you," said Violet, 
 rising and taking his hand in hers. 
 
 "Father, too; and he'll carry you down," 
 added the captain, taking the little fellow in 
 his arms and hastening toward the stairway 
 leading to the cabin of the vessel. Violet fol 
 lowed close behind them, and Dr. Harold and 
 Grace brought up the rear; Grandma Elsie, 
 the younger Elsies and Alie Leland following 
 them also, Annis and Cousin Konald, too, so 
 that in a few minutes the Dolphins passen 
 gers had all deserted the deck for the saloon. 
 
 Then presently came the call to supper, and 
 123
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 all gathered about a table well furnished with 
 wholesome, satisfying food and drink. 
 
 Grace sat at her father's right hand, be 
 tween him and her husband, and as he carved 
 the fowl and filled the plates, he every now 
 and then gave her a pleased, scrutinizing, 
 smiling glance. 
 
 "You are looking bright and well, 
 daughter," he said at length. "Your 
 honeymoon seems to agree with you, though 
 it is perhaps rather early to judge of 
 that." 
 
 "It has been very delightful so far, papa," 
 she returned with a smiling glance first at 
 him and then up into Harold's face ; "it could 
 hardly be otherwise in such a vessel and in 
 such company with a dear mother, a good 
 doctor, a kind husband indeed, everything 
 heart could wish, except the dear ones left be 
 hind my dear father, mamma and sisters 
 Lu and Eva; not to mention darling Baby 
 Mary. And now," she concluded, "since two 
 of the dearest ones, and Cousin Ronald and 
 124
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 Annis have joined us, I am full of content, 
 of joy, and very, very happy." 
 
 "Yes, Gracie, it's ever so nice to have them 
 all here- particularly papa and mamma," re 
 marked Ned, with a sigh of content ; "and I 
 hope Cousin Ronald is going to make lots of 
 fun for us." 
 
 "But maybe Dr. Harold won't approve of 
 BO much fun for his young patient," suggested 
 a voice that seemed to come from somewhere 
 in Ned's rear. 
 
 "Oh, who are you now?" queried the little 
 fellow, turning half round in his chair to look 
 behind him. 
 
 "Somebody that knows a thing or two," re 
 plied the same voice, now apparently coming 
 from a distant part of the room. 
 
 "Oh, you do, do you ?" laughed Ned. "Well, 
 I think I begin to know who you are," he 
 added, turning a half-convinced, half-inquir 
 ing look upon Cousin Ronald. 
 
 "Ha ! ha ! Some little boys think themselves 
 
 very wise, even when they don't understand 
 
 125
 
 'ELSIE 'AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 a matter at all," returned the voice of the 
 invisible speaker. 
 
 "But I do, though," returned Ned ; "I know 
 Cousin Ronald and a thing or two about what 
 he can do. But it's fun, anyhow; it seems 
 so real, even if I do know he's doing it." 
 
 "And you think I'm your Cousin Ronald, do 
 you ? Do I look like that old gent ?" asked the 
 voice, seeming to come from within an ad 
 joining stateroom. 
 
 "Old gent isn't a nice name to give a real 
 gentleman like our Cousin Ronald," retorted 
 Ned in a tone of disgust, which caused a 
 laugh of amusement from most of those about 
 the table. 
 
 "There, my son, that will do now ; let us see 
 you finish your supper quietly," said Captain 
 Raymond, and Ned obeyed. 
 
 126
 
 CHAPTER IX 
 
 THE next morning the weather was such as 
 made the Dolphins saloon a more attractive 
 place to her passengers than was her deck ; so 
 there they all gathered and sat chatting cosily 
 together till at length the children began ask 
 ing Grandma Elsie for another of her inter 
 esting historical stories. 
 
 "I think it is Captain Raymond's turn to 
 be narrator now," she said with a smiling 
 glance at him, "and I feel inclined to be one 
 of the audience." 
 
 "And I am inclined to be a listener to a story 
 from you, mother," he returned pleasantly; 
 "or if you are unwilling to entertain us in 
 that way this morning, perhaps Cousin Ron 
 ald may feel inclined to do so." 
 
 "Thanks for the invitation, captain, but I 
 would vastly prefer the role of listener," was 
 Mr. Lilburn's response to that, and after a 
 127
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 moment's silent consideration the captain 
 said: "As we are now passing through the 
 Gulf of Mexico, some distance south of the 
 States of Alabama and Mississippi, I suppose 
 a few passages from their history may prove 
 interesting and instructive to at least the 
 younger members of my audience. Shall I 
 give them?" 
 
 The query seemed addressed to the children, 
 and was promptly replied to by a chorus of 
 expressions of pleasure in the prospect; for 
 all there knew the captain to be an interest 
 ing narrator of historical events. 
 
 "I shall begin with Alabama, just now the 
 nearer of the two States," he said. "The 
 word Alabama signifies 'Here we rest.' It is 
 an Indian expression. Fernando de Soto was 
 tHe first white man who ever entered the 
 State. That was in 1540. His coming dis 
 pleased the Indians who lived there and con 
 sidered the country their own, therefore they 
 opposed his progress in several battles. He 
 found them more civilized than in other see- 
 128
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 tions of America which he visited. Just 
 above the confluence of the Tombigbee and 
 Alabama rivers they had a place called Mau- 
 bila, consisting of eighty handsome houses, 
 each large enough to contain a thousand men. 
 Round about them was a high wall, made of 
 immense trunks of trees set deep in the 
 ground and close together, strengthened with 
 cross-timbers and interwoven with large 
 vines. 
 
 De Soto and his men entered the town, and 
 were presently treacherously attacked by ten 
 thousand of the Indians. The Spaniards re 
 sisted the attack, and a battle ensued which 
 lasted nine hours, and resulted in the de 
 struction of the town and the killing of six 
 thousand Indians. The Spaniards, too, suf 
 fered terribly, lost eighty men, forty-five 
 horses and all their baggage and camp equi 
 page." 
 
 "So it was very bad for both armies, wasn't 
 it, papa !" said Ned. 
 
 "Yes, it was, indeed," replied his father^ 
 129
 
 "but the Spaniards were the ones most to 
 blame. This country belonged to the In 
 dians ; what right had the Spaniards to come 
 here and try to take it from them ? Surely, 
 none at all. What presumption it was in the 
 sovereigns of Europe to give to whomsoever 
 they pleased great tracts of land in America 
 to which they themselves had no real right. 
 
 "But to go back to my story. The Indians 
 were desperate, and fought the invaders, con 
 testing every rood of the ground from the hour 
 of their landing. And naturally, whenever a 
 Spaniard fell into their hands, they returned 
 cruelty for cruelty; and the Spaniards were 
 very, very cruel to men, women and children ; 
 but De Soto grew tired of Having the cruelty 
 of his men returned upon them, therefore he in 
 vited a powerful Creek chief to meet him for 
 a friendly talk. But the chief scorned the 
 invitation, called the white men by the names 
 they deserved, and gave them warning that he 
 would never cease making war upon them as 
 long as one of their hated race remained in 
 130
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 the country. And both he and his followers 
 carried out their threat, resorting to ambush 
 and stealthy surprises, killing scores, whose 
 heads they chopped off and carried on the 
 ends of poles. 
 
 "But some of this you have been told be 
 fore in our talks over the history of Florida. 
 
 "De Soto crossed Northern Georgia and 
 Northeastern Alabama to Maubila, where 
 they had that terrific fight of which I have 
 just told you. The following winter was a 
 severe one, passed by the Spaniards in the 
 country of the Chickasaws, around the tribu 
 taries of the Yazoo. In the spring a furious 
 engagement took place with the Chickasaws, 
 in which the Spaniards came near being anni 
 hilated. In April the forlorn remnant began 
 again tramping through the wilderness, 
 blindly groping for the land where De Soto 
 had been told he would find great quantities 
 of gold. 
 
 "In the month of May, 1541, De Soto and 
 his men reached the bank of the Mississippi 
 131
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 River, above the mouth of the St. Francis. 
 The men stood a long time, gazing upon it 
 with awe and admiration, for it is one of the 
 mightiest rivers of the world, and they were 
 the first Europeans to see it at any distance 
 above its mouth." 
 
 "And did they stop there, papa?" asked 
 Ned. 
 
 "No, my son; they were not yet ready to 
 give up their search for gold and for the 
 Pacific Ocean, which they believed was now 
 not far away." 
 
 "Didn't know much about geography, did 
 they ?" laughed Ned. 
 
 "No ; scarcely anything of that of this con 
 tinent," replied his father ; "but perhaps my 
 little son is not much wiser now in regard 
 to what was then the condition of what is now 
 this great country of ours. Can you tell him, 
 Grace, what it was at that time?" 
 
 "In 1540, papa ? A wilderness peopled only 
 by savages and wild beasts. It was not until 
 1620 that the pilgrims came to Massachusetts. 
 132
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 The first settlement in Maryland was not 
 made until 1631. Virginia's first settlers 
 came in 160Y. But the French Huguenots 
 planted a colony in South Carolina as early 
 as May, 1562, twenty years later than De 
 Soto's visit to Alabama. Georgia was the last 
 settled of the thirteen original colonies." 
 
 "And those thirteen colonies were all there 
 was of our country at the time of the 
 Revolutionary War, weren't they?" asked 
 Elsie Dinsmore. 
 
 "Yes," replied the captain; "thirteen col 
 onies at the beginning of that war, thirteen 
 States before it ended. 
 
 "But to go back to the story of Alabama. 
 It seems to have been left to the Indians until 
 the spring of 1682, when Robert Cavalier 
 de la Salle descended the Mississippi to its 
 mouth, named the country Louisiana, and 
 took possession of it in the name of the King 
 of France. All the Mississippi valley was 
 then claimed by France, but in 1763 she 
 ceded it to England. West Florida, from 
 133
 
 ELSIE 'AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 1764 to 1781, included quite a good deal of 
 the present territory of Alabama and Missis 
 sippi. In May of 1779 Spain declared war 
 against Great Britain, and the next MarcH 
 the Spanish governor of Louisiana captured 
 Mobile. In 1783 Great Britain ceded to the 
 United States all territory east of the Missis 
 sippi, except Florida, which she ceded bacK 
 to spain. 
 
 "Alabama was at that time almost entirely; 
 in the occupation of the Indians. There was 
 a garrison of Spanish troops at Mobile, one 
 at St. Stephen's, on the Tombigbee, and there 
 were trading posts at different points in the 
 South and West. And now the United States 
 bought the whole country west of what is now 
 Georgia to the Mississippi, and in 1817 made 
 it the Mississippi Territory. Fort Stoddard 
 was built near the confluence of the Alabama 
 and Tombigbee. During the War of 1812 
 with Great Britain there was a great deal of 
 fighting with the Indians of Alabama. The 
 Creeks were the principal tribe, and in 1812 
 134
 
 'ELSIE 'AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 they were stirred up to war by Tecumseh, 
 the celebrated Shawnee warrior. In August 
 they attacked Fort Mimms; the garrison 
 made a desperate resistance, but were over 
 come, and out of three hundred men, women 
 and children, only seventeen survived the 
 massacre. 
 
 "This aroused the adjoining States to action. 
 Generals Jackson, Claiborn, Floyd and Coffee 
 entered the Indian country and defeated tho 
 Indians at Talladega, where two hundred and 
 ninety of their warriors were slain. In the 
 same month (November) General Floyd 
 attacked the Creeks on their sacred ground, 
 at Autossee. Four hundred of their houses 
 were burned and two hundred of their war 
 riors killed, among whom were the kings of 
 Autossee and Tallahassee. The last stand of 
 the Creeks was at Horseshoe Bend, where the 
 Indians fought desperately, but were defeated 
 with the loss of nearly six hundred men. The 
 remaining warriors submitted, and in 1814 
 a treaty of peace was made, and the remain- 
 
 135
 
 "ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 der of the Creeks have removed beyond the 
 Mississippi. 
 
 "After that people poured in from Georgia, 
 the two Carolinas, Kentucky, Tennessee and 
 Virginia. The State grew rapidly in wealth 
 and population, so that in 1860 it was the 
 fourth of the South in importance and the 
 second in the amount of cotton produced." 
 
 "It was a slave State, wasn't it, papa, and 
 one that seceded in the time of the Civil 
 War ?" asked Elsie Raymond. 
 
 "Yes; on the llth of January, 1861, the 
 State seceded from the Union and joined the 
 Southern Confederacy. A sad thing for her, 
 for a great deal of the desperate fighting took 
 place within her borders. The losses in the 
 upper counties were immense, and raiding 
 parties frequently desolated the central ones. 
 Forts Gaines and Morgan, defending the en 
 trance to Mobile Bay, were besieged and 
 taken by the United States forces in 1865, 
 and in the same year the victory of Mobile 
 Bay, the severest naval battle of the war, was 
 136
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 won by the national forces under Admiral 
 Farragut." 
 
 "But the folks there are not rebs any more, 
 I suppose," remarked Ned in a tone of in 
 quiry. 
 
 "No, my son," replied the captain. "I be 
 lieve the most, if not all, of them are good 
 Union people, now proud and fond of this 
 great country, the United States of America." 
 
 137
 
 CHAPTER X 
 
 "YouB story of Alabama was very interest 
 ing, I think, papa," said Elsie Raymond, 
 "and if you are not too tired, won't you no~vr 
 tell us about Mississippi?" 
 
 "Yes," replied the captain. "I have told 
 you about De Soto and his men coming there 
 in 1540. At that time what is now the terri 
 tory of that State was divided between the 
 Chickasaw, Choctaw and Natchez Indians. 
 It was more than a hundred years afterward, 
 in 1681, that La Salle descended the Missis 
 sippi River from the Illinois country to the 
 Gulf of Mexico; and in 1700 Iberville, the 
 French governor of Louisiana, planted a col 
 ony on Ship Island, on the gulf coast. That 
 settlement was afterward removed to Biloxi, 
 on the mainland. Bienville, another gov 
 ernor of Louisiana, established a post on the 
 138
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 Mississippi River, and called it Fort Rosalie. 
 That was in 1761, and now the city of Nat 
 chez occupies that spot. A few years later, 
 in 1729, the Natchez Indians, growing 
 alarmed at the increasing power of the 
 French, resolved to exterminate them. On 
 the 28th of November of that year they at 
 tacked the settlement of Fort Rosalie and 
 killed the garrison and settlers seven hun 
 dred persons. When that terrible news 
 reached New Orleans, Bienville resolved to 
 retaliate upon the murderers. The Chicka- 
 saws were enemies of the Natchez; he ap 
 plied to them for help, and they furnished 
 him with sixteen thousand warriors. With 
 them and his own troops Bienville besieged 
 the Natchez in their fort, but they escaped 
 in the night and fled west of the Mississippi. 
 The French followed and forced them to sur 
 render, then took them to New Orleans, sent 
 them to the island of St. Domingo, and sold 
 them as slaves." 
 
 "AH of them, papa ?" asked Ned. 
 139
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "Nearly all, I believe," replied his father; 
 "they were but a small nation, and very little 
 was heard of them after that. The Chicka- 
 saws were a large and powerful tribe living 
 in the fertile region of the upper Tombigbee ; 
 the French knew that they had incited the 
 Natchez against them, and now Bienville re 
 solved to attack them. In 1736 he sailed 
 from New Orleans to Mobile with a strong 
 force of French troops and twelve hundred 
 Choctaw warriors. From Mobile he ascended 
 the Tombigbee River in boats for five hun 
 dred miles, to the southeastern border of the 
 present county of Pontotoc. The Chickasaw 
 fort was a powerful stronghold about twenty- 
 five miles from that point. 
 
 "Bienville took measures to secure his boats, 
 then advanced against the enemy. He made 
 a determined assault on their fort, but was 
 repulsed with the loss of one hundred men, 
 which so discouraged him that he dismissed 
 the Choctaws with presents, threw his cannon 
 into the Tombigbee, re-embarked in his boats, 
 140
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 floated down the river to Mobile, and from 
 there returned to New Orleans. 
 
 "He had expected to have the co-operation 
 of a force of French and Indians from Can 
 ada, commanded by D'Artaguette, the pride 
 and flower of the French at the North, and 
 some Indians from Canada, assisted by the 
 Illinois chief Chicago, from the shore of Lake 
 Michigan. All these came down the river 
 unobserved to the last Chickasaw bluff. From 
 there they penetrated into the heart of the 
 country. They encamped near the appointed 
 place of rendezvous with the force of Bien- 
 ville, and there waited for some time for in 
 telligence from him. It did not come, and 
 the Indian allies of D'Artaguette became so 
 impatient for war and plunder that they 
 could not be restrained, and at length he 
 (D'Artaguette) consented to lead them to the 
 attack. He drove the Chickasaws from two 
 of their fortified villages, but was severely 
 wounded in his attack on the third. Then 
 the Indians fled precipitately, leaving their 
 141
 
 ELSIE 'AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 wounded commander weltering in his blood. 
 Vincennes, his lieutenant, and their spiritual 
 guide and friend, the Jesuit Senate, refused 
 to fly, and shared the captivity of their gal 
 lant leader." 
 
 "And did the Indians kill them, papa?" 
 asked Ned. 
 
 "No, not then; hoping to receive a great 
 ransom for them from Bienville, who was 
 then advancing into their country, they 
 treated them with great care and attention; 
 but when he retreated they gave up the hope 
 of getting anything for their prisoners, there 
 fore put them to a horrible death, burning 
 them over a slow fire, leaving only one alive 
 to tell of the dreadful fate to their country 
 men." 
 
 "Oh, how dreadful!" sighed Elsie Eay- 
 mond. "I'm thankful we did not live in those 
 times and places." 
 
 "Yes, so am I," said her father. "God Has 
 
 been very good to us to give us our lives in 
 
 this good land, and these good times. It is 
 
 142
 
 ELSIE r AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 years now since the Indians were driven out 
 of Alabama and Mississippi. They and 
 Florida passed into the hands of the English 
 in 1763. In 1783 the country north of the 
 thirty-first parallel was included within the 
 limits of the United States. According to the 
 charter of Georgia, its territory extended 
 to the Mississippi, but in 1795 the legislature 
 of that State sold to the general government 
 that part which now constitutes the States of 
 Alabama and Mississippi. In 1798 the 
 Territory of Mississippi was organized, and 
 on the 10th of December, 1817, it was ad 
 mitted into the Union as a State. On the 
 9th of January, 1861, the State seceded from 
 the Union and joined the Southern Confed 
 eracy. And some dreadful battles were 
 fought there in our Civil War those of luka 
 and Corinth, Jackson, Champion Hills and 
 other places. That war caused an immense 
 destruction of property. The State was sub 
 ject to military rule until the close of the 
 year 1869, when it was readmitted into the 
 "Union." 143
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 The captain paused, seeming to consider his 
 story of the settlement of the State of Missis 
 sippi completed; but Grandma Elsie pres 
 ently asked: "Isn't there something more of 
 interest in the story of the Natchez which 
 you could tell us, captain ?" 
 
 "Perhaps so, mother," he replied. "It was 
 a remarkable tribe, more civilized than any 
 other of the original inhabitants of these 
 States. Their religion was something like 
 that of the fire-worshippers of Persia. They 
 called their chiefs 'suns' and their .king the 
 'Great Sun.' A perpetual fire was kept burn 
 ing by the ministering priest in the principal 
 temple, and he also offered sacrifices of the 
 first fruits of the chase ; and in extreme cases, 
 when they deemed their deity angry with 
 them, they offered sacrifices of their infant 
 children to appease his wrath. When Iber- 
 ville was there, one of the temples was struck 
 by lightning and set on fire. The keeper of 
 the fane begged the squaws to throw their 
 little ones into the fire to appease the angry 
 144
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 god, and four little ones were so sacrificed 
 before the French could persuade them to de 
 sist from the horrid rite. The 'Great Sun/ 
 as they called their king, had given Iberville 
 a hearty welcome to his dominions, paying 
 him a visit in person. He was borne to Iber- 
 ville's quarters on the shoulders of some of 
 his men, and attended by a great retinue of 
 his people. A treaty of friendship was made, 
 and the French given permission to build a 
 fort and establish a trading-post among the 
 Indians things that, however, were not done 
 for many years. A few stragglers at that 
 time took up their abode among the Natchez, 
 but it was not until 1716 that any regular 
 settlement was made ; then Fort Rosalie was 
 erected at that spot on the bank of the Missis 
 sippi where the city of Natchez now stands. 
 
