and departed, leaving Elsie sitting in the veranda, whiling away the time with a bit of fancy work while waiting and watching for the return 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 regretting that she had not expected the wedding 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.
"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 together. 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 – rich silks, laces, ribbons and jewelry – and some minutes 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 seating 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 Ned 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, blushing and hanging her head.
"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 considering 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 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 returned 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 silks, satins, laces, jewelry" – Violet responded in a musing tone. "Ah, well of that 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 consult 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 promised, and what she thought of buying for Grace with her $50, concluding with the query, "What will you do with your fifty, Ned?"
"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 bracelet," 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."
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 response, and the next minute Elsie came running 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