 "Well, as I have told you, Grand or Great 
 Sun, the chief of the Natchez, was at first the 
 friend of the whites; but one man, by his 
 overbearing behavior, brought destruction on 
 the whole colony. The home of the Great 
 145
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 Sun was a beautiful village called the White 
 Apple. It was spread over a space of nearly 
 three miles, and stood about twelve miles 
 south of the fort, near the mouth of Second 
 Creek, and three miles east of the Mississippi. 
 M. D. Chopart, the commandant of the fort, 
 was so cruel and overbearing, so unjust to the 
 Indians, that he commanded the Great Sun 
 to leave the village of his ancestors because 
 he, M. D. Chopart, wanted the grounds for 
 his own purposes. Of course the Great Sun 
 was not willing, but Chopart was deaf to all 
 his entreaties, which led the Natchez to form 
 a plot to rid their country of these oppressors. 
 "Before the attempt to carry it out, a young 
 Indian girl, who loved the Sieur de Mace, 
 ensign of the garrison, told him with tears 
 that her nation intended to massacre the 
 French. He was astonished, and questioned 
 her closely. She gave him simple answers, 
 shedding tears as she spoke, and he was con 
 vinced that she was telling him only the truth. 
 So he at once repeated it to Chopart, but he 
 146
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 immediately had the young man arrested for 
 giving a false alarm. 
 
 "But the fatal day came November 29, 
 1729. Early in the morning Great Sun, with 
 a few chosen warriors, all well armed with 
 knives and other concealed weapons, went to 
 Fort Rosalie. Only a short time before the 
 company had sent up a large supply of powder 
 and lead, also provisions for the fort. The 
 Indians had brought corn and poultry to 
 barter for ammunition, saying they wanted it 
 for a great hunt they were preparing for, and 
 the garrison, believing their story, were 
 thrown off their guard, and allowed a number 
 of the Indians to come into their fort, while 
 others were distributed about the company's 
 warehouse. Then, after a little, the Great 
 Sun gave a signal, and the Indians at once 
 drew out their weapons and began a furious 
 massacre of the garrison and all who were 
 in or near the warehouse. And the same 
 bloody work was carried on in the houses of 
 the settlers outside of the fort. 
 
 147.
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "It was at nine o'clock in the morning the 
 dreadful slaughter began, and before noon 
 the whole male population of that French 
 colony seven hundred souls were sleeping 
 the sleep of death. The women and children 
 were kept as prisoners, and the slaves that 
 they might be of use as servants. Also two 
 mechanics, a tailor and a carpenter, were per 
 mitted to live, that they might be of use to 
 their captors. Chopart was one of the first 
 killed by a common Indian, as the chiefs 
 so despised him that they disdained to soil 
 their hands with his blood. 
 
 "The Great Sun sat in the company's ware- 
 house while the massacre was going on, smok 
 ing his pipe unconcernedly while his warriors 
 were piling up the heads of the murdered 
 Frenchmen in a pyramid at his feet, Cho- 
 part's head at its top, above all those of his 
 officers and soldiers. As soon as the Great 
 Sun had been told by his Indians that all the 
 Frenchmen were dead, he bade them begin 
 their pillage. They then made the negro 
 148
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 slaves bring out the plunder for distribution, 
 except the powder and military stores, which 
 were kept for public use in future emer 
 gencies." 
 
 "And did they bury all those seven hundred 
 folks that they killed, papa ?" asked Ned. 
 
 "No," replied his father; "they left them 
 lying strewed about in every place where they 
 had struck them down to death, dancing over 
 their mangled bodies with horrid yells in their 
 drunken revelry; then they left them there 
 unburied, a prey for hungry dogs and vul 
 tures. And all the dwellings in all the settle 
 ments they burned to ashes." 
 
 "Didn't anybody at all get away from them, 
 uncle?" asked Alie Leland. 
 
 "Nobody who was in the buildings at the 
 time of the massacre," replied the captain; 
 "but two soldiers who happened to be then in 
 the woods escaped and carried the dreadful 
 tidings to New Orleans." 
 
 "I'm glad they didn't go back to the fort and 
 get caught by those savage Indiana," said 
 149
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 Elsie Dinsmore. "But how did they know 
 that the Indians were there and doing sucK 
 dreadful deeds?" 
 
 "By hearing the deafening yells of the 
 savages and seeing the smoke going up from 
 the burning buildings. Those things told 
 them what was going on, and they hid them 
 selves until they could get a boat or canoe in 
 which to go down the river to New Orleans, 
 which they reached in a few days ; and there, 
 as I have said, they told the sad story of the 
 awful happening at the colony on the St. 
 Catherine." 
 
 "Were there any otter colonies that the 
 Indians destroyed in that part of our country, 
 papa ?" asked his daughter Elsie. 
 
 "Yes ; one on the Yazoo, near Eort St. Peter, 
 and those on the Washita, at Sicily Island, 
 and near the present town of Monroe. It was 
 a sad time for every settlement in the prov 
 ince." 
 
 "When the news of this terrible disaster 
 reached New Orleans, the Erench began a 
 150
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 war of extermination against the Natchez. 
 They drove them across the Mississippi, and 
 finally scattered and extirpated them. The 
 Great Sun and his principal war chiefs were 
 taken, shipped to St. Domingo and sold as 
 slaves. Some of the poor wretches were 
 treated with barbaric cruelty four of the 
 men and two of the women were publicly 
 burned to death at New Orleans. Some 
 Tonica Indians brought down a Natchez 
 woman, whom they had found in the woods, 
 and were allowed to burn her to death on a 
 platform erected near the levee, the whole 
 population looking on while she was con 
 sumed by the flames. She bore all that 
 torture with wonderful fortitude, not 
 shedding a tear, but upbraiding her tor 
 turers with their want of skill, flinging at 
 them every opprobrious epithet she could 
 think of." 
 
 "How very brave and stoical she must have 
 been, poor thing!" remarked Grace. "But, 
 papa, have not the Natchez always been eon- 
 151
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 sidered superior to other tribes in refine 
 ment, intelligence and bravery ?" 
 
 "Yes," he replied ; "it is said that no other 
 tribe has left so proud a memorial of their 
 courage, independent spirit and contempt of 
 death in defence of their rights and liberties. 
 The scattered remnants of the tribe sought 
 an asylum among the Chickasaws and other 
 tribes who were hostile to the French; but 
 since that time the individuality of the Nat 
 chez tribe has been swallowed up among 
 others with whom they were incorporated. In 
 refinement and intelligence they were equal, 
 if not superior, to any other tribe north of 
 Mexico. In courage and stratagem they were 
 inferior to none. Their form was noble and 
 commanding, their persons were straight and 
 athletic, their stature seldom under six feet. 
 Their countenances indicated more intelli 
 gence than is commonly found in savages. 
 Some few individuals of the Natchez tribe 
 were to be found in the town of Natchez as 
 late as the year 1782, more than half a cen 
 tury after the Natchez massacre." 
 152
 
 CHAPTEK XI 
 
 "WELL, well, well! I should think you 
 youngsters might be ashamed to keep that 
 poor captain talking and telling stories so 
 long, just for your amusement," remarked a 
 strange voice, coming apparently from the 
 half open doorway of a nearby stateroom. 
 "Can't you let him have a little rest now?" 
 
 "Of course," replied Ned. "He tells splen 
 did stories, and we like to listen to them ; but 
 we don't want him to go on if he feels tired, 
 for he is our own dear, kind, good papa, 
 whom we love ever so much." 
 
 "Huh !" returned the voice ; "actions speak 
 louder than words. So don't coax for any 
 more stories now. Have a good game of 
 romps instead." 
 
 "The rest can do that," said Ned ; "but uncle 
 doctor wouldn't be likely to let me romp very 
 much." 
 
 153
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "And you think you have to obey him, do 
 you?" 
 
 "Of course, if I want him to cure me ; and 
 I'm very sure you would think me a naughty 
 boy if I didn't." 
 
 "If you didn't want to be cured^' 
 
 "No ; if I didn't mind my uncle doctor." 
 
 "I thought he was your brother; he's 
 married to your sister, isn't he ?" 
 
 "Yes," laughed Ned ; "and that makes him 
 my brother; but he's my mother's own 
 brother, and that makes him my uncle. So 
 he's both uncle and brother, and that makes 
 him a very near relation indeed." 
 
 "So it does, my little fellow, and you would 
 better mind all he says, even if he is a young 
 doctor that doesn't know quite all the old 
 doctors do." 
 
 "He knows a great deal," cried Ned indig 
 nantly ; "lots more, I guess, than some of the 
 other doctors that think they are very smart 
 and know everything." 
 
 "Well, you needn't get mad about it," re- 
 154
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 turned the voice. "I like Dr. Harold Tra- 
 villa, and when I get sick I expect to send 
 for him." 
 
 "But who are you?" asked Ned. "Why 
 don't you come out of that stateroom and 
 show yourself?" 
 
 "Perhaps I might if I got a polite invita 
 tion," replied the voice. 
 
 Ned was silent for a moment, first looking 
 steadily toward the door from which the 
 voice had seemed to come, then turning a 
 scrutinizing, questioning gaze upon Cousin 
 Ronald. 
 
 The others in the room were all watching 
 the two and listening as if much entertained 
 by the talk between them. 
 
 "I just know it's you, Cousin Ronald, 
 making fun for us all," the little boy re 
 marked at length; "and that's very kind in 
 you, for fun is right good for folks, isn't it, 
 Uncle Harold?" 
 
 "Yes, I think so," replied the doctor; 
 " 'laugh and grow fat' is an old saying. So I 
 165
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 hope the fun will prove beneficial to my 
 young patient." 
 
 "I hope so," said the captain, and now sup 
 pose you young folks rest yourselves with 
 some sort of games." 
 
 "I think we would all better wrap up and 
 try a little exercise upon the deck first, and 
 after that have some games," said Harold, 
 and everybody promptly followed his advice. 
 
 When they had had their exercise and 
 played a few games, dinner was served. After 
 that they again gathered in the saloon, and 
 presently the young folks aaked for another 
 of the captain's interesting stories of the 
 States. 
 
 "Well, my dears, about which State do you 
 wish to hear now ?" he asked. 
 
 "I believe we all want Louisiana, papa," 
 replied his daughter Elsie. "We know the 
 story of the battle of ~New Orleans under 
 General Jackson that grand victory and 
 pretty much all that went on in the time of 
 the Civil War, I believe ; but I don't remem- 
 156
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 ber that you have ever given us any of the 
 early history of that State." 
 
 "Well, I shall try to do so now," her father 
 said in reply, and after a moment's silent 
 thought he began. 
 
 "Louisiana is the central Gulf State of the 
 United States, and has the Gulf of Mexico 
 for its southern boundary; the Sabine River 
 and Texas form the western boundary, and 
 on the east is the Mississippi River, sepa 
 rating it from the State of that name, which 
 is the northern boundary of that part of 
 Louisiana east of the river. The part west 
 of that river is bounded on the north by 
 Arkansas. 
 
 "That part of what is now our country was 
 not taken by the whites from the Indians so 
 early as the more northern and eastern parts. 
 History tells us that Robert Cavalier de la 
 Salle descended the Mississippi to its mouth 
 in April, 1682, named the country Louisi 
 ana, and took possession of it in the name of 
 the King of France. In 1699 Iberville tried 
 157
 
 ELSIE 'AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 to form a settlement along the lower part of 
 thie river, but succeeded only in forming the 
 Colony of Biloxi, in what is now the State of 
 Mississippi. In 1712, Louis^IV. of France 
 named the region for himself, and granted it 
 to a wealthy capitalist named Antony Crozat, 
 giving him exclusive trading rights in Louisi 
 ana for ten years. In about half that time 
 Crozat gave back the grant to the King, com 
 plaining that he had not been properly sup 
 ported by the authorities, and had suffered 
 such losses in trying to settle the province as 
 almost to ruin him. 
 
 "In the same year a man named John Law 
 got the King to give him a charter for a bank 
 and for a Mississippi company, and to grant 
 the province to them. "For a time he carried 
 out his scheme so successfully that the stock 
 of the bank went up to six hundred times its 
 par value ; but it finally exploded and ruined 
 every one concerned in it. 
 
 "It had, however, accomplished the settle 
 ment of New Orleans. In 1760 a war was 
 158
 
 EL'SIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 begun between England and France, in which 
 the former took Canada from the latter. 
 Then a good many Canadians emigrated to 
 Louisiana, and settled in that part of it west 
 of the Mississippi. In 1762 France ceded 
 her possessions in Louisiana west of the 
 Mississippi to Spain, and the country east 
 of that river to England. New Orleans was 
 soon taken possession of by the Spanish au 
 thorities, who proved themselves so cruel and 
 oppressive that the French settlers were filled 
 with dismay. The Spaniards still held that 
 province at the time of the American Revo 
 lution, and near the close of that war the 
 Spanish governor of New Orleans captured 
 the British garrison at Baton Rouge." 
 
 "I suppose that was hardly because he 
 wanted to help us," laughed Elsie Dinsmore. 
 
 "No," smiled the captain; "I rather think 
 he wanted to help himself. The navigation 
 of the Mississippi River was opened to all 
 nations by the treaty of 1783, but the New 
 Orleans Spaniards completely neutralized it 
 159
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 by seizing all merchandise brought to that 
 city in any but Spanish sh^ps. In 1800 Spain 
 ceded Louisiana back to France, but it suited 
 Napoleon, then emperor of that country, to 
 keep the transfer a secret until 1803, when he 
 sent out Laussat as prefect of the colony, who 
 informed the people that they were given 
 back to France, which news filled them with 
 joy. 
 
 "Jefferson was then our President, and on 
 learning these facts, he directed Robert Liv 
 ingston, the American Minister at Paris, to 
 insist upon the free navigation of the Missis 
 sippi, and to negotiate for the acquisition of 
 New Orleans itself and the surrounding terri 
 tory. Mr. Monroe was appointed with full 
 powers to assist him in the negotiation. 
 
 "Bonaparte acted promptly. He saw that 
 the English wanted Louisiana and the Missis 
 sippi River, and was determined that they 
 should not have them. They had twenty 
 vessels in the Gulf of Mexico, and he saw 
 that they might easily take Louisiana, and 
 160
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 to deprive them of all prospect of that, he 
 was inclined to cede it to the United States. 
 He (Bonaparte) speedily decided to sell to 
 the United States not New Orleans only, but 
 the whole of Louisiana, and did so. On the 
 30th of April, 1803, the treaty was signed. 
 Our country was to pay $15,000,000 for the 
 colony, be indemnified for some illegal cap 
 tures, and the vessels of France and Spain, 
 with their merchandise, were to be admitted 
 into all the ports of Louisiana free of duty 
 for twelve years. Bonaparte stipulated in 
 favor of Louisiana that as soon as possible it 
 should be incorporated into the Union and its 
 inhabitants enjoy the same rights, privileges 
 and immunities as other citizens of the 
 United States; and the third article of the 
 treaty, securing these benefits to them, was 
 drawn up by Bonaparte himself and pre* 
 sented to the plenipotentiaries with the re 
 quest that they would make it .known to the 
 people of Louisiana that the French regretted 
 to part with them, and had stipulated for all 
 161
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 
 
 the advantages they could desire; and that 
 in giving them up France had secured them 
 the greatest of all ; for in becoming indepen 
 dent they would prosper as they never could 
 have done under any European government. 
 But he bade them, while enjoying the priv 
 ileges of liberty, ever to remember that they 
 were French, and preserve for their mother 
 country the affection which a common origin 
 inspires. 
 
 "This was a most important transaction, and 
 its completion gave equal satisfaction to both 
 parties. Livingston said, 'I consider that 
 from this day the United States takes rank 
 with the first powers of Europe, and she is 
 entirely escaped from the power of England ;' 
 and Bonaparte said, 'By this cession of terri 
 tory I have secured the power of the United 
 States, and given to England a maritime 
 rival who at some future time will humble 
 her pride.' 
 
 "And that seems like a prophecy which came 
 true, when one thinks of Jackson's victory on 
 162
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 
 
 the 8th of January, 1815," remarked Grand 
 ma Elsie. 
 
 "Yes," assented the captain; "that was a 
 signal overthrow to British troops on the 
 plains of Louisiana." 
 
 "Yes ; I remember that was a great victory 
 for our United States troops," said Elsie 
 Dinsmore. "But who of our folks took pos 
 session now that it was bought from the 
 French, and just when did they do it ?" 
 
 "It was on the 20th of December of that 
 same year," replied the captain, "that Gen 
 eral Wilkinson and Governor Claiborne, who 
 were jointly commissioned to take possession 
 of the country for the United States, entered 
 !NVw Orleans at the head of the American 
 troops. The French governor gave up his 
 command, and the tri-colored flag of France 
 gave place to the star-spangled banner." 
 
 "Oh, that was good," said Elsie Dinsmore; 
 "and was Louisiana made a State at once, 
 captain ?" 
 
 "'No" he replied; "it was erected into a 
 163
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 Territory by Congress in 1804. In 1810 the 
 Spanish post at Baton Rouge was seized by 
 the United States forces under General Wil 
 kinson and the territory connected with it 
 added to Louisiana, which in 1812 was ad 
 mitted into the Union as a State." 
 
 "But, papa, was what is now the State of 
 Louisiana all we bought from France by that 
 treaty of 1803 ?" asked Grace. 
 
 "No, by no means," replied the captain. 
 "The territory purchased by that treaty is 
 now occupied by the States of Louisiana, 
 Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, Kan 
 sas, Nebraska, Oregon, Dakota, Colorado, 
 Utah, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho and Wash 
 ington." 
 
 "My, what a big purchase it was!" cried 
 Ned. "But how did France get so much?" 
 
 "No doubt she just helped herself," laughed 
 his sister. "The State went out of the Union 
 in the time of the Civil War, didn't it, papa ?" 
 
 "Yes ; on the 26th of January, 1861, but was 
 readmitted into tne Union on the 25th of 
 June, 1868." 164
 
 CHAPTER XH 
 
 "THESE stories of the States have been very 
 interesting to me, captain," remarked Mr. 
 Lilburn, breaking a little pause which had 
 followed the conclusion of the brief sketch 
 just given of the early history of Louisiana. 
 
 "I feel flattered that my crude efforts in that 
 line should be so highly appreciated," re 
 turned the captain, with a gratified smile as 
 he spoke, then added, "And now, if you feel 
 like making a return in kind, Cousin Ronald, 
 suppose you give us a page or two of Scottish 
 history, than which I think there is hardly 
 anything more interesting." 
 
 "I acknowledge that it is very interesting 
 to me, a native of that land, though now feel 
 ing myself a full-fledged American, but how 
 is it with these younger folk ?" returned Mr. 
 Lilburn, glancing inquiringly around upon 
 the ladies and children. 
 165
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 It was Grandma Elsie who answered in 
 tones of pleased anticipation, "Indeed, 
 cousin, I should be delighted; for to me the 
 history of that grandfather land of mine is 
 only secondary in interest to that of this, my 
 dear native land, largely peopled by the 
 descendants of those who struggled so 
 bravely for civil and religious liberty in 
 Scotland." 
 
 "Ah, cousin mine, I am glad to ken that you 
 care for that auld fatherland o' yours and 
 mine," returned the old gentleman, smiling 
 affectionately upon her. "There are many 
 passages in her history that are interesting 
 and heart stirring to the pride and love of 
 the descendants of the actors in the same. 
 But to what particular passages in her his 
 tory shall I call your attention now ?" 
 
 The query seemed addressed to all present, 
 and Elsie Dinsmore answered quickly and 
 earnestly, "Oh, tell us all you can about that 
 beautiful, unfortunate Mary, Queen of Scots. 
 I suppose you must have seen all the palaces 
 166
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 and castles she ever lived in there in Scot 
 land?" 
 
 "Yes, my bonny bairn, I have, and regard 
 them with great interest because of her one 
 time occupation of them. Linlithgow Castle 
 is now only a picturesque old ruin, yet one 
 may stand in the very room, now roofless, 
 to be sure, where Queen Mary was born. The 
 walls of that castle were very thick and 
 strong, but not then deemed strong enough 
 to protect the royal infant, born on the 7th of 
 December, 1542. There was rejoicing at her 
 birth, but it would have been greater had she 
 been a lad instead of a lass. Her father, then 
 on his deathbed, exclaimed when he heard 
 the news, 'Woe to the crown of Scotland ; it 
 came with a lass and it will go with a lass.' 
 
 "Her sex was a disappointment to Scottish 
 hearts, yet still they loved her, and would do 
 all in their power to protect and defend her, 
 especially from the English King, Henry 
 VIII., with whom they were then at war, 
 and who was doing all in his power to get 
 167i
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 possession of the little princess, purposing in 
 time to marry her to his son, and so unite the 
 two kingdoms under one crown." 
 
 "Why, that would have been a fine way to 
 put a stop to the fighting between the two 
 kingdoms, I should think," said Elsie Dins- 
 more. 
 
 "Perhaps, if he had offered good terms, but 
 those he did offer were so harsh that Scot 
 land's Parliament rejected them, and for 
 greater security both Mary and her mother 
 were taken from Linlithgow to Stirling 
 Castle, a grand fortress atop of a lofty hill 
 above the beautiful valley of Monteith. It 
 seemed a safe place for the bonny baby queen, 
 but some wicked, treacherous men formed a 
 plot to carry her off to England ; but it failed 
 because her guardians were so very cautious 
 as never to admit more than one person at a 
 time to see her. 
 
 "So many dangers threatening her, it was 
 
 thought best to crown her queen as soon as 
 
 possible, and when she was nine months old 
 
 168
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 she was one Sunday morning taken from her 
 nursery to the chapel of the castle. There one 
 of her nobles held her on the throne and spoke 
 for her the words she should have spoken had 
 she been old enough. Then the Cardinal held 
 the crown over her head, and for a moment 
 clasped her tiny fingers about the scepter, and 
 buckled the sword of state around her waist. 
 Then every peer and prelate present, one 
 after another, knelt before her, held his right 
 hand above her baby head, and swore to de 
 fend her with his life. But alas, alas! few 
 o' them proved faithful to their oath. 
 
 "A strange life lay before that little babe. 
 She was perhaps six years of age when taken 
 to France as a safer place for her than Scot 
 land. She was married early in life to the 
 young King Francis II., but in seventeen 
 months his death made her a widow. She left 
 France for her own land, and arrived at Leith 
 in August, 1561, doubtless little dreaming 
 the sad fate in store for her in the British 
 Isles," sighed the kind-hearted old gentleman, 
 169
 
 ELSIE 'AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 then for a moment he seemed lost in 
 thought. 
 
 "Can you tell us in what town and castle 
 she made her home ?" asked Elsie Dinsmore. 
 
 "Holyrood Castle in Edinburgh," replied 
 Mr. Lilburn. "It was in the chapel of that 
 Castle she was married to her cousin, 
 Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, in July, 1565. 
 She was then about twenty-three years of 
 age." 
 
 "Did she love him, Cousin Ronald ?" asked 
 Elsie Raymond. 
 
 "No doubt of it, lassie, for she had plenty of 
 other offers ; it really seemed as though every 
 royal bachelor and widower wanted her for a 
 wife. And small wonder, for she was very 
 sweet and beautiful. 
 
 "She called Darnley the handsomest man 
 she had ever seen; doubtless it was his good 
 looks she fell in love with, but a few weeks 
 of wifehood with him showed her that his 
 character was far less admirable than his 
 looks; He was vain, selfish, ungrateful, took 
 
 1TO
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 all her favors as a matter of course and asked 
 for more. Soon after their marriage the 
 English ambassador wrote of them, 'The 
 Queen doth everything in her power to oblige 
 Darnley, but Darnley does not do the least 
 thing to oblige her.' She had a few weeks of 
 happiness during their wedding journey 
 through the interior of Scotland, but soon 
 after that Darnley began treating her with 
 brutal unkindness. 'At a public banquet, only 
 four months after their marriage, he began to 
 drink to excess, urging his guests to do the 
 same. Queen Mary tried quietly to check 
 him, but he turned upon her with such vulgar 
 violence that she left the room in tears. And 
 he was so insolent to the Court in general 
 that he was soon almost universally detested." 
 
 "And I should hardly think it was possible 
 for poor Queen Mary to go on loving him," 
 said Elsie Dinsmore. 
 
 "Nor should I," said Mr. Lilburn ; "for cer 
 tainly he was very different from what she 
 had believed him to be when she married hin. 
 171
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 And, poor lady, she greatly needed the right 
 sort of husband to protect and help her, for 
 the nobles who surrounded her were treach 
 erous, unprincipled men, ready to commit any 
 crime that would enable them to govern Scot 
 land to suit themselves, by making the sov 
 ereign a mere cipher in their hands. I 
 presume you all know something of the brutal 
 murder of Rizzio ?" 
 
 "Yes, sir, I believe we do ; but please tell us 
 the whole story about it," said Elsie Ray 
 mond. 
 
 "He was a singer in the chapel of Holyrood 
 Castle, had a voice of wonderful power and 
 sweetness, which so pleased the Queen that 
 she made him leader of the singing in her 
 chapel services. He was a homely man, but 
 a clever linguist, faithful and prudent, and 
 Queen Mary made him her private secretary. 
 The treacherous lords wanted to get rid of 
 him because he was not one of them, yet had 
 so great influence with the Queen; they de 
 termined to murder him, and that on the pre- 
 172
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 tence that the Queen was so fond of him as 
 to make Darnley jealous. It was all a pretence, 
 just to trump up a reason for murdering 
 Rizzio. 
 
 "One evening in March, 1566, Queen Mary 
 was in her library at supper, with three 
 friends as her guests a lady, a gentleman 
 and Rizzio. She did not know that her Lord 
 Chancellor Morton had, just after dusk, led 
 a body of armed men into the courtyard of 
 this, her Holyrood Castle. Some of these 
 men had hidden themselves in Darnley's 
 room, just underneath these apartments of 
 hers, and a winding staircase led up from 
 them. Suddenly Darnley, who had come up 
 this private stairway, entered the room, sat 
 down in a vacant chair beside her, put his 
 arm around her waist and gave her an affec 
 tionate kiss. 
 
 "It was a Judas kiss, for at the same time 
 
 the murderers whom he was assisting had 
 
 stolen softly into the Queen's bedroom, and 
 
 now they crowded through the doorway into 
 
 173
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 her presence. She was alarmed, and at once 
 demanded the reason for their intrusion. 
 
 "They said they meant no harm to her, only 
 to the villain near her. 
 
 "Rizzio understood, and said to her, 
 'Madam, I am lost !' Tear not,' she answered, 
 'the King will never suffer you to be slain ia 
 my presence, nor can he forget your many 
 faithful services.' 
 
 "The words seemed to touch Darnley's heart 
 and make him unwilling to perform his part 
 in the wicked work, and Ruthven ex 
 claimed fiercely, 'Sir, look to your wife and 
 sovereign.' 
 
 ''At that Darnley forced Mary into a chair 
 and held her there so tightly that she could 
 not rise, while one of the ruffians presented 
 a pistol to her side and swore a horrible oatK 
 tHat he would shoot her dead if she resisted. 
 
 " Tire,' she replied, 'if you have no respect 
 for my life,' and her husband pushed away 
 tHe weapon. 
 
 "But now others of the murderous crowd 
 
 174
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 were in the room, lighting it up with the glare 
 of torches, and Rizzio, clinging to the Queen's 
 dress, begged piteously, 'Save my life, 
 madam ! Save my life for God's dear sake !' 
 
 "But she could not. The assassins rushed 
 upon him, overturning the table with its lights 
 and dishes. Queen Mary fainted, and Rizzio 
 was dragged out into a narrow passageway 
 and stabbed again and again until his shrieks 
 were hushed in death. There is still a stain 
 upon Holyrood's floor said to have been, 
 caused by his blood." 
 
 "And what about Queen Mary? Did they 
 hurt her, Cousin Ronald ?" aaked l^ed, much 
 interested in the story. 
 
 ''"When she came out of her faint, poor lady ! 
 those lawless nobles, wicked murderers, told 
 her she was their prisoner, then set a guard 
 at her door, and left her to spend the night 
 in anxiety, horror and fear." 
 
 "Oh, how wicked and cruel they were !" ex 
 claimed Elsie Raymond. "I hope they got 
 punished for it somehow!" 
 1T5
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "It looks as though Darnley did," said Mr. 
 Lilburn, "for in a little less than a year after 
 the murder of Rizzio he, having gone with a 
 few friends to a private house, was in the 
 night blown up with gunpowder; and only 
 about two months afterward Queen Mary 
 married the Earl of Bothwell. That dis 
 gusted her best subjects, so that they made 
 her a prisoner and forced her to abdicate in 
 favor of her son, James VI. 
 
 "Queen Mary escaped from her prison, col' 
 lected a large army, and fought for the re 
 covery of her crown and throne, but was de 
 feated, then fled to England. But Queen 
 Elizabeth, though her cousin, was very 
 jealous of her, kept her imprisoned for many 
 years, then had her beheaded." 
 
 "Had she any right to do that ?" asked Elsie 
 Dinsmore in indignant tones. 
 
 "No," replied Mr. Lilburn; "none but the 
 
 might that is said to make right. Queen 
 
 Mary was in her power, with none to defend 
 
 her. Queen Mary, when on trial, said to het 
 
 176
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 judges, 'I am a Queen, subject to none but 
 God. Him do I call to witness that I am 
 innocent of all the charges brought against 
 me. And recollect, my lords, the theatre of 
 the world is wider than the realm of Eng 
 land.' " 
 
 "And did they kill her, Cousin Konald?" 
 asked ISTed. 
 
 "Yes; they beheaded her in Fotheringay 
 Castle. It is said that every one was im 
 pressed by the melancholy sweetness of her 
 face and the remains of her rare beauty as she 
 drew near the spot where her life was to be 
 ended. Her executioners knelt down and 
 asked her forgiveness for what they were 
 about to do, and she replied, 'I forgive you 
 and all the world with all my heart.' Then 
 turning to the women who attended her, she 
 said, 'Pray do not weep. Believe me, I am 
 happy to leave the world. Tell my son that 
 I thought of him in my last moments, and 
 that I sincerely hope his life may be happier 
 than mine.' 
 
 177
 
 ELSIE r AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "Then there was a dreadful silence as she 
 knelt down and laid her head upon the block. 
 In another minute the chief executioner held 
 it up in his hand, saying, 'So perish all the 
 enemies of Queen Elizabeth.' ' 
 
 "What a shame !" cried ISTed. "I hope the 
 time came when Queen Elizabeth had to have 
 her head chopped off." 
 
 "No," replied Mr. Lilburn; "but hers was 
 not a happy death. She seems to have been 
 almost crazed with grief and remorse over 
 the death of Essex, threw herself on the floor, 
 and lay there, refusing food and medicine for 
 several days and nights, till death came to 
 end the sorrowful scene." 
 
 "Then, perhaps, she suffered more than 
 'Queen Mary did in her dying time, as I 
 certainly think she deserved to," said Elsie 
 Dinsmore. 
 
 "Yes, I think she did," responded Mr. Lil- 
 
 burn ; "it seems very possible that Her cruel, 
 
 unjust treatment of her cousin, Queen Mary, 
 
 may have helped to burden Her conscience 
 
 ITS
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 and increase her remorse till she felt that life 
 was a burden too heavy to bear." 
 
 "Do you think she really wanted to die, and 
 was courting death, Cousin Konald?" asked 
 Grandma Elsie. 
 
 "Her refusal of food and medicine looks like 
 it," he replied; "yet one can hardly suppose 
 that death would be anything but a terror 
 to one whose character was so far from Chris 
 tian. Her public conduct was worthy of the 
 highest encomium, but not so with her 
 private life. Yet I wadna wish to sit in 
 judgment on her at this late day." 
 
 If*
 
 CHAPTER XIII 
 
 THE next day was the Sabbath, the weather 
 clear and mild enough for all, passengers and 
 crew, to gather upon the deck for a short 
 service of prayer, singing of hymns and a 
 sermon read by the captain. After that 
 there was an hour of Bible study in the 
 saloon, Mr. Lilburn leading by request of the 
 others. 
 
 Turning over the leaves of his Bible, "Sup 
 pose we take for our subject the Confessing 
 of Christ before Men," he said. "Here in 
 Romans we read, 'The word is nigh thee, 
 even in thy mouth, and in thy heart ; that is, 
 the word of faith which we preach; that if 
 thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord 
 Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that 
 God hath raised Him from the dead, thou 
 shalt be saved. For with the heart man be- 
 lieveth unto righteousness; and with the 
 
 180
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 mouth confession is made unto salvation. 
 For the Scripture saith, Whosoever believ- 
 eth on Him shall not be ashamed.' 
 
 "What a burning desire Paul had for the 
 salvation of souls. He said, 'Brethren, my 
 heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel 
 is that they might be saved.' And if we are 
 Christians we will be often in prayer and 
 often making effort for the salvation of souls. 
 Let us ask ourselves if it is indeed so with us. 
 And let us strive to make it so, earnestly 
 doing all in our power to win souls to Christ, 
 telling them of the great love wherewith He 
 has loved us, bleeding and dying that we 
 might live; and that all we have to do is 
 simply to come, to believe, to take this offered 
 salvation. 'Whosoever shall call upon the 
 name of the Lord shall be saved.' We have 
 only to call upon His name with real desire 
 for His help, and in an instant He is with us, 
 offering us full and free salvation, purchased 
 for us by His suffering and death, so that we 
 may have it without money and without price. 
 181
 
 'AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 Now, friends, please read in turn texts bear 
 ing upon this great subject." 
 
 Then Grandma Elsie read, " Tor God so 
 loved the world, that He gave His only be 
 gotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him 
 should not perish, but have everlasting life. 
 For God sent not His Son into the world to 
 condemn the world, but that the world, 
 through Him, might be saved.' ' 
 
 Then Grace, " 'Christ is the end of the law 
 for righteousness to every one that believ 
 eth.' " 
 
 Then the captain, " 'Knowing that a man is 
 not justified by the works of the law, but by 
 the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have be 
 lieved in Jesus Christ, that we might be justi 
 fied by the faith of Christ, and not by the 
 works of the law ; for by the law shall no flesh 
 be justified.' " 
 
 Then Violet, " 'By grace ye are saved 
 through faith' ; and that not of yourselves ; it 
 is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man 
 should boast.' " 
 
 182
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 Harold was the next, " 'God hath not ap 
 pointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation 
 by our Lord Jesus Christ,' " he read, and that 
 'closed the lesson, the younger ones seeming 
 to have nothing ready; then presently came 
 the summons to the dinner table. 
 
 "Aren't we getting pretty near to Louisiana, 
 papa ?" asked Ned at the breakfast table tKe 
 next morning. 
 
 "Near enough for a distant view of its 
 shore," was the smiling reply. 
 
 "Oh, I'm glad! Are we going to stop at 
 New Orleans, papa ?" 
 
 "No; we will not go up to that city this 
 time, but travel directly to Viamede by the 
 shortest route." 
 
 "Oh, I am glad of that, for I just long for 
 a sight of our beautiful Viamede ; and I think 
 I shall get well there right fast," laughed 
 Ned. 
 
 "Maybe so, if you are careful to obey your 
 doctor," said Harold, smiling kindly upon 
 the little fellow. 
 
 183
 
 fL8iS 'AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "It will be ever BO nice to get there," ex 
 claimed Elsie Raymond. "Grandma, you 
 were so kind to invite us all." 
 
 "Not kinder to you than to myself, since to 
 have you all there makes the place twice as 
 enjoyable and attractive to me," was the 
 pleasant-toned reply. 
 
 "Will the friends and relatives about there 
 be expecting us, mother ?" asked Grace. 
 
 "I think they will, as they were written to 
 that we expected to arrive just about the time 
 we are now likely to reach there." 
 
 "I think we shall," said the captain; and 
 they did, to find the expectant relatives gath 
 ered at the wharf ready to give them a joyful 
 greeting ; for dearly they all loved Viamede's 
 sweet mistress, and they also cherished a 
 warm affection for those who accompanied 
 her, especially her son Harold and his bride. 
 The congratulations to them were warm, 
 especially those of Dr. Percival, who felt 
 that he ,owed his life to God's blessing' upon 
 Harold's wise and kind treatment during the 
 
 18.4
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES^ 
 
 severe illness caused by that sad fall from 
 his horse many months ago. 
 
 And now he and his Maud had a treasure 
 which they were very proud to show to Grand 
 ma Elsie and all the others a lovely baby 
 girl, another Elsie. And Dr. and Mrs. John 
 son had still another to show, exhibiting it 
 with much parental pride, speaking of it as 
 still another namesake for their dearly loved 
 cousin, Mrs. Elsie Travilla. 
 
 She was much moved. "I am greatly hon 
 ored," she said ; "so many naming their dar 
 lings for me. I have brought two with me 
 Elsie Dinsmore and Elsie Raymond ; there is 
 one Elsie Keith at the Parsonage ; one at 
 Magnolia Hall Elsie Embury; and now 
 these two dear babies, making six here in all. 
 Yes, and in my more Northern home neighbor 
 hood there is my eldest daughter, named for 
 me by her father, and there are several others, 
 the children of friends who have honored me 
 in the same way. I certainly am greatly 
 honored. But, dear Dick and Rob, will it not 
 185
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 make confusion to have two of the same name 
 at Torriswood ?" 
 
 "Oh, I think not, cousin," laughed 
 Dick; "ours can be Elsie P. and Rob's 
 Elsie J." 
 
 "And, oh, Cousin Elsie, if only they get 
 your sweet disposition along with the name," 
 exclaimed Maud, "they will have reason to 
 thank us for giving it to them." 
 
 "As I certainly do my father and mother," 
 said little Elsie Keith, standing near and 
 listening with interest to the talk about the 
 name she bore. "They have often told me 
 I must try to be like the dear lady relation 
 whose name I bear." 
 
 "Dear child, may you succeed in greatly im 
 proving upon your pattern," Mrs. Travilla 
 responded, smiling upon the little girl, 
 gently smoothing her hair and giving her a 
 kiss. 
 
 But now came the summons to the dinner 
 
 table. By the written orders of Viamede's 
 
 mistress, sent weeks before, a fine, abundant, 
 
 186
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 luxurious meal had been made ready for the 
 occasion, and soon all were seated about the 
 hospitable board regaling themselves upom 
 all the luxuries to be had in that part of the 
 country at that time of the year. 
 
 They ate with appetites, at the same time 
 enjoying "the feast of reason and the flow of 
 soul." 
 
 The children had a table to themselves, that 
 they might chatter to their hearts' content 
 without disturbing the older folk, and they 
 fully appreciated the privilege. 
 
 "Oh, Elsie Raymond!" exclaimed Mildred 
 Keith, the eldest of the children from the 
 Parsonage, "I haven't seen your tee-tee. 
 Didn't you bring it along ?" 
 
 "No," replied Elsie; "Ned's couldn't be 
 brought because he was not well enough to 
 care for it on the Dolphin, and wouldn't have 
 felt willing to leave it to other folks to be 
 troubled with; so it had to be left at home, 
 and as we didn't want to part them, I left 
 mine too." 
 
 187
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "Oh, that was good and kind in you," was 
 Mildred's answering remark. 
 
 "So we won't have the tee-tees to make fun 
 for us with Cousin Ronald's help," said an 
 other of the cousins. "But I know he can 
 make fun even without the little monkeys." 
 
 "And he's always so very kind about making 
 fun for us," said another. "He's a dear old 
 gentleman ! I'm as fond of him as if he was 
 a near relation." 
 
 "And you had a wedding at your house just 
 a little while ago," said another. "I like both 
 Cousin Harold and Cousin Grace, and it 
 seems nice that they are married to each 
 other." 
 
 "But does Cousin Violet like it? I heard 
 the folks say it would make her mother to her 
 brother." 
 
 "Yes; but, besides, it makes mamma and 
 Sister Grace sisters; so Gracie can say 
 mamma or sister, just as she pleases; but I 
 don't believe it will make a bit of difference 
 in their love for each other." 
 188
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "No; I den't believe it will, or make her, 
 your mother, and Dr. Harold feel at all differ 
 ently toward each other. I dare say they will 
 all feel and act toward each other about as 
 they did before the wedding." 
 
 "I'm sorry your sisters Lu and Eva didn't 
 come this time and bring that little Mary. 
 Why didn't they and Chester come ?" 
 
 "Chester couldn't well leave his business, 
 Sister Lu didn't want to leave him, and Eva 
 thought home was better for Baby Mary,'' 
 Elsie Raymond said in reply. "It seemed 
 hard to leave them behind, but papa said it 
 couldn't be helped. Oh, I wish you could all 
 see Baby Mary! She is such a dear, pretty 
 little thing." 
 
 But all the talk was not going on at the 
 children's table ; the grown folks were doing 
 their full share, and that with evident en 
 joyment. 
 
 "We understood, Cousin Elsie," said Dr. 
 Percival, "that the cousins from the Oaks and 
 Fairview were to be here." 
 189
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "Yes, and I think they will be in a few 
 days, coming by rail. They were not quite 
 ready to start when we were, nor would the 
 yacht have held us all. And we may hope 
 for another carousal when they do get here," 
 she added with a merry look and musical 
 laugh. 
 
 "Ah, that's a pleasant prospect, if we are 
 to be invited to take part in it," laughed the 
 doctor. 
 
 "Ah, Dick, you surely know that is of 
 course," she returned with a look that said 
 more than her words. "A family party here 
 without you in it would hardly be worthy 
 of that name to me." 
 
 "Ah, cousin, you are indeed kind to say and 
 to feel so, for I don't seem to myself to deserve 
 to be so estimated by you. I am really worth 
 but little except as a physician; and Harold 
 here can outdo me in that line," he added, 
 giving Harold a warmly affectionate look and 
 smile. 
 
 ''I must beg leave to differ as to that, Cousin 
 190
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 Dick," returned Harold brightly. "I .know 
 of no physician to whom I would sooner trust 
 the life of any ailing dear one than to your 
 self." 
 
 "Thanks ; that is certainly a very strong en 
 dorsement you give me," laughed Dick, color 
 ing with pleasure. 
 
 "And I can give you the same," said his 
 half brother and partner, Dr. Johnson. "We 
 seem to be a family of remarkably good 
 physicians, if we do say it ourselves," he 
 added with a hearty laugh. 
 
 "I don't think you need; you may safely 
 trust to other folks doing it," remarked Cap 
 tain Raymond pleasantly. 
 
 "But don't expect any of us to get 
 sick in order to give you fellows a chance 
 to show your skill," observed Mr. Dinsmore 
 gravely. 
 
 "Oh, no, uncle; we can find plenty of 
 
 patients among the constant dwellers in this 
 
 region; so you may feel quite safe from our 
 
 experimenting upon you unless you get up 
 
 191
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 an accident that will call for our aid," said 
 Dick. 
 
 "I assure you I have no idea of doing that, 
 even to help my nephews and grandson to 
 plenty of employment to keep them out of 
 mischief," laughed Mr. Dinsmore. 
 
 "And you needn't, grandpa, so far as I am 
 concerned," said Harold, with a humorous 
 look and smile. "This is Grace's and my 
 honeymoon, you know, and we are entitled 
 to a full holiday." 
 
 "So you are, and I shall do nothing to inter 
 fere with it," returned Mr. Dinsmore with 
 assumed gravity, but a twinkle of fun in his 
 eye. 
 
 "Are Chester and Lu coming with the other 
 party, uncle?" asked Maud. 
 
 "No; I understand that Chester has too 
 much business calling for his attention, and 
 that Lu, like the good, affectionate wife that 
 she is, could not be persuaded to leave him; 
 and Eva remains at home for their sake and 
 that of Her baby." 
 
 192
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 And so the talk went on till all the courses of 
 the grand dinner had been served and heartily 
 partaken of. 
 
 Then all, old and young, gathered in the 
 drawing-room and spent a pleasant hour in 
 friendly chat. After that cordial good-nights 
 were exchanged, accompanied with plans and 
 promises in regard to future intentions, and 
 one after another the relatives and guests de 
 parted for their own homes. 
 
 Little, feeble E"ed had already been taken 
 to his nest for the night, but the other chil 
 dren were now permitted a brief sojourn upon 
 the front veranda, made delightful by the 
 sweet scent of the orange blossoms upon the 
 trees and the many lovely flowers adorning 
 the moonlighted lawn, that light giving them 
 also a charming view of the more distant 
 landscape. 
 
 193
 
 CHAPTEK XIV 
 
 IT was a bright, cheerful party that gathered 
 about the Viamede breakfast table the next 
 morning. 
 
 "Southern air seems to agree finely with 
 my young patient thus far," remarked Dr. 
 Harold, looking smilingly at Ned, who was 
 partaking of the good fare provided with an 
 appetite such as he had not shown before 
 since the beginning of his illness. 
 
 "Yes, uncle doctor, I'm hungry this morn 
 ing, and everything tastes good," laughed 
 Ned. "But Viamede victuals always were 
 ever so nice." 
 
 "And home victuals poor and tasteless?" 
 queried the lad's mother, feigning a look of 
 grieved surprise. 
 
 "Oh, no, mamma ; home victuals are good 
 very good when one is well, so as to have a 
 good appetite," returned Ned reassuringly. 
 194
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "Very true, son," said his father ; "and you 
 used to show full appreciation of them. So 
 mamma need not feel hurt that you so greatly 
 enjoy your present fare." 
 
 "And p'raps his good appetite will make 
 the little chap strong enough for a row on 
 the bayou a bit arter gittin' done his break 
 fast," said a rough voice, seemingly coming 
 from an open doorway into the outer 
 hall. 
 
 "Now, who are you talking that way about 
 me?" queried Ned, turning half way round 
 in his chair in an effort to catch sight of the 
 speaker. 
 
 "Who am I ? Somebody that knows a thing 
 or two 'bout boys an' what they can do, an' 
 what they like; an' I guess you're not much 
 different from other fellows o' your age an' 
 sect. Be ye now ?" 
 
 "No, I guess not," laughed Ned. "I don't 
 belong to any sect, though. But I suppose 
 you mean sex. I'm of the male kind." 
 
 "Oh, you are. Then I s'pose you're brave 
 195
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 enough to venture a row on the bayou without 
 fear o' bein' drowned ?" 
 
 "Yes, indeed, with all these grown-up folks 
 along to take care of me," laughed Ned. Then 
 looking across the table at Mr. Lilburn, "Now 
 that was just you talking, Cousin Ronald, 
 wasn't it?" 
 
 "Why, Neddie boy, do you think that is the 
 kind of English I speak?" queried Mr. Lil 
 burn in a hurt tone, as if he felt insulted by 
 such a suspicion in regard to his knowledge 
 and use of the English tongue. 
 
 "No, Cousin Ronald, I didn't mean 
 any harm; but haven't you different 
 kinds of voices for different times and 
 occasions?" returned Ned. "And weren't 
 you kindly trying to make a bit of fun for 
 me?" 
 
 "Ah, little chap, you seem to be good at 
 guessing," laughed Mr. Lilburn; "a bit of a 
 Yankee, aren't you?" 
 
 "No, sir ; I'm a whole one," cried Ned, echo 
 ing the laugh. "But, papa," turning to his 
 196
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 father, "can't we get in a boat and have a 
 row on the bayou ?" 
 
 "Well, Ned, I suppose that might be pos 
 sible," was the smiling rejoinder. "Suppose 
 we take a vote on the question. All in favor 
 of the proposition say aye." 
 
 At that there was a simultaneous aye from 
 the voice of each one at the table. 
 
 Then Grandma Elsie said, "I think it would 
 be enjoyable, but probably the cousins may 
 be coming in to make their party calls before 
 we get back." 
 
 "I think not, mamma, if we start early and 
 do not go too far," said Violet ; "and we can 
 leave word with the servants that our absence 
 will be short, so that any one who comes will 
 be encouraged to wait a bit." 
 
 "I should think they well might," smilingly 
 added Mrs. Lilburn, "seeing what a delight 
 ful place they would have to wait in, and 
 plenty of interesting reading matter at 
 hand." 
 
 "Yes, I think we really might venture it," 
 107
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 said Dr. Harold, "especially as the little jaunt 
 will probably be for the health of all taking 
 part in it." 
 
 So it was decided upon, and the plan carried 
 out shortly after leaving the table. 
 
 Every one, especially the younger folk, 
 seemed delighted with the idea and eager for 
 the start. Ned was well wrapped up under 
 the supervision of his mother and uncle, and 
 seated in a part of the boat where there could 
 not be any danger for him of even a slight 
 wetting. 
 
 All found it a delightful trip, and returned 
 refreshed and strengthened, the younger ones 
 full of mirth and jollity. 
 
 It so happened that they were just in time 
 to greet an arrival of cousins from Magnolia 
 Hall and the Parsonage, presently followed 
 by those from Torriswood. Cordial greet 
 ings were exchanged and an hour or two 
 spent in pleasant intercourse, in which plans 
 were laid for excursions here and there 
 through the lovely surrounding country and 
 198
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 entertainments at one and another of their 
 homes. 
 
 "Don't wait for the coming of the rest of 
 your party of relatives," said Dr. Percival. 
 "We will look forward to the pleasure of 
 having you all again, with that agreeable 
 addition to the company." 
 
 "Thank you, Dick," returned Grandma 
 Elsie with her own sweet smile, "we can 
 hardly have more than would be agreeable of 
 these lovely excursions or the delightful visits 
 to the hospitable homes of our kith and kin 
 in this region. And the oftener any or all 
 of you visit us here at Viamede, the better." 
 
 "And please understand that we all echo in 
 our hearts the sentiments just expressed by 
 our mother," supplemented Violet in her 
 sprightly way. 
 
 "Yes," laughed the captain; "I can vouch 
 for the correctness of my wife's strange and 
 strong assertion." 
 
 "And I," added Harold, "join with my 
 brother physician in recommending for the 
 199
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 health, as well as present enjoyment of us all, 
 the taking of an unlimited number of these 
 delightful excursions by land and water." 
 
 "Now let's follow that good prescription," 
 laughed Elsie Dinsmore, and the other young 
 people received the suggestion with clapping 
 of hands and words of most decided approval. 
 
 A merry, enjoyable fortnight followed be 
 fore the expected increase in their numbers, 
 during which Cousin Ronald often enter 
 tained them with exhibitions of his skill as a 
 ventriloquist. It did not mystify and puzzle 
 them as it had done when they first made his 
 acquaintance, but, nevertheless, was the 
 exciting cause of much mirth and hilarity. 
 Especially when there happened to be some 
 neighbor present who was ignorant of the old 
 gentleman's peculiar talent; and that often 
 made the call of such casual acquaintances 
 the more desirable and welcome. The rela 
 tives from Magnolia Hall, Torriswood and 
 the Parsonage were often visitors at Via- 
 mede, sitting with its family on the veranda 
 200
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 in the afternoons and evenings, and quite 
 frequently callers, more or less intimate, 
 would be there with them ; and if Mr. Lilburn 
 felt in the mood or was urged by one or more 
 of the young folks of the family to try his 
 skill, he would kindly do so. 
 
 Early one evening, when the gathering was 
 larger than usual, ISTed crept to Cousin 
 Ronald's side and whispered in his ear an 
 urgent request for a bit of the fun he alone 
 could make. "Perhaps, sonny boy, if an idea 
 comes to me," replied the old gentleman in 
 the same low key. "Go back now to your 
 mother and be quiet and easy for your 
 health's sake." 
 
 Ned obeyed, and leaning on his mother's 
 lap, with her arm around him, listened 
 eagerly for he hardly knew exactly what. 
 
 Presently a voice was heard, seemingly 
 Coming from a clump of bushes not far away, 
 "Ladies and gentlemen, young folks too, what 
 good times you're having! While I'm but a 
 poor fellow, wandering and homeless in a 
 201
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 strange land, no roof to cover me, no bed to 
 sleep in, and nothing to eat. Ah, woe's me ! 
 What can I do but lie down and die ?" 
 
 "No, you needn't," called out Ned. "Go 
 round to the kitchen and ask politely for 
 something to eat, and you'll get it." 
 
 "I don't believe they'd give me a bite. I'm 
 not a beggar, either, an' to take to that trade 
 wad be worse nor dying an honest, upright, 
 self-supporting man." 
 
 "Why, who is it, and what does he want !" 
 queried one of Viamede's visitors in tones of 
 surprise and disgust. 
 
 "Let's go down and see; give him some 
 money, if he'll take it, to buy himself some 
 supper and pay for a night's lodging," said 
 another guest, jumping up and moving 
 toward the veranda steps. 
 
 "Tell him we will give him something to 
 eat send it out there to him, if he wishes," 
 said Grandma Elsie, speaking very soberly, 
 though she felt pretty certain they would find 
 no one there.
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 The lads hurried down to the bushes that 
 seemed to hide the stranger, and Ned clapped 
 his hands in ecstasy over the idea that they 
 had been so easily and completely duped. 
 
 "They'll be greatly surprised and disap 
 pointed," said Elsie Dinsmore, "and it's 
 almost too bad, for they seem very kind- 
 hearted and ready to help one in distress." 
 
 The other young folks were laughing in an 
 amused way. 
 
 "And it was just you, Cousin Ronald, 
 wasn't it ?" asked Elsie Raymond. 
 
 "Why, what a strange idea !" exclaimed the 
 old gentleman. "I haven't been down there 
 on the lawn for hours." 
 
 "But maybe your voice has," laughed Elsie. 
 
 "Oh, here they come to tell us about it," 
 exclaimed Alie Leland, as the lads were seen 
 hurrying back in a very excited way. 
 
 "There's nobody there!" cried one. "We 
 searched all about and couldn't find a soul." 
 
 "No, indeed, we couldn't, and it's very my- 
 terious, I think," added the other. 
 203
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "Looks as if he'd run off before you got 
 there," said Ned. 
 
 "He couldn't. There wasn't time," panted 
 the foremost lad as they came up the steps 
 of the veranda. 
 
 "Well, then, it's his own fault if he misses 
 getting something to eat," said Ned, trying 
 hard to keep from laughing. 
 
 "Strange how blind some folks are," re 
 marked the same strange voice, seeming now 
 close to the veranda, and followed by a pro 
 found sigh. 
 
 "Why, there he is again, and nearer than 
 before !" cried one of the lads who had been 
 trying to find him, and both peered eagerly 
 over the railing ; but to their evident astonish 
 ment, could see no one. 
 
 "Dear me, where in the world is he?" 
 exclaimed again the boy who had first 
 spoken. "His voice sounded even nearer 
 than before and yet he's nowhere to be 
 Been." 
 
 "Oh, let's look tinder the veranda," sug- 
 204
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 gested the other. "Perhaps he may have 
 crept in there." 
 
 "Oh, yes, if Mrs. Travilla is willing," re 
 turned his companion. 
 
 "I have no objection," she said pleasantly, 
 and they proceeded to look, but soon an 
 nounced that there was no one to be found 
 there. 
 
 "And it certainly isn't worth your while to 
 take such trouble to find so good for naught 
 a scamp," returned Mr. Lilburn in his nat 
 ural voice. "I wadna try it any more, lads." 
 
 "Ha, ha, ha. I knew you couldn't find me !" 
 laughed the invisible speaker, the voice this 
 time apparently coming from the roof of the 
 veranda. 
 
 "Well," cried Ned, "how in the world did 
 he get up there ? What a famous climber 
 he must be !" 
 
 At that the mystified stranger boys hurried 
 
 down the veranda steps again and some little 
 
 distance down the path leading across the 
 
 grounds from the front of the dwelling, 
 
 205
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 turned there and stood looking up at the 
 veranda's roof. 
 
 "Why, there's nothing and nobody there!" 
 they exclaimed breathlessly as they hurried 
 back again. 
 
 "It certainly is a most mysterious thing," 
 panted one. "How a fellow could be so close 
 by and then disappear so suddenly and com 
 pletely I can't imagine." 
 
 "Well, well, lads, such a slippery ne'er-do- 
 weel isna worth worrying about," said Mr. 
 Lilburn. "And we needna trouble oursel's 
 if he goes hungry." 
 
 "But I should be sorry indeed to have any 
 of my guests do that," said Grandma Elsie 
 as just at that moment servants appeared 
 carrying silver salvers laden with fruit and 
 cakes. 
 
 That seemed a welcome interruption to even 
 the sorely puzzled stranger boys, and when 
 that feasting was over the captain called for 
 music, and his wife, going to the piano, played 
 "Yankee Doodle" with variations, then "Star- 
 206
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 Spangled Banner," in the singing of which 
 all joined heartily. Just as the last strain 
 died away the strange voice was heard again 
 from the far end of the veranda. 
 
 "That's a grand old song. Just the kind 
 for every American to sing, whether he's rich 
 or poor." 
 
 "Oh, there he is again !" cried the stranger 
 lads, springing to their feet and looking 
 eagerly in the direction of the sounds. 
 
 "But just as invisible as ever," gasped one. 
 "How on earth does he manage to disappear 
 so quickly?" 
 
 At that there was a half-suppressed titter 
 among the young folks of the house, while 
 Mr. Lilburn said in his own natural tones, 
 "Tut, tut, young fellows ; I'd pay no attention 
 to him. He isn't worth minding." 
 
 "No, indeed," said Dr. Harold, "he isn't, 
 and wouldn't attempt to harm any one of us, 
 even if he wanted to, as we are so many and 
 he but one." 
 
 "!No," said the voice, "I'm not worth mind- 
 207
 
 ing, not at all dangerous, for I wouldn't hurt 
 anybody if I wanted to, and wouldn't dare do 
 it if I had sic a wicked inclination." 
 
 "Well, sir, it's very, very queer how you can 
 be so plainly heard and not seen at all," re 
 marked one of the puzzled young fellows. 
 Then pulling out his watch, "But it's high 
 time for me to go home now." 
 
 "For me, too," said his companion, and 
 bidding good-night to their hostess and the 
 company, they went away together. 
 
 "Good! They didn't find out anything," 
 chuckled ISTed when they were beyond hear 
 ing. 
 
 Then began plans for the next day's outing, 
 and conjectures as to when they might look 
 for the expected addition to this Viamede 
 party from their more northern homes. That 
 was brought about in a few days, and added 
 pleasure to their picnics, excursions and fam 
 ily gatherings at Torriswood, Magnolia Hall, 
 the Parsonage and Viamede itself. 
 
 208
 
 CHAPTER XV 
 
 To Lucilla it seemed hard to part for some 
 months, just after the wedding, from her 
 darling sister Grace, from Elsie and Ned 
 also, to say nothing of Harold and his lovely 
 mother; and for the fortnight or more that 
 elapsed before the other company left she 
 clung very closely to her father and Max, 
 not neglecting Violet either. But when they 
 also were gone she gave herself more unre 
 servedly to Eva and Baby Mary, enjoying 
 them keenly through the day while business 
 claimed Chester's attention, then him in the 
 evenings and early mornings until he must 
 hie away to his office in Uniontown. 
 
 During the time that elapsed between the 
 departure of the first and second party of 
 relatives and friends to the South there was 
 an almost daily exchange of visits with the 
 Oaks and Fairview families, those at Ion also, 
 209
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 and it was a joy to know that they the Ion 
 people were not to flit with the others, and 
 that the Roseland and Beechwood friends had 
 planned to remain at home through the 
 winter also; and particularly that Drs. 
 Arthur Conly and Herbert Travilla were evi 
 dently intending to do likewise, except as they 
 travelled about the adjacent country in the 
 practice of their profession. And the Ion 
 family Edward Travilla, his wife and chil 
 dren having visited Viamede only the year 
 before, were expecting to spend their winter 
 at their own home; and Zoe, with kind- 
 hearted concern for Evelyn and Lucilla, made 
 frequent little visits to Sunnyside, which she 
 urgently invited them to return ; and they did 
 so when there were no other more important 
 calls upon their time and the weather was 
 suitable for little Mary to be taken out ; for 
 to both mother and aunt she seemed too dear 
 and precious to be left behind. 
 
 Then there was the pleasant task of the 
 
 daily correspondence with their nearest and 
 
 210
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 dearest of absent relatives and friends Eva 
 with her husband, father-in-law and Violet, 
 Lucilla with her father, brother and sister. 
 How delightful it was to get their letters. 
 How eagerly they both watched for the com 
 ing of the daily mail. 
 
 Lucilla sadly missed her morning strolls 
 with her father about the grounds; yet not 
 so much as she might have done at another 
 season of the year, for it was often too cold 
 and stormy for such rambles even had he been 
 there; and she would console herself with 
 writing to him what she might have said with 
 her tongue had he been there to listen to her 
 loving, daughterly confidences and expres 
 sions of affection. And she could seek his 
 wise counsels and receive them in his answer 
 ing epistle. So she strove to be patient and 
 content, rejoicing in the glad hope that the 
 separation was to be for but a few short 
 months. 
 
 "And," she would say to herself, "how much, 
 better off I am than poor, dear Eva, my hus- 
 211
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 band coming home every night, while hers is 
 to be gone for weeks or months." 
 
 Eva sorely missed her absent husband, but 
 the darling baby daughter was a great joy 
 and comfort. 
 
 So passed January, February and March, 
 and with the coming in of April Eva and 
 Lucilla rejoiced in the thought that in a few 
 weeks the dear ones now at Viamede would be 
 returning to their more northern homes, as 
 were the Ion folks, the kith and kin, or those 
 left in charge, at the Oaks, Fairview, Beech- 
 wood, Roselands, the Laurels and Riverside. 
 
 Dr. Arthur Conly and his Marian, strongly 
 attached to each other, and almost idolizing 
 their baby boy, were an ideally happy pair, 
 and Roselands had grown even more lovely 
 than it was in earlier days. As they were 
 about to leave the breakfast table one fair 
 April morning a ring from the telephone bell 
 summoned the doctor to make a prompt call 
 at Sunnyside. 
 
 He replied that he would be there as soon 
 212
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 as possible, which would be in a few minutes, 
 his gig being already at the door. Turning 
 about, he found his wife close at his side. 
 
 "I must set off at once for Sunnyside," he 
 said ; "Lucilla is ill. Will you go along ?" 
 
 "Yes, indeed. She has been such a dear, 
 kind friend to me that I love her as if she 
 were my own sister. And we can safely trust 
 our darling Ronald for an hour or two to the 
 care of his nurse." 
 
 "With perfect safety. She is his devoted 
 slave," laughed the doctor. 
 
 So the two set off at once on their errand of 
 mercy and loving kindness. 
 
 They found Chester at home, Dr. Herbert 
 Travilla already there, Lucilla in bed, suffer 
 ing but patient, Zoe from Ion and Ella from 
 Beechwood already there to do what they 
 could for her, and Eva passing in and out, 
 anxious to do all in her power, yet not willing 
 to neglect Baby Mary. 
 
 An hour or two later a baby boy was gently 
 laid down by Lucilla's side. 
 
 213
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "Your son, dearest," Chester said in raptu 
 rous tones; "the little Levis Raymond we 
 have been hoping for." 
 
 "Oh, how glad I am!" she cried. "My 
 father's first grandson, and bearing his name. 
 Baby dear, you shall be your mother's Ray 
 of Sunshine. Oh, how I want to show you 
 to my father, your grandfather." 
 
 "There, love," Chester said, giving her a 
 kiss of ardent affection, "that will do; don't 
 talk any more now, lest you wear yourself 
 out." 
 
 "That is good advice, Cousin Lu, and I hope 
 you will follow it," said Dr. Conly. "You 
 must take care of yourself now for the sake 
 of your husband and son." 
 
 "I will," she answered; "but, oh, Chester, 
 send father word as soon as you can." 
 
 "Dearest," he said with a happy laugh, "I 
 have already done so. Before leaving us he 
 charged me not to delay a moment to let him 
 know if you were taken ill; to send word 
 promptly, and I have obeyed." 
 214
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "And he will soon be here to see this, hig 
 first grandson! I am so glad I could give 
 him one," she exclaimed in tones of delight. 
 
 "As I am," responded Chester. "But, love, 
 don't talk any more just now, but try for 
 a nap such as the tiny newcomer seems to be 
 taking." 
 
 "I will, if only to please and satisfy you, 
 my dear husband," she returned with a happy 
 little laugh, and almost instantly passed into 
 the land of dreams, while Chester softly with 
 drew from the room, leaving her in the charge 
 of a skilful, trustworthy nurse. 
 
 He found Eva with her baby and Marian 
 and the doctors on the front veranda. 
 
 "You are looking very happy, Chester," 
 laughed Dr. Herbert ; "almost as if you had 
 fallen into a fortune since I came here this 
 morning." 
 
 "Pretty much as I feel," returned Chester, 
 
 his countenance telling more of joy and 
 
 thankfulness than his tongue. "Lu has fallen 
 
 into a comfortable sleep," he went on. "The 
 
 215
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 little newcomer seems to be as welcome to her 
 as to me." 
 
 "And I think my wife and I can fully ap 
 preciate her and your joy over him," said 
 Dr. Conly, exchanging an affectionate, smil 
 ing glance with his Marian. 
 
 "The 'phone has already carried the news 
 to all our relatives in this neighborhood and 
 brought pleased and congratulatory replies," 
 said Herbert; "and you 'phoned her father, 
 did you not, Chester ?" 
 
 "Yes," replied Chester; "and there, no 
 doubt, comes his response," he added, as the 
 ringing of his telephone bell was heard at that 
 moment, "so now we may learn how he feels 
 about it," and he hastened to the instrument, 
 the others following, all eager to learn what 
 the message from the absent dear ones might 
 be. 
 
 The captain's own breathed of thankfulness 
 and ardent parental love for his dear daugh 
 ter, who, he hoped, would soon be well and 
 strong. He was glad to have a grandson, and 
 216
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 appreciated the naming of the child for 
 him. 
 
 "A most kind, affectionate message," re 
 marked Chester, with a sigh of satisfaction 
 as he turned from the instrument to Eva 
 and the others. "Lu will be pleased when I 
 tell her what her father says. How she does 
 love and cling to him! I am glad, indeed, 
 that we may hope to see him and all the party 
 here again in a few weeks." 
 
 "So am I," said Dr. Conly; "and in the 
 meantime we will do our best to bring Lu 
 safely on to her usual robust health and 
 strength." 
 
 "And to have her son in like flourishing con 
 dition," added Dr. Herbert with genial look 
 and smile directed to the father of the little 
 lad. 
 
 21T
 
 CHAPTER XVI 
 
 CAPTAIN RAYMOND was sitting alone in the 
 library at Viamede, busily engaged in exam- 
 ining and answering letters received by that 
 morning's mail when the telephone brought 
 him Chester's message in regard to Lucilla 
 her illness and the birth of their little son. 
 It was news of deepest interest and impor 
 tance to the loving, anxious father. He 
 answered at once, then went out into the 
 grounds to seek his wife, who, with Elsie and 
 Ned, had remained at home while the rest 
 of their party and neighbor friends had gone 
 off on various excursions by land or water. 
 
 Ned was not yet strong enough to be con 
 tinually on the go, and his parents and sister 
 had elected to stay at home with him on this 
 occasion. Violet was now sitting under the 
 orange-trees with a child on each side, who 
 were listening with .keen interest to a story 
 218
 
 which she was reading to them. She paused 
 at the sound of her husband's footsteps, and 
 looking up into his face laughingly exclaimed, 
 "Why, how happy you look, my dear ! Have 
 you good news ?" 
 
 "Yes, love," he replied. "I have a grand 
 son ; and mother and child seem to be doing 
 well." 
 
 "Oh, papa ! a grandson. Why, whose baby 
 is it? Another for Eva?" queried Elsie in 
 great excitement. 
 
 "No ; it is your sister Lu who is the mother 
 this time, and Chester is its father." 
 
 "Oh, a dear little boy! I wish we were 
 there to see him," cried Ned. 
 
 "I hope to take you there in a few weeks," 
 returned his father with a pleased smile. 
 "We won't delay much longer, for I should 
 really like a sight of the little fellow myself." 
 
 "As I certainly should," said Violet. "Dear 
 Lu ! I have no doubt she is very happy over 
 it. And they have named him for you, 
 haven't they, Levis ?" 
 
 219
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "Yes, my dear; for me, his only living 
 grandsire," returned the captain, tone and 
 accompanying smile both showing the pleas 
 ure he felt in being thus affectionately 
 remembered by both parents of the little 
 one. 
 
 "Yes, so you are; and I should have been 
 exceedingly surprised had they given the 
 child any other name ; for Lu loves you with 
 all her heart, and Chester seems to feel quite 
 as if you were his own father." 
 
 "I believe that is so," returned the captain, 
 his tone and countenance expressing satis 
 faction. "I am fortunate as concerns sons- 
 in-law, except in the mixture of relationship 
 in the gaining of the last, and that seems 
 to work well enough thus far." 
 
 "I think it does, and it has ceased to trouble 
 me," said Violet. "But this news makes me 
 feel like hurrying home to Woodburn, and I 
 am sure will have that effect upon Grace when 
 she hears it." 
 
 "I dare say," assented the captain; "and I 
 220
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 think we need not linger here longer than 
 another fortnight." 
 
 "I am so glad," cried Grace when she heard 
 the news. "Lu wanted to give you your first 
 grandson, and now she has got her wish." 
 
 "I fully appreciate the affection whicK 
 prompted the wish, and am glad, especially 
 for her sake, that it has been granted," re 
 turned the captain with a look that said even 
 more than the words. 
 
 "As I am," said Dr. Harold ; "especially as 
 I know that it was Chester's wish as much as 
 hers." 
 
 The Torriswood folk had come in with the 
 Travillas, and now expressed their gratifica 
 tion at the news. 
 
 "A little nephew for us," exclaimed Maud. 
 "And I am glad for Chester as well as Lu, 
 as it seems he wanted it; but I'm glad our 
 baby is a girl that we could name for dear 
 Cousin Elsie," giving a warmly loving look 
 to Grandma Elsie as she spoke. 
 
 "As I am," said her husband, adding, "and 
 221
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 I only hope that a close resemblance in both 
 looks and character may accompany the 
 name." 
 
 "As I do in regard to my little darling," 
 said Sidney and Dr. Johnson, speaking simul 
 taneously; then they laughed, and Sidney 
 added, "I shall write to the happy parents, 
 offering my warm congratulations." 
 
 "And I shall do likewise," said Maud, "tell 
 ing them I am glad I am aunt to the wonder 
 ful little chap." 
 
 "And I shall write to Lu that she may con 
 sider me both his cousin and his grandma," 
 laughed Violet. 
 
 "Oh, mamma," exclaimed her daughter 
 Elsie, "you know I don't like to have you 
 called a grandma. It sounds as if you were 
 old, and you are not at all old." 
 
 "Well, dear child, you needn't mind. It 
 won't make me a day older," laughed Violet. 
 
 "Nor me, although it would seem to make 
 me a great-grandmother," added Grandma 
 Elsie pleasantly. 
 
 222
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "While no one would suspect you from your 
 looks of being even a grandmother," re 
 marked the captain gallantly. 
 
 "No" said Dr. Percival ; "I have seen many 
 much younger women who looked a great deal 
 older." 
 
 "Oh, Dick, Dick, Cousin Dick, don't turn 
 flatterer," she laughed, though looking not at 
 all displeased. "Though I am not very sorry 
 to hear such flattering remarks, as they are 
 evidently pleasing to my children." 
 
 "Indeed they are," said Violet; "all the 
 more so because we see that they are perfectly 
 truthful." 
 
 "Well, it is high time that we busy doctors 
 and proposed letter writers were going home," 
 said Dr. Percival, rising to take leave. 
 
 "Yes," said Maud, following his example, 
 "especially as Elsie P. and Elsie J. must be 
 wanting their mothers by this time." 
 
 "So we are off for Torriswood," said Sidney. 
 "G-ood-by, dear friends and relatives, till next 
 time. We hope to have this call returned 
 223
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 this evening or to-morrow morning," and 
 with that the four took their departure. 
 
 "And I must write at once to dear Lu a 
 letter of warm congratulation," said Grace, 
 following her father into the library, and 
 being herself followed by Dr. Harold, an 
 nouncing his intention to do likewise. 
 
 They were all letters which, when received 
 by Lucilla, seemed to her very sweet and re 
 freshing, her father's even more so than 
 either of the other two. But before they 
 reached her she and Chester had had several 
 messages from him by telegram or telephone. 
 And all these were shared with Evelyn, Lu- 
 cilla's constant, loved companion and dear 
 sister. Most of them also by the nearby 
 friends and relatives, whose love and sym 
 pathy were shown by almost daily calls and 
 hours of pleasant intercourse. 
 
 No one came oftener or showed more sym 
 pathy and kindness than Zoe, Mrs. Edward 
 Travilla. 
 
 "I am glad for you, Lu, that your baby is a 
 224
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 boy, since that was what you wanted," she 
 remarked to Lucilla one day; "but for my 
 part, if I have another child I hope it may 
 be a girl, so that I can name it for mamma. 
 She is and has always been such a dear, kind 
 mother to me." 
 
 "Yes, she is certainly one of the dearest and 
 sweetest of women," responded Lucilla 
 heartily ; "but there are so many Elsies that it 
 really seems a little confusing. I believe I 
 should rather like to have one myself if that 
 were not the case," she added laughingly, 
 "for I do dearly love Grandma Elsie, as I 
 have been used to calling her. My, what a 
 mixed-up set we are becoming! For, as you 
 know, she is mother now to my sister Grace." 
 
 "Who, to my delight, is my sister now, since 
 she is the wife of my husband's brother," re 
 turned Zoe exultingly. 
 
 "And mine, since I am the wife of her 
 brother," laughed Evelyn. "Oh, we are a 
 mixed-up set, but perhaps none the less happy 
 and well off for that." 
 
 225
 
 "No, I think not," said Zoe. 
 
 "And I am quite sure of it," said Lucilla; 
 "and as my husband is a distant relative of 
 yours, Zoe, you and I can claim kin, can't 
 we?" 
 
 "Yes, and we will. We will call ourselves 
 cousins from this time forward." 
 
 "And as my Aunt Elsie, Grandma Elsie's 
 oldest daughter, is sister to your husband, 
 can't you and I claim kin, Zoe?" asked 
 Evelyn. 
 
 "Certainly," promptly replied Zoe ; "we will 
 consider ourselves cousins now." 
 
 "So we will ; it is a very comfortable way to 
 settle matters," laughed Evelyn. "We have 
 been calling you Aunt Zoe, but you are too 
 young for that, and we have been growing 
 up to you in age." 
 
 "So you have. Well, how soon do you ex 
 pect our kith and kin to come from Viamede 
 to their more northern homes ?" 
 
 "Father says in two or three weeks," replied 
 
 Lucilla, "and I hope I shall be allowed to sit 
 
 226
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 up by that time. Oh, you don't know how I 
 long to show him my little Ray of Sunshine 1" 
 she added, gently patting the sleeping babe 
 by her side. "Oh, both Chester and I want 
 very much to have him resemble his grand 
 father, my dear father, in looks, character 
 and everything." 
 
 "As I hope and believe he will," said Zoe in 
 tones of sympathy and encouragement. 
 
 227
 
 CHAPTER XVII 
 
 &T Viamede, Chester's daily message by 
 'phone or telegraph was eagerly awaited and 
 greatly rejoiced over, as it reported steady 
 improvement in Lucilla's health, constant 
 gaining in strength, and the new baby also in 
 most flourishing condition. All wanted to see 
 him; no one more than Grace, who felt 
 that the child of her beloved only own sister 
 must and would be very near and dear to her, 
 while to the others he was fully as near and 
 dear as darling Baby Mary. 
 
 They would have returned home immedi 
 ately but for the fact that Dr. Harold and his 
 brother physicians considered it safer for both 
 Grace and Ned to remain in the warmer 
 climate until some day late in May. 
 
 The older Mr. and Mrs. Dinsmore and the 
 Oaks and Fairview families went home some 
 what earlier, travelling by rail, but Mr. and 
 228
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 Mrs. Lilburn accepted an invitation to return 
 in the Dolphin, as did Grandma Elsie ; and, 
 of course, Grace and Harold were to be pas 
 sengers in her, making with Violet, her two 
 children, and the captain himself quite a 
 party much the same party that had come 
 in her. 
 
 During these weeks of waiting they con 
 tinued their pleasant little excursions by land 
 and water and their sociable evening parties 
 on the veranda, or out under the trees, gen 
 erally enlivened by exhibitions of Cousin 
 Ronald's ventriloquial skill, or made interest 
 ing by a bit of history or some sort of story 
 told by Captain Raymond. 
 
 On Sunday mornings they all attended 
 church and heard a sermon by their pastor, 
 the Rev. Cyril Keith, and in the afternoon 
 the colored people were invited to assemble on 
 the lawn, when the captain would give them a 
 brief and plain discourse about the dear Lord 
 Jesus and His dying love, making the way 
 of salvation very clear and plain. They 
 229
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 would have prayer, too, and the singing of 
 gospel hymns, the colored people joining in 
 with fervor and in many cases rich melody, 
 having beautiful voices. 
 
 In the evening the captain would catechise 
 his own children, and there would be religious 
 conversation and the singing of hymns. They 
 were sweet, peaceful, improving Sabbaths, en 
 joyable at the time and pleasant to look back 
 upon. It was on a lovely morning in the 
 latter part of May that they left beautiful 
 Viamede and sailed away for their more 
 northern homes, going with mingled feelings 
 of joy and sorrow, for who could leave Via 
 mede or part with the dear relatives in that 
 region without regret ? Or who could fail to 
 rejoice in the prospect of soon seeing the 
 sweet homes for which they were now bound 
 and the tenderly loved ones there? 
 
 Harold was very happy in the consciousness 
 
 of being able to take both Grace and Ned 
 
 back to their home in almost perfect health, 
 
 and very careful was he to watch against any 
 
 230
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 exposure for them to wind or weather that 
 might result in the renewal of any of their 
 ailments. When the weather was bright, 
 clear and not too cold he encouraged them 
 to be on the deck in the bracing air, but in 
 cloudy or damp weather insisted on their re 
 maining below in saloon or stateroom. 
 
 At such times Grandma Elsie, Cousin Ron 
 ald or the captain would be called upon to 
 provide entertainment, and one or another 
 was sure to comply. 
 
 "Papa," said Elsie Raymond on one of these 
 occasions, "I should like it very much if you 
 would give us a little history of Texas." 
 
 "If I should attempt to give you all its 
 history it would be a very long story," he 
 said with a smile; "but I shall give a brief 
 outline and try to make it interesting, for I 
 want you to have some knowledge of the early 
 history of each of our States. 
 
 "A colony of Frenchmen were the first 
 
 whites who settled in Texas. They were led 
 
 by La Salle. He meant to found a colony; 
 
 231
 
 ELSIE 'AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 near the mouth of the Mississippi, but by 
 mistake entered Matagorda Bay, went five or 
 six miles up the Lavaca, and there built Fort 
 St. Louis. That was about the year 1686. 
 In the spring of the next year he was mur 
 dered by his men. They had been quarrel 
 ling and killing each other, and when the 
 Indians heard of the death of La Salle they 
 attacked the fort and killed all the men left 
 but four, whom they carried into captivity. 
 Some two years later a Spanish expedition 
 sailed into Matagorda Bay, intending to drive 
 away the French, but found they were gone 
 and their fort destroyed. A few years after 
 ward several settlements were made in that 
 State what is now that State by the Span 
 iards, but soon abandoned because of Indian 
 hostilities. 
 
 "It seems that both the Spaniards and 
 French considered the province their own, 
 though it did not really belong to either of 
 them, for the Indians were the rightful 
 owners. In 1712, Louis XIV. of France 
 
 232
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 granted it to Crozat, the man to whom he had 
 granted Louisiana. That so alarmed the 
 Spaniards in Mexico that they promptly 
 made numerous settlements in Texas, think 
 ing in that way to secure the province for 
 themselves. The French tried to expel them, 
 but did not succeed. 
 
 ''Some years later four hundred families 
 were sent by the Spanish Government from 
 the Canary Isles to Texas, and joined there 
 by others from Mexico. These founded the 
 city of San Antonio. 
 
 "For some time the Indians of Texas and 
 Louisiana were very troublesome, but in 1732 
 the Spaniards defeated them in a great battle, 
 and so quieted them for some years. 
 
 "You know our Revolutionary War began 
 in 1775. Spain declared war against Eng 
 land in 1779 and carried on active hostilities 
 against the British on the Mississippi. Then 
 a prosperous trade was carried on between 
 the Spanish settlement of Natchez, in Missis 
 sippi, and the interior of Texas, and became 
 233
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 the means of making that province known 
 to the Americans. 
 
 "After the United States came into posses 
 sion of Louisiana, a treaty between them and 
 Spain fixed the Sabine River as the eastern 
 boundary of Texas upon the gulf. West of 
 that river was a tract called the Neutral 
 Ground, occupied by bands of outlaws and 
 desperate men, who lived by robbery and 
 plunder. The Spanish authorities had tried 
 to expel them, but could not. Our govern 
 ment sent a force against them and drove 
 them away, but they came back and went on 
 with their robberies. 
 
 "About that time a civil war was raging in 
 Mexico, and that favored the plans of a man 
 who wanted to conquer Texas to the Rio 
 Grande and establish a republican govern 
 ment. There was a good deal of fighting and 
 much slaughter of both Americans and Span 
 iards, the latter being victors in the end ; but 
 I shall not go into particulars at this time, 
 but leave you young people to read the whole 
 234
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 sad story when you are older. For years it 
 was fighting, wounding, killing, the Mexicans 
 murdering many Americans in cold blood 
 after they had surrendered as prisoners of 
 war. But at last the independence of Texas 
 was secured. And after a little she asked to 
 be annexed to the United States, which re 
 quest was finally granted. By a joint resolu 
 tion of Congress she was annexed to the 
 Union on February 28, 1845." 
 
 "She seceded in the time of the Civil War, 
 did she not, papa?" asked Grace. 
 
 "Yes," he replied ; "but was readmitted into 
 the Union in March, 1870." 
 
 "Texas is a very big State, isn't it, papa 3" 
 asked Elsie. 
 
 "Yes, the largest of all our States," he re 
 plied ; "and it has every variety of surface 
 plain, mountain, hill and desert. Its coast 
 is lined with a chain of low islands, forming 
 a series of bays, lagoons and sounds. There 
 are a number of rivers, several of them very 
 long; 1800 miles is the length of the Rio 
 235
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 Grande, which is the largest of them. It 
 forms the southwestern boundary. There is 
 a salt lake near it, from which large quan 
 tities of salt are taken every year." 
 
 "The climate is warm, is it not, papa?" 
 asked Grace. 
 
 "Yes," he said; "it claims to be called the 
 Italy of America. It has a delightful, un 
 wavering summer sea breeze and the nights 
 are always cool enough to make a blanket 
 acceptable, even when the day has been 
 oppressively hot. But now that surely is 
 enough of that one State for to-day." 
 
 "Yes, papa, and many thanks to you for 
 giving us so interesting an account," said 
 Grace. Elsie and Ned added their thanks, 
 then Elsie took up a book, and Ned went to 
 his berth for a nap. 
 
 236
 
 CHAPTEE XVHI 
 
 GRANDMA ELSIE, Violet and Grace were all 
 sewing on some delicate pink silk material, 
 trimming it with bows of ribbon of the same 
 color and duchess lace. Young Elsie pres 
 ently drew near and asked what they were 
 making. 
 
 "Guess," laughed her mother. "What does 
 it look like?" 
 
 "As if it might be going to be a baby 
 afghan," ventured the little girl. "Oh, is it 
 one for Sister Lu's new baby ?" 
 
 "It is," returned her mother; "you must 
 indeed be a bit of a Yankee to guess so 
 well." 
 
 "I believe I am, as papa says he is one/' 
 replied Elsie. "I hope it will be as pretty 
 as the one you made for Baby Mary's car 
 riage. Oh, are you going to give little Kay 
 a carriage, too ?" 
 
 237
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "Yes, indeed; we must do all for him that 
 we did for his little cousin." 
 
 "But you use different colors, so that they 
 will always know which is which, don't you, 
 mamma ?" 
 
 "Yes, for that reason and because of the 
 different complexions of the" two children. 
 Mary is fair, golden haired and has blue eyes, 
 while Ray has his mother's dark eyes and 
 hair." 
 
 "Oh, yes, and I think it's nice that they 
 differ in that way, and really suppose one is 
 just about as pretty as the other. Anyhow, 
 I expect to think so, because I'm aunt to both 
 of them." 
 
 "That's right," laughed her mother ; "be as 
 impartial as you can." 
 
 "Mary we know to be a dear little thing, 
 whom no one with any heart could help lov 
 ing," said Grandma Elsie, "and I am pretty 
 certain we will find Ray equally lovable/' 
 
 "And isn't he some relation to you, grand 
 ma ?" asked Elsie. 
 
 238
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "Yes, through his father, who is a Dins- 
 more a cousin of mine. Lucilla's married 
 name is the same as was my maiden name." 
 
 "And Lu is my sister, and that makes me 
 aunt to the dear little fellow, just as I am 
 to Brother Max's little daughter. I think 
 it's nice to be aunt to such dear babies." 
 
 From that time on Elsie watched with great 
 interest the work of getting the little coach 
 quite ready for its intended baby owner, 
 which was entirely completed before the 
 Dolphin reached the dock at Uniontown. 
 Meantime, great preparations for the coming 
 of her passengers had been going on at Wood- 
 burn, Ion, the Laurels, Riverside, Fairview, 
 Eoselands, Sunnyside and Beechwood. Nearly 
 all the relatives from those places met them 
 on the landing, ready to convey them to their 
 homes, or wherever they might want to go. 
 But that was to Woodburn for all, the cap 
 tain told them, great preparations having 
 been made there, by his orders sent on some 
 days previously, for a grand welcoming feast.
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 The Woodburn and Sunnyside carriages 
 were in waiting, were entered as soon as the 
 glad greetings had been exchanged, and all 
 went on their way rejoicing. 
 
 Lucilla, now quite able to be up and about, 
 was there in the library, with her babe sleep 
 ing in a crib by her side. She would stay 
 there, she told Eva, who, with her baby, sat 
 there with her; that she would want her 
 father to come to her there and see her and 
 Ray alone before she should meet the others. 
 "I want a private interview first, if only for 
 five minutes," she said. "Then I shall be 
 ready and glad to see the others." 
 
 "I shall see that it is as you wish, dear 
 sister," said Evelyn, and she kept her word. 
 The captain met her and Baby Mary as he 
 stepped upon the veranda, gave a warm em 
 brace to each, then sent a hurried glance 
 around, evidently in search of Lucilla. 
 
 "Sister Lu wants to see you alone first, 
 father, and show you her baby boy your 
 first grandson with no one else to look on," 
 240
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 Evelyn said with a smile. "She is in the 
 library waiting for you." 
 
 "Ah, yes, that is well," he said, and hastened 
 there while the others were still engaged in 
 the exchange of greetings. 
 
 As he entered Lucilla started to her feet 
 with a glad cry, "Oh, father, father, my own 
 dear father!" 
 
 He caught her in his arms and held her fast, 
 caressing her with exceeding tenderness. 
 
 "'My darling, my own dear, dear child. God 
 be thanked that I come home to find you here, 
 restored to usual health and strength." 
 
 "And you, father? You are well?" she 
 asked, looking lovingly into his eyes. 
 
 "Quite well, daughter mine," he answered 
 with another tender caress, "and if I were 
 not, the sight of this dear child of mine would 
 be almost enough to make me so." 
 
 "And the sight of your new grandchild, your 
 
 first grandson, might help the cure, might it 
 
 not?" she answered with a proud, joyful 
 
 glance directed at the tiny sleeper in the crib* 
 
 241
 
 ELSIE "AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "Ah, what a darling!" her father said, re 
 leasing her and leaning over the crib. "His 
 grandfather's heart has wide room in it for 
 him. He is a beautiful babe in his grand- 
 eire's eyes, a dear one to his grandfather's 
 heart. I feel very rich with two lovely grand 
 children." 
 
 "May I come in?" asked Violet's voice at 
 the door. 
 
 "Oh, yes, indeed, Mamma Vi," answered 
 Lucilla in joyous tones. "How glad I am 
 to have you at home again," she added as they 
 exchanged a hearty embrace. "Now come 
 and look at my baby boy, my little Ray of 
 Sunshine, from Sunnyside," she added with 
 a gleeful laugh. 
 
 Violet's expressed admiration was quite 
 equal to the mother's wishes. "Oh, he is a 
 lovely little fellow!" she exclaimed, leaning 
 over the crib as his grandfather had done; 
 "and it's so fortunate that it is a boy, so that 
 now we have both granddaughter and grand- 
 ion." 
 
 242
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 Just then Grace's voice at the door asked, 
 "May I come in ?" 
 
 "Indeed you may!" cried Lucilla, running 
 to meet her with delighted look and out 
 stretched arms. "Oh, Gracie dear, how I 
 have been longing for you, to see your dear 
 face and show you my new treasure, my son 
 and your nephew. Come and look at him." 
 
 The words were accompanied by an ardent 
 embrace each to the other, then Lucilla drew 
 Grace to the side of the crib, the captain and 
 Violet making room for her there, and bend 
 ing over it she exclaimed, "Oh, Lu, what a 
 darling, beautiful little fellow! As pretty, 
 as lovely and sweet looking as Max and Eva's 
 little Mary, whom we all love so dearly." 
 
 Just then other voices were heard at the 
 door, asking permission to enter, familiar 
 voices those of Dr. Harold, Elsie and 
 Ned and it being granted, the children 
 rushed in, the doctor following with the baby 
 carriage that had been trimmed on board 
 the Dolphin. 
 
 243
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "A gift for that young gentleman from 
 his loving grandsire, Mrs. Dinsmore," 
 he announced with a graceful bow to 
 Lucilla, 
 
 "Oh," she cried, clapping her hands in de 
 light, "what a beauty! Thank you, father 
 dear, and you, too, Mamma Vi, and Sister 
 Grace, for the beautiful work is yours, I 
 know. Oh, how good and kind you all are 
 to me and my baby boy !" She was gloating 
 over the pretty little vehicle and its adorn 
 ment as she spoke. "What lovely lace and 
 ribbons, the colors exactly such as will show 
 off to the best advantage my baby boy's com 
 plexion, hair and eyes. It is a delightful 
 surprise, for I was not expecting anything of 
 the kind." 
 
 "I am very glad it pleases you, my dear 
 daughter," her father said, with his own kind 
 emile, and laying a hand affectionately upon 
 her shoulder. 
 
 '"As I am," said Violet; "and I want yon 
 lo know that mamma helped largely with* the 
 244
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 work of trimming the little coach. Your 
 baby boy is related to her, she says." 
 
 "Yes, and I am glad to know it," smiled 
 Lucilla; "and glad that my marriage gives 
 me some small claim to relationship to her. 
 !No one could have a right to claim it to a 
 better, lovelier, dearer person." 
 
 "That is true, daughter," the captain said 
 with emotion. 
 
 At that moment Chester came in with a 
 pleased and cordial welcome to the returned 
 travellers, and presently all went out together 
 to join the others returned travellers, dear 
 relatives and welcome guests. 
 
 To Grandma Elsie Lucilla gave the warm 
 est of greetings and thanks for her share in 
 trimming the lovely little coach for her baby 
 boy. 
 
 "You are very welcome, my dear; it was a 
 labor of love," was the gentle-spoken, smiling 
 response. 
 
 There were hearty greetings, loving caresses, 
 merry jests and happy laughter. No one waa 
 245
 
 ELSIE r AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 weary, for voyaging in Captain Raymond's 
 well-conditioned, well-furnished yacht was no 
 strain upon the physical nature ; his late pas 
 sengers were, therefore, in prime condition, 
 as were the other guests, coming from luxuri 
 ous homes and not weary and worn with toil 
 beyond their strength. 
 
 But soon came the call to the hospitable 
 board, laden with all the luxuries of the land 
 and season, to which they brought good, 
 healthful appetites and where were enjoyed 
 also to the full the pleasures of social inter 
 course between those nearly related and of 
 similar views and temperament. And that 
 last went on after they had left the table for 
 parlors and porches. 
 
 But at length the guests began to bid adieu 
 until all had departed except the Sunnyside 
 folk, who still sat on the veranda with the 
 immediate Woodburn family. The babies 
 were both awake now, each resting on its 
 mother's lap or in her arms. 
 
 "I feel very rich with two sueK grandchil- 
 246
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 dren," observed the captain, glancing with a 
 happy smile from one to the other. 
 
 "As we do, though they are not our grand 
 children," laughed Chester. "Don't we, Lu 
 and Eva ?" 
 
 Both ladies replied in the affirmative, each 
 looking down with intense, joyful affection 
 upon her little one. 
 
 "I should think you might, because they are 
 both so pretty, sweet and good," remarked 
 their young aunt Elsie. 
 
 "Of course they are, and I'm glad to be their 
 UMcle," said ISTed. 
 
 "As I am to be yours," said Dr. Harold, 
 drawing him to a seat upon his knee. "Are 
 you glad to be at home again ?" 
 
 "Yes, sir ; and glad that you are to live here 
 in our house now, instead of taking Gracie 
 away from us to some other place." 
 
 "I should be sorry, indeed, to take her away 
 
 from you and the rest of the family here, 
 
 and I don't think I shall ever carry her G& 
 
 very far from you and the others who lovo 
 
 247
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 her so dearly," replied Harold; "but you 
 wouldn't mind my going, if I left her behind 
 with you, would you ?" 
 
 "Why of course I should, uncle doctor. I 
 might get sick again and perhaps die if I 
 hadn't you to cure me." 
 
 "Oh, that needn't follow while you have 
 your other uncles my brother Herbert and 
 Dr. Arthur Conly. Either of them would 
 be as likely to succeed in curing you as I." 
 
 "By the blessing of God upon their efforts," 
 said the captain. "But without that no one 
 could succeed." 
 
 "Most true, sir, and I did not mean to ignore 
 that undeniable and important fact," said Dr. 
 Harold. "I never use a remedy without 
 craving His blessing upon it, and I desire 
 to give to Him all the glory and the praise." 
 
 "Yes, we know you do, brother dear," said 
 Violet, "and that is why we are so ready to 
 trust our dear ones to your care when they 
 are ill." 
 
 "And please understand that I was not 
 248
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 doubting that or your knowledge or skill," 
 added Captain Raymond with most cordial 
 look and tone. 
 
 Just then a colored man was seen coming 
 up the driveway with two little monkeys in 
 his arms. 
 
 "Oh," cried the children in delighted chorus, 
 "there are our tee-tees. Ajax has brought 
 them from Ion." And they ran to meet him, 
 holding out their arms to their pets. 
 
 "Yaas, little massa and missus, I'se brung 
 um, an' I reckon dey's glad to come," re 
 turned Ajax, loosening his hold, when the 
 little fellows sprang from his arms to those 
 of their young master and mistress, who at 
 once carried them up into the veranda and ex 
 hibited them with great pride and pleasure, 
 while the captain stepped down to the side of 
 Ajax and rewarded him liberallv for the ser 
 vice done; thanking him, too, and bidding him 
 carry warm thanks to those who had cared 
 for the little animals and returned them ia 
 prime condition. 
 
 249
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "We are so glad to get them back, the dear, 
 funny little fellows," remarked Elsie to Lu- 
 cilla and Evelyn; "and they will make fun 
 for our little nephew and niece when they are 
 old enough to understand and enjoy it." 
 
 "Thank you, Elsie dear," returned Eva with 
 her own sweet smile. 
 
 "You are very kind, Sister Elsie, to begin 
 so soon to think of amusement for our babies," 
 laughed Lucilla, "and I hope you and !N"ed 
 may be able to keep your monkeys alive and 
 well till they are old enough to enjoy them." 
 
 "Yes, indeed, I hope so," responded Elsie. 
 <f l want both Mary and Ray to have lots of 
 fun when they are old enough for it." 
 
 "Yes," said Dr. Harold, "I am always in 
 favor of timely, innocent fun as a great pro 
 moter of health." 
 
 "Yes," said Lucilla, " 'laugh and grow fat* 
 is an old adage, and we'll try to have our 
 babies do it, won't we, Eva ?" 
 
 "I certainly intend to do all I can to make 
 my darling bit lassie botK healthy and happy/' 
 250
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 returned Evelyn, looking down with a tender, 
 loving smile at the little one on her knee. 
 "But fun and frolic need not fill up all the 
 time. There is a quiet kind of happiness that 
 would be better as a steady diet, I think, than 
 constant frolic and fun. I hope she will be 
 a contented little body, for there is much 
 truth and wisdom in that other old adage, 
 'Contentment is better than wealth/ " 
 
 Both Violet and the captain expressed warm 
 approval of her sentiments, as did Lucilla, 
 Chester and Dr. Harold also. 
 
 "But I'd like to have some fun now with 
 our tee-tees," said Ned, stroking and patting 
 his as he held it in his arms. "I wish we had 
 Max or Cousin Ronald here to make them 
 talk." 
 
 "I'd wish so, too, if it would do any good," 
 said Elsie. 
 
 "No," laughed Lucilla, "it wouldn't, and 
 I am reminded of the old saying, 'If wishes 
 were horses, then beggars might ride.' ' 
 
 "As you two are so glad to get your tee-tees 
 251
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 back again, don't you feel sorry for Lily and 
 Laurie, that they had to part with them?" 
 asked Violet. 
 
 "Yes, mamma," replied Ned, "I do; but 
 they have had them a good while." 
 
 "I'm sorry for them," Elsie said in a regret 
 ful tone, "and I wish we could buy them 
 tee-tees or something else that they'd like just 
 as well." 
 
 "Perhaps we can," said their father. "We 
 will think about it." 
 
 "Oh, papa, I'm glad to hear you say that," 
 she said in joyous tones, "for I do feel sorry 
 for them." 
 
 "And so do I," said Ned ; "sorry enough to 
 give all the pocket money I have now to buy 
 them something nice." 
 
 252
 
 CHAPTEK XIX 
 
 'AT Ion was now gathered as pleasant m 
 family party as that now in session at Wood- 
 burn. Grandma Elsie was there with her 
 father and his wife, her son Edward with 
 Zoe, his wife, and their two children, the 
 twins Laurie and Lily, Ion being their home. 
 Herbert and Walter were also present, and 
 all the Fairview folk ; for Mrs. Elsie Leland 
 wanted a chat on family affairs and relatives 
 with her mother, whom, until to-day, she had 
 not seen for several weeks ; such a chat as they 
 could not well take in the larger company 
 of relatives and friends whose society they 
 had just been enjoying at Woodburn. And 
 Mr. Leland and his little daughters had 
 naturally accompanied the wife and mother, 
 knowing that they were always welcome 
 guests at Ion. 
 
 They seemed to be enjoying themselves, && 
 2S3
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 older ones in a quiet, cheerful way, the 
 younger ones, gathered in a separate group 
 at the farther end of the veranda, with a good 
 deal of fun and frolic until Ajax was seen, 
 coming round the corner of the house with 
 the two little tee-tees in his arms and passing 
 down the driveway in the direction of the 
 front entrance to the grounds. 
 
 "Ajax, what are you doing with those little 
 monkeys? Where are you taking them?'* 
 cried Lily, hurrying down the steps and run 
 ning after him. 
 
 "Ober to Woodburn, where dey b'long, Miss 
 Lily," he answered, pausing in his walk and 
 turning toward her. 
 
 "Oh, I wish you wouldn't. I was most in 
 hopes they'd let us keep them. They are such 
 funny little fellows, I don't like to give them 
 up." 
 
 "But I'se tole to take 'em dar, an' I'se got to 
 do it," replied Ajax in a regretful tone. "I'll 
 fetcH 'em back hyar ef de Woodburn folks 
 low me to." 
 
 254
 
 ELSIE 'AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "But they won't. They'll be sure to keep 
 them if they're there," sobbed the little girl, 
 tears rolling down her cheeks. 
 
 But even as she spoke a hand was laid gently 
 on her shoulder, and her father's voice said 
 in kindest tones, "Don't cry, daughter dear. 
 We must let the tee-tees go home to their 
 owners, but you and Laurie shall have other 
 pets in place of them. I have a pretty 
 Maltese kitten bought for you and a fine 
 dog for your brother. Come back to the 
 veranda and these new pets shall be brought 
 out." 
 
 "Oh, papa, how nice! Thank you ever so 
 much!" cried Lily, brushing away her tears 
 and putting her hand in his to be led back 
 to the veranda, where the new pets were 
 speedily produced, to the evident delight of 
 the young owners and the admiration of their 
 guests. 
 
 And when Ajax returned with Captain Ray 
 mond's kindly expressed thanks, Lily's grief 
 seemed fully assuaged. 
 
 255
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 The older people, who had paused in their 
 more important conversation to observe what 
 was going on among the children, now re 
 sumed it, Grandma Elsie asking Walter of his 
 engagements during the past winter. He re 
 plied that he had been busy with his studies, 
 but had found some time for missionary work, 
 especially on the Sabbath, among the poor 
 and degraded, particularly foreigners of the 
 lower class. 
 
 "And, mother," he added, "I have quite de 
 cided that I want to go into the ministry. 
 I want to be a missionary to the poor and 
 needy, the ignorant and helpless." 
 
 "My dear son," she replied with emotion, 
 "how glad I am to hear it ! I want you to be 
 a winner of souls, a helper of the helpless, 
 in this, your own land, or in some other; 
 preferably this, because you will be nearer 
 to me and I can see you oftener." 
 
 "Yes, mother," he returned, "and I think 
 I could hardly find a better field than among 
 the mountains of Kentucky or Tennessee." 
 256
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "No, I don't believe you could," said his 
 grandfather approvingly. "Those moun 
 taineers are our own people, destitute as re 
 gards both temporal and spiritual things, and 
 have a prior claim to that of those in heathen 
 lands; and love for our land and nation 
 should draw us strongly to their aid, 
 even if we did not care for their eternal 
 salvation." 
 
 Others in the little company gave expression 
 to similar views and feelings, then they dis 
 cussed ways and means of helping the work 
 already going on among those mountaineers, 
 and there was a general expression of inten 
 tion to do more for that corner of the Lord's 
 vineyard than they had ever yet done. 
 
 "And by way of carrying out our intentions, 
 suppose we take up a collection now," sug 
 gested Edward Travilla. 
 
 "I doubt if that would be our wisest course 
 if we want to give liberally," remarked his 
 sister Elsie, "for I presume no one has much 
 in hand at this moment." 
 257
 
 ELSIE AND BEE NAMESAKES 
 
 "So I dare say our motto just now would 
 better be a lazy one, 'Not to-day, we'll do it 
 to-morrow," laughed Zoe. 
 
 "Yes; let us appoint a collector for to 
 morrow," said her husband. "I propose 
 Walter for the job. All in favor say 'aye.' " 
 An invitation which all immediately ac 
 cepted. 
 
 "I am quite willing," he said, "and shall in 
 clude Woodbnrn folks and maybe some of the 
 other nearby relatives in my list of hoped-for 
 and tried-for subscribers. I expect to beg in 
 good season to-morrow morning. So please 
 all be ready for prompt compliance with my 
 solicitation." 
 
 Then Mr. Dinsmore suggested that it might 
 be well now to have the evening family de 
 votions ere the young folks grew too weary 
 and sleepy to enjoy a share in them, and in 
 response all were called within doors and the 
 service held. 
 
 About the same time similar services were 
 going on at Woodburn, after whicH the Sun- 
 258
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 njside folk bade good-night and sought their 
 own homes, Chester drawing Ray in his new 
 coach and a servant doing a like service for 
 Baby Mary, her devoted mother walking close 
 by the side of the dainty little vehicle. 
 
 The next morning Chester set off for his 
 place of business at his usual hour, and just 
 as he disappeared down the road, Lucilla, still 
 standing upon the veranda, saw, to her de 
 light, her father approaching from Wood- 
 burn. 
 
 "Oh, father," she cried, "I am so glad to 
 see you." 
 
 "Are you?" he said, coming up the steps 
 and taking her in his arms for a tender 
 caress; "well, daughter dear, the joy is 
 mutual. How is my little grandson this 
 morning ?" 
 
 "Well, I believe, father, but still asleep. 
 Won't you come in and have a cup of 
 coffee ?" 
 
 He accepted the invitation, and they chatted 
 
 together while she finished her breakfast, 
 
 259
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 Chester's hurried departure having called her 
 away from the table a trifle too soon. 
 
 The nurse girl brought Ray in, ready 
 washed and dressed for the day, just as they 
 finished their meal. 
 
 "Give him to me," said the captain, and 
 taking him in his arms, carried him out to the 
 veranda, Lucilla following. 
 
 It was a warm morning, and they sat down 
 there side by side. 
 
 "To his grandfather he seems a lovely little 
 darling," the captain said, caressing the child 
 as he spoke. "Lucilla, my daughter, I hope 
 you will prove a good, kind, patient, faithful 
 mother, bringing him up in the nurture and 
 admonition of the Lord." 
 
 "Oh, father," she replied in tones tremulous 
 with emotion, "I want to do so, but oh, you 
 know what a bad natural temper I have, and 
 I very much fear that I shall not always be 
 patient with him, dearly as I love him." 
 
 <f Watch and pray, daughter dear; ask the 
 Lord daily, hourly for strength, grace, 
 
 260
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 wisdom according to your need. God is the 
 hearer and answerer of prayer. He says, 
 'Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will 
 deliver thee and thou shalt glorify me.' Trust 
 in Him, and He will deliver you from the 
 power of the tempter and your own evil 
 nature." 
 
 "I will, father ; I do," she said ; "and it helps 
 and comforts me to know that you pray for 
 me; especially remembering that gracious, 
 precious promise of our Lord, 'If two of you 
 shall agree on earth, as touching anything 
 that they shall ask, it shall be done for them 
 of my Father which is in heaven.' ' 
 
 "Yes, it is indeed a gracious, precious prom 
 ise, and can never fail," he said. "But now 
 I must go, daughter. Do you and Eva come 
 over to Woodburn again to-day as early as 
 may suit your convenience," he added, put 
 ting the child into her arms and giving to each 
 a good-by caress. 
 
 Shortly after breakfast at Ion that morning 
 Walter walked over to Fairview and called 
 261
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 upon the Lelands for their contributions for 
 the benefit of the Kentucky and Tennessee 
 mountaineers. All, father and mother to 
 youngest child, gave liberally in proportion 
 to their ability. 
 
 "Oh, I am delighted!" exclaimed Walter. 
 "I think I shall go on and present the cause 
 to all the kith and kin in this neighborhood." 
 
 "Do," said his sister; "there won't be one 
 who will not give according to his or her 
 ability. And when through with this, brother 
 dear, come here and pay us as long a visit as 
 you can." 
 
 "Thank you, I think I shall, especially if 
 you get mother to be here at the same time; 
 but I don't want to miss a minute of her 
 society." 
 
 "Which you cannot love better than I do," 
 returned his sister, with a look that said more 
 than her words, "and as she is decidedly fond 
 of us both, I think she will not refuse to ac 
 company you here at my earnest request, or 
 to stay as long as you do." 
 262
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "No, indeed ; I am very sure she won't. I 
 am going back now to Ion, and mother will 
 go with me in the gig to drive round to the 
 home of each of our relatives and near con 
 nections in this neighborhood, and ask them 
 to give what they can or like to give to this 
 good object. We will take Woodburn last, 
 and get either Harold or the captain to put 
 the money in the right shape a check, I sup 
 pose and mail it so that it will reach the 
 spot as soon as possible." 
 
 With that Walter bade good-by and hastened 
 to carry out his programme, which he, with 
 his mother's help, did successfully, every one 
 solicited by them giving liberally to the good 
 cause, and the captain attending promptly 
 to the dispatch of the funds. 
 
 263
 
 CHAPTER XX 
 
 THAT May day ended in a lovely evening, 
 warm enough to make outside air the most 
 agreeable, so directly after an early tea the 
 Woodburn family gathered upon the veranda, 
 where they were presently joined by the 
 Sunnyside folk, babies and all, who received 
 the warmest of welcomes, though they had 
 been absent from the older home but a few 
 hours. 
 
 Naturally the first topic of conversation re 
 lated to that day's visit from Grandma Elsie 
 and Walter and its main object the appeal 
 for help to the good work going on among 
 the mountaineers of Kentucky and Tennes- 
 
 nr\s\ 
 
 P^d 
 
 "I am glad we were given the opportunity 
 
 to help it," remarked the captain. "It has 
 
 set me to thinking of the pioneers and early 
 
 264
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 settlers of that section of our land. Among 
 them Daniel Boone and Simon Kenton." 
 
 "Oh, papa, please tell us about them!" ex 
 claimed Elsie. 
 
 "Some time, daughter," he answered pleas 
 antly; "but the rest of this little company 
 may not care to hear the old stories repeated 
 just now." 
 
 At that there was a unanimous expression 
 of desire to do so, and he presently began. 
 
 "Simon Kenton's lifetime took in both our 
 wars with England, as he was born in 1755 
 and lived until April, 1836. Virginia was 
 his native State, but his father was Irish and 
 his mother Scotch. They were poor, and 
 Simon received but little education. At the 
 age of sixteen he had a fight with another 
 young fellow named William Veach about a 
 love affair. He thought he had killed Veach, 
 so fled over the Alleghanies. There he called 
 himself Simon Butler. He formed friend 
 ships with traders and hunters, among them 
 Simon Girty." 
 
 265
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "Girty, that cruel, cruel wretch!" cried 
 Elsie. "How could anybody want to have 
 him for a friend?" 
 
 "He was a bad, cruel man," replied her 
 father, "but perhaps never had any good 
 teaching. His father had died and his 
 mother married again, and they were all taken 
 prisoners by the Indians and his step-father 
 burned at the stake when Simon Girty was 
 but five years old. It was three years before 
 he was released, and I do not know that he 
 ever had any education. Many cruel deeds 
 are told of him, but he was really a good 
 friend to Simon Kenton, and once saved him 
 from being burned at the stake by the 
 Indians. 
 
 "But to go back, Kenton was soon persuaded 
 by a young man named Yager, who had been 
 taken by the Western Indians when a child, 
 and spent a good many years among them, 
 to go with him to a land called by the Indians 
 Kan-tuc-kee, which he described as a most 
 delightful place. 
 
 266
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "They two, with a third young man named 
 Strader, set off in high spirits, expecting to 
 find a paradise. But they wandered througK 
 the wilderness for weeks hoping to find the 
 promised land, but without success. Then 
 they tried hunting and trapping for nearly 
 two years. But being discovered by the 
 Indians, they had to abandon those hunting 
 grounds and try elsewhere; but to tell of it 
 all would make too long a story. 
 
 "In 1778 Kenton joined Daniel Boone in 
 his expedition against the Indian town on 
 Paint Creek. On his return from that he 
 was sent by Colonel Bowman, with two com- 
 
 <fc 
 
 panions, to make observations upon the In 
 dian towns on Little Miami, the colonel con 
 sidering the idea of an expedition against 
 them. Kenton reached the spot in safety, and 
 if he had attended only to what he was sent 
 to do he might have succeeded well and been 
 very useful to the settlers in Kentucky, but 
 before leaving the towns he stole a number 
 of the Indians' horses. 
 267
 
 "The Indians missed their horses early the 
 next morning, found the trail of those who 
 had taken them, and at once pursued after 
 them. Kenton and his companions soon 
 heard the cries of the Indians in their rear 
 and knew they were being pursued, so saw 
 the necessity of riding for their lives, which 
 they did, dashing through the woods at a 
 furious rate, with the hue and cry of the 
 Indians after them ringing in their ears ; but 
 suddenly they came to an impenetrable 
 swamp. 
 
 "There they paused a few moments, listen 
 ing for the sounds of pursuit; but hearing 
 none, they started on again, skirted the 
 swamp for some distance, hoping to be able 
 to cross it, but finding they could not, they 
 dashed on in a straight line for the Ohio. 
 For forty-eight hours they continued their 
 furious speed, halting only once or twice for 
 a few minutes to eat a little, and reached the 
 Ohio in safety. But there they had to pause 
 and consider what to do, for the river was 
 268
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 high and rough and the jaded horses could 
 not be induced to try to swim it. The men 
 might yet have escaped if they had only aban 
 doned the horses ; but that Kenton could not 
 make up his mind to do. He and his com 
 panions consulted over the matter, and feel 
 ing sure that they were as much as twelve 
 hours in advance of their Indian pursuers, 
 they decided to conceal the horses in the near 
 by ravine and themselves in an adjoining 
 wood, hoping that by sunset the high wind 
 would abate and the river become quiet 
 enough for them to cross safely with the 
 animals. 
 
 "But when the waited-for time came the 
 wind was higher and the water rougher than 
 ever. Still they stayed where they were 
 through the night. The next morning was 
 mild, and they heard no sound of pursuing 
 Indians, so they again tried to urge the 
 horses over the river. But the animals 
 seemed to remember its condition on the pre 
 vious day, and could not be induced to go into 
 it at alL 269
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "It was quite a drove of horses they had 
 stolen, but now they found they must aban 
 don all but the three they could mount; so 
 that they did, and started down the river, 
 with the intention to keep the Ohio and Indi 
 ana side till they should arrive opposite 
 Louisville. 
 
 "But they had waited too long, and even now 
 were slow in carrying out their intention. 
 They had not gone more than a hundred 
 yards on their horses when they heard a loud 
 halloo, coming apparently from the spot they 
 had just left. They could not escape; were 
 quickly surrounded by their pursuers, one of 
 Kenton's companions killed, the other, effect 
 ing his escape while Kenton was taken 
 prisoner, falling a victim to his love of 
 horses." 
 
 "I suppose he deserved it, as he had stolen 
 the horses," remarked Elsie. 
 
 "Yes," replied her father, "he had no more 
 right to steal from the Indians than from 
 white people, and his sin found him out." 
 270
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "Did they kill him, papa ?" asked Ned. 
 
 "No; they kicked and cuffed him as much 
 as they cared to, then made him lie down 
 upon his back and stretch his arms to 
 their full length, passed a stout stick across 
 his breast and fastened his wrists to each ex 
 tremity of it by thongs of buffalo-hide. Then 
 they drove stakes into the ground near his 
 feet and fastened them in the same way. 
 After that they tied a halter round his neck 
 and fastened it to a sapling growing near. 
 Lastly they passed a strong rope under his 
 body, wound it several times round his arms 
 at the elbows, so lashing them to the stick 
 which lay across his breast, and to which his 
 wrists were fastened; all this in a manner 
 that was peculiarly painful. He could not 
 move at all, either feet, arms or head, and 
 was kept in that position till the next morn 
 ing. Then, as they wanted to go back to the 
 spot from which they had come, they un 
 fastened him, put him on the back of a wild, 
 unbroken colt, one of those he had stolen, 
 271
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 lashed him by the feet to it and tied his hands 
 behind him. And so he was driven into the 
 cruel captivity, a captivity which has been 
 spoken of as being as singular and remark 
 able in other respects as any in the whole 
 history of Indian warfare upon this con 
 tinent. 
 
 "Kenton refused with strange infatuation 
 to adopt proper measures for his safety while 
 he might have done so. With strange ob 
 stinacy he remained on the Ohio shore until 
 flight became useless. He was often at one 
 hour tantalized with a prospect of safety and 
 the next plunged into the deepest despair. 
 Eight times he had to run the gauntlet, three 
 times he was tied to a stake and thought him 
 self about to suffer a terrible death. Any 
 sentence passed upon him by one council, 
 whether to give him mercy or death, would 
 presently be reversed by another. Whenever 
 Providence raised up a friend in his favor, 
 some enemy immediately followed, unex 
 pectedly interposed and turned his glimpse 
 272
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 of sunshine into deeper darkness than ever. 
 For three weeks he was in that manner see 
 sawing between life and death." 
 
 "And did they kill him at last, papa ?" asked 
 Ned. 
 
 "No," replied the captain. "An Indian 
 agent of the name of Drewyer, who was 
 anxious to gain intelligence for the British 
 commander at Detroit in regard to the strength 
 and condition of the settlements in Kentucky, 
 got Kenton free from the Indians just as for 
 the fourth time they were about to bind him 
 to a stake and burn him. He (Drewyer) did 
 not get anything of importance out of Kenton, 
 who was three weeks later sent a prisoner to 
 Detroit, from which place he made his 
 escape in about eight months; then he went 
 back to Kentucky. He was very brave, a 
 valuable scout, a hardy woodsman, a good 
 Indian fighter. He performed many daring 
 feats as the friend and companion of Daniel 
 Boone, once saving his life in a conflict with 
 the Indians." 
 
 273
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "Had not Logan something to do with Ken- 
 ton's rescue by that Canadian trader 
 Drewyer?" asked Harold, who had been 
 listening with interest to the captain's story. 
 
 "Yes," was the reply; "Logan, the Mingo 
 chief. At Detroit Kenton was held as a 
 prisoner of war, and there he worked for the 
 garrison at half pay, till he was aided by a 
 trader's wife to escape. That was in July, 
 1779. He commanded a battalion of Ken 
 tucky volunteers as major under General 
 Anthony Wayne in 1793-94, became brig 
 adier-general of Ohio militia in 1805, and 
 fought at the battle of the Thames in 1813." 
 
 "I hope his country rewarded his great 
 services as it ought," remarked Grace in tones 
 of inquiry. 
 
 "Ah!" replied her father, "I am sorry to 
 say that in his old age he was reduced to 
 poverty, the immense tracts of land which 
 he possessed being lost through the invasion 
 of settlers and his ignorance of law. 
 
 "In 1824 he went to Frankfort to petition 
 274
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 the legislature of Kentucky to release the 
 claim of the State upon some mountain land 
 owned by him. He was in tattered garments, 
 and his appearance excited ridicule, but on 
 being recognized by General Thomas 
 Fletcher, he was taken to the capitol, seated 
 in the speaker's chair, and introduced to a 
 large assembly as the second great adventurer 
 of the West. His lands were released and 
 a pension of $240 was procured for him from 
 Congress. 
 
 "He died near the spot where, fifty-eight 
 years before, he had escaped death at the 
 hands of the Indians. Kenton County, Ken 
 tucky, was named in his honor. 
 
 "Now let me read you a passage from a book 
 I was examining the other day, in which there 
 is an interesting account of Kenton's appear 
 ance and manner in his old age," said the 
 captain. "It is in the library, and I shall 
 be back with it in a moment." 
 
 Several of the younger ones in the little 
 
 company at once offered to do the errand 
 
 275
 
 "EL'SIE 'AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 for him, but thanking them, and saying that 
 he could find it more readily than they, he 
 went in, and soon returned with the book 
 in his hand. Then he read aloud, " 'Kenton's 
 form, even under the weight of seventy-nine 
 years, is striking, and must have been a 
 model of manly strength and agility. His 
 eye is blue, mild and yet penetrating in its 
 glance. The forehead projects very much 
 at the eyebrows, which are well defined, and 
 then recedes, and is neither very high nor 
 very broad. His hair, which in active life 
 was light, is now quite gray; his nose is 
 straight, and his mouth before he lost hia 
 teeth must have been expressive and hand 
 some. I observed that he had yet one tooth, 
 which, in connection with his character and 
 manner of conversation, was continually re 
 minding me of Leatherstocking. The whole 
 face is remarkably expressive, not of turbu 
 lence or excitement, but rather of rumination 
 and self-possession. Simplicity, frankness, 
 honesty and strict regard to truth appeared 
 276
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 to be the prominent traits of his character. 
 In giving an answer to a question which my 
 friend asked him, I was particularly struck 
 with his truthfulness and simplicity. The 
 question was, whether the account of his life, 
 given in the "Sketches of Western Adven 
 ture" was true or not. "Well, I'll tell you, 1 " 
 said he, "not true. The book says that when 
 Blackfish, the Injun warrior, asked me, when 
 they had taken me prisoner, if Colonel Boone 
 sent me to steal their horses, I said 'JSTo, sir.' 
 Here he looked indignant and rose from his 
 chair. "I tell you I never said 'sir' to an 
 Injun in my life ; I scarcely ever say it to a 
 white man." Here Mrs. Kenton, who was 
 engaged in some domestic occupation at the 
 table, turned round and remarked that when 
 they were last in Kentucky some one gave 
 her the book to read to her husband, and that 
 when she came to that part he would not let 
 her read any further. "And I. tell you," con 
 tinued he, "I was never tied to a stake in my 
 life to be burned. They had me painted black 
 277
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 when I saw Girty, but not tied to a stake." 
 We are inclined to think, notwithstanding 
 this, that the statement in the Sketches of 
 his being three times tied to the stake is cor 
 rect, for the author of that interesting work 
 had' before him a manuscript account of the 
 pioneer's life, which had been dictated by Mr. 
 Kenton to a gentleman of Kentucky a num 
 ber of years before, when he had no motive 
 to exaggerate and his memory was compara 
 tively unimpaired. But he is now beyond the 
 reach of earthly toil, or trouble, or suffering. 
 His old age was as exemplary as his youth 
 and manhood had been active and useful. 
 And though his last years were clouded by 
 poverty, and his eyes closed in a miserable 
 cabin to the light of life, yet shall be occupy 
 a bright page in our border history and his 
 name soon open to the light of fame.' " 
 
 A slight pause followed the conclusion of 
 
 the captain's reading of the sketch of the life 
 
 of Kenton, then Grace said earnestly, "ThanK 
 
 you, father, for giving us so extended an ac- 
 
 278
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 count of Kenton's life and services to our 
 country. He deserved the kindly and grate 
 ful remembrance of his countrymen." 
 "So I think," said Harold, "and that he will 
 lever be forgotten. Poor fellow ! I am sorry 
 indeed that he was robbed of his lands, and 
 so spent his old age and died in poverty." 
 
 279
 
 CHAPTEE XXI 
 
 THE next day was the Sabbath, the first since 
 the return of our friends from Viamede. 
 They attended, as usual, the morning ser 
 vices of the sanctuary, and in the afternoon 
 gathered upon the veranda at Woodburn for 
 the private, conversational study of some 
 scriptural theme. 
 
 "What is to be our lesson for to-day, cap 
 tain?" queried Mr. Lilburn when they had 
 seated themselves, each with Bible in hand. 
 
 "I have thought of the sacrificial shedding 
 of blood," was the reply. "Here in Hebrews 
 9 : 22, 'And almost all things are by the law 
 purged with blood ; and without shedding of 
 blood is no remission.' The blood of sacri 
 fices was typical of the atoning blood of 
 Christ. Paul tells us, 'Neither by the blood 
 of goats and calves, but by His own blood He 
 entered in once into the holy place, having 
 280
 
 EL8IE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 obtained eternal redemption for us. ... 
 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins 
 of many.' Now let us read in turn texts 
 bearing upon this great subject. Violet, my 
 dear, will you begin ?" 
 
 "Yes," she replied. "Matthew, Mark and 
 Luke each tell us of Jesus' words in giving 
 His disciples the cup of wine at His last sup 
 per on earth; He said to them, 'This is my 
 blood of the new testament, which is shed 
 for many for the remission of sins.' ' 
 
 It was now Harold's turn, and he read: 
 " 'Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, 
 I say unto you, except ye eat the flesh of the 
 Son of man, and drink His blood, ye have 
 no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and 
 drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I 
 will raise him up at the last day. For my 
 flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink 
 indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drink 
 eth my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.' ' 
 
 It was now Grace's turn, and she read: 
 
 " 'Take heed, therefore, unto yourselves, and 
 
 281
 
 'ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKE'S 
 
 to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost 
 hath made ye overseers to feed the church 
 of God, which He hath purchased with His 
 own blood/ ' 
 
 Then Elsie read: " 'Whom God hath set 
 forth to be a propitiation through faith in His 
 blood, to declare His righteousness for the 
 remission of sins that are past through the 
 forbearance of God.' ' 
 
 Then ISTed : " 'Much more, then, being now 
 justified by His blood, we shall be saved from 
 wrath through Him.' ' 
 
 Grandma Elsie, sitting next, now read from 
 Ephesians : " 'But now in Christ Jesus ye 
 who sometimes were far off are made nigh by 
 the blood of Christ. ... In whom we have 
 redemption through His blood, the forgive 
 ness of sins, according to the riches of His 
 grace.' " 
 
 Then Lucilla : " 'Neither by the blood of 
 
 goats and calves, but by His blood He entered 
 
 in once into the holy place, having obtained 
 
 eternal redemption for us. For if the blood 
 
 282
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an 
 heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to 
 the purifying of the flesh, how much more 
 shall the blood of Christ, who through the 
 eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to 
 God, purge your conscience from dead works 
 to serve the living God ?' ' 
 
 Then Chester read : " 'Having, therefore, 
 brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by 
 the blood of J esus, by a new and living way, 
 which He hath consecrated for us, through 
 the veil, that is to say His flesh, of how much 
 sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be 
 thought worthy who hath trodden under foot 
 the Son of God and hath counted the blood 
 of the covenant, wherewith He was sanctified, 
 an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto 
 the Spirit of Grace ?' " 
 
 Evelyn, sitting next, then read : " 'Unto 
 Him that loved us and washed us from our 
 sins in His own blood, and hath made us 
 kings and priests unto God and His Father; 
 to Him be glory and dominion for ever and 
 ever.' " 283
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 Then Mrs. Annis Lilburn, sitting next, read : 
 " 'And they sung a new song, saying, Thou 
 art worthy to take the book and to open the 
 seals thereof; for thou wast slain, and hast 
 redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of 
 every kindred and tongue and people and 
 nation.' ' 
 
 Walter sat next, and he read : " 'These are 
 they which came out of great tribulation, and 
 have washed their robes and made them white 
 in the blood of the Lamb.' ' 
 
 Then Mr. Lilburn, next and last, read: 
 " 'And they overcame him by the blood of 
 the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony.' 
 The one there spoken of as overcome is, as 
 doubtless you all know, Satan, spoken of in 
 this chapter of Revelation as the accuser of 
 our brethren, accusing them before God day 
 and night; but by the blood of the Lamb of 
 God, and only by that, could they or any one 
 overcome him." 
 
 " 'Who His own self bare our sins in His 
 
 own body on the tree, that we, being dead to 
 
 284
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 sins, should live unto righteousness : by whose 
 stripes ye were healed/ " quoted Grandma 
 Elsie in low, moved tones. "Oh, how can we 
 help loving Him with all our hearts and serv 
 ing Him with all our powers ?" 
 
 " 'For Christ also hath once suffered for 
 sins, the just for the unjust, that He might 
 bring us to God, being put to death in the 
 flesh, but quickened by the Spirit,' " quoted 
 the captain, then added : " 'The blood of Jesus 
 Christ His son cleanseth us from all sin.' ' 
 
 Lucilla followed : " 'Herein is love, not that 
 we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent 
 His son to be the propitiation for our sins.' ' ; 
 
 Evelyn followed : " 'Ye know that He was 
 manifested to take away our sins ; and in Him 
 is no sin. . . . He is the propitiation for 
 our sins ; and not for ours only, but also for 
 the sins of the whole world.' ' 
 
 " 'And we have seen and do testify that the 
 Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the 
 world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus 
 ie the Son of God, God dwelleth in him and
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 he in God,' " quoted Violet with feeling, then 
 she started a hymn, in which all joined with 
 fervor : 
 
 "Come, let us sing of Jesus, 
 
 While hearts and accents blend;; 
 Come, let us sing of Jesus, 
 
 The sinner's only Friend; 
 His holy soul rejoices, 
 
 Amid the choirs above, 
 To hear our youthful voices 
 
 Exulting in His love. 
 
 "We love to sing of Jesus, 
 
 Who wept our path along;' 
 We love to sing of Jesus, 
 
 The tempted and the strong; 
 None who besought His healing 
 
 He passed unheeded by, 
 And still retains His feeling 
 
 For us above the sky. 
 
 "We love to sing of Jesus, 
 
 Who died our souls to savef 
 We love to sing of Jesus, 
 
 Triumphant o'er the grave f 
 And in our hour of danger 
 
 We'll trust His love alone 
 Wn once slept in a manger, 
 
 And now sits on the thronfc 
 
 286
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "Then let us sing of Jesus 
 
 While yet on earth we stay, 
 And hope to sing of Jesus 
 
 Throughout eternal day; 
 For those who here confess Him 
 
 He will in heaven confess, 
 And faithful hearts that bless Him 
 
 He will forever bless." 
 
 That hymn finished, Grandma Elsie started 
 another beautiful one, in which all joined: 
 
 "I love to tell the story 
 
 Of unseen things above, 
 Of Jesus and His glory, 
 
 Of Jesus and His love. 
 I love to tell the story, 
 
 Because I knew it's true; 
 It satisfies my longings 
 
 As nothing else can do. 
 
 CHORUS : 
 "I love to tell the story, 
 
 'Twill be my theme in glory, 
 To tell the old, old story, 
 Of Jesus and His love. 
 
 "I love to tell the story; 
 
 More wonderful it seems 
 Than all the golden fancies 
 Of all our golden dreams. 
 
 287
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 I love to tell the story, 
 
 It did so much for me; 
 And that is just the reason 
 
 I tell it now to thee. 
 
 **I love to tell the story; 
 
 'Tis pleasant to repeat 
 What seems, each time I tell it, 
 
 More wonderfully sweet. 
 I love to tell the story, 
 
 For some have never heard 
 The message of salvation 
 
 From God's own holy word. 
 
 "I love to tell the story; 
 
 For those who know it best 
 Seem hungering and thirsting 
 
 To hear it like the rest. 
 And when, in scenes of glory, 
 
 I sing the new, new song, 
 Twill be the old, old story 
 
 That I have loved so long.'* 
 
 Several prayers followed the singing of the 
 hymns, and then the meeting closed with the 
 singing of the Doxology, in which all, old and 
 young, took part. 
 
 288
 
 CHAPTEK XXII 
 
 THAT week, the first after the return of the 
 Dolphin, bringing the last instalment of 
 visitors to Viamede, was filled with family 
 parties, given in the daytime for the sake of 
 the little ones, who in each case were quite as 
 welcome guests as the older folk. But the 
 weather was growing warm, and the doctors 
 advised a speedy flitting northward. 
 
 "To go speedily will be best for you all, 
 especially my Grace, Ked and the little ones, 
 Mary and Ray," said Dr. Harold, addressing 
 the usual family party gathered for the even 
 ing upon the veranda at Woodburn. 
 
 "So I think," said the captain; "and as on 
 like occasions in the past, the Dolphin is at 
 the service of you all; can be made fully 
 ready in a day." 
 
 "And Crag Cottage will be ready and glad 
 289
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 to accommodate you all as soon as the Dolphin 
 can carry you there," added Evelyn in pleas 
 ant, playful tones. 
 
 "Oh, thank you, Eva," cried several voices, 
 Lucilla adding: "There is no place I should 
 prefer to that." Then turning to her 
 husband, "You can go too, can't you, 
 Chester?" 
 
 "Perhaps for a brief sojourn ; then leave my 
 wife and son there for a longer time, going 
 for them when fall weather shall have made 
 it safe for them to come home again," he 
 replied in cheerful tones. Then turning to 
 Dr. Harold: "I hope," he added, "that you 
 are intending to spend the summer there, 
 keeping guard over our family treasures com 
 mitted to your care?" 
 
 "I have planned doing so, provided Cousin 
 Arthur and my brother Herbert will under 
 take the care of all our patients in this neigh 
 borhood, of which I have no doubt," was the 
 ready reply. "Then I must take charge in 
 the fall, giving them a vacation in their turn." 
 290
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "Yes, I am very sure you will do right and 
 generously by them/' remarked Grace, giving 
 him a look of love and confidence. 
 
 "Oh, I am glad to think of being on our 
 good Dolphin again and then at dear, sweet 
 Crag Cottage," cried !N~ed, clapping his hands 
 in delight. "Oh, papa, can't we have a 
 voyage out in the ocean, too?" 
 
 "Perhaps so," said his father. "I see noth 
 ing to prevent, if all my passengers desire it. 
 However, we can decide that question after 
 going aboard the yacht." 
 
 "Yes, and I feel pretty sure we will all be 
 in favor of a little trip far enough toward 
 the east side of the ocean to be at least for a 
 few hours out of sight of land on this side," 
 laughed Lucilla. 
 
 "And how soon shall we start?" asked 
 Chester. 
 
 "The yacht can be ready by the day after to 
 morrow," said the captain; "and if all the 
 passengers are ready, we will start in the 
 evening of that day." 
 291
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 Violet, Evelyn and Lucilla all replied at 
 once that they could be ready almost at a 
 moment's notice, having for weeks past been 
 looking forward to this flitting and preparing 
 for it. 
 
 "And, father," added Evelyn, "I should like 
 to have Cousins Ronald and Annis Lilburn 
 as my guests for the summer. Can you not 
 invite them now through the 'phone, and ask 
 how soon they can be ready, if willing to go ?" 
 
 "I can," he replied in a pleased tone, and 
 went at once to the instrument. 
 
 Their answer was that they would be de 
 lighted to go, and would be ready by the time 
 mentioned for the starting of the vessel. 
 
 Captain Raymond then 'phoned to Ion, told 
 of the proposed starting of the Dolphin for a 
 northern trip, to end finally at Crag Cottage 
 on the Hudson, and gave a warm invitation 
 from Evelyn to Grandma Elsie and Walter 
 to join the party and be her guests for the 
 summer, if they should care to stay so long. 
 
 A gratified acceptance, with an assurance 
 
 292
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 that they would be ready in season, came 
 in reply, and all the Woodburn company were 
 jubilant over the prospect of the pleasant trip 
 and the enjoyable summer at Crag Cottage 
 likely to follow. 
 
 Captain Raymond kept his promise to have 
 the Dolphin ready in good season, and all the 
 passengers were aboard when the anchor was 
 lifted early in the evening of the appointed 
 day. The weather was fine, and they found 
 the deck a delightful place for promenading 
 or sitting at ease on the comfortable seats pro 
 vided. There was much cheerful chat, some 
 times mirthful, sometimes serious ; there were 
 jests and badinage, fun and frolic, especially 
 among the children, with Cousin Ronald to 
 help it on, and there was music first songs, 
 afterward hymns of praise, repetitions of 
 passages of Scripture and prayers of thank 
 fulness and petitions for God's protecting 
 care. Then the little ones were sent to their 
 nests for the night, and somewhat later the 
 older ones retired to theirs. 
 
 293
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 Lucilla's idea of an eastward trip till out 
 of sight of land was carried out to her satis 
 faction and amusement, then the Dolphin 
 turned, passed through Long Island Sound 
 and up the Hudson River to Crag Cottage, 
 which they reached in safety and all in good 
 health. 
 
 There, as always before, they had a pleasant, 
 restful time, often enlivened by the fun 
 Cousin Ronald's talent could make, and after 
 a while varied by trips here and there in the 
 yacht. Chester spent a few days there, then 
 returned home with the understanding that 
 he would probably be with them again before 
 the season was over. He was missed, but 
 with Mr. Lilburn, Captain Raymond, 
 Dr. Harold and Walter Travilla still left, 
 the ladies and children were not without 
 protectors and helpers of the stronger 
 sex. 
 
 And in a few days a glad surprise was given 
 them all, Evelyn in especial, by the unex 
 pected arrival of Max. He had obtained a 
 294
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 furlough and could be with them for some 
 weeks. 
 
 "Now I think with two ventriloquists here 
 we shall have some fun," exclaimed Ned 
 shortly after his brother's arrival. 
 
 "Ah, Ned, Ned, is that all you care about 
 in seeing your only brother?" queried Max 
 in tones of heartfelt disappointment and an 
 expression of deep despondency. 
 
 "Oh, no, no, indeed !" cried Ned. "I'm ever 
 so glad to have you here, Maxie, if you never 
 do any ventriloquism at all. Please believe 
 me." 
 
 "Well, I suppose I must, since I know you 
 have been trained up to speak the truth," re 
 turned Max, brightening a little, "and I hope 
 the company of your only brother may afford 
 you some slight enjoyment, even should there 
 be no practice of ventriloquism." 
 
 "Yes, brother, you may be sure of it," re 
 plied Ned, striving to suppress a slight sigh. 
 
 "And your brother must be allowed a good, 
 
 enjoyable time with his wife, little daughter 
 
 295
 
 JSLSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 and new little nephew before we trouble him 
 to attend to anything else," remarked Violet 
 in an amused tone. 
 
 "And in the meantime the rest of us can, 
 perhaps, be depended upon to entertain your 
 young laddie, Cousin Violet," said Mr. Lil- 
 burn, with a kindly, amused look at Ned. 
 
 "I see that, as usual, you have the Dolphin 
 lying here at your dock, father," said Max, 
 "and I suppose that you all take occasional 
 trips in her." 
 
 "Yes, son, and I think you will not object 
 to accompanying us in that, will you ?" 
 
 "Oh, no, sir ; no, indeed ; I shall be very glad 
 to do so, as babies and all can be made as 
 comfortable there as anywhere on land." 
 
 "By the way," said Dr. Harold, "a lady 
 patient was telling me the other day of a visit 
 she had paid to the village of Catskill, inter 
 ested in it because of having seen Joseph 
 Jefferson playing 'Rip Van Winkle,' and that 
 has given me a desire to see the place." 
 
 "So you shall," said the captain; "the 
 296
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 Dolphin can readily be persuaded to make 
 that trip, and I presume none of our party 
 would object to going there in her." 
 
 He sent a smiling glance around as he spoke, 
 and it was responded to by smiles and ex 
 clamations of pleasure in the prospect. 
 
 "I don't know anything about Rip Van 
 Winkle," said Elsie, turning toward her 
 father. "Is it a story, papa, and will you tell 
 me about it ?" 
 
 "Yes, daughter," he replied; "it is a story 
 and only a story ; not fact at all, but seeming 
 so real as played by Jefferson that very many 
 people were and are greatly interested in it. 
 Rip Van Winkle is represented as an igno 
 rant, good-natured man, made and kept poor 
 by love of liquor, which so soured his wife 
 against him that she drove him out of the 
 house. Once it was at night and in a terrible 
 thunder storm. He goes into a steep and 
 rocky clove in the Kaatskill Mountains, and 
 meets with some queer, silent people, who 
 give him drinks of liquor that put him to 
 297
 
 sleep, and he does not wake again for twenty 
 years, and in that time he had changed from 
 a comparatively young man to a feeble, old 
 one with white hair and a long white beard. 
 In the meantime his wife, thinking him dead, 
 had married the man Derrick by name 
 who had stolen his house and land. She had 
 done it in order to keep herself and little 
 daughter from starvation, and he was now try 
 ing to force little Meenie, Rip's daughter, to 
 marry his nephew, Cookies, though she did 
 not want him, as she loved another, young 
 Hendrick, who was her playmate when they 
 were children, but is now a sailor and away 
 on his vessel has been gone five years but 
 now he comes back just in time to put a stop 
 to the mischief Derrick and his nephew, 
 Cookies, are trying to do to Meenie and 
 Gretchen in order to get full possession of the 
 house and land. He and Rip are able to 
 prove that those, the house and land, are not 
 his and never were. 
 
 "So the story ends well ; the scamps are && 
 298
 
 feated, and the rightful owners are happy 
 in regaining the property and being restored 
 to each other r " concluded the captain. 
 
 "Thank you, papa," said Elsie; "it was a 
 nice story, because it ended well." 
 
 "And wouldn't you like to see the place 
 where all that is said to have happened?" 
 asked Dr. Harold. 
 
 "Yes, indeed," she answered; and after a 
 little more chat on the subject, it was decided 
 that they would visit the village of Catskill 
 the next day and see the very spot where all 
 these strange events were supposed to have 
 taken place. 
 
 "The scenery about there is said to be very 
 fine, is it not ?" asked Mr. Lilburn. 
 
 "It is," replied Captain Raymond; "and I 
 think we who are strong enough to climb steep 
 ascents will be well repaid for the effort. Our 
 best plan will be to leave the yacht for a 
 hotel, as in order to see all that is worth seeing 
 we must spend some days in the vicinity." 
 
 "Yes," said Dr. Harold; "and the ladies 
 299
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 and babies and our not very strong 
 little Ned will need to stay in the vil 
 lage while we stronger ones climb about the 
 cliffs." 
 
 "I think you are right in that," assented his 
 mother. "By the way," she continued, "do 
 you think, gentlemen, that it was quite cor 
 rect for the author of the play to bring in 
 Hudson and some of his men as taking part 
 in causing Kip's long nap? From the ac 
 counts given of his life and death, it would 
 seem that he was set adrift by his sailors con 
 siderably more to the north, and perished in 
 the sea." 
 
 "That is so, mother," returned the captain ; 
 "but it is about as true as the story of Rip's 
 long nap." 
 
 "And that couldn't be true," remarked Elsie 
 wisely, "for nobody could live half as long as 
 that without eating anything, could they, 
 Uncle Harold?" 
 
 "No, certainly not," replied her uncle, 
 
 smiling at the very idea. "No one but a very 
 
 300
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 ignorant person could be made to believe the 
 story true." 
 
 "Still, we can enjoy looking at the scenes of 
 the supposed occurrences," remarked Cap 
 tain Raymond. "Shall we go to-morrow ?" 
 
 Every one seemed in favor of that propo 
 sition, and the next morning, the weather 
 being favorable and the yacht in excellent 
 condition, they started upon their trip shortly 
 after breakfast. 
 
 Comfortable accommodations were found in 
 the hotel at Catskill, and the ladies seemed 
 well satisfied with what they could see and 
 enjoy in going about the valley while the 
 stronger members of the party should climb 
 the steep cliffs and explore all the places where 
 Rip was said to have wandered, and espe 
 cially the spot where his very long sleep was 
 supposed to have been taken. 
 
 The beautiful scenery of that region was 
 
 greatly enjoyed by all, male and female, old 
 
 and young, so all agreed in prolonging their 
 
 visit to the stay of several days. Then, they 
 
 301
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 boarded the yacht and started for their Crag 
 Cottage home again. 
 
 Max was very fond of his baby daughter, 
 and when they were all comfortably estab 
 lished aboard the yacht he took her in his 
 arms to pet and fondle her ; but as he did so 
 he was startled for an instant by a joyous 
 exclamation that seemed to come from her 
 lips, "Oh, papa, I love you, and am so glad 
 you are here with mamma and me again." 
 But glancing at Cousin Ronald, Max laughed 
 and replied: "Are you, daughter? Well, I 
 hope the time will never come when you will 
 be other than very glad to see your father." 
 
 "Ah, that's the first talking she has done in 
 quite a while," laughed her mother. 
 
 "Oh, was it you who made her do it, Brother 
 Max ?" asked Ned excitedly. 
 
 "No," replied Max; "I was as much sur 
 prised at the moment as anybody else. But 
 isn't it natural that the joy of seeing her long 
 absent father should loosen her tongue ?" 
 
 ''I guess it is more natural that Cousin 
 302
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 Konald should do it," laughed Ned. "He 
 could, I know, and I suspect that he did." 
 
 "Do you plead guilty, Cousin Ronald?" 
 queried Evelyn, giving him a look of amuse 
 ment. 
 
 "Well, now, you should not be too curi 
 ous, Cousin Eva," was the non-committal 
 reply. 
 
 "Is she too curious?" asked Ned. "Don't 
 you think, Cousin Ronald, that it's all right 
 for her to want to know what has made little 
 Mary talk so well to-night?" 
 
 "Of course it is," little Mary seemed to say. 
 "And I hope to talk a good deal while my 
 papa is with us." 
 
 "Yes, I hope you will," said Ned. "I think 
 he'll help you about it. Don't you wish you'd 
 been climbing those mountains along with 
 him?" 
 
 "No, TJncle Ned; it was nicer to be with 
 mamma in the village." 
 
 Ned laughed at that, and turning to the 
 other baby, asked: "How was it with you, 
 303
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 Ray ? Didn't you want to go along with the 
 big folks?" 
 
 "No; you ain't one of the big folks, are 
 you ?" Ray seemed to reply ; and Ned colored, 
 as there was a general laugh from those 
 present. 
 
 "A good deal bigger and older than you are," 
 was his rather ungracious rejoinder. 
 
 "Don't be vexed with my baby boy, little 
 brother," said Lucilla; "you know he didn't 
 say that of himself. Somebody put the words 
 into his mouth, or, to speak more literally, 
 caused them to seem to come from his tongue, 
 though he does not know how to talk at all." 
 
 "Oh, yes, I know, and I'm not vexed with 
 him now," said Ned. "I oughtn't be, as I'm 
 his uncle and want him to be fond of me, 
 as I hope he will be when he's old enough to 
 know about such things." 
 
 "Yes, Ned, you may be sure he will," said 
 Max. "You and I are going to try to be such 
 nice, good uncles that he will be proud to 
 own us as such." 
 
 304
 
 ELSIE AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 "And I shall try to be such a grandfather 
 that he and Baby Mary will be proud to own 
 me as theirs," said the captain. 
 
 "It will be strange, indeed, if they are not, 
 father," said Lucilla. 
 
 "Yes, indeed! I am very proud of being 
 your daughter, papa, as I think the others 
 are," said Grace; "and I am sure Max and 
 K"ed are proud of being your sons." 
 
 "Indeed we are," said Max. 
 
 "I know I am," laughed Ned. "So now 
 I guess we are all pleased with each other 
 and are going home to Crag Cottage quite 
 happy." 
 
 Everybody laughed at that, and all reached 
 their temporary home in excellent spirits. It 
 was a lovely and enjoyable one, situated on a 
 charming part of the Hudson River's western 
 bank, the house most comfortable and con 
 venient, the grounds tastefully laid out and 
 kept in excellent order. Max and Eva had 
 reason to be proud and fond of their country 
 seat. They and most of their guests remained 
 305
 
 ELSIE 'AND HER NAMESAKES 
 
 there for some weeks until Max's furlough ex 
 pired and fall weather rendered the return 
 to their warmer Southern homes desirable. 
 And the homeward journey in the Dolphin 
 was a most agreeable winding up of their 
 summer trip to the North. 
 
 THE END 
 
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